A shout out and sincere thank you to the fabulous staff and volunteers at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo who recently went above and beyond to create a warm welcome for a family contemplating a relocation to Cleveland. While dad was busy in interviews at one of our region’s hospital systems, EA spent a few days helping mom & kids get a feel for how their lives could flourish in our town.
A VIP stop is embedded into every single EA orientation day and is carefully chosen based on the candidate/family interests & passions. EA Project Manager, Margie Biggar spent time getting to know the family and learned their two children (ages 8 & 12) love the outdoors, animals and zoos. Margie and her EA Co-Guide Margaux Murphy, made it their mission to show Cleveland is a fun and kid-friendly town so that a potential relocation from Phoenix wouldn’t be stressful, but a new adventure!
To the delight of all, the Zoo lined up Wildlife Volunteers, Doug and Kay, who greeted the group in the parking lot driving a zoo tram and that set the tone for a fun hour zipping the family from one exhibit to the next while sharing insider info about the animals and their habitats.
Because the Zoo visit was later in the afternoon, a lot of the regular crowd had dwindled, but the Volunteers rightly noted that this time of day many of the animals are highly interactive. Not only were they delighted to see new baby Black Rhine calf Makena, but they stopped to see the lions, tigers and bears as well.
Almost every week EA is reaching out to quietly arrange for behind-the-scenes peaks into some of our most beloved institutions. The candidates we are working with are often Pre-Decision and confidentiality is of utmost importance. We have worked hard for 45+ years to develop relationships with so many Cleveland and Akron non-profit and small businesses so together we can woo the best and the brightest to our town.
Those who have been generous with their time and expertise to meet newcomers include staff and volunteers at public parks, sport venues, museums, houses of worship, food halls/markets, performing arts centers, tennis & country clubs, independent boutique shops and restaurants….. and the list goes on!
We couldn’t do our town justice without the partnership of the many organizations and small business owners who welcome us in and we often hear that the candidates they greeted become patrons, donors and even board members after they relocate….I mean who wouldn’t remember the red carpet treatment they experienced on one of their first days in our town?
The warm and welcoming tone all starts at the top, so thank you Chris Kuhar, Executive Director of the Zoo and the team at the Cleveland Zoological Society (the Zoo’s non-profit philanthropy and community engagement arm) for creating such an amazing culture at this almost 150 year old Cleveland institution that allows this kinds of experiences to happen.
Knowing the depths that EA goes to to insure your candidate or new hire becomes educated and connected to our region, don’t you think we could be an important part of your organization’s talent attraction & retention process? The overwhelming majority of Pre-Decision candidates who spend just a day or two in seeing Cleveland/Akron with EA Guides accept the job offer and relocate to Cleveland. Happy to talk to you about how we can help with your next out-of-town candidate or new hire. Call us at 216.231.9311
