North Coast Business Journal - December 2012

INSIDE
THIS MONTH
www.ncbj.net
Standard Mail
U.S. Postage Paid
Tiffn, OH 44883
Permit #88
Published and Owned by
Schaffner Publications, Inc. DECEMBER 2012 Vol. 18 No. 12
The Business Voice of Erie, Huron,
Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca Counties
POSTMASTER: Deliver to Label Addressee or Current Resident
Celebrating
18 Years of Service
Were a proud member of the following:
Bellevue Area Chamber
of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce
of Sandusky County
Elmore Chamber
of Commerce
Erie County Chamber
of Commerce
Fostoria Area Chamber
of Commerce
Genoa Chamber
of Commerce
Huron Chamber
of Commerce
Huron County
Chamber of Commerce
Marblehead Peninsula
Chamber of Commerce
Milan Chamber
of Commerce
Oak Harbor Area
Chamber of Commerce
Port Clinton Area
Chamber of Commerce
Put-in-Bay Chamber
of Commerce
Seneca Regional
Chamber of Commerce
Vermilion Chamber
of Commerce
Willard Area Chamber
of Commerce
It's been a Great
Year - Thanks ...... 2
Paying the Bills -
Retirement Income
............................ 8
IT: How to Use a
Flash Drive .........10
Essential Tax
Planning .............12
The Well-Booked
Business .............15
HR: Reviewing your
Benefts Package
...........................18
Sales: The Defnition
of Insanity? ........23
Legal: FDIC -
Personal Accounts
...........................24
Focus on Western ottaWa county
Submitted by Valerie Winterfeld
Executive Director
Every year that goes by seems like
a busy year, and 2012 was no
different! Our frst event of the year
was our chamber annual dinner
where we held our frst ever video
horse racing event. It brought a
livelier feel to the dinner and
everyone in attendance had a great
time. So much so that we will feature
video horse racing again at our
annual dinner this coming year on
February 1, 2013! This is also the
time that we elect new board
members. Last year elected to serve
3 year terms were, Chuck Benes,
Cherie Salazar, Austin Short &
Paulette Weirich. They joined
existing board members, Vern
Conley, Don Douglas, Pat Peters,
David Franck, Debi Heiks, Gina
Miller, Michelle Ish and Lester
Weatherwax. The continued efforts
of our members, staff, board,
Submitted by Rick Claar
and Mayor Lowell Krumnow
The Village of Elmore will be in position
for expansion of residential and industrial
growth when two major projects are
completed in the summer of 2013
In 2005, village residents approved a
% income tax hike to start a three phase
project that would help alleviate overfows
of raw sewage into the Portage River. By
June 30, construction on a new $5.2
million wastewater treatment plant will
be completed as the third and
fnal stage of the project.
Loans obtained from the Ohio
Water Development Authority
and the Ohio Public Works
Commission along with moneys
generated by the additional
income tax receipts have made
the seven year project possible.
The village has already completed
the frst two phases of the project
which includes terminating
It is not unusual to hear people complain of the
diffculty they have fnding products made in
America. For someone seeking such products, one
needs to look no further than Jan Pughs Packer
Creek Pottery,
located in
d o w n t o w n
Genoa. Jan is a
w i d e l y
r e c o g n i z e d
designer and
artist. Her
unique colorful
pottery can be
found in homes
and collections
in every state in
the country.
Jans broad selection of functional and decorative
ceramic art is one hundred percent made in the
A Great Year It Was, and an
Even Better Year to Come!
See OAK HARBOR, Page 4
Growth Coming to Village of Elmore
See ELMORE, Page 13
Made in America -
Genoa, Ohio USA
See GENOA, Page 2
USA. Her proprietary clay and glaze formulas are
produced especially for Jan by a Pittsburgh
manufacturer. The equipment used in producing
her pottery is also American made, along with the
many other tools and supplies involved in the
process. Jan also carries a line of fne wooden
tables incorporating her ceramic tile, which are
hand crafted locally by Swisher Cabinetry. Most
importantly, Jan employs a group of talented
artists and craftsmen who live in the area to help
her craft and decorate her products. Customers
visiting the sales gallery will be greeted by a
knowledgeable and friendly sales staff. In contrast
to mass merchandisers, big-box stores and online
retailers, Packer Creek Pottery has a friendly,
happy and welcoming atmosphere. If the
showroom staff doesnt know your name the frst
time you enter the store, you will be remembered
on subsequent visits.
The benefts of purchasing American made
products are much greater than just supporting a
local businessperson. When making purchasing
decisions, one must consider the secondary
benefts of buying locally made items. For instance,
Jan Pugh is one of the largest electrical customers
of the Genoa Utilities Department. Village income
taxes generated by Jans and other businesses
contribute to the building of local infrastructure
and help to pay the salaries of village
employees. Likewise, local and state sales
taxes support vital services that we all
need and use. Salaries of Jans employees
are also plowed back into other nearby
stores, service providers, and eateries.
Jans advertising budget benefts local
media outlets.
As a member of the Genoa Area
Chamber of Commerce and the
Downtown Merchants Association,
Packer Creek Pottery works hand in hand
with other businesses with the aim of
supporting the local economy. This is
evidenced by the thriving downtown
Genoa business district that boasts the
fact that today every storefront is
occupied. This also positively impacts
local real estate values, which in turn
provide tax revenues which help to build
our schools, fre departments and EMS
services.
As part and parcel of
J ans busi ness
philosophy, she also
regularly supports scores
of local charities and
fundraisers. This is just
another way your dollars
spent here come full
circle.
Each year the local
downtown merchants
work together putting on the annual Genoa
Holiday Open House, to kick off the season. This
will be the twentieth year Jan has created her
annual Limited Edition Holiday Plate for collectors.
This years event, which included Small Business
Saturday, was very successful and well attended
by shoppers from far and wide.
We should all take into consideration the
economic effects on our local economy the next
time we contemplate buying a product labeled
Made in China.
2 December2012 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
jbryden@ncbj.net
DirectorofSales DAVE KAHLER
dkahler@ncbj.net
AccountingManager ROBIN QUESADA
accounting@thebeacon.net
Layout& GraphicDesign SCOTT HORN
scott@thebeacon.net
MARK SCHAFFNER
marks@thebeacon.net
CirculationManager BRUCE DINSE
North Coast Business Journal is owned and published monthly by Schaffner Publica-
tions, Inc., and is mailed free to chamber of commerce members in a fve-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
Jeffrey H. Bryden
Editor
Its time to call it a year
winding down twelve issues
where we tried to cover much
of the good business news in
our fve county coverage area.
As someone said about us
many years ago, the Business
Journal is all about plane
landings not plane crashes. Weve adhered to
that mission, bringing you good news: of
business, institutional and civic expansion and
personal promotions in the fve counties of Erie,
Huron, Ottawa, Sandusky and Seneca.
While weve endeavored to cover every county
every month, weve moved around, with a focus in
each issue to dig a little deeper into specifc
towns and areas. So that we all can learn from
what good things are happening with our
neighbors.
Well stay true to that mission in the year ahead.
We continue to value the terrifc work done by the
sixteen Chambers of Commerce in our area. The
executives and boards of each offer valuable
programs and networking opportunities to their
members and the communities they serve and
theyve continued to be strong supporters of our
efforts to keep you informed.
We hope that you have enjoyed the contributed
articles written by our professional volunteers
each month covering a wider variety of business
topics than ever before. If theres another area
were missing, or a business discipline youd like
covered too, please let me know?
In closing we want to thank our loyal readers, our
regular advertisers and the Chambers who have
supported us through the year. All of us here look
forward to the new year as we enter our 19th year
of service to businesses on the North Coast.
On behalf of the North Coast Business Journal
staff, allow me to offer our sincerest best wishes to
you for a safe and joyful holiday season.
Its been a Great Year Thanks.
GENOA, from Page 1
www.ncbj.net North Coast Business Journal December 2012 3
The FIRST to Bring You the
Most Advanced Weapon
in the Fight against
Hospital Infection
A critical part of Simply Smarter
Care is ensuring patient safety by reducing
the risk of infection. Thats why Fisher-Titus
Medical Center is the frst area hospital to
invest in the most advanced germ-zapping
disinfection technology on the market
todayUltraviolet C (UV).
UV disinfection is our latest weapon in the
fght against infection, providing the fastest,
safest, and most cost-effective way to kill
harmful germs, keeping patients even safer
from infections.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
After an area is thoroughly cleaned by our
environmental services professionals, the
portable device pulses blue ultraviolet light
throughout the space, quickly destroying
viruses, bacteria and bacterial spores
that might be left behind. Its proven to
be 20 times more effective at disinfecting
rooms and treatment areas than chemical
cleaning alone, giving our patients an
extra measure of protection all in a
matter of minutes.
Its just one more way you can count on
Fisher-Titus to bring better, safer care to
our community and keep you and your
loved ones healthy.
Now thats Simply Smarter Care.
Simply
Smarter
Care
W W W. F I S H E R - T I T U S . O R G | 419-668-8101
Schedel Arboretum & Gardens
19255 W. Portage River S. Rd.
Elmore, OH 43416
419-862-3182
www.schedel-gardens.org
Seminars Executive Retreats Training Sessions Workshops
Business Meetings Social Events
Te Brown Welcome
Center is open year-
round on the 17-acre
garden estate of the
Schedel Arboretum &
Gardens and provides
a unique venue for all
seasons.
Multi-Media Facilities
Wireless Internet 3 HD Screens
Full Catering Service
think think think think outside outside outside outside
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volunteers and businesses resulted in the successes that continue our mission
statement to promote, support, and advocate for our members, and strengthen
the economic climate of the Oak Harbor area. First and foremost we would
like to extend a huge thank to our 2012 Gold Sponsors; The National Bank of
Ohio, Community Markets/Tofts Dairy, The Village of Oak Harbor, Carroll
Township, and Magruder Hospital for their generous contribution to the
chamber and our community.
During the frst quarter of 2012, we were busy with our annual dinner and
preparation for our annual Easter Egg Hunt. The Easter Egg Hunt has been a
tradition in Oak Harbor for over 60 years and we are blessed with community
support and great volunteers that keep this event going strong year after year.
The second quarter of 2012 was a busy one. It held our Annual Community
Clean-up day, a free small business seminar, a business after hours at Joyful
Connections, our annual Veterans picture display at Flat Iron Park, Annual
Golf Outing, Semi-annual Village Wide Garage Sale Days and our frst farmers
market of the season!
After those events we move right into the third quarter where we held our
Annual Independence Day Celebration along the Portage River, a business
after hours at Guiding Hands
Home Health, another free
small business seminar, 3
farmers markets, and our 2nd
Semi-annual Village Wide
Garage Sale Days. During this
quarter, we also established
the Oak Harbor Chamber
Foundation, a 501(c) 3
charitable organization, which
allows us to receive tax free
donations, and apply for
grants, in order to better serve
our members and the
community.
The last quarter holds our
biggest event of the year,
which is our Annual Apple
Festival. The festival is a
fundraiser for the chamber
and brings thousands of
visitors to our town during the
second weekend of October. In
addition to the festival, we
also held our last farmers
market of the season as well as
our last seminar for the year.
We round out the year with
our Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration which takes place the second
Saturday after Thanksgiving each year at the Portage Fire Station.
Aside from all of the wonderful events that our chamber works hard to bring
the community each year, we also offer superior business benefts to our
members. The biggest savings for our members come from the BWC Group
Rating Program and the Anthem Health Insurance Discount program. We also
offer the use of our bulk mail permit to members, discounts on many business
services, Fed-Ex shipping discounts, special pricing on copy and print,
business referrals for members, free seminars, ribbon cuttings, and much
much more! For a detailed list or more information about any of our benefts
and services please contact us at 419-898-0479 or visit us on the web at www.
oakharborohio.net.
800-848-2788 divinsurance.com
OFFICES IN ELMORE, FREMONT, PORT CLINTON AND WHITEHOUSE
OAK HARBOR, from Page 1
See OAK HARBOR, Page 5
Submitted by Kendra German, LNHA
Administrator
The facility is seeing its highest admissions and
discharge numbers in over fve years. The facility
has welcomed 250 admissions to the facility from
January 1 through October 31, 2012. 74% or 185 of
these admissions have returned back to a
community setting.
In January of 2012, Riverview expanded its short
term rehabilitation unit, Cottage Cove. The unit
had previously consisted of 13 private suites for
patients who came to the facility with the goal of
returning to the community. Riverview added 6
additional suites to accommodate the large number
of short term rehabilitation patients it sees each
year.
The Lighthouse Memory Care Unit, located on
Riverviews campus is the only specialized memory
care unit in Ottawa County. During the summer
months of 2012, The Lighthouse unit was
redecorated with new paint, fooring and furniture.
The units family style setting makes it the perfect
atmosphere for those with dementia or memory
problems, offering family style dining, open living
room area and specialized activities.
Both of these projects were funded through
Riverviews .5 mil tax levy.
In the spring of 2012, the Lighthouse Unit began
to serve meals family style. As the state of Ohio
continues to push facilities towards a more
homelike setting, this style was suggested. The
style is similar to the way large family meals are
served. The residents are encouraged to serve
themselves from large serving bowls. Staff assisted
as needed, but this style has proven to help
residents eat more at meal times and also keep up
their dining skills.
Riverviews Dietary Department continues to
prepare the meals for Senior Resources (Senior
Centers and Home Delivered Meals) as well as
Ottawa Countys two jails. Both of these programs
(Senior Resources as well as Ottawa County Sheriff)
reimburse Riverview on a per meal basis for the
cost of food, supplies and labor for these meals.
With the production of meals for these two
programs, as well as for our residents and patients,
Riverview Dietary Department produces
approximately 800 meals daily.
Riverview has made it its mission to provide
services which are not offered anywhere else
within Ottawa County. Riverview believes the
residents of Ottawa County should be able to
recover from illness or injury or seek long term care
within our county limits. For this reason, Riverview
is proud it is home to Ottawa Countys only Skilled
Nursing Facility that is contracted with the Federal
Governments Veterans Administration and
Ottawa Countys only Adult Day Service (DayBreak).
Riverview was Ottawa Countys frst Medicare 5
Star facility, an honor the facility has been able to
maintain for 3 years. The facility is also listed on
US World and News Report list of Best Nursing
Homes for 2011 and 2012.
As Riverview looks forward to 2013 we will
continue to look for ways to diversify and partner
with others to continue to provide valued unique
services to Ottawa County and the surrounding
areas.
Its been a Busy Year at Oak Harbors Riverview
MAY PAINTING INC.
Family Owned and Operated Since 1933
Serving Commercial & Industrial Accounts
In NW Ohio
Specializing in:
STANDARD ARCHITECTURAL & MULTI-
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WOOD FINISHING
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SYSTEMS
WATER AND SAND BLASTING
Professional Painting Pays
419-332-1363 Toll Free 800-797-6252
446 N. Wood St., Fremont, OH 43420
www.maypainting.com
As always the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce looks forward to continuing to bring you quality
family events throughout the year and promoting this great village in which we live. Below is our
schedule of events for 2013 (note that our seminars and BAHs have not yet been scheduled):
February 1, 2013-Chamber Annual Dinner-VFW Memorial Hall
March 23, 2013-Annual Easter Egg Hunt, Log Cabin
April 27, 2013-Annual Community Clean-up Day, Downtown Oak Harbor
May 23-29, 2013-Veteran Picture Display at Flat Iron Park
May 24, 2013-Annual Golf Outing, OH Golf Club
June 7-8, 2013-Annual Village Wide Garage Sale Days, Downtown Oak Harbor
June 22, 2013-Farmers Market, Flat Iron Park
July 3, 2013-Annual Independence Day Celebration, Mill Street Riverfront
July 27, 2013-Farmers Market, Flat Iron Park
August 24, 2013-Farmers Market/2nd Semi-Annual Garage Sale Days-Flat Iron Park
September 28, 2013-Farmers Market, Flat Iron Park
October 12-13, 2013-Annual Apple Festival, Downtown Oak Harbor
October 26, 2013-Farmers Market, Flat Iron Park
December 7, 2013-Olde Fashioned Christmas Celebration, Portage Fire Station
We look forward to promoting our businesses and our community in 2013 and wish to thank all of our
members and sponsors for their continuing support. Happy Holidays and best wishes for a prosperous
New Year from the Oak Harbor Area Chamber of Commerce!
OAK HARBOR, from Page 4
The new vehicle storage building at the Ottawa
County Transportation Agency (OCTA) is open
and ready for business. Its been a long year of
hard work and it sure feels great to get in to our
new facility, said Transit Director Bill Lowe. The
best feeling of all comes from knowing this
building will beneft Ottawa County residents for
generations to come.
Additional facility improvements were also
showcased during todays ribbon cutting ceremony.
Environmentally-friendly design features of the
new storage building and renovations to the
existing offces and vehicle maintenance bays will
substantially reduce OCTAs operating costs with
increased energy efficiency. Highlighted
improvements include:
A geothermal heating and air conditioning
system
Solar photovoltaic panels to produce electricity
Solar hot water heater
Increased insulation
Passive lighting systems that use daylight and
therefore reduce the number of electric lights
needed to illuminate the facility
Smart lighting systems that turn off the lights
when a space is not occupied
In-foor heating system that burns used vehicle
oil
Funding for the project came from the federal
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
and will continue to support a signifcant number
of jobs locally. This was a great project for our
area, said Bill Lowe. We had 10-20 guys out here
for a year, working in jobs that might not have
existed without this funding.
County Commissioner Steve Arndt praised
OCTAs leaders for using the federal dollars to save
the Ottawa County taxpayers money over the life
of the buildings. The decision to make a priority
of designing and building an environmentally-
responsible, energy-effcient facility required Bill
and his team a few more governmental hoops to
jump through, but we supported them 100%. We
hope other Ottawa County agencies will be able to
do the same on any future building projects. It
only makes sense.
OCTA provides safe and affordable door-to-door
transportation for all Ottawa County residents.
Members of the public wishing to schedule a ride
may call 1-419-898-7433. A Rider Guide and other
information is available online at www.
octapublictransit.com.
OCTA Transit Director, Bill Lowe (right) looks on
as Ottawa County Building and Grounds Superin-
tendant, Jim Adkins and OCTA Manitenance Super-
visor, Jerry Porath cut the ribbon on OCTAs new
vehicle storage building.
OCTA Construction Project Complete
Responsible design will assure transit is available for generations
The Magruder Hospital Board of Trustees Chairman, Paul
Druckenmiller, has announced that Todd Almendinger, the
current Vice-President of Finance and Chief Financial Offcer at
Magruder, has been appointed President & CEO of the hospital.
"Todd is a proven leader at Magruder and his history with
our organization goes back to serving his college internship
here in healthcare administration. Having worked at a larger
hospital for most of his career, we were fortunate to lure him
back in 2006 as Vice-President of Finance and Chief Financial
Offcer. He has been part of the hospital's senior leadership
team for six years and the Board is confdent in his abilities as
Magruder's new President & CEO," said Druckenmiller.
Almendinger came to Magruder in 2006 after being the Vice-
President of Finance and Chief Financial Offcer of Grady Memorial Hospital in
Delaware, Ohio for eighteen years. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Masters of
Business Administration from Bowling Green State University and is a member of the
Health Care Financial Management Association and the American College of Health
Care Executives.
"Going back to the time when I served my college internship at Magruder under
Robert Dumminger, this hospital has always been special to me. Growing up in
Fremont I have always liked this area and when the opportunity came up in 2006 to
work at Magruder, the move was right for me and my family. I am honored by the
Board's decision, excited to continue to work with this truly great team of people and
looking forward to advancing the hospital's mission of serving the area community,"
said Almendinger.
Almendinger lives on Catawba Island with his wife Kathy and twin daughters
Alyssa and Katie. His son Aaron is a former U.S. Marine and is currently attending
The Ohio State University.
Magruder Hospital Board of
Trustees Announce New CEO
Make me feel
better
615 Fulton Street I Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 I 419-734-3131 I magruderhospital.com
Making someone feel better is more than just a procedure or
prescription; it comes from a smile or kind word, it comes
from understanding. A human life is precious, and deserves
empathy and compassion in a time of need. Its a simple
fact we never ignore. Its why Magruder is one of the leading
hospitals in the nation for patient satisfaction.
Get started in a new career in the healthcare feld.
You can do it with training at EHOVE Adult Career
Center. Applications are being accepted now for
EHOVEs Surgical Technology Program.
A Surgical Technologist is an allied healthcare
professional that provides surgical care in a variety
of settings. The Surgical Technologist applies vital
sterile and aseptic techniques in a precise manner,
passes instruments and assist in various ways in
the operating room. Upon completion of the
program, you are eligible to sit for the National
Certifcation Exam. EHOVE continues to have a
100% pass rate on this certifcation exam.
Job growth is projected to be faster than average
as compared to all other professions at a rate of 25
percent through 2018, creating favorable job
outlook, said Patricia Liebold, Surgical Technology
Program Coordinator and Instructor. New surgical
procedures, such as those utilizing laser technology
and fber optics, will continue to be developed and
implemented.
Hospitals will remain the biggest employer,
though rapid job growth is projected in doctors
offces and outpatient care centers, like ambulatory
surgical centers.
If you or someone you know would like to enroll
for the next Surgical Technology Program, contact
EHOVE Adult Career Center at (419) 499-4663
x280. More information is available at www.
EHOVE.net.
A new career, precisely Get off your ASTEROID
and place your ad in this
SPACE.
Call Dave at 419-341-3310
or email at dkahler@ncbj.net
OUT OF THIS WORLD
for ad rates that are
Douglas Gildenmeister
Senior Vice President, Investments
Raymond James
Planning your
retirement income
is like putting
together a puzzle
with many
different pieces.
One of the frst
steps in the process
is to identify all
potential income
sources and
estimate how much you can expect
each one to provide.
Social Security
According to the Social Security
Administration (SSA), more than 9 of
10 people aged 65 or older receive
Social Security benefts. However,
most retirees also rely on other
sources of income. For a rough
estimate of the annual beneft to
which you would be entitled at
various retirement ages, you can use
the calculator on the Social Security
website,www.ssa.gov. Your Social
Security retirement benefit is
calculated using a formula that takes
into account
your 35 highest earnings years.
How much you receive ultimately
depends on a number of factors,
including when you start taking
benefts. You can begin doing so as
early as age 62. However, your beneft
may be 20% to 30% less than if you
waited until full retirement age (65 to
67, depending on the year you were
born). Benefts increase each year
that you delay taking benefts until
you reach age 70.As youre planning,
remember that the question of how
Social Security will meet its long-term
obligations to both baby boomers
and later generations has become a
hot topic of discussion. Concerns
about the systems solvency indicate
that theres likely to be a change in
how those benefts are funded,
administered, and/or taxed over the
next 20 or 30 years. That may
introduce additional uncertainty
about Social Securitys role as part of
your overall long-term retirement
income picture, and put additional
emphasis on other potential income
sources.
PenSionS
If you are entitled to receive a
traditional pension, youre lucky;
fewer Americans are covered by them
every year. Be aware that even if you
expect pension payments, many
companies are changing their plan
provisions. Ask your employer if your
pension will increase with infation,
and if so, how that increase is
calculated.
Your pension will most likely be
offered as either a single or a joint
and survivor annuity. A single
annuity provides benefts until the
workers death; a joint and survivor
annuity provides reduced benefts
that last until the survivors death.
The law requires married couples to
take a joint and survivor annuity
unless the spouse signs away those
rights. Consider rejecting it only if
the surviving spouse will have income
that equals at least 75% of the current
joint income. Be sure to fully plan
your retirement budget before you
make this decision.
Work or other
income-Producing activitieS
Many retirees plan to work for at
least a while in their retirement years
at part-time work, a fulflling second
career, or consulting or freelance
assignments. Obviously, while youre
continuing to earn, youll rely less on
your savings,
leaving more to accumulate for the
future. Work also may provide access
to affordable health care.
Be aware that if youre receiving
Social Security benefts before you
reach your full retirement age, earned
income may affect the amount of
your beneft payments until you do
reach full retirement age. If youre
covered by a pension plan, you may
be able to retire, then seek work
elsewhere. This way, you might be
able to receive both your new salary
and your pension beneft from your
previous employer at the same time.
Also, some employers have begun to
offer phased retirement programs,
which allow you to receive all or part
of your pension beneft once youve
reached retirement age, while you
continue to work part-time for the
same employer.
Other possible resources include
rental property income and royalties
from existing assets, such as
intellectual property.
retirement SavingS/inveSt-
mentS
Until now, you may have been
saving through retirement accounts
such as IRAs, 401(k)s, or other tax-
advantaged plans, as well as in taxable
accounts. Your challenge now is to
convert your savings into ongoing
income. There are many ways to do
that, including periodic withdrawals,
choosing an annuity if available,
increasing your allocation to
income-generating investments, or
using some combination. Make sure
you understand the tax consequences
before you act.
Some of the factors youll need to
consider when planning how to tap
your retirement savings include:
How much you can afford to
withdraw each year without
exhausting your nest egg. Youll
need to take into account not only
your projected expenses and other
income sources, but also your asset
allocation, your life expectancy,
and whether you expect to use
both principal and income, or
income alone.
The order in which you will tap
various accounts. Tax considerations
can affect which account you
should use frst, and which you
should defer using.
How youll deal with required
minimum distributions (RMDs)
from certain tax-advantaged
accounts. After age 70, if you
withdraw less than your RMD,
youll pay a penalty tax equal to
50% of the amount you failed to
withdraw.
Some investments, such as certain
types of annuities, are designed to
provide a guaranteed monthly
income (subject to the claims-paying
ability of the issuer).Others may pay
an amount that varies periodically,
depending on how your investments
perform. You also can choose to
balance your investment choices to
provide some of both types of income.
inheritance
One widely cited study by
economists John Havens and Paul
Schervish forecasts that by 2052, at
least $41 trillion will have been
transferred from World War IIs
Greatest Generation to their
descendants.(Source: Why the $41
Trillion Wealth Transfer Is Still
Valid.) An inheritance, whether
anticipated or in hand, brings special
challenges. If a potential inheritance
has an impact on your anticipated
retirement income, you might be
able to help your parents investigate
estate planning tools that can
minimize the impact of taxes on
their estate. Your retirement income
also may be affected by whether you
hope to leave an inheritance for your
loved ones. If you do, you may beneft
from specialized fnancial planning
advice that can integrate your income
needs with a future bequest.
equity in your home or
buSineSS
If you have built up substantial
home equity, you may be able to tap
it as a source of retirement income.
Selling your home, then downsizing
or buying in a lower-cost region, and
investing that freed-up cash to
produce income or to be used as
needed is one possibility. Another is a
reverse mortgage, which allows you
to continue to live in your home
while borrowing against its value.
That loan and any accumulated
interest is eventually repaid by the
last surviving borrower when he or
she eventually sells the home,
permanently vacates the property, or
dies (However, you need to carefully
consider the risks and costs before
borrowing. A useful publication titled
Reverse Mortgages: Avoiding a
Reversal of Fortune is available
online from the Financial Industry
Regulatory Authority.)
If youre hoping to convert an
existing business into retirement
income, you may beneft from careful
fnancial planning to minimize the
tax impact of a sale. Also, if you have
partners, youll likely need to make
Estate
Paying the Bills: Potential Sources of Retirement Income
See ESTATE, Page 20
For most of her career at Terra State Community
College, Joyce Spencer has been an advocate for
armed forces veterans. Now she has, well, an army
of supporters.
Thanks to a push from administration, the hard
work of maintenance and housekeeping employees,
and Spencers steady guidance, the new Terra State
Veterans Center opened on Nov. 15.
It features four computer work stations, a
conference room with white board and a lounge
area with a fat screen television. A coffee maker,
microwave, refrigerator and sink round out all the
comforts of home.
Spencer, the Success Mentor for Veterans at Terra
State, has been pushing for a veterans center ever
since she attended a conference in Kentucky
several years ago. A representative from Mississippi
State University gave a presentation on its center.
Mississippi is the home state of Sonny Montgomery,
the author of the Montgomery GI Bill that
guarantees educational benefts for veterans.
They have an awesome veterans center, Spencer
said. I was very impressed with their brochure
and everything about their program. Mississippi
State is such a large institution so I realized we
wouldnt have anything like that here; but we
could do something.
She included the center in her veterans affairs
strategic plan and kept the idea alive through the
years. The center was put on the fast track recently
after Terra State President Dr. Jerome Webster
attended a conference in Washington, D.C. and
heard Eric Shinseki, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, urge college leaders to give veterans a space
of their own.
Soldiers are trained militarily to take care of
their fellow soldier, Webster said. Because of this
training, they will help each other get through
college, as long as they have a space to get to know
each other, and learn how to support one another
while in college. With all that veterans have done
for this great country, I wanted the creation of a
veterans center to be the frst priority of my
presidency, and it was, with the help of so many
great faculty and staff.
Spencer aimed to provide a safe, comfortable and
welcoming space for the veterans. We wanted a
place where our veteran students could come and
relax but also have facilities that they could access
the Internet and do homework, she said. So we
have a social area and a study area. Its a place
where veterans can come and relate to each other.
Kyle Williams, an Army veteran from Fostoria, is
a frequent visitor to the center.
Its really nice, quiet, the 2007 Lakota High
School grad said. I like coming in here to talk to
Joyce.
While Spencer is more than appreciative for the
large space, she hopes they outgrow it soon. That
will mean that the
veterans are using the
center in signifcant
numbers.
A relatively new
program, which is
already having an
impact on increasing
veteran students at Terra
State, may help Spencer
pack the center.
The Veterans
Retraining Assistance
Program was developed
to help unemployed
veterans from ages 35 to
60 who have exhausted
all of their VA benefts.
Spencer said Terra State
already has about 20
students who are
beneftting from that
program, and its only
about six months old.
Through the center,
veteran students can
network with veteran
advocates from the local
Job Stores. Specialists
work directly with
veterans to help them
find work through
programs l i ke
apprenticeships and
on-the-job training,
according to Rob Bliss,
Disabled Veterans
Outreach Program
Specialist with the
Sandusky and Ottawa
counties Job Store.
The Terra State
Veterans Center is a
much needed tool for
current and future
veterans, he said. The center will give them a
place to meet fellow veterans and relax before their
next class.
Jose Zamora, Bliss counterpart for the Job Store
in Seneca County, also sees the centers benefts.
I would have liked to have a place like this when
I attended classes at Terra, Zamora said. It gives
veterans the opportunity to meet and work with
other veterans and to learn more about available
job training and job search assistance. I encourage
veterans attending Terra State to use the center.
For more information about the veterans program
at Terra State, call Joyce Spencer at 419-559-2348.
Kyle Williams of Fostoria
works on his homework
in the new Terra State
Veterans Center
New Veterans Center at Terra State Opens
Community Focused. Trustworthy.
Deposits re-invested locally
in your community.
People you know.
We go where life takes you.
Established 1875
Dean Miller
President & CEO
Cathy Magers
Put-in-Bay Branch Manager
Karen Rinas
Customer Service Rep
Alma Showalter
Kelly Bullerwell
Lisa Molnar
Amy Kirby
Cheryl DeVore
AVP Mortgage Banking Offcer
Missy Walker
VP Retail Manager
Melinda Stacy
Port Clinton Branch Manager
Brittany Christiansen
By Don Knaur
Flash Drives, also known as
Thumb Drives, are one of the
most misunderstood accessories
for a PC. A Flash Drive is simply a
data storage stick with a USB
(Universal Serial Bus) connector
on one end. Anyone going to
College is very familiar with
them, because while they are not
sold with a PC, they are now
necessary if you have to transfer
data between PCs. These Drives were initially
made to hold small amounts of information but
were quickly expanded to hold much larger
amounts of data. Today, they are able to hold
several Gigabytes (GB) of data. This can include
pictures, music, documents, spreadsheets or
databases; in other words, any type of fle you can
imagine.
However, these devices are like their predecessors,
the foppy diskettes; they are not designed for long
term storage. They can and will fail at the most
inopportune moment (See Murphys Law). To
illustrate my concern about Flash Drive failure, I
will relate an experience from long ago. I will
never forget the frst time I really needed to install
a back-up. I had lost the hard drive in my notebook
PC with all of my business records on it. Fortunately,
I had a current set of back-up disks, so I wasnt
worried. When I started the restore procedure, it
worked fne for the frst 22 disks, and then it failed
on disk 23 of 36.It was doubly unfortunate that
with the old Microsoft back-up system it was an all
or none situation. The diskette was unrepairable,
so I was in deep trouble. Recently, I have seen
several similar occurrences with the Flash Drives.
Today, many of the Flash Drives come loaded
with a software routine to encrypt the data they
hold for security purposes. I do not recommend
using this software, because it can create problems.
When you frst use the Flash Drive, it will ask you
if you want to install the software on your
computer or simply to copy fles to the Drive. Just
choose the copy option and you will be able to
treat the Drive as any
other portable media,
which will make your
life a lot easier.
There are several ways
to copy a fle to your
Flash Drive. Here are
two of them. The frst
way is the simplest. Just
open the fle you want
to copy and then choose
the Save As option
from the File Menu.
Next, select the drive
letter that is
i ndi c at e d
for your
F l a s h
Drive and click on Save. The second way is to
right click on Start, then left click on Explore.
Find your fle and right click on it. Next, select the
Copy option and then select and open your
Flash Drive. Now, right click on an open area and
select the Paste option.
If you have trouble trying to fnd your Flash Drive
and it is already in the PC, the easiest way to fnd
it is to left click on Start. Then click on (My)
Computer and look at the Drive Labels. Each USB
port on the PC will be labeled as a Removable
Disk and the one that has your Flash Drive in it
will show the name of your Flash Drive, i.e.
Passport. If the Flash Drive is not yet in your PC,
when the Flash Drive is inserted into the PC, the
PC will usually identify it and offer you options of
actions to take.
Word of Warning: if the Flash Drive you are using
is not your own Drive, you are at risk of infecting
your PC. I would recommend using the Scan
option before utilizing the View Files and Folders
option.
Hopefully, this has helped you understand how
to best use your Flash Drives. Now that you
understand that Flash Drives are not acceptable as
back-up devices, I strongly urge you to ask Santa
for an external Hard Drive to use for backing up
your data, unless you already own one. Merry
Christmas!
Don is the CWO (Chief Working Offcer) of Help-
Desk, Ohio, a complete computer service center,
located in Suite A of the Courtlee Interiors
Building, 2499 W. Market in Tiffn. Don has a
degree in Computer Programming from Tiffn
University and has been an Information
Technology Professional for over 26 years. He
started Help-Desk, Ohio in the spring of 1996 and
opened his shop in March 2001. Don welcomes
calls for advice or information at 419-448-
8020.
Assembl y Label i ng Sort i ng Mai l i ng
Packagi ng I nspect i on Warehousi ng Dri l l i ng Re-work
Li ght Manuf act uri ng Jani t ori al Servi ces And more!!!
Commercial Services
Goodwill Industries
of Erie, Huron, Ottawa and Sandusky Counties, Inc.
419 W. Market St., Sandusky, OH 44870
Procurement Manager 419-625-4744 ext.22
For statewide services visit: www.ohiogoodwillsb2b.org
Could your business use an
extra hand this
busy holiday season?
Let Goodwill Help!
Goodwill Commercial Services
is your outsource solution.
Save time and money with: - On-time deliveries
Quality assurance - Simple, competitive pricing
How to Use a Flash (Thumb) Drive
IT
And your ad could be
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reaching over 23,000
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counties every month
H
E
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Cal l Dav e at t he Nor t h Coast
Busi ness J our nal at 41 9- 7 34- 4838
PHC-0323B
When it comes to getting great health care, weve got you covered.
You take your health seriously. And proper health care can prevent serious problems later. So, when it comes
to choosing a healthcare plan for your employees, you can trust Paramount. We offer a wide variety of wellness
programs with screenings and online health risk assessments. And employers can custom design their own
company-wide programs. After all, when it comes to your wellness, Paramount has a plan to make it easier for you.
Contact your broker or visit us at www.paramounthealthcare.com.
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PHC375_10.17x5_0323B.indd 1 4/30/12 3:35 PM
Its Genoa store, on Woodville
Road, is a 45,000 sq. ft. showroom,
and employs 32 full-time and 2
part-time staffers.
Over the years, Doug Samsen
says the company has made a
strong effort to develop client
relationships, and to offer
consultant sales to help complete
a room with furnishing from
every department. Design work and in-home selling have been our
emphasis.
The company offers a multi-line product assortment - living rooms,
bedrooms, dining rooms, dinettes, bedding, a design department including
window treatments, wallpaper, carpeting and a large selection of lamps,
pictures and accessories.
Samsen says his marketing strategy has been to utilize name brand product
lines to draw consumers out to the Genoa location by emphasizing selection,
quality and service.
In addition, he says he has had a regular advertising program to bring people
out to this destination situated in the heart of Northwest Ohio.
Genoas Samsen
Furniture an Area
Mainstay Since 1954
The Board of Directors for Main Street
Port Clinton is pleased to announce
that MSPC received a $15,000 grant
from the Stensen Memorial Fund to
help purchase new planters and
benches for our historic
downtown. The planters and
benches will be complementing
the existing planters and benches
that were new in downtown in
2010 and 2011.
Main Street Port Clinton is a
non-proft organization striving
to promote, preserve, and improve
downtown historic Port Clinton.
For more information, please contact
Main Street Port Clinton at 419.734.5503.
Port Clintons Main
Street PC is Awarded
Grant from Stensen
Taxes
By Donald P. Hanck, CPA, ABV, CFF
Barnes Wendling etc see OCTOBER ISSUE
Absent congressional action,
taxpayers at all income levels will
pay higher taxes on their wages,
salaries, self-employment income
and investment income in 2013
than they paid in 2012. The
primary force behind this change
is the simultaneous expiration on
12/31/12, of the Bush tax cuts,
and economic stimulus measures
such as the temporary tax holiday
and the expanded earned income and American
Opportunity education tax credits. The annual
alternative minimum tax issue continues for
middle class taxpayers. Starting in 2013, higher-
income taxpayers will be liable for two new levies
imposed by the Affordable Care Act which includes
the 3.8% tax on net investment income, known as
the unearned income Medicare contribution tax,
and the additional 0.9% hospital insurance tax on
high wage earners.
Changes in tax law resulting from provisions
expiring at the end of 2012
1. Higher tax rate schedule for ordinary income
If the Bush tax cuts are allowed to expire, the
statutory income tax rates on ordinary income,
which would include all dividends in 2013, will
range from 15% to 39.6% in 2013 as compared
to 10% to 35%. The new rate tables also restore
a marriage penalty that the tax cuts had
eliminated.
2. Elimination of preferential tax rate for
qualifed dividend income
Under the Bush tax cuts, the tax rate on
qualifed dividend income was capped at 15%.
For taxpayers whose dividend income would
otherwise have been taxed at 10% or 15%, the
rate was reduced to zero for tax years beginning
in 2008. After the tax cuts expire on 12/31/12,
there will be no qualifed dividend income and
all dividends will be ordinary income taxed at
the rates referred to above.
3. Higher tax rate on net capital gains.
The Bush tax cuts reduced the top rate on most
net capital gains from 20% to 15%. For taxpayers
whose gains would otherwise be taxed at 10%
or 15%, rates were reduced from 10% to 0%
beginning in 2008. With the tax cuts sunset,
the top rate will again be 20% on gains for
taxpayers above the 15% bracket and 10% for
taxpayers whose gains would be taxed at 15%
under the tax tables.
4. Return of the overall limitation on itemized
deductions
The Pease limitation on itemized deductions
was repealed in 2010 for taxpayers with an
adjusted gross income (AGI) above an infation-
adjusted threshold. When the tax cuts expire,
taxpayers will once again reduce the amount of
itemized deductions allowed.
5. Return of the personal exemption phase-out
(PEP)
The personal exemption phase-out (PEP) was
designed to reduce or eliminate altogether the
beneft of personal and dependency exemptions
for higher-income taxpayers. Like the Pease
limitation, the PEP was repealed for tax years
starting in 2010 and also returns in 2013.
6. Lower standard deduction for joint returns
The Bush tax cuts eliminated the marriage
penalty associated with the standard deduction
by setting the standard deduction for married
couples fling joint returns at twice the amount
for single taxpayers. In 2013, the standard
deduction for joint flers will revert to 167% of
the amount for single taxpayers.
7. Lower child tax credits
For 2013, after the tax cuts have expired, the
child tax credit will decrease $1,000 to $500 per
qualifying child. In addition, none of it will be
refundable to taxpayers.
8. Lower earned income credit
Taxpayers with larger families (3 or more
qualifying children) will see a reduction in the
earned income credit they will receive.
9. Replacement of the American Opportunity
Tax Credit with the Hope Tax Credit
In 2013, the American Opportunity Tax Credit
(AOTA) will revert to the less advantageous
Hope Tax Credit. The AOTC maximum credit is
$2,500 while the Hope maximum credit before
infation adjustment is only $1800. As a result
of the expiration of the AOTC, fewer taxpayers
will be able to claim an education credit in
2013, and many of those who can do so may
receive no beneft from the nonrefundable
credit.
10. Elimination of the tax holiday
The temporary reduction in social security taxes
from 6.2% to 4.2% on wages and self-employed
individuals will be eliminated in 2013. At this
time, there does not appear to be any
Congressional support for renewing this tax
holiday.
How the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) Could
Affect You
In 1969, Congress enacted an individual AMT to
ensure that everyone paid a minimum amount of
taxes, even while preserving tax breaks written in
the code as economic and social incentives. But
Congress did not build in an infation escalator
and later enacted lower tax rates under the Bush
tax cuts. The combined effect played havoc with
the intention of the AMT, allowing the tax system
to cover more and more middle-class taxpayers.
Annually, Congress patches the AMT system so
it only hits around 5 million upper-middle-class
taxpayers by adjusting the threshold and the
applicable rate. In 2012, unless Congress applies a
new patch, the AMT will apply to nearly half of the
taxpayers with incomes between $75,000 and
$100,000. Without action, an estimated 27 million
more taxpayers could fnd themselves paying an
average of $3,700 more in taxes. To add to this
problem, the IRS has announced that it is not
prepared for a new patch for the 2012 tax fling
system and as a result, expects delays for the tax
fling of these 27 million taxpayers.
Changes due to new tax levies under the
Affordable Care Act
1. Unearned Income Medicare contribution tax
The Medicare contribution tax is imposed at the
rate of 3.8% on the lesser of: (1) the taxpayers
net investment income; or (2) the excess of the
taxpayers modifed adjusted gross income
(MAGI) over a threshold amount. The threshold
amounts are $200,000 for unmarried taxpayers,
$250,000 for married couples fling joint returns,
and $125,000 for married taxpayers fling
separate returns.
2. Additional hospital insurance tax of 0.9%
The ACA added a 0.9 percentage point to the
employee portion of the hospital insurance (HI)
tax on wages exceeding $250,000 for married
couples fling jointly, $125,000 for married
taxpayers fling separately, and $200,000 for all
other taxpayers. The additional HI tax also
applies to self-employment income exceeding
the wage thresholds listed above.
Steps to reduce the effect of the scheduled tax
increases
Based on the discussion above, the following fve
recommendations are offered to lessen the impact
of the looming tax increases.
1. Recognize long-term capital gains in 2012
Taxpayers in all brackets should seriously
consider selling their investments in 2012 that
would result in long-term capital gains, rather
than waiting until 2013 to do so.
2. Accelerate 2013 charitable contributions
subject to the Pease limitation into 2012
With the return of the Pease limitation,
taxpayers should weigh shifting some of their
planned charitable donations for 2013 to 2012.
3. Accelerate ordinary income into 2012 or
delay certain deductions
The increased statutory tax rates, the Pease
limitation and the Affordable Care Act (AHA)
taxes provide substantial incentive, especially
for higher-income taxpayers, to recognize more
ordinary income in 2012 rather than 2013.
Essential Tax Planning For All Taxpayers
See TAXES, Page 13
side to the east end of the village where the new
wastewater plant is being built.
The new facility will treat 100% of the water
entering the village sanitary sewer system and will
alleviate any overfow issues the village has
encountered in the past. The current wastewater
plant has a peak capacity of 450,000 gallons while
the new plant will be able to treat 1.8 million gallons
per day. Village Superintendant Buck Stoiber said
technology incorporated in the facility will help
meet new parameters for mercury and phosphorous
discharge levels. He said the unique design of the
new plant will allow for additional expansion if and
when the need arises. He also said the village is
making continuous efforts to alleviate any infow
and infltration (I&I) of outside groundwater into the
sanitary sewer system. As the village closes all doors
to the I&I, Stoiber said the capacity for the new
wastewater treatment facility during peak rain periods
will, in turn, increase.
In an effort to head off any possibility of a repeat of
a 56 hour July, 2011 power outage caused by
lightning at the villages only power substation,
village offcials have agreed to build a new $1.3
million substation which will both increase the
village electrical capacity and serve as a backup for
the current substation.
The new substation will be able to power the entire
village which doubles the villages current capacity.
Electricity will be fed from two directions. Both
substations will receive electricity on 69 KV power
lines coming from both the Toledo and Oak Harbor
areas. Equipment will be in place to switch over
almost immediately if one feeder line is incapacitated
which should cause only minimal power interruption
during the switchover process according to Mr.
Stoiber.
Mayor Lowell Krumnow told the North Coast
Business Journal that these upgrades are necessary for
the future development of the village. He said, by
increasing the capacity for additional sewage
treatment and electrical power, the village has
strongly positioned itself once Elmore and Harris and
Woodville Townships agree to a Joint Economic
Development District. When approved, the JEDD
agreement would encompass an area of over 80 acres
across from the Ohio Turnpike exchange one mile
south of Elmore.
Offcials from both townships and the village have
been meeting in an ongoing process to negotiate a
JEDD agreement that will meet the needs of all
entities involved. Mayor Krumnow said he believes
the agreement process is approaching its fnal stages
and hopes that an agreement is signed in 2013.
ELMORE, from Page 1 TAXES, from Page 12
Sandusky Office Norwalk Office
419-625-4942 419-668-2552
www.pncpa.biz
Payne Nickles
& Company
P
N
certified public accountants
& business advisors
Jo
WISHING YOU THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
Expert financial services for businesses both big and small.
Properit
AND IN THE NEW YEAR!
The Chamber of Commerce of Sandusky County has Ag Packs available for
sale just in time for the holidays. The cost per pack is $20 and contains the
following products: ketchup, mustard, seasoning salt, canned beef, sauerkraut
and salsa. New for this year is a sweet and tangy barbecue sauce. Each item is
locally grown and/or packaged from companies in Northwest Ohio: Green
Bay Packaging, Heinz, The Fremont Company, Hasselbach Meats, Wellys, the
Hirzel Canning Company and FREDS Freekin Awesome Sauces.
These Ag Packs make great gifts for out-of-town guests and businesses that
may not be familiar with Sandusky County! Stop by the Chamber offce, 101
S. Front Street, Fremont, to pick yours up today! Quantities are limited.
New and Improved Ag Packs for Sale
4. Review your sources of income and
possible deductions
To minimize the new Medicare taxes
under AHA, review your sources of
income and determine if you can
rearrange them or provide for more tax
deductions to reduce your adjusted gross
income and self-employment in 2013.
5. Prepay qualifed tuition and related
expenses to claim full American
Opportunity Tax Credit
If a taxpayer, the taxpayers spouse, or the
taxpayers dependent is eligible for the
tax credit and has not yet paid $4,000 in
qualifed tuition and related expenses in
2012, the taxpayer should prepay part or
all of the expenses for the spring semester
of 2013 to be able to claim the maximum
credit of $2,500 for 2012.
Fighting cancer requires strength, courage
and resolve, and the support of family
members and caregivers is essential. Mercy
believes it takes a team effort to meet cancer
head-on. Each patient has unique needs.
That is why every member of Mercys
multidisciplinary team is sincerely focused
on providing cancer care that is based on
our strong foundation of faith, hope and love.
Mercys cancer professionals are all highly
qualified, from our certified oncology nurses
and radiation therapists to our board certified
medical and radiation oncologists.
Dr. Joe Kaminski, Mercys full-time radiation
oncologist, is board certified in radiation
oncology. Dr. Sam Veltri, Mercys full-time
medical oncologist, is board certified in
medical oncology and internal medicine.
Dr. Veltris and Dr Kaminskis goal is to
provide high quality and compassionate
care to every patient through a wide
range of services including chemotherapy,
hormone therapy, immunotherapy/biological
therapy, general medical oncology, general
hematology and radiation therapy.
The Mercy Cancer Center at Tiffin is
accredited by the American College of
Surgeons Commission on Cancer. This
distinctive recognition is earned by cancer
programs capable of providing the very best
in cancer care.
For more information or to schedule an
appointment with one of our physicians,
call the Mercy Cancer Center at Tiffn
at 419.455.8101.
M E R C Y C A N C E R C E N T E R A T T I F F I N
Choose Mercy Tifn Hospital
for comprehensive cancer care.
at Benchs Greenhouse & Nursery in
Elmore, Ohio. On November 1st
each year the greenhouse complex is
turned into a winter wonderland.
With a vast inventory of over 20,000
ornaments, over 1000 poinsettias,
collegiate merchandise and holiday
dcor, Benchs claims it is Your Place
for all Seasons. New items this year
at The Christmas Shoppe at Benchs
include Davinci Beads, scarves by
Paige Products, and toys by Melissa &
Doug.
Although Benchs is transformed for
the holidays, planting for the spring
selling season is underway. Hundreds
of fern baskets are already being
tended to by Donald Bench, owner
and grower. New garden product is
arriving daily for purchase this spring
as well as our ever-expanding
inventory in our NEW Fairy Garden
department. New for purchase in
2012, Jill Bench has been working on
making this area of the greenhouse
larger for the 2013 season.
The 2013 Super Saver shirts have
arrived and are available for purchase.
Established in 2010, discount T-shirts
have been a staple in marketing our
greenhouse. Sizes range from Adult
Small to XXL.
2013 will see the Plant Purple, Grow
Hope campaign continue for the
Maumee Valley Growers and local
growers. Benchs Greenhouse &
Nursery is proud to be a supporter of
this worthwhile cause and continues
to donate $.50 of each pot sold to aid
in pancreatic cancer research.
In April Benchs will continue its
Ready? Lets Grow FREE seminars. To
see a complete list of upcoming
activities check them on Twitter or
Facebook.
Its beginning to look
a lot like Christmas
By Cathy Allen
Ill be honest. Ive been in a bad
mood lately
about the quality
of customer
service Ive been
seeing. Of
course, Ive had
some really great
experiences, too.
There are many
people in our
community who
take great pride in delighting their
customers. In fact, it seems to me
that among stores and restaurants
there are more people working at
providing good service than ever
before. They want our business and
they are competing for it. But lets
face it, when you are in the hospital
you cant exactly just choose to pick
up and go someplace else. Everyone I
know can tell a horrible story about
how they have been treated by some
agency or company who knows we
are stuck with them. I can no longer
remember if I read this months books
because I was noticing customer
service or if I started noticing customer
service because I read these books, but
I would like to live in a world where
more people have read them.
Raving Fans: A Revolutionary
Approach to Customer Service
by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon
Bowles, William Morrow and
Company, 1993
SUMMARY: When the area
manager of an unnamed business
fnds himself in need of a customer
service primer, a Fairy Godmother
named Charlie enters the picture and
introduces him to a series of mentors
from among the ranks of those who
have learned the secret to creating
Raving Fans. In this day and age,
customers have come to have such
low expectations, they seem to accept
being taken for granted. But Blanchard
and Bowles teach us that in the end
...success comes to those, and only
to those, who are obsessed with
looking after customers. Heres how.
Providers of outstanding
service understand the
following:
Satisfying customers is not enough.
No one can afford to fail to delight
their patrons.
Good customer service can be
systematized, baked in to operations.
Rewarding employees who provide
great service, even if they have to
break a rule or two, is part of that.
99.9% of customers are honest,
meaning that they wont steal or
otherwise cheat those with whom
they do business. They ought not to
be treated like suspects.
To fnd out what will thrill a
customer, we have to ask them -- but
recognize that what they say they
want may differ from what they
actually want. Well-done customer
listening is not easy, but worth the
effort. Customer satisfaction surveys
are meaningless. Silence is an
important message that must be
heard.
The Three Steps:
Decide what you want. What service
do you want to provide? What are
you willing to do or not do? You cant
be all things to all people, so fgure
out what business you are in. Craft a
vision statement based on the perfect
customer experience, and use that to
guide all aspects of your business.
Discover what the customer wants.
Does the customers vision ft within
the context of yours? If not, be willing
to let that customer go. Getting good
feedback is diffcult. Those who are
really unhappy usually wont
complain directly even when asked.
You have to put snippets of feedback
together and recognize that silence
says a lot. Customer desire can change,
so make customer listening a regular
practice.
Deliver the vision plus One. Again,
because angry customers are unlikely
to tell us why they wont be coming
back, we have to be consistent and
never promise more than we can
deliver every time. Aim high but
make sure the organization gets there.
Reward staff for exceeding customer
expectations, and then seek
improvement in 1% increments.
Gung Ho! Turn on the People
in Any Organization, by Ken
Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles,
William Morrow and Company,
1998
SUMMARY: This is an adapted
account of a true story of turnaround
at a factory slated for closure by a
large parent organization. The
dynamic frst-time CEO (who later
told the story to the authors) had the
good sense to listen to a long-serving
middle manager whose unit was out-
performing the others. Why? Because
the employees there embraced the
Gung Ho! philosophy, and were
demonstrating great enthusiasm,
energy, and dedication to their work.
The books characters describe how
they picked up employee morale and
improved customer service,
dramatically increasing the bottom
line and saving the factory for the
parent company, the workers, and the
whole community.
The Principles of the Gung Ho!
Philosophy:
Spirit of the Squirrel. Worthwhile Work.
When people are engaged in work
they know matters, they work harder.
Leaders who rely on the good work of
the people around them need to make
sure they help people see where their
effort fts into the big picture. Such a
dynamic builds buy-in and increases
motivation and mutual support.
Leaders must also teach people how
to do things in a manner than upholds
the values theyve set. Support for
goals rises as trust does so leaders
must always tell the truth totally.
The Way of the Beaver: In Control of
Achieving the Goal. Beavers are
independent contractors with clear
territorial boundaries. They respect
each other, hear each other, and give
each other room to organize their
work. Most people prefer to do a fair
days work for their pay. Employees
who have their capabilities stretched
and have the training they need to do
their work, feel good about themselves
at the end of the day. Leaders must set
the goals, but then let each worker
fgure out exactly how to do the job.
Pride builds intensity of purpose and
is a better motivator than fear. Leaders
set the tone: if they are distrusting,
their employees will begin to guard
their rights and their turf and to
worry less about their responsibilities.
The Gift of the Goose: Cheering Others
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With Community
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Visit our website: www.communityhospicecare.com
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NCBJCommHospice_08_12.pdf 8/20/12 5:37:24 PM
By: Steven J. Krisfalusy
Sr. Consultant/Managing Partner
President Obamas Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act, the law, is
2,700 pages long. We can assume
that it will remain but the details
may change. Its provisionsand
overall effectswill not only
change Americas health care
landscape, but will have ripple
effects felt in all other sectors.
Changing the way you look at;
offer and measure your overall
benefts investment also needs to
change more dramatically than ever before. It is
time to relook at how we bundle our benefts
beyond HC, including PTO & other perks that
impact the bottom line & budgeting.
A recent eHealth Insurance survey found that
most small businesses dont understand the
requirements of health reform. Others state that we
should expect at least a 20% increase in costs by
2014.
I will have follow up articles to this massive issue
to try to keep you informed. A few of the topics we
will discuss are:
Smokers in the workplace
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Full time/Part time employees
What can you do now?
Smokers in the workplace
There is already a negative undertone from both
employers & other employees about how many
breaks & the time people take to go grab a quick
smoke. We are actually partially responsible for the
increase in lost productive time. Smokers are now
required to only smoke in certain designated areas
that usually are not close by that the company has
designated. Ultimately, this creates more wasted
time for people to walk back & forth multiple times
a day.
Under the new law, smokers can be charged up to
50 percent more than nonsmokers for health
insurance beginning in 2014. Regulations now
allow companies to require workers who fail to
meet specifc standards to pay up to 20 percent of
their insurance costs. There is also discussion about
an additional surcharge to be placed on smokers.
Some frms today are taking the approach of
trying to help or motivate staff members to quit
smoking by offering discounts and wellness
programs. In some companies this is already a
mandatory procedure. This all walks a fne legal
line of discrimination that companies must address
before rolling any program out. Updating your
policy manual, procedures and having the right
documentation are critical.
One way employers are trying to side step these
issues is not to hire smokers. There are laws in place
prohibiting these practices but they are rarely
enforced.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
As of Jan. 1, 2011, fexible spending accounts may
no longer be used to purchase over-the-counter
drugs or medicines. Individuals must pay for over-
the-counter drugs and medicines another way.
But the most signifcant change to FSAs under the
law will be the implementation of the $2,500 cap
on health care FSA contributions beginning in
2013. In some cases this will require the employee
greater expense out of their pockets which in
return creates more morale issues that you will
have to deal with.
Full time/Part time employees
The new laws require companies of more than 50
employees to provide affordable health insurance,
affordable being a key word. Many companies are
now rethinking their entire staffng models and
reducing various positions to a maximum of 30
hours per week from 40. An individual who works
30 per week (on average) would then be considered
Part Time. Part Time employees have very few
rights to benefts under the current laws. This
would reduce the cost to the employer but leave
many full time employees without many or even
any benefts. That then would create turnover of
key personnel who seek and need the benefts. As
you can see this scenario probably creates as many
problems as it attempts to solve.
Today, many people who work for small businesses
cant afford the health care they need or they have
medical bills they are unable to pay. This greatly
affects employee morale and productivity.
About half of small business employees (45
percent) reported trouble paying medical bills in
2010, and 46 percent reported that they skipped
needed medical care because of cost, reports state.
Thats about ten percent higher than those workers
working in larger frms.
Small business workers were also more likely to be
dissatisfed with their health insurance, with 29
percent rating it fair/poor, compared to 16 percent
of those at larger businesses. They also dont have
as much choice when it comes to health plan
options.
There is a plan to create premium tax credits to
certain small businesses and to grant subsidies to
many uninsured workers toward their purchase of
health insurance beginning in 2014. The details are
not 100% clear at this point.
What can you do now?
Learn as much as you can to stay on top of things
and raise the importance of your HR functions and
especially benefts administration now! This area
with its future costs will be critical to any future
planning or budgeting.
The best way to start addressing the mountain of
upcoming beneft change issues is to start now. It is
a matter of when not if. It also makes sense to
have your entire beneft package reviewed and
possibly modifed so that you have a better handle
on the overall costs for all of the benefts you are
offering today.
Interestingly enough is that most employers and
employees have no clue of the total cost to the
company nor does the employee realize the total
cost beneft they are receiving. By having an
assessment done on a holistic basis (PTO, raises,
HC, etc.) will not only help you get your arms
around this huge operating cost but you will most
likely change the way you offer benefts in the
future. There are many options on the table and
the best solutions will need to be creative &
innovative. Now is the time to start.
SJK Beringer Group is a diverse team of
experts that have advised & implemented
solutions on HR & Management issues
throughout the Midwest since 1985.
Reviewing Your Overall Beneft Package Needs Higher Priority Now!
Human Resources
On. It is always more productive to catch someone
doing something right and offer sincere praise
than to be critical about something done incorrectly.
Even when we cant congratulate someone we can
always encourage them. It is also the case that
leaders can deliver a positive message by saying
nothing since silence conveys trust. If someone has
what they need to do a good job, get out of their
way. Leaders can use the TRUE method to encourage
their staff being timely, responsive, unconditional
and enthusiastic.
Local consultant Cathy Allen celebrates her
life-long love of books at www.
WhatIsCathyReading.com. She invites
visitors to download her two-page summaries,
comment on her blog or connect to a fabulous
network of independent booksellers.
WELL-BOOKED, from Page 15
Submit stories for the
North Coast Business Journal
by e-mailing
jbryden@ncbj.net
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2012 Frontier Communications Corporation
To learn more about Frontier Wi-Fi solutions,
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FTRWIRELESS11_12aha.pdf 11/23/12 12:29:53 PM
Submitted by Chuck Benes, PGA
Oak Harbor Golf Club has been in
existence since 1964, and for years
has been known as Ottawa Countys
public golf headquarters.
Home to the First Tee of Lake Erie,
Oak Harbor & Danbury Boys & Girls
Golf Teams, numerous leagues and
charity outings, OHGC is a popular
choice with the areas golfers. Its a
well-maintained, challenging layout
and attracts visitors to area as they
enjoy the many attractions of the
Lake Erie Shores and Islands area.
The First Tee of Lake Erie is a non-
proft youth development program
that teaches valuable life skills to
children 5 & older, using golf as the
vehicle. As a founding partner and
the main facility, Oak Harbor is
building future leaders & life long
golfers for years to come.
With peoples discretionary income
dropping because of the economy,
Oak Harbor Golf Club has had to
change its business model the past
few years. With extreme swings in the
weather, rising maintenance costs
and a national trend of people playing
less golf, OHGC has expanded its
business to alternative revenue
streams. The rustic clubhouse has
become a great venue for class
reunions, wedding receptions,
rehearsal dinners & events of all
kinds. It has been a good place for
businesses to hold team-building
sessions or retreats to energize their
employees.
Starting last winter the club has
held events such as live comedy,
murder mystery dinners & trivia
nights. From April to September, the
Baldies Roost restaurant serves
lunch 7 days a week and dinners on
Friday nights. In the off season
Baldies Roost is only open for the
special events.
Oak Harbor Golf
Club An Update
Coming in January:
Focus on the
Five Counties
Mercy Willard Foundations 23rd
Annual Candlelight Ball returned to
the Kehoe Center in Shelby, Ohio
early in November. The Royal Luau
themed event was enjoyed by 120
guests and over $41,000 gross revenue
was raised.
Guests enjoyed musical
entertainment provided by the
Paradise Island Band. A delicious meal
was prepared by Creative Cuisine,
Sandusky. The event included a live
auction with auctioneer Steve Bolen
presiding as well as the traditional
silent auction. Lasik Eye Surgery
donated by Dr. Stephen Y. Reed, Mercy
Eye Center was the top bid item from
the live auction.
To complement this years theme, a
raffe for the winners choice of a
Hawaiian vacation valued at
$5,000.00, equivalent vacation or
$2,500 visa card was held. Marti Keller
of Crestline was the winner of the
raffe. She and her husband, Russell,
look forward to planning a vacation.
The Foundation extends special
thanks to the top sponsors of this
years event: Platinum Sponsors:
Lathrop Co., Pepperidge Farm, Dr.
Stephen Y. Reed Mercy Eye Center,
Brian & Sharon Humphress. Gold
Sponsors: Clouse Construction Corp.,
The Herald, Inc., Billy Inmon -
Mountain Harbor Inn Resort by the
Lake, Schaffer Danhoff Chrysler
Dodge Jeep. Silver Sponsors: American
Interiors, Cole Distributing, Inc.,
Dunbar Mechanical, Midwest
Industries, Sharpnack Ford &
Sharpnack Chevrolet Buick.
Mercy Willard Foundations
23rd Annual Fundraiser
a Successful Event
mercyweb.org
Members of Mercy Medical Partners
St. Anne St. Charles St. Vincent Childrens Defance Tiffn Willard
2012 Mercy
Trust the expert, caring hands
of Mercy providers.
Mercy is committed to providing
accessible and convenient primary
care services.
Mercys primary care providers are
dedicated to providing quality medical
care to the community, and meeting
their patients medical needs.
Patients have the option of choosing
from fve convenient offce locations
and eight providers. To fnd out how
you can become a Mercy Primary
Care patient, please call one of the fve
offce locations.
Mercy Primary Care
Willard
1100 Neal Zick Road
419.933.2811
or 419.935.6761
Mercy Primary Care
Greenwich
65 W. Main Street
419.752.1811
Mercy Primary Care
New Washington
202 W. Mansfeld Street
419.492.1300
Mercy Primary Care
Shiloh
21 W. Main Street
419.896.3844
Mercy Primary Care
Plymouth
25 Spring Street
419.687.5781
Back Row: Bill Back, MD, Robert Secor, MD, James Rosso, MD, David Jump, DO
Front Row: Evillo Domingo, MD, Nancy Verhoff, MD, Alison Winans, PA-C, Alicia Rendon, CNP
sure you have a buy-sell agreement
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business when you retire and how
youll be compensated for your
interest. With an expert to help you
identify and analyze all your potential
sources of retirement income, you
may discover you have more options
than you realize.
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.
ESTATE, from Page 8
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N20367_C_NCBJ_HSIC_120312_F.indd 1 11/27/12 5:11 PM
Survey: Majority of Companies Not Holding
Holiday Parties
MENLO PARK, Calif., Nov. 15, 2012 -- Has the
Grinch stolen the offce holiday party? More than
half (52 percent) of senior managers surveyed by
OffceTeam said their employer is not holding a
holiday celebration this year. These seasonal soirees
will be missed: More than three-quarters of
executives (79 percent) and employees (75 percent)
whose companies have holiday parties gave the
festivities high marks.
The joint surveys of senior managers and workers
were developed by OffceTeam, a leading staffng
service specializing in the placement of highly
skilled administrative professionals, and conducted
by an independent research frm. The manager
survey includes interviews with 1,014 senior
managers at U.S. companies with 20 or more
employees. The survey of workers includes
responses from 404 working adults 18 years of age
or older and employed in offce environments.
Managers were asked, Is your company holding
a holiday party this year? Their responses:
Managers and workers whose companies do have
holiday parties were asked, Do you enjoy your
companys holiday party? Their responses:
*Responses do not total 100 percent due to
rounding.
For many professionals, these gatherings offer a
rare opportunity to get to know managers and
coworkers on a personal level in a more relaxed
environment, said Robert Hosking, executive
director of OffceTeam. Businesses that arent able
to organize formal year-end celebrations can plan
inexpensive, cheerful get-togethers to celebrate
recent successes. Holding casual,
nondenominational events also helps to keep staff
motivated.
Some companies may not be hosting holiday
celebrations due to budget reasons, but these
events dont have to break the bank to be effective.
OffceTeam offers fve tips for frugal, yet festive,
holiday parties:
1. Make merry over breakfast or lunch. Offer an
in-house catered meal or get together for lunch
at an informal restaurant rather than holding an
evening event at a fancy location.
2. Get jolly in January. Hosting a celebration
during an off-peak month like January may be
less expensive, and its a great way to kick off the
year. Venue costs also may be negotiable for
midweek or during the day.
3. Spread good cheer. Schedule a potluck and
include activities such as a white elephant gift
exchange or offce holiday decoration contest.
4. Take your cue from Santa. Hes not the only one
who can travel. Organize a group activity like
bowling or miniature golf to provide employees
with an opportunity to mingle outside of work.
5. Embrace the spirit of giving. Hold a holiday
donation drive as part of your festivities or
gather a team to volunteer at a local nonproft
organization.
OffceTeam is the nations leading staffng service
specializing in the temporary placement of highly
skilled office and administrative support
professionals. The company has more than 315
locations worldwide and offers online job search
services at www.officeteam.com. Follow
OffceTeam at twitter.com/offceteam, and gain
insights into the latest administrative hiring and
salary trends at www.offceteam.com/salarycenter.
HOLIDAY FUN OR HO HUM?
Yes 44%
No 52%
Dont know 4%
100%
Managers Workers
Yes 79% 75%
No 21% 22%
Dont
know/no
answer 1% 4%
101%* 101%*
Bellevue ChamBer
6 MonthlyLuncheon
NoonatTheWillows
101AuxiliaryDrive.
Reservationsplease.
Fostoria area ChamBer
oF CommerCe
5 SafetyCouncil
SteeringCommittee
11:30am-Chamberoffce
8 ChamberHoliday
OpenHouse
10am-6pm
DowntownFostoria
18 WhatsPerkin@
theChamber
BusinessNetworkingEvent
7:30-8:30am
Chamberoffce
19 SafetyCouncil
11:30am
FostoriaCommunity
Hospital
20 ChamberBoardMeeting
Noon
FostoriaCommunity
Hospital
Genoa ChamBer oF
CommerCe
5:30p.m.
GenoaRetirementVillage.
huron ChamBer
oF CommerCe
6 HolidayAfterHours
Co-sponsoredbyHuron
Chamber,HuronHometown
NewsandAdmiralsPointe
RehabChristmasTree
Auction
6p.m.to8p.m.,
1920ClevelandRoadW.
marBlehead Peninsula
ChamBer oF CommerCe
6
ChamberChristmasDinner
ShortDirectorsMeeting
6:00pmatWaldoPeppers
20 BusinessAfterHours
5:00to7:00pm
Hostedby:Bruno'sPizzeria
27
ExecutiveMeeting
10:00am
Chamberoffce
oak harBor ChamBer
oF CommerCe
7:30am
ChamberBuilding
Port Clinton area ChamBer
oF CommerCe
4 PortClintonAreaChamber
AdministrationMeeting
9amatChamberOffce
6 MainStreetPortClinton
EconomicRestructuring
CommitteeMeeting
10amatMSPCOffce
8:30am
atChamberOffce
DesignCommitteeMeeting
8:30amatMSPCOffce
ChamberMember
HolidayParty
5:00-7:00pm
CatawbaIslandClub
12 ChamberBoardRetreat
7:45amNoon
CommodorePerry
OrganizationExecutive
CommitteeMeeting
8:30AMatMSPCOffce
WalleyeFestivalCommittee
5:00pmatMSPCOffce
BoardMeeting
8:30amatMSPCOffce
PromotionCommittee
Meeting
8:30amatMSPCOffce
sandusky County
ChamBer oF CommerCe
17 ChamberFoundationBoard
1:30p.m.,Chamberoffce
19 HolidayReception
HayesPresidential
Center
5:00-7:00p.m.
seneCa reGional ChamBer oF
CommerCe & visitor serviCes
13 AfterFive
MLADGraphicDesign
Services,LLC
5-7pm.
185JeffersonSt.
RSVPto
info@tiffnchamber.com
or419-447-4141.
CHAMBER CALENDARS for December
By Roger Bostdorff
The defnition of business insanity
isdoing the same thing and
expecting different
results. It is
November. This is
an ideal time to look
back at 2012 and
review what went
right and what
could have gone
better for your
organization. What
better time than
now to have you
and your management team set your
teams 2013 Business Goals? What
better time than now, to plan what
you are going to do in 2013 to improve
2012s results?
Why would you set Business Goals
for your company? You will do the
best you can and let the chips fall
where they may. You have been doing
it this way and there is no need to
make any change. Am I summarizing
some of your current thoughts?
If your projected results for 2012 are
not where you think they should
have been, maybe setting goals for
2013 and creating a documented
game plan will help. If you are happy
as to where you are projecting your
fnish in 2012, dont you ask yourself
if the results could have been even
better if you and your team had set
Business Goals and laid out a plan of
attack? For an organization to achieve
their long term objectives, setting
annual Business Goals and a
documented game plan is a must,
especially in the economy we are
challenged with currently. However,
setting those goals is only the frst
step.
I am sure that you have all heard the
saying that if you dont know where
you are going, then any road will do.
I am suggesting that the same is true
for business. By having you and your
management team set Business Goals,
you now have a target to shoot at.
These goals/objectives certainly
should include revenue, but they can
and should include much more.
Growth in Market Share, Improved
Customer Satisfaction, Reduction in
Accounts Receivable Days
Outstanding, Increased Safety on the
Plant Floor, Productivity Growth/
Employee and improvement in
Employee Morale are just some of the
areas that goals/objectives can be set
for the upcoming year.
Setting goals and objectives for an
organization need to be done with
the management team not just by the
owner or President. The reason that
this is important is because the 2nd
step after creating these goals is to set
a game plan in place to achieve these
goals. Everyone needs to have buy-in
here to increase the odds of success.
This also is the only way you get
ACCOUNTABILITY! Once the goals
are set, they need to be broken down
by unit and communicated to the
individuals on the various teams (e.g.
sales, production, HR, etc.). I have
asked Presidents of companies if they
have set goals for this year. I usually
get a yes. However, when I ask if these
goals have been created by the team
or at least shared and broken down by
unit I usually get the deer in the
headlights stare. By communicating
these goals and breaking them down
by unit and even by individual you
change the game. When an employee
understands what he/she needs to do
and why it is important towards the
companys objective, a major shift
occurs. You take an employee with an
employees attitude and change him/
her to a teammate. This is an
altogether different attitude.
Set Goals, and create a game plan to
achieve these goals? We all know we
should do this but who has the time.
We dont have time to drain the
swamp we are too busy shooting
alligators! I remember an interview
on 60 Minutes many years ago with
Bob Knight, then the basketball coach
for Indiana. The interviewer asked
Knight if he was so successful because
he wanted to win more than everyone
else. Knights answer was classic. He
said, all college coaches want to win
as much as he does. However, not all
are willing to pay the price to prepare
to win like he does.
Are you and your team willing to
pay the price of preparation to win? I
guarantee you that your competition
is focusing on 2013 and beyond right
now! Can you afford not to?
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 is also available for
public speaking engagements as well
as facilitation of strategic planning.
You can fnd 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 sales@
b2bsalesboost.com Do you have a
business or sales question? Please
email me at sales@b2bsalesboost.
com and I will answer you free of
charge.
Firelands received these
ratings compared to all other
hospitals in Ohio and over
5,000 hospitals nationally.
Imagine That.
SM
firelands.com
Spine Surgery
#1 in Ohio
Top 5% Nationally
Vascular Surgery
#4 in Ohio
Top 5% Nationally
Overall Orthopedic Services
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Top quality. Advanced Medical Care.
Close to home.
Sales
Defnition of Business Insanity
www.ncbj.net
Read the North
Coast Business
Journal Online!
By Jeff Roth
With all of the national concerns,
even protection of
our funds in a
nationally insured
banking institution
can be at issue.
Several years ago
the government
increased the
amount of coverage
from $100,000.00 to
$250,000.00 per
depositor, per insured bank, for each
account ownership category. The
government devised a very
complicated formula to determine
exactly how much would be protected.
It combines the entire depositors like
accounts in the calculation. Protection
is granted based on ownership and
stated benefciaries.
SINGLE ACCOUNTS
Single accounts are accounts that are
held by one person in their individual
name. The total of account protection
for each banking institution is
$250,000.00. This would include
checking, savings, money markets or
certifcates of deposit or any form of
those listed. All of these accounts are
added together and considered one
for insurance purposes. It has nothing
to do with the number of accounts
but rather the ownership of the
accounts. Included in this category
are any business accounts that are
held in a doing business as nature.
The account is separate only if it is a
corporation or totally separate entity
and has its own identifcation number,
otherwise it is included in the above
account totals.
JOINT ACCOUNTS
This is an account owned by two or
more individuals. This would include
joint with rights of survivor or tenants
in common. Each person may have a
total of $250,000.00 in any one
banking institution. Each owner is
considered to have an equal ownership
interest unless clearly stated otherwise.
If there are three owners then each
has a one-third ownership. Each
co-owner must have signed the
signature card and have an equal
right of withdrawal. If a person has
$200,000.00 in various individual
accounts and is a 1/2 owner of an
account that has $160,000.00 then he
or she will have coverage of a total of
$250,000.00 and $30,000.00 will not
be covered. All accounts are
considered taken together and the use
of the social security number is not
relevant for insurance protection
qualifcation.
PAYABLE ON DEATH ACCOUNTS
This is an account with a stated
benefciary. One must know the
correct rules to guarantee protection.
These accounts protect the benefciary.
If there are two benefciaries and one
dies, coverage terminates as to that
benefciary and only half of the
account would be covered. Bank input
is important to insure proper
protection on this type of account.
INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT
ACCOUNTS
This is an account that is owned and
directed by you and not the plan
administrator. This includes, IRAs,
Roth IRAs, 401(k), Keogh plans,
simplified Employed Pension
Accounts and all 457 accounts. All
self-directed funds owned by the same
person are added together and
protected up to $250,000.00 in EACH
banking institution. It is irrelevant
how many benefciaries are listed.
The only determination is $250,000.00
for each owner in each banking
institution. Remember, this relates
only to money accounts in an insured
bank. This has nothing to do with
stock. If an individual has seven
different accounts ranging from
$20,000.00 to $100,000.00 and many
benefciaries listed such as children
and grandchildren only a total of
$250,000.00 is covered and the
balance is uninsured.
My recommendation if you have
considerable funds in several accounts
at one banking institution is to have
the accounts reviewed with a qualifed
bank employee. This will give you the
comfort of knowing that the funds
are totally protected with the full
faith and credit of the United States.
Jeff Roth is a partner with David
Bacon and associate Jessica Moon of
the frm ROTH and BACON with
offces in Port Clinton, Upper
Sandusky, Marion, Ohio and Fort
Myers, Florida. All members of the
frm are licensed in Ohio and Florida.
Mr. Roths practice is limited to
wealth strategy planning and elder
law in both states. Nothing in this
article is intended for, nor should be
relied upon as individual legal
advice. The purpose of this article is
to provide information to the public
on concepts of law as they pertain to
estate and business planning. Jeff
Roth can be reached at
ohioforidatrust@aol.com (telephone:
419-732-9994) copyright Jeffrey P.
Roth 2012.
o 231 w water street sandusky oh 44870 t 419.341.1117
w www.aha4creative.com e amy@aha4creative.com
identity print design advertising web design
garden-fresh, creative ideas for any budget
branding.
its not just for the big
ranchers anymore.
ncbj1111AHAC.pdf 11/2/11 11:18:48 AM
FDIC - Personal Accounts
Legal
NCBJ Readers are involved:
Over 87% indicate they regularly
read or look through each issue.
NCBJ Readers use the ads:
Almost 52% of readers say they
frequently purchase products
or services from ads
NCBJ Readers are decision
makers:
Nine out of 10 (91%) make or
have infuence over purchasing
decisions for their company.
WE MEAN BUSINESS!
Firelands Regional Medical Center
was recently awarded a $1.36 million
Primary and Behavioral Health Care
Integration grant by the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. This four-year grant
will support the provision of primary
care services to uninsured individuals
with severe mental illness in Erie,
Huron, Lorain, Ottawa, Seneca,
Sandusky and Wyandot counties.
Firelands was one of 30 grantees
nationwide and one of seven grants
awarded in Ohio.
Firelands Counseling and Recovery
Services will serve as the patients
health home to facilitate access to a
range of medical services, behavioral
health care, and community based
social services. This model of care will
emphasize the whole person and will
include care management, and
coordination between all members of
the patients healthcare team whose
primary goal is to improve the
patients overall health status and
quality of life.
Firelands Counseling & Recovery
Services is funded in part by four
Mental Health & Recovery Services
Boards including the Mental Health
and Recovery Services Board of Erie &
Ottawa Counties; the Mental Health
and Recovery Services Board of
Seneca, Sandusky & Wyandot
Counties; the Alcohol, Drug
Addictions & Mental Health Services
Board of Huron County; and the
Mental Health & Recovery Services
Board of Lorain County, shares
Marsha Mruk, Vice President,
Firelands Counseling and Recovery
Services, Firelands Regional Medical
Center. This funding provides mental
health and alcohol and drug services
to all persons regardless of ability to
pay. In light of shrinking government
funding for new programs, the
Primary and Behavioral Health Care
Integration grant will help us integrate
much needed primary care services to
persons who cannot afford basic
health care services.
The Primary and Behavioral Health
Care Integration program was
established by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services to look at
the whole person by providing
primary medical care to uninsured
persons with long-term mental health
problems. The goal of the program is
to improve the physical health of
adults with serious mental illnesses
that are at-risk for co-occurring
medical conditions and debilitating
chronic diseases. One of the reasons
for this initiative is that persons with
long-term mental illnesses face a life
expectancy that is 25 years shorter
than the general public in the United
States. The grant also has a strong
focus on prevention and wellness
programs.
The Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration is
responsible for managing this program
which has the triple aim of improving
the health of individuals with severe
mental illness through accurate
evaluation and treatment; helping to
manage both the mental health and
physical health needs of these
individuals through quicker access to
services; and providing high quality
services while reducing the cost of
overall care.
Services is an established provider of
inpatient and outpatient behavioral
health services. Offering a full
spectrum of mental health and
chemical dependency services,
Services has offces conveniently
located throughout Erie, Huron,
Lorain, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca,
and Wyandot Counties. Stay tuned
for more information on this exciting
new program or call 419-557-5114
with questions.
Firelands Receives Grant for Primary
and Behavioral Health Care Integration

YOUR
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COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY
LENDER
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Also Serving - Lorain - Amherst - Avon
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Serving the Financial Needs of
Our Friends and Neighbors Since 1921
Member FDIC
Huron Office
427 Main St.
Huron
(419) 433-2437
Sandusky Office
207 W. Wash. Row
Sandusky
(419) 626-5576
Port Clinton Office
1840 E. Perry St.
Port Clinton
(419) 734-5568
A number of signs point to an
inconvenient truth for many businesses:
Traditional marketing is on its way out.
In place of this broken model, Americas
most innovative companies are
implementing new, more authentic
techniques based on peer infuence and
community building. Bill Lee explains
how you can join them.
Boston, MA (November 2012)
Consider for a moment the annoying,
interruptive, often obnoxious nature
of traditional marketing. Dinnertime
phone calls from strangers in noisy
call centers. Glossy pictures of the
latest fashions worn by models who
barely look human. Crowded store
shelves with head-spinning arrays of
options arranged in no discernable
order (I just need some toothpaste!).
Company websites that give us no
clue what the business actually does.
Hype. Spin. Pushy salespeople.
Its hard to believe these are the
methods and tools of a profession
designed to attract and persuade us to
become customers, says Bill Lee
especially when we the buyers
increasingly ignore them.
A number of studies are showing
that people no longer pay much
attention to traditional marketing as
they progress through the buyers
decision journey, says Lee, author of
The Hidden Wealth of Customers:
Realizing the Untapped Value of Your
Most Important Asset (Harvard Business
Review Press, 2012, ISBN: 978-1-
4221723-1-5, $27.00). Instead,
buyers are checking out product and
service information in their own way,
often through the Internet, their
social network, or just plain word-of-
mouth or customer reviews. It seems
clear that marketing as we currently
practice the discipline is on its way
out.
The inability of traditional marketing
to engage buyers hasnt escaped the
notice of CEOs, the ones who approve
its budgets. A pair of wake-up-call
studies by the Fournaise Marketing
Group in London in 2011 and 2012
found that more than 70 percent of
CEOs think that their chief marketing
offcers lack business credibility, lack
the ability to generate acceptable
growth, and lack the ability to explain
how their programs will lead to
increased business. Nearly four in fve
CEOs complained that CMOs cant
explain how brand equity can be
linked to recognized financial
measures such as frm equity.
A bitter pill for mainstream
marketing executives, perhaps, but
Lee says you can hardly blame the
disgruntled CEOs when you consider
the logic behind traditional marketing
in light of todays world.
Think about it: Companies hire
people who come from outside the
buyers world and dont share his
interestsemployees, agencies,
consultants, and the likeand expect
them to persuade buyers to hand over
their money, says Lee. Yeah, right!
There is no respected research on
group behavior suggesting that such
an approach is conducive to
infuencing people to take action or
change.
Of course, not everyone in the
marketing world clings to worn-out
methods, says Lee. In fact, he works
with a pioneering group of C-level
and forward-thinking marketing
executives who are successfully
replacing this increasingly dated
model with something that customers
actually welcome and respond to. For
those whod like to join them, Lee
offers the following advice:
Go retro: Cultivate a local
buying experience. Its a myth that
social networks and their technologies
are creating new approaches to
marketing. At their most effective,
theyre doing the opposite: Theyre
allowing customers to re-create the
experience of shopping and buying in
their local communities.
Think about it this way: How do
buyers prefer to purchase a
lawnmower, a haircut, a good dining
experience, a movie, a car, the services
of a good assistant, or a good doctor?
Do they pick up the phone and call a
salesperson, or read through a bunch
of business websites? No, theyre
much more likely to talk to neighbors,
friends, colleagues at work, and others
in their peer networks and ask what
theyve used.
Marc Benioff understood this when
he was building Salesforce.com to
compete against much bigger,
entrenched competitors, says Lee.
He was building a better enterprise
software product, and to get the word
out, he organized City Tour events
and neighborhood street teams. The
City Tour events would bring his
customers together with prospects
and a few other interesting people for
presentations and group discussion.
Benioff found that buyers were
much less interested in hearing from
him than they were in talking to his
customerstheir peers, other software
programmers like themselves, he
adds. When he studied the numbers,
Benioff found that 80 percent of the
prospects who attended such events
wound up becoming customers
themselvesin effect, an 80 percent
close rate.
Cultivate customer sales and
marketing people. Business spends
billions of dollars training salespeople
to build relationships with prospects
and customers. But no one has to
spend a dime training a customer to
build a trusting relationship with
your prospects. Since theyre peers,
they pretty much already have one.
Microsoft builds on this aspect of
human nature when it penetrates
new markets, often in foreign
countries where they dont speak the
language or understand the culture.
The frm will engage with local
software userswhom they call MVPs
(Most Valuable Professionals)many
of whom have built substantial
followings of their own through
blogging and their social networks.
One is known as Mr. Excel to his
followers, and on some days his
website gets more visits than
Microsofts own Excel page on its
corporate website, says Lee. Many
companies, when faced with the same
situation, threaten lawsuits. Microsoft
embraced Mr. Excel. In fact, they
support his activities with insider
knowledge and the opportunity to
get a sneak preview and to test new
releases. In return, Mr. Excel, and
thousands of other Microsoft MVPs,
wind up providing invaluable input
as the frm develops new releases, and
produce its most effective marketing
communications, as buyers realize
that it comes from a peer they know
and trust.
In such ways, the MVPs are helping
Microsoft penetrate and grow markets
more effectively and cost affordably
than the corporation could do using
traditional marketing approaches
staffed by hired outsiders, he adds.
Build strong customer
communities. Consider Harley-
Davidsons success in creating a sense
of community around its bikes. Three
decades ago, the public associated
Harleys with gangs and outlaws,
which turned off consumers. Harley-
Davidson worked hard to change the
image, first by getting police
departments to start using them, and
then by working assiduously to build
a customer community of middle-
class (law-abiding) customers that
morphed into todays famous million-
person HOGs (Harley Owners Group).
Today, Harley-Davidson HOGs, far
from being outlaws, position
themselves as family: the brothers
(and now sisters) you never had.
Its not just sexy products like
Harleys (and iPads) that can create
large communities of customers
which in turn attract large numbers of
buyers. One of the most successful
customer communities is Procter &
Gambles BeingGirl community of
teenage girls, formed around, of all
things, feminine care products.
The key to forming customer
communities is not to try to build
them around your branda common
and obvious mistake marketing
departments make, notes Lee.
Rather, ask, What does our product
or service mean to our customers? Or,
What could they mean? P&G realized
that its feminine care products could
symbolize the diffcult, scary, exciting
transition its teenage customers are
making into becoming young
women.
Get customers involved in the
solution. When toy maker LEGO
launched its robotics building-block
kits, Mindstorms, a few years ago,
hackers almost immediately started
altering the code to allow the robots
to do more. In circumstances like this,
most frms call their legal departments
and start issuing cease and desist
demands. Indeed, faced with a similar
response when it issued a comparable
line of toys, Sony did just that. But
LEGO took a smarter approach, says
Lee.
Basically, LEGO executives did the
math, he explains. One thousand
or so hackersor more to the point,
enthused and technically advanced
customerswere coming up with
robots that could do amazing things
that the firms seven internal
developers had never thought of. One
of the hacker-created robots could
solve a Rubiks cube. As theyand
their other customersrealized the
value the hackers were creating, LEGO
further embraced them. Now its
customer community numbers in the
tens of thousands and continues to
develop amazing arrays of robotic
toysfar beyond anything the
The End of Marketing As We Know It
See MARKETING, Page 27
Q: Is using credit cards for
holidayspendingagoodorbad
idea?
A: Using credit cards for holiday
spending is neither good nor bad. If
you do not pay off your monthly
balance in full, then it is no different
from borrowing money at any other
time of year. The danger is that it is
very easy to overextend yourself and
incur more debt than you can afford
to repay.
Q: Why do credit card
companies seem so willing to
extendmecredit?
A: Extending credit is
proftable. Each time you use a credit
card, you are getting a loan from the
credit card issuer. Credit card issuers
earn interest on the money they loan
you when you do not pay off the
entire balance of your credit cards
each month. The rate of interest
charged by credit card issuers varies,
but it is usually higher than the
standard market rate. Credit card
issuers earn the most interest when
you make only the minimum
payment shown on your bills.
Q: Whataretheadvantages
of using credit cards for my
holidaypurchases?
A: The frst and most obvious
advantage of using a credit card is
that it allows you to purchase goods
and services without having to pay
for them immediately. Most credit
cards allow a grace period within
which you may pay for goods and
services purchased on a card without
paying any interest charges. This
feature allows you to defer payment
for your purchases, keep your funds
in your savings account for an
additional 30 days, and thereby earn
interest on money that otherwise
would have gone to purchase goods
and services. In this way, purchases
in December can be paid in January
without costing any interest.
Q: Are there any
disadvantages in using credit
cardsforholidaypurchases?
A: Yes. If you do not pay off
your credit card balance in full within
the grace period, you are charged
interest from the purchase date until
the day you pay off your balance. Also,
the interest rate on credit cards is
greater than the market rate, so if you
make only the minimum payment
on your outstanding balances, you
pay the maximum in interest while
not greatly reducing the principal
amount of your debt. If you make
only minimum payments, you could
still be paying for this years holiday
when the next holiday season rolls
around.
Law You Can Use is a weekly
consumer legal information column
provided by the Ohio State Bar
Association. This article was
originally prepared by Canton
attorney Anthony J. DeGirolamo
and Robert M. Stefancin, a principal
in the Cleveland offce of Ice Miller
LLP. It was updated by Anthony J.
DeGirolamo. Articles appearing in
this column are intended to provide
broad, general information about
the law. Before applying this
information to a specifc legal
problem, readers are urged to seek
advice from an attorney.
company might have developed on
its own.
Meanwhile, 3M and other companies
are systematizing customer-led
innovation. Rather than wait passively
for customers to begin altering or
hacking their products, theyve
learned how to proactively pursue
and fnd customers, or users, who
would be most likely to come up with
breakthrough innovations. MIT
professor Eric von Hippel has coined
the term lead users to describe
them, and worked with 3Ms
healthcare business to develop a
system for fnding them. The result
was an eightfold improvement in
revenues from innovations developed
with the help of such customers vs.
innovations developed by 3Ms
ordinary, internally developed
process.
What makes this particularly
signifcant, of course, is that 3Ms
product developers are among the
most innovative in the world, says
Lee.
Help customers build social
capital. Why do customers engage
so enthusiastically in helping
companies develop, market, and sell
their productsin effect, growing
their businesses? Many pundits think
you need an incredibly sexy product
like an iAnything developed by a
once-in-a-century genius like Steve
Jobs. But that misses the point: All it
takes is a business that changes
customers lives for the betterwhich
is something far more replicable
even if youre making feminine
hygiene products.
What all these companiesand
others that Lee features in his book
do is help customers build their social
capital by helping them affliate with
their peers in customer communities,
build their status and reputation, and
learn and grow in the process. Often,
they also include service to a larger
purpose.
Enterprise software maker SAS
Canada, for example, addressed an
unexpected decline in its customer
retention rates by engaging some of
its leading customers, called Customer
Champions, in the effort to hold on
to customers and bring the defectors
back, notes Lee. The Customer
Champions organized live forums in
more than 20 major markets around
the country, presented and brought in
local speakers, contributed to an
e-newsletter that SAS started, and
more. The result was to completely
restore the frms retention rates to its
previous high levels.
Why did the Customer Champions
put forth such an effort? he adds.
Because it gave them a chance to
affliate more deeply with their
peersother software managers and
engineers. It gave them a chance to
play a leadership role in their peer
community. It gave them substantial
status and recognition as well. And of
course, it increased their knowledge
and expertise by more deeply
understanding how to address the
needs of other SAS customers.
If you think all of this sounds more
appealing than the old manipulate-
them-into-buying techniques, youre
not alone, says Lee.
When companies commit to
depending on authentic customer
advocacy to grow their frms, it not
only improves their marketing results,
it also improves their organizations,
says Lee. Thats because its hard to
mask substandard performance and
customer discontent with your
products and services if theyre the
ones you rely on to tell the world how
great you are.
MARKETING, from Page 26
Holiday Spending with Credit Cards
John K. Flickinger, CIC
30 E. Main St. Norwalk, OH 44857 www.fickingerins.com 419-668-4406
Flickinger
Insurance
Commercial
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Dustin Hufford, Chief Information
Offcer (CIO) at Memorial Hospital
Hospital, has
achieved the
Certified Health
Care Chief
Information Offcer
(CHCIO) credential
from College of
H e a l t h c a r e
I n f o r m a t i o n
M a n a g e m e n t
E x e c u t i v e s
(CHIME).
The CHCIO credential represents
achievement of the highest standard
of professional development for
healthcare CIOs, according to
CHIME. Launched by CHIME in July
2009, the certifcation program is the
only credentialing program that
distinguishes healthcare IT executives
from others in the industry.
To become certifed, Hufford had to
pass a rigorous 125-question
examination and possess specifc
professional qualifcations, including
25 Continuing Education Units
(CEUs) and at least three years of
experience as a CIO or equivalent. In
addition to the exam and professional
experience, CHCIOs must be
committed to ongoing professional
development and undergo
recertifcation every three years.
We congratulate Dustin for his
commitment to achieving success,
said Wes Oswald, Memorial Hospital
Interim CEO. This new credential
shows that he is a determined leader,
dedicated to remaining at the top of
his profession.
The CHCIO Program was developed
for CIOs by CIOs, with input from
CHIME member volunteers and
certifcation professionals at Castle
Worldwide. By defnition, a CHCIO
demonstrates the commitment,
knowledge, and experience required
to master the core skills important
for successful CIOs and IT executives.
Dustin Hufford has been Memorial
Hospitals CIO since 2011. As
Memorial Hospitals CIO, Dustin has
been the leader for the hospitals
$6.7 million technology
enhancement initiative, Project
ASPIRE. Previously, he has work as a
health information technology
consultant and as a Systems
Administrator in Philadelphia.
Memorial Hospital has provided
health care to Sandusky County
and neighboring communities since
1918 the hospital provides
inpatient and outpatient services.
The hospital offers a comprehensive
range of services, including
diagnostic imaging, a wide range of
surgical procedures, intensive care,
inpatient pediatric care, emergency
care, obstetrics, rehabilitation
services, mental health services,
hospice and home health care, and
much more. For more information,
visit memorialhcs.org., or call
419.332.7321.
Aleeta Somers-DeHaney, M.D.,
Memorial Hospital anesthesiologist,
presented regarding
a NOVEL less
invasive technique
of providing
anesthesia to
unstable patients
for surgery at the
2012 American
Soci ety of
Anesthesiologists
annual conference
in October in
Washington, D.C.
Dr. Somers-DeHaney is a full time
physician at the Memorial Hospital
Weitzel-Kern Surgery Center.
Dr. Somers-DeHaneys presentation
Disaster Anesthesia for Orthopedic
Procedures using TIVA (Total
Intravenous Anesthesia) highlighted
a less-invasive method of providing
anesthesia to patients that she frst
utilized while on a volunteer medical
mission in Haiti after the devastating
2010 earthquake. She was selected to
present at the national conference
after submitting an abstract.
According to Dr. Somers-DeHaney,
the TIVA approach to anesthesia
was frst used as a consequence of
providing care to very ill surgery
patients in areas with limited
resources and poor conditions;
however, after seeing successful
outcomes using this method, she felt
the technique could translate well
into other situations.
In Haiti, we were faced with
providing anesthesia for critical
trauma patients in suboptimal
conditions, she said. Seeing that
this procedure was less invasive than
other, more common anesthesia
techniques, I believed it could, for
certain types of patients, be a safer
approach to providing anesthesia in
normal hospital settings.
Dr. Somers-DeHaneys novel
technique could have many benefts
for surgery patients.
Because this process is less invasive,
it could possibly result in fewer heart
and lung related complications
during procedures for the very sick or
unstable patient, explained Dr.
Somers-DeHaney.
Overall, Dr. Somers-DeHaneys
presentation was well received at the
national conference; she will continue
to research the TIVA method of
providing anesthesia to patients. Im
very excited to see how this technique
could greatly improve care for
unstable, high-risk patients who
cannot tolerate general anesthesia,
she said. The physicians at the
conference were also enthusiastic
about my work, and interested in
hearing more about its possibilities.
Dr. Somers-DeHaney is a full-time
anesthesiologist at the Memorial
Hospital Weitzel-Kern Surgery
Center. Built in 2002, the 30,000
square foot Weitzel-Kern Surgery
Center hosts all of the hospitals
surgical services, which include
endoscopy, full hip
and j oi nt
replacements, spine
surgeries, podiatric
procedures and
much more. For
more information
about surgical
services at Memorial
Hospital, visit
memori al hcs. org/
surgery.
Memorial Hospital Chief
Information Offcer Earns
Professional Certifcation
Memorial Hospital
Physician Presents about
New Procedure in D.C.
SOMERS
On The Move
HUFFORD
Dr. Somers-DeHaney
discusses presenta-
tion with conference
attendee.
The Schedel Arboretum & Gardens is
a hidden gem in Ottawa County
near Ohios north coast. With 17
acres of intensively managed
landscape including more than 100
plant beds, numerous rare and
specimen trees, a Japanese garden,
bonsai collection and water features,
the garden estate provides a unique
setting for the appreciation of nature.
A plat lovers dream; a bird watchers
sanctuary; a photographers haven;
and a nature lovers vision this
magnifcent resource is the perfect
half-day trip for visitors to Ohios
North Coast.
Among the landscape are 24
sculptures of bronze, granite, ceramic,
wood, steel and stone that demonstrate
the harmony that exists between
nature and the arts. In addition, the
Brown Welcome Center houses the
McAlear Gallery which annually hosts
a variety of regional, national and
international exhibits.
Self-guided tours are the norm and
docent-guided tours are available by
appointment along with private tours
of the Schedel Manor House and
Summer cottage on Wednesdays and
Fridays at 1:00. Golf cart tours for 1
to 5 guests are available for those who
are physically challenged.
The SA&G continued to fulfll its
mission of providing meaningful
experiences for the study and
appreciation of nature and the arts
during the 2012 season. Some 26
couples exchanged wedding vows on
the grounds and/or hosted receptions.
The Brown Welcome Center provided
state of the art conferencing
opportunities for businesses, church
and civic groups as well as private
dinners, showers, anniversary
celebrations and other events.
The 2013 season promises to be
better than ever with the always
changing annual fower bed designs,
the summer Schedel Education Series
of hands-on workshops, lectures and
demonstrations on everything from
honeybee keeping to rain barrel
gardening.
Steeped in history, the SA&G was
originally the estate of Joseph and
Marie Schedel. The Schedels lived on
the estate in the circa 1800s manor
house and summer cottage for 50
years. During that time they dreamed,
planned and constructed what is
today one of the most unique
botanical gardens and arboreta in the
country. The Schedels traveled to
122 countries where they collected
not only art, antiques, jewelry, antique
carved jade and archaic bronze, but
also rare and unusual plants to this
region of the country, and in some
cases the world many of which still
adorn the grounds.
Visitors will see more than 40
varieties of Japanese maple trees and
peonies, over 100 varieties of roses, a
stand of dawn redwood trees
thought to be extinct until the 1940s
bald cypress trees, yoshino cherry
trees (grown from cuttings of the trees
that line the Washington, D.C. tidal
basin) and many, many specimen and
ornamental trees and shrubs.
The SA&G is an operation of the
Joseph J. & Marie P. Schedel
Foundation, a 501(c)(3) Public
Foundation, and is located at 19255
West Portage River South Road,
Elmore, Ohio. Hours of operation are
May 1 October 31, Tuesday through
Saturday 10:00 4:00, Sunday noon
4:00 and Tuesday through Friday
10:00 4:00 during April. For more
information call (419) 862-3182 or
visit www.schedel-gardens.org.
Treasure in our Back Yard: Elmores Schedel Arboretum
visit us at frstniagara.com
Job #: J12-00731
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Art Director: Tim Live: N/A
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Proof #: 1
Publication(s) & Issue Date(s):
Internal Route
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Production
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Business Marketplace
To advertise call Dave at 419-734-4838
FFCUbcNCBJ0111.pdf 1/25/11 3:02:31 PM
FFCUbcNCBJ20111.indd 1 1/28/11 11:37:24 AM
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Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation
402 Columbus Avenue | Sandusky, Ohio 44870
phone: 419-626-4475 fax: 419-626-8333
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EQUAL OPPORTUNI TY EMPLOYER
VacationLand Federal Credit Union is proud to
announce that one of its mortgage loan offcers,
Trisha Dauch, was awarded with Originator of the
Year. On Tuesday, November 6, 2012, Dauch was
presented with the award by Craig Bundschuh,
Business Development Manager for myCUmortgage.
From July 1, 2011 through July 2012, Dauch
originated and closed 107 mortgages and earned
this prestigious honor for a mid-size credit union
with assets from $50 million to $250 million.
Dauch started her banking career in 1985 and
joined VLFCU as a Mortgage Loan Offcer in 2005.
She and her husband Ron are residents of Castalia
and have two grown children.
myCUmortgage is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Wright-Patt Credit Union located in Dayton,
Ohio. They currently provide origination services
and underwriting to 160 credit unions in 19
states.
VacationLand Federal Credit Union continues to
strengthen their relationships within the real
estate community and has closed over $15 million
per year since 2009. Founded in 1956,
VacationLand Federal Credit Union serves over
15,500 members. Membership is open to any
person and their family who lives, works, worships,
attends school in Erie County, or is an employee of
a Huron County school district.
Trisha Dauch, was bestowed with the award of
Originator of the Year. Pictured from left to right:
Jami Andres, Vice President/Lending Manager from
VLFCU; Bryan Myers, CEO of VLFCU; Trisha Dauch
and Christy Wohlever, Mortgage Loan Offcers; and
Craig Bundschuh, Business Development Manager
from myCUmortgage.
Dauch Awarded With
Originator of the Year
On The Move
QUALITY CARE
Emergency Department Visits:...........21,921
Inpatient Admissions: ......................... 2,290
Inpatient/Outpatient Visits: .............. 86,486
Surgery Patients: ................................ 2,582
Lab Tests: ....................................... 282,212
Physical Therapy Treatments: ..........115,091
Diagnostic Imaging Procedures: ....... 41,828
Pain Management Patients: ...............12,341
Home Health Visits: ............................ 8,608
Hospice Visits:................................... 12,359
HealthLink Visits: .............................. 11,968
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Mobile Meals:................................... 16,996
Total Volunteer Hours: ...................... 27,424
Total Payroll and Benefits:........$32.5 Million
Charity/Uncompensated Care:.... $16.2 Million
Capital Investments: ..................$2.7 Million
Utility Payments: .......................$1.1 Million
Dollars Spent Locally: ..............$10.4 Million
memorialhcs.org
In Our Community
COMMUNITY BENEFIT REPORT 2012
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Since 1918, Memorial Hospital
has been dedicated to serving
the local community through its
mission, which is to continually
improve the health and quality
of life for the individuals and
families in the communities we
serve. Memorial Hospital provides
essential services that help fulfill
this mission each year.
I
Over 150 physicians on staff,
with more than 100 specialists
I
13 bay Emergency Department,
completely renovated in 2010
I
Auxiliary of Memorial Hospital Womens
Diagnostic Center, opened in 2010
I
Weitzel-Kern Surgery Center,
opened in 2001
I
Herbert-Perna Center for Physical Health,
opened in 2007
I
Inpatient obstetric and pediatric care
I
Nationally recognized and accredited
home health, hospice and diagnostic
imaging services

North Coast Business Journal - December 2012

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