THANK YOU TO OUR CORPORATE SPONSOR 
Lakewood Hospital
December Newsletter
December 1, 2009- Vol 3
In This Issue
December Holiday Party
November Monthly Meeting Recap
Economic Development Task Force Update
Education Task Force Update
Legislative Task Force Update
Marketing & PR Task Force Update
Membership Task Force Update
November New Members
Congratulations
Join Our Mailing List!
December Calendar
Bidding  Bidding Bought
Online Auction
 
December 10
Holiday Party from 6-8 pm at Sweetwater Landing
Board of Directors
2009-2010 Officers
Chairman of the Board
Terry Vincent
Brouse McDowell
Treasurer
Steve Clark
Clark Financial Group
Vice Chair of
Econ. Development
Brian Salem
Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer
Vice Chair of Education
Debra Girman
First Federal of Lakewood
Vice Chair of Legislative and Government Affairs
Nikki Farley
Millisor & Nobil
Vice Chair of Marketing & Public Relations
Dan Carney
Cox Business
Vice Chair of Membership and Investor Relations
Lisa Tomm
Hospice of the Western Reserve
Immediate Past
Erin Fach
Lakewood Community Recreation & Education Department
 
Board of Directors
Linda Garrett Beebe
Attorney
Mary Anne Crampton
LakewoodAlive
Scott Duennes
Nature's Bin
Lucinda Einhouse
Beck Center for the Arts
Diane Helbig
Seize This Day Coaching
Shawn Juris
The Juris Agency
Nathan Kelly
City of Lakewood Planning & Development
Bill Koziol
Lakewood Hospital
Ryan Krivosh
Around the Corner
Matty Lucarelli
Sweetwater Restaurant Group
Bruce McNabb
Lakewood Senior Health Campus/ O'Neill Management
Linda Thayer
West Shore Career Tech
Julie Warren
Erie DeSign
Michael Whitkofski
Thinsolutions
 
Staff
Patty Ryan
CEO & President
Val Mechenbier 
Office Manager
Letter from the CEO & President
Brace yourself...The holidays are upon us!  Our calendars are full of end of the year meetings and holiday socials. Combine that with shopping, decorating, baking and wrapping; sometimes it's hard to remember to breath!

(TIME FOR THE SHAMELESS PLUG) 
Let the Chamber of Commerce help save you precious time this season.  Do your shopping  with our new fundraiser; BIDDING, BIDDING, BOUGHT...a "Buy Local" online holiday auction. There are some great items available and you can shop and support the Lakewood Chamber from the comfort of your home!  
 
We also have our Holiday Party at Sweetwater Landing on December 10th from 6-8.  We will be drawing the $1000 grand prize for our 2009 Century Building Club.  There are still $25 raffle tickets available at the Chamber office and they will be on sale that evening.
 
Details are available in the articles below and feel free to call me with any questions. Have a safe and happy holiday season!
                                                 Patty Ryan
Holiday Online Auction

The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce presents:
BIDDING...BIDDING...BOUGHT!
Lakewood's Holiday On-line Auction
  
The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce is auctioning off a number of fun and unique items to raise mioney for our organization and to encourage shoppers to buy local this holiday season!

Lakewood shoppers can avoid the rush and the slush, and with just a click of a mouse they can bid on goods & services from their favorite Lakewood businesses.

logo with lights

So what are you waiting for?...Click Here to Buy Local!

December Holiday Party
 
presents
 
Chamber Holiday Party
Sweetwater Landing at the Emerald Necklace Marina
1500 Scenic Park Drive
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Thursday, December 10, 2009
$15 Members/$20 Non-members
RSVP: 216.226.2900
 
Sample a wide selection of delicious food provided by several area restaurants.  Your first two drinks are complimentary. Mingle with other chamber members, their spouses and guests and enjoy each others company as we toast the holidays.
 
Don't miss the $1000 Grand Prize drawing for the
2009 Century Building Club Raffle!
Tickets are still available for $25 at the Chamber office and the evening of the party.
Recap of the November Monthly Meeting 

cox

Thank you to Cox Business for hosting national speaker, Richard Yamarone. Author and Bloomberg Televison corresdondent, Richard Yamarone, addressed a packed house from both the Lakewood and the Rocky River Chambers of Commerce last Thursday. His presentation and Q&A session on the currect economic crisis and what indicators to watch for in predicting recovery was informative and entertaining. For those of you who missed his presentation, it is available at Cox On DEMAND.
Economic Development Task Force
Strategic Planning Scheduled 
business drawingsThe Economic Development Task Force has scheduled a strategic planning session for January 20, 2010 at Noon at the Winking Lizard.  This session will help the group identify economic development projects for 2010-11. 
 
Anyone interested in joining this committee, please contact Patty Ryan at pryan@lakewoodchamber.org or call the office at 216-226-2900.
Education Task Force
Survey Results Are In!
The Educational Task Force will be hosting a workshop series in 2010 In an effort to bring you relevant topics that relate to your business.  The group conducted an online survey to determine the topics, frequency, and cost of these workshops.
 
The results of the survey are in and with this information we were able to determine that our members want quarterly workshops, that last no more than 2 hours, during weekday mornings, and cost between $15-20. 
 
The 4 most popular topics were selected and the first workshop will be in February and discuss "Selling in a Tough Economy".  Details on this event and the other 3 in the series will be forthcoming. 
 
Thank you to everyone who participated in this survey.  The information you shared was invaluable!
Legistlative Task Force Will Welcome City Council
The Legislative Task Force will hold a reception at the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce for all Lakewood City Council Representatives and Department Directors in January after the new council is sworn in. 
 
Nicole Farley, the Legislative Task Force Chairman, hopes this reception will continue to strengthen the partnership between the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce and City Hall.
Marketing  & Public Relations
Panera Ribbon Cutting 
The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce, the City of Lakewood and LakewoodAlive officially welcomed Panera Bread to Lakewood with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, November 18th. Mayor Ed Fitzgerald, City Council members Brian Powers, Tom Bullock, and Nickie Antonio, Lakewood Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Patty Ryan, LakewoodAlive Executive Director Mary Anne Crampton, and many staff members from City Hall, Downtown Lakewood, LakewoodAlive, and the Chamber of Commerce gathered to cut the ribbon in front of the new eatery on the southwest corner of St. Charles and Detroit.
 
Covelli Enterprises, the nation's largest franchisee of Panera Bread, reports that business has been brisk during the grand opening days at Panera. Over 1400 transactions were handled on November 10th, increasing to 1682 on November 11th, and nearly 1800 on November 12th. Panera Bread is rated as the No. 1 healthiest fast-casual restaurant in the country for 'eating on the go' by Health Magazine.
Membership Task Force 
Bring a Guest to the January Meeting
Let's kick off 2010 by growing our membership!  The Membership Task Force is encouraging all members to bring a guest to our January 15th Breakfast at Brennan's Catering & Banquet Center.  Everyone will be able to attend for the $15 member price and participants will receive a small gift for themselves and their guest.
 
Our topic will be the economic forecast for the region from the Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland.  This is always a popular meeting and we encourage you to make reservations early. 
Email Valerie Mechenbier at
vmechenbier@lakewoodchamber.org
.
Welcome November New Members

  aflac

AFLAC
Blake Beharry
1667 Arthur Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44017
216.2010258
                                              blake_beharry@us.sflac.com
                                            www.aflac.com
 
 gatherings
Gatherings Kitchen
Ruthann Kostadinov
17--0 Madison Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216.228.2285
 
 
 
great clipsGreat Clips for Hair
Brian Caine
15004 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio  44107
216.226.5250
              

panera

Panera Bread
Ashley Bates
14701 Detroit Avenue
Lakewood, Ohio 44107
216.920.1030
 
Congratulations to...
Ann Zabkar was the recipient of the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Bright Star award for 2009. Ann was recognized on Thursday, October 29th at the semi-annual board meeting of the Northern Ohio Area Chambers of Commerce (NOACC) at the Cadillac Ranch on Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio.
 
Almost 50 Chambers of commerce across northern Ohio nominated a person from their chamber as their "Bright Star," to recognize a chamber member who has "made a significant impact on the chamber through membership, retention, sponsorship, economic development, operations and/or education."  Each Bright Star is an active chamber member for no less than two years and is likely to be an unsung hero or a dedicated behind-the-scenes volunteer.
 
The Chamber Bright Stars received a plaque and trophy in addition to this public recognition.  Kathy Berkshire, NOACC Chairman was pleased that this opportunity allowed the chambers and their communities to give these "Bright Stars" the thanks they deserve for everything they do to help their chambers succeed.
 
Longtime Lakewood School Board Member (and Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Board Member) Linda Beebe was honored at the November 2 Lakewood School Board meeting for her 25 years of service.  Superintendent Madak congratulated Linda and presented her with a proclamation.  The Ohio School Boards Association presented Ms. Beebe the Veteran Board Member Award earlier in the month.

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