Tom Gregory
A Federal Hill resident for 30 years, Tom Gregory has seen the neighborhood develop from a quite residential area to the historically hip neighborhood it is today.
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Latest in General
Northern Kentucky to Host Association for Manufacturing Excellence Annual Conference
“In October 2009, Northern Kentucky will have the distinct honor of hosting the Association for Manufacturing Excellence Annual Conference! For more information on the conference, visit here.
Northern Kentucky University: Where Prime Location and Highly Skilled Workforce Converge
The old business success adage location, location, location takes on new meaning at Northern University at a planned developments at the of the growing, dynamic Highland Heights campus.
A Gift Horse that is a True Thoroughbred
Many of us have heard the refrain “Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth,” with the implication that nobody gives away anything of value and if it is a gift, it may not be very worthwhile. But there are exceptions to every rule and Northern Kentucky, with its rich tradition linked to the horse racing industry, is a thoroughbred in the midst of Middle America.
Soapicks August 25-31
Summer might be winding down but Cincinnati's showing no signs of slowing down this week. Join the Cincinnati E.A.T.S. hip dinner club downtown for Korean cuisine. The Cincinnati Salsa Festival will have your hips swaying with four days of sambas and cha cha's. Head over to Know Theatre and get a little self-help with Fringe favorite, The Success Show. And don't miss the Cincinnati Bengals' official kick-off party, the Tailgate Bash on Fountain Square.
New Cincinnati Museum Center YouTube series teaches in 60 seconds
The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is upping its social media outreach through a new YouTube series MyMuseum Center in a Minute. The quick-witted series teaches users everything from “rocket science, to how to preserve a fossil to how to cast magic spells,” right from home or a favorite Wi-Fi spot. “It’s a really fun challenge each week to fit the show into just a minute, and we take that challenge because we understand that in today’s social media world, anything more than a minute is a lot of time to ask for,” said Ben Cober, host and producer of MyMuseum Center in a Minute. The series launched in February as an experiment with a handheld camera, video editing software and an idea. Now the Museum Center has 25 episodes under its belt. One episode takes viewers behind the scenes at the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater, while another shows a water propelled rocket launch outside the center. “We now have the ability to showcase the constant, amazing things we have happening here in this beautiful building every single day, and can expose first-time visitors and long-standing members to areas they may have never seen before,” said Cober. MyMuseum Center in a Minute is just one of many ways the public can keep up with the center. Whatever your social media spot of choice, there’s a way to keep tabs on the goings on at Union Terminal. There are pages on Twitter, Flicker, Facebook, Friendfeed or www.myunionterminal.org, the Museum Center’s levy campaign website. “Social media has become a part of people’s daily lives and so to promote the Museum Center, we feel it’s necessary to have as large of a social media presence as possible. When creating marketing plans for new exhibits, events, etc., social media strategies and tactics are given just as much thought as those for traditional marketing, advertising and public relations,” explained Museum Center Director of Public Relations Chad Mertz. He added, "We feel Museum Center has always been an innovator when it comes to using social media in our marketing activities. Our strategy now is to engage online audiences as much as possible. Having a presence is a nice first step, but we want to do more than that. We want to create long-lasting relationships.” Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Museum Center Director of Public Relations Chad Mertz
New Ky. Film Incentives Approved for Disney Subsidiary to Shoot Secretariat
Kentucky has snagged its first major film production since approving incentive legislation earlier this summer.Fast Track Productions, Inc. a subsidiary of Disney Studios is eligible for $800,000 in tax credits for shooting “Secretariat,” a film about the legendary 1973 Triple Crown winner.“This is a great way to kick off Kentucky’s new film incentive package,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “I think it’s appropriate that a state known for thoroughbred racing be a part of a film about one of the most well-known horses in racing history.” The Fast Track application to the Kentucky Film Commission projected $4 million in expenditures in Kentucky. “Films like ‘Secretariat’ will offer Kentucky communities and small businesses a great opportunity when it comes to film production,” said First Lady Jane Beshear, who testified in support of the film incentives. “I’m hopeful that the incentives we offer will prompt more filmmakers to follow and help us promote Kentucky’s beauty and economic development opportunities.”The film is still in its planning and casting stage but it’s been announced that Diane Lane, of Must Love Dogs and Under the Tuscan Sun will star.It’s unclear where in the Bluegrass state the film will be shot. But according to the Secretariat.com website, Fast Track is holding online auditions for a Secretariat look alike. Secretariat is a legend in Kentucky and the racing world. The Va.-born thoroughbred in 1973 became the first Triple Crown Winner in 25 years, setting records in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont stakes that stand today. He retired in Kentucky and was buried at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Kentucky Department of Development
85 Broads comes to Cincinnati
Cincinnati’s broads will soon join the ranks of 20,000 high-powered professional women globally with its own chapter of 85 Broads, the cheeky moniker for the networking organization founded by women who worked for Goldman Sachs in New York City. 85 Broads, founded in 1997, takes its name from the 85 Broad Street address of Goldman Sachs. The exclusive organization has 27 regional chapters worldwide, representing women from 82 countries. “Over the past decade, 85 Broads expanded its membership to include women who are alumnae and students of the world's leading colleges, universities, and graduate schools worldwide. Our members are located in 82 countries around the world and work for thousands of for-profit companies and not-for-profit organizations,” said Jessie Deye, founder and co-president of 85BroadsCincinnati.com.85 Broads Cincinnati. Deye and Adhrucia Apana co-founded the chapter. The organization will have a kickoff event Sept. 1 at the Vineyard Café Wineroom on Hyde Park Square. Event Hostesses includes Deye and Apana, Patricia Gibson President/PMG Communications, Vanessa Freytag Executive Director / The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation and Laketa Cole Councilwoman and President Pro Tempore/ City of Cincinnati and others. For more information about the new chapter go to the 85BroadsCincinnati.com 85 Broads Cincinnati web site or e-mail info@85BroadsCincinnati.com. You can also follow the chapter on Twitter. So why was Cincinnati the latest city to come into the 85 Broads fold? “Cincinnati has immense social, intellectual, and leadership capital in its women. This city never ceases to amaze me in the women I meet and the fantastic things they are accomplishing. Upon graduation from college, I was interested in joining a networked organization of strong, empowered women in the Cincinnati community. Although the city boasts a handful of fabulous women's organizations and initiatives, they are independent and splintered; not aligned in a single purpose and vision. By bringing 85 Broads to Cincinnati, we hope to create a much needed central organization,” Deye explained. 85 Broads isn’t just a place to kick back and have drinks with the ladies. It offers professional networking in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic setting. “Through the global organization, I was recently connected with an MBA Admissions Consultant (Betsy Massar of Master Admissions) who attended Harvard Business School and is now living across the country in Berkeley, CA. We have been in conversation over the past few weeks regarding my applications to graduate school. Without the 85 Broads network, I never would have had the opportunity to connect with Betsy. The global organization is abound with fascinating, intelligent women like Betsy who want to network without borders, and I am So excited to be bringing this to Cincinnati,” Deye said. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Jessie Deye and Adhrucia Apana 85 Broads Cincinnati chapter co-founders and co-presidents
Two NKY companies named to Inc. 5000
TiER1 Performance Solutions and Verst Group Logistics were the only Northern Kentucky companies named to the Inc. 5000 for 2009. The Inc. 5000 lists the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the U.S. in terms of revenue growth from 2005 and 2008. “We congratulate TiER1 Performance Solutions and Verst Group Logistics on their success and inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list,” says Dan Tobergte, President & CEO of Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED). “Both companies are led by an energetic and aggressive team of executives. It is exciting to watch them grow and succeed in Northern Kentucky.” Tier1 Performance Solutions, in Covington, For years TiER 1, a leading provider of end-to-end online learning and knowledge management solutions, has helped commercial, non-profit and government organizations implement effective, efficient knowledge management solutions. Some of their clients, numbering 120, include Federal Express, Luxottica, Kroger and the U.S. Air Force. The companies ranking improved from 3,351 in 2007 to 2,848 in 2009. TiER1 ranked number 33 in the “Education” industry. Verst Group Logistics, in Walton, the premier provider of warehousing, transportation and logistics services, ranked 3,255 on the Inc. 5000 list and number 82 in “Logistics & Transportation.” The company has been included on the Deloitte Cincinnati USA 100, a list of the region’s largest privately held companies, in 2008 and nine additional years. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Cheryl Besl, STRATA-G COMMUNICATIONS
Hamilton County Commissioners look to expand Community Reinvestment Area program
The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners has announced a new county initiative that is meant to sitmulate the local economy through an expansion of the county's Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) program. The expansion will help create new projects throughout communities across Hamilton County. The Community Reinvestment Area program currently offers tax abatements on incremental property taxes generated by new construction or major renovation projects. Investments in residential, industrial and commercial projects all qualify for the CRA program. The goal now is to expand the CRA program so that more communities across Hamilton County can see its benefits. The current expansion will focus on projects that will start within the next 18 months so that an immediate impact is seen. County officials say that communities joining in on the initiative so far include Columbia Tusculum, Forest Park, Lockland, Madeira, North College Hill and Woodlawn. "This program is designed to spur investment in our county at a time when it is needed most," says Hamilton County Commission president David Pepper. When combined with low housing prices, favorable mortgage rates and the federal fist time home-buyer tax credit, Pepper says that there "has never been a better time to buy, build or re-invest in Hamilton County." The incentive goes further in some communities where they are looking to offer higher levels of tax abatement for projects that meet LEED design standards. The Hamilton County Development Company has also been asked to aid participating communities and school districts with this initiative. Those that are interested are instructed to contact their local community or Hamilton County Development Company directly for more information. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler Stay connected and follow Randy on Twitter @SoapboxRandy
Northern Kentucky to Host Association for Manufacturing Excellence Annual Conference
“In October 2009, Northern Kentucky will have the distinct honor of hosting the Association for Manufacturing Excellence Annual Conference! For more information on the conference, visit here.
Northern Kentucky University: Where Prime Location and Highly Skilled Workforce Converge
The old business success adage location, location, location takes on new meaning at Northern University at a planned developments at the of the growing, dynamic Highland Heights campus.
A Gift Horse that is a True Thoroughbred
Many of us have heard the refrain “Don’t Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth,” with the implication that nobody gives away anything of value and if it is a gift, it may not be very worthwhile. But there are exceptions to every rule and Northern Kentucky, with its rich tradition linked to the horse racing industry, is a thoroughbred in the midst of Middle America.
Soapicks August 25-31
Summer might be winding down but Cincinnati's showing no signs of slowing down this week. Join the Cincinnati E.A.T.S. hip dinner club downtown for Korean cuisine. The Cincinnati Salsa Festival will have your hips swaying with four days of sambas and cha cha's. Head over to Know Theatre and get a little self-help with Fringe favorite, The Success Show. And don't miss the Cincinnati Bengals' official kick-off party, the Tailgate Bash on Fountain Square.
New Cincinnati Museum Center YouTube series teaches in 60 seconds
The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal is upping its social media outreach through a new YouTube series MyMuseum Center in a Minute. The quick-witted series teaches users everything from “rocket science, to how to preserve a fossil to how to cast magic spells,” right from home or a favorite Wi-Fi spot. “It’s a really fun challenge each week to fit the show into just a minute, and we take that challenge because we understand that in today’s social media world, anything more than a minute is a lot of time to ask for,” said Ben Cober, host and producer of MyMuseum Center in a Minute. The series launched in February as an experiment with a handheld camera, video editing software and an idea. Now the Museum Center has 25 episodes under its belt. One episode takes viewers behind the scenes at the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater, while another shows a water propelled rocket launch outside the center. “We now have the ability to showcase the constant, amazing things we have happening here in this beautiful building every single day, and can expose first-time visitors and long-standing members to areas they may have never seen before,” said Cober. MyMuseum Center in a Minute is just one of many ways the public can keep up with the center. Whatever your social media spot of choice, there’s a way to keep tabs on the goings on at Union Terminal. There are pages on Twitter, Flicker, Facebook, Friendfeed or www.myunionterminal.org, the Museum Center’s levy campaign website. “Social media has become a part of people’s daily lives and so to promote the Museum Center, we feel it’s necessary to have as large of a social media presence as possible. When creating marketing plans for new exhibits, events, etc., social media strategies and tactics are given just as much thought as those for traditional marketing, advertising and public relations,” explained Museum Center Director of Public Relations Chad Mertz. He added, "We feel Museum Center has always been an innovator when it comes to using social media in our marketing activities. Our strategy now is to engage online audiences as much as possible. Having a presence is a nice first step, but we want to do more than that. We want to create long-lasting relationships.” Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Museum Center Director of Public Relations Chad Mertz
New Ky. Film Incentives Approved for Disney Subsidiary to Shoot Secretariat
Kentucky has snagged its first major film production since approving incentive legislation earlier this summer.Fast Track Productions, Inc. a subsidiary of Disney Studios is eligible for $800,000 in tax credits for shooting “Secretariat,” a film about the legendary 1973 Triple Crown winner.“This is a great way to kick off Kentucky’s new film incentive package,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “I think it’s appropriate that a state known for thoroughbred racing be a part of a film about one of the most well-known horses in racing history.” The Fast Track application to the Kentucky Film Commission projected $4 million in expenditures in Kentucky. “Films like ‘Secretariat’ will offer Kentucky communities and small businesses a great opportunity when it comes to film production,” said First Lady Jane Beshear, who testified in support of the film incentives. “I’m hopeful that the incentives we offer will prompt more filmmakers to follow and help us promote Kentucky’s beauty and economic development opportunities.”The film is still in its planning and casting stage but it’s been announced that Diane Lane, of Must Love Dogs and Under the Tuscan Sun will star.It’s unclear where in the Bluegrass state the film will be shot. But according to the Secretariat.com website, Fast Track is holding online auditions for a Secretariat look alike. Secretariat is a legend in Kentucky and the racing world. The Va.-born thoroughbred in 1973 became the first Triple Crown Winner in 25 years, setting records in the Kentucky Derby and Belmont stakes that stand today. He retired in Kentucky and was buried at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Kentucky Department of Development
85 Broads comes to Cincinnati
Cincinnati’s broads will soon join the ranks of 20,000 high-powered professional women globally with its own chapter of 85 Broads, the cheeky moniker for the networking organization founded by women who worked for Goldman Sachs in New York City. 85 Broads, founded in 1997, takes its name from the 85 Broad Street address of Goldman Sachs. The exclusive organization has 27 regional chapters worldwide, representing women from 82 countries. “Over the past decade, 85 Broads expanded its membership to include women who are alumnae and students of the world's leading colleges, universities, and graduate schools worldwide. Our members are located in 82 countries around the world and work for thousands of for-profit companies and not-for-profit organizations,” said Jessie Deye, founder and co-president of 85BroadsCincinnati.com.85 Broads Cincinnati. Deye and Adhrucia Apana co-founded the chapter. The organization will have a kickoff event Sept. 1 at the Vineyard Café Wineroom on Hyde Park Square. Event Hostesses includes Deye and Apana, Patricia Gibson President/PMG Communications, Vanessa Freytag Executive Director / The Women’s Fund of The Greater Cincinnati Foundation and Laketa Cole Councilwoman and President Pro Tempore/ City of Cincinnati and others. For more information about the new chapter go to the 85BroadsCincinnati.com 85 Broads Cincinnati web site or e-mail info@85BroadsCincinnati.com. You can also follow the chapter on Twitter. So why was Cincinnati the latest city to come into the 85 Broads fold? “Cincinnati has immense social, intellectual, and leadership capital in its women. This city never ceases to amaze me in the women I meet and the fantastic things they are accomplishing. Upon graduation from college, I was interested in joining a networked organization of strong, empowered women in the Cincinnati community. Although the city boasts a handful of fabulous women's organizations and initiatives, they are independent and splintered; not aligned in a single purpose and vision. By bringing 85 Broads to Cincinnati, we hope to create a much needed central organization,” Deye explained. 85 Broads isn’t just a place to kick back and have drinks with the ladies. It offers professional networking in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic setting. “Through the global organization, I was recently connected with an MBA Admissions Consultant (Betsy Massar of Master Admissions) who attended Harvard Business School and is now living across the country in Berkeley, CA. We have been in conversation over the past few weeks regarding my applications to graduate school. Without the 85 Broads network, I never would have had the opportunity to connect with Betsy. The global organization is abound with fascinating, intelligent women like Betsy who want to network without borders, and I am So excited to be bringing this to Cincinnati,” Deye said. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSources: Jessie Deye and Adhrucia Apana 85 Broads Cincinnati chapter co-founders and co-presidents
Two NKY companies named to Inc. 5000
TiER1 Performance Solutions and Verst Group Logistics were the only Northern Kentucky companies named to the Inc. 5000 for 2009. The Inc. 5000 lists the fastest-growing privately owned companies in the U.S. in terms of revenue growth from 2005 and 2008. “We congratulate TiER1 Performance Solutions and Verst Group Logistics on their success and inclusion in the Inc. 5000 list,” says Dan Tobergte, President & CEO of Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation (Tri-ED). “Both companies are led by an energetic and aggressive team of executives. It is exciting to watch them grow and succeed in Northern Kentucky.” Tier1 Performance Solutions, in Covington, For years TiER 1, a leading provider of end-to-end online learning and knowledge management solutions, has helped commercial, non-profit and government organizations implement effective, efficient knowledge management solutions. Some of their clients, numbering 120, include Federal Express, Luxottica, Kroger and the U.S. Air Force. The companies ranking improved from 3,351 in 2007 to 2,848 in 2009. TiER1 ranked number 33 in the “Education” industry. Verst Group Logistics, in Walton, the premier provider of warehousing, transportation and logistics services, ranked 3,255 on the Inc. 5000 list and number 82 in “Logistics & Transportation.” The company has been included on the Deloitte Cincinnati USA 100, a list of the region’s largest privately held companies, in 2008 and nine additional years. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Cheryl Besl, STRATA-G COMMUNICATIONS
Hamilton County Commissioners look to expand Community Reinvestment Area program
The Hamilton County Board of Commissioners has announced a new county initiative that is meant to sitmulate the local economy through an expansion of the county's Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) program. The expansion will help create new projects throughout communities across Hamilton County. The Community Reinvestment Area program currently offers tax abatements on incremental property taxes generated by new construction or major renovation projects. Investments in residential, industrial and commercial projects all qualify for the CRA program. The goal now is to expand the CRA program so that more communities across Hamilton County can see its benefits. The current expansion will focus on projects that will start within the next 18 months so that an immediate impact is seen. County officials say that communities joining in on the initiative so far include Columbia Tusculum, Forest Park, Lockland, Madeira, North College Hill and Woodlawn. "This program is designed to spur investment in our county at a time when it is needed most," says Hamilton County Commission president David Pepper. When combined with low housing prices, favorable mortgage rates and the federal fist time home-buyer tax credit, Pepper says that there "has never been a better time to buy, build or re-invest in Hamilton County." The incentive goes further in some communities where they are looking to offer higher levels of tax abatement for projects that meet LEED design standards. The Hamilton County Development Company has also been asked to aid participating communities and school districts with this initiative. Those that are interested are instructed to contact their local community or Hamilton County Development Company directly for more information. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler Stay connected and follow Randy on Twitter @SoapboxRandy
