Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber

The local economy is looking good and unemployment is at the lowest level in more than a decade. That's according to Julie Heath with the U.C. Economics Center.

The nation's largest German-heritage celebration is this weekend, and with more beer choices than usual.

Cynthia Oxley with the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber says visitors drank more than 2,000 barrels of beer at last year's Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.

“New for 2015, Oktoberfest Zinzinnati is excited to feature microbreweries and craft beers," Oxley says. "In celebration of 40 years, we’ll have 40 craft beers at the all new Brewer’s Alley, which is on Broadway off Fifth Street." 

Oxley says Brewer's Alley will be open only on Saturday and Sunday. 

Jill P. Meyer, member-in-charge of the Frost Brown Todd law firm’s Cincinnati office, has been named the new president and CEO of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The focus will be on food this weekend at the 37th annual Taste of Cincinnati. 

As the Cincinnati Chamber prepares for this year's Taste of Cincinnati, vice president Pat Sheeran says it's not looking to move the food festival to accommodate the streetcar. 

Last week, Mayor John Cranley said the streetcar, when operational, would not supersede downtown events like Taste and Oktoberfest.  Sheeran says the chamber is happy the events won't have to move.

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber's annual music party, Party in the Park, gets underway Wednesday with a 16-week lineup that will run through August 20.

Acts scheduled to be part of the Bunbury and Buckle Up festivals will be joining Party in the Park on July 9 and 16.  Bunbury acts scheduled to perform July 9 include The Yugos, Archer's Paradox and Great Good Fine OK.  Buckle Up performers will include Buffalo Wabs & The Price Hill Hustle and The Alternate Routes.  

Five regional agencies that aim to drive business and economic growth are moving in together.

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI), Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority (Port Authority), Cincinnati Business Committee (CBC) and the Cincinnati Regional Business Committee (CRBC) are co-locating in the Three East Fourth Street building between Vine and Walnut streets Downtown.

The five organizations combined have about a hundred employees.

From the media release:

The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber is naming Brian Carley as its new President and CEO.

He takes over for Ellen van der Horst on May 1, 2014.

Carley is currently a partner with Deloitte and leads its audit practice in Northeast Ohio. The chamber says Carley has "a 37-year accounting, audit and consulting career."

In a release, Carley says he's happy to be coming back to Cincinnati. “Having the chance to return to Greater Cincinnati and help guide the region through the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead was too good to pass up.” 

From the release:

After nearly 20 years with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, President Steve Stevens says he's leaving his job.

Stevens started at the chamber in 1994 to manage government affairs and serve as the Chamber's lobbyist in Frankfort.  He's been president for the past seven years. 

In a release, Stevens says the job's been rewarding to him, but says now is the time to pursue other professional endeavors.  He has not yet set a his departure date.