Chamber calendar

Saturday, March 15: Ribbon cutting, Rejuvenate Health, Fitness and MedSpa, 79 N. Mulberry St., 11 a.m.

Wednesday, March 19: Business After Business at Pump House Center for the Arts, co-sponsored by Price Real Estate an dAuction Service, Price Insurance and Transitions Unlimited!; 5-7 p.m.; BAB registration

Thursday, March 20: Executive Committee, 8:30 a.m., chamber.

Thursday, March 24: Groundbreaking ceremony, $45.5 million Adena Regional Medical Center northeast expansion, 11 a.m.

Thursday, March 24: Board of Directors, Adens Health System board room, 1 p.m.

Chamber-related links

Economic Development
www.edaso.org

Downtown Chillicothe
www.downtownchillicothe.com

Chillicothe YPN
www.chillicotheypn.com

Visitors Bureau
www.visitchillicotheohio.com

Chamber event photos
www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com

Click above to go to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site for small business

For previous newsletter editions, click here

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Copyright 2008

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722

Baby Boomers making

their way to retirement -- sort of

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

Employers in Chillicothe and Ross County are not immune to the effects of the large number of Baby Boomers who will be retiring from the workforce in the next decade or so. What’s happening, though, is that employers are looking for ways to ease the transition to a younger workforce.

Robert Gallagher, director of the Ross County Department of Job and Family Services, forwarded a report from his state office that researches the issue. “Ohio’s Graying Labor Force: Aging through 2016” details the changes in demographics that have started and will last for almost another decade. Some of the implications from the report include:

• The change in Social Security laws which have younger Baby Boomers working longer to get full retirement benefits.
• The change by many companies in their pension programs that provide on-going benefits to older workers, rather than the former disincentives to continue working.
• Improvements in health care that add more productive years.
• Some companies are making their environments more attractive to older workers. They are turning some full-time positions into part-time ones and some are providing “snowbird” positions which allow employees to take off for a time for warmer climates.

At the Economic Forecast Luncheon in January, Plant Manager Scott Blue said about 300 employees are expected to retire from the Kenworth Truck Company plant in the next 10 years. He pointed out this will provide employment opportunities for their replacements and will pump money into the local economy as the retirees spend their savings to enjoy life in their later years.

In Ross County, the percentage of those ages 55-64 rose to 10.9 percent of the total population in 2006 from 8.9 percent in 1990. It was an increase of 2,073. The median age rose to 37.3 years in 2006 from 36.9 years in 2000.

To read the full report: Ohio’s Graying Labor Force

Charities to benefit from Wednesday’s BAB

Make sure to bring your checkbooks Wednesday to the Business After Business at the Pump House Center for the Arts. Price Real Estate and Auction Services plans to auction several items donated by three other chamber members with the proceeds going to three local charities.

• The Cellar Room donated a Chillicothe throw and custom painted portrait to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay for Life;
• ArtTech donated a neon “Cavs” sign celebrating the success of the boys basketball team suitable for hanging in a family or game room with proceeds going to the Junior Civic League;
• Globe Furniture donated an Americana piece of canvas art, a 5-by-8 area rug and an Americana pillow depicting 9-11 with proceeds going to Rock for Tots.

Before and after the auction while you’re networking, you also can check out the Spring Open Exhibition of the Chillicothe Art League that kicked off this week. JoRo Catering will provide a wide assortment of appetizers and your favorite beverages will be available. Price Insurance and Transitions Unlimited! are the other two co-sponsors of the event. Let us know you plan to attend: BAB registration

You are in very good company

Every one of the top 24 firms named in Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” are members of their local chamber of commerce. Another 70 on the list also see the value of membership in their local chambers. We’re not sure why the other six aren’t on board. “If a company cares about its employees, there’s a good chance it also cares about its community and the chamber is the way that great employers invest in both,” said Mick Fleming, president of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives organization. This finding follows an earlier study that found that consumers are 63 percent more likely to buy products from companies that they believe are chamber members.

Thank you to those who have renewed and a reminder for others

To the vast majority of our 624 members who have paid their dues to renew their membership for 2008, we say thank you for continuing to make an investment in your chamber which works to make for a better community. Without your support, the programs and activities provided by the chamber would not be possible. To those few members who are still on the fence about renewing, you’ll receive a final dues reminder by the end of next week which we hope will convince you to remain a member.

We’re now keeping track of major local projects

Just when you might think there’s not much happening in the way of progress in the community, check out a new feature available anytime on the website of the Economic Development Alliance of Southern Ohio. It’s a spreadsheet in PDF format that details all of the major projects under way or in the works in not only Ross, but also Pike counties. For those of you who have to report periodically to your regional or home office about other activities in the area, this will be a great tool you can save to your computer and include in your reports. The page can be found under the “Other Resources” menu at www.edaso.org. Check it out: Major projects

Join us for a ribbon cutting

New chamber member Rejuvenate Health, Fitness and MedSpa is officially cutting the ribbon on its new business at 79 N. Mulberry St. Saturday at 11. Owner Kimberly Boydston-Tuttle will provide tours and information on the facility throughout the day.

Upgraded road serving Pike Countians well

Theta Pro2Serve Management Company managed the upgrading of Fog Road and will maintain the route that was a gravel road serving as an access around the northeast portion of the uranium enrichment complex until Sept. 11, 2001. The road was paved and two bridges repaired to provide a direct route between Shyville and Dry Run roads. School buses and residents now have a better way to navigate the area.

Here’s who’s joined the chamber recently:

• Regional History Resources, 2565 Blain Highway, by Pamela Pauley, 466-5331, providing historical research, educational workshops and walking tours of downtown Chillicothe.
• Shred Devil, Wheelersburg, by Dylan O’Bannion, 740-935-3522, providing on-site document destruction.
• Buffalo Wild Wings, 1080 N. Bridge Street, by Bob Sparks, 779-9484, www.buffalowildwings.com

Building permits issued by the Ross County Building Department:

• McFadden Pharmacy, 115 E. Main St., Bainbridge, electrical upgrade, value $1,900.
• Bainbridge United Methodist Church, 210 E. Second St., replace fire alarm panel, $1,105.
• Horizon Chillicothe Telephone, 189 Yaples Orchard Drive, install power supply, $500.
• Adena Schools, 27 N. Main St., alterations for preschool, $10,000.

Vendors licenses issued by the Ross County Auditor:

• Knisley’s Rods-N-More, 19004 U.S. 50, by Charles Knisley.

From the chamber's archives of the board minutes:

40 years ago, on May 19, 1967: “Chairman Ken Melvin reported that the Civic Affairs Committee had heard a first hand report on the proposed Downtown Mall this noon by Architect Gene Swartz. …  A copy of this plan was posted and Mr. Melvin explained details of the proposed Mall. … It was moved by John Herlihy that the Chillicothe Area Chamber of Commerce endorse the Mall project as presented, with final approval subject to an acceptable traffic pattern. Second by Ralph Helmick and carried.”