DAYTON — In an era when professional credibility can be drowned out by constant digital noise, a new master class in downtown Dayton aims to help individuals cut through the clutter by refining one powerful tool: their own story.
“Story to Strategy™: Professional Narrative Master Class,” scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2026, will bring together executives, creatives and professionals for a two-hour, hands-on session focused on shaping authentic, strategic personal narratives. The class will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Dayton Arcade, hosted by the Entrepreneurs Center.
Led by award-winning journalist and communications strategist Gery Deer, the workshop emphasizes clarity over self-promotion, guiding participants to better understand how their experiences translate into a credible and effective professional identity.
“In a world saturated with noise, credibility comes from clarity,” Deer said. “This isn’t about teaching people how to promote themselves louder—it’s about helping them define how they show up and why that matters to the people they serve.”
The session is designed as an interactive, immersive experience that draws on journalistic practices such as reporting and editing, as well as modern marketing strategies. Participants will work to identify the “through-line” in their professional journey, refine that narrative into a clear personal brand, and apply those insights to real-world decisions.
Organizers say the course is intentionally accessible, requiring no technical or artificial intelligence skills—just a willingness to engage and reflect. Attendees are encouraged to bring whatever tools they prefer for note-taking, from traditional pen and paper to laptops or tablets.
The $99 registration fee includes lunch, with a buy-one-get-one offer available to encourage collaboration and shared learning.
The February event marks the second installment in the 2026 Master Class Series presented by GLD Communications, a quarterly program aimed at equipping professionals with practical communication and branding tools. Additional sessions are planned for later in the year, including a “21st Century Public Relations Master Class” in August and a “Personal Brand Master Class” in October.
Deer, founder of GLD Communications, brings decades of experience in journalism, marketing and business development. Known for his “Deer in Headlines” newspaper column series, he has led workshops for chambers of commerce, professional associations and community organizations throughout the Midwest.
For attendees, the takeaway is intended to be immediate and actionable—not theoretical.
“A strong narrative can turn a brand into something more human, more relatable,” Deer said. “When people understand your story, they’re more likely to trust you—and that’s where real opportunity begins.”
Registration details and future class announcements are available through GLD Communications’ event listings.
JAMESTOWN – Greene County journalist and communications professional Gery Deer joined more than 300 physicians and patient advocates in Washington in February to press federal lawmakers on policies that directly affect access to urological care in Ohio and across the country.
Deer served on one of two Ohio delegations to the 2026 American Urological Association’s Annual Urology Advocacy Summit, held the week of Feb. 22 in Washington, D.C. He represented patients as a member of the Association for the Bladder Exstrophy Community’s Adult Patient Advisory Council.
The summit is designed to bring the voice of the specialty, and the patients it serves, directly to federal lawmakers — creating a bridge between medicine and policy. Over four days, physician and patient advocates receive briefings on pending legislation, reimbursement policy and insurance practices that shape how — and whether — patients can obtain urological treatment.
Here are both AUA Ohio delegations after a meeting at the office of U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R, OH-13). L to R – Urologists, Dr. Michael Bacchus (OSUMC), Dr. Scott Lundy (Cleveland Clinic), Dr. Kyle Kopechek (OSUMC), patient advocate Gery Deer (A-BE-C APAC), Dr. Bradley Gill (Cleveland Clinic), and Dr. Michael Sourial (OSUMC).
For communities in Greene County and the broader Miami Valley, those discussions are not abstract. Federal decisions about Medicare reimbursement, prior authorization and insurance oversight often determine how quickly patients can see specialists, whether recommended procedures are approved and how long physicians can continue offering certain services.
The Association for the Bladder Exstrophy Community is a global organization supporting patients and families affected by bladder exstrophy, a congenital urological condition that occurs in about one in every 50,000 births in the United States and worldwide. Deer, owner and creative director of GLD Communications, is one of eight patient advocates serving on the national council and chairs its communications efforts.
The council was formed three years ago by Kimberly Allen and Thomas Vincent of Seattle, both bladder exstrophy patients who saw gaps in long-term support for adults living with the rare condition. Since its founding, the group has developed an adult patient provider list, hosted physician-led webinars and organized patient-centered focus groups.
Participation in the AUA summit allows the organization to connect directly with urologists from around the country and to collaborate on legislation aimed at improving patient care. For Deer, the policy debate over insurance preauthorization stood out as especially urgent.
“Of all the legislation we were discussing with congressional representatives, insurance preauthorization was most important to me,” Deer said. “Bladder exstrophy presents a unique set of lifelong conditions and symptoms that rarely line up with those established within the narrow and often inaccurate coverage guidelines of insurance providers.”
Prior authorization — the requirement that physicians obtain insurer approval before certain treatments or procedures — has become a flashpoint in specialty care. Supporters say it helps control costs and prevent unnecessary procedures. Critics, including many physicians, argue it can delay care and override clinical judgment.
Deer said that during the summit he was surrounded by more than 300 of the nation’s leading urologists. Of those, only about 10 percent have treated or even met a bladder exstrophy patient, underscoring how specialized and rare the condition is.
At an invitation-only insurance roundtable attended by roughly 60 participants, Deer raised concerns about who ultimately decides what care is appropriate. Speaking as a patient advocate, he asked, “If these highly qualified physicians wouldn’t have the skills needed to treat someone like me, how is it remotely possible that an AI program or part time medical advisor would be capable of deciding what treatments are necessary and appropriate?”
He continued: “Urologists willing to treat a bladder exstrophy patient take on a long-term commitment and should have the final say in what treatments are necessary. Insurance companies, however, often disagree.”
For patients in southwestern Ohio, including those treated at major centers such as Cleveland Clinic, those disagreements can translate into delayed surgeries, postponed follow-up appointments or denied procedures. Physicians must devote additional staff time to appeals and documentation, while patients navigate uncertainty about whether recommended care will be covered.
Preauthorization remains a significant barrier in complex, lifelong conditions, Deer said, and he believes the issue extends far beyond rare diagnoses. Patients with cancer, kidney disease and other urological disorders may also face treatment delays tied to insurer review processes.
On Feb. 24, Deer and fellow members of the Ohio delegation met with congressional offices representing their home districts. The group included Dr. Scott Lundy and Dr. Bradley Gill of Cleveland Clinic, along with Hill guide Mykelle Richburg. They met with representatives of Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted and Reps. Max Miller and Shontel Brown. The office of Rep. Mike Turner declined a meeting.
Innovative Sterilization Technologies (IST), headquartered at 7625 Paragon Rd., Suite A in Dayton, has announced the appointment of Tim Tzimas as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2026, marking a new chapter for the company as it continues to reshape sterilization efficiency and medical device organization.
Tim Tzimas, new President and Chief Executive Officer of Innovative Sterilization Technologies (IST)
Tzimas brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in the orthopedic, neurosurgical, and medical technology sectors, with a career focused on sales management, operations, and organizational development in regulated healthcare markets.
Most recently, Tzimas served as joint reconstruction sales manager for the New York Metro Branch at Stryker, where he led one of the company’s largest U.S. territories. There, he managed strategic sales, robotic system utilization, and oversaw a team of more than 25 sales, clinical, and operational professionals.
Tzimas steps into IST’s top seat at a time where cases are rapidly transitioning from inpatient to outpatient facilities, causing pressure to do more with less—higher case volumes, tighter margins, and growing regulatory demands. IST’s leadership believes Tzimas’s experience and perspective in the power of consolidating trays, enhancing workflows, and maximizing efficiencies, position the company to meet those challenges head-on while continuing to expand adoption of its flagship ONE TRAY® system.
“Sterilization has long been treated as a necessary behind the scenes function, and in many ways the industry is still operating on outdated assumptions,” Tzimas said. “I want to help IST dispel existing dogma and change the perception in the market about how to best manage surgical instrument sterilization and containment.”
Under Tzimas’ leadership, IST plans to sharpen its focus on helping inpatient and outpatient facilities scale efficiently while maintaining the highest standards of safety and compliance. Wider adoption of ONE TRAY® and EZ-TRAX™ will elevate surgical workflow at facilities challenged by limited space, excessive cost, disconnect in instrument delivery and processing of instrumentation.
“My goal is to help surgical facilities sustain increased volumes and long-term success,” Tzimas said. “When teams are less burdened by unnecessary steps and inefficiencies, they can focus on what matters most—patient care and operational excellence.”
Tzimas sees the opportunity to shift industry language and thinking altogether, with The Total Solution, ONE TRAY®, E-Z TRAX™, and ONE CART ™, not just as another option, but as the standard.
“I want professionals in that space to simply say, ‘Just ONE TRAY® it,’” he added. “That’s when you know you’ve changed the conversation.”
IST officials said Tzimas’ appointment reflects the company’s commitment to innovation, education, and leadership in sterile processing at a time of rapid change. With demand for outpatient procedures continuing to rise, the company expects his vision to guide IST’s next phase of growth while reinforcing its mission to simplify sterilization without compromising quality.
Innovative Sterilization Technologies (IST) announced has also announced that ONE TRAY® sterilization container has received a second clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), significantly expanding its use across hospital and surgical facility workflows.
ONE TRAY®’s original clearance in 2006 (IFU K052567*) included sterilization at 270°F (132°C), Exposure Time 4 minutes, Cycle Dry Time Not Required and validated to maintain the sterility of the contents for up to a 48-hour storage period.
ONE TRAY®s NEW additional clearance in 2025 (IFU K250029**) maintains the same validated sterilization parameters – 270°F (132°C), Exposure Time 4 minutes, but with a 365 day event related shelf life/storage period with a 15-minute minimum dry time.
When introduced in 2006, ONE TRAY® represented a new approach to sealed sterilization container technology. Now, according to Barbara Ann Harmer MHA, BSN, RN, Vice President of Clinical Services at IST, the expanded storage window provides facilities with even more operational flexibility.
“The additional storage time gives the surgical department an alternative when unforeseen problems arise in the operating room,” Harmer said. “Those surgical delays often ripple far beyond the OR.”
“When patients arrive for surgery, they’ve already prepared, food and medications withheld, family schedules arranged, anxiety managed,” she said. “If the schedule is seriously disrupted, so are their lives. ONE TRAY® provides two solutions to keep everything on track. If the instrumentation is available, we are the fastest option to maintaining the schedule.”
“With the rising cost of healthcare, everyone is being asked to do more with less,” President and CEO of IST Tim Tzimas said. “The dual FDA clearances improve efficiency across the entire chain of custody in the sterilization process – an increasingly important factor as healthcare systems face mounting costs and staffing pressures. It truly offers a total solution and total flexibility to respond to clinical urgency, optimize inventory, and standardize sterilization processes using a single, reusable sealed container platform.”
IST encourages hospitals and surgical facilities to reach out to Barbara Ann at bharmer@onetray.com or 407-709-7209 for any questions related to the application of the new FDA clearance in their facilities. You can also visit onetray.com/ifucomparison to learn more about each IFU.
NEWARK, Ohio – January 21, 2026. Park National Bank (Park) announced today that Pat Rastatter has been named Market President of the bank’s West Region. He steps into the role previously held by John Brown, who was recently named Chief Retail Banking Officer and Market President of the bank’s Central Region.
“Pat has served our West Region since 2005 and provides exceptional expertise and strong, reliable leadership,” said Park CEO and President Matt Miller. “His dedication to serving customers and communities embodies the values that define Park. I’m confident he will continue to deliver exceptional service and further strengthen our impact.”
Pat Rastatter has been named Market President of Park National Bank’s West Region
Rastatter joined Park in 2005 and has held key roles on the bank’s commercial lending teams, including serving as senior lender for the West Region. In addition to his new responsibilities, he will continue to lead the West Region’s commercial lending team.
“I’m honored to step into the market president role,” Rastatter said. “At Park, our strength comes from the relationships we build with our customers, communities and each other. My focus is on empowering our teams to provide personalized solutions and exceptional care, so we remain the trusted financial partner our neighbors count on.”
Rastatter is actively engaged in Clark County, serving as an elder at Fellowship Christian Church and on the boards of the Friends of the Rocking Horse and the Greater Springfield Partnership. He also previously served on the boards of the Small Business Development Center, Clark State College Foundation and Children’s Rescue Center.
Rastatter earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Wright State University. He’s also a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, WI, and received a Certificate of Executive Leadership from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Headquartered in Newark, Ohio, Park National Bank has $9.9 billion in total assets (as of September 30, 2025). Founded in 1908, Park has offices and ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, and the Carolinas. The bank consistently earns high marks and awards for its service, community leadership, and financial performance. For further information, contact Michelle Hamilton, 740-349-6014, media@parknationalbank.com
Dayton, OH –January 11, 2026 – Two local chapters of Business Network International (BNI) will join forces next month to showcase the power of collaborative referral networking during a special Joint Visitor Day in Dayton.
The Green Team chapter of BNI, based in east Dayton, and the Amplify chapter of BNI, based in Beavercreek, will host the event on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, from 8:00 to 9:30 a.m. at The Galleria Event & Conference Center, 4140 Linden Ave., Dayton.
The joint meeting is designed to bring together business professionals from across the Dayton region for structured networking, relationship-building, and a firsthand look at how BNI chapters operate. Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with members from both chapters, hear success stories, and learn how referral-based networking helps local businesses grow.
“This is a unique opportunity for local business professionals to grow their network and potentially make more money by meeting a group of highly motivated individuals,” said Gery Deer, Mentor Coordinator and Chapter Director Consultant for The Green Team. “No one knows what’s going to happen in the business world over the next year and, as BNI members, we have somewhat insulated ourselves from the uncertainty by agreeing to help each other by referral marketing.” Deer and his company, GLD Communications, a marketing, public relations and media production agency, has been involved with BNI since the late 1990s.
BNI chapters typically meet weekly and limit membership to one professional per specialty, creating an environment where members actively promote one another’s businesses. By combining two chapters for this visitor day, organizers say attendees will experience a broader range of industries and referral opportunities than at a single-chapter meeting.
The event is scheduled in conjunction with International Networking Week ™, intended to encourage professional networking and referral partnerships as the strongest ways to grow and maintain any business. Other events are planned during the week, including a Referral Marketing and Networking Master Class, scheduled later the same day at Dayton’s Entrepreneurs’ Center at The Hub in the Dayton Arcade.
“This joint visitor day highlights what can happen when chapters work together,” said Nikki Gates, Area Director of BNI Miami Valley Region. “It’s about expanding networks, strengthening relationships, and demonstrating how collaboration benefits the entire local business community.”
The event is open to professionals from all industries who are interested in growing their businesses through referrals and long-term professional relationships. Guests will observe a structured BNI meeting, participate in introductions, and engage with established members from both The Green Team and Amplify chapters.
The Galleria Event & Conference Center, centrally located in Dayton, provides a convenient venue for professionals from east Dayton, Beavercreek, and surrounding communities.
For business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals seeking to expand their referral networks, the joint visitor day offers an opportunity to experience the combined energy and reach of two active BNI chapters working together. For more information visit www.bnimiamivalley.com and click on “events.”
After years of contraction and store closures, Barnes & Noble in is writing a new chapter in its history. The nation’s largest bookseller has announced plans to open more than 60 new stores in 2026, a striking vote of confidence in brick-and-mortar retail and a clear sign that printed materials are enjoying a cultural comeback.
Barnes & Noble has announced it will open more than 60 new stores around the country. One of the most recent open in November in Hamilton, Ohio.
Once viewed as a casualty of e-commerce and e-readers, Barnes & Noble has steadily regained its footing under CEO James Daunt, who has emphasized locally curated stores, knowledgeable booksellers and community engagement. The company now operates roughly 600 locations nationwide and reports strong performance at recently opened stores.
“We’ve seen a real resurgence in interest in physical bookstores,” Daunt has said in recent interviews. “Readers want places that feel human again — where they can browse, discover and spend time. A bookstore should be a cultural space, not just a transaction.”
Industry analysts say the expansion reflects a broader shift in consumer behavior. After years of constant connectivity, many Americans are experiencing digital fatigue — exhaustion from endless screen time, notifications and scrolling. Printed books offer an antidote: no alerts, no blue light and a more immersive reading experience.
“People are deliberately stepping away from screens,” said Dr. Laura Mitchell, a media and consumer-behavior analyst. “Books provide focus and calm in a way digital content doesn’t. There’s something grounding about holding a physical object and engaging with it on your own terms.”
Younger readers are also fueling the trend. Social media platforms, particularly TikTok’s influential #BookTok community, have driven bestseller lists and encouraged a new generation to buy — and collect — physical books. Rather than replacing print, digital platforms are now helping revive it.
The expansion is expected to have a noticeable impact in Ohio, where Barnes & Noble has already opened new locations in recent years and is widely expected to continue growing its footprint. Ohio’s mix of suburban growth, college towns and strong library and reading culture makes it fertile ground for bookstores that double as community gathering places.
While independent bookstores remain cautious about competition, many observers note that Barnes & Noble’s new model relies less on uniformity and more on regional identity, allowing stores to tailor selections and events to local tastes.
For an industry once declared obsolete, the message is clear: the printed page still matters. As Barnes & Noble prepares to open dozens of new stores, it is betting that readers are ready to turn down the screen — and turn the page instead.
(Shared with our partners at the Xenia Daily Gazette)
At Jamestown Café, customers are greeted by a welcoming smile, the smell of fresh coffee, baked treats, and comfort food, and an atmosphere that feels more like a home kitchen than a café. Behind the counter, the staff moves easily from customer to customer, greeting familiar faces and making newcomers feel just as welcome.
Along the wall, people linger over sandwiches, bakery items, ice cream, and specialty drinks, with photos and relics from more than two centuries of Jamestown’s history hanging just above their heads. The café opened in September, and the space feels new, but familiar — warm, relaxed and comfortable, like a place you’ve been invited to stay a while.
This is no ordinary coffee shop, and that feeling didn’t come from a design book or a business plan. It came from the heart, and figuring things out the hard way. Ashley Mannier is not what you’d expect when you picture a café owner — and neither is the path that led her to opening Jamestown Café. But the place, the people, and the story all seem like they were ripped from the script of a Hallmark movie.
When she bought the building, at 9 W. Washington St., Mannier didn’t know how to run a coffee shop. Years earlier, she hadn’t known how to remodel a house either. She was a single mom putting herself through college and barely scraping by financially. “I wasn’t living paycheck to paycheck,” she says. “It was more like paycheck to Wednesday.”
Mannier took advantage of an Obama-era first-time homebuyer tax credit and was approved for a mortgage to buy a foreclosure, despite having little construction or remodeling experience, and with much of her family living overseas. So, she did what a lot of people do when they don’t know where to start: she went to YouTube. “I always joke that I graduated from YouTube University,” Mannier said.
That self-taught education—watching videos, learning by trial and error, and not being afraid to make mistakes—would later prove essential when she decided to turn an aging, long-vacant building on Washington Street into a place where the community could gather. Because for Mannier, the Jamestown Café was never just about coffee. It was about building something real, one lesson at a time, and it started with her family.
Built around 1900, the structure had lived several lives over the years — a shoe store, a tanning and nail salon, and other businesses — before sitting empty and neglected for far too long.
Relics and photos from Jamestown’s history, donated by local residents, hang in frames along the wall.
Inside, nearly everything needed attention. There was leaky, corroded plumbing, outdated electrical wiring, and damage from water and mold. It was the kind of project that can quickly overwhelm even experienced renovators. Mannier, however, wasn’t doing it on her own.
“It’s very expensive to do this kind of work,” she said. “I’m the oldest of ten kids, so I recruited my family to help out, and everyone had their role.” One brother helped with the architectural planning, while her brother-in-law and father built the café counter. “We did it all together.”
With help from village officials, neighboring business owners, her family, and the community, Mannier worked her way through the maze of permits, demolition, construction, and final occupancy. Even with that support, there were moments when the project felt overwhelming.
The challenges extended outside as well. “We rebuilt the entire front of the building,” Mannier said. “We jacked up the main beam and ripped everything out to put in new joists.”
Many of the café’s furnishings came from materials Mannier had collected over the years, often without knowing exactly how or where they would be used. Over time, those pieces found their place. “I’d had this front door for a while and didn’t know what to do with it,” she said. “But here, it’s perfect.”
Before and after renovation photos of the cafe’s building at 9 W. Washington St.
Today, the brickwork and large front windows give the building a classic small-town look. The updates bring it squarely into the present while still honoring its past, much like the café itself. For longtime residents who remember the building in its earlier lives, the transformation is almost hard to believe. Their first reactions tend to be wide-eyed, followed by a slow smile.
Jamestown Café’s warmth isn’t just from a hot cup of coffee; it radiates from the crew behind the counter – including Kearra, Sarah, and Abbey – a group of employees who clearly enjoy being there. Their energy fills the space, turning a renovated building into something more than a café: a place that feels alive.
Jamestown Café Staff (L to R) Owner, Ashley Mannier, Kearra Anthony, Sarah Davidson, and Abbey Yates.
Nineteen-year-old Kearra Anthony was somewhat surprised when her parents decided to move from Jeffersonville to Jamestown, but she came with them.
“One of my friends got a job here first, and I’ve always wanted to work at a coffee shop,” Anthony said. “Ashley was up on a ladder tiling and gave me an interview.” She said the job is a perfect fit for her because, “I like people and I like being around people.”
Sarah Davidson, 31, is a stay-at-home parent who was looking for a flexible, part-time work option. The café was ideal: a woman-owned small business with a flexible schedule and a real sense of family.
Mannier told Davidson she was hiring some younger women and needed a “mom figure.” Davidson was sold. “I bring the mother energy, and I love it,” Davidson said, who is also the master blender behind all the café’s tea selections.
Abbey Yates is 19 and lives in Jamestown. “In May, I emancipated from foster care and moved into an apartment, and I was looking for employment,” Yates said. “I was walking downtown and noticed someone working inside and asked if they were hiring.” But it took a little more than that before she was brought aboard. “Abbey asked me for a job three different times,” Mannier said, smiling. “I’m so glad I hired her; she’s one of our best workers.”
Each of the women lights up when they talk about their work and Mannier. They exude such excitement and pride that it is apparent they have found a sense of purpose and family with Mannier and the café.
Speaking of family, it wasn’t just the men in Mannier’s family who contributed to the business. Her mother, Jackie, plays a significant role in this endeavor too – she’s the café’s official baker. “A mother of ten, my mom was a little nervous to start this,” Mannier said. “But she’d been cooking for the masses for years, and her best skill is being a giving person.”
Abbey Yates has become known as the “Panini Slinger” at Jamestown Café.
Mannier said her mom came to her and offered to help, and is now an invaluable part of the team. “She does all of the baked goods, and she’s always trying to come up with something new every week,” she said. “Fudge, cookies, muffins, cinnamon rolls – she does all of it and spends a lot of time researching all of it. And she loves being part of something bigger than herself. This place is glued together by what she’s doing, and it wouldn’t exist if she weren’t willing to be a part of it. I couldn’t do it without her.”
And the rest of the menu? That didn’t happen until a couple of weeks before they opened. From the outset, the concept was to keep it simple: café fare with homemade flair. At first, Mannier and her staff were learning the ropes together, how to use the equipment, which drinks to offer, and the best way to make them. But they’ve hit the old standards too – recently introducing a morning biscuits and gravy recipe that regularly sells out.
Public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. First fueled by curiosity, the café is gaining a regular following and great reviews. “When we first opened, people were really excited,” Yates said. “There weren’t really like good sitting places, and now there are people who are coming in every day, we get to know them.”
What’s next for Jamestown Café? According to Mannier, more of the same, keeping with her original vision. “We have space in the back, and we’re going to put a patio area back there,” she explained. “And I want to continue to work more with other downtown building owners and local businesses to keep doing more to bring people down here.”
Right from the beginning, Mannier envisioned Jamestown Café to be all about offering her community a routine, a third place. It has become exactly that, and it’s run by Jamestown residents who believe their customers are much more than just a coffee order. They’re family.
For more information visit the shop. Check out their Facebook page for regular posts on hours and specials.
Gallery – Photos by Gery Deer (unless otherwise noted)
Front facade framing after demolition. (photo provided by A. Mannier)Interior of the cafe building looking forward to W. Washington St. – Before renovation. (Photo provided by A. Mannier)Before renovations. (Photo provided by A Mannier)Merchandise. Photo by Gery DeerCoffees, teas, mugs. Photo by Gery DeerSpecialty items. Photo by Gery Deer Mugs Photo by Gery DeerBakery and fudge counter. Photo by Gery Deer
Dayton, Ohio – Choosing new flooring can be stressful, especially at the holidays. Between juggling color samples, hauling planks from the store, and second-guessing how everything will look at home, consumers often find themselves overwhelmed. But Floor Coverings International of Southeast Dayton put the showroom on wheels, changing that forever. (Watch the full story.)
Floor Coverings International of Southeast Dayton operates on a simple but effective premise: bring the entire flooring selection process directly to the customer’s doorstep. The company’s Mobile Flooring Showroom®, a van packed with hundreds of flooring samples, allows homeowners to view options right where they’ll be installed — in their own homes, under their own lighting.
“It’s one thing to pick a sample under bright store lights; it’s another to see it next to your furniture or in your natural light,” said Eric Curtis, owner of the Southeast Dayton franchise. “We realized that customers make better choices when they can actually see how a floor will look in the environment where it’s going to live.”
Curtis, who has a background in retail and customer experience management, said the idea isn’t just about convenience — it’s also about accuracy. The mobile showroom is equipped with a wide range of materials including hardwood, luxury vinyl, carpet, and tile. Customers can compare texture, tone, and durability on-site, while a design consultant measures the space and creates an estimate during the same visit.
Production coordinator James Morrison oversees many of the installations and noted that the approach improves workflow from start to finish. “We take the guesswork out. When people see how the flooring interacts with their wall color or lighting, they make confident decisions. That means fewer returns, fewer delays, and a better final result.”The company’s service model also integrates installation planning into the same visit, which office manager Jeremy Totten said reduces miscommunication between sales staff and installers — a common complaint in the flooring industry. “We order everything and prepare it for the installers, so they have everything they need when they go out.”
“By the time we arrive to install, the customer already knows exactly what they’re getting. The measurements are done, the materials are correct, and they’ve seen everything in place ahead of time,” Morrison continued. “That cuts down on surprises and helps us deliver a cleaner, faster installation.”
Customers who have used the service have echoed those sentiments, noting that seeing samples in their own spaces helped them make better decisions. Curtis said that kind of feedback confirms what the company has seen nationwide: that convenience, paired with transparency, builds stronger relationships.
“The flooring business has always been about trust,” Curtis said. “People are letting us into their homes — that’s personal. When we can bring the entire process to them and make it easy, it changes the tone completely. They feel like we’re partners in the project, not just salespeople.”
As the home improvement industry continues to adapt to changing consumer expectations, Curtis believes this model represents a broader shift toward mobile and in-home services. “We’ve seen people order everything from cars to groceries from their phones,” he said. “Why shouldn’t they expect the same level of service and convenience when they’re making a major design decision for their home?”
For now, the team at Floor Coverings International of Southeast Dayton is focused on serving homeowners across the region, rolling their showroom from neighborhood to neighborhood. “It’s still about craftsmanship,” Curtis added. “We just found a way to make the process smarter — and a lot less stressful for the customer.”
Xenia, OH – The Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce held its November Business After Hours gathering on Wednesday, November 12, at the City of Xenia offices, 107 E. Main Street. The evening event brought together local business leaders, city officials, and community members for networking, refreshments, and a look at the future of downtown Xenia. Many guests even had the opportunity to experience some off-the-cuff sleight of hand by local magician, Dave Davis.
Guests were treated to food, door prizes, and an informative program highlighting current and upcoming city projects. A centerpiece of the discussion was the Xenia Market District Development Project, the ambitious redevelopment of the former Xenia Towne Square Shopping Center. A rolling video display showed some of the plans and progress of the project currently underway.
Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Donna Saraga, addresses the business after-hours attendees before turning the floor over to City Manager Brent Merriman.
The project’s concept draws inspiration from the townscapes of small, historic Ohio villages. Plans call for updated streetscapes, inviting public spaces, and a vibrant mix of retail, dining, and residential opportunities. The goal is to create a lively, walkable district that reflects Xenia’s heritage – including a memorial commemorating the 1974 tornado – while positioning the city for future growth.
After an official welcome and announcements by Chamber Director Donna Saraga, Xenia City Manager Brent Merriman briefly addressed attendees, noting disappointment at the failure of the recent street project tax levy, while stressing the vibrance and importance of the market district project and business community for economic vitality.
“Xenia is a hot place to do business, there’s a lot happening,” Merriman said. “We have a lot of new housing and neighborhoods coming online, new retail coming online, and we’re very excited with the progress of the market district downtown, where vertical construction has begun in several areas of the project.”
The evening offered business leaders a chance to connect while learning how city initiatives will shape the local economy. Chamber representatives noted that events like Business After Hours strengthen ties between the public and private sectors, ensuring that Xenia’s growth is both collaborative and community driven.
With food, fellowship, and forward-looking plans on the table, the November gathering underscored the Chamber’s role as a hub for conversation and progress in Xenia. For information about the next after-hours event, and other upcoming programs, including a new monthly speaker series, visit the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce’s website at http://www.xacc.com.
XENIA — On Wednesday, October 15, the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce will host a timely and practical lunch and learn workshop titled Organizational Marketing in the 21st Century, aimed at helping service clubs, nonprofits, and small businesses attract new members, customers, and volunteers. The event will run from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Chamber’s conference room, located at 334 W. Market Street. Admission is $15 and includes lunch.
Leading the session is Gery L. Deer, founder and creative director of GLD Communications in Jamestown, who brings decades of experience in public relations, media production, and strategic messaging. Deer will share actionable insights on how organizations can modernize their outreach, refine their messaging, and better connect with younger audiences and potential volunteers.
“Too many organizations rely on outdated methods that no longer resonate,” Deer said. “This workshop is about helping groups like Rotary and Kiwanis, as well as small businesses and not-for-profit groups, evolve their approach—because when you speak the language of your audience, you invite them into your mission.”
Participants will learn how to identify and communicate their organization’s unique value, leverage low and no-cost marketing tools, and determine when and where to invest in paid outreach. For service clubs and nonprofits facing dwindling membership and board vacancies, the workshop offers a fresh perspective on building community engagement and sustaining growth. Whether you’re a club leader, nonprofit director, or small business owner, this event promises practical strategies you can implement immediately.
Attendees are invited to use the rear entrance and enjoy a complimentary taco bar lunch beginning promptly at 11:30 a.m., with the presentation starting at noon. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. For more information, contact the Xenia Area Chamber of Commerce at 937-372-3591, or visit www.xacc.com.
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