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This Edition of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Newsletter was Printed & Finished on a
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Inside . . . Affiliate NewsAnniversariesBusiness Executive LuncheonChamber SightingsCommittee UpdatesMember NewsMember ShotsNew MembersYEA! Schuylkill
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Economic Forecast Headlines January Breakfast
The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce January breakfast meeting will be held at St. Nicholas Hall, Route 901, Primrose, Miners-ville on January 13, 2016 beginning at 7:45 a.m. The breakfast and the presenter are being sponsored by Riverview Bank.
The presenter, As Vice President and Market Strategist, Jeffrey (Jeff) Buchbinder is a member of the LPL Financial Research tactical asset allocation committee and is responsible for developing and articulating equity and gener-al market strategy with a focus on sector analysis.
Mr. Buchbinder regularly communicates market strategy to LPL Financial advisors and is a speaker at LPL Financial conferences. Mr. Buchbinder contributes to the Research Depart-ment’s flagship publications such as the Week-ly Market Commentary and the Outlook. He is the primary author of Market Insight, a quarter-ly review of the financial markets, and Port-folio Compass, a bi-weekly snapshot of LPL Financial Research’s views on the equity, fixed income, and alternative investment markets. Prior to joining the Research Department in July 2003, Mr. Buchbinder worked as an equity research associate for Sanford C. Bernstein in New York and Deutsche Bank in Boston. He has 17 years of investment experience.
Mr. Buchbinder earned his MBA with a concentration in finance from Duke Universi-ty, and a BA from Northwestern University in economics. He received the Chartered Finan-cial Analyst designation in 2001 and is also a member of the CFA Institute. He currently holds Series 7, 63, and 87 registrations.
The breakfast is being sponsored by River-view Bank - a $440 million financial services company headquartered in Harrisburg, Penn-sylvania. With branch locations in Pottsville, Yorkville, Cressona, Orwigsburg and Tower
City and a regional operations center in Pottsville, River-view Bank is firmly invested in Schuylkill County and is committed to helping our local communities thrive. Learn more at www.riverviewbankpa.com.
For more information, or to make your reservation, con-tact the Schuylkill Chamber at 570.622.1942/800.755.1942 or email your reservation to [email protected]. You may also register online at
www.schuylkillchamber.com, The cost to attend is $20 for Schuylkill Chamber Members and $25 for Future Members. Advance reservations are requested. ℑ
Jeffrey Buchbinder, CFA
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 2 Page 15
Tom Twardzik, President of Ateeco, Inc., Mrs. T’s Pierogies, announced today that Mark A. Tar-zwell Sr., will be joining the compa-ny as Chief Operating Officer.
Tarzwell brings 45 years of exten-sive food industry experience and will report directly to Tom Twardzik, President of Ateeco, Inc.
Mark’s responsibilities will in-clude: the management of all com-mercial and administrative areas of the business; execution of operating plans to meet strategic objectives; and development of organizational policies.
Mark is currently on the National Frozen and Refrigerated Association Board of Directors and Treasurer for the Regional Network of Executive Women.
He holds a BA in Organizational Management from Eastern Universi-ty and is currently working towards obtaining his Master’s degree in Food Marketing from St. Joseph’s University. ℑ
On the heels of winning a dou-ble-gold medal in the Six Nations Wine Competition in Australia, Galen Glen Winery received noti-fication of the official results of the 2015 Grand Harvest Awards from California. Every wine entered by the winery in Andreas received a
Member News
Member News continues on page 4
Affiliate News
Frackville Business & Professional Association
The FBPA has obtained two new members: Miners Bank and Boyer’s Food Markets, Inc.
The committee approved to pay the bill for the domain name renewal
The next FBPA meeting will be held on January 12, 2016 at noon at the Dutch Kitchen. ℑ
Orwigsburg Area Business & Professional Association
The Festival of Lights event is on December 5, 2015 starting at 4:00 p.m. OBPA will be making a $50.00 donation towards the prize for the 3rd
place winner of the house decorating contest.
OBPA has one new member for December bringing the total number of members to 91.
Nine businesses participated in an event for Small Business Satur-day that included getting a passport punched if you visited 6 of the 9 locations and then you were entered into a grand prize drawing
The next OBPA meeting will be held on Thursday, January 7, 2016 at a time and place TBD. ℑ
Pottsville Business AssociationThe Pottsville Lions Cruise Com-
mittee donated $300 for the PBA lighting fund.
PBA has obtained a new member - Momma Millie’s Bakery.
Starting on 12/14/15, the Pottsville Parking Authority will be offering free parking for two weeks leading up to Christmas.
PBA will be making a $100 dona-tion to West End Hose Company as a
Thank-You for parading Santa Claus through downtown Pottsville.
The next PBA meeting will be held on January 14, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. at the SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference Center. ℑ
Greater Schuylkill Haven Business Owners Association
The Schuylkill Haven tree lighting went very well. There was a great turnout and the children did a fantas-tic job.
There will be a Post-Holiday Party on Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Stone House Bed & Breakfast at 5:00 p.m.
The next GSHABA meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the Stone House Bed & Breakfast. ℑ
Greater Shenandoah Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber would like to thank Tina’s Flowers for providing the arrangements on Main street.
Mark Bernardyn is looking for nominations for the best decorated house in Shenandoah.
Edward Kleha from State Repre-sentative Neil Goodman’s Office recognized Albert Victor for his dedi-cation to the Downtown Shenandoah Christmas Lighting Fundraiser.
The Next Shenandoah Chamber meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. at Ridgeview Healthcare and Rehabili-tation Center. ℑ
Get your company’s or organization’s news in print!
Email your news to [email protected].
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 14 Page 3
Schuylkill Chamber Communicator
PublisherSchuylkill Chamber of Commerce
Union Station1 Progress Circle, Suite 201
Pottsville, PA 17901Phone: 570.622.1942
800.755.1942Fax: 570.622.1638
www.schuylkillchamber.com
Robert S. Carl, Jr.Executive Director
Samantha A. AlbonAdministrative/Special Projects
Andrea M. FeathersFinancial/Administrative Director
Vanessa M. MihodaCommunications Director
Monica M. WalbornEvents Planning &
Coordination [email protected]
Editorial and Advertising OfficeSchuylkill Chamber of Commerce
1 Progress Circle, Suite 201Pottsville, PA 17901
Schuylkill Chamber Communicatoris published by
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. Copyright 2016.
Submissions for editorial review should be sent to the Chamber Office.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.
Neither the publisher nor any individual associated with any branch of production,
nor the advertisers will be held liable for typographical misprints
contained herein.
2016, all rights reserved by Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber Sightings Check out additional event photos at www.schuylkillchamber.com.
Inaugural Business Executive Forum Features Penn State
University President
The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Dr. Eric J. Barron, President of Penn State University, will be the speaker at our Inaugural Business Executive Forum. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27, 2016 beginning at 12:00 p.m. at the Health and Wellness Building at Penn State Schuylkill, 200 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven.
Eric J. Barron started his tenure as the 18th President of The Penn-sylvania State Univer-sity on May 12, 2014. Previously, Barron served as President of Florida State. He has nearly 35 years of leadership experience in academic administra-tion, education, research and public service, as well as a track record as a talented manager of fiscal policy within large and complex institutions.
Barron spent 20 years of his career at Penn State, serving as Dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Scienc-es from 2002 to 2006, and as found-ing director of the Earth System Science Center, one of the first major initiatives focused on the total study of Earth as a system. In 1999, he was named Distinguished Professor of Geosciences at Penn State.
Dr. Eric J. BarronPenn State University President
An accomplished scientist with a long background in atmospheric research, Barron previously served as director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and as Dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas At Austin.
Over the decades, Dr. Barron has lent his significant expertise in the areas of atmospheric science and the geosciences to many national com-mittees and federal agencies, includ-
ing nearly 20 years of service as the chair of multiple National Re-search Council com-mittees and boards.
Barron earned a B.S. in Geology at Florida State and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Oceanogra-phy at the University of Miami.
Special reserved seating is available
for tiered members in the Executive, Premier and Visionary levels. Please call Monica Walborn at 570-622-1942 for details and to reserve your seat.
The cost to attend is $50 per person for Schuylkill Chamber members and $100 for future members. Res-ervations are required as seating is limited. Registration is available via the Chamber’s website - www.schuylkillchamber.com (be sure to use your log in credentials when you register) or call the Chamber office at 570-622-1942. ℑ
The winner of the Visa Gift Card for logging in during the new website launch was announced via video on Face-book. Kristy Carduff, Goodwill Keystone Area, stopped by to receive the card. Pictured are: Monica Walborn, Events Planning & Coordi-nation Director; Samantha Albon, Administrative/Special Projects Coordinator; Kristy; Andrea Feathers, Financial/Administrative Director and Robert S. Carl, Jr., Executive Director.
Patrick Caulfield, Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, is presented the award for Non-Profit Organization of the Year from Robert S. Carl, Jr., Schuylkill Chamber Ex-ecutive Director.
These ladies represent both the old and new Schuylkill Chamber! Victoria McLaughlin, Kahlua Cruises; Jill Kulbitsky, SEDCO: Lori Kane, McCann School of Business & Technol-ogy; Kelly Malone, Schuylkill United Way; Lori Michael, Lori’s Angels; Toni Everdale, St. Clair & Associates, PC; and Jennifer Drake, Indepen-dent Living Services.
Debra Kukta, M&T Bank, finds herself amidst a gaggle of gentlemen at the SED-CO/Schuylkill Cham-ber Holiday Party. Enjoying Deb’s com-pany are Dr. Robert DeColli, Schuylkill Health; Ed Keyworth, Pottsville Provision Company; Ken Stolarick, M&T Bank; Pat Murphy, Murphy Jewelers; and Jeff O’Neill, M&T Bank.
Always one for fun, Tim Twardzik, The Marketing Tool Belt, photo bombs the ladies: Amy Fanelli, American Computer Associates; Carol Boyer, YEA! Schuylkill; and Caroline Twardzik, at the SEDCO/Schuylkill Cham-ber Holiday Party at the Schuylkill Country Club.
Mary Ann Flail, CACL Federal Credit Union, catches up with Lou Fanelli, Fanelli Brothers Trucking & Leasing.
Sandy Coyle, Schuylkill County Council for the Arts, and Dale Schoeneman, SEDCO Board Member, show off a sample of the goodies.
Shine the spotlight on your company by sponsoring an event.
Contact Monica Walborn for more [email protected]
570-622-1942/800-755-1942
Sponsorships Available2-10-16 Breakfast4-13-16 Breakfast2-17-16 Mixer2-24-16 SWIB Luncheon3-23-16 SWIB Luncheon
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 4 Page 13Member News continued from page 2
medal. This competition is governed by Vineyard & Winery Management and is committed to the highest standards of competition. Over 1,500 wines are entered.
Galen Glen wines receiving med-als were: 2014 Stone Cellar Cham-bourcin, 2014 Crooked Stick Red, 2014 Riesling, 2014 Stone Cellar Fossil Vineyard Riesling, 2014 Stone Cellar Twilight, and 2014 Stone Cel-lar Zweigelt. The 2014 Stone Cellar Cabernet Franc won a bronze medal. Sarah Troxell, winemaker, and Galen Troxell, wine grower, were pleased to learn that each of the wines they entered won an award. ℑ
The National Association of Pro-fessional Women (NAPW) honored Victoria McLaughlin as a 2015-2016 inductee into its VIP Woman of the Year Circle. Victoria was recognized with this prestigious distinction for leadership in travel and tourism ser-vices. NAPW is the nation’s leading networking organization exclusively for professional women, boasting
more than 775,000 members and over 200 operating Local Chapters.
With a natural pas-sion for travel, Victo-ria has built a success-ful career where she finds fulfillment in helping people plan a wonderful vacation. She owns a franchise with Cruise Planners and American Express known as Kahlua Cruises. Victoria is bilingual, well-traveled and has many travel resources that help her clients before, during and after their trip.
“I’m pleased to recognize Victo-ria with this important honor,” says NAPW President Star Jones. “Her perseverance, work ethic and leader-ship qualities are an inspiration to all women.” ℑ
Schuylkill Rehabilitation Center is hosting a free community lecture, Coping with a Physical Disability: A Psychological Perspective, on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at 3:00
p.m. Dr. Allan Rodgers, ED. D. , Psychologist, will present informa-tion about how to understand, and cope with the changes created by a physical disability or illness. ℑ
Ramus Realty Group an-nounced in December the formation of a new Commercial Division with-in the company. William R. “Skip” Seitzinger has been recruited to head up the new Commercial Division.
Seitzinger is a graduate of York College with a degree in Business Administration and the Pennsylvania Real Estate Institute. He has over 30 years ex-perience in real estate and holds his Associ-ate Broker’s license. Seitzinger’s extensive commercial real estate experiences includes representing buyers, sellers and investors. Skip also has commer-cial property management including both management and leasing of shopping centers and office building
at all Chamber events and the Cham-ber will work on a thank you offering for them at the end of the Ambassador year such as a Chamber coupon. Jeanne Porter suggested dispersing the event ambassadors among the different events; Jen Tahaney echoed this by saying that members that usually attend certain events can be the ambassador at those events.
The subcommittee will continue to meet once a month after the Member Services Committee. The possibility of having Ambassador Committee meet-ings with the Ambassadors right before the events was discussed. The Ambassa-dors need to go through an Ambassador orientation.
The Executive Director stated there needs to be attention brought to the Ambassador program; therefore, it will be highlighted in the January 2016 Communicator. The Chamber will start working on developing the Ambassador orientation. It was suggested of inviting members who might want to become an Ambassador to the January 2016 sub-committee meeting.
Finally, the subcommittee discussed how to reengage businesses that were once members but are not anymore.
Education - The Education Commit-tee will next meet on January 21, 2016.
Schuylkill Women in Business (SWIB) - 12-15-15
Colleen McCabe, Luther Ridge at Se-ider’s Hill, was welcomed to the SWIB committee as a new member.
Samantha Albon, informed the committee of the Chamber’s upcoming Executive Forum and encouraged the committee to attend since there will not be a SWIB luncheon in January 2016.
The next SWIB Luncheon will kick off the Professional Women Series and it will be held on February 24, 2016. The committee would like to have Christine Holman, District Attorney, Schuylkill County Government, be the presenter for this event.
March 23, 2016 will be the date of the next luncheon. The committee would like to have Eileen Kuperavage (Non-Profit) be the presenter.
The April SWIB will be held on the April 27, 2016. Compassus Hospice and Palliative Care has showed interest in sponsoring this event and having
someone from their organization as the speaker for this Professional Women Series event (Healthcare). Luther Ridge at Seider’s Hill will host this event.
The May 25, 2016 event will be a speed networking event. We will be outreaching to Alvernia University Schuylkill Center to see if they would like to host and sponsor the event.
June 22, 2016 will be the date of the June SWIB Luncheon. We would like for the presenter at this event to be in a financial profession.
The committee gave feedback from the holiday luncheon. Everyone thought it went very well and that the food was delicious. The members enjoyed the gift exchange and the entertainment by members of the Schuylkill County Choral Society.
The committee created a guide for the presenters in the Professional Women Series to use when speaking: How did your work experience help you get you to where you are at today?; What lessons have you learned through your career?; If applicable, how do you feel being a woman in a male dominated profession?; What trials and tribulations have you had to overcome?; How is your position now different from the po-sition you entered your career in?; What current struggles do you face in your professional life? ;What piece of advice would you give to someone that wants to pursue a career path in your field or any professional field?
Non Profit - The Non Profit Commit-tee will next meet on January 25, 2016.
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) - 12/8/15
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy students have been working hard to take their ideas and develop them into business opportunities. The class visited Ashland Technologies in Hegins, PA where they were led on a tour of the facility by John Powers, CEO. The students heard the story of the compa-ny through a teleconference call with founder Bill Wydra. Students were able to ask questions of both Bill Wydra and John Powers before touring the plant. The students learned about the many products made by Ash-Tec, the work-ings of the various types of cutting edge machines and the different industries served by the company.
Member News continues on page 5
The Schuylkill Chamber is EXCITED to announce that we are putting together a Schuylkill Chamber Ambassadors Program. The mission of the Am-bassadors program is to retain and engage Schuylkill Chamber members and serve as goodwill representatives of the Chamber at a variety of functions. This energetic group will help to maintain contact with other Chamber members while promoting the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and its purpose. Am-bassadors will serve as meeters and greeters at Chamber events and will be the first contact that new members have upon joining the Schuylkill Chamber.
If you are looking for:· Greater visibility for your business· Opportunities to interact with new businesses in the Schuylkill County community· Greater opportunity for direct input to the Chamber· Exclusive opportunities and priority invitations to community activities and events· Lasting business relationships and friendships
Then contact Monica Walborn at [email protected] or 570-622-1942/800-755-1942 for more information on the Schuylkill Chamber Ambassadors program. ℑ
On Saturday, November 14, 2015, the students were led through an Idea Development session with Kent Ei-senhuth of Google. Kent leads an idea development team at Google in New York City, and he brought his expertise in the field to Schuylkill County. Kent Eisenhuth, who grew up in Orwigsburg, PA is a graduate of Blue Mountain High School and Kutztown University. The YEA! students were able to benefit from Kent’s guidance as they worked to refine their ideas and determine what skills and abilities they need to accom-plish their goals.
Most recently, the YEA! students traveled to Pottsville to visit the Dunkin Donuts on Route 61 to learn about food franchises. Jason Bower was a gracious host, speaking to the class about what makes a franchise different from another type of business. He also included ex-planations on different types of franchis-es. The students were able to tour the “back scene” of the store, learning about the specifics of how to make a donut. Lessons on working with others, hiring and management were all part of the experience. The session was sweetened by the offer of a sample donut for each participant.
Walter Meck is skillfully leading the students through the curriculum of learning business plan basics, marketing basics, and vetting the student business ideas. Many of the students are still determining the viability of their idea within the time-lines and parameters of the program. The student businesses will be paired with mentors after the begin-ning of the New Year.
Strong ideas, motivated students and talented participants should culminate in some exciting results! Keep watching!
Coming Events: ✓ CEO Roundtable, Thursday, Feb-
ruary 11, 2016, 6:00 – 7:30 PM, Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
✓ Investor Panel Event, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
✓ Trade Show Event, Saturday, April 23, 2016, 10:00 AM – Noon, Fair-lane Village Mall, Pottsville
✓ Graduation, Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 7:00 PM, Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill ℑ
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 12 Page 5 A Chamber program energy update
was given by the Schuylkill Chamber Executive Director. He stated that the residential energy price has lowered and suggested that people take the lower price, longer term deal if up for renew-al. This has been the lowest residential electricity price since 2012. TriEagle has a very good rate and is the Cham-ber Residential Program is open to the public. The Schuylkill Chamber runs ads in the Republican-Herald about this opportunity.
The Events Planning and Coordi-nation Director gave an update about Schuylkill Executive Leadership. There are currently 8 members registered. Schuylkill Executive Leadership is excited to welcome a new professor this year from Alvernia University.
A new Member2Member Discount was brought to the attention of the committee for approval. The Member-2Member Discount is from Alvernia University Schuylkill Center and offers 50% off room rentals. A motion made by John Plachko and seconded by Karen Kenderdine approved this new Member-2Member Program discount.
The website launch went very well. There were over 200 members that logged on to the virtual launch and the winner of the $100 Visa gift card was Kristy Karduff from Goodwill Key-stone. All committee members stated that they really enjoy the new website.
The Executive Director stated that Jerry Labooty did a great job with Small Business Saturday. He suggest-ed he would like for Jerry Labooty to become a collaborative partner with the Chamber to help with Small Business Saturday and to specifically present the program to all the Chamber Affiliate communities. On Small Business Satur-day, the OBPA handed out passports and customers were asked to visit six out of the nine stores and get the passport marked to be entered for a drawing to win a prize.
A meeting was held with the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss the possibility of them becoming an affiliate of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. The Tamaqua Chamber of Commerce has not made a decision as of yet. The benefits of affiliation were highlighted.
The Annual Luncheon will be held on May 5, 2016 at Mountain Valley unless
the date needs to be switched for the speaker. The Chamber has a request in for a keynote speaker and are waiting to hear from them due to their schedule finalization in January 2016.
The upcoming tiered events under development will be: Brunch with the Board-June 2016; Leadership Council Luncheon-November & April; Exec-utive Forums-January, March, July & October; and Signature Dinner-March 2016 (September moving forward).
The brunch with the Board is avail-able exclusively for Executive mem-bers and above. Dr. Barron, President of Penn State University, will be the keynote speaker for the January Execu-tive Forum. The Executive Forums are not exclusive and can be purchased a la carte by a limited number of mem-bers. Visionary, Premier and Executive members can attend complimentary due to their tiers. The committee suggested charging members not in the top three tiers $50 to attend and future members $100 to attend. Visionary, Premier and Executive members will be seated in the front of the room at these forums.
Upcoming Chamber events include:Networking Before Nine: ✓1/13/16-Economic Forecast Breakfast
presented by Riverview Bank ✓2/10/16-PennDOT-sponsorship avail-
ableMixers: ✓12/16/15-SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber
Holiday Party ✓1/20/16- Greystone/Shelcusky Ac-
counting Mixer ✓2/17/16- sponsorship available and
location under considerationSWIB ✓No January event due to Business
Executive Forum ✓2/24/16-Professional Women’s Series
kicks off- sponsorship availableNon-Profit Lunch & Learn: ✓2/4/16-Strategic Planning-Schuylkill
United Way ✓3/3/16-Strategic Alliances-SCOREEducation Events: ✓1/12/16-Executive Leadership begins ✓1/12/16-The Bottom Line for the
Manager-Employee Relations Sam Iorio
✓1/21/16-An Easy to Remember Sales Process=Results-Wayne Herring Jr.
✓1/21/16-Beyond the Yes-John Powers ✓2/16/16-Effective Public Speak-
ing-Dean Bertsch
✓2/23/16-JOB Gateway-Sharon Angelo ✓2/23/16-Finding High Quality Candi-
dates-Wayne Herring Jr. ✓Member Services-Member Engage-
ment Subcommittee - 12/8/15The committee discussed the job de-
scriptions of an event ambassador and a new member engagement ambassador.
Event Ambassador: attend ribbon cuttings/award ceremonies; attend Am-bassador Committee meetings; attend Chamber events and activities as an Ambassador representative; serve as a representative for the Chamber in new member recruitment and retention; keep regular communication with the Cham-ber office; attend Chamber functions and serve as the “meeters” and greet-ers at Chamber events such as mixers, breakfast events, luncheons and other Chamber events. Each Ambassador receives an Ambassador ribbon. It will help identify those who are active in the group. The designation helps promote the Ambassador program and facilitates our activities as official representatives of the Chamber. Ribbons are worn by Ambassadors during networking activi-ties and other Chamber special events.
New Member Engagement Ambas-sador: The Ambassadors’ annual goal is to increase the retention rate of new and existing members by conducting a program of goodwill calls; reinforcing the benefit of Chamber membership, increasing new members’ knowledge about programs, services, and benefits of the Schuylkill Chamber of Com-merce; and keeping the channels of communications open between the membership and the Chamber’s Board of Directors; attend Ambassador Com-mittee meetings; deliver Chamber Membership Binders; and keep regular communications with the Chamber office.
Committee Member, Jeanne Porter, suggested having name plates with ribbons instead of just ribbons. Cindy Mensch likes the ribbon idea and that the identification gave her the con-fidence to go up and talk to people. We need at least a one-year commit-ment from members who want to be Ambassadors. Jen Tahaney, Member Engagement Chairwoman, looks at the Ambassadors Program as a sophisticated “Welcoming Committee.”
The Chamber would like Ambassadors
Member News continued from page 4
space. Skip is well qualified and welcomes the opportunity to assist clients with commercial projects, including sales, purchasing, site selection, leasing and commercial property management needs.
Also in December, Ramus Realty Group promoted Cherie Gottshall to Associate Broker, as she earned her broker’s license at the state level. Gottshall has been with Ramus Realty Group since 2010, and in 2016 celebrates 10 years in real estate.
Ramus Realty Group’s Broker/Owner, Erica Ramus, is a Past Pres-ident of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and the firm is a Premier Member of the Chamber. Please see their website for commercial op-
300 One Norwegian Plaza, Pottsville, PA 17901570-622-2464
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portunities within Schuylkill County: www.SchuylkillBusi-ness.com. They look forward to serving all your residential and commercial real estate needs. ℑ
Lori’s Angels is holding a Halupki, Haluskie & Soup Sale and Indoor Yard Sale on Saturday, January 23, 2016 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. All proceeds benefit the Lori’s Angels Commu-nity Foundation, a non-profit organiza-tion helping individ-uals in Schuylkill County with finan-cial difficulties due to a health issue not covered by their insurance. ℑ
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 6 Page 11
We congratulate the following Schuylkill Chamber
of Commerce members who are celebrating their
membership anniversary this month.
CommitteeUpdates
Government Affairs - 12/3/15An update was given on the PA
2015-16 State Budget by Mary Beth Dougherty, Senator Argall’s office. She stated that the Senate will be in session all weekend and the House will be in session tomorrow through the entire next week. She stated that Governor Wolf wants more money for education. She said that everything as far as funding is still in discussion and negotiation.
There was nothing to report on Edu-cation, Pension or Liquor Privatization specifically, as all are under negotiation.
The Property Tax Reform vote failed in the Senate with a tied vote broken by the Lieutenant Governor.
A review of the Newly Elected Offi-cials Seminar was given. The seminar was very well planned with four great speakers, two in house and two via Skype (as a result of a travel freeze due to no State Budget). The presentation was very informative and had over thirty attendees. The Chamber would like to thank ARRO Consulting, Inc. for sponsoring and Mary Beth Dougherty, event Chair, for securing the speakers. The Government Affairs Subcommittee for the event will be putting together a survey to receive feedback from the attendees about the event. Bob Williams, Orwigsburg Borough Manager, stated that it was a very high quality presenta-tion and that there was a great combina-tion of attendees with twelve municipali-ties represented. Bob Williams suggested taking out the word “newly” and making the event available to all local officials, noting that we had a good mix of “new” and previously elected municipal offi-cials.
The desire to expand the event and get a sponsor for a Local Government Acad-emy was discussed. The Local Govern-ment Academy would include programs for local officials.
South Schuylkill News will be pub-lishing an article on Mandated Mini-mum Wage. The Schuylkill Chamber Executive Director will be quoted in this article.
The Schuylkill Chamber Executive Director discussed the minutes from Sen-ator Argall’s Schuylkill Advisory Com-mittee meeting. Property tax elimination,
medical marijuana, health care consoli-dation for school districts, unused state office buildings and Syrian refugees were topics discussed.
The next item on the agenda was the PA SB 368 and PA HB 1370 which is a performance based taxed credit for coal refuse to energy. Senate Bill 368 and House Bill 1370, if passed, will be sub-stantially beneficial to the coal refuse to energy industry and assist in remaining competitive with other sources of ener-gy. After careful review and discussion the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee has agreed to join the advocacy efforts for the passage of PA SB 368 and PA HB 1370 creating performance-based tax credit for coal refuse to energy facilities like the power plants that we have in Schuylkill County. Furthermore, in the discussion, we were made aware that the Schuylkill Conservation District and the state organization representing same, PACD, have joined the advocacy efforts for this legislation as it relates to improving the PA environment and creating and preserving jobs.
The U.S. Congress Surface Trans-portation Reauthorization Bill was discussed next. A $305 million high-way bill appears to be set for adoption covering five years. The current plan expires on December 4, 2015. It would be a landmark moment if there would be a five year approval instead of the reauthorizations we have been receiving for over a decade. The Schuylkill Cham-ber Executive Director stated that 25% of the nation’s bridges are structurally deficient and in need of funding.
At the November Government Affairs meeting Trey Arnold suggested having a Schuylkill Chamber Legislative Agenda for 2016. With the blessing of Chairman Powers, Trey Arnold sent out an email to all members of the committee survey-ing areas they deemed most important. The top five topics were: responsible state spending and smart government; affordable and accessible health care; balanced labor and employment laws and regulations; quality educational opportunities for children and workers; and reforms to Pennsylvania’s costly legal system.
These topics will be included in the next Government Affairs agenda.
Transportation - The Transportation
Committee will next meet on January 14, 2016.
Member Services – 12/8/15Monica Walborn informed the com-
mittee that the Chamber currently has 819 members and that there were 6 new members in November. The new mem-bers included Boran and Puzzi ENT Associates (Business), County Waste of Pennsylvania (Executive), Liberty Travel (Business), Primary Health Network (Business), Rosewood Rehabilitation (Partner), and WMGH (Business). There were also two new members resulting from tiers in November. These new members include First National Bank & Trust Company-Shenandoah office and Williamson, Friedberg & Jones, LLC-Shenandoah Office.
The Schuylkill Chamber staff continues with their membership outreach phone calls and they are going very well. The Board of Directors also has a goal. Each Board Member is requested to recruit one new member a year to the Chamber. There will be a report card put up at ev-ery board meeting showing what mem-bers the Board of Directors have already recruited.
To date, Monica and Bob have had 63 meetings with members about the new tiered dues structure. They also have sev-eral meetings scheduled for December. These meetings have been going very well and most members have bought up into a higher tier than they were previ-ously in.
Next, the committee discussed the member communicated problem of employment issues within companies. Many members of the committee stated that they have a hard time obtaining good employees. Karen Kenderdine suggested partnering with CareerLink on this issue. The Chamber will be hosting a semi-nar on this issue with presentations by Sharon Angelo, CareerLink and Wayne Herring, The Herring Group.
The Member Engagement Subcom-mittee is still meeting monthly after the Member Services Committee meeting. The subcommittee is working on final-izing their engagement plan. There will be two different types of ambassadors: an event ambassador and a new member engagement ambassador. The subcom-mittee is accepting suggestions for good ambassadors. A Chamber Past President’s Luncheon is being planned to get them reengaged.
Boran & Puzzi ENT Associates100 Schuylkill Medical PlazaSuite 215Pottsville, PA 17901Dr. Thomas V. Boran Phone: 570-621-5010Fax: [email protected]
County Waste of Pennsylvania2302 Sherman Mountain RoadTremont, PA 17981Mr. Michael Walborn Phone: 570-874-3047 [email protected] Management
Liberty Travel400 Terry Rich BoulevardSuite 10ASt. Clair, PA 17970Ms. Annie Schlegel Phone: 570-280-7008Fax: 570-429-1505schlegela@libertytravel.comwww.libertytravel.comTravel Agency
25 Years DM2 Security
Donohue Registered Land Surveyor
Murphy Jewelers
20 YearsTremont Transport Service, Inc.
15 YearsIWCO Direct
10 YearsARRO Consulting, Inc.
5 YearsAxiom, Inc.
PawPrints Pet SalonRepresentative Mike Tobash
Shustack’s Welding & Hydraulic Sales & Service
1 YearRed, White and Blue Autos, Inc.
Servants to AllWorkPlace Health
Primary Health Network210 Sunbury StreetMinersville, PA 17954Ms. Stacy Murphy Phone: 570-544-9123Fax: 570-544-9263smurphy@primary-health.netwww.primary-health.netHealth Care
Rosewood Rehabilitation & Nursing Center401 University DriveSchuylkill Haven, PA 17972Ms. Carol Wolfe Phone: 570-385-0331Fax: [email protected] – Rehabilitation
WMGH - WLSH - Division of J-Systems Franchising2147 Market St.Nesquehoning, PA 18240-1422Mr. Bill Lakatas Phone: 570-645-2105Fax: [email protected] Station
Executive Member Locations
First National Bank & Trust Company
✓ Shenandoah Office
Williamson, Friedberg & Jones, LLC
✓ Shenandoah Office
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 10 Page 7
MemberShots
Get your company’s or organization’s news in print!
Email your news to [email protected].
Tom Twardzik, President of Mrs. T’s Pierogies, recent-ly presented a check for $25,000 to representatives of the Shenandoah Little League for the rebuilding of their conces-sion stand and press box.
From left to right: Mark Pronio, Randy Maksimik, Tom Twardzik, Ed Palek, Tony Rizzardi and Joe Mikita.
Kenneth E. Stolarick, M&T Bank presented an M&T Charitable Foundation check to Jenny Murphy-Shifflet, Pres-ident/CEO, Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center (SARCC) for their Strategic Planning agenda for 2015-2016.
CEO Roundtable Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016
6:00 – 7:30 PM Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
Investor Panel Event Wednesday, March 16, 2016
6:00 – 8:00 PMHealth & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
Trade Show EventSaturday, April 23, 2016
10:00 AM – NoonFairlane Village Mall, Pottsville
Graduation
Wednesday, April 27, 20167:00 PM
Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
Kenneth E. Stolarick, M&T Bank, presented an M&T Charitable Founda-tion check to Mary Ann Devlin, Executive Director Child Development, Inc. as sponsor of the Literacy – Learning at Home pro-gram. This program will enable children to receive age appropriate books to be used in their home.
Kay Williams, Vice President & Potts-ville Branch Man-ager M&T Bank, presented a Char-itable Foundation check to Judith A. Schweich, Executive Director and Barbara Dunnigan, Manager of Client Services, Schuylkill Alliance for Health Care Ac-cess toward sponsorship to assist with materials needed to help provide access to low cost quality healthcare.
Debra A. Kukta, M&T Bank, presented an M&T Charitable Foundation Check to Sarah T. Ca-sey, Executive Director Schuylkill Women in Crisis toward sponsorship of the Reaching the Com-munity program.
The Schlitzer Allen Pugh Funeral Home is proud to announce the newest addition to their staff, Chloe. Chloe is a one year old English Labrador Retriever who is certified as a therapy dog through TDI (Therapy Dogs International). They are the first Funeral Home in Schuylkill County to offer canine comfort for the families they service.
Therapy Dogs International is the oldest and largest volunteer therapy organization in the United States that is dedicated to regulating, testing and reg-istering therapy dogs and their handlers in order for them to visit nursing homes, hospitals and other places where therapy dogs are needed.
Studies have shown that animals assist in the grieving process. Interacting with a dog has been proven to lower blood pressure and release endorphins in the body that have a calming effect on peo-ple. Their steady and unwavering com-panionship helps to provide consolation to family members while the effects of stroking the fur of a serene dog can be incredibly comforting.
Chloe will be on staff at the Funeral Home for arrangements, viewings and services as per the request of a family at no additional cost. The funeral home is sensitive to people with animal al-lergies and phobias, so Chloe does not have free roam of the facility. She will also be available to visit local nursing homes, schools, home visits, hospitals, assisted living facilities or any place that may be in need of canine comfort.
For additional information or to meet Chloe, please call (570) 622-7888. ℑ
Edward Kleha, State Representative Neil Goodman’s Office, recognized Albert Victor for his dedica-tion to the downtown Shenandoah Christmas Lighting Fundraiser.
YEA!
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 8 Page 9
Thank You to all the YEA! Schuylkill Sponsors
Local Champion SponsorWest Family Charitable Trust
Innovation PartnerAshland Technologies, Inc.D.G. Yuengling & Son, Inc.
M&T BankMountain Valley Golf Course/MainStay Suites
Penn State SchuylkillSchuylkill Economic Development Corp. - SEDCO
The Seltzer Group
Premier PartnerAIS Consulting
Heim Construction Company, Inc.The Evans Network of Companies
Investor PartnerBoyer’s Food Markets, Inc.
Mrs. T’s PierogiesR&J Transportation, Inc.
Schaeffer’s Harley DavidsonSt. Clair & Associates, PC
Scholarship Partner Greater Schuylkill Haven Area Business Association
Tom & Pam Twardzik
Supporting SponsorAmerican Computer Associates
Barefield Development CorporationHiggins Insurance
Rowlands and Pothering, CPAs
Jazce Carabello-Snowell
JasonHousel
GeofferyKaufman
DarienStripe
JacobChallenger
AlejandroMuraira Vargas
DavidTenney
JacobPalmer
CollinFelty
Connor Hudock
Class of 2016
Students in Schuylkill County’s Young Entrepreneurs Academy - YEA! Schuylkill - had some help in developing their business ideas from a member of Google’s interactive design team.
Kent Eisenhuth, Philadelphia, a 2002 graduate of Blue Mountain High School, hosted the class at Penn State Schuylkill to help the students turn their ideas into successful business models.
Eisenhuth said he enjoys working with students. “Helping students with their ideas, that’s the most fun part,” he said. “There are definitely a few ideas that can be pretty cool.”
“It’s really exciting to see all the students at this age interested in developing products and opportunities,” he said. “They are also learning other skills that are important in life, like networking.”
Photos courtesy of Republican-Herald
Jason Bower, Dunkin Donuts, speaks to the students regarding franchis-ing as they visited the Dunkin Donuts Route 61 location. The students were able to tour the “back scenes” of the store, learning about the specifics of how to make a donut. Lessons on working with others, hiring and management were all part of the experience.
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 10 Page 7
MemberShots
Get your company’s or organization’s news in print!
Email your news to [email protected].
Tom Twardzik, President of Mrs. T’s Pierogies, recent-ly presented a check for $25,000 to representatives of the Shenandoah Little League for the rebuilding of their conces-sion stand and press box.
From left to right: Mark Pronio, Randy Maksimik, Tom Twardzik, Ed Palek, Tony Rizzardi and Joe Mikita.
Kenneth E. Stolarick, M&T Bank presented an M&T Charitable Foundation check to Jenny Murphy-Shifflet, Pres-ident/CEO, Sexual Assault Resource and Counseling Center (SARCC) for their Strategic Planning agenda for 2015-2016.
CEO Roundtable Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016
6:00 – 7:30 PM Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
Investor Panel Event Wednesday, March 16, 2016
6:00 – 8:00 PMHealth & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
Trade Show EventSaturday, April 23, 2016
10:00 AM – NoonFairlane Village Mall, Pottsville
Graduation
Wednesday, April 27, 20167:00 PM
Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
Kenneth E. Stolarick, M&T Bank, presented an M&T Charitable Founda-tion check to Mary Ann Devlin, Executive Director Child Development, Inc. as sponsor of the Literacy – Learning at Home pro-gram. This program will enable children to receive age appropriate books to be used in their home.
Kay Williams, Vice President & Potts-ville Branch Man-ager M&T Bank, presented a Char-itable Foundation check to Judith A. Schweich, Executive Director and Barbara Dunnigan, Manager of Client Services, Schuylkill Alliance for Health Care Ac-cess toward sponsorship to assist with materials needed to help provide access to low cost quality healthcare.
Debra A. Kukta, M&T Bank, presented an M&T Charitable Foundation Check to Sarah T. Ca-sey, Executive Director Schuylkill Women in Crisis toward sponsorship of the Reaching the Com-munity program.
The Schlitzer Allen Pugh Funeral Home is proud to announce the newest addition to their staff, Chloe. Chloe is a one year old English Labrador Retriever who is certified as a therapy dog through TDI (Therapy Dogs International). They are the first Funeral Home in Schuylkill County to offer canine comfort for the families they service.
Therapy Dogs International is the oldest and largest volunteer therapy organization in the United States that is dedicated to regulating, testing and reg-istering therapy dogs and their handlers in order for them to visit nursing homes, hospitals and other places where therapy dogs are needed.
Studies have shown that animals assist in the grieving process. Interacting with a dog has been proven to lower blood pressure and release endorphins in the body that have a calming effect on peo-ple. Their steady and unwavering com-panionship helps to provide consolation to family members while the effects of stroking the fur of a serene dog can be incredibly comforting.
Chloe will be on staff at the Funeral Home for arrangements, viewings and services as per the request of a family at no additional cost. The funeral home is sensitive to people with animal al-lergies and phobias, so Chloe does not have free roam of the facility. She will also be available to visit local nursing homes, schools, home visits, hospitals, assisted living facilities or any place that may be in need of canine comfort.
For additional information or to meet Chloe, please call (570) 622-7888. ℑ
Edward Kleha, State Representative Neil Goodman’s Office, recognized Albert Victor for his dedica-tion to the downtown Shenandoah Christmas Lighting Fundraiser.
YEA!
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 6 Page 11
We congratulate the following Schuylkill Chamber
of Commerce members who are celebrating their
membership anniversary this month.
CommitteeUpdates
Government Affairs - 12/3/15An update was given on the PA
2015-16 State Budget by Mary Beth Dougherty, Senator Argall’s office. She stated that the Senate will be in session all weekend and the House will be in session tomorrow through the entire next week. She stated that Governor Wolf wants more money for education. She said that everything as far as funding is still in discussion and negotiation.
There was nothing to report on Edu-cation, Pension or Liquor Privatization specifically, as all are under negotiation.
The Property Tax Reform vote failed in the Senate with a tied vote broken by the Lieutenant Governor.
A review of the Newly Elected Offi-cials Seminar was given. The seminar was very well planned with four great speakers, two in house and two via Skype (as a result of a travel freeze due to no State Budget). The presentation was very informative and had over thirty attendees. The Chamber would like to thank ARRO Consulting, Inc. for sponsoring and Mary Beth Dougherty, event Chair, for securing the speakers. The Government Affairs Subcommittee for the event will be putting together a survey to receive feedback from the attendees about the event. Bob Williams, Orwigsburg Borough Manager, stated that it was a very high quality presenta-tion and that there was a great combina-tion of attendees with twelve municipali-ties represented. Bob Williams suggested taking out the word “newly” and making the event available to all local officials, noting that we had a good mix of “new” and previously elected municipal offi-cials.
The desire to expand the event and get a sponsor for a Local Government Acad-emy was discussed. The Local Govern-ment Academy would include programs for local officials.
South Schuylkill News will be pub-lishing an article on Mandated Mini-mum Wage. The Schuylkill Chamber Executive Director will be quoted in this article.
The Schuylkill Chamber Executive Director discussed the minutes from Sen-ator Argall’s Schuylkill Advisory Com-mittee meeting. Property tax elimination,
medical marijuana, health care consoli-dation for school districts, unused state office buildings and Syrian refugees were topics discussed.
The next item on the agenda was the PA SB 368 and PA HB 1370 which is a performance based taxed credit for coal refuse to energy. Senate Bill 368 and House Bill 1370, if passed, will be sub-stantially beneficial to the coal refuse to energy industry and assist in remaining competitive with other sources of ener-gy. After careful review and discussion the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee has agreed to join the advocacy efforts for the passage of PA SB 368 and PA HB 1370 creating performance-based tax credit for coal refuse to energy facilities like the power plants that we have in Schuylkill County. Furthermore, in the discussion, we were made aware that the Schuylkill Conservation District and the state organization representing same, PACD, have joined the advocacy efforts for this legislation as it relates to improving the PA environment and creating and preserving jobs.
The U.S. Congress Surface Trans-portation Reauthorization Bill was discussed next. A $305 million high-way bill appears to be set for adoption covering five years. The current plan expires on December 4, 2015. It would be a landmark moment if there would be a five year approval instead of the reauthorizations we have been receiving for over a decade. The Schuylkill Cham-ber Executive Director stated that 25% of the nation’s bridges are structurally deficient and in need of funding.
At the November Government Affairs meeting Trey Arnold suggested having a Schuylkill Chamber Legislative Agenda for 2016. With the blessing of Chairman Powers, Trey Arnold sent out an email to all members of the committee survey-ing areas they deemed most important. The top five topics were: responsible state spending and smart government; affordable and accessible health care; balanced labor and employment laws and regulations; quality educational opportunities for children and workers; and reforms to Pennsylvania’s costly legal system.
These topics will be included in the next Government Affairs agenda.
Transportation - The Transportation
Committee will next meet on January 14, 2016.
Member Services – 12/8/15Monica Walborn informed the com-
mittee that the Chamber currently has 819 members and that there were 6 new members in November. The new mem-bers included Boran and Puzzi ENT Associates (Business), County Waste of Pennsylvania (Executive), Liberty Travel (Business), Primary Health Network (Business), Rosewood Rehabilitation (Partner), and WMGH (Business). There were also two new members resulting from tiers in November. These new members include First National Bank & Trust Company-Shenandoah office and Williamson, Friedberg & Jones, LLC-Shenandoah Office.
The Schuylkill Chamber staff continues with their membership outreach phone calls and they are going very well. The Board of Directors also has a goal. Each Board Member is requested to recruit one new member a year to the Chamber. There will be a report card put up at ev-ery board meeting showing what mem-bers the Board of Directors have already recruited.
To date, Monica and Bob have had 63 meetings with members about the new tiered dues structure. They also have sev-eral meetings scheduled for December. These meetings have been going very well and most members have bought up into a higher tier than they were previ-ously in.
Next, the committee discussed the member communicated problem of employment issues within companies. Many members of the committee stated that they have a hard time obtaining good employees. Karen Kenderdine suggested partnering with CareerLink on this issue. The Chamber will be hosting a semi-nar on this issue with presentations by Sharon Angelo, CareerLink and Wayne Herring, The Herring Group.
The Member Engagement Subcom-mittee is still meeting monthly after the Member Services Committee meeting. The subcommittee is working on final-izing their engagement plan. There will be two different types of ambassadors: an event ambassador and a new member engagement ambassador. The subcom-mittee is accepting suggestions for good ambassadors. A Chamber Past President’s Luncheon is being planned to get them reengaged.
Boran & Puzzi ENT Associates100 Schuylkill Medical PlazaSuite 215Pottsville, PA 17901Dr. Thomas V. Boran Phone: 570-621-5010Fax: [email protected]
County Waste of Pennsylvania2302 Sherman Mountain RoadTremont, PA 17981Mr. Michael Walborn Phone: 570-874-3047 [email protected] Management
Liberty Travel400 Terry Rich BoulevardSuite 10ASt. Clair, PA 17970Ms. Annie Schlegel Phone: 570-280-7008Fax: 570-429-1505schlegela@libertytravel.comwww.libertytravel.comTravel Agency
25 Years DM2 Security
Donohue Registered Land Surveyor
Murphy Jewelers
20 YearsTremont Transport Service, Inc.
15 YearsIWCO Direct
10 YearsARRO Consulting, Inc.
5 YearsAxiom, Inc.
PawPrints Pet SalonRepresentative Mike Tobash
Shustack’s Welding & Hydraulic Sales & Service
1 YearRed, White and Blue Autos, Inc.
Servants to AllWorkPlace Health
Primary Health Network210 Sunbury StreetMinersville, PA 17954Ms. Stacy Murphy Phone: 570-544-9123Fax: 570-544-9263smurphy@primary-health.netwww.primary-health.netHealth Care
Rosewood Rehabilitation & Nursing Center401 University DriveSchuylkill Haven, PA 17972Ms. Carol Wolfe Phone: 570-385-0331Fax: [email protected] – Rehabilitation
WMGH - WLSH - Division of J-Systems Franchising2147 Market St.Nesquehoning, PA 18240-1422Mr. Bill Lakatas Phone: 570-645-2105Fax: [email protected] Station
Executive Member Locations
First National Bank & Trust Company
✓ Shenandoah Office
Williamson, Friedberg & Jones, LLC
✓ Shenandoah Office
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 12 Page 5 A Chamber program energy update
was given by the Schuylkill Chamber Executive Director. He stated that the residential energy price has lowered and suggested that people take the lower price, longer term deal if up for renew-al. This has been the lowest residential electricity price since 2012. TriEagle has a very good rate and is the Cham-ber Residential Program is open to the public. The Schuylkill Chamber runs ads in the Republican-Herald about this opportunity.
The Events Planning and Coordi-nation Director gave an update about Schuylkill Executive Leadership. There are currently 8 members registered. Schuylkill Executive Leadership is excited to welcome a new professor this year from Alvernia University.
A new Member2Member Discount was brought to the attention of the committee for approval. The Member-2Member Discount is from Alvernia University Schuylkill Center and offers 50% off room rentals. A motion made by John Plachko and seconded by Karen Kenderdine approved this new Member-2Member Program discount.
The website launch went very well. There were over 200 members that logged on to the virtual launch and the winner of the $100 Visa gift card was Kristy Karduff from Goodwill Key-stone. All committee members stated that they really enjoy the new website.
The Executive Director stated that Jerry Labooty did a great job with Small Business Saturday. He suggest-ed he would like for Jerry Labooty to become a collaborative partner with the Chamber to help with Small Business Saturday and to specifically present the program to all the Chamber Affiliate communities. On Small Business Satur-day, the OBPA handed out passports and customers were asked to visit six out of the nine stores and get the passport marked to be entered for a drawing to win a prize.
A meeting was held with the Tamaqua Area Chamber of Commerce to discuss the possibility of them becoming an affiliate of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. The Tamaqua Chamber of Commerce has not made a decision as of yet. The benefits of affiliation were highlighted.
The Annual Luncheon will be held on May 5, 2016 at Mountain Valley unless
the date needs to be switched for the speaker. The Chamber has a request in for a keynote speaker and are waiting to hear from them due to their schedule finalization in January 2016.
The upcoming tiered events under development will be: Brunch with the Board-June 2016; Leadership Council Luncheon-November & April; Exec-utive Forums-January, March, July & October; and Signature Dinner-March 2016 (September moving forward).
The brunch with the Board is avail-able exclusively for Executive mem-bers and above. Dr. Barron, President of Penn State University, will be the keynote speaker for the January Execu-tive Forum. The Executive Forums are not exclusive and can be purchased a la carte by a limited number of mem-bers. Visionary, Premier and Executive members can attend complimentary due to their tiers. The committee suggested charging members not in the top three tiers $50 to attend and future members $100 to attend. Visionary, Premier and Executive members will be seated in the front of the room at these forums.
Upcoming Chamber events include:Networking Before Nine: ✓1/13/16-Economic Forecast Breakfast
presented by Riverview Bank ✓2/10/16-PennDOT-sponsorship avail-
ableMixers: ✓12/16/15-SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber
Holiday Party ✓1/20/16- Greystone/Shelcusky Ac-
counting Mixer ✓2/17/16- sponsorship available and
location under considerationSWIB ✓No January event due to Business
Executive Forum ✓2/24/16-Professional Women’s Series
kicks off- sponsorship availableNon-Profit Lunch & Learn: ✓2/4/16-Strategic Planning-Schuylkill
United Way ✓3/3/16-Strategic Alliances-SCOREEducation Events: ✓1/12/16-Executive Leadership begins ✓1/12/16-The Bottom Line for the
Manager-Employee Relations Sam Iorio
✓1/21/16-An Easy to Remember Sales Process=Results-Wayne Herring Jr.
✓1/21/16-Beyond the Yes-John Powers ✓2/16/16-Effective Public Speak-
ing-Dean Bertsch
✓2/23/16-JOB Gateway-Sharon Angelo ✓2/23/16-Finding High Quality Candi-
dates-Wayne Herring Jr. ✓Member Services-Member Engage-
ment Subcommittee - 12/8/15The committee discussed the job de-
scriptions of an event ambassador and a new member engagement ambassador.
Event Ambassador: attend ribbon cuttings/award ceremonies; attend Am-bassador Committee meetings; attend Chamber events and activities as an Ambassador representative; serve as a representative for the Chamber in new member recruitment and retention; keep regular communication with the Cham-ber office; attend Chamber functions and serve as the “meeters” and greet-ers at Chamber events such as mixers, breakfast events, luncheons and other Chamber events. Each Ambassador receives an Ambassador ribbon. It will help identify those who are active in the group. The designation helps promote the Ambassador program and facilitates our activities as official representatives of the Chamber. Ribbons are worn by Ambassadors during networking activi-ties and other Chamber special events.
New Member Engagement Ambas-sador: The Ambassadors’ annual goal is to increase the retention rate of new and existing members by conducting a program of goodwill calls; reinforcing the benefit of Chamber membership, increasing new members’ knowledge about programs, services, and benefits of the Schuylkill Chamber of Com-merce; and keeping the channels of communications open between the membership and the Chamber’s Board of Directors; attend Ambassador Com-mittee meetings; deliver Chamber Membership Binders; and keep regular communications with the Chamber office.
Committee Member, Jeanne Porter, suggested having name plates with ribbons instead of just ribbons. Cindy Mensch likes the ribbon idea and that the identification gave her the con-fidence to go up and talk to people. We need at least a one-year commit-ment from members who want to be Ambassadors. Jen Tahaney, Member Engagement Chairwoman, looks at the Ambassadors Program as a sophisticated “Welcoming Committee.”
The Chamber would like Ambassadors
Member News continued from page 4
space. Skip is well qualified and welcomes the opportunity to assist clients with commercial projects, including sales, purchasing, site selection, leasing and commercial property management needs.
Also in December, Ramus Realty Group promoted Cherie Gottshall to Associate Broker, as she earned her broker’s license at the state level. Gottshall has been with Ramus Realty Group since 2010, and in 2016 celebrates 10 years in real estate.
Ramus Realty Group’s Broker/Owner, Erica Ramus, is a Past Pres-ident of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and the firm is a Premier Member of the Chamber. Please see their website for commercial op-
300 One Norwegian Plaza, Pottsville, PA 17901570-622-2464
www.stclaircpas.com
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portunities within Schuylkill County: www.SchuylkillBusi-ness.com. They look forward to serving all your residential and commercial real estate needs. ℑ
Lori’s Angels is holding a Halupki, Haluskie & Soup Sale and Indoor Yard Sale on Saturday, January 23, 2016 from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. All proceeds benefit the Lori’s Angels Commu-nity Foundation, a non-profit organiza-tion helping individ-uals in Schuylkill County with finan-cial difficulties due to a health issue not covered by their insurance. ℑ
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 4 Page 13Member News continued from page 2
medal. This competition is governed by Vineyard & Winery Management and is committed to the highest standards of competition. Over 1,500 wines are entered.
Galen Glen wines receiving med-als were: 2014 Stone Cellar Cham-bourcin, 2014 Crooked Stick Red, 2014 Riesling, 2014 Stone Cellar Fossil Vineyard Riesling, 2014 Stone Cellar Twilight, and 2014 Stone Cel-lar Zweigelt. The 2014 Stone Cellar Cabernet Franc won a bronze medal. Sarah Troxell, winemaker, and Galen Troxell, wine grower, were pleased to learn that each of the wines they entered won an award. ℑ
The National Association of Pro-fessional Women (NAPW) honored Victoria McLaughlin as a 2015-2016 inductee into its VIP Woman of the Year Circle. Victoria was recognized with this prestigious distinction for leadership in travel and tourism ser-vices. NAPW is the nation’s leading networking organization exclusively for professional women, boasting
more than 775,000 members and over 200 operating Local Chapters.
With a natural pas-sion for travel, Victo-ria has built a success-ful career where she finds fulfillment in helping people plan a wonderful vacation. She owns a franchise with Cruise Planners and American Express known as Kahlua Cruises. Victoria is bilingual, well-traveled and has many travel resources that help her clients before, during and after their trip.
“I’m pleased to recognize Victo-ria with this important honor,” says NAPW President Star Jones. “Her perseverance, work ethic and leader-ship qualities are an inspiration to all women.” ℑ
Schuylkill Rehabilitation Center is hosting a free community lecture, Coping with a Physical Disability: A Psychological Perspective, on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 at 3:00
p.m. Dr. Allan Rodgers, ED. D. , Psychologist, will present informa-tion about how to understand, and cope with the changes created by a physical disability or illness. ℑ
Ramus Realty Group an-nounced in December the formation of a new Commercial Division with-in the company. William R. “Skip” Seitzinger has been recruited to head up the new Commercial Division.
Seitzinger is a graduate of York College with a degree in Business Administration and the Pennsylvania Real Estate Institute. He has over 30 years ex-perience in real estate and holds his Associ-ate Broker’s license. Seitzinger’s extensive commercial real estate experiences includes representing buyers, sellers and investors. Skip also has commer-cial property management including both management and leasing of shopping centers and office building
at all Chamber events and the Cham-ber will work on a thank you offering for them at the end of the Ambassador year such as a Chamber coupon. Jeanne Porter suggested dispersing the event ambassadors among the different events; Jen Tahaney echoed this by saying that members that usually attend certain events can be the ambassador at those events.
The subcommittee will continue to meet once a month after the Member Services Committee. The possibility of having Ambassador Committee meet-ings with the Ambassadors right before the events was discussed. The Ambassa-dors need to go through an Ambassador orientation.
The Executive Director stated there needs to be attention brought to the Ambassador program; therefore, it will be highlighted in the January 2016 Communicator. The Chamber will start working on developing the Ambassador orientation. It was suggested of inviting members who might want to become an Ambassador to the January 2016 sub-committee meeting.
Finally, the subcommittee discussed how to reengage businesses that were once members but are not anymore.
Education - The Education Commit-tee will next meet on January 21, 2016.
Schuylkill Women in Business (SWIB) - 12-15-15
Colleen McCabe, Luther Ridge at Se-ider’s Hill, was welcomed to the SWIB committee as a new member.
Samantha Albon, informed the committee of the Chamber’s upcoming Executive Forum and encouraged the committee to attend since there will not be a SWIB luncheon in January 2016.
The next SWIB Luncheon will kick off the Professional Women Series and it will be held on February 24, 2016. The committee would like to have Christine Holman, District Attorney, Schuylkill County Government, be the presenter for this event.
March 23, 2016 will be the date of the next luncheon. The committee would like to have Eileen Kuperavage (Non-Profit) be the presenter.
The April SWIB will be held on the April 27, 2016. Compassus Hospice and Palliative Care has showed interest in sponsoring this event and having
someone from their organization as the speaker for this Professional Women Series event (Healthcare). Luther Ridge at Seider’s Hill will host this event.
The May 25, 2016 event will be a speed networking event. We will be outreaching to Alvernia University Schuylkill Center to see if they would like to host and sponsor the event.
June 22, 2016 will be the date of the June SWIB Luncheon. We would like for the presenter at this event to be in a financial profession.
The committee gave feedback from the holiday luncheon. Everyone thought it went very well and that the food was delicious. The members enjoyed the gift exchange and the entertainment by members of the Schuylkill County Choral Society.
The committee created a guide for the presenters in the Professional Women Series to use when speaking: How did your work experience help you get you to where you are at today?; What lessons have you learned through your career?; If applicable, how do you feel being a woman in a male dominated profession?; What trials and tribulations have you had to overcome?; How is your position now different from the po-sition you entered your career in?; What current struggles do you face in your professional life? ;What piece of advice would you give to someone that wants to pursue a career path in your field or any professional field?
Non Profit - The Non Profit Commit-tee will next meet on January 25, 2016.
Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) - 12/8/15
The Young Entrepreneurs Academy students have been working hard to take their ideas and develop them into business opportunities. The class visited Ashland Technologies in Hegins, PA where they were led on a tour of the facility by John Powers, CEO. The students heard the story of the compa-ny through a teleconference call with founder Bill Wydra. Students were able to ask questions of both Bill Wydra and John Powers before touring the plant. The students learned about the many products made by Ash-Tec, the work-ings of the various types of cutting edge machines and the different industries served by the company.
Member News continues on page 5
The Schuylkill Chamber is EXCITED to announce that we are putting together a Schuylkill Chamber Ambassadors Program. The mission of the Am-bassadors program is to retain and engage Schuylkill Chamber members and serve as goodwill representatives of the Chamber at a variety of functions. This energetic group will help to maintain contact with other Chamber members while promoting the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce and its purpose. Am-bassadors will serve as meeters and greeters at Chamber events and will be the first contact that new members have upon joining the Schuylkill Chamber.
If you are looking for:· Greater visibility for your business· Opportunities to interact with new businesses in the Schuylkill County community· Greater opportunity for direct input to the Chamber· Exclusive opportunities and priority invitations to community activities and events· Lasting business relationships and friendships
Then contact Monica Walborn at [email protected] or 570-622-1942/800-755-1942 for more information on the Schuylkill Chamber Ambassadors program. ℑ
On Saturday, November 14, 2015, the students were led through an Idea Development session with Kent Ei-senhuth of Google. Kent leads an idea development team at Google in New York City, and he brought his expertise in the field to Schuylkill County. Kent Eisenhuth, who grew up in Orwigsburg, PA is a graduate of Blue Mountain High School and Kutztown University. The YEA! students were able to benefit from Kent’s guidance as they worked to refine their ideas and determine what skills and abilities they need to accom-plish their goals.
Most recently, the YEA! students traveled to Pottsville to visit the Dunkin Donuts on Route 61 to learn about food franchises. Jason Bower was a gracious host, speaking to the class about what makes a franchise different from another type of business. He also included ex-planations on different types of franchis-es. The students were able to tour the “back scene” of the store, learning about the specifics of how to make a donut. Lessons on working with others, hiring and management were all part of the experience. The session was sweetened by the offer of a sample donut for each participant.
Walter Meck is skillfully leading the students through the curriculum of learning business plan basics, marketing basics, and vetting the student business ideas. Many of the students are still determining the viability of their idea within the time-lines and parameters of the program. The student businesses will be paired with mentors after the begin-ning of the New Year.
Strong ideas, motivated students and talented participants should culminate in some exciting results! Keep watching!
Coming Events: ✓ CEO Roundtable, Thursday, Feb-
ruary 11, 2016, 6:00 – 7:30 PM, Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
✓ Investor Panel Event, Wednesday, March 16, 2016, 6:00 – 8:00 PM, Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill
✓ Trade Show Event, Saturday, April 23, 2016, 10:00 AM – Noon, Fair-lane Village Mall, Pottsville
✓ Graduation, Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 7:00 PM, Health & Wellness Building, Penn State Schuylkill ℑ
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 14 Page 3
Schuylkill Chamber Communicator
PublisherSchuylkill Chamber of Commerce
Union Station1 Progress Circle, Suite 201
Pottsville, PA 17901Phone: 570.622.1942
800.755.1942Fax: 570.622.1638
www.schuylkillchamber.com
Robert S. Carl, Jr.Executive Director
Samantha A. AlbonAdministrative/Special Projects
Andrea M. FeathersFinancial/Administrative Director
Vanessa M. MihodaCommunications Director
Monica M. WalbornEvents Planning &
Coordination [email protected]
Editorial and Advertising OfficeSchuylkill Chamber of Commerce
1 Progress Circle, Suite 201Pottsville, PA 17901
Schuylkill Chamber Communicatoris published by
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. Copyright 2016.
Submissions for editorial review should be sent to the Chamber Office.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.
Neither the publisher nor any individual associated with any branch of production,
nor the advertisers will be held liable for typographical misprints
contained herein.
2016, all rights reserved by Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.
Chamber Sightings Check out additional event photos at www.schuylkillchamber.com.
Inaugural Business Executive Forum Features Penn State
University President
The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that Dr. Eric J. Barron, President of Penn State University, will be the speaker at our Inaugural Business Executive Forum. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, January 27, 2016 beginning at 12:00 p.m. at the Health and Wellness Building at Penn State Schuylkill, 200 University Drive, Schuylkill Haven.
Eric J. Barron started his tenure as the 18th President of The Penn-sylvania State Univer-sity on May 12, 2014. Previously, Barron served as President of Florida State. He has nearly 35 years of leadership experience in academic administra-tion, education, research and public service, as well as a track record as a talented manager of fiscal policy within large and complex institutions.
Barron spent 20 years of his career at Penn State, serving as Dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Scienc-es from 2002 to 2006, and as found-ing director of the Earth System Science Center, one of the first major initiatives focused on the total study of Earth as a system. In 1999, he was named Distinguished Professor of Geosciences at Penn State.
Dr. Eric J. BarronPenn State University President
An accomplished scientist with a long background in atmospheric research, Barron previously served as director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and as Dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas At Austin.
Over the decades, Dr. Barron has lent his significant expertise in the areas of atmospheric science and the geosciences to many national com-mittees and federal agencies, includ-
ing nearly 20 years of service as the chair of multiple National Re-search Council com-mittees and boards.
Barron earned a B.S. in Geology at Florida State and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Oceanogra-phy at the University of Miami.
Special reserved seating is available
for tiered members in the Executive, Premier and Visionary levels. Please call Monica Walborn at 570-622-1942 for details and to reserve your seat.
The cost to attend is $50 per person for Schuylkill Chamber members and $100 for future members. Res-ervations are required as seating is limited. Registration is available via the Chamber’s website - www.schuylkillchamber.com (be sure to use your log in credentials when you register) or call the Chamber office at 570-622-1942. ℑ
The winner of the Visa Gift Card for logging in during the new website launch was announced via video on Face-book. Kristy Carduff, Goodwill Keystone Area, stopped by to receive the card. Pictured are: Monica Walborn, Events Planning & Coordi-nation Director; Samantha Albon, Administrative/Special Projects Coordinator; Kristy; Andrea Feathers, Financial/Administrative Director and Robert S. Carl, Jr., Executive Director.
Patrick Caulfield, Schuylkill County Municipal Authority, is presented the award for Non-Profit Organization of the Year from Robert S. Carl, Jr., Schuylkill Chamber Ex-ecutive Director.
These ladies represent both the old and new Schuylkill Chamber! Victoria McLaughlin, Kahlua Cruises; Jill Kulbitsky, SEDCO: Lori Kane, McCann School of Business & Technol-ogy; Kelly Malone, Schuylkill United Way; Lori Michael, Lori’s Angels; Toni Everdale, St. Clair & Associates, PC; and Jennifer Drake, Indepen-dent Living Services.
Debra Kukta, M&T Bank, finds herself amidst a gaggle of gentlemen at the SED-CO/Schuylkill Cham-ber Holiday Party. Enjoying Deb’s com-pany are Dr. Robert DeColli, Schuylkill Health; Ed Keyworth, Pottsville Provision Company; Ken Stolarick, M&T Bank; Pat Murphy, Murphy Jewelers; and Jeff O’Neill, M&T Bank.
Always one for fun, Tim Twardzik, The Marketing Tool Belt, photo bombs the ladies: Amy Fanelli, American Computer Associates; Carol Boyer, YEA! Schuylkill; and Caroline Twardzik, at the SEDCO/Schuylkill Cham-ber Holiday Party at the Schuylkill Country Club.
Mary Ann Flail, CACL Federal Credit Union, catches up with Lou Fanelli, Fanelli Brothers Trucking & Leasing.
Sandy Coyle, Schuylkill County Council for the Arts, and Dale Schoeneman, SEDCO Board Member, show off a sample of the goodies.
Shine the spotlight on your company by sponsoring an event.
Contact Monica Walborn for more [email protected]
570-622-1942/800-755-1942
Sponsorships Available2-10-16 Breakfast1-13-16 Breakfast2-17-16 Mixer2-24-16 SWIB Luncheon3-23-16 SWIB Luncheon
Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce The Communicator - News & Activity Report - January 2016Page 2 Page 15
Tom Twardzik, President of Ateeco, Inc., Mrs. T’s Pierogies, announced today that Mark A. Tar-zwell Sr., will be joining the compa-ny as Chief Operating Officer.
Tarzwell brings 45 years of exten-sive food industry experience and will report directly to Tom Twardzik, President of Ateeco, Inc.
Mark’s responsibilities will in-clude: the management of all com-mercial and administrative areas of the business; execution of operating plans to meet strategic objectives; and development of organizational policies.
Mark is currently on the National Frozen and Refrigerated Association Board of Directors and Treasurer for the Regional Network of Executive Women.
He holds a BA in Organizational Management from Eastern Universi-ty and is currently working towards obtaining his Master’s degree in Food Marketing from St. Joseph’s University. ℑ
On the heels of winning a dou-ble-gold medal in the Six Nations Wine Competition in Australia, Galen Glen Winery received noti-fication of the official results of the 2015 Grand Harvest Awards from California. Every wine entered by the winery in Andreas received a
Member News
Member News continues on page 4
Affiliate News
Frackville Business & Professional Association
The FBPA has obtained two new members: Miners Bank and Boyer’s Food Markets, Inc.
The committee approved to pay the bill for the domain name renewal
The next FBPA meeting will be held on January 12, 2016 at noon at the Dutch Kitchen. ℑ
Orwigsburg Area Business & Professional Association
The Festival of Lights event is on December 5, 2015 starting at 4:00 p.m. OBPA will be making a $50.00 donation towards the prize for the 3rd
place winner of the house decorating contest.
OBPA has one new member for December bringing the total number of members to 91.
Nine businesses participated in an event for Small Business Satur-day that included getting a passport punched if you visited 6 of the 9 locations and then you were entered into a grand prize drawing
The next OBPA meeting will be held on Thursday, January 7, 2016 at a time and place TBD. ℑ
Pottsville Business AssociationThe Pottsville Lions Cruise Com-
mittee donated $300 for the PBA lighting fund.
PBA has obtained a new member - Momma Millie’s Bakery.
Starting on 12/14/15, the Pottsville Parking Authority will be offering free parking for two weeks leading up to Christmas.
PBA will be making a $100 dona-tion to West End Hose Company as a
Thank-You for parading Santa Claus through downtown Pottsville.
The next PBA meeting will be held on January 14, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. at the SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference Center. ℑ
Greater Schuylkill Haven Business Owners Association
The Schuylkill Haven tree lighting went very well. There was a great turnout and the children did a fantas-tic job.
There will be a Post-Holiday Party on Friday, February 26, 2016 at the Stone House Bed & Breakfast at 5:00 p.m.
The next GSHABA meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 5:30 p.m. at the Stone House Bed & Breakfast. ℑ
Greater Shenandoah Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber would like to thank Tina’s Flowers for providing the arrangements on Main street.
Mark Bernardyn is looking for nominations for the best decorated house in Shenandoah.
Edward Kleha from State Repre-sentative Neil Goodman’s Office recognized Albert Victor for his dedi-cation to the Downtown Shenandoah Christmas Lighting Fundraiser.
The Next Shenandoah Chamber meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. at Ridgeview Healthcare and Rehabili-tation Center. ℑ
Get your company’s or organization’s news in print!
Email your news to [email protected].
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This Edition of the Schuykill Chamber of Commerce Newsletter was Printed & Finished on a
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Inside . . . Affiliate NewsAnniversariesBusiness Executive LuncheonChamber SightingsCommittee UpdatesMember NewsMember ShotsNew MembersYEA! Schuylkill
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Economic Forecast Headlines January Breakfast
The Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce January breakfast meeting will be held at St. Nicholas Hall, Route 901, Primrose, Miners-ville on January 13, 2016 beginning at 7:45 a.m. The breakfast and the presenter are being sponsored by Riverview Bank.
The presenter, John Canally, is Chief Economic Strategist at LPL Financial. In this role, Mr. Canally plays an integral role in the devel-opment and articulation of LPL Financial Market and investment strategies. Mr. Canally has been quoted in many national publica-tions, such as USA Today, Wash-ington Post and TIME magazine and is a guest on national business television and radio, including NPR, CNBC, Bloomberg TV and FOX Business News.
Before joining LPL Financial, Mr. Canally served as Senior Investment Strategist at PNC Wealth Management and PNC Institutional Investments where he assisted in the asset allo-cation and portfolio strategy decisions for the firm’s $50 billion in assets under management. He was also a member of the firm’s Investment Policy Committee, which oversees all of the investment-related activities of PNC Wealth Management and PNC Institutional Invest-ments.
Prior to PNC, Mr. Canally was the Global Capital Markets Strategist at Stone & McCa-rthy Research Associates. Previously, he held positions on the economic research teams at Dean Witter Reynolds and Prudential Securities in New York City. Mr. Canally began his career as a Research Associate in the Fiscal Analysis Division at the Congressional Budget Office in Washington, D.C.
He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a mem-ber of the CFA Society of Philadelphia and The CFA Institute. He earned a BA in economics from Villanova University and attended Stern Graduate School of Business at NYU. Mr. Canally is Series 7 and 63 registered.
The breakfast is being sponsored by Riverview Bank - a $440 mil-lion financial services company headquartered in Harrisburg, Penn-sylvania. With branch locations in Pottsville, Yorkville, Cressona, Orwigsburg and Tower City and a regional operations center in Potts-ville, Riverview Bank is firmly invested in Schuylkill County and is committed to helping our local
communities thrive. Learn more at www.river-viewbankpa.com.
For more information, or to make your reservation, contact the Schuylkill Chamber at 570.622.1942/800.755.1942 or email your reservation to [email protected]. You may also register online at www.schuylkillchamber.com, The cost to attend is $20 for Schuylkill Chamber Members and $25 for Future Members. Advance reservations are requested. ℑ
John Canally, CFA
Sign me up! 1-13-16 Breakfast Meeting ($20/$25)
Name Company
Phone EmailRegister online at www.schuylkillchamber.com - Event Registration - or call 570-622-1942!
We accept
Cost is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for future members. Reser vation de ad line is Monday, Januar y 11, 2016.
(Reservations canceled after Friday, January 8, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Speaker and breakfast sponsored by:
Presented by
Jeffrey Buchbinder, CFAVice President, Market Strategist
LPL Financial
Annual Economic Forecast
Wednesday, January 13, 20167:45 a.m.
Program begins promptly at 8:00 a.m.
St. Nicholas HallRoute 901, Primrose
As Vice President and Market Strategist, Jeffrey (Jeff) Buchbinder is a member of the LPL Financial Research tactical asset allocation committee and is responsible for developing and articulating equity and general market strategy with a focus on sector analysis.
Mr. Buchbinder regularly communicates market strategy to LPL Financial advisors and is a speaker at LPL Financial conferences. Mr. Buchbinder contributes to the Research Department’s flagship publi-cations such as the Weekly Market Commentary and the Outlook. He is the primary author of Market Insight, a quarterly review of the financial markets, and Portfolio Compass, a bi-weekly snapshot of LPL Financial Research’s views on the equity, fixed income, and alternative investment markets. Prior to joining the Research Department in July 2003, Mr. Buchbinder worked as an equity research associ-ate for Sanford C. Bernstein in New York and Deutsche Bank in Boston. He has 17 years of investment experience.
Mr. Buchbinder earned his MBA with a concentration in finance from Duke University, and a BA from Northwestern University in economics. He received the Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 2001 and is also a member of the CFA Institute. He currently holds Series 7, 63, and 87 registrations.
Sign me up! 1-12-2016 Employee Engagement ($50/$100)
Name Company
Phone EmailRegister online at www.schuylkillchamber.com - Event Registration - or call 570-622-1942!
The bottom line for engagement is that managers matter. As a front-line manager you have more control over your employees’ engagement levels than any other contributing factor—more than senior management, more than company pride and even more than money! You are the biggest determining factor of your team’s willingness to go the extra mile or even stay with your company. Dale Carnegie Training recently conducted independent research to determine the exact behaviors that managers need to exhibit to have an engaged workforce. The Manager-Employee Relationship: The Bottom Line for Engagement is a two-hour workshop designed to provide you with the tools necessary to create a value-driven culture that will raise confidence levels and make employees feel inspired, enthusiastic and empowered to achieve higher levels of performance. Participants will learn the critical actions they must consistently demon-strate to drive engagement with their employees. The workshop will be interactive. You will practice a process for conducting an engagement interview, learn person-centered leadership strategies, and walk away with a proven formula for giving personalized recognition that will inspire and motivate employees to higher levels of engagement.
We accept
Cost is $50 for Chamber members and $100 for future members.Reser vation de ad line is Friday, Januar y 8, 2016.
(Reservations canceled after Friday, January 8, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:Managers who want to reduce instances of turnover, increase productivity and build a workforce that is aligned with
the goals of the organization.
AT THIS WORKSHOP YOU WILL LEARN:What drives employee engagement and why the manager’s role is critical
Ways to create a value-driven workplace to inspire discretionary effortHow to strengthen engagement levels through person-centered
leadership strategiesA model for providing meaningful praise and recognition to
maintain high performance
The Bottom Line for The Manager-Employee Relationship
Tuesday, January 12, 201612:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville
Sam IorioDale Carnegie Training/The Leadership Institute
Presented by:
The Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee, in cooperation with Schuylkill Executive Leadership, is pleased to present a Professional Development Series:
Sign me up! p 1-20-16 Member Orientation p 1-20-16 Mixer with Shelcusky & Greystone
Name Company
Phone EmailReturn to Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, Union Station, One Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville, PA 17901 or fax to 570-622-1638.
There is no cost to attend but registration is requested to assure an accurate count.
Business after 5 O’clock Mixer with
January 20, 20165:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Greystone Restaurant315 N. Centre St., Pottsville
&
January 20, 20163:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Greystone Restaurant315 N. Centre St., Pottsville
Learn about the programs and services of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce
to help you maximize your membership.
Presented by the Schuylkill Chamber staff!
There is no cost to attend but registration is requested.
Start 2016 on the right foot by learning about all of the Schuylkill Chamber programs and services available to
your organization as a member.
Sign me up! 1-21-16 Baseline Selling ($50/$100)
Name Company
Phone EmailRegister online at www.schuylkillchamber.com or fax to 570-622-1638.
We accept
Thursday, January 21, 20168:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville
An Easy to Remember Sales Process = Re$ults
Using the Baseball Diamond as a Guide to Selling – an Introduction
to “Baseline Selling”
Presented by:
Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee Professional Development Series
Cost is $50 for Chamber members and $100 for future members.Reser vation de ad line is Monday, Januar y 18, 2016
(Reservations canceled after Friday, January 15, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
What we will cover in this class… a Fast-paced and actionable overview of: Introduction to the Selling Process
Creating Positioning Statements – The First 30 SecondsFirst Base – Selling the First Appointment Second Base – Compelling Reasons to Buy
Second Base – Posturing, Positioning and SOB QualityThird Base – Qualified Opportunity
Running Home – Compelling Presentations and ProposalsScoring – Closing the Deal
Uncovering a Prospect’s Buying Strategies Overcoming Objections
Eliminating Success Barriers – Overcome WeaknessesStrategic Account Management – Keep and Grow Existing Customers
Who should attend? Anybody who is in sales or “client development.” Business owners and managers will benefit by learning the basics of a system that can be taught to their team. Multi Level Marketers and solo professionals who need to develop clients (attorneys/engineers) will benefit.
Wayne Herring, Jr.
Sign me up! p 1-21-16 Customer Relationships ($25/$50) p 2-16-16 Effective Public Speaking ($25/$50)
Name Company
Phone EmailRegister online at www.schuylkillchamber.com or fax to 570-622-1638.
We accept
Cost is $25 for Chamber members and $50 for future members.(This Educational Seminar is eligible for the Tiers Education Seminar Credit for Partner members & above.)
Reser vation de ad line is Monday, Januar y 18, 2016. (Reservations canceled after Friday, January 15, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Thursday, January 21, 20161:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville
“Beyond the YES”Tips for managing customer relationships in a sales environment.
Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee Presents:
Presented by:John Powers
If your business is based on sales, this course is a must have. Join John as he shares his tips on:How to manage, maintain and track customer touches - Setting a schedule for contact - Software for sales tracking
Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee in cooperation with Schuylkill Executive Leadership Presents:
“Of all the talents bestowed upon men, none is so precious as the gift of oratory. He who enjoys it wields a power more durable than that of a great king. He is an independent force in the world.” - Winston Churchill
Cost is $25 for Chamber members and $50 for future members.(This Educational Seminar is eligible for the Tiers Education Seminar Credit for Partner members & above.)
Reser vation de ad line is Friday, Febr uar y 12, 2016(Reservations canceled after Friday, February 12, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Tuesday, February 16, 20161:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville
Effective Public SpeakingPresented by:
Dean Bertsch, B to B Seminars
Overcome fear in speaking . . . Have greater influence with othersIncrease leadership potential . . . Become a better thinker . . . Increase confidence
Sign me up! Luncheon with Dr. Eric J. Barron ($50/$100)
Name Company
Phone EmailSign up online at www.schuylkillchamber.com or fax to 570-622-1638.
Reservations are required for this luncheon. Seating is limited.Cost is $50 for Chamber members and $100 for Future Members.
All Visionary, Premier and Executive Members receive 1 complimentary reservation for this event. Lunch will be provided by Penn State Catering.
Deadline for reservations is Wednesday, January 20, 2016. Seating is limited.Reservations canceled after Wednesday, January 20, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.
Dr. Eric J. BarronPresident
Penn State University
Wednesday, January 27, 201612:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Penn State Schuylkill, Health & Wellness Building
speaking onEconomic Development
and Community Partnerships
Dr. Eric J. Barron started his tenure as the 18th president of The Pennsylvania State University on May 12, 2014. Previously, Dr. Barron served as president of Florida State. He has nearly 35 years of leadership experience in academic administration, education, research and public service, as well as a track record as a talented manager of fiscal policy within large and complex institutions.
Dr. Barron spent 20 years of his career at Penn State, serving as dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences from 2002 to 2006, and as founding director of the Earth System Science Center, one of the first major initiatives focused on the total study of Earth as a system. In 1999, he was named Distinguished Professor of Geosciences at Penn State.
An accomplished scientist with a long background in atmospheric research, Dr. Barron previously served as director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and as dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin.
Business Executive Forum Luncheonsponsored by Penn State Schuylkill and featuring
Sign me up! p 2-4-16 Protecting Your Business ($50/$100) p 3-23-16 What’s in Your Toolbox ($50/$100)
Name Company
Phone EmailRegister online at www.schuylkillchamber.com or fax to 570-622-1638.
We accept
What’s In Your Toolbox?with
Ceil MichalikRetired EVP of Global Quality, Customer Service &
Process Management, Ford Credit, Dearborn, MI and now President of Michalik Consulting LLC.
Wednesday, March 23, 20169:00 - 11:00 a.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Pottsville
Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee Professional Development Series
Customer Service for Front Line Employees. Seminar will include: Presentation, discussion, problem solving and case studies.
Service excellence, problem solving, active listening, probing questions, courtesy, attitude, follow-up, verbal and nonverbal communication, offering alternatives, dealing with different kinds of customers.
Cost is $50 for Chamber members and $100 for future members.Reser vation de ad line is Monday, March 21, 2016
(Reservations canceled after Friday, March 18, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Cost is $50 for Chamber members and $100 for future members. Reser vation de ad line is Monday, Febr uar y 1, 2016
(Reservations canceled after Friday, January 29, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Protecting Your BusinessInternal Controls for Small Business
withDavid C. Laudeman, CPA, CVA
Heckman & Laudeman, LLC
Thursday, February 4, 20169:00 - 11:00 a.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Pottsville
Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee Professional Development Series
Solutions to improve effectiveness and efficiency of operations, reliability of reporting and compliance with applicable rules, laws and regulation, segregation of duties for a system of checks and balances and preventing fraud.
Sign me up! p 2-4-16 Lunch & Learn ($15/$20)
Name Company
Phone EmailReturn to Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, Union Station, One Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville, PA 17901 or fax to 570-622-1638.
Cost is $15 per person for Chamber members and $20 per person for future members. Lunch is served at 11:45 a.m. Reser vation de ad line is Monday, Febr uar y 1, 2016.
Thursday, February 4, 201611:45 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference Center1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville
(Reservations canceled after Friday, January 29, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Sponsored by: This Lunch & Learn features: Strategic Planning
Presented by: Russ Hoke
Organizations develop strategic plans to clarify and update their reasons for being (i.e., mission) on a periodic basis. This process also allows the organization and its management to develop and commit to a set of integrated activities to accomplish that mission. This session will explore the major elements of planning and strategy development and answer a number of the common questions about the process. Additionally, a number of actual non-profit, strategic planning cases will be examined during the discussions, looking to assess best practices, methodologies used, lesson-learned, etc.
Start 2016 off on the right foot! Volunteer an hour of your time on one of the Schuylkill Chamber committees!
Agribusiness Committee - As scheduledEducation Committee - 3rd Thursday of the month at 8:30 a.m.Government Affairs Committee - 1st Thursday of the month at noon at Providence Place Senior Living, Pottsville.Member Services Committee - 2nd Tuesday of the month at 8:00 a.m.Non-Profit Committee - 4th Monday of the month at 9:00 a.m.Schuylkill Women in Business (SWIB) - 3rd Tuesday of the month at 9:00 a.m.Transportation Committee - 2nd Thursday of the month at 9:30 a.m.
Committee meeting dates are subject to change and are held at the SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference Center unless otherwise noted.
Email Vanessa Mihoda - [email protected] - or call the Schuylkill Chamber office at 570-622-1942/800-755-1942 and
get on the email list of a committee that interests you.
Sign me up! p 2-23-16 JOBGateway ($25/$50) p 2-23-16 High Quality Candidates ($50/$100)
Name Company
Phone EmailRegister online at www.schuylkillchamber.com or fax to 570-622-1638.
We accept
Tuesday, February 23, 201612:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville, PA
Presented by:
Wayne Herring, Jr.
Finding High Quality CandidatesSchuylkill Chamber Education Committee Professional Development Series
Cost is $50 for Chamber members and $100 for future members.Reser vation de ad line is Friday, Febr uar y 19, 2016
(Reservations canceled after Friday, February 19, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
Where to find high quality candidates and how to attract them * Having a recruiting process that gives results vs going with your gut * How to get the most out of your brief interview time - cut through the embellishments - ask
questions and score candidates to maximize your odds of finding the right person
Schuylkill Chamber Education Committee Presents:
Cost is $25 for Chamber members and $50 for future members.(This Educational Seminar is eligible for the Tiers Education Seminar Credit for Partner members & above.)
Reser vation de ad line is Friday, Febr uar y 19, 2016 (Reservations canceled after Friday, February 19, 2016 at noon will be invoiced.)
JOBGatewayTuesday, February 23, 2016
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.SEDCO/Schuylkill Chamber Conference CenterUnion Station, 1 Progress Circle, Suite 201, Pottsville, PA
Presented by: Sharon AngeloThis session will explore the job searching tools that are available like TORQ, JobShadowing and Big Interview. This workshop will also teach you the basics to help you effectively use the JobGateway system: registering on the website, posting job openings, conducting job searches and searching for applicants.
Two Sessions - One Day to provide the Tools to help in your search for quality employees.
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