Learn LEAN concepts and tools that your business can use now! This one hour investment of your time will describe and illustrate ways to continuously improve customer service, reduce defects, reduce wait time, reduce transportation cost, reduce excess motion, reduce inventory costs, improve processes and other measures that reduce cost of goods sold and improve your bottom line. The Cardio Season is sponsored by  The Customized Training Center at CCC with Program Sponsor Comcast Business Class. It will be held on January 31, 2012 from 3:30 - 4:30pm at the Chamber Office. This one-hour session is free for Chamber Members ($20 for non-members) and will generate tangible practices for your business to get Lean in 2012.   

Joining a committee may be a daunting thought at first. However, committee involvement can benefit you and your organizations in numerous different ways! Promoting your business, meeting new contacts, learning new skills and becoming a leader are just a few advantages of joining a committee.  

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The joint sessions of Leadership Clackamas County/Clackamas County Young Leaders' Project saw the focus of their monthly classroom session shift to Communications and more specifically how to develop effective communication strategies as a leader.

The morning session got off to a high-energy start with a presentation called "Communicating in a Culturally Diverse Community and Work Force" by Daryl Dixon the Chief Diversity and Equity Officer at Multnomah County. Class participants learned how to get their message across by taking into consideration such variables as age, race, gender, religion and socio-economic standing. Steve Williams, Director of Sales and Business Development at Convergence Networks, led an interesting module on non-verbal communication and body language. During a working lunch, Joe Krumm, Director of Community and Government Relations for the North Clackamas School District, put participants through a no-nonsense crash course in effective community communications and crisis management. To round out the day, our group was rewarded with a short field trip to tour Pamplin Media and KPQD radio. 

Your Chamber has kicked off its Sweet Heart Package Travelling Raffle. This year's package, valued at more than $1200, includes a fabulous amethyst ring from LaRog Brothers, one night in a Jacuzzi suite at Oxford Suites, a three month Executive Family Membership at East Side Athletic Club, a large floral arrangement from Stargazer Baskets and Blooms, a chocolate martini gift basket from Dove Chocolatiers (including four martini glasses) and a gift card to McGrath's Fish House.  Tickets are $10 a piece or three for $25 and only 200 tickets will be sold! They will be available at the Chamber office and at every event from now till the first week of February.  The winner will be announced at the AM Business Connection on February 3rd.  You need not be present to win.  

On December 3, Rivermark Community Credit Union and the Clackamas Safeway Bread Plant - which as the name suggests, usually makes bread - mixed over 30,000 pounds of cookie dough for the 29th Annual Dough for Doernbecher fundraiser. Rivermark employees then packaged over 14,000 pounds of that cookie dough to fill hundreds of orders placed by its members online and at its branch locations. The remainder of the dough was purchased by families at the bread plants one-day Cookie Bake event held on December 4.  

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The Clackamas Community College Board of Education on Wednesday approved hiring Melissa Pirie as the new director of Student and Academic Support Services.

Pirie brings a strong background in student services with a focus on retention. The director of Student Services and Academic Support Services provides leadership for programs focused on student success, retention and completion of educational goals, and supervises academic advising, disability services, testing, outreach, multicultural and veteran services. For more information, please contact Phillip King at 503.594.3430.  

Educating the future by preserving the past

The Wings of Freedom will build a lasting educational and commemorative tribute to the men and women who served valiantly and made a vital contribution to the victory in World War II. Volunteers are a valuable resource for The Wings of Freedom Project. A campaign to kick off fund raising is in the works. Several opportunities are approaching where volunteers will make a difference. Send for a service application and get this project off the ground! Contact Terry Scott by email or by phone at 503.654.6491 today and become a part of this great crew! 

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New Century Players presents HAIRSPRAY. Loveable plus-size heroine, Tracy Turnblad, has a passion for dancing, and wins a spot on the local TV dance program, "The Corny Collins Show." Overnight she finds herself transformed from outsider to teen celebrity. Can a larger-than-life adolescent manage to vanquish the program's reigning princess, integrate the television show, and find true love without mussing her hair? Directed by Kelley Marchant, the play will be presented in February. Tickets are available online. For more information, call 503.367.2620. 

The Workforce Investment Council (WICCo) of Clackamas County needs two board members who are business representatives to help set funding strategies in an effort to develop a highly skilled workforce that creates sustained economic growth and prosperity by helping to meet the global demands of local businesses. Interested individuals need to complete a county application form and a WICCo supplemental application as well as have a letter of nomination by a local business organization or local business trade association.  County applications as well as the WICCo supplemental application may be completed and submitted online here or here. Applications will be accepted until Friday, January 20. For more information, contact Stacey Hendricks at 503.657.6644.

Local author Pat Lichen guides women writers of all levels through discussions of their work.

February 4 - CRT 2012 Fundraiser

Enjoy a one-night only performance of The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by David Smith-English, during Clackamas Repertory Theater's 2012 fundraiser.   

February 4 - Fruit Tree Pruning

This class features demonstrations and practice of pruning methods appropriate for a variety of fruit trees.   

February 18 - Fruit Tree Grafting

These workshops, two beginning and one intermediate, are designed to provide hands-on experience for grafting fruit trees.   

February 23 - Clackamas County Regional Skills Contest 

With the help of Growing Solar Clackamas County, residents and small businesses in Clackamas County are poised to benefit from a valuable new program for installing quality solar electric (PV) and solar hot water systems at extremely affordable "one-time" prices. Can you help get the word out to your community, friends, and family? An Outreach Training Workshop for volunteers who can help is scheduled for Thursday, January 19th.

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"Go Back," an exhibition of Intaglio prints by Nancy Prior, opens in the Alexander Gallery on Thursday, January 19 in the Niemeyer Center at Clackamas Community College . The exhibition runs through February 16. The Intaglio printmaking process involves etching into a copper or zinc plate with a tool to make an indentation, inking the plate, and then sending it through the press with to transfer the image onto paper. The process dates back to the 15th century. An artist's reception will be held on January 19 from noon to 1:30pm.