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The Morning Buzz
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 Sponsored by SummaCareThe Morning Buzz, sponsored by SummaCare, is a monthly speaker breakfast series which aims to connect small and medium size businesses by facilitating the exchange of ideas and strategies for business growth and success. Join us to hear Ken Babby, Owner & CEO of the Akron RubberDucks and Jacksonville Suns, present "Bringing Affordable Family Fun to QuAkron."
 Ken Babby was formally introduced as the new Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the then-named Akron Aeros during a news conference at Canal Park on Tuesday, October 23, 2012. Babby is only the second owner in the history of the Akron franchise. With an emphasis on improving the fan experience and Canal Park, Babby has invested more than $7 million of private funds into Canal Park. Improvements have included a brand new HD video board, the addition of The Game Grill + Bar, a seasonal, high-end restaurant, a new Family Territory picnic area, the Tiki Terrace and Tiki Bar group areas, and the exclusive, special event space, The Duck Club at Canal Park. Where & WhenHilton Garden Inn, Akron 1307 E. Market St. Akron, OH 44305 Friday, July 8, 2016 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. 7:30 a.m. - Business Connections/Registration/Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00 a.m. - Welcome/Presentation Click here for more information and to register.
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| Lunch & Learn: How to Comply with the New Overtime Exemption Rules |
Due to an overwhelming demand and importance of this topic, we will be hosting another Lunch & Learn to discuss the changes to the overtime rules.
Do you know that overtime rules are changing? If you have exempt employees being paid less than $913 a week ($47,476 annually), the newly released overtime exemption rules will affect you. The new rules will be effective as of December 1, 2016, and will mean that all salaried employees - regardless of their professional, managerial or administrative responsibilities - must be paid at least $47,476 annually or the equivalent to $22.83 per hour, or they will be entitled to overtime. If that prospect seems daunting to your budget for salaried personnel, learn more about the new rules and how to minimize their impact on your workplace with Attorney Karen C. Lefton of The Lefton Group, LLC. Where & WhenHilton Garden Inn Akron 1307 E. Market St. Akron, OH 44305 Thursday, July 14, 2016 11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Cost: $25 per person Click here to register.
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| See What's Brewing at the Akron Zoo |
 Join YPN for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the Akron Zoo on Thursday, July 14! We'll tour the Meso Building to get a glimpse of the life of a zookeeper. Then, we'll join the Christmas in July Brew at the Zoo event to sample some brews! Registration for this event is limited to 30 people.
Meet us at the Jungle Pavilion Tent at 5:30 p.m. This will be YPN's private home base for the entire evening! The tour will begin at 6:00 p.m. Brew at the Zoo is open until 9:00 p.m.
Cost is $15 for members and $20 for non-members. These prices include admission to the tour and Brew at the Zoo.
Where & WhenAkron Zoo 500 Edgewood Ave. Akron, OH 44307 Thursday, July 14, 2016 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. Click here to register.
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| YPN Leadership Luncheon |
Bill Considine, President & CEO of Akron Children's Hospital, will discuss mentoring and provide advice on finding a career coach or career champion.
Considine will reference the career coaching program/process that he implemented with his leadership team at Akron Children's Hospital. He will discuss why he implemented it and the impact that it's had on the overall business model of the hospital.
He will also discuss what individuals should look for in career mentors and provide examples of how they can set up their own professional coaching experience.
Where & When
Mustard See Cafe - Highland Square
867 W. Market St.
Akron, OH 44303
Tuesday, August 30, 2016
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $15 YPN members; $25 Non YPN members
Click here to register. |
Book Your Chamber Trips Now!
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Greater Akron Chamber presents Tropical Costa Rica...
February 2-10, 2017
...with Optional 3-Night Jungle Adventure Post-Tour Extension!
$2,799* per person (double occupancy)
This 9-Day Tour Includes Round-Trip Air and 13 meals (8 breakfasts and 5 dinners).
Highlights...San Jose, Coffee Plantation, Guanacaste, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Hanging Bridges, Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal Cruise, Cooking Demonstration, Cano Negro Refuge, Zarcero, National Theatre, and More!
Click here to view a brochure. For more information, contact: Maria Edwards AAA Travel Agency (330) 762-0631 medwards@akron.aaa.com*All rates are per person and subject to change.
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Advertise in the 2015-2016 Greater Akron Relocation Guide
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Experience Greater Akron is the Greater Akron Chamber's ultimate guide to living, working and playing in Summit, Portage and Medina counties. It showcases the best of the region -- the vitality of its people and the unparalleled quality of live: business climate, education, medical community, arts and parks and neighborhoods. Our print and online magazine makes a newcomer's move as informed and stress-free as possible with authoritative sources, useful articles and must-have contact information. Click here for advertising rates.
 Check out Experience Greater Akron's social media component that engages your target audience all year. We'll also promote your business on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Visit the Experience Greater Akron Facebook page.
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Receive Discounts on Your Health Plan Coverage!
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 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. |
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Save Money with the Chamber's Workers' Compensation Group Rating Plan
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 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.
UPDATE! The first-ever payroll True-up period for private employers begins July 1, 2016. Payroll True-up reports are due to BWC no later than August 15, 2016. At the end of each private employer policy period (July), it is necessary to reconcile estimated payroll with actual payroll. This is called the True-up. This report can be completed online at: http://ow.ly/4mWUlm or over the phone by calling 1-800-644-6292. This new payroll True-up process is part of prospective billing; and as a result, Ohio businesses are now required to reconcile their actual payroll annually for the prior policy year and also reconcile any differences in premium paid. According to BWC, the True-up allows more accurate premium calculation. Even if actual payroll for the year matches the original BWC estimate or a business had zero payroll, the True-up report must be completed. The quickest and easiest way to True-up is online with a BWC e-account. If you do not have a BWC e-account you can create one by signing up here. You can also complete the True-up through the BWC call center; however, wait times may be extremely high. As a result, the BWC encourages the use of their online reporting system. IMPORTANT NOTE: Again, August 15, 2016, is the due date for your True-up report to be completed with BWC. This is a critical deadline as the BWC has indicated that if a business does not complete the True-up timely, they may not be eligible for current and future alternative rating and premium discount programs such as Group Rating and Group Retrospective Rating. Once more, reports must be submitted either online at http://ow.ly/4mWUlm or by phone at 1-800-644-6292. |
Membership Has Its Benefits!
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Our members are making headlines. Got news? Building business relationships in the community? If your company has news to share or is holding an event that's open to the general public, and you'd like to get the word out, submit your News & Events here.
Click here to check out the latest news and events submitted by our member companies! Please patronize our chamber members. The Greater Akron Chamber thanks you for helping us support the region's business community.
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Member Market Place
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 Membership in the Greater Akron Chamber has its privileges...like savings from other Chamber members!
Enjoy special savings from Greater Akron Chamber members to Greater Akron Chamber members.
Click here to see the deals. And if you'd like to offer a deal, contact your Greater Akron Chamber representative at (330) 237-1234. |
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Greater Akron Chamber Partners with Constant Contact® to Help You Grow Your Business with E-mail Marketing
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 Use the leading e-mail marketing service to connect with your customers - and take advantage of a special member benefit
Greater Akron Chamber has partnered with Constant Contact®, the leading e-mail marketing service for small businesses, to bring you a great way to stay in touch with your most important audience: your customers. With Constant Contact®, e-mail marketing is easy, affordable and effective. And because you are a member of Greater Akron Chamber, you qualify for a special discount. If you prepay for six months, you receive a 20% discount. Prepay for a year and save 25%! There's no better time to try e-mail marketing. If you haven't opened an account yet, you can start with a 60-day free trial. To begin your trial, click here.
If you already have a Constant Contact® account and would like your discount, please send an e-mail to chamberprogram@constantcontact.com with your user name telling them you are a member of the Greater Akron Chamber.
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Learn Best Practices from German Metalworking Companies
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 Working industry clusters are a strength of the German economy. Join us for a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about best-practices of both the German and American Metalworking cluster organizations. Connect with metal industry stakeholders from Germany and the US during this half-day program and gain insights about these game-changing areas in metalworking:
- Technology & Innovation
- Skilled Workforce Development
- International Collaboration Opportunities
Establish transatlantic contacts to diverse industry stakeholders (research organizations, universities, businesses, industry associations, and start-ups). Program includes a few brief presentations, engaging panel discussion, tour of Jergens Inc., and lunch. Where & WhenJergens Inc. 15700 S. Waterloo Rd. Cleveland, OH 44110 Wednesday, July 13, 2016 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Click here to register.
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July's Akron Roundtable
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Founded by the Akron Beacon Journal, Greater Akron Chamber and Kiwanis Club of Akron
Join us for the next Akron Roundtable when Patrick Kennedy, Founder, Kennedy Forum, presents "My Journey: Making Mental Health Essential Health Talk and Book Signing."
Where & When
The University of Akron
Quaker Square Station
135 S. Broadway St.
Akron, OH 44308
Thursday, July 21, 2016
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Click here for more information on the speaker and ticket ordering information!
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Annual Diversity Career Fair
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 The Akron Urban League would like to invite your company to attend our Annual Diversity Career Fair, co-sponsored by the Greater Akron Chamber. This event is a great opportunity for your company to promote career opportunities to a diverse pool of job seekers. Through our partnership with the Greater Akron Chamber, we are anticipating a large pool of well-qualified job seekers and an increased selection of employers. The Annual Diversity Career Fair will be highly publicized via radio, print and other media coverage. To participate in the Akron Urban League's Annual Diversity Career Fair, co-sponsored by the Greater Akron Chamber, please complete and return the registration form to careerfair@akronurbanleague.org. A prompt response will ensure your booth reservation and maximum publicity of your participation. If you have any questions, please call LaMon Harris at (234) 542-4157. We look forward to your participation at the career fair!
Where & When
Akron Urban League
President's Hall
440 Vernon Odom Blvd.
Akron, OH 44307
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
3:00 - 6:00 p.m.
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Missed an E-blast?
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To view the Greater Akron Chamber's archived e-blasts and e-newsletters, click here.
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The mission of the Greater Akron Chamber is to drive economic development and prosperity for the people of the Greater Akron Region.
Greater Akron Chamber 1 Cascade Plaza, 17th Fl. Akron, Ohio 44308 www.greaterakronchamber.org
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The Greater Akron Chamber is the only economic development organization in the State of Ohio
to be accredited by the International Economic Development Council.
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