Public Policy Committee to Hold Regional Legislative Summit
Executive Roundtable to Hear About the Regional Comprehensive Plan
Chamber Board of Directors to Meet Thursday
Seltzer Financial Strategies to Host “Business After Hours”
Committee of Non-Profits Holding Breakfast With Candidates
Home Run for Safety Event Set for May 23
“Get Rooted” Activity Fair An Excellent Opportunity for Vendors
Bedford County Chamber to Feature Congressional Candidate Event
Student Showcase Will Focus on Best and Brightest
Check-Out the Chamber Job Board!
“Buy Here Bucks” a Win-Win for Buyers, Sellers
Congratulations . . .
Public Policy Committee to Hold Regional Legislative Summit
The Public Policy Committee of the Blair County Chamber will hold a Regional Legislative Summit on Tuesday at the Devorris Center for Business Development. The Summit begins at noon and runs until 2:30 p.m. Sponsored by Sheetz, Inc., the Summit will bring together representatives from the Blair, Bedford, Cambria, Centre, Huntingdon, Indiana and Somerset chambers. “These chambers all seem excited about the possibilities that will come from regional dialogue,” admitted Cory Gehret, who chairs the Public Policy Committee. “They all face the similar frustrations of too often having to go it alone on advocacy issues.” A special feature of the Legislative Summit will be the event moderator. Gene Barr, President/CEO of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry – the State Chamber – will serve as moderator. “We contacted Gene and asked that he appoint a staff person to moderate the Summit,” Gehret explained. “He agreed to do it himself. That will be a huge advantage as we explore potential strategies.” (For more information on the Chamber’s Public Policy Committee, contact Joe Hurd at 814-943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.)
Executive Roundtable to Hear About the Regional Comprehensive Plan
The Blair County Chamber’s Executive Roundtable will meet on Wednesday at 7:30 a. m. at The Blairmont Club. The program will be a sneak-peak presentation of the Regional Comprehensive Plan that will be introduced later this month. This plan will have a significant impact on both our business and education communities. Blair County Planning Director David McFarland will do the presentation and will answer questions about what the plan will mean to the region. For more information on the Executive Roundtable, contact Joe Hurd at 814-943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.
Chamber Board of Directors to Meet Thursday
The Blair County Chamber Board of Directors will meet on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. Much of the meeting agenda will focus on the recent subcommittee meetings in which issues such as membership recruitment and retention, goal planning and workforce development were discussed. Chamber members interested in addressing the Board should contact Joe Hurd by noon on Tuesday at 814-943-8151.
Seltzer Financial Strategies to Host “Business After Hours”
The next Blair County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will be held this Thursday April 19th, from 5 -7 p.m., at Seltzer Financial Strategies, located at 3370 Lynnwood Dr., Altoona. Door prizes, food and beverages will be provided. A grand prize drawing will be held for a 55” flatscreen TV. Must be present to win. Cost to attend is $10 for Chamber Members and $20 for non-members. Reservations can be made by calling the Chamber at 943-8151 or by registering online.
Committee of Non-Profits Holding Breakfast With Candidates
On April 27th, the Chamber’s Committee of Non-Profit Businesses will hold a Legislative Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Altoona Grand Hotel. The program will be a Q&A with the candidates who are running for the three state offices in May’s primary. Seven of the eight candidates have confirmed that they will be attending. If you are a non-profit and are concerned about your tax exempt status or simply a voter who would like to learn more about the candidates, you may want to attend this event. The cost to attend is $20/person and includes a full buffet breakfast. To register, call the Chamber at (814) 943-8151 or register online.
Home Run for Safety Event Set for May 23
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce Safety Committee will hold a Home Run for Safety event on Wednesday, May 23, 7:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., at Peoples Natural Gas Field, home of the Altoona Curve. The event will include a keynote speaker from OSHA, area director, Christopher M. Robinson, CSP. Breakout sessions led by representatives from local and regional companies will be of interest to employees of all levels of an organization in their quest for safety excellence. The cost to attend the event at the Spring Training Early Discount is $10 for Chamber Members and $20 for non-members. The Spring Training Early Discount expires on May 1. After May 1, the cost to attend is $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. A continental breakfast and Altoona Curve Game ticket is included. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
“Get Rooted” Activity Fair Rescheduled for May 2nd
Last week’s inclement weather caused the postponement of the “Get Rooted” Activity Fair, scheduled at the Blair Regional YMCA (formerly the Hollidaysburg Area YMCA). The event has been rescheduled for May 2nd, also at the YMCA. The “Get Rooted” Activity Fair, an event put together by the Young Professionals of Blair County, will feature vendors representing non-profits and for-profits, looking to make connections with people in the community either looking for volunteer opportunities or just seeking information on the many resources located here. The Activity Fair begins at 5:00 p.m. and concludes at 7:00. A number of businesses have already registered to be vendors. The cost to do that is just $20 for Chamber-member non-profits, $25 for Chamber for-profits and $30 for non-Chamber members. There is no cost for people to attend the Fair and all ages are welcome. For more information on the Activity Fair, contact Tori Liebal at (814) 943-8151 or email her at tliebal@blairchamber.com.
Bedford County Chamber to Feature Congressional Candidate Event
The Bedford County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a special opportunity for voters to meet the candidates vying for the seat of the 13th Congressional District. All nine candidates will participate in a Congressional Candidates Forum: Monday, April 16th during a forum at the Bedford High School auditorium. The program starts at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Admission is free, and those who wish to attend do not need to register. Candidates will field questions presented by moderator Dr. G. Terry Madonna, Professor of Public Affairs at Franklin and Marshall University and Director of the F&M Center for Politics and Public Affairs and the Franklin and Marshall Poll. The candidates include eight Republicans: PA Representative Stephen Bloom, PA Senator John Eichelberger, Retired Coast Guard Captain Art Halverson, Benjamin Hornberger, Dr. John Joyce, Retired Colonel Doug Mastriano, Travis Schooley and Bernard Washabaugh II. Democrat Brent Ottaway will also participate. The candidates are vying for the seat being vacated by Congressman Bill Shuster.
Student Showcase Will Focus on Best and Brightest
The first Penn State Altoona Student Showcase of the year will take place on April 27th from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Devorris Downtown Center. Presented by the Division of Business, Engineering and Information Services and Technology, this year’s Showcase focuses on a number of areas including: Pechter Business Plan Competition, Security and Risk Analysis, Rail Transportation Engineering, Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology, Business Internship and Research and Business Honor Society Induction. It’s important that the business community allocates some time to view the presentations believes Associate Teaching Professor David Barnes. “The student Showcase gives our students the opportunity to demonstrate their work to the local community,” Barnes explained. “It helps our students to develop speaking and communication skills and it forces them to articulate their work in ways that will be meaningful to others. In addition, it informs the community of our capabilities and fosters the development of relationships which can grow beyond the projects into jobs, internships, education and resources that can benefit community organizations and companies.” Besides witnessing the presentations, business leaders are invited to attend a free networking lunch that will allow them to interact with the students. To attend the Showcase and the lunch, contact Judy Paul at 940-3400 or jap24@psu.edu. The Blair County Chamber is once again a partner in the Penn State Altoona Student Showcase.
Check-Out the Chamber Job Board!
The Blair County Chamber Website at www.blairchamber.com features a Job Board where member businesses can place up to three positions at no cost. The Job Board concept came about as the result of a meeting held at the Chamber in which local retailers and employment agencies discussed the trials and tribulations of finding interested and qualified employees. The decision to limit businesses to posting only three positions at one time was a recommendation by the Chamber’s Board of Directors who was concerned that larger businesses with multiple openings would make the task of overseeing the Job Board rather labor intensive. Tori Liebal, the Chamber’s Vice-President of Website Development and Social Media, is the staff member assigned to maintain the Job Board. Jobs will remain on the Board for one month unless the employer asks that they be removed or extended. At the present time, Job Board postings are limited to Chamber Members only. (For more information on the Job Board, contact Tori Liebal at 814-943-8151 or email her at tliebal@blairchamber.com.)
“Buy Here Bucks” a Win-Win for Buyers, Sellers
The Blair County Chamber’s new gift certificate program, known as “Buy Here Bucks,” is a way for local businesses to gain new customers and an even better way for people to give gift certificates with more than just a few places to redeem them. The larger the list of participating businesses, the greater the value of the certificates. For a business to register to be on that list (it costs Chamber Members nothing), contact Tori Liebal at (814) 943-8151 or email her at tliebal@blairchamber.com. To purchase Buy Here Bucks, visit the Chamber Website at www.blairchamber.com. You can also get them at the Chamber Office, located in the Devorris Center for Business Development.
Congratulations . . .
. . . to Steve Howsare, executive director of Southern Alleghenies Planning and Development Commission, who has been appointed president of the Local Development District of Pennsylvania.
. . . to Matthew Fox, marketing manager at Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation, who recently earned the designation of Certified Economic Developer, a national recognition that denotes a mastery of skills in economic development, professional attainment and a commitment to personal and professional growth.
Power Card Offers: They’re Changing Every Day
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April 16, 2018
Upcoming Events
Business After Hours
Thursday, April 19
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Seltzer Financial Strategies
Register Here
Non-Profit Legislative Breakfast
Friday, April 27
7:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Altoona Grand Hotel
Register Here
YP "Get Rooted" Activity Fair
Wednesday, May 2
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Hollidaysburg Area YMCA
Highmark/Chamber Golf Classic
Monday, May 7
11:00 a.m. - Lunch/Registration
Noon- Start
Iron Masters Country Club
Breakfast Club
Thursday, May 10
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Small Business Partners Workshop
Wednesday, May 16
3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Devorris Center for Business Dev.
Register Here
Business Before Hours
Friday, May 18
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Homewood at Martinsburg
Register Here
Home Run for Safety Event
Wednesday, May 23
7:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
PNG Field
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, June 7
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Business Excellence Dinner
Monday, June 11
5:30 p.m. - Reception
6:45 p.m. - Dinner
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Upcoming Committee Meetings Week of 4/16/18
Chamber Ambasssadors
Tuesday, Aprl 17, 8:00 a.m.
Devorris Center
Chamber Finance Committee
Tuesday, Aprl 17, 3:00 p.m.
The Chamber
CEO Roundtable
Wednesday, April 18, 7:30 a.m.
Blairmont Club
Foundation Board of Directors
Wednesday, April 18, 8:00 a.m.
Devorris Center
LBC Youth Committee
Wednesday, April 18, 3:30 p.m.
Devorris Center
Golf Committee
Wednesday, April 18, 3:30 p.m.
The Chamber
Chamber Board of Directors
Thursday, April 19, 7:30 a.m.
Devorris Center
Non-Profit Advocacy Subcommittee
Thursday, April 19, 9:00 a.m.
The Chamber
Sustainable Blair County
Thursday, April 19, 1:30 p.m.
The Chamber
YEA! Steering Committee
Friday, April 20, 8:30 a.m.
Devorris Center
Farm-City Committee
Friday, April 20, Noon
Marzoni's Duncansville
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