Volkman to speak at Thursday’s “Breakfast Club”
Chamber Night at the Curve is Tomorrow Night
Leadership Youth to Graduate Twenty-Two
George Award Nominations Being Accepted
WE-LEaD to Present Data Breach Workshop
Transportation Compliance Topic of Safety Program
Nomination Period Begins for 2014 Business Hall of Fame
McKillop, Miller Are Next “Role Models”
ACE Award Nomination Forms Now Available
Check-Out The Chamber’s Low-Cost Healthcare Option
Chamber Looking for Businesses That Are Expanding Product Lines
Sponsorships Available for Business Excellence Dinner
Sign-Ups Continue for Chamber Trip to Tuscany
Central Blair Recreation Seeking Help to Install Playgrounds
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts

Volkman to speak at Thursday’s “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 this Thursday, 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.

Chamber Night at the Curve is Tomorrow Night
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. 

Leadership Youth to Graduate Twenty-Two
The eleventh class of The Chamber’s Leadership Blair County Youth program will graduate on Wednesday at a luncheon ceremony to be held at Penn State Altoona. Members of the 2014 Class are: Maryssa Brandt, Kersti Cover, Sarah Donley and Michael Flaig from Altoona Area High School; Nathan Davis and Angela Young from Bellwood-Antis; James Burke, Drake Patel and Collin Welteroth from Bishop Guilfoyle; Jenna Berzansky and Logan Williams from Central High School; Caleb Custer-Sell and Kristofer Potts from Claysburg-Kimmel; Mohammed Ali, Josh Cobler, Avery Jones, Annie Ruggles and David Schraff from Hollidaysburg Area; Mary Beth Raabe and Cullen Raftery from Tyrone Area; and Kaydi Brubaker and Lydia Hearn from Williamsburg Community School. For more information on LBC Youth, contact Judy Juda at 943-8151 or visit the Chamber Website.
 
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.

Transportation Compliance Topic of Safety Program
The transportation industry continually evolves as new mandates are implemented. On May 21, 2014, the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners rule will go into effect. This new mandate will impact motor carriers who must ensure their drivers have been medically certified by an examiner on the registry. The Chamber’s Safety Committee will hold a comprehensive workshop to be held on Friday, May 16th from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at Park Hills Country Club to discuss the recent changes to the hours-of-service regulations, an overview of the Unified Registration System and the importance of using an occupational and environmental medicine physician. The cost to attend the Safety Program is just $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. The cost includes a buffet breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m. To register, call The Chamber 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 applications must be returned to The Chamber by Noon, Friday, June 13.

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 Members and $30 for non-members and includes lunch. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

ACE Award Nomination Forms Now Available
The Blair County Chamber of Commerce's Farm-City Committee is pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for the ACE Award. The ACE Award is the acronym derived from Blair County Agricultural Community Excellence Award and was started as a continuation and expansion of The Chamber's successful Farm Family of the Year Award which was initiated in 1970. In addition to farm families, the ACE Award also allows for nominations of agriculturally oriented individuals, agribusinesses and nonprofit organizations. Activity and participation in Blair County community affairs and the promotion of Blair County agriculture will be the criteria used for selection. Nominations may be submitted by individuals, organizations, businesses, farm families and/or through self-nomination if desired. The recipient of the ACE Award will receive an engraved silver tray from The Chamber at the Annual Farm-City Dinner. This award, with expanded categories for nomination, is an effort of The Chamber to recognize all facets which make agriculture a primary industry of Blair County. From an individual to organizations, from farm families to agribusinesses, all these components of this industry deserve the opportunity of recognition. A brief bio on your nominee must be included with this Nomination Form. Please also include any comments on why you feel this nominee is deserving of this Award.

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.

Chamber Looking for Businesses That Are Expanding Product Lines
An upcoming issue of the Blair Business Mirror will feature local businesses that have recently added product lines. If you are one of those businesses, please contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.

Sponsorships Available for Business Excellence Dinner
On June 9th, the Blair County Chamber will hold its Annual Business Excellence Dinner in which it will honor Bill Thompson, Jr. with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Business Excellence. Sponsorships for that event are now available at various participation levels. Advertisements for the event program book are also available. Interested businesses or individuals should contact Rachel Litzinger at 943-8151 or email her at rlitzinger@blairchamber.com. 
 
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.

Central Blair Recreation Seeking Help to Install Playgrounds
The Central Blair Recreation & Park Commission is reaching out to the local community to ask for assistance with two upcoming community playground installations. The Commission is going to have two community installs going on simultaneously at both Juniata Memorial and Prospect Parks on May 16-18. They are in need of roughly 30-35 volunteers for each site each day. Any help provided would be greatly appreciated. They are shooting for an 8am start and will go through mid to late afternoon each day. Interested people should call Mike Hofer at 949-2271.

Congratulations . . .
. . . to WTAJ-TV which was named the winner of a 2014 Regional Edward R. Murrow award by The Radio Television Digital News Association.  The station was recognized in the “Best Breaking News” category.
. . . to Robert Pennington, broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Town & Country Real Estate who received the Office Manager’s Award for Excellence from Coldwell Banker for 2013 for attaining a position sales base of 50% or more, a positive list base of 50% or more and a closed unit-per-person productivity of 1.5 transactions monthly-per-sales agent.

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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