Executive Chatter with Alex Machaskee
Crain's Cleveland Business On-Line December 27, 2006
Since retiring as publisher of The Plain Dealer in June 2006, Alex Machaskee has been invited to sit on numerous boards in the region.
One of his most recent appointments is as chairman of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. Founded in 1923 to promote world peace, the council is one of the region's most prominent organizations and provides the public information and analysis on international relations and global issues.
Mr. Machaskee takes the helm at a time when the council is in its own transition.
Why did you agree to chair the board of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs?
Actually, I hadn’t been looking to take on any more nonprofit board responsibilities when I physically left The Plain Dealer in June, but I have a high regard for Don Hastings, former chief executive of Lincoln Electric. When he asked me to take on the chair, I agreed.
Could you explain what steps have been taken to fill the vacant position of Council on World Affairs president and CEO?
After about four years of service by Ambassador Wat Cluverius, he had decided that it was in his best interest because of health reasons to conclude his active participation as president of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs.
He has assumed the title of Ambassador in Residence as he remains on the payroll through June. To replace him, a search committee was formed at the September meeting of the board of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs and that search committee will be looking nationwide to find a very outstanding CEO for the Cleveland Council on World Affairs that can take it to the next level.
What may that next level be? I have been very impressed looking at Global Chicago, for example. Whether the term becomes Global Cleveland or Global Northeast Ohio, it is really about creating a synergy with a number of organizations that can collaborate with the Cleveland Council on World Affairs that really amounts to my vision for moving the council forward.
The search committee includes very astute members that are in different facets of international relations and have a pretty good idea of the talent around the country, and that process is starting.
On an interim basis, Pat Doyle, who has served for several years as the chairwoman of the voluntary board of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, has agreed to work as the president of the council for four to six months while the search goes on for Ambassador Wat’s replacement.
Going forward, what would you say is the biggest challenge that the council faces?
It’s an educational function, because to some people globalization means something different than opportunities for growth.
But the fact of the matter is that there is a tremendous amount of international trade and global business going on. Unless businesses are helped in forming relationships and forming business opportunities, and how to view business in a global marketplace, I’m afraid we are going to get left further behind.
There a number of programs here starting with young people in high school where we have the mock United Nations program. There are the exchange visits where we contracted with the (U.S.) State Department to bring businesses in from other countries. For example, we had a delegation here from Belarus recently studying at different Greater Cleveland corporations to improve on the international standards of accounting.
There have been exchange visits between Greater Clevelanders and Ethiopia, learning about one another’s cultures. I think all of these things help us get to know different cultures, traditions and, for that matter, faiths, and allows us to have a better understanding of different people around the world.
