Job Expo continues until 7 p.m. today
Chamber Board votes to table Transportation Resolution
Home & Garden Show budget gains approval
Attractions Roundtable to hold initial meeting tomorrow
Judicial officials to address Retail Rountable on theft
WE-LEaD Lunch 'n' Learn is Wednesday at Blairmont Club
Feathers to be keynote for Friday's safety program
GRYP planning "next" Leadership Conference
Chamber appeals to senators on Freight Rail Bill
Despite support, U.S. Senate fails to repeal mandate
Trade Show offering free marketing workshop
Chamber supporting Operation S.O.S. again in 2010
Piney-Mar Farm to host Down on the Farm
Congratulations . . .

Job Expo continues until 7 p.m. today 

If you are reading this issue of the Business Bulletin on Monday morning, the good news is that you still have a few hours left to check-out the Job Expo being held 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. today at the Blair County Convention Center . The Expo is the second part of a two-part event. Earlier, Congressman Shuster and three other speakers painted a broad picture of Blair County ’s economic future at the first-ever Economic Outlook, sponsored by The Chamber, ABCD Corporation and the Allegheny Mountains Convention & Visitors Bureau. One hundred forty persons attended the Outlook which is projected to be an annual event.  

Chamber Board votes to table Transportation Resolution  
A resolution on transportation funding initiated in The Chamber’s Transportation Committee and sent on to The Chamber’s Board of Directors for approval was tabled by the Board pending a more thorough examination process that will include the entire Chamber membership. “This resolution is well designed with a great deal of thought and consideration,” remarked Chamber Board Chair Bob Bilger of M&T Bank. “I applaud the work of the Transportation Committee.  But this issue is too important to rush and it’s essential that we get a better sense of what a larger segment of our members thinks about it.” So the Board has asked that The Chamber make the document available and that members react as they see fit. “The plan is to compile the data and vote on the resolution at the Oct. 21 Board meeting." 

Home & Garden Show budget gains approval
On the recommendation of The Chamber's Home & Garden Show Committee, The Chamber’s Board of Directors approved a budget for the 2011 Blair County Home & Garden Show. “In terms of dollars and sense, it’s fairly identical to the 2010 budget,” explained Stacy Hoover of The Chamber who oversees the planning and execution of the event. “Last year’s show exceeded our expectations for attendance and we’re hoping, as a committee, to build on those numbers and to attract additional exhibitors.” The 41st Annual Blair County Home & Garden Show will be held on March 4,5 and 6, 2011, at the Jaffa Shrine. As far as booth locations, past exhibitors have until Sept. 30 to retain their previous spots. After that, new exhibitors can select where they’d like to be.  To receive an application or for more information, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151 or go to the website.   

Attractions Roundtable to hold initial meeting tomorrow 
One of The Chamber’s newest Roundtable committees will have its initial meeting on Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Devorris Center . The Attractions Roundtable is comprised of business professionals from Chamber businesses that are destinations for people inside and outside Blair County either for education, social interaction or some specialty purpose. Roseanne Conrad of The Park at Morrisons Cove chairs the Attractions Roundtable; Barry Kumpf of the Blair County Convention Center is vice-chair. Anyone interested in being part of the Roundtable should contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151.  

Judicial officials to address Retail Rountable on theft 
Retail theft is a growing problem for Blair County retailers and much of the problem occurs once an arrest is made. To discuss ways to streamline the judicial process so that more retailers will agree to press charges when theft occurs, The Chamber’s Retail Roundtable will meet with Blair County Judge Jolene Kopriva, Assistant District Attorney Jackie Bernard and Magisterial District Judge Steve Jackson on Wednesday at 8:15 a.m. at the Devorris Center . “We’re anxious to gain a better understanding of how to make retail theft less desirable,” explained Joy Weidel of Logan Valley Mall who chairs the Retail Roundtable. For more information on the Retail Roundtable, contact Joe Hurd at 943-8151.  

WE-LEaD Lunch 'n' Learn is Wednesday at Blairmont Club 
Women need to take control of their financial futures if they hope to achieve financial independence. How? That question and many more will be answered at the next WE-LEaD Lunch ’n’ Learn program, scheduled for this Wednesday, Sept. 22 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at The Blairmont Club. Barbara Kooman, financial advisor at Kooman & Associates, will present, “Financial Empowerment: The Female Factor.” The cost to attend is $22 for Chamber Members, $17 if three or more from the same Chamber-Member business attends and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. Space is limited. Register today! 

Feathers to be keynote for Friday's safety program
The Chamber’s Safety Committee will open its 2010-11 workshop series on Sept. 24 with a half-day event at the Ramada Altoona Conference Center . The program, entitled “Drugs in the Workplace,” will begin with registration and a buffet breakfast at 7:30 a.m. followed by the program which runs until 11:30 a.m. Speakers for the workshop are Tom Churbock, Safety Coordinator at Appleton; Bobbie Miller, President/Owner of Advantage Resource Group; and Keynote Speaker Randy Feathers, Narcotics Agent in the Office of Attorney General. The cost to attend is $25 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. 

GRYP planning "next" Leadership Conference
The Chamber’s Growth and Relationships of Young Professionals (GRYP) will hold its first-ever Young Professional’s Leadership Conference titled "next" on Oct. 1 from 7:45 to noon at the Ramada Altoona Conference Center . The “next” speakers will share experiences, skills and innovative strategies to help young professionals prepare to take the next step in their organizations. Speakers are: Brian Brumbaugh from Preferred Healthcare System, Corey Gibbons from Veeder Root and John Apa from Sheetz, Inc. Keynote speaker for the event is Dr. Lori J. Bechtel-Wherry of Penn State Altoona. The cost to attend is $30 per person and $25 if three or more people attend from the same business. A special $15 rate is being offered to current college students. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet and refreshment break.  Saint Francis University is corporate sponsor of the Leadership Conference. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.

Chamber appeals to Senators on Freight Rail Bill
Blair County Chamber President Joe Hurd spoke to staffers from the offices of both Sen. Arlen Specter and Sen. Bob Casey last week to support S.3749 which calls for a 25 percent federal tax credit for qualified expenses that add additional freight rail capacity to our nation’s freight rail infrastructure. “It’s important to our business community that we expand our capabilities to move goods to and from our manufacturers and retailers,” Hurd pointed out. 

Despite support, U.S. Senate fails to repeal mandate

Despite the support of The Chamber’s Legislative Action Committee and individual letters from a number of Chamber Members, the U.S. Senate last Tuesday rejected measures that would either fully or partially repeal a mandate requiring businesses to file a 1099 form with the IRS for non-credit card purchases from other businesses totaling $600 or more per year. The mandate, scheduled to go into effect in 2012, is part of the healthcare reform bill passed earlier this year.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce intends to keep up the pressure to force some type of modification on the legislation.     

Trade Show offering free marketing workshop
Have you already made your plans to exhibit at the 2010 Central PA Regional Business & Industry Expo?  Are you thinking about exhibiting?  Then you should attend the free workshop being offered in cooperation with the Expo.  The date is September 30th from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m., the venue is the boardroom of the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County and the title of the workshop is, “Effective Marketing Through Trade Shows.”  The workshop will help you with all aspects of marketing before, during and after the trade show.  Call the CBICC today to register for the workshops at 234-1829.  To register for the Expo, download and return a registration form. For more information, contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151.

Chamber supporting Operation S.O.S. again in 2010
For the third consecutive year, The Chamber has committed its support to assist Operation S.O.S. (Support Our Soldiers). The effort was created to help make the holiday season a little brighter for American troops stationed overseas. Last year, Operation S.O.S. was able to send 327 holiday care packages to 475 soldiers in both the 82nd Airborne and the 96th Sustainment Brigade stationed in Iraq . To secure a list of desired items to be sent, call Gary Clare at Smith Furniture in Duncansville at 695-5635 or go to the website. Monetary gifts also are appreciated to help defray mailing costs.

Piney-Mar farm to host Down on the Farm
Piney-Mar Farm in Martinsburg will be the host of the Sept. 30 Down on the Farm event. Down on the Farm will feature live music from accomplished composer Zupe of Altoona, an all-you-can-eat pig roast and much more. Zupe has published works that have appeared on cable and network television programs. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. and the cost is $5 per person and includes the all-you-can-eat pig roast and all of the fixings, hay rides, ice cream from Ritchey's Dairy and more. Children under 12 are permitted for free. Register by calling The Chamber at 943-8151 or online. 

Congratulations . . .
. . . to the Leadership Blair County Class of 2009 whose class project of renovating a portion of Tyrone’s Joshua House required major fundraising efforts. The final numbers of that project, released just a few weeks ago, indicate that monetary donations and in-kind contributions totaled $74,622. A tremendous tribute to a terrific class. Great job!   

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