Journalism majors:
A colleague in Dayton passed this site tip to me.
linda

If you're trying to background a person or company, or check some info on
deadline or after normal business hours, there's a pretty nifty new tool
available.

The long-planned searchable web site at the Secretary of State's Office is
finally up. It allows you to search corporation info, UCC filings and state
political campaign contributions.

the web site's address is:

http://www.state.oh.us/sos

and then click on the link for "Inquiries for Business Service and Campaign
Finance"

Among its features:
--Enter a company's name and get a chunk of info about the corporation,
including an ownership contact, the incorporation date and its trademarks,
if any. Note that the contact sometimes is the owner, and sometimes is the
attorney hired to filed the papers.
--Enter a person's name and check UCC filings-- essentially, if they loaned
or borrowed money, backed up by some sort of collateral.
--Enter a person's name and see what the person donated to Ohio political
candidates.

A couple of examples of about 5 minutes' work:
Clay Mathile, Iams CEO and UD trustee, loaned money to Elinor's Amber Rose
restaurant, and gave roughly $140,000 to various campaigns-- all Republican,
I think-- in 1998.
One of the worst nursing homes in the county is owned by company based 2,000
miles or so away, in California.
Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers Restaurant has trademarked its "burger and
bottle" logo.

Be sure to read the intro explanatory screens first to make sure you
understand what's going on, or check with the office.
And be aware there's more detail available in the paper records and at other
state and county offices.


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