From the Board

We are excited to launch the Ohio Chamber of Commerce for Veterans! In 2022 a group of us, all Veteran entrepreneurs, set out to reunite the military connected business community. After putting our heads together we established the Ohio Chamber of Commerce for Veterans (OCCV), with the mission to cultivate a comprehensive entrepreneur ecosystem through community collaboration to promote the success of Ohio’s Veterans, servicemembers and their families. We see OCCV as a force multiplier, looking to deepen the bonds of the military connected business community to each other and within our communities. We are not here to compete- we are here to join together with other organizations.

To achieve this, OCCV focuses on four areas:

1. Ecosystem Development- Uniting the military connected community and the communities where they reside, OCCV facilitates and supports networking and partnership opportunities across the state.

2. Entrepreneur Support- Many members of the military connected community have the drive and determination to start their own businesses but are uncertain of the resources needed to achieve this. OCCV can connect them with public and private sector resources to launch, grow and sustain a thriving business in the state.

3. Employment Support- Whether looking for employment as a member of the military connected community, or looking to recruit and retain Veteran talent, OCCV can assist in the search through its network of businesses.

4. Education- Veterans and their families regularly struggle with under-employment. OCCV can connect them with the education, training and certification programs they may need to succeed in their current or future careers.

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? While we can’t be everything to everyone, we know that we can build an organization that is worthy of our members’ time and investment. We encourage you to take our Member Interest Survey, located in this newsletter, or reach out to any of our board members if you are interested in getting involved!

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

The Board of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce for Veterans- Jasmin Hurley, Rob Slater, and Torika Thompson

What’s Happening at the Chamber

Monthly Mingle

Have you attended a Monthly Mingle yet? Mingles are great ways to connect with military connected businesses in your community! Our final Monthly Mingle for 2023 will take place on November 2, 2023 in Cleveland. Tickets can be found at our Eventbrite page here. If you are interested in either hosting a Monthly Mingle or sponsoring, please contact Jasmin Hurley at [email protected].

Member Interest Survey

Before we finalize our programming for our 2024 membership year, we want to hear from you! We invite you to take our Member Interest Survey and tell us how we can best support you as your chamber!

OCCV Out and About

OCCV will be at the Military Influencer Conference in Las Vegas from November 8-10, 2023. If you’re attending, we’d love to connect with you!

Community Events

• Central Ohio Veterans Stand Down- October 31, 2023. Veterans, Volunteers & Service Providers are needed for the 28th annual CENTRAL OHIO STAND DOWN. This is a FREE event for men and women Military Veterans at the Columbus Convention Center. There is FREE parking & FREE lunch for all. Volunteer sign-up will close on Friday, October 20, 2023 on the web site.

  Oct. 30th from 9am – 2:30pm Volunteers are needed to help sett up tables, chairs and section dividers, along with sorting clothes, groceries etc.

  Oct. 31st from 7am – 3pm Volunteers are needed to help with welcoming the Veterans, registration (iPad use), grocery & clothing handout, serving food etc. There are sit down jobs available. Volunteers can sign-up to work in the men’s or women’s area. Volunteers can sign up individually or as a group. Please pass this event information on for any Veteran you know to attend or to volunteer at the Stand Down. Veterans will need to show their military ID.

  

• JPMorgan Chase Veteran Pop-Up Shop- November 17, 2023. If you are a Chase for Business member and would like to be part of the pop-up shop, contact Zoey Ellis at [email protected].

• 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.

Featured Veterans

Congratulations to Jeffrey Price on publishing his book, “The “ENS” and Outs of Leadership: A Guide to Maximize Return on ENvestment in the Workplace”! Jeffrey is the CEO of PLAN Logistics Solutions in Columbus. Jeffrey’s book details strategies and techniques that business owners and managers can use with their employees to maximize their engagement. His book is available on Amazon.

Congratulations to Regina Rembert of Think Veterans First on the 3rd Annual Vet Ohio Expo! Regina has done a amazing job gathering Veteran-owned and military friendly businesses together in Central Ohio over the last three years. We look forward to continuing to support her as she shines a light on our military connected business in the state and elsewhere in the country. Regina is still collecting donations to defray expenses of the Expo- you can donate here.

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

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