FALL 2017
TRACKS
Supporting the business community of the greater Truckee area A Publication of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce
Introducing Business Speaks! Communication Areas
B
usiness Speaks! is a new economic development initiative under the umbrella of Truckee Tomorrow led by the Truckee Chamber of Commerce. Challenge: Our business community faces a dynamic and interdependent set of region-wide issues that are larger than one or a few businesses can solve alone. Some of these are economic challenges, recruitment and retention of employees, the need for a thriving middle class, living wages, and affordable housing. Are these the real problems facing our business community? If so, which issues should our business community focus on solving first? Additionally, businesses in different areas of Truckee have their own unique and individual challenges. How can we help address those? Solution: The Truckee Chamber plans to deepen our communication with the entire Truckee business community by creating a structure comprised of 11 business communication areas known as
Inside Tracks 1 Truckee Destination Marketing Update 5 New Truckee Chamber of Commerce Website Launched 8 Knowledge Bites – SEO Tactics for Local Businesses – Nov. 16 9 What Members Are Saying About Truckee.com!
“Business Speaks” bringing together vested business owners and their representatives. We will facilitate a grassroots process that will allow businesses to identify and solve problems. By creating “Business Speaks” communication areas, we can identify not only regional issues, but also the unique needs of businesses in specific areas of Truckee. We become an inclusive and comprehensive business community network. Participant Details: All businesses are encouraged to attend your Business Speaks! Communication Area meeting.
Meetings are inclusive, you don’t need to be a Chamber member to attend, and will be focused, identifying area issues Meetings will be held quarterly. Each Business Speaks! Communication Area will have an “Area Lead” that has received high level facilitation training Meetings will be facilitated by these Area Leads, in addition to one of the Chamber Board’s volunteers on the project. Meetings will provide an opportunity for businesses in their immediate area to come together and work toward creating solutions to challenges. Each meeting will end with prioritized recommendations and action! Watch your Big Life Weekly e-newsletter for more information on dates, times and locations of YOUR Business Speaks! Communication Area meetings starting after the first of the year. READ ABOUT MORE BUSINESS SPEAKS! P. 14
Chamber Annual Awards Dinner October 20th ADVENTURE AWAITS
A
big life can often be found in little things… in every breathtaking sunrise, glorious blue sky day, and colorful sunset we find inspiration. It’s moments like this that fill our soul and make us thankful for the big life we have in Truckee. To many a base camp is where you claim your space, stake your tent, make your life. Why do you choose Truckee as your Base Camp for a Big Life? While there are similarities to our stories, there are just as many answers as unique and individual as each one of us.
T] U O D L [S O
Adventure Awaits at the Truckee Chamber’s 64th Annual Awards Dinner & Auction as we celebrate making Truckee our Base Camp for a Big Life. Join us for the one night when the business community comes together to celebrate Truckee…. honor and recognize individuals and businesses that are living the big life and making significant contributions to continue taking Truckee to new heights. Check the full list of nominees by visiting TruckeeAwards.com. READ ABOUT MORE ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER P. 13
MEET NEW MEMBERS Our mission is to promote and develop local business and tourism, while improving the community's quality of life.
2017-18 Board of Directors Pam Hobday, Chair Pamela Hurt Associates Kelly Rodriquez, Past Chair Northstar California™ John Manocchio, Chair-Elect Waddell & Reed Tonya Beyer W&T Graphix Christy Curtis Coldwell Banker Tally Meek Sierra Insurance Associates Ted Owens Tahoe Forest Health System
These businesses have recently made a commitment to our community and an investment in their future by joining the Truckee Chamber of Commerce. We encourage all our readers to do business with these new member businesses.
Dancing Pines
Dancing Pines is among Truckee Tahoe's most unique outdoor wedding venues. The secluded twenty-acre property sits on the banks of the Little Truckee River and can host up to 150 guests. Full-day site rentals allow clients to enjoy the property throughout the day and at their convenience. The site's simplicity and focus on the natural surroundings provide clients complete creative freedom to achieve their vision. Wedding packages range from a basic site rental to an all-inclusive package with custom options available. Discounts are also available for wedding parties smaller than 50 people.
Dancing Pines is not only a beautiful venue for weddings, but clients can host private retreats and partake in their summer Yoga by the River series. Dancing Pines is a private residence and is only available to tour by appointment. The property is currently booked for 2018. To inquiry about 2019 weddings and events, or to set up a tour, visit their website at dancingpinesevents.com.
McDonald Carano LLP
McDonald Carano LLP is pleased to welcome Truckee resident Brian Schusterman as a Partner to the firm. Brian has assisted Nevada and Northern California individuals and READ ABOUT MORE NEW MEMBERS P. 16
Lisa Toutant ELTE Inc. Kelly Wallis Atelier
Professional Advisor Ravn Whitington Porter Simon
Chamber Staff Lynn Saunders President/CEO Colleen Dalton Brand Communications Director Ruth Geresy Director of Operations Manager, California Welcome Center Megan Hines Membership Services Manager
California Welcome Center Concierge Staff Marilyn Colquhoun Carla Embertson Victoria Myer Karen Snyder
TRUCKEE TRACKS
is the quarterly publication of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber reserves the right to edit submissions as necessary for space requirements. Send comments or submissions to info@truckee.com.
Truckee Chamber of Commerce 10065 Donner Pass Road | Truckee, CA 96161 530-587-8808 | 530-587-2439 (fax) info@truckee.com truckee.com
2 TRUCKEE TRACKS | Fall 2017
CHAMBER CALENDAR
Aimee Schaller Tri Counties Bank
OCTOBER Ambassador Committee TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3 | 11:30AM Location Moody’s TTBID Meeting WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 | 12:00 NOON PropertyRadar Good Morning Truckee TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 | 7:00-8:30AM Truckee Tahoe Airport Mixer TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 | 5:00-7:00PM Clair Tappaan Lodge Annual Awards Dinner FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20 | 5:00PM The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Membership 101 WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25 | 8:00-9:00AM California Welcome Center North Lake Tahoe Truckee Leadership Program – Recruitment Breakfast THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26 | 8:30AM Spindleshanks
Good Morning Truckee TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14 | 7:00-8:30AM Truckee Tahoe Airport Knowledge Bites THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16 | 8:00-10:30AM Truckee Tahoe Airport Board Meeting TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 | 2:30PM Truckee Town Hall Membership 101 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 29 | 8:00-9:00AM California Welcome Center Mixer DATE TBD | 5:00-7:00PM Northstar California, Tavern 6330’
DECEMBER Mixer SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 | 5:00-7:00PM Toys For Tots Collection, Zano’s Family Italian & Pizzeria TTBID Meeting WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 6 | 12:00 NOON PropertyRadar
NOVEMBER TTBID Meeting WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 | 12:00 NOON PropertyRadar Ambassador Committee TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 7 | 11:30AM Location TBD
Board Meetings As a member of the Chamber of Commerce, you are encouraged to attend board meetings. Get involved in the leadership of our organization, offer your input, and let your directors know of your concerns, opinions, and ideas. Any business you wish to present to the board must be placed on the agenda by notifying the President / CEO ten (10) days prior to the meeting. Board meetings are held as noted in the Chamber Calendar. Agendas are available one week prior to the meeting and can be sent to you upon request.
Truckee.com
MIXERS!
Good food, good people, great raffle prizes. Bring your business card. See you there.
MIXER
Tuesday, October 10 | 5–7PM HOSTED BY: Clair Tappaan Lodge
WHERE: 19940 Donner Pass Road, Norden
November TBD | 5–7PM
HOSTED BY: Northstar California, Tavern 6330’
(Canned Food Collection Party) WHERE: 5001 Northstar Drive, Northstar Village Joint Mixer with the North Lake Tahoe Chamber
Sunday, December 10 | 5–7PM HOSTED BY: Zano’s Family Italian & Pizzeria
Toys For Tots Collection Party WHERE: 11401 Donner Pass Road
MEMBER RENEWALS
October 10 Mixer — Clair Tappaan Lodge: Nestled in the woods on historic Donner Pass, Clair Tappaan Lodge offers a rustic mountain retreat for snow enthusiasts and summer adventurers alike. Take a little time after a day of work and head up Hwy. 40 to spend some time getting to know them – food and friendship are at the core of the Clair Tappaan Lodge.
from 7/1/2017 to 9/25/17
Thank you to the following members for renewing their commitment to the local economy and business community with their investment in the Chamber.
40+Years
Donner Lake Realty Law Offices of Michael E. Graham Porter Simon, Professional Corporation TIP Inc. Printing and Graphics
30+Years
Best Western Plus TruckeeTahoe Hotel Coachland RV Park Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Inn at Truckee Loch Leven Lodge McCarthy Sign Company McClintock Accountancy Corp. McDonalds Corp. Mountain Hardware & Sports Northstar California Resort Sierra Sun The Truckee Hotel Truckee Donner Public Utility District Truckee Tahoe Airport District Truckee Tahoe Medical Group Truckee Variety Truckee-Tahoe Lumber Co.
25+Year AC Electric Paco's Truckee Bike & Ski Sitkoff/O'Neil Accountancy Tahoe Dave's Skis & Boards Tahoe Sierra Board of Realtors The Sign Shop Truckee Donner Land Trust Ward Young Architecture & Planning
15+Years
1882 Bar & Grill at River Street Inn Aegis Insurance Markets Airport Self Storage Truckee.com
All Mountain Civil Engineering AWAXX Systems, Inc. Bassett Flooring Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe Cabona's Castle Peak Vacation Rentals Chase International Cooking Gallery Elements Mountain Co. GLA Morris Construction Holdrege & Kull Humane Society of Truckee Tahoe JoAnne's Stained Glass & Gallery KidZone Museum Lahontan Community Association Lahontan Golf Club Leslie Joseph DDS LPL Financial Moody's Bistro, Bar & Beats OLAB Placer Title Company Plumas Bank PlumpJack Squaw Valley Inn Project MANA Real Graphic Source Sierra Insurance Associates, Inc. Sierra Senior Services Sierra Window Coverings Stoel Rives LLP Tahoe SAFE Alliance Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Tahoe Truckee Sierra Disposal The Rock Garden Truckee Donner Historical Society & Museum Truckee Donner Lodge Truckee Donner Railroad Society & Museum Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association Truckee Optimist Club Truckee Pines Apartments
Truckee River Watershed Council Truckee Toastmasters W&T Graphix Screen Printing & Embroidery Wells Fargo Bank
10+Year
AAA Northern California, Nevada and Utah Andregg Geomatics Aspen Leaf Interiors Autoglass Express Truckee CDM Smith, Inc Clair Tappaan Lodge Coldwell Banker - Christy Curtis Construction and General Laborers' Local 185 Dickson Realty Truckee Tahoe FiftyFifty Brewing Co. For Goodness Sake Granite Peak Management JD HOSS Hardwood and Carpet Law Office of Alison Bermant Law Offices of Jude M. Koenig Mt. Lincoln Construction Schaffer's Mill Golf & Lake Club Sharp Real Estate Team Sierra Sotheby's International Realty Sierra State Parks Foundation Soroptimist International of Truckee Donner Squaw Valley Institute Tahoe Adventure Company, LLC Tahoe Mountain Lodging Tahoe Truckee Excellence in Education Foundation Truckee Physical Therapy TW Electric Tyson S. Lechner, DDS Wells Fargo Advisors
5+Years
AFLAC Arts For The Schools
Bespoke Canyon Springs of Truckee Certified Folder Display Service Costco Wholesale Sparks Crux Events, LLC Friends of Truckee Library Full Belly Deli Grateful Gardens High Fives Foundation Lake Tahoe Paddleboard Association LP Insurance Mountain High BNI North Tahoe Arts North Tahoe Commercial NSM Corporation Peak Landscape Inc. Sierra Nevada College Ski Butlers Tahoe Donner - Pizza on the Hill Restaurant Tahoe Donner - The Lodge Restaurant & Pub Tahoe Truckee Unified School District Trails & Vistas Truckee Hometown SEARS Store Truckee River United FC Truckee Tahoe Community Chorus Truckee Tahoe Mortuary
2+Years
bigtruck brand Bike Truckee Chef Ron Allen Dark Horse Coffee Roasters District Attorney, Nevada County Gerald Herrick Hy-Tech Auto and Smog JL's Smoke Shop John C Manocchio, CRPC®Waddell & Reed, Inc. Kynbo Lake Tahoe Music Festival Marg's Taco Bistro
Meng Construction Mi Pueblito Market North Tahoe Dental - Jason Fligor DDS Pacific Union Real Estate Panda Pest Management Pioneer Commerce Center Save Mart Streets of Truckee - Richard Blair Tom Beebe Fine Woodworking & Craft School Truckee Community Theater Truckee Sanitary District Truckee Tahoe BNI Yoga Studio Tahoe
1+Years
A A Keith's Painting Business & Career Network Alliance for Workforce Development, Inc. Cycle Paths Bike Shop edible Reno-Tahoe Magazine Engel & Völkers Truckee Front Street Station Pizza Gold Miners Inn High Sierra Natural Medicine Images by Doug Jones InMotion Heating And Plumbing Motosport Express Truckee O'Dette Mortgage Group Pacific North Helicopters R.L. Milsner Insurance Simply Worded Tahoe City Public Utility District Tahoe Peaks Athletic Club Tahoe Truckee Vacation Properties The Law Offices of Jo Ann Woodsum The Paper Trail Secretarial & Business Solutions Totally Board TrailRunner International Truckee River Homes
Fall 2017 | TRUCKEE TRACKS 3
Truckee Destination Marketing Update Truckee.com As we celebrate one year since the new Truckee.com website launched, we see tremendous growth. Comparing summer 2016 (old website) to summer 2017 (new website), users increased by 3.8X (19K to 75K). Chamber Members continue to benefit with increasing counts of users visiting their business page. Visit Truckee E-Newsletter With TTBID’s focused funding on driving overnight visitation, we have now sent 8 of the new Visit Truckee E-newsletters yielding 15,009 total opens. The winter vacation giveaway contest (see page 5) will run until December 15, as we continue to focus on increasing our subscriber base. Truckee Brand After eight months of effort and partnership with Town of Truckee, Truckee Arts Alliance and
Truckee Public Art Commission, we are so proud to confirm Truckee has won a California Cultural District designation. This is a huge achievement for our art community and for our town. Visit TruckeeCulturalDistrict.com. State brochures are available at the California Welcome Center while we embark upon our own for Truckee. Truckee Social Media With TTBID’s strategic objective to invest in Truckee’s customer database growth, Truckee's social media Followers have exploded to 34,983 as of September 30, 2017 a 149% increase over this time last year. Reaching an earned customer following versus paid advertising is an investment for years to come.
READ ABOUT MORE DESTINATION MARKETING P. 5
DASHBOARD Q1
YOY
Visit Truckee E-Newsletter
Q2
Q3
(Jan-Feb-Mar) 2017
Q4
(July-Aug-Sept) 2017
% Change
(Oct-Nov-Dec) 2016
(Apr-May-June) 2017
117,000 75,000 233,398
+380% +287% +353%
37,627 21,396 78,706
49,007 31,257 96,718
79,728 49,886 158,083
10,407 2,683
— —
— —
4,637 2,478
7,525 2,559
34,983 622,683 371,784
+149% +151% +121%
21,219 839,200 853,247
23,692 952,334 939,473
29,540 2,313,357 2,229,324
1,138 65,120 43,495
+39% -25% +22%
1,002 146,900 82,108
1,065 188,000 110,100
1,094 106,485 61,295
Chamber Memberships Membership 101 Attendees Good Morning Truckee Attendees Knowledge Bites Attendees
640 22 222 —
-2% -21% +9% —
657 19 136 10
665 12 174 34
652 27 155 45
Chamber Business Metrics Phone Calls Received Written Requests
1,155 542
-53% -37%
2,199 370
2,442 430
3,037 303
73,760
+7%
48,744
39,932
57,727
DIGITAL MARKETING METRICS Truckee.com Sessions Users Page Views Email Marketing Visit Truckee E-Newsletter (Recipients) Big Life Weekly E-Newsletter (Recipients) Visit Truckee - Social Media Followers/Fans Impressions Reach Truckee Chamber - Social Media Following/Fans Impressions Reach CHAMBER METRICS
CALIFORNIA WELCOME CENTER METRICS Visitors
Definition of Terms available at Truckee.com/mediakit. YOY means year-over-year percent change (up or down).
4 TRUCKEE TRACKS | Fall 2017
Truckee.com
Destination Marketing continued from page 4
PR & Editorial Outreach We wrapped up the fiscal year 16-17 (July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017) with $2,058,000 in media value for articles that ran in major publications from the New York Times, to San Francisco Chronicle, LA Times and more. The annual Golf FAM alone reached a 30.5 million audience per Weidinger PR. Chamber members are our priority when we talk to highly valuable publications and websites. To learn more about the dashboard metrics and advertising opportunities to reach targeted audiences through the Truckee website, social and email channels, please contact Colleen Dalton - Brand Communications Director, colleen@truckee.com or 530-412-7090.
Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District (TTBID) Update The Truckee Tourism Business Improvement District (TTBID) completed fiscal year 16-17 with strong results. Nearly $53K was awarded in grants for Truckee events in the shoulder seasons, including the Truckee Marathon and Art & Soul. Large, new “signature” events are on the horizon to be announced soon. Key results as of June 30, 2017 include the new Visit Truckee E-Newsletter list increased from 1.5 to 5K, and there were 4.8Mil advertising impressions driving 60K leads (clicks) to Truckee.com events, lodging, 3rd party articles (i.e. The New York Times) or blogs about Truckee. Social Media followers for Truckee increased from 14K to 29K. Media value for all PR exposure (SF Chronicle, LA Times, etc.) reached $2.5Mil. TTBID’s goals for fiscal year 17-18 are to stay the course, while also exploring venue
development and improvements in partnership with Town and the Truckee Recreation and Parks District, in addition to communication (i.e. newsletters and direct mail) with all citizens and assessed properties about TTBID’s progress and benefits to the community. The Truckee Chamber of Commerce serves as TTBID’s Owner’s Association and is responsible for the facilitation, implementation of committee decisions, and managing funds per the Management District Plan (MDP). TTBID meetings are open to the public. Contact information, agendas and supporting documents are posted on Truckee.com/TTBID. For more information about TTBID, contact Colleen Dalton at Colleen@Truckee.com.
New Truckee Chamber of Commerce Website Launched We have officially launched the new Chamber website, visit TruckeeChamber.com and you’ll see a user-friendly portal full of valuable Member information including how to market and grow your business, meet new members, attend events and programs. Questions? Contact Megan Hines, Membership Services Manager at megan@truckee.com.
Winter Vacation Giveaway Truckee.com
Fall 2017 | TRUCKEE TRACKS 5
GOOD MORNING TRUCKEE October 10, 2017 Good Morning Truckee to Hear About Employee Owned Businesses and B Corps Most people in Truckee know Mountain Hardware & Sports is Employee Owned – Local People, Local Business. But what does that mean? An ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) is dedicated to the community in which they live. It provides business succession opportunities and options. They not only benefit business owners and their associates, but they also invest in the local workforce and in the community. Speaking on the topic will be Anthony Mathews, the director of the Beyster Institute/California Center for Employee Ownership at the Rady School of Management, UC San Diego. Tony has a 30year-long career as one of the best-known ESOP and employee experts in the country. He has served as a consultant to hundreds of ESOP companies through his positions at some of the most respected consulting and administration firms in the country. Maybe you’ve heard of B Corps and had no idea what that meant. Certified B Corps are purpose-driven for-profit companies that meet the highest standards for social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, and are outperforming their conventional peers in terms of employee engagement, community giving,
environmental stewardship and profit. Heather Paulsen will be sharing more about what B Corps are, how and why you might consider becoming one, and how Truckee could become a B Corp destination. “In my view, it’s a powerful framework for building an inclusive economy that works better for everyone,” said Paulsen. Good Morning Truckee offers online registration at Truckee.com under What’s Happening. Breeze through the check-in line to get breakfast and a seat faster. You can also purchase multi-packs of tickets for your convenience – which can also get you checked-in quicker. And, as always, you can still purchase your ticket at the door with cash, credit card or check. Good Morning Truckee is open to the public – everyone is invited. It is held the second Tuesday of every month at Truckee Tahoe Airport from 7:00-8:30am. Ticket price for general public is $12; Truckee Chamber members $10 and includes a hot breakfast and raffle ticket. Good Morning Truckee is “going green”! The Town of Truckee has provided the event with reusable plates, cups, bowls and utensils. They are BPA free and washed and returned each month. Additionally, anyone who brings their own traveler coffee mug will receive an additional raffle ticket and chance to win great prizes. Good Morning Truckee is presented by the Truckee Chamber of Commerce in partnership with sponsors Tahoe Forest Health System; Law Offices of Porter Simon;
Dickson Realty Truckee Tahoe; Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation; Holdrege & Kull; Sierra Sun; 101.5FM Truckee Tahoe Radio; TTCTV; Truckee Tahoe Airport District; Town of Truckee, and Chef Ron Allen. Additional sponsorships opportunities are available. Good Morning Truckee is a community forum to provide timely and relevant information on a variety of topics and create a networking opportunity.
Meet Big Life Local Glen Aballo, Jr. Occupation Flight Instructor Mountain Lion Aviation
of people doing interesting things and that’s always been part of the draw of living in the area. I like the outdoors, mountains and the weather, so it just made sense.
Years in Truckee Area 7 years
What’s Your Big Life? Truckee and the Sierra is a special place for anyone interested in aviation. The Truckee Tahoe airport with its facilities, local pilots and diverse flight operations breeds a lot of different types of planes and dynamic flying opportunities. I feel fortunate to be able to share my passion for flying with others and pursue my own goals in aviation.
Originally From Scituate, Rhode Island Why Truckee/Tahoe? I came here the big winter of 10/11, stayed the summer and the rest is history. Truckee/Tahoe is a melting pot … there are people here from all over and that contributes to the uniqueness of the overall culture in the Truckee/Tahoe community. I feel like there is an eclectic brand 6 TRUCKEE TRACKS | Fall 2017
To read about more Big Life Locals, visit our blog at truckee.com/ category/big-life-locals/. Are you a Big Life local? Let us know! Contact Megan Hines at megan@Truckee.com.
Truckee.com
RENEWING REWARDS | MEMBER PROFILES DEDEN PAINTING
GOT DOGS?
Dave Hunter,
Owner
Dena Matera,
Owner
dedenpainting.com
Who are your clientele? We have a few builders that we work with on new houses and remodels, but just like a lot in town, most of our business is with second home owners. What has been your most rewarding project? It is always rewarding to help take a house that has been neglected for years, especially an older wooden structure, and bring it back to life. What has been the greatest challenge overall to your business? Living and working at this altitude is always a challenge. You never know exactly how the weather will affect your day to day activities, as well as how long your season will be each year. What has been the most beneficial for your business? Most beneficial aspect of our business has been employee development. It is hard to find good employees, so when we do, we go out of our way to challenge them, grow their skills, and try to make the job more rewarding for them. What are your business goals? To offer the best customer service is always top of the list. The best advertising in our business, like most others, is word of mouth, so that is always our number one goal. Any tips or pointers for other small business owners in the region? Make sure you are communicating with your customers. Pick up the phone and call back or answer an e-mail. It is not a hard concept, but the number one complaint from customers I talk to is lack of response from small business owners in the area.
gotdogs.biz
How long have you been conducting business in Truckee? We celebrated 10 years in business this past June, starting in 2007. Who are your clientele? We provide customized, affordable pet care to locals and second homes, mainly in Tahoe Donner. We offer dog walking and playgroups; pet and house sitting; bath & brush; and personal errands. What has been your most rewarding project? I wouldn’t consider just one project rewarding but all of them combined. I feel lucky that I get to spend my days outdoors with dogs. The winters can be tough but I love snow ball coats on dogs! We know how it feels to have a deep connection with an animal. We know your pet is family. It’s the best job I could ever imagine – walking, playing and cuddling dogs daily. I just love meeting new dogs – and their people. Many of my clients are now friends. It doesn’t get much better than that. What has been the greatest challenge overall to your business? Having kids and having to hire a team to do a majority of the jobs for me. I have a dedicated and trusted crew of helpers. These days I speak of the business not as “I” but as “we” because the business really is a team (and family) effort. What has been the most beneficial for your business? Stephanie VosWinkel, my full time helper! What are your business goals? Continue to serve Truckee with pet care and personal errands. Making our doggies and clients happy! Any tips or pointers for other small business owners in the region interested in continued success like yours? Be honest and fair. Give discounts when appropriate.
Membership 101
GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP Once a month from 8:00-9:00am, Chamber members and those interested in learning about the Chamber are invited to learn about member benefits, ask questions, and meet staff. Introduce yourself to other Chamber members, exchange ideas over coffee, and have a chance for conversation about how the Chamber can best
Truckee.com
support your business and the business community. Hear how easy it is to create your own personal page on Truckee.com - an invaluable member benefit. While this informal gathering is geared primarily for new members, any Chamber member or prospective member is welcome to attend!
When: October 25 and November 29 Where: California Welcome Center, 10065 Donner Pass Road in Train Depot We look forward to seeing you there!
Fall 2017 | TRUCKEE TRACKS 7
Fall Knowledge Bites Smart SEO Tactics for Local Businesses November 16, 2017 Smart SEO Tactics for Local Businesses Presenter: Kevin Wallner, First Chair Digital Marketing & Brandi Brown, Tahoe Production House 8:00-8:30am registration, coffee, pastries, networking 8:30-10:30am session
In this Knowledge Bites session, we’ll go over all the things you can do to improve Google’s understanding of your business, which will help more of the right people find you by improving your visibility in the search results. This Knowledge Bites session will be held November 16th from 8:30-10:30am at the Truckee Airport, 10356 Truckee Airport Road. Reserve your spot by November 10th and the cost to attend is $20 for Chamber members and $30 for non-members. After November 10th, cost is $30 for Chamber members and $40 for non-members. Registration can be done at Truckee.com. Search by keyword “SEO” on our Event Calendar. Space is limited.
Want to be found by more customers? SEO (search engine optimization) is the key to getting in front of people right when they're searching for your products or services online. In the digital age, consumers rely heavily upon search engines to find what they're looking for. Keyword text, incoming links, images, virtual tours are all critical to getting found by Google. If you have a local business, think about where your business ranks in search results for all the keywords that matter to your business. Local SEO tactics, combined with a good website and quality content, will help you surface for related search queries in your area. As Google shows Local results first in a lot of cases, make sure Google understands who you are, where you're located, and what you offer.
Google’s “Get Your Business Online” Program The Google’s “Get Your Business Online” program is aimed at increasing the web presence of small businesses and cities by providing free advice on search engine
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optimization and helping business owners update their information on Google for free. The Truckee Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping build a strong
business community. That’s why as an Official Google Partner, we’re helping small businesses get online and grow. Businesses that are online grow 40% faster and are twice as likely to create jobs. Megan Hines, the Chamber’s Membership Services Manager, can help you get started! She recently worked with Chamber member Dr. Thomas Viland to claim and create their Google listing. The Chamber is finalizing details on a Knowledge Bites workshop to be held in the first quarter of 2018 in partnership with Google to provide more information about the power of Google and how you can maximize its potential to help your business succeed! Truckee.com
Truckee.com – Have You Created your Webpage? Posted Events, News and Jobs? Truckee.com serves the information needs for locals (community happenings, events, jobs, meetings, business news, etc). Truckee.com is also marketed to visitors serving as the primary visitation and lodging booking portal for Truckee. Hundreds of Chamber members every month are successfully uploading their events, photos news and jobs. Are you? What members are saying about Truckee.com: “Truckee.com is a great platform for promoting our multiple business entities like the Cross Country Ski Center and The Lodge Restaurant & Pub. Uploading information, images and events is quick and easy. Best of all, it’s a great way for the community and visitors to discover everything Tahoe Donner offers year-round!” -- Derek Moore, Tahoe Donner Association Every Truckee business, non-profit and/or group is invited to be listed on Truckee.com, however: ONLY CHAMBER MEMBERS receive access to create a FREE detailed webpage “On our page we love the Highlights & Job about your business! Be sure to take full Postings. There is crucial information for advantage of your opportunity to create a user everyday business, it just so happens that it’s friendly and robust listing using keywords, very user friendly! We plan to utilize our page photos, video, logos, a link to your direct even more in the future!” website and more. -- Jessie Hunter, Bank of the West ONLY CHAMBER MEMBERS will benefit from features that are critical for GOOGLE “The Truckee Business Pages were easy to JUICE (aka search engine optimization). Attract use and intuitive, very similar to creating any Google search engine crawlers on a regular kind of social platform profile for your business basis by uploading your events, photos, jobs, (e.g. Houzz, Linkedin, Facebook, etc.).” and news 24/7 using your secure Member -- Jenny Kendrick, East River PR dashboard.
“Putting a job ad on the webpage was very easy, and approvals usually happened within the day.” -- Yvonne, Wild Cherries Coffee House
How to Create Your Detailed Webpage Take full advantage of your member benefits. It’s easy! If you just don’t know where to start and have never logged in, you can email Megan Hines, Membership Services Manager at megan@truckee.com or call 530-412-7057. Megan can guide you through the steps to get you up and going. If you simply don’t have the time or inclination to do this yourself don’t despair! Just let us know and for the low cost of $50 we will create your detailed web page for you – simple! Don’t miss out on one of the most valuable and powerful benefits of Chamber membership!
Pho for Project MANA Fundraiser Kynbo™, a local tech startup is teaming up with Project MANA to help fight hunger through a very special and unique fundraiser, Pho for Project MANA, at Cottonwood Restaurant on October 10th. Kynbo’s Cofounder, Thao Doan, begged her mom, Mai Doan, a retired Vietnamese Pho Master, to come out of retirement at 76 to teach five lucky local chefs how to make authentic Pho soup. Mai Doan was the head chef at one of the first Vietnamese restaurants in California in the late 70’s called Saigon Inn. Pho is a complex and soul satisfying dish that is very difficult to master, and those who have mastered Pho’s preparation don’t usually share their hard earned knowledge.
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Mai was reluctant about participating in the fundraiser until she learned how Project MANA, Tahoe/Truckee’s only local food pantry, helps hungry people in need through the distribution of food in our community, similar to the help her own family received when they emigrated from Vietnam in 1975. The selected chefs, include Dave Smith (Cottonwood Restaurant), Steve Anderson (Executive Chef Northstar California), Jason Lee (Margs Taco Bistro), Carolyn Newman (resident Chef at Tahoe Food Hub and formerly with Manzanita), and Priya Hutner (The Seasoned Sage). Doors open at 6:00pm, dinner service starts at 6:30pm. Tickets for the community dinner are $40 /person and can be purchased at projectmana.org. Fall 2017 | TRUCKEE TRACKS 9
Recruitment for 2018 North Lake Tahoe-Truckee Leadership Program Begins The North Lake Tahoe-Truckee Leadership Program is now accepting applications for the 2018 program. The program creates an opportunity for potential leaders to broaden their understanding of regional issues and opportunities, while developing and honing leadership skills. Since 2004, the program has graduated more than 320 individuals. These alumni are now challenging themselves while serving their employers and our community in a variety of community -building efforts. The workshops will again be led by Shannon Beets, Vice President/Provost at Sierra Nevada College in Incline Village.
Each workshop is integrated with one-half of the time spent on regional issues such as health and education, planning for the future, and non-profit advocacy; and one-half on leadership skill development such as collaboration, change management, and team basics. “Empowering new leaders that are educated and informed about our region, and who are confident in their leadership skills is critical to the future of the region and to our many organizations and businesses,” said Lynn Saunders, President/CEO of the Truckee Chamber.
Leadership Program Breakfast October 26 Join fellow potential applicants and program alumni for an informative breakfast to learn about the award-winning North Lake Tahoe-Truckee Leadership Program. Learn why it is important to get involved in the community and how the program can help. Anyone interested in the program is encouraged to attend.
October 26, 2017 8:30-10:00am Spindleshanks 400 Brassie Ave. Kings Beach
Cost: $16
Special Guest Speaker: Tony Lashbrook, Community Leader and former Town Manager, Town of Truckee Please RSVP by October 20 to Karen@TahoeTruckeeLeadership.com.
Businesses can support the program and show their commitment to the community by enrolling an employee to participate in the program. The North Lake Tahoe-Truckee Leadership Program is a collaborative project of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce, North Lake Tahoe Chamber/ CVB/Resort Association, and North Tahoe Business Association in conjunction with Sierra Nevada College, a private four year educational institution with campuses in Incline Village and Las Vegas. Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation serves as the fiscal sponsor.
Fast Facts: Application & Tuition: Tuition fee for the Leadership Program is $750; $500 for non-profit agencies. The fee covers all expenses of the program including meals and supplies. Partial scholarships are available. Deadline for applications is December 1st and space is limited. 2018 Program Schedule: January 25, 2018 – Day One, Sierra Nevada College March 1, 2011 – Day Two March 29, 2018 – Day Three April 26, 2018 – Day Four May 24, 2018 – Final Day and Graduation Sponsorships: Sponsorships are $500 and include recognition in all press for the 2018 year, logo acknowledgement on program website, acknowledgement in class binder, a 15-minute presentation to class and alumni during sponsored day, invitation to Graduation Celebration reception, and the rewards of supporting this valuable program for the Truckee-Tahoe region. For more information: Visit TahoeTruckeeLeadership.com, or contact Karen Wilcutts at 530-448-4143 or e-mail Karen@tahoetruckeeleadership.com or Lynn Saunders at the Truckee Chamber of Commerce at 530-587-8808 or e-mail lynn@truckee.com.
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Order Mandatory 2018 California and Federal Employment Poster from the Truckee Chamber Truckee Chamber is making it easy for your business to comply with California’s labor laws. No matter how many employees you have in California, your business is required by law to post a current California and Federal Employment Poster in a central location. As part of a special partnership with the CalChamber, the Truckee Chamber will soon begin taking pre-orders for the updated 2018 California and Federal Employment Poster. The CalChamber’s all-in-one poster contains the required state and federal employment notices every California employer must post. CalChamber is a trusted source for California and federal compliance products, with more
than 120 years of experience helping California business do business. Failure to comply and have a current poster posted in a central location at your workplace could result in significant fines and penalties. Posters must be displayed in a conspicuous place where all employees can easily read it, such as a break room, common hallway, payroll office or other common location. Employers must also display posters in each company location. The Truckee Chamber wants to make sure your business is in compliance. Watch your Truckee Big Life Weekly e-news broadcast for an announcement when the Employment Posters, and other valuable human resource products, go on sale.
First Annual Tahoe Economic Summit The Tahoe Truckee region is made up of many communities, but we are one regional economy, and what affects some of us, affects all of us. The Tahoe Prosperity Center is hosting the first annual Tahoe Economic Summit to catalyze change and take action for the benefit of our regional economy. If you are interested in economic and quality of life issues in Lake Tahoe, you are encouraged to attend. The Summit will provide opportunities for attendees to learn about the Building Community through the Sharing Economy and specifically how it impacts housing,
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entrepreneurship and our workforce. A full buffet lunch is included and light refreshments and beverages will be served all day. To find out more head to tahoeeconomicsummit.org. Truckee Chamber members receive a discount by using the following link: tahoeeconomicsummit.eventbrite.com? discount=TruckeeChamber. October 30, 2017 9:00am-4:00pm Hyatt Regency, Lake Tahoe Incline Village
For more information, call the Truckee Chamber at 530-587-8808 or go to TruckeeChamber.com and download an order form once it becomes available.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport Offers Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Did you know the Reno-Tahoe International Airport offers electric vehicle charging stations in the public parking garage? Two convenient charging stations allow electric vehicle drivers to plug-in, charge and go. One station is located near the southcentral end of the first floor and the second charging station is located at the southwest corner on the third floor parking garage. Both electric vehicle charging stations are clearly marked with signage. There is no fee to use these stations, but regular parking rates apply as you exit the garage. Charging stations are available on a first-come, first-served basis. The Level I chargers are compatible with most electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, including popular models such as the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the plug-in version of the Toyota Prius. Level I chargers deliver the same electric current as a standard household plug (115V) and provide a slower steady charge for vehicles. Fall 2017 | TRUCKEE TRACKS 11
Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies Whether it is a new business, business expansion or a grand reopening, the Truckee Chamber of Commerce is pleased to organize ribbon cutting ceremonies for our members. The ribbon cutting marks a very significant moment in a business’ history, and gives a business
owner an opportunity to publicly thank their financial backers, business partners, employees, community, friends and family. The Chamber would love to help plan yours. To schedule a ribbon cutting for your business, contact Ruth Geresy at 530-412-7062 or email Ruth@Truckee.com.
Quality Automotive and Smog Truckee Mayor Morgan Goodwin and Vice Mayor Carolyn Wallace Dee recently joined Bill & Sheila Greeno, owners of Quality Automotive and Smog as they broke ground at the site of their new facility. The project will increase the number of bays from three at the current location to six at this new location which is situated behind the existing building at 11500 Donner Pass Road. The new building will follow Town of Truckee California Green Building Code requirements and include two workforce-housing units. The new location will be up and running in early 2018. Photo: Mayor Morgan Goodwin; Vice Mayor Carolyn Wallace Dee; Quality Automotive and Smog owners, Bill & Sheila Greeno; Plumas Bank’s Matthew Baca and Dennis Dodd’s of Dodd’s & Associates.
Western Sierra Medical Clinic Nearly 50 community members attended the grand opening of the Western Sierra Medical Clinic health center at 8665 Salmon Avenue in Kings Beach. The two-hour event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony by the Truckee and North Lake Tahoe Chambers of Commerce. The health center provides medical and dental services for Placer and Nevada County patients, and pediatric and more services are planned. Photo: Mayor Morgan Goodwin cuts the ribbon with Western Sierra CEO Scott McFarland. Placer County Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery and Health & Human Services Agency Director are to the left. Behind McFarland are Western Sierra Board members (left to right): Brandon Pangman and Dr. Rob Oldham, Placer County Public Health Officer.
Conecta Mayor Morgan Goodwin joined owner Abbie Saturno to cut the ribbon on the new Conecta location up in Tahoe Donner. Abbie’s welcoming environment offers educational and fun experiences for parents and their children. As an award winning Early Childhood Educator, Abbie is passionate about about education and has taught toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarteners for 13 years. Her kindness, warmth and spirit shines through every program. Photo: Abbie and Steve Saturno, Mayor Morgan Goodwin (right).
Simply Worded The ribbon was cut at new business Simply Worded, satisfying the growing demand for highlevel business writing. “Elevate your communications, elevate your business with Simply Worded.” Photo: Mayor Morgan Goodwin cuts the ribbon with co-founders and owners Chase Rogers and Christina Nemec.
How About Those Scissors! The Truckee Chamber of Commerce is sporting some fancy, custom made scissors at our Ribbon Cutting ceremonies these days. The custom, one-of-a -kind scissors were made and donated by one of our newest Chamber members Matt Parkhurst, MJP Fabrication & Mechanical Services. Matt is an instructor at the Truckee Roundhouse, as well as a full-time fireman with Truckee Fire Protection District. The metal shop at the Truckee Roundhouse includes tools for welding, blacksmithing, and computer-controlled metal work. Located near the roll-up door to dissipate heat, the metal shop has adequate safety equipment, ventilation, and space to work. For more information about the Truckee Roundhouse visit truckeeroundhouse.org. 12 TRUCKEE TRACKS | Fall 2017
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Annual Awards Dinner continued from page 1 Live Auction!
Stay The Night!
We have developed some amazing LIVE Auction packages – so be sure to plan your strategy to get in on these awesome packages. Some of the LIVE Auction packages include: Ski Boot and Custom Boot Fitting – Take your skiing to new heights with a brand new pair of ski boots (choose from over 12 different brands including backcountry ski “touring” boots), custom Superfeet foot beds and a private assessment and fitting with one of Tahoe Sports Hub’s expert boot fitters. Donated by Tahoe Sports Hub. Value: up to $1,300 The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco – 2-night stay at The RitzCarlton, San Francisco, one of the finest downtown hotels to call Nob Hill home. This 1909 landmark has been transformed into a beautiful retreat of modern classic design. Value: $1,150 Rotor Collective Digital Cinema – This video package is being offered by the team that produced the Awards Dinner Big Life Sponsor videos. Promote your business with a professional video. Package includes 2 hour pre-production/scripting; 4 hour video shoot; 1 aerial drone flight producing an amazing 1 minute fully produced video. Value: $2,500 California Ski Gold Pass – Ski and ride everywhere in California and Nevada with just one pass! No black-out dates, totally transferrable. Donated by California Ski Industry Association of America. Value: $3,000 Tahoe Native Surfboard – Imagine riding some waves on Tahoe or in the ocean on a beautifully pure, custom, handmade wooden highperformance surfboard with beautiful artwork on it. Who wouldn’t want to have one? Donated by local artist Craig Beck this board combines form and function unlike any other surfboard on the market. Value: $1,000
There are a select number of rooms available to attendees at the special rate of $239 (King room). To reserve call 877-266-6024 and reference Chamber Awards Dinner.
Silent Auction! In addition to the LIVE Auction, the always popular Silent Auction extravaganza will be back as well. This auction is made possible by Chamber member donations, collected by Chamber Ambassadors. Be sure to check your Truckee Big Life weekly e-mail newsletter as the event gets closer when we announce more details.
64TH ANNUAL AWARDS DINNER & AUCTION Friday, October 20, 2017 The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
SOLD OUT
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5:00 pm – No Host Cocktails 6:30 pm – Dinner & Awards Presentation
]
Go to TruckeeAwards.com for all the details.
Join the Fun—Dress Mountain Chic! To many a base camp is where you claim your space, stake your tent, make your life. Be prepared to enjoy Truckee’s mountain life…. Complete with vintage trailer, tent, lanterns but with an elegance of aspen branches twinkling in the night. And if the spirit moves you, feel free to dress “Mountain Chic” (think Mountain Hardware & Sports, Eddie Bauer catalog, or other local retail shops). Or if you prefer to come in business or cocktail attire that works too!
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! EVENT SPONSORS Dickson Realty (KJM) FiftyFifty Brewing Co. Martis Camp Northstar California Porter Simon Tahoe Donner Association Tahoe Forest Health System Truckee Tahoe Airport District GOLD SPONSORS Coldwell Banker – Christy Curtis Dickson Realty Truckee Tahoe Holliday Development Mountain Hardware & Sports Pamela Hurt Associates Truckee.com
Tahoe Truckee Unified School District TINSEL – Interior Decorating & Staging Boutique The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Town of Truckee TrailRunner International Truckee-Tahoe Lumber Company SILVER SPONSORS Best Western Plus, TruckeeTahoe Hotel bigtruck brand Elements Mountain Co. JMA Ventures LP Insurance
Molsby & Bordner Morgan’s Lobster Shack & Fish Market Mountain Lion Aviation OLAB Placer Title Company Tahoe Getaways Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Tri Counties Bank Truckee Donner Lodge Truckee Donner Public Utility District Truckee River Winery Waddell & Reed – John Manocchio W&T Graphix
IN-KIND SPONSORS Atelier Just Imagine Marketing & Design Mountain Lion Aviation Rob Retting Photography (SNAP) Rotor Collective Digital Cinema Tahoe Truckee School of Music Tahoe University Truckee River Winery VENUE HOST
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Business Speaks! continued from page 1 Investor Details: Businesses who want to participate in Business Speaks! initiative at a higher level are encouraged to consider making a financial contribution to Truckee Tomorrow. This is a public/private partnership that matches a contract the Truckee Chamber holds with the Town of Truckee for economic development initiatives. The first investor meeting will take place November 2, 2017 to make decisions on the initial Business Speaks! meeting discussion topics Investors will come together after each of the quarterly Business Speaks! meetings to review the metrics and rank implementation strategies Investors are asked to make 3 year commitments, ranging from $500 to $10,000 per year
Get involved! Be a leader that helps create and embrace change that will benefit the community. Join the Truckee Chamber in our commitment to help businesses succeed and help our community thrive.
If you are interested in being a Truckee Tomorrow investor or learning more about being an investor, please contact Lynn Saunders, President/CEO at Lynn@Truckee.com or 530-587-8808 or Pam Hobday, Chair of the Chamber Board at PKHurt@cs.com.
Public Housing Forum and Community Think Tank
The Mountain Housing Council of Tahoe Truckee is hosting an Employer Solutions Public Forum to provide information, tools, and ideas for employers and community members alike. The evening will include: a panel discussion on how the housing crisis affects our local economy, speakers sharing ready-to-implement solutions for employers, an open Solutions Slam for community
members to share their own ideas, and an Expert Q&A Roundtable to dive deeper in small groups. This forum is being co-hosted by the Truckee Chamber of Commerce and the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/Resort Association. Join the Conversation. Accelerate Solutions. October 25, 2017 6:00 to 8:00pm North Tahoe Event Center Kings Beach
Downtown Truckee Webcam The Truckee Cam is located at and hosted/sponsored by the historic Truckee Hotel and Moody's Bistro & Lounge on the east end of Donner Pass Rd. in Downtown Truckee. This location affords a variety of exceptional elements in view, including trains, traffic, downtown streetscape and the Sierra Crest to the southwest (for weather and sunsets). Head to truckee.com/weather to view this cam and links to all ski area cams.
Chase Website Ranked Among Top Sites Chase International’s comprehensive website was recently ranked among the Top Ten Community sites by REAL Trends, a source of news, analysis, and information on the residential brokerage industry. ChaseInternational.com came in at number six for the 2017 rankings. The community category recognizes websites that provide quick searches for towns and communities, making it easier for visitors to find specific information. 14 TRUCKEE TRACKS | Fall 2017
"A website is often the first interaction a client has with a real estate business,” said Steve Murray, president of REAL Trends. “It's important that it be clear, attractive and easy to use. It is a valuable tool to be able to benchmark one's own website efforts with their peers." “Location is the number one factor in choosing a home, so ranking among the top community sites is absolutely what we strive for,” said Craig King, chief operating officer for Chase International. Truckee.com
MEMBERS IN THE NEWS The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Announces Bruce Seigel as General Manager The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe recently announced the appointment of Bruce Seigel as general manager. Seigel joins the luxury mountain resort with more than three decades of hospitality management experience, including nearly eighteen years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. A tenured industry sales and marketing veteran, Seigel will be responsible for all aspects of operations at the resort, including financial performance, employee/guest engagement, community relationships, partnerships and talent development. Prior to joining The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, Seigel served as area director of sales and marketing of The Ritz-Carlton’s
Caribbean and Mexico region, where he was responsible for leading the sales and marketing cluster strategy for seven luxury Ritz-Carlton Resorts. Prior to his time in the Caribbean, he served as marketing director of sales and marketing for The Ritz-Carlton Resorts of Naples. A veteran of luxury hospitality, additional roles that he has held within the brand include hotel manager of The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, area director of sales and marketing for The RitzCarlton Hotels of Georgia, and opening area director of sales and marketing for The Ritz Carlton Hotel and JW Marriott at Grande Lakes Orlando.
Harry Weis Appointed to American Hospital Association Governance Committee
Harry Weis, CEO, Tahoe Forest Health System, has been appointed by the American Hospital Association (AHA) to serve on the Council of the AHA Section for Small or Rural Hospitals. He is one of two
appointed individuals representing the six western states of the United States. His three -year term begins in January of 2018. “I’m humbled and honored to serve in this national governance committee role for small or rural hospitals,” said Weis. Weis has served as the Chief Executive Officer for Tahoe Forest Health System since 2015. He has more than 39 years of progressive healthcare executive experience in small and large individual hospitals and in large healthcare systems, including not-forprofit, publicly-traded for profit, and public health systems across the nation. He is a champion of innovation and passionate about delivering a new model of healthcare
that is integrated, high quality, compassionate and proactive. The Council of the AHA Section for Small or Rural Hospitals acts as a liaison with other health care and consumer organizations concerned with common issues. It also works to foster communication between the AHA and its members. Council members take a leadership role and are responsible for issue identification, policy development and implementation of policies and programs particular to smaller health care systems like Tahoe Forest – with the overall goal of improving health care for everyone.
MEMBER REFERREL PROGRAM
As a valued member of our organization, you can play an active role in helping the Chamber grow its membership by forwarding your referrals to our Membership Manager Megan Hines. By referring these companies or organizations to the Chamber, you’re not only contributing to the vitality of our broader business community, but also to the continued success of your colleague’s business. To thank you for each referral that results in membership, the Chamber will reward you with $25 cash.
THANKS TO THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS FOR THEIR RECENT REFERRALS: MEMBER
NEW MEMBER
Claire McLean, Clair Tappaan Lodge .................................................. Conscious Container Jesse Hunter, Bank of the West............................................................ Tahoe Native Surfboards Truckee.com
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New Members continued from page 2 companies with commercial business transactions, business formation and governance issues, real estate transactions and development, mergers and acquisitions, and financing transactions. McDonald Carano proudly represents Fortune 500 companies, financial and governmental institutions, fast-growth and mid-market companies, entrepreneurs, startup ventures, non-profit organizations and individuals. Their attorneys deliver crossdiscipline, one-stop, commercial law and government affairs counsel. Brian has been named one of the "50 Best Up & Coming Attorneys" in Nevada and among Nevada's "Legal Elite" by Nevada Business Magazine. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Truckee Trails Foundation. Brian and his wife Camille have lived in Truckee for more than ten years, and look forward to raising their sons in such a great community. Brian can be reached at 775-788-2000 or bschusterman@mcdonaldcarano.com.
high-end statement pieces to more affordable art and gifts. Dan Gaube specializes in nature-inspired woodwork and jewelry, combining various materials from nature into modern works of art. Nancy Beckert is a fiber artist whose passion for the age-old tradition of weaving has led her to explore techniques and cultures from all over the world including Navajo weaving, Andean Pebble Weaving and Kumihimo, the art of Japanese braiding. Doug Jones is a photographer whose work reflects his unique perspective of the natural world. Two other artists will join as charter members: Rebecca Maidman creates hand knit shawls, ponchos and accessories from Alpaca, cashmere, silk and fine wool. Gabriela O’Neil is a glass artist whose work has been familiar in the area for many years. Visit Mountain Arts Collective at their new location, 10065 Donner Pass Road Suite #2 in historic downtown Truckee in the Train Depot.
MJP Fabrication & Mechanical Services
PlumpJack Sport
MJP Fabrication and Mechanical Services is a small, one stop shop for just about anything you can imagine. The shop was started in the true Makers Revolution style, in which the need to prototype, and fabricate anything on a small, one off economical scale, which has almost disappeared from the USA. The shop has the equipment to fabricate, and/or fix just about anything. From custom address monuments for your yard, to commissioned art pieces. MJP can do a "one off" prototype for your idea, or can work with you to develop an idea into reality. They offer welding capability in most materials, CNC plasma cutting up to 3/4" steel, lathe and milling machines and all wood working machines. They can even create custom pens and/or stylus for you. The shop’s motto is “If I can't build it or fix it it's probably not worth it." For more information visit their website mjpfabrication.com.
PlumpJack Sport has been in business since 2002 and is the leading boutique for ski and fashion apparel in Squaw Valley. Whether you are out on the hill, running up Shirley Canyon, or enjoying happy hour overlooking the lake, their knowledgeable and friendly staff are ready to help. Their winter skiwear and technical line includes some of the most stylish pieces that are exclusive to a handful of outfitters in the North Lake Tahoe area. PlumpJack Sports’ winter collection includes pieces from Bogner, Spyder, Toni Sailer, and Kjus for men, women and children. In the summer months they carry high-end designer’s men and women’s clothing including Tart, Nicole Miller, Vince, 360 Cashmere, Mother Denim and Calpyso St. Barth. PlumpJack Sport is open daily from 10am-6pm with extended hours in the winter season. Stop by at 1995 Squaw Valley Road, Suite #14 Olympic Valley, CA 96146 or call them at 530-5846181.
Mountain Arts Collective
Positively Rolling
Mountain Arts Collective began with three local artists who wanted to showcase quality art by individuals closely connected to the community. Their goal is to create a dynamic space that will attract locals and visitors with
Positively Rolling is a nonprofit organization based in Truckee, and is coordinated through the Sierra Expeditionary Learning School. The goal of Positively Rolling is to increase the confidence, social connections
and communication amongst middle school boys. Their program instructors meet weekly with a group of middle school boys over the course of five weeks. The instructors guide a conversation that encourages openness, communication, creativity, and healthy relationships. Positively Rolling explores real life topics essential to building character in a young man’s life. This is accomplished through interactive and provocative character development discussions that correspond with creative art projects to better equip them to meet the challenges of their teen years. The end result is that each boy gets to design their own skateboard deck that is inspired by the conversations and reflects their own personal interpretation of what it means to them. For more information visit their website at positivelyrolling.org.
Steppin’ Out Magazine
Publisher Jeanne Bandiera Francis, being part of an Italian Family Winery, began her love and appreciation for wine as a child drinking wine and water with her family meals. Jeanne grew up in Sonoma County and as she knew many of the winemaking families there and in Napa, it was natural that she expanded her coverage to promote people and businesses she knew there. Living in the Foothills and in Truckee, Jeanne is passionate about promoting our Northern California Lifestyle in the Sierra Foothills and Tahoe Basin as well. Steppin’ Out Magazine offers a blend and knowledge of elegant lodging, superb food, choice wines and dazzling scenery advice. In the upcoming Winter and Spring issue of Steppin’ Out Magazine, readers will find tantalizing recipes from their creative, celebratory Chefs and Master Winemakers pairing their fine wines to match the nuances of delicate dishes that have been modified for our own home. Visit traveltowinecountry.com for more details about the magazine.
Supporting Strategies|RenoTahoe
Anyone who runs a business appreciates the importance of good financial information. Supporting Strategies has provided efficient and effective bookkeeping and controller level services to growing businesses since READ ABOUT MORE NEW MEMBERS P. 20
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MEMBERS IN THE NEWS Local Author Honored in 2017 Indie Book Awards Crossing the Owl’s Bridge: A Guide for Grieving People Who Still Love by Tahoe-Truckee resident Kim Bateman, Ph.D. has been named by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group as one of the best indie books of 2017. Bateman’s book was a finalist in the non-fiction category in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, the world’s largest not-for-profit book awards program for independent publishers. Crossing the Owl’s Bridge emphasizes that we do not stop loving the deceased. Instead, we need to find creative means to honor them and our relationship. The book
uses the wisdom of worldwide folk tales and people’s personal stories to demonstrate how to share, ritualize, and transform grief. The premise is that although we do have to say goodbye to our material relationship, we are also being presented with a chance to say hello to a different type of connection. It is available at Word After Word in downtown Truckee or online at Amazon. Dr. Bateman’s research interests include organizational psychology, bereavement, and humor and she has delivered many notable keynote addresses. You can find her TEDx talk called “Singing Over Bones” online. Dr. Bateman serves as the Executive Dean of the Tahoe-Truckee Campus of Sierra College. Find out more at kimbateman.com.
New Art Display Features Truckee Artists Hidden in Plain Sight The Truckee Public Arts Commission will host “Hidden in Plain Sight, Uncovering the Work of Truckee’s Secret Artists” with an opening reception October 13th from 5:00-7:00pm. The free event is open to the public and will be held at the Truckee Community Recreation Center. It kicks off a unique exhibit that features artists who haven’t otherwise shown their work – whether they consider themselves hobbyists or are working in a new medium, including two local student artists. Music from select members of the Truckee High Jazz Ensemble and refreshments will be part of the evening’s festivities. “We’re thrilled to shine a spotlight on our community’s talented artists,” said Cassie Hebel, TPAC co-chair. “It will be a great opportunity for community members to see what their neighbors are creating. It’s a great way to get inspired.” A variety of artists and styles will be on display including Bob Hicks, who works with colored pencil and paper, Mary Kenny, a multimedia artist using graphite and gouache, and Matthew Osgood who paints with acrylic on canvas. “We believe creative efforts are all worthy of an audience, big or small,” said Lauren Bello TPAC co-chair. “Coming out to this opening reception is a great opportunity to support the local public art scene.” The Truckee Public Arts Commission (TPAC) builds community through collaboration, promotion and advocacy for public art. They
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strive to provide occasions for visual delight, stimulate community dialogue by challenging familiar experience and enrich lives by fostering Truckee's cultural experience. TPAC has been instrumental in bringing the Artistic Bike Rack Project to Truckee and also hosts three art receptions per year at the Truckee Donner Recreation & Parks District’s Community Recreation Center. For more information visit TDRPD.org or follow TPAC on Facebook and Instagram.
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MEMBERS IN THE NEWS Boreal Announces Largest Solar Installation in California Ski Industry POWDR, a family-owned and operated adventure lifestyle company, will soon shine brighter since its Boreal Mountain Resort unveiled the beginning of the California ski industry’s largest on-site solar project. Once implemented, the 235 kW solar photovoltaic (pv) system mounted on the Woodward Bunker roof, is projected to generate more than 325,000 kWh of clean electricity annually, enough clean energy to power the equivalent of nearly 30 residential homes. The installation will offset more than 250 tons of carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 52 cars from the road annually. The new solar pv system is scheduled to be installed and operational by the beginning of the winter 2017/18 season.
“The California sun is a beautiful thing,” said Amy Ohran, general manager of Boreal Mountain Resort. “Now we will do more than enjoy it while we partake in our year-round adventure lifestyle offerings. We can convert it into clean energy, which will supply 15 percent of the energy required to power the entire Boreal and Woodward campus.” POWDR has a long track record for leading the way in sustainable energy – it’s part of the company’s DNA. Among other initiatives, Soda Springs was the first ski area in California to make snow from recycled water starting in the 2015/16 season.
Airlines Add Several Flights to Reno for Ski Season Snowflakes have yet to fly, but the airlines serving Reno-Tahoe International (RNO) have added several flights to their winter schedules to make it easier to reach the slopes of the Sierra this upcoming ski season. It has been more than a decade since RNO offered such a large number of airline seats for the winter season. Following last year’s record winter snowfall, the airlines are offering additional seasonal service to RNO from around the country. Atlanta – Delta Air Lines resumes daily non-stop service from late December to early January, then once a week from midJanuary to the end of March. Chicago O’Hare – Originally scheduled for summer 2017 only, United Airlines’ offers twice a week non-stop service in late December to the beginning of April. Denver – Frontier Airlines begins new non-stop service three times a week in late November.
Houston – United offers non-stop daily service from late December to the end of April. Las Vegas – Allegiant Air increases service to six times per week from mid-November to February. Long Beach – Jet Blue increases service to twice a day for a short period in February. Minneapolis - Delta offers non-stop service five times per week late December through early January, and then once a week service through the end of March. “All of these airlines stepping up to offer additional flights during the busy winter ski season is a testament to the growth in this region and the great relationship the airport has built with our carriers,” said Marily Mora, Airport Authority President/CEO. “Now we hope our community will help fill these seats and support these flights in our region.”
Three Golds in a Row for FiftyFifty Brewing Truckee’s own homegrown brewery, FiftyFifty Brewing Co® recently took home top honors at one of the world’s most prestigious beer competitions. For the third year in a row. The 2017 European Beer Star Awards® awarded the Gold Medal in the Wood and Barrel Aged Strong Beer category to Eclipse®, FiftyFifty Brewing Co’s acclaimed barrel-aged Imperial Stout. Impressively, this makes 4 out of the last 5 years that FiftyFifty has taken Gold in this category. The European Beer Star is one of the most recognized beer competitions in the world, committed to the traditional European art of brewing. Eclipse, and its base-beer Totality, have garnered a number of national and international awards over the years, including being
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named one of the world’s “Most Obsessed” over beers by McNally Imbibe Magazine™. “The real value of a beer is measured by whether people enjoy it, not by competitions. We enter competitions really as a measuring stick of our consistency and quality as compared to the industry,” says owner and co-founder Andy Barr. In addition to being available for purchase at the brewery, this year Eclipse will be distributed across the globe to eager markets including San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland, Denver, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Washington D.C., Boston, Nashville, Japan, Sweden, Germany, Spain, Denmark and many others.
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MEMBERS IN THE NEWS Watch for the 2017 Shop North Tahoe Truckee Holiday Contest During the holiday season, the TruckeeTahoe region comes together to encourage locals and visitors alike to “show your love, shop local!” While supporting local business and our economy, participants
purchase unique gifts, enjoy visiting with local merchants and avoid the madness and hassle of malls and big box store shopping. This annual program is always popular and well received. Watch your Big Life Weekly e-newsletter for announcement of when this year’s Shop North Tahoe & Truckee Holiday Contest cards are available!
Shop North Tahoe & Truckee: The Shop Local program was designed to support local businesses, reduce the carbon footprint of locals traveling outside of their community to shop, and protect the region’s local character. Money spent at local businesses recirculates through wages and taxes, benefiting the economic health of the entire community and supporting unique local businesses. For more information, visit shopnorthtahoetruckee.com.
Small Business Saturday In 2010, American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help businesses with their most pressing need — getting more customers. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The single day has grown into a powerful movement, and more people are taking part than ever before. This year, the big day is November 25th. Last year, over one hundred million people came together to Shop Small® in their communities on Small Business Saturday® and spent an estimated $5.7 billion at small, independent businesses on the day. Of course we encourage you to do it every day, but join in the movement and plan to visit the quaint, independently owned shops, restaurants, and businesses in Truckee on Small Business Saturday, November 25th – where shopping small is BIG! For more information, visit smallbusinesssaturday.com.
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New Members continued from page 16 2004. Truckee local, Jen Ellermeyer and her staff with Supporting Strategies Reno-Tahoe are here to help. As your outsourced bookkeeper and controller, their skilled, experienced professionals use secure, bestof-breed technology and proven processes to deliver a back office solution that will provide you with critical information that promotes the success of your business. When you work with Supporting Strategies Reno-Tahoe, there’s no need to hire a controller, an HR administrator or an accounts payable manager. They fill all those functions, giving your business one comprehensive, cost-effective, long-term solution for your business to grow. Their systematic approach allows them to tailor their service to the specific needs of each client. As a result, you and your team can focus on what you do best. Contact Jen and her team today at 530212-8418 or visit their website at supportingstrategies.com
Tahoe Exclusive Vacation Rentals
Tahoe Exclusive Vacation Rentals are a leading boutique vacation rental company that specializes in the finest Lake Tahoe luxury vacation rentals in the North Lake Tahoe area. The properties are located in the Village at Northstar, Old Greenwood and Truckee. Their philosophy is simple – strive to create a vacation experience that is as special as Lake Tahoe itself. The attention to 20 TRUCKEE TRACKS | Fall 2017
the smallest of details and their commitment to superior customer service is what sets them apart. The portfolio of Lake Tahoe luxury vacation rental properties is restricted to those very special homes that meet their exacting standards of quality, comfort and style. The staff is composed of professionals who have lived, worked and played in Tahoe for many years and as a result know the area on a truly intimate level. This unique local knowledge, coupled with the extensive, long established relationships around the region, mean they can assist you with making your vacation the best it can possibly be. Learn more from their website at tahoeexclusivevacationrentals.com.
Tahoe Native Surfboards
Tahoe Native Surfboards are hand built by owner Craig Beck in either his Carnelian Bay or Bear River workshops. Craig’s goal is to make the most eco-friendly and high performance surfboard while using local wood. Starting with the concept of the ancient Hawaiian Alaia and using a piece of solid wood for construction, Craig has moved the world of Native Hawaiian surfboards into the future of water riding. The boards are all crafted from 100 percent vertical-grain Douglas fir personally selected from local lumberyards for quality and beauty. One of Beck’s favorite things about his latest passion is that the Tahoe Native brand is truly a family affair. Craig splits his time
between his Carnelian Bay and Bear River workshops, building custom boards for customers. His son, Dave Beck and his wife are working on a complimentary swimwear and apparel line that emphasizes the same local-first ethos that makes the surfboards so distinctive all while Craig’s wife, Cindy works behind the scenes. For more information head to their website at tahoenative.net.
Zuri Coffee Co.
Swiss owner Werner Ospelt opened Zuri Coffee Co. in the Winter of 2017. Zuri is a unique coffee shop that displays clever paintings and unique home décor designed by local artisans. Their sense of style brings a European flare to the coffee shop industry in town that Truckee has not seen before. This cozy, coffee shop serves and sells Demmel coffee from Switzerland as well as experimenting with other local coffee. Zuri offers a wide and delicious assortment of breakfast and lunch items from all around the world. Their homemade breakfast specialties include pastries such as scones, muffins and cinnamon rolls. Local favorite items include their “Truckee Crown” pastry as well as the assortment of sweet and savory crepes. Zuri now offers a light lunch menu that includes paninis, cold sandwiches, soup and salad. Stop in Zuri Coffee Co. and grab a pastry at 11357 Donner Pass Road or visit their Facebook @zuricoffeeco.
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