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Chamber Honors Gority With Naming Rights to Award
Blair Business Mirror to be Published Tuesday
Board to Hear Presentation from Penn State Altoona SIFE
Bilger, Russo, Steward Complete Chamber Board Terms
"Blue Card" Recruitment, Reauthorization Begins
Foundation Board to Vote on 2012 Budget
Chamber Has Openings for 2012 "Business Before Hours"
Golf Committee Seeking Additional Members
Nominations Still Accepted for Annual Meeting Awards
Chamber Partnering With Dale Carnegie on "Skills For Success"
Bahamas, Italy Next Two Chamber Destinations
Home & Garden Show Booths Available
3rd Annual Canstruction® Competition Set- Call for Entries
Congratulations....
Blue Card Discounts

Chamber Honors Gority With Naming Rights to Award
In recognition of her many contributions to the Blair County business community, in particular to The Chamber’s Leadership Blair County program, retiring County Commissioner Donna Gority will have her name on a prestigious award. The Chamber’s Servant Leadership Award, presented at each of the organization’s Annual Meetings, will now be the Donna D. Gority Servant Leadership Award. “Our Board wanted an appropriate way to let Donna know how much we appreciate what she’s done and nothing really speaks more to those involvements than an award that speaks to the importance of servant leadership,” acknowledged Chamber Board Chair Ron Muffie of The Hite Company. Gority spoke at last Thursday’s Breakfast Club.

Blair Business Mirror to be Published Tuesday
The next issue of the Blair Business Mirror will be published tomorrow as a supplement to the Altoona Mirror. The cover story will provide a retrospective look at The Chamber’s first-ever trip to China, written by The Chamber’s Jessica Meck. Other features include a focus on the impressive 100-year history of Benzel’s Bretzel Bakery and on two Blair County businesses – LaScalia’s Restaurant and Subway Stamp Shop. If you don’t get the Altoona Mirror at home or at the office, don’t despair – a copy is mailed to all Chamber-member businesses.

Board to Hear Presentation from Penn State Altoona SIFE
When The Chamber’s Board of Directors meets on Thursday at the Devorris Center, the agenda will include a presentation from the Students In Free Enterprise program at Penn State Altoona on a plan to offer consultation services to small businesses in Blair County on issues related to energy. The presentation is designed to elicit the support of The Chamber’s Coalition on Sustainability which has already endorsed the project and forwarded it for Board approval. Cynthia Wood of Penn State Altoona will make the presentation.

Bilger, Russo, Steward Complete Chamber Board Terms
At Thursday’s Board of Directors meeting, the Board will bid good-bye to three board members who have completed their terms. The three are Bob Bilger of M&T Bank, Linda Russo of the Hollidaysburg Area School District and Patricia Steward of the County of Blair. “All three have made significant impacts in the growth of The Chamber,” admitted Ron Muffie, The Chamber’s Board Chair. “We are grateful for their dedicated service.”

"Blue Card" Recruitment, Reauthorization Begins
The Chamber’s “Blue Card” program has successfully helped Chamber businesses to access new customers and Chamber Members to save money on the purchase of products and services. The Chamber is in the process of reauthorizing current Blue Card offers that expire at the end of December as well as recruiting new offers. If your business would like to make a Blue Card offer, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or email Stacy Hoover.

Foundation Board to Vote on 2012 Budget
The Blair County Chamber Foundation will meet on Wednesday at 8:00 a.m. at the Devorris Center. Among the agenda items that the Board will deal with is the approval of a budget for 2012. The Board will also make recommendations for two new members. Brian Brumbaugh of Preferred Healthcare System and Craig Campbell of Hoss’s Steak & Sea House will have their Board terms expire at the end of December. For more information on the Blair County Chamber Foundation, contact Cindy Cessna at 943-8151.

Chamber Has Openings for 2012 "Business Before Hours"
The Chamber created “Business Before Hours” in 2011 and it proved to be a popular way for businesses to promote themselves in a morning drive-time format, catching people as they were heading to work. “We weren’t sure how popular the concept would be,” admitted Chamber President Joe Hurd. “It turned out to be a really good opportunity, particularly for businesses that don’t ordinarily get a lot of foot traffic, to welcome those people curious about what the business does.” There is no charge to host an event and no charge for Chamber Members to attend it. If your business would like to host a “Business Before Hours,” contact Hurd at 943-8151.

Golf Committee Seeking Additional Members
The Chamber’s very successful Golf Classic, played each May, is the product of an active Golf Committee. That committee is seeking additional members to help with the planning and execution of the 2012 event. If you are interested in serving on the Golf Committee, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151.

Nominations Still Accepted for Annual Meeting
On Friday, January 27th, The Chamber will hold its 2012 Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation beginning at 7:30 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. The event will include the swearing-in of The Chamber Board of Directors as well as the Board of the Blair County Chamber Foundation. Awards to be presented that morning are the Athena Award, the George Award, the Joseph P. Rosenhammer Chamber Spirit Award, the GRYP Impact Award, the Donna D. Gority Servant Leadership Award and the Small Business Person of the Year Award. The Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award, presented last October, will be re-presented at the Annual Meeting. To nominate someone for one of these awards, simply go to The Chamber website and access the nomination form for that award. The cost to attend the Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation is $20 for Chamber Members and non-members. To make reservations, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

Chamber Partnering With Dale Carnegie on "Skills for Success"
The Chamber and Dale Carnegie Training will once again partner on a program that will begin on January 26th and run for the following eight weeks. “Skills for Success” will provide attendees an extensive background on things like effective networking, relationship building, stress management and leadership development – just to name a few. Sessions will be held at the Comfort Inn Hotel in Duncansville. For more information or to register, contact Jeff Davis at (814) 931-1963. or email him at jeff_davis@dalecarnegie.com.

Bahamas, Italy Next Two Chamber Destinations
The popularity of The Chamber’s trip to China has led to numerous requests from Chamber Members for the organization to do future trips. Beginning in March, those requests will be honored. The Chamber will work with two of its travel agency members – Heritage Travel and Classic Travel – to provide fun and relaxation at prime destinations. From March 18-25, travelers can cruise from Baltimore to the Bahamas on Carnival Cruise Lines, visiting Port Canaveral, Nassau and Freeport. For details contact Heritage Travel Agency at (814) 946-1600. From October 7-14, it’s “Italy’s Great Cities” with Classic Travel. The trip includes visits to Rome, Pisa, Florence, Verona, Venice and Ferrara. Call Classic Travel at 696-3558. Informational meetings about both trips will be held in early January.

Home & Garden Show Booths Available
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce and the Blair-Bedford Builders Association have announced that booths are available for the 42nd Annual Blair County Home & Garden Show to be held March 2, 3, & 4, 2012 at the Jaffa Shrine in Altoona. Booths and more information can be secured by calling Stacy Hoover at The Chamber, 814-943-8151.

3rd Annual Canstruction® Competition Set-Call for Entries
The Blair County Home & Garden Show is pleased to be hosting its third Canstruction® competition to help fight hunger in Blair and
surrounding counties, one can at a time, during the 42nd Annual Home & Garden Show to be held March 2-4 at the Jaffa Shrine.
Think you have what it takes to design and build a structure made with nothing more than canned food, ingenuity and luck? Deadline to register your team is January 13th. Get creative, help stop hunger. For more infromation, please contact Stacy Hoover at The Chamber, 814-943-8151.

Congratulations....
. . . to NPC Inc., which earned the No. 6 spot on the list of Best Places to Work in PA for 2011 in the large-sized company category (251 or more employees). NPC has made this list for the fourth consecutive year.
. . . to The Hite Company, which recently announced plans to open its 22nd store location during the first quarter of 2012. The 16,000 square foot facility will be in York, PA.

Blue Card Discount offers
Here are a few of the discounts you can receive with your Chamber Blue Card. Click here to see the full list of Blue Card Discounts. To have an offer listed contact Stacy Hoover at The Chamber at 943-8151.

Investment Savings Bank Blue Card holders can receive a FREE 401k rollover consultation at Investment Savings Bank/ISB Advisors.

Irving Seltzer d/b/a The Columns Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive a 15% discount on rental charges..

J & P Auto Mart Present your Chamber Blue card to receive $1,000 off your purchase of a vehicle. (Certain restrictions apply. Not valid with any other offer.)

Jethro's, LLC Present your Blue Card to receive $5 off your order of $30 or more. (Offer does not include tip, tax or alcohol.)

K & C Denture Centers Present your Blue Card to receive $100 off a set of deluxe line of dentures or higher. Blue card must be presented on first visit. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount.

December 12, 2011

Upcoming Events
Register online

Breakfast Club

Thursday, January 12, 2012
The Casino at Lakemont Park
7:45 - 8:55 a.m.

Register Here

Business After Hours

Thursday, January 26, 2012
5:00 -7:00 p.m.
Phoenicia Mediterranean Restaurant

Register Here

Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation

Friday, January 27, 2012
7:30 -9:30 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park

Register Here

Upcoming Committee Meetings
Week of 12/12/11

BASICS Steering Committee
Monday, December 12, 8:00 a.m.
GACTC

Executive Committee
Tuesday,December 13, 8:00 a.m.
The Chamber

Chamber Foundation Board Meeting
Wednesday, December 14, 8:00 a.m.
The Dream Restaurant

Home & Garden Show Committee
Wednesday, December 14, 8:30 a.m.
The Chamber

Chamber Board of Directors Meeting
Thursday, December 15, 7:30 a.m.
Devorris Center

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