Business Journal April 2012 B Section

8/2/2019 Business Journal April 2012 B Section

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BINSID

ETHE

BusinessJournalOF WEST CENTRAL OHIO

April 2012

Industrial & Commercial Roofingwww.CottermanRoofng.com

Minster & Dayton

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Columbus, OH Its a new day at the farm-- Bob Evans Farms recently announced thatnot only will it have refreshed 121 restaurantsbefore the end of its fiscal year in April, thebrand has plans to refresh approximately 160restaurants in the next fiscal year, as well as

expand into its 19th state, Arkansas.The Farm-Fresh Refresh restaurant revital-ization program is an effort to update facilities,modernize the brand, and stay relevant with achanging demographic. Refreshes include anentirely new look to the interior and exteriorof each restaurant, as well as features for busyfamilies, like the Taste of the Farm Bakeryoffering a delicious array of baked goods, adedicated carry-out area for quick meals togo, and gift card displays. Each refreshed res-taurant also features a mural in the entrywaydepicting Bob Evans farm heritage. The din-

ing rooms feature more modern furnishings

and light fixtures and fresher, brighter colorschemes for fabric, carpet and walls.

Our guests use restaurants differentlythan they once did. While they still like toconnect with each other over a family meal,theyre also looking for homestyle meals to go

that can feed a whole family, says Bob Ev-ans Restaurants Chief Concept Officer RandyHicks. Bob Evans is meeting that need withour successful Family Meals To Go options,aided by our refreshed restaurants new carry-out and bakery areas.

The company began its remodeling cam-paign in 2010 with the 31-restaurant Dayton,Ohio, market, then in 2011, moved on to theToledo, Ohio, and Detroit, Mich., marketwhere 42 restaurants received refreshes. TheCincinnati (48) market is now underway, fol-lowed by the companys hometown of Co-

lumbus in 2012. Ninety restaurants will be

refreshed before the companys current fiscalyear ends in April 2012. The company thenplans to refresh 159 restaurants in fiscal year2013, with an overall goal of refreshing eachof the 500+ restaurants over the course of thenext three years.

All our remodel markets are outperform-ing the chains same-store sales performanceby approximately 5 percentage points, saysSteve Davis, chairman and CEO of Bob EvansFarms, Inc. The refreshes both modernize thebrand and stimulate the economy by creatingboth local construction and hospitality jobs.Were proud that each growth project brings apositive message to the community.

Refreshed restaurants are also donatingtheir old cabinets, chairs, tables, lighting andother furnishings to local Habitat for Human-ity chapters, helping the less fortunate in each

restaurants local community with thousands

of dollars worth of materials.The companys growth plans dont end

with the refreshes Bob Evans also recentlycompleted a $4 million renovation of the origi-nal Bob Evans Farm and first restaurant in RioGrande, Ohio. And this spring Bob Evans will

open two brand-new restaurants in Ohio, onein Florida, and two in Arkansas (Rogers andFort Smith) -- Bob Evans first new state inmore than a decade.

Weve long said Bob Evans is a regionalbrand with national potential, says Davis,and were thrilled to be introducing the sim-ple taste of the farm to our newest market inArkansas. We look forward to even more newstates in coming years, and to introducing ournew look to our guests.

Guests can keep track of the refresh pro-grams progress at http://www.bobevans.com/

Project-Refresh.

Bob Evans Restaurant continues growth


2/12

2B TheBusinessJournal April 2012

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Coldwater native Matt Hibner recentlyjoined the staff of Garmann/Miller & Asso-ciates, Inc. of Minster. He earned his Masterof Architecture from Miami University andhis Bachelor of Science in Architecture fromBall State University.

Since entering the profession in 2005,he has been exposed to a broad scope ofproject types, including civic, government,military, higher education, PK-12 education,healthcare and sustainable architecture. Mattbecame a LEED Accredited Professional(LEED AP) through the US Green Building

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April 2012 TheBusinessJournal 3B

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The American Marketing Association(AMA) defines a brand as a name, term,sign, symbol or design, or a combinationof them intended to identify the goods andservices of one seller or group of sellersand to differentiate them from those ofother sellers.

Therefore it makes sense to under-stand that branding is not about gettingyour target market to choose you over thecompetition, but it is about getting your

prospects to see you as the only one thatprovides a solution to their problem.

The objectives that a good brand willachieve include:

Delivers the message clearly

Confirms your credibility

Connects your target prospects emo-tionally

Motivates the buyer

Concretes User Loyalty

To succeed in branding you must un-

derstand the needs and wants of your cus-tomers and prospects. You do this by inte-grating your brand strategies through yourcompany at every point of public contact.

Your brand resides within the heartsand minds of customers, clients, and pros-pects. It is the sum total of their experi-ences and perceptions, some of which youcan influence, and some that you cannot.

A strong brand is invaluable as the bat-tle for customers intensifies day by day.

Its important to spend time investing inresearching, defining, and building yourbrand. After all your brand is the sourceof a promise to your consumer. Its a foun-dational piece in your marketing commu-nication and one you do not want to bewithout.

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4/124B TheBusinessJournal April 2012

Dedicated to Excellence since 1920

The new corporate ofce for Koenig Equipment was constructed using environmentally-friendlysustainable building practices. This building has already earned the L.E.E.D. Silver rating and hasmany green features including: reective metal roof panels, low-ow plumbing xtures, automaticlighting controls and low V.O.C. paints, solvents, adhesives, wall coverings and carpeting.

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Superior Federal Credit Union is proudto announce the construction of a new full-service office and drive-thru in St. Marys,located in the Shoppes at St. Marys. Con-struction is slated to begin in early 2012,with completion by October 2012.

We feel the new St. Marys location willcomplement our other branches through-out the area, said Phil Buell, President

and CEO of Superior. Our goal is to pro-vide our members with great service at themost convenient locations.

Superior has already opened a tem-porary location in downtown St. Marys,located at 208 E. Spring Street. SchnipkeBuilders has been selected as the GeneralContractor for the building project. Thenew facility was designed by Dick Wuestof K4 Architecture in Cincinnati, OH.

The new office will be managed by

Phil Schumann. Phil comes to Superiorwith over 30 years of experience in bank-ing, consumer and mortgage lending. Inhis new position, he will be handling con-sumer lending & residential mortgagesfor Auglaize and Mercer Counties. Philgraduated from Lima Technical Collegeand Bluffton University with a B.A. inOrganizational Management. He is mar-

ried and lives in Celina with his wife,Kay.

Superior Federal Credit Union is afull-service financial cooperative servingmembers in West Central Ohio. SuperiorFCU currently serves over 46,000 mem-bers with assets of $385 million. Thecredit union also provides consumer andmortgage loans, checking and savingsaccounts, brokerage services, and smallbusiness services and loans.

Superior Federal Credit Unionannounces new location

Defiance recognized for economic development effortsThe city of Defiance has

been recognized by Site Se-lection magazine as one ofthe Top Micropolitansin the United States, ac-cording to Defiance Coun-ty Economic Development.The magazine ranks citiesof 10,000 to 50,000 peoplewhich cover at least onecounty in terms of new or expanded corpo-rate facility announcements. Defiance wasranked 48th out of 576 communities.

After a very weak economy in 2010, wewere pleased to see several local companiesmake significant investments in Defianceduring 2011, said Jerry Hayes, executivedirector of Defiance County Economic De-velopment. We use our Top Micropolitanranking in our marketing message to illus-trate that the Defiance community is a busi-ness-friendly, growing community. And ourtrack record shows that we are consistent inour pro-business policies.

Defiance has earned top micoplitanbilling for 11 out of the last 12 years. Ohiobested North Carolina and Pennsylvania asthe state with the most cities that qualifiedfor this award. In addition, the state of Ohiohas won the 2011 Site Selection GovernorsCup, which the 58-year-old Atlanta-based

magazine awards annu-ally to the U.S. state withthe most new and expand-ed corporate facilities.

Site Selections yearlyanalyses are regardedby corporate real estateanalysts as the industryscoreboard. The Buck-eye States 498-project

finish for 2011 is up substantially from its376 projects logged in 2010, which put Ohiobehind Texas in the last contest.

We are pleased that projects like thosecompleted at General Motors and DefianceMetal Products, as well as the FWT LLCexpansion underway in Hicksville, helpedOhio earn recognition from a national publi-cation, said Jared Orzolek, assistant direc-tor of Defiance County Economic Develop-ment.

Key to Ohios resurgence has been theimplementation of a business-like approachto economic development at the state level.This effort is led by JobsOhio, a public-pri-vate partnership that privatizes the develop-ment function of the Ohio Dept. of Develop-ment.

We were the number one job creator inthe Midwest in 2011 and number nine in theUnited

States, says Mark Kvamme, presidentof JobsOhio. In 2010, we were 47th in jobcreation in the United States. The governorbuilt the cabinet and development groupthat was solely focused on job creation.

Site Selections rankings focus on newcorporate location projects with significantimpact. The magazine does not track retailand government projects, or schools andhospitals.


5/12April 2012 TheBusinessJournal 5B

Citizens National Bank (CNB) has namedAndy Althaus as SVP/Accounting Manager.

In this position, Althaus will supervise thebanks accounting department, providing riskmanagement, performance measurement andfinancial reporting for the institution.

Althaus is a graduate of Bluffton College,where he received his BA in Accountingand Economics. He began working at Citi-

zens National Bank in 1989 and transitionedinto the accounting department in 1991. J.Michael Romey, President/CEO, said of Al-thaus, Andy has been instrumental in devel-oping the reporting to monitor our strategicdirection, and will continue to be a key influ-encer in future decision making.

Andy is a member of the St. Marys Cath-olic Church. He resides in Bluffton with hiswife, Danielle, and daughter, Adelyn.

With offices in Bluffton, Celina, Defi-ance, Elida, Findlay, Lima, Springfield andVan Wert, Citizens National Bank has assets

totaling more than $580 million and has beenserving the communities of West CentralOhio since 1920.

Andy Althaus

named

SVP Accounting

Manager at

CitizensNational Bank

www.businessjrnl.com

By Neil Winget, Presi-dent BBB

Businesses around theregion, and all across thenation, are still being buf-

feted by a scam that isbecoming a threat to thereputation of companiesand the Better BusinessBureau alike.

It comes in the formof an emailed complaintnotice, saying that thecompany in questionhas an unanswered com-plaint and is in jeopardyof losing its good stand-

ing with the BBB.The email beginsby saying, Dear busi-ness proprietor, we haveobtained several com-plaints about your com-pany alleging a scam.You are asked to provideyour official response tothis complaint within 14days. Lack of responsefor this information will

result in cancellationyour Better Business Bu-reau rating and probabletermination of your BBBstatus.

This is all bogus. The language used

does not conform to thestyle of the BBB.

The BBB does notmake threats to compa-nies via email.

There is no suchterm as cancellation ofthe BBB rating.

The original versionof this email refers thecompany to the Councilof Better Business Bu-reaus which, as a rule,does not process com-plaints.

More recent versionsdo name specific bureauswhich makes it all the

more believable to theuninitiated.

The facts are: The BBB has noth-

ing to do with this email. The BBB is investi-

gating with the coopera-

tion of the FBI and otherlaw enforcement agen-cies.

The BBB has man-aged to shut down some

of the sources of this

email but they continue tobe distributed around thecountry.

If your company hasreceived such an email,

do not open the attach-

ment. Doing so can infectyour computer and com-promise the system anddata stored there. Contactyour computer tech or IT

person immediately to

have your system checkedand also report it to theBBB serving West CentralOhio at (419) 223-7010 [email protected].

Companies threatened by scam

Suspect a natural gas leak?

safegasohio.org

First, move your feet!Then call when youre down the street.Outside or in, detecting a natural gas leak is easy. To help you SMELL a leak from a gas line or appliance, a

familiar odor like rotten eggs is often added to natural gas. Or you might SEEblowing dirt, bubbling water

or an unusual area of dead vegetation. A leaking pipeline might also make a hissing sound you can HEAR.

Also, remember to call the Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) by dialing 811 at least two working days

before digging on your property. And if you suspect a gas leakwalk away, right away. Once clear of the

area, call Dominion East Ohio, at 1-877-542-2630.

Learn more at dom.com, keyword(s): Natural Gas Safety


6/126B TheBusinessJournal April 2012

Colleges & Universities

There is plenty to be excited about

on the Defiance College campus thisspring, highlighted by the opening ofthe much-anticipated 84,000-square-foot George M. Smart Athletic Center.

The center includes a regula-tion 200-meter indoor track recentlynamed the Richard M. and CarolynM. Small Track, and an inside trackthat will accommodate tennis, volley-ball and basketball courts. The facilityalso includes the Duane C. HockingTraining Room, weight room, locker

area, and offices. The Randall L. andMarilyn A. Buchman Fitness Centerwill continue to be a dual partnershipwith the Defiance Area YMCA.

Opening of the new complex willenhance Defiance Colleges athleticfacilities and programs while playinga significant regional role as the settingfor major non-college events.

While Defiance College continuesto remain the college of choice for alarge number of Northwest Ohio stu-dents, there is a deliberate campaignto recruit nationally to create a broadergeographic diversity on campus. In thepast year, applicants from 48 differentstates and territories applied for admis-sion to DC. Nearly 40 percent of thecurrent freshman class has come fromoutside of Ohio.

New students are attracted to manyof the distinguishing programs offeredat Defiance College including interna-

tional travel and undergraduate researchthrough the McMaster School for

Advancing Humanity; a growing music

program; new intercollegiate athleticteams (swimming and lacrosse); andexpanded cultural programs offeringtrips to Chicago, New York City, andother destinations for concerts, theater,and art.

Best of both worldsStudents are attracted to Defiance

College because of its size which allowsfor individualized attention while at thesame time offers a wide range of oppor-

tunities that will enable them to standout in the job market and when applyingto graduate schools.

With the guidance of committed anddedicated faculty, students experienceinnovative programs that link what goeson in the classroom with the realities ofthe outside world. They receive hands-on experience in their field of studythrough quality internships, domesticand international travel, diverse culturalexperiences, and distinctive service andresearch opportunities.

The following Imagine Initiativeshave been introduced to enhance everystudents academic experience:

DC Global is an opportunity forevery entering full-time freshman whocompletes the full four-year programat DC to travel to a foreign countryduring their years at Defiance. Theseinternational experiences take placeduring the junior or senior. They could

be a course-embedded experience, afaculty-designed trip, a self-designed

project through the McMaster School,

an Honors trip, or as a scholarship tohelp pay travel costs for a semester oryear-long study abroad program.

Cultural/Performing Arts Initiative inwhich every student has an opportunitybefore graduating to attend a wide rangeof mind-broadening cultural experienc-es such as symphonies, operas, ballets,musicals, and art and science museumsin New York City, Chicago, Detroit,Toronto, Cleveland, and other cities.

DC to D.C., an initiative in which

every student has an opportunitybefore graduating to experience ournations history firsthand, traveling toWashington, D.C., Philadelphia or otherplaces of historical significance.

DC EDventures, a domestic travelinitiative in which every student has anopportunity before graduating to travelfor 7-10 days domestically with facultymembers for an enrichment experiencerelated to the students major.

Project 701The newest example of real-world

experience that joins classroom knowl-edge with service is Project 701, anincorporated nonprofit organization thatgives students an opportunity to create,develop, manage and run a wide rangeof projects. DC students serve on theboard of directors along with adminis-trators, faculty and alumni. Managementand staff positions are held by students.

Interdisciplinary project teams offer amultitude of opportunities for studentsto lead, learn, and bring about positivechange within neighboring communi-ties.

Earlier this year, the newest Project701 initiative, Defiance Cares FreeClinic, opened its doors. A group ofstudents assembled a collaborativewith Mercy Hospital of Defiance,the Defiance Clinic, and PromedicaDefiance Regional Hospital to provide afree primary care health clinic. DefianceCounty residents who are uninsuredor otherwise in need of medical careare eligible for medical services at themonthly clinic.

The list of Project 701 initiatives

is impressive and growing. DC PC

Solutions was formed by digital foren-sic science students to provide com-puter repair and related services to thelocal community.

Graphic design students started adesign studio, Creating Defiance, offer-ing design services to nonprofit organi-zations and small businesses. Businessstudents involved in Students in FreeEnterprise (SIFE) have started an effortto provide loans to microbusinesses inJamaica.

The Backpack Buddy programinvolves numerous community part-ners to provide backpacks filled withfood for scores of area children whoqualify to receive much-needed nutri-tion for themselves and their siblingseach weekend. DC students coordinatethe logistics of the program, purchas-ing food and scheduling volunteers tofill the backpacks at St. John UnitedChurch of Christ.

Opportunities aboundDefiances strong academic programs

are preparing students to be competitivein the job market. While developingprofessional skills, they are learningin a liberal arts setting that encouragesgrowth as an individual. An environ-ment of commitment to success beginsat Orientation when students meet indi-vidually with a team of advisers todevelop their own Personal Success

Plan that will strategically map out theircollege goals.

National advisory boards in manymajors bring together experts fromacross the country to provide real-timeand real-world advice. These boardsinclude many of DCs own successfulalumni.

Defiance College heads toward aneven brighter future, fulfilling its mis-sion by providing a strong liberal artseducation. Outstanding professionalpreparation combined with engagedlearning experiences give students theopportunity to develop their careerskills in local communities and aroundthe globe,

Defiance College


7/12


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Wright State University (WSU) President David Hopkins, Lake Campus Dean Bonnie

Mathies, Western Ohio Educational Foundation (WOEF) Board members, and represen-tatives from the WSU Board of Trustees join WOEF Development Officer Tom Knapkein the ceremonial ribbon cutting to open student housing at the Lake Campus.

Wright StateUniversity

Wright State Universitys LakeCampus, located in Celina, contin-

ues to grow and expand. Fall 2011enrollment was among the higheston record, with a headcount of 1,417.High school dual enrollment, whichinvolves approximately 300 studentsfrom over 20 schools spanning sev-eral west Central Ohio counties, con-tinues to increase as more and morehigh school students take advantageof opportunities to earn college creditwhile seated in their high school.

The first tenants of Lake Campushousing have moved in, making theLake Campus a residential campus for

the first time in its 50-year history. InOctober 2011, a formal ribbon-cutting

was held to celebrate the completionof Knapke Villa, first building of theStudent Housing Villas.

In other renovation and construc-tion news, the Lake Campus cafeteriaunderwent a facelift and was reopenedas The Boathouse. To celebrate, theLake Campus partnered with Sodexoand WSU Dining Services as well asBarnes & Noble, which now managesthe Lake Campus Bookstore, to pro-vide special events such as activities,free food, raffles and giveaways.

See WRIGHT STATE, page 8B


8/12


Defiance

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Academically, Wright State will moveto a semester calendar in Fall 2012.The faculty, staff, and administration ofWright State is diligently working withstudents to maintain academic progress

before, during, and after the conversionto semesters. To prepare for the finalstages of this process, the Lake Campuswill expand courses offered in Summer2012, assisting students who wish tograduate, complete a course sequence, orcomplete their general education classesbefore the first day of classes on Aug.27. For more information, please reviewthe Semesters Web site at www.wright.edu/semesters .

Also, in curriculum news, the Lake

Campus is proud to offer the entirecurriculum for the bachelors of sci-ence degree in mechanical engineering,with a manufacturing concentration. Inlate 2011 local industry leaders hadthe opportunity to meet with P. RubyMawasha, Ph.D., the founding directorof the Lake Campus Engineering andComputer Science program. Mawasha

will work closely with local industry toidentify areas of specialization in manu-facturing engineering, such as roboticsand automation, micro-fabrication, com-puter simulation and other areas relevant

to the needs of the regions employers.Once identified, engineering studentswill begin taking specific classes inthose topics that are most applicable tocompanies in the area.

For the 2011-12 academic year, theWestern Ohio Educational Foundation(WOEF) awarded 175 scholarships to128 recipients, for a total of almost$248,000 in assistance to Lake Campusstudents. Since 1962, the WOEF Boardhas awarded over $2.7 million in schol-

arship monies.2012 also marks the 50th anniversary

of the WOEF Board and their commit-ment to higher education in the area.Several special events are planned torecognize the WOEF Board.

Visit www.wright.edu/lake for moreinformation.

Wright State (Continued fom page 7B)


9/12


VISIT OUR WEBSITE:www.midwestcommunity.org

EMAIL US AT:[email protected]

Defiance Main Office

08770 St. Rt. 66, 419-783-6500

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Business Banking

Business banking is fundamentallya collection of account packages and

financial services that are particularlysuited and focussed towards businessesand companies. For the business ownerthe choice of banking services is a vitallyimportant decision that can have majorramifications at a later date. Subsequent-ly when choosing a bank care should betaken, without a careful approach you canfind yourself in a situation where value isin no way apparent.

Opening a business account is simpleenough for most people, naturally some

legal issues arise and previous convic-tions can become a problem. Some banksdiffer in the amount of personal informa-tion they will need in order to open anaccount. Nearly all banks however willgive account holders some form of priceincentive, typically a reduction in bankingcharges for the first few months of bank-ing.

The first step is always to assess theneeds of the business and bear these in

mind when making a decision over bank-ing charges. A smaller company, or one

that is just staring operations will prob-ably be able to take advantage of an ac-count that simply allows cheques to becashed and funds to be removed at will.

Additionally this type of operationshould not be overly concerned with in-terest rates and should instead focus uponthe cost of charges. At this stage busi-nesses rarely make a great deal of profitand hence avoiding costs when in the redis far more preferable.

Those who run an established com-

pany however should undertake differentconsiderations. In most cases this type ofbusiness will already have an account butthey may wish to change their bankingservices. If this is the case factors suchas the customer service provided by thebank, the rates of interest and the amountof charges should be considered.

If any are inadequate then taking timeto find a new bank can be financially re-warding. If changing banking services,

taking time to study the interest rates ofmany banks whilst also assessing theircustomer service is advisable should abetter level of service be found.

In the modern world account features

such as internet banking are now com-monplace. In addition phone banking hasarisen as a convenient way for businessowners to study their transactions, theaccount balance and any other issues inreal time from the comfort of the office.If these services are not offered by thebank it must be considered why they arenot and whether your company can reallyafford the time of having to head to thebanks branch twice a week.

Many who are opening a first busi-ness account are swayed to use the same

bank that holds their personal finances.This is unadvisable for a number of rea-sons. Firstly it is rarely worth holdingall of your financial eggs in one basket;particularly in these times of economicstrife, hedging your bets by storing yourcompany and private accounts in differ-ent accounts can be beneficial should theworst happen.

Additionally not all banks are able tooffer the same incentives or services, ifyou are blinkered into using your exist-

ing bank it should be considered if theycan work as hard for you as a bank that isactively trying to court your business?

Hopefully this article has made it clearthat research is the most important courseof action when choosing banking servic-es. Ultimately your business will suffer ifthe wrong choice is made. Hence a con-scientious, logical approach that is basedupon the facts will yield the best resultsfor your company and its finances.

Business banking services, the importance of researchBusiness banking is

fundamentally a collection ofaccount packages and financial

services that are particularlysuited and focussed towardsbusinesses and companies.


10/12


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InternetBanking CommercialLoans LinesofCredit RealEstateLoans

Bank companies succeed despit concernsBanking stocks have performed strong

of late. The SPDR S&P Bank ETF (KBE+0.79%) is up roughly 9 percent over thelast month. Earlier this month Guggen-heim argued that large-cap U.S. banks

could gain another 20 percent throughoutthe next year despite the sectors sharprebound during the past four months. TheParagon Report examines the outlook forcompanies in the banking industry andprovides equity research on JPMorganChase & Co. (NYSE: JPM +1.82%, news)and Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC+0.41%, news).

Access to the full company reports canbe found at:

www.paragonreport.com/JPM

www.paragonreport.com/BACLast week Federal Reserve Chairman

Ben Bernanke told a congressional panelthat U.S. banks could withstand shocksfrom Europe, even if the debt crisis over-

seas significantly worsened. Although ablow-up in Europe would be very costlyto the American economy, I think we arein much better shape to meet those chal-lenges than we were a few years ago,Bernanke said to the committee.

Bernanke said U.S. banks have hadtime to adjust their exposures and hedgetheir risks. However, Bernanke said thatroughly 35 percent of assets in U.S. primemoney market funds are European hold-ings.

The Paragon Report provides investorswith an excellent first step in their duediligence by providing daily trading ideas,and consolidating the public informationavailable on them. For more investment

research on the banking industry registerwith us free at www.paragonreport.comand get exclusive access to our numerousstock reports and industry newsletters.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has recentlyhired Hong Kong-based Johan Sudiman,a former director of the distressed loansdesk at Deutsche Bank AG, to help driveits loans trading business, said two peoplefamiliar with the matter who declined tobe identified because the details are pri-vate.

Bank of America Corp. recently an-nounced a number of new online and mo-bile capabilities for its Merrill Edge cus-tomers. These new capabilities include aMerrill Edge Android application, remote

check deposit functionality for iPhones,bill-pay functionality for iPads and a newInvestment Product Education Center.

The Paragon Report has not been com-pensated by any of the above-mentionedpublicly traded companies. Paragon Re-port is compensated by other third partyorganizations for advertising services. Weact as an independent research portal andare aware that all investment entails inher-ent risks. Please view the full disclaimer athttp://www.paragonreport.com/disclaimer

EAST LIBERTY, Ohio, March 19,2012 Launching its second major newmodel in only three months, the East Lib-erty Auto Plant today started mass produc-tion of the all-new 2013 Acura RDX. Thepopular luxury crossover SUV will go onsale at Acura dealerships nationwide nextmonth.

Acura dealers, local community leadersand public officials joined associates at theplant today as the first mass-produced 2013Acura RDX rolled off the assembly line.Also on hand for the line-off event wasJohn Mendel, executive vice president ofsales at American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

Acura is a brand for luxury customerswho aspire to the highest levels of qual-ity and value, and the East Liberty teamis going to play a very important role forus as we move forward with production ofthis exceptional new Acura RDX, Men-del said. We know the East Liberty plant

is one of the best in the world, as is evidentby your high quality rankings.

Located northwest of Columbus in Lo-gan County, the East Liberty plant wasthe recipient of a Silver Award from J.D.Power and Associates for its outstandingquality in 2011. The plant will producethe second-generation Acura RDX for theU.S. and export markets, using domesticand globally sourced parts. In December,2011, the plant launched the all-new 2012Honda CR-V, Americas most popular SUVin January and February of 2012. The EastLiberty Plant is the sole production sourcefor the new Acura RDX and is responsiblefor manufacturing the majority of HondaCR-V models for U.S. customers.

We are proud to be the exclusive globalmanufacturer of the luxury Acura RDX,said East Liberty Auto Plant manager, JohnMayberry. Our associates work hard toexceed the expectations of every customer,

and as a team we are committed to produc-ing the best products in the world.

In addition to the finished product, theengines and automatic transmissions forthe Acura RDX and Honda CR-V also aremade in Ohio, at the Honda of Americaengine plant in Anna, and at Honda Trans-mission Mfg. in Russells Point.

The Acura RDX also is an importantproduct for domestic suppliers in Ohio andthe rest of North America that manufactureparts and components for its production.Overall, approximately 150 suppliers inOhio and 600 in North America produceparts for Hondas seven auto plants inNorth America. Hondas parts purchas-es from Ohio suppliers totaled nearly $6billion in 2011, and $16 billion in NorthAmerica.

The East Liberty Auto Plant began pro-ducing automobiles in 1989 and currentlyemploys approximately 2,500 associates.

In addition to the RDX and CR-V, the1.9-million-square-foot plant also produc-es the Honda Crosstour for the U.S. andexport markets.

In a major innovation of its operations,Honda is investing $166 million at theEast Liberty Plant. Construction currentlyis under way on a 155,000-square-foot ex-pansion for new door and instrument panelsub-assembly lines, and for the extensionof the plants final assembly line. Addi-tionally, construction began last year ona 396,000-square-foot parts consolidationcenter. This center will significantly re-duce fuel consumption and exhaust emis-sions associated with the shipment of partsto the plant, including CO2 emissions thatcontribute to global warming.

These projects are among the more than$500 million in new capital investmentsthat Honda has announced at its plants inOhio over the past 16 months.

Production of the All-New 2013 Acura RDX Begins in Ohio


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This is the 20th anniversary of my firstcolumn. Sales Moves first appeared in theCharlotte Business Journal on March 23,1992. The column was an instant success. Itsoon found its way to Dallas, Atlanta, Den-ver, Philadelphia, and a bunch of other cities.My column has appeared in more than 250publications.

Mark Ethridge, then-publisher of theCharlotte Business Journal, novelist, Pulit-zer Prize winning journalist, and my goodfriend and supporter, said that publishingSales Moves was his most impactful market-ing decision of 1992.

It was the turning point in my career.As a result of the columns publication,

people began to call from all over the coun-try, and still do every day. Newspapers calledwanting to publish the column. Readers calledto thank me for helping them make sales. Ifound out that salespeople were hanging myweekly article on the wall in their offices.They were copying the column and passingit around. They were mailing it to friends andcoworkers in other cities. They were usingthe column to lead sales meetings.

All of that occurred before the Inter-net. Times, and publishing strategies, havechanged. Drastically. So have lots of salesstrategies. This writing is strategic for you tounderstand what is NOW, and what you haveto do to be prepared for NEXT.

Think about the early days ofURL registration. What kind offortune could you have made ifyou had jumped on it. Did you?Many people waited. Too long.How long did you wait? I wasastute enough to get my familyname, Gitomer.com You?

I have been writing for 20years. For that same amount oftime, I have asked you to writewith me. I know what writingdoes because I live the essenceof it. In 1992 you had to rely onprint media. Now, youre yourown publishing house. Theresno reason for your voice to be muted, and(through search engines and social media)every opportunity to be found.

If youre old enough to have been in theworking world 20 years ago, you have seenmany evolutions: cell phone, computer, lap-top, software, internet, email, wireless con-nection, the rise and fall of CompuServe andAOL, car phones (remember them?) and therise of China to name a few.

The list below is not a to do list. Its ato understand first and to make a (flexible)plan of action second lis t. To take consistent,deliberate actions to create your own suc-cess. These are imperatives for the nowand the near future. Imperatives are not op-

tional.Here are the imperatives of

success for 2012 and the next20 years:

1. THINK. Set aside time tounderstand and see the big picture,and how you fit into it. Along-side of your to do list, create alonger list of to become. Thatswhere thinking comes from. KEYPOINT OF UNDERSTANDING:Document as you think. Dont letthoughts and ideas escape. Ever.

2. ALLOCATE TIME. Timemanagement is pass. Allocateproductive use for each hour of the

day. Time management is a waste of time,has no finite measurement, and is confusing.Time allocation says: there are 24 hours inthe day. And asks: how will you invest eachone of them? Once you realize you need anhour to make follow-ups, an hour to answeremails, an hour to do business social me-dia, and so on you now understand whereyour day goes. There is flexibility to go onappointments, attend meetings, and be withyour family but allocation is a word thatresonates and a concept you can control.

3. ATTRACT. Getting customers to callyou is the real key to convert selling to buy-ing. Writing with valuable messages createsattraction (not sitting on a couch manifest-

ing). NOTE WELL: Please dont confuse thiswith prospecting or cold calling thoseelements of selling are over. You repel withcold call sales messages that interrupt others.You attract with consistent value messages.

4. ENGAGE. The step after attract is en-gage. I got you here. Can I keep you here?Why would I want to read, or get involved,or buy? Those answers will lead you to sales.Maybe you need to ask the last ten peoplethat bought.

5. CONNECT. I may buy, but it may betransactional. Is there any reason to stay con-nected with you? I dont know your reasons,but I know mine. My customers (like you)want more now and next knowledge. Mycustomers want stuff about them and theirsuccess. Yours?

Yikes! Im out of space. To be continuedwith the rest of the now and soon impera-tives. This full two-part article will be prom-inently displayed on my website after thesecond part appears next week. Stay tuned and thank you for your loyalty.

Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The Sales Bible, Customer Sat-isfaction is Worthless Customer Loyalty is Priceless, The Little RedBook of Selling, The Little Red Book of Sales Answers, The LittleBlack Book of Connections, The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude,The Little Green Book of Getting Your Way, The Little PlatinumBook of Cha-Ching, The Little Teal Book of Trust, The Little Bookof Leadership, and Social BO OM! His website, www.gitomer.com,will lead you to more information about training and seminars, oremail him personally at [email protected].

2012 All Rights Reserved. Dont even think about repro-ducing this document without written permission from Jeffrey H.Gitomer and Buy G itomer. 704/333-1112

A celebration of consistency - A legacy of insight

JeffreyGitomer


12/12


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Business Journal April 2012 B Section

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