Regional Business News Roundup

Strategic Insights -

The Classic Auto Group of Mentor has expanded its dealership fleet to 17 with the acquisition of Lawson Ford/Mercury of Chardon, renaming it Classic Ford/Mercury of Chardon and adding the Mercury brand to its portfolio. In the marketing sector, the merger of Madison Avenue West and Farris & Associates has formed Farris Marketing, with George Farris as CEO and Dean Michaels as chief creative officer. Additionally, Creative Playrooms Montessori and Child Care Centers plans to double its size with a $5 million expansion, building four new schools in Streetsboro, Independence, Beachwood, and Vermilion. Third Federal Savings and Loan is also expanding its presence in Florida, opening eight new branches, bringing its total to 14. The British-American Chamber of Commerce is hosting its fall conference in Cleveland, attracting 33 chapters and around 100 delegates from across North America and the UK.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Classic Auto Group has acquired Lawson Ford/Mercury of Chardon, expanding its fleet to 17 dealerships and adding the Mercury brand to its portfolio.
  • The merger of Madison Avenue West and Farris & Associates has formed Farris Marketing, with a combined team of 26 employees in Westlake and Youngstown.
  • Creative Playrooms Montessori and Child Care Centers plans to expand its presence with four new schools, caring for approximately 1,500 children currently.
  • Third Federal Savings and Loan is expanding its Florida operations with eight new branches, bringing its total to 14.
  • The British-American Chamber of Commerce's fall conference in Cleveland will feature 33 chapters and around 100 delegates from across North America and the UK.
  • The city of Cleveland is preparing to update its Civic Vision master plan for neighborhoods, with the last update in 1991 and the downtown plan updated in 1998.

Statistics:

  • 17 - The number of dealerships expanded by The Classic Auto Group with the acquisition of Lawson Ford/Mercury of Chardon.
  • 26 - The combined number of employees at Farris Marketing, retaining employees from both Madison Avenue West and Farris & Associates.
  • 1,500 - The approximate number of children currently cared for by Creative Playrooms Montessori and Child Care Centers.
  • 14 - The total number of branches Third Federal Savings and Loan will have in Florida after opening eight new branches.
  • 100 - The estimated number of delegates attending the British-American Chamber of Commerce fall conference in Cleveland.
  • 33 - The number of chapters from across North America and the UK attending the British-American Chamber of Commerce fall conference.

Sources:

  • The Plain Dealer, "Classic Group buys Chardon dealership"
  • The Plain Dealer, "Shannon Mortland, Take two: City sets citywide plan update"
  • The Plain Dealer, "Creative Playrooms plans new centers"
  • The Plain Dealer, "Third Fed to open eight Fla. branches"
  • The Plain Dealer, "British-American groups to meet here"