1. By DEBBIE ROGERS
Sentinel Staff Writer
The challenges for a small
hospital are to keep up with the
latest in technology and proce-
dures, while still maintaining
that community feel.
Wood County Hospital is
succeeding, said President Stan
Korducki.
“We aspire to be a big hospi-
tal that’s small in size,” he said.
“If you’re going to do anything,
whether it’s cancer care or MRI
... you have to do it as well as a
larger hospital.”
In 2015, utilization of the
hospital in all areas increased.
That includes surgeries, births
and emergency room visits.
“I tell the staff, use of the
hospital is a reflection of the
community’s confidence in
you,” Korducki said.
This year, the hospital is
expected to top 30,000 emer-
gency room visits, compared to
25,000 in 2015. The Bowling
Green State University Falcon
Health Center, which is operat-
ed by the hospital, will also see
30,000 visitors, Korducki said.
“That has really been a great
success for us,” he said of the
BGSU health center, which
opened off South College Drive
in 2013. It has flourished in
meeting the needs of students
and community patients who
require an urgent care center.
More people are turning to
Wood County Hospital for ser-
vice because of the commitment
to technology and improve-
ments, Korducki said.
The hospital is in the last
phase of a 10-year, $40-million
renovation, which included
upgrades of the women’s center
and emergency room. The
Maurer Family Cancer Care
Hospital
is in good
health
Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune
The Betco manufacturing facility on Van Camp Road.
By PETER KUEBECK
Sentinel Staff Writer
Betco is on the move — lit-
erally.
The company is in the pro-
cess of moving its operations
from Toledo to Bowling
Green.
“We’re thinking about this
move in that it’s more than a
move,” said Brad Betz, Betco’s
manager for communications
and branding, in a recent inter-
view. “It’s really a re-inven-
tion of our company and our
culture.”
The company is moving
into the former Cooper
Standard Hose Plant, 400 Van
Camp Road.
Betco began its operations
in 1950, started by Betz’s
grandfather, Carl Betz, and his
wife, Ann.
The business manufactures
cleaning products and added
powered equipment to its rep-
ertoire in 1998.
“In the cleaning process,”
said Betz, “both chemicals and
equipment are used for floor
care. We make burnishers and
buffers and scrubbers and all
different types of equipment
for floor cleaning.”
The company acquired two
other brands, Biosystems and
Basic Coatings, in the early
2000s.
Betco has 300 employees
in total, said Betz, with 200 of
those set to come to work in
Bowling Green. Of those
remaining, 75 sales people
would be working on the road,
and 25 will remain in the
Biosystems business, located
in Beloit, Wisconsin.
“We’ve been in our (Toledo)
facilities for many decades,
and we’ve kind of just out-
grown the space that we have,”
Betz said of what prompted
the move. “We only run really
one or two shifts now. So we
could run more production out
of the existing capacity that
we have, but we’re running
out of warehouse space,” and
other space as well.
“And there’s not room for
expansion in our current
Betco bets on BGManufacturer bringing 200 employees to former Cooper building
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Pulling fans pack the Wood County Fairgrounds Saturday afternoon under
sunny skies for the 2015 National Tractor Pulling Championships.
By THOMAS SCHMELTZ
Sentinel Sports Editor
The National Tractor Pulling
Championships have largely
been the same for years.
Strolling through the city of
Bowling Green, one will likely
hear the rumble of the souped-
up tractors racing down the track
during that long weekend in
August. Inside the Wood County
Fair Grounds, it’s Bowling
Green residents and thousands
more from around the world that
pack the grandstands to see the
weight-pulling machines race
down the track.
The 2016 edition of the pull-
ing championships will mark the
50th anniversary, and the
Northwestern Ohio Tractor
Pullers Association has made a
few changes to the event.
“The format will be changed
for next year,” said Mike Ott,
president of the NWOTPA.
The most notable change is
the addition of a day of pulling.
The championships will start
Thursday, Aug. 18 and conclude
Sunday, Aug. 21.
“We’re bringing back the old
Super Sunday from when the
organization first started,” Ott
said.
The Super Sunday format
brings a true finals element to
the championships. Thursday’s,
Friday’s and Saturday’s sessions
will act as a qualifier for
Sunday’s finals to compete for
the championship ring. The
Fifty years of
full pulls
2 0 1 6February 26, 2016
By ALEX ASPACHER
Sentinel County Editor
PERRYSBURG — History
will be at the forefront this sum-
mer as Perrysburg celebrates 200
years since its founding.
Events get rolling April 27
with a birthday party at Way
Public Library and continue over
more than two months, culmi-
nating with a July 3 fireworks
spectacular that’s expected to be
nothing like the city has seen
before.
“I think everybody’s getting
excited,” said Deb Buker, a
member of the city’s bicenten-
nial planning committee.
Being a once-in-a-lifetime
celebration, committee members
have been planning since last
year, making sure all aspects of
the community are involved in
the action.
The birthday party at the
library is being billed as “a trip
down memory lane” and will
coincide with the first in a series
of historical lectures presented
by Way. At 7 p.m., Richard
Baranowski will speak on “20
Decades of Perrysburg History,”
with additional lectures follow-
ing over the next four months.
A unique wrinkle, a beard-
growing contest began last
month, but it’s not too late to
enter. Anyone interested can
inquire at the library and have
their picture taken while clean-
Happy birthday, Perrysburg
(See BETCO on 7) (See HOSPITAL on 6)
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
A bicentennial sign was recently installed in down-
town Perrysburg.
Fireworks, library party, facial hair mark 200 years
(See PERRYSBURG on 4)
(See PULLS on 4)
2. Page 2 – Friday, February 26, 2016 SENTINEL-TRIBUNE
2016 Progress edition
Progress 2016 was edited by
Debbie Rogers.
Progress 2016 Index
A.A. Green Realty.........................................3
All About the Kids........................................4
Al Smith Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram......3
Asherah’s Garden.......................................10
Betco................................................................1
Bowling Green Chamber..........................2
Calico, Sage and Thyme............................6
D. S. Brown.....................................................9
Gish Film Theater.......................................14
Henry County Bank.....................................5
Hospice of Northwest Ohio...................10
Interstate 75/ODOT ....................................9
Lakewood Greenhouse...........................11
Main and Sons Plumbing .......................13
National Tractor Pulling Assoc................1
Nazareth Hall...............................................10
Northern Ohio Grain Co-op.....................2
Perrysburg bicentennial ...........................1
Phoenix Technologies................................5
Vanderhof’s..................................................4
Wood County Hospital..............................1
Woodland Mall.............................................3
By BILL RYAN
Sentinel Staff Writer
WESTON — Near the
heart of Weston stands a
series of new grain bins
near the long-standing ele-
vator building of the
Northwest Ohio Grain
Co-Op.
The image is symbolic
of the business’ history.
Began 100 years ago as
Rural Grain, the co-op took
its new moniker after
merging with Grand Rapids
Elevator. The older storage
units date back to the Rural
Grain days. The new tanks
are part of the ongoing
expansion of storage at the
facility.
According to H.D. Roe,
general manager of the
co-op, another tank will be
built this spring. That new
tank will have a $1 million
price tag. The new high
efficiency dryer was a
$500,000 investment.
The biggest challenge is
keeping up with technolo-
gy, Roe said.
Aside from that, they
have to keep up with stor-
age capacity needs. Roe
said they have added 1.5
million bushels of storage
in the last seven years.
While that is good news,
the bad news is the surplus
grain is driving the prices
down.
Though the co-op is
doing well, it is still small
compared to many other
grain operations.
“We have had chances
to merge but we want to
keep the integrity of the
local co-op,” Roe said. “I
know everybody that
comes in here. We don’t
need to merge; we’re doing
fine.”
Though he has not seen
anything official, Roe said
he has been told they are
one of the most financially
fit companies in the state.
The company has three
facilities. In addition to the
Weston and Grand Rapids
sites, there is a small sea-
sonal storage near Bowling
Green which is a conve-
nience for the growers.
“We’re not trying to
make lots of money, we
put it right back into the
facilities.”
The shareholders can
have 10 acres or 1,000
acres, it matters not.
While anyone can come
and do business, as a co-op
the profits are only shared
withmembers.Membership
is $25. Each of the roughly
370 members have an
equal voice.
Profits are shared by the
number of bushels deliv-
ered and sold through the
co-op.
Roe said they don’t have
a fancy office and operate
with a “skeleton crew” of
just 10 employees to keep
costs down.
“The board is good to
the employees,“ he said.
According to Roe the
main reason for the co-op’s
success is the support
Yields continue to grow as elevator prospers
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Northwest Ohio Grain Co-Op.
Ribbons fly in Bowling Green
By PETER KUEBECK
Sentinel Staff Writer
The Bowling Green
Chamber of Commerce
saw a bumper year for rib-
bon cuttings in 2015.
“I don’t recall being
this busy with ribbon cut-
tings” in her eight years as
chamber executive direc-
tor, said Earlene Kilpatrick
in a recent interview.
The chamber had a total
of 27 such events last year.
That’s up from 12 each in
2012 and 2013, and 22 in
2014. There have been 118
ribbon cuttings in the city
since 2008 — when there
was only one.
Last year’s ribbon cut-
tings included new busi-
nesses, expansions and
new locations, as well as
other sites like Ridge
Park.
“I like to say the entre-
preneurial spirit is alive
and well in Bowling
Green,” said Kilpatrick.
She indicated that 2015’s
ribbon cuttings occurred
all around the community
and in the downtown.
She said there are likely
a number of reasons for
the increase, from a posi-
tive economy to business
counseling and incentives
being offered, as well as
work with the Bowling
Green Community
Development Foundation,
“just making sure they
have their ducks in a row
and they are going to have
a great start.”
She said the chamber
anticipates the same level
of ribbon cuttings in 2016.
The ribbon cuttings,
said Kilpatrick, represent
“a belief in the community,
a belief that this business
will be successful, a belief
that there is a quality of
life in order to locate their
business. A belief in the
citizens and BGSU.
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Bowling Green Mayor Dick Edwards (holding scissors) cuts a rib-
bon along with city officials and Henry County Bank officials.
(See CHAMBER on 6)
(See CO-OP on 13)
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26937 Eckel Rd.
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4. Page 4 – Friday, February 26, 2016 SENTINEL-TRIBUNE
2016 Progress edition
By MARIAH
TEVEPAUGH
Sentinel Staff Writer
Many know of
Vanderhoff’s jewelry store,
but what they might not
know is the Vanderhoff
family has been in busi-
ness with Northwest Ohio
for more than 65 years.
Bob Beall, manager at
the store on Haskins Road,
said he and his two broth-
ers are the third generation
to work on jewelry, clocks
and watches, and have
done so for around 60
years.
They were taught by
their grandfather who
opened a jewelry store in
Findlay in early 1960.
“I’ve been a watch-
Family jeweler a BG gem
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Bob Vanderhoff and his son, Kyle.
By EMILY GORDON
Sentinel Staff Writer
Erica Sleek has been shaping the lives of
children all her life.
Having become an aunt at age 11, getting her
degree in early childhood education and running
a children’s learning center for three years, it
didn’t come as a shock to her family when Sleek
declared she wanted to open her own.
In fact, her
three aunts
inspired her to
care for and
teach children
in the first
place.
“My aunt
worked at a
Chicago half-
way house. I
was 16, I didn’t
know what I
wanted to do
with my life.
But then I went
and visited her
there,” Sleek said.
“I read to the kids and to one girl who was in
a full body cast. I thought, ‘This is what I’m
going to do.’”
The need to help children get the best educa-
tion possible no matter their situation came
naturally to Sleek, who also cares for Wood
Lane residents on weekends.
“One aunt was in early childhood education
and was working with kids up to the week she
died. Another is a nun and the dean of a Catholic
school and the third is a social worker,” she
said.
“If not for these three women I wouldn’t be
doing this. I really wanted to help kids. To see a
little girl hurt like that ... it made my choice for
me.”
Now, Sleek is the owner and director of All
About The Kids, LLC, a children’s learning
center for infants to “schoolagers” which also
provides before- and after-school care.
The center hosted an open house to mark its
10 year anniversary earlier this month.
“It definitely feels like it’s been 10 years,”
Sleek said with a laugh.
“After the first five years, you start losing
All About The Kids
celebrates 10
years of learning
and laughter
shaven. The contest runs
through July 2 and will be
judged at 7 p.m. July 7 at
Music at the Market. There
will be five $100 prizes
awarded for the longest,
fullest, ugliest and most
unusual beards, as well as
the best grown by some-
one age 21 or younger,
Buker said. Contestants
must live in the city,
Perrysburg Township or
within the Perrysburg
school district, or work in
the city.
A “grand celebration” is
planned at the Municipal
Building on April 30, at
which local officials will
present proclamations, and
community members are
invited to view some local
artifacts from the
Perrysburg Area Historic
Museum, as well as the
contents of a time capsule
to be sealed later.
At the Carranor Club on
May 14, there will be a sit-
down, “period” dinner that
includes historical re-enac-
tors, a silent auction and
music by Hepcat Revival,
Buker said. The event will
be limited to 200 people,
and tickets are $200 per
couple, to go on sale next
month.
Celebrations continue
on June 25 at Levis
Commons for “Rock the
Clock,” with music per-
formed by Nashville-based
band Mustang Sally. The
event will be in conjunc-
tion with Sandtastic at
Levis Commons, includ-
ing a castle or sculpture
demonstration. Tickets are
$20, with beer, wine and
bicentennial merchandise
available for purchase.
Buker said 2,000 tickets
will be available for the
event, which is “absolute-
ly” expected to sell out.
There will be a farmers
market on June 31, and
First Friday the following
day, including a car show
at the Commodore
Building.
The Rotary Club is
organizing a “bigger and
better” parade to kick
things off downtown July
2 with as many as 100
groups participating. For
guidelines on entering,
visit www.perrysburgbi-
centennial2016.com
Following the parade
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. will
be many family activities
downtown, with an appar-
ent focus on teaching chil-
dren about local history.
Sponsored by the Exchange
Club, Family Day will
include several groups of
re-enactors and living his-
tory enthusiasts, as well as
the Black Swamp Spinners
Guild. Crafts and demon-
strations will show youth
the skills that were com-
mon with early Americans,
as well as face painting,
basket weaving, and lawn
games from the Wood
CountyHistoricalMuseum.
Also a part of that day’s
events will be shows in the
auditorium of the
Commodore, including
The Frisch Marionette
Company at 1 p.m., a fam-
ily sing-along by the
Wanna Bees at 2 p.m., and
a magic show at 3 p.m.
July 3 begins with a
sunrise prayer service at
Fort Meigs around 6:30 or
7 a.m., organized by Tim
Philabaum, pastor of Zoar
Lutheran Church.
The fireworks that night
are being planned bigger
and better, a spectacular
that’s expected to match
those a few years ago for
the bicentennial of the War
of 1812, said Bridgette
Kabat, city administrator.
The city typically bud-
gets about $15,000 for its
share of pyrotechnics, usu-
ally a shared event with
Maumee. Kabat said the
city across the river won’t
be asked to up its share
this year, but Perrysburg is
looking at spending double
or more than it usually
does.
(Continued from 1)
Perrysburg
(See JEWELER on 15)
purse for this year’s finals
will be a record $125,000.
“It’ll be a big finale for
the weekend on Sunday,”
Ott said.
One announced addi-
tion to this year’s pull is a
cooler contest, which is
detailed at www.pulltown.
com
The contest’s rules state
that the coolers must have
a minimum of four wheels,
25 maximum horsepower,
a maximum size of 8 feet
wide by 15 feet long and 8
feet high. The coolers must
remain tasteful and non-
offensive, and a cooler
must be part of the vehi-
cle.
The coolers will be
judged in the afternoon of
Aug. 18 at Crazy Frank’s
Pavilion with the top 20
going on to the pulling
tracks that night.
Prizes are awarded to
the top five.
The coolers will be
judged on appearance,
originality, pulling theme
and craftsmanship.
The NWOTPA also
bought a 25-acre lot north
of the current camping
grounds to accommodate
for more camping space.
The NWOTPA currently
has spots for around 2,000
campers. The campsites
for last year’s pulls were
sold out by Memorial
Day.
“The camp ground is
selling out early and we
want to provide the oppor-
tunity to sell more camp-
ing and parking next
year.”
(Continued from 1)
Pulls
‘Children are little
human sponges.
We have to start
with the children
and mold them into
people with visions
and goals.’
—Erica Sleek
owner and director of
All About the Kids
(See KIDS on 16)
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5. SENTINEL-TRIBUNE Friday, February 26, 2016 – Page 5
2016 Progress edition
By BILL RYAN
Sentinel Staff Writer
After 10 years with a
small presence in Bowling
Green, the Henry County
Bank is now a full-service
bank in the heart of down-
town.
“We are going great in
our new location,” said
Bill Wendt, president and
CEO. “This is a strategic
location for us within
walking distance for busi-
ness owners.”
Wendt compared the
vitality of Wood County
and Bowling Green to the
vitality of the bank as it
flourishes with a small-
town philosophy and feel.
The bank was originally
chartered in 1936, 80 years
ago as the Holgate State
Bank and was located in
Holgate. A Malinta branch
opened in the 1950s. In
1969, the bank opened a
branch in Napoleon, the
county seat of Henry
County, and changed its
name to what still remains
as the Henry County
Bank.
Two more offices have
opened since, one in
Liberty Center in 1987 and
a second Napoleon branch
in 1995.
Area bank expands
its focus after 10 years
of lending in BG
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Kayann Scott of Henry County Bank in Bowling Green. (See BANK on 7)
drives what we do,”
Remeis said.
Home sales are often
controlled by emotion —
it’s often the biggest finan-
cial decision most people
will make in their lives.
Owning a manufactur-
ing site can also require
patience.
A.A. Green purchased
the former Heinz ketchup
company site on Enterprise
Street in 1978. It took 30
years to get a zoning
change and build the
Heinzsite Apartments.
Neighbors initially
didn’t want more student
housing, but Green said
the response since they’ve
built has been positive.
“The comments have
been since they have been
there, it’s better than it
was.”
In the meantime, sever-
al businesses leased space
in the former ketchup fac-
tory close to Ridge Street.
They went on to be bigger
and better in Bowling
Green: GreenLine, Toledo
Molding and Die and
RemTec International.
Green also built the
Zeres building “to suit”
and leased it, with the
option to buy, which Larry
Mullins exercised after a
few years.
Another, more recent,
zoning hurdle was the
Market Place development
at Prospect and Wooster
streets.
With several business-
es, including Biggby and
Jimmy John’s, plus 16
apartments, Remeis
believes it’s a success
now.
“In the end, you take all
that stuff away, we put
something really good for
the city there,” he said.
Later this year, apart-
ments at Park Way Place
on Mercer Road will
open.
The company’s residen-
tial developments include
Belleville and Brown
estates, the Coventry and
Indian Trace.
PEOPLE
A.A. Green is family-
run through and through.
Wife Mary handles the
books. Son Steve and
daughter Michelle Remeis
run Mecca. Son-in-law
Mark Remeis does the
day-to-day operations.
Another daughter, Julie
Black, is a nurse.
Green said he considers
many of their 30 agents
and brokers to be family.
“I think the biggest rea-
son that we’ve been able to
be successful is the culture
at this office is everyone’s
family,” Mark Remeis
added.
Office manager Sondra
King has been with the
company since 1999. Bev
Wilks held the position
before her for several
years. Barb Fiebelkorn has
been the closing secretary
for 30 years.
“We have a saying
around here ... work hard,
do good and treat each
other like you’d like to be
treated,” Green said. “Our
business doesn’t have a
magic pill. It’s hard work.
And then it comes down to
your relationship with
people.”
Realtors Ruth Ann
Kramer and Wendy
Headley have been with
them for years.
Green called Headley a
“rockstar,” who is by far
the top seller in the area.
He also said she’s the hard-
est worker he’s ever seen.
“You can find her here
at 11 at night or at 6 in the
morning, or a Sunday,” he
said.
The family also believes
in service.
Both Green and Remeis
have served as president of
Wood County Board of
Realtors. Green is past
president of Rotary Club,
past president of BG
Community Development
Foundation, past president
of the Toledo Board of
Realtors and a past mem-
ber of Bowling Green State
University Foundation
Board.
The Greens received
the Dorothy and Ashel
Bryan Philanthropic Award
in 2008. Green was also
named Citizen of the Year
in 2013.
The business has been
through a few name chang-
es over the years, includ-
ing Century 21 and
Cavalear, and went inde-
pendent in 2001.
It located in the North
Main Street retail space in
1987.
Remeis said how the
company’s employees
accept — even embrace
— the world of ever-
changing technology
means the future is bright.
“We seek it out. We’ve
integrated a lot of it into
the day-to-day operation.”
(Continued from 3)
Green
By EMILY GORDON
Sentinel Staff Writer
Many shoppers regular-
ly purchase soft drinks, but
few know where the bottles
come from.
For Bowling Green
shoppers, the mystery is
easily solved.
“Almost every Coke
bottle at Kroger probably
came through Southeastern
Container with Phoenix
materials,” said Lori
Carson, director of com-
mercial operations at
Phoenix Technologies.
Phoenix, located at 1098
Fairview Ave., manufac-
tures rPET (recycled poly-
ethylene terephthalate)
pellets, which is used to
form a variety of plastic
packaging, in its
90,000-square-foot facili-
ty.
With a fully integrated
rPET recycling operation
within its combined cam-
puses, the company makes
up a large part of a “loop”
allowing rPET collection,
conversion and consump-
tion all within a half-mile
radius.
“(Bowling Green is) the
only place in the country
we’re aware of where a
recycling center, converter
and customer are all locat-
ed within a mile of each
other,” Carson said.
Bob Deardurff, Phoenix
president, gave a presenta-
tion on “closing the loop”
at a Bowling Green
Community Development
Foundation board of trust-
ees meeting recently.
The “loop” is easily
traced, he said.
First, recyclable materi-
al is taken from the curb or
dropped off by residents to
the Bowling Green
Recycling Center.
It is sorted and separat-
ed, then baled and bought
by Phoenix.
The company grinds up
bottles and washes the
material to get “clean
flake” at its new Poe Road
facility across the street
from the recycling center.
Phoenix then turns
“clean flake” into resin
pellets to melt into food
and general product pack-
aging.
The company has
sourced more than a billion
pounds of rPET flake, or
raw material, since its
inception at the start of the
1990s, Deardurff said.
Phoenix Technologies celebrates 25 years in Bowling Green
(See PHOENIX on 12)
Seal Plant
1175 N. Main Street
Established 1977
639 S. Dunbridge Road, Suite 2, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
Wood County
Economic Development
Commission
Associated General Contractors
Bennett Enterprises
Bowling Green State University
Chrysler Corporation
City of Bowling Green
City of Northwood
City of Perrysburg
City of Rossford
Clouse Construction
CSX Transportation
Dominion East Ohio
Eastman & Smith Ltd.
Farmers & Merchants
State Bank
Fifth Third Bank
First Energy Corporation
First Federal Bank
Fraser Clemens Martin &
Miller LLC
Hancock Wood Electric
Huntington National Bank
Key Bank
Lake Township
Mannik & Smith Group, Inc.
Miller Diversified Inc.
Mosser Construction Inc.
Northwestern Water &
Sewer District
Ohio Logistics
Owens Community College
Penta Career Center
Perrysburg Township
Poggemeyer Design Group
Rossford Board of Elections
Sheet Metal Workers Local 33
Shenandoah Valley Realty
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP
Signature Associates
Cushman, Wakefield
Spitler, Huffman, LLP
The Rudolph Libbe Companies
Troy Township
WSOS Community Action
Wood County Hospital
Wood County BCC
A.A. Boos & Sons
ACI Construction Co. Inc.
Allshred Services
Asset Protection Corporation
B2B Sales Boost LLC
Black Swamp Steel
Bowser Morner Inc.
Brooks Insurance Agency Inc.
Buckeye Telesystem
Campbell, Inc.
Center for Innovative Food
Technology
Chicago Title
Continental Valuations Inc.
Control Design Solutions, Ltd.
Courtyard By Marriott
Croghan Colonial Bank
Danberry National, Ltd.
Devonshire REIT
DGLConsulting Engineers LLC
Dunbar Mechanical
Edward Kelly & Sons
ESA Engineers, Surveyors
& Associates LLC
E.S. Wagner Company
Feller, Finch and Associates
First American Port Lawrence
First Merit Bank
Genoa Bank
Gilmore, Jasion & Mahler Ltd.
Hampton Inn, BG
Henry Township
Hilton Garden Inn
Hylant Group
Industrial Developers LTD
JB & Company Inc.
Jehm Enterprises
John Newlove Real Estate
Jones-Hamilton Company
Keating, Muething &
Kleklamp P.L.L.
Laibe Electric Technology
Logan Creek Construction
Louisville Title Agency
Mechanical Contractors
Association of NW Ohio
Middleton Township
MillerBrothersConstructionInc.
Millwright & Piledrivers
Local 1090
Nagle Companies
North Baltimore Chamber
of Commerce
Northwood Realty
Palmer Energy
Piping Industry Training Center
Proudfoot & Associates
Quality Ready Mix
Radel, Smith & Associates
Reichle Klein Group
Ridge Stone Realty
RMF Nooter INC
Romanoff Electric
Rouen Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep-
Toyota-Scion
Safety Council of
Northwest Ohio
Signature Bank N.A.
The Lathrop Company
The Union Bank
TTL Associates
U.S. Health Works
Medical Group
U.S. Electrical Services
Village of Haskins
Village of North Baltimore
Village of Pemberville
Village of Walbridge
Village of Weston
Waterford Bank
Willmar International Inc.
Wood County Educational
Service Center
Wood Lane Industries
2016 SUPPORTING LEVEL
2016 BOARD LEVEL MEMBERS
THANKS, WOOD COUNTY
Office of Economic Development
The economy in Wood County continued to improve and attract private
investment and job creation in 2015. This improvement in the economy and
investment by businesses helped the County’s unemployment be a strong
4.1% in December 2015, below the national average of 5%. In Perrysburg
Township, RRP announced a 32,000 square foot expansion of their facility,
First Solar expanded into the formerAce Hardware distribution building and
created an additional 250 jobs, and as a result of a $42 million expansion,
FedEx Ground added 260 new jobs as well. The City of Perrysburg saw an
expansion at Schuetz Container and additional growth at the OI Corporate
Headquarters plus the opening of Costco. The CSX Intermodal facility
in Henry Township completed their $42 million expansion and added 30
new jobs. Finally, in Troy Township, The Home Depot fulfillment center
opened and created 300 jobs, nearly double their original commitment. The
Wood County Economic Development Commission continued working on
a “Good Jobs” initiative, which is an effort to develop more interest in a
skilled trades education in Wood County to provide the future workforce
required by many of our employers. This has resulted in a survey of high
school seniors that will be repeated each year to help identify our home
grown labor supply.
We would like to thank the Wood County Commissioners and the WCEDC
members for making our county a great place to do business.
6. Page 6 – Friday, February 26, 2016 SENTINEL-TRIBUNE
Hospital
2016 Progress edition
By DEBBIE ROGERS
Sentinel Staff Writer
After 40 years of selling
herbs, children’s books,
scarves and cooking uten-
sils, Barbara Rothrock
believes it is “thyme” to
retire.
But she hopes the doors
don’t close permanently on
Calico, Sage and Thyme,
115 Clay St.
“I would love to teach
someone here and keep it
because it’s going to tear
me apart,” said Rothrock,
who will celebrate her 77th
birthday this year.
She’s in “serious nego-
tiations” to sell the store
and train the new owner in
blending spices and pick-
ing the perfect merchan-
dise for the downtown gift
shop.
If things don’t work out,
though, she’s prepared to
close in May.
“It’s hard work,”
Rothrock said. “I don’t sell
anything you have to have.
There’s no milk or eggs. I
do have socks.”
Herbs have always had
the top spot in the store.
There are racks of smoked
paprika, edible lavender,
spiced pepper and popcorn
blend. Rothrock ships them
to customers all over the
country.
“This is the only place
in the world that you can
buy them.”
Herbs have been the
core of the business over
the years, but Rothrock
prides herself on cross-
merchandising and know-
ing what products will sell
to a Bowling Green audi-
ence.
Just a few of her items
are candles, mugs, kitchen
towels, earrings, greeting
cards, candy hand lotions
and scarves.
“I think that’s a skill
that I have. I know how to
get a good mix of mer-
chandise.”
She relies on sales rep-
resentatives that she has
worked with over the years
in the Chicago and
Columbus markets — but
also on her instincts.
“I’m not a gambler, in
any part of my life,”
Rothrock said. “I’ve never
even bought a lottery tick-
et. But I am a gambler
here.”
Books have been anoth-
er staple at Calico, Sage
and Thyme. She has a
hugely successful chil-
dren’s area filled with pop-
ular titles.
“I sell an enormous
number of children’s
books.”
She’ll also play with
fads as they come and go.
Tea has taken up a promi-
nent spot on her shelves in
the last five years.
“Our market really is
women, of course, but we
have some men customers
who are cooks.”
In her business, she has
to think ahead.
“I’m always six to 10
months ahead. I have
friends who make fun of
me. On Valentine’s Day,
I’m thinking of
Thanksgiving and
Christmas.”
She has to have a feel
for what will work in
Northwest Ohio — infinity
scarves paid off big five
years ago. She also has to
have a sense of when to let
things go — recipe boxes
were a huge seller years
ago, but now most people
use tablets in the kitchen or
have binders.
Rothrock came to
Bowling Green in the late
1960s when her then-hus-
band took a job at Bowling
Green State University.
She quickly met up with
women who were in her
same position. They were
far from their families, had
young children and were
looking for something to
do.
They started with an
herb society.
“All of us liked to cook
and garden,” Rothrock
said. “And in the ’70s,
herbs really had a lot of
interest. It was kind of like
Judy Garland and Andy
Rooney: Let’s open a
store!”
The ladies’ first attempt
at selling herbs was during
a downtown Bowling
Green sidewalk sale. They
sold out of everything:
herb blends, potpourri,
sachets.
The next sale was dur-
ing Christmastime of
1974.
They ran it out of an
available building on Court
Street and, despite a snow-
storm that shut down parts
of Interstate 75, it was a
hit. They added ornaments
and quilted pillows.
“The herb products were
the core of it.”
Rothrock knew they
were onto something, and
when a doctor’s office
space became available on
Clay Street near North
Main Street in 1975, she
decided it was time to see
how far the herbs would
take her.
Wilma Paulvier and Sue
Clark signed on to help
open Calico, Sage and
Thyme, with Rothrock as
the sole proprietor.
She used a little bit of
an inheritance and small
bank loan to get started.
“I never lost money
from the beginning,”
Rothrock said. “People just
kept coming.”
Over the years, she did
two expansions toward
North Main Street, in 1987
and 1995.
“That was just heaven.
Those were the golden
days.”
When the recession hit
in the 2000s, Calico, Sage
and Thyme felt it, too,
Rothrock said. She scaled
the building back again
and soldiered on.
“The jewelry is what
saved me during the reces-
sion,” she said. “We have
middle-of-the-road jewel-
ry. It’s not super expensive
or cheap.”
She employs three part-
time workers, plus one
more during the holiday
shopping season.
In retirement, Rothrock,
who has a master’s degree
Rothrock decides it’s ‘thyme’ to retire
BG woman has operated Calico for 40 years, hopes to sell and not close store
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Barb Rothrock, owner of Calico, Sage and Thyme, is celebrating
40 years in business. She’ll close the doors in May, if a new owner
isn’t found.
Center was also added dur-
ing this time, and all medi-
cal records were comput-
erized.
The final piece is the
upgrade of the Intensive
Care Unit, which will be
finished in the early fall,
Korducki said. The $4 mil-
lion new space will be on
the hospital’s second floor,
behind the chapel.
Increasing from seven
to 10 beds will help retain
patients who in prior years
would have been trans-
ferred to Toledo-area hos-
pitals for care, he said.
A new MRI machine
was unveiled this month.
The new magnetic reso-
nance imaging equipment
has a wider bore for
patients who may feel
claustrophobic, Korducki
said.
“It provides for a much
better patient experience.”
X-ray equipment detects
fractures, but MRIs can
see lesions on a kidney or
cancer tumors.
“MRI is superior for
looking at soft tissue mus-
cles,” Korducki said, “It is
much better for certain
diagnostic problems.”
Before the hospital adds
any service, such as the
cancer center or bariatric
surgery, research must be
done to see if it’s a good fit
for both the hospital and
community, he said.
The key is to not be the
first to grab a fad, but to
investigate if it meets the
needs of the community.
Then the search is on to
find a highly-qualified
physician to run the area
— and who will stay in
Bowling Green to see it
through, Korducki.
Later this year, the hos-
pital, in a partnership with
Bowling Green Parks and
Recreation, will finish a
walking path from the
campus to Conneaut-
Haskins Park and the
Simpson Garden Park.
There will be fitness equip-
ment on some of the areas
near Conneaut.
“It’s really part of a
wellness initiative,”
Korducki said.
At lunch time, in good
weather, some of the hos-
pital’s 750 employees reg-
ularly walk to the parks, he
said. The trails and equip-
ment will be a “little extra
for them,” plus for the
community.
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Stacie Maas, MRI tech with Wood County Hospital, stands next to
the hospital’s new Siemens Aera Wide Bore MRI machine.
(Continued from 1)
(See CALICO on 7)
Again, there are so many
factors involved. But I
truly believe it comes back
to Bowling Green has a
quality of life, it has a
nationally-recognized uni-
versity, it is filled with
citizens that care about
their community and sup-
port local. Pure and sim-
ple.”
“We as the chamber,
and I’d like to say the
community as a whole, is
very appreciative of the
businesses locating in our
community, because they
too are adding to the qual-
ity of life.”
Chamber
(Continued from 2)
ESTABLISHED 2008
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FOSTORIA HOME
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1045 North Main Street • Bowling Green, Ohio
419-352-5331
aagreen.com
7. SENTINEL-TRIBUNE Friday, February 26, 2016 – Page 7
2016 Progress edition
facilities,” located at 1001
Browne Ave.
As the company has
grown and built different
buildings in the area —
they currently have three
facilities in Toledo — it
has led to some complexi-
ties and inefficiencies,
Betz explained.
“So there’s a lot of effi-
ciencies that we’ll gain
both culturally and from a
process standpoint by hav-
ing everything under one
roof” in Bowling Green.
Betz noted that the new
facility will allow the com-
pany’s departments to col-
laborate and interact more,
“in a manner they’re not
doing today.”
“And,” he said, “on top
of that it just gives us an
ability to upgrade all of
our processes with the lat-
est and greatest in manu-
facturing.”
After purchasing the
building in 2012, the move
project began in fall 2014.
Betz said that Betco has
completely remodeled the
existing Cooper facility
and added two manufac-
turing areas that extend
from the building. A more-
than 132,000 square-foot
warehouse is also in pro-
cess.
“That’s all steel fram-
ing you can see from the
outside,” Betz said.
“A lot of processes are
all brand new,” he said.
“New tanks, new fillers,
new robotic packing and
conveyor systems. New
piping. We’re not really
moving a lot of our exist-
ing production capabili-
ties. ... It’s setting up a
brand new business,
almost.”
When all is said and
done the facility will
encompass 460,000
square-feet of manufactur-
ing and office space.
Betz said the company
right now is in the process
of moving its offices to
Bowling Green, which is
expected to be completed
in the next two months or
so.
“The last part of the
move will be the ware-
house, which will still
operate out of Toledo until
they transition in early
summer of this year,” said
Betz. “The move should be
complete by the summer.”
Betco already partners
with Bowling Green State
University and the
University of Toledo on
internship programs, but
Betz said that they are
thinking that, as a larger
employer in the BG area,
they might be able to
strengthen the partnership
with BGSU, both in that
regard and in a business
sense.
“We continually invest
in the business as exempli-
fied by this investment in
the new plant,” said Betz.
“We hope to keep growing
and in turn we’ll support
more jobs for the local
economy.”
(Continued from 1)
Betco
work.
“A good mechanic has
to really stay on top of
changes even more than a
surgeon. You and I haven’t
changed but the car’s tech-
nology has changed dra-
matically — maybe 500
times as much,” Jim Smith
said. “I’ve seen it all.”
The paperwork now
required bogs Jim Smith
and the staff down with the
city, state and federal gov-
ernment documents
required, in addition to
bank papers for financing.
“The volume of paper-
work is just incredible,” he
said. “Each new regulation
generates another piece of
paper or two or three. Book
work is a major factor for
us.”
Prices have escalated
with the technology.
“Everything is more
complicated, more com-
plex and more expensive.”
From a business stand-
point, the move farther
north along Main Street
was a positive one for both
the Smith family and
Bowling Green.
Asidefromtheadvanced
repair and maintenance
equipment — including a
$30,000 automatic tire
changer — the new loca-
tion allowed increasing the
car inventory and more
space to showcase vehi-
cles. They also added six
new employees.
“We are under-appreci-
ated as an industry,” Jim
Smith said of auto dealer-
ships.
He shared how individ-
uals have car payments as
do the dealers for all their
inventory in what is called
their “floor plan.”
“The banks love us,” he
said, noting the millions of
dollars financed collec-
tively. “We contribute a lot
of money to the local econ-
omy. We pay more prop-
erty taxes as a group than
anyone.”
Smith said they gener-
ally maintain a 90- to 120-
day supply of vehicles on
the lot at most times.
Ordering cars is a “very
inexact science,” accord-
ing to Jim Smith, who
leaves most of the ordering
to his son A.J. When they
order he said it is a “hit
and miss” decision as to
what will sell.
When people want a
specific car with certain
features, they may have to
wait six months to get the
car they have in mind.
“The car business is
very cyclical,” Jim Smith
said.
After lower sales in the
winter, he said spring
shows “an uptick in busi-
ness.”
Where once autumn
was the time when manu-
facturers released the new
year’s models, now, Jim
Smith said “new models
come out any time of the
year.”
Beyond the regular cal-
endar year cycle, Smith
also recalls the “blood-
bath” car dealers took in
2008 when many dealer-
ships were forced to close
and/or re-organize, in part
due to the Chrysler divi-
sion going bankrupt.
Smith
(Continued from 3)
In 2006, the bank ventured
across the county line and
opened its loan production
office in Bowling Green
on West Poe Road. That
office has closed and incor-
porated into the full-ser-
vice bank on East Court
Street.
This is the 80th anni-
versary for the company as
well as the 10th anniver-
sary of a presence in
Bowling Green.
In addition to the full-
service offices of the bank,
the new location will also
serve HCB Financial
Services, with Jason
Maasel operating an office
for investment products.
The loan production
office introduced many
people in Wood County to
the bank’s operations.
Now, with a full service
center open, former area
customers who had to trav-
el to Malinta or other
Henry County offices
before can now do their
banking at the Bowling
Green branch in Wood
County.
“This new, full-service
operation further solidifies
present relations and fur-
thers additional new rela-
tionships. We are excited
to be part of the vibrancy
of Bowling Green and
Wood County,” Wendt
said.
The bank currently has
nine full-time employees
and expects to expand
upon that as it gains a
stronger foothold in Wood
County.
Deb Russell, branch
manager, has been in the
banking industry in
Bowling Green for 30
years and is excited about
The Henry County Bank.
“We are large enough to
serve our customers but
small enough to know our
customers and the commu-
nities. The Henry County
Bank has a hometown phi-
losophy,” Russell said.
“Even the president is
approachable and willing
to listen. Everyone here is
willing to listen. That piece
is very important. Here,
the customer is that impor-
tant.”
Hired in 2005, Leslee
Thompson, vice president
of lending, has been with
the bank’s connection to
Wood County since its
lending office opened in
Bowling Green in 2006.
“I always knew how
important it was for me
that there was a place for
us in Bowling Green. We
are a small community
bank that wants you to feel
important. A person
answers the phone, not a
machine,” Thompson said.
“We communicate with the
customer and each other.
Out left arm and our right
arm are attached and they
are working together.”
She noted how lending
regulations have changed
some of their operations
due to new guidelines
which limit their ability.
Like any financial insti-
tution there are often fees
and service charges
involved with some busi-
ness transactions, but
Thompson said, “We try to
keep it within reason.”
Wendt said the compa-
ny is proud of its long-
term goals and decisions
which focus on the bank
being a fixture in the com-
munity for years and
decades to come.
Bank
(Continued from 5)
in American diplomatic
history and a bachelor’s
degree in teaching, will
likely stay around Bowling
Green.
“I like the city. There’s
so much to do, yet it’s
inexpensive.”
Her daughter is in
Columbus and her son
lives in Chicago, so there
are plenty of road trips.
Looking back, Rothrock
credits her organizing and
planning skills and “huge
amount of common sense”
for her success.
She added that she also
has a sense of humor and
has been fortunate to
remain in good health.
“You’ve got to have a
good idea and you’ve got
to be a self-starter. You
can’t stand around waiting
for someone to tell you
what to do.”
Calico
(Continued from 6)
Veh & Son Furniture in Gibsonburg
was founded by M. G. Veh in 1882.
Mr.Veh’s philosophy was to provide his
customers with superior quality home
furnishings, top-notch customer service
and very affordable prices.
Located in two big stores in Downtown
Gibsonburg, today the
company features the area’s largest selection of better quality furniture
and accessories with over 25,000 square feet of attractive displays.
Their courteous staff is pleased to assist you with every aspect of your
decorating needs, from floor coverings to window treatments, and of
course, furniture.
They offer free professional design consultation, delivery at no extra
charge, and six months free financing with approved credit.
Indeed much has changed since
1882, butVeh & Son’s commitment to
superior quality products and services
at very affordable prices has remained
a constant through the years. Come to
Gibsonburg and see for yourself.
419-637-7292
Tues.-Wed.-Thurs.-Sat. 9-5:30
Mon. & Fri. 9-9
www.vehandson.comin Gibsonburg
FREE Delivery
‘‘TheBiggestLittle
FurnitureStoreAround.’’
M
atthew Kohl
er
Paul Kohler Nick BlauseyJanet Perry Sherry Curns Theresa Hilt Leroy Amelin
g
2016
FamilyOwnedSince1882
Wood
County
1928 E. Gypsy Lane Rd.
Bowling Green, OH 43402
419-352-4172
ohiomeansjobs.com/wood
Job Seeker Services:
Career Training and
Counseling
Employer Services:
Recruitment
and Training of
Candidates
Satellite Office
Penta Career Center
419-661-6187
8. Page 8 – Friday, February 26, 2016 SENTINEL-TRIBUNE
2016 Progress edition
patrons will often shop at
Elder-Beerman, while St.
Julian’s Fitness regulars
will visit Dunham’s.
The people who attend
church services also sup-
port the mall businesses.
“We’ve allowed this to
be something other than a
typical mall,” Beaverson
said.
She also noted how the
mall’s dozen employees
have the skills and talents
to do much of the work
instead of having the mall
“outsource” that work.
“That saves us money,”
Beaverson said as she
praised the staff as well as
tenants who will assist.
The Elder-Beerman anchor
store was one of the first
stores in the mall.
Beaverson said the store
was first in its division
within the company in
sales for 2015.
The locally-owned
Sears Home store recently
expanded, more than dou-
bling its floor plan.
“When other Sears
stores closed, ours expand-
ed 10,000 square feet,”
Beaverson said.
St. Julian’s Fitness
Center is a new tenant and
will soon move across the
hall to larger facilities. The
construction on the state-
of-the-art facility is expect-
ed to be completed in
March.
Julie’s Dance Studio
has expanded its base with
a larger studio.
Near Elder-Beerman,
Gottschalk’s Rarities will
soon be opening a store
which buys and sells pri-
marily rare coins.
Beaverson said the owner
has a lot of Civil War-era
coins.
At the opposite end of
the mall, Nettie Zamarripa
has operated her beauty
salon for nearly three
years, taking over a space
formerly occupied by a
national chain of salons.
Dyeing 2 B Pretty has suc-
ceeded because Zamarripa
said her clients, after 17
years as a hairdresser, are
loyal to her. She also con-
tinues to grow through
word of mouth.
Zamarripa is also a local
resident, born and raised in
Wood County.
“It’s nice to see that
area people are keeping
this mall in business,” she
said.
Her salon is being
remodeled to give it her
own touch and feel. “After
three years it is time for a
fresh look and to make it
my own,”
She expects it to remain
open during the remodel-
ing and hopes to be fin-
ished with the new look by
early March.
She has one other styl-
ist who works in the salon
and is also looking for
another established stylist
to join with her in the
salon.
Beaverson also said the
Amazing Space arcade
near the food court is
investing in a fresh look
with new machines and
games.
In the east wing of the
mall, Beaverson touted the
life brought to the restau-
rant/bar, the Alehouse
Grill.
“They have done a ter-
rific job there,” Beaverson
said, praising both the
menu and the entertain-
ment. “They have done
more there than anyone
has before.”
Across the hall is the
fairly recent addition of
the BiG Fab Lab. This
“makerspace” gives cre-
ators in various crafts a
place and professional
machinery to be creative
and develop ideas.
Among the featured
items in the studio are a
3-D printer, laser engraver
and various woodworking
tools.
It is a membership orga-
nization but the operators
also offer classes and edu-
cational opportunities for
the general public.
Two other services pro-
vided are also longtime
tenants, the Busido Kai
dojo and Kenzie Green, a
massage therapist.
Beaverson also bragged
about the stability and
importance of the cinemas
to the mall.
“They have been there
from the start and their
prices are terrific,”
Beaverson said. “That is a
huge thing for us.”
One of the highlights of
the mall is the monthly
Super Saturday Sale, which
happens on the fourth
Saturday of each month.
The sale features anywhere
between 60 to 115 vendors
and draws 400 to 700 cus-
tomers.
“The sale continues to
grow and draws people
from all over the area
including people from
Indiana and Michigan,”
Beaverson said.
Despite having three
open spaces in the food
court, Beaverson said the
current tenants provide
excellent food at reason-
able prices and are doing
well.
While open spaces are
not good, Beaverson does
like the opportunities pro-
vided to the community
when they can donate
space to various commu-
nity projects.
She listed a variety of
charitable and civic groups
which have benefitted
including the Horizon
Youth Theatre and Bowling
Green High School athlet-
ics.
“It’s nice to help the
community,” she said.
Beaverson also shared
the plans for new LED
lighting both outside in the
parking lot as well as
inside the entire mall.
“Those LED lights will
save us a lot of money so
we can put more money
into the property”
Beaverson said.
Beaverson also said
there are plans for an enter-
tainment operation for
young people in the former
Steve & Barry’s anchor
slot. The plan is for that to
be operational by this fall.
Mall
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Shane St. Julian, owner of St. Julian’s Fitness, expects to have his new gym in the
Woodland Mall open by the end of March.
(Continued from 3)
Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune
Enriqueta Baldonado (left), with her daughter Laura Baldonado
(second from right) and grandsons Jesse Tolles II (second from
left) and Collin Tolles, operate Queta’s Kitchen in the Woodland
Mall.
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9. ProgresSFriday, February 26, 2016 Page 9
By ALEX ASPACHER
Sentinel County Editor
Continuing construction on
Interstate 75, along with other
related projects, will continue to
test drivers’ patience this sum-
mer.
Highway interchanges with
Interstate 475 in Perrysburg will
close for four months as soon as
mid May, necessitating lengthy
detours. Mirroring what was
previously done with the north-
bound lanes, southbound traffic
will be shifted onto the opposite
side of the roadway just south of
U.S. 20, splitting those drivers
heading to Ohio 25 away from
those continuing south on I-75.
The interchange work will cut
off access from the I-475 bridge
to northbound I-75, requiring
drivers to travel south to Ohio
582 in order to ultimately head
north. At the same time, those
trying to get from northbound
I-75 over to I-475 will have to
go past and turn around at Ohio
795, so that the high bridge at
the interchange can be rebuilt.
When completed, the struc-
ture of the “weave” at which
southbound I-75 meets I-475
near the Route 25 exit in
Perrysburg will change. The
Ohio Department of
Transportation will tunnel
through the hillside and build a
bridge in order to have those
lanes join in a way that doesn’t
create so many points of con-
flict, which sometimes requires
drivers from I-75 to cross two
lanes to exit at Route 25.
“We’re changing the geome-
try of that interchange — spe-
cifically southbound I-75 to 475,
and actually 75 northbound
where they come together — to
eliminate that weave, which was
a little bit of a safety issue,
something that we wanted to
improve on,” said Brian French,
area engineer for ODOT’s north-
western Ohio district.
The work is tentatively sched-
uled for May but could be shift-
ed to later in the summer “if we
have a late spring, a bad spring,
one of those ones that goes into
July,” French said.
Some progress requires patience
Image provided
Interchanges will be rebuilt and restructured in Perrysburg this summer as the
Ohio Department of Transportation tries to eliminate some weaving traffic lanes
between Interstate 75 and Interstate 475 near the Ohio 25 exit.
Perrysburg highway
interchanges will
close for four months
By Sentinel-Tribune Staff
NORTH BALTIMORE —
The D.S. Brown Company is
celebrating its 125th anniversa-
ry. Known worldwide as a
designer, supplier and manufac-
turer of engineered products for
the airport, bridge and highway
industries, D.S. Brown was not
always involved in the building
and repairing of the country’s
infrastructure.
The company was founded in
1890 in Leland, New York, and
relocated in the early 1900s to
North Baltimore, setting up shop
in the former Buckeye Match
Factory.
In 1916, D.S. Brown entered
the leather goods business, man-
ufacturing horse collars, pads
and other saddle-related items.
D.S. Brown continued in this
business for many years, experi-
menting along the way with
deerskin tanning and early auto-
mobile roofing materials.
“As we look back over the
past 125 years, D.S. Brown has
been an important part of the
groundwork to create, improve
and support our country’s infra-
structure. The commitment, pas-
sion and talent of our employees
have been the keys to our suc-
cess over the years,” said Phil
Renda, president.
“We take pride in our prod-
ucts and the contributions we’ve
made to the industry, which have
allowed for innovative customer
solutions on many projects. At
D.S. Brown, we continue to
invest in our employees and pro-
cesses to drive innovation and
continuous improvement, result-
ing in the best engineered solu-
tions for our customers,” Renda
added.
The company employs more
than 230 people at its facilities.
A little bit of the history of
the company follows.
ENTERING THE
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
Times were changing and
D.S. Brown building bridges for 125 years
Photos by Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune
D.S. Brown employee Dale Preston measures the
width of a rubber seal as it emerges from an extru-
sion line. At right, a newly molded rubber pad for
supporting bridge beams is seen in the forefront as
D.S. Brown employee Juan Bustos works in the
background, around a press which is used to shape
the pads.
(See BROWN on 12)
(See HIGHWAY on 13)
Falcon Health Center
was close by whenmy back
pain was too muchto bear.
When Chuck Spicer was suffering from severe back spasms at
work, he came to Wood County Hospital’s Falcon Health Center. Here,
he received a quick diagnosis and medications to alleviate the pain.
He was even able to fill his prescription at our drive-thru pharmacy.
Located on the campus of BSGU, Falcon Health provides a wide
range of services, including urgent care, diagnostics, lab work and
women’s healthcare. We also offer immunizations and sports physicals.
So remember, when you need prompt treatment for a minor illness
or injury, you can depend on us.
Chuck S.
Perrysburg
Nick Espinoza, DO
Falcon Health Center
Urgent Care
To learn more about Wood County Hospital’s Urgent Care visit us online at woodcountyhospital.org.
11. SENTINEL-TRIBUNE Friday, February 26, 2016 – Page 11
2016 Progress edition
By EMILY GORDON
Sentinel Staff Writer
NORTHWOOD — One
look at Walter Krueger Jr.’s
hands will tell you what he
does for a living.
Cracked palms stained
by potting soil are a family
feature for the Kruegers,
who have run Lakewood
Greenhouse in Northwood
for four generations.
“It’s really a seven-day-
a-week business, and a
tough one,” he said. “Many
places like ours have
closed.”
For almost 120 years,
the family business has
flourished.
It all started with
William Krueger, who left
his home in Germany for a
better life in America when
he was 12 years old.
He came through Ellis
Island in 1890 and started
working at a greenhouse in
Chicago the very next day,
cutting roses with one of
his four brothers. He was
paid $10 a month, plus
room and board, and he
saved every penny, said his
son, Walter Krueger Sr.
William Krueger took
his savings to East Toledo
in the 1890s to establish a
greenhouse at Clark and
Nevada streets near the
High Level Bridge. He
specialized in roses and
also grew sweet peas and
peonies.
Two of his brothers,
Otto and Henry, were
involved with the business,
then known as Krueger
Brothers Greenhouse.
Otto Krueger opened a
retail shop on East
Broadway Street in Toledo,
which he later sold to the
Hirzel family. Hirzel
Brothers Greenhouse is
still in operation almost
100 years later.
Eventually, William
Krueger expanded his
company to the country-
side of northern Wood
County.
Walter Krueger Sr.
moved to “the farm,” as it
was called back then, on
Lemoyne Road with his
family when he was just a
year old, he said.
The 96-year-old has
fond memories of his father
teaching him the business.
“He had done it all his
life. We worked together
for 10 years and then he
retired,” he said. “He
taught me everything.”
The second-generation
florist earned his floricul-
ture degree in the 1940s at
Ohio State University,
which boasted the coun-
try’s premier horticulture
program. In the 1960s, he
switched the business’
focus from cut flowers to
potted plants.
Since then, work has
revolved around holiday
plants like cyclamen for
Valentine’s Day, hanging
baskets and tropicals for
Mother’s Day and Easter
lilies, Oriental lilies,
Asiatic lilies, tulips and
begonias for Easter.
The wholesale green-
house supplies plants to
500 companies including
Black Diamond, Kroger
and the Andersons.
Walter Krueger Jr.
became Lakewood
Greenhouse’s show runner
upon his father’s 1992
retirement following 50
years of work.
But the elder Krueger
continued to work part
time for 20 years and then
as a volunteer. “Unpaid,”
he added with a laugh.
He officially retired a
few years ago.
For the past eight years,
it’s been the younger
Krueger’s turn to guide his
son, Michael, through run-
ning the family business,
marking four generations
of green thumbs.
Michael Krueger
remembers tagging along
with his parents to the
greenhouse every Saturday
as a child. The business
ended up growing on him.
“I did small things like
stickering pot covers or
watering plants and mov-
ing stuff around. I don’t
think I was ever not inter-
ested in it,” he said. “Every
day is different and has a
new challenge. I couldn’t
really picture myself sit-
ting at a desk answering
phone calls all day.”
With a bachelor’s degree
in marketing, Michael
Krueger had no real grow-
ing experience when he
first started working at the
greenhouse, so he learned
on the job from the two
men who know it best, he
said.
There is some pressure
working for one’s father.
“He just wants to make
sure I succeed and learn
how to do everything. Also
that it’s our family busi-
ness, our livelihood, but
also the livelihood of our
employees. A lot of people,
not just your family,
depend on you keeping the
business going.”
Thegreenhouseemploys
25 to 35 people, depending
on the time of year.
While running a green-
house takes a lot of work,
it can go by rather quickly
if one doesn’t take a
moment to stop and smell
the roses, his father said.
“It goes so fast when
you look back on the last
30 years. At the beginning
you think it’ll last forever.
When you get to this point,
you try to reposition,”
Walter Krueger Jr. said. “I
told Michael if he wasn’t
here, I’d sell the place. I’m
glad he was interested
because if no one is inter-
ested you just close.”
With his siblings pursu-
ing other career paths,
Michael Krueger may be
the last to run the green-
house, unless son, Mason,
2, one day takes it on.
“It would be nice to
have a fifth generation run
it. He does enjoy coming
here to see the carts, fork-
lifts and tractors. He likes
to make the noises,” he
said with a smile.
Many families have to
dig a bit to unearth their
family history, but the
Greenhouse deeply rooted in community
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Walter Krueger Jr., Walter Krueger Sr. and Michael Krueger at Lakewood Greenhouse.
Krueger family business spans four generations
patients and families we
serve. And, we are blessed
to have the ongoing sup-
port of the community that
allows both of our Hospice
Centers to remain extraor-
dinary havens for those
facing the end of life.”
The area’s second
Hospice Center opened in
Toledo in February 2004.
According to its web-
site, hospice cares for more
than 2,600 patients a year
with a staff of 400 and a
volunteer corps of 280.
While almost all patients
in the early years had can-
cer, 60 percent now have
other end-stage diseases,
signifying the acceptance
of hospice care as a posi-
tive end-of-life option for
all.
Hospice of Northwest
Ohio turns no one away
due to inability to pay.
(Continued from 10)
Hospice
(See LAKEWOOD on 16)
Farm & Home
Financing
Lines of Credit
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Buildings
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12. Page 12 – Friday, February 26, 2016 SENTINEL-TRIBUNE
2016 Progress edition
Finally, the material is
shipped to Southeastern
Container to convert back
into bottles.
The local loop not only
makes the operation more
sustainable but also
encouraged close connec-
tions with Southeastern
Container and on the city,
county and state levels, he
said.
“When we started in
1991, we looked at several
sites but thought BG was
the right place to be. We’ve
had great support form the
city, and we’re happy
here,” Deardurff said.
“Phoenix was here before
Southeastern Container
was here, so we’ve had a
long, good relationship
with them, too.”
Deardurff credits
Phoenix’s longevity to
such continued support but
also to the foresight of
those who were with the
company since its incep-
tion.
“Curbside recycling
was not big in 1990s,” he
said, referencing the rela-
tive ease of buying depos-
ited material that never hit
the curb.
“But in 1999, we were
the first manufacturer in
the country to get approval
from the FDA to make
materials 100 percent from
the curb. We’re pretty
proud of the fact that we
thought long term, that we
thought, ‘How do we take
true trash and put it back
into food contact materi-
als?’”
Now, customers can use
100 percent of what they
recycle, he said.
“That’s kind of our
claim to fame. That’s what
we focused on ever
since.”
More than 25 percent of
Phoenix consumption and
sales take place in Ohio,
he said.
Phoenix plans on host-
ing a ribbon cutting for its
Poe Road converter facili-
ty in the spring, Carson
said.
The expansion used the
site’s existing building; or,
one might say, they recy-
cled it.
“It’s been a wild ride
but every day Bob says,
‘Are we having fun?’ And
the answer is always yes,”
she said.
With 91 local employ-
ees and a strong need to
help better the environ-
ment, Deardurff said he is
looking forward to another
25 years of business.
“We feel really good
about what we do for the
environment. A billion
pounds of material has
been put back into bottles
and kept from a landfill,”
he said.
“The nice thing about
rPET and how we process
it is there’s no end to the
number of trips it can
make, which is why it’s
such a phenomenal prod-
uct. It can be reused and
reused and reused with no
negative outcome. We
were able to design our
process to meet that goal
of recycling again and
again and again.”
(Continued from 5)
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Nick Bolton, with Phoenix Technologies, monitors temperatures of a decontamination
unit.
Phoenix
Brown
D.S. Brown continued to
look for more areas to pur-
sue. In 1932, D.S. Brown
bought out the Judd and
Leland Manufacturing
Company of New York,
enabling the production of
valves, packings and cups
for water pumps (the old
kitchen pitcher pump).
From here, D.S. Brown
landed a big automotive
deal in the late 1930s,
when it became a major
supplier of leather univer-
sal joint boots for the
Chrysler Corporation. This
work eventually led to the
manufacture of synthetic
rubber drive shafts, giving
D.S. Brown its start in the
rubber products business.
PIONEER IN RUBBER
EXTRUSION MOLDING
D.S. Brown was an
early innovator in rubber
extrusion molding in the
U.S.
This became a key prod-
uct throughout the 1940s
and 1950s. In the 1960s,
dense and sponge extru-
sions became the dominant
product with automotive
gaskets and window seals.
The rubber extrusion
business later turned to
compression seals for the
highway and bridge mar-
kets, and these seals remain
a key product for D.S.
Brown today.
Based on this involve-
ment in the bridge and
highway industry, D.S.
Brown expanded its prod-
uct lines throughout the
1970s and 1980s, becom-
ing a leading supplier of
structural bearings and
expansion joint systems. In
the late 1990s, increased
business led to D.S. Brown
acquiring the former Lewis
Engineering Company of
Chaska, Minnesota.
D.S. BROWN TODAY
The D.S. Brown
Company continues to
invest in equipment to
expand its manufacturing
technology and reduce
costs in a competitive mar-
ket.
D.S. Brown is always
striving to develop new
and alternative products
such as the Exodermic
Bridge Deck System and
Deckguard Spray
Membrane.
By keeping an eye to
the future, D.S. Brown
continues to spot trends
that lead to future business
growth.
D.S. Brown is fortunate
to have been a part of many
significant infrastructure
projects, including the San
Francisco-Oakland Bay
Bridge, Pearl Harbor
Memorial Bridge, Dolphin-
Palmetto interchange in
Miami-Dade County,
Boston I-93 central artery
big dig, Seattle Tacoma
Airport third runway proj-
ect, as well as many U.S.
military airport base proj-
ects across the world.
The D.S. Brown
Company has come a long
way from its humble begin-
nings of making horse col-
lars to being a leader in the
manufacturing of quality
and long-lasting infrastruc-
ture materials.
(Continued from 9)
Solutions that Improve
Quality of Life
PROGRESS
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AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
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are not limited to:
Family and individual therapy services
Crisis intervention services
Counseling and intervention services for
children
Prevention, counseling, and crisis services in
schools
Substance abuse prevention programs for
middle- and high-school youth
Access to residential, outpatient, and medication
assisted treatment
Social rehabilitation and employment programs
for adults with mental illness
Numbers to call for help: The Link (1-800-472-
9411) or Recovery Helpline 2-1-1
Recovery housing for males (available soon!)
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13. SENTINEL-TRIBUNE Friday, February 26, 2016 – Page 13
2016 Progress edition
and dedication of the farm-
ers.
“They are very loyal
customers and they keep it
going,” Roe said.
The grain taken and sold
or stored at the facilities
can travel as close as the
Poet ethanol plant near
Fostoria or as far away as
Maine or Florida.
Roe has been affiliated
with the facility for 27
years and in addition to the
technology changes, he has
seen a lot of other trends.
“Everything is so fickle.
Right now wheat is not
very profitable, so wheat
acres are going down,”
Roe said. “Last year’s
wheat crop was a disaster
due to the rains.”
He also noted the
increased use of cover
crops, which are really
going strong by the farm-
ers served.
He said rye grass is the
most popular cover crop as
it provides many of the
nutrients for the ground
without a lot of expense.
And, he said, “it’s helping
the environment.”
“Last year we had 200
times more cover crops
than wheat seed.”
Another trend Roe said
is the declining number of
farmers despite the grow-
ing numbers in bushels
harvested.
“We used to have all the
tractors and wagons lined
up both ways waiting to
deliver the grain,” Roe
said. “Now with the larger
equipment and semis load-
ed with the grain, there is
not much of a line at all.”
(Continued from 2)
Co-op
By MARIAH
TEVEPAUGH
Sentinel Staff Writer
For 75 years, Main and
Sons Plumbing has been
serving the Bowling Green
area.
Jeremy Main took over
the family business in 2014
following his father’s death
in 2010. Now, with his
wife Kyle and three boys,
Jerrad, Conner and Blake,
he plans to pass the busi-
ness onto his sons.
“We plan on keeping
the family business going
and try to get my kids
involved, see if they would
want to take the business
over,” Jeremy Main said.
The family business was
started by Fred “Bud”
Main in 1941 out of his
home on Fairview Avenue.
It has been at 320 S. Main
St. for 51 years.
Jeremy Main attributes
the healthy business to past
owners and the work ethic
of past and current employ-
ees.
“We’re just doing the
job the best we can. We
don’t try to rush the job,
try to take your time and
fix it right the first time,”
he said.
“I think the friendliness
too, my great-grandpa and
dad paved the way to get
the business to the name it
is now and we keep plug-
ging forward.”
Main said that working
with family helps as well.
“Some days are good,
some are bad, but in gen-
eral it’s nice because you
get to see them every day,”
he said. “Even the workers
that work here, we don’t
hire just anybody. They’re
hired because of someone
you know, or a friend of a
friend.”
He also said that it’s
harder to work in a family
business because everyone
expects more from you.
“I think it’s tougher
working in a family busi-
ness because they expect
more so you don’t want to
let them down,” Main said.
“You have to do the job,
but you don’t get yelled at
too bad around here.”
There are four full-time
employees and one part-
time in the summer. Cody
Bateson, one of the full-
timers, said working for
the company has been
enjoyable.
“It’s a relaxed environ-
ment, and easy to get along
with,” he said. “And if you
need to take off for a baby
to hatch, he tells you to
leave.”
Nick Huffine said that
he started knowing nothing
about plumbing, but Main
taught him from the begin-
ning.
“Cody got me the job
and I walked in here not
knowing a thing – Jeremy
taught me everything,” he
said.
Huffine likes the variety
of daily work.
Main said he always has
liked the job and was never
forced into the family busi-
ness.
Starting as a young
child, he and his brother
worked on the family farm
until they were offered to
work in the business.
“At 9 or 10 years old,
running equipment was
probably not the best thing,
but that’s how we grew up
on the farm. It didn’t hurt
too much and it was a good
start,” he said.
“We had good teachers,
my grandfather and dad.
We pretty much learned by
seeing and doing what they
did instead of reading it
out of a book.”
Main said new forms of
communication have made
the job much easier.
“My grandpa used to
have a CB radio and that’s
how he communicated to
the guys in the trucks,” he
said.
“Now we all got cell
phones and we can do the
texting, so communication
is so much quicker. If
there’s an emergency, they
can call you right from the
office. We can take pic-
tures of stuff and send it to
the salesmen, and (it’s)
better for the customers
because it’s quicker.”
Competition hasn’t been
much to worry about, he
said.
“There’s enough com-
panies around so there’s
always competition in
something — you try to
get all the jobs but there’s
enough to go around for
everybody,” he said.
He said that business
has been consistent and
good in Bowling Green.
“We don’t have the
newest trucks or building,
but that doesn’t speak for
workmanship,” he said.
“Business has been
good the last three years –
there’s always work in
town.”
Main and Sons flooded
with work for 75 years
J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune
Jeremy Main and his wife, Kyle, with their children, Conner (left)
and Jerrad at the family’s shop, Main and Sons.
“With weather, it’s
always possible. But if
everything stays the way
we expect it to, we should
be OK.”
The interchange work
will be done during the
same 120-day period —
which French called “pain-
fully efficient” — rather
than putting it into phases
which could maintain some
access but ultimately draw
out the duration. Either
way, some traffic head-
aches are a certainty.
The new configuration
might be difficult to imag-
ine, but ODOT has placed
materials online, including
a video of the planned traf-
fic movements at https://
w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m /
watch?v=uftRZr9hK24.
For a video, visit www.
sent-trib.com.
Though posted detours
stay on the highway,
Perrysburg officials realize
there’s a high likelihood
many local drivers look to
city streets instead for
shortcuts. They met with
ODOT a few weeks ago to
discuss the issue, and the
police and fire chiefs con-
tinue gathering to make
sure they’re up to date on
what’s open, what’s closed
and how to best respond to
emergencies,saidBridgette
Kabat, city administrator.
“We’re just going to
have to manage it as best
as possible,” she said. “It’s
going to be tough. We’ll
all have to exercise some
patience.”
Some southbound driv-
ers will be hit again as
soon as the interchange
work is done, as ODOT
plans to close the entrance
from and exit to Route 582
so they can be rebuilt.
Similar work was done
during a closure of the
northbound ramps last
year.
At the same time, crews
will continue chipping
away at the I-75 pavement,
cutting out existing road
surfaces and replacing
them with concrete.
Overall, the $261 mil-
lion in work to add a third
lane from Perrysburg to
Findlay has passed the
half-way point and is on
pace to be mostly com-
plete in Wood County by
the end of next year.
“I would say right now
we’re slightly above 50
percent. We’re about half-
way done,” French said.
There have been some
delays due to weather, but
nothing’s been put off too
far.
“We’re where we need
to be,” French said.
“The light’s getting
brighter at the end of the
tunnel, that’s for sure.”
The earliest progress
will be visible in the
16-mile stretch of highway
between Perrysburg and
Bowling Green. As pave-
ment is added, lanes can
be made wider leading up
to the time when a third
lane will actually open,
French said.
“By the end of next
year, there is a chance that
a very significant portion
of the Wood County I-75
will be open to three
lanes.”
(Continued from 9)
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Saluting the Businesses and
Industries Supporting Economic
Development in
Bowling Green, Ohio
B O W L I N G G R E E N
Community Development
Foundation
www.bowlinggreen-oh.com
Four Corners Center
130 S. Main St.
419-353-3591
by making a commitment to the
Bowling Green Community Development Foundation
Members of The Bowling Green
Community Development
Foundation recognize that
their business’ success and
continued growth are tied to
their community. Trustees lend
their expertise to address issues
concerning the city’s business and
industry, to help ensure a solid
future and a presence in the global
marketplace for local enterprises.
Together, we are insuring the
continued growth and vitality
of the City of Bowling Green for
many years to come.
Check out our webpage www.BowlingGreen-OH.com
for more information and a list of Trustees
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