March 5, 2019
POLICY UPDATE
TONIGHT: Meet the City of Gainesville Mayoral and District 4 Candidates
Candidate Forum
TODAY, March 5, 6:30 - 8pm
Scorpio Construction
3911 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville

We look forward to seeing all of our members at our Candidate Forum tonight, March 5, from 6:30 to 8pm at Scorpio Construction (3911 W. Newberry Road, Gainesville, 32607). Until then, to help you get to know them better, we asked each candidate for the Mayoral and District 4 races to complete our Candidate Questionnaire. Click on the links to view the responses (published just as we received them). Election Day is Tuesday, March 19, and early voting starts Saturday, March 9. We hope you will engage on the issues that are important to you.

Click the links below to learn more about each candidate!

UPCOMING EVENT
Amazing Give Wrap Party
Thursday, March 21, 5 - 7pm
Fairfield Inn & Suites
3877 SW 37th Blvd, Gainesville

Join the Community Foundation and the Greater Gainesville Chamber as we count down to the end of the fourth annual Amazing Give. This event is open to the community. Food trucks and a cash bar will be available on site. There will be prize giveaways and a chance for you to win a grant for your favorite nonprofit.

RSVP by Monday, March 18 to 352-367-0060 or office@cfncf.org.
UPCOMING EVENT
Business After Hours at Gatornationals Next Week!
Wednesday, March 13, 5-7pm
Gainesville Raceway
11211 N. County Rd. 225, Gainesville

It's time to kick off Gatornationals! Join us for the annual Chamber Business After Hours at the Gainesville Raceway on next Wednesday, March 13 from 5 to 7pm as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Gatornationals. This event is always one of our best-attended networking events, so don't miss out!

Join us for food, refreshments and the opportunity to win some great door prizes including tickets to attend Gatornationals.

Free admission for all Chamber members and their employees. 

Automotive Sponsor Davis Chevrolet will be showcasing some of their cool vehicles and their will be multiple drawings to win prizes including tickets to attend Gatornationals.

Bring a friend, bring a co-worker, bring yourself, but most importantly, bring your Gatornationals spirit!


For more information and to register to attend,  Click Here .
Sponsored by
UPCOMING EVENT
Lunch & Learn TOMORROW: Strength in Culture
Wednesday, March 6, Noon - 1pm
Saint Leo University
4650 NW 39th Place, Suite B, Gainesville

Presented by : Julieanne McGuinness
Team Dynamo / Keller Williams

Too often as business owners, we expect for our employees to just do what we would do, or think as we would think. That’s just not realistic - and it’s definitely not reality. We are called as Leaders in our organizations to not only perform at a high level, but communicate at one as well. This lunch and learn will teach you the questions for you ask to understand in order to identify the tone of your current organization, and what steps to take to create a positive and lasting culture that produces results and reflect positivity.
Sponsored by
UPCOMING EVENT
CEO InSights featuring Chad Paris of Parisleaf
Wednesday, March 20, 8 - 9:30am
Hippodrome Theater, Gainesville
25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville

CEO InSights is an event series featuring topic presentations by local presidents, CEOs and other community leaders in an intimate, studio-type setting. The goal is to share personal and timely insights on critical topics including leadership, innovation, culture and more. 
 
Join us Wednesday, March 20th, as our guest speaker will be Chad Paris, Principal and CEO of Parisleaf.

Registration is required.  A light breakfast will be served. 
  
For more information and to register,  click here .
Sponsored by
UPCOMING EVENT
Join us for Business Before Hours at Oak Hall School
Tuesday, March 12, 8:30 - 10am
Oak Hall School
8009 SW 14th Ave, Gainesville

Join us for Business Before Hours Tuesday, March 12 from 8:30 to 10am at Oak Hall School.    Admission is free with your Chamber membership, registration is required.
 
Business Before Hours is a structured yet relaxed environment for making effective connections within the Chamber business community.
 
You may find a strong referral source, a new vendor, the perfect client or simply get a foot in the door for connecting at larger events. Come build lasting business and personal relationships at Business Before Hours. We hope to see you there!

Click Here for more information and to register.
Showcase your talents by speaking at our first Annual Conference! 
Business Expo and Conference
Friday, July 26

This year we will be adding workshops, panel discussions, and education to our Business Expo. We are now accepting applications for speakers, panelists and even white papers.

The conference will focus on four tracks: 
  • Startups & Entrepreneurs 
  • Running the business 
  • Marketing & Promo
  • Leadership & Professional Development

The event will take place on July 26th. Applications are due Friday, April 5. For more information please visit: [insert link] or contact Tiffany@gainesvillechamber.com.
UPCOMING EVENT
City College Spring Career Fair
Tuesday, March 12, 11:30am - 1:30pm
City College
7001 NW 4th Blvd, Gainesville

Join City College for their Spring Career Fair! This event will be free and open to the public. If you're interested in attending, bring a résumé and wear formal attire.
UPCOMING EVENT
Save the Date: Santa Fe Career Fair
Wednesday, April 10, 9am - Noon
SF Gymnasium, Bldg. V
3000 NW 83rd Street, Gainesville

Registration is free but space is limited so reserve a table now—table and two chairs will be provided.

Please indicate any accommodations required prior to event—power is available but limited.

If your company is interested in sponsoring a light snack for employer participants, please let James Schindler know. Sponsors will receive prime placement of display and special considerations on marketing materials for this event.

Contact Career Placement office to register and with any questions about this event.
REMINDER
Hot Jobs through CareerSource NCFL

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
To apply for jobs listed:
  1. log on towww.employflorida.com
  2. Click on “Job Search” under “Quick Menu” on the left side of the page
  3. Select “Job Number Search” from the menu across the top of the page
  4. Enter the job number from the list above in the “job number” box
  5. Click on “search”
UPCOMING EVENT
Made in GNV: Chamber's Advanced Manufacturing Council 1st Quarter General Council Meeting
Tuesday, March 12, 5:30pm
The Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce
300 E University Ave, Suite 100, Gainesville

Join the Chamber's Advanced Manufacturing Council for their first general council meeting of the 2019! They are excited to introduce to you the Executive Director of the Manufacturers Association of Florida, Amanda Bowen and the President & CEO of the Greater Gainesville Chamber Mr. Eric Godet, Sr. In addition, hear from the 2019 Chair, Gary Ascani of Ology as well as the 2018 Chair, Ryan Loftus of Exactech. 

Learn trends in manufacturing, where 2019 will take the council, how and why it is important for all manufacturers to become members of this growing and impactful council and much more!
POLICY UPDATE
Today is Day One of the 2019 Legislative Session

Today marks the beginning of the 2019 Legislative Session. With more than 3,000 bills filed, state lawmakers will set out to address a host of issues over the next 60 days. Among the more salient issues are school choice, school safety, Insurance (Assignment of Benefits), medical marijuana, transportation, healthcare, the environment and more. With costly decisions ahead of them related to the destruction inflicted by Hurricane Michael, lawmakers will face many challenging budget decisions. Click here for a  synopsis of issues.

For a more detailed weekly wrap-up of state-level legislative developments, be sure to read the latest issue of our weekly Legislative Update later today.
POLICY UPDATE
Upcoming City Elections: Important Dates & Information

The March City of Gainesville elections are rapidly approaching. To help you prepare to cast your ballots, we’ve included key related information below.

Get to know the candidates
  • For more information on candidates and their view on key issues, see our lead story featuring their responses to the Chamber’s Candidate Questionnaire.
  • Attend our upcoming Candidate Forum on Tuesday, March 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Scorpio construction, located at 3911 W. Newberry Rd.
  • Sample ballots can be found here.

Know your voting options
  • Absentee ballots can be requested up to six days prior to election day, or March 13. Call the Supervisor of Elections’ office at 352-374-5252 or request a mail-in ballot online
  • Early Voting begins on Saturday, March 9 and lasts until Saturday, March 16. For hours and locations, click here
  • Election day is Tuesday, March 19. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On election day, you must vote at your assigned precinct. For more information on precinct locations, click here.  For information on the types of identification accepted at the polls, click here.

If you have additional questions, contact the Supervisor of Elections’ office at 352-374-5252.
EDUCATION UPDATE
Local students qualify for fourth straight National Science Bowl Competition

For the fourth straight year, a team from Buchholz High School has earned a spot in the prestigious National Science Bowl (NSB).

Students David Buffkin, Bryan Cao, Ryan Chen, Yared Tadesse and Andy Wu took first place in the North Central Florida Regional Science Bowl, beating out more than 30 other teams. It’s the fourth straight regional win for a BHS team and the second for this particular group, which will now be among about 100 teams competing in the national finals in Washington DC in late April.

A news release from the Department of Energy, which sponsors the NSB, says participating students will “compete in a fast-paced question-and-answer format where they solve technical problems and answer questions on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth and space science, physics and math.

Marc Moody, a BHS science teacher and the team’s coach, credits his students’ commitment to preparation both in and out of school for their success. That includes reading multiple textbooks, scouring the internet for new information, studying previous questions and even preparing for the science bowl format.
UPCOMING EVENT
Check out ‘Ask a Scientist: Bulla Cubana’ March 10 at the Florida Museum
Sunday, March 10, 1 - 4pm
Florida Museum
3215 Hull Road, Gainesville

Florida Museum of Natural History visitors may bring specimens and find answers during an afternoon of discovery and learning on March 10 from 1 to 4 p.m. Participants for “Ask a Scientist: Bulla Cubana” may talk one-on-one with Florida Museum researchers about their fieldwork in Cuba. For more information, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/ask-a-scientist or call 352-273-2062.
UPCOMING EVENT
Cuban Ingenuity: The Art of the Everyday Inventor
S unday, March 9 - Dec 31
Cade Museum for Creativity & Invention
811 S Main St, Gainesville

Through videos, photographs, and objects collected for the Cade throughout Cuba, Cuban Ingenuity highlights the ingenious vision behind dozens of innovations and inventions of necessity. Manufactured products of the mid-20th century, from US automobiles to Soviet-made washing machines, have been repaired and amended, repurposed and redesigned over nearly three generations of Cubans. Objects pieced together for functionality have nonetheless achieved an artistic elegance worthy of this exhibition and appreciation.

Cuban Ingenuity explores repurposed objects ranging from the ingenious to the outrageous, demonstrating functional solutions to creative achievements. Through first-hand collection and curation, the exhibit reflects the passionate stories of Cuban residents and their ability to adapt materials to manage harsh economic conditions and Cuba’s severe political landscape, from transportation to systems, without access to modern technologies.
UPCOMING EVENT
Tom Ray: Lessons for Local Advertisers
Thursday, March 26, 9 - 10:30am
Best Western Gateway Grand
4200 NW 97th Blvd, Gainesville

Best-selling author Tom Ray shares the principles that need to be in place in order to achieve results from your advertising investment

If you're a business owner who handles your own advertising, this seminar is for you. If you're a marketing director for a business, this seminar is for you. If you work at an ad agency, this seminar is for you.

Topics include:
  • How to find your singular point of attack
  • The 3 ingredients required for successful campaigns
  • How to thrive in a "Tradigital" world
  • Learn to determine your real core audience
  • Real world successes and failures
  • Successful campaigns you can use

Seating is limited! RSVP today at beng@wcjb.com.
New Members

Conference Catalysts, LLC

Easton Newberry Archery Center

Gainesville Vision Eye Care & Eyewear

Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute 

LYNC Support Services

Orenda Leadership

Taylor'd HVAC

Zwilling Counseling and Consulting
Renewing Members

Gainesville Medical Obesity Specialty Clinic, LLC

Gainesville Raceway

Home2Suites By Hilton

Make It Happen

North Florida Retirement Village, Inc.

PACE Center for Girls, Alachua

Rabell Realty Group, LLC

Sandvik Mining & Construction

Santa Fe College

Swift Creek Realty  

The Berman Law Group

The Wyndham Garden Gainesville
MEMBER CONTRIBUTION
Happiness 101 - A Mandatory Course for Today's Leaders
Jennifer Webb, Magic Communications

When we think of career success skills, how often do we put happiness on the list?  Happiness is a skill and a choice, and according to Daniel Gilbert, a psychology professor at Harvard, happiness is the ultimate goal of virtually all the decisions we make in life.

To really be happy--which obviously translates to being more effective personally and professionally--we need to think of it as a skill we can continually improve upon. Here are a few simple rules to help increase our happiness quotient:

Rule Number 1: No one will behave the way we think they should—ever.
This means people may drive 10 miles below the speed limit in the passing lane or forget to say hello when they pass us in the hall, or even miss our birthdays! Let it go. If we held on to every perceived injustice and every one of those angry memories was equal to a one-ounce weight, we could be bending sideways within a few days. Not to mention the amount of cortisol—that stress chemical—that would be coursing through our veins. Not a pleasant thought. Simply using the mantra—happiness is a skill and choice—is a great way to help us refocus. Misery is optional, and so is happiness.

Continue reading here .