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FACES & PLACES 
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 Vision FW partnered with the Red Shoe Society at the Ronald McDonald House, the Young Guns at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame and the Young Leaders Council of the Greater Real Estate Council of FW to host Vision's largest event of the year, the 5th annual YP Night at the Rodeo. The night started with a welcome at the Cowgirl Museum. Guests put on their finest western attire, mingled with friends, enjoyed cold beverages and noshed on delicious food from The Capital Grille. After the reception, the YPs headed over to Will Rogers Memorial Coliseum for the Stock Show & Rodeo. For more photos from the event, click here. |
 Where the buffalo roam: Mr. B loves him some Buffalo West Restaurant & Patio Bar and readers must, too, because more than 200 of you tried to win a $50 gift card in November. Are we alone or have we been buffalo-ed? Mr. B went to the reviews. "Excellent place to sit down quietly and enjoy a good meal. I almost always eat lunch by myself so I don't have to..." Share? "The bread pudding was PHENOMENAL! I will go back for JUST that!" Don't expect owners Paul and Mary McKinney to allow you to combine this $50 gift card with their other deals because then they'd be paying you to eat so fabulously, alone or with friends.
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Go West, young man! Just in case you didn't get enough cowgirls and cowpokes during the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, Cheryl West at the Hyatt Place Fort Worth / Historic Stockyards has come through to help you slowly detox from western fanaticism and fever. This is a happenin' Hyatt Place; during weekends, you're just as likely to see rodeo cowboys as tuxedoed wedding parties. And don't forget to stick around for the all-night armadillo races on the front lawn. Breakfast is free and how many hotels can claim their reception desk anchors the bar? Thanks to Cheryl, you've got a night's stay to lasso the goodies.
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Survey says: Mr. B's informal Valentine's Day survey with Venus and Mars shows a major disconnect. Men are infatuated with giving an iRobot as a V-Day gift. Women are not in the least excited about receiving one. Lesson learned? Men, it is better to receive than give. Thus (did Mr. B just write thus?), you might want to consider a gift from The Velvet Box, the finest of upscale stores for adults with three Tarrant County locations. Better yet, you might want to consider entering for one of these $50 gift cards from owner Marcelle LeBlanc. Be forewarned, you'll be competing with hundreds of Venuses.
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Lashing out: Franchisee Kimberly Flores opens her first The Lash Lounge -Alliance Feb. 9 and was needing models for training purposes. Mr. B volunteered and all those blond and gray curly eyebrow hairs growing every which way have settled back into form and all are dark brown. Mr. B, however, passed on the full set of eyelash extensions. You won't have to pass on that beautification with this offer of a full set of eyelash extensions from Kim and if you wait until 11:45 Feb. 10, you might be able to bat an eye or two at the Chamber Am-Bass-Adorables. They'll be visiting for an eye-catching open house. Congratulations to Jan. 28 Prize Winners:
- Darrell Samuelson, Greenscapes
- Dick Oliphant, Hamilton Form Co.
- Tara Sambol, UNTHSC
- Abby Slayton, There's No Place Like Home
Winners will be announced weekly
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HE SAID, SHE SAID, THEY SAID
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Take me to your leader: Evan Eastman, Charter Business, is the Bishop of a 750-member The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Bishop is the leader of a local congregation; the position is unpaid. Each Bishop is assisted by two counselors and together they oversee the spiritual and social needs of their ward members. Bishops typically serve five years.
What did he say? Lupe Zamora of Zamora Construction has set a 2015 goal to speak slower. S-e-r-i-o-u-s-l-y.
Home is where the heart is: After Bridget Shelton of Embassy Suites and Aaron Hattier of Homewood Suites by Hilton Fort Worth West Cityview (seriously, Conrad?) were debating the positive merits of their hotels, Edwin Kraus, congenial Fort Worth Police community guy, offered that his staycation also offers housing ... and three meals a day.
 It's the thoughts that count! Mark Thielke, veep of commercial lending at Northstar Bank of Texas, was trying to endear hisownself to Laura, his dear wife of 26 years. Laura asked Mark to create a rose garden last fall. "I could save $$$ by growing perpetual roses and give those to her every Valentine's Day," Mark thought. "I used strict organic gardening tips, but to my dismay and the roses' demise, fungus and worms infiltrated the Hot Coco variety. Valentine's Day is special to us. 27 years ago, we became engaged at Hedary's Lebanese Restaurant on the romantic holiday. Thinking of the most romantic way to present the ruby and diamond band, she almost broke a tooth as I had arranged for the ruby and diamonds to be baked into the famous fresh pita bread."
Suh-weeet: After 14 years with the City of Fort Worth, nine as the right hand, arm and shoulder-to-lean-on to Mayors Mike (3M) Moncrief and Betsy Price Is Right, Chief of Staff Jason Lamers is moving to BNSF Railway as director of internal communications. "I'm grateful to both mayors for their confidence in me and for allowing me to serve ... I'm not going to be a stranger as I plan to stay very involved in any way I can to help Fort Worth thrive!"
Sky high 1: SkiHi, a mechanical engineering firm that is a Chamber Small Business of the Year finalist, is a combination of the names of the founders-SKIpper and HIcks. The firm's work includes Christ Chapel, Cook Children's and Daniel Meyer Coliseum at TCU.
Sky high 2: Chamber Small Business of the Year finalist Altitude Trampoline Park is bringing four more jump parks to Fort Worth. It has more than 30 nationally and an additional 15 internationally. The business model is licensing, not franchising.
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"When a family is on government programs, (you should) reduce their support incrementally, not in totality, as they begin to earn higher wages."
-- Heather Reynolds, CEO of Catholic Charities
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Waste not, want not: Debbie Branch would be one of Mr. B's fav funster/punsters if B2B Insider didn't have editors. Alas, (did Mr. B just write alas?) this is a G-rated newsletter, so no jokes about Debbie Does Disposal; she's working on the city of Fort Worth's 20-year Comprehensive Solid Waste Plan. Two-thirds of all waste comes from business and institutions. Not government? In Fort Worth, we have 40 years of landfill space remaining. Mr. B won't be around but some of you will and you need to care...now! Debbie and the do-gooders want feedback. Non-multi-family property managers, restaurants and business tenants of leased space are asked to go the Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan website and give them your thoughts.
Call on Me: Ten business execs with arm-twisting and sandbagging experience have volunteered Feb. 17-18 to sign up new members for the Chamber. Event chairs recruit volunteers to their team and all will cold call for new members. Event chairs are Allyson Baumeister, Sanford Baumesiter & Frazier, Richard Casarez, Oncor, Kelly Decker, Decker Jones P.C., Tom Galbreath, Dunaway Associates, Craig Harbuck, Higginbotham, Rosa Navejar, Rios Group, Mark Nurdin, Bank of Texas, Becky Redman, Lockheed Martin, Whit Smith, WhitneySmith Co., and Staci Kirpach (Runners Chair), Project Partners. Winning team gets a cruise on The Hulen next time it rains and thanks for its effort.
The life you save...: About three years ago, Raegan Bell, Bell Brothers Moving, joined the National Bone Marrow Registry through a simple 60-second cheek swab. In September 2014, she was identified as a match for a newborn baby girl diagnosed with SCID (often called Bubble Boy Disease). She completed her donation in December and tests show that "engraftment has begun and the newborn is on her way to recovery. Doctors anticipate that she will be able to go home this month for the very first time!" Raegan says after a year, if both parties agree, they can begin communication and eventually meet.
Risky business: Bald Bill Fairley with WWK Wealth Advisors has a financial tool that assesses investment portfolios according to risk and tolerance profiles. Oddly, his clients are learning they are not taking enough risk. BTW, Bill says his 2015 goal is to grow his hair back. If he can't, he could get an acting spot playing Uncle Fester in the new Fort Worth Ghost Bustours. A big Shalom shout out: Not sure he's a recent grad, but former President and Prime Minister of Israel Shimon Peres, one of only a handful who has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Peace Prize, is the luncheon speaker celebrating Tarrant County College's 50-year anniversary. "A World View," benefiting the TCC Foundation scholarships and programs, is 11:30 a.m. Monday, March 23, at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Congresswoman Kay Granger and Former Speaker of the House, the Honorable Jim Wright, will serve as honorary co-chairs. Bell Helicopter is the luncheon event's presenting sponsor.  Name game: The sales manager at the Holiday Inn Express Fort Worth Downtown is Bobby Bedsole. Would only be better if it were Bedsold. Ambulance chasers: The all-about Me in MedStar is not true. Matt (Zavadsky) and the MedStars are creative, gracious and generous during the holidays. And they are quick, smart and alert all year when you need them, but hopefully you won't. Chamber Am-Bass-Adorables are visiting next Tuesday at 5:00 for a ribbon cutting at MedStar Mobile Healthcare, 2900 Alta Mere Drive. Lots of Chamber event photos are here. |
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
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Date Event Name
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SPLENDID CLIENT GIFT
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Fort Worth: Energized for the Future Coffee Table Book
The Chamber's 200-page coffee table book tells the story of our city's remarkable growth and opportunity. This hardcover book highlights Fort Worth's people, companies and diverse culture through richly photographed pages. Purchase it today for $35.00*
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