The National Association for Female Executives ranked the top 50 companies for women leaders, recognizing the important qualities a woman brings to the company. Procter & Gamble and Macy's are among the fifty to make the list.Read the full story here.
Cincinnati's Mayberry Foodstuffs provides a walkable convenient grocery store for downtown residents, reshaping the urban grocery experience despite its smaller size.Read the full story here.
Educated 20- and 30-somethings are flocking to live downtown in the USA's largest cities - even urban centers that are losing population. Cincinnati gained 28% from 2000 to 2009 in 25- to 34-year-olds who have a four-year degree or higher and live within 3 miles of a metro area's central business district.Read the full story here.
Two handmade Adirondack chairs and a matching table cost just $325. Add a matching outdoor planter for $80. Sweeten the deal with the knowledge that all the materials used to create your cozy backyard getaway are recycled—and the workers who created them are all part of an innovative Easter Seals program called Building Ability.Through Building Ability, workers with severe disabilities learn woodworking skills as they build retail-ready merchandise from donated materials. "I see a lot of people who could use meaningful job training and meaningful work," says Tina McMahon Dyehouse, 44, of North Avondale. McMahon, who works as a hearing officer for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. She is also on the steering committee for the second annual Reuseapalooza, which happens Friday, April 8.She became involved after she attended the event's inaugural event at Building Value's retail location in Northside. Most of her volunteer efforts have focused on the Designers' Challenge, a new element of this year's fundraiser. In the Designer Challenge, 15 local designer's received $100 credit at the Building Value retail store to buy materials to create funky, and functional, entries. From coffee tables to fountains, Designer Challenge pieces will be judged, then auctioned, at Reuseapalooza. Building Value offers property owners and builders a wide range of new and used building materials for up to 75 percent less than retail prices. Similar donated materials allow workers with disabilities to get job training and become an integral part of the Building Ability program, where products for sale include chess sets, cornhole boards, picnic tables and kid-sized rockers.Do Good:• Enjoy the party. Buy a ticket by April 6 and pay just $15 for a night of entertainment at Reuseapalooza.• Give a gift. Looking for the perfect Earth Day gift? How about a $25 ink pen made from recycled wood? • Make a stand. Support additional funding for treatment and services for children with disabilities.By Elissa YanceyPhoto of last year's Reuseapalooza courtesy of Easter Seals
Whether he's serving lunch or singing a Temptations' classic tune to Drake Center patients, Joshua Pruitt, 20, rarely dwells on the challenges of his past as he seeks opportunities to make others smile. "I just love helping people," says Pruitt, a YMCA Character Award recipient who will graduate from Aiken College and Career High School this spring. "I love to make people feel good about themselves."Though he also works a full-time job at Kroger and will be a full-time high-school student until late May, Pruitt makes time to volunteer at Drake at least once a week. He's been doing it for more than a year, sharing his love of hip-hop and old-school Motown with elderly residents. His singing, and dancing, is a big hit with residents. "When I walk in the door they ask me if I'm performing," he says. His volunteer experience at Drake and Llanfair, along with a fondness for television medical dramas, led Pruitt to plan a future as a registered nurse. "It's really emotional to see somebody with a very hard condition," he says. "It's hard for them."Pruitt's quick laugh and easy smile attract the admiration of those with whom he works. He is one of 40 young honorees who will receive a YMCA Character Award this year during an April 11 celebration at the School for Creative and Performing Arts. He got involved with volunteering through a YMCA leadership program, where he started off coaching football and soccer. "I love to experience new things," he says. Pruitt learned early that life's challenges can be overwhelming. His father died before he was 10, and he credits his single mother as a great inspiration for his determination to succeed. Her belief in him and his abilities keeps him moving forward when he's tired and tempted to give up. But his father also plays an important role. "I think about my father and he would want me to do well," Pruitt says. "I just keep pushing." Do Good:• Be inspired. Attend the 2011 YMCA Character Award event April 11 and meet Joshua and 39 of his exceptional peers. Prices range from $10 for children to $25 for adults. • Become a member. YMCA membership rates for a family are just $150 per year, with monthly dues of less than $60. • Support double-dutch. Donate to the YMCA. Showing your support is just a few clicks away.By Elissa YanceyPhoto courtesy Joshua Pruitt
Inspired by the legacy of historic King Records, a unique community-based partnership between Evanston and Xavier University has big plans for a recording studio, interactive experience, and visual arts learning center that celebrates the record label's neighborhood ties and incorporates its groundbreaking innovation and soul.
Known for its historic architecture and panoramic views of downtown and the Ohio River, East Price Hill has a new life of late with businesses, restaurants, and reconstruction happening from Price Hill Avenue to West 8th and Elberon. And now the new boundaries of the neighborhood's "Incline District" are a step away from being official. The East Price Hill Improvement Association's (EPHIA) motion seeking this designation was approved by the Cincinnati Planning Commision last Friday. According to EPHIA President John Schlagetter, the Incline District encompasses one mile by 3/4 mile and includes 2,500 residents. The designation, which helps the neighborhood celebrate its history and assists with future branding, will be recognized with a sign at the corner of Elberon and Mt. Hope. Following approval, the potential next step for this recognition is Council's Livable Communities committee. Former city councilman, John Cranley's venture called City Lights recently began construction on Incline Village along Grand Avenue, which includes a new restaurant and office space. Cranley says the new restaurant will join neighboring Prima Vista and offer the same phenomenal views of the Cincinnati skyline from its patio, all within the district's designation. Also currently under construction are new apartments atop the development."Price Hill has struggled for the past 40 years and this is a sign that positive things are happening," Cranley said. "It has great opportunities for urban living because it is so close to downtown with beautiful architecture, phenomenal park spaces, and extremely affordable housing. This project will improve the quality of life for the people already here and those moving in."According to local business owner Bill Burwinkle, Price Hill went through the same evolution that any urban neighborhood encounters. After hosting three generations of families, the neighborhood suffered neglect and vacancies but with recent rehabilitation and new construction, the neighborhood has already seen a renaissance.Burwinkle is responsible for several projects in the Incline District. Almost two years ago, he opened a coffee shop called Corner Bloc to provide a place for conversation and entertainment. Burwinkle then moved across the street, developing a building with five luxury flats and a possible new art gallery. Next on his agenda is an eatery for residents and employees in Queensgate who currently don't have a lot of options. "We're seeing a lot of people that are coming into the community that are buying homes and really causing the neighborhood to be rebuilt," Burwinkle explained. "These developments are showing a lot of people that Price Hill is a neighborhood that should be invested in. It will be catalytic for future development." Writer: Lisa Ensminger
Frost Brown Todd has just begun hosting what the law firm hopes will be a series of virtual trade missions, where regional companies meet with firms abroad to boost U.S. exports.These trade missions occur at the firm's downtown Cincinnati offices, and partner six to eight U.S. and foreign-based companies through video conferencing. The meetings are in partnership with the U.S. Consulate and the U.S. Commerce Department's US Export Assistance Center in Cincinnati.The most recent one, on March 8, was between Cincinnati area firms and companies in Saudi Arabia, whose representatives connected via U.S. embassy feed. The Saudi firms were looking for architecture, construction and engineering services."There is a lot of money in Saudi Arabia, and they are building whole cities there. They tend to import architecture and construction services because there are not many providers there. It's a great opportunity for smaller-sized engineering and architecture firms in Cincinnati," said Joseph Dehner, chair of the international services group at Frost Brown Todd.The sessions are done in a group setting and in total last about two hours. Each U.S. and Saudi company has about five minutes each to introduce their companies, skills or needs followed by a question and answer period.The law firm designed the idea for the missions and garnered the participation of the U.S. government. In addition to Saudi Arabia, the law firm also hosted a meeting between regional companies and Egyptian firms late last year. A life sciences trade mission is planned in June with Indian companies in partnership with the India-US Business Network. You can register here.Each company is selected beforehand based on specific projects and abilities to make the meeting its most effective. And though nothing beats an in-person meeting, this comes pretty close, and saves companies travel dollars and time."Why spend the time and money traveling. This way it's pretty easy to meet eight companies that might actually hire you," Dehner said.A couple of companies have already received work from the Egyptian meeting, Dehner said. It's too early to know the results of the Saudi Arbian one, he added.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Joseph Dehner, chair of the international services group at Frost Brown ToddYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites
Empower MediaMarketing, a full service multimedia marketing firm in Mt. Adams, continues to grow with six new hires.This brings the company's total number of employees to approximately 180, said Empower President and CEO Jim Price. The company has been hiring at a quick pace in the last few months, adding 24 employees to its ranks in the first quarter alone. And the company is recruiting plenty of area talent as well; many of the new hires are from the Queen City.Empower specializes in reaching consumers through a wide variety of media platforms. In-the-field consumer engagement and social media campaigns are behind most of the company's rapid growth, Price said. Clients include Red Robin, U.S. Bank, Meijer, Marzetti Company, Godiva Chocolatier, Long John Silvers, Bush Brothers & Co., Humana and Michaels Arts & Crafts Stores."What we have always done really well in the last 26 years is what we call one-way communication. That's planning and buying TV, radio and print ads. Combining that with digital media is very effective in creating two-way communication," Price said. "More companies are developing a social marketing strategy in combination with the traditional media space and that's where we really start to see results."Besides developing engaging websites and social media campaigns, the company also contacts social influences like popular bloggers to promote their clients products and services. One campaign, called Chiquita Moms sought out influential bloggers and Tweeters with a kit that contained Chiquita Banana Recipe Cards, banana coupons, a Baby-Safe Chiquita Bowl, Cup, Spoon and Fork Set and more. Bloggers who agreed to receive the kit often wrote about them and some held kit giveaways.In this campaign, as with other successful social media efforts, transparency is key to Empower's client work, Price said."(With Chiquita Moms) we reached out saying saying 'I am so-and-so with Empower Media and wanted to give this information, because I thought you might be interested in it.' There is no incentive, there is no money involved. It's purely up to them if they want to write about Chiquita, so it's very transparent," he said.Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: Jim Price, Empower Media Marketing President and CEO Jim PriceYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites
AssureRx, a Mason-based personalized medicine company, has just closed on an $11 million Series B round of financing.The company, founded in 2006, was formed to license and commercialize personalized medicine technology research from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and Mayo Clinic. Claremont Creek Ventures and Sequoia Capital led the round, which included existing investors Cincinnati Children's, Mayo Clinic and CincyTech. A new investor has joined as well, Allos Ventures. AssureRx is developing next-generation medicines, recently bringing to market its first product GeneSightRx, a test that measures and analyzes genetic variants in psychiatric medicine - in other words, how individuals respond to the drugs they get. The test, administered through a cheek swab will help doctors determine the appropriate drug and dosage for each patient's individual needs, which could lessen side effects in patients.The test is based on pharmacogenetics, or the study of how genetic makeup influences a person's reaction to drug treatments.This financing will allow the AssureRx to expand sales and marketing for GeneSightRx, and fund other product development work. "Our goal is to build the leading medical informatics company providing pharmacogenetic and other treatment decision support products to help physicians individualize the treatment of patients with neuropsychiatric and other disorders," said James S. Burns, president and CEO of AssureRx. Sequoia Capital, is a Menlo Park, Calif., start-up venture capital fund for seed stage, early stage and growth companies. Claremont Creek Ventures is based in Oakland and invests in healthcare/ IT, energy conservation and security markets."AssureRx has enormous potential as an early leader in the transformation of neuropsychiatric treatment toward individualized patient treatment. GeneSightRx and future treatment decision support products hold the promise for faster, better patient outcomes and less costly care for psychiatric conditions such as clinical depression, anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia."Writer: Feoshia HendersonSource: CincyTechYou can follow Feoshia on Twitter @feoshiawrites
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