Outstanding Ohioans

For the next three podcast episodes, I had the pleasure of talking to Matt Kramer, a terrific High School Basketball Coach and Author.  Matt currently resides in Georgia, but was born and raised in Northeast Ohio.  His current team Milton High School is one of the outstanding programs in Georgia with national-level aspirations. Coach Kramer is the co-author of the great book The Best-Laid Plans of a High School Basketball CEO, which he wrote with legendary Ohio High School Basketball Coach Randy Montgomery.  Coach Kramer wrote the book to document his journey and provide a resource for up and coming coaches. Here are the fantastic highlights from our great conversation: Looking up to his dad, a teacher and coach, who provided the inspiration for his own playing, teaching, and coaching career. Having an outstanding athlete to learn from in Olympian Butch Reynolds. The core values he learned growing up about:  caring for players, skill development, building relationships with a family-type environment, be inv

For the next three podcast episodes, I had the pleasure of talking to Matt Kramer, a terrific High School Basketball Coach and Author.  Matt currently resides in Georgia, but was born and raised in Northeast Ohio.  His current team Milton High School is one of the outstanding programs in Georgia with national-level aspirations. Coach Kramer is the co-author of the great book The Best-Laid Plans of a High School Basketball CEO, which he wrote with legendary Ohio High School Basketball Coach Randy Montgomery.  Coach Kramer wrote the book to document his journey and provide a resource for up and coming coaches. Here are the fantastic highlights from our great conversation: Looking up to his dad, a teacher and coach, who provided the inspiration for his own playing, teaching, and coaching career. Having an outstanding athlete to learn from in Olympian Butch Reynolds. The core values he learned growing up about:  caring for players, skill development, building relationships with a family-type environment, be inv

For episode 23 & 24 of the Outstanding Ohioans show, I had the pleasure of interviewing sports On-Air Radio Personality/Producer Dave DeNatale from ESPN Cleveland radio. I first met Dave as fellow students at Bowling Green State University.  Like Dave, I initially started out interesting in sports broadcasting, but then I chose a different path.  I did have the pleasure of meeting Joe Tait with Dave when Mr. Tait came to campus.   A couple of years ago, I was visiting family in Northeast Ohio.  I tuned into 850 AM to hear some Cleveland sports talk.  I heard Dave talking, and I got such a kick listening to him and his enthusiasm.     In his fantastic book The Greatest Salesman In The World, Og Mandino listed ten commandments for success.  The third commandment was "I Will Persist Until I Succeed".  As you will hear in the podcast, Dave embodies this virtue as well as any person I have ever known.  He will share some personal stories about his health and his dedication to his craft that has led to some uni

For episode 22 of the Outstanding Ohioans show, I had the pleasure of interviewing author Susan Guy.  Susan has spent her professional career in law enforcement and wrote a book called Mobsters, Madams, & Murders in Steubenville, Ohio, the story of Little Chicago. This time period, while traditionally romanticized, was an era of violence and fear.  Listen to Susan explain what the environment was like during this time. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or mobile device Like on Facebook Here were some highlights of the interview: Susan's father was a police officer and her hero Susan and her mother read & watched The Untouchables and Nancy Drew why she was fascinated by this time and topic in history the rapid progression of her book being published focus on the Prohibition Officers who lost their lives enforcing the law learn about the Tri-State Writer's Society Connect with Susan website facebook page (see announcements on her speaking engagements

The cover of the book Nick Gillespie co-authored with Matt Welch In this episode, I had the pleasure of conducting a second interview with Reason's Nick Gillespie.  Nick is a nationally-recognized journalist as Editor-In-Chief of Reason and Reason Magazine.  He frequently interviews public figures and appears on a variety of shows discussing political issues.   The Reason Foundation’s motto is “Free Minds & Free Markets”.  Check out the first interview here. If you feel the government needs to be smaller and less intrusive, balance their budget, trust people to make their own choices, protect civil liberties, and support strong defense, not intervention, Reason researches these issues and we talk about some of these in the interview. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or mobile device Like on Facebook Some highlights from Part Two of the Interview: how he preps for an interview why he hates the political process how does Nick consume so much content (very

For episode 20 of the Outstanding Ohioans show, I had the privilege of interviewing "the Barn Artist", Scott Hagan from Jerusalem, Ohio (Belmont County). If you have driven anywhere in the state, you have come across Scott's work.  Enjoy his story, and I reckon you will pay more attention on your future driving trips around Ohio. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or mobile device Like on Facebook Here are some highlights from the interview with Scott: how Scott was interested in art throughout his life, and preferred to find a "larger" canvas when he was 19 years old, he painted his first barn (his dad's barn) and the ramifications of this work that led to being commissioned to paint bicentennial barns in Ohio

  I have two black labs, who do respect individual choice. Nick Gillespie is a nationally-recognized journalist as Editor-In-Chief of Reason and Reason Magazine.  He frequently interviews public figures and appears on a variety of shows discussing political issues.   The Reason Foundation's motto is "Free Minds & Free Markets". If you feel the government needs to be smaller and less intrusive, balance their budget, trust people to make their own choices, protect civil liberties, and support strong defense, not intervention, Reason researches these issues and we talk about some of these in the interview. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or mobile device Like on Facebook Some highlights from Part One of the Interview: his family background and growing up in New Jersey One of Nick's heroes is Milton Friedman, check out this classic PBS Special inherent value of immigration in the history and future of the United States, and why America should re-embrace it

For Episode 18 of the Outstanding Ohioans show, I had the pleasure of interviewing Johnna McEntee, the Executive Director of the Ohio Museums Association. As indicated on their website, Founded in 1976 by members of the Ohio’s museum community, the Ohio Museums Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. OMA works with a variety of museums, museum professionals and providers of museum services to strengthen the state’s museum, foster excellence in the field and support the museum community. Johnna has a great enthusiasm and dedication to serving the 1,200 sites in Ohio.  Here are some highlights from the show:   Johnna grew up in Kenton, Ohio, named after the famous frontiersman Simon Kenton.  A great biography on Simon Kenton is The Frontiersman by legendary author and Ohio native Allan Eckert She credits her parents with instilling in her the following values: being a lifelong learner exploring your world around you appreciate history and culture faith and family integrity, respect, hard work

For Episode 17 of the Outstanding Ohioans show, I had the pleasure of interview Don and Tracy Popp, a father-daughter combination who own and operate Don Popp Honey in Hamilton, Ohio. Don began keeping bees in 1995 and the business has shown spectacular growth.  Last year, Don Popp honey produced 95,000 pounds of honey from 500 hives.  The product is known for its high quality and does not last long on the shelves in stores like Jungle Jim's and Krogers. Here are some of the highlights from the show: Learn about the importance of bees to mankind, and why there is cause for concern with the declining populations. Varroa Mites...the deadly killers of honeybees What the average homeowner can do to protect the bee population. "If something eliminated bees from our planet, mankind would soon perish." -Albert Einstein Open House event every August on the farm. Why it is beneficial for his farm partners to keep hives on their property. How they use the "honor system" to sell their product directly from their farm.

1+1=3?  This is one of Tom Price's principles.  Hear him explain this and tell his story about his farm business, Price Farm Organics. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or mobile device Like on Facebook Here are some of the highlights from the show: The history of their 6th generation Pork Q Pine Farm Rock-solid belief in the Golden Rule his role models and background Importance of adaptation 5 years ahead of conventional thinking Importance of your word and finishing the job how to build a Bank Account of Goodwill getting starting in the composting and recycling business backyard composters should have three bins:  fresh, turning, aging and other tips striving for Enhance-ability (the next higher level of Sustainability) the concept of "Closing the Circle" being a participant and leader by serving on civic organizations, such as Healthy Water Ohio and Ohio State Fair Boards his daily routine Exploring Internet sales as the business's next opportunity tryin

In this episode, I am privileged to conduct a second interview with Dr. Jim Burson.  Click here to hear the previous interview with Dr. Burson. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or mobile device Like on Facebook In our first interview, we shared Dr. Burson's incredible journey and discussed his recently published an extraordinary book The Golden Whistle:  Going Beyond:  The Journey To Coaching Success.  His career included teaching academic classes, playing and coaching a variety of sports at the collegiate level, assisting fellow Ohioan Bob Knight with the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, being featured in Sports Illustrated as the "Great Disseminator" of the famed Princeton Offense, serving as president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and serving as a consultant and business owner continuing to serve the game.  Dr. Burson has a book coming out soon called "Daily Nuggets", which is a way readers can engage the ten golden nuggets on a daily basis.  

In this interview, I had the pleasure of talking with Larry Huggins, the owner of Eastern Ohio Sports complex and a partner with Three Leaf Productions. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer Like on Facebook The Huggins family is well-known in Ohio for excellence in basketball.  Larry's father Charlie Huggins is a legendary Ohio high school Hall of Fame coach.  Brother Bob Huggins is the current head coach at West Virginia University with an incredible record as a college basketball coach after playing at Ohio University and West Virginia.  Brother Harry played at Rice University, and Larry excelled on the court for The Ohio State Buckeyes. During Charlie Huggins' coaching career, he developed the Eastern Ohio Sports Complex in Sherrodsville, Ohio with reknowned Pennsylvania high school basketball coach Ed McKluskey.  In 2000, Larry bought this business from his father and talks about the history and development of the complex. Larry Huggins has had remarkable su

Can you imagine being the author of a book that has sold 122 million copies?  No American author can, except for educator William McGuffey (1800-1873), who spent most of his life in Ohio.  This podcast episode will bring you the interesting tale of Mr. McGuffey's remarkable life and accomplishments. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer Like on Facebook McGuffey's Eclectic Reader, were the standard reading, english, and grammar textbook in elementary schools and one-room schoolhouses across the country from 1836-1920's and are still is used by some groups, particularly homeschooled students today. Professor McGuffey was a famous educator who worked at Washington College, Miami University, Ohio University, and the University of Virginia during his famous career.  He was also an ordained minister active and served his communities in this capacity. In this interview with Stephen Gordon, my friend and colleague at Miami University, the listener will hear about the li

In this interview, I had the opportunity to interview Peter Lawson Jones, a prominent Cleveland-Shaker Heights figure as a lawyer, public official, and actor.  I met Mr. Jones last week at our annual ORSA Conference at Cleveland State University after his keynote address. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer Like on Facebook Mr. Jones shares riveting stories about his parents, his professional journey, being a proud husband and father, and the responsibility of citizens to be involved in the political process.  Here are some of the highlights: his parents being involved in significant civil rights activities, such as Tuskegee Airmen, the Negro Baseball League, and pioneers in several other regards appreciating the sacrifices others have made and building on that the concept of read with expression, which has been a foundation for many things in his life Values of service, integrity, hard work, selflessness, and education how his experience at Harvard and Harva

In this outstanding interview with Tim Hutzel, business owner, consultant, motorcycle rider, and author, the listeners will hear about his journey and his personal mission to bring manufacturing back to the United States. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer Like on Facebook Besides both living in Oxford, Ohio, Tim and I are both proud graduates of Bowling Green State University's Master's of Organization Development.  After 21 years of working at General Electric, Tim developed his own consulting practice and partnered with Mainstream Consulting delivering services such as LEAN and programs for organizational effectiveness. Tim has published two books on the steps needed to bring manufacturing back from overseas and speaks frequently to business owners,  politicians, educators, and the general public on the steps that can help make this happen. To connect with Tim, visit timhutzel.com or call at 513.225.4118 Click here to review and order Tim's books Tim ment

In this incredibly interesting interview with Karen Starr, Co-Owner of Hazel Tree Interiors, listeners will hear how she built a business with her husband Jon Haidet, wrote a book, and became an ambassador for Akron.  Here is her story. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer Karen and Jon opened Hazel Tree Interiors in 2010, with a focus on interior designs and framing.  They have a wide array of services and products, with an emphasis on using local resources and creations. Most of their work is residential. Hazel Tree Interiors is based on a purpose of "Wanting Others to Have Work", which explains the emphasis on local artisans and craftsmen.  Their business values kindness, knowing and honoring where you came from, and clarity on where you want to go.  They focus on goals from an action perspective to create a desired vision. Karen's work was featured in Chris Guillebeau's great book The $100 Startup:  Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and C

Integrity....Fairness....Relationships....Helping Others....Self-Reliance These are the core values the Lehman (pronounced Layman) family has operated with since 1955 when Jay Lehman opened the store in Kidron, Ohio.  Here is their story. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Play here on your COMPUTER Lehman's has been a tremendous success selling mainly non-electrical products, beginning with serving the Amish community.  Inevitably, when there is a disaster or fuel crisis in Ohio, regionally, or nationally, Lehman's makes the news because of overwhelming demand for products to help in the emergency situations. During this interview with Jay's son, President and Co-Owner Galen Lehman. listeners will hear: why Jay Lehman created this business how the business specialized in hard-to-find products that the family spent several years living in Kenya, Africa, and how that helped them with their business when they returned to Ohio expanding into the catalog, and then intern

This episode will inspire and give great ideas for you to think about for your life and career!  Jim Paluch of JP Horizons is our guest for this show. To listen to the show, click on one of the following: Itunes Sticher Your computer or web browser To "like" the show on Facebook, click here. Jim grew up in LaGrange, Ohio, attended Ohio State where he met John Joseph from Episode 5, and then embarked on a landscape architecture career.  He then moved forward to become a coach, speaker, and author of three high-volume selling books to help businesses and professionals move forward toward their goals. Jim shared 5 principles which he drives his work from.  These are: continuous learning appreciate people positive attitude setting goals don't quit Jim calls himself a "motivational listener" and feels he excels at pulling dreams and passions from people. One of Jim's missions is to combat physical inactivity in people's lives.  He has launched the Come Alive Outside movement for people to be involved in.  Clic

For episode 7 of The Outstanding Ohioians show, I had the privilege of interviewing Gene Logsdon, the well-known "Contrary Farmer".  Gene has authored 30 books, written for many farming journals, and his popular blog "The Contrary Farmer". During the interview that will stir your soul, Mr. Logsdon will reminisce about growing up and returning to Upper Sandusky, being raised in a charming rural lifestyle, giving the Seminary a try, becoming a writer, raising a family, and recently fighting a battle with cancer that made him look at life through a different lens. Mr. Logsdon is best recognized through his writing as an advocate for garden and small-scale farming, along with sharing pieces of farming history.  His writing is often the result from his own small farming operations or talking to others. I really enjoyed my conversation prior to the interview, and I trust you will enjoy listening to the podcast.   Here is how you can learn more about Mr. Logsdon: Gene's blog Books written by Gene Logsdon Thank you

In episode 6, the show took a different approach, in that we interviewed an expert about a historical figure in Ohio history.  I interviewed Laura Bullock, Volunteer Director at the Sherman House and Museum in Lancaster, Ohio.  The Sherman House and Museum is part of the Fairfield County Heritage Society.  This historical house was home for the prestigious Sherman family. Of the 11 children who lived in this house, General William Tecumseh Sherman and Senator John Sherman were the two most well-known historical figures. Some of the most well-known events in their lives: Sherman's March to the Sea Sherman Antitrust Act Some resources to learn more about the Sherman brothers: Memoirs of General Sherman Fierce Patriot:  The Tangled Lives of William Tecumseh Sherman Grant and Sherman:  The Friendship That Won the Civil War American General:  The Life and Times of William Tecumseh Sherman by President Eisenhower's son John Eisenhower The Sherman Letters:  Correspondence Between General and Senator Sherman from