Covington

New NKY Chamber chair to facilitate solutions, growth

The Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce named Gary Beatrice its new Chairman of the Board on August 28. “Gary has been actively engaged and serving in leadership positions in our organization for more than 16 years. He has a strong interest in….the continued economic recovery of our region and brings a wealth of experience to one of the highest priority areas of our members—healthcare,” said Steve Stevens, president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber. Beatrice is president of Ft. Mitchell-based Business Benefits, a consultancy that helps local employers secure cost-effective group insurance plans. For the past 15 years, he’s advised Kentucky government and business leaders on health insurance and healthcare reform. But sustainable benefits are just one aspect of Beatrice’s vision for the Northern Kentucky Chamber. “I see the Chamber fulfilling the role of problem solver in the business community. That seems appropriate in light of today’s economic environment,” said Beatrice. The three priorities he has set for the Northern Kentucky Chamber stem from organic needs he has observed. “First, we should be a resource for entrepreneurs. We have a board member who recently started a business, and knew his field, but still needed help with licensure and equipment.” Beatrice would like to see the Chamber build its reputation as a hub for practical resources. His plans also include a summit on innovative opportunities in Northern Kentucky, and resources targeted to the needs of women entrepreneurs. Beatrice recognizes the critical role of passion in getting things done. “A few years ago, the Chamber was part of a Northern Kentucky Education Summit, and many of those projects are still active today.” He looks forward to collaborating with regional organizations on both sides of the river toward common goals: growth, jobs, and business solutions. Writer: Elena StevensonSource: Gary Beatrice, Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, www.businessbenefits.com

Hundreds of thousands enjoy Riverfest 2009

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$4.1M Seneca Place development helping revitalize Austinburg neighborhood of Covington

It has been a half-century since the last new housing units were built in the Covington neighborhood of Austinburg.  But following a lot of hard work and dedication to turning that neighborhood around, local leaders are celebrating a new $4.1 million development called Seneca Place. Seneca Place has already sold two model homes and developers are working on eight additional homes, with more to come after that if the land can be secured.  Homes range in price from $149,900 to $190,000. The development is being built to LEED Gold standards that are energy star rated, are tremendously well insulated, and feature hybrid heating systems.  These "green" finishes are expected to save the homeowner on utility costs, which will average around $100 a month for each of the homes. Buyers have two floor plans to choose form that are both three bedroom with two and a half baths, with off-street parking.  Once the decision has been made to make the investment, homes can be built from start to finish in a short 12 weeks. The Center for Great Neighborhoods views Seneca Place as a great asset for the Austinburg neighborhood.  "If you like urban living with all of its conveniences, and want the ease of new construction, then this project is for you." The development is part of a larger effort to revitalize Austinburg.  Officials note that the target area was carefully selected by residents and local officials alike.  The actual investment was made possible by a $100,000 acquisition loan and a $500,000 revolving loan provided by LISC. The two- and three-story homes are located in the block bounded by Thomas Street, Oakland Avenue, E. 17th Street, and Eastern Avenue (map).  To schedule a walk through or find additional information please call (859) 578-4966. Writer: Randy A. Simes Photography by Scott Beseler Stay connected and follow Randy on Twitter @SoapboxRandy

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.

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

Northern Kentucky Farmers Market brings fresh produce and fun atmosphere to MainStrasse

The Northern Kentucky Regional Farmers Market is another one of those great spots around town to grab fresh produce and some good conversation.  Located on the median at Sixth and Main streets, the market is open on Saturdays from 8am to 2pm through October. The market is situated perfectly within Covington's Mainstrasse Village and offers a wide variety of fresh produce like lettuce, spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, red beats, tomatoes, green peppers, green beans, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, cucumbers, onions, herbs, corn, melons, blackberries other greens. The Northern Kentucky Regional Farmers Market also offers a variety of "value added" products including salsas, herb vinegars, mustards, meat rubs and marinates, jams and jellies, and even gelato.  Spices, honey, soaps, lotions and other hand crafted items are also available in addition to the variety of plants, shrubs and grasses for sale. Due to a difficult growing season last year the farmers were not able to provide all of the products they would have liked, but were able to offer more of those earlier in the farmers market season this year. The vendors sell their products on the shady Sixth Street promenade in a tailgate-style market.  Farmers and other producers from 11 Northern Kentucky counties including Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Kenton, Mason, Owen, Pendleton and Robertson are all invited to sell their goods at the regional farmers market. For more information contact Leah Dodson with the City of Covington at (859) 292-2163.Writer: Randy A. SimesPhotography by Scott BeselerStay connected and follow Randy on Twitter @SoapboxRandy

St. E, IBM partner to drive Ky’s largest e-health record initiative

St. Elizabeth Healthcare and IBM are partnering in the state’s largest rollout of e-medical records designed to improve patient care and lower medical costs. The new system will replace paper-based records on more than 50,000 patients in the St. Elizabeth Healthcare system. This initiative will put the Northern Kentucky region and the St. E on the leading edge of e-health technology. Just 1.5 percent of the nation’s hospitals have this comprehensive electronic records system. "This represents an important step and a unified foundation to deliver better care to our patients," said Alex Rodriguez, chief information officer, St. Elizabeth Healthcare. " This major initiative will mean that more than 12 percent of the population of Northern Kentucky and the greater Cincinnati area will have an electronic medical record. Regardless if a patient is seen at their physician's office, an acute care hospital or the emergency room, caregivers will have deep insight into patient history and care can be better coordinated." The new system will debut in September in 31 primary care doctor’s offices, followed by four clinics and ambulatory care sites within St. Elizabeth Healthcare. In total six hospitals, and four imaging centers and clinics and 1,000 physicians will be connected in a unified system by late 2010. IBM Power Systems servers will support the system. It will help “improve the quality of care each patient receives by providing better access to patient information, a complete view of patient history, medication and treatment plans, and even faster access to lab results to make better, more informed decisions,” according to IBM. Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: IBM

Disciples of Dirt

The Cincinnati Off Road Alliance keeps local trails open for nature lovers of all walks - or rides.  If you’ve been hiking or biking in a local park, you may want to thank a mountain biker. There are more than 50 miles of trails in the region’s parks and forests, thanks to volunteer efforts of the Cincinnati Off Road Alliance.

Europa opens on Main Street in downtown Covington