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Copyright
Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce
45 E. Main St.
Chillicothe, OH 45601
740-702-2722
Celebration of local manufacturing
set for Thursday’s Annual Dinner
By Marvin Jones
President and CEO
“We’ve Got It Made in Chillicothe and Ross County” is the theme for Thursday’s Annual Dinner of the chamber in recognition of our strong manufacturing base in the region. We’ve been fortunate over the past decade or so compared to many other areas in the state and nation.
Jay Timmons, the executive vice president of the National Association of Manufacturers, will provide his insights into the future of the sector to the more than 300 expected for the dinner. The Ross County native is very familiar with the jobs landscape here. Among the top 11 employers in the county, four are manufacturers: Glatfelter, Kenworth Truck Company, YSK and Commercial Vehicle Group (Trim Systems).
According to the Ohio Department of Development’s latest figures (2006), Ross County had 49 manufacturing businesses employing 4,341 workers making an average $1,041 a week generating total wages of $235 million a year. Compared to 2001, the number of manufacturing businesses is down 9.3 percent with a 3.5 percent drop in the number of workers, but an 8.7 percent increase in total payroll and a 13 percent increase in the average weekly wage.
Those figures compare, though, to a 16.8 percent drop in manufacturing employees statewide and a 2.6 percent decrease in total wages. The average weekly wage in Ross County is about $80 higher than the state average. Lorain County to the north suffered a 22.6 percent decline in the number of manufacturing jobs from 2001-2006 and a 5.2 percent drop in total payroll.
In addition to the four major employers, Ross County also has its share of smaller manufacturers either supporting the top four or making products shipped elsewhere in the country and world. These include chamber members InfoSight, Vitatoe Industries, Aadvantage Tent Fittings, Douglas Industries, O’Bryant Enterprises, Hanson Aggregates and Barber Spring.
If you would like to help us celebrate, there’s still time to make your reservations. The $45 fee includes dinner catered by the Old Canal Smoke House and the announcement of the chamber’s newest Entrepreneur of the Year. The social hour starts at 6 at Shoemaker Center at OU-C with dinner served at 7 followed by the program. Call 702-2722 or click here for reservations.
Secretary’s visit highlights improvements at VA
Construction of $2.2 million in improvements at the Chillicothe VA Medical Center received an upclose inspection from national Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki this week, the first visit by a Cabinet-level secretary. The visit was part of a tour of facilities that are recipients of federal stimulus funds. The two projects are included in the eight total to be financed by $8.3 million in stimulus money.
Best wishes for a long retirement to banker
Delbert Bochard experienced a tremendous number of changes in the banking industry in his 41 years with Huntington Bank and next Friday he will experience the big change from coming into work every weekday to doing whatever he wants when he wants in his well-earned retirement. He had a front-row seat to all of the changes not only in his industry, but of this community as well. Technology transformed banking in ways that could not have been imagined when he started back in 1969. What did not change for him, though, was his dedication to the community and doing what he could to make it better from his position. Huntington invites the community to a celebration at the bank at Paint and Main streets from 9-4 next Friday. From the chamber, thank you Del for everything you’ve done to make this a better place.
And another big change coming for another bank
At 4 today, all offices of National City Bank are closing and online services halted to 
complete the transformation to PNC. The offices will re-open Monday with all new signage and online services restored. The shift for customers should be seamless and they have been alerted to the changes in the past few weeks with mailings from the home office. These include new debit cards that can be activated at any time while the old cards are still good for 30 days.
USEC division getting new chief
Mark Keef, previously with the American Centrifuge Plant, is the new general manager for USEC’s Government Services business unit, effective Feb. 26. He began his career with USEC at the Paducah gaseous diffusion uranium enrichment plant where he became plant manager in 2005. He replaces Russ Starkey, who has been interim general manager since October and who is retiring.
Petition drive started online for plant
Rep. Jean Schmidt started a petition drive on her website to show backing by individuals to ask President Obama to follow through with his promise of a $2 billion loan guarantee essential to completion of the project. More than 3,200 already are on board. Add your voice: USEC plant petition
Are you in the right job?
According to one test, my best occupational category is as a “Creator” whose traits include being nonconforming, impulsive, expressive, romantic, intuitive, sensitive and emotional and I should be in public relations, a photographer (my main hobby), architect, author or editor (part of my previous and present occupation). But my second best occupational category is “Persuader” which says I enjoy “working with others inside organizations to accomplish goals and achieve economic success.” Bingo! If you’ve got 10 minutes and want to have some fun, go online to take the Dewey Color System test to see where you should be. After you click the link, go to “Color Career Counselor” and begin picking your favorite and least favorite colors. Here it is: Color Career Counselor
Weather didn’t stop Wednesday’s BAB
About 125 made it to the Elks Lodge on West Second Street Wednesday evening for the multi-sponsor Business After Business. Leading Edge Integration, Sprint and Attorney Claire Fried along with the Elks took advantage of the opportunity to sponsor a BAB. The chamber is reserving the February slot each year for our small business members to take advantage of the opportunity. If you’re interested in being a sponsor in 2011, give us a call at 702-2722 for the details. Check out the 26 other photos from Wednesday’s event: BAB photos
News of note from our members:
- The new Paccar MX engine, 10 years and $1 billion in the making, goes into all Kenworth trucks starting this summer. Paccar’s new plant in Columbus, MS will make the engines already in use elsewhere in the world. It is 150-325 pounds lighter than the engines being used now.
- The Cross Keys Tavern used a couple down days early this week to install a new floor in the front part of the business. It was unveiled Wednesday evening.
- Only about four spots remain for the Sales and Marketing Workshop on March 2, sponsored by the chamber and the South Central Ohio SCORE chapter. There’s no charge for the three-hour seminar: Workshop registration
- Michael Blum and Kyle Baxter are the new owners of the Sunrush Water Company. Blum will oversee the firm and plans to keep the current staff. The company offers full-service water treatment systems, 5-gallon bottled water delivery, custom labeled water for businesses and special events, full coffee service and purified drinking water systems and salt delivery.
- Employers looking for good future employees are invited to register for space at the 21st Annual Employer Expo and Job Fair at Shoemaker Center on Tuesday, March 23. Hundreds of prospective employees are expected to attend. Sign up online: Expo/Job Fair
- Kari Chadd is the new district manager for Sprint stores in southern and northwest Ohio as well as Vienna, WV. She has been with Sprint for seven years, including as a retail store manager. She is responsible for all in-store sales and business-to-business interactions.
- Changes, real and proposed, to Ohio’s current agricultural use valuation (CAUV) program are the topic for an informational meeting sponsored by the Ross County Farm Bureau on Thursday, March 4 at 6:30 p.m. at the Ross County Service Center. More information is available at 800-992-3276 or ross@ofbf.org
- Starting today and running each Friday through March 26, Bishop Flaget is holding a fish fry at the St. Mary’s Family Life Center on East Fourth Street to raise funds for its 7th and 8th grade class trips. Hours are 4:30-7:30 with carryouts available.
Newest member: Landmark Ministries, 912 Dayton St., by Rev. Michael Lindsey, 773-5696.
Commercial building permits issued recently by the Ross County Building Department:
- Countryside Rentals, 210 S. Quarry St., Bainbridge, new warehouse building, $145,000.
- Horizon Chillicothe Telephone, 4 Abernathy Road, cable power supply, $3,000.
- Houser and Son Farm, 7918 Ohio 159, addition, no value given.
- Edward Johnson, 10881 Fourth St., Clarksburg, electric upgrades, $4,900.
Vendors licenses issued recently by the Ross County Auditor:
- The Rustic Barn, 2365 Simmons Road, by Ronda Shoemaker.
- Buckskin Motors, 609 Thrifton Road, by Harold Lyle.