Meet Mike Foti
Mike Foti is the President of Innovate Building Solutions which is a regional installer and nationwide supplier of bathroom wall panels, shower bases, glass block windows and walls, vinyl replacement windows, doors and remodeling services. The divisions of Innovate Building Solutions include Cleveland Glass Block, Columbus Glass Block, Mid America Glass Block, West Side Glass Block, Bath Doctor, Cleveland Design & Remodeling, and Cleveland Window . Mike also owns a glass block business in the New York/New Jersey market called Eastern Glass Block. Mike’s newest division is Innovate Home Org which provides professional design, supply and installation services for custom closets in Columbus, garage, kitchen pantries, custom home offices and laundry rooms.
Mike purchased the business from his father Joe in 1989 (at the age of 25) and set upon a growth plan to expand geographically and with new products (now waterproof laminate shower wall panels, upper floor replacement windows, doors, siding, and bathroom, kitchen and basement remodeling). His companies install products on a regional basis and distribute nationwide with select product lines. They have 3 offices in 2 states (Ohio and New Jersey) and have received the Northcoast 99 award as a best employer in Northeast Ohio, the Angie’s List Super Service Award, the Community Pillar Award for Community Service, and is the Consumer’s Choice Award Winner in Columbus.
Mike has authored over 800 articles (on 4 separate blogs) and writes about bathroom remodeling, glass products (including glass blocks and glass flooring systems), and strategies to run a more effective remodeling business. He has an MBA from Case Western Reserve University and a B.S. in Business Administration from Carnegie-Mellon University and is a graduate of Leadership Cleveland (class of 2002) and the Cleveland Bridge Builders (class of 2000) community leadership programs.
Mike was the winner of the 2004 Distinguished Sales & Marketing Award (from the Sales & Marketing Executives of Cleveland), the 2003 Presidents Award (for service from the Junior League of Cleveland), and was recognized in the 2002 and 2001 as a top business coach and a top emerging leader by Inside Business Magazine.
Mike is also President of Leadership Builders and speaks nationally primarily to construction and building based companies and associations on getting results through people. He has authored over 70 articles on leadership and sales growth in both local and national publications and has written a book titled “Conversations on Leadership.”
Mike is married to Rose (for over 35 years – although he ‘claims’ he doesn’t look that old) and has 3 ‘kids’ (‘er young adults) – Grant (age 25), Parker (age 21) and Jade (age 17). His hobbies include running, reading, being a complete digital marketing geek and also being a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan (he just KNOWS the Browns have to be a winner sometime!).
Mike can be reached via email at mikef@innovatebuildingsolutions.com or at 216-658-1280 or on his cell phone at 216-310-1074.
