News from Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce

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03.08.2012

In This Issue

Chamber Focus
New Members
Maximize Your Membership
Business After Hours
Eggs & Issues
Leadership 2012
Food Network Contest
VT Family Foundation
Events & Happenings
Legislative Insight
Contact Us

New Members

Help us WELCOME

our newest Members

Always Eventful, LLC

Debbie Seagle

PO Box 394

Dublin, VA 24084

Website

Blue Ridge Disposal and Recycling, Inc.

Tom Bernard

PO Box 417

Christiansburg, VA 24068

540.382.1270

Tomfbernard@gmail.com

Ameriprise Financial

John Dabareiner

104 Town Center Drive

Dublin, VA 24084

540.721.8218

Website

Debra Chase, Agent of Coldwell Banker

Debra Chase, Realtor

220 Professional Park Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

540.449.4481

Website

Diane Boon, Agent of Coldwell Banker

Diane Boon, Realtor

220 Professional Park Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

540.320.0963

Website

Pat Tracy, Agent of Coldwell Banker

Pat Tracy, Realtor

220 Professional Park Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

540.230.1355

Website

Coldwell Banker Townside Realtors

Margaret Galecki, GM

220 Professional Park Drive

Blacksburg, VA 24060

540.552.6500

Realtors:

Steve Ayers

Arthur Cennamo

Tommy Clapp

Allen Cowley

Paul DiMaio

Gary Douglas

Cliff Dowdy

Mike Eggleston

Wayne Elliott

Margaret Galecki

Sandy Grant

Tim Hudson

Brian Juanarena

Susanna Lilly

Alison Whittaker

Mary Lynch

Ellen McKaughan

Dana Orr

Tom Reisinger

John Skelton

Dennis Smith

Doug Veit

Greg Vidmar

Judy Walters

Chamber Focus

Greetings!

We appreciate Michael St. Jean, Executive Director of the Virginia Tech/Montgomery Airport and his presentation on the economic impact of the Airport to our community. Learning how many visitors come in through this facility and how much they spend during their visit was very enlightening.

Eric Johnsen and I also attended the quarterly Investors Meeting of the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance where we heard Martin Briley, the new CEO for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Mr. Briley talked about how aggressive Virginia needs to be in attracting new businesses to our area and how our competition is organized. Virginia ranks #1 in the country for its pro-business approach to economic development. With jobs so important to our long-term viability, the Chamber is very supportive of the efforts of Aric Bopp and his staff in recruiting businesses to visit our area...and hopefully locate here!

Virginia Secretary of Commerce Jim Cheng will be our speaker at the April 5th Eggs & Issues. Reservations will be required due to the seating limit of 60. Please call the Chamber office to reserve your seat. June will be our meeting to bring back all of our legislators to have them talk about the 2012 Session.

Of course, I hope to see you at the next Business After Hours, Thursday, March 15th. We are so delighted to have the Y in Blacksburg as our host along with Frank, Spicer & Cox, Colley Architects and Custom Catering. Come and meet your business neighbors.

Catherine

Maximize Your Membership

Membership image

One of the biggest compliments you or your business can receive is a testimonial. The definition of a testimonial is "a written declaration certifying to a person's character, conduct or qualification, or to the value, excellence of a product or service." Wouldn't it be great if your business was receiving glowing testimonials? Good news spreads fast. A valuable testimonial can set your business on fire!

What is the best way to get a testimonial? Consumers have to have a reason or an opportunity to try your product. Why should they pick you over a competitor? What is it that sets you apart? How often have you thought to yourself, "If they would just try me, they would know I have a better product?"

Please consider using your Chamber Membership to get the word out about your business. There are several events each month where you can come and network and tell people about your business; you can also influence a buyer by posting a "Member to Member" discount-a way to offer your product to other Chamber Members for a special price. It is important to support our neighbors in business and this is one way to draw that buyer to you.

You also have the privilege of offering a "Hot Deal" through the Chamber website. You can design a "Hot Deal" through your business' listing on the Chamber's website. A "Hot Deal" is available to anyone that visits the website. If you have something that a visitor to the area would love-post it as a "Hot Deal." If you have a product or service that is valuable at certain times of year-post a "Hot Deal." For instance, if you have a lawn service, why not offer a "Hot Deal" on a Summer Contract? If you offer air conditioning services, why not offer a "Hot Deal" on servicing heat pumps before the summer is in full swing?

To offer a Hot Deal, simply visit our webiste at www.chambermaster.com and enter your login and password. From here you can enter a "Hot Deal." To post a Member to Member Discount, just let the staff at the Chamber Office know and we'll get the form to you to complete.

Don't let the seasons pass you by where you can influence a new buyer to choose you. Ask them for a testimonial and watch your business change!

And as a Member of the MCCC don't forget to shop the Chamber's website FIRST before you buy.

Leadership New River Valley MARCHES to a Different Beat

The second session of Leadership New River Valley 2012 will be held on March 15 at Odd Fellows Hall Museum. It seems only fitting that the first session will be held in one of our museums as the morning session will focus on the history and current state of Montgomery County. The morning session will be led by Larry Linkous of Linkous Auctioneers and Christian Trejbal of the Roanoke Times Op-ed Section. This topic always proves to be interesting and explains much of the local color and flavor of our area. Trejbal's session is always thought provoking as it ties to every session in the class as well as the work created by the class members and their beliefs about what is important to a "strong" community.

Lunch is being sponsored by Scott Sink of Hethwood Market. Hethwood Market has a strong reputation of great food and is owned and operated locally. Sink is a known leader in the agribusiness arena around the country and often speaks on leadership principles. Also during lunch, the class members will hear from Terry Nicholson, the Director of Museums, for Blacksburg.

The afternoon will focus on the role of media in our community. We have representatives from the Roanoke Times, WDBJ, WSLS, Cumulus Radio and the Wheeler Group. This panel discussion will focus on news reporting in a strong community and how to work with the media to create a better community. Additionally, we will have a local expert addressing how social media has changed traditional news reporting.

The class is reading the book, Switch, for the 2012 session. This book is reviewed on a monthly basis for the application of principles of Switch on monthly topics and the selected service project. The group is currently collecting data to make a selection for their service project in April.

Eggs ISsues

Wanna Be a Food Network Star?

Rock Shrimp Productions (Bobby Flay's Production Company) is working on a new series and looking to cast people who are in the process of opening up a restaurant, bakery, sandwich shop or any similar type of food business (must be a storefront with walk in customers). I'm reaching out to SBDC's, Chamber of Commerce, andbusinesses who might know of new startups opening up. Below are the requirements.

A new Food Network series is looking for FOOD ENTREPRENEURS. Specifically, people who have left their previous career to start a new restaurant (or similar business).Those chosen will receive culinary & business coaching from Bobby Flay (a chef, restaurateur, and fixture on the Food Network) as well as invaluable national publicity.

Must have little-to-no prior professional culinary experience.
Must be planning to open a brick-and-mortar space where there will be walk-in customers (restaurant, bakery, sandwich shop, etc.). CAN NOT BE OPEN ALREADY.
Must be aiming to open this year.

Those interested that fit the guidelines, please email the following: Outline your timeline, budget, menu, team, and especially what's at stake for you in this endeavor (why you are doing it and what risks, financial as well as personal, you are taking). We are highly interested in the "human-interest" angle of your story. There is no deadline.

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