First legislative breakfast meeting set for Wednesday
Member input on Transportation Resolution due Friday
October Breakfast Club will focus on mid-term elections
Reservations being accepted for Business Hall of Fame Dinner
Large turnout expected for Farm-City Dinner
Chamber to hold Safety Committee Certification Workshop
Marketing to Customers topic of October Lunch 'n' Learn
Congratulations . . . 

First legislative breakfast meeting set for Wednesday  The first of four meetings involving members of The Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee and local municipal officials will take place on Wednesday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m. at the Devorris Center . The municipalities to be represented will be: City of Altoona , Bellwood Borough, Frankstown Township , Juniata Township , Roaring Spring Borough and Taylor Township .  “We’re anxious to begin some important dialogue with our municipal officials as we look for ways to help them meet the many challenges that the economy has directed their way,” explained Clark Stapelfeld of New Pig Corporation, chair of the Legislative Action Committee.  Subsequent meeting dates are Oct. 20, Nov. 19 and Dec. 17. The meetings will include a buffet breakfast. The gold sponsor for the Legislative Meetings is Penelec.  Silver sponsors are: Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation, M&T Bank, Reliance Bank, Sheetz, Inc., and WPS Your Copier Company. 

Member input on Transportation Resolution due Friday  
A transportation funding resolution unanimously approved by The Chamber’s Transportation Committee and sent to the Chamber’s Board of Directors for final approval has been diverted to the Chamber membership for feedback. E-mails that include the resolution and a response form have been sent to members. “It’s an important document that in all likelihood would become the grass roots standard for chambers from throughout Pennsylvania ,” explained Chamber President Joe Hurd. “We hope that our members will read it and weigh-in on what they believe the Board should do.” Click here to access the Transportation Resolution. To complete the survey, click here. The survey may ask you for log in information for the members only section of the website. If you would like to complete the survey and need your login credentials, please contact The Chamber at 943-8151. All responses must be submitted by noon this Friday. Direct all other inquiries to Joe Hurd.

October Breakfast Club will focus on mid-term elections

John Callahan, Director of Government Affairs for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business & Industry will be the speaker at the next Chamber Breakfast Club, set for Oct. 14 at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. Callahan will give an overview of the upcoming mid-term elections and will discuss the consequences to the business community of the outcomes of those elections. Callahan’s address will be informative as well as interactive as Chamber Members will have the opportunity to ask questions. The cost to attend the Breakfast Club is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. Peoples Natural Gas is the corporate sponsor for the event. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.   

Reservations being accepted for Business Hall of Fame Dinner 
The Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame Dinner will once again create an opportunity for the Blair County business community to pay tribute to the many outstanding businesses and organizations that help make our area a great place to live and work. This year’s dinner will be held Monday, Oct. 18 at the Blair County Convention Center beginning with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m. The 2010 Hall of Fame class will consist of Boyer Candy, Digital Solutions/Inmate Telephone, Inc., Spring Cove School District and U.S Foodservice – Western PA Group. The Logan House enters the Hall in the Heritage category. The General Awards of Distinction also feature some familiar names. In the Excellence in Small Business Category, Allegheny Supply and Maintenance Company and Beatty’s Carpet Cleaners will be honored. Young Emerging Business honorees will be art4 . . . inc. and Freedom Excursions by Scully, LLC. AMTRAN and PC Works Plus will receive Technology awards and the Committee Choice Award will go to The Miracle League. For reservations, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.  

Large turnout expected for Farm-City Dinner 
Mike Pechart, Pennsylvania ’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will be the keynote speaker at The Chamber’s Annual Farm-City Dinner, set for Oct. 26 at The Park at Morrisons Cove. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a Milk-Punch Reception followed by dinner at 7 p.m. A major focus of the Farm-City Dinner is the presentation of the Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award which this year goes to David and Janet Hileman of Hilecrest Farm in Sinking Valley . The Hileman’s have been instrumental in helping young people from throughout Blair County to better understand the importance of agriculture on the local economy. What has changed about the 2010 dinner is that for the first time, the event has been moved from the banquet hall to the gym at The Park at Morrisons Cove to better accommodate the crowd. What hasn’t changed is that the dinner itself will once again be turkey and all the fixings served family-style and for only $15 a person. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.   

Chamber to hold Safety Committee Certification Workshop 
After a one-year hiatus, The Chamber’s Safety Committee is once again holding a Safety Committee Certification Workshop, designed to improve workplace safety while providing a 5 percent discount on Workers Compensation premiums. “We took a year off and many past attendees noticed,” explained Mike McMullen, The Chamber’s Vice-President of Membership Services & Development. “Let’s just say this presentation is back by popular demand.” The date is Friday, Oct. 15 from 7:45 to 11:30 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. Michael Cuff of PennSafe will be the presenter. The cost to attend is $30 for Chamber Members and $50 for non-members. The price includes materials and a buffet breakfast. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Note: A minimum of two employer and two employee safety/risk management committee members from each company must attend to qualify for certification. 

Marketing to customers topic of October Lunch 'n' Learn
Marketing is not just about finding ways to bring-in new customers.  It’s also about hanging-on to the ones you have. How do you effectively accomplish customer retention? That question, and many more, will be the basis of The Chamber’s October Lunch ’n’ Learn program, set for Thursday, Oct. 21 from noon to 1:15 p.m. at Park Hills Country Club. Mike Cox, President of Nittany Business Coaching in State College, will present: “How to Market Effectively to Your Existing Customers.” The cost to attend the Lunch 'n' Learn is $22 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. Lunch and materials are included in the cost. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. 

Congratulations . . .

. . . to  NPC Inc. and Wessel & Company, two Chamber-Member businesses, which have been named among the 100 Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania for 2010. 

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