Business SERVING SE INDIANA & SW OHIO
OUTLOOK
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WHO’S NEW WHAT’S NEW GOINGS ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 28, 2012 © REGISTER PUBLICATIONS
New ad director pitches more bang for buck Ryan Oswald, a 10-year newspaper veteran with experience in finance, advertising management, electronic media and traditional journalism, has been named advertising director of Register Publications. Oswald, 34, comes to The Register and The Harrison Press from The Delaware Gazette, an 8,500-circulation daily published in Delaware, Ohio, north of Columbus. Prior to his director’s role, Oswald was Internet coordinator and key account sales representative for the Madison Press, the company’s weekly newspaper in Madison County and London, Ohio. “I’ve always been in business development. My degree is in finance,” said the 2001 graduate of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, a master’s level university.
“I am committed to helping advertisers reach their audiences however those audiences want to be reached,” said Oswald. “People want to receive information differently, so we want to help our advertisers reach them how they want to be reached.” With experience in traditional and electronic media, Oswald said among his principal goals is to provide advertisers with several robust media choices, including more dynamic Web sites, e-mail blasts and cell phone access, without compromising the traditional print media. “I have a solid respect for the printed word and a good understanding of the digital word. I think I bring ideas of how to bridge that gap,” said Oswald. Although the Internet has leveled the playing field for all media, the strength of community newspapers and their complementary Web sites
Small business incubator helps create jobs
In 2011, The Southeast Indiana Small Business Development Center assisted almost 800 clients and provided over 3,500 hours of no-cost advising to these area businesses and entrepreneurs. Through this one-on-one assistance, the Southeast ISBDC Regional Director and Business Advisors helped start 80 new businesses, finalize 16 major expansions, hire 302 new employees and retain more than 2,000 employees. Another notable accomplishment is that the Southeast ISBDC assisted 74 of these businesses in securing over $11.4 million in loans and outside investment. The Southeast ISBDC also provided over $200,000 in free market research to clients in the areas of industry information, consumer spending patterns, market potential and site location. (Full statistics provided below) “The Southeast ISBDC is stronger than it has ever been and is consistently providing high levels of customer service to area businesses. Many business owners feel they do not qualify for assistance because they are “too big”, but we help businesses with under 500 employees so the majority of local businesses qualify,” said Regional Director Blayr Barnard. As Dan Hasler, Secretary of Commerce and CEO of Indiana Economic Development
JOE AWAD/The Harrison Press
Register Publications’ Advertising Director Ryan Oswald and Harrison Sales Representative Donna Metzger plan ideas to give advertisers more for their buck. is local content, which includes not, be credible,” said Oswald. advertising from local and regional Community newspaper Web sites businesses, he said. are credible, and part of his charge “The great thing about newspa- is to acquaint more advertisers and pers is their reputations. You can readers with Register Publications’ go out as Joe Citizen and blog, and Web sites, said Oswald. what you have to say may, or may “We will give our advertisers
Corporation said, “Creating a supportive entrepreneurial environment and providing tools that help innovators make their ideas a reality are essential to Indiana’s economic success. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation looks to the Southeast Indiana Small Business Development Center to lead this charge in Southeast Indiana.” Southeast ISBDC provides no-cost, confidential assistance to businesses in 13 counties of Indiana including: Floyd, Clark, Dearborn, Harrison, Scott, Jefferson, Jennings, Bartholomew, Decatur, Ripley, Franklin, Switzerland and Ohio. Services including: business planning, strategic planning, financial analysis, loan application preparation, marketing assistance, human resources guidance and market research. The main benefits to the clients include a sounding board for their ideas, outside perspective and expertise without having to hire someone for help. For more program information, contact Blayr Barnard, Regional Director, at bbarnard@isbdc.org or 1-812-952-9765. Contact Kelly Will, the Dearborn County Business Advisor, at kwill@isbdc.org or 1-812-5370814 for business assistance, or visit www. seisbdc.org.
many ways to reach people, and our readers many options to obtain their local news,” said Oswald. “We will take what has been a once-a-week interaction with our public and try to engage them more often through different channels.” Oswald grew up in the “bluecollar, hard-working” town of Cochranton, Pa. He attended West Virginia University, where he pitched on the baseball team three years. His background also includes high school football coverage and The Ohio State University Football beat. “I really identify with the values here,” said Oswald. “What we do is valuable to the community. That is one of the things I love about newspapers.” Oswald now lives in Harrison and will be joined soon by his wife, Nicki, who is a fourth-grade teacher.
LOOK WHO’S NEW
Bourquein is new aftercare coordinator at Jackman Kercheval Meyers Funeral Home
settling estates, deal with social security, arrange funerals and cope with loss. About a year ago, Bourquein started working with owners Rodger and Taaron Meyers determining how to assist families Marilyn H. Bourquein has been named into their next phase of life, after a loved the aftercare coordinator at Jackman one has died, including dealing with all Kercheval Meyers Funeral the paperwork and grief support Home, Harrison, after one year issues. with the company. She attended courses by Dr. Bourquein, a Harrison native, Alan Wolfelt, founder and direcgraduated from Harrison High tor of the Center for Loss and School and received her bachLife Transition, and met with elor of Arts degree from the others working in the field to University of Cincinnati. develop a program for Jackman She brings a wide range of Kercheval Meyers. business, volunteer and life ex“We are glad to have Marilyn perience to the new position and on board and look forward to the families she serves. the continued care of each famShe retired as manager of ily we serve in our community,” information systems from Cinsaid Taaron. Marilyn cinnati Incorporated in 2003. For more aftercare informaBourquein In recent years, Bourquein has tion or to contact Bourquein, helped many friends and relavisit www.jkmfuneralhome. tives plan for retirement, navigate through com.
Khristine Huff joins Sibcy Cline
She is a member of the Cincinnati Area Board of Realtors; and the Ohio Khristine Huff has joined the Har- and National Associations of Realrison office of Sibcy Cline tors. Realtors as a real estate Huff and her husband, sales associate, said L. Rick Tristan, live in Okeana. McMillin, vice president/ Sibcy Cline is the largsales manager of the Harest area real estate broker rison office. with 1,300 agents and 22 Before beginning her real offices throughout Greater estate career, Huff had expeCincinnati, Southeastern Inrience as a pre-school teachdiana. Northern Kentucky er and in the golf course and Dayton. service industry. Khristine Huff
New agent at Farm Bureau Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance agent Loretta Day understands the value of protecting your assets and the importance of serving her clients. Prior to joining Farm Bureau, Day served as the advertising director for Register Publications. Through her more than 16 years of service with the newspaper group, she became very familiar with our community, the businesses and people in it. Day believes strongly in community pride and involvement.
She served as a leader and merit badge councilor for the Boy Scouts of America for more than 10 years, is a current board member at Community Spirit Credit Union, member of the Ridgewood Health Campus Advisory Board, vice president of the local T.O.P.S. Chapter, 10-year veteran of the I Luv Lawrenceburg Fall Fest Committee and president of the Moores Hill Heritage Festival Committee. Upon becoming an agent, Day completed Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance’s professional insurance training program. Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance offers a complete line of auto, home, life, business and farm insurance.