eNewsletter July 2012

BUSINESS

a publication of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

CONNECTION

YOU’RE CHAMBER IS CONTINUING TO GROW

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ow that the first half of the year has passed, let’s take a short breather to reflect on the accomplishments of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce so far in 2012. I know that sometimes we are all so busy in your personal businesses or moving on to the next program, event, or committee that we don’t take the time to stop and smile.

So, if you have a moment, I’d like to brag on you all for the next 402 words. First, let me assure you that that O’Fallon Chamber continues to grow and thrive. We are thankful to you, our membership that as restructuring is happening with businesses and organizations all around St. Charles County, we are fortunate enough to have Continued on pg 7

SISTERS CALL O’FALLON HOME SINCE 1875

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ocated on Main Street and neighboring O’Fallon City Hall, the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood congregation’s multi-acre campus is located in one of the oldest and most visible parts of town.

Yet most people don’t even know that they’re there.

“A lot of times when we tell people where they’re at, they say ‘Oh so that’s what that is!’” said Leah Wand, public relations director for the Sisters.

The order of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood was founded in Steinerberg, Switzerland in 1845.

They remained there briefly before fleeing to France from religious persecution Continued on pg 8

JULY 2012

Don’t miss the O’Fallon Chamber’s

General Membership LUNCHEON Tuesday, July 24, 2012 11:30 am to 1:00 pm @ the O’Fallon Elk’s Lodge 1163 Tom Ginnever in O’Fallon Join us and the City of O’Fallon where Keith Reisberg, City Administrator will update us on happenings with our great city Don’t forget to register in advance!

...

Escape

ravel with Tders/Jan’s Lea ise l & Cru ve ra T

Giveaway!

Attend for an entry into the Escape Giveaway sponsored

by Travel Leaders/ Jan’s Travel & Cruise!

O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

Tuesday, July 10th 4:30 to 6:30 pm Christian High School 1163 Tom Ginnever O’Fallon, MO 63366

Stay for 5 minutes or 2 hours, whichever fits into your schedule best. Our monthly Business After Hours are a great way to build relationships with many of your fellow Chamber Members.

Average attendance at these free events is for an entry al pe... Attend c s into the Escape around 50 Chamber E e v ra with Tders/Jan’s Giveaway sponsored Lea e Members! & Cruis

by Travel Leaders/ Travel

Giveaway!

2 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | JULY 2012

Jan’s Travel & Cruise!

Mission Statement: The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce is committed to promoting economic vitality in O’Fallon and the St. Charles County Region while providing members with networking opportunities, education and advocacy in public policy decisions affecting business.

Vision Statement: The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce will be the catalyst for the prosperity of our community as a valued resource for businesses, organizations, and residents.

Officers: Cindy Elking, Chairman of the Board Adam Hopper, 1st Vice Chairman Jeff Arneson, 2nd Vice Chairman Russ Craven, Treasurer Stacee Gilmore, Secretary Julie Feast, Past-Chairman Directors: Mark Crank, Director Nina DeAngelo, Director Heather Deatz, Director Tim DeGhelder, Director Ron Epps, Director Michael Favazza, Director Jonny Kruse, Gracie Barra Alissa Moore, Director Brian Richardson, Director David Schmidt, Director

THIS ISSUE VOL.1 IS.5 IN

1299 Bryan Road, O’Fallon, MO 63366 Phone: 636.240.1818 Email: info@ofallonchamber.org www.ofallonchamber.org

Chamber Growth...............................Cover Sisters of the Most Precious Blood ...Cover Aie Evac Relocation ............................. p 5 Golf Tournament ................................... p 4 News from the Chairman ...................... p 6 O’Fallon Jaycees ........................................

Summer Road Trip Tips ........................ p 9 New Members ..................................... p 10 Member Anniversaries ........................ p 10 Calendar of Events .............................. p 11 Member Spotlight ............................... p 12 Member Mentions ............................... p 13 Chamber Activites.............................. p 14

CHAMBER PARTNERS

Jan’s Travel & Cruise

Staff: Erin Williams, President/CEO Sara Henderson, Communications Director Sam Byers, Membership Services Director JULY 2012 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 3

O

n your mark, get set, oh wait, never mind, the Firecracker Run is over; let’s get ready to Golf!!

That’s right, in just eight short weeks the Chamber will be hosting our 20th Annual Golf Tournament at Whitmoor Country Club on Thursday, August 23rd.

This year’s tournament will, as always, feature great golf, lots of networking and even more fun! On course activities planned include a Pool in the Lake hole, a Professional Shot hole, the ever popular Cooler of Fun from Delmar Gardens, and a hole offering a “shot” for Free tires

20TH ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT courtesy of Firestone Complete Auto Care.

Golf is available at this private course for only $125 per player, or $475 when you register a team of four. All golfers will receive an insulated tote goodie bag filled with great donations from our Chamber members, 18 holes of spectacular golf, lunch, dinner and drinks on the course.

In order to make this event a great success, we of course, need your help. Players, sponsors, donors, and volunteers are needed to make sure that our event runs smoothly.

Sponsorships remaining include, an Eagle Level, one Beverage Cart and Hole Sponsors. Goodie bag donations are needed for 144 of our players; sunscreen, divot tools, and golf balls are still needed. We will also be hosting the Ginormous Golf Give-a-way and are seeking four big ticket items valued at $250 or more to be included in the raffle.

Our first item already received is a Set of Tires, donated by Firestone Complete Auto Care.

Learn more about the 20th Annual O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament at www.ofallonchamber. org/golf or by calling Erin at the Chamber Office, (636) 240-1818.

Hole Sponsors: Promotions Pronto | Community News | CenturyLink | Ameren Missouri | Lang Insurance West Community Credit Union | Pain Relief Associates | Firestone | American Eagle Crdit Union

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AIR EVAC LIFETEAM MOVES BASE TO O’FALLON

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ir Evac Lifeteam, a provider of air medical transportation to rural communities, said it plans to move its headquarters to an office building in the WingHaven development in O’Fallon, Mo. Air Evac will occupy 52,000 square feet of the 78,000-square-foot office building at 1001 Boardwalk Springs Place.

The company received no state or local incentives to relocate to the area, the St. Louis Regional Chamber & Growth Association (RCGA) said.

The move is part of a major expansion that will increase the company’s ability to deliver air medical transportation services throughout the country. The company will move 120 employees from its West Plains, Mo., location to the WingHaven space. Air Evac Lifeteam said it expects to hire 70 new employees in a variety of operational areas, for a total of 190 employees by the end of the year.

The company is also moving 30 employees to a location in Texas. Air Evac’s West Plains workforce will number 450 people after the moves.

The privately held company also will set up an additional call center at its headquarters in WingHaven to support its communication center in West Plains. Air Evac has 107 base facilities in 15 states with about 2,000 total employees.

O’Fallon, Mo., was chosen after an extensive search and analysis of more than 20 other locations, the company said. The city offered the company access to a large talent pool, the ability to recruit talent nationally and increased air access to dispersed company operations.

“O’Fallon was a good choice for Air Evac Lifeteam because it is centrally located to our service area...,” Air Evac Lifeteam President Seth Myers said in a statement. “It provides access to a major airport hub for quick dissemination of parts and supplies to our bases and to the additional people and resources we

need to maintain and build upon our continued growth.”

Air Evac’s operation in WingHaven is expected to be up and running by November. RCGA said it had been in talks with Air Evac Lifeteam since February about the opportunity to relocate its headquarters.

Three organizations will move this fall from the building at 1001 Boardwalk Springs Place to make room for Air Evac: Paric Corp., Optimus Development and McEagle Properties. McEagle, which developed 1001 Boardwalk Springs Place and is the property manager there, plans to move to the NorthSide development this fall.

Paric and Optimus haven’t indicated where they will move.

St. Louis Business Journal, By Matthew Hibbard, Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2012, 1:33pm CDT Last Modified: Friday, June 15, 2012, 6:29pm

JULY 2012 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 5

NEW YP PROGRAM

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’Fallon Chamber of Commerce announces partnership with O’Fallon Jaycees The O’Fallon Jaycees will now serve as the young professionals program for the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce, as determined at a Board of Directors meeting June 19.

The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce recognized the need for leadership development opportunities for young professionals in the area. Rather than establishing a group of its own, the board decided it would be best to promote an organization that was founded to do just that: the Junior Chamber (JC).

The Jaycees are a group of adults ages 18 to 40, with a focus on community service, management development, and individual development. Through civic projects, fund raisers, and social events, the O’Fallon Jaycees in particular are strong promoters of community development.

The Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit business organization geared at economic and small business development through networking, education, and advocacy.

This partnership will help the Chamber members get more out of their membership by networking more closely with other young professionals, while helping the Jaycees’ membership grow in both numbers and professional development.

As stated in the partnership agreement, as President of the O’Fallon Jaycees, Painter will either serve as an Ex-Officio member of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors or provide a written report for each of the monthly Board of Directors meetings. In addition, the Jaycees will have a presence at every O’Fallon Chamber networking event to actively seek out young professionals to join the chapter, while the Chamber promotes the Jaycees to new members as its Young Professionals program.

The Jaycees meet the third Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m. at varying locations in O’Fallon. For more information on the O’Fallon Jaycees, stop by any of these meetings or contact Nathan Painter at 573-754-0037.

For more information on the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce, please visit www.ofallonchamber.org or call 636-240-1818.

6 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | JULY 2012

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you! I want to send a huge thank you, to all of our sponsors, donors, runners, walkers and volunteers that made this year’s Firecracker Run the most successful ever! Although we are still awaiting the final numbers, it is projected that the run will bring the O’Fallon Chamber over $30,000 in net revenue. It is because of events like this and our upcoming golf tournament that the O’Fallon Chamber has been able to keep our membership dues the same since 2004 while maintaining a strong financial standing and continuing to increase the features and services provided to our members.

Speaking of finances, the O’Fallon Chamber is still working its way to owning a piece of O’Fallon, more specifically, the piece that sits at 2145 Bryan Valley Commercial Drive. We are working to make this the new permanent home of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce. Although this is a big endeavor for our organization, it is the best use of our funds for our current and future needs. Yes, I know what you’re thinking, “Wow Cindy, this is such an important step in the history of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce. I wish there was a way that my company could be a bigger part of it.” Was I right? Was that what you were thinking? If so, you’re in luck! Of course, we want our members to have the opportunity to have a piece of themselves in the new chamber office. Erin and her team are currently working on a couple of Capital Campaign proposals to be presented at our July 17th, Board of Directors meeting, so keep an eye out for more information.

Finally, I’d like to encourage you to utilize the products and services provided by our members so that at our July 24th general membership meeting you can give a big Shout Out! Until next time, Cindy Elking Chairman of the Board

GROWING

CONTINUED FROM COVER PAGE your support, and with that support, continue to be successful. How successful? Well, let’s take a trip down memory road.

At the January general membership meeting we had a packed house of 146 members ready to do business with each other. It is at that meeting that we announced the Escape with Jan’s Travel Give-a-way, and since that announcement our monthly membership meetings are up 29% in attendance over 2011, while our Morning Schmooze is up 40%, and though we didn’t track the numbers last year we are confident that our Business After Hours networking events have also seen an increase in attendance.

With your support, we hosted our most successful Firecracker Run in the 28 years since its inception. This was only possible with the hard work from our committee, staff, all of you who registered, sponsored, volunteered, hung a flyer at your place of business or passed along the information to

your friends. This event brought the Chamber $30,000 in net revenue to continue to fulfill our mission and grow your business.

Have I mentioned we’re growing?

If you are a regular attendee of our monthly membership meetings, this comes as no surprise. The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce works diligently to provide features, services and seminars that are beneficial for our member businesses, employees and the community. Six months into the year we have welcomed 69 new members to our organization and hosted (or as Lee Lauer with Lauer Financial puts it, indoctrinated) nearly half of those folks at a new member orientation to give them tips on getting the greatest return on their investment. Thank you to all of those members, Ambassadors and Board Members who make that monthly event to share your stories of

Chamber-life with our new members.

Finally, the O’Fallon Chamber is taking a big step this year with the purchase of our own building. I would like to thank all of those committee members who looked over dozens of property sheets and have sat through countless meetings to get us this close to ownership.

All that I have mentioned is on top of our Lunch n’ Learn seminars, Legislative Awareness lunches, and Chairman’s Book Club discussions.

As you can tell, the O’Fallon Chamber has been going full speed ahead and now that my 402 words are up, we’ll start is engines back up again.

Yours in service, Erin

4TH ANNUAL SATURDAY JUBILEE FOOD DRIVE

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lease join us for one day, with the purpose of ending hunger at the 4th Annual Saturday Jubilee Food Drive.

The O’Fallon Chamber Ambassadors are gathering a group of people to volunteer on July 28th at the Walmart on Hwy K to ask shoppers to donate food as they shop. There are 2 hour shifts available throughout the day to volunteer.

This is a great volunteer opportunity for chamber members, redidents and their kids to get involved! Be sure to spread the word so that we can help those in our county who need assistance especially through these brutually hot days of summer.

For more information or to sign up, please contact Sara Henderson: sara@ofallonchamber.org, 636-2401818 or visit www.saturdayjubilee.com

JULY 2012 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 7

SISTERS

CONTINUED FROM COVER PAGE and then settling in Germany, where they established their first convent in an old tavern. Threatened by further persecution, nine Sisters boarded a ship bound for the United States in 1870.

After a few years in a temporary home in Illinois, the order came to O’Fallon in 1875—that’s 137 years ago—to a plot of land gifted from Assumption Parish and on which they remain to this day. A chapel, Villa Theresa senior living community, a cemetery, and other operational facilities replace the simple log cabin that initially stood on the land. The buildings that are now O’Fallon City Hall served as St. Charles Community College in its first year, and before that, as St. Mary’s College and Academy.The city once relied on a well dug by the Sisters as their primary water supply.

Most of the nuns who live on the property today are retired, so their focus is prayer and presence in the community. Sisters who are still working are active in all parts of the world: while a majority of those in the States work in the St. Louis area, they are also established in Bolivia, Peru, Finland, Estonia, and Italy, says Wand.

“Their reach stretches far and wide, which is kind of neat, to think that there’s only 142 women but they’re all over,” said Wand.

No matter where they are, the Sisters of the order are united by a common goal.

“Their careism, or what companies would call their mission statement, is reconciliation,” said Wand. “And a lot of times when we say reconciliation, if you’re Catholic you’d think [confession], but reconciliation is really all about building relationships, healing, bringing all kinds of different people to the table, and helping people. That’s kind of their main mission that all of their work comes from.”

This work comes in a variety of forms. Sisters work largely in education, but also in parish ministries, in prison ministries, and with the poor. They sponsor adult day-care centers in St. Louis and are looking to start one in the St. Charles county area. All of these ministries are non-denominational; the religious beliefs of those who the Sisters help is not a concern, said Wand. They have also launched a Partners in Mission program, where over 55 local men and women have committed themselves to the mission of the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, 8 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | JULY 2012

without taking the binding vows that the Sisters do.

One of the ministries for which they are the most renowned is ecclesiastical art, or religious handembroidered vestments and tapestries. The embroidered stole worn by Pope John Paul II during his 1999 visit to St. Louis was a gift from the Sisters of the Most Precious Blood. They began this practice early in their existence as a primary source of income, but continue making religious art for every denomination to this day.

“That’s a true testament to commitment,” said Wand— commitment evident in their dedication to O’Fallon.

“It’s fun to go up and ask some of the older sisters [about the history]; they know when McGurk’s was a small store.

The railroad tracks, a lot of them came here by them,” said Wand. “There’s always just been a great relationship between the people and the businesses of O’Fallon and the sisters. They would never want to lose that or leave that.”

The Sisters have been a part of the community for a long time, and have been members of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce for 24 of those years. Though few would call their work a “business,” Wand says that they are members of the organization for a reason.

“They’ve always been smart businesswomen, and a lot of people don’t think about that. They have to raise money and cultivate funds,” said Wand. “The Chamber of Commerce is a wonderful way to educate more people on the work they do, and also to learn what other businesses are doing …They know the importance of networking and building relationships with the people who are doing good works, and a lot of that is done by the O’Fallon businesses.”

And that, Wand says, is what it all comes down to.

“They are wonderful, smart, intelligent women and they just are really about doing good works.”

28TH ANNUAL FIRECRACKER RUN

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he 28th Annual Firecracker 10K, 5K and 1-mile Fun Run Walk on Monday, July 4th was a huge success! Over 1,100 runners and walkers made this the biggest year ever.

sponsors and those who provided donations! We couldn’t have done it without all of our committee members and volunteers who showed up early and worked hard through 100+ degree temps.

A very special thank you to all of our

Photos and more details will

be posted on the website www. ofallonchamber.org/firecracker, on facebook www.facebook.com/ firecracker run, and in the August eNewsletter.

PRESENTED BY:

tree of

life

community church

#

1 IN PARTS AND SERVICE

Bronze Sponsors: Charter Business | Ameren Missouri | Snap Fitness | Westinn Kennels | Promotions Pronto O’Fallon Family YMCA | Iverson-Tomasino-Goers Eyecare | Assisted Living at the Meadowlands Donley Services | Community News | City of O’Fallon | Ultimate Fitness Plus for Women | PNC Bank Bank of Old Monroe | Training Effect | The Tan Company | WingHaven Orthodontics | Syndicated Solar Any Lab Test Now | BMG Signs | Westinn Kennels | DeCarlo’s Bar | Llywelyn’s Pub | River City Rascals Bank of Old Monroe | Vantage Credit Union | Absolute Comfort Systems

JULY 2012 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 9

NEW MEMBERS

A VERY SPECIAL WELCOME! Any Lab Test Now Healthcare Services 2967 Hwy K O’Fallon, Mo 63368 636-294-5290 www.anylabtestnow.com/o_fallon Brinkley Elite Painting Painter 2407 Golden Bear Way Wentzville, MO 63385 314-616-7411 www.brinkleyelitepainting.com Country Side Carpets Flooring America Flooring 1305 Tom Ginnever O’Fallon MO 63366 636-978-6466 faodmo.com Duke Partners Financial Services 400 Chesterfield Center, Suite 412 Chesterfield, MO 63017 636-898-0060

Jimmy John’s Restaurants 981 Waterbury Falls Dr O’Fallon, MO 63368 636-329-1899

Pulte Group - Centex Homes Realtors/Real Estate 38 Brushy Brook Ct O’Fallon, MO 63366 314-636-3240

Jo Jo’z Frozen Yogurt Restaurants 21 Beckewith Trail O’Fallon, MO 63368 636-699-7887

The Crack Medic Waterproofing 723 Hyde Drive O’Fallon, MO 63366 636-466-2409 www.abhsolutions.com

Lifepoint Church Church 2822 Bromley Dr O’Fallon, MO 63368 636-578-4328 www.thelifepointconnection.com

Thomasville Furniture Furniture 200 Megan Ave O’Fallon, MO 63366 636-256-1023 www.thomasville.com

Mid Rivers Promos Promotional Products 2019 Willowshade Court St. Peters, MO 63376 636-439-2300 www.midriverspromos.com

Verizon Wireless Telecommunications Services 1318 Hwy K O’Fallon, MO 63366 636-272-4830

MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES THANK YOU!

Congratulations and thank you to the following companies who as of June 2012 have been O’Fallon Chamber members for...

23 Years Coldwell Banker Gundaker 22 Years Mick’s Exterminating 19 Years Frontier Integrated Health Center 17 Years Century Link 15 Years Economic Development

Center of St. Charles Co. 12 Years Bob Evans Restaurant 11 Years Delmar Gardens of O’Fallon

6 Years Midwest Agency Chiropractic Wellness Connection 5 Years Old Hickory Golf Club

9 Years Pulaski Bank

3 Years Stifel Nicolaus Legacy Plumbing Inc. Element Church

8 Years Public Water Supply District No. 2

2 Years Whitmoor Country Club Back Pain Center

10 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | JULY 2012

Alpha Real Estate Group 1 Year Visiting Angels Super Smokers BBQ Quality Roofing and Contracting Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt Digital Security Corporation David Schmidt, Attorney at Law Cornerstone Financial Group Amante Jewelers

CHAMBER CALENDAR JULY 2012 Monday, July 9 O’Fallon Elite Webster University in Winghaven 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Tuesday, July 10 Ambassador Meeting Christian High School 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM Business After Hours Christian High School 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Wednesday, July 11 Lunch ‘n’ Learn - Keep Your Brain Healthy Webster University in WingHaven 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Masters of Business “MOB” Christian High School Annex 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Ribbon Cutting Any Lab Test Now 3:30 PM Thursday, July 12 Leads to Success The Falls Golf Club 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM New Member Orientation Chamber Office 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM Tuesday, July 17 Board of Directors Meeting Chamber Office 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Thursday, July 19 Tech/Comm Meeting Spencer Library 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM O’Fallon Jaycees JJ’s Restaurant 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Friday, July 20 Legislative Awareness Committee Rendezvous Cafe 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Thursday, August 2 New Member Orientation Chamber Office 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Monday, July 23 O’Fallon Elite Webster University in Winghaven 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Monday, August 6 Book Club Deer Run Library 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Tuesday, July 24 General Membership Luncheon Elks Lodge 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Wednesday, July 25 Masters of Business “MOB” Christian High School Annex 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM Thursday, July 26 Leads to Success The Falls Golf Club

JULY 2012 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 11

2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. | O’Fallon, MO 63366 (636) 379-1775 | www.mycnews.com

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT HEATHER DEATZ How long have you been in the O’Fallon area?

I have lived in O’Fallon for 19 years!

Tell us about your family.

I have two wonderful boys, Kyle and Cameron. They keep me busy!

What is your educational background?

I attended the University of Missouri Columbia and received a BSBA with emphasis in Human Resource Management (Cum Laude) Tell us about your organization.

Community News has brought ‘good news’ to the community for more than 90 years! I have been a part of this great company for more than 6 years. We are proud to publish information on non-profits, events happening in the area, important information for families and businesses, plus fun lifestyle information. We are available in over 600 newsstands and cover all of St. Charles County and North County.

readers. From valuable information to events, from recipes to puzzles and Classifieds, we are unlike any other publication in the St. Louis metropolitan area.

How has that mission changed over the years that you have been in business?

Happily, no. Our focus has been, and remains, providing quality content for our readers, and an affordable means of marketing for our advertisers. What has changed, however, is our Internet paper.

Unlike most online publications, Community News is in PDF format, and the ads are hyper-linked. You read the paper online as you would if you picked it up in a newsstand. Our 16,000 subscribers (it’s free!) receive the publications in their email each week.

What is the mission/vision of your organization?

Community News’ niche is providing a one-stop ‘good news’ shop for our 12 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | JULY 2012

.. . e p a c Es

ravel with Tders/Jan’s a Le se & Crui Travel

Giveaway!

What do you do to serve your clients best?

Personal attention! We are not out to sell a one-time special, or offer super low advertising rates for “this week only,” or “in a special issue.” Advertising means building a relationship with our readers, and in order to do that, I have to build a relationship with our advertisers.

What are you most looking forward to in the next 5 years for the company?

Continued growth, both in print and online. We have positioned ourselves well over the past few years, and are confident Community News is just as popular with advertisers as it is with our readers.

91 years and counting!

Now, there is an even better reason to attend O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce events!

Throughout 2012 each time you attend a General Membership Meeting, Business After Hours or Morning Schmooze, your name will be entered into a drawing. The winning vacation recipient will be drawn at the Annual Awards luncheon held on December 18th, 2012.

MEMBER MENTIONS NEWS FROM OUR MEMBERS

Keep up to date with news, sales, events and more from your fellow members. Contact Sara at sara@ofallonchamber.org to submit your information for future newsletters. Check out www.ofallonchamber.org for more member news and events.

Back-to-School Trunk Show Family Eyewear Gallery will be hosting their annual Back-to-School Trunk Show on Friday, July 20th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For one day only, most of our frame selection will be 50% when purchasing a complete pair of eyeglasses or sunglasses. The frame sale can be combined with your insurance benefits on the lenses to maximize savings!

This sale only happens once per year so make sure you have an updated eyeglass prescription. You can schedule an exam with Dr. Lin or bring in a prescription from your own doctor.

Visit www.FamilyEyewearGallery.com for more details or for an appointment.

Bloode Drive at SunRse Church Blood drive to be held on Monday, July 9th from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm at SunRise United Methodist Church. Located at 7116 Twin Chimneys Boulevard in O’Fallon the drive will be in the main lobby. Each donor will be entered for a chance to win a $100 gas card. For more information please contact Rick Oliver at 636-219-9949 or go online to www.bloodcenterIMPACT.org. Use sponsor code 9256. Tips: Last date to donate elsewhere is 5/14/2012. Eat before donating. Hydrate well. Bring photo ID.

Growing your Business one door at a time…

Are you ready to save money and expand your business?

The Bag Ladies can help get your name distributed by walking to 500 homes each week in the Ofallon/LSL/ DP areas for as little as $25 per week.

For the past 8 years we have promoted local businesses and would like the opportunity to grow your company one door at a time.

For more information and a calendar of areas to be delivered contact The Bag Ladies-- Barb-- 636.734.6487

GOING GREEN: LOCAL BUSINESS GETS NATIONAL ATTENTION The Green Star Service Facility Award is only given to auto shops who go out of their way to help prevent pollution and conserve our natural resources.

Only three auto centers in the nation are given this award annually. Local business Autotech Auto Center, located in O’Fallon MO, is one of those three auto centers, chosen for 2012.

The owners, Barb and Greg Kinder, take the problem of pollution very seriously.

They have gone green and made

their shop environmentally friendly. To become a Green Star Service facility the auto shop must go through an intensive application process and be evaluated by a special committee.

Barb and Greg Kinder were honored to receive this national award at the ASA Vision banquet. They received this award in March of 2012. Being only one of three auto centers to receive the Green Star Service Facility award shows just how much Barb and Greg care about the environment. They have risen above the call of a typical auto shop to help out the community and the environment.

Autotech Auto Center is also AAA approved and carries the ASE Blue Seal of Excellence Shop designation.

Autotech Auto Center provides exceptional auto care to all of their customers. Their motto “Today’s Technology with Yesterday’s Service” is what can be expected from their work.

Autotech Auto Center was started in 1993 but moved to O’Fallon Missouri in 2001.

Interested in Advertising in the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce

BUSINESS CONNECTION? Call 636.240.1818 or email sara@ofallonchamber.org JULY 2012 | BUSINESS CONNECTION | 13