Weekly eConnection
801 West Bay Drive, Suite 602 Largo, FL 33770
Tel: 727-584-2321 Fax: 727-586-3112
Membership Edition
|
|
Central Pinellas Chamber Upcoming Events
Check our home page for registrations, times and locations
In light of the ongoing pandemic, we are following CDC Guidelines and postponing events for the time being. Please stay tuned to our newsletter and social media outlets for event updates.
|
|
As the COVID-19 situation grinds on, your Chamber will continue to keep you in the loop on resources available. Our gatherings may have been curtailed for the time being, but we remain at your service.
We’re all in this together!
|
|
Chambers are Essential!
The following thoughts are from Shari Pash, who works with chambers across the country on best practices. In 2018, she facilitated your Chamber’s Board of Directors Planning Session. A strategic plan was established and continues to be the organization’s Program of Work.
“Chambers have played a pivotal role for their community and businesses during this pandemic. As we come out of this crisis Chambers will lead and serve as the hub in building strategic plans for their businesses and their community’s recovery. Now more than ever, member voices are needed. As Chambers represent businesses and work to sustain business during recovery, membership and investors are the foundation. Each corporate client I work with agrees, this is not the time to cut back on their Chamber investment, now more than ever we will lean on our Chambers to rebuild and strengthen our business community.”
Shari Pash, Membership and Growth Strategist
|
|
Renewed Business Members
Our sincere thanks to the following businesses who renewed during the past four weeks. Their continued loyalty is inspiring! To learn more about them, please visit
www.CentralChamber.biz
CIO Technology Solutions
Dan Flynn State Farm Insurance
Dr. Craig Baker, DMD
England Brothers Construction Company
Evolution Medical Associates
GTE Financial
Harbour Cay Apartments
Jack Rice Insurance, LLC
Johns Hopkin's All Children's Hospital
NASCAR Car Wash Largo
Palm Hill, Homeowners of Incorporated
Panera Bread - Belleair Bluffs
Panera Bread - Largo Mall
Paula Clair Smith, Colliers Intl. Real Estate
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Ranchero Village, Inc.
R'Club Child Care
Republic Bank
Sean W. Scott Law Firm
Staples #229
Suncoast Hospice/Empath Health
Wagstaff Law Office, P.A.
Winding Lane Homes
|
|
Welcome New Members!
Iberia Bank
Nature’s Food Patch, Inc.
|
|
We greatly appreciate our Board of Trustees
. Their added financial investment supports our diverse program offerings. If you’re interested in joining this celebrated leadership association to take advantage of specialized benefit offerings, please contact Tom at
tom@CentralChamber.biz
or 727-584-2321.
CHAIRMAN
-Rob England – England Brothers Construction
PLATINUM
- Duke Energy, Piper Fire Protection
GOLD
– Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Home Instead Senior Care/Be a Santa to a Senior, Jackson & Associates CPA, Melody Hunter-Charles Rutenberg Realty, Paradise Air, Platinum Information Services, Regions Bank
SILVER
– Bay Care/Morton Plant Hospital, Brown Insurance Services, Hampton Inn & Suites-Largo, MID-Florida Credit Union, Nova Southeastern University Tampa Bay Regional Campus, The Palms of Largo, Village Inn, Wealth Builders
|
|
New COVID grant op – Save Small Business Fund
|
|
To extend a helping hand to small businesses suffering from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation – in partnership with Vistaprint and a coalition of supporting companies, foundations, and philanthropic donors – is working to provide financial relief through the
Save Small Business Fund.
The Fund is providing $5,000 in short-term relief to employers across the United States. These one-time supplemental cash grants are for businesses that have between three and 20 employees and operate in an economically vulnerable community. The grant application will go live on next Monday, April 20 at 12:00 PM PT/3:00 PM ET. To learn more about the Save Small Business Fund and to apply for a grant, visit
www.SaveSmallBusiness.com
|
|
Your Invitation - Hospitality Industry Webinar this Thursday
|
|
For a change, some Uplifting News!
NASA astronauts are set to launch from American soil for the first time in almost a decade
|
|
NASA and SpaceX have set a date. The first launch of astronauts from American soil in nearly a decade is scheduled to take off on May 27 at 4:32 p.m. from Kennedy Space Center’s launch complex 39A. The highly anticipated mission will take NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon astronaut capsule and the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, outfitted with NASA’s 1970s “worm” logo to commemorate the milestone. [Source:
Orlando Sentinel
]
|
|
Look for a new survey this week!
|
|
Correction: Recent Chamber
COVID-19 Business Survey
Findings to our
COVID-19 Survey
conducted Wednesday 4/8 thru Friday 4/10 noted that 39% participated. It was in fact just a bit over 25%. It was distributed to 348 businesses and 88 responded. We regret the error.
|
|
NEW! Central Pinellas BizReach…
Share your Business Offers/Services!
|
|
What:
Central Pinellas BizReach
, a second weekly Chamber E-Connection newsletter starting this Friday, April 10.
Who:
All Chamber members are eligible to provide business updates and special member-to-member offers/discounts.
When:
Central Pinellas BizReach will be distributed weekly on Fridays through April and May. Provide information/updates by noon the Wednesday prior.
1. Business Name
2. Current business operations (i.e. restaurant with take out only from 9a to 9p).
3. Member offerings/discounts etc. (i.e. 20% off for chamber members, free webinar series on working remote, 20% of for first responders, etc.).
4. Images in jpg or png format with offer will be accepted. Please keep the image small in respect to others.
|
|
Florida schools will remain shut for rest of academic year
|
|
Florida’s schools will remain shut for the remainder of the academic year because of the coronavirus pandemic, Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday. “It’s obviously not the ideal situation but given where we are in the school year, it seemed the best decision to go forward,” he said at a news conference at the Capitol. The governor also released the names of long-term care and assisted living facilities where residents or staff test positive for coronavirus, ending a battle with news media outlets that had been seeking the information. More from the
Orlando Sentinel
and the
Tampa Bay Times
.
|
|
Follow Facts,
Not Fear
Your Chamber and our partners at the Florida Chamber of Commerce urge you to be cautious but not fearful when it comes to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). The Florida Chamber is the official state chapter of the National Safety Council, and we are all committed to helping keep Floridians safe. The safety of our collective employees is paramount, and they deserve the facts.
A website is available with regularly updated information. It includes important links from Governor DeSantis’ office, the Emergency Operations Center, Centers for Disease Control, Florida Department of Health and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Please visit and add to your bookmarks:
https://www.flchamber.com/follow-facts-not-fear/
|
|
The Weekly E-Connection is made possible by the following generous sponsors:
|
|
We’re about Value!
A new Chamber program year is upon us! And we’ll be continuing to tout our five “value” principles and how each relates to being part of the organization.
Value of Investment
- The Chamber brings members valuable cost-savings resources that directly impact their bottom line. From member-to-member discounts to affinity partnerships - all are designed to lower the cost of doing business.
Value of Information
– The Chamber brings members unique resources. Roundtable discussions, workshops, advocacy on local and state issues, contacts, reference to other businesses, expertise, etc. Information that is timely and relevant to the success of all business operations.
Value of Influence
– The Chamber represents the interests of its members and communities. Whether at the local, state or federal level, it is the advocate on all issues of importance to business.
Value of Interaction
– The Chamber provides its members opportunity. People want to do business with people they know, like and trust. Networking events, B2B programs, and partnerships foster relationships that encourage leads, referrals and more business for our members.
Value of Impact
– The Chamber is one of the few, if not the only, organization that can impact the three main pillars in its service area – government, citizens, and businesses. We deliver results that directly benefit our members.
If you would like to assist in volunteering on a committee to help influence these values, just give us a call. It’s another sure way to build business connections. It really is great to belong!
|
|
Reserve your space now!
Run your Ad or Logo in the Central Pinellas Chamber of Commerce's eConnection Newsletter that publishes weekly. Be seen by over 2,000 members and friends. Take advantage of an open/read rate that exceeds 25%.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
