February - Greece Chamber of Commerce

Belong. Engage. Succeed.
2496 West Ridge Road, Suite 201
Greece, NY 14626
Telephone: 585-227-7272
Fax: 585-227-7275
Email: [email protected]
Save the date
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Journal
Volume 20, February 2012
Achieving Great Business
Relationships
Today’s business professionals find communication tools to be key
Thurs., Feb. 16th, 2012
7:30am— 8:30am
Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast
Brook House Restaurant
Guest Speaker: NYS Assemblyman
Bill Reilich
Tues., Feb. 28th, 2012
7:30am-9:00am
Tech Tuesday
Social Media Marketing
Presenter: Robin Taney, Studio4PR
Chamber Conference Room
Inside this issue
On the cover...
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Achieving Great Business
Relationships!
Page 2
What Does Our
Membership Look Like?
Page 3
Chamber Events
Page 4 & 5
Chamber At a Glance
US Congresswoman Kathy
Hochul Speaks at Chamber
Luncheon
D&C Business Editor Steve
Sink Presents at Chamber
Seminar
Page 6
Greece Chamber Travel
Page 7
First First Friday of 2012
Civic Award Nominations
New Marketing Packages
for Chamber Members
Page 8
Benefit of the Month
Page 9
Member News—
Rockcastle Florist
Non-profit News—
Lollypop Farm
Page 10
Member Spotlight:
USA Payroll, Inc.
Calendar of Events
Page 11
Dewey Ave. Corridor
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Follow us on...
Pictured above: Robert Rosario, General Manager at Fuccillo Hyundai of Greece, NY, Inc.
Today’s business professionals are
finding that the vast amount of
communication tools available to them are
key tools in building great business
relationships. The combination of face-toface, telephone, written, and online
communications are all vital to business
success and future growth.
Telephone communication is the
perfect facilitator for breaking the ice and
can often be the start of a good business
relationship. There is no replacement for
face-to-face communication and it can be
done through ‘leads’ groups, tradeshows,
networking events, business meetings, and
roundtables. On Friday, January 27th, 2012
The Holiday Inn Express arranged a
“Meet Your Local Elected Officials
Breakfast.” “The breakfast helped to raise
awareness of the hotel’s features and
benefits for Chamber members as well as
within the Greece community. It also
served as a facilitator to open
communication between our local elected
officials and Chamber members,”
comments Marci Miller, Director of Sales
for Hemisphere Management. “The
complimentary breakfast
buffet was offered to
showcase some of the
exceptional features and
benefits the property has to
offer and at the same time
brought together local
business professionals and
elected officials in an
Marci Miller,
environment where they
Director of
Sales
could discuss important
Hemisphere
business issues.”
Management
Written
communication such as emails, business
letters and things of that sort are always
good for keeping records and make for a
great reference tool. The submission of
press releases to the media and using your
benefits as a Chamber of Commerce member
are two more very effective
Cont on Page 11
Business Matters
February 2012
What Does our Membership Look Like?
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Chairman: Paul Chatfield
Vice Chair: Del Smith
Treasurer: Brian Ward
Secretary: Chrissy Andrews
Immediate Past Chair: Al Meilutis
Member At-Large: Donald Felter Jr
Patricia Anthony
Laura Bennett
Cheryl Ann Bilski
James Cummings III
Russell Herman
James Hofford
Michael Masiello
Kirk Morris
Wendy Rockcastle
Todd Schirmer
Michael West
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Civic Awards Banquet: Wendy Rockcastle
Erie Canal: Todd Schirmer & Dave Pandina
Ambassador: Barbara Giancursio & Debi Kirkey
Small Business of the Year: Jim Cummings
Race on the Ridge: Anne Loria
Dewey Avenue Roundtable: Paul Chatfield
Youth Hall of Fame: Ralph DeStephano
Taste of the Town: Laura Bennett
GREECE CHAMBER CHARITABLE
FOUNDATION
President: Kyle Van Putte
Vice President: Jodie Perry
Treasurer: Gilbert Cooper
Secretary: Raymond DiRaddo
P. Robert Fox
Joan Korsch
Bonnie Kuppinger
Anne Loria
Dan Richardson
William Selke
Eugene Welch
Al Meilutis
John Cirella
STAFF
President/CEO: Jodie A. Perry, IOM
Director of Member Services & Events: Sue Edgett
Director of Marketing & Communications: Terry
Hogan
Director of Finance & Member Benefits: Christine
Sortino
Office Manager: Rae Shults
Membership Development Manager: Ann Hallick
-By Jodie A. Perry, IOM, President & CEO
Last month, I was meeting with a potential
member vendor and they asked me for some
information about our Chamber Members. I
gave them some broad statistics about the
Chamber but thought it might be a great time
to write a column on our Members. I think
some of the numbers might surprise you. These
statistics are current as of 1/19/12:
Number of Members:
Number of New Members since July 1, 2011:
Average Employee Size of our Members:
Median Length of Membership:
Number of Employees Among our Members:
% of Business Members from Greece:
% of Business Members from outside Greece:
738
67
1-5 Employees
4.5 years
10,000+
58%
42%
People are always surprised to find out how many members we
have outside of Greece. As you know, you don’t have to be located
in Greece to join. Many people join because they do business in
Greece (or want to do business in Greece) even if they aren’t
physically located here. It also tells me that we have a broader
reach than just Greece. Businesses see value here, even if they are
located elsewhere. Incidentally, we are a multinational Chamber.
We have one Canadian company who has joined the Chamber
(Indus Travels).
In terms of the new members we have signed since July, 67 is
a very good number, especially in this current economy. In fact,
we’ve stayed largely very steady in membership over the last two
years. If the trend continues this year, we will log in a modest
increase in membership. Across the country, Chambers have seen
large declines in membership with the struggling economy. I’m
proud to say that we haven’t seen that here in Greece. Once again,
the Rochester market is ‘steady as she goes’.
Just like other Chambers across the country, the majority of
our members are small businesses. The average employee size of
our members is 1-5 employees. We also have a substantial amount
of sole proprietors who are members. If you take all of the
employees of our 738 members and add them together, you have
over 10,000 employees. We don’t always track the exact count of
employees so the real number is most likely more impressive.
The average ‘age’ of a membership is just shy of 5 years. That
tells me (again) that we are a pretty steady membership. Once
they have joined, our membership tends to stick around. You will
always have members who don’t renew their membership but with
the average age being a little bit ‘older’ that tells me that we aren’t
seeing the volatility that some other Chambers are.
All that added up means that your Chamber is healthy and
strong. I’m pleased to give you this report and look forward to
continuing to work with you for the betterment of our community!
Page 2
Chamber Events
NYS Assemblyman
Bill Reilich
Eggs & Issues Legislative
Breakfast
First Friday Networking
Breakfast
Thurs, Feb. 16th, 2012
7:30am - 8:30am
Guest Speaker: NYS Assemblyman
Bill Reilich
Fri., Mar. 2nd, 2012
7:30am - 8:30am
Center for Reiki Wellness &
Hypnosis—550 Latona Road
FREE event
Brook House Restaurant
920 Elm Ridge Center Drive
$15 for Greece Chamber members
$20 for non-members
Sponsored by: The Villages at Unity
NYS Assemblyman Bill Reilich will be the featured guest speaker at the upcoming
Eggs & Issues. Get an update on New York State, the challenges that it’s facing and
how they can affect business in 2012.
Tech Tuesday
Social Media Marketing
Presented by: Robin Taney, Studio4PR
Small Business Success
Series seminar January 2012
Tues., Feb. 28th, 2012
7:30am - 9:00am
Greece Chamber Conference Room
$15 for Greece Chamber members
and $25 for non-members
Sponsor of this event is: Bryant &
Stratton College
Robin Taney, owner of Studio4PR, will present this 90 minute seminar.
Learn how Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other social media tools can help
you market your business more effectively. The seminar will
be held in the Chamber Conference Room and will include a
continental breakfast.
Pictured above: Kim
Tanner (Holiday Inn
Airport) & Mike Fischer
(Faber Homes) January
2012 First Friday
Networking event at the
Holiday Inn Airport
First Friday Breakfast are a great opportunity to network with local
business professionals before the workday begins. Be sure to bring
plenty of business cards to this FREE event.
SAVE THE DATE
Greece Chamber
Civic Awards Banquet
Thursday, April 26th, 2012
Rochester Marriott Airport Hotel
1890 West Ridge Road
6:00pm—Social Hour
7:00pm—Dinner & Program
To learn more about Greece Chamber events, visit us on the Internet at
www.GreeceChamber.org or call our office
at 585-227-7272!
“Like” us on
“Facebook” and we
will “Like” you
back!
www.facebook.com/greecechamber
Member Testimonial
“Being a member of the Greece Chamber for the last 8
years has proven to be one of the best decisions I have
made. The Greece Chamber offers a wide variety of
information and networking options that have proved to
be a positive impact in my business. I hope to continue
my partnership with the Greece Chamber for many more
years to come!” -Jackie Wilke, Account Executive with
Toshiba Business Solutions
Page 3
Greece Chamber At-a-Glance
Chamber Networking Luncheon
February
TO-DO
LIST
REGISTER—for the Chamber’s
upcoming Tech Tuesday seminar: “Social
Media Marketing” with Robin Taney,
Studio4PR on Tues., Feb 28th.
FOLLOW—the Greece Chamber on
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and
join us on SuccessLink!
US Congresswoman Kathy Hochul was the featured guest speaker at the Greece Chamber’s January 2012
Networking Luncheon. The Congresswoman gave attendees an update on what is happening in Congress,
and discussed the challenges that businesses and individuals are facing today. The luncheon was held at
Ridgemont Country Club. The event was sponsored by Unity Health Foundation.
ENTERTAINMENT PICK OF THE MONTH:
ATTEND— Eggs & Issues Legislative
Breakfast with featured guest speaker NYS
Assemblyman Bill Reilich at Red Fedele’s
Brook House Restaurant on Thursday,
February 16th, 2012
ENGAGE—Learn more about BRN
Have you ever thought of learning as a form of entertainment? Guess what? It
certainly can be. Greece Community Education offers community education classes in
a wide variety of subjects. In addition to business oriented classes, you’ll find classes
in the Performing Arts, Hobbies & Crafts, Home & Garden, Genealogy, Personal
Enrichment, Language, Photography, and more. Many of the classes can be taken in a
traditional classroom setting or online in the privacy of your own home. Have fun
with Dance, Creative Writing, Floral Arranging, Perennial Garden Design, Creating
Fancy Cupcakes, Knit & Crochet, Pleasures of Poetry, Drawing, Guitar, Get Paid to
Travel, Secrets of Better Photography or possibly learning a new language such as
Spanish, German or Italian. And these are just some of the courses that are offered.
Whether you are looking for something fun and entertaining to do by yourself or with
a group of friends, consider taking a course with Greece Community Education. The
courses are informative and inexpensive and you’ll enjoy the journey of Living,
Laughing & Learning! Looking for the perfect gift? The Greece Community Education
eGift Card is perfect for someone who enjoys learning!
For more information on taking a community education course through Greece
Community Education, visit their website at http://greece.augusoft.net or call them at
585-865-1010.
MEMBER TESTIMONIAL
Thank you so much for inviting Mr. Sink from the D&C to educate us on the techniques used to
bring our businesses more public attention. He explained specifically in detail the process we
need to follow to get our businesses recognized in the business editorials. Mr. Sink educated us on
the processes used for consideration when determining which business would be well positioned
for a spotlight editorial including how we would be selected, who to contact, press releases, public
interest, accomplishments, etc. -John Sieminski, LaserSensations
(Business Referrals Network) the
Chamber’s ‘Leads’ group. Visit
www.GreeceChamber.org
Erie Canal
Mural Prints
Available
Prints of the new
murals installed on
the bridge at
Henpeck Park are
available for
purchase. Contact
the Greece
Chamber office at
585-227-7272 for
details.
Page 4
Small Business Success
Series Seminar
THANK YOU
RENEWING
MEMBERS
Nick’s Refrigeration
Prompt Cleaning Service
See The Thin Within
Unity Home & Community Based Services
Upstate Business Builders
Upstate Refreshment Services
* As of January 9, 2012
MEMBER TESTIMONIAL
Greece Chamber is an ACTIVE & VITAL organization in our
community!! Thank you for providing great opportunities for
our business and others in education, community outreach
and networking!! - Keith & Wendy Rockcastle, Rockcastle
Florist
Pictured above Steve Sink, Business Editor at the Democrat & Chronicle
Attendees filled the Chamber Conference Room on Tuesday, January
24th, 2012 for the 90 minute seminar “The Media & Your Business.”
Steve Sink, Business Editor at the Democrat & Chronicle, did a
phenomenal job of presenting the seminar. It was part of the
Chamber’s Small Business Success Series—Professional Development
Track. Steve had the complete attention of each attendee as he talked
about print vs. online, press releases, business editorials, articles, and
what types of things about businesses that might attract the press. The
session was highly interactive with engaged conversation and questions
and answers throughout the entire time. Event sponsored by Bryant &
Stratton College.
Receive discounts from fellow Chamber members through
the Greece Chamber Members F1RST program. For a
complete listing of discounts visit the Chamber website at
www.GreeceChamber.org. If your business is interested in
offering a discount to members, call Terry Hogan at 585227-7272 or email her at [email protected]
Mutual of Omaha, 255 Woodcliff Drive, 585-615-8686,
www.MutualOfOmaha.com, Contact: Patrick LoMando—
Discount: Members of the Greece Chamber receive a 15%
Discount on Mutual of Omaha Disability policies.
Rapid Dry, 434 Elmgrove Road, Suite 6, 585-663-0510,
www.RapidDryNow.com, Contact: Janet Hess—Discount:
Greece Chamber members receive 15% off of carpet, tile or
upholstery cleaning. Minimum order of $200.00 applies
Sponsored by:
The Chamber’s Leadership Greece Class spent the day at the Greece Town
Hall Campus for Government Day, part of the program’s curriculum. This
class day is designed to give the class an overview of the role that
government plays from the local, state and national levels as well as how it
interacts with businesses. Guest speakers for the day included: Greece Town
Supervisor John Auberger (pictured above), NYS Senator Joe Robach,
Dennis O’Brien from Congresswoman Kathy Hochul’s office, and a panel of
department heads from the Town of Greece. The sponsor of this program is
Unity Health System.
Rochester Knighthawks, 144 Exchange Blvd., 585-4544295, www.knighthawks.net, Contact: Nicole Petix—
Discount: The Rochester Knighthawks would like to
extend a discount offer to the Greece Chamber members
on the following dates: Feb. 4th, 2012, Feb. 18th, 2012, Mar.
24th, 2012, and Apr. 14th, 2012. The ball drops at 7:30pm at
the Blue Cross Arena. Tickets in the 100 Premium seats
will be $27 (originally $30) and the 100 end seats will be
$22 (originally $24). To take advantage of this offer, you
need to call Nicole Petix. This offer is not available at the
box office.
Rubino’s Cafe, 1659 Mt. Hope Avenue, 585-317-9212,
Contact: Tommy Plantone—Discount: 25% off any
purchase. Not to exceed $500.
Keller Williams Realty, 1934 Ridge Road West, 585-3628999, www.SharonQ.com, Contact: Sharon Quataert—
Discount—Call Sharon to sell or buy real estate and
Page 5
receive complimentary Legal Fee PAID!!!
Page 6
Chamber Members Begin 2012 Networking!
Chamber members wasted no time starting 2012 out with some serious networking. The Chamber’s first First Friday Networking
Breakfast of 2012 was held at the Holiday Inn Airport on January 6th. As you can see, the event had a great turnout!
Nominate Outstanding Businesses & People
Each year the Greece Chamber honors
businesses and individuals for their
outstanding contributions to the
community at its annual Civic Awards
Banquet. The banquet is the Chamber’s
premier evening of the year. The
celebration will be held on Thursday,
April 26th. The 2012 Civic Awards will
recognize local residents and business
people in the following categories: Greece
Business Person of the Year, Girlie
Goodwin Citizen of the Year, William E. Selke Senior Citizen
of the Year and for the first time this year, Educator of the
Year has been added to the list. Educator of the Year can
include a teacher, coach, administrator or anyone who has
provided a positive and enriching influence in the lives of
youth in our community.
Chamber’s New Marketing Packages
Can Lead to Greater Business Exposure
The opportunity to make your business stand out even
more in the Chamber’s online business directory is
coming soon. If you haven’t already received a telephone
call from Terry Hogan to discuss
the options and packages available
to you with your online
ChamberMaster Member Directory
Listing, you will soon. Imagine having your banner ad on
the Chamber’s homepage or in your business category.
Did you know that the Greece Chamber Website takes
about 3500 hits per month. Depending on the package
that you choose, you will have options for longer
business descriptions, bulleted highlights, be able to post
a video, photos and more. The enhanced listings give
your business an opportunity to reach Greece Chamber
members as well as visitors to the Greece Chamber
Is there a business or individual that you feel should be
website
in a more unique way. Enhanced listings also
recognized? If so, be sure to fill out the nomination form
serve
as
a
great branding tool. These packages will begin
that you will receive shortly and return it to the Greece
Chamber office by Monday, February 20th, 2012. If you have at just $99 a year. Take your business promotion to the
any questions, call Sue Edgett at 585-227-7272 or email
next level and belong, engage & succeed with YOUR
[email protected]. Details on sponsorship
personal Chamber!
opportunities are included in this mailing.
Page 7
New Members
Benefit of the Month
BEE KEEPER
Baldeck Bees
Melanie Baldeck, Owner
33 Williams Street
Mumford, NY 14511
(585) 538-2612
MANUFACTURING/ ENGINEERING
Zman Design for Manufacturing
Michael Zimmerman
75 Miramar Road
Rochester, NY 14624
(585) 317-3483
MARKETING
Wilsonworks, LLC
Darrick Wilson, Owner
130 Mount Ridge Circle
Rochester, NY 14616
(585) 713-0502 Fax: (800) 918-3503
www.wilsonworksmarketing.net
REAL ESTATE
Vampiro Ventures, LLP
Diane Springer, Partner
1770 Emerson Street
Rochester, NY 14606
(585) 647-1200 Fax: (585) 647-1212
TRAVEL
Lori’s Travel Service, LLC
Michael Chaba, Vice President
879 North Greece Road
Rochester, NY 14626
(585) 225-5291 Fax: (585) 227-9290
www.loristravelservice.com
* As of January 18, 2012
Become a Member of the New
Chamber Leads Group, BRN!
750+ Businesses Reading Our FullColor Publication!
BRN (Business Referrals Network) is a group of dedicated
Include YOUR full color business card ad in SuccessLink
professionals who meet weekly or biweekly to share business Journal (Greece Chamber monthly newsletter) for as little as $50
per month (12 month commitment) $60 per month (6 month
leads and learn more about one another’s business. Each
commitment) or just run for one month for $75. Call the
business category is exclusive.
Chamber office at 585-227-7272 for details or to reserve your
Member Benefits of BRN
spot!
⇒ Directly receive exclusive and qualified leads
⇒ Create new business networks
⇒ Form relationships in a non-competitive environment
⇒ Refine presentation skills
⇒ Enjoy peer-to-peer “agenda-free” business support
⇒ Take advantage of leadership opportunities offered
within the networks
Interested in joining BRN? Call Terry Hogan at 585-227-7272
or email her at [email protected] for details or a
BRN application.
Page 8
Member News
Rockcastle Florist Named
Best Florist in Ontario County
Congratulations to Greece Chamber member Rockcastle
Florist. Keith & Wendy Rockcastle recently opened their
2nd location in Canandaigua, NY. From November 1st, 2011
thru January 10th, 2012 Ontario County patrons were able to
vote for their favorites businesses. “The Best of Ontario
County” was conducted through an online poll. Everything
from arts & entertainment to sports was included in 43
different categories. Messenger Post Media referred to the
winning businesses as “The best of the best” and “The
cream of the crop.” By the end of December 2011, nearly
4,000 votes had been cast and Rockcastle Florist was
named “Best Florist in Ontario County.”
DON’T MISS OUR GREAT
SMALL BUSINESS SUCCESS
SERIES & TECH TUESDAY
SEMINARS COMING IN 2012
Sponsored by:
Feb 28th—Social Media Marketing presented by
Robin Taney from Studio4PR—This seminar will cover
how Facebook, Twitter, blogging and other social media
tools can be a cost effective way to market your business.
Mar. 27th—Success For the Home-Based Business
Owner presented by Cheryl MacCracken, Senior Sales
Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics—Learn more about
becoming more organized, building a positive image, how
community involvement can help your home based
business prosper, and more at this seminar.
Non-profit News
Lollypop Farm—Humane Society
of Greater Rochester
Lollypop Farm—Humane Society of Greater Rochester has two
Greece, NY locations: The Mall at Greece Ridge
(585-223-1330 ext. 223) open Monday-Friday from 12:00pm—
8:00pm, Saturdays from 11:00am—6:00pm and Pet$aver Super
Store (585-621-0890) located at 1596 West Ridge Road in
Stoneridge Plaza. Beginning on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 The
Mall at Greece Ridge location will offer dog adoptions once a
month.
The organization offers a Young Professionals Group and Start a
Youth Service Project. Start a Youth Service Project is for school
age children and can be used to help fulfill community service
projects for school and scouting activities.
Lollypop Farm is committed to building lifelong bonds between
people and animals through education, community outreach
programs and prevention of cruelty. They have been serving pets
and people in our community since 1873.
For more information on pet adoption or Lollypop Farm
programs and services call them at 585-223-1330 or email them at
[email protected].
Apr. 24th—Getting Started with YouTube presented
by Rhett VanScoter, VanScoter Insurance Agency,
LLC—YouTube is free, easy to use and a great business
marketing tool. Rhett will walk us through creating a
YouTube account, uploading videos, tags, and more. Learn
how to reach out to current and prospective clients using
video at this exciting seminar.
May 22nd—Essentials for the Employee Handbook
presented by Rich Pinckney, USA Payroll, Inc.—This
seminar will cover the importance of having an employee
handbook and guide you through the essential information
that should be included in a well-written one.
June 26th—Create Professional Relationships Using
Social Media presented by Jerry Grundman, The
BrandBuilder Company—Learn how to harness the
power of social media for building professional
relationships using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and blogs.
Building two-way communications, being perceived as an
expert in your field and increasing brand awareness will all
be topics of discussion at this fascinating seminar!
Nine students from Greece and Spencerport High Schools are participating
in the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) for the 2011-12 year and are
planning to launch 8 businesses among them. In January the students
continued the idea generation phase and started writing their business
plans. Guest speakers for the month included Hector Urena (McDonalds)
who talked about the pros and con of franchising and Gene Welch
(Attorney) who gave the students an overview in legal things they need to
keep in mind as they launch. Mentors started meeting with the students
later in the month as well.
Page 9
Member Spotlight—
Spotlight—USA Payroll, Inc.
USA Payroll, Inc. has been in business
since 1994 with their headquarters
based in Rochester, NY. They have six
offices located along the U.S. eastern coast that includes the NYC
area, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida. Ralph Fornuto and Jim
Williams are the company’s founders. Canandaigua National Bank
is a major stockholder of USA Payroll, Inc. owning 20%.
Payroll and payroll tax services are just the start of the
services that USA Payroll, Inc. offers. In addition, they offer
background check services, compliance posters, drug testing
services, an Employee Assistance Program, Employee Handbooks,
Harassment Training, HR Audits, New Hire Packets, and On-site
HR Specialist Support. Comprehensive Insurance Services such as:
Health, Dental, Exact Pay Workers’ Compensation, and NYS
Disability can also be obtained through the company. Enhanced
payroll services include: 401K Reporting, Job Costing, Automatic
Billing, Direct Deposit, EFT Child Support, Paperless Payroll, Tax
Payment Services, and much more. For a complete listing of all of
USA Payroll’s services and business solutions visit their website at
www.usapayroll.com. “Everything the big boys can do, we can do,”
remarks Andy Gray, Sales Rep for USA Payroll, Inc. “And we can do
it better, faster, and more cost effectively.” Andy has been with the
company for about seventeen years and has 27 years’ experience in
payroll.
What makes clients trust their payroll to USA Payroll,
Inc.? The company has approximately 3500 local clients and is the
second largest payroll company in Rochester. “We carry a $5
million dollar performance bond, are certified by the AICPA as a
SAS70 Level 2 provider and because Canandaigua National Bank &
Trust owns 20% of USA Payroll, our tax trust accounts are
routinely audited by the NYS Banking Commission,” says Andy
Gray. “But really it goes much farther than that. We partner with
our clients to provide them with a customized solution to their
needs for information. It is the difference between providing a
service rather than a commodity.”
The USA Payroll website is user friendly and offers a lot
of information for clients and prospective clients. In addition to
information on the company’s products and services, visitors will
find important announcements regarding issues about payroll,
taxes, IRS, Labor Law Changes, and things of that sort. Existing
clients will find links for signing into secure areas for web payroll,
employee self service, HR Support Center, background checks,
time keeping, and electronic quarterlies. Payroll and benefit/health
forms can also be downloaded right from their website.
If you are looking for an experienced payroll company,
USA Payroll, Inc. is a member of the American Payroll Association
and the majority of their employees are Certified Payroll
Professionals. Exceeding the expectations of their clients and
supplying business solutions as clients’ needs change is a top
priority. The staff is cross trained so that should a client have an
emergency and their payroll specialist is unavailable, someone
from the staff will be able to provide immediate service. Customer
calls are returned within a two-hour time frame.
For more information on USA Payroll, Inc. services and
discounts for Greece Chamber members, call Andy Gray at 585427-2010. Be sure to tell USA Payroll, Inc. that you saw their
spotlight in SuccessLink Journal. –Terry Hogan, Director of
Marketing & Communications
Calendar of Events
February
2/7, Tuesday – Canal Committee meeting ~ 8:00am to
9:00am ~ Northwest Savings Bank, 860 Long Pond Road
2/8, Wednesday – Civic Awards Committee Meeting ~
3:30pm to 4:30pm
2/9, Thursday – Dewey Avenue Business Development SubCommittee Meeting ~ 7:30am to 8:30am ~ Chatfield
Engineers, 2800 Dewey Avenue
2/10, Friday – Leadership Greece Class Day
2/16, Thursday – Eggs & Issues Networking Breakfast ~
7:30am to 8:30am ~ Brook House Restaurant, 920 Elm Ridge
Center Drive ~ Guest Speaker: NYS Assemblyman Bill Reilich
~ Sponsored by The Villages at Unity
2/21, Tuesday - Board of Directors meeting ~ 7:30am to
9:00am
2/23, Thursday – Ambassadors meeting ~ 8:00am to 9:00am
2/28, Tuesday – Small Business Success Series – Tech
Tuesday, “Social Media Marketing,” presented by Robin
Taney, Studio4PR ~ 7:30am to 9:00am ~ Greece Chamber
Conference Room, Suite 202 ~ Sponsored by Bryant & Stratton
College ~ Register online or contact the Chamber office for
more information
March
Hosted by the Center for Reiki Wellness & Hypnosis, 550
Latona Road, Bldg. E
3/2, Friday – Youth Hall of Fame Committee Meeting ~
8:00am to 10:00am ~ Greece Chamber Conference Room
3/6, Tuesday – Canal Committee meeting ~ 8:00am to
9:00am ~ Northwest Savings Bank, 860 Long Pond Road
3/7, Wednesday – Civic Awards Committee Meeting ~
3:30pm to 4:30pm
3/8, Thursday – Dewey Avenue Business Roundtable Meeting
~ 7:30am to 8:30am ~ Aldersgate United Methodist Church,
4115 Dewey Avenue
3/9, Friday – Leadership Greece Class Day
3/15, Thursday – Monthly Networking Luncheon ~ 11:45am to
1:15pm ~ Ridgemont Country Club, 3717 West Ridge Road ~
Speaker(s) TBD
3/20, Tuesday - Board of Directors meeting ~ 7:30am to
9:00am
3/22, Thursday – Ambassadors meeting ~ 8:00am to 9:00am
3/27, Tuesday – Small Business Success Series, “Success for
the Home-Based Business Owner, “ presented by Cheryl
McCracken, Senior Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics ~
7:30am to 9:00am, in the Greece Chamber Conference Room,
Suite 202 ~ Sponsored by Bryant & Stratton College ~ Register
online or contact the Chamber office for more information
3/2, Friday - First Friday Networking ~ 7:30am to 8:30am ~
Reservations are requested for all Chamber luncheons & events; call 227-7272 to make reservations. All committee meetings and training sessions, unless
otherwise noted, will take place in the Greece Chamber’s Conference Room at 2496 West Ridge Road, Suite 202. If you are interested in one of our many active
committees or you would like to gain more exposure for your business, please call us at the Chamber.
Page 10
Much is Happening in the
Dewey Avenue Corridor
The Greece Chamber of Commerce Dewey Avenue
Business Roundtable continues to meet on a monthly basis
to discuss the issues associated with business, community
development and neighborhood improvement.
Participation in the monthly meetings is encouraged for
businesses in the Dewey Avenue Corridor and surrounding
areas. The calendar of meetings for the Dewey Avenue
Business Roundtable is posted on the Chamber web site.
Typically the meetings are held on the second Thursday of
each month at 7:30 am.
Construction of the Northgate Wal-Mart is well underway
and out of the ground, with the exterior structure nearing
completion. It appears that work continues to take place
inside the building as the wind blows and snowflakes come
and go. I remember when Northgate Plaza was a bustling plaza and the place
to hang out as a kid. Those were the days my friends. Well someday our kids
or our grand kids will say the same thing about Wal-Mart in the coming
years. Maybe there should be a section on the Greece Chamber website
dedicated to “Remember When”. LOL!
Paul Chatfield
Greece Chamber of
Commerce
Chairman of the Board
The Town of Greece recently held a Public Hearing for the Dewey Avenue
Mixed Use District. This effort by the Town was well received by most of the
50 or so residents, property owners and business owners in attendance at the
Public Hearing. I applaud the efforts of the Town of Greece in initiating this
ordinance and acknowledge the efforts of the Design Team of Ingalls
Planning & Design and the Steinmetz Planning Group to incorporate
elements that are unique for the Dewey Avenue Corridor.
I believe that a strong business community needs the neighborhood to
remain healthy and to support local businesses as much as possible. The
proposed Dewey Avenue Mixed Use District is a fine example of how
commerce and residential uses can be intertwined to create prosperous
opportunities for both.
Some of the businesses in the Dewey Avenue Corridor appear to be
prospering as evidenced by lines out the door at Triano’s Meat Market and
Jackson Bakery during the holiday season. Somehow the word needs to get
out more to residents of the community to encourage better support of our
local small businesses when making their buying decisions.
The next time you are about to make a purchase for your home or business,
please consider the small businesses along the Dewey Avenue Corridor and
throughout the entire Town of Greece. Also check out the Greece Chamber
of Commerce website to find a Greece Chamber of Commerce Member that
you can do business with.
Embrace the winter weather upon us, find something fun to do other than
shoveling snow, visit our local restaurants and business establishments
throughout the Town of Greece, and count the days until the flowers bloom
and the grass turns green.
Sincerely,
Paul R. Chatfield, P.E.
Greece Chamber of Commerce
Chairman of the Board
Cont from Cover (Building Great Business Relationships)
ways to spread the word. Fuccillo Hyundai on
Ridge Road West uses all forms of
communication. “We use print, television, radio,
social media, websites, press releases, and more,”
remarks Robert
Rosario, General Manager at Fuccillo Hyundai of
Greece NY, Inc. “I like to refer to it as surround
marketing. Everywhere you turn you will be
exposed to Fuccillo Hyundai. It continuously
exposes our theme “HUGE” to our community
and beyond. We are looking at Chamber
sponsorships and possibly hosting a Chamber
First Friday utilizing our Chamber membership as
one more communication tool.”
The Internet now serves as a valuable and
very affordable communication tool. We are
conducting business in the age of open
communication and engaged dialogue.
Consumers are looking for businesses to become
more transparent and personal. It’s great personal
customer service that they want and the Internet
and social media are providing the opportunity to
give them just that! T. Kevin Sheehan from T.
Kevin Sheehan & Associates has found great
success with email connection tools.
“We use e-Relationship, an email
connection tool for connecting with
clients and prospects,” remarks
Kevin Sheehan. “My clients
automatically receive an email that
tells them what I do and supplies
them with information about
insurance, investments, and long
T. Kevin
term care solutions. It offers
Sheehan, T.
storyboards, videos, articles, and
Sheehan &
more. It also takes them to my
Assoc.
website. It is the most cost effective
advertising and awareness tool that I have found
in the marketplace.” Kevin also uses email blasts
through the Chamber, participates in our
tradeshows and attends networking functions.
His communications approach must be working,
he has over 1000 clients.
Sites like Twitter and Facebook allow
companies to communicate with and hear what
their customers have to say. It also allows them
an opportunity to respond to customer
complaints quickly should they arise. And of
course it is a great feeling for any company to
have their products or services complimented
across the World Wide Web. More and more
companies are finding that interacting with their
clients through social media platforms is paying
off.
How do business professionals keep up
with all that is available in the world of
communications. Blink your eyes and you have
already missed something. Another thing to
consider is your local library or book store where
you will find books and magazines that focus on
business and communications. New business
related books are released continuously and on
every imaginable subject. Reading can be an
invaluable tool for business communications. The
Greece Chamber is now working out the logistics
for a Chamber business book club. Watch for
details.
Each business is unique and the way they
communicate with prospects and clients is also
unique, but one thing is for sure: there are plenty
of communication tools to achieve great business
relationships! -Terry Hogan, Director of Marketing
Page 11
& Communications
2496 West Ridge Road, Suite 201
Greece, NY 14626-3053
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