Dana Myers
About this Executive:
Name:
Dana Myers
Company:
Myers Motors
Interview Topics:
Entrepreneurship and Small Business
Region:
Region 9 - Northeast Ohio
Myers Motors is the only company in the U.S. producing and delivering affordable highway speed all-electric vehicles. And, they're located right here in Ohio.
Myers Motors' NmG (No more Gas) is America's only all-electric, highway-legal, personal vehicle with a maximum speed of 75+ mph. It is a fully enclosed, single-passenger vehicle with two front wheels and a single drive wheel in the rear. With a 220-volt service, charging to 95 percent full can be accomplished in about 45 minutes. For those who don't need the fast charging option, the NmG will plug into any 110 volt, 20 amp service outlet. A fully energized NmG will go 25 to 30 miles, the average distance people drive their car every day.
The history of the NmG goes back to the Corbin Sparrow produced by Corbin Motors. The Corbin Sparrow was flawed with a history of electrical and mechanical problems and quickly bankrupted its company. Along came Ohio businessman Dana Myers who believed strongly that replacing gasoline-powered vehicles with electric ones can make the world a cleaner, better place. He bought Corbin Motors and started Myers Motors. Rechristened the NmG, Myers Motors offered the new redesigned electric vehicle for sale in 2006.
Dana lives in Silver Lake, Ohio with his wife, Barbara, and two children (one a sophomore in college and one a sophomore at Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio). They attend Hudson Chapel, have been active with The Jesus Film Project and Walk Thru the Bible, and took their family to Africa four years ago to plant gardens in South Africa. Dana loves spending time with his family, reading and playing golf.
Not only has Dana achieved professional success with Myers Motors, but he's found that perfect work:life balance that only Ohio has to offer.
Q: What are the top three things that Ohio uniquely offers that you feel have helped make your business successful?
A: First, Ohio has a great network of professionals and development programs. JumpStart TechLift Advisors, a program to help guide Northeast Ohio technology entrepreneurs, helped us tremendously. We were provided with a great deal of encouragement and advice, as well as introduced to important resources throughout Northeast Ohio.
Second, another benefit unique to Ohio is its easy access to multiple distribution channels, which will become even more essential when we introduce our high-volume production vehicle. We have the option to evaluate the most cost-effective methods to ship quantities of vehicles which may not be available in every state. We can continue using trucks, but we also have the option to use the railroads in the future. And in a few years when we begin to export vehicles, Lake Erie is a close and convenient international port.
Third, Ohio has a long and rich history in the automotive industry. Even though our vehicles are enclosed motorcycles, building them has overlap with the auto industry. We see this access to both a large pool of educated and skilled workers and an established supply network as important for our future growth.
Q: What alliances have you created with Ohio academic institutions that have served your business well?
A: The University of Akron has been a really strong research partner for Myers Motors. Research projects with the University's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering have greatly improved our utilization of lithium battery technology and are leading the way to making our vehicles practical for more consumers. We are proud to have the University's Robotics Team, led by world-class researcher Dr. Tom Hartley, working with us to compete in the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE Education Program, a national program designed to encourage young people to pursue careers in energy-efficient sciences and technology, made possible through a $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. We have also benefited from hiring interns from Kent State University. Additionally, several institutions have talked with us about expanding their programming to provide training for building and maintaining electric vehicles, which will be essential as our industry grows.
Q: What business benefits do you feel your business realizes from having employees who achieve a positive work: life balance?
A: Ohio truly is the state of perfect balance. I have more time with my family and volunteer activities because I don't have to endure a long commute like in other major cities such as New York, Chicago or L.A. The ability to achieve work:life balance in Ohio attracts people to live in the state.
I believe community outreach is a critical component to a healthy corporate environment. Living in Ohio allows me to have the extra time to give back to the community.
Q: What business benefits do you feel your business realizes from having employees who achieve a positive work:life balance?
A: We enjoy our work and we love a job done well, however, we realize that work alone cannot satisfy all of an individual's needs. We try to maintain an atmosphere that encourages our staff to develop and maintain healthy spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects to their lives, including good relationships both on and off the job. People with a balanced life have less negative stress to distract them and can bring more creativity and energy into work with them. Creating a better work environment is part of creating a better life.
Q: Thinking of people you know, share a story of somebody in Ohio who, in your opinion, has excelled in achieving both their professional and personal aspirations.
A: My brother Scott Myers and his wife, Gina Burk, balance their professional and personal work as well as anyone I know. Scott followed me as the president of our family business, SD Myers Inc. His wife Gina operates Accent Communications, a business that provides communication and organizational strategy for non-profits and small businesses. They enjoy the region's many cultural offerings as members of the Akron Art Museum, the Cleveland Museum of Art and Stan Hywett, as well as getting out to the Cleveland and Akron symphonies and local plays as often as possible. Even with their professional success, they find the right balance to give back to their community. They are both active in their church, help with various local ministries and agencies and find time to run half marathons (Gina also competes in triathlons), not to mention spending quality time with their families.
Q: Trailing spouses need to be comfortable that relocating their family to Ohio is a good thing. What should a trailing spouse consider when evaluating Ohio?
A: Whatever your family needs, Ohio has it. Many communities offer very strong educational programs. Northeast Ohio has an excellent professional arts community - museums, music, dance, theater - and solid training programs for children. We have teams from multiple levels of almost every professional sport as well as great college, high school and amateur sports. There are numerous good churches from which to choose, and many family-oriented activities are available throughout the region. Northeast Ohio also has access to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and many beautiful park systems offering educational and fun programs.