SCREEN PRINTING, EMBROIDERY & PROMOTIONAL ITEMS
Whatever Tees
Mr. Timothy Benton
(863) 370-0740
website
Join Date: 02/27/2015

DEEJAY, KARAOKE
SLS Entertainment
Mr. Sean L. Serdynski
website
(863) 370-5298
Join Date: 02/27/2015

ENGINEERS-SURVEYORS-PLANNERS
Hamilton Engineering & Surveying, Inc.
Mr. Alan L. Rayl, PE, PSM
310 E. Main St., Suite 4
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 784-3155
website
Join Date: 03/03/2015

MARCH MEETINGS

Tues., Wed., Mar. 10, 11
    Leadership Bartow XVI
        in Tallahassee for
        Polk County Day
Thursday, Mar. 12, 5:15 p.m.
    Frost Van den Boom
        Fun Thursday
        395 S. Central Ave.
Friday, Mar. 13, 8:00 a.m.
    Committee of 100
        Convene at
        POLK STATE COLLEGE
        Clear Springs Advanced
        Technology Center
Friday, Mar. 13, 4:00 p.m.
        Barn Boogie Wrap Up
Wednesday, Mar. 18, 11:30 a.m.
   30th Annual Mayor's
        Prayer Luncheon
        Bartow Civic Center
Wednesday, Mar. 18, 4:00 p.m.
    Chamber Scramble Meeting
Friday, Mar. 20, 4:00 p.m.
   Palmer Insurance
    Crosswired Electric
    Ribbon-cutting: 4:30 p.m.
        also ENGAGE FAB FRIDAY
        1905 Hwy. 17 S.

Computer Basics - Bartow Library
03/09/2015

Fun Thursday -Frost Law Firm (Chamber Members Only)
03/12/2015

Math, Science & the Liberal Arts
03/12/2015

SAE Collegiate Design Competition Aero Design East
03/13/2015- 03/15/2015

Blarney Triathlon
03/14/2015

Downtown Bartow Antique Fair
03/14/2015

Bartow Rotary Wild Game Dinner
03/14/2015

Polk Girls Rock Empowerment Event
03/14/2015

Family Fun Day
03/14/2015

Reptiles/Alligators
03/15/2015

Computer Basics - Bartow Library
03/16/2015

Lunch & Learn
03/17/2015

Mayor's Prayer Luncheon
03/18/2015

The next Committee of 100 meeting is set for Friday, March 13, 2015, at 8:00 a.m. At this meeting, we're traveling to Polk State College's Clear Springs Advanced Techology Center where we will be given a first hand look at the new state-of-the-art 3-D printer.
Committee of 100 meetings are usually held at the Health and Life Center (old Hospital), 1239 E. Main Street. If you are interested in becoming a member of this prestigious group, contact Chairman Brian Hinton at (863) 533-4196.

Event Date: April 10, 2015, Bartow Golf Course. Sponsorships available! Call Linda Holcomb for more information, 863-533-7125.

Want to find a retail or service business? Click here.

  Your Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce is stepping it up, and offering member businesses and those wishing to start a business some new tools for success.

Right now, the Chamber has three programs for revving up your business. This is possible through partnerships between the Chamber and organizations that are business experts - SCORE, Polk County SBA, SBDC, and Polk State Corporate College.

Through the programs coming up, entrepreneurs can learn how to give their businesses a boost - how to automate, streamline and grow them. Coming up will be topics of interest to the business owner looking for solutions and strategies for the rest of the year.

Seminars and workshops will be offered on leadership training, customer service training, navigation through adverse (and favorable) economic conditions, business communication strategies, management pitfalls, financial strategies, etc. These programs will be offered at little or no cost.

There is no better time to find out what you don't know about your business. In this newsletter, you'll see the three programs that are currently being offered. I urge you to make use of  these business productivity tools. After all, every business needs great resources to make progress.

Until next week,
Sharon Casey
Community Southern Bank, VP
Chamber President, 2015

Don't miss it! March 12, 2015, 5:15 p.m., hosted by Frost Van den Boom, PA. Email Linda to RSVP!
 

     Tickets are now available for the 30th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Luncheon, which will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2015, at the Bartow Civic Center beginning at noon. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.

   

     Guest speaker is Edward M. Kobel, President/ COO of DeBartolo Development. Kobel is responsible for the company’s strategy, execution and capitalization. With a “customer and community come first” philosophy, Kobel leads a team that has created a nationwide real estate investment platform that spans from Hawaii to Florida. Capitalized by the DeBartolo Family and major capital commitments that Kobel secured with institutional partners, DeBartolo Development has underwritten a real estate pipeline of over $1 billion.
     Kobel is the Chairman of LIFEWORK Leadership, a leadership development program that provides ethical leadership training for business and community leaders. He serves on the Board of Directors for Faith Tampa Bay, an organization working to meet the transformation needs of the Tampa Bay area. And in 2009, he was awarded the Community Involvement Award for his efforts as Chairman of the Super Bowl Breakfast, an official National Football League event with Athletes in Action. Originally from Pittsburgh, Penn., Mr. Kobel lives in Tampa, Fla., with his wife Becky of 30 years and daughters Elizabeth and Katherine.
     Call the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce Events Director Linda Holcomb, (863) 533-7125 to reserve your spot.  Tickets are $10 and may be purchased at the Bartow Chamber.

MARCH 20, 2015: Fab Friday for our Chamber Young Professionals is coming up! If you are between the ages of 21 and 42 and are interested in networking with other young professionals, please come to the ENGAGE social, Fab Friday, which will be held at Palmer Insurance / Cross Wired Electric, 1905 Hwy. 17 South. For the first Fab Friday, we are combining the social with a ribbon-cutting for Palmer Insurance and Cross Wired Electric to celebrate the businesses new location. For information about ENGAGE or if you'd like to sign up as a member, check out the Chamber's website, www.bartowchamber.com. RIBBON-CUTTING, 4:30 p.m.; SOCIAL, immediately following

.

Polk State Corporate College, Bartow Chamber
Partner for Professional Development Academy
 
Polk State College and the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce are partnering to create a series of seminars and classes for local professionals.
 
The Greater Bartow Chamber Professional Development Academy kicks off March 25 at 7:30 a.m. at the Polk State Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center, 310 Technology Drive in Bartow.
 
The initial installment of the Academy, “Instant Insight: 15 Questions to Great Relationships,” will be presented by J. Lenora Bresler, a speaker, author, trainer and coach who specializes in personal development.
Click here to sign up today!

Madrid Engineering Wins 2015 Project of the Year
     Madrid Engineering Group, Inc. won the 2015 Project of the Year at the Engineering Awards Banquet held February 24th at the Polk County Historical Museum in Bartow. Madrid Engineering’s project involved stabilizing the parking lot at the Lowe’s on Lakeland Highlands Boulevard. The property that had previously been mined for phosphate and consisted of a mixture of loose sand and very soft clay. 
     Madrid Engineering reviewed previous data, soil borings and reports, and came up with a unique remediation plan: excavate the near surface clays, process/mix it on site to chemically stabilize the soil, and place the stronger, stabilized soil back into the excavated area. Madrid Engineering’s innovative twist for this project is that the chemical stabilizer is PhosphoCrete™, which was invented in Madrid’s soils laboratory. “I’ve done a lot of research on this area over the years. When we add just a small amount of PhosphoCrete to the clays an immediate chemical reaction called hydration literally pulls moisture out of the clay, making it much stiffer than the initial peanut butter consistency”, said Larry Madrid, PE, president of Madrid Engineering Group, Inc. “Then, over time a second reaction called a pozzolanic reaction slowly cements the material, making it 10 times stronger or more. In effect, we are creating a bridge of stiff material overlying the very soft clays, and this helps to spread out vehicle loads and minimize settlement.” For more information about the award, Madrid Engineering Group, or PhosphoCrete™, call Madrid or visit www.madridengineering.com
 
Don't Miss Main Street's New and Improved Farmers' Market
Main Street Bartow has launched its new Wednesday Farmers Market at Fort Blount Park, at the corner of Main Street and Broadway Avenue in downtown Bartow. The market will be held each Wednesday from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. Main Street Bartow is currently seeking vendors offering top quality fresh products ranging from local produce to seasonal flowers, sauces and jellies, artisan crafts, and handcrafted soaps and lotions. The vendor fee for a 12’ x 12’ space is $20.00 per Wednesday paid monthly in advance, or $25 on an occasional basis. For further information or a Farmers Market Vendor Form, contact Main Street Bartow at 863-519-0508, or email lsimpson@mainstreetbartowfl.com.

Spath Jewelers became the first business to display the "IT PAYS TO BUY LOCAL" eight foot banner, which also let's shoppers know that Spath's is the Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month for March.
ABOUT SPATH JEWELERS:
"We have been blessed to have the opportunity to serve our wonderful customers and friends in Florida with our retail locations in Bartow and Valrico, Florida for a combined 38+ years," said owner Tina Spath. Spath Jewelers is an industry leader for repairs and custom design. Spaths has four jewelers on-site that have over 70 years of combined experienceassuring customers the highest degree of quality work. Spath's offers custom design work, insurance appraisals, on-site jewelry repair, expert watch repair, layaway and financing programs. Spath Jewelers also carries the finest selection of loose diamonds and fine jewelry, and features Bulova, Citizen, Pulsar, Private Label, Fossil, Seiko and reconditioned Rolex Watches at the lowest prices around. For more information, click here.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR! FREE to Business Owners and those interested in starting a business, beginning Thursday, April 9th and continuing with the second Thursday of each month, 7:30-8:30 a.m. at the Chamber: The popular SCORE Roundtable has come to Bartow! Join us the 2nd Thursday of every month as we explore various topics of interest to our members. On April 9th, the topic is: 3 THINGS TO MAKE YOUR CUSTOMER REMEMBER YOU! Create a customer base that remembers you and becomes loyal, repeat customers that you can count on. Watch for sign up information on facebook, also.
Chamber Business Roundtable is brought to you through the partnership between SCORE, Polk County SBA Center and the Chamber. To register, go to www.bartowchamber.com, or you may click here.
 

Florida SBDC Is Available At
Bartow Chamber On Mar. 12
The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at University of South Florida, assists existing and emerging businesses in Polk County, through no-cost confidential business consulting, and low-cost training. Consultants can assist entrepreneurs in a variety of business topics, including: marketing, business certification, capital access, market diversification, developing strategic business plans, export services, and web optimization. A consultant will be at the Chamber on March 12, 2015 and available to Chamber Businesses. To schedule an appointment, visit www.bartowchamber.com and follow the links on the home page, or call     (863) 678.4182, ext. 227.