November 26 eJournal

November 26, 2019

Top 1% of Chambers of Commerce Nationwide

CHAMBER ANNOUNCEMENT

Greater Gainesville Chamber Awarded 5-Star Accreditation by US Chamber of Commerce

The United States Chamber of Commerce has once again awarded the Greater Gainesville Chamber with 5-Star Accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community.

The five-star accreditation is an honor bestowed on only 1% of chambers of commerce nationwide.

Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive Accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, and technology. This extensive self-review can take 6-9 months to complete.

At the Greater Gainesville Chamber, we are proud to once again have earned a five-star accreditation, and we look forward to the progress in the future while serving and engaging with our community.

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UPCOMING EVENT

Maximize Your Membership!

Attend Chamber 101 TODAY

Tuesday, November 26, 8:30 - 10am

BBVA

2714 SW 34th Street, Gainesville

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.

For more information or to register to attend; Click Here.

Sponsored by

UPCOMING EVENT

Join us for Business Before Hours Holiday Edition

Tuesday, December 6, 8:30 -10am

Aloft Hotel

3743 Hull Road, Gainesville

Join us Friday, December 6 for Business Before Hours from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Aloft Hotel. Admission to this event is free to Chamber members and local nonprofit agencies.

Business Before Hours is a structured yet relaxed environment for making effective connections within the Chamber business community.

Presented by the Greater Gainesville Chamber and The Community Foundation of North Central Florida.

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!

Seating is limited to 100 people. Register early to secure your seat.

Click Here for more information and to register.

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:

log on to www.employflorida.com
Click on “Job Search” under “Quick Menu” on the left side of the page
Select “Job Number Search” from the menu across the top of the page
Enter the job number from the list above in the “job number” box
Click on “search”

THIS WEEK'S HOT JOBS

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

Gainesville Regional Airport Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony for Terminal Expansion

The growing North Central Florida Airport is adding a 15,200-square foot expansion over the next two years to include a variety of passenger amenities and conveniences

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Nov. 21, 2019—Gainesville Regional Airport (GNV) gathered today with well-wishers to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its 15,200 square foot, two-gate passenger terminal expansion and improvement project.

The expanded terminal will provide a variety of passenger amenities and services to accommodate increased passenger traffic and demand. New amenities will include expanded restrooms, a second food and beverage area, mother’s lactation room, quiet/reflection room, possible child’s play area and an outdoor pet relief area.

In his opening comments to guests, GNV’s CEO, Allan Penksa informed guests with financial detail on the almost $16 million project and informed them of additional phases of expansion that are part of the airport’s master plan.

“This project is paid for by a combination of state and federal grants, along with passenger facility charges, or PFCs collected by our airlines,” Mr. Penksa said. “Most importantly, there is no local tax involved. It is the second of four phases of terminal investment, and it won’t be very long before we get going on these final phases, adding two new passenger boarding bridges to connect to this expansion, a new outbound, baggage screening/ handling system and additional airline operations space to better accommodate existing and future carriers.”

Gainesville Alachua County Regional Airport Authority (GACRAA) Chairwoman Grace Horvath said the community is truly responding to the airport’s enhanced service and GNV’s “Fly Easy” experience. “We are resonating with more and more people, who are discovering how uncomplicated and stress-free, and yes, how economical flying from GNV can be.”

The expansion is the latest in several milestones reached by the busy North Central Florida airport.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE

November Alachua County Economic Indicators Report

The latest Edition of the Alachua County Economic Indicators Report is now available. To see a quick highlight of the Economic Indicators report, please click HERE . To download the full November 2019 report, please click HERE .

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UPCOMING EVENT

Florida Museum gift shops offer discount Dec. 1

Sunday, December 1

Florida Museum

3215 Hull Road, Gainesville

Enjoy special cheer this holiday season at the Florida Museum! As part of Museum Store Sunday on Dec. 1, visitors receive a 20% discount on their entire purchase in the museum gift shops when mentioning the code MSS1219. The Museum gift shops offer a variety of books, educational toys and games, and unique treasures inspired by the natural world. Proceeds benefit exhibits and public programs. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts or used for gift certificates. For more information, visit www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/museum-store or call 352-273-2041.

Holiday Tree Lightings in the Greater Gainesville Region

December 1

2nd Annual Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony at Butler Town Center, 4pm

3217 SW 35th Blvd, Gainesville

December 2

DanceAlive Nutcracker Tree Lighting at the Gainesville Regional Airport

Each year Dance Alive puts up a Nutcracker tree in the Gainesville Airport.

3880 NE 39th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609

December 6

City of Alachua Christmas Tree Lighting & Santa Visit, 6-8pm

Downtown Main Street Park

Christmas in Newberry Tree Lighting Ceremony 6-8pm

Join us for holiday cheer as we light our spectactular Christmas Tree to kick off the holiday season.

25440 W Newberry Rd, Newberry, FL 32669

December 7

Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration at the Thomas Center,

6-8pm

302 NE 6th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601

30th Annual NFRMC Pond Lighting, 5-8pm

6500 W Newberry Rd, Gainesville, FL 32605

It’s that time of year again! Time to light up the duck pond at North Florida Regional Medical Center’s main campus. In benefit of Toys for Tots, join us for a FREE night of lights, music, and fun!

December 14

Alachua Christmas Parade, 2-4PM

Downtown Main Street Park

City of Hawthorne 37th Annual Christmas Festival & Parade, 11-5:30 (Parade at 3)

SE 221st Street, Downtown Hawthorne

New Members

Beautifully Waiting

Bunt Backline Event Services

Jani-King

LVRInk

Project Youthbuild

Texas Roadhouse

Volunteers of America

Walker Architects

Renewing Members

CDS Family & Behavioral Health Services, Inc

Colony Reef Club

Cypress & Grove Brewing Company

Drury Inn & Suites

Entercom Gainesville - WKTK - WSKY - WRUF-FM - WRUF-AM ESPN

Fortitude Security

Mark's Prime Steakhouse

R.E. Robinson Remodeling and Custom Builders, LLC

Ray French Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc.Saint Leo UniversitySt. Francis House, Inc.Sweetwater Organic Coffee Co.William D. Ryals, Attorney

MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT

Student Maid: Our Office Reflects Our Mindset

When Student Maid moved into their 13th Street headquarters in 2015, they knew they wanted the 4,000+ sq. ft. space to reflect their "people-first" approach to business. They got to work knocking down walls, painting, and searching for the kind of decor that says, "We're serious about what we do, but we have fun doing it."

The result is a bright, welcoming office space that encourages team members to spend time together even when they're not working. And they have lots of options to do just that: The open-concept common area includes a kitchen, dining tables, and plenty of comfortable seating. A large room in the back serves as a conference room and library, complete with a variety of books on leadership and abundant natural light. A series of individual offices lines the perimeter of the space. Student Maid rents out several of the offices to entrepreneurs and small business owners in the Gainesville area who thrive in the hustle and bustle of a business that caters to college students.

Want to see it for yourself? Send an email to [email protected] to schedule a tour and learn more about the way Student Maid does business.

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MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT

Holiday Gifting Options at Sweetwater Organic Coffee Company

Sweetwater Organic Coffee, Gainesville's fair trade, organic coffee company, offers meaningful, affordable gift options this holiday season.

With a mission to partner with small-scale organic coffee farmers, Sweetwater works to ensure that all of the coffee it sources supports farmer communities and the environment.

The result is great-tasting coffees that create positive impacts both at home and abroad. Farmers get some of the best terms of trade in the specialty coffee industry including higher-than fair trade prices and repeat purchases year after year. Consumers get freshly roasted specialty grade, organic coffee that tastes delicious.

With multiple size options, price-points and holiday packaging available, Sweetwater is a one-stop shop for local gift-givers. Learn more about gifting options for customers, clients, colleagues or friends.

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MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT

Holiday Party Planning

A'vie Events

Behind on Holiday party planning? Here’s some tips to make everything run smooth!

It’s officially holiday season and before you know it the time for planning your work event has come and gone. Here’s some ways to ensure a fabulous holiday party by using quality planner.

Quality vendors

Planners know from experience which vendors can deliver exactly what you want for the price you want. If you have the right planners, they may have connections that get you better discounts or more bang for your buck. They also have connection to vendors you may not know exist, such as your rental group and local caterers.

Staffing for the event

No one enjoys throwing a party that they don’t get to enjoy because they have to run around to make it happen. When event day arrives, you don’t have to lift a finger, planners take care of everything. This includes set up of the event, problem management throughout, flow of activities, and tear down. Some people might like to set up, but no one wants to stay behind to clean up. Planners always bring enough staff to handle it all.

Budget management

Planners work with clients who all have different budgets. They understand that a smaller budget doesn’t mean a low-quality event. They are pros at tracking expenses and finding new ways to save money and get more.

Detailed flow of events

If you didn’t already know planners like to map out every detail for our events. This includes an hour by hour (sometimes minute by minute) timeline of the entire day of the party. Don’t think anything gets overlooked. A timeline is like an event planner’s bible. Refer to it for everything.

Happy guests

Most importantly planners want your guest to enjoy their time and look forward to next year's party. This mean making sure there is always plenty of food, activities and no issues. Sometimes planners get a crowd that takes some time to get comfortable and lively. They notice these things and implement ways to get everyone involved and having a good time. The last thing planners want is a party that ends early because no one is having a good time. They always make sure to bring the party to life.

Make sure your event goes off without a hitch and meet with a planner for your next event!

MEMBER ANNOUNCEMENT

Free Shipping for Holiday Shopping

Cabi Style with Leza

As a local small business owner, who doesnt have a store front, my membership in the Chamber is very important to me. It helps me reach so many more than I could with social media. And I hope through training with Chamber members I can continue to grow & flourish. Right now I am in the process of a Holiday Shopping Campaign with Free Shipping! Reaching out to members would be GREAT!

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