November Thrive

Lace y Cha mber of Commerce

thrive!

November 2012 / Vol. 13, No. 11

Left: The 1st Corps Command Honor Guard presented the flags and led the Forum attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. See page 10.

Below: Madelin White, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs, and Day Spa and Cynthia Hancock, Precisely Right Accounting at the October 5:01 Surge.

See page 6.

Inside this issue Calendar of Events

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President’s Message

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Changed & Engaged

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Overcoming Office Politics

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Kidwiler Scholarships

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October 5:01 Surge - Precisely Right Acctg 6 HARP 2.0 Really Works

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Flu Season Tips

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History of Chocolate

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October Forum in Review

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Top 10 Reasons to Attend LLC Auction

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5 Tips for Holiday Productivity

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Business is Booming!

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Ambassador’s Corner

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Follow us on:

Design and layout of the Thrive newsletter is performed by Essential Business Support.

Lacey Chamber Auction November 17, 2012, 5:30 p.m Thurston County Fair Expo Center Come meet Sandra Diaz-Twine and Michael Jefferson from the TV show Survivor.

T HChamber I N K First Chris Lester, Chris Lester Insurance, sent a client to Nicholson and Associates George Sharp, Visitor and Convention Bureau, used Creative Office Madelin White, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs and Day Spa, partnered with Native New Yorker to benefit a local charity Andrew Barkis, Hometown Property Management, used 94.5 ROXY to run his County Commissioner campaign ads

November Chamber Events 6

Tuesday—Military Affairs Council 7:30 a.m.

Hawks Prairie Restaurant 8306 Quinault Drive NE

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Wednesday—Forum Topic: Welcome 2012-2013 Board of Directors and Business Awards Speaker: 2012 Chamber President, Felix Peguero, Edwards Jones and 2013 Chamber President, Lowell Gordon, The Creative Office Registration begins at 11:30 a.m.

Program begins at noon Saint Martin’s Worthington Center Cost: members prepaid online $18/at the door $25 Please prepay at www.laceychamber.com/register-overview/ Thank you to our Forum & Media Sponsors:

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Port of Olympia

Thursday—Member Orientation 10:30 a.m.-noon and 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Chamber Conference Room RSVP to Tony Salas, 491-4141

Saturday—Lacey Chamber Annual Auction 5:30 p.m.

Thurston County Fairgrounds Expo Center 3054 Carpenter Road RSVP with the Chamber Office 360-491-4141 or online https://laceychamber.wufoo.com/forms/shipwreck-island/ Tickets: $50 per guest

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Wednesday—Education Council 12:00 p.m. (noon) Brandman University 1445 Galaxy Drive NE, Suite 201

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Thursday (Nov. 23) and Friday (Nov. 24)—Thanksgiving Office Closed

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Wednesday—Board Meetings Executive 8:30 a.m.

Complete Board 9:30 a.m.

Chamber Conference Room

Weekly

Tuesday—Ambassador’s Committee 12:00 p.m. (noon) Dirty Dave’s Pizza 3939 Martin Way

Lacey B.A.N.G. (Business and Networking Group) Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

Copper Creek Coffee Company 4120 Martin Way E

Wednesdays, 7:15-8:45 a.m.

Best Western Suites in Lacey 8326 Quinault Dr. NE

Friday—Government Affairs Council 11:30 a.m.

Panorama—Chambers House Restaurant 1751 Circle Lane SE

Thursday, 11:30-1:00 p.m.

Monday—Veteran’s Day Office closed in observance of Veteran’s Day

Space is limited in both groups, contact Tony Salas 491-4141 to reserve your spot. Free to attend, just the cost of your meal.

Sponsors Forum Sponsor Port of Olympia 915 Washington St. NE Olympia, WA 98501 (360) 528-8000 www.portolympia.com

Media Sponsor D Zines: Creative Solutions and Graphic Designs

Olympia, WA 98516 (253) 307-4903 www.dzinesallday.com

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D Zines: Creative Solutions and Graphic Designs

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Round Table Pizza 1401 Marvin Road NE

Board of Directors Executive Board Lowell Gordon, President, The Creative Office, 754-1732 Angelique Wilson, President Elect, Professional Temp Staffing Agency, 786-8443 Madelin White, Vice President, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs & Day Spa, 491-4911 Mike Harris, Treasurer & Board Member, Columbia Bank, 459-3344 TBD, Secretary Felix Peguero, Past President, Edward Jones Investments, 438-0341 Board of Directors Andrew Barkis, Hometown Property Management, 456-7368 Marny Bright, Business Examiner, 878-2158 Casey Cochrane, Puget Sound Energy, 786-5987 Tom Carroll, Network Communications International, 701-1532 Al Eckroth, Virgil Adams Real Estate, 701-3307 Grace Kendall, FASTSIGNS, 438-3800 Dan Nicholson, D Zines: Creative Solutions and Graphic Designs, 253-307-4903 Courtney Schrieve, North Thurston Public Schools, 412-4418 Mike Thompson, Capitol City Press, 943-3556 Brent Walz, OBee Credit Union, 528-5361

November 2012

The Lacey Chamber is Thriving!

By Lowell Gordon, The Creative Office

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am excited and humbled to be your new Lacey Chamber of Commerce Board President for the next 12 months. In preparing for this new responsibility I started to reflect on all the events and services the Lacey Chamber is offering to our members. WOW, it’s amazing to see everything that we are doing. I have always said if you want to get a lot out of your chamber you must get involved. As you can see by the following list, there are plenty of ways to get involved. So, why is this important? All of us have joined the Chamber for a reason, each bringing different talents with us. What we have tried to do is give people a number of different ways to get involved and contribute as a member. You may join to just have the status of saying you are a member of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce. For others it may be to serve in the community. Many of you have joined to meet more people and to network while others may want to use the Chamber as a tool to advertise their business.

Whatever your reason is, the Lacey Chamber gives you plenty of reasons to be a member. Now it’s up to you to use those opportunities. So, get involved and let’s have some fun this next year. I look forward to getting to know all of you better.

We all have a chamber we can be proud of.

Monthly Forums 5:01 Surge Ribbon Cuttings/Grand Openings Summer’s End Car Show (With Lacey Parks) South Sound BBQ Festival

Auction Military Affairs Government Affairs Lacey Business League (PAC) Health Care Discounts Shredfest July 3 Lacey Firework Show Lacey B.A.N.G. Lacey Chamber Golf Classic Think Chamber First Kidwiler Scholarship Lacey Loves to Read (with North Thurston Public Schools & Lacey Parks) Lacey Spring Fun Fair (with Lacey Community Events) Children’s Day (with Lacey Parks) Community Resource Guide Education Council Woman’s Day of Empowerment Ambassadors Monthly Thrive E-Blurbs Please, if you have any questions, comments, or ideas about ways we can improve as a chamber please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at lgordon@creativeof.com.

Thank you and I look forward to serving you this next year!

Remember to always Think Chamber First!

Lowell Gordon, President Lacey Chamber of Commerce

November 17, 2012—Shipwreck Island Auction The theme of the 2012 Auction is Shipwreck Island and the Auction Committee is going full steam ahead. To compliment the theme there will be a variety of island and shipwreck fun & games including an opportunity to see if your message in a bottle can win you some extra cash. On hand will be Sandra Diaz-Twine, the only two-time winner of the Survivor TV series. She will be available for autographs and photos.

There will even be a “Big Kahuna” table where three lucky couples have the opportunity to dine with her and be up close & personal with Sandra and two other survivor contestants. Don’t get caught on a deserted island, join us on our special Shipwreck Island. Donations, sponsorships and reservations are all available right now! Contact the Chamber office 360-491-4141.

November 2012

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Changed and Engaged

By Tony Salas, Executive Director, Lacey Chamber of Commerce

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his is one of the greatest times of the year with the Lacey Chamber of Commerce. So many activities and functions happen in November and I want to give recognition to some of them.

November brings transition to our Chamber leadership with new officers. This past year with Felix Peguero as president has been nothing short of amazing.

Felix provided outstanding leadership as the Chamber began to shake off the demons of the past and work toward a bright and energetic future. During his term, the Chamber grew by 81 new members, which is an outstanding rate of over 25%. Felix also brought a strong energy and passion for excellence that inspired the staff to accomplish goals that many thought were beyond our reach. Thank you for being an inspiration and for your great leadership over this exciting year, Felix.

We recently held nominations for the annual business awards and the response was staggering. There were over 35 businesses nominated in the categories of New Business, Small Business, Medium Business, and Corporate Business. To see the level of engagement that was displayed by our members toward each other was simply incredible. Congratulations to our finalists and good luck. The award winners will be announced at the November Forum along with the individual awards for Ambassador and Volunteer of the Year, as well as the coveted President’s Choice Award. Make sure you are there as this is an exciting time for our membership.

Once again, it’s auction time, and this year we’ve pulled out all the stops. We have a great meal planned and are procuring outstanding items for attendees to bid on. We still need help with items, and you can be a big part of the auction with an auction item donation—big or small. There will be games,

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entertainment, and the most amazing raffle setup in the history of the Chamber auction. Someone will win a men’s wristwatch valued at $1,000 and another winner will walk away with a $3,300 pair of diamond earrings. You’ll also have three opportunities to win cash. As many of you know, we have celebrities with us this year—Sandra Diaz-Twine and Michael Jefferson from the long running CBS show Survivor.

Sandra is the only two-time winner of the show and a former soldier at JBLM, while Michael was a contestant and is a resident of the Seattle area. This auction promises to be one of the most exciting events in Thurston County this year and one you don’t want to miss.

Lacey B.A.N.G. (Business and Networking Group) is launching a new group on November 1. The new group will meet for lunch at Round Table Pizza in Hawks Prairie and will be led by one of the best networkers in the South Sound, Buddy Stevens of 4th Dimension Computers and Technology. The original lunch group at Copper Creek Coffee will still keep its meeting time on Tuesdays and the breakfast group will still be at the Best Western on Quinault Dr. on Wednesdays. Having three groups really gives you the opportunity to focus your networking and gain more value from your membership. Networking is just one of the benefits of your membership with the Lacey Chamber of Commerce and I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to be involved with the launch of the new Thursday group.

Finally, I want to thank all of you for your support and encouragement over these past 15 months. We have seen growth, changes, successes, and near successes during that time. The focus that has been at the forefront of everything we have done or tried is how this will benefit you, our members— the most important part of our organization. You are what keeps me inspired every day to deliver a high quality and relevant experience. Thank you again for the opportunity to be your Executive Director.

Think Chamber First

November 2012

Overcoming Office Politics

By Reid Bates, Owner of Express Employment Professionals

W

ith the November U.S. presidential election, our society has been immersed in political slogans, advertisements, debates and jargon. Election years are prime time for different sides to expose the other candidates’ weaknesses by exploiting decisions on every political plane and elevating their own strengths in the process. This sleight of hand is deemed negative politics.

Unfortunately, negative politics is not restrained to merely public office. In the workplace, office politics can be a driving force in career advancement and placement. According to a survey by the Gallup Organization, office politics is among the most disliked aspect of the workplace, especially among college graduates. But, if one cannot escape negative office politics, one must overcome it. Understanding office politics and knowing how to choose positive politics can go a long way in helping one’s career.

Great politicians have one thing in common: they are great with people. Hundreds of public servants have been seen shaking hands and holding babies. Moreover, some go into politics to genuinely help their constituents. In the workplace, politics can be used to humbly build one’s self up and help others out.

The positive side of office politics can secure and strengthen reputations, earn respect, and build strong relationships.

Relationships in the Office This aspect of good office politics is key in career advancement.

Being genuine in connecting with others can create strong allies who will be great supporters and advocates in the future.

Showing respect for others’ ideas, even when they may not be the best solutions for the company, helps strengthen professional relationships. Nicety and respect are still powerful tools to help influence outcomes at work. A recent poll by Monster, an online employment solution company, concluded that 18 percent of coworkers do not want friends at work. Being friendly with those who do not want to be friends can be tough, but employees who focus on what they can do and bring solutions to the table will elevate their career by standing out as a problem solver.

Office politics can be a minefield to navigate. Some employees feel the need to create alliances against others, gossip, or cut people down to elevate their career. But if one takes advice from the positive side of politics, moving up the office ladder can be achieved with bridges kept intact.

Kidwiler Scholarship Fund Thank Yous

Reputation in the Office One benefit of overcoming office politics by exuding positive techniques is that it helps to create a strong reputation in the office. No matter what type of employee or coworker, a reputation or brand supersedes. Whether known for working hard, always offering assistance, or back-stabbing, one’s personal brand can help or hurt an employee’s chances of moving up the corporate ladder. Developing a track record as someone who accomplishes goals and gets results will lend itself to more opportunities.

Respect is Earned Status and job title only go so far in garnering respect at the office. The old saying is just as true as ever; respect is earned. With a solid reputation, respect is available through constancy and continuous improvement. If an employee is constantly putting others first and helping during a crisis, coworkers will start looking toward that sure-footed person as an expert in certain areas.

This goes hand in hand with employers as well. If employees are always producing quality work, doing work outside of their specific pay grade, and are well respected by their coworkers, management will also give respect.

November 2012

The Lacey Chamber would like to thank these member businesses who donated raffle prizes to benefit the Kidwiler Scholarship at the October 2012 Forum: A Steve’s Professional Truck Mounted Steam Cleaning— Flowers and 30% Carpet Cleaning Annie’s Unique Gifts & Gift Baskets—Canister of Tea and Belgian Hot Chocolate and Mug Cabinets by Trivonna—Gold Brick of Coffee Custom Security—Fire Extinguisher D Zines: Creative Solutions & Graphic Designs—Space Pen and Lunch box filled with D Zines swag Edward Jones, Felix Peguero—Stress Pig Imagine Realty, Hal & Anita Yarber—Halloween items Professional Temp Staffing Agency—Frango Chocolates Red Lion Hotel—3 One-night Stays and Halloween Bash Packages RelyLocal Olympia—Lavender Gift Basket Ruddell Road Dental Center—Teeth Whitening Kit S. Stewart Ridgeway, CPA—Firebird Blend Coffee Thank you for your continued support!

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October 5:01 Surge—Precisely Right Accounting

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he October 5:01 Surge brought together a perfect blend of old, new, simple, and complex. The host for the event was Cynthia Hancock of Precisely Right Accounting. Cynthia put together a great networking event that allowed her to announce the new name of her business. The 5:01 Surge also allowed the collection of Chamber members and non members to learn about how easily Precisely Right Accounting can help clients navigate the complex world of accounting and taxes. Cynthia is an enrolled agent with the IRS and has years of experience in representing clients.

This event also allowed guests to marvel at the fantastic location of her business. Precisely Right Accounting is located on the 5th floor of the Security Building. The Security Building, built in 1926, was the first “skyscraper” in Olympia and delivers an opportunity to feel as if you’ve gone back to a time where you fully expect Phillip Marlowe or Sam Spade to walk out of one the frosted glass doors in the hallway.

Cynthia Hancock (center), Precisely Right Accounting socializing with guests at the October 5:01 Surge she hosted.

This 5:01 Surge was a great example of hospitality and ambience that the attendees truly enjoyed. When you have accounting needs, remember Cynthia Hancock of Precisely Right Accounting—your full-service accounting and bookkeeping firm.

George Sharp, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater Visitor’s and Convention Bureau, and Robin Link, Link Realty Group providing a comedic moment.

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November 2012

HARP 2.0 Really Works! Here’s How… Submitted by Patrick Davidson, Guild Mortgage Company

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ane bought her dream home in 2008. The home was perfect for Jane and her two children. Fast forward to 2012. Jane and her family have been in the home these past four years, always making the house payment on time and always on top of other household bills and expenses as they arose. Like all of us, Jane has seen the value of her home erode as the U.S. economy sputtered over these past four years. Even so, Jane was aware that interest rates on home loans are at an all-time low. She wondered if there was any way she could take advantage of the record low interest rates and seize the opportunity to reduce her house payment.

Jane called the mortgage professional she had worked with many times in the past. She was intrigued when she was told about the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP 2.0), the incredibly low rates, and the absence of emphasis on loan-tovalue ratio. After a look at the numbers, Jane was excited to discover that with a new loan at today’s low rates she could save over $500 every month* on her house payment! Jane got right to work on a new home loan, and, as a bonus, the process was even faster than usual because Jane’s home did not need an appraisal.

Loan-to-value ratio, private mortgage insurance, and appraisals are all common components to a mortgage that may not be required under HARP 2.0. You read that right—you might not even need to have an appraisal! This means that even if your home has lost some of its “value” from the highs of around 2005 and 2006, you too might be eligible to refinance into a lower interest rate loan! Rental? Some non-owner occupied properties are eligible for refinancing under the HARP 2.0 program.

To be eligible for a HARP 2.0 refinance you must have closed on your current loan prior to June 1, 2009. You do not necessarily need to live in the house; and it doesn’t necessarily need to be a house (your condo may be eligible). The loan must be in a pool serviced by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac and you cannot have done a previous HARP loan. You still need to apply for the loan and show that you can make the payment and you can’t get any money back.

How do you find out if you’re able to give yourself a pay raise by taking advantage of today’s historically low home loan rates? Well, you call Patrick Davidson at Guild Mortgage

November 2012

Company. He’s at 561-0339 or via e-mail at pdavidson@ guildmortgage.net.

Even though everything that you have read to this point already told you the following, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac want me to be sure to say this: • Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have adopted changes to the

Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) and you may be eligible to take advantage of these changes;

• If your mortgage is owned or guaranteed by either Fannie

Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be eligible to refinance your mortgage under the enhanced and expanded provisions of HARP; and • You can determine whether your

mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac by checking the following websites:

www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup, or www.freddiemac.com/mymortgage.

What if for some reason you’re not eligible for a HARP 2.0 refinance? Call Patrick Davidson at Guild Mortgage anyway! At Guild Mortgage we offer both conventional and government insured loan financing. And, because Guild Mortgage is a direct lender for FannieMae, FreddieMac, and GinnieMae, we can get loans done that other lenders cannot.

Patrick Davidson (NMLS # WA-MLO-114110) has been matching Washington homebuyers and borrowers with the loan program that best meets their needs and circumstances for over 16 years. You or someone you know could immediately benefit by working with Patrick and Guild Mortgage Company.

Guild Mortgage Company is an Equal Housing Lender. NMLS ID#3274.

Of course, terms and conditions apply. All loans are subject to underwriter approval. * Monthly savings for qualified borrowers will vary based upon a variety of factors including but will not be limited to loan amount, existing interest rate, and the new rate for which the customer qualifies.

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Flu Season Tips Shon Brewster, Costco Marketing Rep. The upcoming fall and winter season is expected to be a wet one, and with it comes colds and flu. The following reminders can help keep you and your employees healthy. Use hand antiseptic lotion.

• • • • • •

Wash your hands frequently during the day with soap and hot water.

Use antiseptic spray/wipes to clean your work areas.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands.

Limit close physical contact with others (3’ distance is recommended).

Get a flu shot.

Stay at home if sick.

Protect yourself, your family, and your work place. Getting a flu shot is the best way to fight the flu and stay healthy this season. Lacey Costco Pharmacy offers flu shots and other vaccines. Our flu shot is available for $16.99. Think you can’t fit getting a flu shot in your schedule? This season, protect your health by stopping by our pharmacy MondaySaturday; we have certified pharmacists to administer walk-ins. It’s more convenient than ever to schedule a pharmacist for an onsite flu-clinic for your business (minimum 30 vaccinations). There’s no reason for your employees to schedule an appointment with their physician and miss work or have you, the employer, pay the high cost of having a nursing service come to your location. Let Costco continue to help your business be successful and healthy too. For more information, please contact the Lacey Costco marketing department at 360.412.3497 .

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November 2012

Chocolate Has Become One Of The Most Popular Food Types And Flavors In The World Submitted by Annie Cappiello of Annie’s Unique Gifts and Gift Baskets

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ifts of chocolate molded into different shapes have become traditional on certain holidays. Chocolate is also one of the top selling gift baskets due to the variety of chocolate that can be found in them.

So Where Did Chocolate Come From?

Chocolate has been used as a drink for nearly all of its history.

The earliest record of using chocolate dates back before the Olmec. In November 2007, archaeologists reported finding evidence of the oldest known cultivation and use of cacao at a site in Puerto Escondido, Honduras, dating from about 1100 to 1400 BC. The residues found and the kind of vessel they were found in indicate the initial use of cacao was not simply as a beverage, but the white pulp around the cacao beans was likely used as a source of fermentable sugars for an alcoholic drink. The Maya civilization grew cacao trees in their backyards, and used the cacao seeds it produced to make a frothy, bitter drink.1 Documents in Maya hieroglyphs stated chocolate was used for ceremonial purposes, in addition to everyday life. The chocolate residue found in an early ancient Maya pot in Río Azul, Guatemala, suggests the Maya were drinking chocolate around 400 AD. The sweet chocolate residue found in jars from the site of Puerto Escondido in Honduras from around 1100 BC is the earliest found evidence of the use of cacao to date. An early Classic (460–480 AD) period Mayan tomb from the site of Rio Azul, Guatemala, had vessels with the Maya glyph for cacao on them with residue of a chocolate drink.2 The Maya are generally given credit for creating the first modern chocolate beverage over 2,000 years ago, despite the fact that the beverage would undergo many more changes in Europe.3 By the 15th century, the Aztecs gained control of a large part of Mesoamerica and adopted cacao into their culture.

They associated chocolate with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility, and often used chocolate beverages as sacred offerings. The Aztec adaptation of the drink was a bitter, frothy, spicy drink called xocolatl, made much the same way as the Mayan chocolate drinks. It was often seasoned with vanilla, chili pepper, and achiote and was believed to fight fatigue, which is probably attributable to the obromine content, a mood enhancer. Because cacao would not grow in the dry central Mexican highlands and had to be imported, chocolate was an important luxury good throughout the Aztec empire, and cocoa beans were often used as currency. For example, the Aztecs used a system in which one turkey cost one hundred cacao beans and one fresh avocado was worth three beans.

November 2012

South American and European cultures have used cocoa to treat diarrhea for hundreds of years. All of the areas ruled by the Aztecs were ordered to pay a tax, leading those that grew the beans to offer cacao seeds as “tribute.”

Chocolate Has Evolved Over the Years In 1847, the Fry’s chocolate factory, located in Union Street, Bristol, England, molded the first ever chocolate bar suitable for widespread consumption. The firm began producing the Fry’s Chocolate Cream bar in 1866. Over 220 products were introduced in the following decades, including production of the first chocolate Easter egg in the U.K. in 1873 and the Fry’s Turkish Delight (or Fry’s Turkish bar) in 1914.

Although chocolate bars and candy bars had their beginnings in the 19th century, it was in the early 20th century that this confectionery commercial venture grew most rapidly. The first wrapped chocolate bar, which is still being produced, was the Hershey bar, produced by The Hershey Company in 1900. Today candy bars are made and consumed all over the world and manufactured to local tastes and environmental conditions www.AnniesUniqueGifts.com 360.490.6086 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate - cite_note-10 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate - cite_note-Riches-13 3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate - cite_note-M.26M.27s-14 1 2

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October Forum—Thurston County Power Debate

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he November Forum was one not to be missed. The Chamber hosted an exciting event in front of a jampacked crowd. The Forum opened with a great display by the 1st Corps Command Honor guard who presented the state and national flags and led the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance. Lacey Chamber president, Felix Peguero, took the lectern for his last full Forum as president and reported that the Chamber had grown to its highest number of members since August of 2008. During his report, Madelin White, chair of the auction committee, joined Felix on stage to lead the auction committee in Madelin White’s Top Ten Reasons to Attend the Auction! It was a fun skit with some great reasons such as watching the bidding wars, eat a great meal, and spend an evening with celebrity Survivor guests Sandra Diaz-Twine and Michael Jefferson.

The Forum media sponsor was Frontstream Payments. Doug Karmen spoke on behalf of Frontstream Payments to inform the attendees how they are adding new technology and capabilities to the services they provide. These include accepting electronic check payments (ACH), accepting donations via web, mobile, and wireless for fundraising and personal fundraising payments with views of fundraising activity.

Indu Thomas, Superior Court Judge District 4 Candidate and Mike Thompson, Capitol City Press network before the beginning of the luncheon.

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Colonial Inn was the November Forum sponsor and Donna Baker, general manager, began their presentation with a short video about the services offered at Colonial Inn with testimonies from residents of their community. Sandy Michael from GCI shared a touching personal story about her relationship with the living community.

Felix Peguero introduced Jon Epstein representing Thurston Public Power and Ross Irwin representing The Alliance to Protect Thurston Power. Then, the debate began and the main event commenced. Each representative took the stage and was given five minutes to make opening remarks, three minutes of rebuttal time and two minutes to make closing statements about Proposition 1. The next 30 minutes were filled with facts, figures, projections, costs, bonds, and much more. The final minutes were open for questions from the audience and many were asked. This was a very informative discussion and those in attendance, as well as the viewers on TCTV, learned a lot about this important topic.

As tradition would have it, the Forum concluded with members, such as Andrew Barkis, Hometown Property Management; Chris Lester, Chris Lester Insurance; and George Sharp, Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater Visitors and Convention Bureau, sharing their Think Chamber First stories of the month. The Forum came to a conclusion with the ever popular Kidwiler Scholarship Fund give-a-way in which $198 was raised.

Ross Irwin, Alliance to Protect Thurston Power and Jon Epstein, Thurston Public Power shared with the attendees information about Proposition 1.

November 2012

Top Ten Reasons to Attend the LCC Auction

By Madelin White, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs & Day Spa

10. To support the Chamber, local business, Kidwiler scholarship, and Think Chamber 1st!

9. Chances to win raffle prizes including jewelry and cash!

8. I get to take my wife on a date and I don’t have to miss any football games!

7. It is fun to watch the bidding wars!

6. I get to buy Christmas presents for others and buy presents for my husband to give me that I really want for Christmas!

5. You get to bid on decedent desserts!

4. Opportunities to win several luxury getaways!

3. Where else can you get a 3 course meal for $50!?

2. You get to meet Survivor Celebrities Sandra Diaz-Twine and Michael Jefferson!

1. How can you survive Christmas without coming to the Lacey Chamber of Commerce Auction on November 17th?!

QuickBooks Tip of the Month Multiple Bank Accounts in QuickBooks If you use multiple bank accounts for your business, QuickBooks lets you preselect which bank account to use to write checks, pay bills, pay sales tax, or to make deposits.

Setting this up in advance makes it unlikely that you will use the wrong account for the wrong task. To choose which default accounts to use: 1. Choose Edit | Preferences from the QuickBooks menu bar.

Thank you to our 2012 Auction Sponsors!

Presenting: Puget Sound Energy Gold Sponsors: D Zines: Creative Solutions and Graphic Designs O Bee Credit Union

2. Click the Checking icon on the left pane to open the QuickBooks Checking preferences, and click the My Preferences tab.

Pearl Sponsors: ABC Printing

3. Check each QuickBooks activity (Write Checks, Pay Bills, Pay Sales Tax, Make Deposits) for which you want to preselect a bank account.

Annie’s Unique Gifts and Gift Baskets

4. To the right of each QuickBooks activity that you have checked, use the pull-down menu to select which bank account to us Kelli Hegsted, MBA KDH Business Services, LLC www.kdhbookkeeping.com 360.754.9545

November 2012

FASTSIGNS Coral Sponsors: Dirty Dave’s Pizza Parlor South Bay Press SuperClean Janitorial TwinStar Credit Union

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Five Tips for Making the Holidays More Productive Submitted by Denise Landers, Key Organization Systems, Inc.

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ow do you view the holiday season? If you are like most of us, your mind drifts to the idea of shopping, big dinners, and maybe even a long break from the office.

Those can all be great things (with the possible exception of last-minute shopping), but they can also throw a wrench into your productivity and time management goals. Simply put, the four or five weeks that come between the end of November and January bring too many distractions for most of us to be as productive as we would like.

That’s understandable, but you probably still have projects, deadlines, and obligations to deal with. And with the competition for jobs, customers, and promotions becoming more and more fierce by the day, it is important that you be able to balance the line between managing your time and enjoying the season.

With that in mind, here are a few tips for making the holiday season more productive: Scale back your project list. Rather than expecting to accomplish as much as you normally would during the holidays, and possibly falling behind or being disappointed later, why not try to set the bar a little bit lower for the time between late November and early December? It can be hard to accept that you are not going to get much accomplished during the holidays, but that is much better than trying to do too much and finishing nothing.

Prioritize. The key to that strategy is figuring out which tasks and projects are most important to you (or possibly your supervisors) during the holiday season. See if you can key in on your 4 or 5 most critical items and focus your energy on the areas where it will have the most impact. For best results, get together with your managers, colleagues, or team members.

Collectively, you should be able to agree on what is important while working out some realistic holiday timelines.

the holidays, when people are traveling, entertaining relatives, taking vacation time, and so forth, it is even tougher. Just as it is a good idea to work with others to identify a few key priorities, you could also try to coordinate your schedules early on so that you don’t miss even more time to canceled meetings, chronically unanswered calls, and other holiday season delays.

Come back a bit early. While you probably do not want to come back from your holiday vacation too early, you might be able to make things easier for yourself by slipping into the office a couple of days ahead of the time that others are expecting you. That way, you will not have any important meetings or calls on the books, and you will have the opportunity to give yourself a day or two to organize and get back into the swing of things without much pressure.

The holidays can be a tough time from a productivity standpoint, but if you can manage to keep these tips in mind, there is no reason you cannot still make progress toward your biggest and most important goals. Once you do, it will be that much easier to sit back and enjoy some time with friends and family. Happy holidays!

Denise Landers is the author of Destination: Organization, A Week

by Week Journey and the owner of Key Organization Systems, Inc. (www.keyorganization.com). She is a national speaker, trainer, consultant and coach providing conference sessions, corporate training, and individual assistance to improve daily work flow and time management skills. Contact her at dlanders@ keyorganization.com

Leave some time for planning. The end of the year is not just for cramming to finish important projects—it is also a great time to look ahead on the calendar and see what you might like to accomplish for the next 12 months. If you have some freedom and flexibility in your calendar, try to leave a couple of days to take stock of where you’re at, what you’ve accomplished so far, and what you want your goals to be for the coming year.

Coordinate your schedules. Working with, or around, other people on your projects can be difficult in the best of times. At

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November 2012

Business is Booming!

New Members Belize Tees 301 Y St. SW Tumwater, WA 98501 Contact: Carrie Boyd (360) 359-1967 Category: Custom Apparel Call MD Plus PO Box 1864 Olympia, WA 98507 Contact: Sam Martz (360) 529-5997 Website: www.conciergemdplus. com Category: Medical Consultation Services College Point Storage 4667 Marcus Ln. SE Lacey, WA 98513 Contact: Casey Johnson (360) 459-5555 Category: Storage Empire Office Equipment 8300 28th Ct. NE Lacey, WA 98516 Contact: Lee Bowman (360) 491-1854 Website: www.eoedigital.com Category: Office – Equipment and Furniture Fashionation 5831 Lacey Blvd. SE, Ste. J Lacey, WA 98513 Contact: Forrest Wagner (360) 350-0682 Website: www.yourfashionation. com Category: Apparel

November 2012

Hampton Inn & Suites 800 Station Drive DuPont, WA 98327 Contact: Katherine O’Connell (253) 912-4444 Website: www.dupontsuiteshamptoninn.com Category: Lodging Health Whiz Fitness Studio 4848 Switchback Loop SE Lacey, WA 98513 Contact: Kasey Louis (360) 349-7889 Website: www.healthwiz4life. com Category: Health/Fitness Kiwanis Club of North Thurston —Lacey PO Box 5607 Lacey, WA 98509 Contact: Don Sattelberg (360) 491-2019 Website: http:// norththurstonkiwanis.org/ drupal/ Category: Service Organization Kourageous Kids Storybooks Lacey, WA 98516 Contact: Matthew Drake (360) 250-7834 Website: www.facebook.com/ kourageouskidsstorybooks Category: Non-Profit La Quinta Inn Lacey 4704 Park Center Ave NE Lacey, WA 98516 Contact: Andrew Shin (360) 412-1200 Website: www.lq.com Category: Lodging

Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen 205 Cleveland Ave SE Tumwater, WA 98501 Contact: Pam Pellegrino (360) 709-9055 Website: www. pellegrinositaliankitchen. com Category: Restaurant Precision Time Direct Lacey, WA 98516 Contact: Morton Shecter (425) 591-6732 Website: www. precisiontimedirect.com Category: Watch Maker Sugar Canvas Boutique Bakery Lacey, WA 98516 Contact: Colleen Head (360) 456-4579 Category: Custom Cookies Westfield Capital Mall 625 Black Lake Blvd., Ste. 324 Olympia, WA 98502 Contact: Leta Hankins (360) 754-8098 Website: www.westfield.com/ capital Category: Commercial Property Lessor

Renewals 1-2 Years: AM 1240 KGY/96.9 KAYO – Boom!

Annie’s Unique Gifts & Gift Baskets Edward Jones – Paul Muldoon, AAMS Imagine Real Estate – Spark!

The Olympian Owens Davies Fristoe Taylor & Schultz, PS 3-4 Years Coffee News Cynthia Pratt 5-9 Years Guild Mortgage 10-14 Years Al Eckroth – Virgil Adams Real Estate Faith Lutheran Church & School Heritage Bank Lacey Community Events Mountain View Veterinary Hospital Office Depot 15-19 Years Casa Mia Restaurant The Guardsman Morningside O Bee Credit Union Prime Locations Thurston County Auditor’s Office

13

T H E R E S O R T I N Y O U R B A C K YA R D

How many of us leave our windshield wipers in the on position and just turn off the ignition and go inside? This is a bad practice that can harm wiper motors and linkages.

The reason is that when you turn your wipers off, current runs through what is called the “park” circuit, which parks the wiper blades at the bottom of your windshield. The danger occurs when the blades are left in the middle of the windshield for the night. If the temperature drops below freezing, when the car is started with blades frozen to the windshield, the wiper motor will draw high current and try hard to “park” the blades. It doesn’t matter if you turn off the wiper switch because the “park” circuit will still try to do it’s job. If this situation happens to you by mistake (like it still does to me), the best thing to do before starting your vehicle is to get the ice scraper and loosen the blades. You may damage the wiper blades, but

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Hmmm...

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The Creative Office sells over 14,000,000 sheets of copy paper every month. Placed end to end that would reach from Lacey to Walt Disney World in Florida.

14

November 2012

The Ambassador’s Corner Ray Foisy Sterling Bank

Bio Stuff

How long have you been an Ambassador?

I believe since 2006.

Favorite Sport?

Why did you choose to become an Ambassador?

For networking….plus it’s the fun group of the Chamber.

College football Favorite Actor?

What benefits does your business get from you being an Ambassador?

Name recognition for my company and an opportunity to work together with community leaders.

What do you enjoy the most about being an Ambassador?

Jimmy Stewart Favorite Movie?

Back to the Future (number 1) Favorite Vacation Spot?

British Columbia, Canada

After hours events, it’s great to meet other business leaders.

What is your favorite Ambassador memory?

A football What is the first thing you recommend someone new to Lacey to do?

Stop in at Sterling Bank to open your account.

.K eep t

hem in

focus.

Each after hour event provides an opportunity to reconnect with friends and fellow business leaders, so I really don’t have just one favorite.

Favorite Childhood Toy?

p are s t n e Life’s mom

s iou c e r

O LYMPIA V ISION C

L

I

N

I

C

www.olympiavision.com

Olympia: 1625 Cooper Point Rd. SW • 360.357.6683 Lacey: 5210 Corporate Center Ct. SE, Ste. A • 360.459.2108

November 2012

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The Lacey Chamber of Commerce 8300 Quinault Dr. NE, Suite A Lacey, WA 98516 Phone: (360) 491-4141 Fax: (360) 491-9403 E-mail: info@laceychamber.com Website: www.laceychamber.com

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage Paid Olympia, WA Permit No. 60

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

BOOM!

IGNITE!

SPARK!

“Local branding on a world of products.”

Mike Wolfe ORIGINAL

ORIGINAL OUTLINE

HEAVIER OUTLINE