|
Registration Now Open for 2017 Intercity Leadership Exchange
The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Intercity Leadership Exchange is a three-day educational and highly interactive business leadership trip that supports efforts by our community to learn about best practices from cities across the U.S.
On
October 16-18, 2017 the Chamber will lead a group of community and business leaders on a trip to study one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., Columbus, Ohio. Vibrant and progressive, Columbus’ dynamic yet stable economy is the envy of many other U.S. and international cities. Its collaborative business environment makes it a place where entrepreneurs can take risks, and small businesses and major corporations can thrive – earning it the distinction as
one of the top metros for job creation. Click
here to view the
event flyer.
Registration is $1,650 per person (spouses are welcome to attend for $800) and includes hotel, food, sessions and ground transportation. Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements. Reserve your spot and register today at
gainesvillechamber.com.
WHY COLUMBUS?
|
|
|
July 31 Deadline for Board Nominations
August 8 Business Before Hours
|
|
Last Call for Nominations for 2018 Chamber Board
Applications Due Monday, July 31
The Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce's Nominating Committee is now accepting recommendations for the Chamber Board of Directors for the term beginning in the 2018 calendar year. Board director terms are a three-year commitment.
All recommendations for persons to serve on the Chamber Board are due to the Chamber no later than Monday, July 31, 2017. The Nominating Committee will then review the candidates and a slate of new directors will be proposed at the August 24, 2017, regular Board meeting. New members will be elected at the Sept. 28, 2017, regular Board meeting.
Recommendations for Board nominations should be addressed to Kevin Monroe, Board Chair-Elect at the following email address:
Kevin Monroe, Board Chair-Elect
Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce
300 E. University Ave., Ste. 100
Gainesville, FL 32601
|
|
Team at New Scooters 4 Less to Give Away 400+ Helmets
The team at New Scooters 4 Less has sold thousands of scooters since creation in 2004. Even though 80% of customers that buy a scooter also buy a helmet, New Scooters 4 Less noticed that students in Gainesville weren’t wearing them. New Scooters 4 Less has taken on a new mission: To change the perception of helmets and get more helmets on heads. In May, New Scooters 4 Less made an announcement that it will give a way a FREE helmet with every scooter between now and August 31st, 2017. Scooter purchasers only have to do one thing: Sign a pledge saying that they will ALWAYS wear their helmet.
“I know that this is a perception issue.” Collin Austin, COE - Chief of Everything, at New Scooters 4 Less said. “Students think it is ‘uncool’ to wear a helmet. Our team is out to make it ‘uncool’ if you
are not wearing a helmet. These students got into UF because of their brains, so we want to get them to protect it! If we can get the majority of students on campus to wear a helmet while riding, then I believe the ‘uncool’ perception will change."
Campus USA Credit Union recently joined New Scooters 4 Less in this helmet movement and purchased 100 helmets for New Scooters 4 Less to give away to those that sign the pledge. Adam Stout, P.A. of Stout Defense also heard of NS4L’s initiative and contributed more funds to the movement. New Scooters 4 Less hopes that with the help of businesses like Campus USA Credit Union and Stout Defense, they can keep providing helmets to customers that sign the pledge.
|
|
Dance Alive National Ballet Presents its 52nd Season
Applications Due Monday, July 31
Dance Alive National Ballet, one of Florida’s hottest ballet companies, is delighted to present its 52ndt season and introduce the members of the 2017-2018 Company. Returning principal dancers include Carla Amancio, Buse Babadag, Gretel Batista, Jessie Dominguez, Alexsey Kuznetsov, Ashley Brooke Lunn, Yulia Pivotskaya, Julia Ponomareva, Beatriz Pereira Povoas, Sergii Sydorskyi, Fhilipe Teixeira, Andre Valladon, Barbara Varady and Roberto Vega. New principal Aaron Gomez joins DANB from the Cuban National Ballet whileRachel Ridley rejoins the Company after several years at the University of South Florida.
For more information, please visit www.dancealive.org.
|
|
|
UF Health Shands Hospital Earns Honors as a Top Nurse Employer in Florida
Nurse.org, the web’s leading career site for nurses, has recognized UF Health Shands Hospital as one of the best hospitals for nurses to work for in Florida. Over the past two years, Nurse.org has collected more than 3,000 Florida reviews from nurses about their workplace satisfaction. Reviews in Florida state have revealed that UF Health Shands Hospital has one of the highest levels of satisfaction among its nurses.
Reviewers cited “many opportunities to learn” and “very supportive staff” as the basis for the 4.2 star rating with 93% of the nurses surveyed recommending the hospital as an employer.
Nurse.org’s Product Manager, Phillip Lee, congratulated UF Health Shands Hospital on this achievement saying, “We’re excited to be able to recognize UF Health Shands Hospital for its wonderful work environment. After surveying thousands of Florida nurses, it is clear that UF Health Shands Hospital is one of the best places for nurses to work.”
Nurse.org provides a safe platform on which nurses leave honest workplace reviews. Completely anonymous, nurses share their opinions about culture, nurse-to-patient ratios, and other matters important to them.
Making the list of top hospitals shows the facility is focused on nurse satisfaction. Nurse recruitment -- a challenge today -- becomes easier when the hospital can demonstrate its commitment to nurses by pointing to an unbiased source.
The full rankings of the Best Hospitals for Nurses in Florida is available to view at http://link.gmgb4.net/articles/best-hospitals-florida/
|
|
|
City Commissioner David Arreola Addresses Business Leaders at Distinguished Speaker Luncheon
City Commissioner David Arreola--the city's youngest city commissioner to date--yesterday visited with Chamber members to updated them on the City Commission's current priorities. A few key items on his radar include Smart Cities, expanding existing Enterprise Zones and GRU rates.
The Chamber's Distinguished Speaker series each month offers Chamber members an in-person opportunity to talk in a small setting with local elected, appointed and community leaders about key issues. We will keep you updated on when the next luncheon will occur.
|
|
GRU Update: Commission Approves GRU Rate Increase
City Commissioners last week approved GRU's budget proposal, which includes a proposed 2 percent rate increase. GRU ratepayers will begin seeing the increase on bills received after October 1.
|
|
|
City and County Meetings This Week
|
|
 |
|
CITY MEETINGS
- Development Review Board TODAY, 6:30 PM, Gainesville-Alachua County Cultural Affairs Board Marketing Sub-Committee, and more... Details here...
|
|
|
|
|
COUNTY MEETINGS
- Economic Development Advisory Committee, Land Conservation Board, Gainesville-Alachua County Regional Airport Authority, and more. Details here...
|
|
|
|
Join Us Next Week for a Ribbon Cutting at Leland Management
Join us to celebrate the grand opening of Leland Management with a Ribbon Cutting Celebration! Leland Management is a family-owned business service Homeowner & Condominium Associations throughout the State of Florida.
This event will include food, drink, and speeches.
The official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony will commence at 4:30 p.m. More information can be found here.
|
|
Attention Chamber Members: Win a Free Lunch this Week!
Staying connected with the Chamber is one of the most important ways to push your business toward greater and greater levels of success! And this month, it could also be one of the most delicious ways to stay connected with us, because w
e will enter all members who update their profiles this month into a drawing for a chance to win a gift card to a Chamber member restaurant!
Each month, the Chamber communicates with members about events, programs and initiatives that all work together to create opportunities new opportunities for our members and their employees. We want to make sure that you are able to get the most from your membership and aren’t missing out on any of the benefits you are paying for, or on valuable chances to engage.
We are asking all of our members to please take a moment to log in to your account on ChamberMaster and update the following information found in your company profile:
- Email
- Address
- Phone Number
- Representatives (please enter all current employees as representatives)
How to log in to your account:
If you update your profile this week, you will be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a gift card to a Chamber member restaurant!
Keep us updated so we can keep you updated. Thank you, we appreciate your membership.
|
|
|
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:
|
|
July 28 Shores Animal Hospital Low Cost Vaccine Clinic for Dogs
August 1 Walgreens Senior Discount Day
August 8 Ribbon Cutting at Leland Management
|
|
|
Boost Your Exposure - Opportunities for Chamber Sponsorship Available
|
|
The Gainesville Chamber’s sponsorship and partnership packages offer you the opportunity to align your business with the ‘voice of business’ in the Gainesville region. As a 5-star accredited chamber of commerce, this strategic partnership will allow you to raise your visibility and heighten your exposure to a key target audience, business owners, professionals, and community leaders.
There are two great ways to become a sponsor:
- Become an Annual Sponsor - Join our Circle of Champions and have your company recognized as one of our premier partners
- Sponsor a specific program or event that aligns with your organizations goals and objectives
Representing your business to Chamber membership is significantly valuable to establishing your business as a leader in your industry. Click here to learn more about our sponsorship and partnership opportunities.
Did you know that the Chamber can customize sponsorships to fit your business needs? Contact us today to see how sponsoring can benefit your business. Contact Steve Cannon at stevec@gainesvillechamber.com.
|
|
Captozyme Named 2017 Florida Company to Watch
Grow Florida recently named Captozyme, a Chamber member company, on the 2017 Companies to watch list. As an "Honoree," Captozyme joins the 49 other companies on the list in representing the state's most impactful companies.
From 2013 through 2016, the 50 companies generated more than $1 billion in revenue and added more than 1,300 employees, reflecting a 137 percent increase in revenue and 219 percent increase in employment for the four-year period. That translates into a 30 percent annual growth rate for revenue and a 50 percent annual growth rate for employment.
The 50 companies project continued growth in 2017, with a 53 percent revenue increase and 36 percent growth in employment compared to 2016. If their projections hold, these companies will have generated $1.6 billion in revenue and added more than 2,000 jobs over the last five years — a 262 percent increase in revenue and 333 percent increase in jobs since 2013.
For more information, visit Grow Florida's website.
|
|
Alachua County Students and School District Win Top Awards
The Alachua County Public School District is one of just eight school districts across Florida to be named a winner of the 2017-2019 Florida Healthy School Gold Award by a coalition of state organizations focused on promoting healthy learning environments.
Those eight districts now join six others that currently have the coveted Gold level status. The designation lasts for two years and is based on an extensive list of criteria that cover health and physical education, health services, nutrition, counseling, school environment and family involvement, among others.
Alachua County students provided a strong showing at the national Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership conference in Anaheim California. Caroline Chu, Ben Gao, Steven Li, William Lui and Stephen Rout from Buchholz High School received national recognition at the FBLA Awards of Excellence Program on earlier this month.
These awards were part of a comprehensive national competitive events program sponsored by FBLA-PBL that recognizes and rewards excellence in a broad range of business and career-related areas. For many students, the competitive events are the capstone activity of their academic careers. In addition to competitions, students immersed themselves in interactive workshops, visited an information-packed exhibit hall, and heard from motivational speakers on a broad range of business topics.
|
|
|
Hot Jobs at CareerSource North Central Florida
|
|
Each week, CareerSource North Central Florida staff members identify Current Hot Jobs that employers are eager to fill.
If you’d like a vacant position to be included on this list, please call (352) 244-5112. ...See this week's Hot Jobs
|
|
Sam's Club #8155 Signs on to Help Children's Miracle Network Raise $20,000
This year, the local Sam's Club in Butler Plaza has set a goal of raising $20,000 for the Children's Miracle Network, which benefits our local UF Health Shands Children's Hospital!
We are selling poster size ads for your business that we will post inside Sam's Club near the exit! This exciting marketing and good faith opportunity is being offered for $100! All proceeds benefiting Children's Miracle Network. Please click here for an example of the poster layout.
Please Contact Alena Hunt or Peter Kurman at 352-375-8853 to participate.
|
Business Travel: Who's Mixing Leisure for Pleasure
Anyone who’s ever traveled for business can tell you that it’s nothing like traveling for pleasure. You may be in an exciting place, perhaps for the first time, but there’s no time for sightseeing. Your days, and often nights, are filled with work obligations.
So, it’s not surprising that many business travelers tack on some extra days at the end of their work trip in order to do some sightseeing. Indeed, these business travelers realize that giving themselves a chance to relax and unwind is more than a perk; it can be beneficial to the bottom line.
A new report from the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) also finds support for leisure travel – trips that mix business and leisure. In the GBTA survey, 37 percent of travelers from North America report that they’ve extended a business trip for leisure in the past year. Younger workers, who may be traveling widely for the first time, are even more likely to do so. Forty-eight percent of millennial travelers, in their 20s to early 30s, report combining business and leisure. Only 23 percent of baby boomers took a bleisure trip and 33 percent of those ages 36 to 54 did so. For travelers who don’t take a bleisure trip, 58 percent reported that they simply didn’t have the time.
For more information on work-leisure travel, please contact Courtnie Nichols at TravelBash.
|
|
|
Welcome New Members!
PRP Rengeneration Specialists, LLC
Radio Kuva
|
|
Thank You Renewing Members for Your Continued Support!
Blakeland
The Stiles Family Office
NAVC
A & N Corporation
Union Properties of Gainesville, Inc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
