No Business Bulletin next week
Chamber schedule announced for Holiday Season
Time to update your Membership Directory information 
Board Chair selects appointees for 2011
No need to panic; Electricity discounts still available
InfoLaunch program helps protect businesses from data breaches
Television program on local retail runs through January
Lodging properties featured on "Blair County: It's Our Business"
Chamber to offer Quickbooks® Seminar in January
Chamber, Dale Carnegie to partner on "Skills for Success"
After Hours door prizes can benefit your business
Deadline for Canstruction® entries is Jan. 14
Congratulations . . .

No Business Bulletin next week
The Chamber will not publish a Business Bulletin during the week of Dec. 27 in observance of the Christmas holiday. The next issue of the publication will be emailed on Jan. 3, 2011.

Chamber schedule announced for Holiday Season  
The Blair County Chamber Office will be closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays on the following dates: December 23,24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31 and January 1 and 2. 

Time to update your membership Directory information
As The Chamber and Hampton Publishing continue the extensive task of preparing the 2011 Blair County Chamber County Profile, Membership Directory and Buyers Guide, it becomes important that Chamber Members provide accurate, up-to-date information for that publication. Take this opportunity to update contact information, key personnel and anything about your business that might have changed in the past year. Also, it’s a good time to provide email addresses of your staff people who you would like to have receive The Chamber’s Business Bulletin each week. Call The Chamber at 943-8151 for details or log onto the Members Only section of The Chamber website to update your information.  

Board Chair selects appointees for 2011
New Chamber Board Chair Ron Muffie of The Hite Company has named his three appointees to The Chamber Board of Directors for 2011.  The new board members, who will serve one year terms are: Dan Slep of the Altoona Mirror, Don Straub of Wal-Mart and Bill T. Ward of Ward Transport & Logistics. The three join the other 18 board members to complete the 21-member board.   

No need to panic; Electricity discounts still available 
Last Friday’s deadline to sign-on with The Chamber Electric Energy Program does not mean that Chamber Members can’t still secure discounts on electricity. "The different phases of the program mean that the percentages of the discounts may change to a certain degree," acknowledged Chamber President Joe Hurd. "But members who sign-on now will still pay less for electricity that they will be charged by Penelec if they choose not to take part in this program."  For information on how to be part of The Chamber program, contact The Chamber Office at 943-8151.   

InfoLaunch program helps protect businesses from data breaches
The Chamber’s newest affinity program will help Chamber Members to be protected in the event of data breaches associated with their businesses. The InfoLaunch Breach Ready program is accepting customers and the cost to participate - only $700 annually - is less than one-third of the cost for non-members. "This is true peace-of-mind," related Chamber President Joe Hurd. "So many of our businesses are vulnerable to breaches of data that they need some sort of protection. InfoLaunch is that protection." For further information, contact The Chamber at 943-8151.    

Television program on local retail runs through Janaury
"Retail and the Blair County Economy," a Chamber program in the "Blair County:  It's Our Business" series will run throughout December and January on Altoona Public Access Channel 14. The program will run on Mondays at 9 p.m. and on Wednesday’s at 11 a.m. Panelists for the retail program are: Don Beerbower of Beerbower Jewelers, Tom Irwin, Jr. of Fiore True Value, Matthew Miller of Best Buy, Dave Robbins of Martin's Food Store and Bill Thompson, Jr. of Thompson Pharmacy.  Carolyn Donaldson of WTAJ Your News Leader served as moderator.  Sponsors for the retail program are: Ace Fix-It Hardware, Altoona Wal-Mart, East Freedom Wal-Mart and Sprint.

Lodging properties featured on "Blair County: It's Our Business"
Another of The Chamber's television programs in the "Blair County: It's Our Business" series features the challenges and opportunities of Blair County's hotels, motels and lodging properties. "Staying Overnight in Blair County" will air every Wednesday at noon and 9 p.m. throughout December and January. Panelists for this program are: Dolly Kozlovac of Super 8 Motel, Rachael Lenhart of Ramada Altoona Conference Center, Sue St. Martin of Holiday Inn Express, Angelica Schaefer of Courtyard by Marriott and Kurt Stull of Comfort Suites Altoona. Carolyn Donaldson of WTAJ Your News Leader served as moderator. Sponsors of the program on hotels, motels and lodging properties are: A1 Altoona Taxi, Blair County Notary, Holiday Inn Express, Sprint, Super 8 Motel and Yellow Cab & Transfer.     

Chamber to offer Quickbooks® seminar in January
The Chamber and CPA Associates will offer a seminar on Quickbooks® to be held on Jan. 11, 2011 at The Casino at Lakemont Park . The program will be offered in two phases. Phase One will include a buffet breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m. and a presentation enitled "Manage Your Business Better in 2011 Using All the Capabilities of Quickbooks®."  Phase One will conclude at 9 a.m. From 9:15 to 11:30 a.m., Phase Two will feature a two-hour, in-depth overview of Quickbooks® that will cover topics like keeping track of accounts receivable and accounts payable by customer or vendor, how to pay employees correctly and assure accurate withholdings, how to generate the best reports for your needs and how to track deductible business expenses for easier tax preparation. The cost to attend just Phase One is $20 for Chamber Members and $30 for non-members. The cost to attend just Phase Two is $25 for Chamber Members and $35 for non-members. The cost to attend both is $40 for Chamber Members and $60 for non-members. To register, call The Chamber at 943-8151 or register online.     

Chamber, Dale Carnegie to partner on "Skills for Success"
The Chamber and Dale Carnegie Training are once again partnering on an educational program to assist in personal development. "Skills for Success" is an eight-week course that will be held at the Comfort Inn in Duncansville beginning on Jan. 25 and continuing each Tuesday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. The sessions include: Building a Foundation for Success, Putting Stress in Perspective, Inspiring Others and Demonstrating Leadership. To register, contact Jeff Davis at 931-1963.  

Congratulations . . .
. . . to Link Computer Corporation, which has achieved the Dell Enterprise Certification for desktops, laptops, servers and storage and has achieved the “Top Reseller Status” in Pennsylvania.      

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