Akron Life November 2022

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U P F R O N T

[ Managing Editor | Kelly Petryszyn | kpetryszyn@bakermediagroup.com ]

Rising Tide

Innovation has kept our region strong over the past 20 years.

started when the city began restoring itself, opening Canal Park, Lock 3 and the main Akron-Summit County Public Library, all of which have remained cornerstones of downtown. Lieberth explains that while Akron has become known for different indus tries over the years, it has always been able to inno vate a new path. It’s exciting that my dad contributed to the innovation that thrust Akron toward a tech and research economy. His

belief. To this day, we still get people who remember our late founder and his handlebar mustache. His long entrepre neurial legacy and passion for this region are what have paved the way for the magazine to continue. During its first year, Akron Life identified 10 developments that shaped the region, so for our anniversary, we’ve identified 10 more impacting our region and continu ing our tradition of innovation. Akron keeps improving because passionate, engaged citizens continue to collaborate and believe in a better tomorrow. The future of Akron is not waiting for big cor porations to save us, but is in supporting our own, Lieberth says. What we do at Akron Life is tell the stories of dedicated citizens, whether it be shop owners who have built a national following, leaders of our park system who are linking more regional green space or artists who have received global acclaim but have chosen to stay in Akron and represent our city. We are happy to present this issue with past and present leaders discussing what this region means to them. I’ve learned that reading about and witnessing exam ples of success helps plant the seed of belief that you can pursue your dream and you can do it right here as Don did two decades ago. That rising tide is how Akron Life has grown, and it’s how the region will continue to grow and thrive.

photo by Bruce Ford

To reach artists’ studios for a recent interview at Bounce

team made programs that automated machines to build different specifica tions and sizes of tires throughout North America. When he traveled to factories elsewhere, he says the fine carbon black powders heavily coated your skin and hair. Carbon Black is what Crafty Mart calls its new permanent artisan space in Bounce, and to get it ready for people, the team spent months cleaning out car bon black dust. All these years later, new types of innovation are continuing with more than 50 organizations and startups in that building, with over 250 jobs and $110 million generated in revenue. When Don Baker Jr. and his team founded Akron Life with few resources, they didn’t know if it was going to last, but they believed in the region, and a strong reader response validated that

Innovation Hub in Akron, I entered the former B.F. Goodrich Co. tire factory through a loading dock and rode in a freight elevator. It was a full-circle moment for me. My dad worked as a director of process computer systems at B.F. Goodrich, which merged with Uniroyal and later became Michelin, from 1983 to 1994. While tire manufacturing left, research centers remained. For Akron Life ’s 20th anniversary feature on pg. 26, Akron historian Dave Lieberth helped trace Akron’s evolution from a struggling Rust Belt city to a thriving city that is undergoing a renaissance and finding strength in new areas. Akron Life

[ Managing Editor Kelly Petryszyn is an adventure seeker, forever a dreamer and an avid supporter of #TeamFiona. ]

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