The Young Professional/Talent Group has created a survey to learn more about Licking County's residents needs and wants. You may Click Here to take survey . Look for the results in a few weeks. Thanks for your input!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Survey
The Young Professional/Talent Group has created a survey to learn more about Licking County's residents needs and wants. You may Click Here to take survey . Look for the results in a few weeks. 
Friday, June 5, 2009
Community Capitalism Working Groups making great strides
The following article was published in The Advocate today. Congratulations to all working group members who've had a hand in the accomplishments thus far.
We are writing today to explain the Community Capitalism initiative and the accomplishments this devoted group of volunteers have obtained in just a few short months.
The Community Capitalism effort began last fall when community members read the book of the same name about the economic successes in Kalamazoo, Mich. Grassroots meetings were held and working groups were established in six areas to look at ways to keep Licking County growing and prosperous.
The following is a synopsis of the group's accomplishments and goals thus far:
Education Support: They concentrated first on passing local levies. Keith Richards, Newark City Schools superintendent, and Damien Bawn, Johnstown superintendent, both credit the Community Capitalism efforts with helping to pass their levies. They organized talks, hosted walking tours and coordinated a letter writing campaign. Now they are working to learn more about the perceptions that Licking County residents have about their local schools. They will be meeting with local school boards and superintendents to see how relationships between the communities and schools can be improved.
Higher Education: They have four subcommittees that are working on establishing an internship clearinghouse, a one-stop database of all college scholarships for local students; "Adopt a School Program" between Denison University and Newark High School students that need extra tutoring; and working toward literacy development and the critical role parents play in reading development.
Talent/Young Professional: The Talent Group is focused on recruiting, retaining and developing young professionals. Along with their main focus, they also have been asked to help promote and develop a young professional group. They currently are surveying young professionals to inquire about their wants and needs from the community. Once the survey results are compiled, the data might be useful in retaining local talent and make a long lasting difference in the Licking County work force.
Infrastructure/Capital: Their main goal is to structure a process for innovative business opportunities. This includes creating a review committee to look at business opportunities; have a matrix of services and progression like available space, contacts, utilities (one-stop) and a list of all vacant properties for future business; focusing on funding for businesses -- identifying venture capital firms, capital sources, SBA loans and bank loans; in addition offering a competition for students to create business plan models, and the winner receives $5,000 in cash and services to start up their business.
Downtown: They are working on cleaning up, as well as bringing more students and entertainment venues, to the downtown area. This group wants to bring Wi-Fi to the entire downtown area to bring in more traffic, and it has looked at the idea of workspace sharing.
Marketing: The main goals of this group are to "market" Licking County and our communities and to assure good communication among the Working Groups to assure that their efforts and accomplishments are visible to the public. This group has established a blog, www.lc3blog.com, for group updates as well as meeting times and minutes. There is a social-networking site on LinkedIn, www.lc3network. com, where news items and questions are posted. This group also is establishing talking points of positive development and success stories that will be available this summer as a slide show on various Web sites, such as the Chamber, CVB, City of Newark and County -- called Get "IN" LickINg County. The goal of this marketing is to show a united front to all viewers who surf these sites, such as someone looking to move a business here or relocating. Upcoming events include a networking event June 13 and a review meeting July 14.
These successes and goals are an impressive start to achieving great success for our community. Although we've accomplished a lot so far, we have a lot to do. And we always are looking for additional volunteers. If you're interested in helping to better the community and have time to commit, please take the next step, and get involved!
For information, call Jennifer McDonald at the Chamber, (740) 345-9757 or log onto www.lc3blog.com for a schedule of events and attend an upcoming meeting.
The Community Capitalism Marketing Working Group is composed of: Jennifer McDonald, group leader; Racie Young, Rick Platt, Bob Cullen, Cindy Hollis, Susan Fryer, Anne Spray, Ralph Devine, Mike Blowers, Barry Connell, Steve Layman, Wes Humble and Jerry Nethers
We are writing today to explain the Community Capitalism initiative and the accomplishments this devoted group of volunteers have obtained in just a few short months.
The Community Capitalism effort began last fall when community members read the book of the same name about the economic successes in Kalamazoo, Mich. Grassroots meetings were held and working groups were established in six areas to look at ways to keep Licking County growing and prosperous.
The following is a synopsis of the group's accomplishments and goals thus far:
Education Support: They concentrated first on passing local levies. Keith Richards, Newark City Schools superintendent, and Damien Bawn, Johnstown superintendent, both credit the Community Capitalism efforts with helping to pass their levies. They organized talks, hosted walking tours and coordinated a letter writing campaign. Now they are working to learn more about the perceptions that Licking County residents have about their local schools. They will be meeting with local school boards and superintendents to see how relationships between the communities and schools can be improved.
Higher Education: They have four subcommittees that are working on establishing an internship clearinghouse, a one-stop database of all college scholarships for local students; "Adopt a School Program" between Denison University and Newark High School students that need extra tutoring; and working toward literacy development and the critical role parents play in reading development.
Talent/Young Professional: The Talent Group is focused on recruiting, retaining and developing young professionals. Along with their main focus, they also have been asked to help promote and develop a young professional group. They currently are surveying young professionals to inquire about their wants and needs from the community. Once the survey results are compiled, the data might be useful in retaining local talent and make a long lasting difference in the Licking County work force.
Infrastructure/Capital: Their main goal is to structure a process for innovative business opportunities. This includes creating a review committee to look at business opportunities; have a matrix of services and progression like available space, contacts, utilities (one-stop) and a list of all vacant properties for future business; focusing on funding for businesses -- identifying venture capital firms, capital sources, SBA loans and bank loans; in addition offering a competition for students to create business plan models, and the winner receives $5,000 in cash and services to start up their business.
Downtown: They are working on cleaning up, as well as bringing more students and entertainment venues, to the downtown area. This group wants to bring Wi-Fi to the entire downtown area to bring in more traffic, and it has looked at the idea of workspace sharing.
Marketing: The main goals of this group are to "market" Licking County and our communities and to assure good communication among the Working Groups to assure that their efforts and accomplishments are visible to the public. This group has established a blog, www.lc3blog.com, for group updates as well as meeting times and minutes. There is a social-networking site on LinkedIn, www.lc3network. com, where news items and questions are posted. This group also is establishing talking points of positive development and success stories that will be available this summer as a slide show on various Web sites, such as the Chamber, CVB, City of Newark and County -- called Get "IN" LickINg County. The goal of this marketing is to show a united front to all viewers who surf these sites, such as someone looking to move a business here or relocating. Upcoming events include a networking event June 13 and a review meeting July 14.
These successes and goals are an impressive start to achieving great success for our community. Although we've accomplished a lot so far, we have a lot to do. And we always are looking for additional volunteers. If you're interested in helping to better the community and have time to commit, please take the next step, and get involved!
For information, call Jennifer McDonald at the Chamber, (740) 345-9757 or log onto www.lc3blog.com for a schedule of events and attend an upcoming meeting.
The Community Capitalism Marketing Working Group is composed of: Jennifer McDonald, group leader; Racie Young, Rick Platt, Bob Cullen, Cindy Hollis, Susan Fryer, Anne Spray, Ralph Devine, Mike Blowers, Barry Connell, Steve Layman, Wes Humble and Jerry Nethers
Monday, June 1, 2009
Infrastructure/Capital Mission & Goals, by Bart Weiler, Group Leader
Our mission is to develop promote and facilitate resources and services for innovative business opportunities in Licking County.
Our goal is to create a consistent predictable process in helping an individual with an idea of starting a business, succeed in Licking County.
We are creating a review committee which is made up with SBDC, SCORE, Tech Columbus, and the County Economic Development team so far. The purpose of this committee is to meet on a regular basis at a set time and place which they are able to meet with potential business prospects and help them be successful or the committee can follow up on business opportunities in the pipeline.
We also have committee members developing a matrix of services and progressions that is similar to a flowchart which is designed to help new business startups succeed in Licking County. We are also in the process of gathering a list of all vacant properties to accommodate those businesses looking for space.
The committee is identifying venture capital firms already doing business in Licking County, other capital resources such as the Early-Stage Capital Fund announced by the Heath Newark Licking County Port Authority, and financial institutions specializing in SBA loans. This will create a one stop shop where everyone is working together for the potential new business with the purpose to succeed in Licking County.
Our committee is also considering the creation of a business plan competition for any student in licking County, where the student creates a business plan model and receives a prize of cash and service to start up their business in Licking County.
Our goal is to create a consistent predictable process in helping an individual with an idea of starting a business, succeed in Licking County.
We are creating a review committee which is made up with SBDC, SCORE, Tech Columbus, and the County Economic Development team so far. The purpose of this committee is to meet on a regular basis at a set time and place which they are able to meet with potential business prospects and help them be successful or the committee can follow up on business opportunities in the pipeline.
We also have committee members developing a matrix of services and progressions that is similar to a flowchart which is designed to help new business startups succeed in Licking County. We are also in the process of gathering a list of all vacant properties to accommodate those businesses looking for space.
The committee is identifying venture capital firms already doing business in Licking County, other capital resources such as the Early-Stage Capital Fund announced by the Heath Newark Licking County Port Authority, and financial institutions specializing in SBA loans. This will create a one stop shop where everyone is working together for the potential new business with the purpose to succeed in Licking County.
Our committee is also considering the creation of a business plan competition for any student in licking County, where the student creates a business plan model and receives a prize of cash and service to start up their business in Licking County.
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