Business Connections, October 2022

The Shelby County Chamber

Chelsea Business Alliance Luncheon – October 5

October 5 Luncheon

by

Business Alliance (CBA) will

annual “State of the City” pre

by Mayor Tony Picklesimer. The

is from 11:30AM – 1:00PM at the Chelsea Community Center. Cost to attend

$15 per person For CBA mem bers

for all others. To assist with proper planning & catering, reservations

requested by no later than October 4.

register, or for mor information, please

Kirk Mancer at kirk@shelbycham ber.org .

October Chamber Connections Luncheon

us for the October Chamber Connections Luncheon, scheduled for October 6 featuring the Tourism and Recreation All Star Awards featuring comments from Joe Romano, Executive Vice President & COO of VenuWorks.

event will be held in the Grand Hall at Old Mill Square, 104 West Col lege Street, Columbiana, AL 35051.

required and pre-payment to assist in preparation by noon, Tuesday,

4th.

Investors $20 and future investors $30.

Chamber Work Groups Starting To Plan for 2023 Program Year

As the final year of your Chamber’s fiveyear Strategic Plan comes to an end, the Chamber’s Work Groups are beginning the process of planning for the 2023 Chamber program of work. If you’ve ever wanted to be involved in that process, we hope you’ll con sider serving on one of the Chamber’s Work Groups. The following is a list of Work Groups along with a brief description of each. Join ing a Work Group is an easy process – simply contact the Chamber at 663-4542 and let us know! You will then be contacted by the ap propriate Chamber Staff member.

AMBASSADORS GROUP

Serve as goodwill ambassadors between the Chamber and new or relocated business es. Assists with Chamber events, programs, ribbon-cuttings, ground-breakings and other investor outreach efforts as needed. There is an additional expense for serving on this group which covers monthly lunches and other materials. Meets 1st Tuesday of each month @ 11:30AM @ the Chamber

CAREER READINESS / EXISTING BUSI NESS & INDUSTRY GROUP

Promote importance of career devel opment and the promotion of a qualified workforce for Shelby County. Organize the

following programs: “Keeping It Real” , “Communication Matters”, the annual “Stu dent & Teacher of the Year Awards” which recognizes excellence in our classrooms and more, Industry tours and the annual Industry Appreciation event. Meets 1st Wednesday of each month @ 8:30AM at the Chamber

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS GROUP

Serve as the liaison between our elected officials at the local, state and federal levels and our membership, regarding business/ commerce specific issues. Coordinate de velopment of the Chamber’s annual Public Policy Agenda as well as Montgomery DriveIn and other events. Meets 2nd Thursday of each month @ 8:30AM @ Sain Associates

HEALTH SERVICES GROUP

Promote the importance of good health, wellness and education for Shelby County businesses. Coordinate the “Health Focus of the Month” in the Chamber newsletter, sem inars on health-related topics and a “Healthy Lifestyles Expo”. Meets 2nd Friday of each month @ 8:30AM @ the Chamber

SMALL BUSINESS GROUP

Promote the economic success of small businesses through a variety of events, semi

nars and workshops. Organize annual “Small Business Celebration” activities. Meets 1st Wednesday of each month @ 4:00PM @ the Chamber

TOURISM & RECREATION GROUP

Serve as the liaison between all sectors of Shelby County’s tourism and recreation indus try. Provide assistance in promotion and de velopment of tourism-related events and rec reational activities throughout Shelby County. Encourage the use of Shelby County hotels, campgrounds, parks, bed & breakfasts and other participating lodging facilities during our visitors’ stay in our communities. Meets 2nd Tuesday of each month @ 11:00AM via Zoom

WOMEN’S BUSINESS COUNCIL

Support and to help advocate an environ ment for business women to connect and build relationships focusing on professional development and growth with businesses, and with community leaders. We strive to provide programming for women in busi ness to meet and discuss issues that impact their professional development and growth. Encourage business and social networking. Meets 2nd Wednesday of each month from 11:30AM-1:00PM @ various locations

October Community Luncheon To Feature “State of the County” Presentation

The Chamber’s October “Community Lun cheon” hosted by the Governmental Affairs Work Group will feature a “State of the Coun ty” presentation on October 26.

The meeting, presented by Express Employ ment Professionals, will be held at the Pelham Civic Complex & Ice Arena. Doors will open at 11:00AM for business networking. The program will begin promptly at 11:30AM.

In addition to the great business network ing, we’ll also hear from Shelby County Manag er, Chad Scroggins on the progress made last

year and what’s in store for Shelby County in 2023.

The cost is $20 per person for Chamber inves tors and $30 per person for “Future” investors and includes lunch. For more information, or to make a reservation, please contact the Chamber by telephone at 205-663-4542 or register online at shelbychamber.org.

Ambassador of the Month

Melissa Dixon is the co-owner of CDI Janitorial with her hus band Charles, who started the company over 36 years ago. CDI specializes in commercial janitori al and floor maintenance. She is a retired English and journalism teacher who spent 25 years in Shelby County classrooms, and retired four years ago to work with her husband serving Shelby, Jefferson, and Tuscaloosa Coun ties and downtown Birmingham.

In 2021, the Shelby County Chamber awarded CDI “Small Business of the Year.”

Melissa serves on the Cham ber’s board of directors, the Women’s Business Council, the

Ambassadors, and the Career Readiness Group.

In her spare time, she volun teers with Grace Klein and Hand In Paw.

D o n’ t

u s t d

i t

ow n i t

Find

2022 TSCC Officers and Board of Directors

(as of 7/22/2022)

OFFICERS

(EXECUTIVE

COMMITTEE)

Chamber Chair

Brian Massey

Ascension St. Vincent’s

Chair-Elect Mechelle Wilder ARC Realty

Vice Chair, Business Development & Support Kelly Thrasher Fox Hand Arendall, Harrison, Sale LLC

Vice Chair, Communications & Marketing Lee Dorrill Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama

Vice Chair, Community & Career Development Kevin Morris America’s First Federal Credit Union

Vice Chair, Finance & Administration April Harry Warren, Averett, LLC

Vice Chair, Governmental Affairs Mike Swinson Spire Alabama, Inc.

Vice Chair, Investor Relations VACANT

Vice Chair, Tourism & Recreation

John Collier Progress Bank

Immediate Past Chair

Chris Grace Barge Design Solutions, Inc

DIRECTORS

Rux Bentley Rux Carter Insurance

Keith Brown Jefferson State Community College

Laura Clarke SYNOVUS

Jeff Purvis A. C. Legg, Inc.

Guy Locker SouthWest Water Company

Amiee Mellon University of Montevallo

Melissa Dixon Charles Dixon Industries

Alec Etheridge Shelby County Newspapers, Inc.

Khiari McAlpin Vinehouse Nursery

Maurice Mercer KATs Delivery

William Norwood PNC

Benji Sawyer Sawyer Solutions, LLC

Kyle Mims

Edward Jones Investments

– Kyle Mims Agency

Steven Smith

Specification Rubber Products Melinda Bennett Shelby Emergency Assistance Traci Fox T Fox SalonSpa

Kimberly L. Jackson Alabama Power Company

Chad Scroggins

Shelby County

Gretchen DiFante City of Pelham

Meribeth Gilbert McLeod Software

Bruce Gouin Express Employment Professionals

Keith Richards

Taziki’s Mediterranean Café

Chris Stricklin Dunn Companies

VACANT

The Hon. Brian Puckett Ex-Officio, SCMA City of Helena

Amy Sturdivant (Ex-Officio) 58 INC

Your

at

Find Us Online

“How to Grow A Successful Business Featuring a Panel of Successful Business People”

On Thursday, Nov. 3, a panel of successful entrepreneurs and small business owners including Cindy Martin, Founder & Presi dent of digital brands Bham Now / Hville Blast & The Bama Buzz; Kimberly Meadows-Clark, Sports & Social Entrepreneur; Glenn S. Phillips, CEO, Lake Homes Realty / LakeHomes.com; Matt Pierce,

Founder & CEO, Immediate; and Dr. Tomeka Roberts, physician, entrepreneur and founder of Not on Our Watch and Dr. Roberts Clinical Feminine Care. The panel will share tips for how to start and grow a successful business. Top ics discussed will be:

u Marketing & selling your idea / product

u Finding funding

u Finding people

u Finding mentors …and much, much more!

The workshop, facilitated by Michael Smith, The Shelby County Chamber’s Entrepre

neur-in-Residence, will be held at the Chamber (1301 County Ser vices Drive).

The last two programs sold out, so don’t delay in registering for this worthwhile program. The cost is $10 per person for Cham ber investors and $20 per person for “Future” investors.

Join the Chamber for “CoffeeNET” hosted by T-Mobile - Chelsea

Be sure to mark your calendar for Thursday, October 13 and join The Shelby County Chamber for a CoffeeNET event hosted by T-Mo bile - Chelsea from 8:30AM until 9:30AM. The morning meeting is designed for investors to enjoy networking, coffee and light re

freshments -- all before heading to the office.

CoffeeNET events, Co-Spon sored by Shelby County Report er and Cahaba Valley Computer Services, are a great way to make new business contacts so bring plenty of business cards. There is

no cost to attend however reserva tions are requested by NOON on Wednesday, October 12 to assist in preparation.

Please contact The Shelby County Chamber by phone at 205663-4542 or register at jordan@ shelbychamber.org.

Promoting Your Business in 2023

As you’re planning your orga nization’s promotional budget for 2023, don’t forget the cost-effec tive opportunities available through sponsorships of Chamber events.

With a variety of program options, there is a way to promote and mar ket your business to fellow business owners and decision-makers. Those options include monthly luncheons,

business networking programs (e.g. CoffeeNET, Business After Hours, NETWORK280) workshops and seminars…and much, much more. For a complete list of sponsorship

opportunities available – and the investment -- please contact any member of the Chamber staff by calling 205-663-4542 or by email at info@shelbychamber.org.