Are You Ready for Change?

Change is happening all around us. Are you ready for it! If you are not changing you are standing still. The only alternative to change is failure. Roger Twibell knows that in sports, the only constant is change. As one of America s top sportscasters he has seen how change can lead to championships and the failure to change turn contenders into losers.

Twibell has covered every major sporting event including the NFL, NBA, NCAA football and basketball, U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Opens, British and British Senior Opens, the U.S. Women s Open and the PGA Championship, World Cup Soccer, hockey, boxing, Boston Marathon, skiing, track and field, tennis and major league baseball.

Twibell anchored many telecasts for ABC and ESPN and was the lead announcer for the PGA and LPGA Tours. He hosted ABC s College Football Scoreboard, The Rose Bowl Parade, NFL Europe and international coverage of the Masters. He was the play-by-play announcer for the Boston Celtics and preseason announcer for the Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs. He s interviewed such famous athletes as Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, George Brett and Joe Montana and worked along side Dick Vitale and other famed personalities. He has played golf with numerous celebrities from Alice Cooper to Sean Connery.

A native of Shawnee Mission, Kansas and a graduate of the University of Kansas, his career has taken him to Tucson, Portland, Dallas, Miami, Boston and back to Kansas City where he and his family reside in Mission Hills. He hosts the 610 Morning Rush from 6-9am Monday through Friday on KCSP 610 radio.

Help us welcome Roger Twibell to Topeka on Tuesday, October 13th at the Topeka Country Club for our monthly dinner meeting. Bring a guest or prospective to hear his presentation and learn more about SMEI Topeka.

Volume 49, Issue 2

Upcoming

Events

October 13 Dinner Meeting

Topeka Country Club

Social/Networking 5:30-6:00 p.m.

Dinner/ Program 6:00-8:00 p.m.

RSVP by October 9

Future Dinner Meetings

Nov. 10 , TCC Jeff Taylor, Owner,

PT s Coffee

Dec. 8, Bradbury Thompson Alumni

Center, WU Holiday Party

Jan. 12, TCC John McDonald

Founder, Boulevard Brewing Company

Feb. 9, Bradbury Thompson Alumni

Center, WU DSMA Banquet

Bring friends or associates to the meeting and introduce them to SMEI Topeka! Prospective members attend one meeting at no cost, guests meals are $35.

Reservations must be made by Friday, October 9. Call 246-9600 or e-mail smetopeka@cox.net

October, 2009

From the President Mike Scott, CSE Greetings SMEI Topeka Members!

The warm evening nights are turning cool and the leaves are starting to fall, what a wonderful time of year. As the days turn cooler the SMEI year is starting to heat up. Last month, we had a great start to the year when Danni Boatwright presented a wonderful program (and her mother was a delight as well!).

We have another fantastic program lined up for our October meeting. Our featured speaker is Roger Twibell. Sports fans will recognize Roger from his coverage of the largest sporting events in the country. He has been a fixture in the Kansas City Sports media for many years. Please plan to join us on October 13th at Topeka Country Club and bring a guest!

Please, help me congratulate Amber Gentry, our October executive of the Month. She was selected by our Board of Directors because of her great job as chairperson of the Golf Tournament/Membership Social. Amber is Vice President of Membership and is hard at work on membership. If you know of someone that should be a member of SMEI Topeka but is not, Amber would be glad to help correct that problem! Thank you Amber for all your great efforts!

I look forward to seeing all of you Tuesday the 13th at TCC!

Mike

Boutonniere/Corsage for the honoree Write-up in the DSMA program Inclusion in event promotional materials DSMA poster featuring honorees

Sales & Marketing Executives of Topeka provides an excellent opportunity for businesses to recognize and reward outstanding performers, marketers, and sales professionals from within their companies or vendors that serve them by showcasing their achievements at the DSMA Banquet. This nationally recognized award is bestowed by SMEI affiliates internationally.

Participating organizations establish their own criteria and select their award honorees. This exclusive award is limited to the first twelve recipients, only one per company.

Recognizing Excellence in the Sales & Marketing Profession by honoring DSMA recipients & the SMEI Topeka Executive of the Year

A personally engraved Victor trophy Two tickets to the banquet Cocktail reception with Executive of the Year Framed certificate

Honorees and their companies are featured in a congratulatory ad in the Topeka-Capital Journal

Distinguished Sales & Marketing Awards Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Bradbury Thompson Alumni Center, Washburn University

DSMA Registration Form complete and return to SMEI Topeka by December 15, 2009. Recipient names are due by January 5, 2010. The DSMA is limited to 12 honorees. The fee is $450. Sponsors will be contacted by SMEI Topeka regarding honoree, name photo and program write up. Ads must be submitted camera ready and are due January 20, 2010.

Company Name Contact

Address Phone #

We will sponsor one DSMA recipient for $450 YES or No (circle one)

Program Advertisements Quarter page $100_____ Half page $175_____ Full Page $300

Total enclosed______ Bill me for _____

Mail to SMEI Topeka PO Box 8660, Topeka, KS 66608. Fax to 246-1313 or e-mail smetopeka@cox.net

For questions or more information, contact SMEI Topeka at 246-9600 Website: topeka.smei.org

Honorees of This Prestigious Award Receive:

Sponsorship Opportunities:

Dinner Beverage Sponsor $500 Underwrites wine for dinner recognized by logo in program and on table tents

Reception sponsor $350 Underwrites cost of beverage for honoree reception recognized by logo in program and on beverage tickets

Flower sponsor $200 Underwrites flowers for event recognized by logo in program

Program Advertisements Back cover $500 SOLD Full pg $300 Half pg $175 Quarter pg $100

Welcome New Members Roger Brokke General Sales Manager WIBW - TV 221-1519 roger@wibw.com

Tim Kolling Marketing & Advertising Consultant WIBW Radio 228-7228 Tim-Kolling@morris.com

Chris Spargo General Manager Ed Bozarth Chevrolet 266-5151 spargo@aol.com

Kevin Vaughn President Topeka Transfer & Storage 267-4040 kevin@topekatransfer.com

2009 SMEI Topeka Executive of the Year Nominations

Presented at the DSMA Banquet, February 9, 2010, the Executive of the Year will be selected from the Topeka community on the basis of his/her contributions to both the sales and marketing profession and the Topeka community and his/her personal integrity and achievements according to the following criteria.

The following criteria was developed December 1, 1999 and amended November 1, 2000

Nominee Must: 1. Hold an executive level position

2. Be identified with sales and marketing of his/her entity

3. Have an unique accomplishment during current year (or time period)

4. Have had an outstanding year

5. Have had a positive impact on commerce in Topeka and the surrounding area

6. Not be a current member of Sales & Marketing Executives of Topeka

To nominate someone, submit the following information to SMEI Topeka. Nominations are due by October 13.

1. Candidate s Name

2. Business Name and Position with Firm

3. Business Address and Phone

4. Professional Accomplishments

5. List how the candidate meets the above criteria

is a regional AT&T

Solution Provider helping businesses with their voice and data

network solutions.

Voice, trunks, Plexar, PRI, ISDN

Features, Caller ID, Messaging, LD

MIS Internet Bandwidth, DSL

MPLS Networks, Network Firewalls www.dcstopeka.com

785-354-7000 x234

Dinner Meeting Sponsorships

A great opportunity to market your business to SMEI Topeka members and guests. You can introduce a new service or product and put your company in spotlight. Sponsors will set up displays during our social/networking time and give a 5 minute presentation during the dinner meeting. Dinner for one associate is included.

Member companies $300 Non-member companies $500

Events and Information

ROSS T. HENDRICKSON, MBA, Agent rossh@mccune-robinson.com

725 W. Cherry 620.431.9280

P.O. Box 688 866.431.9282 Chanute, KS 66720 Fax 620.431.4475

www.mccune-robinson.com

Customer Service Week October 5 - 9, 2009

In 1992 the United States Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event, celebrated annually during the first full week in October.

Customer Service is a national event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and to honoring the people who serve and support customers with the highest degree of care and professionalism.

Executive of the Month Amber Gentry This month, we honor Amber Gentry for her dedication, service and leadership to the Golf/Summer Social committee.

Amber is the Senior Account Manager for Networks Plus. She acts as the liaison between clients and all the departments at Networks Plus to ensure that their end users needs are met. Working closely with Networks Plus owner, engineers, department heads, and management teams, Ambers finds ways to stay on top of the newest technologies available. Then, she helps deploy them in the most efficient and price conscience manner to customers and prospects.

I LOVE Networks Plus for one simple fact: we are a local company, owned by a native Kansan. We keep our sources local. When we look for new employees

we never look outside of the region

we look for the

resources here at home. We find our engineers from Washburn, K-State, KU, Fort Hays, and our technical colleges. When we set up a new division or branch of service but are unable to bring it all in-house

we

outsource that branch to a local agency within Kansas. We ve never outsourced any of the services we provide overseas or even out of state. This is why our people are so proud about who they work for and what they do. It s why our employees are so loyal and have been with us for such a long time. It s what helps us continue to build upon the high level of service standards that we provide to our clients. And it is why Networks Plus success is so very important to me , said Amber.

Amber said she joined SME because it is enriched with a group of industry leaders from Topeka whom have covered this territory from top to bottom. The experience and practicum of these leaders and their willingness to teach tricks of the trade to new sales people like myself are invaluable. The wealth of overall sales knowledge that fills a room during the social opening prior to a dinner at an SME event is almost overwhelming. SME provides so many tools to help me grow my business, but it s the people that are involved in this organization that are the greatest learning tool of all to me.

Amber plays an active role in local organizations and is also a board member for the MS Society of NE Kansas, the Diplomat Chair for the Topeka Chamber of Commerce, a member of the American Quarter Horse Association, and volunteers her time to the Capper Foundation as well as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Topeka.

Recently, Amber & Joe moved just outside of Topeka to start the building process on 20 acres west of town. Joe is a Master State Trooper for the Kansas Highway Patrol.

2009-2010 SMEI-Tope ka Le ade rsh ip President Mike Scott, CSE Key Staffing

President-Elect Chris St. John Lawyers Title of Topeka

1st Vice President Phil Tysinger Dynamic Computer Solutions of Topeka, Inc.

Immediate Past President Karla Clem M-C Industries

Secretary/Treasurer Dan Schemm Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce

Past President's Advisory Council Chairperson Barbara Barnard Community National Bank

Past President's Board Position John Wall Copy Center of Topeka

VP, Membership Amber Gentry Networks Plus

VP, Youth Education Erin Aldridge Topeka Performing Arts Center

VP, Special Events Larry Dunning Payless ShoeSource

VP, Member Education Phyllis Lansford Brewster Place

Directors Barbara Butts WestSide Stamp and Award

Sherry Hunsicker Hilco Mortgage Corp.

Jeanette Johnson Prudential First, REALTORS

Karon Lee Radiology & Nuclear Medicine

David Sollars Washburn University School of Business

ALDERSON, ALDERSON, WEILER, CONKLIN, BURGHART & CROW, L.L.C.

Attorneys at Law

2101 S.W. 21st Street Topeka, Kansas 66604-3174

www.aldersonlaw.com (785) 232-0753

Faith Building Services Chris Luttjohann, General Manager

Commercial Janitorial Services 30 Years Experience: All the Latest Ideas

Telephone 785.231.8821/ cluttjohann1@cox.net