CLEVELAND ENTREPRENEUR ANDREW LEFKOWITZ HONORED WITH INNOVATION AWARD
AT NORTHEAST OHIO SMART 50 LEADERSHIP BANQUET
The Locus Fermentation Solutions co-founder is recognized as a Smart 50 leader by Corporate College and Smart Business
SOLON, Ohio (July 3, 2019) Cleveland entrepreneur Andrew (Andy) Lefkowitz has been named one of Northeast Ohio’s Smart 50 leaders and recipient of the program’s specialty Innovation Award. Lefkowitz, who is currently the co-founder, chairman and CEO of biotech startup Locus Fermentation Solutions (Locus FS), was honored by Cuyahoga Community College’s Corporate College and Smart Business with both recognitions at a banquet last week.
The Northeast Ohio Smart 50 Awards recognize “the top executives of the 50 smartest companies in the region for their ability to effectively build and lead successful organizations”. The program also offers three specialty awards for Innovation, Impact and Sustainability. Lefkowitz was honored as both a Smart 50 leader and with the Innovation Award for Locus FS’ unique approach of developing environmentally-friendly probiotic solutions to reduce chemical usage in top global industries.
After successfully building and exiting probiotic ingredient company Ganeden, Lefkowitz started Locus FS to bring to market microorganisms that create safer, greener and more effective alternatives to chemicals and address some of the world’s most complicated pain points. The company’s innovations include agricultural probiotics that make plants more productive and remove substantial amounts of carbon from the air, non-toxic oil well treatments that safely increase oil production in declining wells and all-natural therapy programs for common skin conditions. Additional products are currently in development.
“We started Locus FS with one goal—to offer green solutions that cost less and work better than chemicals at alleviating challenges which have big impacts,” Lefkowitz said. “The work is incredibly fulfilling, and we’re extremely grateful that our efforts are being recognized through highly-respected programs like the Smart 50 Awards.”
“Corporate College and Smart Business present the Smart 50 Awards annually in celebration of Northeast Ohio’s top executives and in recognition of their talent to effectively build and lead innovative and ‘smart’ organizations,” Robert J. Peterson, president and CEO of Corporate College said in a written statement. “All of this year’s honorees have made a difference in their organizations and in the region. Their positive impact on employment has reinvented the Northeast Ohio landscape into one of the most up-and-coming business regions in the country.”
Locus FS currently accelerates technologies for two operating companies: Locus Agricultural Solutions and Locus Bio-Energy Solutions. It employs more than 120 team members, with headquarters in Solon and additional offices in Texas, Florida and California. For more information on the companies and the innovative technologies, visit LocusFS.com.
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ABOUT LOCUS FERMENTATION SOLUTIONS
Founded by probiotic experts, Locus Fermentation Solutions (Locus FS) utilizes the power of microorganisms to create environmentally-friendly, yet highly effective probiotic-based solutions that reduce chemical usage and successfully address pain points in top global industries. The company’s world-class team of scientists from seven countries designed unique microbrewery-type fermenters to cost-effectively produce tailored products focusing on challenges including climate change, sustainable growing, agricultural productivity, skin diseases, water contamination, safe oil production and more. Products are commercialized under industry-specific operating companies. Locus FS currently accelerates technologies for use in agriculture (soil “probiotics” that increase crop yields and reduce carbon footprints) under Locus Agricultural Solutions, and in oil & gas (well maintenance and enhanced oil recovery treatments that increase production in declining wells and improve worker safety) under Locus Bio-Energy Solutions—with additional operating companies in development. For more information, visit LocusFS.com.