News Letter April 2008
Page 1
Upcoming Events
April 11 & 12, 2008 - A Taste of the Coast, Centennial Building and Jetty Park , Port St Joe
April 12, 2008 - 6th Annual Kids Win Fishing Tournament, Port St. Joe and surrounding waters
April 12, 2008 - Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative 60th Annual Members' Meeting, Wewahitchka
April 26, 2008 - Beach Blast Triathlon, Mexico Beach
May 3, 2008 – ACS Relay for Life, Shark Stadium, Port St. Joe
What’s Inside…
New Members
2008 Renewing Members
72nd Annual Meeting & Dinner
Chamber Events
Kids Win Fishing Tournament
Chamber Member Wins Courage Award
From The Pulpit – Mac Fulcher, First United Methodist Church
A Taste of the Coast - An Artful Affair
United Way of NW Florida
How Small Businesses Can Weather a Recession
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Cover: A Message from President
There are many elements that transform a location or a place on the map into a community, and a town. History will make it a place of tradition and significance. People and events will make it colorful, and natural scenery and caretaking will make it a place of beauty. For a community to exist, grow, prosper and sustain itself, the most important element is the local businesses. The center of any town is the old established business community, both geographically and economically. These businesses provide a place where people can go for goods and services, for jobs, and support for the many charity and community causes. Government is dependent on the businesses and the commerce they create to generate sales taxes, payroll taxes, property taxes, and many other business taxes that provide the resources that government needs to provide services to the citizens.
The Chamber of Commerce was organized to work for the betterment of our local businesses, thereby benefiting our entire community. One of our most important initiatives is to promote Shopping At Home. Our area can only be as strong as we make it. When we shop at home, and support each other, we strengthen the backbone of our County. We allow it to prosper and enhance the products and services we offer to our residents, tourists, and visitors. Give local businesses a chance to compete first. When our local store, shop, restaurant, and service owners and employees go to work each day, they have no guarantees. They are dependent on one thing; YOU.
Ralph C. Roberson, CPA
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How to make your Investment in the Chamber Grow!
First, I would like to thank all the members renewing their membership for 2008. Everyone wants a ROI when they make, especially a monetary commitment to join an organization. We are working diligently to make sure that your Return On Investment is outstanding in your business eye. A strong member base is essential for the Chamber to accomplish its mission in promoting, improving and enhancing the region. The Chamber will promote your business, introduce you to prospective clients and provide networking opportunities. Your investment also guarantees a strong local economy to keep our business community strong. Even if you do not have time to get personally involved, you will still reap benefits from your membership through the contribution you make to your community.
Chamber Web Site sends Business your Way
Everyone knows that the Internet is a popular way to find information whether it’s through a search engine or a specific company’s web site. Thanks to the Chamber’s web site – www.gulfchamber.org can help drive traffic to your business, bringing you potential customers. Here’s how it works: Chamber web site visitors search lists of Chamber members by entering a key word. Through this growing online service, visitors find your company and you get potential customers. Activity on the Chamber’s web site has many hits during a month, so make sure you are taking advantage of all that activity, and all those potential customers, by keeping your membership information current. For direct activity to your site be sure to contact the Chamber office at 227-1223. The Chamber has always served its members by providing referrals to anyone who calls our office looking for a general list of available services or a specific business. With the help of the Chamber’s web site, the prospects of increasing your business are even better.
Help your business grow by being involved!
Many members have said to me, “I do not know how to network”. My answer is a very simple one, “Attend events and meetings with your business cards, smile a lot and be prepared to tell what your business is in one sentence.” You may feel a little self conscious at first but trust me it will get easier every time you shake someone’s hand and introduce yourself. We need Ambassadors to attend Ribbon Cuttings, Grand Openings and other events we sponsor. Call us and let us know that you are willing to be an Ambassador for the Chamber. We need you!
Remember – it takes everyone to make the Chamber a success. With each member’s help we can make our community stronger, our businesses healthier and ourselves grow by investing our time and resources.
Remember to always do business with a Chamber member!
Sandra B. Chafin
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New Members
Triple Tails Liquors & Gifts
Donna Spears, Owner
2413 SR 30A
Port
Phone: 850-227-7337
Fax: 850-229-5300
Priority Hurricane Protection, LLC
Steve Kelly, Owner
Port
Phone: 850-899-0028
Bo Spring, Manager
Port
Phone: 850-527-0194
Fax: 850-647-9071
Forgotten Coast Builder’s Association
Bo Spring, Treasurer
Phone: 850-527-1094
Fax: 850-647-9071
www.forgottencoastbuilders.com
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2008 Renewing Members
5 Star 2000 Paint and Collision Centre
A & A Homecare
Above Par, Inc.
Ake’s Septic
Aline’s Coiffures/ Merle Norman Cosmetics
Allemore, Ellen
Allen and Associates of Port St. Joe
Amanda’s Bistro
America’s Mini Storage and Office Complex
AN Railway
Anderson, James & Geri
Anderson, Rex & Anne
Arizona Chemical
Badcock & More Home Furniture
Bay Artiques
Bay
Bay Walk-in Clinic
Bay
Bayside
Bayside Lumber and Building Supply
Bayside Savings Bank
BaySolutions
Beach Baptist Chapel
Beach Bartenders
Beach to Bay Interiors
Beachwalk
Better Business Bureau of NW
Big Fish Construction
Big Time Charters
Bluewater iNet Group
Bluewater Outriggers
Bluewater Realty of
Boardwalk Realty of NW
Boyer Signs & Logo Designs
Broke-a-Toe Horseback Riding on the Beach
Burg Management Co.
Burke & Co. Real Estate Group
Cape San Blas Realty
Cape San Blas Vacation Rentals
Cape to Bay Vacation Rentals
Capital City Bank
Carpet Country
Carrabelle Area Chamber of Commerce
Cathey Construction and Development
Century 21 - Collins Realty
Century 21 –
Century 21 –
Century 21 –
Christian Community Development Fund
Coastal Community Bank
Coastal Design and Landscape
Coastal Foot and Ankle Clinic
Coastal Joe Vacation Rentals
Coastal Realty Group
Collins Vacation Rentals
Congo Charters
Copy Products Co.
Costin & Costin Law Office
Costin Development Corp.
Costin Insurance Agency
Covenant Hospice
Cox Pools
Culligan Water Service
David Whitfield – Physical Therapy Services
Debbie Hooper Photography
Decorative Flooring
DiLorenzo, Joseph
Dixie Belle Motel
Dixie Labels and Systems
Dockside Café
Dodsworth, Sherri
Donamelia
Donna Spears Realty
Duo - Trio Internazionale
Ed’s Red
El Governor Motel
Emerald
Emerald Waste Services
Estes, Rodger & Karen
Expressions from the Heart Florist & Gift Shop
Faith
Family
Farnsley Financial Services
First
First United
First United Methodist
Frost’s
GALA – Gulf
Gant’s Bar-B-Que
Gaskin Graddy Insurance Agency
Girl Scout Council of Apalachee Bend
GM Appliance
GPM Financial
Great Wall Chinese Restaurant
Guilford Driggers & Associates
Gulf
Gulf
Gulf
Gulf Coast Panel Homes
Gulf
Gulf
Gulf
Gulf
Gulf South Self Storage
Gulf to Bay Construction and Development
GW Service Heating and Air
Haddock, Gail
Half Hitch Tackle
Hannon Insurance Agency
Happy Ours Kayak & Canoe Outpost
Health Check
HomeAway Port St. Joe Vacation Rentals
I-C Contractors
Indian
joseph’s cottage
Junior Service League
JV Gander Distributors
Keith L. Jones, C.P.A.
Kerrigan, Estess, Rankin, McLeod & Thompson
Kilgore’s Brick Pavers & Tile
L.L. Lanier and Son
Lady J Charters
Long
Magidson, Mel C. Jr. P.A.
Magnolia Lodge and R/V Park
Mahlkov, Gregg H.
MainStay Suites
May, David and Marjorie
May, Frank D. D.M.D. P.A.
Mediacom Southeast
Mexico
Mexico
Miller Heating and Air Conditioning
Miller Marine
Mize Plumbing Services and Supply
MUST SEE Magazine
NAPA –
Nationwide Lifts
NHC Homecare
North Florida Child Development
North
Norton, Charles and Caroline
NVDi –
Oak Grove Assembly of
Old Saltworks Cabins
Oyster Radio and Oyster Country 106.5FM
Panache Tent and Event
Parker Realty of
Peaden Air Conditioning and Heating
People’s First Community Bank
Persnickety
Petals by the Bay
Petals N Things
Pilkington, Larry
Pineapple Plantation Vacation Beach Home
Port Inn
Port St. Joe Lions Club
Port
Port St. Joe Port Authority
Port
Portside Trading
Preble-Rish
Prism Publications
Progress Energy Florida
Prosperity Bank
Provisions Gourmet Catering
Radio Shack
Realtors’ Association of
Republican Party of
Rich’s IGA
Rish, Gibson, Scholz & Groom, P.A.
Roberson and Friedman, P.A.
Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell
Scallop Cove BP
Scott’s Quality Electric
Seahorse Water Safaris
Server Solutions
Shoreline Medical Group
Sisters’ Restaurant
Small
Southern Resorts / Remax Southern
St. Joe Ace Hardware
St. Joe Company
St. Joe News Network
St. Joe Pool
St. Joe Rent-all, Nursery & Supply
St. Joe Sod and Landscape Supply
St. Joe Timberland
St. Joseph Living
St. Joseph’s Bay Country Club
Star Publications
Steve Meadows, State Attorney
Sunset Coastal Grill
Suntrust Mortgage
Superior Bank
Suzanne Doran Photography
Tall Tales Fishing Charters
The Appliance Solution
The L’s Place
The Port Fine Wine and Spirits
Tim McFarland, P.A.
Turtle Beach Inn
United Way of Northwest Florida
Vision Bank
VMS
Waldo, Patty
Ward, Brenda
Warriner, David and Trish
Watson Brothers Construction
Weston, Betty Ray
Wewahitchka
Whitfield Timber
Willis, Bob and Charlotte
Witten, Fred
Wood’s Fisheries
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Chamber Events
Photos Courtesy Debbie Hooper
72nd Annual Meeting and Dinner
Page 5
Chamber Events
Photos Courtesy Kim Stone, Debbie Hooper, Rich Wynn, Sonny Chafin
2nd
BBH –
Ribbon Cutting – Gulf
BBH – Coast2Coast Printing & Promotions
Page 6
General Wolters presenting United Way of Northwest Florida with a check for the Combined Federal Campaign from Tyndall Air Force Base. They had a tremendous campaign raising close to $200,000.00
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2008 A Taste of the Coast- An Artful Affair
We are getting ready for the 5th year of “A Taste of the Coast”, which promises to be yet another exciting event of delicious restaurant tastings and viewing of fantastic art. In addition to providing a fun-filled evening, the total proceeds in 2008 will provide funding for scholarships for
The weekend kicks off on Friday, April 11th at
Saturday heralds in the day long “Art by the Bay” at
On Saturday evening, the alliance of great food and great art continues. The finale of the weekend, the Main Event, kicks off at the
A special thanks goes out to our 2008 sponsors; Superior Bank, Gulf County Tourist Development Council, Mexico Beach Community Development Council, El Governor Motel, Costin and Costin, Frank D. May, DDS, Cape San Blas Realty, Capital City Bank, Prosperity Bank, St. Joe Company, Preble-Rish Inc, Bayside Savings Bank, Norris D. Langston Foundation, Port St. Joe Lions Club, Mel Magidson, and GAC Contractors. We appreciate your support of this wonderful event.
For more information, please visit our website at www.atasteofthecoast.com . A Taste of the Coast is just plain FUN; we hope to see you there.
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From the Pulpit
I’M SOMEBODY
It wasn’t until I got married almost thirty-seven years ago that I realized I really was somebody. My wife, Beckie, would say, "Somebody needs to take out the garbage." "Somebody needs to fix the door." "Somebody needs to remember to put the lid down!"
Whether you are at home, in church, in business or an employee you always see things that need to be done. We all tend to be very good observers of what is wrong with certain aspects of life and work. When we see things that need to be corrected, we have two choices.
One, we can point it out for everyone to see and sit back and wait for results. Wait for somebody to do something. When we do that we will usually wait for a long, long time. We may even need to bring it to somebody’s attention again.
Or two, we can do something about it. We can really be somebody. As we walk through life we can spend our time pointing out what’s wrong with the world, or we can try to do something about it. From picking up a paper cup on the side of the road, babysitting for a scrambling single parent or buying a sack of groceries for a struggling family. We can all be somebody!
As a matter of fact, we are all somebody and the good news is that we get to chose what kind of somebody we are going be. Isn’t it great that we get to decide what kind of person we are going to be? We are in control.
So, what are you going to do with today? What kind of somebody are you going to be? It’s up to you!
In His Service,
Mac Fulcher, Pastor
First United Methodist Church, Port St. Joe
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Chamber Member Wins Courage Award
The American Cancer Society awards individuals that have shown great courage in his or her personal experience with cancer. Emphasizing the hopeful side of cancer, the importance of a positive attitude and the role that it plays in living with the disease, and serving as an inspiration to other cancer survivors and their families, Mrs. Linda Gant is the 2007 Courage Award recipient.
Linda, in her bout with cancer, has demonstrated incredible courage in the face of hardship. Her personal faith in God has been the cornerstone of her strength and she has leaned on her friends and family members during her own struggles. She has reciprocated that support system through her involvement in the American Cancer Society and through a local support group called “The Angels of Hope”.
Linda stayed in the Hope Lodge in
Linda was the honorary Chair for the Port St. Joe Relay and spoke in front of a large crowd gathered for the event. She left a positive and supportive message ringing in the ears of the participants. Mrs. Gant is passionate, positive, eloquent, and a proven leader in the community of Port St. Joe.
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How small businesses can weather a recession
It’s been seven years since the nation’s last recession, and some analysts fear the is again entering an economic slump. Considering the downturn in the real estate market with foreclosure filings rising 75 percent from the previous year to 2.2 million, a financial services sector that lost 13 percent of its market value in 2007 and some regional unemployment rates well above the five percent national average, some areas of the country are already experiencing their own recession.
Recessions are worrisome for small business owners, but your Better Business Bureau (BBB) has some time-tested tips to help small businesses weather the storm.
“For small businesses, indicators of an economic downshift will include lower sales, and potential customers taking longer to negotiate and sign contracts or taking more time to pay,” said Norman Wright, President/CEO of your BBB of Northwest Florida. “It is critical for small businesses to maintain cash flow while providing solutions for customers who are also feeling the pinch.”
Ø Cash Flow is King Cash flow is the key to surviving a recession. Small businesses must look at all of their margins, including payroll, marketing, rent and supplies, and must actively pursue accounts receivable. With interest rates dropping in recent months, BBB suggests that small businesses may want to consider refinancing existing loans to generate or maintain cash flow.
Ø Marketing Budget Many small businesses reduce or eliminate marketing first when a recession hits. However, BBB recommends reconsidering cutting the marketing budget; you may need marketing to reach new customers.
Ø Sales Strategy Many owners may find that their best prospects for new revenue are existing customers and clients. BBB advises owners to tap into established relationships and knowledge of a client’s needs, with a goal of finding solutions to keep current customers satisfied.
Ø Pricing Strategy Products and inventory must move to generate cash flow. BBB suggests considering pricing strategies to liquidate old inventory. Cutting prices, bundling products and providing deals may be necessary to attract customers and sell old or slow-moving merchandise.
Ø Customer Feedback Customer feedback is critical and customer satisfaction should be a top priority in a recession. Owners need to find out how customers might respond when things slow down, what they will want and need and then be prepared to provide those products and services.
Ø Keep an Eye on the Competition The small business landscape is extremely competitive, and BBB recommends that owners watch, learn from and respond to what competitors do during periods of recession.
BBB is proud to partner with IBM on the Small Business Toolkit – offering software, forms, training, and more to help small businesses grow and succeed. To access the toolkit on the Web go to: www.us.bbb.orgibmtoolkit.
For more sound advice from BBB on helping small businesses survive and even thrive during hard times, start with bbb.org.
