north coast business journal | december 2014

Focus on Western Ottawa CountyINSIDE

THIS MONTH

EDITOR: It’s beena Great Year...........2

SALES: Are You Selling aCommodity .........10

TAXES: Year-endTax Planning .......12

ESTATE: In-Service Withdrawalsfrom 401(k) ........15

INSURANCE: Employment-Related Practices .............21

IT: SecurityMeasures on a Budget – Part III ..23

HR: Capture the Culture of the Season ................24

RETIREMENT: Year-End Thoughts for Investors .............25

LEGAL: Possible Skilled Nursing Care .......26

Standard Mail U.S. Postage Paid Tiffin, OH 44883

Permit #88

Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.DECEMBER 2014 Vol. 20 No. 12

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

POSTMASTER: TIMELY MATERIAL. PLEASE EXPEDITE.

Celebrating19 Years of

Service

We’re a proud member of the following:Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County

Elmore Chamber of Commerce

Erie County Chamber of CommerceFostoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Genoa Chamber of Commerce

Huron Chamber of CommerceHuron County Chamber of CommerceKelleys Island Chamber of Commerce

Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Milan Chamber of Commerce

Oak Harbor Area Chamber of CommercePort Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce

Put-in-Bay Chamber of Commerce

Seneca Regional Chamber of CommerceVermilion Chamber of Commerce

Willard Area Chamber of Commerce

It was a busy year for the Ottawa County Improvement Corporation (OCIC) – full of new and growing initiatives, from an economic and workforce development standpoint.

Economic DevelopmentFor the year, the OCIC invested $240,000 out of our

Revolving Loan Fund to new and existing local businesses looking to expand operations. These loans have supported $2.35 million in new capital investment and the creation and retention of 101 full-time equivalent jobs.

The OCIC RLF Committee also approved an allocation of $350,000 from the county’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) loan program to assist as a match to a state CDBG grant application made in early 2014 for the City of Port Clinton’s downtown revitalization project. $150,000 of the county CDBG funds are to be used as towards public infrastructure improvements and $200,000 is available as low interest loans (2% fixed) for downtown businesses look-ing to make capital investments. In the summer of 2014, the City announced they had been awarded the state CDBG grant and work will now begin on infrastructure improvements and downtown business investment. This means that downtown businesses can begin making application for the CDBG loan funds which will ulti-mately be reviewed by our RLF committee. Additionally, on June 11, 2014, ODOT announced a $2.5 million award from the Small Cities program to also support moving the project forward.

OCIC and FirstEnergy completed an Economic Impact Analysis for the Waterworks Park Property (Washington Properties Development) in the City of Port Clinton to assist the City in evaluat-ing the financial feasibility of the project. The analysis was based on a $60 million capital investment, construction of approximately 178,000 ft2 with the creation of 500 construction jobs and 585 per-manent jobs directly related to the proposed lodge/conference cen-ter, retail and restaurants. The OCIC also provided support to envi-ronmental assessment work on the Waterworks Park property, thru Ottawa County’s US EPA Environmental Assessment Grant Program.

The Sugar Creek Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) proj-ect continues chugging along to facilitate development opportuni-ties at the Exit 81 Elmore Turnpike Interchange. After several years of discussion and work, Harris Township, Woodville Township and the Village of Elmore finalized the JEDD agreement, which was approved by the State of Ohio in August. Next steps are being taken to look at furthering development.

In the winter of 2013/2014, Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station began work on a $600 million “Steam Generator Replacement & Refueling Outage” that attracted more than 2,000 contractors to Ottawa County for a three month period. As a part of the invest-ment, FirstEnergy/Davis Besse made significant safety improve-ments to the main entrance to the plant on State Route 2. OCIC worked with FirstEnergy/Davis Besse to secure a $250,000 ODOT Jobs & Commerce award to support this roadwork investment proj-ect.

Ottawa CountyImprovement Corporation in 2014

See OCIC, Page 5

Jeffrey H. BrydenEditor

It’s time to call it a year – winding down twelve issues of good business news in our five-county coverage area.

Someone described us years ago: “…the North Coast Business Journal is all about plane landings – not plane crashes.” We’ve continued to adhere to that philosophy, bringing you good news of business, institutional and civic expansion and personal promotions in the five counties of Erie, Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca.

While we’ve endeavored to cover every county every issue, each month we moved around, with a different geographic focus to “dig a little deeper’ into specific towns and areas. To learn and share the good things that were happening with our neighbors. We’ll stay true to our mission and to that format in the year ahead.

We continue to value the terrific work done by the seventeen Chambers of Commerce we belong to in our area. The executives and boards of each offer valuable programs and networking opportunities to their members and the communities they serve. The copy of the North Coast Business Journal you receive in the mail each month is yet another, and tangible, benefit you receive from your local chamber membership.

We hope that you have enjoyed the contributed articles written by our professional “volunteers” each month – covering a wider variety of business topics than ever before. If there’s another topical area we’re missing, or a business discipline you’d like covered, please let me know?

And, while we enjoy e-mail and verbal feedback on our performance from our readers and advertisers, our most-documented affirmation comes from our biennial audit from the Circulation Verification Council. A recap from our most recent audit:

NCBJ Readers are involved: Over 91 % indicate they “regularly read or look through each issue.”

NCBJ Readers involve others: Every issue has a pass-along of over 4.0 readers

NCBJ Readers use the ads: Almost 49% of readers say they “frequently purchase products or services from ads…”

NCBJ Readers are decision makers: Almost nine out of 10 (87%) “make or have influence over purchasing decisions” for their company

NCBJ Readers are upper income: 80% higher in “$100,000+ household income” than marketplace demographics

NCBJ Readers are better educated: 276% more “graduated college and completed post graduate” than marketplace demographics

Full details of the audit are available – Just call our Director of Sales, Krista Cheek at 419-734-4838.

In closing we want to thank our loyal readers, our regular advertisers and the Chambers who have supported us through the past year. All of us here look forward to the new year, as we begin our 20th year of service to businesses on the North Coast.

Please accept the best wishes of all of us at the North Coast Business Journal for a safe and joyful holiday season.

2 December 2014 North Coast Business Journal www.ncbj.net

205 S.E. Catawba Road, Suite G, Port Clinton, Ohio 43452

419-734-4838 • Fax 419-734-5382

Publisher JOHN SCHAFFNER Editor JEFFREY H. BRYDEN [email protected] Director of Sales KRISTA CHEEK [email protected] Accounting Manager ROBIN QUESADA [email protected] Layout & Graphic Design ADAM JANES [email protected] MARK SCHAFFNER [email protected] Circulation Manager BRUCE DINSE

North Coast Business Journal is owned and published monthly by Schaffner Publica-tions, 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 en-velope if you would like an item returned. We prefer material (copy & photos) to be submitted electronically.

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

It’s been a Great Year – Thanks.

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www.ncbj.net North Coast Business Journal December 2014 3


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The Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization that exists to enhance the business climate in Oak Harbor and the surrounding area. All benefits, programs and events of the Chamber are designed to give b u s i n e s s e s t h e opportunity to make or save money, acquire knowledge and skills, and/or make those all-important business connections!

2014 has been quite a year! We have stayed busy here at the Chamber helping businesses promote their products/services, visitors find their way, and promoting our great community through events. Our first event of the year was our chamber annual dinner where we review the previous year and elect new board members. In January, elected to serve a 3 year term were; Matt Adkins, Mike Barr, Vern Conley, & Pat Peters. They joined existing board members, Don Douglas, David Franck, Guy Parmigian, Debi Heiks, Michelle Ish, Cherie Salazar, Austin Short & Paulette Weirich. The continued efforts of our members, board, volunteers, staff and businesses result in the successes that continue our mission statement to promote, support, and advocate for our members, and strengthen the economic climate of the Oak Harbor area. First and foremost we would like to extend a huge thank to our 2014 Gold Partners; Carroll Township, Croghan Colonial Bank, Magruder Hospital, and The Village of Oak Harbor for their generous contribution to the chamber and our community.

Our Business Over Breakfast Networking & Education Series was successful in its first full year in 2014. This program is aimed at encouraging Chamber of Commerce members to meet regularly, exchange contact details, and share information, ideas and knowledge in a positive environment. Each event offers time for coffee and breakfast while networking,

followed by a short presentation on relevant business-related topics to help improve the performance and bottom-line results of member organizations. We are booking speakers and sponsors for 2015, if you have a business relevant topic to speak about or would like to sponsor, please contact our office.

In April, we held the Annual Easter Egg Hunt, which has been a tradition in Oak Harbor for over 60 years and we are blessed with community support and great volunteers that keep this event going strong year after year.

The second quarter of 2014 was a busy one. It held our Annual Community Clean-up day, Business Over Breakfast, Semi-annual Village Wide Garage Sale Days and our first farmer’s market of the season! We then moved right into the third quarter where we held our Annual Independence Day Celebration along the Portage River, 3 farmer’s markets, and our 2nd Semi-annual Village Wide Garage Sale Days.

The last quarter holds our biggest event of the year, which is our Annual Apple Festival. The festival is a fundraiser for the chamber and brings thousands of visitors to our town during the second full weekend of October. We were blessed this year with great weather and great attendance! In addition to the festival, we also held our last farmer’s market of the season. We round out the year with our Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration which takes place the second Saturday after Thanksgiving each year in downtown Oak Harbor.

Oak Harbor’s Chamber:A Busy Place All Year Long

See CHAMBER 17

Workforce DevelopmentA formalized approach to connecting our businesses

and schools together to look for ways to build a pipeline of our future workforce was created in 2014 with the establishment of the Ottawa County Business Advisory Council. The mission of the Ottawa County Business Advisory Council is to engage the business and education communities together to understand and support the educational and employment needs within Ottawa County. Members of the business advisory council provide valuable input regarding essential skills students will need to be successful and work to strengthen opportunities for students to extend their learning beyond the classroom walls. This effort was initiated, out of repeated Retention & Expansion visits with employers who are looking to the makeup of their future workforce, as well as identified areas of opportunity to support youth thru the United Way in Ottawa County.

As an initiative of the Business Advisory Council, on Thursday, May 15, representatives from local school districts, Joint Vocational Schools, and Terra Community College joined with OCIC and United Way in Ottawa County for a second bus tour focusing on local career opportunities in the service and tourism sector. The program was held in follow-up to a December 2013 Manufacturing Bus Tour, giving school leadership and guidance counselors a first-hand look into the vast service and tourism career opportunities in the area. The program was sponsored by the Catawba Island Club, Magruder Hospital, OCIC and United Way in Ottawa County.

Similar to the December manufacturing tour, participants were able to visit and get an in-depth look at the skills necessary to work in Ottawa County’s service and tourism sector – a sector that is abundant and unique to the community. “With the recent opening of the Hospitality Management Program at Terra Community College, Ottawa County’s Marine Skills Program and the various healthcare certification and degree programs in our area, it is evident that the continuing education opportunities are here to support our service and tourism industries,” said OCIC Director, Jamie Beier Grant. Catawba Island Club & Lake Erie Marine Trades Association (Port Clinton), Jet Express (Port Clinton), Magruder Hospital (Port Clinton), The Boardwalk (Put-in-Bay) and the Stoiber Family Businesses (Put-in-Bay) hosted the group of 26 participants.

Businesses talked about the importance of math and blueprint reading when maneuvering and launching boats, the expected shortages of particular healthcare occupations and the expectations employers have when looking to hire individuals. Lance Woodworth, General Manager and Captain at The Jet Express specifically noted, “With the new generation of electronic diesel engines, mechanics must possess a skill set that utilizes old school mechanical knowledge along with a sound understanding of the new technology. Mechanics must know how to apply each in diagnosing problems and completing repairs.” Mr. Woodworth went on to note, “When hiring, we look for a solid foundation of mechanical knowledge and will train the right individual on our systems.” In addition, Nicole DeFreitas spoke about the educational opportunities in hospitality management available within the Northwest Ohio region.

“The business tours have created a tremendous opportunity for collaboration between both the education and business communities. The opportunity to effectively merge these two will undoubtedly have a significantly positive impact on our schools, our businesses and our entire community,” commented Port Clinton Middle

School Principal, Carrie Sanchez. Similarly, Chris Galvin, Area Director of United Way in Ottawa County, reflected on the tour and noted “The dialogue among businesses, the schools and community representatives underpin the goals of the United Way to be sure that every child in Ottawa County graduates from school with the skills and a plan for a successful life.”

On October 24, over 500 9th-grade students from Benton-Carroll-Salem, Port Clinton, Woodmore, Danbury, and Put-in-Bay High Schools, as well as North Point ESC, attended the first and uniquely programmed career showcase event entitled “Discover Where Your Talents Can Take You.” The event was targeted toward fostering student interest in local employers and careers. Organized by the Ottawa County Business Advisory, hosted by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and sponsored by numerous Ottawa County Businesses the event was the part of an ongoing multi-county initiative to increase communication and partnership between schools and businesses. The collaborative effort between private sector and education set the stage for students to engage with sixteen companies and learn about career opportunities that exist in the same communities where they live, play, and learn. The companies were able to engage students in different activities that demonstrated the skill sets necessary to excel in a broad cross section of careers, including CNC, culinary/hospitality, electrical, engineering, emerging healthcare, machine operation, maintenance, and welding (among others).

“Students were energetic and engaged in Materion’s activities, with some of their activities being eye-opening into the world of today’s manufacturing environment. This event was great for the company to be a part of,” commented Dennis Epke, Lead Mechanic with Materion-Brush, Inc. Dennis also noted that Materion “is always excited when they see energetic young people interested in career opportunities within their company – they definitely saw that at the event.” In follow up with both schools and businesses the event was determined to be a resounding success and discussions for a second fair in October of 2015 have begun.

MarketingOn June 11, Roger Bostdorff, President of B2B Sales

Boost, LLC, gave an interactive Executive Briefing, focusing on the “5-Step Closed Loop Process” approach towards producing positive results in top line revenues and bottom line profits. Topics included HR, Sales, Marketing, Motivation, Leadership, Production and Customer Satisfaction. The seminar was held at the Ottawa County Resource Centre.

OCIC recognized local businesses Thursday, April 3 during the Annual Business and Industry Awards Dinner at the Catawba Island Club. Small Business of the Year went to WPCR Port Clinton Radio, Medium Business of the Year went to Chipmatic Tool and Machine, and Large Business of the Year went to Baumann Auto Group. Clutch Tactical Fly Rods received the Entrepreneurial Award, Liberty Aviation Museum received the Economic Development Partner Award, Ray St. Marie received the Bill Mack Business Leader Award and Jan Pugh received the Personal Achievement Award. OCIC’s Volunteer Award was posthumously presented to Lowell Krumnow, the former mayor of Elmore. The Miller Boat Line received Business of the Year.

The Ottawa County Safety Council held its annual CEO Breakfast meeting at the Catawba Island Club on Wednesday, April 16. Twenty-nine county businesses received safety awards from Ohio BWC for safety council

membership and safe business practices. The awards include a certificate and a rebate check on their workers’ compensation premiums. This event also presented an opportunity to hear and interface with BWC Officials as well as recognition for council member attendance and safety achievements. The Ottawa County Safety Council is co-sponsored by BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene and OCIC.

The Ottawa County, Sandusky County, and Sandusky Area Safety Councils, and the Sandusky County Human Resources Management Association, held their bi-annual Tri-County Safety Day at Terra State Community College on Friday, May 2. There were about 200 people who attended the event. And not only did safety council members attend, but local employers participate in Safety Day events as well. Safety Day offered the opportunity for individuals to attend 14 different safety-related sessions, visit with 40 health and safety vendors and service providers and attend two special programs: Train the Trainer and Active Shooter Training. This was the 2nd bi-annual Safety Day event for all three safety councils. Highlights of the event included the kickoff breakfast, trade show, ProMedica Air and Mobile unit, door prizes and the grand prize drawing.

Experience Ottawa County 2014 was held at The Keys on Put-in-Bay, Ohio this year on August 21. Over 200 people gathered together throughout the day for professional development and business networking. OCIC hosted a luncheon with Ron Foth Advertising, entitled “Shifting Your Company’s Marketing Paradigm to Attract Today’s Consumers.” OCIC also hosted its second annual “Taste of Ottawa County” with an Island Style twist, featuring island food and beverages from local businesses.

“Work where you want to live” seems to have been the theme for 2014. There’s no doubt that this year was filled with activity, investment, job creation and new ideas. OCIC is excited about what lies ahead for Ottawa County in 2015. To learn more about OCIC, visit our website at www.ocic.biz or contact Jamie Beier Grant at 419.898.6242.


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Submitted by Chuck Benes, Oak Harbor Golf Club

The first hole at Oak Harbor Golf Club is receiving a major face lift this off season. The 405 yard par four was always a lay- up hole with a creek 200 yards from the green. Long hitters could carry the hazard with a drive of 240 yards in the air. When the golfers return in the spring they will find the creek has been replaced with a small pond in the right rough, allowing the straight hitters to go down the fairway without having to cross the hazard. Just another of the many improvements that OHGC has made to the course over the past few years.

Golf rounds across the country have been decreasing every year for a number of years. The PGA of America has been proactive in trying to get more people on the golf courses. They have determined that one of the reasons that less people are is because the game takes too much time and is too difficult. It is the focus of the industry now to make the game for fun and less frustrating. Over the past couple of years Oak Harbor has added more forward tees and made an effort to make the game more fun for the masses. It is one of the few public courses in the area that employ PGA

Professionals. Chuck Benes and Mathew Jennings are not only PGA Professionals, but are part owners of the facility and are active in promoting the game any way possible. Oak Harbor is a “Get Golf Ready” facility offering affordable programs to teach the game to people of all ages and abilities. It is also the main facility of The First Tee of Lake Erie, and currently hosts of the largest First Tee programs in Northwest Ohio. OHGC has been a leader in promoting Junior Golf in Ottawa County for over 25 years and is home to 4 high schools teams. OHGC also dropped junior membership prices to $200 and started a weekly junior league to get more young people into the game. It seems to have helped as we saw more students going out for the teams this fall.

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Bellevue Chamber of Commerce 1 Committee to Grow Bellevue Holiday Auction -- 5:30 p.m. Bierkeller Meilenstein Hall Dinner at 6:30 p.m. [email protected] or call 419.217.6724. 4 Monthly Luncheon Noon at The Willows, Speaker: Zachary Frymier, Office of Public Affairs Public Utilities Commission. Cost is $10 per person. Bellevue Christmas Parade 6:00 p.m.

Erie County Chamber of Commerce 10 Business After Hours Great Wolf Lodge: 5:15 p.m. RSVP to Chamber by December 8th. Fostoria Chamber of Commerce 2-23 Christmas Wonderland! 8th Santa at the Depot Tuesdays & Thursdays 5:00pm-7:00pm, Saturdays 12:00pm-2:00pm 128 W. North Street 6 5th Annual Holiday Open House “Christmas in Fosterville” FREE PUBLIC EVENT Downtown Main Street & Fostoria Shopping Plaza 10:00am-3:00pm 12 2nd Smokin’ Pig Rib Off Downtown Main Street 5:00pm-10:00pm North Main Street,

Huron Chamber of Commerce

3 Holiday After Hour Lucky Stone Promotions/ The Uniform Place 607 S. Main Street 5-7 p.m.

Huron County Chamber of Commerce 4 Safety Council Construction Division, 7:30am, Chamber office Program Committee, 8:00am, Chamber office Adult Comfort Ribbon Cutting, 5:00pm 9 Best Western, 351 Milan Ave. Ribbon Cutting, 5:00pm 10 Membership Meeting, 8:00am, Chamber office 11 Safety Council General Risk Division, 7:30am, Chamber office Holiday After Hours, 5:00-7:00pm, Eagle Creek Golf Club 18 Safety Council Manufacturing Division, 7:30am, Chamber office Marblehead Chamber of Commerce 4 Short Directors Meeting/ Christmas Dinner 1812 Restaurant @ 6:00 pm

Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce

6 Olde Fashioned Christmas Celebration Downtown Oak Harbor 4:00pm-7:00pm 18 Board Meeting- Chamber Building-7:30am Port Clinton AreaChamber of Commerce 1 Communications Committee 8:30am 2 Administration Committee 8:30am 4 Economic Restructuring Committee 8:30am 6 Community Christmas, Lighted Parade & Tree Lighting 4:30pm to 7:30pm 8 Chamber Board 8:30am 10 Design Committee 1:00pm 11 Organization Committee 8:30am 12 Benefits Committee 8:30am 16 Ambassadors Committee 8:30am

17 Walleye Festival Committee 8:30am 18 Main Street Port Clinton Board 8:30am

Sandusky CountyChamber of Commerce 2 Finance & Executive Meeting, 12:30 p.m.-Finance, 1p.m.-Executive Foundation Meeting, 12:45 p.m. 3 Membership & Marketing Meeting, 3 p.m. 4 Property Meeting, 8:00 a.m. 10 Chamber Board Meeting, 7:30 a.m. 16 Health & Wellness Meeting, 2 p.m. 17 Safety Council Meeting, 11 a.m., Elmwood at The Springs Holiday Reception, 5 - 7 p.m., Hayes Presidential Center

Seneca County 2 Seneca County Industrial Management Council Meeting 4 Members only Holiday Celebration, 5:00 – 7:30 pm. American Civil War Museum 16 Tiffin Area Safety Council 11:30 am at Moose Lodge 19 Ambassador Meeting Noon, Chamber Please RSVP.

CHAMBER CALENDARS for December


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Submitted byRick Claar

The Village of Elmore has put itself into position for its next big step-welcoming more business and industry to its local economy.

In the past year, the village has completed a new $5.2million wastewater treatment plant and built a new $1.3million electrical sub-station. With the completion of the two projects, by increasing the capacity for addition sewage treatment and electrical power, Elmore has strongly positioned itself for development of property southwest of the village.

Earlier in 2014, the village entered an agreement to establish a Joint Economic Development District at property near the Elmore Turnpike Exchange. This landmark JEDD agreement includes property in both Ottawa and Sandusky Counties and partners the Village, Harris and Woodville Townships. The crossing of two counties and partnering two townships and the village has never been done in the state before this.

Elmore Mayor, Matt Damschroder, told the North Coast Business Journal the village will be working diligently on getting infrastructure and utilities to the JEDD property. He added the Village is ready to do whatever is necessary to make sure the property has an adequate water supply and is exploring the possibility of expanding its current water treatment facilities or joining the Ottawa County regional water system.

Damschroder said he is very excited about the prospects of bringing more jobs and revenue to the Elmore area. He added the village is looking forward to working with all the entities involved to make the JEDD as successful as it can possibly be.

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Submitted by Jill BenchAlthough it may look a lot like

Christmas, Bench’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Elmore, Ohio, is planting for spring! That’s right- we are planting!

While customers can leisurely browse through the dozens of trees artfully decorated with over 10,000 holiday ornaments at The Christmas Shoppe at Bench’s, owners, Donald and Janice Bench and Donald Bench Jr., have already been playing in the “dirt”- our super secret soil- less soil to be exact! Many perennials need to be planted in the Fall for Spring growth. Over 600 hostas have been planted- representing over 30 different varieties including “Lakeside Paisley Print.” This NEW variety boasts heart shaped leaves and vibrant green and white colors!

In just a few, short weeks, the planting crews will be busy planting over 2000 potted and blooming roses for retail. Bench’s Greenhouse & Nursery offers hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora, shrub and climbing rose varieties.

Hanging baskets, including a Donald Bench favorite, Dragon Wing Begonia, will be planted shortly after the holidays allowing for massive petal color by May.

Gardening and landscaping trends such as Miniature Gardening and Edibles are still in the forefront for Spring 2015. New varieties are constantly being grown at Bench’s Greenhouse & Nursery. Seeds are arriving daily for our Herb and Vegetable plant department that will once again sport new selections for the 2015 season. Black Watermelon proved to be super sweet this summer and will continue to be available at Bench’s Farm Market during Summer 2015 along with our amazing sweet corn grown by Don Bench Jr.

The atmosphere of Christmas might fill the air, even at The Christmas Shoppe at Bench’s, but there is a lot “growing” on at Bench’s Greenhouse & Nursery located in Elmore. See you this Spring!

“All of the Flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.” -Indian Proverb

Firelands Regional Medical Center has been awarded The Advisory Board Company’s 2014 Excellence in Engagement Award, being one of only 20 organizations in the nation to be recognized. The annual award recognizes top-performing hospitals and health systems nationwide for outstanding levels of employee engagement.

“In today’s cultural shift to improve care value, the importance of engaging the workforce must not be underestimated,” said Steven Berkow, Executive Director, Survey Solutions at The Advisory Board Company. “Hospitals and health systems face a steep challenge if they can’t secure buy-in from leaders and frontline staff throughout the organization—the individuals responsible for executing against top strategic priorities. Our

award winners have demonstrated a remarkable ability to inspire the highest levels of engagement among our cohort while maintaining remarkably low levels of disengagement among their employees.”

“Engaged employees are those who exhibit both loyalty and commitment to the organization,” shares James Sennish, vice president, human resources at Firelands Regional Medical Center. “These employees are willing to expend discretionary effort, often going above and beyond to help the organization succeed. The award recognizes Firelands Regional Medical Center’s commitment to creating a best-in-class work environment for its employees.”

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2FIonestopJOHN.indd 1 7/20/11 2:52:20 PM

By Roger BostdorffA local company wanted to grow

their sales. However, they sold a product that could be purchased at Staples, Office Max, Meijer, Walmart and even via the Web. Competition was on every corner. Many new customers they talked with only focused on buying the lowest priced product! The dilemma was how to create a strategy that allowed them to grow their sales in a profitable manner while selling in what was perceived as a commodity marketplace. How many times have your sales force told you that “our price is too high and/or our product/service is like everyone else’s!!

A short Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity, Threat (SWOT) analysis was completed. What was it, if anything, that could differentiate this company’s offering in this marketplace? If the company’s offering is like everyone else, then maybe the customer should buy, with price being the only criteria!

As the marketplace was studied and compared to what the local company had to offer, several unique items that differentiated their offering were identified. They were not just selling a product but rather a solution. One example, most of the competition that sold similar products did NOT provide repair service. Several other differentiators were found and quantified as well. Then we started their Sales Strategy Reviews to focus on Solution Selling, not commodity selling. These can be done via the phone. How does one accomplish this?

The Client’s new account representatives were asked to focus on their prospect’s current situation. In other

words, the sales people responsible for gaining new customers needed to find out who the prospect was doing business with today. They needed to determine what the competitor was providing; both the product/service as well as the service provider. They need to understand what the prospect liked about their current provider. They also wanted to understand what the prospect would like to see their current provider do, that they currently are NOT doing? What is it that their current provider could do to make the customer even happier? Is there anything the prospect dislikes in regards to the current provider? By understanding the prospect’s current situation, the strategy is to create a personalized approach to win that specific customer’s business. The local company started selling a Solution, not just a product/service. The local company does this by, not telling the customer what the local company is or what they do, but rather by determining what is important in the eyes of the prospect; by asking questions! Why talk about 32 things that you can do, if only 3 are important to a prospective customer?

The local company held strategy sessions with their new account representatives to insure they were approaching their prospects with the Solution Sales mentality. Old habits are hard to break. In the forecast reviews the local company continued to ask the question of their representatives, “Why should the prospect do business with us??” The new account representatives were reminded to ask, “What do we need to do to earn your business?” By being solution/customer focused the local company built a solution targeted on what that specific prospect thought was a priority. Their new account reps did not assume what was important but rather asked, probed and quantified the priorities of the prospect.

In this industry, as with any industry today, price is important. However, if the only thing you have to offer is price then the next clown that comes in the door with a lower price will take your customer’s business from you. However, if you have created a solution along with a competitive price, you have higher odds of maintaining that customer long term.

Are you selling a solution or are you selling a commodity? Many sell like they are selling a commodity and lead with price. If you lead with price without understanding the priorities of your prospect, then you have nothing but price to discuss. Whereas, if you really think through and analyze your business proposition; YOUR VALUE ADD, you very well may have a solution. This analysis will create an approach that builds loyalty, protecting your margin and most importantly provides significant value to your customer.

If someone asked you what makes your company’s value proposition unique, can you explain it? If not, get ready to start dealing with price first, last and forever. However, forever may not be that long of a time.

Roger Bostdorff is the President of B2B Sales Boost. He spent over 30 years with IBM in sales and sales management and General Management. B2B Sales Boost is a consulting company helping organizations improve their sales and overall business processes. You can find more about B2B Sales Boost on the web at www.b2bsalesboost.com or calling 419-351-4347. If you would like to receive the B2B Sales Boost Newsletter please send an email to [email protected]

Is Your Company Selling aCommodity Or a Solution??

Sales


The vision of preserving and promoting the history of Elmore, Ohio was the driving force for former mayor Lowell Krumnow to establish the Elmore Historical Society on January 1, 1980. This nonprofit organization has strived and succeeded in restoring historic buildings, engaging in educational programming for the public, and in instituting a museum in its renovated 1870s Train Depot to showcase memorabilia from Elmore’s past.

The Elmore Historical Society has acquired a 1860s log cabin, once belonging to longtime Elmore teacher Mattie Heckman. Step back into history as you learn of the trials and tribulations of early pioneers that settled the Black Swamp. We welcome visitors to tour the cabin during special events, open houses, and by appointment. See glimpses of pioneer life as portrayed by period living historians as they perform everyday tasks and tell stories of Elmore’s heritage. There are often cooking & period chore demonstrations, and children’s games available. Also in December, Santa likes to pay a visit to the cabin to take pictures with area children.

The Train Depot was a busy place in Elmore from the 1870s until the 1950s. This renovated structure holds the waiting room and ticket station/telegraph office as though untouched by time. The museum, holding various displays of Elmore History is located in the freight room of the Depot. The Elmore Railroad Club also holds demonstrations here during festivals or private tours.

Additionally there is a large heated/air

updated Barn facility for Society meetings and events. It is equipped with a full kitchen for festival service, loft displays of historical items, and rental services. Barn rentals are $200 with a $50 nonrefundable deposit. This includes use of kitchen, restrooms, tables, chairs and space.

Each year, members hold community festivals to help raise money for Society preservation projects and at the same time to entertain the public with programming, comradery and food. The Portage River Festival (4th Sunday in June), Grub n Suds Motorcycle Event (September), Tombstone Derby Motorized Casket Races (Saturday before Halloween), and Holiday Kick-Off (1st weekend in December). We have also worked with the Elmore Library to produce a Historic Elmore Ghost Walk this year, as well as several home tours in previous years.

We have also been involved in local oral history video projects, writing publications on Elmore and area histories and attempting to involve our members and the public with speakers, field trips, volunteer opportunities, society parties and other items of interest. Future projects include a History Day Camp for children, Membership Barn Dance and possible Antique Roadshow. Membership is easy!

Individual $5 per yr. Family (up to 4 people) $10per yr. Lifetime $100 (one time fee)

If you are interested in area history and would like to have fun promoting it we would be glad to have you! Call Jen Fording at 419-509-1918 for information or email [email protected]

A new broadband service is soon to be available in the Port Clinton area via two new access towers.

Amplex Internet has obtained space on the Danbury Township water tower, as well as the tower located behind the water treatment plant on Fremont Road.

Braving cold windy conditions, Amplex installers hoisted radio equipment to the top of the Danbury tower, which will allow area residents and businesses to receive Amplex Internet.

Amplex uses the latest in fixed-position

wireless technology to deliver a signal from the access tower to a radio that is mounted on the outside of the home or business.

Amplex has over 50 access towers throughout Northwest Ohio that include such locations as grain elevators, water towers and standalone structures. Amplex coverage area includes Bowling Green, oak Harbor, Fremont, Waterville and many surrounding locations.

The two new access points should be completed and operational by the end of November.

Elmore Historical Society

New InternetProvider Coming to Area


Dennis K. Gallant, CPASr. Tax Manager- Barnes Wendling CPAs LLC

As the calendar shows the holiday season is nearly upon us, the question most frequently asked is “What tax saving opportunities are available?” This question is a little harder to answer this year than in recent years as there are items that were available in prior years that are no longer available and there have not been any extenders or modifications to those items as of now.

One caveat to this article, which is being written in mid-November, is that should there be some legislation passed in the upcoming weeks, this article, much like a Seinfeld episode “may be a show (article) about nothing.”

At this point, tax planning may consist more of planning for the impact created by opportunities that are no longer available as opposed to some new credits or deductions. The end result may be a higher tax bill in 2014 than 2013 with a similar or even slightly lower income in 2014 when compared to 2013.

For instance many business owners at this time of the year look to make fixed asset purchases of equipment or vehicles and elect under Section 179 to write-off the entire cost of the item. In recent years, the limit was up to $500,000 on purchases and there was also Section 168 bonus depreciation of 50% of the acquisition price if Sec. 179 depreciation was not taken, allowing many taxpayers to write off a significant portion, if not all, of their capital investment. In 2014, the Sec. 179 depreciation allowance is $25,000 and the Sec. 168 bonus depreciation is no longer an available option, so business owners may want to weigh the timing of fixed asset acquisitions against the tax benefit to be realized.

Among the other business tax provisions that expired at the end of 2013:

• Tax credit for research and development expenses

• Work opportunity tax credit• 15 year straight line cost recovery for

qualified leasehold improvements

While there are other provisions, these were more of the commonly applied tax

saving opportunities. The expectation remains that legislation will be passed to address some of the expiring provisions, but the plan for now should be to move ahead without them until told otherwise.

As for individuals, the following more commonly utilized provisions also expired at the end of 2013:

• Above the line deduction for certain expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers

• Deduction for state and local sales taxes

• Credit for health insurance costs of eligible individuals

• Tax-free distributions from Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA’s) for charitable purposes

• Credit for energy efficient appliances

So, after telling you what is no longer available, is the only tax planning, planning for a higher tax bill? No not necessarily, despite what has been written above, 2014 arguably more so than recent years, is the perfect opportunity to take the remaining weeks to review your business or individual tax situation and put in a plan that allows for flexibility if in the event legislation is passed, but also addresses the reality that some opportunities in recent years may not be available and help quantify what the impact on tax due may be.

Options for business owners to consider would include looking at retirement plan options and consider funding options if a plan is in place or look at plan options to implement. Retirement plans can be a useful tax savings tool as well as a benefit for employees. Also, depending on the type of plan in place, funding may not have to occur before year-end but rather in 2015, giving some cash flow flexibility to business owners. Business owners may also want to look closer at their business operations and see if the broad definition of research and experimentation applies to any portion of their business in the event the credit is extended or if the credit for prior years can be claimed on an amended return and recapture some tax dollars previously paid. The same thought process may also apply to a cost segregation study if a commercial building was recently constructed or remodeled. There may be costs being written off over the building’s depreciable life of 39 years but is available to be written off over shorter lives, thus allowing for a catch-up provision of

depreciation expense in the year the study is completed.

With pass-through entities (S-Corporations, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies) being more common place, tax planning needs to be coordinated between the impact at the business level as well as the impact at the individual level of the owner or partner. Additionally those business owners (as well as individuals in general) can look to offset income on their personal return by:

• Fully paying 2014 state and local income taxes

• Prepaying real estate tax or mortgage payments to increase the mortgage interest deduction

• Accelerate charitable donations or donate non-cash item that might have an appreciated value

• It also should be noted that many states (Ohio included) had provisions in prior years that capped the amount of Sec. 179 and Sec. 168 depreciation taken in a single year at limits much lower than the federal amount

allowed and had taxpayers write-off over the next five years at 20% of the cost per year disallowed in the year of acquisition. In other words, there may be deductions against state income from prior year depreciation that can be added to the current year amount.

Any and all of the strategies above should be reviewed with your tax advisor and other applicable consultants in order to implement an optimal strategy. Business owners will want to make sure that deadlines are met, cash flow is properly managed and if any loan covenants are in place, no violations of those covenants occur. Individuals will also want to review implementation of various strategies as to not create issues with alternative minimum tax or also be aware of a possible net investment income tax if certain income thresholds are met.

Best wishes as you navigate through these uncertain times.

[email protected] Phone: 419-626-3627

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*Financial assistance is offered through Veterans’ Administration, PASSPORT and Ottawa County Senior Levy.

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You worked hard this year, so you deserve something that will help you stay fit next year. Treat yourselfthis holiday season.

The Schedel Arboretum & Gardens located in Elmore, Ohio is a 17 acre estate located on the banks of the Portage River and boasts of more than 100 beds including rare and unusual species of trees, shrubs and some 13,000 annual plants each season. The former estate of Joseph and Marie Schedel, the grounds includes an 1800’s manor house, summer cottage and 2 lakes all lovingly cared for amidst the immaculately manicured grounds.

This “hidden gem” in northwest Ohio increased its position both in terms of the number of visitors, members and revenue in 2014. The SA&G is an operation of the Joseph J. & Marie P. Schedel Foundation, a public non-profit foundation. “The Schedel’s had no children and established the foundation in 1968 – years before either of their passing. It was their desire that their life’s work here be opened to the public as a place for the appreciation and study of nature,” said Rod Noble the executive director.

Earlier this month Mr. Noble observed that, with the busy lifestyles of people in the 21st Century, a lot of what nature means in our lives is being forgotten, or at least neglected. This is particularly true with our children, who seem to rely more on electronics for learning and entertainment than either visceral or hands on experiences. “Our mission is to help ensure that nature and the delicate balance between us and its wonders remain a poignant part of our life’s experiences,” he stated. Two new projects were in 2014 to further enhance that mission.

Thanks to a generous donation from its benefactor, the Leo Pelka Bonsai Shelter was increased in size by approximately 50% and a variety of

new specimens were acquired. The SA&G has probably the most extensive bonsai collection in the area housing more than 100 specimens, the oldest of which is 65 years.

The other project that was completed in the spring was the raised bed vegetable garden demonstration. The SA&G has long been home to a beautifully maintained and extensive vegetable garden planted and tended each year by former SA&G director Dr. Reg Noble -- Rod Noble’s father. “The raised beds have helped create a better environment that should allow us to have an even more spectacular display of seasonal vegetables.”

Fundraising events are very popular and 2015 bodes to be the best ever. Great Gardens & ‘S’Wine - A PIg Roast is scheduled for July 10 and the 12th annual Hidden Garden Party gala is September 13. Last year’s wildly popular WoodsStock Music & Arts Festival is receiving a makeover for year 2 and will kickoff for 2 days on August 1. The event has been retitled, “Schedello! Fine Arts & Music Festival.” Admission to the fine arts show, featuring nearly 100 artists is free. Patrons may enjoy a variety of live music, eclectic food offerings, family activities and more for a $20 donation.

The SA&G is also a popular venue for outdoor events including weddings, receptions and church services. The gardens are open seasonally from April 1 through October 31 – limited hours in April. Normal hours beginning May 1 are Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 – 4:00 and Sunday from Noon to 4:00. For more information visit www.schedel-gardens.org or phone (419) 862-3182.

Schedel: An “Oasis” in Ottawa County?


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Our Specialty Is Therapy!ADVANCED HEALTH provides a wide range of out-patient physical, occupational & speech therapy services at substantially lower costs. (Adults & Pediatrics).

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Focus on the Five Counties

Estatewww.ncbj.net North Coast Business Journal December 2014 15

Douglas GildenmeisterSenior Vice President, InvestmentsRaymond James

You may be familiar with the rules for putting money into a 401(k) plan. But are you familiar with the rules for taking your money out? Federal law limits the withdrawal options that a 401(k) plan can offer. But a 401(k) plan may offer fewer withdrawal options than the law allows, and may even provide that you can’t take any money out at all until you leave employment. However, many 401(k) plans are more flexible.

First, consider a plan loanMany 401(k) plans allow you to borrow money from your

own account. A loan may be attractive if you don’t qualify for a withdrawal, or you don’t want to incur the taxes and penalties that may apply to a withdrawal, or you don’t want to permanently deplete your retirement assets. (Also, you must take any available loans from all plans maintained by your employer before you’re even eligible to withdraw your own pretax or Roth contributions from a 401(k) plan because of hardship.)

In general, you can borrow up to one half of your vested account balance (including your contributions, your employer’s contributions, and earnings), but not more than $50,000.

You can borrow the funds for up to five years (longer if the loan is to purchase your principal residence). In most cases you repay the loan through payroll deduction, with principal and interest flowing back into your account. But keep in mind that when you borrow, the unpaid principal of your loan is no longer in your 401(k) account working for you.

Withdrawing your own contributionsIf you’ve made after-tax (non-Roth) contributions, your

401(k) plan can let you withdraw those dollars (and any investment earnings on them) for any reason, at any time. You can withdraw your pretax and Roth contributions (that is, your “elective deferrals”), however, only for one of the following reasons—and again, only if your plan specifically allows the withdrawal:

• You attain age 59½• You become disabled• The distribution is a “qualified reservist distribution”• You incur a hardship (i.e., a “hardship withdrawal”)

Hardship withdrawals are allowed only if you have an immediate and heavy financial need, and only up to the amount necessary to meet that need. In most plans, you must require the money to:

Purchase your principal residence, or repair your principal residence damaged by an unexpected event (e.g., a hurricane)

• Prevent eviction or foreclosure• Pay medical bills for yourself, your spouse, children,

dependents, or plan beneficiary• Pay certain funeral expenses for your parents, spouse,

children, dependents, or plan beneficiary• Pay certain education expenses for yourself, your

spouse, children, dependents, or plan beneficiary• Pay income tax and/or penalties due on the hardship

withdrawal itself

Investment earnings aren’t available for hardship withdrawal, except for certain pre-1989 grandfathered amounts.

But there are some disadvantages to hardship withdrawals, in addition to the tax consequences described below. You can’t take a hardship withdrawal at all until you’ve first withdrawn all other funds, and taken all nontaxable plan loans, available to you under all retirement plans maintained by your employer. And, in most 401(k) plans, your employer must suspend your participation in the plan for at least six months after the withdrawal, meaning you could lose valuable employer matching contributions. And hardship withdrawals can’t be rolled over. So think carefully before making a hardship withdrawal.

Withdrawing employer contributionsGetting employer dollars out of a 401(k) plan can be even

more challenging. While some plans won’t let you withdraw employer contributions at all before you terminate employment, other plans are more flexible, and let you withdraw at least some vested employer contributions before then. “Vested” means that you own the contributions and they can’t be forfeited for any reason. In general, a 401(k) plan can allow you to withdraw vested company matching and profit-sharing contributions if:

• You become disabled• You incur a hardship (your employer has some discretion

in how hardship is defined for this purpose)• You attain a specified age (for example, 59½)• You participate in the plan for at least five years, or• The employer contribution has been in the account for a

specified period of time (generally at least two years)

TaxationYour own pretax contributions, company contributions,

and investment earnings are subject to income tax when you withdraw them from the plan. If you’ve made any after-tax contributions, they’ll be nontaxable when withdrawn. Each withdrawal you make is deemed to carry out a pro-rata portion of taxable and any nontaxable dollars.

Your Roth contributions, and investment earnings on them, are taxed separately: if your distribution is “qualified,” then your withdrawal will be entirely free from federal income taxes. If your withdrawal is “nonqualified,” then each withdrawal will be deemed to carry out a pro-rata amount of your nontaxable Roth contributions and taxable investment earnings. A distribution is qualified if you satisfy a five-year holding period, and your distribution is made either after you’ve reached age 59½, or after you’ve become disabled. The five-year period begins on the first day of the first calendar year you make your first Roth 401(k) contribution to the plan.

The taxable portion of your distribution may be subject to a 10% premature distribution tax, in addition to any income tax due, unless an exception applies. Exceptions to the penalty include distributions after age 59½, distributions on account of disability, qualified reservist distributions, and distributions to pay medical expenses.

Special rules apply to the withdrawal of qualified matching contributions (QMACs) and qualified non-elective contributions (QNECs), which are special employer contributions made to help meet 401(k) plan nondiscrimination requirements. These contributions are generally subject to the same withdrawal restrictions that apply to your own elective deferrals, but are not available for hardship withdrawal. When considering a rollover, to either an IRA or

to another employer’s retirement plan, you should consider carefully the investment options, fees and expenses, services, ability to make penalty-free withdrawals, degree of creditor protection, and distribution requirements associated with each option.

Rollovers and conversions

Rollover of non-Roth funds.If your in-service withdrawal qualifies as an “eligible

rollover distribution,” you can roll over all or part of the withdrawal tax free to a traditional IRA or to another employer’s plan that accepts rollovers. In general, most in-service withdrawals qualify as eligible rollover distributions except for hardship withdrawals and required minimum distributions after age 70½. If your withdrawal qualifies as an eligible rollover distribution, your plan administrator will give you a notice (a “402(f) notice”) explaining the rollover rules, the withholding rules, and other related tax issues. (Your plan administrator will withhold 20% of the taxable portion of your eligible rollover distribution for federal income tax purposes if you don’t directly roll the funds over to another plan or IRA.)

You can also roll over (“convert”) an eligible rollover distribution of non-Roth funds to a Roth IRA. And some 401(k) plans even allow you to make an “in-plan conversion”--that is, you can request an in-service withdrawal of non-Roth funds, and have those dollars transferred into a Roth account within the same 401(k) plan. In either case, you’ll pay income tax on the amount you convert (less any nontaxable after-tax contributions you’ve made).

Rollover of Roth fundsIf you withdraw funds from your Roth 401(k) account, those

dollars can only be rolled over to a Roth IRA, or to another Roth 401(k)/403(b)/457(b) plan that accepts rollovers. (Again, hardship withdrawals can’t be rolled over.) But be sure to understand how a rollover will affect the taxation of future distributions from the IRA or plan. For example, if you roll over a nonqualified distribution from a Roth 401(k) account to a Roth IRA, the Roth IRA five-year holding period will apply when determining if any future distributions from the IRA are tax-free qualified distributions. That is, you won’t get credit for the time those dollars resided in the 401(k) plan.

Be informedYou should become familiar with the terms of your

employer’s 401(k) plan to understand your particular withdrawal rights. A good place to start is the plan’s summary plan description (SPD). Your employer will give you a copy of the SPD within 90 days after you join the plan.

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, Inc., Member New York Stock Exchange/SIPC

In-Service Withdrawals from 401(k) Plans


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As local business owners prepare for the holiday season, they can get a helping hand from the people served by Riverview Industries, Inc.

RvI is a non-profit organization that serves adults who have developmental disabilities at a workshop and art studio on State Route 163 east of Oak Harbor, as well as Common Grounds Café and Catering in the Sutton Center in Port Clinton.

Nichole Velliquette, the manager of Common Grounds, said the employees are already preparing for Christmas parties for local businesses and organizations.

The employees, including four staff members and five individuals who are served by RvI, provide a variety of catering services.

They have served parties ranging in size from intimate gatherings to 150 guests. “We do all kinds,” Velliquette said. Menus

can be found on the website, commongroundspc.com, under the “Click here for Catering” button. “We’ll work with you on the menu,” the manager said. “We’ll make any recipe you like.” Holiday party organizers can choose from buffet-style meals, served meals, and a wide variety of sandwiches, salads and baked goods.

“I just did a couple of omelet bar parties and they went really well,” Velliquette said. The café itself is available for after-hours party rentals.

Gift baskets can include coffees, teas, flavored syrups, gift cards, muffins, scones, travel mugs, c h o c o l a te - c o v e r e d espresso beans and a variety of stocking stuffer items. Business owners can send a basket for one person, or for an entire office. “They can come in and

specify what they want. Whatever they want, we can do.”

The “basket” might not be a basket – Velliquette has found extra-large mugs that also hold the goodies. The baskets – or mugs – can be delivered to a business owner’s special customers, vendors and colleagues.

The café staff are taking orders for Christmas cookies and other baked goods, which can also be delivered to Port Clinton-area businesses.

Velliquette said the main goal of Common Grounds is to help the individuals served by RvI to prepare for work in the wider world. “They get a taste of what real-world jobs are all about,” she said. “They learn a great deal here.”

At RvI’s Imagine Art studio, any of the individuals who work in the workshop can participate. About eight of them have found that it is not only enjoyable, but the best way for them to earn money.

Kami Brough, RvI employee, said they can be paid in three ways – hourly wage, commission on one-of-a-kind works, or royalties on work that has been reproduced such as on coffee mugs or Christmas cards.

This year’s Christmas card features a winter scene of the Log Cabin in Oak Harbor. The cost is $1 per card.

The artists are helping county businesses in their advertising efforts. Beginning the first week of

Riverview Industries – Helping All Year Long

See RVI 19

www.ncbj.net North Coast Business Journal December 2014 17CHAMBER from 4

Aside from all of the wonderful events that our chamber works hard to bring the community each year, we also offer superior business benefits to our members. The biggest savings for our members come from the BWC Group Rating Program and the Anthem Health Insurance Discount program. We also offer the use of our bulk mail permit to members, discounts on many business services, Fed-Ex shipping discounts, special pricing on copy and print, business referrals for members, free seminars, ribbon cuttings, and much much more! For a detailed list or more information about any of our benefits and services please contact us at 419-898-0479 or visit us on the web at www.oakharborohio.net.

As always the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce looks forward to continuing to bring you quality family events throughout the year and promoting this great village in which we live. Below is our schedule of events for 2015:

Friday, January 30, 2015-Annual Chamber DinnerThursday February 12, 2015-Business Over Breakfast-7:30am-9amSaturday, March 28, 2015 - Annual Easter Egg HuntSaturday May 2, 2015-Annual Community Cleanup DayThursday May 14, 2015-Business Over Breakfast- 7:30am-9am Friday & Saturday, June 5 & 6, 2015 – Semi-Annual Garage Sale DaysSaturday, June 27, 2015 – Farmer’s Market at Kraemer ParkThursday, July 3, 2015 – Independence Day Celebration, Mill Street RiverfrontSaturday, July 25, 2015 – Farmer’s Market at Kraemer ParkThursday August 13, 2015-Business Over Breakfast- 7:30am-9am Friday & Saturday, August 21 & 22, 2015 Semi-Annual Garage Sale DaysSaturday, August 22, 2015 – Farmer’s Market at Kraemer ParkSaturday, September 26, 2015 – Farmer’s Market at Kraemer ParkSaturday & Sunday, October 10 & 11 – Annual Apple Festival, Downtown Oak HarborSaturday, October 24, 2015 – Farmer’s Market at Kraemer ParkThursday November 12, 2015-Business Over Breakfast- 7:30am-9am Saturday, December 5, 2015 – Olde Fashioned Christmas Celebration-Portage Fire StationWe look forward to promoting our businesses and our community in 2015 and wish to

thank all of our members and sponsors for their continuing support. Happy Holidays and best wishes for a prosperous New Year from the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce!


Submitted by David R. ZakPresident & CEOSeneca Industrial & Economic Development Corp.

More than $100 million of new investment in the last three years. More than 700 new jobs. And more on the way. Seneca County is in the midst of a resurgence, a swell of positive investment and development that is absolutely supercharging the local economy. In March, our county received a top ten ranking in economic development, ahead of almost 600 similarly sized communities nationally. Unemployment has almost been cut in half since 2011, dropping from 8.7 in October 2011 to 4.6 percent last month. Crime in the county seat of Tiffin has also been cut by 60% and is at historic lows, while the city and county carryovers have increased significantly, providing fiscal stability.

It’s an incredibly exciting time to be here, and the community is buzzing because of the constant stream of good news. At the Seneca Industrial and Economic Development Corp. (SIEDC), we pursue our mission of working with the Seneca Regional Chamber, JobsOhio, and other local, regional, state and federal partners to assist companies with growth and to aggressively pursue transformational economic, downtown, and community development in Tiffin and throughout Seneca County.

First of all, the industrial sector is doing extremely well. This year, two of our cornerstone employers, National Machinery and Webster Industries, announced significant projects. Cold-forming equipment leader National Machinery just celebrated their 140th anniversary, invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in renovation, and announced a $6.5 million expansion, bringing their three-year total to more than $20 million. Just this month, industrial chain giant Webster made public their $8.2 million expansion. These two projects alone will add almost 100 new jobs, and we expect more announcements yet this year.

In Fostoria, on the county’s west side, a $10 million investment was made in a distribution facility. Tiffin Metal Products won additional government contracts, National Machinery won technology awards, and American Fine Sinter purchased additional land in the Eagle Rock Industrial Park for a future possible expansion. Atlas Industries, Mennel Milling, Taiho Corporation, and Heitsche Trucking all made additional investments. At SIEDC, we’re also in the

process of certifying our industrial sites at the Eagle Rock Business Park through Austin Consulting to prepare for more industrial growth.

In 2014, our schools and university campuses also finished major investments, as they continue to grow. This month, liberal arts leader Heidelberg University dedicated their $5.1 million Hoernemann Stadium and Fox Den Alumni Center. Last month Tiffin City Schools, Calvert Catholic Schools, and Tiffin University dedicated the new $1.4 million Frost-Kalnow Stadium. Tiffin University also finished construction of the new Murphy Academic Support Center as well as the Italian-American Memorial, which celebrates Tiffin’s historic “Little Italy.” On Tiffin University’s campus, Sabaidee Coffee House opened next to Rosie’s Soup n Such, providing students and residents a great place to meet, study or grab a cup of coffee or tea to go. Tiffin City Schools also made significant building upgrades.

Healthcare is also expanding throughout Seneca County. A groundbreaking was held for the new $9 million Tiffin Rehabilitation Center and Sojourn at Seneca facility on the Mercy Tiffin Hospital Campus. ProMedica’s Fostoria Community Hospital announced a new $1 million dialysis center in the Graystone Medical Building. Mercy Tiffin added rehabilitation as a new service line, transferring it from Optima Rehabilitation Service, and added a new cardiologist practice as well. And in downtown Tiffin, Vicek Orthodontics announced the purchase of a vacant 6,800 building, with the intention of renovating it and relocating their practice there in early 2015.

Commercial development has continued at a very rapid pace. The Marion-based Mastro Group also announced their intention to build a new $1.2 million “stadia”-style Buffalo Wild Wings in Tiffin, with the specific location yet to be determined.

Pat Catan’s opened up their new craft superstore at the Westgate Shopping Center. The Baumann Auto Group held an open house to showcase their $1.6 million expansion. JEM Network Consulting purchased and renovated a vacant building, and invited Precision Auto Technologies and a new HVAC company to join them. Primitive Crossroads Craft Barn opened a new, large retail store, and The Allen Eiry Center cut the ribbon on their building’s expansion. Ag Credit opened their new Tiffin location, and Impact Credit Union began construction on theirs. Superior Auto and Fitch’s Auto Repair opened, and O’Reilly Auto Parts selected their site and is now is in construction. Development continues on the new Dunkin’ Donuts and Mickey Mart store, which plans to open in the first or second quarter of next year.

Not to be outdone, downtown Tiffin is bristling with business activity. The Beehive Café, a new local �farm-to-table� restaurant opened up at the Laird Arcade, and Phoebe�s at 138 was revamped as a new �from scratch� vegetarian dining option, with monthly cooking classes. Burrito Loko continues construction on their new Mexican restaurant, with

plans to open yet this year. Ohio Hydroponics, Smith Systems, Fraser Clemens Martin & Miller, Gem Yoga & Life Enrichment, and Z Pulse fitness studio have also hung their shingles in the downtown, and the local design firm MLAD opened “The Paper Store,” a retail shop with specialty paper products. The Residences at 145 in the Gold Bond Building renovated their downtown apartments, and Burns Electric celebrated their 50th anniversary. The new downtown Façade Enhancement Program launched and eight projects have been approved or will soon be underway, representing more than $100,000 in building exterior improvements in the town’s core. The City of Tiffin also approved $120,000 for a downtown strategic plan update and new master plan, and Tiffin Tomorrow, the downtown revitalization organization created in 2010, officially became part of SIEDC this year. In June, we hired a new Downtown Development Coordinator, Amy Reinhart, and we became a Main Street Affiliate with Heritage Ohio.

From our vantage point, although the weather seems to be cooling off, the economy continues to be seriously heating up. And this community will do everything it can to keep stoking the fire.

The Seneca County ResurgenceEditor’s note: Sadly, our production date and the arrival of this article did not coincide for the November “Focus on Tiffin and Seneca County” issue. But good news a little late is better than no good news at all.

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Submitted byGUY L. PARMIGIAN, SuperintendentBenton-Carroll-Salem Local School District

R.C. Waters Elementary School in Oak Harbor was named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Duncan recognized only 337 schools in the United States for this prestigious honor, with only fifteen of those schools in Ohio. Secretary Duncan commented, “National Blue Ribbon Schools are models of consistent excellence and a resource for other schools and districts. We celebrate them for their tireless effort and boundless creativity in reaching and teaching every student.”

The U.S. Department of Education invited National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in every state and territory. A total of 420 schools nationwide were eligible to be nominated.

According to the U.S. Department of Education’s website, The National Blue Ribbon School Program was the brainchild of the second Secretary of Education, Terrel H. Bell, named by President Reagan. Best known for commissioning the study of American education that resulted in A Nation at Risk, Bell created the National Blue Ribbon Schools Award in

1982 to bring public attention to the best schools in the United States and to facilitate communication and sharing of best practices within and among schools.

While the schools recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools are diverse, they do share some common characteristics. The Department of Education cites: “Their leaders not only articulate a vision of excellence and hold everyone to high standards, they stay close to the real action of teaching and learning. Mutual respect and trust run deep in their cultures. Faculty are supported by mentoring and professional development and have time to coordinate their work. Data from many sources drive adaptations to support every student. Families and educators work together in trust.”

Representatives from R.C. Waters Elementary will travel to Washington, D.C. in November to be recognized and to share ideas at a conference. The Department of Education indicated that National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as an example to other schools and details of their achievements will be shared.

Upon learning of the honor, Mrs. Karen Gruber, Principal of R.C. Waters Elementary School commented, “This accomplishment is a testament to what a caring and dedicated staff can accomplish with children when supported by parents and

community.” B-C-S Superintendent Guy Parmigian commented that he, the Board of Education, and the entire school district community take great pride in this national recognition. Parmigian added that “this prestigious award is an awesome and well-deserved tribute to of the dynamic and student-centered efforts of Mrs. Gruber and the entire staff of R.C. Waters Elementary.”

R.C. Waters Elementary Named a 2014 National Blue Ribbon School

Congressman Bob Latta visited R.C. Waters Elementary to present commendations to the staff.

The Chamber Bright Stars for 2014 were recognized recently at the semi-annual Chamber Leadership meeting and seventh annual Chamber Bright Star Awards presentation of the Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce (NOACC) in the Club Velvet at the Hard Rock Rocksino in Northfield, Ohio.

Over 50 chambers of commerce across northern Ohio nominated a person from their chamber as their “Bright Star,” to recognize a chamber member who has “made a significant impact on the chamber through membership, retention, sponsorship, economic development, operations and/or education.” Each Bright Star is an active chamber member for no less than two years and is likely to be an unsung hero or a dedicated behind-the-scenes volunteer.

Bruce Miller, a longtime agent with State Farm Insurance and the Huron Chamber’s Bright Star 2014, accepted his certificate and trophy from Tony Gallo, NOACC Chairman and President of

the Lorain County Chamber at the presentation. Miller has been a Chamber member since opening his Huron agency in 2005. Past president of the Huron Chamber, he has served on numerous committees and events, and spearheaded a new, successful event for the group, the annual Huron River Art Fest. Since retiring last year, he became president of the Huron Rotary Club and is working on the club’s year-round events.

Huron ChamberStars Recognized

December, visitors to Oak Harbor will see 23 banners throughout the village, featuring paintings of either a bluebird or the log cabin.

The images were created by RvI artists, and were then stenciled on the banners for others to paint. Each banner is sponsored by an area business, the name of which is featured on that banner.

The Imagine Art studio can also supply local business owners with one-of-kind and custom Christmas ornaments for corporate gifts.

For information about the Imagine Art studio, call Kami Brough or Barb Lajti at 567-262-3016. For information about Common Grounds Café and Catering, call Nichole Velliquette at 419-732-3777.

This year’s Riverview Industries, Inc., holiday card features a winter scene of the Oak Harbor Log Cabin. The picture was created by one of the artists who work in RvI’s Imagine Art studio. Cards are available for $1. Call 567-262-3061 for information.

RVI from PAGE 16


Experience the difference! Come see us today.

Locations in Port Clinton,Catawba, Put in Bay, Bellevue, Clyde and Sandusky or visit our website at www.fnblifetime.com.













Ribbon Cutting Held for North Coast CigarPort Clinton, OH – A ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of North

Coast Cigar located at 2364 E. Sand Road was held on October 31. Representatives from the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce congratulated them and thanked them for opening their business in Port Clinton and wished them many years of success.

Ribbon Cutting Held for Port Clinton’s Woody’s Boathouse & Gifts

A ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the official opening of Woody’s Boathouse & Gifts located at 40 N. Christy Chapel Road was held on November 13. Representatives from the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce congratulated them and thanked them for opening their business in Port Clinton and wished them many years of success.

Pictured Left to right: Connie Roberts, Chamber Ambassador; William Moore, Vice-Chair of Chamber Board; Dennis Stacy, owner; Tom Johnson, Chamber Ambassador; Sherrianne Stacy, Owner; Laura Schlachter, Port Clinton Chamber President; John Coppeler, Treasurer of Chamber Board; Brenda Provenzale, Chamber Ambassador.

Ribbon Cutting Held for Perfect Color Hair & TanA ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the 5th anniversary of Perfect Color Hair &

Tan located at 90 N. Madison Street in downtown historic Port Clinton was held on Friday, November 7. Representatives from the Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Port Clinton, and the City of Port Clinton congratulated Roseann Hickman and thanked her for her commitment to our community and wished her many more years of success.


Submitted by: Mark T. Reilly Employment-related lawsuits are a growing concern

for employers of all sizes. In 2012, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported 99,412 charges filed for harassment, and harassment charge receipts filed and resolved were $365.4 million.

As costs for litigation and damage awards climb, experts predict that employment liability will only become more complex. As a result, it is critical for employers to understand their exposures and options to manage the risk.

Strategies to Reduce Your Company’s ExposureTwo effective risk management strategies include

solid human resources practices and Employment Practices Liability (EPL) insurance coverage, a policy used to cover your risk due to the ever-changing legal and employment environment.

The three most common employment-related lawsuits today are:

1. Wrongful termination - the discharge of an employee for invalid reasons

2. Discrimination - the denial of equal treatment of workers who are members of a protected class

3. Sexual Harassment - when a worker is subject to unwelcome sexual advances, obscene or offensive

remarks, or the failure to stop such behavior

Employment practices liability (EPL) insurance works hand-in-hand with your internal employment practices to provide the necessary resources to defend your company against a suit or to pay a claim. To best understand how to cover your EPL risk, it’s important to know the potential sources:

• Recruitment practices;• Employment applications;• Employment offers;• Employee orientation;• Annual conduct reviews;• Enforcing performance policies;• Termination; and • Improper documentation of the above items

To limit your exposure, engaging in solid human resources practices is an important strategy in reducing your company’s liability.

To verify your HR policies and best practices, conduct a thorough HR audit:

• Verify the Employee Handbook outlines all policies and terms of employment in clear and concise language;

• Require employees to sign an acknowledgement form for receipt of Handbook; and

• Develop training for supervisors including interview skills, performance reviews, ‘zero-tolerance’ policy, etc.

Employment law is often complex and varies depending on the jurisdiction. Well-organized and credible documents can demonstrate fair treatment, deter litigation, ensure employee honesty and, should litigation occur, demonstrate the employer’s actions.

In addition to having the appropriate employment

policies and HR best practices in place, EPL insurance coverage is another useful risk management tool used to defend against a suit or pay a claim. In fact, evidence of desirable practices and policies will be required to obtain EPL coverage. Typically, the insurance underwriter will require a copy of your employee handbook, which should cover the following policies:

• Sexual harassment • Discrimination• Equal opportunity• Disabled employees and accommodations• Grievances• Employee discipline• Termination• Performance evaluations• Internet usage/employee privacy • Pregnancy leave• Internal job postings• Hiring and interviewing• Alternative dispute• Resolution/arbitration• Employment-at-will• Employment application form

In addition, you are usually required to provide the most recent annual report or SEC 10-K, the list of entities proposed for the coverage, and most recent EEO-1 reports.

EPL insurance works hand-in-hand with your internal employment practices to provide the necessary resources to defend your company against a suit or to pay a claim.

Diversified Insurance Service can assist you in assessing your employment-related policies, as well as help you to develop best-practice solutions. You can contact them at (800) 848-2788 to learn more about their effective risk management services.

InsuranceEmployment-Related Practices: Are You Prepared?

Law You Can Use: Representative Payees Help Manage Social Security Payments for Others

Q: My neighbor, who receives Supplemental Security Income, can no longer manage her benefits and has asked for help. What can I do?

A: You, or someone your neighbor may suggest, might consider applying to become a “representative payee.” A representative payee is someone who receives Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments on behalf of a person who is not capable of managing the funds on his or her own. If you were to become a representative payee for your neighbor, you would be responsible for making sure her basic needs are met by using the SSI money to provide her with food, clothing and shelter, and by saving any leftover money in an interest-bearing

account or savings bond for your neighbor’s future needs. The Social Security office will work with you to determine if your neighbor needs a payee and who would be best suited to act in that capacity.

Q: If I decide to apply to be my neighbor’s representative payee, what would be required?

A: As your neighbor’s representative payee, you must:

• know your neighbor’s needs so you can decide the best way to meet those needs with the benefits provided;

• be responsible for letting the Social Security Administration know about any changes that may affect your neighbor’s eligibility for benefits or the payment amount; and

• complete a yearly report of how the funds were spent. (You can do this online.)

Q: Where can I get more information?A: To learn more, read A Guide for Representative

Payees, available through www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs. Also, visit the web page titled, “When People Need Help Managing Their Money,” available through www.socialsecurity.gov/payee.

The information for this “Law You Can Use” column was provided by the Social Security Administration. It was prepared by the Ohio State Bar Association. Articles appearing in this column are intended to provide broad, general information about the law. Before applying this information to a specific legal problem, readers are urged to seek advice from an attorney.


C-Suite Tsunami: The Skills That Could Sweep Women to the Top in a Tech-Dominated World

As robots and smart machines take over our workplaces, many employees will be displaced. But while this news will be worrisome for many, Professor Edward D. Hess notes, it could be great for women and may even sweep them into the C-suite.

New York, NY (November 2014)—In 10 to 20 years, the working world as we know it will be practically unrecognizable. A 2013 study published by Carl Frey and Michael Osborne of the University of Oxford shows 66 percent of the nation’s workforce has a medium to high risk of being displaced due to technology advances in coming decades. And while the fast-approaching artificial intelligence (AI) tsunami is frightening for many, it could play a surprisingly positive role for women. Though women currently make up only 14 percent of Fortune 500 executives, Professor Edward D. Hess says that as the role of AI and smart machines grows the need for women in leadership roles, specifically in the C-suite, will grow as well.

“As technology continues to advance and replaces workers—even knowledge workers—in a variety of industries, the value add of people will be whatever they can do better than machines can,” says Hess, a professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business and author of the new book Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization (Columbia University Press, 2014, ISBN: 978-0-231-17024-6, $29.95,www.EDHLTD.com). “In order to be successful, companies will need to understand and nurture the very human capabilities that are at the root of innovation: the ability to ideate, create, emotionally engage, empathize, and learn in conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change. That is the kind of thinking and learning that no machine has yet mastered.”

More important for women, Hess notes, these are areas in which they typically excel.

“Leaders with a humanistic management style will be in high demand,” notes Hess. “High emotional and social intelligence and the ability to relate and emotionally engage with others will be key leadership requirements. It is not surprising that many women generally are better at doing that than men. As a result, women generally may well have a compelling edge in the race to the C-suite.”

In Learn or Die, Hess combines recent advances in neuroscience, psychology, behavioral economics, and education with key research on high-performance businesses to create an actionable blueprint for becoming a leading-edge learning organization. Learn or Die focuses on the kinds of structures, culture, leadership, employee learning behaviors, and human resource policies that are necessary to create an environment that enables critical and innovative thinking, learning conversations, and collaboration.

Read on to learn more about why women are perfectly positioned to rise to the top as technology plays an ever-growing role in the way we do business:

“Woman’s intuition” is real and valuable. Research shows that higher order critical and innovative thinking, which will play an increasingly important role as technology solidifies its place in the nation’s companies, is done best by small, diverse teams. Why? Because as Nobel Laureate Daniel Kahneman stated, individually we have a hard time overcoming our cognitive bias to confirm what we already believe, and it is much easier for us to discern thinking errors made by others than those made by ourselves. Thus, people must work with others in teams with humility, authenticity, and empathy to confront biases, get past their egos, and continually challenge their beliefs.

“Critical to small team performance is collective intelligence,” notes Hess. “A key collective intelligence differentiator is social perceptiveness: team members’ ability to ‘read the mind of others in their eyes.’ Women generally score higher on this skill than men. In fact, Thomas Malone and his colleagues at the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence have found that the most effective small teams have more women members than men and that the more women members, the more effective the team will be.”

Women are more in tune with interpersonal sensitivity. Building learning organizations will require what Hess calls “learning conversations.” For these conversations to be productive and successful, team members will need to suspend judgment, engage in active, reflective listening, and consider the views of others. In other words, empathy and humility will be key, which will require interpersonal sensitivity. In their summary of the research in this area, Judith A. Hall and Marianne Schmid Mast found that the “superior performance of women in tests of interpersonal sensitivity is well documented.”

“Our emotional systems are triggered not only by the actual words someone speaks to us, but also by the emotional messages they transmit,” says Hess. “Researcher Deborah Tannen calls these nonspoken emotional messages ‘metamessages.’ She says she has found that women converse differently than men do, and they are generally more focused on relationships and are often more sensitive to the metamessages of talk. Being in tune to this kind of emotional subtext is going to be an essential leadership skill in coming years.”

Women are often more collaborative and relationship-oriented. Not all women are collaborative and have high emotional and social intelligence, just as not all men are overly competitive and confident. “But whether because of differences in cultural norms and expectations, differences in genetics or brain structure, differences in experience, or a combination thereof,

women generally score higher than men in emotional intelligence and tend to be more relationship-oriented and collaborative,” says Hess. “The powerful work connections that will be needed to build successful learning organizations will derive from relationships that are built by authentically relating to another person, recognizing their uniqueness, and doing so in a respectful way that builds trust. Women generally view collaboration as a relational process—not as a competition to see who is right or who has the best answer. In this area, women’s collaborative and relationship-building abilities will serve them well.”

Women are more capable of inclusive leadership. Hess’s research of the advances over the last 25 years in the fields of neuroscience, psychology, behavioral economics, and education reveals stunning advances in our understanding of the individual human learner and of the type of work environment that best enables and promotes those capabilities. That work environment is a positive emotional environment characterized by trust, psychological safety, candor, intellectual humility, empathy, mindfulness, collaboration, and the mitigation of fear.

“Leaders of collaborative organizations must be able to relate to people on an emotional level,” explains Hess. “They must know how to foster candor and open-mindedness and how to help people confront brutal facts and search for the truth no matter where that search goes. It’s a process of discovery that Edgar Schein of MIT calls ‘humble inquiry.’ And it’s a necessity for companies seeking to incorporate humanistic management styles, an area in which women have an edge, into their cultures.

“Traditional top-down, command-and-control management styles simply will not be right for these environments,” notes Hess. “At Intuit, they refer to this death of the traditional management style as ‘burying Caesar,’” says Hess. “In a November 2012 blog post, President and CEO Brad Smith summed up the change: ‘The modern day Caesar is the boss who gives thumbs up or thumbs down on all decisions. Decisions made by politics, persuasion, and PowerPoint. It’s time to bury Caesar.’ Scott Cook, cofounder of Intuit, and Smith emphasized humility and empathy in their innovation culture and processes.”

“Why will the tech tsunami propel women into more leadership positions?” asks Hess. “Because many women are better at relating, engaging emotionally with others, empathizing, and using conversational learning processes. As this sea change takes place, many men will need to quiet their egos and learn to ‘lean out.’ That said, can men develop some of these capabilities? Of course. Smith and Cook are doing it very successfully at Intuit. But to do so they had to be willing to shift their mindsets and behaviors. It’s a skill set that both women and men should get very comfortable with in years to come.”


IT

By Amanda BerlinIn this article I want to cover what

you and your team can do for your application security. Chances are you don’t write your own software packages, and if you do I’m not sure I can help you much! There are still plenty of measures that you can take to ensure that you’re buying a good product, the products that you currently have are secure, or ways that you can secure applications that you already possess. There are certain sets of application security rules. Some that pertain to web applications, others that pertain to writing secure code and more that are still being worked on and directed. I’ll go over some of them here as well as some software hardening guides for applications.

OWASP otherwise known as the Open Web Application Security Project (http://owasp.org) is one of the largest collaborations of application security practices and guidelines. “Our mission is to make software security visible, so that individuals and organizations worldwide can make informed decisions about true software security risks.” They publish a great guide called the OWASP top 10. Which lists the top ten most common web vulnerabilities and how to go about combating them. If you are looking at getting a web application or hosting one in the cloud, it’s always a good sign if the engineers on the project know about OWASP or have hardened their application to those standards. They cover such a wide area of views on this topic as well. From secure coding practices, to CISO communications and planning initiatives, to local chapter meetings, and some great literature and classes.

Another organization that is near and dear to my heart is called I Am The Cavalry (http://iamthecavalry.org). I currently volunteer for them as well. They are a somewhat newer organization and they are working on building information security frameworks into public infrastructure from the ground up. They are currently focusing mostly on the automotive industry, but are also making headway into healthcare devices, critical infrastructure and other embedded systems. One of the practices that they would like to implement is a guide on secure software purchases. I had originally joined due to the fact that working in healthcare I would see a lot of different software packages and you realize how poorly written and configured the majority of them are. I love the passion that the organizers had and I wanted to help with their initiative.

In a less security conscious environment it would be much easier to look at the bells and whistles of what software can do, and less on what a malicious person could do with it. This isn’t just an anomaly in healthcare software and devices, it affects every industry. When you look at a software package things like price per user, licensing fees, hardware costs, administrative overhead and the like all usually come into play. There is so much more that should be assessed before spending a good part of your budget on software that you might be building your company up with. Here is a good basic list to start with as a checklist for when you are working with your software vendors:

1. The use of Java: Java on workstations is extremely exploitable. The less you have it in your environment the better. Vendors will sometimes not only require it, but require outdated, unsupported versions of it. This is usually a deal breaker for me.

2. Firewall rules: While the local workstation/server software firewall isn’t the end-all-be-all of PC security, it does definitely help. Don’t let the software vendor tell you that you need it turned off. Small exceptions are fine. Find out what port or .exe needs allowed through.

3. Anti-virus: Lots of people in the infosec industry say that anti-virus is dead. There are so many malware and rookits out in the wild that it doesn’t matter. But I believe it does. Security is a process, and processes have lots of moving parts. A/V should not only be installed on all of your endpoints, but it should be running scheduled and live scans as well.

4. Windows Updates: Make sure you know who’s responsibility it is to keep the workstations/servers/appliances up to date. It’s very painful if the software company has a difficult approval process for updates.

Whatever software you have implemented in your organization, chances are there is a good hardening guide out there for it. Particularly vulnerable applications include Wordpress, IIS, Apache, & Exchange (as well as every other mail server platform). If you have any specific questions feel free to reach out to me on twitter @infosystir.

Amanda Berlin is a Network Analyst in the healthcare industry in Northern Ohio. She has recently changed focus to more information security related topics and manages the internal phishing campaign at her company to promote user education about phishing and hacking through an awards based reporting program.

Security Measures on a Budget – Part III

Law You Can Use:

What You Should Know about Social Security and Children

Q: I applied for a Social Security card at the hospital right after my son was born, but when I received his card in the mail, his first name was misspelled. What should I do?

A: Go to your local Social Security office or card center to ask for a corrected card. The Social Security Administration needs to see at least two original documents—one that would prove your child’s U.S. citizenship and one that would prove his identity. The Social Security office also will ask to see proof of your identity, as your son’s parent.

Q: What sorts of documents would I need to

show the Social Security office in order to get my child’s card corrected?

A: You will need to provide a birth certificate or U.S. passport to verify your child’s U.S. citizenship. To

prove your child’s identity, however, you cannot use a birth certificate, since the Social Security Administration needs evidence of the child’s existence after birth. An acceptable document for showing proof of identity must show the child’s name, identifying information and, preferably, a recent photograph. The child must be present unless the picture ID also shows his or her biographical information (such as age, date of birth and parents’ names). Generally, the Social Security office will accept a non-photo identity document if it has enough information to identify the child (such as name and age, date of birth and parents’ names). The office would prefer to see a child’s U.S. passport, but if that document is not available, the office may accept a child’s:

• adoption decree (if relevant);• doctor, clinic, immunization or hospital record;• religious record (such as a baptismal record);• daycare center or school record; or• school identification card.

All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency. The Social Security Administration will not accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents. To learn more, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber, where you can also find out what documents you need. Through the website, you can also fill out and print an application. Then, you will bring or mail the needed information to the Social Security Administration. You may also want to read the publication, Social Security Numbers for Children, available at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs.

Q: My six-year-old daughter has a disability. Can she qualify for Social Security disability benefits?

A: There are two Social Security disability programs that provide benefits for children with disabilities: a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program and a Social Security program.

See LAW 26


Capture the Culture of the SeasonBy: Steven J. KrisfalusyBeringer Group, LLC Sr. Management & Human Capital Consultant

Let me start by saying that I hope everyone is able to spend some quality time with their family over the holiday season. It has been my pleasure to share with you some People / HR related stories and tactics to help your greatest asset – your people.

At this time of the year most people & owners are happy and appreciative. It is in the air; how we talk & act with each other, decorate the office and ourselves – a fun time. What a great time to reflect and give thanks. Many companies have parties, some large, some small or they simply go out with a group to enjoy each other’s company. What a great time of the year! Too bad we can’t capture the moment and paste it into the culture we desire.

What’s stopping you from doing just that? You! Put aside the parties and decorations. Focus on the soft issues that really make this time of year for your people & culture more comfortable. When I say soft issues I am referring to things like: your attitude, the desire to talk and get to know the people you work with beyond work; recognizing the good things people do all year; thanking them and sometimes just being yourself are a few examples of soft issues.

Recreating those soft issues more than once a year and building that into your culture could have a huge impact. It doesn’t have to be as long or as involved but planning with the right intentions are at the core. Doing something like this more often directly impacts people’s motivation which ultimately impacts your bottom line but that is not the priority here.

A good simple exercise is to ask your people to describe the culture and compare that with the other folks input….but don’t stop there. Get into the details. For example, someone might say the culture is friendly. My next question would be “Give me some

examples of what you mean by friendly. Once you know the key elements you can decide if those are things you/everyone should adopt & mimic.

A short story: When I was the CEO of 5 corporations, my executive assistant told me that I dictate everyone’s attitude every morning when I walked in. I never really gave that much thought but decided to test it. I made sure that I left my personal baggage at the door when I walked in and showed enthusiasm every morning for a week or two, even when I didn’t feel enthusiastic. The results were shocking and even measureable. Everyone was happier throughout the day, more laughter while at the same time I noticed an increase in people getting things done. WOW!

By investing a little more time to create the culture you desire will pay big dividends but it won’t just happen on its own – you must capture, mimic and repeat it to truly reap the benefits. It has and can be done and now that you know – what’s stopping you?

Happy Holidays!

Human Resources


By Christopher S. McIntireInvestment Advisor Representative

Happy holiday to all of our readers! It’s hard to believe that soon it will be 2015 which leads me to give you some thoughts and ideas to consider before the calendar flips over. We will see a change in balance of power in the US Senate as a result of November’s election and I certainly am not going to predict what the politicians are going to do. Hopefully they do take on some of our more pressing issues such as the long term funding Social Security and Medicare.

Back to 2014, first of all it is a good time of year to consider whether or not to convert a portion of your traditional IRA’s to Roth IRA’s. As a basic rule, anyone can convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA but not everyone can contribute to a Roth. I know it sounds confusing -- just try to remember that last statement for a potential 2014 planning thought. To be more specific, depending upon which income tax bracket you are in there may be advantages to moving money from a taxable account to a tax free account. What is

the best income tax rate to pay…zero is of course! That’s a Roth IRA. Let’s say you and your spouse are in a 15% income tax bracket ($18,151-$73,850) not including the standard deduction, $12,400, or personal exemptions, 2 @ $3950. That’s another $20,000 off your income for tax purposes. If you are already in the 15% tax bracket, perhaps it makes sense to “max out” that bracket as many people, including myself, feel that is a fair rate to pay to move taxable money to tax free money…aka the Roth IRA.

What you'll need to pay attention to is whether or not you are already drawing Social Security, as Traditional IRA withdrawals may cause you to pay tax on a portion of your Social Security. Another consideration is the "five year" rule for Roth IRA's. There is a five year holding rule when converting to a Roth IRA (exceptions may apply depending upon age), so I would advise you to not plan to use that money for five years. You do not have to be 59½ to convert from a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA as both are under the IRA type of plan. You simply have to pay the tax on the conversion amount. It is advisable to not use IRA money to pay the taxes, if at all possible, because taxation is what we are trying to help you minimize so use after tax money.

Another IRA piece of information is what is called the "Qualified Charitable Distribution" or QCD. This has been a wonderful way for people over 70 ½ to pay a qualified charity money directly from their IRA and avoid any tax due on the withdrawal and satisfy their Required Minimum Distributions, RMD’s. At present the legislation hasn’t been approved for 2014 distributions, yet. Now that the election is over and the politicians try to get some important legislation passed before year end, we may see this QCD get tagged on to a bill working its way through Congress. If you haven’t taken your RMD’s for the year you still have a few more weeks to see if this comes to fruition sooner rather than later.

It’s been a real pleasure for me to add some thoughts and ideas with the other professionals in the North Coast Business Journal and I want to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season!

Investment advice is offered by Horter Investment

Management, LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Insurance and annuity products are sold separately through McIntire Retirement Services, LLC Securities transactions for Horter Investment Management clients are placed through Pershing Advisor Solutions, Trust Company of America, Jefferson National Monument Advisor, Fidelity, Security Benefit Life, FC Stone and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Year End Thoughts for InvestorsRetirement Planning

Law You Can Use:

Divorce: What’s in a Name?Q: My soon-to-be ex-wife and I jointly owned our

house. Can I put the title into my name alone when we get divorced?

A: A deed identifies the title, or ownership interest, in your house. When people divorce or dissolve their marriage, usually the property is allocated to one party, or it is sold and the proceeds are divided. If you are the person who “receives” the property, then the title will be conveyed from joint ownership (you and your wife), to single ownership (you or your wife) through a quitclaim deed. You would file this transfer of property at the county recorder’s office (sometimes called a “fiscal office”). There are no tax implications related to this property transfer.

Q: I didn’t change my name at the time of the divorce but now I would like to. How can I do that?

A: In Ohio, the probate court usually has primary jurisdiction over the changing of individual’s last names. However, in the case of divorce or dissolution, a person is allowed to go back to using a former name (and only a former name) during the divorce or dissolution process. If, as in your case, you didn’t change your name at the time of the final hearing,

then you must file a petition for a name change with the appropriate probate court. If you file a petition for a name change after the divorce/dissolution process, then you are not limited to returning to a former name; you can use any name you choose.

Q: How do I get off the mortgage to my house?A: Mortgage liability is completely separate and

apart from the ownership interest in real estate. Conveying a property’s title can easily be completed through a quitclaim deed. Releasing a former spouse from a mortgage liability can only be done if that mortgage is satisfied. This means that the property must be sold and the balance of the mortgage paid from the proceeds, or one of the former spouses must refinance the mortgage. Refinancing a mortgage is another way of saying, “Pay-off that mortgage with this one!” Refinancing (just like acquiring any loan) usually requires a down-payment, collateral and monthly payments.

Q: My wife’s name is on the title to my car. How do I put the car back into my name alone once we’re divorced?

A: It is very simple to transfer a title to an automobile, boat, airplane, RV or ATV. If your wife agrees to transfer the title of the car into your name alone, she will simply “execute” (write and sign) a

statement on the back of the original title saying that she is transferring her ownership interest in the car to you. Since you are the one receiving her ownership interest in the car, then it will be your responsibility to register the title with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Q: I’d like to protect my name and my privacy. Is there a way I can “seal” my records so that other people can’t see my divorce settlement?

A: Generally, civil courts in Ohio are open and public forums, so most proceedings and filings in a courthouse are available to the public. In rare circumstances, a person may ask that a portion or all of a case’s records be placed under “seal” and not be included as part of the public record. To make such a request, you must petition the domestic relations court, and state specifically why your case or file requires confidentiality. The court considers these requests on a case-by-case basis.

This “Law You Can Use” article was provided by the Ohio State Bar Association. It was prepared by Cleveland attorney Manav (Manu) H. Raj, Esq. of Rieth Antonelli & Raj. Articles appearing in this column are intended to provide broad, general information about the law. Before applying this information to a specific legal problem, readers are urged to seek advice from an attorney.


By Jeff RothThe time may come when the

skilled nursing facility is the best solution for the proper care of your parents. At this point, you are deciding your parent’s future and where they will live. Here are some talking points and things to consider if that day comes. This will be a two part series.

WHEN. Many families wait too long to get the skilled nursing help that is needed. Love is making the right decisions and getting the professional care that is needed for the parent.

PATIENTS. Do not be shocked if you see patients a lot sicker then your mom or dad. You may also see those with mental disabilities. Your parent will have his or her own space and a professional staff will know how to allow all patients to live together with minimal conflict between patients. If your parent will have a roommate ask early on who makes that decision and what are the options if it does not work out. That can be ever changing and you need to know your rights relating to who occupies that room with your loved one.

INSPECTIONS. You should visit more than one home. Even if the home is not in the immediate area, use it for comparison. Much can be learned by comparing the facility, the staff and the care. You should visit each facility at least three times.

a. During the day. Talk to the Administrator, the Director of Nursing and social worker. Look at the attention given to the patient and how the employees work together. Are the staff members interacting with residents or talking over residents’ heads to each other?

b. Meal time. Observe interaction between servers and patients. Pay particular attention to residents who need encouragement with meals, are they receiving it.

c. Weekends. Is the skeleton staff on the week end sufficient to provide the necessary attention? Are patients forgotten over the weekend?

DOCTORS. Will the family doctor go to the home? Most will not. That is not unusual. Determine the doctor in charge and who can and will provide the necessary care. If your parent can travel, is there good transportation provided. You may have no choice but to change doctors. Remember, a physician contracted by the home is equally qualified.

Remember, every family will have an opinion of each home. You must form your own opinion. Also, if it turns out to be the wrong decision, move your parent. The cost may not be covered by Medicare but that is a small price to pay for the best care and piece of mind for you and your parent.

Credit is given to Christine J. Wilson Esq. and Ruth Phelps, CELA for their information on skilled nursing facilities.

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. Roth’s 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 [email protected] (telephone: 419-732-9994) copyright Jeffrey P. Roth 2014.

LegalPOSSIBLE SKILLED NURSING CARE

Two area individuals were inducted into EHOVE Career Center’s Gallery of Success this year: Craig Walters of Norwalk and Joshua Walters of Sandusky. Gallery of Success inductees are EHOVE alumni selected on how they have excelled in their career field, started or expanded their own company, and/or taken an active role to make our world a better place to live.

Walters and Fox were honored recently during

the Fall Advisory gathering, an event where area professionals meet to discuss the skills that

students are learning, tools they’re using, connections they’re making and more in each career field.

During the ceremony, Superintendent Sharon Mastroianni said, “We are here to recognize your work, your professional and personal accomplishments and your commitment to making a difference at work and in your community. Your family, friends and educators are proud of you. Thank you for allowing EHOVE to be a part of your life.”

Gallery of Success Inductees Joshua Fox (left) and Craig Walters (right) with EHOVE Superintendent Sharon Mastroianni

EHOVE Gallery of Success Inductees 2014 Under the SSI program, a child from birth to age 18 may receive monthly payments based on disability, including blindness, if:

• the child has an impairment or combination of impairments that meets the definition of “disability” for children; and

• the income and resources of the parents and the child are within the allowed limits.

Under the Social Security program, an adult child who is age 18 or older may receive monthly benefits based on disability, including blindness, if:

• the adult child has an impairment or combination of impairments that meet the definition of disability for adults;

• the disability began before age 22; and • the adult child’s parent worked long enough to be

insured under Social Security and is receiving retirement or disability benefits, or is deceased.

Under both of these programs, the child or adult child must not be doing any substantial work, and must have a medical condition that has lasted or is expected to last for at least 12 months, or to result in death. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability.

The information for this “Law You Can Use” column was provided by the Social Security Administration. It was prepared by the Ohio State Bar Association. Articles appearing in this column are intended to provide broad, general information about the law. Before applying this information to a specific legal problem, readers are urged to seek advice from an attorney.

LAW from 23


The Learning Curve: Your Company’s Only Sustainable Competitive Advantage and How to Develop It

Old-school competitive advantages that depend on all-knowing leaders and better mousetraps are dead. In today’s competitive, rapidly evolving global marketplace, says Professor Edward D. Hess, the only way to develop and sustain a competitive advantage is to create a “learning organization.” Here, Hess explains what that means and shares four key points to keep in mind as your company makes the transition.

Like all business leaders, you know that your organization’s survival and success depend on maintaining a competitive advantage. So you’re constantly focused on reaching more of your target market, making your product that much better, and expanding your services.

Those are great strategies to drive your goals…if you have a time machine and are doing business in the previous century. But today? Technology has reduced the capital needed to start and build businesses, reducing an historical barrier to entering the marketplace. And new competitors can reach your customers from thousands of miles away. Technology has also given customers tremendous power in comparison shopping your product and telling the world how happy or unhappy they are with your product or service. That doesn’t bode well for the staying power of the better mousetrap you’ve just built (or for the lifespan of your company, or for your job security). Standing still is a losing strategy in many cases.

“To stay relevant, companies can no longer rely on traditional competitive advantages like location, capital, lack of choices for customers, and lack of market transparency; instead, they must transform themselves into ‘learning organizations,’” says Edward D. Hess, author of the new book Learn or Die: Using Science to Build a Leading-Edge Learning Organization (Columbia University Press, 2014, ISBN: 978-0-231-17024-6, $29.95, www.EDHLTD.com). “Today’s technological and marketplace developments necessitate faster adaptation, and adaptation requires institutional learning processes such as critical and innovative thinking, critical conversations, and experimentation.”

In other words, the only way to sustain a competitive advantage is to make sure your people have the tools, motivation, and support to learn better and faster than your competitors. In his new book, which is packed with research and case studies, Hess shares his detailed formula for building what he calls a High-Performance Learning Organization (HPLO). Here, he spotlights four key points to keep in mind when building a learning culture:

Leadership must shift toward “coaching-ship.” Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that command-and-control structures with Theory X leaders, who think management’s job is to use rewards and punishment to direct, motivate, control, and even modify employees’ behavior in order to get organizational results, are on their way out. If we want adaptable learning organizations, we need to humanize our management models, and that requires many leaders and companies to fundamentally change their attitudes and behaviors toward employees.

Personal and intellectual humility, empathy, emotional intelligence, and self-management are required leadership capabilities within HPLOs, because these qualities nurture the very human capabilities that are at the root of adaptation and innovation: the ability to ideate, create, emotionally engage, and learn in conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity, and rapid change.

“Instead of ‘knowing and telling,’ which can cause progress-limiting dependence, leaders should work with employees as coaches, or even allow them to experiment on their own,” Hess instructs. “I recommend following Intuit’s example by consciously choosing to bury the ‘modern-day Caesar’—the kind of boss who gives thumbs up or down on all decisions. In India, this policy allowed young Intuit innovators to conduct an experiment on helping farmers get the best price for their products—even though management initially wasn’t interested in the idea. The result: 1.6 million Indian farmers now use the successful program these innovators developed.”

Your work environment must be an emotionally positive one. Positive emotional work environments are no longer negotiable. They’re a requirement. Positive emotions are associated with openness to new ideas, better problem solving, openness to disconfirming information, less rigid thinking, resilience, creativity, collaboration, better recall of neutral or positive stimuli, and mitigation of ego defenses. (Negative emotions inhibit all of these things.) So a positive emotional state is essential to developing employees who are motivated, productive learners.

“If you still feel that building a positive workplace environment is too ‘soft’ to suck up your organization’s limited time and energy, consider that none other than the U.S. Army has recently begun an initiative to promote positive psychology,” Hess says. “The training includes learning about emotions and their effects on the body and mind, learning how to manage emotions, reducing the frequency of negative emotions, and increasing the frequency of positive emotions. It’s directed toward producing soldiers and leaders who can adapt to new and challenging situations and uncertainty—that is, learn.

“Your people may not be tested on a literal battlefield, but these skills will still be crucial in helping you maintain a competitive advantage as your organization navigates the cutthroat landscape of the global marketplace,” he adds.

High employee emotional engagement is a necessity. It stands to reason that if employees don’t have an emotional investment in your company and their futures in it, they won’t be motivated to learn. But how do you transform “engagement” from a meaningless buzzword to a reality? Hess says the research of Edward L. Deci and Richard M. Ryan and their Self-Determination Theory shows us it comes down to meeting employees’ needs for autonomy, effectiveness, and relatedness. And these needs are most likely to be met when individuals feel respected, trusted, and cared for, and feel that they can trust the organization and its leaders.

“These concepts are easiest to understand when you look at them in action, and UPS is one of the best examples out there for operationalizing emotional

engagement,” Hess shares. “Founder Jim Casey viewed employees as partners, and maintaining his values over the decades has led to policies that are employee-centric and hold management mutually accountable to employees: an egalitarian ‘open door’ policy for employee input, an employee ‘free agent’ program that allows any UPS employee to move anywhere in the company and advance, mentorship and training programs, and more. As a result, UPS has maintained a high retention rate and built a deep bench of long-tenured, adaptive employees.”

Employees need permission to TRY and FAIL. Abraham Maslow aptly stated that an individual would engage in learning only “to the extent he is not crippled by fear, [and] to the extent he feels safe enough to dare.” Building that type of environment requires many companies to adopt different mindsets about “mistakes” and about what “being smart” means. Learning is not an efficient 99 percent defect-free process (far from it), so mistakes have to be valued as learning opportunities. Employees must be given conditional permission to fail within proscribed financial tolerances, with the knowledge that they won’t be punished for their mistakes so long as they learn.

“Some companies are already on this journey,” comments Hess. “Bridgewater Associates, the biggest and one of the most successful hedge funds in the world, is passionate about the power of mistakes. Bridgewater actually encourages employees to get excited about their mistakes because each error that employees learn from will save them time, energy, and stress (and the company money) in the future. Employees are instructed not to feel bad about their mistakes or failed experiments, or those of others. Acknowledging mistakes, confronting weaknesses, and testing assumptions, the company believes, is a reliable strategy for long-term success.

“Another company that puts the permission-to-try-and-fail principle into action is W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc., which is known for manufacturing innovative products like GORE-TEX® fabric,” Hess adds. “All associates are encouraged to experiment using the ‘Waterline Principle.’ There’s an understanding among the associates that if they see a need, and failure isn’t going to sink the entire ship, they should just go do something about it. If it does look to be risky, however, consultation with other associates is required before taking action.”

“One final point to keep in mind: Transforming an existing organization into a learning organization requires the change to start at the top,” Hess concludes. “If you’re a leader or manager and you want to change your organization, the best advice I can give you is to change yourself first. Good intentions are not enough. Behaviors are what count.

“So role model how to think and communicate better. Admit your ignorance and your mistakes. Be authentic. Act with caring humility. Engage people so they feel like they have some control over their destinies. Be honest, have high standards, and hold everyone, including you, to those standards. Then—and only then—will you earn the enthusiastic buy-in of your learners and set the stage to build and sustain a competitive advantage.”


Your People Skills Are Getting Flabby: Seven Ways to Strengthen Your Communication Skills by Loosening Your Smartphone Grip

Digital connectivity is no guarantee of a human connection. Communication expert Geoffrey Tumlin shares seven ways to step away from the screen and strengthen the communication skills that are essential for productive and meaningful relationships.

In the always-on digital age, we’re all guilty of indulging in communication shortcuts. We email our colleague Jim instead of walking ten steps to his office. We half-heartedly listen to our kids while fooling around on our smartphone. We let an incoming call go to voicemail and reply with a text message instead of picking it up. We email a client instead of scheduling a face-to-face meeting, which we know would be better. These shortcuts save time, but they are costing us something valuable: Some of our “old school” communication skills are getting dangerously rusty.

“Our overwhelming preference for quick and easy communication is causing our more difficult communication skills to erode from lack of use,” says Tumlin, author of Stop Talking, Start Communicating: Counterintuitive Secrets to Success in Business and in Life (McGraw-Hill, August 2013, ISBN: 978-0-0718130-4-4, $20.00, www.tumlin.com). “It’s easy to email a client, but far more difficult to persuade the same person in real-time that our product is best. Telling squabbling colleagues to ‘grow up’ might make us feel better momentarily, but helping them resolve their conflict might improve their relationship forever. And complaining that our boss ‘just doesn’t get it’ is much easier than trying to engage her in a productive discussion about a legitimate work issue.

“To keep our more difficult, but essential, communication skills limber in an environment where quick and easy communication is the norm, it’s essential to regularly exercise our higher-order communication skills,” recommends Tumlin. “The kinds of productive and meaningful relationships we want can’t be sustained by emails and texts alone. When we reach for our more difficult higher-order communication skills, we need them to be up to the challenge.”

Here, Tumlin shares seven ways to strengthen our vital higher-order communication skills:

Offer praise. Praising sounds easy, but it’s harder than it looks because we do it infrequently and because it often creates an awkward moment. “A common disconnect in organizations is that supervisors think they give plenty of praise, but subordinates feel like they never get enough,” says Tumlin. “Remedy that by looking for opportunities to provide work-related compliments.

“Delivering praise in real time (that is, face-to-face or by phone) is a higher-order communication exercise because it forces us to push through the awkward moment that often accompanies a compliment for a job well done,” he adds. “And persevering past awkward conversational moments without abandoning an interaction helps inoculate us against giving up too easily.”

Give negative feedback. We may praise infrequently,

but our record for providing negative feedback is much worse. Most feedback never gets communicated for a simple reason: We don’t like giving it, and the other person doesn’t like receiving it. And people who claim they like giving negative feedback aren’t giving feedback at all—they’re criticizing. Unfortunately, there’s one small problem with criticism: It never works!

“The failure to give negative feedback is a major opportunity lost. An enormous amount of organizational learning never happens because it’s easier to sit on important feedback than to give it,” Tumlin says. “Giving timely and relevant negative feedback is a true test of our higher-order communication skills because it forces us to do something we’d rather not do, and it forces us to continue past the resistance to our message.”

Persuade. Trying to land a client? Negotiating a deadline with a colleague? Trying to convince your spouse to spend the holidays with your family this year? See how well you do in a real-time conversation instead of hunkering down to write an email.

“Sending a computer-mediated message doesn’t test your ability to think on your feet and adapt your persuasive message in real time,” says Tumlin. “No matter how good you are at organizing a persuasive email, some of your important influence attempts will happen face-to-face. Instead of being caught flatfooted—especially when the stakes are high—exercise your real-time persuasion skills with enough frequency so you stay quick on your feet.”

Argue. Few skills have suffered more in the digital age than our ability to argue intelligently. Online comments are filled with ad hominem attacks, invective, and worse; accusatory emails fly back and forth between otherwise rational people; and it often seems like all we are doing online is arguing right past each other. We need to make a concerted effort to shed the counterproductive arguing habits we’ve picked up in the digital age and revitalize our ability to thoughtfully and effectively make our points.

“Arguing is an essential communication skill,” says Tumlin. “Knowing how to express ourselves when we disagree is what prevents small issues from becoming large problems. Arguing—sensibly, smartly, and effectively—is a higher-order communication skill we can’t afford to lose. It’s never been easy to keep emotions from seizing control of arguments. But without practice, we won’t stand a chance, and our most important relationships will suffer the damage.”

Offer support. Sometimes, posting a condolence note on Facebook or sending a supportive email to a struggling colleague just isn’t enough. When the chips are down for people we care about, we need communication skills that can step up and provide real comfort.

Face-to-face messages of support are just plain powerful, but they often don’t get delivered, because we convince ourselves that we don’t know what to say. But that’s a mistake, says Tumlin.

“A good rule of thumb when providing support is the less certain you are about what to say, the simpler

your message should be,” recommends Tumlin. “Tell a colleague who’s just received a career setback that you believe in her. Tell your grieving boss that she’s in your thoughts. Tell your upset friend that you’re there for her. That’s enough to show that you care and to make a connection.

“And if your support happens to cause an outpouring of emotion, perfect words still aren’t necessary,” he adds. “When comforting, you never have to worry about finding just the right words. Your expression of support and your presence are what really matter.”

Resolve a conflict. What happens when no one at work knows how to effectively defuse a conflict between feuding colleagues? Or when there’s no one around who can deescalate a squabble at home? Offices and homes without an effective peacemaker are minefields of anxiety, grief, and drama.

“Conflict resolution is a challenging communication skill,” says Tumlin. “Encouraging people to climb down from entrenched positions and set aside differences requires diplomacy and precision. But it’s the peacemakers who get people talking again and who prevent relational damage from taking a wider toll.”

Don’t say something. For a major communication challenge, try not talking when you really want to. Why’s that so hard?

“The clearest signal you shouldn’t say something is usually an overwhelming feeling that you should,” says Tumlin. “But it’s the ability to choke back impulsive and harmful words that distinguishes great communicators from everybody else.

“Some of our most significant communication ‘victories’ actually happen when we don’t say a thing,” points out Tumlin. “The criticism we let die on the vine, the smart question we don’t ask, the comeback we choke back, and the insult on the tip of our tongue that stays there are unsung communication heroes, silently protecting our most important relationships. Some of the best evidence our higher-order communication skills are strengthening will come from all the things—the fights, the damage, and the relational turmoil—that never happen. Nothing seems more antithetical to the digital age’s ‘express yourself’ ethos than sitting on your words, but not saying something is a skill that’s never been more important in our hypercommunicating era.”

“Not all of our communication can happen effectively along lower-order channels,” says Tumlin. “Sometimes we need to do difficult things with our communication, like resolve a simmering conflict, persuade a reluctant client, or lend support to a struggling friend.

“Even though it takes longer and is more difficult, walk over and talk to a coworker instead of sending an instant message. Call a friend who’s mourning the loss of a parent instead of posting your condolences online. And fire up the car and go visit your client instead of just sending another email,” concludes Tumlin. “The kinds of deep, productive, and meaningful relationships we want can’t survive on quick and easy communication alone.”


Sherif Zaky, MD, MSc, PhD., Firelands Physician Group, has successfully earned his Board Certification in Pain Medicine from the American Board of Pain Medicine.

Dr. Zaky is Board Certified in Anesthesiology. He completed his medical education at the School of Medicine – Ain Shams University in Cairo, Egypt and his residency at the Anesthesiology Institute, Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland.

He has 15 year’s experience in anesthesia and management of pain.

Dr. Zaky EarnsBoard Certification

Firelands Physician Group recently welcomed Ashley Folger MSN, NP-C, RN, family nurse practitioner, to their multispecialty group. She is part of the practice of Luis Perez, DO; Thomas Conley, DO and Jenna Luby, MSN, NP-C, RN.

Folger received her Master of Science in Nursing from Walden University in Minneapolis, Minnesota and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Bowling Green State University. She received her Associate of Science in Nursing from Firelands Regional Medical Center School of Nursing.

Folger Joins Firelands Physician Group

NCBJ Readers are decision makers:Almost nine out of 10 (87%) "make or have influence over purchasing decisions" for their company


Miller Joins Corporate One as Executive Benefit Consultant

Corporate One Benefits announced this week that Bob Miller, JD, CPA, has joined the firm to further develop clientele and explore innovative, effective strategies related to employee benefits. Miller comes to Corporate One with an abundance of experience within the industry, having spent the last 26 years working exclusively with employee benefits. He has extensive experience with both the public and private employers throughout Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

Miller joins Corporate One as an Executive Benefit Consultant to expand Corporate One’s success by providing benefit consulting services to many new and existing clients across the area. Miller comments, “At a time when healthcare benefits, funding and compliance have become so prominent, it’s exciting to align with an organization known for innovation and attention to the needs of the consumer. More than ever, ours is a people business…and Corporate One has great people.”

Ron Burns, President of Corporate One said, “Bob’s wealth of experience and industry knowledge has already made him a key addition to the Corporate One family. We are extremely pleased to have Bob join the Corporate One team and we believe it demonstrates our continued commitment to being the leading company in our industry.”

Lorna Strayer of Milan has been named president and chief operating officer of Fisher-Titus Medical Center, according to an announcement by Matt Gross, chairman of the Fisher-Titus Medical Center board of directors. Strayer, 54, has been serving in an interim role as president and CEO since the resignation of Ross Matlack in May.

Prior to her interim role, Strayer served as executive vice president overseeing various departments including rehabilitation, radiology, laboratory,

industrial health, environmental services, maintenance, dietary services, and materials management as well as planning and implementing facility development projects. Strayer joined Fisher-Titus in 1985 as a certified speech-language pathologist. During her career, she has served as director of rehabilitation and industrial health services, assistant vice president of rehabilitation, vice president of business development and rehabilitation and senior vice president of administration and business development.

Strayer earned a master of business administration in applied management from Indiana Wesleyan University in 2011. Strayer also has a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree in speech language pathology and audiology from The Ohio State University. Strayer is very active in numerous community and professional organizations.

She and her husband Dan are lifelong residents of the area and the proud parents of two sons, Weston and Bryant.

Mercy Willard Recognizes Providers for Years of Service

Mercy Willard Hospital has a dedicated team of medical providers. In appreciation of their dedication and commitment, physicians and providers were honored for their years of service at the November Medical Staff Meeting.

The providers honored included: 5 Years of Service: Aaron Carmean, DDS; Matt Wisniewski, CRNA; 10 Years of Service: Marc Dolce, DPM; David Pocos, DO; Michael Powers, DO; Jantinder Rana, MD; 15 Years of Service: Veselin Dimitrov, MD; 20 Years of Service: Christopher Bohach, DM; Ashok Handhi, MD; 25 Years of Service: Kerry Allen, MD; James Rosso, MD; 40 Years of Service: Donn Lidington, DDS.

“We are honored to recognize providers for their years of service to Mercy Willard Hospital,” said Lynn Detterman, President & CEO of Mercy Willard Hospital. “We thank them for serving our patients and their families in Willard and the surrounding communities.”

Strayer Named President and CEO of Fisher-Titus Medical Center

Almendinger to work with First National

Dean Miller, President and CEO of First National Bank would like to announce that Dan Almendinger will work with the bank as a Business Development Consultant.

Almendinger possesses over 40 years of banking experience in Ottawa County. His ability to work closely with clients in developing a strategic financial alliance has made him a successful banker. He has been a trusted advisor for many individuals and businesses in Ottawa County for many years.

Almendinger and his wife reside in Port Clinton.

Terra State Adjunct Instructor Named Best in Ohio

Dr. Nancy Sattler has been named the Ohio Association of Two-year Colleges’ Adjunct Teacher of the Year for 2013-2014.

Sattler, of Fremont, was a professor and dean for Terra State Community College until her retirement in 2012. She was granted Dean Emerita status at that point, and then began teaching mathematics part-time for the college.

College officials believe Sattler is the first Terra State instructor to win the award. She received a plaque and $500.

Sattler is also very involved with the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges and has served in several leadership roles, including president.


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Account & Financial Reporting u Bookkeeping and Payroll

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