Vaughan Chamber of Commerce Chronicle Online

I have eaten sushi while attending the Makimono grand opening, broken bread at the Chamber's networking breakfast meeting with "Hotline to HR", and attended several Committee meetings. I learned some stand-up comedy from George Bush and paid attention when President Clinton admitted that he would need to check with a "wise woman" (his wife) about the current passport issue affecting Canada.

I am reminded daily of the number of people who create their schedules to volunteer two of the most valuable commodities: time and effort. This time and effort has many faces, whether it be parents on the soccer field, mothers at the arena freezing during the 3rd period, attending school council meetings, altar girls or boy Scouts. The list goes on. We take these activities and effort for granted. We make time.

On the business side, the same holds true. Many offerings are available; however, we need to make an effort to participate. Outlook tells me when to attend meetings and when I am late. The Blackberry reigns. I am constantly reminded by my company's President that time needs to be allotted judiciously. Easier said than done. I am still working on that.

So, the question becomes: "How does the business person or organization take advantage of the opportunities available and not interfere with their daily business regimen?"

Your Chamber has developed part of the solution. We are committed to facilitating quality events during the year. You will find that one major event is scheduled per month (except for the summer hiatus). The essence here is quality, not quantity. Value-added comes to mind.

This brings me back to this: We make time. Success in business requires our making time. Grade 11 physics postulates that you cannot make something from nothing. The difference here is the component of effort. Taking advantage of events, meeting new contacts, and increasing your knowledge base are the immediate result.

I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Golf tournament or one of our events. I am going to start talking more and eating less. It's starting to show.

Sincerely,

Gerald K Searles
Chairman of the Board of Directors

Welcome New Members !

Apollo Laboratories Inc.
Analytical Services & Products
Mr. Aru Moorthy
20 Granitridge Rd.
Concord, ON L4K 5M8
(905) 695-3700

Athol Cohen & Associates - ServiCircle

Computer Technology

Mr. Athol Cohen

26 Zola Gate

Thornhill, ON L4J 9A7

416-729-1232

Bisceglia & Associates
Litigation/Law Services
Mr. Emilio Bisceglia
7941 Jane Street, Unit # 200
Concord, ON L4K 4L6
(905) 695-5200

Brentwood Classics Limited

Upholstery Manufacturer

Mr. Gaetano Sisto

57 Adesso Drive

Vaughan, ON L4K 3C7

905-761-0195

Decora Window & Door Systems
Window & Door Manufacturer
Mr. Robert Brunino
45 Connie Crescent, Unit A & B
Concord, ON L4K 1L3
(905) 660-9212

Digital Pixel

Printing & Design, Website

Mr. Jay Maru

4080 Highway 7, Unit # 2

Woodbridge, ON L4L 8Z2

905-850-9800

Ducatek Industries Inc.

Industrial Goods, Electronics

Mr. Miguel Fernandez

146 Citation Drive, Unit # 1

Concord, ON H4S 1C4

905-660-3900

Fontana Gardens Inc.
Banquet Hall
Mr. Frank Fuoco
7400 Keele St.
Concord, ON L4K 1Z9
(905) 669-6141

HSBC Eagles Landing
Financial Institution
Ms. Marlene Chahine
1420 Major Mackenzie Drive,

Bldg H
Vaughan, ON L6A 4H6
(905) 303-2233

Integrated Planning & Solutions Corporation

Insurance, Benefits, Investments

Mr. Walter Simone

7000 Pine Valley Drive,

Suite # 201

Vaughan, ON L4L 3N8

416-665-0932

Lanna Muay Thai Canada Inc.
Muay Thai Boxing & Martial Arts
Mr. Mel Bellisimo
3625 Weston Road, Unit # 1 & 2
Toronto, ON M9L 1V9
(416) 740-2352

Pristine Power

Developing Independent Power Facilities

Mr. Michael Dunn

216 Chrislea Road, Unit # 502

Vaughan, ON L4L 8S5

289-839-0101

The Tile Shoppe Inc.
Marble & Ceramic Tile
Mr. Suleyman Odemis
150 Caldari Road
Concord, ON L4K 4L1
(905) 660-1214

CALLING ALL GOLFERS!!

Don't miss out on the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce's 30th Annual Golf Tournament:
"The Final Round at Kleinburg"

With hockey legend Johnny Bower!

HURRY! Only a limited number of spots left!

GREAT PRIZES to be won including a Las Vegas trip for two and much more!

Monday June 22, 2009
Kleinburg Golf Club

Registration & Lunch: 11:00am

Shotgun Start: 1:00pm

Dinner & Silent Auction: 6:30pm

Golf Advertising & Sponsorship Opportunities AVAILABLE!

There's still time to be a sponsor of the Vaughan Chamber's 30th Annual Golf Tournament!

Place your company ad in our souvenir collectible Program book, or be one of our prize donors!

Call Filomena at 905-761-1366, ext. 21 or email Filomena@vaughanchamber.ca today!

New Member Benefit

For more information, please contact Fiorina Riga at 905-761-1366, ext. 28 or email fiorinar@vaughanchamber.ca.

Summer Hours

Beginning July 3rd, and running through to Friday September 4th, the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce will be operating on summer hours.

During this period, the office will be open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 8am until noon on Fridays.

Happy Summer!

Keeping Vaughan Chamber Members Informed!

The Vaughan Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Lori Suffern to the Chamber office in the role of Research Analyst. Lori will be working on our newest pilot project: providing valuable business services information to our members and assisting you in your research requirements. Need statistical data for your business sector? Looking for the latest in market research? Lori will do the leg work for you!
Tell us what information you need to know! Please contact Lori at 905-761-1366 ext. 24 or email lori@vaughanchamber.ca.

Finding the Information You NEED to SUCCEED!

New Member Orientation - June 8

If you want to learn more about member benefits and how your Chamber can help your business succeed, attend this session! Please RSVP to Filomena at Filomena@vaughanchamber.ca by Friday June 5th.

Monday June 8
4:30 - 5:30pm
Vaughan Chamber of Commerce

Networking Breakfast

Mark your calendar on July 16th for a free Networking Breakfast, hosted by Zero 20 Bambini and in partnership with the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce.

Speakers include Santina Mariani, Owner of Zero 20 Bambini and Winner of the Vaughan Chamber Business Achievement Award for Retailer, as well as Mary Patrick of Dave & Buster's, Winner of the Vaughan Chamber Business Achievement Award for Hospitality. Both Santina and Mary will be speaking about the importance of Customer Service.

Stay tuned -- more details to come!

Thank You to the Vaughan Chamber's Hard-Working Volunteers!

Volunteers are the backbone of any Chamber, and in appreciation of the hard work our volunteers do and to thank them for helping us achieve successes for you, we are hosting a "Thank-You" Lunch on June 10th at Tee Times Indoor Golf. See pictures of the event in next month's newsletter!

Launching the Vaughan Mills Shuttle

On May 20, Vaughan Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Deborah Bonk attended the unveiling of the new Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre Shuttle Service.

The service is now available twice a day to tourists and Toronto residents, and will provide free, round-trip transportation from Toronto's Union Station to Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre. The service will run until October 22, 2009.

BizPal unveiled in Vaughan!

Starting and running a business in Vaughan just became easier, thanks to BizPal, a new online business permit and license service that saves time spent on paperwork.

The new BizPal service was welcomed on Friday, May 22nd in a unique partnership between the City of Vaughan, the Province of Ontario, and the Government of Canada. This innovative service will provide entrepreneurs with simplified access to information on the permits and licenses they need to run their businesses.

Click here for the full story and for more information.

TV Chef David Rocco visits Zilli Home Interiors

On May 9, 2009, Zilli Home Interiors hosted a free event featuring special guest David Rocco. Rocco, host of the Italian Cuisine shows, Avventura, Journeys in Italian Cuisines, and more recently, David Rocco's Dolce Vita, is also the author of "La Dolce Vita Cookbook". David entertained guests with a dynamic kitchen demonstration, along with Zilli President Natalie Papia. The event was also attended by Vaughan Chamber President & CEO Deborah Bonk and husband Chris Greenwood.

Zilli_Rocco

One-Stop Event for Exporters

The 2009 Greater Toronto Export Conference and Trade Show will be held on Wednesday, June 10th at the Toronto Congress Centre. The show is designed specifically to help small and medium enterprises build growth through international trade.
This one-day trade show will feature 40 exhibitors from the public & private sectors as well as round-table discussions and workshops. For more information and to register, please click here.

Work-Sharing 2009

Work-Sharing 2009 is a program designed to help employers prevent layoffs. Introduced in the 2009 Federal Budget, the program will provide Employment Insurance income support to eligible workers, allowing employers to temporarily reduce the work-week of employees.

Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Fund

On April 6, a severe earthquake hit central Italy, killing almost 300 and displacing an estimated 50,000 people. The Canadian Italian Business and Professional Association is working with Villa Charities and other Toronto Italian-based groups to help with disaster relief. Villa Charities has set up a trust account, The Abruzzo Earthquake Relief Fund (AERF). Almost $500,000 has been collected or pledged in the Toronto region. Please visit www.abruzzoearthquakerelieffund.ca for more information and to donate.

Call For Entries
Canada Export Achievement Awards

Are you doing business internationally? If your organization has demonstrated high achievement in selling products or services outside of Canada's borders, then the Canada Export Achievement Awards could be for you. Presented by EDC and PROFIT Magazine, the first annual Canada Export Achievement Awards celebrates the spirit and strategies of Canadian small and mid-sized enterprises that are winning in foreign markets. Five winners from across Canada will be selected and their winning export strategies profiled in PROFIT and L'actualit� magazines. Not only will these winning companies receive national media coverage, they will also have the opportunity to attract new customers, employees and business partners, along with many other benefits. Entry deadline is June 30, 2009. To learn more and to enter, visit www.exportawards.ca.

Call For Nominations
RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards

The RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards provide national recognition to Canada's women entrepreneurs, whose successful businesses and achievements contribute so much to the Canadian and global economies as well as to their communities. Did you know that:

Canadian firms run by women, create new jobs at four times the rate of the national average, collectively providing more jobs than the Canadian Top 100 companies combined
Women are creating not just jobs, but entire companies, at double the rate of the national average
The number of women incorporated businesses more than doubled during the last decade
There are 821,000 self employed women contributing $18 Billion to the Canadian economy

Click here for more information on the awards and to nominate someone today!

Please click here for details on this special offer!