Benjamin set to address CIC board

Ann Womer Benjamin, executive director of the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, based in Cleveland, will address the Community Improvement Corporation’s Board of Trustees during its February meeting.

The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 16, starting at 3:30 p.m. in the new home of  EM Media Inc.,  2728 Sunset Blvd.

Benjamin will brief the trustees on the purpose of her organization and also its talent dividend initiative.

Jim Emmerling, CEO of EM Media, also will address the board.  EM Media will hold an open house at its new facility on Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bootstraps seminar will focus on marketing

Project Bootstraps, the 2010 version, will continue on Wednesday, starting at 7 p.m. in the seminar room of the St. Joseph Center on the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Jeff Rankin, assistant professor of marketing at Franciscan, will be presenting “Marketing Planning – Entrepreneurial Approaches” emphasizing the marketing strategies needed to establish and sustain a successful business enterprise.

The seminars will conclude on Feb. 17 with a panel discussion involving 10 local business owners.

The seminars are sponsored by the Students in Free Enterprise chapter at Franciscan in cooperation with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, Progress Alliance, the Community Foundation of Jefferson County, Valley Ventures and The Steubenville Herald Star.

Wilson to speak at TechGROWTH program

U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson will be the featured speaker at a series of unprecedented events focusing on small business development TechGROWTH Ohio is sponsoring throughout southeast Ohio.

“Re-Inventing Small Business in Appalachia” will attract local business owners, inventors, staff members, members of the investment community, and entrepreneurs with new opportunities.  This invaluable event is part of a month-long series of seminars focusing on business growth in southeast Ohio.

"I look forward to meeting with our regional business owners and entrepreneurs to get a firsthand report of their opportunities and challenges,” Wilson said. “I know that a significant portion of the economic recovery in our area will come from small and mid-sized businesses.  I am grateful to TechGROWTH Ohio for its important work in helping to develop these economic engines."

Jefferson County will host the program on Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Pugliese Training Center on the campus of Eastern Gateway Community College. The program is free of charge and a light lunch will be served.  Pre-registration is highly encouraged and can be done by visiting www.techgrowthohio.com or by calling (740) 593-9588.

Enrollment up nearly 20 percent at EGCC

Eastern Gateway Community College this week reported enrollment increasing nearly 20 percent from spring 2009. For the spring semester, 2,020 students are taking classes at Eastern Gateway. Last spring, 1,691 students were enrolled.

Factors for the new growth include the increases in enrollment in the three counties added this year to the college's service district. The enrollment growth in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties is 85 percent from spring 2009 and 22 percent from fall 2009. There are 299 students enrolled in the three counties.

 "We are so pleased with the strength of these numbers in our broadened service district," said Dr. Laura Meeks, college president. "The numbers are a testament to the need for a community college at our new sites. We are very confident that enrollment will increase greatly in the coming years."

BOC nomination process remains open

Progress Alliance continues to accepting nominations for Best of the County awards. The organization will hold its second annual BOC dinner on Monday, March 29, starting at 6 p.m. in Wintersville’s St. Florian Hall.  Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams has accepted an invitation to deliver the keynote address.

Nomination forms for the awards are available on the Progress Alliance web site, www.theburb.org.  They also are available at the Progress Alliance office, located inside the Jefferson County Center for Economic Development, 630 Market St. in Steubenville.  Tickets for the event are priced at $65. A table of eight can be reserved for $500. For more information, please contact Progress Alliance at 283-2476.