November/December 2010
Mind Your Business
A Publication of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
WHAT’S INSIDE: LACDC
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SBDC
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CHAMBER
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MAINSTREET 8, 9 LAMVB
MainStreet Develops “Commercial Condo” Concept for Central Avenue Los Alamos County’s acquisition and demolition of the Los Alamos Apartments has enabled the possibility of creating a desirable street front on the north side of Central Avenue in the center of the downtown. Los Alamos MainStreet has revived a variation of the Bradbury Row concept for this area that had been developed several years ago and was well received. The new concept demonstrates how the property could accommodate both the new municipal building as well as a row of mixed-use commercial condominiums.
Several local businesses have already expressed interest in the concept and a willingness to consider locating there in owner occupied space. Development of the new muni building at the site holds the prospect of creating synergies through shared parking and site infrastructure strategies. Sharing of site infrastructure and parking improves the feasibility of getting such a project done. Without the synergies, the project would be more difficult. Continued on Page 9
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FAN Club
FAN Club are held the 3rd Wednesdays of the month 5:30 pm to 7:00 p.m.
Chamber Coffee For more information Contact Katy Korkos 505.661.4816 katyk@losalamos.org
LACDC News Interested in History? by Claire Roybal
For some time now Los Alamos has been on Gozaic.com. Gozaic is an online community of people seeking heritage and culture rich communities. It features a wide range of historic destinations, venues and events. On this Website you can research heritage destinations, sites, events and read or write reviews. You can create your own photo gallery or join a special interest group! Goziac is a great destination guide for the traveler interested in all things cultural or historic. It was created by the Heritage Travel, Inc a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation Take a look at what we believe to be a great reference! Check out Goziac.com and search for Los Alamos, post some reviews, post some phoro’s, let everyone know what a great place Los Alamos is!
Community Job Board by Katy Korkos
One of the biggest complaints we hear from business owners is that it is hard to find quality help in Los Alamos; one of the comments we hear from LANL officials is that when a new hire is made, the Lab often has to find a job for the “trailing spouse.” The Community Job Board is a relatively new tool to help with both of those issues. The Chamber has partnered with the company NationJob, which works with Chambers all over the country to create these community Job Boards. NationJob has a whole network of sites that include job boards by location, community and industry. We have attained sponsorship from Los Alamos National Bank, COMPA Industries, Merrick and Co., and Los Alamos County. With the help of the sponsors, we can offer small companies of up to 25 employees the ability
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to post their job offerings for free. We are also extending the offer to post jobs at no charge to all of our not-for-profit members and to the Los Alamos Public Schools. For an easy way to navigate to our Community Job Board, go to fyiLA. com and click on the “jobs” header.
fyi
LA.com
Comunity Job Board
free job postings for non-profit members free job postings for members with 25 or less employees For details contact Claire Roybal at 661-4836 or email claire@losalamos.org
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Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Trinity Advisory Committee Update by Kevin Holsapple
The advisory committee to the County on Trinity property redevelopment continues to narrow in on a recommendation based on evaluation of developer proposals. The committee brings diverse backgrounds in the community to the table. The Chamber is well represented. Representatives of several member businesses and organizations are involved and I am there as well. There are several factors that are receiving considerable attention from the group including revenues to the schools, the capabilities and financial strength of proposing developers, and the tenanting strategies proposed. There is general agreement and support for the notion that a primary goal of the project is to produce ground lease revenue that will flow to Los Alamos Public Schools. Gene Schmidt has painted the picture of the budget difficulties faced by the schools and I think there is solidarity on the importance of helping with that. Track records in other developments project financial strength, proposed financing structures, and relationships with potential tenants were all considered in vetting proposers. The County’s real estate and development consultant - Jones, Lang, Lasalle also looked at these factors and provided input and advice to the committee. Another important priority is bringing retail that addresses shopping needs residents feel they cannot take care of here with our current retail offerings. Improved grocery and general merchandise are the most often discussed categories. November/December 2010
Trinity site location in downtown There is no illusion of eliminating retail leakage … only of putting a significant dent into it. Based on the proposals we received, the retail strategy that offers the ability to maximize ground lease revenues to the schools is to anchor the development with a large format grocery and general merchandise retailer .. a “super store.” The potential anchor that came up in the proposals offering the highest ground lease amounts is Smith’s Marketplace. This was of special concern to the committee for several reasons. Smith’s owns Mari Mac Plaza, site of the current Los Alamos Smith’s store and there was concern about what would become of Mari Mac. The implications of a larger Smith’s store in Los Alamos for the White Rock store was a second concern. Community perceptions about Smith’s was a third. The committee directly engaged developers and Kroger (Smith’s parent company) officials to address
the concerns about Smith’s as an anchor tenant. Responses are still under discussion as of the deadline for this article. A particular concern about community perceptions is that there is limited knowledge about the format and merchandising of a “Smith’s Marketplace.” Most people’s knowledge about Smith’s is limited to their experience with the current stores here. The Smith’s Marketplace concept is a “super store” that includes expanded grocery options as well as broad general merchandise offerings. Committee recommendations are anticipated in late October.
Trinity Advisory Committee Members & Participants
Keven Todd, Bill Enloe, Eugene Schmidt, Lynn Ovaska, George Chandler, Diana Martinez, Pat Walls, Kevin Holsapple, Denny Erickson, Andrea Cunningham, Lou Santoro, Kristen Henderson, Stan Primak, Steve Lynne, Rick Bohn, Kelly Stewart, Scott Frederick, Tony Mortillaro
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UNMLA Small Business Development Center
Fall Workshops at the Small Business Center (unless otherwise noted)
November
November - continued
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Healthcare for Small Businesses 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. FREE Speaker: Andrew Black, Field Representative for U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman
This workshop will focus on the importance and benefits of health care reform to New Mexicans and the nation. It will address key insurance market reforms in the law, as well as, how the law affects small businesses, seniors, children, and the state as a whole. 4
Doing Business with the Lab 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. FREE Speaker: Jim Carrigan and Yvonne Gonzales LANL Small Business Office
This workshop will focus on how to get started working with the lab. It will help you to know what products and services the lab is looking for and where to find their RFPs.
The Small Business Development Center and the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation welcomes Emiley Bainbridge Emiley and her husband moved to Los Alamos in late spring of this year. She started working with the Small Business Development Center in June as a business advisor and Coordinator of the Los Alamos Creative Cultural District. Emiley grew up in Oklahoma City and attended college at Oklahoma State University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and Broadcasting with a focus on public relations and a minor in marketing.
Customizing QuickBooks Intermediate QuickBooks 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. UNM-LA, Room 412 Fee: $50.00 Speaker: Karen Simpson, Northern NM College Instructor & Owner of DQ in Espanola
This workshop offers QuickBooks users the opportunity to learn about the more complicated tasks involved in managing their bookkeeping systems. Participants will learn how to customize forms and letters, track credit card transactions, work with asset and liability accounts, condense data, do estimating and progress invoicing, track time and do year-end closings. 9
Making Smart Decisions! -Hiring Without Regrets 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Karen Stewart, Executive Director Stone Associates
Often the most difficult decisions we make as business owners have to do with hiring employees. How many times have you been sure you were making a great hire, only to be overwhelmingly disappointed in that hire not six months later? This session will help you put together a business strategy for recruiting, hiring and retaining the “right” employees for your organization. 11
Managing Conflict at Work 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Fee: $25.00 Speaker: Brian Korzec, MS, KORrelations Institute
Relationships between employees, and with customers, are what make/break businesses. This workshop will help you assess and improve upon the way you manage conflict. It will also help you coach your co-workers and staff to understand conflict as an opportunity to develop relationships.
$25 workshops are FREE to Chamber members if you register at www.losalamoschamber.com
Her previous job was in Oklahoma City with Griffin Communications as an assistant to the director of a comprehensive sports Website. Emiley loves the performing arts and spending time with her husband and dogs.
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Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Chamber Business Spotlight
From your local
Who’s New at The Chamber?
There’s a new café in town - Martini’z Grill, serving breakfast and lunch at UNM-LA five days a week. The lunch menu includes sandwiches, burgers, salads and a chicharrone burrito, with most of the entrees under $5, and the breakfast menu includes breakfast burritos, waffles or pancakes, huevos rancheros and a breakfast platter , with the highest priced entrée costing around $4. Owner Veronica Albin brings many years of experience to the business, having operated Martini’z in Espanola.
Agent Owner: Tracy Kitts Located At 1789 Central Ave. Suite 4 Los Alamos, NM 87544 (505)661-2554 sos@sos-nm.com
MindPower Innovations is the brainchild of Bhasweti Gewhas, who specializes in teaching stress-reduction techniques. Bhasweti is a certified hypnotherapist, life coach, Reiki master and Theta healer. She is teaching a series of meditation classes and has developed an extensive website at www.stressfreetools.com to describe the many services she offers. She offers a 50% discount to chamber members for hypnotherapy, life coaching and Reiki. Join her Stree-free mediation at the YMCA & Aquatic Center. The first class is FREE! Sylvie Johnson is an associate broker with Real Estate Associates, and has recently joined the Chamber as an associate member. Associate Chamber memberships are tailored to agents and brokers whose agencies carry a full membership, enabling them to communicate with us directly, to get individual exposure on the web and be more searchable. Enchanted Paradise Spa is the brainchild of Gwen Miller, who will operate the spa in Suite 2 of the business suites at 464 Central Avenue, across Central from the Best Western Hilltop House. Gwen will offer facials, exfoliation treatments and waxing by appointment. She is a licensed aesthetician.
x x x
x x x x x x
Services We Offer
Digital Scanning Archiving Various Document Production
Products We Offer Copiers Printers Multifunction Fax Machines Wide Format Engineering Machines
Go to fyiLA.com as your source for information as to what’s happening about town November/December 2010
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Chamber News
Time to sign up for the Essence 2011 Advertising
Are you looking for meaningful ways to connect with the community? The Chamber of Commerce wants to give you everything you need to make it happen. Why is the Essence a good place to advertise? When we recently surveyed residents of Los Alamos and White Rock, 80% said that they have read it. 63% of those readers said they held onto it to refer to it later or shared it with others. To take full advantage of the monthly ads, sign up for CommunityMatters before November 15th. The $250 participation fee includes a 1/8th page ad and other ongoing projects that provide you with community feedback and exposure. Do you want your ad to be in the most eye-catching location? In 2011, the inside front cover, the inside back cover and back cover of the Essence will be available for full page ads. You get to use the whole page (for the entire year) for only $3,000! Call Claire Roybal at 661.4836 or email Claire@losalamos.org
Golf Tournament - Huge Success
September 17th was a gorgeous day. Players were treated to a round of golf, golf cart, drink ticket, Ruby K’s breakfast, a delicious lunch by local, private chef, Jarda Belmonte and a chance at many giveaways. We were able to raise approximately $5,300 for United Way of Northern New Mexico (Los Alamos and Rio Arriba Counties). This money goes directly back to our communities to improve the quality of life of the people they serve in Northern New Mexico.
Katy's Corner
in the community.
We’re so grateful to our rock-solid members - some of them have been involved with the Chamber for more than forty years! This fall we celebrate the anniversary of many long-time members who have been with the Chamber for more than 20 years. You will recognize all of them as anchors
In banking, we have Los Alamos National Bank, Community Bank, and the First National Bank of Santa Fe. The Best Western Hilltop House is a long time supporter of the Chamber and active in the hospitality and tourism industry, while Metzger Stores, CB Fox and Radio Shack are some of the longest-term retail sector members. TRK Management (the Waterman family company), Netuschil Development (Netuschil family), and Plateau
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Properties (Bruce Norman) are the property management and development companies who have supported the Chamber for decades. Pajarito Mountain Ski area and the Los Alamos Historical Society both serve as major attractions for visitors and great resources for locals. The Los Alamos County Lodgers Tax Advisory Board would like the help of local retail businesses with a campaign to make visitors feel welcome and begin to track their economic impact. It is called the Community Awareness campaign. Visitors will receive numbered business cards in their welcome packet and turn it in to businesses who have a campaign poster displayed in their window. Businesses are encouraged to offer a discount to those visitors who turn in the card. The Chamber of Commerce will collect the cards and then report to the Lodgers Tax board which events generated traffic to local businesses. Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
Business Name Enchanted Paradise Spa Martini’z Grill at UNM-LA MindPower Innovations Real Estate Associates
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Welcome New Members! Contact Name Gwen Miller Veronica Albin Bhasweti Gewhas Sylvie Johnson
Phone 505-500-8022 505-401-1251 505-565-5690 505-310-6101
Type of Business Beauty Products/Services Restaurant Personal Services Real Estate
Chamber Member Anniversaries
Business Name
Arms Control Center Bandelier Grill CB FOX Claire Singleton Translations Cook’n In Style/Tea World D & P Lock Service Edgewater Technical Associates Firefly Santa Fe/Los Alamos Marketing Juvenile Justice Advisory Board - LA Leadership Los Alamos Los Alamos Farmers’ Market Los Alamos Properties Los Alamos Signs & Sound Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service Mark the Electrician Papa Murphy’s Take & Bake Pizza Photos By Capelli Real Estate Associates Strategic Planning Consultants Yeamans Machine Shop
Date Joined 2009 2004 1979 2009 2003 2001 2009 2009 2007 2009 2009 2005 2004 1998 2005 2007 2009 2007 2009 1995
December
Business Name
Adobe Manor Properties Bohannan Huston Ensignal Friends of Mesa Public Library Intermountain Training Associates J&B Data Services LA Shuttle Pajarito Mountain Ski Area Plateau Property Management RE/MAX of Los Alamos
Date Joined 2003 2002 2009 1995 2007 2001 2006 1990 1989 1995
Chamber Membership = Credibility
A recent national study reveals that membership in a local chamber of commerce can significantly boost a business’ image among consumers, as well as among other businesses. For example: When consumers know that a business is a member of the local chamber, they are 44% more likely to think favorably about it. Consumers who are told that a business is a chamber member are 51% more likely to be highly aware of it and 57% more think positively of its local reputation.
Advocacy
Advocacy & Representation Activities of the Chamber – As a business owner, manager, or community member, your time is valuable. You want someone listening to your concerns that affect commerce and working to understand and address those concerns for the common good. That’s where we come in. The Chamber is always on the lookout for issues that could affect Los Alamos businesses and our community in a positive or negative way. The Chamber engages in dialogue with representatives at all levels of government - federal, state, and county - as well as government agents such as the National Nuclear Security Administration, Department of Energy, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and others, on economic issues that affect the business community. The Chamber provides information and feedback to help promote increased understanding of our members’ concerns. November/December 2010
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MainStreet News & Events
For more information on the MainStreet Program please contact: Suzette Fox Phone: 505.661.4844 E-mail: suzette@losalamos.org www.LAmainstreet.com
Winterfest Weekend - December 3 - 5
2010 Winterfest Parade Theme - The Sounds of the Holidays. Bring your hot chocolate and come out to see the beautiful lights parade. For more specific details, contact, Suzette Fox 505.661.4844 or email suzette@losalamos.org If you would like to register a float, go to www.fyiLA.com under events. Registration deadline is December 1st.
Amber Jimerson - Student Intern
Amber Jimerson joined the LACDC this summer. She started helping with events such as Chamberfest and The Next Big Idea. She is a junior at Los Alamos High School and has been part of the LAHS cheer team since her freshman year. Amber is a joy to be around. She brings tremendous energy to our team and likes to make us laugh. She is very helpful and is eager to learn everything about marketing and facilitating events. Her future career interests include advertising and becoming a lawyer.
MainStreet Quarterly Meeting - Corrales, New Mexico
MainStreet’s Quarterly Meeting was held October 20th through 22nd in Corrales, NM. The topic was event planning. It was very informative for every one in attendance. If you get a chance to visit the Village of Corrales, it is a small, treasured oasis located within the large, fast growing metropolitan area of Albuquerque. Corrales, about 7300 in population, aggressively strives to retain a rural lifestyle. It has great restaurants, 3 wineries, and a charm that you won’t forget.
MainStreet Futures Committee
Los Alamos MainStreet has a strong history of leadership in initiatives to improve downtown image and vitality. The MainStreet Futures Committee raised the funding and led the initiative to establish Los Alamos’s Downtown Plan. Whether seeking grant funding for downtown projects, speaking up for downtown business interests, or formulating policy inputs, Los Alamos MainStreet works for a vibrant downtown in our community. Current committee members include: Fran Berting, Rick Bohn, Nona Bowman, Bill Enloe, Dave Fox, Suzette Fox, Jim Hall, Kendra Henning, Kevin Holsapple, David Jolly, Denise Lane, Tony Mortillaro, Eugene Schmidt, Sharon Stover, Keven Todd and Roger Waterman.
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Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
MainStreet Develops “Commercial Condo” Concept for Central Continued from front page
There are several key features to the concept including reserving the majority of the street front land for commercial activity while providing for the County’s stated needs for municipal building space, providing for a decreasing intensity of development from South to North to respect the transition to the adjacent neighborhood, looking beyond the boundary of the parcel to satisfy parking requirements, and enabling an attractive streetfront with a twenty foot wide sidewalk that people will have a reason to use. The concept fully embraces downtown plan goals and concepts. The concept addresses building location, massing and scale. No attempt was made to address architectural style although several elevation sketches were developed to illustrate scale and proportion of structures. The concept was vetted with the MainStreet Futures Committee, the go-to Los Alamos MainStreet committee for ideas and issues relating to downtown development and vitality. The reaction of committee members has been very positive. For this concept to gain any traction, the next step will be to figure out how to engage Los Alamos County in a discussion about the concept and whether they will support it. We would like to hear from you if this concept interests you or if you have interest, questions or ideas about it. Contact Kevin@losalamos.org. Detailed concept information can be viewed at www.LAMainStreet.com/projects.
November/December 2010
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LAMVB News Calendar of Events November 2010
December 2010
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In the Mood - 1940s Big Band Swing Dance Musical Mesa Public Library FREE Film Series presents Sin Nombre Los Alamos Concert Association presents Concertante and Adam Neiman PEEC presents: Hike the Old State Road 4 in the Jemez PEEC presents: Trail Running Talk by David Coblentz Poetry Gathering Fundraiser Gala -The Festival of Chocolate PEEC presents Family Geology Trip to Rendija Canyon Textile Art by Katy Korkos at Fuller Lodge Art Center Authors Speak Series - T. Jackson King Holiday Arts and Crafts Festival Festival of Trees at the Betty Ehart Senior Center Winter Farmers Market at Fuller Lodge
Cindy Whiting Cindy set out to get more Volunteers this month and brought in a record breaking 118 hours of volunteer hours! She was even featured in the Los Alamos Seniors & Retired Organizations newsletter. So the next time you see Cindy congratulate her! If you love this town as much as we do and have some free time on your hands we encourage you to become a volunteer! The Visitor Center is alway looking for individuals that are customer service oriented and want to promote this great place. Contact the volunteer coordinator Cindy Whiting for more information on how to become involved at 505-661-4815
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Mesa Public Library FREE Film Series presents The Visitor WinterFest Christmas Craft Fair PEEC presents: Harvesting the Rain talk and book signing Holiday Farmers Market PEEC presents Holiday Eco-Crafts for Kids Holiday Farmers Market Christmas Eve Luminaria Skate at the Ice Rink Fire & Ice New Year’s Eve Celebration
Go to fyiLA.com for a complete and detailed list of events.
Changes in Volunteer Program by Cindy Whiting
There will be some changes coming up in our volunteer program: There will be a potluck volunteer get together every other month to share ideas. I would like to be helpful and open-minded and ready to hear suggestions of how to improve our volunteer program. I would like to give each volunteer assignments of specific tasks to perform, just as with any other employee. This will include expected completion time, benchmarks and certificates of completion. Also, we will award certificates on a regular basis to acknowledge various skills and traits – even funny ones!
Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation
The LAMVB, a program of the Los Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation, operates the Visitor Center in Los Alamos and the White Rock Tourist & Information Center (WRTIC). The LAMVB also produces and distributes advertising and marketing materials such as the Los Alamos Visitor Guide. We also maintain the online visitor guide at visit.losalamos.com.
Balloon Fiesta This year’s Balloon Fiesta was bigger than ever! The New Mexico International Balloon Fiesta is known for its more than 600 balloons that come from around the world. It is now the most photographed event in the world with over 50 countries coming to participate.
If you would like to be a volunteer, contact Cindy Whiting, volunteer coordinator, at 661-4815 or email cindy@losalamos.org
This year the LAMVB teamed up with the Valles Caldera to promote our area’s attractions. We were there to hand out Jemez Adventure Maps, Visitor Guides and information about day trips to Los Alamos! With the Valles Caldera having their 1st annual Elk Festival it made a trip to Los Alamos very appealing! During Balloon Fiesta week our visitor centers saw an astounding 830 visitors both in Los Alamos and in White Rock. The Balloon Fiesta Park covers over 200 acres and is filled with balloons and vendors selling everything from food to balloon memorabilia. In any given weekend, it is said that about 80,000 people come to the fiesta. Last year an astounding 761,864 people were estimated to have attended which was up from the 702,884 in 2008. Officials said that on average during the 10-day event, they expect to have seen close to 1 million people who came to the Balloon fiesta. If you are interested in becoming an ambassador for Los Alamos and attending events such as the Balloon Fiesta, State Fair, Fiery Food show and many more. Give Claire Roybal a call at 661-4836.
November/December 2010
Volunteer Spotlight - Gretchen Tinkle We have been lucky to catch up with Gretchen Tinkle here at LAMVB! Acting on a covert potential volunteer tip, we quickly arranged a setup on Gretchen - only to find that she had the perfect profile for us. Caught here in a rare photograph, we were again lucky in catching up with Gretchen between trips to her safe house in Illinois. Gretchen arrived here in 1956 after a telephone interview with the school superintendent to teach the 5th grade at Mesa School. She met her husband here, has four daughters, 10 grandchildren, loves genealogy and playing bridge. As to whether she will continue greeting visitors here at LAMVB, Gretchen responds with “Maybe . . . maybe not.” WE CERTAINLY HOPE SO!
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Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament benefiting United Way of Los Alamos and Rio Arriba Counties
$5300 benefits United Way Great Food! Great Fun!
Newsletter Managing Editor: Suzette Fox - 505.661.4844 email:suzette@losalamos.org Contributions by: Emiley Bainbridge, Suzette Fox, Kevin Holsapple, Katy Korkos, Claire Roybal, Cindy Whiting
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