March Thrive

Lace y Cha mber of Commerce

thrive!

March 2013 / Vol. 14, No. 3

Dr. Gerald Pumphrey, South Puget Sound Community College President Emeritus, spoke about how a strong educational system leads to a strong workforce in our community. See page 5.

Inside this issue Calendar of Events

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President’s Message

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Proud to Serve You

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February Forum in Review

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Quickbooks Tips of the Month

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Why Am I Not Losing Weight?

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Business is Booming!

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Kidwiler Scholarships

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Automotive Tip of the Month

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Ambassador’s Corner

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3rd Annual South Sound BBQ Festival Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 6, at Huntamer Park. Vendor booths now on sale, contact the Chamber office for more information, 491-4141. www.facebook.com/SSBBQFest

25th Annual Golf Classic Tourney

Register early and save!

Register by April 15 and pay $115 per player ($15 savings) or $425 per foursome ($75 savings). To register, visit laceychamber.com. See inserts for more information. www.facebook.com/LCCgolfclassic

T HChamber I N K First Follow us on:

¾¾ Ross Irwin, Cabinets by Trivonna, went to Olympia Vision Clinic for new glasses ¾¾ Carrie Whisler, Washington Business Bank, went to Ruddell Road Dental Center

¾¾ Paul Muldoon, Edward Jones Investments, used Bron’s Automotive ¾¾ Katherine O’Connell, Hampton Inn & Suites, DuPont, used Occasions Catering for the hotel’s grand opening

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

¾¾ Joanna Power, Isagenix, used the services of Belize Tees

March Chamber Events 5

Tuesday—Military Affairs Council 8:00 a.m.—NEW TIME! Hawks Prairie Restaurant 8306 Quinault Drive NE

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Wednesday—Forum Topic: State of the City Speaker: Scott Spence, City Manager 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: Morningside

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Friday—Education Council Speaker Series Topic: Time Management 12:00 p.m. (noon) Brandman University 1445 Galaxy Drive NE, Suite 201 Thursday—Member Orientation 10:30 a.m.-noon and 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Chamber Conference Room RSVP to Tony Salas, 491-4141

Forum Sponsor Morningside 809 Legion Way SE Olympia, WA 98507 360-596-3520 www.morningsideservices.com

Media Sponsor 4127 Pacific Ave SE Lacey, WA 98503 360-459-2535 www.fastsigns.com/322

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FASTSIGNS

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

Panorama—Chambers House Restaurant 1751 Circle Lane SE

Sponsors

FASTSIGNS

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Monday—South Sound BBQ Fest Committee Meeting 4:00 p.m.

Chamber Conference Room

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Tuesday—Golf Committee 3:30 p.m.

Chamber Conference Room

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

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

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

Complete Board 9:30 a.m.

Chamber Conference Room

Weekly

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

Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

Round Table Pizza 1401 Marvin Road NE

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

Board of Directors Executive Committee 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 Marny Bright, Secretary & Board Member, Business Examiner, 878-2158 Felix Peguero, Past President, Edward Jones Investments, 438-0341 Board of Directors 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

March 2013

Busy Times

By Lowell Gordon, The Creative Office

Upon receiving Tony’s resignation, I quickly assembled a search committee. As I write this, we’ve narrowed down our list of candidates to our few finalists. We hope to be announcing our new executive director soon.

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While we’re busy finding our new executive director, we’re also busy planning for our upcoming 25th Annual Golf Tournament, scheduled for June 7th at The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie. Tee off will be at 8:00 a.m. If you haven’t put your foursome together yet, please do so right away. If you’d like to be a sponsor, it’s not too late. Contact the Chamber office and we’ll be glad to assist you.

We’re also preparing for our 3rd annual South Sound BBQ Festival on July 6 at Huntamer Park. This is a family oriented, fun-filled event for the entire family to enjoy. I would encourage you to get involved in this event as it’s a great way to meet others and help your Chamber. It’s also a great event to promote your business through a variety of sponsorship opportunities. Please contact the Chamber office for more information.

This month’s March Forum topic is the State of the City address presented by Lacey City Manager Scott Spence. Scott will bring us up to date with what’s happening in our community. You won’t want to miss his dynamic and exciting presentation!

Lowell Gordon, President Lacey Chamber of Commerce

.K eep t

hem in

focus.

ne thing I’ve always loved about the Lacey Chamber of Commerce is that things are constantly busy. Well, that’s the understatement of the year. With the recent sad announcement that our Executive Director Tony Salas has resigned, not only have things gotten busy, but they’ve gotten crazy busy. Tony has led our Chamber in remarkable ways the past few years and he’ll be greatly missed. His hard work and dedication has amazed me.

To name a few of his many accomplishments, Tony helped us create the “Think Chamber First” campaign, helped to get the South Sound BBQ Festival started, kept the 3rd of July Fireworks alive, and brought stability back to the Chamber. His passion for the Chamber and desire to ensure its continued success never ceased. We’ve been fortunate to have him as our executive director. THANK YOU, MR. SALAS. We wish you well.

Tony will be moving on to new adventures in Mount Vernon, Washington, to be with his family and we wish you all the best.

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

March 2013

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Proud to Serve You

By Tony Salas, Executive Director, Lacey Chamber of Commerce

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s I head into my final month with the Lacey Chamber of Commerce, I am filled with a great deal of pride about what we have accomplished, not only during my tenure as executive director, but also as a member of this great organization.

The partnerships that have been nurtured with the City of Lacey, North Thurston Public Schools, and the Timberland Regional Library show that our business community cares for the future of our city and the surrounding area very much. These partnerships give us the ability to create a better quality of life in our community and create an incentive for local residents to do business here around Lacey. Some of these were mentioned in my February letter with Lacey Loves to Read, Summer’s End Car Show, and, of course, funding the fireworks show to celebrate the birth of our nation. The leadership of the Chamber is committed to continuing the growth and development of these partnerships, which will continue to make Lacey a great place to live, work, play, and invest.

Together we have created significant events that will benefit this community for years, if not generations to come. The South Sound BBQ Festival has become a signature event for the community with thousands of people attending from near and far to taste the best the BBQ community has to offer.

The competition among the Backyard Joe’s can become very heated as they impress the judges with recipes of their own invention or perhaps some that have been passed down from generation to generation. Due to the overwhelming success of the first two festivals, and the huge crowds they attracted,

the BBQ Fest will have a new home. Huntamer Park at 7th and Woodland Square Loop will serve as the venue. This will provide some huge advantages for the festival, because the city, as they have done with other events, will close the street around the park to give more room and better access to the professional vendors and trade show vendors. There is a huge amount of parking, easy access via Intercity Transit, and a comfortable festival atmosphere to make the event even greater. This year the South Sound BBQ Festival will be on Saturday, July 6. Plan on being there!

Lacey B.A.N.G. gives you an opportunity to network with and learn from some of the best networkers in the south sound. You can meet new people, learn more about some businesses you may already know, and, spread the word about your business. It’s a great place to hone your skills in public speaking and perfect your elevator speech. There are three locations for you to attend:

Tuesdays 11:30 a.m. at Copper Creek Coffee Company

Wednesday 7:15 a.m. at Best Western Lacey Inn & Suites

Thursdays 11:30 a.m. at Round Table Pizza

The requirements to join these groups are that you must be a Chamber member (kind of goes without saying) and participate in the menu of the host. There is no additional charge to belong to one of B.A.N.G. groups and guests can check out each group a couple of times to find the best fit.

The Lacey Chamber of Commerce is your Premier Business Resource, but most of all a collection of great people who have truly embraced our culture of Think Chamber First!

Where Family Means Everything.

2415 Pacif ic Avenue SE

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Olympia

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(360) 943-4644

March 2013

February Forum—Local Education

By Ambassador Shelley Nicholson, D Zines: Creative Solutions & Graphic Designs

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he February Lacey Chamber Forum lunch was AWESOME! President Elect Angelique Wilson gracefully stepped in for President Lowell Gordon who was unable to attend, and she did a fabulous job.

To kick off the Forum, Executive Director Tony Salas shared with us about the North Thurston School District’s Lacey Loves to Read program and the opportunity we all have to help make the event a success. By donating as little as $25, we can sponsor a raffle basket for the event. The proceeds of this event buy books for the North Thurston School District students. Sounds like a great chance to support our community. Thumbs up…right, George Sharp?

This year will be the 47th year for the annual fireworks show in Lacey, and fundraising is starting now. We found out that if just 100 people donated $200 each, the goal would be met. This is a local tradition, so let’s all do our part and help keep this event alive. Any donation would be greatly appreciated, every little bit counts.

The Lacey Chamber of Commerce ambassadors were acknowledged for all that they do in support of the Chamber, and the Ambassador of the Quarter was announced. Drum roll please… Madelin White of Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs & Day Spa was a rock star this quarter. As thanks for her efforts, she was given a Dirty Dave’s gift card. Way to go Madelin!

Tony then made a big announcement that he will be leaving his position as executive director of the Lacey Chamber the end of March. Almost a year ago, his wife took a job in Mt. Vernon and, as much as he loves the Lacey area, it is time to go home every night to his wife. His commitment to the Lacey Chamber is second to none, and his passion about the importance of “Think Chamber First” is an example all of us should follow. Tony is proud of the Chamber’s increase in networking through Lacey B.A.N.G. meetings and is still planning to volunteer at the South Sound BBQ Festival. We are going to miss you Tony!

Any golfers who love saving money have a chance to do just that. Sign up by April 15 for the Lacey Chamber golf tournament, and you can save. This early bird special is $115 per player (savings of $15) or $425 (savings of $75) a team. The Lacey Chamber golf tournament has a reputation of being the most FUN tournament of the year! Are you game?

The media sponsor Jared Persinger, DDS, owner of Ruddell Road Dental Center, is the only Lacey dentist that is a Chamber member. The Forum sponsor was the Hampton Inn and Suites in Dupont, WA. They are only a 15-minute drive north of Lacey and officially opened January 3, 2013.

March 2013

Gary Liden, TwinStar Credit Union, and Lacey City Councilmember Lenny Greenstein network prior to the beginning of the program.

Michael Brouilette from Brandman University spoke on behalf of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce Education Council. He began by asking us to answer some interesting questions by a show of hands.

• Do you believe education is a vital part of society today?

• Do you think having an educated workforce is very important for you conducting your business?

• Do you feel that students today are receiving the

education they need to be effective in your workforce?

• Do you feel math is being taught to a level to support your businesses?

• Do you believe students today are taught the importance of free enterprise and profit in our school system?

• Do you believe that it is important that the Chamber has an education council?

Following these questions, Michael shared with us that there was a survey sent out last fall to all Lacey Chamber members.

Based on the feedback, the Education Council was able to choose priorities on which to focus.

Math Teams Sponsorships/Support Did you know math team success helps build math awareness? And that the math teams help improve the skills of many more students than those that actually compete? As community members we can show support by tutoring math teams or sponsoring a team going to competitions.

See Forum on page 7.

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QuickBooks Tip of the Month Finding Related Transactions in QuickBooks Often times, we need to find related transactions in QuickBooks, such as the check that pays a bill, a payment applied to an invoice, related deposits, etc.

QuickBooks has made that easy for us with a History button in transactions screens. Open any transaction, such as a bill payment check, click the History button at the top of the transaction window—a list of bills paid by the bill payment check will be displayed. You can double-click on a bill to view the bill details. This works for all related transactions in QuickBooks. If you don’t see the History button, use Ctrl + H on your keyboard.

KDH Business Services, LLC Kelli Hegsted, MBA www.kdhbookkeeping.com 360.754.9545

Join Us Get the most out of your membership. Join a committe or council and gain exposure for your business. Contact the chair of the committee you are interested in.

Committees & Chairs Ambassadors–Stephanie Hemphill, Lacey Chamber 491-4141 Auction–Madelin White, Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs & Day SPA, 491-4911 BBQ–Stephen Capps, BECU, 800-233-2328 Education–Angela Grant, Club Z! In-home Tutoring Services, 438-9800 Fundraising–Tony Salas, Lacey Chamber, 491-4141 Government Affairs–Michael Jackson, Cascade Driving School, 943-1123 Golf–Angelique Wilson, Professional Temp Staffing Agency, 786-8443 Kidwiler Scholarship Foundation–Angelique Wilson, Professional Temp Staffing Agency, 786-8443 Military Affairs–Ken Swaner, The Ranger/Northwest Airlifter, 253-584-1212

Don’t Miss the Fun!!

In last month’s Thrive, did you read the wrap-up article about the WildCard Scramble? Did that sound like fun to you?! Well, it should! Because our attendees had so much fun, and because the event was such a success in its first year, we are making the WildCard Scramble an annual event! The 2014 scramble will be bigger and better than the last and we want you to get your spot locked in before the prices go up. Food will be included at every stop, and there will, again, be many, many prizes! If you want to save $10 per person and guarantee your spot on the bus for January 4, 2014, sign up now by contacting the Chamber office or by registering on laceychamber.com by March 15, 2013!

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March 2013

Forum Continued from page 5.

Business Education Seminars Free monthly seminars are offered at noon once a month at Brandman University the Friday following the Lacey Chamber Forum lunch. The seating is limited to 60 on a first-come basis, so come early. This is a great opportunity to help business owners and employees learn new skills to improve their business and network with like-minded people.

Junior Achievement This organization teaches our students about the free enterprise system. They would welcome volunteers to help students of all ages make this program a success. You can be part of teaching students how businesses work in America, but also how your particular business works.

We were honored to have Dr. Gerald Pumphrey as our keynote speaker. Gerald recently retired as the president of South Puget Sound Community College and has many degrees and experiences that he brought to the table. It was truly remarkable to hear his views on education through the question and answer session conducted by Cecelia Lovelace, executive director at SPSCC Foundation Office.

cooperative learning strategies, and time management. All of these are skills we are not born with, but must learn. In many college classrooms attendance is not a requirement, but in the workplace it is. Teaching punctuality and showing up to work when scheduled is a must in today’s society.

Dr. Pumphrey shared with us some startling statistics:

• Washington ranks 46th for students going directly from high school to college.

• Washington ranks even lower at 47th for 18-24 year old college students.

This is where, as families and communities, we need to step up and share the importance of education. The United States competes with other countries in production, innovation, and product development. Having an educated population is important to society.

As many of us sit at home and watch comedies before bed that leave us laughing, Dr. Gerald Pumphrey left us thinking—how can we improve society, our business, and our future? On that note…Think Chamber First!

Some of the highlights were: Similarities of Business and Education They both need to reinvest in themselves to stay on top.

Similar needs, such as staying current with technology, retaining employees, and not exceeding their bottom line.

Differences in Business and Education The recession increased sales for the college, while sales decreased for most businesses.

Colleges can’t borrow money.

The state pays for college construction.

Colleges are not free to choose their mission.

Business and education go hand in hand. Education offers businesses a pool of trained applicants that help make their business a success, and current trends in business help identify what curriculum should be taught and skills developed.

Dr. Pumphrey would like to see a few things changed. One is in how mathematics is taught to students. Most students need simple skills, such as basic algebra. He feels that many math classes taught in schools have no practical application and do not relate to the daily lives of students and employees.

He also sees a need to teach students skills such as teamwork,

March 2013

Joseph Beaulieu, board member of Homeless Backpacks, at the Forum exhibiting information about the non-profit.

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Why Am I Not Losing Weight?

I’m “Eating Right” and Exercising……

Submitted by Joanna Power, Isagenix It’s the missing parts of the outdated equation that most people don’t even know is missing! It’s like operating under the old assumption that our world is flat. We now know that it is not. Continue to operate with the belief that if you eat right and exercise your body will lose weight and you are setting yourself up for failure. You need to have new, updated information!

Lack of Nutrients in Our Food So, what IS eating right? To me, this means organic when possible and all natural when not possible, as raw as you can, from your very own garden or locally sourced and certainly not processed! No artificial sweeteners, no genetically modified organisms (GMO), and absolutely making sure you have the 70 trace minerals that your body needs each and every day to create a healthy functional immune system. WAIT! Trace minerals are already in the food right? WRONG. Back in 1950 you could get your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of iron in one bowl of spinach. Today, you must eat 48 bowls of the same spinach. Why is this? Because of commercial farming practices and the use of pesticides, our top soils are now void of the trace minerals that our immune systems require to be strong. You must now consciously find and put these minerals in your body.

Toxicity What you may also not be aware of is the relatively new introduction of toxicity in our environment. Our bodies are simply overloaded because of what is happening in our environment. The average newborn has 287 different toxic

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chemicals in their umbilical cord blood when they are born.

According to a study from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, as adults we have an average of 167 deadly toxins in our bodies.

These impurities are coming from, of course, our food, in addition, they are also coming from our air and water. When an impurity (toxin) enters your body, it is recognized for the harm it can do and is coated with fat to keep it away from your internal organs. So, exercise all you want…but, if you don’t stop ingesting garbage, your body will hang on to it to protect itself!

Sixty percent of the world cleanses on a regular basis. In the US, it’s the “health nuts” that do colon and bowel cleanses.

Think about this—what would happen if you didn’t change the filters in your furnace, your car, your clothes dryer, or your vacuum cleaner for 10, 20, 30, or more years? Premature death!

Question: “Are there any filters in our bodies?” You bet, there are lots of them. Well, when was the last time you cleaned, or cleansed, the filters in your body?

So yes, eat organic and local. Get your trace minerals from a pure source. And cleanse too! Otherwise you are simply throwing good nutrition on top of a garbage pile and exercising in an uphill battle against your body, which is simply trying to protect itself!

Joanna Power has a master’s degree in public health and an undergraduate degree in exercise science. A former Division 1 athletic trainer, Joanna has always had an avid love of athletics.

She is the mother of two epic young “men in training” and holds a Black Belt in Tang Soo Do Martial Arts. She may be reached at joannapower25@gmail.com or (360)701-4231. She would also be honored to be a part of your “dream team.”

March 2013

Business is Booming!

New Members Robert Branscomb Insurance Agency 1401 Marvin Rd. NE #307-535 Lacey, WA 98516 Contact: Robert Branscomb (800) 209-9277 Website: www.robertbranscomb.com Category: Insurance Agency Thurston County Solid Waste Educators 9605 Tilley Rd. SW Olympia, WA 98512 Contact: Emily Orme (360) 867-2281 Website: www.co.thurston.wa.us/ solidwaste Category: Government United Roofing Solutions, Inc. 3703 Fuller Ln. SE Olympia, WA 98501 Contact: Jenn Presley (360) 915-9116 Website: www.unitedroofs.com Category: Roofing

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March 2013

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Lucky Eagle 1/4 page 3.5"x 4.75" Ad for Lacey Thrive

Automotive Tip of the Month Anybody like to fish or eat fish? One of the hardest things on the health of Puget Sound and its sea life is leaks from vehicles that go undetected and unrepaired.

How do we know if our vehicles are part of the problem? Two ways are super easy. The first is to put a large piece of cardboard under the engine and transmission area while the vehicle is parked for a period of time. Leaks will show up plainly, and the location and color will give you a clue as to what the leak is. The other way is to get on your hands and knees with a flashlight and look for any drips that are forming. These may not drip on the cardboard, but will wash off in the rain, especially on the freeway.

Check your vehicle out. It’s the right thing to do.

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The Lacey Chamber would like to thank these member businesses who donated raffle prizes to benefit the Kidwiler Scholarship at the February 2013 Forum: A Steve’s Professional Truck Mounted Steam Cleaning— Yellow Roses Annie’s Unique Gifts & Gift Baskets—Dessert Cappuccino Custom Security—Fire Extinguisher D Zines: Creative Solutions & Graphic Designs—Space Pen FASTSIGNS—Thermal Coffee Cup Joanna Power, Isagenix—Sleep Support Formula Kokua—Kokua Cookbook Lacey’s Premier Event Center—Triple Chocolate Brownies With Mocha Frosting Lucky Eagle Casino—$75 Steakhouse Certificate Merle Norman Cosmetics, Wigs and Day Spa—Makeup Bag with Product and a Free Makeover Red Wind Casino—Stylus Pen, Blanket, Mug and Sewing Kit RelyLocal Olympia—White Wine S. Stewart Ridgeway, CPA—Firebird Blend Coffee Wells Fargo Mortgage, Andrea McGhee—Starbucks Gift Card and Coffee Mug Thank you for your continued support!

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March 2013

The Ambassador’s Corner Jill Lane Funeral Alternatives

How long have you been an Ambassador?

It will be a year in August.

Why did you choose to become an ambassador?

After speaking with Tony Salas and my friends from D Zines, Dan and Shelley Nicholson, I decided being an ambassador would be a great opportunity for me to get more involved in the Chamber. It gives me an opportunity to meet and get to know so many more people than I would have otherwise.

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

You get out of being an ambassador what you put into it. The more I get involved in the Chamber, the more connected I feel to its members and them to me. Being an ambassador, more people recognize the Funeral Alternatives name, so we’re getting more exposure in the business community. People are able to see a friendly, smiling face and are able to associate that with the business. Funeral Alternatives is a business unlike others in the Chamber. We want others to know who we are so, if and when our services are needed, people will know us as someone they can trust to help them in their time of need.

What do you enjoy the most about being an ambassador?

I enjoy the camaraderie shared amongst the group.

I’ve made some good friends being an ambassador. I enjoy being a part of the two event committees I’m involved in and working with the different committee members.

What is your favorite ambassador memory?

I was asked to help out at the auction last November, and, although it was a lot of work, it was also a lot of fun. I especially loved the after auction clean-up conversations we shared sitting around in the foyer.

I learned more about people during that time than I had known before.

March 2013

Bio Stuff Favorite Sport?

Cycling Favorite Actor?

No actors really stand out to me these days. I like some of the actors from other generations, like Cary Grant and Gregory Peck.

Favorite Movie?

I really don’t have an absolute favorite, though there are some that I can watch over and over again. To Kill a Mockingbird. Miracle on 34th Street (black and white version). The Princess Bride.

Favorite Vacation Spot?

My favorite spot is wherever the car takes me. I love road trips and stopping wherever and whenever I feel like it.

Favorite Childhood Toy? I don’t have a specific toy. My childhood was spent in rural Yakima with apple orchards and cow pastures around, and we played outside whenever we could.

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

For businesses, I recommend they visit one of the Chamber’s B.A.N.G. leads groups to begin to meet other business people. The little groups are a great way for newcomers to meet and get to know people. Personally, check out some of the events around the area. There is a lot of diversity in this area and that makes for a great place to live.

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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

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