The Chicken or the Egg?

Which came first - the chicken or the egg? In this entry we look to see what came first - electronic recycling legislation or industry led electronic recycling? In the case of IBM and Germany, the latter came first.

The European Union and its European Commission has created a electronic take back program under Directive 2002/96/EC (commonly known as WEEE - Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) which has issued guidelines on preventing companies from putting harmful materials into electronic equipment and promotes the collection and recycling of electronic equipment. Under this directive, each member country enacts legislation to accomplish these outcomes and tailor the legislation to its own country. This legislation mostly places the burden of collection on industry within the EU. This legislation isn’t revolutionary in Europe. The first take back programs began in Switzerland in 1989 and in Germany in 1990. But recently, the EU Commission has been talking about setting mandatory collection targets based upon weight and the market share of the company. At this point in time, this has not been undertaken, and is of a controversial nature because it places a significant burden on industry to meet these goals.

In order to get more information on the WEEE and Electronic take back in Europe, we consulted Dr. Reinhard Hoehn, who is one of the executives in Corporate Environmental Affairs at IBM in Stuttgart, Germany. Dr. Hoehn gave us a great presentation about IBM’s efforts to reuse and recycle electronic equipment worldwide.

On a logistics end, this directive and subsequent legislation can become a serious problem for IBM. Considering IBM operates in a handful of countries in the EU, having different legislation in each country can pose a significant burden for compliance. With this, IBM has undergone efforts to harmonize member legislation so that IBM can have singular compliance. IBM, as a company, has a worldwide policy in regards to reuse and recycling – which is exciting to know – so that if take back legislation is enacted in Europe and is stringent, those in the USA can benefit from such legislation.

Most of the product take back is done at the corporate level which IBM can handle through minimal logistics. It is IBM's public take back program that can cause some headaches.

1^st IBM has to coordinate with municipalities so that it can collect the electronics curbside or at a municipal location. IBM has a coordination group that provides a dual role between government and the company because reporting to the EU is based upon market share .

2^nd The municipality must give the electronics back to industry in a recycling bin and industry replaces the full bin with an empty one.

3^rd Then the reusing/recycling begins at an IBM contracted facility.

It was pointed out to us by Dr. Hoehn that there is free movement of goods in the European Union, but not free movement of waste. This creates an interesting dilemma for IBM in Europe whereby they have to be careful when transporting waste because it is illegal to transport lead and other materials that are used in old computers but by law have to comply with the take back legislation.

IBM is at the forefront of reusing and recycling - which at the end of the day is good for the earth, and good business. Since IBM sold off its PC business to Lenovo in 2004, IBM mostly does business in the large server market. The good business of reusing and recycling can help IBM since a large portion of these servers are leased to companies. If IBM takes them back and reuses them they can reenter into service in the refurbished market.

Some interesting statistics from IBM and the Environment - it makes you think what type of computer do I use? And are they more are less environmentally friendly?

Cradle of the Automobile Embraces Cycling

The City of Stuttgart has been a car-dominated city for more than 50 years. Dubbed “The Cradle of the Automobile”, it is home to Daimler Benz, Porsche, Maybach, Bosch and Mahle.

“Nobody thought about cyclists for years,” said Claus Kohnlein, Stuttgart's Bicycle Officer in our meeting on Thursday. His department has been working to reduce speed limits and increase the number of bike lanes in this auto friendly city.

The newest part of his bicycle strategy is the Call a Bike Program which is designed to address traffic congestion, improve air quality and increase mobility options. Call a Bike is a Deutsche Bahn program in several of Germany's major cities and Karl-Heinz Erdt, Deutsche Bahn Dispatcher for Call a Bike Stuttgart was also at the meeting.

One of Stuttgart's 65 Bike Stations

Implemented in 2007, Call a Bike has been widely accepted in Stuttgart with 60,000 bike rentals in 2008. There are 65 bike rental station in 10 square kilometers in the Downtown area. The city converted car parking spaces into bike stations, with 6 bicycles in each former car spot.

How it Works Herr Erdt and Herr Kohnlein demonstrated how to use they system and the time it takes to rent a bike is only slightly longer than it would take to unlock a personal bicycle.

1. There is a one-time registration completed online at www.callabike.de or by calling 07000 5 22 55 22. You must provide a credit or debit card number for the rental fees. There is a 5 Euro registration fee that will be used for your first bike rentals.

2. Call the number on the bicycle on your mobile phone and the automated system will provide a code that must be entered into a keypad to release the bike lock. The system will also text your phone with the number so that you may lock and unlock the bike multiple times during the rental.

3. There is a bolt that locks the wheels if you need to lock your bike, but don't want to return it to a station.

4. To return the bike, bring it to any of the 65 stations, lock the bike to the rack and enter the same four digit code.

Who uses Call a Bike?

The largest demographic of Call a Bikers are residents and tourists 18-35 years old because this is the age group most comfortable using mobile phones. Although, using a mobile phone is convenient for many , Herr Kohnlein explained that it was also a drawback for people without cell phones. Stuttgart and Deutsche Bahn are researching the possibility of a kiosk to make the system even more user friendly.

User Cost

The bikes are free for the first hour and then can be rented by the minute, the day or the week. It costs 8 cents a minute to rent or a maximum of 9 Euro each day. Bikes can be rented for a a week for 36 Euro.

Multi-modal transportation is the goal. Trains, Bikes & Car Sharing make a complete system.

Transit Culture

“If you need mobility, we are your partner,” Herr Erdt said. Deutsche Bahn has a corporate mindset of true customer service. I also noticed this attitude at the local transit agency in Duisburg. There is truly a focus on the rider's experience throughout the rider's entire journey. The transit agencies we have spoken with in Germany value customer goodwill and see it as their duty to provide the best possible user experience.

In the future, Stuttgart would like to combine the bike system with Pedelec bikes because Stuttgart is a very hilly city. There are political, technical and financial obstacles to providing the electric bicycles, but it may be a bike rental option in the future.

Deutsche Bahn provides maintenance and ensures stations have bikes at all times.

Start-Up Costs

The investment and risk of the program is assumed by Deutsche Bahn and it does not profit from the Call a Bike program, but the bikes are excellent advertising and the system encourages people to ride trains because they know they can hop on a bike when they arrive. The City of Stuttgart pays Deutsche Bahn a fee to provide and maintain Call a Bike. Each bike costs 1,000 Euro, each rack costs 300 Euro and the bikes are very well maintained.

Bike Rental in Cleveland

Could a program like this work in Cleveland without an entity such as Deutsche Bahn? Herr Erdt and Herr Kohnlein don't believe this type of bike rental will work without a partnership between the city and a large partner—whether it is a public, private or charitable entity.

I am not sure which organizations could best create a bike sharing program, but I imagine a Call a Bike Station at Cleveland's forthcoming Bike Center, Public Square at the CSU campus and at University Circle to start.

Return to the Duisburg Landschaftspark! An evening of rock climbing....

On Tuesday evening, after a day of exploring the industrial heritage park of Zollverein and the city of Essen, I had the opportunity to return to the Duisburg Nord Landschaftpark for a closer, more personal look. I'm a rock climber, and I wanted to be able to climb at the Landschaftpark. Thanks to some Cleveland connections (namely, German medical students who are studying at MetroHealth), I was able to meet up with a young German woman, Annick, who was looking for a climbing partner on what happened to be a gorgeous, sunny, 70 degree evening. Perfect.

The website for the Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord claims that while France has its Mont Blanc (a world renowned climbing mecca) and the Rockies have Mount McKinley (another mythic peak), the klettergarten (outdoor climbing area) at the Landschaftspark is a great climbing destination in its own right. I was excited to check out the validity of this lofty claim—both because I wanted to get a sense of what urban climbing is and how it works within the context of an industrial heritage park, and because, truth be told, I wanted to get a nice climbing workout in…

The klettergarten is an example of adaptive reuse of old industrial infrastructure. Old ore storage bunkers, as well as the walls surrounding them, have been converted to an open air climbing area. The climbing routes are up to 40 feet in length and they range in difficulty from beginner to expert level. Several via ferratta routes exist as well. The German Alpine Association maintains the climbing area, which is open to its members as well as to park visitors.

When Annick and I arrived at the klettergarden, there were about 40 other climbers there. This group was rather diverse in terms of age; we saw young couples, a few groups of old men, a group of high school kids, several mom and daughter groups. Some of these climbers were novices, some seemed to be seasoned alpinists. Everyone appeared to be serious about safety (and I add this because it is my impression that rock climbing can be perceived as a highly dangerous activity. In fact, with proper gear and proper safety measures, it’s not a terribly risky activity. People at the klettergarden were quite safe).

Annick and I climbed about a dozen routes before the sun went down and it was one of the coolest experiences I’ve had – climbing or otherwise. It's amazing to me that the Duisburgers have such a great public amenity within such a beautiful public park….and I think that in Cleveland, we’ve got an opportunity to build off of the ideas that have worked so well in the klettergarten.

Cleveland – and I’m talking Cleveland proper here, Industrial Valley and the Flats included – is not generally perceived as a town that offers a wide array of opportunities for outdoor recreation, particularly adventure recreation. Our Towpath Trail is amazing (and it continues to get better), Ray's Mountain Bike Park is a gem, and the lake and river offer great recreation opportunities (for rowing, canoeing, kayaking, and more). But I think that there are some areas, particularly recreation that could be tied to our industrial infrastructure, that we can and should explore further, build up, and market better. Climbing in our urban center is one of these areas.

How amazing would it be if we in Cleveland were able to draw people to the Flats or to other industrial spaces in order to connect with our industrial heritage in a physical, adventurous, and unique way? And how far out is this idea?

Well…….maybe not so far out. Below are some Cleveland climbers working on their fitness at a beloved series of cracks down in the flats. What if the scene below included more people, an array of activities, and connections to major trails or a larger park system?

I won’t stop thinking about these questions, which present many logistical issues that I can’t figure out within the scope of this post…but after my two days in the Landschaftspark, I am hooked on urban recreation that is centered around post-industrial infrastructure. More specifically, I’m hooked on climbing on that post-industrial infrastructure. And I'd love to being doing that in Cleveland. And bringing you all along with me.

Going to the Red Dot

On Wednesday, I took a solo trip to the Red Dot Museum, which is housed in the former boiler house of the Zeche Zollverein colliery. This site is part of Germany’s Route of Industrial Heritage, a selection of former industrial sites that have been preserved and transformed into industrial venues and attractive centers for cultural and tourist events. Landschaftspark is one of these sites. Zollverein is another. Zollverein is not designed as an outdoor recreation park like Landschaftspark. It is designed to showcase design elements. I am very thankful that I visited this site because it opened my mind to the possibilities for repurposing old industrial sites---not just for recreation, but for many other public purposes, such as education, studio space, and museums. I now realize that the possibilities are much more expansive than I previously imagined.

The Red Dot Museum at Zollverein showcases design award winners for all of the normal objects we use each day, such as clothing irons, vacuums, faucets, and lamps. We may not think much about the design aesthetics of these everyday objects, but to look at them up close, in comparison, with aesthetics in mind, was a great experience for me. I love all things design, especially with respect to interior spaces and art… but, I have rarely spent time really analyzing the aesthetics of my flat iron or flash drive. I find myself looking at these objects a little more closely now. I hope you enjoy the pictures I took during this visit:

Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft AG

Today, Alicia, Jenita, Yemi, and I attended a meeting with representatives from DVG, Duisburg’s local transit company. We met with Birgit Adler, the Controller, and Michael Narloch, who specializes in environmental improvements. The company is part of a very impressive conglomerate of various infrastructure organizations, including energy, water, gas, and telephone.

It was evident from the moment Birgit and Michael welcomed us to DVG that they had spent an extensive amount of time preparing for our visit. They welcomed us into a conference room with a u-shaped table set up with multiple drink offerings (see pictures).

They had prepared a powerpoint presentation covering each topic of interest that I had mentioned to Birgit in our email communications leading up to the meeting, including the company’s structure, governance, and relationship to its holding company and other transit companies; ridership and other essential facts; budget and revenues; recent improvements and changes over the last few years, major goals in the coming years; and workforce development programs.

Birgit and Michael talked through their presentation with us, and we asked questions along the way, creating a very engaging exchange. After the presentation, we ate lunch and had casual conversation covering topics ranging from graffiti to Cleveland weather.

After lunch, Dieter Glittenberg, head of the Grunewald tramway repair garage, took us on a tour of the garage. We were able to walk inside a tram prototype and see current trams undergoing maintenance and repair (see pictures).

'After the tour, the DVG group gave each of us DVG gift bags with pens, paper pads, candy, and a stuffed DVG mascot, Skippy Do the kangaroo. The kangaroo’s pouch (with a joey inside) represents “comfort” in a DVG bus or tram. The kangaroo represents going “fast” on a DVG bus or tram. After the exchange of gifts, Michael graciously drove us to Schwanentor to pick up the last port tour of the day.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about DVG and Duisburg from Michael and Birgit’s perspective. I think all of us Clevelanders realized from the meeting that the hearts of Duisburg and Cleveland are not too far apart, despite the difference in time, cultures, and languages. Duisburg and Cleveland were both previously heavily industrial cities that are typically not associated with the sophistication and grandeur of larger metropolises like New York City or Berlin. They are similar in population and geographical area (size). They both have ports and waterfront access. And, Duisburg seems to suffer from a lack of self-confidence, yet it has many assets that are easy to identify---just like Cleveland! I hope that we were able to encourage Birgit and Michael, because the work they have done at DVG and the work others have done in Duisburg is very impressive, especially for what they identified as an automobile-focused city.

DVG serves over 61 million passengers a year at 1,145 tram and bus stops over 421 kilometers of tracks and roads. It began a marketing campaign for the first time this year and aims for all passengers in Duisburg to use DVG and choose it for its comfort, reliability, and low cost (versus owning and maintaining an automobile). DVG strives to have a transit stop every 300 meters and to improve its stops, stations, trams, and busses so that they will be more easily accessible to seniors and individuals with disabilities. DVG has a new money back guarantee program, whereby passengers whose tram or bus is more than 10 minutes late can get their fare back. Birgit explained that through this program (which requires aggrieved passengers to fill out an on-line form), DVG can identify which routes and/or times are having problems, and then craft solutions. Rather than reduce costs by reducing service in times of hardship, DVG reinvest its savings to improve service, reliability, and customer satisfaction. The result of this strategy is increased customer satisfaction and increased ridership.

DVG is part of the VRR, the largest regional transportation unit in Europe. The VRR region includes 7.3 million residents and provides 1 billion trips per year. The VRR collects all fares for passenger trips between cities in the region and then distributes the income to each city’s transit company according to a prescribed formula. The VRR is a very impressive collaboration and demonstrates how cities with different governance, leadership, and interests, can work together to serve the interests of their residents, who want a fast and reliable transportation system.

DVG is also working to make all trams and busses digital. Currently, there is a digital display at nearly every stop showing passengers which bus or tram lines stop there and when the next four busses or trams will be arriving. Each stop also has a map showing these bus or tram lines and each route stop. DVG is working to provide a digital display on each bus or tram that shows this information for connecting routes at upcoming stops. Thus, passengers riding the S1 tram will be able to determine while they are riding whether they will make the U79 connection at the next stop, or whether they should plan a different route.

In 2007, DVG, along with the neighboring transit companies in Essen (EVAG) and Mulheim (MVG) began preparing for a merger of the three companies into one entity. As of 2008, all three companies now have the same board, and the merger is forthcoming. The merger will enable sharing of different technologies and ideas, reduce costs, and enable the new entity to think through EU and German laws just once for a particular issue, rather than three different times in three separate entities. As the merger preparation has proceeded, DVG and the other entities have also worked to prevent job losses. Employees from one entity may be shifted to another entity if a job opens up, due to a retirement or otherwise, according to the merger plan so that job losses will be minimized or eliminated in the merger. DVG used a consultant to analyze the financial impact of the merger, but for all other aspects of the merger, no consultants were used.

After learning all of this information about DVG, I believe whole-heartedly that this transit company could be a model for Cleveland. DVG has proven that you can do more with less, that it is possible to be efficient and put passengers first, and that if a transit company continually strives to innovate, passengers will realize great benefits. I can envision the day when there is an RTA stop every 300 meters in Cleveland, each equipped with a digital display showing the wait times for particular busses or trains. I can envision the day when there will be a map at each RTA stop showing every stop on each bus or train line that passes through that stop. I can envision the day when RTA's online and print timetables identify each and every stop on each RTA bus or train line. I am hoping that the recent influx of downtown residents, the economic crisis, and sustainability and environmental concerns will cause more and more people to seek out public transportation… leading to a viral spread of a different way of thinking about getting from place to place. I believe RTA can provide a world-class transportation system, but it needs our support to get there.

Duisburg Nord Landschaftpark

Duisburg Nord Landschaftpark

Duisburg Nord Landschaftpark was once a 200 hectacre industrial wasteland. Over the past ten years, the area has been transformed into a park. It was not a forced greening of a post-industrial space, but a graceful transition that combined fecund growth, decomposition and re purposing of structures.

Nature has undeniably returned to the area. Springtime bird songs provided the soundtrack to my park experience. I glimpsed rabbits hopping and saw ducks splashing in the wetland areas that formed in structures and tanks left to collect water.

Wetlands

The park provides many activities: hiking, biking, diving, climbing, playgrounds, tours and entertainment.

Climbing Wall

The park combines wild growth, maintained buildings, decaying structures, landscaped gardens, fields and a large area called the Wilderness—a restricted area where people are verboten.

Wilderness Area

The park reminded me of the unintentional transition that is already happening in some of the vacant industrial areas in Cleveland. One could perceive vacant factories with busted windows, climbing vines and trees erupting from its parking lots as blight. However, Duisburg Nord Landschaftpark demonstrates that redeveloping industry can be both a passive and positive change.

So, what is the potential for Cleveland's Industrial Valley, the vacant buildings along the RTA's Red Line Rapid? Can we ditch the golf course aesthetic for our green spaces and allow nature and industry to coexist as a recreational space? I think we could with a lot of foresight, patience and a small amount of human intervention.

International Study Schedule

Saturday, April 18th

• Depart for Deutschland.

Sunday, April 19th

• Arrive in Dusseldorf and travel via local train to Duisburg.

Monday, April 20th

• Spend the day at Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord. Like Cleveland, Duisburg was once a largely industrial city. Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord was chosen because of its innovative use of a former industrial site. This giant public park in Duisburg Nord, which opened to the public in 1994, was created at the site of a former coal-fired steel production plant. Concrete storage bunkers were transformed into alpine climbing gardens, a former blast furnace was turned into a panoramic observation tower, and a gas tank is now the biggest artificial diving center in Europe. The park also boasts a sophisticated water system, industrial culture bicycle tours, "steel and nature" walks, and a highwire course in a former metalworks building.

Tuesday, April 21st

• Meet with Birgit Adler, Authorised Officer of Duisburger Verkehrsgesellschaft AG. This entity is the local public transportation company in Duisburg and is part of a larger regional public transportation group. Alicia, Gwen and Jenita are meeting with Mrs. Adler to gain an understanding of the organization of the local transportation system, its governance, its relationship to the regional and country transportation systems, its relationship to other modes of transportation, its challenges and successes, and its major goals over the next 5 years.
• While half the group meets with DVG, Emilie, Jeanne and Merissa will travel to Essen, a city about 15 miles east of Duisburg. In Essen, the Fellows will visit the Zollverein complex (a repurposed former industrial site, now used for arts and culture) and explore the pedestrian section of downtown and meet with representatives of Regionalverband Ruhr (RVR). In addition to being the region's planning association, RVR does a great deal of work around green reclamation, parkspace and transportation.
  
• Engage in self-study of the local transportation system, transportation centers, pedestrian and non-pedestrian zones.

Wednesday, April 22nd

• Duisburg Harbor/Port Tour. Like Cleveland, Duisburg also has an important international port. Duisport is the commercial and transportation center of the Rhine/Ruhr region, which is Europe's largest industrial conurbation. Over 300,000 companies operate in the area and 300 of these companies specialize in transportation and logistics and offer their services in the port. The port includes 6 intermodal terminals and a 1.5 square mile covered storage area. Duisport is a logistics hub of international standing and links airways, waterways, rail lines, and highways with most parts of central and Eastern Europe.
• Travel from Duisburg to Stuttgart.

Thursday, April 23rd

• Meet with Stefan Brunotte, Assistant of the Group Commissioner for the Region Southwest and the State of Baden-Württemberg, Deutsche Bahn. Deutsche Bahn is the Germany national railway company. It serves about 2 billion passengers a year (Germany has a population of around 82 million people) over a 26,000 square mile network. The Fellows are meeting with Mr. Brunotte to get an overview of the Bahn transportation system, its organization and components, its relationship to local transportation systems, and its recent successes, challenges and goals.
• Meet with Mr. Erdt from Call-a-Bike and Mr. Köhnlein from the City of Stuttgart at City Hall. Call-a-Bike is a bicycle rental and sharing system. Individuals register online or on the phone and then they can call the telephone number in the box on the cover of any Call-a-Bike lock to receive the opening code when they want to use a bike.
• Meet with Dr. Reinhard Hoehn, Manager of Environmental Affairs at IBM, CHQ to discuss the company's product takeback program.
• Meet with Gritta Geffers to discuss pilot projects in Stuttgart including energy efficient construction and building rehabilitation (policies, processes, and practices) and education programs regarding energy efficiency.

Friday, April 24th

• Pedelec (Electric) Bicycle Tour. Pedelec supportors envision an electric bike program in Stuttgart similar to a cell phone contract--citizens will sign a contract, get a pedelec and pay between 25 and 30 euros per month. A network of battery exchange machines will make sure the bike is always filled up. The bikes could be offered at Call-a-Bike sites. This proposed program could provide an exciting new and affordable method of transportation for Stuttgart citizens that could be adopted in other cities.
• Tour Stuttgart 21. Stuttgart 21 is a rail project to build a new underground station in Stuttgart, crossing the southern end of the current central station. The plans include surface and underground lines connecting the station in Stuttgart's enclosed central valley with existing railway and underground lines, which would make it possible for regional trains to travel through the City without ending their journey.

Saturday, April 25th

• Return to Cleveland, Ohio.

Prologue

The CEF International Best Practices Study Component

One component of the Fellowship is an international best practices trip—a week-long study in a foreign country. We are responsible for researching and selecting a topic focus and study location, and must engage in fundraising to cover their travel expenses.

In preparation for our international best practices study, we conducted extensive research on potential topics and locations and met with many community leaders in Northeast Ohio to discuss the region’s challenges and opportunities, as well as, model achievements abroad. After thorough evaluation of this information, we decided to travel to Duisburg and Stuttgart, Germany.

From April 18 - 25, 2009, we will travel to Duisburg and Stuttgart to study successful policies and practices in post-industrial urban infrastructure as it relates to quality of life. We will gain cultural perspective, insight and knowledge while studying these relevant issues and will share best practices and commit to engaging the Northeast Ohio community in action upon return.

Mission
The purpose of the 2009 International Best Practices Trip is to AUGMENT previous research, ADVANCE knowledge and invite the community to ACTION. The Cleveland Executive Fellows commit to sharing and personally engaging the community before, during and after their travels.

Goals

• Engage community stakeholders to gather specific recommendations about as we shape the scope and content of the trip.
• Meet with government officials and community leaders and observe the policies, practices and culture of Germany's sustainable transportation, streetscapes, greenspace, architecture, bikeways and other infrastructure.
• Communicate with the community via blogs, podcasts and teleconferences before and during our travels.
• Facilitate multiple discussions and actions upon return to creatively recommend incremental steps toward improving workforce quality of life of Northeast Ohioans as they interface with their urban environments.

Northeast Ohio Exploration
We will learn about specific challenges and objectives for post-industrial urban infrastructure, with an emphasis on transportation, use of public space, innovative developments and collaborative processes.

International Study Preparation
In preparation for our study in Germany, we met with many government officials and community leaders in Northeast Ohio to investigate local policies, procedures, issues, challenges, and successes related to sustainability, urban infrastructure, education, workforce development, and other relevant areas. Some of these leaders included:

• Justin Glanville, Project, Building Cleveland by Design
• John Mitterholzer, Senior Program Officer, The Gund Foundation
• Michael DeAloia, Senior Director of Business Development, Fit Technologies, Marshall Memorial Fellow
• Jorge Delgado, Director of International Relations, The Cleveland Foundation
• Andrew Watterson, Program Director, City of Cleveland, Office of Sustainability
• Maribeth Feke, Director of Programming and Planning, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA).

Some of these individuals also provided us with pertinent information about Germany, its infrastructure, culture, successes, and challenges. During these meetings, we were encouraged to observe the use of space, transitions from pedestrian areas to non-pedestrian areas, the efficiency and organization of the public transit systems, and many other subject areas during their time abroad.

In addition to meeting with Cleveland area professionals, we conducted two regional trips: to Pittsburgh, PA, and Youngstown, OH. These trips were an opportunity to investigate nearby cities, their successes and challenges, and their relationship to the Greater Cleveland area. During the trip to Pittsburgh, we visited Manchester Bidwell and met with City Councilman William Peduto, Dr. Cliff Davidson of Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Aurora Sharrard of Pittsburgh’s Green Building Alliance, and Paul O’Connell at the Pittsburgh Convention Center. During the trip to Youngstown, we met with Tony Paglia of the Youngstown Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce, James Cossler of the Youngstown Business Incubator, Margaret Murphy of Wick Neighbors, Sharlene Senediak of MCTA Workforce Development, and Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams.

After reviewing takeaways from meeting with these and other individuals, and conducting extensive research, we crafted our international study focus on successful policies and practices in sustainable urban infrastructure which improve the quality of life of urban residents and visitors.

About the Fellows and the Cleveland Executive Fellowship

The Cleveland Executive Fellowship (CEF) is a flagship program of the Cleveland Leadership Center. CEF is a year-long full-time experiential immersion program designed to accelerate the professional development of civic leaders for Greater Cleveland. Its goal is to prepare individuals for effective and ethical leadership in the public affairs arena. During the fellowship, Fellows gain hands-on experience through professional development and executive-level placements in the education, private, public, nonprofit, and media sectors. Fellows learn how the various sectors interact, how decisions are made, and what people and institutions guide Cleveland's civic agenda. The Fellows just completed their public sector placements. Their nonprofit sector placements will begin on April 28, 2009.

There are six individuals in the 2008-2009 fellowship class: Gwen Forté, Alicia Graves, Jenita McGowan, Merissa Piazza, Jeanne Romanoff, and Emilie Zickel.

Gwen Forté most recently worked as a Judicial Law Clerk for Magistrate Judge Kenneth S. McHargh, U.S. District Court in Cleveland, OH. She has also worked as a Law Clerk for Spangenberg, Shibley & Liber, LLP and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Originally from Cincinnati, OH, Gwen earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and International Business from Ohio University in Athens, OH and a Juris Doctorate from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. She is involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cleveland and spent time abroad, studying at Hong Baptist University in Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong. During the fellowship, Ms. Forté has completed sector placements with the following organizations:

• Friends of E Prep School – Education Sector
• The Coral Company – Private Sector
• Eighth Appellate District Pro Bono Committee – Public Sector

Alicia Graves is a native Clevelander and joins the Fellowship after working as a Juvenile Justice Unit Law Clerk for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office and serving in The Republic of Rwanda, Africa with a Human Rights Delegation. Alicia earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and American Studies from Case Western Reserve University and recently completed her studies at The University of Akron School of Law. She is an active volunteer, both locally and internationally, serving The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Akron Municipal Court, Sisters of Rwanda and many others. Alicia has traveled as a student to Haiti, Africa and the Netherlands. During the fellowship, Ms. Graves has completed sector placements with the following organizations:

• Citizens’ Academy – Education Sector
• Team Northeast Ohio – Private Sector
• State of Ohio Department of Development – Public Sector

Jenita McGowan began her career in Cleveland’s nonprofit sector as a professional modern dancer. Originally from Columbus, OH, Jenita earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Magazine Journalism from Kent State University. She had several internships in journalism before accepting her role as full-time Company Member and Educator for The Repertory Project/Verb Ballets in Cleveland Heights, OH. Jenita earned a Masters in Nonprofit Organizations at Case Western Reserve University and worked most recently as both an Assistant to Cleveland City Councilman, Joe Cimperman, and as Co-Founder & Program Director of Neighborhood Players, a fine arts after-school program. During the fellowship, Ms. McGowan has completed sector placements with the following organizations:

• MC^2 Stem Hub – Education Sector
• A Piece of Cleveland – Private Sector
• All Aboard Ohio – Public Sector

Merissa Piazza is originally from Troy, MI and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Spanish Language and Literature from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, MI. She then went on to earn a Master of Public and International Affairs in Global Political Economy from the University of Pittsburgh. Merissa also studied abroad in Valencia, Spain at the Institute of Spanish Studies. Most recently she worked as an Economist for the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington, DC. Merissa co-authored a paper, “Business Employment Dynamics data: survival and longevity, II” which was published in Monthly Labor Review. During the fellowship, Ms. Piazza has completed sector placements with the following organizations:

• The Cleveland Clinic – Education Sector
• Bridge Investment Fund – Private Sector
• Beachwood Chamber of Commerce – Public Sector

Jeanne Romanoff is originally from Cleveland Heights, OH and most recently worked for the Cleveland Council on World Affairs as an International Visitors Program Officer. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Pittsburgh and previously served as the Community Relations Manager for Cleveland City Council, where her responsibilities included communications and community outreach. Jeanne has been an active volunteer with numerous local, state and federal campaigns, as well as with "Emerging Cleveland," a program designed to promote Cleveland's neighborhoods to non-Clevelanders. She has also worked for The Enterprise Forum, a political NGO in London, England. During the fellowship, Ms. Romanoff has completed sector placements with the following organizations:

• The Urban League of Greater Cleveland – Education Sector
• Charter One – Private Sector
• U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown – Public Sector

Emilie Zickel most recently worked as Program Manager for City Year Cleveland. Originally from Cleveland, Emilie earned her Bachelor of Arts in French from Miami University in Oxford, OH, which included a semester abroad through the International Partnership for Service-Learning. Upon graduation, she served one year as an Americorps Member at City Year Cleveland, then two years in the Peace Corps as a Community Health Educator in Guinea, West Africa. Emilie subsequently obtained a Master of Arts in English from Cleveland State University, where she has taught several first-year writing courses. During the fellowship, Mrs. Zickel has completed sector placements with the following organizations:

• Ursuline College – Education Sector
• Regional Talent Network – Private Sector
• Cuyahoga County Planning Commission – Public Sector