July/August - Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

volume 48 | number 4
july | august 2009
Supply & demand
Fundamentals
of economics
bring success
to MBA
Issue Forecast
8 issues likely to make the
November ballot > 3
Brain Gain
Programs help YPs connect
with community >4
Don’t OverCompensate
ChamberComp can save you
thousands > 12
Tale of two cities Partnership mines
investment leads in London, Paris markets
R
epresentatives from the Cincinnati
USA Partnership recently spent
two weeks promoting the Cincinnati
USA region to business investment
prospects in the United Kingdom and
France.
The U.K. and France are two of
Cincinnati USA’s most productive
foreign investment markets. Combined
the two countries are home to nearly 20
percent of the foreign-owned firms in
the region.
In addition to exploring new investment opportunities, the delegation,
which was led by Doug Moormann,
vice president of economic development for the Chamber, and Neil
Hensley, senior director of economic
development for the chamber, as well
as representatives from Duke Energy
and the City of Cincinnati, met with
established prospects and existing
investors like the U.K.’s dunnhumby.
“The U.K. is becoming an increasingly attractive market for us as more
British investors like dunnhumby and
First Group decide to establish and
grow their North-American headquarters in our region,” said Moormann.
The French portion of the trip
coincided with the Paris Air Show.
Aerospace has long been one of
the Cincinnati USA region’s primary
industry clusters and the Paris Air Show
is the largest, most prestigious trade
show of its kind attracting companies
from all over the world. “It’s a great
opportunity for us to make contact
with a variety of potential investors the
world over in a single location,” added
Hensley.
>Interested in gaining some insight
into the work of the trip? Chip Wood,
Duke Energy’s vice president of
business and community relations,
joined the delegation in the U.K.
and blogged about his experience.
Find the blog entries at www.
soapboxmedia.com.
Cincinnati USA Partnership
tops in the nation again
F
or the second year in a row, The
Partnership was named one of the
top 10 economic development groups
in the U.S. by Site Selection magazine.
The ranking is in recognition of The
Partnership’s work in 2008, a year in
which the group helped close 13 new
projects, bringing 870 new jobs and
more than $683 million in total investment to the Cincinnati USA region.
“This recognition is grounded in
performance-based outcomes and
speaks directly to our ability to leverage
our regional assets to attract jobs,
capital investment and new wealth to
Cincinnati USA,” said Doug Moormann,
vice president of economic development for the Cincinnati USA Regional
Chamber. “It further demonstrates
that the Cincinnati USA Partnership is
striving to capture our region’s rightful
Official publication of the Cincinnati USA
Regional Chamber
(ISPS 859-400) is published bimonthly by
the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, 300
Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio
45202. Telephone 513.579.3100.
Publisher...............Ellen van der Horst
Vice President.......... Karen Michelsen
Editor........................Steve Boehmker
place as one of America’s
favorite business centers.”
From 2004 to 2008, The
Partnership contributed significantly to 92 closed projects
and worked with state and
local officials to bring nearly
$1.7 billion in new investment
and nearly 9,000 new jobs to
Cincinnati USA. These figures
represent about 1 in 4 of the
new jobs in the region and $1
of every $6 in new investment
in the region.
Site Selection is the official publication of the Industrial Asset
Management Council and is highly
respected as the primary source of
information for corporate real estate
professionals and economic development executives around the world. The
Subscriptions are included in the annual
dues of each Chamber member.
Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio.
Postmaster/Address Changes Send address
changes to: Cincinnati USA Regional
Chamber, 300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine
St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202-2812, Attn:
Jennifer Prine, or send e-mail to jprine@
cincinnatichamber.com
Dayton Development Coalition was
also honored.
>Find the entire Top Groups list in the
May 2008 edition of Site Selection
and at www.sitenet.com.
Advertising Chamber members can
underwrite an issue of ChamberConnect
and reach more than 7,000 subscribers in
the Cincinnati USA business community. For
costs and ad specifics, call Cynthia Oxley at
513.579.3193.
Subscriptions ChamberConnect is mailed
to Chamber members as a benefit of
membership. Additional subscriptions are
available to Chamber members at $10 per
year. Nonmember subscriptions are $30 per
year, non-profit organizations, $22.50. For
more information, call 513.579.3110.
© 2009 Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
A tax levy to help
pay for repairs to the
Cincinnati Museum
Center is just one issue
voters may see on the
November ballot.
Public Library of Cincinnati and
Hamilton County
Because of a decline in state tax revenues, the library will seek its first-ever
tax levy in order to compensate for a
projected FY 2010 $18 million budget
shortfall. Levy funds would be applied
toward staffing, operating costs and
facilities maintenance.
Health-Hospitalization Services
Commissioners will seek to fund four
health-hospitalization service programs. The programs are aimed at
rehabilitating alcohol and drug dependent individuals and were previously
funded as part of the Drake Hospital
levy. Drake Hospital is not seeking continued public funding, but the renewal
funding is necessary for these parallel
programs.
8 issues likely to make
the November ballot
T
he November 2009 election is
quickly approaching and while
voters will not see state and federal
elected officials on the ballot this fall,
there are a number of important local
and state ballot issues likely to appear.
In an effort to be proactive and
address the increased number of
ballot issues, the Chamber’s Policy &
Ballot Issues Committee has been busy
reviewing and vetting the following
eight issues that may appear before
Hamilton County voters on Nov. 3.
Passenger Rail Initiative
The NAACP, COAST and
WeDemandAVote organizations are
collecting signatures to place an issue
on the November ballot that would
amend the City of Cincinnati Charter.
This ballot initiative would prevent the
City from spending any money on passenger rail projects until Cincinnati
voters first approve the project.
cincinnatichamber.com
Casino Amendment
Supporters are seeking to amend
Ohio’s Constitution to allow a single
casino in each of the four largest cities
in the State. Gross casino revenues are
estimated to be $1.8 billion annually
taxed at a rate of 33 percent, resulting
in $600 million in annual tax revenue.
It is estimated that these casinos would
create 13,000 construction jobs and
7,000 permanent jobs.
Cincinnati Museum Center
The Cincinnati Museum Center is
asking for renewal of a 2004 tax levy
that provides funding for repairs to
exterior damage and structural deficits,
replacing all of the building’s mechanical systems, preserving historic details,
improving energy conservation, and
enhancing the architecture inside the
building.
Mental Retardation and
Developmental Disabilities
The MRDD tax levy provides funding
for individual care, respite care,
training, schools and other education
for individuals afflicted with a range of
mental, medical, emotional and physical problems. The MRDD levy provides
73.3 percent of MRDD’s $94.8 million
budget. The current MRDD levy expires
in 2009 so this would be a renewal,
although the renewal rate has not yet
been set.
Third Frontier
The State of Ohio may look to renew
and expand the state’s 2003 Third
Frontier program, which helps to spur
innovation in Ohio through public
financing distributed to high-tech
businesses.
Cincinnati Public Schools
Due to budget shortfalls, CPS may ask
Cincinnati School district voters for a
tax level renewal.
>For more information on any of these
issues, please contact the Cincinnati
USA Regional Chamber’s Government
Affairs team at 513.579.3100.
july | august 2009
cincinnatichamber.com
3
Brain gain G
rowing a workforce rich in young
talent is a two-part process. First, you have
to attract this all-important demographic
with a vibrant urban culture and high quality of life.
Then, you have to find a way to keep them. That’s
the objective behind programs like MY/PLACE and
C-Change.
Components of HYPE, the
Chamber’s targeted intiative to attract
and retain young professionals in
Cincinnati USA, one program helps
recently-relocated young professionals establish a sense of home in
their new city, while the other furthers
engagement in the community. Right
now, both are recruiting for upcoming
classes.
Finding your place
Moving to a new city is never easy, but a
program like MY/PLACE helps ease the
transition. A veritable Cincinnati 101,
MY/PLACE brings young professionals
new to Cincinnati USA sup to speed on
everything Queen City. The program
is facilitated by established YPs who
reveal the mysteries behind Cincinnati’s
cultural quirks, culinary delicacies, rich
history, unique geography and thriving
business community.
In addition to acclimating new residents, MY/PLACE provides a great
opportunity for them to begin building
their social network with both recently
relocated and established YPs.
4
july | august 2009 Find out more
Change is good
On a young professional’s list of priorities “community involvement” typically
ranks somewhere between “spend time
with friends and family” and “get to
the gym.” It’s something most people
want to do more of, but often can’t find
a way to fit in among their many other
responsibilities. That’s where C-Change
comes in.
C-Change is a year-long young
professional program that couples
community involvement with another
high-ranking priority for YPs, leadership
development. The combination of these
two topics into one curriculum provides
participants with a unique opportunity
to advance themselves both personally
and professionally.
C-Change is designed to connect
participants with peers, civic leaders,
organizations and local resources over
the course of 10 monthly meetings.
At the heart of the program is a
group project designed to address
a community need and put the
participants’ freshly-honed leadership
skills to practical use.
>Learn more about MY/PLACE
and C-Change at a special
informational event hosted by
HYPE on Wednesday, July 22,
5:30-7:30 p.m., at Grammer’s
restaurant, 1440 Walnut St.,
downtown. To register, call
513.579.3111.
Sign up
>MY/PLACE is accepting
registrations for its fall session,
Sept. 24 through Oct. 29. Cost is
$250 per person. To register, visit
www.cincinnatichamber.com/
hype.aspx or call 513.579.3111.
Deadline is Sept. 11.
>Applications for the 2010 class
of C-Change will be available July
22 with the submission deadline
of Sept. 30. Cost is $2,400 per
person. To register, visit www.
cincinnatichamber.com/hype.aspx.
cincinnatichamber.com
Widening the circle New Council 360
provides guidance for regional action plan
T
he work of Agenda 360 has taken
another step forward with the
introduction of Council 360, an inclusive team of regional stakeholders
responsible for the oversight and implementation of the regional plan.
Council 360 is comprised of regional
leaders representing civic, business and
educational organizations throughout
Cincinnati USA. Its primary roles are
to set annual goals for the six priority
focus areas (business growth, qualified
workforce, transportation, inclusion,
government collaboration and quality
place), maintain alignment of strategies
and initiatives, engage participation and
monitor and communicate results.
“Council 360 will drive two key outcomes: first is to lead the regional
activity required to make the priorities
and strategies of Agenda 360 a reality
and second, to set up a measurement
Council 360 leaders as of
press time:
Co-chairs: Kevin Ghassomian,
Greenbaum Doll & McDonald,
Mary Stagaman, University of
Cincinnati
system in each priority focus area
to ensure accountability,”said Kevin
Ghassomian, attorney with
Greenebaum Doll & McDonald and
Council 360 co-chair.
In addition, Council 360 will be supported by a Citizen Advisory Panel,
citizen volunteers from counties across
the region who will provide grassroots
support and community input, and a
Board of Overseers, executive leadership from the region’s top employers,
universities and civic organizations, as
well as regional government officials.
Agenda 360 keeps ‘community’ in ‘community initiative’
Connecting the Dots events are just one of the ways Agenda 360 will communicate the progress of the regional initiative to the community and continue the
community conversation on the plan.
Each month, Agenda 360 will host two Connecting the Dots sessions – one at
the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber offices, the other at a community venue.
Both will address a particular aspect of the plan and demonstrate how it affects
the community.
On Tuesday, Aug. 4, Connecting the Dots will take a closer look at how our
region can further cultivate a talented workforce. The discussion will include
strategies to attract talent, the lifestyle needs of a talented workforce, which
Agenda 360 focus areas and strategies will enable us to meet these needs and
how an increase in local talent will help Cincinnati USA program in important
knowledge industries.
On Wednesday, Aug. 26, the topic of business growth will be discussed, as
well as the strategies and initiatives related to business growth and the metrics
designed to measure our region’s success.
>Connecting the Dots: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 8:30-10 a.m., Total Quality Logistics,
4289 Ivy Pointe Blvd., Cincinnati, 45245, and Wednesday, Aug. 26, 8-9:30 a.m.,
at the Chamber, 300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St. Register for the free events at
cincinnatichamber.com or 513.579.3111.
cincinnatichamber.com
Quality Place Leaders:
Liz Blume, Community Building
Institute-Xavier University; Margy
Waller, Arts Culture PartnershipFine Arts Fund; Dan Oerther, UC
Center for Urban Environment
Business Growth Leaders:
Kimm Coyner, Warren County
Economic Development; Doug
Moormann, Cincinnati USA
Partnership; Sean Rugless,
African-American Chamber of
Commerce; Rich Kiley, retired,
P&G; Robin Dreisigacker, JD, UC
Academic Health Center
Qualified Workforce Leaders:
Stephanie Byrd, Success by
Six; Jeff Edmondson, STRIVE;
Ross Meyer, Greater Cincinnati
Workforce Network; Dr. Robin
White, Great Oaks
Transportation Leaders:
Marilyn Shazor, Metro; Bobby
Maly, Model Management; Kim
Satzger, Regional Port Authority
Inclusion Leaders:
Alfonso Cornejo, Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce; Karen
Bankston, Drake/Health Care;
Chip Harrod, Bridges for a
Just Community; Peg Fox,
Metropolitan Area Religious
Coalition of Cincinnati (MARCC)
Government Collaboration
Leaders: Greg Jolivette, Butler
County Commissioner; Matt van
Sant, Clermont County Chamber
of Commerce; Louise Hughes,
P&G
Regional Communications:
Dacia Snider, Soapbox Media;
Ryan Rybolt, Infintech;
A.J. Scheaffer, Vision 2015
july | august 2009
cincinnatichamber.com
5
Power up Christy Schlake and WriterGirl &
Co. selected for 2009 WE Link Program
T
he Cincinnati USA Regional
Chamber and ATHENAPowerLink
named Christy Schlake, owner and
president of WriterGirl & Co., the
third annual recipient for the WE Link/
ATHENAPowerLink 2009 program. This
year’s program will begin in August,
providing Schlake business consultation for one year.
The WE Link/ATHENAPowerLink
program each year connects a woman
business owner with an advisory panel
of business professionals to provide
consultation for her business to help
strengthen her management skills
and achieve goals for her company.
Panelists are selected to address the
company’s specific needs.
“I was excited to apply for the
WE Link program because I felt that
WriterGirl had huge growth potential, but only if I got some expert help,”
explained Schlake. “I had established
an advisory council, and had seen the
benefits of having outsiders take a look
at our processes and goals, and I’ve
profited from the advice they offered.
So I thought that the WE Link program
would be a great opportunity for us.”
Last year’s recipient, Carla Eng, president of Abstract Displays, will finish
her program in July and believes her
company has already benefited from
it. According to Eng, Abstract Displays
was able to implement strategic planning tools to focus resources more
effectively, make internal process and
procedure improvements, and create a
new training manual that allows managers to help employees be more
successful.
On average, women business owners
participating in the ATHENAPowerLink
program see an 88-percent increase in
sales, 56-percent increase in personal
income, 75-percent increase in part-
time employees, 37-percent increase
in business income and a 36-percent
increase in full-time employees.
Schlake is looking forward to participating in this year’s program. “I’m
honored to have been selected as the
WE Link recipient for 2009/2010, and
I’m very excited to get started,” said
Schlake. “I hope that, as a result of
working with the board of advisors for
a year, we can refine our existing processes in order to help us reach our
growth goals.”
The WE Link/ATHENAPowerLink
Program is hosted by the Cincinnati
USA Regional Chamber, and sponsored by National City and The Wolfe
Practice, with support from Clark,
Schaefer, Hackett & Company and
Employers Resource Association.
On average, women business owners participating
in the ATHENAPowerLink program see an 88-percent
increase in sales.
Big day for small businesses saluted for quality
May 19 was a big day for the 20 local
small businesses recognized during
the Chamber’s annual Small Business
Excellence Awards.
Triplefin took the top honor for
Small Business of the Year (51-250
employee companies) and Libertas
Technologies was named Small
Business of the Year
(1-50 employee companies). Awards were
presented in five other
categories.
Gregory LeLonde, president
of Triplefin, accepts the Small
Business of the Year Award
6
july | august 2009 2009 Small Business Excellence Awards
Small Business of the Year
(51-250 employee companies)
Winner: Triplefin
Runner-up: Pegasus Technical Services
10 under 10
Winner: People Working Cooperatively, Inc.
Runner-up: Centerpoint Health
(Small businesses with fewer than 10
employees recognized as a group)
Abel Associates, Inc.
Ladd Research Group
ML Barnard, Inc.
Motz Engineering
Moxie Marketing
Prestige Unlimited Services
Strategic HR, Inc.
Three Deuce Branding, LLC
The Village Print Shop
The Voice of Your Customer
Minority Business of the Year
Emerging Business of the Year
Small Business of the Year
(1-50 employee companies)
Winner: Libertas Technologies
Runner-up: Infintech LLC
Nonprofit of the Year
Winner: DAG Construction
Runner-up: World Pac Paper
Winner: Amend Consulting
Runner-up: CinciMedia, LLC
cincinnatichamber.com
Roadmap to Success
Strategic planning program
helped Atlas Dowel turn things around
A
lthough Peter Puttmann has owned
Atlas Dowel & Wood Products for
10 years, it wasn’t until two months
ago and his company’s completion of
the program Roadmap: Strategies for
Business Growth that he finally began
to feel like a business owner.
“When I began the program, I
felt like I was self-employed,” said
Puttmann who employs more than 15.
“I was doing so much of the work and
bearing so much of the responsibility
that if I went on vacation the business would stop. Roadmap gave me a
Puttmann. “I knew that if they weren’t
part of the solution the plan wouldn’t
be successful.”
“Strategic planning is more about
the team than the plan and this
program is a way to include them in the
process,” added T.D. Hughes, chairman
of LaRosa’s Inc. and facilitator of the
Roadmap program. “You can’t take
people somewhere they don’t want to
go.”
Since Atlas Dowel’s completion of the program, Puttmann says
his company culture has completely
changed and the results
are showing in his bottom
line. They have realigned
responsibilities to individuals throughout the
company, formulated
a production structure, have cross trained
employees on various
jobs in the company and
hold regular 20-minute
huddle meetings to keep
everyone informed and
address issues before
they become problems.
“The most amazing
thing
for me is to step
Puttmann and Hughes chart a path to success via Roadmap: Strategies for
back, get out of the way,
Business Growth
and watch the people not
whole different way of looking at my
only resolve the important issues, but
company.”
to do it with enthusiasm. I think I finally
Roadmap is a strategic planning
own a business, not the other way
program offered through the Chamber
around,” said Puttmann.
consisting of four half-day, off-site sessions during which companies are
> Interested in learning more about
challenged to analyze their personnel,
Roadmap: Strategies for Business
strengths and weaknesses, identify the
Growth? Attend a preview session
factors that will determine long-term
with T.D. Hughes on July 22 or
success, and assign responsibilities and
Aug. 19, 8:15-9:30 a.m., at the
measurements to ensure established
Chamber, 300 Carew Tower, 441
goals are met.
Vine St. Cost: free to members.
“The thing that attracted me to
Register at cincinnatichamber.com or
this program was that it involved my
513.579.3111.
management team, not just me,” said
cincinnatichamber.com
ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
DIRECTORY
Is your information
up to date?
T
he Chamber is compiling its
annual membership directory, Business Connections, and
wants to make sure we have
the most accurate information
for your company – personnel,
phone numbers, address, etc. This
information is also linked to the
Chamber’s online Search-for-aBusiness feature.
Every member company has a
designated primary contact person
within their organization with a
MyChamber account on cincinnatichamber.com. To check and
update your company’s data, your
primary contact simply needs
to log into cincinnatichamber.
com (in the upper-right-hand
corner of the homepage), click
View/update account, then click
Directory Preview. If the information requires a change, click Edit at
the bottom of the page. If the information is correct, click Accept at
the bottom of the page so we know
you have reviewed it.
If you are unsure who the
primary contact is for your
company, or can’t remember your
login, please call 513.579.3111.
Business Connections is
published by the Chamber, in partnership with Cincinnati Magazine.
The book is mailed to our membership of more than 5,000 companies
in early December and all members
receive a complimentary listing.
>If you are interested in upgrading
your listing, or purchasing
display advertising, contact John
Lunn, director of advertising
for Cincinnati Magazine, at
513.421.4300 or
[email protected].
july | august 2009
cincinnatichamber.com
7
Supply and demand
I
n a business culture full of 50-cent words like
arbitrage, contagion, nominal value and scalability,
the Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator
(MBA) is finding success growing the regional
minority business community by focusing on one of
the most basic principles of business and economics:
supply and demand.
Since its beginnings in 2003, the MBA
has subscribed to a two-pronged
approach to accelerating the development of sizable minority firms: 1)
improve the readiness of minority businesses to serve as suppliers for regional
corporations; 2) encourage corporate
demand in the form of annual minority
spending goals – and the results are
undeniable.
In the MBA’s five years in operation, average revenues of the MBA’s
portfolio of firms have increased from
$6.7 million to $21.7 million. Even more
telling, according to the initiative’s
recently released biennial report, over
the past two years (2006-2008) MBA
firms have experienced an increase in
total revenue from $348 million to $522
million. While some of this growth can
be attributed to the addition of three
companies in 2008, the existing-firm
revenue growth from 2006 through
2008 was still 43 percent, despite a
slowing economy.
The MBA’s demonstrated growth
in total portfolio revenue is widely
accepted as one indicator of the
capacity of a minority business enterprise to compete successfully on a
contract. Through management consultation and relationship building,
The Chamber’s Economic Inclusion team: Valerie Kimble, Jilson Daniels and Crystal German.
8
july | august 2009 cincinnatichamber.com
Total Portfolio Revenue
& Average Revenue per Firm
■ AVERAGE REVENUE
■ TOTAL REVENUE
IN MILLIONS
$173
$17.3
$15.1
$9.8
2005
2006
2007
2008
Annual Goals vs. Actual Spend Levels
$457
■ SPEND GOALS
■ ACTUAL SPEND LEVELS
$320
$150
2005
more than 20 local firms committed to
spend a total of $400 million with local
minority businesses last year – more
than twice the spending as in 2005. In
actuality, these companies far exceeded
their goal, spending more than $450
million with minority suppliers. To
date, the annual spend goal has been
exceeded every year. In 2010 the MBA
will raise the bar even higher, setting
the spend goal at $500 million.
— Jack Cassidy, CEO of Cincinnati Bell & MBA Leadership Council chairman
$500
$303 $400
$300
$215
Diversity not only creates culturally-rich, vibrant
communities in which to live, it also cultivates
a healthy sense of competition and an
expansive supply for the corporate community
to find realized profit.
cincinnatichamber.com
$21.7
$399
$348
IN MILLIONS
over the two-year period, the MBA has
assisted portfolio firms in the signing of
16 new contracts and the completion
of five transformational deals that were
related to an acquisition, a joint venture
or a strategic partnership.
Currently, MBA firms have contracts
with more than 50 corporations locally
and nationally. One such minority business enterprise is the construction and
management firm, MBJ Consultants.
When company president Monroe
Barnes decided it was time to grow his
company he began to explore forming
strategic partnerships with other local
construction companies. However,
he knew for these collaborations to
succeed he would need to polish his
business plan, and for that he enlisted
the help of the MBA.
“They helped me make the whole
report come together,” said Barnes. “I
mean, they were phenomenal. They
never said, ‘We don’t have time.’ I think
they looked at it as an investment in the
city. We can grow and the city grows.”
Indeed, the surrounding community has benefited from the growth
of minority businesses. Among the 28
MBA portfolio companies, the number
of jobs now stands at 2,500, which is up
3 percent from the same time in 2006.
Of this 2,500, 54 percent are locally
employed and 38 percent are women
and minorities.
On the other side of the equation,
$522
$200
2006
2007
2008
2010
“There is significant value minorityowned businesses bring to our local
economy,” said Jack Cassidy, CEO of
Cincinnati Bell and chairman of the
MBA Leadership Council. “Diversity
not only creates culturally-rich, vibrant
communities in which to live, it also cultivates a healthy sense of competition
and an expansive supply for the corporate community to find realized profit.”
In reality, statistics can only tell one
side of the story. The true value of the
MBA is seen in the partnerships cultivated between minority businesses and
the rest of the business community. As
these partnerships grow and generate
substantial employment growth and tax
revenue, we all benefit.
>Learn more about the MBA and view
the entire 2008 Report at www.
MinorityBusinessAccelerator.com.
july | august 2009
cincinnatichamber.com
9
Easy event registration
@ 513.579.3111
or cincinnatichamber.com.
You Have a Great
Web Site, Now What?
– Wednesday, July 15,
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m, at the
Chamber, 300 Carew
Tower, 441 Vine St., $25
for members. What’s
Michelle Selnick
the point of having
a great Web site if
your customers can’t find it? Marketing
experts Michelle Selnick, president of
webFeat, Neal Sullivan, executive vice
president of EMI Network, and Daniel
Lally, vice president of Powers Agency
will present great ideas and insights on
how to stand out during a Web search,
enhance your site through video and
whether blogging is for you during
this informative Sales & Marketing
Luncheon.
Party Hard
Boulevard Bash
returns Aug. 14-16
Cincinnati USA’s favorite midsummer party, the Union Centre
Boulevard Bash, returns to the
streets of West Chester for its
seventh year Aug. 14 through 16.
The Bash is a three-day, outdoor
music and food festival produced
by The Downtown Council, the
special events division of the
Chamber, that offers a bit of summertime enjoyment for everyone
in the family. By day, families can
bring the kids to enjoy $1 kids
rides, discounted menu items,
games, contests and more. By
night, the Bash becomes a concert
venue, hosting popular national
and local musical acts. Admission is
free. For more information visit
www.unioncentreblvdbash.com.
10
july | august 2009 Neal Sullivan
Daniel Lally
Purchasing Skills Training – Fridays,
July 10, July 17, Aug, 21, Aug. 28, morning
sessions: 9:30-11:30 a.m., afternoon sessions: 1-3 p.m., at the Chamber, 300
Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., $89 for
members. Purchasing skills expert, Kym
Nelson, president and CEO of The
KLEW Company, will take you through
the purchasing process from start to
finish, outlining for you the necessary fundamentals to
increase profitability
while maintaining consistent business results
over the course of this
four-day, eight-session program. Sessions
Kym Nelson
can be purchased
individually.
Morning Mixer – Thursday, July 23,
8-9:30 a.m., at Beechmont Motorsports,
646 Mount Moriah Dr., Cincinnati, free
to members. Come dressed to ride an
ATV. Morning Mixers are hosted by the
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and
the Clermont Chamber of Commerce
to give members a chance to network
and build business relationships with
other professionals from all over
Cincinnati USA. Attend a Morning
Mixer and you’ll get more done before
9:30 a.m. than some people do all day!
Navigating Your Chamber – Tuesday,
Aug. 4, 8:30-9:30 a.m., at the Chamber,
300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., free to
members. No matter if you are new to
the Chamber or have been a member
for years, learn more about the full
range of the Chamber’s work and the
benefits your membership affords by
attending this informative and interactive class.
Make the Grade,
Make the Connection
– Thursday, Aug. 13,
7:45-10 a.m., at Mayerson
JCC, 8485 Ridge Rd.,
Cincinnati, 45236, free to
members. Mary Ronan,
Mary Ronan
the recently- named
superintendent of
Cincinnati Public
Schools, and Robin
White, president and
CEO of Great Oaks
Career Campuses, will
discuss improving
Robin White
education for children K-12 and the connection between
a quality early education and a skilled
regional workforce during this Member
Connection Meeting.
Chamber Night at the Playhouse in
the Park – Thursday, Aug. 13, 5-7 p.m.,
at Playhouse in the Park, 962 Mount
Adams Circle, Cincinnati, free to members.
A vibrant arts and culture industry is
good for business. The Cincinnati area’s
arts scene is flourishing and Cincinnati
Playhouse in the Park is a major contributor to it. Come experience it all
for yourself at this exclusive chance for
great after hours member networking
over drinks (the first one is on us!) and
delicious hors d’oeuvres hosted by the
Playhouse in the Park.
cincinnatichamber.com
Simon Hay
Simon Higginbotham
Cincy Chat – Wednesday, Aug. 19,
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at the Chamber,
300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., $20
for members, $25 for nonmembers,
includes lunch. Speakers Simon Hay
and Simon Higginbotham recognize
the importance of building relationships and loyalty with customers
and will share their knowledge on
this subject, as well as their personal
stories of success. As president of
Kendle, Higginbotham provides international leadership for worldwide
customer and business expansion,
including strategic customer relations and new market opportunities
for Kendle International. Hay established dunnhumbyUSA in 2002 and the
success of the company has been attributed to his keen insight into shopping
patterns and ability to create actionable
retailing and marketing plans.
Kathleen Daly
Celine Piri
WE Speak: Beyond the Bios – Thursday,
Aug. 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at the
Chamber, 300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St.,
$25 for members. Kathleen Daly, senior
vice president and CFO of Messer
Construction Co. and Celine Piri, president and CEO of TariCel Management
Staffing, both faced adversity in the
workplace because of their gender,
but it didn’t keep them from becoming
leaders in their respective companies.
Hear their personal stories of success
during WE Speak, an interactive forum
for women professionals to share experiences, advice and lessons learned
with one another.
Chick-fil-A: You’ve
Eaten Their Food, Now
Hear Their Story –
Thursday, Aug. 20, 11:30
a.m.-1:30 p.m., Cintas
Center, 1624 Herald Ave.,
Cincinnati. Chick-fil-A
Dan Cathy
is one of the nation’s
largest family-owned
businesses and has set itself apart from
its competitors by pioneering innovations and maintaining a commitment
to serving a delicious product. During
this special luncheon event, Chickfil-A CEO Dan Cathy will share his
unconventional, yet personally and
professionally-rewarding approach
to leadership, which has helped the
company continue its 41-year tradition
of positive sales growth.
Morning Mixer – Thursday, Aug. 27,
8-9:30 a.m., Cincinnati Bell Technology
Pavilion at Great American Ballpark,
100 Joe Nuxall Way, Cincinnati, 45202,
free to members. Morning Mixers are
hosted by the Cincinnati USA Regional
Chamber and the Clermont Chamber of
Commerce to give members a chance
to network and build business relationships with other professionals from all
over Cincinnati USA. Attend a Morning
Mixer and you’ll get more done before
9:30 a.m. than some people do all day!
Navigating Your Chamber – Tuesday,
Sept. 1, 8:30-9:30 a.m., at the Chamber,
300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., Cincinnati,
free to members. No matter if you are
new to the Chamber or have been a
member for years, learn more about the
full range of the Chamber’s work and
the benefits your membership affords
by attending this informative and interactive class.
Operations/Office Manager
Roundtable – Wednesday, Sept. 9, 11
a.m.-1 p.m., at the Chamber, 300 Carew
Tower, 441 Vine St., $25 for members.
Time is money. Whether you are
running a business or advancing your
career, leveraging your time at work is
one of the quickest ways to success.
This interactive session will help you
gain control of your chaotic workload,
significantly reduce stress and increase
your chance for promotion.
Discovery Point Preview – Thursday,
Sept. 10, 8:15-9:30 a.m., at TechSolve,
6705 Steger Dr., Cincinnati, free to
members. The Chamber has teamed up
with TechSolve/Amend Consulting to
present Discovery Point, a diagnostic
service that helps businesses in the
manufacturing, distribution and service-related industries identify their
biggest challenges and develop a plan
of action to take advantage of improvement opportunities. Learn more
about the two-day, on-site, in-depth
Discovery Point program during this
free preview event.
Everyone needs a Roadmap
Companies benefit from strategies for business growth
Learn how your company will benefit from this strategic planning program designed to
help your team develop a plan for long-term success. Previous participants will share their
experiences. The four half-day sessions are led by T.D. Hughes, former CEO and current
chairman of LaRosa’s Inc. Join the preview – free to members – on Wednesday, July 22,
8:15-9:30 a.m., at the Chamber, 300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., Cincinnati.
cincinnatichamber.com
july | august 2009
cincinnatichamber.com
11
Strength in numbers ChamberComp group
ratings can save your company thousands
A
lthough the State of Ohio requires
all businesses to provide workers’
comp coverage for their employees,
you can save thousands of dollars in
premiums and even more in claims
costs, through a group rating program
like the Chamber’s ChamberComp.
In a study released last year, Ernst
& Young found that the average
reserve for employers represented
by third-party administrators is more
than 35 percent lower and the average
medical cost per claim is nearly a
quarter less than the state averages.
ChamberComp is the largest
group rating program in southwest
Ohio representing more than 4,200
businesses. Administered through
Sheakley, the average savings per participant is more than $8,000.
Group eligibility and rates
change every year, so even if your
company didn’t qualify in the past,
you owe it to yourself to check out
ChamberComp.
>To get a free, no-obligation group rating
savings analysis, call 513.579.3111
or fill out the Temporary Authorization
Form (AC-3) on next page.
Enroll now in Safety Council
Members can pocket extra savings
on ChamberComp with participation
Take the savings
home with you
Office DEPOT has long partnered
with the Chamber to offer exclusive savings of up to 80 percent to
member companies. Now those
same savings are being offered to
individual employees for their personal office supply needs.
Nearly 1,200 Chamber member
companies are saving money on
general office supplies, furniture,
computer products and accessories
and in-store copying and printing.
Office DEPOT even offers Chamber
members free next-day shipping on
any size order of $50 or more.
>Companies or individuals
interested in saving with Office
DEPOT can register online at www.
cincinnatichamber.com or by
calling 513.579.3111.
12
july | august 2009 C
hamber members are able to earn
up to 4 percent off workers’ compensation premiums by enrolling in
the Greater Cincinnati Safety Council.
The deadline to enroll is July 31, 2009.
More than 10,000 Ohio businesses
partner with over 80 safety councils. These councils strive to increase
safety and health in the workplace
and the community through programs addressing occupational safety
and health, workers’ compensation,
and risk management education and
information. The councils also exist to
inform participants about new techniques, products and services, and
provide thorough knowledge of these
services.
To qualify for a 2-percent rebate,
employers must meet the following
requirements:
•Enroll with the local safety council
by July 31, 2009.
•Attend 10 safety council meetings
or events, at least eight through
the local safety council. Up to two
meetings may be through DSH
safety training or industry-specific
training.
•CEO must attend any one safety
council sponsored function or
meeting (CEO attendance counts
as credit toward one of the 10
required meetings).
•Submit semiannual reports for the
2009 calendar year.
Businesses may earn an additional
2-percent performance rebate by
reducing their frequency or severity by
10 percent or more below the previous
year’s frequency or severity. Employers
who maintain both frequency and
severity at zero also qualify for
the additional 2-percent rebate.
However, the rebate offer excludes
self-insuring employers, state agencies and employers enrolled in BWC’s
group-rating and group-retrospective
programs.
>For more information about the Greater
Cincinnati Safety Council, contact
Greg Buscher at 513.686.2959 or
[email protected]
cincinnatichamber.com
TEMPORARY AUTHORIZATION
TO REVIEW INFORMATION
TO: Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Employer Services Department, L22
Self-Insured Department, L26
From: Policy number
County
Entity
DBA
Please mark a box and return to:
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber
c/o Customer Focus Center
300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
513.579.3111
Fax 513.579.3101
Address
NOTE: For this to be a VALID letter, it must be stamped by the Self-Insured Department for self-insured employers or
by the Employer Services Department for all employers other than self-insured. This authorization, being temporary in
nature, will not be recorded via computer or be retained by the Employer Services Department. A copy must be in the
possession of a representative when requesting service relative to the authority granted therein.
This is to certify that
Sheakley UniService, Inc. 370-80 of P.O. Box 42212, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242
including its agents or representatives identified to you by them, has been retained to review and perform studies on
certain workers’ compensation matters on our behalf.
The limited letter of authority provides access to the following types of information relating to our account:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Risk files
Claim files
Merit-rated or non-merit-rated experiences
Other associated data
This authorization does NOT include the authority to:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
Review protest letters
File protest letters
File form CHP-4
File Motions, I-12’s or IC-88’s
File self-insurance applications
Represent the employer at hearings
Pursue other similar actions on behalf of the employer
February 26, 2010
I understand that this authorization is limited and temporary in nature and will expire on
or automatically nine months from the date received by the Employer Services Department or Self-Insured Department,
whichever is appropriate. In either case, the length of authorization will not exceed nine months.
✁
DETACH AND MAIL
Telephone number
Print name
BWC-0503 (Rev. 06/27/2005) PC
AC-3
Fax number
Title
E-mail address
Signature
Date
CC09
Completion of the temporary authorization provides a third-party administrator (TPA) limited
authority to view an employer’s payroll and loss experience. By signing the AC-3, the employer grants
permission to the BWC to release information to the employer’s authorized representative(s). The
form allows a third-party representative to view an employer’s information regarding payroll, claims
and experience modification.
Attention group rating prospects:
• Employers may complete the AC-3, for as many TPAs or group-rating sponsors as they feel are
necessary to obtain quotes for a group-rating program.
• Group Sponsors must notify all current group members if they will not be accepted for the next
group rating year. The deadline for this notification is prior to the first Monday in February for
private employers and prior to the second Friday in August for public employers.
• All potential group-rating prospects must have:
Active BWC coverage status as of the application deadline;
Active coverage from the application deadline through the group-rating year.
No outstanding balances;
Operations similar in nature to the other members of their group.
• Any changes to a group member’s policy will affect the group policy. Changes can result in either
debits or credits to each of the members.
Note:
For complete information on rules for group rating, see Rules 4123-17-61
through 4123-17-68 of the Ohio Administrative code or your TPA.
14
july | august 2009 cincinnatichamber.com
✁
DETACH AND MAIL
All group-rating applicants are subject to review by the BWC Employer
Programs Unit.
Welcome new members
A
s a reminder, new – or not-so-new – members are invited to attend
“Navigating Your Chamber,” an informal, interactive introduction to the
numerous benefits and programs available through Chamber membership. The
next installment of this popular program is Aug. 4, from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at the
Chamber, 300 Carew Tower, 441 Vine St., downtown Cincinnati. To register, visit
cincinnatichamber.com or call 513.579.3111.
A Better Idea
A Mop & Two Women
A Taste of Class Catering Inc.
Advertising Vehicles Inc.
Allure Contemporary Cuisine and Lounge
AMedEquip
Amir, Wallace & Johnson, LLC dba Cleaning
Concepts
AppleSales.com dba Mactown
Atticus Consulting, LLC
B-Communicated, Inc.
Belterra Casino Resort & Spa
Better Curbs Inc.
Beyondbeing Marketing Communications
BrandShine Marketing & Public Relations
BRG Apartments
Burger Farm & Garden Center
C. M. Mockbee Company
Capital Logic, LLC
CDAN Inc dba Express Personnel Services
CH2M HILL
Cincinnati Animal Referral & Emergency
Care Center
Cincinnati Montessori Secondary Teacher
Education
Cincinnati Police Federal Credit Union
Clarrissa Brown Coaching
Committed To Care Inc.
Comprehensive Healthcare of Cincinnati
LLC
Construction Owners Association of the
Tri-State
Coverall North America Inc dba Coverall of
Southern Ohio
D L P Technologies Inc.
danbrillDesigns
Deer Park Die & Stamping Division
Deerfield Construction Co. Inc.
Drackett Harth Construction
cincinnatichamber.com
Elks Run Golf Course
Engineering Excellence Inc.
Ernst Enterprises Inc
Farmers Insurance Group
Fast Track Auction
Finishing Technology Incorporated
Fitness 19
Fixture Resource Group
Forest Hills Internal Medicine
G & B Contractors
Global Project Associates Incorporated
Gordon Reed & Associates
H S R Business to Business, LLC
Hamilton County Educational Service
Center
Hamlet Auto Parts Inc.
Hearing Speech & Deaf Center
HomePride Of Southern Ohio, Inc.
Image Through Design
J K Express
J. Z. Regional Contractors
Jasper Contractors, Inc
Kleingers & Associates
Know Travel
LAH Holdings LLC dba Jump Zone Milford
Le Salon Hair and Day Spa
Leverag Industries
Local 12 WKRC-TV/CinCW
Lowry Controls Inc.
M & S Machine & Manufacturing Co.
M-E Companies
MAACO
Madison Design Group
Madison’s Ridgeview Farm, Inc
Market Intelligence Group
Marshall Investigations PSI
Mobile Conversions Inc.
MobileTEK Consulting LLC
Montgomery Family Practice
N & R Remodeling & Roofing
Natural Healing Product Inc
Niehaus Advertising Specialties
NW Communications Consultants
P 3 Secure LLC
Peck Hannaford + Briggs
Pinnacle Paving and Sealing Inc.
Premier Southern Ticket Co.
Professions Inc.
Profitability.net
Promoting Health The Middle Way, LLC
Purolator USA
Q Laboratories
Reconstructive Orthopaedics & Sports
Medicine
Residence Inn by Marriott Cincinnati North/
West Chester
Sagestone Partners
Search Engine Experts
Shake It Records, Inc
Shaker Run Golf Club
Skally’s Old World Bakery Inc.
Skytop Improvements LLC
Stone Creek Dining Company
Stuart Schaefer
Sun Chemical Corp.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure Greater
Cincinnati
Switch Lighting & Design
Tellus LLC
Teron Lighting Inc.
The Christ Hospital
The Color of Love
The Midnight Gourmet
The Young Group
Three Deuce Branding, LLC
Traction
Tri State Jobbing Co. dba Fox’s Clothing
Two Men and a Truck
U! Creative Inc.
Uhr Rents
Utility Maintenance & Construction
VistaLynk Solutions, LLC
Volk Electrical Contractors
Volt Workforce Solutions
Wert Construction
Womens’ Med+Center/Women for Women
Wyoming Steel Supply Inc.
july | august 2009
cincinnatichamber.com
15
300 Carew Tower
441 Vine Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202-2812
Find us on: cincinnatichamber.com
For information on exclusive advertising opportunities in future issues of Chamber Connect, call Cynthia Oxley at 513.579.3193.
Ease of use lets them rest easily
Big savings helps them relax
Strong & stable workers’
comp management
through Sheakley
How ChamberComp put a member in
a more comfortable spot.
Contract Interiors found itself sitting pretty after taking advantage of ChamberComp, the Cincinnati
USA Regional Chamber’s workers’ compensation group rating plan. And they’re not alone. This year
nearly 4,700 businesses realized a substantial discount on their workers’ comp premiums. In fact,
the average savings is nearly $17,000 per business annually. The experts at Sheakley offer the
best discounts allowed by the state of Ohio and aggressively manage those claims on behalf
of the employer. While ChamberComp offers big savings, the Chamber offers other programs
that provide big value and help power up businesses of all sizes. For more information on
ChamberComp, or to get a no-obligation quote, call the
Chamber at 513.579.3111 today.
power up your business today.
cincinnatichamber.com
•
513.579.3111