North Coast Business Journal

POSTMASTER: Deliver to Label Addressee or Current Resident
AUGUST 2012 Vol. 18 No. 8
Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.
The Business Voice of Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca Counties
INSIDE THIS MONTH

CHAMBER CALENDARS ........ 8 Well-Booked Business .............18 Insurance: Addressing Workplace Violence .............21 Estate: Setting and Targeting Investment Goals ..................24 Accounting: Retirement Plan Options for Small Businesses ..........25 Legal: Tips at Death..............26 Sales: Account Planning .............28 IT: Windows 8 Preview ..............29 HR: Employee Morale ................30
Focus on norwalk Business Friendly, with a Rich Heritage and an Excellent Quality of Life
Submitted by Mayor Rob Duncan Norwalk is a community that maintains a rich heritage and historical feel in conjunction with an innovative and varied business base. We take pride in our small town atmosphere; however, with changing times we must continue to embrace new ideas, technology and infrastructure to remain competitive in the market for jobs. Fisher Titus Medical Center, as Ohios first smart hospital, is a great example with stateof-the-art medical care being provided to our community. Back Office Associates also shines as an information technology provider to companies worldwide. These types of businesses provide job opportunities that bring some of our best and brightest students back home to our city! Norwalk is diverse in its industry. Norwalk Custom Order Furniture is famous for its quality furniture. New Horizons Baking Company provides buns and English muffins for over 750 stores. Gyrus ACMI, a subsidiary of Olympus, is a leading supplier of medical visualization and energy systems. These are just a few dining to delight visitors and residents alike. Several new shops opened this year, including Crumbs Confections, When Pigs Fly and most recently, Patina 46. Gabby Road Studio, which opened in 2011, offers a unique blend of local art, and one of our few remaining Main Street store fronts is being readied for another specialty shop. Berrys Restaurant, Uptown Caf and Mill Street Bistro are local dining treasures. The growing activity uptown speaks to the success of our ever-increasing efforts to maintain a vibrant uptown area. The north end of Norwalk also provides value to both our residents and visitors with hotels and restaurants Lou Reda, Norwalk Reflector offering quality service and of the thriving businesses that call easy access to tourist sites, stores and Norwalk home. Construction companies shops that meet nearly every need. Movieare another mainstay of our economic goers flock to Premiere Theater, with 8 base, with companies like Oglesby screens providing entertainment for all Construction and Newcomer Concrete ages. providing road construction jobs. Norwalk is a wonderful place for families Our city is a great destination for the to relax and spend time in one of our many vacationers who frequent Cedar many parks. Veterans Memorial Lake Point Amusement Park, the Islands, area Park is a gem, providing play areas and water parks and the world famous Summit shelters as well as an excellent disc golf Motor Sports Park. Main Street Norwalk offers a variety of specialty shops and
Celebrating 18 Years of Service
Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Tiffin, OH 44883 Permit #88
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Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce
See NORWALK, Page 4

Vermilion Chamber of Commerce Willard Area Chamber of Commerce
Were a proud member of the following:

Elmore Chamber of Commerce Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce Genoa Chamber of Commerce Huron Chamber of Commerce Huron County Chamber of Commerce Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Milan Chamber of Commerce Oak Harbor Area Put-in-Bay Chamber Chamber of Commerce of Commerce Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce Erie County Chamber of Sandusky County of Commerce
Seneca Regional
August 2012
North Coast Business Journal
NCBJ Berrysaha0712.pdf
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Busy Times at the Huron Co. Chamber

Submitted by Melissa James Executive Director The Huron County Chamber of Commerce has enjoyed a busy year so far and theres no lull in the remainder of the calendar. The membership committee has hosted several Business After Hours this year and several more are slated. Mark your calendars for these exciting events and catch up with your fellow chamber members. Wednesday, August 8th the chamber will be at the Ernsthausen Rec Center on Republic Street to showcase the City of Norwalks outstanding community recreation facility. With indoor and outdoor pools, walking/running track, basketball courts, weight rooms, and more, this is truly a community gem. Everyone s invited to join us from 5-6:30pm to see the amazing resource this center is. They offer year-round classes, summer sports and more for every level and interest. Be a team player and join us for a great evening of networking, track shoes optional! September is Party in the Lot featuring the businesses on the North side of Norwalk. Join us in the parking lot of the Smetzers Center on Route 250. Surrounding Chamber businesses will be invited to showcase their products and services. Join us for lots of food, music and networking. Bring the whole staff, crew, were going to make it a big party and you are the guest of honor! There are more Business After Hours on the schedule, check our on-line calendar for dates and locations, www.huroncountychamber.com. It isnt all fun and games, we also want to ensure your business is ready should an unexpected but news worthy event happens. And thats where our upcoming seminar, Crisis Communications, comes in. We all think the events like those in Colorado wont happen to us, but thats wishful thinking and one day an unfortunate event will find its way here. How prepared is your business to be thrust into the spotlight? Knowing how to handle the media and to get the message/information conveyed properly, takes skill, it takes being prepared. Anthony Huey will lead us through the steps required to ensure your company says and does the right things during a crisis. The Seminar is Thursday, August 9th, 8:00am-12noon, at the Distance Learning Center at Norwalk High School. The cost is just $50.00 per person, RSVPs are required. Contact the chamber office at 419-6684155 or chamber@accnorwalk.com. While we are thinking about dealing with a crisis, recently a newsletter from Payne, Nickles & Associates contained an article entitled Estate Planning for the 21st Century. It reminds us to include our computer files, on-line accounts, on-line banking, photos, social media, smart phone, iPad and other tech equipment that contains files also need to be accounted for. Someone needs passwords and instructions of how to do with all that information. Leaving these things out could grind your business, and personal affairs, to a halt or worse. Today would be a great time to contact your accountant and update your affairs. Thanks to Payne, Nickles & Associates for bringing this information to us. This is what being a chamber member is all about. Networking, sharing information, and working to make all of our businesses stronger makes yours stronger in the process. Make the chamber connection with your business. Use your membership, take advantage of the benefits, go to events, and call us when you have a question or need assistance. And now an update on the Huron County Safety Council. The council started a safety grant program last year designed to encourage members to update, improve and advance their in-house safety programs. Each quarter the council awards, based on application, up to $500.00 to a member business. This grant may be used for equipment or training and is only available to council members. So far Glenn Brooks Construction received a grant to update some of their fall protection equipment and Kaiser-Wells Pharmacy & HomeCare added AED equipment to their own safety program. As many of you know, safety councils are a program of the Bureau of Workers Compensation Division of Safety & Hygiene. It is through their financial support that we are able to do this grant program. The BWC is promoting the return of their Transitional Work Program (grant) and area businesses should know about our transitional job bank. Ten positions are available to any area business for use by injured workers. Membership in the safety council or the chamber is not required. Light duty helps keep the injured worker more connected with people, returning them to work faster and with a better mental attitude. If your company does not have the appropriate positions please contact our office, 419-668-4155, and we will provide position evaluations and connections to the various locations where the jobs are based. It would be advisable for you to have a transitional work policy in place before attempting to place an employee in a position, even within your own business.
St. Charles Place
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The Business Voice of Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca Counties
205 S.E. Catawba Road, Suite G, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 419-734-4838 Fax 419-734-5382
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JOHN SCHAFFNER JEFFREY H. BRYDEN jbryden@ncbj.net DAVE KAHLER dkahler@ncbj.net CINDY CONSTIEN cindy@thebeacon.net SCOTT HORN scott@thebeacon.net ANGIE ADAIR ZAM angie@thebeacon.net BRUCE DINSE
Layout & Graphic Design
See you next month

An embarrassment of riches? or Be careful what you wish for! We requested Norwalk and Huron County business and civic leaders to share good news with our readers this month. It met with such an overwhelming response, Im vacating my Marketing column this issue to make a little more room for all the stories.
Circulation Manager
North Coast Business Journal is owned and published monthly by Schaffner Publications, Inc., and is mailed free to chamber of commerce members in a five-county area: Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Seneca counties. The deadline for editorial and advertising is the 25th of each month. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the expressed, written consent of the Publishers. We welcome submissions from readers in the form of letters, articles or photographs, although we reserve the right to edit and condense any articles submitted. Submissions should be sent to the editor at the above address. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you would like an item returned. We prefer material (copy & photos) to be submitted electronically.
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August 2012
Patient-Centered Experiences.
Thats Simply Smarter Care.
AMERICAS FIRST ALL DIGITAL SMART COMMUNITY HOSPITAL

Ambulatory Surgery Unit Commission on Cancer Accredited Cancer Care Center Emergency Department Heart & Vascular Center Home Health Center Imaging & Radiology Services Industrial Health Services Pain Management Center Rehabilitation Center Sleep Center Surgical Services Transitional Care/Long Term Care/ Assisted Living Wound Healing Institute
LEVEL III TRAUMA CENTER PRIMARY STROKE CENTER FULLY-ACCREDITED CHEST PAIN CENTER
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August 2012
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Regional Partnership - NASA Plum Brook

Submitted by Jeff Huber, Chair NEDC NASA Plum Brook Taskforce For the past four years, the NASA Plum Brook Task Force has been promoting the economic development of NASA Plum Brook Station (NPB). The primary focus has been increasing awareness of the amazing assets at NASA Plum Brook and the construction of a runway to expand NPB capabilities. As new opportunities have been presented, we have expanded and adapted our role to include other aspects of economic development for this project. Working cooperatively with partners in Erie and Huron County, the group has accomplished a great deal in the last 18 months: Hosted a tour for JobsOhio Leader Mark Kvamme and members of his economic development staff Traveled to NASA Glenn Research Center to meet with Director Ray Lugo. Discussed Director Lugos vision for the development of NPB and provided feedback Hosted a tour for Congressman Bob Latta, Congressman Jim Jordan, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, State Senator Gayle Manning and State Rep. Terry Boose Attended Ohio Aerospace Day in Columbus to promote NPB Hosted a tour for the Governors and Lt. Governors Regional Representatives Traveled to Washington, D.C., and Columbus to visit Legislators to support NPB Hosted a tour for Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor and staff Visited Dayton Air Show, focusing on e x p a n d e d collaboration with Dayton Aerospace Hub and ED partners Formation of a Port Authority in Erie County to benefit future development at NPB Launch of the Friends of NASA Plum Brook group and
Ooops an Apology is in Order!

In last months Focus on Milan, I inadvertently gave credit for the Edison Birthplace Museum article to the wrong person. Dedicated executive Lois J. Wolf is the director of the Museum and as the author of the article should have received the byline. Sorry Lois! ~ Jeff Bryden, Editor
NORWALK, from Page 1

course and plenty of fishing. The newest addition to the city parks system is Sofios Park Soccer Complex, home to Huron County Youth Soccer Club. Adjacent to the fields is a naturefilled boardwalk through nationally protected wetlands. Norwalk has been through some hard economic times; however, with strong leadership from our community, citizens, and business owners who give back selflessly, Norwalk continues to not only survive, but shine as, in the words of former mayor Louis Frey, one of the best little cities in Ohio. As the mayor of Norwalk, my administration and I are committed to leading this city forward and we will work diligently to ensure that we are business friendly as well as competitive. Concurrently, we will continue to provide an excellent quality of life for our residents while celebrating our rich heritage.
Facebook page Task Force volunteers have contributed many hours of dedicated service to this project. Many thanks to those individuals and to our regional partners. Together, we are focused on transforming NASA Plum Brook into a greater economic engine
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August 2012
Good News Highlights for Norwalk Area Businesses

Submitted by Ellen Heinz, M.Ed. Director Norwalk Economic Development Corporation Overall the past 18 months have been full of many good news stories about businesses expanding or reinvesting in their operations and adding jobs, as well as new businesses opening in the Norwalk area. North side development projects are taking shape, with activity building since the purchase of property on Milan Avenue (US 250) next to Bob Evans Restaurant by Fisher-Titus Medical Center. Fisher-Titus also embarked on a $12.5 million, 29,500 sq. ft. ER expansion, which opened to the public this June. Numerous area manufacturers have improved or expanded their physical structures or client base in 2011 and the first part of 2012, including but not limited to: Norwalk Furniture, Durable Corporation, David Price Metal Services, Janesville Acoustics, Americraft Carton, New Horizons and Genesis Baking Companies and Norwalk Concrete Industries. Extol of Ohio, a fabricator of insulation, also completed a 30,000 sq. ft. expansion. Visible renovations and reinvestment have also been made by many other area businesses, with several buildings going off the market and more slated for purchase or lease in 2012. Norwalk area businesses invested over $31 million dollars in 2011, keeping pace with 2010, with an incredible amount of activity already slated for 2012. NEDC is in its 9th year and has connected area companies with grants and financing totaling over $14 million dollars. We couldnt have done it without our investors and the community. We are extremely thankful for their support.
HigHligHts
of Major Projects: Fisher-Titus Medical Centers ER Expansion project and north side land purchase Americraft Carton is diversifying and growing in 2012, adding space and new employees. EXTOL of Ohio broke ground on an additional 30,000 square-foot facility, an estimated $1.25 million project with 14-22 new jobs over the next three years. Don Tester Ford Lincoln, Baumann Auto Group, Smiley Automotive, Kasper Chevrolet Buick, Bob Evans and Walmart had strong years and added equipment, renovated their existing operations and/or added space. Big Lots relocated next to Sherwin Williams and Jimmys BBQ, Crumbs Confections, Fancy That, Dos Gringos, St. Charles Place, Scruba-Dub Petwash, Willoughby Supply, Town & Country Co-op, Anytime Fitness, Gabby Road Studio, Family Video are among the new arrivals to Norwalk in 2011. New to the area in 2012: When Pigs Fly, Patina 46, Tammys Salon of Style, Stine Family Dentistry, Gyro Hut and other new businesses including a barber shop have already or will open in 2012. 12 Area Buildings went off the market, with more scheduled for early 2012. David Price Metal Services expanded their client base and added many new jobs in 2011 and 2012. Christian Roberts Salon and Spa, Amish Heirloom and Furniture, PNC, NorthCoast Sports Apparel, Foghorn Designs and Sheris Coffee House also renovated their space, purchased equipment and/or reinvested in their businesses in the last 18 months.
Frontier Communications invested an estimated $5 million in infrastructure in 2011. Durable Corporation had a 7,000 sq. ft. expansion in 2011 Janesville Acoustics added many new jobs and was awarded the 2011 Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers Contribution to Excellence) Award Firelands Federal Credit Union opened a brand new full-service branch Monroeville. Summit Motorsports Park opened the Throttle Town Grille. Back Office Associates, a high-tech company which started in Norwalk in 2009, added new jobs and continues to grow. Several redevelopment projects also took place in 2011. Midway Parts, Inc. gifted their property on Hester Street to the Firelands Historical Society. The Chapel purchased the former Southview Business Center. The purchase of Benedict Avenue property in January 2012 is one of the largest redevelopment projects currently underway. Norwalk Investment Properties purchased and renovated 3 Industrial Buildings in the Firelands Industrial Park. New Horizons/Genesis Baking Company finished a $3 million, 14,000 sq. ft. expansion (left) and added more than 40 new jobs (over the past three years). Norwalk Furniture added many new jobs and a new 6,500 sq. ft. International Showroom. Janotta & Herner, Inc. purchased the former Rankin Manufacturing and created Firelands Fabrication, saving and adding many new jobs.
Again, The Bellevue Hospital in Top 5%

For the fifth consecutive year The Bellevue Hospital (TBH) has been recognized for its superior patient experience outcomes and has received the 2012 HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award. And this puts TBH in a very elite group. TBH is the only hospital from Ohio and one of only 21 hospitals to be in the Top 5% in the U.S. five years in a row. What an amazing accomplishment The Bellevue Hospital Family has been able to achieve TBH and only 20 other hospitals across the country achieving the Top 5% recognition for positive patient experience. said Michael K. Winthrop, President and CEO of TBH. Hospital are increasingly focusing on improving patients hospital experience so it is even more remarkable that TBH has been able to retain the Top 5% distinction, continued Winthrop. This tells me that, despite the many challenges we face in healthcare today, those associated with TBH employees, volunteers, medical staff and trustees all strive to assure the area residents they will
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Michael K. Winthrop, President and CEO of The Bellevue Hospital, and Dean Miller, President of The Bellevue Hospital Board of Trustees, show off the High Five. have a positive patient experience should they have the need to utilize our facility. The Bellevue Hospital was the only recipient of the HealthGrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award in the four county area (Huron, Erie, Sandusky, Seneca).
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August 2012
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Fisher-Titus Medical Center: High Quality Care for Over 50 Years

Fisher-Titus Medical Center in Norwalk has delivered high-quality health care to families, friends and neighbors in Huron County and the surrounding area for more than half a century. Fisher-Titus has a strong tradition of investing in the latest medical technologies, maintaining an experienced and skilled workforce, bringing the highest quality physicians to the region, and expanding services and facilities to meet the needs of the communities it serves by providing safe, quality care to patients. According to Fisher-Titus president and chief executive officer, Patrick J. Martin, the medical center is better equipped than ever before to provide residents with the health care and support services they need. Our integrated digital technologies, in conjunction with the skill and dedication of our Fisher-Titus team and the state-of-the art facilities, create a truly special healing environment for our patients. Its MARTIN unlike anything else in our region. In fact, as the first alldigital Cerner smart community hospital in the country, were really at the forefront of innovative patientcentered care nationwide. Over the past decade, Fisher-Titus has invested more than $170 million in capital equipment and facility expansions including a four-story
The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the new 29,500 square-foot facility housing the Fisher-Titus Emergency Department, Registration and Outpatient Services was held on Sunday, May 20. Pictured from left are Rev. Adrian Doll, First Presbyterian Church, Norwalk; Leslie D. Stoneham, Chairman of the Fisher-Titus Medical Center Board of Directors; Patrick J. Martin, Fisher-Titus President and CEO; Lorna Strayer, Senior Vice President of Administration and Business Development; Alfred A. Kafity, D.O., Fisher-Titus Chief of Medical Staff and Terry Boose, State Representative, 58th House District. Patient Pavilion, Rehabilitation Center, Cancer Care Center, Heart & Vascular Center, and most recently a new Emergency Department, Registration Area, and Outpatient Laboratory. Fisher-Titus will invest an additional $40 million over the next three years to expand its Radiology/ Imaging Services and Surgery Suites. In addition to facilities, Fisher-Titus has introduced services to meet community needs including a Pain Management Center and Wound Healing Institute. Construction Continues On June 7, Fisher-Titus Medical Center opened the doors to its new 29,500 square-foot-facility, which houses Fisher-Titus Medical Centers Emergency Department, Registration/ Admitting and Outpatient Laboratory Services. This new facility is geared to provide care with a patient-centered focus. Patients and their families will notice some added features during their visit to Fisher-Titus for emergency and outpatient services, said Lorna Strayer, Senior Vice President of Administration and Business Development. The new facility is double its former size and features the right mix of lobby seating, as well as more private areas for patients waiting to be registered for tests. What remains unchanged is the expert care our community has come to expect, Strayer said. Our highly qualified staff of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, phlebotomists, registrars, financial counselors and support staff are ready to serve our neighbors and friends in this state-of-the-art facility, Strayer said. As the doors of the old ER closed in June, construction crews began to revamp the empty space to make way for the expansion of Radiology Services. The Radiology component of this construction phase will reposition the department to allow for quicker access for emergency patients and a more comfortable reception area and additional privacy for outpatients receiving diagnostic tests, said Lorna Strayer, Senior Vice President of Administration and Business Development. In addition, it will realign the Radiology Department so services are grouped in subunits including a Womens Health Suite. While most of the existing imaging equipment will be moved, a new open-bore Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Unit will replace the current one to meet the needs of both claustrophobic and bariatric patients. Currently, patients are served in-house with a wide-bore 1.5 Tesla MRI and a mobile unit with an
BUILDING TRUST
Design/Build Development Commercial/Retail Educational Industrial/Warehousing Manufacturing Offices Worship Facilities p Senior Care Metal Buildings
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FISHER-TITUS, from Page 6
open highfield 1.5 Tesla MRI to accommodate claustrophobic and bariatric patients. The Radiology project is scheduled for the completion in spring 2013. This phase of expansion also includes new construction for Preadmission Testing (PAT), an early component of surgery construction, which is scheduled to begin July 2013. This area will be adjacent to the Lab draw area and Radiology waiting room so patients can conveniently receive their X-ray during the PAT process. The PAT area will support infusion therapy patients as well. From simple fractures to complex diagnostic procedures, Fisher-Titus Medical Centers Imaging and Radiology Services Department offers patients state-of-the- art imaging technology including Computer Tomography (CT) scanning, MRI, a nuclear medicine camera, digital mammography, breast MRI and wireless X-rays. Patients can rest assured of the highest quality of services as evidence by the d e p a r t m e n t s numerous accreditations. Fisher-Titus is accredited by the American College of Radiology in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), mammography, nuclear medicine and CT. In addition, the facility is accredited by the Intersocietal Commission for the Accreditation of Vascular Laboratories (ICVL) for high level of patient care and quality testing for the diagnosis of vascular disease.

and management of general disorders of the respiratory system including COPD, asthma, lung cancer, abnormal X-rays/CT scan, lung infections, shortness of breath, chronic cough, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung diseases, sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. A physician referral is needed. Physicians are supported by the Pulmonary Medicine Department which includes 26 respiratory therapists. In addition to hospitalbased respiratory care, Fisher-Titus is active in tobacco prevention and control activities in Huron County. Fisher-Titus Medical Center has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals. Fisher-Titus also expanded services of its Pain Management Center in early December 2011 to include an office in the Northern Ohio Medical Specialists (NOMS) building at 2500 W. Strub Road, Sandusky, providing residents of Erie County and surrounding areas advanced and comprehensive treatments for chronic and acute pain. In August, a newly renovated office space will open in Suite 320. If patients seen at the NOMS site require interventional procedures, they are referred to the Fisher-Titus Pain Management Center in Norwalk or to the Magruder Pain Management Center in Port Clinton. Another off-campus Pain Management Center office opened in Ashland in January in cooperation with Samaritan Regional Health System at 2212 Mifflin Ave., Suite 220. Like Sandusky, this office provides a place for patients to see a pain management specialist, with interventional procedures being referred back to Norwalk. The pain management team includes Interventional Pain Specialists Dr. Adam Hedaya and Dr. Zach Zumbar. Call 419-660-6901 for more information or to schedule an appointment.
August 2012
for the achiever in you.

Its why we do everything we do. For helping you budget what you spend. For growing what you save. And for splurging when you can. For planning, investing, performing, And living happily ever after. And happily today. For managing your wealth. For seeing exactly where you stand, So you know exactly where youre headed. For helping you keep your cash flowing. Your business growing, and your expectations rising.
Expanding SErvicES in thE MEdical cEntEr and BEyond

Fisher-Titus continues to evaluate the needs of the community and expand services based on that information. Recently, the Medical Center expanded pulmonary services and to offer a one-stop area for outpatient services. To better serve patients in the area with breathing disorders, Drs. Kamal Chaban, Christopher E. Avendano and Leanne K. Strack of North Coast Pulmonary Associates now see patients in offices in the Snyder/ White Heart & Vascular Center at Fisher-Titus Medical Center. All three physicians, who are board certified in Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, are members of FisherTitus Medical Centers medical staff. Dr. Chaban is the medical director of the Pulmonary Medicine Department. The physicians provide diagnoses
3 locations in Norwalk to serve you:

9 E. Main St. 419-668-3361 25 E. Monroe St. 419-668-3368 345 Milan Ave. 419-668-9302
SiMply SMartEr carE

Fisher-Titus Medical Center serves Norwalk and Huron County and surrounding communities with the latest medical advancements. The Medical Centers 49.5-acre campus provides the regions residents a full continuum of care that includes Continued on Page 10
Norwalk Main & LinwoodMonroe Branches
Del MacDonald Vice President
Northside Branch
Greg Higgins Vice President
August 2012
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CHAMBER CALENDARS for August

Bellevue ChamBer of CommerCe
9,16, Open Air Market 23,30 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. City parking lot Chamber sponsored Business After Hours Ernsthausen Rec Center 5 - 6:30 p.m. Safety Council General Risk Division, Developing a Wellness Program (Part 2) 7:30am, Chamber office, RSVP reqd. Crisis Communications 8:00am- Noon RSVP required, 419-668-4155, $50.00 per person, Distant Learning Center Norwalk High School Safety Council Manufacturing Division Hazard Communications Update 7:30 am, Chamber office, RSVP reqd.
Port Clinton area ChamBer of CommerCe

4 6 7 9 13 14 16 23 18th Annual Jerry Lippus Classic Car, Truck and Bike Show Downtown Port Clinton 10:00 am 3:00 p.m. Main Street Port Clinton Executive Committee and Port Clinton Chamber Administration Joint Meeting at MSPC Office 8:30 am
seneCa reGional ChamBer of CommerCe & visitor serviCes

8 11 Small Business Basics Seminar 9:30 am to 11:30 am Community room, Chamber Register @ 800-826-2431 or bauxter@terra.edu Downtown Tiffin Farmers Market 9 am to 1 pm. Educators Appreciation Breakfast 7:30 am Outstanding Educator Award Keynote speaker is Dr. Bonnie Tiell, Tiffin University Community Civic Center RSVP: email info@ tiffinchamber.com or call 419-447-4141. Ambassador Meeting, Noon Chamber Offices Please RSVP. Around the Town at Heidelberg University 11:00 am to 1:00 pm Local Businesses & Organizations displays.
erie County ChamBer of CommerCe

20
8 22 16 21
OPEN FOR BUSINESS Golf Scramble Plum Brook Country Club Tee times 8:00 am - 1:30 p.m. Advance registration and payment is required. fostoria area ChamBer of CommerCe Golf Classic 16 Indianbrook Golf Club 1:00pm shotgun start (Rain Date: August 15th) Registration starts at 11am Safety Council Annual Picnic 11:30am City Park Shelter House Chamber Board Meeting Noon Fostoria Community Hospital Whats Perkin @ the Chamber Business Networking Event 7:30-8:30 am Chamber Offices 16
marBlehead Peninsula ChamBer of CommerCe

Business After Hours Docks Beach House 5 to 7:00 pm International Days & Halupki Festival Main Street, Village of Marblehead Lions Perch Festival James Park 10 am to 5:00 pm. Executive Meeting 10:00 am @ Chamber Office
14 Port Clinton Area Chamber Administration Meeting Chamber Office, 9:00 am Ribbon Cutting/Thirsty Pirate 2940 East Harbor Rd. Noon Main Street Port Clinton Organization Executive 17 Committee Meeting @ MSPC Office 8:30 am 29 Port Clinton Area Chamber Board Meeting at Chamber Office 8:30 am Main Street Port Clinton Design Committee Meeting @ MSPC Office, 3:00 p.m. Main Street Port Clinton Economic Restructuring Committee @ MSPC Office, 8:30 am Main Street Port Clinton Board Meeting at MSPC Office 8:30 am Main Street Port Clinton Promotion Committee @ MSPC Office, 8:30 am 4
17,18, 19 25 30
vermilion ChamBer of CommerCe

Antiques in the Park Exchange Park, 9 am - 4 p.m. For info, call 440-654-8847
Genoa ChamBer of CommerCe

3,4 Packer Creek Pottery Tent Event 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
17-19 Citywide Merchant Sidewalk Sale Regular Business Hours 19 Vermilion Fire Department Pancake Breakfast 8 am-12 p.m. Cost: Donation Station #1 on Ohio Street Ninth Annual Duck Dash 500 McGarveys Landing, 6:30 p.m. To enter, call the Chamber 440-967-4477 Chamber After Hour Mixer Aboard the Mystic Belle 6 -7:30 p.m. 636 Sandusky Street RSVP by August 20th 440-967-4477
7,14, Farmers Market 21,28 3:30 - 6:30 p.m. 9 Board Meeting 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
oak harBor ChamBer of CommerCe

16 Board Meeting 7:30 am Chamber Building 24-25 Semi-Annual Village-Wide Garage Sale Days 25 30 Downtown Oak Harbor Farmers Market 9 am 1 p.m. Flat Iron Park Seminar: Find and Manage Customers Noon - 1 p.m. Ottawa County Improvement Corporation
10, 11 Community Garage Sales 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 28 Super Cruise-In Downtown Genoa 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
sandusky County ChamBer of CommerCe

21-26 Sandusky County Fair Chambers Ag Committee Ag Tent 21 Chamber Ambassadors Meeting in the Ag Tent after Opening Ceremony
huron County ChamBer of CommerCe

8 Gateway Sign Committee 8:00 am, Chamber office
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August 2012
Can You Hear the Thunder Coming?

By Kristi Wert Program Manager Main Street Norwalk Revitalization is a key task for any Main Street program and a group of Uptown Norwalk business owners are working on a special revitalization project like no other.In partnership with Summit Racing Equipment Motorsport Park and the City of Norwalk, local business owners are busy bringing back a longtime favorite event; Thunder in the Streets. Thunder in the Streets was a great event that was all about bringing people to the historic district and celebrating the history of racing in Norwalk. On August 8, 2013, Norwalks historic district will again be host to the event which will also celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Motorsports Park. Local businessman, Dale Sheppard has jumped in the drivers seat to chair the Thunder Committee. This was a great event in Norwalk in the past- a celebration of the Uptown district that highlighted the racing industry. We are excited to be partnering with the park and the City to bring the event back home, commented Dale. The event will take place in conjunction with the Night Under Fire event at the Motorsport Park, which features jet dragsters, fuel funny cars, and Bob Motzs impressive Jet Kenworth that travels at 200mph! Visitors to Thunder in the Streets will have the chance to meet racers and enjoy a concert on the street that evening. Bringing this event back to the District is a great project. The fact that it was spearheaded by local business owners says a lot about the impact that it had on the District and that it was an event that was missed. I am excited to be a part of bringing it back uptown, said Kristie Wert, Program Manager for the Main Street Norwalk Program. Local businesses will get on board with sidewalk sales and other promotions throughout the week
leading up to Thunder. If you are interested in being involved in the event, please contact Dale Sheppard at Northcoast Sports
Apparel at 419 668 6775 or the Main Street Norwalk office at 419 660 8696. Hang on to your seatThunders Coming!
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Ongoing Activity and Growth at the Visitors Bureau

Submitted by Melissa James Executive Director The Huron County Visitors Bureau continues to grow. This past May we sponsored, in conjunction with many area businesses, a familiarization (Fam) tour for group tour operators. It was a huge success by all accounts, five of the six companies that joined the tour have committed to returning either later this year or during 2013. Considering the impact of overnight stays this is a huge win for the county and we intend to build on this success. We are now in the midst of finalizing plans for a fall FAM Tour and we are looking forward to showcasing the unique venues and businesses within the area. Bringing tour operators to the area to see what we have to offer is just one way the HCVB is opening new opportunities for area businesses and attractions. We will also be attending the Hartland Travel Showcase in February. A bit like speed dating for the community, appointments are every 6 minutes, so we are honing our message and looking for unique ways to make a lasting impression. Your input would be appreciated. Think about what has caught your attention on your vacations. Was it a special map, a promotional item, maybe a techno way of communicating their message, sharing that with us could be a huge bonus in helping to attract more visitors to the area. Tourism is growing in Huron County. In a recent report Tourism Economics, An Oxford Economics Company, cited tourism dollars to on an upswing. In 2009 approximately 85.4 million dollars were tourism related, that was actually a decline of nearly 4%. But in 2010 the county posted more than a 10% gain, reaching 94.4 million and 2011 increased over 5% reaching over
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99million in sales volume. Those years stack up favorably when compared to the rest of Northwest Ohio (-9.8%, +8.5%, +4.7% respectively) and the totals for the State of Ohio (-8.8%, +6.9%, +5.6% respectively) Tourism accounts for 1 in every 13 salaried jobs in Huron County. The food & beverage industry accounts for the majority of those followed by retail, recreation and entertainment, lodging and transportation. The thing you need to keep in mind as a business person is though your business may not be directly impacted by tourism, every business is indirectly impacted. So whatever way you may be able to assist in drawing visitors to the community, it benefits your business in the long run. Business owners and community members alike are invited to get involved and help move the area Continued from Page 7 Fisher-Titus Memorial Hospital (licensed 99-bed acute care facility), a Level 3 Trauma Center, Norwalk Memorial Home, The Carriage House of Fisher-Titus and a Home Health Center. In 2010, Fisher-Titus Medical Center in partnership with Cerner Corporation became the nations first all-digital smart community hospital after implementing a fully integrated electronic health record
forward. Send us your community events, attraction information, etc., for inclusion on our web site community calendar, contact the office for information on the next VB meeting or to chat about what interests you have that could connect to activities within the HCVB. In the meantime, everyone is invited to log onto: www. VisitHuronCounty.com to see the community calendar and check out the community information from around the county. It is a great resource and includes such information as what amenities are available at parks throughout the county, history of the various communities and tourism-related businesses. And remember, if you travel for vacation keep your eyes open for events, marketing materials, etc., that could be great ideas for us! system and interactive technology in smart patient rooms. The Medical Center recently achieved Stage 6 on Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Analytics Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Adoption Model, ranking it among the top 5 percent of hospitals in the US. Fisher-Titus also was recognized as one of the nations Most Wired, according to the results of the 2012 Most Wired Survey released in the July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks magazine.
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Community Banking
By Albert A. Tegel, Senior Vice President, PNC Bank There are different definitions of what makes a bank a community bank in light of bank mergers since the recent recession. One definition is that a community bank is comprised of employees that live and work locally. Another explanation is a bank that supports the community with funding and volunteerism. PNC Bank is a sound example of a community bank blended with the services and technology for customers that can be offered by a national bank. When National City Bank became PNC Bank in Norwalk the same employees remained at the three offices in town. It is the only bank that has kept three offices open within the city to provide services. We are involved in a lot of events and projects to improve jobs and life in the community. The bank is a founding member and Platinum Contributor to Norwalk Economic Development, which has assisted in bringing new jobs to the area, including New Horizons Baking and state grant money. PNC has provided $15,000 for Fisher Titus Memorial Hospital to create a program focused on young children. Firelands Historical Society was able to bring a Recreation of a Teddy Roosevelts campaign railroad stop visit from turn of the century with a last minute $1,000 gift from the bank to fund the enactment, which included Norwalk High School students. Bank staff is personally involved with the Humane Society, Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Association, American Red Cross donating their time and talents. Bank branches open up their Stuff A Sock project each Holiday to collect toys and clothes for needy children that the Salvation Army delivers in December, and generated almost 500 filled stockings. One of the best services that a bank can provide is access to information about loans, deposits and investing to customers so they can make sound decisions. We do this with local, experienced people that want to help neighbors and friends, and we are proud to be a part of the Norwalk community.
From left, Jack Fatica, Lisa (Jozwiak) Williams and Randy McCullough
Three Administrators Receive Promotions at Terra State

Three top administrators at Terra State Community College have been promoted as the new president, Dr. Jerome Webster, continues to form his leadership team. Those promoted to new or expanded roles are Lisa (Jozwiak) Williams, Randy McCullough and Jack Fatica. Williams came to Terra in January of 2009 as the Vice President for Academic Affairs. She is now the Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. McCullough was promoted from Treasurer to Vice President for Financial Affairs. He has been at Terra since March 2010. Fatica, who has filled the new position of Interim Assistant Vice President for Instruction, has been a professor in accounting for 20 years at Terra. All three reside in Fremont.
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Targeted Development a Priority in Norwalk Area

Submitted by Ellen Heinz, Director, Norwalk Economic Development Corporation. Since 2010, the Norwalk Economic Development Corporation (NEDC) and the Main Street Norwalk Program, which is a division of NEDC, have been working with the City of Norwalk and community members Norb Smith, Steve Zigo and several others as part of their Targeted Development Planning Team to redevelop distressed properties in Norwalk. Created with the purpose of identifying the most blighted properties and then determining strategic development options for the sites, the team hoped to be a catalyst for further redevelopment in the area. The Targeted Development Planning Team participated in exciting projects over the past year, with one of the most notable being the Hester Street Property, a priority on NEDCs Targeted Development list. In the fall of 2011, Smith went to Midway Parts President, Gary Scherz, and offered to mediate between Midway and the Historical Society. It was awesome how it all fell together and Im happy to have been involved, said Smith. Midway donated the property, valued at $150,000, to the Firelands Historical Society. One section of the building will be saved and revitalized for the historical societys use. Midway, Inc. of Monroeville, Ohio, its officers, directors and shareholders were excited to be part of the continued development of the City of Norwalk and the Firelands Historical Society. We hope that this event will be a catalyst for the success of future goals of the economic development groups in the Norwalk area, stated Stan Drabik of Midway, Inc. Pat Makowski, President of the Firelands Historical Society Board, was very thankful. The Firelands Historical Society is extremely grateful for the generosity of Midway, Inc. This gift will enable us to realize our vision of growing the organization. Midway had choices to make when considering what to do with their property. The company took a vacant building and turned it into part of their legacy. Early in 2012, another property came off that list the former county services building on Benedict Avenue and was sold to Norb and Sue Smith. Although they are still considering a number of options for the site, Smith said in January to the Norwalk Reflector that they purchased the property because We want to do something for the economy of Norwalk. Since the purchase the site has already seen great improvement. There are several other projects underway. Matt and Lisa Herner of Christian Roberts Salon and Spa are renovating another building on their block as well as reinvesting in their own building. One of the Targeted Development
working groups is focusing on a specific street that has seen significant redevelopment and investment over the past five years. Another is focusing on an Alley project in the Uptown Norwalk Business District. There is a vision and the excitement is growing about the transformation that is taking place. Many business owners and citizens are taking redevelopment of our beautiful community to a completely new level, commented Ellen Heinz, Director, Norwalk Economic Development Corporation. People are being inspired by what they see taking place and then reinvesting as well, and it is making a huge impact on our city. The Targeted Development Planning Team looks forward to more redevelopment opportunities with additional properties and expanding their local team in August 2012.
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August 2012
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Broadband Technology Promotes Local Development

Submitted by Stephen Euton General Manager, Frontier Communications In business today, getting access to and utilizing important business information faster than your competition can mean the difference between success and failure. Advanced broadband data solutions can help mid-size and large businesses and organizations address their increasingly bandwidth-heavy needs. Delivering voice, data, video and other applications at speeds up to 600 times faster than current ADSL or cable connections; this enables companies to extend their business through: High-speed electronic file sharing between locations Virtual collaboration User segmentation for the creation of secure sub-nets Easy integration with existing network infrastructures It offers companies customizable, secure and reliable solutions that include next-generation Internet access and wide-area networking with symmetrical speed options ranging from 3 Mbps to 10 Gbps. It supports both point-to-point and multipoint connections. Frontier calls theirs MetroEthernet and claims businesses can gain more control over their data infrastructure and have greater opportunities to reduce costs. Healthcare, education, manufacturing, banking, tourism and entertainment are among the business sectors that can realize immediate benefits from the simplicity and scalability of these Ethernet solutions. These could include: Virtual private networks Distributed storage-area networks Software as a service Cloud computing Distributed computing Server consolidation Business continuity and disaster recovery Frontier says this technology is now available to the North Central Ohio communities: Norwalk, Milan, New London, Monroeville, Bellevue, Clyde, Willard, Attica, New Washington, Republic, Gibsonburg, Helena, Port Clinton, Marblehead, Genoa, Oak Harbor, Curtice, Catawba Island and Huron.
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Main Street Norwalk

Submitted by Kristi Wert Program Manager A long awaited outdoor dining patio, a unique bakery, a florist that promises a floral experience, an eclectic artisan gallery, a pet wash, hair salon, design & organization business, resale shop, and a video store all opened their doors in Norwalks historic business district in 2011. These businesses represent significant investment in the Norwalk community and specifically the central business district. Another six new businesses; an upscale resale shop, home dcor boutique, barber shop, fitness studio, variety shop, and a gyro hut have opened their doors in the District already in the first half of 2012; with at least two more businesses looking to open before the end of the year. To have this continued growth for over three years in a row shows that the central business district is thriving, says Lynn Bolden, President of the Main Street Norwalk Advisory Board, The support that our program and the District offers is a key to our success in bringing in new businesses. Our District is a vibrant and fun place to be. Main Street Norwalk volunteers work hard to promote the District in various ways. Through social media, website updates and with events like the Treasure Hunt and Autumn Leaves Festival to Christmas favorites; Deck the District and Light Up Norwalk, along with the beautification projects and participation in The 3/50 Project shop local program, the District has taken on a new visibility. Volunteers also advocate for the program and the District by attending state and local meetings and working with city and county officials. Volunteers are an important piece of a successful Main Street Program and in 2011; volunteers logged over 2000 hours for the District. Earlier this year, the Main Street Norwalk program earned national accreditation for the 11th consecutive year for their volunteers efforts in preservation and economic development. Our efforts to increase foot traffic through promotion, events and economic development are paying off. We have very few vacant spaces on Main Street and we are excited to see other areas of the District being looked at for development, comments Doug Berry, Co-chair of the Main Street Norwalk Promotions & Arts Committee. In 2010, we had seven business owners attend Jon Schallerts Destination Business Boot Camp in Colorado- there we learned that we have only 7 seconds to make a positive first impression. The look and feel of our District is as important as the businesses that are located here and we are fortunate to have property and business owners that understand that, comments Kristie Wert,
Program Manager for the Main Street Norwalk Program. Targeted development projects are in the works for 2013 that have been spurred by property and business owners themselves. It has been exciting to see the enthusiasm of these owners and their commitment to making the District better, continues Kristie. As reported to Heritage Ohio, the state coordinating program for Ohio Main Street Programs, Norwalk has seen an investment of just under one million dollars through building renovation and facade projects and public improvement projects in the Uptown District. One of the public improvement projects, Suhr Family Park, opened in June of 2011, filling a need for a venue for community activities in the District. With an increased interest in faade projects, the program was a part of expanding the City of Norwalks Faade Grant area as well as requesting an increase in funds to help spur for larger projects. These changes took effect in January. Sometimes the littlest efforts make a big impact. With the Main Street Norwalk Planter Program, business owners added storefront planters to coordinate with the flower bed program. The street flower bed planting is a partner program with the Huron County Master Gardeners. Both groups work hard to maintain the beds and these two programs are visible and attract a lot of attention from visitors. Mr. Berry recently shared some of the impressions that his guests at Berrys Restaurant relayed to him, I hear positive comments quite often and remember, we see a lot of guests in a day. Guests relayed to me that Norwalk looks beautiful. They were impressed with the flower beds, Suhr Family Park, painted buildings, flower planters, maintenance, etc...And here is the catch... many people were looking for a second home, job change, retirement, etc. Norwalk is now being considered because of their positive first impression. These people thought that Norwalk, in particular, the Historic Uptown Business District looked like a million dollars. Kind of makes you smile... just a little. Continuing to preserve the history and the look of Norwalks historic central business district while supporting businesses for the future, Main Street Norwalk is a becoming a catalyst for economic development and preservation. Main Street Norwalk is a division of the Norwalk Economic Development Corporation, a 501(c ) 3 non profit organization. Main Street Norwalk is a program of the Norwalk Economic Development Corporation. Its mission is to preserve, improve, and promote the district of Norwalk as a commercial, cultural, and social center.
Erie County Chamber Honors Business Leaders

Over 200 Erie County Chamber of Commerce members and guests attended the organizations 113th Annual Reception and Awards Presentation at Castaway Bay on Thursday, June 28, 2012. The event marked the transition of the Chambers leadership from John Pheiffer of Battery Park Marina to Edmond Hoty of Edmond Hoty Concepts. Connie Lamb, of Firelands Regional Medical Center, will be the Chambers Vice Chair, and Allen R. Nickles, C.P.A. will be the Treasurer, during the Chambers new program year, which begins July 1, 2012. The Chamber honored a number of its members at the event. They included Jayme Criscione as Entrepreneur of the Year. Under her ownership and guidance, Ghostly Manor Thrill Center has grown from being a roller skating rink to being one of Ohios major tourist attractions and holiday venues. Thomas Kazmierczak received the Chambers inaugural Senior Council Award for his leadership of the Sandusky State Theatre. Under Kazmierczak, the Sandusky State Theatre has greatly increased the number and variety of its cultural offerings, and has become a destination location that adds to the economic prosperity of Downtown Sandusky and Erie County. Jacquie Clark of N2Y in Huron was named the Chambers Business Person of the Year. Her very unique company creates specialized curricula and news for special needs students, and has developed an industry standard for pictorial communication. Corsos Flower & Garden Center, which was named as the Chambers Business of the Year, for their longstanding contributions to the local economy and their recent physical expansion. The company has survived many economic upheavals, and continues to thrive. Tony Guerra of LEWCO, Inc., was honored with the Chambers inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for his longstanding contributions to the local economy and to a number of community organizations. Guerra has grown LEWCO, Inc. from a simple welding operation to become one of Sanduskys premier manufacturing companies. Lee Alexakos, of Cedar Fair L.P., was presented with the Chairmans Award by outgoing Chairman John Pheiffer, for her many contributions to the Chamber, and to several organizations in the community. The Erie County Chamber of Commerce was established on June 29, 1899 as the Sandusky Chamber of Commerce. Today, it is Erie Countys largest business-oriented organization.
16 August 2012
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The Well-Booked Business

By Cathy Allen Entrepreneurship requires courage. To be successful with a new business venture, one has to take risks, put himself or herself forward, and spend a significant amount of time outside the comfort zone. The biggest challenge is often setting a fair price or fee for our goods and services. Competitive pressure isnt the only consideration. We especially we women - have to overcome many internal barriers caused by fear. Fortunately, a number of successful women have been thinking about this issue and publishing their best wisdom. One of last months books, Knowing Your Value: Women, Money, and Getting What Youre Worth by Mika Brzezinski, had this Arianna Huffington quote on the jacket: Just look around and youll see plenty of evidence that asking for what we want results not in the realization of our own worst fears but in getting what we want. Huffingtons own book is summarized below. Im also throwing in some helpful fear-busting nuggets from Hoda Kotb, who is one of the bravest career women around. On Becoming Fearless: in Love, Work, and Life by Arianna Huffington. Little, Brown, and Company, 2006. SUMMARY: For all the world, Arianna Huffington is a fearless woman. She puts herself forward, speaks out on issues that are important to her and she does not pull punches. For her efforts, she is often on the receiving end of personal attacks, the kind that would make most of us pull back, pipe down, and pursue something else. Convinced that the world would be a better place if more of us stood our ground in all aspects of life, Huffington has written a howto manual for developing fearlessness. Though she has an imposing persona, she is quite funny and humble in print. The book is as entertaining as it is instructive. KEY LEARNINGS: Fearless at Work: The truth is that women who are seen as ambitious or assertive in asking for what they want have a rougher row to hoe than men do. We sometimes therefore find it more difficult to fearlessly put ourselves forward at work. Huffington recommends connecting with people personally, so they see us as well-rounded people, maintaining a sense of humor, and trying to use criticism as an opportunity to improve rather than reacting defensively. Another strategy is focusing on the goal, especially in negotiations, rather than on day to day activities. She believes in fake it til you make it, acting confident and strong until we feel confident and strong. Fearless About Money: When women find themselves making less money than men doing comparable work, one place to look for the answer is in the mirror. Our fear of money, or of appearing unladylike by expecting fair compensation for the work we do, is one of the primary reasons we still earn less than the guys. Each one of us simply has to overcome that, taking baby steps and practicing with friends. Also helpful: get involved with work that you absolutely love, and adopt the spirit of abundance. As we give, so shall we receive. Fearless About Leadership and Speaking Out: Huffington suggests that Harry Potters friend Hermione Granger is an excellent role model for women and girls who wish to fearlessly use their own voice. She knows herself, is compassionate and kind, disciplined, imaginative, and smart. Each of us has a birthright to hold opinions, speak up, and develop followers, just as Hermione does. There are times when speaking out can cost us friendships, but the loss of selfesteem that comes from remaining silent when issues are important is a higher price to pay. Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee by Hoda Kotb with Jane Lorenzini, Simon and Schuster, 2010 SUMMARY: Growing up in America with a name like Hoda Kotb came with challenges. Fortunately, Hoda and her siblings had excellent role models in their parents (what could be more brave than to pull up stakes and move half-way around the world to pursue your dreams in a land where no one speaks your language?) Motivated internally and externally, Hoda set out to make her mark on the world, and has overcome some pretty long odds to be where she is today. Her story is inspiring, but accessible. Shes not a hero, just determined to make magic dust from the dirt that gets kicked up in your face. Shes warm, funny, smart, and perfectly normal. KEY LEARNINGS: It is hard to imagine that a national media figure with as much exposure as Kotb could ever have been a struggling newcomer, but after college Kotb was rejected by news directors a staggering 27 times before being hired by a great visionary in Greenville, Mississippi. Like everyone else, Kotb built her career on hard work, a commitment to working well with others, and patient confidence that things work out as they should. After reporting from the frontlines of wars, and then surviving cancer, Kotb reports that you cant scare me. So, when she realized that she wanted to co-host the fourth hour of the Today show with Kathie Lee Gifford (also a pretty good example of fearlessly being oneself), she put herself forward and won the promotion. Seriously, after facing down death, and navigating a world where three oncologists give three opinions about what to do, how frightened can one be about the simple act of speaking your desires out loud to your boss? Like other successful women before her, Kotb found that the executives were actually quite responsive - glad to know her thoughts and pleased to create the win/win. Some other helpful nuggets: Embrace short-term goals like a great day at the beach or a new pair of shoes. These things make life worth living. Life isnt perfect so dont try to force the specifics. And finally, positive thinking and positive action are very powerful. Side step negativity or transform it jujitsu-style. Cathy Allen is celebrating her life-long love of books at a new website - w w w. WhatIsCathyReading.com. She invites visitors to download her two-page summaries, comment on her blog, or connect to a fabulous network of independent booksellers. NCBJ readers who join Cathys email list or send feedback about the website will receive a coupon for a free book summary!
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August 2012
19
Summit Motorsports Park Celebrates the Nation and Family Fun

Summit Motorsports Park achieves each week basic missions of honoring this great country, lending a hand to non-profit groups and creating fun for families. For example, at the largest and most prestigious drag racing events, Bill Bader Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park, 1300 State Route 18, in Norwalk, Ohio, delivers passionate, heart-felt messages uplifting the efforts of service men and women currently, as well as during the foundation of the United States of America. Also, this year Bader designed a Funny Car body, The American Pride Funny Car, out of a felt need to communicate attributes tracing from the roots of this country that make her great. My sense is that this country has so lost its way, Bader said. We need to get back to the foundation blocks that built this country: God and Country. The elements of United States history Bader painted into the concept of The American Pride car are intended to arouse the noble, the proud and the true. To stir those sentiments, The American Pride car includes a field of blue on the nose, red and white on the sides, text from the Declaration of Independence, an American bald eagle, the words, One Nation, Under God, Indivisible.., Uncle Sam, and the Liberty Bell, and the Gadsdon Flag with the motto, Dont tread on me. The family fun happens at 260 mph when John Force, one of the most popular drivers in the history of drag racing, fires up and races The American Pride Funny Car on Saturday evening, August 11 at the 35th Annual Auto Plus Night Under Fire at Summit Motorsports Park. The Night Under Fire is a breathtaking, spectacular fire show of speed and power, which is capped by a $100,000 fireworks extravaganza. The event also features four 300 mph jet dragsters, Bob Motz and his 200 mph jet Kenworth, Larry Spiderman McBride on a 220 mph Top Fuel Motorcycle, and many more. John Force, a 15-time Nitro Funny Car champion, lines up against Kalitta Motorsports drivers Jeff Arend and rookie Alexis DeJoria, and John Forces rookie daughter Courtney Force, among others. After the Night Under Fire, The American Pride Funny Car body style is retired and commemorated as tenth in a series of 1/24 scale die cast cars that sell in collector grade for $110 each or in white gold for $500 each. The die cast cars provide a unique way to communicate what is right about the United States of America. Other die cast cars offered similar messages, such as Tribute to an American Soldier, and American War Bird, depicting a P51 Mustang. The events Summit Motorsports Park creates to enable families to have fun together also provide opportunities for not-for-profit
groups to earn cash for their organizations. For example, the South Central Athletic Boosters earned a total of $34,000 in the last three years by organizing volunteers to serve as ushers during three days of Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in July and at Night Under Fire in August, according to Mike and Lori West, president and treasurer of the boosters. Debra Sue Tobak, general manager
of Summit Motorsports Park, offers groups opportunities to usher, park cars, and pick up trash. Only adults fill the ushering positions, but youth may park cars and clean up the facility. For information on The American Pride die cast cars, tickets for the 35th Annual Auto Plus Night Under Fire, or available positions for groups, call 419-668-5555, or check out the Summit Motorsports Park Website at www.summitmotorsportspark.com.
Goodwill Golf2012 Scramble August 25,

Woussickett Golf Course, 6311 Mason Road, Sandusky 8am shotgun start
10th Annual
$10,000 Hole-In-One Challenge!

Raffles Prizes! FREE gifts! And more!
Please, support our sponsors:
419-625-4744
Bellevue Retail, LLC
Sandusky 250-Perkins LLC
Email: events@goodwillsandusky.org
$75 per player. Includes 18 holes w/cart, lunch, 2 drink tickets, steak dinner, free gifts and a chance to win $10,000!!!
Visit: www.goodwillsandusky.org
20 August 2012
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For Assistance, call Sephen Euton General Manager-North Central Ohio 419-663-8088 stephen.euton@ftr.com
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PERSONAL BUSINESS EXPERT 10 0% U.S.-BASED WORKFORCE
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current or past employee, or is a contractor who works as a temporary employee of the business. 4. Domestic Violence the perpetrator has no legitimate relationship with the business but has a personal relationship with a victim, and threatens or assaults him or her at the workplace (family member, boyfriend, girlfriend). refrigeration areas and other storage facilities in a way that does not unnecessarily expose employees by forcing them to walk distances alone or in poorly lit areas. Make use of security devices such as closed-circuit cameras, alarms, card-key access systems, panic-bar doors locked from the outside and geographic locating devices in mobile workplaces.
August 2012
21
Insurance
Addressing Workplace Violence
Submitted by: Mark T. Reilly Because of its visibility and proximity to the public, a retail setting is especially susceptible to violent incidents. Although it is crucial to take steps to protect your employees from customers and intruders, it is important to remember that many incidents of workplace violence consist in less obvious but equally worrisome activity. This includes threats of physical violence, harassment, intimidation or other threatening, disruptive behavior. While failing to adequately prevent and cope with violent incidents in the workplace can lead to increased workers compensation costs, absenteeism, property damage and negative publicity, over 70 percent of U.S. workplaces do not have a formal policy or program addressing workplace violence, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Recognizing the risk or workplace violence and taking action is essential.
risk facTors
The retail environment presents a unique risk of workplace violence, due to several characteristics of the job and the workplace. These characteristics include: Contact with the public Exchange of money and use of cash register Working with disgruntled customers Working alone or in small numbers Working late at night or during early morning hours Ease of escape for criminals Working in high-crime areas Presence of valuable merchandise Working in public, communitybased settings
aDminisTraTiVe conTrols
When possible, increase the number of staff on duty at opening and closing hours Review work practices and staffing during money drops and pickups. Consider the risk of assault when directing workers to take out garbage, dispose of grease, store items in external areas and transport money. Institute policies and procedures that indicate a zero tolerance of workplace violence and provide direction for reporting and handling incidents. Provide training in defusing or de-escalating potentially violent situations, and inform employees of the risks of workplace violence. Establish procedures for obtaining medical care and psychological support after a violent incident. Establish a crisis response plan that describes procedures to follow in the event of an emergency. Establish an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with trained counselors who are able to address workplace stress and violence issues. As a confidential service to employees, the EAP provider will assess whether a situation needs to be brought to management and can intervene in employee conflicts.
co-workers or supervisors Making idle threats or references to weapons Statements indicating approval of violence or identification with perpetrators of workplace homicides Desperate or suicidal statements Substance abuse Extreme change in normal behavior Train those in supervisory roles not to overreact but not to ignore a situation. Discussing the situation with experts on staff or in human resources can help determine how best to handle the situation.
responDing
To Violence It is essential that if a violent incident does occur, the response be timely and appropriate. After the incident, recognize that employees could be traumatized and provide appropriate counseling.
BeyonD Training
Training should increase awareness of workplace violence risks, emphasize the importance of adhering to protective administrative controls and encourage employees to immediately report any suspicious or threatening behavior. While training is an important component of a successful comprehensive workplace violence prevention program, preventive adjustments by management are equally important. Diversified Insurance Service has put together a valuable resource page on their website that includes a Preventing Workplace Violence Presentation and Workplace Violence Prevention Checklist, please visit www.divinsurance.com/ workplace-violence-prevention. You may also contact Mark Reilly of Diversified Insurance Service at (800) 848-2788 for more information.
preVenTion sTraTegies
There are actions that you can take to protect your employees and mitigate the risk of workplace violence. Evaluate the workplace and identify both physical and administrative adjustments that you can make to lower the risk of a violent incident.
enVironmenTal Design
Protect your employees using cash-handling policies such as locked drop safes, limited amounts of cash to carry, and notices to visitors or clients that limited cash is available. Explore the use of cashless transactions, and if feasible install them. Install bullet-resistant barriers or enclosures with appropriately high and deep counters where interaction with the public is necessary. Provide and maintain good lighting, both internally and externally. Limit the number of unlocked entrances and hiding places in and around the perimeter of the workplace. Design buildings and parking areas so that they do not have hiding places. Place garbage areas, outdoor
Types of Workplace Violence

Workplace violence can be defined as violent acts directed towards a person at work or on duty. These acts are classified into four types of situations: 1. Criminal the perpetrator has no legitimate relationship to the business or its employees and generally commits a crime in conjunction with the violence (shoplifting, robbery, trespassing). 2. Customer or Client the perpetrator has a legitimate relationship with the business and becomes violent while being served by the business (clients, customers). 3. Co-worker the perpetrator is a
iDenTifying poTenTially ViolenT siTuaTions

A number of different actions in the workplace can trigger a violent incident between co-workers, and no one set of characteristics necessarily characterizes a perpetrator. However, there are often red flags that can be detected before an employee commits an act of violence. Be alert and train employees to be alert for these indicators of potential workplace violence, stressing the importance of reporting any suspicious behavior: Intimidating, harassing, bullying, belligerent or other inappropriate and aggressive behavior Conflicts with customers,
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22 August 2012
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Chefs Garden
Reconnecting Food Producers and Consumers through Farming, Education and Delicious Meals The early 1980s was a time of disconnect between food producers and consumers. Small, independent family growers were succumbing to competition from corporate agriculture; and family-owned, neighborhood grocery stores that were prevalent in the first half of the 20th century were disappearing at a staggering rate. The story of one such business in our community gives a ray of hope that our country is finally redeveloping that connection with agriculture, and people are demanding to know more about the food they consume. After losing their entire crop in a severe hailstorm, the Jones family of Huron, Ohio was determined to start over. Committed to surviving in agriculture, they started selling vegetables at the Cleveland farmers markets. Farmers markets werent nearly as popular 30 years ago as they are today, but it was a way to make ends meet. Each family member had a post: Barb Mom Jones set up at Jamies Flea Market; Bob Jones, Sr. went to the West Side Market, Bob, Jr. was at Orange & Woodland, and oldest son Lee was stationed at the Coit Rd. market. There Lee met a Europeantrained chef who was interested in purchasing squash blossoms. It was a bizarre request at the time, especially to a farmer from Huron, but she was persistent and he eventually obliged. Word spread through the culinary community that the Jones family was willing to accommodate chefs special requests. They were approached by more and more chefs interested in unique items. It came to a point where chefs were a small part of the business but they were requiring more and more of their time. The family had a meeting to discuss whether they would continue at the farmers markets or embark on a new path supplying vegetables to restaurant chefs. Bob Jones, Sr. who remembered the small family farms and grocery stores of his youth, felt that chefs were leading them in the right direction. The family learned that by using traditional farming practices like crop rotation and composting, they could create healthy soil with a balance of nutrients and beneficial bacteria. Luckily, their farm was located on former lake bottom with loamy soil that nurtured exceptional produce. In fact, Erie County once had one of the largest concentrations of vegetables growers in the entire United States due to the quality of its soil and proximity to Lake Erie, which creates a microclimate that helps moderate the temperate climate of North Central Ohio. The family adopted sustainable agricultural practices that they rediscovered by revisiting centuryold agricultural texts. While modern agriculture was teaching farmers to treat a plants symptoms and amend the soil with chemicals, the Joneses were learning to enhance the soil in a natural way that strengthened plants against pests and disease. The Joneses were in a perfect position to try something new, because they had nothing more to lose. In honor of the chefs who guided them to reevaluate their growing practices, they called their new farm The Chefs Garden. As the family learned more about how to farm like their great-grandfathers had, they were also learning about the distinct needs of chefs. Each time chefs visited the farm, they helped the Jones family identify new and unique products, or test heirloom vegetables that they were considering for the next years planting. The family was a constant mission to find new flavors, textures and colors to add variety to a chefs toolbox. They scoured old agricultural catalogs and visited heirloom seed banks to find ingredients that would get chefs excited. They got seeds from other sources as well, like the rhubarb grower who willed his prized stalks to the family or the man whose grandfather brought seeds from Italy in order to grow the tomatoes that were used in his familys treasured pasta sauce recipe. At the same time that they were returning to old-world agricultural practices and reviving vegetable varieties that were all but lost in commercial vegetable production, the family was applying technology to improve their business. Each time they built a new greenhouse, advancements in technology allowed them to better control the growing conditions. They used burgeoning barcode technology to not only track their growing inventory but also to allow them to track a crop from seed to shipping and implement an advanced food safety program that met the stringent requirements of organizations like The RitzCarlton and Disney. As more and more chefs visited the farm, Bob Jones, Sr. envisioned a place where chefs could retreat from their daily routine and experiment with the u n u s u a l ingredients they were growing at The Chefs Garden. The Jones family purchased the land for this visionary project, and The Culinary Vegetable Institute was built in 2003. It remains an environment that inspires culinary creativity, allowing chef and farmer to collaborate outside the restaurant setting. Its services have expanded to include public dinners and cooking classes that highlight the connection between the earth and the table, as well as private functions like weddings and corporate meetings. Not long after the facility opened, the family was chatting with chefs after an event when the subject turned to a concern about the increasing trend of childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes and other illnesses. This conversation led the family to create a non-profit organization called Veggie U, in order to educate children about the role of sustainable agriculture and how food choices directly impact their health. They decided to focus on kids, because there was still a possibility to influence them to change their habits. The family sought guidance from teachers who advised them that the only way to bring the lessons into the classroom was to develop it to meet criteria for standardized testing. They brought together a group of teachers, nutritionists and a physician to develop a curriculum that met national science requirements while incorporating lessons about agriculture and nutrition. They also realized that the only way the message would stick was to make the program as fun and interactive as possible. Since its inception, Veggie U has placed thousands of classroom growing kits and curriculums in elementary schools across 29 states. It relies on individual and corporate sponsors to fund the kits, but each year it hosts a celebrated culinary event to raise additional funds. The annual Veggie U Food and Wine Celebration, now in its 10th year, is a unique opportunity to sample culinary masterpieces and wine pairings at the elegantly rustic, riverside setting of The Culinary Vegetable Institute. The grounds are alive with the aromas and flavors of the worlds best cuisine, food demonstrations, wine education and samplings, and the chance to contribute to Veggie U through the unique offerings of the silent and live auctions. Over the years, the farm has continued to gain a reputation of excellence with some of the finest dining establishments in the world, feeding a demand from people who had eaten their vegetables at a restaurant to be able to purchase them for home. The family introduced Farmer Jones Farm home delivery program several years ago and recently launched a CSA pickup for local residents. Through projects like The Culinary Vegetable Institute, Veggie U and Farmer Jones Farm, the Jones family has shown a long-term commitment to restoring the important role of agriculture in our society. By applying the lessons learned from chefs nearly 30 years ago, theyve established relationships with many of the worlds best chefs and a world-class reputation for growing an unrivaled variety of vegetables. But what are they most grateful for? According to Farmer Lee Jones, The opportunity to work with my family doing exactly what I love is something I wouldnt trade for anything.
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August 2012
23
Employers
Jobs
Job Seekers
Huron County Job & Family Services

Submitted by Becky Fair Do you have a job that needs to be filled? Are you struggling to find time to advertise and collect applications or resumes? Is the cost to market your open positions overwhelming? JOB is not in our agencys name by accident. The workforce development unit is prepared and willing to help you find the best person for your job. All workforce development services are at no cost to the employer. Our Job Store serves a wide variety of individuals. Almost 19% of our monthly traffic are working individuals looking for a better job and 25% have some college education. In fact, 28 visitors in the last quarter had a masters degree. If you are unable to continue to spend the energy and money publicizing your open positions, let our Business Services Representative and Job Store staff do it with you. We can: Create a flyer to post in the job store We had 3,253 visitors from April June 2012 Distribute an e-mail blast to job seekers There are 300 people on the list Include in the weekly job postings on our website Front page advertising on a high traffic site Post on Ohio Means Jobs Attracts the same quality seekers as Monster & Career Builder Send to the labor market call center Personal phone calls to job seekers that match your criteria Be a clearing house for your applications or resumes Weed out those who do not meet minimum qualifications Keep employer information confidential No direct phone calls or drop-in job seekers Provider computer testing to assess basic skills 177 clerical assessments & 79 industrial assessments September is Workforce Development month and we plan to celebrate with a large job fair on Wednesday, September 12th at our agency. We have many interested employers and plenty of talented job seekers. If you would like to be a part of the action please call or e-mail Karmen Ross at rossk07@odjfs.state.oh.us or 419-668-8126 extension 3457. We will bring the job seekers if you bring the jobs!
Fight for me
We believe within each patient is quiet strength and strong courage. The human spirit is as important as our exceptional doctors and lifesaving technologies. Sometimes you need someone to support your struggle and share your success. Its why Magruder is one of the leading hospitals in the nation for patient satisfaction.
615 Fulton Street I Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 419-734-3131 I magruderhospital.com
24 August 2012
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Retirement & Estate Planning
Setting and Targeting Investment Goals

Douglas Gildenmeister Senior Vice President, Investments Raymond James
Go out into your yard and dig a big hole. Every month, throw $50 into it, but dont take any money out until youre ready to buy a house, send your child to college or retire. It sounds a little crazy, doesnt it? But thats what investing without setting clearcut goals is like. If youre lucky, you may end up with enough money to meet your needs, but you have no way to know for sure. How do you set investment goals? Setting investment goals means defining your dreams for the future. When youre setting goals, its best to be as specific as possible. For instance, you know you want to retire, but when? You know you want to send your child to college, but to an Ivy League school or to the community college down the street? Writing down and prioritizing your investment goals is an important first step toward developing an investment plan. What is your time horizon? Your investment time horizon is the number of years you have to invest toward a specific goal. Each investment goal you set will have a different time horizon. For example, some of your investment goals will be long term (e.g., you have more than 15 years to plan), some will be short term (e.g., you have 5 years or less to plan), and some will be intermediate (e.g., you have between 5 and 15 years to plan).Establishing time horizons will help you determine how aggressively you will need to invest to accumulate the amount needed to meet your goals. How much will you need to invest? Although you can invest a lump sum of cash, many people find that regular, systematic investing is also a great way to build wealth over time. Start by determining how much youll need to set aside monthly or annually to meet each goal. Although youll want to invest as much as possible, choose a realistic amount that takes into account your other financial obligations, so that you can easily stick with your plan. But always be on the lookout for opportunities to increase the amount youre investing, such as participating in an automatic investment program that boosts your contribution by a certain percentage each year, or by dedicating a portion of every raise, bonus, cash gift or tax refund you receive to your investment objectives. Which investments should you choose? No matter what your financial goals, youll need to decide how to best allocate your investment dollars. One important consideration is your tolerance for risk. All investments carry some risk, but some carry more than others. How well can you handle market ups and downs? Are you willing to accept a higher degree of risk in exchange for the opportunity to earn a higher rate of return? Whether youre investing for retirement, college, or another financial goal, your overall objective is to maximize returns without taking on more risk than you can bear. But no matter what level of risk youre comfortable with, make sure to choose investments that are consistent with your goals and time horizon. A financial professional can help you construct a diversified investment portfolio that takes these factors into account. Investing for retirement After a hard day at the office, do you ask, Is it time to retire yet? Retirement may seem a long way off, but its never too early to start planning--especially if you want retirement to be the good life you imagine. For example, lets say that your goal is to retire at age 65. At age 20 you begin contributing $3,000 per year to your tax-deferred 401(k) account. If your investment earns 6 percent per year, compounded annually, youll have approximately $679,000 in your investment account when you retire. But what would happen if you left things to chance instead? Lets say that youre not really worried about retirement, so you wait until youre 35 to begin investing. Assuming you contributed the same amount to your 401(k) and the rate of return on your investment dollars was the same, you would end up with approximately $254,400. If you were to wait until age 45 to begin investing for retirement, you would end up with only about $120,000 by the time you retire. (This is a hypothetical example and is not intended to reflect the actual performance of any investment.) Investing for college Perhaps you faced the truth the day your child was born. Or maybe it hit you when your child started first grade: You only have so much time to save for college. In fact, for many people, saving for college is an intermediate-term goal--if you start saving when your child is in elementary school, youll have 10 to 15 years to build your college fund. Of course, the earlier you start the better. The more time you have before you need the money, the greater chance you have to build a substantial college fund due to compounding. With a longer investment time frame and a tolerance for some risk, you might also be willing to put some of your money into investments that offer the potential for growth. Investing for a major purchase At some point, youll probably want to buy a home, a car or the yacht that youve always wanted. Although theyre hardly impulse items, large purchases are usually not something for which you plan far in advance --one to five years is a common time frame. Because you dont have much time to invest, youll have to budget your investment dollars wisely. Rather than choosing growth investments, you may want to put your money into less volatile, highly liquid investments that have some potential for growth, but that offer you quick and easy access to your money should you need it. Review and revise Over time, you may need to update your investment plan. No matter what your investment goal, get in the habit of checking up on your portfolio at least once a year, more frequently if the market is particularly volatile or when there have been significant changes in your life. You may need to rebalance your portfolio to bring it back in line with your investment goals and risk tolerance. If you need help, a financial professional can help. This information was developed by Broadridge, an independent third party. It is general in nature, is not a complete statement of all information necessary for making an investment decision, and is not a recommendation or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investments and strategies mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Raymond James &Associates, Inc. member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC does not provide advice on tax, legal or mortgage issues. These matters should bediscussed with an appropriate professional. Raymond James & Associates, Inc., member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC.
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August 2012
25
Accounting
Retirement Plan Options for Small Business Owners
Retirement Plan Options for Small Business Owners By Wade C. Gray, CPA Barnes Wendling For self employed individuals and owners of small businesses, the right retirement plan can offer significant financial benefits including business tax deductions and the opportunity to build wealth independently from the business. When one considers the nations aging population and the increasing demands on the Social Security system, a self managed retirement account is more important now than ever before. Unfortunately, recent statistics show retirement account ownership, contribution, and participation among business owners is low. About 36% of business owners own an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and only a third actively contribute to the account. Just 18% of business owners participate in a 401(k) plan. Taking time to review some of the various types of retirement plans will help the small business owner determine which plan is best for his or her business. The Simplified Employee Pension(SEP)-IRA is an employer funded plan. The business receives a tax deduction for contributions, up to the smaller of $50,000 (2012) or 25% of each employees eligible compensation. To receive a contribution, employees must meet certain eligibility requirements. Generally, employees must: have attained age 21, have worked for the employer in at least three of the last five years and have earned at least $550 (2012) in compensation. Employer contributions are discretionary and can change each year. Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) is another type of IRA that encourages employees to participate in saving for their retirement. Through payroll deduction, eligible employees can defer up to $11,500 (2012) plus an additional $2,500 for employees age 50 or older. To participate, employees must earn at least $5,000 in compensation during any two preceding calendar years and reasonably expect to earn $5,000 in the current year. Employers choose each year whether to make a matching contribution up to 3% or a nonmatching contribution of 2% of the employees compensation (subject to annual limits). The plans described above are the easiest to administer. Separate accounts are maintained for each eligible employee. All contributions are immediately 100% vested, meaning the employee retains ownership of the account. The same formula is used to determine the contribution for both employees and the owner. There are no required annual filings with the IRS or the Department of Labor. While the plans explained above are fairly easy to understand, they may not offer the owner adequate retirement savings. By adopting and customizing either a defined contribution profit sharing plan or a defined benefit plan, the self employed individual or small business owner may achieve much greater retirement savings. Profit sharing plans, similar to SEPIRAs, allow employers to contribute up to 25% of the eligible employees compensation, subject to annual limits. Generally, employees are eligible to participate in the plan after reaching age 21 and completing one year of service. Employees benefits are usually vested, or earned, over a period of time, rather than immediately. Many profit sharing plans also allow employees to participate, under Internal Revenue Code section 401(k). Amounts contributed by the employee are immediately 100% vested. In contrast to the SIMPLE, the 401(k) employee contribution limits are higher ($17,000 for 2012, plus an additional $5,500 for employees 50 or older). A significant advantage of the profit sharing plan is the ability to target the benefits toward the owner. Though certain discrimination rules apply, additional contributions may be made using integration rules and age-weighted and new comparability features. A qualified third party administrator (TPA) or certified public accountant (CPA) can assist the employer with the necessary testing and filing requirements. Defined benefit pension plans hold assets in a pooled account. Because eligible employees are promised a certain monthly benefit at retirement, based on compensation, years of services, etc., annual employer contributions are mandatory. Defined benefit plans generally produce larger tax deductions for the business. The use of an actuary is required to determine the annual employer contribution, or cost of providing the specified retirement benefit in the future. With so many choices, its best to seek the advice of a qualified professional. Regardless of which retirement plan is selected, its important to begin soon. Not only do businesses get an immediate tax deduction for contributions, but the longer the retirement plan has to grow (tax-deferred), the larger the benefit at retirement. Wade C. Gray, CPA is a Tax Manager in Barnes Wendlings Sandusky, Ohio office. He can be reached at wcg@barneswendling. com or 419.626.3627
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26 August 2012
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Legal
Tips at death
By Jeff Roth Whether expected or sudden, death happens. As a surviving spouse, you take on a completely new position in life. All matters, family, financial and legal rest on your shoulders. Even if you were always in charge of the finances, it will be different. You will find yourself second-guessing your every decision. It may be time to involve a child. Their input helps in the present and prepares them for the future. If your husband made all of the financial decisions and now it is up to you, I can give you a major piece of advice. Do not walk into your attorney, your financial institution, your broker or say to your friend, I dont know anything about this stuff. This is an invitation for all of the above to take advantage of that position and lead you down the path of higher cost, unnecessary work and actually misleading you to many bad decisions. Act like you are aware of all of your business and that you are a decision maker who will not be mislead. The first item of business in our office is to confirm to the surviving spouse that they are in charge and all decisions will be theirs.
January 1, 2013. This will greatly affect what decisions are to be made at the death of the first spouse. Disclaiming an asset directly down to the children at the first death can protect the asset from nursing home expenses in the future and may be the proper direction. You cannot take any money from an account and then disclaim. This is another reason to wait before transferring an item.
Diversification can help expand your business

Submitted by Linda Sheppard Owner, LinDale Mbroidery Diversification can help expand your business. This was the thought process behind the recent purchase of new equipment at LinDale Mbroidery in Norwalk. By purchasing the new equipment, we are able to provide the customer service that our customers have grown to expect. says Linda Sheppard, owner of LinDale Mbroidery, We hope that by adding these new machines, we will set ourselves apart from other local businesses in the decorated apparel industry. LinDale M broidery recently purchased a Brother GT541 Direct to Garment Printer and a VersaCamm VS-300 Printer Cutter. These two pieces of equipment allow them to provide quality graphics to all types of garments for their client base. Both of these processes provide a quality product at a lower cost to the customer. The GT541 uses an opaque ink to print directly onto the garment, while the printer cutter permits them to make custom heat transfers. Between the two machines, LinDale Mbroidery is able to keep most jobs in house and eliminate the need to outsource. In most cases, the turnaround time is shorter than with custom embroidery as well. Like our embroidery, our minimum order quantity is one piece, says Linda. Customers will place a large order of one type and design of an item and then ask for a low cost one of a kind item for a special occasion or for their design team to look at and approve for future production. Lindale Mbroidery offers this low quantity service to all of their customers. We recently delivered an order of 250 pocketed t-shirts for a customer with their logo above the pocket and their QR Code on the back of the shirt just below the neck line. The owner saw the QR Code on other shirts while traveling and came back all excited and wanted to know if we could do the same for her. We were able to do this for her using the printer cutter heat transfer at a low cost. We tried to duplicate the QR code using our embroidery machine and it wouldnt read, but the transfer read perfectly and took you right to her web page. She was excited to find the cost to be lower also, continued Linda. Lindale Mbroidery is located at 20 West Main Street in Norwalks Uptown historic district. For more information on their products, please visit their website at www. lindalembroidery.com.
APPRAISAL
The law allows you to revalue all assets and appraise them at the fair market value on the date of death. People want to say, please appraise the item low. This is the exact opposite from what you want. If you have land that was purchased for one thousand dollars in 1970 and it now has a value of five thousand dollars an acre, when you sell, you will not owe any income tax. An apartment building that has been fully depreciated will now have a new value and income tax on its sale will be eliminated. If you keep the property, you can start over and depreciate the property again at the fair market value. This subject lends itself to many future articles. Part of estate planning is planning for the time when there is only one of you. Be prepared. Jeff Roth is a partner with Forrest Bacon, David Bacon and associate Jessica Moon of the firm ROTH and BACON with offices in Port Clinton, Upper Sandusky, Marion, Ohio and Fort Myers, Florida. All members of the firm are licensed in the State of Florida. Mr. Roths practice is limited to wealth strategy planning and elder law in both states. Nothing in this article is intended for, nor should be relied upon as individual legal advice. The purpose of this article is to help educate the public on concepts of law as they pertain to estate and business planning. If you have any questions you would like to have answered in this area of law, please direct your question to this journal and your question will be considered for use as the topic of subsequent articles. Jeff Roth can be reached at ohiofloridatrust@aol.com (telephone: 419-732-9994) copyright Jeffrey P. Roth 2012.
DO NOTHING
No one needs paid immediately and no accounts need changed. Before any title changing occurs, you must meet with an attorney and/ or CPA to insure that decisions are made with income tax, estate tax and nursing home considerations in mind. Your health, your age and your station in life all are contributing factors in smart decisions and the distribution of assets.
DISCLAIMING
There will be NO Ohio estate tax commencing
Y! HE
ng orki I'm w re he
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August 2012
27
Oldest Museum in Ohio? Right Here!

Submitted by Kristie Bilger Director Firelands Historical Society
The Firelands Historical Society has been a part of Norwalk, Ohio and Huron County since 1857, and rightly boasts itself as the oldest museum in the state of Ohio. However, most local residents are unaware of the Societys existence, its location, and vast collection of artifacts and resources. How is this possible? Why is such a historical gem wallowing in obscurity? Many of these questions plague not only museums, and non-profit organizations, but most businesses. How do businesses (and yes museums are a business too) make their institution relevant to a rapidly technologically based society and consumer base? For the Firelands Historical Society Museum and LaningYoung Research Center, the answer is simple: community outreach. In any business you need to stay relevant and approach, as well as incorporate, your community in a variety of ways. This means working with your Chamber of Commerce, Main Street association, fellow business owners and most important, your residents and consumers.
For the Firelands Historical Society, this undertaking of community outreach manifests itself through joint events in your town like Norwalks Autumn Leaves Festival or in specificallyrelated events particular to your institution. The Firelands Historical Society, along with three other local historical societies from Sandusky, Bellevue and Fostoria, hosted a wonderfully different event that took local residents interested in history and curious bystanders out of the museum and back in history to May 1912. Sponsored by PNC Bank, the Firelands Historical Society recreated on May12, 2012, Theodore Roosevelts 1912 campaign trail through northern Ohio. Traveling from one town to another in one day, a historical interpreter portrayed Teddy Roosevelt. Along with his entourage in historical costume was a procession of Model A vehicles, which brought back to life the political atmosphere of northern Ohio in 1912. In each town the former President gave a rallying speech discussing the political and social issues of the day: taxes, womens rights, and the role of the Federal Government, all to the awe and enjoyment of local audiences. This event was a once in a lifetime time
opportunity that the contributing historical societies, local residents, business owners, and local political leaders fostered as an outstanding event utilizing community connections and outreach. Such an event was certainly not the normal choice for programming with its interactive living history portrayal of past President Theodore Roosevelt, nor was the interaction between three other cities and historical societies. However, the effect of this cooperation and an event that traveled between Norwalk, Bellevue, Sandusky, and Fostoria was invaluable not only in bringing the historical relevance of these towns past and present to future generations, but also in promoting good business practices of promotion, change, cooperation, and quality. Remind not only yourself but your employees, volunteers, and local community groups that wonderful events and places are literally right in your town. Support and showcase them, as Norwalk and the Firelands Historical Society has done, by fostering what makes your town unique and working with other organizations to disseminate and make relevant your mission.
Main Street PC Earns Grant

Main Street Port Clinton was awarded a $1,000 grant from the Ottawa County Community Foundation to hold a new event: Pictures in the Park. Pictures in the Park is free and will feature movies on a large inflatable screen, similar in size to a Drive-In Theater. Viewers will have a chance to enjoy a movie, the summer evening, Lake Erie and Waterworks Park and an exciting social atmosphere.
Pictured left to right: Dawn Zink, Past President; Laura Schlachter Program Manager; Duane Myers, Ex-Officio Board Member; Jim Recker, Board Member; Missy Walker, President; Aimee Slater-West, Board Member; Doug Garrett, Board Member; Paul Rothschild, Board Member; Larry Hartlaub, Board Member; and Mayor Leone, Ex-Officio Board Member.
28 August 2012

do account planning? Account planning is looking at each and every customer you have today, prioritized by potential Return on Investment. Evaluating and brainstorming on how your product or services could help that customer. Please reread my last sentence. The sentence did not read how we can maximize our revenue for that customer but rather how can we help our customer expand his business. How can we help our customer increase their revenue or improve his/her operation? Hopefully we can do that with the products or services that we offer. Sometimes we can assist that customer with some industry knowledge that we may have due to us calling on a wide swath of companies that may help our customer. We may not net ANY $$ from that assistance directly. Yet we probably have improved/enhanced our relationship thus increasing our odds that competition stays on the outside. Sounds simple, right? It is, but rarely do I see companys sales team sitting down to discuss how their company can assist a specific group of customers. I am suggesting that your sales team, regardless of the size, take a day to brainstorm, what you can do to help your customers. What products or services do you offer that this specific customer would benefit from and why? Then figure out a way to best communicate that message. This is not a thought process by one person driving down the road thinking But rather the sales and support team that has interacted with this customer and has customer knowledge THINKING proactively thinking about how your offerings can help this customer improve his sales, profits, efficiencies, etc. The farmers are using GPS for guidance. I would think that if we want to protect our relationships and increase our revenue we could invest in some proactive thinking about our customers. Good luck and good selling.
Roger Bostdorff is the President of B2B Sales Boost. He spent over 30 years with IBM in sales and sales management. He then became President/COO of a small internet security company before founding B2B Sales Boost, LLC. B2B Sales Boost, LLC is a consulting company helping organizations improve their sales and overall business processes. You can find more about B2B Sales Boost on the web at www.b2bsalesboost.com or calling 419351-4347. If you would like to receive the B2B Sales Boost Newsletter please send an email to sales@b2bsalesboost.com
www.ncbj.net
Account Planning
By Roger Bostdorff
Sales
Firelands Federal Credit Union On Track from the Beginning

Firelands Federal Credit Union had its humble beginnings at the railroad in 1955 in Bellevue, when seven Nickel Plate employees joined together to form a financial savings club. Each of them put in $5-$10 and they applied for a charter from the federal government. Bellevue Terminal Credit Union began April, 1957; Norwalk Area Federal Credit Union began in 1949; Crawford Community Credit Union began in 1968. Firelands Federal Credit Union is a merger of all three of the credit unions listed above. Bellevue merged with Norwalk in 1999 to become Firelands and Firelands merged with Crawford Community in 2005. Firelands Federal Credit Union is one of the top Credit Unions in the area and ranks very well on a national level. In July, they opened a new branch in Monroeville, solidifying the commitment to serve Huron County residents and businesses. It currently employs 91 people, with 27 working in the Norwalk branch.
Much of the geography that will see and read this article is farm country. So allow me to frame this message regarding sales to farming. The term farming relative to sales is cultivating and nurturing existing financial relationships with existing customers. The objective is to improve or increase their satisfaction and expand the revenue secured on an ongoing basis. Todays farmers are utilizing GPS more and more to increase their yields. GPS provides the farmer maximum planting capacity for a piece of ground thus maximizing the return on investment on that piece of real estate. Based on some of the prices currently being paid for farm ground I understand why a farmer would want to maximize their return just to pay for the ground. GPS acts like a roadmap thus aiding the farmer in maximizing yield. I have seen figures quantifying the cost to secure a new customer of 8 to 10 times the cost of maintaining a current customer. When you look at your business how are you maximizing your yield? How are you increasing the level of customer satisfaction with your customers thus maximizing your revenue yield? What are you doing to keep your competitors away from your valuable customers? Many businesses that I deal with wait for the customer to call them to seek the product or service that my client has to offer. That is great if you service a market that is growing, such as agriculture. However, even then many new competitors start to migrate to those growing markets making the market tighter from a winning the business standpoint. This impacts growth, profit and overall revenue. The farmer took some proactive actions to buy and utilize GPS. He could decide to do it the same way he has been doing farming for years. However, many farmers today realize that GPS is an investment with plenty of return. In business, why do we not
The Credit Union recognizes the importance of being involved in its community supporting various causes thru sponsorships and donations. Its employees actively participate in various charitable organizations including, Kiwanis, Rotary and Salvation Army, just to name a few. It maintains offices in Bellevue, Bucyrus, Galion, Monroeville & Norwalk have combined assets of $205 million and we currently serve over 26,700 members. To join Firelands Federal Credit Union you must live, work, worship or attend school in Huron or Crawford Counties but its field of membership extends into parts of Sandusky, Erie and Seneca Counties.
BGSU Firelands Business Boot Camp Aids Entrepreneurs

Last month, BGSU Firelands offered an intensive, one-day workshop titled Start Your Business Boot Camp which provided a wide variety of information and tools to prepare aspiring entrepreneurs for starting and running a business. The program was offered in conjunction with BGSUs Center of Excellence: Developing Effective Businesses and Organizations, and RISE the Regional Incubator for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship.
www.ncbj.net
August 2012
29
IT
Microsoft Windows 8 Preview

By Don Knaur Microsoft is getting ready to introduce their new Windows 8. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, many experts think it will be more like Vista than Windows 7 or Windows XP. Two things for sure, not only is it designed mainly to benefit Microsoft, but it will also do wonders for the sale of touch screens. Windows 8 is currently scheduled for release this fall. They are now offering a free preview, but personally I would not recommend trying it unless you load it on a PC you are willing to reload, if youre not happy with it. One reviewer wrote that in order to use it properly, he had to unlearn everything he had learned about Windows since Windows 95 was released. This should give you an idea of just how different it is. The apparent idea behind Windows 8 is to allow the user to be able to follow the same steps on their PC as they do on their tablet or smart phone. Personally, I have always thought that since a PC can do far more than a smart phone, it is all right for a PC to be different. Since Windows 8 emulates a cell phone, it is designed to be used with a touch screen. It will work with a standard screen, using the mouse, but not nearly as easily or quickly. This may make touch screen manufacturers happy, but will undoubtedly be a problem for most users. One possible saving grace to Windows 8 is there is an option available to utilize the Windows 7 interface. All you have to do is find that option using the Windows 8 interface. Also, Microsoft claims that you can run any software that runs on Windows 7, but they dont mention anything at all about the XP software that can now be run on Windows 7 Pro using the virtual XP world. Software developers other than Microsoft are in for a hard time, also. Windows 8 will not support any browsers other than Internet Explorer. That will not be acceptable to millions of Google and Firefox users. One good thing is, Windows 8 users will not have to download and keep updated Adobe Reader or FoxIT as Windows 8 does have its own PDF reader included. Even worse news is that Windows Media Center is not a free add-on to Windows 8. Windows Media Center, which has been a free addon for the last several versions of Windows, is the utility that lets you watch video clips and TV show downloads. You will now have to pay for that download. Also, Windows 8 will not allow you to view DVDs without adding a special piece of viewer software. While I much prefer to watch DVDs on my HD TV, I know
many of you enjoy them on your PCs and while viewing may be possible, it will be just another hassle. Another way Microsoft plans to improve their income is that Windows 8 includes a direct link, not just in the favorites, to the Windows store. Of course, this is just an offering, but it still gives them a leg up on their competition. Microsofts first goal is always to make as much money as they can any way they can. As far as I know, there has been no pricing information released at this time. However, they have protected anyone who buys a Windows 7 PC between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 by allowing them a special price of $14.99 for a Windows 8 Professional download copy, if the purchase is consummated before February 28, 2013. From everything I have seen so far, I think that, unless you are one of those people that just have to have the latest technology available, it would be worth more than worth
your while to say pass to the Windows 8 experience. Don is the CWO (Chief Working Officer) of Help-Desk, Ohio, a complete computer service center, located in Suite A of the Courtlee Interiors Building, 2499 W. Market in Tiffin. Don has a degree in Computer Programming from Tiffin University and has been an Information Technology Professional for over 26 years. He started Help-Desk, Ohio in the spring of 1996 and opened his shop in March 2001. Don welcomes calls for advice or information at 419-448-8020.
The care you trust is in your own back yard.

in Norwalk: Monday-Saturday (including evening hours) 282 Benedict Ave. Ste B 419-668-9409* in Bellevue: Monday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 1400 W. Main St. Bldg 1, Ste C 419-483-4122
*Phone line opens at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday to schedule sick appointments for all locations
30 August 2012
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Nobody likes to talk about chest pain.

But you need to have a plan just in case.
Sharon Haver began experiencing what she thought was acid reflux. She was leaving to go to the store to get anti-acid medicine when the pain became stronger and she began to sweat. It was then that she realized it wasnt acid reflux. She began to shake, and knew it was time to call 911. The squad arrived quickly. When Sharon arrived at the Mercy Tiffin Hospitals emergency department, she saw Laura Gaietto and Craig Hepp. She said to them, Dont let me die. Laura and Craig responded, Not on our shift Sharon. Sharon said that the entire emergency department staff stayed close to her and knew exactly what to do. They assured her that there was a Chest Pain Accredited team taking great care of her and everything would be okay. Laura Gaietto continued to hold her hand. Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick said that she needed to be transported via Life Flight. Within 40 minutes of her arrival at the emergency department, Sharon was on her way to Mercy St. Vincents Medical Center. Sharon credits her remaining life to the treatment she received at Mercy Tiffins emergency department. Laura and Craig are truly angels of Mercy, said Sharon. They saved my broken heart.
Human Resources
Employee Morale the Silent Business Killer or the Best Kept Secret!
Submitted by Steven J. Krisfalusy History has proven that people with high morale are not only happier but more productive and often miss fewer days from work. They tend to be more helpful, easier to communicate with and often troubleshoot problems quicker and require less supervision. On the other hand, low morale can and does put a slow drain on the business that is very hard to detect on a P&L report. When your people take just 5 or 10 minutes longer to perform a task; take 1 or 2 more breaks; are not willing to help co-workers it can cause additional time loss. The worst case scenario is that it can even lead to employee sabotage. Sabotage can be as easy as deleting computer files or allowing a virus into the system and we all know how reliant we are on our computers these days. Recognizing that Employee Morale is integrated & are real HR & Business impacting issues you should invest X time consistently to help ensure it is high. That is the best tactic of all to start with. What causes low employee morale? It can be manifested from multiple directions such as: Poor relationships with Managers; firings or layoffs or conflicts with co-workers. The companies culture can also have an effect on morale. Often a change in management produces changes that can have either a positive or negative ripple effect throughout the organization. The culture & morale should be monitored even closer during that transition period. No matter how skilled, smart, talented and experienced your employees are, if they are not happy with their jobs, their work will suffer. Keeping employee morale high is important because it will is a key underlying factor between a businesses success & failure. High morale breeds more productivity and efficiency. That can be the difference between profit and loss in this competitive economy. You CAN NOT buy high morale! It is more of a spirit or mind set of feelings towards the organization and its people. Both high & low morale can be contagious and if you are smart you can take advantage of the positive side of that. When people want to give and do their best your business will do better. Whether that is in sales making critical follow up calls or a quality related issue in Manufacturing, the results are the same a job well done! All organizations will always face challenges that have an effect on morale. Who owns the responsibility of company morale? It should be a team effort between HR and Management. A key to this starts with recognizing the importance of Human Resources as a business impacting area to the bottom line. The next step is to get a good understanding of any core problems or issues and separate them from the chaff of just noise. A great way, inexpensive, to accomplish that is by creating and implementing an employee survey. This alone has challenges in that you should probe at various levels and people can be hesitant to share their true thoughts with someone else on the same companies payroll. An outsider that will keep names confidential can be a great asset during this discovery effort. Once you identify the core issues, establishing a plan to address them and then implementing it is next. Dont make the mistake that a onetime shot will cure things. Consistency is key. This is especially true in small to
If you experience chest pain along with any of the following symptoms of a heart attack, call 911 immediately: Pain and/or squeezing sensation of the chest Shortness of breath Sweating Indigestion Arm pain or upper back pain General feeling of illness
I thought it was acid reflux until I began to sweat.
Mercy knows
St. Anne St. Charles St. Vincent
by heart.
mercyweb.org
Childrens Defiance Tiffin Willard
See HR, Page 31
www.ncbj.net
HR, from Page 30
mid-sized businesses were its people are its greatest assets. As business owners and decision makers, if you add morale to your list of items that need some attention, your bottom line will benefit and so will your people. A win-win scenario! Now ask yourself the question: How important is HR, morale in my business and what am I doing about it? Managing Partner Human Resource/Business Divisions SJK Beringer Group, Inc. Managing Business and Controlling IT
August 2012
31
Print Shop Manager buys Minuteman Press

Jim Kieffer of Bayview, who has served as manager the past several years at the local Minuteman Press franchise in Portage Township. He will be moving the full service print shop into a location at Harbor Lights Landing. Kieffer has been married to his wife Beth for 39 years. The couple has two sons and four grandchildren. In his spare time, Jim Kieffer is a musician and plays in the Port Clinton Community Band as well as in the Terra Jazz Band and the Terra Brass Choir.
Business Marketplace
To advertise call Dave at 419-734-4838
P N
Branch Manager/Sales Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation
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32 August 2012
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Memorial Ear, Nose & Throat (E.N.T.) Specialty Care

Dr. Williams sees patients full time in Fremont
James M. Williams, M.D., Ph.D.

Memorial Ear, Nose & Throat Specialty Care physician James Williams, M.D., Ph.D. specializes in treating adult and pediatric ear, nose and throat conditions, including surgery for head and neck disorders.
MEMORIAL EAR, NOSE & THROAT SPECIALTY CARE

I I I I
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Nasal and Septal Surgery Laser Surgery Head and Neck Surgery
(for tumors and facial skin cancer)
Evaluation and treatment of dizziness and balance disorders External, middle and inner ear surgery Snoring and obstructive sleep apnea surgery
Pediatric upper airway surgery and ear tubes Treatment of hearing loss Tonsillectomies
I I
Adenoidectomies
605 Third Avenue, Fremont Office: 567.201.2890 (This is a local call in Fremont)
memorialhcs.org/ENT
For an appointment with Dr. Williams, call his office at 567.201.2890.

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POSTMASTER: Deliver to Label Addressee or Current Resident

AUGUST 2012 Vol. 18 No. 8

Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.

INSIDE THIS MONTH

Celebrating 18 Years of Service

Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Tiffin, OH 44883 Permit #88

See NORWALK, Page 4

Were a proud member of the following:

Chamber of Commerce Erie County Chamber of Sandusky County of Commerce

Busy Times at the Huron Co. Chamber

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