Strictly Business
Happy New Year!
2008 is going to be another great year for the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce. We continue to change and evolve and strive to bring the community a package of events, programs, resources, and benefits that will assist in making Tuscarawas County a great place to live, work and play.
I would like to thank several of our board members whose terms have expired. Rick Bloom Sr., Shane Sexton, Wendy Zucal, and David Triplett. Your time and commitment is truly appreciated - Thank You!
We are experiencing some changes with the Board of Directors, we currently have 12 directors and 11 community partners. The directors were involved in development training in December and we are working toward re-organizing our by-laws and changing the committee structure of the board.
If you are looking for volunteer opportunities in 2008 please give me a call. The Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce has several committee's that may be of interest to you. We have a Legislative Committee, Retention and Expansion Committee, Membership Ambassadors, and Communications. The Tuscarawas Valley Safety Council and the Young Professionals Network are also programs that you may want to become involved in by attending their events and programs which are always listed on our website at www.tuschamber.com
The staff at the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce looks forward to working with you in 2008. Please give us a call with any questions, comments, and/or suggestions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you.
Wishing you and your business a great 2008,
Jill R. McCartney-Becker, IOM
President
Internet Scam Alert
It has come to the attention of BWC that an alarming Internet message is being emailed to numerous Ohio businesses with the subject line titled, "Payroll Fraud Case #863538 Tax Evasion." The message, addressed from a company called National Payroll Reporting Consortium, Inc. (NPRC), accuses the business of misrepresenting worker classification and payroll to fraudulently lower its workers' compensation premiums. Be aware that BWC is not a party to this message.
Please advise your members of this suspected scam, and that they should NOT respond to this solicitation for information.
Tuscarawas County Bicentinnial
The year 2008 will be a very special one for Tuscarawas County for we will be celebrating our 200th year of existence as a county! The Tuscarawas County Commissioners have begun organizing efforts in order to recognize this milestone by appointing Tuscarawas County community residents to a Bicentennial Committee.
This committee has been meeting since July of 2007 putting together a strategic plan which outlines the events and programs which will be used to celebrate our Bicentennial. We have already developed a logo and a theme which will be used for the celebration: "Celebrating 200 Years of Community - Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow."
The committee is now in the process of implementing the various aspects of the strategic plan. Beginning on January 1st, the Times Reporter is including in its publication a daily Bicentennial Fact describing an event from our past. On February 13th, the County Commissioners will be traveling to Columbus to receive proclamations from the House and the Senate recognizing the day in which the state created Tuscarawas County!
On March 29th the county will be crowning the Tuscarawas County Bicentennial Queen at the Queen's contest to be held at our own Kent State Campus. The Tuscarawas County Commissioners will be recreating the first commissioners meeting on April 16th, the very day 200 years ago that the original meeting was held! That original meeting was held in an upstairs room at Leininger's Tavern but the event will be held in a courtroom in the Tuscarawas County Courthouse. Period costumes will be worn along with the Commissioners arriving on horseback for the re-enactment! The reenactment will begin at 5:00 PM after which the Commissioners will host an Open House in the courthouse and annex with numerous historical displays.
During the summer the committee is working to get the various cities, villages, townships, and festivals to include some recognition or event to commemorate the Bicentennial.
Finally, on Sunday, October 12th at the Tuscarawas County Fairgrounds we will be hosting a Bicentennial Homecoming event which will include historical exhibits, entertainment, Bicentennial parade and concluding the festivities with a spectacular fireworks show!
This is where we could use your assistance. Please consider partnering with the Tuscarawas County Commissioners and the Bicentennial committee in any number of ways to assist in making our Bicentennial a memorable event. If you are interested, please call Jane Clay at (330)-365-3240 for more information on the various ways you can help to make this once in a lifetime event an exciting, educational, and successful 200th Birthday party!
T2020 Background Overview
On October 14th, 2004, hundreds of volunteers gathered for a day-long brainstorming session intended to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Tuscarawas Valley. The result was the compilation of thousands of wants and needs believed to affect every aspect of life in Tuscarawas County. After weeks of review, those needs were painstakingly reviewed and meticulously organized - with five major areas of interest consistently rising to the top of the list. Leaders were chosen for those five task teams - and the Tuscarawas 2020 effort was launched. Under the direction of Gregg Andrews (Kent State University Tuscarawas), Harry Eadon (Tuscarawas County Port Authority), Susan Hagloch (retired) and Bill Harding (Union Hospital), Mike Hovan (Edgetech, I.G.) ,and Wendy Zucal (Dennison Railroad Depot & Museum), sub-teams were created within the five major categories of Education & Workforce Training, Jobs, Quality of Life, Technology and Tourism. Don Gibson (LinkPoint Planning) facilitated many of the team leader and sub-team sessions.
On October 31st, 2005, the Tuscarawas County Commissioners signed Resolution 073-2005 supporting the creation of the Tuscarawas 2020 task team - a team designed to construct a detailed strategic vision for Tuscarawas County. Since then, many other influential groups have pledged support to the Tuscarawas 2020 efforts. To date, vision implementation partners (VIPs) include Buckeye Career Center, Convention & Visitors Bureau of Tuscarawas County, Community Improvement Corporation of Tuscarawas County, Kent State University Tuscarawas, Occupational Medical Center of Tuscarawas County, Tuscarawas County Board of Commissioners, Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce, Tuscarawas County Port Authority, Tusco Display and United Way of Tuscarawas County. In addition, financial support from Historic Canal Dover Association, Sugarcreek Business Association, the county chamber, the county commissioners, the C.I.C., the C.V.B., the port authority and Union Hospital has fueled phase two of the T2020 marketing/branding efforts.
As we move forward with Tuscarawas 2020, it is imperative that residents and business folks actively participate in this blueprint for the region's growth, development and prosperity. For more information about Tuscarawas 2020, visit us online at www.tusc2020.com - or contact the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce at (330) 343-4474.
2020 Marketing Committe
On October 14th, 2004, hundreds of volunteers gathered for a day-long brainstorming session intended to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the Tuscarawas Valley. The result was the compilation of thousands of wants and needs believed to affect every aspect of life in Tuscarawas County. After weeks of review, those needs were painstakingly reviewed and meticulously organized - with five major areas of interest consistently rising to the top of the list. Leaders were chosen for those five task teams - and the Tuscarawas 2020 effort was launched. Under the direction of Gregg Andrews (Kent State University Tuscarawas), Harry Eadon (Tuscarawas County Port Authority), Susan Hagloch (retired) and Bill Harding (Union Hospital), Mike Hovan (Edgetech, I.G.) ,and Wendy Zucal (Dennison Railroad Depot & Museum), sub-teams were created within the five major categories of Education & Workforce Training, Jobs, Quality of Life, Technology and Tourism. Don Gibson (LinkPoint Planning) facilitated many of the team leader and sub-team sessions.
On October 31st, 2005, the Tuscarawas County Commissioners signed Resolution 073-2005 supporting the creation of the Tuscarawas 2020 task team - a team designed to construct a detailed strategic vision for Tuscarawas County. Since then, many other influential groups have pledged support to the Tuscarawas 2020 efforts. To date, vision implementation partners (VIPs) include Buckeye Career Center, Convention & Visitors Bureau of Tuscarawas County, Community Improvement Corporation of Tuscarawas County, Kent State University Tuscarawas, Occupational Medical Center of Tuscarawas County, Tuscarawas County Board of Commissioners, Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce, Tuscarawas County Port Authority, Tusco Display and United Way of Tuscarawas County. In addition, financial support from Historic Canal Dover Association, Sugarcreek Business Association, the county chamber, the county commissioners, the C.I.C., the C.V.B., the port authority and Union Hospital has fueled phase two of the T2020 marketing/branding efforts.
As we move forward with Tuscarawas 2020, it is imperative that residents and business folks actively participate in this blueprint for the region's growth, development and prosperity. For more information about Tuscarawas 2020, visit us online at www.tusc2020.com - or contact the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce at (330) 343-4474.
Tuscarawas County Center for Strategic Partnerships
From Tusc 2020 came 115 strategic principles, which if adopted and implemented, will help create our future throughout Tuscarawas County. The principles are goals organized into 5 broad categories - jobs, education and workforce training, quality of life, technology, and tourism. Various entities across the county are already implementing some of them. More start-ups lie ahead. A matrix of the all the strategic principles and a plan with a brief description of each are shown at www.tusc2020.com. To chart where we go from here, consider the following:
1. How many Tusc 2020 strategic principles are already adopted as goals by organizations, we don't know. There is currently no mechanism in place to centrally track such efforts. Hence, the need for the Center for Strategic Partnerships (CSP).
2. What companies, organizations or citizens make a good match to adopt each strategic principle, based on their own goals? Each principle shown on the website includes one or more possible implementers, suggested by the 2020 sub-team that created it. A primary CSP role is to contact potential implementers to determine interest, capabilities and timing realities. To support this process, the CSP will offer exploratory and creative brainstorming facilitation services. Upon adopting strategic principles as a goal, potential implementers are identified as vision implementation partners (VIP).
3. Just how many job, education and workforce training, quality of life, technology, and tourism projects could be strengthened through a collaborative effort of two or more VIPs? "Many," said the Tusc 2020 leadership team led by Harry Eadon, when it assembled the list. Pooled know-how and efficiencies from joint VIPs, merged projects, and shared resources are yet to be discovered through the collaborative idea engine of the CSP.
4. Further, since Tusc 2020 first published the original strategic principles, more issues have surfaced. New problems, ideas, and opportunities will continue to emerge. While some are naturally addressed by various entities in our infrastructures, most remain un-navigated roads to advancing Tuscarawas County. The CSP will seek to identify and catalog new strategic principles, constantly maintaining an updated list of growth and improvement opportunities.
Tuscarawas County's creative and logical problem solvers are out there as companies, organizations, or individuals - some a natural fit for our identified strategic principles - yet to be linked. Many potential VIPs are not aware of the issues, or the extent of the issues. Many are not being asked for insight or help. Dots are not being connected.
That is why, to implement Tusc 2020, the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce created the CSP - to help link problems and opportunities with implementers - and to link potential implementers as partners. The CSP will not adopt strategic principles of its own, as a VIP.
The CSP is midway through its creation phase now in January of 2008. Incorporation and 501C3 status are pending. A board is appointed. Funding and staffing plans are developing. We hope operations can begin sometime in the 3rd quarter of 2008.
Students Looking for Work
Dear Chamber Members,
Trying to address the needs of all students and providing the best educational options is always a continuous process. As a guidance counselor at Dover High School, I am searching for a way to address the need for employment opportunities for our students. Since the beginning of this school year, there have been number of students inquiring about employment opportunities. These include students looking for specific skilled opportunities to coincide with the vocational training they are receiving at Buckeye Career Center; students looking for employment for after graduation; as well as, students looking for entry - level part time work. The Chamber may be a great tool regarding employment opportunities. If area employers are looking to hire and would notify me of these positions, I can relay this information to students or assist in directing qualified persons to you. Thank you for your time and consideration. I can be contacted by email at grimmm@dover.k12.oh.us
or phone at 330-343-6587.
Sincerely,
Michelle Grimm
Guidance Counselor
Dover High School
2007 Small Business and Organization of the Year
The Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the winners of the 2007 Small Business of the Year and 2007 Organization of the Year. A committee of past award recipients and community leaders made the selections.
The Budget has been chosen as the 2007 Small Business of the Year. Tuscarawas Chamber President, Jill McCartney-Becker, comments "The Budget is an outstanding example of a business that becomes a part of the community." Since 1890 The Budget has been providing a weekly paper in the Sugarcreek area. It has seen a 15% increase in subscribers over the past years with 10,500 locally and 20,000 nationally. The staff of The Budget participates in many community based activities including the Sugarcreek Business Association, Garaway Education Foundation, the Gateway project for downtown Sugarcreek, Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce and many more.
Union Hospital Auxiliary has been selected as the 2007 Organization of the Year. "For nearly sixty years the members of the Union Hospital Auxiliary have been important contributors to the health of the residents of Tuscarawas County," stated Chamber President McCartney-Becker. The dollars they provide are one way to measure the success and value of the Union Hospital Auxiliary. Another measure is to look at the hospital that serves our community. The new facilities and technology available to us today have made Union Hospital one of the leading community hospitals in the State of Ohio. This is possible because of strong community support including the tireless efforts, loyalty, and enthusiasm of the members of the Union Hospital Auxiliary. The Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors would like to congratulate The Budget as 2007 Tuscarawas County Small Business of the Year and Union Hospital Auxiliary as 2007 Tuscarawas County Organization of the Year.
The prestigious community awards will be honored at the Chamber's Annual Awards Banquet on Tuesday, January 22, 2008 at McDonald/Marlite Conference Center. In addition to the above mentioned awards we will also be naming the 2007 Hall of Fame and Citizen of of the Year, 2007 Educator of the Year and the 2007 Volunteer of the Year. Sponsors for this event include AEP; Boltaron Performance Products; Lauren International; Spherion; Meteor Sealing Systems; Advantage Bank; Moore & Neidenthal, Inc.; Krugliak, Wilkins, Griffiths & Dougherty, Inc.; First Federal Community Bank; Truck Sales & Service Company; and Huntington Bank. For more information, call the Tuscarawas County Chamber of Commerce at 330-343-4474. Reservations are necessary for the banquet and need to be made by January 16. Register Here.
