2012 is a year of many changes at your Chamber.  Our look is changing, and we are creating new events
to give you more opportunity to meet face to face with your potential clients.  This year we are sending out 4 mailings, half of what was sent last year.  This makes for a more relevant and comprehensive compilation of information for and from our members.  We limit the number of inserts, so don't miss out.  March 7th is the first followed by June, September and our Directory mailing in December.  Book two or more for great savings.  It's still a great way to get your message heard!  Call Patricia at 905-522-1151 ext. 240 or 905-818-1173 or e-mail p.dieryck@hamiltonchamber.on.ca.  Click here for more information and member rates.
 

Delivering the Goods: Friday February 17

Efficient movement of goods is critical to driving job creation and growing our economy. As part of the "Big Move", Metrolinx has been researching and planning for future goods movement in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA).  Come out to hear the latest information about the strategy and the impact on your business.

Members: $35 Non-Members: $45*

*includes continental breakfast/please add HST

Location: McMaster Innovation Park (Longwood Road)

Time:  7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
To Register: w.simmons@hamiltonchamber.on.ca

Sponsored by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and TransHub Ontario

February Business After Business

Expand your business network by attending the Business after Business and learn more about our host Kumon Reading and Math

Thursday February 23

318 Dundurn Street South

5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

To Register: w.simmons@hamiltonchamber.on.ca 

Mayor's Breakfast

Monday, February 27

Waterfront Centre - 555 Bay Street North (Free Parking)

7:45 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

$40.00* members; $50.00* non-members

* add hst

Mayor Bob Bratina's 2nd address to Chamber members
and their guests.
To Register: w.simmons@hamiltonchamber.on.ca

Proud Sponsor:  Union Gas 

166th Annual General Meeting

Hamilton Chamber of Commerce

Monday, March 5th

Waterfront Centre - 555 Bay Street North (Free Parking)

5:00 p.m.  Business Meeting

• Induction of New Chair and Executive by Mayor     Bob Bratina
• Annual Report
• Constitution and By-Law Changes
• Business Meeting Free

6:00 p.m.  Networking Reception

• A Night in Paris
• $25 + hst per person for the reception

To Register: w.simmons@hamiltonchamber.on.ca

Proud Sponsors:  Hamilton International Airport; Imagination Plus, Guyatt + Moffat, CA, Waterfront Centre, Netaccess, CareGo  

Mark the Date - March 26: Celebration of Business Excellence

Salute to Small Business

Recognition of Hamilton's BIAs

Outstanding Business Achievement Awards

It will be a banner day in March for business excellence in Hamilton.

March 26th marks the first time three separate events will combine to recognize some of Hamilton's top businesses - the City of Hamilton's Small Business Enterprise Centre's Salute to Small Business, the Economic Development Division's recognition of property excellence in Hamilton's Business Improvement Areas and the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce's Outstanding Business Achievement Awards. The new event will be entitled a Celebration of Business and will all take place at Carmen's Banquet and Convention Centre and the C-Hotel.

The Online Auction is Back
  

Chamber members will be able to shop on-line from the comfort of their desks. Here's the concept: Chamber members are being asked to donate an auction item and/or several items totaling approximately $500+ in value. For your donation you will receive:

• Recognition in two Pipeline e-newsletters
• Recognition on the auction page on the Chamber website with your logo
• A link going back to your own website

That's a lot of promotion for the thousands of hits the Chamber gets per day on our website. Can't come up with an auction item worth $500+? Go in with another company or two to put together an awesome donation.

For more information contact:

Patricia Dieryck, Sales Manager
Phone: (905) 522-1151 ext. 240
Email: p.dieryck@hamiltonchamber.ca

Congratulations to Members 

Heritage Green Landscape Contractors win "BIG" at Congress 

Toronto - Heritage Green Landscape Contractors has won provincial honours once again at the annual Landscape Ontario Horticultural Trades Association Awards of Excellence competition.

Heritage Green was judged by a panel of their peers and walked away with two Awards of Excellence. One for Residential Construction and another for Residential Maintenance. And to top it all off, they were the BIG winners of the Don Salivan Award which recognizes their efforts in the industry as top in Ontario. "We're ecstatic with this achievement, and honoured to be rewarded for our work." says owner and president of Heritage Green, Bernie Schutten. "This means a lot to us and we couldn't be more proud to represent our province at the national awards later this year."

Heritage Green, located in Ancaster, has been providing service to residential and commercial clients for almost 27 years. Their mission is to Exceed Your Expectations. And boy, will they ever! If you want to be "wowed", just visit their website www.heritagegreen.ca and take a look at their award-winning work.

"Seeing the winners impresses me more every year," said garden celebrity Denis Flanagan, Landscape Ontario's public relations manager. "Award-winning projects consistently show outstanding design, sophistication and horticultural knowledge."

Congratulations to Gorilla Cheese - Winners of Eat St. Contest

Gourmet grilled cheese truck, Gorilla Cheese, just announced that they're the grand prize winners of the Eat St. video contest. The contest required food truck owners to submit a video showcasing their truck and their food which fans could then vote on, with the winner earning a spot in the popular Food Network show. Relying heavily on their fans and followers, Gorilla Cheese was able to generate more votes than any other truck in both Canada and the U.S.

I contacted Gorilla Cheese co-owner Graeme Smith to get his reaction to the news. "We're on top of the world. This gives us national exposure, even down in the States so we're extremely pleased. We're also really proud of our fans who voted and stepped up everyday and showed a lot of dedication to make sure that we won. It's going to put Hamilton on the map so that's fantastic." I asked Graeme if he knew when the filming would take place but he didn't know yet (unsurprisingly), but guessed sometime in the summer. According the East Street 67 videos were submitted by food truck owners with over 20,000 total votes coming into the contest site.

Here's what Eat St. had to say to the folks at Gorilla Cheese. "We'd like to extend an enormous thank you to you for submitting your video and also for fostering a wonderful, proactive and vocal community who clearly love you (and grilled cheese) dearly. We could not disappoint so many #HamOnt and Gord lovers." We look forward to seeing Gord (aka the truck) and the Gorilla Cheese crew on TV soon.

(Be sure to check out the Community Calendar and the Member News links on the right side panel of this newsletter.  Contact Diane Stephenson at 905-522-1151 ext. 220 or d.stephenson@hamiltonchamber.on.ca to have your news included.)