For Entrepreneurs, By Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneur Connect is a program exclusively for President/CEOs and business owners of privately-held companies who want to connect with peers, share strategies and engage in discussions to help each other succeed in business. Occasionally, expert guest speakers will join the group to present best practices and help facilitate discussions. 

This month, Bret Belfer of Akron General will present "Workplace Wellness Workshop."

 

 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015
7:30 - 9:00 a.m. 

  

 

Greater Akron Chamber Offers Two Healthcare Plans for Chamber Members
 
The Chamber recently added Medical Mutual to our benefit savings portfolio in addition to SummaCare.  Medical Mutual healthcare plans are built around Medical Mutual's network of doctors and hospitals, the largest provider network in Ohio. That network includes Akron General Medical Center and Summa Health System.

Designed as a private exchange model built around a fully integrated technology platform, this consumer-driven choice tool encourages responsible healthcare spending habits and more involvement in treatment decisions. The plans are available for member companies with 51 to 500 eligible employees.  As an added benefit, Chamber members will receive a 1.4 percent discount on their healthcare premiums. For more information, please contact the Medical Mutual Sales Team at (440) 572-6349.

For over 18 years, SummaCare and the Greater Akron Chamber have partnered to save local businesses over $25 million on health insurance premiums. Those savings are used by companies to grow their bottom line and boost our local economy.

 

SummaCare is pleased to continue to offer Chamber members and the Affiliate Partner Chamber members the maximum allowable discount of 1.4% on their health insurance premiums. We are the only health insurance option offering a discount through the Greater Akron Chamber for employers of 50 or fewer employees.  For more information, contact the SummaCare Sales Team at (800) 996-8818 or call your broker.

The Greater Akron Chamber's Group Rating Program offers savings up to the maximum available discount on your Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) premium.  The Chamber partners with CareWorksComp because they help employers achieve the highest group rating discount possible.  Nearly 30,000 customers choose CareWorksComp to manage their workers' compensation plan.  Click here to download an authorization permitting CareWorksComp to provide you with a NO-COST, NO-OBLIGATION analysis.  To learn more, call CareWorksComp at 1-800-837-3200.
 

---

Important Changes to OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has implemented changes to both reporting and recordkeeping guidelines effective January 1, 2015. As of January 1, 2015, all employers covered under the Occupational Safety and Health Act must report:

• All work-related fatalities within 8 hours.
• All work-related inpatient hospitalizations, any amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours.

Employers can report to OSHA by:

• Calling OSHA's free and confidential number at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)
• Calling their closest OSHA Area Office during normal business hours
• Using the new online form that will soon be available.

Only fatalities occurring within 30 days of the work-related incident must be reported to OSHA. Further, for an inpatient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye, these incidents must be reported to OSHA only if they occur within 24 hours of the work-related incident. Previously work-related fatalities and hospitalization of 3 or more employees required reporting.

OSHA has also updated the Recordkeeping Rule.  Employers with ten or fewer employees at all times during the previous calendar year are still exempt from routinely keeping OSHA injury and illness records unless OSHA or the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) asks them to do so.  However, the rule updates the list of industries that are exempt from the requirement to keep OSHA injury and illness records due to relatively low occupational injury and illness rates.  For a complete list of all employers required to keep records, go to OSHA's Recordkeeping page at www.osha.gov.

 

Membership in the Greater Akron Chamber has its privileges...like savings from other Chamber members! This month's deals include: 
Savings from ACE Products & Consulting, LLC, Palitto Consulting/Business Communications Specialists, Boggs Chiropractic, Electric Impulse Communications, Everstream, It's a Breeze Travel, Hawthorn Suites Wyndham Extended Stay in Montrose, House of Plants Florist, Jilly's Music Room, Leanne Cannon, Miracle on Main Street, NOTO Boutique, Pak Computers, PPG Industries, Service Master of Hudson, Unite This City, The Vation Group, Vitality Massage Therapy, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, and YB12 Coach.

Special savings from Greater Akron Chamber members to Greater Akron Chamber members.  Check out the deals here.  And if you'd like to offer a deal, contact your Greater Akron Chamber representative at (330) 237-1234.      

 

 

Residents in Summit County who live in Akron, Barberton, Cuyahoga Falls, Green, New Franklin, Norton, Stow and Tallmadge will be voting for local primary candidates today, September 8, 2015.  There will be no voting in Medina or Portage Counties this September.  

The Greater Akron Chamber encourages our members to vote and promote the importance of voting to their colleagues.  Please click here to find your location or hours to vote early at the Board of Elections.

 

 

Nominees from Summit, Portage and Medina Counties will be recognized as winners of the 14th Annual Employee of Distinction Awards Luncheon. The program helps area businesses showcase their top notch employees who make a significant difference by going above and beyond provides a means to let those employees know how much they are valued by their employers.

Keynote speaker will be Dan Flowers, President & CEO, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank.

Where & When
Guy's Party Centre
500 W. Waterloo Rd.
Akron, OH  44319
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  

For more information, please contact Tracy Keenan at (330) 786-2573 or tkeenan@goodwillakron.org.  
 

Wellness on a Budget for Summit County Employers

Learn how to bring wellness to your organization at low or no cost. Who should attend? Business owners, public, private, and non-profit executives and Human Resources professionals.  Keynote Speaker will be Ken Jones.  For more information and to inquire about being a vendor, please call (330) 926-5646.
 
Where & When
Summit County Public Health
1867 W. Market St.
Akron, OH  44313
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Cost is $25 per person

Click here to register.

 

 

Co-presented by Crain's and MAGNET, this year's event will provide attendees with an in-depth, street-level view for growing their business. Educational sessions will address ways to increase your competitive advantage in the new face of manufacturing and today's economically challenging times. The 2014 event was a sell-out, and we encourage you to purchase your tickets early.

Join us on September 30th and POWER UP for Manufacturing Month!

Where & When
John S. Knight Center
77 E. Mill St.
Akron, OH  44308
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.  

For more information, click here.

Transform goals into reality and participate in this inaugural (free) event - to learn the secret to leadership and professional development.  Join Congressman Jim Renacci to discuss how women from all walks of lie and backgrounds:

• Learn how the present legislative and regulatory environment helps or hinders the professional development of women in the workplace;
• Discover how Federal agencies and current federal policies enhance women entrepreneur and their opportunities to excel in today's economic climate;
• Conquer the challenges facing professional women.

Keynote speaker will be Kristi Noem, Congresswoman from South Dakota.

Where & When
Holiday Inn - Strongsville
15471 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, OH  441356
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
7:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Click here to register.

  

Greater Akron Chamber
1 Cascade Plaza, 17th Fl.
Akron, Ohio 44308
www.greaterakronchamber.org

---

The Greater Akron Chamber is the only economic development organization in the State of Ohio   to be accredited by the International Economic Development Council.