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Greetings!
Governmental Affairs wants to hear from you! What are the most important legislative issues you would like to see on the 2014 Bay County Chamber legislative agenda? E-mail Chelsea with your ideas and concerns.
It's officially summer and the temperatures here in Bay County are definitely showing it's going to be a hot season. We hope everyone has a great 4th of July holiday celebrating with your family and friends. The Chamber office will be closed on Thursday, July 4th. Please remember that First Friday for July will be held on the second Friday, July 12th at FSU-Panama City.
Speaking of summer, hurricane season is now upon us. Our Vice President of Finance, Debi Burdeshaw, attended a conference in Orlando regarding being prepared in case of a disaster. Does your business have a plan in place in case we are hit with a disaster? Click here to download Leadership Bay Class of 2012-2013's Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP), that can help get your business ready.
Help Downtown Panama City win a free face lift by Benjamin Moore Paint! The company is hosting a "Main Street Matters" program where a certain downtown will be revitalized, courtesy of the company. You can vote for Downtown Panama City everyday, once a day, through June 30th, by clicking here.
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:
- Bay Young Professionals Upcoming Luncheon
- July First Friday
- Grand Openings
- Vacation Chance Drawing
- Sponsorships Available
- 100th Anniversary T-Shirts
- Money for Members Contest
- June Apple of our Eye Award Winners
- June Ambassador Spotlight
- Leadership Bay Applications
- 100th Anniversary
- Business Referral Network Group Meeting Dates
Much Success,
The Bay County Chamber of Commerce Staff
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Mark Your Calendars for the Next Bay Young Professionals Luncheon!
Featuring: Jamin Finlaw, President & CEO of Destination Experience, Inc.
(A Divison of BookIt.com)
Entrepreneurs see the world differently than most people.
Where most see problems, they see opportunities.
Join BYP as we embark on our second edition in our speaker series on entrepreneurship.
Wednesday, June 26th
Lunch and Networking: 11:45 a.m.
Program: Noon
Boatyard Restaurant
(5323 N. Lagoon Drive)
RSVP by June 25th. There is no cost for BYP Members, $20 for future BYP Members. Cancellations after June 25th will be invoiced. For more information on how you can join BYP or to RSVP, contact
Thanks to our sponsor: 
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Reminder: First Friday is on the second Friday, July 12th.
Coffee and Networking: 7:15 a.m.
Program: 8 a.m.
FSU-Panama City
(3750 Collegiate Drive)
Program: Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport
Thanks to our sponsor: 
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Grand Openings
 ReliantSouth Construction Group
490 Grace Ave.
Papa Murphy's Pizza
724 West 23rd St.
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Want to win a Vacation?
We are selling chance drawing tickets for a Bookit.com destination vacation of your choice or a staycation in Panama City Beach each valued at $1,250.00 from Bookit.com.
The drawing will take place at the August 2nd First Friday.
Who doesn't need a vacation?
Please call 785-5206 to purchase your tickets or for more information.
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Sponsorships Available
Sponsorship opportunities are available for First Friday in October and Business After Hours in July and August. Contact Jill@baychamberfl.com for more information.
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100th Anniversary T-Shirts for Sale
100th anniversary t-shirts are now on sale for $13 (includes tax)! They come only in navy, sizes S-XXL. Call 785.5206 to buy one today!
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$ Money for Members $
Don't forget about our 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!
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Apple of our Eye Award Winners
 New Construction Harley Davidson of Panama City Beach 14700 Panama City Beach Pkwy.  Renovation Innovations Federal Credit Union 17900 Panama City Beach Pkwy.
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Ambassador Spotlight
Jan Rains, owner of Ladybug Embroidery & Gifts and Office Manager for MedSouth Clinic, has been selected as June's Ambassador Spotlight.
Jan has been an active Chamber Member for 15 years, participating with the Ambassadors and Business Referral Network Group A and many other Chamber committees over the years.
She is also very active in the community as a member of the Lynn Haven United Methodist Church with their City Reach Projects. She is also a member of the Emerald Coast Business Women and has participated with the Muscular Dystrophy Lock Up.
Thank you Jan for all that you do for the Chamber!
If you are interested in becoming a Chamber Ambassador please contact Don at don@baychamberfl.com or 850-215-3753.
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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.
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2013-2014 Leadership Bay Steering Committee
Leadership Bay would not be possible without of all the volunteers that lend their time to help improve and sustain the program. The Bay County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce this year's steering committee.
Chairman, Tammala Spencer
Pete Bailey, Gulf Power Company
Nick Beninate, Harrison Sale McCloy
Michael Calidonna, Edward Jones Investments
DeAnne Carlson, Summit Bank
Joe Chavarria
Tricia Culpepper-Petty, Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort
Irene Field, Girl Scout Council of FL Panhandle
Mario Gisbert, City of Panama City Beach
Jenny Howell, Naval Surface Warfare Center
Frances Martin, Gulf Coast Medical Center
Megan Meints, Booz Allen Hamilton Engineering
Samantha Miller, Trustmark Bank
Shannon Sheibe, FSU Panama City
Trevor Walls, Gulf Coast State College
Kevin Wattenbarger, Sperry Van Ness/Southland Commercial Real Estate
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Bay County Chamber of Commerce History:
1960-1963
Several major events occurred in the years of 1960-1963. Although there were some considerable changes going on in the world, Bay County was able to keep moving forward and grow as a community.
In 1960, Alton Boyd was the Chairman of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce; for 45 years he was very involved in the community and making it a better place. In this year, the film Psycho was released, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and is now considered one of his best films. It has also been ranked as one of the greatest films of all time. The 60's was also characterized by having the first televised presidential debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.
During 1961, Rowe Sudduth was our Chairman and saw many things happen in the world at the time. During John F. Kennedy's administration the invasion of Cuba, known as Bay of Pigs, left the United States' relationship with Cuba strained.
The Berlin Wall was built to stop people in East Germany, ruled by the Soviet Union, coming into West Germany, which was the German Democratic Republic. In an effort to help other countries understand the United States and help Americans understand different cultures of the world, the Peace Corps was founded. A man by the name of Yuri Gagarin became the first man in the world to enter space when the Soviets launched their spacecraft, Vostok 1.
In 1962, L.D. Lewis was Chairman and witnessed the Cuban missile, which frightened Americans; with President Kennedy promising to not invade Cuba, the Russian missiles were removed. The first major sex symbol, Marilyn Monroe died and Andy Warhol created the famous soup can art every one still loves, Campbell's Soup.
In 1963, Dick Arnold was Chairman and exciting events happened in our community. Miracle Strip Amusement Park was opened and Callaway was incorporated. This is the year Martin Luther King Jr. gave his inspirational "I Have a Dream" speech, John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and Friedan's Feminine Mystique was published causing the "Second Wave of Feminism."
Written by: Justine Powell, Bay County Chamber of Commerce Intern
Marina Civic Center, 1960
Miracle Strip Amusement Park
Campbell's Soup can created by Andy Warhol
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CHAMBER |
Click here to view upcoming Chamber events. |
| COMMUNITY |
Click here to view more upcoming community events. |
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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!
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Welcome
New Members
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Family Chiropractic Center
Thompson E-File America
Direct Realty of Bay County, Inc.
Papa Murphy's Pizza
Gulf Coast Dermatology
Dance Life @ Studio 415
Bay Area Resource Center
Thank you to Clear Channel Radio for our new member radio spots!
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Thank You Renewing Members
Member Anniversaries
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1 Year
- 4PSA
- Dick's Last Resort
- The Farmish Market, LLC
- Tom's Hot Dogs
- AVIAN Engineering LLC
- Acentria Inc
- Early Learning Coalition of Northwest Florida
- Southwest Airlines
4 Years
- L&R Tractor, Inc.
7 Years
- Firehouse Subs
10 Years
- St John Catholic School
11 Years - CK Secrets
- CYber SYtes, Inc.
- Elliot Brothers Paint & Body Inc.
- Stantec 12 Years - D. Stephen Foster, CPA, PA - Plumb Better, Inc. 13 Years - Spinnaker 15 Years - Manuel & Thompson P.A. 17 Years - Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated
- Early Education and Care, Inc.
- PMI Employee Leasing 18 Years - City of Springfield
- David Pete Windham, DMD.
- Jerry Pybus Electric 19 Years - Bay District School Board
- Copy Products Company 23 Years - Sonny's Real Pit Bar B Q 27 Years - KLW Enterprises, Inc.
28 Years
- AutoNation Ford
- FSU Panama City
- Sowell Tractor Company
- Specialists of the South, Inc.
47 Years
- Kolmetz Construction, Inc.
52 Years
- Jim Clark Realty
53 Years
- Culligan Water Services
55 Years
- Remsco, Inc.
56 Years
- Barron & Redding, P.A.
62 Years
- Boyd Brothers
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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.)
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Business Referral Network Groups Meeting Dates
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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.
June 26th
Group D
Sonny's Bar B Q (Hwy 77 location)
12:00 p.m.
July 3rd
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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. |
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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. |
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Get Discounts on Products and Services While Supporting Other Members!
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"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.
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