Optimum Companies

Account Manager Position

2011-04-08T11:08:00.000-04:00

Are you energetic and like to have fun while interacting with your customers? At Optimum, we are looking for a full-time account manager who wants to take exceptional care of our extraordinary customers in the community bank market. Optimum System Products was founded on values, teamwork and we welcome diversity! Connect with me on linkedIn or send resume to sales@optimum-print.com. Tell me about your leadership skills and experiences. www.linkedin.com/in/dorothymartin

Off Register: Series Trailer

2010-11-30T15:53:00.000-05:00

Make A Difference Day - Oct. 23rd!

2010-10-18T11:31:00.000-04:00

One day, ( this Saturday) millions of Americans from kids and corporations to rock stars & MBA players are participating in Make A Difference Day on Oct. 23rd. You can contribute also. It's all about neighbors helping neighbors in your community. To find a project near you, go to makeadifferenceday.com or recruit friends and family for a project of your own. Whether it's a food drive or visiting a lonely neighbor or planting a tree, you can make a difference in a small but meaningful way!

At Optimum, we raised money last week and participated as a Team in the Light the Night Walk in Columbus. Times are tough right now for non-profits and our team raised the donated funds by having a dress down week here at work. Anyone who wanted to wear jeans for the week, paid a price to do so for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A small but meaningful part in Optimum's efforts to make a difference.

Statistics show that employees in companies with good corporate citizenship enjoy higher rates of morale, retention, loyalty and motivation. We seek to share our company gifts and resources in the hope that our efforts will be contagious. Plant a good deed on Make A Difference Day and watch it grow!

- contributed by Dorothy Martin, President of Optimum Companies

Take Action Against Postal Rate Hike - Today!

2010-09-22T09:47:00.000-04:00

It's crunch time. Right now, the Postal Regulatory Commission is making its final decision about whether it will do the right think and reject the Postal Service's demands to increase postal rates by ten times the rate of inflation.

We need you to take action today!

   1. Download the fax template at
http://www.pianko.org/awsimages/AMA.doc

   2. Personalize it, changing it in ways that make it personal to your situation and how rate hikes will affect you.

   3. Then fax it today to the Postal Regulatory Commission at 202-789-6891.

Faxing is the best way to get to the PRC and make sure they pay attention. You can also call them at 202-789-6800. If they don't pick up, be sure to leave a message.

You can also find all this information on the Affordable Mail Alliance website at www.affordablemailalliance.org/

Thanks for your help!

Optimum Companies: Caring About Kids with Cancer

2010-09-20T12:30:00.000-04:00

Optimum Companies: Caring About Kids with Cancer: "It's a lifeline of support and programs for many families in the Columbus area touched by childhood cancer - Kids 'n Kamp. The organization..."

Caring About Kids with Cancer

2010-09-20T12:24:00.000-04:00

It's a lifeline of support and programs for many families in the Columbus area touched by childhood cancer - Kids 'n Kamp. The organization was founded by Beverly Circone and her husband Nick (a cancer survivor himself) in 1982. Bev and her staff of two provide activities that enable families to begin a healing process during and after battling cancer with a child. What amazing champions working for this wonderful cause!

At Optimum, we support Kids 'n Kamp as it unquestionably meets our Corporate Caring Mission of "supporting those in our community who advance the lives of others". Our CEO is also a child brain cancer survivor and providing support to other children who have cancer is his passion and purpose in life. As a company, we try to make a little bit of difference to help further this cause by:

   - Being a volunteer at Christmas time at the Holiday Party in the Secret Santa shop with the young professionals from the Rotaract Club.

   - Attend the Cherish the Moment Charity Social fundraiser hosted by Jim & Ellen Tressel.

     - Provide in-kind printed materials for Kids 'n Kamp. This year, we printed their stationary
package for them.

As you probably already know, the best thing about giving back is that you reap more benefits than you sow.
We entered the Kids 'n Kamp printed stationary pieces into the Print Excellence Awards for the Printing Industry of America and won big time! Best of Central Ohio, Best of Region and Best of Show in the Stationary Category for Ohio and N.Kentucky! What an honor to be recognized by our peers for our quality and craftsmanship!

More than money, Kids 'n Kamp need people who have the time and the desire to help. Make A Difference Day is almost here. On Oct. 23rd, millions of Americans will volunteer in their communities making it the nation's largest day of doing good. My hope is you'll join the cause. For ideas, planning quides and tips visit makeadifferenceday.com. or sign up to help with Kids 'n Kamp at www.kidsnkamp.org/

Optimum Companies: Affordable Mail Alliance is 1,000 Strong

2010-09-01T15:57:00.000-04:00

Optimum Companies: Affordable Mail Alliance is 1,000 Strong: "They set out to recruit 1,00 members and did just that last week! On August 26th, Affordable Mail Alliance (AMA) announced that it had reac..."

Affordable Mail Alliance is 1,000 Strong

2010-09-01T15:09:00.000-04:00

They set out to recruit 1,00 members and did just that last week! On August 26th, Affordable Mail Alliance (AMA) announced that it had reached its goal of 1,000 members. Non-profits, Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, major trade associations like the printing industry, consumer groups and citizens that represent the vast majority of the mail sent in the United States have all come together to tell the USPS that the proposed rate hike is too costly for us!

AMA says it is proud of this alliance and of all the work members have accomplished thus far. Members have successfully launched a tough, hard hitting campaign that has gotten the attention of not only the Postal Regulatory Commission but also the national media. In addition, they have organized substantial grassroots campaigns in target states around the country by engaging their elected officials, local media and participating in AMA's online community.

There is still a lot more to be done. The time is right to reinvigorate and re-energize their commitment to defeating the US Postal Service's proposed rate hike.

You can make a difference, if you haven't already, by joining them on Facebook or send an email with your story to affordablemailalliance@gmail.com or write to your Member of Congress.

There are many ways to get involved in your local community too. For more information or for help getting started, please contact Jessica McCreight at (202) 464-6900 or email affordablemailalliance@gmail.com.
Please help with this important grassroots effort for companies like Optimum who rely on our postal rates to be affordable to stay in business! by Dorothy Martin, President

Former U.S. Rep. Michael Oxley, Co-Author of Landmark U.S. Financial Regulation, to Keynote INVESTIndiana Equity Conference

2010-08-25T13:56:00.000-04:00

Former U.S. Rep. Michael Oxley, Co-Author of Landmark U.S. Financial Regulation, to Keynote INVESTIndiana Equity Conference
Optimum is a participating sponsor of this investment seminar in Indiana. Great keynote speaker - take a look!

We made a difference at Optimum!

2010-08-23T15:45:00.001-04:00

We made a difference at Optimum last week! We turned our power off for one (1) hour (as a test) for the business energy conservation group in Ohio that we participate in. The test occurs every year - for one hour - and we passed with flying colors! (we needed to tweek a few things here and there)

You might be thinking - What's the big deal with that? In the printing industry, we strive to become sustainable and "green" through the incorporation of economic, socially responsible and sound environmental practices in our business operations.. As a print manufacturer, our presses consume a large amount of energy in addition to keeping the production environment under climate controlled temperatures with air conditioning. In extreme weather conditions, Optimum might be called upon to shut our power off during peak energy consumption in the State of Ohio. In return, we will receive a credit on our electric bill for our participation. Not such a bad trade off!

Just this past July, the east coast suffered record breaking heat for several days consecutively. Businesses in those states who participated in this program shut down and (I was informed by our energy rep) it saved the East coast from power outages or rolling brown outs. All types of business were able to make a difference that week together-a synergistic approach-each by contributing a small portion of power reduction.

Last week, our nervous Optimum team, (during the hour) sat in our low lighted office with our computers on still working and servicing our customers via email, our website and phones while our manufacturing and warehouse went dark.. There was a buzz around the office, some shouting out to one another, others walking around and putting flashlights on their desks or just checking in with one another. Our purpose shifted for just that one hour as our team contributed to a greater energy conservation purpose. It felt good to be at Optimum that day.

We made a difference at Optimum last week and we discovered that we are prepared and ready to contribute our part!

Young Professionals Spotlight: Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club

2010-08-17T11:09:00.000-04:00

This is a fantastic opportunity for young professionals looking for a great networking group.

At Optimum we consider the Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club to be extremely noteworthy and strongly support their activities. I encourage any young professional to take a look at the information below and to consider joining this wonderful organization.

Each month, the Columbus Chamber spotlights a local young professional or professional organization to showcase what they offer, how to get involved and when to check out their next event. For the month of August, Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club is featured.

When and why was Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club started?

Rotaract has evolved quickly in its short by dynamic history. In the early 1960s, Rotary clubs around the world began to sponsor university youth groups as community service projects. The 1967-68 Rotary International president, Luther H. Hodges, and the RI Board of Directors considered this club activity to have international relevance, and Rotaract was approved in 1968 as an official program for Rotary clubs. Several decades later, the Rotaract program has grown into a strong, international network of 7,300 clubs in more than 150 countries and geographical areas. Rotaract's 145,000 members are young men and women who serve the needs of their communities, widen their personal and professional contacts, and increase their understanding of the world.

The Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club was founded in the fall of 2007, receiving its official charter in May 2008. Columbus Rotaract is sponsored by Columbus Rotary which supports the club through mentoring, professional development, fellowship and financial means. The Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals has over 40 members.

Why should I become a member?

The purpose of the Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club is to provide an opportunity for its members to serve the community by participating in service projects that make a difference and to develop professional skills by creating venues to learn from proven leaders. As a Columbus Rotaract member you will:

Contribute to the community where you work and play through a variety of monthly service activities.

Build relationships with the Columbus Rotary club, central Ohio's largest Rotary chapter.

Gain access to Columbus-area professionals through quarterly development meetings.

Connect with new people who have common interests through social events.

How do I become a member?

Just send a quick e-mail noting your interest in joining Columbus Rotaract to our membership chair, Kirstin at membership@columbusrotaract.org. We will send you an informational packet and connect with you to discuss Columbus Rotaract in more detail! You may also attend one of our upcoming events that are listed within the Columbus Chamber's Activities and Events for Young Professionals weekly emails. Feel free to attend events to learn more about Columbus Rotaract before joining. Membership dues are $50 annually.

Tell me about your upcoming events.

During the upcoming months we have several events planned, including:

Alex Fischer, president & CEO of The Columbus Partnership will join us for a luncheon, 11:30 a.m. at the Huntington Building, Floor 11. Alex will share how more than 600 Central Ohio business leaders have collaborated to create a bold initiative that will position Columbus to become the fastest growing economy in the country. Columbus 2020! is a comprehensive economic development strategy for our region to grow 180,000 net new jobs, increase income by 40 percent and make Columbus a top 10 city in economic development in the nation. You won't want to miss this lunch! RSVP at www.columbusrotaractalexfischer.eventbrite.com.

Join us at these two fantastic events to volunteer for in one weekend, August 21 and 22!

Junior Achievement needs help staffing its registration tables at the Bowl-a-thon this year! Join us for a quick shift lasting an hour and a half, making it easy to squeeze into your busy schedule! Saturday, August 21, 4:45-6:15 pm; Sunday, August 22, 10:45 am - 12:15 pm and 1:15-2:45 pm.

PELOTONIA is a grassroots bicycle tour with one goal: to end cancer. Columbus Rotaract is extending the invitation to volunteer along the route from Columbus to Athens. For various volunteer opportunities check out http://www.pelotonia.org/ride/volunteer.jsp.

Don't miss out on the following opportunities to network and meet other young professionals as we venture out for two upcoming events:

Columbus Rotaract will be attending Cocktails at the Conservatory on Thursday, August 26 at 6 pm. Cost is $10 and may be applied toward food and beverage purchases. Let us know you'll be attending at www.columbusrotaractcoctailssatfpc.eventbrite.com.

Don't miss out as we support the Nationwide's Children's Hospital Slice of Columbus on Wednesday September 15 at 6 p.m. Tickets may be purchased at the door for $12. Let us know you'll be joining us at www.columbusrotaractsliceofcolumbus.eventbrite.com. We will set up a meeting location for those in attendance!

What are some successes or cool facts about Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club?

Columbus Rotaract Young Professionals Club golf scramble, a Round to Remember, has contributed over $10,000 to Alzheimer's Association, Central Ohio Chapter.

Columbus Rotaract partners with Junior Achievement and Columbus Rotary to host the annual Barons of Business Professional Development Luncheon recognizing Central Ohio Business Hall of Fame. The 2010 honorees include: Larry Abbott, Retired Chairman, Abbott Foods; David Biaconi, Founder and CEO, Progressive Medical, Inc.; Sandra Harbrecht, President and CEO, Paul Werth Associates; and William J. Lhota, President and CEO, Central Ohio Transit Authority. Save the Date: Monday, January 24, 2011.

Columbus Rotaract has featured key business leaders through its Speaker Series including Tanny Crane, Elizabeth Lessner, Cameron Mitchell, Michael Schoedinger, Jane Abell, and Andrea Cambern.

Where can I go to learn more?

To learn more about Columbus Rotaract YP you can go to www.columbusrotaract.org or contact us at membership@columbusrotaract.org.

Goodnight and Good Luck

2010-08-16T10:21:00.000-04:00

This is my last week here at Optimum, and I'm so glad I was able to spend my summer here. The employees are hardworking and dedicated and the owners approachable, efficient, and driven. I'm a pretty opinionated person, and it's been great to work somewhere where my opinions [even as a lowly intern ;-)] are listened to and respected.

It's been a pleasure working with each and every person at Optimum, and I look forward to seeing what this incredible company does in the future.

Farewell, all! And, remember, my departure does not mark the end of this blog--stay tuned for more updates.

Who doesn't love fairs?

2010-08-06T09:46:00.000-04:00

I got to leave the office yesterday and head over to the Ohio State Fair to work at the Printing Industries Association of Ohio and Northern Kentucky (PIANKO) booth, since it was Optimum Day. The booth was amazing--I got to see samples of award-winning print designs from the year, learn more about how print is green (did you know 70% of printers use eco-friendly ink?), and hand OSU football schedules for the season (Go Bucks!) to passersby.

If you're at the fair, be sure to head over to the marketplace and stop by PIANKO's booth. If you get 70% of the answers correct on a 12-question quiz about printing and the environment, you even win a free t-shirt or customized poster, printed on the spot. PIANKO also will give you an opportunity to win concert tickets--just ask the people at the booth how and they'll set you up.

Hope to see you there!

Be Careful What You Tweet

2010-08-03T15:55:00.001-04:00

Twitter is a fascinating phenomena. I'm sure you've heard about the hundreds of thousands of followers that celebrities have been able to attract on Twitter. People interested in Celebrity news and gossip can now go straight to the source instead of having to rely on magazines and tabloids.

Some celebrities, however, are better at Tweeting than others. (One particularly shocking tweet was posted by Jose Canseco when he announced that the FBI was about to arrive at his home.)
The most recent addition to the ranks of celebrity Tweeters is Kanye West, whose Tweets have been the butt of several jokes of late--people have even started pairing the text of his Tweets with New Yorker Cartoons.

Here is my favorite Kanye Tweet so far:

"I specifically ordered persian rugs with cherub imagery!!! What do I have to do to get a simple persian rug with cherub imagery uuuugh" - Kanye West

And if anyone can explain what this one means to me, I will be forever grateful:

Have any favorite Tweets? Share them below--I'm always up for a good laugh or some interesting news.

For tips on using Social Media Marketing, please visit: http://optimumsystem.blogspot.com/2010/07/6-tips-for-your-banks-social-media.html

Looking to save money on office supplies? Visit http://www.optimumcompanies.com/

Focusing on core competencies: A must for community banks

2010-08-02T10:09:00.000-04:00

I recently wrote an article for the Banker's Bank of the West July 2010 newsletter (you can see the full newsletter here: http://www.bbwest.com/news/July2010NL.pdf ) and I just wanted to share the article with you all. Hope that you find it interesting and helpful--I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on it.

As financial regulations have mounted, smaller banks are having a hard time keeping up. Precious time formerly spent on tending to customer needs has been diverted to deciphering new financial regulations and complying with all their requirements. Consequently, banks can easily become focused on internal affairs at the expense of over-looking customers’ needs and business growth.

In fact, it is not always smart or cost-effective for a community bank to try to do as much as possible in house. A sensible alternative to asking employees to accomplish tasks that fall outside their specialties is to outsource select functions like printing and office supply purchases. Judicious outsourcing can often save both money and time, allowing your bank to focus on core competencies.

Optimum System Products has established itself as a reliable, cost-effective partner for your bank’s printing and office supply needs. Our average community bank customer saves 20% to 30% annually by switching to Optimum.

Additionally, through Optimum’s new printing partnership with Mimeo, print-on-demand is now available to your bank, making Optimum your one-stop shop. This revolutionary technology allows you to submit your documents online by 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and receive them by 8 a.m. the next business day—a giant step forward in terms of quick turnaround.

What does this mean for your bank? Adam Slutsky, CEO of Mimeo.com, put it this way: “With the Mimeo Open Platform, Optimum will be able to offer community banks the same services that are now utilized by Mimeo’s Fortune 100 banking customers without incurring the capital expense and risk associated with building a homegrown digital print solution.”

Optimum System Products, Inc., is an award-winning national provider of bank supplies. We work with more than 1,500 financial institutions and provide virtually every product your bank needs to operate.
For a free consultation on how your bank can save money on printing costs, call Optimum today at 800-869-0632. Visit www.optimumsystem.com.

Print Is Ecofriendly

2010-07-29T15:52:00.000-04:00

I came across this blog post today that has some useful eco-friendly tips for your office. There are some great ideas in the comment section, too, so be sure to check it out!

Here's the URL in case you weren't able to click on the above link: http://www.lowimpactliving.com/blog/2009/01/22/10-more-ways-to-green-your-office/comment-page-1/#comment-50498

Fair time!

2010-07-23T10:19:00.000-04:00

I'm incredibly excited right now. Why? Because the Ohio State Fair is starting next week and I LOVE fairs. The so-unhealthy-but-so-good food, the people, the animals (especially horses), the events--everything about it just makes me happy inside. I'm also really excited because the theme this year is print, which means that I'm going to get to go to the fair during the work week!

I hope you're coming to the fair, and if you do, please stop by and see us in the print tent!

In the meantime, what's your favorite fair food? I love fair lemonade and fair fries with vinegar on top. Before I cut back on meat, I also adored gyros. Leave a comment below with yours. Can't wait to see you!

4 Ways to Kickstart Your Social Media Campaign

2010-07-19T09:38:00.002-04:00

In my last blog, I laid out a few basic guidelines for advertising via social media. The next step is developing a game plan that will help you effectively use social media marketing without becoming overwhelmed.

1) Don't sweat the small stuff. Your campaign won't necessarily be perfect at first. That's ok. You'll get the hang of it, learn valuable lessons and streamline your efforts so they work well for your bank's needs.

2) Be sure you share responsibility. Unless you have an employee whose job description includes heading up your social media efforts, it would probably be overwhelming for just one person to try to manage all of your company's social media accounts.

3) Develop a consistent gameplan. Whether you choose to spend a couple hours every day on social media efforts, check up on social media three days out of five, or take five minutes out of every hour to post on Twitter, develop habits you can maintain.

4) Don't worry if the time you spend doesn't lead to many results at first--get comfortable and adjust to the environment, play around on sites, reconnect with old friends--even time you spend expanding your personal social media community can help you in your business, especially since it makes you more comfortable with the platforms you're using.

If you establish a gameplan and stick to it, social media marketing will gradually become a part of your business day that will facilitate your personal and business relationships. You may even have some fun while you're at it!

If you have any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them! Leave a comment below or send me a Tweet at www.twitter.com/optimumprint.

6 Tips for Your Bank's Social Media Campaign

2010-07-15T11:29:00.000-04:00

Increasingly, social media has become a necessity for businesses. Thousands of businesses have joined sites like Facebook and Twitter in an effort to reach the 55.6 million adults (1/3 of the US population) who visit social networking sites. Sadly however many banks do not have a Social Media presence at all and those that do often post poor content. All too often their Twitterfeeds and Facebook updates are littered with messages that are little better than cheap one-liner ads.

What many banks and businesses fail to recognize is that, even though Twitter and other Social Media outlets are great advertising tools, using them merely to announce awards, special offers, and events is not productive.

Allow me to explain. What sets community banks apart from their larger counterparts is their ability to form relationships. The great thing about Social Media is that it was designed to facilitate exactly that. Twitter, Facebook and Blogger provide a way to organically connect on a personal level with a large number of people. Since many organizations struggle with this, here are a few tips:

1) Associate a person with your Twitter account (e.g. www.twitter.com/zappos).

2) Listen to your audience. If you want people to pay attention to you, you need to listen to them.

3) Engage with the content of other bloggers, Tweeters, etc. Repost interesting information, comment on others' posts and reply to the Tweets of those you're following.

4) Reciprocity is key. Follow those who follow you and comment on the blogs of people who comment on yours.

5) Offer value to your followers. Whether that comes in the form of updates about the community, marketing tips, or a humorous tidbit for the day, make your content engaging and interesting. Inc. Magazine (www.facebook.com/Inc) does this well.

6) Don't feel like everything you say has to relate directly to your business. When you talk to people who come into your bank, you ask them questions about their day; if they're regulars, you may chit chat about your children or favorite sports team. Every word that comes out of your mouth (hopefully) is not a plug for your bank, because you know how unneccesary that would be when you're already showing the customer the value they receive merely by walking through your doors. Social Media is about building relationships. If you do post directly about yourself/your bank, limit it to 1 post in every 10.

There are a lot of resources to help you in your endeavors as well. One particularly useful one is Kodak's Social Media Guide (http://www.kodak.com/go/followus). The key is to simply get out there, establish some goals, and start getting a feel for the climate. It may take some patience, but it's well worth it. Also, send a Tweet my way at www.twitter.com/optimumprint or leave a comment below with any questions or suggestions--I'd love to hear from you!

Exciting News: Optimum to Offer Mimeo Print on Demand Services to over 1500 Community Banks

2010-07-13T08:29:00.000-04:00

New York, July 13, 2010 - Mimeo.com, the leading online printing and distribution company announced today that it has been selected by Optimum System Products to provide document management technology, production, distribution and fulfillment services for their community banks, banking associations, customers and partners.

The new program makes it possible for Optimum customers to utilize all aspects of the Mimeo platform, including front-end applications, printing capabilities and distributing capabilities. The move by Optimum is part of the company's ongoing initiative to be a "one stop shop" for the supplies and printing needs of community banks.

"We see this partnership as an opportunity to use our joint experience to meet the unique needs of the Community Banking industry," said Adam Slutsky, CEO of Mimeo.com. "With the Mimeo Open Platform, Optimum will be able to offer community banks the same services that are now utilized by Mimeo's Fortune 100 banking customers without incurring the capital expense and risk associated with building a home grown digital print solution."

Optimum CEO and co-founder John Martin added, "Our goal at Optimum System Products is to bring the latest digital print and online document management services to our customers so that they can continue to compete effectively with larger banks. By combining our OptimumNet web tool with the Mimeo Open Platform, we expect that our customers will see immediate productivity and efficiency gains as they transition to these new solutions."

Optimum's print on demand solutions, including online document building and proofing tools, kitting, and multi location distribution services, are available now to all Optimum customers. These new solutions are supported by the customer care team from both companies. Mimeo will also provide additional training and marketing support, along with 24/7 customer care support as needed.

Visit www.mimeo.com for more information about Mimeo and www.optimumsystem.com for more information about Optimum.

Print Grows Trees!

2010-06-29T11:14:00.000-04:00

One of the great things about print is that the form of energy we use is incredibly renewable. When forests are responsibly managed, print has little to no environmental impact--in fact, paper manufacturers can actually contribute to the number of trees we have.

Additionally, paper is far more biodegradable than plastic or many of the other materials we use day-to-day.

That's when I was really excited when I saw the t-shirt that we'll be giving out at the Ohio State Fair in a few weeks! It looks AMAZING and I can't wait for you guys to see it--I'll be posting a picture soon. :-) In the mean time, check out http://www.printgrowstrees.com/ to learn more about sustainability.

Disagree? Concerns? Questions? Tips on other ways to be sustainable? Leave me a comment! I would LOVE to hear from you. :-)

5 Easier Ways to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

2010-06-25T09:44:00.000-04:00

We've all heard "reduce, reuse, recycle." But how many of us actually do it? Let's fact it, recycling can be inconvenient and many of us feel like we don't have the time or energy to do it. Thing is, recycling isn't just about the environment--it's also about people. Often trash gets sent to areas that are already struggling and the people that live there have to deal with the stench and sanitation issues that come from unsightly mounds of trash. So, it's really important to try to reduce the amount of trash we send to landfills as much as possible.

Thankfully, it's starting to become easier. Here are 5 easy ways to recycle:

1) Buy a toothbrush made out of yogurt cups. Plastic is one of the most important things to recycle since it doesn't break down in landfills. Unfortunately, most recycling centers don't take polypropylene (commonly referred to as #5 plastic), the plastic used to make yogurt cups, cottage cheese containers, and vitamin containers.

So, a company called Preserve will take these yogurt cups and turn them into an attractive, effective toothbrush. The container is also an envelope so whenever you buy a new toothbrush you simply drop your old one in the envelope and mail it in so the cycle can continue!

You can buy Preserve Toothbrushes at Whole Foods or Target or online at preserveproducts.com (Preserve also makes other products like plates and measuring cups).

While we're on the subject, drop your yogurt cups and other #5 plastic off in boxes at a variety of Whole Foods locations across the country.

2) Shop second-hand. This is my new favorite thing. It's socially responsible and easy on your wallet. If you're willing to dig a little, Goodwill often has items that are in excellent quality for very little; Goodwill's stores are also usually fairly clean and the money you spend there help provide jobs for people who need them most.

If thrifting isn't your style, try consignment shops or other local resale stores. I've been looking for a new purse for a while (I'm extremely picky about my purses) and the other day I found a London Fog satchel purse (new retail would be between $125 and $200) in fantastic condition for $18 at local Columbus resale store Rag-O-Rama. Amazon.com and Craig's List also have a variety of used goods available for purchase.

3) Opt for larger containers as opposed to single serving containers. I know the single serving containers are convenient, but they generate a ton of trash and you usually end up paying more for them.

Get a Brita or similar water filter and a reusable water bottle so you can stop buying water bottles. If you use your bottle to drink water, you don't even have to wash it frequently. I really like Klean Kanteen's bottles because they're easy to clean and I like to mix up protein shakes in my water bottles. They're also extremely safe and don't let strange flavors seep into your drink. You can also use the bottle for juice, soda, whatever it is that you drink regularly.

Instead of buying juice boxes for your kids, buy your child a small waterbottle or, if they're younger, this sippy from Klean Kanteen

Invest in some good, dishwasher safe reusable food containers and stop buying disposable ones. Preserve also makes these from recycled yogurt cups.

4) Wherever you have a trashcan in your house, put a small can next to it for recyclables. This takes the inconvenience out of throwing things away, and you can pick up inexpensive trashcans at stores like WalMart and Target.

5) If you don't have curbside pick-up, use therecyclingcenterinfo.com to find a recycling center near you. Pair your recycling drop-off with another weekly errand, like going to the grocery store. That way you don't have to try to remember to make a special trip.

Have other tips I didn't mention? Leave a comment below! I'd love to hear them.

For ways Optimum Companies, Optimum System Products, and Optimum Print Solutions are going green, visit http://www.optimumcompanies.com/ProEnvironmentPolicy.html

Blood Drive!

2010-06-21T11:04:00.000-04:00

This Wednesday, June 23, we will be holding our quarterly blood drive here at Optimum (5061 Freeway Dr East, Columbus, OH). We would love for you to come join us! I know that giving blood can be intimidating for many, but the fact is that enduring just a couple minutes of discomfort can save someone's life. Each individual donation is vital, especially in light of recent crises in countries like Haiti. Type O blood is especially in high demand, as the Red Cross's supply is running low. If you want to give blood, leave a comment below or call 800-869-0632 so we can schedule a time for you and you don't have to waste time waiting around.

Give blood--save lives. :-)

IRS Form 1099 Is Changing

2010-06-18T08:35:00.000-04:00

According to AnnArbor.com, a small section in the recently enacted healthcare bill will implement changes in the way reporting via 1099 forms is done. According to the new law, more information will need to be provided on these forms, meaning that the purchase of tangible good (e.g. office supplies) will now need to be reported. You can read more here: http://www.annarbor.com/business-review/changes-to-irs-form-1099-reporting/

With all the regulatory changes for both banks and small businesses, it is becoming increasingly important to outsource as much as possible so these companies can focus on their core competencies. A lot of small businesses are hesitant to outsource because they think it would be less expensive to do tasks in house; however, this is not always the case. Because companies with specialties have been able to streamline the process, they are often able to offer competitive pricing and better quality and thus free up your employees to focus on customers and your business's core competency.

What do you think of the new legislation? Leave me a comment below!

On the World Cup and World Peace

2010-06-14T08:51:00.000-04:00

Anyone who follows me on Twitter knows that of late I've been obsessed with the World Cup (speaking of which, for live updates and a look at the standings so far, check out http://nytimes.stats.com/worldcup/standings.asp). Now, even though I really like soccer, I'm not exactly what you would call a die-hard fan. I don't have a favorite team, I don't know who the best players are, and I don't even watch many, if any, games during the rest of the year. Nevertheless, when the FIFA World Cup comes around, I'm glued to the computer to get all the latest updates, watching as the cream rises to the top as we get closer and closer to that final game.

The thing I love most about the World Cup, though, has nothing to do with the sport itself. It's the community the sport creates. It's the fact that countries who are at any other time heated enemies can manage to come together and organize a non-violent competition (I mean, North Korea even has a team--that's pretty cool) and that the citizens of those participating countries can rise above their petty internal conflicts to support their nation's team. I know it's a little cliched, but events like the World Cup and the Olympics always give me a tiny speck of hope that maybe world peace isn't such a silly, far-off dream after all.

Just some food for thought--hope you all have a fantastic Monday and that your weeks are getting off to a good start.

Farewell to Ember

2010-06-11T08:25:00.000-04:00

There's a little bit of sadness here at Optimum this week as our very own Ember has decided to make a career change and go back to school so that she can teach. In 2008, Ember was voted Employee of the Year, and the things said about her then are still true now:

"1. A great Team Player.

2. Always positive with me and great help with any problems.

3. Takes everything in stride.

4. Truly genuine and has Optimum’s success at heart.

5. She has won people over with her actions and work ethic.

6. Has become a driving POSITIVE force within her department but throughout Optimum. It is a pleasure to work with her on a daily basis.

7. I have always admired her composure in any situation. I’ve always wanted to be like her.

8. What a difference this young lady has made in the way she handles the Client Service department and her interactions with the other departments. She wants to learn everything and has a good demeanor about her.

9. She has many qualities of the award plus has taken on many hats effectively in her first year at Optimum. She goes above and beyond on a daily basis and is not afraid of challenges.

10. She has served a s the team leader in a great fashion. Does more than is expected and has made the customer service department function as a whole.

11. The way she treats customer service and the rest of the family is an excellent example for the rest of the team.

12. She has done so much in such a short time and will go above and beyond to do her specific job duties. She is the epitome of what Optimum represents!"

I know for me, having Ember here when I first came to Optimum has been great. She was friendly, personable, understanding, approachable, and did a great job of showing me the ropes. We will all miss her a great deal and we wish her well in her future endeavors.

What do you think?

2010-06-09T16:02:00.000-04:00

I love watching videos from RSA Animate. I'm a pretty visual person, and I love the way that they tie together images and speeches so you're not just watching some guy talk for an extended period of time. Its very engaging and creative.

So, today I was watching a video on empathy. The speaker was talking about mirror neurons.Mirror neurons were first discovered in monkeys; when one monkey watched a person cracking and eating a nut, the same neurons fired in the monkey's brain as would have fired if the monkey itself were cracking and eating the nut. Humans have these same neurons and we label the emotion that they cause us to feel "empathy."

What was most interesting to me was this: If we're all soft-wired with these mirror neurons, why do some people do such horrible things to others? Do we have to have had an experience to be able to really feel those same feelings? In other words, I'm wondering if the monkey's same neurons fired because the monkey had cracked and eaten a nut before, but if the monkey were watching someone do something like talk on a cell phone, the monkey may not have been able to "empathize" because it doesn't know what it's like to talk on a cell phone. Or, perhaps mirror neurons are rather weak in some people and can be overpowered by other sociobiological factors....

Anyway, just some food for thought. Would love to hear what you think!

Environmental Follow-up

2010-06-07T09:19:00.000-04:00

After my Environmental Tips blog, Dorothy was kind enough to give me some more material about Optimum's environmentally friendly practices. Optimum is working to become a certified Sustainable Green Printing Partnership Printer, a process that takes about a year to complete. According to SGP's website, their mission is "to encourage and promote participation in the worldwide movement to reduce environmental impact and increase social responsibility of the print and graphic communications industry through sustainable green printing practices." In our efforts to become more environmentally sustainable, we have signed SGP's Guiding Principles document. In brief, this means that we have committed to proactively observe all applicable environmental laws, to whenever possible use materials derived from renewable resources, to maximize recycling efforts, to attempt to use raw materials that do not harm the environment, to inform the community about sustainability and to focus on all aspects of sustainability, including social, environmental and economic.

It's been really encouraging to me since arriving at Optimum to see how socially responsible the company is. I've always thought that, beyond providing quality products at good prices, every company has the responsibility to give back to the community. Sadly, a lot of corporations care more about generating a profit than about maintaining ethical practices. It's great to see Optimum can do both.

We're pretty much awesome.

2010-06-04T09:21:00.000-04:00

Ok, so the title's a little facetious. But Optimum Print Solutions DID just win another Print Excellence Best of Category Award from Printing Industries of Ohio and N Kentucky (PIANKO) for stationery that we printed for Kids 'n Kamp.

I work entirely on the marketing end of things here and I'm always amazed by the variety and quality of materials that the Print Solutions people create. They're always so crisp and beautifully done. The award is definitely much deserved for all of their hard work.

One of the best videos I've seen in ages...

2010-06-03T09:42:00.006-04:00

The surprising truth about what motivates us from RSA Animate: Turns out that, whenever even rudimentary thought is involved, financial incentives do NOT do a good job of motivating us--sure, everyone needs money to eat and provide for themselves, but the key is actually to give people enough money to take money off the table for them so they don't have to worry about it and can focus on their work...beyond that, what really motivates us is purpose. Check it out:

Save the Environment (AND some money!)

2010-06-01T10:15:00.001-04:00

Environmental issues have increasingly been at the forefront of political, economic, personal and corporate discussions. However, if you're like me, it's hard to find affordable, realistic ways to be more environmentally sustainable. I want to buy sustainable fashion, convert to more efficient appliances and participate in sustainable agriculture by growing my own foods, but as a college student I have to be careful with my money, I typically don't own the building I live in, and apartments and dorm rooms don't exactly lend themselves to growing vine-ripe tomatoes.

However, I recently read this book that I really appreciated. It's called New Day Revolution and was a quick read that had a lot of simple tips I plan to use (and no, no one's paying me to say good things about it :-). I just really enjoyed it and found it helpful--plus it's only $5). Here are some of my favorites:

Shorten your shower by 60 seconds each day to save 5 gallons of water a day and more than 1,825 gallons a year (on top of $11 in utility bills)
Ensuring that your tires are fully inflated saves on precious fuel
Roll down your windows when driving in traffic and turn off the air conditioning to save fuel; on the highway do the opposite--having your windows open on the highway reduces gas mileage up to 10 percent
Take your roof rack off when you're not using it (the rack adds drag and hurts your fuel efficiency)
Go inside instead of going through the drive thru: this will reduce CO2 emissions. Also, pulling forward in a parking space so you don't have to back out saves gas.
Buy organic, fair trade coffee: this ensure that growers are being paid a fair wage and organic coffee is more sustainably produced and better for the environment than other types
Use your own mug instead of a disposable paper cup and you'll save a tree all by yourself
Eat a cold meal. Doing so will "save about $1 and keep two pounds of coal in the ground." Turning one meal that you would normally eat meat at into a meatless meal will also save energy.
Unplug your charger when it's not in use to save $30 a year in electricity costs. (The "average household uses 450 pounds of coal a year just to keep DVD players and computers plugged in").
Switch your five most used light fixtures to energy saving incandescent bulbs
Don't flush your medicine: It's bad for the environment. On the other hand, throwing old medications away can be dangerous as well. Instead, take your out-of-date bottles to a local pharmacy for disposal.
Recycle batteries (which can burst open) and used printer cartridges--or, refill the printer cartridges to save money!

Hope these helped and you heard something new! If you have tips of your own please post a comment below--I'm always looking for good ideas.

For ways Optimum tries to take care of the environment, click here or copy and paste this URL into your web browser: http://www.optimumcompanies.com/ProEnvironmentPolicy.html

Introducing Michelle!

2010-05-27T13:35:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone! My name is Michelle and I'm the new summer intern for Optimum. I'm going to be writing a variety of blogs over the summer about my experience here, things I find interesting (check back for some simple ways to be environmentally conscious and save some money), and a few updates about Optimum. But, for this blog, I thought that I would properly introduce myself to you all. So, here's a list of the top 11 facts about me (i.e. the first 11 things that popped into my head and I decided to write down).

If I had to pick one word to describe myself it would be eclectic.
I love adventure
I'm in between my sophomore and junior years at Samford University in Birmingham, AL. My major is communication studies, I'm in the Fellows Program, and I absolutely love the professors there, especially in my department--they really care about their students.
I'm originally from Northeastern Ohio; I lived there for 18 years until I moved to Alabama to go to school and I'm so glad to be back in Columbus!
I have three addresses right now (where I live at school, where I live during the holidays, and where I live for the summer) so I'm always very confused when filling out forms. Hopefully the government doesn't think I'm lying to them, but I really never know which one to put!
I'm a pesco-vegetarian.
People are always surprised when they find out I was home educated K-12.
In case you hadn't noticed yet, I care a lot about the environment, which is actually a pretty recent development. I blame Dr. Borden, my Writing and Rhetoric professor freshman year of college. The woman retired to start a sustainable farm with her husband, which is pretty remarkable if you ask me. I think she's in her 60s now and is in better shape than I am. Probably the nicest person you will ever meet--I visited her class when I was first considering Samford and she took me to her office to talk with me and gave me acai juice. She's a total hippie.
I have a lot of social justice causes I'm passionate about, including but not limited to: equality for women, fighting domestic abuse, raising awareness about mental health issues, and stopping genocide in the Sudan. Basically, if someone convinces me that a people group is mistreated or disadvantaged, I get upset and want to do something about it.
My last internship was with To Write Love on Her Arms in Florida. Before that I was the research assistant to the legislative director of a policy organization in Ohio.
I love books, philosophy, learning about different cultures and religions, and climbing mountains. I do NOT love rock climbing...I have a bad neck so having my arms over my head for that long is just painful. People get confused about this fact.

So, that's me in a nutshell. I love to write (fact #12!) and am really looking forward to updating this blog. If you have questions or comments or just want to say "hi," click on the comment link below. Talk to you soon!

Optimum Wins Conway Family Business Center Award

2009-12-04T12:06:00.000-05:00

Since the Conway Family Business Center of Central Ohio has been founded in 1998, they have provided support, insights and programming to help family owned businesses thrive and grow. 2009 marks the 11th year of Conway's Annual Family Business awards.

Optimum Print is the proud recipient of the Support of a Family Business Award. This award was achieved in recognition of the efforts made by Optimum to assist the IT consulting company R. Dorsey.

(From left to right - Optimum Companies CEO John Martin, Optimum Print President Dorothy Martin and R. Dorsey's Iggy Galli, Tim Cook and Robert J. Dorsey)

On January 17th the R. Dorsey building was swept up in a blaze that attacked the Kingswood Building in Grandview Heights. At that time, two of R. Dorsey's employees were working on a software update for Optimum. They received the news at the same time as Optimum's president, Dorothy Martin.

In response, Optimum opened it's doors and allowed R. Dorsey to operate out of consolidated offices within Optimum's headquarters building. Dorothy Martin stated that "We knew R. Dorsey was struggiling with insurance. When you have everything burn to the ground, it's a long processes in learning to recover from that. We wanted to help them, and I think it's important for small business to help each other out."

Aproximatley 10 R. Dorsey employees worked inside of Optimum's building until a new Worthington office opened in late September. "We really enjoyed their company." said Dorothy. "Once a month, we do a potluck, we invited them, and they brought food. I think with today's economy, we need to be supportive and from partnerships with small businesses. We need to help each other."

Visit Optimum Print at the Ohio State Fair!

2009-07-31T12:05:00.000-04:00

The theme of the Ohio State Fair this year is "Print is alive" and the printing industry is on site with a booth in the MarketPlace Building.

Come and visit our volunteer representative! For more information, and to find out how people in the print industry can get into the fair for free, click here.

Pride in Your Work and Good Customer Service: The Perfect Fit

2009-07-27T12:04:00.000-04:00

Ken Renker – Director of Sales

For most of us, taking pride in what we do is an important part of our personal makeup. Doing a good job isn’t just something we’re supposed to do; it’s what we want to do. Hopefully, it’s encouraged…and even rewarded…where we work. I’m convinced these two things are “joined at the hip”. It’s like you can’t have one without the other. Without being a part of your company’s (and your personal) DNA, it’s difficult to ever really deliver world-class customer service.

For example, do you remember the last time you called a vendor and, rather than connecting with a person, you got stuck in voice mail limbo, unable to navigate through the maze? How did you feel about that experience? The odds are you didn’t like it, and they’re even better that you won’t go back.

Does this say anything about the sense of pride that company instills in their people? And, by the way, why does every computer message always include the ubiquitous phrase…”please listen carefully, because our menu items have changed”?
The flip side is that we all know companies that are great at customer service. You call with a question or problem, and the (live) person on the other end listens and responds to your situation. If needed, your item is returned with no hassle. My wife and I shop at a major retailer and one reason we are ‘customers for life’ is their return policy. They just know how to make it right.

At Optimum we work hard to provide the same level of service. Our goal is to deliver the best customer service in our industry. We believe it’s one thing that differentiates us from everyone else. That’s why if you call us, a person (and not a computer) will answer….and listen to what you have to say.

I’ve told the following story before, but I think it captures the essence of why taking pride in what you do is so important. Here goes...

For the record, I have never been a big fan of mowing my lawn. I would agree (sort of) that there is a sense of accomplishment to gaze back at a neatly trimmed yard…to both see, and smell, the fruits of your labor. I guess my problem is I simply got my fill of this when I was young and made a silent vow that someday, I would be able to afford to pay someone to do this for me.

Back in the late 1990’s I got my wish and took the plunge. I signed up for lawn service with one of those big, brand name companies. You know, the ones with the giant, extreme monster machines, with jet-propelled engines that sound like rush hour on the runway at O’Hare?

Every week, during the mowing season, you could hear them swarm through the neighborhood, the noise growing to a din, until they landed like bees returning to the hive. Seven minutes later, with grass cut, trimmed, bagged and blown, they left as quickly as they arrived. The problem was that while they were fast, quality was lacking, they missed spots and gouged the yard with their equipment. More importantly, no one ever taught the jet engine jockeys about customer service. It simply wasn’t their job and they didn’t have the time to listen anyway.

My solution was to do what I should have done in the first place. Check with the neighbors (especially the most finicky ones) and find out who they used. I found the perfect fit.

Jim had a small lawn mowing service that he ran to supplement his income from his normal day job. Jim knew about customer service. He knew it would differentiate him. He knew what I considered to be a ‘good’ job….because he asked me. He knew certain yards could only handle smaller equipment (no jet engines please…). If I happened to be there, after he was done mowing the lawn, he would ask what I thought. Was his effort meeting my expectations?

Early on, it was clear to me that Jim took tremendous pride in what he did. The best example occurred one Saturday, when his pick up truck pulled in my driveway and he got out and rang my doorbell. I asked what was wrong since he had just mowed my yard a few days prior. He pointed to his truck and said, “Oh nothing. I was just driving around in the neighborhood with my daughter, showing her some of the yards I cut. Would you mind if she got out and walked around with me? I’d like her to see the back and how good it looks.” He wanted to begin teaching his daughter that same sense of pride within him. After clearing the lump in my throat, I said, “Of course!”

We all know you lead by example. The man I hired to cut my grass was teaching his daughter, the value in doing a good job, the importance of taking pride in what you do, and the real meaning of delivering customer service. It was a life lesson for her that was just in bred into her father’s work ethic. It was a life lesson for me too.

Like I said, the perfect fit.

**************************************************************************************

To our current Optimum clients…thanks for your business. To everyone else; please give us a call. We will work hard to be your “perfect fit”.

Can You Hear Me Now? Print Industry Safety

2009-06-09T12:03:00.000-04:00

Optimum Companies recently received this handsome award from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation for receiving a 100% for outstanding safety performance.

In all industries, but especially in the printing industry, safety is of vital importance. This is why Optimum staff members attend monthly educational seminars conducted by the Safety Council of Greater Columbus. The last seminar was on the subject of Noise Induced Hearing Loss (NIHL) and was conducted by Doctor of Audiology Karen Mitchell.

In the printing industry press operators are surrounded by loud machinery so sharing some tips on NIHL prevention is very important to everyone at Optimum Print Solutions. Did you know that NIHL is 100% preventable when you practice the proper precautions? OSHA will be glad to visit any company to test noise levels, or meters are purchasable for around $50.00 for companies that prefer to perform their own noise level testing.

Once hearing is lost at any degree, it is gone forever. It does not heal like some other parts of the body can. For example, if a smoker stops smoking, the lungs will heal themselves in time to the status of a lifetime non-smoker. In contrast, when the nerves or hair cells in the cochlea (a section of the inner ear) die, they do not regenerate.

There are different sizes of these hair cells in the inner ear which measure different frequencies. The smallest ones are used for high frequencies and since they are more fragile, they are usually the first to be lost. This makes speech difficult to understand. Vowel sounds are about 200hz as opposed to consonants which are a higher frequency at around 800hz. Losing the ability to hear S’s, T’s & D’s make words hard to distinguish. People who are affected by hearing loss usually think their hearing is fine, they just can’t understand why so many people mumble. When in fact, they are mostly only hearing the vowel sounds and struggle to make sense of normal conversation.

A few interesting facts learned from the Safety Meeting include:

Whereas eyeglasses correct vision and allow you to see sharp, hearing aids only amplify, they don’t clean up the signal or restore hearing to normal.

A 25 year old carpenter who works without ear protection has the hearing of a 50 year old.
Bose Noise Cancelation headphones actually WORK and are endorsed by audiologist Karen Mitchell Au. D.
There are names for each section of your ears. The little knob in front of your ear-hole is called a Tragus, the top of the ear is called the Pinna.

There are many different types of hearing plugs and noise reduction devices on the marketing. This particular model, E.A.R. Classic, is the kind we provide here at Optimum Print Solutions. These earplugs have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 29 decibels when inserted correctly. Because properly installing typical cylindrical earplugs is important to their effectiveness, there are instructions for this procedure listed below:

Step #1: Wash hands.

Step#2: Slowly ROLL & compress it betwixt your thumb & forefingers. DO NOT JUST SMASH IT, ROLL IT!!! Continue rolling with pressure until it is a tiny crease-free spongy rod.

Step #3: Then gently pull your Pinna (top of ear) outward & upward & proceed with the insertion. The pulling of the Pinna straightens out the ear canal, allowing the earplug to go deep enough for a proper fit.

The right tool for the right job……

2009-05-27T12:01:00.000-04:00

Ken Renker – Director of Sales

My father ran his own plumbing and heating business for 40+ years, and was a big believer in having the right tool for the right job. Long before the days of “Home Improvement” and Tim ‘the Tool Man’ Taylor, my Dad’s shop was jammed with the latest gadgets guaranteed to be the envy of any current day Weekend Warrior. At its peak, in order to accommodate all of his ‘stuff’, he needed to add more space and so he decided to expand into the abandoned auto body repair garage next door to his shop.

I was a 12 year old kid that loved to operate equipment and machinery….the bigger and dirtier, all the better…, and to me, this new place was a combination Disneyland & Smithsonian Museum. I experimented with acetylene torches, sheet metal fabricators, soldering equipment, pipe threaders, wrenches, cutters, die machines…and on and on.

Luckily, I never got injured, started any fires, or destroyed anything. More importantly, my mother never found out. As I got older, though, I came to understand that in the hands of real craftsmen, the right tools and the knowledge to use them, make all the difference.

Our toolkit at Optimum is pretty full too. It includes:

Internet ordering capability – a “one stop shop” for all print and supply related needs
Management reporting – usage and trend analysis
25 years of financial market experience:
best practices to remove cost from your processes
subject matter experts to implement those solutions
Cost allocation of expenses – budget monitoring and reporting
Print on demand capabilities to eliminate inventory and reduce obsolescence
Warehouse / distribution support
Graphic design support / on line proofing

In short, we have the right tools to help you operate more efficiently and reduce expenses.
We can make it easier for your people to do their job…and give them more time to focus on their customers. We’ll provide the reporting and budget controls needed to improve your bank’s efficiency ratio. And we’ll train everyone, so they know how to use the tools to get you the biggest bang for the buck.

The question is do you have the right tool for the right job …..and do you have the know-how to use them?

Let us know. We can help.

Personal Accountability

2009-05-13T12:00:00.000-04:00

Personal accountability is one of the core values at Optimum Companies. That is why our team leaders are all required to read "QBQ" and "Flipping the Switch", books written by author John G. Miller.

QBQ stands for "Question Behind the Question" and is built on the observation that our first reactions are often negative, bringing to mind Incorrect Questions (IQs). But if in each moment of decision we can instead discipline our thoughts to look behind those initial questions and ask better ones (QBQs), the questions themselves will lead us to better results.

Here are some examples of IQ or "incorrect questions" - how often have you heard these before?

“When is that department going to do its job?”
“Why don’t they communicate better?”
“Who dropped the ball?”
“Why do we have to go through all this change?”
“When is someone going to train me?”

These questions put the blame on someone else and are not constructive. QBQ questions are centered around taking personal accountability. Here are a few examples of QBQ questions:

“What can I do to contribute?”
“How can I help solve the problem?”
"How can I communicate better?"

Miller’s book is a quick read that is full of practical methods for putting personal accountability into daily actions. You can tell this difference when you are working with someone from both branches of Optimum Companies, Optimum System Products and Optimum Print Solutions.

Optimum Provides Great Customer Service!

2009-03-23T11:59:00.000-04:00

"I just wanted to thank you again for all your efforts and for providing me with such great service with my business cards. I'm sure it was much more than you wanted to spend time on but I greatly appreciate your professionalism with everything. I've already handed out about 30 or so and everyone was very impressed and immediate asked where I got them printed.

Thank you for all your help!"

- Monty
openimagestudio.com

Want to know more great things our clients are saying about Optimum?

Check out the company information section on the Optimum-Print website.

GEM (Going the Extra Mile)

2009-01-30T11:58:00.000-05:00

Something new & exciting we’ve started at Optimum for 2009 is a little Self Promotion! In order to accomplish this, we’ve begun collecting & distributing (internally) “stories from the front lines” ~ stories we’ve affectionately dubbed GEMs. This is to remind us how we all are Going the Extra Mile. Of course, we want to share them with others who might be in need of inspiration, so we thought it wouldn’t hurt to re-post our first GEM right here:

Our First GEM...A Little Training
Last month a bank in Florida e-mailed Rita a simple question ~ "Do we have teller receipts on hand & if so, how many?" The answer was simple, "Yes, you have 34 Packs of 500". But, instead of stopping there, Rita took the time to empower the customer with the ability to use one of our system's tools - A tool that sets us apart. Here is a part of Rita's response:
You still have 34 packs of 500 (or 17,000) in the warehouse. You can find this information on the website by clicking on TELLER SUPPLIES under catalogs on the left after you log in. Click on the ? in the blue circle to the left of the item number. A new window will open. Click on the LOOKUP button (make sure the drop down menu below shows Warehouse Inventory). The number of pks., pads, bxs., etc. will display. Of course, you can order the item from warehouse stock when you close the window by entering the number of pks. like you would any office supply item. Just let me know when you're ready to replenish the warehouse stock. It usually takes about 3 - 4 weeks.Please feel free to call or email me if any of this is unclear or if you have any questions....

Nothing earth shattering...but it is how we always try to Go that Extra Mile for every one of our customers!

If you liked it, Here’s another short one…

Stories from the front lines...when a customer asks...can you really get us anything?
A bank president's secretary asked if we knew where to get a specific brand of pen with a specific color of ink. After a bit of research, we found it at Pilot Mfg...but could not get it in the USA. The rep in Tokyo (yup, we called Tokyo!) explained that Pilot markets different colored inks based on world geography. The pen we needed was only sold in Europe. We were able to get the pen from London, and our customers were amazed we had gone to such lengths - - - for a $2 pen.

Switch Kits

2009-01-21T11:55:00.000-05:00

Are you looking for new customers?
Are you looking for tools to help you generate revenue?

With Optimum, your search is over. Our work with community banks, like yourself, makes
us an excellent resource for the marketing tools you need to accomplish your new business
goals.

We have a Switch Kit that will make it easy for you to “reel in” the new customers from
your competition. Let us help you personalize a switch kit that conveys your bank’s
image and message right away! Don’t wait, your potential customers are looking for an
easy way to sign on with your secure, well established community bank today!

ColumbusReads Recognizes Another Year of Service

2009-01-12T11:54:00.000-05:00

ColumbusReads has recognized Optimum Companies volunteers for another year of great service!

ColumbusReads was started in 1998 by Les Wexner, chairman and CEO of The Limited Inc., at the request of Columbus Public Schools Superintendent Rosa Smith. Wexner recruited 400 employees to tutor 225 kindergartners attending three elementary schools during the 1998-99 academic year.

Every year staff members at Optimum volunteer to help elementary school children improve their reading skills. Thank you to all of our volunteers who keep this great program going!

Optimum Print Solutions Recognized for Print Excellence

2009-01-08T11:53:00.000-05:00

Optimum Print Solutions is proud to announce it was recently awarded twelve 2009 Print Excellence Awards from the Printing Industries Association, Inc., serving Northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO).

“Although the difficult economic times slightly reduced the number of entries, the creativity and quality of the entries made the judges’ selection incredibly hard,” said PIANKO president Jim Cunningham. “2009 Print Excellence Award winners exemplify the excellent work of our Ohio and northern Kentucky printers. Our members and the customers they represent should be incredibly pleased with their winning product or pieces.”

Each year, PIANKO holds its Print Excellence Awards Competition to reward Ohio and northern Kentucky printers that demonstrate excellence in 34 categories. This year member companies submitted more than 520 printed pieces and three out-of-state expert judges ranked them in a regional competition. This year member companies submitted more than 520 printed pieces and three out-of-state expert judges ranked them in a regional competition. This year’s judges were Susan Higgins, Worth Higgins & Associates, Inc; M. David Merrick, The Merrick Printing Company; and Richard Presley, Eastman Kodak Company.

Each of the gold award winners in the regional competition are entered in an association-wide competition for Best of Category and Best of Show prizes that will be awarded in June 2009 at the Grand Ceremony, being held in Columbus, Ohio.

Optimum Print Solutions won the following awards:

2 Gold Awards

4 Silver Awards

6 Bronze Awards

Printing Industries Association, Inc. serving northern Kentucky and Ohio (PIANKO) serves nearly 400 commercial printing companies and suppliers to the industry in tis service area. PIANKO provides a broad range of products and services to its membership, including worker’s compensation and product discounts. PIANKO is an affiliate of the national Printing Industries of America, the largest graphi arts association in the world. For complete information on PIANKO and Printing Industries of America, please visit www.pianko.org

Safety-Happy Holidays

2008-12-24T11:52:00.000-05:00

Back in late October some of us here at Optimum attended a safety seminar conducted by Mr. Gary Hanson.
The theme was "Improving Profits Through an Effective Safety Program" and besides making good points about
helping the company by employees making safety a priority, it also improves everyone's personal lives.

A few bullet points from the seminar:

Safety is for Life
• It is not a project
• It is not a one time event
• Every decision employees make will impact their future and the future of the business

Why Accidents Happen
• Accidents do not happen by accident; they are caused
• There are many reasons for accidents
• Accidents usually happen from repeated activities

Things we do routinely are things we tend to not think about as we do them. We start thinking about what to have for dinner or about the kids, etc. In this age of multi-tasking our attention is divided. Safety issues should always remain at the forefront of our activities.

Have a safe and happy holiday!
Jim "Doesn't Run With Scissors" Stahl

TD Bank Gives to Capital Area Food Bank

2008-12-15T11:51:00.000-05:00

This article originally ran on www.bizjournals.com:

Capital Area Food Bank, the area’s biggest, public nonprofit food bank, will get $25,000 this holiday season from TD Bank.

The Cherry Hill, N.J.-based bank’s charitable arm is giving $100,000 to four food banks to support families throughout the mid-Atlantic and in Florida.

Also receiving $25,000 each are Daily Bread Food Bank, which helps other Florida nonprofits feed needy people; Food Bank for New York, which nourishes low-income New Yorkers throughout the five boroughs; and Philabundance, which has a network of more than 600 agencies in the region to provide food for Delaware Valley residents.

“These donations support the basic needs of our communities,” said Elizabeth Warn, president of the TD Charitable Foundation, in a statement. “We are happy to step in and offer our help with the hope that no one goes hungry this holiday season and beyond.”

Its foundation has made over $40 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002.

After TD Bank Financial Group bought Commerce Bancorp Inc. on March 31, TD Banknorth and Commerce Bank merged on May 31 to become TD Bank.

Banking on the Green

2008-12-11T11:50:00.000-05:00

These are cautionary times, indeed. Economists, public officials, and journalists address are struggling to find the best explanations for subprime mortgage collapse and the ensuing turmoil in the financial sector. The Federal Reserve continues to experiment with possible economic cures. There is no single solution can resolve the country’s financial problems. But that does not mean that we are without hope.

New opportunities are emerging, especially in the western states, where climate change has become an economic stimulus. Climate change has moved from an abstract to an inconvenient truth.

In the West, in particular, it has become intermingled with discussions of water shortages, sprawl, and restoration of natural resources, rural development, tourism, population growth, and industrial expansion.

• The Western Governors’ Association which represents 19 states and three U.S. territories recently adopted a resolution to increase the use of alternative fuels and improve vehicle fuel efficiency while reducing dependence on foreign oil and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

• There is an enormous demand for energy - particularly clean, affordable energy such as wind power and biodiesel, which can be produced in America while adding value to agricultural products. Clean coal technology is an important solution for the near future, bridging the petroleum economy of the past together with the hydrogen economy of the future.

• In another major action, eight of the nation’s largest water agencies have formed the Water Utility Climate Alliance, which will develop unified strategies to understand, prevent and respond to climate change.

• In Colorado, a new Solar Residential Program offers $1 million in rebates to residents who install solar systems in their homes. The program is part of Gov. Bill Ritter’s commitment to build a new “energy economy” in the state.

Setting the standards in a relentless battle
Battling something like climate change is a daunting task, especially when viewed in a global perspective. Yet banks can make a difference. The key is to take a ground-up approach: attacking climate change first within their own operations, then in their communities, and finally at state and national levels.

Lewis Bank of America, which began in San Francisco in 1904, is setting a high standard for all banks. Last year, it launched an $18 billion program to promote environmentally sustainable business activity that addresses global climate change. The 10-year initiative encompasses lending, investing, philanthropy, and the creation of new products and services.
Among the initiatives are financing real estate projects incorporating LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification; offering homebuyers, through its Green Mortgage Program, a reduced interest rate or $1,000 back for each home-purchase mortgage meeting the federal government’s ENERGY STAR specifications; and working with nonprofit organizations committed to improving the environment, such as the Redwood Forest Foundation, which acquired 50,000 acres in the Usal Redwood Forest by using $65 million attained with flexible long-term financing.

Becoming Green
Bank of America’s environmental efforts are external and internal, with $1.4 billion committed to achieving LEED certification in all new construction of office facilities and banking centers. Needless to say, most banks can’t match Bank of America; however, they can initiate programs that match their own capabilities and goals.

Mechanics Bank of Richmond, Calif., for instance, has launched a program to make all of its 31 retail offices LEED certified. Yet although the bank has gained customers and reduced its utility and maintenance costs, ROI is not the sole stimulus for the green program.

Uzel’s National Bank is promoting a paperless system of operations and using recycled materials where possible. The bank also was instrumental in the launch of Greenecco.com, an ecologically inspired website, and in the creation of a green credit card, where 50 percent of the proceeds from the card are donated to the environmental charity of the cardholder’s choosing. These types of credit cards will no doubt find increasing favor among banks. Bank of America’s new Brighter Planet Visa credit card, for example, allows customers to earn points used to help build community-based renewable energy projects across the United States.

Alpine South Rifle At Alpine Bank, with 38 locations located throughout western Colorado, a Green Team was created two years ago to study every facet of the bank’s operations. The result is an impressive list of environmental initiatives. Among the many achievements are attaining ISO 14001:2004 certification — the internationally recognized gold standard for environmental management — and receiving LEED certification for its South Rifle location.

Getting Started
The creation of jobs related to climate change and the restoration economy translates into unprecedented opportunities for banks willing to be leaders and innovators, even when the risks may be high. Here are a few suggestions:

• Become involved in local, state or regional organizations as a member of a working group or advisory committee.

• Explore how to become an equity partner or a participant in a public-private partnership to promote local, county or state green projects.

• Develop lending programs to encourage existing customers — and potential new customers — to invest in green technologies, such as solar power and green construction.

• Help existing businesses to become more environmentally friendly and establish programs to help new businesses dedicated to helping the environment.

• Introduce new products and services, such as green credit cards, that strengthen your relationship with customers seeking ways to help the environment.
Make your bank green, such as gaining LEED certification for your facilities and introducing programs such as Alpine Bank’s “Reduce, Recycle, Renew.”

The banks mentioned here realize that improving the environment helps their customers, their communities, their own institutions and their business outlook. If you are still caught under the yellow caution flag, it may be time to explore how to turn your institution — and your community — green.

First Snow

2008-12-09T11:48:00.000-05:00

If you are lucky enough to live in Hawaii, you probably aren't getting pelted. But here in Ohio, we've seen a few large fluffy snowflakes fluttering down.

Kawaii (sounds like Hawaii with a K)is the Japanese word for cute. This video is a collection of pets experiencing snow for the first time:

Little Lost Grey Kitties! Adorable kitties on The Daily Squeak @ Yahoo! Video

Hopefully this video can warm a few hearts up a bit.

Do you remember your first experience with snow? How about the first time you took your pet out into the winter wonderland?

10 Things to Do if You're Alone for the Holidays

2008-12-04T11:47:00.000-05:00

For a wide variety of reasons, many of us might find ourselves alone for the holidays.

With the emphasis on families and being with others, the holidays can be an especially lonely and trying time, even for the most introverted among us. Don’t worry, there are many things you can do to make the holidays a little less lonely when you’re alone.

Adjust expectations. There are so many categories of expectations about the season being just right that it brings up all sorts of issues relating to family, stress and anxiety, eating disorders, sobriety, self-esteem, competency — the list goes on. The number of “traditional households” in this country is not in the majority.
Pick up the phone. Call friends and ask to be included in whatever they’re doing. Offer to bring a recipe or another way to help the host contribute to the gathering. Most people love opening their homes and expanding the celebration. It works for everyone.
Be proactive. Create an “alternative family” made up of people whose company you enjoy. Plan and prepare a potluck feast if you like. Remember that you are not alone in being alone during the holidays. Get together with others and have some fun.
Plan an outing. Go on a hike, a park or a museum, or see a movie. Enjoy the outing with a friend or by yourself.
Pamper yourself. Treat yourself to a day of beauty at a spa, get a massage or find some other special way to luxuriate. Do whatever you enjoy doing.
Reach out. If you can’t be with family or loved ones physically during this time of the year, send them letters or e-mails or call them — in other words, reach out to them.
Remember your bonds and blessings. Pull out photo albums and read old letters. If possible, get on the phone and talk with loved ones who are still living.
Help others. Volunteering at a mission or shelter for the homeless will help you feel connected. Participate in activities with this organization at other times of the year, not just on one day of the year. This will make the experience more fulfilling.
Travel. If you have the finances, get away for a few days. Go skiing or take a tropical holiday. Singles groups often have tour groups during the holidays.
Get through the day. If you’re unable to do any of these things, just get through it. Read. Sleep. Rent a video. And remember, tomorrow it’ll all be over.

The holidays can be a lonely time, but that doesn’t mean you have to feel alone. Stay focused on acknowledging and meeting your needs, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the holidays are over.

- article requested by John Martin

6 Ecofriendly Terms Everyone Should Know

2008-12-03T11:45:00.000-05:00

It should be easy to be green.

To make it a little easier, here is a list of some of the commonly used product labels.

Organic: Produced without using fossil-fuel fertilizer, synthetic pesticides or genetically modified plants.

Sustainable/Renewable: made from sustainable or renewable materials that can be replenished easily, i.e.: using plant fibers such as bamboo, hemp or cotton rather that wood or materials made from petroleum.

Reusable: Designed to be used repeatedly for an extended time period.

Recycled: Made from recycled materials that come from previously used consumer products (post-consumer waste); from scraps created during the manufacturing process otherwise earmarked for landfills (post-industrial waste);or other waste (elephant dung).

Recyclable: Produced using materials that can be reclaimed and reinvented into usable products.

Compostable/Biodegradable: Manufactured from materials able to decompose safely in the environment. Both natural, biodegradable materials such as paper or plastic made from polylactic acid (PLA) derived from corn starch and synthetics such z bio-plastics with added accelerators belong in this group.

Let Them Eat Turkey

2008-11-26T11:44:00.000-05:00

I have no desire to crow over anybody or to see anybody eating crow, figuratively or otherwise. We should all get together and make a country in which everybody can eat turkey whenever he pleases.

- Harry S. Truman

Have a Great Thanksgiving from your friends at Optimum!

OC Blood Drive

2008-11-25T11:42:00.000-05:00

Pardon me if my typing is imperfect here. I promise to use spell check and go through this before I click that "publish post" button below the entry box here.

My typing may be imperfect because I am proudly wearing a blue and white band-aid over my middle finger at the moment. This band-aid was part of the donation process today. One tiny little pinprick to test my iron and next thing you know I'm sentenced to the chair.

The blood donation chair that is.

This is of course a voluntary sentence. I've been giving blood since high school. My first time a disturbingly enthusiastic political science teacher prompted all of us to give.

A big congratulations to all who participated in today’s blood drive! You can tell which ones we are, we have the courage, we have the stickers, we have the snacks, and we have the yellow iodine stains on our arms to prove it.

Today Optimum Companies employees and friends were able to donate 13 units which will give people plenty to be thankful for during the holidays.

If you don't know how much giving blood matters, you might want to see this video:

If you are interested in giving blood you might want to check out www.givelife.org, where you can make an appointment.

- Molly

Oh how fun!!!!

2008-11-21T11:41:00.000-05:00

Well citizens, its that time again.
Time for the annual battle between our own Ohio State Buckeyes & The Team Up North.
I have respect for our evil neighbors in that mitten shaped state, so I don't like to talk a lot of crap, cuz crap tastes bad if things don't go my way.
I know this as fact. :)

I will leave it @ this.
I want the conservative sweater-vest wearing Jim Tressel to be asked the same question Wayne Woodrow Hayes was asked in 1968, 40 years ago.
And I want him to respond exactly the same.
While winning 48-14, Woody instructed the Buckeyes to go for a 2pt conversion (which we converted) after scoring a late touchdown. When asked by reporters in the post-game interview why he went for two despite a 34 point lead, Hayes narrowed his field of focus & testified...
"BECAUSE WE COULDN'T GO FOR THREE!!!"
I would love for Tressel to get the opportunity to re-visit a classic statement like that.

RIP Woody & Bo... & GO BUCKS!!!
And now a photo documentation of what to expect @ noon tomorrow.

*The statements & sentiment above is not representative of all employees @ Optimum Companies and should not be construed as such.

THE BIG GAME

2008-11-21T11:40:00.000-05:00

Being one of the largest Buckeye Fans at Optimum Companies I am know for spreading Buckeye cheer everywhere I go through the building. Here are just a few of my Buckeye collectibles enjoy them as we get ready for the big game. Even our daily postman have a Buckeye bond.

- Myrna

Quotes of the Day from Charles Schwab

2008-11-18T11:38:00.000-05:00

A man can succeed at almost anything for which he has unlimited enthusiasm.
Charles Schwab

I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among men the greatest asset I possess. The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.
Charles Schwab

I have yet to find the man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism.
Charles Schwab

HAPPY FRIDAY FROM MYRNA AND MOLLY

2008-11-07T11:37:00.000-05:00

G O B U C K S!

Happy Friday from Optimum!

Why Use PDF Files?

2008-10-29T11:36:00.000-04:00

Streamlining! PDF stands for "Portable Document Format". With so many un-compatible software packages there needed to be a way for each end user to communicate with one another. PDFs are a common file format that all users can open and read.

PDFs provide a more consistent and reliable file for hi-res imagesetters. They allow for fewer delays from missing components or unstable files.

PDF files contain all fonts, graphics and page layout information necessary to display and print the file exactly as it is laid out. Of course, there are certain rules to go by when creating the perfect PDF. As long as the graphics are hi-res and the fonts are imbedded, you can't go wrong with the file.

The key benefits of PDF files are page, platform, application and device independence. Most programs today can create a PDF file. Making it possible to share your electronic documents easily with different end users.

Anita D. Pasco
PrePress Technician

Center Bancorp Q3 Earnings Up

2008-10-28T11:34:00.001-04:00

Even in these trying financial times, not everything is doom and gloom.

According to banking-business-review.com; Center Bancorp has reported third quarter earnings which have amounted to $1.5 million, or $0.12 per diluted share, for the third quarter ended September 30, 2008, as compared to $1 million, or $0.07 per diluted share, for the third quarter ended September 30, 2007. The corporation recorded net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis of $7.1 million for the quarter, as compared to $5.9 million for the comparable quarter in 2007.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2008, net income was $4.1 million, a growth of $819,000 as against the comparable nine-month period ended September 30, 2007. Diluted earnings per common share for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 were $0.32, as compared with $0.24 for the same period in 2007. Net interest income on a fully taxable equivalent basis was $20 million for the period versus $17.7 million in the prior-year period.

The corporation had total loans of $661.2 million at September 30, 2008, representing a $29.9 million, or 4.7%, increase on a linked-quarter basis and a $109.5 million, or 19.8%, increase from December 31, 2007.

At September 30, 2008, non-performing assets totaled $654,000, or 0.06% of total assets, as compared with $4.4 million, or 0.43%, at December 31, 2007.

There is still a profit to be made even in troubling times. Apple computer's fourth-quarter earnings conference call was made a bit more lively due to its unusual guest star: CEO Steve Jobs.

Steve had the following to say about the economic future:

"We may get buffeted around by the waves a little bit, but we'll be fine, and stronger when the waves recede in the future."

Choosing the Right Paper

2008-10-27T11:32:00.000-04:00

This article can also be found on Optimum-Print.com, in the resources and support section.

Choosing the right paper for a printing job can be a daunting task. It doesn’t have to be though. When selecting the best paper type for a particular job, you’re often faced with an overwhelming number of options. Asking your printer for “white” is like asking your waiter for “food” — you’ll have to be more specific than that.

To the educated consumer, the choices don’t seem nearly as intimidating. Before you order though, you’ve got to know the menu. Paper has ten characteristics that affect its cost and appropriateness for a given job.

Surface
The surface of paper affects its look, feel and printability. When paper is pressed at the mill, it passes through a series of rollers in a process called calendaring. Calendaring affects paper in numerous ways. As the extent of this process increases, paper is made smoother, glossier, more capable of retaining ink, thinner, less opaque and less bright. Why does surface matter? Because people do judge books by their cover.

Color
The color of paper is perhaps the most salient of all characteristics. White is by far the most popular color and is generally optimal for conventional usage. Not all white is the same, however — it runs the gamut from ultra-severe hues to softer, more antique shades. Photo white paper is best for accentuating the contrast between light and dark hues.

Off-white sheets produce less glare, and are best used for publications such as novels or technical manuals that demand long and uninterrupted attention from readers. When comparing color, always examine paper under standard viewing conditions and with minimal atmospheric distractions.

Brightness
The brightness of paper measures the percentage of light that it reflects. Most papers reflect approximately 60 to 90% of incoming light. Remember: brightness and color are not the same thing. Unlike the color characteristic (which is highly subjective and imprecise), brightness is a strictly quantitative, or measurable, attribute. Brightness is important because it affects readability — high brightness can cause eye strain, while low brightness can produce a blurring effect.

Opacity
The opacity of paper is the degree to which other printing is visible through the page. High opacity, or density, minimizes the visibility of printing on subsequent pages, thus enhancing readability. Opacity increases with the bulk and weight of paper, and is influenced by numerous other factors, including paper color, ink color, coatings, chemicals and coverage.

Grain
The grain of paper describes the direction, or alignment, of its component fibers. Paper grain is either grain long or grain short. When fibers are patterned parallel to the length of a sheet, the paper is grain long. When fibers run parallel to the width of a sheet, the paper is grain short. Grain direction is a critical factor for print jobs because it directly affects usage — for example, paper strength, flexibility, tack and versatility are all impacted by grain direction.

Weight
The basis weight of paper is calculated as the weight in pounds of one ream, or five hundred sheets. Each main grade of paper has a basic size that is used to determine its basis weight. Remember that paper of equivalent basis weight is not necessarily of equivalent basic size. Smaller sized paper that is thicker can possess a basis weight identical to that of larger, thinner paper. Since paper is sold by the pound, understanding paper weight is imperative to successful cost control programs.

Caliper
The caliper of paper is its thickness. Caliper is measured in thousandths of an inch and referred to as point size. In this system, .001 inch equals one point — and eight-point paper would have a thickness of .008 inch. Do not confuse type point with caliper point. Type point describes the height of a particular font; caliper point describes paper thickness.

Bulk
The bulk of paper denotes its thickness relative to its basis weight. For example, uncalendared paper would have a higher bulk than gloss coated paper. Remember though that paper may be bulkier or thicker than another grade, yet still have the same basis weight.

Size
The size of paper describes its physical dimensions. An 8.5 x 11 sheet is 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches long. Access to specific information concerning the range of paper sizes available for any given printing job is essential to containing costs and ensuring efficient usage.

Quantity
The quantity of paper refers to the number of sheets bought, sold or used. A ream is a standard unit of numerical paper quantity. Paper that is “ream-wrapped” is packaged in a bundle of 500 sheets. Cartons of paper are not defined by exact numerical specifications, but approximate weight. Cartons typically weigh around 150 pounds and are used in practice as a standard unit of sales.

There are a lot of options available, and sometimes the terminology can be a bit confusing. The Optimum-Print website offers a glossary of terms may help. Choosing the right paper for your print job can make a world of difference.

2008-10-24T09:01:00.000-04:00

The Buckeye spirit is alive and well at Optimum Companies. The OSU homecoming game will be nationally televised by ABC as Penn State's Big Ten clash with rival Ohio State on Saturday, Oct. 27. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET at OSU Stadium aka. the horseshoe.

Optimum company founders John and Dorothy Martin are throwing a huge tailgating party in celebration.

Our receptionist Myrna, who bleeds scarlet and gray had the following to say:

Hey I truly am a blogger yea Myrna and GO B U C K S !!

WIND POWER IS HERE!!!!

2008-08-18T13:26:00.000-04:00

Did you know that a majority of our # 9 and # 10 envelopes are manufactured using 100% wind power? You may already have some of these envelopes, but do your customers know that you are doing your part to be "Green"?

The "Wind Power " logo can be printed on the back of your envelopes for a small additional charge, what a great way to show the world you care! The logo is printed in the same ink color as the copy on the front of the envelope and can be positioned on the flap or at the bottom of the envelope. Other "Green" options are also available, such as having the window manufactured from a renewable corn source that is biodegradable.

Click on the envelopes to see them full size.

Vendor Relations Attends the Largest ASI Show of the Summer

2008-08-14T09:27:00.000-04:00

With 800 exhibitors on the floor, the idea of finding the perfect new item for our customers seemed a bit daunting, BUT, that's what OSP Vendor Relations team members, Sharon Kientz and Jane Queen, set out to accomplish back in July. The 2008 ASI Show Chicago was an exciting three day jam packed event! We walked through hundreds of the newest products, discovered money -saving, business growing ideas during our educational sessions, and made new friends at the various networking events each day. We started the two day show with an inspiring Keynote by ASI President and CEO Tim Andrews. Then onto the free educational workshops, where we learned exciting cutting-edge sales and marketing tools. One goal was to search out environmentally friendly products for our customers, that was a bit easier than planned with the Green Product Showcase located in the exhibit hall. Many suppliers showcased their ecofriendly items for us! All in one spot! (Our feet were so happy!) Take a look at the photos below and see if you can find us!

Congratulations!

2008-07-14T10:51:00.000-04:00

Congrats to our President, Dorothy Martin, on being a finalist for the 11th Annual Visionary Award presented by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). Several members of Optimum's management team attended the luncheon on July 10th when presentations created by each finalist were shown and this year's winner announced. Although Mrs. Martin was not this year's winner, she joins a select group of outstanding business owners that have been nominated and/or given this prestigious award. Previous winners include Cheryl Krueger of Cheryl's Cookies, Sue Doody of Lindey's Restaurant, Lisa Griffin of Griffin Communications and Elizabeth Rosetti of Americheer. The 2008 Visionary Award winner was Lynn Elliot, President of Columbus Window Cleaning.

The vision statement of NAWBO is "The National Association of Women Business Owners propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social and political spheres of power worldwide." Their Mission Statement is ". . . . helping women entrepreneurs toward economic, social and political achievement by helping them; develop, educate and grow strong profitable businesses; build strategic alliances and affiliations within NAWBO and other organizations; provide resources to emerging and sustaining women business owners; enhance the profile of women business owners; and transform public policy, influence opinion makers and politically educate members."

We may be biased, but all the Optimum associates attending voted Mrs. Martin's presentation as the best of the four shown. Her entry profiled Optimum as a family organization where associates care about each other and work as a team not only in the company's business but in making a difference in our community. The last line of the video said it all. . . ."experience the Optimum vision." We hope to obtain a copy of the presentation and present it at our next corporate meeting.

Green is good!

2008-06-13T12:13:00.000-04:00

With spring showers fading & making way for blistering-hot summer days, I was thinking what a great time this is to take a deep breath, look around and enjoy all that nature as to offer. In between margaritas on Saturdays & lemonade on Sundays it does seem like the perfect opportunity to appreciate what surrounds me – while making sure I’m doing my part to protect i - And I know I’m not the only one to feel this way...

Optimum is no exception! I am proud to say that through our actions as individuals and as a company it is clear how much Optimum cares about the world around us. As a group we do strive to do our best to protect & preserve what’s around us for both present & future generations with our environmentally conscious actions. What’s even more exciting is that in recent months, as I’m sure is the case for many businesses around the country & the world, it seems we have found a renewed sense of urgency to do something now! We have really stepped up our efforts! From increasing the products we recycle internally (not just aluminum cans & paper anymore!) to touring plants that specialize in green products, it’s been refreshing to watch our group unite for this important cause. For some interesting facts & information, please read on! For products you can purchase to exhibit your company’s environmental commitment to its employees & customers, check out Optimum’s store.

The Store of YOU

2008-05-27T11:35:00.000-04:00

Why buy off the rack when you can customize? Modern shoppers design everything from clothes, candy and even credit cards. Personalization has come a long way from those checks with Looney Toons on them that your grandmother had.

This is good news for the nonconformists, the sports fans, the gift givers. In order to get that competitive edge marketers must pay attention to this growing trend - the store of YOU and add something different, something personal to their branding options.

Driven by increasingly demanding consumers empowered by the Internet and new technology such as digital printing and online ordering systems, the shift to personalized production represents such a departure from tradition that the retail industry has been forced to come up with new terminology to describe it.

Owning one-of-a-kind sneakers, clothes, jewelry, wine, and even credit cards goes beyond keeping up with the Joneses. It is the need for individuality, expressing your own personal taste, personality, and lifestyle is the new sign of success and luxury.

At the same time, personalization is a form of frugality which is well suited to the current economic downturn. By customizing, shoppers can get the most out of less frequent splurges. This trend is not restricted to those with money—it spans ages, income groups, and regions.

Custom-made products were once so labor intensive, he says, that only the wealthy could afford them. While the printing and ordering technologies to customize for "the masses" have been available for at least a decade, only now is the trend really taking off as customers have come to realize it's available. Customers are no longer satisfied with generic items when they can get everything from M&Ms to shoes and even furniture distinctly tweaked to their liking.

This "me-tailing" instead of retailing has been a growing market for at least a decade. Visit Optimum's logomall to get a better idea of the thousands of customizable personalized products available.

GPS Winners!

2008-05-12T10:26:00.000-04:00

Optimum staff members, Brandi, Joe and Ember were recently at the 2008 TBA Conference in San Diego at booth #504 to promote Optimum Southwest and to give away 2 brand new GPS systems!

Here are Brandi & Ember with one of the lucky winners!

Optimum Companies Corporate Caring

2008-01-30T11:57:00.000-05:00

Companies foster community pride by supporting those in the community who advance our quality of life. Optimum Companies are proud to support several organizations. One of these is Kids 'n Kamp.

Kids 'n Kamp was founded in 1982 and is dedicated to children who have cancer and their families. In the early years, Kids 'n Kamp provided only a small group of cancer kids with a weekend camp, but has now grown to a full-service non-profit organization providing over 300 Ohio Childhood Cancer families (patients, siblings and parents) the opportunity to participate in much needed programs and services. All programs are free for kids ranging in age from infants to young adults who are either receiving chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments now or have finished treatments and are in remission. Kids 'n Kamp also maintains a close and active relationship with families who have lost children to cancer and continues to offer them all programs and services.

This summer, several Optimum employees and their family members helped with unloading supplies and assisting in craft projects for a weekend camp. This organization is special to our CEO, John Martin, who is a cancer survivor. Having been afflicted as a teenager with a brain tumor he knows first-hand how important these services are to a family stricken with cancer.

Kids 'n Kamp has fund raising events such as a Mystery Night and Auction in the fall and the Quilt Auction at the 'Shoe'. If you would like more information on Kids 'n Kamp, please call 614-262-2220 or visit www.kidsnkamp.org.

Over the next several months, we will be spotlighting other organizations which are a part of Optimum Companies' Corporate Caring.

Congratulations Ember!

2008-01-27T11:56:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Ember on being voted Employee of the Year for 2008!

Here are some of the comments our Optimum team members had to say about why Ember was picked to represent us:

1. A great Team Player.

2. Always positive with me and great help with any problems.

3. Takes everything in stride.

4. Truly genuine and has Optimum’s success at heart.

5. She has won people over with her actions and work ethic.

6. Has become a driving POSITIVE force within her department but throughout Optimum. It is a pleasure to work with her on a daily basis.

7. I have always admired her composure in any situation. I’ve always wanted to be like her.

8. What a difference this young lady has made in the way she handles the Client Service department and her interactions with the other departments. She wants to learn everything and has a good demeanor about her.

9. She has many qualities of the award plus has taken on many hats effectively in her first year at Optimum. She goes above and beyond on a daily basis and is not afraid of challenges.

10. She has served a s the team leader in a great fashion. Does more than is expected and has made the customer service department function as a whole.

11. The way she treats customer service and the rest of the family is an excellent example for the rest of the team.

12. She has done so much in such a short time and will go above and beyond to do her specific job duties. She is the epitome of what Optimum represents!