Bell Family at the Cleveland MetroParks Zoo.
Gordon Bell and his family relocated to Cleveland in 2015 for his job as Vice President, General Auditor for Medical Mutual of Ohio. Here is their story about transitioning into NE Ohio in his own words…
What were your thoughts/impressions when you realized you might be moving to Cleveland? We had a mixed view of Cleveland prior to moving here in 2015. I had previously only visited Cleveland in the mid-1990’s to attend Indians games with friends and family. Prior to the move, I contacted several friends from Ohio to get their impressions. All of the Clevelanders were die-hard fans of the city. They were well aware of the progress the city made in recent years, and where they thought the city was going. That was enough to peak my interest for the relocation.
Have your opinions changed or stayed the same since you moved here? My opinion has definitely changed. I love the city. We love the school our children attend (Brady Middle School in the Orange School District). We love the vast amount of choices we have for dining and entertainment, and so far we love the weather. We can honestly say that we get all four seasons here in Northeast Ohio. I am an avid cyclist, so it is the perfect climate to go on long bike rides in the spring, summer and fall. Our opinions have not only changed, but we take every opportunity to inform others of our positive views towards our new city.
What about your orientation days with Executive Arrangements helped you with your transition into the region? EA’s Discover Cleveland Day was imperative to providing my family with a lay of the land. We were moving here completely cold, literally and figuratively. It happened to be a blizzard and single digit temperatures during our entire Discover Cleveland tour day, but my family and the EA staff were troopers throughout the process. The EA staff actually rented a van the morning of the tour to accommodate the entire family. Coming from Louisiana, the day helped my family understand that cities don’t shut down due to a little cold weather and snow. We were able to visit both the East and West sides of town throughout the visit. That ultimately helped us understand where we wanted to settle as a family. The EA staff focused on the issues that were important to us such as schools, diversity and culture.
What are your favorite go to places/things about the region that all newcomers should know about? We absolutely LOVE the comedy scene in Cleveland. There are several comedy clubs (Improv and Hilarities) that keep us entertained on the weekends with world-class comedians. During the summer, we visited festivals and outdoor markets whenever possible including the Pig & Whiskey Festival and the Cleveland Flea. The West Side Market is always a winner as well. I love to cycle, so I have taken rides through the city, on the Towpath, and in and around the Chagrin River Valley. The roads and drivers are extremely friendly towards cyclists in those areas. We are also a fan of the Critical Mass bike rides that occur at various locations during the final Friday of each month. Although we have not been skiing as a family yet, we seem to still enjoy finding a good hill for sledding. The Cleveland Metroparks have plenty of locations for sledding. I am still a fan of baseball, so during the summer we go to several Indians games throughout the season.
If your organization needs help attracting or retaining top talent, Executive Arrangements can help you put NE Ohio’s best foot forward and insure the family finds all the resources and people they need to know to acclimate to the region. Call us for more information at 216.231.9311.