Chamber office closed Monday
Blair Business Mirror hits the streets tomorrow
Finance Committee to get first look at 2011 budget
Altoona Hotel to host Tuesday's "Green Drinks"
Thursday's Breakfast Club will focus on mid-term elections
Safety Committee Certification Workshop set for Friday
GRYP Halloween Networking Happy Hour at U.S. Hotel
Business Hall of Fame Dinner only one week away
WE-LEaD networking targets business women
Deputy Ag Secretary keynote for Farm-City Dinner
Marketing to customers topic of October Lunch 'n' Learn 
Business After Hours has vacancy for February
Know a Chamber member not receiving the Business Bulletin?
Congratulations . . .

Chamber office closed Monday
The Blair County Chamber Office will be closed today, Oct. 11, in recognition of Columbus Day. The Office will re-open Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. To register for Chamber programs or events, visit The Chamber website.  

Blair Business Mirror hits the streets tomorrow  

Farm-City Month will be the focus of the next Blair Business Mirror as the cover feature will look at several key individuals and businesses that help promote local agriculture. The publication also includes a story on the Teeter Group as well as a look at a college professor who has helped make the Blair County Business Hall of Fame event such an ongoing success. The Blair Business Mirror is a supplement to the Altoona Mirror on the second Tuesday of each month. A copy is then mailed to each Chamber-member business. 

Finance Committee to get first look at 2011 Budget

GRYP Halloween Networking Happy Hour at U.S. Hotel
The Chamber’s Growth and Relationships of Young Professionals (GRYP) will hold a Halloween Happy Hour from 6 to 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 15 at the U.S. Hotel Restaurant and Tavern. There will be a Halloween costume contest with a $50 gift certificate awarded to the best costume. There is no charge to attend for GRYP members and a $5 charge for non-members. The event includes free appetizers and a cash bar. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. 

Business Hall of Fame Dinner only one week away
The Chamber’s Business Hall of Fame Dinner will once again create an opportunity for the Blair County business community to pay tribute to the many outstanding businesses and organizations that help make our area a great place to live and work. This year’s dinner will be held next Monday, Oct. 18 at the Blair County Convention Center beginning with a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 6:45 p.m. The 2010 Hall of Fame class will consist of Boyer Candy, Digital Solutions/Inmate Telephone, Inc., Spring Cove School District and U.S Foodservice – Western PA Group. The Logan House enters the Hall in the Heritage category. The General Awards of Distinction also feature some familiar names. In the Excellence in Small Business Category, Allegheny Supply and Maintenance Company and Beatty’s Carpet Cleaners will be honored. Young Emerging Business honorees will be art4 . . . inc. and Freedom Excursions by Scully, LLC. AMTRAN and PC Works Plus will receive Technology awards and the Committee Choice Award will go to The Miracle League. For reservations, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.   

WE-LEaD networking targets business women
Business women who understand and appreciate the value of effective networking are invited to attend the next WE-LEaD networking event on Oct. 25 from 5 to 7:00 p.m. at Marzoni’s in Duncansville. Great hot hors d’oeuvres, excellent cold beverages and a terrific forum for interactive networking are all part of this night. The cost is just $12 for Chamber members and $20 for non-members. Corporate host is Evolution Physical Therapy & Wellness Studio. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. WE-LEaD is an acronym for Women Encouraging – Leadership, Education and Development.  It is a program of the Blair County Chamber of Commerce. 

Deputy Ag Secretary keynote for Farm-City Dinner
Mike Pechart, Pennsylvania ’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, will be the keynote speaker at The Chamber’s Annual Farm-City Dinner, set for Oct. 26 at The Park at Morrisons Cove. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a Milk-Punch Reception followed by dinner at 7 p.m. A major focus of the Farm-City Dinner is the presentation of the Agricultural Community Excellence (ACE) Award which this year goes to David and Janet Hileman of Hilecrest Farm in Sinking Valley . The Hileman’s have been instrumental in helping young people from throughout Blair County to better understand the importance of agriculture on the local economy. What has changed about the 2010 dinner is that for the first time, the event has been moved from the banquet hall to the gym at The Park at Morrisons Cove to better accommodate the crowd. What hasn’t changed is that the dinner itself will once again be turkey and all the fixings served family-style, and for only $15 a person. To register, contact The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. 

Marketing to customers topic of October Lunch 'n' Learn
Marketing is not just about finding ways to bring-in new customers.  It’s also about hanging-on to the ones you have. How do you effectively accomplish customer retention? That question, and many more, will be the basis of The Chamber’s October Lunch ’n’ Learn program, set for Thursday, Oct. 21 from noon to 1:15 p.m. at Park Hills Country Club. Mike Cox, President of Nittany Business Coaching in State College , will present: “How to Market Effectively to Your Existing Customers.” The cost to attend the Lunch ’n’ Learn is $22 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. Lunch and materials are included in the cost. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online. 

Business After Hours has vacancy for February 
A scheduling conflict has created an opportunity for a Chamber Member-business to host the Business After Hours in February of 2011. Anyone who is interested should contact Stacy Hoover at 943-8151.  

Know a Chamber Member not receiving the Business Bulletin? 
The Business Bulletin is published each Monday morning and is emailed to more than 3,000 subscribers to help them keep apprised of what’s happening at The Chamber. There is no cost to receive it, so if you know of someone who’s not getting it, send us their email and we’ll add them to the list. Email addresses should be sent to Mike McMullen.  

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