ROB CLEVELAND:
 
ROB CLEVELAND




 
 
 
 
 
CEO and Founder of ICON Creative Technologies Group in Ann Arbor. In the 14 years since founding ICON, Cleveland has overseen all elements of its operations, drawing upon his background in information technologies and programming to develop some of the company’s first Web-based content management applications. He has led ICON from a small, two-person organization to a 16-person creative agency serving more than 30 customers worldwide. Previously, he was the European editor for the auto-industry magazine Ward’s Auto World. Since then, his freelance work has been published in newspapers and magazines around the globe. Cleveland also is the co-author of Special Edition Using Macromedia Flash 5, published by Que. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan.


WHERE BORN: "New Haven, Conn."

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: "Certainly my dad. He gave me a lot of support in a lot of things early in life that help me in my career. I also have a great group of friends who have been supportive and have helped a great deal."

LAST BOOK READ: "The Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollan."

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: "Passionate about what I do and flexible yet exacting about what we’re trying to accomplish."

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: "It's squarely focused in the interactive space, particularly with digital media and Web applications. Increasingly we’re seeing that our field is headed toward providing digital solutions that help improve the quality of information management and reduce the total cost and cycle time to manage that information."

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: "I have to say my favorite is my BlackBerry."

FAVORITE PLACE: "Glacier National Park in Montana."

FAVORITE HOBBIES: "I do a fair bit of fishing but not as much as I’d like. I like working in my vegetable garden."

FAVORITE FOOD: "Anything served at the Spotted Pig in New York City."

MY HIDDEN TALENT: "I have an uncanny knowledge of B-grade cinema."

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: "I always tried to do the best I could possibly do."

Grant Thornton Website At the annual awards reception in April 2014, one Leader & Innovator from the previous 12 months will be selected as the Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator of the Year.