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Weekly Update December 19, 2012
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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Non-Profit Spotlight
United Ministries provides life changing opportunities and advocacy for people in our community who lack education or employment skills, who are in financial crisis, who are homeless, and those who can help.
United Ministries offers four distinct programs that holistically address the root causes of poverty, homelessness and unemployment. The programs and services of United Ministries assist hundreds of families each month in their path toward stabilization. With the focus on intervention rather than entitlement, United Ministries' programs encourage people to take steps that will help them meet their needs - and those of their families - in healthy and edifying ways. Learn more at http://www.united-ministries.org/.
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Feature Your Business in our 125th Year Edition 2013 Business Directory!
2013-2014 will be our 125th year of operation. In celebration, we are re-launching the official printed Greenville Chamber Business Directory. We hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to further your support of the Chamber and promote your business to our membership, prospective members, area newcomers and more. Click here to learn more about featuring your business.
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Featuring Fluor Chairman & CEO David T. Seaton
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Critical Information on Upstate Wages & Benefits Now Available The Greenville Chamber and Upstate Employers Network conduct annual surveys of manufacturers and major employers regarding compensation and benefits. These surveys provide detailed information on more than 150 occupations employed by more than 130 employers in the region. For a limited time, we are offering Chamber members an opportunity to purchase both surveys for a total of $445. This is 50% of the normal price. For details, contact Hank Hyatt at 864-239-3714.
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Member to Member Discount of the Week: Elegante Hair Studio Nina Clark at Elegante Hair Studio on Orchard Park Drive is offering fellow Chamber members $10.00 Off any salon hair service and/or a Manicure & Pedicure for $20.00. Chamber members can get both discounts, but they cannot be used with any other discounts. Call to schedule yours today at 283-0247! Ref # CHAMB1 Exp:1/6/13
Visit them at www.elegantehairstudio.biz.
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New Diversity & Inclusion Initiative Programs
As part of the Chamber's efforts to support talented women and minorities in our community in achieving leadership positions in greater numbers, the Chamber has developed the Diversity Leadership Pipeline. With this Pipeline, the Greenville Chamber serves as a key resource for Upstate organizations looking to fill volunteer leadership roles. The Pipeline is currently gathering information from qualified individuals who may be interested in serving in various leadership capacities, including nonprofit and corporate boards of directors in our community. Click here to join the Diversity Leadership Pipeline!
The CAPACITY Goal Setters program is designed to track and help facilitate the development of goals for spending with minority and women-owned businesses. The Chamber is working with Upstate companies and organizations to collect and track spending with qualified minority-owned suppliers.
In seeking to increase supplier diversity efforts, Goal Setter organizations commit to setting annual spend goals, reporting actual spend dollars, and tracking progress with using diverse suppliers. In return, the Greenville Chamber commits to provide resources to assist with supplier diversity efforts, maintain confidentiality for all information shared, and to recognize companies as CAPACITY Goal Setters on the Chamber website. Click here to learn more about becoming a Goal Setter!
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We Collected Over 1600 Toys for Tots at our Holiday Drop-In!
Special thanks to all who attended, and to our presenting sponsor Charter Business and these participating members: Bakery off Augusta, Bell Tower Catering, The Chocolate Moose, CityScape Winery, Costco, Ellen's Delicatessen & Catering, Ellie's Uptown, Funnelicious, Good Life Catering, Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, Liquid Catering, Merus Refreshment Services, Overlook Grill, Papa Murphy's Take'n Bake Pizza, Pepsi, Pomegranate on Main, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Table 301 Catering, Thomas Creek Brewery, Valley Spring Water & Coffee, and The Westin Poinsett Hotel.
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Get Involved in 2013!
Be a Chamber Ambassador! The Chamber's team of dedicated Ambassadors engage new members throughout their first year of membership. They provide personal contacts and advice on how to make the most of their Chamber membership. Ambassadors meet at the Chamber for lunch once a month to share best practices for engaging new members. Contact Lorraine Woodward at 864-239-3742 to learn more today.
Join the NEW Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening Committee! We are looking for members to get involved with and attend our member Ribbon Cuttings and Grand Openings. Contact Lorraine Woodward at 864-239-3742 to learn more today.
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BEST Tip of the Week
No matter how efficient your equipment may be, its efficiency will not be optimized if your business does not promote a culture of conservation. Water conservation practices in your business include the use of efficient appliances and fixtures, behavioral changes, and changes in irrigation practices. Together, these can reduce water consumption by as much as one third. The typical payback period for installing water-saving devices is three to seven years. In addition, energy use often goes down as well. These water and energy savings can have a significant impact on the "bottom line" of your business by lowering water, sewer, and energy bills, plus reducing maintenance costs. There is also the positive impact one makes in community that results from adopting and sharing water efficiency habits. To learn more simple ways to reduce your utility costs, visit FurmanBEST.biz.
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 NEW DATE: BB&T CEO Connection
featuring Businessman & Educator Dr. Nido Qubein
Thursday, January 31, 5:30 to 8:30 pm
at the new Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center
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Have you uploaded your Greenville Chamber App?
Go to web.greenvillechamber.org from your smart phone, follow the instructions to upload the Application to your Home Screen, and get to our Business Directory to find fellow members quickly and easily while you're on the go! If you have questions, please contact Marion Mann at 239-3729.
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Have you been impressed by a small business lately?
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MORE UPCOMING EVENTS
Monday, December 24, Tuesday, December 25 & January 1: Chamber Closed for Holidays
View our calendars for more upcoming events:
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PULSE Names 2013 Advisory Council
Thanks to these young professionals for their volunteer commitments to the 2013 PULSE Advisory Council:
- Chair: John Boyanoski, president of Complete Public Relations
- Chair-elect: Berri Hicks, buyer with Greenville Hospital System
- Special Projects Chair: Mike Pennington, owner of Rhino Concessions and Funnelicious
- Leadership Chair: Kyle Putnam, Broker-In-Charge for Colonial Commercial's brokerage arm
- Social Chair: Kathleen Byrne, operations manager for Liquid Catering
- Pacesetters Chair: Leila Aziz, process quality engineer with GE Energy
- Connects Chair: Christina Gridley-Robles, marketing coordinator with CBRE | The Furman Co.
- Talent Chair: Joe Poore, senior accountant with Elliott Davis, LLC
- Sports Chair: Doug Tootle, Customs Compliance Analyst at Sandler & Travis Trade Advisory Services, Inc.
- Marketing Chair: Megan Wright, recruiting manager with Elliott Davis, LLC
- Investment Chair: Mark Martin, director of development for the Project HOPE Foundation
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PAY LESS FOR WHAT YOUR COMPANY IS ALREADY BUYING!
Are you taking advantage of your Greenville Chamber group buying power programs?
Our SmartBuys partners Accident Fund (NEW!), BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, Office Depot, and Windstream Communications are dedicated to helping your buisness save money. Start saving today!
Individual Health Care Plans Are Available!

If you need a health care plan that lets YOU control costs, the Chamber's individual insurance program may be a perfect fit. This Individual plan has 10 plan designs to choose from with four different deduction levels. Contact Jennifer Powell for more information at 864-239-3731.
NationJob: Chamber members with 0-25 employees can post local job
 listings for FREE at NationJob! Take advantage of this valuable benefit by E-mailing the job description to njlistings@nationjob.com and note that you are a Greenville Chamber member. Sponsorships for the Chamber's Employment page are also available.Call 888-256-0919 for further details.
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