GCACC Business Connection April 2023

Grove City Area Chamber

BUSINESS BUSINESS CONNECTION CONNECTION

Learn about Pay Transparency

Registration open: WE:LEAD Women's Business Forum

Business Resources

You Can Use: Grants, member discounts and more...

Annual Meeting

Recap: Another year of success

Meet new business

Personal Healthcare

Concierge

@ GroveCityOhio

#GC123

CHAMBER DESK

CITY DEMOGRAPHICS

Population: 42,400

Median Age: 39.7

Population Over 18: 79%

Population Over 65: 17%

Number of Households: 16,197

Average Home Price: $189,268

Median Income Per Household: $74,451

Want to learn more about the demographics of Grove City? Visit: GroveCityOhio.Gov/about-us-and-tourism/community-information

YOUR CHAMBER

Chamber Business Connections is published bi-monthly by the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce with revenue from member dues, advertising, and sponsorship. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the content in this publication, by any method or purpose whatsoever, without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited. Only chamber members can advertise in Chamber Business Connection. To plan advertising contact the chamber.

Your Board

Chris Moscato President

Rachel Kutay President Elect 24'

Nick Connaughton VP Finance

Lisa Ziegler

Immediate Past President

Greg Dawkins VP at Large / GC Chamber Foundation President

Kay Anderson

Katie Antry Fleming

Lisa Graves

Carol Riffle

Trent Soles

Dylon Sparks

Lynn Weita

Jeffrey Buskirk

Nikki Fleming

Mellissa Forte

Brenda Newman

Andrea Ruede

Shawn Harris

Staff

Executive Director

Shawn Conrad

Events Manager

Marilyn Reiner

Administrative and Events Coordinator

Heather Brokaw

Kaziah Conrad Member Service Specialist

Hello from the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce, your business advocate in the best hometown - and the best business town – Grove City, OH-IO!

The GCACC was established in 1978 to advocate for and support the growth and prosperity of businesses in and around Grove City; our success in achieving our mission and purpose is greatly due to the collaborative efforts of the Chamber team, our Board of Directors, Chamber Ambassadors, the City of Grove City, Chamber members, and many other area professionals.

It is an exciting time to be a member of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce. We are working to create new networking and promotional opportunities to help our member businesses succeed and grow. Whether you are looking for networking opportunities, continuing education for yourself or someone on your team, or are looking for ways to get your name out and support the community, your GCACC is here to help. Marketing opportunities abound through our many publications, our website, and our social media pages. Annual events that allow our member businesses to gain visibility include our multi-award winning Farmers’ Market, the WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum, Golf Outing, Arts in the Alley, The Voice of Grove City, the Community Parade and Boo off Broadway.

Our Governments Relations and Advocacy Committee maintains awareness of issues and legislation which impact business and works with local organizations to pursue improvements in the overall quality of life for the city, county, and region, particularly in the areas of safety and security, tourism, economic development, community development, and workforce development.

To our current Chamber members, thank you for your continued support. For those of you considering relocating your business or opening a new business in Grove City, you will find that becoming a Chamber member will be of great value to you. Grove City is thriving, join us as we continue to grow.

Letter from the Director -Shawn

RECOGNIZING MEMBERS

Celebrating Anniversaries

1 YEAR:

Rebecca Fair

Smoothie King

Humphrey Home Group - Red 1 Realty

Men's Refinery

Georgesville Square Nutrition

Eagle Warehouse & Logistics

Make Paper Digital LLC

Millcraft Paper Co

Ekaterina Barausova

McCarty & Heffernan, LLP

Grove City Smiles

The Fitness Movement

The Grove Pediatric Dentistry

Fairy Tails Pet Salon LLC

Rimkus

PROformance Signings LLC

PNC Bank

ToolTex Inc

CityScene Media Group

JOY Unspeakable

Health Care Logistics, Inc

10 YEARS:

Eldorado Scioto Downs

Marne Plastics

Columbus Prime Realty

Health Care Logistics (Bricolage)

20 YEARS:

Attic to Sidewalk

Minton Door Service

5 YEARS: 15 YEARS:

Broadband Communications

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Sunny Fund NA Inc

Whole Health Chiropractic

Cardinal Health Government Relations

The Release- Muscle Rehab

The Art of Skin Esthetics Academy

Minute Men Inc

Endure Aesthetics & Wellness LLC

Repeta Transport LLC

Nate's Great Plumbing

Katie Wolfe

Breathworx614

TOOLTEX INC.

ToolTex is an industry-recognized leader in the design, development and construction of automated plastics assembly equipment and tooling for a diverse range of applications and industries. ToolTex has built a reputation of quality and reliability since their founding in 1986.

ToolTex is the exclusive midwest distributor of Sonics and Materials, Inc. ultrasonic equipment. ToolTex is also known for its customer service, from pricing to delivery timing.

6497 Seeds Rd., Grove City 6614-539-3222

www.tooltex.com

WHOLE HEALTH CHIROPRACTIC STRAWSERS ICE CREAM

Whole Health Chiropractic offers chiropractic services in the Grove City area to patients of all ages and also offers prenatal chiropractic care. Dr. Roush at Whole Health Chiropractic has a variety of experience in years of chiropractic care and is ready to serve patients and demonstrate how chiropractic care fits into overall wellness. Currently hours are on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with later hours on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Classic and modern meet for a sweet combination at Strawser’s, with a classic candy and soda shop feel, but fun modern flavors and twists. Selections include ice creams, pops, candies, and chocolates which is sure to satisfy even the most selective sweet tooth. The Broadway location is available to be booked for parties, and the mobile truck (the “What the Float” truck) is available to book for your event.

3407 McDowell Rd., Grove City 614-991-0224

www.wholehealthcolumbus.com/

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 20: Power Hour with Julia Bowling of Sedgwick Click to register

2023

May 11: Grove City Division of PoliceActive Shooter Awareness, Preparedness session Click to Register

June 16: Chamber Foundation Scholarship Application deadline Affiliate & Renewing Scholarships View

4026 Broadway, Grove City 614-804-0314

www.strawsers.com/

May 13: Opening Day of Farmers’ Market (runs thru mid-Sept.). Click for more details.

May 24: WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum Register & learn more here

ARC Industries is one of our newest non-profit members and we want to introduce you to their mission—helping people with disabilities achieve their life goals. They carry out this mission through advocacy, working on employment skills and support to individuals.

Through skill-building programs they are able to help individuals gain and perfect the skills needed to achieve employment or other community goals they may have. Career planning sessions allows for planning to meet longer term goals for career and life.

ARC Industries offers group employment opportunities so that individuals can work together in a small group with others learning the same job skills. Adult Day Support is also available to provide daytime support to individuals with developmental disabilities.

ARC Industries has been part of the Central Ohio community for over 50 years and has been a leader in serving developmentally disabled individuals. Employment placement for individuals they serve has ranged from small local businesses, to larger companies and even Fortune 500 companies. They look forward to continuing to grow and serve the Central Ohio community for the next 50 years, and even beyond.

Learn more: https://arcind.com/ | Phone: 614-479-2500 | Address: 2780 Airport Dr., Columbus

FST Logistics is based in Columbus, Ohio with 1.4 million square feet of dry and temperature-controlled warehouse space Our main service lines include:

Warehousing

E-commerce Solutions

Freight Brokerage

Temperature-Controlled LTL

Asset-Based Transportation

100% Employee-Owned

WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum!

By Sarah Hann

Meet The Speakers

Keynote Speaker: Vickie Thompson-Sandy, CEO The Buckeye Ranch

Jennifer Stauffer, LISW-S, Senior Clinical Consultant, OhioHealth Well-Being Center is presenting “How Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Can Strengthen Our Inner Resources to Manage Stress”

Linda Pringle Evans, Owner and Founder, Pringle Business Consulting is presenting “The Power of Asking”.

Jennifer Kelley, PHR, SHRM-CP, HR Consultant, My Business Resource is presenting “Gracious Gals Win: The Underestimated Strength of Kindness”.

Tiffany Berger, Breathworker and Wellbeing Coach, Breathworx614 is presenting “Embrace Your Wellbeing with Breathwork”.

Additional session topic information and complete speaker bios can be viewed online, where you can also register yourself and others! www.gcchamber.org/wbf/

Thank You Sponsors

Date: Wednesday May 24

Location: Aladdin Shrine Center

Early Bird Registration discount continues through April 15

Learn more at www.gcchamber.org/wbf/

A big thank you to the sponsors who have already committed their support to this year’s Forum. They are: Presenting Sponsor— WrightPatt Credit Union. WE:LEAD Sponsor—Air Quality Solutions. Session Sponsor—Auto Service Experts Ohio by Sanderson Automotive LLC. Décor & Centerpiece Sponsor—Sugar Maple Commons, A Treplus Community. There is still time to commit to sponsoring this wonderful Forum, view options in the Sponsorship kit here (www.gcchamber.org/sponsorship-opportunities/) and reach out to the Chamber office at 614-875-9762 to express interest.

Ready to learn how much you can save? Complete our online evaluation form at: sedgwick com/ac3/grovecity

Taking care of people is at the heart of everything we do. At Sedgwick®, caring counts.

For additional questions, contact Julia Bowling at: P: 513-218-4062

E: julia bowling@sedgwick com

ANNUAL MEETING

The Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated another successful Annual Meeting in February, joined by members and guests at The Ballroom at the Pinnacle.

Guests enjoyed networking during breakfast and then celebrating the many successes and accomplishments of the Chamber throughout 2022, while looking ahead to the possibilities of 2023. Various members were recognized for their contributions, and three categories of Business of the Year were awarded.

Read on to learn more about this year’s award winners:

Ambassador of the Year

Sue Ross

Franklin County Banking Center

A true representative of the Grove City Chamber of Commerce, and the Grove City community as a whole, Sue Ross’s dedication to the community and the Chamber Ambassador program as evident to all who meet her. The current Branch Manager of Franklin County Banking Center, Sue has been an active member and familiar face to the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce for more than three decades.

As an ambassador, her specific role to the Chamber is to be an extension of the Chamber by visiting current members, listening to what’s happening in their business, and sharing Chamber opportunities they may not be aware of. These visits spread awareness of Chamber programming and foster unity among members and their various businesses.

“Every interaction with a local business is an opportunity to talk about our Chamber activities, benefits of membership and our Foundation scholarships,” Sue said of her ambassador duties. “Being an Ambassador is consistently talking to business owners about ways they can better their business for themselves, their employees and their families.”

And while ambassadors have ‘official’ visits they make to the members on their rosters, Sue is still an ambassador ‘off the clock’, or when not making her official stops.

“She makes it a point to be an Ambassador wherever she goes and to whoever she is talking to,” said Shawn Conrad, GCACC Executive Director. “Her passion for Grove City and for the Chamber are evident all day every day.”

At the heart of Sue’s love of her involvement with the Chamber and the ambassador program is her enjoyment for meeting new people. Shawn mentioned how quickly Sue meets new people and makes new friends, but Sue also sums it for herself, too:

“I love meeting new people, forming business relationships and having those develop into friendships.”

Volunteer of the Year

Barb Mogren

Barb was left speechless when told she would be recognized as the Volunteer of the Year at the 2023 GCACC Annual Meeting, but she’s hardly speechless when it comes the Farmers’ Market and being the friendly resident when interacting with newcomers.

Barb was once a newcomer to the Grove City community herself and that’s when she and her husband first discovered the Market and became ‘regulars’. She shared that some Saturday mornings she and her husband will enjoy breakfast in Grove City’s Town Center and then walk over to explore and enjoy the Market.

Her love of the Market spans the full spectrum of what the Market offers, from enjoying the local products, meeting new people, and the many additional aspects the Chamber includes in the Market, such as the Chief’s Challenge cook-off.

“The market has lots of great produce and other goodies and the market can be a social event,” Barb said.

For as much as Barb interacts with the ‘real’ world, the realization to volunteer at the Farmers’ Market actually started in the digital world. She saw a Facebook post seeking volunteers for the season.

“I thought, I can do that!” she said. “I always shop at the Market and this is a way to help sustain the market and help my community.”

ANNUAL MEETING

In addition to a friendly face, the Chamber team said Barb also brings a strong work ethic and can-do attitude every Saturday morning of the Market season. It’s assuring to the team to know that Barb is on hand to make sure things get done.

Like many who are regular volunteers of an organization, or return year after year to a seasonal opportunity, it comes back to the people and the social interaction. Barb is always amazed by the people one can ‘bump into’ at the Market.

“I return year after year because it is important to give back, it is a simple gig, and most importantly, I have met some incredibly nice people.”

Spirit of the Chamber Award

Wayne Coakley

Grenade Marketing

It takes a certain spirit to navigate and prevail in the face of challenges, which Wayne Coakley carried through his 2020 GCACC Board President term and continues to carry with him as any new challenge arises.

“Our board pushed through the challenging 2020 Covid year with a relentless desire to help the community businesses keep their doors open and remain profitable,” he said.

2020 made for hard times, but Wayne’s positive attitude as noted by the Chamber team kept everyone moving forward and looking ahead.

“He brings joy to any job that he does as well as to all those around him,” said Shawn Conrad, Chamber Executive Director.

Wayne first became a member of the Chamber about 15 years ago and shortly after felt the need and desire to become involved beyond holding membership, which he has now done for over eight years. Wayne has served for many years on the Chamber board and also spent a few years with the Chamber Ambassador program.

As Wayne sees it, “being involved is what really makes a local Chamber thrive”. And as he is involved, he is also witness to the involvement of others and what they bring to the table.

“I have seen countless people volunteer their time and talent to help us make our events come to life.”

He was also certain to mention the involvement of the Chamber staff themselves and making note of the passion Shawn, Marilyn, and Heather have brought over the years and continue to bring.

Just as he felt called to and was encouraged to become involved with the Chamber, Wayne also encourages others to find their place within the GCACC community and show support for fellow business owners.

“Besides having a finger on the pulse of what is going on with development of our city and the issues our community faces, you get to welcome new business owners to our town and show them the support we all have needed with our own business.”

Heartland Bank Heart of the Chamber Award

Mike Sanderson

Auto Service Experts OH – by Sanderson Automotive LLC

Mike Sanderson has worn his share of hats lately, and today we’ll add ‘Heart of the Chamber’ to his list. His support through sponsorships and desire to increase networking make for a heartbeat that sounds throughout the Chamber and community.

The Heartland Bank Heart of the Chamber award was established to recognize generous contributions of time, finances or other resources to the Chamber.

“The award name comes from the first winner of the award, Heartland Bank, a founder and continual supporter of the work of the GCACC,” said Shawn Conrad, Chamber Executive Director. “Mike’s continued support of our events, particularly Farmers Market and A Taste of Grove City has just been above and beyond what we could ask.”

Mike’s involvement with the Grove City Chamber of Commerce began when he opened his shop in 2015. His hope was to network and be seen by the public, which made the Taste of Grove City and Business Expo a great place to start. His involvement with the expo-format of Taste of Grove City eventually included sponsorship, promotion, and some behind-the-scenes work to tally up the favorites at the end of the night.

The Chamber team noted that no matter the occasion, they can count on Mike to lend a hand or be present. Many times, he has offered support before anyone could ask him to do so, anticipating ways in which he can serve.

Like so many, for Mike it also comes back to the people he has met through the Chamber and the connections he has been able to make. The Chamber offers many opportunities to interact in person and Mike makes the time in his busy schedule to still allow for quality networking time.

“It pays off to actually be present,” he said. “You never know when you’re going to make a connection with someone who can grow your business.”

Category: Business of the Year

Winner: Pinnacle Pets Play and Stay

We caught up with Pinnacle Pets Play and Stay owner Steve Robinette to chat about the success of Pinnacle Pets and what 2023 holds. Coming off of a strong 2022, they have exciting goals and opportunities awaiting in 2023.

Q: What does it mean to you and your team to win an award that is based on community vote?

A: Pinnacle Pets is honored to be nominated for the Grove City Best Business of the Year Award. Our success is rooted in community support for which we are so grateful. We appreciate all those that took the time to show their confidence in our family business. Our sincere thanks to Grove City for recognizing our deep commitment to excellence, transparency, and success. We are thrilled that the community sees us as a valuable asset to Grove City.

Q: Tell us how your business engages in the Chamber and the Grove City community as a whole.

A: We are huge supporters of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce and their programs. Over the years we have participated in several chamber events including Boo Off Broadway, Arts in the Ally, and the Taste of Grove City to name a few. We sponsor employees’ participation in the Chamber’s Leadership course to further their development.

Being a small business, we believe in supporting other small businesses in Grove City. We hold business meetings at local restaurants. We order inventory, advertising, and apparel from local entrepreneurs. We contract with local businesses for banking, landscaping, maintenance, and more. We support many community fundraisers and events throughout the year. We work with the school district Project Life Program to provide job training opportunities for special needs students. We support several local fundraising efforts and groups. We provide support for local dog rescues like Speak for the Unspoken and Dash.

Q: What ‘wins’ are you celebrating from 2022—what successes would you like to share?

A: Our business experienced double-digit growth in 2022, for which we are grateful to all our clients. We launched a new program called Puppy Play Care in 2022. This program introduces young dogs to basic obedience and socialization skills, and other experiences like grooming.

We developed a new program for interested staff to pursue grooming as a career path. We continue to be the only American Kennel Club Safe Certified Grooming Salon in Grove City. We began implementing quarterly customer appreciation events. We have such great clients and we wanted to find a way to say thank you for your support and we appreciate you.

Q: What are the goals for your business in 2023?

A: We are focused on our business's continued growth and our personnel's development. We see opportunities to grow our grooming and training services in 2023. We are currently working with an industry-leading grooming consultant and will be rolling out several changes to improve the customer grooming experience. We will be adding functions to make the boarding experience much easier with pre-check-in much as you would do with a hotel or flight.

Category: Best Place to Work, Small

Winner: Air Quality Solutions

After hearing of Air Quality Solution’s win, we caught up with Larry Titus, owner of AQS. AQS is a family-owned heating and cooling company founded by his father Lowell Titus in 1983, making this year AQS’s 40th anniversary year.

Q: What does it mean to you and your team to win an award that is based on community vote?

A: This an incredible honor. We work hard to take care of our team and provide opportunities to support their personal and family goals in life. Having our community and other local businesses see and acknowledge these efforts and the culture we have created is appreciated and humbling.

Q: Tell us how your business engages in the Chamber and the Grove City community as a whole.

A: We joined our Chamber of Commerce over 30-years ago. Our staff has always looked at our Chamber involvement as a great way to give back to this this community we love. I have served several terms on our Board of Directors and as the 2001 Chamber President. Dody Myers, our office manager, currently serves on the WE:LEAD committee and works on the Southwest Leadership program. We love supporting the Chamber Foundation, based on the recognition that a traditional 4-year college is not for everyone, that folks working hard to learn other skills and trades need help too. AQS also works hard to support our Grove City Parks & Recreation, Southwestern City Schools, and the MASH Military Food Pantry.

Q: What ‘wins’ are you celebrating from 2022, or in other words what successes would you like to share?

A: We donated an acre of land to the MASH Food Pantry. In partnership with the Grove City Rotary, Home Depot, and Jones Topsoil, we constructed 48 raised beds that provides fresh vegetables to Veterans in need.

Air Quality Solutions was recognized by the US Department of Labor with the Platinum Award for the fifth year in a row for our “Heroes Work Here” Program, where we hire and train Honorably Discharged Veterans, Reservists, and National Guardsmen. We invested in a HVAC Lab with a state-of-the art simulator that teaches new technicians how to read schematics and diagnostic service repairs. AQS once again earned the status as Lennox Premier Dealership from our main HVAC supplier.

Q: What are the goals for your business in 2023?

A: We plan to hire and train two new team members. Continue to develop our land and new warehouse facility at 5263 Harrisburg Pike. We will upgrade our phone system and internet infrastructure so our staff can better work remotely. Continue to grow our business serving the Southwest Community and make a difference giving back to this community we love.

Category: Best Place to Work, Large

Winner: TOSOH

To celebrate their recognition as Best Place to Work, Large, we caught up with Tosoh employees including Senior Marketing Specialist Hannah Wright. Tosoh has been part of the GCACC community for over 20 years, and part of Grove City for over 40.

Q: What does it mean to you and your team to win an award that is based on community vote?

A: Tosoh has been part of the Grove City community since 1979. Winning this award is a validation of our beliefs as a corporation. Our first guiding principle is respect, and this confirms that our employees aren’t just seeing respect, they are also feeling it and sharing it within the community.

Q: Tell us how your business engages in the Chamber and the Grove City community as a whole.

A: Tosoh is involved in Grove City events constantly and consistently, showing what we represent as a corporation. Tosoh supports local organizations including the Grove City Turkey Wattle, Grove City High School Baseball, Grove City Parks and Recreation and many more. As a Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce member since 2001, we have had employees from Human Resources and Marketing represent Tosoh, and recently had one of our HR employees help to form the Grove City Human Resources Committee.

Q: What ‘wins’ are you celebrating from 2022—what successes would you like to share?

A: Tosoh celebrated many wins in 2022, with our biggest success in growth and expansion. Each Tosoh business line is poised for future growth. To make sure we capitalize on that growth, we are investing in our employees and equipment. People who come to Tosoh want to grow and develop with us.

Q: What are the goals for your business in 2023?

A: Our business has many goals for 2023. We plan to complete multiple building expansions, so we are prepared for advancement in each industry, hire great talent to support our growth and continue to show our commitment to our employees and the community.

Are you a Chamber Member? Do you have an upcoming event? One of the benefits of membership is the promotion and support of your grand openings, open house & after hour events, anniversaries, and more. Contact our office to have your event added to our calendar

info@gcchamber.org

business owner.

“I knew my career wasn’t over in healthcare,” she said.

Long before establishing Personal Healthcare Concierge, the word was out that Lisa was a “go-to” for senior care questions. She said friends would run questions past her as they trusted her insight and expertise. The new business venture would essentially be an extension and continuation of what she’s done all along.

Lisa’s great advantage in starting a new business was that she wasn’t new on the business scene—she’d already been involved and had connections from the Chamber. As she built her business, she knew exactly which other businesses or members she wanted to work with. She said it was “almost simple” with all of her Chamber resources.

Her biggest piece of advice to future business owners, or even those who don’t have business ownership on their radar, is to become active with their Chamber membership. It’s been an immense benefit to her and no matter immediate or long-term business goals of others, it can be a benefit to others, too.

Additionally, Lisa brought a finance-minded friend, Jana Duff, on board to round out their team as they serve families seeking assistance and guidance in the area of senior healthcare. There are lots of possibilities that Lisa and Jana may handle, ranging from out-of-state healthcare transport options to assisting a family in finding assisted living or long-term care for their loved one.

“People don’t know where to start,” Lisa said of families facing assisted living decisions. “I want to ease that.”

Lisa Ziegler, Owner of Personal Healthcare Concierge

LIFESTYLE

With already overwhelmed lives, people can turn to Lisa for in-depth thoughts and details about options that would best suit their loved one. She thoroughly considers each facility that could be an option for the family by meeting with and even touring the facility. She and Jana investigate the financial aspects of the facility—what is or isn’t covered for the family and include that in their findings as well.

Lisa has one additional ‘seal of approval’ for a facility. As she also has an aging mother and can relate to her clients, she considers if she would place her own mother with a facility. With that in mind, she can also step in on behalf of a client who is dissatisfied with a facility.

As for meeting with clients, Lisa is embracing technology and meets with many clients over Zoom calls or phone calls. Flexible meeting and communication options have been a win-win for her and clients.

In some cases, Lisa’s clients are not local and they’ve reached out to her to save some trips to the Grove City or Central Ohio area. She aims to be a connection between those in and out of town, and is prepared to venture beyond Central Ohio to provide in-depth information or assistance for families.

The flexibility of how, and even when, to work with clients is high on the list of ‘pros’ of being her own boss. Lisa said it’s been a blessing to now work for herself and flex her schedule after three decades of working for a company, which received a lot of her time in those days. She’s able to flex her time to care for or spend time with family, and even find new community opportunities.

“I went to the Lions meeting and walked out second vice president!” Lisa said of the outcome of what was to be an informational presentation to the group (see additional piece about important documents for a taste of this presentation).

While she’s a new business owner, Lisa did retire from her company job and is technically in the season of retirement as well. But, she knew the importance of having a reason to get, to have a purpose in retirement. For Lisa, that comes back to her love of people.

“What do I want the rest of my life to look like? Help people.”

Do you know where these documents are in case family or friends need to assist you after a medical emergency?

In the event of an emergency, you or your family member(s) may need to locate certain important documents for a loved one (you might be that loved one, by the way)… quickly, and without their direction. Lisa shared this list with us that includes a variety of possible documents that could be needed in the aftermath of a medical emergency. Note that some of these items may need regular updates, such as current medications, while other items are a little more ‘static’ such as a passport.

Need more assistance than this list? Would your group benefit from a presentation on this topic (such as the Lions presentation mentioned in the story?) Reach out to Lisa through her website: personalhealthcareconcierge.com/

Birth certificate

Custody records

Marriage records

Military records

Citizenship papers

Driver’s license

Passport

Social Security card

Medicare/Medicaid/VA/ other insurance cards

List of medications & dosages

Current list of healthcare practitioners with contact information

Financial power of attorney

Durable power of attorney for healthcare

Living will Will

Property & real estate deeds

Revocable trust information

Deeds to cemetery plot

Life insurance policy Pension benefits

Checkbook/savings account information

Profit-sharing information

Tax information

Automobile titles

Liens and outstanding debt account info & passwords

Current monthly/annual expenses

Stocks, bonds, & securities

Contracts

Adoption records

Household inventory-valuable papers and advisors

Settlement agreements

Safe deposit box/location of key/ list of contents

Fire proof home storage key or code

Diplomas and transcripts

Medical history documentation

Employment records

Bank account information

Online bill pay accounts and passwords

Passwords records

Location of keys and identification of key usage

Garage key code

Identify how many death certificates you will need to provide to account holders

Organ donor information

Pay Transparency

by Rachel Kutay, My Business Resource

More and more companies are adopting pay or salary transparency policies and practices, and you may have seen in the news that a variety of states and cities are passing legislation mandating that salaries be posted with new job openings. You might wonder what the reason is for these changes and if your company should adopt a policy and practice of pay transparency.

As with most decisions, there are pros and cons that must be weighed before implementing a new policy. Defining what your organization means by pay transparency is a good place to start. The Harvard Business Journal defines pay transparency as a policy where a company voluntarily provides pay information to employees. It could be information about how pay is determined, about what the pay ranges are, or even a policy where pay is freely shared in the organization.

How much money everyone in your company makes is traditionally taboo and often held in secret. Why the change? More and more candidates – and employees – are demanding it. And there are definitely benefits. Posting the pay range for a position eliminates the guessing game for both the employee and the applicant. If everyone knows up front what the pay is, it saves everyone time. Most importantly pay transparency helps to close pay gaps, builds trust, and increases employee retention. One study found that employees are more likely to leave their jobs within the first six months if the company isn’t transparent about pay.

What are the potential downsides? The most common issue is that if you’re not paying your current employees as much as new hires, it could lead to existing employees quitting. Wage scales are difficult to develop and implement fairly, accounting for tenure and education. Comparing employees in different positions can be difficult to communicate internally as well.

If you’re looking to implement pay transparency in your organization, here are some best practices:

Determine where the salaries in your company fall in the market by doing a salary survey. Decide where you want to be on the spectrum of pay. Clear roles and job descriptions will help you do this. Fix discrepancies in the market pay versus what your organization is paying, find solutions if applicable before moving forward. Create a clear pay transparency policy. Be clear about when and how raises, promotions and pay changes occur in your organization.

Provide training to your managers about the new policy, and how to answer employee questions. Proactive salary conversations with employees are important.

Gather and listen to your employee’s feedback. You may not be able to make all the changes everyone wants at once, but showing up authentically and hearing everyone’s ideas are the first step.

While waiting for Ohio to decide what kind of weather we’ll have for the month (or week… or hour…), we caught up with Becky Moehl, owner of both Darby Landscape Supply and Darby Fields and Flowers. While flower season is a few months away, Darby Landscape Supply is ready to work with customers looking to get a jump start on spring landscaping for their home or business. She shared a few quick tips with us that are helpful for home or business and all skill levels of gardeners or landscapers.

On the off chance you hadn’t heard… Ohio weather is quite unpredictable. A gorgeous day for garden work could be followed by a freezing night with snow. Additionally, even if the air temperature feels great for you to be outside, your ground may still be too cold. Becky advises the rule of thumb of waiting until Mother’s Day to start planting. So, if you’ve ever wondered why some moms want the gift of garden work that Sunday, that’s why!

Humans need nutrients. Animals need nutrients. And so does the soil. Becky advises fertilizing in the spring to foster growth for summer blooms. Not sure what fertilizer to look for? Beck recommends an all-around fertilizer 10-10-10 that can satisfactorily fertilize most any soil.

Have a spot in your yard, garden, or even business landscape where nothing grows, or nothing grows well? Not every plant grows well in every type of soil. Soil testing can unlock the secrets of what is needed to grow a plant in that ground, and can even help you make plant selections. Becky’s personal suggestions for soil testing include Ohio State and Spectrum Analytic in Washington Court House.

Becky is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to plants, landscaping, and ensuring good growth of plants. Feel free to reach out to her with additional questions, or to see how Darby Landscape Supply can help you achieve your garden and landscape dreams this spring! www.darbylandscape.com

DarbyLandscapeSupplyisalocal,familyowned andoperatedlandscapesupplybusiness.We specializeinavarietyoflandscaperocks,topsoil, gravel,mulchandmoretobeautifyyouroutdoor project.Comevisitouryardtoseehowwecan helpoutwithyourproject.

WehavebeenmininggravellocallyinPickaway County,justoutsideofOrientforover20years. Ourfamilyhasresidedlocallysince1949.Welook forwardtohelpingyouROCKwithus! JUSTSOUTHOF

FamilyOwned&Operated ServingFranklin,Pickaway,Fayette, andMadisonCounties.20yearsinthe RockandGravelBusiness.

ContactUs:

Hours:ByAppointmentby callingChadat(614)419-7883

ComeSeeUs!

8075 Harrisburg Pike Orient,Oh43146

DARBY LANDSCAPE SUPPLY

This article originates from the blog of our workers comp partner Sedgwick. We have omitted a few location-specific/non-relevant to Ohio lines as this was written for a national audience. Reach out to the Chamber office or visit www.gcchamber.org/member-benefits/ to learn more about this partnership and the benefit to member businesses.

In a world increasingly concerned with privacy and protection, companies must balance their awareness of risk with compliance amid rapidly changing regulations. From a data protection standpoint, over the past 24 months, there has been an increased emphasis on ensuring data is retained only for the period it is needed, or as required by law.

Now is the time for companies to assess their infrastructure, isolate areas of potential exploit by bad actors, and educate employees on best practices for protecting sensitive data.

Records retention

A big area of focus is full compliance with a record retention schedule. The record retention schedule is vital to ensure that we’re retaining data only for the period needed, reducing risk by decreasing the data stored, and to comply with emerging legislation. Companies around the world are on this journey today and are revalidating their existing policies to ensure compliance. It’s important to ensure records retention obligations are met for multiple stakeholders – statutory, client, and insurance carrier – and in specific jurisdictions as well as on a global level.

Cyber resilience

On the tech side of the business, it’s important for cybersecurity, backup, and disaster recovery teams to come together and provide a more unified program under the banner of “cyber resilience.” This level of partnership helps to ensure that continuity plans, including business and technology, take into account how to implement protections in the event of a cyberthreat, allowing an organization to quickly respond to emerging threats. Companies should be making certain that their continuity program includes cyber-related issues.

Threat hunting

Armed with the mission of “breaking yourself before somebody else does,” cybersecurity teams look to attack an organization’s own cyber environments in the same way a bad actor might – a process called threat hunting. This gives visibility to not only spot the pain points where attacks may occur, but to build a quicker response so backup data can be protected to ensure not all is lost in the event of a threat. Threat hunting should supplement a robust vulnerability and penetration testing program, not replace. There are two large benefits to threat hunting –your defenders learn to identify attacks as they work with the threat hunters, and the company can help identify areas that may need additional controls to be applied.

Setting up a line of defense

You have to know what you have before you can protect it. By data-mapping all lines of business and the types of data flowing across them –including what vendors share that info – you can get a clear picture of how and where data is secured. Using the MITRE “crown jewel exercises” enables highlighting vulnerabilities around data to protect, so defenses can be layered accordingly. Colleague education is another tier of optimal data privacy and protection efforts. When it comes to cybersecurity risk, your people are your first and last line of defense. The question of how employees can be better educated to positively identify inbound threats, such as phishing emails, and other malicious activities – and how to reinforce this behavior positively – should always be top of mind. Phishing email training exercises should be done on a regular basis for the entire organization. Colleagues on teams that constantly handle sensitive data may need more frequent assessments for data breach prevention.

In the claims industry, privacy officers work to ensure data rights requests are addressed quickly and efficiently for individual claimants. In harmony with privacy laws, artificial intelligence may be leveraged to provide better services to individuals, such as in the case of automated claim reviews.

Privacy by design

Data privacy and security can be a differentiator for a company and its clients when it’s “baked” into investment and operations strategy. As a company builds out its new process and programs, including the flow of information within the system, it’s essential that teams on the front-end know how to tackle privacy by design. Regulatory agencies are making a heavier push toward reducing the footprint of data; businesses must pay due diligence by asking deep questions about their data security programs and weighing their investment in threat intelligence.

Grow your business with the Inclusion Grant from JobsOhio!

Per their website, this grant is described as: “The JobsOhio Inclusion Grant provides financial support for eligible projects in distressed communities and/or for businesses owned by underrepresented populations like minorities, women, veterans, and people with disabilities across the state.”

Many factors will be considered in grant decisions, including but not limited to company location, company ownership, jobs created and/or retained, and project fixed asset investment.

Additionally, these grants are intended for small to medium-sized businesses with annual revenues of up to $25 million.

The website includes a wealth of information, such as determining eligibility, an informational video, and a breakdown of what the grant funds can or cannot be used for.

Visit the website and watch the video: www.jobsohio.com/programs-services/inclusion/inclusion-grant

The Women's Business Enterprise Loan Program and Ohio Micro- Loan Program are priority initiatives of the DeWine-Husted Administration and were included in the 2022-2023 operating budget, which was passed in by the Ohio General Assembly in June 2021. “Everyone needs to share in Ohio’s success,” Development Director Lydia Mihalik said. “These loans to minority-and women-owned small business lift families and communities by creating jobs and opportunity across our state.”

In 2022, more than $9.34 million in loans were dispersed to more than 100 minority- and women-owned businesses through the program.

Michelle Filler, owner of Duke’s K9 Dash-N-Splash, LLC. in Windham, received $500,000 from the Women’s Business Enterprise Loan Program. The funds will be used to build a doggie play and shampoo park.

Crystal Kendrick, owner of Black-owned and WBE-certified marketing consulting firm The Voice of Your Customer in Cincinnati, received $45,000 from the Ohio Micro-Loan Program and $81,317 from the Women’s Business Enterprise Loan Program. The funds were used to purchase a commercial building in her community.

Keland Logan, owner of Emerald City Construction Company, a low-impact green infrastructure company in Youngstown, received $45,000 from the Ohio Micro-Loan program. The funds will be used to train, hire, and teach ex-offenders a skilled trade. More than $4.6 million remains available through the Women’s Business Enterprise Loan Program, and more than $6.5 million through the Ohio Micro-Loan Program.

The loans are administered by Development’s Minority Business Development Division. Information about the loans and other capital programs can be found online at Minority.Ohio.Gov. Start the loan application process here.

Businesses can reach out to a Minority Business Assistance Center near them for help with the application process and assistance with business planning, access to capital, and state business certifications. For more information about the MBAC network, visit MBAC.Development.Ohio.Gov

THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR

From the Editor's Desk

By Sarah Hann

If you don’t like glitter, don’t come to my house.

Ok, there’s always glitter in my house, but we’re currently overrun by all the sparkly party decorations as we prepare to celebrate some exciting milestones in the family. It’s a beautiful time to have extra helpings of parties and gatherings on the calendar considering how three years ago we’d have given many things for even just an hour-long gathering of our ten closest people. The days we long for do eventually arrive.

As we (slowly) come into the spring season, it’s also a beautiful time to celebrate your business or think about how to celebrate. Your business is full of your blood, sweat, and tears, your time, your money, your energy… celebrate the heck out of that!

Have a big anniversary coming up? Maybe you’re proud of a recent remodel? Reach out to the Chamber office to plan an open house event or even a ribbon cutting. Don’t forget that there are lots of Chamber member businesses who can help you celebrate, so make use of the Directory or feel free to ask a Chamber staff member for ideas too.

Reach out to the Chamber office by calling 614-875-9762

Access the Member Directory online: https://business.gcchamber.org/list

Want to celebrate with your customers? Customers love appreciation events (or, when I’m the customer I love them…) or little pop-up celebratory deals or specials. If you’re looking to have some celebratory fun without throwing a party or appreciation day, a social media contest is another idea.

Social media contests are also great if you’ve reached a milestone number of followers on a certain platform. Facebook and Instagram will be among the most popular for contests, and being owned by the same parent company they’ll have similar rules.

They’re none very complicated as long as you keep it simple, make sure to mention it’s not affiliated with the platform, and are clear about who is eligible to win (only US, only 18+ in US or Canada, etc.)

If you’re seeking more details on Facebook contests, this is a recent blog post covering all the hot sub-topics: https://rafflepress.com/facebook-contest-rules/

Let your business sparkle with joy and celebration this spring because every day the doors are open, every day that’s a success is reason enough to celebrate.

Buy tickets to our Annual Fundraiser Dinner & Show Dinner * Dancing * Silent & Live Auctions * Raffles

October 2023

Buy apparel, blankets & more through our online store. tinyurl.com/gccfshop

Support us with your everyday online shopping with Amazon. Add us as your Amazon Smile Charity tinyurl.com/gccfsmile

Now selling a local favorite - Silverbridge coffee. Every bag (or box) of coffee you buy goes towards scholarships for 2023. Visit our site at

https://gccfcoffee.square.site

As a member of GCACC you are offered discounted advertising within the chamber produced publications; our Business Connection E-Magazine, Business Weekly Connection e-newsletter, AND our social media channels. We are already reaching your target audience in the Grove City and Central Ohio area Partner with your chamber by purchasing an annual ad package and save.

20,000+ 5,000+ 1,700 + SOCIAL REACH MONTHLY WEBSITE HITS MONTHLY

WEEKLY SUBSCRIBERS

Artwork Requirements:

Ad Placement Pricing & Sizing

Full Page Inside Front Cover | 8.5x11 | $300

Full Page Inside Pages | 8 5x11 | $200

Half Page | 8.5x5.5 | $150

1/3 Page | 2.83x10 | $100

Quarter Page | 4 25x5 5 | $75

1/6 Page | 2 83x4 5 | $50

Artwork is due by the 20th of each month.

Banner Ads Now Available on our website starting at $300! (free 1st ad design)

Please submit in jpg or pdf format

For print ads please submit artwork files in 300 dpi, CMYK and embedded fonts format

For digital ads please submit artwork files in 72 dpi, RGB format

Word documents will not be acceptable

Ads sent in are subject to final approval by the Chamber Business Connection magazine editing staff

Looking for help with your ad artwork? Contact our marketing agency for discounted ad creative prices. Katbroconsulting.com