“Good old-fashioned character development” is the message Dr. Hal Urban will bring to Toledo during a free program hosted by The Knight Academy charter school on Nov. 4.

The school, for boys and girls in fifth through eighth grades, invited the renowned speaker and education to speak to students, parents, teacher and interested community members at 7 p.m. Nov. 4 at Gladieux Meadows, 4480 Heatherdowns Blvd.

Tom Baker, executive director of The Knight Academy, said Urban is well-known in academic circles as “the guru of character development” and the school wanted to offer this program to the public because the development of strong character in young people is one of the biggest challenges facing parents and educations.

“He really has a special gift for bringing out the best in our youth, and just think it’s a great opportunity for us to to capitalize on what he has been able to build over the years,” Baker said. “My concern is that we are getting generation after generation that are losing our core values in terms of how we behave and how we should have some good work ethics … He’s wonderful, humorous, he’s been around for several years so he has a lot of stories, and he really knows what works.”

Baker said Urban will also speak to The Knight Academy students during the school day and to teachers from across Toledo in an afternoon session on Nov. 4 before the program open to the public that evening.

The program is free, but reservations are required. Contact The Knight Academy at (419) 720-4444 by Nov. 4 for reservations.

Toledo Haunted Occurrences Research, or T.H.O.R., is a local paranormal investigative team that has earned national attention as a result of seven years worth of investigations in Ohio, Kentucky, Virginia and as far away as Puerto Rico. Separating T.H.O.R. from the likes of the ‘investigative’ teams seen on television as of late is its obedience to scientific method.

“We don’t use gimmicky tools in our investigations” said lead investigator Bryan Sayre. “For example, you’ll see a lot of investigators on T.V. using the K2, that’s because it lights up and looks good on T.V. However, we’ve learned that it’s easily influenced by outside sources and it’s not reliable in the search for the paranormal.”

T.H.O.R.

T.H.O.R. has investigated over 40 active locations and approaches each investigation with respectful skepticism. The members of T.H.O.R. believe it’s their job to find better supporting evidence for ‘standard’ paranormal investigative methods, and to take the field itself in new directions. “What we’re doing is taking all the best parts of other investigative methods, and making a hybrid investigative method.” said Sayre.

The paranormal research team also separates itself from what many of us have seen on T.V. by investigating other variables that may indicate the presence of ghosts or spirits. According to T.H.O.R.’s other lead investigator Ross Carr, “We don’t provoke or ‘call out’ the ghosts.” This investigative team in fact tries to use more subtle methods of detection and takes very seriously, both objective and subjective evidence.

During an investigation the three-person team, which includes Metaphysicist Lucy Black, measures electromagnetic fields, humidity and temperature. However, their measurements do not stop at quantitative data. “We also value the subjective evidence” said Sayer, “Just because the trifield doesn’t detect anything, or relative humidity stays the same, doesn’t mean that what you are hearing, seeing or feeling isn’t there.”

T.H.O.R. is also very thorough when preparing for an investigation. Quick to locate sources of temperature or electromagnetic disturbances both Carr and Sayre take measurements in every location to rule out environmental interference.

Once baseline measurements are obtained, the team will typically investigate for 4-6 hours. “If there is activity, you don’t need to be locked in somewhere for 12 hours” said Sayre. According to Carr, “The real work begins after the investigation. It will take two of us 40 hours each to go over all of the video and audio that we gather from an investigation.”

Visit toledohauntedoccurrencesresearch.com for video, pictures and audio from past investigations.

House GOP leader John Boehner assured Ohioans that Republicans will lead Congress in a much different way than the last time around if he becomes speaker.

He pledged that they’ll look at every item on the federal budget and won’t pay for programs that the government can’t afford.

“We’ve got big expenses that we don’t have the money to pay for,” he said.

Boehner, in line to become the next speaker if Republicans gain 40 seats in the House, spoke briefly at a GOP fundraiser in rural northwest Ohio.

He also wants to change the mechanics of how Congress operates.

Too often, he said, bills with hundreds of pages are introduced with little time for lawmakers to digest what’s inside, allowing pet projects to slip in unnoticed. “We’ve got to fix the Congress,” he said.

“It’s going to real different,” he said.

Wearing an Ohio State pullover, he was confident and at ease despite facing a hectic weekend of campaigning. He delivered a few one-liners and talked mainly about fiscal responsibility.

“Your government has not been listening to you,” he said to cheers. “Your government is out of control.”

He predicted Republicans will have a big night next Tuesday.

Boehner has been campaigning for dozens of GOP candidates nationwide and traveled throughout Ohio on Saturday to be with several Republicans who are trying to knock off incumbent House Democrats.

The GOP is confident it will gain at least two seats in Ohio and is targeting six districts where Democrats are vulnerable.

Boehner visited Lucas County, where he expressed his support for 9th District congressional candidate Rich Iott. Despite Boehner’s support of Iott, Roll Call reported that Iott has not confirmed he will support Boehner as possible leader of the House.

“I don’t know, we’ll have to wait and see,” Iott told Roll Call when asked if Boehner would have his support for the top House job if Republicans successfully win the majority in the House.

Iott did not state who he would support.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

A handful of McDonald’s employees in northeastern Ohio received handbills in their most recent paychecks suggesting they vote for three Republican candidates.

The fast food chain’s corporate headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., quickly condemned the action by Canton franchisee Paul Siegfried, saying it violated company policy. Allen Schulman, an attorney representing one of the employees, said Friday he had forwarded the paycheck insert to Canton’s city law director, citing state and federal laws against corporate advocacy in elections.

“It’s no surprise to anyone that Ohio is a battleground state in this election, and for a multinational corporation like McDonald’s to threaten employees like this is morally and legally wrong,” Schulman said in a statement.

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, the Democratic elections chief, said she was launching her own investigation.

Siegfried issued an apology later Friday, emphasizing the value he places on employees and their freedom of choice in the upcoming election.

“Distributing this communication was an error of judgment on my part,” Siegfried said in a statement. “Please know, it was never my intention to offend anyone. For those that I have offended, I sincerely apologize.”

The handbill with a simple McDonald’s logo at the top recommended votes for Republicans John Kasich for governor, Rob Portman for U.S. Senate, and Jim Renacci for Ohio’s 16th congressional district. A Renacci campaign flier was also included.

“If the right people are elected we will be able to continue with raises and benefits at or above our present levels,” the insert said. “If others are elected we will not.”

Shirley Rogers Reece, general manager for the company’s Ohio region, said McDonald’s had no knowledge that the handbill was being distributed.

“We wholeheartedly respect diverse views and opinions, and our employees’ right to vote,” she said in a statement. “Our position is that every employee should make his or her own choice.”

Shulman told city law director Joe Martuccio the letter was “clearly designed to intimidate, threaten and coerce a captive group of employees to vote for specific candidates at the risk of their jobs, their raises, and their benefits.”

He called it “particularly egregious that in this time of harsh economic conditions, a corporation would stoop to this level of voter intimidation.”

In her statement, Reece said that McDonald’s did not endorse any of the candidates mentioned in the handbill.

“While clearly this was poor judgment, we don’t believe it was intended to offend anyone,” Reece said.

Kasich faces Gov. Ted Strickland in Tuesday’s election. Portman is running against Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher for the open seat currently held by U.S. Sen. George Voinovich. Renacci is challenging first-term Rep. John Boccieri in one of the most closely watched congressional races in the country. Strickland, Fisher and Boccieri are all Democrats.

Brunner said the action appeared to violate Ohio election law and would be probed by her office with findings handed off to the state attorney general.

“Voter intimidation is a form of voter fraud. It is a serious offense requiring a strong response,” she said in a statement.

She also issued an overall warning to the state: “The election is just four days away. All involved would be best to play fair, fight hard for what they believe in and work together for all Ohioans and our country in this democratic process not enjoyed in countries elsewhere.”

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press

Harry Connick, Jr. released albums at certain milestone ages, naming them after the year of his life he was attempting to freeze in time through his music. As each of my adult milestone birthdays has approached, I have thought about doing such a thing but have always let the opportunity pass me by. Unlike childhood birthdays, adult birthdays give us the opportunity to not only anticipate all that is yet to come but also to appreciate all that has come before. The greatest gift we receive each year as we pass “Go” is being able to take pause to reflect on the wisdom we’ve gained from where we’ve already been.

However, with each passing year the list of what I think I know seems to be dwindling. If only I had started my list at sixteen when I still had the whole world figured out. At thirty-five, this is what I have left:

1. Honesty is the best policy. My grandmother passed on the notion that if you always tell what you know to be the truth, you won’t have to remember what you said. I find it is also quite handy in establishing trust.

2. No one is above me and no one is beneath me. Foregoing any feelings of superiority and/or intimidation when interacting with the world at large continually opens up doors around every corner. I have amassed a wonderfully eclectic group of friends and life experiences under this principle and can’t help but think that popularizing it would make the world a better place.

3. Nudity and swearing aren’t quite the potential dreadfulness I was led to believe. After having my uterus pried open in front of a room full of strangers on three occasions, I’ve lost some esteem for the idea of body modesty. With few exceptions, we all have the same parts, so it seems silly to put such emphasis on the relatively small variances that occur from one person to the next. I also wonder if we didn’t place such a taboo on words like the “F” one that shall not be named that certain individuals wouldn’t feel the need to insert it after every other syllable as if they were Smurfs. I take much greater exception to “idiot,” “stupid,” and, frankly, even “ignorant,” which is really just the polite form of “idiot.”

4. As a society we waste a whole lot of time arguing about things that could be solved by recognizing simple semantics. As an example, some people would never be caught meditating, yet live by the power of prayer and vice versa. People who lambaste the traditionally religious among us create their own religion based on disagreement and disdain. Realizing how similarly we all live rather than nitpicking at the subtle differences would do wonders for getting along.

5. Dr. Seuss was right – life’s a great balancing act. We all have our weaknesses and our vices and keeping them in check is often the secret to a happy, healthy life. Many of the world’s ills could be cured with a daily dose of moderation.

6. I have begun to question whether knowledge is really power. After being bombarded my whole life with the idea that an open and educated mind is the only way to go, living with an educated mind is much less comfortable an experience than I had anticipated. The learned ability to absorb, compare, analyze and question the validity of vast amounts of information is anxiety-producing and exhausting. I’m not giving up on the idea entirely, but perhaps ignorance really is bliss.

7. Trying to mentally divide the world into the “haves” and the “have-nots” is a futile and fruitless mission. We are all “haves” in some ways and “have-nots” in others. Material valuables in life are by no means the only ones worth counting up at the end of the day. If I had to choose, I’d personally much prefer to be a “have” in terms of the intangible and incalculable things in life than anything that can be given a price tag.

8. Birthdays are a time to celebrate the fact that you made it another round no matter how many times you’ve done it before. The fear of wrinkles and gray hairs and pining for youth gone by have ruled our culture for too long. Returning to an appreciation for the stability and the wisdom and the substance that comes with growing older is in desperate order. Growing up can be an interesting, insightful and enjoyable time if we let it.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

Toledo led the rail passenger increase in Ohio where the demand for passenger rail transportation grew with 14 percent more people riding Amtrak trains in fiscal year 2010.
The biggest ridership gain was in Toledo where 65,667 passengers got on or off Amtrak trains at the historic Union Station, which represented a 21 percent increase over the previous year.
The increase of more than 18,500 passengers in Ohio helped Amtrak set a new annual ridership record of 28.7 million passengers for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Amtrak reported national ridership increased by 37 percent in 2010.
Nearly 147,000 passengers boarded trains in Ohio during fiscal year 2010 compared to 128,174 passengers in 2009. Ridership increased 12 percent in Cleveland to 44,075 passengers in 2010.
Toledo is one of the busiest passenger stops in Ohio, according to a news release for Amtrak.
A significant number of the 65,667 passengers from Toledo traveled to Chicago, an important destination for Amtrak. It offers two trains daily each way between Toledo and Chicago with rates ranging from $35 to $68 for one-way adult coach tickets.
Other passengers boarded eastbound trains from Toledo to New York and Boston for $98 to $196 and to Washington, D.C., from $67 to $131 each way, according to Amtrak.
The Lakeshore Limited Service from Chicago to New York and Boston, with stops in Ohio’s Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland and Alliance, was upgraded with refurbished dining cars within the past year, according to Amtrak.
Amtrak is considering service upgrades to the Capitol Limited Service to Washington, D.C., that would include a new connection to Harrisburg, Pa., and New York for direct service without changing trains in Pittsburgh.

Most if not all of the political pundits out there admit that change is on the way in Congress, though there seems to be considerable dispute as to how much. The last numbers that I heard were that close to one hundred Congressional races are currently ‘in play’, with incumbents facing serious challenges and possible ouster from office. In the Senate, where races are run less often and two of the current ones are those to replace the sitting president and vice president, at least fifteen seats are apparently up for grabs.

I won’t go into who might win and lose, as that’s a job for paid political pundits, talking heads, and party spokespeople who make their living by giving a non-stop and constantly changing handicap of this year’s election to voters who largely appear not to care. Neither will I go into whether many of the incumbents currently in these close races deserve to be kept in office or thrown out. Voters will make those decisions on a ballot in but a few short days.

I began to consider lately however how many of the incumbents running for office yet again might actually feel in the days leading up to this vote. I began to acknowledge the dread that they might be going through, knowing that perhaps their salad days in Washington may in fact be coming to an end. In today’s society, we are after all supposed to have compassion for those in difficult situations, even when we might be contributing to their cause. We are likewise asked to show sympathy and charity to them, even when the underlying cause of their angst is one for which we feel at best indifference, at worst actual relish.

It occurred to me then that perhaps these politicians might feel very much like the forgotten residents on The “Island of Misfit Toys” from the stop-motion animation classic of 1964, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. For the few of you who don’t remember the story; toys that were inferior, injured, or simply lacking in some way (remind you of anyone) were somehow able to make their way to a special island set aside just for them. There they lived a life of longing and regret for the home and love that every toy, even those found wanting, deserves. In the travels and travails related to his own purported shortcomings, Rudolph and his intrepid band of companions discover these misfits; showing considerable empathy for their pitiful and pitiable conditions, and vowing to find a way to help them if they could.

Congress certainly seems to have similarly become a home for defective legislators over the years. Members of both parties have gifted us with monumental pieces of lame, inadequate, and tainted bits of legislation serving as examples of their imperfect functioning. Take your pick from the creation of the IRS and the federal income tax by Republicans in the past (yes, this was first passed under Lincoln); to health care and financial reform from the Democrats in the present. They have all done something that we can use as proof of their misfit status. It is of little surprise therefore that many of the current crop of resident legislators find themselves both unloved and unwanted as we prepare once again to choose.

Many of those elected representatives soon to be turned out in the cold may be able to take some heart in their coming island banishment however. The more recently popular “Toy Story” animated series, has taught us that there is always some lingering affection for the playthings of the past, even after they have been replaced by the new and shiny. There is likewise some consolation in the knowledge that this election’s replacements could in but two years, be eligible for similar entrance to the misfit category.

Besides, the November elections are only some seven weeks before Christmas. Perhaps as in the classic story of that equally misfit reindeer who gets to lead Santa’s sleigh in inclement weather, someone will be able to convince the big guy to find a use for all these imperfect lawmakers, delivering them to new homes where they can once again be loved.

“Out of a job yet? Keep buying foreign!” warns a bumper sticker that can be seen fairly often here in Toledo. Signs urging people to boycott big-name importers are also commonplace, and on occasion pickets can be seen at their driveways. None of this is surprising, given Toledo’s long and rich heritage as a bastion of unionism.

With all respect for what unions have accomplished, and for those who think this way, this is nothing but sloganeering. Slogans are nice for distilling deeply felt emotions to a handful of words, but they are useless for solving problems like real or alleged loss of American jobs due to imports.

Unless you’re dealing with relatively simple products, the origin of a given item is often not as simple as “buy American.” For example, cars built in America by American companies very often use imported components and assemblies, and foreign manufacturers build cars in America, thereby creating jobs here. For that matter, look at the hundreds of thousands of American jobs grown from imports, be it retail jobs or the longshoremen, truckers and railroaders who handle all those containers of imported goods that too often go back empty.

As unfortunate as our trade imbalance is, it’s the logical consequence of being largely uncompetitive in a global economy. Job loss is not due to imports; rather, much American labor has priced itself off the market, and many American employers also face punitive taxes and stifling over-regulation. With such obstacles, often imposed with government favor, these companies and their jobs stand little chance against far less expensive foreign competition. If the cost of doing business is prohibitively high, then of course businesses will shop for cheaper alternatives. Otherwise, they must either raise prices to cover costs, which makes them even less competitive, or simply close the doors.

Be that as it may: If you really believe that we should all buy only American products, then I have a really radical suggestion for you. If you’ve been blessed with a high-paying, benefit-laden job, then I celebrate with you your good fortune. But I want you to have the liberty to help others – with absolutely no forced redistribution such as the Obamacrats advocate – and I challenge you to exercise that liberty.

After all, thanks to the manifold blessings of Obamanomics, people are in hard times. Cash is scarce. Unemployment, bankruptcies and foreclosures remain high. Add to that the random elements of bad health, bad personal decisions and bad luck, and people can’t afford more expensive shopping alternatives. Unfortunately, much American-made merchandise is going to be more expensive than cheap, allegedly job-killing imports. Never mind Wal-Mart – it’s no coincidence that dollar stores are also booming, because that’s all a lot of people can afford.

So here’s my idea. Instead of merely demanding that those less fortunate than you do business in keeping with your standards, how about you doing something instead to make that choice more available to others? Instead of wasting money on signs, stickers and slogans, how about helping those who can’t afford your choices of merchants? Perhaps you could start a fund to help them afford to buy all-American. Just an idea for practicing what you preach.

Also, if my buying imports concerns you, then, please, show me what stand you have taken on the far more critical issue of tyranny versus liberty. Don’t complain about me not buying American and then habitually vote for the same politicians whose incompetence, greed and corruption led to the economic fiasco we now face. It’s one thing to build straw men about trade imbalances and jobs shipped overseas. It’s quite another to face the hard facts that many in the “buy-American” crowd ignore concerning their party of choice and the reality in which many of us live.

With union support, the progressive Democrats have chased American jobs away through higher costs, increased regulation, and interference in the marketplace. A friend asked last year, “We voted Democrat, so where are all the jobs?” His candidates sucked hundreds of billions of dollars out of the public sector, “reformed” health care, and refused to resolve the Bush tax cuts; the only real job creation was in government as bureaucracy expanded or overseas as private sector employers had to outsource or close.

Businesses create jobs when the government gets out of the way and stops devouring capital. That was how unemployment was kept at historically low levels – under five percent! – prior to this recession, and that’s a step out of our trade imbalance. Yet the unions want you to keep voting Democrat, even though progressive Democrats are proven job killers. Out of a job yet? Vote Democrat.

Thomas Berry, for the Children of Liberty, http://www.meetup.com/The-children-of-liberty/

The first wave of baby boomers will soon start turning 65.  For many baby boomers, the thought of retirement is here.  Imagine all of the fun in store — turning off the alarm clock and sleeping in, getting up and being on your own schedule; getting to spend time with grandchildren and other family members can now be something there is time for.  Although many people look forward to these days, still the thought of retirement can be scary. Reduce your worries by avoiding these scary retirement mistakes.
Unexpected health care costs
We do a lot of public speaking locally and nationally, talking on the topics of how to manage money, protect assets and plan an estate.   Oftentimes when we are speaking to a group of boomers or retirees, we ask people to raise their hands if thet have long-term care insurance.  Usually it is less than 10 percent of the room.  Yet an unexpected health care crisis can easily wipe a family out. Also, when we talk with many retirees we hear them say their health insurance is covered by their company for their lifetime.  In reality, in most of these cases, health insurance in retirement time is a luxury, not an obligation. So be prepared to have plenty of money set aside to cover unestimated and unexpected health care costs.
Too much debt
Try to eliminate as much debt as possible before retiring. Just this week, we met with a couple in their late 50s. They came in to talk about being in a position to retire if the union contract deal didn’t go the way they wanted. It is not normal to see people in their late 50s retiring. The common theme among those who do is they are almost always debt-free. If all of those outgoing debt expenses are eliminated, there should be more cash flow for enjoying retirement. For many, the number can be huge. Don’t rely on investments to cover debts in retirement; instead, have as many paid off as possible before retiring.
Loaning money to family
At retirement, people are often in control of the biggest amount of money in their lifetime. This is because a retiree now has access to their 401(k), possibly a lump sum pension and many other investments. Children may sometimes ask their parents for a loan. That loan could be to start or support a business, it could be to cover a job loss or a variety of other reasons.
Loaning money can not only be dangerous to a retiree’s own financial future, it can create unhealthy relationships. If the loan doesn’t work out, it can quickly ruin a family.  We believe in helping family when they need a hand to get back on their feet, but only if you can afford it. Instead of loaning money, if you have the financial resources give the money as a gift. If you can afford to give the money away, that’s great. If not, a loan can be dangerous.
Forgetting Plan B
Shift the mindset and have a Plan B. For years and years the plan has been saving and growing the nest egg.  Retirees should consider shifting their mindset to a distribution mode.   No longer will retirees be putting money each and every paycheck into their retirement savings.
Instead, they now will be relying on those retirement savings to fund their income needs. Plan B involves looking at retirement money differently and having a backup plan in place.

For more information about The Retirement Guys, tune in every Saturday at 1 p.m. on 1370 WSPD or visit www.retirementguysradio.com. Securities are offered through NEXT Financial Group Inc., Member FINRA / SIPC.  NEXT Financial Group Inc. nor its representatives provide tax advice.  The Retirement Guys are not an affiliate of NEXT Financial Group. The office is at 1700 Woodlands Drive, Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537.

Ken Mayland, a leading economic forecaster, discussed the outlook for continued economic growth in his presentation, “The Outlook for 2011: Can a Recovery be Sustained,” at KeyBank’s economic update Oct. 26 at the Toledo Club.
“The economy wants to expand but something must be holding back the economy. Here’s what helped slow down the recovery,” Mayland said.
Mayland said lackluster consumer spending growth, lack of a housing rebound, big declines in nonresidential construction, loss of potential to foreign producers and reductions of state and local government spending are all factors that held back recovery of the economy.
Consumer spending has grown since 2009, but went down in May and June. It is still on a recovery track with growth in the past three months. Consumers are re-leveraging by paying down installment credit and overall debt, Mayland said.
Capital spending on nonresidential structures was down 25 percent then 20 percent and now 15 percent, so things are getting better. Capital spending on equipment and software is up 15.8 percent, while inventory is rebuilding by a modest growth of 1.8 percent.
Mayland examined the 12-month sales and inventory growth in the manufacturing sector.
When business sales growth is greater than inventory growth, that’s when the economy improves. That transition occurred in September and should continue through the end of 2010, he said.
State and local government spending is down 1.5 percent, a noteworthy decline, but “the revenues are starting to come back. Here in Ohio, we’re seeing increased revenues and they’re going to need to spend them,” Mayland said.
While exports grew by 14 percent, imports increased 17.2 percent in volume during the past year, which is lost potential of production for the economy here, he added.
“The resistance to economic growth has diminished with these factors. Some of the headwinds against the economy should diminish while others will turn into tailwinds,” Mayland said.
“We had GDP growth without job growth but it did not stop the economy from growing in the past year. If we continue to see incremental increases in the GDP, we’ll start to generate a significant number of jobs.
“Fiscal drag, especially the federal deficit and debt, will weigh heavily on economic growth. We’ll see a modest growth of 2.5 percent in 2011 with little progress in reducing the unemployment rate,” he said.
Potential federal tax increases loom with the sunset of the Bush tax cuts Dec. 31. The U.S.. could see a marginal increase in the tax rate from 35 to 39.6 percent, he said.
“This is a powerful force on the economy. Congress may decide to mitigate this tax impact, but this problem is not going away. You can’t tax your way out of this problem,” Mayland said.
The November elections are another answer to the headwinds against the economy with a potential change in power. Political reports predict a 90 percent chance for change of power in the House with only a 20 percent chance in the Senate, based on the number of seats available in each.
“Things that hurt the economy are starting to turn. Banking and manufacturing are rebounding, while exports and farming are doing well. Ohio is starting to see some job growth. We’ll get our share of recovery in Ohio.”
Since July, reports have shown an easing of underwriting standards in commercial bank lending practices. “I believe this is a sea change for the economy,” Mayland said.
“The worst is way behind us. Capital and earnings have returned for banks,” said James Hoffman, district president of KeyBank in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
Hoffman reported that KeyCorp returned to profitability in the second quarter of 2010 and reported a profit of $178 million, or 19 cents a share in the third quarter.
He predicts banks will get back to lending money. Business loans won’t see growth until the economy recovers more, but interest rates are expected to remain low so consumer lending will continue to grow.
KeyBank is one of the leading lenders of small business loans, ranking as the 12th largest SBA lender in the U.S., according to Hoffman.
Mayland is president of his firm, Clear View Economics, which specializes in economic research and forecasting. He has spent 35 years studying the business cycle and providing economic analysis for a variety of clients, including KeyBank.