User:Psehhs/Stephen Michael Hawthorne

Stephen Michael Hawthorne

Stephen Michael Hawthorne (born September 12, 1974) is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. In 2003, he founded the first Vertical Runner, a specialty running store, located in Hudson, OH. Early Life

Raised in Linesville, PA, Hawthorne is part Filipino decent. He participated in football playing for the Linesville Lions high school football team as an offensive and defensive lineman. He was a team captain his junior and senior years. In his senior year, the team went undefeated (8-0) and were the French Creek Valley Conference champions. While attending Gannon University, Hawthorne majored in finance and received his bachelorette degree in 1997.

Career

Shortly after graduation, Hawthorne moved to Cleveland, Ohio and worked for a number of companies in various capacities. He started off working as an assistant branch manager for First Star bank (now US Bank) and Ohio Savings Bank. He left banking and started as a consultant with Ernst & Young and then later worked for Deloitte & Touche. His experience was primarily working with medium and large size companies involved in contract and intellectual property disputes. It was during this time that Hawthorne developed the business acumen and desire to start his own business.

Vertical Runner

In April 2003 Hawthorne was working out at a local fitness club named LifeCenter Plus in his hometown of Hudson. He was approached by a first time marathon training coach named Vince Rucci and was asked if he would like to run a marathon. Hawthorne accepted the challenge and agreed to be coached by Rucci. The two men created a friendship and within a short few months developed a business plan for Vertical Runner. On September 20, 2003, Vertical Runner opened its doors at 134 North Main Street in the historic section of downtown Hudson. In 2008, the location expanded into a much needed larger space located at 112 North Main Street. Since then, Hawthorne has continued to expand his resume working as a sales representative for Novartis Pharmaceuticals and a medical device representative for Bard Urology. He left the sales profession to pursue a career in the non-profit industry as development officer for University Hospitals and is currently serving as a director of institutional advancement for Kent State University. In 2012, Hawthorne oversaw the expansion of Vertical Runner into two new locations. The first location at 7059 Mill Road in Brecksville, Ohio. The second location is at 207 South Market Street in Wooster, OH.

Personal Life

Hawthorne lives in Hudson, Ohio with his girlfriend Rachel and their dog Pacer. Hawthorne has three children from his first marriage (Stephen Jr., Joseph, and Marie). He enjoys traveling, running, hiking, and cycling. Hawthorne is on the board of directors for the local Boys & Girls club. He is involved in various nature conservancy groups, as well as a variety of leadership committees.