June Chamber Matters

Largest Rooster Booster of year is June 7th with Owensboro Has It! expo and business awards Expo preview on June 6th!

Who will win this year? The area’s most prestigious business and entrepreneur awards will be announced at the June 7th Rooster Booster Breakfast at the Hines Center. The breakfast will also feature the 9th Owensboro Has It! expo with 40+ sponsors which annually attracts 500+ attendees. The event gets underway at 7:30 a.m.

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Rooster Booster June 7, 2012 Hines Center, 7:30 am

program: Small Business & Entrepreneur Awards and Owensboro Has It! Expo

Register online at owensboro.com/chamber or by calling (270) 926-1860

Attend Make a Business Connection AM to Qualify for 4th Annual Owensboro Buys It! Expo The fourth annual Owensboro Buys It! expo will be held on Thursday, October 25th at the Hines Center from 8 a.m. to noon. Owensboro Buys It! connects smaller Chamber businesses that sell products and/ or services with the purchasing decisionmakers at larger local companies, industry and organizations. Registration is now

open to small businesses—“sellers”—and large businesses/industry/organizations— “buyers”. Thousands of dollars of business have been created from the first three expos.

Take advantage of this no-cost Chamber benefit!

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2 Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

June Calendar

1 Ribbon Cutting Owensboro Lions Club, Soap Box Derby Ben Hawes Park 10 a.m.

14 Ribbon Cutting- Shelter Insurance, Danny Baldwin 227 Saint Ann Street Suite 101 12:15 p.m.

5 Ribbon Cutting Advantage Eye Care 411 Park Plaza Drive 12:30 p.m.

19 June Advocacy Task Force Meeting Commerce Center 11:30 a.m.

6 Owensboro Has It! Expo Preview Hines Center 5 p.m.

21 Make a Business Connection AM 3136 W. 2nd Street 7:30 a.m.

21 Small Business Task Force Meeting Commerce Center 11:30 a .m.

7 June Rooster Booster Hines Center 7:30 a.m.

8 Ribbon Cutting iTumble & Bounce 909 Moseley Street 12:15 p.m.

12 Owensboro Buys It! Elevator Pitch Training Commerce Center 12:00 p.m.

21 CYP Third Thursday Networking Gambrinus Libation Emporium 5:30 p.m.

The Chamber welcomes Amy Jackson as new President & CEO The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce would like to extend a warm welcome to their new President & CEO, Amy Jackson.

“We are excited about the energy and visionary leadership skills Amy will bring to the role.

She has a proven track record of business leadership, and will provide an innovative and relationship-building perspective to the Chamber, which is what we were looking for in our new leader,” said Michael F. Beckwith, the Chamber’s Board Chairman.

Amy is joining the Chamber after a 13 year career with Farm Credit Services of Mid-America. In her position as Vice President – Marketing and Insurance Services, Amy led the advertising, communications and marketing strategy for the $18 billion lending cooperative, as well as the crop insurance sales and service division. Amy earned her Bachelor ’s Degree from Kansas State University.

Amy Jackson will be welcomed officially at the J u n e 7 t h R o o s t e r B o o s t e r.

28 Chamber Ambassador Lunch Commerce Center 11:45 a.m.

www.owensboro.com

Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

New Members Anthony’s Catering Connection (270) 256-4874 201 South Main Street

Maxx Nutrition (270) 684-3444 3118 Alvey Park Drive Suite 2

G. W. Industries Inc. (270) 929-1513 1450 Bosley Rd

Northwestern Mutual Financial Network - Gordon Deming (270) 663-6013 100 West 3rd Street Suite 301

Kristi’s Exculsive Spa (270) 689-0990 208 West Third Street

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Amy Jackson, President & CEO ajackson@owensboro.com

Missy Gant, Membership Manager mgant@owensboro.com – Twitter @MissyChamber

Sydney Warren, membership services manager swarren@owensboro.com • Twitter @CYPOwensboro

Susan High, Accounting Manager Jamie Roby, Administrative Assistant jroby@owensboro.com, Twitter - @GOchamber

Shelter Insurance - Danny Baldwin (270) 683-3400 227 Saint Ann Street Suite 101

Chamber Matters is published monthly in the Messenger-Inquirer for the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 825, Owensboro, KY 42302-0825 • (270) 926-1860 • www.owensboro.com

Michael F. Beckwith, Board Chair

The Chamber is working for you The Chamber is working for its members 24/7. The Chamber’s www. owensboro.com/chamber website provides ongoing marketing and promotion. Listed below are the Chamber website statistics from April 2012

13,807 Page Views • 9,751 Directory Searches 3,019 Locations Mapped Top member displayed in Business Directory in April 2012: Girls Incorporated, 547 Times

www.owensboro.com

4 Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

Who will win this year?

Annual Chamber awards a prestigious event Small Business of the Year (1-10 employees) Digital Doc, LLC

Matt Payne and Matt Lucas established Digital Doc in August of 2010 when they saw a need in Owensboro for the service of small electronic device repair. Digital Doc can handle the repair of smartphones, Apple products, hardware and software issues for laptops and PC’s, tablets, gaming systems as well as handheld gaming systems. Digital Doc is known for their excellent customer service, good pricing and overall quality of work. Digital Doc is the only location in town that with Mac certified techs on staff, filling a major void that occurred when Computers Plus closed.

They have a projected increase of sales of 261% from 2011 to 2012.

On Time Fab, Inc.

Ray Middleton wanted to be more in control of his destiny, so in January of 2008 he started On Time Fab, Inc. Starting a business at the beginning of a recession was tricky, but Middleton believed in his abilities and values as keys to his success. On Time Fab specializes in steel and metal fabrication. Middleton’s customers have learned they can count on having a job complete “on time” and they will be receiving good hard, honest work and excellent customer service. This is shown by the 150% growth this business showed from 2011 to 2012. On Time Fab is constantly growing and educating its staff to meet the needs of their growing customer base.

Studio Slant

Studio Slant was created in October of 2010 to fill a need in Owensboro for an Art Gallery and Handmade Gift Boutique.

Owner Christy Taylor Chaney did not like

seeing Owensboro shoppers traveling out of town or searching the internet to find unique handmade gifts and interesting art work. Studio Slant features rotating shows from local and regional artists and provides handmade items and art work from local vendors. They created the popular East Bridge Art and Music Festival in 2011, bringing 1700 visitors to downtown Owensboro. Studio Slant utilizes social media to market their business, and has seen 45% growth since 2010.

Upright Communications

Mike Edge started Upright Communications nine years ago, believing that Internet Marketing is all about business strategy for growth. Upright Communications works with a variety of clients to focus on sales and business development through the Internet. After working with Southern Tank in Owensboro, Upright increased the number of search engine visitors coming to the Southern Tank website by 1000%. Upright’s success led to them being chosen as the exclusive online marketing partner for BridgestoneFirestone and they have received an invitation to speak at Bridgestone’s annual meeting this spring. Edge keeps trust at the core of all his business relationships and has seen remarkable return on investment.

Westerfield Electric LLC

Byron Westerfield, owner of Westerfield Electric LLC (WE), opened his business in 2004. Since then, WE has continuously looked for new ways to serve the community. After the January ’09 Ice Storm, WE noticed a need for a generator service center. They teamed with Generac and decreased down time for customers without power from weeks to days. WE listens to the needs of their customers and have hired specialty personnel to meet customer needs. This helped them win the

2011 Messenger-Inquirer Reader’s Choice Award for 2011 – Electrician. Westerfield Electric has safety as their first priority and their record speaks for itself.

Small Business of the Year (11+ employees) Home Instead Senior Care

Stephen Bryson and his wife, Kimberly opened Home Instead Senior Care in June of 2010. The business started with two employees in 2010 and has grown to 115 employees in only a year and a half.

They have seen a growth rate of 474% in one year. The office has already earned 7 National Awards for Excellence. Stephen and Kimberly started the business after personally seeing the challenges families deal with every day in taking care of an elderly loved one at home. The company’s “50/50 Rule: Sibling Communication” helps families think through the needs, time and concerns that must be addressed when planning for outside care-givers in a loved one’s home.

The Livingston Group

Rick Jones and his wife Jill, bought the Livingston Group in 2008. The company had been serving area clients since 1967, but did not begin to grow until Rick, President and Jill, Vice President & Secretary-Treasurer took over. The Livingston Group is a janitorial service and supply company. The Joneses began a marketing program that increased business dramatically. With over 100 full-time and part-time employees, the service company cleans over 500,000 square feet of healthcare, commercial and industrial facilities per night. The Livingston Group believes that a little trust and rapport goes a long way when doing business.

Owensboro Winnelson

Leo Payne opened Owensboro Winnelson in October of 1996. Payne was tired of receiving inferior service and products from the existing plumbing and lighting wholesale sources in the immediate area. He wanted to provide the Owensboro community with a quality product and service at a reasonable price. Providing a superior workplace atmosphere for employees was also a need Payne saw in the area.

Owensboro Winnelson is dedicated to serving their customers’ needs and offering personalized services so they have a reason to come back. Winnelson has expanded their workforce to sixteen employees and just moved to a new location on Grimes Avenue. They have continued to grow their sales at a steady rate for the past sixteen years.

Southern Star

Southern Star has a history going back over 100 years. They serve clients throughout the mid-continent in seven states and ensure safe, reliable and efficient transportation and storage for their natural gas needs. Customers regularly rank Southern Star among the industry leaders in terms of customer service and satisfaction. This company is dedicated to Owensboro as well as its customers. Local Southern Star leadership fought hard to keep the company’s headquarters in Owensboro, rather than moving to the mid-west, when it was sold by the Williams Companies. President and CEO, Jerry Morris, also encourages employees to volunteer and take advantage of the company’s dollar for dollar match of charitable contributions in the community.

www.owensboro.com

Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

Entrepreneur of the Year Cherri Lolley – CherriCare & Beautiful You

Cherri Lolley started her first company, CherriCare, after becoming frustrated with the lack of choices and care that were available for her daughter with special needs. CherriCare, a medical equipment store, was opened to not help only her daughter, but the community as well. Lolley knew she was not the only one frustrated with the lack of choices in Owensboro. In the last few months, Lolley opened Beautiful You after seeing the need for mastectomy products in the community.

A letter from a Beautiful You customer stated, “You all made one of the brightest points of my cancer episode in the last year,” after the staff helped her pick out a wig. These are the types of experiences that allow CherriCare and Beautiful You to be successful businesses.

Craig O’Bryan – Craig O’Bryan Graphics

Craig O’Bryan, owner of Craig O’Bryan Graphics, realized in 2008 that he needed to take control of his work life. After a long career in the newspaper industry, O’Bryan saw the need for a local graphic design company that focused on the sales of client products and services at a price that is fair. Craig O’Bryan Graphics places its emphasis on target marketing; a proven, measurable form of advertising that provides results. One of O’Bryan’s first and most popular campaigns was for Trunnel’s Farm Market.

He helped establish Trunnel’s brand identity by direct mail and billboards. By listening to his clients and maintaining friendly business partnerships, O’Bryan sees growth of almost 50% from year to year.

John Fentress – Greener Owensboro Recycling

John Fentress started Greener Owensboro Recycling in June of 2010 after seeing multiple letters from the editor about citizens wanting curbside recycling.

He had no formal business education, but saw an opportunity and seized it. Fentress makes sure he listens to his customers and their needs. This excellent customer service has allowed his business to expand into trash pickup as well as recycling.

He had 549% growth from 2010 to 2011.

87% of GO Recycling’s business is done through customer referrals. Even though it was discussed that the city was considering providing mandatory curbside recycling, many of Fentress’s customers said they would pay to keep GO Recycling instead.

Jason Tanner – Owensboro Parent Magazine

Owensboro Parent Magazine was created from the desire to build a trustworthy resource for families in Owensboro. Jason Tanner, owner of Owensboro Parent Magazine, stated “There is nothing more life changing than becoming a parent. It changes everything instantly and forever.” Owensboro Parent Magazine, a free publication, connects readers with local businesses who provide services and products to Owensboro’s biggest consumer segment. Tanner was told that Owensboro would never support a publication like Owensboro Parent Magazine. He proved everyone wrong and now has more than 17,000 targeted readers per issue and many loyal advertisers.

Robert Whittaker, Owner of Green Works Recycling, said, “The magazine is a wonderful concept and displays the talents of Jason Tanner, the editor and the many writers for the magazine.”

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Attend Make a Business Connection AM to Qualify for 4th Annual Owensboro Buys It! Expo From the front page “Qualify” for the expo by learning how to build your own “elevator pitch” by attending the “elevator pitch” training on June 12th at Noon on the third floor of the Commerce Center. All “sellers” must also attend at least two Make a Business Connection AM events to practice your “elevator pitch.” Make a Business Connections will be

held from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 17th, June 21st, July 19th, August 16th and September 20th. If you have participated as a “seller” in either 2010 or 2011, you are NOT required to attend an “elevator pitch” training session but must attend two Make a Business Connections.

Registration is required at www. owensborobuysit.com or calling the Chamber at 270-926-1860.

2012 Owensboro Has It! sponsors:

Owensboro Convention Center Any Lab Test Now/In Shape MD Audubon Federal Credit Union Owensboro Daviess County Beautiful You Convention & Visitors Bureau C12 Group of the Tristate Owensboro Family Eye Care Canteen Service Company Cape Air Owensboro Parent Magazine Captured Moments Photography Owensboro Winnelson Comfort Suites Petter Business Systems Community Home Health Care Daviess County Teachers Federal Credit RBS Design Group Architecture Union Shoe Stop Daymar College Digital Doc SignPros E.M. Ford & Company and Money Springs Urgent Care Concepts Felts Lock & Alarm Company Swat Pest Management Gorman & Associates The Cup Cakery Greater Owensboro Realtor Association The Ground’s Guys Green River Appliance ID&A, Inc. The Travel Authority In Touch – AT&T Towne Square Mall Kentucky Farm Bureau – Gavin Roberts, Robert Edge, Doc Harris Trophy House Lang Company UniFirst Limos By Knight Western Kentucky University – Maria’s Cruse Salon & Spa Owensboro OMHS HealthPark

www.owensboro.com

6 Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

Member Renewals Adult Immunization Management

In Touch - AT&T

Allshops Hardware, Inc.

Jagoe Homes, Inc.

Anytime Fitness

L. Steve Castlen Realtors, Scott

B & J Sanitation

Lyons

Bakers Rack, Inc.

Marilyn and William Young

Big Rivers Electric Corp.

Charitable Foundation

Bryant Engineering, Inc.

Marks Company, Inc.

Budweiser of Owensboro

Massie-Clarke Development Co.

CareNet Pregnancy Center of

McEwen Engineering

Owensboro

MentorKids Kentucky

Clark Distributing Co., Inc.

Moonlite Bar-B-Q Inn, Inc.

Comfort Design Heating & Air

National Steel Erection, Inc.

Computer Dave PC Repair

Nation’s Medicines

de-AM-RON Building Systems, LLC

Northwestern Mutual Financial

Designs & Signs by Gina

Network

Digital Doc

Owensboro Brick

Dr. Mark Fort DMD

RC Bratcher Radiator, Welding &

Edward Jones, Tycen Brock

Automotive

Estes Farms

RiverPark Center, Inc.

Evergreen Lawn Care Inc./

Schnitzelbank Catering

Weedman

Shane Cox Insurance

Excursions, Inc

Shaw’s Prosthetics Plus, Inc.

Extra Space Storage

State Farm Insurance, Kathy

Farm Credit Services of Mid-

Hudson

America, ACA

T.G.I. Friday’s

Financial Freedom Partners, Scott

Taylor Homes

Sullivan

Tony Clark Realtors, LLC

First Liberty Financial Mortgage

Upper Room Music, LLC

Fleck Media Incorporated

Walgreens

Gipe Automotive, Inc.

Wendell Foster’s Campus for

Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana

Developmental Disabilities

Greater Owensboro Economic

Western Kentucky Regional Blood

Development Corp.

Center

Grounds Guys

YMCA

Ribbon Cuttings

Sorgho School Field Trip

The Glass Factory 3811 Highway 54 270-312-2300

Don Moore Collision Center 3295 Highland Pointe 270-683-6236

El Tucan 3600 Frederica Street, Suite F 270-689-0954

Any Lab Test Now/In Shape MD 3500 Villa Point Drive, Suite 110B 270-926-1300

Logan’s Roadhouse 2945 Wimsatt Court 270-684-3131

Owensboro RV 3810 West Parrish Ave. 270-316-0661

Owensboro Winnelson 2110 Grimes Avenue 270-691-6040

www.owensboro.com

Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

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8 Greater owensboro chamber of commerce, Monday, June 4, 2012

Largest Rooster Booster of year is June 7th with Owensboro Has It! expo and business awards Expo preview on June 6th!

From the front page “We are honored to recognize the outstanding businesses in our community that were nominated and to present the Business and Entrepreneur of the Year Award at Owensboro Has It!,” said Tammy Maglinger of Custom Audio Video, the Chair of the Chamber’s Small Business Task Force.

This year, there will be an

expo preview on Wednesday evening, June 6th from 5-8 p.m. at the Hines Center where one lucky winner will receive a radio ad package valued at $1,500 compliments of Towne Square Media and the Cromwell Radio Group. The only “admission fee” to the expo preview is a business card. Chamber members and prospective members are invited to the expo preview. Visit www.owens-

borohasit.com to see a list of sponsors that will have booths at the expo.

“Owensboro Has It! is the Chamber’s premier “Buy Local” expo. It is a great opportunity for our businesses to showcase themselves to Chamber members as well as the public,” says Chamber Interim President Debbie Benedek. “We invite everyone to attend both the Preview Night and Rooster Booster and learn who

will be chosen as our Small Business and Entrepreneur of the Year” The cost to attend the June 7th Rooster Booster is $10, which includes a buffet breakfast. Reservations are required and can be made online at www.owensboro.com/chamber or by calling the Chamber at (270) 9261860 by noon on Wednesday, June 6th.

Read about all the nominees for the business awards starting on page 4.

www.owensboro.com

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