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Follow the Leaders
These businesswomen ‘make things happen’ in Clermont County
Betsy Emery founded Tellus in 2003; since then, the e-commerce company has earned national attention and international honors, including recognition by the Web Marketing Association as one of the top five e-commerce firms in the nation.Burned out from long hours working as a products liability attorney, Nadine Albenze-Smith had an idea.
She opened Record Express LLC in July 2003 with three employees. Today, she has a staff of 21, clients in 17 states and is overseeing the construction of a new building.
Record Express specializes in records retrieval and helps clients manage their internal documents by switching to electronic files.
“I saw a need, and I knew I could do better,” Albenze-Smith says.
With no prior business experience, Albenze-Smith started by looking for help on the Internet. A Google search put her in touch with John Melvin, director of the Small Business Development Center at the Clermont Chamber of Commerce. Melvin helped her draft a business plan and introduced her to people who could assist with financing, office space and staffing.
“Clermont County is doing everything it can to help businesses get started,” Albenze-Smith says.
That’s a sentiment shared by other women, who find Clermont County’s progressive environment just right for their brand of doing business.
A case in point: Betsy Emery, who left a large e-commerce firm in Michigan to launch Tellus in 2003 to serve midsize companies.
The decision to locate in Clermont County, Emery says, was a strategic one.
“The cost of operations here allows us to provide cost-efficient services for our clients,” Emery says. “They select us because our Web services are equal to or better than New York firms at a much more reasonable price.”
About a year ago, Emery became active in the Clermont Chamber of Commerce.
“The Clermont Chamber is very active in reaching out and assisting businesses and accomplishing success in the area,” she says. “This is not unique to women-owned businesses. There is a lot of new excitement about things happening here in Clermont County.”
Susan McHugh, general manager and editor of Community Press Newspapers, says women are putting their stamp on local business.
“This is an extremely friendly business community,” McHugh says. “Ten to 15 years ago, it was still a somewhat good-old-boy network. That has changed. Now we have women in politics, business leaders and owners. It’s not, ‘Hey, I’m here because I’m female.’ It’s ‘Hey, I’m here because I know what I am doing.’”
Community Press’ publishing offices are in Clermont County, as are four of the organization’s 27 papers.
McHugh says the chamber actively recruits women for leadership positions.
“At business events, you see so many women there; they’re in roles of power and prestige, and they are making things happen,” she says.
One such mover and shaker is Robin White, who left teaching to work in administration for Great Oaks, a career and technical school system serving a 12-county area including Clermont County. When White’s husband, Van, was transferred to Columbus, she followed and worked for the Ohio Department of Education and completed her Ph.D. It was then Van’s turn to follow her back to Cincinnati when Great Oaks beckoned again. Four years ago, she was named CEO.
Great Oaks students in Clermont County can select from more than 40 career majors leading to graduation, continuing education and employment. From the graduating class of 2006, 97.3 percent are employed, continuing their education or both.
“Clermont County is definitely a big operation for us,” White says. “I see Clermont County as being kind of this area just poised for taking off.”
Story by Leanne Libby
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
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