SCORE ROUNDTABLE IN BARTOW COMING UP
MARK YOUR CALENDAR! FREE to Business Owners and those interested in starting a business, on the second Thursday of each month, 7:30-8:30 a.m. at the Chamber: The popular SCORE Roundtable for businesses! Join us the 2nd Thursday of every month as we explore various topics of interest to our members. 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.
NEXT ROUNDTABLE: The Essentials of Social Media
25th ANNIVERSARY OF JUST SAY NO
It's hard to believe, but on Wednesday, May 5, 2015, we'll be celebrating 25 years of the Community-based public education effort, JUST SAY NO to drugs. If you'd like to donate to help fund this program, send your check payable to "JUST SAY NO" to CenterState Bank, ATTN: Anita Stasiak, 1375 N. Broadway Avenue, Bartow, FL 33830. Thank you for your consideration to help support this struggle against drugs!
NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS
FITNESS / GYM
TBC24 Fitness North
Mr. Mark Bodine
5121 US Hwy. 98 North
Lakeland, FL 33809
(863) 937-8996
website
Join Date: 03/15/2015
Ribbon-cutting: TODAY!!
April 13, 4:30 p.m.
HAIR SALONS
Oasis Salon and Day Spa
Ms. Christal Hall
565 W. Main St.
Bartow, FL 33830
(863) 450-7945
website
Join Date: 03/09/2015
Ribbon-cutting:
April 15, 9:30 a.m.
MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS
The Orpheum Theatre and Academy of Performing Arts
Ms. Jenny Heidtman
Bartow, FL 33830
(718) 408-0653
website
Join Date: 03/12/2015
INSURANCE AGENCIES
LegalShield
Mr. Clive Harding
Winter Haven, FL 33884
(863) 324-1058
website
Join Date: 03/13/2015
ASSNS, CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
Mid-Florida SHRM
Ms. Andrea Prather
(863) 640-2459
website
Join Date: 03/30/2015
BOTTLED WATER & FILTER COOLER SYSTEMS
Water Boy, Inc.
Mr. Scott McLaughlin
1808 Olive St.
Lakeland, FL 33815
(800) 346-6080
website
Join Date:04/01/2015
CHAMBER EVENTS & MEETINGS
Meetings are at the Chamber unless listed otherwise.
APRIL
Monday, April 13, 4:30 p.m.
TBC24 Fitness
5121 US Hwy. 98 N., 33809
Tuesday, April 14, 11:00 a.m., Rain or Shine
Hampton Inn Groundbreaking
(behind McDonalds/KFC)
Wednesday, April 15, 9:30 a.m.
Oasis Salon & Day Spa
Ribbon-cutting
565 W. Main St., Bartow
Thursday, April 16
Leadership Bartow XVI
Polk County Sheriff Day
Friday, April 17, noon
ENGAGE Chamber Young Professionals
Lunch & Learn with Lori Edwards
FIPR, 1855 W. Main St., Bartow
Wednesday, April 29, 7:30 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
Professional Development
Academy
Sherran Spurlock
Small Business Development
Polk State College Clear Springs
Advanced Technology Center
310 Technology Dr., Bartow MAY Dates here.
COMMITTEE OF 100
The next Committee of 100 meeting is set for Friday, April 10, 2015, at 8:00 a.m. Committee of 100 meetings are 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. CLICK FOR A LIST OF MEMBERS
CLASSIFIEDS
$25 per run (up to 35 words), call 533-7125 or email Virginia.
COMMERCIAL RENTAL SPACE perfect for small business client consultation and/or satellite office space in Polk County's county seat. Minutes from the courthouse and county administration buildings. The 40-600 square foot move in ready space is located at 1480 N. Broadway Ave., Suite C in Bartow. Rental rates $450-$650 per month. Interested parties should call (863) 559-3180 or (863) 559-0101.
PROFESSIONAL OFFICE BUILDING FOR SALE Furnished: $2500 square feet; $250,000. 690 E. Davidson Street, Bartow, FL 33830. Former law office in excellent condition, only 6 blocks from the Polk County Courthouse. Large foyer and central work area with multiple high-end filing cabinets, surrounded by 6 private offices and library/conference room, with built-in bookshelves, kitchenette, 2 ceramic tile bathrooms, 1 shower stall, cable, and security system. Corner lot with plenty of off-street parking. Excellent location in County Seat for any enterprise dealing with state and local government. Contact Chuck Bentley at (863) 533-7733 or email Chuck.
RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW FOR THE MAGAZINE
 Reserve your space now in the Summer Chamber Quarterly Magazine and hand your business card out to more than 20,000 households for only $85 per issue. Call Barbara Adamson at 863-533-7125 for more information. |
FROM THE PRESIDENT:
 There are so many events going on now, it’s mind boggling! If you distill the goals, you get to the bottom of the real method to the Chamber's event madness: “networking.”
Members find value in becoming connected to other Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce members, and to that end, businesses can find great work afoot to keeping you connected with your business peers.
Networking is also the reason given by those who don’t think they need a Chamber. “It’s just about networking.” But, think about it, who doesn’t need connectivity among influential business and community decision makers?
Speaking of networking, make sure you check out the photo link at the bottom of this column and see how much fun everyone had at the Bartow Community Healthcare Foundation Fun Thursday! It was a ball, and many members stayed past the scheduled time of the event, because they were having such a great time catching up with one another.
We hope you will consider the opportunities you have this month to network; and make it your goal to become deliberate about refining your network. And, you also have the opportunity to make new friends!
Until next week,
Sharon Casey
Community Southern Bank, VP
Chamber President, 2015
ENGAGE Lunch & Learn with Lori Edwards
ENGAGE Lunch & Learn with Lori Edwards
CLICK ON THE LINK ABOVE TO REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT.
04/17/2015
11:30 AM - 01:00 PM E
Florida Industrial & Phosphate Research Institute
1855 W. Main Street
Bartow, FL 33830
HAMPTON INN GROUNDBREAKING COMING UP!
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
11:00 a.m.
Rain or Shine!
205 Old Bartow Eagle Lake Rd.
(beind McDonald's, KFC)
Beechwood Development, LLC, along with city leaders and developers, will celebrate the groundbreaking for the upcoming Hampton Inn Bartow. The property will be located at 205 Old Bartow Eagle Lake Road, near several businesses and an area shopping center. When completed, Hampton Inn Bartow will have a 24-hour business center, outdoor pool, flexible meeting space and serve complimentary hot breakfast each day. The four-story hotel is the latest venture for Beechwood Development and it will be the sixth Hilton Worldwide property in its portfolio.
SPIRIT OF BARTOW 2015
The May joint civic club luncheon, the annual Spirit of Bartow Awards, is set for Wednesday, May 13, 2015, at the Bartow Civic Center, where individuals and/or groups will be honored for their contributions to the Bartow community and whose accomplishments made a positive impact on the area’s quality of life.
Recognized at the luncheon will also be the Bartow Chamber Diplomats, a special group of volunteers who donate their time to operating the Chamber’s Visitors and Welcome Center. Some Diplomats work in the front office, while others continue to help with the newsletter, special projects and events.
Public safety professionals of the year for EMT, firefighter and Bartow police officer will be given awards.
The event, including lunch, is $10. Watson Clinic and the Center for Cancer Care and Research are luncheon sponsors.
The serving line opens at 11:45 a.m., and the program begins at noon. For more information, please contact Linda Holcomb at the Bartow Chamber, (863) 533-7125.
NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR SPIRIT OF BARTOW HERE.
Carver Young receives a Spirit of Bartow award from another winner of the award in 2014, Dr. Thomas McMicken.
SIGN UP AT THE CHAMBER WEBSITE!
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's next workshop is at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the Polk State Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center, 310 Technology Drive in Bartow.
The initial installment of the Academy, “Business Development and Marketing Tips for Small Businesses,” will be presented by Sherran Spurlock, a Consultant and Business Development Trainer. Cost is $39 per person.
Click here to sign up today!
MEMBER MICRONEWS
RELAY FOR LIFE IS APRIL 17-18
Hundreds of cancer survivors, caregivers, volunteers, and teams of walkers from
schools, companies, places of worship, and more will come together for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Bartow and Lake Wales is April 17th – April 18th, 6 pm to 7 am. Opening ceremony and a celebratory cancer survivors lap will happen at 6 pm followed by our survivor and caregiver reception.
A touching Luminaria Ceremony, where candles are lit in honor and memory of
locals who have battled cancer, will happen at 9 pm.
WHERE: Bartow High School Stadium – 1270 W. Broadway St. Bartow, FL 33830
OPERATION GREEN LIGHT
Operation Green Light is a one-time opportunity to pay overdue traffic and criminal fines that have been sent to an outside collection agency without paying the collection fee (a savings of up to 40 percent). Once the fine is paid in full, customers can also have their driver’s license reinstated on-site, if applicable. Operation Green Light takes place on Saturday, April 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. For more information, click here. read more...
MEMBERSHIP MILESTONES
40 YEARS
The Style Shop
15 YEARS
Carolyn's Gallery
Highland City Elementary
10 YEARS
Simpson's Pest Control
Rogers Upholstery
5 YEARS
Perkins and Marie Callender's, Inc.
ENGAGE FAB FRIDAY COMING UP!
MAY15, 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. For information about ENGAGE or if you'd like to sign up as a member, check out the Chamber's website, www.bartowchamber.com. FAB FRIDAY location TBA.
SMALL BUSINESS HELP IS ON ITS WAY
Florida SBDC Is Available At
Bartow Chamber On May 14
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 May 14, 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.
2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Sharon Casey, President
Community Southern Bank
Myrtice Young, Immediate Past President
Polk County Board of County Commissioners
Jennifer Hall, President-elect, Vice President
SEMCO Construction
Gail Smith, Treasurer
Community Southern Bank
Emily Spath Clark, Vice President
Spath Jewelers
Clint Edwards, Vice President
Tom Edwards Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram
Rob Clancey, Vice President
Polk State College
Carole McKenzie, Vice President
Polk County Farm Bureau
Shannon Medley, Vice President
Florida Industrial and Phosphate
Research Institute
DIRECTORS
David Carmichael
Boswell & Dunlap, LLP
Lennon Jordan
Madrid Engineering Group
Jeremy M. Katzmann, MD
Watson Clinic
Jeff Kincart
A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure
J.C. Martin
Kelley Buick GMC
Phil Minden
Bartow Regional Medical Center
Callie Neslund
Mosaic
Josh Palmer
Palmer Insurance Agency, Inc.
Freda Ridgway
Mosaic
Carlos Sandoval
Bartow Ford Company
David Sandow
Spherion Staffing
Anita Stasiak
CenterState Bank
Lea Ann Thomas
Polk County Board of County Commissioners
Valerie Tillmon
Citizens Bank & Trust |
