Bowling Green State University Seeking Communications Manager: Apply By Feb. 5, Min. Salary $46,159

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The state university in Northeast Ohio needs an editor for its alumni magazine, which circulates to 140,000 Bowling Green grads. The position also involves working with top administrators to set a marketing tone for the school. A link to the vacancy announcement is available by clicking here. Minimum qualifications include a bachelors degree in journalism, public relations, communications or a related field, plus four to six years of marketing and communications experience. BGSU says it prefers someone who has operated in the non-profit or corporate magazine sectors. What else is on BGSU's wish list?

". . . familiarity and proven abilities with various media options including print and electronic methods; collaborative work style; comprehensive working knowledge of various forms or computer software; superb interpersonal and organizational skills; ability to meet timely and crucial deadlines; manage multiple projects simultaneously; must have initiative, creativity and decisiveness; ability to work independently and exercise good judgment with consultation rather than supervision, and in sensitive and high-pressure situations, demonstrated understanding of university mission and goals/objectives of the Office of Marketing & Communications preferred."

Pakistan's Musharraf And The Cleveland Clinic: They Use The Same D.C. Lobbyist

CLEVELAND (TDB) -- Pakistani strongman Gen. Pervez Musharraf suspended the Constitution and declared martial law in a desperate effort to hang onto power in an increasingly unstable Muslim nation that has a small stockpile of atomic weapons. Those events are unfolding a long way from Ohio. But the general's military government does have something in common with several important institutions in this state --it uses the same D.C. lobbying firm, Van Scoyoc Associates Inc. Van Scoyoc registered as a foreign agent for Pakistan and was paid $310,000 for the first six months of 2006, federal records show.

There is another interesting tie between Van Scoyoc and Ohio: U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette's spouse, Jennifer, is a lobbyist with the company that represented Pakistan. Her name turns up on the company's list of employees here.

The Northeast Ohio Republican, R-14, could find himself in an awkward political spot if the U.S. government cuts off Musharraf, an ally in the war on terror whose declaration of martial law Sunday defied the Bush administration. Washington has sent Pakistan about $10 billion in military aid since 2001, and had been urging Musharraf to move towards democracy. Instead, the general went the other way and began jailing political opponents.

The lobbying firm's Ohio clients are blue chip as this list shows. It includes Bowling Green State University, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Inc., Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority, Hiram College, the University of Akron and the University of Toledo.

Musharraf's government hired Van Scoyoc for legal and other services. The firm reported that it "monitored, advised and evaluated legislative issues and arranged meetings with U.S. Government officials to discuss issues affecting the Government of Pakistan."
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Ohio Bond Rating Goof Exposed: Bowling Green Campus Moved To Toledo

TOLEDO (TDB) -- Fitch Ratings has assigned an "AA- rating" to $11.7 million in bonds Lucas County plans to sell later this month to refinance debt on a juvenile justice center. Fitch came up with the positive creditworthiness rating in part because of the county's "diversified" economy, which it reported includes 5,400 employees at Bowling Green State University. Based on that statement, investors may want to scratch their heads before buying any bonds.

Why? Because BGSU's campus is located in neighboring Wood County in the city of Bowling Green. And at last count, the state university said it had about 4,619 full and part-time employees, a number that includes 1,174 graduate assistants who are working their way through classes. That is signifcantly short of 5,400. Another seeming flaw in the bond rating report: Fitch fails to mention that the University of Toledo is in Lucas County. Maybe it has the two state schools confused -- a possibility that could suggest other data in the rating report has errors. The complete text of the Lucas County bond rating issued today in Chicago is here.

Overall, Fitch says Lucas County has "conservative budgeting practices" and a diversifying economy.

"Located in northwestern Ohio, Lucas County ranks as the sixth largest county in the state in terms of population and total personal income. The county's economy, historically dominated by manufacturing, has diversified, led by gains in the health care, business service, and engineering service industries. Large employers in Lucas County include ProMedica Health Systems, (11,265 employees), Mercy health Partners (6,723 employees), and Bowling Green State University (5,400 employees). Although diversification strengthened the local economy, national declines in manufacturing have pushed the county unemployment rate up from a low of 4.5% in 2000 to 6.3% in 2006."

Bowling Green State U.'s employee data is available here.