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

Search past issues of Weekly Update or the chamber website

Another 15 minutes, or so,

of fame for Chillicothe and county

By Marvin Jones

President and CEO

With the national media descending on the city Friday morning for the campaign stop of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in addition to coverage by CNN Wednesday, Chillicothe and Ross County once again become household words across the nation.

It all started earlier this year when the Columbus Dispatch declared us a political bellwether for our penchant to choose the correct president the past few elections. Every fourth day of the month for the past eight months, the Dispatch featured the community in a profile about the presidential election, talking to people here and conducting a survey early on.

CNN interviewed some folks at chamber member Carl’s Townhouse, the London Times ran a most unflattering story earlier this week and National Public Radio plans to pay a visit for a couple days next week.

The challenge for the chamber and many others is to keep the media from painting the community as a downtrodden, backwater, woe-is-us, the sky-is-falling region. No, you don’t try to make light of the hardships many are experiencing now with the fallout from the national economic meltdown and lost 401k investments, but you remind them of the many positive things happening in the area that make may other areas of state envious.

You’ve got $60 million in improvements in the Adena Health System that’s adding 500 great-paying new jobs in the next five years. You’ve got USEC’s American Centrifuge Plant in Piketon adding 800 jobs through a contract with Fluor. You’ve got IHOP, Chipotle, Penn Station and Sonic opening soon to feed the masses and Menards opening next year to help folks fix and improve their homes.

So, if you bump into any of these media folks, let’s try to keep all things in perspective. Or, if you’re one of the fortunate ones to be interviewed, it’s a great opportunity to let the world know we’re not only hanging in there, but we hope to be one of the communities leading the country out of its malaise.

Now’s the time to sign up for space at the Expo/BAB

Reservations are now being taken for the chamber’s annual combined Expo and Business After Business on Wednesday, Nov. 19 in the Shoemaker Convocation Center at Ohio University-Chillicothe. More than 50 exhibited at the 2007 Expo and more are expected this year.

Spaces are $175 and include a 6-foot table while double spaces are $325. Non-profit organizations may exhibit for $50. Wireless internet will be available and we’ll need to know if you want electricity at your space. Each exhibitor is required to provide a door prize with a value of at least $25

For those just planning to attend, there is a $5 admission charge which gets you a chance to win one of the more than 50 expected door prizes and all the free pizza you can eat. Beverages will be sold.

To reserve your space: Chamber Expo/BAB. The reservation form is always available from the homepage of our website at www.chillicotheohio.com.

Wednesday’s BAB will be ‘smokin’

Those attending next Wednesday’s (Oct. 15) Business After Business at Honda Harley Suzuki on Eastern Avenue will be listening to the ballads and folk songs played by Tom Ingham while munching down on the food prepared by the Old Canal Smokehouse and washing it down with beverages provided by co-sponsor Classic Brands. Plenty of door prizes will be handed out at the BAB also co-sponsored by Litter Quality Propane and Litter Industries. Make sure you register to attend: BAB registration

New restaurant, credit union fill outlot building

Tanji’s Steakhouse and the Atomic Employees Credit Union along with a Verizon shop mean the building by North Star Development in front of Sam’s Club is now full. Building permits for all three have been processed by the city. They join Chipotle and EmbroidMe in the five spaces that were available.

Downtown retailers, eateries get special category

Visitors to the chamber’s new online directory of members now can learn what restaurants and shops are in the downtown district very quickly. A new category was added to our directory that’s part of our membership management software package. Right now, there are 47 members listed in the category designed especially for out-of-town visitors looking to see what’s available in the way of shopping and dining downtown. We also encourage the businesses listed to log into your accounts and provide as much detailed information as possible, such as hours of operations, menu items, specialty products, etc. That way, when a visitor clicks your business, you’ll be able to better entice them through your physical doors. Check it out: Chamber directory

Another chance to learn about the local SCORE branch

If you have expertise in finances, marketing, human resources or any other aspect involved in running a business and are willing to share it to help another small business, you’ll want to check out the SCORE counselor introduction session. The chamber is helping coordinate the start of a local branch of the national organization in which counselors meet one-on-one with small business owners seeking assistance in a confidential manner. The Small Business Development Center in Piketon also is lending assistance to the group. If you’d like to learn more in a no-obligation session of 30 minutes, plan to attend on Wednesday, Oct. 22 in the chamber’s conference room at 8:30 a.m.

Short takes from here and there:

Ken Shelton and Abby Patches reported this week their Preferred Staffing of Ohio agency based in Chillicothe was awarded contracts to provide temporary services to state government in all 12 of its districts for three years. It’s the first time one agency has been chosen to handle the services in the entire state. Previously, Preferred had three-year contracts in three districts. The value of the contracts is $21 million.
Want to see how paper is made, from the tree to the finished product? Glatfelter has a wonderful online virtual tour filmed in Chillicothe and its other mill in Spring Grove, PA. The full tour takes 20 minutes. Check it out: Glatfelter tour
At Thursday’s Ross County Safety Council luncheon, 78 organizations received checks totaling nearly $103,000 as part of their premium discount earnings. The checks represented the 2 percent discount earned by attending a minimum number of meetings of the council last program year and submitting the two semi-annual reports. Many of those same companies will receive checks for another 2 percent if they improved their safety records or maintained their perfect records of no lost-time accidents.
The South Central Ohio Human Resources Council of SHRM launched its new website recently. President-elect Bess Evans and Trevor Kendall have been working on the project which was one of the goals of the SHRM board. For information on the local chapter and its upcoming events, visit www.scohrc.com.
Pam Richards of the local office The Reserves Network was one of the winners of a company-wide “Superstars” contest. She finished fourth of 50 staffing supervisors and staffing specialists in the firm’s 35 locations in eight states. Richards wins an all-expense paid trip to Cancun. Coming in seventh in the competition and just missing a trip was Patty Newton of the local office.
Serendipity at 135 E. Main St. across from Sack N Save plans a “Ghouls Night Out” this Friday from 7-10 p.m. A best costume contest, door prizes and food and refreshments are planned.
The Small Business Administration recognizes that some entrepreneurs start late in life. That’s why it has a special website devoted solely to those age 50 and up starting businesses. The site has information, links and resources concerning starting, growing and expanding a small business. Check it out: www.sba.gov/50plusentrepreneur

W&W Cleaners cuts ribbon on extended hours

Larry Snodgrass cuts the ribbon at his W&W Cleaners at the northeast corner of the Main, High and Western intersection Thursday, celebrating the extension of his operating hours. Starting Monday, the dry cleaning firm will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 9-12 on Saturdays.

Newest members of the chamber:

Downtown Associates
IHOP, 10 Consumer Center Drive, Shawnee Square, by Tad Long.
Rent and Roll Bike Shop, 35 Borlands Crossing, by Jamie Sharp, 779-0061.
Scioto Valley Real Estate Investors Association, by Joseph Sharp, 663-5010.
MJM Express, 12035 Pleasant Valley Road, by Jamey Popp, 773-7887.

Building permits issued recently by the Chillicothe and Ross County Planning Commissions:

Menards, 1570 N. Bridge St., signs, value $80,000.
Jeff and Phyllis Ragland, 67 Enterprise Place Drive, garage and pole barn, $13,500.
Advanced Services and Solutions, 227 Renick Ave., electrical, $4,000.
Chillicothe Metropolitan Housing, 78 S., Walnut St., fire protection, $24,000.
Kunzelman Family Properties, 16 W. Water St., alterations to repair fire damage, $100,000.
City Centre, 126 E. Second St., fire protection, $8,462.
Catholic Diocese, 126 Church St., fence, $3,500.
Salvation Army, 171 E. Fourth St., roofing, $68,417.
Zane Plaza, 1080 N. Bridge St., HVAC, $4,866.
Marathon Oil, 1136 E. Main St., signs, $12,000.
Landmark Properties, 82 Consumer Center Drive, signs, $3,500.
Chillicothe Nursing and Rehabilitation, 60 Marietta Road, roofing, $67,500.
Icebreaker Development, 10 Consumer Center Drive, signs, $20,000.
Hermanson Partnership (Westmoreland Place), 230 Cherry St., addition, $360,000.
Kunzelman Family Properties, 91 N. Paint St., signs, $1,000.
Catholic Diocese, 126 Church St., alterations, $25,680.
Chillicothe Mall, 1079 N. Bridge St., fire protection, $11,000.
Zane Square Apartments, 118 Whaley Place, roofing, $34,000.
Tanji Steakhouse, 1290 N. Bridge St., alterations, $80,000.
Atomic Employees Credit Union, 1290 N. Bridge St., alterations, $70,000.
Verizon, 1290 N. Bridge St., alterations, $25,000.
Twin Township trustees, 11521 U.S. 50, new salt storage building, $30,862.
AT&T Mobility, 33005 U.S. 35, generator addition to cell tower, $2,000.

Vendor licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor:

Andy’s Candles N Things, 8231 Rapid Forge Road, by Andrea Swackhammer.
C&H Flea Market, 342.5 E. Second St., by Rick Cade.
Falcon Tactical, 277 Hunters Way, by David Bower.
Allen Ballew General Contractor, no address given.
Rylie Hill, 13356 Marietta Road.
IHOP, 10 Consumer Center Drive, by Womack.
Mechanical Service Workshop, 6005 Ohio 772.
WesBanco Bank, three locations.
Gags and Games, 1419 N. Bridge St.