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The Voice of Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce Helping
FOCUS: Travel & Tourism, Hotels/Bed & Breakfasts, Business Products & Services, Retail, Special Items and Catering MAY 2014 The Voice of Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce Helping Clients Solve Problems and Capitalize on New Opportunities Read more on page 19. table of contents Chairman’s Message .............................. 3 Your Chamber .................................. 4, 6-7 LBCCC Ambassadors Young Professionals Happy Hour held at Irish Rover Station House Chinese Business Culture 101 – Closing the Cultural Gap Lieutenant Governor James Cawley speaks to LBCCC Leadership Bucks County, sponsored by PECO, focuses on People Management and Financial Management Message from the President Welcome New Members ........................ 5 Advertisers’ Web Sites ............................. 8 Business Briefs ......................... 8, 14, 17-18 Events & Committee Calendar .............. 9 ECONference ........................................ 10 Business Card Exchange ....................... 11 Focus Now ........................................12-13 Travel & Tourism, Hotels/Bed & Breakfasts, Business Products & Services, Retail, Special Items and Catering Membership Application .................15-16 Spotlight on Hill Wallack LLP ................. 19 lbccc outlook may 2014 Ad Size Business Card 1/6 page 1/4 page 1/3 page H 1/3 page V 1/2 page H 1/2 page V Full page Back Cover Inserts 2 Dimensions 1 Mo. 3.5”W x 2”H $ 164 3.5”W x 3.5”H $ 248 3.5”W x 5”H $ 350 7.5”W x 3.5”H $ 409 3.5”W x 7”H $ 409 7.5”W x 5”H $ 619 3.5”W x 10”H $ 619 7.5”W x 10”H $ 1,099 7.5”W x 5”H $ 840 non-profit: $442 $630 3 Mo. $ 152 $ 229 $ 320 $ 391 $ 391 $ 577 $ 577 $ 1,055 $ 768 $600 6 Mo. $ 141 $ 213 $ 290 $ 361 $ 361 $ 551 $ 551 $ 1,033 $ 726 $570 12 Mo. $ 127 $ 199 $ 271 $ 337 $ 337 $ 530 $ 530 $ 1,010 $ 702 $539 Cover Description Pictured: Hill Wallack LLP attorneys and staff gather in a Yardley office conference room. Photography by: Lynn Goodwin, Photos by Lynn Advertising, Design & Layout Angelmark Associates, Inc. - Lisa Kruse 35 Stoopville Road, Newtown, PA 18940 215.860.3090 INSERTS: Once copy is approved by Chamber, Customer supplies 1,600 copies directly to Printers office. Printing Prestige Color 19 Prestige Ln., Lancaster, PA 17603 717.278.6978 BLACK & WHITE ADS: Deduct $25 from standard ad rates. Publisher Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce 409 Hood Blvd., Fairless Hills, PA 19030 Phone: 215.943.7400 Fax: 215.943.7404 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.lbccc.org DESIGN INFORMATION: Camera ready ads are encouraged, however ads can be produced. Design Fee: If necessary, a one time design fee includes: One scanned image, logo and typesetting. Camera ready laser copy provided for future use. Business Card:$55,1/6 pg:$80,1/4 pg:$100,1/3 pg:$160,1/2 pg:$190 & Full Pg:$225 COVER: 4C Image on Cover & 4C Full Page Interior Article - $2,200/1 month 4C Image on Cover & 2C Full Page Interior Article - $1,750/1 month Contact Lisa Kruse at 215.860.3090, for advertising information! Outlook Copyright© 2014, is published by L.B.C.C.C. Editorial content and advertising is limited to Chamber members. Editorial coverage does not imply or indicate Chamber endorsement of members’ business, products or services. chairman’s message Brian Jeter, Comcast his has been an exciting year to be Chairman of the Board at the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce. The second annual Bucks County Ball was everything we had hoped and more. That’s not just my opinion because we sent out surveys to all our sponsors and attendees and the results were spectacular. Our sponsors were delighted with the recognition and marketing visibility they received, many indicating they were interested in similar opportunities in the future. The attendee survey expressed great pleasure in the quality of the event and the unbelievable value for the price of the ticket. The purpose of this grand scale event was engagement and to create a venue for our members to invite guests, potential clients and business associates and that is where the impressive numbers are. Almost 30% of the attendees were invited guests of our wonderfully engaged and supportive Chamber members. That tells me and the Board of Directors that our members are proud to be a part of the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce and use the opportunities the Chamber offers them to showcase their involvement and do business at the venues the Chamber has to offer. Next is our new signature event, ECONference 2014. This event has already created such a buzz in the area that is truly exciting. How Bucks County, and in particular Lower Bucks is uniquely positioned to do business regionally is the overall focus of the day. This one-day event is filled with discussions on economic development, forecasts for the future, round-table discussions on specific topics, and a large scale business expo. The day will provide education and awareness that businesses and organizations need to know. There is an incredible list of speakers, panelists and facilitators that are sure to make this an event you just can’t miss. Before it’s sold out, go on the Chamber’s website and take a look at the engaging activities and impressive bios of the presenters lined up for the day. See you at ECONference 2014! Brian Jeter, Comcast SHARE YOUR ENTHUSIASM by posting photos from Chamber events to your Facebook page, sharing Chamber Facebook posts, retweet Chamber tweets, tweet when you are at Chamber events. Please see page 7 for a listing of all the Chamber’s Social Media sites. LBCCC Board of Directors Chairman of the Board, Brian Jeter, Comcast Chairman Elect, Denise Bowman, Hill Wallack LLP Treasurer, Robin M. Connor, E.W. Kaufmann Company Immediate Past Chairman, Susan Rosner, Calder Associates & Coach-On-Call Members Robert J. Caruso, Sesame Place Michael B. Connor Ron Davis, PARX Casino & Racing Theodore D. Dorand, PECO Bill Koelewyn, 225 Lincoln Properties LP Professional Staff President - Dan Bates - [email protected] Publications and Web Site - Kim Bloemker - [email protected] Professional Development and Leadership - Susan Harkins - [email protected] Marketing and Public Relations - Nicole Mandel Kelliher - [email protected] Membership and Finance - Stephanie Ripka - [email protected] Special Events - Toni Yonce - [email protected] lbccc outlook may 2014 Executive Committee Members Tobi Bruhn, Bucks County Community College Suzy Buehler, McCafferty Auto Group Kathie Jankauskas, KJanStudio Kathy Zelenka, Stifel - The Gormley Furlong Group Counsel: Jon Pavlovcak, Hill Wallack LLP Brandon McFadden, PNC Wealth Management Amy Murray-Hyde, CBDI, Inc. Kevin Ody, Bucks County Technical High School Kevin Roddy, 3rd Fed Bank Lloyd Scarborough, HouseMaster Home Inspections David Steil, Micro Trap Corporation Jessica J. Sweeney, First Federal of Bucks County Brian Tierney, Streamline Payroll, LLC Cathy Windland, Inner Spa 3 your chamber Bucks Business Connect held at Pennsbury Manor and sponsored by Inner Spa Merrill Reese, WBCB Radio Station (1490 AM) part-owner & General Manager, and play-by-play “Voice of the Philadelphia Eagles” was the guest speaker at the March Bucks Business Connect. This great event was held at the historic Pennsbury Manor and sponsored by Inner Spa! 1 Merrill Reese discussed the Philadelphia Eagles with a presentation titled: “And Along Came Chip…The story of the 2013 Eagles.” 2 Cathy Windland (Inner Spa/Sponsor), Dan Bates (LBCCC), Brian Jeter (Comcast/LBCCC Chairman of the Board), Merrill Reese (WBCB Radio Station (1490 AM)/Speaker), Doug Miller (Pennsbury Manor/ Host), and Lori Hoppmann (Edward Jones Investments/BBC Chair) 3 lbccc outlook may 2014 Many LBCCC members and guests attended the Bucks Business Connect in March! 4 new members Please join us in welcoming these new Chamber Members! Attach this listing to your directory as a handy reference. New members as of 2/24/14-3/23/14. Bucks Business Connect at Pennsbury Manor 1 Bucks Business Connect Chair Lori Hoppmann (Edward Jones Investments) and LBCCC President Dan Bates welcomed new members to their first Bucks Business Connect! From left, Diana Nordtveit (Lower Bucks Family YMCA), Lori, Dan, Fred Poritsky (FZP Associates LLC), and Nunzio DeMarchis (Lower Bucks Hospital). Archer & Greiner, P.C. One Centennial Square Haddonfield, NJ 08033 856-673-3901 www.archerlaw.com Matthew Conley, Attorney [email protected] Attorneys Sponsor: Chamber Web Site Cranaleith Spiritual Center 13475 Proctor Rd. Somerton, PA 19116 609-399-0580 609-425-3947 cell www.cranaleith.org Dolly Brown, Director of Development [email protected] Educational Services Sponsor: Deb Myatt Bensalem Centre Plaza, LP Galloway Rd. & Hulmeville Rd. Bensalem, PA 19020 908-226-5262 www.levinmgt.com Jordon Korris, Leasing Representative [email protected] Shopping Centers Sponsor: Chamber Staff Furia Rubel Communications, Inc. 2 Hidden Ln. Doylestown, PA 18901 215-340-0480 www.furiarubel.com Laura Powers, Chief Marketing Officer [email protected] Gina Rubel, Esq., President/CEO [email protected] Marketing Communications Sponsor: Chamber Web Site brenPhotography 122 Ponderosa Dr. Holland, PA 18966 215-208-5803 http://brenphotography.com Brenda Jankowski, Owner [email protected] Photographer Sponsor: Chamber Staff BucksHappening.com 331 E. Street Rd. Trevose, PA 19053 917-923-9384 [email protected] www.buckshappening.com Tina Paparone, Co-Founder Online Magazine Sponsor: Chamber Web Site Discount: 10% off of Advertising Building Control Systems & Services, Inc. 4 Terry Dr. Ste. 3 Newtown, PA 18940 215-860-3500 Fax: 215-860-7400 www.bcssnet.com Cheryl Schrier, Vice President [email protected] Tom Schrier, President [email protected] Construction Sponsor: Chamber Staff BUSINESS TIPS Raymour & Flanigan 9 Cabot Blvd. Langhorne, PA 19047 215-269-9615 www.raymourflanigan.com Michael Lendacky, Store Manager [email protected] Furniture-Retail Sponsor: Chamber Staff Raymour & Flanigan - Southampton 427 Street Rd. Southampton, PA 18966 215-322-3800 www.raymourflanigan.com Robert Loveland, Store Manager [email protected] Furniture-Retail Sponsor: Chamber Staff ShopRite of Hunterdon County, Inc. 272 Route 202/31 North Ste. 1 Flemington, NJ 08822 908-782-6900 x76 Fax: 908-782-9145 www.shoprite.com Jeannie Colalillo, Owner Joseph Colalillo, Owner Grocery Store Sponsor: Chamber Staff Schedule your social networking posts Did you know that you can plan and schedule out your social networking posts? You can use a free web site like HootSuite to compose and schedule out your posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Try it - it’s a huge timesaver! Do You Have a Business Tip? If so, e-mail Nicole Kelliher at [email protected] lbccc outlook may 2014 Cofco 2200 North American St. Philadelphia, PA 19133 610-994-1400 www.cofcogroup.com Loretta McCourt, Account Executive [email protected] Furniture-Retail Sponsor: Isabel Menichella Lafayette Yard Hotel & Conference Center 1 West Lafayette St. Trenton, NJ 08608 609-421-4000 609-656-4537 www.lafayetteyardhotel.com Ibrahim Firozbahary, Owner [email protected] Hotels Sponsor: Jonah Pascucci 5 your chamber 3 3 4 4 LBCCC Ambassadors An Ambassador is an active Chamber member who participates in Chamber and community events. They attend grand openings and ribbon cutting ceremonies. Ambassadors visit our members to provide constant and personal communications in order for our members to gain the greatest value from their membership. Being an Ambassador provides you a unique opportunity to meet with Chamber members, decision makers and community leaders, while helping our Chamber meet its goal of personally contacting each member to ensure membership satisfaction. 1 Seated, Isabel Menichella, Deb Myatt (Gorman lbccc outlook may 2014 Optimal Health Solutions, Inc./Pampered Chef ), Rhonda Okamoto (Vehicle Advantage/Ambassadors Chair), Kim Romani (Streamline Payroll, LLC), and JulieAnn Ody (The Salvation Army). Standing, Tom Dingwall (Mr. Solution), Jeff Miller (Creative Advertising Specialties, Inc.), Jeff Beyer (American Prosperity Group), Brian Zavodnick (Process Plus Legal Services, LLC), John Tyrol (Tyrol Insurance Agency/Outreach Group Co-Chair), Brian Tierney (Streamline Payroll, LLC), and Emmet Markin (Continental Tavern). 6 Young Professionals Happy Hour held at Irish Rover Station House The Irish Rover Station House was a great place for the Chamber’s Young Professionals to meet for Happy Hour in March! Those who attended not only tasted a great selection of food and beverages, they had the opportunity to hear from the Irish Rover’s Ray Crouse who discussed “Purchasing a Business.” 5 5 If you or someone you know is a Young Professional (35 & under) and would like to get involved, contact YP co-chairs, Joel Perkins - [email protected] – or Mike Taylor - [email protected]. 2 The LBCCC Young Professionals had a great time at 6 6 and answer session. 4 Lt. Governor James Cawley, Brian Jeter (Comcast/ LBCCC Chairman of the Board), Brandon McFadden (PNC Wealth Management/Economics & Government Chair), and Dan Bates (LBCCC). the Happy Hour in March! 5 Lt. Governor James Cawley addressed members of Chinese Business Culture 101 – Closing the Cultural Gap Chinese 101 Program – Closing the Cultural Gap, Fostering Business Relations by understanding how to do business with China was presented in March. In this presentation, attendees learned basic words to help begin business relations, the history of China in Bucks County, Chinese Business Culture (things to know when working to develop a deal as well as how to close the deal), and Guanxi Relationships (the importance of developing relationships). 3 From left, Bernie Salera (Asian American Cultural Exchange Association), Kun Zhao (Hill Wallack LLP), Emmet Markin (EHM Web Solutions/Continental Tavern), Henry Chow (Hill Wallack LLP), James Zakrzewski (HSBC Bank USA), Bishan Huang (Asian American Cultural Exchange Association), Joe Kauffman (Great Atlantic Graphics), and James Li (First Federal of Bucks County). Lieutenant Governor James Cawley speaks to LBCCC The Lieutenant Governor and former Bucks County Commissioner accepted an invitation from the LBCCC Economics & Government Committee to speak on the Governor’s 2014 Budget. Cawley spoke to the crowd about education, transportation, the economy and healthcare before opening up for a question LBCCC. Leadership Bucks County, sponsored by PECO, focuses on People Management and Financial Management Team 5 – Christine Barta (The Law Offices of Yvette E. Taylor-Hachoose Esq., LLC), Robert Howell (Team Capital Bank), Crystal Ciarlante (St. Mary Medical Center), and Ron Martino (Bucks County Technical High School), who were unable to present in January due to weather, got their chance on March 11. The afternoon proved to be very informative on People Management. Team 7 – Anne Liebowitz (Hellyer Performing Arts) and Steve May (Sesame Place) did an outstanding job presenting at the March 18th session. Mentors – Mike Sullivan and Pradeep Kohli. If you would like to get your name on the list for next years’ Leadership Bucks County class, contact Susan Harkins at [email protected] or 215-943-7400. It’s a program you won’t want to miss! 6 Ron Martino (Bucks County Technical High School), Christine Barta (The Law Offices of Yvette E. Taylor-Hachoose, Esq., LLC), Crystal Ciarlante (St. Mary Medical Center), and Robert Howell (Team Capital Bank) enjoyed presenting their team day to the Leadership Bucks County class! continued Message from the President Spring is finally here! I think it is finally safe to say that there is no snow in the forecast. This past winter was a tough one and businesses took a hit. As I traveled the area and spoke to many of our member businesses I heard over and over how the winter had played havoc with schedules, project deadlines and killed profits. Contractors, consultants, retailers, restaurants, professional services, entertainment, all got hit. The only industry I have heard that is thrilled with the tough Dan Bates winter we had is auto repair – thanks to all the potholes and our inability to swerve safely to miss them! May 8th. May 20th is our Pro-Am golf outing. If you like doing business on the golf course and always wanted to spend a day with a real pro getting tips and pointers, this is your chance. It’s the only golf outing of its kind in the area. But there is good news in all this - people are ready to do business. The harshness of this past season has created a sense of urgency this spring to catch up and get things done! Projects that were put on hold are ready to move full speed ahead. The challenge is the customer base for the providers want what they want and they want it now. It’s a time to take advantage of high demand but you will have to deliver above expectation. Those that can meet the demand will have a great season. Summer starts our Youth Leadership Camps and over 50 lucky high school students will start a life-changing journey. Many of those will move on to experience real life job situations as they participate in the Chamber’s unique rolling internship program. I look at this challenging but opportunistic time and realize that it’s the same at the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce. Winter was a killer but we survived it just fine and now our spring is a full schedule of exciting opportunities. The second annual Bucks County Ball in March was a huge success. Chamber members and their guests from throughout the region came together and had an unforgettable evening of great fun and fabulous networking. This month is ECONference 2014. This huge event has education, training, networking, awards, expo exhibits and much more. If you haven’t signed up yet you need to secure your space as the largest event of its kind in this area takes place on SHARE YOUR ENTHUSIASM Search for Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce, click "Like" Search for @LowerBksChamber Search for Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce Search for Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce Search for @LBCCCYP June 17th is our exciting and informative Manufacturers Forum as manufacturers and distributors get together to discuss their needs and learn about unique offerings and opportunities for this specific category. In addition to all the above spectacular special projects there will be monthly breakfast meetings (BBC) with fascinating guest speakers and free continental breakfasts. Spring and summer evenings will offer once a month cocktail events (BCE) designed for casual but intense networking over delicious food and beverage with outstanding opportunities to conduct business. There is truly something for everyone at the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce. Get on board, get involved and watch your business grow. SHARE YOUR EXPERTISE LBCCC is looking for members to join our Speakers Bureau. If you would like to be included on the list, please contact Susan Har kins at shar [email protected] aking the Most of Your Chamber Membership Become a Chamber Ambassador Ambassadors play a significant role at the Chamber - making everyone feel welcome at events. They are always at the door to greet members and visitors, helping them get acclimated with the Chamber. Becoming an Ambassador also helps the Ambassador. It is a great way to meet new Chamber members at every event. Contact Stephanie Ripka for more information at [email protected] lbccc outlook may 2014 FEELING S O C I A L? Connect with us through these social media tools! This spring we will also celebrate our Leadership Bucks County graduates. It will be an honor to salute these emerging and selfaware leaders as they take their places in your various communities. Their leadership will change the world around them! 7 PLEASE VISIT OUR A DV E RT I S E R S ’ W E B S I T E S 225 Lincoln Properties LP www.225lp.com 3rd Fed Bank www.3rdfedbank.com Angelmark Associates, Inc. www.angelmarkassociates.com Aussie Pet Mobile of Lower Bucks County www.aussiepetmobilelbc.com Capital Health www.capitalhealth.org Croydon Mattress Factory, Inc. www.croydonmattress.com First Federal of Bucks County www.firstfedbucks.com First National Bank & Trust Co. of Newtown www.fnbn.com Goodnoe Farm Dairy Bar www.goodnoe.com Hill Wallack LLP www.hillwallack.com Lower Bucks Hospital www.lowerbuckshosp.com Neshaminy Valley Golf Club www.neshaminygolf.com Orthologix www.orthologix.com Prestige Color www.prestigecolor.com RecruitmentQueen business briefs When was the last time you trusted a complete stranger with your most confidential personal information? Cyber crime, data breaches, compliance, stolen identities, fraud. These words and phrases are now a part of our everyday lives more than ever before. It seems like we can’t go one week, or even just a couple of days, without turning on the news or opening up our Internet homepage and seeing the latest data breach, or cyber crime threat. The credit card companies have implemented plenty of new programs, policies and procedures for businesses and consumers over the past few years – with even more changes to come in the next few years. While there will never be a solution that can fully prevent these kinds of crimes, the chip technology in every credit card has worked extremely well in the countries where it’s been implemented. Unfortunately, that is also a big reason why many of these ‘threats’ have rapidly come to the U.S., and settled comfortably in our wallets and pocketbooks. Having this chip in all credit cards is a solution that has been talked about and worked on for over a decade in the U.S., and now we are finally not far away Slippery Surface Solutions LLC www.slipperyss.com www.tristarsignmanagement.com Visit Bucks County www.visitbuckscounty.com All paid advertisers were contacted for the opportunity to be listed in this section. lbccc outlook may 2014 Why I’m A Chamber Member 8 I joined the Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce to help me build relationships in preparation to establish a network of solid referral partJoe Tropiano ners. I’ve only been a Insperity Chamber member for 9 months, but within that time I have begun to establish relationships that will be mutually beneficial in both the short and long term. I’m very happy that I became a member and plan on continuing my membership in 2014 and beyond. All of the rules, policies, and procedures that have been, or are in the process of being implemented can only go so far. If we all don’t start doing more to protect our own private information, none of the drastic measures that the credit card companies are putting in place will matter. Are you one of the millions of people who gives your credit card to a complete stranger every day, then watches them walk away with it? Have you placed an order where you have written your credit card information down on a piece of paper, then faxed or e-mailed it to someone you don’t know? There are too many things we can’t control when it comes to data breaches or cyber crimes. Why not be a little more diligent, and take control of the things we can? Article by: Kevin Wiener, Advanced Merchant Group E-mail: [email protected] www.recruitmentqueen.com TriStar Sign Management, LLC from it actually happening. Did You Know You can Pay Your Chamber Membership Dues through Autodraft? This is designed for members who wish to budget for their Chamber dues over the course of the year instead of making one lump payment. If you elect to participate, your dues payment is deducted each month from your account in equal installments throughout the year. This enables you to pay for your membership within a budget convenient to your business! A transaction fee of $1.50 is deducted from your account. If you are interested in renewing your Chamber membership using Autodraft or you would like more information, please contact Stephanie Ripka at [email protected] or 215-943-7400. Top 10 Websites for Persons Star tin g or Expanding Their Business. The first four are federal sites: 1. www.sba.gov The next five are state sites: 5. www.pabizonline.com 2. www.irs.gov 6. www.newpa.com 3. www.export.gov 7. www.cwds.pa.gov 4. www.score.org 8. www.revenue.state.pa.us 9. www.pasbdc.org And the final one is the county site: 10. www.buckcounty.org Article by: Sonia Smith, USA Small Business Administration E-mail: [email protected] lbccc events committee calendar Register for events online at www.lbccc.org and click COMMITTEES & EVENTS! Outreach Group - 4th Tuesday @ 8:30 a.m. Bucks Business Connect Second Thursday, 8:00 – 9:15 a.m. May 15 @ McCafferty Auto Group (rescheduled from February) June 12 @ Belle Voir Manor (@ Pen Ryn Mansion) (Annual Meeting & Volunteer Recognition) Business Card Exchange 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 28 @ Capital Health (Joint BCE with LBCCC and MidJersey Chamber) Wednesday, June 25 @ Rob’s Automotive & Collision Co-Chairs: Amy Murray Hyde, CBDI, Inc. & John Tyrol, Tyrol Insurance Agency Recruitment - 4th Tues. @ 8:30 a.m. - Chair: John Tyrol,Tyrol Insurance Agency Ambassadors - 1st Thurs. @ 11:00 a.m. (Aug., Oct., Dec., Feb., Apr., Jun.) Chair: Rhonda Okamoto, Vehicle Advantage New Member Business Fair - Chair: Tom Dingwall, Mr. Solution Get Acquainted with Your Chamber - 1st Thursday @ 12:00 noon (Aug., Oct., Dec., Feb., Apr., Jun.) - Chair: Tom Dingwall, Mr. Solution Member Benefits - 3rd Monday @ 8:30 a.m. Chair: Kevin Wiener, Advanced Merchant Group Engagement - 4th Tues. @ 8:30 a.m. - Chair: JulieAnn Ody,The Salvation Army Professional Development/Leadership Group - 3rd Friday @ 8:30 a.m. (Aug., Nov., Feb., May) Chair: Kathy Zelenka, The Gormley Furlong Group @ Stifel Business Education Partnership - 1st Friday @ 9:30 a.m. Chair: Donna Mancuso-Scalzo, Bucks County Bank ECONference Learn - Network - Exhibit Bucks County Regional Economic Development Conference and Expo 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Thursday, May 8 @ PARX Casino Golf Pro-Am Tournament Tuesday, May 20 @ Makefield Highlands Golf Club Adult Leadership - 3rd Friday @ 9:30 a.m. (Aug., Nov., Feb., May) Chair: Ryan Parry, Ryan B. Parry & Son, Ltd. Adult Leadership Alumni - Chair: Jessica Sweeney, First Federal of Bucks County Business Networking Activities Group - 2nd Wednesday @ 9:00 a.m. (July, Oct., Jan., Apr.) Chair: Suzy Buehler, McCafferty Auto Group Bucks Business Connect - 2nd Wed. @ 10:00 a.m. (July, Oct., Jan., Apr.) / Wrap-Up Meeting meets following the BBC - 2nd Thurs. @ 9:30 a.m. Chair: Lori Hoppmann, Edward Jones Investments Business Card Exchange - 4th Mon. @ 9:00 a.m. (July, Sep., Nov., Jan., Mar., May) - Co-Chairs: Anna Bogiatzis, AlphaCard Services & Amy M.B. McKenna, Bucks County Bank Speed Networking - Chair: Amy M.B. McKenna, Bucks County Bank Convention - 3rd Thursday @ 9:00 a.m. Electronic Fraud and how it affects us Personally & Professionally 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 21 Plan Ahead! Paths Taken Program (Class/Expo) Youth Leadership Internships Educational Programming/Seminars Co-Chairs: Rick Battaglia, Bucks County Bank & Barbara Sodano, Utopia Travel Get Acquainted with Your Chamber Business Expo - 3rd Thursday @ 9:00 a.m. Co-Chairs: Sharon Bordak, Sparkle Professional Cleaning Corp. & Cathy Tomcho, Univest Bank and Trust Co. 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. (Tours of KIPC, Networking and Individual Questions) Bucks County Ball - 3rd Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. Co-Chairs: Pat Dunleavy, headstrong hair salon & make-up studio & Linda Mitchell (Newtown Athletic Club) Golf - 4th Tues. @ 8:30 a.m. - Co-Chairs: Joe Kauffman, Great Atlantic Graphics & Brian Zavodnick, Process Plus Legal Services, LLC Tuesday, June 17 @ KIPC (Keystone Industrial Port Complex) Trenton Thunder - Staff 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5 Sponsored by: Capital Insurance & Investment Planning, LLC Manufacturers Forum Youth Leadership Bucks County Session A: July 7 – 11, 2014 @ Various Locations Session B: July 21 – 25, 2014 @ Various Locations All All events events are are at at the the Chamber Chamber unless unless otherwise otherwise indicated. indicated. Times Times and and dates dates are are subject subject to to change. change. Events Events are are scheduled scheduled as as of of March March 25. 25. Call Call the the Chamber Chamber to to confirm. confirm. Partnership Events - Staff Economics & Government Group - 1st Friday @ 8:00 a.m. Chair: Brandon McFadden, PNC Wealth Management Legislative Debates Manufacturers Forum Economic Forums Advocacy Marketing & Technology Group - 1st Tuesday @ 8:30 a.m. (July, Oct., Jan., April) Co-Chairs: Kevin Roddy, 3rd Fed Bank & Jessica Sweeney, First Federal of Bucks County Marketing Strategy - 1st Tuesday @ 8:30 a.m. Chair: Jessica Sweeney, First Federal of Bucks County IT (audio/visual) - 3rd Friday @ 8:30 a.m. - Chair: Kevin Roddy, 3rd Fed Bank Women’s Business - 3rd Tues. @ 8:15 a.m. - Chair: Cathy Windland, Inner Spa Young Professionals - 4th Thurs. @ 4:00 p.m. (Aug., Oct., Dec., Feb., Apr., Jun.) - Co-Chairs: Joel Perkins, Bucks County Council, Boy Scouts of America & Mike Taylor, Sesame Place Small Business - 4th Wednesday @ 8:00 a.m. - Chair: TBD b.o.s.s. (Business Offering Support & Strategies) - 3rd Thursday @ 8:00 a.m. Co-Chairs: Paul Clough, Fresnel Partners & Dave Dixon, Cost Segregation Services, Inc. Veterans Business Advisory and Support - 2nd Wednesday @ 12:00 p.m. Chair: Kent Milliken, Phila. Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center, Inc. lbccc outlook may 2014 Special Roundtables 9 lbccc outlook may 2014 BREAKFAST SPONSORS 10 business card exchange Wednesday, May 28, 2014 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. You are invited to a Great Networking Opportunity where you can ... Meet prospective customers and vendors Network with business colleagues Distribute your business cards Enjoy complimentary refreshments provided by our Host & Sponsor Host Location & Sponsor Capital Health One Capital Way Pennington, NJ 08534 (Joint BCE with LBCCC and MidJersey Chamber) oin hundreds of people for this exciting and worthwhile networking event! Meet and make valuable connections, exchange your business cards and grow your business as you enjoy the complimentary food and dynamic facility thanks to our host and sponsor Capital Health. See you at Capital Health If you make a reservation and are unable to attend the event, it is very important that you notify the Chamber office at 215-943-7400. This will ensure an accurate count for our host. Thank you for your cooperation! HOST lbccc outlook may 2014 LBCCC Members - No charge to attend. Prospective Chamber Members are welcome to attend this event one time. PLEASE REGISTER IN ADVANCE as a count must be given to our host. You can reserve by e-mail [email protected], fax 215-943-7404 or online www.lbccc.org by 12:00 noon the preceding day. (No phone reservations.) 11 focus now Each month, this section of Outlook highlights specific businesses. Each member firm that advertises has the opportunity to write an advertorial containing a description of their company services. lbccc outlook may 2014 Tra v el & Tourism, Hotel s/ Bed & Brea k fa st s, Bu s i n e ss P ro du ct s & S e r v i ce s , Re t a il, S p e cial It em s a nd Cateri ng 12 Aussie Pet Mobile of Lower Bucks County Aussie Pet Mobile is a franchise which is a locally owned and operated mobile pet grooming business. With two vans and four groomers we come to homes in Bensalem, Levittown, Croydon, Bristol, Fallsington, Tullytown, Northeast Philadelphia, Burlington and Florence. We groom cats and dogs in our climate controlled vans, we are a green company. All of our groomers are well trained and experienced. Mobile grooming is done at your location and at a time that is convenient for you. Call us at 215-943-6705 and we will be happy to talk to you about your needs and how we can help you keep your pets healthy, clean and cute. Our web site is www.aussiepetmobilelbc.com Goodnoe Farm Dairy Bar Since 1918, four generations of Goodnoes have manufactured dairy products in a plant on the family farm in Newtown. Today, the tradition continues. Using family recipes and the finest ingredients, Goodnoe Farm produces premium quality and exceptionally enjoyable ice cream. Offering old-fashioned value, our containers are true pints and authentic half-gallons. We offer wholesale ice cream, and our mobile ice cream trailer available for events, customer/employee appreciation days, and fundraisers. All of our flavors are blended with one goal in mind: To make sure you are getting the freshest, best tasting ice cream available. 4 South Sycamore Street, Newtown, PA 18940 215.968.3544 • www.goodnoe.com Croydon Mattress Factory, Inc. America’s finest factory to YOU – manufacturer of mattresses, box springs and adjustable beds. Now YOU and your friends can benefit from buying direct from the factory. Over 50 different styles to choose from, including innerspring, kool-gel memory foam, latex and the newest hybrid style mattresses. We have the Omni-Bed, adjustable bed, as well as the largest selection of futon sofa frames, mattresses and covers. Check out our kid’s furniture department with bunkbeds, captains beds and platform beds, for all ages and at rock bottom distributor pricing. We are open 7 days a week, on State Rd., between Street Rd. and Neshaminy State Park. Call us at (215) 604-0500 or visit us at www.croydonmattress.com Neshaminy Valley Golf Club We are a family and friend owned public golf course that opened in 1971. Our location is on Almshouse Rd. in Jamison approximately 1 mile passed Jacksonville Road on the left. We have good value rates to attract all golfers. We like to provide a relaxing, fun atmosphere. Our snack bar has delicious sandwiches and non-alcohol and alcohol beverages. Play a round of golf or host an outing. We have senior rates (55+) and our regular rates lower throughout the day. You can advertise your business on a golf hole for 1 low price for 12 entire Months. Website: www.NeshaminyGolf.com RecruitmentQueen We are a hyper-local website for jobs dedicated to employers and job seekers in Bucks County, PA. Our solution reaches thousands of job seekers across local, regional, industry, niche and diversity job sites, social networks and job search engine aggregators. We use the whole internet as the job board and couple it with revolutionary job matching technology. We want to help get Bucks County back to work by “buzzing” around the community spreading the word about jobs, news from employers and even highlighting local talent. Lastly, if we can add some fun to your experience with us, we will “bee” very happy. www.recruitmentqueen.com TriStar Sign Management, LLC Tri-Star is your sign project management team from start to finish. Specializing in interior and exterior signs and graphics, we design, manufacture, install, service, remove and survey. We also expedite permits, in any state, coast-to-coast. Our proven track record includes assignments for both small, mid-size and Fortune 500 companies for whom we handled the project from concept to completion on a national and local scale, always in budget, always on schedule. For more information, call 866-403-4692 or visit www.tristarsignmanagement.com Want to advertise in Focus? Contact Lisa Kruse at 215-860-3090 or email [email protected] July Deadline 05/15/14 Private Schools, Colleges, Educational Enrichments, Assistance and Child Care Services August Deadline 06/11/14 Business Services, Food Service, Office Equipment & Supplies & related industries PLUS Auto Services & related industries September Deadline 07/16/14 2014 2014 F O C U S I N G A H E A D Real Estate Services: Financial Institutions, Mortgages and Insurance October Deadline 08/13/14 Architects, Builders, Office & Industrial Parks and Business Interiors November Deadline 09/10/14 Technology, Computer Consultants & Suppliers and related industries lbccc outlook may 2014 13 THANK YOU TO THE 2014 LBCCC CORPORATE SPONSORS 3rd Fed Bank Angelmark Associates, Inc. Bucks County Bank Capital Health Comcast Business The Dow Chemical Company First Choice Bank First Federal of Bucks County Hill Wallack LLP Lower Bucks Hospital McCafferty Auto Group Moofwd Mobile Solutions PNC Wealth Management PARX Casino St. Mary Medical Center Sesame Place Streamline Payroll, LLC The Gormley Furlong Group @ Stifel Univest Bank and Trust Co. business briefs continued Parts of the Affordable Care Act Delayed Until 2016 On Monday, February 10, 2014, the U.S. Department of Treasury released final regulations regarding the Employer Shared Responsibility requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Affordable Care Act”). Generally, the Employer Shared Responsibility provisions of the Affordable Care Act require large employers (defined as those with 50 or more full-time employees, including Full-Time Equivalents) to provide minimum essential coverage to 95% of full-time employees and their dependents or face being assessed an Employer Shared Responsibility Payment (“Payment” or “Penalty”). The final regulations provide multiple forms of transition relief for large employers, delaying certain parts of the Affordable Care Act until 2016. The transition relief (a.k.a. delays) described below apply to all of 2015 and, for non-calendar year plans, to any portion of the 2015 plan year that falls in 2016. This means that if the plan year starts July 1, 2015 and ends on June 30, 2016, the relief described below applies until July 1, 2016. Employers with 50 - 99 full-time employees. For plan year 2015, a Penalty will not be assessable for employers with 50 – 99 full-time employees. There are additional requirements to qualify for this relief, including that the employer may not reduce staff or hours, or eliminate or change health care benefits without a bona fide business reason for doing so. Employers with 100 or more full-time employees. Employers with 100 or more full-time employees must offer minimum essential health coverage to 70% (instead of 95%) of the employer’s full-time employees in plan year 2015 or face a Penalty. The Treasury also partially revised calculation of the Penalty for plan year 2015. If a large employer fails to offer minimum essential health coverage to full-time employees, the employer may be assessed a monthly Penalty for each full-time employee after the first 80 employees (instead of the first 30). Also, for plan year 2015, as long as the employer is taking action toward extending minimum essential coverage to dependents, no penalty will be assessed solely because of a failure to offer coverage to dependents. lbccc outlook may 2014 Article by: DawnMarie Schultz, Curtin & Heefner LLP 14 E-mail: [email protected] lbccc outlook may 2014 15 16 lbccc outlook may 2014 business briefs continued Make the most of your marketing budget Promoting your company is a must in order for your company to succeed. S ome call it public relations, some call it advertising – it doesn’t matter what you call it – it is all about mar keting. Your business plan must include a marketing budget which is essential to getting you started on the right path toward advertising and promotions. However, there are many ways to get your company’s name out in the public without spending a dime. local non-profit organization, take a photo at the event while your employees are in action, or of the check presentation, write a caption and e-mail it to your contacts. And, you guessed it, post it on your social networking sites as well. If your company does something good, tell people about it! Post it on your social media sites – that is the best way to spread news about your company free of charge – and, you have total control of the message. Tell the press - call your local newspapers and find out who to send press releases related to your area of business. Ask that person – your new contact – how to send it, when to send it, and if you can send other information pertaining to your company to that person as well. If not, ask for another person to call. Also, offer yourself as an expertise in your field. Know what is in the local news. If you read the newspaper and see something in the headlines about weight loss and you happen to be a nutritionist who can add another angle to the topic, call or e-mail your contact and let them know. If you leave a message, be sure to give all of your contact info and the best time to reach you – and be available. You want to create credibility, reliability and accountability. If someone in your company was recently promoted, spread the word. Write a paragraph about it including their name, their current position, their current duties, their former position and their hometown. Again – post it with a headshot on your social networking sites. E-mail the info along with a headshot to the paper and chances are you will see it appear in the paper within a few weeks. If your company participates in a fundraiser, or donates money to a Take advantage of the calendars in the local papers – they are free! Call the paper and find out when the deadline is to send the information, how much lead time they need, how you should send the information and what format they need. Then, make it a habit to send weekly or monthly press releases announcing your upcoming events, meetings, etc. You have the tools you need to market your business – by sharing that information; you are taking the first step to inform others. Article by: Nicole Kelliher, LBCCC E-mail: [email protected] lbccc outlook may 2014 17 business briefs continued Unique PA Program Celebrating Business! If you haven’t heard, there is a truly unique and wonderful program that has been operating in Pennsylvania for the past thirty-five years designed to teach our high school students why “free enterprise” is key to the American way of life. Pennsylvania Free Enterprise Week (PFEW), internationally-acclaimed for its excellence, will graduate more than 2,000 students this coming summer with a vastly improved understanding about how free markets operate and what the challenges are that face all American companies, particularly those located in Pennsylvania. With so much uncertainty still plaguing the economic landscape of the country, teaching young people to understand and cherish our private enterprise system has never been more vital. Said John Trombetta, president and CEO of PFEW’s parent organization, the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education, “The young people who attend PFEW are, we know, the future leaders in our communities and of the state. Teaching them to understand and appreciate the challenges that face all Pennsylvania business owners is our mission and one we are focused on like a laser beam. We now have more than 33,000 alumni and we know from their personal testimonies that PFEW frequently transforms their attitudes completely about what business means to the American way of life.” lbccc outlook may 2014 Each summer, PFEW holds five, one-week individual sessions in July and August. The focus of the week is to group the participants (strangers at first) into “management teams” of senior executives who have inherited imaginary “companies.” These teams, under the guiding hands of an “executives-on-loan,” called Company Advisors, operate their firms for a computer-simulated three-year period of time. To add a sense of reality, they are competing against two other student “companies” manufacturing and distributing the same product. These fledgling corporate executives are faced with decisions that any real-life business person confronts daily. They work with balance sheets, statements of income, market share surveys, etc., etc., and must also react to a variety of external factors. Oil embargos, inflation, union strikes, are but a few of the “unknowns” that these young entrepreneurs must deal with as they operate their businesses. Sound familiar? 18 PFEW is designed to give every participant, in broad brush strokes, an idea of what is germane and pertinent to the business world of today. Each day’s activities include four to five presentations from world-class business people from a list that reads like who’s who in Pennsylvania. The students hear about: Business and Finance, the Role and Relationship of Business and Government, Taxation, Business Ethics, Labor Relations, and much, much more. Is it effective? Said Sarah Minor from Coudersport Area Junior/Senior High School in Potter County, “I can tell you honestly that this was one of the most incredible opportunities that any young man or woman could ever possibly dream of having! PFEW not only promises amazing speakers and an amazing experience, it delivers on all of its promises 100%! It really was an indescribable honor to be a part of PFEW and I recommend it to any teenager, even if they aren’t interested in business. I will carry these memories forever!” The Chamber is proud to support PFEW to give our local students an eye-opening experience like Sarah described. We encourage our local companies and civic organizations to provide sponsorships for our students and, if possible, volunteers for the sessions. (PFEW is completely a product of the private sector.) Every student attends PFEW on a fully tax-deductible $525 scholarship (the actual value of the scholarship exceeds $1,500) which is provided by a local firm. All scholarship providers are recognized and thanked in a variety of ways for their sponsorship and each student wears the name of their sponsor throughout the week. Each graduate also corresponds with his or her sponsor following graduation to report on the program and what they learned. PFEW is also an approved organization through the PA Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program through the Department of Community and Economic Development. If you would like to learn more about this award-winning program and how you can help, you can visit their website at www. pfew.org or contact John Trombetta, President of the Foundation for Free Enterprise Education at (814) 833-9576 ext. 106 or e-mail him at [email protected]. PFEW is open to all current sophomores and juniors in Pennsylvania and information on attendance, as well as program applications, can also be found on the website. Questions can be directed to Ms. Amber Goss, Schools Assistant for PFEW, by calling her office at (814) 833-9576 ext. 103 or e-mailing her at [email protected]. 1 A PFEW marketing team takes a “time out” from working on their television commercial scripts for their company’s product. LBCCC Mission Statement The Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce is organized to advance free enterprise by providing leadership to enhance the economic climate of the business community. lbccc outlook may 2014 19 ls ateria romptly M d Date Deliver P e Pleas PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANCASTER, PA PERMIT NO. 810 409 Hood Boulevard Fairless Hills, PA 19030-2998 Visit us at www.lbccc.org 215-943-7400 Scan to View Our Calendar of Events Electronic Fraud and how it affects us personally & professionally Wednesday, May 21, 2014 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce 409 Hood Boulevard, Fairless Hills, PA 19030 ________________________________ Data Breach • Stolen Identity • Computer Hacking • Credit Card Fraud Join us for a panel discussion to help you learn about Electronic Fraud and how to protect yourself. The following experts will serve as panelists for this discussion: • Kevin Wiener, Advanced Merchant Group • Ken Dransfield, Verizon Wireless • Kevin Roddy, 3rd Fed Bank • Rhonda Okamoto, Legal Shield • Jennifer Ostiguy, USLI Insurance Presented by the LBCCC Member Benefits Committee —————————————————————————————————————— Please reserve _____ people for this seminar. My check for $___________made out to LBCCC is enclosed. _______ Members are free _______ Non-Members @ $10 Name/s:__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Company:________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________Fax:____________________________Email:_____________________________________ _____Cash _____Check _____Visa _____MasterCard _____American Express Credit Card #:____________________________________________________________ Expiration Date:____________________ Security Code #:___________ Cardholder Signature:______________________________________________________________ LBCCC 409 Hood Boulevard Fairless Hills, PA 19030 215-943-7400 www.lbccc.org [email protected] Networking at the Ball Park Young Professionals visit the Trenton Thunder as they takes on the Harrisburg Senators Thursday, May 22, 2014 Young Professionals (35 & Under) can network and learn something new from a brief business-related presentation. Network with members of other local networking groups! Thirsty Thursdays, $2 beer specials. Fireworks after the game! Cost: $15 Chamber Members, $20 Non-Members (includes: Networking Event, Game Ticket and Food Voucher) Only 40 tickets are available! **Non-Members—contact Toni Yonce at [email protected] to register Please reserve _____ people for Networking at the Ball Park. My check for $___________made out to LBCCC is enclosed. Name/s:__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Company:________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________Fax:____________________________Email:_____________________________________ _____Cash _____Check _____Visa _____MasterCard _____American Express Credit Card #:____________________________________________________________ Expiration Date:____________________ Security Code #:___________ Cardholder Signature:______________________________________________________________ LBCCC 409 Hood Boulevard Fairless Hills, PA 19030 215-943-7400 www.lbccc.org [email protected]
