|
Greetings!
We hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather we are having. We truly do live in paradise! The Tourism Development Council reported yesterday that March bed tax collections were up 20% for the month. An interesting comparison, is that it is up over 83% from 2007. Rock on TDC, you are doing amazing things for our community.
Speaking of tourism, the month of May has been full of Tourism Appreciation Month activities. One more major event is left and that is the Spring Classic Golf Tournament scheduled for this Friday. If you haven't registered, you need to call Jill McKinzie today, at 215-3758, so she will save you a slot.
Another very important event is happening on Friday morning that is critical to your business. The Chamber along with this years Leadership Bay class is presenting a Disaster Preparedness Seminar at Gulf Coast State College. If you do not have an emergency plan for your business, please plan to participate or send a representative from your business. After a storm or any other disaster, your community is counting on you to bounce back quickly so we can send a message to the world that Bay County is "Open for Business". Space is still available, please call Elizabeth Smith at 215-3761.
Thank you for investing in your community and supporting our efforts to make Bay County a great place to live, work and play!
You'll find more information in this issue on:
- 9th Annual Career Expo
- 17th Annual Spring Classic
- Emergency Preparedness Seminar
- Gulf Coast State College Small Business Conference
- First Friday
- Employment Discrimination Lawsuits: Best Practices
- Grand Openings
- Ambassador Spotlight
- Money for Members Contest
- Leadership Bay Applications
- Governmental Affairs Update
- 100th Anniversary
- Business Referral Network Group Meeting Dates
Much Success,
The Bay County Chamber of Commerce Staff
|
|
9th Annual Career Expo
The Workforce Center and the Bay County Chamber of Commerce invites you to participate in the 9 th Annual Career Expo. It is an excellent opportunity to meet jobseekers who have high level skills and are looking for specialized employment. Since the Expo is geared towards professional jobseekers, we are asking for employers who have positions that pay at least $12.00 per hour or $25,000 per year to attend. Booth fee is $50, payable to the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.
The Expo will be held on Thursday, May 16th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Panama City Mall. Interested in participating? Click here for more information. |
17th Annual Spring Classic Golf Tournament
Friday, May 17th
Fish Fry Lunch and Registration 11 a.m.
Shotgun start at Noon
Hombre Golf Club (120 Coyote Pass)
Interested in playing? Click here.
Thank you to our sponsors:
BookIt.com and Simon Properties/Pier Park
TECO
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
WOW
Via Media
Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau
Advisory Solutions
|
|
Emergency Preparedness Seminar
This seminar will cover important issues including weather pattern basics, potential effects of a major storm in our community, how to prepare for disaster and how to get your business back up and running 100% as quickly as possible afterwards.
Date: Friday, May 17th Time: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m Place: Gulf Coast State College, Student Union East Conference Center
Scheduled guest speakers: Mark Bowen, Chief of Emergency Services, Bay County Board of Commissioners; Robert Pearce, Chapter Executive, Central Panhandle Chapter of American Red Cross; Capt. Steve Harbuck, Community Services Division, Bay County Sheriff's Office and Kelly Godsey, Meteorologist, National Weather Service.
Click here for the registration form or for more information contact Elizabeth at 215-3761.
Hosted by:
|
|
Congressman Steve Southerland
Small Business Conference
|
|
Bay Young Professionals Tour
Be sure to mark you calendar for the next BYP event to tour Gulf Coast State College's new Advanced Technology Building.
Friday, May 31st
Gulf Coast State College
Advance Technology Center (ATC)
Tour begins at 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Reservations are required by Wednesday, May 29th.
Space is limited to the first 25 BYP members to sign up.
To reserve your spot contact Elizabeth at 215-3761.
|
|
Date: Friday, June 7th
Time: Networking and coffee 7:15 a.m.; Program 8 a.m.
Place: FSU-Panama City (4750 Collegiate Drive)
Program: Career and Technical Education
Thank you to our sponsor: Gulf Coast State College Continuing Education
|
|
June Business After Hours
Join us for networking, food, drinks, door prizes, live entertainment and more!
Tuesday, June 18th
5:30-7 p.m.
Legendary Marine (3829 Thomas Drive)
Thank you to our sponsor:
|
|
Employment Discrimination Lawsuits: Best Practices
Date: Friday, June 21st
Time: Registration 7:45 a.m.; Session 8 a.m. - Noon
Place: Chamber Boardroom (235 West 5th Street)
This half day seminar will give you valuable information on how to avoid discrimination lawsuits and what to do if you are involved in a lawsuit.
Topics for the day include:
* Best Practices to Resolve a Discrimination Lawsuit
Presented by Robert Jackson, Harrison Sale McCloy
* You Have Been Sued. Now What?
Presented by Robert Fleming, Harrison Sale McCloy
* Best Ways to Resolve a Dispute
Presented by Wayne Knight, Florida Commission on Human Relationship
* One Hour Panel for Discussion with Jackson, Fleming and Knight
|
Grand Openings
 Shepard Law
2612-B W. 15th Street
Harley Davidson Panama City Beach
14700 Panama City Beach Parkway
Sweet Frog Yogurt
748 West 23rd Street |
Ambassador Spotlight
Dawn Dykes graduated from the University of West Florida with a degree in Communications with a minor in Marketing. She worked for Goldco, Inc for 21 years as Marketing Director and then District Manager. In 2005, she became a Firehouse Subs Franchisee. Now the co-owner of 4 locations in Bay County. She's has served on the Panama City Jaycees, the Mobile Chapter of Business Networking International and the March of Dimes Walk Committee. Dawn has been an active member of the Chamber since 2006 and a member of the Ambassadors for 3 years. Thank you Dawn, for all you do for the Chamber! |
$ Money for Members $
We are pleased to announce a contest for our members. You can win some cash and have fun competing with other Chamber members!
You will receive $25 cash or credit on your Chamber account.
Click here for more details on how you can participate! |
Due to technical issues last week, some of our members may not have received the May 8th Governmental Affairs Update. The update on Florida's legislative session is available here. We apologize for the inconvenience. |
The Leadership Bay Steering Committee under the chairmanship of Tammala Spencer is accepting applications for the Leadership Bay 2013-14 class.
The mission of the program is to cultivate a broadened network of well-informed leaders whose strengthened commitment to community involvement will affect positive change in Bay County.
Leadership Bay was founded in 1983 and is a community leadership development program of the Bay County Chamber in conjunction with Gulf Coast State College. Based on the premise that people are our most important resource, the purpose of the program is to offer potential leaders a curriculum in community leadership training.
Leadership Bay sessions begin in October with a mandatory overnight kick-off retreat on October 4th - 5th at Tyndall Air Force Base. The selected class will participate in full day sessions held every other Wednesday beginning in October and graduating in May. Participants are responsible for producing a project of benefit to the Chamber and / or the community outside of the regular curriculum hours.
The deadline for applications is Friday, August 2nd at 4 p.m. Click here to apply. If you have any questions you may contact Elizabeth at the Chamber at (850) 215-3761.
|
Bay County Chamber of Commerce History:
1948-1951
The global landscape was changing at the end of the 1940s as World War II was coming to an end and the Soviet Union began to take prominence as the United States' military and economic rival. The 1950s started with new possibilities and innovations, bright with the promise of a more technological future. The Bay County Chamber of Commerce saw much of this unfold nationally while celebrating Bay County's own strides into the second half of the 20th century.
In 1948, the Chamber was headed by Don Fay when the world took to the skies! The first monkey was launched into orbit out of Mexico. The Allies responded to the Berlin Blockade by airlifting food and supplies to East Germany, making around 200,000 flights in one year. At the same time, Bay County was also taking to the skies as the first air flight landed into Panama City.
1949 started with the passing of the Chamber gavel to W.A. Guy and the inauguration of President Truman's full term. The world watched as the first non-stop flight around the globe succeeded, refueling 4 times in the air. Dystopian literature took on a new form in Orwell's "1984", while the largest military alliance known in the modern world, NATO, was officially created. This was the year that Bay Medical Center opened its doors to the citizens of Bay County, beginning the legacy of healthcare for our community.
The '50s began with a bang, with innovations from the first organ transplant, the beginning of "Peanuts" cartoons, to the first modern credit card. W.C Sherman headed the Chamber that year and saw the community react to the dispatching of U.S. soldiers to Korea.
1951 marked to the official end of World War II as President Truman signed a Peace Treaty with Japan. In addition, the Treaty of Paris was signed, creating the European Coal and Steel Community, the grandfather of today's European Union. Chamber president Harvey Mathis Jr. and the Chamber membership were able to watch the "Shot Heard Round the World" and "The Day the Earth Stood Still" on black-and-white screens.
Written by: Chelsea Hamati, Governmental Affairs
 Tally Ho Drive In, Panama City, 1951
Harrison Avenue, 1950
Military band in front of Ritz Theatre, 1950
|
|
|
|
CHAMBER |
Click here to view upcoming Chamber events. |
| COMMUNITY |
Click here to view more upcoming community events. |
|
| |
PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS ON THE CHAMBER WEBSITE
for rates and more information.
Did you know as a Chamber member you can post your job openings for free online? Also, if you have an upcoming event, you can also post that for free. Take advantage of the great items our website has to offer!
|
|
Welcome
New Members
| |
Institute of Diving
Perry & Young Attorneys at Law
Panama City Bop & Shag Club
Freedom Boat Club
AFLAC
Gulf Coast Aquarium Inc.
Milk & Honey Frozen Yogurt
Thank you to Clear Channel Radio for our new member radio spots!
|
Thank You Renewing Members
Member Anniversaries
| |
1 Year
- Auto Brokers of America
- DeTect, Inc
- JLP Investments, Inc.
- McConnaughhay, Duffy, Coonrod,
Pope & Weaver P.A.
- Money Mizer Pawn & Jewelers
- Allstate Insurance Baytown Agency
- Nova Technologies
3 Years
- Emerald Coast Urgent Care
- Guardian Ad Litem
- Gulf Coast Chiropractic & Rehab
4 Years
- Graham & Company
- The Boeing Company
5 Years - Mr. John Lincoln
- Shore House Furniture
- Sitte Roofing & Guttering Inc.
- Sunny Hills Golf Club
6 Years - Dr. Robert McSpadden
- Panama City CRA
- Bay County Sheriff's Office
- Mercury Marine 10 Years - Frank Gregory 11 Years - Leon Walters, Sr. 12 Years - Burg Management Company, Inc. - Landever Estates
- Landmark Holiday Beach Resort
- Steel City 15 Years - Science & Discovery Center of NWFL 25 Years - Wal-Mart #1207
|
|
Need New Customers? | |
Business Referral Network (BRN) provides an opportunity for groups of business professionals to come together to network, share business leads and referrals with other group members.
BRN is available to any member in good standing with the Bay County Chamber of Commerce.
They must attend the scheduled bi-monthly meetings and one referral or lead is requested at each meeting. Members are encouraged to bring one guest (guest may be non-member).
A member may only join one Business Referral Network group. The Business Referral Group also makes sure no single business will be in direct competition with another member of the group. (For example, only one person in banking can be in each group.)
|
|
Business Referral Network Groups Meeting Dates
| |
Four different Business Referral Network (BRN) groups meet bi-monthly for lunch meetings to network and share business leads/referrals with other group members.
Only one member of each group may belong to a particular business/trade, i.e. only one person in banking, to discourage direct competition.
Group A
El Jalisco
12:00 p.m.
El Jalisco
12:00 p.m.
Ferrucci Ristorante
12:00 p.m.
May 29th
Group D
Sonny's Bar B Q (Hwy 77 location)
12:00 p.m.
May 15th
|
|
Include Your Business in our Relocation Packet Program |
Each year the Bay County Chamber of Commerce provides relocation guides to individuals and businesses looking for information on relocating to our area. In addition to the relocation guide, we have created a way for our members to market to these individuals who may soon need their products and services.
For more information on how you can get involved, contact Brittany at brittany@baychamberfl.com or call 215-3755. |
|
Support Bay County and its Businesses! | |
Place copies of the "Bay Biz" and "Guide to Discovering Bay County" in your business lobby/office to support and promote our area to your clients and customers.
Call 785-5206 to get your supply of these publications that lets visitors, newcomers and potential businesses know Bay County is a great place to live, work and play. |
|
