Business Briefs
August 31, 2007
IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
Travel & Tourism Update
The Visitor Center assisted 7439 visitors in the month of July and 7038 in August for a grand total of 14,471 visitors. The centers weekend hours have been very successful averaging 400 – 500 visitors on Saturday (open 10am -4pm) and 100 -150 visitors on Sunday (open 1-4pm). The center operates on Holidays and will be open this Labor Day weekend. Over 4466 visitor guides were mailed during July and August to those who requested the brochure from the www.visitmayberry.com website and through publications such as Southern Living, Oprah, Blue Ridge Parkway, Blue Ridge Country.
Surry County Tourism Information – NC Department of Commerce/NC Division of Tourism figures www.nccommerce.com
Visitors to Surry County spent $77.93 million dollars in 2006 an increase of 9% from 2005. Out of 100 counties Surry County ranked #30 in counties with the highest increase. Total payroll n Surry County was over 12 million dollars and travel and tourism directly employs 690 people in Surry County. Sales tax generated in Surry County totaled $4.3 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. Approximately $1.76 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.
The Surry County Agricultural Fair is September 17th – 22nd.
The 18th Annual Mayberry Days is set for September 27th – 30th.
The Chamber is gearing up for the 41st Annual Autumn Leaves Festival which will be October 12th, 13th & 14th. Vendor participation is up and we are planning for another record breaking festival!
Membership/Communication
Business after Hours
· September 6, 2007 5:30pm – 7:00pmSagebrush Steakhouse
· September 20, 2007 5:30pm – 7:00pm Bright Leaf Drive-in
· October 25, 2007 5:30pm – 7:00pm Rogers Realty
· November 8, 2007 5:30pm- 7:00pm Thompson House Bed & Breakfast
· November 15, 2007 5:30 – 7:00pm Mount Airy Diner
· December 6, 2007 5:30pm -7:00pm Duke Energy
This is a great way to show off your business while meeting and networking with other Chamber Members and their guests!
For more information about planning a Business after Hours event call the office today…336-786-6116 X 4
Welcome New Members
· Majure Skin Care & Wellness Center - offers numerous non-surgical aesthetic procedures and treatments proven to achieve exceptional results.336-786-6945. CEO is David A. Majure, MD and General Manger, Carla Majure. Majure Skin Care & Wellness Center is located at 2007 North Main Street, Mount Airy.336-786-6945, www.majureskincare.com
· NC & Virginia Properties, LLC – Real-estate Company licensed in NC & Va. Serving the Piedmont, Foothills and Southern Virginia. Specializing in residential and land sales. Owned by Susie Slate Seas. NC & VA Properties is located at 535 East Pine Street Suite 201 Mount Airy. 336-789-2856 www.NC-VA-Realestate.com
· Big Sheep Communications – 164 Fernbrook Place, Mount Airy. 786-755-3050 www.bigsheep.biz. Professional writing for businesses both large and small, web content, press releases, ghost writing, professional bios, corporate communications and more. Powerful ideas, eloquent words and exceptional results. Contact Lisa Clark, Creative Director for Big Sheep Communications.
· Sonbert Security Systems, Inc. 505 Harvey Street Winston Salem, NC. 336-768-0388. www.sonbertsecurity.com Home, commercial, industrial fire and burglar alarms, CCTV systems, access controls. Private investigations; background, security and credit checks. Alarm monitoring and fire testing. Contact Christi Sonbert, Vice President for a consultation.
· Jack Thomas – 615 Biltmore Ave. Apt. N-5 Asheville, NCBrushysage@bellsouth.net; RELOCATING to Mount Airy within the month. Jack is a writer who is currently working on a book about Madison County NC.
· Thompson House Bed & Breakfast – 804 East Pine Street Mount Airy. 336-719-0711. Mark Smith and wife Bonnie have relocated from Cary NC and have recently purchased the Thompson House B&B. Mark and Bonnie are interested in promoting local tourism and becoming members of our community. http://www.bbonline.com/nc/thompsonhouse/index.html
Chamber Surprise Patrol
TheChamber Surprise Patrol paid a surprise visit to Michella Huff and the City of Mount Airy Landscape Division. The staff was greeted by the Chamber Ambassadors with cookies, candy and balloons. The Chamber Surprise Patrol just wanted to let these Chamber members know how much we appreciate their support of the chamber andhow lucky we are to have such breathtaking plants and flowers throughout the city. Photos from the surprise visits are on our website. The Chamber Surprise Patrol will be making surprise visits at least twice a month…will you be next?
Upcoming Chamber Events/Programs/Meetings
· September 4, 2007 - Ribbon Cutting 10:00am– Majure Skin Care & Wellness Center 2007North Main Street Mount Airy
· September 6, 2007 – Open House 11:00am – 5:30pm Park Avenue Limousine 502 West Lebanon Street, Mount Airy
· September 8, 2007 – Grand Opening & Open house 5:00pm-8:00pm Rogers Realty 1310 EMS Drive, Mount Airy
· September 29, 2007 – Customer Appreciation 12noon – 4:00pmCarolina Carports Andy Griffith Parkway/Hwy 52 S Mount Airy
Public Policy
Candidates Forum
Tuesday October 2, 2007 The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce will host a “Candidates Forum”. This forum is an opportunity for the community to hear from the seven candidates vying for city council seats. The candidates will be asked a range of questions covering topics such as: 1) annexation, 2) local economy, 3) tourism, 4) citizens services; i.e. water/sewer/garbage, streets, recreation, Police Department and Fire Department, 5) zoning and 6) revenue; taxes/fees. After the question and response phase of the forum each candidate will be invited to offer closing remarks where each will have an opportunity to summarize their individual campaign platforms for the voters
The event will be held at the Andy Griffith Playhouse, 218 Rockford Street, beginning at 7:00pm. The forum is free to the public.
Washington Fly-In
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is hosting an annual business and economic summit, entitled “The Washington Perspective” in Washington DC on Monday October 1st and Tuesday October 2nd. Co-hosts of this year’s event include US Representative G.K. Butterfield, Bob Etheridge, Robin Hayes, Walter Jones, Melvin Watt, Mike McIntyre and Heath Shuler. The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is gathering information regarding accommodations and flight schedules, etc for our membership. If you are interested in being a part of our delegation please email: president1@mtairyncchamber.org or admin@mtairyncchamber.org or call the chamber office at 786-6116.
Business Development
The Business Development committee has been hard at work developing a strategy that will aid local small businesses and enhance their growth potential. The committee will work in partnership with Surry Community College’s Small Business Center, SCORE and the Surry County Economic Development Partnership. Below you will find the committee’s mission statement and upcoming flyer that will be published in our local media outlets.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce Business Development Committee is to act as a catalyst and facilitator in enhancing business growth in the Greater Mount Airy community.
Resources and Answers:
? “How can I make my business profitable?”
? “I have a great idea for a business, how do I get started?”
? “My existing facility is no longer a good fit for my business - how do I go about relocating my company to Mount Airy?”
? “How can I determine whether or not it’s economically feasible to expand my business and open additional locations?”
Many business owners and would-be entrepreneurs face these issues everyday. Running a business or thinking about starting one can be daunting, but we’re here to help! The Business Development Committee is your link to the business resources and answers you need. The Committee provides a forum for business owners, employees, and people who are thinking about launching their own businesses to ask questions and express concerns. On a regular basis the Committee will respond to some
of the questions in a special column in local newspapers, while other questions will receive a response via email.
Our community is endowed with an abundance of business resources and expertise – invaluable assets in the on-going process of strengthening our local economy. The committee is dedicated to connecting our local business owners with the resources they need to be successful.
Chamber Members:
Are you having trouble finding the resources you need to grow your business? Do you need to relocate your business or develop new locations? Please let us know what you need, so we can help. Our Committee is designed to be a helpful and confidential resource for your company.
General Public:
Do you have a business idea that you think will work but don’t know where to start? Do you have an idea that might attract a new business or complement an existing business in our community? We can help you locate the resources you need to successfully develop your ideas.
Please send your questions, responses, and comments to:
The Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce, Attn: Business Development Committee
200 North Main Street, Mount Airy, NC 27030
Phone: 336-786-6116 x 6 , Fax: 336-786-1488, or email: president1@mtairyncchamber.org
Give your business every chance for success; ask SCORE for FREE Business advice. Thinking of starting your own business or if you are already in business our SCORE local chapter can guide you through the process with confidential no-charge business counseling sessions for as long as you need, to make your business a success.
Learn to write a business plan, apply for a loan, update your marketing plan, improve your cost management and examine ways to face those profitability challenges while becoming a more confident business owner. The local SCORE chapter has one-hour confidential counseling Services. SCORE not only serves the new potential business owners BUT existing businesses. Contact Membership Specialist Robin Dollyhigh at (336) 786-6116 to schedule an appointment.
Education/Workforce Development
Youth Leadership
The Education Support Committee will kickoff Youth Leadership on September 19th at Raven Knob Camp with the first session. The top 20% of local high school juniors were given the application & essay and recommendation letters at the beginning of school. Students apply for this program through an application/interview process. Twenty Five juniors are selected from the five local high schools to participate in the program that consists of 7 sessions. The sessions will address topics such as Leadership Skills & Developing Team Building, History of Surry County, Economic Development, Health & Wellness and Education, Law Enforcement and Local Government, State Government with a trip to Raleigh, and a year End Celebration and Year End Review. Youth Leadership is patterned after the adult Leadership program.
Teacher Incentive Packages
The Chamber of Commerce recently delivered over 150 Teacher Incentive Packages to the Surry County Schools, Mount Airy City Schools, Millennium Charter Academy and Surry Community College. Over 50 local businesses participated in this year’s package offering discounts/gift certificates and specials for the new incoming teachers. The estimated value of the total package being $5,000. This program is very appreciated by our new teachers and is yet another way that the Chamber and the Education Support Committee work to enhance and support our educational systems. Thank you to our member businesses who took part in this package!
YIELD
Youth Interested in Economics, Leadership and Decision-Making. The kick off for YIELD is October 24th at Raven Knob Camp with Leadership being the topic for the fall one day session. The spring one day session will address Economic Development.
Learning Ventures Grants
Applications for the Learning Ventures Grants were to be available to the teachers at the start of this school year. EMBARQ funds $2500 for five $500 grants that all local teachers can apply for. These grants are used for programs that our local school systems can not fund and all applicants must meet the committees established set of criteria to be considered.
Chamber Member Programs
New Program
TheMember to Member Discount Program – Would you like to increase your customer traffic? Want to add Chamber Members to your regular list of customers?The Member to Member Discount Program is a unique opportunity for any business member that wants to expand their customer base and to keep local $$$ here at home. To preview the Member to Member program click on http://www.mtairyncchamber.org click on the membership information and scroll down to Member to Member program tab. To sing up for this program or for additional information contact Robin Dollyhigh, Membership Specialist at 336-786-6116 X 4.
Ongoing Programs
The Good Neighbors Program has been a big success from the member’s standpoint and from the Chambers standpoint. We have been able to sit down and talk face to face with our members without taking away from their daily work routines by having lunch together. Thanks to our Chamber member, Sagebrush for making the Good Neighbor’s Program possible. Photos from previous Good Neighbors Program are on our website. We hope to be contacting your business to join us for lunch real soon!
Gifts/Rewards/Incentives
Looking for an employee gift, reward, incentive … while keeping dollars in the community? CertifiChecks is a gift certificate program offered by the GMACC redeemable only at Chamber member businesses. Log on to www.mtairyncchamber.org : go to Membership Information tab - Chamber Benefits tab.
Chamber’s monthly calendar along with current event photos can be viewed at www.mtairyncchamber.org …just click on chamber calendar tab. Community events and entertainment can be viewed by clicking on the community events tab. We encourage you to visit the Chamber calendar so that you don’t miss any of our upcoming events and programs and to visit the community event calendar so you can support local events!
Office Information
Microsoft Office 2007
I don’t know if any of you have experienced receiving a document from someone who is using a 2007 Microsoft program and you have not been able to read it. Here in the chamber office Robin has 2007 Microsoft and I have been unable to read some of her documents so I ask one of our chamber members, A+ Computer Services to help me. Here is the add-on that I installed and since then I have been able to read documents from the 2007 program. Hope it helps you to!
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word/HA100444731033.aspx
Announcements
· Daniel J. Sullivan and Adam P. Godfrey were appointed to the board of directors of Pike Electric Corp. in Mount Airy. Sullivan is the retired chief executive of FedEx Ground Package Systems Inc. Godfrey is a partner with Lindsay Goldberg & Bessemer.
· John S. Clark Co. LLC in Mount Airy has promoted Greg Marshall to vice president and chief financial officer. He was the controller and secretary/treasurer. .Keith Venable was promoted to treasurer and controller. He was the controller and assistant secretary/treasurer.
· National Payroll Week — September 3-7, 2007 National Payroll Week celebrates the hard work by America's 146 million wage earners and the payroll professionals who pay them. Together, through the payroll withholding system, they contribute, collect, report and deposit approximately $1.6 trillion, or 64.3%, of the annual revenue of the U.S. Treasury.
· The Reserves Network announces Jennifer Atkins as Account Executive. The Reserves Network, Total Staffing Solutions. Jennifer can be reached at 336.835.2559 (Office) or 336.429.6464 (cell).
Congratulations
· B. Mark Rogers, an auctioneer with Rogers Realty, was elected treasurer of the National Auctioneers Association at its recent conference.
· Charlotte Business Journal has announced that General Contractor, John S. Clark Company, LLC ranked in the Top 5 General Contractors in the North Carolina Metro Area, completing $251,154,328 in revenue during 2006. The Charlotte Business Journal ranks each firm based on contracting revenue earned in 2006. In addition to the traditional role of general contractor, John S. Clark Company, LLC also has extensive experience with construction management as well as fully integrated design/build construction. Clark has core competencies in industrial, retail, health sciences, office and commercial construction. The company has four full service offices in North Carolina and performs work in 24 states and Canada.
· WorkForce Carolina has been recognized as #2 in Best Places to Work in the small business category with 50 or less employees by The Triad Business Journal. WorkForce Carolina achieved a total score of 96.93 Employees sited Teresa Lewis, President for valuing their opinions and fostering a team oriented culture.
· Surrey Bank & Trust has been recognized as #16 of the Largest Community Banks in the Triad by The Business Journal. Rankings are by deposits in the triad.
In the News
· Surry County’s unemployment rate drops to 5.1%. In July the rate dipped to 5.4% down from 5.5% in June. Local employment officials expect the numbers to rise with as workers exhaust their severance packages. The statewide July unemployment rate also decreased to 5.1%.
· Since 1987, North Carolina’s biotechnology industry has become the third largest in the nation, with about 400 biotechnology and related life sciences companies employing about 48,000 people. The statewide strategic plan for biotechnology development calls for North Carolina to have 125,000 biotech-related jobs by 2023.
A trained work force is essential to creating and filling those jobs.
· The N.C. Board of Transportation approved contracts for four Triad road projects at its monthly meeting in Raleigh; one project that was approved is for SURRY COUNTY. A $5 million contract to repave 5.5 miles of I-74 from I-77 to US 601 in Surry County was awarded to Adams Construction Co. of Roanoke, VA That project can begin as early as late August, with completion scheduled for late November. The Surry County project is being financed with Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles, or Garvee bonds, which allow the acceleration of federal funding to help finance projects sooner to avoid cost increases.
· WIRED
Piedmont Triad Partnership Awards Third and Fourth Round of WIRED Focus Grants
· Action Greensboro - (Target cluster: All)
· Forsyth Technical Community College - (Target cluster: Health care)
· Thomasville City Schools - (Target clusters: All)
· FIRST, For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology – (Target cluster – All)
· Davidson Community College – (Target cluster – Health care)
The Piedmont Triad Partnership is offering all three of the WIRED Focus Grants -- Focus Talent Development Grants, Focus Entrepreneurial Job Creation/Training Grants, and Focus Workforce Training Grants -- monthly until November, 2007.
A Grants Application Guide with complete eligibility requirements and detailed application instructions, along with an application form for each grant program, is now available at: http://www.wired.piedmonttriadnc.com.
Requests for technical assistance or further information should be emailed to: wiredgrants@piedmonttriadnc.com;
Piedmont Triad Partnership 7025 Albert Pick Rd, Suite 303 Greensboro, NC 27409
Phone: 336-668-4556
Email: wiredgrants@piedmonttriadnc.com Web: http://www.wired.piedmonttriadnc.com;
Informative web-sites
North Carolina Chamber of Commerce Institute for a competitive workforce
http://www.ncchamber.net www.ncchamber.com/icw
Piedmont Triad Partnership A Service of the NC Dept. of Commerce Business Rec http://www.investnc.com/
http://www.piedmonttriadnc.com
United State Chamber of Commerce
www.uschamber.com
N.C. LEGISLATION NEWS
To look up a N.C. bill to view the full text and find its status, visit http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/gascripts/BillLookUp/BillLookUp.pl
Last Action on Bills with Actions in 2007http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/lastaction/lastaction.pl?bPrintable=true&Biennium=2007&SessionNumber=1&StartIndex=100
The North Carolina Chamber's two-part newsletter called THIS WEEK AT THE CAPITAL has moved to the Chamber's website. Check out the Chamber's Competitiveness Update for new bills and changes in status on recurring bills as well as read about the hot topics in the capital city this week: http://www.ncchamber.net/mx/hm.asp?id=ThisWeek
Mission Statement
The mission of the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is to be the leading advocate for business, to facilitate community alliances, to provide valuable benefits and services to our members, all in a financially responsible manner.
Contact us at…….
Phone: (336) 786-6116 Website: www.mtairyncchamber.org Email: admin@mtairyncchamber.org
Fax: (336) 786-1488 Email: president1@mtairyncchamber.org
Email: membership@mtairyncchamber.org
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