Chamber of Commerce and Businesses Praise Ohio
University's Economic Impact
Contact: Dwight Woodward, (740) 593-1886
ATHENS, Ohio (August 4, 2000) -- The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce and local businesses are praising a new Ohio University program that enhances the university's economic impact on the region.
A corporate form of MasterCard, the university Purchasing Card allows university employees to purchase supplies locally without the paperwork that purchases formerly required, according to Mary Patacca, director of purchasing at Ohio University.
"It's been a real success," Patacca said. "Our employees really like it and local businesses are very happy because they receive their funds much more quickly."
The Purchasing Card eliminates purchase orders and the issuing of checks by the university, simplifying the process to a swipe of the credit card with payment to the vendor occurring in one or two days. More than 1,500 Purchasing Cards have been issued to university employees who spent more than $1.6 million locally with the cards in fiscal year 2000 which began July 1, 1999, Patacca said.
Eliminating paperwork has made business transactions quicker and easier for Baron Men's Shop on Court Street, according to Baron owner Fred Cluff.
"It is perfect for me and I couldn't be any happier," Cluff said. "In the old system, we used to fill out three or four pieces of paper and it would take three to six weeks to get paid. As a businessman doing business with the university, it is the greatest thing I've seen. I average a sale a week on a P-card."
"It's worked out great for us," said the manager of Economy Supply. "It has ended a lot of paperwork and the money goes into our checking account the same day or a day or two later. Before you had to wait until a certain time of month to send out a bill and then wait 30 to 60 days for a check."
Overall, in fiscal year 2000 the university spent more than $3.8 million in the area covered by the 45701 zip code, which includes Athens city and most of Athens Township. The university does business with a variety of area vendors, including the College Bookstore, Don Wood Automotive, Economy Supply, Ferd Hack, Kroger's, Net Data, Ohio University Inn, Pallini Industries, Taylor Motors and Traditional Printing.
"The $3.8 million figure is a conservative one and, of course, that doesn't include all the spending we do in the rest of Southeast Ohio," Patacca said.
As the region's largest employer, Ohio University's purchasing and students exert a powerful economic impact on the area, said Bill Arnett, chief executive officer of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce.
"Ohio University has a profound positive impact on our local businesses," Arnett said. "The overwhelming majority of our Chamber membership clearly benefits from the university's purchasing. When you also add in the spending of the more than 19,000 students who are here most of the year, you are talking about an incredibly large economic impact and that supports a lot of local jobs."
