January 2009

upcomingeventssee centre pull-out

a monthly publication of

2008 Chamber Board Members

the

of

January 2009Vol 2 Issue I

policyyear in review

membershipyear in reviewprogramyear in review

2008 Chair’smessage

onthecover:

contributors

yourstaffStuart Harrison Ext. 202General Manager

Cynthia Hamu Ext. 201Office Manager

Shelley Gauthier Ext. 204Administrative Assistant

Anne Arnold, CSP Ext. 200Membership Services Manager

Cathy Martin Ext. 214Event Coordinator/Marketing Assistant

Lindsay Walker Ext. 210Front Line Coordinator

Krista Laidley Ext. 205Licensing Supervisor

Reception Ext. 0

yourboardexecutive/financeTerry Merrill ChairHoliday Inn Peterborough Waterfront

Joe Lipsett Past-Chair Quickmill, Inc.

Mary LaRocque Vice-Chair Marlin Travel

Tony Smith TreasurerTristone Media Group

Stuart Harrison SecretaryGreater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

Arylnn Dupuis Director-At-LargeMcGillen Ayotte Dupuis

directorsDick Crawford Crawford Building Consultants

Jef Dueck 91.9 BOB FM/Country 105/Energy 99.7

Betty JohnsonCentury 21 United Realty

Gregg Monti MD Management Inc.

Dr. Catherine Owens Owens Chiropractic

Diane Wolf Trent University

appointmentsMayor Paul Ayotte City of Peterborough

Karl MoherDouro-Dummer Deputy Reeve County of Peterborough

Marg DawsonPeterborough County Federation of Agriculture

The Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

175 George St. N.Peterborough705.748.9771

www.peterboroughchamber.ca

Terry is 2008 Chair of the Board and the GM of the Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront. Terry can be reached at 705.743.1144

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MeRRiLLArlynn is the 2008 Membership Committee Chair and Attorney & Partner with McGillen, Ayotte, Dupuis. Arlynn can be reached at 705.748.2241

ARLyNN DuPuiS

Betty is the 2008 Program Committee Chair and Sales Representative, with Century 21 United Realty Inc. Betty can be reached at 705.749.7934

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Gregg is the 2008 Policy Committee Chair and Senior Financial Consultant with MD Management Ltd. and can be reached at 705.755.0198 or [email protected]

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insideon the cover 7

branding bootcamp 9

member matters 10

new members 11

chamber events 12 - club laurus - breakfast club - business after hours

benefacts 15

message from the GM 15

here’s my card 16

regular features

4 2008 Chair’sMessage

5 MembershipYear in Review

6 PolicyYear in Review

8 ProgramYear in Review

15 Chamber

editor cynthia hamu

deSiGN treehouse studio

PriNtiNG lazer graphics

THe vOiCe Of BuSiNeSS

4 thevoiceofbusiness

terry merrillby

aAs I look back and reflect on this year’s

accomplishments, I’m truly amazed at the great things we did together and anticipate it will continue to influence the successes the Chamber will enjoy for many years to come. Just a few of the highlights for me are:

• Accreditation with Distinction – It was about 18 months ago when we first talked about becoming an accredited member of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. With the Board’s approval, we waded into the task of submission over the next 12 months. It was a lot of work for both our Board and our staff and it was a very proud moment for me when I accepted the award on behalf of our Chamber at the national convention in Quebec City! I would like to thank Shelly Gauthier for championing the project for us and recognize her for all the personal sacrifices she made to ensure our submission’s success.

• 3 Year Strategic Plan – A considerable amount of time and effort was put in by the Board to develop a plan that would shape our Chamber for the next three years and put in place the frame work to add to it, year after year. I’m extremely

proud to have shared in the effort with each of you.

• Partnerships – Whether it was the Prosperity Round Table, the Innovation Cluster, CFDC, GPA EDC, or the countless others we have worked with, it is rewarding to have played a part over the years, and more specifically this year, in the transformation of the Chamber I joined 6 years ago and the Chamber today. I thank Stu for this effort directly and congratulate him on building the bridges needed that has allowed us to truly be “The Voice of Business”.

These three items, along with the amazing efforts of our Program Committee to deliver exceptional events that were profitable, educational and provided the opportunity for members to network with other members. The Policy Committee who kept the pressure up on the County and City to work together, along with the creation of two fantastic policy resolutions that were adopted at the provincial level and a host of other activities. And last, but certainly not least, the Membership Committee who have worked hard this year on developing a new direction for the committee going forward, which I’m sure will prove beneficial in growing and, more importantly, retaining members for years to come.

My theme this year was to Engage, Connect and Invest with our membership and I thank each of the volunteers on the various committees who assisted in making this theme a reality.

In closing, it’s been an amazing experience for me. I’ve made friendships that will last a life time, have grown personally and professionally, and feel privileged to have worked with each of you on the Board and to represent the 117 Chamber Chairs that came before me. Thank you!

s I bring my year to a close as the Chair of the Chamber of Commerce I think of the many people who have encouraged and supported me along the way. I’ve been blessed this year to have work closely on a number of initiatives with Stu, Cynthia and Shelley, each of whom I hold a great deal of respect for and will forever remember the contributions they’ve made to my own personal growth. I have learned equally from our volunteers on the various committees and each of the Board members, who I admire greatly for the time and effort they put in throughout the year to make our Chamber great.

MessaGefromYour 2008 Board Chair

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arlynn dupuisby

t2008 Membership Committee - Year in Review

We have also added an additional follow-up call to new members, nine months into their membership. We are hopeful that this additional “personal touch” will help our committee better identify the needs of many new businesses and also help ensure that members are fully aware of the many activities, special events and professional development opportunities offered by our Chamber.

Membership has also been busy re-examining many of the programs we offer to members. For example,

the member-to-member program exists where participating members offer discounts to other members, providing a real value-added service to

Chamber members. Moving forward, our committee will focus on ways to better market this program to increase membership awareness of all it has to offer.

Other initiatives include our working with Stuart Harrison on simplifying the Chamber’s Value Position. Stuart is developing, and will soon be introducing, a summary of “The Four Things You Get From Your Chamber Membership” meaning Focus, Impact, Reputation and Economic opportunity.

Membership has also been busy developing its Work Plan for the coming year; including such things as: better marketing of the Chamber’s varied programs and services; website update; exploring ways to better increase utilization of the

Member Resource Centre; and revamping of the overall co-ordination of our Membership Directory and Voice of Business magazine.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each volunteer of the Membership Committee: John Knight, Sylvia James, Terry Merrill, Carole Pedler, Tony Smith, Susan Spry and Bob Woodman. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!

he Membership Committee is pleased to report that our membership has remained strong this year. Growth and retention have been our committee’s main priority, with an emphasis on the retention of “at risk” first and second year members. Part of our retention plan has focused on providing better links of communication between the Chamber and its members. For example, every new member receives a call from our committee within the first month of joining. During that call, the member is encouraged to attend the next Business After Hours event and is given the name of the person from our committee who will “meet and greet” at the upcoming event, helping new attendees circulate and meet other members. That way, new members can be more comfortable attending some initial Chamber functions.

MeMBeRshiPmatters

check outthe upcoming events listing for January &

February in the special pull out calendar &

registration form found in the centre spread


POLiCYmattersgregg montiby

t2008 Policy Committee - Year in Review

Two key accomplishments for 2008 were policy resolutions that were presented to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce at their Annual General Meeting in May 2008.

• The first involved a Health Care Policy Resolution regarding Addressing Access Bottlenecks to Primary Health Care that was submitted by our Health Sub-Committee, which is

chaired by Dr. Catherine Owens. The essence of this resolution is to help not only Peterborough, but many communities in Ontario, that have been identified as an under-serviced area for primary health care by enabling the inclusion in OHIP and expand family health teams by including all Regulated Health Professional Act professions de-listed from OHIP. This policy resolution was approved--no omissions, no amendments -- with overwhelming enthusiasm by the voting delegates, against the recommendation of the OCC Health Committee.

• The second policy resolution regarding the Municipal Election’s Act was submitted by Policy Committee member Joel Parkes and also presented to the OCC at their AGM on the first weekend of May. The essence of this policy resolution is to propose that a business owner who does not live in the same ward that their business is located should be able to vote in a Municipal election in that ward, if he or she chooses to.

Both of these resolutions were approved at the convention.

Another primary objective for this year’s Policy Committee was to become stronger advocates for the Chamber membership. This worked hand-in-hand with the creation of the Policy & Advocacy Procedure Manual and the Policy Committee Handbook. These manuals had to be completed and submitted as part of the Chamber’s Accreditation package but, more importantly, will help guide future Policy Committee members. Special thanks to our current Policy members Dan Stanford and Dick Crawford for their time in helping Shelley Gauthier and myself craft these handbooks. As always, Shelley’s hard work and organizational skills were very much appreciated.

It’s always interesting to hear the “GPA EDC update” from Policy member Laura Lauzon. Working closely with the GPA EDC has created some meaningful synergies that will work towards a building stronger Business Community.

We also made other concentrated efforts to connect with and enhance our relationships with other Peterborough organizations

he Chamber’s Policy Committee for 2008 had another very busy, yet rewarding, year. We were able to stay focused on resolving current issues while bringing to light new concerns that our membership and business community are now facing in this less than stellar economic climate.

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As this issue takes a look back at our 2008 Chamber achievements, we thought it was only appropriate to include our 2008 Chamber Board of Directors on the cover. Here are several of the individuals who have brought considerable value to your Chamber:

Front from left: 2008 Membership Committee Chair, Arlynn Dupuis of McGillen, Ayotte, Dupuis; 2008 Program Committee Chair, Betty Johnson of Century 21 Realty; 2008 Vice-Chair, Mary LaRocque of Marlin Travel; Dr. Catherine Owens of Owens Chiropractic; Marg Dawson, representing the Peterborough Federation of Agriculture; Diane Wolf of Trent University

Back row, from left: 2008 Treasurer, Tony Smith of Tristone Media Group; Dick Crawford of Crawford Building Consultants; Jef Dueck of 91.9BOBFM/Country105/Energy99.7; 2008 Chair, Terry Merrill of Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront; 2008 Policy Committee Chair, Gregg Monti of MD Management Ltd.; Karl Moher, representing the County of Peterborough; Mayor Paul Ayotte, representing the City of Peterborough; 2008 Past-Chair Joe Lipsett of Quickmill Inc.

onthecover: 2008 Chamber Board of Directors

such as the Prosperity Round Table Initiative. An example of this was a meeting with MP Dean Del Mastro and MPP Jeff Leal to seek clarification on the current situation involving the possible upgrade of the Commuter Rail Link. Members of the Policy Committee and the Prosperity Transportation Task Force were present to hear the details of the MP and MPP’s plans on how they are working together to bring the Commuter Rail Link to Peterborough. This meeting was intended to get clarification to be able to write a letter of support. A letter was crafted by the Chamber and was emailed to the members with the address of the Member of Parliament. This was followed up with an e-mail blast to our membership with a series of questions crafted by the Policy’s Transportation Sub-Committee Chair Bruce Danford, Chamber Chair Terry Merrill, Past Chamber Chair Dan Stanford, Chamber

General Manager Stuart Harrison and myself, which related to the rail link and how it would benefit local businesses.

Being advocates for the membership is very important to the Policy Committee. We are continuously looking at different mediums that would provide quality feedback from you, the membership. E-mail blasts are a great example of getting a message to our membership in a quick and effective manner. We are also looking at other alternatives such as the Voice of Business magazine, having round table Q&A forums, working with the Membership Committee and the Chamber website. I’m very excited about the new Policy webpage that will be up and running when the Chamber’s website is updated in 2009. The new Policy webpage will enable members of the Chamber and Peterborough’s Business Community to voice their opinions and share their

concerns. Who knows? Perhaps our next policy resolution will germinate from a seed planted by you!

I would like to thank the committee members for taking time out of their busy schedules to listen to the issues, share their concerns and use wisdom and life experience to solve challenges, by moving solutions to the forefront and leaving egos behind. Their passionate and thoughtful input has not only fostered stimulating debate, but also mutual respect.

It has been a pleasure to serve as Chair of the 2008 Policy Committee.


PROGRaMmattersbetty johnsonby

tDiane Wolf chaired a new committee, Volunteer Management, formed to recognize our volunteers. A special event will be held at our Business After Hours on January 6th, 2009 at Showplace to show our appreciation to the volunteers. Without our volunteers, we would not be

able to provide the events that currently take place throughout the year.

This year has been no exception.

Starting the year was our Gala event, with a Canadian Winter Wonderland Theme, chaired by Sharon Legon for our grand ball to honour our 2008 incoming Chair, Terry Merrill. The attendees danced the night away with Jack DeKeyzer and his band.

The Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Rock Haven on March 18th entailed an insight from our local politicians on the political front. An insight into new developments and plans for Peterborough and the surrounding area was the hot topic.

The Working Lunch Committee, chaired by Dr. Catherine Owens, provided a wide variety of interesting topics for our membership. The last one held was actually a Branding Bootcamp Breakfast meeting this past November, held at the Parkway Centre to a packed audience. Excellent work!

The Golf Tournament was held at the Kawartha Golf & Country Club, on June 11th, and was another bright,

sunny, day with great food, golf, sponsors and prizes, not to mention the networking and fun. This event was chaired by Morgan Smith who organized another successful year.

Networking at its best was the Prosperity Trade Show, September 17th, chaired by Tony Smith. As usual, this event was extremely well organized. With the new location in the Morrow Building, we were able to accommodate over 100 booths and table tops. Many networking opportunities for our membership occurred during that time and the new location provided a terrific space with room to roam. There was even a waiting list to have a booth, so next year, book early!

The Business Excellence Awards on October 22nd at the Trentwinds just keeps getting better. This event was co-chaired by Shelley Storace and myself. Diane Wolf of Trent University was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening. Keri Ferguson, co-anchor for CHEX TV, assisted with the awards ceremony. The Business Citizen of the Year, Doug Armstrong, was the recipient of this year’s award. The Excellence Judges, put a tremendous amount of time into this event. Although

he role of the Program Committee is to promote a positive image of the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce through community involvement and special events.Our Committee’s and sub-committee’s involve many volunteer hours of members who donate their time to host networking and professional development events of interest to our general membership.

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2008 Program Committee – Year in Review

we cannot publicly recognize them, we would like to thank them for their assistance to bring this prestigious event together and recognize all of our winners and finalists. The publicity donated by our media was top notch. Thanks to all who made this event such a success!

The Breakfast Club, co-chaired by Bob MacLeod & myself, is held monthly at the Carousel Restaurant on the 2nd Tuesday of each month. We have a variety of speakers and you are able to do a mini-commercial on who you are and what you do. This is a great way to meet a number of other people with various businesses in the community and polish up on your speaking skills.

Business After Hours, Bob Behan as Chair, is booked well ahead. Bob and a Chamber staff visit each of the locations to ensure we have enough room, as this event has 100 to 150 people in attendance and businesses are able to showcase their products and services. If you would like to host an event, contact the Chamber at 748-9771 x0 for information on how to do this.

Club Laurus, co-chaired by Jef Dueck and Shawna Pedler, is our under 40 group and the up and coming leaders of our community. They have had some great speakers and meet for networking opportunities once a month. It’s great to see our young entrepreneurs involved and,

as a result, we have had some new volunteers joining our committees.

It has been a pleasure to work with all of the dedicated people and see some of the outstanding events that have transpired over the past year. Many thanks to the Chamber Staff, who put in endless hours to assist the various Chairs and volunteers to make the Program Committee successful.

We are proud to announce that Jef Dueck will take over as Program Chair for 2009.

As the saying goes: “The more you give, the more you receive”. Why not join us!


brandingbootcampbreakfastNov 20 by Cathy Martin, event Coordinator, Chamber of Commerce

On November 20th over 70 people were motivated, inspired and illuminated to take action, at our Branding Boot Camp! Gerry Visca, Red Chair Branding, is an International Branding Coach known for kick-starting your creative juices – and he certainly achieved this at our early morning breakfast. Through Gerry’s creative, interactive, energetic and

fun workshop, participants were encouraged to think of new ways to look at marketing and branding by considering the following: • Visualization – List and write down your 3 major business goals and visualize and describe your ideal picture of what you want your business to look like. Use daily

visualizations and imagine your goals are already complete. Surround yourself with positive people.

• Goal Setting - List and write down the 3 things and you really want. Describe your ideal clients and describe your own unique ability – what do you love to do?

• Consider your Brand – List and write down 3 words and 3 images that best describe your business. List 2 statements that make your business unique.

• Marketing Plan – List and write down 3 action items for your marketing plan and check off what you need in your plan (i.e. broadcast, radio, web, advertising, etc).

If there was one key point to take away from Gerry’s insightful workshop was that, `No one is going to be marketing the same way in 2009’!

The workshop was thoroughly enjoyed by all and the Parkway Banquet Hall was a fantastic venue for this event. If you would like to find out more about Gerry Visca’s Branding Boot Camps, please visit www.redchairbranding.com or visit the Chamber website at www.peterboroughchamber.ca to view the event workbooks.


MeMBeRmattersheadlinesNew Location for Bath Solutions Congratulations to Patti and John Clark of Bath Solutions who recently moved to their new location at 637 The Queensway, Unit 5. The new space allows them to showcase most of their product line including tub liners, tub and tile refinishing, bathwall systems, shower conversions, walk-in tubs, clawfoot tubs, soaker and whirlpool and air tubs, faucets, vanities and toilets. They specialize in one-day renovations. For further information, please check out www.bathsolutions.ca or call (705) 745-7694.

Accurate Accounts Offers Accounting Services for Small Businesses Accurate Accounts is owned and operated by Marilyn Keating who brings over 20 years in accounting and administrative experience to her new business. Marilyn has certifications in automated bookkeeping, Microsoft Mastery Certified Program, Simply Accounting, and Income Tax preparation and is a payroll compliance practitioner. Operating from an office in Norwood,

and serving the greater Peterborough area, she caters to small business providing bookkeeping, payroll, tax and Income Tax services. That’s Accurate Accounts at (705) 639-2200.

Congratulations to franz’s Butcher Shop & Catering on 25 years in Business The Chamber would like to congratulate Franz Roessl, as Franz’s Butcher Shop & Catering recently celebrated 25 years of business in Peterborough. Franz’s Butcher Shop is located at 172 Lansdowne Street East. For more information, or to offer congratulations of your own, please call (705) 742-8888.

New General Manager Appointed for Peterborough Community Credit union The Peterborough Community Credit Union recently announced the appointment of their new General Manager, Beth A. Bruesch. Beth brings over 20 years of experience in

financial services to her new position at the PCCU. Retiring after 40 years of dedicated service is Leon Butterworth. The credit union serves residents of Peterborough and Victoria counties providing financial services including, personal and business chequing and savings accounts, plus mortgage, personal and small business loans. Their office is located at 167 Brock St. downtown Peterborough. For more information, they can be reached at (705) 748-4481.

New Service Offered by That Special Touch Wedding & event Decor There is a great new service available for all of you folks who insist on waiting for the coldest day of the year to install your Christmas lights… Kim MacDonald of That Special Touch offers design, installation and removal of holiday décor and lights for both residential and commercial. Kim is an event planner and can really make your home or business stand out this Christmas with lighting and holiday décor, both interior and exterior. She can use your lights or provide them for you. For details call (705) 740-2124 or visit them online at: www.thatspecialtouchweddings.com

Lazer Graphics Receives forest Stewardship Council Certification Congratulations to Lazer Graphics on achieving their Forest Stewardship Council Certification! FSC is a guarantor of responsible forest management involving the tracking of the content of paper. For more information about Lazer Graphics, either call them at (705) 745-0339 or visit them at www.lazergraphics.com

Monkman, Gracie & Johnston insurance Celebrate 50 years in Business The Chamber would also like to extend congratulations to Eric Monkman and his staff as Monkman, Gracie & Johnston Insurance Brokers recently celebrated 50 years in business in the Peterborough area. Monkman, Gracie & Johnston are located at 261 George Street North. For more information, or to offer congratulations, please call (705) 742-8863.

updated Website for Gardens Plus Dawn Tack of Gardens Plus is pleased to announce that their website has been updated for 2009. To view the exciting changes, visit www.gardensplus.ca As well, you can visit them in person at 136 County Road 4 or call them at (705) 742-5918.

Does your business have some new and exciting news to share? If so, please submit your information (approximately 75 words) to [email protected] by the 1st of the preceeding month for inclusion in the next month’s issue (i.e. February’s newsletter, January 1st deadline). please note that information will be printed at the General Manager’s discretion.


newmemberswelcome to our new members who joined the Chamber from Nov 10–Dec 05, 2008

the Greer Galloway Group inc. Engineers Ray Kerslake (705) 743-5780 www.greergalloway.com

J P Hall Management Services Marketing Consultants Joe Hall (705) 750-7410

Mako inventors Group Manufacturing - Other Kevin Makowchik (416) 855-1137 www.makoinvent.com

redstone Media Group inc. Publishing John Allen (705) 741-0817 www.redstonemediagroup.com

the Generator Centre Generators Doug Riggs (705) 742-3468 www.thegeneratorcentre.com

three d Printers Ltd. Printing Leah Wood (705) 748-6391 www.threedprinters.com

VistaMaxx Marketing Communications Benjamin vanVeen (705) 761-7127

please utilize their services whenever possible

November’s Breakfast Club Winner Profile

Congratulations to Sharla Trudell, CMASharla Trudell is a Certified Management Accountant offering

financial services to the small business community. Sharla has extensive small business experience and will work at

your place of business or hers. Specializing in QuickBooks, SimplyAccounting and MYOB, Sharla is committed to providing

you with personal attention. She works closely with you to develop plans and systems tailored to meet your business

needs as they relate to accounting, bookkeeping, personal tax preparation and payroll services.

If you need someone who is customer focused, motivated, provides quality work and will be passionate

about your business, contact Sharla at 761-0200 or email her at: [email protected]

NEW this month: Air-resp Medical inc. Offering all chamber members a 10% discount off the posted

website pricing at www.air-resp.com

Scott Weir 705.741.2314 or [email protected]

Check out the downloadable flyer on the Chamber website at peterboroughchamber.ca for a complete listing of all the great savings you and your employess can enjoy by simply being a member of the Chamber.

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ChaMBeReventsclublaurusNovember 27 the Junction by Jef Dueck, Committee Co-chair

On Thursday November 27th, Club Laurus met at the Junction for our November Social. Tom Phillips of Trent University was our guest speaker for the evening and along with sharing some fun and interesting history about Peterborough, Tom spoke about how Peterborough is well positioned for an era of transformation ahead.

As we head into uncertain times, according to his many years of research and experience, Tom feels Peterborough and area are in a good place both geographically and demographically. He explained how our location is in the middle of a large band of economic influence and thus has many opportunities to capitalize. Tom also feels our strong culture for arts, entertainment and recreation could make Peterborough an ideal home for students, families, and retirees for many years to come. But he emphasized that the economic future of this community will depend upon our ability

to put the social structures - of business, government and community – together to take advantage of new opportunities to change and grow. Thanks for an interesting and enlightening session, Tom!

There will be few changes for Club Laurus in the New Year. Shauna Pedler, one of the group’s founders, will be relocating to Vancouver in February. Her vision has been an asset, and her dedication has been very much appreciated. On behalf of the Chamber, and especially Club Laurus, thanks Shauna for all you’ve done! We’ll try our best to keep your passion - best of luck in your new ventures out west! Also, Club Laurus is moving to a new location – Mexicali Rosa’s!

Please join us for our next social on January 22nd at Mexicali Rosa’s from 5-7pm. Have a safe and wonderful holiday!

Club Laurus Profile WinnerCongratulations to

Lucas Welk of Re/Max Eastern Realty!

Lucas Welk is a Sales Representative with Re/Max Eastern Realty in Peterborough. He originally moved to Peterborough to attend Sir Sandford Fleming College, loved the area, and has remained a

resident of Peterborough ever since. He specializes in residential real estate and

understands that the purchase of a home is the single most expensive investment a family will make. Not only will he assist you in finding a new home, but will assist you in the entire process and share with you valuable resources to make it much more than just buying or selling a home,

but rather making it a positive experience.

For more information call Lucas Welk at (705) 743-9111 or visit

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Helping your business get to the next level.

Call 705-745-5434Visit us at 351 Charlotte St. in Ptbo

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businessafterhoursDec 2 by Bob Behan, Bah Committee Chair

“What a terrific start to the Christmas Season!”

Justin Faux and his team at The Junction hosted the December BAH/Christmas Social. A full choice of beverages was available and complimented by a lavish spread of food that exceeded expectations.

The Chamber food industry members practiced the spirit of cooperation and giving for the pleasure of each of us attending the event, which makes the December BAH/Christmas Social a unique event. We are grateful to The Junction for their lead role in providing the venue, entertainment and personnel to host the event, in addition to their food contribution.

Justin Faux welcomed the participation of other Chamber members who contributed to the multitude of food offered. These members also deserve our appreciation for their food contributions for our enjoyment. The wonderful variety of food gave the event “a taste of Peterborough” theme.

Well over 200 Chamber members circulated throughout the comfortable and spacious lounge at The Junction. Because attendance is higher at the December BAH/Christmas Social, it is common to meet people you haven’t seen for some time, and that is especially rewarding. It really is pretty difficult to avoid success at a function like this.

Thank you to all who supported the December BAH/Christmas Social. We look forward to supporting your business throughout the year!

Our next Business After Hours will be held on Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 at Showplace from 4 to 6pm. To register to attend please call 748-9771 x0 or email [email protected] We look forward to seeing you then!

Thank you to our food contributors:BEST WESTERN OTONABEE INNBOSTON PIZZA - Peterborough NorthBURNHAM MANSIONDOMINO’S PIZZAJEFF PURVEY LTD.JIM’S PIZZERIA AND SPAGHETTI HOUSEKELSEY’S RESTAURANTMEXICALI ROSA’S CANTINA & GRILL MONTANA’S COOKHOUSE NO SMALL AFFAIRPARKWAY BANQUET HALLPHOENIX ALTERNATIVE LEARNING CENTRE – Culinary Arts ProgramRARE GRILL HOUSERICKY’S ALL DAY GRILLRILEY’S PUB / THE JUNCTIONSHISH KABOB HUTTHE MAGIC ROLLING PINTHE OLD SMOKE HOUSETIM HORTONSWINSTON’S FINE DINING


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Please note, the Chamber & Licensing Offices will be closed on the following dates:n Monday, February 16th, 2009

– Family Dayn Friday, April 10th, 2009

– Good Fridayn Monday, May 18th, 2009

– Victoria Dayn Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

– Canada Dayn Monday, August 3th, 2009

– Civic Holidayn Monday, September 7th, 2009

– Labour Dayn Monday, October 12th, 2009

– Thanksgivingn Thursday, December 24th, 2009

– Christmas Eve (Close at 2pm)n Friday, December 25th, 2009

– Christmas Dayn Monday, December 28th, 2009

– Boxing Dayn Thursday, December 31st, 2009

– New Year’s Eve (Close at 3pm)n Friday, January 1st, 2010

– New Year’s Day

The November Breakfast Club was held on Tuesday, November 11th at the Carousel Restaurant and this month’s speaker was Valerie MacLean, owner of two businesses – The Phoenix Alternative Learning Centre and the Phoenix Centre for Neurodevelopment.

The Phoenix Alternative Learning Centre is a multifaceted therapeutic centre within an educational environment. Students are enrolled part time or full time, and engage in academic, cognitive and individualized neurodevelopmental programs

The Phoenix Centre for Neurodevelopment is a private clinical practice, hosting clients from across Canada, as they travel to our beautiful city, for the HANDLE at Home Program. Families from as far as Chatham, Ontario, and PEI regularly come to our city, stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, and enjoy all that Peterborough has to offer.

In recognition of Remembrance Day, Valerie spoke of a different type of warrior, the children and adults she works with on a daily basis that are so incredibly brave. These individuals show their courage and trust, and bravely face each day.

We welcome new guest speakers, so let us know if you would like the opportunity to speak. If you are interested, please contact the Chamber at [email protected] or 748-9771 x0.

If you haven’t attended a Breakfast Club yet, we meet on the second Tuesday of each month, at 7:30am at the Carousel restaurant and no registration is required, you just pay for what you eat. Remember to bring your business cards, so you can win the chance to profile your company with a free write-up in the monthly “Voice of Business”!

breakfastclubNov 11 by Betty Johnson, Breakfast Club Committee Co-chair


benefactsmessage from

It’s in an organization’s best interest to question why a benefit program is needed. Depending upon the size of a firm and their employee turnover, surveys and reviews should be performed every three to five years. The first step for the management of any firm is to develop a process to review and prioritize their organization’s needs.

If your organization has a present plan: 1. Ask why your benefit plan was originally implemented. 2. Who does it actually benefit? 3. Does the plan still fulfill its purpose in the most efficient and cost-effective way? 4. Is the plan funded properly, and can we improve the funding? 5. Is the benefit plan worth retaining?

If your organization does not have a plan: 1. Ask why a benefit plan is needed. 2. Who will it actually benefit? 3. Will a plan fulfill its purpose in the most efficient and cost-effective way? 4. Will the plan be designed and funded correctly, and how do we stand to win or lose?

Ask the above questions for each benefit; Life, AD&D, Dependent Life, Short and Long Term Disability, Extended Health, Dental, Vision and any other coverage within your firm’s plan or what you see as a worthy benefit.

Group plans work best if the needs of the participants and owners are kept in mind. Employee surveys are the simplest way for an employer to gain an understanding of those needs.

Simple one or two page surveys should be sent home for review and comments from both the employee and their family members. They should be able to explain their likes and dislikes, what benefits are important to them, how the plan fits into their personal financial goals and what changes they would like to see if their firm has a plan.

Although an organization may not be able to design a benefit plan that addresses every participant’s needs and wants, it’s helpful to keep a plan current and as acceptable as it can be to the majority of its participants. Your Broker/Agent should be able to assist your organization with your survey.

This article has been brought to you exclusively by your Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan Agent/Broker, Brian Bulger. For more information, Brian can be reached at 741-1400.

Plan Development Questions for a Group Benefit Plan

by Brian Bulger


yourGMby Stuart Harrison

Our Chamber is doing a number of things to try to help our members, many of which are outlined below:

a. No increase in Membership Fees for 2009.b. We are pleased to announce that OLG Slots at Kawartha

Downs has agreed to sponsor our regular monthly Business after Hours, allowing us to completely eliminate any charge to our members.

c. We have completely redesigned our annual Membership Directory, allowing us to lower our advertising prices significantly (ie in 2008 a full page ad was $1500, in 2009 it will be $850)

d. There will be no active solicitation of prizes for Chamber events. Businesses often donate prizes as a promotional opportunity, and these are always appreciated, however we will not be calling our members this year.

e. In the past members have had the option of purchasing an Enhanced Website Listing from local company YLM, who provide the member Search Engine on our website. In addition, many members also purchased our Chamber Promo-pack, giving them numerous promotional features. These two products have now been combined into one, a savings of $250.

f. We will be concentrating on providing our members with an educational series designed to help you deal with the economic challenges. These will be inexpensive breakfast meetings. Details to follow.

g. For some businesses, a downturn is an opportunity to gain market share, thus we will be introducing two new low-cost features in our monthly Voice of Business Magazine. The Magazine is distributed not only to our over 1000 members, but members of the Women’s Business Network, Sales and Ad, the Homebuilders Association and Construction Exchange and the Kawartha Manufacturers Association. The new features will start in February:

i. The “Marketplace” page which will provide a $65 full colour advertising option.

ii. The “ecoFlyer” which will provide you with an opportunity to send your flyer-style message three ways for one low price of $225:

1. As a .pdf file on our “ecoFlyer” page on our website.

2. As a text-based message and hyperlink in one of our bi-monthly email blasts.

3. As a 1/6 page ad on the ecoFlyer page in our Magazine.

Please call if you have any questions, comments or concerns. We hope we can count on your support, and if there is anything that we can do to help you stickhandle through the next few quarters, don’t hesitate to ask.

Sincerely,

Stuart Harrison

January 2009

Documents

Transcript of January 2009