Social Media Summit

I've decided to attend. Sounds interesting. Want to go? Need more information?

Go here.

This is hosted by the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio, Remerge Media and ThisWeek Community Media.

Voting Begins Today

Today, March 30, marks the first voting day for the May 4 election; absentee voting has now begun.

If you haven't already registered for an absentee ballot or need more election day information you can find it here.

As a reminder, the Chamber has endorsed State Issue 1 - renewal of the Third Frontier Program as well as the 1-mill operating levy for C-TEC.

Have Some Fun Today

Just finished watching a great video over at CultureOffering about having fun.

Watch it. Do it.

Sunday is always a great day to start something new.

Health Care Timeline

What a mess. You can click on it to enlarge it for easier reading.

4 out of 25 - Not Bad Licking County!

In the March 12 edition of Business First, The LIST featured Industrial Parks ranked by total square feet of completed industrial space. On the list of 25, Licking County appeared four times:

• #3 - Newark Ohio Industrial Park - 6.1 million sq. ft. - Southgate Corporation
• #14 - Central Ohio Aerospace & Technology Center - 2.3 million sq.ft. - Port Authority
• #24 - ProLogis Park 70-Etna - 1.6 million sq.ft. - ProLogis
• #25 - Mid-Ohio Development Park - 1.2 million sq.ft. - Mid-Ohio Development

Another impressive year for industrial development in Licking County!

Chamber Issues Endorsement

The Board of Directors of the Licking County Chamber recently announced its endorsement of the 1 mill Operating Levy for C-TEC.

Read more here.

College Savings Lunch & Learn scheduled for April 14

Whether you have a child or grandchild planning for college or if you are going back to school yourself, this will be THE event to attend! You’ll learn more about Ohio’s 529 college savings plan and scholarship opportunities that are available for you to take advantage of. Our first speaker, Mike Prescott, Executive Director of Ohio Tuition Trust Authority will explain about CollegeAdvantage and how Ohio’s 529 plan can benefit you, your family, your company and your community. Then Karen Jones, Program Officer, Licking County Foundation will tell you about 80 scholarship funds available locally for high school students and adults that could fit almost anyone’s needs. The event will be held from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Moundbuilders Country Club. Cost is $20 and includes lunch. Click here to rsvp.

Posted by: Jennifer McDonald

Told You So

The article below was written back in January of 2009 regarding Obama's Stimulus Plan. I think it is a safe bet that Professor Armentano is saying "told you so".


The Independent Institute Commentary

The Obama Stimulus Plan Won’t Work

January 22, 2009
Dominick T. Armentano

Houston Business Journal, Austin Business Journal, Providence Journal, San Francisco Business Times

President Barack Obama and his economic team will soon attempt to convince Congress that spending upwards of $1
trillion tax dollars (more or less) will shorten the recession. A good part of the spending will be on public works and
infrastructure projects that aim to create (or save) many millions of jobs. Some of the spending will be in the form of
grants to state governments to prevent cutbacks in education and medical services. And a smaller (and laudable) part of the program provides tax relief to some individuals and corporations.

Although some economists supported the bank and auto bailouts and although many more support a major federal
stimulus package, this economist holds that both measures are counter-productive. Both are likely to prolong the
economic slump and not shorten it.

This may seem harsh but the ultimate cure for a recession is recession. Economic booms malinvest labor and capital and recessions are necessary to clean out these malinvestments. Declining prices allow consumers to more easily purchase products (homes, autos) in excess supply; inventories are reduced and supply and demand are brought into balance. And declining profits weed out business organizations and managers that have invested poorly during the boom; bankruptcy allows resources to flow to more profitable areas of the economy. A sustainable recovery is now possible. It should be obvious that random bailouts can short-circuit the recovery process by propping up poorly performing companies and slowing resource reallocation. With tens of billions in lost profits, General Motors and Chrysler have demonstrated vast inefficiency; yet taxpayer bailouts will preserve their poor management and high-cost union jobs. Worse, other more efficient automobile suppliers will lose sales to Detroit’s dinosaurs and may themselves require subsidies. It just never ends.

The case for bailing out spendthrift state governments or for additional infrastructure spending is equally flawed.
Supporters constantly argue that “since consumers won’t spend, governments must spend (to create more jobs).” And
since it’s claimed that there are vast unmet public sector needs, what better time to undertake major road construction or help state governments fund programs such as Medicaid.

Some public policies are wrong in both theory and practice; infrastructure spending and bailing out state governments to shorten recessions are examples. In theory, the money to fund the stimulus will have to come from either massive federal borrowing, substantial tax hikes, or pure money inflation by the Federal Reserve. But none of this can remotely promote recovery in the private sector of the economy. All it will do is substitute some private/public sector jobs in one part of the economy for other private/public sector jobs in another part of the economy.

Public spending on major infrastructure projects to fight recession is especially problematic. (Think “Big Dig” in Boston.) Which programs will be undertaken? In which congressional districts? And where will the labor resources come from? Supporters of public works automatically assume that the current increase in unemployment provides a vast army of workers to fill new jobs. Not so fast.

Unemployed workers with vastly different skill levels are scattered unevenly throughout the economy. It is simply
unimaginable that even a tiny percentage of them would have the proper skill requirements or would relocate to the
politically determined infrastructure projects. In addition, these projects require extremely long lead times (sometimes
many years of permits and planning) and are unlikely to begin soon enough to have any near-term effect.
The experience in the 1930s is instructive. Even though federal government spending increased from $9.8 billion in 1934 to $14.2 billion in 1940, the unemployment rate in 1940 was still a staggering 14.6%. A 45% increase in New Deal spending in six years did not end the Depression.

Contrary to economist Paul Krugman and others, the federal government cannot spend us out of our economic quagmire. The best that the government can do is not make things worse. We don’t need more corporate or state bailouts and we don’t need vast public works programs costing many hundreds of billions. We do need more prudent private and public spending, lower taxes on income and investment, and a responsible monetary policy from the Federal Reserve. And we still need lower prices and bankruptcies to finally correct the mistakes of the boom.

Dominick T. Armentano is professor emeritus in economics at the University of Hartford (Connecticut) and a research
fellow at The Independent Institute in Oakland, Calif. He is author of Antitrust & Monopoly (Independent Institute,
1998).

Thanks for the look-back Todd.

To China and Back in 9 Days

I have returned from my trip to China. It was extremely interesting and I know know 100% more about the world's third largest economy.

I would highly suggest that if you ever have an opportunity to travel to another country, jump on it. It is amazing how other people live around the globe.

I'm glad to be home and to be eating American food again!

Thank You Congressmen Space and Tiberi

Licking County is split basically down the middle in terms of congressional districts, so we have two Congressmen who represent our area: Congressman Zack Space (D) and Congressman Pat Tiberi (R).

Both were "NO" votes on the Health Care Reform bill that passed the House late last night.

Thank you Congressman Space and Congressman Tiberi.

Welcome Home Gift

How ironic it is that I just returned home from a communist country only to find that our Congress just passed the so-called Health Care Reform bill.

Read the winners and losers here.

There is a reason why we live in the best country in the world. It is call freedom. Our country was founded on certain principles, which included a very limited form of government.

We just took another step backwards with the passage of this bill. I am gravely disappointed.

- Posted by Cheri

Cap and Trade

Be sure to join us on Thursday, April 8 for our Local Leaders Luncheon at Cherry Valley Lodge at noon. The guest speaker, Amy Jeffries, Energy Trader with AEP Ohio will address the American Clean Energy and Security Act. Often referred to as “Cap and Trade” legislation, that is currently before Congress and provides for sweeping changes in our country’s existing energy and environmental policy. You’ll understand the potential impact of legislation upon the availability of, and costs associated with generating electricity. As with any significant and far reaching legislation, competing ideas with varying solutions surround the ongoing debate in our nation’s capital.
Don’t miss this informative presentation about this legislation that has the potential to change every American’s life in one manner or another. You’ll hear the most current, unbiased information available. Click here to sign up today.

Posted by Jennifer McDonald

Meet us on Thursday for a cold one!

You should attend the Business After Hours this Thursday at Bafford Spine & Rehab from 5 - 7 p.m. There will be great food by Doug's Far Side, soft drinks and a cash bar. All attendees will receive a gift certificate for a hydro massage and a small gift. RSVP by clicking here!

We Are "Normal"

Today is the last day we will have our intern with us - LyndaSue Keener. She has been with us since January and has put in 189 hours.

She has done an excellent job with every project we have given her. We celebrated this morning with a staff breakfast (we always like a reason for Mandy to make her Monkey Bread) and I asked LyndaSue which project she liked the best and she said helping set up and attending the Annual Groundhog Breakfast. She said she wanted to come to it for the last 20 years!

I also asked her what she learned while working at the Chamber. She said that we (staff and the business people she has met) are "normal". I chuckled and asked her to explain her answer and she said that the perception from college is that business people are "stuffy" and act better than the rest of the world, but she found that to be false. She said "you guys watch T.V. just like the rest of us".

Thanks LyndaSue for all of your hard work over the past three months. Will will miss you.

Monday Morning Humor

Couldn't resist posting this. Thanks for the good laugh on a Monday morning Todd.

Quotes for the Day

These have been heard time and time again, but are worth repeating:

"The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do." - Michael Porter

" Management is doing a thing right; leadership is doing the right things." - Peter Drucker

" Marketing is too important to be left to the marketing department." - David Packard

Time To Shred

To my knowledge, the chamber has kept every record since the building opened in 1974.

Thanks to our intern, LyndaSue, we are having a shredding party next week!

Social Media 1,285,385,004,486

I have no clue how many posts are out there on the use of Social Media, thus my made-up number in my post title. What I do know is that I like the types of posts that are easy to understand, and that take you step-by-step through a new process. I also like the blogs and sites that give you homework. Yes, homework. That way you HAVE to do something besides just think about it.

I found a site that does just that during a recent conference I attended. The site is called Social Media Leaps.

This site is designed for chamber's and small business to take the "leap" into the social media world. It gives you 5 minute "leaps" into:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Flickr
• YouTube
• Blogging

You will also find a 60 day plan which gives you 60 easy steps (homework) to help work your way through the social media atmosphere.

All this for FREE.

There is some really great information there. As was said in the presentation I attended: "This (social media) is not a fad. . .it's a trend. . .here to stay."

Check it out today.

- Posted by Cheri

Creating An Experience Matters

Received an email from Kordell Norton today that I thought I would share:


Dear Cheri,

Writing the next book.

My friend Janine Moon, an awesome business coach, gave a great insight. "There are too many distractions in my office. When I write I go to the local coffee shop."

Day 1 - Starbucks - The words flow onto my laptop as my hot chocolate sits next to the iPod that is pulling it's load of a gentle mix of movie soundtracks. Outlets are everywhere as other business people sit addicted to their latest email fixes. A fireplace radiates heat into the warm oak-paneled space. Small and intimate. I sit at an oak table with hot chocolate, a special blend of dark European flavors which seems to flow hot, but not scalding . . . all in a $2.70 cup with the snazzy sleeve that keeps you from getting third degree burns.

Day 2 - McDonalds - I slide into a laminated table top and smack my leg on the square steel support pole. They have to make it square so it has a sharp edge that raises a need for a tourniquet and immediate medical help (just kidding of course. . . but not by much). The acoustics are awesome. I can clearly hear the conversations of everyone within 50 feet as the sound bounces off all the flat and plastic surfaces. I have just looked around for an outlet. NOT ONE in 1,500 square feet. NOT ONE! The hot chocolate is ten cents less than Starbucks, but it does come with a high tech lid that takes a couple of MIT graduates to open. The plastic seat tops are to keep you from getting to comfortable and I think they have embedded them with refrigerant coils so you will consume your stuff and move out in time for the next arrival.
I reflect on why they call it fast food. It is because you don't want to eat/drink it. You just want to slam dunk it and move on. Fast.

Lessons to be learned for us.

Walk a mile in your customers moccasins. I am sure the McDonald's people never ventured into their "dinning room" with a laptop. Wifi? Are you kidding? They will connect together some drink cups with some string.

Starbucks has a fetish of improving the Customer Experience. I recently read a article written by the CEO of Starbucks. He confessed that he was re-reading Jim Gilmore's tome The Experience Economy. These guys get it and just for 10 cents more.

A Message From C-TEC

C-TEC is asking the voters to approve a 1-mill operating levy in May of this year. Below is some information I recently received regarding some stats and some myths about C-TEC:

C-TEC is asking for a 1-mill operating levy.
We’ve been operating on the same millage since 1976 (2 mills).
C-TEC is restructuring.
Since the 2007-08 school year, we have cut over $2 million in operating expenses.
We will be cutting an additional $1.6 million from the budget at the end of this school year.
C-TEC is value.
C-TEC is the #1 Career Center in Ohio for Ohio Graduation Testing passage and obtaining a high school diploma.
C-TEC’s graduation rate is 99.6 %.
Over 90% of all C-TEC secondary and adult graduates are working or continuing their education.
C-TEC provides career-technical education for all ten school districts in Licking county.

Myths vs. Facts.
Myth: C-TEC needs to tighten its own budget before it asks for more money from the voters.
Fact: We already have. We have cut over $2 million since the 2007-08 school year. C-TEC cut over $800,000 in personnel, and will cut an additional $1.6 million in 2010, regardless of the levy results. Our faculty and staff have voluntarily taken pay freezes; full-time, non-teaching staff members have taken 10-day unpaid furloughs; staff members who are retiring are not being replaced; four administrative positions were cut prior to this year, and we will be cutting two additional administrative positions—regardless of the May levy outcome. If the May levy is unsuccessful, C-TEC will be cutting an additional $1.7 million.

Myth: An “operating levy” and a “construction levy” pay for the same things.
Fact: A construction levy pays ONLY for the construction of new or remodeled facilities; an operating levy pays for the day-to-day expenses that every school has. Operating funds include: utilities, maintenance, textbooks, lab equipment, busing, substitute teachers, computer equipment, technology, teacher salaries and benefits, special education, library materials, administrative assistants, high school food service, and more. The operations budget is what keeps a school running—every day.

Myth: C-TEC has a levy on the May ballot so that it can pay for legal expenses.
Fact: C-TEC has asked voters for a 1-mill operating levy three times in the last two years--before the legal judgment was issued in December. Currently, C-TEC is operating on the same millage that it collected in 1976. The 1-mill increase amounts to approximately $30 per year for the owner of a $100,000 home.

Myth: C-TEC should have had some kind of insurance so it wouldn’t have to pay such a large sum from the lawsuit.
Fact: C-TEC does have the appropriate insurance, but there is no insurance coverage for this type of lawsuit.

The Chamber is currently considering endorsing this levy. Check back for details.

- Posted by Cheri