North Coast Business Journal | March 2014

Focus on Fostoria:INSIDE

THIS MONTH

www.ncbj.net

HR: Balancing Technology Usage Issues ......9

LEGAL:WhatHappensNow? ............... 10

CHAMBER CALENDARS .... 11

ESTATE: Long Term Care ....... 12

TAXES: Planningfor College ....... 15

INSURANCE: Learnfrom NearAccidents ......... 22

WELL-BOOKED BUSINESS ........ 23

SALES: Business Dashboard ....... 26

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Published and Owned by Schaffner Publications, Inc.MARCH 2014 Vol. 20 No. 3

“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 Commerceof Sandusky County

Elmore Chamberof Commerce

Erie County Chamber of Commerce

Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Genoa Chamberof Commerce

Huron Chamber of Commerce

Huron County Chamber of Commerce

Marblehead Peninsula Chamber of Commerce

Milan Chamberof Commerce

Oak Harbor AreaChamber of Commerce

Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce

Put-in-Bay Chamberof Commerce

Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce

Vermilion Chamberof Commerce

Willard Area Chamberof Commerce

Submitted by Mayor Erik KecklerCharles Dickens “The Mystery of Edwin

Drood” remains an unfinished masterpiece, open to each reader’s interpretation. Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington remains an unfinished masterpiece as well, even though the finished portion was used on the one dollar bill. In its own way, Fostoria is an unfinished work with one exception from those listed above. There are many dedicated individuals working furiously to ensure it does not remain an unfinished work.

You can see the words flowing onto the page when you consider the wonderful work being done in Fostoria. The opening of the Fostoria Rail Park in the Fall of 2013 was the beginning of a new chapter in Fostoria’s rich rail history. Rail fans from around the world travel to Fostoria to take photographs of trains in an area where east and west, north and south, CSX and Norfolk and Southern all come together in the Iron Triangle. These rail aficionados have a beautiful new park, resembling an old time train station to come and enjoy these comings and goings. While the ample number of railroads throughout Fostoria offers some a wonderful hobby; they still offer industry an opportunity for affordable shipping in any direction of the United States.

There would be no masterpiece if not for the family-owned local industries which for decades have played intricate and vital roles in Fostoria. The Mennel Milling Company, The Roppe Holding Corporation, Callies, Bowling Transportation, Filmtec, and dozens of others have continued to grow and invest in the local community. Our industries do not just provide employment; they provide a standard of philanthropy and community engagement which is unparalleled in the area.

You can see paint strokes on canvas if you look at the partnership between the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation and the Geary Family YMCA. In an agreement with the City of Fostoria, these two superb community organizations have taken responsibility for Foundation Park with the express promise of upgrading infrastructure and programs within the park. Already one can see the improvements coming together. The partnership has taken a fading portrait and added new vibrant color. The addition of the dog park has been a hugely popular and much needed endeavor. There have been upgrades to several of the ball fields, new scoreboards, and playground equipment. League expansions and

tournaments are planned for 2014.Charles Dickens, Beethoven, and

Michelangelo are all famous artists in different genres; however, no one ever mentions these men’s assistants, families, or apprentices, those who worked behind the scenes. In Fostoria, we would be remiss if we did not mention those behind the scenes who do the thankless jobs. The City of Fostoria is blessed with some of the finest public safety personnel in the state. This past year, we were able to provide them with some of the tools that they so needed to effectively do their job. The Fostoria Fire Department got a new ambulance and the Fostoria Police Department received new Tasers. One of

Fostoria – an “Unfinished Masterpiece, in Progress”

See MASTERPIECE, Page 2

2 March2014 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]

DirectorofSales KRISTA CHEEK [email protected]

AccountingManager ROBIN QUESADA [email protected]

Layout&GraphicDesign FARIN BLACKBURN [email protected]

MARK SCHAFFNER [email protected]

CirculationManager BRUCE DINSE

NorthCoastBusinessJournal 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 envelope 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”

The Bellevue Area Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1910 by a group of city businessmen and community leaders to promote local industry and commercial business within the immediate Bellevue area. Since its beginning the chamber has had an open door policy to all of its members as well as the community to serve their needs.

In 2011 the chamber board formed a Strategic Planning Committee to review the needs of its members and how the chamber can more effectively serve them. In 2012 several new policies were adopted by the board as result of the committee’s review. First the member due structure was changed from being by the number of employees per member to what level of benefits a member would like to receive. There are three levels; bronze, silver and gold. The price ranges from $175 for the bronze level to $ 1900 for the gold level. The benefit to the members is that the cost of the membership is cheaper than receiving the benefits separately. Another benefit that came out of the review was to provide seminars and workshops for members to help them with their businesses. The first one was held in November 2013, The Wealth Bridge Advisors of Raymond James Financial providing a workshop for businesses on how to design and maintain a retirement plan for their business. The Chamber looks forward to having more workshops for 2014.Other benefits to our

members are: informative monthly luncheons, Ribbon cutting ceremonies, support Committee to Grow Bellevue, Working The Bellevue Development Corporation, Working with businesses and local government, annual awards banquet and business after hours, each fall holds a very successful Business Expo.

During the year we hold several fund raisers, a charity auction, which there are many wonderful items to bid on, from washers and dryers, to golf and travel packages. And all in between. This year’s auction was January 28 and was held at the Bierkeller, with auctioneer Wilbur Wade doing the auction. The chamber also cosponsors the Bellevue recreation department, A Night at the Races. For thirty four years the Chamber has held an annual golf outing, one of the longest consecutive golf outings in the area.

For the last 32 years Pam Verhoff has been at the center of the Chamber’s success. For the first 29 years she served as Secretary to the Chamber’s Executive Directors and since 2011 has served as the Executive Director. She along with board, look forward to laying the foundation for the Bellevue Chamber to serve the Bellevue businesses for another 104 years

For information about upcoming events or becoming a member see the chamber’s website Bellevuechamberofcommerce.org or call the office at 419-483-2182

Bellevue Area Chamberof Commerce 104 years old

The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra State Community College is offering free, two-hour seminars, “Small Business Basics,” that will answer questions about starting, buying or expanding a small business.

This seminar will take the confusion out of your efforts and help you avoid costly mistakes and unnecessary steps. Learn the basics of: name registration, licensing, taxes, zoning, business entities, employees, insurance, financing and business planning.

The March schedule is:

Wednesday, March 5 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Ottawa County Improvement Corporation (conference room), 8043 W. S.R. 163, Oak Harbor

Wednesday, March 12– 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce (conference room), 19 W. Market St., Tiffin

Wednesday, March 19 – 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Erie County Chamber of Commerce (conference room), 225 W. Washington Row, Sandusky

Wednesday, March 26 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Terra State Community College (Building A, Room 314), 2830 Napoleon Road, Fremont

These events are free and open to the public.

To register or for more information, call Bill Auxter, Director of the Ohio Small Business Development Center at Terra State Community College, toll-free 800-826-2431 or 419-559-2210. Or contact him by email at [email protected].

Small Business Basicsseminars set for March

I Used to Like“Leftovers…”But for the second month in a row, technical issues (you think I’d admit to human issues?) kept an article on the sidelines and it failed to make a timely appearance.

Last month’s victim, whose article is appearing this month with our apology, is Doug Gildenmeister, President of the Bellevue Chamber.

Sorry Doug and Bellevue Chamber members – here it is.

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

Dr. Daniel Clair, Chairman of Vascular Surgery at Cleveland Clinic, is leading the highly skilled team of Cleveland Clinic vascular specialists treating patients at Fisher-Titus Medical Center and The Bellevue Hospital. Community members within the region now have access to the exceptional level of care that only this team can offer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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For more than 80 years, ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital has cared for generations of families in the greater Fostoria community. Although the hospital has significantly grown and drastically changed in many ways over the years, our Mission to improve health and well-being remains the same.

In the last 10 years, ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital has invested in new facilities that have improved local access to high-quality care, including a new Surgery Center in 2003, Diagnostic Center in 2008 and most recently a Cancer and Infusion Center opened in 2012. In a few short weeks, we’ll begin our next project – an Orthopedic Center – which will centralize physician clinics and other relevant rehabilitation/therapy services within the ProMedica Medical Center in Fostoria.

Although we are very proud of our history, we are equally focused on our future. In a time of rapid change in healthcare, like other health organizations across the nation, our focus is on preserving access to critical resources, remaining flexible and making proactive decisions that impact the community as a whole.

Check out this featured list of recent initiatives and projects at ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital:

Emergency Food to Patients As part of our commitment to

wellness and disease prevention, ProMedica is working to ensure basic nutritional needs are met to support a healthier population in the communities it serves. Through the Come to the Table initiative to address hunger as a health issue, ProMedica started a program last year to screen patients for food insecurity.

In February, the emergency food program was rolled out at ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital. Patients were asked about their food security at admission, and those who were identified as food insecure are referred to a social worker or care navigator, who provides a more detailed assessment. If needed, a care package with an emergency food supply is ordered, and patients who need help receive them at discharge. These patients also are connected to

community resources for further assistance.

New Pain Management ProgramIn January, a new pain management

program at ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital opened on the hospital campus to appropriately treat patients who suffer from acute and chronic pain. Our pain management team offers individualized care utilizing advanced technology and techniques to help patients regain function and improve their quality of life by treating, controlling and relieving pain.

The pain management program at ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital provides evaluation, pain relief and pain treatment for a wide range of pain problems, including but not limited to: acute and chronic back and neck pain; nerve injuries, herniated disc, neuropathies/neuralgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), radiculopathy, cancer pain and arthritis.

“We are excited to offer specialized pain management services for the benefit of our patients’ physical and emotional health and well-being,”


Every Construction CompanyHad to StartSomewhere

Why not use the Contractorwho began withintegrity, honesthard work and quality.

The more thingschange, the morethey stay the same.

ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital: Growing with the Community

See PROMEDICA, Page 6


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Submitted byPam Smith,Executive Director

“They say that even numbers are better than odd numbers but the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce would have to disagree with that.” 2013 was certainly a good year for Fostoria. Starting with the Annual Chamber Awards Luncheon, which was very well attended.

The Chamber demonstrated the importance of reinvesting in the community and which will be the new location for the Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau. The Fostoria Area Visitors Bureau is an entity of the Chamber and serves as the marketing arm for travel and tourism in the Fostoria area which includes Seneca, Hancock and Wood counties. Both buildings will undergo renovations in 2014.

In April the Chamber hosted the Annual fun-filled spring fundraiser, event that brought in over 400 people. Those in attendance enjoyed food, music and the comedy/musical entertainment. Show along with opportunities for business networking in a social atmosphere.

The Chamber changed things up a bit with the annual Antique & Classic Car Show by moving it to September and holding at the Fostoria High School in conjunction with the Fostoria Rail Fest. The Car Show celebrated its 100th year Anniversary

of the Allen Car which was manufactured by the Allen Motor Company in Fostoria from 1913-1921. The show offered a wonderful display of antique and classic cars, trucks and motorcycles.

In August the Chamber held the 36th Annual Golf Classic, “Golfing in the Tropics.” A warm summer day set the perfect tone, and included the best dressed tropical outfit contest, fun golf challenges and games on the course as well as a buffet dinner and Jimmy Buffet- type entertainment.

The final event of the season was the Fostoria Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Holiday Open House, “Christmas in Whoville” Which was truly a magical time for family and friends to enjoy the spirit of Christmas and time spent together. The event included the Fostoria Rotary Holiday Parade, free breakfast with Santa, elves dancing down the streets, characters, carolers singing, horse & wagon rides, train rides, real reindeer from the North Pole and a reindeer costume contest, hot chocolate, snacks and unstoppable shopping!

Overall the Chamber held 47 events during last year alone, which included five major events and many others like the “What’s Perkin & the Chamber?” and “Meet me @ 4pm” Business Networking events as well as ribbon cuttings, grand openings and a variety of business trainings. The Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce also

manages the Fostoria Area Safety Council for the BWC which held many educational meetings and special events for Fostoria area businesses.

The Fostoria Chamber of Commerce is proud to have over 250 Chamber Members that range from small to mid-size businesses in manufacturing, automotive, transportation, aerospace, healthcare, retail, hospitality, travel, education and chemical industries that range from 1 to over 200 employees.

The Chamber has developed important partnerships with many different types of businesses and organizations in the region to further enhance and promote Economic Development in this area.

For 2014 we have some new and exciting news, the City of Fostoria, Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau partnered to bring the National Gus Macker 3- on- 3 Basketball Tournament to Fostoria June 13-15.

For more information or If you are interested in becoming a member of the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce , Fostoria Area Safety Council or both please contact Pamela Smith, Executive Director at 419-435-0486 or [email protected]

We are fortunate to have the support of the business community and it would be our pleasure to serve you!

The Fostoria Area Chamberof Commerce & Visitors Bureau

“Can We Talk?” Four Tips for Delivering Bad NewsDelivering bad news isn’t pleasant—but at times,

it’s necessary. Geoffrey Tumlin shares a simple formula to help you conduct life’s difficult conversations.

Bad news is no fun to deliver. That’s why even distinguished leaders and otherwise successful people will go to great lengths to avoid doing it. For example, you might tolerate a longstanding, but mediocre, vendor instead of giving the contract to another company. Or maybe you make excuses to hold on to an underperforming employee. And admit it: You’ve almost certainly hung around in a problematic personal relationship (romantic or platonic) longer than you should have.

These delays buy us a reprieve, but they surely don’t improve the situation. In fact, as we hesitate, prevaricate, and beat around the bush, the underlying problem gets worse and the web of complications grows ever more tangled. That’s why Geoffrey Tumlin says we owe it to ourselves to study up on the fine art of delivering bad news.

“If you were hoping for a way around the unpleasant emotions that accompany the delivery

of bad news, I’ll have to disappoint you—there isn’t one,” says Tumlin, author of the new book 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). “But there are some strategies to help you deal with these conversations more promptly and successfully.”

That’s where Stop Talking, Start Communicating comes in. Full of counterintuitive yet concrete advice, it draws on Tumlin’s considerable experience as a communication consultant to show readers how to improve conversations, develop productive communication habits, build stronger relationships, and use our powerful digital devices to their full advantage.

“Delivering bad news is an essential skill, even if it won’t win you any popularity contests,” Tumlin asserts. “Dealing with issues promptly and decisively can save you time, energy, and even

See BAD NEWS, Page 18

said Tom Borer, chief operating officer, ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital. “This new program demonstrates our efforts to invest in the changing needs of the community.”

Focus on QualityCongratulations to the ProMedica

Fostoria Community Hospital team for being recognized for their efforts to provide our patients with safe, quality care. The dialysis, mammography, surgery and nutrition services departments were all recently honored for excellence in their area and scope of service. In the previous two months alone, the efforts of these departments were validated by independent organizations as part of their annual audit and accreditation programs.

These recent accomplishments show our steadfast commitment to improving the health and well-being of our community.

Investment in AdvancedRadiology Technology

ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital recently invested nearly $500,000 in a new digital X-ray suite and mobile unit housed in the Donald and Judy Miller Diagnostic Center. This new digital technology and

e q u i p m e n t p r o v i d e s

improved

quality, safety and satisfaction for not only our adult and pediatric patients but our clinical teams throughout the hospital as well.

Branding and LightingSeveral years ago, ProMedica

launched a major rebranding initiative which included new hospital names, including ours – ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital. In December, the first phase of exterior signage updates on our campus were completed, reflecting our new name.

Illuminated green rope lighting was installed as well. These lights have been installed at nearly all ProMedica hospitals in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, and are just one way of visually helping people connect our hospital with ProMedica’s extensive network of healthcare facilities and services.

This recent signage and light project is an excellent example of the many different ways we are reinvesting in our hospital and community.

To learn more about ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital, call, click or visit today!

419-435-7734www.promedica.org/fostoriaw w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m /

ProMedicaFostoriaCommunityHospitalwww.promedicahealthconnect.org501 Van Buren St., Fostoria, Ohio

44830

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the most heartfelt moments of the last year was the death of one of the Police Departments canine officers, Ninja. Within a few months, the community rallied and a new canine, Marley, was purchased. This serves as a fine example of the generosity and community spirit seen regularly in Fostoria.

For a sculpture to withstand the test of time, it must be constructed on a solid foundation. The City of Fostoria’s solid foundation can be seen every day when one walks past the Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery or the Fostoria Historical Museum. ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital continues to help stabilize the community with their excellent healthcare services; as do our nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The work is never ending within our public and private schools as year after year they strive to mold the young

minds of Fostoria. Fostoria City Schools and St. Wendelin’s serve as bridges between Fostoria rich history and its unfinished future.

In closing, it should be noted that unfinished masterpieces can stand as Michelangelo’s sculptures “The Slaves,” beautiful never to be finished works. However, I see Fostoria more as “The Mystery of Edward Drood.” Each new author adding his or her own interpretation to a never ending novel or as Barry Cooper took bits and pieces of Beethoven’s unfinished works and crafted “Beethoven’s Unfinished Symphony No. 10.” We have many authors, painters, and sculptors working together on an unfinished project here in Fostoria. We invite you to come and join us in finishing the masterpiece. It shows great promise of being a unique beauty.

MASTERPIECE, from Cover PROMEDICA, from Page 4

C a l l K r i s t a a t t h e N o r t h C o a s tB u s i n e s s J o u r n a l a t 4 1 9 - 7 3 4 - 4 8 3 8


With the support of the community, the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library plans to keep working to provide the services the citizens of Fostoria need and deserve.

Last year, the library joined the statewide consortium, Serving Every Ohioan (SEO). SEO spans the state of Ohio and consists of 89 library systems in 46 different counties. Fostoria’s citizens have joined almost a million other Ohio library users to have access to over eight million items in the consortium’s collection. Over the latter part of 2013 and facing a learning curve, Kaubisch users checked out over 7,000 items from other libraries, all free of charge. SEO has allowed Kaubisch to better serve its patrons by giving the library a more powerful online catalog as well as letting the library communicate with users via e-mail and texts.

The library continues to take steps to meet its patrons’ e-book needs. Kaubisch Memorial is a contributing member of the Ohio Digital Library. Library cardholders can visit the library’s website (fostoria.lib.oh.us) to check out material for their Kindles, Nooks or other devices. Users can download—for free—digital material such as e-books, audiobooks, music and video. There

are over 140,000 e-books and 30,000 downloadable audio titles available to library users in Fostoria and across the state.

The library also provides access to Freegal. A library user can use his or her card to access the music catalog of Sony Music and others. Freegal allows our borrowers to download three MP3s per week free of charge. And, once you download it, it is yours to keep forever. You can even move it to different devices. In total, there are over seven million songs available including hits from One Direction, Justin Timberlake, Pharrel Williams, Daft Punk, Bruce Springsteen, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Lambert and more. The catalog encompasses a wide selection of music ranging from country to world music to classical and much more.

As spring approaches, Kaubisch Memorial is once again gearing up for its annual summer reading program for children. Local kids ages 3-12 are encouraged to join in on the fun with this year’s theme, “Fizz Boom Read.” The summer reading program is designed to stave off damaging erosion of reading skills that can happen to school children over the summer months. The program will include prizes, programs,

crafts, and, most importantly, FUN!Everything listed above is only

possible due to the continued support of the community. The patronage of the library, as well as the financial backing of the levy, ensures the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library’s staff and trustees will continue to strive to provide the citizens of Fostoria with all the services of a modern, proactive organization.

Fostoria’sLibrary Appreciates Community Support

Comingin April:Focus on

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The Port Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony for Magruder Hospital to celebrate the opening of their 1-South Renovation on February 3. Members of the Port Clinton Area Chamber congratulated and thanked them for their commitment to the Port Clinton community.

Pictured left to right: Chuck Miller, PC Chamber Board Member; Jim Sass, Ottawa County Commissioner; Lee Vivod, PC Chamber Board Chair; Paul Shaw, PC Chamber Board Member; Todd Almendinger, President and CEO Magruder Hospital; Dr. Vinay Gudena, Seidman Cancer Physician; Laura Muller, Manager of Magruder’s Oncology Department; Brad Hickman, PC Chamber Ambassador; and Laura Schlachter, PC Chamber President

Ribbon Cutting Held for Magruder’s 1-South Renovation


Protecting Your Tomorrow

• Actively managed portfolios• Safe & Secure investment accounts• IRA & 401(K) distributions and rollovers• Life & Long-term care (LTC) insurance

At McIntire Retirement Services, we specialize in retirement planning by helping pre-retirees and retirees achieve their dreams and financial goals through:

To set up a free consultation, contact our Port Clinton, Perrysburg or Fremont offices:Port Clinton:205 SE Catawba Rd. Suite CPhone: (419) 732-0732Perrysburg:900 W. South Boundary St. Bldg. 3APhone: (419) 874-2015Fremont:622 1/2 West State StreetPhone: (419) 332-0532

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 and Wells Fargo Bank, N. A.

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By: Steven J. KrisfalusySr. Management & Human Capital Consultant

Unless you just crawled out from underneath a rock for the past decade, technology “is” part of everyone’s business and social lives today. Whether you have an advanced network or not, things like Social Media and internet searches are being done every day in the workplace.

In many cases, our people need the internet to do research, emails, etc. but at the same time productivity throughout a given 8 hr. work day is impacted. On average, before smart phones +, the average amount of productive time expected from the average employee was between 4-6 hrs. out of 8. With the new and mobile technologies, that situation can be concerning especially around times like Holidays due to a 70% increase in on line shopping – during the day!

Furthermore, how in the world can you hold someone accountable? What is too much? What is or isn’t causing a negative impact on the business? How do you not discriminate holding one person accountable and not another? All good

questions and remember that the HR Laws do not care about the size of your business when it comes to compliance.

So what can you do? There are no simple solutions and most companies struggle with this very issue but there are a few basic things you can do.

1. Make a companywide written policy that specifically defines what can or cannot be done and when.

2. If your business uses Facebook or Twitter for marketing, it is almost impossible to limit or track that activity.

3. Conducting searches on the internet is something that 95% of businesses do at some point in time during the day. Limiting the types of sites and the reasons for being there will help.

4. Smart Phones are probably the biggest challenge. They are mobile plus relatively silent (when on vibrate). According to the current stat’s; People spend between 2 – 4 hours on average checking their phones for

emails, texts, Facebook and so on. Although it is hard to track exactly, you can count on X of that time is during the 8 – 5 hours.

My first suggestion is to have an open forum meeting with your folks and discuss this topic. I would explain that this does/could impact the business and possibly their jobs. Do your best to get them to share their thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Dovetailing any solution around their ideas will help ensure more buy-in. I believe the goal is to look for a balance while at the same time make sure you create an escape clause for yourself to change things if Plan A does not work out. That will also push X of holding people who abuse the policy accountable to their peers because the next step is to take privileges away that affect everyone.

In summary, don’t keep this issue under wraps. Bring it to the surface and have some open discussions with the folks it affects.

Beringer Group LLC is a diverse team of seasoned experts that have advised & implemented HR & Business solutions throughout the Midwest since 1985. 440-552-6599 www.sjkberinger.com

Human Resources

By Jeff RothWhen a person dies, one of the

first questions to arise is where does everything go? Here is a quick overview of how assets pass at death.

BY LAWOhio statutes allow assets to be titled in such a way as to permit automatic transfer upon death with the presentation of a death certificate. Examples are:1. Tenancy by entirety, Joint Tenancy with right of

survivorship (WROS), any co-ownership with survivorship provisions.

2. The persons inheriting are the named survivors on the accounts.

BY CONTRACTMany assets are created by contract with stated beneficiaries listed in the document. Normally there is a primary beneficiary and a contingent beneficiary. Examples are:1. Annuities, IRA’s, Payable on Death (POD or

TOD), Company retirement or contribution plans (401K etc.) and Life Insurance.

2. The persons inheriting are the named beneficiaries listed in writing by the deceased in the contract.

BY TRUSTA. Revocable Trust is written by a Grantor. The Trust

may be amended or revoked during life. Upon death it becomes Irrevocable and the directions set forth in the document must be followed by the trustee.

B. An Irrevocable Trust is final upon signing. The Grantor may not change this trust. The Grantor permanently places assets into the trust. A third party is appointed to be the trustee with the power to control and administer. This is often created for tax reasons or to protect assets from nursing home expense.

C. The persons or charities receiving the property are named by the original grantor in the trust document. There can be an INCOME beneficiary who is entitled to only the income generated while the trust remains open and a PRINCIPAL beneficiary who receives the assets when the trust is terminated.

BY THE TESTATE OR INTESTATE STATUTESA. If a person has a will, he has died TESTATE. The

will is filed in the Probate court. Distribution of assets will be at the direction of the court under the terms of the Will. The court appoints the person named in the will (the executor) to honor and complete the wishes of the deceased who executed the will. This process has a definite time frame, can be costly and can take a year or more to complete.

B. If a person dies without a will he has died INTESTATE. The Ohio Statute dictates who will inherit and in what proportion. It is totally under the direction of the court to follow the statutes and appoint an administrator to compete the transfer of assets after the payment of all legitimate debts.

C. The persons inheriting are known as heirs (inheriting because they are blood relatives of the deceased) or legatees (people named in the will).

This is brief definitional overview of the many ways assets are transferred at death. Each method has a positive and a negative and one should seek legal counsel to utilize the right method for their circumstance.

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.


Effective May 21, 2014 all CMV drivers must have their medical examination performed by a certified medicalexaminer listed on the National Registry developed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Firelands Corporate Health Center provides three physicians who are Certified Medical Examiners, meeting the newrequirements. Additional Corporate Health physicians are completing the training to also become certified. Veryfew physicians in the region hold this new certification. Certified medical examiners are listed on the NationalRegistry: nrcme.fmcsa.dot.gov

Attention CMV Drivers & Employers

Bryan P. Kuns, DOMedical Director

Brett R. Kuns, DO David J. Grayson,MD, FAAFP

Firelands Corporate Health Center offers the following services to meet employer’s needs:� Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC)

injury treatment and case management and Drug Free Safety Program

� Drug & alcohol testing

� Department of Transportation (DOT) consortiums

� DOT & non-DOT random programs

� Medical review officer services

� Physical examinations

� Fit-for-work & return-to-duty evaluations

� Educational programs

� Employee assistance program & Certified SAP

� For a complete list of services visit firelands.com

Firelands Regional Medical Center Corporate Health Center5420 Milan Road, Sandusky

For an appointment, or more information, call: 419-557-5052 • firelands.com

Coroporate Health

LegalWhat Happens Now?


Bellevue ChamBer

of CommerCe 6 Monthly Luncheon w/ Mayor Donald Berkey Noon at the Willows $10 per person.

erie County

ChamBer of CommerCe

13 Business After Hours Biggby Coffee, 5:15 p.m. RSVP

27 Elected Officials Recognition Reception 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Castaway Bay. RSVP

fostoria area

ChamBer of CommerCe

13 1 year Celebration Reffner Financial Group, LLC l 4pm-7pm w/snacks

19 Fostoria Area Safety Council Meeting at ProMedica Community Hospital

Chamber of Commerce Board meeting at Fostoria Pro Medica Community Hospital

Genoa ChamBer

of CommerCe

13 Board Meeting 7:30am at Rayz Café

huron County

ChamBer of CommerCe

8 Program Committee 8:00am

12 Membership breakfast, 7:30am @ Chamber office, RSVP

13 Board of Directors, 4:00pm @ Chamber office

Spring Fling Business After Hours, Chamber office, 5-6:30pm

19 Education Committee, 8:00am, Chamber office

20 Safety Council Banquet & Member Expo, 11:30am-1:00pm, Norwalk High School, RSVP

marBlehead Peninsula

ChamBer of CommerCe

6 Directors Meeting 7:00 pm, Location TBD

14, 15, 16 Home and Flower Show Kalahari Resorts

20 Business After Hours 5 to 7 pm Hosted by Chamber, Grande Maison and LESI Location – LESI Welcome Center

oak harBor

ChamBer of CommerCe

27 Executive Meeting 10 am – Chamber Office

Port Clinton area

ChamBer of CommerCe

6 Economic Restructuring Committee Meeting @ 8:30am

Business After Hours Baumann’s from 5:00 – 7:00pm

10 Chamber Board Meeting @ 8:30am

11 Design Committee Meeting @ 11:00am

13 Organization Committee Meeting @ 8:30am

14 Benefits Committee Meeting @ 8:30am

14 –16 Great Lakes Home & Flower Show at Kalahari

18 Ambassadors Committee Meeting @ 8:30am

19 Walleye Festival Committee Meeting @ 8:30am

20 Main Street Port Clinton Board Meeting @ 8:30am

27 Promotion Committee Meeting @ 8:30am

sandusky County

ChamBer of CommerCe

5 Membership & Marketing Meeting, 3 p.m.

14 Ag Breakfast, 7 a.m., Ole Zim’s Wagon Shed (Reservations Required)

18 Health & Wellness Meeting, 2 p.m.

Finance & Executive Meeting, 12:30 p.m. Finance, 1p.m. Executive

20 BAH-Hall’s Farm Market, 5 - 7 p.m. 25 Ambassador Meeting, 8 a.m., Location TBD

26 Chamber Board Meeting, 7:30 a.m.

Safety Council Meeting, 11 a.m., Elmwood Healthcare Center at The Springs

27 Property Meeting, 9:30 a.m.

29 Progressive Ag Safety Day, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., Vanguard-Sentinel Career Center, Fremont (Reservations Required)

seneCa County

ChamBer of CommerCe

12 Small Business Basics Seminar 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Community room Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce 800-826-2431

17 After Five St. Patrick's Day Mixer 5:00 pm - ? Networking Mixer Clover Club

19 Cash Mob Tom Rodgers Flowers 9 am - 5:00 pm.

20 After Five Tiffin Art Guild 5:00 to 7:00 pm

21 Ambassador Meeting Noon Chamber Office Please RSVP

25 Tiffin Area Safety Council 11:30 am at Moose Lodge 946,

vermilion ChamBer

of CommerCe

28 Casino Night Awards Dinner 6 – 11 p.m German’s Villa

CHAMBER CALENDARS for MARCH


Douglas GildenmeisterSenior Vice President, InvestmentsRaymond James

1. What is long-term care?Long-term care refers to the

ongoing services and support needed by people who have chronic health conditions or disabilities. There are three levels of long-term care:

• Skilled care: Generally round-the-clock care that’s given by professional health care providers such as nurses, therapists or aides under a doctor’s supervision.

• Intermediate care: Also provided by professional health care providers but on a less frequent basis than skilled care.

• Custodial care: Personal care that’s often given by family caregivers, nurses’ aides, or home health workers who provide assistance with what are called “activities of daily living” such as bathing, eating, and dressing.

Long-term care is not just provided in nursing homes--in fact, the most common type of long-term care is home-based care. Long-term care services may also be provided in a variety of other settings, such as assisted living facilities and adult day care centers.

2. Why is it important to plan for long-term care?

No one expects to need long-term care, but it’s important to plan for it nonetheless. Here are two important reasons why:

The odds of needing long-term care are high:• Approximately 40% of people will need long-

term care at some point during their lifetimes after reaching age 65*

• Approximately 14% of people age 71 and older have Alzheimer’s disease, a disorder that often leads to the need for nursing home care**

• Younger people may need long-term care too, as a result of a disabling accident or illness

The cost of long-term care is rising:Currently, the average annual cost of a 1-year

nursing home stay is $74,820* and in many states the cost is much higher. In the future, long-term care is likely to be even more expensive. If costs rise at just 3% a year (a conservative estimate), in 20 years, a 1-year nursing home stay will cost approximately $135,133.

*National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services, 2011 **Alzheimer’s Association, 2012

The Rising Cost of Long-Term Care

3. Doesn’t Medicare pay for long-term care?Many people mistakenly believe that Medicare,

the federal health insurance program for older Americans, will pay for long-term care. But Medicare provides only limited coverage for long-term care services such as skilled nursing care or physical therapy. And although Medicare provides some home health care benefits, it doesn’t cover custodial care, the type of care older individuals most often need.

Medicaid, which is often confused with Medicare, is the joint federal-state program that two-thirds of nursing home residents currently rely on to pay some of their long-term care expenses. But to qualify for Medicaid, you must have limited income and assets, and although Medicaid generally covers nursing home care, it provides only limited coverage for home health care in certain states.

4. Can’t I pay for care out of pocket?The major advantage to using income, savings,

investments, and assets (such as your home) to pay for long-term care is that you have the most control over where and how you receive care. But because the cost of long-term care is high, you may have trouble affording extended care if you need it.

5. Should I buy long-term care insurance?Like other types of insurance, long-term care

insurance protects you against a specific financial risk--in this case, the chance that long-term care will cost more than you can afford. In exchange for your premium payments, the insurance company promises to cover part of your future long-term care costs. Long-term care insurance can help you preserve your assets and guarantee that you’ll have access to a range of care options.

However, it can be expensive, so before you purchase a policy, make sure you can afford the premiums both now and in the future.

The cost of a long-term care policy depends primarily on your age (in general, the younger you are when you purchase a policy, the lower your premium will be), but it also depends on the benefits you choose. If you decide to purchase long-term care insurance, here are some of the key features to consider:

• Benefit amount: The daily benefit amount is the maximum your policy will pay for your care each day, and generally ranges from $50 to $350.

• Benefit period: The length of time your policy will pay benefits (e.g., 2 years, 4 years, lifetime).

• Elimination period: The number of days you must pay for your own care before the policy begins paying benefits (e.g., 20 days, 90 days).

• Types of facilities included: Many policies cover care in a variety of settings including your own home, assisted living facilities, adult day care centers, and nursing homes.

• Inflation protection: With inflation protection, your benefit will increase by a certain percentage each year. It’s an optional feature available at additional cost, but having it will enable your coverage to keep pace with rising prices. Your insurance agent or a financial professional can help you compare long-term care insurance policies and answer any questions you may have.

Deductions for Long-Term CareInsurance Premiums: 2013 & 2014Age 2013 Limit 2014 Limit40 or under $360 $37041-50 $680 $70051-60 $1,360 $1,40061-70 $3,640 $3,72070+ $4,550 $4,660

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.

EstateFive Questions about Long-Term Care


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"In 1964, I was 4 years old, and that's the year my father taught me how to fish," said local resident, Julia Davis. Adding, "My first rod was a whittled stick that had a line and hook tied to it. It didn't even have a reel. I would sit on the dock and try to catch bluegills and crappies all day long with meat that I would find in the clams that washed up on the beach. I grew up fishing. I even became Professional Walleye Tournament Angler that fished on some of the most beautiful lakes and rivers, and against some of the best walleye anglers in the country. Now, I am a Charter Captain here on Lake Erie. And, just like that little girl sitting on the dock all day at 4 years old, I'm still fishing today at 50 years old. I think I will be fishing until the day I die. Introducing someone new to the sport, and watching them have fun, is what it's all about for me. I just couldn't see myself doing anything else."

When Captain “Juls” heard about a request for rod and reel donations to help with the children’s fishing tournament at the annual Walleye Festival this spring, she knew immediately what to do.

She reached out to Laura Schlachter from Main Street Port Clinton, and explained how the NPAA could possibly help. “Helping kids get involved in fishing is one of the largest goals of the NPAA, and they are usually pretty excited about events like yours,” she said. “I think we can make this happen.”

After a few emails and phone calls to the NPAA president and the NPAA "Future Anglers Event" manager, the application form was quickly approved, which means the NPAA will be donating 50 brand new rod and reel combos for the event.

“Our team will give a short seminar on the importance of Clean, Dry, and

NPAA to Help with Port Clinton’s2014 Walleye Festival Kids Fishing Derby

See FISHING, Page 25

Submitted by Ellen GatrellFRPS Secretary/Treasurer

Our 2013 NCBJ article was “tooting” about the Fostoria Rail Park and how it would be completed in 2013. November 15, 2013 was the ribbon-cutting day for the Fostoria Iron Triangle Visitor Center & Viewing Area. Fostoria Mayor Eric Keckler stood on the rail park platform amid 200+ people for the opening ceremony. Years of planning went into the project and Fostoria can be proud we have a wonderful area for everyone to visit, not just rail fans. A five acre tract in the middle of our Iron Triangle with three double-track main freight lines is a perfect location for viewing the busy train traffic. The rail park has a covered raised pavilion, heated restrooms, bus/rv parking, car parking areas and fencing around the

perimeter. The park is open 24/7 365. Thank you City of Fostoria for building this fabulous rail park.

Whitta Construction began the project in mid April and had 270 days, until January 10, 2014, to

complete the park. Whitta won the project with a bid of just under $996,000.00. Weather does not always cooperate with outdoor projects and with that sentiment can be definitely believed. We had more rain than a “normal” spring or summer in Fostoria. Summer lawns were greener than usual but mud abounded in the rail park as this was a construction area. Delays had to be made when you are bringing in many tons of dirt to raise the level of the area. FRPS owns the former Davis & Newcomer Building (D&N Bldg.) on Columbus Avenue directly east of the rail park and there were many sidewalk supervisors watching the park project. If you wanted to know what was accomplished, we could find it out very easily. FRPS was very grateful we were given access to take progress photos. These photos are on

our website. November 15 was cold but a sunny wonderful day for rail fans!!

Anyone who resides in Northwest Ohio can attest to the extreme cold temperatures, snow, and ice we had

this winter. Those of you who remember the Blizzard of 1978 understand what I am talking about. Rail fans, at least some of them, are not hindered by cold weather and simply enjoy watching the trains and taking “snowy” photos of the passing trains. This year is an exception rather than the norm. The rail park was abandoned most of the time as the arctic temperatures and abundance of snowdrifts made it miserable to be sitting in your car. Never mind sitting on the viewing platform, not this winter. The city snow plow drivers kept the driveway and parking lots cleaned with the blowing and drifting “white stuff” as best as they could. Again, this is a winter to remember, or maybe we hope to forget. FRPS has taken on the sidewalk and platform shoveling as well as maintaining the restrooms. We need to help as much as possible as this scenic area has no entrance fee. Considering how much snow fell in Fostoria, and the continual cold temperatures, it’s too bad the Winter Olympics were not held here, we had and still have lots of the white stuff around, no 60+ degree temperature here as they had in Sochi. I heard on the radio we had one 24 hour period of above freezing temperatures this week for the first time this winter. Hurray, maybe this is a trend.

The city of Fostoria purchased the adjacent 3 acres west of the park formerly called the Codding Property. In March, 2013 Posey Excavating demolished the large building on the property. With this “obstruction” gone, the eastbound

trains come into view more quickly at the rail park. Again, thank you City of Fostoria.

Michael Harvey, St. Mary’s, OH donated scanner equipment and we had the scanner mounted on our D&N building this summer so rail fans could listen to the “chatter.” The plan was to move the scanner to the rail park when the park was completed. We will move the scanner to the rail park platform sometime in the spring.

FRPS was excited--Bowling Green State University’s WBGU-TV crew came to our 12th annual Fostoria Rail Festival, September 28th and shot scenes for their NW Ohio train program. The program includes various Fostoria, Bellevue and Findlay locations. The Scenic Stops program is on Thursday, 8:00 p.m. Thank you WBGU-TV for coming to Fostoria.

FRPS events slated for this year include our 5th annual Retired Railroad Employees Reunion, Thursday, April 17, Good Shepherd Home, 725 Columbus Avenue. Our guest speaker is Kelly Lynch, Communications Director, Ft. Wayne Railroad Historical Society. The NKP 765 steam locomotive traveled through Fostoria many times last year. Ft. Wayne RR HS is the owner of this historic Lima built steam locomotive. Anyone interested in train history is welcome to attend our reunion. The 13th annual Fostoria Rail Festival is slated for Saturday, September 27. We have moved the festival from the Fostoria Intermediate Elementary Building to the Fostoria Junior/Senior High School. You will


Photos by Eddie Durnwald, Fostoria

Fostoria’s Rail Park a Reality!

See RAIL, Page 25


By: Jeff Rosengarten, CPA, CFEPayne, Nickles and Company

As a parent with college-bound children, you are concerned with setting up a financial plan to fund future college costs. If your children are already college age, your goal is to pay for current or imminent college bills. I’d like to address both of these concerns by suggesting several approaches that seek to take maximum advantage of tax benefits to minimize your expenses. (Please note that the following suggestions are strictly related to tax benefits. You may have non-tax-related concerns that make the suggestions inappropriate.) Planning for college expenses: In some

cases, transferring ownership of assets to children can save taxes. You and your spouse can transfer up to $28,000 in 2014 in cash or assets to each child with no gift tax consequences. And if your child isn’t subject to the “kiddie tax,” he or she is taxed on income from assets entirely at his or her lower tax rates—as low as 10% (or 0% for long-term capital gain).

However, where the kiddie tax applies, the child’s investment income above $2,000 is taxed at your tax rates and not the child’s rates. The kiddie tax applies if: (1) the child hasn’t reached age 18 before the close of the tax year or (2) the child’s earned income doesn’t exceed one-half of his or her support and the child is age 18 or is a full-time student age 19 to 23.

A variety of trusts or custodial arrangements can be used to place assets in your children’s names. Note, it’s not enough just to transfer the income, e.g., dividend checks, to your children. The income would still be taxed to you. You must transfer the asset that generates the income to their names.

Tax-exempt bonds: Another way to achieve economic growth while avoiding tax is simply to invest in tax-exempt bonds or bond funds. Interest rates and degree of risk vary on these, so care must be taken in selecting your particular investment. Some tax-exempts are sold at a deep discount from face and don’t carry interest coupons. Many are marketed as college savings bonds. A small investment in these so-called zero coupon bonds can grow into a fairly sizable fund by the time your child reaches college age. “Stripped” municipal bonds (munis) provide similar advantages.

Series EE U.S. savings bonds: Series EE U.S. savings bonds offer two tax-savings opportunities when used to finance your child’s college expenses: first, you don’t have to report the interest on the bonds for federal tax purposes until the bonds are actually cashed in; and second, interest on “qualified” Series EE (and Series I) bonds may be

exempt from federal tax if the bond proceeds are used for qualified college expenses.

To qualify for the tax exemption for college use, you must purchase the bonds in your own name (not the child’s) or jointly with your spouse. The proceeds must be used for tuition, fees, etc., not room and board. If only part of the proceeds are used for qualified expenses, then only that part of the interest is exempt.

If your adjusted gross income (AGI) exceeds certain amounts, the exemption is phased out. For bonds cashed in during 2014, the exemption begins to phase out when joint AGI hits $113,950 for joint return filers ($76,000 for singles) and is completely phased out if your AGI is at $143,950 ($91,000 for singles).

Qualified tuition programs: A qualified tuition program (also known as a 529 plan) allows you to buy tuition credits for a child or make contributions to an account set up to meet a child’s future higher education expenses. Qualified tuition programs can be established by state governments or by private education institutions.

Contributions to these programs aren’t deductible. The contributions are treated as taxable gifts to the child, but they are eligible for the annual gift tax exclusion ($14,000 for 2014). A donor who contributes more than the annual exclusion limit for the year can elect to treat the gift as if it were spread out over a five-year period.

The earnings on the contributions accumulate tax-free until the college costs are paid from the funds. Distributions from qualified tuition programs are tax-free to the extent the funds are used to pay qualified higher education expenses. Distributions of earnings that aren’t used for qualified higher education expenses will be subject to income tax plus a 10% penalty tax.

Coverdell education savings accounts: You can establish Coverdell ESAs (formerly called education IRAs) and make contributions of up to $2,000 for each child under age 18. This age limitation doesn’t apply to a beneficiary with special needs, defined as an individual who because of a physical, mental or emotional condition, including learning disability, requires additional time to complete his or her education.

The right to make these contributions begins to phase out once your AGI is over $190,000 on a joint return ($95,000 for singles). If the income limitation is a problem, the child can make a contribution to his or her own account.

Although the contributions aren’t deductible, income in the account isn’t taxed, and distributions are tax-free if spent on qualified education expenses. If the child doesn’t attend college, the money must be withdrawn when the child turns 30, and any earnings will be subject to tax and penalty, but unused funds can be transferred tax-free to a Coverdell ESA of another member of the

child’s family who hasn’t reached age 30. These requirements that the child or member of the child’s family not have reached 30 do not apply to an individual with special needs.

The above are just some of the tax-favored ways to build up a college fund for your children. If you wish to discuss any of them, or other alternatives, please call. Paying college expenses: You may be able to

take a credit for some of your child’s tuition expenses. There are also tax-advantaged ways of getting your child’s college expenses paid by others.

Tuition tax credits: You can take an American Opportunity tax credit of up to $2,500 per student for the first four years of college—a 100% credit for the first $2,000 in tuition, fees, and books, and a 25% credit for the second $2,000. You can take a Lifetime Learning credit of up to $2,000 per family for every additional year of college or graduate school—a 20% credit for up to $10,000 in tuition and fees.

The American Opportunity tax credit is 40% refundable. That means that you can get a refund if the amount of the credit is greater than your tax liability. For example, someone who has at least $4,000 in qualified expenses and who would thus qualify for the maximum credit of $2,500, but who has no tax liability to offset that credit against, would qualify for a $1,000 (40% of $2,500) refund from the government.

Both credits are phased out for higher-income taxpayers. The American Opportunity tax credit is phased out for couples with income between $160,000 and $180,000, and for singles with income between $80,000 and $90,000. The Lifetime Learning credit is phased out (for 2014) for couples with income between $108,000 and $128,000, and for singles with income between $54,000 and $64,000. The phase-out range for the Lifetime Learning credit is adjusted annually for inflation.

Only one credit can be claimed for the same student in any given year. However, a taxpayer is allowed to claim an American Opportunity tax credit or a Lifetime Learning credit for a tax year and to exclude from gross income amounts distributed (both the principal and the earnings portions) from a Coverdell education savings account for the same student, as long as the distribution isn’t used for the same educational expenses for which a credit was claimed.

Scholarships: Scholarships are exempt from income tax, if certain conditions are satisfied. The most important are that the scholarship must not be compensation for services, and it must be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and similar items (and not for room and board).

TaxesTax Planning for College

See TAXES, Page 21


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By John WeBer

In 2012 we saw many improvements at the Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery! One such update was the painting of the exterior museum building. In addition, we had numerous glass acquisitions during the 2012 year. Our challenge for 2013 was to continue to improve our Gallery which made the year very exciting. To mark our 20th anniversary, we introduced commemorative tooth pick holders. Also, we designed a beautiful pictorial calendar for 2013, showcasing a variety of the artwork created by the glass factories that were once located here. Our 2014 calendar is now available for sale and is equally as beautiful as last year’s. Each month of the calendar gives you a glimpse into the artistry that was produced here in the late 19th and early 20th century.

The Fostoria Visitors Bureau produced a DVD titled the history of Fostoria, Volume 1 that is available for purchase. It chronicles the History of Fostoria from its very beginning. It includes the rich glass making history in Fostoria and also features interviews with Fostoria Ohio Glass Association president, Bill King, and Victoria Views editor, Sally Reed.

In 2013, visitation to the gallery was extremely good with several large groups making long trips to tour the gallery. Over 30,000 visitors from every state and many foreign countries have toured the GHG.

The Glass Heritage Gallery is now open for the new season and our curators look forward to welcoming a high number of visitors this year

There are very distinctive and real reasons for preserving the heritage that has been left to us. When examining the many works of art that are on display at the Glass

Fostoria Glass Heritage Gallery

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Fostoria Area Projects: *Mennel Mill Co. *Charter Steel *Ag Credit *Roppe Rubber *Class 8 *Jacobson Mfg. *Beerco *Tiffin University *SCAT

Good Shepherd Home

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Charter Steel

Heritage Gallery one begins to look through a window in time. You get a sense of the lives and passions of people that lived in that time, for everything that would have happened, good and bad, are expressed in the work that they did. That is what makes us unique, thus becomes the art that we express. That is something very worth discovering in the same way as going to a movie. It can be both an entertaining and educational adventure for those that choose to experience it.

On behalf of the Fostoria Ohio Glass Association Board members, we extend a heartfelt welcome and invitation to visit the Glass Heritage Gallery this new season. We are now open with our March hours, Thursday-Saturday from 10 am until 3 pm. Beginning, April1st through December 31st, our hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am until 4 pm. Visitors are welcome to schedule an individual appointment outside those hours and may contact us at 419-435-5077. A sample of our display is shown on our website: www.fostoriaglass.com.

Fostoria Glass, from Page 16

<< Items you can fInd at the fostorIa Glass herItaGe Gallery


After 32 active years in the community, the Fostoria Economic Development Corporation is taking a moment to reflect on the importance and the necessity of organizations such as ours in today’s competitive market. Bob Marley once said, “In this bright future, you cannot forget your past.” Economic Development, like any other business goes through ebbs and flows and we, in Fostoria, have found that some of our best advice and direction can come from our very own past.Economic Development has

been alive and well in Fostoria since the late 1800’s. An early example was when the Isaac Harter Milling Company (known today as The Mennel Milling Company) was founded in 1886 by an early venture capitalist by the name of Michael D. Harter from Mansfield, Ohio. The project was induced by an economic development package from the City of Fostoria and the gas company. A mill was constructed in Fostoria, Ohio because the community was served by five major freight railroads and was at the center of the soft red winter wheat

growing region. The company was offered gas at 1/5th the price of coal in exchange for supplying electricity from its generators to operate the early arc carbon street lights of the time that were later produced in Fostoria by Crouse Tremaine in 1897 (known today as Morgan AM&T). The project took shape at the intersection of the Nickel Plate Railroad (now

known as Norfolk & Southern) and the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (now known as CSX) adjacent to Fostoria Stave & Barrel (known today as Seneca Millwork) which had been making hardwood barrels since 1875, for the transport of the city’s fine glassware and

other goods via the railroad.As you can imagine, the names of the

companies, their locations and their products have evolved and changed over the last 125 years; but the footprints and the legacies are still alive and thriving in Fostoria. Today, The Mennel Milling Company produces 1.8 million pounds of flour a day and employs over 90 individuals. Morgan AM&T manufactures a range of engineered products

from carbon, graphite, silicon carbide and other advanced materials, all done with a local workforce of over 100 individuals. Seneca Millwork is now part of the Roppe Holding Company family and while they no longer produce barrels, the do employ over 80 people and produce hardwood transitions and stair components. Norfolk and Southern and CSX are still vital parts of the Fostoria community and its economy. In the late 1800’s, the City of Fostoria offered

an economic incentive package which is still benefitting the community over 125 years later. Today, the City of Fostoria and the Fostoria Economic Development Corporation work hand-in-hand to bring economic advancement to the community. They are constantly looking at ways to better market the community, ways to improve the city’s economic incentive packages, and innovative ideas to help in the growth and prosperity of Fostoria. The future looks bright here but we can never forget our past as you can still see and learn from it on a daily basis in Fostoria, Ohio.

Economic Reflection in Fostoria

money—not to mention all the mental anguish you feel while putting off a difficult conversation.”

Here, Tumlin shares four things to keep in mind the next time you need to deliver a message the other person won’t want to hear:

1. Get to the core of the matter. When you were writing essays in high school, dredging up a thesis statement may have made you feel like banging your head against your desk. Even now, coming up with the perfect hook to put into a business proposal for a potential client can take hours of your time. But according to Tumlin, determining your core message will be surprisingly easy when it comes to delivering bad news.

“Your core message is obvious when you’re giving bad news: It’s the thing you don’t want to say,” he points out. “Your core message might be, ‘We’re switching vendors,’ or, ‘We have to let you go,’ or, ‘We should stop seeing each other.’ The message you’ve been avoiding is the message you need to deliver.”

2. Stick to your guns. Determining your core message was the easy part. You may not find the remainder of your task as simple. Think back to the tough conversations you’ve had in the past: Have you ever been talked out of your decision by the

other person (“But we’ve worked together for fifteen years—you’re not really letting me go, are you?”) or even changed your mind before delivering the bad news (She’s going to be so upset—I just can’t go through with it.)?

“You don’t do yourself or the other person any favors by putting off a hard conversation,” says Tumlin. “Remember, when giving bad news, you’re not negotiating, fact finding, or gathering input. Resist the temptation to get pushed, cajoled, or charmed off your message. Keep your end goal in mind and deliver your less-than-pleasant message here and now. Bad news is like taking off a Band-Aid—it’s best done quickly.”

3. Explain yourself (but not too much). It’s important to make sure that the other party understands your bad news message and doesn’t walk away with the wrong impression. For instance: “We have to let you go because we’re bringing on someone with a different skill set.” “We’re switching vendors because we need different service schedules.” “I think we should stop seeing each other because we’re both miserable.”

“As in these examples, strive to state your core message and explanation—the reason behind the message—in one sentence,” instructs Tumlin. “You

can repeat variants of your message and explanation if you want to say more, but don’t add new information or you may encourage a drift away from your core message.”

4. Get out. (Of the conversation, that is.) If you’ve communicated your core message, and the other person understands, it’s probably acceptable to start thinking about an exit. Naturally, you should address any obvious questions (like “Do we keep making deliveries this week?” “When’s my last day?” “Who keeps the cat?”), but be wary of answering too many speculative or probing questions.

“In this type of conversation, your core message pretty much speaks for itself, and a great deal of unnecessary damage is often done when you overstay a difficult conversation,” comments Tumlin. “You might end up giving up ground you hadn’t intended to, talking about topics that are better left unaddressed, or escalating the conversation to the point of hostility.”

“When it’s time to deliver bad news, don’t get pushed off of your core message,” concludes Tumlin. “It’s a simple formula: Be clear, be concise, and be gone.”

BAD NEWS, from Page 5


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Seneca County Opportunity Center Partners with Mercy Tiffin Hospital

Mercy Tiffin Hospital and the Seneca County Opportunity Center (SCOC) are pleased to announce a partnership that allows the Opportunity Center to operate the Bistro, thus providing their students and clients with training and employment opportunities.

Under the Opportunity Center’s leadership, the Bistro continues to offer Starbucks products and made to order food options. A new name for the Bistro is currently being developed through a contest among Opportunity Center employees. The Opportunity Center’s Grand Re-opening of the Bistro is being planned for March.


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ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital is pleased to offer a new specialty medicine service to the greater Fostoria community. The pain management program at ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital was designed to appropriately treat local patients who suffer from acute and chronic pain.

“We are excited to offer specialized pain management services for the benefit of our patients’ physical and emotional health and well-being,” said Tom Borer, chief operating officer, ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital. “This new program is an excellent example of our efforts to invest in the changing needs of the community.”

Our experienced and caring pain management team is dedicated to providing individualized care utilizing advanced technology and techniques to help patients regain function and improve their quality of life by treating, controlling and relieving pain.

The pain management program at ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital provides evaluation, pain relief and pain treatment for a wide range of pain problems, including but not limited to: acute and chronic back and neck pain; nerve injuries, herniated disc, neuropathies/neuralgia, complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), radiculopathy, cancer pain, and arthritis.

ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital Announces New Pain Management Program

Searching for PresidentThe Fostoria Economic Development Corporation is searching for a President to lead the Economic Development program for the City of Fostoria and surrounding area. Functions: Develop and implement effective marketing strategies • Conduct meetings, presentations • Establish and nurture relations with elected officials, businesses, industry, and educational institutions • Perform administrative functions

Qualifications: Bachelor degree or equivalent experience • Marketing and leadership skills a must

Mail resumes to: F.E.D.C. / Attn: Sherry Yaple, 121 N. Main St., Fostoria, OH 44830Website: www.fostoriaohio.org E-mail: [email protected] EOE

Coming in April:Focus onSanduskyCounty


TaxesAlthough a scholarship is tax-free, it will reduce

the amount of expenses that may be taken into account in computing the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning credits, above, and may therefore reduce or eliminate those credits.

In an exception to the rule that a scholarship must not be compensation for services, a scholarship received under a health professions scholarship program may be tax-free even if the recipient is required to provide medical services as a condition for the award.

Employer educational assistance programs: If your employer pays your child’s college expenses, the payment is a fringe benefit to you, and is taxable to you as compensation, unless the payment is part of a scholarship program that’s “outside of the pattern of employment.” Then the payment will be treated as a scholarship (if the other requirements for scholarships are satisfied).

Tuition reduction plans for employees of educational institutions: Tax-exempt educational institutions sometimes provide tuition reductions for their employees’ children who attend that educational institution, or cash tuition payments for children who attend other educational institutions. If certain requirements are satisfied, these tuition reductions are exempt from income tax.

College expense payments by grandparents and others: If someone other than you pays your child’s college expenses, the person making the payments is generally subject to the gift tax, to the extent the payments and other gifts to the child by that person exceed the regular annual (per donee) gift tax exclusion of $14,000 for 2014. Married donors who consent to split gifts may exclude gifts of up to $28,000 for 2014.

However, if the other person pays your child’s school tuition directly to an educational institution, there’s an unlimited exclusion from the gift tax for the payment. The relationship between the person paying the tuition and the person on whose behalf the payments are made is irrelevant, but the payer would typically be a grandparent.

The unlimited gift tax exclusion applies only to direct tuition costs. There’s no exclusion (beyond the normal annual exclusion) for dormitory fees, board, books, supplies, etc. Prepaid tuition payments may qualify for the unlimited gift tax exclusion under certain circumstances.

Student loans: You can deduct interest on loans used to pay for your child’s education at a post-secondary school, including some vocational and graduate schools. (This is an exception to the general rule that interest on student loans is personal interest and, therefore, not deductible.)

The deduction is an above-the-line deduction (meaning that it’s available even to taxpayers who don’t itemize). The maximum deduction is $2,500. However, the deduction phases out for taxpayers who are married filing jointly with AGI between $130,000 and $160,000 (between $65,000 and $80,000 for single filers).

Some student loans contain a provision that all or part of the loan will be cancelled if the student works for a certain period of time in certain professions for any of a broad class of employers—e.g., as a doctor for a public hospital in a rural area. The student won’t have to report any income if the loan is canceled and he performs the required services. There’s also no income to report if student loans are repaid or forgiven under certain federal or state programs for health care professionals. These are exceptions to the general rule that if a loan or other debt you owe is canceled, you must report the cancellation as income.

Not all of the above breaks may be used in the same year, and use of some of them reduces the amounts that qualify for other breaks. So it takes planning to determine which should be used in any given situation

(Author’s note: This article is not intended to offer professional tax advice. Please consult your tax advisor.)

Taxes continued, from Page 15

Law You Can Use: Consumer Information Column Shale-related development is bringing Ohio more than $12 billion in economic development projects, according to a recent report cited in Columbus Business First—and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. None of this development would be possible if landowners were not leasing their oil and gas mineral rights. The oil and gas lease defines the rights of the landowners and the oil and gas company. Here are some issues landowners and developers alike should keep in mind regarding oil and gas leasing issues.

Q: Do I automatically own the rights to oil and gas that may exist beneath my property?

A: No; it is possible for you to own the surface of a piece of land without owning the mineral rights underneath it. That’s because the mineral rights can be severed from the surface rights. Usually, this happens when the property owner sells the surface rights to someone else, but keeps (or “reserves”) some or all of the mineral rights. This is called a mineral rights reservation.

Q: How do I know who owns the rights to oil and gas under my property?A: The best way to figure out who owns what interests in the land is to have a

reputable, experienced mineral rights title abstractor conduct a search of the public records in the county where the land is located.

Q: What does an oil and gas lease actually do, and how would I, the landowner, get paid?

A: An oil and gas lease gives a developer (the “lessee”) the legal right to develop oil and gas from your property. In return, you likely would receive a per-acre “bonus payment” and, if a well is drilled, a royalty payment based on a percentage of the oil and gas sold.

What Should I KnoW Before SIgnIng an oIl and gaS leaSe?

See CONSUMER INFO, Page 23


The Well-Booked BusinessBy: Cathy Allen

Some books become famous. They enter the popular culture and we hear them referred to or quoted in conversations in person and online. On rare occasions such popular interest will continue for many years. There are 10,000 new books published annually in business, leadership and personal development, but few will be remembered after a few weeks. This month’s book is one that has stood the test of time, which is fitting since it is about lasting business success. If we define sustained greatness as a high level of achievement that lasts more than 15 years, why not apply the same standard to books? I heard someone refer to Good to Great just a few days ago in a meeting – a mere 13 years after its publication. You are almost there, Professor!Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins, University of Colorado at Boulder, Harper Collins Publishers, 2001

SUMMARY: This is a report on a five-year university-based research study to determine whether the characteristics contributing to sustained corporate greatness can be detected, described and, ultimately, replicated. Relying on a very stringent set of criteria for defining “sustained greatness,” Collins and his research team set out to see what distinguishes great companies from “pretty good” ones or from those that achieve greatness but fail to keep it going. It turns out that great businesses are not just lucky. They are built decision by decision with focused determination, excellent leadership, and disciplined actions. Any organization can achieve greatness by following the good-to-great pattern and refusing to settle for good enough. Through rigorous research and analysis of hard data, Collins and his team have discovered timeless principles and reveal surprising insights that buck conventional wisdom. KEY LEARNINGS:

• A good business is often kept from becoming a great one by the fact that it is already good. It is easy to settle for good. People feel good about good. Good requires no profound insights, hard work or heroic action. But any organization can improve performance – if it wants to.

• For sustained greatness, companies require

excellent leaders who will guide the good-to-great transition with a combination of will and humility. To Collins, a “Level 5 Leader” is one who successfully focuses the team on goals while simultaneously preparing for a next generation of leaders who will carry the ball forward. Lesser leaders may have great achievements, but the results tend to fade once their tenure ends. The accomplishments of a Level 5 leader, on the other hand, live long after they leave the stage.

• An important bit of conventional wisdom is debunked: charismatic leaders from outside are not the way to sustained success. Corporate boards should shy away from big personalities and look internally for mid-level leaders with excellent results.

• Getting the right people on the team – first – is the key separator for the good-to-great companies. Before strategic planning, before structural decisions, before vision or tactics, those wishing to go from good to great should make sure to have people in place who are willing and able to put in the high quality effort. Everything else is secondary. Once you have the right people on the bus, assign them to the best opportunities and resist the temptation to put them on your worst problems. Interestingly, there is no relationship between sustained greatness and executive compensation.

• The imperative to look directly at the worst facts of reality while simultaneously not giving up is called the Stockdale Paradox after a POW who said “you must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end – which you cannot afford to lose – with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever that might be.” This is an ability that separates great companies from good ones: they confront difficult circumstances squarely but never quit believing in the best possible outcome.

• Apparently, a hedgehog is a kind of animal that has immense capacity to focus on the things that are keenly important to hedgehogs. A company with a “Hedgehog Concept” therefore, knows what its key metrics and guiding principles are and pursues them with single-minded purpose. A good Hedgehog Concept is found at the intersection of 1) what the company could do better than anyone else in the world, 2) the key economic driver of the business, and 3) deep passion.

• To go from good to great requires disciplined people thinking disciplined thoughts and taking disciplined actions. A culture of discipline is built on 1) the idea of freedom and responsibility within a framework, 2) self-disciplined people who will do what it takes to get the job done, 3) an

absence of a tyrant, and 4) a “stop doing” list that causes the systematic unplugging of anything that doesn’t fit within the Hedgehog Concept.

• The transition from good to great isn’t necessarily a dramatic or revolutionary process. Most often it is a slow and steady effort at moving toward clearly understood goals. Just as a flywheel will develop a great deal of speed and momentum after persistent effort, so too will whole organizations transform once a few successes are achieved and people start understanding the direction.

• Collins came to regard this book as a prequel to a previously-written and well-regarded book called Built to Last. Companies that sustain greatness tend to be built around a series of core values that go beyond profit. They set “Big Hairy Audacious Goals” and they achieve them. They don’t waste time, effort, energy or money on things that are not related to those goals.

At the request of nonprofit leaders, Collins wrote a follow up monograph called Good to Great in the Social Sectors in which he specifically addresses the idea that some corporations are searching for excellence but by their nature can’t use profit as their metric. After studying the question, Collins wrote that the good-to-great criteria do apply to nonprofit organizations. They just need some mission-related metric to focus on, some way to measure whether what they are doing is working. Collins advises nonprofits: “We must reject the idea – well-intentioned, but dead wrong – that the primary path to greatness in the social sector is to become ‘more like a business.’ Most businesses…fall somewhere between mediocre and good…. Why would we want to import the practices of mediocrity into the social sectors?”

Cathy Allen is the owner of Creative Option C, LLC, a consulting firm in Marblehead dedicated to helping nonprofit and governmental agencies build organizational capacity. To learn more about how Creative Option C can help your group, check out www.CreativeOptionC.com and “like” us on Facebook. Cathy celebrates her life-long love of books at www.WhatIsCathyReading.com. She invites visitors to download her two-page summaries, comment on her book review blog, or “friend” her on Goodreads.com.


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Submitted by: Mark T. Reilly

When you’re driving the speed limit down the highway and another car pulls out in front of you, it’s necessary to hit the brakes or execute a quick maneuver to avoid an accident. Chances are you’ll make a mental note to be more alert from that point on.

Close calls or near accidents on the job should also be considered lessons in safety. A near accident is an indication that something is wrong. It’s a warning that a machine isn’t operating correctly, materials aren’t stacked properly or someone has done something unsafe.

Warning SignSIf you notice a warning light on the dashboard of

your vehicle, you know immediately not to ignore it. Unfortunately, unsafe actions on the job aren’t always as easily detected.

Below are some typical accidents that could have been avoided if their “warnings” had not been

ignored.• A shop employee stumbles over a two-by-four

lying on the ground, fracturing an ankle• A janitor trips over a loose floor tile and falls

against a metal guard rail• An office worker slips on spilled water and grabs a metal file cabinet, which falls on him/her• A machine operator is injured when a hi-lo

strikes the machine being operated

The proper handling of near accidents could have prevented the real thing from happening in the cases mentioned above. The two-by-four, loose tile and spill probably caused other employees to step aside to avoid slipping. Yet, nobody bothered to clean up the item or report it to a supervisor. And how many near misses did the hi-lo operator have with the machine? Chances are there were several. However, in all of these cases, nothing was done to correct the situation, resulting in an accident.

Keep Safety in MindUnfortunately, a near accident is often forgotten

without any benefits resulting from the experience. For example, if you have wounded yourself at work in

the past, you may have a scar – a visible reminder of the injury to tell you not to repeat the action that caused the wound. However, near-accidents are often dismissed as lucky breaks.

How can you turn a close call into a contribution to safety? Below are two ways that you may already be using.

• Be safety-minded; voice your concern over

near-accidents. • Correct any dangerous situation and remove

the hazard that caused the near-accident. If you can’t handle it routinely, then report it to your

supervisor.

Safety awareness is always important. It’s a case of preparing yourself mentally to act in a safe manner and to recognize a close call as a warning. So when a stack of books tips over or the handle on a tool snaps, pay attention to the warning and do something about it.

For more information about implementing a safety plan at your business, contact Diversified Insurance Service at 800-848-2788 or visit their website at www.divinsurance.com.

Learn from Near Accidents

Q: What issues can come up when negotiating the granting clause?A: The granting clause contains important language setting out the parties’ rights

under an oil and gas lease. Common issues include whether:the lease includes all minerals underlying the property, or just oil and gas;roads, driveways, fences, and pipelines can be constructed on the property;Class II underground injection control wells can be located on the property;the developer can use water, oil, or gas from the property free of charge;all geologic formations are being leased; andthe developer can store gas under the property.

Q: What issues can come up when negotiating the term of the gas and oil lease?A: The habendum clause in an oil and gas lease establishes the duration of the

lease. The habendum clause includes two terms: the primary term and the secondary term. The primary term generally lasts for a fixed amount of time—commonly, five years—and establishes the oil and gas company’s deadline for drilling a well on the property (or including the property in a drilling unit). In addition to negotiating the length of the primary term, one must consider whether to include an extension or renewal option and the amount of any payment associated with the extension or renewal payment. The secondary term is triggered by oil and gas drilling on the leased property. In the vast majority of oil and gas leases, the secondary term will continue as long as oil or gas “is produced in paying quantities” or operations are conducted on the leased property. Defining the terms “operations,” “production,” and “production in paying quantities” can be very important.

This “Law You Can Use” column was provided by the Ohio State Bar Association. It was prepared by attorney Dan Gerken, a litigation associate at Bricker & Eckler LLP in Columbus, and member of the firm’s Shale Task Force. This article offers broad, general information about the law. It is not legal advice. Seek an attorney’s advice before applying this information to a specific legal issue.

CONSUMER INFO, from Page 21


Snow Excuse for Slacking: Seven Tips for Boosting Your Work Cred When Winter Weather HitsDon’t use winter weather as an excuse for poor performance (or worse, no performance!). Authors Brian Bedford and Julie Miller offer tips on how you can use those lovely snow days to boost your accountability rating with your employer.

If we’re honest, most of us love a good snow day. Especially for folks who live in warmer climates, dire forecasts and gathering cloud cover take us back to those glorious days when we got to ditch classroom work for snowmen, sledding, and hot chocolate. The problem comes when adults who are old enough to know better view the white stuff as a “get out of work free” card.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the snow, say Brian Bedford and Julie Miller. But rather than using weather as an excuse to slack off, they suggest using it as an opportunity to set yourself up for success.

“Traffic may come to a stop when it snows, but business doesn’t,” says Bedford, coauthor along with Julie Miller of Culture Without Accountability—WTF? What’s the Fix? (Criffel Publishing, 2013, ISBN: 978-0-989-84692-9, $13.99, www.millerbedford.com). “If no one has noticed, we have a connected global economy now, and it’s an accepted fact that most people can work from home these days. Out of sight doesn’t mean out of commission…or out of mind.”

In other words, take the day off and the boss will notice your vanishing act. This is especially true in a sluggish economy when employers can’t afford to eat those missing man hours. Show that you’re accountable for your commitments come hell or high water (or snow and ice) and you’ll demonstrate that you can be counted on.

“Besides, just like you had to make up those missed school days, the work you didn’t do won’t melt away when the sun comes out,” adds Miller. “It’s still there waiting on you. So you’re not just trying to impress the boss, you’re doing the right thing for yourself as well.”

Miller and Bedford offer a few tips on how to differentiate yourself from the pack when bad weather strikes.

• Plan for a “hybrid” day. Let’s address the big white snowy elephant in the room first: When you’re snowed in at home, you likely won’t keep your nose to the grindstone the entire day. There might be power outages. There might be kids demanding your attention. There might be impromptu neighborhood sled parties. That’s okay. Work intensively when you can—and on the high-payoff projects—and your “snow breaks” won’t be a big deal.

“Accountable people know they control their own destiny,” says Bedford. “They’re not clock punchers. They know as long as the work gets done it doesn’t matter when or how they do it. They seize opportunities to work…and opportunities to play.”

• Think ahead before the snow starts. When bad weather is on its way, plan ahead for what you’ll do if you can’t get in to the office. Make sure your boss and coworkers know how they’ll be able to reach you and make sure you have their winter weather contact info too.

“Take home any files or other information you might need,” suggests Miller. “Tie up any loose ends that will be difficult for you to take care of while working from home and reschedule any conference calls or meetings. Most bosses will understand that a snow day isn’t going to run like a normal day. What’s important is that you show that you’re doing everything in your power to keep important projects moving forward as efficiently as possible.”

• Work late the night before. If you know it’s going to be difficult to get as much work done at home as you’d like to—you might be juggling child care duties alongside work duties, or there might be certain things you just can’t do from home—take care of any high-priority tasks the night before the snow rolls in.

“Move some of the next day’s must-dos to today,” advises Bedford. “Let’s be real: You’re probably not going to give your job 100 percent of your attention once the snow starts, and this way you won’t have to feel guilty about it.”

• While the kids sleep in, get a jump-start on your day. If you can get a couple of hours of work in before they wake up, you’ll be ahead of the game. Then, if you break away from your desk for a snowball fight, no big deal.

• Do the big things first. If you have a chance to get only a few things done, make sure they’re the important ones with the biggest ROI. If something has to slide, make sure it’s the humdrum tasks.

“Actually, this is a good way to work every day, not just on snow days,” notes Miller. “But there’s something about knowing you have a limited window of time that really helps most people get focused and productive.”

• Be responsive and reachable. Snow days are fun, even when you’re an adult. It’s okay to enjoy some time sledding with the kids or to indulge in a hot chocolate break, but be sure to let your coworkers and bosses know what you’re up to.

“Chances are they’ll be taking time to enjoy the fun side of the winter weather too,” notes Bedford. “As long as you keep everyone in the loop, you can be sure that things will run smoothly until you’re all back in the office.”• Go to extreme measures if (but only if)

the situation warrants it. If it’s absolutely vital that you’re in a specific location during a snow day—say, your biggest client is in town for a face-to-face meeting—you’ll want to pull out all the stops to get there. Even if it means getting a room

at the same hotel where your client is staying so you won’t be snowed in at home, you’ll be glad you made the sacrifice.

“Gauge the situation and decide whether extreme measures are called for,” advises Miller. “No, you wouldn’t sleep at the office in order not to miss an ordinary workday, but when the stakes are high, accountable people do what they have to do.”

“When you take a few simple steps to put your work ahead of your snow day fun, your higher-ups will notice,” says Bedford. “These are all great ways to build credibility with your bosses and coworkers. And when you do make the effort to put your work first, you can spend time building that snowman without any worries that something urgent for work has fallen by the wayside.”


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Drain”, said Julia. Adding, “It’s a campaign to help spread the message, but stop the spread of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS), in our lakes and rivers”. It’s something the NPAA practices and hopes to get everyone else practicing too.

The NPAA will also be supplying 50 casting plugs, so kids can learn to tie a strong fishing knot and practice casting their lines with their new rod and reels before their tournament begins.

Registration for the Skipper Bud’s Kids Fishing Derby is at 11:00 AM, and the seminar is at 11:30am. The Skipper Bud’s Kids Fishing Derby begins at noon on Sunday, May 25.

About the National Professional Anglers Association

The National Professional Anglers Association (NPAA) is a 501(c) (6) non-profit organization whose mission is: “To grow the sport of fishing and increase the professionalism of its members.” The association was founded in 1997 and has grown to today’s level by working to develop programs to benefit its members and the sport.

One such program includes the

financial support and organizational support for the “Future Angler Events” that are run by its members each year. These “Future Angler Events” impacted nearly 10,000 young anglers and nearly 7,000 adults at over 80 events in 2013.

NPAA membership consists of guides, charter captains, tournament anglers and industry promotional experts from all over the U.S. and Canada. Our members target all species of fish and have varying levels of experience and expertise varying from those who just took up the sport and want to take it to a higher level, to those who have made a career of pursuing their passion on the water. The ability for our members to network with other member is a critical component to the growth of our association. The NPAA provides a forum for interaction between professional anglers of all experience levels at our Conference each year and throughout the year by posting our members contact information and through the association’s Facebook page.

FISHING, from Page 13

not get lost finding the new location, the two buildings are side by side. This year’s festival will include the Fostoria Chamber of Commerce Car Show and remote-controlled airplanes & helicopters. The 8th Santa at the Depot will be open in November and December. Our historic 1880’s LE&W Depot will be filled with Christmas spirit, 20+ decorated Christmas trees, of course Santa and trains.

One last comment, I lost last years bet on the rail park completion date. I said it would be completed by our festival date and it was not,

thanks to the abundance of rainfall. Our festival is in September and the weather did not cooperate. The two West Virginia brothers are now proud FRPS members.

If you desire more information on FRPS, please visit our website, www.

FostoriaIronTriangle.com. We are on Facebook too. Contact me at [email protected] or call 419-435-1781. Fostoria is a great destination for family and friends. Who knows, you might make some new friends here when you visit too.

RAIL, from Page 14

MEANS BUSINESS!Reaching over 25,000 readers in five counties every month

• Upper Income: 80% higher in "$100,000+ household income" than marketplace demographics

• Better Educated: 276% more "graduated college and completed post graduate" than marketplace demographics

NCBJ readers are:


By Roger BostdorffWhen you are driving down the

road, a quick glance at your car’s dashboard gives you a lot of information. In an instant, you know how fast you’re going, how much fuel you have remaining and whether the engine is overheating.

Your dashboard tells you the total miles the car has been driven and often, the mileage of this particular trip. Your peek at the dashboard allows you to see the time of day, whether your lights are on (or bright) and if the turn indicators are flashing.

All this information is available by a fleeting look at the dashboard. Many new car dashboards offer even more useful data and indicators.

One of my clients, Bruce, is CEO of a very efficient manufacturing company. Bruce has created a dashboard for his business.

With one quick look, Bruce can see total sales this month and year-to-date. He gets a reading of his backlog, amount of overtime consumed and his on-time-delivery measurements.

At a glance, Bruce’s business dashboard shows him his up-to-the- minute profitability figures, the percentage of production capacity scheduled for the next 30 days, and a dozen other key performance indicators.

Bruce can drive his company by using the information on his business dashboard.

What are you looking at as you’re driving your company? Do you drive your company (or your car) blindly? How easily (and quickly) can you get crucial information on all your key performance indicators?

One of my clients (let’s call him Mike) was telling me how important it is to him that he sells long-term maintenance contracts, not just ad hoc projects.

Makes sense. The long-term contracts provide some stability and predictable cash flow. They assist in getting closer to his clients. They also help him to borrow funds more easily.

So far, so good.When I asked him how many of these long-term

maintenance contracts he has already, he couldn’t tell me. He didn’t know! He said he’s been too busy to track the number of such agreements.

Wait a minute! If this type of agreement is so important to Mike’s growth strategy, how can he not know the status?

The fact is that most owners and CEOs know what’s important to their enterprise, but can’t (or don’t) measure those things.

You’ve heard the old maxim: “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

Here’s my suggestion: Identify the five to ten key measurements and key performance indicators that are important and essential for your business.

Set up an active system to measure and track these indicators. This could consist of a couple of

pages of printed reports or it can be as sophisticated as a web-based, interactive, real-time display.

The important thing is that you get this data daily. It should show only the key performance indicators (with details easily available elsewhere). Ideally, the data would be color-coded to show which of the indicators are in the “red zone” (needs immediate attention), in the “yellow zone” (caution) or in the “green zone” (OK and as-budgeted).

Use your business dashboard each day to decide which areas of your operation you should be concerned about and which are candidates for longer-term strategy. Look for the indicators that suggest a delegation of enhancement projects. Watch the trend lines.

Chances are, you’ll get what you’re looking for - improvements in these areas.

With your business dashboard, you will drive your business with confidence.

Roger Bostdorff is the President of B2B Sales Boost. He spent over 30 years with IBM in sales and sales management. B2B Sales Boost is a consulting company helping organizations improve their sales and overall business processes. B2B Sales Boost, LLC also helps firms create Succession Plans. 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]

Sales“Business Dashboard”

OBC Helps Employers with Free Professional Staffing Service

Ohio Business College (OBC) in Sandusky plays a very important role within the landscape of training and education for both students and employers. Their primary focus is teaching adults the skill-sets they need to secure employment in the workplace and earn sustainable wages in their chosen career fields. Secondary, but also important, Ohio Business College works side-by-side with area employers to place graduates in open positions that are the best fit for both the graduate and the employer.

The Sandusky Wellness Center offers chiropractic and physical therapy services. The Center has worked with Ohio Business College for over six years serving as an externship site for training OBC students, but

also as an employer by hiring several OBC graduates to fill important healthcare roles at their medical facility.

“I prefer to work with Ohio Business College because they work with me in finding the right fit for my clinic. I have had positions filled, with the help of OBC, in just two weeks. I call and usually have five resumes within a day on my desk,” stated Melissa Winnestaffer, Office Manager for The Sandusky Wellness Center.

“Our experience hiring OBC graduates has been very positive. The students and graduates want to learn and grow their skills. I love being able to offer them the opportunity to succeed in their field,” continued Winnestaffer.

Almost nine out of 10 (87%) "make or have influence over purchasing decisions" for their company

NCBJ readers are decision-makers:

MEANS BUSINESS!Reaching over 25,000 readersin five counties every month


Millions of families throughout much of the world now live in condominiums, and, as Americans pull out of recession, we likely will see this unique form of real property ownership continue to grow. The legal “device” known as a “condominium” provides a mul-titude of real property ownership opportunities. Q: What, exactly, is a condominium?A: You cannot recognize a condominium or a condo-minium unit by sight, touch, smell or even use. For example, a “condominium” might appear to be a duplex, a single family home development, an attached row, ranch or town home, an apartment building or complex, an industrial park, a commercial office building or even an entire community. Condominiums may include residential housing, shopping centers, churches, schools, stables and even jails. You can’t fully tell what a condominium is by its Latin meaning (“joint dominion”) but aspects of that definition are key to condominium ownership and living. Technically, a condominium is any developed real property that has been “subjected to” a state’s statutes (written laws) allowing condominium devel-opment.

Q: How do the condominium statutes work?A: Condominium statutes vary from state to state. In Ohio, they allow a developer who meets certain requirements and takes certain legal steps to lawfully divide a piece of (usually already developed) real property into parcels of space that can be separately owned. Each parcel of space has all of the essential

legal attributes of any other separate parcel of real property. This means that each can be separately owned, conveyed, taxed, mortgaged, liened, bequeathed and inherited. For people who want to own their own property, have their own mortgage(s), (hopefully) enjoy the benefit of increasing property values and other attributes of real property owner-ship, condominium units expand real property own-ership options. Q: Can space be considered real property? A: The “space as real property” concept is not part of our real property law heritage, which was derived from English property law. In fact, without the con-dominium statutes, the space constituting a tenth floor apartment, for example, could not be treated as a separate piece of real property. Ohio’s “enabling” condominium statutes, however, allow such space to become real property.

Q: What happens to the part of the property that is not included in the “space”?A: When a piece of real property becomes a condo-minium by using a state’s condominium statutes, the property is divided generally into “units” and “com-mon elements.” In most condominiums a unit is simply a cubicle of space that may include various items, such as floors, ceilings, windows and doors, which a state statute or a drafter of condominium “governing documents” may provide. All other parts of a “typical” condominium proper-ty that are not defined as a part of a unit (including,

in Ohio, the underlying land) are common elements. These common elements are not considered separate parcels of real property. Rather, an “undivided” por-tion or percentage of the common elements is allo-cated to (and owned by) each unit as “an appurte-nance” —a part of the legal title—to that unit. So, if you buy a condominium unit, you also will own an “undivided” portion of the condominium’s common elements. For instance, your portion of the condo-minium’s common elements might be one-tenth in a ten-unit condominium, even though your portion cannot be physically identified, and will always remain unidentified and unidentifiable!

Q: So, if I say I’m buying a condominium, I’m really only buying a share in a condominium. Is that right?A: Yes. Although most people, including many of those in the real estate industry, talk and write about buying and selling “condominiums,” they really mean they are buying and selling UNITS in a condo-minium.

This “Law You Can Use” consumer legal information column was provided by the Ohio State Bar Association. It was originally prepared by Columbus attorney Dick Loveland, and updated by attorney Bill Loveland of Loveland Law, LLC, Upper Arlington, Ohio. 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 You Can Use: Consumer Information ColumnWill You Know A Condominium When You See One?

Q: Are students protected by the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution? A: Yes. Under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, all people, including public school students, are protected against “unreasonable searches and seizures.” Any type of search that school officials conduct implicates the Fourth Amendment and its protections.

Q: Is a drug or alcohol test considered a search under the Fourth Amendment? A: Yes. A drug test (usually administered by obtaining a urine sample) or alcohol test (usually administered through a breathalyzer) both qualify as a “search” under the Fourth Amendment. Since the Fourth Amendment applies to drug/alcohol tests administered to students, the question often becomes whether it was reasonable to conduct the search or test.

Q: When can public school officials test students for drugs or alcohol?A: Public schools are responsible for ensuring the safety of all students. For this reason, public school officials are not held to the higher “probable cause” standard law enforcement officers must meet to

conduct searches. School officials also do not need a search warrant to conduct a search (or test). Rather, school officials may test a student for drugs or alcohol if they have a “reasonable suspicion” that a student is under the influence of drugs or alcohol at school or during a school-sponsored event.

Q: What does it mean to have a reasonable suspicion.A: Having a “reasonable suspicion” means that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that a search (or test) will provide evidence that the student violated a school policy or rule. The reasonableness of any search (or test) depends on the facts and circumstances of each situation.

Q: What are some examples of reasonable suspicion? A: If a student is noticeably impaired and has alcohol on his/her breath, school officials would have a reasonable suspicion to conduct a breathalyzer test. Also, noticeable impairment combined with information received from a credible source about the same student’s recent consumption of drugs or alcohol would likely constitute a reasonable suspicion. However, a student’s misbehavior alone would not justify drug/alcohol testing if there were no other

indicators that the student was using drugs or alcohol. Q: Can a school implement a random drug-testing policy for all students?A: No; public schools may not implement a purely random (or “suspicionless”) drug-testing policy for all students in attendance. Such a policy has been held to violate the Fourth Amendment. However, public schools may implement a random drug testing policy for all students who participate in competitive activities (specifically including, but not necessarily limited to athletics, band, choir and cheerleading). Also, one court upheld a random drug-testing policy to include any student who received a school parking permit. So, practically speaking, a public school can randomly drug test a large portion of its students.

This “Law You Can Use” column was provided by the Ohio State Bar Association. It was prepared by attorney Mark A. Weiker of the Columbus firm Means, Bichimer, Burkholder & Baker Co., LPA. 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.

Consumer Information Column Public Schools Must Have Reasonable Suspicion to Test Students for Drugs and Alcohol


A “Broken Heart” Isn’t Just a Saying; it’s a Real Medical Condition – Mercy Tiffin Helps You Identify the Symptoms

Mercy Tiffin Hospital, which provides advanced, compassionate and quality care in your neighborhood through its care network, wants you to know that if you felt heartbroken on Valentine’s Day, you might actually be suffering from a real medical condition called stress cardiomyopathy.

“Broken heart syndrome, or stress cardiomyopathy, is a condition where intense emotional or physical stress can cause rapid and severe heart muscle weakness,” says Dr. Steven Bruhl, Mercy Tiffin Cardiologist.

Researchers coined the phrase “broken heart syndrome” after noting that many people with the condition had been grieving after having just experienced the death of a loved one, spouse or parent. The condition affects women more than men, with over 90% of reported cases of stress cardiomyopathy occurring in women. It’s especially common after menopause.

“In addition to the extreme emotional stress that can come from the death of a loved one, fear, surprise or extreme anger can trigger stress cardiomyopathy,” says Dr. Bruhl. “These strong emotional or physical events can activate our sympathetic nervous system, or ‘fight or flight’ mechanism, releasing adrenaline into the body. The sudden rush can stun your heart muscle, leaving it unable to pump properly.”

Symptoms usually begin shortly after exposure to severe stress. A patient suffering stress cardiomyopathy may experience similar symptoms to patients who are having a heart attack, including shortness of breath, chest pain, congestive heart failure and low blood pressure. As cardiomyopathy worsens and the heart weakens, other signs and symptoms can include dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting during physical activity and heart murmur.

Dr. Bruhl says no one should ignore those symptoms.

“Stress cardiomyopathy can be life threatening in some cases, but under the care of physicians familiar with the syndrome, most people typically make a quick and complete recovery.”

To determine what’s causing your symptoms, doctors will typically perform an angiogram, a quick and painless test that provides images of the major blood vessels that lead to

the heart. During a heart attack, one or more of those vessels are often blocked. If the culprit is stress cardiomyopathy, those blood vessels look okay. In that case, doctors would typically perform an echocardiogram, which takes pictures of the heart. If one of the chambers of the heart, known as a ventricle, has taken on the distinctive shape of a Japanese fishing or octopus pot, it’s typically the telltale sign of stress cardiomyopathy.

Treatment for stress cardiomyopathy may include medications to help remove fluid from the lungs and improve blood pressure, medications to help strengthen the heart and advice on how to manage stress through exercise, diet, support networks and meditation.

Patients with heart disease often have complex needs. Mercy Cardiology Specialists provides patients with cutting-edge technology to both diagnose and treat heart disease. Whether a patient needs a non-invasive technique, interventional procedure, vein therapy or surgery, Mercy Tiffin’s cardiology team is committed to providing the highest quality care. Mercy Tiffin cardiologists provide a unique care approach that follows the patient into good health by providing the appropriate rehabilitation, outpatient follow-up and education about how to stay healthy and prevent further complications.

Dr. Bruhl partners with the Mercy Heart & Vascular Center in Toledo, where cardiologists, surgeons, cardiac nurses, dieticians, rehab specialists and more work together and seamlessly share information, creating a complete picture of you and your specific needs. The Mercy Heart & Vascular Center, Northwest Ohio’s most preferred provider for cardiac care, has the best, most up-to-date technologies, equipment and procedures.

Dr. Bruhl practices at Mercy Cardiology Specialists, located at 45 St. Lawrence Drive, Tiffin, Ohio. To contact Mercy Cardiology Specialists, call 419.455.7480.

To find a Mercy cardiologist in your neighborhood, or to learn about the services provided at Mercy, please visit http://www.mercyweb.org

On The Move

On The Move

Mercy Willard Hospital Recognizes Mary Sallee with Quarterly Volunteer Excellence Award

Mercy Willard Hospital volunteer Mary Sallee was recognized with a Quarterly Volunteer Excellence Award for the 4th quarter of 2013.

To recognize volunteers for their achievements and dedication, Mercy Willard began an appreciation award for volunteerism in 2010. Any Mercy Willard volunteer can nominate a fellow volunteer, and any

Mercy Willard employee can nominate a volunteer. One volunteer is selected each quarter of the calendar year. An overall volunteer excellence award is awarded at the end of the year. The nominees for the overall award include the quarterly volunteer award recipients.

Volunteer of the Quarter Named at Mercy Tiffin

Cindy Moyer has been named as the “Volunteer of the Quarter” for the fourth quarter of 2013 at Mercy Tiffin Hospital. Approximately 140 volunteers help fulfill Mercy’s mission of caring for the sick and injured through their generous giving of time and talent.

The volunteer award is presented each quarter and then annually to a volunteer who is nominated by either a fellow volunteer or employee. It was created to recognize a Mercy volunteer who goes above and beyond the requirements of their volunteer assignment and reflects the Mission and Core Values of Mercy.


Memorial Hospital CT earns ACR Accreditation

On The Move

Memorial Hospital has been awarded a three-year term of accreditation in computed tomography (CT) as the result of a recent review by the American College of Radiology (ACR). CT scanning — sometimes called CAT scanning — is a noninvasive medical test that helps physicians diagnose and tailor treatments for various medical conditions.

Memorial first earned ACR accreditation in 2011.Nathan Perkins, Memorial Hospital diagnostic

imaging director sees great value in this accreditation. “Achieving a high quality diagnostic CT scan helps the hospital in a number of important ways in regards to efficiency, patient care, and patient safety,” he said. “Knowing that we are accredited by the ACR assures Memorial’s patients that this facility meets national standards for radiation safety and image quality.”

Member Only Benefits:Reliable Electric Service Money Saving RebatesPatronage CapitalYouth ScholarshipsEfficiency ServicesYouth Tour of D.C.Retail DiscountsFamily Events

hwe.coop/economic-development

EMPOWERING MEMBERS AND BUSINESS SINCE APRIL 1938

Save the Date:ACRE Meeting - Apr. 16Family Fun Day - Jun. 13Annual Meeting - Sept. 13

Justin Baker, a member of the professional sales staff at Flag City Water Systems in Findlay, Ohio, has successfully completed the sales training course, KUDOS, Kinetico University Delivering On Success. The comprehensive course was developed by Kinetico Incorporated, a leading manufacturer of water treatment systems, to help educate and train sales professionals at the more than 400 independent Kinetico dealerships throughout the United States and Canada.

Baker recently completed the intensive basic sales training course that was designed to help the sales professional better serve the customer. The course includes lessons in developing communication with customers, making professional and ethical presentations, addressing customers’ concerns and conducting professional courteous follow-up. Baker received a Certificate of Completion for successfully completing all phases of the training.

Local Water Professional Completes Extensive Professional Training Course


OH

Reg#

97-1

2-14

80B

“When we have a position to fill, we call the exceptional staff at Ohio Business College. (They’ve) provided us with professional candidates with strong computer skills. I couldn’t be happier in my experience working with OBC!”

On The MoveProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital Names Employee of the Quarter

Autumn Clouse, director, human resources, was named ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital Employee of the Quarter. She was nominated for being an excellent example of ProMedica’s Values – compassion, innovation, teamwork and excellence.

Clouse, a graduate of Fostoria High School and Tiffin University, has been a member of the ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital team for more than seven years. In addition to leading on a number of hospital-wide community projects such as Christmas for Every Child, March of Dimes and diversity celebrations; she is also an active member of our community as she participated in a number of boards, committees, projects, and events including co-chair for the Fostoria Relay for Life, campaign chair for the Fostoria United Way and Project MORE mentor, to name a few.

When not at work, she likes to spend quality time with her family including her husband of 10 years, Steve and children Makenna and Braden. She also enjoys going to concerts, sporting events – especially baseball games – and couponing.

Amy Preble, RN, BSN, MBA, director, emergency services, dialysis and emergency management, was recognized as the next recipient of the quarterly ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital “Big Kahuna” leadership award. Amy was selected by fellow leader and past recipient of the award, Bernie Reinhart, manager, patient access. Preble, a Fostoria native, joined the ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital team 21 years ago, and boasts more than 15 years of nursing leadership experience.

Preble, a Fostoria High School, Bowling Green State University and Tiffin University graduate, served six years in the Ohio Army National Guard 385th Medical Company.

Outside of work, she enjoys spending time and making memories with her entire family

including her sons Matthew and Michael and special niece Katelynn Louise. She also likes to go camping, trap shooting, antique shopping, playing bingo and genealogy.

Preble Honored With ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital Leadership


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Membership Eligibility Required Federally Insured by NCUA

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On The Move

Jeannine (Jeanie) A. Giesler, CISR, CPIA, has been named president of the board of directors for Professional Independent Agents Association of Ohio, Inc. (PIAA). Her term commenced Jan. 1 and will continue through the end of 2014.

Giesler, an independent insurance agent, is chief operations officer and partner of Diversified Insurance Service, LLC, in Elmore, OH, where she has worked for more than 15 years. She is known for her activism in attracting a new

generation of professionals to the independent agency system by speaking at colleges and spearheading a successful program that helps college students choose careers in insurance.

In addition to serving as president of PIAA, Giesler will continue to be a board director for the Foundation for the Advancement of Insurance Professionals, on which she has served since its inception in 2009. Giesler has served in key board and committee leadership positions at PIAA.

Ohio Insurance Association Names Elmore’s Giesler Board President


At the Memorial Hospital Pain Management Center, our experienced care team is committed to treating our patients with the empathy and respect that they deserve. Improving the lives of individuals with chronic pain is our #1 priority.

� Neck, back and joint pain� Work related injury� Pain and headaches from whiplash� Persistent pain after surgery

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� Chronic pelvic pain, including Interstitial Cystitis� Shingles pain� Fibromyalgia� and much more.

at the Memorial HospitalPain Management Center

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North Coast Business Journal | March 2014