Tele: 330-491-5218 | Fax: 330-491-5218 | E-Mail: cringer@bdblaw.com
Charles' Biography
Legal Experience
Over the past 33 years, Charles has represented publicly traded companies, closely held companies, and family-owned businesses, as well as individuals and families in business succession planning, buying and selling of businesses, transactions, estate planning, probate, trust administration, tax planning, and lawsuits involving business disputes, construction, wills and trusts, eminent domain, personal injury/wrongful death in all Ohio courts as well as in the United States federal courts and before the American Arbitration Association.
Other Experience
Charles owned and operated a corporate private investigation company employing former Ohio State troopers and retired FBI agents and off duty deputies and city police officers that he sold in 1996. He has worked for a company providing family office services (legal, accounting, private/public investment services, and administrative services) to high net worth families. He also worked for a venture capital firm where he performed turn around management services for distressed companies and sold companies. Charles is a member of the International Business Brokers Association and the Association of Professional Merger & Acquisition Advisors.
Education
B.A., cum laude, The University of Akron
Juris Doctorate, The Ohio State University College of Law
Master of Taxation, summa cum laude, The University of Akron
Bar Admissions
Supreme Court of Ohio
United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio
United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
United States Tax Court
Supreme Court of the United States of America
Community Service
Commissioner - Stark County Park District (appointed by Judge Park) (past)
Member - Stark County Bar Association Grievance Committee
Commissioner - City of Canton Planning Commission (past)
Business Counselor - S.C.O.R.E. (past)
Member - Pro Football Hall of Fame Mayor's Breakfast Committee (past)
Member - Canton Players Guild Board (past)
Membership Chairman - GlenOak High School - Kick Off Club, Inc. (past)
Family
Charles lives in Canton with his wife, Diane, the Supervisor for Plain Local Schools Handicap Preschool Program through the Stark County Educational Service Center. Charles and Diane have two adult children - Jack, a CPA, and Rosemary, and HR professional.
Articles, Publications & Seminar Presentations:
- Building Value and Successfully Selling Your Business
- Getting Ready To Sell Your Business
- All This for 7 shares of stock and $350—Giving Employees Stock Bonuses
- Sell Your Office Building Tax Free—Like Kind Exchanges / Small Business News Magazine.
- Planning for Estate Taxes and Probate
- You need more than a Will—9 Other Documents Everyone Should Consider
- Power of Attorney—Choose Wisely / Local Newspaper
- Beneficiary Designations Trump Your Will / Local Newspaper
- Will I or Will I Not—Make A Will
- Simple Ways to Avoid Probate WITHOUT using a Trust
- Family Limited Partnerships after Strangi
- Accident Victims and Insurance Companies
Sales and Aquisitions of Companies
- The Maximilian Group, Inc.—corporate services
- Petty Jeep & Marine—Jeep dealership
- DD Stutz Restaurant—bar and restaurant
- Allied Truck Sales—Mack & Peterbilt dealership
- Allied Truck Leasing—semi tractor/trailer leasing company
- Allied Truck Parts—semi truck parts store
- Ringer Pool Water—swimming pool water sales and delivery
- Midwest Sign Center—retail/wholesale sign manufacturer and installer
- Renavan Rentals a.k.a Renavan PODS—mobile storage business
- Keesey Enterprises, Inc.—MAACO franchise
- Ability Management, Inc.—vocational rehabilitation services
- CMA of Ohio, Inc.—restaurant equipment sales and leasing
- Trbovich Distributing LLC—B.P. marketer and delivery of petroleum products
- Morris Office Equipment Company—office furniture and design firm over 60 years old
- The Bowlus Service Company dba North Central Tire—multi-state wholesale tire distributor (stock sale)
- Gayson Silicone Dispersions, Inc—silicone color additive manufacturer
- Residential Bancorp - multi-state mortgage banker - (stock sale)
- Scenic View Transportation, Inc . - ambulette service (stock purchase)
- Creative Rehab, Ltd
- William Buell Insurance Agency, Inc.
- R.T. Hampton Plumbings and Heatings, Inc. (stock purchase)
- North Ridgeville Tire Center, Inc.
- Essix Resources, Inc. (stock sale - succession plan)
- Waikem Nissan, Inc. (asset sale)
- Taylor Ford Auto Dealership (asset and real estate purchase)
Recent Cases
- Strouble v. City of Louisville (2003), Ohio Supreme Court: prevented City from taxing non-qualified deferred compensation plan account of a retired executive of The Timken Company.
- Weisel v. Laskovski (2004): Trial court ordered Defendant (thus his insurance carrier) to pay prejudgment interest at 10% for 2.5 years and all attorney fees for not paying fair value for totaled car.
- Harris Trust & Savings v. Priyanka, Inc. (Ohio's 9th Dist. Appellate Court—2004): prevented Chicago bank from setting aside client’s winning bid on commercial real estate sold at a sheriff sale and also collected attorney’s fees from bank.
- Hammond Industrial v. U.S. Technology (Stark C.P. 2004): negotiated resolution of a dispute on large industrial construction project 2 months after filing lien and lawsuit.
- Fidelity Properties v. West Virginia University Hospitals (Fed. Dist. Court—Ohio 2005): prevented Hospital from terminating long term multi-million dollar contract.
- Molson USA v. Tramonte Distributing (AAA—2005): prevented large international beer manufacturer from terminating Akron distributor under Ohio law. First Ohio case in which an Ohio beer distributor has won a termination case after the merger of manufacturers.
- Renewable Lubricants, Inc. v. Royal Lubricants & Supplies (Stark C. P.—2006): obtained temporary restraining order and permanent injunction relating to trade secrets.
- Leonard Insurance Companies v. American Express Tax & Business Services (6th Cir. Fed. Court—2007): prevailed on claim that ERISA does not pre-empt state law claim of accountant negligence in valuation of ESOP stock.
- Tramonte Distributing v. MillerCoors (Ohio Fed. Dist.—2009/2011): obtained summary judgment in favor of Tramonte, Akron's largest beer distributor, in a lawsuit in federal court to prevent a joint venture of international beer manufacturers from terminating Tramonte's distribution franchises. Case is currently on appeal in the 6th Circuit Federal Court.
