SBA Micro Loan Program provides up to $35k

Shannon Feucht, Business Dev. Specialist with the Columbus, OH SBA offices talks at a HITS meeting (7/27/2009) about the SBA Micro Loan Program.  These are her slides.  Go to slide 23 to follow along with the video.

From the SBA website: “This program provides small (up to $35,000) short-term loans for working capital or the purchase of inventory, supplies, furniture, fixtures, machinery and/or equipment. It is designed for small businesses and not-for-profit child-care centers needing small-scale financing and technical assistance for start-up or expansion, and is delivered through specially designated intermediary lenders (nonprofit organizations with experience in lending and technical assistance).”

The intermediary lender  for Clark County is the following organization:

Economic and Community Development Institute

427 East Mount St.

Columbus, OH 43215

Executive Director: Inna Kinney

Microlending: Mike Miller

Phone: 614-559-0115

Fax: 614-732-0986

Email: mmiller@ecdi.org, acohen@ecdi.org

Service Area: Montgomery, Hamilton, Greene, Preble, Butler, Fayette, Warren, Clark, Miami, Darke, and Clinton

 

>> SBA – www.sba.gov

>> Other SBA financing (7a, 504, Surety Bonding, etc.) – http://www.sba.gov/services/financialassistance/index.html

Workers’ Comp Update – Dec. 2010

Andrea King with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation addresses the Springfield, OH Safety Council on 12/8/2009 with information about the new ANSI standard for eyewash – ANSI 358.1-2009 – which just came out. 

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) developed the ANSI standard Z358.1-1990 and was revised in 2004 and 2009.  The 2009 standard was prepared by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and approved by ANSI. It is now known as ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2009.  One of many places to see additional information (including what the changes are) is EZ Facts Safety Info.

>> Ohio BWC – www.ohiobwc.com
>> Springfield Ohio Safety Council – http://bit.ly/slsafety

Wittenberg’s East Asian Institute a great business + educational asset

The new East Asian Insitute

Wittenberg University is a tremendous community asset, and it is doing some exciting things.  They have a new entrepreneurship program, about which I’ll write in another blog post.  This one deals with the new SBA grant-funded program at Wittenberg called the East Asian Institute.  Wittenberg President Mark Erickson wrote this summer: “We are also investing in our East Asian Studies program as we look to create the first-ever East Asian Institute on campus, which will expand global understanding by way of international partnerships in business, government and education. We will provide distinctive field-study experiences with leading firms conducting business in East Asia, and we will offer unprecedented experiential learning opportunities.”

Wittenberg is a great college

For those not familiar with Wittenberg, this info from Wikipedia should help: “Wittenberg University, located in Springfield, Ohio, United States is a private, four-year liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.  The college serves 2,100 full-time students (45% male, 55% female), representing 40 states and approximately 36 foreign countries.  The University is best known for its business and biology departments and its athletic endeavors. Wittenberg is also distinguished by its strong interdisciplinary programs such as East Asian Studies and Russian Area Studies.”  It ranks in Tier 1 (top 25%) of all liberal arts colleges nationwide in the US News & World Report rankings.

Director Erick Kish

The director, Erick Kish, is a new member to our business outreach (HITS) team and a very dynamic individual.  He “brings over 17 years of professional experience to Wittenberg University with many years of experience living and working in Asia. Erick recently served as International Trade Representative in Taiwan for the States of Alaska, and he served as the International Trade Representative for the State of Arizona in Asia prior to that. He earned his M.A. in Economics and B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Florida” (from website.)

In the video, Kish talks about the institute, how it can help businesses, and Wittenberg’s connections to East Asia.

>> Wittenberg home page

>> East Asian Insitute home page

Ohio’s economy – 3Rs: Recession, Resources + Recovery (Part 3)

This is the 3rd part of a speech given by Dr. Ned Hill, Dean of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs and Keynote Speaker at the 2010 Greater Springfield Chamber Annual Meeting + Business Expo.  It was given at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA); thus, he is addressing economic development professionals.  The videos are above and beneath the PowerPoint slideshow.  Note: you can see the ending of the speech at http://bit.ly/seam09hill.

In this segment (2 videos), Hill finishes his discussion of the drop in the dollar and moves to Ohio’s economy, where he spends the remainder of the segment.  The first video starts at Slide 19.  

>> Ohio Economic Development Association

>> Dr. Ned Hill biography

The Auto Industry – 3Rs: Recession, Resources + Recovery (Part 2)

This is the 2nd part of a speech given by Dr. Ned Hill, Dean of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs and Keynote Speaker at the 2010 Greater Springfield Chamber Annual Meeting + Business Expo.  It was given at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA); thus, he is addressing economic development professionals.  The videos are above and beneath the PowerPoint slideshow.

In this 14-minute segment (2 videos), Hill finishes his discussion of the drop in the dollar and moves to the auto industry, where he spends the remainder of the segment, looking at the US auto industry and coming up with some very interesting insights.  The first video starts at Slide 13 and continues to Slide 18, where he remains for the second video.  

The first video starts at Slide 6 and goes to 9. 

>> Ohio Economic Development Association

>> Dr. Ned Hill biography

The Recession – 3 Rs: Recession, Resources + Recovery (Part 1)

This speech was given by Dr. Ned Hill, Dean of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs and Keynote Speaker at the 2010 Greater Springfield Chamber Annual Meeting + Business Expo.  It was given at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Ohio Economic Development Association (OEDA); thus, he is addressing economic development professionals.  The videos are above and beneath the PowerPoint slideshow.

In this post, Hill talks about the recession and our weak recovery in the US, about where things stand now.

The first video starts at Slide 6 and goes to 9.  The second (don’t miss it, it’s below the PowerPoint so you can watch both with the slides at same time) video starts at 9 and goes to 13.

>> Ohio Economic Development Association

>> Dr. Ned Hill biography

State planning new trade mission to S. America – April 2010

Photo from Danilo Ruzzito

I just received this in my email this morning from the Ohio Dept. of Development’s Global Markets Division.  This is a tremendous business resource for companies looking to increase their international sales.  I wrote a post in August about their free research service – check it out here.  My blog is the best way to make this info available, so when I get them, I often post them.  Also, as a footnote, I’ve been on the missions.  They’re very well done.  Randy Hochstetter from ODOD coordinates them and has been doing it for decades.  Roz Altman handles the travel, and she has also done it for decades.  Worth a serious look if you’re serious about S. America.

Today’s email …

Dear International Business Executive:

The Global Markets Division at the Ohio Department of Development invites you to take part in a three-country trade mission to São Paulo, Brazil; Santiago Chile; and Lima, Peru. The mission is scheduled to occur April 10-20, 2010, and will be led by a member of the Global Markets Division, in partnership with the Council of Great Lakes Governors. The purpose of this mission is to assist small- to medium-sized companies from states in the Great Lakes region to export their products and services to these rapidly-growing markets.  The mission’s agenda includes business appointments, receptions, and cultural events. 

If you are not already active in these important markets, or if you are looking to increase your existing market share in this region, now is the time to get started.  The Ohio Brazil Office and the Ohio Chile Office, which also covers Peru, will help you make the contacts you need to take advantage of opportunities in these growing markets.  In addition to a customized business schedule tailored to your needs, we will also provide your organization with a country briefing in each location, as well as pre-planned ground transportation and hotel discounts.

Take this opportunity to experience the business environment and culture in South America and gain insights firsthand through networking with your counterparts from other exporting companies throughout Ohio and the Great Lakes region.

Please note that space is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, please contact Sean Corson, Senior Trade Manager, at: Sean.Corson@development.ohio.gov or by phone at 614-728-4775. 

Access the attached link for additional details on this business development opportunity – www.globalmarkets.development.ohio.gov.

Upcoming Events

December 8, 2009 – The National Committee on United States-China Relations and The Ohio State University proudly present China Town Hall – Local Connections, National Reflections, a lecture and Web cast event.  A reception will begin at 6:30-7:00 p.m. in the Mershon Center, followed by on-site lectures by I. Allen Barber II, President of Denver-Hainan Corporation; and Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.  This event is free and open to the public, but please register beforehand at http://chinatownhall.eventbrite.com/.

December 14, 2009 - The Greater Cincinnati World Affairs Council will host the Global Cincinnati Summit: Regional Luncheon Meeting of International Organizations.  The luncheon meeting will feature a panel of speakers and is open to any international organization or business in the Greater Cincinnati region to network and discuss ways to raise awareness of collective efforts and utilize an “international gateway” Web site as a key outcome.  For more information call 513-621-5222 or register online at www.cincyworldaffairs.org.

January 13, 2010 – The Ohio Department of Agriculture, the Ohio Department of Development’s Global Markets Division, and The Ohio State University’s Colleges of Agriculture, Veterinary Medicine and Fisher College of Business’ Center for International Business Education & Research will be assembling a focus group to discuss resources available to assist you in growing your agribusiness exports to Africa.  Lunch and complimentary parking will be provided.  Representatives from the aforementioned organizations will be present and Africa-based resources will join by telephone.  The event will take place from 10:00am to 12:00pm at 300 Fisher Hall on the campus of OSU.  Please RSVP to: Kozue Isozaki at Isozaki.1@osu.edu or call (614) 292-0845 or Tim Sword at the Ohio Department of Agriculture at TSword@ohio.agri.gov or (614) 752-9816.

>> S. American Trade Mission flyer – .pdf

>> Ohio Dept. of Development

>> Global Markets Division

Reknown economist to keynote Chamber Annual Meeting

Dr. Ned Hill

If you are concerned about the economy and want to know what is going to happen in 2010 and beyond, you can find out on February 25.  Dr. Ned Hill, Dean of the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs at Cleveland State University, will be the keynote speaker. 

Accomplished, published, respected, honored

His resume is long and distinguished.  Graduate degrees from MIT.  Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution.  Fellow at UC Berkeley.  Member of MacArthur Foundation Research Network.  Chair of Manufacturing Extension Partnership National Advisory Board.  Chair of Competitiveness Task Force on Ohio’s Auto Industry Support Council.  Chair of federal taskforce on economic development.  Former editor of Economic Development Quarterly.  Recipient of many awards and on numerous boards.  Author of two books, co-editor of five books, and author of over 90 articles, book chapters, and columns.

Great speaker

Not only is Dr. Hill a well-respected economist, he is a fabulous speaker, and will employ wit, humor, and incredible insight as he lets us know what is happening and what is coming down the pike.  The following is the closing excerpt from a speech Dr. Hill gave to Ohio’s economic development professionals at the 2009 Ohio Economic Development  Association annual meeting.  He wraps up his comments by talking about how ED is not about jobs but about product and the types of companies that are out there in the marketplace.

Annual Meeting | Business Expo – spots going quickly

 

I just updated this on 12/16/2009 in the pm.  Only two C-level spaces remain.  Please call (see contact info below) to reserve your space.

Chamber holds new Business Expo at Annual Meeting

The Greater Springfield Chamber is resurrecting an old tradition to add an exciting dimension to this year’s Annual Meeting at the Clark State Performing Arts Center of February 25, 2010.  A business exposition, featuring several businesses from the community exhibiting, will be added to the annual meeting in order to increase the enjoyment and value of the evening.  Over 25 businesses will have the opportunity to represent their organizations and get in front of over 500 community and business leaders, entrepreneurs, managers, directors, officials, and staff.  It will be an incredible opportunity.  Spaces are already being pre-sold to selective buyers. 

Businesses can reserve their spots now

The booths can be reserved immediately, and individual spots can also be reserved (see layout).  This week, we are about to start actively pre-selling spaces to Chamber, CIC, and CVB board members as well as Ambassadors and others involved in Chamber activities.  Then, we will blast the opportunity to all Chamber members via email (e.g., JAVABreak and separate emails) as well as phone call notifications.  But, any Chamber member can make their reservation now.  The following businesses have already reserved their spot:

• Presenting Sponsor Cox Media
• Platinum Sponsor Speedway SuperAmerica
• Clark State Community College
• Security National Bank
• Fifth-Third Bank
• Oxiem
• Littleton & Rue
• The Cerium Group
• Ohio Real Estate Trust
• Greater Springfield Convention & Visitors’ Bureau

You can find your spot by clicking on the image above to see the set up layout.

You can also see the actual facility (compared to the map) in photos on Flickr (with descriptions of where everything will go.

Passport to Business – attendees can win by talking to exhibitors

One thing we will be doing is giving everyone a “Passport to Business” upon arrival at the Annual Meeting.  Each person will have to get 15 stamps or punches in order to be entered into a drawing for some great prize (e.g., TV).  Still working on prize and starting with design of passport next week.  It will be great both for exhibiting businesses and for attendees.

Agenda – February 25, 2010

3:00 pm – businesses will be allowed to set-up exhibits

4:30 pm – doors open to general public, business expo starts, food stations open

6:30 pm – annual meeting begins (in Kuss Auditorium)

8:00 pm – meeting concludes

How to reserve your spot

To reserve your spot, contact any of the following people:

• Chris Schutte at the Chamber, who is coordinating the entire Annual Meeting – 937.521.1942 (cschutte@greaterspringfield.com)
• David Zak at the Chamber, who is heading up the Business Expo – 937.631.5315 (cell) (dzak@greaterspringfield.com)
• Landon Wade, Chamber Ambassador, who is working with me on the Expo – 937.399.6216 (landon.wade@theceriumgroup.com)

>> Map of layout (with booths)

>> Photos of Performing Arts Center Lobby

Manufacturers’ Council Update 13

I send out email updates to the Chamber’s Manufacturers’ Council, and I thought it would be useful to put an example of one on the blog for reference.  If your company is a Greater Springfield Chamber member and you are not receiving this but would like to, please let me know at dzak@greaterspringfield.com or by cell at 937.631.5315.

1.            2009 Recap

In 2009, the Manufacturers’ Council partnered with OMA, WorkPlus, the Ohio Dept. of Development, PTAC, and others to bring you six topical seminars and events:

• April – Six Disciplines Seminar

• April – Management Leadership Forum with Fred Keller

• June – Safety Management for Metal Industries

• July – Training Grant Seminar

• Sept. – Selling to the Government

• Dec. – Project Hire Seminar (info coming out v. soon, w/video + slides avail beforehand…will send out when available)

New this year were the Manufacturers’ Council updates, which we started in June, to update you on events and valuable information.  The response to these has been positive.

In conjunction with the Small Business/Legislative Council, we advocated on behalf of manufacturers’ on several issues including, prevailing wage, card check, Ohio Healthy Families initiative, and others.    

2.            Input wanted!

It’s time to evaluate 2009 and plan for 2010.  So, a quick survey. 

• Would you be willing to serve on the Executive Committee in 2010?  The current plan is for there to be six Exec. Committee meetings next year (every other month).

• We did not do any Manufacturers’ Council breakfasts at the Marriott in 2009.  Do you miss those?  Did they add value?  Would you like to see them in 2010?  If so, how many and at what time?  And at what frequency?  Or would you like a lunch?

• Do you like the email updates?  Is there information that is not in them that you would like to see?

• Do you feel we need to do more to address many of the constantly changing legal landscape (in partnership with the Small Business/Legislative Council)?

• Any other ideas on how to make the Council add more value to your business?

3.            Dec. 8 – Want $6000?  Hire an employee. 

The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with the WorkPlus One-Stop Center, Ohio Department of Job and Family Center, Workforce Development and ODOD will host an informational workshop to discuss Project Hire (Hometown Investment in Regional Economies ) and Ohio Learning Accounts, designed to get people back to work.   Funded by the federal stimulus program, employers who choose to hire from a pool of pre-qualified dislocated workers will receive up to $6,000 per hire to use for on-the-job training or additional training. The workshop will be held on Tuesday, December 8th from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. at the Brinkman Center.  Please contact Amy Donahoe at adonahoe@greaterspringfield.com to confirm your attendance or request additional information.

4.            Dec. 16 – Want free food + drink?  Come to Christmas at Commerce Point

On December 16, from 5:00 to 6:30 pm, the Chamber (incl. Manufacturers’ Council) is hosting a holiday gathering for members.  Last year was fun and well-attended.  Stop by after work and get some Christmas cheer.  It’s one way we say thank you for being members and for all you do.  The event will be at our offices at Commerce Point (20 S. Limestone).  Hope to see you there.

5.            State of Manufacturing Report

In preparation for a presentation I made at Leadership Clark County, I did a series of articles in November on the role and current status of manufacturing in the US, Ohio, regionally, and locally.  I thought this might be of interest.

• State of manufacturing 1 – importance in US and Ohio

• State of manufacturing 2 – importance in Dayton and Springfield

• State of manufacturing 3 – current national trends

• State of manufacturing 4 – Ohio trends

6.            PrimeOhio Drainage Project

The drainage project at the PrimeOhio Corporate Park is now at 98% completion and final date of completion is slated for December 15, 2009.   The CIC is responsible for managing this, and we have stayed within budget (I am very happy about this).     

7.            Visits to local manufacturers – thank you for what you do

In conjunction with Wright State University, I had the privilege in November to visit several manufacturers, whose facilities I had not yet visited personally.  These included TIG Wood & Die, Ernest Industries, Miller Machine, WETSU, Tomco Tool, Springfield Metal Finishing, and HTCI.  It was (as it always is) fascinating to hear the stories of how the businesses started, encouraging to hear how our manufacturers are working to improve, diversify, and deal with these challenging times.  You all aren’t thanked enough for what you do.  Thank you, and call us if you are thinking about doing any hiring, investing, training, or have space needs.  In addition, there are a tremendous amount of export resources available.

8.            Poll: Teens not interested in manufacturing careers

Thought this was an interesting article (Nov. 19) in the Dayton Business Journal.  52% of teens have no interest in a manufacturing career.