Ned Weaver | Building Deals That Stick in Toledo

Business isn’t just balance sheets and signatures for Ned Weaver. It’s about building something that lasts. As founder of Wood Creek Advisors, Weaver has turned Toledo into a proving ground for mergers and acquisitions done with a handshake-and-trust mindset rather than just a calculator.

“The best deals aren’t about price tags. They’re about trust, fit, and outcomes that make sense for everyone,” Weaver says. That’s a philosophy Toledo business owners know well: family-owned, locally rooted, and proud of it.

Lately, Weaver’s focus has turned toward sellers, especially in printing and food manufacturing, who want more than a check when it comes time to move on. They want their legacies intact. Case in point: The Fremont Company, a fourth-generation Ohio food producer known for tomato sauces and sauerkraut, tapped Wood Creek to fuel its next chapter through acquisitions. A heritage brand leveling up with a strategy, not just tradition.

Weaver is also fresh off advising Seneca Printing Express & Label on its sale to Seneca Label & Packaging. The move, led by industry veteran Nizar Elias, did more than merge two printers. It set the stage for a scalable industrial label platform that can punch above its weight nationally while keeping Toledo craftsmanship at the core.

For local owners weighing what’s next, Weaver offers more than dealmaking. He offers a path forward. His mix of buyer and seller perspective, along with his track record in Northwest Ohio, means companies can grow without losing the values that got them here in the first place.

As Weaver puts it: “When the right fit comes together, it’s not just good for the business. It’s good for the community.”

👉 More on Wood Creek Advisors: woodcreekadvisors.com

Local Acquisitions | One Rib Off. Lightly Used. $130k OBO

The Blade is looking for a buyer. The question is… why?

If you have ever followed the smoke trail down Key Street in the middle of summer, you know exactly where it leads. Hickory. Mesquite. A little sauce on your shirt. The Blade’s Northwest Ohio Rib Off has been one of those dependable Toledo summer staples. You grab some ribs, hear some live music, run into three people you went to high school with, and head home with a full stomach.

Which makes this next part surprising. The Blade is selling it.

For the price of a starter home, you could own one of the region’s signature events. The offer on the table is $130,000. That includes the event name, vendor and sponsor lists, and four years of built-in advertising valued at $160,000 across The Blade, Buckeye Cable, and billboards. Not bad for a turnkey festival that already has brand recognition baked in.

Rossford Nearly Took the Bite

Rossford Mayor Neil MacKinnon spotted the opportunity and brought the idea to City Council. He called it a “turnkey opportunity” and had sponsors lined up. But when it came time to vote, the deal fell 4 to 3. Council members voted not in favor.

A Legacy Publisher in a New Game

This is where things get interesting. The Blade, is navigating the same media storm hitting local outlets everywhere. Advertising dollars are drifting to digital giants, and publishers are scrambling to stay relevant. Some build new event empires to diversify. Others decide to sell off their existing ones.

The Rib Off was never just about ribs. It was a platform for sponsors, a branding opportunity, and a cultural gathering point. Selling it feels like pawning a family heirloom to make the next mortgage payment.

🏷️ The Toledo Opportunity of the Summer

And here is the kicker. For the measly price of $130,000, this could be yours. Imagine your company’s name on one of the most recognizable summer festivals in Northwest Ohio, plus four years of guaranteed advertising thrown in.

Rossford passed, but someone out there will see the value. While media companies fight to keep their footing in the digital ad race, Toledo’s cultural currency is still measured in smoke, sauce, and a well-placed sponsorship banner.

🤔 Unsolicited Opinion | Paying More for Less

We’ve written about it before, and we’ll probably write about it again, because this issue affects all of us here in Northwest Ohio. The people of America, and especially the people around Toledo, deserve better.

The cost of living has never been higher. Everyone feels it: families of one, two, or four; households making six figures or high five figures. The dollar just doesn’t stretch like it used to.

This isn’t about handouts. It’s about people showing up every day, working hard to provide, and still watching the American Dream drift farther away.

We’ve normalized paying more for less.

Take housing. In 2013, you might have bought a 3,240 sq. ft. brick and stone home with character, a side loading three car garage, for about $310,000. Today, you’ll pay $600,000, often for a 3,200 sq. ft. vinyl box with a flat roofline and minimal detail. Twice the price, less quality.

It’s not just homes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, average monthly expenses for a family of four now fall between $8,450 and $9,800. Call it $9,000 a month. That’s nearly $108,000 a year just to survive. To put it in perspective: in 2015, the median U.S. household income was $55,775. In less than one decade, basic costs have nearly doubled what many households once earned in a full year.

This is not sustainable.

Here’s where it hits close to home. In Toledo’s surrounding towns, where many people live while commuting, raising families, or starting businesses, the rise in home values isn’t just a number. It’s pressure on schools, property taxes, infrastructure, and the ability for future generations to stay local. If you’re priced out of Waterville, Monclova, Maumee, Whitehouse, Sylvania, or Perrysburg, your options shrink. It pushes lower and middle income households farther from opportunity, hurts local workforce retention, and turns “affordable community” into a selling pitch rather than a reality.

To make that more tangible, here’s a snapshot of recent percentage increases in average home sale prices in the respective communities:

^{Data Source: Northwest Ohio realtors Noris MLS Local Market Update: data published June ‘25}

Why this matters to Toledo and the region:

• Infrastructure burden: Suburban growth increases traffic, road maintenance costs, and school capacity needs, which taxpayers ultimately fund.

• Tax base shift: Higher property values can boost tax revenues, but only if managed well. Otherwise, infrastructure and service costs erode the gains.

• Regional cohesion: If outlying towns grow faster than Toledo proper, funding and infrastructure gaps widen, deepening divides within the metro area.

🤜🏼 Money Confessional | From Classroom to Courtroom.

She once spent her days lesson-planning, grading papers, and juggling parent emails as a middle school teacher. Today, she’s navigating the fast-paced world of law as a first-year associate at a Toledo firm, where long hours and high-stakes cases test her resolve. For her, it’s not just about billable hours, it’s about advocacy, persistence, and proving she belongs in the courtroom.

“Teaching gave me patience. Law demands persistence. The overlap? Both are about giving people a fair shot.”

📈 Career Roots:

“I taught for five years and loved connecting with students, but I kept feeling this pull toward advocacy. When I realized I was spending more time helping families navigate the system than focusing on test prep, I knew I needed a career shift. Law school became my next classroom.”

💵 Growth So Far:

“My first paycheck as an attorney was surreal. It wasn’t just more money, it symbolized the sacrifice of late nights, student loans, and bar exam stress finally paying off.”

📚 Mentorship Magic:

“My mentor tells me to ‘sit at the table, even if you feel unready.’ That advice has pushed me into rooms I never thought I’d belong in. Each time, I leave more confident.”

☕ Favorite Splurge:

“Coffee flights. There’s a spot in downtown Toledo that rotates seasonal brews, and I never feel guilty dropping $15 to taste four different roasts.”

💡 Biggest Worry:

“Student loans. Law school doesn’t come cheap, and while I’m making strides, the number still looms. I try to focus on progress instead of panic.”

📊 Current Standing:

“I’ve built a budget that balances loan payments, rent, and small savings. It’s not glamorous yet, but I’m chipping away every month, and that feels like winning.”

💵 Financial Tip:

“Negotiate everything: your salary, your bills, even your phone plan. You’ll be shocked how often the first number isn’t the final number.”

🌱 Inspiration:

“My grandmother was a community organizer. She fought for neighbors, even when it wasn’t easy. Every time I walk into court, I think about her courage.”

🗣 Toledo Tip:

“Don’t sleep on the metroparks. They’re not just green spaces, they’re mental reset buttons after 70-hour workweeks.”