Chamber News

From the Desk of the Executive Director/CEO
Top-Tier Sponsor Spotlight - City Beverage
2026 - 2027 Leadership Defiance County Application
2027 Board Nomination Form
June First Friday Luncheon 6/5
June Business After Hours is on Vacation
Chamber Golf Outing 6/26
Golf Sponsorship Opportunities
Save the Date: 2026 Chamber Awards Banquet
Thank You Renewing Members!
Welcome New Chamber Member!

Member News

Sedgwick Premium Installment & True-Up Reporting for Private Employers
Sedgwick OSHA Updates Its Heat Emphasis Program
Buckeye Business Advantage
Children's Lantern Scavenger Hunt 6/1-6/30
Defiance Public Library Summer Reading Challenge 6/1 - 7/25
Rotary Club of Defiance Corvette Raffle - Drawing 6/5
Defiance College Jacket Summit 6/9
Stroede Center for the Arts - Music in Your Parks Concert Series 6/11
Defiance County Master Gardener Volunteers Plant Swap 6/13
AI & Employment Law Event Co-Hosted by Defiance County Economic Development & Andres O'Neil & Lowe Agency 6/17
Children's Lantern Putt-Putt Tournament 6/27 - 6/28
Defiance Public Library Art in the Park 6/28
Children's Lantern 15th Annual Golf Outing 7/24
Defiance Area Foundation Bow Ties & Boas Gala 10/3
Fort Defiance Humane Society Paws & Purses Save the Date

2026 Top Tier Sponsors

Chamber News

From the Desk of the Executive Director/CEO

Welcome to June, Everyone!

What a beautiful start to the month… warmer weather, outdoor living, blooming flowers, graduation parties, and family vacations. School is out – or almost out - so let the summer fun begin!

June’s Chamber events are in full swing, especially the Annual Chamber Golf Outing, along with plenty of member happenings. Details are below.

Exciting news! Have you heard about the Chamber’s Leadership Defiance County Program? Our most recent class just graduated. Now is the time to give some thought to applying or nominating someone. Leadership Defiance County applications for the 2026-2027 year are now being accepted.

Want to get more involved with your Chamber in an advisory role? Board of Directors nominations for the 2027 year are also open now.

As always, let’s continue to shop local and support local. Wishing you all a sunny, successful, and prosperous June!

Blessings,

Sarah

Sarah Tackett

Executive Director/CEO

Top-Tier Sponsor Spotlight - City Beverage

Learn More

2026-2027 Leadership Defiance County Application

Apply Now!

2027 Board Nomination Form

Nominate Now!

June First Friday Luncheon 6/5

Brian Rachielles has been a part of the YMCA since starting swim lessons in elementary school. His first job with the Y was as a Summer Day Camp Van Driver at the West End YMCA in Southern California...a position he took so that he could be sure to get the week off to volunteer at a YMCA Resident Camp. He has spent the last 26 years in a variety of professional positions, including running Programs and Resident Camps, serving as a Branch Director and Chief Operating Officer at the West End YMCA, and now serving as the CEO of the Defiance Area YMCA.

June Business After Hours is on Vacation

Chamber Golf Outing 6/26

Golf Sponsorship Opportunities

Email michelle.marshall@defiancechamber.com if you are interested.

Save the Date

2026 Chamber Awards Banquet

Thank You Renewing Members!

Welcome New Chamber Member!

TENDER TOUCH PET SALON

Fifth Third Bank

702 N. Clinton St.

Defiance, OH 43512

(419) 782-5557

Learn More

Tender Touch Pet Salon

207 North Harrison St.

Sherwood, OH 43556

(419) 899-7387

Learn More

Associate Member - Peter Seibel

Defiance, OH 43512

Member News, Specials, & Events

Sedgwick Premium Installment & True-Up Reporting for Private Employers

Employers must pay premiums timely to the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) to receive and maintain workers' compensation coverage.

Through the year, employers have been making premium installment payments based on estimated payroll. As we near the conclusion of the 2025 policy year (July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026), BWC will be requiring all employers to reconcile (“true-up”) the payroll that was used to estimate their premium with their actual payroll for the policy year.

As heat-related illnesses continue to rise across the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has taken a significant step to help reduce that trend by updating and extending its National Emphasis Program (NEP) for Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards, which expired in April 2026. The revised program, effective April 10, 2026, replaces the previous initiative and will remain in force through 2031. While not a formal regulation (although OSHA is working on it), the updated Heat Emphasis Program reshapes how OSHA will conduct inspections, target industries, and evaluate employer heat-illness prevention efforts over the next five years.