After graduating from Mayfield High School in 1989, Baiju R. Shah moved to Connecticut to earn a bachelor’s degree in history at Yale University, then headed for Boston and Harvard, where he graduated with a J.D. in 1997.
But the young college student made sure he never lost sight of his hometown. Impressed by a Fortune magazine story proclaiming Cleveland to be in the midst of a comeback, Shah framed the piece and hung it in every dorm room and apartment he lived in while away.
“In those days, people who didn’t live here often stereotyped Cleveland in a negative light,” Shah says. “Hearing that consistently while living out of town, one starts to develop a little chip on your shoulder. I had a burning desire to tell everyone I knew what Cleveland was really like.”
The magazine story, which featured an arresting shot of the skyline, bridges and the Flats and described the city’s burgeoning vitality added fuel to Shah’s determination to return home.
“So much had happened and was happening — the restoration of Playhouse Square, the Rock Hall, Gateway, the revitalization of the Flats, the fact that the Indians were winning. It was a time in Cleveland where citizens and organizations came together to create a lasting legacy that we all benefit from as community members today. That civic Cleveland spirit commitment is what makes Cleveland special.”
Shah’s sense of civic pride has served as the compass that’s led to a fulfilling career. In April, he was named president and CEO of Greater Cleveland Partnership (GCP), succeeding Joe Roman, who retired this spring after serving as GCP’s president and CEO since its inception in 2004.
“We’re grateful to Joe for his decades of impactful leadership that’s left GCP in a very strong position,” says Eric Schnur, GCP board chair and chairman, president and CEO of Lubrizol Corp. “I think what’s most exciting about having Baiju at Greater Cleveland Partnership — and what will be most valuable to the region — is his talent as a natural collaborator and his ability to work across a variety of groups, ranging from political leaders to business leaders and civic groups. Baiju has a sincere interest in working toward meaningful outcomes, not just for organizations, but for everyone. We’ve already seen that in action.”
With more than 12,000 members, GCP has the distinction of being the largest metropolitan chamber of commerce in the county. Leveraging private and public-sector dollars, the organization serves as a catalyst for progress and growth by supporting the interests of local businesses — ranging from global Fortune 1000 corporations to local entrepreneurs. Shah will also continue to lead the Cleveland Innovation Project (CIP), created by GCP in partnership with the Cleveland Foundation, Fund for Our Economic Future, JumpStart and Team NEO in order to establish Cleveland as a midwestern leader in technology-led growth and inclusion by 2030.
From 2012 to 2019, Shah served as CEO of BioMotiv, a Cleveland-based company aligned with the Harrington Project for Discovery & Development, an initiative geared toward developing medicines in the U.S. and U.K. He also spent a decade as president, CEO and founding executive of BioEnterprise, an initiative designed to support bioscience companies in Northeast Ohio.
Shah credits his third-grade teacher Shirley Shatten with connecting him to her son, Richard Shatten, who headed Cleveland Tomorrow, one of GCP’s predecessor organizations.
“I met Richard in the late ’80s, when I was in high school,” Shah, 49, says. “He said, ‘If you’ve got energy and motivation, Cleveland is a great town that will embrace those traits and enable you or invite you to make your contribution in whatever way that is.’”
Three decades later, it’s Shah’s turn to extend the invitation. He and his team have adopted a series of values they’re sharing with partner organizations that begin with the word ‘in’: inspired, innovative, involved, inclusive, integrity, interconnected and, most importantly, in-unity.
“Part of what I envision for the region is really leveraging an ‘All-In’ mindset and values, working in unity to help Cleveland become even greater,” he says. “Broadly, these priorities include having dynamic, innovative businesses, an abundance of talent of all types across the board — from individuals straight out of secondary institutions to those with multiple graduate degrees — inclusive opportunity, an appealing community and business confidence in our region.”
“We’ve seen the headlines about the need for a motivated workforce, since not having one is an impediment to continue growth,” Shah adds. “One of our priorities is to promote inclusive opportunities so that all people — particularly those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds because of ethnicity, race, poverty or gender — will be able to participate in the growth and prosperity of our community.”
Bethia Burke, president of the Fund for Our Economic Future — a funding alliance comprising more than 40 organizations and individuals dedicated to advancing economic growth with equitable access to opportunity in 18 counties across Northeast Ohio, admires Shah’s commitment to science and innovation she witnessed during his tenure at BioEnterprise, and well as the role he plays in the Cleveland Innovation Project.
“The Fund for Our Economic Future was a major funder of BioEnterprise, and we’ve worked together in his GCP role in CIP,” she says. “Although our organizations work from different perspectives — we’re rooted in philanthropy and are a creative space for what works and what matters in economic growth, and GCP is a chamber of commerce — we reinforce each other while working together for the same objectives. Having Baiju’s leadership reinforces the work that we’ve been doing — and that’s a really great thing.”
