Chamber-related links

Economic Development
www.edaso.org

Chillicothe Job Bank
www.chillicothejobbank.net

Downtown Chillicothe
www.downtownchillicothe.com

Chillicothe YPN
www.chillicotheypn.com

Visitors Bureau
www.visitchillicotheohio.com

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

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

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Doom and gloom nationally

tempered by progress locally

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

PACCAR center The news coming out of Wall Street and Washington this week has just about everyone double-clutching their wallets and checking online almost hourly their investment balances. It’s scary stuff, for sure.

Here in the heartland of the country, plenty of us are worried about the direction not only of the national and state economy, but the local economy. We’ve suffered through layoffs, the imminent closing of a large operation and a downturn in spending at local stores, restaurants, auto dealers and other retailers.

On the other hand, this area has been fortunate to be able to report some very positive news on the economic front. Sometimes it’s good to recap those fortunes to remind us that not all is doom and gloom. For instance:

Adena Health System just cut the ribbon on its $15 million PACCAR Medical Education Center and the first of what will be many students are working on attaining their bachelor’s degree in nursing. Ribbons will be cut next year and in 2010 when construction is completed on the northeast expansion project and the health system adds new rooms, an observation area and other facilities that will mean employing at least another 100 people.
Construction was set back a little with last weekend’s wind storm, but early next year the new Menards home improvement store on North Bridge Street will open for customers in its 212,000 square foot facility. A Sonic restaurant is expected to go in front of it shortly.
Anixter Fasteners, a supplier to Kenworth, opened this month its operations with nine employees on South McArthur Street.
IHOP is putting the finishing touches on the former Fazoli’s in Shawnee Square.
Chipotle’s will open by the holidays in front of Sam’s Club.
Penn Station is going to town renovating the former JR Valentine’s restaurant.
State Street Electric will start on its new facility in the Gateway Interchange Industrial Park on Ohio 104 as soon as the road extension is complete.

Website features now available to chamber members

Directory Comprehensive search information, “Hot Deals”, enhanced descriptions of your business or organization and 24/7 access to your information are just some of the features available to all chamber members in our new partnership with ChamberMaster. It’s a membership database system we’ll be using to keep track of all of you, but it’s also a tool for you to better promote your business and keep your information up to date.

Each member will have a unique username and password to access your information. We will be emailing that information early next week, but if you’d like a sneak peek early, give us a call today or Monday and we’ll get it to you. Once you log in, you can change both your username and password to something you can better remember. Once in, you will be able to:

Correct any incorrect information such as address, phone numbers and email address as well as choose the categories you’d like your business to appear when others conduct a search.
Review the listing of representatives for your business. In a couple weeks, we will be using this list to send this newsletter, email blasts and other communications. You can have as many representatives as you’d like.
Input a 200-word description of your business, your hours of operation, driving directions and keywords that will help searchers find you. This information will be displayed when folks click on your name after doing an online search.
Post a “Hot Deal” on new product or service offerings. Once the deal is posted, those who click on the logo on our home page, then click to your deal, they’ll be able to print a coupon on their printer to bring to your business to redeem. This will soon replace the “Member Discounts” page on our website now.

In a couple weeks, ChamberMaster will begin calling or contacting all members to verify your database information and also to provide you with unique marketing opportunities on our website. A percentage of the marketing revenue is returned to the chamber.

This partnership is designed to give you, our members, more exposure in an easier-to-use format when our website visitors use the online directory while giving the chamber a web-based tool to keep better track of all of the activities of our members. To get a better idea of this new chamber benefit, we encourage you to go to www.chillicotheohio.com and click the “Online directory” link on the left side. From there, you can search for your own business.

We hope you take full advantage of the new tools and we’re interested in hearing your thoughts once you’ve had a chance to take a tour.

Bluegrass great background for BAB

Glatfelter’s own Willie Ruggles and his Bluegrass Disciples were just one of the many fine touches the company had for the more than 175 who made it to the Business After Business at the Adena Mansion and Gardens. Best-selling books printed on Glatfelter paper, reusable grocery bags with hats, pads and a deck of Glatfelter playing cards combined with the fine food and wine from the Chillicothe Country Club staff made for great time under the best possible weather conditions. Photos for those who couldn’t make it or those who did, but want to see if they’re pictured are available: BAB photos.

Card check conference call available at your office

If you’d like to participate or just listen in on the U.S. chamber’s conference call Thursday concerning the misnamed "Employee Free Choice Act," better known as Card Check, just dial 866-793-1343 before the 2 p.m. start. There is no passcode. Card Check would essentially abolish private ballot elections in union organizing drives. The proposed federal legislation – blocked in 2007 but certain to resurface in 2009 – would make it far easier and cheaper for unions to penetrate American businesses and especially small businesses. Glenn Spencer, executive director of the Chamber's Workforce Freedom Initiative, and Mike Eastman, executive director of labor policy, will explain what this bill would do and what is being done to block the legislation.

Fisher to explain state’s new development plan

Lt. Governor Lee Fisher and Ohio Department of Development staff will explain the regional importance of the department’s recently unveiled economic development strategic plan in a forum Friday from 9-11 a.m. in Shoemaker Center at Ohio University-Chillicothe. If you’d like to attend, please RSVP to the department: Registration. Also, if you’d like to see or download a copy of the full plan, go here:

www.strategicplan.development.ohio.gov.

PAACAR center open house set for Sunday

The community gets a chance to inspect the new PACCAR Medical Education Center during an open house Sunday from 1-4 p.m. Tours of the Adena Health System facility on Ohio 159 will be available for those who want to check out the area’s most modern medical training center.

Short takes from here and there

At a cost of $800,000 to $1 million to bring it up to minimum code standards, the former National Guard Armory in Yoctangee Park is presenting dilemmas for the city’s Parks and Recreation Committee. Councilman and chair Tom Trutschel said the cost is prohibitive, given the city’s financial condition. Minimum monthly operating costs have been estimated at $2,000. A recommendation to City Council from the committee was delayed a month until more members could weigh in on the situation.
Kevin and Amy Mears will have seven of their photographs included in the general collection for the 117^th International Exhibition of Professional Photography Jan. 11-13 in Phoenix. In all, there were 4,514 entries.
Traditions of Bristol Village in Waverly is offering tours at the grand opening of its rehabilitation gym from 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday (Sept. 24).
New chamber member Chillicothe Mattress Factory is planning a grand opening Oct. 4 at its facility at 1696 Western Ave. Customers can watch as their mattress is made.

Newest members of the chamber:

Chillicothe Mattress Factory, 1696 Western Ave., by Jeff Wood.
Pickaway Machine and Fabrication, 6387 Ohio 361, Kingston, by Brian Pontious.

Vendor licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor:

Fat Daddy’s Pizza and Subs, 904 Charleston Pike, by Zelma Leach.
Charley’s Grilled Subs, 960 N. Bridge St., by Charley’s Steakery.
Cashland Financial Services, 25 N. Bridge St.

Workshops, seminars, etc.

“Your Employees Financial Literacy and Why You Should Care,” sponsored by Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce Workforce Development Department, 8:30-noon, Thursday, Sept. 25, Ross County Service Center, 3 SHRM credit hours available; $10; RSVP to Cari Steinbrook at 702-2722 or csteinbrook@chillicotheohio.com.
“Money for Small Business,” by OSU Small Business Development Center, 8:30-2, Thursday, Oct. 2, Scioto County Welcome Center, Portsmouth, $20, call Joy Bauman at 800-297-2071 Ext. 111 or register online: www.southcenters.osu.edu/benet/events.htm
“Pitch Your Plan Training Workshop,” 9 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, Ross County Service Center, for entrepreneurs thinking about starting a business or businesses planning to expand; top prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 plus regional awards; required to enter competition, www.pitchyourplan.osu.edu