Ncbj October 2008

POSTMASTER: TIMELY MATERIAL. PLEASE EXPEDITE. Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Tiffin, OH 44883 Permit #88

ating Celebr rs a 14 Ye e vic r of Se

Vol. 14 No. 10 OCTOBER 2008

Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.

INSIDE THIS MONTH Public Relations, Manage Them or Not? ................ 2 Legal: Trust Asset Protection ........................ 5

Focus on Sandusky & Erie County Sandusky’s Changing Shoreline SUBMITTED BY SCOTT J. SCHELL CITY OF SANDUSKY, OHIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT

Retirement: Can You Live on That? ............... 9 IT: More Surfing Tips 2008 .................... 15 Sales: Are Your Customers Satisfied?........ 19 Taxes: Get the Most Out of Housing Act ... 21

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“The Business Voice of Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca Counties”

The look of Sandusky’s Shoreline has gone through some dramatic changes in the past two years and it looks to continue that trend in the years to come. Like all cities along Lake Erie, the shoreline’s history was one of manufacturing and industry. The lake was the key transportation corridor for all of Ohio’s north coast. Times change and with it so did industry, which left many cities, like Sandusky, with underutilized and often times vacant industrial sites along the waterfront. While manufacturing will always play a vital role in the local economy, other ways to capitalize on Sandusky’s tremendous natural assets would need to be developed to keep the community vibrant and moving forward. The Bayfront Paper District was the City’s first steps toward the revitalization of Sandusky’s Historic Waterfront. The Paper District

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encompasses forty acres of Sandusky’s formerly industrial waterfront which will be transformed into residential, commercial and retail and marinas. The district’s initial Phase, The Chesapeake Lofts redevelopment, shows first hand how the shoreline of Sandusky has begun to evolve. The original site of the Hinde & Dauch Paper Company has been completely renovated into 195 luxury, residential condominiums overlooking Sandusky Bay in the heart of downtown Sandusky, just a short walk to restaurants, shopping, arts, entertainment and recreation. For more information on the Chesapeake Lofts please visit www. chesapeakelofts.com. Now even more dramatic changes could be on Sandusky’s horizon. The city is in the process of finalizing an agreement with Alternative Development, of Dublin, Ohio, for a proposed 30 acre redevelopment project along the eastern edge of Sandusky’s downtown shoreline. The Marina District at Sandusky Bay is slated to be a mixed-use development featuring residential condominiums, commercial, retail and restaurants as well as a Hotel and conference facility. The Phase I development of this ambitious project would include an approximately 120 room Hotel as well as a mid-rise, mixed-use facility featuring 112 residential condominiums, roughly 26,000 square feet of commercial and retail space. Central to the development is the concept of preserving and enhancing public access to the waterfront and increased park open space for the residents and visitors alike. The developer’s vision is making the Marina District

a “Green Development,” incorporating as many sustainable energy concepts as possible in the design. Everything from solar, wind, geo-thermal, bio-swales and permeable hard-scapes will be investigated and utilized where feasible. The entire project will also be seeking to register with The Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™, a third-party certification program that encourages the global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices. Alternative Development is gearing up to break ground on the project next spring. To learn more about this project please visit www. marinadistrictcondo.com . Sandusky is truly a city in transition, from their industrial roots, to its transformation into a destination for the enjoyment of the Arts, Museums, Historic Architecture and the fabulous waterfront of Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie. If you haven’t visited Sandusky lately, what are you waiting for?

Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce

Tiffin Area Chamber of Commerce

Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce

Elmore Chamber of Commerce

Genoa Chamber of Commerce

Milan Chamber of Commerce

Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce

Vermilion Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County

Erie County Chamber of Commerce

Huron Chamber of Commerce

Norwalk - Huron County Chamber of Commerce

Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce

Willard Area Chamber of Commerce

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OCTOBER 2008

North Coast Business Journal

Commentary Public Relations – You’re Going to Have Them Whether You Manage Them or Not Jeffrey H. Bryden, Editor Public Relations is a mass communications tool with high credibility. It can help craft and maintain your corporate or product image. But you’ll usually find it toward the bottom of the “Promotion” budget caption. It often tends to be one of those “when-we-get-around-to-it” chores. Or, when it is used, public relations is a reactive or defensive tool, to fend off negative rumors of layoffs, mergers, product defects or recalls, to defend corporate actions, or explain job-related accidents, mishaps or lawsuits. Used only in a defensive mode puts severe limitations on the full potential of this promotional discipline. Smart companies seek to primarily utilize public relations in a proactive way. They make sure it’s part of their corporate culture. While a strong defense can be important,

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JOHN SCHAFFNER JEFFREY H. BRYDEN [email protected] DAVE KAHLER [email protected] HEIDI RIFE [email protected] MARY TORREY [email protected] GINNY WISE [email protected] JENNIFER DAUBEL [email protected] BRUCE DINSE

North Coast Business Journal is owned and published monthly by Schaffner Publications, Inc., and is mailed free to chamber of commerce members in a five-county area: Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Seneca counties. The editorial deadline is the 25th of each month, with the advertising deadline the end of each month. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the expressed, written consent of the Publishers. We welcome submissions from readers in the form of letters, articles or photographs, although we reserve the right to edit and condense any articles submitted. Submissions should be sent to the editor at the above address. Include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you would like an item returned. We prefer material (copy & photos) to be submitted electronically.

it’s the good offense that usually wins the communications game. Successful companies make sure that the PR staff has defined corporate communications objectives, that strategic plans are in place to accomplish them, and that realistic budgets are established. And, they make sure this discipline is staffed with someone trained in public relations – an educated and experienced practitioner. They don’t foist this important area off on their spouse’s niece or nephew. (Not that there’s anything wrong with nieces and nephews!) Smart managers know that establishing and maintaining good relations with their firm’s publics is key to current and future business success. And, as you look toward your own public relations goals, remember to consider all of your various publics: prospects and current customers, present and future employees, present and future shareholders, legislators, agencies, officials at local, state and federal levels, the media, and the local citizens of the towns in which you manufacture or do business. There are many tools PR practitioners can bring to bear on these publics. • Publicity Releases (news) about the company’s products and people can help build an innovative, growing image of the company. Well-crafted releases are welcomed by most news media. While “good news” stories sometimes bubble to the surface, the pr staff will often have to dig for news, seeking out product improvement, application or human interest stories. • Plant Tours can be a good way to “get ink” with newspapers and the trade press, allowing editors and reporters access to new product and new process information and to key people. • Special Events are similar to Plant Tours. Open houses, groundbreaking, promotions, retirements and even birthday parties are important public relations activities which can impact and influence a variety of publics. • Corporate Relations efforts can range from meeting with financial analysts, preparation of the Annual Report and shareholder quarterly newsletters, to handling all the details of the company’s annual meeting. • Corporate Communications includes being the “keeper of the flame” of the company logo, trademark and colors. This often includes maintaining a “corporate style book,” monitoring business card, letterhead stationery, signage, and employment documents. And issuing press releases or warning letters to editors and the media about proper and improper use of company brands or copyrighted names. Corporate communications can also include speech writing/editing for key executives – to assure continuity in statements about the company—and publication of an employee newsletter. • Digital and Electronic venues like creation and maintenance of the corporate website, videos, and PowerPoint presentations for corporate and public speeches.

• Charitable/Community Involvement often is handled by the PR staff. It is usually the company’s top management that is at the forefront of a company’s involvement in public service and their efforts must be both coordinated and visible – to maximize attribution to the corporation. Sadly, with all the strengths that Public Relations can bring to the Marketing dance, it is often the communications “wallflower.” One reason is that its strengths are not recognized and little effort, budget, or staffing is assigned to it. Another reason is that the function is often not the responsibility of the Marketing department. This makes it difficult to truly integrate it with the other promotional disciplines of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion, and direct marketing. Once again, Public Relations is a mass communications tool with high credibility which can help craft and maintain your corporate or product image. And you’re going to have an image, whether you manage it or not. “Give people a taste of Old Crow, and tell them it’s Old Crow. Then give them another taste of Old Crow, but tell them it’s Jack Daniel’s. Ask them which they prefer. They’ll think the two drinks are quite different. They are tasting images.” David Ogilvy, Ogilvy on Advertising, 1985, New York: Vintage Books, p. 15.

Small Business Basics Seminars Set for October The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra Community College is offering free, two-hour seminars, “Small Business Basics,” that will answer questions about starting, buying or expanding a small business. This seminar will take the confusion out of your efforts and help you avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary steps. Learn the basics of: name registration, licensing, taxes, zoning, business entities, employees, insurance, financing and business planning. The October schedule is:

Wednesday, Oct. 8 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tiffin Area Chamber of Commerce (conference room), 62 S. Washington St., Tiffin Wednesday, Oct. 15 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Erie County Chamber of Commerce (conference room), 225 W. Washington Row, Sandusky Wednesday, Oct. 22 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Terra Community College (Building B, Room 101), 2830 Napoleon Road, Fremont These events are free and open to the public. To register or for more information, call Bill Auxter, Director of the Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra Community College, toll-free 800-826-2431 or 419559-2210. Or contact him by email at [email protected].

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 3

Erie County Looks to the Future SUBMITTED BY THE ERIE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Not unlike other parts of the Great Lakes states, Erie County has not been immune from the downturn in the economy in most sectors, but being blessed with the significant tourist industry we have mitigated the effects of an economic downturn in many areas.

Enrollment at Terra Community College Continues to Build Enrollment at Terra Community College continues its upward trend with a 6.5 percent increase in headcount for fall semester 2008. Student headcount is at 2,650, a 6.5 percent jump over fall 2007, while Full-Time Equivalency (FTE) is at 783.4, up 4.4 percent. The statistics became official Monday, Sept. 8. Enrollment is measured both in the actual number of students on campus as well as FTE, which is the total number of credit hours for all students registered by the census day divided by 30 credits for campuses on a semester system and 45 credits for those on a quarter system. Ohio public colleges receive funding from the state based on annual FTE. Here are numbers from previous years: • Fall 2007 – 2,488 students and 750.6 FTE (semester system) • Fall 2006 – 2,277 students and 672 FTE (semester system) • Fall 2005 – 2,475 students and 510 FTE (quarter system) • Fall 2004 – 2,628 students and 549 FTE (quarter system) • Fall 2003 – 2,572 students and 532 FTE (quarter system)

Those involved with working to map the community’s economic future have much on their plate. Projects such as Sandusky’s Marina District development, the proposed Ashford Park, and the prospect of a significant, new airport facility provide optimism for both the near-term and long-term economic future. Simultaneous with these developments, significant efforts have been underway between area industries and educational providers to ensure that today’s students will be well prepared for local employment opportunities, once they complete their academic training. These efforts are industry-driven, and educators and economic developers are employing every available tool to ensure success. Coupled with local opportunities, the State of Ohio Department of Development has announced a strategic plan designed to focus on Ohio’s strengths to lead the region in an economic recovery. Economic development is a never-ending process, and Erie County officials are committed to maximizing efforts to continuously ensure as bright a present and future as is possible.

4 OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing and Bowling Green State University Firelands College Announce New Affiliation Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing and Bowling Green State University Firelands College are pleased to announce a new affiliation between the two organizations. The new affiliation will become effective for the students entering the School of Nursing program in the fall of 2009. The Board of Directors of Firelands Regional Medical Center made the decision to change college affiliations to reduce student’s tuition expenses and to provide students with local access to student services. “The new affiliation between Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing and BGSU Firelands will provide a number of advantages to the students coming into the program in the fall of ’09,” shares Holly Price, MSN, RN, Director of the FRMC School of Nursing. Specifically, Mrs. Price indicates: 1) Tuition fees for the program will be reduced by approximately $15,000 per student, making nursing education from Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing more affordable for students in our area; 2) With BGSU Firelands being located in Huron, just minutes down the road from the School of Nursing campus, students will now have local access to student services which are provided by the affiliated university. Students will be able to access the University’s library, tutoring services, computer services, remediation, math and science assistance, to name a few.

James M. Smith, Interim Dean of BGSU Firelands is excited about the new affiliation as well. “We are delighted to expand our portfolio of healthcare programs and majors by partnering with Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing. This affiliation will provide tuition savings to nursing students and increase the array of services available to them locally. The partnership between BGSU Firelands and FRMC School of Nursing also prepares students for a seamless transition into a bachelor of science in nursing program. This partnership is unique at the BSN level, as it combines the resources of BGSU, FRMC and UT. Innovative partnerships like this will contribute to our enrollment and growth as well as support the economic development needs of our region,” said Interim Dean James M. Smith.Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing will maintain its current affiliation with Lourdes College through the graduation class of 2011 so that all currently enrolled students will be able to continue their course of study without interruption. All currently enrolled regular students will receive his or her Associate in Arts Degree from Lourdes College, and a Nursing Diploma from FRMC School of Nursing. Additionally, current students will still have the option of entering the RN to BSN Completion Program provided by Lourdes College at the Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing campus (providing enrollment is sufficient).

Community Hospice Care

New students interested in enrolling at Firelands Regional Medical Center of School of Nursing will begin first year courses through BGSU Firelands in the Fall of 2009 School of Nursing program will enter the program under the BGSU affiliation. These students will graduate with an Associate of Science Degree from Bowling Green State University and with a Nursing Diploma from FRMC School of Nursing. Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing has been in existence for 103 years, having graduated over 1,400 registered nurses in its long history. “Our partnership with Lourdes College over the past 30 years has been very successful and we are pleased with the quality of education of the students who have graduated from the program. We anticipate an equally excellent program through our affiliation with BGSU,” explains Mrs. Price. Firelands Regional Medical Center is a 401-bed, full service, not-for-profit hospital. Serving a five-county region, Firelands provides comprehensive diagnostic, medical, surgical, emergency and rehabilitation services for people of all ages. For more information about Firelands Regional Medical Center visit www.firelands.com.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. Kwest Group has the resources necessary to meet the needs of our clients, providing the best solutions for any given project. We have the right people and the right equipment to assist your organization in any of the following areas:

With Community Hospice Care, it’s not the destination, but the journey that matters Proudly Serving Seneca & Huron counties since 1983

• Commercial Site Development • Industrial Site Development • Underground Utility Installation • Demolition • Environmental Remediation • General Excavation

• Shore Protection • Wetland Mitigation and Construction • Marina Construction and Maintenance • Dredging • Sheet Piling • Custom Crushing

Our mission is to provide high-quality construction services that maximize value across the board. To accomplish it, we recruit and retain the best employees available. As a result, we’re setting new standards for our people, our clients and our role within the community. Discover the difference Kwest Group can make in your next project.

Not for Profit - No Patient ever receives a bill for our care Community Hospice Care 181 E. Perry Street; Tiffin, OH 44883 (419) 447-4040 1-800-834-8100 Visit our website: www.communityhospicecare.com or contact us via email at: [email protected]

960 S. Plasterbed Rd. • Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 419-734-5533 • Fax: 419-734-5534

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 5

Legal Does a Revocable Trust Protect Assets? BY JEFFREY ROTH, PARTNER, ROTH AND BACON With all of the turmoil in the banking industry, I receive calls asking if the assets in one’s revocable trust are safe. This question tells me that the person does not fully understand a revocable trust. The purpose of this article is to give a quick review of a revocable trust and relate it function with the security and protection of assets. A living or revocable trust is an arrangement where a person (the settlor) transfers title of an asset to a person to hold the title (the trustee). The trustee is now in control of the asset and at some point by following instructions found in the trust document transfers that asset to another person (the beneficiary). This creates an entity that will allow the trustee to hold the title and follow the directions in the trust document. Now comes the confusing part, the same person can wear all three hats. This person can create the trust, transfer the property into the trust, retain certain powers within the trust and benefit from the assets or the income from the trust. Normally, after that person has died, another person, normally a spouse or a child is given the direction and duty to transfer that asset to someone named in the trust document. At the point of the death of the original grantor or settler, the trust changes from being revocable to being

irrevocable. That means that no one can change the terms of the trust unless the original settlor granted the power to change in the document. There are many advantages to holding an asset in a revocable trust but protection from creditors is not one of them. Some of the advantages of the revocable trust are: INCAPACITY. If one is unable to handle his affairs due to health reasons, the successor trustee named in the trust can take over control and management of the business affairs of that person and not involve the court with a costly guardianship. OUT OF STATE PROPERTY. If you own real estate in more than one state then it can be very costly to maintain a probate to transfer the real estate in each state. With a trust, again, a successor trustee has the power to transfer the real estate without using the court system. ESTATE TAXES. Implementing proper tax strategies within the trust can create a formula that will allow for the greatest amount of assets to be transferred to the spouse or the next generation with the least amount of taxation. The key preventing the trust from offering asset protection is the fact that the settlor retains the power to alter, amend or revoke in part or in whole the trust while he or she is alive. The problem is that

if the original owner has the power to get to the asset so can any creditors. To make this clear, a revocable trust offers NO asset protection and your money is no safer in a trust than it is in your own name. If you have heard that a trust does protect assets, then the person is speaking of an IRREVOCABLE TRUST. Here, the owner has transferred the title to another and has given up total and complete control. He cannot get the asset back unless the third party trustee elects to give it to him. This is another entirely different trust that will be discussed in future articles. People are confusing protection from loss of the asset with protection from attachment by a creditor. NO trust can protect you from loss of value if the stock declines in value or if a bank fails. A trust is just an entity that holds the title to the asset. Where you place the assets of the trust is your decision. I know that this sounds elementary but there are those individuals that feel that their assets are safer in a trust. The sole purpose of this article is to be sure that you are not one of them. A trust is a great planning tool but it does not offer protection from loss of value. I must correct a math error in last month’s article. You may have read where I added $5,000 and $10,000 and stated the amount not covered by insurance was $10,000. The obvious answer is $15,000. I believe that I will say that I was just testing my readers and not that I don’t always add correctly. Jeff Roth is a partner with Forrest Bacon and David Bacon of the firm ROTH and BACON with offices in Port Clinton, Upper Sandusky and Marion, Ohio. Mr. Roth is also licensed and practices in Florida. His practice is limited to wealth strategy planning and elder law in both states. Nothing in this article is intended for, nor should be relied upon as individual legal advice. The purpose of this article is to help educate the public on concepts of law as they pertain to estate and business planning. Jeff Roth can be reached at [email protected] (telephone: 419732-9994) copyright@Jeffrey P. Roth 2008.

For years, people have relied on Firelands Regional Medical Center for their healthcare needs. When faced with a healthcare decision, make Firelands your choice for quality inpatient and outpatient care. We are Proud to Share Highlights of Our 2008 Accomplishments Firelands Regional Medical Center is dedicated to ensuring that the highest quality healthcare services are available in our community when you and your loved ones need them most. 䡲 Opening of new East Tower providing 83 patient rooms, majority are private rooms 䡲 Expansion of Emergency Center to 25 rooms to be completed later this fall 䡲 Expanded Inpatient Physical Rehabilitation to 34 beds at Firelands South Campus 䡲 Our Adult Hospitalist Program expands 䡲 New Pediatric Unit expanding to 10 private patient rooms 䡲 Ranked 7th Best Employer in the State of Ohio, out of 277,000 employers in the State 1111 Hayes Avenue

䡲 In partnership with Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, a Pediatric Hospitalist Program began and Pediatric Specialty Clinics started – both bringing advanced pediatric care to the region 䡲 Firelands Regional Medical Center became a smoke-free/tobacco-free campus 䡲 Recognized as a Top 100 Hospital in Heart Services 䡲 Ranked in the Top 100 Nationally for Inpatient Rehabilitation 䡲 Opened new Counseling & Recovery Services in Lorain County Sandusky, OH 44870

419-557-7400

䡲 Construction began on new Counseling & Recovery Services building in Erie County 䡲 BGSU Firelands partners with Firelands School of Nursing 䡲 Many new programs, procedures and state-of-the-art equipment added in 2008 䡲 Numerous program accreditations and certifications received, exemplifying that high quality standards are continuously met

www.firelands.com

6 OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

Sandusky Central Catholic: Creating a Bright Future Sandusky Central Catholic School provides an inclusive educational curriculum focusing on values, service, athletics, the arts and academics. It is Erie County’s greatest secret and part of its economic development plan. Sandusky Central Catholic brings businesses to the area because it offers children and young adults an opportunity to learn in a faith-filled setting which builds character, creates lifelong learners and promotes strong leaders.

The uniqueness of Sandusky Central Catholic School begins at the Early Childhood Center. The Handwriting Without Tears program enables children to begin writing within a child-centered approach. Children learn to write with golf pencils and broken crayons because they are more appropriate for their small hands and fingers. The center sets the tone for student success and a love for writing. The Dinosaur School program, which began in 2007-2008, is designed for children ages 3, 4 and 5. This program uses puppets, songs and games to teach young children social and problem-solving skills. Young children learn how to talk out their problems and get along with others which is a critical component in today’s world. Besides providing a structured and enriching academic program, students in the elementary experience the value of service. Music ambassadors take monthly trips to perform for residents in nursing homes. These young ambassadors give up one recess each week to practice. It’s their way of bringing a little joy to others. As part of their social studies unit on city government, students invite local community officials and businessmen to learn from the experts. For the 2008-2009 school year teachers have expanded their scope in learning to include four family night activities. By creating a home/school partnership parents begin to interact in a social way. In the Junior High students are encouraged to participate in City Manager Matt Kline invited the SCCS 3rd the Power of the Pen. This program allows 7th and 8th graders graders to visit the city building, where their tour to participate in a writing competition with their peers locally, included a stop in the City Commission meeting regionally and state-wide. In the past two years, students have room. competed both regionally and at the state level. This is another chance to expand upon their strengths. The Great Land Use Debate allows students to be creative in a productive community project. Students are given a complex issue of land development and through a brainstorming session develop a creative and productive way in using the land. Students research laws, codes and regulations, draw blueprints and present their project to a panel of judges. Sandusky Central Catholic has the distinct honor of being the only school to earn two first place awards in one year. The culmination of a prekindergarten- grade 12 experience is encompassed in what evolves throughout a students high school years. There are many opportunities for our SMCC students because of our small class sizes and our individual approach to learning. Post-Secondary Education Option Program: We offer 32 credit hours of college courses taught on our campus by our own faculty who are adjunct professors with Bowling Green State University.

Scholarships: The class of 2008 received scholarship offerings totaling $3.5 million. This supported eighty-seven percent (87%) of the class of 2008 in their pursuit of higher education. Sports: SMCCHS offers 14 different sports for students. We are small but mighty. In 2007-2008, twenty-five (25) athletes qualified at the state level. Service: The Key Club, sponsored by Sandusky Kiwanis Club, requires 5 hours of community service each month. This provides an extension of the service opportunities offered during the elementary years in a more global and productive way. Leadership: Students are involved in a variety of leadership activities. For example, three SMCC students were elected to serve as officers for the 2008 Ohio Model United Nations convention. Academics: SMCC seniors spend the last three weeks of the school year exploring possible careers. This comprehensive, long-range project benefits students in two ways. Some students find out the career they were interested in isn’t what they thought it would be. On the other hand, others have received internship offers after their project or made connections that led to a job once out of college. The Arts: For more than 15 consecutive years, SMCC has received grants from the Ohio Arts Council and the Mylander foundation to host a professional artist to work with classes. The resident artist shares his or her specialty with students. Last fall, our art department was asked to give a presentation to the Ohio Arts Council. The 2007 residency project was community-centered. Cow, cat, and dog quilts were auctioned as a community fundraiser for the Hermes family and Humane Society. Sandusky Central Catholic School is student-centered. Our goal is to develop each student according to their individual strengths. It is a school district comprised of: Dedicated and innovative teachers. Tremendous parent support groups filled with school pride. An active community who give from the heart and make a huge difference. We continue to expand upon the past and plan for the Future.

Visiting artist Kate Gorman worked with SMCC high school students on quilting techniques during her residency in 2007. She returned to SMCC in 2008 for a painted fabric mural project, now a permanent installation in the school.

North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 7

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BGSU Firelands Sets New Fall Enrollment Record Fall Headcount Totals 2600

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Fall headcount enrollment at BGSU Firelands is 2,354 students, an increase of 14 percent from fall 2007. This is the highest fall headcount in the college’s history, surpassing the 2007 record of 2,065 by 289 students. Undergraduate non-degree students grew by 52.9 percent, jumping from 384 to 587. Freshmen grew by 6.3 percent and juniors increased by 15.2 percent. The number of sophomores and seniors dipped by 0.percent and 7.8 percent, respectively. Interim Dean James M. Smith made the announcement after the Bowling Green State University Office of Institutional Research released the official numbers. BGSU Firelands also experienced 5.4% growth in overall student credit hours. Undergraduate subsidy eligible and undergraduate subsidy ineligible hours grew by 5.6% and 8.7%, respectively. Graduate subsidy ineligible hours grew by 13.2%. Student credit hours are a measure of the number of students multiplied by the credit hours taken by each student. “I am delighted to announce such large increases in the BGSU Firelands student population. Students recognize BGSU Firelands as a great value with excellent faculty and staff and reasonable tuition. Students appreciate a high quality affordable education that is close to home. The cost savings over a residential campus where tuition is potentially double the cost and room and board adding to the expense make BGSU Firelands exactly what they need for two and four year programs. “Our tuition is the lowest among regional campuses in the state of Ohio. We are reaching out to community populations with initiatives like dual enrollment, ‘Seniors to Sophomores’ and on-site and distance classes at local high schools. We have a wide array of programs, associate and bachelor’s degree to meet student and local employer needs. We have been meeting local education needs for 40 years and we will provide innovative ways to meet them in the next 40 years,” said Interim Dean James M. Smith.

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8 OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

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Company or Employee Phones? Which way should my business go? GUEST EDITORIAL BY TOM KUETERMAN, FIRELANDS WIRELESS

Many businesses & government agencies struggle with how to best provide wireless phones to mobile employees. While most everyone recognizes the value of communicating with mobile personnel, there are conflicting answers as to who should “own” the phones & services. Some employers argue that reimbursing an employee for business use is less expensive and forces more judicious use by the employee. And certainly, if an employee is responsible for paying the cellular bill each month they are invested in the management of their rate plans and usage habits. However, the reimbursement rate paid by an employer to individuals may actually be GREATER than the average cost per line in a well designed pool of minutes. A business or government agency can purchase cellular minutes more cost-effectively than a single consumer, and will often qualify for a discount on their plans. All wireless carriers offer a 5 – 10% discount to their business customers simply for meeting defined volume levels. Also, if your business is

affiliated with certain group purchasing organizations or large corporations it may be eligible for 15 – 20% discounts. Government agencies are often eligible for preferred rate plans and even larger discounts. So if you have the right set of rate plans for your organization, your net expense would be less if you own the phones. Also, when the business owns the phones they have control over the type of services and carriers they want used. Mobile data management systems like GPS tracking are valuable tools in running field organizations. If you want to use data applications like GPS time tracking or bar code scanning for improved mobile data access, it will be very difficult to implement and manage these systems unless the business owns the phones. Billing of these products would go to the account holder of the cellular service, so ultimately the employee would be responsible for adding (and keeping) the service active on the account. Another example would be providing employees with walkie-talkie phones. If you wanted employees to use phones with this capability, but they already had phones with another carrier you would have little leverage to get them to switch. Every business and government organization has their

Firelands Regional Medical Center Continues Rich Tradition of Healthcare Service Firelands Regional Medical Center has a history rich with the tradition of providing the finest healthcare services available to the surrounding communities. Recently opening its new East Tower addition, Firelands is well equipped to meet the region’s healthcare needs. The hospital’s recent expansion includes a five-story enclosed parking garage, a stateof-the-art Cancer Center, and a five-story patient tower, know as the East Tower, with 83 patient rooms and 13 operating rooms with prep and recovery areas. Firelands Regional Medical Center, a 401-bed, full service, not-for-profit hospital, offers a wide range of general medical and specialty services to the 300,000 residents of the five-county area. Firelands Regional Medical Center is dually accredited by The Joint Commission and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). It is the only medical center in the five-county area that offers an Accredited Chest Pain Center and a full service cardiac care program, which includes open heart surgery. Firelands Regional Medical Center has affiliations with University Hospital’s Ireland Cancer Center and Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, for its comprehensive cancer program and pediatric program. Additionally, with 14 locations serving Erie, Huron, Lorain, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot Counties, Firelands Regional Medical Center includes the main campus, the south campus facility, Ireland Cancer Center at Firelands Regional Medical Center, Behavioral Health Services, Dialysis Center,

Corporate Health & Home Health Services. Firelands Regional Medical Center provides a comprehensive array of acute care services, specialties and subspecialties including a state-of-the-art Emergency Medicine and Outpatient Department, Heart Institute, Intensive Care/Coronary Care, Psychiatric, Inpatient Dialysis Service, Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Oncology Services, Inpatient Physical Rehabilitation, Family Practice Clinic, Specialized Pediatric Clinics, and Medical Education and School of Nursing Programs. The hospital has a medical staff of over 200 and employs more than 1,900 full and part-time employees. Firelands admits nearly 10,000 patients annually and has over 235,000 outpatient visits and 45,000 emergency room visits per year. Firelands Regional Medical Center is the combination of three former Sandusky hospitals into one regional medical center providing state-of-the-art medical care. It began with the laying of the cornerstone for the former Good Samaritan Hospital on June 27, 1876. In 1902 the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, based in Cleveland, founded Providence Hospital, with the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio assuming sponsorship in 1923. In 1933, Sandusky’s first osteopathic hospital was established with the founding of Sandusky Memorial Hospital. In 1985, Good Samaritan Hospital and Sandusky Memorial Hospital merged, becoming Firelands Community Hospital. In 2001 Firelands Community Hospital and Providence Hospital merged to become Firelands Regional Medical Center - the largest healthcare system in the five county area.

own laws, needs and experiences that shape their policies on providing wireless services to employees, and how those services are managed. If an employee only needs to have a cellular phone to make a minimal amount of calls each month, then employee reimbursement is a valid method. But with the ever increasing use of information technology in the business world, mobile employees often need more than just a means to call the office. They need access to their business email, web based applications & information, and data applications to become more productive. In these cases, the employer will often be better served by owning and providing the services to the employee. Tom Kueterman is the owner of Firelands Wireless, a provider of wireless products and services to businesses and government agencies in North Central Ohio. His business is located at Tuffman Equipment and Supply in Norwalk. With engineering, business and IT management experience, he brings a technical and business focused approach to solving customer needs for wireless communication. Tom welcomes requests for information and advice at (419) 541-7819 or [email protected]

THE PERSONAL CONNECTION Survey Shows That in Hiring Process, There’s No Substitute For Being There When it comes to making hiring decisions, most employers are from the Show-Me State at heart, a recent survey confirms. Thirty-eight percent of finance and human resources managers polled said that bringing in a candidate on a temporary basis provides the most insight into that person’s future job performance. The in-person interview was equally popular, with 38 percent of respondents describing it as their most valuable hiring tool. The survey was developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals, as part of its Global Financial Employment Monitor. The survey was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from more than 600 finance and human resources managers in the United States. Executives were asked, “Which one of the following provides the most insight into whether or not a financial professional is qualified for a job?” Their responses: Performance on a temporary basis ..................................................38% Interview .........................................................................................38% Reference check ..............................................................................17% Resume and cover letter ...................................................................6% Something else .............................................................................. 1% 100% “In today’s economic environment, employers are taking extra measures to minimize the risk of making bad hiring decisions,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Human Resources Kit For Dummies®, 2nd Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). “Temporary and project assignments provide the opportunity for companies to observe firsthand an individual’s skills, performance and fit for the position before extending a full-time offer.” Messmer added, “Technology has made it easier for job seekers and employers to connect, but there is no substitute for the human side of the hiring process. Meeting face to face provides a way to evaluate a job seeker’s communication abilities, business acumen and interpersonal skills, in addition to his or her technical knowledge.” Accountemps has more than 360 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.

North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 9

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Retirement and Estate Planning

both spouses’ income. To that figure add all investment income from interest, dividends, rents, etc. From your total income, subtract the annual cost of a year in a nursing home in your area. Douglas Gildenmeister, If the difference between Senior Vice President, Investments your income and the cost of Retirement Plan Consultant a nursing home is a negative The Gildenmeister Wealth Management Group of number, you’ve got a real Raymond James & Associates, Inc. problem. You will have to start spending your princiRecent studies suggest that pal immediately. Principal about 40% of all people who will be required to pay both the nursing home and to pay reach 65 will spend time in a the living expenses for the spouse still at home. If the nursing home before they die. number is positive, ask yourself this question: “Can I live One in four will spend more than a year in a nursing home. on that?” If the spouse at home could not survive on the One in 10 will require nursing home care for five years or difference between your income and the cost of a nursing more. Those same studies put the national average cost for home, principal will be consumed to meet expenses. a year of nursing home care at about $66,795 and this If you must spend principal, how long will your assets number can run higher in major metropolitan areas. Many last? Remember if you consume principal this year to pay of us think our spouse or loved one will care for us regard- the nursing home, there will be less to invest to produce less of the level of care needed. But, depending on how income next year. If there is less to invest, your investment events unfold, this may be a very impractical plan. In fact, income will probably go down. If your investment income studies show that over 50% of couples with partner in a goes down, you will probably need to consume more prinnursing home are impoverished within a year. cipal next year to meet nursing home costs. This is the Can you afford nursing home care? Take this test and see. start of an accelerating downward spiral. First, add up all your annual sources of income from penNursing home costs have to be paid. Either you or somesions, social security and the like. If you are married, add one else must pay them. There are only three possible

CanYou Live on That?

f 

sources of funds other than you; your family, the government or an insurance company. Could your family afford to shoulder the burden of your nursing home costs? Even if they are able and willing, would you ask them for help? Contrary to popular belief, there is a national government program to provide funding for nursing home expenses. It’s called Medicaid. Medicaid is a welfare program for poor people. In order to qualify for long term care under Medicaid, you either must be poor or become poor. Medicaid helps those in need but, as the law stands, Medicaid should be a last resort. The best way to manage the risk of an extended nursing home confinement is through insurance. Not only will you have coverage, but you will also have choices about where you receive care. These choices can help preserve your independence and dignity. Purchasing a cost effective policy requires careful planning and investigation. The quality of the policies has gone up; however, it is still possible to buy inadequate coverage. Of course, this brief article is no substitute for a careful consideration of all of the advantages and disadvantages of this matter in light of your unique personal circumstances. Before implementing any significant tax or financial planning strategy, contact your financial planner, attorney, insurance expert or tax advisor as appropriate.

This material was prepared by Raymond James for use by Doug Gildenmeister, Senior Vice President, Investments of Raymond James & Associates, Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC.

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10 OCTOBER 2008

North Coast Business Journal

Goodwill: More than Just a Store! FROM JEFF REED, SBA GOODWILL

Ask someone what Goodwill is and chances are he or she will say it’s a place where people donate and buy gently used clothing and housewares. That’s true, and Sandusky Bay Area (SBA) Goodwill Industries operates eight area retail stores, where shoppers can find quality merchandise, including name brands, at bargain-basement prices. But the stores don’t exist just to sell. Rather, they serve as the major funding source in support of the agency’s mission to provide training and employment services for the disabled and disadvantaged in Erie, Huron, Ottawa and Sandusky counties. “Yes, our stores are simply a means to an important end, and that is to help very special people train for, secure and maintain jobs,” Mark Hiemstra, chief operating officer of the Sandusky-based organization, said. Last year the retail centers generated nearly $2.6 million

in revenue. In addition to funding other aspects of the agency’s operations, that money helped SBA Goodwill provide more than 1,400 services to 711 disabled and disadvantaged individuals. The services included vocational job-search training and assistance, job-coaching, and actual employment, with Goodwill or other area employers. Most of the persons served by the agency have physical or mental disabilities. The disadvantaged include single parents and individuals experiencing barriers to employment, such as the lack of a formal education or a significant work history. When employed by Goodwill, participants work at one of its retail stores, its manufacturing facilities in Fremont and Sandusky or its Data Entry Services Department at the administrative offices in Sandusky. The manufacturing centers perform light industrial contract services like assembling and packaging – work that can help companies hold down production costs.

The Data Entry Services Department also does contract work for area businesses. It includes Medicaid billing, database maintenance, word processing and mass-mailings. Once part of Toledo-based Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio, SBA Goodwill was founded in 1973. It operates retail stores in Sandusky, Fremont, Norwalk, Bellevue, Huron, Port Clinton, Willard and New London.

“A Lizard Crawled Into My Server" Help Desks Field Unending Stream of Oddball Requests, CIO Survey Shows “How do I get my computer’s coffee-cup holder to come out again?” That may sound like a baffling request, but for seasoned help desk professionals, it’s not out of the ordinary. In a new survey, CIOs identified the most unusual requests they or their support staff have fielded. The survey shows that it takes more than technical expertise to interact with end users -- especially those who confuse CD-ROM drives with coffee trays.

The survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. It was based on telephone interviews with more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the United States with 100 or more employees. CIOs were asked, “What is the strangest or most unusual request you or a member of your help desk or technical support team has ever received?” Their responses included: · “Why isn’t my wireless mouse connected to the computer?” · “My laptop was run over by a truck. What should I do?” · “Can you rearrange the keyboard alphabetically?” · “How do I read my e-mail?” · “My computer is telling me to press any key to continue. Where is the ‘any’ key?” FREE Checking · “Can you reset the Internet FREE Online Banking for me?” Personal Checking · “There are animal crackers in Commercial Checking my CD-ROM drive.” · “Can you build me a robot?” Overdraft Privilege Some end users called to report Passbook Savings problems with mice -- not the Statement Savings electronic kind -- and other pests. IRA Retirement Plans To wit: 24-Hour ATM Access · “Can you get the mice out of the ceiling?” VISA Credit/Debit Cards · “A server went down, and I Home Loans found a lizard had crawled into it Construction Loans and died.” Home Equity Lines of Credit · “A skunk ate my cable.” Investment Property Loans Other requests signal more trouble than just a technical Personal Loans glitch. Here are some examples: TouchTel 24-hour Telephone · “How can I block e-mail from Banking my manager?” · “Can I open the bank safe using my computer?”

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· “Can you install cable TV on my PC?” · “Can you order joysticks so that we can play video games?” · “I’d like to stop receiving e-mail on Fridays.” Help desk professionals are known for lending a hand, but these end users took the concept too far: · “Can you come and install my car stereo?” · “Where can I locate dry ice?” · “I’d like wireless computer access in my motor home.” · “Can you fix my typewriter?” · “How long does it take to bake a potato in a microwave?” · “My daughter is locked in the bathroom, can you pick the lock?” · “Can you tell me the weather forecast for next year?” · “The elevator is broken.” · “How do I wire a robotic turkey?” · “Where can I get software to track UFOs?” · “Can you repair my motorbike?” Beyond the comic relief these out-of-the-blue requests can provide, they also serve as a test of essential help desk and technical support skills, according to Katherine Spencer Lee, executive director of Robert Half Technology. “These unusual requests highlight the need for technical support personnel to also demonstrate patience, empathy and a sense of humor,” she said. About the Survey The national survey was developed by Robert Half Technology, a leading provider of information technology professionals on a project and full-time basis, and conducted by an independent research firm. The survey is based on more than 1,400 telephone interviews with CIOs from a random sample of U.S. companies with 100 or more employees. In order for the survey to be statistically representative and ensure that companies from all segments were represented, the sample was stratified by geographic region, industry and number of employees. The results were then weighted to reflect the proper proportions of the number of employees within each region. About Robert Half Technology With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at www. rht.com.

North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 11

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FTMC Cancer Program Approved with Commendation by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons Fisher-Titus Medical Center’s cancer program has been granted a three-year approval with Commendation by the Commission on Cancer (CoC) of the American College of Surgeons. FTMC’s program was specially recognized with commendations in seven areas including community outreach programs related to cancer screenings and prevention, clinical services, and cancer data management. “We are committed to offering the best in cancer care at Fisher-Titus, “said Dr. Eric Schmidt, chairperson of FTMC’s cancer committee.” Through this approval, the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons recognizes FTMC’s cancer program as offering the very best in cancer care.” CoC Approval is received by only one in four hospitals that treat cancer patients and is given only to those facilities that have voluntarily committed to provide the best in diagnosis and treatment of cancer, Schmidt said. FTMC has maintained CoC Approval since 1989. To meet the standards necessary for commission approval, the cancer program as well as the organization that controls it, goes through a rigorous evaluation process and review of its performance. In order to maintain approval, an on-site inspection is required every three years. Receiving care at a Commission on Cancer accredited facility ensures that, most importantly, patients receive quality care close to home. A CoC –Approved Cancer Program also ensures patients have access to comprehensive care including a range of state-ofthe-art services and equipment; a multi-specialty team approach to coordinate the best treatment options available to cancer patients; cancer-related information, education and support; lifelong patient follow-up through a cancer registry that collects data on types and stages of cancers and treatment results; and information about ongoing clinical trials and new treatment options.

Recognizing that cancer is a complex group of diseases, the Approvals Program promotes consultation among surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other cancer specialties. “We believe that this multidisciplinary cooperation results in improved patient care,” said Dr. Schmidt. FTMC’s Cancer Care Center, which opened in 2006, offers area residents an expanded area that includes treatment areas, private exam rooms, a regional American Cancer Society Resource Center, a Healing Garden and convenient parking at a private entrance. FTMC’s Cancer Program also has experienced, board certified surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists and radiologists, as well as highly qualified healthcare staff, to provide the best standard of care available to cancer patients. In addition, cancer patients can access psychosocial services through various cancer support groups. FTMC’s Cancer Care Center also includes an American Cancer Society Resource Center where patients and their families can research and receive information about cancers and treatments. Currently, there are currently more than 1, 400 CoC-approved cancer programs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, representing close to 25 percent of all hospitals. These hospitals diagnose and/or treat 80 percent of newly diagnosed cancer patients each year. CoC Approval is widely recognized by national organizations, such as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and the American Cancer Society. EHOVE adult and high school Culinary Arts students prepared a buffet for 150 people who attended the September scholarship fundraiser at the Cedar Point Center, BGSU Firelands. High school students (left) Brianna Hinckley (Western Reserve) and Trevor Wadding (Perkins) serve guests.

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North Coast Business Journal

Chamber Calendar Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce October 11

Farmer’s Market 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

October 16

Business After Hours Willows of Bellevue –5 - 7 p.m.

October 30 November 6

November 7

Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Halloween Parade & Safe Trick or Treat.

October 17

12 Noon Chamber Monthly Luncheon Rec Center Honor Flights out of Toledo.

October 23

Erie County Chamber of Commerce October 29

“Doing Business Outside Your Region” seminar with Andy Birol 7:30 to 9:00 a.m., Lyman Harbor Marina. (Small fee & advance registration required)

Fostoria Specialty Clinic Open House 2-4 p.m. Fostoria Community Hospital

October 16

November 6

Business After Hours 5:15 to 7:00 pm Hosted by: Huntington Bank Directors Meeting 7:30 pm Otterbein North Shore

Great Prices - Volume Discounts - Bulk Deliveries

Disposable Cloth Wipers For Commercial & Industrial Use Wipers can be picked up in 5-lb. bags at these SBA Goodwill Retail Locations: Bellevue Huron Sandusky

Fremont Norwalk Willard

New London Port Clinton

Business After Hours Hosted by Nagoya 5:00 to 7:00 pm

Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce October 25

Halloween Spooktacular Port Clinton Middle School

November 6

Business After Hours Hosted by First National Bank Held at Travelers Inn Chamber members 5 – 7 pm

Norwalk-Huron County Chamber of Commerce October 15

Education Committee, 8am @ Chamber office

October 16

Workers’ Comp University On-Demand, 8:00am-3:30pm, Ernsthausen Performing Arts Center, free registration at www.bwclearningcenter.com, for more info call 419-668-4155

Community Conversations & Coffee 7-8 am @ Fostoria Country Club

Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Business After Hours Halloween Sponsored by K-96 FM, WLKR-FM, and ESPN 1510 AM radio 5 to 7 p.m. Sandusky State Theatre

November 20

October 23

Employer’s Practices Committee, 8am @ Chamber office

November 6

Program Committee, 8am @ Chamber office

November 12

Sandusky County Chamber of Commerce October 16

Tiffin Area Chamber of Commerce October 16

Business After Hours, Mohawk Golf & Country Club, 5 pm, RSVP: 419-447-4141

November 12

Small Business Basics Seminar, Chamber Offices 9:30-11:30am, 1-800-826-2431

November 20

Business After Hours, SEVES USA, 5 pm, RSVP: 419-447-4141

Information breakfast for prospective members, 7:30am @ Chamber RSVP, 419-668-4155

Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce October 16

Board Meeting 7:30 am

October 21

ARB 7:30 pm

October 29

Business After Hours Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge

November 20

Board meeting Business After Hours / Open House 5:30 - 7:30 Radiant Windows

Chamber Orientation Breakfast 7:30 – 9 a.m. Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center

Vermilion Area Chamber of Commerce October 23

Community Prayer Breakfast 7:45AM – German’s Villa

OR We can arrange delivery of palletized bulk wipers. CHALLENGED BY RISING MANUFACTURING COSTS? We can help with: Light Assembly Packaging Sorting Sanding & Lots More!

For more information or to place an order call

419-625-4744

Wiper sales support SBA Goodwill employment programs for the disabled and disadvantaged in Erie, Huron, Ottawa and Sandusky Counties.

To advertise in The North Coast Business Journal, contact Dave at 419-734-4838 or fax 419-734-5382.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 13

State and Local Officials Assist in Norwalk Furniture Deal SUBMITTED BY BETHANY DENTLER, NORWALK ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

With the announcement by spokesperson Tom Bleile late last month that a group of local investors had purchased the assets of Norwalk Furniture, state and local officials were able to finally begin implementing the offers of assistance that have been discussed since the plant shutdown in mid-July. By 11:00 AM on Monday, September 29, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority had approved a Job Creation Tax Credit for Norwalk Custom Order Furniture in the estimated amount of $718,916 over a six-year period. The tax credit requires the company create 260 new jobs in Norwalk within the next three years and keep those positions filled for a 12-year period. “We are very pleased that we have been able to financially partner with Norwalk Furniture on keeping the jobs we can in Northeast Ohio, and our state’s workforce assistance resources stand ready to help the employees who may not be hired by the new company and their families during this challenging time,” said Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “We are committed to supporting good companies like Norwalk Furniture and I will continue to remain personally involved in this project to ensure Norwalk

stays strong in Ohio.” Bleile said, “The support from the Ohio Department of Development and the City of Norwalk has been terrific as the investor group worked to put this deal together. We’re also counting on the tremendous skills of the Norwalk Furniture employees to help make this new company a great success for the community and the state.” The tax credit program requires the participation of the local community, and the City of Norwalk has begun conversations with company officials regarding loans for the purchase of machinery and equipment. Mayor Sue Lesch said, “Norwalk is so fortunate to have a group of entrepreneurs willing to step up and reopen the company with such local skilled workers. The City of Norwalk is dedicated to providing them with whatever resources they need to grow.” Bethany Dentler, Norwalk’s Economic Development Director, expressed gratitude to the State of Ohio for their participation in the project. She said, “The unqualified support and willingness of state officials to invest in Norwalk Furniture was a major factor in getting this operation reopened.” Company officials hope to rehire as many of the former Norwalk Furniture employees as economic conditions will allow, but in the meantime, the community is also rallying to provide resources to dislocated workers.

Dentler has been working with Chamber Executive Director Melissa James, Mayor Lesch, the Huron County Department of Job & Family Services and the State’s Rapid Response team to bring together job search and workforce training resources in a Transition Center that will be opened on Monday, October 6 at 28 E. Main Street in Norwalk. “The Chamber has been extremely helpful in getting this Center established quickly,” said Dentler. “Melissa James was able to identify the space and coordinate donations of furniture in order to get the Center opened as soon as possible.” The location will assist unemployed workers throughout Huron County to identify new job opportunities, update resumes and gather information on training and education options, along with information on funding sources for training. Teresa Alt, Assistant Director at Huron County Department of Job and Family Services said, “The Transition Center will be open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 8:00-4:30 to assist any dislocated workers and those who are unemployed or underemployed. Trained and experienced staff will be available to assist with job searches and resume writing. Information and referrals to other services will be available also.”

www.ncbj.net

14 OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

Fisher-Titus Medical Center Named in Top 100 Best Places to Work in Health Care Fisher-Titus Medical Center was recently selected among 100 hospitals in the United States on Modern Healthcare’s inaugural list of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare. The local Medical Center was one of four Ohio hospitals to be selected for this honor. “Our employees are our greatest asset,” said FTMC President Patrick J. Martin. “I am very proud of all of them and everything they do everyday taking care of our patients in the hospital and our residents at Norwalk Memorial Home and The Carriage House.” With almost 900 employees, Fisher-Titus Medical Center serves Norwalk, Huron County and contiguous communities with the latest medical advancements. As a local, inde-

pendently owned community hospital, FTMC provides the area’s 60,000 residents a full continuum of care that includes Fisher-Titus Memorial Hospital, a 98-bed acute care hospital; Norwalk Memorial Home, a 69-bed skilled nursing facility; The Carriage House of Fisher-Titus, a 48-unit assisted living facility; and a Home Health Center. Almost 240 health-care companies participated in this first-ever health-care workplace listing. Modern Healthcare, a weekly magazine published for the healthcare industry, will reveal the specific ranking of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare, from 1 to 100, in a special supplement to be published Oct. 27. The program collected information from both the employer and employees and was open to all companies (providers, suppliers, payers, associations, etc.) with at least 25 employees. Employers completed a survey detailing company policies, practices, benefits and demographics. Employees were asked an in-depth set of questions that resulted in an analysis in eight core areas: leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits and overall satisfaction.

“The health care environment today and in the future is characterized not just by shrinking margins; increasing regulations; new technologies; increasing consumerism; patient empowerment; autonomy and competition, but also by staffing shortage challenges and a heightened appreciation for the quality of the workplace,” said Fawn Lopez, publisher of Modern Healthcare. “Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare program identifies and recognizes healthcare organizations that have successfully built workplace excellence and enabled employees to perform at their optimal level. By sharing the best practices and innovations in the workplace settings, we hope to enable others to develop progressive human resources strategies critical to creating and sustaining the best healthcare system for patients.” Modern Healthcare partnered with Best Companies Group, a Pennsylvania-based firm that administers “best places to work” programs nationwide. Modern Healthcare conducted this program to recognize outstanding employers in the healthcare industry on a national level. The list is now available online at www.ModernHealthcare. com/bestplacestowork.

For all your Business Needs

• Awards Banquets • Golf Outings • Business Meetings • Sales Seminars • Lunch and Dinner Meetings • Social Functions For information, contact Patti Crawford at 419-625-5394 Membership not Required

PLUM BROOK COUNTRY CLUB 3712 Galloway Rd., Sandusky • www.plumbrookcc.com

North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 15

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Information Technology More Surfing Tips 2008 BY DON KNAUR

and to remember this instruction. Following this advice will probably save you a trip to the repair shop. Finally, how do you find where to go on the Internet? Most surfers are aware of www.google.com and www.yahoo.com and their search capabilities. Google is arguably the best search engine to use, if you want to find lots of information. However, for a quick and dirty search, using the older site www.metacrawler. com will do a better job. Metacrawler is not a search engine in itself. It simply does a quick query of the 12 best search engines, which includes Google and Yahoo, to give you the top ten answers from each of them. For example, the other day I wanted to find out how long the show, “ER” had been on TV. When I searched for “er” on Google, I received over 1,000,000,000 responses.

Last month’s article was so well received that it demanded a sequel. However, this month’s article will deal more with how to surf and surfing safety than with where to surf. Surfing safety can be directly connected to where you are surfing. Video sharing, music sharing and especially porn sites are known for being sources of Mal-ware (software that can be harmful to your PC’s health and your sanity.) While I’m sure most of you don’t spend time on these types of sites, it would be wise to warn the other users of your PC of the dangers therein. While there are software products out that can prevent errant surfing, these same products will also prevent perfectly legitimate surfing such as Oncology research. Therefore, the best solution to this is to warn users that you will check the surfing history, and if the history is erased or shows questionable sites, you will take appropriate action. For those of you that have never checked history, there is an icon at the top of your browser that will say “History,” when you hold the mouse pointer over it. Just click on the “History” icon and it will show you where the PC has been surfing and when. While you are surfing, an unexpected pop-up screen may surprise you. These pop-ups can be very hazardous to the health of your PC, especially if they are warning you that you have viruses on your PC and the message is not coming from your Anti-virus or Anti-spyware software. This is usually an attempt to install “Extortion-ware,” a form of Mal-ware that installs a virus on your PC and asks you to purchase their product to remove it. When this happens, do not click anywhere on the pop-up box other than the X in the upper right hand corner of the pop-up. This should close the popup. Caution: this cannot be guaranteed to work because there is new mal-ware popping-up every day. A way to protect yourself from the pop-up attacks is to go to www.filehippo.com. Then download and install Spybot Search & Destroy, version 1.6. Once you have installed this program, you will need to update it. After the updates are installed, it will warn you to Immunize your PC. This is accomplished by clicking on the Questions? “Immunize” button and then on the “Immunize” tab. Once the Immunization has been completed, you will have real time protection while surfing. Anytime any software tries to change your Ext. 3067 system settings (registry), a pop-up box that identifies itself as being a Spybot Warning will warn you. Unless you have made the change yourself or installed new or updated software, you should tell Spybot not to allow the change

Only about 12 of the first 20 responses actually had anything to do with the TV show. When I searched for “er” on Metacrawler, I received 74 responses and each of the first 20 responses had the information I needed. Usually, when I use Metacrawler, I find my answer on the first page (20) of responses. That’s why I vote for Metacrawler. I hope these tips will help you spend a safe, happy fall and winter surfing the net. This is Don Knaur and I approve of this message. I am always searching for new and interesting article topics. I would appreciate any suggestions you have for topics. Please E-mail these suggestions or requests for information to [email protected] or call me at 419-448-8020 and I will use as many of them as possible. Don is the CWO (Chief Working Officer) of Help-Desk, Ohio, a complete computer service center, located in Suite A of the Courtlee Interiors' Building, 2499 W. Market in Tiffin. Don has a degree in Computer Programming from Tiffin University and has been an Information Technology Professional for over 20 years. He started Help-Desk, Ohio in the spring of 1996 and opened his shop in March 2001. Don welcomes calls for advice or information at 419-448-8020.

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What a Year it’s Been So Far! SUBMITTED BY LAKE ERIE SHORES & ISLANDS

2008 has been a busy and productive year for the Lake Erie Shores & Islands welcome center in Sandusky. A continued successful partnership with the visitors bureau in Ottawa County has bolstered visitation to the region and streamlined the message of the Lake Erie Shores & Islands destination. Together the staff and marketing committees of both bureaus, along with guidance from an advertising agency, produced a creative marketing campaign, joint public relations projects, local brand recognition initiatives and more. A successful travel season in Erie County is evidenced by a 12% increase in lodging tax collections through July. The newly-remodeled Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center is now open to the public and is nearing completion. All construction has been finished and interactive kiosks and other new features are currently being designed to be put into place in spring 2009. Interactive displays will focus on five key areas: Cedar Point, Lake Erie (activities including the islands, fishing, and boating), Indoor Waterparks, Attractions, and Outdoor Activities (such as golf, parks, beaches and natural areas). These displays will allow our guests to further explore these focus areas, without just looking at a brochure. An area for children is planned as well, allowing their parents the freedom to talk to travel counselors and explore the welcome center. Along with opening the expanded welcome center, an all-new hi-definition video about the area will debut, which will play on a flat-screen TV in the lobby. This film is being produced locally by Tom Whaley of TW Teleproductions and includes beautiful footage

of area attractions set to an upbeat soundtrack. The welcome center will also have a computer kiosk for use by our guests to search the ShoresandIslands.com website for lodging information. Already there has been an increase in welcome center visitation due to the stand-out facade. We look forward to having our interior completed early next year. Special events are as frequent as waves on the beach in the Lake Erie Shores & Islands region. The welcome centers actively promote and support many events, which bring out of town visitors and often overnight guests. In Erie County, some of the most popular annual events included: • Lake Erie Wing Watch Weekend was held April 12 at BGSU Firelands College. It was held in the Cedar Point Center this year and condensed to a large one day event to allow visitors to participate in both the educational sessions and a keynote speaker, which was previously held on Friday night. It included optional Sunday hikes at various nature areas in Erie and Ottawa counties. • A Light in the Harbor was a public art exhibition of 28 six-foot-

tall lighthouses, each individually designed by local artists, on display in different locations throughout Sandusky from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The lighthouses not purchased by their sponsors were auctioned off in September raising nearly $30,000 to benefit the American Red Cross Firelands Chapter, the Merry-Go-Round Museum and United Way of Erie County. One of the lighthouses has a permanent home in the lobby of the expanded Lake Erie Shores & Islands Welcome Center. continued on page 21...

January 2005

February 2005

March 2005

January 2006

Planned my 46th summer garden.

A routine mammogram detected a lump.

Diagnosed with cancer and treated at Magruder Hospital.

Planned my 47th summer garden.

The gift of time,compliments ofMagruder’s expert cancer care. Cathy Darr believes in the miracles of modern medicine as much as the miracles of nature. When she was diagnosed with cancer, her only concern was, “How do we attack it?” At Magruder we use the latest research, technology and pharmaceuticals — along with plenty of compassionate care and information. “I put it in God’s hands … and Dr. Prithviraj’s. And I couldn’t have asked for better treatment.” That’s how it is at Magruder, where cancer patients receive some very precious gifts: health, hope and time.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 19

Sales

Come home to your Are Your Customers Satisfied? community banker. BY ROGER BOSTDORFF

Companies hire me to help them figure out a way to better drive sales or increase profits. I do this by first completing, with the client’s input, an assessment of what are they doing today and how the process is working. Every time I do a client assessment, I ask this question. “Are your customers satisfied?” Every time I have asked that question the customer has answered either “Yes” or “Absolutely.” However, my next question is one that generally creates a blank stare or at a minimum a little bit of a pause. I next ask my clients, “How do you know?” During my 30 years with IBM I was taught many important lessons. One of the most important lessons learned is that whatever you do that is important in business needs to be measured. I cannot think of anything more important for a business than having satisfied customers. Customer Satisfaction is not binary. It is not necessarily, either yes, the customer is satisfied or no, they are not, but rather to what degree. You may have a customer that says they are satisfied until your competition explains how they handle a particular situation differently or better. I am dealing with a client right now where our strategy is to point out that hot dogs taste pretty good, if you have never tasted steak. Our strategy regarding growing market share from the competition is to ask the following questions in regards to the company that is currently providing the service that my client would like to provide: 1. Are you happy with your current provider? 2. If yes, why? If no, why not? 3. If they are happy, we are asking the customer if there is anything that the current provider could do to make this prospective customer even more satisfied. Each of these questions is an attempt to understand the current situation and find a chink in the armor of our competition. If my client’s competitors are building very satisfied relationships, we will have no success. If they are not, we will grow our market share at the expense of our competition. When was the last time your company decided to ask your customers if they were satisfied? What bad things would occur if you asked for their feedback? You might find out that they are not as satisfied as you think they are. Wouldn’t you rather know if that is the case as opposed to finding out after your customer went to your competitor? There are many more good things that could occur if you ask… -You may find out that your customer has an idea that will help you make many additional customers very satisfied -You may find another area that you could be providing a service or product, thus driving more revenue for your company. -At a minimum you will make your customer feel like you care By the way, the strategy that my client is using is working quite well, they are grabbing market share based on focusing on their competitor’s lack of satisfied customers. Are they taking your customers? Roger Bostdorff is the President of B2B Sales Boost, LLC. He spent over 30 years with IBM in sales and sales management. B2B Sales Boost is a consulting company helping organizations improve their sales and overall business processes. You can find more about B2B Sales Boost on the web at www.b2bsalesboost.com or calling 419351-4347. If you would like to receive the B2B Sales Boost Newsletter please send an email to [email protected]

Stable. Focused. Informed. www.fnblifetime.com Plenty of answers can be found just about anywhere, including on-line. But one size doesn’t fit all and generic solutions rarely fit the real problem. Since 1875, we’ve been solving our customers’ problems with informed, educated, humangenerated answers. One customer at a time. Come home to people who still believe in doing business face to face. We won’t disappoint you.

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OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

GenoaBank Named Lead Bank for FHLB Grant

Pictured from left to right: Tom Ciresi (VP of Member Services, FHLB), RuthAnn House (Vice President, WSOS), Martin Sutter (President/CEO, GenoaBank), Bob Hille (Treasurer, Ottawa County), and Hope Kingsborough (CHIP Coordinator, WSOS). GenoaBank, a locally owned, independent, community bank, today announced their appointment as Lead Bank for Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati “Preserving the American Dream” grant. The FHLB’s “Preserving the American Dream” Program was designed to boost antiforeclosure efforts in Northern Ohio. FHLB awarded $200,000 in private funding to 13 financial institutions led by GenoaBank and WSOS Community Action Commission. This grant money is earmarked for mortgage counseling and foreclosure mitigation for

homeowners in 11 counties in Northwest Ohio. The grant ceremony was held in September at the Ottawa County Community Resources Center. Tom Ciresi, FHLB VP of Member Services presented the check to Martin P. Sutter, GenoaBank’s President/CEO. “GenoaBank is honored to be chosen as the lead bank for the FHLB ‘Preserving the American Dream’ grant,” said Sutter. “As a community bank in Northwest Ohio we are committed to serving the people and strengthening our neighborhoods.”

Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County to Host Orientation Breakfast The Chamber of Commerce will be holding a free Orientation Breakfast for new and prospective members of the Chamber on Thursday, October 16th from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, Museum Conference Room, Spiegel Grove. The breakfast is an opportunity for the Chamber to share details about Chamber membership benefits and to answer questions. Topics to be covered will include member promotional opportunities and referrals and do you know what they are worth; Learn about what the Chamber’s workers compensation group rating program means for your business as CompManagement informs you how to compare group rating information to see if you really are saving

money; find out what networking opportunities are available to Chamber Members; Health Insurance is always of interest to businesses – see what the Chamber’s Community Health Plan Alliance has to offer; what is a Chamber B.A.H.; and find out about the Chamber Ambassadors. Potential members will learn what the Chamber of Commerce can do for their business and new and existing members will learn how to take advantage of all your membership benefits. You are welcome to send an employee who is interested in getting more involved. If you are interested in attending the Orientation Breakfast please R.S.V.P. by calling the Chamber at 419-332-1591.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 21 "What a Year" continued from page 18...

Focht Construction Completes Volunteers of America Corason Place – Sandusky

In February 2000 a group of concerned citizens met to dream about the possibility of developing housing in Sandusky to meet the needs of individuals with physical disabilities. Two outstanding women championed this initiative gathering needs assessment data from individuals with physical disabilities, focus groups, family members, community agencies and local government. Volunteers of America stepped forward to make this dream a reality by applying to HUD for a PRAC 811 project. Corason Place, located in the Foxborough subdivision, consists of five two bedroom

apartments and ten one bedroom apartments. Apartments were designed with accessibility features to accommodate individuals with physical disabilities. Funding was awarded from the HUD 811 program. The name Corason Place is in honor of Cora Lee Bosworth and Sonia Emigh. A similar word in Portuguese means “from the heart.” The construction of this project truly was a gift from the heart. Focht Construction Company, a Port Clinton based business, has been constructing and renovating commercial properties for over 35 years.

North Coast Business Journal Coming in November: Focus on Tiffin Tired of rising health care benefit costs? Frustrated with your current plan? Looking for the best coverage at an affordable rate? The health and well-being of you, your staff, and all those around you is a critical component to success. At Ashley Insurance Group, we create unique solutions tailored to your specific needs. We begin by learning about your business needs and then provide a strategy that meets your specific company goals; resulting in employee satisfaction, retention and recruitment. Ashley Insurance Group, one of the fastest growing agencies in Northwest Ohio, has an exclusive focus on employer-sponsored group benefits. ¥ Employee Health Benefits ¥ Wealth Management/Retirement Services ¥ Individual/Family Health Benefits ¥ Small Group Plans (2-50 employees) ¥ Large Group Plans (51+ employees)

• Nearly 5,000 bikers descended upon the north coast during Ohio Bike Week June 6 – 15. This 10 day rally included tons of events and concerts and brought several thousands of visitors from all around the country. This successful event just continues to grow with the addition of national acts and mass marketing. • Sandusky hosted its third Festival of Ships over Independence Day weekend in July. During this event tall ships visit our port for several days and allow visitors to tour their ships and, in some cases, sail on the bay. Four tall ships participated and hundreds of visitors came down to see them. This event is held in Sandusky, in conjunction with the Maritime Museum, every other year. • The Toast of Ohio Wine Heritage festival occurred August 16 at the Sandusky Bay Pavilion and included fifteen Ohio wineries and gourmet food samples from local eateries. This fifth annual event expanded again this year by including visual arts and entertainment – nearly 2,000 people attended to celebrate Sandusky’s rich wine heritage. • The Maritime Museum of Sandusky’s Big Splash Raffle took place on August 22 – 23 at the Sandusky Bay Pavilion. The event offered over $250,000 in cash and prizes including cars and motorcycles. A kick off event on Friday included musical entertainment as well as 500 members of the Red Knights International Motorcycle Club and their spectacular bikes. This was the most successful Big Splash fundraising raffle to-date, selling over 4,000 tickets for this annual event.

• Hundreds gathered around Milan’s village square for a bustling harvest celebration of the melon on Labor Day Weekend. A grand parade, melon ice cream, live entertainment, food, crafts, carnival rides and games are all part of the annual Melon Festival. • Vermilion’s Woollybear Festival, the largest one-day festival in Ohio, draws 100,000 people each year. Emceed by Dick Goddard from Cleveland’s FOX-8 TV, visitors enjoyed a parade, woollybear costume contests for both people and pets and more. The fantastic thing about special events is that they happen year-round in Ohio’s Lake Erie Shores & Islands. Fantastic fall festivals and spectacular holiday events along with attractions that families have grown to love will continue to sustain tourism in the region. SHORESandISLANDS.com maintains a comprehensive local events calendar for those seeking information. Lake Erie Shores & Islands is looking forward to continued partnership between the Erie County and Ottawa County visitors bureaus. Marketing plans for 2009 are in process, including the joint travel planner which is the largest circulated travel planner in Ohio.

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22 OCTOBER 2008

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NOMS Awarded MRI Accreditation NOMS Healthcare Imaging Center has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation for a re-certification for MRI as the result of a recent survey by the American College of Radiology. NOMS Healthcare Imaging Center is also CT accredited. The ACR awards accreditation to facilities for the achievement of high practice standards after a peer-review evaluation of the practice. Evaluations are conducted by Dr. Carol A. Cartwright, center, interim president of Bowling Green State University, visited Terra recently to discuss the project with Dr. Marsha S. Bordner, left, and Dr. Nancy Sattler.

BGSU Interim President Visits Terra to Discuss New Math and Science Initiative One of the best ways to bolster math and science aptitude in America’s young people is to have qualified, enthusiastic teachers to help them achieve. Under Gov. Ted Strickland, the State of Ohio is dedicating substantial amounts of money to recruit, train and prepare college students to become successful and highly motivated math and science teachers in the state. To that end, the interim president of Bowling Green State University visited Terra Community College recently to discuss the $3 million Choose Ohio First grant from the State of Ohio to fund the Science and Math Education in Action program. “I can’t tell you how excited I was when I heard about this,” Dr. Carol A. Cartwright said of the collaboration. “We certainly need more of this.” Terra’s president, Dr. Marsha S. Bordner, was in total agreement. “This is just one way we can help strengthen Ohio’s schools and ultimately the State of Ohio itself,” she said. “And we are so pleased to be working with BGSU and the other fine institutions to make it happen.” BGSU will partner with Terra, BGSUFirelands, Owens Community College, Northwest State Community College and the University of Findlay. These partnering institutions will provide nearly $4 million in matching funds to improve the preparation and increase the number of science and math teachers for Ohio schools. Dr. Nancy Sattler, Dean of Arts and Sciences and Business at Terra and one of those involved in building the partnership, is keenly aware of the grant’s potential

impact. “With my background in mathematics and science I realize how important this is,” Sattler said. “We certainly need more mathematics and science teachers in the pipeline—new teachers who will embrace technology and teach their students 21st century skills. Also, several companies involved in science and technology will join the collaboration, including: Buckeye Telesystems, Emprise Technologies, Argo-Hytos, First Energy Corporation, Firelands Regional Medical Center, The Toledo Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic, The Toledo Zoo, Lubrizol and Pilkington Glass (Nippon Sheet Glass). Key features of the program include: Early participation in rigorous scientific and mathematics research. Early co-ops, internships and practicums in high technology and other STEMoriented businesses. Early teaching field experiences. Innovative course work in science and math based on STEM learning theory, incorporating best practices in teaching and learning. A capstone student teaching experience in which students integrate all of these elements to create innovative STEM projects and learning practices in their own teaching in P-12 schools. The collaboration of the higher education institutions involved will enhance the project by providing additional resources, access to a larger and more diverse student population and by enriching the process of innovation.

board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field. The ACR is a national organization serving more than 32,000 diagnostic and interventional radiologists, radiation oncologists, and nuclear medicine and medical physicists with programs focusing on the practice of medical imaging and radiation oncology and the delivery of health care services.

Northcoast Jobs Connection Schedule for Ottawa County The Northcoast Jobs Connection and Seneca One Stop system offers numerous services and resources for those looking for work and employers with jobs to fill. Seminars are free and open to anyone in the community. The seminars are also available to be customized for employers and delivered on site. The area seminar dates in October are: At the Ottawa County Community Resource Centre, 8043 W. SR. 163, Oak Harbor Oct. 16 – 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – “Get a Job or a Better Job, POD.” Learn how to prepare for and conduct a successful job search. This session includes a review of unemployment services provided by the state, information about other community resources and a free lunch. Oct. 23 – 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – “Individual Resume Writing Assistance.” Work one-

on-one with a specialist and produce a good resume before you leave. By appointment only through the Job Store. Oct. 31 – 9 a.m. to noon – “Ace That Interview.” Get information about knowing and selling yourself, conducting research and grooming for that interview. Try roleplaying and learn effective listening techniques. Job Store officials are asking that people who are interested in these workshops should register by emailing Carol Guice at [email protected] or by calling her at 419307-1189. For more information on the Job Stores, log onto www.northcoastjobs. org. Or in Ottawa County, call the Job Store at 800-665-1677 or 419-898-3688, ext. 270 or call Denise Ventrone at 419898-6242 at the Community Improvement Corporation.

College Engineering Tech Prep students invent, designs, and produce solutions for complex engineering challenges from concept to completion. Students explore mechanical, electrical and civil engineering using math and science. They experience advanced Robotics, Electronics, Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Machining technologies. By the time they graduate, they are prepared for college engineering programs, advanced certifications, and immediate manufacturing employment. * College Tech Prep is a partnership with BGSU Firelands in which students earn free college EHOVE College Engineering Tech Prep * credits while finishing high school students (left) Aaron Ohlemacher (Norwalk) requirements. and Nathan Chambers (Edison) work on a lathe project in lab.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 23

OFFICE POLITICIANS Survey: Workers Say Office Politics on the Rise Presidential candidates aren’t the only ones campaigning this election season. In a recent survey, more than half (53 percent) of employees interviewed said the level of office politics in their workplaces has increased compared to five years ago; just 12 percent of respondents reported a decline. While most workers don’t advocate jumping into the political fray, a majority agree that a little knowledge can be power: More than half (54 percent) say it’s wise to be aware of political undercurrents in the office without becoming directly involved. The survey was developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with 522 workers 18 years of age or older and employed in an office environment. Employees were asked, “In your opinion, has the level of office politics in the workplace increased or decreased compared to five years ago?” Their responses: Increased greatly .........................................................20% Increased somewhat ..................................................33% Neither increased nor decreased ..............................25% Decreased somewhat ....................................................9% Decreased greatly ..........................................................3% Don’t know/no answer 10% 100% Employees were asked, “Which of the following best describes your opinion on office politics?” Their responses: It’s best to know what’s going on but not participate directly........................................54% It’s best to stay out of office politics completely .............................................9% It’s best to participate so you can get ahead .....................................................16% Don’t know/no answer ...............................................1% 100% Because a certain amount of workplace politics exists in nearly every organization, it’s wise for employees to recognize office dynamics, according to Accountemps. Following are some common “political players” and tips for interacting with them: The Pundit. This person loves to talk office politics and rarely tires of speculating about what’s really happening. While the Pundit may provide useful insights on occasion, it’s best not to share too much information with this individual, as it could fuel the rumor mill. The Lobbyist. The Lobbyist is a strong advocate for his or her projects and is adept at gaining buy-in for ideas. While some Lobbyists are effective at building cross-departmental support, others may be unreceptive to outside points of view. When interacting with this person, be aware of the agenda being pushed, and be willing to stand up for your ideas. The Covert Operator. The Covert Operator often uses manipulation rather than hard work to get ahead. While this type of person can be charming, keep your guard up when dealing with anyone who criticizes a coworker or takes credit for other people’s projects. The Activist. This professional likes to facilitate change within an organization and is quick to take on causes, even those that don’t necessarily advance the company’s big-picture goals. While the Activist can be a valuable advocate, carefully evaluate the merit of the issues when asked for support. The Advisor. This person often is closely aligned with a company’s leadership and serves as their “eyes and ears.” For example, the Advisor could be a senior aide or an executive assistant. Because the Advisor wields significant behind-the-scenes influence, develop a good rapport with him or her. Accountemps has more than 360 offices worldwide and offers online job search services at www.accountemps.com.

24 OCTOBER 2008

North Coast Business Journal

Terra Receives $100,000 Grant Representatives from Fifth Third Bank (Northwestern Ohio) presented the first installment of a four-year grant of $100,000 from the Charles E. Schell Foundation, Fifth Third Bank Trustee, to Terra Community College. The first of four $25,000 payments was presented to Sue P. Babione, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Terra College Foundation. The grant monies are earmarked for interest-free educational assistance loans to Terra Community College students who otherwise might be unable to complete their education. “This loan fund is very helpful to our students who need monetary assistance to continue their education when emergencies occur,” said Babione.

Robert W. LaClair, President and CEO, Fifth Third Bank (Northwestern Ohio, states, “Terra Community College plays an important role in providing educational opportunities to residents of Fremont and surrounding communities. On behalf of the Schell Foundation, it is our pleasure to present this four-year revolving loan fund.” The goal of Terra’s Investment in the Future is to raise $2 million. Gifts to date total $1,667,164. The target date for celebrating the campaign is late fall 2008. The campaign, the first in a decade at Terra, is designed to provide needed support in two primary areas: • State-of-the-art instructional lab equipment for new and existing academic programs • Additional assistance to students through need-based scholarship awards Further, Terra, along with other two-year colleges, will be instrumental in pushing for 230,000 additional students to participate in higher education over the next decade, an initiative of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland.

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Summer vacation spent putting out fires for EHOVE teen

EHOVE Fire Academy senior Meghan Koch of Huron has her sights set on becoming a firefighter with the Huron Fire Department someday. She wore the boots of her profession for 7 days straight this summer at an intensive fire training camp in Kansas, adding to her already-impressive list of practical experiences that will hopefully allow her to gain a foothold in a firefighting career upon graduation. Meghan was selected to attend Camp Inferno in Overland Park, Kansas from June 8 - 14, where women ages 15 – 19 experience the challenges of firefighting

Get off your

for a week at a time. From 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. each day, attendees undergo constant, rigorous physical training; practice search and rescue techniques including rappelling, learn fire attack, and how to handle hoses and ladders. Pretty much the same curriculum as EHOVE, she said. “These were all new people and we had to learn to depend on each other to get the drill done,” said Meghan. “The instructors didn’t allow you to give up; everyone finished every exercise.” Women account for about 3% of the nation’s career firefighters, according to Women in Firefighting statistics. Meghan is applying her energies at EHOVE toward becoming one of those women right out of high school. EHOVE students who successfully complete all phases of the EHOVE High School Fire Academy are eligible to sit for the State of Ohio’s Professional Firefighter Exam (Level II), as well as the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technician’s Basic EMT Exam.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 25

Hoty Builders Announces Completion of Social Security Administration Building Hoty Builders, L.L.C. has completed this construction project in Ravenna, Ohio. The 5,800 square foot building, located at 444 Enterprise Parkway, was completed in August for Ravenna S.S.A., L.L.C. The new building will be home to the Social Security Administration.

Ottawa County Chambers Sponsor Training in Customer Service Excellence These SEE training sessions are open to all businesses in Ottawa County. Tuesday, October 14th 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm “Emotional Intelligence – Why People Do What They Do” Tuesday, November 13th 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm “The Magic of the Mouse – Bringing the Florida Theme Park Experience to Your Customers” These training opportunities are open to all businesses and all employees. Don’t miss out! The cost to attend is: $50 for Non-Chamber Members; $40 for Chamber Members; $25 for SEE Certified Businesses. If you are a SEE Certified Business, don’t forget you need 2 SEE CEU’s per year! The training will be held at the Ottawa County Resource Centre at 8043 W. St. Rt. 163 Oak Harbor, across from the county fairgrounds. Please register by calling the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce at 419-734-5503. Deadline to register is the Friday before each training. This training sponsored by the Service Excellence Experience Customer Service Program. Its Mission Statement: “Implement a standard in Customer Service in Ottawa County through an established certification process with a recognized trademark.” Sue Anderson (left), District Manager of Smith Equipment, guides EHOVE Manufacturing Tech students through a welding safety lesson September 9 as part of the safety curriculum. Student John McCann (Vermilion) sends a shower of sparks from his cutting torch. Pictured in background are Alissa Fearing (Huron); Paul Dackerman of OE Meyer Co., and EHOVE instructor Skip Frost. Anderson quizzed students on welding hoses, fuels and safety practices, and included a live demonstration in how to avoid an unsafe torch practice known as sustained burn back. A sustained burn back can lead to the torch tip overheating and eventually cause a flashback. Smith Equipment is sold through OE Meyer Co., a supplier to various EHOVE trades programs.

NOMS Healthcare is proud to announce the addition of

Lisa Dendinger, Certified Nurse Practitioner to it’s primary care team.

Lisa is currently seeing patients at the NOMS Internal Medicine office in Sandusky. Lisa received her Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing from Bowling Green State University and her Master’s of Science Degree in Nursing from The University of Toledo. She was previously the Director of Critical Care at Firelands Regional Medical Center for seventeen years and has worked in the nursing profession for nearly thirty years. Lisa is a member of the American Association of Advanced Practice Nurses, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Critical Care Nurses and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Lisa currently resides in Bellevue with her husband and has three grown children.

Lisa D Li Dendinger, endi dinger RN RN, MS MSN MSN, N N NP-C PC Nurse Practitioner-Certified

Call today for an appointment!

www.nomsdrs.com

I N T E R N A L

M E D I C I N E

26 OCTOBER 2008

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North Coast Business Journal

The Bellevue Hospital is One of the Top 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare The Bellevue Hospital (TBH) has been selected as one of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine. Modern Healthcare conducted their inaugural program to recognize outstanding employers in the healthcare industry on a national level. They partnered with Best Companies Group, a PA-based firm that administers “best places to work” programs nationwide. “We are very proud of this recognition,” Michael K. Winthrop, president and CEO of The Bellevue Hospital, said. “This is not just a reflection on how the hospital treats its employees, but also on how well they treat each other…it’s the total work environment.” “Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work in Healthcare” program identifies and recognizes healthcare organizations that have successfully built workplace excellence and enabled employees to perform at their optimal level,” Fawn Lopez, publisher of Modern Healthcare, said. The program was open to all healthcare companies (providers, suppliers, payers, associations, etc.) with at least 25 employees. “By sharing the best practices and innovations in the workplace settings, we hope to enable others to develop progressive human resources strategies critical to creating and sustaining the best healthcare system for patients,” added Lopez. Martie Weidinger, a buyer in TBH’s Facility & Resource Management Department, was pleased to hear the news. “I am actually proud of the fact that the facility I work for won such an award. They deserve it,” said Weidinger, who

has worked at TBH for the past 18 years. “I like working in the ‘family atmosphere’ where all of my co-workers and even the supervisors treat you with respect and where your opinion is appreciated.” Two surveys of healthcare companies that volunteered to participate were conducted. The first survey was a questionnaire for the participating employer. The second was a satisfaction survey of the participating employer’s employees. “We had to submit human resource information, employee retention information, policies and practices,” Deb Ganci, vice president of Human Resources, said. “The company also conducted a random survey of our employees…we don’t even know who they surveyed.” Employees were asked questions on 8 core areas, including: leadership, planning, culture, communication, pay, benefits, working environment and overall satisfaction. “This award shows that this is a great place to work, and I think the employees agree with that,” stated Brian Decker, RT (R), who has worked in TBH’s Diagnostic Imaging Department for the past 10 years and is currently an x-ray technician. “Everyone from every department helps each other and the hospital in general, and everyone gets along well together. It is a nice cohesive unit.” “To be ranked in the Top 100 is something for the entire community to celebrate,” Winthrop added. “I think if you look at the tenure of employees here, you’d see many have been here a long time. In fact, next month we’re going to recognize a nurse – Ruth Benfer – who has

TABLE FOR NONE Survey Reveals Executives’ Lunch Breaks Disappearing Could the “lunch hour” be facing extinction? According to a recent survey, executives polled said their average lunch break is 35 minutes -- seven minutes less than what they reported five years ago. Managers also admitted they work through lunch more than half of the workweek. The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and is based on telephone interviews with 150 randomly selected senior executives at the 1,000 largest companies in the United States. Executives were asked, “What is the average length of your typical lunch break?” The mean response was 35 minutes, compared to 42 minutes in 2003. Survey respondents also were asked, “How many days each week, on average, do you work through lunch?” The mean response was three days. (The question was not asked in 2003.) “In today’s 24/7 workplace, a lunch break often takes a back seat to e-mails, phone calls, meetings and pressing deadlines,” said Dave Willmer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “Many people are doing more work with fewer resources and, therefore, putting in more time at their desks. Some may also be working across time zones and forgoing lunch breaks to accommodate their colleagues’ schedules.” But Willmer cautioned that professionals need time away from their desks to recharge and remain productive. He

been here 60 years,” Winthrop said. Winthrop said recent results from HCAHPS patient satisfaction surveys also gave the local hospital good marks. “Again, our patients scored us very well – and we achieved outstanding results on two important questions, ‘overall rating of the hospital’ and ‘would you recommend the hospital to others,’” he commented. Patients rated us 96 out of 100 – Overall -- and 91 out of 100 - Recommending us to others. Another TBH employee, Michelle Garcia, RN, CEN, noted, “I would say I am not surprised that The Bellevue Hospital received this award because I do think it is one of the best places to work. The employees here are like a second family. There is great teamwork and everyone is passionate about their job and doing their job. We all want to be the best that we can be,” added Garcia, who is the Clinical Coordinator of the Emergency Department. Modern Healthcare will reveal the specific ranking of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare, from 1 to 100, in a special supplement to be published October 27, 2008. The supplement also will recognize the top places to work by industry segment and by number of employees, and will profile some of the recipients. Besides The Bellevue Hospital, Fisher-Titus Regional Medical Center in Norwalk also was listed in the top 100 healthcare employers. There were four Ohio hospitals and a healthcare management group that made the list. A complete list is now available online at www.ModernHealthcare.com/bestplacestowork

On The Move FTMC Names New Technical Director

added, “Managers set an example for their staff. If they don’t take a break for lunch, their employees may feel inclined to do the same.” OfficeTeam provides the following tips for taking back the shrinking lunch break: Rodney Tuttle of Norwalk ·Plan your day. Schedule your break to fall between projrecently was promoted to ects, if possible, and set morning deadlines for important technical director of Fishertasks so you can relax over lunch. Titus Medical Center’s ·Schedule lunch with colleagues. During a busy period, Department of Pathology change a team meeting to a working lunch outside the and Laboratory Medicine. office. The time away will improve your energy while As technical laboratory maintaining productivity. director, Tuttle oversees and ·Book an appointment. Block off your online calendar so supervises all laboratory coworkers don’t schedule calls or meetings during that activities in accordance with time. Be flexible, though, if there are no other options. established hospital and ·Step away from the desk. If you are unable to leave your department policies and building for lunch, take a walk around the office. If possistandards. ble, eat in the lunch room or break area with colleagues. Prior to this promotion, Tuttle served as a clinical labora·Put work aside. If you have to be near your computer or tory scientist and assistant director of FTMC’s laboratory phone, face your chair away and do a nonwork activity, since 2002. He has been active in the daily operation of the such as reading a newspaper or magazine. lab and had responsibility for competency programs and meeting stringent safety requirements of The Joint About OfficeTeam Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare OfficeTeam provides businesses with the highly skilled Organizations (JCAHO), American Osteopathic Association administrative talent they need to maximize productivity, (AOA), College of American Pathologists (CAP) and Food achieve cost efficiency and support full-time staff. The and Drug Administration (FDA) standards. staffing firm has more than 300 locations worldwide and He and his wife, Janice, along with their children, reside offers online job search services at www.officeteam.com. in Norwalk.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 27

Taxes

Home Sellers – For sales of homes after May 6, 1997, sellers have been able to use Sec 121 of the Internal Revenue Code to exclude up to $500,000 of gain from the sale of their houses. The Housing Act of 2008 has amended this code section in order to raise some revenue offsets to the credits and deductions that we have already discussed. After 2008, some sellers may not be able to exclude the amounts of gains they have been able to in the past. This is due to the rules requiring the home to be a principal residence for at least 2 of the 5 years prior to the sale. After 2008, gains will be allocated to periods of nonqualified use and will be reportable income on the seller’s individual income tax return. This would apply to individuals who turn vacation homes into their principal residences or use a home for their main home and then rent it out and perhaps move back in. There are many exceptions and the new rule is fairly complex. Home sellers should seek assistance from a tax expert in order to avoid an unplanned tax bill in the future. Election to Accelerate AMT and Research Credits instead of Bonus Depreciation The Economic Stimulus Act of 2008, which was signed into law in February, 2008, provided for businesses to claim a “bonus” first year deduction on qualified property placed in service in 2008. This would allow a business to instantly write off 50% of the cost of qualified property and the remaining 50% of the cost, would be the depreciable basis and depreciated over its normal life. However, many corporations are struggling and can not make use of the increased write off. The new law allows corporations to use AMT and research and development credits by electing not to claim the special bonus depreciation allowed. This alternative choice includes technical rules on how to calculate the allowed credits, but would make the credits refundable, which is better than the carryover that was part of the old law. There are also alternative rules for calculating depreciation on the assets placed in service during 2008 that you would need to follow. These

elections will provide some corporations relief on their 2008 returns, but each corporation should analyze the options to determine what is best for them. Credit Card Information Reporting Prior to the Housing Act of 2008, there has not been a requirement for reporting of credit card sales. The Act will require banks and other processors to begin filing information returns with the IRS after 2010. The information required to be reported includes the gross amount of credit and debit card payments a merchant receives during the year, the merchants name, address and taxpayer identification number. This will affect many businesses that accept credit and debit cards as forms of payment, however, there is an exception for businesses who receive less than $20,000 per calendar year or the number of transactions does not exceed 200. The object of the information reporting requirement is to boost the compliance rate of merchants. Merchants were opposed to this reporting due to the already high costs of credit and debit card processing and may drive small business owners away from accepting credit cards in the future. Small business owners may also be burdened with increased bookkeeping and will need to review their accounting practices. They will want to make sure the reports going to the IRS are accurate and will need to reconcile the reports submitted by banks to their own books and records. Also, merchants will need to keep track of the amount of “cash back” that the customer receives when buying merchandise. Since the banks are reporting gross sales, the IRS will have to address how to handle reporting of “cash back” and also credits issued for returned merchandise. Since this doesn’t take effect until 2011, there will be time to prepare for this new development and work out any issues.

How to Get the Most Out of the Housing Act of 2008

Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and Rehab Credit BY KARI J. WALLACE, CPA DIRECTOR AT BARNES WENDLING CPAS

The AMT or alternative minimum tax, is the amount by which the tax figured under a set of alternative rules for determining taxable income and allowable deductions, exceeds the regular tax liability. Prior to the Housing Act of 2008, business tax credits generally could not offset AMT tax. However, now some taxpayers will be able to offset their AMT liability with these credits. The changes apply for low-income housing credits attributable to buildings placed in service after December 31, 2007 and for qualified rehabilitation expenses for periods after December 31, 2007. These tax credits are awarded to developers of qualified projects and developers sell these credits to investors to raise capital or equity for their projects. The changes provided by the Housing Act also increase the cap for the allocation of credits that each state receives and also simplifies the extremely technical provisions of the credit rules. Home Owners and Home Sellers Home Owners – For 2008 only, home owners that normally do not itemize their deductions on their individual income tax returns, can take a deduction for the amount of state and local property taxes they pay in 2008. This is an extra deduction in addition to the standard deduction that is already allowed. However, it is limited to $500 for single tax filers and $1,000 for joint filers.

Kari J. Wallace, CPA is a director at Barnes Wendling CPAs, Inc. Kari is a member of our Tax Planning and Compliance Department. She can be reached by phone at 419.626.3627, or by email at kjw@barneswendling. com Barnes Wendling CPAs is located at 5002 Timber Commons Drive, Sandusky. To reach Director-in-Charge of this location, Tim Mayles, call 419.626.3627.

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28 OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

Mercy Hospital of Willard Earns Quality Respiratory Care Recognition in National Program Mercy Hospital of Willard has earned Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR) under a national program aimed at helping patients and families make informed decisions about the quality of the respiratory care services available in hospitals. About 700 hospitals, or approximately 15% of hospitals in the United States, have applied for and received this award. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of all of our healthcare professionals at Mercy Hospital of Willard,” says Bob Gospodarek, President and CEO of Mercy Willard, “it is rewarding to see our respiratory care department get this recognition.” The QRCR program was started by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) in 2003 to help consumers identify those facilities using qualified respiratory therapists to provide respiratory care. Hospitals earning the QRCR designation ensure patient safety by agreeing to adhere to a strict set of criteria governing their respiratory care services. To qualify for the recognition, Mercy Hospital of Willard provided documentation showing it met the following conditions: All respiratory therapists employed by the hospital to deliver bedside respiratory care services are either legally recognized by the state as competent to provide respiratory care services or hold the certified respiratory therapist (CRT) or the registered respiratory therapist (RRT) credential. Respiratory therapists are available 24 hours. Other personnel qualified to perform specific respiratory procedures and the amount of supervision required for personnel to carry out specific procedures must be designated in writing. A doctor of medicine or osteopathy is designated as medical director of respiratory care services. In addition, the respiratory care staff at Mercy Willard has a combined total of over 100 years experience in the field of respiratory care. The AARC’s QRCR program grew out of growing concerns for health care leaders and the general public regarding the safety and quality of health care services provided to patients. Hospitals that meet the QRCR requirements provide a level of respiratory care consistent with national standards and guidelines, and should be commended for their commitment to quality care. A list of QRCR hospitals is maintained at the association’s website for consumers, YourLungHealth.org. Respiratory therapists are specially trained health care professionals who work under physician’s orders to provide a wide range of breathing treatments and other services to people with asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, lung cancer, AIDS and other lung or lung-related conditions. They also care for premature infants and are key members of lifesaving response teams charged with handling medical emergencies. The AARC is a membership organization representing more than 46,000 health professionals involved in respiratory care nationwide.

Ohio Business College Announces New President Ohio Business Colleges has appointed Dennis Hirsh as President. Hirsh will be overseeing operations of OBC campuses in Sheffield Lake, Sandusky and Columbus, Ohio. Hirsh, who has over 20 years experience in proprietary education, most recently served as School Director of ITT Technical Institute in Strongsville, Ohio. He

holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Business from The Ohio State University. Mr. Hirsh is excited about the future of Ohio Business College and his goals include “continuing to provide the best education possible for our students and stable work environment for our staff.”

Cronk Earns Testing Credential Ohio Business College recently announced that Miana Cronk has become an authorized testing administrator for Thomson Prometric. Ms. Cronk graduated from Ohio Business College in 2006 with an Associate Degree in Business Administration, as well as a diploma for Accounting Clerk. The campus hired her in February of 2007 as the Student Accounts Specialist. Ohio Business College, Sandusky, is one of twentyseven statewide Authorized Prometric Testing Centers. Thomson Prometric is the recognized global leader in testing assessment services with testing cen-

ters in 131 countries. Prometric currently provides service to over 600 clients in academic, corporate, government and information technology markets. More information, including a comprehensive list of assessments and test center hours, is available online at www.prometric.com.

COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT AUCTION 1848 EAST HARBOR ROAD aka 1848 E Perry St PORT CLINTON, OH 43452 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2008 at 11:00 am Preview & Registration begins at 10:00 am Auctioneer Notes: Boundary Lines Above Are Approximate

Commercial opportunity at auction of the former Pharm building in a high traffic area near State Route 2 and State Route 163. The building is located on 4.69+/- acres and is zoned commercial with a total building space of 33,985+/- square feet with 8,320+/- square feet currently leased. This building may be used for retail spaces, offices, and many other uses. Come bid your price at auction!

MINIMUM BID $360,000 View A Color Brochure and More Information Online! www.pamelaroseauction.com CALL FOR MORE DETAILS

Pame a Rose

877.462.7673

Pamela Rose, Auctioneer CAI AARE [email protected]

Frank Mohn, Broker [email protected]

©2008

North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 29

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On The Move Memorial Hospital Selects New CEO The Board of Directors of Memorial Hospital has appointed John C. Yanes to be the hospital’s new chief executive officer. He replaces Al Gorman, who is retiring from this position after 16 years of service. Board Chairman Hal Hawk said, “Al Gorman will be sorely missed in the medical and healthcare systems and as a community leader.” Dr. Scott Farrell served as the CEO Selection Committee Chairman, and is impressed with Yanes: “He brings a wealth of hospital experience to this position, and is committed to making physician, patient and employee satisfaction a high priority. The hospital has worked closely with QHR, our management services firm, to identify the right candidate for Memorial Hospital and the Fremont community, and we are fortunate to find such a good match.” Yanes will begin working at the hospital in October. Yanes has been serving as interim CEO at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish, Montana. He has 20 years experience in hospital administration for facilities ranging from 66 to 369 beds. A native of Florida, Yanes holds BS, MBA and MHS degrees from the University of Florida. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and has been an active community leader. “I look forward to getting to know and working with the medical staff, employees and Board. My wife Cheryl and I as well as our three children, anticipate getting involved in the community. From what I’ve seen already, this is a wonderful community which obviously cares about its local hospital.”

NOMS Adds Dendinger NOMS Healthcare is pleased to announce the addition of Lisa Dendinger, Certified Nurse Practitioner, to the NOMS primary care staff. She is currently working at the NOMS Internal Medicine office in Sandusky. Dendinger received her Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing from Bowling Green State University and her Master’s of Science Degree in Nursing from The University of Toledo. She was previously the Director of Critical Care at Firelands Regional Medical Center for seventeen years and has worked in the nursing profession for nearly thirty years. She is a member of the American Association of Advanced Practice Nurses, American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, American Association of Critical Care Nurses and Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Dendinger currently resides in Bellevue with her husband and has three grown children.

Proud to be a Tobacco Free Campus

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30 OCTOBER 2008

North Coast Business Journal

On The Move Ohio Academy of Family Physicians Installs 2008-09 President-elect Dr. Jeff A. Harwood of Norwalk was installed as the 2 0 0 8 - 0 9 president-elect of Ohio Academy of F a m i l y Physicians (OAFP) on Aug. 9 during OAFP’s Annual Dinner and Members Assembly at Cherry Valley Lodge, Newark, Ohio. Dr. Harwood, an OAFP member since 1989, has served on numerous OAFP committees including finance, legislation, communications and rural health. The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians is a statewide, professional association with more than 4,400 members, including practicing physicians, family medicine residents and medical students. He has been an active member of American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) since 1989, received his AAFP

Degree of Fellow in 1993 and is certified by American Board of Family Medicine. Dr. Harwood currently practices medicine at New London Family Practice LLC, New London, Ohio and is a member of FisherTitus Medical Center’s medical staff. He has been the Huron County Coroner since 1996. He received his doctor of medicine degree from Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, and completed his residency at Akron General Medical Center in Akron, Ohio, in 1989. Dr. Harwood and his wife, Sharon, reside in Norwalk and have three children. The Ohio Academy of Family Physicians is a statewide, professional association with more than 4,400 members, including practicing physicians, family medicine residents and medical students. The scope of family medicine encompasses all ages, both sexes and every disease entity. Family physicians provide comprehensive, continuing care to all members of the family. For more information, visit www. ohioafp.org.

RS Field Service Technician Activity

Westover Joins RS announces that Jason Westover has joined RS as a Field Service Technician. He received an Associates degree from The National Institute of Technologies in electronics and has Certificates from HP, Lexmark, Minolta-QMS laser printers & Canon. Westover joins RS with 15 years of HP experience and qualifications on the low to high end laser printers. Upon joining the RS service team, he has completed HP Edgeline training.

Mohammed Promoted RS has promoted Basel Mohammed to Field Service Technician. He started with RS in September 2007 as a Set Up & Installation Technician and has completed the web-base basic training for HP & Konica Minolta. He majored in Computer & Electronics at Embassy East Sussex – England.

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North Coast Business Journal OCTOBER 2008 31

BUS I NES S

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Coming in November: Focus on Tiffin

32 OCTOBER 2008 North Coast Business Journal

The Center for Mental Health and Well-Being at Memorial Hospital is pleased to introduce:

Ryan J. Travis, MD General Psychiatry Specializing in General Psychiatry — with a special emphasis on promoting healthy lifestyles Dr. Ryan Travis believes in the benefits of a healthy lifestyle in all aspects of our lives. And, he incorporates this patient-centered philosophy into his psychiatry practice. Dr. Travis is trained and qualified in all areas of general psychiatry. He believes that exercise, fitness, healthy diet and positive activity impacts both your mental and physical well being. For many patients this will be an important part of their recovery.

Personal Information Dr. Travis is married and a busy dad with three daughters. He is an athlete and was awarded a full football scholarship to Hillsdale College. He was accepted his junior year into the UT/MCO 7 year medical training program. Dr. Travis is a native of the area — growing up in Elmore, Ohio. When he has free time, Dr. Travis enjoys spending it with his family and getting together with friends for a game of basketball or flag football.

Medical Training Residency: University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, Ohio Medical School: University of Toledo College of Medicine, Toledo, Ohio Undergraduate: University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan

Dr. Travis is accepting new patients. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call The Center for Mental Health & Well-Being at

419-334-6619

715 SOUTH TAFT AVENUE s FREMONT, OHIO 43420 s 419-332-7321 s WWW.FREMONTMEMORIAL.ORG