Center for Innovation & Growth

These seminar programs are open to all majors and provide students the opportunity to develop insights about the entrepreneurial process and think about leadership and innovation guided by integrity. Students learn from, meet with, and develop relationships with successful leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs. Prospective fellows are nominated for the colloquia by BW faculty, coaches, staff and peers. Upon program completion, fellows can apply for internships with CIG's Growth Practice or LaunchNET.

This professionally-led, student-supported consultancy is designed to give BW’s more experienced CIG students the opportunity to help start, grow and reinvent real businesses and nonprofits. Students help to solve an organization’s most challenging issues, often with global implications, while building collaborative skills and functioning as high-performing, innovative teams. Interns work on projects for CIG corporate partners and clients, including FirstEnergy, Equity Trust, OEC, Parker Hannifin, Westfield Group and others.

Powered by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation, LaunchNET is a co-curricular program providing free and confidential venture coaching, idea contests, pitch competitions, networking opportunities, in-class presentations, and a host of visiting entrepreneurs and activities that complement BW’s innovation and entrepreneurship courses. Open to students of all majors, faculty, staff and graduated alumni, LaunchNET clients have ideas to start something – from new businesses to nonprofits to student groups to events and more. The program is user driven. Clients do the driving – LaunchNET helps navigate. Getting an idea started is as easy as filling out a venture form.

LaunchNET has a presence across campus with a main office located downstairs in the Union and one in the Center for Innovation & Growth. Clients can schedule an appointment with Caite Lenahan, program manager by emailing clenahan@bw.edu.

LaunchNET, in partnership with the IP Venture Clinic at Case Western Reserve University, can also support early stage entrepreneurs who do not have the financial resources to cover the cost of obtaining legal counsel. Please contact LaunchNET for more information.

CIG's work in innovation began over 12 years ago and is currently supported by the Burton D. Morgan Foundation and the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation. 

We operate with the generous support of our CIG partners, which are critical to our success. Our partners include: EY, FirstEnergy, OEC, Parker Hannifin, Swagelok and The Innovation Garage. 

We are grateful for the investment of time, treasure and support from Northeast Ohio leadership serving as members of the Center for Innovation & Growth advisory board, including:

• Steve Barber | Parker Hannifin, Vice President of Technology & Innovation, Fluid Connectors Group
• Andy Hart | Parker Hannifin, Vice President of Business Development, Fluid Connectors Group
• Mark Jones | FirstEnergy, Vice President, Customer Engagement
• Joel Feldman | Swagelok, Vice President, Engineering
• Kyle McChesney | OEC, General Manager, Supply Chain & EPC
• P. Kelly Tompkins | Dix & Eaton, Senior Advisor | Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Leader-in-Residence
• Dan Tompkins | EY, Partner
• Jon Washington | The Innovation Garage, Founder & Proprietor

David Shapiro, MAEd
Growth Practice Manager, Center for Innovation & Growth
drshapir@bw.edu

David manages the CIG Growth Practice, identifying, coordinating and completing growth projects while developing and leading CIG’s student interns. David, who also serves as an assistant coach for the BW wrestling team, has worked in various roles leading and mentoring students. David is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University, earning both a Bachelor of Arts in exercise science and a Master of Arts in Education, specializing in higher education leadership. As a CIG intern alumnus, David has first-hand experience producing quality project work, collaborating with CIG’s corporate partners and developing high-performing teams. He is passionate about creating an environment for students to develop both personally and professionally during their time at CIG and beyond.

Hannah Schlueter, MBA
LaunchNET Program Manager, Center for Innovation & Growth
(440) 826-2472
hschluet@bw.edu

Hannah leads LaunchNET, a program that offers Baldwin Wallace students, graduated alumni, faculty and staff the skills, knowledge and guidance they need to start and grow companies. In her role offering free and confidential services available to all classes and students of every major, Hannah develops cross-campus collaborations; integrates the skill set and mindset of entrepreneurship into classes, campus activities and programming; and actively participates in the Northeast Ohio entrepreneurial ecosystem. Hannah completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Baldwin Wallace University.

Lori Long, Ph.D.
Center for Innovation & Growth Fellow
Professor, Carmel Boyer School of Business
Burton D. Morgan Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies
llong@bw.edu

Lori works in partnership with the Center for Innovation & Growth to foster faculty excellence, across all academic disciplines, in entrepreneurship education. Lori also provides leadership for the entrepreneurship minor and serves as project manager in the Growth Practice. She instructs courses in management and entrepreneurship and her research interests include developing entrepreneurs, online learning, organizational culture and effective work/life management strategies. Lori currently serves in the external entrepreneurship eco-system as the President of the Entrepreneurship Education Consortium which conducts programming in collaboration with nine other colleges and universities in NEO.

Thomas Sutton, Ph.D.
Director, Community Research Institute
Professor, Political Science Department
tsutton@bw.edu

Tom has been active in the CIG since its inception and is a proven leader integrating teaching and research in service to the Northeast Ohio community as director of the Community Research Institute. A Fulbright Scholar who taught and conducted research at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana in 2013-14, Tom served as the Burton D. Morgan Chair in Entrepreneurial Studies from August 2014-May 2020.

Linda Kanner, MBA
Entrepreneur-in-Residence
Lecturer, Carmel Boyer School of Business
lkanner@bw.edu

Linda is Baldwin Wallace University’s first entrepreneur-in-residence. In her role, Linda coaches BW entrepreneurs on their ventures and spreads awareness of entrepreneurship and innovation across campus. With over 25 years of experience, ranging from consultant to marketing executive to business owner, Linda provides BW entrepreneurs a comprehensive view of start-up operations. Linda also teaches, serves on the advisory board at Economic and Community Development Institute (ECDI) of Cleveland and volunteers at the Women's Business Center.