Chamber Seeking Candidates for New Position
Executive Roundtable to Hear Sun Air Presentation
Chamber Board to Approve Officers for 2015
Asurion Hosting Thursday’s “Business After Hours”
Safety Program to Feature Industrial Hygiene Expert
“Issues” Program on Business Women Runs All This Month
Meeting Planned on Chamber Southern Trip
SCORE, SBA to Hold Forum on Lending
Chamber Gearing-up for Small Business Saturday
WE-LEaD Assembling List of Participants
Chamber Members Encouraged to Update Business Information
Congratulations . . .
Blue Card Discounts
Chamber Seeking Candidates for New Position
The Blair County Chamber has reformatted its staffing structure and has created a new position: Vice-President of Sales & Development. The new position replaces the Vice-President of Membership Services. Applications are being accepted for the new position which is fulltime and includes a benefits package. Applicants must have sales experience and be creative in starting or maintaining projects related to organizational growth. To apply, send a resume and salary/benefits expectations to Joe Hurd at jhurd@blairchamber.com by November 21st.
Executive Roundtable to Hear Sun Air Presentation
The Chamber’s Executive Roundtable will meet on Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. at The Blairmont Club. Guest speaker for the meeting will be Mark Cestari, Vice-President of Marketing for Sun Air Express, the new carrier at the Altoona-Blair County Airport. Cestari will provide information to Roundtable members of how Sun Air will look to attract more businesses to fly from Martinsburg to the Greater Pittsburgh Airport to make further connections. For additional information on the Executive Roundtable, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151 or email him at jhurd@blairchamber.com.
Chamber Board to Approve Officers for 2015
At its Thursday meeting, the Chamber Board of Directors will approve a slate of officers to lead the organization for 2015. “Our Nominating Subcommittee has been very diligent in identifying Board Members that it believes have an understanding of the direction of The Chamber and a willingness to move the business agenda forward,” acknowledged Board Chair Doug Mingle. The Board will also hear a presentation by Sherri Stayer about the responsibilities of the Chamber Ambassadors. Stayer, who is a Board Member, also chairs the Ambassadors.
Asurion Hosting Thursday’s “Business After Hours”
Join the Blair County Chamber of Commerce at the November Business After Hours this Thursday, November 20th from 5:00 -7:00 p.m. The host for the November After Hours is Asurion (formerly N.E.W.), located at 431 E. 25th Avenue in Altoona. Enjoy an evening of great food, beverages and networking. To make reservations, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or you can register online.
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 this 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 you can register online.
“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.
Chamber Gearing-up for Small Business Saturday
For the second consecutive year, the Blair County Chamber will be a major proponent of Small Business Saturday. The nationwide promotion, which focuses attention on the impact that small businesses have on local economies, will take place on November 29th. Small Business Saturday was founded by American Express in 2010 to support the efforts of small businesses and to encourage consumers to consider buying from small retailers, particularly during the holiday season. If the business accepts the American Express Card and participates in the Chamber program, then any purchase made at that business on Small Business Saturday is eligible to receive a $25 American Express gift card. A list of those participating businesses are on The Chamber Website and will be listed in an ad that will run in the Altoona Mirror. To redeem a receipt for a gift card, the purchaser must bring the original receipt to the Chamber Office anytime after 8:30 a.m. on December 1st. There are a limited number of gift cards available.
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 Jared Mishler and Christopher Weir, both certified public accountants at Wessel & Company, who have been named to PA Business Central’s “Foremost Under 40” list for 2014.
. . . to Home Nursing Agency Home Health, which has been named to the Top 500 of the 2014 HomeCare Elite, a recognition of the top-performing home health agencies in the U.S.
. . . to Home Helpers of Hollidaysburg, which is among a national group of non-medical care agencies to be recognized with an A-plus rating from Home Care Standards Bureau.
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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Allegheny Lutheran Social Ministries - Growing Years Early Learning Center
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Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive 10% off rate forfirst month at Growing Years Early Learning Center. Offer is limited to new enrollees.
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Altoona Beauty School
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Present your Chamber Blue Card and get 10% off any retail item. Altoona Beauty School carries Dermalogica, Wella, Nioxin, Sebastian, OPI and Kryolan Professional Makeup.
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ARC Federal Credit Union
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Present your Blue Card and your first book of checks are FREE when you open a new checking account at ARC Federal Credit Union.
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B2B CFO® Partners, LLC - Steve Koval, Partner
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Present your Chamber Blue Card to receive a complimentary Discovery Analysis and Strategy Process, which includes: Confidential meeting with business owner and accounting staff, assessment of financial info & computer systems, benchmark financial info against Industry averages, confidential report of findings and present strategy game plan to address company needs.
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For more information, visit the website
To subscribe or unsubscribe please email us.
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November 17, 2014
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Upcoming Events
Register online
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 11/17/2014
BASICS/Rotary Career Fair Committee
Monday, November 17, 1:30 p.m.
Devorris Center
WE-LEaD Committee
Tuesday, November 18, 8:00 a.m.
The Chamber
Non-Profit Marketing Subcommittee
Tuesday, November 18, 8:30 a.m.
Home Nursing Agency
Farm-City Committee
Wednesday, November 19, Noon
Hoss's - Duncansville
LBC Youth Committee
Wednesday, November 19, 3:30 p.m.
Chamber Office
Chamber Board of Directors
Thursday, November 20, 7:30 a.m.
Devorris Center
Follow The Chamber
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