Twenty-five individuals with visions of creating positive change in Cleveland will pitch their ideas at Accelerate 2016: Citizens Make Change on Feb. 24 at the Global Center for Health Innovation.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Twenty-five individuals with visions of creating positive change in Cleveland will pitch their ideas at Cleveland Leadership Center's Accelerate 2016: Citizens Make Change on the evening of Feb. 24 at the Global Center for Health Innovation.
Panels of community leaders will judge category competitions to select one finalist in each of five categories:
- Community Change
- Economic Development
- Educating for Tomorrow
- Quality of Life
- Transformative Arts and Culture
The finalists will make their pitches to a combined audience, which will vote to select the overall winner. The winning pitch receives $5,000, and the four runners-up each receive $2,000.
The pitches and presenters, representing a diversity of backgrounds and interests, can be found at http://bit.ly/AccPresenters. They were selected from 66 submissions.
"Citizens Bank is committed to strengthening the communities we serve, and what better way than to give voice to individual citizens who have great ideas to benefit those communities," said Joe DiRocco, president of Citizens Bank, Ohio, event co-chair, and a Cleveland Leadership Center board member.
Larry Oscar, CLC board chair and co-chair of the event with DiRocco, noted the event furthers CLC's efforts to provide transformative experiences that connect, inspire and challenge individuals.
"Presenters will connect not just with financial resources, but with civic leaders who can help them make things happen," said Oscar, who is managing partner of Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP, in a written statement.
The event is open to the public.
- Date: Wednesday, Feb. 24
- Time: 4:30 p.m. civic pitch competition in five categories; 5:30 p.m. cocktails, networking and entertainment including the St. Ignatius High School Circus Company and St. Edward High School Trash Talkers; 6 p.m., finalists' competition, audience voting and awards
- Place: Global Center for Health Innovation, 1 St. Clair Ave. NE, Cleveland, Ohio 44114
- Cost: $35 general public, $30 CLC Partners, $20 students
- Information & tickets: www.cleveleads.org/Accelerate2016, (216) 592-2280 or accelerate@cleveleads.org
Other event sponsors are: Oswald Companies and Westfield Insurance Foundation presenting the Economic Development category, Cuyahoga Community College presenting the Educating for Tomorrow category and The MetroHealth System presenting the Quality of Life category.