December 2011 - West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance

Transcription

December 2011 - West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance
THE
DECEMBER 2011 VOL. XLVI ISSUE XII
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
SM
CONNECTING PEOPLE AND POSSIBILITIES IN WEST CHESTER AND LIBERTY TOWNSHIPS AND THE I-75 GROWTH CORRIDOR
2
On the Cover
A large turnout of Chamber and community members joined the West
Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance for a Ribbon Cutting and Open
House at our new ofce at 8922 Beckett Road, West Chester. Thank
you to all of our supporters for a successful event!
Chamber Staff & Associates
JOE HINSON, IOM, President & CEO
EXECUTIVE jahinson@TheChamberAlliance.com
MARGE WIMMER, Administrative Coordinator
mwimmer@TheChamberAlliance.com
ADMINISTRATION MIKE POWELL, Finance Director
mpowell@TheChamberAlliance.com
LEADERSHIP KENDRA WILBURN, Leadership Development Director
DEVELOPMENT kwilburn@TheChamberAlliance.com
KATHY RAMBO, Vice President/Special Events
ktrambo@TheChamberAlliance.com
SPECIAL EVENTS ALISON MIUCCIO, Marketing Director
& MARKETING amiuccio@TheChamberAlliance.com
PAMELA GRUBER, Marketing & Special Events Coordinator
pgruber@TheChamberAlliance.com
KENNI BLACHÉ, Membership Services Director
kjblache@TheChamberAlliance.com
MEMBERSHIP JAY D’ARCY, Senior Membership Account Executive
jhdarcy@TheChamberAlliance.com
LYNN TRAU, Membership Account Executive
ltrau@TheChamberAlliance.com
BOB WIWI, Small Business Advocate
BUSINESS bwiwi@TheChamberAlliance.com
ADVOCACY GEORGE GLOVER, Government Relations
glover@focusedcapitolsolutions.com
West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance
Executive Board 2011
CHAIR CHRIS WORRELL – Graydon Head
VICE CHAIR KAREN MUELLER - HORAN
SECRETARY CHAR MASON - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Liberty Campus
PAST CHAIR RONDI TSCHOPP – Five Visual Communication & Design
STEVE BEHLER – Kemba Credit Union
DEBORAH BRENNEMAN – Thompson Hine LLP
ERIC HARMON - Cincy Magazine
JOE HINSON – West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance
TOM HOLDING – Lincoln Financial Advisors
CHRISTINE MATACIC – Liberty Township Trustee
JENNIFER PORTER – Cincinnati Marriott North @ Union Centre
RON ROHLFING – West Chester Hospital
BRETT SMITH – Butler Technology and Career Development Schools
TOM URBAN – Mercy Hospital Faireld
THE
Intersection Chamber; where business,
education and government converge.
West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance
2011 SUSTAINING SPONSORS
e West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance salutes our Sustaining
Sponsors. We acknowledge the following members and thank them
for their support of the Chamber, its programs, events and services
provided to the businesses and organizations of this area.
■
35TH ANNIVERSARY SPONSOR
Mercy Health – Faireld Hospital
DIAMOND
Butler Technology and Career
Development Schools
UC Health – West Chester Hospital
GOLD
Cox Media Group Ohio
ompson Hine LLP
West Chester Township
SUPER SILVER
Clark Schaefer Hackett
HORAN
Kemba Credit Union
SEBALY SHILLITO + DYER
SILVER
Amylin Ohio, LLC
Chaco Credit Union, Inc.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Liberty Campus
Fifth ird Bank
First Financial Bank
Liberty Township
North Ridge Realty Group D.A.
Development
SUPER BRONZE
Atrium Medical Center
Clark-eders Insurance Agency, Inc.
Graydon Head
Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine
Consultants, Inc.
e Matrix Companies
UnitedHealthcare
BRONZE
Alternative Computer Technology, Inc.
Amica Insurance
Antonelli College – West Chester
Duke Energy
Edward Jones Investments; Bill Lendl
Flagel, Huber, Flagel & Co.
Focused Capitol Solutions, LLC
Four Bridges Country Club
Frost Brown Todd LLC
Halcomb Benets Agency, Inc.
Horizons HRS
Huntington Bank
Kehoe Financial Advisors
Managepoint
Nickerson Business Supplies, Inc.
North Side Bank & Trust Company
Northwestern Mutual—West Chester
Park National Bank
Planes Companies
PNC Bank
Schumacher Dugan Construction, LLC
SCORE
Taco Bell/Uno Chicago Grill
TriHealth Corporate Health
US Bank
Xavier University Williams College of Business
Stop by the Chamber ofce to see our Sustaining Sponsorship
Sign donated by Hightech Signs - 513.874.5223
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
3
From the desk of
Joe Hinson, IOM
– President & CEO
Economic Growth = New Jobs
Policies that promote
capital investment, savings and
return on investment, improve
education and human capital
appreciation all help encourage
higher productivity growth.
In October, the West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance participated
in the annual Business Regional Development Forum presented by the
Cincinnati Business Courier and Dayton Business Journal. Business
professionals from Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati up I-75 to
Dayton, converged on West Chester to hear about JobsOhio, Governor
Kasich’s new jobs creation vehicle. A panel discussion followed,
focusing on the local economy and job creation which included West
Chester Hospital’s President & CEO, Dr. Kevin Joseph.
The economy’s long run potential is determined by its factors of
production, namely labor and capital, as well as the productivity
of those factors. Policies that promote capital investment, savings
and return on investment, improve education and human capital
appreciation all help encourage higher productivity growth.
This in-state initiative can’t come soon enough. With unemployment
still around 9% everyone still wonders why we are not creating any
new jobs. Leading economists suggest a simple answer – insufficient
economic growth. Thus, focusing on job growth, rather than on the
underlying economic growth, may be the wrong target.
As we all know, we are now emerging from a steep, long-lasting
recession. However, almost two years after the recovery began, we
have yet to climb above our long-term potential rate of growth. As a
result, we have not created enough jobs to reemploy laid off workers.
It’s time to consider other strategies.
Consider this: The economic recoveries up until 1991 were
characterized by very strong economic growth in the first year or two and
equally rapid job growth. Hence, the economy was generally able to put
people laid off during the downturn back to work in a very short time.
However, beginning with the 1991 recovery and extending through the
current recovery, economic growth in the early years of each recovery
has been relatively weak, barely equaling our long-run potential rate of
growth. The resulting job growth has been weak as well.
JobsOhio seems to get it. Led by Mark Kvamme, its chief investment
officer, this private, nonprofit corporation wants to move at the speed
of business, cut bureaucratic red rape and remove nonsensical
regulations put on businesses to foster economic growth, therefore
creating and maintaining jobs in Ohio. Not your typical governmental
agency, JobsOhio was built from the ground up to encourage business
development in Ohio by lowering business investment and eliminating
the obstacles that impede growth. We look forward to watching
how this public-private partnership leads our statewide economic
development efforts. For more information on JobsOhio, visit
www.jobsohio.com.
Back in the early 1960’s President John Kennedy’s chief economist,
Arthur Okun examined the phenomena of economic growth and job
creation. His analysis led to the development of Okun’s Law which
states that the economy must grow about 2 percentage points for a year
to drive the unemployment rate down one percentage point.
Okun’s Law provides a ballpark figure for what kind of growth we need
to reemploy the displaced workers from our current recession. With our
current potential rate of growth about 2.5%, the economy must grow at
about 4.5% to 5.0% in real terms for a year to lower the unemployment
rate by 1 percentage point. To drive the unemployment rate from its
current level of about 9.0% down to 6.0%, the economy must grow at
4.5% or more for three years.
Okun’s Law can also help explain our lack of job growth. Our economic
growth rate since the start of the recovery has averaged 2.4% annually,
but growth over the last year was only 1.6%. So our lack of jobs can be
explained primarily by lack of growth. At 2.4% we are barely reaching our
potential; at 1.6%, we are likely well below our potential. Therefore, the
key to job growth is getting more economic growth.
If you want to get an insider’s look at our economic future, plan
to attend our popular January membership luncheon. We kick off
the year with our third annual Chambernomics program featuring
economist LaVaughn Henry, Vice President and Senior Regional
Officer for the Cincinnati branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of
Cleveland. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, January 10.
Thank you for being a valued member of the West Chester ß Liberty
Chamber Alliance. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
DidYouKnow
…as a member, you can take advantage of our
Member to Member discount in this publication?
Contact Alison Miuccio at 513.777.3600 and
get your company on the list!
West Chester • Liberty Chamber Alliance MISSION STATEMENT
A regional community leader promoting business innovation and growth, advocating free enterprise, addressing issues of regional
and community significance and leading our members to a higher quality of life.
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
4
West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance
VOICE
THE
SM
•
e VOICE is published monthly by the West Chester Liberty
Chamber Alliance, 8922 Beckett Road, West Chester, OH 45069.
Telephone: 513.777.3600
Fax: 513.777.0188 | www.TheChamberAlliance.com
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
Cost Saving Programs
Listed Alphabetically by Service
Subscriptions are included in the annual dues of each Chamber membership.
PUBLISHER ..................................................................................Joe Hinson
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
EDITOR................................................................................... Alison Miuccio
ASSISTANT EDITOR ............................................................... Pamela Gruber
PHOTOGRAPHY...................................................... Len Kaltman Photography
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ................ Brad Arnott, Jamie Bernard, Jane Gegner,
Kathy Glandorf, Dr. Karen Mantia, Steve Raszka, Ron Rohlng
DESIGNER ..................................................................Cox Media Group Ohio
Postmaster/Address Changes
Send address changes to West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance,
8922 Beckett Road, West Chester, OH 45069.
■
Advertising
Chamber members can advertise in The VOICE and reach more than
1000 leaders in the southeastern Butler County business community.
For cost and specics, call Alison Miuccio, 513.777.3600 or email
amiuccio@TheChamberAlliance.com.
Subscriptions
The VOICE is mailed to Chamber members as a benet of membership.
Additional subscriptions are available to Chamber members at $75 per
year. Non-member subscriptions are $100 per year. For information, call
513.777.3600.
Submissions
Articles, advertisements and inserts for The VOICE must be received at the
Chamber ofce by the 1st of each month to be included in the upcoming
edition. No article in this magazine may be reprinted without the permission
of the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance.
■
e
o
J
/
wriday
a
v
a
J Every F - noon
SM
r
9am
from e Chambeost of yourat th make the m ith a one
at
pw
to
how embershi e Hinson
n
r
a
Jo
Le
ber m
! Call
ule.
Cham meeting to sched
0
ne
on-o 3.777.360
51
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
Growing West Chester Business Adds Staff
Infitech, a full-service IT company located at Hamilton-Mason &
Cinncinnati-Dayton Roads, continues to grow and add staff.
Nathan Moore, the most recent new hire, has
a strong background in project management
leadership, project and dispatch coordination,
team building, desktop and POS troubleshooting.
His skills and experience will bring a new level of
customer service as Infitech’s Technical Coordinator.
Chris Peed, a technician providing onsite customer
support, joined Infitech in August. Chris has a
very strong technical background and 13 years
experience working on everything from Home
Networks to Multi-Location Networks across the
globe. He has a vast knowledge of Microsoft and
most major enterprise solutions and has been able to tackle Apple’s
technology realm as well.
Daniel Wardlow also joined Infitech in August
and brings a diverse background in many
developmental languages including PHP, C, C++,
C#, VB6, VB.net, JavaScript, and Java. He is wellversed in building content management systems for
the web, web portals, web services gateways and
integrating many technologies with the internet.
For more information, visit infitech.net or call 513.779.5700.
2011 BBB Torch Award
Recipient – One Way Farm
Better Business Bureau Recognizes
Marketplace Ethics in Tri-State Businesses
and Nonprofit Organizations
“Too often the news is about the
scandals or problems with businesses
and nonprofits,” BBB President Jocile Ehrlich said. “Our Torch Awards not
only recognize good organizations, but lets our community know that
good organizations committed to doing the right thing are the norm.”
She added that our community has much to be proud of.
At a gala at Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center, the Better
Business Bureau celebrated the recipients and honorees of the BBB’s
2011 Torch Award for Marketplace Ethics, a program of The Center for
Ethics at BBB and One Way Farm was a recipient.
“The Torch Award encompasses the spirit and tradition of the BBB
unlike anything else,” Ehrlich said. “It recognizes and honors businesses
and organizations who fully commit themselves to ethical practices in all
aspects of their business dealings.”
UC Health University Pointe
Surgical Hospital in West
Chester Recognized by Press Ganey for Excellence
The UC Health University Pointe Surgical Hospital was recently
awarded the 2011 Press Ganey Summit Award for sustaining a
rank of overall patient satisfaction scores above the 95th percentile
5
People
AndNews
for inpatient services for the past three years.
Only 87 health care facilities in t he U.S. received the award
in 2011. The Summit Award is given to hospitals that achieve a
satisfaction rate in the top 5 percent for at least three years. The UC
Health University Pointe Surgical Hospital has maintained an even
higher satisfaction rate of 99 percent.
University Pointe Surgical Hospital sees more than 20,000
patients annually between the hospital, imaging center and sleep
medicine center.
To learn more about the University Pointe Surgical Hospital, visit
surgicalhospital.uchealth.com or call 513.475.8300.
Eagle Tee Golf Center celebrates
20 years serving the West Chester
& Liberty Townships area
Steve and Diana Honerlaw, the owners of
Eagle Tee, are lifelong residents of West Chester.
He and his father designed and built the driving range in 1991 on
property that has been in the family for over 50 years. The miniature golf
course was added the following year.
On May 14th (the actual 20 year anniversary) there was a customer
appreciation day with free food and prize giveaways, plus demos during
the afternoon. Customers were able to try the latest clubs and talk to
manufacturer representatives.
Eagle Tee has launched an updated website at www.eagletee.com and
is on Facebook. Steve and Diana Honerlaw and their family would like to
thank all of their patrons who have helped to make Eagle Tee a success
over the last 20 years.
Cincinnati Children’s Earns
$12 Million NIH Grant To
Test Migraine Prevention
Medicines in Children and Teens
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center has received a $12
million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct the
first clinical trial to determine the medication of choice for preventing
migraines in children and teens.
The five-year study, to be conducted at up to 40 sites throughout
the United States, will be led by Andrew Hershey, MD, PhD, and
Scott Powers, PhD, who co-direct the Headache Center at Cincinnati
Children’s.
“Children and teens miss more than 130,000 school days every
two weeks due to migraines,” says Dr. Hershey. “The negative impact of
having migraines on overall quality of life is similar to childhood cancer,
heart disease and rheumatic disease,” adds Dr. Powers.
For more information, call 513.636.4656.
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
6
IKEA Donates Thousands of
Soft Toys to Toys For Tots
Thousands of plush toys will soon be
in the welcoming arms of less fortunate
children across America thanks to IKEA
and Marine Toys for Tots.
The annual IKEA Soft Toys for
Education Campaign ends December 24th. For every IKEA soft toy a customer
purchases, the IKEA Foundation will donate money to UNICEF and Save the
Children to help educate underprivileged children in 20 countries. Since the
IKEA Soft Toys for Education program began in 2003, it has donated $47.5
million benefiting more than 8 million children in over 40 countries.
“IKEA strongly supports the rights of every child and understands
that education is key to their growth and development. Through Save
the Children and UNICEF, this campaign continues to impact millions of
children’s lives in developing countries with access to a quality education.
So far, 8 million children have benefited with school supplies, better
teaching facilities and sanitation, as well as trained and dedicated
teachers,” commented Mike Ward, IKEA US President.
For more information, please contact Kitalena Mason, IKEA West Chester
at 513.779.9175 x 1336
Join us for a Business After Hours at
The Cincinnati Marriott North @ Union Centre
Wednesday, December 7th w 5-7pm
Join us for food, beverages and networking!
6189 Muhlhauser Road ∙ West Chester
For Your 2012 Calendar
5-7pm
January 25 .........................West Chester Family Dentistry
February 15 .......................................... The Web Extreme
March 21................................................ At Your Service
April 25..................................................................Uno’s
May 16............................................ EPCON Communities
June 23.......................................... Court Yard by Marriott
July 25 .....................................................Carriage House
August 22 ............................................. Designer’s Group
September 19........................................... Staybridge Inn
October 17...............................Residence Inn By Marriott
November 7 ............................Barrington of West Chester
December 5 ..................................... Chesterwood Village
What is Marketing Research
& Why do I Need it?
Do you ever wonder what your customers are really thinking
about your business?
How did that check out experience go?
What do my customers think of that new packaging design?
We all know how important it is to understand what our
customers are looking for from our businesses so it is essential to
make sure you understand both the desires of your customers and
how your business is meeting (or not) those expectations. Your
bottom line depends on satisfied customers. Even though you have
customers coming to your business, how do you know if they are
truly satisfied or if an alternate source could quickly snatch that
business away?
Marketing research will give you the insights to understand your
customers’ expectations and how you are meeting those challenges.
There are two general categories of marketing research:
Quantitative: the process of counting noses and ultimately
conducting higher level mathematics to produce statistical
results. This research will tell you what percentage of customers
polled liked/did not like (fill in the blank).
Qualitative: the process used to answer the ‘why’s.’ This
methodology results in insights that can often lead to
significant changes in your bottom line. With qualitative
research the researcher looks to find the deeper meanings and
the individual customer’s emotional, rational and sometimes
irrational reasons for purchases.
There are many ways to collect qualitative research data. It
is often done in person as with pre-recruited focus groups and
individual one-on-one interviews, or on-site customer intercepts.
With the rapidly changing technology arena it is also quite common
to gather these insights online. Online research can be conducted
in real-time, meaning that the researcher and the respondent are
chatting live via bulletin boards but it can also be conducted in
virtual time – at the respondent’s convenience. Many businesses
are also employing smart phone technology to capture individual
consumer’s thoughts while they are ‘in the moment’.
Quite often small business owners are concerned about the
cost of doing research and will attempt to do it on their own.
This usually leave the business owner with little to show for their
efforts and very few, if any, actionable insights. To determine
which methodology will be most useful, it is best to consult with
a marketing research professional. A professional consultant
will work with the small business owner to develop the most cost
effective method and gather actionable results.
KATHY GLANDORF
ScarletKats, LLC
513.675.2676
Kathy@ScarletKats.com
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
7
Women for Women (W4W) is the West Chester ß Liberty Chamber
Alliance women’s group focusing on the need for women to balance
business, home and all aspects of their life. W4W brings women
together to engage in networking, discuss women’s issues and
address topics that are pertinent to women’s lives both at home and
at the office.
Our meetings focus on the four W’s—Work, Wealth, Wisdom and
Wellness. At each session, we enjoy networking, discussions and a
presentation that addresses the “W” topic of the month.
Join us at this month’s W4W meeting on Friday, December 2nd from
8-9:30am at Grace Tree Studio, LLC, 8933 Cincinnati-Dayton Road,
West Chester. We will focus on “Wellness” as the ladies of Grace Tree
Studio, LLC share some yoga and relaxation techniques. Please RSVP
to Pamela Gruber at pgruber@TheChamberAlliance.com.
Thank you to our sponsor Kehoe Financial Advisors.
Each month, the Character Council promotes 1 of their
49 character qualities. This month, the highlighted
Character quality is “Benevolence (vs. Selfishness)
– Giving to others’ basic needs without having as my
motive personal reward.”
“Character… It starts with me”
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
Proud to be the Region’s First Chamber of Character
For more information on how to become a “Business of Character, “
please contact the Character Council at 513.467.0170 or visit
www.charactercincinnati.org.
Cost - $10
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
8
What’s New in
West Chester Township
www.westchesteroh.org
West Chester’s Commitment to
Economic Development
Mike Juengling Takes on New Role as
Community Development Director
West Chester’s
proactive, pro-business
local government,
strategic location, and
the availability of quality
buildings and sites have
attracted the attention
of the development
community for more than two decades.
As Mike Juengling steps into the position of Community Development
Director this month, he does so with confidence that West Chester’s
development potential remains strong. “West Chester has everything
going for it including great location, excellent infrastructure and positive
leadership,” said Mike. “The community has always been successful in
attracting high-quality corporate investment and will continue to do so. I
look forward to being a part of the community’s continued success.”
Mike’s focus in his new position will be to work cooperatively with
existing businesses and stakeholders to reduce barriers to success; and
work closely with property brokers to focus business expansion efforts
on targeted industries for greatest long-term benefit to the community,
while also maintaining solid planning and regulation administration.
“West Chester has built a reputation for being a pro-business
community and developing strong private-public partnerships,” Mike
said. “Our existing businesses are stakeholders in the community and
maintaining these positive relationships will lead to continued success.”
West Chester’s Downtown at Union Centre is the community’s most
recognizable and visible display of economic growth and success. Top
performing companies have located in this business district which offers
exceptional visibility, access and proximity to the Cincinnati-Dayton
Metroplex.
West Chester’s Class A office space in this Downtown district is in
demand for companies focused on expansion and growth and has now
achieved its highest occupancy rate with 98 percent of the available
Class A office space with Chamber Member companies like AK Steel
corporate headquarters; Frost, Brown, Todd LLC; Bricker and Eckler LLP.
The Centre Pointe Office Park, the Tri-State’s 6th largest suburban
office center, is located immediately adjacent to Union Centre Boulevard
and offers 768,000 square feet of Class A office space spread over six
individual buildings, managed by Duke Realty. North Pointe at Union
Centre (the 12th largest suburban center in the Tri-State) includes two;
210,000 square feet Class A office buildings which are 100 percent
occupied by GE Aviation.
“Companies that locate in West Chester, do well in West Chester
and want to expand here,” Mike said. “West Chester’s leaders and
stakeholders have positioned the community well for success.”
The community’s Uptown and Midtown districts have also fared well
even during challenging economic times. West Chester continues to
regularly receive interest from new and expanding companies including
firms from around the globe.
West Chester is within a 600-mile radius of 54 percent of the
nation’s purchasing power and offers opportunities for companies
considering relocation or expansion from around the world. Nearly 50
international companies operate facilities in West Chester. Companies
from Germany, Italy, Japan, and Sweden have established a presence in
West Chester because of its exceptional location and workforce as well
as its reputation in the marketplace. Many more of the nearly 3,000
companies located in West Chester do business globally. This global
positioning of the community will continue to be a focus for business
attraction efforts in West Chester.
Mike is no stranger to the economic successes and challenges of
Butler County. As he left his post as director of development for Butler
County, he brings with him a wealth of public sector experience and
knowledge in the fields of economic development, community planning,
code enforcement and other related disciplines.
A 20-year resident of West Chester, Mike said he looks forward to
working even more directly with the community he calls home.
New Business in Uptown West Chester – Commercial
Orange Leaf Yogurt – 7736 Dudley Drive: Self-serve concept that allows
customers to make and customize cups of frozen yogurt.
Marlin and Ray’s – 7701 Voice of America Centre Drive: Remodel and
rebrand of Ruby Tuesday’s, restaurant features seafood.
Blue Frog Yogurt – 7602 Cox Lane: Company specializes in organic
frozen yogurt.
Massage Envy – 7639 Voice of America Center: Company specializes in
massage therapy.
Party Discounters – 7738 Dudley Drive: Company offers discounted
party supplies.
Panda Express – 7939 Tylersville Road, new building in front of Kohl’s:
Chinese restaurant.
East Meets West Buffet & Grill – 7759 Dudley Drive: Restaurant
featuring 11 different food bars.
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
9
What’s New in
Liberty Township
www.liberty-township.com
Liberty Township to host Breakfast with Santa
on Saturday, December 3rd
The Liberty Township Board of Trustees, in collaboration with the
Liberty Township Events Committee, is excited to announce the launch
of a new community event – Breakfast with Santa.
On Saturday, December 3rd from 8:30 to
10:30am, the community is invited to Eli’s
Sports Bar & Grill for a special breakfast
and meet-and-greet with Santa Claus.
Families can expect a traditional pancake
breakfast including bacon and all the
coffee, OJ and milk you can drink! Families
are also encouraged to bring a camera for
photos with Santa who will be arriving in
Liberty Township’s original 1954 fire engine.
Tickets for the Breakfast with Santa event
are $5 for kids and $10 for adults. A portion of the proceeds - $1 for
every child and $2 for every adult breakfast sold – will be donated to
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Liberty Campus. Tickets
can be purchased in advance at the Liberty Township Administration
Building (6400 Princeton Road) or at the door the day of the event.
“The Events Committee continues to look for ways to engage with
the community and we thought this may be a nice addition to our
annual events line-up. With so many children and families living in
Liberty Township, we hope a chance to have breakfast with Santa will
be a good draw for families to get out and enjoy some holiday cheer.
We are grateful to Eli’s for allowing us to use their location and for
donating bacon to the event! And we trust the donation to Cincinnati
Children’s Liberty Campus will help further their important mission as
they continue to serve family’s in our community, the Greater Cincinnati
region and beyond,” said Melanie Brokaw, Events Committee Liaison.
Eli’s is located at 4895 Princeton Road in Liberty Township in the
Princeton Landings retail center at the corner of Princeton Road and
State Route 747. For more information about tickets or the event,
contact Vickie Daniel at 513.759.7500.
GETTING
CONNECTED
JAY D’ARCY
&
STAYING
CONNECTED
Senior MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Jay is one of your first points of contact when you join the West
Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance and a great resource for getting
involved. In his role, Jay provides insight into how the Chamber
can benefit both current and prospective members, If you need
more information on how to GET CONNECTED, contact Jay at
513.777.3600 or jhdarcy@TheChamberAlliance.com.
Plan Now To Attend
Liberty Township’s
2012 Events
Easter Egg Hunt
Saturday, April 7
11am at Liberty Park
Easter Bunny will be available for
photos 10am to Noon
Fourth of July Festivities
Wednesday, July 4
8am—5K Run for Liberty
The run will begin and end at Lakota East High School.
10am Annual Parade
The parade begins at Lakota East High School and ends at Liberty Park.
Fall Festival & 5K
Saturday, September 15
10am—3rd Annual Pursuit of Liberty 5K.
The run will begin and end at Liberty Park.
11am to 3pm—Festival at Liberty Park
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
10
Leading Edge Program now forming Next
Leadership Development Class, Beginning
December 6th
Getting the Best Out of People through
Leadership Development in 2012
Motivating employees – through leadership
development - has a positive impact on business
As we look forward to next year and begin to finalize budgets, it is
important to build a budget around developing your people. Studies
show that in an organization, a strong sense of leadership is a must for
its operations to run smoothly. It is for this reason that many companies
now offer leadership development in various business organizations and
also for people who want to discover the inner leaders within them.
Leadership development pertains to activities that help a person
enhance his or her leadership skills. This can either be through formal
seminars or other means such as; team building activities or retreats.
No matter what type of leadership development is preferred—the formal
or the laidback—experts say there is one surefire way to get the best out
of people; help them discover the power of self-motivation.
Leadership is effective when an organization runs orderly and its
people are working in a harmonious setting. This type of leadership, say
experts, can be achieved only if the leader is motivated towards one
common goal to success.
Studies show that leadership development which incorporates
the concept of self-motivation is far more effective because it helps
with looking forward to better things in life. These days there are less
effective leaders because many of them have lost their innate means of
motivating themselves. When motivation to accomplish a certain goal
has diminished, it’s easier for a leader or potential leader to give up and
live a remorseful life filled with negative things.
Today, more and more people who conduct leadership development
try to incorporate motivating participants because this is one of the
keys in helping people get rid of negative emotions. When people are
cleared from negativity, they will be able to think more clearly and be
able to see things in a positive way.
As your organization finalizes its budget for next year, stop and
consider the impact your employees have on your organization today,
and will have on business over the course of the next year. Does your
organization have leadership development as one of its key budgetary
line items? After all, it is a key component to motivating employees,
which ultimately leads to a positive impact on business.
KENDRA WILBURN
Leadership Development Director
West Chester • Liberty
Chamber Alliance
Leading Edge offers a unique
training program designed to
take participants to an advanced
level of leadership. This program
provides practical solutions toward developing the skill sets for the ever
changing workforce of the 21st Century.
Leading Edge provides companies and organizations with expertly led
seminars that teach with excellence, educate for short and long-term
results, and reflect extremely well on current and future leaders within
the organization. Leading Edge offers content rich courses that are well
crafted to provide employees with knowledge they can immediately
begin to use on the job. Along with well thought out course materials,
participants benefit from adult learning instruction that enables them to
quickly digest new material and apply it back to the real world.
This Leadership program meets the first Tuesday of the month from
9am–1pm at the office of the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance.
To register or obtain more information on the Leading Edge program,
please contact Kendra Wilburn, Leadership Development Director of the
West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance, at 513.314.9659 or via email:
kwilburn@thechamberalliance.com.
The Value of SEBC Leadership 21
I was an eager Leadership21 participant
in 2008. At that time, I was working on
the West Chester Hospital project as
Director of Hospital Operations
and project manager during the
hospital’s construction phase. This
leadership program helped me
learn so much about the community, the history and how our new
hospital could become a welcome neighbor. The program consistently
exposed me to community resources that we incorporated into the
hospital. Each session provided an “A-Ha” about how we could engage
another community service or member. From local agencies, to artists,
government relationships, resources, the program provided significant
benefit to our organization and developed lasting relationships that
continue to serve West Chester Hospital and our patients today. It has
been rewarding to see the full circle benefit of our time and resource
investment in Leadership21.
I would encourage anyone wanting to learn about the West Chester and
Liberty Townships, or the Butler County community, to engage with the
West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance’s Leadership21 program. The
program was a valuable ingredient in opening the West Chester Hospital
in 2009 and we have continued to participate in the program since
2008. It is a great investment in your business.
RON ROHLFING
UC Health West Chester Hospital
513.298.7706
rohlfiRA@healthall.com
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
11
Lakota Update
LAKOTA TO UNDERTAKE COST-BENEFIT
ANALYSIS TO HELP IMPROVE SPENDING AND
INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACHES
The Lakota Local School District recognizes that well-run businesses
constantly make sure they’re using their resources efficiently and effectively.
We need to do the same, and we think we do. Lakota is well below the
state average in spending per pupil, but we can do better.
So, we’re planning to undertake a study of how we spend money and
the benefits of that spending. We’ll be asking whether the benefits to
society from a Lakota education outweigh the costs.
Education is universally recognized as an investment in human capital.
It contributes to a nation’s wealth by increasing the productivity of its
people.
This raises key questions:
ß How does education compare with other forms
of local investment?
ß Are all forms of education equally productive?
ß Is education a profitable form of investment for the individual as well
as for the local economy and society?
ß What do students or their families take into account when making
educational and occupational choices?
These fundamental economic questions are important as Lakota
evaluates the quality of its programs, the range of its curriculum and its
models of instructional delivery.
Lakota has evidence that students are getting great value from their
educations. The School District has earned the highest state academic
rating for 10 consecutive years on the Ohio Local Report Card. Additionally,
Lakota has been named Ohio’s top district for not only meeting but
exceeding state student growth expectations.
At Lakota, we plan to ensure that our students are ready for the everchanging workforce and their lives beyond their work. We will use decisionmaking processes that analyze the relationship of our costs to the benefits.
As we plan, various alternatives will be considered, with the understanding
that different forms of spending need support both economically and
socially.
As we move forward, we will not lose sight that our students must be
adequately prepared for the future. We will be inviting you to join us for that
discussion.
DR. KAREN MANTIA
Superintendent
513.644.1166
Karen.mantia@lakotaonline.com
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
12
November Luncheon Recap
Patriotism was in the air at Wetherington Golf and Country Club on Election
Day as the Chamber drew a significant amount of proud, sticker-covered
members to the monthly luncheon after casting their votes. As the Chamber
honors our country’s fine veterans throughout the month of November, we as
members had the privilege of specifically honoring one of our country’s brave
heroes, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Eriksen of the 2nd Squadron, 107th Cavalry
Regiment, Ohio Army National Guard. Throughout LTC Eriksen’s captivating
presentation, attendees were given a firsthand look at his experiences serving
our country, what the media has failed to report to the American people
regarding the war on terror, how we as Americans can better support the families
of soldiers, and the many reasons why our local business leaders should strongly
consider hiring veterans.
Lieutenant Colonel Eriksen began his presentation with a brief summary of
his education and military background. While attending The Ohio State University,
LTC Eriksen joined the ROTC which led to his 28 year tenure in the United States
Military. While serving in the United States Active Army and National Guard, LTC
Eriksen was quickly promoted through the ranks and is now the Commander of
428 members of the Ohio Army National Guard located in Hamilton, Ohio. He
also served as an Army Ranger on several overseas and domestic deployments
and was a recipient of the Bronze Star for Actions in Combat while successfully
carrying out Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. LTC Eriksen is a true
American Patriot.
As LTC Eriksen gracefully shifted from discussing his formal military
background to his personal encounters with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda while at
war, the audience became deeply engaged by his every word. While presenting a
multi-colored map of Afghanistan shown on the projection screens, LTC Eriksen
highlighted the different pockets of tribal territories that spread throughout
the entire country. Many of these tribal areas are extremely hazardous to our
American troops, while remaining virtually unknown to the American public.
LTC Eriksen then proceeded to play a video produced by his unit that gave an
intimate look at the difficult terrain and lifestyle our soldiers face while fighting
for our freedom in Afghanistan. The dark and percussive tribal music in the
background gave the video a very eerie, yet realistic feel. The Lieutenant Colonel
then proceeded to tell a detailed war story of how he led his troops out of an
“L-Shaped” Taliban ambush full of gun and missile fire without losing a single
American life.
The Lieutenant Colonel then touched on the news media and how they
don’t accurately inform the American people about what is actually happening.
According to LTC Eriksen, a vast majority of the positive work our troops are
doing in Iraq and Afghanistan like building schools, providing food and water
to locals in areas of extreme poverty, and rebuilding local communities is
not reported in the media. Another item that is never reported is that an
overwhelming majority of the Afghani people fully support the United States’
military presence. His powerful words hit home with the crowd when explaining
the Taliban and Al-Qaeda’s main objective: “Their goal is to affect and alter
America’s center of gravity. They are trying to radically change the USA’s public
opinion that benefits them in the long run.”
The third focus in LTC Eriksen’s speech was how important it is to not only
thank our troops for their service, but to make a point to thank their families. He
powerfully proclaimed, “Seek out to thank family members because their job is
more difficult than ours. Family members are the backbone of what we do.” This
statement followed his asking all family members of veterans and active soldiers
to please rise while the audience gave them a thunderous applause.
In closing, Lieutenant Colonel Eriksen enthusiastically encouraged all of our
local businessmen and women to hire veterans. He mentioned that the main
reasons businesses should hire veterans are because they are already trained
EMCEE– Rick Shively, Lincoln Financial
Securities Corporation
SPEAKER –
Lieutenant Colonel Jim Eriksen
SPONSOR – FIRST FINANCIAL BANK (front row, left to right): Rhonda Bowling, Ronald
Helton, Cindy Mustard, David Chrestensen (second row, left to right): Jason Leyda, Liz
Whitson, Brian Collins, Ben Rosensweet
Joe Hinson, Chamber President & CEO (far left) presented Chamber staff with
plaques to show appreciation for their hard work and dedication for their years of
employment. Pictured left to right are Kendra Wilburn, Leadership Development
Director (5 years); Jay D’Arcy, Senior Membership Account Executive (10 years);
Alison Miuccio, Marketing Director (5 years).
with world class leadership skills that would typically cost executives tens of
thousands of dollars to pay for... veterans thoroughly understand the importance
of teamwork and how to properly work as a group to achieve difficult goals in
high stress environments... and because veterans understand loyalty and how to
respect authority. It was a true honor for the Chamber to hear Lieutenant Colonel
Jim Erikson’s story; as his sacrifice to our country is what truly allows us as free
Americans to cast an Election Day ballot and take pleasure in a first class monthly
luncheon, all while enjoying the beautiful, 70 degree ‘Chamber of Commerce
Weather.’
STEVE RASZKA
Insurance Associates
513.424.2481
sraszka@insuranceassociates.net
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
13
This
Month’s
Luncheon
Tuesday, December 13
Wingate by Wyndham
7500 Tylers Place Boulevard in West Chester
11:30am – 1:30pm
End the Year with a BANG!
DISPLAY – ATRIUM MEDICAL CENTER: Jessica Brooks
DISPLAY – HALCOMB BENEFITS
AGENCY, INC.: Ronda Halcomb
$27 for members, non-members and guests
Our Chamber recognizes times are tough for all
businesses and with that in mind, and in the spirit of
the season, we are offering our popular December
Luncheon to all business professionals on the I-75
Growth Corridor at the member rate of $27! This holiday luncheon will give
attendees an opportunity to network and make important business contacts.
Our Holiday Luncheon celebration will also give Joe Hinson, Chamber
President and CEO, an opportunity to recognize and thank our 2011
Chamber Team Chairs, as well as our Board officers and members.
This luncheon is the perfect occasion to get in the spirit of the holiday
season and enjoy comedy ventriloquist, Denny Baker, with DB & Co.
Our emcee is be Michelle Dunne Johnson of A Kid Again.
Next
Month’s Luncheon
Tuesday, January 10
DISPLAY – REACH OUT LAKOTA (left to right): Sue
Cheney, Lourdes Ward
DISPLAY – CLARK-THEDERS INSURANCE
AGENCY, INC. (left to right): Amanda Shults,
Mandy Frank
NEW MEMBERS – Joe Hinson, Chamber President & CEO (back row, far right) is pictured with
front row (left to right): Rick DeAngelis, Tide Dry Cleaners; Mary Wilhelm, Fischer Homes.
Second row (left to right): Jack Winterhalter, Window Genie of Cincinnati; Jessica Corbett,
Cooperative Business Services, LLC.
November is the month
we traditionally honor our
veterans. This year, veterans
from VFW Post 7696 in West
Chester- Frank Hickman,
Mickey Vidourek, Everett
Cole and Don Ladd- posted
the colors.
Wingate by Wyndham
7500 Tylers Place Boulevard in West Chester
11:30am – 1:30pm
“Chambernomics”
Join us as we kick off our 2012 luncheons with guest
speaker Dr. LaVaughn Henry, Vice President and Senior
Regional Office of the Cincinnati Branch of the Federal
Reserve Bank of Cleveland. Dr. Henry is responsible
for building and maintaining a strong presence and
reputation for the Reserve Bank throughout central and
southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky. Prior to joining the Bank in 2009,
Dr. Henry served as senior director of market economics and risk analysis
at PMI Group, one of the nation’s largest mortgage insurers. He previously
held positions as director of regional communications at Fannie Mae and
assistant regional manager for government affairs at Ford Motor Company.
Additionally, Dr. Henry has held senior economic positions with the Budget
Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Federal Housing
Finance Agency (formerly the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight),
the FDIC’s Resolution Trust Corporation, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, where
he led consulting engagements with the Federal Housing Administration. This
luncheon promises to give you an insider’s look at our economic future. Our
emcee will be Rosemary Haddad of Merrill Lynch.
How To RSVP For The December Luncheon
RSVP on our website at www.eChamberAlliance.com or email
Marge Wimmer at mwimmer@eChamberAlliance.com. Luncheons are held the second Tuesday of each month from 11:30 am
- 1:30 pm. Cancel before noon on the Monday before the lunch to
avoid being charged.
$27 - for members, non-members and guests
THANK YOU TO TOM KAPER AND TEC SERVICES FOR
PROVIDING OUR AUDIOVISUAL NEEDS AT OUR LUNCHEONS!
www.4tecservice.com
Pay by check, Mastercard, VISA or Discover and avoid the registration line.
Special dietary needs will gladly be taken care of by letting us know when
you RSVP for the luncheon.
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
14
A New Federal Law is a Big Win For Some Business Owners
Have you seen the latest headlines such as “Banks Plan
New Fees for Using Debit Cards”? You may be asking why?
The reason is that large banks have new revenue challenges
because they expect to lose over $6 Billion collectively
during the next year from a recent federal law impacting
their profits on Debit cards.
What Federal law? The Durbin Amendment to the DoddFrank financial overhaul package has lowered the amount
of income a bank can make from issuing a Debit card. As
you may know, each time you and I use our Debit cards
the retailers have to pay a processing fee and the bank
issuer makes a pre-determined amount. This new law
lowers those processing fees for a Debit transaction and
therefore, the bank issuer’s profits too. For an average Debit
transaction of $40, the fees that retailers pay for accepting
Debit cards has been cut in half!
What does that mean to a small business owner? Most
retailers are poised to benefit from a dramatic cut in the
processing fees that they pay for their Visa and MasterCard
Debit card transactions. Many business owners enjoy the
benefits of Debit and Credit card acceptance (convenience,
ease of payment for their customers) but they do not enjoy
the fees that they must pay to accept these cards. This
new law will help reduce the cost for many retailers.
Who benefits the most? The biggest winners are the
owners of retail businesses that cater to consumers such
as salons, clothing stores, and auto repair centers. These
retailers see a high percentage of Debit cards (swiped
or key entered). However, some retailers with small ticket
sales such as convenience stores will not see a lower cost.
The biggest losers with this new law are the large financial
institutions who will make less money on Debit card
transactions.
Some of Omega’s customers are seeing a significant
reduction in fees of hundreds and even thousands of
dollars per month. However, since Visa & MasterCard
utilizes a complicated pricing structure, you should work
with an established local processor and experienced
representative that can educate you on the best pricing
system to implement.
BRAD ARNOTT
Omega Processing Solutions
513-755-6501
brad@omegap.com
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
The West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance
offers its appreciation to the following companies for
contributing to the success of the 2011
For Your 2012 Calendar
Annual Dinner March 9th
at Cincinnati Marriott North at Union Centre
Business Expo May 8th at Skatetown USA
Golf & Tennis Classic September 10th
at Heritage Club
Awards Dinner & Gala
35th Anniversary Sponsor
Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital
Presenting Sponsor –
Butler Technology & Career Development Schools
Media Partners –
Cincy Magazine and WCPO TV – Channel 9
Awards Sponsor – HORAN
Rose Sponsor – Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital
Gold Sponsor – Atrium Medical Center
Social Hour Sponsor – Clark Schaefer Hackett
Program Sponsor –
The University of Phoenix, Cincinnati Campus
Women of Excellence Private Reception Sponsor –
Kehoe Financial Advisors
Women of Excellence November 16th
at Cincinnati Marriott North at Union Centre
Save Time & Money
on 2012 West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance
Monthly Member Luncheons
Purchasing a 12-month Luncheon Package for West Chester Liberty
Chamber Alliance Monthly Luncheons allows you to skip the pay-at-thedoor table and start networking right away...PLUS it saves you money!
Make your reservations by calling Marge Wimmer at 513.777.3600
and take advantage of saving time and money on our 2012 Monthly
Member Luncheons.
Be sure to add the luncheon dates to your calendar:
JAN 10
FEB 14
MAR 13
APR 10
MAY 8
JUN 12
JUL 10
AUG 14
SEP 11
OCT 9
NOV 13
DEC 11
Corporate Table Sponsor – Allergy & Asthma Specialty Center
A special thank you to the staff of the
Cincinnati Marriott North at Union Centre for their
support of the Women of Excellence and the
West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance
Additional Event Supporters
Bethart Printing Solutions
Dean Miuccio Productions, LLC
Jones the Florist
Kemba Credit Union
Len Kaltman Photography
Medical Center Fund of Cincinnati
Murray Multimedia Resources, LLC
Oberer’s Flowers
PROforma GRAPHIX
silver window m.v.
Stoneworks
TEC Services
The Village Spa
West Chester Community TV
Wimmer Engraving & Gifts
Please look for photos of the event in The January VOICE!
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
15
16
17
Tech Tip
Achieve better placement in Google
Places by increasing Google reviews G
OOGLE
of your business and inbound links
to your site, and add descriptions,
keywords, photos and videos to your
Google Places.
DidYouKnow
PLACES
LINKS
…you can display YOUR business at any of
our Monthly Member Luncheons to over 175+
people? Interested? Contact Pam Gruber at
513.777.3600.
Sixty-Second Connect
Provided by:
www.LegendWebWorks.com
December 20th
Team of the Month
Chair, Business Action Team
Rick Shively
Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation
The Business Action Team focuses on the key business
issues of Chamber members. The West Chester ß Liberty
Chamber Alliance’s Roundtables, Chamber Advisors and
business articles for The VOICE come from this team.
Join Chamber members once a month
to connect in sixty-seconds! This one-hour
program will help members build lasting
business relationships and share valuable
business information with other members.
Sixty-Second Connect consists of a self-introduction by each
attendee, sponsor presentations, door prizes and a taste of
Noodles & Company. Sixty-Second Connect is held once a
month at the West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance. Chamber
membership is required for attendance. Bring your business
cards and be prepared to talk about you and your business
in sixty-seconds! This is another way our Chamber “connects
people & possibilities.”
Butler County Chamber Caucus
Legislative Breakfast
Hosted by
A FORUM FEATURING YOUR STATE LEADERSHIP:
State Senator Bill Coley
State Representative Courtney Combs
State Representative Tim Derickson
State Representative Margaret Conditt
DATE: Friday, December 9, 2011
TIME:
7:30 – 8:00 a.m. Registration & Breakfast Buffet
8:00 – 9:00 a.m. Program
COST: $20 per Chamber Member (Fairfield; Greater Hamilton;
Chamber serving Middletown,
Monroe & Trenton; Oxford; West Chester ß Liberty)
$30 per Future Member
WHERE: Courtyard by Marriott - Hamilton
One Riverfront Plaza
Hamilton, OH 45011
RSVP: Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce
201 Dayton St., Hamilton, OH 45011
PH: 513.844.1500 FAX: 513.844.1999
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
18
MEMBER TO MEMBER DISCOUNT
10% OFF
Enjoy
lunch for the month of
December 2011
9102 West Chester Towne Centre Drive
West Chester, OH 45069
513.874.7468
www.DingleHouse.com
&
GETTING
CONNECTED
STAYING
CONNECTED
LYNN TRAU
MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Lynn is one of your first points of contact when a company is
considering joining the West Chester Liberty Chamber Alliance.
Lynn provides insight into how our Chamber can benefit both
current and prospective members. If you’d like more information
on how to get CONNECTED, please call Lynn at 513.777.3600 or
via email ltrau@TheChamberAlliance.com.
•
Connecting the Dots
Judge Kathleen Dobrozsi Romans
A column devoted to and for Chamber Members.
How they made their membership work; how they
network and how they build their business.
Judge Kathleen Dobrozsi Romans’ career began as a classroom
teacher in public and parochial schools. She then made an important
decision to go back to college to obtain her law degree. Since passing
the bar in 1983, she has spent her time as an assistant prosecuting
attorney, a magistrate and now a judge in the Butler County Court of
Common Pleas, Juvenile Division. Judge Romans understands her
responsibilities reach far beyond providing punitive measures, and she
helps those she serves by providing necessary resources and referrals.
She hopes that she can help shape the life of a child by matching these
services to the individuals. This is why Judge Romans joined the West
Chester ß Liberty Alliance Chamber.
“I saw how quickly the area was growing and as a person in
government, I saw the Chamber as a good opportunity to meet business
professionals and see what kinds of community resources were available
to help me do a better job. It is important to understand different
neighborhoods and the people of those neighborhoods. This information
gives me a better understanding of where they are coming from and
what they need.” The Chamber offers Judge Romans the ability to
continually obtain this knowledge.
She is impressed with the quality and diversity of businesses
represented at the Chamber; from sole proprietors to large corporations.
She believes it is important for business professionals to come together,
at the Chamber, and learn as much as possible from each other to
better service clients and ultimately to better serve the community.
Judge Romans recommends that members attend as many events
as possible. At the monthly luncheons, she makes it a point to sit with
different people each time. “I enjoy each person’s perspectives of the
court system and what they want the system to be. I learn something
new each time and try to take something away from each speaker or
person and think about how I can integrate that into my role as Juvenile
Court Judge.”
She knows that the Chamber’s Business Expo is another event where
members can meet professionals and find out about services. She
feels that during these tough economic times, people are struggling, so
our ability to educate our colleagues about each other’s resources is
critical. For example, she talked about learning of a new transportation
company and a new temporary employment company. “People don’t
always know where to go for help,” she explains. Judge Romans is also
big on promoting a program dear to her heart: CASA (Court Appointed
Special Advocates), volunteers from our community appointed by the
Court to advocate for abused and neglected children, locally know as
the Parachute Program.
Judge Romans’ goal is to try to help make a positive change in this
world and in our community and the Chamber gives her and all of us
that opportunity.
JANE GEGNER
Hillandale
513.777.1400 ext. 3083
www.hillandale.com
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
SpotlightOn
Bajon Salon
The atmosphere when you walk into Bajon Salon and Spa is inviting.
The open layout, color scheme and a friendly smile welcoming you when
you walk in the door creates a calming feeling. The mission that Mark
Welch and his wife Karen, owners of Bajon Salon and Spa set out to
achieve was to “grow beyond the Salon” and they have done just that.
Mark is the business manager, while his wife is a top designer at the
salon. Mark is what I would describe as a smart, organized, business
oriented individual who has not only demonstrated leadership in his
business, but also in the community.
In 1999 when Union Centre was in the process of being developed,
his wife said,”This would be a great place for a Salon and Spa.” Mark,
having a degree in Chemical Engineering, and working in corporate
America for 20 years, was sold on the idea and next thing they knew
they were talking to the developers. In 2000 Bajon Salon and Spa
became the first full service upscale salon and spa in Butler County.
Bajon Salon and Spa stands out among other salons; they describe
themselves as being,”Upscale but not uptight.” They are professional,
diligent in everything they do, run an organized business and maintain
a great image to both clients and the community. Mark says,”I believe
a business has to stand out.” He has marketed Bajon Salon and Spa
through social media and through the internet’s search engines. They
19
have also created a private label
hair care line, Sozo Heavenly
Hair Care. Sozo is an ancient
Greek biblical word which means
to heal, to make whole, and to
deliver.
In the community, Mark and
Karen support the St. Baldrick’s
Foundation. For the last three
years they have raised money
to help in the cure of childhood
cancer and have raised over
$50,000 by shaving heads! The
example they set for the children
“it’s just hair, nothing else has
changed.”
Bajon Salon and Spa has been
a member of the West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance for 11 years.
You can visit the Bajon Salon and Spa at 6072 West Chester Road
in West Chester or Bajonsalon.com where you can click on the social
media tab to check them out on many social networking sites such
as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and the Bajon Salon Blog. Their phone
number is 513.874.9999.
JAMIE BERNARD
Champps
740.317.4793
http://champps.com
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
20
Ribbon Cuttings and Ground Breakings
Han’s White Tiger Tae Kwon Do
7302 Yankee Road
Liberty Township, Ohio
513-777-5700
Tae Kwon Do is the Korean method of weaponless self-defense.
Nicole Han and Master Han (center) are dedicated to instructing
individuals and increase their well-being by raising spiritual, moral,
and physical standards through Tae Kwon Do. They celebrate their
grand opening with a ribbon cutting celebration.
EPCON Communities
8000 Park Place Circle
West Chester, OH 45069
Epcon Communities, known for creating life styles and quality
living space, has begun the development of The Villas at Park
Place. This community will feature a total of forty eight ranch
style condominiums, club house and more. Carl Fankhauser
(center) was surrounded by his team as they celebrated with a
ribbon cutting.
Lunatic Fringe
7033 Yankee Road
Liberty Twp, OH 45044
513-720-1332
Lisa Gear (center) has cultivated an educated and passionate
team of artists. Each of them has gained additional skills and
expertise in specific areas of hair and hair care in order to
provide exceptional service. She describes a visit to Lunatic
Fringe as an “unparalleled experience”.
Party Discounters
7738 Dudley Dr
West Chester, OH 45069
513-755-6974
Tom and Michelle Combs (center) are ready to help you get
your party started! Their new retail location in West Chester has
everything that you need for a successful celebration, all at fair
price. The West Chester Liberty Chamber Ambassadors joined
their ribbon cutting celebration.
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
21
A Look at our Ribbon Cutting & Open House
Member Orientation
Sustaining Sponsors
Thank you to Hightech Signs for the beautiful Sustaining Sponsorship
Member Orientation is held quarterly and gives Chamber members the
opportunity to learn more about their Chamber membership and its benefits. plaques in the Welcome Center of our new office. For more information on
our Sustaining Sponsorship program, please contact Jay D’Arcy or Lynn Trau
at 513.777.3600.
Front row (left to right): Angie Patrice, Astor & Black; Jessica Corbett, Cooperative Business Services, LLC; Darrell Sallee, Nickerson Business Supplies, Inc.;
Dennis Swearingen, Sequent; Candice Keller, Community Pregnancy Center;
Patty Terry, Carriage Hill; Emily Crotty, Anytime Fitness
Second row (left to right): Dave Schureck, Ohio Elite Soccer Academy; Jack
Winterhalter, Window Genie of Cincinnati; Michael Grigery, Window Genie of
Cincinnati; Jim Osbun, Merrill Lynch; Diana Honerlaw, Eagle Tee Golf Center;
Stephanie’s Flowers & Fine Gifts; David Wells, David Wells Communications
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
22
Renewing Members
AdvancePierre Foods
Paul Telenson
9990 Princeton Glendale Road
Cincinnati, OH 45246
513-874-8741
Chef’s Choice Catering
Drew Hester
11350 Grooms Rd
Blue Ash, OH 45242
513-489-6006
Employers Choice Plus
John Cacaro
7593 Tylers Place Boulevard
West Chester, OH 45069
513-755-7719
Antonelli College
David Oeters
9102 Towne Centre Drive #300
West Chester, OH 45069
513-241-4338
Cincy Magazine
Eric Harmon
30 Gareld Place Suite 440
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-421-2533
Bajon Salon
Mark Welch
6072 West Chester Rd
West Chester, OH 45069
513-874-9999
Coolants Plus
Darrin Ward
348 Circle Freeway Dr
Cincinnati, OH 45246
513-892-4000
Entelechy Training and
Development Inc.
Kendall Wright
5385 Crossbridge Dr
West Chester, OH 45069
513-860-4934
BCL
Christy Miller
8013 Eagle Ridge Dr
West Chester, OH 45069
513-383-2198
Diamond Quality Janitorial
Rodney Engle
2114 Central Ave. #105
Middletown, OH 45044
513-755-8100
Beckmark, Inc.
Mark Sennet
7237 Cincinnati-Dayton Road
Suite 204-A
West Chester, OH 45069
513-646-1100
Dittman-Adams Co
Ryan Smith
4946 Rialto Road
West Chester, OH 45069
513-870-7530
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
Freund, Freeze & Arnold
William Miller
One Dayton Centre
1 S. Main St, Ste 1800
Dayton, OH 45402
937-222-2424
.............................
IKEA
Heather Spatz
9500 IKEA Way
West Chester, OH 45069
513-779-9175
Ker Entertainment, Inc. DBA
Skatetown USA
Kenneth E Roesel Jr.
8730 North Pavilion Drive
West Chester, OH 45069
513-874-9855
Millikin & Fitton Law Firm
Steve Tooman
6900 Tylersville Road, Suite B
Mason, OH 45040
513-336-6363
UnitedHealthcare
Paul Brophy
9050 Centre Pointe Dr, Ste 400
West Chester, OH 45069
513-603-6780
Liberty Township Trustee
Christine L. Matacic
6750 Devon Dr
Liberty Township, OH 45044
513-779-2659
Ossege Combs & Mann Ltd.
Michael Combs
720 East Pete Rose Way, Ste
100
Cincinnati, OH 45202
513-241-4507
Van Dyk Mortgage Corp
Rob Young
11804 Conrey Rd, Ste 175
Cincinnati, OH 45249
513-429-2122
Merrill Lynch
Rosemary Haddad
5151 Pfeiffer Rd Ste 100
Blue Ash, OH 45242
513-792-1495
Otterbein Maineville
Kathy Posey
105 Atrium Dr
Franklin, OH 45005
513-260-7690
West Chester Family Dentistry
Debbie Hedgren
9000 Cincinnati Dayton Rd,
Ste #200
West Chester, OH 45069
513-755-2118
Mid-City Pediatrics, Inc.
Dr. Camile Graham
7777 University Dr, Ste D
West Chester, OH 45069
513-948-8444
sMari Designs
Marianne Dunham
9444 Waterfront Dr
West Chester, OH 45069
513-777-6274
Wing Eyecare, Inc.
Dr. Jeff Hartman
7334 Yankee Rd
Liberty Twp, OH 45044
513-759-9464
United Industrial Piping, LLC
Mark Mosley
9740 Near Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45246
513-874-2004
Woods Agency, Inc.
Karl Woods
8075 Cincinnati-Dayton Road
West Chester, OH 45069
513-779-4545
Lincoln College of Technology
Amber Reckner
201 E 2nd St
Franklin, OH 45005
937-746-6633
MidWest EyeCenter
Ken Scheper
8760 Union Centre Blvd
West Chester, OH 45069
513-454-0544
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
.............................
New Members
Anytime Fitness
Emily Crotty
7338 Yankee Rd
Liberty Twp, OH 45044
513-755-3530
Health Clubs, Fitness Centers &
Equipment
...........................
Cooperative Business
Services, LLC
Jessica Corbett
8150 Corporate Park Drive,
Suite 300
Cincinnati, OH 45242
513-677-3100
Credit Unions
Cullen Chiropractic & Wellness
Center
Brent Cullen
4904 Wunnenberg Way
West Chester, OH 45069
513-365-2292
Dingle House Irish Pub & Grub
Jillian Kelley
9102 West Chester Towne
Centre Dr
West Chester, OH 45069
513-874-7468
...........................
...........................
Medical - Chiropractors
Restaurants - Bars and Grills
Educational - Schools, Colleges
...........................
Medical - Optometrist,
Ophthamalogist,Optical Labs
...........................
...........................
From all of us at the
West Chester ß Liberty Chamber Alliance.
Wishing you peace and prosperity for the coming year.
Kendra
Jay Marge Bob
athy Mike Kenni Pamela
K
Joe Alison Lynn George
THE
w w w . T h e C h a m b e r A l l i a n c e . c o m
23
December 2011
S U N DAY
M O N DAY
T U E S DAY
W E D N E S DAY T H U R S DAY
Healthcare Summit Breakfast
7:30-9:30am | Savannah
Center, 5533 Chappell
Crossing Blvd, West Chester
45069
F R I DAY
W4W
8-9:30am | Kemba Credit
Union, 8763 Union Centre
Boulevard, West Chester
45069
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High St.,
2FL, Hamilton
1
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
Liberty Township Trustees
6pm | Liberty Township
Administrative Bldg., 6400
Princeton Rd
5
6
4
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
Lakota Board of Education
7pm | Lakota Central
Ofce, Thunderbird Room
11
12
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
18
West Chester
Township Trustees
6pm | Township Hall,
9113 CincinnatiDayton Rd
13
WEST CHESTER TOWNSHIP
SATELLITE OFFICE
8
14
Sixty-Second Connect
12-1pm | WC Liberty
Chamber Alliance ofces
15
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
Liberty Township Trustees
6pm | Liberty Township
Administrative Bldg., 6400
Princeton Rd
20
21
West Chester Township
Trustees
6pm | Township Hall, 9113
Cincinnati-Dayton Rd
22
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
28
27
26
29
To Better Serve You
CORPORATE OFFICE
�����������
Kemba Credit Union
8763 Union Centre Blvd.
West Chester, OH
3
9
10
16
17
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
Butler County Ofces
Closed in Observance
of Christmas Day
25
2
Butler County Board of
Commissioners Meeting
9:30am | Commission
Chamber, 315 High Street,
2FL, Hamilton
7
Members Monthly
Luncheon
11:30am | Wingate by
Wyndham, 7500 Tylers
Place Blvd, West Chester
45069
19
Chamber Ofces
Closed in Observance
of Christmas Day
Business After Hours
5-7pm | Cincinnati Marriott
North, 6189 Muhlhauser
Rd, West Chester 45069
S AT U R DAY
� � � � � � �� � � �
8922 Beckett Rd.
West Chester, OH
Chamber Ofces
Closed in Observance
of Christmas Day
23
24
Chamber Ofces
Closed in Observance
of New Year’s Day
30
31
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP
SATELLITE OFFICE
Mercy Health Center
at Liberty Falls
6770 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd.
Liberty Township, OH
THE
C e l e b r a t i n g
3 5
y e a r s
i n
2 0 1 1 !
PRESORTED
STANDARD
US POSTAGE
PAID
CINCINNATI, OH
PERMIT #5400
�����������
� � � � � � �� � � �
7617 Voice of America Centre Drive
West Chester, Ohio 45069
DECEMBER CALENDAR OF EVENTS
�����������
� � � �Summit
� � �� � � � Breakfast
1st
Healthcare
Savannah Center, 7:30-9am
2nd
Women 4 Women
7th
Business After Hours
Grace Tree Studio, LLC, 8-9:30am
Cincinnati Marriott North, 5-7pm
13th Monthly Member Luncheon
Wingate by Wyndham, 11:30am-1:30pm
20th Sixty-Second Connect
Chamber office, 12-1pm