Free Summer Events for College Interns

Don't miss out on a great summer of the Chamber's "Live, Learn & Intern" Events for college interns. The first event takes place at Parkview Field • May 16, 4 p.m. Enjoy dinner and a TinCaps baseball game in the brand new stadium. (click on image for larger view and more event details)

To RSVP for events contact: Katelyn Jacquay-Daniel
Workforce & Business Development Intern
(260) 424-1435, ext. 270 • kjacquay@fwchamber.org
Or RSVP online at fwchamber.org

Guardian Relocation Merges with Home Moving and Storage

Guardian Relocation's offices in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne are uniting with the Columbus, Ohio office of Home Moving and Storage, becoming one company with three locations. The company's are award-winning representatives of Atlas Van Lines. Home and Guardian have achieved Atlas's highest honor, the Milton M. Hill Award for dedication to customer satisfaction and quality for the last 10 years.

The new business plan will streamline interstate operational and claims processes through the Columbus office and result in a positive impact for customers by strengthening and broadening service capabilities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Upcoming Chamber Academy

“Designing a Team that Improves your Bottom Line” will be presented by Dick Brooks of Richard K. Brooks & Associates from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce. This seminar was previously rescheduled from an earlier date.

Attendees will learn why some teams work much better than others, and what it takes for their employees to feel it's an honor to work for your company and to be on their team.

Outcomes include:
- Cut your labor cost by 10%
- Use teams to lower cost and increase quality
-Minimize employee turnover

Cost is $39 for members ~ $49 for non-members. To register visit fwchamber.org. For more information call Heather Neilson at (260) 424-1435, ext. 241 or hneilson@fwchamber.org.

MyMenu Charity Cookout on May 16

Join MyMenu to help raise funds for the Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities. Visit any of the three MyMenu locations in Fort Wayne and support the 1st Annual MyMenu Charity Cookout Day benefiting the Turnstone Center for Children and Adults with Disabilities.

MyMenu staff and volunteers will fire up the grill outside MyMenu stores on Saturday, May 16, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and are encouraging everyone to come out and enjoy a tasty meal for a worthy cause. Cookout supporters will receive a hamburger or a bratwurst and a drink for a minimum donation of just $1.00! All product and time is donated, so every penny raised goes directly to the Turnstone Center and its programs. Starting April 16, customers can also support the initiative in-store at MyMenu by purchasing and signing a Charity Cookout Day Star for $1.00, with all proceeds benefiting the Turnstone Center.

An exciting kick-off event for Charity Cookout Day will take place on the Fort Wayne Library Plaza on Friday, May 8 between 3 pm and 7pm it will feature local celebrities, contests, games and much more!

MyMenu has three convenient locations in Fort Wayne to visit:
MyMenu Jefferson, located at 6425 West Jefferson Boulevard
MyMenu Lima, located at 9811 Lima Road
MyMenu Maysville, located at 10140 Maysville Road

"Bike to Work Day" May 15

National Bike to Work Day will take place May 15 in Fort Wayne. The first 100 bike commuters can stop by the north plaza of the City-County Building from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. for a free bagel, courtesy of The Bagel Station, and coffee courtesy of Starbucks.

Tips on how to make bike commuting more convenient:
· Look at a street map to see if there is an alternate route to work that uses less busy streets.
· Consider using the Rivergreenway or other trails for transportation. Go online to www.fortwayneparks.org and go to the Parks menu on the left side and click on Rivergreenway to find a map of the Rivergreenway.
· Drive to a trailhead and bike into work using a multi-use path.
· Evaluate bike parking options at the workplace, including bike racks, other outdoor structures where a bike can be secured or an indoor storage location.
· Employers looking to install a bike rack for employees or visitors can download the City’s informational brochure at http://www.fortwayneparks.org/images/stories/docs/bikeparkingbrochure.pdf.
· “Rack & Roll” with Citilink that day. All Citilink buses have bike racks on the front, making it possible to use public transit and a bike for the same trip. For more information about bus bike racks, visit http://www.fwcitilink.com/bike_load.htm.
· Consider bringing a change of clothes to work. Some employers may want to consider relaxing the dress code for bike commuters that day.
· Bike with co-workers or neighbors by organizing a predetermined starting point and time.

Ivy Tech and PBS39 Offering Career Ladders Series

WFWA-DT PBS39 in conjunction with Ivy Tech Community College-Northeast will premiere a series of programs, Career Ladders. Each program in the series offers information about a different field of study that directly relates to job and career opportunities in Northeast Indiana.

Each half-hour special will be followed by a half-hour roundtable panel discussion, A Closer Look: Career Ladders. These will feature experts from Ivy Tech discussing ways potential students and those seeking a new career path might be able to enter these fields of study and what to expect. The Career Ladders series is made possible by a grant from the Lincoln Financial Group Foundation.

Friday May 8, 2009 at 9 p.m.
Career Ladders: Respiratory Care

Friday, May 15, 2009 at 9 p.m.
Career Ladders: Construction Technology

Friday, May 22, 2009 at 9 p.m.
Career Ladders: Advanced Manufacturing

St. Joe Hospital Turns 140!

St. Joseph Hospital CEO Kirk Kay stopped by the Chamber of Commerce this afternoon to present Kris Foate, President/CEO of the Chamber with a special 140th birthday cake. To celebrate their 140 years St. Joseph's chose 140 local partners to share in this occasion as a recognition of their commitment to the community. Ray mentioned that Ulysses S. Grant was President of the United States when the hospital was founded as a "country hospital" (outside of the Fort Wayne city limits) in 1869. The Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors, Don Schenkel, is also the Chair of St. Joseph's Board.

Big Difference 5K Run/Walk This Saturday

The first annual Big Difference 5K run/walk and kid’s one-mile fun run will be held on Saturday, May 9 at Franke Park beginning at 9:30 a.m. Registration is $15 prior to the event, and $20 the day of the event. The kid’s run is $5 and free to all participating Study Connection students.

Goody bags, prizes for top finishers, books for kids and storytelling are all part of the festivities. Come dressed as your favorite storybook character and you could win some amazing prizes! All proceeds will benefit the Study Connection program, a volunteer tutoring service for FWCS students.

Register on-line or call (260) 467-8810 for additional information.

Women's Business Forum Seeks to Empower Female Professionals

Hear Chamber President and CEO Kris Foate as a featured panelist on "Leadership Challenges" at the upcoming Women's Business Forum on Wednesday, May 20 at Trine University. This all-day event will feature a variety of panel discussions from leading female professionals in the community, a luncheon and networking session and an address from keynote speaker Mary LoVerde. Register for this event on the Chamber Web site.

(Click on the image above for a larger view)

We'll "Cc" You on May 14 @ Bergstaff Place

They say in business it's all about who you know... They were right! Mark your calendars for Cc: me on Thursday, May 14, 2009 at Bergstaff Place (2020 E. Washington Blvd.). Sponsored by Sterler Productions. Refreshments courtesy of Ceruti's Catering. Admission is $5 for Chamber members and $10 for non-members.

Tips, Quips and Tallies

By Kay Anthony

Graduate Retention Program Manager

“Perhaps the most valuable result of all education is the ability to make yourself do the thing you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not; it is the first lesson that ought to be learned, and however early a man’s training begins, it is probably the last lesson that he learns thoroughly.” Thomas Huxley

As the Graduate Retention staff promotes internships, we are continually made aware that students learn best in hands-on environments. However, no matter how excited students are to demonstrate expertise in a certain area, they will not be able to wholly meet an employer’s needs unless they are willing to do tasks they don’t want to do -- with excellence! We are all designed to be lifelong learners – whether we want to be or not. The ironic thing is that as we learn new things, we usually discover a love for learning.

Latest H1N1 Flu Update from Allen County

North American Human Influenza Virus (H1N1)STATUS REPORT – 5/5/09 from the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health

STATE/LOCAL EFFORTS

• No new cases as of now in Allen County, Indiana has 3 confirmed cases.
  Residents can still call the Fort Wayne-Allen County Department of Health’s influenza hotline at 449-7506 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Health care providers who have questions about what should be released to the media can call the toll-free number for providers at: 1-866-233-1237, from 8 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. daily.
• Although the CDC guidance for testing has recently changed, in Indiana we will continue to test those persons who present with Fever > 100o F and either a sore throat or cough who:
  o Are hospitalized
  o Or who have traveled within 7 days to a community either within the United States or internationally where there are one or more confirmed swine influenza A (H1N1) cases
  o Or present to our sentinel sites for assessment

ACTIONS PEOPLE CAN TAKE

• Listen to advice of public health officials.
• Review your family emergency preparedness plans.
• Practice good respiratory hygiene:
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread that way.
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
• If you get sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
  

Financing Your Business

The next Chamber Academy session is "Financing Your Business" on Tuesday, May 12 from 8 - 10 a.m. at the Chamber of Commerce. Hear from four business finance pros about different kinds of small business financing.

Panelists include:
~Karen Goldner of Ruffolo Benson/Main Street Venture Fund
~Darren Renier of Community Development Corporation of Northeast Indiana
~John Milner of Three Rivers Federal Credit Union
~Matt Blair of Grabill Bank

New Cost ~ $19 for members & non-members.To register visit fwchamber.org. For more information call Heather Neilson at (260) 424-1435, ext. 241 or hneilson@fwchamber.org.

Legislative Wrapup Breakfast Postponed

The Chamber's annual Legislative Wrap-up Breakfast scheduled for Thursday, May 14, 2009, has been postponed. A rescheduled date will be made once the special session of the General Assembly has been concluded.

Sponsors of the breakfast are NIPSCO, GAI Consultants, and Waterfurnace International.

Mayor Proclaims May "Historic Preservation Month"

Mayor Tom Henry has recognized May as National Historic Preservation Month in Fort Wayne. He called attention to activities celebrating our history and heritage, as well as the enhancement of our community’s historic neighborhoods, buildings, and sites.

“Our community has managed to preserve much of our heritage and history,” Mayor Henry said. “Fort Wayne has a long-standing tradition of honoring our past and trying to reuse and reclaim examples of significant structures and character from our history. We understand that moving forward into our future includes honoring our past, and we know how important it is to the vitality of our city to ensure strong revitalization efforts.”

Several local organizations are hosting events and activities throughout the month. A brochure highlighting area activities along with an online Heritage Calendar may also be found on the City’s website; visit www.CityofFortWayne.org/preservation.

"Harrison Street Explored" This Wednesday

(click on image for details!)

Creating the Perfect Elevator Pitch

Learn how to to craft the perfect two-minute elevator pitch to sell your business when put on the spot! Advertising and marketing expert Anthony Juliano of Asher Agency will lead a lively discussion that will guide you through the tools you need to promote and sell your business creatively.

Join us Thursday, May 14 from Noon to 1 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce. Register online or pay at the door. The cost is $5 for Chamber members and $10 for non-members.

And then...Put Your Elevator Pitch Into Action!!!
The Chamber's Morning Mix offers fast-paced business development opportunities for professionals involved in sales and public relations. You will experience 20 minutes at three different tables, receiving the opportunity to present your "unique selling proposition" to a couple of dozen businesspersons in a fast-paced, fun and structured setting.

Bring a stack of business cards and join Chick-fil-A Jefferson Pointe on Thursday, May 21 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at Indiana Wesleyan University (8211 West Jefferson Blvd.). Admission is $5. Free coffee and a light breakfast are included.