Bay County Chamber of CommerceMay 28, 2013
eBIZ newsletter
Greetings!

 

Just a friendly reminder that First Friday is not a place for political announcements or introduction of candidates. When the time comes for political speeches, we will send an e-mail notifying all of our members. We hope you will join us for First Friday on June 7th, at FSU-Panama City Holley Center. 

 

A big congratulations goes out to Naval Support Activity-Panama City for receiving the 2013 Commander in Chief's Annual Award for Excellence. NSA-PC was one of five installations chosen for the top honor. 

 

Earlier this month, we teamed up with the Workforce Center to host the CareerExpo at the Panama City Mall. Over 460 job seekers met with 34 local employers. 

 

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:

 

  • Gulf Coast State College Small Business Conference
  • Bay Young Professionals Tour
  • First Friday
  • Employment Discrimination Lawsuits: Best Practices
  • Grand Openings
  • Ambassador Spotlight 
  • Money for Members Contest
  • Leadership Bay Graduation
  • Leadership Bay Applications
  • 100th Anniversary
  • Business Referral Network Group Meeting Dates

 

Much Success,


The Bay County Chamber of Commerce Staff

UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS 
Congressman Steve Southerland
Small Business Conference
   
 
Bay Young Professionals Tour 
 

   11 BYP Logo

Be sure to mark your 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.

 

 

 

   

Note: No candidate introductions or announcements  

 

Date: Friday, June 7th
Time: Networking and coffee 7:15 a.m.; Program 8 a.m.
Place: FSU-Panama City (4750 Collegiate Drive)
Program: Bay Academies
Thank you to our sponsor: Gulf Coast State College Continuing Education

 

 

 
 
June Business After Hours  
   

Join us for networking, refreshments, door prizes and more!

 

Tuesday, June 18th
5:30-7 p.m.
Legendary Marine (3829 Thomas Drive) 

Thank you to our sponsor:

 

Please park on the gravel lot on the South side of Legendary Marine in front of Pirates Cove. 

 

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
 
Click here to register or contact Elizabeth at 215.3761.

  

 
Ribbon Cuttings 
  

American Business Technologies
731 Airport Road

 
 
Red Lobster 
910 East 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 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!

  

Leadership Bay Graduates 30th Class

 

On May 21st, a reception was held honoring the 30th Class of Leadership Bay at the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort. The event was attended by the class participants, their employers and family members, the Leadership Bay Steering Committee and the Chamber Board of Directors.

 

The group began their nine-month curriculum with a weekend retreat at Tyndall Air Force Base in October of last year. Every other Wednesday the class explored the various segments of Bay County's economy, i.e., Tourism, Industry, Military, Law Enforcement, Local and State Government, Community Volunteerism, Communications/Media, Healthcare and Ecology. 

 

Each class is responsible for developing a project of benefit to the Chamber and/or the community.  This year's project was the creation of the Emergency Service Function 18 and creating a Continuity of Operations Plan for businesses to implement in the event of a disaster in our community.

 

Of course, we can't have Leadership Bay without the support and hard work from the 2012-2013  Leadership Bay Steering Committee:  

 

Chairman Tricia Petty, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort

Pete Bailey, Gulf Power Company

Cory Bruckschen, Booz Allen Hamilton

Michael Calidonna, Edward Jones Investments

Joe Chavarria

Irene Field, Girl Scout Council of the FL Panhandle

Mario Gisbert, City of Panama City Beach

Mary Hulgan, Naval Surface Warfare Center

Brian Leebrick, Barron & Redding, P.A.

Kerri Maney, Counts Oakes Resort Properties

Frances Martin, Gulf Coast Medical Center

Samantha Miller, Trustmark Bank

Angela Sexton, Florida State University - PC Campus

John Sklarski, Preble-Rish, Inc.

Tammala Spencer 

Kevin Wattenbarger, Sperry Van Ness/Southland Commercial Real Estate 

 

Congratulations to the 2012-2013 Leadership Bay Graduates:  

 

Pamela Billing, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort

Jeff Carter, Barron & Redding P.A

Shirley Courson, Booz Allen Hamilton

Eric Crossen, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital

Ashley Davis, Naval Surface Warfare Center

Jacob Fish, St. Andrew Bay Land Company

Emanuel Gonzales, Trustmark Bank

Tiffani Hinds, United Way

Richard Holt, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort

Chelzy McCoy, Gulf Power Company

Julie Miller, Bay Medical Sacred Heart Health Systems

Doug Moore, Prosperity Bank

Donna Newell, Gulf Coast State College

Brenda Parker, Hancock Bank

Valerie Proctor, Life Management Center

Jared Scott, 601st Air Operations Center

Trevor Walls, Gulf Coast State College.

  

  

LB Logo  

Applications for the 2013-2014 Class

 

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:
1952-1955 

 

 

The 50's hit Bay County with several new innovations and revolutionary ideas that changed the way we lived. A decade characterized by the end of segregation, the Red Scare, and the beginning of epic outer space cinema, the United States and Bay County experienced the Baby Boom of the 1950s.

 

A. Daffin's year as the 1952 Chairman of the Chamber saw the incorporation of Cedar Grove into Bay County and the patenting of the first seat belt and the polio vaccine. It was the year that Queen Elizabeth began her reign of the United Kingdom and commonwealths at the age of 25, and the first mechanical heart was successfully transplanted into a patient!

 

For 1953 guided by Chairman Brown Howell, the Chamber made an enormous step in economic development by creating the Committee of 100. Today, that committee has transformed into an independent and highly active organization known as the Economic Development Alliance of Bay County (EDA) that has made strides in growing Bay County. During this same year, Bay County got its first television station in Panama City, WJDM. The station projected the latest stories of the day such as the discovery of DNA and the publication of the first ever Playboy Magazine.

 

John Cristo, Jr. was Chairman in 1954 during the official end of segregation by the verdict of Brown v. Board of Education. Though segregation in Bay County's schools would not actually end until 1964, it was an immense step for equal rights within the county and the United States. Also within the year, the United States developed and deployed its first atomic submarine, Sir Roger Bannister broke the 4-minute mile, and a groundbreaking study indicated that cigarette smoking could cause cancer.

 

In 1955 Chairman Isaac Byrd was Chairman and saw the opening of two U.S. cultural icons: Disneyland and McDonalds. This was the year that Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat, the Vietnam War breaks out between the North and South Vietnam, and the Guinness Book of World Records made its debut.  

 

Written by: Chelsea Hamati, Governmental Affairs 

 


Old Shrimpboat Restaurant


Old St. Andrews Postcard

  
CONNECT
 
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 a great way to get in front of your target market! Email Brittany@baychamberfl.com
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

 

Orkin Pest Control

Bay County Branch of NAACP

Bay Builders Industry Association

Beach 95.1

Mr. Trash, LLC

Panama City Pulmonary

Alia Adhal, PA
 
Albert Sauline III, Attorney at Law

Kraze Nutrition

Quality Service Floor Care  

Thank you to Clear Channel Radio for our new member radio spots!

 Thank You Renewing Members

Member Anniversaries    

  

 1 Year
- American General Life & Accident
- Fusion Fitness Center 
- Pinnacle Hammock Square 
- Pirate Cruise 
- Taco Bell 23rd St.
- Taco Bell Lynn Haven
- Whataburger  
  
2 Years
- Humane Society of Bay County
- Paramount Heating & Cooling LLC
- Target Marketing  
 

3 Years

- Gulf Coast State College Foundation

- Wonderworks PCB 

  

 4 Years 

- Covenant Christian School
- McDonald's David Costa Enterprises

  

5 Years

- Moss and Associates 
- UPS 
 
6 Years

- Classic Carpets Plus Color Tile
- Coastal Metals 
- David Weekley Homes 
- Littco Engineering
- Noles Scapes
- Value Place  

 

 7 Years

- Absolute Business Solutions

  

 9 Years

- Hiland Park Baptist   

  

12 Years

- Specialty Care Inc. 

  

 13 Years

- Emerald Coast Hospice
- Naval Surface Warfare Center PC
- Schooners
- TGI Friday's  

 

14 Years

- Bay County Democratic Executive    

  Committee
- Reliable Copy Products
- Trustmark Bank

 

16 Years 

- Florida Linen
- Martinizing Dry Cleaning
- Tom Gladstone Homes  

 

17 Years 

- State Attorney's Office- 14th Circuit

- Trane  

 

 24 Years

- Sand Dollar Inn  

27 Years 

 

- M & W Auto Sales Inc.  

 

28 Years 

- Bay Lincoln Mercury Dodge Hyundai
 

32 Years

- American Red Cross

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.) 
 
Interested in joining? Contact Don at 215.3753 or Don@baychamberfl.com for availability.
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.
June 4th
Group B
El Jalisco
12:00 p.m.
June 13th
Group C
Ferrucci Ristorante
12:00 p.m.
May 29th
Group D
Sonny's Bar B Q (Hwy 77 location)
12:00 p.m.
June 5th 
 
If you are interested in joining a BRN group, contact Don@baychamberfl.com.
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.
Get Discounts on Products and Services While Supporting Other Members!
"Member to Member Discounts" are posted on the Bay County Chamber of Commerce's website. You can access the link by clicking here. To pick up your Membership Discount card, call the Chamber at 785.5206.