Response from Congressman Zack Space

I felt it only fair to publish the response I received from Congressman Zack Space regarding my email to him on the proposed Health Care Reform bill.


Dear Mrs. Hottinger,

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about health care reform. I appreciate the benefit of your perspective on this issue.

I believe that our nation's health care system is in need of reform. While I disagree with many of my more liberal colleagues in Congress as to the size of that reform, countless meetings with health care providers and consumers in my Congressional District have demonstrated a clear mandate for change. Here are the principles I am going to fight for:

A Stronger Rural Workforce - Rural areas of this country struggle to recruit and retain health care professionals. At a time when the importance of access to quality primary care could not be higher, some of the counties I represent have only one or two physicians serving the whole county. Health reform must make investments in this workforce and to create stronger health systems in this region.

Access To Affordable, Quality Health Insurance - For too long, individual consumers who lack employer based insurance have been unable to find affordable options for insurance. In Ohio alone, over a million individuals lack health insurance, including many working families. Health reform must bridge this gap.

Addressing the Rise of Chronic Disease - Diabetes alone costs our nation more than $170 billion each year in health care costs and lost productivity. Health reform must address how our system of healthcare works to treat and manage these diseases, as well as how we work to prevent them.

Health reform holds enormous potential to improve the lives of the residents of Ohio. Expanding access to coverage will improve the quality of life for the residents of the state, in addition to providing new employment opportunities, a possibility discussed in the RENEW Ohio report I published last year. I hope that you will continue to be in touch with my office as this process moves forward.

Thanks again for taking the time to get involved. Please don't hesitate to contact me again in the future.

Sincerely,

Zack Space

Member of Congress

P.S. If you would like to stay informed about what is going on in Congress, please visit my website and sign up for my e-newsletter.

High Performance Humor

Yesterday was our second Lunch & Learn for the summer and featured Phil Sorentino, Humor Consultant. His presentation was called "Work Smart, Have Fun & Make Money". As you can see from this photo, he does certainly have fun at his job.
To see more pics of our event, go to our Facebook Page here and become a fan.

Connecting with Communities Session

On July 29 from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. US Senator George Voinovich's Central Ohio Office staff will hold an open meeting for the public at the Licking County Commissioner's Office, Meeting Room D, South Second Street in downtown Newark.

This is an opportunity for you to discuss and share opinions as well as seek assistance with federal agency casework. It is open to the general public.

Guest Bloggers Wanted - Again

Yes, I am again seeking some guest postings for the first week of August.

Send your posts to chottinger@lickingcountychamber.com

Take this opportunity to promote yourself a little - we like that at the Chamber.

Using Twitter for Business

When I opened my email this morning, I found a message from Mark informing me about a new Twitter website called Twitter 101 for Business.

Mark has heard me talk about the need to educate our Members on ways they can use social networking for business over and over again, so I am very excited about this new site and all its features.

I have a Twitter account, (Chambercheri) but don't really "get it" myself, so I am looking forward to learning all about how to use Twitter for business.

Thanks for the info Mark.

Health Care Reform and Congressman Zack Space

Today we are asking our members to contact Congressman Zack Space regarding the proposed Health Care Reform being discussed in Congress.

This is what it would mean for business:

• Employer Mandate: Requires employers to provide insurance or pay a penalty for not doing so. Businesses with more than $500,000 in revenues would pay a penalty of 8% of payroll. There is a graduated penalty for firms falling between $250,000 to $500,000 in revenue.
• Individual Mandate: Individuals and the self-employed are required to buy health insurance or pay a financial penalty, which would be 2.5 percent of income.
• Higher Taxes: A surtax would be imposed on higher-income individuals - many of which are small business owners. Individuals earning $280,000 and couples earning $350,000 would get hit with a 1% tax.
• Government Health Insurance: A government-run health care plan is established.

Note: The above items were provided by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

Congressman Space has expressed concerns about this current form of Health Care Reform. We are asking our members to contact him and tell him to stand firm with his current position and not support this issue.

How To Contact Congressman Zack Space:

1. Call his office (202) 225-6265 or

2. Send him an email here.

Please take the time to let him know your opinion on this very important issue.

United Way Off To A Good Start

Today was the first full Campaign Cabinet meeting for the United Way of Licking County. I am the Campaign Chair this year and am pleased to report that things are looking pretty good so far.

Although employment numbers have declined since last year, there are some companies who are participating for the first time this year which is a good sign.

The 2009-2010 Campaign Cabinet Members:

Campaign Chair: Cheri Hottinger, Licking County Chamber of Commerce
Campaign Vice Chair: Richard Waugh, Mayor of Heath

Education Division:

• Scot Prebles, Division Chair, Superintendent, Granville Schools
• Chuck Moore, Executive Director, Food Pantry Network of Licking County
• Ron Cassidy, Superintendent, C-TEC

Government Division:

• Marcia Phelps, Division Chair, Clerk, Licking County Municipal Court Clerk Office
• Lorretta Frenton, Deputy Clerk, Licking County Municipal Court Clerk Office
• Bob Diebold, Mayor of Newark

Health Care Division:

• Phil Annarino, Division Chair, Human Resource Director, Licking Memorial Health Systems
• Tony Campolo, Retired, Columbus State Community College
• Brian Fargus, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, MedBen

Industrial Division:

• Richard Waugh, Division Chair, Mayor of Heath
• Tim Lehman, Senior Vice President, Park National Bank
• Cheri Hottinger, President, Licking County Chamber of Commerce
• Pat Gibson, Site Operations Manager, The Boeing Company

Professional Division:

• Mark Walters, Division Chair
• Jennifer McDonald, Communication and Marketing Director, Licking County Chamber of Commerce
• Jay Young, President/CEO, Fiberglas Federal Credit Union

Retail/Commercial Division:

• Ryan Mills, Division Chair, Assistant Vice President, Park National Bank
• Jane Simmons, Corporate Sales, Cherry Valley Lodge
• Dave George, Vice President, Huntington National Bank

Service Division:

• Andrew Guanciale, Division Chair, Realtor, Coldwell Banker King Thompson Real Estate
• Seth Ellington, General Manager, Big "O" Refuse
• Steve Gilbert, Agent, State Farm Insurance

Special thanks to those who were recognized today for their outstanding progress to date:

Ryan Mills, Phil Annarino, Scot Prebles, Ron Cassidy, Tim Lehman and the entire Industrial Division.

Stable of Support

Our guest blogger today is Mark Labutis:


The last few weeks and months have been interesting. It's been a time of challenges and growth for me professionally. I've moved in directions that I wouldn't have thought possible more than a year ago.

One of the constant things over this period have been a group of people that have surrounded me and helped me work through this process of professional development. Some may call them mentors. I tend to call them my Stable of Support. This group of professionals have taken the time to invest their time and energy in me. I've written about mentors and mentoring before, but I never really answered the question of "why" you should seek out good mentors. The reasons may seem obvious, but let me cover a few of them:

1. Mentors can increase your potential- You have potential. No one will deny that. We all have potential. The question is, "what will you do with it." A good mentor can add to your potential by sharing insights and experiences that you may not have had yet. They can give you wisdom beyond your years. All of this plays a role in increasing your potential abilities.

2. Mentors can push you-A good mentor, if they truly believe in you, will push you. They will push you to expand your horizons and can help you take that first step to the next big thing. While they are pushing, they are also providing a level of support as well. This mentor affords you access to knowledge and insights that you may not have had. Oh, and if they are pushing you in a certain direction, it's because they believe in you and want to see you succeed. It's a good thing.

3. Mentors can see what you may not see-We all have blind spots. The things that are present, but we aren't aware of. Having someone who can view you and your skills and abilities from a different perspective, is extremely valuable. Good mentors can actually aid you in seeing yourself differently than you normally would.

4. Mentors can help you navigate the road to success-Mentors, because they have traveled a path similar to yours previously, can alert you to opportunities and potential pitfalls. Have you ever traveled somewhere for the first time and had a friend or coworker who has already visited the place you're going? Visit this place. Don't waste your time there. Go there on a certain day for a special event. Don't miss this. You have to do this...you get the picture. A mentor can do exactly that, only for your professional (and personal) development.

So, now you're excited and ready to ask someone to be your mentor. Great! Now, let me offer a few pointers as you pursue this:

1. Choose your mentors carefully- Remember, you become what you associate yourself with.

2. Pick mentors who have similar values to yours- If you don't, this will, more than likely, curb the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship.

3. Show and tell: When asking someone to be your mentor, make sure to tell them why you're selecting them and the things that you appreciate about them. This will allow that person to be able to key in on items that you may want to develop.

4. Have a diverse group: Make sure to include some individuals that work in the industry you are currently in, or you would like to be in. This will allow both you and your mentor to relate the information that you're sharing. You'll also want to include some people that may not work in your profession. They can provide overall professional development to you.

5. Internal vs. External- Should you include only people from your current organization? No. They will provide insight into your current organization, however, you'll also want to include some who work outside your organization, as well. Why? Because you can gain valuable perspectives from different backgrounds. Great ideas can result from taking a concept or idea from one industry and contrasting it against the canvas of another.

6. The Challenge: Provide value to your mentor. As the person being mentored, the greatest challenge in this relationship is to find ways to provide value back to your mentor.
As for my own "Stable of Support", I'm extremely thankful for each of them. Thanks for pushing me, helping me grow and helping me see the things that I, on my own, would not have seen.

For more thoughts from Mark, go here.

"We the Taxpayers"

Guest Blog today from Pritzker from AZ:


An open letter to all my taxpayer friends:

As you know, when you enter the world of business, it is required that employees behave thoughtfully towards each other and of course their customers. After all, customers do sign our checks. That’s why it is alarming to see how some of our legislators behave. I AM tired of state and federal legislators ignoring the taxpayers. They apparently don’t care what “we the people” think about their performance.

Now for the good news, because some of our “law-makers” are more devoted to their own personal agenda than to their constituents, it doesn’t mean we the taxpayer should not seek upgrading to a more suitable model. I ask taxpayers to keep that in mind the next time you have a concern you want addressed and yet all you receive is a letter from your legislator stating, “Not in my jurisdiction.” That my taxpayer friend is the normal response - true or not. Kind of like getting an insurance settlement paid.. They first stamp the paper work in bold red letters with the words, DENIED whether you are entitled to a settlement or not. Keep that in mind next time you vote. Pritzker, AZ >To READ more from this blogger, please visit my site at http://www.srpfightswithkids.blogspot.com/

Guest Bloggers Wanted

I will be on vacation this week, watching my daughters compete in the Starquest Dance Competition, so the postings will be few this week.

This would be a great time for some guest bloggers, so email your submissions to chottinger@lickingcountychamber.com.

Have a great week!

Cheri

P.S. Did you see the article in the Newark Advocate today on Social Networking and how some are using it in their businesses? Read about it here.

Community Leadership Application Deadline

Below is a guest column from Linda Linham, Executive Director of Community Leadership of Licking County:

Note: The deadline for the 2009-2010 program year is July 15.

Community Leadership Program May Hold Key to Building Bridges Across Sectors

NEWARK, OHIO – Building bridges does not have to cost a fortune. Licking County Chamber of Commerce is offering their long-standing Community Leadership program with some enhanced features. This year’s participants will experience a program focused on skills training for “building bridges” between sectors.

A partnership program of the Licking County Chamber of Commerce, C-TEC, COTC, and OSUN, the Community Leadership program will compliment efforts of community leaders as they strive to unite the community and focus on important issues.

“What ‘building bridges’ means for community leaders are faster and more direct ways to connect people, issues and solutions. Community oriented people who want to get involved to improve the community end up knowing the resources they can connect with, which increases the ability to be successful in civic engagement and addressing community issues,” said Linda Linham owner of Successful Ventures llc, a local management consulting company and incoming Executive Director of the Community Leadership Program.

Each year, individuals identified as having outstanding potential for community leadership development, are selected by sponsoring companies and organizations and offered a dynamic leadership experience.

Applications and inquiries are welcomed from anyone committed to creating a new network of informed and committed community action-takers. The selection committee chooses the class with a conscious effort to ensure that the group reflects a cultural, life experience, and gender balance between the profit, nonprofit, public and voluntary sectors to participate in a nine-month journey of discovery.

Another new component of the program is the use of DISC Behavioral and Communication Style Assessment Profiles. With the knowledge provided by DISC personality profile reports, people can be effectively coached in maximizing their strengths to achieve goals. The results of the DISC report can be applied to create increased productivity, personal development plans, and win-win situations for participants, their employers and civic organizations the participants choose to volunteer with.

“This program is about participants, from all sectors, committing one day per month, and getting a 360 degree perspective of Licking County people, places, issues and challenges with the added value of skill training,” said Cheri Hottinger, President of Licking County Chamber of Commerce. Training on the essential skills needed to ensure effectiveness of community leaders will be an important new component of the program this year.

The Community Leadership program strives to incorporate leadership development, community awareness, skill training and networking into the design of every program.
“We are taking special care to focus on the diverse backgrounds of participants for many reasons. It becomes a more powerful learning experience to work on a team that includes participants from the profit, nonprofit, public, and volunteer sectors. You learn how issues are viewed from different perspectives and you intensify the ability to provide solutions through collaboration. This provides a solid foundation for applying basic skills such as Appreciative Inquiry, Conflict Resolution and Negotiating to real community issues,” Linham explains.

The application deadline for this year’s program is July 15, 2009 with the next class beginning with a retreat on September 17, 2009. The class of 2009-2010 will represent the 28th Community Leadership Class. The Community Leadership program costs $550.

Interested participants or sponsors may request an application form by calling Executive Director Linda Linham at 740-344-1721 or the Licking County Chamber of Commerce at 740-345-9757.

For more information contact Linda Linham at 740-344-1721 or email Linda@successfulventuresllc.com.

Internet Radio

I have written about Pandora before and I still listen to it a few times a week, when I have grown tired of listening to my iTouch. Tonight my husband gave me a copy of the Business Digest, compliments of Park National Bank. There was a section in there called THE WEB and it was all about winners in music/audio on the web.

I checked each one of them out (Pandora was one of them listed) and I think I may now have a new favorite Internet radio - http://www.last.fm/

What I liked about this site is that in addition to all the music selections you can play, it has streaming photos of the band/group/person while their songs are being played and it also gives you some information on them - when they began, the type of music, etc. It basically gives you a brief history lesson on them. It also has a listing of upcoming events where they are performing next. Other information include Top Tracks, Listeners, Similar Artists and music videos.

I now have a new favorite. Pandora has now been replaced.

Josh Mandel

State Representative Josh Mandel was in town today, speaking with some business men and women about who he is and why he is running for State Treasurer.

He has served two tours in the Iraq War and started his political career in 2003 where he served on Lyndhurst City Council. There he introduced and led the fight for the first Property Tax Rollback in Lyndhurst history and still remains today. He has been in the State Legislature since 2006.

I like him.

For more information about Josh, go here. And yes, he is old enough to shave. He is 31.

Cap and Trade

The Cap and Trade bill is now heading to the Senate, where Senator Brown is listed as a "Fence Sitter or Unknown" and Senator Voinovich is listed as a "Likely No", according to the Cap and Trade Scorecard by Smart Girl Politics.

Here is a good article about this horrible piece of legislation from the WSJ.

New Facebook Page

Check out our new Licking County Chamber of Commerce page on Facebook and become a fan!

Loyalty

Now this is a loyal Chamber member - advertising for us in Oregon (notice the hat):



Thanks Ken!