Minutes from the NOACC Semi-Annual Meeting

Date: October 30, 2008

Place: Pickwick & Frolic’s Hilarities 4th Street Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio

Sponsored by: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield

NOACC Vice Chair Angie Pohlman (Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber) called the meeting to order at 4:20 p.m. Angie welcomed and thanked everyone for coming. She asked for a round of applause for all of the volunteers who made this special event possible and thanked the staff at Hilarities. Angie also thanked Beachwood Chamber Executive Director Wayne Lawrence for serving as the Bright Star Chairman and helping with the arrangements.

Angie announced that Steve Petti of New Image Media would video tape this event and thanked him for adding the video to NOACC TV on NOACC’s website.

Angie thanked Anthem for its sponsorship of this event and introduced Scott Misischia, Anthem’s Regional Sales Director, who thanked the attendees and expressed Anthem’s congratulations to all of the award winners.

Angie introduced the 2008 NOACC officers: Pat Krizansky, Secretary (Broadview Heights Chamber); Dayle Noll, Treasurer (North Ridgeville Chamber) and Angie Pohlman, Vice Chair (Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber). Angie noted that NOACC Chairperson Kathy Berkshire (Lakewood Chamber) could not attend, but played a short video message from her.

Angie Pohlman thanked the 2009 nominating committee: Mary Stamler (Garfield Heights Chamber), Tony Gallo (Lorain County Chamber) and Steve Petti (Warrensville Heights Area Chamber).

Angie called the chamber representatives’ attention to a folder they received at the door, which contained the minutes from the April 2008 NOACC meeting. She said these minutes were also sent to everyone in April and posted on the NOACC website. Angie asked if there were any corrections to the minutes, and hearing none, the minutes were automatically accepted.

Angie asked if there were any questions on the Treasurer's Report for the first half of 2008 (also in the folder), and hearing none, she announced that the report would be filed for audit.

Angie announced that NOACC has received an application for membership from the Milan Chamber of Commerce. A motion to approve was made by Sheila Ehrhardt (Huron Chamber), the motion was seconded, and there was unanimous approval of the Milan Chamber as a member, giving NOACC a total membership of 123 chambers.

Angie recognized those vendors in attendance and asked them to stand: Anthem; Benefits 1 Group, new workers’ compensation providers; GHI, NOACC’s web designer; Heartland Payment Systems; the Wellness Council and Independence Business Supply, NOACC’s newest benefit provider.

Angie announced that committee reports for today's meeting would be waived.

Angie introduced NOACC Executive Director Vicky Hawke. Vicky recognized those chambers that traveled the farthest to attend the meeting: Genoa, Spencerville and Orwell Grand Valley.

Vicky announced that an Anthem marketing fund has been createdto help chambers promote Anthem, which will be distributed to chambers equally based on participation. A system is being developed to determine how the chambers will share in these funds. More details will follow soon.

NOACC has a new workers’ compensation TPA: Benefits 1 Group. Chambers that promote this TPA’s program exclusively will earn a larger percentage of revenue generated by the fees paid by the participating groups.

NOACC’s newest benefit program is office supplies and services through Ohio’s largest office supply provider, Independence Business Supply. IBS offers great prices for chamber members, free delivery with no minimum orders, outstanding customer service and rebates to chambers.

Vicky called the attendees’ attention to the updated benefits matrix in their folders and noted that it is also posted on the NOACC website.

Vicky reminded the chambers they could use information on the NOACC website to promote any of the NOACC benefits. Chamber events may be entered into NOACC NetWORKS. NOACC TV includes the videos from previous NOACC meetings and events and still needs more testimonials and chamber events. NOACC TV can be linked to chambers’ websites.

Angie Pohlman introduced nominating committee chair Mary Stamler, who presented the slate of candidates for the 2009 NOACC officers: Kathy Berkshire (Lakewood Chamber), Chairman; Jessica Forsythe (Euclid Chamber), Vice Chairman; Wayne Lawrence (Beachwood Chamber), Vice Chairman; Dayle Noll (North Ridgeville), Treasurer and Pat Krizansky (Broadview Heights), Secretary.

Angie asked for any additional nominations from the floor. Hearing none, she declared the nominations closed. Doris Wroble (Middleburg Heights Chamber) made a motion to approve the 2009 slate, the motion was seconded and the vote of approval was unanimous. Angie congratulated the 2009 NOACC officers and thanked them for accepting these positions.

The NOACC business meeting was adjourned at 4:40 p.m.

BRIGHT STAR PRESENTATION

Angie introduced Beachwood Chamber Executive Director and Bright Star Chairman Wayne Lawrence who explained that the Bright Star program is a way to thank and recognize the chambers’ outstanding volunteers. Wayne introduced master of ceremonies Mark Nolan of WKYC-TV, who spoke briefly about volunteerism and importance of recognizing these Bright Stars.

Wayne Lawrence called the Bright Stars and their chamber representatives to the stage individually and explained the reasons why each was being honored. Honorees received their awards from Mark Nolan and their photos were taken with Mark Nolan, Wayne Lawrence, Vicky Hawke and their chamber representatives.

The 2008 Bright Star honorees were:

Lenny Morella (Akron Boards of Trade Council), Lisa Kusner (Aurora Chamber), Heathyr Ullmo (Beachwood Chamber), Chuck St. John (Bedford Chamber), Candy Banks (Brook Park Chamber), Floyd Ostrowski (Broadview Heights Chamber), Chip Wood (Bryan Chamber), Frank Makoski (Chesterland Chamber), Charlene Paparizos (Cuyahoga Valley Chamber), James Foreman (Euclid Chamber), Marjorie Snyder (Fairview Park Chamber), Sally L. Templeman (Garfield Heights Chamber), Marilyn Reeder (Genoa Area Chamber), Raymond Sussel (Heights-Hillcrest Regional Chamber), Douglas Studer (Huron Chamber), Anne Moneypenny (Kent Area Chamber), Mary Jo Miller (Lake County Chambers), Carol Mason (Lakewood Chamber), Yvonne Sivard (Lodi Area Chamber), Ann Duez (Marblehead Peninsula Chamber), Robert Kovacevic (Middleburg Heights Chamber), Rob Capretto (North Coast Regional Chamber), Shellie McQuaid (North Olmsted Chamber), Jack Smith (North Ridgeville Chamber), Matt Chmura (Oberlin Area Chamber), Terri Mrosko (Olmsted Chamber), Annette Herbster (Orwell Grand Valley Chamber), Cliff Obrock (Rocky River Chamber), Jim Kelvington (Solon Chamber), Judy Bowersock (Spencerville Chamber), Amy Wright (Streetsboro Area Chamber), Tom Burichin (Strongsville Chamber), Linda Garrett (Valley City Chamber), John Dunn (Vermilion Chamber), Chalana Williams (Warrensville Heights Area Chamber), Alice Harrison (Wellington Chamber) and Mike Mandato (West Shore Chamber).

After a few final words from Mark Nolan, Wayne Lawrence thanked everyone. Angie Pohlman returned to the stage and thanked Wayne and Mark, the Bright Stars, Pickwick & Frolic, New Image Media for videotaping and posting the video of this event online, Discovery Photo for taking pictures and Inside Business Magazine for the story that will appear in the December 2008 issue.

James Foreman (Euclid Chamber) was the winner of a door prize donated by Anthem: a pair of tickets to the Browns/Bengals game.

At 5:10 p.m. attendees moved to the Martini Bar for networking and a reception.

PRESENT: Akron Boards of Trade Council, Aurora, Beachwood, Broadview Heights, Brook Park, Chesterland, Cuyahoga Valley, Euclid, Fairview Park, Garfield Heights, Genoa Area, Heights-Hillcrest Regional, Huron, Lakewood, Lodi Area, Marblehead Peninsula, Middleburg Heights, North Coast Regional, North Olmsted, North Ridgeville, Oberlin Area, Olmsted, Orwell Grand Valley, Rocky River, Solon, Spencerville, Streetsboro Area, Strongsville, Valley City, Vermilion, Warrensville Heights Area, Wellington, West Shore.

Prepared by: Pat Krizansky (Broadview Heights), NOACC Secretary and Vicky Hawke, NOACC Executive Director

Respectfully submitted by: Pat Krizansky (Broadview Heights), NOACC Secretary