Columbus Chamber Blog: Information about economic development, economic and business trends, Columbus workforce, programs, events and the Chamber of Commerce in and around Columbus, OH

Columbus Chamber Supports State Issues 1 and 2

By Steve Tugend, Vice President of Government Relations

Early voting begins today for the May 4 primary election ballot. As you consider the issues, remember that the Columbus Chamber supports State Issues 1 and 2.

If adopted, State Issue 1 would renew the Ohio Third Frontier program by authorizing the state of Ohio to issue $700 million in bonds to support economic development initiatives. The Third Frontier was founded on the commitment to shape the future Ohio’s economy through a balanced portfolio of programs to support research and commercialization, entrepreneurial assistance, cluster development, and expansion of the talent pool. Created in 2002, the program’s 10-year initial life and a bipartisan commitment of $1.6 billion will expire in June 2012. The May ballot issue would extend that to June 2016.

This program is good for business and good for Ohio because it builds on the state's strengths in technology and innovation to create high-wage jobs, new growth companies, and globally competitive products.

The Chamber also supports State Issue 2, the proposal to change the address where a Columbus-area casino can be located. Because of the passage of State Issue 3 in November 2009, current law requires that a casino built in Columbus must be built in the city’s Arena District. 

The Columbus Chamber opposed State Issue 3. Following its passage, we urged state and local lawmakers to work with Penn National Gaming for a solution that would ensure that a casino would not be located in the Arena District and also honor the will of Ohio’s electorate by finding an alternative location in the Columbus region that was suitable to host a casino.

Earlier this month, it was announced that the city of Columbus, Penn National Gaming, and Franklin Township had agreed to locate the Columbus-based casino on property that borders on the west side of Columbus. The property was formerly occupied by a Delphi factory. 

The Chamber believes our community should be able to decide where a casino would be located. By changing the location to the Delphi site, a property that was shuttered due to the painful transition in the auto industry can now receive hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and be transformed into a business that will attract tourists from outside our region.

Experience Columbus, the Columbus Partnership and leaders including Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Franklin County Commissioner John O'Grady also support Issue 2.

Member Spotlight: Dematic

About Dematic: Dematic helps customers reduce operating costs by streamlining processes and improving the speed and accuracy of goods through the warehouse. Dematic is a world leader in providing solutions to distribution, warehousing, and manufacturing industries. Our solutions range from voice recognition technology to highly-automated turnkey solutions featuring fully sequenced order assembly systems. We listen to our customers' needs and work closely with them to develop cost-effective solutions that meet their objectives, support short- and long-term business goals, and provide a strong return on investment.
 
Why We’re Chamber Members: To make connections and develop relationships with others in the Columbus area whose focus is to create a robust and highly competitive logistics and distribution environment in our region.

Fun Facts about Dematic:

• With more than 10,000 systems installed worldwide, Dematic has been helping customers improve their operations for more than 30 years.
• Dematic’s first power conveyor in the 1950s led to equipment for distributing military supplies and eventually to the distribution of consumer goods.
• In the 1960s Dematic developed high speed sortation systems making possible the mechanized distribution of consumer goods.
• Dematic pioneered pick-to-light for the distribution industry to improve both accuracy and productivity for filling orders.
• Dematic’s local customers include Eddie Bauer, Bare Escentuals, Exel/Toys R Us, Tween Brands, The Limited, and Abercrombie Fitch.

Featured Product/Service: Dematic  provides supply chain consulting, designs, manufactures, integrates, implements, and supports automated material handling solutions that reduce operational costs while optimizing supply chain performance. For more information visit www.dematic.us.

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on member organizations, their presence in the Columbus region, what they do, and how they’ve involved at the Chamber. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

“Just an intern.” Don’t ever think it!

By Dave Cofer, Columbus Chamber Intern Consultant

Whether you are an intern or an employer that hosts interns, I hope that you take notice to this post. Now, more than ever, interns can serve as a great source of innovation for the employers they are working for. Every organization, big and small, for-profit and non-profit, is challenged with how they can operate better. This may come in the form of doing more with less, improving efficiency, driving down expenses, increasing productivity or raising customer satisfaction. It all comes back to the same thing: how do they get better? Well, who better to task with that charge than an intern (or for that matter, all of your interns)?

Let me be clear, I am not suggesting that employers start to bring interns in solely under the heading of “find ways for us to be better.” However, it should be included as an area of responsibility in addition to their “regular duties.” Why is this so important?  Ever heard the phrase “virgin eyes”?  Well, interns have them. They don’t know a sacred cow from a legitimately tried and true process.  They don’t know what questions or ways of thinking are taboo or “inappropriate.”  They have no assumptions about “the one right way” of doing something. They only have questions. As an employer, embrace this.  Embrace the heck out of it!  Listen to what they have to say. When warranted, and this is most important, act on what they have to say.

I’m not suggesting that you should act blindly. Build the business case, perform the required due diligence, etc. But do take action!  If you don’t, you risk two things. First, you risk the engagement levels and overall performance of your interns. If you ask for their input and get them excited about the opportunity to respond only to ignore what they have to say, well, that’s a sure-fire way to turn them and lead them to become disengaged. Second, if you fail to act on their suggestions, who knows what opportunity you might be missing out on to make your business better (remember, that was the point!).

Employers, here’s one last thing to keep in mind when it comes to the benefit of thinking of your interns in this capacity. When it comes to getting better, it often requires calling into question and asking hard questions about how it is that you’re doing business today. There’s a really good chance that the people who designed and implemented those processes and thought they were the best ideas available at the time are the very people within your organization today making key decisions about your company’s future (heck, you may even be one of them). Think about how hard it is for you to now dissect these processes and think of new ways of doing things. By no means is it impossible, and with a structured, disciplined approach to performance improvement, you could probably get there. But along the way, don’t miss out on a great opportunity to leverage the insights of your interns. You are so close to what you do that sometimes all it takes is someone new to call-out and identify opportunities to improve.

For interns, take what I’m saying to heart even if your employer fails to explicitly identify this as an area of responsibility for you. Why, you ask?  First, it’s a sure-fire way to stand apart from your peers. After ensuring that you are exceeding expectations as it relates to your regularly assigned tasks and responsibilities (This is so key; you don’t want to be out brainstorming new ways of doing things, only to compromise your “regular” work. In most environments, this would be bad!), take on the added responsibility of looking for new and better ways of doing things.

Trust me, it sounds like a lot of extra work, but it really will come to you far easier than you think. You have the benefit of being completely new to the environment, and if you simply make a conscious point of being on the lookout for improvement opportunities, they will come to you. Now, here’s a little secret. It’s not as simple as going to your supervisor or manager and saying “I know how you guys can be better” at your jobs. You’ll have to do a little more than that. Also, when asked to support your recommendations, if you use words like “I think,” “probably,” “I like this way better,” etc. be prepared for a less than supportive response.

You have to bring data. Tell your employer that you have already developed the “business case” to support your ideas; they’ll love it. The business case represents the facts to support your idea. Be able to demonstrate how your recommendation improves the business by influencing a key performance driver / metric. What are these?  Typically they deal with things related to service, cost and quality. Think of it as an experiment. Formulate your hypothesis (if you do x, y outcome will be achieved). Test your hypothesis.  Absent a “lab” where you can actually perform the test, gather current state and/or historical data, formulate fact-driven assumptions about how the introduction of your recommendation would change the environment and produce a new set of outcomes. Present your findings and voila, you’re a superstar.

Now, is it really that simple?  Well, probably not. But if you commit to doing these things, here’s the worst that will have happen: 1.) You will have fully committed yourself to your employer.  2.) You will have done all that you could to advance their business and make them better. 3.) At the end of your assignment you can walk away feeling very proud of the work that you performed. Not all bad if you ask me.

Employers wanting to learn more about how they can start an internship program can attend upcoming workshops and webinars hosted by the Columbus Chamber. Visit www.columbus.org to view the schedule and register for a session. Or visit www.columbusinternships.com to post a position today.

Member Spotlight: Culbridge

About Culbridge: Culbridge provides solutions that enable international individuals with professional tools and skills essential to growth and success in the U.S. business environment.

THE NEED: International individuals often face significant roadblocks in their career because they do not possess the necessary professional communication skills and requisite understanding of U.S. business culture. Our professional experience shows that what separates those who succeed from the rest is most often their ability to communicate on a professional level and effectively navigate the business culture, rather than their level of expertise in a given field.

OUR SOLUTION: Culbridge solutions have been developed from the ground up, and largely based on our team’s collective professional experience. Each member of our team has managed or faced the same challenges on a personal or professional level and in some cases both. Our proprietary curriculum design is the foundation for all our offerings, and we use an environment-based training approach to ensure individuals finish our programs with new and tangible skills that impact their lives and careers.

OUR CUSTOMERS: We have four primary customer channels including individuals, businesses, and higher education. We also have a “Business Launch Accelerator” program that enables entrepreneurs to accelerate realization of their business goals by providing them access to our team of experts and trusted business partners.

Why We’re Chamber Members: We joined the Columbus Chamber for two reasons. First, is the obvious value the Chamber can bring to our company. The network of services and contacts available to us through the Chamber significantly accelerates our ability to reach our customers and execute our business model. Second, we want to be involved in the business community here in Columbus. Not only from the standpoint of how our involvement helps Culbridge, but how we can add value as well. We truly want to translate our experience and success into value for others, whether that is through a service Culbridge provides or work we can do solely for the welfare of the community.

Featured Product/Service: Culbridge has multiple product/service offerings that we are very passionate about, and at the same time they are all based on the same proprietary design and overall mission for enabling international individuals. What we’re most excited about is the value proposition for multiple customers. For example, our workforce development programs are designed to bring value to businesses and other organizations that employ or utilize a diverse, multi-cultural/multi-national resource pool. Whether a company leverages offshore operations or has a strong international presence within their domestic/onshore workforce, ensuring consistent and efficient communication within teams, to leadership, and most importantly to customers, is extremely challenging. Our solutions enable these organizations to transform the resource pool into assets that drive business value, increase customer satisfaction, and enable competitive advantage for the organization. For more information visit www.culbridgecorp.com

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on member organizations, their presence in the Columbus region, what they do, and how they’ve involved at the Chamber. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

Columbus is a Terrific Place to be a Young Professional

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

Earlier this week, Portfolio.com/Bizjournals announced the results of a study in which they analyzed the nation’s 67 metros with populations above 750,000, searching for qualities that would appeal to workers in their 20s and early 30s. Minneapolis-St. Paul and Columbus were tops in the Midwest. This is one of many accolades our region has received recently. Just in the last few months, Marysville was named one of the most affordable suburbs in America by Bloomberg Business Week. Columbus ranked as one of America’s top wired cities and as a top housing market by Forbes. Delaware County was Forbes magazine’s #2 place to get ahead, Dublin was named one of the top seven international intelligent communities, and Monster said Columbus was among top cities for finding an entry-level job. On the other end of the spectrum, U.S. News and World Report said Columbus is one of America’s best affordable places to retire.

 

I could go on and on! I’m a life-long Columbus resident, and I think these reports confirm what we’ve known all along. The Columbus region offers the best of everything!

 

As the young professionals manager for the Columbus Chamber, I’m responsible for connecting and engaging young talent in the Columbus region. And I’m eager to share why I think central Ohio is tops for young professionals (YPs). Here are my top five reasons (in no particular order):

• Diversity. There's a noticeable respect for diversity whether it's religious, racial, sexual orientation, age, art, personal tastes, or other opinions and ways of life. Columbus embraces cultural diversity in its community leaders, businesses, arts and entertainment scene. The city is accepting of new people and new ideas as it's comprised mostly of  individuals who grew up outside of Columbus (fondly dubbed as "transplants").

• Easy to get connected. You have the ability to get engaged at any level. If you so desire, your professional and social calendar could be filled with a variety of events each week, be it events hosted by YP, professional and networking organizations, civic and cultural activities, festivals, or sporting events. If you are looking to get connected to network, socialize, volunteer and keep a pulse on the community, check out the directory of young professional and professional organizations. In addition, I recommend that you sign up to receive Activities and Events for Young Professionals, a weekly email with information that may be of interest to YPs.

• Living is easy. I appreciate how easy it is to make a life here. The cost of living is reasonable, travel time between locations is minimal, and the central location allows easy access to other cities inside and outside of Ohio. Whether you want to live in an urban, suburban or rural area; commute via car, public transportation or bicycle; or be close to shopping, green spaces or schools, Columbus has you covered.  

• Opportunity. Job opportunities. Educational opportunities. Entrepreneurial opportunities. Opportunities to make a difference. You can achieve what you want here. For job opportunities, be sure to explore Ohio Means Jobs. The Ohio Board of Regents is a tremendous resource for information on the state's educational opportunities. The Ohio Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides entrepreneurial development assistance and high-end business consulting to start-up and emerging business owners free of charge. TechColumbus helps start-ups grow, too. Volunteer opportunities of all kinds are abundant in our area. To learn more about them, please refer to number two above.

• Infinite number of places to see and things to do. Yes, even for non-Buckeye fans. There seems to always be a new restaurant or business to check out. I especially love the free festivals, concerts and performances such as the Columbus Arts Festival, Downtown LIVE! Summer Concert Series and Shakespeare in the Park. To see what's going on weekly in Columbus, pick up a free copy of Columbus alive! at newsstands or check out the listings on the Experience Columbus web site.

What does everyone else have to say? To hear why other YPs love to live, work and play in Columbus, check out the videos on the Chamber's YouTube channel. Better yet, join in the discussion and post your own video or add a comment on our blog.

 

Member Spotlight: The Village Network

About The Village Network - Columbus: The Village Network (TVN) has focused on shaping productive, responsible youth for over 60 years with an award-winning history of success. TVN operates two Columbus locations serving local troubled and traumatized boys and girls. For nearly 14 years, TVN-Columbus has worked with families, support agencies and the community to provide day treatment, foster and respite care and community-based counseling to the area’s most vulnerable youth. The newest TVN-Columbus foster care program is community-based care for sibling groups.

Why We’re Members: One of the best ways to connect with the Columbus communities we serve is through our Chamber membership. We find the Chamber’s program series very helpful and the networking opportunities are numerous. Both help TVN grow as an organization. Exposure through the Chamber has expanded our appreciation for the variety and depth of businesses in Columbus.

Fun Facts about The Village Network: The Poth Road location was previously a bustling site for The Kroger Company.

For more information, visit www.thevillagenetwork.org and connect with TVN on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn.

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on member businesses, their presence in the Columbus Region, what they do and how they’ve involved at the Chamber. To submit your member business for a member spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

YOU ARE INVITED: Columbus Region Logistics Industry Job and Internship Fair

The Columbus Region Logistics Council, an initiative of the Columbus Chamber, invites employers and job seekers to a Logistics Industry Job and Internship Fair.

DATE: March 26, 2010
TIME: 9 a.m. - noon
LOCATION: CSCC's Center for Workforce Development, 315 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio

The logistics industry is very important in the Columbus region, and it currently accounts for 13.8 percent of the non-public workforce here. It is expected to continue to grow. The industry covers many facets, from entry level to mid-management and leadership positions. Among the most needed and available positions in the industry include:

- Operations managers and supervisors
- Facilities and maintenance leadership
- Compliance coordinators
- Program managers
- Business developers
- Drivers and warehouse workers
- Office administrators and customer service
- Pricing and track and trace

The Columbus Region Logistics Council and the Columbus Chamber are working together to support the growth of this industry. Industry experts recognize the need to assist job seekers and employers in matchmaking.

Email Erin Henson at ehenson@aldenlaw.net to register.

Confirmed employers included:

- The Limited
- I-Cat Logistics
- MORPC
- ODW Logistics
- Cardinal Health
- Pacer International
- McGraw-Hill

Other community partners include:

- Columbus State Community College
- OhioMeansJobs.com

Member Spotlight: Lamit Industries

About Lamit Industries: Lamit Industries has been producing structural insulated panel (SIPs) since 1989. We’ve been at the same location on Columbus’ southside since our doors opened. We’re the sister company of Tectum Inc., located in Newark, Ohio. Our customers include residential and commercial builders, several national restaurant chains, and patio /sunroom markets to name a few.

 

Why We’re Chamber Members: We wanted to become more involved with the community and other local businesses, as well as raise our company profile in and around central Ohio. Not many people know we are here producing a green building friendly product that is great for residential and commercial buildings.

 

Fun Facts About Our Company: More than 50 percent of Lamit’s full-time employees have been with the company between 10-20 years! We are one of the largest contract laminators in the country, producing over two million square feet per year.

 

Featured Product/Service: SIPs are high-performance building panels for walls, roofs, and floors in residential and commercial buildings. Each panel is made using expanded polystyrene (EPS) sandwiched between two structural skins of oriented strand board (OSB).

 

SIPs are starting to catch on with builders and homeowners in and around central Ohio. They are proven to reduce energy bills by 50-70 percent because the structure is 15 times tighter than traditional stick framed construction. We have design and engineering capabilities to go along with superior customer service. Our sales manager and technical director personally visits every job site.

 

For more information visit www.lamitindustries.com.

Young Professionals Spotlight: ASCEND: The Black Professional Association of Columbus

Each month, the Columbus Chamber spotlights a local young professional or professional organization to showcase what they offer, how to get involved and when to check out their next event. For the month of March, ASCEND: The Black Professional Association of Columbus is featured.

When and why was ASCEND started?

ASCEND began in February 2008 as a monthly networking mixer for young African American professionals in Columbus. The goal was to help individuals develop business and social relationships, and ultimately build a supportive community of entrepreneurs and businesspeople.

Why should I become a member?

If you enjoy meeting new people, learning about resources that will be helpful to your career, and are interested in making a positive contribution in your community, you'll enjoy being a member of ASCEND. Membership is free and open to the public. We still host our monthly roundtable and networking reception, as well as other events throughout the year.

Our events help you build new relationships, and provide information that's helpful to your career or business. If you were to ask a member about what our meetings are like, they'd say that ASCEND is a very welcoming environment for people of all backgrounds and career levels, and that the people you'll meet are genuinely interested in helping you succeed professionally.

How do I become a member?

Membership is free, and our monthly roundtable is open to the public without a registration fee. To become a member, simply visit our website at www.ascendbpac.com, or sign up at one of our events.

Tell me about your upcoming events.

Our March roundtable is going to be a great event for small business owners and entrepreneurs. We'll be presenting information about free resources available online, as well as organizations that provide consulting and development support for small business.

We're working with our partners to coordinate our April and May events, which will focus on marketing and branding tips for small business, and effective career search strategies for young professionals.

What are some successes or cool facts about ASCEND?

ASCEND has been growing steadily since our inception in 2008. We're expanding our focus from networking and relationship, so that we can offer more educational and professional development opportunities for young professionals. We'll also be reaching out to the community at large, by providing information about personal finance and home ownership.

One of the biggest misconceptions about ASCEND is that membership and participation is limited to African-Americans. We're an inclusive organization, and we encourage people of all backgrounds to participate. For business, government, and nonprofit leaders who would like stronger representation and presence in urban neighborhoods, it's a great way to reach key influencers within the city of Columbus. If you're in an HR or recruitment role, we're also a direct connection to diverse, talented young professionals looking to grow in their career fields.

Where can I go to learn more?

Please visit our website at www.ascendbpac.org to learn more about us and to RSVP for our upcoming events. We're also on Facebook and LinkedIn, so be sure to add us to your network.

To learn about nearly 60 other local YP and professional organizations, view the Columbus Chamber's directory of YP and professional organizations.

Did you know there are financial incentives and other benefits available to companies who hire individuals with disabilities? 

Get information and details about hiring individuals with disabilities by attending a breakfast hosted by the Ohio Business Leadership Network (BLN). The Mission of the Ohio BLN is to provide employers with valuable information and resources enabling them to enhance their diversity initiative through successful recruitment, selection, training, and retention of a workforce that includes qualified individuals with disabilities. Learn more about:

- Business Leadership Network
- Benefits of membership to employers
- Free upcoming trainings and professional development activities

Jewish Family Services extends an invitation to all local employers to attend the Business Leadership Network Breakfast. Learn how you can tap into more resources for hiring and retaining individuals with disabilities. Find out how local employer partners can share resources to get the best talent! 
 
WHEN: March 9, 2010 from 8:30-10:30 am
WHERE: The Capital Club’s Ambassador Room, 41 South High Street (Huntington Building downtown)
PARK: Huntington Center Parking Garage recommended (approx. parking cost is $4)
HOW MUCH: The event is free to attend
RSVP: Online here
 
If you have questions, contact Lora Fish (LFish@jfscolumbus.org or 614/559.0161) at Jewish Family Services.

Hope to see you there!