NKY Business Journal | Jan/Feb 2024 | Schwan's Company

BUSINESS JOURNAL OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF NKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Made in

Northern Kentucky COVER STORY P. 24

JAN/FEB 2024 LIFE PARTNERS P. 8 MANUFACTURED IN NKY P. 10 SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT GLIER'S GOETTA P. 20

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CONTENTS

MADE IN NKY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3 ON THE COVER: Plant Director John Dimos holds a Red Baron® Brick Oven pizza inside one of the manufacturing facility’s test kitchens. Quality technicians prepare and sample the pizzas being made multiple times each day. Photo by Nick Carrow.

4 Chair's Letter

24 Respect the Pizza

6 2024 Legislative Priorities

30 GROW NKY

8 Life Partners

32 Staff Picks

10 Manufactured in NKY

34 Around the Chamber

14 What's Cookin' in NKY

40 Ribbon Cuttings

18 BAWAC

42 Member Milestones

20 Small Business Spotlight: Glier's Goetta

46 Events

20

34

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

PAGE 3

CHAIR’S LETTER

JOHN HAWKINS Chair, NKY Chamber President & CEO, MPI Consulting

AS WE BEGIN 2024, A QUESTION I consistently reflect on is “How can we build upon our momentum to showcase the best of Northern Kentucky as a region?” Our region is continuing to outpace the growth of the state of Kentucky and is one of the fastest growing regions in the country. People from all backgrounds come together in Northern Kentucky to work, live, play and thrive as a must visit destination when visitors come to the Greater Cincinnati region.

The work needed to continue this momentum requires the continued dedication and commitment of our entire business and nonprofit community.

We still have significant challenges to overcome in community healthcare, accessible transportation, affordable housing and more. To continue this momentum requires a collaborative spirit which we continue to build upon which has brought new venues, companies and opportunities to our community.

I am pleased to kick off 2024 with this issue which is all about things “Made in Northern Kentucky.” In this edition, you will find great stories of the inspiration behind several local companies that are working to produce fantastic products as unique as our region itself.

With “What’s Cookin’ in NKY” you will see the entrepreneurial spirit alive and well pushing everyone to grow their respective companies. In much the same fashion as bourbon is synonymous with Kentucky, our Small Business Spotlight on Glier’s Goetta showcases just how engrained – pun intended – our region’s

food entrepreneurs are to Northern Kentucky’s identity and how it leads to success for all. Additionally, seeing the great work Dorman Products and others are producing in the manufacturing realm should leave you inspired and encouraged about our region’s pool of talent.

You will see our feature on the Covington Life Science Partnership and its efforts to bring new entrepreneurs into the medical industry. Made in NKY, however, goes beyond products. It is about innovation, breakthroughs and making our region a place that attracts new thinking and develops life-changing science that improves and saves lives. The same can said for our feature on BAWAC, Inc., the nonprofit organization helping an oft-underserved part of our community with employment while spurring innovation for several companies through its services.

We are making choices daily about where we will eat, where we live, what we buy, etc. – the list goes on and on. I hope reading this first issue of the new year inspires you to explore, enjoy and most importantly help expand our region by supporting all the dedicated people working to make Northern Kentucky a great destination.

In short, there are many great things being made daily in Northern Kentucky and great things to experience as well. There is no question we are making positive strides and momentum is on our side. Now is our time to bring our full potential to the forefront and demonstrate just how great we can make the region we call home. NK Y

INVESTOR'S CIRCLE

PAGE 4

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

ADVOCACY 2024 Kentucky General Assembly

WHERE WE STAND NKY Chamber’s Legislative Priorities

Building Greater Economic and Workforce Prosperity in Kentucky The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce supports initiatives that enhance Kentucky’s ability to have a prosperous economic and workforce climate, positioning us more competitively with neighboring states. We urge the General Assembly to invest in talent growth, attraction, and retention measures and continue efforts toward a fair, simplified, pro-growth tax code and critical infrastructure investments.

DEVELOP A BOLD STRATEGY TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN IN-DEMAND WORKFORCE Develop a comprehensive state marketing plan focused on attracting and retaining skilled talent that aligns with Kentucky’s most in-demand positions, reversing population decline trends, and ensuring that Kentucky grows at a rate competitive with peer states. Enact legislation granting reciprocity to individuals with credentials and licenses earned in other state. Also allow legal immigrants who are authorized to work in the United States the ability to pursue professional and occupational licenses in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

We applaud the work of the General Assembly for its historic investment in the Brent Spence Bridge and other projects of regional significance. We encourage full funding for the critical regional projects in the six-year road plan, such as the completion of KY 536 and investments to support ongoing state road maintenance in NKY. Additionally, we ask lawmakers to explore innovative ways to develop housing of all types across the Commonwealth and ensure local housing stock is specific to the regional needs of its workforce.

EXPAND CAREER READINESS STRENGTHEN WORKFORCE RESOURCES Support efforts to create a stronger alignment of workforce programs and resources throughout KY, provide greater flexibility in regional workforce programming and funding, and recognize each region’s unique challenges. Maximize utilization of transitional benefit programs to address the benefits cliff that can be a barrier for low-income families and consider additional resources for job seekers faced with barriers to employment, including language education services and workforce support for individuals with histories of justice involvement and substance abuse disorders.

INVEST IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION Continue building a more reliable infrastructure for childcare that improves access, affordability, and quality. We need a system that enables parents to work, children to thrive, and our local economies to grow. Investments in early childhood education will improve workforce outcomes, in both the shortterm and long-term, for the entire Commonwealth.

ADVANCE CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Creating more attainable housing options and investing in robust road and transportation systems are vital to a successful workforce ecosystem and an improved economy.

Continue to support Kentucky’s K-12 and post-secondary education ecosystems, which are needed to deliver quality results for students and employers. Continue encouraging student experiential learning and work-based training programs while reducing barriers to meaningful opportunities. Focus should be placed on high-demand workforce sectors and postsecondary education paths.

PROMOTE BETTER HEALTH OUTCOMES Policies and practices that lead to reduced smoking rates will lower collective healthcare costs, improve workforce productivity in both the public and private sectors, and enhance statewide workforce outcomes.

Address the growing mental health care provider shortage by supporting the creation of new residency, apprenticeship, and on-the-job training programs.

CONTINUE BUILDING A COMPETITIVE AND SIMPLIFIED TAX CODE Continue the gradual shift from income-based to consumption-based taxes while guarding against taxes levied on business-to-business services that would add another layer of costs to job creation. Support simplified pro-growth tax policies that improve the competitiveness of Kentucky businesses in the national and international markets.

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Life Partners

Tim Schroeder, CTI

Mayor Joe Meyer

Covington Life Sciences Partnership looks to bring medical innovation, entrepreneurship to Northern Kentucky’s OneNKY Center

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

PAGE 8

IT’S A LONG STORY BY HIS OWN admission, but given its significance, it’s probably best to let Tim Schroeder tell it in detail.

“Joe Meyer, Covington’s mayor, shared a vision with a handful of us right before COVID-19 that he was hoping we could, as a community, bring more healthrelated companies, life sciences and biotechnology to Northern Kentucky … It just so happened that Governor (Andy) Beshear was in our office just over two years ago and during our conversation, he asked a very insightful question,” Schroeder, Chairman, CEO and Founder of

KY Senator Chris McDaniel

Governor Andy Beshear

CTI Clinical Trial and Consulting Services (CTI), recalls. “He said, ‘As prepared as the region was for the last pandemic and the ability to step up and respond, how do we put ourselves in a better position for the next one?’ I said, ‘We need a deeper base of emerging startup biotech, biopharma and medical device companies here.”

The partnership that formed following that conversation is why Schroeder and several other of the region’s top healthcare professionals are excited for the future of medical innovation in Northern Kentucky.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

BIRTHING INNOVATION

A WONDERFUL LIFE

If you’re unfamiliar with why the letters “CLSP” may collectively become four of the most important for Northern Kentucky’s medical community, consider this a quick dossier on the subject. “CLSP” is the acronym for Covington Life Sciences Partners, Inc., the nonprofit agency established this past November with a specific goal in mind: Advancing the research, development and manufacturing of biology, chemistry of life sciences via wet labs, a.k.a. workstations that manipulate liquids, chemicals and other biological matter.

The CLSP is a true collaborative effort, overseen by the heads of several of the region’s top medical industry leaders. In addition to CTI, CLSP’s leadership team includes representatives from Bexion Pharmaceuticals, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Gravity Diagnostics, BE NKY Growth Partnership, the City of Covington and Northern Kentucky University. The organization is co-chaired by Chuck Scheper, Chairman of the Board at Bexion Pharmaceuticals and Garren Colvin, President & CEO of St. Elizabeth Healthcare.

Approximately $15 million has been allocated by the state, Schroeder crediting Governor Beshear and Kentucky State Senator Chris McDaniel for their efforts in securing the funding. The CLSP has signed a 99-year lease with the Northern Kentucky Port Authority (NKPA) to operate the labs at the OneNKY Center, currently under construction next to the John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge in Covington.

Colvin says CLSP envisions the labs serving as “the mechanism” that allows “incubator companies to come and test their products in Northern Kentucky.”

“The thought process is, a lot of equipment is expensive; therefore, you

Also excited about the project is Ray Takigiku, Ph.D., co-founder and CSO of Bexion Pharmaceuticals. Presently serving in what he calls an ad hoc role, Takigiku is helping the CLSP prepare for its future tenants and leadership, helping formulate the processes and programs necessary for operation. With some “incredible” life science-oriented companies already existing here, Takigiku hopes the CLSP can spur the transformation from a collection of companies to a true community akin to North Carolina’s lauded Research Triangle.

Given the economics and need for life sciences, he says the opportunity now facing CLSP is one on which the organization must capitalize.

“If you talk to anybody in Frankfort and economic development more, almost any region in the country, really, they're going to put life sciences as one of their goals. The life sciences industry by and large, it's a huge economic engine for the country,” he says. “It’s to Northern Kentucky's credit that we’re taking the bull by the horns and seeing this opportunity to create a space for life science entrepreneurs by making this wet lab, pulling together resources and working with all the local officials … We can make it happen.”

With the CLSP looking towards a March/April 2025 opening date for the project, Scheper says the organization is looking into possibly utilizing available space at Gravity Diagnostics to create temporary labs. Schroeder says the collective is already looking into potential tenants, two of which are stateside and one international, the latter interested in the CLSP spot being its first in the U.S. What will constitute success for the project?

Schroeder says the answer will come not in the form of innovation, but the impact it has on the lives of Northern Kentucky residents and beyond.

“I want to be around to see the first drug approved by one of the companies that starts in the incubator. I want to see the pride for the community, whether it's a cancer drug or gene therapy that cures a disease. I’m confident this research will ultimately save somebody's life at a very young age,” he says. “Success for us is getting a company's first drug all the way through the (FDA’s) approval process.”

Takigiku agrees.

“It’s a great opportunity to build life sciences in the region. We really haven't had dedicated resources for life science entrepreneurs,” he says.

“We know that pharmaceutical companies are being thought of all over the world and frankly, most people think of them in the Bay Area or coming out of Boston but really, they can come out of anywhere – why not here?” NK Y

Garren Colvin, St. Elizabeth

Chuck Scheper, Bexion

Ray Takigiku, Bexion

need to share the cost. Renting the facilities, it's at a smaller portion of the overall costs and if we get enough people involved, then we're spreading that over a lot of utilizers – that’s what makes it a viable opportunity,” he says.

“This allows them to rent space, come in, develop their products and then hopefully put their company, Covington and Northern Kentucky on the map.”

Scheper, who calls the project “an important ember that’s been flamed to help grow the whole life science community,” agrees.

“We have several players like Bexion, Gravity Diagnostics, CTI and others that are more established life science firms. This will help foster the growth of new startups, which in time will grow into larger companies and really grow the life science ecosystem here,” he says. “Because of the state incentives, we're sort of uniquely positioned to attract startups from around the country because of the matching programs for grants. It can build upon itself and hopefully bring even more developed companies to want to locate into this region.”

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

PAGE 9

Manufactured in NKY Meet three companies leading their industries on the southern side of the Ohio River

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

ONE SPECIALIZES IN AFTERMARKET AUTO PARTS, housing approximately $130 million worth of inventory within its 800,000-square-foot campus.

Another is one of only four enamel makers in the world and the only one that makes unleaded enamel, its specialty.

The last one? They just so happen to be the largest wallboard plant in the United States (and possibly the world), producing some 1.5 billion square feet of the product this year.

What’s the one thing they all have in common?

They – Dorman Products of Warsaw, Thompson Enamel of Bellevue, and CertainTeed of Silver Grove – all call Northern Kentucky home, a fact that is helping to manufacture jobs, products and pride throughout the region.

Here’s a look at these three unique companies keeping the hands-on, can-do spirit of manufacturing alive and well in Northern Kentucky.

PICTURED: Pallets of finished wallboard on the distribution side of CertainTeed Gypsum.

PAGE 10

THOMPSON ENAMEL 650 Colfax Avenue Bellevue, KY 41073 (859) 291-3800 thompsonenamel.com

When you’ve only got 15 employees and a world of artists counting on you, you take the time to ensure the product you’re giving them meets their expectations.

“Every time we make an enamel, it must match up to a color on a board in our front room; otherwise, it doesn't get approved. When the company first started, it was predominantly industrial because our products could withstand heat,” says Joana Maehren on the process her company, Thompson Enamel, uses to ensure the vitreous enamel for metal its manufactured for more than 100 years is up to par for customers. “It’s evolved to where our customers are mostly artists now. We sell to places in New York, baggage makers, police departments (including) …. one in South America that makes custom badges. The color in them – that’s us.”

Originally founded in 1895 just outside Chicago before relocating to Bellevue, Kentucky, in 1985, Thompson Enamel is home to approximately 450 colors of glass used by the likes of famed artists like Houston Llew, Cartier, churches and more. Everything – from building its own furnaces to grinding and smelting – is done on site at its Colfax Avenue home by the select corps of people that have made the company thrive.

“We build our own furnaces, we regulate temperatures, we oversee everything in our production. I see when something comes out of the furnace, when it comes out of the mill and when it comes out of grinding or smelt,” she says. “It does not leave the building without us having really checked every aspect of it. That’s the key to why our product is good.”

Working alongside her now semiretired husband, Guido, Maehren says she “likes the challenge” of working at Thompson Enamel. Since 2014, she has spent a major part of her focus revitalizing the company’s processes for quality control, production NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

schedules, addressing supply chain issues and tidying up other loose ends. Doing so, she says, has helped the company increase salaries while avoiding decades of experience and skill from walking out the door.

Being able to overcome a challenge, however, became a critical part of the company surviving the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Maehren, “things were just not running” the way they needed given various shutdowns at many of the company’s raw material suppliers. Add in the fact that Thompson Enamel itself shut down for six weeks and sales were, by her own admission, “weak” due to the pandemic and worries were high among the close-knit staff.

Maehren, who had just taken over the day-to-day reins, says that once everyone returned to work, all uncertainty went away. The workers came together not only around the idea of how few people in the world do what they do, but that no one does it as well as they can.

Maehren says the commitment to both their work and each other that followed is a shining example of Thompson Enamel continuing to shine, no pun intended.

“When a product leaves here, our employees have had a hand in what the artist is going to do with our product, and they should be proud of every single item that leaves this building. That is literally how we operate: Everything should be with pride,” she says. “You should be doing your job, and I should be doing my job, to the absolute best and we should do everything we can to give our customers a good product. Pride in what we do is everything.”

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

The team at Thompson Enamel

PAGE 11

DORMAN PRODUCTS 25 Dorman Drive Warsaw, KY 41095 (859) 567-7000 dormanproducts.com

A slogan can be a great way for a business to get customers to remember their name … Dale Risen, Sr. Director of Operations for Dorman Products’ Warsaw plant, says a great slogan that matches your output allows for even greater success.

“Back in the day, you would see these commercials for the chemical company BASF that said, ‘We don’t make a lot of things you buy, but we make a lot of the things you buy better,’” Risen says. “The difference for us is we actually do make the things you buy, too.”

Specializing in aftermarket (more than eight years following a vehicle’s production year) auto parts, Risen says Dorman seeks to solve a common problem

many drivers face: When your car, truck or van gets older, who makes the part that will keep it on the road? The 500 employees at Dorman’s Warsaw plant work to resolve that problem on a weekly basis, pushing out some 11,000 products to meet that need.

Risen credits not only the geography of the region but the spirit of its workers for being able to help the company achieve that goal.

“In this area, we found that it’s a real good base for people that work hard.

That’s the appeal for us and why we will probably always stay here,” he says. “The people here are probably a little more down to earth. Some may not want to move away and go to California or Texas or the northeast as those areas can be really expensive. You can get that and grow it right here.”

The investment the company has made not only in its workers but also the community has helped cement that belief.

“One of the things I love about Dorman is how they treat people. We

talk a lot about a ‘culture of contribution,’ which basically is about how the individual contributor – our name for employees – plays a part within the company, that each position matters,” Risen says. “Some companies will say that but Dorman backs it up .... We raised $23,000 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital just this past month and that was all individual contributorbased ideas and driving the fundraising program. That’s a ‘Wow’ moment that gives you a better appreciation for what you're doing.”

Having “traveled all over” for his career, Risen, a native of Louisville, is extremely proud that he now works for a company making things right at home.

“When you go to some places around the country, sometimes people are like, ‘What – Kentucky? What do they really do? I thought just tobacco was grown in Kentucky,’” he says. “We haven't been that for a very long time; we're industrious.

We're not just in the country. I’m proud to think, ‘Hey, that came from right here and it's a great quality part and I'm a part of making it happen.’”

VOLUME 3

GUIDE

Dorman automotive technician Miriam installing our 926-876 OE FIX oil filter housing.

Read the story on page 6.

PAGE 12

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

CERTAINTEED 5145 Mary Ingles Highway Silver Grove, KY 41085 (800) 237-5505 certainteed.com

Wallboard is a common fixture in just about every structure in existence.

CertainTeed’s approach to how its workers spend their time working on the product, however, is anything but common.

“Typically, we have a morning meeting and go through what’s happened in the last 24 hours making sure we were safe, we're making good quality product and we're looking after our people. Then we'd go into how we can continuously improve things – What went well? What went badly? Where do we need help?” says Paul Teale, the Senior Plant Manager for CertainTeed’s Silver Grove plant. “We focus on putting the right resources in the right places. We have a great HR team and a great training team, which helps provide our people with the support that they need to be successful.”

With a company history dating back more than a century, CertainTeed is no stranger to the world of manufacturing.

Its parent company, the France-based Saint-Gobain, is more than 350 years old, its North American operation dating back MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

to the 1880s. The company’s mission is to “Make the World a Better Home,” a fact exhibited in the wide range of products it produces. That’s why in addition to wallboard, the company makes building solutions for both interior and exterior, including insulation, roofing, siding, solar and more. “We want to be the leaders in light and sustainable construction,” Teale says.

The company took root in Northern Kentucky in 1999, when CertainTeed opened the doors of its wallboard plant on Mary Ingles Highway in Silver Grove.

Approximately 300-350 people currently work at the facility, Teale says, which operates 24/7 in a “dynamic” environment where “something different happens every day to keep you interested.”

Teale – a native of England who moved to the region three years ago – says Northern Kentucky has several intrinsic qualities that have attributed to the company’s success. This includes its proximity to the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), major highways in Interstates 71 and 75 and five colleges within driving distance of one another.

The greatest resource available, however, might just be the quality of life available to prospective employees.

“As someone relatively new to the area, I can say the quality of life in the

region is great,” he says. “That is a huge draw for helping us retain talent. It's that good family life and lots of things to do in the background. We have everything that we need to build in one place to be successful as a business.”

What lies ahead for CertainTeed?

Reaching its company’s sustainability goals remains a top priority according to Teale, including achieving netzero – the balance between the amount of greenhouse gas produced and removed from the atmosphere – production by 2050. He says the company has also benefitted from being a NKY Chamber of Commerce member, conversing with “like-minded businesspeople that understand the area and what support they can offer you.”

While he admits he might be a little biased given his 18 years with the company, Teale says he feels at home in Northern Kentucky. Given his company’s commitment to its employees, he is certain they feel the same way.

“It’s got the right values and the right culture. We look after the sustainability of our areas where we live in and we want to make it one happy family; we want to be a place where people can come and succeed,” says Teale. “We want all our operators to be successful, and we’re here to do that. If we can do that, it will be a good place to work.”

PAGE 13

What's Cookin' in NKY? Local merchants showcase the unique flavors of the region

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

This just in: Bourbon is NOT the only product of prominence made in Kentucky.

While that may be breaking news to those only familiar with the Commonwealth’s signature spirit, it’s not to the entrepreneurs whose culinary skills are bringing new businesses to life throughout the NKY Metro region.

Meet four local entrepreneurs doing their best to showcase what’s cooking in Northern Kentucky.

PAGE 14

DOWN THE ROAD SPICE CO. downtheroadspiceco.com MANSI SHAH IS MANY THINGS – A wife, a mother and a first generation Indian American among them.

She is also an entrepreneur out to change the way you think of – and make – her native cuisine.

“The company is all about making Indian food less intimidating and more simplified to cook, so that is where we started. We wanted to eat more Indian food at home but don't often cook it because cooking Indian food is a really in-depth, time-consuming process with a lot of ingredients,” says Shah about the origins of Down the Road Spice Co., the Covington business she co-owns with her food industry veteran father, Sandeep. “People just didn't really cook Indian food, even though it's the fastest growing ethnic cuisine in the country, because it's really intimidating …That’s how the company was born.”

Family recipes in a jar that allow you to cook incredible Indian food from scratch – that’s the sales pitch at the heart of Down the Road Spice Co. and all its small batch masala products. Unfamiliar with what exactly masala is? Think of it as a base rooted in caramelized onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes before enhancing it with other proteins or vegetables that can be used wet or dry. The company currently offers six varieties of its masala products, including Makhani and Garam, a warming spice widely used to bring warmth and depth to many Indian dishes.

Authenticity is as important to Shah as is the convenient use of her products, which is why each spice is roasted individually, ground and blended before being packed. Having just incorporated as a business in February 2022, she is still getting acclimated to the world of entrepreneurship, a move that was admittedly nerve wracking considering she gave up a 10-year career in brand management at Procter & Gamble to start her business.

“This first year has been a lot of learning and that’s been by design as we haven’t done any advertising or spent money on marketing; it’s really just about driving word of mouth. We’re learning how people are using our products and at what rate – Do they like them? What feedback do they have?” she says. “What's been surprising to me – and I didn't really tap into the resources, honestly before we launched – is just the support in the area. There are people willing to talk to and help you figure out how to succeed.”

She recommends others looking to start their entrepreneurial journey do the same.

“Northern Kentucky is a great place …

Everyone's like, ‘How are you starting an Indian food company in Northern Kentucky? It doesn't seem like a natural fit,’” she says. “I’ve actually found that there's a ton of food entrepreneurship resources and some great commercial kitchen options in our area where you have a lot of flexibility to work within the community. People can help you regardless of the business you're trying to run … There are entrepreneurs in this region who have done it in all sorts of different ways. This community is not built off one type of founder.”

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

LAUGHING BEES laughingbees.shop

Annie Brown

Squatch Scat (the official candy of the Covington Cryptid Block Party)

Queen Mini candybar (Annie's version of a Twix bar)

Laughing Bees at the Fort Thomas Farmer's Market.

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

ANNIE BROWN ALWAYS KNEW SHE WANTED to work for herself … She just didn’t know what she wanted to do. Then she happened to come across a food entrepreneurship program hosted by the Center for Great Neighborhoods.

That program – coupled with a sister who was a beekeeper at the time – gave her all the buzz (pun intended) she needed to get started.

“It was around the holidays – the Center for Great Neighborhoods program was over – and I got into a holiday market. They wanted to know if I could do something besides just flavored honey and I said, ‘Sure.

I can make honey caramels,’ which I couldn’t,” Brown recalls, speaking on the first big event in which her company, Laughing Bees Foods, would participate. “I spent two days figuring out how to do that because honey is a little bit particular to work with. I made a few the first couple of times for holiday markets, everybody loved them … After the holidays, I continued to make them and ruined almost every batch for about three months!”

Her food burning days behind her, Brown is now happily running Laughing Bees, the honey caramel and sweet treats specialty company she formed in 2021.

Operating out of the Incubator Kitchen Collective in Newport, Brown has come a long way since she first began operating out of her home in Fort Thomas. In addition to its signature honey caramels, Laughing Bees – whose logo features insect caricatures inspired

by Brown’s mother Margie and her friend, Elli – also sells turtle pralines, honey caramel corn and krispie treats as well. Brown also offers granola treats via the Laughing Oats brand, one which she hopes to expand in the future. “I want to diversify what I offer because a lot of people can’t have my treats due to health restrictions,” Brown says.

One thing she hasn’t found restrictive, however, is the help available to entrepreneurs like herself.

“I'm going to be 60 soon and I just started this business three years ago … Now I'm getting in touch with business leaders, the business community and I have found that it is very supportive,” she says. “If you are serious about what you're doing and you're putting in the effort that you need to be taken seriously, people will come to help you.”

Having recently received a Main Street Ventures grant that will help her business increase production, Brown hopes the support will let her keep putting smiles on other people’s faces.

“For some reason, everything came together for this business for me. I'm enjoying what I'm doing and making it fun because why else do it? But I do take what I'm doing very seriously – other people see that,” she says. “That validates what I'm doing. That says to me, ‘You can do the next step, whatever it is.’ Every step of the way, I've had people saying, ‘Hey – you should try this or that’ or ‘I'll help you.’ If you're putting in the work and you're doing good work, people will help you and be supportive.”

PAGE 15

MADE BY MAVIS ARTISAN CANNED GOODS made-by-mavis.myshopify.com

Mavis Linnemann-Clark

PAGE 16

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU HAVE A SUCCESSFUL business and yet feel like you still have something more to give? If you are well-established in the catering business like Mavis Linnemann-Clark is, you start another one – and this time, you put your name on it.

Made by Mavis Artisan Canned Goods is the jams and jellies company owned by Linnemann-Clark, who also owns The Delish Dish Catering & Events and Kickstart Kitchen. While The Delish Dish specializes in providing catering menus with food from all over the world, Made

by Mavis is Linnemann-Clark’s “little side baby” that has grown up into its own business. Linnemann-Clark credits her travels around the world for planting the seed that would eventually become Made by Mavis, noting how her enjoyment of gardening coupled with a timely Christmas gift – a canning pot – from her mother.

“I was canning in my free time; I just kind of fell in love with it. I started giving jars as gifts at Christmas,” Linnemann-Clark recalls. “Then, every Christmas, I would give them as gifts again and people started requesting them. I was making an insane amount of jam just to give to people, so I was like, ‘I'll sell these.’”

Well engrossed in her own endeavors – she declined to go into the family funeral home business – LinnemannClark now offers some two dozen-plus flavors via her Made

by Mavis line. This includes selections like her best-selling Cherry Bomb (cherries and jalapeños), Blackberry Panther with Rhinegeist Panther Porter, and, of course, Kentuckyinspired flavors like Bourbon Apple Pie and Bourbon Barrel Stout among others. Each jam is made the same way it was when she first started – in a slow French copper pot, before being hand jarred and labeled.

She credits her longevity to realizing what she could and more importantly, could not, do all by herself, eventually hiring help to avoid feeling like she was drowning.

“What I tell a lot of new entrepreneurs now is when you feel like you're drowning, it's time for you to hire somebody because they're going to help you,” she says.

“Then you can spend time doing something else and growing the business. That was the right choice.”

That is why Linnemann-Clark is happy the region is rich with resources for entrepreneurs. Aviatra Accelerators, SCORE and the Small Business Center at Northern Kentucky University are among the institutions she credits for her own success.

She is confident others looking to follow in her footsteps can find the necessary help to do the same.

“All these governmental and nonprofit organizations – Covington, the NKY Chamber, Aviatra, Blue North, MORTAR, Findlay Kitchen – there are a lot of places and resources for entrepreneurs,” she says. “For a small town, we have a wealth of resources that can help you with your business … The tools are here. You just have to have a good head on your shoulders, a lot of grit and connect yourself with the right people to make it happen.”

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

WHEN LIFE GAVE LINDSEY COOK LEMONS, SHE eventually got around to making cakes.

“It’s not the happiest story, even though it’s one that involves marshmallows and chips. My mother was one of those cooks who could make anything and everything taste good,” says Cook, the owner of Sweet Ace Cakes of Fort Thomas in recalling how her late mother, who had her own catering company, would inspire her to start her own business. “We were really, really, really close. It was a very special relationship.”

“During the day, I was a stay-at-home mom and I found that I was pregnant unexpectedly at 40 years old, which was wonderful. I had a baby and then a month later, my mother passed away,” Cook says. “Baking is how I keep her with me because she taught me how to do all this stuff. I also do it for my kids.”

Describing herself as “not shy and not quiet but introverted,” Cook’s extroverted baking efforts are starting to make noise (in a positive sense) through Sweet Ace Cakes, which she founded in 2018. Primarily working out of Newport’s Incubator Kitchen Collective, her product line features a variety of treats perfect for anyone with a prolonged proverbial sweet tooth. This includes “schmallows” – her marshmallow-based most popular item – baking mixes as well as premade cakes including flourless carrot, coconut, honey suckle and yes, even sour cream, among them.

Coming from a long line of entrepreneurs that not only includes her mother, but also her grandfather and great grandfather, Cook is happy to have found her niche …

Even if it’s a constant work in progress.

“What I find is that I can be my own harshest critic.

For example, I haven't found a raspberry extract that I like. When I make raspberry marshmallows, I make it from raspberries that I've cooked down and strained which makes it a little bit more difficult to make,” she says. “I try to find things that I don’t see very often because I’m very picky – if I can make it at home, I’m not going to buy it somewhere else.”

That helps explain why Cook says cleaning her pans, which she does by hand as soon as a cake is done, is the worst part of the job. The best part? “The smell of the butter and the sugar when they are creaming together … I’ve tasted everything so much that I can tell from the smell if it’s prepared right.”

In terms of the right fit, Cook says Northern Kentucky is as well-equipped for entrepreneurs as her last name is for her chosen profession.

“For as much as I’ve found success, it has been in building relationships and community around me of people that can help me here and there, if necessary, people that I can use as resources,” she says. “A friend of mine does commercial cleaning. When I got one of my larger contracts, he started grilling me about contracts and the things that I would need … Make sure that you build the relationships because you never know who's going to have the answer for the question you didn't even know you wanted to ask.” N K Y

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

SWEET ACE CAKES sweetacecakes.com

Lindsey Cook

Sweet Ace Cakes at the Fort Thomas Farmer's Market

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Transforming Barriers

Bawac provides workforce solutions for people of all abilities, businesses through job training, social enterprise and community engagement programs

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

Can one man’s vision change the world? The question is more a rhetorical exercise than a true inquisitive statement. In the case of Bawac founder Ken Schmidt, he saw potential in people where few fruitful opportunities existed for inclusion, so he decided to create those opportunities himself.

“When Bawac was formed (in 1973), many of our clients were relegated to sheltered workshops or work adjustment centers, that were exclusively for individuals with disabilities. During those years, there were few organizations or resources to advocate for individuals with disabilities or those with significant barriers to employment, leading to segregated working environments, often with deplorable working conditions,” says Bawac president, Jason Ashbrook. “My predecessor, when he saw those conditions, he said ‘That's not ideal.’ We want to provide a safe, supportive environment for individuals of all abilities but also make sure it's integrated to where we have all walks of life and abilities being part of a work environment.”

Now having celebrated its first 50 years of supporting people of all abilities throughout Northern Kentucky, Ashbrook – like the people his organization serves – is excited for what’s next.

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A VISION OF INCLUSION Bawac, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that was established for a primary purpose: Creating employment opportunities and improving the quality of life for adults with disabilities – or, as is the preferred terminology for its clients, people of all abilities. Bawac accomplishes this through its Community Rehabilitation Services, which provides training to help clients develop adult life patterns and structure while in turn developing skills needed for independent living. Its Life Transitions program helps aging individuals and those with more severe disabilities or conditions discover pathways to retain social and personal function.

One program in particular has helped hundreds of businesses across several industries bring products to market while also serving Bawac’s core audience: The Supported Employment Program. Established in 1983 as the first program of its kind in the state of Kentucky, Supported Employment offers career counseling, resume and cover letter services, interview preparation, job development, training, coaching and lifelong follow-up services. These services help individuals obtain and retain a community job and earn an income while helping to contribute to the community as active taxpayers.

Additionally, the organization’s Facility

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

into Opportunities

Photos provided by Bawac.

Based Work Adjustment Training provides counseling and salaried work in a realistic job setting. The company’s Production Services maintains working relationships and sub-contractor agreements that see clients manufacture and produce a variety of products such as auto parts, displays and other consumable goods.

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED Bawac’s mission has resulted in partnering/subcontracting with Toyota and 100+ other companies over the course of its history, providing both training and experience in assembly, inspection, collating, packaging, labeling and more. In addition, Bawac’s transportation services provide access from home and residential settings to programs and employment sites in six counties throughout Northern Kentucky, as well as non-emergency medical runs and hospital discharge services for qualifying individuals.

Bawac has also stepped up in times of crisis. This includes its efforts (alongside the NKY Area Development District) to provide individuals with transportation, following the closure of Senior Services of Northern Kentucky in 2015, and to maintain continuity for programs like Meals on Wheels.

Ashbrook also says the organization helped assemble thousands of prepackaged food supplies for students

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

no longer receiving free/reduced meals during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “That allowed for those essential food supplies and commodities to not just be assembled and packaged but also transported directly to the individuals and families experiencing food insecurity,” he says.

Given its “pioneering and innovating” status in providing such support to both its clients and community, Bawac’s helping hands have assisted thousands with obtaining employment and gaining independence.

“Many companies simply shut the door to people with disabilities or view them as a risk, versus an asset, to their organization. The data, however, shows overwhelming evidence to the contrary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, businesses who have diversified their workforce to include people with disabilities reported a 90 percent increase in retention of valued employees and a 72 percent increase in employee productivity,” Ashbrook says. “This reality only reinforces the power of creating employment opportunities for individuals of all abilities as a value proposition for businesses, along with the lasting impact on that individual’s success.”

Ashbrook says that’s why the organization is so proud of the “hero

stories” such as those featured on its website (www.Bawac.org) about how Bawac’s work has impacted people’s lives. The companies with whom the organization works are similarly satisfied, a fact Ashbrook says is evident in the repeat business they and their clients continue to enjoy.

“If we weren't meeting those needs, just like any business would have to do, they would move on from working with us,” Ashbrook says.

“But instead, the quality, timeliness and reliability of our work has fostered exceptional relationships with businesses, including many of the same companies from the past several years, along with repeat customers.”

He’s only been on the job for a few months, but that’s long enough for Ashbrook to know how and why Bawac has built a lasting legacy.

“I’m just a few months into this role, but what’s been very obvious to me since I’ve been here is the level of dedication, loyalty and passion of our team members,” says Ashbrook, who was appointed president of the nonprofit organization on Sept. 12 of last year. “There’s something in the air when you’re here at Bawac… The team members are some of the most dedicated and passionate professionals I have ever encountered.” N K Y

PAGE 19

SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Glier's Goetta

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

Goetta blends the textures and flavors of pork, beef, whole grain, steel-cut oats, fresh onions and spices. German in origin, it has since become a staple of meals throughout the Tri-State region, so much so that somewhere between a quarter to half million people gather annually at an outdoor festival.

It is also the signature product of the Glier’s Goetta company, a Northern Kentucky business consumers have come to know and love for nearly 80 years and counting.

LEGENDARY NAME, HOMEMADE TASTE Glier’s Goetta is the Covington-based meat processing company that has become synonymous with the dish itself. The company was founded by Robert Glier in 1946 after serving in World War II and purchasing a small store containing a sausage kitchen and smokehouse. Now run by Glier’s son Dan, president since 1977, the company slow cooks very batch of goetta in the same batch size perfected by its founder. That commitment has resulted in immense popularity throughout Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, evident in the 14 varieties of goetta currently available in Glier’s product line.

As is the case with many companies, Glier’s growth has seen many changes for the sake of expansion over the years. This includes remodeling its W. 11th Street location in Covington in 1967, merging another company owned by the family in 1969 and the aforementioned retail store’s closure in 1970. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, Glier’s commitment to providing a quality, affordable product.

Noting that the one-pound original roll is still their biggest seller, Dan Glier says the unique qualities of goetta are an essential part of what makes it so popular.

PAGE 20

Photos by Ben Gastright

“What makes goetta unique is it's a different flavor and textures … In Germany, there is a family of products called Grützwurst that means grain and sausage. In the northeast U.S., they make sausage much like goetta called scrapple and that is made with cornmeal; if you go to New Orleans, they make a similar product with rice and that's called boudin …,” he says. “That's what makes goetta unique … as it is not one of the things you expect to see in a breakfast sausage.”

Why has goetta, and more specifically Glier’s version of it, become so popular? According to Dan Glier, the answer is simple: Learning what the company did best and sticking to it.

“Between 25 to 30 years ago, we had consultants in and (at the time) we were doing a little bit of everything for anybody. One of them said, ‘You’re eventually going to have to settle on what you want to do and do it well – What's your best product?’” Glier recalls of how the company went from Glier’s Meats to specializing in its current product. “We said, ‘Our goetta’ and he said, ‘Concentrate on that’ and that's what we've done … We just kept growing into it.”

That meeting in 1999 would prove fateful for Glier’s, solidifying its transition into making the family’s name synonymous with its signature product. Glier, however, who started working at the company at age 12, said he never felt pressured to go into the family business.

FAMILY AFFAIR “I went to college hoping to be a mechanical engineer,” Glier recalls with a laugh. “When I got to the calculus book, I said ‘I’m not going to be an engineer. That’s how I wound up here for the past 50 years.”

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

Dan Glier

GLIER'S GOETTA AT A GLANCE Address: 533 Goetta Place, Covington, KY 41011 Website: goetta.com Number of Employees: 26 Company History: Glier’s Goetta was founded by Bob Glier, who, at age 12, began working for his uncle Pete Yung in the family butcher shop in Newport. Sometime between 1938-1942, Bob’s brother Bill became owner of Peter Yung & Co. meats. In 1946, Bob returned home from World War II and bought a butcher shop at 439 Pike St. in Covington where he begins to make and sell his own sausages and goetta.

With his own son David now working for the company, Glier says ensuring employees feel like extended family members has helped with retaining talent. While acknowledging it may not be the biggest motivating factor among the company’s 26 employees, Glier says being part of a small, family-owned business has a positive impact in relation to employees’ output. Likewise, some of the company’s employees have been there for many years, helping to ensure decades of knowledge is passed along across generations and helping to build a strong culture.

“Having a number of long-term employees leads to faithfulness, if you will, and we value that. A couple years ago, we had a guy that had been with us for over 40 years; now, I’ve got three others in that range,” Glier says. “We’ll host little celebrations – sometimes they’ll just be here at the plant … As long as we get the work done, our work environment is pretty relaxed. We try and not make it too stressful.”

Another key aspect of the company’s success according to Glier is the word of mouth it has enjoyed from customers sharing the product with one another, a tradition exemplified in Goettafest.

Originating in 2001 in Covington’s MainStrasse Village, the event has grown exponentially, the most recent Goettafest totaling eight days over two separate weekends this past summer. A “celebration of all things goetta,” the event has featured live entertainment, a Ferris wheel and what was billed as the world’s only goetta vending machine.

Glier says people from 49 states as well as five Canadian provinces and 102 countries attended last summer’s event, a strong indication of its far-reaching impact.

Glier’s even has a name for its loyal fans, too.

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

In 1964, Bob converted a dairy building on Gordon St. in Cincinnati as a second “goetta factory” before consolidating operations into one larger facility at 533 W. 11th St. in Covington.

The retail store on Pike St. closed in 1970, seven years before current president Dan Glier succeeded his father as head of the company. Bob Glier passed away one year later in 1978.

Did you know? Glier’s goetta is often associated with scrapple, but the two dishes are not the same. Whereas Glier’s goetta is a slow-cooked mixture of pork, beef, pinhead oats, herbs and spices, scrapple is traditionally made with cornmeal instead of pinhead oats.

“If they introduce the product to guests in their home, they are our ‘Goetta evangelists,” Glier says. “If they take goetta as a gift to others, they are our ‘Goetta missionaries.”

The community outreach doesn’t end with the free annual festival, though. Glier’s helped provide warm meals following a tornado in Western Kentucky in 2021 and was among the first responders during fires in Gatlinburg.

Glier says Goettafest has now become a staple of both the company and the Northern Kentucky community.

“At Goettafest, we've had as many as four generations of a family sitting at the same table. That family tradition is extremely important to our product and that’s why we created Goettafest: To introduce goetta to new generations of people,” he says.

“Products that do not carry over to the next generation, they die.

If people don't try it, people don’t buy it.”

Given his company’s commitment to quality and the general public’s love of their product, Glier expects the company to thrive for generations to come.

“To remain well-respected for our products – that's the legacy,” he says. “It started with my dad and the Glier family has kept that tradition.” N K Y PAGE 21

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Respect the Pizza Schwan’s Company’s Florence facility enjoys pizza production en masse to manufacturing success

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

PAGE 24

Photos by Nick Carrow

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

WHEN IT COMES TO their love of pizza, some people jokingly say they could eat a combination of dough, sauce, cheese and any variety of toppings every day. Excluding 11 public holidays and 105 weekends, there were 249 workdays in 2023 … Which means that for someone in John Dimos’ position, it would be easy to understand if the last thing they wanted to think about, let alone eat, when they got home would be pizza.

Fortunately for Dimos, the Senior Director of Manufacturing at Schwan’s Company’s Florence plant, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“I love it every single day.

For one, I'm Italian, so there is a portion of me that's always going to enjoy a little bit of red sauce and melted cheese … Pizza is fantastic, and we continue to invent or to develop new product lines, so you have to sample and taste all of those,” says Dimos when asked if he’s grown tired of his facility’s prime product. “So no, it has not deterred my interest; it has only grown it. My family has been rooted in pizza for a very, very long time and we continue to be, so this only complements that.”

Now, as the company looks toward its future in Northern Kentucky, the only changes it hopes to see is even more success.

PICTURED: Plant Director John Dimos in the facility’s pizza testing lab.

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

A Little Slice of Heaven Are you a regular consumer of frozen pizza at your local grocery store? If so, there’s a good chance you are already familiar with Schwan’s Company, a Minnesota-based subsidiary of the CJ CheilJedang Corporation of South Korea. Part of the company’s food and beverage division, Schwan’s produces several products readily found in your local grocery store’s frozen food section. This includes Edwards and Mrs. Smith’s desserts, Pagoda and Bibigo Asian selections and the Red Baron, Tony’s and Freschetta frozen pizza brands among others.

The latter three are manufactured at Schwan’s Florence facility, which also produces pizza for K-12 schools and approximately 13,000 convenience stores nationwide. The production aspect doesn’t exist in a bubble, however, as the facility also houses food quality, safety and engineering departments among others made up of approximately 675 hourly and 75 salaried employees.

While no two days are exactly alike, Dimos says there is always one constant at Schwan’s Florence facility, that being its commitment to the people behind the company’s achievements of its industry-leading goals.

“At the core of what we do is we delight our customers every single day with the products and services that we make – but we strengthen our core with our people. Our people are really our core principle of value across the organization; as we look at building up our competencies or skills or growth patterns, nothing happens without that core strength of people,” Dimos says. “We have a very good track record of developing and promoting individuals across organizations. Whether it is on progression, competency, safety, quality, logistics, coaching, mentoring (or) educating, it’s always about people at our core.”

PAGE 25

Planning, Promotion, Prosperoty As a multibillion-dollar private company with 8,500 employees in the United States, Schwan’s has a firm grip on the frozen food market and within the food service industry itself. Dimos says there are several factors that have made Northern Kentucky a welcome home for the company’s frozen food operations, its physical location being one of them. “It has fantastic arteries for transportation in air, road and water,” he says. “It’s really advantageous for us.”

Additionally, Dimos says the region’s “top notch” universities, “top notch” excellent K-12 school systems and “great” hospital networks are “great marketing tools as we look at attracting outside talent to this region.”

Despite those positives, however, Dimos says Schwan’s is not immune to the same challenges many local businesses face in the battle for workforce. While he says the entry level talent exists in abundance, the company often finds itself competing for individuals pursuing “skilled crafts” careers. Add in the reality that more people are changing locations for new opportunities in a post-pandemic world and talent attraction and retention remains a top priority. Says Dimos, “The more that I've talked to other business leaders in the community, that is probably one of the number one challenges people have.”

Key to Schwan’s in winning that battle? Dimos once again says the answer lies in its people, more specifically in making sure they are involved and engaged regardless of their job or tenure.

“Hourly employees have an opportunity after 90 days to bid on another job, continuing to build their skill sets and learn different crafts across the facility to

become more valuable for other higher-level positions,” he says. “At the same time, we do a lot of recognition for employees, whether it's tied to performance, anniversary dates, birthdays … We’re always recognizing people for a job well done. If you look at our folks that have been here a long time, 30+ years, they've grown up here; we use those opportunities to showcase that for our new folks coming in – there are plenty of opportunities for you to grow and develop just like them.”

The greatest example of that commitment may have been evident in the company’s response during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. With Schwan’s supplying about 50% of its product to food service, schools in particular, the shutdown forced the company – looking at a top consumer not operating – to make some decisions. With half of the Florence facility’s workforce standing to be adversely affected with furloughs or layoffs, the choice was made to keep all its workers employed, even those at home.

It wasn’t an easy choice, but Dimos says it has proven to be the right one for many reasons.

“It would have been far easier and much more economically beneficial for us as an organization to lay everybody off and then just call them back.

We elected to take the high and difficult road even though we weren’t offset with increased sales because schools weren't open,” he says. “I share that with new hires, too, because we don't just say that people are important. We legitimately act on it. That cost us millions during the pandemic and we would do it again and again and again.”

PICTURED: (Below) 1: Recognizing employees for their hard work and contributions to the business is an important part of the Schwan’s culture. In December, John Mahoney, left, and Troy Hensley received the Freschetta Green Jacket awards, which include green blazers and custom engraved pizza cutters. The awards were presented to individuals who exemplify passion and are a Driving Force for the brand; 2: Schwan’s Company prides itself on offering stable, long-term careers for its team members. Each of these employees have worked at the Florence facility for 35 or more years; 3: Florence employees show their company pride during a Freschetta Green Jacket Award ceremony in December.

1

2

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3

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

2

1

5

3

4

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PICTURED: (Above) 1: Providing safe, quality foods is a priority at Schwan’s. Kay Herrera measures the diameter of a Freschetta® Naturally Rising pizza crust; 2: After sauce is added, pizza crusts move under a cheese waterfall before other toppings like pepperoni and sausage are added; 3: Alex Lopez adds peperoni to the production line’s pepperoni slicer; 4: Reuben Turner and Nicole Aguilera align Freschetta® Naturally Rising pizzas into plastic wrap containers; 5: Pizza crusts make their way from a cooler to the toppings area; 6: Freschetta® Naturally Rising pizzas before they are placed in master cases and shipped to customers.

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

PAGE 27

The Hunger for More

Frozen Empire

With its “people principles executed consistently across the board,” Dimos says the company is now focused on its growth strategy.

That includes expansion of the Florence facility with what Dimos says will be “new, faster equipment, better automation and really honing in internally to get better organically.”

If the company continues to put people first, he is confident Schwan’s will achieve its goal.

“We have so many employee-led work teams here, it just brings a sparkle to my eye to see them leading the conversation. They know their business, are able to speak or raise their hand whenever they need help, know the technical details that are driving variation and partner up with one another to solve the problems,” he says. “That stuff's awesome. It only happens because we continue to show them that we value them … We will continue to invest heavily in this plant – there's no question about it.” N K Y

Schwan’s Company at a Glance

PAGE 28

SCHWAN’S COMPANY (NORTHERN KENTUCKY) 7605 Empire Drive Florence, KY 41042 (800) 533-5290 schwanscompany.com DID YOU KNOW? Schwan’s Company was founded on March 18, 1952, when then 23-year-old Marvin Schwan drove his 1946 Dodge panel van with 14 gallons of his family’s signature ice cream and delivered it to rural families in western Minnesota. Now employing 8,500 people in the United States, the company has several brands under its banner in the realm of pizza, desserts and ethnic snacks. This includes Red Baron, Bibigo, Freschetta, Tony’s, Mrs. Smith, Edwards, Pagoda, Minh, Big Daddy’s and Villa Prima.

In 1986, the company acquired the Sabatasso Foods brand and began operating its Kentuckybased pizza manufacturing facility that now also produces Freschetta brand pizza. The company became an affiliate of CJ Foods, a division of the CJ CheilJedang company of South Korea, following the purchase of a majority stake in the company in 2019.

At the time, the Schwan family retained ownership of their well-known home-delivery business, which now operates independently of Schwan’s Company.

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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At Central Bank, we live, work and play in the same communities you do. You’re our neighbor, friend, business partner down the street.

We know and understand you because we build relationships with you – every day. That helps us serve you better, and that’s what makes “highly personal banking” more effective banking.

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Member FDIC

Northern Kentucky’s Got Talent!

AS PART OF THE GROW NKY (Growing Regional Outcomes through Workforce) collective impact initiative, regional workforce practitioners are working diligently to develop our local talent to fill our region’s jobs. The perfect place to start is in our high schools and sometimes even middle schools! Northern Kentucky’s teens/young adults have tremendous potential. First, to get them energized about their future, they need to know what types of careers suit their strengths and interests. Then, we can help them learn about different types of jobs and acquire firsthand experience all through work-based learning activities.

By identifying this “exposure gap”, GROW NKY partners can help students by creating targeted solutions that help students become transition-ready for whatever path they choose after graduation while also supporting our regional employers in recruiting and retaining young talent.

PAGE 30

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

NaviGo College and Career Prep (a division of Learning Grove), a GROW NKY partner, is leading the charge to assess students’ interests and aptitudes and connect them with suitable workbased learning opportunities at local companies. NaviGo partners with school districts to administer an assessment called YouScience, which uses online brain games to match what students do well (aptitudes) and what they like to do (interests) with in-demand careers for which they have a competitive advantage.

Over 23,000 YouScience assessments have been administered so far!

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

Using the YouScience assessment results, students can utilize the MyCareerE3 database to connect with employers through work-based learning opportunities such as internships.

Administered by NaviGo in partnership with our schools, MyCareerE3 can be accessed by employers and students alike to facilitate a strong match.

If you are an employer who would like to learn more about the work of GROW NKY, contact Correy Eimer, Associate Director of Workforce Development at the NKY Area Development District, at (859) 488-1854 or correy.eimer@nkadd.org. Or, for information about how to access the MyCareerE3 database, contact Lorraine O’Moore, Director of Work-Based Learning at NaviGo College and Career Prep, at (513) 399-1967 or lomoore@learninggrove.org. N K Y

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Staff Picks We asked NKY Chamber staff to share some of their favorite products “Made in Northern Kentucky.”

“The charcuterie board at Ripple Wine Bar. Be sure to add the honeycomb and pair it with their Super Tuscan!”

- Dawn Denham, Director of Leadership

“Definitely Glier's Goetta!”

- Gene Kirchner, Sr VP/COO

“Hands down for me is Boone County Distilling's Bourbon Cream! Add some root beer and you've got the best adult root beer float imaginable! Makes me want one right now!”

– Beth Farrer, Member Relations Specialist

“My favorite product made in NKY would be the automotive steering gears and steering columns produced by Bosch in Florence, KY. The vehicles these parts go into quite literally “drive” our economy.”

- Brayden Helton, Member Relations / Certificates of Origin PAGE 32

“Local clothing pieces from Ape Made it in Bellevue, Kentucky. Stop in this boutique for one of a kind, screen printed apparel and custom bridal jackets. You can find other pieces like locally sourced jewelry and home interior accents.”

- Angie Wormald, Executive Assistant

NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

“Laughing Bee's Honey Caramel is absolutely delicious!”

- Ashleigh DuBois, Director of DEI

“Hot honey pizza from Camporosso!

The pizza and atmosphere are great!”

- Erin Reardon, Associate Director of Events

“Graeter's French Pot Ice Cream!”

“In the heart of Northern Kentucky, there's a culinary gem that has captured my heart and taste buds for as long as I can remember—Dixie Chili.

As a child, Saturday mornings meant trips to the library followed by a visit to Dixie Chili for lunch, a tradition that has stood the test of time. If you haven't experienced Dixie Chili, you're missing out on a Northern Kentucky classic that holds a special place in my heart and the hearts of many.”

– Tami Wilson, VP of Public Affairs

- Nancy Spivey, VP of Talent Strategies

“I love to purchase gifts (and program plaques) from Grainwell.”

- Ann Marie Whelan, Regional Youth Leadership Program Director

“Air Head Extremes, New Riff Rye Bourbon, and Braxton Jam Session!”

- Kyle Frizzell, Director of Events

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

“My household couldn't survive without Kremer's Market tuna salad. And I would be remiss if I didn't share the fact that Boomtown Biscuits and Whiskey has some of the best biscuit sandwiches known to mankind.”

- Ben Gastright, Director of Communications and Sandwiches

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AROUND THE CHAMBER

EGGS 'N ISSUES - ENTREPRENEURSHIP RECEPTIONS, ERLANGER

INVESTING IN EQUITY SERIES - EMPLOYING, UNDERSTANDING AND ENGAGING OUR LGBTQ+ POPULATION | GATEWAY, EDGEWOOD CAMPUS

FLORENCE BUSINESS COUNCIL | TURFWAY PARK RACING AND GAMING

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

2023 WOMEN'S INITIATIVE REGIONAL SUMMIT | MEGACORP PAVILION, NEWPORT

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

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AROUND THE CHAMBER

GOVERNMENT FORUM - KENTUCKY STATE ELECTION PREVIEW | SUMMIT HILLS COUNTRY CLUB, CRESTVIEW HILLS

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

NKYP BOURBON AND BOARDS | NEWPORT CAR BARN

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

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AROUND THE CHAMBER HR 100 STRATEGIC SIX PACK KENTON COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY, ERLANGER

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

FLORENCE BUSINESS COUNCIL | 7 HILLS CHURCH

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WORKPLACE SAFETY TOUR | CERTAINTEED, SILVER GROVE

Ribbon Cuttings Sponsored by:

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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!

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

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MEMBER

LATITUDES 21

MILESTONES

SHARE YOUR GOOD NEWS! All NKY Chamber members are invited to share announcements & personal achievements in the Milestones column.

Local travel agency Latitude 21 Travel has been recognized for outstanding achievements by pioneering home-based agency group The Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel.

Latitude 21 Travel, a NEST affiliate, received the Horizon Award for an up-and-coming agency at the recent NEST FEST conference. Only 10 agencies across the country received NEST Awards at the premier national event for home-based consultants.

"I am incredibly honored to receive the Horizon Award from NEST as an agency on the rise,” said Sarah Bonsall, founder of Latitude 21 Travel.

“Launching Latitude 21 Travel just 11 months ago, this recognition is a true testament to the hard work, dedication and passion my team and I have put into creating unforgettable travel experiences. This prestigious honor inspires me to continue pushing the boundaries of excellence in the travel industry."

“Latitude 21 Travel is a wonderful model to all travel entrepreneurs running agencies from their homes,” said NEST President Kathryn Mazza-Burney. “Its high standards of excellence in customer service are one reason why more people are looking for travel advisors to plan their trips. Latitude 21 Travel’s success is contributing to an outstanding year for NEST and we expect demand for the agency’s expertise will continue to soar.”

NEST FEST took place on board MSC Cruises Seaside, sailing to the Bahamas round trip from Port Canaveral, Florida. The conference advances NEST’s mission to inspire, educate, and ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of travel partners to maximize their potential. Established in 2004, NEST is the first and only travel network dedicated to the success of the home-based advisor. Its award-winning marketing programs, business support and innovative technology help advisors reach new levels of accomplishment. For more on NEST, visit www. jointhenest.com.

Send Milestones to bgastright@nkychamber.com

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

BRIGHT FUTURES PEDIATRICS

Douglas Patrick Poon, M.D. has been named President of Bright Future Pediatrics.

Dr. Poon joined the private practice of Alexius M. Bishop, M.D., P.S.C. (now operating as Bright Future Pediatrics) in 1999. Dr. Poon was born in Cincinnati and attended St. Xavier High School.

He completed his undergraduate studies at Boston College and completed medical school at St. Louis University. He has been board certified with the American Academy of Pediatrics since 1999. Dr. Poon resides in Anderson Township with his wife Christine and they have three children. His interests include cooking, collecting sports memorabilia, and coaching tennis at St. Xavier High School.

MADE IN NKY | VOLUME 43 NUMBER 3

Kelley Burchell-Young, M.D. has been named Secretary/Treasurer of Bright Future Pediatrics. Dr. Young joined the practice in 2004.

Dr. Young is a lifetime resident of Northern Kentucky where she and her husband Dr. Chris Young are raising five children. She completed her undergraduate studies at Xavier University, graduated from University of Louisville School of Medicine, and has been board certified with the American Academy of Pediatrics since 2004.

Combined, both pediatricians have over 43 years of experience promoting the health of infants, children, and adolescents in private practice. Drs. Poon and Young, along with Elizabeth Combs, N.P. and Lynn Huesman, N.P., are looking forward to serving the children of our NKY community for many years to come.

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SCOOTER MEDIA

WELLS FARGO

Scooter Media, the public relations agency based in Covington, celebrated another successful year of public relations work at the Cincinnati Public Relations Society of America’s annual Blacksmith Awards ceremony.

The yearly event brings together the Greater Cincinnati region’s best public relations professionals to honor outstanding work and recognize professionals for their dedication to the industry and service to the community.

Taking home one of the evening’s top honors was Scooter Media Account Supervisor Amber Potter, who was named PR Professional of the Year. This prestigious recognition is given to an established practitioner who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and strategic thinking.

In addition to Potter’s recognition, Scooter Media was named Large Public Relations Agency of the Year for the second consecutive year. This honor is awarded to an agency that demonstrates exceptional achievement in the creation of PR campaigns that further client objectives, is committed to ongoing education and growth opportunities for team members and makes contributions to the community and the PR profession.

The agency also received awards for work with clients in the hospitality/foodservice and real estate development spaces.

Scooter Media is an award-winning boutique communications agency based in Covington, Ky. Since the company’s inception in 2012, it has grown to become one of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky’s premier public relations agencies, serving clients in a diverse range of industries including nonprofit, travel and tourism, consumer goods, arts and entertainment, food service, real estate and development, among others. Learn more at www.scootermediaco.com.

In August of 2023, Brooke Barker received the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ designation. Barker spent the last year taking classes at Xavier University to receive credit hours in five core areas of financial planning: Risk Management, Investment Planning, Income Tax Planning, Retirement Planning & Employee Benefits, and Estate Planning. With successful completion of the Capstone Course, Barker received an Executive Certificate in Financial Planning from Xavier University, which allowed her to sit for the 6-hour CFP® Certification Examination.

She passed the exam and fulfilled the required 4,000 hours of financial planning experience during her last two years with Wells Fargo Advisors.

For Context on the team at Wells Fargo: Brooke joined her dad, Tracy Barker, at Wells Fargo Advisors to form their team, Barker Wealth Management Group, in 2021. Prior to Financial Advising, she gained corporate finance experience at P&G working on the Charmin & Bounty brands. Today, Brooke works with clients on building customized plans for financial longevity. Together, this father and daughter team specialize in serving retirees and local business owners with investment management and advisory services.

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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bawac.org | 859.371.4410

EVENT CALENDAR JANUARY 1/10 1/11 1/16 1/18 1/18 1/23 1/24 1/25 1/29

HR 100 | Mazak Technology Center | 8:00 – 9:30 AM NKYP: Cocktails & Conversations | Pensive Distilling, Newport | 4:30 – 6:00 PM WI Morning Connect Hour | Turfway Parking Racing & Gaming, Florence | 8:00 – 10:00 AM Florence Business Council: Marketing & Mayhem | Hilton Cincinnati Airport, Florence | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Business After Hours | Buffalo Bar, Ludlow | 4:30 – 6:30 PM Eggs ‘N Issues: State of Northern Kentucky | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 – 9:00 AM HR 100: Proven Ways to Lead in Your HR Role | Mazak Technology Center, Florence | 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Fort Thomas Business Council | Mess Hall, Fort Thomas | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | C-Forward, Covington | 4:30 – 6:30 PM

FEBRUARY 2/1 2/1 2/1 2/7 2/8 2/15 2/20 2/21 2/22 2/26

Women’s Initiative Annual Breakfast | Turfway Park Racing & Gaming, Florence | 7:00 – 10:00 AM RYL Class of 2025 Applications Due RYL Fundraiser: Hello Dolly! | The Carnegie, Covington | 7:30 PM Getting the Most of Your Chamber Membership | NKY Chamber, Ft. Mitchell | 9:00 – 10:00 AM NKYP – TBD Florence Business Council: Economic Development/Outlook | Florence Baptist Church | 11:30 – 1:00 PM Eggs ‘N Issues | DEI Today, A Black History Month Celebration | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 – 9:00 AM A Day in Frankfort | Kentucky State Capital | 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM Fort Thomas Business Council | Mess Hall, Fort Thomas | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | Location TBD | 4:30 – 6:30 PM

MARCH 3/8 3/14 3/15 3/19 3/21 3/21 3/25 3/28

Talent Strategies Symposium | Kenton County Public Library | Time TBD NKYP - TBD Pickleball Madness | Five Seasons, Crestview Hills | 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM Eggs ‘N Issues: Sports Betting | Receptions, Erlanger | 7:30 – 9:00 AM Florence Business Council: Tourism & Northern Kentucky | Location TBD | 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Business After Hours | Location TBD | 4:30 – 6:30 PM Women’s Initiative Connect Hour | Location TBD | 4:30 – 6:30 PM Fort Thomas Business Council | Location TBD | 5:00 – 6:00 PM

Northern Kentucky Business Journal is published bi-monthly by:

Periodicals Postage Paid USPS-548630 at Covington, KY.

CEO/Publisher Brent Cooper | bcooper@nkychamber.com

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

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.

Marketing & Communications Shannan Boyer | shannan@scootermediaco.com

The Business Journal is a benefit of membership and included in membership fees. Annual subscription rate for nonmembers is $30.

Subscribers: Please send address changes by e-mail to info@nkychamber.com. © 2023, The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and by the individual authors.

All rights reserved.

Design & Photography Ben Gastright | bgastright@nkychamber.com Vice President, Membership–Sponsorship Sales Lynn Abeln | labeln@nkychamber.com Director, Sponsor Investments Diana McGlade | dmcglade@nkychamber.com Staff Writer Tabari McCoy | tabari@scootermediaco.com Printing Black Tie Productions

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NORTHERN KENTUCKY BUSINESS JOURNAL

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