Business Briefs
May 4, 2007
IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
6TH ANNUAL CHAIRMAN’S CUP GOLF TOURNAMENT
MAY 24, 2007
PILOT KNOB COUNTRY CLUB
Enjoy a fun filled day of networking and golf!
This year’s tournament is scheduled for Thursday, May 24th at Pilot Knob Country Club. Your participation in the areas finest one-day tournament should provide outstanding networking opportunities, a chance to win outstanding prizes and to have a good time on the golf course.
FORMAT: Captain’s Choice/ 18 Holes – 4 person teams
ENTRY FEE: $80.00 per person
$300.00 per team (enter as a team)
FEE INCLUDES: Green fees and cart, refreshments during play, lunch will be served in the dining room beginning at 11:30am.
PRIZES: Grand Prize for winning team.
Raffle tickets will be sold for other prizes.
If you need more information, please call:
Tonda Hall Mount Airy Chamber Melissa White
786-1004 786-6116 789-3682
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Applications Open for WIRED Focus Grants
Applications are now being accepted for first-round WIRED Focus Grants for applicants in the twelve-county Piedmont Triad region. These grants address foundational training needs on which cluster roundtables can build and offer future training after they have identified skills gaps in the targeted cluster areas of Advanced Manufacturing, Logistics and Distribution, Creative Enterprises/Arts and Healthcare.
Three separate types of grants are available:
- Focus Talent Development Grants are available to fund demonstration projects in curriculum development, identification and dissemination of career information and supply chain education. Individuals, businesses, trade associations, educational institutions, community based organizations, and Workforce Development Boards may submit an application for a project impacting one of the identified target clusters.
- Focus Entrepreneurial Job Creation/Training Grants are available to entrepreneurs with high growth potential who can create high skill/high wage jobs in the identified cluster areas and offer training to new employees.
- Focus Workforce Training Grants will use ACT WorkKeys system to profile jobs, assess workers and provide remedial training necessary to prepare incumbent workers for future high skill/high wage training. Businesses in the identified targeted industry clusters are invited to work with their local Workforce Development Board to submit an application for these grants.
A Grants Application Guide with complete eligibility requirements and detailed application instructions along with an application form for each type of grant 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
Benefits of being a Chamber Member
Your Business Information - Current information on your business is critical to our website and database. Please check your business contacts, address, email addresses, etc. and let us know of any corrections or changes that need to be made. This information is not only how we communicate with you but also how the entire membership and website visitors communicate with you and your business.
Online Access to the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce website - You have been provided with a Username and Password that will give you access to features and functions found at the Chamber website http://www.mtairyncchamber.org, use this feature.
Website Listing –Your business can stand out from the rest by upgrading to the Enhanced Listing. The Chamber can now offer a business an upgrade to their listing with the Enhanced Listing. This special feature enables the business to include up to two (2) photos and a description along with the other website listing features.
Our Chamber website statistics for the past 9 months ………..
August 2006 222,452 website hits 8590 visits
September 2006 86,429 website hits 10,331 visits
October 2006 3,022 website hits 13,942 visits
November 2006 210,245 website hits 7262 visits
December 2006 163, 422 website hits 9280 visits
January 2007 194,638 website hits 9226 visits
February 2007 120,227 website hits 6702 visits
March 2007 130,685 website hits 8454 visits
April 2007 135,618 website hits 8056 visits
Thru May 4, 2007 14,934 website hits 955 visits
1,479,113 hits 82,798 visits
Who is visiting our Website? University of Leipzig – Germany, NC AT&T - NC , Austrade – South Africa
Where are our visitors from? 94% North America, 3% Asia, 3% Europe
What search engines are our visitors using to find us? Google 56%, MSN 20%, Yahoo 15%, AOL 7% and others 2%
For more information on business information updates, online access to the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce website or website listing please call Robin Dollyhigh our Membership Specialist at 786-6116 ext. 4
Visitor Center Update
In the month of April 2007 there were 2,749 Visitors who came into the Visitors Center. (In April 2006 we had 1,492)
Top States that Visitors traveled from included-NC, OH, VA, FL, TN (Many from PA, IN)
We had several International Visitors: 23 from Canada in the month of April. We also had Visitors from Cuba, Puerto Rico, Europe (10), China, Brazil, Holland, El Salvador and Ecuador.
When the Visitors were asked how they heard about Mount Airy their top Reponses in April were: Friend, Word of Mouth, NC Travel Guide, AAA Magazine Ad, Southern Living Ad and The Andy Griffith Show.
New Programs
The Chamber Surprise Patrol paid a surprise visit to John Springthorpe, President of SouthData on April 3rd a surprise visit to Kendra Garaventa and her staff at WorkForce Carolina on April 12th. SouthData and Workforce Carolina were greeted by 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! Photos from the surprise visit are on our website. The Chamber Surprise Patrol will be making surprise visits at least twice a month…will you be next?
The Member 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. Additional information about the program and how to get involved will be emailed out to our membership within the next couple of weeks or for additional information contact Robin Dollyhigh, Membership Specialist at 336-786-6116 X 4.
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!
Ongoing Programs
SCORE- 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.
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.
****Nurses Week**** May 6th – 12th, award, thank and appreciate with a CertifiCheck gift certificate.
Upcoming Chamber Events
· May 7, 2007 9:15am Chamber Speaks: Live on WSYD Radio1300am station Vice-Chair Melissa White will talk about Chamber membership
· May 15, 2007 Executive Board meeting 10:00am Chamber Board Room
· May 17, 2007 Chamber Board Meeting 8:00am Hampton Inn Board Room
· May 21, 2007 9:15am Chamber Speaks: Live on WSYD Radio 1300am station
· May 24, 2007 Annual Golf Outing Pilot Knob Park and Country Club
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!
Business after Hours
· May 10, 2007 – 5:30pm--7:00pm Something Different on Main
· May 17, 2007 5:30pm --7:00pm Carolina West Wireless
· June 7, 2007 5:30pm--7:00pm Lone Star Steak House
· June 14, 2007 5:30pm-- 7:00pm Wolf Creek Farm
· July 5, 2007 – 5:30pm -- 7:00pm Greystone Condominiums
· August 2, 2007 5:30pm --7:00pm RBC Centura
· September 6, 2007 5:30pm -- 7:00pm Sagebrush Steakhouse
**We are currently scheduling 2007 Business after Hours events and we would love to include your business on our calendar. ** The interest has been so great that we are booking more than one Business after Hours a month! 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
Congratulations
The 2007 Administrative Professionals Day Luncheon was held on Wednesday April 25, 2007 at Cross Creek Country Club with over 200 chamber members in attendance. The Chamber Ambassadors planned, produced and executed Saturday Night Live…..in Mayberry…a fabulous program with wonderful entertainment and a ton of laughter!! Our Event Sponsors were Ablest Staffing, J.G. Coram, Pine State Corporate Apparel, RBC Centura and WorkForce Carolina.
Congratulations to
Mary Walker White
of
Surry Community College
2007Administrative Professional of the Year
Announcements
· More Books, Please is community fund raising campaign sponsored by the Mount Airy Library.
The Mission of More Books, Please is to improve the quality of live of every citizen; children, young adults seniors, everyone, who lives within the service area of the Mount Airy Library. Your donations will be used to strengthen the following collections: children’s, modern fiction, classic fiction, large print books, electronic formats, research collections, business collection and biographies. Please send your donation to the Mount Airy Public Library, Books For Our Community 145 Rockford Street Mount Airy NC 27030.
· IESNewsNorth Carolina State Industrial Extension Service (IES) provides professional education and technical assistance to businesses and industries in lean, Six Sigma, ISO/TS 16949:2002, ISO 9001:2000; ISO 14001, safety and health management systems and more to improve productivity, profitability and competitiveness. Courses and Events begin next week and run through August. For more details www.ies.ncsu.eduor contact Dennis Atkins in Dobson at 336.362.5170
Did You Know
· Toyota has surpassed General Motors in vehicle sells. Toyota sold 2.35 million vehicles globally to GM’s 2.26 million.
· National Association of Realtors predict a fall of 0.07% in home prices which would mark the first annual drop since the Great Depression era.
· Europe is now ahead of the U.S. in mergers and acquisitions; Europe $495 billion compared to U.S. $442 billion.
· Some Western designers are now using Tokyo as a testing ground for new fashion concepts offering products in Japan before rolling them out globally.
· In the past year, banks and private investment have fallen in love with public infrastructure, smitten by the cash flow that roads, bridges, airports, parking garages and shipping ports generate. With state and local leaders scrambling for cash to solve short-term fiscal problems the conditions are ripe for buying and selling of public property. Governments are finding infrastructure privatization politically preferable to raising taxes. A few of the deals that have sold so far include: Chicago Skyway- $1.8 billion, Pocahontas Parkway (VA) - $611 million, Indiana Toll Road - $3.8 billion, Chicago Downtown Parking System - $563 million. Other properties under consideration for long- term lease deals with private investors: Pennsylvania Turnpike, New York Thruway/Tappan Zee Bridge, Indiana Lottery, Chicago Midway Airport and New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Pky., Atlantic City Expressway.
· Which Brick-and –Mortar retailer attracts the most shoppers to its Internet store? JC Penney! In the first quarter, jcp.com drew 920,000 shoppers which put them in the same company of eBay, Amazon.com, Ticketmaster, and Bertlsmann’s online music business. When Penney’s launched its Web site in 1994, it sold one product: Power Rangers. Penney’s has one of the most productive Web sites among mainstream retailers. Internet sales accounted for 6% of Penney’s total sales in 2006. The average age of online shoppers is 25 to 35 years old. Last year online sales totaled $1.3 billion.
Informative web-sites
North Carolina Chamber of Commerce Institute for a competitive workforce
http://www.ncchamber.net www.ncchamber.com/icw
A Service of the NC Dept. of Commerce Business Recruitment
http://www.investnc.com/
Piedmont Triad Partnership
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
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
Fax: (336) 786-1488