July 2014 Forum for Business

JULY 2014 | VOL. XXIII, NO. 7

MAKE YOUR HOME WORK FOR YOU: PLANNING HOME OFFICE SPACE

BUY LAKELAND. IT MAKES GOOD CENTS!

LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

CH A M BER STAFF K AT H L E E N L . M U N S O N President

KMUNSON@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

BARBARA BENNETT Executive Assistant

BBENNETT@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

S A L LY C H A P M A N

Vice President, Finance & Administration

SCHAPMAN@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

C A R O LY N J A C K S O N

Senior Vice President, Member Relations

CJACKSON@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

JACQUELINE L. JOHNSON

Senior Vice President, Convention & Visitors Bureau

JACKIEJ@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

K AT I E M C B R I D E Membership Consultant

KMCBRIDE@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

NIKKI OAKLEY

Membership Account Executive

NOAKLEY@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

TERRY OTTINGER

Vice President, Membership Development

TOTTINGER@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

RICH ROY

Vice President, Public Affairs

RROY@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

KARA SIMM

Administrative Assistant, Membership Development | Communications

KSIMM@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

THE TEAM FROM OFFICE FURNITURE DEPOT SHARES EXPERTISE FOR CREATING EFFICIENT AND AESTHETIC HOME OFFICE SPACE. MORE ON PAGE 8.

PAT T Y S M I T H

Administrative Assistant, Convention & Visitors Bureau

PSMITH@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

LAKELAND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S M O N T H LY TIMOTHY B. JACKSON | CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD NUJAK COMPANIES

K AT H L E E N L . M U N S O N | P U B L I S H E R LAKELAND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AMY WIGGINS

Vice President, Communications

AWIGGINS@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

35 LAKE MORTON DRIVE PO BOX 3607 LAKELAND, FL 33802-3607 (863) 688-8551 LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

AMY S. WIGGINS | EDITOR LAKELAND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

N I C E B R A N D I N G A G E N C Y | C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N , P R O D U C T I O N & P H O T O G R A P H Y WWW.BRANDNICELY.COM

2

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

© 2014 Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to refuse certain advertising and is not liable for advertisers claims and/or errors. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the position of the Chamber.

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

3

Our clients are family. We pride ourselves on confidentiality and accessibility so that your peace of mind is never in question.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF FIRM WITH ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES

Just as you have a choice in selecting a CPA firm, CPAs have a choice in selecting the firm they work for. At C/F/R, our professionals are highly skilled accountants and business advisors who could undoubtedly climb the corporate ladder at any national firm, but have instead opted to work here. Why? Because they want to make a difference. We know our clients on a personal level, take pride in helping them achieve their goals and contribute to our local community. The C/F/R Polk County team is dedicated to companies large and small and brings a world of resources through our Alliance with BDO USA, LLP. At C/F/R we’re a part of something, and that something is your success.

The largest accounting firm local to Polk County 4

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

Lakeland Office 863-937-9520

Winter Haven Office 863-299-5638

Tampa Office Orlando Office 813-321-6869 407-841-6930 www.cfrcpa.com

aware: Riskiest Places to Use Your Credit Card Even if you use the utmost caution, you can still be a victim of credit card fraud. Credit card companies and banks are more and more often putting the onus of catching phony or incorrect credit card charges on the consumer.The most important thing is to check your billing statement, of course. And there are organizations like creditcards.com that offer tips on how to keep your cards safe as well.

HERE ARE 10 OF THE RISKIEST PLACES YOU MIGHT USE YOUR CARD:

CINDY SHARP LAKELANDGOV.NET/LPD Florida Crime Prevention Practitioner

The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with the Lakeland Police Department Crime Prevention Division to bring helpful tips and information to the business community.

Non-bank owned ATM’s. Encryption at these ATM’s is often not as good as at bank ATM’s, meaning some locations are just not safe.

WI FI Hotspots and Public Computers.

Flea Markets. Merchants are often transient and can be difficult to locate if there is a problem with a charge.

Take cash.

Purchases on Smart Phones. They are less than secure.

Small shops/cafes in foreign countries.

Non-secure online checkout. Any safe, reputable e-commerce site is going to have a secure check out page.

Recurring Bills/Subscriptions. You may encounter overbilling.

Unsolicited Email Offers.

Strange or Foreign Domain Extensions.

Suspect Swipe Terminals. If there is something suspicious at an ATM or a gas pump credit card swipe terminal, think twice before using it.

n a c k e e w a One night

E F I L R U O Y E HC ANG

land

u/lake d e r. te s b e w • 9 3-687-930 6 8 2 0 2 e it u S , r Drive 1479 Town Cente

Webster University educates professionals in the Lakeland area through our accredited master’s degree programs. Classes are taught by academically qualified faculty who are practitioners in their fields. The classes are the right size for learning and the perfect place for networking. Apply today!

For a complete program listing go to webster.edu/lakeland No GRE/GMAT • Classes one night a week Webster University, founded in 1915 with its home campus based in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, is the only Tier 1, private, nonprofit university with campus locations around the world including metropolitan, military, online and corporate, as well as American-style traditional campuses in North America, Europe and Asia.

EC-2476 Generic.indd 1

Be a part of what’s next.

F O R U M F O R B U S 8/13/13 I N E S S8:33|AM5

A M O N T H LY

JARED WEGGELAND DIRECTOR OF SALES

SOUTHERN HOMES

CONNECT ] mysouthernhome.com 6

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

NOWADAYS, MOST OF US CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE FRIENDS WHO PARTICIPATE IN SOME KIND OF HOME-BASED BUSINESS. AND, A GROWING NUMBER WORK DIRECTLY FROM HOME AND ONLY GO INTO THE OFFICE A MINIMUM NUMBER OF TIMES PER WEEK OR MONTH. FOR THOSE WORKING IN THESE SITUATIONS, SPACE FOR AN IN-HOUSE OFFICE IS NOT A LUXURY BUT A NECESSITY. When families come to a builder like Southern Homes it is very easy to find space, or even make space for a home office when personalizing brand new home plans.

The easiest way to accomplish the creation of a space in which to conduct a home based business

or your personal office in the home is to purchase a home with one additional bedroom that will be used specifically for this purpose. As many people know, when you have an in-home business or an office space that is dedicated to that purpose there can be tax advantages when it comes to filing your taxes and claiming your business expenses.

See your tax advisor for details.

Sometimes families like to build the floor plan that has the exact number of bedrooms and bathrooms that they need to accommodate their lifestyles. These floor plans may include additional formal living spaces, like formal dining rooms or formal living rooms, that will easily convert into office or working space.

Less common is the practice of buying a builder model home in which an office was already built into the garage as the office space for the new home specialist.

Sometimes Southern Homes will sell such a model center to a family and leave the existing, pre-designed office space intact

and the new owners will simply adopt the existing office space for their home business or personal office.

Finally, some entrepreneurs are getting very clever in adapting closets as functional home office space. For smaller closets that are typically found in secondary bedrooms, some home business owners will remove the existing shelving and replace it with built in desk, filing cabinets, shelving and all sorts of creative storage solutions. When the small closet is used in this manner, it is easy to close the doors and when not using the room for work it looks like a normal bedroom.

In some homes where there are multiple walk in closets it is very easy to remove the shelving and have a full blown office space.

For the adventurous, a wireless network, wireless printer, a tablet or a laptop is all that is needed to conduct business or work from home.

When this is the case, on bright and relaxing Florida afternoons, the home office may be on a lounge chair on the back porch!

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

7

HOME [OFFICE] DESIGN 101: FROM OFFICE FURNITURE DEPOT

MUSIC

MORE THAN 3 MILLION PEOPLE USE THEIR HOME OFFICE AS THEIR PRIMARY WORKSPACE OR JUST A PLACE TO PAY BILLS SO IT’S EASY TO SEE HOW IT IS QUICKLY REPLACING THE KITCHEN AS THE HEART OF THE HOME.

8 | FORUM FOR BUSINESS

LIGHTING In the traditional office workplace, focusing on computer screens and documents creates a constant strain on your eyes. This demand does not change for the home office. Natural light is the best, so try to choose a space with windows, position the computer monitor to reduce the glare from windows or overhead lights or try using a floor lamp to save desk space.

It has been proven that music can help increase your dopamine levels which make you feel good while you are working. So rather than feeling guilty for using your headphones at work, you can freely listen to your favorite genre of music while working from home. Try creating your own customized playlist using Google Play, Spotify or iTunes.Communications and Connectivity: Your home office will need an Internet connection and probably phone lines, too. Be sure to think through how you can get any wires where you need them. If you plan to use your cell phone, make sure you have good reception in the area you want to use as your office. If you are going to use a landline phone in your home office, it is probably best to have a separate line.

You will want to be able to take business calls without being interrupted by family calls while you are at work.

Almost every home these days has a home office. More than 3 million people use their home office as their primary workspace or just a place to pay bills so it’s easy to see how it is quickly replacing the kitchen as the heart of the home.

However, the home office is often the dining room table or stuffed into the corner of a bedroom.

The growing demand for a home office significantly increased as telecommunication capabilities and other technology advancements brought about a need and desire to complete work from the comfort of one’s own home. No more staying late at the workplace when you can now take work with you to your own functional workspace and still be home for your family.

Why wait to reach the workplace to make major contacts for the business when the task can be completed on the phone from your own home?

Home offices have revolutionized the way entrepreneurs conduct business.

Before purchasing home office furniture, it is important to establish your needs for a home office. First, dimensions of a room or available space are not only essential to determining how the furniture will complement the room, but also how you can use every bit of space to its highest potential. Exact measurements along with door and window openings are critical in creating your functional home office. The second question, prior to furniture shopping, relates to the overall

function of the home office. The number of hours you spend in the home workspace is the deciding factor to the type of home office plan needed. If you work less frequently, you will benefit from a simple desk, not a structured work area with its computer-friendly features. Yet if you need more privacy and have a room dedicated for use as a home office, you may find a larger system necessary.

The length of office use at home also determines your need for an ergonomic chair that properly suits your body type and any special needs. Your scope of work should be considered as it is necessary to know how large of a workspace is needed, and how much storage space is required. Many home office furniture collections offer expansion capabilities through the addition of complementary pieces so that the home office may grow simultaneously as your business flourishes. Finally, the design/décor style that you favor sets the tone for the entire office and helps create the office atmosphere at home that is most conducive for your work style.

Consider how your home is currently furnished.

Is it traditional, contemporary or transitional?

You most likely do not want an ultra-modern office in a home with traditional décor.

After establishing your home office needs, the task of designing your ideal office atmosphere begins to fall into place. The space allotted for

the office and its primary function as well as budget and preferred aesthetics will then be taken into consideration as you move forward towards purchasing your furniture. Once again the function of the home office comes into play because some consumers may want a design with a large work surface, or the capability of the furniture to be closed and locked if children are present. Favorable aesthetics provides the home office with a visual complement that allows everything to come together to create a cutting edge, capable business, at your fingertips from your own home.

While your choice of home office furniture is a key factor, it should not be your only consideration when setting up your office.

With the advent and rising popularity of telecommuting – which is defined as someone employed full time at a private, non-profit or government organization that works at least half of the time at home – the need for an efficient home office will continue to grow. The number of Americans who telecommute has risen 79% from 2006 to 2012. How you create your home office workspace will have a direct correlation to your productivity. As we have discussed, there are many variables to achieving a functional home office, from desks and seating to lighting and music. It is never too late to start planning your home office!

FAMILY-FRIENDLY, NOT FAMILY CENTRAL: WIRE MANAGEMENT Wire management is vital to the successful function of any office but it is something that frequently gets overlooked. It is best to first get your office positioned just the way you want and then organize the wires. One of the most important ways of keeping wires organized is by using wires that are the correct length. Once the wires are the right length, you need to find some way to bundle them. One of the easiest solutions is a black plastic J-channel that fits around the wires to secure them together.

Sometimes it is easier said than done, especially if there are small children at home. The idea is to welcome your family into your space, especially if you work fulltime from home. The trick is to not let them make themselves too much “at home” while you are “at work.” Take breaks during work to give them some attention outside your office. Another method might be to involve them in what you are doing. If your children are older they might even like working with you. Recruit your family to file, stamp, make copies, label envelopes and possibly conduct online research.

THINK CUBIC-FEET There usually is not a lot of extra square footage for a home office. One solution is to think vertically. Hang shelves on the walls to get papers and office equipment off your desk. A hutch is a great place to store reference materials, binders or books. Are you a stacker or a filer? If you like to make piles use stacking trays. Filing should be at arm’s length for ease of use.

FORUM FOR BUSINESS | 9

smal l b u s i n e s s o f t h e mon t h

DARBY LAW GROUP, P.A. BEN DARBY TIM DARBY (863) 683-7400 500 S Florida Ave, Ste 520 Lakeland, FL 33801

CONNECT ] www.darbylawgroup.com

In spite of what you may have heard, what we don’t know can hurt us.

As we age, our need for proper planning for our estate and getting the best guidance in areas of public benefits becomes more important.

Darby Law Group’s primary focus is Elder Law and they are committed to serving the legal needs of the elderly and their families.

While many firms have some involvement in the Elder Law arena, Darby Law sets themselves apart from the rest in the degree to which they are committed. Because of the constant shift in laws and benefit programs such as Medicaid and

VA Benefits, it’s vital for the firm to stay on top of the ever-changing information.

The father and son team of Ben and Tim Darby have a combined 45 years of experience of practicing law. Because they are a small firm, Darby Law Group has the ability to be flexible with their clients. Since client needs are sometimes emergent and requiring quick action, the firm remains responsive to the client families. As clients and their families deal with the stresses and challenges of legal and health care systems, Darby Law Group brings compassion and education to the table.

Speaking of education, Ben and Tim Darby believe that lack of information and misinformation to the general public are the biggest obstacles that they face on a daily basis. For that reason, they have devoted countless hours of speaking to individuals and groups to share and offer current information in the area of Elder Law. They also serve our community in vital ways. Ben provides his time and leadership for many organizations including: Senior Connection Center, Inc. (formerly known as the West Central Florida

Area Agency on Aging, Inc.), Lakeland Council on Seniors, and Better Living for Seniors-Polk County. Tim has a long list of organizations that he has served including: EMERGE Lakeland, United Way, Volunteers in Service to the Elderly (VISTE), Florida Southern Men’s Basketball 6th Man Club, and Ignite Lakeland. Tim has also distinguished himself as a graduate of Leadership Lakeland Class XXIX and serves on their Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Tim is also a recipient of the Polk Emerging Leaders Award from the Winter Haven Chamber Foundation.

BY GARY E. CLEVELAND

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH COMMITTEE CHAIR GARY CLEVELAND PRESENTS THE JUNE SMALL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH AWARD TO TIM DARBY AND BEN DARBY.

10 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S

Thanks to their experience in Elder Law and their willingness to share and serve, Darby Law Group has made a positive impact on the Lakeland community.

The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate Darby Law Group as the Small business of the Month Award winner for the month of June 2014.

For more information on some of the requirements for the Small Business Award and to view previous recipients, please visit LakelandChamber.com/ BusinessResource.

CLEVELAND & COMPANY, INC./ ALLSTATE

WANT TO KNOW WHY BEING A MEMBER OF THE LAKELAND AREA CHAMBER IS SO BECOMING? READ ON...

CALENDAR

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

NEW MEMBERS

RIBBON CUTTINGS

NORTH WITH THE TIGERS 2014

The Detroit Tigers, Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lakeland invite you to be a member of LAKELAND’S 2014 NORTH WITH THE TIGERS - this year to Kansas City, Missouri, when the Tigers take on the Royals September 19-21! Join us as we travel to Kansas City to support our Tigers in a two (2) game series against the Royals at “the K” - beautiful Kauffman Stadium - one of MLB’s crown jewel ballparks!

Kauffman Stadium

Lineup packages include:

MAX SCHERZER Cy Young Winner American League

• Luxury accommodations at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown located in the exciting Kansas City Power and Light entertainment district • Tickets to two (2) MLB Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals games • Opportunity to visit some of Kansas City’s most exciting attractions including the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, American Jazz Museum, Hallmark Visitors Center, Country Club Plaza Art Fair, The College Basketball Experience, Kansas City Speedway - and of course, enjoy the famous Kansas City BBQ! FRIDAY EVENING: Pregame reception with terrific seats!

SATURDAY: Enjoy the day in Kansas City with evening game in a deluxe Dugout Suite - ground level right next to our Detroit Tigers! Food and beverages provided.

Let’s end our summer with some great major league baseball action by celebrating and supporting our Detroit Tigers as they take on the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City from September 19-21, 2014. The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Lakeland invite you to be a member of the 2014 North with the Tigers annual trip—this year to Kansas City, Missouri! Our group will enjoy two games between the Tigers and the Royals at Kauffman Field--“the K”—one of America’s crown jewel ballparks. Saturday evening will be exciting as we enjoy the game in a Dugout Suite—ground level right next to our Tigers!

A major league spring training location is an essential part of the business of big league baseball—bringing in more than $40 million of economic impact to our community annually.

We are even more fortunate as we have year ‘round baseball with the Tigers Advanced Class A Lakeland Flying Tigers here throughout the baseball season. Our annual trip is just one more way the community of Lakeland demonstrates their appreciation and support of the Detroit Tigers bringing the business and excitement of major league baseball to Lakeland!

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO NWT14.

LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM OR CALL JACKIE JOHNSON AT (863) 688-8551 EXT. 223. REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 2014.

SUNDAY: Head home after a great weekend in Kansas City!

MIGUEL CABRERA Most Valuable Player American League

For more information on our 2014 NORTH WITH THE TIGERS trip, please contact Jackie Johnson at Jackiej@lakelandchamber.com or call (863) 688-8551 ext. 223. To REGISTER, visit our website at NWT14.LakelandChamber.com!

JUSTIN VERLANDER

Reservation deadline is August 8, or when the event sells out. Space is limited! *Single Person Occupancy **Double Person Occupancy

19-21

SEPTEMBER

2014 Lineup Package: A $650 per person* B $475 per person**

JOKER MARCHANT STADIUM FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

11

july 2014 dates TUES 1

TUESDAY, JULY 1 CHAMBER NEXT

THUR 10

THURSDAY, JULY 10 SCHMOOZE A’PALOOZA NETWORKING LUNCHEON

5:30 p.m.

Grow Financial Federal Credit Union 2645 S Florida Ave

11:30 a.m.

Terrace Hotel 329 E Main St

THUR 17

WED 9

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

MON 14

MONDAY, JULY 14 EMERGE LAKELAND STEERING COMMITTEE

TUES 15

THURSDAY, JULY 17 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

FRI 4

8:00 a.m.

Chamber Briefing Room

CHAMBER CLOSED JULY 4 FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY

3:45 p.m.

Chamber Briefing Room

TUESDAY, JULY 15 EMERGE: A FIVE ALARM FESTIVITY: BREAKFAST WITH THE LAKELAND FIRE DEPARTMENT

8:00 a.m.

Lakeland Fire Department Station 1 (Downtown) 701 E Main St

5:30 p.m.

Trinity Medical Group 3240 S Florida Ave

MON 21

MONDAY, JULY 21 SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS COMMITTEE MEETING 11:45 a.m.

Chamber Briefing Room

TUES 24

REMINDER

THURSDAY, JULY 24 SCORE ROUND TABLE 7:30 a.m.

Lakeland Chamber 35 Lake Morton Dr

MEMBER INFORMATION UPDATE FORMS WERE MAILED TO BUSINESSES DURING THE LAST WEEK OF JUNE. HELP US ENSURE THAT YOUR COMPANY INFORMATION IS CORRECT BY RETURNING YOUR FORM BY AUGUST 1! PLEASE CONTACT KARA SIMM AT (863) 688-8551 EXT 242 OR KSIMM@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM WITH ANY QUESTIONS.

MONDAY

TUESDAY 1

WEDNESDAY 2

THURSDAY 3

8

9 GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS 8:00 A.M.

14

15

EMERGE LAKELAND STEERING COMMITTEE 3:45 P.M.

21

16

EMERGE: A FIVE ALARM FESTIVITY: BREAKFAST WITH THE LAKELAND FIRE DEPARTMENT 8:00 A.M.

22

10

11

12

13

18

19

20

25

26

27

SCHMOOZE A’PALOOZA NETWORKING LUNCHEON 11:30 A.M.

17

23

24 SCORE ROUND TABLE 7:30 A.M.

29

30

31 RETURN MEMBER INFORMATION UPDATE FORM

12

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

SUN 6

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS 5:30 P.M.

SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS COMMITTEE MEETING 11:45 A.M.

28

SAT 5

CHAMBER CLOSED FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY

CHAMBER NEXT 5:30 P.M.

7

FRIDAY 4

Even t HI G HLI GH T S 01

02

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Hosted by Certified Foundations, Inc.

01 | Chairman of the Board Tim

Jackson (NuJak Companies) presents the Plaque of Appreciation to Certified Foundations, Inc. President Jim Collier and his team!

02 | Winter Haven VFW Post 4289 Honor Guard opened the evening's ceremonies.

03 | Mike Mason presented a special

03

04

thank you to CFI, Inc. on behalf of Military Order of the Purple Heart. CFI, Inc. presented a check for $5,000 to MOPH at the event.

04 | The huge crowd enjoyed the

patriotic atmosphere and networking event!

MAY SCHMOOZE A’PALOOZA

Hosted by Cleveland Heights Golf Course

05 | Jared Weggeland of Southern

Homes kicked off the luncheon by sharing his 30-second commercial.

06 | Board member Mary McQueen of

McQueen Marketing LLC had lots to share about her Chamber role and her business.

05

06

MAY CHAMBER NEXT

Hosted by Grow Financial Federal Credit Union

07 | Members gathered to learn more

ways to optimize their Chamber Investment.

08 | VP, Membership Development

Terry Ottinger shares insight into the Members Area at LakelandChamber.com.

07

08

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

13

Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Real Estate Clay Taylor, ALC was one of select few to receive the national honor of the ALC-to-ALC Networking Award for Overall Collaboration at the Realtors Land Institute 2014 National Land Conference. The award recognizes Accredited Land Consultants with the most profitable and rewarding peer collaboration during 2013.

Ovations Food Services For the third consecutive year, Ovations Food Services at The Lakeland Center received a perfect score from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The Lakeland Center is one of only 51 food service establishments in the State of Florida that did not receive any violations within the past year.

CHAIRMAN ’S CIRCLE Bank of Central Florida Was awarded the Summit Small Business of the Year award by the United Way of Central Florida for outstanding achievements in contributing to United Way’s 2013 campaign.

Furr & Wegman Architects, PA Congratulates staff member, Allison Korcak for being placed into the Orange Belt Bowling Association Hall of Fame for bowling achievement.

Lanier Upshaw, Inc. Is very proud to announce that Katherine Zoeller, CEBS, has been promoted to Assistant Vice President. Kathy, who has been with Lanier Upshaw since 2008, is an Account Executive in the Employee Benefits department.

TRUSTEES Citizens Bank & Trust Announces the appointment of two new board members for 2014: Cindy Henry and Mark Schreiber.

Community Southern Bank The Board of Directors of Community Southern Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Donna L. Wilson to Senior Vice President. Donna has been with the Bank for eight years as Vice President of Loan Administration.

T. Mims Corp.

Welcomes Ariel Jose Rivera, a graduate of Florida Southern College. Mr. Rivera specializes in web and graphic design. He will be responsible for coordinating visual design concepts and maintaining online media.

T. Mims Corp. engages in real estate development, recycling/landfill operations, mining, cattle production, and commercial leasing

Alltrust Is excited to announce Cynthia (Cindy) Buttrill as the newest addition to the Alltrust family. With more than 15 years in the health insurance industry with a specific focus on large group business, Cindy’s expertise will prove to be immensely valuable as Alltrust continues to expand its resources and capabilities. Cindy’s responsibilities will include large group benefits management, with a focus on self-funded healthcare plans.

14 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S

Institute of Spanish Communication Welcomes Joan Davies, speech and communication professional to team-teach English Expression/Accent Reduction Training with Teresa Martinez. This is a muchneeded service for companies hiring individuals who have a high level of English proficiency, along with a strong foreign accent that hinders effective communication.

Sessums Law Group Mark A. Sessums has been unanimously elected to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Florida Chapter Board of Managers. The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers mission is to provide leadership and promote the highest degree of professionalism and excellence in the practice of family law. The members are generally recognized by judges and attorneys as preeminent family law practitioners with the highest level of knowledge, skill and integrity.

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Has announced the appointment of Bill Heinrich as Chief Financial Officer. Heinrich comes to the hospital from Florida Hospital Tampa where he served as the AVP of Finance since August 2011. He has served with Adventist Health System since 2004 and brings more than 10 years of experience in hospital finance.

Grow Financial Federal Credit Union Has been selected by The Tampa Bay Times as the Top Work Place of 2014 for the second year in a row out of 100 different companies in the Tampa Bay area.

Rankings are based on six different workplace factors including: directions, execution, connection, my work, my manager, and my pay & benefits. Out of the six factors, Grow Financial scored the highest this year in direction.

Florida Dance Theatre

THE LAKELAND CHAMBER PRINTS BUSINESS ANNOUNCEMENTS EACH MONTH AS SPACE PERMITS. PLEASE EMAIL ANNOUNCEMENTS TO MOTM@LAKELANDCHAMBER.COM

AlphaGraphics Has acquired Fletcher Printing Company. The acquisition includes Fletcher Printing locations in Lakeland and Winter Haven. The Lakeland location at 509 S Florida Ave has been folded into the current AlphaGraphics location at 4130 S Florida Ave and the Winter Haven location at 520 6th St NW will remain, taking on the AlphaGraphics name.

In celebration of the dance company’s 20th anniversary, Executive Artistic Director and Founder Carol Krajacic Erkes was presented the key to the city of Lakeland by Mayor Howard Wiggs along with a proclamation naming April 26, 2014 “Florida Dance Theatre Day.”

Chamber Champion Each month, the Chamber enlists the help of 20 volunteers to mentor new and current members with involvement in Chamber events and programs.

This month, the Chamber staff would like to recognize Kim Hooten, Community Relations Manager at Comfort Keepers for her outstanding attention to Chamber members and attendance at events! Kim is a wonderful asset to the Chamber and to the Lakeland community

KIM HOOTEN

COMFORT KEEPERS Community Relations Manager

Special thanks to Mayor Howard Wiggs, Mayor Pro Tem Keith Merritt, and all the Board Members and Chamber Champions who truly make these ceremonies special events.

MAYFAIRE BY-THE-LAKE

ZOE’S JOURNEY

100 LAKE MORTON DR

1005 S NEW YORK AVE | (863) 816-4072

Lakeland, FL 33801

Lakeland, FL 33801 ZOESJOURNEY.ORG

WELLMED OF SE LAKELAND

HOMETOWN HOMECARE MEDICAL SERVICES

4740 EXPLORATION AVE | (863) 666-9020

811 E MAIN ST | (863) 937-8960

Lakeland, FL 33812

Lakeland, FL 33801

WELLMEDMEDICALGROUP.COM

HOMETOWN-HOMECARE.COM

F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 15

N E W M E M BERS SPARTNERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

CREATIVE CONTRACTORS, INC.

MILLER’S LAKELAND ALE HOUSE

HALLBACK’S BAR & GRILL

SWEAT SPA

SBUSINESS BUILDERSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

AMERILIFE & HEALTH SERVICES OF POLK COUNTY, LLC

MY FAMILY’S SEASONINGS, LLC

620 DREW ST CLEARWATER, FL 33755 (727) 461-5522 CREATIVECONTRACTORS.COM JOSHUA BOMSTEIN CONSTRUCTION

5650 S FLORIDA AVE LAKELAND, FL 33813 (863) 709-9262 MILLERSALEHOUSE.COM ANTHONY GREENWOOD RESTAURANTS

3900 DON EMERSON DR, STE 201 LAKELAND, FL 33811 (863) 937-8900 ROBERT HALLBACK RESTAURANTS

At the May 28 board of directors meeting, the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce was recognized as the 2014 Outstanding Resource Partner by the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida (Florida SBDC at USF). Assistant director Bill McKown and Certified Business Consultant Javier Marin presented the award to Tim Jackson (NuJak Companies), chairman of the board.

The Outstanding Resource Partner is defined as an agency or organization that provided significant, direct contribution to the regional SBDC network with respect to advocacy, financial support, partnership building, or advising. The Chamber was recognized for its unwavering advocacy of

615 MIDFLORIDA DR, STE 3 LAKELAND, FL 33813 (863) 647-2300 SWEAT-SPA.COM KEN REA HEALTH CARE – HEALTH & WELLNESS

6322 CYPRESS GARDENS BLVD WINTER HAVEN, FL 33884 (863) 291-4111 AMERILIFE.COM SANDY WRIGHT INSURANCE

BEACON HILL PRESCHOOL & SCHOOL AGE CENTER 801 W BEACON RD LAKELAND, FL 33803 (863) 682-7910 POLKPREK.COM DIANE DESENA SCHOOLS – PRE-SCHOOLS

GEORGE & ASSOCIATES CONTRACTORS, INC. 6700 S FLORIDA AVE, STE 2 LAKELAND, FL 33813 (877) 738-7570 CONSTRUCTIONBYGEORGE.COM MARK REICHENBACH CONSTRUCTION

MILLER AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING 170 DAIRY RD AUBURNDALE, FL 33823 (863) 294-2452 MILLERSAIR.COM TODD ICE AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING

The Florida SBDC Network is state designated as Florida's Principal Provider of Business Assistance. The Network is

4321 LAKELAND PARK DR LAKELAND, FL 33809 (863) 577-1170 CHOICEHOTELS.COM/HOTEL/FL728 JOYCE ERICKSON HOTELS/SUITES

CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT (863) 272-9942 SPACEINVADERSHI.COM PATRICK BLACKWELDER HOME INSPECTION SERVICE

UNITED SHEET METAL & AIR CONDITIONING, INC.

215 CONTRACTORS WAY LAKELAND, FL 33801 (863) 667-1322 USMACI.COM RICHARD REITER AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING

year, the Lakeland Chamber entered into an

Certified Business Consultant.

PO BOX 2405 BARTOW, FL 33830 (863) 698-9064 LOURA PARRISH RADIO STATIONS

SPACE INVADERS, LLC

financial support of in-kind services. This

to provide office space and resources for a

REAL SUCCESS RADIO

SLEEP INN & SUITES

the Florida SBDC at USF and its generous

agreement with the Florida SBDC at USF

5001 GATEWAY BLVD, STE 1 LAKELAND, FL 33811 (863) 698-7968 MYFAMILYSEASONINGS.COM CHRISTINE QUINN MANUFACTURERS

People-to-People Tour of CUBA October 12-19, 2014

$3,599 from Tampa

divided into ten regions with more than 40 locations from Pensacola to Key West.

The network’s Performance Excellence Awards provide leadership the opportunity to recognize and demonstrate appreciation to personnel, volunteers and partners who contribute to the success of its mission.

16

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

For Details:

Travel.LakelandChamber.com (863) 688-8551 Ext. 228

department of the treasury cuban assets control regulation license no: CT-2013-2299886-1 pending renewal approval

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR

20+

15

YEARS

YEARS

1952 | 62 YEARS

GEORGE HARRIS YOUTH SHELTER

BAGLEY IDEA PROS

1968 | 46 YEARS WILLIAMS-HESS INSURANCE

1973 | 41 YEARS PEPPERTREE VILLAGE APARTMENTS

10

YEARS MCKEEL ELEMENTARY ACADEMY

1975 | 39 YEARS 1976 | 38 YEARS 1979 | 35 YEARS MIDFLORIDA CREDIT UNION

1980 | 34 YEARS

Commerce is fortunate to be led by a 40 member board of directors and five ex-officio members. These dedicated

CHUCK WARNOCK-REALTOR-DEVELOPER

PENINSULAR EXTERMINATING CO.

The Lakeland Area Chamber of

5

YEARS AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS

volunteer leaders direct the governance of the Chamber and represent the interests of our 1,700 members.

In July, a nominating committee headed

OPPENHEIMER & CO., INC.

by Chair-elect Kurt Elmhorst (Allen &

THE RED ELEPHANT PIZZA AND GRILL

Company of Florida) will convene to

UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

nominate 12 new directors to serve a

WALLIS MURPHEY BOYINGTON ARCHITECTS, INC.

three-year term on the Chamber’s board

1981 | 33 YEARS

of directors, effective January 1, 2015.

SUNCO CARRIERS, INC.

Active Chamber members in good

1983 | 31 YEARS

standing are invited to submit

LAKELAND SQUARE MALL

their names or the names of other

1985 | 29 YEARS

members who meet the qualifications

WAL-MART STORES, INC.

of nomination. Nominations will be

1986 | 28 YEARS

submitted to the 2015 Officers and

CYPRESS LAKES

Directors Nominating Committee.

SYLVAN LEARNING CENTER

1988 | 26 YEARS CLEVELAND & COMPANY, INC.

NAMES OF PROPOSED BOARD CANDIDATES SHOULD BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014 AT 5:00 PM TO

LAKELAND SEAFOOD, INC.

1989 | 25 YEARS BROOKE POTTERY

1990 | 24 YEARS

KATHLEEN MUNSON, PRESIDENT Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 3607 Lakeland, FL 33802-3607

QMI

1991 | 23 YEARS LAKELAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, INC. LAKELAND FARMS, INC.

1992 | 22 YEARS SCOTT H. LANGSTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW

1993 | 21 YEARS CHRISTINE P. SIKES

1994 | 20 YEARS GRAPHIC SYSTEMS INSTALLERS

During the month of May our Visitor Information Center assisted hundreds of individuals, answering questions pertaining to Chamber member businesses and the Lakeland community.

WALK-IN VISITORS................................................. 302 RELOCATION RESPONSE MAILINGS........................ 2 RELOCATION RESPONSE (WALK IN)...................... 32 ACCOMMODATIONS................................................. 2 WINTER ACCOMMODATIONS.................................. 0 VISITOR INFORMATION MAILINGS.......................... 1 VISITOR CENTER E-MAIL INQUIRIES...................... 93

BY FAX (863) 683-7454

BY EMAIL kmunson@lakelandchamber.com

Questions regarding the nomination process may be directed to Kathleen at (863) 688-8551, Ext. 234 or to the above email address.

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

17

CHAIR M A N’S CI R CL E h o s t s Repre s e ntat i v e S e t h D. M cK e el

THE FOLLOWING BUSINESS LEADERS ARE MEMBERS OF THE CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE:

F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S

KATHLEEN MUNSON PRESIDENT

For further information on the Chairman’s Circle, please email me at kmunson@ LakelandChamber.com

The Chairman’s Circle hosted its Spring Business Luncheon on May 8, and welcomed the Honorable Seth D. McKeel, Florida House of Representatives, as its guest speaker.

A dedicated community servant, Representative McKeel was elected in 2000, at the age of 24, to the Lakeland City Commission. In 2006, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives where he has served with distinction in several leadership roles.

Rep. McKeel is currently Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as the Chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Commission. He also serves as the Chairman of the Polk County

Legislative Delegation.

Among the fifth generation in his family to call Lakeland home, Seth is a small businessman and active in his family’s real estate and property management businesses.

He is formerly the Director of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority, and his prior professional experience includes work with Heritage Equities Incorporated and Publix Super Markets, Inc. Rep. McKeel briefed members on the state budget including a report on HB 5001 – Education Funding. State funding for education exceeds any previous year. The Florida Education Finance Program (FEFP) budget increases the funds per student 2.61% which is an increase of $176.14 per student.

Additionally, Rep. McKeel reported that the Detroit Tigers “fix” has been addressed and is considered almost vetoproof as it is included in the “Professional Sports Facilities” bill CS/HB 7095.

Rep. McKeel expressed his thanks for the honor to represent our area for 14 years and also for the support that he has received from the Chamber throughout that time.

The Chairman’s Circle is a special membership forum for senior level executives. The forum provides members with the opportunity to meet with one another, build relationships, and participate in strategic marketing and leadership events to enhance their businesses and the overall Lakeland business community.

RALPH ALLEN ALLEN & COMPANY OF FLORIDA

IRA ANDERSON CROWE HORWATH LLP

MARIA BROUS PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS, INC.

TIMOTHY F. CAMPBELL CLARK, CAMPBELL, LANCASTER & MUNSON, P.A.

MIKE CARTER CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP

GARY CASSARD BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS

DAVID DANIEL LAKELAND SURGICAL & DIAGNOSTIC CENTER

DAN DORRELL CROSS, FERNANDEZ & RILEY, LLP

DALE DREYER CENTERSTATE BANK

KEN ELY PLATINUM BANK

SCOTT FRANKLIN LANIER UPSHAW, INC.

MIKE FURR FURR & WEGMAN ARCHITECTS, P.A.

DR. ED GOODEMOTE RADIOLOGY & IMAGING SPECIALISTS

KEVIN GRIFFITH MORGAN STANLEY

KAMAL HAIDER, M.D. CLARK & DAUGHTREY MEDICAL GROUP/LRHS P.A.

FORD HEACOCK HEACOCK INSURANCE GROUP

DR. EILEEN HOLDEN POLK STATE COLLEGE

MIKE MCGEE MCGEE AUTO SERVICE AND TIRES

HAROLD MCLEOD Rep. Seth McKeel spoke to the Chairman’s Circle group about the legislative session and his public service.

SUNTRUST BANK

MARK MCRAE BB&T

DAVID MILLER PETERSON & MYERS, P.A.

MARK MILLER GRAYROBINSON, P.A.

SAM MORRONE PEPPERIDGE FARM, INC.

PAUL NORIS Chairman’s Circle Chair Mark Wilson, Rep. Seth McKeel, Chamber President Kathleen Munson and Chamber Chair Tim Jackson.

18

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

BANK OF CENTRAL FLORIDA

Rep. Seth McKeel and Mike Furr (Furr & Wegman Architects) converse following the meeting.

JENNIFER POTTER WELLS FARGO BANK

smal l b u s i n e s s w e e k cele brat ion 01

SMALL BUSINESS WEEK CELEBRATION Hosted by Florida Southern College

01 | Mayor Howard Wiggs proclaimed May 12-16 Small Business

Week at the May 5 City Commission Meeting.

02 | Many of the Chamber's past Small Business of the Month Award winners joined Chair Tim Jackson (NuJak Companies) to accept the Mayor's Proclamation for Small Business Week.

03 | Thank you Dr. Bill Rhey and Al Green and the entire team at

Florida Southern College for once again hosting this educational event!

04 | Dan Dorrell of Cross, Fernandez & Riley LLP answers 02

accounting questions from a small business owner.

05 | This event was only possible because the experts below shared

stories, answered questions, and gave valuable advice.

During Small Business Week, the Small Business Administration honors top entrepreneurs as well as the legislators, lenders, contractors and partner organizations. Locally, the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and our partners at Florida SBDC at USF, Central Florida SCORE, Polk County’s Small Business Assistance Center and the City of Lakeland presented #SmallBizCan on May 12.

Todd Baylis of Cipher Integrations and the recipient of the 2013 Scott Linder Small Business of the Year Award was our keynote speaker and discussed the 5 lessons he’s learned as an entrepreneur.

03

THANK YOU TO ALL OUR

EXPERT PROFESSIONALS THAT CAME OUT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS!

LIZ ANTAYA

JASON HOLM

RALPH SCHOFIELD

OMS GROUP

SUNTRUST BANK

CLARK CAMPBELL LANCASTER & MUNSON

Insurance

04

TODD BAYLIS IT/Network

CIPHER INTEGRATIONS

SELMA CANA

Certified Business Consultant

JANET JOHNSTON

Certified Public Accountant

CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP

MARSHA LEAP

Labor Law Attorney

MARK SCOLNICK Mentor

CENTRAL FLORIDA SCORE

VICTOR TROIANO

FLORIDA SBDC AT USF

HR/Leadership Coaching

Corporate and Business Law

MICHAEL CAREY

LEAP AHEAD PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

TROIANO & ROBERTS, P.A.

ASHLEY LINK

Commercial Property Insurance

Certified Public Accountant

CLIFTONLARSONALLEN LLP

05

Lending

BILL DORMAN

Commercial Property Insurance LANIER UPSHAW

DAN DORRELL

Certified Public Accountant

CROSS, FERNANDEZ & RILEY LLP

CARL HADDEN

Certified Business Consultant

FLORIDA SBDC AT USF

Advertising/Marketing

CNP – CLARK NIKDEL POWELL

CHRISSANNE LONG

Digital Marketing

MAXIMIZE DIGITAL MEDIA

MIKE WOODHOUSE LANIER UPSHAW

SANDY WOTRING

Human Resources MIDFLORIDA SHRM

JAVIER MARIN

Certified Business Consultant

FLORIDA SBDC AT USF

JOE MCLEOD

Public Relations Sales Training MCLEOD COMMUNICATIONS FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

19

po l k E c onomi c U p dat e

DR. JAMES FARRELL, CFA FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE CPS Investment Advisors is proud to underwrite the research and preparation of the Polk Progress report

CONNECT ] FLSouthern.edu/ PolkProgress

The markets bucked the trend of “sell in May and go away” by finishing up 2.1%, 0.82% and 3.11% for the S&P 500, DJIA and NASDAQ, respectively. The positive month has the DJIA and S&P 500 breaking record highs as investors continue to see equities as an attractive option in this low-interest rate environment. The Bureau of Economic Analysis released a revised 1st quarter GDP estimate showing GDP shrunk by 1% rather than increased by 0.1%. This did not surprise many who felt that the harsher than usual winter would have a significant effect on GDP. The slowdown is attributed to decreased exports and inventories as firms

AVERAGE WKLY EARNINGS FOR PRIVATE WORKERS FLORIDA

NATIONAL

$900

$800

$700

$600

$500

$400 slowed production in response to the weaker demand from consumers. The markets shrugged this off, however, as the second quarter is expected

to grow at about a 4% pace, as firms ramped production back up as consumer spending thawed along with the weather.

With speculation

How to Get the Most from

Your Members Only Access with guest presenter

Matt Volk, WebLink International Tuesday, July 8 | 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

2645 S Florida Ave Learn the tips and tricks for making the most of your access to the Members Only area at LakelandChamber.com!

No charge for members | Seating is limited RSVP at LakelandChamber.com 20

|

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

POLK COUNTY

regarding the long-term implications of climate change beginning to take hold, it will be interesting to see if significant slowdowns become the new normal in the 1st quarter with strong 2nd quarter rebounds.

Weekly wages have continued to grow, with the average weekly earnings in Polk County projected to hit $722.01 in April. That increase would give Polk County 9.7% increase in weekly wages in the past 12 month, besting the Florida increase of 2.1% and the national increase of 1.9%. As can be seen on the accompanying graph, Polk County suffered more during the recession than the state or nation, but it has begun a significant rebound as the economy has stabilized and housing demand returns.

Polk County currently sits at 94.1% of the state’s average weekly wages this is substantially above the 87.2% average and the highest it has been in the sample period. Relative to the

nation, Polk county sits at 86.3% of the nation’s average weekly wages, in comparison to a sample period average of 84.1%, although it is still below the peak of 93.1%.

Overall Polk County wages are recovering nicely as compared to Florida as a whole and slowly regaining losses suffered during the recession as compared to the nation.

The uptick in economic growth during the second quarter as well as favorable housing gains and continued low interest rates should provide for a stable and encouraging environment for Polk County throughout the year, at least until the mid-term elections.

National political issues have temporarily taken a backseat to the economy as we have seen glimpses of bipartisanship.

With any luck that will carry through the next election and lead a less uncertain economic climate going into 2015 than we have had in several years.

public policy: From Policy to Politics: BusinessVoice of Greater Lakeland, Inc.

RICH ROY

PUBLIC AFFAIRS VICE PRESIDENT

Yet another election season is upon us and Lakeland residents will soon visit the polls to cast their votes for Polk County School Board, Polk County Commission, state and executive office candidates. One of the resources available to business owners and citizens during election cycles is BusinessVoice of Greater Lakeland, Inc. Created in 2000 for the purpose of supporting a probusiness environment, BusinessVoice Inc. is a political committee that helps to identify and support candidates in the business community.

Most recently, BusinessVoice has gone through a transition from a Committee of Continuous Existence (CCE) to a political committee, thanks to legislation passed last session (House Bill 569, made effective on May 1, 2013). Provisions relevant to the transition can be found in Chapter 2013-37 of Florida Statute.

CONNECT ]

As a “political committee,�

BusinessVoice Inc. is a group, organization, association, or other entity that is involved in making contributions to candidates, political committees, or political parties. You can find a list of registered political action committees (PACs) on the Florida Division of Elections website at Election.DOS. state.fl.us.

BusinessVoice, Inc. is funded through membership dues and donations by members. Members of BusinessVoice, Inc. are a diverse group from the Lakeland business community. They believe in the need for active participation in the political process to assure the voice of the Lakeland business community is heard at the polls. BusinessVoice, Inc. membership is comprised of Chamber members and any employee of member businesses concerned about promoting a positive pro-business economic environment in Lakeland.

The members of BusinessVoice, Inc. collectively promote and strive for improvement of local and state government, encourage individuals to be educated about government and assist individuals in organizing for more effective

political action. In addition to supporting candidates financially, BusinessVoice, Inc. helps to mobilize the business community to action in other ways including get-out-the-vote, grassroots and earned media activities.

IMPROVING GOVERNMENT The stakes are too high for the business community to take a passive role in campaigns and elections.

Job providers cannot afford to elect anti-business candidates to office. Elections in Florida are expensive and pro-business candidates need an ally to defend themselves against attacks by groups whose policies run counter to a healthy pro-growth economy. BusinessVoice, Inc. is committed to improving government by electing leaders to office that understand the need to improve the economy and free the entrepreneurial spirit.

POLITICAL EDUCATION BusinessVoice, Inc. provides members and the community with information. BusinessVoice, Inc. works with other chamber PACs to help educate voters about the positions that candidates take on issues affecting our economy. BusinessVoice, Inc. members are kept up-to-date on opportunities to support probusiness candidates in their area, as well as educational programs from elected officials in the community. In addition, BusinessVoice, Inc. members are provided with candidate interview opportunities, candidate questionnaires and other information to help them and their employees cast educated votes in elections.

BE A PART OF BUSINESSVOICE, INC.

Thursday, July 10 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Terrace Hotel 329 E Main St Any Chamber member can apply now to help in supporting pro-business candidates and develop an understanding of the political process. For more information on becoming a BusinessVoice, Inc. member, visit the website at BusinessVoiceInc.com, contact Rich Roy at (863) 688-8551, Ext. 241 or info@businessvoiceinc.com.

$25 Members Only Limited Seating

LakelandChamber.com FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

21

TA S T E

a of local business o n e c u p at a t i m e

The Common Grounds member feature gives your business the opportunity to showcase “a day in the life” of your employees and customers.

Each month, one of the door prizes at the Business After Hours event will be a Common Grounds Lakeland Chamber coffee mug & the opportunity to submit a 350 word article about your local business.

BY LISA BIRKET PRACTICE MANAGER | TRUE-MD.COM

If you’re searching for a way to enhance your true beauty through non-invasive, surgery-free methods such as Botox, laser treatments or skin care, then True MD Medical Rejuvenation is the place for you.

Our staff of physicians, nurse practitioners and aestheticians use the latest techniques and equipment to harness today’s medical science to bring you natural-looking, enhanced results without surgery, stitches or recovery time.

At True MD, we work to create a subtle, more youthful appearance while avoiding complications, as well as the “plastic” or “artificially stretched” look common to standard surgical procedures.

Under the guidance and supervision of Adam Parker, D.O., the True MD staff takes a uniquely responsible and personal approach to anti-aging medicine by providing honest medical advice to each and every patient. Together, Dr. Parker and seasoned Practice Manager Lisa Birket, CME, are committed to treating patients individually by fully explaining both the potential results and side effects of suitable procedures, in an environment of meticulous care.

On a daily basis, Lisa, an experienced aesthetician and electrologist, works to foster a family-type community within the walls of True MD for both internal staff and cherished patients. She has spent the last five and a half years inspiring her staff to continually learn and develop the services administered at True MD. Personally, Lisa cares for each of her patients on an individual level, making sure they reach an unexpected comfort level at all times within the clinic.

At True MD, all patients start by undergoing a complimentary, in-depth assessment by one of our knowledgable team members. Based on the results, a customized strategy is created to solve each individual need through one of our many unique, physician-designed treatments. Each patient is then carefully guided through the procedure with utmost attention and highest regard for comfort.

As the most advanced non-invasive cosmetic medical spa in the area, the group at True MD is eager to help Lakeland and the surrounding communities understand the options available for non-invasive medical enhancement treatments. Feel free to stop by soon or make an appointment to find out how easy it is to “reveal the true you.”

2222| |F OF O RR UU MMF OF O R RB B UU SS I NI N ES ESS

LEADERSHIP LAKELAND GRADUATES 29 F R O M

C L A S S

X X X I

With leadership from Chair Joe G. Tedder, Polk County Tax Collector (Class 13), 29 participants officially graduated from Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI on May 8. Beginning in August, the class members undertook a rigorous schedule including overnight and full-day programs to immerse themselves in the community and in the development of leadership skills. Congratulations to the graduates of Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATES OF LEADERSHIP LAKELAND CLASS XXXI!

SARAH ELIZABETH ANTAYA OMS Group, Inc. JUSTIN THOMAS BOLDING Rodda Construction, Inc. BRIAN K. BRACEY Citizens Bank and Trust ROBERT JOSEPH CHILDS Southeastern University College of Business and Legal Studies ELIZABETH A. CRAVEN Pro-Ad Media ZACHARY FLOYD DIAZ Southern Homes of Polk County, Inc. MICHAEL JOHN EHLENBECK United Way of Central Florida TRISHA MARIE FLOYD CliftonLarsonAllen LLP 01

ISAAC B. HARTMANN, CFP速 Allen & Company of Florida, Inc.

NYRKA IRIS RISKIN Polk State Corporate College

BRAD JOHNSON City of Lakeland

LAUREN SAUNDERS Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Ralston Dantzler

ERIC ANDREW JONSSON A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure, Inc. ADAM NATHAN JUSTICE Polk Museum of Art ERIK KATENKAMP Publix Super Markets, Inc. MICHAEL J. KINCART Clark, Campbell, Lancaster & Munson, P.A. WILLIAM T. LINK, JR. Reed & Mawhinney, P.L. CHARLES E. MCDANAL Ledger Media Group MARK A. MILLER Holland & Knight LLP PRANAY C. PATEL, M.D. Watson Clinic LLP STACIE LYNN RINE Pilot Bank/NAFCO

WILLIAM L. SCHICHTEL, JR. Heath Funeral Chapel CHARLES A. SELLMEYER Kanga Marketing, LLC STEPHEN R. SENN Peterson & Myers, P.A. BENJAMIN STEVENSON Lakeland Housing Authority PATRICIA A. STRICKLAND Lakeland Regional Health Medical Group, Clark & Daughtrey JEANETTE WALLACE MIDFLORIDA Credit Union MEGHAN J. WEST Land South Group DIRETTA DENISE WILCOX Lakeland Habitat for Humanity

02

01 | Leadership Lakeland Class

XXXI Reception at the Lakeland Yacht and Country Club.

02 | Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI

03

04

participants on Communications/Arts and Culture day (picture provided by Madden)

03 | Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI

participants on Education Day.

04 | Leadership Lakeland Class XXXI

participants at the Opening Retreat.

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

|

23

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 3607 • Lakeland, FL 33802 - 3607

3240 S. FLORIDA AVE :: STE 105 THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 AT 5:30 P.M. Visit LakelandChamber.com to Register! $10 Members :: $30 Non Members Your RSVP is appreciated!