Company moving to Stow seeks to expand

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by Kristin Casale

Stow Sentry Associate Editor

Stow -- John D. Clunk hopes to take advantage of a federal program that will allow his companies to expand after they move to Stow.

Clunk will move his operations this year from Hudson to Courthouse Boulevard, near the future site of the Stow Municipal Courthouse. He plans to bring 170 employees to Stow to a planned facility estimated to cost $6 million to $8 million.

Clunk's operation began in Hudson in 1999 as a single law firm, but his business grew steadily over the years to include seven total operations -- collectively known as the JDC companies. Aside from his Hudson businesses, which perform legal and title work, among other services, he also owns a satellite office in Georgetown, Ky. That business will not move to Stow.

When he announced his plans, Clunk initially expected to add another 45 full-time jobs within 36 months based on the rate at which his businesses have grown in the past.

And he could add an additional 40 in early 2009 if his application to the Federal National Mortgage Association is approved, Clunk said.

Clunk said his companies are among a number of firms from around the country asking to be designated as businesses that can handle work for the Federal National Mortgage Association. If his application is approved, Clunk said he will be able to expand his companies' case loads, which will spur him to hire additional employees.

"If, in fact, we do receive that designation, we could add 40 people in the first year," he said.

Regarding how much he expects his companies to grow on a long-range basis, Clunk said, "The sky's the limit. If you would have asked me in 1999, when I was sitting at a desk with no employees, I would have said, 'I'd like to have 25 employees.'"

If Clunk's application passes the initial screening, he will be invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in a three-day interview as part of the second phase of the application process.

Clunk said he expects to know whether he qualifies for the second phase sometime this summer.

Stow Economic Development Coordinator Chuck Wiedie said he looks forward to the continued growth of Clunk's companies.

"If it means more jobs, then we're very excited about that," said Wiedie. "We'll look to support John in any way we can."

E-mail: kcasale@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-686-3917