------ - ---------Craig ------------------------------ ---------Sue
We all feel the pressure to list our impressive backgrounds don’t we?
Ours is found below.
In the meantime: Who are we?
- A couple
- A couple who are partners in life, in business - - - in everything
- A couple of... geeks: Sales geeks. Planners. Strategists.
The official info:
Craig is Co-Founder & Partner of CatalystStrategies LLC (affectionately known as “Cat-Strat”) The firm was founded in 2001.
Cat-Strat is a Cleveland-based conversation & event-production firm which produces what it calls “Convos” and “Experiences”.
Though the Experiences are somewhat social in nature, they are also content-rich. Consider them “thought parties”.
During the events & forums, Cat-Strat and their attendees visit various topics such as “Place-making”, News & Media, The Convention Center Medical Mart, “Thinking”… Question-Asking… Democracy Today... and more.
The topics, format & event-contexts vary - but there’s a common thread: People come together to connect, share ideas, learn… and get energized. Quite often the events are intimate roundtables with fascinating featured guest. In other cases, they embody a high degree of Northeast Ohio “community relevance”... by discussing the issues of the day - or the issues of the region.
Since 2001, the parent company, CatalystStrategies LLC has assisted organizations, institutions and communities with strategic planning, business-development planning and/or organizational-development via facilitation, retreat-management & leadership seminars.
About Craig prior to Cat-Strat:
Craig obtained his BS in Business Administration from the University of Akron. Prior to co-founding CatalystStrategies in 2001, he spent 17 years in the information technology industry via sales, sales management and general management positions. Positions have been held with companies such as Unisys and Sun Microsystems.
Immediately prior to Cat-Strat, Craig was Area Director for CIBER, Inc., a $700M technology consultancy. He was responsible for all aspects of operations, administration, sales and P&L for the 60+ person operation in Northeast Ohio.
Prior to CIBER, he was a Director of Procurement Services Sales for Inacom Corporation, also a technology-services firm. Craig was responsible for a $60M business unit of eighteen sales professionals located in seven offices across the Great Lakes region.
Craig, Sue James, and CatalystStrategies have been active in a number of organizations in Northeast Ohio including NEOSA, The City Club of Cleveland’s New Leaders, The Club at Key Center, CASE-Weatherhead & Great Lakes Theater Festival.
Notable Current or Past Board Roles + Community Activities include:
Board Chair & Board Member, Board of Governor’s:
The Club at Key Center 2002-2008
Trustee:
Great Lakes Theater Festival 2005-2008
Board Member:
Cleveland Independents 2006-2008
Co-Founder:
The ConnectionSeries 2001-2005
Member,
Cuyahoga County’s “CuyahogaNext Advisers” (CNa)
(formerly Cuyahoga County’s Economic Development
Blue Ribbon Task Force) 2004-current
Citizens for Cuyahoga County Public Library;
Committee Member 2004
City Club New Leaders ~ 2002-2004
2004 Presidential Campaign;
Steering Committee for Ohio Business Leaders
Sue is Co-Founder & Partner of Cat-Strat.
She began her profession career in the information technology industry with Unisys
where she provided administrative and marketing support to the sales team.
Konica Business Machines USA gave Ms James the opportunities of having experience in pre- & post-sales marketing support, which was followed by a position in direct sales.
Rounding out her corporate experience, Ms James also worked with a boutique residential restoration & renovation firm - where she gained the special experience of managing the back-office of an entrepreneurial business, just prior to the launch of CatalystStrategies.
In addition to her “official” efforts with Cat-Strat:
Ms James has been involved with The City Club of Cleveland’s New Leaders, Member Relations Committee at The Club at Key Center and Served on the Board of Governors; The Club at Key Center