Fall of 2004! There was a heartfelt desire to start a business, though I had not a clue on where to begin. After the desire laid dormant for several years, I incorporated the Spirit Of Excellence.
Prior to 2004, I worked at the Jewish Family Services, originally located in Cleveland, Heights, Ohio, and now in Beachwood OH. There I came to love and appreciate a community of individuals that literally changed my life. A community that compelled me to take a seat and ponder myself, look at who I thought I was, and who I was to be.
This community taught me the value of assuring the enhancement of another person’s quality of life. This enlightenment has catapulted my desire to that of greater fulgent “PURPOSE.” This led me to become an Independent Provider through the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
In 2007, we moved forward with Spirit of Excellence Inc. With excellent council, we pressed on. Working with the Board Members, we were challenged with searching for summer activities for our clients. This project resulted in the Spirit of Excellence Recreational Activities for Adults with Special Needs, known as the Adam Project. This was a summer program supported by in-kind donations of space from the City Mission in Cleveland, Ohio. This summer program served the community of Cuyahoga County Board of DD from 2007 through 2009.
From that time to current I’ve continued to move forward as an Independent Provider working to enhance the lives of clients that I’ve been fortunate enough to work with.
After devoting my life to the challenging needs of those living with Developmental Disabilities for the past 13 years, and experiencing the stressors and barriers associated with unsuccessful service agencies I realized the need to launch my own agency to become the catalyst of change.
In my opinion, there have been many developmental disability agencies that fail at providing the proper life enhancing care to help their clients live successful healthy inclusive lives. Therefore, it is with much gratitude that I have received certification through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities to start an agency that will successfully meet the needs of its clients.
We press forward to the task at hand… Welcome to the world of Developmental Disabilities, through the heart/eyes of Spirit Of Excellence Inc.
Humbly Yours

Antoine D. Burts
Antoine D. Burts Chief Executive Officer