POSTMASTER:TIMELY MATERIAL. PLEASE EXPEDITE.

Celebrating 19 Years of Service

APRIL 2013 Vol. 19 No. 4
Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.

Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Tiffin, OH 44883 Permit #88

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

INSIDE THIS MONTH

Selling Jelly Doughnuts?...... 2 Retirement Plans for Small Businesses........ 5 Well-Booked Business..........18 OSHA Inspections......21 Work Opportunity Tax Credit.......22 Chamber Calendars........24 Future Benefit Packages. .........25 Customer Service............26 IT: Some Things Don't Change...28

Fremont and Sandusky County: Committed to Economic Growth

By Mike Jay Economic Development Director City of Fremont This past year brought some challenges along with renewed hope that our local economy will continue to dig its way out of the recession. Fremont, Ohio was ranked as the 45th best micropolitan community in the U.S. for new and expanding facilities in 2012 by Site Selection Magazine, the official publication of the Industrial Asset Management Council. The.magazine ranked 576 of the nations micropolitan communities which consist of cities with a population of 10,000 to 50,000 people which cover at least one county. Industrial, commercial, retail, educational and healthcare investment projects are taking place in Fremont. The Citys economic development office works on these projects with local and regional development agencies as well as the Ohios Development Service Agency and JobsOhio. In 2012, the City of Fremont submitted building or site data for 22 leads that were generated through our regional and state partners and directly from the Citys economic development office. Sandusky County had a staggering $442,650,000 in announced projects during 2012. Five of the eight projects were in Fremont. As I talk with business owners and corporate executives, I am reminded of the commitment they all share for our
Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce Genoa Chamber of Commerce

Focus:

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Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce

community - to retain the workforce we have and look for new opportunities for growth. While some companies are struggling, others have seen a boost in sales levels prompting the increase of production volumes. Companies are also investing in new machinery and
Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Milan Chamber of Commerce

equipment and increasing its workforce. This year got off to an encouraging start with many new projects developing in and around the Fremont area. Just in March alone, two European companies

See GROWTH, Page 12

Vermilion Chamber of Commerce Willard Area Chamber of Commerce

Were a proud member of the following:

Elmore Chamber of Commerce Huron Chamber of Commerce Huron County Chamber of Commerce Oak Harbor Area Put-in-Bay Chamber Chamber of Commerce of Commerce Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce Erie County Chamber of Sandusky County of Commerce

Seneca Regional

April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

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Selling Jelly Doughnuts? (Dont forget to tell em about the jelly.)

Jeffrey H. Bryden Editor Several years ago I wrote about Marketing Myopia and used this headline. Thats a dumb headline, my mother-in law told me. Who would try to sell jelly doughnuts without mentioning the jelly? Shes right, of course. Not that my headline was stupid I hope but in her assertion that no one in their right mind would omit mentioning something as important as the jelly in a jelly doughnut. So whats my point? Simply that marketers often can get too close to their product and not close enough to the customer. They get hung up on all the product (the doughnut) and neglect to mention what benefits (the jelly) the product can bring to the buyer. We call this Marketing Myopia a non-medical case of nearsightedness. In my marketing classes at BGSU, I try to implant the idea of marketers widening their focus using the old saying that People dont buy features, they buy benefits. A detergent may claim it now contains bleach, borax and brighteners. I tell them that People dont want a detergent with bleach, brighteners and borax. They dont care about the ingredients, the features. They want what that detergent will do for them give them whiter, brighter, better-smelling clothes. Look at todays car ads touting rack and pinion steering? Does anyone even know what this is? Most car-buying consumers dont. A little research will reveal that this frequently-used claim refers to gears designed to improve vehicle response and steering feel. As a prospective car buyer, do you want rack and pinion steering? Do you care about the mechanical intricacies of how, mechanically, this works? Or do you really want better handling and vehicle response? Pick up todays newspaper and peruse the ads. See how many advertisers are overlooking the real reasons people buy things they talk about Credit: Principles of Marketing, 12/ E, Kotler & product features, not the benefits delivered by the Armstrong, product or service. When we teach the Product Prentice Hall/Pearson Education 2008 P of marketing, we try to illustrate the various levels of Product with the illustration to the competition. This level is called the Augmented Product level where non-product benefits (often right. The very center, the core of this illustration, is services) are added to make the offering stand the benefit the consumer desires. Its the solution apart from the competition. Note though, that the to their problem. Its why theyre buying the success of anything added at this level is dependent product or service. (Its the jelly in the upon the core benefit being delivered first and foremost. No one cares about free delivery and doughnut.) The next level is the Actual Product itself installation of an air conditioning unit if it wont with all the features that are apparent or inherent properly cool their house. (The augmented layer is in it: flavors/colors/sizes/packaging/design/brand like the icing on the doughnut.) Its a nice final name. This is what they have to buy to get the touch; it looks and tastes great. In summary, never forget why people are buying benefit they desire. (Its the doughnut.) your doughnut in the first place. Tell them about The outermost layer is where many marketers the jelly. have to go to sell products that are perceived as undifferentiated or very similar to the

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205 S.E. Catawba Road, Suite G, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 419-734-4838 Fax 419-734-5382
Publisher JOHN SCHAFFNER JEFFREY H. BRYDEN jbryden@ncbj.net DAVE KAHLER dkahler@ncbj.net ROBIN QUESADA accounting@thebeacon.net TODD GARDNER todd@thebeacon.net MARK SCHAFFNER marks@thebeacon.net BRUCE DINSE

Editor Director of Sales Accounting Manager Layout &Graphic Design Circulation Manager

Small Business Basics Seminars Set for April

The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra State 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. room), 19 W. Market St., Tiffin Wednesday, April 17 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Erie County Chamber of Commerce (conference room), 225 W. Washington Row, Sandusky Wednesday, April 24 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Terra State 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 419-559-2210. Or contact him by email at bauxter@terra.edu.

NorthCoast 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.

The April

schedule is:

Wednesday, April 10 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce (conference

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

Make the Most of Your Summer

Photo courtesy of Hayes Presidential Center

War of 1812 History Runs Deep

By Nancy Kleinhenz Communications Manager Hayes Presidential Center Despite a name linking it to a single year, the War of 1812 lasted three years. Northwest Ohio was the scene of major events of the war during 1813, including Americas naval victory in the Battle of Lake Erie. But, it was on the lands of the so-called Ohio Frontier that the British downfall really began. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center and the Sidney Frohman Foundation present The War of 1812 on the Ohio Frontier, an examination the crucial battles and strategic importance of the area known as the Ohio Frontier. The exhibit opened February 13, 2013 and continues through October 7, 2013. The War of 1812 on the Ohio Frontier relies on the holdings of the Hayes Presidential Center and the private collection of Lou Schultz to provide visual insights into the wars battles fought on the Ohio Frontier - areas in Ohio, Michigan, and Canada that border Lake Erie. The story of the War of 1812 is told chronologically highlighting such battles as Hulls Surrender (Detroit), River Raisin (Monroe, MI), Fort Meigs (Perrysburg), Fort Stephenson (Fremont), the Battle of Lake Erie, and the Battle of Thames (Canada). In 1812, British naval ships based in Canada regularly raided American ships. Their goal was to capture both supplies and men to bolster the British army in its war against Napoleon. As a result of the attacks, President James Madison declared war on the British. Hopes for a quick end to the conflict were raised when a month later U.S. Army General William Hull defeated the British and captured the city of Sandwich (today Windsor, Ontario). However, Hulls victory quickly was followed by his surrender at Detroit. Emboldened by success, the British and their Native American allies headed south along the Sandusky River to continue attacks on the American armys supply route. They met unexpected resistance at Fort Meigs (in Maumee) and particularly Fort Stephenson (in Fremont), where Major George Croghan though vastly outnumbered and outgunned triumphed. Such victories were vital to the U.S. success. They bought time for the completion of a fleet of American warships and protected military staging areas for men and material (especially in Sandusky and Ottawa counties). Exhibit hours for The War of 1812 on the Ohio Frontier are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, and noon-5 p.m. Sunday in the Hayes Museum. The Hayes Presidential Center is closed on Mondays and on Easter Day. Museum admission is $7.50/adult; $6.50/senior age 60+, $3/children ages 6-12. The Hayes Presidential Center is home of the nations first presidential library opened to the public May 30, 1916. Also part of the site are the 31-room mansion of 19th President Rutherford B. Hayes (newly restored in 2012), the presidents tomb, 2-story museum, 25-acre estate, and the original gates from the White House. Its one-stop-shopping for presidential history and a perfect place to spend the day. For more information call 800-998-PRES or visit www.rbhayes. org. The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center is located at the corner of Hayes and Buckland avenues, Fremont, Ohio. The facility is affiliated with the Ohio Historical Society.

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April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

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Terra State -- Our Journey Forward

By Jerome E. Webster, Ph.D. President, Terra State Community College As I reflect back on my first year as president of Terra State Community College, I am immensely proud of the synergy that has continued to build on campus. Through our Vision 2016 strategic plan, we have charted a very aggressive course for our future. Several of the initiatives have already become reality while others are just beginning to take shape. As April is known as National Community College Month, I am excited to share the progress the College has made as the educational centerpiece for our region. We have reorganized our Human Resources department, settled into a four academic division structure, and added Institutional Advancement to our leadership structure with Senior Vice President Lisa Williams taking those reigns. But those are just the first steps of our journey forward. Here are some others in the works: Continuing to pursue funding opportunities at every level. Trustee Nancy Grandillo and I traveled to Washington, D.C. this winter to lobby our legislators for support of Americas community colleges. A committee is also working to identify a funding matrix for the many projects and initiatives that are aligned with the Vision 2016 Strategic Plan, the Foundation Strategic Plan, the Capital Master Plan and the plans of the academic divisions. Bonds are being sold to identify funding for the capital renovation projects in Building G and Building B. Determining marketing and branding needs for the college. Clarus Corporation has begun a Community Perception and Marketing Audit for Terra State. Clarus Corporation personnel have interviewed campus staff and faculty as well as external groups including high school students not attending Terra, community representatives from workforce development, industry, civic and community organizations as well as alumni and Terra College Foundation donors. The interviews were conducted to focus on the current issues impacting the College, as well as the future aspirations, plans, and opportunities for the College. During the interview process, Clarus Corporation began to identify internal processes that impact enrollment, marketing, and retention. The next phase in the audit will include a review of college information including retention data, enrollment management reports and plans, Vision 2016 Strategic Plan, student satisfaction surveys and reports, marketing initiatives and plans, and a review of relationships between the college and employers. The primary outcome of this component of the project is to ensure that Clarus Corporation understands the strategic priorities of the College so that future strategies tie to those priorities. Another key component of the marketing assessment is an examination of the Colleges current marketing materials. Marketing materials that will be examined include: college catalog, print/online advertisement, television spots, radio advertisement, printed products, and the website. results were presented to the trustees in February. Other components of the work being completed by We are looking forward to pursuing this project in Clarus Corporation include: development of a new the very near future. logo, delivery of a brand standards manual, brand So, as you can see, it is an exciting time at Terra platform development and identify marketing State. We will continue to search for ways to further staffing needs. enhance the student experience, boost student Investigating the possibility of bringing success and completion, and strengthen Terra States comprehensive internationalization to Terra State. role in the local economy. A committee has been formed and work has begun. In honor of National Community College Month, Re-purposing Building G into a state-of-the-art we are planning an open house on April 23 from 4 to conference and hospitality center. Bids have been 6 p.m. More information on this event will be approved and construction should start soon. released soon. We invite you to come see what all the Renovating Building B. We have several steps to excitement is about. take in determining the final design and a variety of discussions are occurring regarding this renovation project. We anticipate that we will begin construction in the summer. Finalizing the engineering study for our new entrance on State Route 53. The study includes the feasibility study, concept design, traffic analysis, traffic impact study report and the ecological studies. The timeline for completion of this phase of the project is 8 to 12 weeks. The engineering study will focus on three different models: (a) build a roundabout at the Muskellunge Creek Road with connecting entrance road to the campus; (b) build a roundabout adjacent to Terra property with a Muskellunge Creek Road extension, which would require closing a portion of Muskellunge Creek Road; and (c) build a roundabout The Patient Experience at The Bellevue Hospital adjacent to Terra property with service roads for Napoleon Road. At this stage of the project, the Ohio Department of Transportation has endorsed these models for consideration. Adding a Vice President for Student Success and Dean of Students to the administrative structure. Kathy McCabe, a retired vice president from Terra State, is serving in that role in an interim capacity until a candidate is identified. Investigating the TOP 5% in the Nation - Fifth Year in a row. addition of Terra The Bellevue Hospital has once again been recognized as a national leader in customer Village, a mixed-use satisfaction by HealthGrades - a leading healthcare rating organization. development including We are ONE of 21 hospitals nationally --- and the Only ONE in Ohio -- ranked in the housing and retail Top 5% for the Outstanding Patient Experience Award for the fifth year in a row! space on the western edge of campus on We continue to be dedicated to delivering an Award-Winning Experience to every patient! State Route 53. Consultants Brailsford & Dunlavey conducted a housing and retail preliminary assessment to analyze demand for 1400 West Main Street, Bellevue, Ohio 44811 419.483.4040 www.bellevuehospital.com Terra Village. The

High Five!!

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

Retirement Plans for Small Businesses

Douglas Gildenmeister, Senior Vice President, Investments Raymond James If youre self-employed or own a small business and you havent established a retirement savings plan, what are you waiting for? A retirement plan can help you and your employees save for the future. Tax advantages A retirement plan can have significant tax advantages: Your contributions are deductible when made Your contributions arent taxed to an employee until distributed from the plan Money in the retirement program grows tax deferred (or, in the case of Roth accounts, potentially tax free) Types of plans Retirement plans are usually either IRA-based (like SEPs and SIMPLE IRAs) or qualified (like 401(k)s, profit-sharing plans, and defined benefit plans). Qualified plans are generally more complicated and expensive to maintain than IRA-based plans because they have to comply with specific Internal Revenue Code and ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) requirements in order to qualify for their tax benefits. Also, qualified plan assets must be held either in trust or by an insurance company. With IRA-based plans, your employees own (i.e.,vest in) your contributions immediately. With qualified plans, you can generally require that your employees work a certain numbers of years before they vest. Which plan is right for you? With a dizzying array of retirement plans to choose from, each with unique advantages and disadvantages, youll need to clearly define your goals before attempting to choose a plan. For example, do you want: contributions every year, offering you some flexibility when business conditions vary. For 2013, your contributions for each employee are limited to the lesser of 25% of pay or $51,000. Most employers, including those who are self-employed, can establish a SEP. SEPs have low start-up and operating costs and can be established using an easy two-page form. The plan must cover any employee aged 21 or older who has worked for you for three of the last five years and who earns $550 or more. SIMPLE IRA plan The SIMPLE IRA plan is available if you have 100 or fewer employees. Employees can elect to make pretax contributions in 2013 of up to $12,000 ($14,500 if age 50 or older). You must either match your employees contributions dollar for dollar--up to 3% of each employees compensation--or make a fixed contribution of 2% of compensation for each eligible employee. (The 3% match can be reduced to 1% in any two of five years.) Each employee who earned $5,000 or more in any two prior years, and who is expected to earn at least $5,000 in the current year, must be allowed to participate in the plan. SIMPLE IRA plans are easy to set up. You fill out a form to establish a plan and ensure that SIMPLE IRAs are set up for each employee. A financial institution can do much of the paperwork. Additionally, administrative costs are low. Profit-sharing plan Typically, only you, not your employees, contribute to a qualified profit-sharing plan. Your contributions are discretionary--theres usually no set amount you need to contribute each year, and you have the flexibility to contribute nothing at all in a given year if you so choose (although your contributions must be nondiscriminatory, and substantial and recurring, for your plan to remain qualified). The plan must contain a formula for determining how your contributions are allocated among plan participants. A separate account is established for each participant that holds your contributions and any investment gains or losses. Generally, each employee with a year of service is eligible to participate (although you can require two years of service if your contributions are immediately vested). Contributions for any employee in 2013 cant exceed the lesser of $51,000 or 100% of the employees compensation. employee with a year of service must be allowed to contribute to the plan. You can also make employer contributions to your 401(k) plan--either matching contributions or discretionary profit-sharing contributions. Combined employer and employee contributions for any employee in 2013 cant exceed the lesser of $51,000 (plus catch-up contributions of up to $5,500 if your employee is age 50 or older) or 100% of the employees compensation. In general, each employee with a year of service is eligible to receive employer contributions, but you can require two years of service if your contributions are immediately vested. 401(k) plans are required to perform somewhat complicated testing each year to make sure benefits arent disproportionately weighted toward higher paid employees. However, you dont have to perform discrimination testing if you adopt a safe harbor 401(k) plan. With a safe harbor 401(k) plan, you generally have to either match your employees contributions (100% of employee deferrals up to 3% of compensation, and 50% of deferrals between 3 and 5% of compensation), or make a fixed contribution of 3% of compensation for all eligible employees, regardless of whether they contribute to the plan. Your contributions must be fully vested. Another way to avoid discrimination testing is by adopting a SIMPLE 401(k) plan. These plans are similar to SIMPLE IRAs, but can also allow loans and Roth contributions. Because theyre still qualified plans (and therefore more complicated than SIMPLE

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To maximize the amount you can save for your own retirement? A plan funded by employer contributions? By employee contributions? Both? A plan that allows you and your employees to make pretax and/or Roth contributions? 401(k) plan The flexibility to skip employer contributions in The 401(k) plan (technically, a qualified profitsome years? sharing plan with a cash or deferred feature) has A plan with lowest costs? Easiest administration? become a hugely popular retirement savings vehicle for small businesses. According to the Department of The answers to these questions can help guide you Labor, an estimated 72 million American workers are and your retirement professional to the plan (or enrolled in 401(k)-type plans with total assets of combination of plans) most appropriate for you. about 3 trillion dollars. (Source: Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration Fact Sheet, SEPs February 2012.) With a 401(k) plan, employees can A SEP allows you to set up an IRA (a SEP-IRA) for make pretax and/or Roth contributions in 2013 of up yourself and each of your eligible employees. You to $17,500 of pay ($23,000 if age 50 or older). These contribute a uniform percentage of pay for each deferrals go into a separate account for each employee employee, although you dont have to make and arent taxed until distributed. Generally, each

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April 2013

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Ag Week Kickoff Breakfast Announced Ag Award Winners

The Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky Countys 2013 Ag Week Kickoff Breakfast was held on Friday, March 8th at Ole Zims Wagon Shed in Gibsonburg. The Agricultural Committee announced Terry and James Bolen, owners of Highland Jersey Farm as the Farmer of the Year Award and The Andersons, Inc. received the Agricultural Service Award. The Bolen brothers farm in partnership with each other and have since 1981 when they joined their father until his retirement in 2009. They represent the 6th generation to farm the family land which is 600 acres. This 600 acres yields corn, wheat, soybeans, oats and hay. They also have a herd of 90 milking registered Jersey cows. They enjoy showing cattle and have done so at the County, State and National levels. In fact, they have shown the National Grand Champion Jersey Dairy female AND the National Reserve Champion Jersey Dairy female at the International Livestock show in Louisville Kentucky. Between the two of them, their community and civic involvement is impressive. Either one or both of them have been a part of Fremont Young Farmers, Sandusky County Agriculture Society, Dairy and Livestock Sale Committees for Junior Fair, Ohio Jersey Builders Association, American Jersey Cattle Club, Sandusky County Dairy Service Unit and the Sandusky County Farm Bureau. They have served as presidents, treasurers, and trustees. The recipient of the 2013 Agricultural Service Award is The Andersons, Inc. This company goes above and beyond in the many communities they serve. The Andersons, Inc. is diversified into six business groups with a universal commitment to serving customers and partners with integrity, loyalty and respect to establish and sustain lasting relationships. Sandusky County is lucky to be home to two of their facilities in the plant nutrient group. They are leading formulators and distributors of plant nutrient products, not only in our community, but also across the Eastern Corn Belt and Florida. The Andersons, Inc. has a strong philosophy of contributing to the communities they serve. They believe they should generously share their time, talents and financial resources in the communities they serve. Local organizations that have benefitted from this philosophy include Sandusky River Watershed Coalition, the Sandusky River Chapter of the American Red Cross, Sandusky County and Gibsonburg Food Pantries, Sandusky County Horsemans Council, Lakota Public Schools, Sandusky County Health Department, Federation of Police #35, and Sandusky County Fire Association. They also support United Way of Sandusky County and contribute $3,000 annually to the local high schools to fund the Principals Choice Scholarship. They are also large supporters of the Sandusky County Agricultural Society on an ongoing basis, but also generously contributed to and made possible the construction of a new Show Barn Arena that is now named after them. As responsible members of our community, they take appropriate steps to safeguard the health and safety of not only their employees and customers, but also for us, their neighbors. As such, they are the main sponsor of the Progressive Ag Safety Day Initiative both nationally, AND locally. This event, which is hosted by the Agriculture Division of the Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County, provides an excellent opportunity for young people between the ages of 8 and 13 to learn about agriculture safety. Their active participation and thoughtful input and support to local organizations and the agriculture community make them the very deserving winner of this award. Other features of the breakfast included a presentation by John Buck, owner of Turn-Key Leadership Group and owner/operator of Buck Farms, and members from the Fremont, Gibsonburg, and Lakota FFA chapters sharing the FFA creed, prepared speeches, the invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. Vanguard Career Center FFA donated the centerpieces. The Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County Agricultural Committee along with Key Bank presented the Sandusky County Food Pantry with checks totaling over $711.65 in donations received from Ag Committee Members, Chamber members, and members of the community.

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April 2013

Memorial Hospital: A New Standard of Excellence

During the past 12 months, Memorial Hospital has undergone transformational change. Hospital leadership has committed to being a member of ProMedica, one of the regions leading health care systems. Hospital services have earned multiple national recognitions. Capital investment has significantly upgraded hospital facilities, and the hospital continues to recruit leading health care specialists to improve quality and retain more patients locally for their health care needs. Growth In 2012, Memorial Hospital leadership signed a Joinder agreement with ProMedica. Toledo-based ProMedica is one of the regions most distinguished health care providers. ProMedica is an 11-hospital, not-for-profit health system that boasts more than 300 health care facilities, 14,000 employees and 400 physicians. The Memorial Hospital/ProMedica Joinder has not officially closed; it is set to do so by the end of 2013. According to Al Mehlow, chairman of the Memorial Hospital Board of Directors, Memorial Hospital has a long history in our community, and the relationship with ProMedica will allow us to continue to build on that history. Our two organizations have similar philosophies. We are both patient-centered and patient-focused, and are committed to providing the best care possible for our communities. In addition to committing to join ProMedica, Memorial Hospital has continued to grow its service lines. In the summer of 2013, Joe Reimen M.D. will join the hospitals Center for Mental Health & WellBeing. Dr. Reimen specializes in child and adolescent psychiatry; his expertise adds an entirely new specialty to the hospitals mental health services. With the addition of many new specialists to its radiology staff, Memorial Hospitals diagnostic imaging service has grown significantly in the past twelve months. The hospital now has board-certified radiologists who specialize in fields such as musculoskeletal radiology, neuroradiology, body imaging and more available 24/7. In fact, many of the radiologists who read results for Memorial also read imaging tests for some of Ohios pro-sports and college athletic teams. Pam Jensen, Memorial Hospital President, believes the addition of Dr. Reimen and the radiologists to Memorial Hospitals staff will be very beneficial to local residents. Having Dr. Reimen and many new radiologists join Memorial Hospitals medical staff are huge wins for our community, she said. More people will be able to stay local for all their health care needs, and receive the same quality results they would at any major health system. Quality With continued focus on quality, Memorial Hospital has routinely been named to Ohio Hospital Association Best Practice lists for meeting strict quality criteria regarding medication administration, infection control and many others. Infection control is a main point of pride at the hospital. Most of our hospital born infection rates have been zero for that past 18 months, which is an extremely notable accomplishment, said Jensen. In fact, our quality department has been solicited to speak at local, state and national levels about this great success. National accreditations are another demonstration of a commitment to quality. Memorial Hospital, including its home health and hospice services, is Joint Commission accredited. The Joint Commission is the nations oldest and largest standard-setting and accrediting body in health care. Other accreditations for the hospital include American College of Radiology accreditation for digital mammography, CT, MRI, Nuclear Medicine and PET. Memorials Home Health service earned national distinction as a 2012 HomeCare Elite Top 500 agency. The hospitals diabetes program is nationally certified by the American Diabetes Association. According Jensen, Through national accreditation and certifications, our hospital and its associates have demonstrated their commitment to health care excellence. Other certifications that Jensen is referring to include emergency nurse trauma training, which every nurse in the hospitals emergency department has completed; new board certifications by physicians in pediatric infectious disease, psychiatry and sleep medicine, as well as new certifications in occupational health, hospice and mental-health care, surgery and many other fields by associates around the hospital. Recently, our emergency care team of nurses assisted with injuries that resulted from a school bus accident, added Jensen. Their trauma training helped them manage this distressing situation calmly, and ensured that the patients and their families received high-quality care. Service Through 2012 and thus far in 2013, Memorial Hospital has had significant facility improvements, including a $6.7 million complete overhaul of its technology infrastructure (known as Project ASPIRE). Project ASPIRE has resulted in upgrading and replacing virtually every component of the hospitals computer network, including both hardware and software. Medical records, physician and provider orders, lab and imaging tests, drug interactions and more are all now recorded and stored electronically, giving health care providers instant access to accurate, vital medical information from any internet capable device, such as computers, tablets and even smart phones. According to Jensen, The new and enhanced technological infrastructure at Memorial Hospital has improved patient safety because of greater efficiencies and more accurate, easily accessible patient information. Patient privacy has also been enhanced through facility improvements. A new patient lobby has been added to the imaging department, and an additional lobby is currently being added to the hospitals laboratory. These new lobbies will provide patients with greater privacy when waiting for procedures because they will each have less traffic that the previous shared imaging/lab lobby. The new areas will also allow patients to bypass registration entirely, and go straight to their testing destination. The imaging and lab departments, like in most hospitals, are Memorials highest traffic services, said Jensen. Adding new patient lobbies will better accommodate the hospitals increased volumes, and will also provide patients with greater privacy, simpler registration and an overall improved experience. Throughout 2012 and thus far in 2013, Memorial Hospitals team of professionals has remained committed to excellence in health care. Through national recognition of services, continued training of staff and facility improvements, Memorial Hospital continues to demonstrate that it is a health care leader. For more information, visit memorialhcs.org.

April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

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Fremont City Schools: A District of Excellence

Submitted by Dr. Traci McCaudy, Superintendent Fremont City Schools Academics Fremont City Schools provides a comprehensive, quality PK-12 education for each of its 4,300 students in seven elementary schools, one middle school and Fremont Ross High School. Our curriculum aligns completely with the standards-based models developed by the State of Ohio and the Ohio Department of Education rates our district Excellent. Our curriculum uses an array of resources to promote and achieve high levels of learning as students progress from Kindergarten to graduation. Textbooks, technology, field experiences, mentoring, tutoring services, college partnerships, Vanguard Tech Center partnership, multi-level learning opportunities (Advanced Placement and Post-Secondary Education Options) and an intensive Professional Development program provide teachers with the tools to broaden and deepen the education of our students inside and outside the classroom. Fremont City Schools also celebrates its diverse learning population and the uniqueness of every individual. Regardless of the pathway a student chooses to pursue from college to immediate entry into a job or career Fremont City Schools is dedicated to providing the preparation necessary for that student to be successful and productive. Technology Fremont City Schools understands that current technology has changed daily communication and interaction dramatically. Students and adults face a world that is technology-rich and technologycomplex. The speed with which technology advances challenges every public school to keep pace. Fremont City Schools provides access to computers to every student, either in classrooms or in labs. Students can earn academic credits through online classes at the high school. Fremont has invested heavily in SMART Board technology, which allows students and teachers to utilize computer applications and the power of the internet to maximize classroom learning experiences. Mobile carts of computers, notebook computers and iPads are further examples of Fremonts commitment to maintaining a close connection to advancements that have changed the time and space of learning. Fremont City Schools integrates its technologystrong learning environments and its more

traditional teaching contexts into a learning package that readies students for actual-world experiences and endeavors. Regardless of the tool used, Fremont City Schools strives to develop students prepared to apply the power of knowledge and skill to independent learning. Extracurricular Activities Fremont City Schools enthusiastically supports extracurricular and co-curricular options for its students. Hundreds of Fremonts students participate in a wide range of choices made available in virtually every grade level. Fine Arts programs begin early in our schools and cultivate in students a respect for the value and beauty of a wide range of art and music. From the earliest elementary forays into music and art to the state-honored high school marching band and individual artists and thespians, Fremont supports the arts. Fremont City Schools provides many opportunities for students to participate in special interest clubs, including student government. In many cases, club activities provide students with the opportunity to provide community service through volunteerism. Building upon an athletic tradition that begins in middle school, Fremont Ross High School offers a full complement of interscholastic athletic teams for students to consider. Fremonts acclaimed athletic facilities include an impressive football stadium and a state-of-the-art natatorium. Fremonts long tradition of outstanding athletes and athletic accomplishments has garnered not only state recognition, but national attention as well.

Fremont Middle School Fremont Middle School opened its doors to students in Grades 6-8 on January 19, 2012. The state-of-the-art facility is approximately 126,000 square feet and sits on a 12.5 acre site next to Ross High School. The building is organized into five (5) main areas: Administration Offices Student Union (Cafeteria/Stage/Cyber Caf/ Outdoor Dining) Student Activities Center (Gymnasium/Locker Rooms/Arts and Engineering Technology) Media Center Three (3) floors of classrooms (one floor for each grade level) Other unique features of the building include the following: The gymnasium has a regulation size athletic court that allows for two teaching courts divided by a curtain and seats 650 guests. The cafeteria seats 450 guests and includes a 1,800 square foot stage. A comprehensive security system featuring cameras and buzz-in entrance controls. The building utilizes chilled beam, an innovative, cost efficient and low maintenance HVAC energy system. The building is currently tracking a platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) designation. For more information please visit our web site at www.fremontschools.net.

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

Safety Council Receives High Honor

The Sandusky County Safety Council, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County, was pleased to learn recently that it has earned the distinction of being recognized as the 2012 second place award winner in the Safety Council of the Year competition by the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation. This is truly a distinct honor, as there are 80 safety councils in Ohio. The award presentation will be made at the councils April 24th Awards Breakfast meeting at Ole Zims. Criteria used by the Ohio BWC include a great emphasis on participation by the member companies. The Sandusky County Safety Council had 77 members last year and had attendance that averaged 76 at its 12 monthly meetings, which equates to a 99% participation rate. One of the primary reasons for this high rate of attendance is the fact that 56 of the members were eligible for the Ohio BWC rebate program that provides rebates on workers compensation insurance to members who qualify, with meeting attendance a primary factor. Members earned over $76,000 in participation-based rebates in 2012. In addition, the excellent quality of safety-related programs at the monthly meetings served as a strong drawing card, as does the quality of the meals served by our meeting hosts, Elmwood Healthcare Center at the Springs and Ole Zims Wagon Shed. Other criteria taken into consideration by the Ohio BWC in evaluating the top councils include: reporting accuracy and timeliness; communication with members and with the Ohio BWC; special events; and community involvement. Highlights of the community involvement category in 2012 included: Providing $2,579.00 in community donations, including the Chambers Progressive Ag Safety Day, Terra State Community College Scholarship Fund, Sandusky County Water and Ice Safety Committee, United Ways Community Christmas program, Veteran Stand Down, Wounded Warrior Project. Supporting the Chamber by being sponsors of the Golf Outing ($300.00) and the Holiday Reception ($300.00). Providing $3,500.00 in scholarships to four deserving students, two graduating high school seniors and two post-graduate students, who plan to major or are majoring in a safetyrelated course of study and who are the children, grandchildren or stepchildren of an employee of a safety council member company. Another strong point for the local safety council has been its collaboration in recent years with the Ottawa County and Sandusky Area Safety Councils. Working together, this tri-council coalition was able to host four special safety training opportunities last year where the costs were divided proportionately, and the involvement of three councils had a multiplier effect on attendance. A major event was Safety Day 2012 held in May at Terra State Community College that attracted 40 safety-related vendors and 275 attendees who were able to chose from a total of 24 training workshops. The Sandusky County Safety Council is overseen by a steering committee that last year consisted of Kirk Peterman of Crown Battery Manufacturing Co., Inc., Michelle Bishop of KF Construction and Excavating LLC, Matt Rogish of Carmeuse NA, Julie Reynolds of the BWC Toledo Service office and Jim Miranda, Safety Council Manager for the Chamber. The second place recognition follows on the heels of honorable mention in 2011 and fourth place in 2010, so the quality of leadership remains firm in its dedication to providing the tools to make our countys places of employment safer places in which to work and our county a safer place in which to live.

ESTATE, from Page 5

IRAs), and allow less deferrals than traditional 401(k)s, SIMPLE 401(k)s havent become popular. Defined benefit plan A defined benefit plan is a qualified retirement plan that guarantees your employees a specified level of benefits at retirement (for example, an annual benefit equal to 30% of final average pay). As the name suggests, its the retirement benefit thats defined, not the level of contributions to the plan. In 2013, a defined benefit plan can provide an annual benefit of up to $205,000 (or 100% of pay if less). The services of an actuary are generally needed to determine the annual contributions that you must make to the plan to fund the promised benefit. Your contributions may vary from year to year, depending on the performance of plan investments and other factors. In general, defined benefit plans are too costly and too complex for most small businesses. However, because they can provide the largest benefit of any retirement plan, and therefore allow the largest deductible employer contribution, defined benefit plans can be attractive to businesses that have a small group of highly compensated owners who are seeking to contribute as much money as possible on a tax-deferred basis. As an employer, you have an important role to play in helping Americas workers save. Now is the time to look into retirement plan programs for you and your employees. This information was developed by Broadridge, an independent third party. It is general in nature, is not a complete statement of all information necessary for making an investment decision, and is not a recommendation or a solicitation to buy or sell any security. Investments and strategies mentioned may not be suitable for all investors. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Raymond James & Associates, Inc. member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC does not provide advice on tax, legal or mortgage issues. These matters should be discussed with an appropriate professional. Raymond James & Associates, member NYSE/SIPC.

Listen Closely... hear what we have to say!

NBOH - has been listening to the needs of our community the people and businesses of Ottawa County since 1934. Over the years weve learned how important the voice of experience can be when matched with the vision for tomorrow. Our traditions and local decisions offer strong product knowledge, a dedicated staff and financial relationships that last. With our desire to offer a safe and sound institution for our communities banking needs, we remind you who we are and what really matters; in perspective, its You - YOU MATTER! To help with your lending needs, contact Commercial Lending Officer Len Gerber at the National Bank of Ohio. Based on 30 years of experience, Len will assist you in your business financing needs!

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10 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

www.ncbj.net

New Investments and New Jobs Manufacturing in Sandusky County!

Provided by Kay E. Reiter, Executive Director Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation Manufacturing will continue to drive the Sandusky County economy and Sandusky County Economic Development Corporations (SCEDC) strategic initiative to assist in the growth and development of local industrial operations is a critical part of SCEDCs activities. SCEDC continues its involvement with and support of the Sandusky County Manufacturers Roundtable. This group of over 40 manufacturers located throughout the county continues to meet four times a year. The networking and association that its members have obtained from each other has provided important value. The plant tours that are conducted following each session have become a source of insight and new solutions to a participant faced with issues in their manufacturing operations. Sandusky County Manufacturers Roundtable meetings include a program session that is determined by the roundtable members. One of the roundtable sessions held in 2012 enabled participates to gain access to resources to assist with export efforts and the featured speaker was and Williams Counties launched the U.S. Route 6 Manufacturers Roundtable. These organizations approached SCEDC for assistance and both Jeff Woitha, President of Carbo Forge Inc., Fremont and Kay E. Reiter, SCEDC Executive Director, traveled to their first roundtable session hosted by Campbell Soups Napoleon Plant. Woitha and Reiter provided the group direction no how to launch their own Manufacturers Roundtable program. Planning currently is underway for SCEDCs Manufacturers Roundtable 2013 program year; programs will include discussions and the development of a High School Counselors Manufacturing Bus Tour that will include all 9 Sandusky County High Schools. This bus tour will focus on current and future workforce needs in manufacturing. If you are a Sandusky County manufacturer and you want to hear more about SCEDCs Manufacturers Roundtable please email Kay E. Reiter, Executive Director at director@ sanduskycountyedc.org.

Paul Zito, Vice President of International Development with Northwest JobsOhio. SCEDCs Manufacturers Roundtable in this region has become a model for other area economic development organizations. During 2012, the economic development organizations in Henry

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April 2013

11

Fisher-Titus Expands Imaging Services to Open Mid-Month

As the doors were closed to Fisher-Titus Medical Centers old ER in June, construction crews began to revamp the space vacated to make way for the expansion of Imaging Services and Pre-Admission and Infusion Therapy Services. Within 10 months, construction crews have renovated the space and on April 15 the 22,535-square-foot expansion will be fully operational. The Imaging Services component of this construction phase repositions the department to allow for quicker access for emergency patients and a more comfortable reception area and additional privacy for outpatients receiving diagnostic tests, said Lorna Strayer, executive vice president of FisherTitus Medical Center. In addition, it has realigned the Imaging Services Department so services are grouped into suites increasing staff efficiencies and patient privacy and comfort. This $11.8 million project marks the sixth phase of construction projects at Fisher-Titus that began with the Patient Pavilion in 2005. This latest expansion has two major components, the Imaging Services and Pre-Admission/Infusion Therapy Services project and also Surgery reconstruction that will be completed in mid-2015. Project partners include architects Bostwick Design Partnership, general contractor Robins & Morton and project management by American Health Facilities Development. These same partners have been involved in each phase of construction since the Pavilion was built in 2005. The Imaging Services Department is moving from a space constructed in 1978 that presented challenges for connecting services as the hospital added advanced technologies such as MRI, Nuclear Medicine and CT, said Patrick J. Martin, president of Fisher-Titus Medical Center. The project demonstrates continuation toward our vision of implementing Best Practice Solutions and Simply Smarter Health care, Martin said. Once again our clinical and facilities teams were instrumental in developing the designs for the patient care areas, a proud tradition at Fisher-Titus, with obvious positive impact on our ability to provide the best possible level of health care to our patients. We concentrated on developing clinical spaces that are easy for patients to use and feel comfortable in to promote a patients first environment, Strayer said. For instance, the Imaging Department offers improved privacy so patients no longer cross public hallways for services. Our design team also focused on providing an optimal physical layout so that key services are next to each other, such as the Emergency Department and CT scanning for those critical patients when seconds count. The area is set up as suites and includes a nuclear medicine suite; a womens health suite with digital mammography, ultrasound, DEXA Scan, breast stereotactic, and future growth into tomosynthesis; a computed tomography (CT) suite with a 64-slice CT scanner; an X-ray suite with wireless digital X-ray equipment; and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) suite featuring scenic ceiling panels and side lights provide a comforting environment. While most of the existing state-of-the art imaging equipment is being moved, a new open-bore

Norwalk Mayor Rob Duncan (pictured in center) presents a proclamation to Lorna Strayer (left), Executive Vice President of Fisher-Titus Medical Center and Patrick J. Martin, President of Fisher-Titus to commemorate the completion of new space for Fisher-Titus Imaging Services and Pre-Admission Testing/Infusion Therapy Services. Pictured in the background is a special effect light wall in the Imaging Services Reception Area featuring X-rays of maple leaves in recognition of Norwalk as The Maple City.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) unit has replaced the current one to meet the needs of both claustrophobic and bariatric patients. This new MRI went live for patients on Wednesday, March 13. Prior to the installation of this new MRI unit, patients were served in-house with a 1.5 Tesla MRI and a mobile unit with an open highfield 1.5 Tesla MRI to accommodate claustrophobic and bariatric patients. From orthopedic and sports-related injuries to breast cancer testing, MRI images offer superb quality that may be used for a wide range of medical needs and aid our radiologists in making quicker, more accurate diagnoses, said Dr. William Ferber, Medical Director of Fisher-Titus Imaging Services. The MAGNETOM Aera features a large 70 cm open bore, the tube-like structure of the MRI machine where the patient lies during the imaging process. This open bore provides access for bariatric patients of up to 550 pounds. Additionally, the units ultra-short bore also helps alleviate concerns of claustrophobic patients since many exams can be performed with the patients head outside of the bore. Three new state-of-the-art digital X-ray rooms are featured in the X-ray suite. The area was designed with three entry points in mind: fast-paced access for emergency patients; direct access for patients from the inpatient unit or Norwalk Memorial Home; and convenient access for outpatients. In addition to Imaging Services, Pre-admission Testing and Infusion Therapy Services has a new space to improve access for patients and to have a direct connection with Imaging Services. Although completed during the Imaging Services phase of construction, the new Pre-admission Testing (PAT) area is actually an early component of surgery construction, which began mid-March. The PAT area will be adjacent to the Lab draw area and Imaging Services area so patients can conveniently receive their lab tests and X-rays during the pre-admission process. It features two private rooms for patient interviews, physical therapy training area and a staff support area. This area also will support infusion therapy patients with four private infusion rooms. As Imaging Services moves equipment from old space, the surgery phase of construction will begin. The $16 million surgery project, scheduled for completion April 2015, will be an estimated 35,000 square feet. The project will include six operating rooms, two endoscopy rooms, a minor treatment room and a procedure room. Over the past decade, Fisher-Titus has invested more than $200 million in facility expansions for the community including a four-story Patient Pavilion, Walcher Rehabilitation Center, Cancer Care Center, Snyder/White Heart & Vascular Center, Letterly Pain Management Center and the new Emergency Department, Registration Area, and Outpatient Laboratory.

12 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

GROWTH, from Cover
have expressed interest in locating production facilities in Fremont as part of their strategic plan to enter into the U.S. marketplace. There is industrial growth on the western edge of Fremont calling for the expansion of City water into the townships to service projects that may result in nearly 100 new jobs. It is critical for a community to be prepared for when business prospects search for a place to call home. Two initiatives are occurring in Fremont and Sandusky County that will help us to be ready for when prospects knock on the door - the inception of the BIG Fremont Plan by Mayor Jim Ellis and the updating of the Sandusky County Comprehensive Plan. The BIG (Building Innovation for Growth) Fremont Plan has made it possible for the community to share their thoughts and ideas for the development of a long-term community wide strategic plan. A 36-member steering committee has been meeting on a monthly basis since July 2012. Mayor Ellis appointed me chairman of the steering committee and hired Ben Kenny, Community Development Coordinator with WSOS Community Action Commission, to facilitate the strategic planning process. Members of the steering committee represent Fremont, Ballville and Sandusky Townships, the clergy, organized labor, small businesses, private and public sectors, education, and other facets of the Greater Fremont area. This 18-month process is scheduled to conclude at the end of 2013. During the first weeks of April, meetings will be held with six focus groups concentrating on issues dealing with business and workforce development, the arts, education, public services and infrastructure, and recreation. Additionally, five interest groups representing Ballville and Sandusky Townships, churches, community action groups and nonprofit organizations, healthcare providers, high school seniors, and senior citizens will provide valuable insight for this planning process.

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The Sandusky County Comprehensive Plan is a long-range plan used to guide growth and development. Last written in 2003, this comprehensive plan is currently being updated by many public and private officials. I was actively engaged in writing the 2003 plan and now helping to write the 2013 edition. The comprehensive plan establishes the basis for determining what types and densities of development are appropriate in what areas of the community, including where new development may best be accommodated and where resources are readily available to revitalize already developed areas. The plan also highlights the current condition of streets, water and sewer lines, and other public facilities needed to support the proposed future pattern of land use and what important environmental and cultural resources should be protected. The plan presents a series of goals and strategies to guide the preparation of County regulations and the application of County programs. These goals and policies are organized in eight functional categories dealing with population and demographics, economic development, quality of life (housing, parks and recreation, and historic preservation), land use, public utilities, transportation, natural resources, and plan implementation. Each section contains a summary of important issues and trends, a statement of goals and a list of strategies, and recommendations that the County could use to reach these goals. Also included is a chapter on current planning tools available to the county and its political subdivisions to promote and guide growth and development. As we open our doors to business prospects, I am confident these initiatives will help us to accommodate the needs of new and expanding businesses that will someday call Fremont home.

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Coming in May: Focus on Huron & Vermilion

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April 2013

13

In-Demand -- Locally and Beyond

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EHOVE Adult Career Centers Marine Trades Program is designed for anyone interested in working in the Marine Industry. It encompasses some of the following areas: Marine Technician fundamentals, outboard & out drive engines, trailer operation & maintenance, boating and marine safety, winterizing; and electrical, plumbing, and fiberglass repair. Students will receive a lot of background knowledge for the marine industry, said EHOVE Adult Diversified Industrial Coordinator Doug Klein. They also receive a lot of experience, especially with their internships. Students in this program take classes at EHOVE a few times a week, and then go to Skipper Buds Marina in Marblehead, OH where they work on boats. They receive plenty of hands-on training with fiberglass work, and removal and reinstallation of engines. Marinas often look for new employees, and many times students will receive a job after they complete their internship, or at least receive a good referral, said Klein. The job outlook can be good. The internship breaks into three different time periods: Spring, summer and fall. Students will spend one-week during spring launching boats. They spend another two weeks in the summer for mechanical & repair work. Come fall, another two week internship for haul-out season. Also included in the Marine Trade Program includes First aid/CPR/ AED, computer training, technical writing, customer services, and employability training. If you or someone you know is interested in enrolling in the next Marine Trades program at EHOVE Adult Career Center, please call 419499-4663 x293 or x280.

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14 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

Like all MRIs, the new MRI uses magnets that are measured in Tesla (T) to acquire images. From orthopedic and sports-related injuries to breast cancer testing, MRI images offer superb quality that may be used for a wide range of medical needs and aid our radiologists in making quicker, more accurate diagnoses, said Dr. William Ferber, Medical Director of Fisher-Titus Imaging Services. The MAGNETOM Aera boasts a large 70 cm open bore the tube-like structure of an MRI machine, where the patient lies during the imaging process and can provide access for bariatric patients of up to 550 pounds. Additionally, the systems ultrashort bore can help to alleviate concerns of claustrophobia since many exams can be performed with the patients head outside of the bore. Safety of patients and employees is a priority when using such a powerful magnet. The powerful magnetic field of the MR system will attract ironcontaining objects and may cause them to move suddenly and with great force. Great care is taken to be certain that objects such as ferromagnetic screwdrivers, oxygen tanks and wheelchairs are not brought into the MR system area, said Karen Darr, Director of Imaging Services at Fisher-Titus. The new MRI suite has been specifically designed

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FTMC Now Offers an Enhanced Patient Comfort in MRI Exams

Siemens Open Bore MAGNETOM Aera 1.5T MRI helps provide patients with faster exams, excellent images, and fewer repeat scans during the examination Beginning last month, MRI patients will now get a sneak peak of Fisher-Titus Medical Centers new state-of-the-art Imaging Services area, which officially opens mid-April. This week the Imaging Services Department will begin using a new Siemens MAGNETOM Aera 1.5 Tesla Open Bore MRI system located in the MRI suite. While most of our existing imaging equipment will be moved, this new open bore Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Unit was purchased to meet the needs of both claustrophobic and bariatric patients, said Lorna Strayer, Executive Vice President of Fisher-Titus Medical Center. Currently, patients are served in-house with a 1.5 Tesla MRI; claustrophobic and bariatric patients are served by a mobile unit with an open highfield 1.5 Tesla MRI which comes to our campus two times per month. This new MRI suite will allow all patients one convenient location for testing. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) exams noninvasive exams of soft tissue, bone and muscles have become one of the fastest growing types of medical diagnostic tests in the United States. The MAGNETOM Aera offers doctors an array of diagnostic possibilities and provides patients with a more comfortable experience.

See MRI, Page 15

A representative from Siemens trains Julie Koegle, lead MRI technologist at Fisher-Titus Medical Center, and Jim Ford, MRI technologist, on Monday in the new MRI suite. Beginning this week, MRI patients will get a sneak peak of Fisher-Titus Medical Centers new state-of-the-art Imaging Services area, which officially opens mid-April. The Imaging Services Department will begin using a new Siemens MAGNETOM Aera 1.5 Telsa Open Bore MRI system located in the MRI suite.

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

15

Libraries Provide Information for Businesses

By Pam Hoesman, Director, Birchard Public Library Birchard Public Library of Sandusky County provides free access to resources which can be utilized to start or strengthen businesses. With four locations, including downtown Fremont, Gibsonburg, Green Springs, and Woodville, plus online access to research databases, the library is always available to answer questions and help connect business owners with the information they need. For a person who is thinking about starting a new business the library offers information on ideas for small businesses, how to start a small business, how to write a business plan, and how to apply for loans. Information on local demographics can help business planners decide if there is a market for their product before they make an investment. Once the business is up and running, the library offer tools to hone management skills, improve marketing, and find and keep good employees. One of the major challenges of operating any business is understanding how to manage employee relations. The library has information on how to evaluate employees, how to improve morale and motivation, and how to deal with issues that arise in the workplace. If improving your computer skills or the skills of your employees would help your business, take advantage of free computer classes offered at the library. Free classes include computer basics, internet searching, wordprocessing, spreadsheets, and PowerPoint for presentations. Every business needs a good marketing plan to compete in todays world. Check out books by current popular marketing experts to give your business a boost. Find out what you can do to make your marketing and advertising efforts worthwhile. Would fluency in a second language help you better serve customers? Mango languages, one of the hundreds of free databases offered by the library, can help you learn new language skills to broaden your market base. The library offers free access to the internet on computer workstations and with Wi-Fi at all four locations. When your computer is down or your printer isnt working, the librarys computers and printers can help you keep your business running temporarily until you are back online. The main library also recently added a self-service fax kiosk and a part-time notary service. Business owners work hard. At the end of a long day, watching a movie or curling up on the couch with a book or a free e-book from the library can help you relax and unwind before calling it a day. Whatever your information needs are, check the library first. Its a good business practice that can save you money. Call the library at 419-3347101, extension 216, for additional information about services and computer class schedules.

GATHERING PLACES

in wild spaces!

MRI, from Page 14

to improve patient and employee safety by providing four distinct zones that are access controlled before individuals can enter the clinical area that houses the MRI. Enhanced comfort also has been addressed in the new area. Scenic light panels in the ceiling provide claustrophobic patients a feeling of less compressed space, Strayer said. Side lights in the walls also add to the scenic, spacious ambience. In addition to the overall comfort of the suite, the MRI is equipped with mood lighting, which can help create a calming environment for patients in the examination room We greatly value the safety and comfort of our patients, Darr said. Together, our new space and the MRI unit result in faster, more comfortable exams for our patients. Construction of Imaging Service area, which began in June 2012, repositions the department to allow for quicker access for emergency patients and a more comfortable reception area and additional privacy for outpatients receiving diagnostic tests. The entire 22,535 square-foot $11.8 million project, which includes Imaging Services and Pre-Admission and Infusion Services, will open on April 15.

From fun to formal, your Zoo makes group events better. Need a boardroom setting for a small group? Theatre-style seating for many more? A perfect place for a company picnic? No problem. You can choose wild spaces in our Arctic Encounter, African Lodge, Indoor Theatre or Nairobi Events Pavilion. And a tasty twist with the Zoos award-winning catering and baking staff.

To learn more, call 419.385.5721, ext. 6001 or visit toledozoo.org/groupsales

16 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

www.ncbj.net

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April 2013

17

Business Valuation
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309 Monroe, Inc. DBA

309 Monroe, Inc. DBA

18 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

www.ncbj.net

The Well-Booked Business

By Cathy Allen I recently had an opportunity to attend a workshop at Ohio States Leadership Center on the subject of building StrengthsBased Teams. I was glad to see OSU embrace the Strengthsfinder model because it really makes a lot of sense. Just last month I asked the members of a team I have been consulting with to each take the online test to discover their own strengths, and then to share what they learned with their colleagues. What a difference it has made in the quality of their teamwork! I find over and over that people really come together when they learn to see each others behaviors as related to their unique strengths. By teaching the model, OSU is helping to develop leaders who work out of their own strength zone more often, and who support others to do the same. I thought that was worth reprising these summaries I first published here in the winter of 2010. Anyone interested in learning more about the OSU Leadership Center, perhaps getting on their mailing list for invitations to workshops, should visit http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu. Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton; The Free Press, 2001 SUMMARY: We humans are literally hardwired with certain unique natural aptitudes. Society, on the other hand, has caused most of us to become more aware of our weaknesses than we are of our strengths. The result, according to Gallup researchers, is that most of us spend our time trying to overcome perceived flaws rather than developing excellence in our talent areas. This book shows readers how to reconnect with their natural abilities and presents tips and strategies for making the most of our own strengths and the strengths of those around us. KEY LEARNINGS: Warren Buffet is quoted as saying If there is any difference between you and me, it may simply be that I get up everyday and have a chance to do what I love to do, everyday. By operating from his strengths, Buffet has achieved not only superiority in his field but has also gained intense personal satisfaction. The basic foundation of a strength is innate talent (a recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied) boosted by knowledge and skills. Knowledge includes both formal education and information gained through experience. It is sometimes possible to paper over some non-talents with skill building, but this does not lead to excellence. Adding knowledge and skills to a natural talent is the path to outstanding performance. One way to rediscover our natural talents is to pay attention for a time to our spontaneous reactions during day-to-day life. The things we yearn to do, areas in which we learn rapidly, and the tasks that satisfy us are good clues. The rule of thumb is: If you like it, learn more about it and do more of it. If it drains you or leaves you feeling grumpy, try to find a way to spend less time with it. Great staff managers know that cookie cutter approaches to motivating, evaluating, and holding people accountable are less productive than individualizing how they treat each person. By engaging each employee according to what they are naturally interested in and good at, supervisors can improve individual and team performance. To build an organization where all of the people are working to their strengths, the steps are: 1) concentrate on hiring people with the talents the organization needs, 2) manage performance based on strengths, including choosing the right things to measure, and 3) move people into roles based on their strengths. than resist our efforts. Strengths are comprised of our natural abilities (perhaps those identified on the Strengthsfinder profile) combined with knowledge and skills. Once we notice those activities we successfully perform, do instinctively, learn quickly, and use to fill an internal need, we can then clarify which specific kinds of tasks most engage and energize us. These are the tasks that will make us most valuable to our teammates. Here are four strategies for reducing time spent in weakening activities: 1) Stop doing them and see if anyone notices or cares, 2) Team up with someone who is strengthened by the same activity that weakens you, 3) Offer up one of your strengths to the team and gradually evolve your job away from weakness, and 4) Look at your weakness from another perspective. See if it isnt also a service for one of your strengths. There is a way to talk about personal strengths that is not boastful, a way to talk about weaknesses without appearing to shirk responsibility. It is well worth thinking through your strategies for discussing these options with supervisors and coworkers. In some situations, it may be of benefit to practice key conversations with close friends.

TOOLS: The book contains a passcode allowing readers to take an online test designed to compare their natural reactions to those in Gallups database and determine which five of the 34 themes of talent they possess most highly. Go, Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance by Marcus Buckingham. Free Press, 2007 SUMMARY: Some of us were born to crunch numbers, while others were born to help customers resolve problems. Some have a natural eye for graphic layout while others have an inherent ability to teach. While it may occasionally be necessary for someone with great artistic ability to force themselves into a bookkeeping role for a time, long-term success requires that artists spend the majority of their time doing art, leaving the bookkeeping to people who enjoy bookkeeping. Go is a how-to manual for those who wish to identify their natural aptitudes and begin to reorganize their work lives for greater success. KEY LEARNINGS: Gallup Organization research shows that few Americans spend the majority of the work day engaged in activity they enjoy or find energizing. But were not all complete drudges. Most of us (60%) indicate that our dream job is some version of our current job either with increased responsibility or without some specific tasks that drag us down. To overcome this pattern, we must resolve to stay focused on the tasks that suit us and then learn to speak about our decision in a compelling way that causes others to support rather

TOOLS: The book contains exercises to help readers identify and clarify the specific activities that represent strengths and weaknesses, strategize for engaging strengths more often, and managing weaknesses more successfully, and for discussing these strategies with colleagues and supervisors. An online assessment www.simplystrengths. com helps readers take baseline scores and begin to develop strong week plans. Local Consultant Cathy Allen celebrates her life-long love of books at www. WhatIsCathyReading.com. She invites visitors to download her two-page summaries, comment on her blog, or connect to a fabulous network of independent booksellers.

! Y HE
ing k r o I'm w re he

And your ad could be working here too reaching over 23,000 businessfocused readers in five counties every month

Call Dave at the North Coast Business Journal at 419-734-4838

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

19

Legal
Joint And Survivor Accounts Unintended Consequences
By Jeff Roth With the demise of the Ohio Estate Tax, our goal is to transfer property to the spouse or the next generation without going to probate court. There are many ways to title property to accomplish this goal. Creating a joint and survivorship bank account will insure that the account will pass on death to the survivor owner of the account. This sounds great but this may not always accomplish the wishes of a decedent. Mom has three children. Mary, the daughter, helps mom with her day to day bills. Mom adds her daughter to her account with a joint and survivorship notation. While she is at the bank, they suggest that she add the designation to all of her accounts and certificate of deposits. Here are a few problems that can arise. At moms death, all of the accounts will pass solely to the daughter. The daughter promises to pay the other kids but no one can force her to do so. If she does divide the funds with her siblings, she has made a gift to each of them which could be subject to a gift tax return. The daughter gets a divorce or has financial problems. This account also belongs to the daughter one hundred per cent and is subject to the debts of the daughter and is an asset in her divorce settlement. This is a second marriage. Each spouse placed money into the account but the husband was never on the account. When mom dies, all of the funds go to his step-daughter and on to her family leaving his family out of the picture. The granddaughter is applying for college loans. The institution will include this account in her mothers asset list and this fact may prevent the granddaughter from getting financial assistance. One purpose of the account was to pay for the funeral and all other death related expenses. There is nothing to require the daughter to use the funds for the payment of these expenses. There are times that a single person will add the name of a friend or neighbor to help her with her finances. Remember that at her death the funds will immediately belong to the neighbor without question and the neighbor has no duty to pay the bills or return the money. I recently had a case where the lady placed her sister on the account as joint with right of survivor many years before. She never retitled the account when her sister went on Medicaid. When the lady died, the account was the property of the sister who was now on Medicaid and all of the funds went to the nursing home. This method is a great way to transfer monies at death but you need to be sure that you have the right people on the account. Remember that if the other person would predecease you then the account is in your sole name and we are back in probate court. You should have someone review all of you accounts and how they are titled to insure that there will be no unintended consequences. Jeff Roth is a partner with David Bacon and associate Jessica Moon of the firm ROTH and BACON with offices in Port Clinton, Upper Sandusky, Marion, Ohio and Fort Myers, Florida. All members of the firm are licensed in Ohio and Florida. Mr. Roths 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 provide information to the public on concepts of law as they pertain to estate and business planning. Jeff Roth can be reached at ohiofloridatrust@aol.com (telephone: 419-732-9994) copyright Jeffrey P. Roth 2013.

M E R C Y

C A N C E R

C E N T E R

A T

T I F F I N

Choose Mercy Tiffin Hospital for comprehensive cancer care.

Fighting cancer requires strength, courage and resolve, and the support of family members and caregivers is essential. Mercy believes it takes a team effort to meet cancer head-on. Each patient has unique needs. That is why every member of Mercys multidisciplinary team is sincerely focused on providing cancer care that is based on our strong foundation of faith, hope and love. Mercys cancer professionals are all highly qualified, from our certified oncology nurses and radiation therapists to our board certified medical and radiation oncologists. Dr. Joe Kaminski, Mercys full-time radiation oncologist, is board certified in radiation oncology. Dr. Sam Veltri, Mercys full-time medical oncologist, is board certified in medical oncology and internal medicine. Dr. Veltris and Dr Kaminskis goal is to provide high quality and compassionate care to every patient through a wide range of services including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy/biological therapy, general medical oncology, general hematology and radiation therapy.

The Mercy Cancer Center at Tiffin is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. This distinctive recognition is earned by cancer programs capable of providing the very best in cancer care.

For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians, call the Mercy Cancer Center at Tiffin at 419.455.8101.

20 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

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New CEO at Fisher-Titus

Ross A. Matlack of Crookston, Minn., has been named the new president and chief executive officer of FisherTitus Medical Center, according to an announcement by Leslie Stoneham, chairman of the hospitals board of directors. He succeeds Patrick J. Martin who will retire July 1 after 40 years of service, including 15 as president and CEO. Matlack currently is president and CEO of RiverView Health in Crookston. His career in health care began in Ohio in 1995 at Lorain Community/St. Joseph Regional Health Center and includes executive positions as president of Holzer Medical Center in Jackson and chief operating officer at Clevelands University Hospitals Health System

On The Move
Matlack is certified as a Six Sigma Greenbelt by The Ohio State University. For most of my life, I have lived and worked in Ohio, said Matlack. Whenever I heard Fisher-Titus mentioned, it was always associated with some great achievement or innovation. I am truly humbled by the opportunity to join and lead such a strong organization, and I look forward to continuing the great traditions that Pat Martin and his team have established. My wife, Lori, and I and our four children are extremely excited to be returning home to northern Ohio, Matlack said. Loris parents live in Avon Lake and our extended family members are across northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania, he said. We look forward to making our home in the Norwalk area and becoming involved in the community. Matlack will officially begin work at Fisher-Titus June 3, a timeline that gives the new president an opportunity to work with Martin during the transition. Martins plans for retirement were announced last October. At that time, a search committee led by John Payne, chairman of the joint personnel committee of Fisher-Titus Medical Center and Norwalk Area Health Systems Inc., was formed. The committee of local board members, medical staff and community members worked with executive search firm WittKieffer to conduct a national search for Martins replacement. Stoneham said hundreds of candidates across the nation responded to the search and after many months of dedicated work, the committee presented its final recommendation to the Fisher-Titus Medical Center and Norwalk Area Health Systems Inc. boards of directors on Monday, March 11. Board members unanimously agreed to offer the position to Matlack. We are confident that Mr. Matlack will continue the quality of leadership that Mr. Martin has provided to the Medical Center and to our community over the past 40 years, said Stoneham.

(St. Michael Hospital). We believe Mr. Matlack is bringing outstanding skills, talents and experience to the Medical Center and will help us continue our success in providing the highest quality of health care to our local community, Stoneham said. Our goal was to identify a person who fits the FisherTitus culture of employees, medical staff, volunteers, and board members working together to meet local health-care needs. We are certain that goal has been met. A native of Pittsburgh, Penn., Matlack is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He earned a masters in health services administration in 1994 and bachelors in business in 1992, both from The George Washington University, Washington, D.C. He also is a graduate of the Cleveland State University Marshall College of Law, earning a juris doctor in 2001, and is a member of the Ohio Bar Association.

makes a difference.
Countless opportunities for Stein Hospice to make a Difference for you and your loved ones.
From pain relief to grief support, we bring our services to wherever the patient calls home. And we do so immediately and around the clock.

Brady Appointed to Sandusky/Erie County Community Foundations Board

The Sandusky/Erie C o u n t y C o m m u n i t y Foundation is proud to announce the appointment of Dick Brady to its Board of Directors. A native of Sandusky, Dick continues to reside in Sandusky with his wife, Debra. Mr. Brady is the President of both Brady Electric and Brady Sign Co. and has a distinguished history of service to the community. Mr. Brady served on the Sandusky Central Catholic School Board, the Advisory Council of Sts. Peter and Paul School, the Advisory Board of National City Bank PNC Bank, and the Levy Campaign Committee for Serving Our Seniors. Mr. Brady was a member of the City of Sandusky Licensing Review Board, the City of Sandusky Zoning Code Board of Appeals and the City of Sandusky Charter Review Committee. Additionally, Mr. Brady served as a Sandusky City Commissioner in 2011 and currently serves as Chairman of the Erie County Law Library Resources Board, and the Erie County Bar Association Extraordinary Fee Committee. The Sandusky/Erie County Community Foundation is a publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable organization whose mission is to develop a permanent endowment, to identify and respond to community needs, and to facilitate charitable giving. For additional information or to make a donation, contact The Sandusky/Erie County Community Foundation at (419)621-9690 or info@sanduskyfoundation.org.

Please Call Stein Hospice So We Can Make a Difference.

419-625-5269

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

21

Insurance
OSHA Inspections: Proper Planning Helps Avoid Risks
Submitted Mark T. Reilly by: OSHA plays a key role in making businesses safe and healthy place to work. Beyond providing the tools and guidance to work toward an injury- and illnessfree workplace, OSHA is important in identifying businesses that are not committed to safety. Employers that do not carefully follow OSHA regulations often face hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in fines. Knowing what to expect from an OSHA inspection can make the experience less stressful. Here is a brief overview on preparing for an OSHA visit: Arrival. An inspector arrives at your facility during normal business hours, unless you are contacted prior to the visit. The inspector shows you his/ her credentials issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, which authorize the inspection. Preliminary conference. The inspector tells you why OSHA selected your company, explains why the inspection is taking place, and reviews with you the standards which apply to your industry. You must then select an employee to accompany the officer during the inspection. Having an assigned guide selected prior to an inspection will help make the inspection process more efficient and will also help avoid unnecessary delays. Tour. The officer will then inspect your workplace. The agenda for the inspection and its length is at the discretion of the officer, although most compliance officers cause as little interruption to your workday as possible. During the inspection, the officer will investigate working conditions and ask questions of employees. He or she may: take photographs or record instrument readings relating to safety and health hazards; take environmental samples; request files recording deaths, injuries, and illnesses, or instances of possible exposure to toxic solutions or harmful agents. Designed to eliminate hazards from the workplace, OSHAs Occupational Safety and Health Act protects employers as much as it does workers, ultimately saving companies the many expenses caused by work-related injuries. As a federal regulator, OSHA has come under fire by employers for the usual reasons people criticize federal mandates: mounds of paperwork and an obsession with endless detail. Yet an accident on the job can cost an employer millions, beginning a complicated cycle that piles expense upon expense. For example: Clark Jones, your best machine operator, seriously cuts himself because his machine lacks a guard. Clarks arm injury prevents him from working for six weeks. As a result of Clarks absence, productivity declines. To stay on schedule, you pay other employees overtime. And despite the fact that you are paying top dollar for their work, these employees are less productive because they are fatigued. Tired employees are also prime candidates for work-related injuries. Since Clarks injury is serious, the problem compounds itself with the addition of workers compensation payments. Furthermore, in the face of what appears to be serious nerve damage, Clark brings suit against the manufacturer of the machine that caused the injury. The manufacturer retaliates and sues you for negligence. Clarks injury becomes an apparently never-ending financial nightmare. As this example demonstrates, noncompliance with OSHA standards can become a costly and unnecessary risk. Planning to Avoid Risks You can guard against accidents and OSHA citations by creating a selfinspection procedure. Heres how: Educate your staff. Your people should have a working knowledge of OSHA standards and regulations within your field. Appoint a company inspector who will routinely evaluate your workplace to conduct self-audits. During your self-audit inspections, keep these questions in mind: What is your current situation? If an OSHA inspector appeared at your door today, how would you fare? What areas need to improve equipment? Employee/management attitudes? Training? Heres a brief checklist of general areas to examine in your self-audit. required employer postings recordkeeping medical services and first aid fire protection personal protective equipment general work safety environment floor and wall openings evacuation plan tools and equipment environmental controls electrical safety accident investigation 2. Fatalities and catastrophes incidents where three or more employees die or are hospitalized. Employers are required to report such incidents within eight hours. 3. Complaints allegations of hazards or violations by employees. 4. Referrals reports of hazard information from federal, state or local agencies, individuals, organizations or the media. 5. Follow-up sverification by compliance officers that previously cited violations are corrected. 6. Planned or programmed investigationsinspections of high-hazard industries or workplaces with high rates of injuries and/or illnesses. 7. Random audits even employers with clean safety records may be subject to OSHA inspection. If the officer points out an easily correctable hazard - like a puddle of oil on a walkway - correct it right away to demonstrate your concern and your cooperation. Your action may or may not avoid an official notation. Closing conference. The officer will discuss findings, identifying any possible violations. Penalties cannot be discussed at this conference since only the OSHA Area Director sets penalties. Later, the officer will file a report with the Area Director. Any citations or penalties will be delivered to you via certified mail. Inspections are stressful situations. But if you have done your homework, inspected your company regularly, and taken steps to eliminate hazards, you have greatly increased the possibility of a good review. Even if you never are officially inspected, self-evaluations may prevent accidents that will save you frustrating downtime, costly overtime, workers compensation claim costs, or even a potential lawsuit. Are you prepared for an OSHA visit? If not, contact me at (800) 848-2788 to learn more about selfinspections and OSHA inspection criteria.

Non-Compliance is Costly

Who Can Be Inspected & Why

OSHA regulations state that OSHA can inspect any factory, plant, construction site, establishment, or other workplace to investigate all pertinent conditions, structures, machines, equipment and materials without notice. OSHA inspectors, sometimes called compliance officers, prioritize inspections in the following order: 1. Imminent danger situations top priority is given to hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm. Employers must immediately correct or remove employees from the facility.

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North Coast Business Journal

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Employers: Gain Extra Time to Claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit
From Barnes W e n d l i n g s E-newsletter The IRS is giving employers extra time to file a form required to claim the Wo r k Opportunity Tax Credit for eligible employees. Employers now have until April 29, 2013 to file the IRS form that is required to claim the valuable tax credit. This article has the details about the IRS relief and the steps an employer must take to claim the valuable credit. The IRS announced it is providing an extension of time to employers that want to claim the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC). Specifically, employers have more time -- up to April 29, 2013 -- to file the required IRS form to claim the valuable tax credit. (IRS Notice 201314) Basic information: The WOTC can be claimed by employers hiring individuals who are members of targeted groups. The amount of the credit is a percentage of wages paid in the first year. The maximum credit a for-profit employer can claim is $9,600 for each worker ($6,240 for tax-exempt organizations). The WOTC was retroactively extended by the American Taxpayer Relief Act, which was enacted on January 2, 2013. Before the law passed, wages for purposes of the WOTC didnt include amounts paid or incurred to: A non-veteran worker who begana jobafter December 31, 2011; or A veteran worker who started a job after December 31, 2012. The American Taxpayer Relief Act retroactively extended the WOTC so that it applies to eligible veterans and non-veterans who start working for an eligible employer before January 1, 2014. The problem is the law granted a two-year WOTC extension for qualifying non-veterans (one-year for qualifying veterans) but it didnt provide a procedure for employers to meet a requirement for claiming it. Here is the general process: An employer must obtain certification that an individual is a targeted group member before the employer can claim the credit. Certification of an individuals targeted group status is obtained from a state employment office called a Designated Local Agency (DLA). An employer must submit IRS Form 8850 to the DLA no later than the 28th day after the individual begins work. Therefore, employers who qualify for the credit may have had eligible workers on their payrolls for months before the American Taxpayer Relief Act made them retroactively eligible for a WOTC. Under IRS Notice 2013-14, here is the relief: 1. If you are a for-profit (taxable) employer that hired a member of a targeted group, other than an eligible veteran, between January 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013, you can submit IRS Form 8850 to your DLA by April 29, 2013. 2. If you are an employer (taxexempt or taxable) that hired an eligible veteranbetween January 1, 2013 and March 31, 2013, you can submit IRS Form 8850 to your DLA by April 29, 2013. Tax-exempt organizations can only claim the WOTC for hiring eligible veterans -- and not other targeted groups. Contact nam@barneswendling. com to receive articles like this every other week. If you have questions about how to claim the WOTC for certain employees your business or organization hires, contact Tim Mayles, CPA, CFF, CFE tdm@ barneswendling.com or Don Hanck, CPA, ABV, CFA dph@ barneswendling.com at Barnes Wendling CPAs, LLC at 419.626.3627. Which Individuals Are Members of Targeted Groups? Veterans who meet certain requirements; TANF Recipients (those receiving benefits under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program); SNAP (Food Stamp) Recipients; Designated Community Residents (living in Empowerment Zones or Rural Renewal Counties); Vocational Rehabilitation Referral (An individual with a disability who completed, or is completing, rehabilitative services from a state-certified agency, an Employment Network under the Ticket to Work program, or the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs). Ex-felons (An individual who has been convicted of a felony and has a hiring date that is not more than 1 year after the conviction or release from prison.) Supplemental Security Income Recipients; and Summer Youth Employee (16 or 17 year old living in Empowerment Zones and working between May 1 and September 15).

Taxes

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

23

The Gatekeeper is Coming! Old Fort Banking Company Receives a 5 Star Rating
Bauer Financial has awarded The Old Fort Banking Company a five-star Superior rating for the sixth consecutive quarter. Star ratings are assigned on a scale of zero-to-five stars with five-stars being the strongest, and are based on the current overall financial picture of the bank as of December 31, 2012. The rating represents an independent analysis of the financial institutions safety and soundness. The five-star rating indicates that Old Fort Bank is financially sound and has the Eric Lapp (right) and Jeff Durbin (left) from Cedar Points maintenance division get their first look at a train on the track of the new GateKeeper roller coaster Friday at the 364-acre amusement park. Riders on GateKeeper will fly through a wing-coaster record 4,164 feet of track along Lake Erie and across the parks redesigned main entrance. The ride will also set world records for the longest drop (165 feet), tallest inversion (170 feet), the most inversions (six) and fastest speed (67 miles per hour) of any wing coaster. Cedar Point and GateKeeper open to the general public for the 2013 season May 11. resources to deal with a variety of adverse economic conditions. The Bauer rating is based on a complex analysis of financial criteria including capitalization, asset quality, profitability, liquidity and risk. Bauer Financial is the nations leading independent bank rating firm and they are an unbiased third party that has been well respected for its fair bank evaluations since 1983. No bank pays to be rated, nor can any institution avoid being rated.

2013 Travel Planner Available for Ohios Lake Erie Shores & Islands
information and fits easily into a visitors hand or glove compartment. With a production run of nearly 400,000 copies, the travel planner has a readership of over 1 million and is the largest circulated travel planner in Ohio. It is distributed at hundreds of locations including Ohio visitors bureaus, AAAs, CAAs, Ohio and Indiana Turnpike service plazas, ODOT welcome centers, travel & sport shows, brochure racks in Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania, destination marketing events, meeting & convention shows, and via U.S. mail. The planner is also available for download at SHORESandISLANDS. com. Nearly 9,000 travel planners were downloaded online in 2012. The popular website for Lake Erie Shores & Islands travel information welcomed 485,000 unique visitors with 1.3 million page views last year. The 2013 official travel planner for Ohios Lake Erie Shores & Islands is now available. One of the Midwests most popular travel destinations, the region on Ohios north coast between Toledo and Cleveland attracts more than 7.5 million visitors annually. The digest size, full color travel planner contains a wealth of The 152-page, glossy planner features valuable visitor information amongst scenic photographs of the region as well as suggested two-day itineraries for each season. Also included are a fold-out map of the region and the tear-out Shore Savings Card, which offers visitors savings at participating businesses.

Ribbon Cutting Held for P.C. Discount

The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Port Clinton held a ribbon cutting ceremony for PC Discount located at 121 Madison Street in downtown historic Port Clinton on Friday, March 15.

Representatives from the City, Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce, and Main Street Port Clinton congratulated P.C. Discount on their grand opening and for their commitment to the Port Clinton community.

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CHAMBER CALENDARS for April

Bellevue Chamber of Commerce 6 18 Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet Bellevue Society for the Arts 205 Maple Street, Bellevue. 6:00 p.m., Dinner @ 7:00 $65.00 per couple 419.483.2182 Mr. Bob Dibasic, Sr. Vice President, Public Affairs Cleveland Indians Noon at the Willows. Huron County Chamber of Commerce 10 Prospective member breakfast, 7:30am-8:30am, Berrys Restaurant 8 Chamber Board Meeting 8:30AM at Chamber Office 9 Main Street Port Clinton Design Committee Meeting 8:30AM at MSPC Office 15 Chamber Foundation Annual Meeting, 1:30 pm., Chamber Office 16 Agricultural Committee Meeting, 7:30 a.m. Chamber office 23 Chamber Ambassador Meeting, 8 a.m. Chamber office 24 Chamber Board of Trustees 7:30 a.m. Chamber Office Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Services 9 After Five & Ribbon Cutting Rock Run Bulk Foods 5:30 - 7:30 pm. 2685 W SR 224, Tiffin. 10 Small Business Basics Seminar 9:30 am to 11:30 am. A free, two-hour seminar Communityroom Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce. Register at 800-826-2431 16 Seneca County Human Resource Association Meeting 11:30 am. Lunch Meeting at St. Francis Home, Tiffin Area Safety Council 11:30 am at Moose Lodge 946

11 Safety Council General Risk/Service, 7:30am, Chamber office, RSVP reqd. Board of Directors, 4:00pm, Chamber office

11 Main Street Port Clinton Organization Executive Committee 8:30AM at MSPC Office 12 Port Clinton Area Chamber Benefits Committee Meeting 8:30AM at Chamber Office 16 Ciao Bella Ribbon Cutting Noon 17 Main Street Port Clinton Walleye Festival Committee 8:30AM at MSPC Office 18 Main Street Port Clinton Board Meeting 8:30AM at MSPC Office Main Street Port Clinton Downtown Business and Property Owner Roundtable (invite only) 5:00PM-7:00PM

Erie County Chamber of Commerce 8 A Meet National Speaker, Jodi Pfarr event, United Way of Erie County 4:00 p.m., Open House Reception at TGIFridays at 5:00 p.m. RSVP at 419.625.6421

17 Education Committee, 8:00am @The Hen House, 18 Safety Council Manufacturing Division, 7:30am, Chamber office, RSVP reqd. 25 Chamber Annual Banquet & Awards, St. Paul Convocation Center, 5:45pm, RSVP reqd Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 18 Business After Hours 5:00 to 7:00 pm Hosted by: The Thirsty Pirate

11 Elected Officials Reception 5 to 7 p.m., at Castaway Bay. Guest Speaker: Jim Rokakis, Director of the Thriving Communities Institute. 17

Business After Hours at Firelands Winery, co-sponsored by the Winery 25 Executive Meeting and Lake Erie Shores and Chamber office, 10:00 am Islands Visitors Center. 5:00 p.m. to ?? Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce 25 Ribbon Cutting & Open House 18 Board Meeting @ 7:30am The Kitchens Bounty, Chamber Building 3207 Campbell Street, 5:00 to ?? 27 Community Clean-up Day 9:00am-Downtown Oak Genoa Chamber of Commerce Harbor 11 Monthly Board meeting Port Clinton Area Chamber 7:30 a.m. @ Rayz Cafe of Commerce 12-14Genoa Spring Open House April 12 & 13 from 9:00 - 6 Main Street Port Clinton 5:00; Spring Soiree Downtown April 14 from 11:00 -4:00 Scavenger Hunt 11:30AM-4:00PM Poker Run Pub Crawl 6:30PM-10:00PM

23 Workshop on Pinterest Ida Rupp Public Library 8:30AM 25 Main Street Port Clinton Promotion Committee Meeting at MSPC Office 8:30AM Ohio Chamber Symposium at Civilian Marksmanship Program Bldg 3; 11:30AM-1:00PM Topic: Social Media: The Brave New Workplace

Vermilion Chamber of Commerce 11 State of the City and State of the Schools Mayor Bulan and Superintendent Pempin Noon, Germans Villa $12, includes lunch buffet RSVP 440-967-4477 Willard Chamber of Commerce 18 22nd Annual State of the City. Depot in the Park

Sandusky County Chamber of Commerce 13 Progressive Ag Safety Day Sandusky Co. Fairgrounds., 9:00 am 11:00 am 14 Best of Sandusky Co. Pizza Challenge, 11a.m.-2 p.m. Sandusky Co. Fairgrounds

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North Coast Business Journal

April 2013

25

Human Resources
Future Benefit Packages with ObamaCare
By: Steven J. Krisfalusy Sr. Business & Human Resource Consultant We all know that the changes that will result from ObamaCare will touch every business small & large. What we dont know is what is most concerning. For the most part, how business owners addressed the benefits they offered has basically stayed the same for decades. It looks like that is about to change. Even large firms are rethinking how and what benefits they will offer employees in the future. We spoke with numerous large firms about their plans on how this will change their benefits offered and the cost. Many are looking at dramatic changes. Some are even considering not offering health care benefits and opting to pay the penalties instead. Business owners have already seen a steady increase in their benefit package costs over the past decade(s) and what is yet to come has most scratching their heads. Forecasting those changes and costs are mind boggling. Confusion is ramped and you are not alone! Even after 20+ years of starting my own businesses and helping companies design their benefit packages & HR systems we too needed to get re-educated. We have spent countless hours reading papers and reports on the new guidelines to better understand the impacts especially to small businesses. Most seem to leave us with more questions than answers. We decided to ask an expert who also acts as one of our consultants on projects and share some of his comments with you. He is Joseph P. Laskosky, President of Health Insurance Enterprises. He has helped us design benefit packages and is extremely up-to-date on what is happening in the health care field. We outlined some of our unique questions we asked Joe along with his answers. Our intent and hopes are to help you better understand some of the details that will impact you, your people and your business. Question: What are some of the key things & dates small business owners should be aware of now? Answer: The big change is coming on January 1, 2014, especially for businesses with 50+ fulltime employees. Theres is a lot of enforceable financial penalty laden requirements for not offering health insurance or offering it to less than 95% of full time employees. The minimum benefit levels must meet Minimum Essential Coverage levels set in the different metal plans of bronze, silver, gold, platinum and catastrophic. Question: Do you think companies will actually start removing the group health care coverage they offer today? Answer: Of the 43% of companies who offer group or other benefits, it is expected more than half will not offer group plans. They will let employees go to the Exchanges because of the tax subsidies to employees and not want the administrative hassles and premium fluctuations of group rating. I believe we will see an increase in the Defined Contributions approach with employers. They are not employer sponsored plans in the eyes of the new health care law. For the over 50 employee businesses, they need to make sure they understand the math and all the fines & penalties to make the best decisions. For example: How much of the premium can be transferred down to the employee before it crosses the line for affordability to the employee and trigger another fine is just one more detail that has to be weighed. Question: In your opinion, what are the top things that will impact a small business (50 people or less)? Answer: First, there are no penalties for the companies with less than 50 full time employees unless their part time equivalent employees push them over 50 full time employees. Secondly employee talent retention will most likely be impacted because of the ease of obtaining healthcare with or without an employer. In the past the better the health care options the greater the retention of talent. Thirdly, not being Grandfathered moves a company right into the new and perhaps more costly healthcare plans. Question: How will having the Exchange Marketplace to shop for health care coverage impact a small business? Answer: That depends if they are intent on continuing to offer a group plan or no group plan. If they (50 or less) decide on no group plan offering, there will basically be no penalty impact on them. If the 50+ decide to offer or not offer a plan they must be aware of the shared responsibility of the employer of fines and penalties. For the 50 or less companies that want to offer a plan they should look into Exchange Groups called SHOP. All group plans will be subject to change under Minimum Essential Coverage requirements. Pricing hasnt been established yet for the exchanges. Question: Is it true the Feds have hired new agents to help enforce penalties and if so, what does this mean to a small business owner in your opinion? Answer: My sources who have been at the HHS meetings in Washington, D.C. have been told that enforcement is a very important component. They have stated to me that 34,000 new agents will be hired. Penalties can be in the $10s of thousands of dollars, if audited. Compliance will rigidly be enforced. My biggest concern is that small and midsized businesses may

See OBAMACARE, Page 26

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26 April 2013

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Sales
Customer Service
By Roger Bostdorff I was recently on a trip with a client. In three days we were with customers and prospects in Story City, Iowa and Terre Haute, Indiana. The objective of the trip was to take meet a prospect in Story City on Tuesday morning at one of my clients installed customers and see the equipment he purchased from my client actually operating. The prospect then could not only see the equipment under consideration in action but also talk with our installed customer regarding the results that have taken place with my clients piece of equipment. Nothing sells like a very happy customer. On Wednesday we were meeting a new prospect in Terre Haute. We are 8 driving hours apart. We did not know exactly how long this first customer meeting was going to take and therefore had not made hotel reservations for Tuesday evening in Terre Haute. Without me knowing that we had no hotel rooms after our demonstration was over and we were on the road I mentioned, after going by a Drury Hotel sign, that at some time during our ongoing travels I would like to try a Drury Hotel. My client then explained that we had no reservations for that evening so get on my smart phone and see what I could do. I went to the browser on my smart phone and found that Terre Haute did actually have a Drury Hotel. I called the hotel and talked with Michelle. She answered the phone with a smile and the conversation then became even more pleasant. She explained the amenities of the hotelfree hot food from 5:30-7:00 pm with some free drinks, hot breakfast in the morning, etc. We were 8 hours from Terre Haute and it was 2PM. I explained to Michelle that we would miss that evenings amenities. I went on to tell her that neither my client nor I had ever stayed at a Drury Hotel. Michelle responded that since it was our first stay and would not be going to be able to take advantage of the evenings amenities she would reduce our rate. During this entire conversation she made sure that the conversation was not only enlightening but fun. We booked on the spot. I asked if she would be there when we arrived and she explained that she would not, but would be there in the morning and we should be sure to say Hello. The check-in went without a hitch at 9:30pm. We asked if they had saved us any hot food but they indicated that they were all out. However, the front desk then shared with us several restaurants that were close. She then provided us with a 10% off coupon at the restaurant that we selected. We went to dinner and then back to the hotel for a good nights sleep. The next morning I was up and ready for breakfast. The first thing that happened to me when I entered the lobby was being greeted with a genuine perky Good Morning. The young lady then asked if I needed anything. I asked if they had a newspaper. We are out of this mornings USA Today but you can have mine, let me get it out of my office, she explained. This had to be Michelle. I introduced myself and she remembered our call from the previous day as she ran to cover the front desk. Later she came over to the dining area to clear tables and asked if we needed any coffee or juice. Later the manager did the same. He then cleared the tables and wiped them off. I asked the manager how everyone was so pleasant, friendly and helpful. We hire people like that and then we train them, He said. How do you keep them? We pay them the best we can and we make sure that they know we appreciate their efforts. He continued, Before becoming a manager you go to 4 weeks of training. Before we hire an employee we may interview 100 prospective employees. The prospective employee then observes the job they are being hired to do and then actually performs the job BEFORE they are hired. Drury Hotel and the Terre Haute manager, Mason Peck as well as Michelle take Customer service to a new level and it is their highest priority. I will be staying at a Drury Hotel again, assuming there is one in the area of my travels. They are not the cheapest but they provide a valued service to their guests. Most importantly besides a fine hotel, you leave feeling good about yourself and your day! Michelle and Mason are fine examples of how to provide a differentiation in a potentially commoditized industry. Now the questionwhat would your customers say in regards to interacting with your business? Are you providing a value add? Do they look forward to interacting with you and your staff? I suggest you make sure your team values Customer Service and you and your management team discuss how to strive for Drury Hotel in Terre Haute customer service. It just might be your differentiator! Roger Bostdorff is the President of B2B Sales Boost. 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. He is also available for business speaking engagements. You can find more regarding B2B Sales Boost on the web at www.b2bsalesboost.com or calling 419-351-4347. If you would like to receive the B2B Sales Boost Newsletter please send an email to sales@b2bsalesboost.com

OBAMACARE, from Page 25

be the low hanging fruit for enforcement in that they do not have the financial resources to fight a penalty as well as the large corporations do. As you can see and have read, it is very confusing and many things are still yet to be determined or finalized. Our suggestion is to seek some help and advice to make sure you know what to expect no matter what direction you take. We also suggest you take a step back and relook at your entire benefit package offerings. This may be an opportunity to take advantage of. Bundling in other benefits under a more comprehensive

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plan may be an option to consider. For example: PTO may be bundled in a way that the employer contributes X dollars and the employee selects to either take that time off (earned) or receive the monetary equivalent. The same can possibly be applied to other benefits. No matter how you look at it, you will need to rethink your benefit package offerings. We hope this helps. Beringer Group LLC is a diverse team of experts that have advised & implemented solutions on HR & Business issues throughout the Midwest since 1985. 440-552-6599 www.sjkberinger.com

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April 2013

27

Leading the Port Clinton Chamber in 2013

The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Dinner on Thursday, March 14. Over 120 people gathered at the Catawba Island Club for a delicious meal and learn about the accomplishments over the past year. During the Chambers annual meeting, Ottawa County Commissioner Jim Sass and Tom Ervin with Skipper Buds were elected to serve a second 3-year term on the Board. Doug Focht with Focht Construction and Jeff Wingate with Rock Ledge Inn were elected to serve their first full-term on the Board. The newly elected Board members begin their terms on April 1. The other current members on the Chambers Board are as follows: Linda Aigler, AAA; John Coppeler, Flynn Py & Kruse LPA; Shannon Hopkins, Mr. Eds & Docks Beach House; Chuck Miller, Baumann Auto Group; William Moore, Erie Shoreline Properties; Christie Sewell, Civilian Marksmanship Program; and Paul Shaw, the Vineyard on Catawba; and Lee Vivod, Huntington. Chamber Officers elected for the 2013/2014 are: Lee Vivod with Huntington, Chairman; Linda Aigler with AAA, Past Chairman; Christie Sewell with Civilian Marksmanship Program, Vice-Chairman; and John Coppeler with Flynn Py & Kruse LPA as Treasurer. The newly elected officers begin their terms on April 1

Port Clinton Main Street Announces New Board Members and Officers
At the Annual Dinner on March 14, four individuals were elected by the membership to serve on the Board of Directors for Main Street Port Clinton through the year 2016. They are: Dana Bacak-Lynd, Civilian Marksmanship Program for her first term; Amy Northrop, resident for her first term; and Amy Slater-West, Slaters Madison Street Pub for her second term. The newly elected board members begin their terms on April 1. Dana, Amy, and Aimee will join the following individuals on the Board: Don Clemons, Americas Best Value Inn; Doug Garrett, Erie Cottage Trading Company / 2nd Street Gallery; Ottawa County Auditor Larry Hartlaub; Roseann Hickman, Perfect Color Hair & Tan; John Madison, Frederick Agency; Jim Recker, Gerner Wolf Walker Funeral Home; Paul Rothschild, Split Winds Gallery; and Missy Walker, First National Bank. Ex-Officio Board members include City of Port Clinton Mayor Vince
ncbj1111AHAC.pdf 11/2/11 11:18:48 AM

Leone, Port Clinton Councilwoman Linda Hartlaub, Duane Myers with Lake Erie Shores & Islands, and Nick Gerber, representative for the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation. At the Annual Dinner, Dawn Zink with Zink Calls was thanked for her commitment to Main Street Port Clinton for the past six years. Her dedication and energy on the Board will truly be missed. At the February Board meeting of Main Street Port Clinton, the following officers were elected with terms beginning on April 1, 2013: Roseann Hickman with Perfect Color Hair & Tan, President; Missy Walker with First National Bank, Past-President; Aimee Slater-West with Slaters Madison Street Pub, Vice-President; Ottawa County Auditor Larry Hartlaub, Treasurer; and Jim Recker with Gerner Wolf Walker Funeral Home, Secretary.

Port Clinton - 2012 Chamber and Main Street Award Recipients Announced
The Port Clinton Area Chamber presented five awards at their Annual Dinner in front of a large crowd who came out to honor businesses and individuals in our community. Each year, Chamber members are asked to recognize those businesses and individuals that have positively contributed to the Greater Port Clinton area. After the nominations are submitted, they are narrowed down by an Award Committee.

significantly contributed to the aesthetic enhancement of the Greater Port Clinton community at their place of business, was presented to Veterans Park. Executive Cleaners and Rock Ledge Inn were also nominated.

The nominees for the 2012 Business of the Year were the Civilian Marksmanship Program, Friendship Food Stores, and Port Clinton City Schools. This is the most prestigious award given which recognizes the The 2012 Lighthouse Award, which overall contribution of the business to recognizes a business who has made an the Chamber, the community, and the outstanding contribution in their field, business environment of the Port was presented to Edgewood Manor. Clinton Area including Ottawa County. Great Lakes Communications and The 2012 Business of the Year was Republic Services were also nominated. presented to Civilian Marksmanship Program. The Chambers Bright Star Award recognizes an individual who through Each year, Main Street Port Clinton their hard work and achievements recognizes a business and a volunteer have contributed to the citizens and/or that have made a positive impact in well-being of the business community our historic downtown. The award of Ottawa County. Judi Halstead with winners are striving to promote, Integrity Productions was the award preserve, and improve downtown recipient. historic Port Clinton as a vibrant center for businesses, entertainment and Two nominees were selected for the cultural activities for residents of the 2012 Outstanding New Business Award community and visitors to the area. including Keith A. Fleming and 1812 The 2012 Main Street Port Clinton Food & Spirits / Rosies Bar & Grill. Business of the Year is the Bait House 1812 Food & Spirits / Rosies Bar & River Bar. Larry Hartlaub was Grill were presented the award. recognized as the 2012 Main Street Port Clinton Volunteer of the Year. The 2012 Beautification Award, which recognizes a business that has

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IT
Some Things About Computers Dont Change!
By Don Knaur I have been writing this column for over eleven years and some topics have appeared here on a regular basis. This will be my final article, as I am retiring at the end of March, to enjoy spending time with my wife and possibly some traveling. Therefore, I thought it would be a good idea to remind you of these relatively changeless important topics. The topics are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. Backing up Malware Protection Preventing heat damage Searching for information backing-up is less expensive and less time consuming than ever, thanks to the low cost of external hard drives. The second topic, Malware protection, has been a major concern for at least the past twenty years. (Malware is any bad software other than Windows 8 or Vista) Today, Malware is capable of causing you more grief than ever before, but it is also easier to combat. There are several free download sites, such as my favorite, www.filehippo.com, from which you can download freeware versions of protective software such as, AVG and Avast Software, which will defend you from Malware. If you are unlucky enough to have Malware take over your PC, you can always use MalwareBytes anti-malware software from www.malwarebytes.org to clean up your problems. Heat has been the number one physical enemy of computers, since day one. There are only three things you can do to protect yourself from PC meltdown. First, keep your PC where there is adequate air flow available. Second, make sure all of the vents on your PC remain relatively dust free and clear. Finally, when you are not going to be using your PC for any appreciable length of time, shut it down. Finally, the question of the best way to find valid information on the World Wide Web has been of interest to most PC users for the past 18 years. While there have been many changes in search engines over the years, I have been using www. metacrawler.com since 1996. It is not a search engine, but it queries the top twelve search engines and reports the top ten answers from each of them to you. I have found this is a very efficient way to find the information I need very quickly. As I wrap this article up, I find myself facing mixed emotions. I have enjoyed sharing my knowledge and insights with you for the past eleven plus years. I would like to think I have been a help to some of you in the past and will miss that. However, it is time to pass the baton on to the next generation, who will be better able to advise you on the latest happenings in the electronic world. I say electronics because, in all honesty today, periodicals like PC World have more articles about cell phones than anything else. I know that I am beginning to fall behind and hope the North Coast Business Journal will find a replacement that will be able to help you more with the Wii, iPad and Iphone type products that are now taking over. In the past I have published my land line number for you to contact me with questions but after having this number for 33 years, I am shutting it down. If you would like to contact me about anything, I will still be available on my cell phone at 419-937-3556. I wish you Happy Computing for the rest of your life and its been a pleasure serving you. Don is retiring as the CWO (Chief Working Officer) of Help-Desk, Ohio, a complete computer service center. Don has a degree in Computer Programming from Tiffin University and has been an Information Technology Professional for over 27 years. He started Help-Desk, Ohio in the spring of 1996 and is closing it after 17 years to spend time enjoying retirement with his wife.

The first need, to back-up your data, has been a central topic in the world of computers for over fifty years. Electronically created data files are not now, nor have they ever been as reliable as hard copy files. These data files are, however, more easily searched, copied and manipulated. The wise man backs up his data, no matter what form it takes. Today,

Thanks Don!

For more than one hundred articles over your eleven years articles which made us smarter and, at the same time, made us smile a little too. Well miss both your advice and your wit!-The NCBJ Staff and over 20,000 monthly readers

On The Move
HealthLink Physician Earns Disability Evaluation Certification
Kevin Smith, M . D . , Memorial H o s p i t a l HealthLink Chief Medical O f f i c e r , r e c e n t l y e a r n e d Certification in Evaluation of Disability and Impairment Rating (CEDIR) from the American Academy of Disability Evaluation Physicians. Dr. Smiths credential was completed based on the American Medical Association (AMA) Guidelines, 5th Edition. With this new certification, Dr. Smith is able to perform disability evaluations in compliance with the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (OBWC) requirements. HealthLink is Memorial Hospitals occupational health service; it provides a broad range of occupational health services to local industry.

HealthLink Physician Earns Substance Abuse Expert (SAE) Qualification

M e m o r i a l H o s p i t a l HealthLink physician Brian Gordon, M.D. has successfully completed the Substance Abuse P r o g r a m Administrators Association (SAPAA) Substance Abuse Expert (SAE) qualification training and examination. Dr. Gordon has been with HealthLink since 2011. HealthLink is Memorial Hospitals occupational health service. According to its Web site, the SAPAA mission is to establish, promote and communicate the highest standards of quality, integrity and professionalism in the administration of workplace substance abuse prevention programs through education, training and the exchange of ideas. Dr. Gordons SAPAA qualification enables him to perform all SAE duties for HealthLink as stipulated by the Nuclear Regulation Committee (NRC).

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WSOS Board Names House -- President/CEO

The WSOS Board of D i r e c t o r s Tuesday voted unanimously to authorize the boards executive committee to negotiate a contract with Ruthann House, who was hired permanently, as the agencys new president/CEO. House, who has been the acting president/CEO since December, has been with WSOS for the past 28 years. She has served as the agencys vice president since 2001. Since 2006 she has also served as the acting director of the Housing & Energy department, in addition to her role as vice president. House is a board member and the treasurer for the Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies and serves on the boards of the Ohio Head Start Association and the Lutheran Homes Society Foundation. House also serves as a church council member and treasurer for Grace Lutheran Church, Fremont. House holds bachelor and master degrees in business administration. She resides in Fremont, is married to David and has two sons who are both students at the Ohio State University.

On The Move

Back Row: Bill Back, MD, Robert Secor, MD, James Rosso, MD, David Jump, DO Front Row: Evillo Domingo, MD, Nancy Verhoff, MD, Alison Winans, PA-C, Alicia Rendon, CNP

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Mercy is committed to providing accessible and convenient primary care services. Mercys primary care providers are dedicated to providing quality medical care to the community, and meeting their patients medical needs. Patients have the option of choosing from five convenient office locations and eight providers. To find out how you can become a Mercy Primary Care patient, please call one of the five office locations.
Mercy Primary Care Willard 1100 Neal Zick Road 419.933.2811 or 419.935.6761 Mercy Primary Care Greenwich 65 W. Main Street 419.752.1811 Mercy Primary Care New Washington 202 W. Mansfield Street 419.492.1300 Mercy Primary Care Shiloh 21 W. Main Street 419.896.3844 Mercy Primary Care Plymouth 25 Spring Street 419.687.5781

Mercy Tiffin Hospital Awards 2012 Overall Volunteer Excellence Award

Mercy Tiffin Hospital awarded Janet Wise with the 2012 Overall Volunteer Excellence Award. I congratulate Janet and thank her for her dedication to Mercy Tiffin Hospital as a volunteer, said Dale Thornton, President and CEO of Mercy Tiffin Hospital. The staff and physicians of Mercy Tiffin Hospital, as well as the entire community, benefit from the dedication and

generous service of these volunteers, Janet being a great example of their work. Janet and her husband Jim celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary earlier this year and have a large extended family including children, grandchildren and a greatgrandson.

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30 April 2013

North Coast Business Journal

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On The Move
Director of Nursing Celebrates 35 years at Port Clintons Edgewood Manor
In February, K a y e L i p s t r a w, Director of Nursing at Edgewood M a n o r , celebrated 35 years with the facility. The facility held a celebration on her accomplishment in March. Lipstraw completed her RN degree at the St. Vincent School of Nursing in Toledo and she began her career at the Medical College of Ohio (now, University of Toledo Medical Center.) In 1978, she began her career at Edgewood Manor as a charge nurse. At the time, Kayes mother, Mary Mehlow, was the Director of Nursing. Mary remained in that position until 1990 when she retired. Lipstraw was born, raised and still resides in Oak Harbor. She and her husband, Bob, have two sons and several grandchildren with whom they spend much of their free time. Edgewood Manor is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center located in Port Clinton, Ohio

Mercy Willard Hospitals Lynn Detterman Recognized as One of Tomorrows Leaders

Lynn Detterman, President & CEO of Mercy Willard Hospital, was honored as one of nine people nationwide to be chosen for the 2013 class of Tomorrows Leaders by the Catholic Health Association of the United States. The annual program honors dedicated, high-performing individuals who have demonstrated commitment to advancing the mission of Catholic health care. Honorees are invited to attend the 2013 Catholic Heath Assembly in Anaheim, Calif., in June, where they will be recognized during an annual awards banquet. Detterman also will be invited to participate in an exclusive leadership formation retreat, prior to the assembly, which will offer her the opportunity to interact with senior leaders from across the ministry. Detterman has been the President & CEO of Mercy Willard since February, 2009. Prior to that, she served as the Chief Financial Officer at Mercy Willard and Mercy Tiffin Hospitals. She is a graduate of Case Western Reserve University and also a Certified Public Accountant. She began her career at Deloitte & Touche in Cleveland where she became a senior accountant. Detterman and her husband, Rob, live in Willard with their two children, Lauren and Brady.

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