June Message from EACC Board President
The month of June is not only the midpoint for the year, but also an excellent opportunity for the EACC to reflect on what has been accomplished and look forward to what can still be achieved.
The Skilled Labor Workforce Conference is now behind us, but there is still a fair amount of work that can be done to further communication about skilled labor. Business leaders who attended the Conference now understand how to develop apprenticeship programs in their respective companies, but as highlighted by Karen Elzey, Director of Skills for America’s Future, in this month’s Member Spotlight, it is crucial that we transform the ideas put forward at the conference into working action. The EACC’s mission as “relationship conduit” will serve to support our partners who are leading the regional initiatives, including Gateway Community and Technical College, Great Oaks, Cincinnati State, Partners for a Competitive Workforce, among many others. While it takes a great deal of time and energy to organize a conference of this scale, the impact on the business community and on the EACC itself is invaluable. At the end of the day, we understand the importance of building a large network that will support this mission in order to perpetuate the momentum gained at the conference.
Looking forward, we cannot lose sight of the primary focus of our organization: to attract and retain European companies to our region and support the growth of Greater Cincinnati companies through their European market entrance. As part of that effort, EACC Cincinnati partnered with EACC New York to welcome European Union Vice President and Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Antonio Tajani to a networking event in New York City. The EACC was chosen to host a temporary conglomerate of bilateral chambers, which effectively validates our overarching mission of stimulating business and networking relations between Europe and the Cincinnati Tri-State region. This honor further enhanced the EACC’s need to strengthen and sharpen the focus on our larger mission.
The midpoint of the calendar year alaaaaigns with the current challenges we face as an organization. How do we continue to do the small things well that have positioned us as a thought leader in our community? How do we go beyond our comfort zone to create a larger impact that transcends the borders of Greater Cincinnati? I am certain our staff and our members will find the right balance in this quest and continue to embrace our goal of unity.
We hope you will join us. We encourage any interested members to contact EACC Executive Director Anne Cappel directly at anne.cappel@europe-cincinnati.com about using the EACC’s resources in this area.
Welcome new members: Forcam, Inc. and Hylant Group.
Sincerely,
John Baines
EACC Board President
