Northern Kentucky Buzz

Florence lands pharmacy company

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August 26, 2011

HealthWarehouse.com Inc., a mail order pharmacy company, is moving to Florence. The transition has already started and will continue over the next several months.The company also on Thursday announced a $1.5 million investment from venture capital firm New Atlantic Ventures, which is based in Northern Virginia and Cambridge, Mass, and which makes seed and early stage investments.HealthWarehouse.com fills more than 3,000 prescriptions a day. It is licensed in all 50 states to sell prescription medication.Read the full story here.

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TMC celebrates Chapel groundbreaking

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August 26, 2011

Students, staff, faculty, friends and donors of Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Ky., gathered on Aug. 2 to break ground on the College's free-standing chapel project. The College met its goal of raising $3.5 million to build the Mary, Seat of Wisdom Chapel earlier this spring. Construction bids are still out through the end of the month. Official construction will begin in September, with anticipated completion of the project in early fall of 2012. The chapel is being designed by Northern Kentucky-based architects Robert Ehmet Hayes & Associates PLLC.The decades-long dream of building a chapel became a determined quest in 2009, when President Sister Margaret Stallmeyer, C.D.P., with the support of the Board of Trustees, launched an official fund-raising campaign to make that dream a reality. The Diocese of Covington, under the guidance of Bishop Roger Foys, led the donor list with a multi-year $500,000 pledge, and soon parishes and other donors joined in the effort. A capstone gift from John and Juanita Griffin and family allowed the College to meet the goal this March. Read the full story here.

Cabinet for Economic Development launches statewide strategic planning initiative

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July 29, 2011

Under the direction of the Kentucky Economic Development Partnership Board, the Cabinet for Economic Development today announced it has engaged Boyette Strategic Advisors (BSA), an economic development consulting firm, to develop a statewide economic development strategic plan. Titled, Kentucky's Unbridled Future, the plan will provide direction to enhance job creation and investment in the Commonwealth of Kentucky over the next several years."State economic development agencies in today's global economy must have a clear understanding of their strengths, weaknesses and advantages on a global level," said Luther Deaton, chairman, president and CEO of Central Bank & Trust Company and vice chair of the Partnership Board. "They must adopt an adaptable, strategic and modern approach to economic development. The Partnership Board very much looks forward to the creation of such a plan for the Commonwealth."The plan, which is expected to be completed by late October 2011, will identify emerging business sectors for Kentucky and make strategic recommendations designed to position the Commonwealth for economic development success based on its key assets for business.In addition to thorough research to be conducted by BSA, input from a broad cross-section of stakeholders will also be a key component of developing the statewide economic development strategic plan. A series of visioning meetings will be held across the state to facilitate the process of gathering input from stakeholders. Additionally, citizens are encouraged to complete a confidential online survey that will help shape the outcome of the final plan."We want this process to truly be inclusive of anyone that wishes to share their thoughts and ideas for making Kentucky the most competitive it can be from an economic development standpoint," said Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Larry Hayes. "We invite all those that have an interest in Kentucky's economic success to make their voices heard by attending one of the visioning meetings and completing the online survey."The online survey can be accessed by clicking on this link.Dates, times and locations of the seven statewide economic development visioning meetings are as follows:Tuesday, July 26 9 a.m. – noon CT Kentucky Dam Village 2184 U.S. Highway 62 Gilbertsville, Ky.Wednesday, July 27 9 a.m. – noon CT National Corvette Museum Conference Center 350 Corvette Drive Bowling Green, Ky.Thursday, July 28 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. ET Lexington Convention Center Elkhorn Rooms A-D 430 West Vine Street Lexington, Ky.Thursday, July 28 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. ET Corbin Technology Center 1909 Snyder Street Corbin, Ky.Tuesday, August 2 9 a.m. – noon ET KFC YUM! Center Hickman Camp Room 1 Arena Plaza Louisville, Ky.Wednesday, August 3 9 a.m. – noon ET East Kentucky Expo Center Ballroom A & B 126 Main Street Pikeville, Ky.Thursday, August 4 9 a.m. – noon ET The METS Center Auditorium 3861 Olympic Blvd. Erlanger, Ky."Having a clear and comprehensive strategic plan is a must for economic development organizations in today's evolving economy," said Mike Mangeot, president and CEO of the Kentucky Association for Economic Development. "I support the Cabinet's efforts to provide the Commonwealth with a blueprint that will move our economy forward. Additionally, I know that this plan will also be a valuable resource for our statewide network of local economic development organizations. I look forward to being a part of this process.""It's absolutely essential that we stand back and ask ourselves how our economic development programs are working in today's economic climate, what Kentucky's competitive advantages are and how we can grow businesses in the Commonwealth," said Dave Adkisson, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. "A lot of the old rules are now obsolete because of the fall-out from the Great Recession and the new level of international competition for jobs, companies, money and talent. I'm thrilled that the Cabinet is taking a strategic look at the new reality we are living in. We can't afford to sit still."Additional information about the Kentucky's Unbridled Future strategic planning process can be found at www.kentuckysunbridledfuture.com.Information on Kentucky's economic development efforts and programs is available at http://www.thinkkentucky.com. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ThinkKentucky or follow on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/ThinkKentucky.

Florence bucks money woes trend

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July 29, 2011

While cities throughout the region have struggled with budget issues, the city of Florence has managed to maintain service levels, complete several capital improvement projects and maintain reserves of more than $20 million. Florence Mayor Diane Whalen attributes the success to several factors, including sound financial planning, a long-term vision and geography."This is a council and staff that received good financial advice, listened to it and followed through with it," Whalen said. Read the full story here.

CVG to buy ex-Comair offices

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July 29, 2011

The Kenton County Airport Board will buy the former Comair headquarters from Delta Air Lines for $4 million.Officials said the move positions the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport for future growth and helps diversify its revenue streams.The airport board voted Monday to buy the three-story, 188,000-square-foot facility, which is located on the south side of the airport and has been vacant since January. The sale is expected to be finalized this fall.Read the full story here.

Life science takes root

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July 29, 2011

Spurred by state incentives, start-up incubator bioLOGIC has once again outgrown its Covington offices. It is working to piece together a public-private partnership with the City of Covington, Northern Kentucky Tri-ED, Gateway College, Northern Kentucky University and Kentucky e-zone to gather needed resources for growth. Says Margaret van Gilse, Vice President of bioLOGIC: "As the next part of this, we're trying to answer the question: Can we be a catalyst for a life sciences corridor here in Covington, a real starting point? We said, yes, we're already doing it, but we need some help to keep going forward." Read the full story here.

Gateway’s proposed urban campus identified as regional priority

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July 29, 2011

Gateway Community and Technical College's proposed Urban Campus in Covington has been chosen as a key priority for the Northern Kentucky Region by the Northern Kentucky Consensus Committee. The Northern Kentucky Consensus Committee was founded in 1989 at the request of the Northern Kentucky Consensus Legislative Caucus. The committee's purpose is to create a "priority list" of capital projects requiring state funding and support that provide substantial regional benefit and set the table for private investment. The committee consists of more than 70 representatives from business, government, non-profit and other community organizations in eight Northern Kentucky counties. Projects are studied, vetted and voted on by the committee. Not all projects make the list. "The general premise for including projects on the priority list is that each project should address a clear community need and provide substantial regional benefits to more than one community," said Committee Chairman Gary Beatrice of Beatrice Benefits in Fort Mitchell. "The request for funding the listed projects sends a strong message to Frankfort that Northern Kentucky is united in its project needs." The $52.8 million project encompasses the design and building of a major new campus in the urban core. Gateway's commitment to build a new comprehensive Urban Campus in Covington to serve the region's urban core is consistent with the Vision 2015 plan and the Gateway/Kentucky Community and Technical College System mission to increase access to affordable postsecondary education and training where citizens live and work. Read the full story here.

Golden Triangle key to prosperity

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July 29, 2011

In an editorial for the Lexington Herald-Leader, attorney W. Terry McBrayer insists that including Northern Kentucky in any proposal to encourage regional economic development and increased cooperation between Lexington and Louisville. Excerpt:... Any proposal that excludes Northern Kentucky will unnecessarily limit the vision of the full range of growth and economic development potential that is available within the triangle formed by Lexington, Louisville and Northern Kentucky.Think outside the box by thinking within the triangle. Be bold. The sturdiest foundations are those supported by three legs. The two-legged approach currently under consideration would be made much stronger by including Northern Kentucky, and would provide a more stable foundation upon which to implement the study's recommendations.Read the full story here.

CVG named official airport of World Choir Games

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July 29, 2011

The Cincinnati Organizing Committee for the 2012 World Choir Games announced The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport as a bronze-medal sponsor for the event. CVG will be the official airport for the Games, which will take place in Cincinnati July 4–14, 2012."As the region's front door, we are honored to partner with the Organizing Committee - and the community as a whole - to welcome competitors, their families and friends to CVG. We look forward to helping make this event a resounding success for the Cincinnati USA region," said John C. Mok, airport CEO.Cincinnati USA was selected as the first U.S. city to host the World Choir Games. The event is considered the Olympics of choral music. The 2012 Games is expected to bring 20,000 participants and tens of thousands of visitors from more than 70 countries for what will be the largest and most significant international arts event in the region's history."For many of our visitors, CVG will help create their first impression of Cincinnati USA, and in some cases, the United States," said Dan Lincoln, director of the Cincinnati Organizing Committee and president & CEO of the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The airport is the gateway to our community and we're excited to have as a sponsor such an important part of the region." The World Choir Games is the largest international choral competition in the world, taking place every two years. The event is expected to have a local economic impact of $73.5 million. More information available at CVG's website.

NKU Launches Economic Analysis Tool

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June 24, 2011

As part of its regional stewardship mission, The Center for Economic Analysis and Development (CEAD) housed in the Haile|US Bank College of Business at Northern Kentucky University recently launched the Kentucky Regional Economic Analysis Project (KY-REAP). This free tool draws from a national network of economic data that CEAD has broken down for each county in Kentucky as well as the Ohio and Indiana counties comprising the Cincinnati MSA.CEAD envisions this tool being used by city and county officials, as well as community organizations around the region, to prepare grants and to analyze their communities and position their regions for greater economic development.Read the full story here.