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WABASH AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
BUSINESS CHRONICLE
Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce http://www.wabashchamber.org September 2001
CHAMBER ANNOUNCES "MAKING ACADEMICS COUNT"The Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce would like to announce a new joint program partnered with the North Manchester Chamber of Commerce called MAKING ACADEMICS COUNT. This initiative is a nation wide program endorsed by the United States Chamber of Commerce and the National Alliance of Business. It is already being effectively promoted in several Indiana communities. The program is being funded as part of the CAPE grant awarded to the Community Foundation of Wabash County. They have provided a grant to help this program become a reality. This is only one of the initiatives the Community Foundation is funding through the CAPE grant. More information will be forthcoming on those initiatives. The business and education partnership Making Academics Count, or MAC, as we like to call our program, is a basic effort to recruit businesses to participate in an agreement to use high school transcripts in their hiring process. By looking at attendance records, tardiness, grades and classes taken, the business can get a better idea of the work ethic of the student. Therefore, they will be able to choose a better employee from a stability and commitment basis. Businesses will be trained how to look at these records and the conclusions to be drawn. Ultimately, students will learn that their actions in school do have consequences - positive and negative. They will take their education more seriously. 84% of high school students said that they would work harder in school if they knew future employers requested transcripts. Businesses that use transcripts report higher productivity levels and a lower failure rate in new employees. Wabash County School officials are very supportive and excited about this new program. They have been asking for or offering this service for years. The Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce has employed Chris Martin, on a part time basis, to administer this program for their organization and the North Manchester Chamber. Chris has been on board since May preparing for the MAC launch. He will begin his efforts contacting Wabash County businesses, to further explain the program and ask for your support. Chris is no stranger to the Wabash community. He is currently Executive Director of Wabash Marketplace, and a Wabash city councilman. If you wish to hear more about MAC before he gets to your business, call Chris at 563-1168. Welcome and Best Wishes Chris! CHAMBER MEMBER NEWSPlease route this newsletter to the other staff in your business to keep them up to date on services, functions and programs available to all employees of our member companies!Have you had changes or improvements in your business? Have you received an award, reached a milestone, or completed additional training? We want to know. Share these things with your chamber partners. They too enjoy hearing. Call, FAX, E-Mail, or mail notes to the chamber office.WABASH FRIENDS COUNSELING CENTER presents "A Day of Healing" Saturday, October 20, 2001 from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the Wabash Middle School. There is a $10 registration fee ($15 after 10/5). Keynote speaker will be Dr. Dan Allender. Call Friends Church at 563-8452. BOB'S MEDIA BLASTING announces the grand opening of REFLECTIONS IN THE SAND located at 1375 Stitt street (former Hanks Restaurant) on Friday 9 to 5 and Saturday 9 to 3, September 21 and 22. This will be your last chance to enjoy a hotdog and a root beer at "Hanks" as Bob Wright and Gretchen Simpson celebrate the opening of their new businesses. Gretchen's business, GMS GRAPHICS, shares the same location. THE PERU/MIAMI COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE is sponsoring a warehouse liquidation sale of thousands of gift type items including wrapping paper, assorted paper goods, holiday items, and more at Tom Wat's Warehouse Friday, September 21, Noon to 5, and Saturday, September 22, 9 to 5. Location is the corner of Clay and Madison Streets in Peru next to Toluoukian Supply. Savings of up to 70% off retail. The Purdue High Tech Job Fair at Purdue University is looking for a few good companies to represent excellent job opportunities to over 1,200 students eager to showcase their skills. The event will take place Wednesday, October 31, 2001. See details at www.purdue.edu/JobFair/ or call 765-494-6258. The Indiana Chamber is sponsoring the Indiana Energy Conference, October 9, 2001 at the Indiana Convention Center along with a pre-conference workshop How to Reduce your Energy Bill. Pre-conference registration is $49 - $295 for the conference for Indiana Chamber members. Details - call your Wabash Chamber office. Please give a warm Wabash welcome to Ray Patel, the new owner/manager of THE WABASH INN! Ray took possession several weeks ago and is already hard at work He is very anxious to be a part of our business community. TECHNO-GUIDE, INC. has announced that Aaron McClone will be working in the Wabash territory helping your business use technology. TECHNO-GUIDE is a computer and technology consulting firm headquartered in Warsaw. TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH will host WaterMark, an international music ministry, in the area on their way to the east coast and Europe. Watermark consists of 6 young adults that perform praise, contemporary, and rock Christian music. All ages of youth and adults are encouraged to attend this FREE concert. Time will be announced later. Call 563-6626 for details. 2SWINGSETS, INC. is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Their annual Open House and Display Sale will be conducted Friday, September 28 at their facility on highway 15 south of Wabash. ST. BERNARD CATHOLIC SCHOOL will hold it's annual Ball and Auction Fundraiser Saturday, October 6, 2001. Tickets are available from the school office. Donation levels are Diamond - $100 and above, Gold - $50 to $99, and Silver - up to $50. Themed Gift Baskets and Table sponsorships are also available. Ralph Naragon, GILBERT, NARAGON & CO., was recently named an honorary member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). This award is given to CPAs who have been members of the AICPA for 40 years. Congratulations Ralph! The HONEYWELL CENTER has announced the following activities during this newsletter period: October 12, 13 & 14 Fiddler on the Roof October 20 American Heritage Craft Show 9 am - 3 pm Free Admission
October 20 WVMA Tap Dogs 8 pm $25 Adults, $12.50 Youth All events will be held at the Honeywell Center, 275 West Market St., Wabash. For more information or to order tickets, call 563-1102 or 800-626-6345 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. INDIANA CHAMBER PUBLISHES GOVERNMENT BOOKThe Indiana Chamber of Commerce has published Here is Your Indiana Government 2001-2002. This publication is a combination of the yearly government directory and the popular How a Bill Becomes Law brochure. It includes interesting facts about Indiana, the new district maps after redistricting, pictures and biographies of Indiana government officials, explanations of government at all levels from the state to local. The Wabash Area Chamber intends to purchase a small quantity of these to have in our office for distribution. You may also look at one copy and order more for your business if they are useful. The cost will be $12.50 each. ANNUAL DINNER NOVEMBER 1Reservations are now being accepted for the 60th Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner Meeting to be held Thursday evening, November 1, 2001 at 6:30 PM at the Honeywell Center. The purpose of the meeting will be to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2001 Chamber and to announce the leadership taking charge of the 2002 Chamber. Another highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the 2001 Business of the Year Award to Whites Residential and Family Services by 2001 Chamber Chair Jerry Banks. The program will take a very traditional format with dinner being served in the gym with entertainment being supplied by the White's Clown Ministry. The evening will continue in the Ford Theater where we will hear from a professional comedian. The evening will conclude with 2000 Distinguished Citizen Doug Craig making the 2001 announcement. The annual dinner committee, chaired by Brent Dawes, would entertain any business wishing to assist in underwriting the cost of the speaker being arranged by Whites. Cost of the reservations is $30 per person with a choice of roast beef or grilled citrus chicken for the entrée. It will be an evening of celebration that you won't want to miss. Come help the Chamber and Whites and the 2001 DC celebrate! 32001/2002 BROWN BAG SERIESHats off to the Seminar Committee chaired by Rex Stitsworth for coming up with a great program for the next Chamber Year! Committee members Yvonne Vanosdol, Kim O'Banion, Lori Eltzroth, Susan Stewart, and John Gilpin have helped Rex by doing their homework setting up a fine schedule set to begin September 13. A Family Medical Leave Update kicks off this series presented by Steve Downs, Tiede, Metz, Downs, Lynn, and Schlitt sponsored by Ford Meter Box. The rest of the schedule is as follows: November 8, 2001 Counterfeiting and Scams Leroy Striker, ISP sponsored by Wabash County Farm Bureau Credit Union
January 10, 2002 Workplace Preparedness Paul Bergman, EMA sponsored by Family Physicians Associated
March 14, 2002 Developing Strong Performers or Excellent Employees Scott Makin, Friends Church sponsored by Wabash County Hospital
May 9, 2002 Humor in the Workplace Vicki Williams sponsored by The Wabash Plain Dealer
All Brown Bag sessions begin at Noon and conclude by 1:00 PM and are held in the Cinergy Conference room located at 1500 Manchester Avenue. A light lunch is provided. This series is designed for up and coming managers in any Wabash Business. Cost is $50 for the entire series for Chamber members. Individual sessions may be reserved at $10 each. Call the Chamber office today with your reservations. WORKONE HOLDSOPEN HOUSE
WorkOne located at 80 W. Canal Street Wabash hosted a ribbon cutting and open house Friday, September 7, 2001. WorkOne has been chartered by Workforce Development Strategies Inc. which is in turn controlled by the North Central Indiana Workforce Investment Board. The purpose of the WorkOne center will be to develop the workforce available in the Wabash area. The recently enacted Workforce Investment Act has given the Board the challenge of evaluating and upgrading the services available for training and assisting the Wabash workforce. The One-Stop Consortium in Wabash has fulfilled the criteria for becoming a chartered WorkOne center. This local consortium is operated by a number of local agencies including Department of Workforce Development, Green Thumb, Ivy Tech State College, Transition Resources, and Vocational Rehabilitation. The services offered include skill assessments, central job posting, financial assistance for training and referrals to education, training, and social services. Pictured at Left-Officials gather for the Work One Ribbon Cutting. Bill Bradley, Executive Director of WEDCOR, gave the opening address. City Councilman, Chris Martin, performed the ribbon cutting on behalf of the City of Wabash. 4WELCOME NEW MEMBERS(please add to your Buyer's Guide)GMS Graphics - 1375 Stitt Street (formerly Hank's Drive In), Wabash, IN 46992, Gretchen Simpson, Owner, phone - 219-563-5991, fax- 219-563-5991, e-mail gmsgraphics@comteck.com GMS Graphics shares the facility with Reflections in the Sand also known as Bob's Media Blasting. In addition to designing work for her neighbor, GMS Graphics makes vinyl signage for any occasion, - signs, banners, magnetics, windows, vehicles, and decals.
REMEMBER YOUR CHAMBER'S GOLD SPONSORS Yohe Realty, Smurfit Stone Container Corp., Clarkland Properties, Indiana Lawrence Bank, Cinergy/PSI, Pettit Printing, and Wells Fargo Bank,
RETAILING DURING THE HOLIDAYS SEMINAR PLANNED
The Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the Small Business Development Center has announced a new seminar being planned for the fall season. This one is aimed at retail businesses in the Wabash area with the holiday selling season right around the corner. How prepared is your business? Do you have a selling strategy for the holidays? Who are your customers, and how are you planning to show them that your business is the place to be? Retailing during the Holiday Season will be held Tuesday, October 2, 2001 from 2 to 4 PM in the Chamber conference room. The cost will be $10. Philamee Bennett from IUK will be the presenter. Customer service is an essential tool in any business. However, during the holidays it is vital that employees be in top form. Four main types of customers exist - do you know them and which ones your business targets?
The Small Business Development Center is a non-profit organization which strives to provide assistance to start-up and existing businesses. The SBDC partners with the Chamber throughout the year to assist Wabash County residents with counseling and training for small business owners in resolving organizational, financial, marketing, and many other problems that they might encounter. Anyone desiring their service may call the Chamber office to schedule an appointment at any time. Deadline for registration for the seminar is September 28. Call 563-1168. CHAMBER BEGINS LONG RANGE PLAN
The Board of Directors of the Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce embraced a program to eventually end with a 3 to 5 year long range plan. Board Chair, Jerry Banks brought the program to the Board in hopes that many critical questions concerning the Chamber could be answered in the process. The program is being administered by Jack Finster, Peru, a long time consultant to non-profit organizations in the state of Indiana. The cost of the study is being underwritten by Cinergy. The first step in the process was a Board of Directors retreat outlining some of the goals of the Chamber. Then a membership survey was created by Finster and mailed to members by Cinergy. The response rate was excellent, and those surveys have been turned over to Finster. The third step was personal interviews by Board members with key individuals in Wabash. The results of those interviews have also been turned over to Finster. This year's Board planning retreat, where the 2002 program of work will be set, will also include session number 2 with Finster. There, longer range plans will be made and the answers to questions like, "What is the purpose of the Chamber?" will become more clear. Eventually, longer range plans will be addressed. As further results become available, they will be publicized here. Your surveys showed some serious issues that will be addressed. 5BOARD MEMBERS - 2001
Brown Bag SeminarBusiness Before HoursDate: October 10 7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. Business Sponsors - Wabash Marketplace, Inc. - Chris Martin Visionary Web Design - Christina Sapusek Parents As Teachers/Our Children, Our Future - Sarah Hilker Econoclean - James Heck Wells Fargo - Dave Rutledge Thomas Ford Lincoln Mercury - Tom Korkos Emcee - ??? Date: November 8, 2001 Noon - 1 p.m.Topic: Counterfeiting and Scams Presented by: Leroy Striker, Ind. State Police Location: Cinergy/PSI Meeting Room Seminar Lunch Sponsor: Wabash Co. Farm Bureau Credit Union
Gold Sponsors: Cinergy/PSI, Indiana Lawrence Bank, Pettit Printing, Wells Fargo Bank, Clarkland Properties and Yohe Realty The next BBH (after October 10) is December 12, 2001
Mark Your CalendarsOctober November 6 - Harvest Festival - North Manchester 1 - Annual Dinner Meeting @ Honeywell Center 2 - Retailing During the Holiday Season - SBDC Seminar 8 - Brown Bag Seminar @ Cinergy 10 - Business Before Hours - Honeywell Center 9 - WACC Board Meeting - WCH Forum Room 12 - 14 Fiddler on the Roof - Honeywell Center 16 - Celebration of Light - 6:30 Court House 20 - Day of Healing - Wabash Middle School Please notify us of any changes on address label Presort Std.
U.S. Postage PAID Wabash, IN 46992 Permit No. 228 Wabash Area Chamber of Commerce Route To: _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ |