Strictly Business
Hello Tuscarawas County,
Schools in session and summer is drawing to an end.
Great things are happening with your Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce. The Board of Directors will be participating in development training and we will also focus on strategic planning for the Chamber for the next 3 to 5 years.
Within the next month an update will be coming out regarding what has been happening with Tuscarawas 2020. Stay tuned for that.
Make sure you check out the upcoming events section of the newsletter so you can mark your calendars.
The 2007-2008 Membership Directories are done! We encourage you to stop by the office to pick up as many as you need. Or give us a call and we will get them delivered to your place of business today. The new design and size have been a huge success. Thanks to The Times-Reporter advertising department for doing a great job.
If you have any questions or comments regarding your membership please don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you and enjoy Tuscarawas County!
Jill R. Becker, IOM
President
Tuscarific
Moments of embracing, moments of departing
by
Heinz Stucki
Time flies, especially when you're having fun. It was in January 1992 that I wrote my first column for "Strictly Business." This will be my last.
I wrote that first article at the same desk I'm sitting at now. It's a hand-me-down donated to the CIC by Zimmer Patient Care. The file drawer hasn't worked in years and there's a big spot where the top has delaminated. One of the chair's legs limps along with the aid of duct tape. But it's been a comfortable home.
A Buddhist monk's begging bowl sits on my desk and holds my "to-do" slips. Soon I'll empty it and move it to my desk at home where I'm confident it will fill with different slips.
Next year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the CIC. The CIC and the Chamber have worked closely for a long time -- and especially in recent months -- to make Tuscarawas County a better place, a place where people can "live well and work smart," as our tagline says. All those baby steps at all those R and E Committee meetings have moved us closer to our goal. We need only compare Tuscarawas County with our neighbors to see we have done pretty well. I'm gratified to have been able to play a small part.
I'll be retiring at the end of September and there is much that I will miss. I'll miss the camaraderie in the office. I'll miss the coffee that Liz always has prepared when I arrive in the morning. I'll miss the tutorials on how to flush the commode in the men's room (which I'm told is about to become the annex to the ladies' room). And I'll miss stuffing my face with the powdered eggs and greasy bacon at the Board of Directors' meetings. Just kidding on that last one!
I leave you with these lines from one of my favorite passages from Ecclesiastics:
Life is fleeting, the passing of moments upon moments.
Moments of planting, moments of uprooting;
Moments of knocking down, moments of building up;
Moments of keeping, moments of discarding;
Moments of embracing, moments of departing.
Moments and the passing of moments - this is life.
Thanks for the great moments so many of you have shared with me.
Loans Available for Local Small Businesses
Crossroads Resource Conservation & Development Council
Below Prime Loans available for local small businesses with under 50 employees
1 job for every $50,000 borrowed needs to created or retained.
Please contact Sandy Chenal, Coordinator at 330.339.9317
How Long Have You Been A Chamber Member?
G. E. Lighting - Dover Products Plant, 01/05/1979 - 28 Years
Union Hospital, 05/01/1979 - 28 Years
Twin City Chamber of Commerce, 05/01/1979 - 28 Years
Dover Chemical, 06/07/1979 - 28 Years
Miller Studio, Inc., 06/27/1979 - 28 Years
First National Bank of Dennison, 08/20/1979 - 28 Years
Miller's Clothing & Shoes, 11/20/1979 - 28 Years
Rex Pipe & Supply, 01/14/1980 - 27 Years
415 Group, 05/01/1980 - 27 Years
Stephenson, Stephenson, Carrothers & Ong, 01/08/1981 - 26 Years
Union Country Club, 01/18/1981 - 26 Years
Hanhart Insurance Agency, Inc., 04/20/1981 - 26 Years
Strasburg Savings, 04/27/1981 - 26 Years
Newcomerstown Chamber of Commerce, 07/20/1981 - 26 Years
Newton Asphalt Paving, Inc., 10/30/1981 - 26 Years
Fenton Brothers Electric Company, 01/04/1982 - 25 Years
Twin Cities Concrete Company, 04/04/1982 - 25 Years
The Gradall Company, 01/29/1982 - 25 Years
Whitemyer Advertising, Inc., 02/09/1982 - 25 Years
Parkway Auto Group, 06/01/1982 - 25 Years
JD Byrider, 06/18/1982 - 25 Years
Dominion, 01/01/1983 - 24 Years
McInturf Realty, 01/26/1983 - 24 Years
Tusco Display Company, 02/14/1983 - 24 Years
Lauren International, 04/29/1983 - 24 Years
Harcatus Tri-County C.A.O., 5/23/1983 - 24 Years
Peterman Plumbing & Heating, Inc., 05/23/1983 - 24 Years
Copeco, Inc., 05/23/1983 - 24 Years
Eckert Brothers, Inc., 05/23/1983 - 24 Years
Ferris Chevrolet, Inc., 05/27/1983 - 24 Years
Henry Heating & Cooling, 05/27/1983 - 24 Years
Moore & Neidenthal, Inc. CPA, 06/10/1983 - 24 Years
The Employment Source, 09/20/1983 - 24 Years
ADAMH of Tuscarawas & Carroll Counties, 11/18/1983 - 24 Years
Thank you very much for your committment and dedication to the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce. We look forward to serving your business for many more years to come.
YPN
green spacesYoung Professionals Network of Tuscarawas Valley is a great way for the under 40 professionals to meet new people and learn about Tuscarawas County.
Great things are coming your way if you are involved in the YP Network of Tuscarawas Valley. On September 27 there is a Lunch and Learn program on Identity Theft to be held at Noon at Union Country Club and for all of you Quaker and Tornadoes fans there will be a tailgate party on October 26 in Dover from 5:00 - 7:00. Stay tuned for details and location on the tailgate festivities, it is sure to be a good time.
Coming in October the YPN Committee will be launching their newsletter with the release of more events and activities. Be sure to stay tuned and if you have any questions or would like to participate just give us a call at 330.343.4474 and ask for Amy.
New Members
Remember - It is good business to do business with Chamber Members. Give them a call today.
Foreign Hills Auto Salvage & Sales
Todd & Donna Wenger
4163 Seibert Hill Road, SW
New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663
330.339.9124
dwenger217@aol.com
Used Cars & Used Car Parts, Mechanical Work
Moore's Telecom, Inc. dba Moore's Communications
Lee Moore
131 North Walnut Street
Gnadenhutten, Ohio 44629
740.254.4758
moorestelecom@earthlink.net
Telephone Systems - Installation & Repair
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of North Central Ohio
Jennifer Polcyn
7838 Township Road 102
Millersburg, Ohio 44654
866.673.6774
mrrooter@polcynbros.com
www.mrrooter.com
Plumbing
P.J.'s Promotions
Tiffini Wright
715 Dale Avenue
Strasburg, Ohio 44680
330.878.1444
twright.pjsproo@yahoo.com
Promotional Products
Precision Entry, Inc.
Ed Mullet
2150 State Route 39
Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681
330.852.4711
Manufacturing
Tal Mac, Ltd.
Georgie Korns
22 Bank Lane
Dover, Ohio 44622
330.343.6165
www.talmac.com
Construction
Thin & Healthy's Total Solution
Kelly Rager
400 Mill Avenue
New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663
330.308.8461
teamsuperfit@yahoo.com
Weight Loss & Vitamins
Tremcar USA, Inc.
Robert Eicher
436 12th Street, NE
Strasburg, Ohio 44680
330.878.7708
eichlrr@tusco.net
Manufacturing
Chamber Study Released
A new national study reveals that membership in a local chamber of commerce can significantly boost a business's image among consumers, as well as among other businesses. In a scientific survey of 2000 U.S. adults, The Schapiro Group, an Atlanta-based strategic consulting firm, found positive perceptions of chamber members in a number of areas, including overall favorability, consumer awareness and reputation, and likelihood of future patronage.
Click here to view the Chamber Study
The study, commissioned by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), IBM, Administaff, Small Business Network, Inc., and Market Street Services, showed that when respondents were told that a particular small business was a member of its local chamber, they were 44 percent more likely to rate it favorably than study respondents who were not told of the chamber affiliation. Respondents were also 63 percent more likely to want to purchase goods or services from a small business that is a chamber member.
"We discovered that informing someone about a company's chamber membership opens the door to substantial increases positive perceptions of that business," said Alex Trouteaud, Ph.D., senior strategist for The Schapiro Group. "There clearly is a feeling by our respondents that chamber membership is synonymous with quality and desirability."
To tap into this reservoir of goodwill, a small business should not only join the local chamber of commerce and participate, but also make sure consumers and other businesses are aware of that chamber affiliation.
The positive impact of perceived chamber membership is felt by big businesses, too. For example, when consumers believed that a restaurant chain was a member of the local chamber of commerce, they were 40 percent more likely to eat at the franchise in the future. And if a consumer believed that one of the major automobile manufacturers was a member of its local chamber, that consumer was 9 percent more likely to consider purchasing his or her next car from that automaker.
"This study reinforces research done in 2005 about the perceived capacity of chambers to lead businesses and lead communities," said Mick Fleming, president of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). "These new national findings point to even more direct benefits for companies willing to be stakeholders in their local chamber."
The study results had good news for chambers themselves, where 82 percent of respondents indicated that a local chamber of commerce "creates jobs and promotes economic development."
"The message from this national study is as simple as it is ground-breaking," said Jim Blasingame, small business expert and president of Small Business Network, Inc. "Join your local chamber, be an active participant in your chamber's programs and be sure to let your customers and prospects know you're a proud chamber supporter when they come in your business and when they see your marketing material."
J. Mac Holladay, CEO of Market Street Services, an economic development consulting firm based in Atlanta that helped create the study, said, "It is refreshing to learn what we have suspected for years -- that chamber membership and community involvement are good investments."
Source - ACCE
Chamber Staff Attend Conferences
In August the chamber president, Jill Becker, attended the national American Chamber of Commerce Executives conference in Sacramento, California. This conference is a great opportunity to learn from other Chamber's around the country and network with peers. We bring back ideas and assess what we are doing and what we need to change and update or possibly do away with.
Amy Nelson, Chamber Vice President, will be attending a Young Professionals Summit in September.
Upcoming Chamber Events (Local Events too!)
SEPTEMBER
Thursday, 13th - Business After Hours, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio
5:00 - 7:00 224 Fair Avenue, NW, New Philadelphia - Register Here!
Friday, 14th - United Way Day of Caring
Monday - Sunday, 17th - 23rd - Tuscarawas County Fair
Tuesday, 18th - Ribbon Cutting at Prestige Creative Marketing, Noon
Thursday, 20th - Annual AgBreakfast at Tuscarawas County Fair, 7:30 am in the Arena, Breakfast catered by Trax Diner. $7.00 per person, please call 330.343.4474 to RSVP
Thursday, 20th - Tuscarawas Valley Safety Council, 11:30 am at Dutch Valley, "Transitional Work: What is it?" Register Here!
Thursday, 27th - YPN event at Union Country Club, Noon, "Identity Theft",
$10.00 per person, call 330.343.4474 to RSVP
Saturday, 29th - Tuscarawas Philharmonic season begins. Click here for details.
OCTOBER
* Don't miss Dracula, at Trumpet in the Land, the first two weekends in October. It is a must see event.
Tuesday, 16th - Business After Hours at Kent State Tuscarawas and co-hosted by the Times-Reporter, 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Thursday, 18th - Tuscarawas Valley Safety Council at Dutch Valley Restaurant, 11:30 am
Check distribution for the members who qualified for 4% discount
Friday, 26th - YPN Dover-New Phila Tailgate Party, 5:00 - 7:00
Governor Honors Ohio Businesses For Superior Exporting
The Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate Allied Machine & Engineering Corporation and the Tuscarawas County Port Authority for receiving the 2007 Governor's Excellence in Exporting Awards.
The Bureau of Workers' Compensation's Medical Only Claim Program is changing once again.
The Medical Only Deductible Program is a program established by the BWC that allows an employer to pay medical expenses up to a certain amount for employees who suffer work-related medical-only injuries.
A short time ago, BWC increased the deductible amount from $1,000 to $5,000. With a recent bill just passed in Ohio, for claims with dates of injury on or after September 10, 2007, this deductible amount will increase to $15,000. While the program deductible limit has been increased, employers do not have to pay up to $15,000. Employers should select a limit that is based on the size of their business and the amount that has the greatest financial benefit. When BWC changed the limit to $5000, CompManagement completed a study, which showed that most of the employers in our group would not benefit by paying over $1000. It is recommended that if you consider increasing your limits that CompManagement review your program to determine the appropriate deductible limit for your business.
While employers do not receive a premium discount for participating in the program, the payments an employer makes directly to medical providers are not included in the employer's experience rating. This decrease in claim costs charged to the experience can help in decreasing workers' compensation premium rates.
If you are interested in learning more about this program or are interested in seeing how the increase may impact your rates, please contact CompManagement's Rating and Underwriting Department at 1-800-825-6755.
Business of the Quarter
Fenton Brothers Electric
Congratulations on being named Business of the Quarter and for providing great service and quality products for 60 years to the residents of Tuscarawas County. Fenton Brothers Electric has been a member of the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce since January 4, 1982. Thank you!
Fenton Brothers Electric is another great success story of a quality family owned and operated business right here in Tuscarawas County. Thank you for lighting the way Fenton Family. We appreciate your hard work and dedication and look forward to another 60 years of quality service.
You can check out the website at www.fentonbros.com
Jill Becker
Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce
