Joe Blaha

partner

"The thing we should most enjoy about any endeavor is the road we travel together to get there."  Jim Tressel

Thinks Creatively

"My partners fondly refer to me as Chief Rambler or Chief Observer of Useless Information. I like playing that role. Having the freedom to think out loud without editing and without time constraints is big fun, and always produces an idea or two. Sometimes pretty good ones."

Risks Intelligently

"We believe in investing in our people and our clients and in the future of our business. Planting ourselves on home base isn't going to score any points. I say recruit the right people, train hard and go for the W."

Works Passionately

"When I send an e-mail in the wee hours of the morning, it's always gratifying to get one right back. It's not that we promote workaholic behavior, but we do recognize that ideas don't punch out at 5 o'clock, and neither should we. Unless, of course, one of the boys has a game."

More about Joe

Scores high on approachability. Will always take a call from a client. Or one of his partners. Or a staff member. His wife. Kids. Aunt. Uncle. It doesn't matter who the heck you are, really. He'll take the call. In the middle of a meeting. In the middle of the night. For your own good, Joe, hang up. And walk away from the phone.

Diehard Cleveland sports fan. It's been a tough couple dozen years.

Tries to mask his intellectual prowess by wearing football jerseys and tattoos. We see through it. The man is a genius. You're making sure they sterilize those needles, though, right Big Joe?

Has the heart of the lion on Wizard of Oz, post-Emerald City. But boy can he roar when timesheets aren't in or billing is late. You don't want to go there.

Supports pro bono initiatives and community donations like no CFO has done before. We're pretty sure he realizes that the black numbers are the good ones, though.

Wears a lot of hats, and not just to hide his head. Joe guides the company through sometimes muddy legal, HR, IT, accounting, building and financial matters. Did we mention he also makes the coffee?