Two Times the Networking Fun in June!

They say in business it's all about who you know... They were right! Build lasting relationships with other Fort Wayne professionals and find out the latest business buzz without being bombarded with sales pitches.

Enjoy an evening of professional networking, complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar, along with a variety of valuable prizes at Fort Wayne Off-Track Betting (next to Gander Mountain off Lima Road) on Tuesday, June 9 from 5-7 p.m. $5 for Chamber members, $10 for non-members.

And, don't miss out on a chance to welcome summer with a special Cc: me event on opening night of the 12th Annual BBQ RibFest! Build lasting connections while enjoying an evening of "Blues, Brews, and BBQ" on Thursday, June 18 from 5-7 p.m. at Headwaters Park. $5 for Chamber members, $10 for non-members.

For more information contact Laureen Voirol at (260) 434-1435, ext. 266 or lvoirol@fwchamber.org.

Science Central Wants You for a Three Rivers Festival Trebuchet Competition

Science Central wants you! Help show that nobody can build a modern version of the medieval trebuchet and heave a sack of flour at a target 300 feet away quite like the people of Fort Wayne!

Trebuchet competitions are being held at high schools, colleges, universities and parks all over the country. Gather a team and enter the contest held at Lawton Park (adjacent to Science Central) on Wednesday, July 15, 2009. The competition will be helding during the Three Rivers Festival and is a great opportunity for teams of all ages to build and compete with the most accurate trebuchet. Teams vie in one of three categories: high school, college/adult and corporate. Be a sponsored team or simply work with a group of friends to design, build and compete with a winning trebuchet.

For more information about the competition, the history of trebuchets or to find plans for building a working trebuchet, visit Science Central's Web site or call (260) 424-2400, ext. 411.

The Art of Green Design

At the Chamber's June Business Brown Bag you will discover how "going green" at work can help keep your budget "in the black."

Join us at Cinema Center as Tom Werling and Dave Hall of The Hagerman Group present "Building Green." In addition, enjoy a special Artlink exhibit entitled Green. Browse works depicting environmental initiatives and made from recycled materials.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 17, 2009 from noon-1 p.m. at Cinema Center (437 E. Berry St.).

Register online or at the door. $5 for Chamber Members, $10 for Non-Members.

For more information contact Laureen Voirol, Member Relations Coordinator at (260) 424-1435, ext. 266 or lvoirol@fwchamber.org.

Drive Sales Through New Media: Workshop Series Comes to Fort Wayne

Don't miss out on a series of workshops aimed at educating Indiana entrepreneurs on driving business growth through the use of new media. The "Strategies for Business in the Digital Age" workshops focus on business Internet strategies, using digital and social networking to drive sales, engaging and empowering customers and case studies of businesses that have used new media to achieve unprecedented and exponential growth.

The Northeast Indiana Small Business Development Center (NEISBDC) is collaborating with Web development company Media Sauce to present the series at the Allen County Public Library's downtown location. The first workshop entitled "Building Internet Strategy for Your Business" took place March 20. Three workshops remain:

• "Sales 2.0: Transform Your Sales Force" - June 9
  
• "Social Media: Engaging and Empowering Your Customers" - August 11
  
• "Think Big: Internet Case Studies of Successful Business" - October 6

For more information on the workshops visit businessinthedigitalage.com.

Coliseum Concert Series: Keith Urban & Taylor Swift

The Coliseum wants to let you know a luxury suite is available for the Keith Urban and Taylor Swift concert this Sunday. Businesses can entertain clients or reward hardworking employees with a special treat!

There are a minimum of 15 tickets, up to 26 available for the concert. Two parking passes are included; food and beverage are extra. For more information, call the Premium Seating office at the Coliseum at (260) 480-2186.

Chamber Group Meeting with Senator Bayh and the Congressional Delegation to Oppose Union Card Check Legislation

June 3, 2009, WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce is in Washington D.C. today with a delegation of Chamber members to lobby Indiana’s elected officials against proposed card check union organizing legislation. The controversial bill would eliminate the private ballot, give the federal government power to dictate workplace pay and benefits and force unfair mandates on small business.

"With our region’s significant concentration of manufacturing, healthcare and financial services, this legislation could have an extremely negative effect on businesses in our area," said Joni Howell, manager of Government Affairs at the Chamber.

"We hope that Senator Bayh and the rest of our Congressional Delegation will agree with us that EFCA is bad for Northeast Indiana businesses and workers. This is not a time to compromise with issues that would do such damage to our economy," Howell continued.

The card check bill was introduced in the House on March 10 with 223 original co-sponsors and 40 co-sponsors in the Senate. The legislation fell short of moving forward in the Senate in 2007 by just 9 votes. Protecting the secret ballot was also on the Chamber’s Federal Agenda last year.

ABOUT THE CHAMBER
The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving its membership of nearly 2000 Northeast Indiana businesses. The Mission of the Chamber is to create a vibrant economic environment by supporting business, advocating on behalf of the business community and fostering community partnerships to advance a common economic vision.

Chamber Member WaterFurnace International Becomes the First to Achieve Green City Business,

WaterFurnace International has achieved Fort Wayne’s first Green City Business designation.

WaterFurnace achieved Green City Business status with a number of initiatives including: installing low flow aerators on sink faucets, installing energy efficient light bulbs, implementing a company wide paper recycling program, cleaning storm drains to allow for optimal runoff, landscaping with native plants to soak up more storm water, and recruiting another business to go through the process.

WaterFurnace attended a training session sponsored by the City’s Environmental and Energy Department early last month. The program helps businesses save money on energy costs and adopt more environmentally friendly business practices. It targets pollution prevention, solid waste reduction, and energy and water conservation.

WaterFurnace designs and builds geothermal units for the heating and air conditioning of both residential and commercial buildings.

Interested in attending a Green City Business training session? Contact Wendy Barrott at (260) 427-1381.

Make an Impact: Volunteer for the 17th Annual Day of Caring

United Way of Allen County is seeking work projects and volunteers for the 17th Annual Day of Caring, which takes place August 14, 2009. This year's Day of Caring will focus on neighborhood revitalization within 13 neighborhoods selected in cooperation with the City of Fort Wayne's community development staff. Projects will include cleaning, painting, landscaping or interactive activities at non-profit agencies, schools, childcare centers, after-school youth programs and churches.

Approximately 1,000 volunteers take part each year to help improve our community. Project proposals can be submitted by social service agencies, neighborhood association presidents, churches and the City of Fort Wayne's Neighborhood Code. Project forms are available at UnitedWayAllenCounty.org or by calling (260) 422-4776. Project submissions are due June 12, 2009. Proposed projects falling outside the selected neighborhoods will also be considered.

Volunteer teams of any size can also sign up online or by calling (260) 422-4776. Teams should sign up no later than June 30, 2009.

Get on Board with Golfopoly

Reserve your space now for the Chamber's Annual Golfopoly, scheduled for Thursday, August 27 at Autumn Ridge Golf Club. Morning and afternoon tee times are available.

In addition to golfing, there will be lots of fun new games! Register by clicking here. Morning tee time is 7:30 a.m. and afternoon tee time is 1:30 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Closing reception with hors d' oeuvres and a cash bar will begin at 6:30 p.m.

If you are interested in promoting your organization through a sponsorship or by donating an item for the silent auction or raffle, please contact Laureen Voirol at (260) 424-1435, ext. 266 or lvoirol@fwchamber.org.

Thank you to our Silver Sponsor, Comcast Business Class and our Beverage Cart Sponsor, PHP!

Chamber, City, Small-Business Advocates Offer Free Business Workshops

The City of Fort Wayne, the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Enterprise – A Program of the Fort Wayne Women’s Bureau, Small Business Administration, SCORE, Community Development Corp. and the Indiana Small Business Development Center will offer free forums on various business topics through summer and fall.

The workshops planned for 2009 are:
· Pricing, June 18
· Taxes and record-keeping, Aug. 20
· New business start-up in a recession, Sept. 17
· Procurement, Oct. 15
· Patents, trademarks and copyright, Nov. 19

All workshops are free and will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Omni Room of the City-County Building.

June 9 ~ Cc: me @ Fort Wayne OTB

They say in business it's all about who you know...They were right!

Join us Tuesday, June 9, 2009 from 5 -7 p.m. at Fort Wayne Off-Track Betting (next to Gander Mountain off Lima Road).

Cc: me is a new after-work event designed to create opportunities for you to build lasting relationships with other Fort Wayne professionals and find out the latest business buzz without being bombarded with sales pitches.

Admission is $5 for Chamber members, $10 for non-members. For questions please contact Laureen Voirol at (260) 424-1435, ext. 266 or lvoirol@fwchamber.org.