March 2024 CHAMBER BUSINESS OF THE MONTH: Servpro of Central Auglaize, Hardin & Logan Counties3/1/2024 SERVPRO of Central Auglaize, Hardin & Logan Counties is a well-known leader in water, fire and mold mitigation/restoration and has been a much-needed asset in our community since 2021. The franchise has been active in the Logan County area since the early 1990s, with national headquarters that began in 1969 in Gallatin, Tennessee. Scott Huffman, SERVPRO Owner & GM, took over the franchise from Rich and Leah Cottrill, whom Scott was the Operations Manager for. Scott owes thanks and inspiration to the Cottrills for helping him realize his dream of franchise ownership and continuing the SERVPRO legacy of exceptional restoration services. Scott is joined by his wife, Andrea, who is the Marketing/Social Media Director and their team of Connor Macy, Mitigation Supervisor and Terrance Downey II, Mitigation Technician.
SERVPRO specializes in water, fire, and mold mitigation/restoration – these three items are the core of the business. Additional services include trauma and crime scene cleanup/Biohazards, emergency board ups, sump pump replacement, blown-in insulation removal, power washing/steam cleaning, deodorization of homes and vehicles, and equipment rentals. All of SERVPRO cleaning products are created by an in-house chemist and specific to the SERVPRO brand. The company is equipped to replace failed sump pumps and snake clogged lines within 25 feet and can rent equipment to people that may not necessarily need emergency services but may not have the correct equipment Did you know?! All estimates for Logan County residents are free of charge! SERVPRO maintains a community-centric approach in a few different ways. The company supports many local entities, such as the Parks Department, and has donated fans to the Logan County Fair to use in the horse barns. They are honored to positively give back to the community when asked! The SERVPRO team also strives to make sure homeowners and property owners are well informed by reminding them to check their insurance documents and ensure that their most valuable assets are covered properly if or when situations may happen. By being Chamber members, the team enjoys the opportunity to meet with other business owners and gain priceless knowledge by networking with each of the great businesses in our community.
You can find more information about all of the products and services that SERVPRO offers on their website: https://servprocentralauglaizehardinlogancounties.com/ or by checking out their Facebook page. Scott and his team are available 24 hours a day – you can request help by calling (937) 354-3540 or by sending a request online.
Please join us in congratulating SERVPRO of Central Auglaize, Hardin & Logan Counties for being the Logan County Chamber of Commerce March 2024 Business of the Month!
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One-Eyed Cookie Lab, nestled in Downtown Bellefontaine, has a delicious history rooted in a long love of cookies. Owner Jennifer Born Rachek says she has been obsessed with cookies since she was a little girl. Her passion traces back to the fond memories of her grandmother’s exceptional baking skills and Jennifer always dreamed of being able to create baked goods of the same caliber. The dream of recreating those delectable treats became a reality during the COVID era, which brought less of a commute, and she was able to spend more time in her “Cookie Lab.” Beginning with online preorders, One-Eyed Cookie Lab quickly expanded to being a vendor at the Logan County Farmer’s Market. Jennifer met other bakers there and is thankful for their help and inspiration in her startup. Her love for the Farmer’s Market grew even more after becoming a vendor when she saw how friendly and supportive everyone – from the customers to the vendors to the market management – was. The Farmer’s Market also led to many other new friendships with a plethora of information and ideas and was a step towards getting their first wholesale account with Native Coffee. Eventually, One-Eyed Cookie Lab found its permanent home in Downtown Bellefontaine, where they are located at 118 East Court Avenue. If you are craving some of their ¼ pound cookies and aren’t in Downtown Bellefontaine, you can also find them at Gathering Grounds in Russells Point and The Depot Coffeehouse in Urbana.
Jennifer’s journey hasn’t been a solo endeavor. She extends special appreciation for three key people: her mother, her husband and Haley Thornburg. From packaging and delivering cookies to helping at the Farmer’s Market and eventually working at the store, Jennifer’s mother has played a pivotal role. Her husband’s patience and support when it comes to helping with their five fur babies, and with tasks such as laundry, dishes or even tracking down emergency supplies has been indispensable. Haley, an integral part of the team since before the brick and mortar opened, has been instrumental in the growth of One-Eyed Cookie Lab. Three other employees complete the One-Eyed Cookie Lab team. One-Eyed Cookie Lab’s desire was to create something fun with all-natural products for the community that Jennifer calls home. She fell in love with the store front with great views of some of Bellefontaine’s staple buildings – The Holland Theatre, the Veteran’s building and of course, the Courthouse! As the first concrete street (which is where One-Eyed Cookie Lab is located on) is a popular tourist attraction in Logan County, the store has become a loved favorite, as well.
Please join us in congratulating One-Eyed Cookie Lab for being the Logan County Chamber of Commerce February Business of the Month!
The West Liberty Business Association held their Annual Dinner on Thursday, January 18, 2024. It began with a social hour and membership drive with music provided by Rise FM. After that, WLBA President Heather Chamberlain welcomed all the attendees and a prayer was offered by Jeff Vernon. The meal that followed was prepared by Paul’s Catering. After dinner, Chamberlain welcomed West Liberty-Salem Band Director Paul Waibel. Earlier in the year, the WLBA was made aware of a few students that needed some additional funding in order to be able to go to Disney with the WL-S band. Several members of the WLBA donated money for these students to be able to go on this trip. Mr. Waibel thanked all of those members for helping to make this trip a reality. Some highlights of 2023 for the WLBA are as follows: Increased membership by 45%, finalized their 501c3 status to be recognized as an official non-profit organization, and purchased a trolley along with the Lion’s Club and the Village.
The start of Heaven’s Dew was rooted in a collective desire for innovation and a concern for overall health and environmental well-being. Formed amidst the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the founders – guided by a shared vision – crafted a plan to honor God by caring for creation. The name “Heaven’s Dew” was inspired by the blessing that the dew gives the earth, referenced in Genesis 27:28 which says, “May God give you heaven’s dew and earth’s richness – an abundance of grain and new wine.”
Located next door was a flower shop and on slow days, Kristie would join them to help create flower arrangements. They taught her a lot (more than either of them knew!) and before long, she was even creating vintage setups for weddings, such as unique arbors made of books and trees and adding seating areas! Not long after, a bride came to her in a panic when their florist could no longer provide for the wedding. Kristie used her years of creative experience and saved the bride’s wedding day (which was the next day) and wedding flowers! Since then, people have been calling and requesting wedding flowers and that’s really where Dorcey’s Flowers begins. Four years ago, Kristie moved the business to Logan County because she saw a positive change in the area that she wanted to be a part of. Initially opening in Bellefontaine, Kristie soon began looking for a bigger space as business continued to expand. Thankfully she found the perfect spot at 118 N. Detroit Street in West Liberty a little over a year ago. Timing was great for the larger space, as last year during the busy Fall wedding season, Dorcey’s had 14 weddings to prepare flowers for!
Kristie’s background is unique and there’s no doubt the creative industry is where she is supposed to be. She used to work in the film industry, where she created sets and costumes for Directors. Eventually, she became her own Director and even won an MTV Movie Award. Due to her creative past and experience, Kristie feels that she can execute any idea her customers come up with. The Dorcey’s Flowers marketing strategy is much like others with a focus on social media, but what sets them apart is Kristie’s view on customer service. She makes sure to go above and beyond for her customers. She also makes sure to be involved in the community and stresses the importance of being a Chamber member, which can help with business visibility. Kristie says that being a part of a Chamber is like being part of a business family and the networking that comes from it helps her business (and many others) thrive.
You can check out Dorcey’s Flowers for a special event this weekend, November 9-11, where the flower studio will be open for a retail shopping event. This one-of-a-kind event is a chance to do some holiday shopping and find some of Kristie’s “mistletoe magic” for yourself. On Wednesday, November 15, you can also join Kristie for a Holiday Wreath Workshop at BUILD Cowork + Space from 6:30-8:30pm. You’ll also want to save the date for the last Saturday in April 2024 for something special that is in the plans! Find more information about these events on Dorcey’s Facebook page.
Do you love your job but hate your boss? Is your organization doing great things, but you feel like you’re just a cog in the machine? Maybe you don’t care either way what your day-to-day entrails, as long as you can continue to work with the people around you. We all have a reason we get up and go to work every day. And yes, a paycheck may be one of those reasons, but as renowned leadership expert Pete Blank shared on October 12, we continue to go to work because of at least one of four reasons: our job, our organization, our boss, or our squad. Pete encouraged attendees to consider why their team comes to work every day, and how to make all four reasons relevant. This was the second Signature Event in our annual Pursuit of Excellence Series, a program the Chamber developed and brought to life in 2019 as a way for business owners and managers to learn – or brush up on – the basics of business. In just one hour every month, attendees hear from an industry expert on a topic relevant to their business: everything from financial statements to business insurance to social media strategy.
Starting with 3 machines and a small tool shop, IEG Plastics was founded in 2004 with a vision to supply customers with high quality plastic injection molds. Initially, the company started supplying customers with plastic injection molds that were built offshore and then brought back to the United States for production. In addition, IEG chrome plated parts out of Korea, China and Taiwan. This practice gave the company a chance to diversify their services and ultimately open their Bellefontaine injection molding facility in 2015, located at 223 Lock and Load Drive. This was done in an effort to re-shore work and to better support their customer base. Selecting the Bellefontaine location was a strategic decision for IEG. After sitting down with community leaders and discussing many options, the local support and the promising manufacturing labor pool made Logan County a favorable choice for the company. Jim Moore, Owner, boasts about what a great team and staff he is privileged to have. This can be attributed to the fact that the team “lives and dies by their core values.” Those core values are: Positive Thinking is Powerful Thinking; Lock & Load; Individual Commitment to the Group Effect; Do the Right Thing; Aim for the Highest Peak. IEG’s experienced team of professionals operates on the Traction Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). This EOS is built around accountability, both to the team members at IEG and to their customers. Using the tools and key components of Traction (Vision, Data, Process, Traction, Issues & People) fuels IEG’s business approach of providing customers with top notch service, impeccable quality, and unparalleled partnership with clients.
Not only does the IEG team strive to exceed expectations in their business, but they also focus on being positive community members. They actively share their time and talents in support of causes to help improve and bring measurable change to the community. IEG has been a Chamber member since shortly after opening their Bellefontaine location. They believe their Chamber membership is beneficial in many ways, but especially in the areas of networking and keeping up to date on what’s happening around Logan County. This greatly affects the company, as IEG thrives on word of mouth.
The continuous success and expansion also brings along the need for more employees. IEG Plastics is currently hiring for Production Associates, as well as a Process Technician, Process Engineer and Tool Room Associate. You can find more information on their website: https://ieg-llc.com/career/, where you can also find their core values and some key descriptions of a quality employee. You can find more information about IEG products on their website, as well as on Facebook.
Please join us in congratulating IEG Plastics on being the Logan County Chamber of Commerce October 2023 Business of the Month! Congratulations to Lutheran Community Services on their ribbon cutting and grand opening of their new building at 820 W. Sandusky Ave., Bellefontaine! This beautiful building was built by Link Construction and now holds the Thrift Store, Our Daily Bread (serving lunch & dinner) and Bridges Community Action. The Chamber and community celebrated the grand opening with a ribbon cutting on September 21. You can find more information on their website: https://www.becomebettertogether.org/
As Julie shared, “We want guests to have the perfect experience each and every time they stay with us. We’re all about the details and little extras.” Some of their “extras” include a welcome basket with snacks and gift cards to Rainbow Row shops, top-notch mattresses and bedding, and unparalleled standards for cleanliness. Each flat highlights a different region of the world, from Sub-Saharan Africa to Antarctica. The Flats are a favorite for traveling healthcare workers and businesspeople, and are also an excellent option for out-of-town guests and those passing through the region.
The Flats are available for booking through Airbnb and VRBO. You can also book directly through their website and learn more at www.theflatsdowntown.com. Congratulations, Julie and Norm – this is a wonderful addition to our community! The Chamber celebrated with Shannon Maier, founder of Journey Living, and her team on the opening of the new Sozo Center on S. Main Street in Bellefontaine. In her previous role as a truancy officer for Bellefontaine City Schools, Shannon saw a need for counseling for some of the young people she interacted with. Her passion is to guide people of all ages through their own personal journey while teaching them strategic life skills through her G.O.A.T. program, life coaching, and public speaking engagements. Tammy Nicholl recently joined the JLM team after a long and rewarding career of social work and addressing mental health and addiction issues in our community. The Sozo Center is the new home base for Journey Living Ministries and is located at 661 S. Main Street, Bellefontaine. You can learn more about JLM's work at their website, www.journeyliving.org. Congratulations, Shannon & Tammy!
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