The Chamber, in partnership with Mayor Eric Keckler, proposed the creation of a DORA (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area) and a Revitalization District for downtown Fostoria at the February 15 City Council Meeting.

Click here to learn more about a DORA & Revitalization District as well as our proposal.

Fostoria City Council Public Relations Committee will host a Town Hall meeting at 6 p.m. on March 24 in the Fostoria Junior Senior High School Cafeteria. The Town Hall will focus on the city issues, including the proposed changes to the City Charter, which will appear on the May ballot. The Town Hall is an in-person event but will be live streamed and available to view during and after the event.

NCORcog invites you to the 10th Annual Breakfast Meeting. The main topic of this year's meeting will be the Kick-Off of the Seneca County Broadband Study (SCBS). We will have many local and statewide elected officials and dignitaries present and we would be honored if you were part of this event. (Please see attached flier.)

Feel free to pass this invitation on to anyone you feel should be involved or interested in the upcoming study.

The breakfast is free (thanks to sponsors), RSVPs requested. RSVP to jdavoli@noesc.org

Fostoria Economic Development & Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce have launched a Podcast, "Shut Up & Listen: Small Town Stories with Sarah & Renee". The podcast features FEDC President, Renee Smith and Chamber/Small Business Director, Sarah Stephens Krupp sharing all things Fostoria and inviting special guests to join them in a light hearted conversation.

The podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple and Google. The podcast drops the first and third Wednesday of each month and you can learn more and follow Shut Up & Listen: Small Town Stories on Facebook and Instagram.

The Chamber has begun invoicing for membership via email. Please be sure to add Admin@FostoriaChamber.com to your contacts to ensure you receive your invoices in a timely manner. Invoicing via email allows us to streamline our billing and save money on postage. If you would like to continue to receive your invoices via USPS please let us know. Or if there is a specific email within your company invoices should be sent to, please let us know and we are happy to accommodate.

We greatly appreciate your continued membership in our organization are are looking forward to another great year serving you, OUR members!

Simply email your electric and natural gas bill to billreview@ceateam.com or you can fax them to 330-721-8111 Attn Chamber Energy Program.

On March 7, we will launch another CO.STARTERS class AND and CO.STARTERS GENERATOR class.

CO.STARTERS is a 10 week class for adults who are looking to turn a business idea into a reality. Class starts March 7 and will run Mondays from

6-9 p.m. at the Fostoria Learning Center.

CO.STARTERS GENERATOR is a 12 week class for youth ages 12-17 who are interested in turning a hobby or an idea into a money making venture. Class starts March 7 and will run Mondays from 4-5:15 p.m. at the Fostoria Learning Center. The Generator program is free to attend thanks to a grant from the United Way of Fostoria.

To participate in the Fostoria Farmers’ & Artisans’ Markets, review the vendors rules and application at www.fostoriaohio.org/fostoria-farmers-market for the latest information. Early bird registration pricing for full-season vendors continues through April 1^st.

Be sure to Like and Share our two official Facebook pages: Fostoria Farmers’ Market and Fostoria Farmers’ Market Online Sales!

The Fostoria Economic Development Corporation, on behalf of the Fostoria Learning Center, has named Matt Kibler as the new Workforce Development Director, effective February 21.

Previously, Kibler worked alongside local OhioMeansJobs Offices to develop training programs to upskill incumbent workers, re-skill individuals from the general population, and assisted local high schools on developing industry-specific credentialing programs to prepare students for the workforce.

A resident of Fostoria, Kibler brings previous workforce, training, and industry-specific knowledge with him. “I am excited for this new opportunity; this position has the potential to not only meet the needs of local businesses but serve the entire community. Right now, workforce is the focus around Ohio, and I look forward to working alongside businesses and community members to chart a pathway to success for the City of Fostoria.”

“We are all excited to add Matt to our team, we believe he possess the skills that are necessary to meet the demands of this position. His technical knowledge and understanding of funding, will be a great asset for local companies, while his ability to recruit and comprehend credentialing needs will assist our local high schools and residents of Fostoria.” Said Renee Smith, President of the Fostoria Economic Development Corporation.

Contact Info:

Matt Kibler

Workforce Development Director

Fostoria Learning Center

342 Perry St.

Fostoria, OH 44830

Office – (419) 408-5540

Cell – (567) 245-1259

See below the information just released from the Lt. Governor’s Office on another round of Tech Cred funding. If you need help with applying, please let us know, we can do this! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to upskill your employees.

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted, Director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, today announced that the 13th application period for TechCred will open on March 1st and close on March 31st. 

The next TechCred application period opens Tuesday, March 1st and closes Thursday, March 31st at 3:00 p.m. Businesses with employees who have completed their approved TechCred training should complete the reimbursement process at TechCred.Ohio.gov.

You can learn more about the program at TechCred.Ohio.gov or reach out to Matt Kibler, mkibler@fostorialearningcenter.org

This month we are proud to highlight Hitchings Insurance Agency.

Hitchings Insurance Agency prides itself in striving to serve others every day. Their customers are their top priority, but they also serve the community in many ways. Hitchings Insurance Agency is a full service agency that focuses on making insurance easy. You can get everything handled under one roof! Hitchings Insurance Agency specializes in health benefits for businesses to take care of employees, personal insurance, business insurance and farm insurance. The foundation at Hitchings Insurance Agency is made up of their customers, community, dedicated team and extended family. Nothing motivates them more than making a positive difference.  

The SOCA Benefit Plan is the perfect fit for small businesses and a great option for Chamber members! Through a MEWA (Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement), the plans have competitive rates due to sharing the overall claims risk. Monthly payments are fixed and predictable, which is beneficial for business owners.

As a small business owner, you may be thinking adding this benefit is great for my employees, but how am I going to find extra time to administer it? This is a valid concern and one we can handle for you if you choose! We create a personalized administration tool that transfers information directly to us from you. Then we can handle the additions, terminations and changes from there.

Improvement to your attractiveness as an employer with no significant added responsibilities make this worth considering, especially if it also decreases your current benefit spend.

Our insurance professionals are available to review what this option would look like for you and show you how we make administration easy.

March 4, 11, 18, 25 & April 1, 8 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

April 15 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

5 piece fish meal with fries and choice of side for $12

20-21 piece shrimp meal with fries and choice of side for $10

2 piece fish sandwich for $5

Extra fries $3

Extra side (Coleslaw or applesauce) $1

We are also happy to announce that we are now able to accept debit/credit cards. There is a small surcharge for using a card.

The Superior Foundation has approved $30,000 in funding to award up to thirty $1,000 scholarships this spring. Any Superior Credit Union member who meets the scholarship eligibility requirements is welcome to apply.

Check out Fostoria Community Calendar