Blair Business Mirror to Be Published Tomorrow
Wednesday’s Safety Workshop to Address Opioid Crisis
Moore to Offer Workshop on Working a Trade Show
New GACTC Director to Speak at Thursday’s “Breakfast Club”
Chamber Check-Up Provides Members a Way to Get Their Money’s Worth
Conservation District Hosting Thursday’s “Business After Hours”
Make Sure bizX Event is On Your Calendar!
Saint Francis Offering Tuition Discount to Chamber Members
Informational Meeting on Portugal Trip Set for September 18th
Deadline for YEA! Applications is September 15th
Chamber’s Young Professionals Partnering on Concert Event
Committee of Non-Profits Schedules Networking Picnic at Park Hills
Safety Committee, Altoona Curve Partnering on Active Shooter Training
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available for Business Hall of Fame Event
Workplace Wellness Committee Seeking Success Stories
Did You Know???
Congratulations . . .
Blair Business Mirror to Be Published Tomorrow
The September issue of the Blair Business Mirror will be published Tuesday as a supplement to the Altoona Mirror. The cover story in this issue will focus on several Blair County start-up businesses that are having early success. The Q&A feature will be on Young Life Director Tim O’Brien. Colonel K.R. Miller, a local auctioneer with 47 years experience, is also among the Chamber members featured. A copy of each Blair Business Mirror is mailed to each member business later in the week.
Wednesday’s Safety Workshop to Address Opioid Crisis
The Safety Committee of the Blair County Chamber will hold an educational presentation this Wednesday, September 12th at 7:30 a.m. at Hoss’s Steak & Sea House in Duncansville. The title of the presentation is “Opioids in Today’s Workplace.” Keynote speaker will be Peter Kreckel, a pharmacist at Thompson Pharmacy and the Empower3 Clinic who is also a Pharmacology professor at Saint Francis University. The cost to attend is $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. A full breakfast buffet is included. To register, call the Chamber at (814) 943-8151 or register online. Corporate sponsor of the Safety Workshop is PC Works Plus.
Moore to Offer Workshop on Working a Trade Show
John Moore of Moore Power Sales in Altoona will be conducting a workshop for the Blair County Chamber this Wednesday, September 12th from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. Moore’s presentation will be entitled, “Nine Neglects That Kill Sales at Trade Shows.” The timing of the workshop is not coincidental, admits Stacy Hoover, the Chamber’s VP of Events and Technology. “With the bizX trade show just a few weeks later, this workshop is an ideal reminder to exhibitors of how to make the event work in their favor.” The cost to attend is $20 for Chamber Members and $25 for non-members. Lunch is included. To register, contact the Chamber at (814) 943-8151 or register online.
New GACTC Director to Speak at Thursday’s “Breakfast Club”
Eric Palmer, the new Executive Director of the Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center, will be the keynote speaker at the next Blair County Chamber Breakfast Club this Thursday, September 13th beginning at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. Palmer’s presentation will be, “The Critical Role of Career and Technical Education in Building Strong Communities.” The cost to attend Breakfast Club is $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call the Chamber at (814) 943-8151 or register online. Corporate sponsor of the September Breakfast Club is South Hills School of Business & Technology.
Chamber Check-Up Provides Members a Way to Get Their Money’s Worth
Membership in the Blair County Chamber of Commerce is an investment. However, too often business people join the Chamber and don’t recognize the many advantages that membership provides. That’s why there’s Chamber Check-Up. This one hour program gives an overview of opportunities for Chamber members to maximize their investment in the Chamber along with the chance to ask questions and provide input. This month’s Chamber Check-Up is this Thursday at 3:00 p.m. Those who attend will also receive a free pass to Thursday’s “Business After Hours,” a great networking opportunity. Although there’s no charge to attend Chamber Check-Up, it is necessary to pre-register. Simply call the Chamber at (814) 943-8151.
Conservation District Hosting Thursday’s “Business After Hours”
The next Blair County Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will be held this Thursday, Sept. 13th, from 5 -7 p.m., at the new NatureWorksPark - Blair County Conservation District, located at 10 Bedford Street, Hollidaysburg. This is an outdoor event. Guests are encouraged to dress casually with outdoor foot gear. In 2012, the Blair County Conservation District purchased 15 acres of property within the Borough of Hollidaysburg to develop a Conservation Park. The first phase of the project, NatureWorksPark, is now complete. The Park includes Walkways, Interpretive Signage and Pavilions open to the Public; an Outdoor Amphitheatre for Educational Programming; Wetland and Boardwalk; Rain Gardens and a Native Plant / Butterfly Garden; and the development of Riparian Buffer Demonstration Plots. 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 register online.
Make Sure bizX Event is On Your Calendar!
The first-ever bizX Regional Trade Show, which will be held on September 26th from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Blair County Convention Center in Altoona, will have a full complement of exhibitor booths. All booths have been sold. The business-to-business event is being done as a partnership between the Blair County Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County. The bizX show begins with a luncheon from 11:30 to 1:00 featuring keynote speaker Steve Sheetz, chairman of Sheetz Family Council, whose presentation is entitled, “Risks and Opportunities of Growing a Business.” The cost of the luncheon is $25 for members of either chamber and $40 for non-members. The Exhibit Hall for bizX opens at 1:00 p.m. and will remain open until 7:00. The show will also include several educational seminars as well as a “Corridor Cuisine” which features food samples from ten regional restaurants. The event concludes with a “Mixer” from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend bizX although there is a cost of $10 to attend the Mixer. For further information on the show, contact the Chamber at (814) 943-8151.
Saint Francis Offering Tuition Discount to Chamber Members
The Saint Francis University Graduate School of Business and Human Resource Management has announced an exclusive partnership with the Blair County Chamber of Commerce. Chamber Members and employees will receive a special 15% tuition discount for new students enrolling in Fall 2018, Spring 2019, and Summer 2019 semesters. There are six different start dates per year. Applicants must meet the required standards for admission and make steady progress towards a degree. The discount is only applicable to the Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Human Resource Management (MHRM) programs and cannot be combined with or stacked on other special offers or discount programs. Verification of Chamber membership is necessary. Saint Francis University began the MHRM program in the region in 1961. It was the first university to offer a part-time MBA program in Blair County. The Fall 2018 semester begins on August 27, and Module 2 begins on October 22nd. Please contact Ms. Nicole Bauman, Associate Director of the Graduate Business Programs and Human Resource Management School direct at nbauman@francis.edu or via phone at 814-472-3026. You can also visit St. Francis on the web at https://www.francis.edu/Master-of-Business-Administration/.
Informational Meeting on Portugal Trip Set for September 18th
The Blair County Chamber will be traveling to Portugal from May 8-19, 2019. “The Best of Portugal” will feature a variety of destinations including Lisbon, Fatima and Oporto. Book before November 27th and pay just $3,240 (includes air and travel from Altoona). An informational meeting will be held on September 18th at 6:00 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development in Altoona. No cost or obligation to attend but pre-registration is encouraged by calling the Chamber at (814) 943-8151.
Deadline for YEA! Applications is September 15th
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce is currently accepting applications for the Young Entrepreneurs Academy 2018-19 class. YEA! is a 25 week program that guides middle and high school students through launching and running their own real businesses or social movements! YEA! is open to all Blair County students in grades 6-12. While in the Academy, students will receive all the necessary tools to launch their very own real, legal businesses. This includes access to valuable experts like attorneys, accountants, business mentors, and graphic designers; plus an audience with investors for real start-up cash! Students will also have the opportunity to win college scholarships and earn dual enrollment credits. The YEA! application is available online at yeausa.org. Scholarships are available for students who meet eligibility requirements. Contact Royce Boyd, Program Manager for details at royceboyd@outlook.com. YEA! classes kick off on October 9, 2018 and will conclude in April 2019. Classes meet weekly at the Penn State Altoona Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence in downtown Altoona during the school day. Transportation is provided by the school districts.
Chamber’s Young Professionals Partnering on Concert Event
Young Professionals of Blair County have partnered with the Hollidaysburg Community Partnership to bring food trucks to the Hollidaysburg Downtown Live concert featuring Felix and the Hurricanes on September 20. Food Truck Alley will be open from 6-9 p.m. This is a free event open to the public and no reservations are required. The Food Truck Alley sponsor is PennCrest Bank. For more information regarding this event, contact Tori Montler at the Chamber at 943-8151 or tmontler@blairchamber.com. Young Professionals of Blair County is a program of the Blair County Chamber.
Committee of Non-Profits Schedules Networking Picnic at Park Hills
The Committee of Non-Profits of the Blair County Chamber will hold a networking event on the patio at Park Hills Golf Club on September 20 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Similar to previous non-profit events, the purpose is to encourage non-profit organizations to enjoy a few hours of good food and drink while sharing common experiences and opportunities to work together. The cost to attend the Non-Profit Networking event is $20 and includes Park Hills’ famous picnic buffet as well as a cash bar. There will also be games for anyone who enjoys the opportunity to compete. To make a reservation, call the Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Safety Committee, Altoona Curve Partnering on Active Shooter Training
The Safety Committee of the Blair County Chamber and the Altoona Curve, which partnered on a successful educational program back in the Spring, are joining forces once again to promote a program on the importance of Active Shooter Training. The program will be held at PNG Field on September 20th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. with gates opening at 2:30. Gittings Protective Security will present the training. The cost to attend this training is $100-per-business for an unlimited number of employees and $5.00/person for the general public. Robert Fatula from Gittings will be presenting the training. To register or for any questions, call 1-877-99-Curve.
Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available for Hall of Fame Event
The Blair County Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame Dinner will be held on Monday, October 15th beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Blair County Convention Center. That event, in its 29th year, is the Chamber’s premier event and attracts a large crowd. Sponsorships for the event are now available at several levels of participation by contact Jessie Covert at (814) 943-8151 or by emailing her.
Workplace Wellness Committee Seeking Success Stories
As the Blair County Chamber’s Workplace Wellness Committee looks for more effective ways to help local businesses create a healthier mindset among employees, the committee is asking any business that is already experiencing some level of success to share information with others. “We know that there are businesses locally that are accomplishing significant things from the health perspective,” acknowledged Coleen Heim, who chairs the Workplace Wellness Committee and also serves as Executive Director of Healthy Blair County Coalition. “We’re hoping that they’re willing to share what they’re doing and how it’s benefitting their workforce.” From the input, the Chamber will schedule a “Wake Up to Wellness” breakfast during the Fall that will focus on best practices. “We invite businesses to volunteer to be presenters,” Heim pointed out. Any businesses willing to be a presenter should contact Joe Hurd at (814) 943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.
Did You Know???
The Blair County Chamber actually has 42,321 members? That’s the number of employees of the 1,074 businesses that comprise the Chamber’s membership. Since all employees are automatically members when the business joins, it makes sense for us to brag about the big number rather than just the number of businesses involved in the organization. Do your employees know that they’re Chamber members and able to enjoy the benefits of membership? If not, it’s time to tell them. After all, your investment in the business community covers them too!!
Congratulations . . .
. . . to Saint Francis University, which ranks in the top 20% nationally when it comes to the economic mobility of its graduates, according to a New York Times report on economic diversity and student outcomes of colleges and universities across the country.
Power Card Offers: They’re Changing Every Day
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September 10, 2018
Upcoming Events
Safety Workshop
Wednesday, September 12
7:30 - 9:00 a .m.
Hoss's Duncansville
Register Here
Lunch 'n' Learn
Wednesday, September 12
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Devorris Center for Business Development
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, September 13
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Chamber Check-Up
Thursday, September 13
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
The Chamber
Register Here
Business After Hours
Thursday, September 13
5:00 - 7 p.m.
NatureWorksPark
Register Here
Non-Profit Picnic
Thursday, September 20
4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Park Hills Golf Club
Register Here
LBC Alumni Breakfast
Friday, September 21
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Park Hills Golf Club
Register Here
bizX Kick-Off Luncheon
Wednesday, September 26
11:30 - 1:00 p.m.
Blair County Convention Center
Register Here
bizX Trending in Business Trade Show
Wednesday, September 26
1:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Blair County Convention Center
www.bizxpa.com
bizX Mixer
Wednesday, September 26
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Blair County Convention Center
Register Here
WE-LEaD Lunch 'n' Learn
Friday, September 28
Noon - 1:30 p.m.
Park Hills Golf Club
Register Here
Down on the Farm
Thursday, October 4
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Mill Hill Farm
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, September 13
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Business Hall of Fame Dinner
Monday, October 15
5:30 - Reception; 6:45 Dinner
Blair County Convention Center
Register Here
Upcoming Committee Meetings Week of 9/10/18
BASICS Steering Committee
Monday, September 10, 8:00 a.m.
GACTC
YP Committee
Wednesday, September 13, 8:00 a.m.
Devorris Center
BHLH/Retail Committees
Thursday, September 13, 10:00 a.m.
The Chamber
Sustainable Blair County Committee
Thursday, September 13, 1:30 p.m.
The Chamber
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