Navigating the “New Normal”
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Greetings from your NLF Chair, Nick Sanders
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We continue to navigate the repercussions of COVID-19 at local, state and national levels, as well as across the globe.
Here in Northeast Tarrant County, each of our cities is experiencing budget challenges due to lost sales tax revenues, which places stress on the ability to deliver city services.
Our residents and businesses are frustrated, as are our elected and administrative officials. While we had looked forward to the excitement of the 4
th
of July with fireworks painting the sky in red, white and blue following community and neighborhood parades, concerns about community gatherings have led to cancellation of most of those plans.
Our Zoom society continues, as our own NLF board of directors has met via Zoom to determine how and when to move forward in the safest and most respectful manner that protects the health and well-being of our members and guests.
To date, we have:
- Rescheduled our annual award luncheon from March and moved that date to Friday, August 21 – please mark your calendar
- Canceled our May breakfast
- Canceled our July breakfast
Please find listed in a feature section the names of 22 students receiving our $2,000 scholarships through the NLF Foundation and the Nancy & Alan Hamm Foundation.
We thank each of our area chambers of commerce for the valuable assistance they are offering to their members and communities at large. Just like our cities and county, these chambers are dedicating themselves to their communities.
Tarrant County is working with federal funds that will distribute grants to small businesses, nonprofits dealing with social services and other target groups.
Please be mindful of the July 1 deadline for the small business grants– that’s tomorrow!
Below, you’ll find a profile on one of our most active members –
Craig Hulse
, Economic Development Director for the City of North Richland Hills. I’ll be featuring a member profile for each issue the rest of this year.
And our board of directors has filled an open position by electing
Mike Taylor
, former Colleyville city councilman and local financial advisor. We look forward to working with Mike.
I urge you to remain vigilant in treating this COVID-19 seriously. Please be cautious with this virus and wear a mask.
-Nick
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Tarrant County Administers Federal Grant Programs
We are grateful to our Precinct 3 Commissioner, Gary Fickes, and the Tarrant County Commissioners Court, for their administration of a $200 million series of federal grants for businesses, nonprofits and citizens of our Northeast Tarrant County area.
Tomorrow (July 1) at 6:00 p.m. is the deadline to apply for the
Tarrant County Small Business Assistance Grant Program
,
which provides up to $10,000 in grant funds for businesses with 25 or fewer employees that has been closed, partially closed or suffered from the effects of COVID-19. This $30 million grant in CARES Act Funds includes $6 million (20%) dedicated to businesses with at least 51% Minority, Woman or Veteran ownership.
We thank two of our members,
Craig Hulse
, Economic Director for the City of North Richland Hills, and
Jack Bradshaw
, President/CEO of the Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce, for producing this
Small Business Grant Program Presentation
that provides valuable input on how to apply for this grant.
Tarrant County has allocated funds to assist with rental payments for those directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis for up to three (3) months.
In addition to the grants, Tarrant County has been coordinating Mobile COVID-19 testing, which took place June 22-24 in Bedford.
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Chamber of Commerce Resources
All our area chambers
are reaching out to their local businesses and overall communities to offer whatever assistance they can provide. Our chambers are hosting digital meetings from such platforms as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex and Facebook Live to produce interactive sessions or offer information on a one-way transmission.
Our chambers have helped connect small businesses with area banks participating in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan program. The chambers have also provided all the information about the
Small Business Grant Program
to their members.
Please feel free to contact your local chamber of commerce by clicking on the link below to read the chamber’s information or to call their office number listed next to their name.
Our chambers of commerce are the voice of business for our community and we are indeed fortunate to have such committed and caring leaders as their presidents/executive directors and officers.
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817-488-7148
817-421-1522
817-431-2169
817-283-1521
817-281-9376
817-937-1000
817-481-8200
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Remember the Census
The United States Census Bureau
has extended its July 31 deadline to August 14 due to the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
While you are officing or sheltering in place at home, now is an ideal time to complete your 2020 Census form. It takes less than five minutes and all your information is confidential.
The Census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers and many others use to provide daily services, products and support for you and our community.
Now through August 14, Census takers will interview people in apartments and homes that have not responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.
Your participation is likely to help our area secure an additional congressional seat. Please learn more by following this
Census 2020
.
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New Date for the NLF Annual Award Luncheon
We are pleased to announce that our keynote speaker, former NLF wide receiver and Olympian,
Johnny Quinn
, has been able to shuffle his schedule to accommodate us.
You can look forward to us recognizing one honoree from each leadership program in Northeast Tarrant County because we provide scholarships to these programs.
Please enter this date on your calendar (and let’s hope that our third time is a charm!) and we will keep you posted if there are any changes.
Special note: We are placing your health and safety as a top priority. We will comply with the latest directive from Governor Abbott’s office in regard to social distancing. We have arranged with the Hurst Conference Center that we will have a larger room than usual in order to accommodate our attendees in an appropriate manner.
You can reach out to John Fletcher (817-205-2334 or
john@thefletch.org
)
to order your tables or confirm your sponsorship.
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NLF Foundation Scholarship Program for
Graduating High School Seniors
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The disruption of school classes did NOT deter the Northeast Leadership Forum’s commitment to award $2,000 scholarships to graduating seniors from public schools in Northeast Tarrant County.
For the second year in a row, we thank the
Nancy and Alan Hamm Foundation
for providing their generous contribution.
Our NLF scholarship volunteers have been hard at work and have selected the following recipients:
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Birdville ISD
Birdville High School:
- Kylee Street
- Alyse Stiles
Richland High School:
- Julianna Thompson
- Elizabeth Worrell
Carroll ISD
Southlake Carroll High School:
- Katherine Loomis
- Graham Chernik
- Danielle Kappler
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD
Grapevine High School:
Colleyville Heritage High School:
- Jacqueline Weidner
- Ruya Maredia
HEB ISD
L.D. Bell High School:
Euless Trinity High School:
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Keller ISD
Central High School:
- Chau Duong
- Matthew Thomas
- Pritha Lamichhane
Timber Creek High School:
- Justin Tran
- Matthew Nguyen
Northwest ISD
Eaton High School:
Northwest High School:
Town of Westlake
Westlake Academy:
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Keep NLF Dynamic and Growing
These influencers are making a difference in our area, so let's invite them to participate in NLF. Membership is the lifeblood of our organization.
For any prospective NLF members you know,
CLICK HERE
to download the membership application. We want both established and emerging leaders to continue joining our organization to further the dynamic growth of Northeast Tarrant County.
We ask you to warmly welcome visitors and new members to our breakfast meetings. Growing the power of networks is one of the main benefits of NLF.
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Heart of North Texas Conference: “Surviving & Thriving Together”
The topics for this conference are timely as the
COVID-19
virus has created challenges never before seen, and no guidebook has previously existed to maneuver the business world. We are talking with potential speakers and we are also exploring the possibility of holding a virtual conference for the first time ever.
The Grand Hall at the NRH Centre will play host to the event, which will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 p.m. Click the link below to view the flyer for this event that provides further details about sponsorship opportunities.
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Member Profile: Craig Hulse
If you want something done well, assign it to a busy person!
Selecting busy professionals within NLF is an easy task because this organization features the movers and shakers of our community. One of those is Craig Hulse, Economic Director for the City of North Richland Hills.
While we think of Craig as a “Texas kind of guy,” he actually came to us via California, where he held posts at the City of Garden Grove and the Orange County Transportation Authority. He left the public sector in 1998 to work for Verizon, coming to Texas to market the company’s “Fiber to the Premise” network.
Since joining the City of North Richland Hills in 2008, his current focus is on the development and implementation of plans, strategies and agreements that facilitate the economic growth and well-being of the community. His memberships include the Texas Economic Development Council, International Economic Development Council, International Council of Shopping Centers, DFW Marketing Team, Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce and he serves on our board of Northeast Leadership Forum.
Craig lives in North Richland Hills, where he and his wife, Jan, are raising their two daughters. If not at home or work, you might find him in the rough at Iron Horse Golf Course or at one if the city’s three QuikTrips or three RaceTracs, testing their coffee!
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Featured Speaker:
Johnny Quinn
Friday, August 21
11:30 a.m.
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Tuesday, October 13
7:30 a.m.
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Friday, November 6
8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Click HERE
to view this event flyer and see how you can become one of our Community Sponsors!
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The HEB Chamber is 4-star accredited with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
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