September Chamber News

C H A M B E R N E W S

Inside This Issue:

Spotlight Interview

Member of the Month

Marketing Tips

New Members

Did you know?

Member Benefit Program

Upcoming Events

Tip of the Month

Connect With Us

About our Spotlight:

September 2023 Vol. 9

The Official Newsletter of the Troy Chamber of Commerce

Our spotlight of the month is WACO Air Museum, which consists of the Historic WACO Field and the WACO Aviation Learning Center. This interview is with WACO's Executive Director of the WACO Airfield and Museum, Nancy Royer

Spotlight: WACO Air Museum

Q: WACO is celebrating 100 years with the fly in on September 15th-17th, what are you excited for people to see/do at this event?

A: I am excited about seeing families walking around the WACO field where together they can touch, feel, and experience aviation together; where flight seems closer than ever before; and where they are making memories and forming foundations for the future Be sure and look for the reenactors dressed in period clothing such as WACO owner Clayton Brukner, test pilot Freddie Lund, and Hattie Myers Be sure and ask Hattie about her marriage to both the WACO Co-founder Buck Weaver and WACO Co-founder Sam Junkin

I am also excited to see people on the dance floor at the Swing Dance & Dinner on Saturday night as the 17-piece Tom Daugherty Orchestra, in full WW2 uniforms, recreate the sounds of the Glen Miller Air Force Bandandtohearthe“AndrewSisters”singBoogieWoogieBugleBoy!Thisissomethingwehaven’toffered before and It will be very festive. Tickets are on sale now in our gift shop or by calling the museum ($47 andincludeacateredmeal,livemusic,anddancing)

Q:The WACO Air Museum has been open to the public since 1997, what was your mission when you first opened your doors? And how does that compare to your mission now?

A:Theoriginalmissionwassimplytopreservethepast(thehistoryoftheWACOairplane,thefactory,and its employees) Shortly after its founding, the mission grew to include the desire to inspire the future Collections of aircraft, tools, photos, and memorabilia are preserved and on display at the museum, while the WACO learning center focuses on inspiring the future. For 25 years the learning center has offered aviationeducation,andtheofferingshavecontinuedtogrow.AtWACO,youthcanlearntheoldtechniques ofwoodandfabricairplaneconstruction.Weareaplacethatgivesstudentsaplacetoexperiencethings thatarenormallynotavailableathomeorinschool.

Q: How many employees/volunteers does WACO Air Museum have?

A: WACO employs 2 full-time and 4 part-time employees and is blessed with some of the world’s best volunteers! In an average week,wehaveabout12volunteerswhoarehelpinginthemuseum and learning center. These people become great friends and love working side by side with one another. We have room for more people to join our growing WACO family. Especially as we approach the 100th anniversary. We are in need of all types of volunteers: parking attendants, selling tickets, answering phones that continuously ring during the event, and more. If you are interested please contact admin@wacoairmusuemorg or the museumat937-335-9226

Q: You offer many services/events throughout the year at the Museum, how many events would you say on average that you run each year?

A: The Fly-In event is our biggest every year Next year we look forward to celebrating the solar eclipse in April WACOwillhaveavailabilityforpeopletoflyinandcampforeclipseviewing WACOisalsoapopular location for Boy Scout aviation merit badge campouts. Most people don’t realize that our entire grounds areavailabletorentforlargefestivalsandevents.

Q: What challenges has the Museum had to face and overcome?

A: We all had the challenges of navigating through COVID, and figuring out how to come out of it successfully. As a non-profit, we have the challenge of finding enough volunteers to help run a nearly 100-acre campus which includes a runway that needs to be mowed frequently, and multiple facilities thatneedmaintaining.Wedonotreceiveregularcity,state,orfederaldollarsandthereforehaveaneed for outside funding We are grateful for Collins Aerospace, and other corporate sponsors, who subsidize ourlearningcenterprograms

Q: What are WACO Air Museum’s long-term goals?

A: Our main goal for 2024 will be to complete the learning center budling in order to offer the community more extracurricular educational offerings as well as a place to gather for a unique event venue As you enter the new building, a partial quote by Ohioan John Glenn will be our guide as it reads “The most important thing we can do is inspireyoungmindsandtoadvancethekindofscience,math and technology education that will help youngsters take us to the next phase of....” We will leave the quote incomplete because the next generation will take us to the next level of the unknown…the next level of whatever the next phase could possiblybe.

Q: What elements of your Museum do you think makes you so unique and so vital to the Troy/Miami Valley community?

A: I think incorporating teachings of the past and future together makes us unique We truly are preserving history while also inspiring the future at the same time and in the same place We have the unique opportunity to teach kids to setalong-termgoalandcompleteitinsmallbite-sizepieces For example, we have kids working with skilled mentors to restoreairplanestoflyablecondition Thatdoesn’thappenina day;ittakesyears.Forthemostpart,oursocietywantsaquick fix now, but there is great value in learning the patience required for a long-term project. Here one will find a blend of vintage hand-crafted techniques while also offering more moderncoursessuchasroboticsanddronecamps.Allofour courses are designed to be hands-on learning because research shows that the brain learns when the hands are in motion

Q: What is something new that the WACO Air Museum has to offer?

A: Debuting at the 100 Anniversary celebration will be the new driving tour which will guide people to see all the original WACO factory sites in town. People can get a brochure in the gift shop, and complete the drivingtourontheirownwhileusingQRcodestogivethemtheinformation.

Q: Are there any needs that Museum has not met in the community, that you would like to serve in the future?

A: We would love to partner with the school systems, to use aviation in science classrooms. We live in an area well acquainted with aviation and could continue to grow the aerospace community by better preparingyoungmindsforthisfield.

Q: What is something about WACO Air Museum that you think people would be surprised to learn about?

A:IthinkpeoplewouldbesurprisedtoknowthatWACOwasthenumberoneemployer,notjustinTroy orMiamiCounty,butinafive-countyareainthe1940s Itemployedabout2,500peoplethroughoutthe war, including both men and women. You could say it was a base for Rosie the Riveters who made the glidersusedduringWW2.WACOwasextremelyimportanttotheeconomicgrowthofTroy.

Thank you from the Troy Chamber of Commerce to the WACO Air Museum for this wonderful interview!

MiamiValleySteelServiceInc.

Miami Valley Steel Service: Where Excellence is Everything

Located in Piqua, OH, Miami Valley Steel Service is proud to be the Troy Chamber of Commerce’s “Member of the Month”, and we’re excited to share how excellence drives everything that we do.

Customer Delight

We are not just a steel service center, we’re a commitment to top-tier quality Our partnerships with our customers go beyond business – it’s about understanding their needs and delivering exceptional solutions With over 800 customers across the US, we live by our motto: “Quality is when the customer comes back, and the steel doesn’t”

Team Power

Our team isn’t just a workforce; we’re a family Our commitment to each other includes a 40+ year history of zero forced layoffs, a company-sponsored zero cost clinic, an onsite gym with personal trainer, along with so much more These benefits are in place not because we must offer them, but because it’s the right thing to do for our team and their families.

Community Bond: Where Excellence Grows

We’re not just about business, we’re about our community too. Through partnerships, sponsorships, and volunteer initiatives, we give back to the place that’s nurtured us. Supporting schools, championing sustainability, and contributing to local events define our pursuit of excellence beyond our doors.

Learn more about Miami Valley Steel Service and our commitment to excellence at www miamivalleysteel com

MemberoftheMonth

Essential Tips

Can AI Beneﬁt My Marketing? 3 Questions to Ask

The current pace of innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools is astounding. If you’re curious about how they can benefit your marketing, ask yourself these three questions.

Where can we add AI tools to create efficiencies?

Are you currently doing any low-value tasks that an automated tool could handle more efficiently? Tasks like scheduling social media posts or creating photo captions are good candidates for AI tools. These tools could help you free up more time to focus on higher-value work.

Do we already have tools that have built-in AI functions?

Tools you’re already using may have AI functions you can use to make your job easier. For example, your email marketing tool may suggest certain times to send emails based on past performance. Or, your CRM might have an automatic lead scoring system to help you sort and prioritize prospects. Many tools, including the HubSpot Marketing Automation Platform, now include built-in AI content writing functions.

Implementing a new tool can be expensive, so explore what you’re already using and see if it has any AI options that can help you become more efficient.

Do we have principles or a policy in place to keep our brand human?

AI is a tool that can help support marketing activities and bring efficiency, but it can never replace what a human can do. Marketing still needs a human brain, strategy and creativity behind it to achieve the best results.

So, while it’s fine to use AI tools for efficiency and to help brainstorm or form a content outline, make sure you implement principles or a policy for proper usage and to ensure human oversight to keep your unique brand voice and brand personality.

At Marketing Essentials, we have adopted principles for how we’re using AI. Find our principals in the article, Our Principals for Using AI in Marketing, and many more articles on the latest trends in marketing in our blog at blog.mktgessentials.com/.

By Tyler Louth, Chief Executive Officer at Marketing Essentials (mktgessentials com)

Scan to view our blog:

Submit your marketing and sales questions to Tyler at connect@mktgessentials com

DeltechPolymers

1250 Union St Troy OH 45373

(800) 245-3150

http://www.deltech.com

TheSMPLounge

(937) 422-1717

https://www.thesmplounge.com/

KiwanisClubofTroyOhio

250 Crestwood Dr Troy, OH 45373

(937) 573-6150

https://www.troyohkiwanis.org/

SpeakeasyMiso

101 W Main St Troy OH 45373

(937) 703-1103

http://www facebook com/profile php?id=100089093812146

Did you know your employees are members of the Chamber?

Did you Know?

Your investment in the Chamber includes all of your employees and isn’t just for one person? Investment in the Chamber includes benefits that may benefit your employees including:

Participating in networking events

Morning Connections (every other month)

Lunch with 12 Strangers (every other month)

On The Menu Luncheon (Monthly Lunch & Learn)

Leadership and Professional Development Opportunities

Leadership Troy (9 month program, application required)

Coffee with Champions (meets weekly)

Benefit Programs

Energy Savings Program - employees can save on their natural gas and electric Tuition discount program through Franklin University We would be glad to provide you with additional details on these programs Call the office at 937-339-8769

Welcome New Members! Welcome New Members!

HR Solutions and Support for your business.

Grow your bottom line with effective HR solutions Your organization's most valuable resource is your people Our HR experts can help you find and identify the right talent using effective recruitment methods/tools, develop welcoming onboarding practices, set clear expectations with an employee handbook, navigate your compliance requirements, and more.

Strategic HR provides HR solutions at a discounted rate for Troy Chamber members. As a member, you can choose the package that is right for you

Benefit Packages Include:

HR Checkup & Consultation

HR Check up

HR Consultation (Up to 2 hours)

HR “prescription”

Recruitment Check up + Job Kick Off

Recruitment Checkup & Debrief

One Job Kick Off including job ad, prescreen, questionnaire & interview guide

Virtual HR Subscription

24/7 access for 12 months

Exclusive access to industry-leading tools

DIY resources and unique training videos

State & Federal Law libraries

HR & Recruitment Bundle

HR & Recruitment Checkups & Debrief

Two hours of HR Consultation

One Job Kickoff as listed above

Employee Handbook

Create a basic handbook (100 employees or less)

Includes intitial discussion, draft handbook & final review of handbook

Let us connect you to Melissa Dern at Strategic HR to see how she can assist you with your HR needs no matter how big or small.

Strategic HR Benefit Program details can also be found online - https://strategichrinc com/soca-chambermember-discounts/

MemberDiscoutProgam

MemberBenefit

MemberDiscoutProgam UpcomingEvents&Promotion

2023 Annual Golf Scramble

Friday, September 22, 2023 (8:00AM-3:00PM) (EDT)

GetyourfoursometogetherandjoinusfortheAnnualGolf Scramble.Theoutingincludesbreakfast,drinksand networkingpriortotheevent,snacksandbeveragesonthe courseandhappyhour&awardsfollowingplay Notagolf player:SignupfortheCornholetournament.Calltheofficeat 937-339-8769.

business.troyohiochamber.com/events

Sales Growth Series - Self Concept

Wednesday, September 13, 2023 (2:00 PM - 3:00 PM) (EDT)

SalesGrowthSeries:TheSalesGrowthSeriesprogramis gearedtowardshelpingcompaniesandindividualsrecognize theRoadblocksthatareintheirway Theprogramwillbefor4 weeksthroughoutthemonthofAugustfocusingon:Key Strategies,Tips,andTechniquestoimprovetheprocessand helpyoureachyourpotentialin4CriticalAreas;Prospecting, TheSalesConversation,AccountManagement,andourSelf Concept

business.troyohiochamber.com/events

Boost Your Brand on Facebook

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 (8:00 AM - 9:30 AM) (EDT)

IsyourbusinessneedingalittleboostonFacebook?Learnhowto boostyourFacebookPageforyourbusinesswithJoeLaber&Ted Andrews.

TopicsCovered:

IsFacebookstillapowerfultool

Tuneupyourbusinesspage

Howtoeffectivelyusehashtags

Prosandconsofcross-posting

Becomeamasterofengagement

It'sallabouttellingNOTselling

Pluswe'llfindoutwhatyourFacebook'battingaverage'isand howtoimproveit!

businesstroyohiochambercom/events

Tip of the Month

Be consistent with your social media posts to help build a relationship with your followers. Social media is a great way to connect to your customers and the people you are trying to advertise to most, but a great way to do this is by creating a “content calendar”.

Having your content planned out and scheduled in advance makes you more consistent, but also aids with productivity and saves you time. Setting aside time dedicated to your content/marketing, prevents things being done at last minute and allows you to take your time in creating your content before you release it Furthermore a content calendar makes sure that you are accountable and on track with your goals.

By doing this, you can stay organized as you build a following in your community This might be a slow process with slower results, but will be worth it in the end.