Did you get out to Park Ridge “Grateful Days” – the customer appreciation days in which many of our members participated? The library did a nice scavenger hunt that even adults got excited about! We advertised on www.kidwinks.com and Nina told me that the Grateful Days listing on their website was one of the most viewed listings during the week – it was clicked on 106 times during it’s 4 day listing! kidwinks.com The site to know with kids in tow As seen on ABC, WGN, FOX & NBC - if you don’t have your business listed, you should! (That’s a tip from Gail!)
Thank you to the Retail Committee for coming up with the idea to highlight “Shop Park Ridge” month! And, don’t forget, we are selling the “Thank you for shopping locally” posters at the Chamber for just $5 each.
My son, Dirk, came home from UofI on Saturday! He’s a senior in aerospace engineering (and job hunting!)
What a GREAT
Monthly Networking Luncheon
Blackhawks President John McDonough gave a warm, funny and inspiring talk last Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare for our monthly networking luncheon.
Thank you to Dick Barton for arranging to have John speak – and also for arranging to have Todd Wessell, publisher of The Journal & Topics newspapers, who had graciously agreed to speak upon a moment’s notice about his great uncle, the legendary Chic Harley, and the new book he has written about him. The book entitled "The One and Only" comes out in a few weeks. For more information, visit www.chicharley.com. Todd will speak at one of our other monthly networking luncheons.
Thank you to John Marcopulos from Resurrection Ambulatory Care Services and Cathy Janus from Marc Printing & Graphics for their participation in our Mini Expos!
And, of course, thank you to the Hyatt Regency O’Hare for a lovely lunch and warm hospitality!!
Doug Stolz won the business card drawing for the Spotlight in July’s Chamber Connection newsletter. Here were the raffle prizes:
• $150 Chamber Newsletter insert for Member only – you provide 650 flyers
• Home Comfort Heating & Cooling: Gift Certificate One year customer preferred maintenance program for one complete system which entails cleaning the Furnace and Air Conditioning plus a future 25% savings off of any future repair bills.
• Comfort Inn O’Hare, 2 one night stays
• 2 Park Ridge Taxi PR-O’Hare Airport Trips
• Karen Larsen, Order My Gift, a Ribbon Variety Gift Catalog
• Resurrection Health Care Blanket
Thank you to everyone who donated items for the raffle!
Connect
Multi Chamber Networking
May 20 Multi-Chamber Networking Breakfast on Wednesday, May 20•7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center, 9599 Skokie Blvd., Skokie (near Old Orchard at Golf Road & Skokie Boulevard)
$20 for members paid in advance
$30 for members paying at the door and all non-members
See insert in the May newsletter for registration. Walk-ins are discouraged but if you let me know you want to come, I can see if you can be accommodated!
Here’s who we have going:
Gale Cerabona Central Baptist Village
Tammy Cook 10 til 2 Chicago - North Shore
Dyan Dalesandro Frost Ruttenberg & Rothblatt PC
Wes Davis Davis Insurance
Josh DeRossett Jason's Deli
Al Dordek Frost Ruttenberg & Rothblatt PC
Jenny Fitzgerald Sabella & Graham, P.C.
Chris Jenkins Northside Community Bank
Jason Kipker Jason's Deli
Karen Larsen Order My Gift
Alina Lin Frost Ruttenberg & Rothblatt PC
Adam Paoli John Hancock Financial Network
Peggy Kennedy Carlucci Restaurant
Paul Davis Cardinal Fitness
Monthly Business After Hours at Dominic’s Kitchen Store May 28!
Dominic’s Kitchen Store has moved into their new home at 116 Main Street! Please plan to attend their Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony which will also be the Chamber’s monthly networking Business After Hours event for May!
Dominic’s is planning wonderful things but I won’t spill the beans until he’s confirmed them - but you don’t want to miss out!
May 28 – Thursday
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Networking, refreshments, raffle prizes and so much more!!!
Mark your calendars! Remember, these Business After Hours are included in your annual dues!!!
Chamber Workshop at Comfort Inn
May 28
The Chamber sponsors a workshop next week – only $30 for members! $40 for future members.
‘Would you like to have MORE business? Would you like your customers to be MORE loyal to you, and ignore your competition? Would you like to have referrals coming from every direction, without putting in any extra effort to “sell?” In today’s business environment- with increased competition and more choices available to your customers- the best way to create a significant competitive advantage is by providing outstanding service.
This compelling workshop is for everyone – especially those who have their own business and work for themselves.
Join us for this interactive workshop where you will:
• Learn the difference between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty
• Be introduced to the necessary mindset for providing exemplary service
• Understand how to track your cycle of service, through the eyes of your customer
• Identify more ways to add value to the service you provide
• Discuss strategies to make difficult customers easier to deal with
• Create an action plan to “WOW your customers with service!”
• And much, much more!
INFORMATION:
This dynamic and engaging workshop will be facilitated by Jeff Rosset, President of Compass Coaching & Development. Compass C&D has helped organizations all over the Chicagoland area to grow, increase profitability, and achieve their long-term goals and objectives. Compass C&D specializes in the areas of leadership, employee engagement, and overall organizational development. Learn more about Compass Coaching & Development by visiting www.Compass-CD.com
Location: www.ohare-comfortinn.com
Women in Business Breakfast!
May 29 May 29, Friday – 8am to 9:30am Women in Business Monthly Networking Breakfast
Summit of Uptown, 10 N. Summit Avenue, Speaker is Faith Curtis, Life Coach: Unleashing Your Inner Power. $10 Members/$15 forProspective Members
Shop Park Ridge Campaign in May!
May was officially proclaimed as ‘Shop Park Ridge’ month.
Please notice the sign in the windows that say ‘Thank you for shopping locally’. They were designed by Martha Berns, Dempsey Design and the photos were taken by Diddy Blyth, A Sterling Design.
The window signs (posters) are available for sale at the Chamber for just $5 each. Ron at the Frame Gallery of Park Ridge on Northwest Highway framed one of the posters for the Chamber office!
Please remember to shop Chamber members first! There are 400 to choose from!
The 3/50 Project Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce is a Supporter of the 3/50 Project www.the350project.net
Saving the brick & mortars our nation is built on!
What 3 independently owned businesses here in Park Ridge would you miss if they disappeared? Stop in. Say hello. Pick up something that brings a smile. Your purchases are what keeps those businesses around.
If half the employed population spent $50 each month in locally owned independent businesses, it would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue. Imagine the positive impact if ¾ of the employed population did that!
Pick 3. Spend just $50 each month with any 3 and save our local economy.
It all begins with you!
Chamber Stimulus Package for May:
Shop Park Ridge! The Chamber announces a ‘Chamber Stimulus Package’. For the month of May, bring in your receipts totaling $100 with any Chamber members (you can combine them from various members) to be entered into drawings to win $50 in Chamber gift certificates ($200 total for the month).
Your chances of winning something are very good since as of today, there are no entries yet! I’m sure they’ll be rolling in soon so we will hold the drawings the first week of June instead of each week in May but all the prizes will be given away!
Any member can add prizes to the Chamber’s drawings. Just let me know if you have gift certificates or prizes and I’ll include you in the publicity for the drawings.
Here is a list of prizes so far:
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce Four, $50 gift certificates
Ace Hardware, 700 N. NW Hwy. Three, $10 gift certificates
Lisa's Homemade Italian Ice, 10 S. NW Hwy. Four, $5 gift certificates
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Four, $10 gift certificates
Newsletter Coupons Coupons in the monthly newsletter: Only $10! You provide the copy and this is all we want, short & sweet:
Business Name
email l phone l contact name
Special Offer on one line
Twenty words or less to describe
offer on two/three lines
Expires: 00/00/00
Email it to me!
Memorial Day Parade in
Park Ridge! We’re #36 in the Memorial Day Parade! Please join the Chamber!!!! We have 6 company members so far:
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
Lynette’s School of Dance
Bath Fitter
Tasty Pup
WineStyles Park Ridge
Golf Outing June 24 Hello Golfers! I know you’re out there! Here are the 8 golfers who have signed up and paid so far!
4 Hyatt Regency O'Hare David Jacobs
Tim Parel
Chris Kremzir
Chryss Thomas
4 Liberty Bank for Savings Kane Connell
Robert Hohe
Richard Julkowski
Chris Melton
The price to golf this year is just $150 per golfer. Please see insert in the May newsletter for all available sponsorships.
Cathy Janus, Marc Printing, is providing the environmentally friendly, reusable goody bags!
Here is what we’ve received for the raffle/silent auction:
Hyatt Regency O'Hare David Jacobs 847-663-4601 Complimentary One Night Stay including dinner for two at O'H American Grill Hyatt Regency O'Hare, expires 6/24/2010
Hyatt Regency O'Hare David Jacobs 847-663-4601 Complimentary Dinner for two at O'H American Grill The Hyatt Regency O'Hare, 6/24/2010
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Linda Hills 847-318-6801 Chocolate basket ($25 value)
Savvy Salon & Spa Jim Riggio 847-518-0266 One, 1-hour massage ($60 value), expires 4/4/2010
Savvy Salon & Spa Jim Riggio 847-518-0266 One spa package #3 includes manicure, pedicure and choice of facial or massage ($114 value), expires 4/4/2010
WineStyles Tracy & Doug Bell 847-518-9463 Wine Basket
Oakton Community College Bea Cornelissen 847-635-1812 Certificate for one college credit class, value $246
Affordable Interiors Deborah Oberschelp 312-909-1255 An authentic, English-style tea complete with cucumber sandwiches, scones and British Tea served in antique bone china cups served up with design ideas and decorating tips from Affordable Interiors. Value $275
Taste of Park Ridge – Canopies on Courtland
Sat. July 11
The Chamber purchased 30 booths from the Taste of Park Ridge for the Saturday, July 11, business expo entitled “Canopies on Courtland”.
The booths are on sale now for $325 each for members and $650 for Prospective Members. The layout will be different this year – our booths will face both sides of the street and will be 15 on each side – then a 10 foot aisle before the 30 Taste sponsor booths. The four end cap booths will be $425 each and for members only.
I will email you the agreement upon request. Here who has signed up so far so just 25 booths are left!
Aqua Plumbing
Loyola Center for Heart & Vascular Medicine at Park Ridge
Resurrection Health Care
GB Therapeutic Massage
Rosemary Mulligan
Membership Committee Theresa Olson, Resurrection Health Care, has agreed to chair the Chamber’s Membership Committee and we’re looking for members to volunteer an hour a week to work with Theresa and me regarding membership issues. Please email me if you’re interested.
Member News Last week I visited:
Noodles & Company
Oakton Ice Rink
Park Ridge Public Library
Hay Caramba! – we took the family for dinner Saturday after our son came home from college!
Dominic’s Kitchen Store
Walgreens
WineStyles has a Job Openening! Seeking a motivated, energetic, creative, and honest individual looking to be a long term team member in an upscale wine shop. Primary responsibilities will be as an Event Coordinator. Other job responsibilities to work in the store; this person will also have responsibilities on the retail side, helping organizing our expanding wine club etc.
-Event planning experience
-Some wine knowledge would be helpful and appreciated
-Effective communication skills
-Sales experience
-Flexible schedule
To start 10-15 hours a week; Email Tracy Bell at parkridge@winestyles.net
Jos. A Bank Clothiers Exclusively for you! Buy any suit at regular price, get a 2nd suit (of equal or lesser value) FREE! PLUS - 2 FREE dress shirts ($84.50 value) and 2 FREE silk ties ($84.50 value)!! Call Nancy Graham, JoS. A. Bank Clothiers - 164 N. NW Hwy, at 847-692-3091 for more information.
Park Ridge Fine Arts Society The Park Ridge Fine Arts Society has updated their website: www.prfas.org with their 2009 Concert Schedule beginning June 19th. They are coordinating their 2009 Ad booklet and fundraiser, so contact Emily Kosaka at 312-595-8091 or 847-217-7119 or etoy@mesirowfinancial.com if you'd like information regarding sponsoring or co-sponsoring a "Concert in the Park".
Kidwinks.com
FREE Kidwinks.com is offering any Park Ridge Business a free coupon for the month of May. Contact kidwinks.com for more details. nina@kidwinks.com or 847-685-1275. Any Park Ridge business that would like to advertise to parents (men & women 25-45 years old in the Chicago area). Advertise more effectively. Kidwinks.com where your advertising dollar goes a whole lot farther. Kidwinks.com is looking for experienced sales people to work part-time selling online advertising.
Triblocal Party May 21 Triblocal launch party on Thursday, May 21st. The party will be at Blues Bar in Mount Prospect, with free appetizers and refreshments. This will be an incredibly informative party, with a great chance to mingle with local community business owners. RSVP by Wednesday, May 20th to Katie Cousino at kcousino@tribune.com.
Please call 630 368 4245 with questions.
George S. May
"Uniting the Community Through Music" Benefit Concert event at the DuSable Museum of African American History. Saturday, May 30. Tickets $25 in advance (Park Ridge Chamber members can purchase tickets for $15 instead of $25!); $30/door. All proceeds will benefit the P.A.U.S.E. Initiative music education program. Call Donna Werner, Executive Administrator, George S. May Foundation for the Arts at 847-993-5239 http://pause.gsmfoundation.org
Oakton Community College With the signing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in February 2009, the Workforce Board of Northern Cook County was given substantial funds to stimulate local industries and assist the unemployed. A roundtable discussion will explore how your business can benefit from the stimulus money. The Stimulus Summit will be held 8 – 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 27, at Oakton’s Des Plaines campus, 1600 E. Golf Road. Breakfast will be served. Call 847-635-1808.
***
It doesn’t matter if you spend your work day glued to a monitor or if your job allows for a more distant relationship with the computer. In any industry, computer literacy is vital to the way people communicate and succeed today.
Enhance your computer skills by taking classes at Oakton Community College. Aside from computer skills, you also will learn communication, management, and critical thinking skills – all valuable resources on the job and in life.
Classes are available for students of all skill levels. Basic computer literacy courses introduce essential concepts, such as keyboarding and the Windows operating system. More advanced classes include a survey course of computer software and courses dedicated to specific programs, such as Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint. For students interested in learning a new software or skill, classes are offered in popular topics such as Photoshop, Web authoring software, and Web page creation. Register now for summer or fall classes. To learn more about Oakton’s computer classes, call 847-376-7055.
Veteran’s Seminar:
May 28th Autumn Green Italian Farmers Market on Saturday, May 23rd from 8am-12 pm at 4239 N. Oak Park Ave, Chicago. Local Vendors Will Offer¬: Homemade pastas; Assorted cheeses and meats;Homemade breads; Local produce; And much more!!! Proceeds to benefit the Italian American War Veterans!
Come to learn more about how veterans and surviving spouses can live at Autumn Green for as little as $300/month.
Join us for a seminar on Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit on May 28th at 6 PM.
Veteran’s Seminar
An educational program on Veteran’s Aid and Attendance Housing and Care Benefits on Thursday May 28th, 2009 at 6 p.m.
War-time Veterans or the surviving spouse of a Veteran are eligible for $12,672 to $23,388 a year in tax-free funds to help pay for medical costs, home care workers or assisted living options. Over 22% of eligible Veterans and 75% of eligible widows have not applied for this benefit.
Pat O’Dea-Evans, MS, RN, LCPC an expert in senior resources. Autumn Green at Wright Campus 4239 N. Oak Park Ave.Chicago, IL 60634
Grand Opening
Amphora
To Benefit
Rainbow Hospice & Palliative Care Please join us as we celebrate “A Time for Hope” at the Grand Opening of Amphora on Friday, May 29th from 5pm – 10pm. Experience live music, wine and hors d’oeuvres at a Preview Party, Luxury Model Home Tour and Private Shopping Event located in the Shops of Uptown Park Ridge, 2 N. Northwest Highway. Individual tickets are $40 per person.
All ticket proceeds from this gala event will benefit the mission of Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care. You may purchase tickets online at https://www.rainbowhospice.org/calendar/events, in person at either current Amphora location at 149 N. Northwest Hwy or Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care at 444 N. Northwest Hwy, Suite 145, by mail at Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care, 444 N. Northwest Hwy, Suite 145
Park Ridge, IL 60068 or by telephone at 847-292-2353.
For additional information about this exciting event please contact:
Jackie Mathews
Director of Special Events and Major Gifts
Rainbow Hospice and Palliative Care
847-292-2353
jmathews@rainbowhospice.org
Maine Center Celebrate an Early Father’s Day on Maine Center’s Fifth Annual
Odyssey Fundraising Cruise, Sunday, June 7, 2009
2 Hour Brunch Cruise; Boarding 11 AM; Embarking twelve noon.
Panoramic views of the beautiful Chicago skyline.
Complementary champagne toast. Chocolate Fountain. Fabulous raffles on board ship! Elegant buffet. Cash bar. Music.
$95 per person with $21 of each ticket price is a charitable donation.
For Reservations: Call 847-696-1570, extension 308.Only 200 seats available. Tickets will be held for pickup at check-in on the dock. Parking is available on Navy Pier.
Maine Center brings the pieces together to change lives. Maine Center provides nationally accredited mental health and substance abuse treatment services to over 3,000 3-90 year olds annually in the greater northwest suburbs. 847/696/1570 x310
Park Ridge Taxi Park Ridge Taxi Adds Technology for Passenger Safety and Security
Park Ridge’s hometown cab company has installed a new companywide system equipped with Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities for all its vehicles. Over 50 units for Park Ridge Taxi and its sister company, Community Cab (Des Plaines), now are all connected with this state of the art technology. The system launched May 7.
“We are investing over $50,000 a year in equipment and service contracts to bring this technology to our cabs,” says Dean Dinev, owner of the two companies. “It has many benefits such as saving fuel, improving response time, and providing management controls but even more importantly the system provides for improved passenger safety and security.”
This new system provides the company with the ability to monitor the location of each cab at all times and automatically record that information. It also allows management to monitor response times, wait times, and even calculate the speed of a cab. At times, the speed of the cab can be compared with posted speed limits.
The system utilizes Sprint Nextel “push to talk” phones equipped with GPS. The units work basically like a walkie-talkie with improved features.
Organization Tip from Amber’s Organizing 5 Quick Tips to Keep your Desk Clear
1. Set a buzzer on your phone or computer to go off 15 minutes before your work day ends. Spend those 15 minutes clearing off your desk- i.e. filing paper, returning your glass to the kitchen, and pencils back in the pencil cup.
2. Use your calendar as much as possible. Instead of having piles of paper that pertain to different projects stacked all over, schedule the individual tasks of the project onto your calendar ( to remind you to complete the project) and file away all that paper. Of course make sure the project paper is in labeled hanging folders and store all projects in one file drawer.
3. Purchase a business card & receipt scanner- my favorites are www.neatreceipts.com or www.cardscan.com. Business cards and receipts can really pile up quickly if not taken care of immediately. Start tracking business expenses easily and stop wasting lead opportunities for yourself or your business partners by losing track of contact information.
4. Toss your post its & misc. pads of paper out. Instead get yourself a small four by eight inch notebook in a bright color or pattern. Take it with you everywhere and at the start of each new day, date the top of a new clean page. Then throughout that day write down all your missed phone messages, thoughts, ideas, or tasks to do. This will help you keep track of all the misc. information you take in on a daily basis and cut down on all the napkins you scribble on in restaurants or random scraps of paper in the car that end up getting lost.
5. Create an action center or station on your desk. Sort your paper into actions such as – file, pay, shred, scan, fax, call, mail, pending, etc. Then organize your “action papers” into labeled containers such as stackable trays or file folders in tiered slots/wires. Each person will have use different action verbs depending on their profession or job title– so use the action verbs that best suit your needs.
Amber's Organizing, LLC located in Chicago, IL
Professional Organizing for Home and Offices
Amber Kostelny-Cussen, Certified Professional Organizer ®
main 773-628-7404 cell 708-925-7574
Security Tip From Bill Hominick, Director of Security, The Youth Campus
Solid doors should be equipped with a peephole. If yours does not, it is easy to install one and should be done soon. If you lease or rent the space, check with your owner first. Being able to see who is at the door before opening it can prevent a crime.
Contact me: Gail Haller
Executive Director
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
32 Main Street, Suite F
Park Ridge, IL 60068
phone: 847.825.3121
fax: 847.825.3122
email: gail.haller@parkridgechamber.org
website: www.parkridgechamber.org
Thank you to our Platinum members
1. Affordable Interiors - Deborah Oberschelp 312.909.1255
2. barrett-TECH - John Barrett 847.823.1830
3. Cardinal Fitness of Park Ridge - 847.318.7550
4. Home Comfort Heating & Cooling - 847.824.4336
5. Leys, Kirsten - Prudential Financial Services 847.627.3950
6. PC Medic Computer Repair - Jerry Flanagan 847.299.5556
7. Resurrection Health Care - Theresa Olson 847.813.3210
8. Ross E. Rubino, D.D.S.P.C. & Associates 847.825.1002
9. Sebastian Co. Real Estate - Don Sebastian, Jr. 847.823.3117
10. State Farm Insurance & Financial Services - Ann Witek 847.692.3260
11. The Exercise Coach - Chad Finney 847.823.0035
12. The McTigue Financial Group - Tom Canale 773.380.4025
13. You Can Say…Yes! Motivational Guidance Services - Lynda Tourloukis 847.401.5787
14. Y-Tech Heating & Cooling - 847-696-0477
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