From the Board

Welcome to the latest issue of OCCV Connections, our first newsletter for 2024!

A heartfelt thanks to those who have supported us thus far. Since we launched late last year, we’ve heard from many Veteran and military connected business owners across the state about ways that that we can help support them in their entrepreneur journey. We appreciate the feedback and have some amazing things in store for this year!

A major milestone reached the last few months is obtaining our first sponsor! Check out more out this fantastic Veteran owned business later in the newsletter.

Finally, because of our generous sponsor, we were able to revamp our website! Check it out to send us a message, volunteer for a committee, sign up for membership, or keep up on OCCV and other community activities.

A few new features of this newsletter: Resources Center, where you can find links to state and national level resources to assist with the development of your business, and Advocacy Corner, where you can find information about current state and federal legislation that impact military connected businesses.

As we continue to build OCCV to support our members across the state, we want to hear from you- how can we best support you? Please feel free to contact us via our website or take our Member Interest Survey, located here in this newsletter.

We look forward to serving the Ohio military connected business community.

The Board

Meet the Board

Who is the Board of OCCV? Meet the folks who founded OCCV and are working to make Ohio a better place for military connected businesses!

We are currently looking for board members in the northwest and southeast Ohio areas, as well as volunteers for committees. Please submit your interest through our website.

What’s Happening at the Chamber

New Website

Speaking of our website, check it out at www.ohioveteranschamber.org! You can contact us, sign up for a membership, and, once a member, gain access to our members only area.

Welcome to our Sponsors!

Welcome to our Three Star Sponsor, Mile 2 LLC from Dayton, Ohio! Mile 2 builds custom software solutions for startups, Fortune 500 companies and the U.S. government. A massive thank you to Jeff Graley and his company for the support, as it allows us to support you!

Monthly Mingle

Monthly Mingles are back! We hosted our first Mingle of the year in Dayton on February 29th. Our next Mingle will be in Cleveland on Match 21st. Tickets can be found on our Events page. If you are interested in hosting a Monthly Mingle, please contact Jasmin Hurley at [email protected].

OCCV Out and About

Torika and Jasmin represented OCCV at the Columbus Blue Jackets Military Appreciation Night on February 29th. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table and entered our raffle for a pair of tickets to the CBJ v. Vegas Golden Knights game. Congratulations to the raffle winner, Ron Davies!

Member Interest Survey

We invite you to take our Member Interest Survey and tell us how we can best support you as your chamber!

Community Events

Mental Health Screenings

Join Cook Counseling and Consulting Inc. in Gahanna for a mental health screening on March 12, 2024 from 9 am - 4 pm. Founded by Shelby Cook, an Army Veteran, Cook Counseling assists service members and Veterans with addressing their mental health. Screenings will take place at 800 Cross Pointe Road, Suite 800 D, Gahanna, OH 43230. No appointment is required!

Calling all Miami Valley Veterans!

Who: Veteran Business Owners (large & small) to include military/veteran spouses
What: Monthly networking and professional development breakfast (you pay) for veteran business owners
When: Third Wednesday of each month 0730-0900 (network 0730-0800, 0800-0845 eat, introductions, & presentation(s) by monthly guest speaker(s), 0845-0900 wrap-up
Where: 110 Main St. Dayton Ohio, at the RFFG Marketplace inside the Premier Health Building. There is street parking and a parking lot directly across from the front doors on Main St. There is also parking and entrances to the building on 2nd Street.
Why: We are part of a very sacred fraternity and should work in collaboration not competition to grow our own businesses and to support one another as veteran business owners as well as to support the active duty & veteran community within the Dayton/Miami Valley Region.

You can RSVP to the event here or contact William Bowers.

Coffee Connection- Columbus

Coffee Connection at Coffee Underground, 2141 Indianola Ave, Columbus, every Tuesday from 9:00-10:30 am to connect with the VA and other Veterans.

Ohio Business Matchmaker- May 3 & 4, 2024, Nutter Center, Dayton

Ohio’s largest small business to government contracting event. Registration opens soon.

Ohio Veteran Conference- August 3, 2024

The Department of Veteran Services is hosting a statewide Veterans Conference at the Ohio Union this summer. Applications are open for the expo here.

Vet Ohio Expo- November 2024

Vet Ohio Expo is moving to November this year and will be hosted again at the National Veterans Museum and Memorial. Regina Rembert is still collecting donations to defray expenses of the Expo- you can donate here.

Resources Center

Syracuse University D’Aniello Institute for Veterans & Military Families (IVMF)

IVMF conducts a series of programs supporting the entrepreneurial success of Veterans, service members, and other military connected individuals. IVMF recently acquired Bunker Labs and now hosts those programs as well. Check out their programs here.

DAV Patriot Boot Camp

DAV’s Patriot Boot Camp program equips Veteran and military spouse founders with the tools to grow their businesses, including informative sessions and access to mentors. Applications are rolling and the next cohort begins in May.

ECDI

ECDI regularly hosts informative sessions for business owners on such topics as legal, marketing and financing, as well as networking sessions. ECDI also works with SBA to provide funding. You can find their programs here.

Ohio APEX Accelerator

Located in several locations across the state, Ohio APEX Accelerators provides training and VOSB/SDVOSB certification assistance. If you are involved in contracting with the government, check out their programs here.

Advocacy Corner

There are several bills introduced and moving through the Ohio and the federal legislatures this quarter that OCCV is tracking. Below is a listing of the legislation that we believe will significantly impact you as a Veteran, service member, military spouse, and an entrepreneur.

State Legislation

S.B.12, Regarding the establishment of a veteran-owned business enterprise certification program

While Ohio currently certifies minority- and women-owned businesses, along with socially and economically disadvantaged-owned businesses, it does not certify Veteran-owned businesses. The current program in place certifies “Veteran-friendly” businesses, which may or may not include Veteran founders. This bill was introduced on January 11, 2023 by former Senator Frank Hoagland and is cosponsored by Senator George F. Lang. The bill is supported by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Apex Accelerator, AMVETS of Ohio, VFW Ohio Charities, and the Ohio State Bar Association. Testimony was heard over the course of 5 hearings but the bill has yet to be voted out of the Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee. OCCV considers this to be a significant piece of legislation for Veteran-owned businesses in the state and fully supports this certification. You can find more information about the legislation, including where it sits in committee, here.

Federal Legislation

H.R. 4867 Veterans Member Business Loan Act

Currently, credit unions cannot lend more than 12.25% of the credit union’s total assets when extending a business loan over $50,000. According to the Credit Union National Association, 23% of transitioning Veterans indicate that they would like to start a business, but cite an access to capital as a top challenge. Veterans also apply to more places for loans than non-Veteran counterparts, yet see 10% lower approval rates. Introduced by Representatives Vincente Gonzalez Jr. (D-TX) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), this bill will allow exclude any business loans made to Veterans from this cap. The bill is currently referred to the House Committee on Financial Services. There is a related bill introduced into the Senate covering this topic as well (S539).

H.R.1277/S.596- Military Spouse Hiring Act

Introduced into both the House and Senate, the Military Spouse Hiring Act expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include hiring of a military spouse as eligible to claim a tax credit based on the wages paid to those individuals. Introduced in the House by Representative Donald Beyer (D-VA) and by Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), both bills are currently in committee and have strong bipartisan support.

Do you have information or an upcoming event you’d like featured here?

Contact [email protected] to be added to the newsletter.