Northern Kentucky

NORTHERN KENTUCKY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Why NKY?
The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is key to regional growth and prosperity
WINSTON Churchill once
spoke about the United States
and the United Kingdom
being “two nations divided by a common
language.” Such a statement may sound
familiar to those who live and work in
Northern Kentucky.
Some see NKY as an
extension of Cincinnati
and Ohio, while others
see it as a place as blue as
the Bluegrass itself. The
truth is both and neither.
Bob Heil,
Principal,
President &
CEO, KLH
Engineers;
Chairman,
NKY Chamber
of Commerce
Navigating which part
is which is something
the Northern Kentucky
Chamber of Commerce
has helped business to do
for many years.
During the late 1960s,
leaders of the Covington
Kenton-Boone Chamber of Commerce
and the Campbell County Chamber of
Commerce joined forces to spur action on
two projects; the Kentucky portion of I-275
and the site selection of the new state college
that would later become Northern Kentucky
University. Those successful collaborations
led to a full merger by 1969.
The Chamber itself grew to serve
a niche in the region. With so many
counties and dozens of small cities, the
Chamber became the de facto voice from
which Northern Kentucky made its voice
heard in Frankfort and Washington.
That Public Affairs component, not
only serves as the historic reason for the
Northern Kentucky Chamber’s existence,
but also plays a big role in what the
Chamber does today. The NKY Chamber
serves as the voice of its members on
key legislative and regulatory issues
in Northern Kentucky, Frankfort and
Washington, D.C. As a member, there are
many opportunities to access legislators
and key government officials, to get
involved and build relationships.
Another key part of the NKY
Chamber’s efforts is the work done to
help and cultivate small business. In fact,
85 percent of our member companies
employ fewer than 50 people.
“The Chamber’s
continuing efforts to
celebrate and connect small
businesses is a primary
reason for our continued
involvement in Chamber
activities,” said Charlie
Vance, CEO of Erigo. “We
utilize the Chamber as a
Charlie Vance,
CEO, Erigo
venue to keep connected to the Northern
Kentucky business community as well as to
market our services.”
Another key tool the NKY Chamber
provides is attention to helping members
manage workforce issues. The Chamber
provides resources and programming
to member companies in the areas of
Health, Wellness & Safety, Talent &
Human Resources and Labor Law. The
Chamber also makes the vital connections
between organizations and initiatives
needed to develop a strong workforce in
our region.
When it comes to connections and
member engagement, it is hard to beat
the reach of the Women’s Initiative
program at the Chamber, a leading
organization for women of all career
stages working toward business and
professional success. It was created to
inspire area businesswomen in Northern
Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati to
Connect, Grow and Achieve.
The Chamber also focuses resources
on cultivating future leaders. Leadership
NKY uses the community as a classroom
to develop leaders who will effectively
serve the region. The program is designed
14 The Lane Report’s Northern Kentucky Market Review 2017 lanereport.com