​By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​At its regular meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on August 6, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 343-19 which would approve $50,000 to JumpStart Inc. for assistance aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs who historically are disconnected from services. The program includes outreach events, one-on-one consulting, mentoring, and a 12-week accelerator class. JumpStart is also establishing a collaborative to support other area providers serving local entrepreneurs. Council had delayed voting on the ordinance at its previous voting session to allow more time for council members to review the program.

The Toledo Area Small Business Association (TASBA) is the Chamber’s small-business division, working to enhance and promote a favorable business climate for small businesses (150 or fewer employees) in Northwest Ohio. A board of directors, which represents a cross-section of the chamber’s small-business members, sets TASBA’s activities and policies.

We want you to have the opportunity to learn more about our TASBA board. Each month, we will highlight board members and their experiences with the Chamber through a series called TASBA Talk. Learn more about TASBA board member Jill Kegler and her work with the Chamber below. 

The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Brian Dicken, Vice President of Advocacy and Public Policy, has graduated from the ​Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, and has received the recognition of IOM. 

​Toledo Regional Chamber members are extensively engaged in and understand the importance of our collective linchpin efforts to boost the economic vitality of the region. The Chamber maintains robust advocacy efforts to work with our elected officials at the state and local level. An additional tool available as part of those efforts is the Chamber’s political action committee, The Leadership Fund. The purpose of The Leadership Fund is to support candidates who understand the needs of the business community and are willing to work with us to address those issues.

Sara Swisher, EPIC Toledo Director at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, has been awarded the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives 2019 40 Under 40 award.
 
The 40 Under 40 award is a new honor presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) meant to highlight the brightest men and women under the age of 40 in the chamber industry.
 
This award recognizes young professionals that have demonstrated significant success in their career as well as having made noteworthy contributions to their community. Each award recipient has made a remarkable impact on the chamber industry, fostering a positive impact in their community. 

​By: Tim Schneider, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

At its regular meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on July 23, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on enforcement of street parking at The University of Toledo and regulations for parking lots located downtown. Ordinance 336-19 would add metered parking and a two-hour time limit along Bancroft Street at the university’s main campus. Meters would likely be installed by the beginning of the 2019 fall semester, and enforcement would occur from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Ordinance 355-19 was recently recommended by the Toledo Plan Commission and would create an advisory committee and standards for the parking lots including fencing and other design elements.

Have you ever made a mistake as a small business owner? If it’s any consolation, you’re definitely not alone. The 12 mistakes below are so common that virtually every entrepreneur has made at least one of them.

​By: Brian Dicken, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​On July 10, the 180th Fighter Wing officially broke ground on two new facilities that will enhance their ability to carry out its mission. Those facilities include new hangers to support the federal aerospace control alert (ACA) and the deployment processing facility. Both of these projects have been supported by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce through our advocacy efforts with state and federal officials. 

About the Company:
Connecting Connections and more was established in the Toledo Region in February 2019 by Brian J. Roush. “We bring the network/connection to you,” he said when asked to describe the business. “Some refer us as a hybrid of a BNI, LinkedIn, and the Chamber. We focus on making solid quality relationships.”

Company Culture:
An Engaging & Creative experience.

What’s an interesting fact about your business most people don’t know?
I promise, even though it may seem spontaneous, we plan for success by focusing on measurable results.

​By: Brian Dicken, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce

​At its regular meeting scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on July 9, Toledo City Council is expected to vote on Ordinance 328-19 which would approve spending $400,000 for Phase 2 of the repair and reconstruction of Levis Square park downtown. The funding was previously appropriated as part of the 2019 Capital Improvement Program budget and will be used for professional design services and improvements to infrastructure, landscape, and park elements that are past their useful design life.