72960 March 2008 Voice NL.indd - West Chester Liberty Chamber ...

THE 

VOICE 

MARCH 2008 

Vol. XXIII Issue III 

... Connecting people and possibilities 

in West Chester and Liberty Townships 

and the I-75 Growth Corridor

2 The Voice • March 2008 

Chamber Staff & Associates 

Joe Hinson, President & CEO 

jahinson@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Marge Wimmer, 

Administrative Coordinator 

mwimmer@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Kathy Rambo, Vice President/Special Events 

ktrambo@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Kristin Spanogians, Special Events Coordinator 

kspanogians@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Kenni Blaché, 

Membership Services Director 

kjblache@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Jay D’Arcy, Membership Account Executive 

jhdarcy@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Alison Miuccio, Marketing Director 

amiuccio@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Ali Fischetti, Marketing Coordinator 

afischetti@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Kerry Murray, 

Leadership Development Director 

kerrymurray@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Kendra Wilburn, Impact 21 Facilitator 

kwilburn@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Bob Wiwi, Small Business Advocate 

bwiwi@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Getting Connected and 

Staying Connected! 

Jay D’Arcy 

Membership Account 

Executive 

Not only is Jay D’Arcy the 

first point of contact when 

you join the West Chester 

Chamber Alliance, he is also 

a great resource for getting involved. In his 

role as Membership Account Executive, Jay 

provides insight into how the Chamber can 

benefit both current members and prospective 

members. If you need more information 

on how to get connected, contact Jay at 

513.777.3600 or by email at 

jhdarcy@westchesterchamberalliance. 

Members of West Chester 

Chamber Alliance 

Executive Board 2007 

Chair Tom Farrell – Alternative Computer Technology 

Vice Chair George Rees – Savannah Center 

Secretary Rondi Tschopp – Five Visual Communication & Design 

Treasurer Mike Combs – Rohrkemper, Ossege and Combs 

Deborah Brenneman - Thompson Hine LLP 

John Gillespie – University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center 

Joe Hinson - West Chester Chamber Alliance 

Tom Holding – Lincoln Financial Advisors 

Carol King – West Chester Medical Center 

Christine Matacic –Liberty Township Trustee 

Karen Mueller - HORAN 

Dr. Robert Sommers - Butler Technology & Career Development Schools 

Chris Worrell - Graydon Head 

Kendall Wright - Entelechy Training & Development, Inc. 

On The Cover 

Impact 21: The Impact 21 class of 2008 is pictured outside of Hughes School during their 

History and Government session. Beside the original one room school, the class visited the 

Voice of America Museum and the West Chester Police Department. Applications for next 

class, starting in August, are currently being accepted. They are available at the Chamber 

offices and from counselors at Fenwick High School, Lakota East, Lakota West and the Lakota 

Freshman School. 

Leading Edge: The Inaugural Class of Leading Edge started their leadership program with a 

two-day retreat at Joy Outdoor Education Center. Learning for this group of young professionals 

took place both in the classroom and outdoors during initiatives like “The Wall.” Applications 

for the next Leading Edge class will be available in March at the Chamber offices. 

SEBC Leadership 21: The SEBC Leadership Class of 2008 shares a moment of levity during 

a leadership exercise that was a part of the Business and Economic Development session at 

Cornerstone Consolidated Services Group/Frontgate. SEBC Leadership 21 sessions explore 

the various components of our community one day each month from September through May. 

Applications for the tenth class year of SEBC Leadership 21 will be available in April at the 

Chamber offices. 

West Chester Chamber Alliance Sustaining Sponsors 

The West Chester Chamber Alliance salutes our Sustaining Sponsors. We acknowledge the following members 

and thank them for their support of the Chamber, its programs, events and services provided to the businesses 

and organizations of this area. 

DIAMOND 

Butler Technology & Career Development Schools 

Mercy Hospital Fairfield 

PLATINUM 

AK Steel Corporation 

GOLD 

Cincinnati Bell West Chester Township 

SUPER SILVER 

National City Bank The Palmer Group/Palmer Temps Inc. 

Elegant Estates, LLC Custom Homes 

Fifth Third Bank 

First Financial Bank 

Liberty Township 

SILVER Rippe & Kingston CO PSC 

Savannah Center at Chappell Crossing 

Taco Bell/Uno Chicago Grill 

The Pulse-Journal 

SUPER BRONZE 

Addecco 

Kemba Credit Union 

Bethart Printing Solutions 

Kinker Eveleigh Insurance Agency 

Bridgewater Falls Lifestyle Center 

McGill Smith Punshon, Inc. 

Clark-Theders Insurance Agency, Inc. Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Consultants Inc. 

Dell Inc. 

Planes Companies 

Employers Choice Plus 

PNC Financial Services Group 

Graydon Head 

Stautberg Benefit Advisors 

HORAN 

UnitedHealthcare 

Huff Realty 

Wal*Mart Supercenter 

Huntington Bank 

West Chester Medical Center 

BRONZE 

AAA Ohio Auto Club 

Halcomb Benefits Agency, Inc. 

Alternative Computer Technology, Inc. 

Hightech Signs 

Atrium Medical Center 

Kleingers & Associates, Inc. 

AurGroup Financial Credit Union 

Legend Web Works, LLC 

CAI Insurance Agency Inc. Lincoln Financial Advisors - Tom Holding CFP, CLU 

Carlos Todd Properties LLC 

North Side Bank & Trust Company 

Cincinnati Marriott North 

Park National Bank 

CORT 

Rohrkemper, Ossege & Combs, Ltd. 

Emery Federal Credit Union Schumacher Dugan Construction, Inc. 

Four Bridges Country Club 

SCORE - Cincinnati Chapter 

Freund, Freeze & Arnold 

Thompson Hine LLP 

Guardian Savings Bank 

TriHealth Corporate Health 

Stop by the Chamber office to see our Sustaining Sponsorship Sign donated by Hightech Signs - 513.874.5223. 

www.westchesterchamberalliance.com

The Voice • March 2008 3 

From the 

desk of the 

President & CEO 

Joe Hinson 

Last November we launched our newest community leadership program, 

Leading Edge, designed to build strong professional networks and 

instill a heightened sense of community in our young professionals. 

Facilitated by Kerry Murray, the Chamber’s Leadership Development 

Director, a big part of the program is learning to become an effective 

leader from a business mentor; by definition a wise and trusted counselor/ 

teacher. 

Aspiring leaders often assume that their role models or mentors are 

successful because they make careful decisions. The truth is a little more 

complex. While it is true those executives who act impulsively without 

considering available intelligence risk are making huge mistakes, it is 

also true that highly effective leaders believe quick action is the key to 

success. 

After researching the topic for over 14 years, author Jim Collins of 

Good to Great says this about the art of making quick, effective business 

decisions: 

• Great decisions come from saying “I don’t know.” Collins asks: 

Which is best? Saying you don’t know when you already made up 

your mind or presuming to know when you don’t and therefore, 

lying to yourself or speaking the truth, which is: I don’t know yet? 

• The higher the questions/statements ratio, the better. The best 

leaders Collins studied did the best job of igniting debate by using 

questions that push back on their ideas. 

• Deciding is not about consensus. Debate can be met with strong 

emotions, but in the end, the leader makes the call. “No major 

decision we’ve studied was ever taken at a point of unanimous 

agreement,” Collins says. 

• Great decisions come from external awareness. Leading 

organizations are internally driven but externally aware. 

• Even huge decisions decide only a tiny fraction of the outcome. 

“The big decisions are not like 60 of 100 points,” Collins says. 

“They’re more like six of 100 points.” 

• Think long term. Real leaders manage for the quarter-century, not 

the quarter. 

• You can make mistakes and prevail. What a relief! 

Though our young professionals 

are in a mode of learning, and are 

developing into highly effective 

leaders, we can still learn how to 

become more effective in our own 

leadership. Below is an exercise 

from the National Institute of 

Business Management to assess 

how well we lead in certain 

circumstances. The answers follow 

below. 

Joe Hinson 

1. If you’re angry or disappointed with an employee’s actions, 

you’re likely to: 

A. Express your disappointment or pleasure. 

B. Let the person discover the consequences of his or her actions. 

C. Think about the message you want to convey, than act 

accordingly. 

D. Eat a carton of ice cream to bury your disappointment. 

2. The most important trait for you to display when leading a team 

is: 

A. The wisdom of Solomon. 

B. The inspirational power of Dr. Martin Luther King. 

C. The patience of Job. 

D. The restraint of Adam Sandler in Anger Management. 

3. When you lead a department meeting, you: 

A. Sum up the meeting’s purpose and warm up the crowd with a 

quick 15-minute monologue. 

B. Ask open-ended questions and lead discussions. 

C. Place a staff member in charge and observe group dynamics. 

D. Fall asleep during “old business.” 

4. When one of your people admits a mistake, the first thing you do 

is: 

A. Show support – we’re human, we all make mistakes. 

B. Downplay the mistake’s impact – don’t worry about it. 

C. Gently chastise the person – let’s make sure it doesn’t happen 

again. 

D. Ask follow-up questions – what else have you screwed up? 

Let’s find out how well you did…. 

1. (C) Leaders think before they speak especially when negative 

emotions are involved. 

2. (D) All are valuable, but leaders that can’t inspire people aren’t 

leaders. 

3. (B) Leaders ask piercing questions and encourage free-flowing 

discussions. 

4. (A) Leaders support people who acknowledge their errors. 

The act of leading is often misconstrued. It truly is a learned skill. Our 

Leading Edge class is very lucky to have Chamber members volunteer 

to serve as their mentors. But no matter your age or your business 

experience, everyone can find ways to improve upon their leadership 

skills. 

Thank you for being a valued member of the West Chester Chamber 

Alliance. Best wishes for your continued success! 

...connecting people and possibilities.


THE WEST CHESTER CHAMBER ALLIANCE 

ANNUAL DINNER & AWARDS GALA - 

A Celebration of the International Flavor of Our Region 

The West Chester Chamber Alliance will celebrate the International 

Flavor of our Region at the March 14 Annual Dinner & Awards Gala. 

The annual event, always the premiere business event of the year, is 

designed to give West Chester Chamber Alliance members and guests 

the opportunity to celebrate the Chamber’s accomplishments of the past 

year and to honor those who have made special contributions to business 

and the community. 

This year we will celebrate on Friday evening, March 14, at the Savannah 

Center at Chappell Crossing. The Gala will include entertainment, music 

and other live performances as well as videos highlighting the seven 

Continents, and area companies that have international dealings. 

“The West Chester Chamber Alliance is pleased to present the annual 

event that pays homage to people and businesses in our community. Our 

Gala has set the gold standard for all of our events and we are thrilled to 

celebrate the international aspect of our area,” said Chamber President 

and CEO, Joe Hinson. 

Since the early 1980’s, the West Chester Chamber Alliance and its 

predecessors, the Union Township Chamber Alliance and the Southeastern 

Butler County Chamber of Commerce, have honored community leaders 

and businesses in various award categories. The finalists in each category 

have been selected from nominations submitted from the community atlarge 

and voted on by secret ballot by an awards selection committee 

comprised of West Chester Chamber Alliance members. 

Tickets are $65 each, $125 per couple and corporate tables of eight are 

available for $500. Black tie invited. Please RSVP to Kristin Spanogians 

at 513.777.3600. 

Finalists for the seven community and business categories will be 

honored with a video highlighting their contributions and the recipient 

will be announced that evening. The award categories are: 

The GBI Community Support Award 

Presented to an individual or a business for their extraordinary support 

to a worthwhile non-profit organization serving the southeastern Butler 

County area. Nominees are not required to be a West Chester Chamber 

Alliance member. 

Finalists for the 2007 Rookie of the Year Award: 

Debbie Brenneman, Thompson Hine LLP 

Robert Hernandez, Offcierge, Inc. 

Britt Scearce, Emery Federal Credit Union 

The Dorothy & Art Roth Citizen of the Year Award 

Presented to an individual for extraordinary community involvement. 

Nominees are not required to be a West Chester Chamber Alliance 

member, but must be a resident of West Chester or Liberty Township. 

Finalists for the 2007 Dorothy & Art Roth Citizen of the Year Award: 

Jim Keys, J. G. Keys Co., LLC. 

Ron Wegman, Vertical Solutions Inc. 

Bill Zerkle 

The Jerry Bryan Chamber Member of the Year Award 

Presented to an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to 

enhancing the quality of the Chamber through participation on a 

committee or committees and support of Chamber programs. Nominees 

must be a member of the West Chester Chamber Alliance. 

Finalists for the 2007 Jerry Bryan Chamber Member of the Year Award: 

Kristy Preston-Stagg, Influence Inc. 

Rondi Tschopp, Five Visual Communication & Design 

Chris Worrell, Graydon Head 

The Carlos Todd Businessperson of the Year Award 

Presented to a business person who has demonstrated sound leadership 

and vision. Nominees must be the owner, proprietor, operator or chief 

executive of a business in operation for a minimum of two years. The 

organization must be a member of the West Chester Chamber Alliance. 

Finalists for the 2007 Carlos Todd Businessperson of the Year Award: 

Charlie Chappell, Chappell Construction/CHAPPCO, LLC 

Jim Mullaney, EDOC Marketing 

Finalists for the 2007 GBI Community Support Award: 

Eileen Meeker, Aur Group Financial Credit Union 

Jim Kleingers, Kleingers & Associates, Inc. 

Tom Holding, Lincoln Financial Advisors 

The Larry Schumacher Beautification Award 

Presented to one large and one small company who have greatly improved 

or continuously maintained either the interior and/or exterior of their 

facility. Nominees must be members of the West Chester Chamber 

Alliance and located in southeastern Butler County. 

Finalists for the 2007 Larry Schumacher business beautification award 

for a large business: 

Dell 

Duke Realty Corporation 

MetroParks of Butler County, Voice of America Park 

Finalists for the 2007 Larry Schumacher business beautification award 

for a small business: 

Clark-Theders Insurance Agency, Inc. 

The Wine Cart 

West Chester Lawn & Garden Center 

The Rookie of the Year Award 

Presented to a West Chester Chamber Alliance member who has 

demonstrated dedication to the business community and exercised 

outstanding volunteerism in advancing the work of the West Chester 

Chamber Alliance. This Chamber member must have been a member 

less than two years. 



What’s New In 

West Chester? 

www.westchesteroh.org 

West Chester Projects Promise Bright Future 

for the Community 

Butler County 

Legislative Breakfast 

hosted by 

“2008 will be an amazing year for West Chester,” said Township 

Administrator Judi Boyko. “We will complete construction on Township 

projects and commence construction of new projects that will enhance our 

quality of life. Important private projects that will enable the community 

to sustain our economic success well into the future will also be a focus 

of 2008,” Ms. Boyko said. 

In time for Spring, West Chester will open the doors of The Muhlhauser 

Barn at Beckett Park. The re-constructed 1881 timber-frame barn 

will be dedicated at a special event hosted by West Chester Township 

on March 30 th . The Muhlhauser Barn, which features the original slate 

tile roof bearing the Muhlhauser name and the original timbers, will be 

available for rent and used for community events. 

Midway through the year, West Chester will unveil The Square at Union 

Centre. This urban-style park, located in the heart of Union Centre, 

will be completed in time for a full schedule of community events and 

concerts, as well as simple gatherings of friends. The Square features a 

60-foot clock tower, fountains and a pleasing blend of hardscape and 

landscape. Annual programming at The Square, featuring a Thursday 

night after-work concert, is made possible through an endowment by The 

Community Foundation of West Chester/Liberty. Programs are expected 

to begin in June. 

A forum featuring your Butler County Commissioners: 

Chuck Furmon 

Don Dixon 

Greg Jolivette 

WHEN Friday, May 9, 2008 

7:30-8am Registration & Breakfast Buffet 

8-9am Program 

COST $20 per Chamber Member (Fairfield; Greater 

Hamilton; Chamber serving Middletown, 

Monroe & Trenton; Oxford, West Chester) 

$25 Non-Member 

PLACE Harry T. Wilks Conference Center 

Miami University Hamilton 

1601 University Blvd., Hamilton 

RESERVATIONS Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce 

201 Dayton St., Hamilton 

Phone: 513.844.1500 Fax: 513.844.1999 

In late 2008, residents and businesses will benefit from a state-of-theart 

Public Safety Campus featuring an emergency communications 

center, a new fire headquarters and fire station one. Built to the highest 

standards for essential buildings, the new facility sits at the corner of 

Cincinnati-Dayton and West Chester roads on the site of the former fire 

headquarters/station one. 

“The new facility was designed considering future growth of the 

community in terms of calls to dispatch and emergency response,” said 

West Chester Public Safety Director Jim Detherage. “It will most certainly 

serve our community well.” The approximately $12 million public safety 

campus is being built using tax increment financing. 

This Spring, the community will 

break ground on the new West 

Chester Library at Union Centre. 

Nearly through the design phase, 

West Chester continues to work 

with architects and representatives 

of the Middletown Library System 

to ensure that this new library will 

truly represent the community both 

in its form and its functionality. 

The new library will sit across from 

the Lakota West High School and 

adjacent to The Square at Union 

Centre. The library, nearly four 

times the size of the current facility, 

will be connected to The Square and 

surrounding buildings by pedestrianfriendly 

paths. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



People & News 

Highlighting 

AK Steel Makes “Souper Bowl” 

Donation To Cincinnati Freestore 

Foodbank 

Employees at AK Steel’s West Chester 

corporate headquarters recently 

donated 1,000 pounds of canned goods 

to the Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank. 

The donations were collected during 

the company’s “Souper Bowl Week” 

soup drive. Similar food drives were 

conducted at the company’s steel plants 

prior to the Super Bowl. 

“Donations to the Freestore Foodbank 

were down 50% earlier this year, 

making AK Steel’s gift that much 

more important,” said Jamie Rosskopf, 

Resource Development Manager for the 

Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank. “We 

thank AK Steel, and their employees, 

for stepping up to the plate and making 

a difference.” 

“‘Souper Bowl Week’ gave everyone at our company the opportunity 

to help make a difference in the lives of others,” said Jim Wainscott, 

AK Steel Chairman, President and CEO. “Along with our corporate 

headquarters, our steel plants also held food drives to support charitable 

organizations in their communities. The donations are a testament to the 

character of our company and the compassion of our employees at all of 

our plant locations.” 

For more information, please visit www.aksteel.com. 

Jim Wainscott, AK Steel 

Chairman, President and CEO, 

presents 1,000 pounds of canned 

goods to Jamie Rosskopf from the 

Cincinnati Freestore Foodbank. 

Member promotions, awards, new hires, 

relocations and community services. 

Freund, Freeze & Arnold Name 2008 Super Lawyers 

Freund, Freeze & Arnold, a Dayton, Ohio-based law firm is pleased 

to announce that nine of its attorneys have been named as 2008 Super 

Lawyers, five within the Dayton office. The Dayton attorneys receiving 

this rating are Neil F. Freund, Stephen V. Freeze, Gordon D. Arnold, 

Susan Blasik-Miller, and Christopher F. Johnson. 

• Neil Freund - Selected as one of the Top 10 of Ohio “Super Lawyers” 

in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 - a list jointly prepared by Law & Politics 

Magazine and Cincinnati Magazine. He has also been recognized as 

one of the “Best Lawyers in America” for the past ten years, as well 

as one of the “Best of the Bar” in the Dayton community. Mr. Freund 

was also recognized in 2007 and 2008 as one of the top 500 lawyers in 

America by LawDragon Magazine. 

• Stephen Freeze – Named as Ohio “Super Lawyer” in 2005, 2006 and 

2007, a list jointly prepared by Law & Politics Magazine and Cincinnati 

Magazine. Additionally, he was voted as one of “Best Lawyers in 

America” and has served Past President of the Ohio Association of 

Civil Trial Attorneys, 2005-2006. 

• Gordon Arnold - Gordon was named as Ohio “Super Lawyer” in 

2006 and 2007 and was voted a “Best Lawyers in America” in 2006 

and 2007. 

• Susan Blasik-Miller – Susan was named as Ohio “Super Lawyer” in 

2006 and 2007, and was voted as one of “Best Lawyers in America” in 

2006 and 2007. 

• Christopher Johnson – Christopher was named as Ohio “Super 

Lawyer” in 2007 and was voted as one of the “Best Lawyers in 

America” in 2007. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Ohio Association 

of Civil Trial Attorneys, the Defense Research Institute, and the Ohio 

and Dayton Bar Associations. 

Changes for Albertz & Associates 

Albertz & Associates is excited to introduce Chris 

Saul, a Financial Advisor that will be affiliated with 

their office and available to help. Not only is he a 

Financial Advisor, but he is also an accountant by 

trade. 

Saul brings with him vast expertise and excellent 

customer service. Due to the growth of Albertz 

& Associates, it’s been hard for them to serve all 

clients in this capacity, so they welcome someone Chris Saul 

with his expertise, integrity, knowledge and professionalism. 

For more information, please visit www.freundfreezeandarnold.com. 

Mother Teresa 5K 

On April 19 at 9am, Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School will host 

the Mother Teresa 5K, a run/walk at Voice of America Park. The event 

will bring the West Chester and Liberty Township communities together 

to raise school awareness and funds in support of expansion. 

Prescott Race Coordination (www.sprunning.com) will manage the race 

and online registration. For more information, contact Noel Balster at 

513.779.6585. 

For more information, please visit www.albertzcpa.com. 

Ed Dwyer 

Edward Dwyer Re-Appointed to 

Metroparks Board of Park Commissioners 

U.S. Bank executive and West Chester Township 

resident, Edward L. Dwyer, was recently reappointed 

to the MetroParks of Butler County Board 

of Park Commissioners by Probate Court Judge 

Randy T. Rogers. Originally appointed in 2006 to 

complete the unexpired 3 year term of the late John 

O’Neill, Dwyer’s new term in office will run from 

2008 through 2010. Mr. Dwyer currently serves as 

President of the Board of Park Commissioners. 

Mr. Dwyer is employed as U.S. Bank’s Commercial Sales Manager for 

Community Banking based in Hamilton. Additionally, he is involved 

with a number of non-profit endeavors, including serving on the boards of 

Mother Teresa Catholic Elementary School, the Butler County Chamber 

Caucus and Pacific Coast Banking School. 

Oak Tree Communications, EDOC Marketing Featured as SBA 

Business Successes 

Oak Tree Communications, LLC of West Chester 

and EDOC Marketing of Fairfield are featured on 

the national Small Business Administration’s Web 

site as small business success stories in Cincinnati. 

Both are West Chester Chamber Alliance members. 

Melinda Zemper, Oak Tree Communications, 

LLC, and Jim Mullaney, EDOC Marketing, were 

named 2007 John J. Frank Clients of the Year 

for the Cincinnati SCORE 

#34 Chapter. West Chester Melinda Zemper 

Chamber Alliance SCORE 

counselor Bob Wiwi is credited for his generosity 

and expertise in mentoring Melinda Zemper as 

she formed Oak Tree Communications, LLC, a 

publicity and public relations firm. 

Jim Mullaney 

For more information, visit the SBA link at www. 

oaktreecommunications.com. Click “Press,” then 

the Small Business Administration photo link. 



Local Companies Ross Group Inc. and TDH Marketing 

Form Strategic Alliance 

Dayton-based companies Ross Group Inc. and TDH Marketing, Inc. are 

pleased to announce a strategic alliance to jointly pursue and collaborate 

on client projects leveraging the combined services and capabilities of 

both organizations. 

The goal of the alliance is to simultaneously deliver the strategic business 

development and creative web development capabilities of TDH 

Marketing with the comprehensive technical web application consulting, 

design and development and database management expertise of Ross 

Group. Having successfully collaborated on a number of clients’ projects 

so far, this strategic alliance formalizes the growing collaboration 

between the two firms. 

“The alliance between TDH Marketing and Ross Group is aimed at a 

targeted set of customers who have more comprehensive needs than 

either company can provide on our own. Through the collaboration, the 

firms will be able to offer clients a broader portfolio of services, a more 

diverse and specialized skill set and stronger value proposition that will 

enhance the growth of both our businesses, as well as our clients, ” said 

Tim Hull, President & CEO of TDH Marketing. 

“By working together with TDH Marketing, we are able to offer clients 

the creative web development and marketing skills many of our customers 

require, while TDH, in turn extends their technical services and skills 

with Ross Group’s in depth database, application development and 

RossAssured managed services capabilities,” said Mark Ross, President 

& CEO of Ross Group. 

New Position 

Director of Finance/Accounting 

We are pleased to announce a new position at the West Chester 

Chamber Alliance – Director of Accounting/Finance. This 

position focuses on the day-to-day business operations of 

our award winning Chamber; accounts receivable, accounts 

payable, cash flow management, budget preparation, tax 

preparation, benefit administration and preparation of financial 

reports. Quick Books experience is a plus. This individual 

must be detailed oriented and a team player with a strong 

emphasis on customer service. Please view our web site - 

www.westchesterchamberalliance.com for more details. 

www.kemba.com 

513.762.5070 

Checking 

Savings 

Loans 

Mortgages 

and so much more! 

Record Year for 

Economic 

Development 

in Butler County 

More than $2.4 billion in new investment was made in Butler County 

during the last four years with over $850 million occurring in 2007 alone. 

That is more than $200 million higher than the previous record of $651 

million invested in 2005. During 2007, 3,221 new jobs were created 

in Butler County while 2,912 existing jobs with local employers were 

retained. Although many experts are expecting a recession in 2008, 2007 

was a record year for economic development in our County and 2008 is 

shaping up to start out very strong as well. 

Jobs Jobs New 

Year Created Retained Investment 

2007 3,221 2,912 $856,303,220 

2006 3,116 1,431 $559,103,344 

2005 3,144 1,322 $651,762,890 

2004 3,115 6,123 $365,122,309 

Total 12,596 11,788 $2,432,291,763 

What really sets Butler County apart from the rest of Ohio and much of 

the U.S. is that of the more than $850 million in new investment made 

in the County during 2007, $547,300,000 or 64% of that investment was 

made in manufacturing projects. While U.S. employment has increased 

by over 5% since the end of the last recession in November 2001, during 

the same period Ohio lost 136,000 or 13.2% of its manufacturing jobs. 

In 2007, business investment in Butler County by industry was made as 

follows: 

Percent 

Industry Investment of Total 

Manufacturing $547,303,220 63.9 

Office $108,500,000 12.7 

BioMed/Healthcare $78,200,000 9.1 

Logistics/Warehousing $67,500,000 7.9 

Hotels $25,000,000 2.9 

Other $29,800,000 3.5 

Total $856,303,220 100.0 

Amylin Pharmaceuticals and BAE Systems announced major expansion 

projects in 2007; Amylin will invest $400 million and create 500 new 

jobs to expand its existing manufacturing plant while BAE will spend $75 

million and create 400 new jobs to increase its manufacturing capacity. 

Now that construction of the new Liberty Interchange and other 

improvements in the immediate vicinity are underway, our future is even 

brighter as Butler County continues to grow and prosper. 

8763 Union Centre Blvd. 



What’s New in Liberty 

Preserving the Past, 

Planning the Future 

www.liberty-township.com 

Global Sign Company held an official ribbon cutting last month to 

announce the official opening of their complete sign solutions company 

in the Wyandot Business Park. Global Sign Co. handles everything from 

design to manufacturing to installation. Their products include banners, 

monument signs, trade show graphics, vehicle graphics/wraps and more. 

The Little Gym held a public grand opening and ribbon cutting last 

month to celebrate their opening in the Liberty Commons Shopping 

Center. The Little Gym is an interactive child development center offering 

gymnastics and tumbling classes for children 4 months to 13 years. 

— 

Liberty Township to Develop Parks and Recreation Master Plan 

In December, Liberty Township began work on a Township Parks and 

Recreation Master Plan with the help of Brandstetter Carroll, a firm with 

extensive experience in parks planning throughout the tri-state over the 

last 16 years. The production of a Parks and Recreation Master Plan is 

a major directive coming out of the Township Comprehensive Land Use 

Plan, adopted in October 2006. With the growth that Liberty Township has 

been experiencing, preserving areas for parks and recreation has become 

vital to maintaining a quality of life in the community. Another goal of 

this plan will be positioning the Township to provide a wider variety 

and better quality of recreation opportunities for the growing populace. 

Input for the plan will be gathered in three ways: 

• One-on-one interviews with representatives of local organizations 

and stakeholder groups involved in providing recreation opportunities 

to the Township. 

• Public workshops will be held to gather ideas from residents. 

• A mail and phone survey will be conducted to ensure input has been 

gathered from a range of age groups and that all geographic areas 

of the Township have been represented. Two thousand surveys will 

be mailed to resident households in the spring. We encourage all 

Liberty Township residents to take the time to respond. 

Public input in the planning process is of paramount importance so that 

the end product will truly be responsive to the needs and desires of the 

community. The Parks and Recreation Master Plan will take approximately 

nine months to complete and will guide recreation development in 

Liberty Township for the next two decades. For more information, call 

the Liberty Township Administrative Office at 513.759.7500. 

THE NEW RETIREMENT 

LANDSCAPE 

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS – HAVE YOU DONE YOUR 

SHARE LATELY? 

As in the Bachman-Turner Overdrive song, “taking care of business 

every day; taking care of business every way,” was the recurring 

theme to all who attended the West Chester Chamber Alliance January 

Breakfast Briefing to learn more about their requirements as employers 

for employee retirement obligations. 

Rick Shively, Investment Advisor for Jefferson Pilot Securities 

Corporation, sponsored the recent Breakfast Briefing. Rick presented 

his program, “Taking Care of Employees and Employers in a Business 

Retirement.” 

Bernie Wesselman presented his piece of the puzzle as the third party 

administrator for Burke & Schindler who works with Jefferson Pilot 

Securities to ensure they are working accurately and responsibly 

within the government guidelines and regulations. Besides Burke & 

Schindler’s fiduciary responsibility, Rick explained that his fiduciary 

responsibility is to manage an employer’s plans, and the employer’s 

fiduciary responsibility is to manage their employee’s plans. 

Rick stated, “It takes a team to take care of the business of retirement 

and 401K plans for employees.” He went on to explain that in 2006, the 

retirement landscape changed. As of 2006, greater than fifty percent of 

401Ks are out of compliance. Traditional pensions are declining, and by 

2041, social security is a “bust” - meaning it may not go away, but it will 

look a lot different than it does today. 

Judd Depew, Regional Vice President of Retirement Plan Services at 

John Hancock Financial Services, shared the stage with Rick to present 

the fact that government realized social security is going to change; 

hence, they chose to improve 401K plans to help leverage what could 

happen with social security. “Furthermore,” he went on, “the old default 

of three to four percent per year over 30 years is no longer sufficient 

enough to target for your employees.” Depew explained that if there is 

no advantage to the employee, the employee may come back to you in 20 

to 30 years and blame you for not taking care of their retirement and for 

not growing their retirement savings in excess of a three to four percent 

default. 

Review your retirement plans and ask yourself the following: Do you 

have a plan? Do you need a Safe Harbor Plan, profit sharing, or a simple 

IRA? Is the plan portable? Taking care of business takes on a whole new 

meaning if you ignore the changing landscape of retirement plans. Don’t 

become personally liable for an unfit retirement program. 

By Chris Waugh 

the WINE C.A.R.T. 

513.860.9463 

www.winecartoh.com 



Spotlight On: 

Prestige Unlimited Services, John Browne 

It is not every day that you hear of such an 

inspirational story as that of John Browne 

and his company, Prestige Unlimited 

Services. One wouldn’t normally consider 

the creation of a cleaning company to be 

particularly remarkable, but John’s story 

will surely change your mind, as it did 

mine. 

John Browne was born and raised in 

Cincinnati and spent the first ten years of 

his career in the Navy where he got his 

first experiences in general and ventilation 

cleaning on the ships. After the Navy, John 

worked for AK Steel where he cleaned and 

maintained a variety of materials. 

John always dreamed of owning his own company; so when 

he was diagnosed with cancer in his early-thirties, and was on 

sick leave from AK Steel, he became an avid researcher on all 

aspects of starting a business. When John became stronger after 

an operation and extensive chemotherapy, he went back to work 

for AK Steel; it was at this time that AK Steel workers went on 

strike. Finding himself home once again, John continued his 

research and put his company down on paper. When AK Steel 

called him back to work, John had to choose between working 

for a Fortune 500 company and following his dream. The dream 

won! 

Prestige Unlimited Services offers all aspects of cleaning (both residential 

John Browne, 

Prestige Unlimited 

Services 

and commercial) including carpet and 

upholstery, windows, ventilation systems, 

chimneys, emergency water removal/ 

restoration, janitorial services and residential 

home cleaning. Prestige Unlimited Services 

is unique in that John is well educated on 

all aspects of the cleaning business; he is 

a certified water restorer, a certified carpet 

cleaner and a master chimney sweep. The 

company was started three years ago in 

Springdale, but when the company grew, 

along with his family, John decided to move 

to West Chester, where his wife was born 

and raised. He found West Chester to be 

ideal because of its strategic location and 

access to area highways. 

John’s optimism and attitude are truly inspirational. At 38 years 

old, he is now in remission; as John puts it, “The doc keeps 

smiling at me, so I know I’m good!” In true Ohio spirit, after 

his last operation, John was present two days later to referee a 

football game; after I expressed my astonishment, John noted, 

“I love football too much. I thought to myself, ‘I’m not going 

to let cancer stop me!’” John has seen the positive side of this 

terrible disease, because if it wasn’t for cancer, owning his own 

business would have remained a dream, and not the 

reality it is today. 

By Ali Fischetti 

Marketing Coordinator 

West Chester Chamber Alliance 

Bundles 

Wireless 

Data & Internet 

Voice 

Long Distance 

Conferencing 

Equipment 

Managed Services 

Working with Cincinnati Bell has 

important technical advantages. 

No other provider gives you the scope of technical 

services, together with outstanding local support, 

and expanded calling area like Cincinnati Bell. 

To find out more, contact your Cincinnati Bell 

Account Manager or call 1-888-CIN-BELL. 

www.cincinnatibell.com 


10 The Voice • 

“Stop Selling!!! Start Wooing” 

With the unpredictability of Cincinnati 

weather, the West Chester Chamber Alliance 

luncheon was rescheduled to Tuesday, 

February 19 due to snow and ice. The weather 

was brisk but the energy of Vietnam War and 

27-year 3M sales veteran, Leroy Reshard 

of First Financial Bank, warmed a packed 

house in attendance at Wetherington Golf and 

Country Club. Emceed by Robert Hernandez 

of Offcierge, this month’s luncheon was 

sponsored by The Pulse-Journal. 

If anyone has ever had the pleasure of meeting or visiting with Leroy, they 

know his positive energy and warm heart are his personality trademarks. 

Leroy opened with sharing some personal experiences as an account 

executive at 3M Companies. “Boy, I was so excited to get out there and 

sell and tell people about 3M products. I brought my bag of products 

and couldn’t wait to tell them about the things I had for them to buy.” It 

wasn’t until a friend and mentor of Leroy, Tom Roach (another account 

executive of 3M) told Leroy to slow down, stop talking and start listening 

that Leroy’s career began to take off. “Stop selling, start wooing. To woo 

begins with building trust. You’ve got to spend time learning about your 

customers which requires more listening and less talking.” 

Leroy distributed a presentation handout that 

detailed the sales process in 3 different levels of 

client communication. “Most sales people start in 

the 2 nd level of his 3 level sales process pyramid 

(referring to his handout). The 2 nd level Giving 

Information takes up 20% of the sales process 

but should never precede the 1 st step of Getting 

Information.” In the Getting Information stage, 

he reminded us that 40% of communications 

should be concentrated on learning about the 

person. “People buy from people first, the 

company second and the product last. We need 

to spend time understanding our customer’s feelings (emotions), their 

background (who they are and where they’ve been), and how our product 

or service will help them.” The other 30% of communications during 

the initial part of the sales process should be focused on uncovering and 

defining the customer’s pain. He reminded us that our product must 

help address or take care of the customer’s pain in order to gain the 

lasting relationship that leads to wooing and not selling. “We should 

focus most (70%) of our time gathering information and only 30% of our 

time on providing solutions and getting a commitment.” Yet most sales 

professionals inadvertently spend 70% of the time giving information 

and forcing commitments and very little time understanding and learning 

about our customers. 

Butler County Job Fair 

Butler County Job Fair 

ATTENTION EMPLOYERS: It’s BIG…It’s BUSY…It’s the BEST… 

This year the annual Job Fair 

HAS A NEW LOCATION! 

Participate in Butler County’s Premier Hiring Event 

The Butler County Job Fair 

Tuesday, April 8 th 

10:00am – 2:00pm 

RECEPTIONS 

Banquet & Convention Center 

5975 Boymel Drive, Fairfield, Ohio 

Luncheon speaker 

Leroy Reshard, 


Luncheon emcee 

Robert Hernandez, 

Offcierge 

Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with hundreds of job seekers – all in one 

place, all in one day. Join dozens of area employers to recruit, interview and hire 

qualified candidates. Reduce your time, effort and recruiting costs. Space is 

limited so register today. 

Visit www.butlercountyjobfair.org - or call 513.785.5345 for more information. 

Staff from Cox Ohio Publishing and The Pulse-Journal are pictured left to right: 

Linda Schneider, Kira Lisa Warren, Mike Burcham, Eric Schwartzberg, Sarah 

Cunningham, Kathy Lane, Matt Cunningham, Susan Medure-Cantrell. 

Jag’s Steak & Seafood: 

Barbara Fisher, West 

Chester Chamber 

Alliance Ambassador; 

Michelle Brown, Jag’s 

Steak & Seafood; Laura 

Schmidt, Jag’s Steak & 

Seafood; Kelly Lowrey, 

Jag’s Steak & Seafood. 

Ideal Fitness: Doug Crum, Fish 

Window Cleaning and Lance 

Clayton, Ideal Fitness. 

In closing, Leroy emphasized that wooing customers requires trust, 

win-win solutions and staying committed to the sales process. “Sales 

commitments will come naturally if we first build trust, learn about our 

customers (while uncovering their pain), offer why our product and 

service will address their pain and make our customers feel good about 

their buying decision.” He spoke of the importance of improving our 

ability to listen with discipline (CARE: Concentrate, Acknowledge, 

Replay and Empathize). “Concentrate on what the customer is saying 

and not what you’re going to say next. Acknowledge with short phrases 

to remind the customer that you are hearing and understanding what 

the customer is saying. Replay and remind yourself and the customer 

what they’ve already shared. And finally, empathize and put yourself in 

the position of the customer to really feel what they feel, emotionally.” 

It was a wonderful opportunity for West Chester Chamber Alliance 

luncheon attendees to learn some of the secrets to Leroy’s successful 

career in sales. 

By Steven D. Nguyen 

The Hackman Financial Group, Inc. 

513.891.5300 

snguyen@hackmanfinancial.com 


March 2008 

This Month’s Luncheon 

Tuesday, March 11 th 

Wetherington Golf and Country Club 

11 

Ann Mincey 

Join us for our Monthly Member Luncheon with 

guest speaker Ann Mincey, Vice President Global 

Communications REDKEN 5 TH Avenue NYC. 

Our emcee will be Amy Waldbillig, Butler 

Technology and Career Development Schools. 

Preferred Providers 

Listed Alphabetically 

Next Month’s Luncheon 

Next Month’s Luncheon 

Tuesday, April 8 th 

Wetherington Golf and Country Club 

Join us for our Monthly Member Luncheon 

with guest speaker Dr. Doug Linz, Medical 

Director, TriHealth Corporate Health who 

will speak on “The Executive Athlete.” Dr. 

Linz has been working with employers in the 

greater Cincinnati area to provide solutions 

for their employees’ and organizations’ health 

issues for over 20 years. 

Our emcee will be Dean Miuccio, 

Dean Miuccio Productions LLC. 

Dr. Doug Linz 

Tom Farrell, farrell@altcomp.com 

Computer technology 

Matt Tontrup, matthew.tontrup@cinbell.com 

Cell phone and long-distance 

West Chester 

Chamber Alliance 

Technology Partner 

‣ Internet Security 

‣ Anti-Virus Software 

‣ E-mail Content Control 

‣ Desktop Solutions 

‣ Network Administration 

7908 Cin-Day Road, Suite W • West Chester, Ohio 45069 

513-755-1957, FAX 513-755-1958 

http://www.altcomp.com 

HOW TO RSVP FOR A MEMBER LUNCHEON 

Luncheons are held the second Tuesday of each month 

from 11:30am-1:30pm 

Cost: 

$25 - for members and employees of member organizations who 

RSVP by the Friday before each Luncheon 

$30 - for members who RSVP after Friday at 5:00 pm 

$40 - for non-members 

Pay by check, Mastercard, VISA or Discover and avoid the 

registration line. Special dietary needs will gladly be taken care 

of by letting us know when you RSVP for the luncheon. 

Next Luncheon: 

Tuesday, March 11th at Wetherington Golf & Country Club 

RSVP by Friday, March 7, 5:00 p.m. 

Cancel by Monday, March 10, before noon. 

Phone: 777.3600 

Kevin Schlotman, kevin@cai-insurance.com 

Workers compensation 

Heather Frazier, 888. 294.1187 ext. 7363 

Office supplies 

Kevin Schlotman, kevin@cai-insurance.com 

Ronda Halcomb, rhalcomb@cinci.rr.com 

Group health care 

For additional information on the 


Preferred Providers, 

please contact them directly or 

visit www.westchesterchamberalliance.com. 



One Great Community: 

Four Community Leadership Programs to Serve It! 

The West Chester Chamber Alliance connects people and possibilities in 

West Chester and Liberty Townships and the I-75 Growth Corridor. We 

also connect leaders to each other, to our community and to leadership 

development opportunities in four different programs. Perhaps one of our 

leadership programs would be of benefit to you or someone on your staff. 

Three of our programs are taking applications over the next few months. 

and of the mutual understanding and cooperation needed among them for 

our community to grow and thrive. Leadership and communication skills 

building initiatives are also a part of each session. 

Starting its 10th year, SEBC Leadership 21 has opened and maintained a 

constructive dialogue among all parties charged with making Liberty and 

West Chester Townships even better places to live and work. The program 

also builds upon long lasting business relationships gained by participation 

with the entire class. 

Applications will be available at the West Chester Chamber Alliance offices 

starting April 15 th . For more information, contact Kerry Murray at 777.3600 

or kerrymurray@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

SEBC Leadership 21…Leadership for the 21st Century 

• Designed for current leaders who live and/or work in the region 

• Application process runs April through May 2008 

• Program class year: September 2007 through May 2009 

• Tuition is $995; a limited number of scholarships are available 

• Presenting program sponsor is AK Steel 

SEBC Leadership 21 is designed to improve the quality, quantity and 

effectiveness of leadership in Southeastern Butler County by exposing current 

and future leaders to a broad cross-section of the community; creating an 

awareness of the current challenges, future demands and available resources; 

and building a commitment to work collaboratively to prepare the community 

for the future. 

For each program session, 35-40 community leaders are selected, through 

an application process, to participate in a program of community education 

and leadership training. SEBC Leadership 21 calls upon business owners 

and managers, government and school leaders and citizen volunteers to study 

various aspects of our community in-depth in order to be more effective in 

their careers and through their volunteer positions. 

During an opening retreat and ten sessions (seven full day and three half 

day) throughout the program year, class members explore issues such as 

education, history, government, criminal justice, communications and 

economic development, to name a few. During each session the class explores 

a segment of the community in-depth; visiting key locations such as the 

county jail, the local police department, schools, food pantries, as well as 

area other businesses, to get a clearer picture of the community in which they 

live and conduct business. 

At every session, the class becomes more fully acquainted with the key issues 

facing our region, and gains a grasp of the interdependence of each sector 


Email Updates 

will ensure you are IN THE KNOW! 

Leading Edge…Preparing Young Professionals To Lead 

• Designed for young professionals in the first decade of their career, 

who live and/or work in the region 

• Application process runs March through April 2008 

• Program class year: June 2008 through January 2009 

• Tuition is $695; a limited number of scholarships are available 

• Presenting program sponsor is Mercy Hospital Fairfield 

Leading Edge is designed to instill a heightened sense of community in young 

professionals engaged in careers within West Chester and Liberty region 

through participation in a community leadership program that combines skills 

based learning, career enhancement opportunities along with networking and 

social events. It is designed to help young professionals feel more connected 

to our community and to develop leadership skills, self-confidence and 

maturity. 

For each program session, 25 - 30 young professionals are selected, through 

an application process, to participate in this program of community education, 

career training and leadership development. Sessions include hands-on 

experiential and participatory learning taught and facilitated by published 

authors, national speakers and other leaders in their fields. Over the course of 

the program class members will meet and interact with key current community 

leaders, volunteers and elected officials. 

Over eight months, starting with an opening two-day retreat, followed by a 

mix of full day and half day sessions, class members are given the opportunity 

to build strong professional networks with the business community and to 

develop a level of mutual trust and to respect varying backgrounds, cultures 

and opinions while improving real world skills, exploring issues and making 

key connections within their class and community. 

Applications will be available at the West Chester Chamber Alliance offices 

starting March 10 th . For more information, contact Kerry Murray at 777.3600 

or kerrymurray@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

Are you receiving our bi-monthly email updates? Has your email 

address changed? Interested in sponsoring an email update? 

Make sure you are signed up to receive our email updates and 

that your information is up-to-date. This will keep you in the know 

about all that is happening at the West Chester Chamber Alliance! 

Send your information to Ali Fischetti at 

afischetti@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

Impact 21…Youth Leadership for the 21 st Century 

• Designed for residents (junior and sophomore high school students) of 

West Chester and Liberty Townships who have demonstrated leadership 

ability. 

• Application process runs now through April 7 th , 2008 

• Program class year: August 2008 through April 2009 

• Tuition is $100; a limited number of scholarships are available. 



• Presenting program sponsor is Taco Bell 

Impact 21 is a community-based leadership development program designed 

to inspire and challenge current youth to become the future leaders of West 

Chester and Liberty Townships through sessions that are highly interactive. 

Through hands-on experience and participatory learning in an opening twoday 

retreat and seven additional full day sessions, Impact 21 challenges youth 

to take personal responsibility and to develop a strong identity as they gain 

increased self-awareness. Impact 21 class members will meet and interact 

with current community leaders, volunteers and elected officials. 

Impact 21 provides opportunities for 20-25 students to build strong friendships 

with a diverse group of individuals and develop mutual trust and respect for 

varying backgrounds. It is designed to help youth develop character and gain 

new skills, self-confidence and maturity. Youth in Impact 21 find their own 

leadership style while studying the qualities and attributes that great leaders 

possess. 

Expanding knowledge of their community, youth will learn about a wide 

range of social, civic, historical and economic oriented topics designed to 

inspire them to a greater understanding of the impact they and their actions 

can have on each other, the community, and the overall environment. 

Impact 21 is open to residents (public, private and home-schooled students) 

of West Chester and Liberty Townships who are junior and sophomore high 

school students as of fall 2008. Applicants must have a GPA of 2.5 or above 

and references from two teachers/adult mentors and one additional person 

from the community. Impact 21 is an excused absence from school. 

Applications are currently available at the West Chester Chamber Alliance 

offices. For more information, contact Kerry Murray at 777.3600 or kerrym 

urray@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

Executive Edge 

• Designed for executive and senior level managers and their partners/ 

spouses who are new to our community 

• Application process and dates of the next class will be announced soon. 

• Tuition is $900 for executives; $550 for partners/spouses. 

Executive Edge is a six-session leadership program designed for senior level 

managers and their partners/spouses who are interested in being acclimated 

to the West Chester and Liberty Township area. This program assists those 

executives by introducing them to community culture, key decision makers, 

elected officials and VIP’s. Each session includes networking opportunities, 

education, excellent speakers, panels, tours, as well as dinner and all program 

materials. 

Child care is available by request at no additional cost, courtesy of Impact 21. 

Applications are currently available at the West Chester Chamber Alliance 

offices. Limited space available. For more information, contact Kathy Rambo 

at 777.3600 or ktrambo@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

Lakotafest is coming! The second annual community event will 

be Saturday, April 5 at Lakota West High School beginning with 

a community parade and continuing with activities in the school 

throughout the day. 

Last year, an estimated 10,000 people came to Lakotafest, where 

they saw award-winning student art, heard outstanding musical 

performances, saw examples of classroom activities, and had a day 

of fun. 

Lakotafest is the Lakota Local School District’s biggest public event. 

The intent is to showcase our students’ talents and successes and 

to give our community a look at the kind of work our students do 

each day. It’s all done in a fun, festival atmosphere with games for 

children, athletic activities, and even a quiet coffeehouse setting with 

instrumental ensemble music. 

One of Lakota’s long-term strategic goals is to increase community 

engagement, the two-way relationship between the schools and 

residents that benefits students and makes the community stronger. A 

number of residents have become involved in helping students, from 

volunteering in the classroom to serving on planning committees 

that are mapping out the district’s future. In turn, students and staff 

are involved in a wide variety of community organizations and 

activities. 

For those who don’t have a relationship with the schools or with 

students, events like Lakotafest are ideal. If you don’t have children 

in Lakota schools, or aren’t sure how your financial support of the 

schools is helping students, I invite you to join us at Lakotafest on 

April 5. 

Lakota schools belong to the community and serve the community. 

Every resident is invested in the success of 18,000 students, and every 

staff member is committed to providing an outstanding education that 

helps students succeed and makes the community stronger. I hope 

that you will join us at Lakotafest in a celebration of the students who 

are successful and the community that makes it possible. 

Mike Taylor 

Superintendent of Lakota Schools 

mike.taylor@lakotaonline.com 

513.874.5505 

www.pnesbitt.com 

PATRICK NESBITT 

A TTORNEY 

Legal Counsel for 

Small Business Since 1981 

513.755.2600 

fax 513.874.5205 

8050 Beckett Center Drive • Suite 113 • West Chester • Ohio • 45069 

pnesbitt@one.net 



Ribbon Cuttings & 

Ground Breakings 

Sweet Art of Mine 

7334 Tylers Corner Drive, Suite 300, West Chester, OH 45069 

513-777-0052 

Kris and Tom Flora (center) are shown here with West Chester Chamber Alliance 

Ambassadors as they celebrate the opening of their West Chester art gallery. 

They feature local artists and well known painters and sculptors. Trendy gifts and 

jewelry are also available. 

The Little Gym 

7318 Yankee Road, Liberty Township, OH 45011 

Kevin and Page Helmick cut the ribbon as Chase Aston displays the certificate 

that commemorates the opening of The Little Gym. Especially for children, The 

Little Gym® provides the foundation for non-competitive motor skill development 

programs, such as gymnastics, sports skills and karate, all taught in a fun, safe 

and nurturing environment. 

Profiles in Design 

6214 Muhlhauser Rd 

West Chester, OH 45069 

“If you can dream it, we can build it!” is the tag that Joe Pfaltzgraff 

and Gary Stacy (center) adopted when they started their company in 

1987. They are pictured here with Michelle Stacy, cutting the ribbon 

of their West Chester location as the West Chester Chamber Alliance 

Ambassadors cheer them on. 

Ambassador of the Quarter 

Sherri Gordon 

Packaging Systems Design, Inc. 

Global Sign Company 

7568 Wyandot #3, Liberty Township, OH 45044 

Global Sign Company can help create a lasting impression by sharing their 

expertise in design, production, and installation of all types of custom signs. 

John and Pam Thompson (center) specialize in distinctive, quality signs. Liberty 

Township Trustee David Kern (6 th from the left) join the Ambassadors at the ribbon 

cutting celebration. 

Kenni Blache, West Chester Chamber Alliance; Sherri 

Gordon, Packaging Systems Design, Inc.; Suzanne 

Weisbrod, North Side Bank & Trust Company are captured 

here celebrating Sherri’s recognition as Ambassador of the 

fourth quarter. 



s m a l l b u s i n e s s c o n c e r n s 

A Career Advantage: 

Effective Interview Answers 

“Look for ways to be an active force and design a life of substance.” 

~ Les Brown 

If You Could Invest One Day 

and ADVANCE the Rest of 

Your Life, Would You? 

OstermanCron and the SEBC Leadership 21 Alumni Association 

are proud to be the local sponsors for this year’s Maximum Impact 

Leadership Development Simulcast on Friday, April 18th, hosted and 

headlined by leadership guru, John Maxwell. 

In today’s market, success in marketplace leadership is measured by 

expenditures, net profit and exponential growth. But can we truly evaluate 

our influence with the same measurements? 

• How do I really know if I am progressing as a leader? 

• What do I do when my paycheck isn't motivating me as much as it 

used to? 

• How do I truly impact the lives of those who work for me? 

Find the answer for yourself on Friday, April 18 th when the 2008 Maximum 

Impact Simulcast provides you, the business professional, with a day to 

ADVANCE your leadership. 

Renowned authors, businessmen and leadership experts will provide you 

with a wealth of information designed to help you grow your influence. 

Join 80,000 leaders across North America as you learn to ADVANCE at 

work, ADVANCE in life and ADVANCE yourself. Information can be 

found at www.maximumimpact.com/mis/speakers.asp. 

Featured leadership speakers for this year’s Maximum Impact 

include: John Maxwell, Patrick Lencioni, Bill Taylor, Andy Stanley, 

Dan Cathy, Dick Vitale, Andy Andrews, Kevin Carroll, Valorie 

Burton and Spencer Tillman 

ADVANCE will be held on Friday, April 18th from 8:30am to 4:30 pm at 

Bethany United Methodist Church at 6388 Cincinnati-Dayton Road in 

Liberty Township. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Group 

rates and corporate sponsorships are available. 

Contact: Joel Osterman, OstermanCron, Inc. 

513.771.3377 or joel@ostermancron.com 

Interviewing is a critical step in a job search yet, for many, is a dreaded 

process. Employers expect candidates to explain clearly, with specific 

examples, why their experience and skills make the candidate the right 

“fit” for the position. Using behavioral questions, employers base their 

evaluation on past performance as an effective indicator of future 

behavior. 

Some simple steps can prepare you for interview success: 

• Research….Research….Research 

One significant evaluation factor used by employers, as reported by 

320 business organizations surveyed by The Northwestern Lindquist- 

Endicott Report by Victor R. Lindquist (published and copyrighted by 

The Placement Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois), is 

lack of knowledge about the industry/position/organization. Do you 

have a thorough understanding of the responsibilities of the position 

and culture of the organization, its products and services? Use reliable 

sources to find and use this information to your career advantage. 

• Identify and link your accomplishments specifically to the 

position 

Use the acronym CAR: Challenge…Action…Result to prepare your 

stories. If a skill in analysis, judgment and creativity is the focus of a 

management trainee position, paint a picture of how using these skills 

resulted in a significant business outcome. Show how these experiences 

will help you contribute to the position. Avoid rambling, keep your 

stories honest, enthusiastic and results oriented. 

• Understand employer concerns behind interview questions 

Hiring the right person is an expensive decision. Your ability to excel 

and commitment to the position is critical. What kind of learner are you? 

Given the rapidly changing work environment where responsibilities 

are added or taken away at a moment’s notice, it is important for an 

employer to assess your ability to adapt to changing responsibilities. 

Make a list of your soft skills and include these descriptions in your 

conversation. 

• Commit to giving your best effort 

A big interview turn-off is showing a lack of genuine interest in 

building a relationship with an interviewer. Share your best effort 

with an employer by actively listening to their questions, asking for 

clarification, using your energy to link your contributions to the position 

and being respectful of the time invested by you and the employer in 

having this conversation. 

Prepare and go forth with confidence! 

2337 Victory Parkway • Cincinnati, OH 45206 • www.roc-cpa.com 

513-241-4507 • 513-241-5637 Fax 

For more information call Mike Combs or Greg Ossege. 

By Sunitha Narayanan 

Principal, Career Advantage Ltd. 

513.755.0634 

a.narayanan@fuse.net 



2008 is the time to 

Advertise Your Company 

in the 


WELCOME CENTER 

This advertising vehicle is located in the lobby of the Chamber 

offices and can successfully advertise your business to current 

members, prospective members and new members! 

Interested? Want more information? 

Please call Alison Miuccio at 513.777.3600 or email 

amiuccio@westchesterchamberalliance.com 

New Members 

Verizon / Cellular Sales 

Huntington Learning Center 

Brandon Parks 

Dan Mathis 

513-967-0970 

513-860-4416 

8179 Princeton-Glendale Rd, Ste H 8179-A Princeton-Glendale Road 

Hamilton, OH 45011 


Telephone - Wireless Sales & Service Education Services 

Strategic Business Advisor Group 

Gary Price 

513-755-0788 

8216 Princeton-Glendale Rd, #192 


Coaching 

PcWorks LLC 

Eric Medecke 

513-895-7272 

3501 Tylersville Rd, Ste C 


Computer Sales & Service 

CincyTech 

Todd Wurzbacher 

513-325-5473 

30 West 3rd St., 6th Floor 

Cincinnati, OH 45202 

Financial Services & Investment 

Advisors 

Basket Beyond Beautiful 

Amy Rothan 

513-860-2661 

8825 Eagle Creek Ct 


Retail - Specialty 

The Welcome Center was designed, built and donated by 

Countertops and Cabinetry By Design 

513.770.5575 

Melanie Williams, Inc. 

Melanie Williams 

513-870-9288 

7332 Ridge Meadow Ct 


Marketing Research 

Thank You! 

ADP 

Amy Nell 

513-833-1251 

500 W 7th Street 


Payroll Services 

ActionCOACH 

Melissa Howard 

513-604-1760 

403 The Alameda 

Middletown, OH 45044 

Coaching/Consulting 

When you just can't wait til Friday ... 

Why Not Wednesday 

Happy Hour 

at 

March 7 – Armchair Program: Brazil 

Marino Haensel shares the life and history of the South American Gauchos 

(cowboys) as told by a real gaucho! 

7pm West Chester Township Hall, 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road. 

March 21 – Armchair Program: Vietnam “A Country Not at War” 

Libby & John Toussant will be visiting southeast Asia to study the culture and 

sites of the Vietnam War. They will share their experience with us. 7pm West 

Chester Township Hall, 9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road. 

March 22 – West Chester Fire Department Easter Egg Hunt 

at Keehner Park 

6200 Muhlhauser Rd. 

West Chester, Ohio 

513.777.7177 

www.meshrestaurant.com 

at union centre 

Every Wednesday 

5-7 pm, mesh lounge 

complimentary appetizers 

reduced drink prices 

live entertainment 

mesh gift card drawing 

sponsored by 

April 5 – Lakota Local Schools 50th Anniversary Parade 

Where Families Grow . . . 

And 

Businesses 

Prosper! 

9113 Cincinnati-Dayton Road • West Chester, Ohio • 45069 

513-777-5900 • 513-779-9369 fax • www.westchesteroh.org 

Trustees: George Lang, Catherine Stoker, Lee Wong 

Clerk-Treasurer: Patricia Williams 

Township Administrator: Judith C. Boyko 



Bakery Crafts 

Dan Guttman 

P.O. Box 37 


513-942-0862 

Bonefish Grill 

David Rankin 

7706 Voice of America Centre 


513-755-2303 

Butler County Auditor 

Kay Rogers 

130 High Street 


513-887-3153 

Butler County Board of 

MR/DD 

Tanya Coffey 

155 Donald Drive 

Fairfield, OH 45014 

513-867-5962 

Butler County Engineer 

Greg Wilkens 

1921 Fairgrove Ave 


513-867-5744 

Capital Concepts, Inc. 

Linda Horn 

9676 Dryfork Road 

Harrison, OH 45030 

513-367-1793 

CCS Topsoil 

Robert Wheeler 

8734 Union Centre Blvd 


513-755-8296 

Cincinnati Pool Management 

Gary Toner 

6232 A Center Park Dr 


513-777-1444 

Daniel J. Kroger, OD 

Dan Kroger 

7322 Kingsgate Way 


513-777-3936 

Digital & Analog Design 

Lisa Russo 

12125 Ellington Court 


513-247-2960 

Divine Vending 

John Bibby 

P.O. Box 1786 


513-505-8280 

Renewing Members 

Elegant Estates, LLC Custom 

Homes 

Jeffrey L. Stawicki 



513-860-4816 


Leroy Reshard 



513-603-3466 

First Financial Bank, N.A. 

Michele Stoffer 

9120 Union Centre Boulevard 


513-603-4049 

First Financial Bank-Beckett 

Park 

Ronald Helton 

8211 Princeton-Glendale Road 


513-867-4905 

First Financial Bank-Kingsgate 

Rhonda Bowling 

7795 Tylersville Road 


513-867-4761 

First Financial Bank-Liberty 

Crossing 

Mollie Marconi 

7237 Cincinnati-Dayton Road 


513-867-4376 

First Financial Bank-Union 

Centre 

Elizabeth Gulley 

9120 Union Centre Boulevard 


513-603-4002 

First Financial Insurance 

Andy Murphy 

300 High Street 


513-867-4362 

Flagel, Huber, Flagel & Co 

Robert Hesch 

9135 Governors Way 


513-774-0300 

Holiday Inn Express 

Jack Sulfsted 

8567 Cincinnati-Dayton Road 


513-755-3900 

HR Partners International, 

Inc. 

Darlene R. Mack 

8062 Hickory Hill Ln, Ste 200 


513-779-7296 

Jefferson Pilot Securities 

Corp 

Rick Shively 

8563 Mason Montgomery Rd 

Mason, OH 45040 

513-229-6196 

Kaleidoscope 

Matt Kornau 

205 W 4th St, Ste 900 


513-766-1056 

Katizac, LLC 

Steve Shorten 

7723 Tylers Place, #269 


513-293-1423 

Life Success Seminars, Inc. 

Michael Monahan 

P.O. Box 1369 


513-874-0555 

Miller Brewing Company 

Denise Quinn 

2525 Wayne Madison Road 

Trenton, OH 45067 

513-844-4601 

Miller-Valentine Group 

Chris Duval 

P.O. Box 744 

Dayton, OH 45401 

937-297-9369 

One Way Farm 

Barbara Condo 

P.O. Box 18637 

Fairfield, OH 45018 

513-829-3276 

Pole/Zero Corporation 

Randy Laubach 

5530 Union Centre Dr 


513-870-9060 

Pulse Journal 

Sarah Buehrle 

7378 Liberty One Dr 

Liberty Township, OH 45044 

513-755-5060 

Quatkemeyer Jr. Associates 

Agency, Inc. 

Robert Quatkemeyer, Jr. 

7817 Manor Drive 


513-777-4430 

Sugar Creek Packing Co 

Brian Milburn 



513-874-4422 

Tangi Marketing Inc. 

Mary Lynn Tangi 

9830 Regatta Dr., Suite 103 


513-741-4842 

Thank You! 

TDH Marketing & 

Communications 

Kim Eros 

8153 Garnet Drive 

Dayton, OH 45458 

937-438-3434 

The Preserve @ Beckett Ridge 

Sandy Nash 

2515 Fox Sedge Way 


513-942-2105 

The Skillman Corporation 

Greg Girard 

5900 West Chester Rd, Ste F 


513-942-2322 

The Wine Cart 

Chris Waugh 



513-860-9463 

Thompson Hine LLP 

Deborah Brenneman 

312 Walnut St, Ste 1400 


513-352-6638 

Xavier University-Williams 

College of Business 

Ken Honchell 

3800 Victory Parkway 


513-745-3525 

Business Improvement & 

Development Series 

for Chamber Members 

The West Chester Chamber Alliance is offering a series of seminars 

to enhance various aspects of your business. The second in our 

series will focus on networking and will be presented by Bob 

Rosselot, Strategic Advantage Training, LLC. 

These seminars are another benefit of your Chamber membership. 

Networking for Results 

Tuesday, March 25 th 

3-4pm 

SEBC Workforce Academy, lower level of the 

West Chester Chamber Alliance. 

RSVP to Marge Wimmer at 513.777.3600 

or mwimmer@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 



West Chester Chamber Alliance Voice 

Chamber Voice is published monthly by the West Chester Chamber Alliance, 

7617 Voice of America Centre Drive, West Chester, Ohio 45069. 

Telephone: 513.777.3600, Toll Free: 877.WCHESTER, Fax: 513.777.0188 

www.westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

Subscriptions are included in the annual dues of each Chamber membership. 

Publisher ................................................................................... Joe Hinson 

Editor ................................................................................. Alison Miuccio 

Photography ...................................................Kenni Blaché, Mike Murray 

Contributing Writers ......................................Steve Nguyen, Chris Waugh 

Sunitha Narayanan, Alison Miuccio, Ali Fischetti 

Designer ............................................................. Bethart Printing Solutions 

Postmaster/Address Changes 

Send address changes to West Chester Chamber Alliance, 7617 Voice of America 

Centre Drive, West Chester, Ohio 45069. Attention: West Chester Chamber 

Alliance or e-mail: amiuccio@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

Advertising 

Chamber members can advertise in the Chamber Voice and reach more than 

850 leaders in the southeastern Butler County business community. 

For costs and specifics, call Alison Stuart Miuccio, 777.3600 

or e-mail amiuccio@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

Subscriptions 

Chamber Voice is mailed to Chamber members as a benefit of membership. 

Additional subscriptions are available to Chamber members at $50 per year. 

Non-member subscriptions are $75 per year. For information, call 777.3600. 

Submissions 

Articles, advertisements and inserts for the Chamber Voice must be received at the 

Chamber office by the 15th of each month to be included in the upcoming 

edition. No article in this news magazine may be reprinted without the 

permission of the West Chester Chamber Alliance. 



West Chester Chamber Alliance and Community Calendar 

SUNDAY 

MONDAY 

Liberty Twp 

WCCA 

BC Board of 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 

Trustees, 7:00 p.m., 

Business Action Commissioners Jag’s 

BC Board of 

WCCA Members 

BC Board of 

WC Chamber 

9 10 Monthly Luncheon11 mesh 12 13 14 15 

Commissioners 

Commissioners Alliance 

BC BC Board of 

16 17 18 mesh 19 20 21 22 

Commissioners 

Board of 

Commissioners Jag’s 

BC Board of 

WCCA 

WC Chamber 

23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

Networking 

WCCA 

Commissioners 

Alliance 

Breakfast 

Jag’s 

BC Board of 

30 31 

Commissioners 

TUESDAY 

MARCH 2008 

Liberty Twp Admin Bldg 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

Lakota Board 

of Education, 

7:00 p.m., Lakota Central 

Office 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

Lakota Board 

of Education, 

7:00 p.m., Lakota Central 

Office 

Liberty Twp Trustees, 

7:00 p.m., Liberty Twp 

Admin Bldg 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

11:30 a.m., Wetherington 

Golf & Country Club 

West Chester Township 

Trustees 

7:00 p.m., Township Hall 

Power Hour, 12:00 p.m., 

WC Chamber Alliance 

offices, SEBC Workforce 

Academy 

WCCA Networking 

for Results, 3:00-4:30 

p.m., SEBC Workforce 

Academy 

Butler Tech Board 

Meeting, 7:00 p.m., 

PSEC, 5140 Princeton- 

Glendale Rd, Liberty Twp. 

West Chester Township 

Trustees, 7:00 p.m., 

Township Hall 

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 

Committee, 4:00 p.m., 

WC Chamber Todd Board 

Room 

mesh 

Why Not Wednesday, 

5-7 p.m. 


5-7 p.m. 


5-7 p.m. 

Government Issues 

Committee, 8:00 a.m., 

WC Chamber Todd 

Board Room 

mesh 


5-7 p.m. 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

Ambassadors’ 

Meeting, 11:30 a.m. 

WCCA Offices 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

Business After Hours 

5-7 p.m., mesh 

Briefing 

7:30 a.m., WC Chamber 

Alliance offices, SEBC 

Workforce Academy 

BC Board of 

Commissioners 

9:30 a.m., 315 High St., 

Hamilton 

West Chester’s Biggest 

Office Party, 5-8 p.m. 

Annual Dinner and 

Awards Gala, 6:30 p.m., 

Savannah Center 

Jag’s 





Chamber Office Closed 



It’s Big….It’s Back…It’s All Business 

The 2008 Business Expo 

the largest between Cincinnati and Dayton! 

Tuesday, May 13 th from 1 to 5pm 

At Skatetown USA 

Over 100 Booths! 

Space is limited, 

so make your booth reservation today! 

For more information, call Kristin Spanogians 

at 513.777.3600 or email her at 

kspanogians@westchesterchamberalliance.com. 

...connecting people and possibilities. 

1

Calendar of Events 

MARCH 

11 th - Monthly Member Luncheon 

Wetherington Golf & Country Club, 11:30am 

14 th - Annual Dinner & Awards Gala 

Savannah Center at Chappell Crossing, 6pm 

“Address Service Requested” 

TIME DATED MATERIAL! 

7617 Voice of America Centre Drive 

West Chester, Ohio 45069 

WEST CHESTER CHAMBER ALLIANCE 

25 th - Networking Power Hour 

SEBC Workforce Academy, 12-1pm 

25 th - Business Improvement & Development Series 

“Networking for Results” 

SEBC Workforce Academy, 3-4:30pm 

27 th - Breakfast Briefing 

SEBC Workforce Academy, 7:30-9am 

PRESORTED 

STANDARD 

US POSTAGE 

PAID 

WEST CHESTER OH 

PERMIT NO 65

72960 March 2008 Voice NL.indd - West Chester Liberty Chamber ...

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