Recognize and reward a fellow business leader who demonstrates excellence by nominating him or her for the Chamber's annual Small Business Person of the Year Award.

Initiated in 1987, the award is one of the ways our Chamber demonstrates its support for small businesses and recognizes those who are succeeding, have shown growth and are involved in the betterment of the Worthington community. Click here to view a list of past honorees on the Chamber website. 

To be eligible for this honor, candidates must be independently owned, have equity position in the company or be a locally owned franchise. They must have operated their business for at least three years and currently be located in the Chamber's service area.

Candidates must have 50 or fewer employees and have demonstrated community involvement. Those who are nominated must also show examples of successful solutions to business problems, have a reputation for personal integrity and fair business practices, be financially strong and profitable and demonstrate management or product innovation.

Start the day with great networking,   door prizes and professional exchange and delicious Greek specialties, including spinach pie, when Chamber members gather for a Business Before Hours at Greek Express on April 20., Located at 8685 Sancus Blvd., Greek Express is a new location for Chamber member Ferdinand Cela, also owner of Acropolis. The event will begin at 8 a.m. and conclude at 9 a.m. (Please note the time change from the usual Business Before Hours schedule.) 

Business Before Hours (BBH) and Business After Hours (BAH) events are designed to give Worthington Chamber members the opportunity to network with other members in an informal setting and to learn more about Chamber member businesses.

We encourage pre-registration. Select "REGISTER NOW" above to reach the online registration page, and follow the registration prompts.  Be sure to click "SUBMIT." You'll receive an e-mail confirmation when successfully registered. Members who pre-register on our website by April 19 at noon will receive preprinted name tags, eligibility for extra door prizes, and listing in the "Know Before You Go" section of the website.

Looking ahead: Business After Hours on May 11 at Rivage Atlantique.

Join the Women's Business Network of the Chamber for a luncheon on Thursday, April 21, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at Crowne Plaza Columbus North, 6500 Doubletree Ave.

The featured speaker is Pat Carpenter, from Sequent and OAD Publishing, author of "The Caregiver's Roadmap."

Married to another financial planning professional, Pat thought her family was well prepared for terminal illness. Updated wills, advance directives and powers of attorney distributed, separate credit histories, personal life insurance in place: good basic planning, but not enough.

Caregiver's Roadmap is about what she and her late husband learned that wasn't obvious:

• How do you keep friends updated when you're exhausted?
• How do you find the right doctor?
• Where do you find resources?
• How do you protect your energy level?
• What is important to keep doing, and what can you let slide?
• And, oh, what about work?

Through the six years after diagnosis, they learned how to cope. They built a bridge over the barrier of illness. And they figured out how to say good bye. Pat will share the journey that led to her book and her expertise in helping others.

Support our scholarship fund by making announcements ($5/member; $10/guest), distributing promotional literature or samples ($10), and participating in door prize drawings ($1/member/guest).

Reservations are required by April 15. Reserve your place through the"REGISTER NOW" link to the event web page, or call 888-3040. Gentlemen are always welcome at programs conducted by the Women's Business Network.

Looking ahead: May 17 Women's Business Luncheon at Oakland Nursery. Save the date for the Progressive Power Luncheon on Oct. 13.  

QuickConnect is the Chamber's direct sales opportunity for members, giving participants the opportunity to determine quickly if there is a fit in meeting each other's business or personal consumer needs. It's fun, fast and very effective.

The April 27 session (rescheduled from March 1) will be held at Northwest Library, 2280 Hard Road. Check-in will take place from 10 a.m. to 10:15 a.m., when the session will begin. The event will end at 11:30 a.m.

The session is structured so that each participant will make one-on-one contact with 10 others. Participants face each other and have 90 seconds to discuss their company's products or services. Following each contact, participants indicate the next steps, including talking further about doing business; not a fit; and offering a referral.

Prior to the session, participants are provided a business profile/feedback form to complete and bring 11 copies to the session.

Click on REGISTER NOW above to learn more about the event and reserve your space.