events & updates
In This Issue - August 12, 2016
chamber events
Summit of Sustainability
YPN Leadership Luncheon
Lunch & Learn
KNOW Luncheon
30 for the Future Awards
chamber news & updates
Travel to Costa Rica in 2017
chamber benefits
Save Money on Health Insurance
partner events & news

chamber events

 
Summit of Sustainability Series: Sustainable Grant Workshop
Sustainability logo
In 2012, the Greater Akron Chamber along with the City of Akron, County of Summit, Keep Akron Beautiful, and ReWorks created the Summit of Sustainability Awards.  The goal of the Summit of Sustainability Awards was to recognize local organizations that have successfully implemented sustainability practices. In 2016, a series of educational sessions will be offered throughout the year.

Waste Management, Akron Recycling in Partnership with SOSA, is proud to sponsor a sustainability lecture on government sponsored grants.  James A. Skora will be speaking to the key aspects of the environmental grants available to help fund sustainability efforts for small, large non-profit and for profit organizations.  As a Senior Manager, with the Summit County based firm GT Environmental Jim has years of grant writing experience.
 
Where & When
Waste Management
1534 Exeter Rd.
Akron, OH  44306
Friday, August 26, 2016
8:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Click here to register.
 
YPN Leadership Luncheon

Bill Considine, President & CEO of Akron Children's Hospital, and Cathryn O'Malley, Administrative Director for Organizational Effectiveness and Transformation, will discuss mentoring and provide advice on finding a career coach or career champion.

Attendees will learn about the Children's Hospital leadership academy, a 12-month MBA-style program offered by the hospital's organizational effectiveness team to develop leadership skills in employees.  Considine will also talk about how he mentors fellows in the Roger J. Sherman Administrative Fellowship, a year-long opportunity for individuals with an interest in healthcare administration to gain experience in leadership and executive-level decision-making.

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.

 
Lunch & Learn: How to Comply with the New Overtime Exemption Rules

Rescheduled to September 1!

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 & When
Hilton Garden Inn Akron
1307 E. Market St.
Akron, OH  44305
Thursday, September 1, 2016
11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 per person

Click here to register.
 
KNOW (Knowledgeable Network of Women) Empowering Women Luncheon
KNOW 2010 Logo
Join KNOW for the next luncheon to hear Abigail Pringle, Chief Development Officer, The Wendy's Company,  present.  Additional information will be forthcoming. 

KNOW is a personal and professional development program for business women in the Greater Akron Region. Our mission is to cultivate the talent within each other by reaching out to today's women executives and tomorrow's leaders.
 
Where & When
Portage Country Club
240 N. Portage Path
Akron, OH  44303
Thursday, September 22, 2016
11:00 a.m.

For more information or to register, click here.

Chamber Announces 30 for the Future Award Recipients for 2016
 
30 FTF logo 2011 Thirty-one Greater Akron Region young professionals have been named the recipients of the tenth annual "30 for the Future" award. Part of the Greater Akron Chamber's strategy to attract and retain talent in the region, the "30 for the Future" award honors young professionals (ages 25-39) whose stellar contributions impact their industries and the Greater Akron Region.  Click here to view a list of this year's recipients.

Join the Chamber as we recognize the award recipients at an awards celebration on Thursday, September 29, 2016.

Where & When
Trailhead Events located at Cascade Lofts
21 W. North St. 
Akron, OH  44308
Thursday, September 29, 2016
5:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Click here to register.

Sponsorships are available; contact Kim Huff at (330) 237-1253 for more information.
 

 

chamber news & updates

 
Book Your Chamber Trips Now!

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.

chamber benefits

 
Receive Discounts on Your Health Plan Coverage!

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.
SummaCare

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.

Save Money with the Chamber's Workers' Compensation Group Rating Plan
 
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.



News from CareWorks


August 15, 2016:  This is the due date for true-up report to be completed with BWC. This is a critical deadline, as the BWC has indicated that if you do not complete the true-up process on time, your business may not be eligible for current and future alternative rating and premium discount programs such as group rating and group retrospective rating. Reports may be submitted either online (http://ow.ly/4mWUlm) or by phone at (800) 644-6292. 



Safety Innovation Awards Now Open! Apply by September 30
 
The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation is accepting applications from Ohio employers for the 2017 Safety Innovation Awards.
 
Innovations must demonstrate reduction in safety or ergonomic risk factors, or occupational health exposures.  Cash awards up to $6,000. Apply by September 30, 2016.  Eligibility requirements and application instructions are available at  www.bwc.ohio.gov. Click on Safety Services, then Safety Innovation Awards.

Membership Has Its Benefits!

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. 

Member MarketPlace
 
Connect to exclusive savings on services provided by Greater Akron Chamber Members for Chamber Members!  Chamber members can save on business services, health services, cleaning, travel, entertainment, restaurants, and more in The MarketPlace.

Click here to see the deals.

To find out how you can offer a discount or service to Chamber members, contact your Chamber representative at (330) 237-1234.

Greater Akron Chamber Partners with Constant Contact® to Help You Grow Your Business with E-mail Marketing
 

Constant ContactUse 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.    

 

 


partner events & news

 
National Hamburger Festival Kicks Off 11th Year

Where else can people chow down on more than 50 different kinds of hamburgers served by 20 independent eateries while tipping back some delicious, craft beer?
 
That's at the 11th Annual National Hamburger Festival, which returns to Akron's Lock 3 on August 13-14. Admission to the National Hamburger Festival is $5. Children under eight years old are admitted free. 
 
Drawing more than 20,000 festival-goers and held in the very hometown of the hamburger, the weekend event is presented by the City of Akron and sponsored by Barefoot Wine & Bubbly.  The festival supports Akron Children's Hospital.  In 2016, all of the festival's hamburgers will be served-up by independently owned and operated eateries ranging from perennial favorite Menches Bros. to the new-school food truck Square Scullery.  for a complete list of food vendors, click here.
 
Akron Event Premieres the All-New Buckeye Brewfest

Creating the ultimate cataclysmic taste combination, the National Hamburger Festival is set to debut the all-new
Buckeye Brewfest during the festival on Sunday, August 14. The one-day brewfest, which is included in the cost of admission to the National Hamburger Festival, will feature dozens of beers from more than 10 Ohio-based breweries. Guests ages 21 and older can enjoy 6-oz. and 12-oz. beer servings.
 
Corporate Ticket Packages
 
As part of a unique package deal, Akron-area companies can purchase bulk quantities of admission tickets to the National Hamburger Festival for their employees and clients, while seamlessly making a charitable donation.  Specifically, $1 of every ticket sold through the festival's corporate ticket program goes back to Akron Children's Hospital, which is the largest pediatric healthcare provider in Northeast Ohio. For details, email Drew Cerza at Drew@HamburgerFestival.com or click here.
 
August's Akron Roundtable
  
Founded by the Akron Beacon Journal, Greater Akron Chamber and Kiwanis Club of Akron 
 
Join us for the next Akron Roundtable when Dr. W. Gerald Austen, Chairman of the Massachusetts General Hospital Chiefs' Council, presents "My 60-Year Medical Career: Akron to Boston and Back."

Where & When
The University of Akron
Quaker Square Station 
135 S. Broadway St.
Akron, OH  44308
Thursday, August 18, 2016
12:00 - 1:00 p.m. 

Click here  for more information on the speaker and ticket ordering information! 

19th Annual Northeast Ohio Logistics Conference & Golf Open

Hosted by NEOTEC in partnership with the Port of Cleveland   
 
The 19th annual Logistics Conference will focus on latest trends and developments in global logistics, featuring speakers from Panama and the Netherlands, as well as nationally recognized logistics experts.

Where & When
Firestone Country Club
452 E. Warner Rd.
Akron, OH  44319
Monday, August 22, 2016
7:45 a.m. Registration and Deluxe Continental Breakfast 
7:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Conference & Lunch
8:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Breakfast, Conference, Lunch, Golf & Dinner

For more information and to register, click here.
 
 
Greater Summit Award Reception

On Thursday, June 9th 2016, in collaboration with the County of Summit, the City of Akron, and the University of Akron, Black Pages Ohio and the Summit Magazine hosted its 2nd Annual "Greater Summit Business Conference & Expo".  This special event brought together businesses of every size and corporations from across the State of Ohio in order to promote diversity, cooperation, and innovation by creating opportunities for business partnerships while contributing to the economic growth of the community at large.

Thanks to the contributions of state, city, corporate, and small business partners, we are hosting the Greater Summit Award Reception to take place August 24.  There will be a special tribute to Russ Pry.  Keynote speaker will be Stephen D. Steinour, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntington Bank. 

For more information and to register, call (800) 900-7735.

Where & When
The Tangier
532 W. Market St.
Akron, OH  44303
Wednesday, August 24, 2016
4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
 
Annual Diversity Career Fair

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. 
 
Crain's [M]Power Manufacturing Assembly

[M]POWER 2016: WHAT'S THE SECRET SAUCE? Bring your entire leadership team to this one-of-a-kind event for manufacturers that will focus on creating a culture of excellence across all levels of your organization. Concurrent track sessions will focus on issues relevant to every aspect of your operation - from HR and operations to marketing. Not a manufacturer? Service providers can learn how to better reach manufacturing clients in a session designed just for you.

Where & When
John S. Knight Center
77 E. Mill St.
Akron, OH  44308
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.  

For more information, click here.
 
News from ODOT - Interstate 76 in the City of Akron/Summit County Projects
 
As part of the $8.6 million various bridge repair project on I-76 between the Kenmore Leg and the Portage County line, the Ohio Department of Transportation District 4 will have various ramp closures and mainline restrictions throughout the month of August.  For more information, visit Do the Detour or ODOT.

Missed an E-blast?

To view the Greater Akron Chamber's archived e-blasts and e-newsletters, click here.  

 


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


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