November 18, 2015  
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Mr. B wanted to work the day before Thanksgiving and baste you with dressing and giveaways, but his 13 editors and fellow Chamberites are closing the doors and refuse to edit B2B Insider, which of course would be something for which Mr. B would give thanks. Alas, no newsletter next week. Have the most wonderful holiday; there is much for which to give thanks.
FACES & PLACES POW                                                                                  
Healthy employees are better workers. Better workers are paid more. More money means healthier consumers. Healthier consumers mean better community economics. Better economics means more employers. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Fort Worth Chamber presented a half day of Better Health Through Economic Opportunity at UNT Health Science Center last week. Speakers and panelists included Mayor Price Is Right and folks from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Higginbotham, Tarrant Area Food Bank, Lockheed Martin, Ben E. Keith, Fort Worth South and the City of Fort Worth.

View photos here.

(Advance through the Chamber photo gallery using gray arrows upper right.)
PRESS YOUR LUCKPrizes
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Exquisitely eggscellent dinner: We were huddled in a discreet and elegant back hideaway within Del Frisco's Steakhouse. Mr. B and the rotund one, with a reservation for Mr. S. Claus. We were dining last night, just five days before the annual Christmas Tree Lighting in Sundance Square, the XTO Parade of Lights and the start of days of Santa photos with good kids and even some naughty ones. Santa needed nourishment. But why discreetly? Well, he is kind of a people magnet. And with the rib eyes, lobster, calamari, onion rings, spinach supreme, maque choux corn, wedge salads and smoked chicken and andouille gumbo that sleighed across our table, he was hiding from FitWorth and Blue Zones folks. Mr. B and Santa go way back; they worked together at an egg ranch in sunny Miami before he clawed his way to the Claus gig and became an eggsemplary icon of all that is good in the world. Del Frisco's is an eggsemplary icon of all that is good for the stomach and Greg Kalina is an eggsemplary icon of General Managership, especially when he rewards one reader a dinner for two. 

Center of attention: Turkey, dressing, green bean casserole, centerpiece ...hey, who forgot the centerpiece? If you have, Gordon Boswell Flowers hasn't. The company's Pilgrims have worked their fingers to the (wish)bone, planting, harvesting and producing thousands of beautiful and bountiful centerpieces for your holiday table. Perfect for this special occasion is the Seasonal Splendor, created with roses, orchids, fall mums and daisies, hydrangea, succulents and safari sunset. A colorful alternative idea might be several Elegant Blessings strategically placed near the cranberry sauce, the okra and the cornbread. Courtney, Boswell's most blooming one, sent over a centerpiece.   
 
A very Modern Friday night: Mr. B doesn't sing, even in the shower, or dance, especially the tango, though he highly recommends Last Tango in Halifax on Netflix. He will, however, sashay over to Tango! First Friday at the Modern Dec. 4 to listen to the music by Glovertango Duo and romance the expressive dance performance. He also will romance Executive Chef Denise Shavandy at Caf� Modern for one of her fabulous dinners -- maybe Coriander-Crusted, Double-Cut Lamb Chops -- and then tango out very very quickly when the bill arrives. And to complete a magical night, he'll take in the music after First Friday by the Austin Piazzolla Quintet in the auditorium at 8 p.m. Kendal (jump in the) Lake did all kinds of Argentinean back-step moves to dance away with two gallery admissions, two dinners at Caf� Modern and two tickets to the AP Quintet.

I want to be famous: Coming up with an idea to do 1950s and '60s rock-and-roll music exercise videos for pre-K through first-grade students to fight childhood obesity is either crazy or genius. Which is what an innovative marketing consultant ought to be -- a little bit crazy, a little bit genius. The business plan for Kenn Scott's exercise video venture won a recent competition. Now he will turn to Kenn Scott Consulting Inc. to bring the business to market. Could your business use a little crazy, a little genius? Before he zooms off to stardom, B2B Insider grabbed Kenn for two hours of marketing consultation, focusing on strategy, tactics and creative approach.

B is for (soooo) bad! Feeling romantic, Mr. B wanted to show the Prospective Ms. B where they weren't going for the holidays so he took her to the Thomas Kinkade Gallery to see the home painted in Christmas Miracle. It's a beautiful scene and buying the Kinkade was so much less expensive than actually going...and the memory of not going will last longer because of our keepsake painting. Is that not romance! There are more than 200 Kinkade 14" x 14" gallery canvas wraps to choose from and thanks to Laura Kinkade and just in time for the holidays, we have one canvas wrap for two readers.


Congratulations to Nov. 11 Prize Winners:
  • Pam Ballinger, Jeff Eubank Roofing
  • Caroline Thomas, Origin Bank
  • Jason Duling, Tyco Integrated Security
  • Debra Burke, HKS
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
 
  
HE SAID, SHE SAID, THEY SAIDSoundBytes
A Humbling thought: Elizabeth Humble at Prim Construction says Oncor is such a great client that she is naming her next child Oncor ™ Humble. Elizabeth already is mothering 18-month-old twins and numerous clients.

Wanna be in pictures? Red Productions is looking for four spring interns. Pay is popcorn. But the company has plans for two feature films in addition to all its commercial work during 2016 and someone could break a leg and you would be the stand-in and ... A Star would be Born.

Fiction & film: While here for the Fort Worth Library's Wordslingers series sponsored by Fort Worth Public Library Foundation, mega-selling author Taylor Stevens broke a bit of news -- "James Cameron has the (movie) rights to Vanessa Michael Munroe and we talked about casting. He's a bit busy with the Avatar series now, though."

Purple pride ...and Orange ...and Cardinal: Blake Woodard, who has an incurable love affair with TCU, has one daughter at Texas and one daughter at Stanford. How could that happen? "We want our kids to leave town when they go to college," he said. (What parent doesn't and why do they have to wait until college?) Mr. Woodard Insurance added: "There's still hope for (TCU Chancellor Victor) Boschini if he offers William (8th grade) a full-tuition scholarship as the football team's kicker.  First, I have to teach William how to kick."

Bird in the hand is ... one great building: Mr. B thinks Greg Bird, President & CEO of Jetta Operating Company, is a bottom-line someone you might want to do business with. His company will be a three-floor tenant in the Frost Tower Fort Worth being built across from the Fort Worth Club. The concept and design by Bennett Benner Partners is business friendly and elegant. Yet, Anthracite, the developer (and a lot of Birds in that bush) sold the naming rights and leased three floors to Frost Bank. Bottom line decision! Bird spoke at the Chamber's Central Area Council luncheon at the Petroleum Club earlier this month.
  • It's called a "vertical campus." Park, work efficiencies and "quality of life" enhancements.
  • "This design takes us into the future for 50 years."
  •  "I've been in the same building since 1983 with two companies and I'm finally moving ... one block. I'm going to have to learn to come in to downtown on 5th instead of 7th."
In honor of...: Michael Brandon truly can brag that he has a Trophy Wife. Brandon purchased Trophy Arts April 1 and moved it to a new location on White Settlement July 1. His wife, Stephanie, started with the company during August. Trophy Arts is a place for any kind of standard or original recognition, honor and keepsake, promotional items, engraving and more.

Cooking up trouble: Hey, Hal Brown at FWinc. magazine, Shellie Wright of Main Event Entertainment in southwest Fort Worth has some sizzling words about how baked her executive chef is. Might be another white hatter for your Top Chef competition. Could you take Mr. B with you to a taste test?

Military maneuvers: Chris Gebhardt of Lackland Security and Natosha Monroe of Psychological and Counseling Services are Army vets. Donnie Boivin of Sandler Sales Training is a U.S. Marine. One-upmanship always is on their local battlefield. Latest shot fired from Donnie: "Army stands for Ain't Ready to be a Marine Yet."

"Decide how big you want your plate to be. Because, no matter how big your plate is, they will keep piling stuff on until things start falling off the edges."

                                                -- Jill Scott, Masterpiece Consulting and Coaching,
sharing business advice from her father
Can we get a loan? Cathy Reagan Sheffield normally enters to win a B2B Insider giveaway with lyrics to a song from eons ago. Call and sing her congrats because the Baylor All Saints Health Foundation saint is the Fundraising Professional of the Year in Fort Worth.

Big trucks to fill: Mr. B mentioned above that the portly one will be here Nov. 22 and Santa will need some help gathering toys for all the lap sitters that ask for this and that. And there are some children that are not sure what they want in time for Santa's reindeer drone deliveries and that's where Cowboy Santas and YOU can pitch in. The Chamber will host an event next Tuesday, Nov. 24 at 5:30 p.m. at Norris Conference Centers with appetizers, a silent auction and entertainment provided by TXU. (Its reviews are electric!) Cowboy Santas Program, Inc. is a non-profit that provides toys, books and games to children up to 12 years old. For admission, the Chamber asks that you consider donating $30 at the event or bring new toys. To register for the event, click here. If you can't make the event and want to drop off toys, click here for locations. Will say that one overworked elf in this toy drive is someone named Emily Quinn at the Chamber. Only time Mr. B ever has heard her name is during holiday season. But equinn@fortworthchamber.com seems to be the answer to EVERY question about Cowboy Santas. You want to donate a gift or cash? Ask Emily. Want to attend the event? Ask Emily. Want to volunteer sorting toys? Ask Emily.

Those pianos are heavy lifting: It's great when the Fort Worth Symphony and the Van Cliburn folks take their music to the people. Cliburn Sessions will be hip-hopping tomorrow night at The Live Oak.

Feeling creative? Mr. B was on the search for intellectual property for you inventive B2B Insider readers during Patent Day at the city's Guinn Complex last week. The regional U.S. Patent Office opened last week in Dallas; eventually it will have 100 examiners and 20 judges. Some tips:
  • If your patent application seems delayed, call the examiner first. If not satisfied, call the ombudsman.
  • 20 judges? There are lots of contentions and thus, trials.
  • The USPTO has three offices internationally to assist with those patents, including one in China.
  • The Dallas office will have videoconferencing, some Saturday education seminars and outreach for community educational opportunities.  
Rooms with a view: Don't get Mr. B wrong, he loves the Chamber Am-Bass-Adorables, how tenaciously they work to make members welcomed. They are the face of the Chamber, though Mr. B is holding out hope that Megan Fox might become the poster woman. Hey, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Drake all went to high school proms with fans. Would you, could you in a box, with a Fox? Until then, Am-Bass-Adorables will face time at a ribbon cutting today at 11:45 at  the Radisson Hotel Fort Worth South, 100 E. Altamesa Blvd. Give thanks to an Am-Bass-Adorable the next time you see one.

Pull!!!!!  Vincent Hancock, similar to Mr. B, is a Floridian that couldn't wait to get to Fort Worth. Unlike Mr. B, Mr. Hancock is a two-time Olympics gold medalist in skeet shooting and the first in that event to repeat as top gun. He is expected to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympics in Rio and is a candidate for Male Olympic Athlete of the Year. You can vote for him here until Friday.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS Calendar 

Presented By
BOOK OF LISTS END OF YEAR SALE. Resources 

Compiled and published annually by Fort Worth Business, this directory includes lists of top companies in more than 60 industries in Tarrant and Denton counties. On sale for $25.00 for both Chamber and non-Chamber members!
 
Contact Christine Gores to purchase or for additional information.



For sponsorship inquiries, contact Jennifer Vuduris or call (817) 338-3335

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