Left to right: Michelle McMullen, NKU | Bill Beitler, Commonwealth Bank | Peggy Casey, Tri-ED | Marianne Schmidt Hurtt, PNC Bank Brent Cooper, C-Forward | Gretchen Theissen, APG Office Furnishings | Steve Harper, Harper Oil | Chris Spicker, Business Benefits Mark Tranbarger, Bank Of Kentucky
In this issue
Business Journal November/December 2014
3 In This Issue
18 Is Your Business Ready—Or Not? 20 Private Insurance Exchange & Enrollment Technology
4 From the President 5 Regional Economic Outlook Report 7 From the Chair, Steve Harper 8
myNKY Health: Making the Healthy Choice the “Easy Choice” in Northern Kentucky
9
Humana Vitality—Passion for Wellness
10
NKU Health Innovations Center
14 Mubea and St. Elizabeth Physicians: A Workplace Wellness Story in the Making 16 Fire. Outbreak. Heart Attack. Falls.
29
Emerging 30
32
Women’s Initiative Spotlight: Kara Williams
36
Chamber Snapshots
38
Member Milestones
45
Upcoming Events
46
Ribbon Cuttings
Cover photo (front to back): Michelle McMullen, Marianne Schmidt Hurtt, Bill Beitler, Peggy Casey, Mark Tranbarger, Gretchen Theissen, Chris Spicker, Steve Harper, and Brent Cooper
CEO/Publisher Trey Grayson Creative Director/Editorial Director Rena Gibeau rgibeau@nkychamber.com
Periodicals Postage Paid at Covington, KY ISSN (0274-757X)
Graphic Design Artboy Animation
Northern Kentucky Business Journal is published bi-monthly by the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, P.O. Box 17416, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017. Phone: 859-578-8800. Website: www.nkychamber.com. The Business Journal is a benefit of membership and included in membership fees. Annual subscription rate for nonmembers is $24.
Director, Sponsor Investments Diana McGlade dmcglade@nkychamber.com Director, Member Investments Laura-Aurora (LA) Stopa lastopa@nkychamber.com
Periodicals Postage Paid USPS-548630 at Covington, KY.
Chamber Communications Committee Chair: Shelly Whitehead Emily Gresham-Wherle, Gina Stegner, Dana R. Skulan, Bill Powell, Shannan Boyer, David Rhoad, Cyndi Haren, Kelly Rose, Katie Scoville, Meredith Fossett, Shayna Crowley, Kevin Donnelly
November/December 2014
Chamber Shops - Shop Smart! Shop Small!
35 Chamber Recognizes Ambassador Volunteers for Service
13 Healthcare Industry Has Big Impact in NKY
VP Public Affairs & Communications Adam Caswell
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Postmaster: Please send address changes to the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, P.O. Box 17416 , Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017-0416. Subscribers: Please send address changes by e-mail to info@nkychamber.com. © 2014, The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and by the individual authors. All rights reserved.
NKY Chamber Business Journal
3
Photo courtesy of Lead Magazine/ Wes Battoclette, photographer
PERSPECTIVE
Let’s Get To Work Trey Grayson, President & CEO, NKY Chamber of Commerce At our board retreat, 2014-15 NKY Chamber Chair Steve Harper charged the board and staff to make Economic Competitiveness the Chamber’s top priority for the upcoming year. He observed that in reality, everything we do at the Chamber is part of our effort to improve economic competitiveness. Chair Harper also identified seven more priorities—five additional advocacy areas —the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor, CVG, Heroin, Tax Reform/Regulatory Issues, Workforce—and two internal priorities— Communications and Financial Stability. At the board retreat, all board members offered insights and suggestions about the eight priorities, and the Chamber’s staff did the same at the staff retreat. Here is what we plan to do in the upcoming year to addresses those strategic priorities. Our membership knows that fixing the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor is critically important to our region. During the upcoming legislative session, we will again advocate for the passage of clean publicprivate partnership legislation (“P3”) that will keep all bridge funding options on the table. The proposed P3 legislation will give communities across Kentucky another tool for funding their own local priorities—not just our Bridge. We will work with them to make this tool a reality. We also hope to serve as a convener of all sides of the Bridge discussion to identify ways to collaborate and compromise on solutions to get the project completed. Finally, we know that we need to continue community education on the Bridge’s importance, what public-private partnerships are and are not, the Bridge’s safety deficiencies, and realistic options for paying for it. Lost in all the publicity about CVG’s board governance has been the rapid
growth of low-cost carriers, such as Allegiant, Frontier and Ultimate Air Shuttle. In addition, when compared to other airports in our region, CVG continues to offer more flights to more non-stop destinations, including the only flight to Europe. As a result, CVG is becoming an even more important competitive advantage for our region. This year, we plan to continue working with CVG management to increase passenger usage and reduce passenger leakage to other airports. CVG has a good story to share, and the business community can play a key role in this endeavor. The business community has played an important role in raising awareness of the heroin epidemic plaguing our region. We need to maintain the momentum from last year’s General Assembly session to finally push across the finish line legislation that mirrors the priorities of 2014’s SB5, along with the necessary updates to secure passage. In the area of taxes, we plan to create a Northern Kentucky “tax commission” that brings together primary industries and other stakeholders to identify the areas of tax reform that would elevate our ability to attract, create and grow jobs. At the local level, we will continue to push for the streamlined collection of local occupational taxes to ease compliance for businesses in Northern Kentucky. In Frankfort, we will continue to advocate for tax reform, including addressing the so-called “hidden tax” on Kentucky’s workers compensation assessments that funds Labor Cabinet operations. To address some our region’s workforce challenges, particularly in the area of advanced manufacturing, we have begun exploring a collective impact model in partnership with Vision 2015, Partners for a Competitive Workforce, the NKY
Workforce Investment Board, Gateway, Tri-ED, the Northern Kentucky Industrial Association and other partners. Potential goals include filling up our talent pipeline, executing a regional marketing campaign, gathering data and defining a workforce policy agenda. We are also working to become the first Kentucky metropolitan region to achieve Work Ready certification. Internally, we are streamlining our workforce efforts under the brand of Employer Solutions with a single committee to better provide resources, training, consultation and networking opportunities in three primary focus areas: Health, Wellness & Safety; Talent Attraction & Retention; and Labor Law Resources & Training and Employer Consultation. We even plan to better align LNK 2015 programming with these key priorities for our region. Finally, we will be developing a multiyear strategic plan to help the Chamber increase our number of members, improve the engagement levels of existing members and increase non-dues revenue, as well as overhauling our communications operations to better communicate with the board, Chamber members, community partners, government officials, and the general public. It should be a busy and productive year! So let’s get to work.
Everything we do at the Chamber is part of our efforts to improve economic competitiveness. 4
NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
ECONOMIC DATA ECONOMIC INDICATORSECONOMIC REPORT INDICATORS REPORT
Establishment Survey (Count of Jobs) Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Goods Producing Industries (000’s) Service Providing Industries (000’s) Cincinnati MSA Manuf. Employment (000’s) Durable Goods Nondurable Goods
July 2014
June 2014
1,042.6 151.9 890.7 109.1 65.2 43.9
1,051.0 150.8 900.2 109.3 65.6 43.7
July 2013
July ‘13-‘14 % Change
1,023.3 147.5 875.8 107.2 63.7 43.5
1.9% 3.0% 1.7% 1.8% 2.4% 0.9%
Household Survey (Count of People) Civilian Labor Force
July 2014
June 2014
July 2013
Boone County Campbell County Kenton County Northern Kentucky Total Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Kentucky (000’s) Ohio (000’s) US (000’s)1
66,994 46,114 85,400 198,508 1,110 2,047 5,815 157,573
67,927 46,754 86,469 201,150 1,112 2,072 5,792 156,997
68,412 47,065 87,084 202,561 1,115 2,087 5,859 157,196
Employed Residents
July 2014
June 2014
July 2013
Boone County Campbell County Kenton County Northern Kentucky Total Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Kentucky (000’s) Ohio (000’s) US (000’s)1
63,118 43,207 80,089 186,414 1,048 1,892 5,467 147,265
64,176 43,931 81,432 189,539 1,052 1,919 5,452 147,104
63,682 43,594 80,806 188,082 1,035 1,911 5,415 145,113
5.8 6.3 6.2 6.1 5.6 7.5 6.0 6.5
5.5 6.0 5.8 5.8 5.4 7.4 5.9 6.3
6.9 7.4 7.2 7.1 7.2 8.5 7.6 7.7
July 2014
Unemployment Rates (%) Boone County Campbell County Kenton County Northern Kentucky Total Cincinnati MSA (000’s) Kentucky (000’s) Ohio (000’s) US (000’s)1
June 2014
Consumer Price Indices (1982-84 = 100) US “All Urban Consumers” (CPI-U)(SA) “Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers” (CPI-W)(SA)
Consumer Price Indices (1982-84 = 100) Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky CMSA “All Urban Consumers” (CPI-U)(SA)
July 2014
237.7 233.9
233.3 229.7
1st Half 2014
2nd Half 2013
1st Half 2013
223.7
US Finished Goods (SA) (p)
July 2013
237.9 234.1
July 2014
Producer Price index (1982 = 100)
June 2014
202.4
221.3
June 2014 202.1
The household survey is a count of people.
July ‘13-‘14 % Change -2.1% -2.0% -1.9% -2.0% -0.5% -1.9% -0.7% 0.2%
July ‘13-‘14 % Change -0.9% -0.9% -0.9% -0.9% 1.2% -1.0% 1.0% 1.5%
July 2013
Prices and Inflation
221.3
(Billions of chained 2005 dollars; quarterly data at seasonally adjusted annual rates ) (r)
Q2 2014 15,986
US
Q3 2013
Personal Income (Billions of dollars)3 (Seasonally adjusted annual rates ) (r)
US
14,696
Q1 2014 15,832
Q2 2013 14,488
US Federal Reserve Board Index of Industrial Production (2007 = 100) Composite Index of Leading Indicators4 (2004=100)
June 2014
Employed Residents include those who work for pay or profit, completed at least 15 hours of unpaid work in a familyoperated business, and persons temporarily absent from a regular job. Unemployment Rate is the percentage of the Civilian Labor Force that do not have a job, have actively looked for work in the prior 4 weeks, and are currently available for work. Persons waiting to return to the same job after a temporary layoff are also considered unemployed.
-1.1 -1.1 -1.0 -1.1 -1.6 -1.0 -1.6 -1.2
CPI measures changes in prices for all goods and services consumed by Urban households. CPI-U includes expenditures by all urban wage earners and clerical workers, 2.0% professional, managerial, and technical 1.9% workers, the self-employed, short-term 1st Half ‘13-’14 unemployed, and retirees (87% of total population). Change CPI-W includes only expenditures by hourly wge earners or clerical jobs. 1.1%
July 2013 196.7
July ‘13-‘14 % Change
July ‘13-‘14 % Change 2.9%
Q2 2013 15,607
Q3 2012 14,131
Q2 ‘13-‘14 % Change 2.4%
Q3 ‘12-‘13 % Change
July 2013
July ‘13-‘14 % Change
105.5
102.4
101.3
4.1%
102.4
103.5
95.7
7.0%
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) or Workforce Kentucky Labor Statistics 2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Survey / 3. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) 4. The Conference Board, US Business Cycle Indicators / 5. Bureau of Labor Statistics / (p) preliminary
Personal income is a measure of all sources of income. This includes wages, dividends, and government transfers. Mandatory contributions to social programs are deducted from this measure.
4.0%
Other July 2014
Civilian Labor Force includes all employed and unemployed persons looknig for work. CLF does not include retirees, students, stay-at-home parents, or those otherwise not seeking employment.
July ‘13-‘14 % Change
NIPA (Output, Production, and Income) Real GDP3
The establishment survey is a count of jobs, not people. Striking workers, selfemployed, proprietors, domestic, and farm workers are not included. Part-time and full-time jobs are each counted as one job.
Index of Industrial Production is the output of manufacturing, mining, electric, and gas utilities as a percent relative to 2007. Composite Index of Leading Indicators includes 10 components and can be found at www.conference-board.org/data/ bcicountry.cfm?cid=1
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November/December 2014
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You’ve probably observed lately that gas prices are falling. But if you’re just a little older than sixteen, you’re probably also aware that prices go up and prices go down. In fact, I’ll go out on a limb and tell you that in the future, I can guarantee, beyond the shadow of a doubt, I know which direction prices are going. They’re going up and they’re going down! What I can’t tell you is how much or when. But what if I told you, regardless of the level of gas prices next year or five years from now, we have it within our power to ensure that at least they’ll be a few cents per gallon lower than they would otherwise be? We cannot control geopolitical forces around the world. We cannot control the weather. We cannot control with much accuracy how the economy or technology impacts prices. But we do have the ability to control one thing. That one thing is the type of gasoline we use and how many different types of gasoline are sold in one geographic area. Years ago, everyone used the same type of “conventional” gasoline. The distribution and marketing system in the country was designed to handle this one type of gasoline. The refineries that refine crude oil and store gasoline, the pipelines and barges that ship gasoline, the terminals that store gasoline in our city, the trucks that transport the gasoline to convenience stores, all were designed to handle one type. Then along came the Clean Air Act Amendments (CAA) of 1990. The CAA designated different geographic areas around the country as either being in attainment or non-attainment with regard to air quality. Further, non-attainment areas were designated as being either moderate, serious or severe ozone non-attainment areas. Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky was designated as being a moderate ozone non-attainment area. The Louisville/Jefferson County area was also non-attainment. Having this designation required state governments to submit to the US EPA a State Implementation Plan (SIP) of how they were going to bring their area into compliance.
One of the choices that had to be made was to select a type of cleaner burning gasoline to replace the old conventional gasoline. The two main types to choose from were Low RVP (Reid Vapor Pressure) gasoline or RFG (Reformulated Gasoline). The administration in Frankfort chose to opt in to the more expensive RFG program in 1995. On the other hand, Ohio, which because it was a different state with the power to make its own decisions, chose the more economical Low RVP for Cincinnati. So, now we are in the position of selling three different types of gasoline out of the petroleum terminals in the city: RFG for Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties; Low RVP for Cincinnati; and Conventional for the counties outside the city. Since the advent of three types of gasoline in the city, some terminal is out of some product almost every day because the system isn’t able to handle keeping adequate supply of all of them all of the time, given the certain supply disruptions that occur all too frequently. And when product supply is tight, natural supply and demand forces prices upward. If we were able to do away with one of these types, it would reduce these shortages and mitigate the level of prices. Further, if Kentucky were to be allowed by the US EPA to opt out of the RFG program and switch to the less costly Low RVP that’s sold in Cincinnati, the prices could be mitigated further, saving our local economy millions of dollars per year and helping our hard working families balance their budgets. So, why would we not want to do this? I can tell you that, as with all things, the devil is in the details and it would be an uphill battle to align the forces to make this happen. But just in the last year similar things have been accomplished in the Carolinas and in Florida. Your Northern Kentucky Chamber is currently studying this issue to see what can be achieved for our community. It is my hope that we can “Make it so!”
HEALTH CARE RESOURCES
myNKY Health: Making the Healthy Choice the “Easy” Choice in Northern Kentucky By Bill Scheyer, President, Vision 2015 Positive energy and animated dialogue are evident as individuals complete a fast-paced brainstorming session and organize color-coded notes on the walls. Leaders challenge the group to address true life and death issues for the benefit of our citizens and the region as a whole. This is no “ordinary” meeting. As one of nine Working Groups of the myNKY visioning process, key leaders from the health community are gathered to develop priority focus areas and bold strategies to improve the health of our region. This group, which will help formulate recommendations for the region’s next strategic plan, is comprised of individuals appointed by the myNKY Leadership Team based on their knowledge of and commitment to health issues. There is obvious excitement with this unique opportunity to collectively develop critical health strategies. Sunnie Southern, Founder/CEO, Viable Synergy, LLC and Health Working Group member says, “When I was asked to participate, I said yes without hesitation. I was impressed by myNKY’s innovative approach, deep level of community engagement, and the significant potential impact that a project like this could have on our community. It is refreshing to collaborate with local business leaders who recognize the connection between a healthy population and a healthy economy and are creating viable strategies to improve both for all members of the community”.
Kentucky currently ranks 45/50 in overall health, including 50th in smoking and 50th in cancer mortality. How does this impact our ability to attract businesses and employees as well as effectively manage employee health care costs? The Health Working Group, chaired by Sarah Giolando (St. Elizabeth) and Chris Goddard (HealthPoint) is building on myNKY community input and regional data to create strategies to “make the healthy choice the easy choice for NKY” in three critical areas: 1) surrounding physical environment 2) access to care and 3) quality behavioral health services. Kentucky currently ranks 45/50 in overall health, including 50th in smoking and 50th in cancer mortality. How does this impact our ability to attract businesses and employees as well as effectively manage employee health care costs? Dan Cahill, Vice President, Market Leader, Horan, shares his reason for involvement and the clear imperative for the business community. “We need to change the culture of our community as it relates to making good decisions for our families and our children. At the heart of any successful community, there is great 8
health care and multiple public facilities—like bike trails and outdoor activities—that promote healthy living. Having access to a healthy workforce can be a primary reason employers come to our region.” Vision 2015, as a backbone organization for collective impact, is committed to integrating community input and best practice strategies through the myNKY process to improve quality of life in Northern Kentucky.
myNKY Health Working Group Representation Co-Chairs Sarah Giolando Chris Goddard
St. Elizabeth Healthcare HealthPoint Family Care
John Scott Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Dr. Robert Baker St. Elizabeth Physicians Dr. Chris Bolling Pediatric Associates Dan Cahill Horan Tabatha Clemons Grant County Parks and Recreation Dee Ellingwood Health Collaborative Ken Rich NKY Dental Association Lynne Saddler NKY Health Dept. Sunnie Southern Viable Synergy Jennifer Steele Freestore Foodbank Jay Van Winkle Senior Services NKY Tom Vergamini Taft Law Yvonne Washington United Way Rick Wurth Children’s Home NKY Tanya Kaup North Key Kate Keller Interact for Health Nancy Carpenter KET Bob Schrage Transitions
The genuine spirit of collaboration, commitment to make a difference, and the ability to put individual interests aside to support the community as a whole, gives me hope and confidence that we will be successful.
NKYChamber.com
—Sunnie Southern November/December 2014
Passion for Wellness Wellness and Rewards Program Designed to Inspire
HumanaVitality® is a wellness and rewards program designed to inspire its members to live healthier lives for themselves and their families. The program helps members take small steps toward goals that can make big changes in their individual health and lifestyle, and then rewards them every step of the way for making healthy choices. HumanaVitality is a data-driven solution unlike any other, supported by reputable results in reducing absenteeism and minimizing health claims. Ways HumanaVitality Engages Employers & Employees HumanaVitality Champs and Champ Camp: The Vitality Champ program is an opportunity for employees to share their health and wellness passion with their co-workers. HumanaVitality equips the Champ through a variety of resources, including the opportunity to attend a three day Champ Camp at Disney World, or a one day champ camp held locally. Champs are educated on the HumanaVitality program, and share ways to spread the excitement and knowledge amongst co-workers. Champs from organizations across the country have the chance to share ideas on a monthly basis through a webinar, a dedicated LinkedIn group, and an ideas exchange. Champs also received a bi-monthly Champ Chat email with additional tools and resources to help them champion workplace wellness among their coworkers. HumanaVitality Engagement Source: The engagement source is a dedicated website that employers and champs can access the latest wellness information, gather ideas for building a culture of wellness, get program information and marketing tools, and join a monthly webinar. HumanaVitality Engagement Tour: The engagement tour is a mobile experiNovember/December 2014
ence that travels across the country and stopping at participating employer sites to bring a hands-on experience to HumanaVitality members. The elements consist of: a Health Assessment Completion station, a healthy foods cart where members can print recipes, a fitness device station to learn about the various compatible devices, and a station to ask program questions and resolve any barriers to getting engaged. The tour visits various employer sites at no cost. Discounts to race entries: HumanaVitality is partnered with The Competitor Group to offer HumanaVitality members discounts on many races across the country including the Rock and Roll marathon, ½ marathon and 5k series, as well as other mud runs and triathlons.
Innovative Ways Employers are Engaging Their Employees
HumanaVitality into their new hire onboarding process, hosted monthly “howto” webinars, and even given free pedometers, Fitbits or other personal health equipment to employees that have completed their health assessments. Many employers have assembled a wellness committee comprised of wellness-minded employees dedicated to creatively driving on-site efforts such as: a “Rethink Your Drink” campaign aimed at reducing soda and sugar intake, summer sun safety week, a sensational smoothie breakfast event, words of appreciation initiative, walking clubs and competitions, in-office Zumba classes, alcohol awareness campaigns, desk ergonomics awareness, office-wide 5k walks or runs, strength training classes, morning meditation moments, onsite blood drives, CPR certifications and more!
Employers are changing their company’s wellness culture in a variety of ways beyond hosting a traditional health fair. Many companies are offering lower medical insurance premiums to employees who complete their HumanaVitality Health Assessment, biometric screening and achieve a minimum of Silver Vitality status. To help employees earn Vitality points and increase their status levels, some employers have integrated NKY Chamber Business Journal
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Transforming Health and Economy in the Region How do you make the region’s population healthier, spur economic development and reduce health care costs for families and businesses? Northern Kentucky University and its new Health Innovations Center has a plan to do just that. Collaboration between NKU faculty and staff with government, hospitals, insurance providers, physicians and clinicians, economists, data scientists, and patients will blaze a new path for health care education. It’s teaching future caregivers to partner with all disciplines to care for patients holistically— and will surely be a model for the region and the nation. “The Health Innovations Center will position Northern Kentucky University as the leading academic center in the region focused on improving population health and making care more affordable,” said NKU President Geoffrey Mearns. “We are investing in a strategy that will not only accomplish our academic goals,
but also support a comprehensive regional strategy to encourage healthier people and drive down the cost of health care. This won’t be accomplished by university faculty and staff alone; it will take interdisciplinary partnerships with public, private, and for-profit colleges and universities to make an impact in the community.” As part of a $97 million investment from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, NKU is preparing to construct this new facility that will support an integrated portfolio of programs to prepare health care professionals and to provide solutions to the population health and wellness challenges of the region and the Commonwealth. The Health Innovations Center will focus on three areas to affect change: training, data-driven decisions, and applied research.
1. Training NKU will train health care professionals to work as a team to holistically treat the whole person—not just the specific, isolated condition. Compelling data shows the need for more health care professionals, particularly those who are prepared to treat patients with chronic conditions, including diabetes and obesity. Research and experience also show that health care professionals who are trained to work as members of inter-professional teams improve results—better treatment outcomes for their patients, fewer medical errors caused by lack of communication and coordination, and lower health care costs. In this metropolitan region and throughout the Commonwealth, there is a well-
“The Health Innovations Center will position Northern Kentucky University as the leading academic center in the region focused on improving population health and making care more affordable.” —Geoffrey Mearns, NKU President 10
NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
documented need to expand existing programs and to create new programs to educate these health care professionals. NKU will use the most current technologies to foster transdisciplinary training, and in anticipation of new technologies and training methods, they will incorporate flexible and adaptable spaces and designs throughout the facility. Faculty, staff, practitioners, and students who are participating in these programs will also conduct applied research that can be shared with the practicing
HEALTHCARE RESOURCES community to improve services. As a result, the work in the Health Innovations Center will contribute to the health of the region that NKU serves.
2. Data-Driven Decisions The future of population health care will increasingly depend upon gathering and analyzing data to determine which practices and policies are improving collective health outcomes. NKU’s College
of Informatics has generated national attention for its innovative programs, including programs related to health care. NKU will incorporate its expertise in informatics, particularly in data analytics, into the training and research activities in the Health Innovations Center. Doing so will leverage this distinctive excellence to catapult the new center to be the leader in the region. Continued on next page
My hope is the Innovation Center becomes a win-win-win for our region’s economic development. Seventy percent of health care spend is driven by chronic conditions. The Innovation Center will serve as a catalyst for entrepreneurs to develop population health solutions to tackle our region’s top concerns, such as tobacco, obesity and diabetes. A healthy population is a low-cost population that will improve our employers’ bottom lines and attract new employers to the region, while providing global growth opportunities for these new health care entrepreneurs. —Craig Osterhues , Manager, Health Services— GE Aviation
NKU Health Innovations Center External Advisory Committee Dr. Gabriela Alcalde Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
Mr. Brian Dunham Toyota
Mr. John Muller Carespring Health Care Management
Dr. Derek van Amerongen Humana of Ohio
Mr. David Faulk Macy’s Inc.
Dr. Jonathan Niloff MedVentive (McKesson Corporation)
Mr. Gary Beatrice Business Benefits Insurance Solutions
Ms. Sarah Giolando St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Mr. Craig Osterhues GE Aviation
Ms. Kristin Boggs Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Mr. Chris Goddard HealthPoint
Ms. Emily Parento Commonwealth of Kentucky
Mr. Craig Brammer HealthBridge
Mr. Trey Grayson NKY Chamber of Commerce
Dr. Lynne Saddler Northern Kentucky Health Department
Mr. Dan Cahill HORAN
Mr. Brian Hodgett Procter & Gamble
Ms. Karen Campbell United Way of Greater Cincinnati
Dr. Cheryl Hoying Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Mr. Paul Schulte National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Mr. Kevin Canafax Fidelity Investments
Mr. Patrick Johnson Dunnhumby
Mr. Mark Carrozza HealthLandscape
Ms. Kate Keller Interact for Health
Mr. Garren Colvin St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Ms. Donna Korte Duke Energy
Mr. Brent Cooper C-Forward
Mr. Michael Kramer Mercy Health
Dr. Tom Cunningham National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
Ms. Jeri Kubicki UnitedHealth Group
Mr. Damon Davis US Dept. of Health and Human Services Mr. Normand Desmarais Tier 1 Performance Solutions November/December 2014
Ms. Sandy Menkedick The Little Clinic Ms. Sandra Morris Procter & Gamble
NKY Chamber Business Journal
Mr. Jim Schwab Interact for Health Ms. Sunnie Southern Viable Synergy Dr. Laura Trice TriHealth Mr. Jeff Weedman Weedman Ventures Mr. Rick Wurth Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky Ms. Linda Young Welcome House of Northern Kentucky Dr. Susan Zepeda Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
11
HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
NKU Health Innovations Center Continued from previous page
3. Applied Research NKU will communicate the results of this applied research to the institutions that need the results—health care providers, employers, public health organizations, and the government. The key to applied research is keeping an eye toward practical application and communication. Plans for the center will incorporate another distinctive attribute of NKU: its commitment to community engagement. The Nursing Advocacy Center for the Underserved presently deploys faculty, staff, and students at eight sites in Northern Kentucky. As a result of expanding the number of health care programs and applying advanced technologies, NKU will expand the scope, nature, and impact of these valuable services.
NKU is deeply committed and well positioned among these partners to convene this important population health effort. These programs will identify successful outcomes, and will communicate and integrate proven results to enable the community to respond to the transformational changes presently taking place in the health care industry. This concept is ambitious and NKU cannot achieve success alone. Indeed, success is dependent on the ability to identify and collaborate with many external partners —including health care providers, other academic institutions, non-profit organizations, and employers. Given NKU’s current array of healthrelated programs and its strategic emphases on informatics and transdisciplinary learning, NKU is deeply committed and well positioned among these partners to convene this important population health
effort. The university welcomes broad collaboration in the design and delivery of the training and research to make a transformative difference. When collective efforts successfully translate this ambitious concept into a tangible reality, the result will be improved health in the local community, the Commonwealth, and the metropolitan region. NKU and the Health Innovations Center will spur economic growth and vitality by producing graduates who earn solid incomes, providing trained talent for health care providers, and by improving the productivity of the broader workforce. This innovative approach will be a model for other educational institutions throughout the state and throughout the nation.
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NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
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HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
Healthcare Industry Has Big Impact in NKY The Christ Hospital Outpatient Center in Ft. Wright offers primary care and specialty physician practices of The Christ Hospital Health Network, as well as imaging, lab services and more. The Christ Hospital Health Network has acquired the landmark Drawbridge Inn site in Fort Mitchell, where it plans to develop a 75,000-s.f. medical office building that will be part of a larger, mixed-used development. Mercy Health, the region’s largest hospital operator, has opened its first primary care practice in NKY in Cold Spring. The practice is led by Dr. Jeremy Schram, who recently joined Mercy Health Physicians. The office includes lab and X-ray services on site. St. Elizabeth Healthcare is ranked as the largest ranked NKY Employer, with 7,423 employed in 89 locations across Northern Kentucky. In the Cincinnati Business Courier’s 2014 Book of Lists, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Edgewood ranked fourth among the top tri-state hospitals, with $619.9 million in expenses, a medical staff of 1088, and total staff of 3855. St. Elizabeth has the only open heart sur-
gery program in Northern Kentucky and the second largest in the Greater Cincinnati area. Its Cancer Care Center is one of the largest outpatient programs in the region. St. Elizabeth-Covington houses a state-of-the-art ambulatory care facility unlike anything currently existing in the Tri-State. In 2012, St. Elizabeth passed a rigorous review process and was selected as a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. In September 2014, UC Health opened a brand-new, 40,000 sq. ft. medical office building located in Florence, Ky. According to Vision 2015’s Jobs Outlook, in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, occupations related to health care; community and social services; and computer and mathematical science are expected to grow most rapidly. Healthcare and support occupations are expected to grow more than 54% in 10 years. This puts our region’s growth at a higher rate than the national trend predicted by the Dept. of Labor at their site: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro. t04.htm. See chart below:
2012 National Employment Matrix Title
2012-2022 Percent Change
Annual 2012 Salary
Educational Requirements
Industrial—Organizational Psychologists
53.4%
$83,500
Master’s degree
Personal Care Aids
48.8%
$19,910
<HS
Home Health Aids
48.5%
$20,820
<HS
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
46.0%
$65,860
Associates degree
Occupational Therapy Assistants
42.6%
$53,240
Associates degree
Genetic Counselors
41.2%
$56,800
Master’s degree
Physical Therapist Assistants
41.0%
$52,160
Associates degree
Physical Therapist Aids
40.1%
$23,880
HS
Skincare Specialists
39.8%
$28,640
Postsecondary non-degree
Physician Assistants
38.4%
$90,930
Master’s degree
Occupational Therapy Aids
36.2%
$26,850
HS
Health Specialties Teachers PS
36.1%
$81,140
Doctoral or professional degree
Medical Secretaries
36.0%
$31,350
HS
Physical Therapists
36.0%
$79,860
Doctoral or professional degree
Orthotists & Prosthetists
35.5%
$62,670
Master’s degree
Nursing Instructors & Teachers— post-secondary
35.4%
$64,850
Master’s degree
Nurse Practitioners
33.7%
$89,690
Master’s degree
Audiologists
33.6%
$69,720
Doctoral or professional degree
Dental Hygienists
33.3%
$70,210
Associates degree
Therapists, all other
31.7%
$53,210
Bachelors degree
Substance Abuse & Behavioral Disorder Counselors
31.4%
$38,520
HS
Data are from the Occupational Employment Statistics program, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, found at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.t04.htm
NKY Chamber Business Journal
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A Workplace Wellness Success Story in the Making By Rena Gibeau, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Large manufacturing companies face challenges in trying to control health care spending while providing coverage for their employees. Mubea North America, a Tier One, high-tech advanced manufacturer of lightweight, high performing automotive parts, made a huge change in its approach to employee healthcare by opening a Health and Wellness Center at its Florence Manufacturing Campus in July of 2014 to serve their covered employees and their families. Mubea North America has five plants with more than 1,200 employees in the Florence site, all within walking distance of the clinic. David Lewis, Director of Human Resources and Administration for Mubea North America, was seeing high costs in their healthcare program, often due to the fact that many of their covered work-
ers had no primary care provider, and made a high number of emergency room visits. Lewis had worked with a company in Western Kentucky that had implemented a Workplace Wellness Clinic, so he understood the potential benefit for both the company and employees with such a program. “When considering making this kind of undertaking, you first have to develop a business case that shows that it will have sufficient payback to warrant investment. You need to determine if you have enough employees, and how many employees and family members are covered through the company healthcare,” Lewis said. By analyzing a historical report of benefits usage and costs, he was able to determine that there were a lot of medical charges that could be reduced by having an onsite
Because employees are able to get in and out quickly, thus reducing lost work time, they are seen more regularly, allowing health issues to be identified and treated before they become problematic. Jacob Bast 14
—Jacob Bast NKYChamber.com
facility to serve covered employees. He added, “My past experience was in a more rural part of the state, so it was also important to research how it would work in this type of community.” A study of the experiences of another large manufacturer in the region, Aurora Casket Company, which implemented a Workplace Wellness program several years ago, showed significant savings. Within three years, Aurora Casket Company reported a 50-60 percent overall reduction in the use of emergency room visits, an 18 percent reduction in hospitalizations, and a 15-22 percent reduction in total employer healthcare expenditures. St. Elizabeth Physicians manages the Health and Wellness Center at both Aurora Casket and Mubea. The physician group’s Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jacob Bast, says, “This is a visionary concept that has not been used on a large scale throughout the United States. These companies need to be given credit for taking a risk on a concept that does not have experiential data in large amounts.” Bast said he had seen a similar program achieve success through his former employer in Missouri, so he knew the potential was there. “Analysis of benefits usages helped us define the structure of the program for Mubea’s employees,” he said. November/December 2014
“It’s important to note that this is a fullservice primary care office. By having this clinic here we are able to provide health maintenance on an ongoing basis. All the standards of St. Elizabeth Physicians are used here.” The Center for Studying Health System Change, in Research Brief No. 17 (December 2010), states that a key factor for success in such programs is gaining employee trust in the clinic. Bast states that currently, more than 1700 covered patients are served by the clinic. The Mubea Health and Wellness Center is open during the week, providing primary care services, school physicals and vaccinations. It can also handle minor emergencies, with no co-pays for any services. In addition, approximately 160 of the most commonly prescribed medications are available at no charge from the on-site pharmacy. Covered employees and their families began using the Mubea Health and Wellness Center enthusiastically from the first week it opened. Employees are thrilled about the savings on out-of-pocket expenses. Lewis states, “I was just in the clinic the other day, and the wife of one of our employees was there. She hugged me and told me how much these medical savings have helped her family. Her family has already saved over $1,000 in out-of-
November/December 2014
HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
“We have seen an increase in employee morale and less absenteeism, and it has improved our overall organizational climate.” —David Lewis pocket expenses by using the clinic. We have seen an increase in employee morale and less absenteeism, and it has improved our overall organizational climate.” Bast stated that because employees are able to get in and out quickly, thus reducing lost work time, they are seen more regularly, allowing health issues to be identified and treated before they become problematic. Metrics are being gathered, and it is still too early to draw conclusions, but the program is already showing success. But, it took two years for the program at Aurora Casket Company to reach full utilization, and Mubea is approaching 75 percent utilization in six months. In addition to less lost time on the job, Mubea’s covered employees are making fewer visits to the emergency room and urgent
NKY Chamber Business Journal
David Lewis - opening ceremony, July 2014..
care facilities. And since those costs are passed onto employers, the savings are immediately apparent. David Lewis sees great promise in these initial results. “Looking forward, we are hoping to be able to expand the clinic hours and add more services, such as adding days when specialists would be here to see patients, or perhaps adding some type of coverage so retirees could use the facility services. Studies have shown that some employers view workplace clinics as ways to attract and retain competitive workforces. Lewis hopes that by providing this type of service for its employees, Mubea will also be able to benefit from increased workforce retention. “I want them to plan to work here until they retire,” he said.
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HEALTH CARE RESOURCES
Is your business really ready to respond in an emergency? By Shelly Whitehead, Chamber Communications Committee Chair, St. Elizabeth Healthcare Communication Specialist If you work for or operate an officebased business, you may not give a lot of thought to the overall day-to-day safety of your workplace. That may be even more the case for those with very small businesses and just a couple of employees. But, accidents do happen. Infectious diseases can decimate any workforce. And disaster can strike anyone at any time in the form of fire or flooding. How prepared is your business? If you, or even your employer haven’t thought that question through and established and communicated necessary information about procedures and equipment for the array of accidents, mishaps, injuries and illnesses that can strike any workplace, it is time to do so. The infor-
mation that follows in this article is desgined to help you get started.
What are the rules? First, some news that may not be so welcome: The federal government does, in fact, have some requirements when it comes to business safety and first aid. According to St. Elizabeth Physicians Business Health Center Physician Dr. James Keller, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) actually mandates that all businesses of two or more employees keep a first aid kit on site at all times. For details please see the box below. Dr. Keller said OSHA specifies that the required items are for workplaces with two or three employees. The number of
OSHA Mandates Companies with two or more employees are required to keep a first aid kit on site containing these items: • Gauze pads (at least 4 x 4 inches). • Two large gauze pads (at least 8 x 10 inches). • Box adhesive bandages. • One package gauze roller bandage at least 2 inches wide. • Two triangular bandages. • Wound cleaning agent, such as sealed, moistened towelettes. • Scissors. • At least one blanket. • Tweezers. • Adhesive tape. • Latex gloves. • Resuscitation equipment, such as resuscitation bag, airway or pocket mask. • Two elastic wraps. • Splint. • Directions for requesting emergency assistance. 16
NKYChamber.com
kits and supplies should be increased as needed relative to the number of employees in a specific work site. The good news here is that OSHA offers a virtual cornucopia of information and guidance about all matters concerning workplace safety and health on its website, https://www.osha.gov/. Included there is also a storehouse of data on the incidence of workplace injuries and fatalities, which can give you a good idea of just how prevalent these types of problems are. Fortunately, the number of both fatalities and injuries in the nation’s businesses has been declining over most of the last decade to nearly 3 million non-fatal injuries and illnesses in private industry, or about 3.4 cases per 100 full-time employees, during the last year reported of 2012. Workplace fatalities also decreased in 2012 to the second lowest number on record, to 4,383 fatal work injuries or 3.2 per 100,000 full time workers, down from 3.5 fatalities per 100,000 in 2011.
The basics you need to think about The numbers make it pretty plain that it’s entirely likely that someone will suffer some manner of injury or illness at any workplace. According to Dr. Keller, aside from basic safety precautions, overall preparedness in the event of an injury, emergency or disaster is the best way to prevent a bad situation from turning worse. At St. Elizabeth Business Health, Dr. Keller said minor slips and falls are the most frequent type of accident reported
November/December 2014
HEALTHCARE RESOURCES
The numbers make it pretty plain that it’s entirely likely that someone will suffer some manner of injury or illness at any workplace. According to Dr. Keller, aside from basic safety precautions, overall preparedness in the event of an injury, emergency or disaster is the best way to prevent a bad situation from turning worse. by employees for the many businesses with which the regional employee health program works. In those cases, the basic first aid kit previously listed will usually provide the items needed for response, along with a call to 911, if necessary. But clearly, things can get even more serious if, for instance, an employee experiences a particularly bad accident or health condition, like a heart attack or stroke in the workplace. In these cases, planning makes all the difference to the outcome, Dr. Keller said. For instance, does anyone in your office know cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the Heimlich maneuver or basic first aid? “I think everyone should be trained in CPR—it’s something everyone can do and should learn and the American Heart Association has great courses. … And if you have an employee fitness room, you should always have an AED (Automated external defibrillator) and someone who knows how to use it,” he said.
Preparedness for possible disaster situations, including fires and tornados, is also critical. All workplaces should have fire drills and practice them. Likewise, it’s a good idea to designate a point person in the event of this type of emergency who can make sure the plan gets put in place, as well as accounting for everyone during an evacuation and communicating with emergency personnel on-site. Dr. Keller advises also having a backup for this point person, in case, the first individual is not in the office during the emergency. He suggests that businesses consider asking the individuals with first aid and CPR training to assume one of these roles in smaller offices where there are not as many individuals to assume various responsibilities. Aside from this type of advice, Keller said the Business Health Center is often called during flu season or in the event of a disease outbreak, when businesses
want the best advice for handling ailing employees, or those with sick family members. That’s another eventuality that it pays to plan for in order to protect other workers from getting sick and seriously affecting not only their health but the business’s, as well. In short, there are many ways to be prepared. The important thing is to think about what they are ahead of time and make sure all employees are well versed in what the plans are, who the point people are and where any necessary equipment is located and how to use it. According to Dr. Keller, that kind of planning allows for one of the No. 1 rules in emergency response: Don’t Panic. “There’s an old joke that in an emergency the first thing you should do is take your own pulse,” he said. “So, remember to take a deep breath, calm down and then, you can handle anything and you’re way ahead of the game.”
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November/December 2014
NKY Chamber Business Journal
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Photo courtesy of Boone Co. Emergency Managment
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Prior Planning for Disasters Can Help You Protect Employees, Facilities and Maintain Operations By Emily Gresham Wherle, Public Information Administrator, Northern Kentucky Health Department The idea of preparing your business for disasters is overwhelming. When you venture into the “What if?” scenarios, your first inclination may be to stop and dismiss the threat; or you might decide that planning would take more time and resources than your business has. But consider the consequences: According to the Insurance Information Institute, 40 percent of businesses that are affected by a natural disaster or a human disaster never reopen. Yet, the Ad Council found that 62 percent of businesses do not have an emergency plan. “People often say that they don’t want to do disaster planning because they’re going to have to spend a lot of money on what ifs,” said Mark Ihrig, Director of Boone County Emergency Management. “But if you are prepared for disasters, you are improving the safety of your employees and the viability of your business every day.” A disaster can be anything that has the potential to interrupt your business. The size and scope vary greatly. Broadly, disasters typically fall in to one of three categories: Natural, including severe
weather like tornados or flooding; technological, including loss of power and chemical emergencies; and man-made, which includes terrorism, accidents and acts of violence. But, Ihrig notes, planning for one type of event can feed into plans for others. “Basic emergency preparedness doesn’t change regardless of the threat.” A good first step in disaster planning is knowing your business and its vital functions, said Jim Hedrick, a business continuity consultant with Gallagher SKS. When helping clients with disaster planning, Hedrick recommends that they list out their vital functions, and then look at what resources might be needed to restore those functions. Companies must also examine the impacts of not resuming full operations right away—how will that impact them legally, or their perception in the community or their brand? At Idlebrook Promotional Products in Burlington, the company’s specialized imprinting equipment would make coming back after a disaster difficult for the 23-employee firm. So owner Tony
Beimesch would rely on connections within his industry, possibly subcontracting out jobs until Idlebrook was back at full capacity. After looking at your business needs, look at those threats most likely to be faced by your organization. What are your greatest vulnerabilities? “It’s important that we start by planning for what is most likely to happen instead of what could happen,” Ihrig said. Continuity of operations is also important. A business may survive the initial disaster, but their ability to function may have been impacted. The company may have to overcome the loss of people, buildings and suppliers. Insurance companies play a significant role in disaster recovery, so reviewing insurance coverage with your carrier in advance can help assure you have adequate protection for disaster-related losses. In 2009, the Northern Kentucky Health Department dealt with a long-term disaster, the H1N1 flu pandemic. As staff worked to provide vaccine to the community, other non-essential services were
40 percent of businesses that are affected by a natural disaster or a human disaster never reopen. Does your company have an emergency plan? Goals of disaster preparedness programs
Photo courtesy of NKY Health Department
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• Protect safety of employees, visitors and contractors • Maintain customer service by minimizing interruptions of operations • Protect facilities, physical assets and electronic information • Prevent environmental contamination • Protect organization’s brand, image and reputation Source: Ready.gov NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
Photo courtesy of Boone Co. Emergency Managment
scaled back. The agency’s sick leave policy was adjusted, giving employees diagnosed with flu additional paid sick time if needed to avoid returning to work too soon and infecting others. Finally, the Health Department made sure to provide extra hand washing and hand sanitizing facilities, and even tissues. “Your people are your #1 asset,” Ihrig said. “So it’s important for companies to include measures to help employees return to work after the disaster, and to help employees prepare their own families.” Providing clean-up supplies, child care, food, and charging stations for phones are all examples of ways businesses can plan to take care of employees after a disaster. If the disaster impacts transportation,
Photo courtesy of NKY Health Department
companies could allow employees to work from home temporarily. Companies should also consider their suppliers in their disaster plans. During the 2008 windstorm, Hedrick had clients who needed generators in order to return to business; however, with mass power outages across the Midwest, those were hard to find. Those companies with back-up suppliers on the East Coast, on the other hand, were able to get the generators they needed, and back to work faster, he said. “Another important item to consider is whether your organization will need to respond in a disaster,” said Steve Divine, Director of Environmental Health and Safety for the Health Department. “If your business might be called upon to help
the larger community in a disaster, then it’s even more important to have a good emergency plan in place.” As companies begin to plan, it’s a good idea to check with local emergency management officials, Ihrig said. County emergency managers can be both a resource for advice on planning efforts, as well as making sure the expectations from government agencies outlined in your plan are in line with what those agencies would be capable of providing in an event. We all hope that a disaster never impacts our business; but good planning can help make sure that your organization is better equipped to weather any storms— natural or otherwise—that may come your way.
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November/December 2014
NKY Chamber Business Journal
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HEALTH CARE RESOURCES
Private Insurance Exchange & Enrollment Technology By Geralyn Isler, NKY Chamber Board Treasurer, Vice-President, Benefits Advisor, Business Benefits Insurance Solutions
New Technology Benefits Employers of All Sizes One of the lynch pins of the Affordable Care Act is the creation of the exchange or online insurance marketplace where consumers can research insurance options, compare prices and enroll in coverage. Not everyone needs the same level of insurance coverage and consumers appreciate having choices. In the tri-state the most well-known exchanges/marketplaces are the federally run HealthCare.gov or the Kentucky controlled Kynect. Both of these are government controlled exchanges which include private insurance plans available to the public. Although we witnessed a very rocky and controversial rollout of the government run exchanges this past year, some individuals with certain income thresholds and without other “affordable” coverage options received federal tax subsidies to help pay for their insurance plans.
Tax Advantages for Employers & Employees When the Affordable Care Act went into law and the government exchanges were developed, many questioned if employers would drop group coverage and send employees to the online marketplaces to purchase individual coverage. In May, the IRS made it clear that employers are prohibited from reimbursing employees on a pre-tax basis for premiums employees pay for individual health insurance policies, either inside or outside the federal or state exchanges. In addition to all the tax advantages employers and employees receive for group insurance; employers recognize the importance of having a comprehensive employee benefits package to attract and retain quality employees. Many employers do not benefit from government exchanges but they may find value in purchasing a private exchange or in creating their own virtual exchange.
What is an Exchange? The basic concept of an exchange or insurance marketplace is an online technology system to communicate multiple insurance plan options, with supporting tools to help employees choose and enroll in the most appropriate coverage for their
family. Many private systems can also support a variety of employer contribution strategies including a defined contribution approach which helps employers more accurately budget their health care costs. Some private exchanges can be both limiting and cost prohibitive for employers. An alternative to employers is to create their own exchange by using online enrollment and benefit communication technology.
Technology Eases Enrollment & Compliance Online enrollment and communication technology have been available for years and continue to evolve and grow. This technology allows employees to review and research their benefit options and enroll in the most appropriate coverage for their family in a simple and understandable way. Additionally the systems enable employers to make available to employees the necessary benefits related notices required by the Department of Labor and their reporting capabilities are extremely valuable in tracking the information needed for the employer reporting requirements of the “Pay or Play” mandate provision of the Affordable Care Act.
Tools to Provide More Choices Tools which explain a variety of benefit options to employees, paired with a defined contribution or another funding strategy, along with the multitude of required employer notices, significantly ease the burden and compliance concerns for HR professionals while elevating the perceived value of the benefit package to employees. An effective communication and enrollment package is just one aspect of having a viable long term employee benefit strategy that is so vital to the success of a business. Employers of all sizes should explore online enrollment technology with their benefits broker or consultant.
Many employers do not benefit from government exchanges but they may find value in purchasing a private exchange or in creating their own virtual exchange. 20
NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
Chamber
Why we all should “buy local” from our independent retailers? Where we shop, where we eat and have fun—all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-a-kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of our place. It’s what makes our community unique. Buy local and support yourself: when you buy from an independent, locally owned business, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers. That strengthens the economic base and vibrancy of the community which we live, work and play. Join us this holiday shopping season in celebrating the enterprises that help make our community unique by frequenting the locally owned and operated chamber businesses featured in this inaugural edition of “Chamber Shops.”
Shop Smart! Shop Small! November/December 2014
NKY Chamber Business Journal
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Costume Gallery 638 Monmouth Street, Newport (859) 655-9419 You will want to visit the only operating costume shop in NKY, with so much to choose from. Not only that, the Costume Gallery also provides personalized tailoring. Joy Galbraith, Owner
Kreutzer & Dorl Florist 611 York Street, Newport (859) 261-1050 Why not take a floral bouquet to your next dinner party? Kreutzer & Dorl Florist will create beautiful arrangements for all your floral needs. Frank Kreutzer, Owner
Pets Plus 5054 Old Taylor Mill Road, Taylor Mill (859) 431-5776 When you visit Pets Plus, a locally owned pet store, you know that the staff make the health of their pets a priority. At Pets Plus they take the time to fit the right pet to the right owner. Jeff King, Owner
Colonel De Gourmet Herbs & Spices 10050 Norbotten Drive, Florence (513) 421-4800
Here you can find over 500 culinary herbs, spices, blends, rubs, and teas. Take your meals from the common to the uncommonâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;cook as through you shopped around the world. De Stewart, Owner
Edible Arrangements 104 Pavilion Parkway, Newport (859) 781-2345
Everyday at Edible Arrangements, fresh fruit is transformed into beautifully designed, delicious edible bouquetsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the perfect, tasty and healthy gift for any occasion. Susan Schmidt, Owner
Elements Therapeutic Massage 6805 Houston Road,
Florence (859) 282-1726
Melt your troubles away with a therapeutic, handcrafted and personalized massage. A massage makes such a thoughtful gift for that special someone. Russ Campbell, Owner 22
NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
Morris Home Furnishings 8040 Burlington Pike, Florence (859) 282-5500
More selection, more style, more savings—to make the home a personal sanctuary. Kevin Lewis, Manager
Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop 4987 Houston Road, Florence (859) 283-2473
Backyard bird feeding is the 2nd largest hobby in the country. Visit Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop for the best selection of fresh seed and bird feeders on the market. Daniel Sweigard, Owner
Engaging Errands 1586 Shady Cove, Florence (859) 466-8273 Overwhelmed? So many things to do, so little time to do them. Turn your “to do’s” into “done” with the help of Engaging Errands. Melinda Mathis, Owner
Mattress Warehouse 7961 Mall Road, Florence (859) 371-1991 You are at your best when you wake refreshed. Come to Mattress Warehouse to find the mattress of your dreams! Beth Jacobs, Manager
Luminous Skin 8731 Bankers Street,
Florence (859) 802-7768
Put your best face forward with skin care services that make you relaxed, feel good and look great! Facials, peels, micro derm abrasions, and waxing services are available, in a clean, calm and relaxing setting. Gina Gruber, Owner
Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs 20 W. 11th Street,
Covington (859) 291-3300
Look fabulous, or gift a luscious faux fur to someone special. Donna Salyers’ Fabulous-Furs, a world-leading catalog/wholesale company, dominates the faux fur fashion industry. Donna Salyers, Owner November/December 2014
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Modo Yoga NKY 2428 High Street, Crescent Springs (859) 344-9642 Calm Mind | Fit Body | Inspired Life - Voted the #1 Yoga Studio in Cincinnati by City Beat in 2012, 2013 & 2014. With 3 locations in the tri-state area, choose from than 20 classes a day including hot yoga, pilates and barre. Check out the $40 Intro Month Special for new students. Ellen Bradley, Owner
Joseph-Beth Booksellers 2785 Dixie Highway, Crestview Hills (859) 912-7860
Discover the exciting world of Joseph-Beth Booksellers where you can find books, exceptional gifts, toys and educational games, dedicated to being a committed community partner. David Rippe, Manager
Outdoor Wonders 7433 East Bend, Burlington (859) 525-2276
Discover the great outdoors in your own backyard, with Amish made outdoor furniture, sheds, swing sets and deer blinds. “Everyone needs a little structure in their life” Ken Mueller, Owner
The Party Source 95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue (859) 291-4007 Planning a party or celebration? You want it—you will find it at America’s largest party superstore. Jon Stiles, General Manager
Shoe Palace 3126 Dixie Highway, Erlanger (859) 291-7444 Shoe Palace provides old-time service to educate customers and specializes in hardto-find shoe sizes, enhancing the shopping experience. Chris Kapsal, Owner
Findlay Market 19 West Elder Street, Cincinnati (513) 665-4839 Plan your holiday feast and shop at Ohio’s oldest continuely operating market with dozens of privately owned full time vendors to help with your local shopping needs. Joe Hansbauer, Owner
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NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
Microsoft Store 7875 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati (513) 826-9630
Looking for a gift for that special someone who is into technology? Here is your one-stop shop that provides a face-to-face experience for everything Microsoft. John Radenheimer, Manager
Kremer’s Market 755 Buttermilk Pike, Crescent Springs (859) 341-1067
Kremer’s mission is to be the destination for guests who desire top quality, great tasting foods, and the latest food trends. The friendly, courteous and knowledgeable staff of Kremer’s Market are ready to serve you. Tom Heist, Manager
Maurice’s Florence Mall, 2028 Mall Road , Florence (859) 282-0302 Look your best for the holiday season, or find the perfect gift for the stylish woman. Maurice’s offers a wide selection of women’s clothing in sizes 1-26, including jeans, tops, and dresses. Inspired by the girl in everyone, in every size. Kathy Lawson, Manager
Herzog Jewelers 2510 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell (859) 331-4653 Herzog Jewelers offers customers a wide range of designs to celebrate the important moments of life. You will receive personal service and detailed attention to every purchase you make. Joseph Koester, Owner
Frame & Save 1050 Hansel Avenue, Florence (859) 371-1050
Capture those cherished memories and display your favorite artwork with the personal framing service at Frame & Save, family-owned for more than 30 years. Pat Karlosky, Owner
Swan Floral & Gift Shop 4311 Dixie Highway,
Erlanger (859) 342-7575
Decorate with home-grown Poinsettias for the holidays. Family owned and operated since 1921, Swan Floral and Gift Shop will take care of your decoration and gift giving needs this Christmas. Al Schreiver, Owner November/December 2014
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The Wireless Center 2420 Baxter Road, Crescent Springs (859) 605-4020
Stay in touch! The Wireless Center is a Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer, specializing in exceptional customer service with little to no waiting time. David Potter, Manager
PETSuites Of America 620 Holly Lane,
Erlanger (859) 727-7880
PetSuites pet hotel is built just for dogs and cats. Convenience, value and your peace of mind are the driving forces to offer quality comforting and entertaining pet boarding for your special friend! Check out the PetSuites Rewards Program and save. Ali Young, Manager
iHerb, Inc. www.iherb.com Hebron (859) 795-0760
Stay energized and healthy through the holidays. iHerb sells over 35,000 nutritional supplements and other healthy products online at www.iherb.com
Flourish Massage & Bodywork 309 Artillery Park Drive Fort Mitchell (859) 445-9570
Flourish Massage & Bodywork is a locally owned Massage practice devoted to holistic health, preventative care and customized massage treatments, featuring spacious, peaceful and intimate massage rooms in a convenient and tranquil location. Kristin Worley, Owner
Sun Sugar Farms 1258 Maddox Lane, Verona (859) 630-2694 Give the eco-friendly gift this season. Sun Sugar Farms specializes in reusable products to reduce waste in the world. Check out the patent-pending CRESBI crate systemâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one crate can replace up to 6 plastic bags. Eco-Takeout To-Go Boxes eliminate Styrofoam and save a company thousands of dollars. Linda Fritz, Owner
Office Furniture Connection 1616 Dolwick Drive,
Erlanger (859) 371-9920
Need a new look for the new year? Office Furniture Connectionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong relationships with leading office furniture distributors and retailers allow them to offer high quality new, used and closeout office furniture at a fraction of regular retail cost. Bill Perin, Owner 26
NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
Schulz & Sons Diamond Jewelers 2202 Dixie Highway, Ft. Mitchell (859) 331-2888
Looking for that unique gift? Schulz & Sons , your personal jeweler, will assist with a full range of jewelry services, including sizing, prong repair, and custom designed jewelry. Matthew Schulz, Owner
Vom Fass Crestview Hills 2870 Town Center Blvd., Crestview Hills (859) 331-1896
Add flavor and spirit to your gatherings. Vom Fass translates literally as “from the cask” in German. The Vom Fass store houses one of the nation’s widest assortments of cask-borne selections, including oils, vinegars, wines, spirits and liquors. Jeff Finley & Jim Reynolds, Owners
Want to put word-of-mouth advertising to work for you?
GET LINKED WITH BUSINESS REFERRAL NETWORKS YOU CAN. A Business Referral Network (BRN) is a B2B group of professionals dedicated to helping its members grow their business through business networking and word of mouth referrals. BRN members meet once every two weeks to pass qualified leads to one another, and to strengthen marketing skills promoting their businesses. Because the leads are pre-qualified and are referrals, not cold calls, the percentage of closings on sales is infinitely greater.
BRN membership is managed and controlled to insure that each field or profession is represented by only one business, thus eliminating competition inside the group. Membership into a BRN group costs $120 annually.
Take your business to the next level with Business Referral Networks! Jeff Loy, Chair
Get started today by contacting Mark Peachey at 859.578.6385.
Northern Kentucky Chamber Promotes Small Business Saturday, November 29, 2014
Small Businesses â&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Heartbeat of the Community Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the corner stores that create jobs. The hardware stores that help build our economy. And the mom and pop shops whose very presence makes a neighborhood, your neighborhood. Small Business Saturday is a day dedicated to supporting small businesses across the country. Founded by American Express in 2010, this day is celebrated every year on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. In 2014, Small Business Saturday is November 29th. By registering your American Express card after November 15th at www.ShopSmall.com, purchases at participating merchants on Small Business Saturday qualify for up to three $10 statement credits when you make 3 separate purchases of $10 or more at small businesses in your area! To find out which businesses are participating Shop Small Saturday go to www.ShopSmallNow.com
859.578.8800
in
www.nkychamber.com
Proud to be a supporter of small business.
SMALL BUSINESS
Emerging 30 is comprised of local businesses making a significant economic impact on the community based on annual revenue growth. Winners receive public acknowledgement of their achievements and are encouraged to offer their guidance and advice to help other small businesses grow during special networking and training opportunities tailored specifically to Emerging 30 designees. In early 2009, Seth and Deana Poston founded their Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Vehicle and Equipment dealership. Going by the name 911 Fleet and Fire Equipment the dealership sells and services fire and rescue vehicles along with related firefighting and rescue equipment. Soon after starting 911 Fleet, Seth also formed Digi Graphics, ‘Digi’ for short. Digi specializes in customized vehicle lettering and wraps for the vehicles 911 Fleet sells as well as for other retail customers. In addition to running Alpha’s two divisions, Seth is a battalion chief with the City of Covington Fire Department. Seth and Deana are also raising a family of 4 girls. In 2013 Alpha was recognized as a first time Emerging 30 honoree. While very hands-on, Seth has come to realize that not relinquishing control has hampered the ability of the companies to continue their growth. The current staff have been key to the company’s growth and success to date. However Seth said their continued growth is also going to depend on finding and keeping more qualified folks in the tech service area for Fleet911. For those starting out in business, Seth suggested “finding a good CPA and listening”. Seth also suggested prayer, “for the business and your employees regularly”. When asked about being an Emerging 30 honoree, Seth said that this experience “has made us reflect on how blessed we are with the business. It is truly a gift from God.” Written by Scott J. Malof, CPA/PFS Malof & Associates CPAs, LLC
When it comes to NKY companies in growth mode, Bonfiglioli is near the top of the list. The company designs and manufactures innovative and reliable solutions for power transmission and control in the industrial, mobile and renewable energy sectors. Their mission is to encourage and promote sustainable and shared development worldwide, through dynamic, responsible, prompt and customer-oriented services. The North America branch of the Bonfiglioli was founded in 1999, and has experienced significant growth over the past 15 years, making the Emerging 30 list six of the past 10 years. The company also was recently named to the Inc. 5000 list. When asked what companies can do to achieve continual growth, Jennifer Panepinto, Marketing Director, gave this advice to business owners, “Have a clear vision of where you want to go as a company and put the right people in place to succeed.” Jennifer also said, “It is important to continue to move forward when faced with challenges, to not be afraid to make mistakes, and do it all with a smile.” About the benefits of being an Emerging 30 honoree, she stated, “One of the greatest benefits is that the Northern Kentucky Chamber has been very supportive of Bonfiglioli, as well as all NKY businesses. It is reassuring to know we can rely on their help and expertise when needed. We are very proud to be part of Emerging 30.” Bonfiglioli is also excited to start manufacturing in their Hebron plant in Q4 2014, which they believe will spur further growth. The new production line will produce about 24,000 gearboxes per year, to start, which will help Bonfiglioli greatly re-
duce delivery times, and offer faster service and repair. The new manufacturing line will bring two to three dozen jobs to the NKY region in the next year. Written by Jerry Arrasmith, Arrasmith Promotions
Emerge Managed Solutions, LLC, founded in 2004, is a technology solutions company providing Information Technology and Audio Visual solutions to the Northern Kentucky & Greater Cincinnati region. They apply industry best practices to achieve customer business objectives, from network infrastructure to audio visual and managed/cloud IT Services. The organization is led by Managing Partners Richard Brown, Jesse Kegley, Darron Scanlon, and Tim Witte, who brought their combined 68 years of technical and management experience to create Emerge. Emerge has a current team of 39 and recently also was recognized as a “Best Place to Work” in Cincinnati 2011. A big challenge for Emerge is managing growth. Jesse Kegley stated, “When we grow our staff to keep up with our success in the market place we make sure that the individual is going to be a right fit into the position.” Finding the correct person for a role can help enhance customer relationships and enables Emerge to have continuing success. Kegley’s most important business lesson is to focus on what your company does well and stick to your competency. He said, “If you are focused on the long-term relationship then you will soon discover that making the right recommendation to a partner and focusing on what you do well will pay off in the long run.”
Emerging 30 Award eligibility requirements include being a current NKY Chamber member or a company headquartered in Boone, Campbell or Kenton counties, privately held, in operation for at least four full years, revenues exceeding $250,000 and an average annual revenue growth of 15% or more over the past three years. November/December 2014
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SMALL BUSINESS Kegley’s Business partners are who he admires most in business—they operate as a team and “Provide an excellent balance to each other’s strengths.” In addition they help each other learn and grow, which makes Emerge better every day. Kegley’s advice for someone starting out in business today is to surround yourself with the right people inside and outside your organization. Submitted by Elizabeth Steen, LOTH
Since its founding in 2005, LeanCor has become a prominent player in the region’s logistics industry. Unlike other third party logistics providers, LeanCor offers a unique combination of training and education, supply chain consulting, and third party logistics services. LeanCor helps companies that are looking to drive improvements and waste reduction through their logistics networks. They advance the world’s supply chains and help companies achieve their goals in a sustainable fashion. Robert Martichenko, the owner and CEO of LeanCor, gave advice for others who are starting their own company. Martichenko stated that entrepreneurs need to understand that, “There will have to be seasons of very long hours, wearing multiple hats, and sending out invoices at 11:00 pm from a hotel while preparing for a sales-call the next morning.” Although starting your own business is a lot of work he said it is, “A very rewarding endeavor.” When asked who he most admired, Robert said, “The people that do the front-line work on a daily basis…Their passion to stay up late and come in early to make sure that a box of screws arrives to the line on time far exceeds the respective passion that I’ve seen in many leadership positions. These people inspire me to continue working to identify the wastes in supply chains so that their lives can be made easier, and their companies can be more profitable.” LeanCor is proud to be a member of the Northern Kentucky community and is very complimentary of the benefits to being a Chamber member. Submitted by: Michael Averbeck, LOTH 30
Legacy Financial Advisors, headquartered in Covington, KY, is owned and operated by Michael Maisel, Trent Lucas, and Paul Sartori. The company, founded in 2006, focuses on coordinating and simplifying the financial lives of their clients. Legacy Financial is a multi-year emerging 30 award winner. When asked about the key to their success, Michael said, “There is a quote we keep in mind, ‘Where your treasure is, there your heart is also’. Since our clients trust us in dealing with their wealth, family, business, and legacy, we are truly focused on issues of the heart.” Their biggest challenge in 2013 also became their biggest strength. Due to the growth they were experiencing, Legacy Financial moved to a model with relationship managers to focus on servicing their current clients. Although it took some time to on-board them, now they are in place and the clients are raving about the service level they are receiving! Their biggest opportunity going forward is with a new partnership they’ve made with Fidelity to provide additional investment options for Fidelity’s clients and also potentially planning services and insurance options. Legacy Financial works well with business owners, company executives and people nearing retirement. An expansion opportunity also exists in working with their clients’ spouses and their children. Submitted by Chris Allen, The Business Spotlight, Inc.
Founded in 1998 and headquartered in Newport KY, Linkology is an IT company operating in the Physical Security and Parking Access and Revenue Control markets. They have discovered ways to link the wealth of data those systems can generate to improve efficiency and build bottom lines. This company, consisting of 29 employees, is led by President Rami Batshoun. The company prides itself as a people business. Bob Fricke, COO states, “No matter the technology, people are the most important NKYChamber.com
part of our business. As technology development becomes more focused on specific needs, the pool of candidates to work with that specialized technology shrinks. Finding the right skill sets and values in the shrinking candidate pool becomes increasingly challenging and important.” Bob goes on to add that the most important lesson they have learned in business is that “It’s always people first. Whether it’s your own employees or clients or vendors, it’s all about people and how you treat them.” When asked about other advice he would give to others starting out in business, Bob comments to “Hire for culture and talent, not just talent.” Submitted by Jay Wuest, PNC Bank
In April of 2009, Wayne Merkley made the leap from employee to entrepreneur and founded Mobility Solutions. From his career in supply chain distribution, Wayne created his company to improve every aspect of workforce and process efficiency through state of the art technology focusing on hardware, software and wireless connectivity. Wayne has also expanded the company’s services into the health care field. An example is ensuring the network is sufficient and effective in the monitoring of a patient’s vital statistics no matter where they are in the facility. Wayne’s biggest challenge in growing his business lies in achieving “critical mass”. That is, creating a pipeline filled with enough clients to create adequate cash flow to expand his workforce. It’s the ageold tension between the need for more clients to create more capital and needing more capital to take on more clients. The best advice Wayne has for anyone seeking to strike out on their own is to make sure the risk you are taking is a calculated one. Good ideas don’t necessarily translate into a viable business. He feels it is very important to build on one’s experience as well as the experience of others. In other words, don’t reinvent the wheel if it is not necessary. Wayne credits Rod Coutts the former CEO of Teklogix as having the biggest influence on him as a person and a business owner. Mr. Coutts was the ultimate example of leadership. While starting a busiNovember/December 2014
ness is challenging to say the least, Wayne maintains the risk is well worth the potential reward.
Cru-Cutters, headquartered in Boone County, KY, is owned and operated by Chris Cook. The company, founded in August, 2005, focuses on keeping their customers happy. Cru-Cutters is a multi-year Emerging 30 Award winner. When asked about the key to their success, Chris said, “I’ve always taken a long-term perspective and have hired a first-class staff, from the office staff to the designers to the production team. They come in with expertise and I trust them to run their area. Each of them also feels like they are part of the family and do their best to make the customers happy and do the right thing.” The tough economy was actually the reason for their fantastic growth over the past 5+ years. Going into the recession, Cru-Cutters was a relatively small company with low overhead allowing them to weather the downturn and gain new clients while others were cutting staff to reduce their costs. They were able to expand their business from landscape maintenance to include landscape construction and also into plant and turf care. Cru-cutters is partnered with Drees and Fisher Homes and for new home purchases, they can offer packages for all three services. Their biggest opportunity going forward is in plant and turf care because there is less competition due to expertise required to meet state regulations. Chris is also excited about their expansion into an additional 2.5 acres which will allow more room for materials’ storage, equipment and employee parking. Submitted by Chris Allen, The Business Spotlight, Inc.
SMALL BUSINESS between Pathfinders (Sales & Marketing focus) and MPI (HR & Org. Development). MPI is also recognized as a top 5 for labor consulting. The company’s overall focus going forward is on creating learning cultures. John’s most important business lesson is how disenfranchised employees are throughout many industries. It’s both surprising and disheartening. The impacts are high turn-over, low satisfaction, an increase in NLRB filings and the organizations are not prepared for the pace of change due to technology, cultural diversity and generational differences. As a result, the organizations don’t embrace change. On a related note, for those starting a
Chamber Recognizes Top Companies Congratulations to the 2014 Designees! The economic competitiveness of our region was on full display at the Emerging 30 Celebration Presented by Strauss Troy on Thursday, October 23rd. Thirty of our region’s fastest growing companies were recognized for their success—qualifying companies achieved at least $250,000 in revenue and an average annual growth of 15% or more over the past three years. Advantage Tent & Party Rental • Alpha Omega Industries LLC Altus Wealth Management • Bannockburn Global Forex LLC Bluegrass Commercial Group LLC • Bonfiglioli USA • Business Backer Cove Federal Credit Union • Cru Cutters LLC • Divisions Maintenance Group Dynamic Supply Chain Solutions LLC exclusive agent for PEI The Dragonfly Foundation • Emerge Managed Solutions •Federal Supply First in Trailer Service Inc. •Furlong Building Enterprises •G2Local Greater Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning Inc. • Ion/Apex Electric Keller Williams Realty Services • Legion Logistics LLC McAndrews Windows and Glass • Nexigen Communications LLC • Plumb Tite LLC Professional Waste Consulting LLC • Perfectware Solutions • RecruitMilitary Red Hawk Technologies LLC • Roundtower Technologies • Wieda’s Marine
Thank You to Our Sponsors! Title Sponsor:
Pathfinder MPI Consulting, headquartered in Blue Ash, OH, is owned and operated by John Hawkins, President & CEO. The company, founded in 2009, focuses on driving and influencing positive change from the inside out to create a great environment for employees. The company is the result of a merger November/December 2014
business, John’s advice is to listen to your employees, listen to your customers and create a highly engaged culture. John’s biggest challenge is finding experienced professionals who have passion to live an entrepreneurial lifestyle; his business has always been constrained by capacity, not demand. When asked whom he most admires in business, John shared he really admires his parents. Although they were impoverished when he was growing up, both his mother and father had an insatiable desire to learn and to apply what they learned to improve their lives. Submitted by Chris Allen, The Business Spotlight, Inc.
Presenting Sponsor:
Event Sponsor: VonLehman & Company Supported by: Citizens Deposit Bank • ComAssist Dynamic Supply Chain Solutions exclusive agent for PEI First in Trailer Service • Federal Supply •Furlong Building Enterprises Greater Comfort Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. • McAndrews Windows and Glass NKY Chamber Business Journal
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WOMEN’S INITIATIVE SPOTLIGHT
Getting to Know Kara Williams Kara Williams, Vice President of Communication & Strategic Initiatives, Vision 2015 Kara Williams is vice president of communication and strategic Initiatives for Vision 2015. In her role she works with organizational partners and volunteers to oversee project implementation in the areas of educational excellence, economic competitiveness, livable communities and effective governance. Did you ever think you’d have the job you have today? Absolutely! I have been passionate about volunteerism and community involvement since I was in high school. My college experience, which included service learning opportunities coupled with leadership experiences, ignited my desire to work on complex, challenging problems to better our community. Speaking of your job, what do you enjoy the most, and least? • I enjoy the opportunity to make a difference in our region and my current position allows me to do that. • Managing a wide portfolio of projects and personalities can be challenging, but it makes the “wins” even sweeter. What are your professional goals? Community engagement and long-term impact are extremely important to me. I see myself in positions that I feel will add strong value to our community and support a mission that I am both personally and professionally passionate about. I do miss the creative side of working in a marketing agency. As my career progresses, I will look for projects and opportunities that blend my marketing and planning expertise with my passion for supporting the mission of many nonprofit organizations in Northern Kentucky. You have to keep a lot of stakeholders happy. What’s your secret to handling multiple demands from projects and people? Drinking wine J. In all seriousness, sarcastic humor is helpful to me when deal32
ing with multiple demands. I try to stay on task and capitalize on my natural tendency to over-work and over-plan so that when something pops up that needs immediate attention, I can direct 99% of my efforts towards that demand. What is the most fulfilling thing you have done professionally? My professional career is very fulfilling. Identifying the most fulfilling is tough, but I think it was when I pitched a new client on marketing services and they bought. I had a tremendous amount of pride in the proposal and concepts I had developed and knowing that a local business owner liked my ideas enough to pay for them was a huge confidence boost to me personally. Most of us have experienced a misstep in our careers. Have you had an embarrassing moment? Hmmm—this is a good question. I need to ask my husband. He seems to recall these moments while I block them out. What is your advice to young women who want to be an administrator? Don’t let the fear of uncertainty hold you back. If you could do something over again in your professional career, what would it be? Well, this is something I am working on and hope to adjust for the rest of my ca-
reer. I would slow down just a little bit. I would not have spent so many weekends, nights and holidays working. Have a favorite book on leadership? Mom Shift. If you could teach a class to professional women, what would be the topic? How to speak in public and love every minute! Name one thing most people don’t know about you. I can paddleboard! I’m excited about this revelation because I have no athletic ability. My husband wanted to try it on our honeymoon. I was not convinced that it was going to be fun, but my small stature allowed me to immediately stand on the board without falling. Now, I seek opportunities to paddleboard and my husband (who never made it up on the board) refuses to go! Women’s Initiative Profiles are coordinated by Laura Kroeger, Vice President, Gateway Community and Technical College and Immediate Past Chair of the Women’s Initiative
Women's Initiative Annual Breakfast Presented by PNC Bank January 28, 2015 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center Featuring Keynote Speaker:
Linda Rottenberg, author of Crazy is a Compliment Named one of “America’s Best Leaders” by US News & World Report and one of 100 “innovators for the 21st century” by Time For information and reservations go to http://bit.ly/WI-AnnualBreakfast2015 NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
N O R T H E R N
ONE OF ONLY
15%
OF US BUSINESS SCHOOLS WITH AACSB ACCREDITATION.
cob.nku.edu
K E N T U C K Y
U N I V E R S I T Y
PARTICIPATE IN THE INKUBATOR AND RECEIVE GUIDANCE AND RESOURCES TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS IDEA A REALITY.
AMONG THE
IN THE REGION ACCORDING TO THE PRINCETON REVIEW’S “THE BEST 296 BUSINESS SCHOOLS: 2014 EDITION.”
Our students and alumni are fearless leaders, committed to improving their corporations and their communities. We know that to compete locally and globally, our students must impress their future employers with their initiative, ingenuity, and intellect. We start by providing them an exceptional education experience, one ranked among the best business schools in the country. Our faculty mentor our students outside the classroom, introducing them to industry leaders and encouraging them to apply their skills in business plan competitions, internships, and group projects. As a result, our graduates fill the ranks of the region’s and nation’s largest corporations and win awards for their professional and civic work.
Ultimate Workshop
2014-2015 Tax, Succession, and Estate Planning For Business Owners Presented By:
William E. Hesch, Esq., CPA, PFS • Amy E. Pennekamp, Esq.
Thursday, December 11, 2014, 7:30 am – 11:00 am Registration, continental breakfast, and networking begins at 7:30 am The Board Room at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Offices 300 Buttermilk Pike, Suite 330, Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017
Register at www.nkychamber.com/events
Benefits of Attending the Workshop:
• Identify action steps for your business which become your 2015 road map for success! • Learn how to save taxes in 2014/2015 and not fear an IRS audit. • Protect the value of your business and its long-term success. • Avoid major business problems that would arise if you died or became disabled. • Get answers to all of your questions at the workshop. Forward your questions to Bill prior to the workshop! • All attendees receive a one-hour complimentary follow-up consultation with Bill. 8:00 am Session 1: Tax Planning • 2014 Tax Law Changes • S-Election Planning • Retirement Plan Options • Surviving an IRS Audit • Health Care Reform Tax Provisions Beginning in 2015
9:00 am Session 2: Succession Planning • Avoiding the Common Mistakes Business Owners Face Upon: *Death, *Disability, *Retirement • Secrets For a Successful Business Succession Plan
10:00 am Session 3: Estate Planning • Top 10 Common Mistakes Most Estate Plans Do Not Avoid • Top 5 Reasons Why You May Need a Trust in Your Estate Plan • Medicaid/Elder Law Planning For Baby Boomers and Their Aging Parents
William E.Hesch Law Firm, LLC
Personalized • Experienced • Service-oriented After you meet with your attorney, CPA and Financial Planner, contact Bill on his cell phone at (513) 509-7829 to get a second opinion and see what he can do for you. 3047 Madison Road, Suite 205, Cincinnati, OH 45209 | 513-731-6601 | www.heschlaw.com This is an advertisement | Legal work may be performed by others within the firm.
VOLUNTEERS
Chamber Recognizes Ambassador Volunteers for Service
Debbie Simpson presents gift to Tabitha Marshall, who was named Ambassador of the Year.
Debbie Simpson presents a plaque to Lisa Jones, who was honored as Rookie of the Year.
The Ambassador Program The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Ambassador program is designed to assist with member relations by providing personal contact with individual Chamber members and potential Chamber members. Ambassadors are responsible for attending grand openings, groundbreakings, events and ribbon cuttings when Chamber representatives are invited. They deliver New Member bags throughout the year and attend a monthly committee meeting. Ambassadors accumulate points for performing these duties. Ambassador of the Year In August of each year, the Committee recognizes the “Ambassador of the Year” —that volunteer who has achieved the most points for activities performed during the past 11 months.
Rookie of the Year Each year the Chamber recognizes a member as “Rookie of the Year.” This honor goes to a member who: • Is an active volunteer in the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce for less than two years. • Demonstrates ability to lead others in a positive manner to promote the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; takes the lead and sets an example in using professional excellence in the area of Chamber volunteerism; desires to implement improvements to meet the needs of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s membership. • Shows examples of how the nominee displays innovation and/or creativity in support of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. This can be in the form of problem solving, coming up with new programs or ideas.
Experienced, local commercial bankers making it easier for you. As one of the largest community banks in Kentucky, Republic Bank offers full-service relationship banking and a wide variety of products with the technology to serve all of our business and personal clients. Flexible Credit Terms Tom Tilmes, Steve Novak, Jason Payne, Tom Saelinger, Vickie Stulz, Kevin Herthel, Laurie Harvey and Jamie Weaver
November/December 2014
FLORENCE 8513 U.S. Highway 42 Florence, KY 41042 859-525-9400
COVINGTON 535 Madison Ave. Covington, KY 41011 859-581-2700
INDEPENDENCE 2051 Centennial Blvd. Independence, KY 41051 859-363-3777
BLUE ASH 9683 Kenwood Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45242 513-793-7666
NKY Chamber Business Journal
Commercial Real Estate Equipment Financing & Lines of Credit
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY LENDER
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AROUND THE CHAMBER
Chamber Snapshots
Annual Dinner 2014 Celebrating 45 Years
The NKY Chamber celebrated 45 Years at the Annual Dinner in September. We were joined by over 1000 of our friends.
Leadership Northern Kentucky’s 35th Anniversary Celebration Carri Chandler, Brent Cooper, Peggy Casey, and Barb Moran Johnson felt the energy of the evening at Annual Dinner!
The Ruth A. Eger Leaders of Distinction: Tom Prewitt, Carri Chandler, Ruth Eger, Rhonda Whitaker, Brent Cooper, and Lee Flischel Trey Grayson, Matt Mauller, Michael Stacy, L-A Stopa and Jay Wuest.
C-Forward Crew celebrates LNK’s 35th Gatsby Style! 36
A large crowd turned out for the Annual Eggs ‘N Issues State of NKY event that featured the Judge/Executives from Boone, Campbell and Kenton Counties. NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
“Coffee with Trey” provided an opportunity for Trey to meet one-on-one with new Chamber members and learn about their businesses.
Business After Hours at Buffalo Wings & Rings in Crestview Hills offered business professionals a chance to network at one of our newest member restaurants.
NetGain Technologies makes managing your I.T. systems easier, so you can focus on what’s most important - your business. Ranked among the top 100 companies in the world for managed services, we excel at helping organizations reduce inefficiencies and increase productivity, leading to a more profitable work environment. You need dependable I.T. solutions, so count on the local experts with the 30 year old company; NetGain Technologies. Email SMART@netgainit.com.
844-77-SMART
Regional Youth Leadership Class of 2015 kicked off their year at Camp Joy. November/December 2014
NKY Chamber Business Journal
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MEMBER MILESTONES
Member Milestones Promotions, Appointments, New Jobs and Awards
Submit your Milestones by email to rgibeau@nkychamber.com. Posts are limited to about 250 characters. Photos should be 300 dpi and of good quality. Submissions may be edited. Senior Services of NKY receives grant from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation Senior Services of Northern Kentucky, the social service agency that serves seniors in the 8 counties of NKY, has received a generous grant of $5,000 from The Greater Cincinnati Foundation to support SSNK’s AniMeals program. AniMeals provides food and other supplies for pets of home-bound seniors who too often must share their limited food and resources with their four-legged friends. “Animals are an important partner for many of our seniors who cannot get out of their homes,” said Jay VanWinkle, Executive Director of SSNK. “We are pleased that grants like this can provide the needed nourishment for their pets. Too often seniors will go hungry in order to feed their pets.” Skidaddles Winner of Best of NKY Preschool Skidaddles Childcare is taking off and changing the face of childcare in 2014! Skidaddles offers convenient, flexible, reliable care available without reservations. The location in Florence, KY has been keeping parents and kids happy for almost six years. Skidaddles has been able to capture a niche in childcare by offering complete flexibility based on the needs of each family. Founder Tiffany Sams was nominated for Outstanding Women for 2013. Skidaddles of Florence won the Cincy Magazine BEST OF NKY Award for Best Preschool. Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers and St. Elizabeth Healthcare join Fort Thomas Schools to build Fitness Center Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers and St. Elizabeth have taken another step to support Fort Thomas Education Foundation by participating in the design process and helping to provide equipment for the newly-opened Fitness Center. “We believe in supporting and giving back to our communities,” says Dr. Nicholas T. Gates, an orthopaedic surgeon with Commonwealth and the long-time Team 38
Physician for Highlands High School. “In addition to providing sports medicine services, our group appreciates the opportunity to help create a space that will contribute to the health and wellness of the entire student body.” Commonwealth Orthopaedic Centers and St. Elizabeth Healthcare have supported the Ft. Thomas Independent Schools and Highlands HS athletics with team physician and athletic training services to all Highlands athletic programs. CDS Associates is pleased to announce it has joined the firm of CT Consultants, CDS will operate as an affiliate of CT Consultants and will maintain its Ohio and Kentucky offices and staff. This merger offers clients additional capacity for municipal engineering projects and expanded services including water/ wastewater process design, architecture, landscape architecture, downtown revitalization services, construction inspection/administration, and comprehensive master planning/zoning. CDS staff will continue in their current capacity and clients will realize expanded staff resources provided by the firm’s locally-based project managers and principles.
Southern Air pulls its DHL B737-400 to raise money for Special Olympics KY In September, Southern Air took the tarmac with DHL, the world’s leading logistics company, and Special Olympics Kentucky to participate in DHL’s annual Plane Pull at the Cincinnati/NKY International Airport (CVG). Competing against teams throughout the Tri-state, Southern Air pulled its DHL B737-400 cargo plane to support local athletes with disabilities. “Southern Air is honored to join DHL NKYChamber.com
to support Special Olympics Kentucky. Our team had an impressive showing and pulled together to tug our B737-400 across the finish for a great cause,” said Dan McHugh, President and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Air. “We share DHL’s passion for community support, particularly in NKY where many of our employees live and work.” Southern Air raised over $90,000 for DHL’s second annual Plane Pull benefitting Special Olympics Kentucky. Following on its award-winning performance last year, Southern Air was crowned as Top Fundraising Team and Top Individual Fundraiser for Men and Women. Thomas More College Names Director of New Success Center Thomas More College has named Dr. John Ernst director of the Thomas More Success Center. Ernst has been an adjunct faculty member in Psychology and the QEP Assessment Coordinator, which he will continue throughout the fall semester. He joined Thomas More College in 2005. Ernst will oversee the reorganization of Academic Support, Career Services and new programs for support of students with learning differences. Ernst brings immense experience in student engagement, teaching, critical thinking and assessment to this crucial leadership position. He received his doctorate in social psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1995, where his doctoral research was on the psychophysiology of mood and stress. He was a postdoctoral fellow at Ohio State University where he focused on the psychophysiology of loneliness. He was an associate professor at Illinois Wesleyan University. His areas of research interest are prejudice, stress, objectification, and usability. Thomas More College professor joins Hammond Law Group Ms. Lynnette Guzzino, Esq., professor at Thomas More College, has joined the Hammond Law Group as Of Counsel, consulting with the firm on immigration cases and assisting with business development. In addition to her legal background, Guzzino brings to the firm experience in higher education, business management, language skills and a talent for working with multiNovember/December 2014
cultural groups. Her association with the immigration law firm provides a valuable resource for Thomas More College international students, professors, researchers and corporate partners. Guzzino will continue as a professor in the Thomas More College business department, focusing on International Management and Business Law. She joined the College in 2005. She practiced general civil litigation in Louisiana before working for the Northern Kentucky Legal Aid Society as director of the Volunteer Lawyers Program. She currently serves on the Board of the Northern Kentucky International Trade Association and is a member of several international business and Chamber organizations. Thomas More College partners with St. Elizabeth Healthcare Thomas More College has announced a partnership with St. Elizabeth Healthcare that will provide the College’s athletes with superior sports medicine. Over the next five years, St. Elizabeth will provide services and financial support to Thomas More College. This will benefit the newly established Athletic Training Academic Program as well as the College’s Intercollegiate Athletic Training staff. St. Elizabeth will provide athletic trainers, physicians, health services and injury rehabilitation for all 19 intercollegiate athletic teams, approximately 480 student athletes. The partnership with St. Elizabeth will allow Thomas More College to expand its athletic training staff to better fit the needs of the College’s growing athletic programs. St. Elizabeth will also provide administrative support and expertise, which will allow coaches and administrators to focus more on enhancing athletic programs.
TMC’s Bishop William A. Hughes Awards Dinner honors Helen Carroll, Bill and Joan Robinson Northern Kentuckians Helen M. Carroll, William T. Robinson III and his wife Joan were this year’s honorees at the 19th annual Bishop William A. Hughes November/December 2014
MEMBER MILESTONES Awards Dinner hosted by Thomas More College on Thursday, Sept. 11, at Drees Pavilion in Covington’s Devou Park. Helen Carroll is the former community relations manager for Toyota Motor Engineering North America. She retired in July after 27 years as what many call “the public face of Toyota in Northern Kentucky.” Her passion for supporting education was evident in her commitment to Thomas More College’s S.T.E.M. initiatives. Bill Robinson III is an attorney, recent president of the American Bar Association and current chair of the Kenton County Airport Board which manages the Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati International Airport. He and his wife have been active supporters of education since they first met as students at Villa Madonna College, now Thomas More College. For 19 years, this prestigious event has honored those who give back to education. Bishop Hughes was appointed the eighth bishop of Covington in 1979 and retired in 1995, serving as the chancellor of Thomas More College and on various boards within the Greater Cincinnati community. Rudler Receives 2014 Best Accounting Firms To Work For Accounting Today recognized Rudler, PSC as a 2014 Best Accounting Firm To Work For. This annual list is created to identify, recognize and honor the best employers in the accounting industry, benefiting the industry’s economy, workforce and businesses. The list is made up of 100 companies from across the United States. Rudler is honored that our culture, progressive and flexible work environment, combined with advancement opportunities has been recognized. “Our shareholders, management, and professionals alike realize the importance of creating an atmosphere where the highest quality employees want to stay, as a key to delivering quality service to our clients.” Mike Lenihan, CPA, President of Rudler, PSC. Wood Appointed Staff Accountant John Wood has joined Rudler, PSC as a Staff Accountant. He will specialize in business and individual tax as well as accounting services, while completing the testing and experience requirements for the CPA designation. John began his career at Rudler as an NKY Chamber Business Journal
intern in 2013 and continued with the Firm through his college years. He came on board full time in 2014 after graduating from Thomas More College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accountancy. John resides in Northern Kentucky and participates in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) through Thomas More College. Lenihan Appointed to President of Be Concerned Rudler, PSC is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors of Be Concerned, Inc. elected Mike Lenihan, CPA to serve as its President. Mike is President of Rudler, PSC. Be Concerned operates one of the largest free food pantries in Northern Kentucky. They assist over 825 families a month in our community. Warden Appointed to Kentucky State Board of Accountancy Rudler, PSC is pleased to announce that Lori D. Warden, CPA has been appointed by Gov. Steve Beshear to the State Board of Accountancy. Lori is a senior manager at Rudler, PSC. The Kentucky State Board of Accountancy is a state agency responsible for protecting the public by licensing and regulating Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) and CPA firms in Kentucky. The Board is comprised of seven members appointed by the Governor to serve fouryear terms. Six members are CPAs and one is a Citizen Member. Guidugli Finalist 2014 Next Generation Leader Rudler, PSC is proud to announce Christopher Guidugli, CPA selected as one of three finalists for the 2014 Next Generation Leader Award for business and financial services. Chris is a supervisor at Rudler, PSC. The award recognizes the region’s young professionals for significant accomplishments in their profession as well as their commitment and contribution to the community. Chris was selected for his quick succession from Staff Accountant to Senior Accountant serving leadership roles for the Firm. Also, for his leadership in the community serving as Vice President of the I Have Wings Breast Cancer Foundation and on the Finance Committee for BAWAC. Continued on next page. 39
so that Gateway can continue to increase online course offerings.
MEMBER MILESTONES Brighton Center Presents at the White House in the Social Innovation Fund’s What Works Showcase In September, Mellissa Hall Sommer, Director of Workforce Development for Brighton Center, presented Brighton Center’s success with the Financial Opportunity Center philosophy of service bundling at the White House in the Social Innovation Fund What Works Showcase. This occurs on the heels of President Obama signing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act in July and recognizing Brighton Center’s Center for Employment Training (CET) as a national model for Workforce Development. Sommer and a CET graduate Brittany Gee, a Brighton Center customer, presented the achievements, impact, Brittany Gee and life-changing results of bundling services through the Financial Opportunity Center philosophy. The Financial Opportunity Center provides the structure for bundling services in three core areas: financial coaching, employment services, and family & work supports to give families a solid foundation to achieve self-sufficiency. Brighton Center’s Financial Opportunity Center is funded in part by a national award of SIF resources funneled through a sub-grantee process by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) of Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky. Core bundled services are also funded by the United Way of Greater Cincinnati. Legacy Leadership Elects New Slate of Officers for Executive Committee Nearly 60 young professionals from around the region, each stars in their own industries, gathered at the Metropolitan Club to celebrate an outstanding program year for Legacy Leadership of Northern Kentucky. Under the leadership of Kristine Frech from Vision 2015, Legacy offered 10 leadership development programs for members and the public and also grew to 125 active and engaged members. Officers for 2014-2015 include Executive Team: Jordan Huizenga, President; Brent Boden, President-Elect; Chris Guidugli, Treasurer; Elizabeth Fricke, Secretary. Steering Committee: Courtney Brown, 40
Business Engagement Co-Chair; Daniel Hunt, Business Engagement Co-Chair; Elizabeth Fricke, Leadership Co-Chair; Andy Videkovich, Leadership Co-Chair; Brandon Hubbard, Community Co-Chair; Laura Menge, Community Co-Chair. Legacy is an affiliate of the NKY Chamber and partners regularly on programming and member development. Gateway Selected to First in the World Program Grants During a national conference call, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, announced that Gateway Community and Technical College is one of only 24 institutions of higher education nationwide selected to receive the very first round of grant awards as part of the First in the World Program administered by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Postsecondary Education. The First in the World Grant Competition was created to seek out proposals for unique and innovative strategies that would help increase national postsecondary graduation rates. Gateway proposed to integrate evidence-based strategies that, within one streamlined framework, will seamlessly deliver three interventions to a target population of degreeseeking students who have at least one developmental need. Through its Flexible Learning and Exploration space (FLEXspace) project, Gateway will address the specific challenges that community colleges face related to access, engagement and completion of underprepared, underrepresented and low-income students. The grant competition was open to all institutions of higher education, so Gateway’s application was evaluated and selected from a pool of both two-year colleges and four-year universities. Gateway is the only college awarded in KY and OH. Gateway To Expand Online Offerings Beginning in January, Gateway Community and Technical College will offer more online courses than ever thanks to a new approach for online course development the college piloted this summer. The eLearning Design and Development Institute paired faculty members with instructional designers to create 11 new online courses in an accelerated course development process. The accelerated process, which was completed in four weeks, will increase the number of courses developed each year NKYChamber.com
Gateway Breaks Ground for Professional Services Center Gateway Community and Technical College held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Center for Professional Services at 440 Scott Boulevard. When opened in the spring of 2015, the center will house Gateway’s Cosmetology and Massage Therapy programs in the same location for the first time. The programs will continue to offer cosmetology and therapeutic massage services to the public. The college is in the early stages of converting the building at the northeast corner of Fifth and Scott streets. EOP Architects of Lexington designed the facility to meet the needs of the two programs. Mark Spaulding Construction Company is the general contractor.
Gateway Opens Cutting Edge Instructional Center As Part of Urban Metro Campus Expansion Cool computer labs. Collaborative classrooms. Open and airy student study nooks and lounges mark the newly opened Center for Technology, Innovation and Enterprise at Gateway Community and Technical College’s Urban Metro Campus. Lee Flischel, chair of the Gateway Foundation which owns the facility, said, “This afternoon marks the most exciting 60 minutes in Covington in recent memory. It’s not often that the city celebrates the opening of a new college classroom building on one corner a mere half-hour after breaking ground for another Gateway faNovember/December 2014
cility less than a block away. Covington’s renaissance took a giant step forward today, and the Gateway Foundation is proud to play a pivotal role in the process.” The facility’s active learning environments are specifically designed to enhance student success and are a key part of Gateway’s Flexible Learning and Exploration space (FLEXspace) project, which garnered a $3.6 million, four-year First in the World program grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Gateway Expands STEM Outreach Gateway Community and Technical College will launch a broader-than-ever STEM outreach initiative to students, parents and educators. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. Gateway’s STEM initiative is designed to raise awareness among students, parents and educators of local career opportunities in STEM fields, particularly advanced manufacturing. “Unfortunately, the public often perceives manufacturing as dirty, dangerous and dead-end. Nothing could be further from the truth,” said Gateway President/ CEO Ed Hughes. “The Gateway STEM experience will give students, their parents and their teachers a chance to interact with manufacturers and tour manufacturing facilities for an up-close look at what today’s advanced manufacturing careers are really like,” Hughes added. Gateway, NKU, Thomas More College, Toyota Again Offer Women’s Scholarship Gateway Community and Technical College is partnering with Northern Kentucky University, Thomas More College and Toyota for the fourth year to fund a scholarship for Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky. The scholarship honors a NKY resident who exemplifies notable achievement, outstanding service to the college or the NKY and personal integrity, perseverance and leadership. A $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to one non-traditional female student at Gateway during the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky awards luncheon in spring 2015. The funds will be disbursed for the fall 2015 and spring 2016 semesters. Covington Institutions Partner on Historical Documents for Bicentennial For decades, a collection of books and other historical records dating back to the late 19th century and early 20th century November/December 2014
MEMBER MILESTONES have been residing in a bookcase within the administration building at Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky. Now, those books—which capture official meeting minutes and client ledgers from CHNK’s early years—will be placed into the care of the Kenton County Public Library as part of a long-term loan between the two organizations. The timing of the loan was chosen to coincide with COV200, the city of Covington’s upcoming, year-long bicentennial celebration that seeks to enhance and extend the understanding and image of Covington’s rich heritage. CHNK Receives $1.5M Grant for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Kentucky State Attorney General Jack Conway and First Lady of the Commonwealth Jane Beshear presented Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky with a $1.5 million grant award. The grant, made possible through the KY Kids Recovery Grant Program and the Substance Abuse Treatment Advisory Committee (SATAC), will allow the Home to expand its services to include substance use disorder treatment. The grant awarded to CHNK will provide, in part, the first residential treatment facility in Northern Kentucky that is targeted specifically towards youth battling substance abuse and chemical dependency. UpTech Wins $50,000 from U.S. Small Business Administration The Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Maria Contreras-Sweet, announced that UpTech is one of the 50 winners of the agency’s inaugural Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. As Northern Kentucky’s business accelerator specializing in supporting informatics startups, UpTech was excited to learn it is among the top six percent of the 800+ accelerators who applied to the SBA’s $2.5 million fund. The SBA competition was designed to invest in emerging and growing entrepreneurial ecosystems, and UpTech’s application was reviewed by a panel of experts in entrepreneurship, investing, and business plans from both the public and private sectors.
RoundTower on Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list For the third year in a row, RoundTower Technologies has made the Inc. 5000 list of the Fastest Growing Private Companies in the United States. With a 295% three-year growth rate, RoundTower ranked #1444 on the prestigious list. In addition to the national ranking, they have been listed as the eighth fastest growing organization in the Cincinnati Metro Area and have the highest annual revenue of any IT Services company in Ohio. Drees Homes’ Cincinnati and NKY Divisions to Use Kaleidoscope New Home Marketing Services is pleased to announce that Drees Homes’ Cincinnati and NKY divisions have agreed to use its data analytics tool, Kaleidoscope. This brings to three the number of Drees Homes’ division, that use Kaleidoscope. Available through partner brokers, Kaleidoscope is designed to grow new construction listings by helping builders better understand local demographics and resale information. Hemmer begins expansion of DESMA USA headquarters DESMA USA, Inc. has called on Paul Hemmer Company (Hemmer) to expand and renovate DESMA’s North American manufacturing headquarters in Hebron. The improvements include a 4,000 sq. ft. building addition and renovations to the existing facility in the Riverview Business Center near the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky International Airport. Hemmer expects to finish the expansion project by December. DESMA USA is the North American Headquarters for Klockner DESMA Elastomertechnik GmbH, located in Fridingen Germany. DESMA develops machines and systems for the production of technical rubber and silicone molded items. The DESMA North American facility provides engineering services, a demonstration laboratory for its injection machines, sales and customer service functions in addition to mold manufacturing. DESMA equipment is used by leading manufacturers in the automotive, high voltage electrical industry, industrial, oil and gas markets and other industries in general that require dampening, isolating or sealing solutions. Continued on next page.
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MEMBER MILESTONES Hemmer to Build 10,000 s.f. Expansion for BAWAC Inc. Paul Hemmer Company is proud to announce that it will soon launch construction of a 10,000-square-foot expansion for BAWAC Inc. in the Northern Kentucky Industrial Park, in Florence. BAWAC is a production facility located at 7970 Kentucky Drive, Florence, that provides employment, training, vocational and life skills to people with disabilities. BAWAC’s production operation provides services to other industries, including assembly, packaging, sorting, rework, general industrial subcontracting and light manufacturing. All work is performed by people who have disabilities or other barriers to employment. Hemmer expands, renovates Global Experience Specialists’ Hebron facility Paul Hemmer Company has completed an expansion and renovation project for Global Experience Specialists, Inc. (GES) at its facility in Hebron to support the company’s business growth. GES expanded its space at the site by 37 percent when Hemmer added 42,000 square feet to the company’s 113,324 sq.ft. facility at 3720 Langley Drive. The expansion also included unique renovations to the existing structure to
meet GES’s growing needs. Hemmer sawcut through a 10-inch thick concrete wall to create a new opening, 12-feet wide and 14-feet tall, for a dock ramp and added a precast concrete ramp to allow trucks to gain easy access to GES’s facility. Hemmer also joined the new space with GES’s existing operation by creating four openings 16-feet wide by 20-feet tall and installed energy-efficient lighting fixtures . Hemmer remodel of Grace Fellowship Church nears completion Paul Hemmer Company is completing a 7,700-square-foot remodel at Grace Fellowship Church on Gunpowder Road in Florence. The project includes renovation of administrative offices, a resource center area and the main lobby and narthex area with a goal of creating a more welcoming and social ambiance. Work also includes new lighting, a storefront wall, coffee nook, casework and furniture that is more conducive to social gatherings. This is Hemmer’s second project with Grace Fellowship; the company previously constructed a 12,000 sq. ft. second-story expansion for the church. Free Wireless Internet for NKY Seniors Panorama Apartments, coming off the heels of winning the 2013 Excel-
lence Award from A Place for Mom (the nations’ largest senior living referral service), and its Board of Directors have decided to include free wireless internet as an additional amenity to their senior residents. Panorama already includes utilities in their affordable rents and saw an ever-growing need for internet access by its residents. Providing wireless internet access as a free service was seen by Panorama’s board and executive director as a necessity for the ongoing quality of life at its three senior independent residential communities. “We continue to try and offer unique and useful amenities to our residents.” says Executive Director, Gary Warden, CAM, TCS. “Providing the entire Panorama community with the means to communicate and stay connected with family and friends through free wireless internet, fills us with a sense of pride and helps fulfill our mission”. Currently, Panorama has three properties. Panorama East and West are hirise towers located in Covington, KY and Panorama Plus is located in Florence, KY. Over 300 local seniors will benefit from this amenity. OMEGA Processing Renews Title Sponsorship Commitment OMEGA Processing Solutions (www. omegap.com) and NKYsports.com look
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to build upon a tremendously successful 2013-2014 high school sports year with the announcement of a renewed title sponsorship agreement. The sponsorship is an integral part of OMEGA Processing’s commitment to community and service in its hometown. NKYsports.com, a leading voice of the Northern Kentucky prep sports scene, will produce weekly live OMEGA Processing webcasts of marquee matchups during the 2014-2015 football and basketball seasons. OMEGA Processing Players of the Game will be honored after every webcast, and fan giveaways will be provided during select games. Bonfiglioli USA CFO Nominated for CFO of the Year Bonfiglioli USA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bonfiglioli Riduttori S.p.A., the Bologna, Italy-based leader in products for power transmission and control, announced today that Chief Financial Officer Tim Flaherty has been nominated as a finalist for CFO of the Year by the Cincinnati Business Courier. The award is aimed at giving financial professionals in the Greater Cincinnati region recognition for outstanding performance in their roles. Mr. Flaherty is one of only 15 professionals nominated for the award. Mr. Flaherty joined Bonfiglioli USA in 2010, after successful key financial positions in other best in class public and private manufacturing companies. In his tenure at Bonfiglioli USA, Mr. Flaherty has created a best in class Human Resources, IT and Accounting/Finance department and has positioned the Company with the proper capital and business infrastructure for scalability. In addition, he has implemented the proper internal controls, policies and procedures required for growth. Bonfiglioli USA Calls on Hemmer to Renovate its Headquarters Paul Hemmer Company has been contracted to build a renovation for Bonfiglioli USA, an Italian firm specializing in the design, manufacture and distribution of gearmotors, drive systems, and planetary gearboxes, at their headquarters in Hebron, Ky. The 925-square-foot renovation will provide a new office and laboratory space, and will include the installation of a crane and CMM machinery in the lab. November/December 2014
MEMBER MILESTONES The project will support Bonfiglioli’s need for a laboratory and additional office space for the company’s growth. Paul Hemmer Company has supported Bonfiglioli’s growth before, constructing their current 83,000 sq. ft. facility at Airpark West in Hebron, Ky., in 2006. Darrell Smith, Production Manager for Mobile-Wind Solutions at the company, is Bonfiglioli’s Project Manager for the renovation. The renovation was designed by architect Jon Bennett with KZF Design. Katherine WebbMcCarron To Chair Women’s Crisis Center Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Community Partner Challenge Model, 2012 Miss Alabama, television personality and newlywed of Cincinnati Bengal, A.J. McCarron; Katherine WebbMcCarron is named Chairperson of Women’s Crisis Center Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Community Partner Challenge. Women’s Crisis Center (WCC) is a 501(c) (3), 38 year-old non-profit committed to lead our community in the social change needed to end domestic violence, rape and sexual assault. The WCC is selected as one of 200 agencies across the country to compete in The Purple Purse Challenge featuring prize money provided by The Allstate Foundation. Since 1976, more than 50,000 women and their children have looked to WCC for confidential safe haven, counseling, case management and advocacy services at no charge. The agency that raises the most funds from the challenge will win $100,000 in addition to daily and weekly prizes. Schools Win $1.2 Million in Grant Funds for Three-Year Program More professional counselors and a professional social worker will be available to serve children in elementary schools in the Erlanger-Elsmere School District and two other Northern Kentucky school districts, thanks to a collaborative effort that is bringing funds into the region to support the new positions. The Elementary School Counseling Grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, creates a three-year opportunity, effective immediately, to proNKY Chamber Business Journal
vide counseling services in addition to the schools’ current services. The grant amount over the three years is $1,184,700. The NKY schools to benefit are Lindeman Elementary (Erlanger), Miles Elementary (Erlanger), Silver Grove Elementary, Williamstown Elementary. NKY company places 2nd in nation for transportation, 1st in state overall Legion Logistics, LLC announces that they are #156 on the Inc. 5000 list for 2014, their first eligible year. This ranking reflects an incredible growth of 2,545% since 2009. They are also #2 in transportation and logistics and #1 in the state of KY and the Cincinnati metro area. Legion Logistics, LLC was founded in 2009 by President Lacy Starling and CEO Antony Coutsoftides, a service-disabled veteran. Frontier Airlines Announces Service to Five New Destinations from CVG Frontier Airlines announced five new destinations from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to Dallas/Ft.Worth (DFW), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Las Vegas (LAS), Orlando (MCO) and Phoenix (PHX). Frontier will now serve 10 destinations from CVG which includes service to Denver (DEN), Trenton (TTN), and Washington, DC – Dulles (IAD). Frontier also operates the flights to Cancun and Punta Cana for Apple Vacations. “We are excited to offer five new Frontier destinations for residents of the Cincinnati area and appreciate the continued support of the Cincinnati community,” said Barry Biffle, Frontier’s President. “This is a truly remarkable day at CVG,” said Candace McGraw, chief executive officer, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. “Frontier was the first low cost carrier to begin service at CVG in May 2013 with one daily flight to Denver. Within 18 months of beginning service from CVG, Frontier will offer 41 flights per week to 10 destinations. By adding service to Las Vegas, Phoenix Dallas, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, Frontier will increase their flights at CVG by 106%.” “This is just another example of the success for Frontier Airlines,” said Wm. T. (Bill) Robinson III, Kenton County Airport Board Chairman. “This addition further expands CVG’s low cost carrier foot print and further enhances our ability to Continued on next page. 43
MEMBER MILESTONES provide a variety of options to customers in the tri-state region. This success would not be possible without the support of the Cincinnati/NKY community.”
Governor Beshear presented Spirit of Achievement Award Governor Steve Beshear and Department for Local Government Commissioner Tony Wilder presented the 2014 Spirit of Kentucky Award to Kentucky Connected, a public-private regional partnership consisting of counties located between the Greater Cincinnati and Louisville metro areas, along the I-71 corridor. The award was presented as part of the 39th Annual Governor’s Local Issues Conference. “I commend the many state and local government groups that reached beyond county lines and across the political spectrum to form Kentucky Connected, a partnership aimed at expanding business and educational opportunities across North Central Kentucky,” said Gov. Beshear. “By working together, this region is setting a strong example in the Commonwealth of how quality partnerships can bring about effective change.” Established in 2012, the Kentucky Connected partnership was created to help better address shared challenges facing communities in the North Central KY region by pooling local resources and working together on regional opportunities. Six counties comprise Kentucky Connected: Carroll, Gallatin, Henry, Oldham, Owen and Trimble. Additionally, the partnership includes the Northern Kentucky Area Development District, the Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency, Jefferson Community and Technical College and Districts 5 and 6 of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. NKY Companies Honored for Support of Guard, Reserve Employees Florence-based Legion Logistics received the Pro Patria Award, the highest state award given by an Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) committee. 44
The award was presented to Lacy Darling, one of the firm’s owners, by Robert Silverthorn, immediate past ESGR state chair, at the Florence Rotary Club’s meeting. “Legion Logistics is a very patriotic organization,” said Silverthorn. “One of its guiding principles since its founding has been that our service members are special and should be given a real opportunity for success when they return to the civilian community after active service. “Legion Logistics recognizes the value service members bring to its organization—motivated for team success, trainable, trustworthy, who take pride in themselves and their company,” Silverthorn continued. The Pro Patria Award is presented annually by each ESGR state committee to one small, one large and one public sector employer in its state. Legion Logistics is in the small company category. Legion Logistics began business in 2009 with a commitment to hire veterans and to support area veterans’ organizations. Today, 25 percent of its staff is comprised of veterans, not counting military spouses who are employees. The firm’s co-owner Antony Coutsoftides is a service-disabled veteran with 10 years’ Army service. ESGR also presented its Patriot Award to the following: Kevin Joiner and Julie Burden – McLane Foodservice, Hebron Nate Disbro – Amazon Fulfillment, Hebron Mary Beth Endres – Nexus Property Management, Erlanger Russ Houchins – Celanese, Florence James Daley – Campbell County Correction Center, Newport. Patriot Awards are awarded to individual supervisors or bosses and are nominated by Guard or Reserve personnel or their immediate family. The award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed. ESGR seeks to foster a culture in which all employers support and value the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve. ESGR facilitates and promotes a cooperative culture of employer support for National Guard and Reserve forces members. NKYChamber.com
Citi Promotes Niki Clare to Vice President Niki Clare has accepted the role as Vice President of Communication and Public Affairs for Citi’s Florence, KY site. In this role, Niki will manage internal and external communications, public and government relations, community impact funding and special event planning. Niki brings to the role 9 years of experience with Citi, starting in 2005 as a Customer Service Representative, and most recently supporting the Florence, KY site in the Communication Manager role. Niki currently participates on a variety of community boards, supporting organizations including Redwood, United Way and Covington Partners. Niki is also a recent graduate of Leadership Northern Kentucky Class of 2014. A lifelong resident of NKY, Niki graduated with honors from Northern Kentucky University in May 2009 with a Bachelor’s degree in Public Relations. She currently resides in Covington, KY. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering at the Ft. Mitchell Children’s Home, and when she finds the time, loves to travel. CHNK and CIPS Launch Innovative Therapeutic Day School Initiative In a strategic endeavor to marry traditional academic services with behavioral/ mental health treatment for adolescents, Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky (CHNK) is partnering with Covington Independent Public Schools to launch a therapeutic day school this academic year. The day school, housed in the newly renovated historic administration building of CHNK’s Covington campus, provides services for youth who would previously have found themselves in the school district’s alternative school. “There’s a growing at-risk population of students who struggle in a traditional school setting due to behavioral issues,” explained Rick Wurth, CHNK chief executive officer. “A therapeutic day school on CHNK’s campus will give these students access to an array of treatment services that will help them better navigate both the school day and their home life.” Such services include individual and group therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy, recreational therapy, substance use disorders treatment, and family therapy. Throughout the school day, CHNK supplies trained therapists to treat students in need of therapeutic interventions, including emotional stabilization and verbal de-escalation. November/December 2014
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UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER 11/6 Women’s Initiative Joint Roundtable Luncheon 11/12 2014-2015 HR Webinar Series: Defending and Winning Unemployment Claims 11/12 Member Event: - Outsourced Accounting – Finally a Great Alternative to QuickBooks (TwoHeads Partners) 11/13 NKITA Trade Education: Tax Strategies for Export 11/14 Your Chamber is a Gold Mine: Successful Referral and Personal Marketing Strategies 11/17 Women’s Initiative Connect Happy Hour at The Chart House 11/18 Eggs ‘N Issues: Gateway’s Urban Campus DECEMBER 12/3
Business After Hours
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2015 Where We Stand Reception
12/9
Eggs ‘N Issues: Chamber Presidents Brian Carley and Trey Grayson
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Social Media by the Book
12/10 2014-2015 HR Webinar Series: How Union Laws Apply to Union Free Employers 12/11 Member Event: Ultimate Workshop – 2014 Tax, Succession, and Estate Planning for Business Owners
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Regional Youth Leadership Fundraiser: West Side Story at The Carnegie
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Eggs ‘N Issues
1/23
Your Chamber is a Gold Mine: Successful Referral and Personal Marketing Strategies
1/28
Women’s Initiative Annual Breakfast
FEBRUARY 2/10
Eggs ‘N Issues: NKU Health Innovations Center
2/20
Chance to Meet: General Cable & Commonwealth of Kentucky
2/24
Smart Owners Series : The Owner’s Job—Your Checklist for Performance
MARCH 3/3
Smart Owners Series: Financial Statements—What the Numbers are Telling You
3/10
Smart Owners Series: Business Intelligence—Using QuickBooks for More
3/17
Smart Owners Series: Marketing—Attract and Retain Customers
3/24
Smart Owners Series: The Art of Selling: Mastering the Craft
1-888-608-8760 shared-wellness.com Scan the code or visit www.NKYChamber.com November/December 2014
NKY Chamber Business Journal
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RIBBON CUTTINGS
Welcome & Congratulations
Axis Alley Thomas More Book Store 333 Thomas More Parkway Crestview Hills, KY 41017 859.341.5800 Ambassadors: Brian Ruschman, C-Forward; Ellen Barnett, L & N Federal Credit Union; JR Schneider, Allied Financial Solutions Republic Bank: Vickie Stulz and Laurie Harvey
1 Levee Way Newport, KY 41071 859.652.7250 Ambassadors: Steve Harrington, ProSource; Doug Mercer, The Bank of Kentucky; Kevin Richardson, Sunrise Children’s Services
Citizens Deposit Bank 3425 Valley Plaza Parkway Fort Wright, KY 41017 859.344.7860 Ambassadors: JR Schneider, Allied Financial Solutions; Steve Harrington, ProSource; Michael Ganucheau, Liberty Mutual Insurance
1st Call Disaster Services 7964 Kentucky Drive Florence, KY 41042 859.795.5775 Ambassadors: Drew Bartel, AAA Allied Group; Roy Rogers, Bookkeeping Express NKY; Mark Tranbarger, The Bank of Kentucky Republic Bank: Vickie Stulz and Laurie Harvey
Vom Fass Buffalo Wings & Rings 2809 Dixie Highway Crestview Hills, KY 41017 859.331.9464 Ambassadors: Karralea List, The Décor Group of NKY; Tabitha Marshall, Comfort Suites Riverfront; Tom Wermeling, Midway Tack Shop
2870 Town Center Blvd. Crestview Hills, KY 41017 859.331.1896 Ambassadors: Katie Baker, tw telecom; Steve Harrington, ProSource; Tabitha Marshall, Comfort Suites Riverfront Republic Bank: Vickie Stulz, Laurie Harvey, Tom Tilmes. City of Crestview Hills: Mayor Paul Meier
Ribbon cuttings sponsored by: National College 8095 Connector Drive Florence, KY 41042 859.525.8961 Ambassadors: Larry Nitardy, Com Assist; Steve Harrington, ProSource; Mike Leeds, ProSource. Republic Bank: Vickie Stulz and Laurie Harvey 46
We want to help you promote and celebrate your ribbon cutting ceremony for your new facility, expansion, anniversary celebration or open house! We’ll bring our trademark giant blue scissors, a group of Chamber ambassadors, and a camera to capture the excitement of your special day. Call Pam Mastruserio at 859-578-6384 to schedule your FREE ribbon cutting today! NKYChamber.com
November/December 2014
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November/December 2014
NKY Chamber Business Journal
47