Auroran a partner with
executive search firm
Aurora resident Donald A. McMurchy is now a partner with Advantage Partners Inc., a national retained executive search firm.
Mostly recently responsible for Progressive Insurance's personal auto business in New York and Missouri, McMurchy has run industrial and service companies and has been a consultant for nearly two decades.
He also served as the interim senior executive to start-ups and firms in need of a turnaround. He turned an $11.5 million loss at a consumer products company into a profit and successful sale.
McMurchy holds a master's of business administration degree from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh and a bachelor of mathematics degree from the University of Waterloo, Ontario.
He and his wife, Suzanne, have three children still at home.
Founded in Cleveland in 1996, Advantage Partners concentrates on senior management and executive suite searches primarily in the insurance business.
Hanna Cramer reveals
volume, sales leaders
Howard Hanna Real Estate Services reports total volume of $1.16 billion for January. Figures include written, listing and closed sales volume.
Total volume for Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer was $444.4 million. Closed volume was $90 million (486 units), written volume was $154 million (777 units) and listing volume was $200.3 million (901 units).
Closed volume is defined as the number of properties sold, listing volume is total price of properties listed and written volume reflects sales pending.
Total volume for the Eastern Region of Smythe Cramer was $197.3 million (802 units). Aurora is in that region. The Aurora office's volume was $11.7 million.
Aurora's closed volume leader for January was Lori DiCesare, while Susan Elaine White was the written volume leader.
Pet services supported
Each year, the Aurora and Mantua Veterinarian Clinics donate a service fee form dog licenses to various causes.
This year, the Aurora Clinic donated $332.50 to Valley Save-A-Pet, which helps to find good homes for pets and reduce the population of unwanted animals.
The Mantua Clinic donated $90 to Rose's Rescue in Rootstown, which takes in unwanted pets and finds them good homes.
Discussion coming up
A discussion titled "Finding Help for an Elderly Parent" will be March 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Anna Maria of Aurora's Building A.
Dr. Theodore Suh, a geriatrician, will lead the discussion. The public is invited, but space is limited. For reservations, call Diane at 330-562-6171.
Rabbit at Hanna firm
Aurora's office of Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer will feature a visit from Rainbow the Rabbit and festivities for children March 15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
In addition to a coloring contest, children and their parents can have photos taken with Rainbow, enjoy refreshments and maybe win a prize. For details, call 330-562-6188.
East Ohio Gas seeks
rate hike for upgrades
Dominion East Ohio has filed an application with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio seeking approval to implement a major natural gas pipeline replacement program.
The proposed 25-year program is designed to replace nearly 20 percent of the company's 21,000-mile pipeline system.
Dominion also wants to assume responsibility for the service lines that run from the curb to the customer's meter.
Customers own those service lines and are responsible for the cost for any needed repairs or replacements.
Total cost of the program is expected to exceed $2.6 billion. If approved, the additional cost to residential customers would be about $1.12 per month beginning in November 2009.
The program ultimately would result in about a 1 percent increase in annual bills, which would be spread out over many decades.
FirstEnergy firm posts
record earnings in '07
FirstEnergy last week reported record net income in 2007 of $1.31 billion, or basic earnings of $4.27 per share of common stock ($4.22 diluted).
That compares to 2006 net income of $1.25 billion, or basic earnings of $3.84 per share of common stock ($3.81). The results benefited from increased electric sales revenue, which offset higher purchased power costs.
Earnings also benefited from the firm's common stock repurchase programs.
Total revenue for 2007 was $12.8 billion, compared with $11.5 billion in 2006. Electric generation sales in 2007 increased 2.5 percent from 2006 results, with retail and wholesale sales up by 2 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively.
University Hospitals to
occupy former school
A $247,000 medical facility is getting ready to open in the old Mantua Village Elementary School.
The newest off-site branch of University Hospitals' Geauga Medical Center will be located at 10803 Main St.
The new 2,500-square-foot medical facility will take up the entire first floor of the old school, which dates to 1929.
"We're thrilled to pieces to have a medical facility in the village," Mayor Donna Hawkins said. "It will be a tremendous asset to our community."
Hawkins credited Jerry Carlton, owner of the building, for his hard work putting together the project.
A University Hospitals spokesman said in the next couple of weeks more detailed information about the facility would be released.