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Copyright 2008
Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722
Great minds come together
to inspire the newest innovators
By Marvin Jones
President and CEO
Do you “graze” 50 magazines a week? Very few of us probably get to even three or five, but John Robertson told 80 participants at a conference this week that’s one routine he uses to come up with ideas for new products and services.
A former chamber Entrepreneur of the Year, Robertson was the keynote speaker at the Innovation Forum at the OSU South Centers in Piketon. Several organizations sponsored the conference which included presentations by a start-up website company that began in Peebles, venture capital managers and the Ohio Department of Development.
Robertson, who spun off his Telesis company and now is president and founder of the InfoSight Corporation on U.S. 23 north, talked about how ideas in and of themselves are of no value. But, coupling those ideas with customer needs (an identified market) and marketing, then their value can skyrocket.
Students learning on the latest equipment
The $20 million rehabilitation and renovation of the Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center means the students there are receiving instruction and learning skills on the equipment being used by local and area employers. That means a better prepared workforce for area businesses and industries. The center’s Board of Education was joined by former state Rep. Mike Shoemaker, now head of the state’s School Facilities Commission, in a re-dedication ceremony and open house this week at the school. Modern classrooms coupled with state-of-the-art laboratories and work areas provide the students, both the youth and adult programs, with what they will encounter when they enter or re-enter the workforce.
Country Club all set to host Wednesday’s BAB
Free appetizers and draft beer are on tap for Wednesday’s Business After Business at the decked-out Chillicothe Country Club. Several door prizes will be handed out between the 5-7 p.m. event which winds up the 2008 season. Make sure to let us know you’re coming: BAB registration
State Rep-elect Pryor talks to Advocacy Committee
Ross Countian and chamber member Ray Pryor introduced himself and talked to the chamber’s Advocacy Committee Thursday about his plans for when he joins the Ohio General Assembly as the new state representative in January. He will be one of 33 new members in the 99-member Ohio House which will be controlled by Democrats for the first time in decades. Discussions included the anticipated budget cuts, education funding, health care costs, prevailing wage rules and other issues.
Safety speaker sends a message
Inspirational speaker Harvey Alston kept the crowd on its toes and squirming in their seats with his presentation at Thursday’s luncheon of the Ross County Safety Council. To keep the spirit going afterward, many members picked up their checks from the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation representing the 2 percent premium discount for an improved safety record or having no time-lost incidents. More donations also were received for the council’s campaign to equip area volunteer squads with new equipment. The council is matching all donations, up to a limit of $3,000. To contribute, checks of any size should be sent to the council at the chamber’s address of 45 E. Main St., Chillicothe 45601.
Invoices going out soon for 2009 dues
The good news: No general increase in your chamber dues for 2009. There is no bad news. The dues for the vast majority of members are based on your number of employees, both full and part time. We are using last year’s figures to compute your dues, so, if you’ve unfortunately had to downsize, let us know and we will adjust your dues accordingly. Invoices are set to go out soon and you should have them in your hands by no later than Dec. 22. If you want to expense next year’s dues before the end of the year and want your invoice sooner, give us a call at 702-2722 or email ecamponeschi@chillicotheohio.com.
Leadership group tied up in knots
Participants in the Leadership Chillicothe Ross program tried to extricate themselves from the predicament involving ropes devised by facilitator Steve Hummel of Transitions Unlimited! Following the morning classroom session at the Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center, the group toured Adena Regional Medical Center and then the PACCAR Medical Education Center. Next month, the group will tour the Glatfelter and Kenworth Truck Company plants following the morning leadership workshop. To learn more about the program and sign up for next year’s class that starts in September: Leadership Chillicothe Ross
Short takes from here and there:
- Ohio’s certified public accountants think it will be at least another six months before the nation begins to come out of this recession. The annual Ohio Business Poll of the Ohio Society of CPAs showed it will be the second half of next year or into 2010 before we start to recover. Other findings: half said the top factor stunting business growth in the state is the tax climate and the two top priorities for tax reform were creating more uniform municipal income taxes and reducing the individual income tax.
- New member website: The Old Canal Smoke House has its menu, a form to buy its sauces and other features on its new website, designed by Westside Media.
- Kevin Mears earned top honors in the Triangle Photographers Annual Print Competition in Pittsburgh. As the group’s top-ranked photographer, the co-owner of Mears Photography moves to the Ohio competition next year.
- Newest Hot Deal: The YMCA of Ross County is offering no fee to join the organization now through Jan. 31. The Y used the chamber’s free Hot Deal feature. Click here to see who else is taking advantage of this member benefit.
- Want to hear how others are proposing the state fund public schools? “Watch Parties” on forums for the issue are Friday, Dec. 19 at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro from 4:30-6 and at Shawnee State University in Portsmouth on Saturday, Dec. 20 from 2:30-4. Register by calling Kim Spangler at 775-0612 or email her at kim.spangler@development.ohio.gov.
Apologies on last week’s error
Those of you who got to the newsletter early last week might have clicked on the link showing the new apartment complex on Anderson Station Road in the wrong place. It’s going up across from the North Fork Animal Clinic near Clinton Road. Darn those map websites, sometimes!
Newest chamber member:
- BPO Elks No. 52, 42 W. Second St., 772-2310.
Vendors licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor’s Office:
- Advantage Automotive, 450 U.S. 23, Waverly, by Jeffery VanHoose.
- JoJo’s Café, 21. N. Main St., Kingston, by JoJo’s Café and Ice Cream Parlor.