North Coast Business Journal - September 2011

POSTMASTER: TIMELY MATERIAL. PLEASE EXPEDITE.

Celebrating 17 Years of Service INSIDE THIS MONTH Marketing: When the Phone Don’t Ring...........2 Sales: Take the Order and Run?....7 Taxes: Parents Entering a Nursing Home......8 Legal: Could He Make a Will?...9 Chamber Calendars.......... 12 Estate: Leaving a Legacy............ 15 Well-Booked Business............ 23

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Focus

“The Business Voice of Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca Counties”

Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.

SEPTEMBER 2011 Vol. 17 No. 9

on

Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Tiffin, OH 44883 Permit #88

Port Clinton

State of the City Recap of the year 2010 From an address by Mayor Debbie Hymore-Tester earlier this year Good evening Administration, City Council, and citizens of Port Clinton. I would like to welcome the new council members to their first State of the City address. We started 2010 with the swearing in ceremony of the new members of council who are: Mark Coppeler and Vince Leone, as co-chairmen of the Infrastructure Committee, Kathy Mehl, as chairwoman of the Parks and Recreation Committee, and Randy Lipstraw, as chairman of the Rules Laws and Ordinances Committee.

As I stated last year, we are a work-inprogress and together we are continuing to move Port Clinton forward. Our accomplishments, from major infrastructure projects to the simplest improvements, have not gone unnoticed.

Throughout most of the year, there were construction zones, orange barrels, yellow vests, pipes, and trucks seen throughout our community. Many residents and guests complimented our progress and stated that this was the most improvement they have seen in years. What a sense of pride we have shared as we came together after years of planning, seeking funds,

and implementing and watching the plan come to fruition.

In 2010, the City government of Port Clinton accomplished many tasks through the hard work of its various departments.

The Administration: • Appointed Tracy Colston as Interim Safety Service Director, and hired Walter Wehenkle as a consultant • Obtained a Small Cities Grant for the complete reconstruction of 6th St., with a sewer and water cost of $1.471,200.00, worked on the Fulton St. Project from OPWC for $175.000.00, and continued the Urban Resurfacing Program from ODOT for the 2nd Phase of Perry St. for $460,000.00

• Obtained a Stensen Grant in the amount of $25,000.00 for downtown improvements • Received a CDBG Grant of $33,500.00 for curbs on 2nd St. • Began Phase 2 of the East End project from a loan at 1% for which work is being done on principal forgiveness • Partnered with OCIC, Regional Planning, and County Commissioners to receive funding from the USEPA for sediment sampling at the proposed marina site and lakefront preserve • Conducted a retreat for Council and Department Supervisors along with a work session for Administration and

See MAYOR, Page 5

We’re a proud member of the following: Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce

Elmore Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Erie County Chamber of Sandusky County of Commerce

Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Huron Chamber of Commerce

Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Genoa Chamber of Commerce

Huron County Chamber of Commerce

Milan Chamber of Commerce

Oak Harbor Area Put-in-Bay Chamber Chamber of Commerce of Commerce

Vermilion Chamber of Commerce

Port Clinton Area Tiffin Area Chamber Willard Area Chamber Chamber of Commerce of Commerce of Commerce

2 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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If the Phone Don’t Ring… You’ll Know It’s Me

By Jeffrey H. Bryden Editor With apologies to this unknown country music lyricist, have you heard from your customers lately?

Several months ago, this column discussed listening to customers through focus group research – formally drawing people out on their feelings, thoughts, perceptions and values. And, in many cases, finding out things that you never would have thought to ask them or things you never even knew they thought about!

This article is a little more basic – it’s about the old-fashioned concept of communication.

In the marketing classes I teach, I try to stress the unique construction, and hence, the meaning of this word “communication.”

Effective communication is about both sending and receiving. There’s a duality here, hence the word “communication” begins with the prefix “co-.”

In the advertising business, a tremendous amount of attention is focused on the message covering the benefit or the offer. And an equal amount of time is spent on the media that will carry this news to consumers. But notice this is all about the “sending” part of the process.

Yet when you really think about the mass media of tv and radio, they aren’t really designed to Co-mmunicate, are they? They send, send, send the messages – whether people are watching, or listening or even physically present. These media are only “mmunicating” with your customer. Not Co-mmunicating. They’re one-way messages, not

two-way.

To “CO-municate” you need to send AND receive.

If you’re using direct marketing, print media with coupons or personal selling, you have built-in opportunities to get feedback from your prospects and customers. But if you’re dependent on the cost efficient mass media to get the word out, you’ll need to provide the feedback framework and opportunity to let them talk. How can they do that? Try phone, internet or e-mail.

Here’s a scary thought – you’ve included your phone number on your business cards, in phone directories and in your ads. Yet a (not-uncommon) typo or a phone number that’s no longer in service can short circuit every attempt your customers may make to call you. It’s not only embarrassing, it’s an economic disaster!

But if the number’s right, have you called yourself recently? Did the phone get answered promptly?

By a real person or a recording? How was the “tonality” of the answer? Did it sound friendly or rushed, angry, bored, or mechanical? Was it loud enough and clear enough (some older consumers have hearing difficulties?)

If you’ve opted for a recorded message as many businesses have, did the recording give the respondent plausible options right up-front – in an order prioritized with their most-frequent requests first? Or did they have to listen to a litany of options? Did you give them the chance to “opt out” and request a real person?

Or did they get stuck in “phone mail jail?”

In today’s electronic world, it’s critical to have correct Web site and e-mail addresses. Have you “played the consumer” and tried your corporate Web site recently? Is it current? Or, like many out there, was it put up when the promise of

e-commerce was hot, fresh and exciting…and then abandoned? Does it even work? Can you get where you want to go from the home page? Or does it have electronic road-blocks and cob-webs in it? And you wonder why you’re not getting hits?

E-mail. Sadly, typos in electronic addresses are easy to make. And while the post office will attempt to track down an address that’s somewhat close to yours, the internet is V E R Y PRECISE. A mis-placed period or comma, an upper-case instead of a lower-case character – and presto: No soup for you!

Example? Lake Erie Shores and Islands distributes over 400,000 copies of their annual Travel Planner across the country. The Planner lists hundreds of area retail businesses, restaurants, motels and attractions. Larry Fletcher, Executive Director, of Lake Erie Shores and Islands West, knows the importance of open lines of communication. So each year before printing the Planner, he has his people check every supplied phone number, Web site and e-mail address in the ads and listings -- to make sure everything works as planned. And, though they’ve been doing this for a time now, each year there are at least a handful of prospective listing sent to them that are incorrect, inoperable and need to be changed.

In summary, can your customers “co-mmunicate” with you? Or are you shut off from the outside world? Why not be the customer -- make sure your important links of phone and internet are up and running.

YouNCBJ can’t listen when 7/28/11 they can’t call.AMAnd, if the Berrysaha0711.pdf 10:24:15 phone don’t ring…maybe it’s you?

National Recognition for WSOS In August, WSOS Vice President Ruthann House and Kerrie Carte, development specialist, accepted the 2011 Community Economic Development Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award for the Green Ohio/Weatherization Works Corps program WSOS administered. The award was conferred on WSOS by the national Community Action Partnership (CAP) and is one of four the CAP awarded to agencies across the nation.

According to Stacy Flowers, director of Community Economic Development at CAP, only one point separated the winning applications from the others. “The competition was serious,” she said. “I am in awe of the amazing projects in our network.”

WSOS administered this program for the past two years and it included operating the program within WSOS and at several community action agencies throughout Ohio.

The Green Ohio/Weatherization Works Corps program allowed more than 130 young adults to

learn the processes and techniques necessary for weatherizing homes. During the program, the youth weatherized 1,648 homes around Ohio.

The 2011 award was presented during CAP’s annual convention held in San Francisco this year.

In addition, WSOS President/CEO Neil McCabe and Carte made presentations at the conference that explained how other community action agencies could operate a similar program. Their presentation was titled “Green Jobs Clinic When it comes to green, are you green? Have you started a green program and are looking for ways to improve?”

Over the past year CAP has researched these questions through listening sessions, case studies, and site visits that included WSOS.For more information on weatherization or other programs operated by WSOS, call 419-334-8911, or toll free at 1-800-775-9767, or visit us at our website, www.wsos.org

OPENING SOON:

St. Charles Place for Outside Dining

North Coast Business Journal

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We’re in the business of commercial loans, and business is good.

Chamber members enjoyed a wonderful evening on the Jet Express for the Chamber’s Sunset Cruise.

Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce Update Laura Schlachter, President The Port Clinton Area Chamber would like to take this opportunity to thank all of its members for their continued support. The mission of the Chamber is to plan, develop, implement and support programs and policies designed to improve the economic and business climate of the Greater Port Clinton area.

The Chamber’s staff and Board of Directors have been hard at work these past several months supporting our 380 members with new programs, workshops and events.

The 2011-2012 Board of Directors for the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce is working to improve the economic and business climate of the Greater Port Clinton Area. The newly appointed Executive Board is Mike Long with Magruder Hospital as Chairman; Paul Shaw with the Vineyard as Vice-Chairman; and Paul Rothschild with Split Winds Gallery as Treasurer. Directors include Linda Aigler with AAA; John Coppeler with Flynn, Py, & Kruse Co., LPA; Tom Ervin with Skipper Buds; Debbie Hymore-Tester with Country Gentlemen; Chuck Miller with Baumann Auto Group; Ottawa County Commissioner Jim Sass; Mike Schenk with Catawba Island Club; Denise Ventrone with the Ottawa

County Improvement Corporation, and Lee Vivod with Huntington.

The Chamber strongly promotes tourism and business for the Greater Port Clinton area, answering hundreds of phone calls, responding to emails and meeting with a large amount of walk-in traffic to our downtown office. Between January 2011 and July 2011, the Chamber staff made 6,970 referrals to our Chamber members.

New this year, the Chamber started its Member Discount Card Program for Chamber members. The Discount Card has 42 discounts and specials for PC Chamber member businesses that can be used only by other PC Chamber members and their employees. This is a special program that is FREE to our members in good standing. The program has been successful and will be continued in 2012.

We are pleased to announce that the Ottawa County Directory sponsored by the Ottawa County Chambers of Commerce is underway and will be completed in January 2012.

Thousands of copies of this Directory will be distributed over the next two years. Advertising space is limited.

To learn how you can give your business exposure to Chamber members, newcomers and visitors,

See CHAMBER, Page 22

Robin Grathwol, Jeff Huber, Lee Jordan, Terry Chapman, Rich Finneran

While other banks are turning local business borrowers away, Citizens Bank has a different point of view. We know that the cornerstone of a strong community is strong local business. That’s why we’re making commercial lending and financial services to area companies a priority. We’ll help your business move ahead with loans, checking, cash management and reserve options, and wealth management plans.

Contrary to what most banks would have you believe, this could be a great time for a business loan. Call or visit a Citizens Commercial Banker today.

419-625-4121 888-645-4121

CitizensBankCo.com Member FDIC

4 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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Mercy Tiffin Welcomes

Medical Oncologist to the Community Dr. Veltri earned his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, Michigan. He completed a residency in Internal Medicine and a fellowship in Medical Oncology at University of Michigan Hospitals in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He brings over fifteen years of experience as an Attending Medical Oncologist, including five years as an Assistant Professor with the University of Toledo Medical Center in the Hematology and Oncology Division.

Salvatore “Sam” Veltri, MD Medical Oncologist

Board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine, Dr. Veltri joined the Mercy Cancer Center at Tiffin team as the full-time medical oncologist.

Dr. Veltri’s goal is to provide high quality and compassionate care to every patient through a wide range of services including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy/biological therapy, general medical oncology and general hematology.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Veltri, please call 419.455.8122.

Mercy Oncology Specialists 40 Fair Lane Tiffin, Ohio 44833

“Proudly Charting a Course for Success” Submitted by Jan Gluth Director of Student, Staff, & Community Development Port Clinton City Schools That’s the motto of the Port Clinton City School District. Our district of 1800 students, along the shores of Lake Erie, provides a safe, small-town setting for educating children in grades kindergarten through twelve.

The size of the district allows teachers and staff to give individualized attention to each student while providing numerous opportunities to challenge and succeed.

Thanks to the support of the community, Port Clinton City School District will have new, state-

of the-art facilities opening in 201213. A new Middle School is currently under construction on the high school campus as well as an $18 million addition and renovation of Bataan Memorial Elementary School for grades kindergarten through five.

To see the progress, log on to the live construction web cameras on the school district website www.pccsd. net.

In order for students to chart their course for the future, Port Clinton City School District places an emphasis on the use of technology in our classrooms and curriculum.

Kindergarten students utilize iPods in

See CHARTING, Page 21

www.ncbj.net MAYOR, from Page 1 Council to bring consensus on the waterfront and to prepare a master plan for the City • Sent out RFQ’s for the waterfront project and hired URS to work on the master plan • Applied for funding through Coastal Management for the Lakeshore Drive sidewalk program • Partnered with Friends of the Cemetery for beautification at Lakeview Cemetery entrance along with the help of Girl Scout Ashley Zoller, who landscaped around the Mausoleum • Applied for, but denied stimulus money for the water meter replacement program • Received funding from Federal ODNR for ash bore trees removal on low- to- moderate income private property • Met several times with painters and masonry workers to plan the refurbishment of the Stensen Mural • Reviewed and increased the rental contract for Sassy Sal at the Jefferson Street dock • Reviewed the Lakefront Marina tap fees • Completed the waterfront development update from the last 5 years • Met with Sean Logan, Chief of ODNR, and newly-appointed John Goss, the Asian Carp Director • Received through the county the CHIP grant of over $500,000.00 • Worked with Norfolk and Southern Railroad addressing the drainage issue at the viaducts • Met with Federal Officials and the Corps of Engineers for repairs of the east jetty • Attended the Economic Development Small Cities Big Future Seminar • Attended the annual Ohio Municipal League Conference • Met with Kim Kaufman concerning the Big Sit and Bio Blitz • Cut Trees along the Lakeshore Preserve and through Ottawa County Preserve sprayed the phragmiti and worked on a fishing pier grant • Hosted Fishing with the Mayor for seniors and the Port Clinton Middle School • Hosted Coffee with the Mayor throughout the year • Announced the 2009 Citizens of the Year, Kathy Jo Schweitzer and Jim Hansen • Hosted, along with Port Clinton City Schools, To the Horse, a welcome-home ceremony for the Red Horse Squadron • Received the honor of the Port Clinton School Board’s Flagship Award • Submitted to ODOT a Safe Routes to School application • Reviewed the design and building plans for the new Port Clinton Middle School • Made repairs to the roof on City Hall • Accepted the resignation of Chief Tom Blohm, who will officially retire as of January 20, 2011, as the Police Chief of the City of Port Clinton • Requested the Civil Service Commission begin the process for choosing a new police chief • Continued the City Records’ Retention Program • Hosted Student Government Day and held a mock trial with Judge Haney, Lou Wargo and

North Coast Business Journal George Wilber But, many of these accomplishments would not have been possible without a proactive council consisting of: John Folger, the most-senior council member and Finance Committee chairman, Mike Snider, the Emergency Services Committee chairman, and Debra Benko, the Planning and Development Committee chairwoman.

Each of our City departments also has a major role in our successes.

The Service Department under the supervision of Tracy Colston and Eric Petersen: • Replaced, flushed, and repaired fire hydrants • Fixed 22 water breaks • Cleaned 8000 linear feet of sanitary with the Gap Vac truck • Spent $350,000 from the Street Resurfacing Program by adding 4ft. of brim along 3rd St. starting at Portage St. to the Riverview Cemetery, resurfacing the 300 block of Harrison St., and 200 block of Monroe St., including the public parking lot at the post office and McKinley St., using the Dura Patch machine throughout the city, and sealing the cracks on Lay Dr., State St., Fulton St., and Jefferson St. • Completed the Buckeye Blvd. sidewalks • Built curbs along the 200 block of Madison Street • Repaired the roof at the City Garage • Cut down 107 trees prioritized by ODNR within the City • Started working on the water meter replacement after being denied funding through the stimulus • Purchased a used bucket truck • Replaced 6356 ft. of new waterline, 110 new services, and 13 new fire hydrants in conjunction with the East End Third St. Sewer and Storm Separation project, completed with ARRA Stimulus money, principal forgiveness, and the OPWC The Parks and Recreation Department under the supervision of Tracy Colston: • Cleaned-up the beach, park, downtown, and cemetery in the spring and fall • Opened the restrooms at Lakeview Park and tore down the old restroom building • Hosted the Senior Picnic attended by over 200 guests • Worked with the chairpersons of 9 festivals throughout the year • Graded all the fields for the baseball, t-ball and softball teams • Offered programs for men’s fast break basketball, women’s volleyball, and open gym/swim on Sundays • Partnered with Magruder Hospital, Main Street, and Port Clinton City Schools to decorate the Main Street area and to prepare the Community Activities Guide • Partnered with the PCHS government students for community service cleanup of the downtown area • Helped with the Port Clinton Christmas celebration • Assisted in the organization of the Redskin Youth Running Club for Port Clinton students

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The Police Department headed by Chief Tom Blohm: • Received over 1200 calls and assisted with Border Patrol, Homeland Security other numerous departments • Installed cameras outside the restroom at City Park and the fire station to monitor the recycling site • Received 2010 Brunswick 750 Impact boat valued at $81,000.00 from Northern Border Patrol • Received from Emergency Management a backup repeater for the Police and Fire Department and a new radar unit from the State of Ohio for participating in Click it or Ticket • Installed two computers in patrol cars • Purchased two cruisers • Received from Camp Perry 35 TB2 Flex Power Marina navigation ladders • Received equipment valued at $103,289.00 through grants and other agencies • Received word that Patrolman John Barcus is assigned overseas duty for one year • Was involved in the capture/conviction of an armed robber at Rite Aide The Port Clinton Wastewater Treatment Plant under the supervision of Chief Operating Engineer Ernie Isaac: • Held an Open House at the plant with many elected officials, engineers, and community members attending • Put the Lake Erie Business Park pump station online • Started-up the Washington Street storm pump station • Opened bids for the South Jefferson Street

See MAYOR, Page 25

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www.maypainting.com

6 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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Main Street Port Clinton Update

By Laura Schlachter, Program Manager Main Street Port Clinton is pleased to announce the 2011 certification of Port Clinton as a National Main Street Community. A member of the Main Street program since 2006, Main Street Port Clinton continues to work towards revitalizing the historic downtown district. MSPC is striving to protect, preserve, promote, and improve downtown Port Clinton as a vibrant center for businesses, entertainment, and cultural activities for residents of the community and visitors to the area.

Another year of Riverfront Live!, our free summer concert series has come to a close with record attendance during summer 2011. Riverfront Live! is held on Friday evenings in June, July and August in downtown Port Clinton on N. Jefferson Street under the canopy. The Portage River is the backdrop for our fantastic entertainers as crowds of people gather to listen to the performances.

Special thanks to Chairman Judy

Smith, all of our dedicated volunteers, and talented entertainers who have made this program what it is today.

Main Street Port Clinton coordinates the weekly Farmers Market that is open every Saturday from 9am-1pm at Adams Street Park now through the end of September. Anyone interested in selling produce, plants, baked goods, meats or canned products, as well as artisans who represent their arts in the form of flowers, plants and nature, please contact MSPC at 419-734-5503.

Main Street Port Clinton was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Stensen Memorial Fund to be used as matching funds for the purchase of planters for Second Street in our historic downtown. The total of cost of the project is approximately $19,000. The planters complement the existing black rod iron benches and planters that are in downtown on Madison Street.

Main Street Port Clinton unveiled the Downtown Port Clinton Map and Brochure earlier this year. All of the members of the Chamber and MSPC

are included in this full-color brochure. Also new in 2011 is the Downtown Coupon Page that includes discounts at 23 downtown businesses. Please visit www. portclintonchamber.com or stop by the office to pick up these brochures.

Both of these publications are projects of the Downtown Promotion Committee.

The Economic Restructuring Committee has been hard at work on the creation of the booklet – “Starting and Growing a Business in Port Clinton, Ohio.” This booklet will outline the general steps that need to be followed in order to open or expand a business in the Port Clinton community. Details such as names of phone numbers to each of the departments businesses need to contact will be listed and updated on a yearly basis. Special thanks to the Ottawa County Community Foundation to helping with the printing of this project. Completion of the Business Booklet is fall of 2011.

The holidays are right around the corner and Main Street is coordinating

Community Christmas scheduled for Saturday, December 3 at 12pm. The event will kick-off with a parade followed by a visit from Santa, caroling, and ice sculptures will be on display. If your business or organization is interested in having a float in the parade, please contact the Main Street office at 4190734-5503.

The Board of Directors of Main Street Port Clinton and the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce met with City Council in July to learn more about the City of Port Clinton’s Redevelopment Plan and how both organizations can provide support for the project. Main Street and the Chamber are encouraging the public to attend future Master Plan meetings.

This is the community’s plan and it is critical to the success of the downtown to have support of the property owners and businesses owners behind all revitalization efforts.

I am pleased to introduce the 20112012 Board of Directors of Main Street Port Clinton Board.

The officers are Dawn Zink with Zink Calls, President; Missy Walker with First National Bank, Vice-President; John Madison with The Frederick Agency, Treasurer; and Rich Gillum with Kocher and Gillum, Secretary.

Other Board Members include Larry Hartlaub, Auditor for the City of Port Clinton; Roseann Hickman with Perfect Color Hair and Tan; Paul Rothschild with Split Winds Gallery; Aimee Slater-West with Slater’s Madison Street Pub; Judy Smith, resident of the City of Port Clinton; and Judy Twarek with Hartung Title Agency. Ex-Officio Board members include Duane Myers with the Ottawa County Visitors Bureau; Mayor Tester representing the City of Port Clinton; and Linda Hartlaub representing Port Clinton City Council.

Lastly, I challenge everyone in Port Clinton and surrounding communities to get involved with Main Street Port Clinton. We are looking for fresh ideas and new faces.

Call me, email me or stop by the Chamber. I can be reached by phone at 419/734-5503 or by email at historicpc@portclinton.org.

North Coast Business Journal

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Sales Take the Order, and Run!?

By Roger Bostdorff Many years ago I was on the Regional Sales Support team for IBM out of S o u t h f i e l d , Michigan. One of the branches that I supported was in Indianapolis. We had a sales representative in that branch that I was working with by the name of Henry. I was the so called “Hot Shot” from the Region that went to Indianapolis to help these mere mortal sales representatives improve.

One day, while I was near Henry’s desk, he received a telephone message that a prospective customer had called in to buy a computer system.

We had the company’s name and the name and phone number of the caller. My reaction was, make the

call, get the address and see when we can go pick up the order. Let’s get moving!!

Henry had a very different approach.

He called the customer and found out that the caller was actually the President of the company, and he indeed wanted to buy a computer. I have by now put my coat on grabbed the contracts and am half way out the door. However, Henry is still talking and by the way, trying my patience. Didn’t he know that we were delaying a sale? What kind of turkey was this guy Henry? The next question really made me think that this guy Henry was losing it. Henry asked the customer why he wanted to buy a computer. Can you believe this, a company wants to spend thousands of dollars with IBM and rather than take the order we want to have the customer think about it longer and potentially change his mind.

I continued to be frustrated as the

conversation continued.

The customer had an inventory problem he needed to solve. He thought he had too much money invested in inventory but he had no good way to control it. Henry asked him how many $$ he had invested in his inventory? Is he nuts? These types of questions could tick off the customer.

Let’s just go get the order!! The customer answered the question and went on to answer the question “How many $$ could you reduce your inventory investment by if you had better controls? By the time Henry was done we knew not only what model computer system the customer needed but also why he wanted it and what the projected ROI was for this investment. It was then that we grabbed the contracts and went out and got the order. However, the next week the brother and co-owner of this company called a meeting with Henry, the President and I. The brother was concerned about spending this much money. Henry calmly took out his notebook with the notes regarding the inventory issues and the payback and went thru them with the brothers. When Henry was done the two brothers were more

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excited than ever and wanted to know how soon the computer could be delivered! The “Hot Shot” was humbled!

What did I learn? I learned that to get an order and keep it we need to understand the business reasons to make the investment, the customer’s pain points. The investment needs to be less than the benefits to make it a good business decision. Had we gone out to get the order without gathering the needs and quantifying those needs we surely would have celebrated one week and lost the order the following week.

By the way, Henry later started his own business, built it up and sold it for approximately $20 Million. You tell me who the real Hot Shot was?

Roger Bostdorff is the President of B2B Sales Boost. He spent over 30 years with IBM in sales and sales management.

B2B Sales Boost is a consulting company helping organizations improve their sales and overall business processes.

You can find more about B2B Sales Boost on the web at www.b2bsalesboost. com or calling 419-351-4347. If you would like to receive the B2B Sales Boost Newsletter please send an email to sales@b2bsalesboost.com

Transforming Health Care Delivery In a glance Magruder physicians can see many vital patient statistics. In minutes they order tests and view results from anywhere, giving the ability to make faster decisions. Instantly patient’s medical records are updated so the entire care team has access to patient progress. Magruder, leading the way as one of the nation’s first all-digital smart hospitals. Visit www.magruderhospital.com and click on the virtual tour “Leading the Way” to learn more.

David Bodie, M.D.

615 Fulton Street • Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 • 419-734-3131 • magruderhospital.com

8 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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Taxes Tax Aspects of a Parent Entering a Nursing Home By: Jeffrey J. Rosengarten, CPA Payne, Nickles and Company Often questions come up regarding the tax implications of a parent entering a nursing home. There are a number of tax matters that may come up and following is a summary of the more common implications.

Deductibility of long-term medical care services. The costs of qualified long-term care, including nursing home care, are deductible as medical expenses to the extent they, along with other medical expenses, exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income.

Qualified long-term care services are necessary diagnostic, preventive, therapeutic, curing, treating, mitigating and rehabilitative services, and maintenance or personal-care services required by a chronically ill individual provided under a plan of care presented by a licensed health-care practitioner.

To qualify as chronically ill, an individual must be certified by a physician or other licensed health-care practitioner (e.g., nurse, social worker, etc.) as unable to perform without substantial assistance at least two activities of daily living (eating, toileting, transferring, bathing, dressing, and continence) for at least 90 days due to a loss of functional capacity, or as requiring substantial supervision for protection due to severe cognitive impairment (memory loss, disorientation, etc.). A person with Alzheimer’s disease qualifies.

Deductibility of premiums paid for qualified long-term care insurance. Premiums paid for a qualified long-term care insurance contract are deductible as medical expenses (subject to an annual premium deduction limitation based on age, as explained below) to the extent they, along with other medical expenses, exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income. A qualified long-term care insurance contract is insurance that provides coverage only for qualified long-term care services, doesn’t pay costs that are covered by Medicare, is guaranteed renewable, and doesn’t provide for a cash surrender value. A policy isn’t disqualified merely because it pays benefits on a per diem or other periodic basis without regard to the expenses incurred during the specific payment period. Qualified long-term care premiums are includible as medical expenses up to the following

dollar amounts: For individuals over 60 to 70 years old, the 2011 limit on deductible long-term care insurance premiums is $3,390, and for those over 70, $4,240.

Deductibility of amounts paid to the nursing home. Amounts paid to a nursing home are fully deductible as a medical expense if the principal reason that a person stays at the nursing home is for medical, as opposed to custodial, etc., care. If a person isn’t in the nursing home principally to receive medical care, then only the portion of the fee that is allocable to actual medical care qualifies as a deductible medical expense. But if the individual is chronically ill (as defined above), all of the individual’s qualified long-term care services, including maintenance or personal care services, are deductible.

Including medical expenses you pay for your parent as part of your deductible medical expenses.

If your parent qualifies as your dependent under the rules discussed below, you can include any medical expenses you incur for your parent along with your own when determining your medical deduction. If your parent doesn’t qualify as your dependent only because of the gross income or joint return test ((b) and (c), below), you can still include these medical costs with your own.

Claiming a parent confined to a nursing home as a dependent.

You may be able to claim your parent as a dependent, thus qualifying for an exemption, even though your parent is confined to a nursing home. To qualify, (a) you must provide more than 50% of your parent’s support costs, (b) your parent must not have gross income in excess of the exemption amount ($3,700 in 2011), (c) your parent must not file a joint return for the year, and (d) your parent must be a U.S. citizen or a resident of the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. Your parent can qualify as your dependent even though he or she doesn’t live with you, provided the support and other tests mentioned above are met. Amounts you pay for qualified long-term care services required by your parent and eligible long-term care insurance premiums, discussed above, as well as amounts you pay to the nursing home for your parent’s medical care, are included in the total support you provide. If the support test ((a) above) can only be

met by a group (you and your brothers and sisters, for example, combining to support your parent), a multiple support form can be filed to grant one of you the exemption, subject to certain conditions.

Qualification for head-ofhousehold filing status. If you aren’t married and you are entitled to claim a dependency exemption for your parent, you may qualify for the head-of-household filing status, which is more favorable than the single filing status. You may be eligible to file as head of household even if the parent for whom you claim an exemption doesn’t live with you. In order to qualify for head-of-household status, generally you must have paid more than half the cost of maintaining a home for yourself and a qualifying relative for more than half the year. In the case of a parent, however, you may be eligible to file as head of household if you pay more than half the cost of maintaining a home that was the principal home for your parent for the entire year. Thus, if your parent is confined to a nursing home, you are considered to be maintaining a principal home for your parent if you pay more than half the cost of keeping your parent in the nursing home.

Exclusion of gain on sale of your parent’s home. If your parent sells his or her home, up to $250,000 of the gain from the sale may be taxfree. In most cases, the seller, in order to qualify for this $250,000 exclusion, must have (a) owned the home for at least two years out of the five years before the sale, and (b) used the home as his or her principal residence for at least two years out of the five years before the sale. However, there is an exception to the two-out-of-five-year use test under (b) if the seller becomes physically or mentally unable to care for him or herself at any time during the five-year period.

Your parent can qualify for this exception to the use test if, during the five-year period before the sale, your parent (1) becomes physically or mentally unable to care for him or herself, and (2) your parent owned and lived in the home as his or her principal residence for a total of at least one year.

Under this exception, your parent is treated as using the home as his or her principal residence during any time during the five-year period in which he or she owns the home and resides in

any facility (including a nursing home) licensed by a state or political subdivision to care for an individual in your parent’s condition.

Exclusion for payments under life insurance contracts. If your parent is terminally or chronically ill and is insured under a life insurance contract, he or she may be able to receive tax-free payments (accelerated death benefits or so-called “viatical” payments) while living. Any lifetime payments received under a life insurance contract on the life of a person who is either terminally or chronically ill are excluded from gross income. A similar exclusion applies to the sale or assignment of a life insurance contract to a person who regularly buys or takes assignments of such contracts and meets other qualifying standards. These lifetime payments could be used to help pay the costs of your parent’s nursing home.

Reverse mortgage as alternative to nursing home. It is often desirable for an elderly person to remain in his or her own home with proper in-home care rather than entering a nursing home. A reverse mortgage loan may make this a feasible alternative. Many states permit a reverse mortgage loan, which is designed to permit elderly persons with limited income to remain in their homes by borrowing against the value of their homes.

Typically, a bank commits itself to a principal amount based on the appraised value of the property, which is loaned to the borrower in installments over a period of months or years. The monthly installments can be used to help pay for the upkeep of the home and for in-home care. Repayment of the loan is due when the principal amount has been fully paid to the borrower, or the residence that secures the loan is sold, or the borrower dies or ceases to use the home as his principal residence.

The loan agreement may provide that interest will be added to the outstanding loan balance monthly as it accrues.

However, the borrower can’t deduct this interest until it is actually paid.

(Author’s note: This article is not intended to offer professional tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor.)

www.ncbj.net

North Coast Business Journal

Legal Could He Make a Will?

By Jeff Roth Will contest and undue influence are the ideas that make great movies.

Everyone knows that she is crazy but she made a will and left everything to the house cleaner.

Does the will get thrown out of court? We all know of people through the years that were not considered “with it” but they did legally have the capacity to make a will.

The main legal principles in overthrowing the validity of a will are Testamentary incapacity and undue influence by a third party.

REQUIREMENTS To legally execute a will, one must be 18 years of age. The individual must have the following capacities at the time of executing the will: A — A person must be able to know the nature and extent of his assets and property.

B — He must know who his relatives are and who would inherit if he had no will.

C — He must understand that he is signing a document that would dictate who would get his property upon his death.

BURDEN OF PROOF The above requirements sound easy but applying the rules to determine capacity is difficult. The burden is not on the testator (the one executing the will) but rather on the person that is contesting the will. The one complaining must also have standing.

This means he would inherit if there had been no will. A next door neighbor has no standing to file a lawsuit to have the will set aside.

If the will is executed properly then it is presumed to be valid. The one complaining must prove there was no testamentary capacity or a sound mind at the exact moment that the will was signed. This means a person could lack mental capacity for five days but if on the sixth day he awoke lucid and meeting all of the tests above, he could execute a will that would be deemed valid. A person

with dementia can have the mental capacity at any given time.

If a person has never been declared legally incompetent, we have a duty to allow the execution if it can be determined that he was competent as to the above rules at that moment.

The attorney’s job is not to listen to others but rather to determine for himself that the person is at least lucid at that moment. Wills must be witnessed by two independent individuals who are present when the determination is made. If there is doubt, then extensive questioning must be completed so the record and validity can be proven. I have on several occasions videotaped the signing to memorize the moment and have verbal and visual proof.

Giving to people or organizations not liked by the rest of the family has no relevance to what the testator wants to do. It is not for us to like what the testator did with his property; just to be sure that he had the mental capacity to know what he was doing at the time of signing.

Even if he cannot read or write, he may sign a will. He normally knows how to spell his name or he can make an X known as” his mark” to sign a will. Lack of education or common sense does not make the will invalid.

Leaving out the family is the prerogative of the one signing the will. Forgetfulness does not matter if he can remember at the moment of signing.

UNDUE INFLUENCE This subject is easy to spot but hard to prove. Many people are influenced, but the ultimate decision is theirs and cannot be overridden. Undue influence is when the person making the will has the capacity but is mentally controlled by another person who has selfish manipulative intentions. This is a very gray area.

Again, the presumption is that the testator knows what he is doing.

There is a fine line between being nice to a person and being nice for the ultimate goal of receiving the person’s assets at his death. People often pay back people for kindness.

The first thought from those who did not inherit is that the person had an ulterior motive. Most times, there is

no motive and it is very important that the testator be allowed to do what he or she wants. Undue influence has an element of manipulation and domination. The action must almost be by force and coercion to the point that it destroys the free thinking and ability to choose by the testator.

When a person dies and leaves out all or part of the family there is the immediate thought to sue. After an appointment with a qualified attorney, they find that proving mental incompetency is an expensive uphill battle. Attorneys sometime place in the document a “NO CONTEST” clause. This basically states that if a person who stands to inherit would in any way challenge the will, he will receive nothing. The heir better be sure he will win to chance losing whatever he was to inherit under the terms of the will.

Experience of the attorney is a great resource in determining the correct

September 2011

9

course of action.

Jeff Roth is a partner with Forrest Bacon, David Bacon and associate Jessica Moon of the firm ROTH and BACON with offices in Port Clinton, Upper Sandusky, Marion, Ohio and Fort Myers, Florida. All members of the firm are licensed in the State of Florida. Mr. Roth’s practice is limited to wealth strategy planning and elder law in both states. Nothing in this article is intended for, nor should be relied upon as individual legal advice.

The purpose of this article is to help educate the public on concepts of law as they pertain to estate and business planning. If you have any questions you would like to have answered in this area of law, please direct your question to this journal and your question will be considered for use as the topic of subsequent articles. Jeff Roth can be reached at ohiofloridatrust@aol.com (telephone: 419-732-9994) copyright Jeffrey P. Roth 2011.

10 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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Local Youth Group Finds State Endangered Species at Port Clinton’s Lakefront Preserve The Ohio Young Birders Club (OYBC) hosted a BioBlitz at Port Clinton’s Lakefront Preserve on July 23, 2011, and the results might surprise you. Well over 200 species of living things were documented on the property which lies on the shores of Lake Erie between City Beach and Water Works Park. This area, a coastal wetland habitat, provides a home to many unique plants and animals.

Over 30 people, including student members from Michigan and Illinois, participated in the daylong BioBlitz event.

A BioBlitz is an effort to identify all of the living things in a particular area.

Participants collected species information that will serve as a valuable tool for helping to maintain the habitat, and provides baseline data that will assist in evaluating the success of ongoing restoration efforts.

In addition to surveying the property for birds, insects, turtles and snakes, the group also sampled Lake Erie for aquatic critters including fish and mussels.

Assisted by University of Toledo graduate student Todd Crail, the Young Birders Club documented two state endangered mussels: the Eastern Pond Mussel, and the Rayed Bean Mussel, a species that is currently being considered for the United States Endangered Species List.

Other species highlights from the day included Bald Eagle, Painted Turtle and a Bronze Copper butterfly. The Young Birders Club will continue to monitor the species that are using the property.

BSBO’s Education Director Kenn Keffer says they have a bit more surveying to do. “Our experts on insects and aquatic plants couldn’t make it that day, so we’re bringing them back to complete our inventory. Once we fill in those gaps in our survey, the total number of species inventoried will really jump! It was a great day and we were blown away by all the cool critters we found!”

The group expects to add many additional bird ❏ Are you meeting state and federal regulations? species during their Big Sit for Conservation ❏ Do you provide a safe work environment? fundraiser to be held on the property on October ❏ Are you hiring drug-free and healthy workers?

9th, when they’ll be raising money for the OYBC ❏ Are you managing work-related injuries and costs? and restoration efforts at the Lakefront Preserve.

The Ohio Young Birders BioBlitz was a collaborative ❏ Are you complying with OSHA regulations? effort between the Black Swamp Bird Observatory ❏ Are you controlling Workers’ Comp costs? and the City of Port Clinton. The BioBlitz was also supported in part to thanks to grants from the Dedicated solely to providing an Occupational Health Clinic, the Harry Stensen Memorial Trust and the Ottawa medical staff of Firelands Corporate Health brings area businesses 64 years of combined experience in Occupational Health and 68 County Community Foundation. years of combined experience in Workers’ Compensation. This level The Ohio Young Birders Club is a statewide of expertise and knowledge remains unmatched in our area. educational program of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and is now in its fifth year of To find out how Firelands Corporate Health can help keep your connecting young people ages 12 – 18 with outdoor business healthy, call 419-557-5052. experiences.

For more information about the BioBlitz, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and the Ohio Young Birders Club email: staff@bsbo.org or call 419-898firelands.com 4070.

Is

i us b r you

s nes

he

y? h t al

Combined Qualifications of our Medical Staff Include: Certifications in: Occupational Medicine Internal Medicine Family Medicine Additional Qualifications: Certified Medical Review Officers Ohio BWC Evaluator, Including Impairment and Independent Medical Exams Senior Airmen Medical Examiner for Pilots Members of: American Osteopathic College of Occupational and Preventive Medicine American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Sandusky Area Safety Council Firelands Corporate Health Hours of Operation: 7 am – 4:30 pm 24/7 coverage for drug & alcohol testing

Bryan P. Kuns, DO Medical Director

David J. Grayson, MD, FAAFP

David C. Girvin, DO

Brett R. Kuns, DO

Thomas A. Work, DO

North Coast Business Journal

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September 2011

Schaffner Publications Announces Change In Legal Advertising Rules As a result of the latest budget signed by Ohio Governor John Kasich, free community newspapers such as The Beacon in Port Clinton and Huron Hometown News in Huron will be able to carry official “Public Notice” advertising. Starting September 29, 2011, free community papers will finally be “legal” for the publication of legal notices.

A key provision in the new Ohio budget reformed the legal notice process. Among the significant changes were modern eligibility requirements allowing placement free community papers like The Beacon and Huron Hometown News as well as expanding visibility online. Going forward, you will no longer need to pay a price per copy to read important government notices which have already been paid for with tax dollars.

This won’t happen overnight or by itself. Free community papers will be making the case to local government entities that our competitive rates and strong loyal readership should earn our papers the people’s business.

Publishers of free community papers urge their readers to contact their local officials, thus letting them hear from their constituents. If this happens, positive change in public notice will surely take place.

Schaffner Publications, Inc. publishes two weekly newspapers, The Beacon based in Port Clinton as well as the Huron Hometown News.

They also publish the North Coast Business Journal, serving the small business interests in Erie, Ottawa, Huron, Sandusky and Seneca Counties. John Schaffner, Publisher

of the three publications and President of Schaffner Publications, Inc., began his career as General Manager of the Port Clinton Press in 1977, following a short career in radio that began in 1969. He is a 1973 graduate of Bowling Green State University with a major in Radio/TV. Schaffner began publishing The Beacon in February of 1983, and talks about the growth in the Free Community Paper industry. “With the onset of the internet, many paid subscription newspapers have been hard hit, as readers have moved from the printed page to the newspaper website. Free Community Papers have not been as affected.

Our papers have active and lively internet Web Sites, and we haven’t lost any newspaper circulation since the basis of free papers is saturation circulation and high readership.”

Their latest audit backs up that claim. According to the Circulation Verification Council, an agent for the Mid Atlantic Community Papers Association classified network (MacNet), 98 percent of people in the newspapers’ communities indicate they receive their papers and 78 percent say that they read through those papers every week.

Among the 3 publications, they boast over 30,000 circulation with over 2 readers per copy! So, while paid circulation papers are suffering from dramatic readership and circulation losses, free community papers, like The Beacon and Huron Hometown News are actually thriving.

Submit stories for the North Coast Business Journal by e-mailing

jbryden@ncbj.net

YOUR BUSINESS FUTURE IS BUILT ON BORROWING DECISIONS YOU MAKE RIGHT ABOUT…NOW. As a business owner, you face tough decisions every day. Like deciding if and when you should borrow. A Huntington Business Banker can help.

Now is the time to reach out. At Huntington Business Banking, we take the time to understand your specific business needs and help you make borrowing decisions that are right for you. In 2010, we committed to lending $4 billion to local businesses over a three-year period, so if you decide you’re ready, we’ll be there to support you every step of the way.

It’s what you’d expect from the #1 SBA lender.1 To learn more or speak with a Business Banker, stop by your local Huntington branch, visit huntington.com/borrow or call 1-866-808-8913.

Huntington is the #1 SBA 7(a) lender in the region made up of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and Western PA. Source: U.S. SBA from October 1, 2007, through June 30, 2011.

Member FDIC. B ® and Huntington® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Huntington.® Welcome.TM is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2011 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.

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12 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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CHAMBER CALENDARS for September Bellevue Chamber of Commerce 15

Open Air Markets

Erie County Chamber of Commerce 23

Business/Government Exchange with ODOT District 3 Deputy Director Allen Biehl 7:30 a.m., Room T-110, Building F EHOVE Career Center.

Advance reservations 419-625-6421

By September 20.

28

Multi-member Business After Hours 5:00 p.m., Kalahari Convention Center

15

21

Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Board Meeting Noon, Fostoria Community Hospital Safety Council 11:30 am, Fostoria Community Hospital

Genoa Chamber of Commerce 17

Street Fair, 9 am Classic Car Show 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

14

Prospective member breakfast, 7:30 am, Wakeman

15

Safety Council, Manufacturing Division, 7:30 am, Chamber office, RSVP required.

8

Main Street Port Clinton Organization Executive Committee 8:30 am Meeting at MSPC Office

Buckeye Institute Luncheon, 11:30 am, Chamber office, Open to all, lunch provided, RSVP required, free.

10

Farmer’s Market at Adams Street Park 9:00 am-Noon

20

Financial Seminar Series “Keeping Your Business in Compliance” By Brown, Crane & Associates, Noon, Chamber office, RSVP required, Complimentary lunch

12

Chamber Board Meeting 8:30 am at Chamber Office

14

Main Street Port Clinton Economic Restructuring Committee 9:00 am at MSPC Office

21

Education Committee, 8:00 am, Chamber office

15

Main Street Port Clinton Board Meeting at MSPC Office 8:30 am

Fall Finale Golf Outing, Eagle Creek Golf Club, $95 per golfer, Register your foursome now

19

Walleye Festival Committee 5:00 p.m. at Ida Rupp Library,

27

Financial Seminar Series, "Whatever Happened to Happily Ever After" Discussion on "Life Time Guaranteed Income" McClendon and Associates, Noon, Chamber office, RSVP required, Complimentary lunch

23

SEE Customer Service “Customer Service is Inside Out: Understanding the Customer” 8:30 am

29

Ribbon cutting, Family Video, 5:00 p.m.

80 Whittlesey Ave., Norwalk

8

Safety Council, General Risk/Service Division, 7:30 am, Chamber office, RSVP req.

15

Board of Directors 4:00 pm, Chamber office

29

13

Final Seminar Series, Quick Book Overview,

By Ellis-Rinner CPA, LTD Noon, Chamber office, Free, RSVP required, Complimentary lunch

15

Sandusky County Chamber of Commerce 16

28

Business After Hours

5 to 7:00 p.m.

Hosts: The Keepers House &

Marblehead Bank Location: The Keepers House

Executive Meeting

10 am, Chamber office

Oak Harbor Area

Chamber of Commerce

Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Huron County Chamber of Commerce

Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce

Board Meeting 7:30 am, Chamber office

Annual Foundation Golf Outing Fremont Country Club Members Only Ribbon cutting ceremony Anjulina's Catering & Banquet Hall 11:15 am, 2270 Hayes Ave., Fremont.

Discussion: Job Creation & Entrepreneurship Growth Hosted by the Chamber and The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions Anjulina’s Banquet Hall 2270 West Hayes Avenue, RSVP to Chamber No charge for this event.

Lunch provided

Tiffin Area Chamber of Commerce 10 Downtown Tiffin

Farmers Market

9 am to 1 pm.

Sponsored by the Chamber

Fourth Annual Tiffin

Art Guild Show and Festival

10 am to 5 p.m.

Held on Frost Parkway.

Contact the Guild at

419-443-0478 or

www.tiffinartguild.org

Jazzin’ Tiffin Festival Noon - 9 p.m.

Along Frost parkway in Rotary Park, Tiffin.

Information at www.tiffintomorrow.com

13

Chamber of Commerce General Membership Meeting 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, Chamber office: 19 W. Market St., Suite C. Lunch is $10. Please RSVP 419-447-4141 or info@tiffinchamber.com.

14

Chamber of Commerce Board Meeting, 7:30 am

Small Business Basics Seminar Free, two-hour seminar

By Ohio Small Business Development Center Terra Community College At Chamber of Commerce.

Contact Bill Auxter at 800-826-2431, 419-559-2210 or bauxter@terra.edu

15

After Five – Friedman Village RSVP by calling 419-447-4141 e-mail info@tiffin chamber.com

16

Ambassador Meeting 11:30 am Chamber offices RSVP at 419-447-4141 or info@tiffinchamber.com.

32nd Tiffin-Seneca County Heritage Festival Heritage Village at Hedges-Boyer Park www.tiffinfestival.com

27

Tiffin Area Safety Council 11:30 am at Camden Falls

North Coast Business Journal

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September 2011

13

The Changing Face of Edgewood Manor Edgewood Manor has been an important member of the Port Clinton Community for over 30 years. While the physical structure of the facility looks similar to what it did thirty years ago, the inside of the facility has undergone drastic changes, not only in renovating the floors and painting the walls.

When the doors of Edgewood Manor opened, it was filled, primarily with women in their late 80’s thru early 90’s. It was a place to come and stay at the end of life. The average resident stayed just over two years and was cared for by the nursing staff and nursing assistants. Each room housed two residents and they shared a bathroom with two residents from the adjoining room. The sixteen private rooms of today were nonexistent. Families came to visit, but the facility was not somewhere you looked forward to visiting. It was depressing and everyone knew their loved one was never going to return home.

Skip ahead thirty years and while the name is the same and believe it or not some of the staff members are still here, Edgewood Manor has gone through a complete transformation.

While the facility still offers long term care as it did in the past, their offerings to residents have multiplied.

In addition to the residents who come to Edgewood for long term care, there are also the residents who come in with the specific goal to return home. This was unheard of thirty years ago and yet is the majority of what the facility addresses today.

Most of the admissions to the facility

come in because they require some sort of specialized skilled nursing care or rehabilitative services from the therapy team.

The therapy team at Edgewood is busy every minute of everyday. The therapy is a huge part of the changes and success of Edgewood Manor, as 30 years ago, there was no therapy team. With so many seniors being independent and wanting to stay in their own homes as long as possible, it is extremely important to keep them healthy and in tip top shape. In saying that, everyone has a set back now and again and that is where the Edgewood Manor therapy services can help. The therapy department offers physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy along with respiratory programs. The majority of the residents participating in therapy are those with a goal to return home Edgewood has an entire program dedicated for these residents; it is called “Homeward Bound.” The length of stay varies for each individual because every program is specifically designed to fit the needs of the individual resident. The team works effectively and efficiently to enable a resident to return to the comforts of their home where they can continue therapy sessions on an out-patient basis, if necessary.

Another service that Edgewood provides now that was not around thirty years ago, is respite care. Respite care is a planned short term stay to give relief to family or friends taking care of a loved one. A respite stay can be as short as a couple of days to a few months. Some of the situations that have brought residents to us;

See MANOR, Page 14

Pauline was referred by Mercy Willard cardiologist Dr. Gregory Vigesaa to the Mercy Heart & Vascular Center at St. V’s in Toledo for robotic heart bypass surgery, dramatically reducing her recovery time.

© 2011 Mercy

By Carrie McGlothlin Sales and Marketing Director

Taking the “open” out of open heart.

SM

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Mercy is a leader in “beating heart” open-heart surgery.

Mercy

60%

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Isolated coronary artery bypass surgeries performed without heart-lung machine SOURCE: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

“My mom had friends who had traditional open-heart surgery. She said if that’s what was going to happen to her, she wasn’t going to do it. Dr. Vigesaa took the time to explain that robotic heart surgery uses tiny incisions so it’s much easier on her. And it was. She went in on a Thursday and the following Tuesday she was home in Willard.

“That’s the beauty of Mercy. It’s a network that provides consistent, genuine care from Willard to Toledo and back. The Mercy Heart & Vascular Center was phenomenal. My mom never had to be transferred from her room.

The ICU and step-down nurses came to her. It was such a relief.”

– Ike, Pauline’s son

Find us at mercyweb.org/heart or call 888.987.6372.

St. Anne St. Charles St. Vincent Children’s Defiance Tiffin Willard

14 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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WPCR Internet Radio - Up, Up and Away!

In what can only be called a rocketship ride, Ottawa County’s only radio station, WPCR, continues its phenomenal growth with news of an expansion and additional program offerings from the relatively young media venture.

Now entering its fourth year of operation, WPCR, PortClintonRadio. com and sister sites PutInBayRadio. com and OakHarborRadio.com, will be growing even larger with the building of new on-air studios at Put In Bay. The new state-of-the-art broadcast facilities will be located in the Put In Bay Visitor Center at the corner of Delaware and Toledo Avenues in a building that also houses the island’s Chamber of Commerce offices. The new studios, which will feature the latest in digital recording equipment as well as the ability to broadcast live programming from the Island.

WPCR, which stands for We’re Port Clinton Radio, had humble beginnings in 2008 as one of the first ever Internet-only broadcast facilities in the U.S. Greg Peiffer, who retired after 30 years as President and General Manager of terrestrial radio stations WFOB and WBVI in Fostoria and Findlay, discovered upon his relocation to the Lake Erie shores that there was no broadcast source for information to local residents.

“We started with me doing the local news in the morning and selling advertising in the afternoon and my wife Linda doing the billing and the books,” Peiffer said. “We now have nine staff members on board in various job functions from programming to ad sales and online social networking,” he added.

Peiffer said with the expansion of studio operations on South Bass Island, more programming features

will be added. Joan Bryden, WPCR’s Program Director and host of the station’s popular Talk@Ten program, will be doing one show a week from the island--not only during the busy summer tourist season, but also during the island’s desolate winter months. Bryden said, “Island life is quite interesting in the wintertime and the people who remain on the island keep very busy.” And when the islanders caught wind of Bryden’s plan to broadcast shows from the studio in January, they couldn’t believe it. “They were shocked and excited at the same time,” Bryden

said, “They all commented ‘no one pays attention us in the wintertime except the hearty ice fishermen.’”

WPCR also celebrated its success in featuring local programming recently by capturing the attention of the Port Clinton Chamber of Commerce. The organization recognized WPCR with their Lighthouse Award—a once a year achievement bestowed to one Ottawa County business that showed tremendous growth and expansion while providing outstanding community service.

WPCR is owned and operated by Ottawa Broadcasting LLC.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Local Franchise Service Business for sale. Perfect opportunity for a young, aggressive and entrepreneurial individual to finally get the chance to work for himself in a growing and dynamic business. Turnkey operation is ready and waiting for you. Please send inquiries to Business Opportunity, C/O Robert Apling CPA, 2060 E. Harbor Rd. Port Clinton, Ohio 43452.

MANOR, from Page 13 caregivers going out of town, needing medical treatment of their own, and simply needing a break from the daily grind.

The future of healthcare is the great unknown.

Unfortunately, the government (Medicare) and insurance companies often dictate what services are available and affordable to those who need care. In these uncertain times, one thing is for certain, that Edgewood will grow and evolve and continue to be a staple in the Port Clinton community.

North Coast Business Journal

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Estate

Leaving a Legacy Douglas Gildenmeister Senior Vice President, Investments Retirement Plan Consultant The Gildenmeister Wealth Management Group of Raymond James You’ve worked hard over the years to accumulate wealth, and you probably find it comforting to know that after your death the assets you leave behind will continue to be a source of support for your family, friends, and the causes that are important to you. But to ensure that your legacy reaches your heirs as you intend, you must make the proper arrangements now. There are four basic ways to leave a legacy: (1) by will, (2) by trust, (3) by beneficiary designation, and (4) by joint ownership arrangements.

Wills A will is the cornerstone of any estate plan. You should have a will no matter how much your estate is worth, and even if you’ve implemented other estate planning strategies. You can leave property by will in two ways: making specific bequests and making general bequests. A specific bequest directs a particular piece of property to a particular person (“I leave Aunt Martha’s diamond broach to my niece, Jen.”)A general bequest is typically a percentage of property or property that is left over after all specific bequests have been made. Typically, principal heirs receive general bequests (“I leave all the rest of my property to my wife, Jane”).

With a will, you can generally leave any type of property to whomever you wish, with some exceptions, including: • Property will pass according to a beneficiary designation even if you name a different beneficiary for the same property in your will • Property owned jointly with rights of survivorship passes directly to the joint owner • Property in a trust passes according to the terms of the trust • Your surviving spouse has a right to a statutory share (e.g., 50%) of your

property, regardless of what you leave him or her in your will • Children may have inheritance rights in certain states Caution: Leaving property outright to minor children is problematic. You should name a custodian or property guardian, or use a trust.

Trusts You can also leave property to your heirs using a trust. Trust property passes directly to the trust beneficiaries according to the trust terms. There are two basic types of trusts: (1) living or revocable, and (2) irrevocable. Living trusts are very flexible because you can change the terms of the trust (e.g., rename beneficiaries) and the property in the trust at any time. You can even change your mind by taking your property back and ending the trust. An irrevocable trust, on the other hand, can’t be changed or ended except by its terms, but can be useful if you want to minimize estate taxes or protect your property from potential creditors. You create a trust by executing a document called a trust agreement (you should have an attorney draft any type of trust to be sure it accomplishes what you want). A trust can’t distribute property it does not own, so you must also transfer ownership of your property to the name of the trust. Property without ownership documentation (e.g., jewelry, tools, furniture) are transferred to a trust by listing the items on a trust schedule. Property with ownership documents must be re-titled or re-registered. You must also name a trustee to administer the trust and manage the trust property. With a living trust, you can name yourself trustee, but you’ll need to name a successor trustee who’ll transfer the property to your heirs after your death.

Tip: A living trust is also a good way to protect your property in case you become incapacitated.

Beneficiary designations Property that is contractual in nature, such as life insurance, annuities and retirement accounts, passes to heirs by beneficiary designation. Typically, all you have to do is fill out a form and sign it. Beneficiaries can be persons or entities, such as a charity or a trust, and you can name multiple beneficiaries to share the proceeds. You should name primary and contingent

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beneficiaries. Caution: You shouldn’t name minor children as beneficiaries.

You can, however, name a guardian to receive the proceeds for the benefit of the minor child. You should consider the income and estate tax ramifications for your heirs and your estate when naming a beneficiary. For example, proceeds your beneficiaries receive from life insurance are generally not subject to income tax, while your beneficiaries will have to pay income tax on proceeds received from taxdeferred retirement plans (e.g., traditional IRAs). Check with your financial planning professional to determine whether your beneficiary designations will have the desired results. Be sure to re-evaluate your beneficiary designations when your circumstances change (e.g., marriage, divorce, death of beneficiary). You can’t change the beneficiary with your will or a trust. You must fill out and sign a new beneficiary designation form. Caution: Some beneficiaries can’t be changed. For example, a divorce decree may stipulate that an ex-spouse will receive the proceeds. Tip: Certain bank accounts and investments also allow you to name someone to receive the asset at your death.

your interest in the property to your heirs in your will. You may find joint ownership arrangements are useful and convenient with some types of property, but may not be desirable with all of your property. For example, having a joint checking account ensures that, upon your death, an heir will have immediate access to needed cash. And owning an out-of state residence jointly (e.g., a vacation home) can avoid an ancillary probate process in that state. But it may not be practical to own property jointly where frequent transactions are involved (e.g., your investment portfolio or business assets) because you may need the joint owner’s approval and signature for each transaction. There are some other disadvantages to joint ownership arrangements, including: (1) your co-owner has immediate access to your property, (2) naming someone who is not your spouse as co-owner may trigger gift tax consequences, and (3) if the co-owner has debt problems, creditors may go after the co-owner’s share. Caution: Unlike with most other types of property, a co-owner of your checking or savings account can withdraw the entire balance without your knowledge or consent.

Joint ownership arrangements Two (or more) persons can own property equally, and at the death of one, the other becomes the sole owner.

This type of ownership is called joint tenancy with rights of survivorship (JTWRS). A JTWRS arrangement between spouses is known as tenancy by the entirety in certain states, and a handful of states have a form of joint ownership known as community property. Caution: There is another type of joint ownership called tenancy in common where there is no right of survivorship. Property held as tenancy in common willnot pass to a joint owner automatically, although you can leave

This information was developed by Forefield, Inc. an independent third party. It is general in nature, is not a complete statement of all information necessary for making an investment decision, and is not a recommendation or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investments and strategies mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC does not provide advice on tax, legal or mortgage issues. These matters should be discussed with an appropriate professional.

Raymond James & Associates, Inc. member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC.

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16 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

Saving Sanity Sanity Everyday Everyday Saving A national logistics and transportation company viewed technology as a necessary evil. A key staff member in payables/receivables was asked to maintain their IT department as a secondary task.

Her days were being consumed with IT requests and issues, affecting her primary responsibilities.

On top of that, their software support contact often provided answers that needed translating or offered empty promises.

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Programs include: • Camp Good Grief weeklong day camp • Support groups for children and adolescents • Individual and family grief counseling • Traumatic/complicated grief assessment and intervention • Grief education and crisis response for schools

Stein Hospice offers assistance to children for all types of loss, free and available to anyone in the community.

Call 1-800-625-5269 or visit www.steinhospice.org for more information.

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18 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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We make running your business simpler.

Janotta & Herner — Christmas in July

We provide one-on-one attention that’s hard to beat!

Good things happen when you have a dedicated business banker working hard for you. When your business finances run efficiently and effectively, you have the freedom to focus on the big picture – whether that means differentiating your business in today’s tight market or laying plans to reach the next level of business growth.

When it comes to assisting businesses, we put you and your business first. We work with you to set up a strategy to manage your business finances with products and services that save you time and money.

You take pride in knowing your customers and their needs, and at Croghan Colonial Bank, we do the same. We’d be happy to meet with you to review your business banking needs and find solutions to help simplify and save money.

Call us today at 419.332.7301 or 888.276.4426 and ask for your local business banker.

Though our July temperatures were consistently in the 90’s, Janotta & Herner, a design build general contractor located in Monroeville, cooled things down by celebrating Christmas for ten area United Way Chapters.

On July 29th JHI conducted its seventh annual Christmas in July program by donating $5,000.00 to these charities located in the operating area of this employee owned company.

According to Seth Herrnstein, JHI Executive Director of Business Development, “We are very happy to be able to continue a program that helps the communities that have supported us for so many years.”

Each United Way Chapter uses these funds to either supplement existing programs or help fund the start of new programs that aid their citizens in need. “To receive these funds at a

time when most charitable giving is at a low means an awful lot to the many programs we run in the summer,” said Pat DeMonte Director of the Tiffin/Seneca United Way. Each United Way Director in attendance mentioned how the need in their communities has increased in the past few years and that an increasing number of people who have been used to being contributors now find themselves as recipients of this badly needed help.

Janotta & Herner strongly urges other local companies to consider similar programs that aid their surrounding communities. As much as we don’t want to admit it, most of us are just one disaster away from needing the type of help these agencies provide. You may even have employees who have found themselves in need of this assistance.

Please support your local United Way.

Northcoast Jobs Connection September Schedule for Ottawa County The Northcoast Jobs Connection Job Stores and the Seneca One Stop offer numerous services and resources for job seekers and employers. Seminars are free and open to anyone in the community. The seminars are also available to be customized for employers and delivered on site.

The area seminar dates in September are: At the Ottawa County Community Resource Centre, 8043 W. SR. 163, Oak Harbor: “Get a Job, Get a Better Job” – 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22 or 29. Employment service professionals will cover several topics, such as job search tips and trends, completing applications, creating resumes and interviewing.

“Individual Job Search Appointments” – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sept. 8 or 22. Come prepared to work one-on-one with a specialist and discuss your job search situation or create an impressive resume.

For more information on the Job Stores, log onto www.northcoastjobs.org.

Or in Ottawa County, call the Job Store at 800-665-1677 or 419-898-3688, ext.

270.

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Meet Magruder’s New Smart Room: The Hospital Room of the Future ... Today Magruder Hospital recently became one of the nation’s first all-digital smart hospitals. As part of the technology upgrade, Magruder renovated all of its inpatient rooms and the entire 2-South wing. It was a project larger than flooring, colors, furniture and artwork. It was an ergonomic design concept that incorporated some of the most advanced technology in a way that made sense for both patients and caregivers. Yes, the technology is impressive upon entering the room, but even more impressive is what is not seen.

Because of the all-digital technology the rooms are now referred to as smart rooms. There aren’t as many wires or machines in them anymore.

Today, stepping into a patient room at Magruder is stepping into the hospital room of the future. That is because Magruder is ahead of its time in creating a paperless environment allowing caregivers instant access to vital health information on patients through the Electronic Health Record (EHR). This ability allows for quicker decision making by caregivers, which can lead to better patient outcomes.

Here are just a few of the key elements you can now expect to see.

Before even stepping into a patient room, a room link outside the door tells caregivers important information such as, if another caregiver is already in the room, if the patient is a fall risk, has any allergies, or just simply if it is not a good time to visit.

The My Station flat panel monitor mounted on the wall at the end of the patient bed offers some very entertaining options. Things like games, internet, music, movies, regular TV, patient education information and schedule for the day can all be accessed by the patient and family members visiting.

And anytime a caregiver enters a patient room, day or night, a Sonitor badge electronically identifies them and displays their credentials and picture on a screen. No questions as to who is coming in and out of the room every day.

The iAware flat panel monitor allows physicians to see a patient’s vital statistics in one place, instead of on several different pieces of equipment. Just one glance can give

The design themes for the private inpatient rooms are Outdoors, Botanical, Cape Cod and Tuscan for color combinations and design selections.

The artwork and simulated hardwood floors give a more relaxed environment in which our patients can relax and rehabilitate. The completely renovated wing takes away the feeling of being in a hospital and replaces it with the feeling of being in a resort.

Community Hospice Care a physician or nurse an idea of how a patient is progressing.

The workstation next to the patient’s bed is where all information regarding a patient’s healthcare is now entered.

Forget numerous clipboards – they don’t exist here anymore. Everything gets entered in one place, by every caregiver, and reported instantly in the patient’s EHR. This information can be accessed by physicians electronically, 24 hours a day both on and off- site.

Over the last couple of years, Magruder’s entire staff has been extremely busy. They have dedicated long hours and tireless efforts into creating a technology that has forever changed and improved the delivery of patient care here. A small community hospital with technology more advanced than most hospitals across the nation. Safe, secure, efficient. Imagine that. Magruder did, and made it happen.

Rebecca S. Shank, R.N. Executive Director

With Community Hospice Care, it’s not the destination, but the journey that matters

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20 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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Mercy Tiffin, DaVita Partner to Develop Dialysis Center Mercy Tiffin Hospital and DaVita are pleased to announce the groundbreaking of a new dialysis center that will house Seneca Dialysis on the Mercy Tiffin healthcare campus. Since the inception of this joint venture partnership in 1999, Seneca Dialysis has been housed on the campus of the former Betty Jane Center.

Construction of the $1.3 million, 6,200-square-foot facility is scheduled to start in July. The facility will be completed by March 2012. Following the license review, the facility will open in May 2012. Construction will be managed by The Lathrop Company.

Once opened, Seneca Dialysis will grow from its current 8-station facility to a state-of-the-art facility providing up to 13 dialysis chairs. The new facility will also include patient exam and treatment rooms.

“Innovative, collaborative

relationships such as this are the foundation of the Mercy Tiffin healthcare campus,” said Mr. Dale Thornton, President and CEO of Mercy Tiffin Hospital.

“This partnership is the next step in developing a fully integrated health care campus of choice for physicians, patients, employees and employers of Seneca County and the surrounding area.”

“We are very proud to be in partnership with Mercy Tiffin Hospital. Relocating our Seneca County Dialysis Center to the Mercy campus will allow DaVita to even better serve the dialysis patients of Tiffin and the surrounding areas,” said David Spears, regional operations director with DaVita. “At DaVita, we always consider ourselves a community first and a company second - so we are especially thankful

to be a part of such a fine community here in Tiffin, Ohio.”

Mercy Tiffin Hospital is partnering with DaVita Inc., Entelco Corp. and the W. W. Lathrop Co. to create this facility. DaVita Inc., a Fortune 500® company, is a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services and education to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. As of March 31, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,642 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 128,000 patients. DaVita develops, participates in and donates to numerous programs dedicated to transforming communities and creating positive,

sustainable change for children, families and our environment. The company’s leadership development initiatives and corporate social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu, among others. For more information, please visit www.davita.com.

Entelco Corp. and the W. W. Lathrop Co. are private real estate development companies who together have formed Dialysis MOB, LLC, to construct and lease the new dialysis facility to Seneca Dialysis. Mercy Tiffin, Entelco Corp. and W. W. Lathrop Co. also partnered in the development and construction of the medical office on the Mercy Tiffin campus.

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September 2011

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CHARTING, from Page 4 the classroom. Keyboarding lessons begin in grade four and lessons continue in Word, PowerPoint and Excel at the Middle School. Port Clinton High School installed a wireless system and allows students to utilize laptops, iPads and personal electronic devices to assist in the classroom.

The Virtual Learning Academy, P.A.C.T., at Port Clinton High School offers an alternative classroom environment for high school students to succeed. The Industrial Technology classroom at PCHS was renovated, with funding from Fenner Dunlop, creating a STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) Lab where students can use the high tech equipment to design and build using modulars in robotics, hydraulics and more.

Student success is often measured by the State of Ohio Report Card.

Port Clinton High School is one of the top-performing high schools in Ottawa, Erie, Sandusky and Huron County, being rated “Excellent” on the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT).

PCHS has achieved this rating for the past five years and continues to exceed the required state indicators.

Jefferson Elementary School, grades 3-5, has also met the “Excellent” distinction on State Assessment Tests.

In addition to the core subjects, Port Clinton City School District has Art Education, Music and Physical Education in grades kindergarten through twelve. Port Clinton City School District the only district in

the county to offer all three: Band, Choir and Orchestra. Last school year a new band room, The Earl E. Warnke Music Center, was opened at Port Clinton High School in 2010 for our growing music program. The Post Secondary Options program offers students the ability to earn college credits at Port Clinton High School.

Through partnerships with Terra Community College and Owens Community College, students can earn up to 24 semester hours while in high school and not miss out on the high school experience.

Students cannot be successful if their basic needs are not met. That is why Port Clinton City Schools offers programs to make sure students have the tools they need to learn. A breakfast program is in place in each school building offering students a nutritious start to the school day. An award-winning after-school enrichment program, Champions for Children, provides a safe and educational setting for children at the conclusion of the school day until six o’clock in the evening.

Champions for Children expanded their services in 2011 by providing a before-school program as well. At the elementary level, literacy nights and math nights provide interaction with educators, students, and their entire families with teachers providing tips on how to improve school success at home.

Port Clinton High School has 20 Varsity sports opportunities

available with a number of successful programs. Within the past five years, several Port Clinton Athletes have taken the podium at the State Swimming and Track Meets as well as the 2010 Division II Boys Basketball State Runner-up Team.

PCHS has outstanding facilities for our athletes such as a Natatorium, The Von Thron Hablitzel Tennis Center, the Supreme Court and Auxiliary gym, weight rooms and much more. In addition to athletics, students may become involved in numerous extracurricular clubs and organizations.

Whether students attend school at Bataan Memorial, Jefferson, Port Clinton Middle School or Port Clinton High School, our district’s mission and commitment is the same: Children and Education. The entire school staff, from secretaries to custodians, from teachers to administrators, is dedicated to the students entrusted to them. The staff takes time to relate to students and their parents.

The 2011-2012 school year promises to be a year of change as we are one year closer to new school facilities… all helping students and our community to Proudly Chart a Course for Success!

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22 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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CHAMBER, from Page 3 please contact the Chamber office.

Over 150 sightseers attended the Chamber’s Sunset Cruise on the Jet Express on July 14 and enjoyed a gorgeous evening on Lake Erie with signature hors d’oeuvres, top-shelf cocktails and wine, and souvenir photos. The evening concluded with a beautiful sunset!

The 18th Annual Classic Car Show held on Saturday, August 6th in downtown Port Clinton had over 160 classic cars on display on Madison Street and Second Street. A flash mob coordinated

by Mary Ann Snider surprised the crowd and put smiles on people’s faces. Perfect weather drew record crowds and fun was enjoyed by all.

On Tuesday, August 23, the Chamber held its annual golf outing at the Catawba Island Club.

Fourteen teams competed for first, second, third, and last place as well as individual skill games.

Everyone enjoyed a beautiful day of golf, a fantastic lunch, a delicious dinner, and goodie bags donated by local businesses.

The 2nd annual Casino Night will be held on Friday, October 14 at the Elks. Please plan to come for a fun-filled evening with friends for the reverse raffle, black jack, Texas Hold’em tournament, and other games. Tickets are now on sale. Please contact the Chamber to reserve your lucky number.

Collectively, the member’s investment and participation in the Chamber provides the foundation for continued growth and support.

This teamwork enables our organization to remain strong and relevant in our community. We appreciate the confidence demonstrated by our Premier and Honorary Premier members and the supporters of our fundraising events like the Car Show, Golf Outing and Casino Night.

Many thanks to the Chamber’s Premier Members: Allied Waste Services; Civilian Marksmanship Program; Croghan Colonial Bank; Cros.net, Inc.; Gerner-Wolf-Walker Funeral Home; Magruder Hospital; Neidecker, LeVeck, and Crosser Funeral Home; News Herald; Ohio Telecom; Ottawa County Home Builders Association; Put-in-Bay Boat Line – Jet Express; and Zink Calls. Our Honorary Premier Members are Can’t Miss Charters; Catawba Island Club; Lake Erie Shores and Islands; and Main Street Port Clinton.

Supporting our membership remains the number one priority for the Chamber. This includes the ability to offer reduced rates for health insurance and workers compensation insurance premiums to our members. The Chamber is constantly looking for other ways to create a better business environment in Ottawa County.

Please do not hesitate to contact the PC Chamber if you have ideas or suggestions. For an entire listing of membership benefit information and for a complete membership directory, please go to our website – www.portclintonchamber.com or call the Chamber at 419.734.5503. The Chamber is open Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm.

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The Well-Booked Business

By Cathy Allen Count me among the many on our area who are greatly saddened by the closure of our Borders Books in the Sandusky Mall. The fabulous staff there have been feeding our appetites for written learning (and good coffee) for a long time now, and it is difficult to imagine how we will fill the void. For my part, I intend to delay the electronic future of reading for as long as possible and I’ve begun by stocking up on classics of management, leadership and personal development at the liquidation sales. On a recent visit to the business and personal finance section, I discovered a number of copies of this month’s book stacked there among all the other picked-over treasures. I had read this one long ago at the suggestion of friend (and North Coast Business Journal Publisher) John Schaffner.

John is as good an entrepreneur as anyone around, so I figured whatever he’d suggest for reading material must be useful to those wishing to make a successful go at business. Unless you know John well, you may be surprised by how downright metaphysical this is, but these principles have clearly worked for John and his family. I am sure he would join me in recommending this little book to you as well.

Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill. Fawcett Books, 1937 (Revised Edition 1960) SUMMARY: Before there was “The Secret” or Dr. Wayne Dyer taught us to “Manifest Your Destiny,” Napoleon Hill said “Whatever the mind of man can Conceive and Believe it can Achieve.” Everyone’s fate is in their own hands as long as they set their purpose and focus on it. Those who choose to be successful, to attract wealth and to make their dreams come true can do so by following Hill’s straightforward strategy. As the title suggests, thinking about growing rich can make one rich – as long as a few other principles are also applied. If we can bring ourselves to a place of expectation of success that drowns out all expectation of failure, we will make the attainment of our goal inevitable.

We’ve just precluded failure as an option.

KEY LEARNINGS: • The key to success is having a persistent belief in success, whatever that means for each of us, and turning on our brainpower through the application of specific principles. This is not a book about wishful thinking.

It’s about setting your mind on your desire and believing in it with such force that no other option is possible.

• Our subconscious minds are powerful, and will act (without our knowledge) according to instructions – whether positive or negative. The task is to fill our subconscious with the belief that we can and will achieve what we set out to achieve. “If you think you are beaten, you are...”

• We can fix a goal in our subconscious by repeating it to ourselves often, and with feeling. We can build faith in our ability to accomplish our goals by consciously filling our heads with our intentions.

• The things we know, or the things others who are organized by us know, can lead to wealth as long as we set a purpose to have wealth and establish a clear plan. Since attaining wealth is about creating value for others, the key is to do something with our specialized knowledge that others will pay for.

• Once we have imagined our goal and developed a plan for achieving it, we can fix it into our minds and begin to bring it about by putting it in writing. Having a written plan to refer to daily helps set it into our minds and makes achievement of it the only option.

• Achieving milestones on the way to riches is done exactly the same way as the big goal is achieved: by deciding exactly what it is that we want, figuring out what we can offer in return, committing the goal to paper, creating an action plan and going for it. Here Hill also provides a list of 31 “Major Causes of Failure” which include lack of ambition, lack of concentration of effort, over-caution and inability to cooperate with others.

• Procrastination is about a reluctance to make decisions and it spells the end of the road for goal attainment, which involves clearly knowing what you want and choosing your plan. Here the author uses the American Declaration of Independence as an example of clarity of vision, specific planning and decisiveness. (Jefferson called it “manly firmness.”)

• Another character strength that must be developed by those wishing to attract success into their lives is persistence, described by Hill as a state

of mind that can be developed through will-power and determination. Those who fear criticism may suffer from lack of persistence.

• If it is a given that a mind made up is a powerful thing, imagine the exponentially increased power of two or more minds united around a common purpose. When people work together, they build positive emotions – also necessary for attracting success – and can tap into a universal source Hill calls “Infinite Intelligence.”

• Already quite metaphysical in his approach, here Hill takes it another step and describes the human subconscious as a connecting link between ourselves and this Infinite Intelligence. Filling our subconscious with our desires (especially stronglyfelt desires) and our plan, we enlist the power of the Universe in its achievement. This is why prayer works.

• Building upon a 1937 version of brain science, the author here makes a case that brain waves work like radio waves, transmitting and receiving thoughts across time and space, connecting us to the Universe and its limitless powers.

• This conscious effort to tap the

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power of the Universe by planting specific suggestions in our subconscious mind can work for building riches or for achieving other goals as well. It can also work to help us develop positive character traits. Doing so can make success even more inevitable.

• Hill identifies six categories of selfdefeating fears: poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age and death.

These fears can be conquered through the power of our conscious thoughts, being faithfully focused on what we want to achieve, and accepting nothing less.

Have a book like you’d like to see synopsized in The Well-Booked Business? Tell us about it by taking the one-question poll posted to our website. Creative Option C, LLC, is a facilitation and organizational development consulting firm in Marblehead owned and managed by Cathy Allen since 2003. In addition to making a book recommendation, visitors to www.CreativeOptionC.com can download additional synopses and original articles and sign up to receive a quarterly email newsletter.

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24 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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"SEE" the Difference in your Customer Service The Ottawa County Chambers of Commerce and the Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center would like to invite area business owners and managers to take advantage of a unique opportunity to improve their business. Six years ago, the Chambers and Welcome Center initiated a customer service certification program “Service Excellence Experience” (SEE) with its mission being to “Implement a standard of excellence in Customer Service in Ottawa County through an established certification process with a recognized trademark”.

This unique customer service program sets a measurable standard that businesses must meet and maintain to be “SEE Certified”. Taking an active role during and after this customer focused training facilitates the application of the techniques and strategies learned from these valuable sessions.

It’s guaranteed to improve the image of your business and achieve customer satisfaction.

While every business recognizes the importance

of customer service, less than 5% of businesses have implemented a program to assure they are delivering consistent excellent customer service to their customers. The SEE customer service training program is designed for owners/managers and supervisors. The SEE program is a cost effective approach to incorporate your own in-house customer service training program.

The training modules are scheduled on the following dates: Session 1: Friday, September 23, 2011 - Customer Service is Inside Out: Understanding the Customer Session 2: Friday, October 7, 2011 - Modeling Excellence: Customer Service for Managers, Part 1 Session 3: Friday, October 21, 2011 - Modeling Excellence: Customer Service for Managers, Part 2 Session 4: Friday, November 4, 2011 - Customer Loyalty/Review Session Session 5: Friday, December 2, 2011 - Application Dissertation: Action Strategies

Don’t pitch your unwanted computers!

Protect the environment and bring them to Goodwill.

We can recycle them through our Reconnect Program with Dell, Inc.

Be sure to remove personal information from the hard drive before dropping off your PC. Donation Centers

Bellevue

855 W. Main St.

Norwalk

295 Milan Ave.

Fremont

1040 Oak Harbor Rd.

Port Clinton

205 S.E. Catawba Rd.

Huron

422 Cleveland Rd. E.

Sandusky

924 E. Perkins Ave.

Willard

Prior to starting the training modules and after completion, a mystery shop is conducted at the participant’s place of business. The business receives a report and narrative evaluation of the mystery-shop to review.

The cost of the program is $325. It can be paid by check or by Visa or Master Card. If you pay the entire amount at application, the cost is $300.00 with a saving of $25.00. Registration and the first payment are due by Wednesday, September 7th.

Class size is limited to 20 participants.

Contact Program Administrator, Sheila Powell, at 419-366-7420 to receive an application.

We hope you will take advantage of this program and discover how to set your business apart from others by becoming a customer’s first choice when conducting business.

Citizens Banking Company Named One of Best Employers in Ohio The Citizens Banking Company was selected as one of the 2011 Best Employers in Ohio. The Best Employers in Ohio program is designed to identify, recognize and honor the best places of employment in Ohio. The program is coordinated by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) Ohio State Council and Best Companies group.

According to James J. Krancevic, Senior Vice President of Human Resources for The Citizens Banking Company, companies participate in a two-part workplace assessment, including an employee survey and an analysis of company benefits and policies. Program managers then

name and rank the top 30 Ohio employers. Rankings are divided by large employers (250) and small/ medium companies under 250 employees. Citizens ranked 18th in the Large Company Category, Krancevic added. “We are proud of our employees and are honored by the high-level of workplace satisfaction they have shown,” he said.

“We appreciate this honor our employees have given the bank and are proud of the service commitment they provide to our customers each day,” added James O. Miller, Citizen Banking Company's President and Chief Executive Officer.

108 Blossom Centre

If your school, business or organization has a large quantity to donate please call (419) 625-4744

Goodwill Industries of Erie, Huron, Ottawa and Sandusky Counties, Inc. www.goodwillsandusky.org

Proceeds help to fund our employment services for the disabled and disadvantaged. Thank you.

Coming in October Focus on Sandusky

www.ncbj.net MAYOR, from Page 5 Pump Station Upgrade project with plans of completion in early 2011 • Started negotiations with Allied Waste/ Republic Services for force main tie-in The Water Office/Department headed by Supervisor Eva Castillo: • Increased the sewer and water rates to continue the operating cost and improvements throughout the community • Continued taking steps to increase the revenues to the sewer and water funds by pursuing customers along West Lakeshore Dr. • Received additional revenues through the new constructions of properties in the Conestoga area and the expansion of the hospital The Zoning and Property Maintenance Committee headed by Inspector Kent Johnson: • Cleaned-up areas and assisted residents on finding funds to upgrade their homes • Addressed all areas of town and issued warnings concerning the many complaints about the East and West end trash, illegal cars, and junk notices • Demolished the slum and blighted properties within the Conestoga area where new homes were built for future residents • Inspected and replaced multiple sidewalks • Reduced lost-time accidents by 70% by instituting training programs, meetings, and safety checks with employees to stress the importance of people working more safely • Logged 253 property maintenance entries • Partnered with supervisors and unions to get the injured back-to-work faster, which helped to revert the lost-time status • Implemented a Drug Free Work Place training program, now using a claim management program saving thousands of dollars The Auditor’s Office headed by Auditor Larry Hartlaub • Worked closely with the Finance Committee chairman on the budget for its passage in January • Assisted the Mayor while visiting areas of the waterfront for the development of master plans • Attended seminars on new regulations • Assisted in the 2010 audit with state auditors • Worked with department supervisors concerning coming-in under budget The Treasury Department headed by Treasurer Edna Hansen: • Balanced the budget • Invested monies in STAR Ohio, United States Treasury Money Market funds, the

North Coast Business Journal Federal Credit Bank, and the Federal Home Loan Bank, insuring all monies against loss The Tax Department headed by Tax Commissioner Jeff Bugbee: • Contracted with Keith Weiner and Associates for assistance with collections of past-due tax, penalty, and interest from delinquent taxpayers • Increased total receipts as of October 2010 by $123,774.21 • Partnered with the Law Director, George Wilber, to modify payment agreements to waive the statue of limitations allowing taxpayers to make more realistic regular monthly payments, while saving them from going to small claims court • Filed 49 small claims cases from December 2009 through November 2010 • Attended the Ohio Municipal League Income Tax seminar and the SSI mix • Continued cross-training duties of employees in the front office • Sent notification cards instead of entire tax returns to partnerships, LLC’s and corporations to help cut costs • Used the individual questionnaire card for potential taxpayers so they are aware that there is a municipal income tax for all residents and businesses The Fire Department headed by Chief Kent Johnson: • Responded to over 1000 calls in 2010 • Participated in live house rescue and overhaul training with Jaws of Life • Continued receiving funds from the Fire Fighters’ Association for special equipment and member training • Participated in the First Responder class to assist NCEMS in critical moments on all EMS scenes • Made capital improvements to the fire station by painting the station interior and installing maintenance-free floors in rest rooms/locker rooms • Purchased a 2005 pick-up truck replacing the 1997 Explorer, which was transferred to the service department • Accepted the resignation of Kassie Anderson after 15 years of service to the department • Added 2 new members to the department, Tom Sees, certified professional firefighter and paramedic for North Central EMS, and Jason Adkins, certified firefighter and EMT Lastly, I would like to welcome all new businesses that came into our area this past year and to thank all of the helpful volunteers who have given many hours to make a difference in the City of Port Clinton. It is these contributions of time, energy, ideas, and assistance that make Port Clinton a better place to live, work, and play.

Thank you very much.

September 2011

25

Memorial Hospital CT (CAT scan) Earns ACR Accreditation Memorial Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). CT scanning — sometimes called CAT scanning — is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for various medical conditions. Memorial Hospital has Fremont’s only accredited CT machine.

Nathan Perkins, Memorial Hospital PERKINS diagnostic imaging director sees great value in this accreditation. According to Perkins, “Earning this accreditation for the hospital is a testament to the diagnostic SHSncbj0711.pdf 10:22:18 AM imaging department’s7/22/11 commitment to quality patient care.”

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26 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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EHOVE Helped Her Find a New Career

Kris Abney of Port Clinton graduated from EHOVE’s Medical Assistant program on June 23. Even better, she started her new job in healthcare that very same day.

After returning back to the Port Clinton area to be near family, she found that her years of experience in television and real estate and Bachelor’s degree in Communications weren’t helping her find a nearby job of her dreams. She’d always been

interested in healthcare. After the EHOVE Adult Education catalog arrived in the mail, Abney saw plenty of opportunities for her. Business, public safety, computers and others were possibilities, but she zeroed in on the healthcare listings and decided on the Medical Assistant program.

“I have a lot of office experience, and I felt like I wanted to get into the medical field.

The Medical Assistant program seemed like a good pairing of the two, and that it would open doors for me,” said Abney.

EHOVE students like Abney often find that their training can lead directly to their new job. Abney’s new employer, Advanced Neurologic Associates in Bellevue, aids EHOVE in the learning process by hosting

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EHOVE Medical Assistant students each Spring for their 200 hour practicum.

“It allows us also an opportunity to observe a student as a potential employee during that time. We have hired three EHOVE students in the past two years, who present with not only knowledge, but proficiency and professionalism in their new chosen profession,” said Robbin Frantz, Practice Manager at Advanced Neurologic Associates.

Healthcare is an industry on the rise as many baby boomers reach retirement, plus many trained in healthcare careers find that they have a choice to either stay in their local area or move somewhere else.

“Medical Assisting is a growing, challenging profession. The students are not here just looking for a job, but a rewarding career,” said Tonya

Lloyd, EHOVE Medical Office Programs Coordinator.

Abney says she is enjoying her new job and is confident she’ll be able to do more than just work with her skills from EHOVE and those she learns on the job. She hopes to volunteer on mission trips and other healthcare volunteerism events closer to home.

“My instruction at EHOVE prepared me well for this,” said Abney.

Are you or someone you know interested in EHOVE’s Medical Assistant program? Enrollment is open now, and classes start later this month. Financial aid and career counseling are also available. Contact EHOVE today to get started. More information is available at www.

EHOVE.net or by calling 866-2569707.

Mercy Tiffin Foundation Golf Outing Raises $47K The Mercy Tiffin Foundation held a successful golf outing on August 15, 2011 at Mohawk Golf & Country Club. The Walter A. Daniel, M.D. Memorial Golf Outing raised over $47,000. This event and gala are the two largest annual fundraisers in support of the Foundation.

“We are truly grateful to our sponsors for making this another successful outing,” said Bernie Steinmetz, Manager of Development, Donor Relations & Volunteers.

Twenty-five teams teed off at 9:00 a.m. in what turned out to be a perfect weather day for golfing.

Golfers enjoyed a Fiesta theme, which featured walking tacos prepared by the Mohawk staff at the 19th hole throughout the day. This was the 20th consecutive year for the golf o u t i n g fundraiser. The first place winner of the golf outing was

Wells Fargo Advisors – Richard Dixon, Bill Bostelman, Alan Dixon, and Brian Dixon. In second place was Old Fort Bank – Scott Kromer, Troy Felter, Chuck Eingle and Dave Windau. The third place finisher was The Lathrop Company – Steve Klepper, Joe Kovaleski, Ken Gooding and Janet Scheid.

“The Mercy Tiffin Foundation appreciates the numerous contributions local businesses made to make the 2011 Walter A. Daniel, MD Golf Outing a success,” said Marsha Danhoff, President & CEO, Mercy Tiffin Foundation.

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North Coast Business Journal

FTMC Names Three VPs Dr. Gary L. Moorman was recently selected as Fisher-Titus Medical Center’s first vice president of medical affairs. Dr. Moorman was selected from over 640 applicants. In this new role, Dr. Moorman will work with FisherTitus physicians and hospital administration to maintain safe, high quality patient care.

As vice president of medical affairs, Dr. Moorman will be managing various departments including the medical staff office, physician recruitment, physician liaison, quality and case management, infection control and Fisher-Titus Medical Care, LLC. Since 2007, Dr. Moorman has served as the vice president and chief medical officer for Garden City Hospital in Garden City, Mich.

Dr. Moorman is originally from Spencerville, received his undergraduate degree from Ohio Northern University and received his degree in Osteopathic Medicine from Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine in Kirksville, Mo. ••• Cherie Spragg of Norwalk was recently promoted to senior vice president of nursing services at Fisher-Titus Medical Center. In her new role, Spragg manages all nursing departments and other various departments including pharmacy, pulmonary, wound healing institute, oncology and home health services.

Spragg started her nursing career at Fisher-Titus Medical Center in 1981 and has held various positions including vice president of nursing, which she began in 2001. She started her career as an LPN in 1974 and continued her education throughout her career. Spragg earned a master of science in nursing from Kent State University in 2008 and a master of education from the University of Toledo in 1993. She also has an associate of arts in from Kent State University. In addition to her nursing credentials, Spragg is a licensed social worker.

Locally, Spragg serves on the EHOVE nursing education advisory board, the North Central State Community College nursing advisory board, The Counseling

Center’s advisory board and is the current president of the Huron County Board for Medical Handicapped Children and Adults. Most recently, she was elected to the Stein Hospice Board.

••• Lorna Strayer of Milan was recently promoted to senior vice president of administration and business development at Fisher-Titus Medical Center. In her new role, Strayer is responsible for ongoing coordination and development of key hospital functions that impact institutional and community health needs.

As senior vice president of administration and business development, Strayer manages various departments including rehabilitation, radiology, laboratory, industrial health, environmental services, maintenance, dietary services, materials management, marketing and community outreach. In addition, she now oversees and implements facility development projects.

Strayer joined Fisher-Titus in 1985 as a certified speech-language pathologist.

During her tenure, she has served as director of rehabilitation and industrial health services, assistant vice president of rehabilitation and vice president of business development and rehabilitation.

Her background with the Medical Center includes development of the business health line, broad expansion of rehabilitation services, contracting rehabilitation services to nursing homes, schools and home health; oversight of the athletic training program; Sleep Lab; creation of the Autism Spectrum Kids program and other highly specialized pediatric therapy services; aquatic therapy services; on-site nursing and health services for local industry; mobile hearing conservation testing; diagnostic and interventional cardiovascular services; support of RIS/PACS; and expansion of diagnostic imaging capabilities for CT and MRI. Strayer earned a master of business administration in applied management from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2011 and has a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree in speech language pathology and audiology from The Ohio State University. Strayer also is very active in numerous community and professional organizations.

September 2011

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Firelands Regional Medical Center Board of Directors Adds Four The Board of Directors of Firelands Regional Health System recently elected four individuals to the Board of Directors of Firelands Regional Medical Center: Theodore (Ted) A. Kastor – A Sandusky native, Mr. Kastor is the Director of B u s i n e s s Development at Janotta & Herner, Inc. and has over 35 years in the construction KASTOR industry. Mr. Kastor is a very active member of the community including Erie County Economic Development Corporation, President; Perkins Township Zoning Board of Appeals, Vice Chairman; Erie County United Way, Division Leader; Plum Brook Country Club, President; and Leadership Erie County, Graduate.

Duffield (Duff) E. Milkie – Mr. Milkie is Corporate Vice President G e n e r a l Counsel for Cedar Fair L.P. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Toledo with a Bachelor of MILKIE Arts degree and then graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law earning a Juris Doctorate degree. Mr. Milkie is a member of the Board of Directors for Erie County YMCA, the YMCA Foundation and SCCS Education Foundation, and is a Past President of the Volunteer Center of Erie County.

James V. Stouffer, Jr. – Mr. Stouffer is President & CEO of Catawba Cleveland Development Corp., which includes the management of family owned businesses – Catawba

Island Club, C a t a w b a Island Marina and real estate development.

With a degree in Finance, Mr. Stouffer attended B o w l i n g Green State STOUFFER U n i v e r s i t y.

Mr. Stouffer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Firelands Symphony Orchestra and Otterbein North Shore, as well as a member of Advisory Board for Edge Point Capital Advisors.

Carl Will – Mr. Will is the Senior Vice President, Global Commercial Operations division of Invacare Corporation. Mr. Will graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from The Ohio S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y.

A f t e r graduation he joined Deloitte & Touche, a g l o b a l financial services firm, as an auditor and earned his WILL CPA. He then graduated summa cum laude with a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. Mr. Will is a Board Member for Lorain County Big Brothers and Big Sisters and the 2011 Invacare United Way Executive Leader.

The Firelands Regional Medical Center Board of Directors and its leadership look forward to working with Mr. Kastor, Mr. Milkie, Mr. Stouffer and Mr. Will and are confident that their talent and expertise will contribute to the future direction of Firelands to best serve the health care needs of the community.

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Ottawa County Judge Giesler Elected President of State Association

Left to Right: Judge Richard Carey (Clark County); Judge Jack Puffenberger (Lucas County); Judge Thomas Swift (Trumbull County); Judge Charles Hague (Ashtabula County); Judge Giesler; Judge R.R. Denny Clunk, Retired; Judge Philip Mayer (Richland County); Judge Kenneth Spicer (Delaware County); and Judge Dixilene Park (Stark County) Judge Kathleen L. Giesler of the Ottawa County Probate/Juvenile Court recently became the President of the Ohio Association of Probate Judges.

Supreme Court of Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor administered the oath of office to Judge Giesler during the judges’ summer conference in Columbus.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead this association over the next two years and to work

with judges throughout the State of Ohio,” Judge Giesler said.

She has served as the probate and juvenile judge in Ottawa County since 2003.

The Ohio Association of Probate Judges was organized in 1897 and is dedicated to the improvement of probate law and to the efficient and effective administration of justice within courts having probate jurisdiction.

FRMC Chest Pain Center Earns Accreditation Firelands Regional Medical Center has been awarded a three-year accreditation by the Society of Chest Pain Centers. Firelands is the only health care facility in the region that has an accredited Chest Pain Center.

To achieve accreditation surveyors from the Society of Chest Pain Centers evaluated the care Firelands provides patients who present with symptoms of a heart attack. The intent of this accreditation is to ensure facilities meet or exceed quality-of-care measures based on improving the process for the care of the acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patient.

“The care of the ACS patient starts from the onset of the patient’s symptoms, and includes engagement of Emergency Dispatch Services, Emergency Medical Services,

Emergency Department and Catheterization Lab, observation unit, cardiac rehab and discharge.

Within this model, we can plan and organize the delivery of care in a systematic manner,” explains Tina Ammanniti, Area Director, Cardio/ Pulmonary Service.

The Chest Pain Center Accreditation process is based on a continuous improvement model, resulting in facilities such as Firelands becoming more efficient, effective organizations in addition to achieving improved patient outcomes. Accreditation is granted only to those facilities whose heart failure and chest pain center processes meet or exceed the criteria established by the Accreditation Committee.

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North Coast Business Journal

September 2011

29

Get Connected at the Ida Rupp Public Library

By Deborah S. Rossman, Director The Ida Rupp Public Library is not just a place to research a topic or check out a book anymore. Please think of the library as the hub of the community, a place that fosters intellectual growth in many ways.

IRPL reaches out to the community every day with services and programs designed to better people’s lives through connectivity. Everyone is invited to learn and enjoy.

Our staff has been busy planning upcoming programs that library patrons are sure to love. We are happy to announce a touring exhibit, Lincoln: Constitution and the Civil War, coming to IRPL in 2012, thanks to a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. We look forward to hosting Jennifer Fording, author of Images of America’s Elmore and Genoa on September 22 at 7pm. Talks about interesting topics such as local gardening tips, Lake Erie lighthouses, estate planning, and UFOs are also on the calendar.

Patrons can seek connection through friendship and a larger sense of community by dropping into the library for a book discussion. We promise lively conversation and interesting points of view. Movies are offered by the Friends of the Library starting on Fridays in September. Our new movie discussion group will explore film noir.

Stay connected with special events.

Bring the family to Star Wars Day on Saturday, October 1 at 2pm. We’ve set a date for this year’s HallowRead,

October 21 at 7pm. We are bringing back the tea that was popular in years past, as well as the holiday Open House. Watch our online calendar for a list of monthly programs and events.

Many of our patrons want to connect to the digital world. Check our website at www.idarupp.org for a host of amazing resources. Download e-books from our catalog and free music on Freegal, or learn a foreign language with Mango or Rocket Languages. Save money on car repair by using the Chilton database.

Discover family roots with Heritage Quest. We offer access to free WiFi and new high speed computers thanks to a grant from Connect Ohio and the generous support of the Friends of the Library. Our helpful staff is ready to assist with online resources.

Be inspired and enlightened through connectivity at your library.

We promise to enrich and entertain our community.

Please take advantage of our meeting rooms available to community non-profit groups. We offer a job searching station in an effort to reduce the unemployment rate. Free coffee is available daily. Patrons can look through the job ads or polish a resume. The Learning Express website is available from the library homepage with online job preparation classes of all kinds.

Connect with your kids at the library, too. The first memory of learning to read is often at the library.

We offer programs such as Tales for Toddlers and Babies and Books. Our

Let’s Pretend series for 3, 4, and 5 year olds, is about learning through play. Young patrons can check out puppets or a new Playaway View, a handheld portable learning video.

Reading together and being involved in what your children read helps them in school while reinforcing the pure joy of reading.

IRPL is a destination for homework help, college and careers, games and creativity.

Ida Rupp Public Library works to build relationships between community members. We are partners with the Ottawa County Historical Museum, Project READ, and WPCR Radio.

This year we are reaching out to the community more than ever before with book talks and computer classes.

These programs help foster community growth and involvement and include outreach to the Vineyards, local senior centers, and Otterbein

North Shore.

Please stop by soon to get connected at the Ida Rupp Public Library.

Whether for an hour, an afternoon, or a full day, the library opens new worlds, sparks imagination, encourages reading, and develops skills. The materials and programs at IRPL are absolutely free. Connect with us and let the quality time begin!

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30 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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The Economic Importance of Lake Erie Larry Fletcher, Executive Director Lake Erie Shores & Islands West In early July Port Clinton was the host community for a quarterly meeting of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee. This organization is directed by the White House Council on Environmental

Quality and includes natural resources representatives from eight states, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. EPA, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA, and several other agencies that deal with water quality related issues. This group’s main focus is to prevent the spread of these highly invasive carp species into the Great Lakes.

The director of this committee, John Goss, chose our area for this gathering

because he knows about the interdependent connection this area has with Lake Erie. There was no better place to reinforce the importance of the committee’s work.

The group held a full day of meetings where each agency provided updates on their current activities. The following day a public meeting was held so the local community could learn about these efforts. Many of the committee members also took time to tour our area so they could see for themselves why millions visit here each year.

The group met the first day at our Welcome Center and I was asked to provide some information on what makes our area so special as a visitor destination and some data about the recreational use of Lake Erie. It occurred to me that although most everyone who lives in this area knows that Lake Erie is extremely important to our quality of life, many probably do not know just how significant that contribution is and the vital role this lake plays in economy of the state.

Based on records from the Ohio Division of Wildlife, there were 786 Ohio-based licensed charter boat captains on Lake Erie in 2010 and 873,727 fishing licenses were sold in the state. Division of Wildlife data

showed that trips booked by these charter captains resulted in a harvest of 550,656 lbs. of walleye, yellow perch, steelhead trout and other species. Add in the harvest from private boats fishing Lake Erie’s Ohio waters and the total 2010 sport fishing harvest jumps to 5.3 million lbs. of fish. The American Sport Fishing Association estimates that Lake Erie’s sport fishing expenditures top $1 billion annually and sustain 20,000 jobs.

This extremely productive fishery provides significant economic impact to a wide variety of businesses including not only the charter and commercial fishing captains, but also to marinas, bait & tackle shops, grocery stores, lodging facilities, fish cleaning businesses, restaurants, insurance companies, and many more business segments.

The same holds true for pleasure boating as those who use Lake Erie for this activity spend money on a host of goods and services. Statistics from the Ohio Division of Watercraft show that Ohio ranks ninth nationally in the number of registered watercraft with 424,700 in 2010.

These boaters paid $5.5 million in license and title fees and $15.1 million in Ohio marine fuel taxes.

Ohio Sea Grant data states that there are 319 licensed marinas on Ohio’s Lake Erie waters. Health Department records from the seven Ohio counties along the lake show that there are approximately 34,000 registered boat docks.

Data from a study of the economic impact of tourism in Ohio conducted

by Oxford Economics, shows that these boaters, anglers and others who enjoy Lake Erie’s waters generated total tourism related spending of $10.1 billion in 2009, generated wages of $2.8 billion, taxes of $1.4 billion, and helped sustain 114,703 full-time equivalent jobs.

Fishing, boating, walking along the beach, swimming, bird watching, waterfront dining… the list of activities that depend on a healthy Lake Erie goes on and on. And a healthy economy in our area depends on these activities being available for our visitors.

I hope you will join me in staying informed about threats to Lake Erie and take action as you can to help prevent problems from occurring. To learn more about the work of the Asian Carp Regional Coordinating Committee, visit www.Asiancarp.org

Ohio Sea Grant Offers Close-Up View to Legislators Ohio State University’s Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory hosted more than 130 local and state elected officials and legislators and representatives from nearly 40 organizations during its 19th Legislative Days on Lake Erie August 4 and 5, at Cedar Point and Put-inBay. Ohio Sea Grant joined forces with Lake Erie Shores and Islands Visitors Bureau to host and coordinate the event.

The event began with a luncheon at Cedar Point, where co-hosts Ohio Senator Mark Wagoner (R-Ottawa Hills) and Ohio Representative Dennis Murray (D-Sandusky) spoke about the importance of Lake Erie and Ohio Sea Grant’s and Stone Lab’s accomplishments and introduced the third host, Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee. Participants discussed the importance of science education and tourism and learned how caring for

the environment encourages tourism, which boosts the economy. They also spoke with experts about harmful algal blooms, the dead zone, endangered species, aquatic invasive species like the zebra mussel and Asian carp, and went on a short science cruise on Lake Erie to gain hands-on experience pulling a fish trawl and collecting plankton samples to observe harmful algal blooms.

“Our hope is that as our elected officials return to Columbus and Washington, D.C. to make decisions, they will bring with them the firsthand experiences and knowledge they gained during their visit to our Great Lake,” said Melinda Huntley, Ohio Sea Grant Extension Tourism Program Director. “There’s nothing like a day spent measuring water quality and talking with some of our nation’s top Lake Erie scientists to give our decision makers what they need to make wise decisions and lead

change.”

Along with Ohio State University, Ohio Sea Grant, and Lake Erie Shores & Islands, sponsors of the event included Cedar Point, Friends of Stone Laboratory, Jet Express, Miller Boat Line, Ohio Tourism Roundtable, The Perry Group, Put-in-Bay Township, Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce, Village of Put-in-Bay, Columbia Gas of Ohio, The Crew’s Nest, Lake County Visitors Bureau, Nationwide Insurance, Ohio Wine Producers, Wholesale Beer & Wine Association of Ohio, and Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial.

Located on the 6.5-acre Gibraltar Island in Put-inBay harbor, Stone Laboratory is The Ohio State University’s Island Campus on Lake Erie and

the education and research facility of the Ohio Sea Grant College Program.

The Ohio State University’s Ohio Sea Grant Program is part of NOAA Sea Grant, a network of 32 Sea Grant programs dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources. For information on Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory, visit ohioseagrant.osu. edu.

September 2011

North Coast Business Journal

www.ncbj.net

31

Trosin to CNO at Memorial Bickley Leads Special Services Jill Trosin, R.N., B.S.N., M.S.N. has started as the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) at Memorial Hospital.

A graduate of the Medical College of Ohio and Lourdes College, and a native of Monroe, Michigan, Trosin began her career as a nurse, a profession she had wanted to pursue since she was a child.

“I have always known that I wanted to be a nurse and have never regretted my decision. From my earliest memories of childhood, I was focused on nursing,” she said.

Previous to joining the Memorial Hospital team, Trosin served as Director of Patient Care Services at Mount Carmel West in Columbus.

Trosin has also worked at Flower Hospital in Sylvania and St. Charles Mercy Hospital, in Oregon, Ohio.

According to Trosin, “I look forward to leading Memorial Hospital as our associates continue on our journey to excellence.”

Trosin has extensive nursing and health care leadership experience.

She has led ICUs, surgical and neuro units, inpatient rehabilitation, respiratory care, emergency care (where she developed a Level 3 Trauma Program), diagnostic cardiology, medical-surgical as well as many other areas.

Todd Bickley, R.R.T., R.C.P. has recently been named director of special services at Memorial Hospital.

Bickley has been a respiratory therapist eighteen years, having served in a managerial and directorial role for eleven of those years.

Bickley has served as interim director of special services since February 2011, and has been affiliated with Memorial Hospital as a staff respiratory therapist since 1995. Prior to his interim role he had served as respiratory therapy manager at the hospital since October 2010.

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As director of special services, Bickley oversees the respiratory therapy, EKG, EEG, cardiovascular ultrasound, cardiac/pulmonary rehabilitation, stress testing and the sleep disorder departments.

Bickley is a registered respiratory therapist and a licensed respiratory care professional. Prior to serving a Memorial Hospital, he has worked a director of respiratory therapy at the former St. Francis Care Center in Greens Springs, and as an on-staff respiratory therapist and pulmonary outreach coordinator at various health care facilities in the area.

Bickley lives in Fremont with his wife Rachelle and their three children.

He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in business administration.

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32 September 2011 North Coast Business Journal

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