CONTINUITY IN THE FACE OF DISRUPTION

By Tabari McCoy Scooter Media

With the returning Chair & Board Members, the NKY Chamber enters the 2020-21 fiscal year focused on increased market share, diversity & speaking with one voice

THE ECONOMIC DISRUPTION THAT

resulted both from the pandemic and the ensuing social unrest around the country has placed even greater emphasis on the importance of effective leadership. NKY Chamber President and CEO Brent Cooper needs just two words to articulate the biggest lesson the 2019-20 fiscal year has taught him: “Leadership matters.”

“During challenging times stability and continuity are critical to all organizations. While maintaining focus on identified strategic imperatives can be difficult in the face of disruption, effective leaders understand the importance of doing so,” said Cooper. “Even though we have had to adapt our mode of operations in many ways, we have been able to stay true to our mission. In doing so, the NKY Chamber’s strategic imperatives under the leadership of our board chair, Dan Cahill, have taken on a whole new meaning during these troubling times.”

Now, in the wake of a most unusual year, the NKY Chamber looks to help all those it serves in a manner as close to business as usual while securing – and diversifying – the region’s future.

Maintaing Focus in the Wake of The New Normal

The NKY Chamber will return with limited changes to its 50-member Board of Directors (and six Ex-Officio non-voting members) for the 2020-21 fiscal year with Cahill returning to serve a second term as its chair. NKY Chamber President Brent Cooper and Senior Vice President/ Chief Operating Officer Gene Kirchner both say the decision is a direct result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Kirchner says the “disruptive” nature of the past six months predicated a need for a “continuity of leadership (and) strategic imperatives;” Cooper says the situation also did not afford members a true board experience regarding networking and professional development, yet another factor in freezing the board.

The moves follow the onset of an ongoing global pandemic that ended the 2019-20 fiscal year in a fashion unlike anything the NKY Chamber has seen in its 51 year-history. In much the same fashion it did the businesses they serve, the pandemic forced NKY Chamber staffers to transition living rooms into offices. Those that were accustomed to professional development sessions and networking events saw them become virtual affairs (sometimes with an occasional unintended interruption from a pet or family member now also working/learning from home).

While the organization itself underwent major adjustments as a result of COVID-19 concerns, the NKY Chamber’s work over the course of the last six months serves as a testament to the dedication and value of the organization. The NKY Chamber hosted approximately 65 virtual programs and events offered to members and non-members alike at no cost. In addition, the NKY Chamber partnered with Duke Energy to provide $70,000 in grants to 18 small businesses who are minority, veteran and women-owned; likewise, its Restaurant Relief Fund initiative saw $44,500 in gift cards purchased from 120 different restaurants in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties with 47 additional $1,000 grants distributed throughout the region.

Cooper says these efforts are examples of both Cahill’s leadership talents and the importance of continuing to serve, even in the most extreme of circumstances.

“Eleven hundred of our members are businesses of 20 employees or less, therefore we strived to provide programming and communications which were accurate, timely and unbiased in our resources and information,” said Cooper. “Our members’ engagement in these programs also enabled us to advocate for direct changes in specific government programs and policies which negatively affected their businesses.”

Cooper expanded, “Our focus during this pandemic continues to be around providing resources for our businesses across our region so they are better positioned to survive this pandemic and come out the other side.”

Kirchner agrees, saying, “We want to make sure our programming is engaging, it’s meaningful, it’s relevant and people see the value.”

Diversifying Voices, Increasing Representation

The CEO of Covington-based HSD Metrics, Cahill says he could not be “prouder and more privileged” to be working with the NKY Chamber, noting “this global pandemic has revealed the best of Northern Kentucky.” Cahill introduced three focus areas at the beginning of his term in September 2019 that Cooper and Kirchner say have produced profound success: (1) expanding our market share, (2) providing higher impact programming and (3) communicating as a region with one voice.

Expanding market share means growing a diverse and inclusive membership while increasing influence within the Cincinnati MSA and the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The NKY Chamber will continue to be an organization that creates value for all community stakeholders, gives rise to a region that is attractive to talent, and is driven by the region’s key influencers. Providing high impact programming means NKY Chamber events are and will continue to be relevant, meaningful and lead to better outcomes for our members and the region as a whole. And finally speaking with one voice means leveraging the political force that over 480,000 residents represent in order to complete our region’s critical projects surrounding transportation, education and healthcare - all of which impact businesses’ bottom line.

Continuing to strive for more diversity, equity and inclusion in terms of both the NKY Chamber’s leadership and the region at large remains a priority for Cahill entering the new fiscal year. With civil unrest nationwide following deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Kentucky’s own Breona Taylor sparking conversations about race, diversity and more, Cahill says a more diverse Northern Kentucky is essential to the region’s future.

In Cahill’s eyes, if Northern Kentucky is going to be “a healthy, vibrant growing community,” it has to have the “energy of a diverse group of individuals, period.”

“We are somewhat homogeneous in Northern Kentucky right now. However, we fully recognize the need to attract diverse talent to the region in order to be globally competitive. All companies are chasing innovation,” said Cahill. “The creativity of ideas necessary to be truly innovative does not come from environments in which everyone looks and thinks the same. The business case for diversity is obvious.”

“We have to ensure that Northern Kentucky is viewed as a welcoming place in order to attract the talent necessary to fuel a vibrant economy,” continued Cahill. “Our potential is unlimited if we succeed in creating a more diverse and inclusive community.”

That is why Cahill personally recruited the NKY Chamber’s two newest board members (see the next page), nine of the last 13 of which have not been white males. This July likewise saw the NKY Chamber form a partnership with the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky African American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) to increase collaboration and encourage entrepreneurship.

“This is not the old NKY Chamber; this is what we’re calling ‘Chamber 2.0,” said Cooper.

The Power of Leadership

Cahill became chair fully expecting to turn over the reins to a chosen successor, St. Elizabeth Healthcare President and CEO Garren Colvin in September. Upbeat and eternally positive, however, Cahill is excited about the potential for a return to normalcy in 2020-21. “I think we’re all tired of Zoom calls and eager to reengage with friends in person,” he jokes.

Strong leadership, however, is no laughing matter to Cahill; it’s the key to NKY Chamber’s future.

“Here is the value of leadership and how its importance has been revealed during this unpredictable time: If you take away the resources, highlight the fragility of people’s health, pause an entire economy and send everyone home for months at a time… what’s left is the employee’s attachment to the organization and its purpose, vision and destiny,” he said. “It’s the leader’s influence that ensures the members of the team remain connected and productive – that’s how important leadership is. It’s not part of being successful; it is the precursor to all things successful.”

NKY

Kristen Smitherman-Voltaire

Resides: Westwood with her husband Emilio, their two daughters and two rescue dogs Company and title: Community & Citizenship Manager, Turner Construction Company Notable: Prior to joining Turner Construction, Smitherman-Voltaire served as the Director of Diversity, Inclusion & Community Engagement at Gateway Community & Technical College; her uncle is Cincinnati City Council member and mayoral candidate Christopher Smitherman

Q: Why did you want to join the NKY Chamber Board of Directors? I started my professional career in Northern Kentucky as an employee at Gateway Community and Technical College. Through my involvement with Gateway, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the NKY Chamber on a variety of initiatives and opportunities, I also was a member of Leadership NKY Class of 2015 – of course the best class ever – and had the opportunity to get to know the NKY Chamber in a different way through my involvement with them. I realized how much of a resource the organization is to NKY businesses and to NKY residents … I just came to appreciate the organization for what it is and understand there is definitely room for growth and opportunity, especially in the diversity, equity and inclusion space.

Q: What do you seek to accomplish as a NKY Chamber Board Member? First and foremost, I hope to bring my personal perspective and experience as a transplant to the region, as a woman of color, as a professional in corporate America. That lends itself to approaching challenges and solutions through a unique perspective. I also hope to accomplish assisting the Chamber with accomplishing their goals and their desires for who they as organization who they hope to be. I definitely think I can bring some expertise in the diversity, equity and inclusion space of course given my previous experience as Director of Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement at Gateway and also through the things that I’m doing as Community and Citizenship Manager here at Turner. Ultimately, my goal is to accomplish and achieve the stated mission of the NKY Chamber while approaching some of their greatest challenges through my unique lens and perspective.

Q: What are your thoughts on the NKY Chamber and its future? The NKY Chamber has a very unique opportunity to really put NKY on the map as a place that is welcoming, as a place that is inclusive and I certainly challenge the Chamber to take ownership and pride of that opportunity to be on the forefront of such an important movement in our history.

NKY Chamber President Brent Cooper on Smitherman-Voltaire: Kristen brings experience from not only the current industry she’s in, but also understanding the community college system from her time at Gateway and the important role that education plays in the workforce. Both of those fronts show she is extremely talented and she will help guide the NKY Chamber, especially when it comes to workforce talent attraction and retention … She is a rock star and anybody that has seen her in action will be able to back that up. We were really lucky to get her as a board member.

Christopher Owens

Resides: Walnut Hills Company and title: Risk Advisor, Property Casualty, Taylor Oswald Notable: Prior to joining Taylor Oswald, Owens spent five years working in Senior Membership Development at the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber; his father is former Cincinnati Health Department Medical Director and Cincinnati State President Dr. O’Dell Owens

Q: Why did you want to join the NKY Chamber Board of Directors? One of the biggest reasons I wanted to join the NKY Chamber and its Board was to help further their efforts with diversity and inclusion, especially from a small business perspective. Because I used to work in Northern Kentucky, I have an affinity for the region and I know how it feels to be one of the few African Americans to even be noticed, so I understand what they’re trying to accomplish in terms of bringing more African American individuals, businesses and entities into Northern Kentucky. Why not be a part of this type of effort, especially with the episodes of civil unrest that have gone on in these last few months? My five years of experience at the Cincinnati Chamber will help the NKY Chamber to recruit more minority businesses as well as taking my experiences from them that they had about diversity and inclusion and bring that energy and ideas coupled with thought leadership to NKY.

Q: What do you seek to accomplish as a NKY Chamber Board Member? I seek to bring a different perspective of diversity inclusion and one centered on small business focus. Additionally, I seek to create networking connections that have not existed in Northern Kentucky but have in Cincinnati and bridge that gap, especially navigating the world of business as an African American man.

Q: What are your thoughts on the NKY Chamber and its future? My passion for diversity and inclusion comes from my goal to see more diversity in the Northern Kentucky community as it can do nothing but have a positive impact and show the rest of the Commonwealth, the region and country the benefits that come from it.

NKY Chamber President Brent Cooper on Owens: Anyone that knows Chris knows he’s a go-getter. He’s extremely passionate about the region and has strong family ties to it through his father Dr. O’Dell Owens. He also has experience working for the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber … He knows all the players and will do a wonderful job in helping guide us and will also help us open doors, bring in additional members and additional perspectives we really need.