Enjoying the Alpaca Lifestyle - Searching for a viable business opportunity and the benefits available with a rural lifestyle, Adam and Peg Yonkof moved to the country where they began to research various agricultural pursuits. Their goal was to find an avenue that would prove to be profitable, have growth potential, and be able to be handed down to their children at some point in the future. Adam and Peg discovered that breeding and raising alpacas fit their requirements perfectly, and in 2005 founded One Fine Day Alpacas LLC. We met with Peg and Adam recently, and listened as they detailed the ins and outs of alpaca farming; - read more...

Massage That Makes a Difference - Jackie Wayda began her interest in massage therapy after having some of her own back issues relieved through massage in the late 1980s. She was inspired by the concept of working with people in a way that makes them feel good and relieves their tension and pain in the process. She received her Certification as a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in 1994 and opened her own practice in Hinckley, Ohio in the same year. - read more...

Dedicated to Horse Lovers of All Ages and Skill Levels - It is no exaggeration to say that Renea Willham has been in love with horses her entire life. Recognizing just how special these animals truly are, Renea wanted to develop a program to introduce others to the joys and satisfaction that riding, showing, and sharing the company of these noble creatures can bring. In October 2007, Renea and her husband Steve founded Hinckley Equestrian Center as the area's premier horse boarding and training facility for riders of all skill levels. We visited with Renea recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Hinckley Equestrian Center; - read more...

People Helping People - In May 1960 the employees of Wadsworth City Schools in Wadsworth, Ohio founded a credit union dedicated to serving the banking needs of the city's educators. Chartered originally as the Wadsworth Schools Federal Credit Union, the financial institution was renamed the Medina County Schools Federal Credit Union in 1975 as they began serving all of the school systems in Medina County. Today the credit union serves all county residents and employees and has been renamed the Medina County Federal Credit Union. We met recently with President Pete Grimm, and listened as he offered this description of the credit union's services and offerings; - read more...

Dedicated to Providing Quality Healthcare at a Reasonable Cost - Built in the early 1960s, Samaritan Care Center, Inc. was one of the first nursing homes in Medina and has been under the ownership and management of Omnilife Healthcare Systems® since April 1988. At the center of Omnilife's logo is a Life Star, which contains at its center, an ankh, which is an ansate cross of Egyptian origin that symbolizes life. The star represents the expanse of the universe, with man at its center. The corporate name is written in lower case, and both the symbols and the lower case signify that people are the central focus of our system. We met with Administrator Kevin Kauffman recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Samaritan Care Center's services and offerings; - read more...

We Tell It Like It Is - Not Like It Might Be - Zachary (Zach) Jaworske began his heating and cooling career as a service technician. With a Degree in Business and Environmental Technology, he learned the installation side of the business, how to establish preventive maintenance agreements, and how to run all departments of a modern heating and air conditioning company. When Zach decided to open his own company, he sought the advice and support from his most trusted confidant, his mother, Toni. - read more...

Your Local Heating & Air Conditioning Experts - Starting from a very young age, Frank Staron helped his father in the heating and air conditioning business. Wanting to start their own company, Frank and his wife Cheryl coupled the first four letters of her maiden name with the first four letters of their last name and in 1986 founded Kamm Star Contractors Inc. We met with Frank and Cheryl recently, and listened as they offered this overview of the products and services Kamm Star Contractors provides; - read more...

The Only Lawn Care Company You'll Ever Need - You would be hard pressed to find any in the Brunswick, Ohio area who appreciate a finely manicured lawn more than the Jeffers family. A close-knit family, they always dreamed of owning their own business, and in 2001 combined their talents to found Jeffers Lawn Maintenance. We visited recently with co-owners Gail, Scott, and Tabitha Jeffers and crew leader Nathan Hess, and listened as they described the services Jeffers Lawn Maintenance provides; - read more...

Resurrecting the Classic Henry J - Carl Bilski fondly remembers the six Henry J automobiles his father owned when Carl was a kid. The Henry J was an American automobile built by Kaiser-Frazer Corporation and was the brainchild of Henry J. Kaiser. If you recall, mainstream cars in the early 1950s were large, massive vehicles. The Henry J, although, was a full eighteen inches shorter than typical Chevrolets of that era and at $1,299.00 were priced at $200.00 less. The Henry J, introduced in the six cylinder model in July 1950 and the four cylinder model later that fall, was designed to seat five adults and go fifty miles per hour for sustained periods while remaining affordable for the average American consumer. Even with its smaller size, the Henry J could store plenty of luggage, and with the optional 161 cubic inch L-head 6 cylinder engine could accelerate from 0-60 mph in just fourteen seconds. The Henry J was endorsed in the 1950s by George Burns and Gracie Allen, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, and Art Linkletter, and today is enjoying renewed interest among vintage automobile fans throughout the world. - read more...

You Call - We Haul - In the early 1990s Len Julio used his pickup truck to haul away some scrap aluminum siding for a friend who was doing a siding job. After helping on a few more jobs, Len realized that if he had a larger truck he could handle more jobs and might be able to earn a living hauling trash. He purchased a twenty-five yard truck, had it outfitted with a hoist, and founded L.J. Hauling, Inc. in 1993. Len began to haul construction debris for Pulte homes, in addition to handling a wide variety of residential clean-ups. We visited with Len recently, and listened as he described the services L.J. Hauling offers; - read more...

To Celebrate Your Occasion - Darrell L. Waite began his career in the floral industry when he was only fifteen years old. His first job was working for Morgan's Greenhouse in Medina. As soon as he was old enough to drive, he began handling the deliveries of flowers for Morgan's Flower Shop which was owned by Bob and Irene Johnson. In addition to driving Morgan's pink delivery van, Darrell also began to learn the art of preparing floral arrangements. - read more...

Giving You More Time to Build Your Business - As working professionals, Julie and Len Zevchek faced long commutes and extensive travel on a daily basis. Julie had been organizing workflow and improving office processes in the banking, advertising, and manufacturing industries for over twenty years. Len spent twenty-five years in the travel industry where he worked with United Airlines in the automation field. In February 1996 Julie founded Executive Office Solutions, Inc. so she could work closer to home and have more time with their children. In 1999 Len joined the company to help keep pace with the company's steady growth. We met with Julie and Len recently, and listened as they provided this overview of the services Executive Office Solutions offers; - read more...

Unleashing the Power of Your Corporate Data - C. William (Bill) Grant has been involved in Information Technology (IT) since his first job out of graduate school. With over twenty years consulting experience, Bill founded Nautilus Consulting Group, Inc. in 1998 to help Northeast Ohio companies use Information Technology to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. We met with Bill recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Nautilus Consulting Group's services and offerings; - read more...

Home Cooked American and Lebanese Cuisine - Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Dib Azar lived in Cannes, France for six years while attending high school and college. Like many high school students, he was eager to find a job where he could earn some extra money. Dib found employment in a local restaurant starting first as a bus boy and dishwasher, then working his way up as his knowledge increased. After immigrating to the United States, Dib founded the Brunswick Family Restaurant on February 2, 2003. We met with Dib recently, and listened as he described his restaurant's offerings; - read more...

Building Customers for Life - Barbara J. Pack began her career in the construction industry in the early 1990s. From the very beginning, everyone she worked with recognized her exceptional abilities. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in 1997 and continued to complete her education at the American School of Paperhanging Arts. Barbara started her own paint and wallcovering company in 1997 with continuing success. We visited with Barbara recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Quality Paint & Wallcoverings' services; - read more...

Always Fresh, Always Healthy, Always Beautiful - Diane and David Benigni had been searching for the perfect business opportunity for many years. They knew that opening their own company would require a sizable investment, but could never find a business that they felt offered the right risk to reward ratio. Diane was always drawn to the floral industry, although the number of local florists left her feeling that the market for floral products might already be met. Finally they discovered Edible Arrangements®, a franchise concept launched in East Haven, Connecticut in 1999 that was growing by leaps and bounds. Realizing that they had found the opportunity they sought, Diane and David opened their own Edible Arrangements® franchise in October 2007. We visited with Diane and David recently, and listened as they provided this overview of Edible Arrangements' unique offerings; - read more...

Your Professional Electrical Connection - Joseph A. Melinz graduated from college with a Business Administration Degree in Sales and Marketing. He began doing electrical work in the late 1980s, and in 1996 incorporated All-Pro Electric Service, Inc. We visited with Joseph recently, and listened as he provided this overview of All-Pro Electric Service's offerings; - read more...

Making Your Next Construction Project a Success - Brunswick, Ohio resident Michael Cangemi began working in the construction industry shortly after graduating from high school. His experience encompasses all facets of the industry from excavating to building houses. In February 2000, Michael purchased an existing construction business and renamed his new company Around the Clock Trenching/Concrete, Inc. We visited with Michael recently, and listened as he provided this overview of the services Around the Clock Trenching/Concrete provides; - read more...

Your One-Stop-Shop for All Your Landscape Needs - After working for two years helping a gentleman start a landscape supply company in Westlake, Bill Lattner came across a piece of property in Brunswick that needed a new lease on life. After Bill cleaned up the property and made a few improvements, in May 1992 it became the location for what would become Earth Plus, Inc. Bill would take a load of mulch and topsoil on consignment. With little more than a pickup truck and a shovel, he would deliver it to his customers by the yard or half yard, and unload it by hand. As he collected from each customer, he would pay his supplier for the previous load and pick up another. Before long, he was purchasing larger loads in advance and clearing the property of trees to make more room. Today Earth Plus, Inc. has grown to five trucks, four drivers, five office personal, and Bill working in the yard handling the loading. We visited with Bill recently, and listened as he provided this overview of Earth Plus' offerings; - read more...

A Commercial Printer You Can Count On - Brothers Dave and Bill Kasper combined their talents in January 1995 to found Panther Press Inc. on Brecksville Road. Bill has a degree in graphics art from Kent State University and is in charge of the company's graphics, sales, and customer service departments, while Dave employs his background in engineering and his business degree from Ashland University to oversee the daily operation of the firm. We met with Dave recently, and listened as he provide this overview of Panther Press' offerings; - read more...

Where Service is More Than a Promise - After working for many years in the mortgage industry, Tim Szczepinski and Kim Novak felt that by running their own company they could provide their clients with a higher level of service. In 2000 they opened their first office in Brecksville, Ohio. We met with Kim and Tim recently, and listened as they described the services Eagle Nationwide Mortgage Co. provides; - read more...

A Leader in Protection, Prices, and Service - Jim Milligan began his career in the insurance industry in 1961. In 1975 Jim founded Milligan & Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. His wife Jean began her insurance career in 1981 and was the owner of her own agency in Wooster, Ohio. In 1998 Jean sold her agency to her daughter and son-in-law and became a partner in Milligan & Associates Insurance Agency, Inc. We met with Jean recently, and listened as she provided this overview of Milligan & Associates Insurance Agency's products and services; - read more...

Protecting Young Smiles - After growing up in Dover, Ohio, Dr. Sally Lauterjung began her dentistry studies at Ohio State University where she received her Certificate in Dental Hygiene. She next attended The College of Dentistry, followed by post-doctoral training at the Medical College of Georgia. She and her husband moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina while he was studying for his Masters degree, and then returned to Northeast Ohio in 1994. - read more...

Specializing in Surgical Care of the Foot and Ankle - As a child, Dr. Patrick Campbell, D.P.M., AACFAS always wanted to attend medical school. He completed his undergraduate work at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and earned his medical degree from the Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. After completing his surgery residency at University Hospitals Health System in Richmond Heights, Dr. Campbell founded Wadsworth Foot & Ankle LLC in Wadsworth, Ohio on July 1, 2003. We met with Dr. Campbell recently, and listened as he provided this overview of the services his practice provides; - read more...

Medina's Newest Premier Auto and RV Repair Facility - Growing up with a father who built show cars and street rods, George Millsop learned the importance of meticulous craftsmanship at a young age. By the time he was twenty years old he had purchased a Cleveland automobile repair shop and over the following seventeen years gained a stellar reputation for his mechanical skills. In January 2007, George, a Medina resident for the past fourteen years, began employing his talents locally when he moved his business to the corner of Lake and Lafayette Roads. We met with George recently, and listened as he described the services Premier Automotive & RV Service provides; - read more...