REDeC Logistics’ Initiative Kicks Off with Warehousing Workshop:   Over 40 people from the public and private sector attended what was billed as a Warehousing Workshop at the Gorman Rupp Training Center on August 13th. Mr. Ken Ackerman, one of the country’s acknowledged experts in the field of logistics, was the featured speaker. He presented a program entitled Can Logistics Be a “Crown Jewel” for Richland County Development? His charge was not to identify only the assets that our area possesses from a warehousing and distribution standpoint but also to point out the challenges we face and he did just that.

While Mr. Ackerman felt that we might have trouble competing with Columbus’ well established warehousing market, he was more optimistic that Richland County could be more competitive for the same type of business in the Cleveland area. He used the success that the Akron area has enjoyed as an example of how we might go about that. He was most intrigued and encouraged by the potential role that Lahm Airport can play in our efforts to establish ourselves as a logistics area. The FTZ (Foreign Trade Zone) 181, of which we are a part, is also a valuable asset. Another presenter at the Warehousing Workshop was Calvin Ozier, President of UWT Logistics in Memphis, Tennessee. He approached the topic from an operator’s point of view and said, basically, that we can do whatever we want to do as long as we have a well thought out, coordinated effort. This effort is being driven by REDeC and the Business and Economic Development Committee of the Mansfield-Richland Area Chamber of Commerce; in particular, Sam VanCura. He and I (MG) felt that the workshop was a success in that it helped focus the topic and was attended by several people with invaluable experience in the important areas that need addressing

Logistics: Part II:  Among those in attendance at the Warehousing Workshop were three people from Findlay. One of them, Frank Guglielmi, had spent quite a bit of time in our area during his unsuccessful primary campaign for Mike Oxley’s congressional seat. On one of the visits I had taken him out to the airport area and he was greatly impressed with it’s potential from a logistics standpoint. He and his partners have logistics operations in New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Ohio; Findlay and Fostoria.

The week after the workshop, I visited their Ohio Logistics’ operations in the two cities mentioned above and had a lengthy discussion with Chuck Bills who is the operations manager. He too is very bullish on the Mansfield area as a place in which they might want to expand their business model. The conversation is ongoing and we will continue to explore the ways in which we can work together to emulate some of the logistics successes they are experiencing in the Findlay area.

Another follow-up from the Warehousing Workshop was a meeting facilitated by Jack Plieninger. He has spent years working in the transportation sector of logistics here in Mansfield and Columbus. Jack, his son Scott, Sam VanCura, Kevin Nestor and I had a luncheon meeting with two of the top people of Pacer International; one of the leaders in rail to truck logistics. One of those with whom we met was Rick Plieninger, Jack’s other son and Jeff Brashares who grew up in the Lexington area. They too see this area as ripe for a logistics initiative such as the one we’re undertaking.

REDeC Annual Dinner Meeting:  Again this year we are planning to replace our usual December board meeting with a REDeC Annual Dinner Meeting. The date will be Thursday, December 7th at the MOESC Center (the former E-City). This year we will not only enjoy a wonderful meal but you will also hear from a keynote speaker whose name we will keep a secret for the time being. You will be receiving more details of this meeting in the coming weeks but we can tell you that the invitation will include board members and their wives, husbands or significant others. So keep the evening of Thursday, December 7th open.

Ellen Heinz Joins REDeC:   REDeC would like to introduce you to Ellen Heinz, the newest addition to our staff. Ellen's experience has been in business, most recently the non-profit sector, and in education. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University. Following her graduation, she worked as a business consultant for EDS. After that Ellen taught English as a Second Language in Japan for over a year. Upon her return to the U.S., she spent nearly the next three years working as a staffing coordinator and resource management specialist at an automotive engineering firm in Detroit. Ellen moved to Ohio in 2001. She received her Master’s degree in Education from Ashland University. Ellen served as a teacher in the Ashland City School District for four years and also was an Adjunct Instructor at Ashland University. With her background in education and business, Ellen’s responsibilities at REDeC will focus on workforce and marketing issues surrounding economic development. She currently resides in Lexington, Ohio. We are excited to have her join the REDeC team as we feel she will greatly contribute to our mission of retaining and expanding economic development in the Richland County area.

Marketing is Focus of RMC Summer Quarterly Meeting:   The RMC (Richland Manufacturing Coalition) had their quarterly meeting on Friday, July 28th at the Gorman Rupp training center on W. Sixth Street. The topic of the meeting was “Marketing and Your Business.” The program dealt with the issue of marketing from three different levels; those companies that are large enough to have their own “in house” department, the companies who use consultants in their marketing efforts, and the majority of the smaller companies whose marketing efforts are not as formally organized but just as important.

Presentations were made by Ken Rose of Gorman Rupp, Mark Romanchuk of PR Machine Works, and Jim Murphy from Focus Strategies. After the presentations, the panel of presenters led a discussion on trends and strategies in the current marketplace. This was a great opportunity to learn from and share with peers the successes, concerns, and challenges regarding this essential element of any company. The RMC would like to thank FirstMerit Bank and Gorman Rupp for supporting this event. If any members who could not attend the event would like more information about what was shared at the meeting, please contact us at 419-522-7332. The next quarterly meeting is scheduled for Friday, October 27th.

An RMC Member Directory has been created and distributed to RMC members. If you have not received a copy, please contact our office. In the near future, we will have a link to RMC information that you can access from the REDeC website and the directory will be available on-line too.

Post BRAC Work Continues… Over the past few months, Mike has continued to work with BRAC consultant Don Berno on 179th initiatives. We now know that the new mission for the 179th will be a joint Air Force/Army effort utilizing new light cargo planes. Mike and Don have met with the base commander of the 179th, Colonel Mark Stevens, and Rhonda Stannard, director of the Center for Corporate and Community Education at OSU Mansfield, to discuss the possibilities of creating a specialized training program to assist the base personnel with the transition. They are also exploring additional training opportunities. Don and Mike have also had meetings with the Springfield International Guard Base, which is undergoing a similar transformation to a new mission for their facility. We are considering the opportunity of exchanging experience and resources with this base.

REDeC Part of Team that Keeps MTD in Shelby: REDeC submitted a number of sites for an anonymous inquiry and accompanied ODOD representatives and the site selectors on a visit to a couple of Shelby locations. At REDeC’s request MKC & Associates rendered a drawing of what this site could look like with a large distribution center on it, which ODOD presented at a meeting with the corporate decision makers. REDeC also coordinated the gathering of information for a competitive incentive package presented by the City of Shelby that, ultimately, would retain 390 jobs in the community.

Archives: REDeC Newsletter, 2006, 1st_edition