The Official Newsletter of the Troy Chamber of Commerce
CHAMBER NEWS February 2024 Vol. 2
Spotlight: Conagra Brands Our Spotlight Interview for February is Conagra Brands. Conagra Brands, headquartered in Chicago, combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus and entrepreneurial spirit. Their Troy Branch is located at 801 Dye Mill Rd; Troy, OH 45373. This interview is with Troy's new Plant Manager for Conagra, Michael Roth.
Q: When was Conagra Brands founded? When did Conagra come to Troy? A: Conagra was founded in 1919. In 1998 Conagra began business in Troy after purchasing the plant that was previously owned by Gilardi Foods. Our Troy location is now where the school pizzas, calzones, and appetizers are primarily made. Q: What is the mission of Conagra Brands? A: Conagra has the most impactful, energized, and inclusive culture in food. Our diverse team embraces debate to challenge marketplace/business conventions. We are respected for our great brands, great food, great margins, and consistent results. Q: About how many employees does the Troy location have? A. We have approximately 1,000 employees.
Q: What are some of the products that the Troy location produces? A: We make Slim Jims, and also have a bakery that makes pizza, calzones, and appetizers for schools. Q: What moments/things have been most rewarding to you in this business? A. Seeing the plant grown from 300 to 1,000 people over the last 15 years. Q: What challenges has Conagra had to face and overcome? A: Similar to a lot of food manufacturing companies, we had a hard time keeping up with the changes brought on by the pandemic. Q: What elements of your business do you think makes you so unique and so vital to the Miami Valley community? A. We have grown from a mid sized employer to one of the largest employers in the area over the past 15 years. Growth started in 2012, in such a short amount of time, we have expanded our business exponentially. Q: What is a future goal that you would like to accomplish with Conagra? A: Each year Conagra donates thousands of pounds of food that reaches food pantries across the country. However, I would want to go further and work more in the community itself. I would like to see Conagra partner and work with local non-profits. Q: What is something about Conagra that you think people would be surprised to learn about? A: I think people would be surprised about our size and presence in the community. You don’t really realize how many brands Conagra owns. Our plant in Troy is one of many for the company. We own a wide variety of brands that many people buy. This includes brands such as Birds Eye®, Duncan Hines®, Healthy Choice®, Marie Callender’s®, Reddi-wip®, and Slim Jim®; as well as emerging brands including Angies®, BOOMCHICKAPOP®, Duke’s®, Earth Balance®, Gardein™, and Frontera®. If you go home and look in your fridge, I am sure that you have something that is made locally.
Thank you to Conagra Brands for this interview!
Member Member of of the the Month Month
Superior Credit Union Superior Credit Union is thrilled to be a part of the Troy community for the past year and for many years to come! Superior joined Troy in February 2023 with the merger of HTM Area Credit Union. This year, Superior is celebrating 70 years of service! Headquartered in Lima, Ohio, they began as Superior Coach Employees Federal Credit Union in October 1954. Since joining the Troy community, Superior has been excited to partner with many nonprofit organizations and schools to give back to the community. From the Troy Baseball Association to the United Way, and so much more. Superior’s Troy office is centrally located at 847 W Main Street. Branch Manager Marla Baker and her team are available from 8:30 am – 5 pm Monday thru Friday and Saturdays 9 am – 12 Noon to help you with all your financial needs. Superior Credit Union: Your One-Stop Shop for ALL Financial Products + Services Superior has some of the best deposit rates in town: Members can earn up to 4.15% APY with a 60-month CD and up to 3.50% APY with a Superior MoneyMax account! Visit the Troy office to get started or visit www.SuperiorCU.com to open your account online. Superior is your one-stop shop for all financial products and services. Deposit products include high-interest savings accounts, checking accounts with direct deposit and debit cards, and certificates of deposit. Loan products include automobile, home equity, business, credit cards, mortgages and so much more. Superior services all their own mortgages and is happy to assist their members throughout the homebuying process. If rising mortgage rates are making you hesitant to buy a home, you’re in luck. Superior now offers Lock & Shop! Qualified members can lock in their mortgage rate with Superior for 90 days while searching for the home of their dreams. Visit Troy Mortgage Loan Originator Phil Schumann for all your mortgage needs. You can apply online at www.SuperiorCU.Mortgage to get started. Join Superior Today! Superior has one of the largest fields of membership in Ohio with 28 of the 88 counties, three counties in Northern Kentucky, one county in Southeastern Indiana, and one county in Southeastern Michigan now eligible for Superior Membership. Superior can accept new members from the following counties: Allen, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Darke, Defiance, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan, Lucas, Marion, Mercer, Miami, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert, Warren, Williams, Wood and Wyandot in Ohio; Campbell, Kenton, and Boone Counties in Kentucky; Dearborn County in Indiana; and Monroe County in Michigan. Visit our Troy branch or www.SuperiorCU.com to open an account, apply for a loan or to learn more!
Member Discout Progam
Read the Miami Valley Today article about the State of the Chamber HERE.
Meet The Board
Chairman: Troy Mercer Company: Vice President at The Mercer Group-Regional Athletic Field Contractor based in Troy How long have you been in that role? Full-time since 2009 Whis it important to be part of the Chamber Board? Enjoy being involved in the community. Being a part of the Chamber board allows me to work with others for the greater good of businesses in Troy and the surrounding area. Family: Wife, Mallory (Audiologist at Upper Valley Hearing & Balance). Three children – Trenton (10), Thompson (7) & Tessa (4) Favorite Local Spot: Enjoy eating at local restaurants and attending events in the downtown area Executive Committee: Bonnie Harris Frey Ben Poeppelman Bob Winner
Vice-Chairperson Treasurer Past-Chairman
Harris Jeweler Pepcon/Poeppelman Materials Winner’s Computer
Directors: Jenna Denlinger Christy Fielding Jason Hoelscher Spencer McPeek Chis Piper Trish Wackler Christine Suchodolski
Keller Williams HometownRealty Waibel Energy Systems Allen Financial Group Conagra Brands Troy City Schools Upper Valley Medical Center Honda of America
The board of directors meets every other month on the second Tuesday.
ESSENTIAL TIPS How To Make an Impact With Digital Advertising
Whether you’re launching a new business or want to grow, digital advertising is a great way to get in front of a brand-new audience. Check out a few of our tips below for getting started with digital advertising.
HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH TO BUDGET FOR DIGITAL ADVERTISING? Start with what you want to achieve. Is it brand awareness? Traf c? Lead generation? This will help determine the platform ads should serve on - search engines or social media. In general, brand awareness is less costly than lead generation. As far as platforms, Facebook, for example, tends to be cheaper than Instagram and LinkedIn, but you’ll need to utilize the platform that best ts your target audience.
HOW MUCH DO DIGITAL ADS USUALLY COST? You can dive into each platform by industry to nd the average cost per click for your service or product. Facebook, for example, has an industry-wide average cost per click of $0.72, but for B2B companies, the average is $2.52. On Google, search ads have an industry-wide average of $2.69, but for a B2B industry, it is $3.33.
HOW DO I GET MY ADS IN FRONT OF MY TARGET AUDIENCE? Determine if your audience is actively or passively searching for your service or product. This will help you decide if you should utilize search engines or social platforms - or a mix of both. Display or social media ads are great for passive users and tend to be less expensive as they are more brand awareness and traf c-based goals, whereas active searches tend to be more lead-generation-focused. Digital ads are a great way to boost your business, but they can be complicated to set up and manage. With a team of 30+ marketing and sales experts, Marketing Essentials can help you create a budget, map out a strategic plan, and manage your ads to give your business the edge you need. Contact us today to learn more. Scan or click By Tyler Louth, Chief Executive Officer at Marketing Essentials (mktgessentials.com). Submit your marketing and sales questions to Tyler at connect@mktgessentials.com.
here to view our digital advertising services:
Welcome New Members!
Blitz Revolution Inc. (937) 985-4359 Category: Information Technologies
Garden Gate Realty 1304 W Main St. Troy OH 45373 (937) 335-2522 Category: Real Estate Services
Lanyap Financial Services (937) 397-2201 Category: Accountants
Wheelers Driving School 315 Public Sq Suite #205 Troy OH 45373 (937) 407-5150 Category: Training
Flawless Signs and Wraps LLC 66 Industry CT Suite C Troy OH 45373 (937) 559-0672 Category: Signs & Banners, Marketing, Graphic Design, Advertising/Promotions
Holiday Inn Express Tipp City 1100 West Main Street Tipp City OH 45371 (937) 667-5161 Category: Accommodations, Hotels/Motels
Suds in a Bucket Cleaning Service (937) 459-8801 Category: Cleaning Services
HR Extension:Discout PreparingProgam for Audits Member A big thank you to everyone who braved the snowstorm and joined us for our inaugural 2024 HR Council Meeting! FGKS provided valuable updates on the new marijuana laws, Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, PUMP Act, and Corporate Transparency Act. As highlighted during the meeting, we anticipate receiving the final ruling on the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act in April. Rest assured; we'll promptly share updated communications with all chamber members once the ruling is confirmed. Your participation and engagement are greatly appreciated! Human Resources for Small Businesses In the intricate landscape of business operations, small businesses face unique challenges when it comes to HR compliance. As regulations evolve across states and industries, staying informed and proactive is crucial for small business owners and HR professionals. Let’s explores the key areas of small business compliance. Today's businesses have to manage countless aspects, including audits, filing deadlines, health coverage, minimum wages, job posting requirements, and federal, local, and industry-specific laws Understanding Key Laws and Regulations: Given the dynamic nature of compliance, small businesses must identify and comprehend the laws affecting them. While there are numerous regulations to consider, three fundamental areas demand close attention: 1. Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA): Sets requirements for minimum wage, overtime, hours worked, record-keeping, and child labor. Subject to change, non-compliance may lead to increased costs imposed by the U.S. Department of Labor. 2. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA): Establishes requirements for safe and healthy workplaces, enforced by OSHA through methods like on-site inspections and routine audits. Penalties for non-compliance range from fines to shutting down noncompliant workplaces. 3. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA): Allows employees and their dependents to retain health insurance temporarily due to various life events. Compliance challenge lies in identifying when COBRA applies. Want to see if you’re ready for your next internal audit? You can do so by following the link here to take a quick quiz.
Strawberry MemberFestival Discout Progam The Strawberry Festival will be June 1 & 2 this year. Would you like to get involved in the festival? The Festival is currently seeking volunteers for key positions including vendor chairpersons and volunteers for the shuttle. Skills needed: enjoy working with the public love the community great verbal and written communication skills able to stand for long periods of time available festival weekend including set up and tear down (Friday, Saturday & Sunday)
Interested in being a Sponsor? Sponsorship of the festival can provide your business with visibility throughout the region. The festival welcomes over 175,000 people over the entire festival weekend. Visitors are from over the Southwest Ohio region and neighboring states. Sponsorship provides you with visibility through signage, opportunities to be onsite and opportunities to be showcased on our website and social media platforms. Facebook 26K followers 134K reach Instagram 2.6K followers
Website www.troystrawberryfest.com 67K users 94K page views
Download the sponsor packet here for complete details or contact the office at 937-339-8769.
Member Discout Progam Member Benefit: Two plus Two Loyalty Program Did you know that as a Chamber Member, you are eligible for benefits through FriendsOffice? Most Chamber Members are Eligible for the Two Plus Two Chamber Enhanced Loyalty Program . Furthermore, there is a 2% Customer Rebate on all PUrchases for Chamber Members through this program. FriendsOffice is one of Ohio's largest independently owned office supply dealers. For over 30 years, FriendsOffice has been the go-to source for companies and school districts throughout Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. FriendsOffice can provides resources for: design consultation janitorial & safety print & promotion technology & document solutions school supplies furniture & installation office supplies coffee & breakroom
For more information please email Amy Lyons: alyons@friendsoffice.com or call 937-418-8737
EmpowHER - A Day for Women Friday, March 1, 2024 (11:00 AM - 4:00 PM)
The EmpowHER event began in 2019 to celebrate International Women's Day and to empower women leaders in business. EmpowHER Speakers: Heather Salazar- President & CEO of Pink Ribbon Good Topic- Finding Your Mojo After Adversity Christy Shell, M. Ed. - Owner/Founder of Zeal Coaching for Life & Career Topic- Extraordinary You: The Practical Magic of Finding Your Awesomeness Janet Jackson - Owner, Consultant, Trainer of Organization Solutions Topic- Doing What Matters Most You can learn more about this event, and register here.
Did you Know?
Did you know that the Chamber has relocation resources? The Chamber provides Relocation Guides and Packets for those choosing to relocated to Troy. When you are hiring, the Chamber can provide you with relocation information that includes informational to assist them with acclimating to Troy. The guide includes: utility banking accommodation information education resources/information recreations & attractions and much more Packets can be picked up at the office or bulk amounts of packets can be requested with 48 hours notice. Our office number is: 937-339-8769 The Relocation Guide is available online at this link: www.troyohiochamber.com/relocation/
MEMBER FACEBOOK GROUP Did you know that the Chamber has a Members Only Facebook group? The purpose of the group is to find connections, share current promotions, business needs and additional resources.
LETS CONNECT Follow the Chamber on social media platforms to stay connected. Use our hashtags: #MyTroyChamber #RememberAMember Want us to share your post? Be sure to tag us in the post or in the comments and we will do our best to share and help you with added reach.
