UA Chamber Biz Monthly by The Columbus Dispatch

Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce

Business Monthly The Power to Make a Difference

September 2012

Issue 51

Simply the Best:

Spotlighting distinctive gifts from local retailers The third-annual UA Chamber’s Best Gift Ideas program kicks off on October 1st. Dubbed one of the Chamber’s top five initiatives, the inaugural program supported more than 60 area retailers with holiday sales. This local program supports area businesses by helping them leverage their marketing and sales efforts. The Chamber will be showcasing the best local gifts for residents and online shoppers through the end of the year. “We are very excited to have this sort of local program for our area merchants. The UA Chamber’s Best Gift Ideas promotion is an areawide marketing push that ties retailers together in a way that benefits both the stores and their customers,” said Jon Pugh of Ship Print eSell. “This program is yet another way the Chamber is connecting business and community,” says Kathy Gill, Chair

Chamber Retail committee and publisher of TriVillage Magazine. “The beauty of this program is how it offers members an opportunity to market their business through a Chamber promotion while positively impacting their retail holiday sales.”

Publicity for Retailers

The Chamber is promoting the gift program in the Upper Arlington Business Monthly newspaper and the Tri-Village Magazine. In addition to the print marketing, participating companies will receive additional exposure on the Chamber’s website and through social media outlets including Facebook and Twitter. All participants will receive promotional posters highlighting their gift ideas that can be posted in their storefronts. If a participant does not have a brick and mortar storefront, the Chamber will showcase the posters in our front window. The posters will

“The program idea was amazing. Our gift offer for the personalized bottle of wine was an exceptional value and I’m happy that people took advantage of it last year. We plan to do it again this year just as soon as the program launches.” — Ryan Huffman Huffman’s Market be distributed to participants beginning November 1st.

Cost Effective Marketing

As a benefit of membership, the Chamber is offering the program to

its members for only $25, which is significantly less than the cost for non-member participants. Non-members are invited to participate for $100. Even at the non-member rate this program is

Older Adult Resource Group presents Medicare 2013 overview and update

Open enrollment for Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Coverage is Oct. 15 – Dec. 7, 2012. Before selecting a prescription drug plan (PDP) or Medicare Advantage plans, it is imperative that enrollees review the changes to Medicare for 2013, as well as changes in their Medicare prescription drug coverage and Medicare Advantage plans. Prescription drug plan features change from year to year. So, carefully examine all available plans during each annual enrollment period, because your current plan may no longer meet your needs. Be sure to check the features of your plan, including the list of drugs covered, the premium, the deductible, and cost-sharing you pay, and any coverage gap. If you are satisfied with your current plan, you do not need to do anything to keep your plan. If you take no action, you will remain in your current plan. If you enroll in or make changes to your plan during the annual enrollment period, your new coverage will automatically begin on Jan. 1, 2013. The Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information See MEDICARE 2013 on page 2

Inside this issue:

Whetstone Gardens and Care Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Customer Loyalty . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Best Gift Ideas Form. . . . . . . . . . 4 BAC - The Power of Your Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

a best-buy, must-buy for local retailers. The marketing exposure alone is valued at more than $400! “Our goal is to bring recognition to our members. We want to attract shoppers to our members’ businesses and online shopping websites. Shoppers receive great prices for unique and fun gift items that they can give as gifts or keep for themselves. This program is one more way that the Chamber helps to promote members within the community,” says Debbie Segor, Chamber Membership Director.

Connecting with Residents

The UA Chamber’s Best Gift Ideas program is designed help member companies brand their names in a very cost-effective way. The program also supports our member’s retail efforts as we remind residents to shop local businesses first and foremost.

By promoting a unique or distinctive gift or some other type of discount or incentive through the program, retailers have the opportunity to attract new customers while strengthening their relationships with current patrons.

How Do You Sign Up?

Chamber members will receive a post card in the mail as well as information detailed in the Chamber’s weekly email newsletter. If you are not a member and are interested in participating in the program, call the Chamber today at (614) 481-5710 or visit our website at www. uachamber.org. “The program idea was amazing. Our gift offer for the personalized bottle of wine was an exceptional value and I’m happy that people took advantage of it last year. We plan to do it again this year just as soon as the program launches,” Ryan Huffman, Huffman’s Market.

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September 27, 2012 | Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

Medicare 2013 Continued from page 1 Program (OSHIIP) will offer free individual counseling sessions between 4 and 6 p.m. to help seniors make decisions on which plan will offer them the best coverage for 2013. Individuals who would like to meet with a counselor should bring their Medicare card, current drug insurance card and a list of their current medications including the dosage amount. The Older Adult Resource Group of the UA Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Medicare 2013 Update on Thursday, Nov. 15 at the Upper Arlington Lutheran Church on Lytham Rd., Upper Arlington 43220. The information will be provided by Chris Reeg from the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program and will be held in two sessions from 2 to 4 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m. To make a reservation for this free program, please call 457-7876 ext. 432.

WELCOME NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS! BMI Federal Credit Union

Nancy Graf www.bmifcu.org (614) 707-4000 BMI Federal Credit Union is a full-service financial institution serving the employees of over 300 local companies and their families. Founded in 1936, originally as the credit union for the Battelle Memorial Institute, BMI FCU is a not-for-profit financial cooperative where the members are the owners. BMI FCU offers a variety of programs, services, and products to support the members’ financial needs. BMI FCU offers five branch locations in central Ohio and over 4,500 shared branching locations nationwide.

Navigator Business Solutions

Jack Thrush (614) 749-7553 www.nbs-us.com Delivering SAP solutions exclusively to smallmidsize businesses, including SAP Business One, SAP Business ByDesign, and SAP Business All-in-One. Having successfully implemented more than 500 SAP solutions, Navigator has the experience, the insight, and the product offerings to make your best-run business RUN BETTER. From financials, sales and service to purchasing, inventory, and operations, SAP is the ultimate tool to completely run your small-midsize business.

Oliver Specific Chiropractic, LLC

Johnathan Oliver, DC www.oliverspecific.com 1355 King Avenue, Ste. A Columbus, OH 43212 (614) 725-5336 We provide quality Upper Cervical Chiropractic care to the metro Columbus, Ohio area. Our services include: whole health consultations, physical exams focusing on range of motion and spinal balance, gentle corrections of spinal imbalance and complete understanding of your health and lifestyle goals. You will only be accepted as a new patient of Oliver Specific Chiropractic if we believe that we are able to help you meet your health goals.

Featured Chamber Member

Whetstone Gardens and Care Center Whetstone Gardens and Care Center is undergoing a multimillion dollar renovation that began in January 2012. Improvements include the addition of a courtyard fountain and outside seating area plus the addition of hardwood flooring in the longterm care area. Also in the longterm area, the nurses’ stations were made to feel more open and approachable and the bathing spas and rooms were upgraded. A coffee café was added and the occupational therapy gym was improved. “Long-term care residents are excited about the upgrades and renovations. This is their home. When they see the progress, it is like doing a remodel in your own home where you like to see the progress that is being done every day. This is their home, and we are doing the improvements for them,” said Crystal Moore, Director of Admissions and Marketing. Moore says that they also are seeing a lot more referrals because of their private room availability. Whetstone’s Heart Health and Rehab Center recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. Currently, they offer one of the only in-patient rehabilitation center focused on heart health in central Ohio. The facility includes a 10-bed unit for cardiac patients, and all of the care nurses at the center have been through 60 additional hours of cardiac training. The Heart Health center is led by Garrie Haas. MD, FACC. Dr. Haas is also a professor of clinical medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center and is the section director of heart failure and transplant, as well as medical director of heart failure. The center can take all cardiac patients even if they require a high acuity of care. Patients coming to the center include those who have had heart transplants or open heart surgery. One of the most important components of a patient’s stay at the center is the

“Being a member of the OARG (Older Adults Resource Group) affords us the opportunity to share information with other members and to refer patients back and forth. We want to be a part of the planning for OARG symposiums, and we want to keep up with what’s happening in the community and with competitors. The Chamber allows us to bring awareness to the center.” — Kristin Mowery Market Development Specialist heart-health education provided by a cardiac transition coach who meets with patients either in a classroom setting or at a patient’s bedside. The goal of the education is that once a patient is discharged to go home, they will have the tools and the knowledge to be able to self-manage their heart disease at home so as not to end up back in the hospital again. The heart health center’s re-hospitalization rate is only 12 percent while the national average re-hospitalization rate for cardiac patients is 19%. Whetstone and their sister facility, Monterey, in Grove City are the only centers to offer these heart health facilities in the area. The Whetstone team is an active member of the Chamber’s Older Adult Resource Group (OARG). “Being a member of the OARG affords us the opportunity to share information with other members and to refer patients back and forth. We want to be a part of the planning for OARG symposiums, and we want to keep up with what’s happening in the community and with competitors. The Chamber allows us to bring awareness to the center. A lot of what a patient does upon discharge is not related to their health. Sometimes patients will need modifications to their homes or transport services or cleaning services or different services. By being in the Chamber and through our networking with Chamber members, those members that provide those

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Ask the Experts Magnetizing New Customers & Building Loyalty for Your Business

services always come to mind first. The Chamber provides us with great resources to then pass along to our patients,” says Kristin Mowery, Market Development Specialist. “By being a member of the Chamber, we have an opportunity to share our services, even though we are not meeting with our target audience of doctors and social workers, at some point everyone is going to have a loved one who might need our services. And if they know us and trust us through our Chamber membership and how long we have been involved with the Chamber, then that’s fantastic. The flip side is that we can meet business people through the Chamber who we can work with too. We can call on members as well to provide services that we can not provide,’ says Amanda Meeks, Assistant Administrator. Whetstone offers a full continuum of care including long-term care, short-term rehab, assisted living and respite stay. The facility has 175 beds, 48 of which are skilled private rooms. The assisted living area is a 60 apartment building that offers 3-levels of care. Through their sister company, Amity Home Health, they also provide in-home health care. For more information about Whetstone Gardens and Care Center, please visit www.whetstonegardens.com.

www.uachamber.org

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September 27, 2012 | Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

Chamber announces new staff member Administrative Events Coordinator, Teresa Conway grew up in Upper Arlington and is a graduate of The Ohio State University. For more than 10 years, Teresa and her husband owned and managed a remodeling and home improvements business. In her capacity as business manager, Teresa managed the financial, advertising and Teresa Conway marketing portions of the Administrative Events family business. Coordinator In addition, Teresa has extensive experience in event planning, social media marketing and business management for the home improvement and construction industries.

Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce 2152 Tremont Center, Upper Arlington, OH 43221 Phone: 614-481-5710 Fax: 614-481-5711 www.uachamber.org BOARD OF TRUSTEES Officers Doug Ryan, Chair Douglas Real Estate, Inc. Edie Blough, Vice Chair, Membership Title First Agency Rich Dumas, Vice Chair, Finance HHH CPA Group Tony Macaluso, Vice Chair, Business Advocacy Macaluso Landscaping Co. Ltd. Wes Newhouse, Vice Chair Economic Development, Newhouse, Prophater, Letcher & Moots Peter Hahn, Vice Chair, Legal Dinsmore & Shohl Don Leach, Outgoing Chair Dinsmore & Shohl LLP Chip Ashby, Chair of Public Relations, Nationwide Insurance Trustees Janet Boissy, Indus Hotels Daniel Casey, Focus Becky Converse, The Forum at Knightsbridge Jeff Danizer, Edward Jones Investments Kathy Gill, 1st Vice Chair, Retail The Publishing Group Chris Graff, Ray Insurance Agency, Inc. Charles Groezinger, SGO Designer Glass Jim Hyre, Hyre & Associates Chris Miller, Asst. Vice Chair, Secretary The Arlington Bank Andy Mills, 1st Vice Chair, Contential Realty Chris Scott, Business Retention, Capital Mediation Roy Smoot, PNC Bank Susan Toothman, Chair Ambassador Re/Max, Premier Choice Realtors Jonathan Varner, Jonathan Varner & Associates Donna Vorce, First Impressions UAACC staff Becky A. Hajost, President Teresa Conway, Administrative Event Coordinator Debbie Segor, Membership Director Reg Warner, Chief Financial Officer

Keep them coming back Implementing a customer loyalty program By Rob Maccabee I started my first business back in 1995. I was fresh out of college and a good friend and fellow graduate was freelancing as an audio engineer at a company that produced on-hold messages, the recorded music and voiceovers that play back through phone systems when a caller is placed on hold. My friend would tell me about how easy these recordings were to produce and distribute and how the production house had a nationwide client with dozens of locations. We formed a partnership with the belief that my gumption and his technical expertise would all but guarantee our success. How could we possibly go wrong? We wrote a business plan and secured some money to buy a digital recording system. It was top-notch, state-ofthe-art; the same gear all of the big guys used. We set up a studio/office in my partner’s two bedroom apartment, got a business phone, a fax machine, office supplies, and had everything in place that two novices in their early twenties needed to take over the world. Everything except…a customer. In the process of getting our systems in place to produce a product, it didn’t occur to us that our biggest challenge was not production, but finding customers. Our education commenced. We tried a few marketing techniques and after some struggle, we had a handful of clients. But the learning process was tough and slower than we imagined, so when we finally got that first customer, the now-familiar business adage became crystal clear: it’s cheaper and more effective to keep a customer than to find a new one. Does this sound familiar? Your business is up and running, you are surviving the economy, and you have happy customers. Now how do you get them to return to your business, buy more, and spread the word about how great you are?

CONTACT US Rob Maccabee 877/ 4-CLIING (425-4464) 614/54-REACH (547-3224) 1030 Dublin Rd., 2nd Fl Columbus, OH 43215 www.cliing.com Many successful businesses are accomplishing this feat through incentive programs. Whether we call them loyalty programs, rewards, or some other clever name, the concept isn’t new. The idea of a “baker’s dozen” has been around for centuries. But loyalty and incentive programs do more than just “bribe” your customers into repeat spending. They can actually create stimuli, tangible and intangible, that draw a customer back and keep your business in the forefront of their minds (and hearts!) and ahead of your competitors. Maybe it’s a simple punch card that allows customers to buy 10 get one free. Maybe, it’s an elaborate, computerized tracking and rewards system like those we see at grocery store chains and airlines. Either way, chances are you participate in at least a few of these programs as a consumer. If you are not sure, just check your key chain for those little tags or your wallet for a stack of plastic. Not only do these systems track a buyer’s spending frequency and patterns, they provide data about what a customer actually buys, allowing retailers to present offers on the products a customer really cares about. So if you have a relationship with a business that thanks you for your patronage, knows what you like, gives bonuses for continuing to buy, and presents rewards for referrals, aren’t you more likely to do business with them? Isn’t this approach to business more attractive than a competitor whose owner just has the door open and his hand out? So how does the small business owner enter this space and offer something more powerful, secure, and attractive

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than the old-fashioned punch card? There a variety of options including payment terminal-based systems, software programs that reside on your PC, and cloud-based systems. Software programs are available on traditional credit card terminals that use the device to connect to a database that tracks points, rewards, and stored value transactions. These systems are usually based on cards with magnetic stripes or occasionally on a phone number or some other unique identifier. This option is attractive for the merchant who does not have a POS system, but still wishes to have a professional program that does most of the work for them. A second option is the point-of-sale (POS) system. Many POS systems now have customer relationship and loyalty programs built into them. The great thing about these systems is that if you have one, then you already have made the investment and there is no additional cost to track and reward customers. Customer activity usually is based on a customer phone number or some other unique identifier, so there is no

need for an investment in card printing, unless you would like to use cards as stored-value or as a gift card. However, there are serious concerns about data security with a POS solution. What if your hard drive crashes? How will you recover the current status of your customer’s rewards? What if your network gets hacked or your store gets robbed? Who will have a hold of your customer’s data and what financial exposure or even public embarrassment does this present? Finally, cloud-based systems are web portals that essentially replace software installed on your computer and data stored on a PC in your store. They generally work with any internet connection and offer flexibility with other addon software components that may help manage your business. Regardless of the loyalty system you choose for your business, having a consistent program will help you attract and retain valuable customers. The options and approaches to reward levels, points systems, redemption levels, co-opted promotions, referral incentives, and giveaways are endless. You can add immense power to you marketing efforts by choosing the program that works for your budget as well as your approach to doing business while being mindful of the type of customer who you would like to attract to your business.

YOUR DREAM IS OUT THERE. GO GET IT. WE’LL PROTECT IT.

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September 27, 2012 | Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

Open October 1, 2012 to January 1, 2013 Upper Arlington Area Businesses Complete and mail form to 2152 Tremont Center, Upper Arlington, OH 43221 Phone: (614) 481-5710 | Fax: (614) 481-5711 www.uachamber.org

CONTACT INFO Business/Organization:

Contact Name:

Contact Mailing Address Contact Email:

Contact Phone:

Deal Offered:

Price:

Ways to participate Sponsorship Opportunities - see below for specific benefits Shopping Sponsor: $500 (Better hurry, we only need two sponsors for this program!)100

UA Area Chamber Member: $25 Non-Member: $100

PAYMENT Pay by Credit Card (MasterCard, Visa, American Express, or Discover) Name as it appears on Credit Card: Credit Card Number: Sec# on back:

Pay by Check (Included and Payable to “UAACC”) Check #:

Please invoice my company $

Spooktacular promotional opportunity at The Depot Rail Museum The Depot Rail Museum would like to partner with local businesses to provide a low-cost promotional opportunity during Halloween season. For the past 3 years, The Depot has held a child-friendly event, “Spooktacular at The Depot”. During this event, the Depot opens their doors to local businesses and families alike for a child-friendly, spooky afternoon of trick-ortreating fun. On Sunday, Oct. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m., the Depot is offering this promotional opportunity to local businesses who would like to participate in the event. There is no cost to be a sponsor for this event. They do ask that participating businesses bring information about your business, a representative from your business, your spooky Halloween spirit, and candy for the kids. Participating businesses will be included in the advertising and marketing of the program. If you are interested in participating, please contact Tim Baltzell at 324-5945.

The Upper Arlington Civic Association will hold its annual Golden Bear Scare event October 23 – 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Smith Nature Park (the Entrance is located at Northwest Christian Church – 1340 Fishinger Road). Parents are encouraged to bring younger children to the event before 7:30 p.m. as the haunted forest is designed to be less scary for young children. After 7:30 p.m., the forest will become increasingly more haunted, scary and interactive and is better suited for older children. Admission to this event is free.

Ttl Amount to be charged: $

Signature:

Amount of Check: $

Business Briefs

Golden Bear Scare

Best Gift Ideas Merchant Participant:

Expiration Date:

www.uachamber.org

(Invoicing is offered to UAACC Members only))

$500 – Shopping Sponsor: • Company name & logo on Chamber Website • Company name & logo postcard sent to members. • Company name & logo in UA Business Monthly Newspaper (published & distributed in partnership with ThisWeek News to over 23,000 area residents and businesses, including 8,000 Columbus Dispatch subscribers; also viewable online at thisweeknews.com) & Chamber Connection weekly e-mails.) Must be signed up by November 16th.

Tim Huffman honored at the Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony In recognition of his achievements, the Ohio Grocers Association held a luncheon on Wednesday, Sept. 12 to pay tribute to a man who has dedicated much of his life to the Ohio food industry and who consistently achieves greatness: Tim Huffman of Huffmans Markets. We congratulate Tim Huffman for this honorable achievement! — The Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce

• Company name & logo on posters distributed to local businesses for promotion of event. (Must be signed up by November 16) • Company name on Chamber Website, listed with deal and location • All ads and promotions direct people to check Chamber Website for all participants and deals

$25 - 100 Best Gift Ideas Member Participant: • Company name on Chamber Website, listed with deal and location • All ads and promotions direct people to check Chamber Website for all participants and deals

$100 - 100 Best Gift Ideas Non-Member Participant: • Company name on Chamber Website, listed with deal and location •All ads and promotions direct people to check Chamber Website for all participants and deals

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• Senior Downsizing services • Estate Liquidation • Organizing Homes Let us help you get your home ready to sell! Call Suzy:

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www.uachamber.org

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September 27, 2012 | Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

The Markets

It’s about time: Unemployment drops, still a way to go By Jim Hyre Believe it or not, the U.S. stock market as measured by the S&P 500 index hit an all-time record high last week when you include reinvested dividends, according to Bloomberg. Now, you may not have seen that headline in the news last week because the index itself is still 9.3 percent below its all-time high reached on Oct. 9, 2007. Here are a few other interesting stats to ponder: 1. In 2012 alone, the rise in the U.S. stock market added $1.9 trillion to investors’ wealth. 2. As of last week, the S&P 500 index rose 112 percent from its 12-year low reached in March 2009. 3. Even though economic growth is sluggish, U.S. corporate earnings are projected to reach a record high this year. If reached, this would place earnings about

20 percent higher than 2007’s – the year the U.S. stock market hit its alltime high. 4. By historical standards, “The S&P 500 is trading 13 percent below its average valuation since the 1950s.” 5. World central banks expanded their balance sheets by about 9 trillion dollars since the financial crisis started. Sources: Bloomberg; Barron’s Number 5 above is an important point to keep in mind. Easy money has greased the world economy and now there’s talk of even more monetary stimulus in Europe and the U.S., according to MarketWatch. What remains unanswered is, how much of the market’s rise has been stimulated by the stimulus and what happens when the stimulus is no longer available or effective? Can the economy stand on its own?

called the labor force participation rate, measures the share of the working-age population either working or looking for work. This figure fell to 63.5 percent last month — a three-decade low, according to The Economist. Is a declining labor force participation rate a bad thing? According to Matthew O’Brien writing in the Atlantic, “Less people in the labor force means, all else equal, that we will produce less stuff in the long run. And, less stuff means we have less wealth, lower stock prices, and fewer taxes to pay for retirement.” So why are people leaving the labor force? Here are a few reasons: • Going back to school • Raising children • Retiring • Going on disability Source: The Wall Street Journal Now, there’s one more big reason why people leave the labor force –

There’s one more big reason why people leave the labor force – they get discouraged and simply stop looking for a job even though they want one. Conveniently, the government tells us there are, unfortunately, nearly 7 million of those folks as of the end of August. Barron’s framed it this way, “At some level, the market gets priced not simply for the monetaryeasing cure to remedy economic ills, but for that drug being administered to a healthy patient for recreational purposes.” Translation – if central banks overshoot and markets get addicted to the easy money high, the inevitable withdrawal of the money drug may be painful.

Can good news be good for the wrong reason?

Last week, the government released the eagerly awaited monthly payroll report. It showed a modest 96,000 increase in

non-farm jobs in August compared to the month before. While that number was disappointingly low, the unemployment rate showed a surprising (and positive) drop to 8.1 percent; down from 8.3 percent the previous month. Here’s where it gets tricky: the drop in the unemployment rate occurred for the wrong reason, according to The Economist. The main reason why the unemployment rate dropped was 368,000 people left the labor force. With fewer people being counted in the labor force, the unemployment rate looks better than it might be otherwise. A related statistic,

they get discouraged and simply stop looking for a job even though they want one. Conveniently, the government tells us there are, unfortunately, nearly 7 million of those folks as of the end of August; that’s up from about 4.4 million near the end of 2007. Fed Chairman Ben Bernake recently called the unemployment level a “grave concern” and the numbers seem to support him. Bottom line, even though the unemployment rate dropped, it dropped for the wrong reason and we still have a long way to go to get this country working again. Jim Hyre is a Registered Principal, Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, 2074 Arlington Ave., Upper Arlington, OH 43221, (614) 225-9400, Fax: (614) 225-9400 , Toll Free: (877) 228-9515, www.hyreandassociates.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS Business After Hours

Introducing the Chamber’s newest networking event: Business After Hours. Join the UA Chamber for adult beverages, appetizers, and corn hole games. Come for networking, prizes and fun. Where: Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce, 2152 Tremont Center, Upper Arlington 43221 When: Thursday, Sept. 13 from 6 to 8 p.m. Pre-registration is appreciated but not required. Cost: $10 for members; $15 for non-members

Early Morning Networking

Make connections. Get involved. If you were unable to attend the Sept. 12 Ask the Experts lunch, please join Rob Maccabee as he reviews and answers questions about building customer loyalty and retail marketing. Come network in the morning with members of the Chamber! Where: La Chatelaine, 1550 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington 43221 When: Friday, Sept. 21 from 8 to 9 a.m.

Young Professionals Leadership Session and Networking Event

Honing Your Personal Strengths for Leadership. Leadership is a journey, and one of the most critical steps in that journey is knowing what “tools” are in your tool belt. Being aware of your personal strengths in your journey will set you up for success and increase your leadership skills in a way that positively impacts your life and work. Join the UA and Dublin Chambers for FREE appetizers, drinks specials and this special opportunity that will provide you with the tools to begin, re-direct or refresh your leadership journey. Where: The Bogey Bar & Grill, 6013 Glick Rd., Powell 43065 When: Tuesday, Sept. 25 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Registration for this event is only $5 for members and $10 for non-members. To register, visit the events section

Riverview Dental

on www.nextgendublin.com.

Afternoon Business Network Exchange

Make connections. Get involved. Attend this afternoon networking lunch for business professionals - fun, food and connections! Where: The Forum at Knightsbridge - 4590 Knightsbridge Blvd., Columbus 43214 When: Wednesday, Sept. 26 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Pre-registration required. $12 for members; $15 for non-members

Business After Hours – First Thursdays

Join the Upper Arlington Area Chamber members for networking, food, and drinks. All are welcome. Where: Royal Ginger Asian Fusion Bistro - 1625 West Lane Ave., Upper Arlington 43221 When: Thursday, Oct. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Early Bird Meeting

Make connections. Get involved. Come network in the morning with members of the Chamber! Meet new people. Maintain relationships. Generate new business. Where: La Chatelaine – 1550 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington 43221 When: Friday, Oct. 19 from 8 to 9 a.m.

Afternoon Business Network Exchange

Make connections. Get involved. Attend this afternoon networking lunch for business professionals - fun, food and connections! Where: Pacific Eatery 4514 Kenny Rd. Columbus, OH 43220 When: Wednesday Oct. 24 from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Pre-registration required. $12 for members; $15 for non-members Contact admin@uachamber.org or (614) 481-5710 to register for events.

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Visit www. uachamber.org for updated event information

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September 27, 2012 | Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce Business Monthly

www.uachamber.org

Your Legal Questions Answered

Estate planning for your pet By Bryan B. Johnson, Attorney at Law You set up a complete estate plan to protect you and your family. Great! But,what about Fido your dog? Isn’t he or she a part of your family? Who will care for Fido when you are no longer here or are no longer able to do so? You need to include your pet in your estate plan. Millionaire Leona Helmsley certainly thought her dog, Trouble, was part of her family. She left $12 million in trust for Trouble, whose caregiver annually spent $100,000 for her care, including $8,000 for grooming, $1,200 for dog food, and a full-time security guard. The trust also instructed that Trouble to be laid to rest beside Leona upon her death. Ohio law does not allow a monetary inheritance to be paid directly to your pet. It

does allow it to be held by an individual and spent for the benefit of your pet. A trust with accompanying power of attorney (POA) is easy and inexpensive.

bility for the duration of your pet’s life expectancy, and they have the living facilities which allow for your pet. Consider whether this custodian has other pets of their own which may not get along with your pet. Make sure there is a plan for the custodian to get immediate access to your home to retrieve your pet if something happens to you. Your trust should then be funded with sufficient funds to pay for the reasonably foreseeable expenses for the remaining life expectancy of your pet, such as food, grooming, vet care, and medicines, which would otherwise be a financial burden on your pet’s custodian. Also consider the life expectancy of your pet and its custodian. For instance, if you own a Macaw Parrot it has a

Your trust and POA should name the person, and alternates, to take custody of your pet. Check with them in advance to make sure they want, and can handle, that responsi-

life expectancy of 50 to 100 years, so you will need several successor alternate custodians and a lot of money set aside! You should explain in advance to your pet’s custodian any special needs or preferences of your pet, whether it be a medical condition or a favorite toy, blanket, or activity. If your dog is terrified of thunder storms, explain to the custodian what you do to console him or her. It’s then a good idea to write all these down for the custodian. Finally, your trust should instruct the custodian of your burial or cremation preferences for your pet, as well as provide for sufficient funds to pay for those arrangements. Congratulations, now your estate plan really is complete!

MEDICARE 2013: Overview and update Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012 Two sessions Session #1: 2 to 4 p.m. OR Session #2: 6 to 8 p.m. Location: Upper Arlington Lutheran Church, 2300 Lytham Rd., 43220 SPEAKER

Chris Reeg, OSHIIP Trainer, from the Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program

SEMINAR WILL INCLUDE • An overview of Medicare for 2013

FREE PROGRAM

Please register in advance by calling (614) 457-7876 ext. 432 or register online at www.uachamber.org

• An update of the “original” Medicare

SEATING IS LIMITED!

• The role of Medicare supplements • Alternative Medicare programs such as Medicare HMOs • Changes in Medicare Part D (prescription coverage) for 2013