Page 872 – Soapbox

Soapbox Speaker Series: Urban Pioneers

By Soapbox

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October 26, 2010

Risk takers. Urban dwellers who took a chance to revitalize a building, then a neighborhood, and ultimately, entire communities. It takes a certain kind of individual to make that leap of faith, investing sweat equity into an old shell of a building on a rough street. At Soapbox, we think it's a common character trait, a cult of personality if you will, that joins these urbanists together. Come meet some of the pioneers who have reinvigorated Cincinnati's past and are working hard on its future by reviving vital, urban neighborhoods.

Q&A with Gunter Titsch, President of Interkultur, and producer of the World Choir Games

By Sean Rhiney

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Arts + Culture

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October 26, 2010

In this week's My Soapbox, Managing Editor Sean Rhiney talks with Interkultur founder and President, Gunter Titsch, who's organization created the World Choir Games coming to Cincinnati in 2012.

Cincinnati Chinese Chamber celebrates five years, looks to expand into Midwest

By Newsroom

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Diversity

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October 26, 2010

The Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce is looking to bring more Chinese investment to the Queen City.For nearly five years the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce has set itself apart as the only Chamber of its type in the Tri-State area. It's often the go-to place for small- and medium-sized business that want to do business with Asia, which now boasts the second-largest economy in the world (following the U.S.)This fall the Chamber is marking its unique past, and looking into the future as part of an anniversary celebration set for Nov. 8. The Chinese Chamber's Five-Year Anniversary Gala starts at 4:30 p.m. with a networking event, followed at 5:30 p.m. by keynote speaker Jim Rogers, president and CEO of Duke Energy. Rogers will speak on "Energy and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for US - China Cooperation." The gala will also feature members of the Liuzhou, China, General Chamber of Commerce Business Delegation. The event will be downtown at the Duke Energy Convention Center.The event is not just celebrating the Chamber's five-years of connecting Cincinnati and Chinese companies, but is also serving as a coming out of sorts for the 115-member organization said, board chairman Ben Zhang said. "We want to let Greater Cincinnati know we are growing, and where we are going," he said."We have been making some steady progress in the last three years, but we are ready to do something new to take our organization to the next level," he added. "We want to significantly raise the service level for our members."Zhang joined the Chamber nearly three years ago, and is a vice president at Duke. The Chamber, which has historically relied on volunteers, has hired its first full-time director and is working to recruit larger corporate companies as members."Right now most of our members are small- or medium-sized companies, Zhang said. "We would really like to recruit more high-profile companies to be members."The Chamber currently sponsors trade missions to China, has support from the Chinese Embassy and Chinese Consulate General, and has developed strong relationships with several growing Chinese provinces. It offers a host of services to members including translation, business referral, development and promotions.The Chamber has several big goals for 2011 and beyond, including upping its professionalism, strengthening ties with the Chinese business community and forging deeper relationships between larger Cincinnati and Chinese companies.The Chamber is also working to expand its influence throughout the Midwest, working with business leaders in Columbus, Indianapolis and other Midwestern cities."We want to work with companies outside the Cincinnati area. Some places have organizations similar to ours, but they do not have the structure and organization of the Chamber," he said, adding, "We want to help bring investment from China to the Midwest."To find out more about the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber or to register for its 5th Anniversary Gala, go here.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber Board Chairman Ben ZhangYou can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Venturepax startup uses technology to connect users with the Great Outdoors

By Newsroom

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Entrepreneurship

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October 26, 2010

Hyde Park entrepreneur Danny Stull wants to you help you get away from it all by spending time in a park, in a canoe or on hike. But before you get too far away, he's hoping you'll take a look at his new web site Venturepax, a hyper local site that helps you locate the perfect nearby activity.Venturepax doesn't just tell you where the nearest Greater Cincinnati campsite or park is, but what you can expect to find when you get there. For instance, if you go to the site looking for a place to cycle, you'll get a list of bike trails, their level of difficulty, trail photos and other available nearby activities. Drill down deeper and you can find parking information, the length and type of trail (paved or dirt), and the ideal season for tackling it. "What we are trying to do is offer one, easy-to-use, intuitive location to find a place to get outdoors and explore natural beauty," said Stull, the site's founder. "All the information is being gathered by (volunteer) local pros. We've recruited people who love the outdoors and are cataloging the places they go."The site is currently in beta, and Stull is working on building a business around Venturepax. His is one of five companies who won a spot in the inaugural class of The Brandery, the city's new consumer marketing venture accelerator.Venturepax fits the bill because it's more than an information site. In order to generate revenue the site will offer recommendations for - and allow users to purchase - gear that best suits the experience users seek. Those experiences range from camping and fly fishing to backpacking and running. Stull is also working to develop a smart phone app that will allow users to "check in" to their destination like geolocation application Foursquare. Once a person checks into a park or other scenic area, they'll be directed to deals for coffee or dinner, for instance, at a nearby local business."We really want to help the local business compete," said Stull, a 2007 Miami University marketing grad.Stull is near the end of 12-week entrepreneur course at The Brandery, which includes a $20,000 investment, business mentoring and access to marketing and legal services. As the course ends, he along with other Brandery companies will pitch their idea to potential investors.The course has helped Stull focus on the financials of his business, he said, setting up a strong foundation for its future."A whole group of mentors have volunteered their time, and it's really forced me to take a deeper look at my own company, the financials, and really straighten things out. This will help me to have a sustainable company," he said. He plans to eventually expand the site to other cities.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Danny Stull, founder Venturepax You can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Branding firm Landor Associates reaches out to local influences for inspiration

By Newsroom

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Architecture + Design

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October 26, 2010

Employees at downtown branding firm Landor & Associates are looking outside the company walls for a little creative inspiration. In a new campaign set to start within the next week, Landor is reaching out to local influencers including the city's bloggers for a design campaign that uses some simple tools of the branding trade. The initiative is just one of a series the company is planning as a way to offer inspiration for Landor employees and Cincinnatians. "The tools that we use to tell our brand stories are things like color, words and photography. We thought, why don't we take these tools and give people an opportunity to tell their own stories?" said Landor Client Manager Mara McCormick. The campaign is an expansion of an in-house project. Landor originally brought its 150 employees together with a simple mission: express your feelings and thoughts creatively at a specific time of day. "Each employee got to chose from an array of kits where they found things like a camera, color swatches or sketch paper. We encouraged them to express themselves at 1:10p.m.," she said. "So maybe they were feeling super stressed that day because they had a lot on their plate. They could use the color red and describe why red reflected what they were thinking or feeling." The 1:10p.m. time was tied to the company address: 110 Shillito Place. Landor then used some of the submissions to start a wider conversation. "We collected everything back from people and sifted through it. Then we talked about what we wanted to bring to light in our windows along Race Street that speak to wonderful color expression, imaginative sketches or fun or expressive words," McCormick said. The process not only offered some outside-the-box methods of expression for Landor employees, but for Cincinnatians on the street as well. "People are stopping and talking and having conversation at the windows. Everyone has an opinion on why someone did something, or how they would do it. It's an inspiration to the city and give's people insight into what we do," McCormick said. Soon, those outside Landor will have a chance to add their creativity to the mix. The company will hand out kits to local influencers with the same instructions. Details are still being worked out as to whether those expressions will be displayed in windows, inside the building or somewhere else, McCormick said. This won't be the last time Landor reaches outside of everyday work to spur creativity. The company plans on making this type of project a regular part of getting creative juices flowing. "We're using this as an opportunity to communicate more about ourselves and engage the community, now and moving forward," McCormick said. Writer: Feoshia Henderson Source: Landor & Associates Client Manger Mara McCormick You can follow Feoshia on twitter @feoshiawrites

Dalai Lama receives freedom award in Cincinnati

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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October 25, 2010

The Dalai Lama received a $25,000 freedom award in Cincinnati and gave back the money to the National Underground Freedom Center to support the downtown museum.Tthe Dalai Lama stated that he was touched after viewing the exhibit on slavery and human exploitation and wanted to give back to the community. Read the full story here.

CCM grad’s music featured in new iPod Touch ad

By Newsroom

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Arts + Culture

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October 19, 2010

A new iPod Touch Ad from Apple features music by Chris Olsen, a CCM Jazz Studies graduate, and his band Chappo. The two-member band produces an indie space rock sound using unique instruments and objects.Read the full story here.

Procter & Gamble aims to use only renewable energy, materials

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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October 19, 2010

Procter & Gamble continues to practice environmental sustainability by setting the goal of using 100 percent renewable energy and recycled materials for all products and packaging in the future. The company plans to replace 25 percent of its petroleum-based materials with renewable materials and also aims to ensure that zero consumer and manufacturing waste go to landfills. Read the full story here.

UC tech promises best of e-readers, LCDs

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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October 19, 2010

The Novel Devices Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati, Gamma Dynamics, DuPont, and Sun Chemicals have developed new technology for LCD screens to produce bright screens with little battery power. The e-Design LCD's can be manufactured easily with readily available equipment and will be available within the next three years. Read the full story here.

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center named center of excellence for molecular hematology

By Newsroom

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Cincy In The News

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October 19, 2010

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has been recognized as a center of Excellence for Molecular Hematology. The hospital received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, & Kidney Disease to establish a multi-disciplinary center in order to find new gene and cell therapies for inherited diseases affecting blood cells. The medical center is incredibly successful with the ability to claim excellence in basic science, expertise in genetic manipulation, and outstanding cell and gene therapies at a single location. Read the full story here.