February 2015
Blazing Into The Future While Embracing The Past

Chamber Info

Debi writes 'em all

Benson Chamber Info
Tuesday - Thursday
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
168 East 4th Street
Benson, AZ 85602
520.265.8031
info@bensonchamberaz.com 
Debi DOES check the answering machine and return phone calls! If she is out running errands, George is usually in the building, or Debi has a note up saying where she may be, or at least how to contact her.

 

Welcome New Members!!

Spirit Energetics Freequency
Trista Eggers
Website
info@spiritenergeticsfreequency.com
Join Date: 01/13/2015

Flashfire Photography
Lee Peterson
flashfirephoto@aol.com
Join Date: 01/15/2015

Grant Franzen Agency Allstate Insurance
Grant Franzen
Website
grantfranzen@allstate.com
Join Date: 01/16/2015

Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group
George Scott
george@saedg.org
Join Date: 01/27/2015

Chiricahua Community Health Centers, Inc.
Dale Parry DDS
Website
drparrydds@hotmail.com
Join Date: 01/28/2015

American Southwest Credit Union
Erin Brown
benson@ascu.org
Join Date: 02/04/2015

Excelsior Mining Corporation
Stephen Twyerould
Website
info@gunnisoncopper.com
Join Date: 02/18/2015

Fat Possum Coffee House
Reagan Gutherie
Website
orders@fatpossumcoffee.com
Join Date: 02/18/2015

RikerTEK, Technical Consulting
Jared Riker
Website
jared@rikertek.com
Join Date: 02/24/2015

Thank You to Renewing Members

Debi

State Farm Insurance
Bobbi Abbl
bobbi.abbl.j148@statefarm.com
Member Since: 07/01/2009
Renewed On: 01/30/2015

Cochise Terrace RV Resort
Rhonda Andrisko
Website
artbale@hotmail.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 02/13/2015

National Bank of Arizona
Cindy Batten
Website
cindy.batten@nbarizona.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 02/03/2015

White Willow Herbs & Such
Annette Buechel
Website
mintelemon@rsonline.net
Member Since: 11/08/2013
Renewed On: 01/29/2015

Apache Nitrogen Products
Lyndon Denton
Website
ldenton@apachenitro.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 02/10/2015

Benson Hospital Corporation
Ashley Dickey
Website
adickey@bensonhospital.org
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 01/27/2015

Coldwell Banker
David Dipeso
Member Since: 02/17/2014
Renewed On: 02/05/2015

Motor Vehicle Processing
Jan Kurtsen
jan.shottonins@vtc.net
Member Since: 01/01/2010
Renewed On: 01/13/2015

Healthcare Innovations, Inc.
Dorothy Porter
Website
melody@hciaz.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 02/17/2015

The Amerind Foundation Inc.
Carol Rollins
Website
amerind@amerind.org
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 01/20/2015

The Medicine Shoppe
Marla Trepanier
1569@medicineshoppe.com
Member Since: 01/01/2009
Renewed On: 01/16/2015
 

Winter Visitor Appreciation Days Wine Tasting

Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group, The City of Benson, and The Benson Chamber of Commerce, are sponsoring a Winter Visitor Appreciation Days Wine Tasting Event. The event will be held Saturday, March 21, from 5-8 p.m. during the City Grille's dinner hours. Local wineries are participating in this event, and you will get to experience what our local wineries have to offer! Everyone is invited!!  A perfect night for dinner and a wine tasting! There will be door prizes and  raffle prizes too!

Spot Light Business of the Month

Our next Spotlight Business of the Month is Az G & T Cooperatives! Az G & T has been a very big community contributor for the Benson area. Their community involvment program sponsors everything from sports teams, community enrichment activities, our school activities, Christmas programs, Relay for Life, FFA, 4-H, and many, many others.They have been around for over 50 years, as a main source of power generating, and have been a part of many wonderful things happening in our area. G & T  is also commited to preserving and maintaining our natural resources. The company prides itself on it's natural resource and recycling programs. The Chamber of Commerce would whole heartedly like to thank G & T Cooperatives for their involvement with the Benson area, and their commitment to preserving our environment!

Get to Know One Another!

Hi Every One!
Please take a moment to look over the new, and renewing members. It is nice to get to know who else is in the Chamber with you! Also, please think about offering member to member discounts. (If you decide to participate in this program, please let Debi know so she can get the word out) Getting to know one another is great for business! When you need a service, the first one you think of, is the one you know! Any of our businesses may host an evening mixer. Refreshments/food  may be sponsored for you. If any of you would like to host an evening mixer at your place of business, please let Debi know, so that we can make arrangements! We would like to have After 5 Mixers once a month. Your business doesn't need to be huge to host a mixer! 

Welcome to the new City Council-Chamber Liaison!

The City has appointed a Council/Chamber Liaison. We welcome Councilman Pat Boyle to the position. This is a great opportunity to ensure lines of communication between the City and the Chamber, are open and are in good working order! The Chamber hears from our business community and residents, of the various concerns, ideas, and suggestions they have to offer. Having a Liaison is a very beneficial way of ensuring the voices of our residents and business owners are heard at the City level, as well as keeping mutual lines of communication flowing. Welcome Councilman Pat Boyle!

Councilman Boyle would like to encourage residents of Benson to attend council meetings and weigh in on issues that are presented before Council. Keeping informed of budget issues, and how the decisions the Council makes effects our citizens and business owners is in everyone's best interest. There are some tough issues that the Council will have to address, and they welcome any suggestions or ideas that may help some of these issues be dealt with in as inadverse way as possible.
You may go to the City's website and see what is on the upcoming week's agenda.

Your Business Marketing Tools

I have noticed that some of you have gotten your pictures, website links, etc up on the Chamber's website and that is wonderful! Pictures catch the people's attention! For some of the rest of you who haven't done it yet, please take a little time to get that done. Also, some of you are wonderful about keeping your information and promotionals in the Chamber office.......Some others of you - not so much! I get compliments quite often on the amount of business information we have, and how well the promotional items are liked. People tend to browse through the info areas, and absolutely DO pick up business cards, brochures, and promo type things. Get your information in to me! If you can't get away from your business, give me a call. I can usually pick it up!

A Business Opportunity

I have been getting inquiries on a regular basis - at least a couple a month - for car rentals in Benson. People are coming in on the Amtrak, and need a rental car. People are seeing that this is the hub of the county, and would like to stay in Benson, and use it as their vacation platform.. I have had quite a few calls from people coming to visit Cochise County, and tell me exactly this. Quite a few callers are asking about the car rentals. They have to travel to Tucson on Amtrak, to get a rental car, instead of getting off the train here. This may be an idea for any of you looking to expand your business horizons. Now, I know that the people who actually pick up the phone, and call the Chamber Office to inquire about car rentals, only represents a small %. Most people get on-line and look. If they don't see a place to rent, they just look elsewhere.
Benson | San Pedro Valley News - February 2015