News

December 2010
APG hit celebrity status this week!

APG hit celebrity status this week! We were asked to support Herman Miller’s involvement in ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover being built and filmed here in Cleveland the past 7 days.

APG Cleveland and Akron sent a team of volunteers that included Joe Moran, Kristine Shepard, Marc Paige, Lynetta Starkey and Cary Mathews. We partnered with Herman Miller which included some from HMI Corporate, Herman Miller for the Home as well as HMI’s Jim Bacha and Mike Dunford from Cleveland. We also reached out to prospective clients and to key relationships in the A&D community and we had an overwhelming response.

We were asked to unbox products a couple of blocks away from the site and build in the semi with product we wanted to offload first for the cameras. Then the director asked our HMI driver to pull up in front of the house. It will be the Herman Miller red truck and the APG/HMI volunteer team you should see when the show airs sometime in early December!! To say it was an amazing experience is an understatement. The goodwill it brought back to APG from our clients and A&D is immeasurable. Thanks to Sean, APG and Herman Miller for contributing to such an extraordinary community effort!!!

November 13, 2010
APG Cincinnati: Habitat for Humanity

On Saturday November 13th six eager workers representing Cincinnati & Dayton APG offices joined 19 other volunteers to help out with building a home for Habitat for Humanity. Connie & Kyle Goins, Jennifer Winkler, Cathy Kelly, Heather Montalvo & Jane Garfield volunteered for the day. Some of the tasks completed by the APG crew included digging a gas line trench, hanging drywall, installing roof shingles & applying Walltek to the exterior of the house. Everyone had a great time and found the day a fulfilling & rewarding experience.

October 2010
Passionately Pink for the Cure APG Fundraiser

Our entire APG office was certainly inspired, including all five locations in Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, and Memphis. As a team, we came together across the miles to celebrate October as Breast Cancer Awareness month. In our fourth consecutive year, APG went Passionately Pink for the Cure™ on Friday, October 22, 2010 to help Susan G. Komen for the Cure™ in keeping their promise "to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures".

As the global leader in the fight against breast cancer, Susan G. Komen for the Cure™ has invested nearly $1.5 billion in more than 50 countries since 1982 to fulfill their vision of "a world without breast cancer". With $5 or more donations, APG participants once again joined that fight by wearing jeans and sporting pink to show their support. Together, we continue to make a difference by funding critical breast cancer research in addition to local education, screening, and treatment programs that impacts both women and men not only in our local community but also all over the world.

This year’s statement was simple: WEAR PINK. HAVE FUN. FIGHT BREAST CANCER.

October, 2009
APG Cincinnati: Habitat for Humanity

On October 17th and 24th a combined total of 14 people representing APG volunteered at one of Ohio National's Habitat for Humanity homes. As part of celebrating their 100th anniversary in the Cincinnati community, Ohio National Financial Services has committed to fund 10 houses over the next 5 years. ONF is one of APG's long time customer partners and to help recognize their 100th anniversary, APG decided to volunteer for this project in their honor. Some of the work done by APG included siding and roofing the outside of the house as well as putting in door frames, door knobs and sub flooring inside the house. The majority of our efforts were spent sanding, priming and painting the entire inside of the house. The future home owner and volunteers from Ohio National as well as others were also part of this effort. The event fostered camaraderie among APG employees as well as generally gave us a sense of goodwill. Everyone commented on what a great time they had and many suggested continuing this effort throughout the year as well as years to come. Participants represented all departments of APG's Cincinnati office and included Jeff Reynolds, Gary Hartwig, Pat Hudepohl, Kris Aanderud, Lesley Jones, Allison Focke, Ron & Beth Shelander, Jennifer Winkler, Claudette Males, Jane Garfield, Chris Richter, Michelle Sifri and her neighbor Lisa Davis.

"It is very exciting to see how much is accomplished when so many hands come together to help build a house. The whole experience was eye opening and rewarding, and one not to be missed; I definitely want to help again in the future." Claudette Males

"Habitat for Humanity was a rewarding and fun experience! The best part was working side by side with the recipient of the house and knowing that your hard work was helping someone else receive a home of their own. I had a great time...and was completely covered in paint!" Lesley Jones

"It was such a rewarding experience. It was great to meet the homeowner and see how excited he was on the progress we had made during the day. It was a great feeling to make a difference for someone who is less fortunate. I will definitely work on another house." Michelle Sifri

"The experience exceeded my expectations in every way. It was the perfect opportunity to do something for a deserving family and meet some terrific people. My wife and I were proud to represent APG and look forward to doing it in the future. Not only did I use a hammer, I used a paint brush which is strictly prohibited by my wife when paint is used at home." Ron Shelander

October, 2009
Passionately Pink for the Cure APG Fundraiser

For the past three years, APG held a charity "jean" Friday to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. APG employees donated $5 or more to wear jeans and something pink. The entire office was pink!

Susan G. Komen for the Cure celebrated their 25th Anniversary spreading the word about Breast Cancer Awareness. As stated, "Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cure. Thanks to events like Passionately Pink for the Cure, they have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill their promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world."

May 2009
APG Akron: Green and Clean Day

The Downtown Akron Partnership collaborated with Keep Akron Beautiful to hold the 2nd Annual Green and Clean Day to help beautify downtown Akron. Green and Clean Day was one of the many events held during Clean Up Akron Week.

The Akron office was closed on Friday afternoon, May 1st as APG employees participated in Green and Clean Day. APG's office is located in downtown Akron, so we wanted to do our part for our community and volunteer for the event. APG's employees spent their time scraping and priming fire hydrants to clean up downtown Akron. The event was a success and we look forward to participating next year!

April / May 2009
Product Runway

International Interior Design Association (IIDA) hosted the Product Runway '09 Event which showcased the couture outfits of local architectural + design firms and furniture dealers. Separate events were held in Cincinnati and Cleveland but the theme was the same. Design teams from APG Cincinnati and Cleveland entered the Product Runway '09 Events with resourceful and inventive fashions. The participating teams had to create original runway designs using only the materials supplied by the manufacturer's representatives they teamed up with. The manufacturer's representatives consisted of furniture manufacturers, textile, countertop, flooring and wallcovering companies to name a few.

APG Cincinnati
The APG Cincinnati design team partnered with Fashion Wallcoverings. The couture dress was made entirely out of vinyl and reflective wallcoverings. The theme of the dress was Fire and Ice which was displayed by the red, orange, gold, blue, and white wallcovering products. The jewelry was even made out of the reflective wallcoverings. The hair and makeup also reflected the Fire and Ice theme. APG was well represented and was the only furniture dealer to have a team at the event.

APG Cleveland
The APG Cleveland design team partnered with Herman Miller. The innovative design was influenced by the Herman Miller Embody chair. Elements of the chair were used to create the dress including the Embody fabric and seat suspension parts. The skeletal back structure from the Embody chair was designed into the back of the dress and even the earrings were chair parts. APG's design team won "Best of Show" at the event.

November / December 2008
APG Dayton: Holiday Season Philanthropy

APG Dayton teamed up with two charitable organizations, YWCA and Ronald McDonald House Charities, during the 2008 Holiday Season. Both organizations had "Wish Lists" for items that they desperately needed. YWCA was seeking donations of new toys and clothes. Ronald McDonald House Charities was in need of cleaning supplies, electronics, new toys, bath/bedroom supplies, office supplies, and kitchen and laundry supplies. APG employees were able to contribute a monetary donation and items from the "Wish Lists" for both charities. The Dayton area community was positively impacted by the generosity of APG's employees.

The YWCA is the oldest and largest multicultural women's organization in the world. Women come in times of crisis, as survivors of rape or domestic violence. The YWCA offers job training and career counseling as well as childcare, health and fitness.

Ronald McDonald House Charities tries to create, find and support programs that directly improve the health and well being of children. They focus on the critical needs of children. They believe when you change a child's life, you change a family's, which can change a community and ultimately the world.

November / December 2008
APG Cincinnati: Lighthouse Happy Holidays Project

APG Cincinnati partnered with Lighthouse Youth Services during the 2008 Holiday Season to collect items on their "Wish List" such as clothing, toys, cleaning supplies, household items, etc. APG employees brought in items for the "Wish List" during November and December. To ensure all age groups at Lighthouse were taken care of, there was a wide variety of items donated by APG employees. At the end of the project, the unwrapped items were taken to Lighthouse to be distributed by their staff.

Lighthouse Youth Services is a multiservice agency providing social services to children, youth and families in southeastern Ohio. Operating since 1969, Lighthouse is nationally recognized as an innovator in services for families in crisis, for homeless youth and young adults, for youth learning to become self-sufficient, and in foster care for abused or neglected children.

November / December 2008
APG Cincinnati: Holiday Season Food Drive

APG worked in conjunction with the Springdale Police Department and their "Cans for Fines" campaign to collect canned goods and non-perishable food items during the 2008 Holiday Season. The items that APG collected were distributed to two local food pantries in Springdale – Soul Ministries and Mercy Works. Both pantries help residents in Springdale and the surrounding area in their time of need.

The Cincinnati office donated canned goods each week during November and December in order to wear jeans on Friday. APG employees were able to enjoy casual Fridays while at the same time helping our fellow Springdale residents in need. The canned food drive was a huge success and it was a great way for APG to give back to the community.

September 2008
APG Cincinnati: Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Charity Walk

APG organized a team of employees in the Cincinnati office to "Walk To Cure Diabetes" in an effort to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). APG's employees donated money to sponsor the team and had seven employees participate in the September 2008 walk.

JDRF was founded in 1970 by the parents of children with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes -- a disease that strikes children suddenly, makes them insulin dependent for life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. Since inception, JDRF has awarded more than $1 billion to diabetes research, including more than $122 million in FY2006. More than 80 percent of JDRF's expenditures directly support research and research-related education. In FY2006, the Foundation funded 500 centers, grants and fellowships in 20 countries. JDRF's mission is constant: to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research.

October 2008
APG Cincinnati: Passionately Pink for the Cure APG Fundraiser

For the past two years, APG headed a charity "jean" Friday to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. APG employees donated $5 or more to wear jeans and something pink. The entire office was pink!

Susan G. Komen for the Cure celebrated their 25th Anniversary spreading the word about Breast Cancer Awareness. As stated, "Today, Komen for the Cure is the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cure. Thanks to events like Passionately Pink for the Cure, they have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill their promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world."