Annual Banquet Press Release
35TH Annual Rockford Chamber of Commerce Banquet
The 35th Annual Chamber of Commerce meeting was held on October 30, 2008 at Rockford Community Building in Rockford, Ohio. J. R. Sigler served as master of ceremonies. Pastor Marvin Schwartz of the New Horizon Community Church gave the invocation. The meal was served by The Laurels of Shane Hill.
New businesses were recognized by the Chamber President Terra Henkle - Chatt Gun Shop, Les & Cheryl Nichols; Trussworx LLC, Carl & Kimberly Green; Tara Bransteter of Magic Mirror; Lisa Davis with Colonial Nursing Center; Leah Krogman with The Laurels of Shane Hill; and Pastor Marvin Schwartz, New Horizons Community Church.
Debra Pierce, new Parkway High School Treasurer; Brian Fortkamp Parkway High School Principal, and Greg Puthoff, Parkway Local Schools Superintendent.
Chamber treasurer Robert Thompson gave the annual Chamber Report, including a report on the Leota Braun Charitable Foundation, Inc.
RADC President Pete Hayes gave a report on the Rockford Area Development Corporation.
Parkway Schools Superintendent Greg Puthoff read a list of the new teachers
Mr. Puthoff also gave the following report. Parkway again earned a ranking as an “effective” school on the state report card. We were able to achieve passing levels on 27 of the 30. We were also “effective” by virtue of a performance index figured with achievement and OGT test results. Our students and teachers are to be commended. We still have room for improvement and we are concentrating on making that improvement happen. Next week there will be an election. No school issues or levies to vote on, Parkway is in good financial health for the next 5 years. As of the start of school, there are 126 employees.”
Village of Rockford Report
By
Village Administrator Jeff Long
The Village is working on Main Street. We're extending the street out to the new school. Rockford will have a new water treatment plant.
Citizen of the Year Award
The Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Bob Haver by Sandy Schaffner. Proclamations were presented by State Representative Jim Zehringer; Jim Zhringer presented for State Senator Keith Faber; and County Commissioners Bob Nuding and John Bruns.
2008 Chamber Report
By Robert Thompson
Let me share with you the mission statement of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce:
The Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Inc., exists to bring together business, government, and civic interests to enhance the economic and social environment of the Rockford, Ohio, area. The Rockford Chamber is to be an advocate of, as well as a means for, business improvement and economic growth while at the same time providing benefits to its members and to the community at large.
This year, your Chamber has continued to work to fulfill that mission, and ours is one of the rare Chambers that is all volunteer with no paid staff whatsoever.
Our membership this year grew to an all time high of 99, which amazes people from other communities and proves that the Rockford area is vibrant and alive.
Some highlights of your Chamber’s activities since last year’s banquet:
The 2006 Christmas Walk was once again a successful showcase allowing Rockford to play host to guests from all around the area. Martha Baltzell and her committee did a great job. Our new chairs this year are Charmaine Bettinger, Terra Henkle, and Teresa Tickler and they are busy planning another great event this year the first weekend in December.
In addition the Rockford Chamber provided the downtown Christmas decorations and decks out the downtown in lights each Christmas season. We also provided the original flags and flagpoles that grace the downtown during the summer months.
Discounts continue to be available to our members on Auto Owners auto, home, and business insurance.
A new discount program recently was established that gives business members 10 to 15% discounts at the Copy Super Center in Celina.
We continue to be active in the Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce, which represents the largest number of Chamber of Commerce members of any such group in the United States. Through this membership, members can receive discounts on group health insurance, worker’s comp, shipping services, credit card processing, and numerous other services. Several of our members have taken advantage of these discount programs.
In April the Chamber sponsored Rockford’s third Business Expo with large crowds visited the exhibits of approximately 40 vendors at the Rockford Community Building. This event generated contacts and sales for our business people, cooperative advertising throughout the area, and significant media coverage.
The Rockford Chamber scholarship of $600 was won by Andrea Vasquez this year, and several loans were made from the Chamber-sponsored Medical and Dental Procurement Fund to students from Parkway in training for medical fields.
The Chamber continues to sponsor the Citizen Crime Awareness program. This program offers rewards for information on criminal activities as well as funds for other safety and crime awareness programs.
Once again, the Chamber is the sponsor of the Rockford-Dublin Township Combined Charities Drive, which should be underway shortly and that benefits 22 charities.
The Chamber continues its gift certificate program, which gives gifts that help our Rockford area economy.
Finally, one of our most expensive projects in a while is now complete: a new welcome sign has been installed at the south edge of the village along SR 118 near the entrance to the new school. The total cost of this sign even with all volunteer labor with exceeded $4,000.
A premier event for Rockford last summer was the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure stop here, for which the Chamber provided about $490 worth of sponsorship that helped to host the 3,000 or so people that came through town on that very exciting morning.
Another premier event last spring was the 8-minute Vocation Acceleration Experience here in the school that allowed our high school students the chance to personally discuss careers with around 130 business professionals from throughout the area. The Chamber helped sponsor this event that was planned and presented by Brand-It Design.
A lot of people have worked very hard for a lot of hours to fulfill our mission statement this year. The Rockford Chamber is one of the many groups that helps make Rockford a great place to live and work, thanks to the hard work and dedication of many people. It has been another banner year! Congratulations to all of you on a job well done!
Another new business enhancement coming soon will be a new website co-sponsored by the Chamber and the Rockford Area Development Corporation. This site will be designed to showcase the Rockford/Parkway area and to draw economic development into our community. Here tonight to present a preview are Twyla and Pete Hayes.
LBCF Report for Chamber Banquet 2007
By Robert Thompson
Fortunately for the Rockford and Parkway area, the Rockford Chamber of Commerce has two what I would call sister organizations for community betterment—the community foundation—The Leota Braun Charitable Foundation, Inc. and the Rockford Area Development Corporation.
The Foundation provides a means of charitable tax-advantaged giving to causes that benefit the residents and organizations of the Parkway School District. Economic Development officials at the state level have told us that one of the key components in community development is the existence of a local foundation of this type. The Braun Foundation is now almost six years old, but in that short history here is a short list of what it has done:
Has had receipts in excess of $150,000 and made distributions exceeding $120,000. Current assets are about $64,000.
These distributions include:
Nine scholarships (two new scholarship funds are being established for next year).
14 medical student loans
Significant grants to four persons with different health and accident related needs
60 grants to various community projects in Rockford, Willshire, and Mendon
A loan of $10,000 to the Parkway Boosters Club for the new building at the football field.
The Foundation can create both pass through and endowment funds as well as charitable trusts. Donations are tax deductible to the donor and income to the Foundation is not taxed. I invite you to take advantage of the giving opportunities the Braun Foundation offers for the benefit of the people we love right here at home.
RADC Report to the Chamber Banquet 2008
By Pete Hayes
New Businesses
Four new community businesses were recognized at the 34th Annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet on November 1, 2007. Congratulations Mercer Landmark Soybean Extrusion Plant, The Olde Rockford Hardware, Pleasant Dwellings LLC, and the Rockford Carry-out.
Mercer Landmark Soybean Extrusion Plant
Manager Scott Boulis and Chamber President Bryan Sutton
Annual Banquet
News Release pg.22 >>
