Business Journal May/June 2015 by Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Business Legislative Update Roads to Success Targeted Training Second Act Volunteering

Kentucky

May/June 2015 Volume 34 Number 5

Northern

Journal

Providing Innovative Solutions and Healthier Outcomes for Kentucky Businesses. Dan Cahill, PhD,

Vice President Kentucky Market Leader

Dan Cahill and his HORAN colleagues work with employers across Kentucky to help them build benefit strategies as the marketplace adjusts to health care reform changes. As the landscape continues to shift, HORAN will help Kentucky employers develop strategic plans that address financial concerns, plan design and effective communication with their employees. HORAN is committed to developing innovative solutions that address health care concerns for new clients while continuing to advise our valued clients in Kentucky. Call or email Dan Cahill, 859.572.4501 or DanC@horanassoc.com, and allow HORAN to help with your benefit strategies today.

See whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going on at horanassoc.com or at our new Kentucky location in the Columbia Executive Center on Grandview Drive in Fort Mitchell opening in June 2014.

www.horanassoc.com | 800.544.8306

AROUND THE CHAMBER

In this issue Business Journal May/June 2015 4 From the President 5 Regional Economic Outlook Report 7 From the Chair, Steve Harper 9

A Recap of the 2015 Legislative Session

Legislative Caucus Voting Record

12 EPAD: Energy Project Assessment District Programs 13

Leadership Updates

14 Providing Best Patient Care

Roads to Success In this issue we explore various Roads to Success. There are many avenues to achieve professional success, and the best route for one is not necessarily the chosen path for another. Photo above: Terry Foster found his career through volunteering, and in doing so he learned that the career he thought he wanted was a little different from what he discovered to be his passion. Read his story on page 14. Photo by Shelly Whitehead. Cover photo: Paul Miller and Bob Wilson of the DCCH Center for Children and Families, both found themselves making career changes through their commitment to a cause. On the cover, they stand in front of a building where food was prepared for the orphanage, and bread was baked in huge ovens. There staff canned fruits and vegetables grown on the property, and made preserves. Photo by L-A Stopa.

Show Your Stuff

Follow Your Passion

The Second Act of Janet Arno

Emerging 30 Profiles

Women’s Initiative Spotlight: Polly Lusk Page

Professional Development Through Women’s Initiative - Mentorship, On The Road

Chamber Snapshots

Member Milestones

Annual Dinner Award Nominations

Upcoming Events

Ribbon Cuttings

CEO/Publisher Trey Grayson

Periodicals Postage Paid at Covington, KY ISSN (0274-757X)

Creative Director/Editorial Director Rena Gibeau rgibeau@nkychamber.com

Northern Kentucky Business Journal is published bi-monthly by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, P.O. Box 17416, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017. Phone: 859-578-8800. Website: www.nkychamber.com.

Graphic Design Artboy Animation Director, Sponsor Investments Diana McGlade dmcglade@nkychamber.com

The Business Journal is a benefit of membership and included in membership fees. Annual subscription rate for nonmembers is $24.

Director, Member Investments Laura-Aurora (L-A) Stopa lastopa@nkychamber.com

Periodicals Postage Paid USPS-548630 at Covington, KY.

Chamber Communications Committee Chair: Shelly Whitehead, Emily Gresham-Wherle, Dana R. Skulan, Bill Powell, David Rhoad, Kelly Rose, Rachel Folz,Katie Scoville, Meredith Fossett, Shayna Crowley VP Public Affairs & Communications Adam Caswell May/June 2015

Postmaster: Please send address changes to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, P.O. Box 17416 , Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017-0416. Subscribers: Please send address changes by e-mail to info@nkychamber.com. © 2015, The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and by the individual authors. All rights reserved.

NKY Chamber Business Journal

Photo courtesy of Lead Magazine/ Wes Battoclette, photographer

PERSPECTIVE

Let’s Get To Work Trey Grayson, President & CEO, NKY Chamber of Commerce When I moved to Boston, I knew it a bit from spending four years in college, but a lot had changed since then, so it was like moving to a brand new city. We compiled a list of restaurants mentioned by friends or that we read about in the Boston Globe or Boston Magazine and did our best to venture to as many as we could. (Speaking of—The Border in Harvard Square, Mike’s Pastries in the North End, Hungry Mother in Kendall Square and Sweet Cheeks in Kenmore Square—are all worth a visit!) I also created a spreadsheet for cultural and entertainment options throughout the northeast, such as taking the girls to see a show on Broadway, visiting the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, going to a Celtics game in the Boston Garden and enjoying a picnic dinner with Nancy while watching the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, their summer concert home in the Berkshire mountains. We knew we weren’t going to be in Boston forever and wanted to see as many sights as possible. I’m proud to say that we did a great job of knocking out many items on our Boston “Bucket List”. Now that I’ve been back in Northern Kentucky for about ten months, I am often asked what is the biggest surprise since I’ve moved back. My answer is always the same. Yes, I’ve enjoyed seeing my family and long-time friends on a much more frequent basis. And yes, I love having easier access to Skyline Chili, LaRosa’s Pizza, Glier’s goetta and Graeter’s Ice Cream, not to mention the Reds, Bengals and UK. But that wasn’t surprising. No, the surprise has been how many new things there are to see and do compared to when I left in early 2011. There are whole new sections of town like the Banks in Cincinnati or revitalized sections like the Gateway Corridor in Over the Rhine. The Mall Road area in Florence has seen a number of new developments and improvements during the time we were gone. Soon, I’ll be able to add Covington’s Pike Street area to this list with the Mutual Building and Hotel Covington poised to open in the next year or so. 4

Plus, now that I no longer have to crisscross the state to kiss babies and shake hands, I have more time to visit other places and restaurants that have been in the region for awhile, but campaigning kept me from visiting. In addition, our daughters are growing up, and at least for the next few years, they are interested in exploring more of our region’s cultural destinations with their parents. So far, the Grayson family has been to concerts by the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops and the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra, plays at the Ensemble Theater, Playhouse in the Park and the Shakespeare Company and Kings Island. I even dragged them to Dixie football’s class 6A state semi-final victory over Louisville Ballard in the below freezing weather, not to mention several Bengals, Reds and UK games. Given all of this, I’ve actually had to start making my own list of restaurants and cultural entertainment options for my hometown. I am finding that I am doing a better job of exploring my hometown since I created this local “bucket list”—just like in Boston. Those who follow Nancy and me on social media know this, as we are constantly posting about new places we are visiting for the first time, or the first time in a long time. I encourage you to make your own local bucket list. Here are some suggestions to get you started. Make sure you get over to the Museum Center if you haven’t been there for a while and marvel not only at the museums and IMAX movies, but also the amazing Art Deco architecture. Go to Newport on the Levee for one of their summer concerts and be sure to visit the Aquarium or Axis Alley, or eat at Dewey’s, Redondo Taqueria, Mitchell’s or Dick’s Last Resort. Maybe you can walk off dinner by taking a stroll across the Purple People Bridge. Check out Packhouse in Newport for a unique dining experience. Pick out your type of packed meat (meatball), your gravy (sauce) and how you want it served (over pasta, on a bun, or some other way). NKYChamber.com

Wash it down with a Coke Zero (or craft beer), and don’t forget the hand-made ice cream sandwich made with the fresh-outof-the-oven cookies. In addition to Packhouse, there are a bunch of other great restaurants in our urban core including the original Dixie Chili, The Gruff and Otto’s, not to mention several breweries such as the recently opened Braxton, the forthcoming Wiedemann’s and the venerable Hofbräuhaus. Plus the Bourbon Trail now starts right here in Northern Kentucky at New Riff Distillery in Bellevue. In the suburbs, you may see me grab a quick bite at several of my favorite fast food or fast casual places in the Florence area including City BBQ, Qdoba, or Chick-fil-A. Near the Chamber’s offices, I can walk to Montgomery Inn or Oriental Wok, or make the quick drive across the interstate to Grandview Tavern or Behle Street by Shelli. Some other items on my bucket list for this summer include taking the girls to the Cincinnati Opera, a Fireworks Friday night Florence Freedom game, the Creation Museum, and the Sprint Cup race at the Kentucky Speedway, which takes place the weekend before the All-Star game at Great American Ballpark. And I haven’t even scratched the surface with so many places just a short drive away, such as hiking in the Red River Gorge, riding the coasters at Cedar Point, or a concert at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville. The longer I am in town, the longer this list seems to grow. If you have any suggestions for me, such as your favorite restaurant or entertainment option, please let me know. I’m always game for a new addition to the list, as well as a lead for a future Chamber member. In the meantime, I’ve got a bucket list to tackle. Let’s get to work!

May/June 2015

ECONOMIC DATA ECONOMIC INDICATORSECONOMIC REPORT INDICATORS REPORT

Establishment Survey (Count of Jobs) Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Goods Producing Industries (000’s) Service Providing Industries (000’s) Cincinnati MSA Manuf. Employment (000’s) Durable Goods Nondurable Goods

Jan 2015

Dec 2014

1,030.2 148.1 882.1 108.8 64.4 44.4

1,055.9 151.5 904.4 109.6 65.1 44.5

Jan 2014

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change

1,009.1 143.5 865.6 107.0 64.2 42.8

2.1% 3.2% 1.9% 1.7% 0.3% 3.7%

Household Survey (Count of People) Jan 2015

Civilian Labor Force

Dec 2014

62,490 46,156 80,562 189,208 1,064 1,959 5,704 156,050

64,717 44,453 82,536 191,706 1,079 1,967 5,697 155,521

65,883 45,403 84,183 195,469 1,071 2,013 5,652 154,381

Employed Residents

Jan 2015

Dec 2014

Jan 2014

Boone County Campbell County Kenton County Northern Kentucky Total Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Kentucky (000’s) Ohio (000’s) US (000’s)1

59,444 43,875 76,237 179,556 1,005 1,840 5,358 146,552

62,102 42,512 78,800 183,414 1,033 1,867 5,427 147,190

61,788 42,296 78,401 182,485 997.9 1,852 5,234 143,526

4.9 4.9 5.4 5.1 5.5 6.1 6.1 6.1

4.0 4.4 4.5 4.3 4.3 5.1 4.7 5.4

6.2 6.8 6.9 6.6 6.8 8.0 7.4 7.0

Jan 2015

Unemployment Rates (%) Boone County Campbell County Kenton County Northern Kentucky Total Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Kentucky (000’s) Ohio (000’s) US (000’s)1

Dec 2014

Prices and Inflation Consumer Price Indices (1982-84 = 100) US “All Urban Consumers” (CPI-U)(SA) “Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers” (CPI-W)(SA)

Consumer Price Indices (1982-84 = 100) Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky CMSA “All Urban Consumers” (CPI-U)(SA)

Jan 2015

US Finished Goods (SA) (p)

Jan 2014

236.3 231.5

235.1 231.4

2nd Half 2014

1st Half 2014

2nd Half 2013

224.5

192.7

223.7

Dec 2014 196.9

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change -5.2% 1.7% -4.3% -3.2% -0.6% -2.7% 0.9% 1.1%

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change -3.8% 3.7% -2.8% -1.6% 0.7% -0.6% 2.4% 2.1%

Jan 2014

234.7 229.4

Jan 2015

Producer Price index (1982 = 100)

Dec 2014

The household survey is a count of people.

Jan 2014

Boone County Campbell County Kenton County Northern Kentucky Total Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Kentucky (000’s) Ohio (000’s) US (000’s)1

221.3

(Billions of chained 2005 dollars; quarterly data at seasonally adjusted annual rates ) (r)

16,294

US Personal Income (Billions of dollars)

Q4 2014 Q4 2014

(Seasonally adjusted annual rates ) (r)

14,960

Q3 2014 16,206

Q3 2014 14,811

US Federal Reserve Board Index of Industrial Production (2007 = 100) Composite Index of Leading Indicators4 (2004=100)

Dec 2014

Employed Residents include those who work for pay or profit, completed at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a familyoperated business, and persons temporarily absent from a regular job. Unemployment Rate is the percentage of the Civilian Labor Force that do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work. Persons waiting to return to the same job after a temporary layoff are also considered unemployed.

-1.3 -1.9 -1.5 -1.5 -1.3 -1.9 -1.3 -0.9

CPI measures changes in prices for all goods and services consumed by Urban households. CPI-U includes expenditures by all urban wage earners and clerical workers, -0.2% professional, managerial, and technical -0.9% workers, the self-employed, short-term 2nd Half ‘13-’14 unemployed, and retirees (87% of total population). Change CPI-W includes only expenditures by hourly wge earners or clerical jobs. 1.5%

Jan 2014 199.3

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change -3.3%

Q4 2013 15,196

Q4 2013 14,312

Q4 ‘13-‘14 % Change 2.4%

Q4 ‘13-‘14 % Change

Jan 2014

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change

105.3

105.9

101.2

4.1%

121.1

120.5

N/A

1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) or Workforce Kentucky Labor Statistics 2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Survey / 3. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 4. The Conference Board, US Business Cycle Indicators / 5. Bureau of Labor Statistics / (p) preliminary

Personal income is a measure of all sources of income. This includes wages, dividends, and government transfers. Mandatory contributions to social programs are deducted from this measure.

4.5%

Other Jan 2015

Civilian Labor Force includes all employed and unemployed persons looknig for work. CLF does not include retirees, students, stay-at-home parents, or those otherwise not seeking employment.

Jan ‘14-‘15 % Change

NIPA (Output, Production, and Income) Real GDP3

The establishment survey is a count of jobs, not people. Striking workers, selfemployed, proprietors, domestic, and farm workers are not included. Part-time and full-time jobs are each counted as one job.

Index of Industrial Production is the output of manufacturing, mining, electric, and gas utilities as a percent relative to 2007. Composite Index of Leading Indicators includes 10 components and can be found at www.conference-board.org/data/ bcicountry.cfm?cid=1

Looking for an experienced business banker? Our lineup runs deep. Founded in 1990, Heritage Bank is Northern Kentucky’s community bank for business loans and services. We offer local decision making by knowledgeable bankers who live and work in the communities they serve. Experience outstanding customer service and personalized attention with your neighborhood team. Contact a Heritage Bank office today! www.HeritageBank-KY.com

We have roots where others have branches

Alexandria • Burlington • Butler • Cold Spring • Crescent Springs • Dry Ridge • Erlanger Falmouth • Florence • Fort Wright • Hebron • Independence • Latonia • Newport • Union Walton South • Walton Towne Center Member FDIC

Join us in welcoming

Patricia Kirkwood Burgess back to Northern Kentucky.

“Trish” is returning to Northern Kentucky as a member of Frost Brown Todd, Florence, after practicing in the firm’s Lexington office for the past nine years. Trish is a native Northern Kentuckian and graduated from Notre Dame Academy, Thomas More College and the University of Cincinnati College of Law. As a trusted legal adviser to clients for over 20 years, she helps individuals and businesses navigate financial difficulties and legal issues to reach innovative, cost-effective and efficient solutions. Trish

Patricia Kirkwood Burgess 859.817.5905 pburgess@fbtlaw.com

emphasizes understanding all aspects of her clients’ businesses to focus not only on their legal issues, but also the practical implications of those issues on their businesses and lives. Trish will

be actively involved in Northern Kentucky through local community and professional organizations.

NKYChamber.com

May/June 2015

CHAIR COLUMN

Who Should Pay–

You, Me or Somebody Else? Steve Harper, President, Harper Oil Products Chair, Northern Kentucky Chamber We’ve been having a great debate in this community about how to pay for the repair and enhancement of a major infrastructure project, the Brent Spence Bridge (BSB) corridor. Since the BSB carries the traffic of two major interstate systems, including 4% of the nation’s truck freight, its current vehicle counts are more than double the originally designed capacity, the width of its lanes are more narrow than called for by federal standards, its visibility is restricted on the lower deck and its absence of emergency lanes for disabled motorists, and there is little disagreement on the need for more capacity. We just can’t figure out how to pay for it. Many have said that this is a federal interstate bridge and it is the responsibility of the federal government to pay for it. I certainly can’t disagree with this sentiment. But the question is, where do the feds get the money? I’ve heard some say, with the Speaker of the House coming from Cincinnati, the Senate Majority Leader coming from Kentucky and the President standing in front of the BSB two years ago talking about the need for its replacement, surely they should be able to figure out a way to fund our top infrastructure project. Well, to quote one of those individuals when we visited him last year on our Chamber DC Fly-In, “Look, there are no more earmarks. And even when there were earmarks, there was never a $2.6 billion earmark.”

May/June 2015

So, why can’t the federal government continue to pay for the same 80% of interstate projects like they have historically done? Congress has failed to adequately fund the Federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) for a number of years. The HTF currently takes in $38 billion per year. They spend $53 billion per year! That’s a shortfall of $15 billion per year. Why are they spending more than they’re taking in? Well, the spending is supposed to be what is needed to maintain and extend our current federal road system. Obviously it isn’t meeting that need or we would have a new BSB. But the revenue is where things have gone awry. Ninety percent of the HTF is funded by the federal gas tax. The gas tax consists of 18.4 cents per gallon of gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon of diesel. The remaining ten percent of the funds comes from taxes on heavy trucks and tires. The gas tax has not been changed since 1993 (22 years ago)! If the gas tax had been indexed for construction cost inflation since 1993, it would currently be 30 cents per gallon. But that’s not the only reason the HTF now takes in less money then it needs. Over that same 22-year period since the gas tax rate was last increased, vehicle mileage has steadily increased. Indeed, the government has mandated that auto manufacturers build vehicles with higher mileage rates so that the country would import less oil from foreign countries. So, with higher mileage, we use less gasoline.

NKY Chamber Business Journal

That’s good for the budget of consumers but bad for the highway budget. Additionally, young people in this country are moving back to the urban core, using more public transportation and driving less. They don’t have the same love affair with their automobiles that their parents had. That’s decreasing the amount of gasoline purchased even further, which also strains the HTF. Finally, while the number of hybrid, electric and alternative fuel vehicles is still a small proportion of the vehicle population, their numbers continue to grow. And some of them use no gasoline and therefore pay no gas tax. So why doesn’t Congress increase the gas tax, particularly now with the price of gasoline having dropped so much in the last twelve months? Simple answer, they fear retribution. They fear not being re-elected if they raise taxes. This is the same fear that frames our local discussion about tolls. Government leaders fear the wrath of voters if they support paying for the BSB with alternate types of user fees to the gas tax. My question for you is this. Are they right? Do you want improved and adequately maintained infrastructure? Are you willing to pay for it? Will you support your elected officials if they truly lead by figuring out a way to pay for it? Alternatively, do you support building things without paying for it and growing even further this country’s $18 trillion debt? Or maybe you favor leaving things the way they are with our infrastructure continuing to deteriorate, our traffic increasingly in gridlock and our economy missing out on so many opportunities. The choice is really yours. Do we invest in our future, charge it to our kids, or fall further behind?

I’m a drama queen This is my stage, life is my play, and it’s always show time. I love the limelight and practice every day so I can take a bow. Thanks to the cast of Redwood’s Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care program, my life is magnificent theater. Read Pari’s story and see what else Redwood does at WhereAbilitiesGrow.com

71 Orphanage Road

Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky 41017

859-331-0880

Need a place to meet? There’s a whole lot of awesome right here at home.

Conventions to conferences, trade shows to high-tech training, sporting events to retreats and reunions, Northern Kentucky has the venue to make your next gathering an outstanding success. So why look anywhere else? Let us hook you up with the Midwest’s most exceptional meeting experience. meetNKY.com

hello NKYChamber.com

78447 Chamber Ad

May/June 2015

ADVOCACY

A Recap of the 2015 Legislative Session By Adam Caswell, Vice President, Public Affairs, Northern Kentucky Chamber The 2015 Kentucky General Assembly convened in January for a constituted 30-day working session, often dubbed the “short session”. In even-numbered years, the state legislature meets in the “long session” where the state budget is determined. Although short in nature, the Chamber approached 2015 with a legislative agenda that had long-term economic growth in mind. The Chamber is consistently acknowledged for its advocacy efforts and being the voice of the region in Frankfort. This success has been attributed to the all-hands-on-deck approach of the Chamber’s membership. Leading into the 2015 session, over 200 members sacrificed hours of time to develop a policy agenda released in our Where We Stand publication. As with any session, the business community experienced great victories, but also witnessed missed opportunities to produce a healthier economic climate for the Commonwealth.

The positive results for Northern Kentucky

In the missed opportunities column:

• Anti-Heroin Legislation: The heroin epidemic that has hit Northern Kentucky isn’t the typical topic had around the business community, but recognizing the need for a healthy workforce and vibrant communities, the Chamber joined statewide partners for the passage of a comprehensive bill that focused on better treatment options, increased penalties for the worst of traffickers, and put tools in the hands of first responders and health departments. Because of the anti-heroin legislation, we will change the narrative from that of an epidemic to that of a community ridding itself of a problem.

• Outcomes Based Funding Model for Higher Education: Kentucky needs to develop a funding system for colleges and universities that is in the best interest of students and employers. By implementing an outcomes-based approach, our state has the chance to establish a fair system for allocating the $1 billion in taxpayer dollars being funneled to them currently with performance metrics determined to meet the needs of the workforce. The Senate passed a resolution encouraging the Council on Postsecondary Education to create a plan for implementation, but it did not receive a hearing in the House.

• Telecommunications Reform: To attract and retain 21st century businesses, Kentucky needed telecommunications reform that reflected a new world of technology we live in. This bill took a step forward in easing the regulatory environment to allow the private sector to invest in broadband infrastructure.

• Public-Private Partnerships: Instilling private sector capital, efficiency and expertise into public projects is a winning solution for the taxpayers. The bill passed the House, but due to political rhetoric, the bill stalled in the Senate although many felt confident the bill had the votes to pass.

• CVG Board of Directors: Under the leadership of Kenton County Judge/Executive Kris Knochelmann, the Chamber staffed a group of regional business leaders to create a Board structure that positions CVG for continued revitalization and long-term success. That work (with minor tweaks) was adopted by the legislature and will bring better regional representation and position all members of the Board to have a voting voice.

• Local Option Sales Tax: Recognizing the limitations of the state’s budget to invest in necessary economic development projects, this bill would have allowed voters to decide on a funding mechanism to invest in themselves and their communities. This bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

• Energy Project Assessment Districts (ePAD): The Chamber consistently hears from business owners their desire to upgrade their facilities to be more energy efficient. Those costs can sometimes be overwhelming. By adopting ePAD legislation, property owners now have a tool in their toolbox to aid in the investment into that work. • Beer Distribution: Kentucky has been a national best practice for its “three-tier” beer distribution system and has created a level playing field for all to prosper. The Chamber successfully lobbied for passage of this bill to uphold that system and protect local businesses and jobs. For more information or to get involved, contact: Adam Caswell, Vice President, Public Affairs acaswell@nkychamber.com 859.578.6386 @nkychamberadam May/June 2015

• Medical Review Panels: Northern Kentucky is positioned to be a world leader in healthcare, but needs meaningful reforms to its malpractice law system. Medical review panels would create an impartial process to deter against meritless lawsuits. The measure passed the Senate but did not receive action in the House.

In summary: Year after year, we are encouraged to see the state legislature acting on policies that will position Kentucky for future economic growth. The 2015 session, because of its short length, made incremental strides towards that progress. In 2016, during the budget session, the Chamber looks forward to continued advocacy in our state Capitol in hopes of building a brighter future for our businesses, region, and Commonwealth. When one session ends, the next begins. Already in progress, policy committees and hundreds of Chamber volunteers are working towards developing the 2016 Where We Stand Legislative Agenda.

NKY Chamber Business Journal

ADVOCACY

2015 NKY Caucus Voting Record 2015 NKY Caucus Voting Record- House Local Option Sales Tax: HB 1

CVG Board of Directors: HB 59

Chamber Position

YES

Joe Fischer- R

Yes

Thomas Kerr- R

Yes

Dennis Keene- D

Yes

Adam Koenig- R

Yes

Brian Linder- R

Yes

Thomas McKee- D

Yes

Ryan Quarles- R

Yes

Rick Rand- D

Yes

Sal Santoro- R

Not Voting

Yes

Not Voting

Yes

Arnold Simpson- D

Yes

Diane St. Onge- R

Yes

Addia Wuchner- R

Yes

Bill Number

ePAD: HB Telecom Reform: 100 HB 152

Bee HB

2015 NKY Caucus Voting Record- Senate Julian Carroll- D

N/A

Yes

Paul Hornback- R

N/A

Yes

Chris McDaniel- R

N/A

Yes

John Schickel- R

N/A

Yes

Not Voting

Wil Schroder-R

N/A

Yes

Damon Thayer- R

N/A

Yes

Find out more information on indivdual bills at www.lrc.ky.gov

orm:

Beer Bill: HB 168

Public-Private Partnerships (P-3): HB 443

YES

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

Not Voting

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

Not Voting

Yes

N/A

Yes

N/A

Yes

Medical Review Heroin Bill: SB Ranels: SB 6 192

Outcomes Based Funding Model: SJR 106

GUEST ARTICLE

The Horizon Presents a New Day for Energy Efficiency Upgrade Projects Philip J. Schworer

By Philip J. Schworer, Jonathan Miller, Brooke Parker, Frost Brown Todd LLC Many business owners are faced with the problem of needing to significantly cut their building’s energy bills to save money over time, but lack the required capital to make these crucial investments. Now business owners have a tool that will assist in implementing these energy efficiency upgrades. In the session that just ended, the Kentucky Legislature passed a law allowing local taxing jurisdictions the opportunity to create Energy Project Assessment Districts (also known as ePAD). This new system allows building owners to acquire private financing for a project’s costs with the value of the loan added to the tax assessment and repaid via tax payments over a term of up to 20 years. Under the best case scenario, monthly savings on the borrower’s energy bills will more than cover the monthly tax payment.

When fully deployed, the ePAD will have a stable of private investors who are ready and willing to make ePAD loans. Since the value of the loan is recognized within the property tax valuation, the lender is assured repayment of the loan by either the borrower or the subsequent purchaser of the property. An ePAD or similar program is operating in 31 other states with great success. Over $1 billion in energy saving projects have been authorized across the USA. Now, it’s Northern Kentucky’s turn. The critical next step is authorization for ePAD within the local taxing authority. This effort, like the state-wide effort, will be lead by the Kentucky EPAD Council, Inc., of which Jonathan Miller serves as counsel.

Jonathan Miller

Brooke Parker

STEVE BRUNSON

FORCHT BANK WELCOMES

STEVE BRUNSON

VP/BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Burlington, KY

859.334.9342

TO OUR GROWING TEAM.

Call Steve today for any of your commercial banking or lending needs.

Member FDIC | forchtbank.com |

Equal Housing Lender

NKYChamber.com

May/June 2015

Leadership Program Updates

LNK 2013 Deemed Best Class Ever In it’s 36th year with over 25 years of community class projects, Leadership Northern Kentucky (LNK) has a rich history of community service, citizenship, and fellowship. The alumni group of over 1100 graduates keeps the tradition of servant leadership alive by their continued dedication to making our region a better place to live, work and play. In order to provide scholarship funding for our non-profit partners as well as for the students in our Regional Youth Leadership Program, LNK alumni pay dues each year. As the class with highest percentage of alumni members, we are pleased to announce that LNK 2013 has been awarded the BEST CLASS EVER designation for the second consecutive year, and will celebrate their designation with a Complimentary VIP Happy Hour provided by Blinkers Tavern in Covington in May. Congratulations LNK 2013! There is no denying your commitment to strong leadership in our region.

LEADERSHIP

Regional Youth Leadership Class of 2015 Graduates March 8, 2015 was a day of celebration for the forty-five graduates of Regional Youth Leadership Class of 2015. Sponsored by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and KLH Engineers, forty-five young leaders marked the conclusion of their eight-month journey together in a celebration held at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. RYL provides students with the opportunity to discover their leadership strengths, develop their awareness of issues & challenges facing the region and explore the resources & opportunities available in our community. The 2015 program was sponsored by Ohio National Financial Services with support from Emerson. To learn more about RYL, please contact Ann Marie Whelan at amwhelan@nkychamber.com.

Best Class Ever top finishers: LNK 2013 86%, LNK 2014 54%, and LNK 2012 33%

Looking after your health is time well spent. Looking after all the paperwork is not. That’s why Humana is working on ways to make things simpler, clearer, and effortless – so that you can spend more time getting the care you need, and less time worrying about all the paperwork that goes with it. LET’S CLOSE THE GAP BETWEEN PEOPLE AND CARE.

CloseTheGap.Humana.com

GCHHV3MEN

May/June 2015

NKY Chamber Business Journal

ROADS TO SUCCESS

Providing Best Patient Care A Targeted Approach to Training By David V. Rhoad, Marketing Manager, Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers Chamber Communications Committee A long-standing member of the Northern Kentucky community, NKY Chamber member Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers has grown to 5 locations (Edgewood, Florence, Southgate, Crestview Hills, and Williamstown) and 19 doctors— eight of whom were named “Top Doctors” for 2015 by Cincinnati Magazine—more than any other orthopaedic or sports

medicine practice. In addition, the orthopaedic and sports medicine practice provides a Team Physician to 10 area high schools, Northern Kentucky University, and serves as orthopaedic consultants for Thomas More College, while employing a highly trained staff at each location. In addition to having great doctors and staff, Commonwealth’s leadership recog-

NKYChamber.com

nized that a key component of providing the best patient care is to also provide the best customer service. Opening a new, large office in Florence this past winter had resulted in additional hiring, and Commonwealth’s doctors and management’s goal is to add targeted Customer Service Training for every employee. After contacting several training companies and organizations, Commonwealth talked to Gateway Community & Technical College about providing Customer Service Training. From an initial conversation at a Chamber Eggs ‘n’ Issues program, Gateway and Commonwealth had several meetings to discuss how training could be developed that would meet Commonwealth’s needs. “From the start, Gateway told us their training could be customized to our organization and our specific needs related to both internal and external customers,” said Commonwealth’s HR Generalist, Kristina Stanley. Because healthcare, like any other industry, has specific needs and requirements, she had some particular areas that the training would need to cover. She met with several people at Gateway who would be involved in developing the training. Gateway was ready. “Though we can do just one standard class, our approach at Gateway is to identify an employer’s short-term and long-term training goals and plans,” said Gateway’s Workforce Development Liaison, John Parran. “All of our training is highly customizable. We’ve developed courses for dozens of topics ranging from technical to ‘soft’ skills, from 2 hours in length to a college course with academic credit. The task Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers laid before us was one we were ready for.” In addition, because of Gateway’s affiliation with the Kentucky Community and May/June 2015

Technical College System, Gateway has access to state funds set aside specifically to help with employee training, which reduces the costs that employers must pay themselves. Gateway invited Commonwealth to send a small group of employees to try out a session of its standard 8-hour Customer Service Training program; Stanley also went to observe. The employees found value in the training, but based on Commonwealth’s actual needs and their feedback, Gateway reduced the training to a 4-hour program, while still targeting particular issues Commonwealth wanted the training to address. Once the components of the Customer Service Training were determined, Gateway called on one of its adjunct instructors, Tamala Dodds, who also has a background working in a healthcare environment. Able to understand the unique customer service roles in healthcare, Parran knew that Dodds is also an experienced trainer who would be able to connect easily with Commonwealth’s employees. After having determined the training content and identifying the trainer, a tougher challenge was arranging training times that would accommodate the schedule of a busy orthopaedic and sports medicine practice with several locations. “John worked with us to arrange training times and locations that would work with our schedules,” said Stanley. Ten different training sessions are planned over a twomonth period at two of Commonwealth’s offices, allowing managers to assign training times that would best meet the busy practice’s scheduling needs. With that, the training kicked off its first session. Feedback from the session May/June 2015

was generally good, but pointed out some areas for improvement—and the two organizations made additional changes to the training, customizing it even more for subsequent sessions. “What is so important to us was that Gateway would continue to adjust the training to meet our needs,” said Stanley. Parran says, “We really think Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers is doing something progressive in this training. By investing in their employees and customizing training to the organization’s specific needs, Commonwealth is providing staff additional tools to meet their goals. And, we know that overwhelmingly, employee training leads to higher productivity, less down-time, and longer employee retention.”

NKY Chamber Business Journal

While the long-term impact of the Customer Service Training may not be known for some time, the short-term impact of Commonwealth’s investment is already apparent to the group’s patients and staff. Parran says, “It’s great that two Chamber members can connect at a Chamber event—and work together to meet the needs of one of them.” To learn more about Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers and its 5 locations, 19 doctors and staff, visit OrthoNKY.com. For more information about Gateway Community & Technical College—especially its training programs, contact John Parran at 859.442.1692 or by email at John.parran@kctcs.edu.

ROADS TO SUCCESS

Show Your Stuff Veteran St. Elizabeth Nurse’s Experience a Lesson in “Getting Your Foot in the Door” By Shelly Whitehead, St. Elizabeth Healthcare Communication Specialist Chamber Communications Committee “Hire that Foster boy!” Those were the words a much younger Terry Foster heard a St. Elizabeth Nursing Supervisor tell the hospital’s human resources department about him after he had volunteered at the Edgewood facility one year. At that time, Foster had just applied for a hospital clerk’s job after spending a summer volunteering at St. Elizabeth back when he was just a kid “looking for something interesting to do.” In the years since that relatively non-committal experience, Foster has not only acquired a full-time career as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, but has also developed something of an extensive “side job” based on his comical observances of life in the Emergency Department that has him traveling the world to speak with healthcare workers and making frequent appearances on the popular reality show, Untold Stories of the ER. In short, if ever there was a story of how to turn volunteering into a lucrative career and happy life, it is embodied in Terry Foster. That may be, in fact, why he highly recommends this approach to “getting your foot in the door” of a prospective employer. That’s his advice even if you’re not sure exactly what you want to do once you get inside that domain. “I thought I wanted to be a physician,” he Terry Foster with daughter, Meredith recalls of those earlier days. “But the experience opened my eyes to all the other options in healthcare. I had no clue that some men were registered nurses… this was 1973. But I saw what they did and that really appealed to me… but back then, the concept wasn’t even in my mind.” His experiences volunteering in the St. Elizabeth Emergency Department, however, sealed the deal and soon Foster was off to nursing school. As he saw it, nurses stood right in the center of all the action. And anyone who knows Terry Foster, knows that is exactly where he wants to be. 16

Terry Foster on the job in the Emergency Department

“I saw a patient go into cardiac arrest and saw the bedside RN immediately start resuscitation, working on the patient and directing others what to do. I was impressed how swiftly and professionally they were in their efforts. I volunteered in the ER and saw many things—trauma, auto accidents, assaults, drunks—and how the RNs cared for these patients who were from all stations in life… that left an impression that I can still visualize today.” Mr. Foster is quick to point out, however, that he still had to earn that job he eventually obtained by proving himself as a volunteer first. That fact points up the benefits to employers who can find ways to use volunteers in their efforts.

Volunteering is great way to “try on” a job or employer, and allows employers to evaluate employee potential. For those volunteering it may be a great way to show “your stuff” to those who might potentially hire you. But for employers, it’s an ideal way to try out a promising individual to determine if they fit your culture and your needs. “They ‘knew me’ and knew that I was a hard worker, self-motivated and very interested in the healthcare field. I think I’m still all of those things now over 40 years later!” This approach to potential employment is clearly a model that has caught on not only for Terry Foster, but his daughter, Meredith, as well, who also volunteered at St. Elizabeth in recent years and now works there full-time after graduating from nursing school. She may, in fact, have gotten the same advice from her dear ol’ dad that he now gives to others considering volunteering as a way to “try on” a job or an employer. “Go for it!” he says enthusiastically. “If you don’t like it you can gracefully ‘bow out.’ But if you love it, there’s nothing better.”

NKYChamber.com

May/June 2015

ROADS TO SUCCESS

Follow Your Passion —And You Just May Find A Career By Rena Gibeau, Northern Kentucky Chamber

Paul Miller and Bob Wilson on the campus of DCCH When seeking advice for how to enhance your professional profile and make important connections, many will advise you that serving on non-profit committees or boards can be an important step. Paul Miller and Bob Wilson can attest to that. In fact, for both of them, it has led to a brand-new career path. As you drive along the windy hill on Orphanage Road in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky, you might not even realize that you are passing the DCCH Center for Children and Families. Yet, hiding away on the top of the hill is an organization dedicated to rebuilding the lives of children with traumatic, emotional and behavioral difficulties. DCCH has a long history of service, reaching back over 160 years, that began when a group of citizens formed the St. John’s Orphan Society. As time went by, the needs of youth caused an evolution in the nature of services required, and today DCCH offers residential treatment, foster care, adoption, therapy and training services to community children and families. Paul Miller’s path to DCCH involved a 30-year career in the corporate world in sales, marketing and consulting. Although he enjoyed his work, he began to find himself wondering if whether it was time for a change. His work in marketing had allowed him to establish himself and raise his family. He no longer felt that he had to work for the money—he needed a reason to go to work. This quest for meaning led him to become a volunteer on the Board of Directors for the Welcome House, a Covington nonprofit dedicated to proving services that address homelessness and guide clients from housing uncertainty to stability. Six years of service on this board, beginning in 1998, gave him the opportunity to work closely with the Executive Director of the Welcome House, Linda Young, who became his mentor and friend. Eventually, Paul left the corporate world behind completely, taking a position as Development Director at Our Daily Bread, and after two years he returned to the Welcome House to serve as Operations Director. Paul found this new focus on non-profit service to be fulfilling—he loved the work, and during this time he had found a ways to volunteer by serving on the Board of Directors for DCCH, which he began in 2004. When DCCH was looking to hire a Development Director, Sr. Jean Marie Hoffman, the Executive Director, knew she had to look no further than her Board of Directors. She tapped Paul for the job. “It was a wrenching decision,” Paul states. “I loved Welcome House and the work I was doing there, but DCCH has a special place in my heart. My father grew up at DCCH, and still volunteers there. Joining the staff at DCCH felt like the right thing to do.” It’s a decision he has never regretted, and he just celebrated his fourth anniversary in this position. Bob Wilson’s history with DCCH is a long story indeed. While in college he worked at DCCH as the Recreation Director and as May/June 2015

a relief Child Care Worker. He enjoyed this time at DCCH. After getting his Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, he began a career in the mental health field, and early on, some of that work was done at DCCH. After 20 years in the mental health field, Bob switched to pharmaceutical sales for 14 years. At the same time, he became involved with DCCH by serving on a committee overseeing the clinical treatment program. This led to service on the Board of Directors, and after ten years of board service he was preparing to become Board President. At the same time, Sr. Jean Marie began to plan her retirement from her position as Executive Director of DCCH. As Bob and Jean were in a meeting to discuss issues for the board meeting, she told him she thought he would be perfect to take her place as Executive Director. He says, “I was initially surprised, but as I considered it, I began to feel like, heck, maybe I could do this.” Everyone concurred, and in December of 2014, he was named Executive Director of DCCH. Like Paul, Bob had become established and raised his family, and had their full support. He felt the timing was right to find work that fulfilled his need to have a mission. He says, “It may be stressful at times, but when it’s mission-driven, it’s good stress.” He relates that a CEO of a corporation recently told him, “I’m jealous of you, and if it were a few years later, I might be ready to do the same thing.” Bob and Paul work closely together. “Paul is an amazing resource,” Bob says. Anyone who spends time with them cannot help but feel their passion for the work of DCCH. Jointly, they strive to continue the mission of this organization to serve area youth and families, through fundraising, program and staff development, and recruitment of volunteers, foster families, and mentors.

Laura Arlinghaus, volunteer, and Bob Wilson ready for Swing Into Spring Fundraiser.

NKY Chamber Business Journal

ROADS SUCCESS WORK TO FORCE

The Second Act of Janet Arno By Rachel Folz, Digital Marketing Manager, Campbell County Library, Chamber Communications Committee Changing economic times and longer lives have given rise to the second act, or encore career. Many 50-plus professionals are choosing to switch careers at a time when their fathers before them would be looking forward to a gold watch and time spent in the garden. Meet Janet Arno, Adult Programming Coordinator for the Campbell County Public Library. Janet is something of a celebrity for the patrons of CCPL. She brings thousands of residents to the library each year to enjoy a can’t-miss stable of programs including the Signature Series, Arts & Culture and the Regional History Series. You might think that with an impressive body of library work like the one mentioned above that Janet is a seasoned veteran of the library world but you’d be wrong. Janet is a retired flight attendant who is successfully participating in a second act. Janet began her career with Delta Airlines in 1973. She flew the friendly skies for nearly 34 years. But by 2004, it was evident to Janet that Delta’s presence in the Queen City was diminishing. Janet says she knew she wanted to continue to work so she began looking for her second act. Like many seeking great information, her journey took her to the Carrico Branch of the Campbell County Library 18

where she asked a reference librarian about the work and education necessary to become a library professional. Having earned her undergraduate degree in Advertising from the University of Kentucky, Janet returned to the University to earn her MLS. Janet leveraged her rank in Delta to create a schedule that allowed her to pursue her education while continuing to work. Many of her Master’s classes were online. During this time she also took a part-time job as a reference librarian at the Carrico Branch. She was in her mid-50s and pulling triple duty: fulltime at Delta and UK, while holding down part-time hours at the library. Janet earned her MLS in 2006 and was offered a full-time job at CCPL but there was one catch…she’d have to retire from Delta. “It felt good to know I had invested that time and that money in education and that it had paid off. It was exciting,” Janet said. Her last flight was to Seattle and back. “I wouldn’t change a thing about my career at Delta. It was bittersweet to leave it. Wonderful company, wonderful people to work with.” A few years later, Janet was named CCPL’s first Adult Programming Coordinator. Her wonderful organizational and customer service experience has helped her bring first-rate authors, musicians and performers to CCPL’s patrons. She runs NKYChamber.com

two sessions of her wildly popular book club and shows no signs of slowing down just yet, “I’ve just learned to have confidence and a desire to continue to learn and grow and not be stifled by something that might seem overwhelming.”

Janet’s tips for second act success • Be proactive, get in front of change • Explore your options • Reach out to pros in your chosen field • Figure out what skills and education you’ll need to compete

Janet, at left, in a Delta airplane cabin during her career as a flight attendent. May/June 2015

Experienced, local commercial bankers making it easier for you.

As one of the largest community banks in the area,

 Flexible Credit Terms

Republic Bank offers full-service relationship banking and

 Commercial Real Estate

a wide variety of products with the technology to serve

 Equipment Financing & Lines of Credit

all of our business and personal clients.

Tom Tilmes, Steve Novak, Jason Payne, Tom Saelinger, Vickie Stulz, Kevin Herthel, Laurie Harvey and Jamie Weaver

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER

FLORENCE 8513 U.S. Highway 42 Florence, KY 41042 859-525-9400

COVINGTON 535 Madison Ave. Covington, KY 41011 859-581-2700

INDEPENDENCE 2051 Centennial Blvd. Independence, KY 41051 859-363-3777

BLUE ASH 9683 Kenwood Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45242 513-793-7666

BUSINESS

RECOGNIZING 2014 DESIGNEES Emerging 30 is comprised of local businesses making a significant economic impact on the community based on annual revenue growth. Winners receive public acknowledgement of their achievements and are encouraged to offer their guidance and advice to help other small businesses grow during special networking and training opportunities tailored specifically to Emerging 30 designees.

Bannockburn Global Forex finds itself back on the Emerging 30 list for the second straight year and is showing no signs of slowing down. The company was founded by a group of bankers who saw an opportunity to improve the process for currency transactions for organizations doing business outside the U.S. Drew Collins and his team are able to save their clients significant money on the execution of currency trades, as well as provide unique services to support their clients’ needs. Drew says the biggest challenge is education on foreign exchange issues faced by companies across a wide range of industries. If allowed just 15 minutes to review a company’s currency transactions and explain the value-added services it can provide, Bannockburn estimates it will be successful in building a new partnership over 80% of the time. Bannockburn works with manufacturers, service providers, non-profits, private equity groups, and large pensions and endowments. Bannockburn takes a personalized and custom approach to each relationship and is confident in its ability to add value to any firm, even with just one currency trade per year. Drew and his team have countless examples of how they have been able to help clients recoup hundreds of thousands of dollars they were not aware were being lost with their current FX provider. A wise man once said, “The best way to make money is to help other people make money.” Bannockburn is a prime example of just that. Submitted by Michael Raidt, Assured Neace Lukens Insurance

Cove Federal Credit Union, located in Edgewood, Kentucky, was established in 1970 upon receiving their NCUA Charter. Bennie Hoppius, CEO, currently has 17 employees dedicated to their mission statement, “To be the preferred provider of financial services to our members.” Bennie’s biggest business challenge was “teaching everyone what a credit union really is and how we operate. The public at large generally doesn’t know, so it has been our goal to educate and empower them with the facts about us.” Her most important lesson learned has been “to treat others, in business, like you would want to be treated; that is the view we have of our members and business partners.” Bennie firmly believes in bringing “life lessons to your business; apply what you have learned on your own because what holds true for business is true in personal.” As a daily reminder, a sign displaying “Work Hard and Be Nice” hangs prominently in her office. Fellow business leader, Dan Cathay, CEO of Chick-fil-A, is one who Bennie admires most, stating, “I always have a great experience there and am always impressed with the employees…I feel the habits and the attitudes of employees come directly from the top.” Reflecting on the Emerging 30 program, Bennie concluded with, “We have met a lot of great people from the other nominees. We have made business contacts that have benefited us and them. We feel that this recognition by the NKY Chamber reflects the community we serve and their opinions of us.” Submitted by Brandon Hubbard, Nexigen Communications

The Dragonfly Foundation lives by its mission statement: “To bring comfort and joy to kids and young adults, up to age 30, that go through cancer and bone marrow transplants.” Founded in Cincinnati in August 2010 by Christine Netizke and Ria Davidson, the Foundation has five employees. The biggest challenges so far have been fundraising; according to Ria, “there are more NFPs in Cincinnati than any other city of its size. Communicating needs and raising funds are difficult. We also need to move quickly because so many families are struggling, and what we do is time sensitive because of what the families and kids are going through.” Both Ria and Christine were able to learn the value and power of connections: “I always knew that connections were important but never on the scale needed to run a NFP—sure, you can go out and buy it, but with the right connections, what you can receive could far outweigh what your pockets could stretch to. We have worked hard to build community with our supporters to meet needs and exceed expectations.” Ria’s advice to entrepreneurs would be to take as many writing and communication courses as possible: “[all businesses] need to be able to properly communicate their business passions and purpose.” To conclude, Ria and Christine greatly admire Phil Butler for his legacy in building something for the community and Elon Musk for his forward-thinking and ability to pull people together to make the impossible, possible. Submitted by Brandon Hubbard, Nexigen Communications

Emerging 30 Award eligibility requirements include being a current NKY Chamber member or a company headquartered in Boone, Campbell or Kenton counties, privately held, in operation for at least four full years, revenues exceeding $250,000 and an average annual revenue growth of 15% or more over the past three years. 20

NKYChamber.com

May/June 2015

Divisions Maintenance Group, headquartered in Newport KY, was founded in 1999. The company provides facilities maintenance services (landscaping, parking lot maintenance, snow removal, plumbing, electrical and handyman) through 32 district offices for retailers and commercial properties across the country. 2014 marked Divisions’ 4th Emerging 30 designation, a testament to the company’s ongoing growth. Divisions has relied on process improvements and investment in technology-based solutions to stay ahead of the typical challenges that occur with growing companies. “We can always find ways to work smarter,” says Gary Mitchell, Divisions’ founder and CEO. “There is a lot of opportunity within the facilities maintenance world to better leverage the power of today’s technology.” Divisions has added value to their customers by delivering more than just maintenance services. With thousands of work orders generated for facilities maintenance services each month, retailers across the nation are looking to use their data to unlock efficiencies and savings. From identifying variation in the cost of parts to creating more efficient routing for technicians servicing parking lot lights, Divisions is partnering with their customers

Want to see YOUR company profiled in a future issue? Apply for Emerging 30! Are you in the top 30? Don’t wait – apply today! Application deadline - August 3, 2015 Use this link for application: http://bit.ly/E30App2015 Questions? Contact Christie Rogers 859-426-3652 crogers@nkychamber.com May/June 2015

to bring value beyond the cost of service. “We can’t just be a group of analysts sitting in a corporate office somewhere,” says Mitchell, “our customers really need that strategic thinking, but they also really need people on the ground—a partner at their properties giving them extra visibility when they can’t get there themselves. This is why our model really works. We’ve got both the national oversight with all the data and boots on the ground with mobile technology. We are giving them full transparency so they can make better decisions.” Submitted by Theresa Nelson, Strauss Troy Co., LPA

The recent recession in the construction industry provided opportunity for Jude Hehman as he partnered with former associate Pete Nicolaou to found Furlong Building Enterprises in 2010. Furlong, headquartered in Wilder, offers design-build construction services for commercial, industrial and retail projects. Furlong’s projects now extend from Tennessee through Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio and up to Michigan. Furlong prides itself on being transparent to its customers with a very practical and open approach to projects. The goal is to provide value, dependability and build long lasting relationships with their clients. Furlong’s niche in the market is projects in the $500K-4M size range. Furlong has completed projects for well-known area companies including FN Sheppard, Emerson Power, Joseph Cadillac and Servatii. President and CEO Jude Hehman stated that managing growth has been the five-year-old company’s biggest challenge. The company has gone from a startup creating programming, software, financial management systems, and operations processes to managing growth and deciding when to bring on more people. To be successful, Jude says you have to build it the right way. Don’t assume you know everything, and get the best advice you can find. Jude also stated, “The biggest asset in the company is our employees. They do NKY Chamber Business Journal

great work and care about the success of the projects for our clients.” Furlong has been able to bring on board excellent, experienced people who are passionate about the company and its customers. Jude credits those employees and the service they provide for the company’s growth. Submitted by Daryl Evans, Morgan Stanley

ProWaste is an innovative company that found opportunity out of the tough economic times in the recession. Companies were looking for ways to cut costs and ProWaste founder Jayson Aseere discovered a way to help companies do that. ProWaste was founded in 2010 and specializes in saving companies money on waste disposal and recycling costs. Headquartered in Florence, ProWaste has grown to a company covering over 1,200 client locations in 24 states. ProWaste’s 30 step consulting process analyzes waste services in detail and finds areas for cost savings. They will help you implement the savings and then manage and audit your service every month to make sure you continue to realize savings. Owner Jayson Aseere said the most difficult challenge in building this business is the unique service the company provides. It is a new concept and that made it difficult to get companies to give ProWaste an opportunity. Jayson credits Archways McDonalds as being their breakthrough customer. ProWaste customers include well known restaurants, health care providers, nursing homes and more. Jayson’s inspiration as a business owner comes from his grandfather who owned a pool company. His grandfather developed patents and turned Klimate Master Pools into one of the largest companies of its kind in the nation. As advice to others starting their own business, Jayson said you must be passionate about your business. Learn your business inside and out and stay focused on the things that make the company a success, even when it is difficult. Submitted by Daryl Evans, Morgan Stanley 21

Merx

Latin - commerce ; trade (pl.)| goods

2015 Save the Date Tuesday, May 12 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM The METS Conference Center, Erlanger, Kentucky Join us the morning of the 12th for exclusive conversations with panelists that represent consumer, industrial, agriculture and technology fields as well as experts in the fields who help these companies reach their success.

Learn from others success and failures. Get answers on ways to help grow your business. Connect globally. Featured Speaker - Robert N. Elliston Executive VP & COO, Breeders’ Cup Limited An avid horse racing enthusiast his entire adult life, Elliston oversees operations and execution of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, North America’s richest sporting event.

For more information and to register, visit - http://bit.ly/Merx2015

WOMEN’S INITIATIVE SPOTLIGHT

Getting to Know Polly Lusk Page Executive Director of the Northern Kentucky Education Council What was your first job? I had summer jobs in retail and banking while attending college, but my first real job was teaching first grade in Dayton Independent School District, where my beginning salary was $6,700.00. I still have my first paycheck stub. Did you ever think you would have the position you have today? Not early on in my career because I thoroughly enjoyed teaching and was following a career path to become an administrator. When I left the school setting I took a huge leap of faith and received a Distinguished Educator in Residence position. That change led to a statewide position with the KY Department of Education and ultimately a faculty position at NKU. When the Executive Director position became available for the Council I almost did not apply because it was an interim position. After much encouragement from many and believing that I could be doing more to affect change with a wider audience I seized the opportunity. You have done a great job of involving the business community with your organization. What’s your secret? Persistence and knowing that solutions don’t occur if we work in silos. Involving business in the creation of talent development solutions is not only a win for our students, but a win for our entire region. When we all focus on our educational outcomes we are creating the infrastructure to attract new business, drive economic growth and impact the quality of our lives. Who wouldn’t want to contribute to this progress?

Describe your leadership style. Participative and Inclusive. It is critical to the success of collective impact work that all of our stakeholders feel engaged and know that they are an important part of the team. While there are often difficult decisions that must be made to achieve our vision and maintain strategic focus I have no problem with making final decisions. What has been your biggest professional challenge? Honestly, running a not for profit organization because the currency is not profit but impact. In order to sustain collective impact, bring initiatives to scale, ensure all youth are prepared for college, career and life I seem to always be in the position of seeking needed resources to support and scale our work. If you could do something over again, what would it be? Like many young students I was much more interested in the social aspect of school rather than academics. I skated through high school earning modest grades and found when I entered college I really did not have the requisite study skills. If I could have a do-over I would have taken my high school studies more seriously. What is your greatest professional achievement? Really, if I have to pick I would chose two. My current position, and developing the One to One; Practicing Reading with Students program because our coaches change lives!

You deal with K-postsecondary education so you see quite a range of reading material. Which book best describes who you are? The classic children’s story The Little Engine that Could, “I think I can, I think I can…” is one of my favorites and actually my mantra. When I asked my husband Ken about this question he suggested Gone with the Wind and mentioned Scarlett—hmmm. The Kentucky Education Genie is willing to grant you one wish. What would it be? I am going to take the liberty of asking for two wishes: The first is to secure the critical resources that will allow districts and schools to implement innovation that supports all youth along the continuum from birth to career and the second is to bring educator salaries in line with other industries in order to recruit the best and brightest to teaching as a career. Tell us 3 things that many people do not know about you. 1. I love to cook and entertain. 2. I am an avid reader and helped to launch a Book Club that will be celebrating 15 years together in 2015! 3. My lifeline is my group of friends that have been together for more than 40 years—we are the Ya Yas. Our children and grandchildren are the la petite Ya Yas. It should be no surprise that my grandchildren call me YaYa! Women’s Initiative profiles are coordinated by Laura Kroeger, Vice President of Gateway Community and Technical College and Immediate Past Chair of the Women’s Initiative.

Involving business in the creation of talent development solutions is not only a win for our students, but a win for our entire region. When we all focus on our educational outcomes we are creating the infrastructure to attract new business, drive economic growth and impact the quality of our lives. May/June 2015

NKY Chamber Business Journal

OUR MORTGAGE OFFICER WILL MAKE YOU FEEL RIGHT AT HOME.

Dennis Barnes has over 18 years of mortgage lending experience behind him. And with his unwavering commitment to customer service, he’s ready to guide you through every step of the lending process. So if you’re looking for a mortgage lender, look no further than Dennis Barnes and get the expertise and personal attention you deserve, right here at Central Bank. Mortgage Originator I.D. 48136 859-905-5581 – dbarnes@centralbank.com

BANKING

•

WEALTH MANAGEMENT

•

INVESTMENTS

2850 Turkeyfoot Road, Crestview Hills

Member FDIC

Loans subject to credit approval.

NMLS I.D. 440304

centralbank.com

Wealth Management Services are provided by Central Bank & Trust Co. CBIA, Inc., dba Central Insurance Services (CIS), is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Central Bank & Trust Co. Insurance products, investment products and securities: NOT FDIC Insured

NOT Guaranteed by the Bank

MAY Lose Value

NOT Insured by any Federal Government Agency

NOT a Deposit

Subject to Risk

WOMEN’S INITIATIVE

The Importance of Mentorship to Career Development By Wonda Winkler, Chair, Business Women GROW “A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could.” - Unknown Over time the word Mentor has become synonymous with words like trusted advisor, friend, teacher, and wise person. According to many experts, everyone should be involved in a mentoring relationship at least once as part of their career path or professional journey. That is why since its inception in 2009, the Northern Kentucky Chamber’s Women’s Initiative has offered the Grow Mentoring Program which is a one-on-one pairing for women working for a Chamber member company interested in fostering their professional growth. Each woman is matched with an experienced male or female mentor for support and guidance to achieve their career development goals.

What do Mentees have to say about it? “My Mentor helped me meet people, build my confidence, and foster my professional growth. Having a non-biased, honest sounding board and confidant to share ideas and develop strategies has proved so very helpful in the process of rebuilding my career in Northern Kentucky.” “Not only was it great to have someone focused solely on me and my career development, it was amazing to have someone who could help me develop concrete steps I could take to advance within my company. Knowing that all this was in confidence made be comfortable to be vulnerable to express the areas to which I needed to grow.” But it’s not just Mentees that benefit; typical responses from Mentors include: “I love the time I spend with my mentee, she’s amazing! I’ve learned so much

myself and it really feels good to help someone else! I highly recommend being a mentor—don’t wait.” “My best takeaway from this experience is that mentoring someone else has made me grow professionally as well. I would tell someone else thinking about mentoring, don’t hesitate for a minute to get involved.” So as you can see, mentoring works. It can be an important tool for a person’s career development. If your company is a Chamber member, then so are all of your company’s employees. If you are a supervisor, this would be a great professional development opportunity to make a part of your annual review process for your employees—it’s truly professional coaching at no additional cost! For more information, please contact Pam Mastruserio at pam@nkychamber.com.

Top Ten Reasons to Schedule on the ROAD

On The Road

Northern Kentucky Chamber Women’s Initiative is committed to helping area employers meet the rising professional 1. Enhance employees knowledge & skills, stay current with business best practices development goals for their employees. 2. “Use What You Learn” to improve employee learning and success This need for advancement has led to the creation of On the Road, a multi-focused 3. Achieve employer/employee annual professional growth goals professional development program that 4. Redesign a course, service or program offers employers the ability to host quality topic related workshop opportunities 5. Collaborate with others, learn as a team for employees at their business location. Through collaborative efforts, the 6. Find out what other companies are offering across the area Northern Kentucky Chamber Women’s 7. Try a different approach in training methods Initiative has partnered with Frost Brown Todd to bring this new program to the 8. Walk away with a new strategy for your “toolkit” Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati 9. Foster “Share What You Learn” methodology area. On the Road will provide professional development opportunities to 10. BONUS - Gain personal satisfaction by providing quality professional Chamber members and their employees development opportunities to your most valuable asset—your employees! so that innovative “learning-centric” instruction can be obtained. On the Road For more information and to schedule an On the Road session at your business, contact sessions will be offered monthly with top- Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Pam Mastruserio VP, Women’s Initiative ic matter chosen by the hosting business at pam@nkychamber.com from a rich repository of business related topics and presented by qualified indus- Northern Kentucky Chamber Women’s Initiate is the leading organization for women of all career stages to connect, grow and achieve for business and professional success. try experts. May/June 2015

NKY Chamber Business Journal

AROUND THE CHAMBER

Chamber Snapshots

Chamber members kicking off the day with coffee & conversation with Trey.

Business After Hours gives members an opportunity to do business and have fun.

Eggs â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;N Issues: Does Right to Work Work for Kentucky?

Government Forum featured KY GOP gubernatorial candidates.

NKYChamber.com

Government Forum with Sen. McConnell and Drug Czar Michael Botticelli addressing Federal response to the heroin Epidemic. (Photos: above and bottom left and right. )

May/June 2015

Promotions, Appointments, New Jobs & Awards:

Submit your Milestones by email to rgibeau@nkychamber.com. Posts are limited to about 250 characters. Photos should be 300 dpi and of good quality. Submissions may be edited. DESMA USA Plans Expansion DESMA USA, Inc., located in Hebron Kentucky has announced a half million dollar expansion to their facility located at 2195 Arbor Tech Drive. As the North American headquarters for Klockner DESMA Elastsomertechnik GmbH of Germany, the company has outgrown the facility, originally built in 1999. This year, the company will post overall sales of $28 million with mold and tooling sales representing approximately $4.0 million. “Expanding the facility ensures that DESMA USA, Inc. will meet the demands of our customers and remain a complete supplier of molding solutions. We are unique within our industry” said Scott Early, DESMA USA President and CEO. “We domestically design and engineer tooling packages; we manufacture, we test and validate, and then work with the customer to optimize the process “. DESMA USA’s management team consists of NKY residents and employs 41 persons in Hebron. The company has created 12 jobs for engineers, mold makers and designers. Derek Langtry, Director of Manufacturing at DESMA USA is active with Gateway Community College to recruit individuals with an interest in the machine tool industry. “We look for candidates to work and mentor with the DESMA manufacturing staff. We must groom the next generation of employees for our company” says Derek. Four More Community Leaders Join Gateway Foundation Board Four community leaders have joined the board of directors of the Gateway Community and Technical College Foundation. “We are pleased to welcome four talented and well-known community leaders whose expertise in financial management, law and government and civic affairs add significant strength to the ‘deep bench’ that currently guides the Gateway Foundation,” said Lee Flischel, chair of the Foundation board. The four include Benjamin G. Dusing, managing partner of BGD Law of CovingMay/June 2015

MEMBER MILESTONES

Member Milestones ton; Shelley Funke Frommeyer, financial advisor with Waddell & Reed, Inc., Cincinnati; Trey Grayson, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; and MaryAnn Pietromonaco, vice president and financial advisor with Morgan Stanley, Cincinnati. The four new members were elected to the Foundation board during the fall of 2014. Their addition brings the total number of executives serving on the board to 26. In addition to Flischel and the new additions, board members include James Berger, Steve Brunson, Norm Desmarais, Jeff Eger, Steve Frank, David Gooch, Kimberly Halbauer, Wade Halsey, William Hesch, Richard Hempel, Ken Lucas, Executive Director Laura Cook Kroeger, Candace McGraw, James Parsons, John Schoener, Jeanne Schroer, Debbie Simpson, Alice Sparks, Margaret van Gilse, Paul Verst and Robert Zapp. Covington organization receives $910,000 to provide care for young children U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has announced the award of an Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership grant to Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, Inc. This grant capitalizes on existing child care capacity and infrastructure to improve access to high quality early learning opportunities for infants and toddlers in low income families. “As the mother of young children, early learning is a big part of my personal life,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell. “We’re awarding $910,000 annually to Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, Inc. to help ensure more children in Campbell and Kenton Counties will benefit from high-quality early childhood efforts. As a result, we expect that 80 additional children a year will be able to access Early Head Start. That’s a lot of young lives changed, and a lot of impact delivered.” “Research shows the first three years are critical for brain development, and NKY Chamber Business Journal

Early Head Start provides high-quality early care and learning opportunities for our most vulnerable young children,” said ACF Acting Assistant Secretary Mark Greenberg. “These grants will help support working families by providing a fullday, full-year program for young children.” The Early Head Start program requires significant support from the community, including matching funds, much of which is delivered in kind. These programs work most effectively when local businesses and community organizations work together to support these most vulnerable children. Public and private entities throughout the community are invited to embrace this new program and be part of the solution for early childhood care and education. CAC Receives $7,000 from Rawe Foundation The Northern Kentucky Children’s Advocacy Center (NKCAC) is the recipient of a $7,000 gift from the Albert S. and Anna L. Rawe Family Foundation. Funds will allow the center to continue providing trauma, mental health services for children of abuse. The center has provided services to children since 1987. The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services has designated the NKCAC as the only regional Children’s Advocacy Center serving Northern Kentucky Area Development District. The funds will help the NKCAC in its process to serve the children that come in each and every day. Northern Kentucky Home Instead Senior Care® Under New Ownership The Northern Kentucky Home Instead Senior Care® office announced today it is now owned and operated by Eric Schuermann. The company assists aging adults who want to remain in their homes by providing personal and Alzheimer’s care, as well as companionship and home helper services. “Seniors and their families depend on us to both understand and meet our clients’ need,” Schuermann said. “My goal is to make Home Instead Senior Care 27

MEMBER MILESTONES the primary source of care for all seniors in northern Kentucky. We will do this by understanding our clients’ needs, and providing unmatched care and resources to them. With Home Instead’s growth, we anticipate bringing many new jobs to Northern Kentucky.” The company currently employs 80 CAREGivers who are well-trained, bonded and insured. Thomas More College announces new Dean of Student Affairs Amy Wylie has been hired as the Dean of Student Affairs at Thomas More College. Wylie has a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from Ball State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Northern Kentucky University. She has been working the field of education for over 20 years serving in various leadership roles. She has over 15 years of experience in student affairs, preparing her for the new role at Thomas More College. “We are excited to have Amy return to her hometown; she is well-known in this region for her expertise. With her experience and enthusiasm, we know that she will have an immediate positive impact at Thomas More College,” said President David A. Armstrong, J.D. Covington Business Council and Urban Partnership of Covington Announce Board Chairs for 2015 Covington Business Council (CBC) and its nonprofit sister organization the Urban Partnership (UP) of Covington have announced their board chairs for 2015. Scott Guenther, Managing Partner of Adams, Stepner, Woltermann & Dusing assumes the role of CBC Board Chair for a 12-month term, ending December 31, 2015. George Hagan, of Hagan Enterprises, and the former owner and President of Providence Pavilion, will serve in his capacity as Urban Partnership Board Chair for 12 months, ending December 31, 2015. The mission of the Covington Business Council is to advocate for a healthy business climate in Covington. The mission of the Urban Partnership is to support existing Covington businesses in their efforts 28

to grow and prosper and to attract new businesses to the City.

Southern Air Honored with Diamond Award by FAA Southern Air has been honored with the prestigious Diamond Award of Excellence by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Diamond Award is the FAA’s highest honor for maintenance training and overall maintenance excellence. Southern Air’s maintenance professionals completed over 4,000 hours of specific aircraft and product instruction as well as safety and regulatory training in 2014 to earn the Diamond Award. “This is an outstanding achievement for Southern Air, particularly considering how much we have accomplished in the past two years,” said David Soaper, Chief Operating Officer of Southern Air Inc. “We set a course to strive for excellence and quality in all that we do and the entire Southern Air team is to be commended for achieving this incredible honor from the FAA.” The FAA established the Diamond Award program in 1991 to encourage aviation maintenance technicians and their employers to participate in training programs. During 2014, 100 percent of Southern Air’s aircraft and maintenance technicians completed training, qualifying the air cargo company to compete for the Diamond Award. This is Southern Air’s first FAA Diamond Award. Russell Coleman Joins Frost Brown Todd Russell Coleman, senior advisor and legal counsel to U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, will join Frost Brown Todd LLC (FBT) and its government relations subsidiary, CivicPoint LLC. Coleman will hold dual roles as a member of FBT and as a Principal in CivicPoint, a government relations consulting firm guiding clients through state and local government affairs matters in mid-America since 2013. NKYChamber.com

Coleman, a Kentucky native, former Department of Justice staffer and FBI special agent, served the Majority Leader for the past five years. FBT Chairman John Crockett says Coleman’s unique combination of government investigations expertise, legal background, political savvy and close relationships with many of KY’s most senior leaders offers significant value to FBT and CivicPoint clients. “Russell’s remarkable experiences at some of the highest levels of government, and his background at the FBI and Justice Department, will provide our clients with a unique blend of services,” said Crockett. “For decades, FBT has been one of the region’s preeminent law firms, serving clients in litigation, corporate structuring, and regulatory advocacy on a wide variety of issues and matters. Now with Russell and CivicPoint, we add more tools to the kit: lobbying at the state and federal level; political and campaign finance advice; crisis management and communications; community and media relations; internal investigations for due diligence and compliance challenges; and discrete competitive intelligence.” “I’m excited to work with someone as respected in the law enforcement community and on both sides of the aisle as Russell Coleman,” stated FBT Member and CivicPoint Principal Jonathan Miller, who previously served as Kentucky’s State Treasurer and Chairman of the state Democratic Party. “Frost Brown Todd and CivicPoint are the only firms in Kentucky that offer a truly bi-partisan, integrated approach to solving public policy problems for our clients, and for counsel and advocacy on most all substantive matters. Russell fits our team perfectly.” Gateway Community and Technical College Names Communications Director Gateway Community and Technical College welcomes Michelle Sjogren as director of communications. Sjogren has worked in communications and higher education for more than two decades, serving in both public and private sectors. “I am thrilled to join Gateway Community and Technical College,” Sjogren said. “I began my career in a community college, and my heart has always remained here. I look forward to working with our team to serve students, faculty and staff, implement strategic communication and engage the community in the great work done here.” May/June 2015

Prior to coming to Gateway, Sjogren was the executive director of the Reading Camp network, a nonprofit that serves struggling 3rd-5th graders across the United States. She was also chief communications officer for TSC Supply Company in Florida and Kentucky. Sjogren will lead Gateway’s communications team managing the college’s website, media relations, social media, publications, marketing, special events, graphic design and internal communications. JANCOA Janitorial Services CEO, Mary Miller, Named Enterprising Women of the Year Award Recipient. Enterprising Women magazine has announced the winners of the 2015 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards, an annual tribute to top women entrepreneurs from around the globe. JANCOA CEO, Mary Miller, is among the winners in the Over $10 Million and Up to $25 Million in Annual Revenues category. This award is widely considered one of the most prestigious recognition programs for women business owners. To win, nominees must demonstrate that they have fast-growth businesses, mentor or actively support other women and girls involved in entrepreneurship and stand out as leaders in

MEMBER MILESTONES their communities. “I appreciate the opportunity to celebrate the success of my past,” says Mary Miller, JANCOA CEO, “but I’m more excited to meet so many great women from around the world and to focus on creating a greater future.” Thomas More College receives $1 million gift Alumnus and Trustee of Thomas More College, Dr. Anthony R. Zembrodt (Class of ’65) and his wife Geraldine (Class of ’66) have joined others by making an investment of one million dollars ($1,000,000) in support of the Thomas More College Success Center (TSC). In just under 8 months, Thomas More College has secured over $1.5 million toward the $4 million Thomas More College Success Center endowment initiative. The College received an anonymous $4 million gift in May 2014 which challenged the College to raise an additional $4 million, bringing the total endowment initiative to $8 million. In recognition for their commitment, The Institute for Academic Support, the first of three institutes within the TSC, will be named The Dr. Anthony R. and

Geraldine Zembrodt Institute for Academic Support. USI MidSouth Region Appoints Randy Deskins as Bond Manager for Kentucky USI Insurance Services (“USI”) announced that Randy Deskins has joined the USI MidSouth region as its bond manager. Based in the USI Louisville, Kentucky, office, Deskins is responsible for managing the service delivery of surety clients and surety carrier relationships throughout the state of Kentucky. John S. Meehan, regional chief executive officer for the USI MidSouth region, said: “Randy brings great depth of experience to this new role and has more than 30 years of surety experience in Kentucky. He will be invaluable to the MidSouth region as we continue to invest in new people and grow our marketshare. Randy has an innate ability to dive in and uncover critical issues affecting his clients, create a cost-savings program for them and then communicate it in easy-tounderstand language that will positively impact their bottom line. His roll-up-yoursleeves, proactive attitude is just what we were looking for and we welcome him to

Save the Date! NKY Night at the Great American Ball Park Reds vs. Pirates | Saturday, August 1 at 7:10 p.m. Free Devin Mesoraco bobblehead to the first 25,000 fans! Mark your calendar for NKY Night at Great American Ball Park on Saturday, August 1. Watch your Cincinnati Reds take on the Pittsburgh Pirates as we celebrate the Bluegrass State. Discount tickets will be available for residents of Northern Kentucky. Stay tuned for more details! Brought to you by St. Elizabeth Healthcare, a proud partner of the Cincinnati Reds.

May/June 2015

NKY Chamber Business Journal

MEMBER MILESTONES the USI family.” Hemmer completes major expansion of Mazak manufacturing plant Paul Hemmer Company (Hemmer) has completed a major expansion and multi-step renovation of Mazak Corporation’s manufacturing facility in Northern Kentucky this month. The overall project, which extended over two years and included many elements, is part of a $30 million additional investment by Mazak in its North American operations in NKY. The expansion and renovation of the manufacturing facility involved a series of projects by Hemmer. A major element, and one of the first, was construction of a two-bay expansion. The 91,000 sq. ft. expansion increased the plant size by more than 20 percent. When that was completed, Hemmer constructed a new 5,800 sq. ft. office mezzanine within the plant facility. As the mezzanine project neared completion, Hemmer assisted Mazak in proceeding with an expansion and renovation program of areas within the plant to increase productivity and efficiency. G. Edward Hughes Wins Grady Clay Community Vision Award Gateway Community and Technical College president G. Edward Hughes was selected as this year’s recipient of the Grady Clay Community Vision Award presented by the Kentucky Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects. Hughes was selected to receive the award for demonstrating his commitment to the community, students and staff by creating “an innovative and adaptive Urban Metro Campus in Downtown Covington,” said Louis R. Johnson, President of the American Society of Landscape Architects, Kentucky Chapter. “The approach he has taken says volumes about the value of thinking sustainably,” Johnson said. “In a day and age where many campus models focus internally and isolate themselves from their surrounding communities, Hughes and his team have chosen to face the community and fill a void.” Catalytic Fund CDFI Certification Opens Doors to Federal Funding The U.S. Department of the Treasury has certified the Catalytic Development Funding Corp. of NKY (“Catalytic Fund”) as a Community Development Financing Institution (CDFI). The Catalytic Fund provides financing, technical assistance 30

and development services to execute real estate development projects in the 20 urban census tracts that comprise Northern Kentucky’s urban core—across the five River Cities of Ludlow, Covington, Newport, Bellevue and Dayton, Kentucky. The Catalytic Fund is the first organization in Northern Kentucky, the 3rd in Greater Cincinnati and the 12th in the Commonwealth of Kentucky to be certified as a CDFI. Financial institutions that become certified by the CDFI Fund are eligible to apply for the comprehensive services it offers including grants and loans provided by Financial Assistance Awards, allocations of New Market Tax Credits, and bond guarantee programs that are administered annually. Jeanne Schroer, Catalytic Fund President/CEO explains, “Being recognized as a CDFI is an achievement that will provide more access to important resources in the future.” To be eligible for CDFI Certification, an organization must be a legal, non-governmental entity that has a primary mission of promoting community development, provides both financial and development services and serves and maintains accountability to one or more defined target markets.

Gateway Foundation Awarded Duke Energy Grant The Duke Energy Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to Gateway Community and Technical College Foundation. The Grant will help support the Gateway Foundation’s efforts to help the college develop the Urban Metro Campus in downtown Covington. “Duke Energy is pleased to award this grant, which is a continuation of our support over the last few years of Gateway’s Urban Campus and their workforce development efforts,” said Rhonda Whitaker, Government & Community Relations, Duke Energy Kentucky. “Gateway’s training of our future workforce, including the enhancement of skills for those seeking to advance with current employers, is critical to the continued economic vitality of the region that Duke Energy serves. NKYChamber.com

The role that the urban campus is playing to transform Covington and to maintain a healthy urban core is extremely significant to NKY.” Duke Energy Contributes to the Success of the New KY Career Center Rhonda Whitaker, Government & Community Relations Specialist from Duke Energy presented a $20,000 check to the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board in support of the new Kentucky Career Center, located at 1324 Madison Avenue, Covington. Linda Gravett, Chair of the WIB and Barbara Stewart, Director of the WIB were on hand to accept this generous gift. The Workforce Investment Board and the Northern KY Area Development District would like to thank Duke Energy for their continued support of our communities and our workforce development efforts. The new Covington Career Center provides workforce development services to employers seeking to hire qualified candidates for their employment opportunities. PNC Charitable Trust Awards Gateway $50,000 for Gateway Urban Metro Campus BuildSmart Initiative Gateway Community and Technical College has received a $50,000 grant from the John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust, PNC Bank, Trustee. Matching funds from the BuildSmart Kentucky program turn the value of the gift to the college into $200,000. “The Trustees saw this project as an excellent match for the John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust,” said Mary Alice Koch, foundation administrator for PNC charitable trusts. The BuildSmart Kentucky program enacted into law last year is a public-private partnership that provides funding for the top capital project at each college in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. At Gateway, that project is the Urban Metro Campus. The BuildSmart initiative will raise a total of $15 million for Gateway, based on a 25 percent match raised from private funds. “We deeply appreciate this investment by the John A. Schroth Family Charitable Trust and the confidence the PNC charitable trust grant review committee has shown in our project,” said Bob Zapp, chair of the Gateway Major Gifts Campaign. “The grant is really an investment in the future of all the students who will benefit from greater access to high-quality higher education right in their backyards. May/June 2015

The positive impact of the Urban Metro Campus on their lives represents an economic multiplier of immeasurable value.” Prosource Named 2015 Perfect Image Award Winner Prosource has been named a 2015 Perfect Image Award winner by imageSource Magazine in the category of Dealer of the Year. The prestigious awards program recognizes exceptional leadership and innovation in the office solutions channel. In 2014, Prosource’s commitment resulted in refreshing their established technology solutions portfolio, enhancing their managed print services program, implementing new customer relationship management software, and launching an exclusive corporate training program. Local Librarian Honored at State Level Louise Canter of Villa Hills, Kentucky has been selected as the Kentucky Public Library Association’s 2015 recipient of the James E. Gugeler Outstanding Library Trustee Award. Under Louise’s tenure, the Kenton County Public Library has been the recipient of many awards and honors. Notably it has been repeatedly named as the number one ranked #1 in the state of Kentucky according to the HAPLR Index in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Additionally, in both 2013 and 2014, the library has been given a four star rating by Library Journal, the only library in the state to have received this distinction.

Redwood Selects New Executive Director Redwood Board Chair Karen Finan announced today that John Francis has been selected as the organization’s next executive director. He will replace Barbara Howard who retires in June after 36 years of service. The Erlanger resident brings more than 30 years of experience in youth and adult social services to his new position at Redwood. He most recently served as Director of Regional Behavioral Health for Talbert House. According to Finan, “We are thrilled that John accepted the position and look forMay/June 2015

MEMBER MILESTONES ward to the contributions and innovations he will bring to Redwood. When Barbara announced her retirement date, we knew we had a monumental task to find her successor. Our executive search committee began work in October 2014. After vetting many qualified candidates, we’re confident we’ve made the right choice.” Spine Surgeon joins Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers Spine Surgeon John B. Jacquemin, M.D., has joined Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers. Dr. Jacquemin is a Board-Certified spine surgeon, specializing in Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Spinal Surgery. He has more than a decade of spine surgery experience in the Tri-State, most recently with Mercy Health Physicians. He was named a 2015 “Top Doctor” by Cincinnati Magazine, giving Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers a total of 8 “Top Doctors” this year. CVG Wins Again – Best Regional Airport Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) has once again achieved a distinctive global honor, receiving the Skytrax World Airport Award for the Best Regional Airport in North America for the fifth consecutive year. “Receiving this prestigious award five years in a row exemplifies a proven track record of excellence,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport. Site Selection Magazine Award to KY Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (TriED) President and CEO Dan Tobergte issued the following statement regarding Site Selection magazine’s 2014 Governor’s Cup award for Kentucky. Site Selection editor Mark Arend presented the Governor’s Cup trophy to Governor Steve Beshear, recognizing Kentucky in first place for new and expanded industry activity per capita in 2014. “We congratulate Governor Beshear on being awarded the Governor’s Cup and thank the companies that located or expanded in Northern Kentucky for their contribution to this award and our global economy. Northern Kentucky TriED facilitated significant growth in target industries, such as advanced manufacturing, e-commerce/logistics and techNKY Chamber Business Journal

nology, in 2014. Automotive suppliers, advanced manufacturers and other existing industries contributed significantly to Kentucky’s success in 2014.” Waddell & Reed Financial, Inc. Fund Families Again Among Top of Barron’s “Best Mutual Fund Families” Rankings Waddell & Reed Advisors Funds and Ivy Funds again turned in strong showings in the latest Barron’s ranking of the “Best Mutual Fund Families,” as Waddell & Reed Advisors Funds, managed by Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company, took the top spot and Ivy Funds, managed by Ivy Investment Management Company, ranked No. 3 over the 10-year period. For the five-year period, Waddell & Reed Advisors Funds claimed the No. 2 spot, while Ivy Funds took No. 4. Ivy Funds appears in the top five in the 10-year ranking for the fifth year in a row, and in the top five of the five-year ranking for seven straight years. Concept Machine Tool Named Distributor of Fives Machining Systems Concept Machine Tool Sales, Inc. (CMT) has been appointed distributor of Fives Machining Systems for Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska. The full-service machine tool distributor, with offices in Minneapolis, MN and Delafield, WI, will distribute all products for Fives Cincinnati, Fives Giddings & Lewis and Fives Liné Machines in the six-state area. Employers Resource Association Appoints Julie Maier, Director, Marketing and Membership Development Employers Resource Association (ERA), an organization specializing in human resources and HR-legal compliance services through consulting, training and development, announced today that Julie Maier has been named director, marketing and membership development. “Julie will help raise awareness of the HR solutions that ERA provides to over 1,000 companies in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky,” said Jennifer Graft, president and CEO of ERA. Maier’s marketing experience bridges from emerging industry leaders to Fortune 500 companies. She has led creative, marketing and cross-functional teams in the IT/technology, retail, financial, healthcare and consumer product sectors. 31

MEMBER MILESTONES KZF Design Expands Capabilities and Services with New Hires/Promotions KZF Design welcomes six new personnel and is celebrating the promotion of two more. KZF is expanding its personnel in several key areas, to meet growing client demand for a multidisciplinary approach to design. Robert Doran, AIA joins KZF Design as Director of Education Studio. Bob most recently served as University Architect and Director of Planning/Campus Development at the University of New Mexico. Daniel Yacavone, LEED AP BD+C has been promoted to Director of the Workplace Design Studio. In his new role, Dan will lead the day-to-day operations and performance for the Workplace Design Studio. Dan takes the helm from current director, Steve Sendelbeck, who will continue to lend his expertise to clients as Workplace Strategy Specialist as he transitions into retirement. John Eby joins KZF Design as Director of Prime MEP Services. His driving focus will be promoting and fostering our quality mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering ser-

Doran

Yacavone

Eby

Big idEas for a HEaltHY small BusiNEss Expect wellness options that meet your needs Humana gives you the flexibility and support to help you make the right choices, and to help your employees get on a healthier path. After all, keeping your employees healthy is the first step to keeping your company healthy. Contact your agent or Chamber representative today to find out more!

KYHHV2QEN 0314

vices while encouraging sustainable and efficient building system design. Eric Anderson, AICP, LEED AP ND has been promoted to Manager of Marketing & Business Development. Technically trained as an Urban Planner, Eric applies his ability to create broad visions for communities to KZF’s marketing and business development strategies. His graphic and communication skills are used to reach all of our diverse clients in all markets. In his new role, Eric’s core responsibilities include working with the firm leadership to develop, plan and execute the company’s marketing strategies and business development plans/processes. Natalie Gregory joins KZF Design as Marketing Coordinator. Natalie has 10 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry with expertise in delivering marketing solutions and developing strategic plans that maximize value for clients. Her experience includes marketing and property management for developers and real estate companies performing marketing, lease administration and research services. Jennifer Strainic joins KZF Design as Marketing Coordinator. Jen has four years of experience in the A/E/C industry, specifically in construction, with a focus on developing and implementing marketing strategies for a wide variety of public clients at all levels of government. Dustin Gohs, EIT joins KZF Design as Civil Designer. Dustin is an Engineer in Training (EIT) with a Bachelor and Master of Science in Civil Engineering. Before joining the firm, he worked with Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District and also was a coop/intern at KZF. Tara Campbell, EIT joins KZF Design as Bridge Designer. Tara has been a coop/intern with KZF for the past two years. She has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Duke University’s prestigious Pratt School of Engineering and is currently working towards a Master of Science in Civil Engineering (with a focus in Structural Engineering) from the University of Cincinnati, expecting to graduate in the spring as she completes her thesis on prestressed steel.

Anderson

Gregory

Strainic

Gohs

Campbell

MEMBER MILESTONES

Share Your Good News by Submitting Member Milestones to the Business Journal Promotions, awards, appointments, and new positions are major milestones. All member organizations and their employees are invited to share announcements of their personal achievements in the Milestones column. Send Milestones to rgibeau@nkychamber.com

NKYChamber.com

May/June 2015

Chamber Now Accepting Nominations for 2015 Awards Nominations are being accepted for the Chamber’s Walter R. Dunlevy/Frontiersman Award, the Walter L. Pieschel (MVP) Award, the Unity Award and the ImageMaker Award. Walter R. Dunlevy/Frontiersman Award: Established in 1968, this award recognizes an individual who has: • • •

A life-long history of outstanding service to the Northern Kentucky community. Outstanding service to their profession or industry. Exemplifies the highest standards of personal integrity and family responsibility.

The Walter L. Pieschel (MVP) Award: Named in memory of the Northern Kentucky Chamber’s first volunteer leader, this award recognizes an individual Chamber member who has provided outstanding volunteer service to the Chamber as a committee member, a committee chair or in any other special capacity during the past 12 months. The Northern Kentucky Unity Award: Awarded to an individual or individuals in recognition of their leadership in seeking regional solutions to Northern Kentucky’s challenges; leadership in encouraging Northern Kentuckians to address and solve common challenges and issues and leadership in bringing Northern Kentuckians together to solve regional challenges. The Northern Kentucky ImageMaker Award: This award is presented on special occasions to an individual or individuals who have brought special national or international attention to the Northern Kentucky community through their achievements. Nomination letters should be marked “Confidential” and forwarded to: Chairman, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 17416, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017-0416. (Or fax to 859.578.8802 or email to sbeach@nkychamber.com). All nominations should be received by June 30, 2015. Nomination form can be found online at: bitly.2015Nom Current members of the Chamber’s Board of Directors are not eligible to receive these awards. Awards will be presented at the Chamber’s Annual Dinner, Thursday, September 17, 2015 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.

Thank You to our Sponsors:

UPCOMING EVENTS MAY 5/6

Women’s Initiative Professional Series: “Strategic Communication”

5/8

Sporting Clay Shoot

5/8

Your Chamber is a Gold Mine: Successful Referral & Personal Marketing Strategies

5/8

Leadercast 2015

5/12 Merx 2015: International Best Practices Summit & Luncheon 5/13 2015 Employment Extravaganza Job Fair 5/13 Employer Solutions: HR Webinar Series What It’s Like to Bargain with a Union 5/14 Employer Solutions Monthly Session: Growing Future Leaders - How to Identify, Support and Keep Them! 5/18 Women’s Initiative CONNECT Hour at Mitchell’s Fish Market 5/19 Eggs ‘N Issues: The Business of Bourbon 5/19 iPhone Videos for Your Business

JUNE 6/2

Women’s Initiative Golf Outing

6/2

Social Media by the Book

6/3

Getting the Most From Your Chamber Membership

6/3

Business After Hours

6/4

NKY SHRM & NKY Chamber of Commerce presents: Human Resources Six Pack Conference

6/10 Employer Solutions: HR Webinar - Remaining UnionFree and Winning Union Campaigns 6/11 Employer Solutions Monthly Session: How Can Your Company Benefit from OSHA Compliance Training? 6/16 Eggs ‘N Issues: myNKY - Accelerating Change 6/29 Women’s Initiative CONNECT Hour at Blinker’s Tavern

Title Sponsor

JULY Dunlevy Sponsor

ImageMaker Sponsor

Devou Cup Sponsor

Wine Sponsors:

7/9

Employer Solutions Monthly Session: Seasonal Hiring Best Practices and How to Attract Talent Among Competition

7/21 Eggs ‘N Issues

Stock Yards Bank & Trust Taft Stettinius & Hollister

Sponsorship opportunities still available! Contact Diana McGlade for more information at 859.578.6381 or email her at dmglade@nkychamber.com May/June 2015

Employer Solutions: HR Webinar - Federal Contractor and Subcontractor Employment Law Obligations

7/10 Your Chamber is a Gold Mine: Successful Referral & Personal Marketing Strategies

Presenting Sponsor:

7/8

7/27 Women’s Initiative “Connecting Shore to Shore” at the Radisson

www.NKYChamber.com

NKY Chamber Business Journal

Welcome & Congratulations

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Master Provisions

Anytime Fitness

7725 Foundation Drive Florence, KY 41042 (859) 816-6087

48 Martha Layne Collins Blvd. Cold Spring, KY 41076 (859) 781-2348

Roger Babik, President; John Eldridge, Director of Food Operations and Regional Outreach; Alex Mattingly, City Administrator of City of Elsmere; and Trey Grayson, NKY Chamber of Commerce

Matt Harsh, General Manager Nancy Bay, Mayor of Cold Spring

Ambassadors: Van Morris, Barney Creevy and Larry Nitardy Republic Bank – Ribbon Cutting Sponsor: Thomas Tilmes, Vickie Stulz and Laurie Harvey

Ambassadors: Drew Bartel and J. R. Schneider Republic Bank – Ribbon Cutting Sponsor: Laurie Harvey and Vickie Stulz

Ribbon cuttings sponsored by:

XhilaRacing 24 Spiral Drive Florence, KY 41042 (859) 371-5278 Jeremy McCall, Andrea McCall, Joni McCall, Alex McCall, Jack Baell, Brad Baell, Kate Baell, Emily Baell, Karyn Baell, Courtney Baell Republic Bank – Ribbon Cutting Sponsor: Vickie Stulz and Laurie Harvey

We want to help you promote and celebrate your ribbon cutting ceremony for your new facility, expansion, anniversary celebration or open house! We’ll bring our trademark giant blue scissors, a group of Chamber ambassadors, and a camera to capture the excitement of your special day. Call Ruth Eger at 859-578-6395 to schedule your FREE ribbon cutting today!

XhilaRacing Employees Craig Palmer, Mike McPherson, Corbin Fox, Jared Powers, JJ Reed, Joey Cooper, Trevor Landrum, Courtney Baell, Cameron Reynolds, Hannah Kleckner NKYChamber.com

May/June 2015

All IT TAKES IS A SPARK 72 majors to ignite infinite possibilities. From accounting to visual communication and much more, we can help you find and develop your passion. And when you do, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re there to provide fuel for your fire, with a 17:1 student-faculty ratio, more than 200 student organizations, and a young, energetic campus just minutes from downtown Cincinnati. Ignite your spirit in 15 Division I sports. Blaze new trails through study abroad in 26 countries. Light the way to a successful career. You can burn bright. Visit NKU.edu to learn more and register for a campus visit.