Chamber Office Closed Tuesday for Veteran’s Day
Blair Business Mirror Directs Attention to Start-Ups
“Business Before Hours” Slated for Wednesday at Generations Together
Leadership Youth to Learn About Justice System
Senator Eichelberger to Speak at Thursday’s Breakfast Club
Adult LBC Class to Debate Critical Issues
“Issues” Program on Business Women Runs All This Month
Meeting Planned on Chamber Southern Trip
SCORE, SBA to Hold Forum on Lending
Safety Program to Feature Industrial Hygiene Expert
WE-LEaD Assembling List of Participants
Chamber Members Encouraged to Update Business Information
Congratulations . .
Blue Card Discounts
Chamber Office Closed Tuesday for Veteran’s Day
The Blair County Chamber Office will be closed on Tuesday in recognition of Veteran’s Day. The office will re-open on Wednesday at 8:30 a.m. To access Chamber information or to register for a program or event, visit The Chamber website.
Blair Business Mirror Directs Attention to Start-Ups
Starting a business carries a variety of challenges and opportunities. This month’s Blair Business Mirror, which is published Tuesday as a supplement to the Altoona Mirror, directs attention to four Chamber member businesses that are recent start-ups. Hear some of the reasons why these businesses came to be and why risk is inconsequential to vision and determination. This month’s issue also includes a number of features on people like Reid Ritchey of Ritchey’s Dairy and Steve Koval of B2B CFO® Partners. Pick up a copy of Tuesday’s Mirror to keep abreast of important Chamber news!
“Business Before Hours” Slated for Wednesday at Generations Together
The Chamber’s next “Business Before Hours” program is set for Wednesday, November 12th, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. Generations Together will host the Business Before Hours. Generations Together is the intergenerational day program of Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries. It is located at 701 Quail Avenue in Altoona. There is no cost to attend to attend either Business Before Hours event but pre-registration is important to allow for the hosting businesses to prepare enough breakfast items. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151.
Leadership Youth to Learn About Justice System
The next session of the Blair County Chamber’s Leadership Blair County Youth program will be held on Wednesday. The session - which highlights the county’s justice system - will include visits to the Blair County Court House and to the Blair County Prison. The class will also do a Team Building activity that focuses on the “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.” For more information on Leadership Blair County Youth, contact Judy Juda at 943-8151 or visit The Chamber website.
Senator Eichelberger to Speak at Thursday’s Breakfast Club
The next Chamber Breakfast Club will be held this Thursday, November 13th beginning at 7:45 a.m. at The Casino at Lakemont Park. The guest speaker will be State Senator John Eichelberger who will address issues of interest to Chamber Members. The cost to attend is $16 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
Adult LBC Class to Debate Critical Issues
One of the most highly-anticipated sessions of the Blair County Chamber’s Leadership Blair County Adult program is the one on Local Government which also includes DiSC Behavioral Profiles. The format of the session is a debate in which class members are assigned a position to defend on one of three critical issues. Those issues are: Land Value Tax, Armed Personnel in Schools, and Selling the Altoona Water Authority. For more information on Leadership Blair County Adult, contact Judy Juda at 943-8151 or visit The Chamber website.
“Issues” Program on Business Women Runs All This Month
The importance of women as business leaders is the focal point of discussion as the Blair County Chamber’s “Issues” program will be broadcast on the Altoona Public Access Channel throughout November (Mondays at 9:00 p.m.; Saturday’s at 9:00 a.m.) Entitled, “Moving to the Front: The Long-Awaited Surge of Business Women,” the 45-minute program is moderated by Carolyn Donaldson. Panelists for the program are: Andrea Cohen of Blair Companies, Carol Gensimore of Value Drug, Barbara Kooman of Kooman & Associates, Amy Seltzer of Seltzer Financial Strategies and Becky Stevens of The Stevens Company. Sponsors of the program are: Benzel’s Pretzel Bakery, P. Joseph Lehman, Inc., NPC, Inc., Reliance Bank and Seltzer Financial Strategies.
Meeting Planned on Chamber Southern Trip
After a number of successful trips outside the United States, the Blair County Chamber has decided to offer a Spring 2015 trip closer to home. The Chamber will travel by motor coach to Charleston, South Carolina; Savannah, Georgia and to Monticello from April 20-26. The cost of the trip, which includes six nights lodging and a number of outstanding guided tours, is just $995-per-person. Epic Journeys, a member of The Chamber, is coordinating the trip. An informational meeting about the trip will be held on December 10th at 6:00 p.m. at the Devorris Center for Business Development. For more information or to secure a spot on the trip, contact Epic Journeys at (814) 266-5070 or 877-705-7030. Brochures and itineraries are available at the Chamber Office, located in the Devorris Center for Business Development. The trip is open to Chamber Members and non-members.
SCORE, SBA to Hold Forum on Lending
Perhaps the greatest obstacle to anyone starting a business or keeping an existing business afloat is financing. To help make that process simpler, the Alleghenies SCORE Chapter and the Small Business Administration have teamed-up to present “Meet the Lenders” on Wednesday, November 19th from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Blair County Convention Center. Among the presentations are: “What is the SBA and How Can They Help Me? “Why Do Banks Say Yes (or No)?” “What Supplemental Funding Sources Are Available? and “What is Crowd Funding?” There is no charge to attend the Forum but seating is limited. The Blair County Chamber and the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation are Forum sponsors and The Chamber is handling registrations. So to register, call (814) 943-8151 or you can register online. Light refreshments will be served at the Forum.
Safety Program to Feature Industrial Hygiene Expert
Industrial hygiene plays an important role in ensuring that the workplace, workers and the community are protected from hazards and potential health threats. Learn ways to minimize those risks at the next Blair County Chamber of Commerce safety program set for Friday, Nov. 21, 7:30-9:30 a.m., at Hoss’s in Duncansville. The program will be presented by Bryan Seal, CIH, CSP from PA/OSHA Consultation. After earning his degree in Environmental Resource Management, Mr. Seal was commissioned back into the Navy as an industrial hygiene officer. He was stationed at the Iceland NATO facility and aboard the USS Enterprise. From 2005 until recently, he worked with Federal OSHA in New York and PA, and most recently at the OSHA National Office in Washington, D.C. Seal holds a Masters Degree in Environmental Health as well as multiple national certifications. The cost to attend the Safety Program is $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. To register, call the Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.
WE-LEaD Assembling List of Participants
If you are an employer seeking more beneficial ways to get your female staff members more involved with business and community programs and events, simply call The Chamber at 943-8151 or email Judy Juda at jjuda@blairchamber.com. The Blair County Chamber’s WE-LEaD (Women Encouraging – Leadership, Education and Development) is expanding its contact list and hoping that more women on the corporate ladder take part. There is no obligation – participants will receive periodic emails and invitations.
Chamber Members Encouraged to Update Business Information
The Blair County Chamber’s Membership Directory and online database are among the county’s most trusted sources of information regarding Chamber members. Unfortunately, some of the information is outdated due to changes in staff people, new contact information, etc. Is your company’s information up to date? Simply visit the member information section of the Chamber website and check it out. If changes need to be made, call Cindy Cessna at 943-8151 or email her at ccessna@blairchamber.com.
Congratulations . . .
. . . to First National Bank, which received two honors recently for being an outstanding workplace. F.N.B. placed first for large companies on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s list of Pittsburgh’s Top Workplaces 2014 and also won 2014 Best Places to Work by the Pittsburgh Business Times.
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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Teeter Group
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Present your Blue Card on your purchase of your business insurance through Penn National Insurance and (depending on total group premium and claims experience) you could earn an annual dividend.
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The Village at Morrisons Cove
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Receive 15% off Dinner Purchase when you present your Blue Card at The Bistro at the Village Green (The Village at Morrisons Cove). Limit one coupon per customer per visit. *Only good with purchase of an entree.
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Advanced Regional Center for Ankle & Foot Care
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Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive $5.00 Off Spencer Flip Flops
AND/OR
receive 10% off "Advanced" Ultra insert.
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Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries
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Present your Chamber Blue card to receive 10% off rate for first month of services at the Senior Daily Living Center for new program participants
AND/OR
receive 10% off rate for first month of services from ALSM at Home for new program participants.
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For more information, visit the website
To subscribe or unsubscribe please email us.
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November 10, 2014
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Upcoming Events
Register online
Business BEFORE Hours
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
7:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Generations Together
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, November 13, 2014
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Meet the Lenders
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Blair County Convention Center
Register Here
Business After Hours
Thursday, November 20, 2014
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Asurion
Register Here
Safety Program
Friday, November 21, 2014
7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Hoss's Steak & Sea House - Duncansville
Register Here
Breakfast Club
Thursday, December 11, 2014
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
The Casino at Lakemont Park
Register Here
Business After Hours
Thursday, December 18, 2014
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Hampton Inn
Register Here
Upcoming Committee Meetings
Week of 11/10/2014
BASICS Steering Committee
Monday, November 10, 8:00 a.m.
GACTC
Board Nominating Committee
Thursday, November 13, 9:30 a.m.
The Chamber
Coalition on Sustainability
Thursday, November 13, 1:00 p.m.
Devorris Center
Workplace Welllness Committee
Friday, November 14, 8:30 a.m.
The Chamber
Farm-City Coommittee
Friday, November 14, Noon
Hoss's - Duncansville
Follow The Chamber
on Facebook
Click here
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