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May 16, 2013
BWC - A Billion Back
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A Billion Back
A three part plan for making workers’ comp work for Ohio
Reiterating his administration’s singular focus on creating jobs and improving Ohio’s economy, Governor Kasich endorsed three specific actions proposed by BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer with respect to managing the portion of net assets that exceeds the board-approved ratios.
The proposal:
1. Requests that the BWC Board of Directors authorize a one-time dividend of $1 billion for private employers and public-taxing districts.
2. Expands the agency’s successful Safety Grant Program from $5 million to $15 million to support expanded statewide efforts to promote workplace safety and encourage further investment in protecting Ohio’s workers.
3. Asks the Legislature to modernize the premium collection model by authorizing BWC to move toward a prospective-payment system and subsequently requesting the board issue an additional $900 million to mitigate transition costs. This switch would also result in rate reductions of 2 percent for private employers and 4 percent for public employers
Click here to read the entire report
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Posted by Susan Murawski
on May 16, 2013 at 4:25 PM
in Business News |
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September 25, 2012
Candidate Interviews
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We are pleased to present the 2012 Candidate Interview Series. Follow the link to watch interviews with candidates running in the upcoming elections.
http://medinatv.pegcentral.com/
Once on the page you can select which race you wish to view. As more shows are added, the candidate forums will move down the line so they will not always be on the front page. If that is the case, you can select the next page or use the search tool to find the video you want.
Thank you very much to Medina TV, Dave Mueller, Eric Shaffer and Debra Lynn-Schmitz for all of your efforts to make this series possible.
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Posted by Jaclyn Ringstmeier
on September 25, 2012 at 3:42 PM
in Business News |
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May 14, 2012
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April 19, 2012
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January 2, 2012
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December 31, 2011
President's Message - Debra Lynn-Schmitz
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Happy New Year! Thank you, to our members, our Board and our volunteers for your support and work on behalf of the Chamber and our community.
On the Chamber’s organizational chart the members are at the top. That is a little different than a usual business chart. That means that the Chamber members own the organization. Although we have up to 20 Board Members and Ex-Officio’s that develop the strategic plan and oversee our fiscal circumstances, and we have staff at the Chamber office, we rely heavily on our volunteers to help us carry out the mission. We have many members that have been actively involved over the years in a number of projects and programs the Chamber has conducted. This year, however, recognized four very special volunteers/leaders that have gone above and beyond in their volunteerism in 2011.
The first “shout out” goes to our Golf Chair for the past five years. Mike Warner, Sr. with WarnerTech.Net, LLC joined the Chamber in 2003 and since 2006 he has chaired or co-chaired our golf committee. The Chamber’s Golf Outing is our largest fundraiser and the golf committee puts in considerable time and energy to making it a success. We know that we compete with so many golf outings in the community but our golf outing has been going on for about 50 years. Each year Mike has reviewed the details of our golf outing and assisted in helping us find ways to keep our outing fresh and fun. Mike has even included his family, representing two other Chamber members, Michael Warner, Jr. with Warner Technology, Inc. and Kathy Warner with Warner Communication, LTD. Over the past five years our golf outing has raised over one hundred thousand dollars to support the Chamber’s Mission. Thank you, Mike.
The next volunteer has been a member since 2009. Kathy Breitenbucher, Managing Partner of The Pedestal Group, came on the scene as a Chamber volunteer immediately after joining. Kathy has been Chair of our Program Committee, an Ambassador, a speaker in our technology series, and has an incredible attendance record at our events. Kathy has brought new and fresh ideas to our Chamber programs and has helped us recognize new opportunities on behalf of our members. Thank you, Kathy.
The next two members are Board Members but this year they went above and beyond their Board responsibilities to implement the new Young Entrepreneur’s Academy or YEA! Jani Davis recognized an opportunity on behalf of Westfield Insurance to participate in a youth education program. In this case, YEA is educating students and helping them create their own business over the course of the school year. Westfield Insurance stepped up to be our Premier Sponsor, making the program a reality. Thank you, Jani.
Chad Wilson, with Rapid Marketplace and Chad Allen Consulting, is also a key volunteer in the success of YEA! Chad immediately seized on the opportunity for the Chamber to connect with the High School and stepped in as Champion for the program helping to raise money, recruit volunteers and participating in the YEA sessions. Chad will be helping to fill in as an instructor and help coach the students throughout the program. Thank you, Chad.
And, last but not least, I would like to thank my team at the Chamber office. Many people think our job is about lunches and shaking hands. They may not be aware of the work the Chamber staff does to make it look so easy. Karen Whitaker has been with the Chamber for almost 30 years. Susan Murawski has been with us 16 years, Tina Gienger for 5 years and Becky Parkhurst for almost a year. The staff is responsible for helping carry out the day to day operations as well as the strategic plan established by the Board. You will see one or more of them at all of our events and they are always happy to greet you whether it is in the office, behind the registration table or moving around the room at an event. So, thank you Karen, Susan, Tina and Becky.
I look forward to working with all of our volunteers and leaders in 2012.
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Posted by Tina Gienger
on December 31, 2011 at 2:55 PM
in Business News |
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December 5, 2011
Protecting Your Business Against Identify Theft
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PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT
Column by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted
According to a recent report by the research firm Javelin Strategy & Research, identity theft affected more than 8 million people in 2010. While identity theft has often been considered a crime targeting just consumers, business identity theft has become an increasingly alarming trend.
Business identity theft—also referred to as corporate or commercial identity theft—occurs when a business’s identity is used to transact business and establish lines of credit with banks and/or vendors. This could include establishing temporary office space and/or merchant accounts in a company’s name, or ordering merchandise or services with stolen credit card information. Like consumer identity theft, business identity theft can result in potentially ruinous consequences for the victimized business as well as those individuals associated with the business.
December is Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness Month. As the guardian of business filings in Ohio, I am encouraging all Ohio companies to take some time to evaluate and address any vulnerabilities they may have, and also to sign up for the Secretary of State’s business filing notification system, which adds another level of protection against identity theft.
There are many things to consider when deciding to establish a business. After completing the necessary steps to register a business entity with the Secretary of State’s office, a company should focus on protecting against identity theft. Helpful tips are available in the Business Services section of the Secretary of State’s website at www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov and both the Federal Trade Commission and the Better Business Bureau offer best practices for prevention whether for new or existing business. These include:
Periodically checking the state business filings, filing on time and keeping records up to date.
Monitoring credit reports and business accounts.
Being diligent in safeguarding your company’s sensitive information, including account numbers and passwords, and encourage employees to do the same.
Ensuring that computer systems, networks and website are secure.
In addition to following these best practices, the Secretary of State’s office provides a free, easy-to-use filing notification system that allows businesses to track any changes and updates to business filings with our office. Businesses or individuals need only submit an email address and business charter, registration or license number for each filing, which can be found through a simple online business search at www.OhioSecretaryofState.gov. Please note that if in addition to a regular business filing a company also a registered trademark or service mark, for example, businesses will need to know the numbers for each of those filings as well. Once subscribed to our service, an email will be sent automatically the day after any document is filed. The email will serve as notification of all changes to that business record.
Education, information and readiness are the best defenses against potential threats to a business’s identity. I encourage all business owners to use the Secretary of State’s filing notification systems and other helpful tools during Identity Theft Prevention and Awareness month to make sure their business’s identity is as safe and secure as possible.
For more information on business identity theft please visit the Ohio Secretary of State’s website at: www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/Businesses/BusinessInformation/BusinessIdentityTheft.aspx
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Secretary Husted is Ohio’s 53rd Secretary of State and brings a strong record of leadership and a unique breadth of experience to the office. As Secretary of State, Secretary Husted is focused on enhancing economic growth and job creation
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Posted by Tina Gienger
on December 5, 2011 at 10:45 AM
in Business News |
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December 1, 2011
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November 1, 2011
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October 11, 2011
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September 15, 2011
Chamber responds to We Are Ohio by Debra Lynn-Schmitz
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The Chamber Board of Directors has discussed in depth the impact of Issue 2 on our community and our state. This is a difficult issue and involves a variety of sectors in the community. Last week I received a letter from We Are Ohio that was sent from the North Shore AFL-CIO regarding Issue 2. The Chamber Board of Directors has asked that I respond to this letter by communicating with the membership. The Chamber has not taken a formal position on Issue 2 at this time. The letter from the AFL-CIO/We Are Ohio is in italics and my response follows each paragraph. Dear Ms. Debra Lynn-Schmitz, We Are Ohio formally asks the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce to announce you will remain neutral on Issue 2, the repeal of SB 5. The Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce’s (the “Chamber") mission is to serve our member investors and promote business interests through economic development, business advocacy and member services, all of which benefit the greater Medina community. “We Are Ohio” does not have any standing with the Chamber regarding what position to take or how to address this issue. Although the Chamber has not taken a formal position, our Board of Directors has agreed that we should educate our members on this issue.
Your membership is diverse. Taking a position on issue 2 cannot be accomplished with unanimity. Many of your members oppose SB 5 because it is not in the best interest of their business and your community. We appreciate our diverse membership. Our members take seriously the right to determine what is in the best interest of their business and community, and shall not be influenced or intimidated through the position taken by the AFL-CIO/We Are Ohio. In Medina County alone, there are 8,994 state and local public employees that will lose their right to speak up on the job for their safety, the safety of their coworkers and the families they serve if SB 5 is not repealed. We respect our state and local public employees. Issue 2 clearly states that the purchase and use of safety equipment can be negotiated under “terms and conditions” of employment. The practice of having the Union determine how many officers and firefighters are on duty or responding, rather than allowing safety force management to make decisions based on professional training and experience, does not guarantee our community is any safer. In fact, the layoffs and lost jobs through attrition that are not filled because of strained local budgets places the safety of our community in question. These public employees are not alone. In Medina County, 7,622 people signed the petition to place Issue 2 before voters on Nov. 8. These 7,622 people are also customers who support employee rights and worker safety. They believe SB 5 is unfair, unsafe and hurts all of us. It is possible that people did not understand the issue and/or believed putting an issue on the ballot is the democratic way. It does not necessarily mean they believe SB 5 is unfair and unsafe. The public’s actions thus far represent a signature, not a vote either way on this Issue. Taking a position sends the wrong message to the working, middle class families in your community who earn and then spend their paychecks on small and big businesses in the Medina County area. The results of the vote on Issue 2 do have an impact on small and big businesses in the Medina County area. Sustaining the existing system will surely cause a significant number of layoffs in the public sector and leave less for our community as a whole to spend. The majority of our community, or any community, consists of “middle-class”, hard-working citizens including our public employees and private employers. The “middle class families” are the same families that are paying the taxes to sustain our public employees and reach far beyond the public employee sector. Local merchants have signed on with the statewide Proud Ohio Workers program in which small businesses prominently affix a window sticker stating that public and private employees keep them open and profitable. We take no issue with a message that welcomes the community, including public and private employees. However, we do not believe a business should be intimidated into placing such a sticker in their window to avoid retaliation by the Union. That is insulting and disrespectful to our community members. We see no good reason for the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce to become engaged in this issue. Taking a position provides no benefits to your members and is an insult to your members’ customers. Your position would also be at odds with a large number of community, government and religious leaders in your area. This issue impacts jobs, taxes, and economic development. These are core interests for the Chamber of Commerce. We also believe this issue impacts the ability for our elected officials to do their jobs. We believe in democracy and the free enterprise system. We believe that citizens have a right to disagree and make a decision based on accurate facts and information. We Are Ohio supports the workers employed by your members and pledges to continue supporting local businesses. Please demonstrate a mutual respect by staying neutral. We are not going to make a decision because We Are Ohio is attempting to intimidate us by subtly threatening to withdraw support of our members. The “We Are Ohio/AFL-CIO” is not demonstrating mutual respect by telling our organization how to respond and conduct our business. We are a special interest, membership organization that answers to our membership. Since the AFL-CIO/We Are Ohio organization also represents special interests, they should remain neutral. Ignoring our request to remain neutral goes against the wishes of 1.3 million Ohioans who signed and more than 10,000 volunteers who circulated petitions to place Issue 2 before the voters. Just as the We Are Ohio/AFL-CIO has the right to communicate to their membership, the Chamber may communicate anything to our membership we deem appropriate and then only in a professional, respectful manner. We all depend on volunteers and recognize that volunteers are an important part of our community and our quality of life. We respect those that feel strongly enough to volunteer their time for a cause they believe in, even if it does not necessarily reflect our perspective. Sincerely, AJ Stokes Campaign Manager We Are Ohio Debra Lynn-Schmitz, President Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce 145 N. Court St. Medina, OH 44256 330-723-8773
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Posted by Susan Murawski
on September 15, 2011 at 11:43 AM
in Business News |
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July 28, 2011
Announcing - Young Entrepreneurs Academy
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Local Community Cheers YEA! For Entrepreneurship Medina City Schools and The Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce Welcomes Young Entrepreneurs Academy into Classrooms Medina, Ohio, July 27, 2011–The Young Entrepreneurs Academy, or YEA!, is an innovative program that guides students through the process of starting their own real business, is excited to announce plans for the program to be introduced in the Medina High School, in the Fall of 2011. YEA! is a groundbreaking program that takes students between the ages of 14 and 18 through the process of launching a real business or social movement over the course of an academic year . By the end of the class, students own and operate fully-formed and functioning businesses, which may be carried after their graduation from the program. YEA! aims at teaching students at an early age how to make a job, not just take a job. YEA! is the only pre-college program developed by an entrepreneur, at a university, with support from a major entrepreneurial foundation, the Kauffman Foundation and the United States Chamber of Commerce. “We are excited about the expansion and specifically chose theMedina City Schools because of its reputation for academic excellence,” said Gayle Jagel, the CEO and founder of the Young Entrepreneurs Academy. Jagel developed the YEA! program in 2004, while serving as the Director of the Office of Special Programs at the University of Rochester. In 2008, YEA! “spun-off” from the University to create its own not-for-profit corporation, YEA! Inc., which is currently launching sites in colleges, universities and high schools across the country. “We are pleased to be one of the first school districts in the nation to advance our students business education through the Young Entrepreneurs Academy. Our goal is to eventually provide a unique and challenging experience for all students interested in participating,” said Randy, Stepp, Medina City Schools Superintendent. Students at MHS are extremely involved in student-body activities and pride themselves on hard work, which bodes well for the program that requires a nine-month commitment from its young executives. In that time they brainstorm and form their enterprises, make pitches to potential investors, obtain funding, register their companies with governmental agencies, and actually launch their own company or social movement! Business mentors, graphic designers, and local entrepreneurs support the students throughout the program and all of the learning is real and experiential. “One of the most interesting components of the program is the actual behind the scenes knowledge the students are given from local business leaders, who were at one time, standing in their shoes!” Debra Lynn-Schmitz, President of the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce. “The experience is something they will be able to apply to whatever field they choose to enter, thereby giving them the necessary skills to become future leaders of industry.” “Within minutes of learning about the YEA program, I knew this was something we needed to get involved with. This is exactly the program I wish I could have participated in Medina High School” said Chad Wilson, Medina Chamber of Commerce Board Member and entrepreneur. The success of YEA! will be largely based on the support from local businesses through sponsorships to fund the cost of the program and serving as volunteers. "As the largest employer in Medina County, Westfield Insurance has a genuine interest in developing our next generation of workers," says Jani Davis, executive director of Westfield Insurance Foundation. "Westfield has been supporting innovative learning opportunities for many years, and we saw YEA! as a chance for private businesses to partner with schools in a time when some other classes and programs are being eliminated." “The entire community is really on board with school’s plans to pilot the program in the fall,” adds Jagel, “We are urging all local business leaders to become involved with the program and act as mentors to the budding entrepreneurs.” The school does not have any expenses associated with the program. By partnering with YEA!, both large and small companies/businesses volunteer their time and services acting as business mentors, field trip hosts, guest lecturers, graphic designers, web developers, attorneys, etc. Community support strengthens the program, and the academy strengthens the community About the Young Entrepreneurs Academy The Young Entrepreneurs Academy, or YEA!?, is a groundbreaking educational program that takes students in grades six through twelve through the process of starting and running real businesses over the course of a full academic year. Students work in close cooperation with local leaders of industry, community members, and educators to develop ideas and objectives, write business plans, pitch potential investors, obtain funding, register with governmental agencies, develop their brand identity and much more! By the end of the class, students own and operate fully functioning businesses that can be carried on after graduation. Students learn to make a jobnot just take a job! YEA!’s? direct mission is to help students embrace their passion, energy, creativity and talents, launch a venture, and view entrepreneurship as synonymous with success and freedom. In 2008, YEA!? “spun-off” from the University of Rochester, where it was formed in 2004 with support from the Kauffman Foundation, to create its own not-for-profit corporation, YEA! Inc., which is currently launching sites in colleges, universities and high schools across the country to provide comprehensive, exciting entrepreneurship education, leadership development and innovation training to youth between the ages of 11 and 18 years old in the United States thereby making the program available to students at a variety of geographical regions, and providing them with skills they need to succeed in the 21st Century. For more information about the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, please call 585.272.3535 or visit www.yeausa.org Begin as a student and finish as a CEO!© ### Contact: Debra Lynn-Schmitz 330-723-1790 office 330-416-4049 - cell exec@medinaohchamber.com
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Posted by Susan Murawski
on July 28, 2011 at 4:00 PM
in Business News |
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June 28, 2011
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May 2, 2011
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April 4, 2011
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January 6, 2011
Chairman's Message - Dave Mueller
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As my first official action as the 2011 Chairman of the Chamber, I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to our outgoing Chairman, Mr. Mike Baach. It is certainly an honor and a privilege to follow not only in Mike’s footsteps but the footsteps of the many outstanding chairmen that have come before us in serving our membership. Mike is the epitome of a true leader in that he makes the people around him better. He has certainly made me, as well as the Greater Medina Chamber better during his year as Chairman of the Board. Most importantly, he truly cares about the community in which we live and work. His personal involvement in local issues as well as his hard work as Chairman is certainly testimony to his efforts. Again, thank you Mike! Moving forward, all I can say is, “Expect great things from your Chamber Board in 2011”. We have a committed group of board members who are willing to sort through and tackle the tough issues on behalf of our membership. This past year these issues have ranged from small, or only effecting one business, to large issues affecting our entire community. I am sure that this coming year will be more of the same. During our annual meeting, I had a great opportunity to talk with many of our members. Most all used various words to describe a certain feeling they had about the Chamber. I can summarize their comments by simply stating that they feel we have momentum. The dictionary defines momentum as a driving force, or a thrust of energy. I believe that is exactly our role as the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce - to be that driving force behind key issues in our community - key issues that businesses find important. As Chairman, I will tell you that I fully intend to carry this momentum forward by (1) continue our progress in advocating for local businesses and (2) encourage economic development. Coincidently, these are two areas of focus that directly respond to the survey responses in our October 2010 survey. According to our membership, the top three largest concerns for 2011 on the local, state and federal level were taxes, healthcare cost and the economy. With all this said, I need your help to achieve our goals. We’re only as strong as our membership and we wish to become an even stronger voice in advocating for our members. If you know of a business in our community who isn’t a member, please encourage them to seek out membership or contact the Medina Chamber for membership information. Becoming a Chamber member not only shows support for our efforts as an organization but most importantly a strong commitment to the community. Dave Mueller
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Posted by Susan Murawski
on January 6, 2011 at 2:18 PM
in Business News |
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