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Have We Heard from You?
Since April, the chamber has held two public forums attended by more than 140 people to explore the infrastructure needs of Alachua County and how to best balance and fund them. We need to hear from you, too. Why? Because if you live or work in Alachua County, these issues are costing you money today, and will affect affordability for you tomorrow.
The Chamber's first two i3 (Putting Children First Infrastructure Investment Initiative) sessions explored and facilitated discussion on various infrastructure needs, including K-12 public school and the communications system used by first responders. These topics, in addition to infrastructure for roads, and parks and recreation are among those that have been identified by the i3 Steering Committee after months of research and public engagement as areas to explore.
Have we heard from you? If not, consider this: Funding for road resurfacing needs to be increased five-fold for timely maintenance and avoidance of increased costs. The price of delay eventually removes resurfacing as an option and the cost to reconstruct a failed road is three times that of resurfacing.
If you are reading this email, this issue affects you, so come out, get educated about what we have learned, hear form the leaders who oversee our roads. At this meeting, Deputy Manager for Public Works James Harriott and County Engineer Ramon Gavarrete will review our roadway repair needs and the currently available funding sources.
At last month's forum, we had a full house, so don't wait - register here to take advantage of the next opportunity to speak up on Wednesday, July 12 at the third public meeting of the i3 initiative. And most importantly, plan to give us your feedback on how you want to see our County's infrastructure issues prioritized.
The meeting will be held at North Florida Regional Medical Center's South Tower Conference Center located at 6500 W Newberry Rd., Gainesville, FL 32605.
If you have questions, please contact Grassroots Engagement Manager Vicki Gervickas at vicki@gainesvillechamber.com.
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TODAY! June 27
Chamber 101
July 11 Business Before Hours
July 12 i3 Public Meeting #3
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No ejournal Next Week
Due to the July 4 holiday, the Chamber will not distribute an ejournal next Tuesday. We will resume the ejournal Tuesday, July 11. Member announcements for the July 11 issue will be due Friday, July 7 by noon. Announcements may be submitted using this link.
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Today's Learners are Tomorrow's Earners -- Are They Prepared for a Global Economy?
Between now and 2030, Florida will need to create 2 million more net new jobs. Is our state's workforce prepared? The Florida Chamber Foundation’s 2017 Learners to Earners Education Summit, held June 13-14 in Orlando, will connect Florida’s business community, workforce professionals and education thought leaders with interactive discussions on how to connect today’s learners to tomorrow’s career opportunities. Florida will need to create 2 million net new jobs by 2030- will tomorrow’s workforce have the skills they need to fill those jobs? Join the Florida Chamber at its annual event and be part of the discussion.
Watch the below Florida Wins video and tag the Florida Chamber using #Learners2Earners and @FLChamberFDN.
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Chamber Board of Directors Bestows Legacy Award Upon Perry McGriff, Jr.
On June 22, the Chamber Board of Directors awarded the late Perry McGriff Jr. with the Chamber's Legacy Award. Prior to now, only five individuals have ever received the award, which honors individuals in the business community who have left a lasting legacy on the Gainesville/Alachua County area. Mr. McGriff's award will hang in the Board room alongside those of the other recipients.
A copy of the award was presented to Mr. McGriff's wife, Noel, during a tribute ceremony attended by nearly 50 individuals. The Board also provided special recognition for the sacrifice made by Noel and their children in sharing Perry with our community.
In addition, City Commissioner Harvey Budd and Alachua County Commission Chair Ken Cornell both proclaimed June 22 Perry McGriff Day in the City of Gainesville and Alachua County, respectively. Representative Clovis Watson spoke on behalf of the Florida House of Representatives, and Karen Clark, who will become Superintendent of Schools on July 1, spoke on the School Board's behalf.
Also in attendance were a host of close friends, including the Honorable David Flagg, who had known Perry since they were in third grade.
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US Chamber Urgest Awareness of Hurricane Season Resources
As we enter hurricane season, we wanted to remind you of the resources available to you through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center (CCC)
National Disaster Help Desk. They track natural disasters, and if needed, support you and your recovery effort in your community. They activate to support (not supplant) existing systems and communications between chambers, businesses, non-profits, local/state/federal governments and fill gaps when needed.
For your members, please feel free to share our Disaster Help Desk line at 1-888-MY-BIZ-HELP (888-692-4943) on your communications or website with area businesses should they need any help or have questions.
Additionally, here are our new recovery Quick Guides to help Chambers and Small Businesses hit by a disaster.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to our officeor follow up directly with Brooks Nelsonor Ines Pearce with the U.S. Chamber Foundation.
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Join Us in Welcoming our Newest Circle of Champions Members
Our Circle sponsors are not only leaders in the Chamber, but they represent the leaders of our business community. By being part of the Circle of Champions, your business will announce its support of the growth of the business community and represent yourself at the top of your industry.
Become a Circle of Champions sponsor today. For information contact Steve Cannon, Director of Membership, at
stevec@gainesvillechamber.com or call 352-334-7127.
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TODAY! Maximize Your Membership! Attend Chamber 101
New and re-engaged Chamber members are invited for a casual networking breakfast to learn more about the services included in your Chamber Membership. Attendees will interact directly with Chamber Staff, Diplomats and other new Members. Whether you just joined or have been a member for years, this is a beneficial experience for all.
Chamber 101 is held quarterly and is open to any member who may need a refresher on their Chamber member benefits. Longstanding members are encouraged to send new employees through the program so that each company representative can fully utilize the features of their membership. Mark your calendar for the next Chamber 101 on June 27th at 8:30 a.m. at the Gainesville Area Camber of Commerce. Registration is available on the Chamber website. For more information, contact Tabetha Getz, VP of Membership at tabetha@gainesvillechamber.com.
Chamber 101 is sponsored by BBVA Compass.
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UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:
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June 21-Aug 4 Okito America Summer Camp
June 20-Aug 16 PGA Junior League Golf at Meadowbrook
July 4 Walgreens Senior Discount Day
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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.
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Public Meetings This Week
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Empowering Women in Technology Startups
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Research shows that women wait to be invited to participate in new opportunities. Consider yourself invited to what could be one of the most empowering programs of your life. The next session of the popular Empowering Women in Technology Startups (Ewits®) program kicks off in Fall of 2017 with the goal of introducing women to entrepreneurial skills necessary for creating companies. You don’t need to be technology-focused to participate, the only requirement is a bachelor’s degree!
The 10-week program will start a new cohort in Fall 2017. Come and learn more at an upcoming information session at the Innovation Hub at UF, 747 SW 2nd Ave, Gainesville. Please register if you plan to attend, and feel free to forward this invitation on to others who may be interested. For more information visit http://www.ewits.org.
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FPL Solar Farm Represents $50M in Capital Investment in Alachua County
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Florida Power & Light is constructing a solar farm to house more than 330,000 solar panels to provide energy throughout the state. The project represents a capital investment in Alachua County of $50 Million, or 20 percent of the $250 million goal associated with the Council for Economic Outreach's Transforming Greater Gainesville five-year economic development strategy.
The panels are being installed on more than 1,200 acres across Alachua and Putnam counties.
Read the Gainesville Sun's Sunday article for more information.
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County Releases June Economic Indicators Report
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Alachua County recently released its June Economic Indicators Report. The County noted as a highlight of the report that all major industries in the Gainesville MSA posted over-the-year gains in May 2017. Also, the region continues to experience double-digit growth in sales tax receipts in building investment due to all the construction projects coming to fruition around the area.
The Alachua County Economic Indicators report provides a snapshot of recent changes in the economy of the Gainesville Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The MSA is comprised by Alachua County and Gilchrist County. The report draws on official statistics that have been released during the last month. The data published in this publication was gathered from several sources such as: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), National Association of Realtors, Council for Community & Economic Research (C2ER), Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), and Office of Economic & Demographic Research.
Read the full report here.
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Changing Public Education through Partnership
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Several key community organizations have partnered to improve the education and lives of students at Howard Bishop Middle School, which just completed its first year as a Community Partnership School. The Community Partnership School model utilizes the collective impact of four major partners-- the Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS), Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS), the University of Florida (UF), Santa Fe College (SF), and the Alachua County Health Department (ACHD). These entities have joined together in a 25-year Memorandum of Understanding to become one effective agent of change to provide services and opportunities for Howard Bishop Middle School The pooled resources of these partners will be utilized to meet the needs of Howard Bishop Middle School students, families, faculty/staff, and community members, including extended services, hours, and relationships.
According to Howard Bishop Principal Mike Gamble, teachers at the school would previously dip into their own pockets or closets to graciously support students’ unmet basic needs. Now, the Community Partnership School provides these services for free including snack and meal assistance, mental health counseling, academic enrichment opportunities, clothing assistance and emergency support.
Through a detailed community needs assessment and input from Howard Bishop administration, the Community Partnership School has outlined two current goals. The primary goal remains to provide academic assistance allowing for growth amongst the lowest quartile of students, especially in the areas of reading and math, as well as allow students who have been retained catch up with their cohort. The second goal is to deliver mental health counseling and social support to assist students, teachers, and families in managing their behaviors and demonstrating appropriate behavioral responses.
Faculty members see evidence of positive change in students' behavior and performance. Read more...
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Hot Jobs at CareerSource North Central Florida
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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
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Are You Tracking?
At Southwestern Consulting, we help people achieve their goals in life. Obviously a huge part of that includes sales goals. Did you know that our average coaching client increases their production by 23%?! However, we tell our clients frequently that "you can't expect unless you inspect." Are you tracking your numbers? Do you have an income goal that you have reverse-engineered down into its smallest components? Do you know how many phone calls you need to make to reach a decision maker? To set an appointment? How many appointments it takes to make a sale? This type of reverse engineering is one of our specialties! I'd like to share a blog post written by Emmie Brown, one of the co-founders of Southwestern Consulting, which addresses this very topic of tracking, and outlines why it is so important, and how we can help you break down your goals to know exactly what activity you need to focus on. Feel free to contact me at jfrank@southwesternconsulting.com or 352-215-1078 if you'd like more information. Read more...
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Prestigious Manufacturing and Distributor Awards Program Seeking Nominations
For the past decade, the Manufacturers Association of Florida has recognized Florida’s leaders in the manufacturing industry through a prestigious awards program. The association announces the open call for 2017 nominations for exceptional manufacturing and distributor companies to join the ranks of Florida’s industry elite. The annual Manufacturers and Distributors of the Year competition is seeking nominations now through July 31, 2017.
More than a dozen judges across the state will narrow down the nominees to a mere handful of finalists in four categories. Historically, each company is judged on leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce focus, and process management. In addition to evaluation of the applications, the judging team will complete personal interviews and facility tours with the nominees.
For further distinction, MAF will award those finalists who also hold membership in the association with the MAF 2017 Seal of Excellence. The Seal sets those finalists apart with an additional honor in recognition of their advances and leadership in the industry.
New this year, we will be celebrating with the winners in their home towns so their employees, friends and neighbors can participate in their statewide recognition.
Any person, business, or organization may submit a nomination and self-nominations are encouraged. More details can be found online at www.mafmfg.com/manufacturer-of-the-year.
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McGriff-Williams Insurance Welcomes Two New Personal Insurance Advisors
Courtney McCallister and Lee Ferinden have joined the personal insurance team at McGriff-Williams Insurance. Both Courtney and Lee graduated from the University of Florida with Bachelors of Science.
Courtney enjoys spending time with her daughter, running marathons, and volunteering. Her goal at the agency is to create a pleasant experience for clients while finding the products that work for them.
Lee enjoys spending time with her husband, friends, and family while enjoying all of Florida’s amazing offerings. Her goal is to be the best agent possible for all of her clients.
Welcome Courtney and Lee!
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Welcome New Members!
Southwestern Consulting
8 Degrees Fahrenheit Ice Cream
ADP HR / BPO Solutions
American Heart Association
Angie’s Acupuncture
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Thank You Renewing Members for Your Continued Support!
Alachua County Mini Maid
Departure Media
Deren Land Surveying, LLC
Gainesville Landscape Contractors
Goodwill of North Florida
Hilton University of Florida Conference Center
GainesvillePurvis Gray & Co, CPA's
Renaissance Printing
University of Florida College of the Arts
Wal-Mart Store # 1081
WCJB TV Channel 20
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Fierce Awards
For the third consecutive year, Business in Greater Gainesville is pleased to honor the successful and transformative women of our community by recognizing their work in the corporate, nonprofit, governmental and entrepreneurial sectors of our region for their ability to inspire and ignite change in their respective arenas.
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Hartfield Expansion
After months of planning and preparation, Hartfield Insurance Group, Inc. is very excited to announce the broadening of our agency’s scope of services by adding Property and Casualty Insurance to the current portfolio. Hartfield Insurance Group now offers all Personal Insurances such as Home, Auto, Life, Health and Annuities as well as Business and Commercial Insurance including Commercial Property, Auto, Liability, Worker’s Comp, and Group Benefits.
Larry Hartfield, founder of the Hartfield Insurance Group, offers a simple credo. “As a Martial Arts Instructor for over 30 years, it is my honor helping people learn to avoid conflict or at least minimize its consequences. An Insurance Agency is a natural extension of that. We help individuals and businesses with their ‘Financial Self-Defense’. If one can’t avoid a problem, they can at least mitigate its damage”.
As an independent agency, the Hartfield Insurance Group, Inc. has developed excellent relationships with many of the top-rated insurance brokers giving our team the ability to shop the insurance market to find the most favorable combination of coverage and price for our valued clients. Call us, at 352-373-7100, for information how we can help you protect you, your family and your business.
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Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification
Lean Six Sigma is a strategy for process improvement, using disciplined problem solving to eliminate waste, reduce variability and optimize outcomes. Green Belts are typically process managers/leaders who oversee a couple of projects each year in their specific area of their organization, while maintaining regular work duties. Whatever function you have in working in a regulated environment, both efficiency and quality are essential to remain competitive in the Bioscience industry. Learn the basics of a time proven problem solving and process improvement approach through highly interactive, self-paced e-Learning followed by scheduled instructor-led virtual classroom sessions to reinforce the course content. This course requires about 5 ½ hours per week for 8 weeks, of which 4 hours are self-paced independent study, and 1 ½ hours scheduled virtual classroom time.
Learn More...
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5 Years of 2 College Brothers
Last week, 2 College Brothers celebrated 5 years of Smarter Moving Solutions LLC, parent company to 2 College Brothers Moving & Storage and 2 College Brothers Moving of Tampa. This milestone marks the birth of a brainchild that began with a young college student advertising as a 'College Student Athlete Looking for General Labor' on Craigslist.
Through hard work, dedication, and the support of friends, family and our customers, we've been able to grow into a full-service, residential and commercial moving company.
We'd like to thank all of our customers for their continued support. Learn more about our story here.
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The Hippodrome & The Atlantic Partner for a Night of 80's Music
June 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Gainesvillians will jam out to the Talking Heads at the Hippodrome Cinema and The Atlantic on Friday.
The Hippodrome will screen "Stop Making Sense" in its cinema at 7:30 p.m., and The Atlantic will follow the screening with an '80s dance party at 10 p.m.
Released in 1984, "Stop Making Sense" is one of the greatest concert films of all time.
Director Jonathan Demme captures the frantic energy and artsy groove of Talking Heads in this concert movie, shot at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre in 1983. The band's frontman, David Byrne, first appears on an empty stage, armed with only an acoustic guitar, and is gradually joined by bassist Tina W
eymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, keyboardist Jerry Harrison and a cadre of backup singers as they perform the band's hits, culminating in an iconic performance featuring Byrne in an enormous suit.
"This film sets the golden standard for all concert films to come,"
said Jason Potak, Hippodrome cinema program director. "We're excited to bring Gainesville something that's nostalgic but relevant. It's a film that any music lover will enjoy."
Tickets to this special event will be $9 for adults and $7 for students. They can be purchased at thehipp.org or by calling the box office at (352) 375-4477.
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