By John Byczkowski
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Margaret Buchanan of the Enquirer speaks at the annual Business Summit luncheon Friday. (Gary Landers photo)

Margaret Buchanan, publisher of The Cincinnati Enquirer, told an annual meeting of 800 business and economic development leaders Friday that stronger regional cooperation is needed if Greater Cincinnati is to become a better place to live, and she pledged the newspaper's support for those efforts.

"All of you come from varied backgrounds and have different roles. But we all share a common interest - an interest in building a healthy and vibrant Cincinnati," she told the annual Business Summit luncheon of the Tristate Chamber Collaborative. "My job as publisher of this community's largest print and online information source has a lot to do with bringing us all together in that discussion each day."

At the luncheon, held at the Hyatt Hotel downtown, were leaders of 13 Tristate chambers of commerce, dozens of companies and economic development agencies, and one congressman, Rep. Ken Lucas, D-Ky. Buchanan urged them to work together.

Buchanan stated the goals of the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce to build a stronger economy and community, "stimulating opportunities for everyone," to "unify and build our region."

"These are powerful and lofty goals," she said. "If we all work together - and I emphasize 'together' - we can achieve the Chamber's vision."

The region's residents don't focus on its assets often enough, Buchanan said. "I see a disconnect between the reality of what Cincinnati is and our own perceptions, which get passed on from one person to another, then another," she said. "And, yes, some of those misperceptions may have been caused by your newspaper for thousands around here and around the world to see."

Buchanan said the Enquirer is changing, to devote more attention to the region's "rich assets and successes." The newspaper, though, won't abandon its role as watchdog for the community. "We have a responsibility to cover the not-so-good things as well as the good things that happen - to report all information of public concern. This is what gives us our credibility," she said.

"Imagine - just imagine - what Cincinnati U.S.A. will become if our public and private sectors actually work together on a shared vision," she said. "I know that my role as the publisher of The Cincinnati Enquirer will be an important link for how our efforts are communicated, close to home and to the world. ... the Enquirer and I will work with you on these important goals."

The collaborative also handed out awards of excellence to chamber members:

• Eleven companies were congratulated for strong efforts in contracting with minority-owned businesses. Top award winners were Cinergy Corp., the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority, Messer Construction Co., mortgage broker Motion Financial II and Turner Construction.

• Five companies were given the William R. Burleigh Regional Leadership Award for their efforts at boosting regional cooperation. They are Fifth Third Bank of Butler County, the law firm Greenebaum Doll & McDonald, architects McGill Smith Punshon Inc., Procter & Gamble Co. and Turner Construction.

• The Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, founded in 1904, was given the Centennial Award, which honors a company or organization for providing at least 100 years of quality products and services.