Cincy Magazine October 2018 by Cincy Magazine

IM WITH â€”Cincinnati Police Officer Jennifer Chilton Thursday, September 6, 2018 Fifth Third Bank Center

The only natural birth center in the Cincinnati area.

A Natural Approach to Childbirth At the Natural Beginnings Birth Center, we believe childbearing is a normal, healthy and life-changing event. We believe women are empowered and strengthened through the childbirth process. Labor and birth takes place in a home-like setting with your family present. In addition to our board-certified obstetricians, we have certified nurse midwives on staff who are trained to care for you throughout your pregnancy. Our dedicated nursing staff is skilled at assisting, supporting, and guiding women â€“ and their families â€“ through the process of natural childbirth. Natural Beginnings uses movement, positioning and hydrotherapy to help a mother cope with labor and birth. Should complications arise, emergency medical care and a Level II Special Care Nursery is available just down the hall.

We are located inside Atrium Medical Center, a full-service hospital that offers private, home-like rooms with modern comfortable surroundings.

If you are interested in enrolling in the Natural Beginnings Birth Center, please contact your physician or midwife or call (513) 974-4291.

atriummedcenter.org/naturalbeginnings

When Only the Very Best Will Do...

Helping older adults enjoy a well-rounded fulfilling lifestyle in a faith-filled environment is a privilege we take very seriously. Visit a Christian Village Community campus today to learn more. 5 Years Running 2017

(513) 398-1486

(513) 931-5000

www.christianvillages.org

Contents

The Magazine for Business Professionals

O c t o b e r 20 1 8

THE

INFLUENCERS

View 4 Publisher’s BY ERIC HARMON 6 Contributors 7 Web Exclusives Cincy 8 Inside Inside the U.S.S. Nightmare,

30 Midwestern Traveler

Finest 40 Cincinnati’s On one of Cincinnati’s darkest days, four police officers proved that they’re still with us. BY PETER BRONSON

45 The Influencers

a preview of Burwinkel Farm’s fall activities and the numbers behind the SkyStar.

11 Scene CINCY LIVE Business Like Show 20 No Business

When it’s time for a fall getaway many destinations are just a short car trip away. BY CORINNE MINARD

39 Dining & Events

Six men and women are using their connections and reputations to better the Tristate. BY THE EDITORS

COMMUNITY

52 Reflections on Leadership

Broadway in Cincinnati continues to bring quality productions to the region. BY DAVID LYMAN

23 A&E Calendar 2

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Walhill Farm offers a high-end dining and event experience on a working farm. BY WILL JONES

Cincinnati has a long history of supporting scientific endeavors. BY DAN HURLEY

View 54 Another Cincinnati voters can limit council terms and campaign cash in November. BY DON MOONEY

56 Bronson-At-Large

BUSINESS Entrepreneur 64 Cincy Hall of Fame

LIVE WELL

103 Women’s Health

Cincy Magazine honored four entrepreneurs who have made their mark on the Tristate. BY THE EDITORS

68 The Next Wave Local physicians say they’re here to help women as they enter a new stage of their lives. BY DEBORAH RUTLEDGE

What happens when a college president retires? BY PETER BRONSON

Step in the Right 58 ADirection

108 Putting Service First Kathy Fish, P&G’s chief research, development and innovation officer, is prepping the company for a future of innovation. BY LIZ ENGEL

71 First Line of Defense Superior Dental Care uses customer service and its large network to help clients. BY ERIC SPANGLER The Center for Independent Living Options is helping those with disabilities find the help and resources they may need. BY SCOTT UNGER

3 Questions with

CINCY HOME Individuals are the key to limiting susceptibility of our nation’s computer systems. BY ERIC SPANGLER

110 Raise the Roof

Event Planner 75 Holiday Guide

Companies can reward their staff with a fun and memorable holiday party thanks to the region’s many venues. BY CORINNE MINARD

Old, 96 Something Something New

David Mueller

New principal of Archbishop McNicholas High School. BY CORINNE MINARD

McHale’s Catering is bringing something new to downtown Cincinnati with an update of a historic venue. BY MADISON RODGERS

in Business 98 Best Calendar & Directory

Homeowners have more options for roofing materials thanks to new metal styles. BY AMY THORNLEY

112 Love Cincy

Cincy (ISSN-1934-8746) published in February/March; April/ May; June/July; August/September; October; November; December/January for a total of seven issues by Cincy, 30 Garfield Place, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Cincy, 30 Garfield Place, Suite 440, Cincinnati, OH 45202. w w w.

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Publisher’s View

We’re With You I’m with you. You heard these words that Cincinnati Police Officer Jennifer Chilton repeated to her partner officers as they rushed towards the gunman. This was a challenging moment in Cincinnati, making us all immediately assess the whereabouts of those we love. The families who lost loved ones and those who were hurt deserve our sympathy and support, but nobody should have to suffer through atrocities such as this. For most of us, there is not much we can do in this situtation. It’s likely you’ve been doing and feeling the same things as me. I pause. Things like this outweigh our personal to-do’s, and make daily choices mundane. I am angry. As I write this, something swells within that seeks retribution upon those who take—those who take lives, love, the existence we all seek and deserve. I am thankful. Thanks to the Cincinnati Police. Thanks to the local journalists who provided us with crucial and timely information. Thanks to a Cincinnati community and its leadership that recognize what we have together. I pray. That what is learned can be put into action to better outcomes in the future—for the safety of those who serve the common good and us all.

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Locally, veteran and family owned Editor & Publisher Eric Harmon

Managing Editor Corinne Minard Associate Editors Eric Spangler, Scott Unger Contributing Writers Jessica Baltzersen, Peter Bronson, Liz Engel, Bill Ferguson Jr., Hisle, Dan Hurley, Will Jones, Don Mooney, Deborah Rutledge, Amy Thornley Interns Sara Prchlik, Abby Shoyat Creative Director Guy Kelly Art Director Katy Rucker Digital Content Editor Madison Rodgers Sales and Operations Manager Anthony Rhoades Custom Sales Manager Brad Hoicowitz Advertising Director Abbey Cummins Account Executive Susan Montgomery Inside Sales Ian Altenau, Katelynn Webb Advertising Manager Laura Federle Audience Development Coordinator Alexandra Stacey Events Director Hannah Jones Production Manager Keith Ohmer Work-study Students Esvin Bernardo Perez, Aliyah White Cincy on the web: www.cincymagazine.com Cincy Co. LLC Cincinnati Club Building 30 Garfield Place, Suite 440 Cincinnati, OH 45202 Contact Cincy: information@cincymagazine.com or call (513) 421-2533. Go to www.cincymagazine.com to get your complimentary subscription to Cincy.

Taking Care of Ohioans Since 1934 For more than 80 years, Medical Mutual has provided high-quality health insurance plans with local customer service to individuals, families, seniors and businesses throughout Ohio. Visit MedMutual.com/Ohio2018 to see what we can do for you.

Contributors

Jessica Baltzersen holds an M.A. in English from Northern Kentucky University and works as a freelance writer and adjunct English instructor in the Greater Cincinnati area. Her background is in journalism, creative nonfiction and web content development.

Cincy Magazine contributing editor Peter Bronson is an author, editor, publisher and owner of Chilidog Press LLC. He is a former reporter, columnist and editor at The Cincinnati Enquirer, The Tucson Citizen and other newspapers in Arizona and Michigan.

Liz Engel is a business writer, runner and once-upon-a-time volleyballer who found her way back to the Queen City following stints in North Carolina and Tennessee. Sheâ€™s spent more than a decade covering topics like health care, transit and entrepreneurship.

Bill Ferguson Jr. is a writer/editor/ communications consultant who has spent 40-plus years as an editor and reporter for six newspapers, beginning at age 14 as a sports reporter for his hometown daily.

Dan Hurley is a local historian and the president of Applied History Associates, which works with museums and historical societies throughout the Eastern U.S.

A marketing communications professional born and bred in Cincinnati, Will Jones enjoys telling the stories behind brands and making them appeal to any and everyone.

Don Mooney is a Cincinnati attorney, a past member of the Cincinnati Planning Commission and active in local politics.

Deborah Rutledge is a freelance feature writer, originally from Northern Ohio, who has lived and worked in Cincinnati for nearly 20 years.

Amy Thornley is a freelance writer, studio manager, event planner and yoga teacher. She and her family fell in love with Cincinnati eight years ago.

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Best

Web Exclusives TOP 5 ONLINE STORIES

Schools 2018

1 2018 Best Schools by the Editors

For the fifth year in a row, we’re crunchin g the numbers and ranking Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky high schools to determine which are the best. Where did your school fall in our rankings?

OHIO

56 Outstanding Educators 60 Cincinnati Public Schools 62 Private School Guide 74 St. Gertrude School

Madeira High School

After a year off, Madeira High School returns to the No. 1 spot in our annual high school rankings. Madeira takes the top ranking so often because it consistently does well in all categories. It has the highest school performa nce index score of the schools ranked and is among the best in the categories of attendance rate, graduation rate, student/te acher ratio and ACT score. Outside of academic s, the school had a student play in the French Open Junior tennis tournament, had its baseball team play in the state tournament, and celebrated 10 years of its Day of Service program.

3 ECOT Charter Scam has Ohio GOP on the Ropes by Don Mooney

2 Walnut Hills High School CINCINN ATI PUBIC SCHOOLS

4 Forming Educated Leaders by Corinne Minard

After sitting at No. 4 for the last two years, Walnut Hills High School has maneuver ed itself into the No. 2 spot. A perennial member of many best schools in Ohio lists, the high school keeps itself at the top with the second highest school performa nce index score (89), a 100 percent graduatio n rate and a high pass rate of AP tests (81.1 percent). Its students also do well on ACT tests, with five students scoring a perfect 36 this year. However, Walnut Hills is also committed to having well-roun ded students who excel in categories in areas other than academic s. In the last year, 46

LIVE

48 School Rankings 52 Honorable Mentions 53 Special Programs

MADEIR A CIT Y SCHOOLS DISTRICT

2 Cincy Home: Not Just for Seniors by Amy Thornley

5 A Taste of Home by Will Jones

I N SI DE:

46 Top Schools

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students covered the mayor’s race for the school newspaper, raised funds for new band uniforms with a GoFundMe page and competed at the Prasco Charity Championship at TPC River’s Bend.

3 Indian Hill High School

INDIAN HILL EXEMPTE D V ILLAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT

thanks to its girls soccer team being named Ohio Division II state champio ns and ranked No. 35 out of 16,000 girls’ varsity teams. One of the team’s players was also named the 2017-18 Gatorade Ohio Girls Soccer Player of the Year, the first from Indian Hill to do so in 33 years.

4 Wyoming High School W

YOMING CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT With the highest per-pupil spending in the region ($15,992) and one of the lowest Seven Wyoming High School students student/teacher ratios in the Tristate (11.41 received perfect ACT scores this year, an to 1), Indian Hill High School continues impressive number that is more impresits reign as one of the best high schools in sive when you consider the entire school the area. Indian Hill found success both in consists of 638 students. Though Wyoming and out of the classroom this year, though, dropped from No. 3 to No. 4 year this year,

Fall looks to be an event-packed season this year with many new and recurring events happening during the season. Visit Cincy.Live to learn more about and buy tickets for events like the BBB Torch Awards, Best of the North and the inaugural NKY Bourbon Festival.

DIALOGUE Patty Brisben @pattybrisben Thank you @CincyMagazine! It was an amazing night! Congrats to my fellow honorees! ShannanB @ShannanB @EricKearney is passionate about small businesses and making the Cincinnati region known as a national leader in small business growth. @CincyMagazine Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame #smallbusiness #Cincinnati AACCPresident @AACCPresident Incredible interesting (and huge!) crowd @CincyMagazine Entrepreneur Awards. Honoring Tim Metzner @OCEANaccel Patty Brisben @PureRomance Neil Bortz @TownePropApts Mahendra Vora of Vora Ventures. I’m honored to present @CincyAAChamber #PartnerFocusSupportLead!

VIDEO Cincy Magazine has kept busy this summer with its many events. Not able to attend them? Visit YouTube.com/CincyCompany to see a video re-cap of our Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame.

Lauren B Worley @SpaceLauren Check this article from @CincyMagazine about #IamCPS leaders on how #CincinnatiPublicSchools are helping students follow their passions! w w w.

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InsideCincy

Fear in the Water THE U.S.S. NIGHTMARE RETURNS FOR ITS 26TH SEASON OF TERROR ON THE OHIO RIVER By Scott Unger

The U.S.S. Nightmare is docked on Riverboat Row in Newport, Kentucky.

cares and screams will return to the Ohio River Sept. 21, when the U.S.S. Nightmare opens its 26th season as the only floating haunted house in the region. Built in 1934 as a dredging ship, the retired William S. Mitchell now serves as an annual haunt for Tristate visitors. While many haunted houses provide scares, the Mitchell could provide the real thing, as there were 112 crewmember deaths in the boat’s 45 years of active service, according to U.S.S. Nightmare CEO Terri Bernstein. “We always joke that Disney couldn’t build a [haunted] boat as good as ours because our boat really went through it,” Bernstein says. “I’ve owned the boat my whole life and I still won’t walk through it by myself. It’s very creepy.” All of the boat’s original machinery is still onboard, with exhibits built around it, and the ship’s natural creaks and groans 8

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provide added chills for visitors. Prices for a 30-minute general admission tour of the two-deck ship range from $20 to $50 for a front of the line pass. Not all will make it through the tour, as the Nightmare boasts that 15 percent of patrons ask to leave the scares before completing the experience. Adding to the frights is the return of the RIP Experience and the Captain’s Extreme Tour, which allow for a more “immersive” experience with guests that includes contact with actors. In addition, the advanced tours feature additional rooms for a more extreme trip through the boat, Bernstein says. Guests are given special wristbands to let the actors know who is in the RIP Experience, but the Captain’s Extreme Tour is an exclusive adults-only experience, offered on Oct. 13 and 20. “It’s definitely adult rated, there’s a lot

of vulgar language and the actors aren’t completely covered all the time,” Bernstein says. “They’re not naked but they’re definitely more risqué than our regular show.” This year may feature an appearance by the man in the white mask himself, Michael Myers, as part of a special event partnership with AMC theaters on Nov. 3. Guests will get a pass to see the release of the new Halloween reboot and a trip through the U.S.S. Nightmare. “Who wouldn’t want to go see a horror movie and then go run through a haunted house?” Bernstein says. “It’s a great date night.” Guests can also sign up for the Haunted Boos Cruise on Sept. 28 and Nov. 2, which features trips through the Nightmare and Cincinnati’s Dent Schoolhouse, followed by a late night cruise aboard BB Riverboats. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ussnightmare.com. n

Q&A

4 Questions with Karen Burwinkel MARKET MANAGER OF BURWINKEL FARMS By Madison Rodgers

urwinkel Farms has brought food to tables and memories to families for 100 years. From fresh produce to family activities, they have much to offer to the Cincinnati community, particularly during the fall. Karen Burwinkel is the market manager of Burwinkel Farms and sheds a little light on what’s to come this season.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THE FARM AND HOW IT WAS STARTED? It was started by my grandpa in 1918. I don’t know what made my grandpa want to start a farm, but all of his kids were involved until the 1970s. Eventually my dad took it over.

2018 MARKS 100 YEARS FOR BURWINKEL FARMS. WHAT DO YOU THINK LEAD TO YOUR SUCCESS? Our passion. The whole family comes home for a month in the summer to help. It’s all instilled in us and we have a very strong work ethic and we’re very proud of what we do. I think that is also ingrained in our products as well. We really care about the quality of

Burwinkel Farms in Ross, Ohio, hosts a hayride during the fall. our products that we put out. I think that makes the quality of the product that the customers are receiving that much better. We’ve gotten loyal customers over the years that tell their friends and come back. We wouldn’t be able to do any of it without the loyal customers and their support.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT TO FIND AT BURWINKEL FARMS?

Visitors in the fall will be able to enjoy two corn mazes and a skid maze.

It depends on what they’re stopping for. If they’re stopping for produce they can expect high-quality homegrown produce that you can’t find in the normal big box stores. If they’re coming for the fall stuff, they can expect making lots of memories with their families. We see families come back here year after year.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE ACTIVITIES YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR FALL? Every year we have a hayride and pickyour-own pumpkin patch. We have almost 10 acres of sunflowers, pumpkins and corn mazes. Everybody gets to pick a sunflower and a little pumpkin. We have two corn mazes and we have a skid maze. We have a corn pool that the kids get to play in. It’s corn taken off the cob and it’s a big pool of it that the kids get to play in. We have a straw tunnel for the kids to climb through. There are all kinds of fall-related activities. Sept. 29 is our opening date for this year and it will go all through October. n w w w.

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By the Numbers

Going Skyward on the Banks The SkyStar Observation Wheel rolled into Cincinnati’s Smale Riverfront Park on the Banks in late August and will continue its run through Dec. 2. Todd Schneider, managing partner of SkyStar Wheel LLC, says the St. Louis-based company launched the SkyStar in March in Louisville for the Kentucky Derby, then took it to Norfolk, Virginia, before coming here. “People are so friendly here. They stop and say they’re glad we brought the SkyStar here. We’re excited to be here. We’ll definitely look to do more here.” While vacationing in Europe, he was introduced to the concept of a Ferris wheel operating for months at a time in a single city and says it’s the only such Ferris wheel in the United States. Tickets are $12.50 for the four-revolution, 12-minute ride; it operates 4-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday; noon to midnight Friday; 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday. (Research and photos by Bill Ferguson Jr.)

216

150

SkyStar’s height, in feet, on platform, about 15 stories tall, more than double the height of the nearby National Underground Railroad Freedom Center (the wheel itself is 137 feet)

1 million

Number of people who can ride at once in 36 gondolas

Combinations of light colors possible with computer-controlled LED lights

650,000 Weight, in pounds, of SkyStar after setup; transported on 14 tractor-trailer rigs, including three with superloads of 98,000 pounds apiece

$7 million

Cost to develop; took two years to design in Holland, the Netherlands, and 18 months to deliver

100,000-plus Number of riders so far in three cities

SOURCE: SKYSTAR WHEEL LLC

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Days to build the SkyStar on-site (four to five to remove it)

SCENE

Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame

Cincy Magazine hosted the first Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame to showcase and honor the Tristateâ€™s pioneering entrepreneurs and their supporting organizations on Aug. 22 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. The event honored Tim Metzner, Ocean; Patty Brisben, Pure Romance; Neil Bortz, Towne Properties Management; and Mahendra Vora, Vora Ventures. Eric Kearney of the African American Chamber also gave a presentation about how to help minority-owned businesses. The emcee was Courtis Fuller of WLWT. The event was sponsored by Flagel Huber Flagel, AT&T, KMK Law and Gateway Community & Technical College. Republic Bank was a table sponsor. The community partners were UpTech, Ocean, EO Cincinnati and HCDC Business Center. The nonprofit beneficiary was DePaul Cristo Rey High School. 1 Cheryl Force, Jojo Barrow, Kathryn Pravel, Suzanne Murray and Jen Kidder 2 From Flagel Huber Flagel: Joe Gordon, Chuck Craft and Terry Egan 3 From Pure Romance: Sue Pinkard, Andy Hueber, Lauren Hueber and Talia Brisben 4 From Pure Romance: Mitch Haus, Chris Postler and Sean Lee 5 Jake Geglein, Constellation Wealth Advisors; Peg Moertl, HCDC; Mike Veith, Constellation Wealth Advisors; and Cheryl Rose; Constellation Wealth Advisors 6 Doug Burgess, Republic Bank; Chuck Matthews, University of Cincinnati; Patrick Longo, HCDC; Michael A. Hirschfield, Graydon; and Kenneth Webb, Republic Bank 7 Scott Weiss, Ocean; Mike Holloran, Ocean; and Evans Nwankwo, Megen Construction

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Scene Songbook Academy Finals The Great American Songbook Foundation held its annual Songbook Academy Finals July 28 at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. The Great American Songbook Foundation’s annual Songbook Academy is the only youth intensive dedicated to the nation’s timeless popular music. In this closing concert emceed by Michael Feinstein, top high school vocalists vie for awards and opportunities to perform at prestigious venues across the country.

1 18-year-old Lily Rasmussen performs w it h ac c ompa n i st Bec k ie Men z ie. 2 Songbook Academy finalists perform an opening song. 3 Students from the Songbook Academy participated in the finals. 4 From left: Lily Rasmussen, Anaïs Reno and Zoë Stewart took home top honors.

Royalmont Academy Catholic School • Preschool - 12th grade • Full and 1/2 Day Preschool • Full Day Kindergarten • Small class sizes

Bringing Souls to Christ by Forming Christian Leaders

OPEN HOUSE

November 11th, 2-4pm Come see the Royalmont Difference! 200 Northcrest Drive • Mason, Ohio 45040

513-754-0555 • www.royalmont.org 12

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City Of Florence Independence Day Celebration The city of Florence collaborated with its minor-league baseball team, Florence Freedom, to provide another Independence Day Celebration on July 3, 2018 at the UC Health Stadium in Florence. Everyone that attended enjoyed a variety of food trucks, carnival rides, a car show, music by DV8 and a Florence Freedom game, ending the evening with an array of fireworks.

1 The daylong celebration included a Florence Freedom game. 2 The festivities also included a car show. 3 Plenty of food and drink vendors were on hand to keep the party going.

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Scene Grainworks Seafood Boil & Beer Grainworks Brewing Company hosted its first-ever Seafood Boil & Beer July 28 at its location in West Chester. The event featured live island music by the Queen City Silver Stars and The Bacchanal Steel Band, and each ticket included a 2.5-pound individual serving of crawfish, crab legs, corn, shrimp, clams, red potatoes, langostino lobster tails and andouille sausage. 1 The Queen City Silver Stars 2 Steven Brock, founder of Grainworks Brewing Company 3 Attendees enjoyed local craft beer and seafood. 4 A seafood-packed meal was included with each ticket.

VETERANS DAY PROGRAM Sunday, November 11th, 2018 7:00 a.m. Florence, KY 41042 www.honorrunhalf.com This year, we celebrate our 5 year anniversary. Please help us continue the mission of honoring those who have served us by joining us as a race sponsor. With your help, the events of the 2018 Honor Run Half Marathon will once again be the largest running, health, wellness, and exercise event based solely in Northern Kentucky.

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Sunday, November 11th, 2018 2:00 p.m. Florence Government Center

8100 Ewing Blvd Please join us as we honor our Military Veterans for their sacrifice and service to our country. Our program will feature a speaker, performances by the Florence Community Band and Chorus and the recognition of our adopted troop the â€™Renegadesâ€™.

Highland Park Grand Opening Party Uptown Home Construction, an affiliate of Cincinnati-based Uptown Rental Properties, LLC partnered with Doug Manzler and Debi Martin of Keller Williams Advisors for their LEED new-construction single-family home project, Highland Park. Located in Mt. Auburn, Highland Park offers residents panoramic views from private rooftop decks, two-car garages, modern finishes and significant property tax savings. Uptown and Keller Williams Advisors held a community open house inviting potential residents, Realtors and neighbors to preview their first completed market home. 1 The catering was courtesy of Kateâ€™s Catering in Dayton, Kentucky. 2 Homes feature a private rooftop deck. 3 The homes provide city views. 4 Residents, realtors and neighbors were invited to the open house. 5 Phase 1 will be completed in November. 6 Buyers can choose finishes from a curated design selection.

Revel OTR Urban Winery 111 E. 12th Street â€˘ Cincinnati, OH 45202

#comerev

elwithus

Holiday packages available including tastings and tours!

@Revel OTR

Book your private party today! 513.579.WINE | events@revelotr.com | revelotr.com w w w.

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Scene Lindner Center of HOPE’s 10-Year Anniversary Celebration The Lindner Center of HOPE honored its years of helping the Tristate with its 10-Year Anniversary Celebration Aug. 5 at Kaze in Over-the-Rhine. The evening included dinner by the bite, entertainment and raffle baskets.

1 Amy and Chris Gilles 2 Bryan Hehemann and Dr. Charlie Brady 3 Corinne Kaufman and Brandon Colton 4 Domingo Balbi and Dr. Margot Brandi 5 Dr. Brett and Anna Dowdy 6 Dr. Nelson Rodriguez with Jim and Christine Klein 7 Dr. Paul E. Keck with Celeste and Rick Hensley

Taste of Silverton Meier’s Wine Cellars hosted the fourth annual Taste of Silverton on June 16. The day featured food by MVP Sports Bar & Grille, Krimmer’s Italianette Pizza, Delhi Palace Indian Cuisine, Chef B Creations and Sweets by LaDawn, along with live music by 2nd Wind Band and wine from Meier’s. 1

1 2nd Wind Band performed during the event. 2 The Delhi Place served its Indian cuisine. 3 Chef B Creations served up barbecue. 4 Meier’s Wine Cellars owner Paul Lux and Lynn Florimonte 5 The crowd enjoyed the live band.

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Taste of SUA Saint Ursula Academy hosted its annual Taste of SUA party at the end of August, featuring food trucks and vendors from East Walnut Hills and neighboring communities. The event is a celebration of the start of the new school year and welcomes school families, faculty and staff, alumnae, neighbors, and friends of Saint Ursula. Guests also enjoyed tours of SUA’s new theater, art and design wing and library/ media center. Vendors this year included Fireside Pizza, Garnished Pomme Frites, Kona Ice, Nothing Bundt Cakes, and Heidelberg Distributing Co. 1 The Fireside Pizza mobile oven 2 The party included many kid-friendly games. 3 The Donovan Family joined the fun. 4 Tyler Bundy, Bailey Beardsley, Jessica Pedoto, Mary Ellen Lintner and Brian Vorwald 5 Food trucks came to Saint Ursula Academy to celebrate the start of school.

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Scene Bacon, Blues & Brew Walhill Farm in Batesville, Indiana, hosted the Bacon, Blues & Brew Music and Art Festival on July 28. The day featured live music performed by Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band and Samantha Fish along with food provided by Walhill Farm. A portion of the event proceeds went to Overdose Lifeline, a nonprofit that assists individuals, families and communities affected by addiction and substance abuse. 1 Walhill Bacon Burgers were on the festival’s menu. 2 Music and food lovers of all ages could attend the event. 3 The event included plenty of food and beer. 4 Attendees could explore Walhill Farm during the event. 5 The outside music was free to anyone who attended the festival.

Collect a Coat Keep It Cool WISEWAY DESIGN SHOWROOM

Create a Warm Smile Each year, St. Vincent de Paul collects coats that it gives to our neighbors in need throughout the winter. You can help by hosting a coat drive.

Call to learn more: 513-562-8841 18

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Make your design dreams come true... Wiseway offers one of the most complete plumbing and lighting showrooms in Greater Cincinnati with over 4,000 square feet featuring many of your favorite brands! 8301 Dixie Hwy • Florence, KY 41042 859•371•2211

www.wisewaysupply.com

LIVE! ARTS FEATURE page 20

A&E CALENDAR page 23

FALL GETAWAYS page 30

DINING & EVENTS page 39

Pianist Yefim Bronfman joins the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for Bronfman Plays Brahms Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Music Hall.

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No Business Like Show Business BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI CONTINUES TO BRING QUALITY PRODUCTIONS TO THE REGION, LIKE THE UPCOMING CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY By David Lyman

Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will be playing at the Aronoff Center Oct. 23-Nov. 4.

harlie and the Chocolate Factory opens Oct. 23 in Cincinnati as the first production of the 2018-2019 Broadway in Cincinnati season. It’s a festive show. And family friendly. And it has a familiar title, so audiences are likely to flock to see the show during its two-week engagement at the Aronoff Center. No one planned it this way, but Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is also a perfect analogy for the folks who present these Broadway extravaganzas. Like the show’s wizard-like leading character, Willy Wonka, the Broadway in Cincinnati series has been wooing us with dreams and promises of ever-greater ones for more than three decades. But at the same time, Willy is a businessman. A very smart and savvy one. We’re just lucky that he’s a guy who wants nothing more than better chocolate for his adoring customers. And frankly, you could say the same thing about the folks who have been bringing high-quality Broadway shows to Cincinnati since 1987. First, who are “they?” 20

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These days, the name at the top is that of Leslie Broecker, the Louisville-based president of the Midwest Region of Broadway Across America, the group that presents the lion’s share of the nation’s top touring shows. Broecker is the daughter of Brad Broecker who, along with his business partner, Jim Howland, stepped into the near-vacuum that was Broadway-style entertainment in Cincinnati in the early 1980s. Over the course of the previous decade or so, one downtown theater after another had been razed. The Albee. The Shubert. The Cox. The Grand. The Palace. Keith’s. They were all committed to rubble. And only then did someone decide that something was missing. Brad Broecker was and still is a showman at heart. To some, he felt a little like the leading character in The Music Man when he showed up in Cincinnati and promised to restore the vigor and vibrancy of Broadway tours. He talked a good game. And he was very convincing. Best of all, he had a track

record. Not a formidable one. But he had taken over the Louisville Theatrical Association in 1982 and, but by the force of his own personal charisma and connections, had made it work. Now, he and Howland were proposing to do the same thing here in Cincinnati. They were good. Very good. But their timing was even better. Let’s step back a second. If you’re trying to sell audiences a yearly offering of touring Broadway shows, you are utterly dependent on what shows are opening on Broadway. That sounds simplistic, but it’s true. If there is no “product” being created at the front end of the supply chain, there isn’t going to be anything there for the folks at the end of the supply chain. The 1970s were a particularly tough time for Broadway. There were some new shows, but there was not the abundance of them that there had been 20 years earlier. Even more concerning was that patrons under the age of 35 didn’t seem interested anymore. Perhaps the naysayers were right. Perhaps Broadway was in its death throes.

“Then came Cats,” says Leslie Broecker. It opened on Broadway in 1982, the year after it had made an enormous splash in London’s West End. Maybe Broadway wasn’t dead, after all. The irony was that its savior came in the form of a relatively plot-less operetta about felines that originated on the stages of London. By the time the Broeckers opened their Cincinnati series five years later, the show had made its way into national touring. It’s no coincidence that it was the closing show of the debut Cincinnati season. “Cats was huge,” says Leslie Broecker. “It was really a phenomenon. It was different from anything that had come before it. And audiences loved it.” So when they announced that the next season would be bookended by productions of Cabaret—with film star Joel Grey—and Les Misérables, the carrot was there. The only way that patrons could be assured of getting tickets for those ultrahot shows was to subscribe. It’s a formula that still works. In February of 2017, Broadway in Cincinnati announced that Hamilton, arguably the most popular show in Broadway history, would be part of the 2018-2019 season. The reason for the early announcement was to caution patrons that the only way to guarantee themselves a seat would be to subscribe to the 2017-2018 season. That way, they would be first in line for tickets for the following year, the year Hamilton was coming to town. It’s not a scam. Indeed, it’s standard policy for most theaters. Renewing subscribers have first dibs on tickets. It’s a way to build audience loyalty. And when you have a super-hot product like Hamilton it works really, really well. “When we made the announcement in 2017, we didn’t really know how people were going to respond,” says Genevieve Miller Holt, general manager, Midwest of Broadway in Cincinnati. The result turned out to be so overwhelming that they reached subscription capacity almost immediately. That means, they have more than 24,000 subscribers. “That’s our all-time high,” says Holt. “It’s slightly above the 2002-2003 season—the first year of The Lion King.” They will have some tickets this season. The contract for Hamilton, for instance, says that a certain number of reasonably priced tickets need to be set aside for those who can’t handle the heavy lifting of a season subscription.

Productions like Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (TOP) and Hamilton (ABOVE) are coming to Cincinnati during the 2018-19 season.

For Holt, though, this is a prime opportunity to get people in to see lesser-known shows, productions they might not have seen otherwise. “Having Hamilton is a great thing all on its own,” says Holt. “But we do this because

we love theater. So to us, having Hamilton also means that more people will get to see Dear Evan Hansen. And The Play That Goes Wrong. Any time we can find ways to share great theater with more patrons, we’ll do it.” n w w w.

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SUNDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

[Through 10/14] Families will have a rootin’ tootin’ good time at the Old West Festival in Williamsburg.

2 [Through 10/28] Return to a time of jousting and turkey legs at the Ohio Renaissance Festival near Waynesville.

3 [Through 10/31] Make a visit to the area’s only indoor pumpkin patch at Jack O’Lantern Junction at EnterTRAINment Junction.

7 [10/7] The Ken Anderson Alliance hosts its third annual Legends PostGame Party at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse.

8 [10/8] Singer-songwriter Gillian Welch brings her sparse and dark musical style to the Taft Theatre.

9 [10/9] Cutting Up, a new work presented by the Cincinnati Playwrights Guild, premieres at the Aronoff.

10 11 [10/10] The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra brings its big-band sound to Music Hall.

15 [10/15] Pulitzer Prizewinning author Ron Chernow will discuss his newest book and answer questions at the Aronoff.

16 [10/6-28] Scare up some family fun with trick-or-treating and special animal encounters during HallZOOween at the Cincinnati Zoo.

17 [10/17] The Best of the North party shows off the best north of town has to offer at the Sharonville Convention Center.

12 [10/12] Attendees can see performers develop their skills during A Master Class in Musical Theatre with Richard Oberacker. 18 19 [10/18] [10/19] Indie singerIrish band Celtic songwriter Pete Thunder brings Yorn brings songs its Celtic Thunder from his almost 20- X tour to the Taft year career to the Theatre for the night. Taft Theatre.

20 [10/20] Head to the Taft Theatre to hear the comedic talents of George Lopez.

21 [10/20-21] The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s The Heart of Don Quixote showcases the talents of violinist Christian Colberg. 28 [10/28] The Mavericks, who mix Tex-Mex and rockabilly for a sound all their own, play the Taft Theatre.

23 [10/23] The Taft Theatre plays host to Postmodern Jukebox and its retro renditions of hit songs.

24 [10/24] Enjoy a B-movie with the MST3K crew live at the Taft Theatre during Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live.

25 26 [10/25] American jam band moe. plays at the Taft Theatre for the evening.

30 [10/30] Spooky Tunes with the SpineTingling Mighty Wurlitzer takes over Music Hall.

31 [10/31] Happy Halloween!

MONDAY

OCTOBER

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

4 5 [10/4] The inaugural NKY Bourbon Festival kicks off with a tasting party at the Hilton Cincinnati Airport.

SATURDAY 6 [10/6] Anaya Belly Dance’s What Moves Us 6 fuses belly dancing, martial arts and modern dance at the Aronoff.

[10/12-14] The Cincinnati Pops play spooky classics during Haunted Hall at Music Hall.

[10/27] Folk-pop legend Gordon Lightfoot will play his many hits, like “Sundown,” at the Taft Theatre.

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A&E Calendar Lions, and Tigers and Scares, Oh My! Join Fiona and friends at HallZOOween! Every weekend this October, you and your family can enjoy trick-or-treat stations, special animal encounters, Phil Dalton’s Theater of Illusion Show and more. Make sure to bring your own treat bag! Oct. 6-26. Noon-5 p.m. No additional charge with Zoo admission. Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine St., Cincinnati. cincinnatizoo.org.

STRIDE into a Sunday Full of Fun The Ken Anderson Alliance is hosting its third annual Stadium STRIDE benefiting adults with disabilities. On Oct. 21, participants will have the opportunity to play flag football on the Bengals’ playing field, walk through Paul Brown Stadium, and Great American Ball Park, and attend the Bengals vs. Chiefs block party with VIP experience. Friends and families are invited to join fundraising teams to honor individuals with disabilities. Oct. 21. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. $25-$100. Paul Brown Stadium. 1 Paul Brown Stadium, Downtown. kenandersonalliance.org.

THE HOWL

WHEN

WHERE PRICE

Sunday, October 28, 2018 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Doggy Dash Registration Parade & Trick-or-Treat Trail Registration Doggy Dash Pupper Costume Parade Trick-or-Treat Trail Open

11:00 a.m. 11:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m. 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Voice of America MetroPark 7850 Voice of America Park Drive West Chester OH 45069 $6.00/dog + $6.00/dog to add the Doggy Dash* Register online or day of the of the event. Pre-register for $5.00/dog by Monday, October 22, 2018.

ABOUT Bark your calendars for a Pupper Costume Parade, a trick-or-treat trail designed for both dogs and children, ruﬀ-ruﬀ obstacle course, vendors, and more. Use tail wagging teamwork by adding the 2.4 mile Doggy Dash around the lake. Rescue centers will have adoptable dogs to borrow if you do not have your own pet. *Doggy Dash participants will receive a t-shirt. Register by 10/19/18 to guarantee t-shirt size and availability.

Motor Vehicle Permit Required. FREE to Butler County Residents. Non-Residents $5/daily or $10/annually.

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Discover Greatness at La Salle High School. Learn more at LaSalleHS.net

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Find yourself among a Brotherhood unlike any other. All you have to do is take a closer look.

Blast from Thy Past Eat a turkey leg, witness dueling swordsmen and shop the trends from 400 years ago—the Ohio Renaissance Fair is back! With a different theme every weekend, friends and families are welcomed into new adventures filled with food and drink, entertainment and shopping for all ages. Check out the special events to be thrown even deeper into the world of Renaissance. Through Oct. 28. Festival Days 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Adult tickets $23. 10542 E. state Route 73, Waynesville. renfestival.com.

Signature Chefs Auction Thursday, November 8, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, 151 W. 5th Street Visit Signaturechefs.org/Cincinnati to buy tickets

ACHIEVE MORE OPEN HOUSE Sunday, Nov. 4 1-4 p.m.

2018 Special Guests Co-Chairs: Rebecca Riegelsberger, Vice President, Tax and Treasury, The E.W. Scripps Company & Jason Riegelsberger, Owner, State Farm Agency, Bridgetown, OH Medical Honoree: Emily DeFranco, DO, MS, Associate Professor, Director, Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Vice-Chair, Obstetrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology Community Honoree: Megan Fischer, CEO & Founder, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank Ambassador Family: The Naser’s

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NOVEMBER

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

4 5 [11/3-4] Paw Patrol Live! “Race to the Rescue” comes to U.S. Bank Arena.

WEDNESDAY

[11/6] Singer-songwriter Nicki Bluhm brings her latest album, To Rise You Gotta Fall, to the Taft Theatre.

THURSDAY

1 [11/1] The Nickelodeon classic comes to life when Double Dare Live! stops at the Taft Theatre.

FRIDAY

2 [11/2-3] The CSO presents Russian Masterpieces, which includes Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1. 9 [11/9] Kansas celebrates the 40th anniversary of its album Point of Know Return with a performance at the Taft Theatre.

17 [11/17] The Holiday in Lights 5K Run/Walk at Sharon Woods takes participants through the Holiday in Lights display at dusk. 24 [11/24] Cincinnati’s local boy band returns for the holidays with 98º at Christmas at the Aronoff.

12 [11/12] Blues-rock guitarist Joe Bonamassa brings songs from his just-released album to the Taft Theatre.

13 14 [11/13] The Taft Theatre will play host to John Hiatt as he performs songs from his more than 40-year career.

15 [11/15] O.A.R. brings songs from its eight studio albums to the Taft Theatre for the night.

16 [11/16] Houndmouth will play both its hits, like “Sedona,” and its new songs at the Taft Theatre.

18 [Through 1/1] Take a journey to the North Pole and meet Santa Claus during Christmas at the Junction at EnterTRAINment Junction. 25 [11/24-25] Pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk joins the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Fourth.

20 [11/20] Get into the holiday spirit with performance by The Brian Setzer Orchestra at the Taft Theatre.

22 [11/22] Happy Thanksgiving!

23 [11/23] Make Black Friday a family affair by attending Peppa Pig Live! at the Taft Theatre.

29 [11/29] The National Ballet Theatre of Odessa brings 55 talented dancers to the Taft Theatre for a production of Swan Lake.

30 [11/30-12/1] Pianist Yefim Bronfman plays Brahms with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

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3 [11/3] The family-friendly Hunger 5K benefits Matthew 25: Ministries’ work in Cincinnati and throughout the world.

8 [11/8] Tribute band Rumors of Fleetwood Mac performs a show at the Taft Theatre.

11 [11/11] The hilarious Mann Family— David, Tamela, David Jr. and La’Tia—bring their comedy tour to the Taft Theatre.

SATURDAY

[11/10] Head to the Taft Theatre to hear the roots-rock sound of Dawes.

open house Saturday, November 3, 10 am -1pm or Sunday, November 4, 1pm -4pm

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A&E Calendar

Indigo Girls are Back and Better Than Ever The Indigo Girls are heading to Cincinnati! With 15 studio albums and decades of performances behind them, these Grammywinning folk rock musicians are still playing for audiences everywhere. On Nov 20, the dynamic duo, accompanied by the Cincinnati Pops, will perform at Music Hall. Nov. 20. 7:30 p.m. $25-$115. Music Hall, 1241 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine. 513-381-3300, cincinnatisymphony.org.

Dashing (or Walking) Through the Snowâ€Ś Leave the reindeer and sled at home because Holiday in Lights at Sharon Woods is hosting its 10th annual Holiday in Lights 5k Run/Walk. On Nov 17, participants can run/walk 3.1 miles through Sharon Wood s and under the holiday light s display. Individuals and groups will have t he oppor tunit y to par t icipate in a costume contest and all participants will be rewarded with food, fun and warmth at the end of the race. Nov. 17. 5 p.m. $29. Sharon Woods, 11450 Lebanon Road, Sharonville. holidayinlights.com.

Talking Jobs with Ohioâ€™s Next Governor See what Mike DeWine and Richard Cordray have to say about the future of jobs in Ohio. Livestream:

October 4 from 12:30pm to 2:30pm at CETconnect.org/talkjobs (Start time is approximate; please check the website closer to the event date for exact time.)

Broadcast:

October 16 at 7pm on CET

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Christmas Rocks! Two-time Grammy award-winner Brian Setzer is kicking off his 15th anniversary of Christmas Rocks! Tour this year and making a stop at Taft Theatre on Nov. 20. The Brian Setzer Orchestra is known for getting the audience into the holiday spirit and bringing joy and rock to all. Nov. 20. 7:30 p.m. $61-$284. Taft Theatre, 317 E. Fifth St, Downtown. tafttheatre.org.

Don’t see your event? Visit cincymagazine.com to add it to our online calendar for free.

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting December 4, 2018 Florence Community Plaza • Mall Road 6:00 - 8:00pm • Free to the public Tree Lighting begins at 6:00. Santa will be available for pictures and the Florence Community Band and Chorus will perform.

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Midwestern Traveler

Hit the Road WHEN IT’S TIME FOR A FALL GETAWAY MANY DESTINATIONS ARE JUST A SHORT CAR TRIP AWAY By Corinne Minard The visitor center at Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, Kentucky

When’s the last time you saw enough stars to make your own constellation? Your first time won’t be your last time. It’s the inspiring serenity that gives our town a certain something that other places just can’t quite capture. For enchanted evenings filled with bourbon, history, shopping and dining, go to visitlebanonky.com.

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ust because summer has ended doesn’t mean the vacation is over. In the Miami Valley, we’re just a short drive away from plenty of fall fun. Whether you take a long weekend or just the day there’s a fall getaway that’s worth the trip.

ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY Within two and a half hours, wildlife and outdoor enthusiasts can find plenty to view and explore. Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest in Clermont, Kentucky, is a more than 15,000-acre privately held forest and natural area. Bernheim is home to more than 40 miles of hiking trails, from a small quarter-mile hike to a 13-mile trail. “We protect 13 headwaters and streams so we have a lot of clean water running here,” says Amy Joseph Landon, manager of communication and marketing for Bernheim. “Hikers certainly have the opportunity to see a lot of those water sources.” While any hike will allow visitors to see the changing colors of the trees, Landon recommends the Canopy Tree Walk for a truly spectacular view.

Pergolas, trellises and arbors help incorporate the landscape outside the Berheim Arboretum and Research Forest visitor center. “(It’s) a deck that goes 75 feet above the forest floor, so you’re really within the treetops, and it’s spectacular all year round, but in the fall especially you really get a

great view of the breadth of fall color and the changing seasons from the top of that canopy tree walk. You can do that with a stroller, so that’s a really wonderful feature

Inspiration. Creativity. Heritage. Paducah inspires creativity as a UNESCO Creative City. Home of the National Quilt Museum, Paducah’s rich American heritage and engaging attractions create the foundation for authentic cultural experiences. Travel to Paducah and find your inspiration!

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Midwestern Traveler that we have here,” she says. Throughout the fall, Bernheim also hosts several events to encourage visitors to explore and learn more about nature. On the first and third Saturdays of each month, Bernheim hosts a ECO Kids Discovery Day, which stands for Every Child Outside. Families can participate in an outdoor challenge and then explore discovery stations set up within the visitors’ center. “That’s where some of our volunteer naturalists will be set up and providing drop-in hands-on nature experiences on all kinds of topics related to nature, from animals to trees to bugs to plants coloring and things like that,” says Landon. Oct. 20-21, Bernheim will host its annual ColorFest. The two-day event features a hay maze, pumpkin launching, food trucks and more. Visitors can visit Bernheim for $5 per car on weekends and holidays and for free on weekdays. Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana also offers opportunities to get close to nature. The largest national wildlife

Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana is home to many types of wildlife, including river otters. refuge in Indiana at 50,000 acres, Big Oaks is home to many types of wildlife. In addition to white-tailed deer and wild turkeys,

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THE SIGHTS & SOUNDS OF GEORGETOWN.

PURE SMALL TOWN CHARM. – Family Fun – • Bi-Water Farm and Greenhouse - AutumnFest • Evans Orchard and Cider Mill - Harvest Festival

– Equine Activities – • Minutes from the Kentucky Horse Park -

CP National Horse Show • Old Friends Retired Thoroughbred Farm • Whispering Woods Riding Stables

– Picturesque Downtown – • Specialty Shops • Antiques • Scott County Arts and Cultural Center • Cafes and One-of-a-kind Restaurants • Georgetown and Scott County Museum

– Unbridled Fun – • Toyota Motor Manufacturing, KY, Inc. Tour • Country Boy Brewing • Bourbon 30 Spirits • Golf • Elkhorn Creek • Ward Hall • Close proximity to the Ark Encounter • Nearby Wineries and Bourbon Distilleries

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the refuge hosts cerulean warblers, river otters, rare crawfish frogs and one of the world’s largest populations of Henslow’s

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Arts, Entertainment & Culture in the Greater Cincy Area, visit: cincymagazine.com

Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge in Indiana

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Midwestern Traveler

LEFT: Hoosier National Forest offers outdoor enthusiasts plenty of hiking opportunities. ABOVE: Bloomington, Indiana, is the home of Indiana University. sparrows. Big Oaks is designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. Open 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Mondays, Fridays and the second and fourth Saturdays of each month April through November, the refuge encourages visitors to hike its trails or to go fishing, canoeing or kayaking on its 165-acre lake. During the fall, the refuge also opens itself to deer and

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turkey hunting on certain days. Check with Big Oaks for an updated schedule and availability.

ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS AWAY Most well known for being the home of Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, is also home to much more. “It’s a really beautiful long weekend or mid-week getaway, especially with all the natural

beauty that’s surrounding this area,” says Erin Erdmann White, director of leisure marketing and media relations for Visit Bloomington. Both Monroe Lake, the largest manmade lake in Indiana, and the Hoosier National Forest, Indiana’s only national forest, are just outside downtown Bloomington. Outdoor enthusiasts of all types can find things to do—Hoosier National

Camping in Bloomington

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Midwestern Traveler Forest and local parks offer many hikes for a range of abilities, cyclists can challenge themselves on the hilly roads and boaters can spend time on Lake Monroe. “[Fall] is a great time to get out and do a boat rental or something like that where you can get out and cruise the lake and check out the fall leaves from the water, which is a really cool experience for folks because there are no houses on Monroe Lake,” says White. Back in town, visitors can take in an opera or ballet on the IU campus, peruse local shops and take in the dining scene. In the fall, downtown Bloomington also hosts events like the Glass Pumpkin Patch. “We have a really active glass blowers guild here in Bloomington and what they do is they create these blown-glass pumpkins every year, hundreds of them … that they blow and set up on the lawn of the Monroe County courthouse,” says White. “Folks line up around the block for their chance to run and pick the glass-blown pumpkin that they want the most.” The annual event will be conducted Oct.

TOP: Santa Claus, Indiana, offers plenty of activities for kids of all ages. RIGHT: Santa Claus, Indiana, is the home of the Santa Claus Museum & Village. 13 this year and will last as long as there are glass pumpkins.

ABOUT 3 HOURS AWAY For those who’d prefer to celebrate Christmas all year round, Santa Claus, Indiana, is just three and a half hours away. “Santa Claus, Indiana, is a very festive town in southern Indiana,” says Melissa Arnold, executive director of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau. Santa Claus is home to the Saint Meinrad Archabbey, one

of two archabbeys in the country; Santa Claus Museum & Village, which presents the history of the town with original town buildings; and Santa’s Candy Castle, a candy shop inside a 1935 castle. Thrill seekers can head to Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari. The amusement park is split into four areas celebrating different holidays—Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween and Fourth of July. The park is most known for its record-breaking water coasters and its wooden roller coasters—The

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Voyage is the second longest wooden roller coaster in the world. Arnold says that the town also offers a lot for campers. “If you’re coming in for the fall, you want to look into Lake Rudolph Campground and RV resort. It’s one of the lodging options right here in town that has cabins, cottages and rental RVs, where you can bring your own RV, and they have their own Halloween activities during the fall,” she says. On weekends in September and October, Lake Rudolph gets into the Halloween spirit with plenty of spooky fun. Activities include ghost stories, trick-or-treating, costume contests, a kids’ carnival, hayrides, a glow parade and more. Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky may not have any roller coasters, but it has some thrills of its own. “Mammoth Cave is a national park, the only national park within Kentucky, and it’s home to the longest cave system in the entire world with over 400 miles of cave passageways that have been discovered and mapped and there are still more to be

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Midwestern Traveler

Mammoth Cave has 400 miles of cave passageways that have been discovered and mapped.

Visit midwesterntraveler.com to plan your next getaway 38

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found,” says Molly Schroer, management assistant for the park. The parks offers seven types of tours this fall. Depending on the tour selected, visitors will be able to see the Frozen Niagara Formation, domes, dripstones and the Rotunda, one of the largest rooms in the cave. Schroer personally enjoys the lantern tours. “There’s no electric lights. You go the whole way with lanterns being carried by different members of the group so you really experience the cave in a different environment and hear some great history,” she says. While the cave system is the reason many people visit the park, Mammoth Cave also offers many surface activities for when you’d like to spend some time in the sun. The park has both paved and off-road bike trails; over 30 miles of the Green and Niles rivers for canoeing, kayaking or fishing; and 60 miles of trails open to horseback riding. “The fall colors will change soon so that’s always a pretty time to see the park with all the different colors along the landscape,” she says. n

Dining & Events

RUSTIC Elegance WALHILL FARM OFFERS A HIGH-END DINING AND EVENT EXPERIENCE ON A WORKING FARM By Will Jones

Walhill Farm is a working farm in Batesville, Indiana, that is able to host events. The farm also provides catering, which uses its own produce and products whenever possible.

ocated in Indiana’s countryside between Cincinnati and Indianapolis, Walhill Farm isn’t your ordinary acreage. According to its website, the farm holds “26 acres of hardwood forest, 10 acres of gardens, three large fish ponds and 190 acres of pasture.” Aside from being a sustaining, workable farm guests can take advantage of its event space, state-certified butcher shop, in-house catering service and its award-winning restaurant. For Walhill Farm Director Pete Hillenbrand, this impressive property is simply home. “It’s great to be at home, keeping the farm in the family,” he says. Originally started by his uncle, George Carl Hillenbrand, as a horse farm in Greensburg, Indiana, the property was destroyed in a fire in 1958. A few years later the farm was rebuilt in Batesville where it stands today after going through stages of being a variety of other busineses. What makes Walhill Farm unique is

that its vast amount of land offers room for special accommodations for its customers as well as space for additional businesses. When asked how other businesses were incorporated into the Walhill brand, he says “Things just happened organically. I didn’t go out to start an event center or get into a catering business. People started coming to me asking if they could rent the barn, or have their weddings here. They told me what they wanted and I figured I could make a business out of it.” With four rooms and a lodge, guests find the spaces useful for off-site business meetings and weddings. Hillenbrand says Walhill Farm can offer lower prices on its event spaces since it doesn’t have any large overhead thanks to being located in the country. As guests would use the event spaces he saw there was a demand for catering, too. He hired chef Chris Stange and butcher Mike Moeller to manage the catering and restaurant sides of the Walhill brand.

“The two [Stange and Moeller] together are just perfect for making our own farmraised sausages and beef products or whatever we’re growing out of our garden,” he says. Once a month, Walhill Farm offers guests a “special dinner,” which is reservation only. Dishes vary every month but some consistent items include salmon, pork chops and the seafood gumbo. Hillenbrand says, “We want guests to experience our ‘rustic elegance’ as we’re a working farm that offers elegance through our meals.” 857 Six Pine Ranch Road, Batesville. 812934-2600, walhillfarm.com. n w w w.

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CINCINNATI’S

FINEST ON ONE OF CINCINNATI’S DARKEST DAYS, FOUR POLICE OFFICERS PROVED THAT THEY’RE STILL WITH US By Peter Bronson

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HELP WANTED:

Long hours, mediocre pay, high risk of injury or death, and frequent abuse by politicians, citizens, media and celebrities. Must be willing to disregard own safety and lay down life for strangers without thanks. Benefits include hospitalization, daily opportunities to meet unusual people and regular doses of adrenalin without a prescription. Firearms provided. Apply at Cincinnati Police.

The job description is “Run to danger.” Cincinnati heard that a lot after the Sept. 6 shootings at Fifth Third Bank on Fountain Square. Mayor John Cranley told the press that harrowing bodycam video showed four police officers “literally running into a gunfight.” Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said, “The takeaway from the whole thing is that the police showed incredible bravery and courage. When you hear gunshots, your gut instinct is to turn and run. They ran toward the gunfire. It’s just amazing to me.” Police Chief Elliot Isaac commended the officers—Antonio Etter, Eric Kaminsky, Jennifer Chilton and Greg Toyeas—for “running toward the gunfire” to stop the shooter, Omar Santa-Perez, 29. As Perez turned to shoot at the police, they fired through plate glass windows and killed him, saving dozens if not hundreds of lives. Perez had more than 200 rounds of ammunition and seemed determined to kill as many as possible. As he strolled through the bank lobby like a businessman making a deposit on his coffee break, he casually killed three people and wounded two, shooting some of his victims seven or a dozen times. He fired 35 times. The names of the victims should be remembered. Richard Newcomer, 64,

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was a construction superintendent; Luis Felipe Calderon, 48, was a bank employee; Pruthvi Raj Kandepi, 25, was a programmer at Fifth Third. Whitney Austin, a Fifth Third executive, was shot 12 times and somehow survived. Brian Sarver, a real estate and investment executive, was wounded. They all had families—moms and dads, children, brothers and sisters, friends. Those who were killed leave empty pages that should be filled instead with “happily ever after.” Those who survived will never be the same.

STRANGE ANSWERS After the shock, after dropping the shredded illusion that it can’t happen here, after grieving for the families, the first reaction is the same in every city shaken by random, mindless murder: Look for answers. There may never be an answer about the motive, but it’s clear that the shooter was menta lly ill, possibly paranoid schizophrenic. His own family repeatedly implored authorities in Florida to commit him for treatment because he was violent, talked to himself and refused medication. His neighbors in North Bend described him as reclusive, bitter and angry. In 2014, he was fired by his boss at a retailer in South Carolina. When he refused to leave, the boss told police he was “afraid of what he might do.” The police reported that Perez was “upset and disoriented” and gave “strange answers.” He moved to Cincinnati the following year. One possible motive: The shooter may have been seeking revenge for dismissal of his lawsuit in federal court, across the street from Fifth Third Center. His lawsuit against CNBC and TD Ameritrade claimed that he was being spied on and talked about on television. He said he was the “target of malicious commentary” as MSNBC “expanded into dark events” of his own past, including “ownership of pornography with slanderous onslaught.” He believed his TV was watching him, and discussing him daily. He demanded $3.3 million. On June 25, citing an earlier lawsuit that was dismissed with prejudice, a federal magistrate wrote: “An action has no arguable factual basis when the allegations are delusional or rise to the level of irrational or ‘wholly incredible.’” “Our working theory is that he actually was going to the federal courthouse,” says Deters. When he saw the armed U.S. 42

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In the security footage of the shooting, people inside the Fifth Third Bank Center can be seeing moveing quickly to get away (TOP) while the shooter walked through the building lobby (ABOVE). marshals who guard the doors with metal detectors, “He realized very quickly that you can’t get through carrying a gun, and turned to walk across the street to the Fifth Third building.”

“THE CAVALRY IS COMING” Some questions are not so difficult. If anyone still wonders if female cops can answer the call in extreme danger, Jennifer Chilton, daughter of former Milford Police Chief Danny Chilton, replied “affirmative” with 9 mm verbs. Her shout of “I’m with you” as she ran into battle could be etched in bronze on a Fountain Square monument to honor the cops and the victims. The aftermath of the shooting also answered some questions about Cincinnati’s leadership. Police Chief Elliot Isaac, who was harshly criticized a few days earlier in a column saying CPD needed a new chief, answered by being calm, forthright, commanding and

graceful under pressure. His narration of the dramatic bodycam video—“the cavalry is coming’’—raised goosebumps. Mayor John Cranley also represented the city well, commending the police officers and offering sincere sympathy to the victims. The most obvious answer: Cincinnati’s Finest are also America’s best. “Cincinnati’s training is known throughout the country,” says Mike Gardner, who taught police recruits and sergeants at the Cincinnati Police Academy for many of his 28 years with CPD. “After the Columbine school shooting (1999) we were among the first to train for this.” He taught two of the officers who responded, Kaminsk y and Toyeas, and knew Chilton as well. “It doesn’t surprise me that they did a fantastic job. I did all the physical training with them and got to know what they are made of, and how they would respond. This job is not a benefits

A makeshift memorial was created at Fountain Square when mourners began placing flowers on Tyler Davidson Fountain.

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package for them. It’s a calling.” Former Cincinnati Police Chief Tom Streicher now travels the country as a police oversight and accountability consultant. He says the excellence of Cincinnati Police is widely known. “I’ve been getting calls from police chiefs all over the country who are very, very impressed with our agency and our officers. They comment about how well trained they are, how they didn’t hesitate. Those cops had no idea if he was alone, or if there were four or five others in there as part of a holdup. All they knew was ‘active shooter,’ and they threw their own personal safety to the wind. Hats off to all of them.” Gardner says, “There’s an ID marker in our DNA called a ‘warrior gene.’ People say, ‘Why are all these cops warriors? That’s bad.’ No, it’s not. Every day they go out as peacekeepers and guardians, but they are also warriors. They have the courage and willingness to be a hero.” And that’s another answer. In 1957, Life Magazine called Cincinnati Police Division “the best police department in America,” as part of a cover story about Chief Stan Schrotel and his efforts to make law enforcement more professional and effective. But Cincinnati’s more recent past is not so flattering. An online search for “Cincinnati shooting” brings up the controversial University of Cincinnati Police shooting of Sam DuBose. And Cincinnati’s Finest were trashed as America’s worst in 2001, during riots over a police shooting of an unarmed black man. Those cases and others across the nation have contributed to what Gardner calls “occupational bigotry.” “I have testified against police officers,” Gardner says. “I know there are a few bad ones, and I tried to get rid of them. But to target 800,000 police is so unfair. It worries me that this kind of thing might keep someone like these Cincinnati cops from applying for a job in the future. We need outstanding officers more than ever.” He quotes a Navy Seal veteran of multiple tours in Iraq: “He said, ‘Before we go to battle, we know our mission and we have a plan. But you guys never know when game day is coming.’ He was in awe of the courage of these officers.” Streicher, who shot and killed a man in a gunfight when he was an undercover officer, says, “The first thing I would tell these cops is ‘Thank you. I know you are going through an extremely difficult time, but I 44

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The shooter, Omar Santa-Perez, filed a lawsuit against CNBC and TD Ameritrade. want you to have confidence in yourselves and confidence that you did the right thing. You should be proud of your actions. You represented the city well and your department well and made everybody proud.’ “If I was still there, they would definitely get some kind of medal. They are damn good cops and damn good people. Most cops are damn good people. Lots of them would have done the same thing.”

ECHOES FROM THE PAST There’s no simple answer to mental illness. There will always be people like the Fifth Third shooter among us. There will always be acts of mindless violence in a free society. “They used to be called spree killings,” says Deters. “Before this there was Gerald Clemons,” who killed three people in Evendale in 1995. Before that, it was the killing of three

customers and a teller during a bank robbery at the Cabinet-Supreme Savings & Loan in Delhi in 1970. There is no easy way to protect Second Amendment rights, yet deny guns to someone who may be dangerously mentally ill. There are laws in place, but they failed. Perez bought a gun legally. The final answer rang like a distant bell, just five days after the shooting on Fountain Square. It was the sound of names being read at the World Trade Center Memorial on the 17th anniversary of 9/11. In 2001, when the smoke was still hovering over the mass grave where thousands died, America saw one thing clearly: The police and other first responders are the good guys. They are incredibly courageous. They will lay down their lives for us. When help is desperately wanted, they run to danger. n

THE INFLUENCERS SIX MEN AND WOMEN ARE USING THEIR CONNECTIONS AND REPUTATIONS TO BETTER THE TRISTATE By the Editors

What does it meant to be influential? It of course has its dictionary definition (having the power or capacity of producing an effect), but in Cincinnati it means having the reputation of getting things done. In Cincinnati, only those who take the time to get to know the people and the city can convince others to join their cause. It’s those social connections that have allowed our city to thrive. There are many influencers in the Tristate, but we spoke with six to learn how they’ve used their clout to move themselves forward in their careers and to improve the region.

Laura Jekel and Eddy Kwon

THE COMMUNITY BUILDERS

When it comes to getting things done MYCincinnati—a free program that offers Price Hill youth the opportunity to learn an orchestral instrument, play in an ensemble and be connected with supportive mentors and peers—has plenty of success stories. Since MYCincinnati was founded in 2011 three MYCincinnati students have graduated high school and all are attending college, including one recent graduate who received a full scholarship to study music at Miami University, says Eddy Kwon, director. In addition, MYCincinnati has successfully assisted more than a dozen students applying for Cincinnati’s School for the Creative and Performing Arts and Walnut Hills High School, he says. And one of MYCincinnati’s first students joined the teaching staff this year as a strings teaching artist, says Kwon. And that’s just a small sample of the program’s success.

Some of those core values include: every child is a main character; learning and growing together; centering racial equity; and striving for excellence, she says. Jekel and Kwon have certainly influenced an entire community in Price Hill through the MYCincinnati program. So who has been the biggest influence on each of them? For Jekel her biggest influence has been Kwon. “His continual growth as a musician, educator, activist, thinker and fellow Price Hill community member has influenced me deeply in my own life and practice in those areas,” says Jekel. Kwon says his biggest influence has been those around him. “Every day I am immeasurably transformed by MYCincinnati’s students and staff,” he says. “It has truly been the greatest honor of my very little life to create, work, play and grow within the MYCincinnati community, a community that inspires me every day to live with more openness, joy, warmth and strength.” —ERIC SPANGLER

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL WILSON

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA JEKEL

The MYCincinnati program, now in its eighth season, has about 130 young people engaged in daily programming after school. But the intensive program— where most students spend at least two hours rehearsing every day—isn’t about developing “artistic talent” or even professional musicians, says Kwon. “For us, musical study is a tool with which young people can empower themselves, imagine more just realities and open new pathways toward joy, beauty and strength,” he says. The MYCincinnati program, founded by Laura Jekel, has grown from 11 students and two teaching artists to 130 students and a staff of 16, says Kwon. Its instrumental programming has expanded from strings to winds, percussion and guitar, he says. That growth and success is because MYCincinnati is more than just an afterschool program, says Jekel, who is now the director of creative placemaking and community art initiatives, a new position created at Price Hill Will. MYCincinnati is a community, she says. “The MYCincinnati community is comprised of teachers, students, families, donors, volunteers and others,” says Jekel. “Wanting to become a part of that community, and to stay a part of that community, is what draws people to MYCincinnati and what keeps them there year after year,” she says. The key to creating that community has been a dedicated staff and placing a lot of priority on engaging families, says Jekel. “The importance of this engagement cannot be understated, and it has to be prioritized through dedicated staff hours,” she says. Another key factor in creating that community and organizational success has been MYCincinnati’s core values, says Jekel.

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Jeff Capell

THE OUTSIDER

It may be hard to believe, but FC Cincinnati was not Jeff Capell’s first stadium fight. In fact, he’s been an outspoken opponent of such taxpayer-subsidized projects dating back to his college days. An activist—today, the loudest foe of FC’s new stadium request as part of its Major League Soccer bid—Capell was actually exposed to his first such debate while attending Ohio State in the late 1990s. The “town elitists” at that time, he says, were proposing a sales tax hike to build two new arenas. Capell played a much more secondary role—he changed his voter registration, for example, so he could formerly cast his ballot of dissent, and encouraged others to say nay to the measure, too. But the efforts worked. Nearly 60 percent turned down the request. He was hooked. “It was a good learning experience,” Capell says. “They [the stadium backers] were saying there was no way they could raise the money locally and that a stadium tax was the only option. After it was defeated, a few weeks later, those same people held a press conference saying, ‘Hey, guess what? We raised the money privately.’ It was a good learning experience 46

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and helped solidify to me that stadium taxes and subsidies are a giant rip-off.” In the decades since, Capell—an economist at the Bureau of Labor Statistics in Cincinnati for nearly 19 years—has fought off a number of other issues locally: a sales tax hike in 2007 that would have funded a new Hamilton County jail, which was rejected in a landslide that year, and his biggest “victory” to date, a move to drop Music Hall from the icon tax in 2014, which ultimately funded repairs at Union Terminal only. It was a victory that “saved taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars,” he says. But stadium(s) are still in the forefront. As chairman of No More Stadium Taxes, a grassroots group, Capell is also prepared to go toe-to-toe over proposed renovations at U.S. Bank Arena. Hamilton County taxpayers could be on the hook for that project, too, and lobbying efforts are expected to ramp up next year, he says. The Cincinnati Bengals lease also expires in 2026. “This is going to be an ongoing thing,” he says. These days, he does have to be choosier. While Capell is still an active voice on social media—to date, he’s

fired off 19,000 tweets and counting, while blocking roughly 40 FC fans along the way—he’s toned down his rhetoric some since his election to the Blue Ash City Council in November. “I’m changing it up a little bit. I’m not getting in as many catfights,” Capell says. “I can’t be quite as loose as I used to be.” His decision to run for a government seat was completely separate from the FC fight. He also downplayed its baring on his race. But he’s already counting his wins there, too, which include paring down the number of apartments allowed in a mixeduse development at Summit Park and increased government transparency. “Most Blue Ash voters are concerned with Blue Ash issues,” Capell says. “The biggest thing is that, when you run for office, at the beginning you sit down and figure out, what do you want them to see? I think my work on the stadiums helped back the persona I ran on—that I wanted to bring fresh perspective, fresh ideas, and I wasn’t part of the larger local establishment. I was an outsider cut from a different cloth.” —LIZ ENGEL

News anchor and media personality Charisse Gibson gets the opportunity to connect with the Tristate five days a week as the breaking news anchor on Fox19 Now’s Morning Show. “I’m a talker and I’m great at communicating. I can talk to hundreds of people or five people and connect with each of them,” she says. Graduating from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisana, Gibson didn’t set out to work in television as she originally majored in child psychology. She began getting involved in the university’s media program and interned at a local news station. After getting a taste of what it was like to be in the studio she rushed her graduation date to quickly get in television. “I overloaded myself in the summers with classes. I graduated college on a Friday in July and started that following Monday with my first job as a desk assistant,” she says. Even before getting into television her inspiration for stories and news content came from her upbringing. “I grew up in a family where we were very community oriented. The neighborhood my dad grew up in was hard but it was all about the community. His neighborhood had such a huge group of people and they were so embedded in each other as there was a great sense of pride,” she says. A “professional storyteller,” Gibson has always valued stories that are from the community. To get the best stories she often frequents local hangouts and will introduce herself to complete strangers. “People are more willing to tell you what’s going on when you meet them in their space,” she says. She especially has a passion for telling stories that involve African American history. Upon her arrival to Cincinnati, some of her first stories included doing a series of documentaries on locals who were part of the Freedom Riders. She also interviewed residents from Oxford who took part in Miami University’s Freedom Summer Project Movement. When Gibson isn’t spending countless hours behind the news desk and crafting content she’s serving as the president of the local chapter of the Greater Cincinnati Association of Black Journalists, (GCABJ). The organization provides networking opportunities, career development and volunteer services for professionals in the journalism, media, public relations and communication fields. Some of the outreach GCABJ has done includes a high school journalism boot camp (partnering with the Cincinnati chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and UC) and empowerment sessions highlighting topics on barriers and opportunities affecting minorities. “Organizations such as GCABJ empower us with the tools and knowledge to deliver factual content, especially in today’s political climate,” Gibson says. She adds that now it is more important than ever for new and young journalists to have these resources to better navigate in the era of fake news. She says, “Those of us who have been here have a responsibility to help the next generation of journalists and reporters because the city has too many stories that need to be told.” —WILL JONES

Charisse Gibson

THE STORYTELLER

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John Yung

THE PLANNER

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“Every neighborhood has a story,” says John Yung, A.I.C.P., senior project executive at Urban Fast Forward. And through intentional urban revitalization strategies aimed at preserving and building upon a community’s unique characteristics, Yung is actively contributing to the sustainable future of some of Cincinnati’s most cherished neighborhoods. When Yung was 12 years old his family moved from Chicago to a suburb in Lebanon. Pinned between a cul-de-sac and state highway he wondered why he couldn’t walk to school, the library or other amenities that were accessible to him in a more walkable urban setting. It wasn’t until he took an undergraduate course during his time at Muskingum University that he learned about the phenomenon of the “cul-de-sac effect,” which examines the relationship between reduced communal social interaction and the limited freedom and mobility of closed-off street designs. Resonating personally with this issue, Yung decided to devote his time to integrating neighborhoods to be more harmonious through better developmental strategies. He earned his master’s degree at the University of Cincinnati DAAP School of Planning in 2013 and has 10 years of community development, planning and zoning experience. Yung currently works at Urban Fast Forward—a consulting and real estate firm that specializes in urban development and retail district revitalization. “Whereas traditional firms tend to lease, sell or purchase any real estate based on historic market data and drive times, we work with communities to develop a retail and community vision that emphasizes the unique assets and characteristics of communities,” says Yung. “We build a relationship with them, so we can help them grow and prosper. I don’t know of any other real estate company that works this way.” In 2017 he helped complete the Camp Washington project plan, “Made in Camp,” highlighting the trademark qualities exclusive to the area, including Camp Washington Chili, the American Sign Museum, and vast collection of historic industrial buildings. Before employment at Urban Fast Forward, Yung developed a form-based code (FBC) for Bellevue, Kentucky—one of the largest planning efforts ever conducted in the city and the first form-based code in the Cincinnati region. This type of zoning regulation enables communities to construct new buildings that better integrate into the existing historic fabric. The code has guided development in the city since 2010 and is still in place today. Above all, Yung passionately believes in the personality of individual communities and discovering ways to elevate the foundation that already exists. Part of this is staying away from monoculture storefronts and restaurants ubiquitous to cities all across America. “One of our strengths in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky is that we have so many distinct neighborhoods. We offer opportunities for almost everybody, which we need to leverage. The key to longevity and long-term success is for neighborhoods to realize their own destiny. The goal is not to be the next Over-the-Rhine, it’s to be the next best version of that community,” says Yung. —JESSICA BALTZERSEN

As president and CEO of the Northern Kentucky Regional Alliance, a group of leaders pushing initiatives to improve the region, Karen Finan knows all about influence. Started in 2017, the Alliance focuses on education, job growth, health and community vibrancy initiatives that will produce tangible results for Northern Kentucky in the coming years. “They’re a CEO group that’s pushing initiatives forward in a big kind of transformative way. They look at things through the lens of a one Northern Kentucky,” Finan says. “How can we use influence, funding, time, talent and treasures, if you will, to push things forward that make sense for the community?” With a background in real estate, economic development and private sector experience, Finan was an ideal choice to lead the Alliance. Her three-person office is in charge of initiative support, implementation and due diligence in researching ideas, but also brings initiatives to the board of directors to push things forward. “My role is to really make sure things are running on all cylinders,” she says. While the Alliance assists in short-term community goals, its focus is on major transformational initiatives that will improve the long-term future of Northern Kentucky. The Alliance helps fund projects through its corporate board of directors, manages fundraising efforts and partners with other organizations to get big things done. For job growth, the Alliance partnered with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and several other groups to roll out Grow NKY, a comprehensive strategy growing the talent pipeline, attracting future business and maintaining a strong economy. A goal in community vibrancy is to build a vibrant front door for Northern Kentucky and that has been helped by the development of Riverfront Commons, an 11.5-mile uninterrupted walking, running and biking trail that links six river cities to Cincinnati and other local trail systems. Project partner Southbank secured an infrastructure grant from the Army Corps of Engineers for the project and the Alliance is driving financial and community support to provide matching funds for the grant. Much of the public may not have heard of the work the Alliance is involved in and that is just fine with Finan. “We’re not after headlines, we’re not after big splashy websites. This is about leading by doing,” she says. She describes the group’s work as a shot of adrenaline for many ideas and projects that have long been discussed but have come up short on implementation. “We’re really trying to push things a lot more, we’re trying to move things at a faster speed than what we have been seeing,” Finan says. “When you see our membership, you see companies that have a social conscious. I think these leaders understand that we cannot stand still.” The interim president of economic development agency Tri-ED, Finan knows a thing or two about not standing still. – SCOTT UNGER

Karen Finan

THE SUPPORTER

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At Cincinnati Public Schools, we are focused on developing global citizens who can contribute to our city and our society in meaningful ways. We want students to do more than just absorb information, score well on tests and graduate with diplomas. The true measure of our success is determined by whether our students can leave our classrooms, go out into the world and make a decent living for themselves.

From the many opportunities to explore career pathways at a young age, to the specialized training programs in our high schools, to job shadowing and internships, to supportive mentor relationships, we are confident that our students are uniquely positioned to pursue their passions and achieve their dreams. For more information and to learn more about Cincinnati Public Schools, visit cps-k12.org.

Community

REFLECTIONS ON LEADERSHIP

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ANOTHER VIEW

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BRONSON-AT-LARGE

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ROB FESTENSTEIN

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McNICHOLAS HS

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Reflections on Leadership By Dan Hurley

Stargazing for 175 Years CINCINNATI HAS A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS

In 1842 Ormsby McKnight Mitchel secured a beautiful telescope for the proposed Cincinnati Observatory with the goal of making Cincinnati a center of original astronomical research.

n 2018 we live in a world defined by theoretical and applied science. The frontiers are everywhere—in the vastness of interstellar space, in the mysteries of inner cellular DNA, in the interaction of changing environmental patterns and natural ecosystems, in the ability to marshal big data in the quest to perfect artificial intelligence and transform everyday life. The roots of modern science stretch back to the Enlightenment in the 17th and 18th centuries, at a time when astronomy dominated science research. Nothing was more “disruptive” (to use the current jargon) to the established worldview than the work of astronomers. Advancements in astronomy smashed the traditional religious view that placed the earth at the center, and it became possible to describe natural phenomena through a set of laws expressed mathematically. In the early 19th century Cincinnatians, who were living on the frontier of the New Nation, wanted to contribute to the movement redefining western society. The efforts of local leaders who put Cincinnati at the leading edge of American science 175 years ago and won the title the Home of American Astronomy will be celebrated in November at the Cincinnati Observatory. The moving force locally was Ormsby McKnight Mitchel, an 1829 graduate of West Point and a professor of mathematics, philosophy and astronomy at Cincinnati College starting in 1836. Mitchel fixed on acquiring a telescope capable of advancing astronomy. A powerful speaker capable of holding the attention of large audiences, not unlike Neil deGrasse Tyson today, Mitchel addressed audiences of thousands about the promise of American astronomy and asked for contributions to buy a telescope worthy of his vision for America’s role in science. Having collected $7,000 by 1842, Mitchel 52

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located an 11-inch lens that was ground, but had not been mounted, in Munich, Bavaria. He commissioned a beautiful mahogany tube with brass fittings to hold the lens and shipped it to Cincinnati. What was happening in Cincinnati stirred the imaginations of national leaders, especially former President John Quincy Adams, a member of Congress. At age 76, Adams accepted an invitation to deliver the principal oration at the ceremony laying

of the cornerstone of the new observatory atop Mt. Ida (later renamed in his honor) on Nov. 9, 1843. Adams traveled 1,000 miles in 13 days by canal boat, lake boat, river packet and stagecoach to “turn this transient gust of enthusiasm for the science of astronomy in Cincinnati into a permanent and persevering national pursuit.” Adams promoted science, especially astronomy, for decades. In his first presidential address 18 years earlier, Adams

The original telescope acquired by Ormsby McKnight Mitchel for the Cincinnati Observatory in 1842 is still in use today and continues to provide visitors with amazing views of the night sky. Given that the early 1840s marked the high point of the anti-Catholic, anti-immigrant, Know Nothing movement, Adams couldn’t resist a passage comparing Newton and Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. Although Ignatius had the same great quali-

ties and abilities as Newton, but “under the influence of religious fanaticism, [Ignatius] invents an engine of despotic power, a rod of iron, and puts it into the hands of frail, mortal man.” Adams certainly knew that the Jesuits had arrived in Cincinnati two years earlier to take over St. Xavier College. Much has changed over the last 175 years. Science is now the dominant frame of reference by which we view and understand the world. And the United States government long ago became an active and significant funder of scientific research. On the other hand, reactionary religion is still at war with science, especially in the realm of evolutionary biology. With the Creation Museum and Ark located in the region, we are at the center of that struggle. Second, the current administration is actively suppressing certain science research that does not support its political agenda, especially in the area of the environmental studies. Mitchel and Adams would be pleased with the first two developments and mystified by the last two. n Dan Hurley is a local historian and president of Applied History Associates, which works with museums in the Eastern U.S.

told Congress that Americans should be ashamed that European governments supported almost 130 astronomical observatories, “light-houses of the skies” as he called them, while not one existed in America. By being dependent on European researchers “are we not cutting ourselves off from the means of returning light for light while we have neither observatory nor observer upon our half of the globe?” His appeal for government support of science fell on deaf ears, but Adam’s commitment to serious American science never waned. In his oration delivered in Wesley Chapel on Fifth Street, Adams explored the place of science in general and the history of astronomy in particular, focusing on the contributions of Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Johannes Kepler, Galileo and the great pillar of the Enlightenment, Isaac Newton. His organizing theme was the struggle between science built on observation and analysis and the suppression of science by a fearful religious establishment. For Adams, Galileo, “one of the master spirits of the age,” peered deeper into the skies than anyone before him, but was denounced, suppressed, silenced and imprisoned by the pope and the Inquisition.

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Another View By Don Mooney

Power of the Vote CINCINNATI VOTERS CAN LIMIT COUNCIL TERMS AND CAMPAIGN CASH IN NOVEMBER

igh profile races for Congress, the Senate and governor should entice Ohio voters to the polls in November. But don’t stop voting after the headliners. Down ballot, Cincinnati voters can make some intriguing choices that will impact how we pick our mayor and council. Two proposed charter amendments would change how we elect city council. Every two years from 1927 to 2013, Cincinnati elected nine council members in a free-for-all field race. Then, in 2012, Councilmember Laure Quinlivan pushed for four-year terms. Her theory: with more job security, council would spend more time governing and less time raising campaign cash. Her proposal passed, though voters chose not to grant Quinlivan one of those shiny new four-year terms in 2013. But voter remorse set in. For political junkies, the thought of waiting two extra years to relish the spectacle of the city’s chaotic and unpredictable 9X council race was a downer. Then, when several newly elected councilmen allegedly flip flopped on whether to complete streetcar construction, streetcar opponents wanted to elect a new council pronto. On Nov. 6, voters will have what amounts to three choices: - Return to the two-year terms; - Staggered four-year terms, with voters picking four or five council members every two years; or - If neither amendment passes, sticking with the four-year term status quo. I prefer turning back the clock to the system in place from 1927 to 2013. More frequent elections will keep our council more accountable to voters. 54

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A third proposed charter amendment would close what has been called the LLC Loophole, which allowed hundreds of thousands of dollars from real estate developers to flow into last year’s mayor and council campaigns. Back in 2001, voters adopted a campaign finance reform amendment that limited contributions to $1,000 per person for any council or mayor election. The limit was proposed by groups including the NAACP, AFL-CIO and Women’s City Club. The goal was to limit the influence of high rollers channeling thousands of dollars into the campaigns of their preferred candidates. In 2005, then Councilman John Cranley asked the Cincinnati Elections Commission to opine on whether Limited Liability Companies (LLCs) were persons, too, with their own contribution limits. The commission played ball, with an unpublished opinion creating the LLC loophole. Each LLC was allowed to make the same (now) $1,100 donation as its owner(s). The more LLCs you own, the more you can give! This was contrary to Ohio law, which attributes any LLC donations to their owners for purposes of contribution limits. Developers typically create a new LLC for each of their properties.

It did not take long for crackerjack political fundraisers to connect the dots between owners and their LLCs, leading to a blizzard of supersized donations. Here’s how it worked: most people can donate only $1,100/election to a candidate. But a developer with 10 LLCs can donate up to $12,100. Just one developer donated a total of $32,500 to the mayor’s 2017 primary and general election campaigns. In all, the mayor harvested more than $550,000 from about 70 LLC owners. Some (including me) believe that the Election Commission’s 2005 opinion was wrong, and that all those supersized donations were illegal. A lawsuit was filed, and remains pending. While the proposed LLC Charter amendment will not require the mayor to return all that developer cash, it will turn off this particular spigot to future candidates for mayor and council. Maybe developers should consider this an early Christmas present. If it passes, there will be fewer pesky solicitations for all that LLC cash during the next mayor’s race. n Don Mooney is an attorney, a past member of the Cincinnati Planning Commission and is active in local politics.

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Bronson-At-Large By Peter Bronson

What happens when a college president retires?

President, $1.5 million; ‘UC’ nothing H

ere’s a cold case for Columbo: A university president goes missing almost overnight. For no apparent reason, he walks away from his $451,000 salary, extravagant benefits, free $2.7 million condo and his celebrity. The only explanation: “personal reasons.” It happened six years ago. Just like that, University of Cincinnati President Gregory H. Williams quit in September 2012, just as the school year was about to begin. When he was hired in 2009 from a list of more than 100 applicants, Williams was billed as a superstar. His book, Life on the Color Line: The True Story of a White Boy Who Discovered He Was Black, was applauded by Oprah, Tom Brokaw, Larry King and Ted Koppel. There was talk of a movie deal. UC Magazine described him as a hero of diversity, which he called “the future of the world.” “My goal is to continue the great momentum that has been established at this great institution and to move the university forward as quickly as possible,” Williams said then. “We have a great story to tell, and we need to get the word out. We’re going to be the big dogs.” But when the biggest dog ran away, there were no posters on telephone poles. There was no story to tell. No word got out. No amber alert. Just “personal reasons.” The local media dropped the story like a radioactive rock. The UC Board of Trustees was leak-proof. The Cincinnati Enquirer seemed uninterested. (The urban weekly CityBeat speculated that having the En56

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quirer’s publisher on the UC board had something to do with that.) But UC is Cincinnati’s biggest employer. It is a public institution, supported by taxpayers, who supposedly have a right to know what happened. Was he fired? If so, why? Six years later, board members and UC officials interviewed by Cincy Magazine are still not talking for the record. But off the record, a story emerged. There was a stormy meeting with Williams, called by a group of board members who confronted him about their increasing dissatisfaction. Realizing his support had evaporated, he resigned. Board members and university officials said the sudden “divorce” was not as sexy as some rumors claimed. Williams had simply worn out his welcome by telling and re-telling his life story ad nauseum. He used his new stage to shine a spotlight on himself, instead of the university. And he stumbled into political minefields wearing snowshoes—choosing sides against powerful board members and donors, who ran out of patience. Williams “is currently an independent trustee on the board of certain of Franklin Templeton’s U.S.-registered mutual funds,” according to a spokesperson. So why the secrecy? Because university presidents live in the ultimate campus “safe zone,” where the worst that can happen is to quietly resign with a platinum parachute. They are seldom fired like ordinary mortals. After Williams quit, Fox 19 reported on his “extravagant lifestyle” that included

Former UC President Gregory H. Williams limos on the UC credit card. Chauffeured limos may fit New York and L.A., but not Cincinnati. Yet even that was low rent compared to his transition agreement, which also got little attention. According to the document obtained from UC: • Even after he was forced out, Williams was given a performance bonus of $112,750. • Another $100,000 was paid into his retirement plan. • He was allowed to stay in his luxury condo, rent free, for four more months. • The university hired him as a consultant

for two years at $25,000 a month the first year, and $17,000 a month the second year—a parting gift of $504,000. • He was given “all employee benefits available to tenured faculty,” and a salary of $255,000 for two years to teach a class. But he was not required to teach anything. • And after not teaching for two years, he was given another lump sum payment of $300,000 as “a buyout of Dr. Williams’ tenured faculty position”—thank you for not teaching.

McMicken Hall on the Campus of the University of Cincinnati

Not including benefits such as health insurance, the severance package topped $1.5 million. The only thing more lucrative than being UC’s president was quitting as UC’s president. Here’s the part where Columbo rearranges his rumpled raincoat, scratches his head and says, “Wait a minute. One more question. Isn’t it a bit unusual to hit the jackpot after you get canned?” Not in the alternate universe of higher education. According to the most recent statistics from the Chronicle of Higher Education: • The highest paid college president since 2010 was Gordon Gee at Ohio State University: $6 million. Gee “retired” in 2013 after he embarrassed OSU—again—by insulting another ethnic group. He moved to West Virginia, which matched his OSU base salary of $800,000. • A dozen university presidents in the U.S. make more than $1 million a year. • The average salary is $560,000 (more than $100,000 higher than the U.S. president’s salary). • UC President Neville Pinto: $660,000. • Miami University’s Gregory Crawford: $570,000. • NKU President Ashish Vaidya: $400,000. • Ohio State President Michael Drake: $1,073,272. • Xavier University President Fr. Michael Graham: As a Jesuit, he receives no salary. Base salaries are only the crust of the pie. The filling—free housing, car al-

lowances, skybox benefits, retirement contributions, travel, insurance and lavish expense accounts to wine and dine donors—can easily double a college president’s salary. And the bigger they are, the softer they fall. At Michigan State University, President Lou Anna Simon was forced to resign after a universit y doctor was caught molesting women on the g ymnastics team. Her severance package guaranteed $750,000 the first year, and more than $560,000 annually after that, plus office space, secretarial help, game tickets and other perks. Beverly Davenport, who was an interim president at UC and was considered for the job permanently, was hired as president of the University of Tennessee Knoxville—then fired after a year for poor organization, communication and business skills. Her penalty was to join the faculty at a salary of $1.7 million over four years. When Penn State President Graham Spanier was fired, he was given $1.2 million and a $700,000 “sabbatical”—maybe to study the legal liability of football coaches who molest kids.

If university presidents are more valuable to society than pop stars, NFL linebackers and CEOs of industry, it’s hard to see how. In any case, Economics 101 says CEO salaries are determined by a free market—while college presidents are paid with fiat currency: Other People’s Money. And that comes from students and families who go deep into debt to pay tuition so that fired presidents can take $700,000 sabbaticals and be paid $300,000 to not teach any classes. Last year, the average student debt was about $39,000, up 6 percent. Two thirds of graduates leave with a backpack of debt. One UC trustee said Greg Williams had a hard time finding another job after he was forced out. Whatever the reason, the scandal was not how he suddenly quit, but the way Williams and others like him are paid so much to go away. Families spend $50,000 to $100,000 for six years of tuition to buy a four-year diploma that is good for wrapping a burrito in the job market, while university presidents are paid millions—even after they get fired. Even Columbo couldn’t figure out how they get away with that. n w w w.

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Step

A in the Right Direction Rob Festenstein and the Center for Independent Living Options are helping those with disabilities find the help and resources they may need By Scott Unger

he Mt. Auburn-based Center for Independent Living Options has been assisting people with disabilities in the Cincinnati area for 41 years and Executive Director Rob Festenstein joined this year to continue the nonprofit’s goals. Festenstein detailed the different programs and initiatives the center provides to combat the challenges facing the community and his role with the group in a recent sit-down with Cincy Magazine. Last year the center provided direct services for over 500 people with disabilities seeking low-income and accessible housing, including establishing permanent residences for 57 households in Ohio and 70 in Kentucky. “We are part of a nationwide movement of independent living centers and our goal is to have people with a disability, any kind of disability, it can be visible or not, to live independently to have meaningful lives and to contribute in society as everyone else,” Festenstein says. A native of Chicago, Festenstein joined CILO after working as an administrator for the Adath Israel Congregation. The drive to help others is motivated by his faith and the Jewish commandment to help other people. “‘Love your neighbor as you love thyself’, that’s really one of my driving principles,” Festenstein says. “The concept of making the world a better place, keeping people out of homelessness, keeping people out of poverty. I don’t work so much with consumers, I’m strictly administrative, but I still enjoy knowing what I do, in the end, is helping people.” 58

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The center certainly provides a lot of help, servicing individuals across Southwest Ohio and in 32 counties in Kentucky who self-identify with permanent physical, cognitive, sensory or psychological disabilities that substantially limit one or more major life activities. “We want this to be a hub for people with disabilities to come and get the skills they need to be independent and work in the community,” Festenstein says. The center leads by example, as the staff and board of directors is required to be comprised of 51 percent of people with a disability. “We have a very dedicated staff here, it’s culturally diverse, gender diverse and people with disabilities and they’re all very committed to seeing our mission through.” CILO provides five core services: advocacy, independent living skills, peer support, information and referral services and transition services. The center’s advocacy service is focused on engaging in positive action and creating needed change to laws and programs that affect people with disabilities—those efforts are concentrated this year on voter registration and activism, Festenstein says. “Right now we’re pushing big for the election. We encourage people to vote and to help with accessibility issues in polling places,” he says. CILO takes a non-partisan approach to voting, focusing on issues that could have a negative impact on clients like circulating legislation that could weaken provisions in the Americans with Disabilities Act, he says. The classes provided by CILO vary widely, from life and career skills to creative outlets to social activities like Fun-day Friday, which offers movies and popcorn, card and board games and craft making. Other classes focus on independent living skills, financial and career literacy and artistic outlets like a book and writing club. A major creative endeavor is the Art Beyond Boundaries gallery located at

1410 Main St., which showcases artwork by people with disabilities and allows the artists to collect a portion of sold works, with the remaining income directed back to the program. The exhibits include sculpture, photography, oil painting, mixed mediums and other forms and are generally displayed for six to eight weeks. “This is a niche gallery, it’s meant for people who have barriers in their lives and obstacles,” Festenstein says. “It’s fulfilling not only to them but for the people who invest in the gallery because these are people who may not otherwise have an opportunity to showcase their art.” Along with its core services, CILO operates a housing program for homeless persons with disabilities and funds services such as providing financial assistance for people who require personal assistants. The center can’t house the homeless directly, but works through referral services with homeless clinics or state government to help them find permanent residences. “If we can’t necessarily help them we will tell them how to get help and how to get referred to us,” Festenstein says. Funded primarily through federal and other government grants, CILO spends its funding directly on its goals, with 94 percent going to programs and services last year. There are many obstacles remaining for people with disabilities in the region, transportation options being one of the major ones, but Festenstein and CILO continue to make changes that will impact the community and he hopes to raise the profile of the group in the coming years, he says. “We’re kind of an unknown in Cincinnati and we’re working to change that,” he says. “Even if we cannot directly provide a service to someone, we can get them in the right direction. We don’t want to see anyone homeless, we don’t want to see anyone not being able to live their life in as a full a way as possible.” n

Rob Festenstein, executive director of the Center for Independent Living Options

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Best Schools

3 Questions with David Mueller NEW PRINCIPAL OF ARCHBISHOP MCNICHOLAS HIGH SCHOOL

Archdiocese of Cincinnati, so it has a long history of dealing with co-education and of capitalizing on the benefits of that.

By Corinne Minard

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT WORKING WITH CATHOLIC SCHOOLS?

avid Mueller, the new principal of Archbishop McNicholas High School, brings plenty of experience to his position. In addition to being the principal of St. Xavier High School for 19 years and Mother of Mercy High School for six years, Mueller has a master’s degree in business administration from Xavier University “Why would a principal get a master’s degree in business administration? The answer is that I became intrigued with the organizational side of schools. What aspects of school operations make them exciting, invigorating places for people to learn and to work? Going down the path of a master’s in business administration enabled me to look and study those kinds of aspects while also giving me a glimpse of the business side of operating schools to compliment my main education in the humanities,” he says. Cincy Magazine sat down with Mueller to learn more about him and what he hopes to bring to McNicholas.

WHAT APPEALED TO YOU ABOUT BECOMING THE PRINCIPAL OF MCNICHOLAS? An intriguing and challenging attraction for me was at St. Xavier I had worked with all young men, at Mother of Mercy I had worked with all young women and here was an opportunity to work with them both together and to experience that dynamic. McNicholas is the first co-ed school in the 60

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Leadership in Catholic education has really become my life’s mission. With all respect to public education, I am convinced that the world desperately needs future leaders who are skilled at viewing the world from the standpoint of a Catholic worldview and solving problems with the strong moral framework and religious convictions that a Catholic education gives them. How do we help students learn good strong academic content, give them strong academic skills and train them in the way of looking at the world through those Catholic eyes and as leaders wanting to get engaged with those kinds of problems? Again, with all due respect to public schools, I think we have a special mission and talent for engaging students in service work and in equipping them with a good background in Catholic social teaching that informs how they engage with social work and in helping them to be reflective. At the very beginning we want to help them feel the satisfaction of helping people, but beyond that we want to train them in thinking about how do we approach and improve systemic injustices in society.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR THE FUTURE? We’re on the cusp of developing a strategic plan. A couple of [its] themes would be building even further on the school’s success in personalizing education, one of the most notable aspects of which is our SAIL

program, which is a program that helps students with special learning needs that supports them so that they can thrive in regular classrooms. By the same token, we have our St. Joseph Scholars program, which gives enrichment opportunities for the very gifted students and helps them … connect with each other and connect with gifted and talented opportunities. We’re going be looking for ways to continue to improve personalized education. There’s also a very strong impetus here with STEAM, which is science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. When we think about, “How do you equip students to take on messy problems in society both technical and having to do with social injustice?” the kinds of experiences we want them to have in working with interdisciplinary problem solving challenges that STEAM programs will give them will hopefully equip them for that. n

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Business ENTREPRENEUR HALL OF FAME page 64

KATHY FISH page 68

CYBER SECURITY page 71

HOLIDAY EVENT PLANNER GUIDE page 75

McHALEâ€™S CATERING page 96

BEST IN BUSINESS CALENDAR page 98

BEST IN BUSINESS DIRECTORY page 99

Kathy Fish, chief research, development and innovation officer for Procter & Gamble

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The Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame was created to showcase and honor the Tristate’s pioneering entrepreneurs and their supporting organizations. Presented by Cincy Magazine and a collective of leading business organizations in the region, the inaugural Hall of Fame event, held Aug. 22 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, was a place to learn about, participate with and demonstrate how much attendees care about our inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. The event was sponsored by Flagel Huber Flagel, AT&T, KMK Law and Gateway Community & Technical College. Republic Bank was a table sponsor. The community partners were UpTech, Ocean, EO Cincinnati and HCDC Business Center. The nonprofit beneficiary was DePaul Cristo Rey.

By the Editors

Mahendra Vora VOR A VENTURES

When Indian-born Mahendra Vora, chairman and managing director of Vora Ventures and Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame honoree, moved to Cincinnati in 1988 to join a friend who was starting a business, Vora found a calling and a city to call home. His company, Vora Ventures, is now parent company to many platforms like AssureCare, Aquiire, Zakta, CenterGrid, Ascendum, TalentNow and ShakeDeal. “We have worked hard to create thousands of jobs by building high-tech, innovative companies that have generated tremendous returns for our partners, investors, customers and employees. Our belief is that when we support the budding entrepreneurship ecosystem in Cincinnati, everyone wins,” he says. Vora’s companies employ more than 2,100 people, who Vora says are the key to having a successful business. “Don’t say, ‘As soon as I have some more money, I will get better people.’ The first 10 people you hire should be the people who can own entire departments in the company and navigate ambiguity. Your team should be energized, aligned and motivated to accomplish the same goals,” he says. Even after 30 years as an entrepreneur, Vora says he still is still learning and improving. His advice for those just starting out: Be an entrepreneur for the right reasons, build a product that solves a specific pain point and invest in awesome people. “Entrepreneurship is not just a pathway in the world of business, it is a way of life,” says Vora. -Corinne Minard 64

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Patty Brisben PURE ROMANCE

Patty Brisben, founder and chairwoman of Pure Romance, was inducted into the Cincy Entrepreneur Hall of Fame for the success she’s had with her company, but the endeavor began as a very small operation. In 1983, a feature on The Phil Donahue Show that showcased in-home parties focused on intimacy products inspired Brisben. Ten years later, she launched Pure Romance from her basement. Since then, Brisben has worked hard to make Pure Romance a place where women could take control of their financial future while raising their children. “I started a business that I think so many other people would have been afraid to start,” Brisben says. “I don’t think it was on anybody’s radar.” Brisben felt it was important to incorporate an education piece to her company alongside the products, something that had not been done by previous companies. “This really defined where this company was going along with the leadership of the company,” Brisben says. Since forming her business, Brisben has given advice to entrepreneurs just starting off. “Just stay focused,” Brisben says. “There are highs and lows to everything that we do. Just stick to it.” Brisben also has become passionate about women’s sexual health. “I really do believe women have allowed themselves to be placed on the back burner,” Brisben says. “I think it’s time for all of us to become aware of sexual health.” In the future, Brisben hopes to bring the importance of sexual health to the forefront. “We need more research,” Brisben says. “Our physicians need more research. I really truly do believe that sexual health matters.” – Madison Rodgers

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Neil Bortz TOWNE PROPERTIES

Neil Bortz has some advice for new entrepreneurs: First and foremost have a true passion for whatever it is you want to do. That’s because it’s going to be a lot of hard work and there are going to be a lot of setbacks and disappointments, he says. “You’ll have to restart a number of times, maybe rethink your concept,” Bortz says. “So you’ve really got to stick to it and you’ve got to have faith that what you’re doing is going to work out.” Bortz, who founded Towne Properties in 1961 along with Lamber Agin and Marvin Rosenberg, certainly had faith that what he was doing would work. It started with the renovation of buildings that led to the renaissance of Cincinnati’s Mt. Adams neighborhood—at that time a declining, inner-city neighborhood adjacent to downtown with great views—and has continued with the creation of apartment communities, offices and retail space throughout the Greater Cincinnati region. “I do believe we’re creating great places to live, work, shop and play and that it’s really making people’s lives more enjoyable, more fulfilled,” he says. It’s a passion that’s never left his soul. “What gets me out of bed every day is I still really love what I do,” says Bortz. “I never considered it work.” —Eric Spangler

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Tim Metzner

OCEAN ACCELER ATOR AND DIFFERENTIAL Before Tim Metzner takes the stage for a big speech he always repeats a mantra reminding himself of his purpose: “Not on my power, not to my glory.” Metzner’s Christian faith has played a large role in his life and his success and the mantra reminds him that all the work is for God and keeps him grounded and focused. Honored as the emerging entrepreneur at this year’s Cincy Magazine Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, Metzner spoke about his work and passion for his faith and his family to the crowd gathered at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, saying it was a great honor to be mentioned alongside the other nominees. “It’s always nice to get some recognition,” Metzner says. With two burgeoning companies, Metzner has received no shortage of recognition for his work and is helping others make a name for themselves with his businesses: Ocean Accelerator and Differential. Differential is a digital innovation agency that helps partners invent, test and build digital products that drive growth and keep them ahead on the innovation curve. Ocean Accelerator draws on his strong commitment to faith through a funding partnership with Crossroads church. Each year the accelerator accepts up to 10 high-tech start-up companies to transform their business and spiritual life through a five-month intensive program that allows their ideas to become reality through $50,000 of seed money and access to an elite team of mentors, business professionals and faith leadership. Ocean will hold its annual conference Oct. 11 and 12, which will feature inspirational speakers from around the country and is expected to draw over 1,000 attendees. Metzner is obviously a busy man but by careful scheduling is able to balance his business and family life, he says. “We have to balance things for sure, making sure the same way we schedule business meetings, we schedule dinner with family,” he says. “The key is having great partners in all of that.” – Scott Unger w w w.

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The Next KATHY FISH, P&G’S CHIEF

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION OFFICER, IS PREPPING THE COMPANY FOR A FUTURE OF INNOVATION

By Liz Engel

or more than 175 years, innovation has been in Procter & Gamble’s DNA—it’s an oft-repeated company mantra, one that’s found repeatedly on various branded web pages and the primary reason we have products like Tide, Crest and Olay. Kathy Fish, a 39-year veteran of the Cincinnati-based consumer products giant, has seen many similar developments come to fruition throughout her career, from Pampers Pure to Pert Plus 2-in-1 shampoo. Fish, P&G’s chief research, development and innovation officer, leads R&D during a time when P&G is making a big push for stronger sales growth. Not only is the company reinvesting in innovation—it spent $1.9 billion there last fiscal year, to be exact—it’s also more lean, working much more like a startup. And Fish, who oversees about 6,700 global scientists and researchers, roughly half who are based in Cincinnati, acts almost like an angel investor. “My job is fun. A lot of times I provide seed funding for newly emerging areas,” Fish says. “It’s expensive when you get into new areas, so I have money I can provide so they can get to proof of concept. And once they get to proof of concept, the business can pick it up and run with it, because they see the possibilities.” It can be a guessing game, for sure, but Fish has the pedigree to back it up. She’s been a P&G’er since 1979, joining the ranks as a product developer straight out of Michigan State, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. She didn’t know much at the time; Procter was much more a North America company, versus global, but she liked its 68

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Wave hyper consumer focus. It seemed like the best fit for her. “When P&G came recruiting on campus, it was just so inspirational,” she says. “I did an internship at a chemical company, but learned what I didn’t want to do. Here, you get to see products you invented on the shelf. I just thought that was really interesting.” She’s worked in fabric care, hair care and baby care, specifically, throughout her career. And there’s been key victories in each. Fish aided in the creation of 2-in-1 shampoos, launched initially with Pert Plus (1987), a “totally breakthrough” revolution at the time, she says, and one that catapulted hair care, a very small business at the time, into a “priority category” for the company. During her time in baby care, Pampers business boomed—backed by P&G’s 2002 launch of “Baby Stages of Development,” a line of diapers, training pants and wipes designed specifically for different “stages” of growth, like Swaddlers for newborns, or Cruisers for more active little ones. In fabric care, while Fish served as vice president of global research and development, P&G launched Tide PODS (2012), and added Downy Unstopables (2011), a beaded in-wash scent booster, as new product offerings—all with the same goal in mind. “All these were really breakthrough initiatives designed to delight consumers,” Fish says. “People had been working on 2-in-1 shampoos for maybe 40 years. The ability to clean the hair, while at the same time depositing something that would condition it, is actually very challenging. Baby care is a really fun business, and, technically, one of our most complex. We run our diaper lines at over 1,000 diapers a

minute, and it requires precision engineering. Downy [Unstopables] took us a long time to get right. Tide PODS were built on the technology that came from Cascade Actionpacs, which was a great place to start because those dissolve in really hot water. But how do you have a film that holds liquid without leaking (etc.), but also dissolves really fast in cold water? It was a major invention. But it’s been worth it.” In 2014, Fish was elected P&G’s first female CTO, or chief technology officer. That title got an upgrade in 2017 but is essentially the same position (“chief research, development and innovation officer” has less of an IT feel, she says). Her day-to-day varies, but includes reviewing strategy, long-term programs and more. Part of her job does include doling out seed funding to kick-start new ideas— like Olay’s Skin Advisor (2017), an agepredicting tool that taps Procter’s massive skin database. Customers can take a selfie and receive personalized product recommendations. Teams from P&G’s 10 core categories “pitch” her their ideas, and Fish picks the best from the lot. “There’s definitely art and science involved, in putting it all together, and some judgment, but I’ve been in the business so long [it helps],” she says. She also credits lean innovation—a concept normally reserved for startups— for helping accelerate speed to market, like with Pampers Pure, a line of natural diapers and wipes made without chlorine, fragrances, parabens or latex. P&G project teams are smaller, more nimble, multi-functional and agile. Sometimes a really big idea can take five years or more to develop, Fish says. Pampers

“My job is fun. A lot of times I provide seed funding for newly emerging areas.” —Kathy Fish, chief research, development and innovation officer, P&G

Pure came together in a much shorter amount of time. “Our business results haven’t been what we want them to be, so we’re innovating the way we innovate,” Fish says. “The natural segment in general hasn’t been as big in some of our categories, because sometimes there’s a tradeoff with core performance, and it’s held back growth. So we’re really committed to breaking that paradigm, and the Pampers team, applying lean innovation, took on that challenge.” Because there’s certainly more in the pipeline. Given her longevity, Fish cares less about personal milestones and more about the big picture. She’s keen on “delivering

irresistibly superior product and package experiences,” another go-to company catch phrase. P&G outspends its competition on R&D; that looks to continue. She says the customer is the No. 1 reason why. “When the consumer uses our products, if they go and use somebody else, they really miss the performance level,” she says. “We looked at the success factors behind our billion-dollar brands and our highest growth periods, and those were all driven by big ideas—which require breakthrough technologies. So we’re very committed to doing that again across all our core businesses.” At the very least, there’s excitement for the future. While you can find Fish’s name

on the short list of potential future female CEO’s at Procter—the company has never had one, but she believes it could happen soon—she doesn’t consider herself a contender. Most company heads come from the marketing side, Fish says, and she’s made a choice to stay in R&D. It’s her home. So is retirement next? “It depends. From a career standpoint, I’ve achieved what I want to achieve. My goals are very much company-specific right now,” she says. “I want to get back to winning at the level I know we’re capable of. We have amazing products, so how do we get it all going again? We’re making progress.” n w w w.

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Ultimate Workshop

TAX, Succession, and Estate mistakes made by Business Owners and how to avoid them Presented By: NKY Chamber of Commerce

William E. Hesch, Esq., CPA, PFS • Amy E. Pennekamp, Esq.

Thursday, November 29, 2018, 8:00 am – 11:30 am Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330 Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017

Benefits of Attending the Workshop: • Identify action steps for your business which become your 2018/2019 road map for success! • Protect the value of your business and its long-term success. • Avoid major business problems that would arise if you died or became disabled. • Get answers to your CPA and legal questions. Forward your questions to Bill prior to the workshop! • All attendees receive a one-hour complimentary follow-up consultation with Bill. 8:00 am • Session 1: Top 10 Tax Planning Mistakes • Choice of Entity-Sole Proprietor, S or C Corporation • Maximize retirement plan deductions • Maximize your tax deductions • Avoid IRS audit problems

9:15 am • Session 2: Top 10 Succession Planning Mistakes • How to Plan for: *Death, *Disability, *Retirement • Secrets For a Successful Business Succession Plan • Planning for disability of owner

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Personalized • Experienced • Service-oriented After you meet with your attorney, CPA and Financial Planner, contact Bill on his cell phone at (513) 509-7829 to get a second opinion and see what he can do for you. 3047 Madison Road, Suite 205, Cincinnati, OH 45209 | 513-731-6601 | www.heschlaw.com This is an advertisement | Legal work may be performed by others within the firm.

Cybersecurity

LISA VENTRE/UC CREATIVE SERVICES

First Line of Defense INDIVIDUALS ARE THE KEY TO LIMITING SUSCEPTIBILITY OF OUR NATION’S COMPUTER SYSTEMS By Eric Spangler

Cybersecurity expert Richard Harknett is the inaugural Fulbright professor in cyber studies at Oxford University in the United Kingdom in 2017 and the first scholar-in-residence at United States Cyber Command and the National Security Agency in 2016.

he cybersecurity of our nation is in our own individual hands. That’s the message that cybersecurity expert Richard Harknett, professor and head of the University of Cincinnati’s political science department, is preaching. That’s because our computers live in an interconnected world on the internet, says the inaugural Fulbright professor in cyber studies at Oxford University in the United Kingdom in 2017 and the first scholar-inresidence at United States Cyber Command and the National Security Agency in 2016. And because we live in an interconnected computer world that means that an individual’s computer vulnerability can be used and exploited by advanced attackers to threaten national security, says Harknett. “We need an engaged cybersecurity citizenry in order to advance national cybersecurity,” he says. “I need to be contributing to cybersecurity not only to make myself secure but to make my neighbor secure,

my state secure and my country secure.” We have a civic duty to make sure that we engage in secure practices on our computers and cellphones, says Harknett. “There’s things that we can do on a daily basis to make sure that we’re less susceptible to unauthorized access to our digital platforms,” he says. “I stress the notion of less susceptible because there is no 100 percent perfect defense.” So what steps can we, as individuals, take to make sure our nation’s computer systems are less susceptible to unauthorized access or attack? Harknett has six simple suggestions to help keep our nation’s computer system less susceptible to hackers.

ROBUST PASSWORDS The first step that individuals can take to help secure computers is making sure to use more robust passwords. One of the simplest ways of compromising people’s computers and accounts is through very

weak passwords, he says. “I can run, as an attacker, automated systems that just basically run through the dictionary and very simple combinations fairly rapidly,” Harknett says. Despite the warnings against using simple passwords there are still people who use passwords like 123456 or personal identifiers like their name, address or birthdate, he says. Harknett recommends using a sentence or phrase that relates to an account as a password. Use the first letter of every word in that sentence or phrase and convert any letter possible into a number—such as 4 instead of the word “four” or 2 instead of the word “to,” he says. It’s also important to not use the same password for all accounts, Harknett says. It’s best to prioritize which accounts get the most sophisticated passwords, such as bank accounts. These “crown jewel” accounts should have passwords that are beyond eight characters, have special characters, capital letters and lowercase w w w.

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Cybersecurity secu re t hei r computers is i nsta l l i ng a n a nt iv i r us system on computers and cellphones. “Mobile [phone] malware is skyrocketing beCHECK THE LINK cause that’s where we are,” The next step individuals can says Hark nett. “These are mobile computing devices. take to help secure their comMost people’s digital behavputer accounts is by checking ior is moving off the laptop any links, hotlinks in emails, or the desktop and onto the links off webpages or logos in mobi le plat for m so t hat’s an advertisement or email to where malware is going.” make sure it looks legitimate. The other problem with moCybercriminals have become more sophisticated and can Richard Harknett is a professor and head of the University of bile phones is that the print on create emails that appear as Cincinnati’s political science department. emails and websites tends to though they are being sent by be smaller and tighter making a legitimate company—a tactic “Those types of things can cue me to it harder to read, he says. In known as phishing. say hey maybe I don’t click on that link,” addition, people also tend to be in a rush But before clicking on a link Harknett says Harknett. “You just have to do an when they’re using their phones, which says to put the cursor on top of the link extra step or two to try to make sure means they may be quicker to click on a to see the URL, also known as the web- that you’re not clicking on links that you link, says Harknett. site address. If the URL ends in a foreign shouldn’t be.” Because our mobile phones are usually country identifier, like .ru, that tells the linked to computers a hacker can access person receiving the email that the link INSTALL VIRUS PROTECTION a computer once a mobile phone is comis attached to a server in Russia. The third step people can take to help promised, he says. DOTTIE STOVER/UC CREATIVE SERVICES

letters, he says. Make sure to write down those passwords and keep them in a secure place, Harknett says.

Cooitment to Greater Cinciiati Both as a company and as individuals, VonLehman’s driving philosophy has been not only to serve in a professional capacity for nonproﬁt organizations, but to give back to the communities in which we live. True to our longstanding commitment to building the community, we specialize in sectors that drive our regional econo economy - including manufacturing and distribution, construction and real estate, nonproﬁts, healthcare, and professional services.

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UPDATE SOFTWARE Because our mobile phones are usually linked to computers it’s important to update any software on phones and computers on a regular basis, Harknett says. That means computer users should have an automatic update function enabled on their operating systems on computers and mobile phones, he says. Another important step to take is to update any apps that have been installed, says Harknett. That’s because if an app winds up having a security flaw and an update is not installed for that app it becomes a hacker’s pathway into a computing device, he says.

GET RID OF APPS Another simple security step is to remove any apps that are never or rarely used. That’s because those apps are sitting on a computer or mobile phone and aren’t being updated. “And those become vulnerabilities in your system,” says Harknett. Another issue related to apps is the permissions that the user has granted the developer of the app. “It may be a really

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cool app but you have to decide do you trust that app maker to give them access to all your contact list?” Harknett says. That’s why an app may be free because the developer of the app is turning around and selling the contact information, he says.

NOTHING IS FREE The last step Harknett recommends is that everyone understands that in the digital world nothing is free. “We’re just paying with a different kind of currency,” he says.

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That digital currency is the use of personal data, says Harknett. “You’re not paying to use Google as a search engine. But Google is making lots and lots of money. It’s the downstream use of your personal data.” Companies and app developers are making life easier and more convenient, such as providing grocery coupons online, but at a price. “You’re paying for that service by giving them access to what you do,” he says. n

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018

A PARTY to Remember

COMPANIES CAN REWARD THEIR STAFF WITH A FUN AND MEMORABLE HOLIDAY PARTY THANKS TO THE REGION’S MANY VENUES By Corinne Minard

ocal venues know that companies are looking for new and exciting ways to make their holiday parties memorable. That’s why they’re including unique features and entertainment in their packages for holiday event planners. We checked in with three Tristate venues to see what they’re offering and what advice they have for planners looking for something new.

WINE PARTY Meier’s Wine Cellars is the oldest and largest wine producer in the state of Ohio

and offers several ways for companies to celebrate the holidays. “We are in the small village of Silverton, which is a mile and a half away from the Kenwood Towne Center, so we’re right there next to 71. We’ve been here since 1890,” says Stephanie Moore, retail store manager. While Meier’s is historic, it does have a large banquet room that companies can rent out for parties of 40-50 people. Moore says the room can fit up to 100 if the company is OK with standing room only.

“There’s plenty of room to put decorations up and people can bring in a DJ if they want. We don’t have catering anymore, but we have no problem if people want to bring in a caterer or they can bring in their own finger food. They can do that part,” says Moore. The main draw of Meier’s, though, is its wines. The wine producer makes about 31 different types of fruity wine and eight nonalcoholic sparkling juices. Companies are invited to incorporate the wine into their events, with some groups creating special themes to make the wine w w w.

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018

Meier’s Wine Cellars in Silverton (ABOVE and LEFT) allows companies to incoporate wine into their holiday parties.

ENTERTAINMENT TIME

the star of the show. For example, Meier’s is hosting an upcoming event that mixes wine tastings with curated scents. For a less formal event, companies can bring their employees to the tasting room and have a company wine tasting. The area is open to the public as well, but Moore says that companies have used the outside garden to give themselves a little more privacy. 76

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“With a budget, we’re probably going to be a good place because we have a pretty low rental fee,” says Moore. While Meier’s specializes in wine, Moore says that the venue is family friendly. “Kids are welcome as long as they’re supervised. We do have the nonalcoholic sparkling juice and kids love that. They feel like they’re adults drinking sparkling stuff like that,” she says.

Newport Syndicate’s Managing Partner Sharon Forton says that while many people are familiar with the Syndicate’s two large rooms, they’re not as aware of the many other rooms and features at the Northern Kentucky venue. “People think we’re just big rooms. We do have two large rooms, one that can hold up to 400 and another one that can hold up to 300. But, in addition, we have four small private rooms that are spectacular that can work for parties from 20 to 80,” she says. “And then we have the dueling piano bar that’s attached.”

The Newport Syndicate has four private rooms and two larger spaces that can be used for holiday parties.

Each of the four private rooms have a different look and feel. One has a gangster theme and has photos of the gangsters that ran Newport in the 1950s. Another has oak wood walls. And the Syndicate’s Flamingo

room has a more traditional feel. Forton says that the Newport Syndicate has two features that can ensure companies have a quality holiday party: food and entertainment.

“We do everything fresh. We’re not prepping it early and letting it hang all day,” says Forton. Forton adds that the Syndicate also aims to give its parties lots of choices. For example, the buffet typically has at least three entree items. “If you have a nice variety of the buffet for food, [the venue is] easy to get to, [guests are] comfortable, they have options, then you’re going to hit more people’s comfort zone, so they’re going to say it’s a fun party,” she says. The venue’s dueling piano bar, Gangster’s, is the feature that Forton says companies in particular enjoy. “On the weekends after your party you can come into the piano bar, there’s a bar, the dueling pianos and a big area for seating. A lot of times there will be people from every party dumped into it after dinners,” she says. “You’re not paying for entertainment. That’s the part that’s so cool about that.” Another perk of the piano bar is that a party’s guests don’t have to leave the venue

START THE CONVERSATION 513.229.5817 MasonSales@greatwolf.com 2501 Great Wolf Drive • Mason, OH 45040 greatwolf.com/meetings

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018

The Newport Syndicate’s many rooms allow companies to pick the room that best fits the feel they are going for. to continue enjoying the night. The bar is within the Syndicate, so no one needs to brave the cold after the holiday party ends. If a company is looking for something different when it comes to entertainment, Forton says they can help with that as well. “We have murder mysteries here, we help people to find entertainment if that’s what they would like to do. And we work with Cincinnati Circus, too, to come up with unique things for people,” she says.

seated guests and 65 standing. Braxton does not provide its own food, but companies are invited to bring in whatever catering or food they wish. Each brewery has its own room rental policy, but a bonus at Braxton is that it has no room rental fee, just a bar minimum. Companies just need to make sure that guests drink enough to cover the room bill to ensure they get the most bang for their buck.

INFORMAL FUN

ANY ADVICE

For an informal holiday part y, local breweries can be a good option. Braxton Brewery in Covington, Kentucky, has two rooms that companies can use. Braxton’s private Loft space is located above the the tap room and can accommodate 80 people seated and about 120 standing. The room has its own personal bar and the bartenders are included with the room. Braxton’s other room, the Garage, is semi-private and is situated in the main tap room. This room has the space for 48

While these venues offer very different features, they offer similar advice to those who are starting to plan the company party. “Pla n a head. I wou ld say a rou nd October, if people are starting to think about getting stuff going, they should start making phone calls, see what venues they would like. [They should start] before t hanksgiv ing for December,” says Moore. Forton adds, “If you reach out in October, you’re going to be able to have some options.” She also says that there is typically

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more availability on weekdays compared to weekends. “If you want Saturday night you better get on it. They should do it now,” she says. Because there are so many options, Moore suggests people visit their favored venue to make sure the location will work for them. “People can get a visual of what it looks like before they go ahead and book, so they can know, ‘OK, my group will fit in here, we’ll put this here, we’ll put that there.’ They can get an idea of where they want everyone to be,” she says. And while new and exciting can be fun, Forton says it can be wise to pair these new features with an experienced team. Forton, for example, has been with the Syndicate for 22 years and working in events for 35, so she’s practiced in dealing with surprise problems. Ultimately, Tristate venues say they’re here to help companies have their ideal holiday party. “We tailor to whoever you are and make a party out of it” says Moore. n

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Get Inspired!

4C for Children Jenni Jacobs was introduced to 4C for Children while pregnant with her first child and working as a homebased childcare provider. After her first training, Jenni felt inspired. “I always wanted to be a teacher, and that training made me realize I can be a teacher.” From that point on, Jenni attended as many 4C training sessions as she could. 4C for Children is an organization that provides resources and training for childcare providers, teachers and parents. Their mission is to support the adults who care for young children to ensure each child receives the care and education they need to be successful. The inspiration Jenni garnered from early training with 4C led her to become the first childcare provider to be accredited in Cincinnati through the National Association for Family Childcare, graduate from college as valedictorian, win the prestigious Pearl M. Wright Award, and eventually earn her doctoral degree. Jenni is now an Instructional Designer at the University of Cincinnati and continues to be a trainer for 4C for Children. “4C introduced me to the world of early childhood development and now I have the opportunity to light the way for someone else.” Jenni is a presenter at the 4C for Children Leadership and Early Childhood Conference, which will take place at the Sharonville Convention Center on October 26 and 27, 2018. Sharonville Convention Center is an ideal place for the conference, as it’s centrally located and provides high quality service and space, while fitting in the budget for the nonprofit organization. To learn more about 4C for Children and the Leadership and Early Childhood Conference, visit 4cconference.org.

Contact Lisa Hodge to reserve your date 513.326.6465 • lhodge@cityofsharonville.com 11355 Chester Road • Cincinnati, OH 45246 www.sharonvilleconventioncenter.com Now Open!

Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018

Event Location Listings 20th Century Theater 3021 Madison Road Cincinnati, OH 45209 513-731-8000 x10 the20thcenturytheatre.com

American Sign Museum 1330 Monmouth Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45225 513-541-6366 americansignmuseum.org

Axis Alley 1 Levee Way, Suite 1112 Newport, KY 41071 859-652-7250 axisalleylevee.com

21c Museum Hotel 609 Walnut St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-578-6600 21cmuseumhotels.com/cincinnati/

Anderson Center 7850 Five Mile Road Cincinnati, OH 45230 513-688-8400 andersoncenterevents.org

The Backstage Event Center 625 Walnut St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-550-1869 backstagecincinnati.com

ALoft Newport 201 E. Third St. Newport, KY 41071 859-916-5306 aloftnewportlevee.com

Anderson Pavilion 8 E. Mehring Way Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-978-1821 andersonpavilion.com

BB Riverboats 101 Riverboat Row Newport, KY 41071 800-261-8586 bbriverboats.com

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018 Behringer-Crawford Museum 1600 Montague Road Covington, KY 41011 859-491-4003 bcmuseum.org

Carlo & Johnny 9769 Montgomery Road Montgomery, OH 45242 513-936-8600 jeffruby.com/carlojohnny

Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Drive Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-721-2787 cincinnatiartmuseum.org

Belterra Casino Resort & Spa 777 Belterra Drive Florence, IN 47020 812-427-7777 belterracasino.com

Centre Park of West Chester 5800 Mulhuser Road West Chester, OH 45069 513-874-2744 centreparkofwestchester.com

The Cincinnatian Hotel 601 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-381-3000 cincinnatianhotel.com

Belterra Park 6301 Kellogg Road Cincinnati, OH 45230 513-232-8000 belterrapark.com

Chart House 405 Riverboat Row Newport, KY 41071 859-261-0300 charthouse.com

Cincinnati Marriott North at Union Centre 6189 Muhlhauser Road West Chester, OH 45069 513-874-7335 marriot.com/cvgno

Boi Na Braza 441 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-421-7111 boinabraza.com

Chateau Pomije Winery, Vineyard and Banquet Facility 25043 Jacob Road Guilford, IN 47022 812-623-8004 cpwinery.com

Cincinnati Marriott at Rivercenter 10 W. RiverCenter Blvd. Covington, KY 41011 859-261-2900 marriott.com/hotels/travel/cvgdr-cincinnati-marriott-at-rivercenter

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A modern, contemporary, state-of-the-art event and banquet center is coming to West Chester, Ohio, in Butler County. Centre Park is the only facility in the area to have a fullservice 130 room hotel featuring a ceremony hall, outdoor garden area, and ballroom that can accommodate 650+ people. Enjoy your event with Ohio’s first Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse, an upscale steakhouse boasting a sophisticated menu and superior wine list, and the Holiday Inn with fullmenu in-room dining, comp shuttle and an incredible bridal suite—all designed to take care of you and your guests. Johnny’s expert culinary team is here for you to ensure an outstanding dining experience, where service to food will shine and make your event a dream come true. JOURNEY TO EXTRAORDINARY WITH OUR TEAM TODAY!

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018 Cincinnati Marriott Northeast 9664 S. Mason Montgomery Road Mason, OH 45040 513-459-9800 cincinnatimarriottnortheast.com

Contemporary Arts Center 44 E. Sixth St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-345-8400 contemporaryartscenter.org

deSha’s 11320 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45249 513-247-9933 deshas.com

Cincinnati Music Hall 1241 Elm St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-744-3342 cincinnatiarts.org

Cooper Creek Event Center 4040 Cooper Road Blue Ash, OH 45241 513-745-8596 coopercreekblueash.com

Eddie Merlot’s 10808 Montgomery Road Cincinnati, OH 45242 513-489-1212 eddiemerlots.com

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden 3400 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220 513-281-4700 cincinnatizoo.org

Crowne Plaza Blue Ash 5901 Pfeiffer Road Blue Ash, OH 45242 513-793-4500 crowneplaza.com/blueash

EnterTRAINment Junction 7379 Squire Court West Chester, OH 45069 513-898-8000 entertrainmentjunction.com

Coney Island 6201 Kellogg Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45230 coneyislandpark.com

Dave & Buster’s 11775 Commons Drive Springdale, OH 45246 513-671-5501 daveandbusters.com/springdale

Event Center at Longworth Hall 700 West Pete Rose Way, #137 Cincinnati, OH 45203 513-721-6000 longworthhallevents.com

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018 Fairfield Banquet & Convention Center at Toriâ€™s Station 74 Donald Drive Fairfield, OH 45014 513-829-8400 fairfieldconventionctr.com Fairfield Community Arts Center 411 Wessel Drive Fairfield, OH 45014 513-867-5348 fairfield-city.org/641/Plan-an-Event Fitton Center For Creative Arts 101 S. Monument St. Hamilton, OH 45011 513-863-8873 x118 fittoncenter.org Greenacres Arts Center 8400 Blome Road Cincinnati, OH 45243 513-793-2787 x320 green-acres.org

Great American Ball Park 100 Joe Nuxhall Way Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-381-7337 cincinnatireds.com

Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza 35 W. Fifth St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-421-9100 hilton.com

Great Wolf Lodge 2501 Great Wolf Drive Mason, OH 45040 800-913-9653 greatwolf.com/mason

Hofbrauhaus 200 E. Third St. Newport, KY 41071 859-491-7200 hofbrauhausnewport.com

Hotel Covington 638 Madison Ave. Covington, KY 41011 859-905-6600 hotelcovington.com

Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Cincinnati Eastgate 4501 Eastgate Blvd. Cincinnati, OH 45245 513-752-4400 holidayinn.com/cvg-eastgate

Hilton Cincinnati Airport 7373 Turfway Road Florence, KY 41042 859-371-4400 cincinnatiairport.hilton.com

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Hollywood Casino & Hotel 777 Hollywood Blvd. Lawrenceburg, IN 47025 888-274-6797 hollywoodindiana.com

Holidays

When you want the best in food, wine, and service for your special occasion, you can expect the best from us. At Eddie Merlot’s, every detail is given our most careful attention. That’s why we offer special touches that turn every occasion into an unforgettable experience. Eddie Merlot’s offers several private and semi-private dining areas with accommodations available for as few as ten guests or as many as 300. Whether it’s your holiday party, wedding reception, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower or engagement party, let us customize all of the details so you can enjoy your special day. Eddie Merlot’s is committed to serving as your partner and helping make your private party a success.

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Award Winning Cuisine • Exceptional Service

McHalesCatering.com • 859-442-7776

Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018 Jack Casino 1000 Broadway St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-252-0777 jackentertainment.com/cincinnati Jeff Ruby’s Cincinnati 700 Walnut St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-784-1200 jeffruby.com Krohn Conservatory 1501 Eden Park Drive Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-421-4086 premierparkevents.com/venues/krohnconservatory/ Madison Event Center 700 Madison Ave. Covington, KY 41011 859-261-1117 thecovingtonmadison.com

Manor House Banquet & Conference Center 7440 S. Mason-Montgomery Road Mason, OH 45040 513-459-0177 manorhouseohio.com McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant 21 E. Fifth St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-721-9339 mccormickandschmicks.com McHale’s Catering Five Locations: Drees Pavilion, Cincinnati Club, Gardens of Park Hills, Grand Ballroom and Pinnacle Ballroom 859-442-7776 mchalescatering.com Meier’s Wine Cellars 6955 Plainfield Road Cincinnati, OH 45236 513-891-2900 meierswinecellars.com

The Metropolitan Club 50 E. Rivercenter Blvd., Ste. 1900 Covington, KY 41011 859-491-2400 metropolitanclub.net Miami Valley Gaming 6000 State Route 63 Lebanon, OH 45036 513-934-7070 miamivalleygaming.com Morton’s The Steakhouse 441 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-621-3111 mortons.com Nathanael Greene Lodge & Reception Hall 6394 Wesselman Road Cincinnati, OH 45248 877-648-4838 greentwp.org/departments/nathanaelgreene-lodge

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX this Holiday Season Book Your Holiday Party by October 31, 2018 and receive a Free 3rd Hour*! To schedule your party, call 859-652-7250 or email sales@axisalleylevee.com *Valid on venue fee only. Event must take place between November 1 and December 31, 2018. Minimum of a two hour event. Must include food and beverage package. Valid on Sunday-Thursday events only. Max value $1700. Does not apply to all inclusive packages. Event must be booked through group sales.

Newport on the Levee ~ 1 Levee Way, Suite 1112 ~ Newport, KY 41071 ~ AxisalleyLevee.com w w w.

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Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018 National Underground Railroad Freedom Center 50 E. Freedom Way Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-333-7536 freedomcenter.org/private-events Newport Aquarium Riverside Room 1vAquarium Way Newport, KY 41071 800-406-3474 newportaquarium.com The Newport Syndicate 18 E. Fifth St. Newport, KY 41071 859-491-8000 newportsyndicate.com Nicholson’s 625 Walnut St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-564-9111 nicholsonspub.com

B:7.75” T:7.5”

DISCOVER WHERE QUEEN CITY PARTIES ROYALLY

36 East 4th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 t: 513.333.0000

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T:4.875”

To inquire, please call 513.333.0000 or email events@renaissancecincinnati.com.

B:5.125”

Bringing together modern, stylish event spaces in a classic Cincy icon, holiday celebrations are anything but standard fare at Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown. Packages include holiday-inspired décor and discounted food and beverages.

Have a Small Office but Want a Big Party? Gangsters Dueling Piano Bar can Help! 2 PRIVATE ROOMS FOR 20-80 GUESTS! FREE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT! SPECIAL HOLIDAY MENUS AVAILABLE!

18 E. 5TH STREET, NEWPORT, KY 41071 CALL 859.491.8900 GANGSTERSDUELINGPIANOBAR.COM

Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018

Nicola’s Restaurant 1420 Sycamore St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-721-6200 nicolasotr.com

Parkers Blue Ash Tavern 4200 Cooper Road Cincinnati, OH 45242 513-891-8300 parkersblueash.com

The Precinct 311 Delta Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45226 513-321-5454 jeffruby.com/precinct

Norlyn Manor 4440 State Route 132 Batavia, OH 45103 513-732-9500 norlynmanor.com

Paul Brown Stadium 1 Paul Brown Stadium Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-455-4800 bengals.com/stadium/stadium-events-/ index.html

Primavista 810 Matson Place Cincinnati, OH 45204 513-251-6467 pvista.com

Oasis Golf Club & Conference Center 902 Loveland-Miamiville Road Loveland, OH 45140 513-583-8383 oasisconferencecenter.com The Oscar Event Center at Jungle Jim’sFairfield 5440 E. Dixie Highway Fairfield, OH 45014 513-674-6055 oscareventcenter.com

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The Phoenix 812 Race St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-721-8901 thephx.com Pompilio’s Restaurant 600 Washington Ave. Newport, KY 41071 859-581-3065 pompilios.com

Radisson Hotel Cincinnati Riverfront 668 W. Fifth St. Covington, KY 41011 859-491-1200 radisson.com/covingtonky Ramada Plaza Elements Conference Center 11320 Chester Road, Cincinnati, OH 45246 513-771-2080 elementsatramadaplaza.com

Holiday Event Planner Guide 2018 Renaissance Cincinnati Downtown Hotel 36 E 4th St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-333-0000 renaissance-hotels.marriott.com/renaissance-cincinnati-downtown-hotel

Sharonville Convention Center 11355 Chester Road Cincinnati, OH 45246 513-771-7744 sharonvilleconventioncenter.com

Vinoklet Winery 11069 Colerain Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45252 513-385-9309 vinokletwines.com

The Summit Hotel 5345 Medpace Way Cincinnati, OH 45227 8513-527-9900 thesummithotel.com

Walhill Farm Event Center 857 Six Pines Ranch Road Batesville, IN 47006 812-934-2600 walhillfarm.com

Rising Star Casino 777 Rising Star Drive Rising Sun, IN 47040 800-472-6311 risingstarcasino.com

Summit Restaurant at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College 3520 Central Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45223 513-569-4980 culinary.cincinnatistate.edu

York Street CafĂŠ 738 York St. Newport, KY 41071 859-261-9675 yorkstonline.com

The Roebling Room at Smoke Justis 302 Court St. Covington, KY 41011 859-814-8858 facebook.com/roeblingroom

Taft Museum of Art 316 Pike St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-241-0343 taftmuseum.org

Revel OTR Urban Winery 111 E. 12th St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 513-579-9463 revelotr.com

Nov. 16, 2018 - Dec. 31, 2018

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Visit cincymagazine.com for more information on planning a holuday event and for additional venue listings.

LIVE CincyLive is the home of all Cincy and NKY Magazine events, as well as our partners. From food and community events to professional and nonprofit ones, all can be found on CincyLive.

NKY Bourbon Festival - Tasting

Oct. 4, Hilton Cincinnati Airport Northern Kentucky’s bourbon heritage runs deep. This new festival will honor NKY’s bourbon traditions while celebrating what’s new.

NKY Bourbon Festival - BB Riverboats Bourbon Dinner Cruise

Oct. 5, BB Riverboats We have teamed up with some of Kentucky’s finest distilleries to offer a unique tasting experience of premium bourbons hand-selected by the Bernstein family exclusively for BB Riverboats. This new one-of-a-kind cruise features a homemade buffet-style dinner, musical entertainment and the sparkling lights of Cincinnati as your back drop—all while enjoying the Commonwealth’s drink of choice!

NKY Bourbon Festival - Bourbon Barrel Lid Paint and Pour Luncheon

Oct. 5, Verona Vineyards With the help of StudioRho Entertaining, you will be able to create a unique, one of a kind wooden sign on a genuine, used, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel lid.

DownTowne Living’s: Silent Disco for a Cure

Oct. 5, 2018 The Lofts at Shillito Place The Towne Property’s DownTowne Living Community invites you to attend a Silent Disco benefit in support of their “Light the Night” inintiative and the Leukemia & Lymphona Society (LLS). WIreless headphones with three different channels of music will be providedw as part of your admission, along with food, drinks, and fun! The entirety of your entrance fee will be donated to the LLS.

Best of the North

Oct. 17, Sharonville Convention Center The Best of the North is will feature booths hosted by participating Best of the North finalists from categories including food, retail and service organizations.

BBB Torch Awards for Marketplace Ethics

October 19, Sharonville Convention Center BBB - Torch is a vital event For entrepreneurs. It represents the grand finale - the celebration at the pinnacle of the journey of business ethics - or, the first spark of interest in the experience.

2018 Celebrity Genealogy with special guest Charlie Luken

November 8, Hyde Park Center for Older Adults NEW this year! Professional genealogist Deb Cyprych will present tips and techniques for getting started on tracing your genealogy.

Redwood Derby Club

Through April 23 2019, Redwood Join the Redwood Derby Club! Three monthly winners will be drawn to receive $100 through April 23, 2019! All Derby Club members will then be invited to Night at the Races in May of 2019 celebrate the close of the 18-19 Derby Club year.

Are you a nonprofit looking for a no upfront cost promotion for an upcoming event?

Contact: Eric Harmon, President & Publisher • eharmon@cincymagazine.com • 513-297-6205

Venues

Something Old, Something New MCHALE’S CATERING IS BRINGING SOMETHING NEW TO DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI WITH AN UPDATE OF A HISTORIC VENUE By Madison Rodgers

cHale’s has been a part of the Northern Kentucky community for a long time—thanks to multiple locations like the Gardens of Park Hills, Drees Pavilion and the Pinnacle and Grand ballrooms—but the event and catering company is now adding a little Cincinnati to its banquet hall list.

FROM CATERING TO MORE Chuck McHale’s catering career moved into full gear in 1990. “In the beginning, we used to do all catering,” McHale says. “We used to go to businesses and church halls and do weddings.” McHale wanted to expand his business, so in 1999 he built his first banquet hall. “It was called The Marquise and it was located in Wilder, Kentucky,” says McHale. The new location proved to be successful, and in 2003 McHale’s took over the Gardens of Park Hills. “It was around this time that we wanted to be known as the best wedding caterer in the area,” McHale says. “That was our key focus. We wanted to do lots of weddings and be the best at it.” In 2008, McHale’s became the exclusive caterer of the Grand Ballroom in downtown Covington and in 2013 opened the Pinnacle Ballroom next door. Currently, McHale’s owns four banquet halls in Northern Kentucky.

MOVING TO THE CITY

The 3,400-sqare-foot Harrison Ballroom can accommodate 180-200 guests. 96

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McHale’s is now taking over a venue in the center of Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Club, located at 30 Garfield Place. As a caterer, McHale’s has partnered with Cincinnati venues such as Music Hall, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Rhinegeist Brewery and The Center at Fountain Square, so McHale knew the area and customer base. “We kept looking for an opportunity to have our own venue downtown,” says McHale. McHale found that opportunity with the Cincinnati Club. Built in 1923 by Cincinnati architecture firm Garber and Woodward, the building features art-deco design throughout the interior. While the building was already beautiful, McHale’s recently restored and renovated the Cincinnati Club to further improve its old-world glamour. The Cincinnati Club has four banquet rooms—two on the first floor and two on the

second. The first-floor Harrison Ballroom is 3,400 square feet, can accommodate 180-200 guests and features columns and matching marble fireplaces. A more intimate space on the first floor, the Pompadour Ballroom can host 80-100 guests and has a marble fireplace and glittering chandeliers. On the second floor, the Gold Ballroom is 2,200 square feet, can accommodate 100130 guests and includes unique features like a zodiac compass on the ceiling, long panel mirrors and crystal light fixtures. The second floor is also home to the largest of the venue’s four ballrooms, the Oak & Grill Ballroom. The 4,100-square-foot space has the capacity for 275-300 guests. The room gets its name from its rich oak wainscoting, and it features a massive fireplace and mural. “Both ballrooms [on the first floor] are completely done now,” McHale says. “We have new window treatments and the floors have been redone.” The building’s entry itself makes a statement with its rounded marble staircase and balcony.

MORE THAN PRETTY In addition to its classic spaces, those who book the venue are also able to enjoy many other perks. This includes a five-hour event window, wedding planner services, set up and break down, complimentary vases, full-length linen tablecloths and a champagne toast for the bridal party. The Cincinnati Club is also conveniently located two blocks from Fountain Square and is surrounded by many hotel choices with shuttle services. There is plenty of parking nearby, including several lots and a parking garage. McHale says that the service at the Cincinnati Club is another bonus couples get with the venue. “Our emphasis is on wedding,” McHale says. “We don’t use temporary staff. We have about 190 people on staff. Everyone is a McHale’s employee.” He adds that McHale’s staff members go through a training program to ensure that they are prepared to do the job. “Our customer satisfaction has averaged over 98 percent,” says McHale. With the addition of the Cincinnati Club to its group of venues, McHale’s is looking to bring that same level of satisfaction north of the river. n

The Oak & Grill Ballroom is the largest of the Cincinnati Club’s four ballrooms. w w w.

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Best in Business

BUSINESS CALENDAR OCTOBER

Oct. 2

The Converge networking series gives participants the chance to meet each other while learning more about local neighborhoods and businesses. The Oct. 2 event takes place at Nexigen and CEO John Salisbury will give attendees an inside look into the company. 4:30-6:30 p.m. Members $25, non-members $50. Nexigen, 16 E. 11th St., Newport, Ky. cincinnatichamber.com. 2018 Women’s Day Clermont Chamber of Commerce

Oct. 3

The Clermont Chamber’s 12th annual Women’s Day gives attendees the opportunity to meet local women leaders, build relationships with peers and peruse exhibitor booths. 8-11:30 a.m. Members $50, non-members $75. Noryln Manor, 4440 state Route 132, Batavia. 513-576-5000, clermontchamber.com. Manufacturing & Distribution Forum: Top Issues Facing the Industry VonLehman CPA

Oct. 11

Paula Marshall, CEO and CIO of The Bama Companies, will be the keynote speaker at this forum directed toward M&D companies. The event also features several panel discussions on topics like do’s and don’ts of implementing an ERP system, what you should consider when acquiring another company and if your company is ready for an outside board of advisors. 7:30-10 a.m. Free. VonLehman CPA & Advisory Firm, 810 Wright’s Summit Parkway, Suite 300, Ft. Wright, Ky. vlcpa.com. Ocean Conference Ocean

Oct. 11-12

Faith and entrepreneurship will intersect at the fourth annual Ocean Conference. Current speakers include Seth Godin, Cashmere Nicole, Kohl Crecelius, Annie F. Downs, Jason Mayden and Joe Boyd. O C TO B E R 2 0 1 8 : : w w w.

Eggs ’N Issues: River, Road & Air - A Lesson in Logistics Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Oct. 16

Converge: Nexigen Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

$79-$199, depending on chosen sessions and workshops. Crossroads Oakley, 3500 Madison Road, Oakley. 513-351-2345, oceanprograms.com.

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Rob Carlisle, Carlisle Bray Enterprises; Adama Kressler, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport; and Tom Morris, Verst Logistics, will be on a panel together to discuss the logistics of transportation in the Tristate. 7:30-9 a.m. Members $25, non-members $50. Reception Banquet & Conference Center - South, 1379 Donaldson Road, Erlanger, Ky. nkychamber.com. 2018 Women’s Initiative Regional Summit Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Oct. 17

The theme of the third annual Regional Summit is Unlock Your Potential. Featured speakers include Priya Klocek, president and CEO of Consultant on the Go, LLC, and Beth Silvers, owner of Checking In With Beth Silvers. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Members $159, nonmembers $179. Cintas Center, Xavier University, 1624 Herald Ave., Cincinnati. nkychamber.com. 2018 Diversity Leadership Symposium Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Oct. 19

The chamber celebrates and encourages workplace diversity with an event that brings together businesses and community executives. The day’s speakers include Carla Harris, Morgan Stanley, and Tanya Menon, Fisher School of Business. 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Members $110, non-members $145. Hyatt Regency Cincinnati, 151 W. Fifth St., Downtown. 513-579-3197, cincinnatichamber.com.

NOVEMBER Ignite Action Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

Nov. 5

The Cincinnati Chamber honors those making an impact in the region at Ignite Action. Businesses will be honored in the categories of Leading with a Bold Voice for Business, Expanding the Talent Base and Harnessing the Power of the Region’s Unique Offerings. 5-7 p.m. Members $75, nonmembers $150. The Westin Cincinnati, 21 E. Fifth St., Downtown. cincinnatichamber.com.

Kohl Crecelius 2018 Pacesetter Awards Dinner Clermont Chamber of Commerce

Nov. 8

This annual awards ceremony looks to celebrate those who have made outstanding contributions to the county. Awards given out include the Edward J. Parish Pacesetter award, the Corporate Pacesetter award and the Martha Dorsey award. 5:30-8:30 p.m. $90. Oasis Conference Center, 902 LovelandMiamiville Road, Loveland. 513-576-5006, clermontchamber.com. Eggs ’N Issues: Regional Economic Outlook Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Nov. 13

John Augustine, Huntington Bank, and Janet Harrah, CEAD Northern Kentucky University, will discuss the region’s economic future and what 2019 could hold. 7:30-9 a.m. Members $25, non-members $50. Reception Banquet & Conference Center - South, 1379 Donaldson Road, Erlanger, Ky. nkychamber.com.

Don’t see your event? Visit cincymagazine.com to add it to our online calendar for free.

Best in Business Directory

hose who run or manage businesses know that sometimes you need some help. As the Tristate’s magazine for business professionals, we are in a unique position that enables us to meet and interact with some of the best business service providers in the region. This list gives you a taste of the region’s best business services, and serves as a resource for those looking for assistance. Make sure to visit CincyMagazine.com to see exclusive online Best in Business content.

CHAMBERS

ACCOUNTING

Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber 513-579-3100 cincinnatichamber.com

GBQ 513-871-3033 gbq.com VonLehman 800-887-0437 vlcpa.com

African American Chamber of Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky 513-751-9900 african-americanchamber.com Blue Ash Business Association babusiness.org The Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe & Trenton 513-422-4551 thechamberofcommerce.org

Clermont Chamber of Commerce 513-576-5000 clermontchamber.com

AIR TRAVEL

Lebanon Chamber of Commerce 513-932-1100 lebanonchamber.org

CVG 859-767-3151 cvgairport.com

Milford Miami Township Chamber 513-831-2411 milfordmiamitownship.com

AUDIO VISUAL

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce 859-578-8800 nkychamber.com

ITA Audio Visual Solutions 800-899-8877 ita.com

CONSTRUCTION

Superior Dental 937-438-0283 superiordental.com INSURANCE BROKERAGE Oswald Companies 513-725-0306 oswaldcompanies.com LAW FIRMS Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP 513-693-4880 calfee.com Lyons & Lyons 513-777-2222 lyonsandlyonslaw.com Taft Stettinius & Hollister 513-381-2838 taftlaw.com Wood Herron & Evans 513-241-2324 whe-law.com PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Gateway Community & Technical College 859-441-4500 gateway.kctcs.edu Great Oaks Campuses 513-771-8840 greatoaks.com

SpotOn Productions 513-779-4223 spoton.productions

EGC Construction 859-442-6500 egcconst.com

BANKING

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

Commerce Bank 800-453-2265 commercebank.com

The Haile/US Bank College of Business at Northern Kentucky University 859-572-5165 nku.edu/academics/cob

Horter Investment Management, LLC 513-984-9933 horterinvestment.com

Commonwealth Bank 859-746-9000 cbandt.com

Indiana Wesleyan University 866-468-6498 indwes.edu

PNC Financial Advisors/W Mgmt. 513-651-8714 pnc.com

Union Institute & University 800-861-6400 myunion.edu

BUSINESS LAW

Raymond James 513-287-6777 raymondjames.com

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT

William E. Hesch Law Firm 513-731-6601 heschlaw.com BUSINESS RESOURCES Cincinnati Better Business Bureau 513-421-3015 bbb.org/cincinnati/ TechSolve 513-948-2000 techsolve.org

Western & Southern 866-832-7719 westernsouthern.com HEALTH Anthem BlueCross BlueShield anthem.com

Corporex 859-292-5500 corporex.com TELECOMMUNICATIONS AT&T att.com ATC 513-234-4778 4atc.com

Interested in having your company included? Please contact Publisher Eric Harmon at publisher@cincymagazine.com or 513-297-6205. w w w.

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Cindy Dingeldein, Interior Designer Community Design Alliance

I will take time Be a priority. Schedule your mammogram today. Women keep their families, friends, and careers running. No matter how busy we are, it is important to take time for an annual mammogram.

One in Eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

{

Kettering Breast Evaluation Centers

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}

WOMENâ€™S HEALTH page 103

SUPERIOR DENTAL page 108

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There is no routine breast cancer. Breast cancer is never logical or straightforward or routine. That’s why fighting breast cancer with routine treatment just isn’t enough. At The James at Ohio State, you get the expertise of a multidisciplinary team that specializes not just in cancer but breast cancer. They apply their collective thinking toward discovering the most effective therapies, and delivering them at exactly the right time, for you — which means you can count on comprehensive breast cancer care that’s far beyond routine. To learn more, visit cancer.osu.edu/breast.

Live Well Cincy: Women’s Health

Tackling Menopause LOCAL PHYSICIANS SAY THEY’RE HERE TO HELP WOMEN AS THEY ENTER A NEW STAGE OF THEIR LIVES By Deborah Rutledge

enopause is a condition whose onset and symptoms are as nonspecific and confounding as its slightly ominous-sounding nickname, The Change. While not any kind of medical boardapproved definition, it is the anecdotal observance of local OB-GYNs who are seeing large numbers of patients in this stage of their lives. They agree pinpointing menopause’s onset and correctly attributing symptoms to it is made all the more tricky by the time of life when it hits. It often is a time when children are getting older, perhaps needing fewer rides, or heading to college and leaving behind an empty nest. So as a woman’s ovaries start slowing down—anytime from as early as 45 to 55—her metabolism, lifestyle and schedule could be undergoing change, too, says Dr. Leanne Olshavsky, an OB-GYN with The Christ Hospital Health Network. Adding to the confusion are some new health care companies’ recommendations for less frequent examinations after the fertility years, says Dr. Dennis Wiwi, an OB-GYN at the Seven Hills Women’s Health Centers. “After fertility, some insurance companies are [advising visits] every two to five years, but [patients] still should be seen every year—it’s probably most critical to be seen every year,” in this life stage, Wiwi says. Seeing their OB-GYN will help patients be their own health advocate, gain a better understanding of their own menopause experience and where they are on that continuum. “A lot of women feel better after a nice sit down about menopause,” with their doctor, says Olshavsky. Menopause is defined as a full year without the occurrence of a period, which happens at an average age of 51 or 52, although the actual age varies greatly by w w w.

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WOMEN’S HEALTH PROFILE

Atrium Medical Center • 1 Medical Center Drive, Middletown, OH 45005 866-608-FIND (3463) • atriummedcenter.org

t Premier Health’s Atrium Medical Center, we specialize in helping women with the unique health issues you face. Caring for you throughout the various stages of your life is our privilege. Our innovative team of physicians and specialists collaborate closely to ensure comprehensive and compassionate care, ranging from routine wellness and prevention to advanced treatments and technologies for high-risk pregnancies, bladder and pelvic floor disorders, heart disease and stroke, cancers, and bone and joint conditions. In addition, Premier Health offers a broad network of easily accessible support resources, health screenings, wellness classes and educational offerings specific to the health and wellness needs of women, including reliable health information on a variety of women’s health topics at wellwisewoman.com. Advanced cancer screenings and care, including: • Comprehensive breast center featuring 3D mammography, ultrasound, oncology nurse navigator and female breast surgeons. • Mobile Mammography: The mobile mammography coach has the same advanced technology as our brickand-mortar breast imaging centers, offering 3D screening mammography. • Access to genetic counseling and a comprehensive program for women at increased risk to develop breast cancer. • Access to a Gynecologic Oncology Center that offers treatment for a wide range of gynecologic cancers. • Supportive services to improve the well-being of cancer patients, including nutrition therapy, massage therapy and support groups.

• Premier Health is a certified member of MD Anderson Cancer Network®, a program of MD Anderson Cancer Center. This affiliation allows us to combine the best of what we provide locally with the expertise of the nation’s leading cancer center. Maternity services, including: • The Family Birth Center at Atrium Medical Center is recognized as Blue Distinction® Center+ for Maternity Care by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. • Greater Cincinnati area’s only natural birth center - Natural Beginnings. • Access to an internationally recognized maternal-fetal medicine program, including a Multiple Miracles program specifically designed for those with multiple gestation pregnancies. • A Level II Special Care Nursery.

• Access to a high-risk maternity center and Level III neonatal intensive care unit. • Breastfeeding support – full-time International Board Certified Lactation Consultants available to answer questions and lend support. • CenteringPregnancy® program at Atrium’s Maternal Health Clinic offering prenatal care for high-risk pregnant women. Gynecologic services, including: • Comprehensive treatment options for pelvic floor disorders, including surgical, non-surgical and physical therapy services lead by staff specialized in bladder and pelvic medicine. • Wide range of minimally invasive and robotic surgical procedures.

Live Well Cincy: Women’s Health individual, Olshavksy says. The run-up to that is a stage called perimenopause, when the cycle could become irregular as the ovaries ramp down their secretion of hormones estrogen and progesterone. The symptoms of menopause seem to be as varied as the age of onset. Hot flashes, which occur because the lack of estrogen production causes blood vessels to spasm and create heat waves throughout the body, vary in intensity and frequency by the individual, Wiwi says. The severity of hot flashes “depends on who you ask,” says Olshavsky. “Most people tolerate it really well, but they’re very variable in how annoying they are and how impactful they are in someone’s life.” If hot flashes cause sleep disruption that negatively impacts someone’s functioning, then it is time to seek help, she adds. But here again, a patient’s OB-GYN is the best quarterback of care for her to consult first regarding the remedies that may be pitched to on the internet or in commercials. The OB-GYN or primary doctor knows

Dr. Leanne Olshavsky,an OB-GYN with The Christ Hospital Health Network the latest treatments and can evaluate the risks of other advertised treatments for menopausal symptoms, Wiwi says.

For instance, a physician can advise that taking black cohosh for hot flashes or vaginal dryness may also cause irregular

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Live Well Cincy: Women’s Health heartbeat if taken longer than six months, he says. Hormone replacements offered by some advertisers can be deceiving, especially with saliva testing, or if the entity promises to run hormone panels on a patient and then adjust their hormone levels “back to normal levels,” Wiwi says. Physicians say it is better to be wary of such promises from suppliers whose medications and their potencies may be uncontrolled, and instead look to their physicians to understand and manage their hormone levels. Compounding pharmacies may have their place in the medical field, but it is important to realize that they do not have the same strict oversight that the FDA does, says Olshavksy. It is also important to note that bioidentical hormone medications also carry risks that should be discussed with a physician before using, she adds.

“You have to look at the whole picture,” of the patient and her health, Wiwi adds. Physicians also understand the intended and actual effects of hormones, and can help evaluate who would benefit from those or other therapies. For example, estrogen helps with menopausal symptoms, but actually only two, says Olshavksy. “When we look at scientific studies, if you give medication to treat menopausal

Ensuring the health of mothers and children. Healthy Moms and Babes ensures that women and children have access to needed services through the use of mobile units and home visitation. Focusing on the individual, Healthy Moms and Babes commits to helping the community’s most vulnerable women achieve successful pregnancies, thriving babies, enhanced parenting skills, expanded understanding of personal health and progress toward self-sufficiency.

2270 Banning Road,Cincinnati, OH 45239 513.591.5600 • healthymomsandbabes.org 106

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symptoms, the only things t hat get bet ter are hot flashes and vaginal dryness,” Olshavsky says. W hile estrogen helps with symptoms, progesterone shou ld on ly be called for in cases when a pat ient st i l l has her uterus, she says, since progesterone keeps the uterine lining from getting too thick and producing abnor ma l, potent ia l ly cancerous cells. Vaginal dryness, which can lead to painful intercourse or bladder infections, can be treated through local estrogen creams or a more recent procedure called the MonaLisa laser, which creates microabrasions to stimulate new cells and blood vessels, says Wiwi. The three-time in-office treatment is pain-free and takes five minutes, he says. “The nice thing is we’ve got options,” Wiwi says. n

WOMEN’S HEALTH PROFILE

Mammogram mythbusters:

3 things that just aren’t true

ctober is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Yet, despite the abundance of information available on the important role that mammograms play in early detection, misconceptions still exist. Dr. Sheila Manion, breast radiologist and medical director at Kettering Breast Evaluation Centers, addresses some of the biggest myths regarding mammograms: Myth #1: I don’t have any symptoms of breast cancer or a family history, so I don’t need to worry about having an annual mammogram. Fact: The American College of Radiology recommends annual screening mammograms for all women over 40, regardless of symptoms or family history. “Early detection is critical,” says Manion. “If you wait to have a mammogram until you have symptoms of breast cancer, such as a lump, at that point the cancer may be more advanced.”

According to the American Cancer Society, early-stage breast cancers have a five-year survival rate of 99 percent. Later-stage cancers have survival rates of 24 percent. Myth #2: A mammogram will expose me to an unsafe level of radiation.

an appointment for their annual mammogram for earlier detection of breast cancer. “If you are a woman and 40 or older you should have a mammogram every year,” says Manion. Take the time to take care of yourself

Fact: While a mammogram does use radiation it is a very small amount and is within the medical guidelines. Because mammography is a screening tool it is highly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, Mammography Quality and Standards Act, and other governing organizations, such as the American College of Radiology.

After cancers of the skin breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women today. In fact, one in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer.

Myth #3: My doctor didn’t tell me I needed a mammogram, so I cannot schedule an exam.

Kettering Breast Evaluation Centers are conveniently located throughout the Northern Cincinnati and Greater Dayton area. Call 1-800-373-2160 to schedule your mammogram today or visit ketteringhealth.org/breasthealth.

Fact: You do not need your doctor to write you a prescription or complete an order form for you to have a screening mammogram. Women can self-refer to make

A mammogram only takes 15 minutes and could save your life. Make your appointment today.

Putting Service First SUPERIOR DENTAL CARE USES CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ITS LARGE NETWORK TO HELP CLIENTS By Eric Spangler

ustomer service and a large network is what separates Superior Dental Care from other dental benefits companies, says Shannon Ford, director of sales and service for Superior Dental Care. “All of our member service team has dental experience so that when a member calls in we have resolution 95 percent first call in,” says Ford. “That’s phenomenal service.” And that 95 percent customer resolution makes Superior Dental Care stand out from other dental benefits companies—and even medical benefits companies—says Ford. “We get compliments all the time.” Employers should not have to worry about dental care for their employees and Superior Dental Care’s service team alleviates that concern for its nearly 4,000 employer groups, Ford says. Employers tend to forget about their employees’ dental benefits because they never hear any rumbling about dental concerns from their employees, she says. Superior Dental Care, headquartered in Centerville, is one of the largest dental networks in the United States with 14,000 dental network access points in Ohio and about 650,000 access points across the country, says Ford. And the number of dentists who are joining Superior Dental Care’s network continues to grow, she says. That growth started more than 30 years ago in 1986 when area dentists created Superior Dental Care, says Traci Harrell, CEO of Superior Dental Care. The company was modeled after physician-owned health maintenance organizations, she says. Harrell says Superior Dental Care is able to customize a dental benefit plan for employers. “If they’re looking for something low cost just to help people afford the dental checkups at the dentist we can do that,” she says. “Or if they’re looking for something full blown and they want orthodontics coverage and everything else 108

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ABOVE: Debbie Adimey, receptionist; Shannon Ford, director of sales and service; and Traci Harrell, CEO of Superior Dental Care RIGHT: Jeremy Schultz, account coordinator, and Traci Harrell, CEO of Superior Dental Care

covered we can do that as well.” In addition to dental benefits Superior Dental Care also offers vision service benefits, a prescription discount card and discounts on cosmetic services—what Superior Dental Care calls “no-cost extras,” Harrell says. One of its newest benefits is free second opinion on dental work, she says. If a member has a dental service that they believe might be excessive or they’re questioning the need for the service Superior Dental Care offers that member the opportunity to visit another participating dentist to get a second opinion for free, she says. “That’s something we’re really proud of,” Harrell says. Employer groups are increasingly realizing the importance of dental insurance and the importance of dental provider visits, says Ford. Some employer groups

are actually compensating their employees to incentivize them for seeing a dentist as part of an overall wellness plan, she says. “It’s an up-and-coming trend,” says Ford. Another trend in business is mergers. And Superior Dental Care recently became a part of that trend when Medical Mutual of Ohio signed an agreement to acquire Superior Dental Care in June. Harrell says Superior Dental Care will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Medical Mutual. Although it’s a big change to go from being dentist owned to being owned by a medical carrier, Harrell doesn’t think much will be different at Superior Dental Care. “We are all about the dental care for the patient, helping the patient afford the dental care through the providers so we really don’t see anything change there,” says Harrell. n

Home METAL ROOFS

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Even a traditional-look metal roof can fit with any architectural style.

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Cincy Home

Todayâ€™s metal roofs can mimic other roofing materials. This home features an asphalt-look metal shingle.

Raise the Roof HOMEOWNERS HAVE MORE OPTIONS FOR ROOFING MATERIALS THANKS TO NEW METAL STYLES By Amy Thornley 110

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omeowners in the market for a new roof might want to take a closer look at metal. The metal roofs of today are stylish, colorful and sustainable. “Metal roof adoption in the U.S. has increased significantly over the past few years, now capturing about 14 percent of the market,” says Darcie Meihoff of the Metal Roofing Alliance (MRA). “Homeowners are pointing to metal roofing’s longevity, style, reliability and ability to stand up against Mother Nature as its biggest benefits.” According to consumer research conducted by the MRA in spring of 2018, metal is now the second most preferred type of roofing material. One major reason for this surge in popularity could be metal’s reputation as a good choice for sustainability. Metal roofs can last more than 50 years and often can be repainted rather than replaced. They are ENERGY STAR qualified as “Cool Roofs,” naturally ref lecting and absorbing less heat than asphalt. Some metal roofs even make use of special “cool technology” coatings to keep your home cooler and save even more energy. The metal used in roofing is often made

from recycled materials and can be recycled at the end of its life rather than sitting in a landfill. For those consideri ng sola r pa nels, upgrading to a metal roof is almost a necessity. “Homeow ners considering solar must be sure that their roof will last as long as their solar panels, which have an average lifespan of at least 25 years,” says Meihoff. “It is exceedingly expen- Metal roofing comes in a wide variety of colors and can sive to have to replace incorporate interesting design details. a roof after solar is installed, so metal is the way to go.” Those thinking of industrial buildings, traditional roofing styles. There are now modern lines or silos may need to adjust metal versions of traditional asphalt their expectations. Metal roofing has shingles, cedar shake shingles, clay tile undergone a style upgrade and you can and natural slate. now find metal roofs that mimic many Additionally, metal roofing can be made in any color that would suit your home, including unusual organic hues like copper, titanium and bright stainless steel. For those who are more adventurous in their home design choices, you can still opt for the traditional vertical panels, a more modern look that can still suit any architectural style. If you haven’t yet seen metal roofing in your neighborhood, the price tag may be to blame. The average total cost of a metal roof is approximately 30 percent higher than the average total cost of asphalt shingles, according to industry-reported averages. “They are rare in this area,” confirms Amy Hackett Roe, local realtor with Reed & Roe of Sibcy Cline. “They can last a long time, but it is more costly.” For those who are interested in making the change to metal, it’s possible that the government might help you offset those costs: there is a federal tax credit of up to $500 available to those who make improvements to their home in order to Metal roofs can be used with both traditional and modern homes. increase energy efficiency. n w w w.

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Love Cincy

Todd Shumard, photographer View of SkyStar Wheel at Smale Riverfront Park

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Carpets & Floors at Sharon Woods

DePaul Cristo Rey students start their climb up the corporate ladder in high school.