Staff and submitted information
Community banks comprise 99 percent of all banks, providing more than 60 percent of all small business loans and more than 80 percent of agricultural loans in the U.S. Employing nearly 750,000 people, their impact has never been greater than it was last year as the nation faced a pandemic and community banks facilitated millions of dollars of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to help keep small businesses making payroll.
Unlike larger banks that may take deposits in one state and lend in others, community banks channel their loans to the neighborhoods where their depositors live and work, which helps local businesses and communities thrive.
April is designated as Community Banking Month, and as a community bank, Citizens National Bank will be highlighting local businesses through its annual gift basket giveaway, as well as hosting Community Shred Day Friday, April 30.
Each CNB office is giving away a gift basket including local items from each of the branch communities. Anyone who visits a branch during the month of April may enter to win the Community gift baskets valued at more than $150 each. Entries can also be made online at our website, www.cnbohio.com.The drawing for the baskets will be held Friday, April 30.
Also, as a community service, CNB branches* are each hosting a Community Shred Day on Friday, April 30, where members of the public are invited to protect their identity by bringing their personal paper documents to be shredded. Refreshments will be served at each branch during their Shred Day. Masks and social distancing will be required.
(more…)POSTED: 04/05/21 at 10:40 pm. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
First Federal of Van Wert announces the election of Patrick J. Jackson to its Board of Directors. Jackson was elected at the annual meeting on January 20, and will join other directors, including Michael T. Cross, Paul Svabik, J. Andrew Czajkowski, Brian Renner, and Randy Myers.
Jackson is currently chief operations officer at National Door & Trim. Prior to that, he had worked at Central Mutual Insurance Company for nearly 20 years, holding various management positions including vice president and regional manager.
Jackson is a Van Wert High School graduate and a graduate of Bowling Green State University, with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration, as well as a Master of Business Administration degree.
Jackson and his wife, Shanann, have four children, Allyson, Abbygaile, Tyson, and Nathan. He and his family attend First United Methodist Church in Van Wert.
Jackson has been active in the community, which includes being a board member and classroom consultant for Junior Achievement of Van Wert County for over 20 years.
“The Board and I are excited for Pat to join our organization. He adds a lot of expertise and business experience to First Federal. Pat is a community-minded person that understands our mission to help the Van Wert community thrive,” said First Federal President Brian Renner. “We are proud of our service and commitment to Van Wert and Pat only strengthens that mission.”
First Federal of Van Wert is a locally owned and operated institution that has been serving the Van Wert community since 1893. First Federal has been ranked as a 5-star financial institution for more than seven years. First Federal was also honored in 2020 as one of the top 200 Healthiest Banks by DepositAccount.com (a subsidiary of Lending Tree).
POSTED: 02/12/21 at 10:55 pm. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
ROCKFORD — Ohio marketing agency Brand It Marketing has received another first-place award for Best of Region VI through the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA). The Region VI first-place award is for the work the firm produced for its client, Advanced Biological Marketing (ABM), in the category of three‐dimensional direct mail for dealers, distributors, sales reps, or others serving agribusiness category.
The award‐winning “Party in a Box” direct mail piece was developed — from concept to production to distribution — by the creative team at Brand It Marketing for client ABM, which was celebrating its 20th anniversary of being in business when the COVID‐19 pandemic hit.
Due to COVID regulations, ABM was unable to celebrate its 20th anniversary in‐person with employees, customers, and friends, so the Brand It Marketing team developed the unique and exciting concept of a “Party in a Box” filled with all things fun and relevant to help celebrate ABM’s milestone anniversary.
The boxes included everything from branded hats to confetti poppers to peanuts straight from Georgia using ABM’s own highly-sought‐after product. Paired with each item in the box was a handwritten message from ABM’s CEO, which had significant and heartfelt meaning, aiding in the celebrating of 20 years.
“This project gave us the opportunity to help a client of ours connect and bring extra joy to their own clients in 2020 — which felt like quite the blessing, given the circumstances,” said Twyla Hayes, co-founder and creative director for Brand It Marketing.
The “Best of NAMA” honors and awards the best of the best in agricultural marketing communications. All submissions to NAMA are evaluated for agricultural marketing effectiveness and creativity and are hand‐selected by a panel of roughly 50 industry experts. The Best of NAMA competition originated in 1988 to honor outstanding work by NAMA members, while educating members of the agriculture industry and featuring top‐of‐the‐line advertising. These awards have helped to raise the quality of the agricultural industry’s overall communication efforts throughout the years.
POSTED: 02/12/21 at 12:07 am. FILED UNDER: Business
BLUFFTON — GROB is searching for highly motivated individuals looking to start their career in manufacturing and is hosting an open interview event on Saturday, February 27, from 8-11 a.m., at its facility in Bluffton. GROB is looking to fill the following positions:
- Electrical Final Assembly Technician
- Electrical Panel Assembler
- Electrical Panel Tagging Specialist
- Final Assembly Technician
- Fluids Technician
- Electrical Debug Technician
- Sub-Assembly Technician
Those interested in attending the hiring event can learn more and register at www.joingrob.com/interview. Interview timeslots are limited, and pre-registration is required due to COVID-19.
POSTED: 02/04/21 at 7:47 am. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
Central Insurance has announced the appointment of Romel Salam to its Board of Directors, effective February 22.
Salam has over 30 years of actuarial and risk management experience in the insurance and reinsurance industry. In his current position as principal at RubiQon Risk & Insurance Services, Salam is focused on implementing a partnership approach to risk management and creating a means where customers will benefit from both advanced technology and comprehensive risk management solutions within cyber insurance.
Salam’s previous experience in the industry includes chief risk officer of Validus Holdings, a leading global provider of insurance, reinsurance and asset management services. In this role, he was responsible for the design and implementation of the group’s Enterprise Risk Management strategy, including the management of the group’s expansive catastrophe portfolio.
He also spent three years as chief risk officer and chief actuary for Validus Reinsurance in Bermuda. Prior to joining Validus Re in 2010, he was a senior vice president for Transatlantic Reinsurance in New York, where he spent 20 years in positions of increasing responsibility spanning the pricing, reserving and business intelligence functions.
Salam holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Brooklyn College, CUNY. He is a fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.
The Central Mutual Insurance Company was founded in Van Wert in 1876 and has evolved into the Central Insurance Companies, a successful property and casualty group providing insurance for more than 350,000 automobiles, homes, and businesses in 24 states. Central is based in Van Wert and operates regional offices in Boston, Atlanta, Dallas, and Van Wert. The Central group of companies has combined assets of over $1.7 billion. Central’s A.M. Best rating is A (Excellent).
POSTED: 02/04/21 at 7:43 am. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
The National Association of Small Trucking Companies (NASTC) recently selected Jim Tomlinson, a driver for Store and Haul Inc. of Van Wert, as one of this year’s team of “drivers of the year.”
“As a recipient of his prestigious award, Mr. Jim Tomlinson joins a very elite group that represent the very best of our 125,000 drivers,” said NATCS Executive Vice President Buster Anderson. “Store and Haul Inc. is very proud of their drivers and should be very proud of themselves as well. It says a lot about a company when they can attract and keep employees of this caliber.”
Tomlinson has driven for Store and Haul Inc. for more than 21 years and has accumulated more than 1.8 million accident-free miles.
Because of COVID-19 concerns, the awards ceremony had to be canceled, but NASTC is looking forward to honoring Tomlinson and the other drivers of the year at its next annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on November 5.
NASTC represents more than 13,000 trucking companies in the U.S. and Canada that employ more than 125,000 drivers collectively.
POSTED: 02/02/21 at 10:30 pm. FILED UNDER: Business
The employees of Alexander & Bebout Inc. and Kitchens, Inc. held their 13th annual food drive in conjunction with A & B’s Christmas party. Employees collected 188 food items during the drive, while games played at the drive-thru Christmas party netted a $380 contribution to the United Methodist Co-operative Ministries Food Bank, in addition to the food donation. Shown are (from the left) Charlie Salway, Cody Delong, Teresa Parrish, Kristen Lange, Sara Zura, Ann Ream, and Brad Ream. photo provided
POSTED: 01/12/21 at 11:19 pm. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
Van Wert Manor recently received the President’s Award from HCF Management. HCF Management, Van Wert Manor’s corporate partner, recently presented its annual performance awards.
The President’s Award is determined by several criteria. Two annual winners are chosen from all Ohio and Pennsylvania facilities. Criteria for the award include customer service, financial performance, activities, the facility’s volunteer program, as well as local community involvement.
Within the last five years, Van Wert Manor has been awarded the Facility of the Year award; Silver Achievement in Quality award, Deficiency Free award, HCFs Chairman’s award, Humanitarian of the Year award; and the Barb Masella Quality award. Van Wert Manor also received a certificate of recognition for having the lowest employee turnover within HCF Management for 2018.
“We are excited to receive these awards from our corporate partner, HCF Management,” said Van Wert Manor Administrator Jacque Welch. “Despite 2020 being a challenging year, I cannot be more proud of my team. I want to thank our residents, staff, and community alike for continuing to support us.”
HCF Management, Health Care Facilities, based in Lima, currently serves nearly 3,000 care community residents and employs more than 4,000 employees. There are nearly 350 employees who have been with the company for 20 years, and 22 have been with the company for 40 or more years.
The President’s Award is determined by several criteria. Two annual winners are chosen from all Ohio and Pennsylvania facilities. Criteria for the award include customer service, financial performance, activities, the facility’s volunteer program, as well as local community involvement.
Within the last five years, Van Wert Manor has been awarded the Facility of the Year award; Silver Achievement in Quality award, Deficiency Free award, HCFs Chairman’s award, Humanitarian of the Year award; and the Barb Masella Quality award. Van Wert Manor also received a certificate of recognition for having the lowest employee turnover within HCF Management for 2018.
“We are excited to receive these awards from our corporate partner, HCF Management,” said Van Wert Manor Administrator Jacque Welch. “Despite 2020 being a challenging year, I cannot be more proud of my team. I want to thank our residents, staff, and community alike for continuing to support us.”
HCF Management, Health Care Facilities, based in Lima, currently serves nearly 3,000 care community residents and employs more than 4,000 employees. There are nearly 350 employees who have been with the company for 20 years, and 22 have been with the company for 40 or more years.
POSTED: 01/08/21 at 11:14 pm. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
The law office of Keister & Baker LLC announced that attorney Collette Carcione and her assistant, Kim Pollock, have joined the firm, effective January 1. In addition, Keri McClure was named a partner in the law firm.
Carcione was first hired by longtime local attorney Don Johnson (who retired in 2013) as a legal assistant in 1976 at the age of 20. As Johnson neared retirement, Carcione began her studies at Ohio Northern College of Law to not only pursue a dream, but also to ensure that co-workers Leta Feasby and Pollock could continue in their careers.
Feasby retired, effective December 31, 2020, after 25 years of service. Carcione graduated with academic honors from Ohio Northern University in 2009, despite commuting to Ada from Van Wert and working in the law office.
Carcione’s community service includes serving on the Thomas Edison Board of Trustees and as secretary of the Van Wert Salvation Advisory Board. She currently chairs the Northwest Ohio Grievance Committee and is secretary of the Van Wert County Bar Association. She noted she is looking forward to the next phase of her legal career with Keister & Baker.
McClure joined Keister & Baker as an associate attorney on January 1, 2015. She grew up on a farm in Union Township, graduated from Crestview High School in 2008, received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Florida Southern University, and her law degree from Ohio Northern College of Law in 2014 with high academic honors. She assists with the family farm, water skis at the family’s Pleasant Shores recreational facility, and serves as president of the board of the Van Wert County YWCA.
In addition to McClure, Carcione joins partners Stephen Keister and Aaron Baker in their law practice. Baker joined Keister in his law practice in 2010, and the firm has doubled in size since then. As Keister slows down his active practice, Keister & Baker welcomes Carcione and Pollock.
The firm’s primary areas of law practice are estate planning, and real estate, business and agricultural law. In 2018, the law firm re-located to the renovated former U.S. Post Office building at 124 S. Market St. Additional information is available at www.keisterbaker.com.
POSTED: 01/05/21 at 5:22 am. FILED UNDER: Business
VW independent/submitted information
PAULDING — Paulding Putnam Electric (PPEC) members will see a lower electric bill around the holidays. That’s because PPEC’s Board of Trustees recently approved to return $2.2 million to the cooperative’s current and former members. Eligible members will see a credit on their December electric bill. The money is being returned to members in the form of capital credits, also known as profits or margins.
PPEC is a not-for-profit, community-focused organization. One of PPEC’s 7 Cooperative Principles is “Members’ Economic Participation,” which means members contribute equitably to the capital of the co-op in which they are part-owners. The unique part of the co-op model means members also receive a financial return on their capital.
“Simply put, this means that PPEC members contribute a portion of the capital necessary to grow the co-op and upgrade electric reliability,” stated PPEC President and CEO George Carter. “Eventually, as the co-op is financially able to do so, the board approves the capital be returned, or ‘retired’ back to those members who contributed it originally.”
Including this year’s capital credits return, PPEC has returned more than $27 million to its members. According to Carter, this process is what sets PPEC apart from other utilities.
“We’re not in business to make a profit for shareholders – we don’t have any because of our co-op model,” Carter said. “If there is leftover money, we give it back to members. We return the money to members around the holidays because that’s when many people need it the most – especially this year with many members struggling due to COVID-19.”
Anyone with questions about their capital credits refund should call PPEC at 800.686.2357.
POSTED: 12/26/20 at 12:58 am. FILED UNDER: Business
