Every year we have a night in my backyard that we lovingly call Girl Power, an annual gathering to connect the professional women Executive Arrangements helped to woo and relocate to Northeast Ohio. And so no one gets lost in the shuffle, each newcomer has a chance to share where they relocated from, the company that brought them to Cleveland or Akron, and any hobbies or interests they are seeking an outlet for.
One of my favorite stories came from Ally, a transplant from NY who shared, “When I told my mom we were moving to Cleveland, she said, I could never move to a city that wasn’t on the water, and I told her to get a map and look for the Great Lakes. Cleveland does have water!”
The newcomers this year were from:
- Ballston Lake, NY
- Seattle, WA
- Fulton, MD
- Cincinnati, OH
- Mercer Island, WA
- Watertown, NY
- Bakersfield, CA
- Brazil
- Los Angeles, CA
- Ossining, NY
- Chicago, IL
- Portland, OR
One guest asked for help interpreting the daily traffic report on the radio. “As a newcomer I have no idea if the accident being reported in the Metro Curve will impact my commute as I have no idea where that is…” She is inspiring us to create a listing of traffic jargon that locals know, but newcomers need.
The companies that pulled them to NE Ohio were:
- Cleveland Clinic
- Signet Jewelers
- University Hospitals
- Nestle Corp.
- The Cleveland Orchestra
- Bendix, Corp.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland
- Progressive Insurance
And to create meaningful relationships, we also invite an equal number of local community members, their peers, their first potential girlfriend group. They all offer opportunities to connect to non-profits, join book clubs, running groups, and golf clubs, or to find a local shop or resource in town. Some of the organizations they represented include:
Cleveland Animal Protective League
Destination Cleveland
Say Yes to Education
The Center for Arts Inspired Learning
Benjamin Rose Institute
Tower Press (artist’s studios)
Rebuilders Exchange (architectural salvage warehouse open to the public).
A special thanks to our volunteer bartenders, Jeff & Mike!
If connecting your new executives to the people and resources they need in NE Ohio is an important part of your company’s on boarding philosophy when welcoming new talent from out of town, talk to Executive Arrangements about how we can help make that happen in a low key, social way that makes a lasting impact and is a great predictor of employee retention. 216.231.9311.