BUSINESS CHAMBER
LATE FALL 2020 | VOL. 4, ISSUE 7
CHAMBER NEWS Member Highlights and Letter from the Director Member Spotlight Member Anniversaries
CONNECTION
Grove City Welcomes BibiBop Restaurant The Women of We:Lead’s 2020 Business Forum
Business Showing Employees and Appreciation and Getting Prepared for 2021 with advice from Cultivate
LOCAL 2019 – 2020 Southwest Community Leadership Program Class Members
Chamber Foundation Passes the 100K Mark
GROVE CITY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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“Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year.” –Chad Sugg CHAMBER NEWS The Foundation Passes the $100k Mark!
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Grove City Welcomes Bibibop Showing Employees Appreciation During Covid
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Tips for 2021
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McKnight Group Celebrates 50 Years
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The Women of We:Lead 2020
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REGULARS
CITY DEMOGRAPHICS
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Letter from the Director Encouraging note from Director, Shawn Conrad.
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
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Member Recognition Welcome new and celebrate current members.
Want to learn more about the demographics of Grove City? Visit: GroveCityOhio.Gov/about-us-and-tourism/community-information
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YOUR CHAMBER Chamber Business Connections is published 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 President Wayne Coakley President Elect
Board Members
Ed Fleming
VP at Large Trent Soles
VP of Finance Allen Hocker
Chamber Foundation President Greg Dawkins
Past President
Dan Havener Heather Miller Kay Anderson Shelley Davis Wayne Kintz Katie Antry Laura Haines Amy Ankerson Frank Herman
Lisa Zeigler
Staff Executive Director Shawn Conrad Events Manager Marilyn Reiner Administrative Assistant Heather Brokaw Marketing and Communications KatBro Consulting Ltd.
Letter from the Director We love Grove City and we love our events! We wouldn’t let a worldwide pandemic ruin the 41st Annual Arts in the Alley event – we have researched and worked to create and design an amazing new version of Arts in the Alley on a global virtual platform! We’re making no apologies because Arts in the Alley ‘2020 Home Edition’ is going to be a great event and will include so many of the components that we look forward to every year. On November 14th we will launch ‘Arts in the Alley – 2020 Home Edition’ on our brand new online global event platform. You’ll find beautiful work from artists from all over Ohio and beyond showing and selling their work; visit their online stores to shop and purchase – just in time for the holidays. The Craft, Fine Arts, Photography, Quilt and Youth Arts shows will be available for you to view and you can submit your ‘People’s Choice’ vote for your favorite. Kids Fun Street will have art and craft activities for budding artists with live instructions and lists of project materials for upcoming projects. We’ll have many of your favorite entertainers from past Arts in the Alley events including some of our incredible Voice of Grove City winners. If you usually visit Arts in the Alley as a family, we have something really fun slated, show off by entering our first ever Chalk Art Challenge! We’ll have an adult and a kids division. We are expecting large crowds of viewers so set your calendar for November 14th; but if you’re busy that day, no worries this year’s event will remain open through the end of the year!. Please share the news and join us for ‘Arts in the Alley – 2020 Home Edition’. Visit gcchamber.org for all the details or call 614-875-9762 for information and details on how to register as an artist or to enter your art in one of the shows. -Shawn, Executive Director GCACC
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RECOGNIZING MEMBERS
CELEBRATING YEARS WITH GCACC
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The Chandler Melanie Readdean Beulah Park Brookdale Pinnacle TPI Efficiency Stringtown Animal Hospital
Start Talking South Western City, Inc Rodney Avutia Funky’s Auto Group Epcon Community: Courtyards at Beulah Park Ohio Dominican University
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Shepherd Insurance Partners Northwestern Mutual Burn Within Yoga
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Greater Columbus Oral Surgery & Dental Implants
Aqua Doc Lake & Pond Management McGrath, Timothy J. Jones Topsoil Lilly’s Kitchen Table
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Foot & Ankle Physicians of Ohio TSG Advice Partners ZANZIS
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
GRISWOLD HOME CARE OF SOUTH COLUMBUS AND FAIRFIELD COUNTY
SPECTRUM
ALADDIN SHRINE CENTER
As a part of parent company Charter Communications, Inc., Spectrum caters to a variety of telecommunication needs for residents and businesses. A household name, Spectrum is a leading provider of TV, internet services, mobile, and more. Here in Grove City, Spectrum has a storefront located in Parkway Centre East on Buckeye Parkway, where services such as equipment exchanges or pick-ups can take place. Monday-Saturday they’re open 10 am-8 pm, on Sunday noon-5 pm.
In November, the Aladdin Shrine Center will celebrate five years of hosting events in their Grove City location. After calling Steltzer Road home for many years, they relocated to Grove City in 2014, began extensive renovations, and then opened for events in their 26,000 square foot facility. The Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce has hosted many wonderful events at this location and can’t wait to return to hosting large gatherings with them.
Griswold Home Care believes in allowing seniors to maintain independence and safely age-in-place at their home. Caregivers are individually matched with the senior(s) they will work with so that everyone is safe, comfortable, and meeting a senior’s specific needs. Griswold Home Care of South Columbus and Fairfield County is family-operated, has office staff on-call 24/7, and is doing their part at meeting and exceeding current Covid protective measures in order to best care for our elder loved ones.
4182 Buckeye Parkway, Grove City (866) 874-2389 spectrum.com/locations/oh/grovecity/4182-buckeye-pkwy
1801 Gateway Circle, Grove City (614) 782-2490 https://aladdineventcenter.com
495 Main St, Suite C, Groveport (614) 769-6978 griswoldhomecare.com/south-columbusfairfield-county
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Fresh Cut Farms LLC
Griswold Home Care of South Columbus and Fairfield Direct Auto Insurance
Prime Home Care Home2 Suites and Tru by Hilton-Grove City
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CHAMBER NEWS
Chamber Foundation Passes the 100K Mark Here’s something exciting that has happened in 2020, our own Chamber Foundation—the charitable arm awarding scholarships, passed $100,000 mark this year in scholarship dollars awarded! The Foundation awarded its first scholarships in 2013, just seven short years ago. Typically a scholarship foundation of the Chamber Foundation’s size and scale takes longer, perhaps double the time, to achieve the 100k award mark. We’re excited to see how quickly another 100k can be awarded! To make up that 100k, a variety of scholarships are awarded annually, and even throughout the year. Click here to learn more about all of the scholarships offered, and be sure to check back often for This is a great accomplish to celebrate and we extended our deepest thanks to anyone who has contributed to the Chamber Foundation to make these scholarships possible. We thank the many who work behind-the-scenes to promote the Foundation and build it up. We also want to acknowledge everyone who has applied and received a scholarship from the Foundation. Onward to $200,000…! 8 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION LATE FALL 2020
CHAMBER NEWS 2019 – 2020 Southwest Community Leadership Program Class Members The 2020-21 school year is underway, but we want to make sure we’ve properly recognized the members of the 2019-20 Southwest Community Leadership Program. They navigated their way through constant changes against their will— perhaps that alone being the test of their leadership skills. Refer back to our March issue (click here) to read about their support of Special Olympics, and check out the August issue (click here) for a quick Q&A about how the class managed their challenges. Shawn Ballinger Founder & Wealth Manager, Columbus Street Financial Fred Bollinger Service Technician / Crew Leader, City of Grove City Heather Brokaw Administrative Assistant, Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce Lt. Mark Flowers Jackson Township Fire Department Sgt. Justin Gallo City of Grove City Police Division Michael Helco Administrator, Meadow Grove Transitional Care Dody Myers Office Manager, Air Quality Solutions Melanie Readdean Senior Consultant, Nationwide Insurance Joshua Walker Pharmacy Site Manager, OhioHealth Victoria Winters Account Executive, Morley-Parren-Bright Insurance
LOCAL
Grove City Welcomes It wasn’t just the August heat that gave BIBIBOP a warm welcome to the Grove City community—it was the community itself! Social media buzzed for weeks in excitement of a new restaurant, unlike any other establishment, and something fun to do despite life in a pandemic. Even our own Chamber page saw mentions from locals ready to try BIBIBOP’s create-your-own style of Asian cuisine! Customers lined up were excited that Opening Day had finally arrived. Courtney Hovest with BIBIBOP Grove City said via email interview that the excitement that began the first day carried them into the weekend, too. But it sounds like the excitement still remains and the new restaurant is starting to have their own ‘regulars’. We have many loyal customers that we count on seeing throughout the week, and each day we see a new face,” Courtney said. “We are so blessed to be in this area!” For those not up on the BIBIBOP buzz… we’ll back up a bit and answer that allimportant question of who they are, or rather, what style of food they serve and how they operate. BIBIBOP’s Asian-style cuisine allows customers to customize their meal, or ‘bowl’. Courtney stressed the importance of fresh ingredients, rich with the nutrients our bodies need, and of course packed with flavor. Food is fuel, and as Courtney also included in her email, they care about their customers’ “Well B-ing”. “Afterall, what you eat can determine how you act, feel, and think,” Courtney said. As for how BIBIBOP works as a concept? We’ll let Courtney answer that one: “Our open-concept stores allow guests to see our array of healthy, Asian food. This process makes it easier for the guests to walk through the line and customize their meals to their liking. In addition, this layout also gives our guests the ability to see more behind the scenes and watch our team members cook the food using fresh ingredients.” Because we’re approaching the holiday and end-of-year-celebration season, we also asked Courtney about what BIBIOP can offer for catering to local businesses and offices, and what would make BIBIBOP a unique and exciting choice for a team meal. She says it best, so here’s that portion of our Q&A:
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BIBIBOP’s Asian-style cuisine allows customers to customize their meal, or ‘bowl’. Courtney stressed the importance of fresh ingredients, rich with the nutrients our bodies need, and of course packed with flavor. Food is fuel, and as Courtney also included in her email, they care about their customers’ Well B-ing”.
LOCAL Q: We love sharing details about how a new restaurant can cater or deliver for a business’s meal, especially as we get closer to the end of the year & holiday time. Explain what the catering or delivery process looks like with Bibibop. A: BIBIBOP has three different catering options, which are our Traditional Spread, BIBIPACK, and One-Click Bowls. • Traditional Spread: This is our most customizable option. It feeds a minimum of 12 people and it will cost around $12/person. The Traditional Spread is a buffet-style meal with your choice of two proteins, two bases, two hot toppings, six cold toppings, and four sauces. This option allows you to provide something that all your guests will like: • BIBIPACK: This option is also buffet style; however, it will automatically include our most popular toppings. It feeds up to 10 people and it will start around $9.50/ person. The BIBIPACK will allow you to choose a base, and two proteins, and we will top it off with bean sprouts, black beans, potatoes, carrots, corn, cucumbers, red cabbage, and sesame kale. You may also select up to two sauces. • One-Click Bowls: This is our fastest catering option. These bowls come individually served for groups of all sizes (4+ people) and are priced the same as a regular bowl. For the One-Click Bowls, you will get to choose which type of protein you would like (one), whether you would like our purple rice or super-green salad, and it will automatically come with bean sprouts, black beans, carrots, corn, cucumbers, red cabbage, and sesame kale. These bowls automatically come with yum-yum and teriyaki sauce. In addition, if you feel like there will not be enough food for all your guests based on the catering option you selected, we do offer a la carte options, sides of fruit or kimchi, and a variety of teas and lemonades. All of these catering options come with bowls, napkins, and utensils and we do offer warming kits for larger orders. A catering order would ideally be placed 24-hours in advance; however, we do allow up to a three-hour notice. Guests have the option to have their catering delivered or they can go to the BIBIBOP location they ordered from and do pick-up. One thing to keep in mind is that BIBIBOP only delivers catering orders within a five-mile radius. You may place a catering order online by going to bibibop.com/ catering or calling our catering phone number at (844) 750-2424. Q: What about Bibibop’s food and menu choices would make it a great, unique choice for someone’s business/work team meal?
options. This makes BIBIBOP a great option for those who have a dietary restriction. Everyone loves a deal, so of course we also asked about any seasonal deals in the forecast. Courtney said the seasonal deals are still under construction, but we did learn the BIBIBOP app is the place to be for deals. In fact, starting October 1 customers who download the app will receive $5 in their account! Social media is also a great way to keep up with what’s happening, here’s a list of their handles: Instagram- @bibibopasiangrill, Twitter- @ BIBIBOPGrill, Facebook- BIBIBOP Asian Grill, LinkedIn- BIBIBOP Asian Grill. It’s no question BIBIBOP has become a new local favorite as they offer a variety of tasty, healthy foods sure to please everyone. But we do have one more question… is it lunch time yet? A special shout-out to members from our Chamber Foundation and Grove City Area Young Professionals who joined BIBIBOP on Opening Day, and took these great photos!
A: By choosing BIBIBOP, co-workers would feel full and satisfied with our healthy, home-cooked style meals. Our food is great for those who desire a Korean cuisine that is warm and affordable. We offer a variety of catering options from buffet-style to individually packed meals, which are great for COVID-19. From a dietary standpoint, all of our menu options are gluten-free except for our teriyaki and gochujang sauce, in addition, we have many vegan CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION SUMMER 2020 | 11
BUSINESS
Showing Employees Appreciation It might only be October, and who knows what 2020 still has up its sleeve, but one thing is for sure: the employees who have stuck with you for this wild ride have shown their loyalty and are worthy of appreciation. Believe it or not, ‘outside the box’ ideas for employee appreciation had been on the e-magazine list all along, so this isn’t completely “how to appreciate your employees in a pandemic”… But, before we start tossing out ideas and links, let’s run through a little checklist of what to consider before taking any action: Know Your Limits First to mind in knowing your limits is probably budget, and it’s certainly a big one. But, we aren’t just dollars and cents—your employees are people and hopefully you know how many of them there are! We also know some of you answer to higher corporate leaders with additional rules and regulations. Whatever you’re doing to show appreciation, check and even double check rules your company has in that area. And lastly, even though we said this article isn’t “how to appreciate your employees in a pandemic”, you’ll want to keep up with the latest guidelines and use best practices to keep everyone safe (concern for well-being is a type of appreciation!). Need an example? To celebrate their anniversary (which we’ve covered in this issue), The McKnight Group employees were treated to boxed lunches and dined outdoors. Know Your People Appreciation is about feeling valued and knowing someone noticed. Consider what would be of value to employees and even leave them feeling known and noticed. This may get tricky given everything covered above from budget to rules. But, the feeling of being valued is priceless and even the smallest of tokens, when done with thought and heart, can mean the world. We’ve covered a few ‘ground rules’ to give you some guidance so no budgets or laws are broken and no one gets Jelly of the Month Club (unless they really want it…). Let’s dive into how some fellow Chamber member businesses can help you show appreciation: 12 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION LATE FALL 2020
Dine In The way to many hearts is through the stomach, making an employee luncheon or other meal a value. This takes care of the age-old “what’s for lunch?” debate and can be a way to try a new cuisine. We don’t know the “dining inside during a pandemic” forecast as we write this, but we do know our members are creative people who can adapt. And, to use a Chamber member restaurant for take-out or catering for a luncheon, click here for our restaurant member directory list. Might we even suggest choosing a few and having your own mini Taste of Grove City? Group Night Out Places are opening back up for business and would love to safely host you and your group. Those business owners will handle the rules and regs… you come ready to have fun! We know our friends at Rollhouse have plenty of room to celebrate safely and they’re eager to host Chamber members. On the other end of the size scale, ideal for smaller groups, our neighbor down the street The Chandler would love to see small groups in for a pour-your-owncandle experience. They aren’t the only members ready to host a group for a fun time, click here for a directory list of entertainmenttype members. We do recommend, pandemic or not, reaching out early to plan out the best experience for everyone. Tokens of Appreciation Have a few people on your shopping list or just want to show appreciation with something unique? Shop local with Grove City— use this list of our retail members to guide your way. Our florist member Dannette’s Floral Boutique would love to help you select the perfect floral gift. Say it with Words Create and write your own cards or other appreciation notes by using local printers. Our friends at Wright Graphic Design would love to help you customize a creation. Many other print options are around Grove City, and they’re members—check out this list of our printer members. Need a complete list of members? Click here for our full directory and search for the type of business you need. And as we close out discussing appreciation, know that we appreciate having you as a member of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce!
BUSINESS
Gearing Up for 2021 with Cultivate It’s still 2020, but the calendar just flipped over to October. Believe it or not, 2021 is coming, and after the wild ride of 2020 business owners will want to be prepared and on top of their game now more than ever. Business owners likely have their own “do before 1-1-21” lists tailored to their personal needs, but we reached out to Matt Yerkes from Cultivate here in Grove City for what should be on a business’s “must do before 2021” list. 1. Setup your 2021 budget and cash forecast. 2. Review 2020 income and tax implications to make any year-end adjustments 3. Review your sales goals and strategy. The work you do between now and January 1 will decide if you finish 2020 strong, and set the stage for the start of 2021. Cultivate Grove City will be hosting a small event on Tuesday November 10 on “Creating and Understanding Your Business Dashboard” that touches on all of these issues and having a process to regularly measure progress towards your business and professional development goals. Registration for this event will begin on October 7 and be at this link: cultivateworks.org/gc Cultivate Grove City has worked with countless Grove City businesses and has helped many adapt and overcome the challenges presented in 2020. GCACC enjoys working with Cultivate, so if you reach out to them don’t hesitate to mention you’re a GCACC member!
cultivateworks.org/gc
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CONVERSEELECTRIC.COM
HISTORY
Building Success Building projects in 30-plus states, mission trips on six continents, and some nailed-to-theroof work gloves are just a snapshot of the vast work and experiences Homer McKnight and The McKnight Group have had in 50 years.
As a design-build firm where Homer and his team create and carry out building plans for churches across the state and nation, Homer also keeps God’s (building) plan close in mind and heart. It was how he got to this point, after all. The Beginning Though Homer enjoyed building things since childhood, he hadn’t considered architecture or that career path until he was a senior in high school. It was then, seemingly out of nowhere as he worked on a car (a hands-on project) that he heard and believed God wanted him to pursue architecture and become an architect. “God called me into this industry,” he said. After that, Homer really couldn’t think of anything else to do as career, anything that could compete or compare to pursuing architecture. This calling paired well with his natural interests, he once carved out a basketball court in the rugged Kentucky terrain, of creating something from the raw materials. After graduating from Ohio State, Homer found himself in Athens working on projects at Ohio University. The Nazarene Church in Grove City was also in its early days… very early days as they had no church and a tight budget. Homer did their drawings for free as God again called to him and guided him toward this new project. The Church wanted him and they made a handshake agreement. Coming to Grove City “We’re gonna have to move to Grove City to build the church…!” Homer recalled telling his wife of how they would need to move their family to Grove City. “We gotta find a house!” he added as he explained how quickly his building plans and God’s Plan had taken off.
“Get good people, give them responsibility.”
The McKnight family packed up and moved to a Grove City (just in time for Kindergarten!) that was much different than the current cityscape residents and frequent visitors know and love. “When we came to Grove City there were three restaurants!” Homer exclaimed of the small town they found. Little did Homer know the role he would play in helping the city grow by, quite literally, building the city. (To read about Homer’s role in beginning the GCACC, read our additional short piece in this issue)
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Though today the McKnight Group specializes in churches, the earlier days were different. In the days (years, rather) following the establishment of the McKnight Group and joining forces with business partner Bill Hosterman, commercial buildings were a common project which helped build up Grove City. A variety of commercial buildings throughout the Grove City area are a McKnight Group production.
Time to Grow As the McKnight Group continued to complete projects around the Grove City area, it was time for the Nazarene Church in Grove City to grow. Not just a new church—though that was an early idea, but an entire new facility with potential for other uses was needed. This would end up aiding in The McKnight Group’s growth as well. The multi-ministry center concept, which Homer would present, was hard to visualize, tricky to understand at times, and would require immense trust. Homer, too, was trusting in what God had given him and to bring to life what was in his mind. There was initial uncertainty of what Homer would bring to the board’s meeting room table.
The Design-Build Concept Though Homer was following his calling to be an architect, his own interests factored which included his desire both design and build a project. Homer wanted to see his projects through from first pencil strokes on paper to, in the sense of church projects, first Sunday service. But, the rest of the world didn’t, and to a point still doesn’t, operate like that. Design-build wasn’t even a thing in the Columbus area which made The McKnight Group the first. Homer said it’s still a small group country-wide where the owner does both. It created many memories for Homer as he switched from the design side to the physical work side, including some frigid January shingle work (when we said work gloves nailed to a roof, we meant that time…). It also aided in building the reputation of The McKnight Group. Jobs that were completed on-time, on-budget with excellent work built the reputation and credit as a design-build operation. Eventually this took to a national scale and today groups across the country can vouch for their work as a design-build.
“You won’t be worshipping in a gym!” he recalled his assurance to those questioning how a space for Sunday service could hold other activities, including athletic gym activities. Trust was given as not one change was suggested to Homer when he presented his master plan for a multi-ministry center to the Church’s board. Trust was given again when the bank financed the project trusted Homer and another familiar face from the board. And then it took off. Not only has the church now locally known as ‘The Naz’ made additions through the years, but it became a must-see and a new standard of sorts as word spread across the country. Through word-of-mouth and print, ‘The Naz’ was seen and eventually other church’s leaders tracked down The McKnight Group so they could have the same thing. As of today, The McKnight Group has built churches in over 30 states (check out the map image!) on both coasts and up into Alaska. Homer said their approach is a bit different in how they work hand-in-hand with a church to identify needs. In a typical
As the McKnight Group celebrates 50 years of rebuilding our community they receive a special proclamation from the Mayor of Grove City, OH
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HISTORY process, they go in and meet the church to get a sense of what they want to accomplish, their goals such as growth, etc., and from those conversations and observations a space is drawn up. It makes for a custom creation that will serve that individual church and its congregation—present and future.
“I learned I had good people, they were capable, they could take care of it while I was gone,” he said. “Get good people, give them responsibility.”
Lessons Learned and Service Given The year is 1974 and since the beginning of The McKnight Group four years prior, Homer hasn’t taken a day off—forget several consecutive days off! Like many business owners when starting out, Homer fell into the belief that he had to do everything.
Advice for the Future As Homer learned that he had a great team, loyal employees became the secret to success and even the future. His son David runs the majority of the show now and soon will have it all turned over to him; Homer’s ‘almost’ ready.
In an effort to get her husband to take some time away from work, and actually away from Ohio, Homer’s wife Shirley suggested he participate in a mission trip to Haiti she heard about. It would be two weeks long. Two weeks likely sounded like a lifetime on first mention, but it ended up being the trip of a lifetime.
He advises new business owners/operators (which could also include those moving up in leadership roles) to be committed to their company and the people. Hard work also can’t be overlooked.
“I was working myself to death for what?” Homer recalled of his eye-opening experience to the needs all around. “We are so blessed.”
Though the future is uncertain, Homer believes staying true to one’s calling and values—as an individual and business, can aid any person or business weathering the storm. He noted that The McKnight Group has made it through previous rough times, including 2008 which closed the doors on many similar businesses.
Just one trip and in a sense, Homer was ‘hooked’ on mission trips with his unique skillset an added asset. Mission work has taken him far away as 40 other countries, or as close as several states away for hurricane relief. It became another part of his calling as an architect and builder as he served others and led teams of people with the same goal. But Homer couldn’t have done it without the team back home keeping The McKnight Group running. It was the reason he was hesitant to go on the first trip—could he really leave his business?
“You have to work hard and don’t expect instant gratification.”
“Stay true to your values,” he said. “Above all, be honest, give value for everything you do.” Learn more about The McKnight Group’s 50th Anniversary, and hear Homer tell stories himself on their podcasts, at this website: https://www.mcknightgroup.com/50th-anniversary/
The Beginnings of the Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce Homer McKnight has accomplished a lot in 50 years of business, but there was another accomplishment, or involvement, we wanted to be sure to point out: He helped start the Chamber. “It seemed like nothing was happening in Grove City,” he said of the early days of the town. The town was still quite rural, but not completely void of businesses or businessmen. Homer and a group of other businessmen, one being current Grove City Mayor Ike Stage, came together and the Chamber was born out of their actions and meetings. Homer pointed out that Arts in the Alley was one of their early actions and shared an interesting memory of how the event used to operate. Early on, an auction with items solicited from local businesses had been a staple of the event. Because the Chamber didn’t have its current home, or any home of its own, all donated auction items were kept at Homer’s business building where his secretary also kept track of the items. We’re so grateful that the business owners of the day came together to form the Chamber and ultimately, made something happen.
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Berachah Baptist, Middletown, OH - Flipped from a school gymnasium
Map of Projects
Projects in Grove City, OH • Grove City Church of the Nazarene (1970, 1975, 1980, 1987, 1992, Misc Remodel 1996, Sanctuary 1997, Parking Lot 1997, Children’s Building 2002, Youth Remodel 2005, Flooring 2014, Storm Damage 2018, Child Care 2019) • McKnight Estates (1971) • Tren Carpet (1971) • First Presbyterian Church (1971, 1983) • Grove City Lumber Company (1975) • Beulah Park Horse Barns (1977) • McKnight Group Office (1978, Warehouse 1991, Remodel 1995, Expansion 1997, Expansion 1999, Remodel 2000) • Beulah Park Jockey Club (1978) and Club House Addition (1982) • N&H Realty (1979) • NMG #1 and #2 (1980) • Our Lady Of Prep. Help (1980) • Beautiful Savior Ev. Lutheran Church (1981) • Industrial Traffic Corporation (1981) • National Packaging Corporation (1981) • E.L. Evans Senior Center (1981) • Grove City Baptist Church (1981)
• Roxainne’s Flowers and Gifts (1981) and Solarium (1986) • Professional Office Building (1983) • St. John’s Lutheran Church (1983) • Myers Machinery Movers (1984) • Canaan Land Church (1984, 1987) • Stringtown Rd. Prof. Building (1984) • Grove City United Methodist Church (1984, 1995, 2005) • Thermo Jem Plastic (1984) • Southwestern School Mezzanine (1985) • Ace Software (1985) • Williams Company (1985) • R. W. Diesel (1986) • SWCS Bus Garage (1986) and Roof vents (1992) • Mid Ohio Screen Print Co. (1986) • Burke Trucking Company (1987) • Hoover Rd. Professional Building (1987) • Dr. Arthur Schmit (1988) • Best Western Executive Inn (1990) • Kelnor Medical Building (Remodel) (1995) • Grove City Christian School (1996, High
School 1999, Chem Lab 2000) • Trinity United Methodist Church (FLC) (1997) • Grace Community (FLC) (1997) • Buckeye Christian Church (2000, Sanctuary Addition 2003) • Central Ohio Church of the Nazarene District Office (2005) • Victorious Living (2019) .
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FEATURE
The Women of We:Lead’s 7th Annual Business Forum Share Some Insight Get to Know Marti Bledsoe Post Marti Bledsoe Post is the author of Retrofit: The Playbook for Modern Moms, published in fall 2019. Marti has a vision for helping leaders— with a focus on rising women leaders—bring their best and highest selves to the worlds of work and family. The title of her WE:LEAD session is “How to Work From Home With Your Family (Or Manage Teams Who Do)”, where attendees will learn smart strategies for working remotely from home with kids, or managing teams who do.
A: I think those three ideas are more important—and harder—than ever! We have to think of those ideas differently in 2020, but we still have to stress how much they are needed to stay on top of our game as women, leaders and parents. Q: Since we’re talking ‘refresh, renew, recharge’, what do you do to get that recharged feeling? A: I rest. This is a new skill that I am practicing, and it does NOT come naturally. But throughout 2020, I have taken small breaks almost every day to just sit still or actually lie down. Yes, during the day. Yes, even when my kids are home. It goes against everything I have been taught about productivity and perfectionism, but I keep working on it.
We caught up with Marti via Q&A where she shared her excitement for this year’s WE:LEAD Women’s Business Forum, what she hopes attendees gain from her session, and what recharging looks like for her.
Q: If you have any other thoughts or remarks about WE:LEAD or encouragement for your fellow women in business, we’d love to hear them!
Q: At some point you said ‘yes’ to being a speaker, what made you excited to say ‘yes’, and be excited for this event?
A: I recently heard Lauren Smith Brody, the author of The Fifth Trimester, say that there are no wrong choices during this time. I am embracing this concept! What if we all did?! ✾
A: I was excited because the caliber of women who recruited me and who are involved/sponsoring the event is so stellar! Q: What do you hope attendees can ‘take home’ from your session, or, why should attendees be excited for your session? (Or both!) A: Well, I hope they take home two things: first, they are NOT ALONE in the struggles to work at home with family; and second, I hope they take home one idea or tip to try that might make things better! Q: October is actually Women in Business Month, so WE:LEAD’s timing works out nicely! Why do you think it’s important for women in business to take time to come together? A: I think women business leaders are unique in their ability to solve problems and then share those solutions with others. This is part of what makes women naturally gifted leaders and in a time of unprecedented change, we need each other more than ever! Q: The forum theme includes ‘refresh, renew, recharge’, which we could all use even before the year is over! How do you think your session and this forum as a whole will help women in that mission to refresh, renew and recharge? 18 | CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION LATE FALL 2020
Get to Know Gina Molinari Gina Molinari, affectionately known as Gina Mo, is a neverhas-been opera singer turned online marketing strategist and communication coach. She uses her unique background of performance skills, marketing, and emotional intelligence to coach others into clearly and confidently marketing themselves and their business in a way that feels good and creates consistent results in their business. Our Q&A below not only shares the topic of Gina’s keynote address, but also what she does to recharge, and her thoughts on businesswomen supporting other businesswomen. Q: At some point you said ‘yes’ to being a speaker, what made you excited to say ‘yes’, and be excited for this event? A: I had come in to do a guest speaking workshop for a lunch and learn early in the year. When I was asked and invited to be the
Get to know Stacy McPhillips
keynote speaker of this event after Shawn got to witness me in action, it was a huge honor to know they had faith in me to bring a lot of value to a larger audience. I love speaking. Q: What do you hope attendees can ‘take home’ from your session, or, why should attendees be excited for your session? (Or both!) A: I aim to entertain in addition to teaching you. It is my goal to ensure that my session will support women in finding their voice and going out to be their best with what I have to teach them. Not to do it the way I do it, but to find an authentic way that is equally effective. Q: October is actually Women in Business Month, so WE:LEAD’s timing works out nicely! Why do you think it’s important for women in business to take time to come together? A: For so long women have had the reputation of being kind to each other’s faces and catty behind each other’s backs. I’m committed to breaking that barrier down so that we can all have success in our own ways. Somewhere I read, “A true Queen fixes another Queen’s crown without ever telling anyone else it was crooked in the first place.” I aspire to be that for my fellow women in business. Q: The forum theme includes ‘refresh, renew, recharge’, which we could all use even before the year is over! How do you think your session and this forum as a whole will help women in that mission to refresh, renew and recharge? A: My talk, “Don’t be Perfect. Be committed and consistent.” is as timely now than ever. We are all scared and uncertain about the future in some fashion. I will speak into what we can do about it to stop waiting for circumstances to change and instead create our own destiny. Q: Since we’re talking ‘refresh, renew, recharge’, what do you do to get that recharged feeling? A: I sing an acoustic ballad at the top of my lungs with my eyes closed or I read an inspiring book. Neither of those things ever fail me. Q: If you have any other thoughts or remarks about WE:LEAD or encouragement for your fellow women in business, we’d love to hear them! A: I’m honored to be a part of this event. Though I didn’t originally intend to work exclusively with women, I am more sure every day that I am healing parts of myself by linking arms with like-minded women while giving them the gifts of myself. ✾
Purchase Tickets for We:Lead Business Forum
Stacy McPhillips is a Marketing Strategist and Planner of Pencil Point Marketing (which is her own business!). Stacy knows all the marketing stuff. She is a generalist (which means she knows a lot about a lot when it comes to marketing.) She teaches small businesses how to market their brand effectively with customized marketing plans to build customer relationships from awareness to loyalty. Her expertise includes: marketing strategy, marketing plans, social media marketing, digital marketing, content marketing, local marketing, building customer relationships. You’ve also read a couple of tip columns from her in previous 2020 editions of Chamber Business Connection! Stacy’s WE:LEAD session is titled “You: The Brand”. We all have businesses whose brands we know and love—and your personal brand can be just as impactful. Your personal brand tells your coworkers, friends, clients, and supervisors who you are and exactly what you bring to the table. In this presentation, we’ll discuss everything that makes up brand “You” and how to identify, enhance, and cultivate your brand. In doing this you can build your confidence, strengthen your relationships, and stand out in your next interview—because your brand is you, and no two brands are the same. We caught up with Stacy for a quick Q&A via email—read on to learn about what to expect from her session, what else about WE:LEAD excites her, and why sleep matters! Q: At some point you said ‘yes’ to being a speaker, what made you excited to say ‘yes’, and be excited for this event? A: As a woman in the workplace, I am most excited about supporting other women in the workplace! And, I’ve been thinking about doing a personal branding workshop for a while, so this is just perfect timing. Q: What do you hope attendees can ‘take home’ from your session, or, why should attendees be excited for your session? (Or both!) A: I hope that the women that attend “You: The Brand,” walk away more thoughtful about how they build their personal brand and how that can help them in their careers. Q: October is actually Women in Business Month, so WE:LEAD’s timing works out nicely! Why do you think it’s important for women in business to take time to come together? A: We’re in this weird time when things have changed significantly in the workplace and at home and I feel like where we’ve gotten is at risk of being lost. It makes my heart hurt. We need to support each other working from home, figuring out how to navigate work and home schooling and continuing to move CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION LATE FALL 2020 | 19
FEATURE the ball forward in equality. That’s why I’m so excited for Marti Post’s presentation on “How to work from home with your family!” Q: The forum theme includes ‘recharge, revive, refocus’, which we could all use even before the year is over! How do you think your session and this forum as a whole will help women in that mission to recharge, revive, refocus? A: Whenever you focus on cultivating your personal brand, you’re naturally considering how to recharge, revive and refocus how your showing up – at work, with peers, at home, with friends and family. Q: Since we’re talking ‘recharge, revive, refocus’, what do you do to get that recharged feeling? A: Sleep is SO important to me. I need 8+ hours for sure! I spend a lot of time considering how to make my sleep better and I don’t have all the answers. But I have recently discovered something that puts me to sleep quickly – sleep stories. On my Fitbit app, they have a selection of sleep stories (yes, I realize these are basically bedtime stories… ) and when my mind swirls and I can’t sleep, I play a sleep story and I am generally asleep before the end. I have a headband with headphones built in, so I don’t wake up my spouse. If you have any other thoughts or remarks about WE:LEAD or encouragement for your fellow women in business, we’d love to hear them! There are no right or wrong answers to how we’re making it all happen right now. But, it’s more important than ever to just support each other in our unique ways of handling it all – stress, work, life, momming, whatever! We’ve got this. ✾
Get to know Rhonda Shappert Rhonda Shappert graduated from OSU with a musical theater degree and has performed on stages on three continents. She is a published author, a contemporary Christian recording artist, a certified personal development life coach, and is the owner of Winning Through Pageantry. Rhonda has won numerous titles and has coached hundreds of contestants to win titles in every major pageant system in the industry. Married 32 years, she has three daughters whom she home educated. Rhonda’s work career ranges from working in administrative roles, event planning, politics and senior living. She has lived in the Grove City area for 25 years. Rhonda’s session is titled “Rhonda Honda Odyssey: Important Life Lessons Learned Over 300,000 Miles”. In sharing 3 keys stories from Rhonda’s Odyssey, you will be guided to reflect and take action that will leave you feeling refocused and renewed. Our Q&A with Rhonda gives great insight into her session, but without any spoilers! Rhonda has also shared her thoughts on why women need to need to come together such through WE:LEAD-type events, why self-care matters and what crafty activity not only recharges her, but gives her a moment to reflect on life’s previous moments.
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Q: At some point you said ‘yes’ to being a speaker, what made you excited to say ‘yes’, and be excited for this event? A: For decades I have worked with women to become the best version of themselves through my coaching. I’m excited to be able to share a few nuggets from my life that will help recharge the batteries of the attendees. Q: What do you hope attendees can ‘take home’ from your session, or, why should attendees be excited for your session? (Or both!) A: Today everyone is so busy doing stuff that few people take the time to reflect if their actions are actually moving them closer to what they want to accomplish. It’s my hope the women who attend my session will create three action items that will move them closer to feeling refocused and refreshed. Q: October is actually Women in Business Month, so WE:LEAD’s timing works out nicely! Why do you think it’s important for women in business to take time to come together? A: Iron sharpens iron. When strong women come together and share our stories, that interaction encourages, motivates, and strengthens us. Q: The forum theme includes ‘recharge, revive, refocus’, which we could all use even before the year is over! How do you think your session and this forum as a whole will help women in that mission to recharge, revive, refocus? A: As women, we tend to put self-care at the bottom of our never ending to-do list. It isn’t until we reach burn out that we realize the importance of taking care of ourselves. My session will be a time for women to identify and reflect on areas of their lives that need a little TLC. Q: Since we’re talking ‘recharge, revive, refocus’, what do you do to get that recharged feeling? A: Scrapbooking. Looking at pictures makes me appreciate life and feel gratitude for all my blessings. It also reminds me of how quickly time passes and not to take a second for granted. ✾
This year’s Arts in the Alley is coming to a home near you!
C
oming mid-November Arts in the Alley: Home Edition will make its grand debut. We’re bundling up as many of our Arts in the Alley favorites as possible and bringing them right to your own home—your sidewalk, your screen, and maybe a few other places in between!
Many of our favorites will be found on our new virtual platform featuring the vendors, show entries, and more will be live for your viewing enjoyment. Show competition will last for one week, but all online features will remain up for an indefinite period making Arts in the Alley last longer than 48 hours. Vendors are being lined up and they’re excited for this unique opportunity—one vendor told us that they’re pumped to be part of this! If you, or someone you know, would like to join in the fun of being a vendor, reach out to us at the office: (614) 875-9762. Would you believe us if we said there’s more? There is. And it actually starts a month in advance! Launching on October 10 is our first-ever Sidewalk Chalk Challenge. Each week will have a new theme for drawings, with photo entries submitted via email, and winners for each weekly theme. We all got a taste of Grove City’s chalk skills months ago as we drew to lift our spirits and thank our essential workers, so we’re excited to see what our community can do with a little experience, some fun themes, and of course prizes at stake! Be sure to check out the full rules on how to participate. For families wondering what their next together at home activity will be—this is it! Sidewalk chalk, entertainment, artwork to browse and vendors to shop with (just in time for the holidays, we might add)… it will all be right in your front yard or at your fingertips.
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Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce + Franklin University Par tnership The Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Franklin University to provide the following educational benefits:
Tuition discounts on associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree and certificate programs.
SAVINGS:
PROGRAMS:
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Free textbooks
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20% tuition discount on all programs up through the master’s level
Franklin University offers a variety of programs through the Ross College of Business, College of Arts, Sciences & Technology, College of Health & Public Administration and the International Institute for Innovative Instruction.
Grove City Area Chamber of Commerce employees and members can combine tuition discounts and free tuition deferment with their employee reimbursement.
Take Advantage of the Savings Today! Apply: franklin.edu/apply-grovecitychamber Verify Employment: franklin.edu/verification Learn More: franklin.edu/grovecitychamber Questions? Contact: Mary Beth Bertrand, Senior Partnership Account Manager CHAMBER BUSINESS CONNECTION LATE FALL 2020 | 23 | 614.947.6716 marybeth.bertrand@franklin.edu
