December Empresario Presented by Wells Fargo

DECEMBER 2017

EMPRESARIO

Chamber Events Members Economic Development Community Events October Highlights Stay Connected

Presented by:

A MOMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT

John Hernandez

GRATEFULNESS:

Every day, day in and day out, we are confronted with what seem to be life changing decisions. We stress about projects, deadlines, goals and relationships. And should I say it? Yes, spending time with family can be stressful too! Especially during the Holidays! But in this Holiday season, we must also make it a priority to unplug, destress and give thanks for the little things. In fact, for me, I actively make the decision to think of the things that we all seem to overlook sometimes. The blessing of having a place to call home. A job that hopefully allows us to afford the necessities... And our wants! The food that nourishes our body and keeps us healthy. And last but certainly not least, our family. That goes for our work and home family. Their support, advice and feedback sometimes make all the difference in the world.

So please join me in this exercise. As we start to prepare for the Holiday season, lets pause and give thanks for the little things!

Have a Merry Christmas!

CHAMBER EVENTS


Business After Hours December 7 5 - 7PM Tommy Bahama 5265 Monahas Ave Fort Worth, TX	Join us for a Cocktail Party with the Ministry of Tourism of State Government Click here to RSVP December 7 5:30 - 8PM Hampton Inn and Suites Fort Worth I-30 West 2700 Green Oaks Road Fort Worth, TX	Coffee with the Chamber December 8 8 - 9AM Hampton Inn and Suites Fort Worth I-30 West 2700 Green Oaks Road Fort Worth, TX


2018 Fiesta Night at the Rodeo January 19th 5:30 - 11:30pm Round Up Inn at Will Rogers Coliseum 3400 Crestine Fort Worth, TX	Annual American Salute Gala April 13th 5:30 - 11:30pm Renaissance Worthington Hotel 200 Main Street Fort Worth, TX

MEMBERS

Welcome to Our New Members

JPMorgan Chase & Company

Spotlights


Member Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center is located near downtown Fort Worth, is an award-winning full-service hospital dedicated to providing for the health care needs of the community. Baylor Scott & White - Fort Worth is among Tarrant County's oldest not-for-profit hospitals and celebrated 100 years of service in 2006. The medical center has 574 licensed beds and offers a broad range of medical services. From minor injuries to major trauma to stroke, heart attack and other life-threatening conditions, the emergency medicine specialists on our medical staff have the tools and technology you need to heal you. In an emergency, we're close by when you need us! How has the FWHCC Membership served your business? As a member, the chamber has helped us as a source of communication for the programs we have to offer. What could the chamber do differently? We would love to see more individualized workshops for specific trades. Such as, real-estate, healthcare, banking and educational opportunities within your field.		Ambassador Maribel Moreland is a member of the EECU community relations & business development team. She joined EECU in 1994 as a teller and worked in a variety of positions including accounting with an apptitude for numbers. However, underneath the number cruncher was a natural external ambassador, and she transferred to the EECU Marketing team in 2015. In this role, Maribel has been a perfect fit for EECU's commitment to the community and she leads many of EECU's volunteer efforts which support education and children's health. Maribel is also an active board member for the Fort Worth Chapter of Credit Unions. Maribel is bi-lingual with a heart to help others, especially wanting to support start-up businesses in the Hispanic community. She gravitates toward programs that provide training and development to others, and wants to lift up individuals and businesses. This mind-set is a perfect fit for EECU that was started by teachers for teachers. Although EECU's charter is now open to anyone, the EECU commitment to education is steadfast. What does the FWHCC Membership mean to you? The opportunity to educate people about the credit union and gain experience personally. What are some outstanding memories about the FWHCC? I attended a Business After Hours event (BAH) few months ago that helped me connect with several individuals and I created friends during this event.

Outstanding Member helped raise funds for Lucyle Middle School!

At the "Dinner with a Gentlemen" party, which emphasizes the importance of the male role models in our children's lives. One of our members, Noé Neaves helped raise $850 dollars for this amazing event. Good job Noé!

"Building those relationships with our members means so much to us! We strive to connect our members with our community." -FWHCC Team

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Economics "Why buying local matters"

Charles Blaylock proudly stands by his impressive fully organic crops.

Shine's Farmstand

Have you tasted Japanese Hakurei turnips or Jade cucumbers lately? If you are shopping at chain stores, it is likely you have not had the pleasure of tasting these delicious organically grown and locally available vegetables. Unfortunately, in addition to the lack of diversity in produce found in chain stores, extensive studies have shown that buying local has unmatched positive impacts on our local economy. For example, a 2013 study conducted by Civic Economics found that "for every $1,000,000 in sales, local retail stores generate $450,000 in local economic activity, compared to just $170,000 for chains, this translates into about 2.6 times as many local jobs created"(Civic Economics, Feb. 2013). A separate study conducted by the Maine Center for Economic Policy found "that every $100 spent at locally owned businesses contributes an additional $58 to the local economy, while in comparison, $100 spent at a chain store yields just $33 in local economic impact"(Maine Center for Economic Policy, Dec. 2011). Additionally, "local restaurants recirculate an average of 79 percent of their revenue locally, compared to 30 percent for the chain eateries" (Civic Economics, Aug. 2012).The tax value of these findings is equally as impressive, as is the diminished carbon footprint created by small local farmers.

Local Farmer, Charlie Blaylock of Shine's Farmstand in Azle, TX, prides himself in producing high quality, truly organic, nutritious and diverse produce using French intensive gardening methods. These methods were created to allow humans the ability to produce healthy, vibrant plants with smaller spaces and less water than traditional gardening, thus encouraging and making possible urban agriculture. Local farmers like Charlie would like to see more people get back to a growing and buying local culture. Local restaurants, such as Ellerbe Fine Foods, are supporting this important effort by being a consistent customer to local farms such as Shine's Farmstand. Additionally, local organizations and groups such as, Tarrant County Food Policy, Community Gardens & Urban Agriculture Working group of TCFPC, and Cowtown Farmers Market, are working to spread the word about the benefits of urban growing and buying local.

Want to join the movement of healthier, local eating? You can do so by visiting:

Bonton Farms.org, Barking Cat Farm, Gardeners Happy Hour, or BRIT.org.

COMMUNITY EVENTS


Navidad on Ice December 6 7 - 9PM Panther Island Ice 223 NE 4th Street Fort Worth, Texas	End of Year Social December 7 5 - 8PM with National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals Blue Mesa Southwest 612 Carroll Street Fort Worth, Texas	Good News Fest December 9 10AM - 12PM Diamond Hill Park 3709 Weber Street Fort Worth, Texas


Holiday meet and greet sock drive December 9 2 - 6PM Clubhouse 11th Floor 2511 Wedglea Drive Dallas, Texas	Evening of merriment and good cheer! December 14 6 - 9PM With the Regional Hispanic Contractors Association Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Garden 8525 Garland Road Dallas, Texas	Conferencia de Liderasgo January 27 7:30AM - 3PM Tarrant County College Trinity River Campus 300 Trinity Campus Circle Fort Worth, Texas

NOVEMBER HIGHLIGHTS

Building Capacity Series with the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce

We would like to send a special thank you to our collaborators, presenters and guests who joined us November 30 th , for the final program of our joint building capacity series. Focused on construction technology, this program brought to the forefront the benefits of using technology to optimize project planning, building and delivery. Stay tuned as we continue to bring you valuable programming via strong partnerships and relevant business topics!

Business After Hours with Pinnacle Bank

Thank you Pinnacle Bank of Texas for sponsoring our Business After Hours (BAH) event! We appreciate all of you who attended and connected with us. Don't miss our next BAH on Thursday, December 7th!