NKY Business Journal March/April 2019

BUSINESS JOURNAL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

MARCH/APRIL 2019

THE EVOLUTION OF RETENTION MAKING TIME FOR MOM P. 8 TALES OF RETENTION P. 24 KENTUCKY'S EDGE P. 32

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CONTENTS

MARCH/APRIL 2019 | WORKFORCE EDITION | VOLUME 38, NUMBER 3

PAGE 8

Making Time for Mom PICTURED ON THE COVER AND ABOVE: Charnella Grossman, Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Bank, is shown last summer with her daughters, Elise, 10 months, and Kenna, 2. She has used the maternity concierge program since it began in 2017. Photos provided by Fifth Third and Best Upon Request.

4 Chair’s Letter

24 Tales of Retention

6 President’s Letter

28 The Gateways for Growth Challenge

8 Making Time for Mom 12 Leadership Updates 14 Workforce Transportation Solutions 18 Enhancing Collaborative Partnerships 22 Planning for an Intern

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

30 Mentoring Up 32 Kentucky's Edge 36 Around The Chamber 40 Ribbon Cuttings 42 Member Milestones 46 Events

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CHAIR’S LETTER THE NKY CHAMBER SUPPORTS the development of strong businesses and a vibrant economy in the Northern Kentucky region through leadership and advocacy, resulting in a better quality of life for all. We are fortunate in our area to have a vibrant economy with a mix of strong local and national businesses.

The combined benefit of these businesses allows us to enjoy great schools, social and cultural amenities, and a great quality of life.

Part of our mission to assist with the expansion of the region’s economy works to address challenges related to

By Jim Parsons our continued growth and prosperity. A Partner, Keating Muething & Klekamp PPL major challenge to our growth that the Chair, NKY Chamber of Commerce NKY Chamber is addressing, along with numerous partners, is workforce. We see the need for an expanded quality — workforce, trained to meet the needs of today and tomorrow, to be one of We are fortunate to have the major challenges to our region’s a vibrant economy with continued economic success. There is a mix of strong local and a very legitimate and growing concern that we simply don’t have enough national businesses. persons in the workforce to meet the demand for workers today and especially tomorrow. Because of this, the NKY Chamber has partnered with numerous public and private entities to launch the GROW NKY initiative. GROW (Growing Regional Outcomes through Workforce) represents a holistic approach with five pillars of work, each with short and long term strategies, designed to meet our workforce needs.

One area of workforce for which the NKY Chamber is focused on are ways to expand our existing workforce. Some high growth areas across the country, especially in the South and Southwest, are able to meet their workforce through population growth and being a magnet for new talent. While we will work to make our area more attractive to new talent, our area is not a high growth area in terms of population growth. We won’t

— To increase the worker percentage rate, we are working with employer groups to identify and reduce the impediments that keep persons from being part of the workforce. solve our needs through population growth alone. Therefore, we need to focus on our current population, and especially those persons who aren’t in the workforce, for one reason or another, to increase the available workforce. Increasing the percentage of the population available for work by just a few percentage points will have a dramatic impact on the number of workers.

To increase the worker percentage rate, we are working with employer groups to identify and reduce the impediments that keep persons from being part of the workforce. For instance, can we shorten and streamline the training needed for workers; are there certain employer policies and procedures that may act as barriers to employment that can be modified; can we increase funding for childcare, or improve transportation access to make it easier to get workers to and from jobs. We hope by identifying and reducing these barriers, more of the existing population will become part of the workforce and help meet our needs.

While the workforce challenges are real, the NKY Chamber, along with its partners, are serious about addressing the problem. It is a critical part of our mission to help expand our vibrant economy, and our role to lead, connect, and advocate on behalf of our members.

NK Y

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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PRESIDENT’S LETTER

— Imagine what our workforce would look like if every business in NKY had at least one internship/apprenticeship.

Wouldn’t that be great?

By Brent Cooper President and CEO, NKY Chamber of Commerce

— We know that we can’t have strong businesses and a vibrant economy without a strong workforce. The two go hand in hand.

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AS I’M SURE YOU’RE AWARE, things are really happening at the NKY Chamber these days. Membership is up, attendance at events is up, and we’re leading on community efforts all around the region.

The spotlight this month is on “Workforce,” and the challenges everyone faces surrounding talent growth, attraction and retention.

In this issue of the Business Journal, you’ll discover just some of the ways our region is addressing these challenges.

It should be noted that all of our efforts are being coordinated through our GROW NKY (Growing Regional Outcomes through Workforce) initiative, and being driven by businesses, education and civic partnerships throughout the entire region.

On the early childhood front, we’re talking about ways to improve the availability of quality childcare and address the maternity needs of the workforce. We’re also supporting quality pre-school for all kids and doing all we can as a community to make sure kids are ready for kindergarten.

Once they’re in school, we’re talking about how we can simplify the process of connecting businesses with education, and dramatically increase the number of interns, co-ops, and experiential learning options for students. Imagine what our workforce would look like if every business in NKY had at least one internship/apprenticeship. Wouldn’t that be great?

You’ll see there is some great work going on at the NKY Career Center. Their efforts are extremely valuable for our business community. The adult learning opportunities, which get people back into the workforce, are critical to our longterm economic success.

Not a day goes by that we’re not talking about the importance of talent attraction and retention, and you’ll see that we’ve been working hard on strategies, and partnerships throughout the region, that should help everyone on that front.

You’ll also see that we want to help businesses become better businesses. We are dedicating time to help folks improve their policies and practices. In this issue, you’ll see why an organization’s culture is so critical to long term success.

The impact of our GROW NKY initiative has been profound, and this Business Journal reflects just some of the good work that is happening every day.

We know that we can’t have strong businesses and a vibrant economy without a strong workforce. The two go hand in hand.

Thank you for reading and sharing this Business Journal and for being a member of the NKY Chamber of Commerce.

As time goes on, please let us know how we’re doing and if there is anything we can do to help your business.

NK Y

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Making Time for Mom

By Kelly Rose Welcome House of Northern Kentucky

PAGE 8

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

COVER STORY

WOMEN PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN THE WORKFORCE, but when the number of women in the workforce started to decrease after women gave birth, local companies responded by offering solutions to women who are struggling to obtain a work-life balance after the birth of their babies.

ONE-STOP SHOP MATERNITY CONCIERGE The Maternity Concierge at Fifth Third Bank recently celebrated their two-year anniversary.

Fifth Third Bank has a partnership with Best Upon Request (BEST) to provide relief to moms-to-be and new moms when it comes to balancing the everchallenging work-life balance.

The team at the concierge, led by Jessica Hanson and Jessamyn Myers, takes pride in serving women who are pregnant or have recently given birth and are back in the workforce. Fifth Third, one of the large companies in the Greater Cincinnati Area, implemented a standard concierge service to their employees about six years ago. These were people who could help anyone with any pressing needs they may have like booking a trip, making a reservation at a restaurant, or purchasing a birthday gift. But when they started to notice a decrease in women returning to work after pregnancy, they decided to implement the Maternity Concierge to make the transition into a working mom less stressful.

“We noticed a drop in women who were not returning to work after having children,” explains Hanson. “It was really important to support women in the workforce when it came to balancing two totally different worlds.”

With the Maternity Concierge, the women must inquire about the program due to privacy, then they enroll and do an initial appointment—which is all a free service to them.

PICTURED: Charnella Grossman, Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager at Fifth Third Bank, has used the maternity concierge program since it began in 2017. Photo provided by Fifth Third and Best Upon Request.

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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"Our goal is to be an advocate for the moms, to be proactive and answer questions that the moms didn’t even know they needed answers to."

Jessica Hanson

“Once we get through the initial meet and greet with expecting moms we make the second appointment which is the mommy interview,” explains Myers. “We dive in and go through a detailed list of questions with them and help create a plan. We aim to give personalized baby assistance; it’s tailored to each customer.”

One of the biggest perks of this service is that the requests do not even need to be baby related. The Maternity Concierge will help expecting and new moms with anything they may need—similar to a personal assistant.

When the women are enrolled in the concierge, Hanson and Myers will do on-site and virtual visits with their guests. Any woman can enroll in the program from the day they announce they are pregnant up until their child is one year old.

The Maternity Concierge provides logistical assistance, like helping the women purchase breast pumps through their insurance, provide badge access to special nursing rooms, and childcare access.

However, they are also there to help with baby announcements, first birthday parties, or just someone to chat with if life or work are getting overwhelming.

“Our goal is to be an advocate for the moms, to be proactive and answer questions that the moms didn’t even know they needed answers to,” boasts Hanson. “We are a one stop shop for moms!”

PICTURED: Best Upon Request's Maternity Concierge Jessica Hanson works with a customer in the program. Photo provided by Best Upon Request.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

SMALL BUSINESS, BIG RETURN It’s not just the larger local companies that are making a big shift in their maternity policies. Covington’s own Scooter Media, a PR and Marketing firm, owned by Shannan Boyer has competitive benefits including amazing maternity and new mom policies.

“I just thought about what I wanted when I was pregnant with my kids and what I needed once I had them,” explains Boyer.

At Scooter Media they offer a parental leave policy where they offer the primary care giver six weeks of time off, while being paid at half of their salary—which also includes anyone who might be adopting a child. Then there is a six week re-integration program, where employees come back to work for four days a week, but compensated their regular salary.

Last year Scooter Media welcomed three new babies to their family of eight employees—which really shed light on the needs of Boyer’s employees and new children.

“Over a third of our workforce brought new life into the world last year,” says Boyer.

“It was the perfect time for all of us to band together and figure out the needs of our company to stay productive.”

Boyer also introduced BYBW (Bring Your Baby to Work) one day a week. They converted a huddle room in their building to a small nursery with a baby bouncy seat, toys, rocker, and a nursing and pump area.

“I will tell you everyone at Scooter Media has benefitted from the babies in the workplace, it brightens peoples days to take a break to play and snuggle with a baby,” beams Boyer. “We had our first enrollee graduate the program—he was born in January 2018.”

Boyer’s rule is that a baby can stay until the baby “says” they no longer want to be there, which is usually indicative of the child growing out of the space.

“I am very conscious of how much it costs to take care of children and my goal is to try to off-set those costs as much as I

PICTURED: Scooter Media owner Shannan Boyer and her employees benefitting from the baby in the office. Photos provided by Boyer.

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

GOOD FOR THE BOTTOM LINE can for my employees,” says Boyer.

These programs are a reminder that businesses are increasingly focused on trying to train good employees, including those employees who may feel overwhelmed with the prospect of combining a job with parenthood or want to take time off to have children.

Businesses aren’t just doing this for the PR or to be kind. They believe it’s in their business interest. Attracting and retaining talent is expensive, so investing in keeping great employees can be good for their PAGE 11

Talent & Leadership Development In order to ensure our region will continue to develop, attract and retain talent, the NKY Chamber continues to focus on programs which are connected to enhancing our leadership development and young professional talent.

Regional Youth Leadership

Pictured: RYL 2019 with Newport on the Levee's Assistant General Manager, Justin Otto (LNK 2019).

Regional Youth Leadership (RYL) meets the needs of our region by developing the leadership skills of our future workforce, specifically high school juniors in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. The experiential nature of RYL provides the opportunity for collaboration among a diverse group of students from the tri-state region attending public, private and home schools in urban, rural and suburban schools.

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RYL is a series of sessions held monthly during the school day from August through March. Each session is held at a different business or organization and managed by community leaders.

The RYL Class of 2019 had the opportunity to study local government and economic development during their January session. During the session, students took an economic development bus tour to Cintrifuse, Hotel Covington, Kent Lofts and Newport on the Levee.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

LEADERSHIP UPDATES Northern Kentucky Young Professionals (NKYP) represents the next generation of leaders in our region. As part of the NKY Chamber’s GROW NKY talent initiative, NKYP encourages young leaders who embrace the principles of meaningful participation, effective citizenship and extraordinary imagination to enhance the quality of life and well-being in NKY. In 2019, the NGLA (Next Generation Leader Awards) celebrates 10 years of recognizing YPs under the age of 40 for significant professional accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, and community impact. Hosted by NKYP, the celebration will honor selected finalists in ten industry categories on Thursday, July 18 at the Newport Aquarium.

Want to get involved or have YPs in your company that are looking for ways to be engaged at the NKY Chamber? The NKYP Passport is an all-access pass available to young professionals that offers an annual flat fee to attend all NKYP events, opportunities to serve on NKYP planning committees, and discounts and exclusive invites to select NKY Chamber and community events.

Check out NKYP’s upcoming events or contact Amanda Johannemann at ajohannemann@ nkychamber.com to learn more!

Northern Kentucky Young Professionals

Leadership NKY (LNK) uses the community as a classroom to develop leaders who will effectively serve the region. Now in its 40th year, this nine-month long program for emerging and existing leaders, meets monthly for a day-long session on different topics such as Education, Economic Development, Government and Community Vibrancy.

In December, the 51 members of this year’s class learned about human service organizations in our region and their impact. After visiting the NKY Emergency Shelter, they collected funds to fill 100 bags with goodies and Christmas wishes for guests at the shelter on Christmas Eve (picture). They also made a monetary donation in honor of the shelter’s director, Kim Webb (LNK 2017). Thanks to Maggie Blankenship of Schneider Electric for chairing this day.

In January, the class participated in a session on Inclusive Leadership. The foundation of the day was the Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk: The Danger of a Single Story. It’s a must-see video for leaders in our region! Thanks to Niki Clare of Citi for chairing this day.

Nominations for our 41st class will be open soon!

Look for information on the NKY Chamber website and social media.

Leadership Northern Kentucky

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

Pictured: In January, NKYP hosted the Wellness & Self-Care Roundtable at Braxton Loft, and these lovely folks comprised the panel - (L to R) Aaron Hanseen, R.C. Durr YMCA; Kate Grise, Ft. Wright CrossFit; Ellen Whitney, Orangetheory Fitness Newport; Cameron Simoneau, owner Tri-State Running Company.

Pictured: Kim Harp (LNK 2019) of REDI with a portion of the goods collected for the NKY Emergency Shelter.

PAGE 13

Workforce Transportation Solutions

By Mindy Kershner Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport THE BROADER REGION IS POISED FOR CONTINUED SUCCESS WHEN IT comes to job growth and expanded economic impact. The ability to reach our full potential as a region hinges on access to jobs and opportunities for people across the Tri-State. Connecting our region and getting our workforce to and from work is an area where many organizations are working together to find long-term solutions. And in the short term, businesses are getting creative to address immediate needs.

Public transit is a critical piece of the puzzle. Over 75 percent of TANK’s passengers are utilizing the service to get to and from work, connecting employers with employees more than 2.4 million times a year.

As employment in Northern Kentucky has grown and spread to suburban areas, TANK has piloted routes with large-size companies to fill the need. The organization is also leveraging technology to connect these areas to public transit. Currently, it is exploring a pilot with Ford Motor Company and a product called micro-transit, which is an on-demand rideshare service operated by a public agency. TANK is also part of the Cincinnati mobility lab working with Uber to explore first- and last-mile options.

And, for those employers and employees where public transit isn’t an option, companies are implementing other strategies such as adjusting work schedules, driving company vehicles, carpooling or hiring private transportation.

One local company is addressing the issue the old-fashioned way. It has key team members who drive company vehicles to assist in getting people to the job. They also have some team members that drive in their fellow co-workers and get reimbursed.

The airport is a round-the-clock operation with early morning and late evening flights. Concessionaires at CVG open before flights takeoff to serve passengers so there is a need for employees to be on site as early as 4:00 a.m. Some have partnered with Towne Transit & Taxi to provide scheduled 15-passenger van service to pick up employees beginning at 3:00 a.m. and drop off employees at specific stops as late as 11:00 p.m. The pick-up and drop-off areas are determined by the employee zip codes and Towne Transit & Taxi builds the schedule.

For companies with employees with disabilities, Town Transit & Taxi offers assistance. What started as a special grant project, the service has grown in the last five to seven years. NK Y

TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES Learn more about TANK’s network of routes and employee-focused service: tankbus.org Partners for a Competitive Workforce: competitiveworkforce.com Get involved with the region’s long-term transportation vision via The Connected Region: theconnectedregion.com PAGE 14

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

_ Over 75 percent of TANK’s passengers are utilizing the service to get to and from work, connecting employers with employees more than 2.4 million times a year.

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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Enhancing Collaborative Partnerships

Kentucky Career Center

By Sydney Cooper NKY Chamber Intern NORTHERN KENTUCKY IS A BUSTLING AND EVER growing region including over 400,000 residents living in distinct communities. With business growth comes increased job opportunities and lower unemployment, which is good for the region, but can lead to challenges for companies looking to find employees. NKY has approximately a 3.5% unemployment rate which is about 0.5% below the national average.

Fortunately, no matter the labor market climate, whether we’re facing an abundance of jobs and low unemployment (like today) or a scarcity of jobs and high unemployment (like 2009), we can look to a comprehensive workforce development resource, serving both job seekers and employers – the Kentucky Career Center (KCC).

The KCC is NKY’s largest workforce resource made up of a collaborative team of local partnering organizations and driven by the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board (NKWIB). Brighton Center, Inc. serves as the KCC’s Direct Workforce Services Provider and Operator. The KCC has four NKY locations serving our eight-county area development district. The hub (most comprehensive center) is located in Covington, with affiliate sites housed in Florence, Carrollton and Williamstown.

The primary goals of the KCC are to 1) connect employers to qualified workforce talent, 2) connect job seekers to suitable jobs, high-demand career training and/or career advancement opportunities, and 3) enhance the local economic development of the region and commonwealth.

PAGE 18

Having “collaborative partnerships” in place is the main ingredient that enables the KCC to serve its customers at a high level. Through the work of 13 partner organizations including Brighton Center, KY Office of Career Development, KY Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, NKY Area Development District, NKY Community Action Commission, Gateway Community & Technical College, Goodwill Industries, Job Corps, Transit Authority of NKY (TANK), Kenton County Public Library, KY Skills U, KY Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and Council of Three Rivers American Indian Center, the KCC is poised to address the comprehensive needs of our region’s job seekers and employers.

Castellini Group of Companies, a fresh product company based in NKY, has been partners with the KCC for many years and has received assistance with the hiring needs of four of their companies: Castellini Company, Crossett Company, Grant County Foods, and Club Chef. According to Sarah Hartloff, a recruiter for Castellini, “Kentucky Career Center is an integral partner in helping us meet our talent pipeline needs from entry level positions, to CDL drivers, to professional level positions.

KCC staff are responsive, thorough, and collaborative.”

The NKY Chamber works in partnership with the KCC, together striving to improve our region’s workforce. The NKY Chamber recently launched a new website: www.nkychamber. jobs. The goal of this website is to connect those seeking employment with NKY Chamber member businesses that have open positions, free of charge. Both the employer and potential employee can use the website to match talent and find success. Additionally, all jobs posted to the website are automatically indexed by Google and able to be discovered in Google enriched search results. Job posting is made easy by the improved job post form. Everything from the resume to the application process is in one convenient place making it easier to find the job or employee that is right for the business.

The other initiative the NKY Chamber recently launched is the GROW NKY initiative (Growing Regional Outcomes through Workforce). This initiative details a five pillar plan for the Northern Kentucky business and education community, including Kindergarten Readiness; College and Career Readiness; Adult Career Readiness and Life-long Learning; Talent Retention and Attraction; and Employer Policies and Practices.

The NKY Chamber views this overarching workforce development effort through the lens of NKY’s identified highdemand industry sectors, including advanced manufacturing, IT/business/finance, logistics, health sciences, and construction. And, like many other efforts led by the NKY Chamber, GROW NKY is largely reliant on broad and diverse partnerships, within the business, education and non-profit communities, to achieve notable progress.

“Workforce is one of the biggest challenges we face as a region and our member companies are looking for resources to help them attract and retain talent to support and grow their businesses,” said Leisa Mulcahy, Vice President of Workforce.

“Because our regional partners are so collaborative, we are sharing data and aligning goals to drive the results employers want to achieve the workforce they need.”

With all of these existing opportunities, each and every program works together to try and create the best workforce opportunities for companies, workers, and the region. In NKY, we’re known for our willingness to collaborate. Effective collaboration is the key to our success! NK Y

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Save The Date

Committed to keeping you well-connected.

NKY Chamber Annual Dinner 2019 Presented By:

Thursday, September 5, 2019 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM Northern Kentucky Convention Center One West RiverCenter Blvd.

Covington, KY 41011

Mark your calendars for the biggest night of the year.

Charter is proud to be a part of Northern Kentucky Chamber Day in Frankfort.

NKYChamber.com/Events

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Planning for an Intern Excerpts from the Cincinnati Region Internship Toolkit IN AN UNPRECEDENTED AND FIRST OF ITS KIND EFFORT, HIGHER education and employers in the Cincinnati region are sharing information, connections and resources. Led by the Greater Cincinnati Collegiate Connection (GC3), Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber and Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with leaders from 18 colleges and universities in the Cincinnati region; this team of experts is known as the Cincinnati Region Internship Taskforce. The taskforce came together throughout 2018 to address talent issues from area businesses and help employers improve their talent pipeline.

The Cincinnati Region Internship Taskforce was developed to: • Promote the value of internships to employers • Create a toolkit to help employers develop and manage internships and/or co-ops • Connect employers to the “right” contact at Cincinnati regional colleges and universities to seamlessly acquire interns/co-ops

The Cincinnati Region Internship Toolkit is designed to help the Cincinnati region’s employers create new and refresh existing internships/co-ops for students pursuing higher education certificates and degrees. The toolkit is an effort in sharing local information, best practices, connections and resources.

It is the result of a collaborative effort amongst over 40 personnel from the various GC3 member colleges/universities, the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the business community whose feedback was solicited, analyzed and used for the product you are about to read.

The Cincinnati Region Intern Navigator guides employers to the “right” individual at our region’s colleges and universities. These individuals will be able to connect you with an intern to meet your company’s needs. This intern navigator is a searchable database housing a listing of all academic programs offered at all 18 local GC3 colleges and universities. You can identify all programs at an institution or search for a specific academic program to identify which school to work with. Once you find the program(s) you are looking for, the database identifies a single point of contact to assist you in finding an intern for your position.

While many businesses have robust internship and/or co-op programs, even more do not. With workforce as a challenge in Cincinnati and other peer regions, hiring interns/co-ops is a key factor for businesses creating their future talent pipeline.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

10 Steps to a Successful Internship Program

Top 10 Reasons to Hire an Intern: 10.

Fill a specific skill need.

9.

Assign someone to clear out your back-burner list.

8.

Add fresh ideas and new perspectives to the organization.

7.

Reduce turnover and need for re-training.

6.

Help train your future workforce.

5.

Add staff who are up-to-date on latest technology.

4.

Create a future opportunity to hire talent who’s familiar with your company, its policies and culture.

3.

Give your mid-level staff members opportunity to manage interns and develop leadership skills.

2.

Add a key component to a diversity or inclusion recruitment strategy.

1.

Create a qualified and abundant talent pipeline for your company.

1.

Identify Internship Coordinator.

One person should coordinate all internships. This could be a human resources representative, office manager or project/ team leader. Whoever it is, he/she should have the capacity to implement the following steps.

2.

Determine the Company’s Need for Additional Employees.

The internship coordinator may work with various departments to determine the company’s needs and determine if interns can meet them.

3.

Assign a Mentor and a Supervisor. A mentor is not a supervisor but rather a resource for the intern. A mentor can be asked for guidance for things ranging from “how do I work with other employees?” to “where is a good place for lunch?” The supervisor is the boss, assigning work andmonitoring progress.

4.

Develop Internship Job Description and Finalize Hours/Pay. The internship coordinator and supervisor need to work together on these items to be sure the job will meet the supervisor’s needs and be within their budget.

5.

Post Internship Job Opening. Post your internship position, through whatever channels you have created. (Note: Handshake is an online platform built to connect students and employers; post to this specific channel to make the job available to students from several different local schools.)

6.

Evaluate and Interview Candidates. Be sure to include appropriate questions for a first-time worker.

7.

Prepare and provide an Onboarding Process and Orientation.

This may be the student’s first office experience. They likely will not know what equipment and tools they need and will presume you will provide it. Have intentional conversations about internet/ phone use, meeting protocol, work hours, where to park, how long is their lunch break, etc.

8.

Build Quality of Place. Immerse your intern(s) in internal culture and external networking to help them build relationships both inside and outside the office. (Note: External networking for your summer interns is covered! Check out CINC, a series of summer events uniquely built for employers inthe Cincinnati region to send their interns, free of cost.)

9.

Get to Work. Interns often are very willing to share ideas and bring enthusiasm to the office every day. Be sure they understand their work and how it contributes to the company.

10.

Evaluate the Intern and the Internship Program. It is important to provide feedback to the intern. Not only does it help them improve their performance but prepares them to enter the workforce.

To access the Cincinnati Region Internship Toolkit, visit cincinnatichamber.com/internships.

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WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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Tales of Retention

By Charlie Vance Erigo Employer Solutions

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A 2015 STUDY BY DELOITTE FOUND THAT CULTURE AND EMPLOYEE engagement was recognized as the most important workforce challenge that organizations face among business and HR leaders. With historically low unemployment rates, the competition for talent is extremely tight and has pushed organizations to take a closer look at how they cultivate, manage, and measure employee engagement in their workforce. Leaders from four local companies who have been ahead of the curve on developing programs designed to improve engagement and retention by fostering a positive and meaningful workplace environment shared their experiences.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEATURE STORY TURNER CONSTRUCTION

PICTURED: Dave Spaulding and Turner employees on Turner's annual community improvement day, Paint the Town Blue. Photo provided by Turner.

Dave Spaulding, Vice President at Turner Construction, is unequivocal in his commitment to creating a strong work culture. “We don't just want to be the best construction company, we want to be the best place to work,” Spaulding said.

Turner has the accolades that prove their efforts are working and being recognized. The Human Rights Campaign has recognized Turner as a leader in promoting LGBTQ workplace equality for the four consecutive years in a row, awarding the company a score of 100/100 on their annual Corporate Equality Index.

Additionally, Turner stands by the idea that transparency and open communication from the top down creates a positive culture and returns dividends in the form of employee loyalty.

“If communication is good from the top down, it opens up a conduit for communication with the top,” Spaulding said.

“Rumors start because people don’t trust that they’re getting all the information. Get rid of the rumor mills and people will talk to you and tell you where the holes are.”

As a further commitment to employee engagement, Turner understands the value of recognizing employees for their day-to-day accomplishments. They have created a website called TurnerPerks, where employees are able to give points to their colleagues for acknowledgement of a job well done. Those points accumulate allowing employees to pick from perks that range from restaurant gift cards to televisions.

INDELAC CONTROLS

PICTURED: Employees at Indelac Controls, provided by Indelac.

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

The management team at Indelac Controls takes a more classic approach in building workplace culture at the family business, utilizing principles learned from over 30 years of manufacturing electric actuators. They employ the principles “You learn when you are young, ” said Chief Business Development Officer Matt Robinson. “Work hard and treat others how you would like to be treated.”

This approach is working for Indelac, a manufacturer based out of Florence, as they calculate their annual turnover rate to be approximately 1% even in this extremely tight labor market. Robinson, is unapologetically proud to be a U.S. based manufacturer and distinctly understands the importance that Indelac’s people have played in the success of the company his father founded. “Treat people well, give them a safe and positive environment with clear expectations,” Robinson plainly stated. “Listen to them. If there is something going on, be there for them.”

Indelac’s dedication to its employees is reflected in its employee benefit strategy. Employees enjoy a 100% employer contribution for single plan health, dental, vision and basic life insurance premiums. Plus, for employees pursuing a degree, up to a $5,000 will be reimbursed of their tuition per calendar year depending on grade performance.

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RUDLER CPAs In speaking with the President of Rudler, PSC, Alex Weidner, it is clear that their workplace is unique among accounting firms and that is something they are proud of. With extraordinarily low turnover rates, this Ft. Wright based CPA firm has a team full of committed people who are passionate about the company’s continued success.

Here are just a few of the employee-centric perks Rudler has implemented to create a positive working environment: • • • • • •

Employee perks are just the shiny surface of Rudler’s purposeful workplace culture...

Nintendo Wii in the breakroom Standing desks Kitchen stocked with healthy snacks Additional vacation for hours worked during busy season Gym membership stipends Cell phone reimbursements

But the employee perks are just the shiny surface of Rudler’s purposeful workplace culture.

Look a little deeper and you will see a thoughtful and focused effort to foster open communication, develop young talent, and provide an environment where employees feel valued.

For example, all new employees are assigned a mentor to help get them started and encourage their continued professional growth. All employees get an opportunity to work with HR, Rudler leadership, and their mentor to develop a Personal Learning Plan specific to their unique career goals. These plans help determine which projects employees might work on to gain the skills and experience they need to get where they want to go professionally.

To keep employees informed about the achievement of the firm as a whole, the leadership puts together a “State of the Firm” event semiannually. “We give staff an inside look into the firm,” Weidner said. “We talk about gross revenue, how we did, and how much we’re spending on technology.”

Training staff to think strategically for their clients instead of merely plugging numbers into the right spots is crucial for Rudler because, as Weidner noted, “Five years from now, tax returns are going to be all automated.” To that end, Rudler has created a monthly lunch-n-learn series for their staff where they cover various strategic topics, such as business entity selection and business interruption insurance, sometimes bringing in outside speakers.

Look a little deeper and you will see a thoughtful and focused effort to foster open communication, develop young talent, and provide an environment where employees feel valued.

PICTURED: Rudler employees taking time out for a mini golf contest, provided by Rudler.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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e ul

FEATURE STORY TiER1 Performance Solutions TiER1 Performance Solutions is a Covington-based consulting firm that has enjoyed rapid growth over its 16-year life span. The employee-owned company was recognized as a Cincinnati Business Courier Fast 55 finalist in 2017 and has been included in the Inc. 5000 list for 11 consecutive years.

The primary service provided by TiER1 is developing and deploying strategies to help companies improve the performance of their workforce. As such, CEO Greg Harmeyer has a firm grasp on what it takes to build an environment that employees can thrive in. “Culture has been a central element of our business from day one,” Harmeyer said. “Something we have been very intentional about building.”

It is clear from speaking with Harmeyer that a central tenant of that culture is regular communication from leadership. For example, the company has an annual companywide meeting where employees from all over the country come together for two days. Also, they have monthly “pulse” meetings where employees are informed via video feed about how the overall business is doing. But most interestingly, their communication plan includes an internal weekly podcast conducted by Harmeyer and directed at employees. Harmeyer noted the podcast is not mandatory listening for employees, but rather an opportunity to “Understand how we think about things, or to take a deeper dive on our principles or a particular element of our strategy.”

Additionally, TiER1 is very intentional about ensuring new employees are welcomed properly, with an ambassador being assigned to them right away and surrounding them with support. They also offer employees a learning platform they call TiER1 Academy which Harmeyer explained is “A journey in management as opposed to a traditional learning platform.”

TiER1 CEO Greg Harmeyer

The TiER1 Academy prescribes employees a series of experiences that new employees should go through during their first week, month, or year as an employee. For example, read a specific article and then have a conversation with a coworker about how the content fits with TiER1 mission and values.

Guiding Principles In speaking with leaders from these four successful, local companies, some clear principles for creating effective workplace environments began to emerge as common among them. Some of those principles are: • •

•

PICTURED: Turner employees on Turner's annual community improvement day, Paint the Town Blue, photo provided by Turner.

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

Open and transparent communication from the top down that encourages and fosters communications from the bottom up.

Employee compensation must be competitive and innovative benefits are helpful, however, what is most important in creating a strong culture is how employees are treated.

Focusing on your people, creating growth opportunities, recognizing them when they excel, and generally making an intentional effort to build an environment where people feel valued.

These principles will go a long way in retaining talent, and these four companies are proof of that. NK Y PAGE 27

The Gateways for Growth Challenge The Northern Kentucky Chamber's GROW NKY initiative will invest $25,000 to study opportunities to improve immigration in our region, thanks to the New American Economy (NAE) and Duke Energy.

By Charley Wayman Building Industries of Northern Kentucky

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

GROW NKY

WHEN THE GROW NKY INITIATIVE FIRST convened in mid 2017, local leaders identified that talent attraction and retention was one of five key workforce pillars for continued growth. Communities that are experiencing population growth have learned to welcome and integrate new Americans through collaborations between local government and local businesses, resulting in inclusive and vibrant economies. Leaders discussed how immigration in the United States is changing local demographics.

Regional colleges and universities are bringing many multi-cultural students to the NKY region, but they tend to leave after graduation, choosing to move to other locations that are more “welcoming” of immigrants or to return home. “Our businesses need employees,” said Leisa Mulcahy, Vice President of Workforce with the NKY Chamber. “They also want a community of innovation. To facilitate that, it is important to have different ideas and experiences around the table. When we lose the international talent brought to us by the local colleges and universities, this negatively affects our opportunities for growth, not in the number of employable people, but also employees who bring diversity in ideas, backgrounds, and experiences that support innovation.”

Current federal immigration policy puts communities in a weak position for making immigrant residents feel welcome and protected, communities face further challenges as they try to meet the needs of a diverse population. The recent federal government shutdown further adds to the issue of immigrants feeling left out of the conversation at a local and national level. The NKY Chamber recognizes communities must work together to create environments that are inclusive, showcase the contribution of all residents, and provide the population with key resources to promote growth in today’s workforce.

The Gateways for Growth Challenge Grant will support the creation of a multi-sector plan for welcoming and integrating immigrants into Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties. “So much of what we have done around workforce has been anecdotal in nature, but it would be so refreshing to have a community plan around integration supported by both data and community leadership at large,” Mulcahy added.

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

The grant will fund custom quantitative research reports about demographic and economic contributions of local immigrants, and provide technical support to draft, execute and communicate GROW NKY’s immigrant integration strategy. Grant partners include the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board, Duke Energy, Gateway Community and Technical College and the Catholic Charities of Louisville, KY – Office for Refugees.

They will study integration programs that have worked in other communities, speeding up the traditional process of developing a strategic plan.

Potential programming supported by the grant may include education and training programs. These programs could include topics such as safety in the workplace, employer education on how to be culturally sound and intentional in inclusion and diversity efforts, and best practices for hiring immigrants. Funding opportunities for minorityowned businesses will also be considered. The NKY Chamber will also host networking opportunities to help immigrant businesses connect with the community and to focus on legislation to support diversity and inclusion.

The process will take approximately 24 months to completion. The NKY Chamber will establish efforts of immigrant integration in local government and develop strategies and recommendations to maximize the contributions of the immigrant and refugee community in Northern Kentucky.

In the meantime, local businesses should consider creating their own immigration integration plans. Recommendations include the following: Start by creating hiring policies and processes to include foreign talent. Then address recruitment efforts to align with the hiring plan and consider developing relationships with local colleges and universities for internship or co-op programs. Familiarize yourself with common visa and green card programs, including sponsorship options. NK Y

The NKY Chamber encourages members to get engaged and be a part of the planning process.

To get involved, contact Leisa Mulcahy, VP of Workforce at 859.578.6396 or LMulcahy@nkychamber.com.

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Mentoring Up THE MENTEE’S ROLE

By Holly H. Mazzocca Bartlett Wealth Management

WEALTH MANAGEMENT FIRMS AND ADVISORS INVEST a considerable amount of time forecasting the financial future.

Unlike meteorologists with their eye on the next few days, investment managers and financial planners look years, even decades, ahead. That’s what it takes to plan for our clients’ ever-changing needs.

A similar future-focus is critical when it comes to the preparation and management of your business, too. Any business should plan now to ensure a smooth transition of management in the years ahead. An important step in preparing for the future is the concept of “mentoring up.” This practice gives the next generation of leaders in your company the opportunity to develop leadership skills with real-world knowledge and guidance while at the same time sharing their expertise with senior team members.

WHAT IS “MENTORING UP?” You’ve probably heard of different types of mentoring, including the more traditional method of mentoring down and peer mentoring. The idea of “mentoring up” allows mentees to take an active role in their mentoring relationships by shifting the emphasis from the mentor having the responsibility of sharing knowledge to equal emphasis on both mentor and mentee contributing to the relationship. Instead of a one-way street, the contributions flow both ways. This provides the mentor with new perspectives and insights into growth areas they may not be proficient in already. Both parties come to the table with their own expertise, expectations, and ideas; and together they work to solidify and achieve their goals.

Part of mentoring up calls for mentees to assess what they need from their mentors, and to clarify these expectations.

Mentees should recognize that one mentor does not need to check every box for them. You may have different mentors who provide guidance on specific areas of your professional or personal life. Perhaps one person is an expert on sales, while another is more focused on operational improvements.

The other key aspect of mentoring up requires the mentee to add their own value to the relationship. This may be as simple as having the time to work on special projects or it could mean a specialized knowledge set that the experienced person is lacking. What the mentee brings to the relationship will change based on that mentor’s needs. It may be a technical expertise, such as digital marketing; or it could be a new perspective, such as how to engage younger personnel in the workforce. Agreement on what’s expected from the relationship improves the odds for more productive collaboration and less confusion.

OUTLOOK IS GOOD While in a traditional mentoring relationship, the mentee is the one who typically reaps the benefits, mentoring up creates a circular sharing of knowledge providing growth to both the mentor and the mentee. The mentor imparts wisdom, asks probing questions, and encourages the mentee to stretch their boundaries by working on innovative projects. Meanwhile, the mentee is sharing their time and talents to benefit the mentor as well.

The idea of mentoring up is now standard practice in the Bartlett culture. As we celebrated our 120-year anniversary in 2018, these strong two-way relationships has helped us bridge generations, foster communication and trust, and transfer valuable knowledge to benefit current and future generations of our clients. NK Y

The Women’s Initiative offers the GROW Mentoring program free to female NKY Chamber members. The program enables a pair to meet for a one-on-one relationship for career growth. For more information on this and other programs offered by the NKY Chamber, explore the Services and Events sections on our website, nkychamber.com.

Pictured: The Women's Initiative Peer-to-Peer Roundtable — women from different industries and career status who meet once a month for productive and confidential support.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Women’s Initiative Presents:

20 1 9 AWA R DS

2019 Awards Luncheon Wednesday, May 15, 2019 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM St. Elizabeth Training & Education Center Erlanger, KY Tickets are $40 per person or $400 for tables of 10. Advance reservations are required by May 10, 2019.

Join us as we honor and celebrate outstanding Northern Kentucky women.

Questions? Email gbath@nkychamber.com Event registration now open! NKYChamber.com/OWNK Title Sponsor:

Education Partners:

Silver Sponsor:

Kentucky's Edge

By Katie Louis Scooter Media

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FEATURE STORY WHEN SOMEONE SAYS “KENTUCKY,” ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS that comes to mind is bourbon. It is the international trademark of Kentucky, also known as the land of horses and fried chicken. Northern Kentucky is uniquely poised as a gateway to Bourbon Country, and the border between the north and south.

Born from a desire to shine a light on our region and heritage, Kentucky’s Edge, a weekend-long bourbon festival in October, is coming to life. The festival is designed to share on a local, national, and international scale what makes Northern Kentucky special. By sharing what makes the region special, organizers are hoping to be a vehicle to spur talent attraction and drive retention in the area, a pillar of the region’s new GROW NKY (Growing Regional Outcomes through Workforce) initiative. The mission of GROW NKY is to leverage the assets of this region to grow, attract, and retain a globally competitive workforce.

PICTURED: A gorgeous cocktail (left), the bar at Newberry Bros. Coffee & Prohibition Bourbon Bar in Newport (below) and a glimpse of the bourbon selection found at Newberry Bros (next page), photos provided by meetNKY. WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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“We believe Kentucky’s Edge will bring tens of thousands of people to our region,” said NKY Chamber President and CEO, Brent Cooper. “We have goals of bringing in an increasing number of visitors nationally and internationally. If we can get people here and show them the high quality of life and low cost of living, we think they’ll stay, or come back and bring more people.”

“We’re in a unique position,” continued Cooper. “We’re part of the state of Kentucky, and also part of Greater Cincinnati. The advantages to living and working in Northern Kentucky are endless.

We have a rich history and the amenities of a medium-sized city that is connected to the rest of the world through our International airport.”

The enormous task of organizing such a lofty event falls to Bill Donabedian and Kevin Canafax.

Donabedian is the brain behind events including Brandemonium, and the Bunbury and Midpoint Music Festivals. Canafax is the Vice President of Regional Public Affairs at Fidelity Investments and co-founder of Brandemonium. When they began Brandemonium, an international branding and marketing conference, they had a vision of a signature event in Northern Kentucky.

Inspiration for a Kentucky-centric event struck with the establishment of the B-Line, Northern Kentucky’s own bourbon experience which extends the Bourbon story with distilleries, bars and restaurants across our region which are dedicated to sharing our rich history.

Donabedian and Canafax set about designing a festival that would highlight bourbon and the urban footprint of Northern Kentucky, the result is Kentucky’s Edge.

“Bourbon is one of the things that makes Kentucky, Kentucky,” said Canafax. “It’s what gives Kentucky its edge, and one of the things that Kentucky does best.”

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

“It’s no coincidence that this festival follows Brandemonium,” continued Donabedian. “We want to highlight what Cincinnati does best and what Northern Kentucky does best. The two regions border each other and feed off of each other.

It’s natural that these events would coincide.”

The event’s campus will be Northern Kentucky’s River Cities and will feature a wide variety of paid and free events, including a free music festival on the banks of the Ohio River. Bourbon connoisseurs of all levels will be able to find something to enjoy. Local bars will host bourbon tastings and pairings, musical acts will perform at venues throughout the region, and the highlight of the weekend will be the conference at the NKY Convention Center on Saturday, October 5. All are welcome whether bourbon expert or novice.

“We want everyone to come and participate in this event,” said Donabedian.

“We’re celebrating bourbon, Northern Kentucky, and what makes this region special.

There will be a lot of things to do that weekend, so you can immerse yourself in bourbon as much or as little as you want.”

The main event of Kentucky’s Edge is, of course, the bourbon. But the event is also meant to celebrate Kentucky’s heritage and culture as a whole. There will be an Artisanal Kentucky Market in Mainstrasse Village in Covington where musicians will be from Kentucky or play music from Kentucky.

More details will emerge in the coming months. The latest information about Kentucky’s Edge, tickets, and sponsorships is available online at KentuckysEdge.com.

October 4-5 Covington & Newport KentuckysEdge.com @kentuckysedge

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WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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AROUND THE CHAMBER PINTS & PERSPECTIVES | METROPOLITAN CLUB

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GOVERNMENT FORUM | BOONE COUNTY ENRICHMENT CENTER

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WOMEN'S INITIATIVE 10TH ANNUAL BREAKFAST | NKY CONVENTION CENTER *

EGGS 'N ISSUES | RECEPTIONS

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PICTURED: 1. Kathrine Nero, Michael Monks & Mark Hansel 2. Commissioner Ryan Quarles & John Nienaber 3. Senate President Robert Stivers & House Speaker Pro Tem David Meade 4. Gina Bath & Debbie Simpson 5. Barb Johnson, Heather Howell & Allyson Cook 6. Pam Mastreucerio & Karralea List 7. Shellie Baker & Shannon Glover 8. Sgt. Julia Aguirre, GySgt. Tonya Gusevik & Sherry Ems *Tom Rovito Photography

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

AROUND THE CHAMBER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS | ALTO PIZZA KITCHEN + BAR

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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (NKITA) MONTHLY MEETING | NKY CHAMBER

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PICTURED: 1. Philip Schworer & Brian Korn 2. Josie England & Holly Robertson

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Josh Avery, Travis Setter & Jeremy Schrand

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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Michele Schoonover & Lara Gastright

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Bob Dames & JR Schneider International Affairs members

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Robin Norton, Madison McLaughlin & Lynette Guzzino

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AROUND THE CHAMBER KENTUCKY'S EDGE PRESS CONFERENCE | THE GRAND HOTEL

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PICTURED: 1. Bill Donabedian, Brent Cooper & Kevin Canafax 2. Jacob Brooks, Taylor Cook, Aaron Hanseen & Jack Estael 3. Lauren Vogel & Mikayla Williams 4. The CONNECT Hour crew at Loftus Total Skin Care All photos by Ben Gastright, unless otherwise noted.

DON’T MISS OUT! Check page 46 for the next three months of events, or for the full list go to nkychamber.com/events NKYP WELLNESS & SELF-CARE ROUNDTABLE | BRAXTON LOFT

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WOMEN'S INITIATIVE CONNECT HOUR | LOFTUS TOTAL SKIN CARE

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

We’re known for helping people open doors all over town.

SCORE’S volunteer business professionals support the success of small business owners throughout the tri-state. We have the expertise you need whether you’re opening your doors for the first time or have been keeping them open for years.

Through mentoring and education, we help you solve the daily challenges and keep the big picture in focus. Go to our website and sign up for a mentor - you’ll build relationships that help you walk through the door to success.

Find a mentor or become a mentor www.greatercincinnati.score.org

Solutions to help you and your business thrive.

9

• HR Outsourcing

• Pre-Tax Benefits

• Worker’s Comp

• Workforce Management

• Unemployment

• MCO

www.sheakley.com | 800.877.2053

RIBBON CUTTINGS ALTO PIZZA KITCHEN + BAR 43 West 7th Street | Covington, KY 41011 | (859) 431-2586 | alto-pizza.com

PICTURED: Jon Engelhard, Huntington Bank-NKY Chamber Ambassador; Alto employee; Alto employee: Bob Dames, Alto Pizza Kitchen + Bar, owner; Brent Cooper, NKY Chamber President; Becky Vaughn, Full Throttle Indoor Karting-NKY Chamber Ambassador; Sarah Kahmann, Welcome House of NKY Inc.-NKY Chamber Ambassador

MATHNASIUM OF FLORENCE 8156 Mall Road | Florence, KY 41042 | (843) 407-4129 | mathnasium.com/florence

PICTURED: Prescott Osterbrock, Waddel & Reed-NKY Chamber Ambassador; Reed Fendley, Mathnasium of Florence; Diane Whalen, City of Florence Mayor; Jen Houston, Mathnasium of Florence; Tom Reusch, Kerry Nissan-NKY Chamber Ambassador; Brent Cooper, NKY Chamber President

LET US HELP YOU PROMOTE!

PAGE 40

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 Lynn Abeln at (859) 578-6390 to schedule your FREE ribbon cutting today!

Ribbon Cuttings Sponsored by:

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

RIBBON CUTTINGS SOUL UNIQUE CONSIGNMENT BOUTIQUE 8537 US 42 | Florence, KY 41042 | (859) 999-7685 | souluniqueconsignmentboutique.com

PICTURED: Becky Vaughn, Full Throttle Indoor Karting-NKY Chamber Ambassador; Captain Greg Rehkamp, City of Florence Police Officer; Katie Marksberry, Soul Unique Consignment Boutique; Debby Shipp, NKY Chamber; Dian Whalen, City of Florence Mayor; Brent Cooper, NKY Chamber President; Lisa Trusty, Soul Unique Consignment Boutique Owner; Captain Eric Bowles, City of Florence Police Officer; Andy Kelley, Receptions Inc.-NKY Chamber Ambassador

TRANSITIONS - MARY GANDY TRAVIS RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTER 313 Madison Pike | Erlanger, KY 41018 | (859) 491-4435 | transitionsky.org

PICTURED: Andy Kelley, Receptions Inc.-NKY Chamber Ambassador; Ellen Barnett, L&N Federal Credit Union, Sponsor; Joyce Tappan; Jon Draud, Kenton County Commissioner; Kim Moser, State Representative; Kris Knochelmann, Judge Executive Kenton County; Jim Beiting, Transitions, Inc. CEO; Garren Colvin, St. Elizabeth Healthcare; Beth Sewell, Kenton County Commissioner; Bruno Giacomuzzi, St. Elizabeth Healthcare; Brent Cooper, NKY Chamber President; Kevin Richardson, Addiction Services Council-NKY Chamber Ambassador

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

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Member Milestones ASHLEY BUILDERS GROUP

ERIGO EMPLOYER SOLUTIONS

Bill Kreutzjans, Jr. and Jason Yeager (L to R), sons of two of the men who founded and operated Ashley Builders Group for 43 years, are formally taking over corporate operations of the Edgewood-based construction and development company in 2019.

The two will jointly operate the company, with Bill Kreutzjans Jr. overseeing the commercial division and Jason Yeager running the residential division. John Yeager started the company in 1976 and brought in Bill Kreutzjans Sr. and Paul Bogenschutz as partners a few years later.

John Yeager and Bill Kreutzjans Sr. say the transition is something both men have been anticipating since their sons, who both started working for the company as teenagers, have worked their way up through various jobs at the company into their current positions.

Both men see Ashley Builders Group continuing to grow its reputation and footprint in the Greater Cincinnati market for years to come.

“Bill Jr. and I are really fortunate to work with an experienced staff of veteran homebuilders and contractors, some of whom have been here since our dads started the company,” the younger Yeager said. “We are extremely fortunate to have such an exceptional team and strong foundation to further build on the success of our fathers.”

Kreutzjans Jr. agreed, “Ashley Builders Group is a well-established, wellrespected, and well-run company, thanks to the hard work that our fathers and our team have put in over the past 43 years. Jason and I hope to continue to build on that strong reputation, and who knows, maybe our kids may want to continue the family tradition when that time comes.”

Erigo Employer Solutions is pleased to announce the promotion of Megan O’Brien, SHRM-CP to COO/CHRO. Shortly after the company's founding, she joined the Erigo team in 2012 as an HR Assistant and moved her way through various HR roles prior to being promoted to HR Director in 2017.

In her new role, O'Brien will be responsible for overseeing Erigo's human resources and payroll services and streamlining business operations to ensure that outstanding client experiences are delivered.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

MEMBER MILESTONES

FIRST FINANCIAL BANK

REMINGER CO., LPA

First Financial proudly announces Jacob Holbrook as the new market president for the Northern Kentucky region.

“I’m excited to be part such an outstanding, hometown company that is truly focused on delivering innovative solutions and making a difference in the community,” said Holbrook. “As a young boy, I would join my grandfather, the president of a small community bank, as he visited clients. He wanted nothing more than to support Northern Kentucky and see the community succeed. He inspired me on my own career journey and I’m proud to carry on his legacy.

I’m excited to work with local residents and businesses to help shape the future of our region.”

Holbrook, a seasoned banking leader, joins First Financial with more than 15 years of experience. He is a graduate of the College of Mount Saint Joseph. Prior to joining First Financial, he worked for U.S. Bank as vice president of commercial banking and held leadership positions with Huntington Bank and Key Bank.

Holbrook is an active member of the community and currently serves as a member of the Campbell County Leadership Action Group, The Catalytic Fund of Northern Kentucky, Alliance for Catholic Urban Education (ACUE)-Diocese of Covington, Leadership Northern Kentucky, Children Inc., and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as a youth coach in Campbell County.

Reminger Co., LPA is pleased to announce that Mathew A. Taulbee and Clarke D. Cotton (L to R) have joined the Fort Mitchell, Kentucky office.

Taulbee focuses his practice primarily in the areas of trucking and commercial transportation, products liability, and insurance defense litigation.

Taulbee has nearly 15 years of experience of litigation involving creditors' rights, real estate matters appellate practice, and other areas of law in Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. He has represented clients in all 88 Ohio counties and nearly every one of Kentucky’s 120 counties, as well as, all federal districts in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. His breadth of experience provides him perspective and insight in handling a variety of matters, including discovery, legal research, witness preparation, trial representation, oral argument and mediation hearings.

Taulbee graduated from the Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law. He is a member of a number of bar associations, including the Northern Kentucky Bar Association, where he serves on the NKBA board nominations committee. Taulbee also volunteers for Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky (HONK).

Cotton focuses his practice in the areas of workers’ compensation, general liability, and trucking and commercial transportation. He originally joined Reminger in 2016 as a law clerk, where he assisted in a number of practice groups.

A native of Huntsville, Alabama, Cotton moved to the area to attend the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He now calls Northern Kentucky home.

After graduating, he served as an articles editor for the University of Cincinnati Law Review and published two articles. He also participated in a number of student organizations.

He is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association Young Lawyers Division and the Northern Kentucky Bar Association. NK Y

WORKFORCE 2019 | VOLUME 38 NUMBER 3

PAGE 43

MEMBER MILESTONES

RUDLER, PSC

SHEAKLEY

Rudler, PSC was recently recognized as an honoree of the 2019 Medical Mutual Greater Cincinnati Pillar Awards for Community Service presented by Medical Mutual and hosted by Smart Business.

The firm is passionate about giving back to the community and honored to be recognized for this award.

Rudler is excited to be celebrating 50 years of business in 2019.

Rudler was founded by Don Rudler from the basement of his home in 1969. Today, the firm has more than 40 employees and continues to grow. Rudler has been ranked nationally as a “Best Accounting Firm to Work For” by Accounting Today for multiple years. Rudler’s unique culture, desire to stay ahead of technological advances in the field and strong client relationships have helped them reach this milestone. Rudler would like to thank our clients and staff for an incredible 50 years – here’s to 50 more!

Guy Zimmerman is one of Sheakley's finest HR & Risk Management Consultants. With more than 25 years of HR and consulting experience, Zimmerman provides a dynamic perspective and creates a strategic approach to help you resolve challenges and efficiently manage your workforce. His key strengths include HR & Payroll Software, Risk & Compliance, HR Management & Consulting, Applicant Tracking & Recruiting, Time & Labor Management, HRIS Software Systems, Benefit Management, Onboarding, and HR Administration.

With his assistance, Sheakley helps their clients attract, care for, protect, manage, and reward their most valuable asset, their employees.

Sheakley provides the entire spectrum of Human Resources and Risk Management, helping their clients manage costs and maintain compliance.

Get to know us, and experience why our clients say: "With Sheakley, it's done!" NK Y

— SHARE YOUR GOOD NEWS!

All NKY Chamber members are invited to share announcements & personal achievements in the Milestones column.

Send Milestones to bgastright@nkychamber.com PAGE 44

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

72 YEARS OF SERVING KENTUCKY.

859-905-5556 Crestview Hills • Ft. Mitchell • Florence Member FDIC

centralbank.com

CENTRAL TO YOU

EVENTS MARCH

Northern Kentucky Business Journal is published bi-monthly by:

3/1 3/5

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. 300 Buttermilk Pike Suite 330 P.O. Box 17416 Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017 859-578-8800 NKYChamber.com

3/5 3/6 3/14 3/19 3/25 3/26 3/27 3/26 3/27 3/28

Regional Youth Leadership Applications Due for Current HS Sophomores Workforce: Webinar Series Presented by Frost Brown Todd – Protecting Employee Personal Info NKY Day in Frankfort | Capitol Annex Room 113 | 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM WI Professional Series with Lynee Miller; FIVE Labs-Midwest; 7:30 – 9:00 AM Workforce: HR is the Business | Hilton Cincinnati Airport | 7:30 – 9:30 AM Eggs ‘N Issues: Talent Attraction & Retention Strategy | Receptions | 7:30 – 9:00 AM Women’s Initiative CONNECT Hour | Kitchen1883 | 4:30 – 6:30 PM Workforce: A Culture of Wellness Lunch ‘N Learn | NKY Chamber | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Workforce: Webinar Series Presented by Frost Brown Todd – OFCCP Tips Sales Essentials: Learn How to Network | NKY Chamber | 9:30 – 10:30 AM Business Impact Awards | Drees Pavilion | 4:00 – 6:00 PM International Affairs: Getting the Employees You Need | Turfway Park | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

APRIL 4/11 4/16 4/17 4/23 4/25 4/25 4/29 4/30

Getting the Most from Your Chamber Membership | NKY Chamber | 3:00 – 4:00 PM Eggs ‘N Issues | Receptions | 7:30 – 9:00 AM Workforce: Safety Forum - The Aging Workforce and Ergonomics | NKY Chamber | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Sales Essentials: Chick-fil-A Customer Service Philosophy | NKY Chamber | 9:30 – 10:30 AM Legislative Appreciation Breakfast | Hilton Cincinnati Airport Hotel | 7:00 – 9:00 AM International Affairs: Doing Business with China | Oriental Wok | 4:30 – 6:30 PM Women’s Initiative CONNECT Hour | Life Learning Center | 4:30 – 6:30 PM Workforce: Employer Roundtable - Risk Management for Second Chance Hiring | NKY Chamber | 7:30 – 9:30 AM

MAY 5/9 5/10 5/11 5/14 5/15 5/15 5/18 5/20 5/23 5/28

HR 100: Reputation Risk and Recovery | TBD Leadercast 2019 - Leading Healthy Teams | Crossroads Florence | 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM Small Business SATURDAY: Smart Owner Series “Start Up Essentials” | NKY Chamber | 8:30 – 11:30 AM Eggs ‘N Issues | Receptions | 7:30 – 9:00 AM Workforce: Webinar Series Presented by Frost Brown Todd | TBD Outstanding Women of NKY | St. Elizabeth Training & Education Center | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM International Affairs & Covington Rotary: The NKY International Festival | NKY Convention Center | All Day Women’s Initiative CONNECT Hour | Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden | 4:30 – 6:30 PM International Affairs: NKU President Vaidya | NKY Chamber | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Sales Essentials: Create a Magnetic Social Media Content Strategy | NKY Chamber | 9:30 – 10:30 AM

LOOKING FOR MORE EVENTS? NKYCHAMBER.COM/EVENTS

The Business Journal is a benefit of membership and included in membership fees.

Annual subscription rate for future members is $24.

Periodicals Postage Paid USPS-548630 at Covington, KY. 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. © 2019, The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and by the individual authors.

All rights reserved.

CEO/Publisher Brent Cooper VP, Public Affairs & Communications Kristin Baldwin | kbaldwin@nkychamber.com Marketing / Communications Director Jeremy Schrand | jschrand@nkychamber.com Design & Photography Ben Gastright | bgastright@nkychamber.com VP, Membership Lynn Abeln | labeln@nkychamber.com Director, Sponsor Investments Diana McGlade | dmcglade@nkychamber.com Chamber Communications Committee Kit Andrews, Jamie Holtzapfel, Mindy Kershner, William Powell, Kelly Rose, Katie Scoville Louis, Charley Wayman

SAVE THE DATE

Leadercast 2019

Streaming live at Crossroads Florence Friday, May 10, 2019 8:00 AM — 4:00 PM Proceeds benefit Regional Youth Leadership nkyleadercast.com

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Thursday, May 16, 2019 Wednesday, June 19, 2019 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 Wednesday, August 21, 2019 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Chamber Office Park | 300 Buttermilk Pike | Fort Mitchell, KY