Your employees need to know more about your business, whether it's building the newest machining technology or designing computer software to make cardboard boxes.

        Where should you call first?

        Companies in Clermont County will have another solution soon, when the local Chamber of Commerce and four schools unveil a program to provide worker training.

        When the program is up and running, employers will be able to call one central telephone number and buy into courses covering the gamut of industries. The schools will not only provide the courses, but find outside providers at the best price for those they don't offer.

        “We'll tap the best practices to bring to the table whatever is needed,” said Cliff Migal, president and chief executive officer of Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development, which will administer the program.

        “If we don't have it, we'll go out and broker it.”

        Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, the University of Cincinnati's Clermont College and Grant Career Center are joining with the chamber.

        The four schools will provide most of the training. Cincinnati State and Great Oaks already are among the biggest training providers in the region.

        Another exciting part of the new program is the ability to use technology already available. For example, Great Oaks can feed a training program from its own campus or from the Chamber of Commerce offices to a company or to any other private facility, Mr. Migal said.

        The chamber “is getting more pressure from its members for more training,” he said. “That's the bottom line, providing services to help industries keep employees up to speed.”

New York office closes

        American Financial Group Inc. is closing a New York City office dedicated to Internet development.

        The office, which employed several dozen people, has been open a couple of years. But the insurance company decided to close it to cut costs and consolidate those jobs into its Cincinnati headquarters, company official Anne Watson said.

        American Financial is the umbrella company for Carl Lindner Jr.'s interests.

        It has been making a major push during the past year to consolidate computer systems and use the Internet to provide direct access to consumers who want to buy insurance policies online.

        The New York office was designed to take advantage of the Web development talent there, but cost concerns won out, Ms. Watson said.

        “We're looking at how the functions there will be reorganized,” she said.

Hyatt remodeling

        The Hyatt Regency Cincinnati downtown will spend about $2 million to renovate its conference rooms by the end of March.

        The Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau says it's part of more than $65 million in hotel renovations in the area since 1997.
       

        If you have a tip about Greater Cincinnati companies, email Cliff Peale at cpeale@enquirer.com or call 768-8573.

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