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

Green Member Spotlight: Get-U-Connected and GreenPages

By Chaz Freutel

I started Get-U-Connected to help entrepreneurs get connected with the products, services, and professional connections they need to be successful. I am privileged to serve The Dublin Entrepreneurial Center (DEC), as the Site Manager and Events Administrator, and Marysville Entrepreneurial Center, to help attract entrepreneurs to the facility and provide small business resources.

Why you are a chamber member: The Columbus Chamber is the central resource in the Columbus region for economic development. In addition, it helps small employers to have a strong voice with their government representatives. The Columbus Chamber was the first organization my company joined!

Fun fact about your company: My first clients were realized through Columbus Chamber relationships.

Featured green product or service: Recently purchased the GreenPages business directory. This publication is the go-to resource for all that is green in the Columbus Region. The next edition will feature two new sections – 1. Local Community Green Initiatives; and 2. How To’s for both the homeowner and business looking to go green.

For more information, visit www.get-u-connected.com.

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on our member organizations. In April 2010, we featured Green members in honor of Earth Day. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

Member Spotlight: Yamada & Nemecek

Yamada & Nemecek, LLP is a full-service immigration law firm with offices in Columbus, Ohio and Los Angeles, California.  We provide representation to clients in the following areas:  employment-based immigration, corporate immigration compliance, family immigration, and litigation before the U.S. Department of Justice.

Why We’re Chamber Members: In addition to providing critical support to businesses and community organizations, the Chamber is an incredible resource of energy for the Columbus area.  Its tireless work in attracting new investments, retaining existing businesses and promoting growth is key to the success of our community as a whole.  Chamber Membership is an excellent way for our firm become a part of the Chamber's momentum and contribute to its efforts in improving the workforce.

Featured Product/Service: Yamada & Nemecek, LLP deeply appreciates the value of foreign workers to the local and national economies.  As such, we are passionate about our work in providing employers and foreign nationals with highly effective legal representation throughout every stage of the immigration process.  Our in-depth knowledge of the laws coupled with our industry-specific experience in a wide range of industries enables us to deliver first-rate solutions in a time efficient manner.  We understand that every case is different.  For each of our clients, Yamada & Nemecek designs customized legal strategies, case management systems and compliance measures.  Whether your organization is a multinational conglomerate or a small firm seeking to grow through foreign talent, we are committed to meeting your business and immigration needs. For more information visit our Web site ynfirm.com or our blog ynfirm.com/blog/

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on our member organizations. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

Appreciation for Cultural Diversity in the Columbus Community

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

In my last post, I offered that our community's diversity is one reason that central Ohio is tops for young professionals. There are several local young professional and professional organizations that promote cultural awareness and celebrate diversity. I recently attended a young professionals’ event hosted by one such organization, the National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP) Columbus. James Sun, a self-made millionaire, successful entrepreneur, national TV star, film producer, and a community activist, spoke candidly about his experiences on "The Apprentice" and gave advice on how to achieve success. I was particularly intrigued to attend this event as I am Asian-American myself, as well as a fan of "The Apprentice" and "The Celebrity Apprentice."

After attending this event, I am reminded to be alert to cultural tendencies to avoid unnecessary miscommunication or conflict when interacting with people from other cultures. I try to take advantage of opportunities to explore the wide variety of cultural opportunities in our diverse community and in the world so that I can be more aware of how we all act, react and interact with others. I hope you do the same.

 

Having said that, I can recall a time that I met an individual from another culture and was unsure how to greet, dine and conduct business with that individual. Can you? As the home of 27 colleges and universities and many global businesses, the Columbus community is rich with many cultures. If you are interested in developing your cultural understanding, then the Columbus Chamber's upcoming Young Professionals' Exchange on Wednesday, May 5 is the event for you! The topic is A World of Understanding: Cross-cultural Communication & Etiquette. This free event will be hosted at the spectacular Grange Insurance Audubon Center from 4-5:30 p.m. followed by networking at the Columbus Chamber's Business AfterHours (a Cinco de Mayo celebration) from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

 

Join us at this informative and interactive event to gain a better understanding of a few of the cultures that represent our community, learn some basic dos and don’ts, and network with other young professionals. All are welcome, so please invite your friends and colleagues. To attend this event, please register here. 

 

Green Member Spotlight: King Business Interiors

King Business Interiors is a family and woman-owned commercial furnishings and flooring company serving Greater Central Ohio.  The business was founded on the principle of delivering high quality customer service that exceeds clients' expectations.  At King, our team members draw upon their experiences and talents to bring the best workspace solutions to our clients. No matter your needs or special requests, we're certain you'll be pleased with the highest level of service our clients have come to expect from us. To differentiate our company from our competition we offer a program called “Connecting the Dots” to not only to help our customers but to support our community.

Why We are Chamber Members: It is the right thing to do! But beyond that . . . networking, meeting new people and trying to help other companies make connections for their businesses. We all do business with people we know and trust – the Chamber is a wonderful way to do just that, but you have to get involved.  Join a committee, jump in and help – be involved in what is happening in our city!

Fun fact about our company: King's motto for employees is "never miss a ballgame" and "kids come first." Flexible work schedules and alternative arrangements support a family-friendly approach to the business. A good balance in your life and work is important to being happy.  We all know a happy employee with a great attitude makes for happy customers!  Kids are always welcome in our business especially if they don’t have school or are home a little sick. They love to play Work!

Featured Green product or service: What do you do with your old office furniture? As long as it still has a useful life or could be restored to function in an office setting, used office furniture does have a home.  We help by understanding the needs, designing the space and offering reusable office furniture to nonprofit and charitable organizations in Central Ohio.   Through “Connecting the Dots,” a free and environmentally friendly program we can offer great solutions (we do charge for the delivery and installation if those services are required).

This program saves our clients money by eliminating furniture disposal costs, helps to keep durable materials from going to our local landfills, and provides much-needed resources to nonprofits so that they can serve the community. They can improve their office productivity and spend their money on the right people and programs to help our community.

For more information, visit kbiinc.com.

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on our member organizations. In April 2010, we'll feature Green members in honor of Earth Day. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

Unpaid Internships: What does it all mean?

There's been a lot of chatter recently about internships, especially the unpaid variety. Check out the articles in the New York Times, "The Unpaid Intern, Legal or Not" (Steven Greenhouse, 4/2/2010) and Time Magazine, "Working for Free: The Boom in Adult Interns," Eve Tahmincioglu, 4/12/2010). Even the Wall Street Journal published an Opinion piece, "War on Interns" (pg. A14, 4/7/2010), declaring the laws governing unpaid internships as out-dated, and considering the current economic climate, decrying the campaign to crack down on them as ill-advised and ill-timed.

What does this all mean?
The issue goes back to 1938, when the Fair Labor Standards Act was passed. The FLSA, which provides assurances that employers must pay their workers, defines the circumstances when it is legitimate for an individual to be in the workplace and not be paid. If the six criteria are met, then the individual is considered a trainee who is in the workplace for the sole purpose of learning a skill and, therefore, does not need to be paid. If even one of the six criterion is not met, then the individual is considered an employee by the U.S. Department of Labor, and wages must be paid. 

[Six criteria as defined by the Fair Labor Standards Act, page 8 of the "TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT GUIDANCE LETTER NO. 12-09," issued January 29, 2010 by the US Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration.]

So, what about internships?
First off, employers who offer paid internship have nothing to worry about. But, what about unpaid internships? Though the criteria are explicit, the nuances are not. For instance, what about an unpaid internship done in exchange for college credit or where a portfolio of work is created? There is no doubt that volunteering is a great way to gain/demonstrate experience, but what's the difference between volunteering for a corporation versus contributing talent to a non-profit organization?  Is there consideration of the quality of the opportunity:  does a well-structured experience where student learns, supplements what has been learned in college, and gains real-world experience have more merit than one where a student performs only rudimentary, menial tasks?

Internships are important.
As a part of our workforce development initiative, Attract & Retain Talent, the Columbus Chamber seeks to increase the number of internships for college students and increase the number of employers providing internships.  We do that through the web portal, www.ColumbusInternships.com, which helps connect local employers (just like you!) to college students seeking internships.  We also promote the importance of internships, and the value that both students and employers can gain from internships.  So that employers can create the very best internship opportunities for students, we offer self-service tools and resources at www.ColumbusInternships.com and advice on best practices via in-person workshops and webinars.

Of course, when we talk to employers about internships, we always encourage them to offer wages to their interns. This is a best practice and avoids complications with FLSA. However, the reality is there are circumstances--and industries--where internships will be unpaid. In that case, in addition to working with the academic institution to arrange for college credit, employers should leverage the tools and resources offered by the Columbus Chamber to ensure the internships they offer are the highest quality. 

There's help for you to provide great internships
Our resident internship guru, Dave Cofer, is presenting a series of workshops and webinars to help employers get started with internships and host the most effective internships. The schedule for the rest of the year is outlined below. Visit the Columbus Chamber's events page for more information or to register. The next workshop, Getting Started With Interns, is May 11, from 8:30 - 10am, at the Columbus Chamber.

The sessions are free for Chamber members; $25 for non-members.

Green Member Spotlight: Tipping Point Renewable Energy

Tipping Point Renewable Energy is the leader in clean energy solutions. We design, engineer and install solar and energy efficiency solutions for commercial, institutional and residential customers while creating good jobs for unemployed veterans in our area. We deliver maximum value to our customers and communities by providing low cost, high value solutions with unique approaches to financing and job creation.

Why We’re Chamber Members: Our purpose is to save our customers money while creating jobs for veterans in our communities. In order to make this work we need to connect our community and work together to solve the economic and environmental challenges we all face. The Chamber is an excellent vehicle to help us with those goals.

Fun Facts About Tipping Point Renewable Energy: Our Chief Technical Office Darin Hadinger spent years working in the belly of coal fired power plants. He is very happy to be working on clean energy now and breathing easier. Our CEO, Eric Zimmer continues his fruitless search to train his dogs to do sales calls.

Featured Product/Service: 50 kw solar system- This system today has tremendous value. It can be installed on less than 5000 sq ft and has a payback of under three years. It has a positive cash flow of $140,000 over 10 years, and the system has a 25 year warranty. Your current utility bills will never put money in your pocket. Solar is a way to make money for your company, limit your exposure to rising utility bills and show yourself as a leader in the community.

For more information, visit http://www.tipenergy.com/

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on our member organizations. In April 2010, we'll feature Green members in honor of Earth Day. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

Green Member Spotlight: Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP

About Hahn Loeser & Parks LLP: Hahn Loeser is a full-service law firm that, for 90 years, has provided sophisticated and creative counsel to a wide spectrum of clients. Those clients include Fortune 500 corporations and privately-held businesses, non-profit institutions, governmental entities and individuals. Hahn Loeser has a dominant presence in Ohio, with offices in Columbus, Cleveland and Akron. We also have a growing practice in Southwest Florida, with teams located in Naples and Fort Myers, and an office in Indianapolis, Indiana. We routinely serve as regional and Ohio counsel on litigation and commercial transactions for a wide variety of matters, in additional to handling a number of national and international transactions.

Why We’re Chamber Members: Hahn Loeser has been a member of the Columbus business community for over 20 years. We share the Chamber’s mission to support economic growth in the Greater Columbus area, assisting start-up companies and representing universities, research institutions, and Fortune 500 companies in technology transactions. Our firm is committed to building the capacity for growth in the region, and in turn, attracting new companies and jobs to Central Ohio. 

Fun Fact: Doug Morgan, a Hahn Loeser partner and chair of the Chamber’s Green Council, is well-known as a leader of the "pedaling revolution" in Central Ohio. He bicycles to work every day and in addition to his work on the board of Consider Biking (Central Ohio's bicycle advocacy group), he is frequently invited to speak on how active transportation can transform communities and improve personal, environmental and community health.

Featured Green Service: While law firms generally do not pose as large a threat to our environment as some other industries, they do face their own unique challenges; for example, the legal industry is second only to the publishing industry in its consumption of paper. Hahn Loeser recognizes our impact and understands the importance of treading lightly, which is why we created a Green Committee several years ago. The committee has been instrumental in helping our firm find that critical balance in our operations where we are able to reduce the firm's "footprint” while continuing to provide our clients with the best possible service. In 2009, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association recognized these efforts by designating Hahn Loeser as "Green Certified." For more information, visit www.hahnlaw.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. In April 2010, we'll be featuring Green members, in honor of Earth Day. To submit your member organization for a spotlight contact Michelle Bretscher.

Young Professionals Spotlight: Union County Young Professionals

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 April, Union County Young Professionals (UCYP) is featured.

When and why was Union County Young Professionals (UCYP) started?
Discussions to establish a countywide young professionals organization began in early 2009 with officials from the Union County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Marysville. It was recognized that there was a need for a venue where young professionals could gather and network without leaving the county. Ultimately the organization took on the mission of “strengthening and engaging emerging business leaders in Union County” and currently serves as an avenue to retain local talent. We officially held our first networking event in January 2010.

Why should I become a member?
For UCYP, it’s all about connecting young professionals with the resources they need to succeed in life. This includes career and leadership programs and networking with peers and business and community leaders. We’re also involved with community service and volunteering because we believe that the key to a successful community is an engaged and active citizenry.

UCYP may be one of the newest young professionals organizations in central Ohio, but this is one of the things that make UCYP so exciting. We’re giving our members the opportunity to become involved early-on and guide the future direction of the organization. We’re opening our committees, programming efforts and positions on the Board of Directors to our membership, with the goal of allowing them to experience first-hand what it takes to run a successful organization. The skills they learn as active participants will remain with them for the rest of their lives.

How do I become a member?
Membership in UCYP is only $35 (or $25 if employer is a Union County Chamber of Commerce member) annually. Our application process is easy: just visit our website, visit us on Facebook, or contact the Union County Chamber of Commerce at 937-642-6279.

Tell me about your upcoming events.
UCYP’s events are as diverse as its membership, as evidenced by the two latest events: wine etiquette and sampling at a local winery, and a more casual social event where attendees learned to play pool and darts. Our committees are currently busy planning more social events for the spring and summer months, which includes a community concert and block party in Uptown Marysville as well as a countywide scavenger hunt that parodies the television show “Amazing Race.”

We’re also working on a number of initiatives that address leadership and career development. We hope to introduce Leadership Luncheons later this spring, which will connect members with local business and community leaders during casual, monthly luncheons. We are also researching programs that will address environmental sustainability, healthy living and preventative care for young adults, a multi-faceted mentorship program, and roundtable discussions of political issues that are important to young adults.

UCYP is a “work in progress” but we’re excited about what the future holds!

What are some successes or cool facts about UCYP?
UCYP went from proposal to reality in about a year, and we continue to grow steadily. We’ve noticed that suburban or rural communities nationwide have issues attracting and retaining young professionals, and even convincing community leaders that young professionals organizations are needed or beneficial can be tricky. Thankfully, however, we’ve had nothing but support and positive reaction from the community, employers, and young professionals in general. UCYP may be comprised of a diverse group of individuals, but we all have one thing in common: we recognize how great Union County and central Ohio is and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to stay here.

Where can I go to learn more?
To learn more about UCYP, you can visit our website, visit us on Facebook, or contact the Union County Chamber of Commerce at 937-642-6279.

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