LOCAL BUSINESS
Stouffer Realty expands
Stouffer Realty, based in Fairlawn, has expanded into Cuyahoga County with a new office in Chagrin Falls.
Realtor Joanne Zetti, a long-time Chagrin Falls realtor and president of the Cleveland Area Board of Realtors, is managing the office at 68 Olive St.
Stouffer also has offices in Stow, Brimfield, Green and Medina. The company employs more than 100.
New Pita Pit set
Akron Pita Pit franchisee John Cavileer plans to open a second location, in Fairlawn, this week. Cavileer said he hopes to open Wednesday. Hours of the eatery, at 3750 W. Market St. in the Montrose shopping area will be 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. The new Pita Pit is in a shopping plaza in front of the Walmart. Cavileer opened his first Pita Pit, at 325 S. Main St. in downtown Akron in 2010. Cavileer graduated with an MBA from the University of Akron in 2004. Pita Pits feature pita sandwiches and salads and offer a variety of meats, fresh vegetables and cheese. The chain is based in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.
Duffy heads center
The Cleveland Industrial Training Center, which operates the Akron CNC Training Center on Gilchrist Road, has promoted director Tim Duffy to president.
The CITC teaches machine operators in Cleveland, Akron and Mentor how to make precision parts using computer numerical controls.
Accounting firm merger
The firms of Crum, Buchanan & Associates and Levin, Swedler & Associates merged effective Jan. 1. The new Levin Swedler Crum, Certified Public Accountants, is at 3501 Embassy Parkway in Bath.
The company provides audit services, tax planning, tax preparation, accounting and more to business, individual and nonprofit clients. Company principals are Gary Levin, Steven Swedler and Kevin Crum.
Chief justice speaks
Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor will be the guest speaker at the 11:30 a.m. Feb. 12 luncheon series sponsored by the Greater Akron Chamber’s Young Professionals Network. O’Connor was elected to the Supreme Court in 2002 and re-elected in 2008. She was elected the first female chief justice in Ohio’s history in 2010. Before joining the Supreme Court, she was an attorney, magistrate and common pleas court judge and prosecutor for Summit County. Reservations are required. Tickets are $20 for chamber members and $30 for nonmembers. For tickets, go online to www.greaterakron ypn.com and click on the events tab. For details, contact Angela Presutti, YPN director, at 330-237-1263.
ECONOMY
Durable orders are up
Demand for long-lasting manufactured goods rose sharply in December, helped by a strong gain in volatile aircraft orders. But companies slowed orders for computers and other goods that signal investment plans, indicating manufacturing could stay weak in 2013.
The Commerce Department said Monday that overall orders for durable goods increased 4.6 percent in December compared with November. The gains were led by a 56.4 percent increase in military aircraft orders and a 10.1 percent increase in commercial aircraft orders.
Orders for machinery, communications equipment and primary metals such as steel also showed increases. Still, demand for core capital goods, a measure of business investment plans, rose just 0.2 percent. That followed two straight monthly gains of 3 percent. Orders for durable goods, which are expected to last at least three years, can fluctuate from month to month. For all of 2012, durable goods orders rose 4.1 percent. But demand for core capital goods fell 0.3 percent for the year.
FOOD
Little Debbie gets Drake’s
Hostess has picked the maker of Little Debbie as the lead bidder to buy its Drake’s cakes.
According to U.S. bankruptcy court, McKee Foods offered $27.5 million for the cake brands, which include Devil Dogs, Funny Bones and Yodels. The fate of Twinkies and other cakes are still being negotiated.
AUTO
GM expands in Kansas City
General Motors will invest $600 million to expand its Kansas City plant, which builds the Chevrolet Malibu and Buick LaCrosse sedans. The automaker said it would construct a new 450,000-square-foot paint shop at its 3.2 million-square-foot Fairfax assembly and stamping plant along with a new stamping press.
Compiled from staff and wire reports