GALION — The Galion-Crestline Area Chamber of Commerce (GCACC) and the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) are teaming up again this year to host the fourth annual Crawford County Business Forecast & Economic Development Update, also known as the ‘Forecast Breakfast.’
The 2024 Forecast Breakfast will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 28 from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at St. Joe’s Activity Center, 115 N. Liberty St, Galion. The cost to attend is $20 per person.
The following community and industry leaders will be the featured speakers: Todd Boyer, Ohio Mutual; Audrey Flood, North Central Electrical Cooperative; Jerry Morasco, Avita Health System; Mark Rantala, Galion Port Authority; Jim Spreng, Spreng Capital Management, Inc; Lisa Workman, Community Foundation for Crawford County; and David Zak, Crawford Partnership.
While enjoying a hearty breakfast catered by Avita, attendees will hear speakers’ insights on current local economic conditions as they reflect on the results of the previous year, discuss their plans for the coming year, and forecast the impact that market trends and other factors will have on local business.
At the time of this writing, confirmed sponsors for the 2024 Crawford County Economic Development Update & Business Forecast Breakfast include: A-1 Printing, Alternative Energy Source, Avita Health System, Craig A. Miley Realty, Crawford County CEO, Dostal & Kirk, Dzugan Real Estate, Eagle Crusher Co. Inc, Firelands Federal Credit Union, First Federal Bank of Ohio, Flick Packaging, Galion Building & Loan Bank, Garberick Realty, J & F Construction, North Central State College, OhioHealth, Park National Bank, Peoples Savings and Loan, Pioneer Adult Education, and Tramec Sloan.
There are still sponsorship opportunities available. For more information or to sponsor this event, please call the GCACC at 419-468-7737 or the BACC at 419-562-4811, or email ceo@galion-crestlinechamber.org.
To register online for the 2024 Forecast Breakfast, visit: https://www.chamberdata.net/webforms/EvtRegistration3.aspx?dbid2=ohgal&evtId=15010571
Immediately following the Forecast Breakfast (in the same space), from 9:15 – 10:45 am, Innovate Crawford will host a free lecture entitled “Safeguarding Creativity: A Crash Course in Intellectual Property (IP) Law,” presented by well-known patent and intellectual property attorney Jake Ward of Ward Law Office LLC in Tiffin.
Ward specializes in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, as well as preparing legal opinions about patentability, infringement, patent validity, and freedom to practice. He is also the founding author of the legal blog “Anticipate This!” and an adjunct professor at the University of Toledo College of Law.
Every business has intellectual property (IP) in one form or another. Protecting IP is important, but it can also be expensive. With startups especially, every dollar matters. Therefore, deciding whether and how to spend funds on IP protection is a key question that should be answered in the early stages of every new business. This session will cover IP protection, including patents, trademarks, and copyrights.
Registration for this free event is recommended, and can be done online at SAFEGUARDING CREATIVITY: A CRASH COURSE IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW – BrainTree Partners. For questions or additional information, contact 419-610-5924 or bcohen@braintreepartners.org.
Innovate Crawford is a collaborative venture of the Crawford Partnership, Braintree Business Development Center, and several other partners, that aims to increase entrepreneurial programming in Crawford County.