ANNOUNCER: ON THIS EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, WE'RE JOINED BY BRENDAN COLE, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CINCINNATI USA REGIONAL CHAMBER.

BRENDAN SHARES HIS VISION FOR A STRONGER, MORE CONNECTED REGION, ONE THAT CELEBRATES INNOVATION, COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE CINCINNATI THRIVE.

FROM CHAMPIONING LOCAL BUSINESSES TO FOSTERING LEADERSHIP FOR THE FUTURE, HIS PASSION FOR OUR CITY SHINES THROUGH IN EVERY CONVERSATION.

STAY WITH US.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

WE HAVE A REALLY INTERESTING, WONDERFUL GUEST TODAY, BRENDAN COLE.

HE'S THE HEAD OF THE CINCINNATI CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LOT ABOUT THE CITY AND WHAT HE DOES AND WHAT THE CHAMBER DOES.

AND BRENDAN HERE OWNS THE WHOLE CITY.

COLE: NOT AT ALL.

KELLAR: HE IS IN CHARGE.

HE IS TOTALLY IN CHARGE.

COLE: NOT AT ALL.

SOME DAYS I WISH.

KELLAR: AND IF YOU -- IF ANY OF OUR VIEWERS HAVE COMPLAINTS THAT THEY CAN CALL BRENDAN, RIGHT?

YES, BECAUSE HE'S IN CHARGE.

COLE: I'M SO EXCITED TO PUT MY CELL PHONE ON HERE AND WE ANYBODY CAN JUST SEND ME A TEXT.

KELLAR: EXACTLY.

SO TELL US.

COLE: IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE, BARBARA.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

KELLAR: YOU'RE WELCOME.

COLE: I KNOW YOU AND I HAVE KNOWN WHAT YOU'VE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW WHAT THIS SHOW MEANS TO SO MANY PEOPLE.

AND SO IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

KELLAR: WELL, THANK YOU.

YEAH, WE HOPE THAT WE'RE -- YEAH, WE ARE VERY PROUD OF WHAT WE DO AND WE HAVE LOTS OF THINGS TO OUR CREDIT: MASTERPIECE THEATER, DOWNTON ABBEY, ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, CALL THE MIDWIFE, ALL THOSE GREAT SHOWS.

COLE: WELL, PUBLIC TELEVISION AND PUBLIC RADIO ARE CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THEY, YOU KNOW, AT THE CHAMBER, OUR MISSION IS TO GROW THE ECONOMY, GROW THE POPULATION, AND GROW CULTURAL VIBRANCY IN OUR COMMUNITY SO THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS.

AND WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT BOTH PUBLIC RADIO AND PUBLIC TELEVISION DO TO CONTRIBUTE TO CULTURAL VIBRANCY IN CINCINNATI, IT'S IMMENSE AND IT'S IMPORTANT.

AND SO, I'M GLAD YOU CONTINUE TO DO WHAT YOU DO.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAD TO CUT SOME OF OUR FUNDING WAS CUT THE GOVERNMENT FUNDING.

BUT OUR DONORS, PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN US HAVE STEPPED UP, AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF HELPING TO SUPPORT US, AND I'M SURE THAT WILL CONTINUE AND WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.

COLE: YEAH, GOOD.

KELLAR: BUT WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU DO.

COLE: SO, I HAVE THE GOOD FORTUNE TO BE THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE CINCINNATI REGIONAL CHAMBER.

AND OUR ORGANIZATION IS ALMOST 200 YEARS OLD.

IT WAS FOUNDED IN 1839, AND I LOVE THE STORY OF HOW IT WAS FOUNDED, BECAUSE IT WAS FOUNDED FOUR YEARS AFTER THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY WAS FOUNDED.

AND I'M A LOVER OF THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY.

I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE THE BOARD PRESIDENT THERE FOR A FEW YEARS NOT TOO LONG AGO.

AND IN 1835, WHEN THE LIBRARY WAS FOUNDED, THERE WERE SOME MEN AT THE TIME WHO GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, "YOU KNOW WHAT WE ALSO NEED?

WE ALSO NEED A CHAMBER OF COMMERCE."

AND SO THEY MET AT THE MERCANTILE LIBRARY, AND FOUR YEARS LATER, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE WAS BORN.

AND SINCE THEN THE LIBRARY HAS -- OR THE CHAMBER HAS OCCUPIED AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

IT'S A CENTRAL PLACE FOR BUSINESS LEADERS TO COME TOGETHER, BUT IT'S REALLY MUCH MORE THAN THAT TO THIS COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE BRING TOGETHER, I LIKE TO TALK ABOUT CIVIC LEADERS, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WHO CARE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THIS CITY, WHETHER THEY'RE POLITICIANS OR CEOS OR NONPROFIT EXECUTIVES.

WE TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS CITY HAS A BIG VISION.

AND OUR BIG VISION THAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW IS GROWTH, IS MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS A COMMUNITY THAT IS GROWING AND THRIVING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

AND IT'S A GREAT HONOR TO BE IN THIS SEAT AND TO WORK WITH, REALLY, IT'S UNBELIEVABLE, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO FEEL A CONNECTION TO THIS ORGANIZATION FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER.

UM, AND IT'S AN HONOR TO GET UP EVERY DAY AND WORK ON THEIR BEHALF.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DOES THE CHAMBER SPONSOR SPECIFIC EVENTS?

COLE: WE DO.

NO CHAMBER ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS THE SAME.

AND SO OUR CHAMBER, WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE DO.

AND I'M HAPPY TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE A WHOLE GROUP THAT WORKS ON ADVOCACY, FOR INSTANCE, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT WILL HELP IMPROVE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON WORKING WITH SORTA IN THE LAST DECADE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD THE FUNDING SO THAT OUR BUS SYSTEM WAS THRIVING AND COULD CONNECT PEOPLE TO JOBS.

WE SPENT THE BETTER PART OF TWO DECADES MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS FUNDING FOR THE BRENT SPENCE BRIDGE COMPANION BRIDGE, SO THAT WE WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THAT IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ARTERY IS THERE.

SO THAT'S, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, THAT'S OUR ADVOCACY WORK.

THEN WE HAVE A WHOLE SERIES OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE REALLY AROUND LEADERSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT.

AND THE FLAGSHIP PROGRAM THERE IS CALLED LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

COLE: WHICH YOU PROBABLY KNOW.

NEXT YEAR, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI WILL CELEBRATE ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY.

KELLAR: WOW.

COLE: SO CLASS 50 WILL GO THROUGH NEXT YEAR.

AND WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL ALUMNI CLASS AS WELL TOO, SO THAT WE'RE GOING TO REACH BACK OVER THE LAST HALF CENTURY AND INVITE LEADERS TO BE A PART OF THAT.

AND THAT LEADERSHIP CENTER NOW, IT STARTED WITH JUST LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI, AND NOW THERE'S ALMOST A DOZEN OTHER PROGRAMS THAT BRING TOGETHER BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY AND NONPROFIT AND CIVIC LEADERS SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: YEAH, AND LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI IS A GROUP OF YOUNG LEADERS WHO ARE CHOSEN.

COLE: NOT ALWAYS YOUNG.

KELLAR: NOT ALWAYS YOUNG?

COLE: NOT ALWAYS YOUNG.

KELLAR: OH, YOU MEAN YOU HAVE A SENIOR DIVISION?

COLE: NO, THE CLASS NOW, I MEAN THE EIGHT, IT'S NOT -- THERE'S NO AGE CATEGORY FOR LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: REALLY?

I THOUGHT IT WAS ONLY JUST KIND OF YOUNGISH.

COLE: NO, WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.

WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED CINCY NEXT, WHICH IS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE USUALLY IN THEIR FIRST EARLY PHASE OF THEIR CAREER.

WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED SEE CHANGE, WHICH IS WE OFTEN DESCRIBE AS FOR EMERGING LEADERS.

LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI IS REALLY FOR THAT SENIOR LEADER, C-SUITE LEADER WHO IS BREAKING INTO A NEW PLACE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A COMMUNITY LEADER AND CHOOSING TO LEARN ABOUT THIS CITY AND REGION IN A DIFFERENT SORT OF WAY.

WE'VE HAD PEOPLE -- THERE'S UPPER AGE LIMIT IN LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: WHAT'S THE OLDEST PERSON WHO'S BEEN IN?

COLE: LAST YEAR, I THINK IT WAS LAST YEAR, BUT WE HAD SOMEONE WHO STARTED WITH A SEVEN, AND I WAS -- IT WAS AWESOME.

KELLAR: REALLY?

COLE: YEAH.

KELLAR: WOW.

GOOD FOR YOU.

THAT'S GREAT.

COLE: YOU KNOW WHAT?

IT'S REALLY WONDERFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE COME TO THAT PROGRAM WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES.

THE BEST PART ABOUT IT IS THAT IT CONNECTS PEOPLE ACROSS COMPANIES.

AND THE WHOLE REASON WE DO THESE LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS IS BECAUSE IF YOU PARTICIPATE IN A COHORT PROGRAM WHERE YOU GET TO KNOW OTHER PEOPLE FROM OTHER COMPANIES AND YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COMMUNITY WORKS, THIS COMMUNITY THAT YOU AND I LOVE WORKS, YOU'RE LIKELY TO STAY HERE, AND YOU'RE LIKELY TO FIND A NEW WAY TO CONTRIBUTE.

WHETHER YOU'RE ON THE BOARD OF A NONPROFIT OR YOU CHOOSE TO BECOME AN ACTIVIST FOR AN ISSUE THAT YOU CARE ABOUT, OR WHETHER OR NOT YOU JUST CHOOSE TO GET YOUR COMPANY MORE INVOLVED, SO THAT'S REALLY A SPECIAL PART OF THE PROGRAM.

KELLAR: YEAH.

COLE: SO WE ALSO I'LL TELL YOU ALSO, WE ALSO DO EVENTS.

YOU ASKED ABOUT EVENTS AND IN THE SPIRIT OF ANNIVERSARIES, WE'RE A LITTLE UNUSUAL IN THAT OUR ORGANIZATION ALSO PRODUCES BIG COMMUNITY EVENTS AS WELL, TOO.

SO, THE ASIAN FOOD FEST, WHICH HAPPENS OVER ON COURT STREET, WHICH IS A NEWER EVENT, WE PARTNER WITH AN ORGANIZATION CALLED ASIAN-NATI TO PRODUCE.

WE PRODUCE TASTE OF CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: OKAY.

EVERYBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT IS.

COLE: IT'S 48 YEARS OLD.

WE PRODUCE AN EVENT THAT IS THE LARGEST OKTOBERFEST OUTSIDE OF MUNICH.

IT'S CALLED OKTOBERFEST ZINZINNATI.

MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF IT.

AND THAT IS 50 YEARS OLD IN 2026.

SO WE'LL HAVE A BIG CELEBRATION ABOUT IT.

AND THEN AN EVENT THAT WE ARE A PART OF THAT HAS BEEN JUST A TREMENDOUS PART OF THIS COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST DECADE, WITH ITS ROOTS IN LUMINOSITY, OF COURSE, IS BLINK.

AND BLINK WILL BE BACK IN 2026.

BLINK WAS FOUNDED BY THE HAILE FOUNDATION AND BRAVE BERLIN AND AGAR AND ARTWORKS AND WE'VE BEEN A PART OF IT SINCE THE BEGINNING, AND IT'S JUST AN HONOR TO BE A PART OF IT.

KELLAR: WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE, I THINK, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS THAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE CITY, STARTING WITH LUMINOSITY, OF COURSE, WHICH ISN'T DONE ANYMORE.

BUT BLINK, THAT WILL GO ON FOR PERPETUITY.

COLE: WE'LL SEE.

I MEAN, I THINK ONE OF THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS ABOUT IT IS THAT PEOPLE COME TO IT WITH DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND IT EVOLVES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN -- THAT'S A SPECIAL KIND OF EVENT.

WE RUN OKTOBERFEST, WE'RE REALLY PROUD.

BLINK DOESN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE AND A WHOLE LOT OF BRILLIANCE THAT COMES TOGETHER.

AND IT'S BEEN REALLY MAGIC FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THE WHOLE REASON, YOU KNOW, WHEN TIM AND LESLIE MALONEY FIRST APPROACHED MY PREDECESSOR.

KELLAR: MY GREAT FRIENDS.

COLE: WONDERFUL PEOPLE, WHEN THEY APPROACHED JILL MEYER, WHO WAS MY PREDECESSOR AT THE CHAMBER, WE WORKED TOGETHER.

THE REASON THAT WE WERE INTERESTED IN THAT, AND REALLY ANY FESTIVAL, SO JUST MAKE IT ABOUT ANYTHING, IS ABOUT THE BRAND OF THIS COMMUNITY.

AND IT IS ABOUT PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN CITIES WHERE THERE'S VIBRANCY.

THEY WANT TO LIVE IN A CITY WHERE PEOPLE GO TO SEE A SOCCER MATCH, OR WHERE THEY GO TO SEE THE SYMPHONY, OR WHERE THEY CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET AND DISCOVER A NEW MURAL OR AN INTERESTING, SOMETHING THAT CAPTIVATES THEIR MIND.

AND I ALWAYS SAY, I DIDN'T GROW UP HERE.

I GREW UP IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

I MOVED HERE IN 1995.

BUT I KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE CITY, I LIKE TO THINK AS WELL AS MOST, MAYBE NOT AS MUCH AS DAN HURLEY, BUT AS WELL AS MANY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

COLE: THERE'S A WHOLE GENERATION WHO GREW UP GOING TO FOUNTAIN SQUARE AND CELEBRATING THE REDS AND CELEBRATING SPORTS TEAMS.

THERE IS NOW A WHOLE NEW GENERATION WHO WILL REMEMBER THEIR DOWNTOWN AS BEING THE PLACE WHERE THEY SAW LUMINOSITY FOR THE FIRST TIME, OR WHERE THEY EXPERIENCED AN OKTOBERFEST FOR THE FIRST TIME.

AND I THINK THAT BUILDS DEEP ROOTS TO A COMMUNITY, AND IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.

KELLAR: YEAH, WELL, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WOULD ARGUE WITH THAT.

AND IT'S UNIQUE FOR US, I THINK.

I MEAN, OTHER PLACES HAVE MAYBE ONE THING, TWO THINGS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A VIBRANT ARTS COMMUNITY, I THINK THAT IS A CATALYST FOR A LOT OF THESE OTHER THINGS.

COLE: COMPLETELY AGREE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR FUNDING?

COLE: THE CHAMBER?

LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE HAVE A VERY DIVERSE REVENUE STREAM.

BUT WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION IS THAT I SAY WE EARN IT.

WE HAVE A NUMBER OF MEMBERS, SO PART OF OUR BUSINESS MODEL IS THAT COMPANIES THAT ARE AS LARGE AS GE AEROSPACE AND PROCTER AND GAMBLE AND KROGER CHOOSE TO BE A PART OF OUR WORK.

AND THEN YOUR ENTREPRENEUR WHO HAS, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE HUNG OUT THEIR OWN SHINGLE, THEY CAN JOIN TO BE A PART OF THE CHAMBER.

AND WE MAKE SURE THAT THEY FEEL WELCOMED INTO THE COMMUNITY.

WE ACTUALLY JUST THIS YEAR LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM SO THAT WE'RE FINDING THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR COMPANIES THAT ARE NOT LOCATED HERE IN CINCINNATI, BUT THEY LIVE HERE, AND THEY'RE CHOOSING TO LIVE IN CINCINNATI BECAUSE THIS IS JUST SUCH A VIBRANT PLACE TO BE.

KELLAR: RIGHT.

COLE: BUT MAYBE THE COMPANY THAT THEY WORK FOR IS IN LOS ANGELES OR NEW YORK.

AND SO WE'VE CREATED A NEW WAY FOR THEM TO JOIN THE CHAMBER AND REALLY BE A PART OF OUR REGION'S BUSINESS COMMUNITY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

CAN ANY BUSINESS PERSON JOIN THE CHAMBER?

COLE: ANYBODY CAN JOIN.

KELLAR: AND THEN ARE THERE BENEFITS, SPECIFIC BENEFITS THAT THEY GET FROM THAT?

COLE: YEP.

THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY OF BENEFITS.

SOME OF IT IS ABOUT OUR LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS.

IF YOU'RE A SMALL BUSINESS, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE LOTS OF SMALL BUSINESSES WHO JOIN.

THEY CAN JOIN THE CHAMBER AND THEY RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON WORKER'S COMPENSATION THROUGH OUR PARTNERS AT SHAKLEE.

OR THEY RECEIVE DISCOUNTS ON HEALTH CARE, GREAT ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE BENEFITS THROUGH OUR PARTNERS AT MEDICAL MUTUAL.

AND SO WE SET UP PROGRAMS LIKE THAT SO THAT SMALL BUSINESSES WHO JOIN OUR ORGANIZATION FIND WAYS TO SAVE MONEY AND IT MAKES THEIR BUSINESS MORE EFFECTIVE.

BUT ALMOST ALL OF THEM FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE CREATE WITHIN OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR CIVIC COMMUNITY.

AND THAT, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THIS.

YOU KNOW, THAT -- I THINK CINCINNATI IS REALLY UNIQUE IN THAT REGARD, IS THAT OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OUR CIVIC COMMUNITY REALLY TAKES OWNERSHIP OF THE FUTURE OF THIS PLACE.

AND THAT, WE'RE REALLY LUCKY IN THAT REGARD.

AND SO PART OF WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS NURTURE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS SO THAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND WORK HERE FIND WAYS TO MAKE THIS PLACE BETTER FOR THE LONG RUN.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY COUNCIL?

COLE: TO THE CITY COUNCIL?

IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY.

UH, NO.

UH, SO THE CITY OF CINCINNATI, OBVIOUSLY IS A GOVERNMENT ENTITY.

WE'RE STRUCTURED AS A NONPROFIT TRADE ASSOCIATION.

BUT WE WORK REALLY CLOSELY WITH CITY LEADERS, FROM THE MAYOR TO THE COUNCIL TO THE ADMINISTRATION, TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION, TO FOLKS IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY, IN THE SUBURBS AS WELL, WHEN WE'RE ADVOCATING.

AND THAT COULD BE ON HOUSING POLICY, IT COULD BE ON COMMUNITY VIBRANCY, IT COULD BE ON ISSUES RELATED TO TRANSIT, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT, COULD BE A GENERAL BUSINESS ISSUE RELATED TO TAXES, FOR INSTANCE.

BUT WE'RE GENERALLY AN ORGANIZATION THAT TRIES TO HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH AS MANY ELECTED OFFICIALS AS WE CAN SO THAT WE CAN HELP BUSINESSES WHEN THEY ARE NOT CERTAIN ABOUT HOW TO ENGAGE WITH GOVERNMENT.

KELLAR: YEAH.

AND SO IS YOUR BOARD A GROUP OF BUSINESS PEOPLE?

COLE: YES, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

WE HAVE ABOUT 55 PEOPLE ON OUR BOARD.

KELLAR: FIFTY-FIVE?!

WHERE DO YOU MEET?

COLE: WE MEET AT THE CHAMBER OFFICES.

KELLAR: AND YOU HAVE A ROOM FOR 55?

COLE: WE DO.

WE HAVE A ROOM FOR -- MANY OF OUR MEMBERS USE OUR ROOMS.

WE HAVE A WHOLE CONFERENCE CENTER ON THE FIRST FLOOR ON FOURTH STREET, AND, YEAH, WE HAVE ABOUT 55 PEOPLE WHO COME TO OUR BOARD MEETINGS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU RESPOND?

BECAUSE THE IMAGE OF OUR CITY, I THINK, IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL IS HOW WE'RE PERCEIVED IN THE WORLD.

AND IF THERE'S -- YEAH, IF THERE'S A PROBLEM WHICH COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO OUR IMAGE, FOR INSTANCE, SAFETY IN DOWNTOWN.

DO YOU -- CAN GET TOGETHER AND SAY, "WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE THIS IMAGE?"

OR IS THAT PART OF WHAT YOU DO?

COLE: ABSOLUTELY.

AND THAT HAS BEEN TRUE, AGAIN WITH THE HISTORY OF THIS ORGANIZATION.

WHEN I FIRST ENCOUNTERED THIS ORGANIZATION, I WAS A YOUNGISH FELLOW WORKING AT CITY HALL AND LEARNING ABOUT WHAT THE CHAMBER DID.

AND I WAS WORKING AT CITY HALL IN 2001, WHEN OBVIOUSLY THE CITY HAD CIVIL UNREST IN OVER-THE-RHINE AND IN DOWNTOWN.

AND I REALIZED THEN, WORKING FOR THE MAYOR AT THE TIME, WHAT THE POWER OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND CIVIC COMMUNITY IS BECAUSE THEY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS, JOHN WILLIAMS AND MICHAEL FISHER, WERE THE CEOS OF THE CHAMBER DURING THAT ERA.

AND THEY BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.

AND WE CONTINUE THAT LEGACY TO THIS DAY, ALL OF MY PREDECESSORS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THOSE SORTS OF EFFORTS AS WELL.

WHAT WE, YOU KNOW, FROM AN IMAGE PERSPECTIVE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WE CREATED AN ORGANIZATION CALLED CINCINNATI EXPERIENCE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY A PR AGENCY FOR THIS REGION.

AND THEIR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PLACING AND TELLING THE GOOD STORIES ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CINCINNATI AND THEN COORDINATING EFFORTS WHEN THERE'S A MESSAGE THAT WE WANT TO SHAPE DIFFERENTLY NATIONALLY, FOR INSTANCE.

INTERESTINGLY, WHAT WE HAVE FOUND FROM TIME TO TIME IS THAT PEOPLE OUTSIDE CINCINNATI HAVE A -- THEY THINK OF US AS THIS WONDERFUL CITY, WHICH WE ARE.

SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REMEMBER TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE AND REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT INCREDIBLE AMENITIES WE HAVE AND WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE THIS IS TO LIVE, AND HOW MUCH OPPORTUNITY THERE IS HERE AND HOW AFFORDABLE OF A COMMUNITY THIS IS.

SO THAT GROUP TALKS TO BOTH AUDIENCES OUTSIDE CINCINNATI AND AUDIENCES HERE.

KELLAR: YEAH, YOU HAVE YOUR HANDS IN SO MANY DIFFERENT, THEY'RE GOOD TENTACLES AND TOUCHING SO, SO MANY DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THIS CITY.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR ANYTHING EXCITING THAT YOU COULD TELL US ABOUT?

COLE: I THINK ABOUT 2026, I'VE GOT A LOT THAT I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT TO SEE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

I'M EXCITED ABOUT THE GROWTH IN HOUSING THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT'S TERRIFIC.

BUT I'VE HAD THE GOOD FORTUNE OF WORKING WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT HAS BEEN EXPANDING BIKE TRAILS IN THIS COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST TEN OR SO YEARS.

AND SO NEXT YEAR, THEY'LL BE, THANKS TO HAMILTON COUNTY GREAT PARKS AND THE CITY OF CINCINNATI AND TRI-STATE TRAILS AND THE CROWN, THERE'LL BE EVEN MORE PAVED OFF ROAD BIKE TRAILS AS PART OF THE CROWN NETWORK.

AND FOR ANYBODY WHO RIDES THEIR BIKE, WHETHER THEY'RE 9 OR 11 YEARS OLD, LIKE MY KIDS.

OR OLDER LIKE ME, THE CONNECTION TO 50 PLUS NEIGHBORHOODS ON THIS BIKE TRAIL IS REALLY GOING TO BE UNBELIEVABLE.

AND EVENTUALLY IT WILL COME ACROSS THE CITY DOWN THE MILL CREEK, AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO RIDE ON A DEDICATED BIKE TRAIL OFF ROAD ALMOST 35 MILES.

AND IT IS GOING TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST URBAN BIKE TRAILS IN THE COUNTRY.

BUT IT ALSO CONNECTS PEOPLE TO JOBS AND TO SO MUCH ELSE THAT'S GOING ON.

MOST PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THE WASSON WAY.

KELLAR: I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY.

COLE: YES, AND THAT IS A PART OF WHAT'S CONNECTING.

BUT IT GOES SO MUCH FURTHER BEYOND THAT.

AND IT REALLY ADDS SO MANY AMENITIES TO LIVING IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY.

IS THAT WHEN YOU CAN BE IN A CITY AND THEN FIND A PEACEFUL PLACE TO WALK OR RIDE YOUR BIKE.

AND SO I'M REALLY PROUD OF THE TEAM THAT'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT, AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE IT GROW.

KELLAR: HOW MANY MILES IS IT?

COLE: RIGHT NOW, I THINK BY THE -- IT'LL BE CLOSE TO 25 WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

SO IT'S REALLY, REALLY INCREDIBLE.

PEOPLE RIGHT AROUND LUNKEN.

AND I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE SAY, WHY DOES THE CHAMBER GET INVOLVED IN THAT?

AND AGAIN, IT COMES BACK TO HOW DO WE ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE?

AND THE KID WHO COMES HERE TO GO TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, I WANT THEM TO STAY HERE.

I WANT THEM TO COME HERE, MUCH LIKE I DID WHEN I CAME TO XAVIER AND IN A LONG TIME AGO, AND FIND THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THEY CAN MAKE THEIR LIFE.

AND THEY'LL DO THAT IF THEY FIND THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO LIVE, THINGS TO DO, MUSIC TO LISTEN TO, A NEW ARENA, A PLACE THEY CAN RIDE THEIR BIKE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

COLE: RETAIL AND AMENITIES.

AND THAT'S THE KIND OF PLACE THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD.

A PLACE WHERE EVERYONE BELONGS.

KELLAR: YEAH.

I SEE ALL THESE NEW BUILDINGS FOR APARTMENTS, CONDOS.

THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS, IT FEELS LIKE.

DO WE HAVE THE NEED FOR?

WHERE ARE ALL THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO COME FROM?

COLE: WE HAVE AN ENORMOUS NEED AND WE ARE SO UNDERBUILT AS A COMMUNITY.

COLUMBUS, OHIO, WHERE MY HOMETOWN, WHICH I'VE BEEN GONE 30 YEARS.

THEY ARE OUTPACING US ALMOST 2 TO 1 ON BUILDING NEW HOUSING UNITS IN THEIR COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS WHY THEY'RE GROWING FASTER, IS THAT THEY ARE FINDING PLACES FOR PEOPLE.

THEY'RE MAKING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE, THEIR CITY GOVERNMENT, THEIR COUNTY.

AND I WILL GIVE CREDIT TO THE CITY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY FOR ADOPTING PRO-HOUSING GROWTH POLICIES.

BUT WE'VE GOT TO DO MORE.

I HAVE A PERSON WHO JUST MOVED HERE FROM WASHINGTON, DC, RETURNED HOME AND IS WORKING WITH US AT THE ORGANIZATION AND TO SEE THE JOURNEY OF TRYING TO FIND THAT FIRST HOME AND WANTING TO LIVE IN OUR CORE, IN CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

IT IS SO UNBELIEVABLY DIFFICULT TO FIND A HOUSE OR AN APARTMENT.

AND SO, YES, THE ANSWER IS WE ARE NOT NEARLY TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAVE BUILT ENOUGH HOUSING.

AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MUCH DOWNTOWN HOUSING THAT IS COMING ONLINE: THE MERCANTILE BUILDING, THE CITY CLUB BUILDING.

BUT WE HAVE TO DO MORE, AND THAT MEANS IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND ALONG BUSINESS DISTRICTS.

IT'S WHY THE TRANSIT LEVY WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO, YOU KNOW -- I LIVE IN CLIFTON, FOR INSTANCE, AND SO I THINK ABOUT WALKING DOWN LUDLOW AVENUE AND THERE ARE EMPTY LOTS.

THERE'S SOME BEAUTIFUL OLD APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN CLIFTON.

THE SENATOR AND THE ROANOKE, PLACES LIKE THAT.

THOSE ARE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE LIVED WHEN THEY FIRST MOVED TO CINCINNATI.

AND WE NEED MORE OF THAT.

THERE'S NOT ENOUGH PLACES LIKE THAT TODAY.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO KEEP INVESTING IN HOUSING.

KELLAR: SO PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE.

SEE, THAT'S -- MY CONCEPT OF IT IS WHERE ARE THOSE PEOPLE COMING FROM AND WHY ARE THEY AND WHAT ARE THEY DOING WHEN THEY GET HERE?

SO DO THEY HAVE -- DO WE HAVE THAT MUCH OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES HERE?

COLE: ABSOLUTELY.

I MEAN, IF YOU THINK ABOUT HOW WELL-SITUATED WE ARE RIGHT NOW, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY PEOPLE KNOW THE BIG NAME COMPANIES LIKE P&G AND KROGER CONTINUES TO GROW.

AND WE'VE GOT FIFTH THIRD BANK, WHICH IS INVOLVED IN AN ACQUISITION RIGHT NOW THAT WILL MAKE THEM THE NINTH LARGEST BANK IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS AN ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO GROW.

AND I DON'T -- ENOUGH PEOPLE SHOULD BE TALK -- MORE PEOPLE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPACT OF GE AEROSPACE TOO.

THAT COMPANY HAS BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS.

AND THEIR HOME IS RIGHT HERE IN EVENDALE AND THE AMOUNT OF JOBS AND TALENT THAT THEY'LL ATTRACT TO OUR COMMUNITY OVER THE NEXT DECADE IS MASSIVE.

JOBS THAT ARE EXTREMELY HIGH PAYING, JOBS THAT ARE GREAT, SOLID MIDDLE CLASS JOBS.

AND SO, YEAH, PEOPLE ARE MOVING HERE TO WORK AT THESE COMPANIES, BUT ALSO SMALL COMPANIES IN OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS.

AND SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO PRIORITIZE FINDING AFFORDABLE AND QUALITY PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE.

KELLAR: WHAT ABOUT SINGLE?

YOU MENTIONED SINGLE FAMILY.

WHERE WOULD THEY PUT, BECAUSE IT FEELS TO ME LIKE EVERYTHING'S -- ALL THE SPACE IS FILLED UP.

WHERE WOULD THEY PUT, LIKE A SUBDIVISION, LIKE SUBDIVISIONS OR?

COLE: YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THIS IS WHY A DENSER HOUSING STOCK IS IMPORTANT IN A PLACE LIKE CINCINNATI.

WE ARE AN OLDER CITY THAT IS LANDLOCKED.

THAT'S JUST A FACT OF THE MATTER.

AND WE'RE ALSO A CITY WITH TOPOGRAPHY.

I WAS IN COLUMBUS TODAY, AND YOU COULD SEE FLAT FOR MILES AND MILES.

SO IT'S HARDER TO BUILD HERE.

BUT YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY ALONG SOME OF OUR BUSINESS DISTRICT CORRIDORS, THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM AND FOR MORE HOUSING AND MORE, YOU KNOW, MULTIFAMILY BUILDINGS.

YOU KNOW, WE THINK ABOUT A TWO AND THREE, YOU KNOW, STORY, WALK UP, TOWNHOME TYPE THING.

THAT'S HOW PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE.

CINCINNATI, THE CITY OF CINCINNATI, SAME SIZE AT ONE POINT, HAD MORE THAN A HALF A MILLION PEOPLE LIVING IN IT.

AND WE'VE GOT ABOUT 320,000 TODAY, SO THERE'S ROOM.

KELLAR: WHERE DID THEY ALL GO?

COLE: WELL, YOU KNOW, OVER TIME, DEMOGRAPHICS CHANGED AND PEOPLE MOVED OUT TO SUBURBS.

KELLAR: OH, YOU MEAN THEY MOVED?

COLE: YEAH.

KELLAR: IN THE CITY PROPER?

COLE: YES.

KELLAR: YEAH.

WHEN I THINK OF THE CITY, I THINK OF, YOU KNOW, INDIAN HILL AND MARIEMONT.

COLE: IT'S FUNNY, I DO THAT A LOT.

WHEN I GIVE A SPEECH SOMETIME, I'M TALKING TO A LEADERSHIP CINCINNATI CLASS, I'LL SAY, "OKAY, WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CITY RIGHT NOW, I MEAN, THE WHOLE REGION OR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY OR THE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT."

KELLAR: EVEN IN KENTUCKY.

COLE: YES, YES, BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT?

WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELING AND YOU'RE SITTING IN AN AIRPORT IN NEW YORK CITY AND SOMEONE SAYS, WHERE YOU'RE FROM?

IF YOU LIVE IN FORT THOMAS OR MARIEMONT, I PROMISE YOU, YOU'RE GOING TO SAY, "I'M FROM CINCINNATI."

KELLAR: REALLY?

EVEN IF YOU'RE FROM FORT THOMAS.

COLE: MY FAVORITE THING TO DO, BARBARA, IS TO BRING REPORTERS AND BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS HERE FROM OTHER CITIES AND WATCH THEIR FACES WHEN THEY SEE THE BEAUTY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, THE AMENITIES THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER, THE EXPERIENCES THAT HAPPEN IN A PLACE LIKE THIS.

WHEN THEY WALK INTO MUSIC HALL AND REALIZE THAT THEY CAN GET THAT CALIBER OF, AND I KNOW YOU JUST HAD ROBERT ON THE PROGRAM.

KELLAR: YEAH.

COLE: WHEN YOU CAN GET THAT CALIBER OF MUSIC IN YOUR COMMUNITY IN CINCINNATI, OHIO, THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY ANYONE WOULD WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE.

KELLAR: OH, WELL, I CAN'T.

I DON'T KNOW WHY EITHER.

I HAVEN'T GOTTEN VERY FAR.

I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN HYDE PARK.

I'M STILL IN HYDE PARK.

I HAVE NOT -- I HAVE NOT PROGRESSED AT ALL, AND I'M PERFECTLY HAPPY.

COLE: IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE TO BE.

KELLAR: I HAVE BEEN IN HYDE PARK MY ENTIRE LIFE.

AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS JUST FABULOUS, AND YOU HAVE THE PERSONALITY FOR IT TO BRING PEOPLE IN AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.

AND WE WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK.

AND IF WE CAN DO ANYTHING FOR YOU, LET US KNOW.

COLE: THANK YOU, BARBARA.

I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO TOO.

KELLAR: YEAH, THANKS FOR COMING.

COLE: NO PROBLEM.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.