Cleveland business leaders to give innovation talks to Fortune 500 execs

Fortune 500 company executives are turning their attention towards Cleveland as the “Rock & Roll Capital of the World” is hosting the business leaders in a trip this week oriented around innovation among up-and-coming cities. Innovation Leader, the magazine that relays corporate research to Fortune 500 companies, chose Cleveland along with Chicago, Denver, Portland, and St. Louis to provide field studies to 50 CEOs and business officials from these companies, according to a report from the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. The corporate heads will be visiting big-name businesses so important to the Cleveland economy like KeyBank, Cleveland Clinic, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, American Greetings and Think Box at Case Western Reserve University. Scott Kirshner, the editor of Innovation Leader, said that Cleveland can provide a perfect platform for these executives from recognized international companies to get an idea of what’s going on in middle America’s ever-evolving business climate. “In the past, we’ve visited companies like Starbucks and Marriott at other cities,” Kirshner said. “For people who haven’t been to Cleveland before, it’s a great way to get a window on all of the companies powering innovation firsthand. It’s a very different experience from just going to a hotel and watching power points for two days.” The tours will take place Wednesday and Thursday as businessmen and women get a crash course on developing meaningful relationships with businesses in the area that spur innovation. Innovation Leader has been offering these intimate city tours since 2014 as the influential magazine hopes to create lasting bridges between the world’s biggest brand names and local companies throughout the U.S.