February 2003
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Casino Night will take place on Friday, April 11 at Westwood Country Club from 7 p.m. to midnight. Tickets are $50 each. Table Sponsors are needed and, as a special perk, this year sponsors can deal blackjack! The cost is $250 for a table sponsorship if you provide your own dealers, or $350 if you do not want to provide the dealers. Now is the time to donate raffle and silent auction items. Restaurants can participate in the Taste of the Town. For more information, please call the Chamber office at (703) 281-1333.
Enhance Your Listing on the Chamber Web Site
One of the most valuable VTRCC member benefits is your listing on our new Web site at http://www.vtrcc.org. The site is getting an average of 80-100 visitors a day – people looking for information, goods and services in our area – and the “Find a Member” page is one of the most popular.
Chamber member Katherine Hutt, President of Nautilus Communications, Inc. and manager of our Web site, offers the following suggestions on ways to enhance your listing in order to help make your company known to citizens, visitors and potential customers.
1. Update your listing. Check your online listing to be sure that all information is correct, and check the links to your Web site and e-mail address.
2. Add information. Include your e-mail address, Web site, fax number, title, and a description of your services. The Find a Member database is key-word driven, so make sure your description accurately describes your business with the most common words a visitor might use to search.
3. Add business types. Initially, all members were categorized with just one business type. Now you can select up to three, which will enhance your listing. Go to “Find a Member” and click on your main Member Category (in blue) to see all listings in that category. Your current Business Type appears in red. You may choose two additional Business Types (either in the same Member Category or a different one).
If you don’t have a Web site, you are entitled to a free page on the Chamber site with your own page URL (for example, www.VTRCC.org/XYZCorp). To make changes to your listing or for more information, contact Katherine at KHutt@NautilusCommunications.com or call her at 703-938-4540. Please allow a week for updates to your listing.
| February
Business Spotlight March
Business Spotlight Click here for more information about these members or to find out how your business can be "Member of the Month". |
Dear Members of the Vienna-Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce,
I can hardly believe that another year has already come and gone. In January I celebrated my second year anniversary as your Chamber President. During 2002 we continued to produce quality events and programs for our members and the community.
As a result of our name change to the Vienna-Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce, we have positioned ourselves for continued growth and membership development. On average, we are now growing by 10 new members per month with an 80% retention rate. I am pleased to report that the VTRCC had a productive 2002 and is looking forward to a more productive 2003.
As part of our efforts to grow and improve the VTRCC, we have implemented a new and improved Web page courtesy of Nautilus Communications. Members can now RSVP for events on line and we will soon be able to accept your payment via a secure credit card connection.
On March 1, 2003 we will start our second year publishing our new and improved bimonthly "Enterprise" newsletter that is circulated in print to over 7,000 households and businesses in the Vienna, Tysons, Oakton, Dunn Loring, and Merrifield communities. Remember to submit your company's updates and press releases to the VTRCC by the 15th of the month so that we can promote your company to our readers via our print and electronic newsletters.
Hurry don't delay,
there is only one partnership opportunity remaining to sponsor both
the VTRCC webpage and the newsletter. Northwest Federal Credit Union
was the first member to sign on as both an Enterprise sponsor and Web
page sponsor. Nautilus Communications and Whole Foods Market, Vienna
have partnered with us to sponsor the Web page and newsletter respectively.
For a $2500 investment, Enterprise and Web page sponsors will receive
in excess of
$3600 in advertising, marketing, and other Chamber perks. Several members
have expressed interest but please remember that partners are selected
on a first come first served basis. Call the chamber office for details.
In response to several
requests from our technology members, the VTRCC recently formed the
Technology Committee, which meets monthly to share ideas and discuss
programs that will benefit our Chamber members. The next Technology
meeting is scheduled for February 18. Mark your calendars now and plan
to attend. Call George Gould with TOGG for more details, (703)
266-8522. Come meet our technology members and see how the business
community can benefit from technology.
Bob Stemetzki, our Incoming Chairman from the CPA firm The Burdett Smith Group, is looking for people interested in serving on VTRCC committees. If you would like to get more involved, meet fellow chamber members, and help grow your chamber, please call Bob at (703) 591-5200.
Remember to visit www.vtrcc.org for our most recent calendar of events. Mark your calendars now for our February 13 "Valentine Breakfast" at Anita's (521 Maple Ave., East). Invite your sweetheart and introduce them to the VTRCC. RSVP to the Chamber office or click here.
We rely on the continued support of our members and are looking for ways to make improvements to our Chamber. If you have any suggestions or ideas, please do not hesitate to contact me. This Chamber is your Chamber and I need your help and guidance in order to implement programs that are of interest to the membership. I am looking forward to working with you again this year to strengthen our Chamber and grow our membership. If you need more information, please explore the Web site at www.vtrcc.org or call (703) 281-1333.
Very Truly Yours,
Francis G. Powers,
Jr.
President
News from the Committees
Tuesday
Lunch and Leads Group
The
Tuesday Lunch and Leads group epitomizes the Chamber of Commerce. Members
meet every week for the following:
-
To educate each other on topics relevant to the area's business services and products.
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To support one another with fast, no cost consultation on important business matters.
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To assist one another in growing our business by passing qualified business leads to third parties, using each other’s business services and/or products, and recruiting others into the chamber and the lead share group.
Tuesday's Lunch and Leads is open to all Chamber members to visit. Lead Share Group Membership is open to all Chamber members where there is an unfilled chair. Each chair is exclusive to one profession or industry (there can be only one Realtor, one financial planner, one attorney, one CPA, etc. in the group). Chairs become open from time to time when a member moves on, or fails to attend or perform. When this happens, interested Chamber members can apply for the chair by coming to the weekly meeting three times in a row, showing proof of Chamber membership, and committing to support the group through attendance and the passing of at least two bona-fide leads per month. Call Harvey Silverman for more info at (703) 319-8806.
The Business to Business Tip Group differs from the Thursday morning group in that it is designed for and limited to Business- to-Business activity. Any Chamber may begin his/her own lead share group, with my assistance, so long as it does not meet on Tuesday at lunch or Thursday morning for breakfast. My goal is to have as many of these lead share groups as there is interest and need. Real commitment to participation can help us meet the mission of the Chamber and be of real assistance to the business community. See article below for a new Thursday night group forming, or call Jodi Scholes at (703) 255-1500 for more info.
Thank you,
Harvey Allen Silverman,
Esq.
Attorney at Law
President of VTRCC's Lunch and Lead Share
B2B Networking Group
On Thursdays from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. at the Sheraton Premier in Tysons Corner an exciting group of professional business people are meeting with vision. We are growing an organization of business owners, sales people, and hard-working professionals with the mission to grow their companies. With that in mind, we are anxious to talk to other like-minded individuals who are serious about trading corporate and commercial referrals and building relationships within that community. Membership in the group will be exclusive; only one representative from each industry will be allowed membership. Membership in the Vienna-Tysons Regional Chamber of Commerce will be expected, but potential members are welcome to attend the meeting. We will be electing a board of directors to include a President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Membership Coordinator in February 2003. All interested parties can contact: Jodi Scholes, VP Membership Benefits, (703) 255-1500 or via email: skolz@aol.com with the subject line indicating TH Tip Group.
Business and Community News
Town of Vienna: Public Hearing Amendments To Chesapeake Bay Preservation Ordinance
At its February 3 meeting, the Vienna Town Council will hold a public hearing on proposed amendments to the Town’s Chesapeake Bay Preservation Areas ordinance. The meeting will begin at 8 p.m. in the Council Chamber at Town Hall, 127 Center St., S.
Local governments in Virginia are required to change their Chesapeake Bay protection program provisions no later than March 1, 2003. Revisions to the regulations include refining the definition of perennial streams, how these water bodies are determined, and the intent to preserve the entirety of the required 100-foot wide buffer that adjoins them. These areas are considered the most sensitive of lands, which by virtue of their natural location and function are susceptible to pollution caused by construction and other human activities.
A copy of the proposed amendments is available for review at Town Hall and may be viewed online at www.ci.vienna.va.us. For more information, call the Vienna Planning and Zoning Department at (703) 255-6341.
The Chesapeake Bay Preservation Act was passed by the General Assembly in 1989 and requires all jurisdictions in the Virginia tidewater area to provide for the improvement of water quality and the reduction of non-point source pollution. Even though Vienna is over 50 miles from the Chesapeake Bay, actions taken here are important to the Bay’s health.
Vienna’s proposed ordinance is structured so as to have minimal impact on homeowners while meeting the state-mandated regulations to protect the Bay. Because nearly all residential properties in these sensitive areas are also in the floodplain, the Town Code already severely restricts new construction activities there.
Job Opportunity: Better Baker is looking for a person or company to distribute our bakery line to stores/delis in the Baltimore/Washington area. It would be ideal if this person would already have a route and just add our line to their existing products. We currently have a distributor in NYC so our pricing is set up for distributing. We are also looking to get in to more Supermarkets with our regular line of cakes, pies and muffins...any leads would help...we would deliver directly to these markets or go through their distributor. If interested please contact Jack Gallen 888-238-8375 or at Betterbaker@aol.com.
Marshall High School will hold its fourth annual Ethics Day on February 13, 2003. The event will take place at George Mason University between 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Between 20 and 25 table leaders are still needed. Table leader training will take place at Potomac Bank between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. on February 3, 2003 and between 7:30 am and 8:30 am on February 5. Please consider participating in this rewarding program that challenges students to apply their ethical beliefs to real life situations. Please contact Matt Brennan at (703) 620-4977 or at mbrennan@brennanandwaite.com [LINK] if you would like to participate.
Northern Virginia Small Business Resource Consortium (NVSBRC) meeting will be on Wednesday, February 5, 2003 9:00 a.m. registration, meeting 9:30-11:30 a.m., Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale Campus, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Richard J. Ernst Cultural Center (upstairs in the Forum; free parking available in Cultural Center parking lot). Please RSVP to Lynda Huynh at bhuynh1@gmu.edu. In addition to the 2/5 meeting date, we have reserved the room for 2/12 in case too many people have a conflict or for bad weather (we will follow any NVCC closure determinations). Web site is available at www.sbdc.org.
From the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority: The Greater Washington Initiative, a regional marketing organ supported in large part by local governments has a directory of research and development companies and organizations in the DC area. It lists 127 companies and organizations (mostly biotech-focused) that employ more than 81,000 persons, and also lists lab space. The directory can be downloaded (beware: 140 pages) from the GWI Web site at http://www.greaterwashington.org/media_center/researchdevelopment.htm.
From the Small Business Administration: Small business owners with concerns about excessive enforcement of federal rules can voice their complaints at a U.S. Small Business Administration Regulatory Fairness Board Hearing in Washington, DC on February 20, 2003, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Public Library located at 901 G Street, N.W., Washington, DC. Anyone interested in testifying at this hearing can contact Sheila D. Thomas at (202) 606-4000, ext. 276. For more information about the national ombudsman and this hearing, visit the National Ombudsman’s Web site at www.sba.gov/ombudsman. [LINK] To obtain information on SBA’s programs and services in the Washington metropolitan area, call the SBA district office at (202) 606-4000, or visit the SBA district office website at www.sba.gov/dc.
From the Small Business Administration: Small group health plans are more costly to administer than plans for larger businesses, according to a new report issued by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). "This report is one more piece of evidence that small businesses need new options in health care," said Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. "Small businesses employ over half of the private workforce, yet many of their employees remain underinsured due to the high cost of health care. This report details the high administrative costs of health plans designed for small business. One way to lower these costs would be to spread them across large groups of small employers through Association Health Plans. I urge Congress and the President to work together to make health care affordable for small employers and their employees," he said. The report, "Study of the Administrative Costs and Actuarial Values of Small Health Plans" written by Rose Chu and Gordon Trapnell of Actuarial Research Corporation for the Office of Advocacy, examined 19 health care plans in two states. The authors found that administrative expenses for insurers of small group health plans ranged from 33 to 37 percent of claims, versus five to 11 percent of claims for large companies’ self-insured plans. The report also found that sales, underwriting, and operating expenses were all higher for the small group health plans studied versus plans designed for their big business counterparts. For more information and a complete copy of the report, visit the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advo.
Three Programs from the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department:
Free Workshop on Wills
“Why Good Wills Go Bad” is the title of a free presentation on Monday, February 3, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. Join attorney David G. Hoffman for a discussion of Virginia will law, organizing your assets, when to change your will, talking to your executor, reducing probate, will copies, do-it-yourself tax plans, and much more. The workshop is free of charge, and no advance registration is required. For more information, call the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department at (703) 255-6360.Channel 10 Tour
The Vienna Parks and Recreation Department will sponsor a free tour for mature adults to Channel 10, Fairfax Public Access TV, on Wednesday, February 19, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Get a behind-the-scenes view of the facilities and learn about opportunities to become involved in the world of television production and promotions. This program is free of charge; transportation to the TV studio in Fairfax is on your own. For more information, call Vienna Parks and Recreation at (703) 255-6360.
Amateur Photo Contest
Applications to enter the Vienna Parks and Recreation Department's annual Amateur Photography Contest and Exhibit will be available beginning February 3 at the Vienna Community Center, 120 Cherry St., S.E. Exhibit dates are Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and 23. Local professional photographers will judge photos and award ribbons in eight categories in black & white and color divisions. There will also be a separate contest section for students in grades 7-12. The entry fee is $7 per person. Entries are limited to five photos per person and two per category. For more information, call Vienna Parks and Recreation at (703) 255-6360.
Three Programs from the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority:
Building a Trough Garden
Saturday, February 8, 10 a.m., Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Horticulture Building, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct., Vienna, VA. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Horticulturist Laurie Short will demonstrate the steps involved in building a trough garden and will suggest a variety of plants that will flourish in this type of container. Trough gardens are featured in specialty gardens at this Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority garden park. The fee is $5 and reservations are required; call (703) 255-3631.Propagation Workshop: Starting Plants from Seeds and Cuttings
Saturday, February 22, 10 a.m., Meadowlark Botanical Gardens Horticulture Building, 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct., Vienna, VA. Tammy Burke, Horticulturist for The Atrium at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, will teach workshop participants how to use seeds and cuttings to start new annual and perennial plants. Cuttings will include samples from the collections at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s 95-acre garden park. The fee is $5 and reservations are required; call (703) 255-3631.Carlyle House Historic Park: Free Tours on President’s Day
Monday, February 17, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., 121 N. Fairfax St., Old Town Alexandria, VA. The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority’s museum of colonial urban life will be open on Monday, February 17, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free tours of the Carlyle House, Scottish merchant John Carlyle’s 1753 mansion, and a look at a merchant family’s life in colonial Alexandria. Carlyle was a founder of Alexandria and an active public servant and businessman. No reservations.
Membership News and Newsmakers
StaffXpress, a locally owned and operated administrative staffing firm based in Fairfax, is proud to announce that Stephanie Eberhart has been promoted to Vice President of Sales and Operations for the company. Stephanie has been with StaffXpress for a little over a year and will be continuing to develop business relationships in the Fairfax area while leading the opening of their new Washington, DC office in February. Please visit www.staffXpress.com or call (703) 934-1004.
Goodman & Company, the third largest accounting firm in the Southeast, announced the promotion of Brian S. Carlton, CPA, to Partner-In-Charge of the Tysons Corner office. In his new role as Partner-In-Charge, Mr. Carlton will set direction for the office's eight partners and over 45 professional employees. Mr. Carlton provides over 14 years of public accounting experience expertise in not-for-profit organizations and real estate accounting, including multi-family and commercial real estate, real estate management and real estate development. He is a key firm resource in the areas HUD and VHDA audit and cost certification requirements. A specialist in Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, he holds a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Averett University and is a Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
TML Copiers & Digital Solutions, a locally owned and operated Office Technology Dealer in Manassas, Virginia was honored by Mayor Marvin L. Gillum to receive the very first City of Manassas 2002 Mayor’s Small Business Award for a company with 11 to 60 employees. TML’s CEO Thomas M. Lensis and President Michael W. Hoover along with contributing staff members attended the City of Manassas’s Mayor's Small Business Awards Program. The program was held on December 19, 2002 at George Mason University's Prince William Campus in the Verizon Auditorium. Many influential companies in the City of Manassas were present as well as nominated for various awards. The awards were given to businesses and organizations that have made a commitment to the development and advancement of the City of Manassas. TML has built an outstanding reputation of being major contributors to many local organizations, activities and the community at large.
The Enterprise School (TES) 5th Annual Auction will be held at Wolf Trap Elementary School on February 13, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Consisting of silent and live auctions, the evening promises to be exciting. Donated items include trips, business services, sports tickets, autographs, etc. Proceeds will benefit TES, an alternative high school for at-risk adolescents, located on Beulah Road in Vienna. Ticket price of $5 for adults and $3 for children includes a buffet dinner and an auction number. For information, call (703) 281-2232.
The Vienna Jaycees is seeking Vienna volunteers! The mission of the Vienna Jaycees is to enhance and serve the local community through the development and maintenance of civic relationships, the creation of personal friendships, and the active inclusion of young adults. If you are between the ages of 21 and 39, then we need YOU!!! Passed that age bracket? Consider encouraging your employees to become active citizens by sponsoring their $60 annual membership. The Vienna Jaycees manage the Saturday Farmers' Market, run youth sports competitions such as Punt, Pass & Kick, collect used bikes for Pedals for Progress, adopt families for the holidays and provide needy kids with school supplies. In addition, we meet for dinner and social outings monthly. For more information, call Karen at (703) 281-1255 or check us out at www.geocities.com/viennajaycees
