Highmark/Chamber Golf Classic Sold Out!
Volkman to speak at Chamber “Breakfast Club”
“Gown Meets Town” is Friday
George Award Nominations Being Accepted
WE-LEaD to Present Data Breach Workshop
Nomination Period Begins for 2014 Business Hall of Fame
Chamber Night at the Curve Scheduled for May 6th
McKillop, Miller Are Next “Role Models”
Check-Out The Chamber’s Low-Cost Healthcare Option
Sign-Ups Continue for Chamber Trip to Tuscany
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts

Highmark/Chamber Golf Classic Sold Out!
If you were hoping to be one of the golfers in the 2014 Highmark Chamber Golf Classic on May 12th, your best opportunity will be to get on a waiting list and hope that a spot becomes available. Because effective April 23rd, the event completely sold out. “We’re not surprised that this happened,” admitted Golf Committee Chairman Michael Eardley of Forney Financial Solutions. “This interest in this event is always very high. With the bad weather this winter, it seems that more and more people were looking ahead to getting outside and hitting the links.” The Classic is capped at 144 golfers and will be played at Iron Masters Country Club. To be added to the waiting list, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151 or email her.

Volkman to speak at Chamber “Breakfast Club”
David Volkman, Acting Deputy Secretary for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in the Pennsylvania Department of Education, will be the keynote speaker at the next Blair County Chamber “Breakfast Club,” set for May 8th at The Casino at Lakemont Park. The event will begin at 7:45 a.m. Volkman’s presentation will focus on the critical importance of lifelong learning to a strong workforce. In his current position, he administers more than $10 billion in state and federal education funding including all basic education, special education and vocational subsidies as well as competitive grants for the department. The Breakfast Club will also feature awards being presented to eighth grade students from Bellwood-Antis, Claysburg-Kimmel, Hollidaysburg Area, Spring Cove and Williamsburg for outstanding essays related to career exploration and Attendance Counts awards being given to the graduating senior in each Blair County school district who has the longest history of perfect attendance. The cost to attend Breakfast Club is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Corporate sponsor of the May Breakfast Club is Pennsylvania Highlands Community College.
 
“Gown Meets Town” is Friday
The Blair County business community will get its next shot at capturing local talent as the semi-annual “Gown Meets Town” event takes center stage on May 2nd beginning at 8:45 a.m.at the Devorris Downtown Center in Altoona. Co-sponsored by Penn State Altoona, the Blair County Chamber and the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation, Gown Meets Town showcases Penn State Altoona students through presentations in the areas of business, electro-mechanical engineering technology and security and risk analysis. A complete schedule of the day’s presentations can be found at Altoona.psu.edu/gmt. There is no cost to attend Gown Meets Town although anyone planning to participate in the networking luncheon needs to RSVP to Judy Paul at (814) 940-3400.

George Award Nominations Being Accepted
The George Award, presented annually to a resident of Blair County who has improved the quality of the community through their volunteer efforts, will have its own venue in 2014. The award will be part of the Chamber “Breakfast Club” on June 12th. Once again this year, Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries will partner with The Chamber on the award. Nomination Forms for the George Award can be secured at the Chamber Office or are available online at www.blairchamber.com. Deadline to nominate is May 14th.

WE-LEaD to Present Data Breach Workshop
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce WE-LEaD (Women Encouraging Leadership, Education and Development) program, will host an educational workshop on May 9th from noon-1:30 p.m., at the Blairmont Club in Hollidaysburg. The program, "Data Breach: It's Not Just the Big Guys", will be presented by Larissa Crum, Executive Vice-President of Immersion, Ltd. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of small firms go out of business within six months of a data breach. This session will take an in-depth look at cyber criminal activity and the potentially devastating impact on small businesses. Crum will provide valuable information on how small businesses can prevent such breaches. Cost to attend the program, sponsored by the Altoona Mirror, is $25 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. Cost includes lunch. Reservations are required. Call The Chamber to register at 943-8151 or register online.
  
Nomination Period Begins for 2014 Business Hall of Fame
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for its 2014 Business Hall of Fame and General Business Awards of Distinction Program, which honors local businesses that have made contributions to the improvement of the business climate of Blair County.  The Blair County Chamber Business Hall of Fame and General Business Awards of Distinction is an evening which honors a select group of businesses who have exceeded the parameters of what most view as successful. Awarding categories include: Hall of Fame, Heritage, Excellence in Small Business, Young Emerging Business, Technology, Committee Choice, Community Service, Safety and Sustainability. Nominate early! Allow your nominee ample time to complete their applications. Nomination forms are available on-line at www.blairchamber.com or by calling 814-943-8151. Nominee completed application must be returned to The Chamber by Noon, Friday, June 13.

Chamber Night at the Curve Scheduled for May 6th
The Blair County Chamber will join nine other chambers within the region for Chamber Night at The Curve on May 6th.  Chamber members are eligible for two free tickets and may purchase additional tickets at just $3.00 each.  It’s an excellent opportunity to network with other Chamber members and to support The Curve, who play Bowie that evening at 6:30 p.m.  The gates open at 5:30.  To reserve tickets, contact Chris Keefer at (814) 283-3126 or email him at ckeefer@altoonacurve.com. 

McKillop, Miller Are Next “Role Models”
Bobbie Miller of Advantage Resource Group and Bill McKillop of Giant Eagle will be the Blair County Chamber’s next “Role Models” at a program to be held May 22nd from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Blair County Convention Center. The Role Models program was initiated two years ago to provide a forum for business leaders to share their experiences and insights with those still climbing the corporate ladder. The format is strictly Q&A with a moderator asking initial questions to generate discussion and attendees carrying the ball from there. The cost to attend Role Models is $25 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members and includes lunch. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

Check-Out The Chamber’s Low-Cost Healthcare Option
The Blair County Chamber has partnered with Empower3 Center for Health to offer Chamber-Member employers an affordable community-based health plan for their employees. The plan features level group rates, no deductibles, no pre-existing condition exclusions, substantial prescription drug coverage with co-pays of $10 or less and the opportunity to add dental and vision coverage. Call Maureen Frucella for details.  Her number is (814) 317-5063.

Sign-Ups Continue for Chamber Trip to Tuscany
The Blair County Chamber, in cooperation with Classic Travel and Chamber Discoveries, has scheduled a trip to Tuscany from October 20 to 28. If you’d like to be one of the people making this exciting excursion at an almost unbelievable price, call The Chamber at 943-8151 for a brochure.

Congratulations . . .
. . . to Michael Roddey, owner/chef consultant of Gastronomic Services & Consulting of Duncansville, who recently received the President’s Medallion from the American Culinary Federation at the 2014 ACF Northeast Regional Conference.
. . . to Sheetz, Inc. which was awarded a gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program for the environmentally responsible design of its Sheetz Center for Shwellness.

Blue Card Discounts
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 The Chamber at 943-8151.    

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