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

Find out What Makes Columbus Cool at the 2011 State of the Young Professional

By Robbie Banks, Manager, Young Professionals

Young Professionals are the future of the Columbus Region’s workforce. What do they think of Columbus? Find out at the Columbus Chamber’s 2011 State of the Young Professional (YP) on Wednesday, October 26 at Embassy Suites Columbus - Airport.

As the Chamber’s young professionals manager, I invite you to join us for an epic evening that will include career and professional development sessions, as well as a program in which we’ll reveal the results of the “What Makes Columbus 'Cool' for the Young and Talented” 2011 survey.

Here are my top three reasons you won’t want to miss the Career and Professional Development event from 4 - 5:45 p.m. You can:

1. Share a room with high-level senior executives and hear their YP experiences and lessons learned.
2. Learn the knowledge, insights and perspectives you’ll need to succeed while on the job search.
3. Get to where you want to go. The sessions available at the State of the YP are meant to provide you with the resources and knowledge you need to advance your career and propel you ahead of the curve.

Your $30 registration fee includes your choice of two 45-minute sessions and a book written by a local author.

And the top three reasons to attend the State of the YP Program from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.:

1. Connect with other members of Columbus' young and talented community during the networking and refreshments portion from 5 - 6:30 p.m.
2. Be informed. You took the survey, didn’t you? See the results and the progress our community has made since 2007.
3. Hear from leaders. Michael Dalby, president and CEO, Columbus Chamber and Mayor Michael B. Coleman will address the importance of YPs. A few of your peers, including me, will also speak.

And bonus... the networking and State of the YP program portions are FREE to attend!

Facebook Contest: Free Tickets for Career and Professional Development Program

Comment on the 2011 State of the YP note on the Columbus Chamber Facebook page and tell us why you want to attend the Career and Professional Development Event. A random company/organization/individual will be selected to receive two complimentary registrations (each valued at $30). The deadline is Sunday, October 23 at 11:59 p.m. The winner will be notified on October 24. Remember, attending the networking and program portions of the event are free to attend and all are welcome!

Register Now

Learn more and register at columbus.org/yp. The 2011 State of the Young Professional is presented by Embassy Suites Columbus - Airport, in partnership with Battelle, State Farm and Columbus Underground and with support from Shutterbooth, CYP CLUB, Columbus Rotaract and Young Professionals of Columbus. 

Chamber Members Make Best Places to Work List

By Andrea Applegate, Director, Workforce

At the Columbus Chamber, we’ve always said that Columbus is a great place to live and work. We applaud all the businesses in our community who “walk the walk” by providing a workplace that is productive, supportive and fun.

In 2011, 20 members of our Chamber have been named finalists in Columbus Business First’s list of Best Places to Work. They include:

Accenture
Axia Consulting LLC
Cardinal Solutions Group Inc.
Delta Energy LLC
Dynamit Technologies LLC
Fifth Third Bank
GBQ Partners LLC
Glimcher Realty Trust
Navigator Management Partners LLC
OCLC Inc.
Parallel Technologies
Plante & Moran PLLC
Portfolio Creative LLC
Quantum Health Inc.
Riverside Radiology and Interventional Associates Inc.
Safelite AutoGlass
Schottenstein Zox & Dunn Co. LPA
Sogeti USA LLC
Total Quality Logistics
Zipline Logistics LLC

See the full list on the Business First website. Honorees will be announced at an awards program Nov. 9.

Top 10 Reasons to Attend the Columbus Chamber Clambake

 

 

 

 

 

Delicious food, fun entertainment and tremendous opportunities to build business connections are on tap for the Columbus Chamber's Annual Clambake Thursday, Sept. 22.

Haven't yet registered? Consider these top 10 reasons why you should.

Dine on a seafood extravaganza. Chow down on clam chowder, baked clams, grilled chicken, sweet corn, roasted potatoes and whole Maine lobster. Soft drinks, beer and selected wines are included, too. Dinner will be served at 7 p.m. Culinary skills will be provided by the talented chefs and students of the American Culinary Federation Columbus Chapter, which has participated in the Chamber Clambake for more than 25 years.

Enjoy Midwestern hospitality. Don't forget to attend the networking reception from 5-7 p.m., where you can enjoy appetizers and drinks, courtesy of our Hospitality Hosts.

Make business connections. The Clambake draws top community and business leaders from all over the region. In 2010, more than 900 people attended. According to member Katie Hopper, sales director, ARC Industries, the Clambake affords opportunities to mingle with executive-level decision makers. "We find a higher level of management at the Clambake," Hopper said. "We try to network in that fashion, at that level."

Entertain your clients. Take a cue from Clambake Presenting Partner Woolpert, and leverage the Clambake as an opportunity to build relationships. Having attended the Clambake since 2000 and sponsored since 2005, Woolpert's involvement has grown by leaps and bounds over the years—from purchasing a few individual tickets, to hosting a table, to making the Clambake a premier client appreciation event. "The Clambake is a great way for us to have relaxed, face-to-face contact with our clients," said Rachel Headings, senior marketing facilitator for Woolpert. "The clients we invite realize it is a good networking opportunity for them, too. We created something that is fun for everyone. Now clients ask us 'When is the Clambake?'"

Treat your team. They've been working hard all year, right? Why not take a break from the office setting, and reward them with an evening out.

Jazz it up. Dwight Lenox steals the show at the Clambake. From blues to ballads and jazz to swing, Lenox shines. He's one of Columbus' top vocalists. For more than 20 years, his rich tenor voice and dynamic presence has captivated audiences around the country.

Go wild. Need an excuse to visit the number one zoo in the country? The Clambake will take place at the Water's Edge Events Park, a beautiful venue along the Scioto River at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Be a part of history. A favorite Columbus tradition, this will mark the Clambake's 88th year.

Win cool prizes. Dozens of great raffle prizes will be given away at the end of the evening—including two tickets to fly anywhere in the continental U.S. on American Airlines. Bring cash to buy raffle tickets, and don't miss your chance to win.

Kick back. The Clambake is a fun, casual event. If you haven't attended before, just take a look at photos from 2010, and see what you've been missing.

What are you waiting for? Register now, and we'll see you on Sept. 22.

PS - To heighten your business' visibility, become a Clambake Hospitality Host or Sponsor.

Young professionals DO and CAN have an influence in Columbus

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

Last Thursday, I attended the grand opening of Columbus' newest family destination, The Scioto Mile. The Columbus "ambassador" that I am, it was an occasion I wouldn't miss. (Check out some of my photos from the grand opening here.) The Scioto Mile is simply marvelous, and I know that I'll be spending a lot of time enjoying the activities and events there and at Columbus Commons, my new favorite downtown park. I feel fortunate to have the Scioto Mile in "my back yard" as it's just one block from the Chamber's office at the Lazarus building. As a young professional (YP) in Columbus, I also feel fortunate that my peers and I helped to shape the plans of the Scioto Mile. How did we do that?

In 2008, Dale Heydlauff, the AEP executive who lead the company's efforts to redevelop the Scioto Mile, presented the park’s vision and proposed plans to a few employees of the Chamber. Mr. Heydlauff had made numerous presentations to various groups, and we asked if he had the opportunity to present the information and solicit feedback from YPs about the plans; he hadn’t. The Chamber offered to coordinate a roundtable discussion to provide their feedback and emailed an invitation to our YP distribution list. About two weeks later, Mr. Heydlauff facilitated the discussion with 30 YPs in AEP’s private board room. He presented the vision and proposed plans, answered questions, then sat down and took notes while listening intently on their feedback and ideas. Attendees shared what they liked, didn’t like and what was missing. What was encouraging about this discussion was that it was an exchange of ideas- and knowledge-sharing. Mr. Heydlauff valued their feedback and ideas. The concept for the Columbus Chamber's Young Professionals’ Exchange was born from this discussion.

I tell you this story as it is an example of the influence and impact local young artists, entrepreneurs and professionals can have on various initiatives, projects or ideas – whether related to the City of Columbus, Columbus Chamber or otherwise. If there is an opportunity to provide a voice as a YP, I hope you thoughtfully consider it. The Chamber shares these types of opportunities with you via the weekly email, Activities and Events for Young Professionals, but it is up to you to decide if and how you wish to participate. I challenge you to be actively engaged in discussions that impact the future of our city.

That being said, I hope to see you at the upcoming Young Professionals’ Exchange: An Update - 2012 and Beyond on July 21 from 4 - 5:30 p.m. at the McConnell Heart Health Center. This forum will provide an update on the progress of three particular community initiatives: Columbus2020!, 200Columbus, and WBNS-10TV’s Next 10 ongoing multimedia campaign. It’s a perfect opportunity to be informed, ask questions and discover opportunities to be actively engaged personally or on behalf of your company or organization. (Not to mention, terrific networking with other YPs and experienced professionals immediately after at the Business AfterHours.) The "established" want to hear from you, and if you aren’t participating in these types of discussions, you are not fully leveraging your voice as a next generation leader.

Video: Michael Dalby at the Columbus Metropolitan Club

What's in store at the Columbus Chamber? Our new President and CEO Michael Dalby addressed the Columbus Metropolitan Club earlier this month. Watch this video and hear him discuss a four-pronged approach to creating a supportive eco-system for sustainable growth in the Columbus Region.

 

Living a healthy and active life in Columbus: Columbus Art Walks

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

This is the first post for a new blog series focused on living a healthy and active life in Columbus. It’s my personal journey of discovering opportunities to live a healthy and active life. I’ll share resources, information, activities and events, as well as provide feedback on what went well and what did not go so well.

I must confess that I’ve never been a very dedicated athlete. As a child, I spent countless hours at my neighborhood recreation center taking ballet, tap, gymnastics and swim lessons, but had no desire to play sports beyond middle school. But, within recent years, I truly understand that I need to get serious about taking care of myself which means eating well, having regular physical activity, being aware of my health risks and seeking out ways to improve my overall health and well-being. I hope this blog series encourages you to do the same.

My experience

On a beautiful November afternoon, I grabbed my walking shoes (in my case, a pair of wedges), cell phone and a map to take a walk downtown. I know you’re wondering why I’d need a map for a walk downtown, but I was about to take my first Columbus Art Walks tour in the Ohio Statehouse District.

The Columbus Art Walks tour consists of walking maps and cell phone audio tours of public art, architectural, and historical sites in Columbus. It’s an audio tour of Columbus with one-to two-hour routes. Use the map to find the sites, and, if you want, use a phone or media device to listen to site descriptions. The maps are produced by Columbus Public Health in partnership with several local organizations including the Create Columbus Commission.

I was delighted to have great company on this walk: Andrea Applegate, my boss and director of workforce development at the Columbus Chamber, and Betsy Pandora, healthy places coordinator at Columbus Public Health. We utilized the cell phone audio tour, but you can also download podcasts for each walk.

Upon arriving at the first site, 8 on the Square (#172), we called the main number (614.645.2646) and entered the site’s three-digit extension number to hear specific site information. We completed the Statehouse Route (1.2 miles) in an hour. During that time, I discovered sites that I’ve overlooked such as the Ohio Police & Fire Memorial Park (#185) and learned interesting facts. For instance, did you know the Ohio Theatre (#187) was slated for demolition, and Central Ohioans raised more than $2 million during a Save the Ohio Campaign in 1969? As a result, CAPA came to the rescue to purchase and renovate the Ohio Theatre.

My two cents

One drawback to using a cell phone for the tour was that I had to redial the main number followed by entering the site’s three-digit extension number at each site. If you download the podcast, you can just skip to the next track/site. But, nonetheless, it was a great reason to take a walk and learn something new about public art, architectural, and historical sites in Columbus. I’m looking forward to taking additional Columbus Art Walks in the coming months with others. I recommend this activity any time of year, but I encourage you to make it an adventure by inviting others to join you and dine or shop in the district you’re walking.

Get ready to get walking!

There are currently three Columbus Art Walks for these districts in downtown Columbus: Discovery District, Arena District and Ohio Statehouse District. Between the three Downtown Columbus Art Walks you can see over 90 public art, historical, and architectural sites. In total, all three Downtown Columbus Art Walks cover over 10 walkable miles. Healthy places coordinator Betsy Pandora shared that Columbus Public Health plans to develop nine Columbus Art Walks by spring 2011. Printed Columbus Art Walks maps are available during regular business hours in several locations listed here.

Check back in February 2011 for my second post in this series about my experience with a local fitness boot camp.

Green Member Spotlight: Grossman Environmental Recycling, Inc.

Grossman Environmental Recycling, Inc.(GER) is a local, national and international recycling company specializing in finding new uses for recyclables, avoiding the landfill. GER specializes in all types of paper and plastic recyclables, recycling equipment and consulting. Industrialbags.com, Inc., a sister to GER, specializes in distributing a wide variety of plastic bags, Gaylord liners, film, sheeting, bulk bags and lumber wrap.

Why We’re Chamber Members:
GER and IndustrialBags.com have been Chamber members for several years. The opportunity to meet new members, as well as the older members, has proven invaluable. The opportunity to present the companies and their specialties has enriched our marketing programs, as well as provided an experienced very green company for everyone, long before green was green. As a Green Council member, we pride ourselves on working with many other green companies, or companies who simply want to become greener and seek information.

Interesting Facts about Grossman Environmental Recycling:
One item we recycle is hard and soft cover books, assuring them of a fairy-tale ending.

Featured Product/Service:
A few short months ago, Industrialbags.com introduced the BioBag, 100% Biodegradable and 100% Compostable. This bag is approved by the USDA BioPreferred Program and is now featured on the Bio Preferred website.

For more informtaion, visit: www.grossmanenvironmentalrecycling.com, www.industrialbags.com and www.Lumber-Wrap.net.

The Columbus Chamber member spotlights put the focus on our member organizations. View our archive of past spotlights.

We want YOU to be a Columbus ambassador!

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

As the Young Professionals Manager at the Columbus Chamber, my role is to serve as the go-to gal for anything related to attracting and retaining young professionals (YPs) in the Columbus Region. I discover ways to connect and engage folks so that you stay here for the long haul, ensuring that employers will have the best and brightest minds available in the labor pool. More or less, it’s my job to be an ambassador for Columbus. How cool is that?

I’d like to deputize each of YOU as a Columbus ambassador, too. But first, I have two homework assignments for you.

Your first assignment is to be informed and aware of super cool things that are going on in Columbus. How?

Sign up for my weekly email called Activities and Events for Young Professionals. If you’re not already receiving this email, sign up here. Also, pick up Columbus Alive each Thursday and The Columbus Dispatch Weekender. Check out ColumbusUnderground.com. Browse outlook:columbus each month. Scan the local radio, TV and community calendars, too. It’s your job to know what’s going on.

Second, play in your own backyard.

Experience Columbus Days offer a perfect opportunity to enjoy our community. On these days, you’ll receive exclusive discounts at the city’s best attractions and independently-owned restaurants. Mark your calendars for October 8-11 this year. Experience Columbus is also a tremendous resource for anyone that’s seeking information on local hotels, attractions, dining, events and activities in Columbus.

For the college students, you have an awesome online resource called EasyColumbus.com, “the everything off-campus guide.” In fact, Easy Columbus just published a list of “100 things to do in Columbus before you graduate.” I encourage everyone, whether you’re in college or not, to see how many items you can check off the list.

Columbus needs your fresh ideas, enthusiasm and brains to continue to elevate our status as one of the top-tier talent magnet cities. Think of Columbus as your blank canvas. You can create any lifestyle that you want here and make your mark. I can’t think of another city where I can live a balanced life and live well. This is YOUR city. YOU are our future leaders, and quite frankly, our local employers and organizations need you.

I ask you to hold your head up high when you tell people that you live in Columbus. Like Mayor Coleman has said, we should walk with a swagger. Columbus is an exceptional place for young professionals to live, work and play.

This blog post is derived from Robbie's address to the attendees of the recent Columbus 2010 Young Professionals Career & Professional Development Conference.

Citizen Engagement Efforts Strive to Revitalize Detroit and Cleveland

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

Last month, I attended the Great Lakes Cities: Urban Laboratories, a conference in Cleveland for emerging leaders who are creative, forward-thinking, and devoted to the revitalization of their home towns. It was my third year attending this annual GLUE (Great Lakes Urban Exchange) conference to proudly represent Columbus. I was intrigued with two volunteer-driven movements to engage citizens in local policy, elections, and public decision-making in Detroit and Cleveland: Declare Detroit and Cleveland Coalition.

Declare Detroit
The purpose of the Detroit Declaration is “to elect leadership who will be our allies in a new vision for Detroit and to hold them accountable for upholding the principles outlined in the Declaration.” By signing the Declaration, individuals are making a personal commitment to promote these principles in their daily life and work. Furthermore, they are agreeing to help elect leaders who support them and advocate for policies that uphold them. Approximately 4,000 individuals have signed the Detroit Declaration Detroit Declaration and more than 12,000 people like the group’s Facebook page.

Cleveland Coalition
The Cleveland Coalition is a civic organization of Clevelanders working to create and sustain a more vibrant, healthy and connected community by building civic imagination, community participation and leadership capacity. The coalition’s events allow citizens to participate in policy discussions and empower citizens to take action through the philosophy of “Educate. Collaborate. Act”. The issues and ideas engaged by the coalition focus on quality of life, economic innovation and social equity. The Coalition advocates for these issues through partnerships with existing institutions. To date, the Coalition has focused on one issue, Crooked River Gaming, in which the Coalition’s desire is to make the casino successful not only for its owner and operator but also for the city of Cleveland.

These movements reminded me of local initiatives, efforts and organizations that advocate for issues that are important such as Casino-Free Columbus and the Create Columbus Commission (Columbus’s Young Professionals Commission). However, I’m interested in your thoughts. What do you think about the movements in Detroit and Cleveland? Are there similar efforts in Columbus? What issues or ideas would you like to advocate for in Columbus?

Young Professionals Demonstrating Community Trusteeship

By Robbie Banks, Young Professionals Manager, Columbus Chamber

Young professionals (YPs) often ask my advice about how they should become involved in the community beyond participating in YP events and activities. I suggest demonstrating community trusteeship, whether that means volunteering for a non-profit organization or participating in a local leadership program. Why should you participate in a leadership program? Well, I can tell you from personal experience that leadership programs will help you build your personal and professional network, develop your leadership skills and prepare you to serve on a non-profit board of trustees. In fact, it helped to prepare me for the coolest job in the land as the young professionals manager.

As a proud graduate of the Leadership Columbus class of 2007, I had an invaluable experience during the 10-month program. Meeting and connecting with fellow classmates, such as Debra Penzone, president of Charles Penzone Family of Salons, as well as community leaders like my then-future-boss, Ty Marsh, president and CEO of the Columbus Chamber, was incredible. “The Leadership Columbus experience is a unique combination of relationship-building, learning, problem-solving, civic engagement and personal growth.” It was a tremendous opportunity that my previous employer supported as part of my career and leadership development. (I'm pictured on the far left with some of my Leadership Columbus classmates in the photo on the right.) 

A few months after starting at the Columbus Chamber, I was presented with an opportunity to serve on my first board – the board of trustees for Capital Crossroads SID (Special Improvement District) on behalf of the Chamber. I also serve as the chair of the SID’s promotions committee. I take both roles very seriously and consider it an opportunity to exercise my community trusteeship. I have a great sense of ownership of downtown Columbus and the community as a whole. I don’t know that I would have been asked, let alone prepared, to serve in this capacity without my Leadership Columbus experience.

Not all leadership programs are the same – some have no or low tuition, as few as 12 program participants or sessions on Saturdays. To learn more about local leadership programs, I highly recommend that you check out the following links (not a comprehensive list):

• Central Ohio Leadership Organizations: http://www.leadershipcolumbus.org/news-and-events/central-ohio-leadership-organizations.php
• Capital Club’s Ladder Society: http://www.capitalcolumbus.com/ladder-society
• Leadership Union County: http://www.unioncountychamber.com/leadershipunioncounty.aspx

Think about how YOU can be a community trustee. Apply for local leadership programs. Ask others about their experiences in various leadership programs. Be ready to serve your community. Columbus needs your leadership.