Winter 2013 e-Newsletter
In This Issue
Calendar of Events
Non-Profit Spotlight
New Resources
Meet Neil Hensley
Blue Ash Business Highlights
Featured Properties
Commuter Update
   
  
        
  
  
Networking Event
February 7, 2013
4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
    
Guests are invited to attend this after-hours networking event. 
 
 If you can't make this event, the next one is a luncheon on March 7th from
11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. at Parker's Blue Ash Grill.
  
Click here for more information.
  
  
   
  
   

March 21, 2013

11:15 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Cooper Creek Event Center

 

Join us to find out the winners of the 2013 Blue Ash Business Awards.
 

 The keynote speaker is

Dr. Yousuf J. Ahmad, Divisional Senior Vice President and Chief Network Transformation Officer at Mercy HealthThe event is sponsored by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

  

Click here to register or call 513-579-3111.

  

 

    

 

 

  

7th Annual 
Hot Market Watch Conference

April 3-4, 2013

Cintas Center at Xavier University

 

If your company is interested in selling to or expanding in India, Indonesia, Russia, or South Korea, this conference is one you'll want to attend.

 

Keynote speakers from the U.S.
Department of Commerce - U.S. Commercial Service will provide helpful market updates, tools and resources to help maximize
your company's success. 
 
Presented by the Southern Ohio District Export Council and Xavier University's Williams College of Business, this is the largest international event of its kind in the region.

 

Click here to register. For sponsorship opportunities, contact
  
 
  
 
       

 

April 30, 2013

UC Blue Ash

 

The U.S. Commercial Service - Cincinnati, a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Southern Ohio District Export Council are organizing a series of best-in-class

courses on exporting.

 

The courses are designed to help small and mid-sized companies gain new skills and innovation
 to expand their international sales.

 

The first course is on April 30th.  
 Click here for updates. You may also contact Marsha Brandstadt at
513-684-2944 or
  

   

 

  

 

    

Founded by Lee and Wendetta Langston in 2002, Blue Ash-based Operation Give Back (OGB) provides motivating programs that inspire children to reach their full potential and to realize their dreams and aspirations.

 

One program offered by OGB is an after-school tutoring program for students in Sycamore School District.  43 students are currently enrolled and the program is at capacity.  More tutors are needed as there are many other students on a waiting list.

 

   

 

Learn more about OGB
  
Operation Give Back is located at:
  
18091 Millington Court
Blue Ash, OH 45242
  
  
 
 Looking for Job Candidates?
Check out www.OhioMeansJobs.com.  It's a new website that gives Ohio employers free and confidential access to the resumes of millions of Ohio job seekers. You can also advertise job openings for free.
  
 
  
The website is a partnership between the State of Ohio and Monster.com.  Since it uses the functionality of Monster's search engine, you can easily tailor searches by key words, education, training and experience levels, industry segments and more.
  
Click here to register.
  
  
      
    
Turn Your Workforce into a Powerhouse
  
The Ohio Incumbent Workforce Training Voucher Program, launched by the State of Ohio, provides direct financial to Ohio companies that are
 interested in training and upgrading the skills
of their employees.
 
  
   
      
    
  
  
  
Simply put, 2012 was a banner year for the City of Blue Ash. We added some exciting amenities and attracted more companies. Existing Blue Ash businesses also continued to expand and invest in our City.
  
Some highlights include:
  • Summit Park, our newest and biggest park, opened on the site of the former Blue Ash Airport last fall. The aptly named park has one of the highest elevation points in Hamilton County and covers 130-acres on Glendale-Milford and Plainfield Roads. People are already using the walking trails and free ice skating rink.  The master plan includes an event pavilion, multi-purpose facility, observation tower, restaurants, and recreational facilities which will be added in phases over the next few years.
  • Another exciting addition was the Cooper Creek Event Center and it's been a great success from the start.  Bookings for weddings, corporate meetings, conferences and seminars, and other events continue to exceed our expectations.
     
  • On the new business front, itelligence opened its North American headquarters and data center in Legacy Pointe off Reed Hartman Highway and Osborne Boulevard. Forest Pharmaceuticals also selected Blue Ash for its new packaging facility, which is currently being built on Kenwood Road and Osborne Boulevard. Read about these companies and their reasons for selecting Blue Ash in the "Blue Ash Business Highlights" section of this newsletter.
     
  • Michelman, Inc., a global manufacturer of water-based barrier and functional coatings, announced plans to build a new R&D Center and expand its workforce by 20%. The center will be located on Michelman's campus on Shell Road.  Construction is expected to begin this spring.

I'd like to close by thanking these companies and the many others that are bringing jobs and investments to our community.  I'd also like to thank everyone who is making Blue Ash the best place to live, work and play.  

 

We look forward to continued growth and success in 2013 and hope it's a great year for you too.

 

 

David Waltz

City Manager

 

Meet Neil Hensley, Director of Economic Development

   

 

One of the newest faces at the City of Blue Ash is Neil Hensley, Director of Economic Development. And although he's new to Blue Ash, he's certainly not a newcomer to economic development - or our region. 

 

Prior to joining the City of Blue Ash, Neil was Senior Director, Economic Development at the Cincinnati USA Partnership, the economic development initiative of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. During his 30-year career at the Chamber, Neil's responsibilities included managing all foreign investment projects. 

 

His long list of accomplishments include closing more than 60 projects which resulted in several thousand jobs and hundreds of million dollars in capital investment in Greater Cincinnati.  His work landed him the 2006 Ohio Department of Development Director's Award for Outstanding Performance. He was also recognized as a member of the Cincinnati USA Partnership team which was named one of the top economic development agencies in the US by Site Selection magazine in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

 

Neil is a Cincinnati native and graduated Magna cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in German Studies from the University of Cincinnati.

 

In his new role, Neil is responsible for business retention, expansion and attraction, networking, relationship building, and creating strategic economic development initiatives for the City of Blue Ash.  He's already busy working with businesses in our community and looks forward to bringing in many more.

 

Neil may be contacted at 513-745-8524 or [email protected].

 

 

Blue Ash Business Highlights
    
  
   

Forest Pharmaceuticals breaks ground in Blue Ash 


Forest Pharmaceuticals held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its new packaging facility on Kenwood Road and Osborne Boulevard on January 17th.  
  

In a speech to attendees, Terry Howell, Forest's Senior Vice President of Operations, cited the reasons the company selected Blue Ash. At the top of the list is the City's central location which will make it easier for 

Forest Pharmaceuticals and Blue Ash Council
members break ground on the facility

employees to drive to work, including some who commute from Indiana and Kentucky. Next are Blue Ash's amenities, which, according to Howell, "will impress clients and others who visit the facility."

  

Howell added that the $45 million, state-of-the-art facility will be "pharma-elegant" and will fit in well with Blue Ash's other pharmaceutical companies and professional community. The 190,000 square foot facility will include packaging, warehousing, component testing, and office space.  

 

Mayor Mark F. Weber, who was among the many Blue Ash officials present to welcome the company to the City, said, "Forest's selection of Blue Ash lends credibility that Blue Ash is a regional hub for high tech, medical and life sciences companies."

 

Construction is expected to be completed by July 2014.  The facility will bring about 125 jobs to Blue Ash. 
  

Forest Pharmaceuticals is a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest Laboratories, Inc.  The company manufactures, distributes and sells Forest-branded prescription drug products, including Lexapro� which is used to treat depression and anxiety.  The company also manufactures anti-infective, cardiovascular, central nervous system, endocrinology, gastrointestinal, OB/GYN, pain management, and respiratory prescription drug products.

  

 

  

 

   

  itelligence adds more jobs in Blue Ash

 

Business has been strong for itelligence, a leading provider of consulting, support and hosting services for SAP solutions. In fact, it's been so strong, that by 2011, the company outgrew its existing office space. To accommodate current and future growth, itelligence purchased an eight-acre site in Legacy Point in March 2011 and began construction on a 70,000 square foot office building and a 16,000 square foot data center.

  
itelligence's new North American
Headquarters in Legacy Pointe
Before the construction dust was even settled, itelligence was adding more jobs. In fact, 40 new employees have been hired since construction began, bringing the company's total
headcount to 180, mostly in software support and management. The company moved into its new buildings on July 9, 2012.

 

According to Timothy P. Breen, itelligence's Chief Financial Officer, "The easy access to highways, great amenities and business-friendly government were the main reasons we selected Blue Ash." Breen added, "About 60 percent of our employees live north of Cincinnati so Blue Ash is convenient for them. They also like being near the Blue Ash Recreation Center.   In addition, our out-of-town clients are impressed by the hotels and restaurants as well as the number of headquarters that are here."
  
itelligence Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of itelligence AG, an international full-service solution and consulting company with a presence in 21 countries.

 

 

  

 

  

Integrity Express Logistics chooses Blue Ash

 

In an industry where speed is important, Integrity Express Logistics is moving very fast. Founded in 2007, the company had $34 million in sales in 2012 and currently has 68 employees. Pete Ventura, Jr., Integrity Express Logistics' CEO, projects the company will grow to 100 employees and $50 million in revenue by the end of 2013.

 

Integrity Express Logistics owners. 
From left: Pete Ventura, James Steger
and Matt Ventura.

Its rapid growth is the reason Integrity Express Logistics made the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing companies, was named one of the fastest growing 55 companies in Cincinnati by the Business Courier, and was recognized as a Small Business of the Year by the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber -- all in 2012.  It's also the reason the company outgrew its previous office space.

 

"We moved into our Blue Ash location last July because we needed more office and parking space," said Ventura. He explained, "We selected Blue Ash because our workforce is younger and they like to go to the Blue Ash Recreation Center to work out. It's really a great amenity and we use it as a selling point to recruit new employees." Integrity Express Logistics' office is at 4370 Malsbary Road which is only a few blocks from the center.

 

Ventura also stated Blue Ash's business district, restaurants and convenient location helps his company attract and retain employees.

 

Integrity Express Logistics, LLC is a veteran-owned International logistics company. The company provides transportation solutions through its own fleet, owner operators and large-scale fleet operators. Its largest customers include Gordon Food Service and Del Monte.

 

 

 

  

 

 

Cincinnati Eye Institute's Urgent Eye Clinic

 

Cincinnati Eye Institute (CEI) is the largest ophthalmology practice in the US and its main office is in Blue Ash. In addition to its top doctors and specialists, the Blue Ash office has an Urgent Eye Clinic.

 

CEI's Urgent Care Directors.  From left:

William S. Kerstine, MD, William J. Faulkner, MD

and William Davis, OD.

Doctors at the clinic diagnose and treat up to 60 patients a day for all kinds of eye conditions, including ocular trauma, pink eye, sudden blind spots, halos, flashes of light, contact lens problems, scratches, and foreign bodies in the eye.

 

Donald Holmes, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development at CEI, said, "Patients needing a second opinion or more diagnosis are referred to CEI by other urgent clinics, emergency rooms and doctors.  Our clinic has all the necessary testing equipment and doctors to care for these patients."

 

The Urgent Eye Clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and is located at 1945 CEI Drive.  Appointments are needed. A CEI ophthalmologist is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

Call 513-984-5133 to make an appointment or click here for more information

 

 

Featured Blue Ash Properties

 

 

 Office Space

Lake Forest Place - 4445 Lake Forest Drive

Several suites are available in this Class A office building located at the intersection of Reed-Hartman and Pfeiffer Road.  The building features a dramatic five-story atrium and an on-site restaurant.

Learn more.

 

 

 

 

 

Industrial Property

9933 Alliance Road

70,000 - 140,000 square feet of office and warehouse space is available for sale, lease or joint-venture.  The building sits on 14.4 acres. 

Learn more

 

 

Commuter Update
  

 

 I-71 at Pfeiffer Road Improvement Project

 

Work is underway to improve peak commute time  travel at I-71 and Pfeiffer Road.   The project includes new dual, dedicated left turn-lanes to move eastbound traffic on Pfeiffer Road more quickly onto I- 71 North. A new auxiliary lane will also facilitate travel from Pfeiffer Road via northbound I-71 directly to the I-275 exit. Motorists entering  I-71 northbound from Pfeiffer Road will no longer need to merge into through-lanes on I-71 when connecting to I-275.

 

During the improvement, all lanes are expected to be maintained on Pfeiffer Road. Arrow boards and/or signs will also be in place to alert motorists of upcoming zone work and lane closure.

 

 

 
 
    
 
Advance is the quarterly newsletter of the City of Blue Ash.