Business

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OTTAWA __ First National Bank has promoted Sarah Klausing to Senior Branch Manager. Klausing will continue to oversee the Ottawa branch, as well as supervise the branch manager team. In her new role, Sarah will provide enhanced support to branch managers, focusing on staffing, procedures, training, facility maintenance, and achieving branch goals.

Klausing has served as a branch manager with First National Bank for over 5 years.

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Registration deadline: March 9

The Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs (BCE) is once again hosting the Small Business Information Series and the Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition.

The Business Plan Competition is open to any entrepreneur with a business idea, or a business that has been in operation for three years or less.

The 2025 Small Business Information Series will be held on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. beginning on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 and ending on April 15, 2025. 

The classes will be hosted locally on the third floor of the Bluffton Town Hall. Classes will be broadcast live from the Borra Center at Rhodes State Collage. 

Please note that online, remote class opportunities will exist should you not be able to make every session.

For more information, or to register, click HERE.

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The Bluffton Lions Club inducted five new members in February and announced the March 4 Charter night for the Leo Club of Bluffton High School. (See attached February 2025 newsletter.)

Leo Charter Night will take place from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on March 4 at Bluffton Town Hall. Members will be inducted and officers will be installed.

March 18 Club Meeting: Speaker Dave Sycks will talk about the Bluffton Schools music program.

April 15 Citizen of the Year Program. If you have candidates, contact Lion John Rich.

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The Bluffton Lions Club is seeking nominees for the 2024 Citizen of the Year Award.  The award was established in 1981 to honor a person, couple, or person representing a group, who has selflessly given time, effort, and talent for the benefit of those in the Bluffton area, and whose dedication and achievements have profoundly improved the quality of life of the people in this area. 

The nominee may be living, or deceased within the last year. This year’s winner will be feted at a banquet on April 15, 2025. 

Anyone interested in making a nomination may obtain an application by contacting John Rich (419-358-5405) or visiting the Lions Club website at https://www.blufftonlions.org/citizen-year

Nominations will be accepted until February 28, 2025, and should be returned to Bluffton Lions Club, Box 223, Bluffton, Ohio 45817.

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Above) 2025 Chocolate Walk photos by Jamie Nygaard

By Paula Pyzik Scott

Jim Enneking, director of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce provided an update on recent chamber activities at the organization's February breakfast meeting including the following details on board members and the February 6 Chocolate Walk.

The chamber board is currently made up of the following representatives from local businesses.

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By Paula Pyzik Scott

The February 14 breakfast meeting of the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce spotlighted the following local businesses in addition to member announcements.

Luvu A Latte, 851 State Route 103, provided breakfast of biscuits and gravy and donut-fruit skewers.

Breakfast sponsor Stratton Greenhouses and Roots by Strattons introduced the 2025 Bluffton Beautification program, which provides and maintains flower pots and hanging baskets in the downtown area. Susie Stratton and Dan Stratton detailed the work that goes into the project, including over 200 hours of labor and 30,000 gallons of water. The Strattons explained a new wrap-around basket liner for the suspended flower that will require less watering and help deal with coconut-fiber liner delivery challenges.

Visit Roots by Strattons, 111 S Main St., for information on sponsorship opportunities or submit the sponsorship form HERE.

PROGRAM

Derek Dukes, who co-owns Southgate Lanes with Brandon Falk, provided a program on how that business has changed since they purchased it in 2020.

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