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8月13日,我到1614 East 40th Street 上的Consolidated
Graphics Group, Inc 去採訪該公司的老闆Ken Lanci,因爲他是本次Cuyahoga 競選十幾位Cuyahoga
Executive
的候選人之一,而他是唯一一個不代表黨派的競選人(執行官獨立候選人),聽説他對華人十分友好,早在一個月前,他還特意在麗華酒家邀請華人舉辦他的演講,我聽到的都是他如何幫助人,尤其是今年克里夫蘭舉辦第一屆亞洲節,他免費提供價値$20,000的印刷宣傳品等。
Ken一個在商場上奮鬥了40多年的商人,爲什么一下決定要參政競選,而他要的“收穫”是每年年收入$1,Cuyahoga
Executive的年收入應該是$175,000,任期四年。Ken説:如果被選上任,他就要將他四年的收入全部貢獻給民衆改善薪水和福利,他要讓Cuyahoga面貌換新。我很想瞭解這位企業家,我走進Ken
Lanci的公司,零距離開始認識他。
第一眼見Ken,我嚇了一大跳,穿着講究的他看上去像打拳擊的運動員,十分健康的體型,那炯炯有神的雙眼,讓人一下就能感受到他是一個充滿能量的人,當他雙手捧着他的名片鞠躬的姿勢遞給我時,瞬間我們之間沒有距離了。他平易近人,他沒有保留地對我説:你可以問任何問題只要我能回答,我的第一個敏感的提問是:你是不是像許多人一樣,事業成功了搞政治,是想名利雙收嗎?他十分認眞對我説:我這次競選沒有代表二黨,隨後他馬上反問我:你有沒有宗敎信仰?你信不信有些事無法理解?我説我信,他就開始講他爲什么要參與這次競選：
事情發生在2007年7月19日,我的心臟疼痛被送進醫院,搶救我的各種儀器安在我身上,我自己看到死亡,我的家人朋友爲我傷心。就在那一瞬間奇迹發生了,我的全身被一道雪亮的白光照耀着,我夢夢籠籠聽到許多聲音,他們對我説:你不能這樣離開,您的使命沒有完成,我掙扎了,我心里十分明白這是上帝再一次給我的生命。
Ken得到了一個重生的機會,他自己都不敢相信他的心臟在短短的幾天百分之百恢復,他知道這是上帝踢給他的,他在心里默默保證,我不能只顧我的企業和我的家人,這個社會更需要我,我要把我的智慧分享給大家,這也是我對自己設的最大的目標。Ken開始做所有準備工作,他是一個企業家,一個商人,他看到美國經濟已經走到低谷,他出生和成長並讓他企業騰飛的克里夫蘭,這個城市需要他挺身而出。因爲他不願意看到他公司附近的鄰里越來越貧窮,克里夫蘭這座美麗城市,這幾年來滑坡的速度很快,改變克里夫蘭城市面貌的關鍵是Cuyahoga(縣),Ken不再沉默,他奉獻的時候,回饋社區的時候到了,他積極參與了這次競選,成爲Cuyahoga
Executive 的候選人。
Ken Lanci,祖籍意大利,他的爺爺十八世紀末到美國來創業,做的是Landscape生意,他的父親1920年出生在克里夫蘭,因爲他是一個不成功的藝術家,所以Ken小時候家里不富裕,13歲他就開始要幫忙掙錢養家,在他成長的路上,他始終銘記母親對他説的一句話:一個人活着最重要就是要有同情心,要幫助需要幫助的人。Ken的家生活很拮據,但家人一直生活在快樂之中。當Ken18歲高中畢業(Maple
Heights High School)後,他沒有上大學,他開始正式闖蕩人生。
Ken回憶他18開始闖蕩人生,他雙手空空技術手藝還不高明,銀行貸不到款,沒有錢寸步難行,是Ken的誠意和決心,感動了他的一位朋友,這個朋友借給他$5000,
Ken 開始購買印刷機器,Ken的小小印刷厰爲他未來的企業打下了基礎,Ken開始編織美國夢。
人在創業奮鬥中不免會發生這樣那樣的問題,因爲做生意也是磨難人的好課堂,人會犯這個那個錯,從錯誤中吸取敎訓,但唯一重要也是不能犯錯的就是眞誠,眞誠會給生意帶來意想不到的收穫,因爲您的眞誠能換來同樣的眞誠,眞誠是做生意人的一把成功鑰匙,Ken就是靠這眞誠二字讓他的生意蒸蒸日上,設計印刷業的蓬勃發展,有了一定經濟基礎的Ken開始做收購已經快不能生存的企業,經過他的規劃和完善再投入市場,他的眞誠讓他的生意和他的身價一起上漲。
做生意離不開冒險,十多年前,Ken將他的投資放在中國廣東,他開始瞭解中國,瞭解中國人的勤勞和刻苦,做企業的人就是喜歡忙碌的人。中國十年來的投資讓Ken有了很大的豐收,他成了一個富有的人,但他沒有將富有只留給自己,他開始捐款給醫院慈善機構學校等等。
另外Ken
有一個幸福快樂的家庭,他結婚四十年,有三個孩子,二個孫子,日子過的快快樂樂。他今天出來競選,是要大家都過上好日子。
希望Ken這次能夠競選成功,也期待着他爲Cuyahoga,爲社區做出新的貢獻。
Kenneth A. Lanci
Mr. Lanci has been a vigorous entrepreneur in diverse industries for
over 40 years. Truly experiencing the American Dream, he began
working in high school at a company that he would later end-up
owning. Determined to expand his knowledge and ability, Mr. Lanci
analyze a business has permitted him to own, operate, or consult in
an assorted number of entities. This practical experience has
attracted companies to engage Mr. Lanci to provide consulting
expertise in the following areas: recapitalizations, mergers,
acquisitions, liquidations, turnarounds, real estate transaction
(commercial and residential), and international business
negotiations.
Mr. Lanci graduated from Maple Heights High School in 1968 and then
started working full-time at his families printing business. In
1970, with the company virtually bankrupt, Mr. Lanci assumed control
of the day-to-day operations. With annual sales of 80,000.00 and a
retained deficit of 100,000.00, he embarked on his first
reorganization. In 4 years the company grew to 1.5 million dollars
in sales. He continued this hands-on approach until 1979. By this
time, he had moved into a new facility, repaid all prior debt and
purchased new equipment.
Equipped with an extensive amount of management experience, Mr.
Lanci began to perform management consultant services in various
fields. He assisted many businesses in mergers, acquisitions,
liquidations and turn-around. In 1982, he co-founded I/NET, Inc. in
Kalamazoo, MI. I/NET then sold half of its shares to J.H WHITNEY,
one of the oldest venture capital companies in New York City. In
1989, after reorganizing the company and reducing J.H WHITNEY’s
stake, I/NET sold I.B.M 25% of the company. In 1993, I/NET became a
publicly traded company.
Experience
In 1963, Mr. Lanci began working in the bindery of a family-owned
Cleveland, Ohio printing company. He quickly learned every phase of
the print shop and at the age of 15 was running a single color
press.
In 1982, Mr. Lanci co-founded I/NET, Inc. in Kalamazoo Michigan.
Eventually Mr. Lanci sold half of his equity interests in I/NET to
J.H Whitney, Inc., one of the oldest venture capital companies in
the United States. In 1989, IBM purchased a significant stake in
I/NET and I/NET consummated in initial public offering in 1993. Mr.
Lanci was leader in both the Whitney and IBM negotiations along with
actively participating in the due diligence of the public offering.
In 1984, Mr. Lanci acquired Harad Chemical Company under the
corporate name Lanci Industries, dba Har Adhesives. It operated as a
paint and adhesive manufacturing company. After reorganization, he
sold the company in 1994.
In 1987 he was hired as a consultant to The Rutman Wine Company. As
a third generation wind distributorship in Northeastern Ohio, Mr.
Lanci then performed reorganization, and ultimately acquiring the
assets of the company. After reorganization, he sold the company in
1994. During this time, he continued to operated the original family
business, Offset Color& Printing, INC. This company acquired the
assets of Cleveland Graphic Reproduction and Northcoast color. In
1988, Mr. Lanci conceived and consulted on the acquisition and
merger of The Cleveland Paper Company into The Millcraft Paper
Company in Cleveland, Ohio. He successfully aided in the completion
of a 15 million dollar paper distributor being acquired by a 75
million dollar paper distributor.
In 1994, he appointed to the Teamster Local 293 H&W Pension Board
and served as its Co-Chairman. He also served as a member of
Independence Bank and Independence Banc Corp. Board of Director form
1987-2002. He currently is a Director of Project love, a non-profit
organization that integrates love, kindness, and power of one in
area high schools. Throughout the last 35 years Mr. Lanci has been
involved with numerous non-profit and faith-based organizations
donating his time, resources and consult on an anonymous basis.
In 1996, Mr. Lanci founded Consolidated Graphics Group Inc.
Established in 1996, consolidated is considered one of the most
technically advanced graphic arts production companies in the
Midwest with a rich tradition of excellence from the many
accomplished and visionary graphic arts professionals. As the found
of Consolidated, Mr. Lanci has consummated several acquisitions of
other commercial printing companies, including but not limited to,
Robert Silverman Inc. Lithokraft Plate. Inc and Disc Inc.
Consolidated currently have approximately 150 employees and annual
gross revenues in excess of $20 million
In 1988, Mr. Lanci conceived and consulted on the acquisition and
merger of The Cleveland Paper Company into The Millcraft Paper
Company in Cleveland, Ohio. He successfully aided in the completion
of a 15 million dollar paper distributor being acquired by a 75
million dollar paper distributor.
In 2001, Mr. Lanci co-founded Global Manufacturing Associates, Inc.
Global is a United States-based international trade company with
partners throughout Asia. Global focuses on three manufacturing
areas: Plastics metals and sewn polyester materials. Global’s
products include hunting, fishing and camping accessories that are
privately labeled and distributed through major big box retailers
such as Wal-Mart, Cabela’s and Bass pro Shops.
In 2002, Mr. Lanci co-founded Elite Trading Company, LLC. Elite is
an electronic trading company. Elite specializes in bond trading
through proprietary spread indicator software. Through Elite’s
ownership of a seat on the Chicago Board of Trade, Mr. Lanci has
performed various roles in the capital markets.
Community Involvement
Member of Board of trustees, Project Love
Active philanthropist with the Cleveland Metropolitan School
District
Past Co-Chairman of Board of Trustees of Teamsters Local 293 H7W
Pension Board
Past member of Board of Directors of Independence Bank
Member if Board of Trustees of NOIA
Member of Board of Trustees of Boys Town of I
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