Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Gail's Weekly Chamber UPDATE

It was another busy weekend – Oakton Ice Rink, Community Center pool, ‘Marmaduke’ at the Pickwick! Then popping into 2 Sisters to see Gina (one of the sisters), visited Ralph at Cream of the Crepe – and he joined the Chamber! Then stopped by to chat with Lisa and LuAnne at Lisa’s Homemade Italian Ice then hoofed it across the street to see Linda at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (and by some dark chocolate with almonds – my favorite!). Spent a long time in Hill’s Hallmark – they have a wonderful selection of Park Ridge items and so much more! I love Park Ridge and believe in keeping my money in town by shopping here! And, of course, I’m very loyal to Chamber members!

The Chamber’s Monthly Networking Luncheon which was at Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont last week was a great event! Almost 30 attended.
Rosewood did a wonderful job and the food was fabulous! We enjoyed a Caesar Salad, Chicken Romano, and White Chocolate Mousse Cake! Thank you to Sue Raap for coordinating and hosting – and to the staff for their attentive service!
Our guest speaker, Neil H. Dishman, Jackson Lewis LLP, was a wonderful keynote speaker with his topic: The Top Five Mistakes Small Employers Make
1. Assuming that employment laws don’t apply to small businesses
2. Failing to prevent and remedy potential harassment claims by your employees
3. Failing to properly address an employee’s request for a leave of absence or other accommodation
4. Misunderstanding who is legally considered your employee and who is not
5. Misclassifying employees as “salaried” and thus failing to properly pay overtime
Neil spoke for an hour on the above and said if he’d had longer, he would have spoken about the top TEN mistakes small employers make! I’ve had several people ask me to book him again because he was so interesting and they want to know the other 5 mistakes! So, I did ask him again for next June and we’ll see if he says yes.
Thank you to everyone who brought gift certificates for the raffle! We raised $140 that will go towards paying off the Chamber’s new pc!
The Spotlight business card drawing was won by Dave Sherman with Pioneer Press (and Chamber board member) who will grace the cover of the August newsletter!
Here’s the other lucky winners and what they won:

Four $50 Rosewood Gift Certs were won by: Joe Campagna, Linda Hills, Amy Sullivan & Frank Kaminski

$150 Newsletter Insert Tom Dombro, ING

$200 MicroSoft Office Pkg Joe Campagna, Grant Merchant Services

PR Chamber $25 Gift Cert Pat Rubino, Dr. Rubino

BFF Personal Training Gift Cert Wes Davis, Davis & Associates

Chad Finney The Exercise Coach Gift Cert Beth Parsch, The Murphy Group

Mary Kay Satin Hands donated by Kirsten Leys: Diddy Blyth, A Sterling Design

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: Orit Gordon, First Data

2 PR Taxi Vouchers Amy Sullivan, Sullivan & Johnson CPA & Dr. Perry Fisher, Christian Science Reading Room

The monthly Tech Forum met last Thursday and discussed: "VoIP – What is voice over IP and why does it matter to me?"

The moderator of the Tech Forum was Ben Wilson, co-founder of Falkor Group, LLC. www.falkorgroup.com

Last Thursday was the Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Jet Windows & Doors, Inc. 713 W. Devon Ave. Chamber members, Board, Ambassadors and Mayor Schmidt, Alderman Frank Wsol all helped to welcome this new business to Park Ridge and to the Chamber! The owners are two brothers, Jeff and John Shea, and their proud parents were also on hand! Even Perry’s Pizza got into the act with fabulous pizzas that we feasted on and there was plenty of wine to go around. We met some of their window manufacturers too.


I mentioned last week that the Park Ridge Garden Club and the City award 10 Beautification Awards each year in September to homes in Park Ridge with gorgeous yards. The City usually gives each winner a $100 check but because the budget was cut, they are handing out certificates only.
Chamber Retailers stepped up to the plate any many will donate 10 gift certificates for the winners of the awards.
Here’s a partial list – if you can donate 10 gift certificates to your business, let me know! We have $330 worth of gift certificates so far for each winner!
1 Ace Hardware
2 Affresco Pizzeria/Lounge
3 All on the Road Catering & Bakery
4 BFF Personal Training
5 D'Agostino's Pizza & Pub Park Ridge
6 Le Peep Restaurant
7 Lisa's Homemade Italian Ice
8 Perry's Pizzeria
9 Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
10 Rosewood Restaurant & Banquets
11 Tasty Pub
12 The Juniper Center
13 The Perfect Dinner
14 Uptown Chiropractic Clinic
15 WineStyles of Park Ridge


We reserved 175 tickets for Billy Elliot: 100 of the Dress Circle (24 remaining) and 75 of the Lower Balcony (60 remaining). Tickets not paid for by Wed, June 23, will be released and given back. I can’t front anyone the money so ‘no money, no ticket’!

I sent this out Friday in the Member News but in case you missed it:

I reserved a VIP Suite at the theatre: cost is an additional $30 pp and includes open premium bar and appetizers for 45 minutes before the show and open premium bar and dessert during the 15 minute intermission. Let me know if you want to do that and we’ll need cash/check by June 23. If we don’t get any takers, I’ll release the suite on June 25.

Billy Elliott, the Musical, at Ford Center/Oriental Theatre.

Dress Circle Regular price $83.50 Chamber price $57.00
Lower Balcony Reg price $61.00 Chamber price $$42.00

No credit cards! Cash or check only. First come, first served. Strict payment deadline: June 23, Wednesday.
Once payment is made, order is final with no substitutions, exchanges or refunds.

FYI – the tickets are reserved but we receive them after we send in payment so we don’t know rows or seats yet.

July 10, Saturday, Chamber Business Expo: Canopies on Courtland.
During Saturday of Taste of Park Ridge, businesses can reach the multitude of residents who come through the Taste! There will be family activities going on in Hodges Park to draw people over to the area in front of City Hall.
Just $325 for Chamber Members, $425 for an end cap (Chamber members only); $650 Non Chamber member (may as well join!). Call the Chamber today for the few remaining booths as they are selling out quickly.
Did you know that Platinum members get a $50 discount on a booth? You can sign up for a Platinum upgrade to your membership any time of the year for only $300. There are a lot of other benefits too!
Here’s who we have so far and each business must sign the agreement I emailed so if you haven’t, you will be contacted today:
A-Abiding Care
ABC American Building Contractors, Inc
Advanced Physical Therapy
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
Allstate Insurance Co. - Gentile
AMA Dancers - Platinum
ATI Physical Therapy - Platinum
BFF/Lee Accupuncture
CMR Construction
GleeDay!
Liberty Bank for Savings
Norwood Seniors/Norwood Crossing
Park Ridge Chamber
Park Ridge Chiropractic
Park Ridge Community Fund
Resurrection Health Care - Platinum
Ross Rubino - Platinum
St Matthew Center for Health



Next meeting: NSYP meeting - July 14th, Niles Chamber offices on Oakton from 11:30 a.m. til 12:30 p.m.
NSYP has chosen to work with The Douglas Center in Skokie as the highlighted non-profit in their very first food drive, “Network with a Cause”, which will be held at Curragh Irish Pub, 8266 Lincoln Ave, in Skokie on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Save the date, bring your canned goods and win prizes as we network with a cause for the Douglas Center. NSYP will be selecting several non-profits throughout the year to partner up with in an effort to give back to the caretakers of our community, so be on the watch for these special networking events.
About the Douglas Center: The Douglas Center opened their doors March 1999 as a non-profit social service agency, providing training programs and a training facility for adults with developmental and mental disabilities
About NSYP: The North Suburban Young Professionals program is a multi-chamber supported program. The chambers involved are Skokie, Niles and Park Ridge. It was created this year by a group of business professionals having a desire to get involved in their prospective business communities. The North Suburban Young Professionals is designed to provide a platform for spirited professionals within the community by building relationships with professional, social and charitable organizations. Our main purpose is to connect with others through networking; assist our chambers in their effort to provide educational and professional development resources and give back to our community.
For more information about NSYP, please contact the ambassadors listed below or the respective chambers; for Park Ridge (847) 825-3121, for Skokie (847) 673-0240 and Niles (847) 268-8180. Be sure to watch for NSYP news and events through chamber emails and updates.
Ivette Camarano, Niles Chamber, nsypniles@yahoo.com
Joe Campagna, Park Ridge Chamber, nsypparkridge@yahoo.com
Stephanie Murray, Skokie Chamber, nsypskokie@yahoo.com

June 16, Wednesday, 8:45am – 9:45am Retail Committee Meeting, Strategize on various methods and events to bring more business to merchants, stores and retailers. Chaired by Linda Hills, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
June 18, Friday, 9:00am – 10:00am PREN 3: Park Ridge Executive Network Leads and referral group with one person per profession. Third group in formation – needs more members!
June 18, Friday, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Vine Street Candle, 147 ½ Vine Street. Join Mayor Schmidt and Chamber Board, Ambassadors and other members as we celebrate the opening of this delightful little candle store!
June 22, Tuesday, 9:00am – 10:00am PREN 2: Park Ridge Executive Network Leads and referral networking group with one person per profession. Call to see if your spot is available!
June 22, Tuesday, North Suburban Young Professionals, Network with a Cause, Curragh Irish Pub, 8266 Lincoln Ave, in Skokie. 5 p.m. $10
June 23, Wednesday, 9:00am – 10:30am Brand New Health Care Forum Discuss all aspects of health care in an open forum with guest speakers. All health care professionals are invited to attend this first meeting and so are all members! The venue is open for discussion so get your name on the roster to speak!
June 24, Thursday, 5:00pm – 7:00pm Athletico Ribbon Cutting Ceremony/Business After Hours, 800 Devon Ave. Please join Chamber members and 7th Ward Alderman Frank Wsol, and 1st Ward Alderman Joe Sweeney as we celebrate with Athletico and network.
June 25, Friday, 8:00am-9:30am Women in Business Monthly Networking Breakfast. 720 Garden St. Laura Clark, Laura T. Clark Massage, will speak about "How to be your Best Self". Catering provided by Morningfields. $10 member $15 prospective member.
July 1, Thursday, 10:00am – 11:30am EKG – Entrepreneurial Knowledge Group Monthly Meeting, Regus, 350 S. Northwest Hwy. Suite 300 – Dedicated to entrepreneurs. Moderator and Facilitator: Lynda Tourloukis, You Can Say…Yes!
July 5, Monday, Chamber Office Closed in observance of 4th of July
July 10, Saturday, Chamber Business Expo: Canopies on Courtland. During Saturday of Taste of Park Ridge, businesses can reach the thousands of residents who come through the Taste! Just $325 for Chamber Members, $425 for an end cap (Chamber member only); $650 Non Chamber member. Call the Chamber today for the few remaining booths!
September 2, Thursday, Annual Golf Outing with Skokie Chamber at Chevy Chase Country Club
October 23, Saturday, E-cycling at Public Works. Dispose of your old pc’s, peripherals, and tv’s for just $5 per car. Save the Date for the Chamber’s golf outing with Skokie Chamber: Thursday, September 2, at Chevy Chase. We’re looking for committee members to help plan and sponsors to help underwrite the costs. Co-chairs are Kane Connell, Liberty Bank for Savings with Jim Cone, WSI. Let me know if you’re interested joining this fun committee! Meetings will start up very soon!

December 26, Sunday, St Paul of the Cross Sunday Supper. The Chamber will serve Sunday Supper at St Paul of the Cross on Sunday, December 26. We’ll need food, money, and volunteers to serve at least 100 hungry people (including children). Please open your hearts, checkbooks, and more importantly, give your time to help out those less fortunate.

The Executive Directors met yesterday, June 9, to plan for the 2010 B to B Expo being held on October 21 at Bristol Court Banquets.
Participating Chambers:
1. Des Plaines
2. Edison Park
3. Mt. Prospect
4. Niles
5. Park Ridge
6. Skokie
7. Wheeling/Prospect Hgts
Pricing for the event:
Major Sponsor $500
Restaurants - $50
Exhibitors – Early Bird $200 – After September 23 $250
Each chamber gets 8 exhibitor spaces.

Let me know if you’re interested in our Greeter Box program as we have a few more openings. For just $275, you’ll reach all new property owners in Park Ridge for a full year. You provide us with 50 items per month and we’ll include them in the Greeter Boxes and mail them out each month – and I hand deliver to new businesses in town when I invite them to join the Chamber!
Gail Haller
Executive Director
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
720 Garden Street
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. Accounteque Services Inc.: 847.768.9100
2. All on the Road Catering & Bakery: 847.518.8958
3. AMA Dancers & Company: 847.727.7066
4. Aqua Plumbing, Heating and Cooling: 847.459.7900
5. ATI Physical Therapy: 847.292.0151
6. barrett-TECH: 847.823.1830
7. Cardinal Fitness of Park Ridge: 847.318.7550
8. Catalyst Marketing-Public Relations, Inc.: 847.298.8748
9. CMR Construction & Roofing of Chicago: 847.926.4245
10. Comfort Inn O'Hare/Des Plaines: 847.635.1300
11. D'Agostino's Pizza & Pub: 847.518.8700
12. Falkor Group LLC: www.falkorgroup.com
13. Global Handmade Hope: 847.720.4084
14. Home Comfort Heating & Cooling: 847.824.4336
15. Hyatt Regency O'Hare: 847.696-1234
16. Jason's Deli: 847.823.0210
17. J.C. Lilly Windows & Doors: 773.588.4332
18. K.G.M. Plumbing, Inc.: 847.583.8988
19. le Flour Bake Shop: 773-631-1400
20. Leys, Kirsten; Prudential Financial Services: 847.627.3950
21. Minuteman Press of Deerfield: 847.279.8550
22. Naperville Exterior, Inc: 847.593.7337
23. Panino’s Pizzeria: 847.823.3450
24. Park Ridge Community Fund: 847.825.5311
25. Periodontics of Niles, P.C.: 847.685.6686
26. Perry's Pizzeria & Ribs/Catering: 847-823-4422
27. Pickwick Theatre: 847.825.5800
28. Pro Windows: www.prowindowservice.com
29. Resurrection Health Care: 847.813.3210
30. Ross E. Rubino, D.D.S.P.C. & Associates: 847.825.1002
31. Sebastian Co. Real Estate: 847.823.3117
32. Subway of Park Ridge at 2618 Dempster: 847.813.9552
33. The Juniper Center: 847-759-9110
34. Unbound Technology: 847-235-4994
35. William Cunningham Movers, Inc.: 773.594.0398
36. You Can Say…Yes! Motivational Guidance Services: 847.401.5787
37. Y-Tech Heating & Cooling: 847.696.0477
38. You can be here!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Gail's Weekly Chamber UPDATE

Hey, how was your weekend? It rained a bit but the flowers needed it – and it saves on having to water!
I went to a seminar on Friday called “Learn from the Masters” that was put on by the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE). It was quite educational and I’ll be implementing some new things I learned!
My husband, Gary, is a teacher at Evanston and went to their graduation yesterday. The graduating seniors were freshmen when Gary started teaching there so he’s been with them all the way through high school!

Chamber Members Step Up! The Park Ridge Garden Club and the City award 10 Beautification Awards each year in September to homes with pretty gardens. The City usually gives each winner a $100 check but because the budget was cut, they are handing out certificates only.
So I sent an emergency email out to Chamber Retailers and asked if they wanted to donate 10 gift certificates and I’m so gratified by the results – and they’re still rolling in!
Here’s a partial list – if you can donate 10 of anything, let me know!
D’Agostino’s Pizza & Pub Park Ridge
Le Peep Restaurant
Perry’s Pizzeria
Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory
Rosewood Restaurant
Tasty Pup
The Perfect Dinner
Uptown Chiropractic Clinic

Wednesday, June 9 – Lunch at Rosewood! June 9, Wednesday, 11:30am – 1:00pm, Monthly Networking Luncheon, Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont. The menu consists of Caesar Salad, Chicken Romano, and White Chocolate Mousse Cake!
$25 members, $30 walk ins and prospective members
The Top Five Mistakes Small Employers Make
presented by Neil H. Dishman, Jackson Lewis LLP
Employers in Illinois, whatever their size, are subject to a complex web of federal, state, and local employment laws. Small businesses bear a particularly heavy burden in complying with these laws, as they often face the same legal risks as larger employers but may lack the resources and personnel to navigate their legal obligations to their employees. In this presentation, Neil H. Dishman, an attorney who exclusively helps employers prevent and resolve disputes with their employees, identifies common mistakes made by small employers and offers guidance on avoiding them.
The “top five mistakes” to be addressed by Mr. Dishman include:
1. Assuming that employment laws don’t apply to small businesses
2. Failing to prevent and remedy potential harassment claims by your employees
3. Failing to properly address an employee’s request for a leave of absence or other accommodation
4. Misunderstanding who is legally considered your employee and who is not
5. Misclassifying employees as “salaried” and thus failing to properly pay overtime
Neil H. Dishman is an Associate in the Chicago office of Jackson Lewis LLP, a national law firm representing management exclusively in workplace law and related litigation. Mr. Dishman helps employers prevent and resolve disputes with employees by providing advice before litigation ensues. When litigation is unavoidable, he defends employers before federal and state courts and administrative agencies. Mr. Dishman’s practice covers a wide spectrum of employment counseling and litigation, including issues such as race, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability and sexual-orientation discrimination; sexual harassment; retaliatory discharge; Family and Medical Leave; and wage-hour compliance.
In addition to his published works, Mr. Dishman is a frequent speaker on employment-law topics and has served as a guest lecturer at Wheaton College and Oakton Community College. He was also interviewed on WDCB Public Radio (90.9 FM) about trends in wage-hour litigation.

Thursday Tech Forum The Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce monthly Tech Forum meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month. The next meeting is June 10 from 8:45 to 10:15 a.m. with this topic: "VoIP – What is voice over IP and why does it matter to me?"

Businesses use phones each day. Voice over IP (internet protocol) is a technology that provides a way to integrate your phone into your data and even with your business contacts. You can increase your productivity – if done the right way. Come learn more about what VoIP is and why it matters to you and your business.

The event is free and open to all. It will be held at The Pantry, Park Ridge Nonprofit Center, 720 Garden Street. Bring your own coffee!

The moderator of the Tech Forum is Ben Wilson, co-founder of Falkor Group, LLC. www.falkorgroup.com

For more information about the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, visit www.parkridgechamber.org or call 847.825.3121 to reserve your spot.

Grand Opening for Jet Windows & Doors this Thursday! June, 10, Thursday, 5:00pm – 7:00pm Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Jet Windows & Doors, Inc. 713 W. Devon Ave. Join fellow Chamber members and Mayor Schmidt, other City Officials, as we welcome this new business to Park Ridge!


Billy Elliott – Ford Center The Dress Circle tickets were selling so quickly, we went back and asked for more so we have 75 at each level for a total of 150 tickets reserved. The D.C. are almost gone but we still have plenty of Lower Balcony available.

Billy Elliott, the Musical, at Ford Center/Oriental Theatre.

Dress Circle Regular price $83.50 Chamber price $57.00
Lower Balcony Reg price $61.00 Chamber price $$42.00

No credit cards! Cash or check only. First come, first served. Strict payment deadline: June 23, Wednesday.

Once payment is made, order is final with no substitutions, exchanges or refunds.

FYI – the tickets are reserved but we receive them after we send in payment so we don’t know rows or seats yet.

Canopies on Courtland – During Taste of Park Ridge July 10, Saturday, Chamber Business Expo: Canopies on Courtland.
During Saturday of Taste of Park Ridge, businesses can reach the multitude of residents who come through the Taste! There will be family activities going on in Hodges Park to draw people over to the area in front of City Hall.
Just $325 for Chamber Members, $425 for an end cap (Chamber members only); $650 Non Chamber member (may as well join!). Call the Chamber today for the few remaining booths as they are selling out quickly. Here’s who has expressed an interest so far:
Did you know that Platinum members get a $50 discount on a booth? You can sign up for a Platinum upgrade to your membership any time of the year for only $300. There are a lot of other benefits too!
Here’s who we have so far:
Park Ridge Community Fund
A-Abiding Care (silent auction)
Norwood Seniors/Norwood Crossing
Liberty Bank for Savings
AMA Dancers - Platinum
Ross Rubino - Platinum
ATI Physical Therapy - Platinum
ABC American Building Contractors, Inc
St Matthew Center for Health
Advocate Lutheran General Hospital
CMR Construction
Resurrection Health Care - Platinum

Chamber’s New Group: North Suburban Young Professionals NSYP has chosen to work with The Douglas Center in Skokie as the highlighted non-profit in their very first food drive, “Network with a Cause”, which will be held at Curragh Irish Pub, 8266 Lincoln Ave, in Skokie on Tuesday, June 22, 2010 at 5:00 p.m. Save the date, bring your canned goods and win prizes as we network with a cause for the Douglas Center. NSYP will be selecting several non-profits throughout the year to partner up with in an effort to give back to the caretakers of our community, so be on the watch for these special networking events.
About the Douglas Center: The Douglas Center opened their doors March 1999 as a non-profit social service agency, providing training programs and a training facility for adults with developmental and mental disabilities
About NSYP: The North Suburban Young Professionals program is a multi-chamber supported program. The chambers involved are Skokie, Niles and Park Ridge. It was created this year by a group of business professionals having a desire to get involved in their prospective business communities. The North Suburban Young Professionals is designed to provide a platform for spirited professionals within the community by building relationships with professional, social and charitable organizations. Our main purpose is to connect with others through networking; assist our chambers in their effort to provide educational and professional development resources and give back to our community.
For more information about NSYP, please contact the ambassadors listed below or the respective chambers; for Park Ridge (847) 825-3121, for Skokie (847) 673-0240 and Niles (847) 268-8180. Be sure to watch for NSYP news and events through chamber emails and updates.
Ivette Camarano, Niles Chamber, nsypniles@yahoo.com
Joe Campagna, Park Ridge Chamber, nsypparkridge@yahoo.com
Stephanie Murray, Skokie Chamber, nsypskokie@yahoo.com

Mark Your Calendar for these Chamber Networking Events! June 9, Wednesday, 11:30am – 1:00pm, Monthly Networking Luncheon, Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont. See above for description.
June 10, Thursday, 8:45am – 10:15am Tech Forum “ VoIP – What is it and why do I need it?” Ben Wilson, Falkor Group, moderates this lively discussion. Open to all!
June, 10, Thursday, 5:00pm – 7:00pm Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Jet Windows & Doors, Inc. 713 W. Devon Ave. Join fellow Chamber members and Mayor Schmidt as we welcome this new business to Park Ridge
June 11, Friday, 8:45am-9:45am PREN 1, 720 Garden, Dr. Sean Finnegan, Finnegan Family Chiropractic, speaker at this month's meeting of this leads and referral group with one person per profession.
June 11, Friday, 9:00am – 10:30am Communications Committee Always looking for good writers and photographers for this active committee that puts out the Chamber’s monthly newsletter! Chaired by Martha Berns, Dempsey Design; Tammy Cook of 10 ‘til 2 Employment and Dave Donovan, Coyne Insurance.
June 16, Wednesday, 8:45am – 9:45am Retail Committee Meeting, Strategize on various methods and events to bring more business to merchants, stores and retailers. Chaired by Linda Hills, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
June 18, Friday, 9:00am – 10:00am PREN 3: Park Ridge Executive Network Leads and referral group with one person per profession. Third group in formation – needs more members!
June 18, Friday, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Vine Street Candle, 147 ½ Vine Street. Join Mayor Schmidt and Chamber Board, Ambassadors and other members as we celebrate the opening of this delightful little candle store!
June 22, Tuesday, 9:00am – 10:00am PREN 2: Park Ridge Executive Network Leads and referral networking group with one person per profession. Call to see if your spot is available!
June 22, Tuesday, North Suburban Young Professionals, Network with a Cause, Curragh Irish Pub, 8266 Lincoln Ave, in Skokie. 5 p.m. $10
June 23, Wednesday, 9:00am – 10:30am Brand New Health Care Forum Discuss all aspects of health care in an open forum with guest speakers. All health care professionals are invited to attend this first meeting and so are all members! The venue is open for discussion so get your name on the roster to speak!
June 24, Thursday, 5:00pm – 7:00pm Athletico Ribbon Cutting Ceremony/Business After Hours, 800 Devon Ave. Please join Chamber members and 7th Ward Alderman Frank Wsol, and 1st Ward Alderman Joe Sweeney as we celebrate with Athletico and network.
June 25, Friday, 8:00am-9:30am Women in Business Monthly Networking Breakfast. 720 Garden St. Laura Clark, Laura T. Clark Massage, will speak about "How to be your Best Self". Catering provided by Morningfields. $10 member $15 prospective member.
July 1, Thursday, 10:00am – 11:30am EKG – Entrepreneurial Knowledge Group Monthly Meeting, Regus, 350 S. Northwest Hwy. Suite 300 – Dedicated to entrepreneurs. Moderator and Facilitator: Lynda Tourloukis, You Can Say…Yes!
July 5, Monday, Chamber Office Closed in observance of 4th of July
July 10, Saturday, Chamber Business Expo: Canopies on Courtland. During Saturday of Taste of Park Ridge, businesses can reach the thousands of residents who come through the Taste! Just $325 for Chamber Members, $425 for an end cap (Chamber member only); $650 Non Chamber member. Call the Chamber today for the few remaining booths!
September 2, Thursday, Annual Golf Outing with Skokie Chamber at Chevy Chase Country Club
October 23, Saturday, E-cycling at Public Works. Dispose of your old pc’s, peripherals, and tv’s for just $5 per car. Save the Date for the Chamber’s golf outing with Skokie Chamber: Thursday, September 2, at Chevy Chase. We’re looking for committee members to help plan and sponsors to help underwrite the costs. Co-chairs are Kane Connell, Liberty Bank for Savings with Jim Cone, WSI. Let me know if you’re interested joining this fun committee! Meetings will start up very soon!

December 26, Sunday, St Paul of the Cross Sunday Supper. The Chamber will serve Sunday Supper at St Paul of the Cross on Sunday, December 26. We’ll need food, money, and volunteers to serve at least 100 hungry people (including children). Please open your hearts, checkbooks, and more importantly, give your time to help out those less fortunate.

Contact me: Gail Haller
Executive Director
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
720 Garden Street
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. Accounteque Services Inc.: 847.768.9100
2. All on the Road Catering & Bakery: 847.518.8958
3. AMA Dancers & Company: 847.727.7066
4. Aqua Plumbing, Heating and Cooling: 847.459.7900
5. ATI Physical Therapy: 847.292.0151
6. barrett-TECH: 847.823.1830
7. Cardinal Fitness of Park Ridge: 847.318.7550
8. Catalyst Marketing-Public Relations, Inc.: 847.298.8748
9. CMR Construction & Roofing of Chicago: 847.926.4245
10. Comfort Inn O'Hare/Des Plaines: 847.635.1300
11. D'Agostino's Pizza & Pub: 847.518.8700
12. Falkor Group LLC: www.falkorgroup.com
13. Global Handmade Hope: 847.720.4084
14. Home Comfort Heating & Cooling: 847.824.4336
15. Hyatt Regency O'Hare: 847.696-1234
16. Jason's Deli: 847.823.0210
17. J.C. Lilly Windows & Doors: 773.588.4332
18. K.G.M. Plumbing, Inc.: 847.583.8988
19. le Flour Bake Shop: 773-631-1400
20. Leys, Kirsten; Prudential Financial Services: 847.627.3950
21. Minuteman Press of Deerfield: 847.279.8550
22. Naperville Exterior, Inc: 847.593.7337
23. Panino’s Pizzeria: 847.823.3450
24. Park Ridge Community Fund: 847.825.5311
25. Periodontics of Niles, P.C.: 847.685.6686
26. Perry's Pizzeria & Ribs/Catering: 847-823-4422
27. Pickwick Theatre: 847.825.5800
28. Pro Windows: www.prowindowservice.com
29. Resurrection Health Care: 847.813.3210
30. Ross E. Rubino, D.D.S.P.C. & Associates: 847.825.1002
31. Sebastian Co. Real Estate: 847.823.3117
32. Subway of Park Ridge at 2618 Dempster: 847.813.9552
33. The Juniper Center: 847-759-9110
34. Unbound Technology: 847-235-4994
35. William Cunningham Movers, Inc.: 773.594.0398
36. You Can Say…Yes! Motivational Guidance Services: 847.401.5787
37. Y-Tech Heating & Cooling: 847.696.0477
38. You can be here!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Gail's Weekly Chamber UPDATE

I hope you had a nice 3-day weekend! We did at the Haller household! Parties, cookouts and Great America!
Thank you to everyone who bought Red Geraniums from the Chamber. The plants were hardy, healthy and big! This little fundraiser brought in $700 for the Chamber so, I might do mums in the fall and poinsiettas at the holidays!

We’re pre-selling group tickets for the musical, Billy Elliott, at Ford Center/Oriental Theatre.

Dress Circle Regular price $83.50 Chamber price $57.00
Lower Balcony Reg price $61.00 Chamber price $$42.00

The prices above are all-inclusive of handling fees. No credit cards! Cash or check only. First come, first served. Limited supply and I don’t know if I can get more at these prices. Strict payment deadline: June 23, Wednesday. Once payment is made, order is final with no substitutions, exchanges or refunds.

From Wikipedia:
‘Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall (who wrote the film's screenplay). The musical revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes. The story of his personal struggle and fulfillment are balanced against a counter-story of family and community strife caused by the UK miners' strike (1984–1985) in County Durham. Hall's screenplay was inspired in part by A. J. Cronin's novel, The Stars Look Down, and the musical's opening song is an homage.[1]
The musical opened in London's West End in 2005 and was nominated for nine Laurence Olivier Awards, winning four including Best New Musical. The success of Billy Elliot the Musical has led to productions in Australia, on Broadway and elsewhere. In New York, it won ten Tony Awards and ten Drama Desk Awards, including, in each case, best musical. It has also won numerous awards in Australia including a record-tying seven Helpmann Awards.’

The parade yesterday was fun! We had several Chamber members who joined us at spot 36: Lynnette’s School of Dance, Tasty Pup, WineStyles, Vine Street Candle, Baird Warner, A Abiding Care, Historic Tours of Park Ridge, The Exercise Coach – did I miss anyone?
We had 3 convertibles in spot 36 – a 2009 Corvette (thank you Dick Larsen!), a white Lexus convertible (Lynnette) and my little Mercedes Benz (that I bought from Chamber member Nelson Automotive!). It was fun, we went through lots of candy, and the rains stayed away until we were done!

July 10, Saturday, Chamber Business Expo: Canopies on Courtland.
During Saturday of Taste of Park Ridge, businesses can reach the thousands of residents who come through the Taste! Just $325 for Chamber Members, $425 for an end cap (Chamber members only); $650 Non Chamber member (may as well join!). Call the Chamber today for the few remaining booths as they are selling out quickly. Here’s who has expressed an interest so far:
Park Ridge Community Fund
A-Abiding Care
AMA Dancers - Platinum
Ross Rubino - Platinum
ATI Physical Therapy - Platinum
St Matthew Center for Health
Resurrection Health Care - Platinum
Did you know that Platinum members get a $50 discount on a booth? And that you can sign up for a Platinum upgrade to your membership any time of the year for only $300. There are a lot of other benefits too!

June 3, Thursday, 10:00am – 11:30am EKG – Entrepreneurial Knowledge Group Monthly meeting, Regus, 350 S. Northwest Hwy. Suite 300 – Dedicated to entrepreneurs. Led by Lynda Tourloukis, You Can Say…Yes! Motivational Guidance Services.
June 4, Friday, 9:00am – 10:30am Membership Committee Meeting Member recruitment, satisfaction, and retention. Chaired by Theresa Olson, Resurrection Health. Join us!
June 9, Wednesday, 11:30am – 1:00pm, Monthly Networking Luncheon, Rosewood Restaurant, 9421 W. Higgins Road, Rosemont, “The Top Five Mistakes Small Employers Make” presented by Neil H. Dishman, Jackson Lewis LLP. $25 members, $30 walk ins and prospective members
June 10, Thursday, 8:45am – 10:15am Tech Forum “ VoIP – What is it and why do I need it?” Ben Wilson, Falkor Group, moderates this lively discussion. Open to all!
June, 10, Thursday, 5:00pm – 7:00pm Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Jet Windows & Doors, Inc. 713 W. Devon Ave. Join fellow Chamber members and Mayor Schmidt as we welcome this new business to Park Ridge
June 11, Friday, 8:45am-9:45am PREN 1, 720 Garden, Dr. Sean Finnegan, Finnegan Family Chiropractic, speaker at this month's meeting of this leads and referral group with one person per profession.
June 11, Friday, 9:00am – 10:30am Communications Committee Always looking for good writers and photographers for this active committee that puts out the Chamber’s monthly newsletter! Chaired by Martha Berns, Dempsey Design; Tammy Cook of 10 ‘til 2 Employment and Dave Donovan, Coyne Insurance.
June 16, Wednesday, 8:45am – 9:45am Retail Committee Meeting, Strategize on various methods and events to bring more business to merchants, stores and retailers. Chaired by Linda Hills, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
June 18, Friday, 9:00am – 10:00am PREN 3: Park Ridge Executive Network Leads and referral group with one person per profession. Third group in formation – needs more members!
June 18, Friday, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at Vine Street Candle, 147 ½ Vine Street. Join Mayor Schmidt and Chamber Board, Ambassadors and other members as we celebrate the opening of this delightful little candle store!
June 22, Tuesday, 9:00am – 10:00am PREN 2: Park Ridge Executive Network Leads and referral networking group with one person per profession. Call to see if your spot is available!
June 23, Wednesday, 9:00am – 10:30am Brand New Health Care Forum Discuss all aspects of health care in an open forum with guest speakers. All health care professionals are invited to attend this first meeting and so are all members! The venue is open for discussion so get your name on the roster to speak!
June 24, Thursday, 5:00pm – 7:00pm Athletico Ribbon Cutting Ceremony/Business After Hours, 800 Devon Ave. Please join Chamber members and 7th Ward Alderman Frank Wsol, and 1st Ward Alderman Joe Sweeney as we celebrate with Athletico and network.
June 25, Friday, 8:00am-9:30am Women in Business Monthly Networking Breakfast. 720 Garden St. Laura Clark, Laura T. Clark Massage, will speak about "How to be your Best Self". Catering provided by Morningfields. $10 member $15 prospective member.
July 1, Thursday, 10:00am – 11:30am EKG – Entrepreneurial Knowledge Group Monthly Meeting, Regus, 350 S. Northwest Hwy. Suite 300 – Dedicated to entrepreneurs. Moderator and Facilitator: Lynda Tourloukis, You Can Say…Yes!
July 5, Monday, Chamber Office Closed in observance of 4th of July
July 10, Saturday, Chamber Business Expo: Canopies on Courtland. During Saturday of Taste of Park Ridge, businesses can reach the thousands of residents who come through the Taste! Just $325 for Chamber Members, $425 for an end cap (Chamber member only); $650 Non Chamber member. Call the Chamber today for the few remaining booths!

Save the Date for the Chamber’s golf outing with Skokie Chamber: Thursday, September 2, at Chevy Chase. We’re looking for committee members to help plan and sponsors to help underwrite the costs.

Co-chairs are Kane Connell, Liberty Bank for Savings with Jim Cone, WSI. Let me know if you’re interested joining this fun committee! Meetings will start up very soon!
The Chamber will serve Sunday Supper at St Paul of the Cross on Sunday, December 26.

We’ll need food, money, and volunteers to serve at least 100 hungry people (including children). Please open your hearts, checkbooks, and more importantly, give your time to help out those less fortunate.

Please let me know if we can count on you to help out!
Gail Haller
Executive Director
Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce
720 Garden Street
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. Accounteque Services Inc.: 847.768.9100
2. All on the Road Catering & Bakery: 847.518.8958
3. AMA Dancers & Company: 847.727.7066
4. Aqua Plumbing, Heating and Cooling: 847.459.7900
5. ATI Physical Therapy: 847.292.0151
6. barrett-TECH: 847.823.1830
7. Cardinal Fitness of Park Ridge: 847.318.7550
8. Catalyst Marketing-Public Relations, Inc.: 847.298.8748
9. CMR Construction & Roofing of Chicago: 847.926.4245
10. Comfort Inn O'Hare/Des Plaines: 847.635.1300
11. D'Agostino's Pizza & Pub: 847.518.8700
12. Falkor Group LLC: www.falkorgroup.com
13. Global Handmade Hope: 847.720.4084
14. Home Comfort Heating & Cooling: 847.824.4336
15. Hyatt Regency O'Hare: 847.696-1234
16. Jason's Deli: 847.823.0210
17. J.C. Lilly Windows & Doors: 773.588.4332
18. K.G.M. Plumbing, Inc.: 847.583.8988
19. le Flour Bake Shop: 773-631-1400
20. Leys, Kirsten; Prudential Financial Services: 847.627.3950
21. Minuteman Press of Deerfield: 847.279.8550
22. Naperville Exterior, Inc: 847.593.7337
23. Panino’s Pizzeria: 847.823.3450
24. Park Ridge Community Fund: 847.825.5311
25. Periodontics of Niles, P.C.: 847.685.6686
26. Perry's Pizzeria & Ribs/Catering: 847-823-4422
27. Pro Windows www.prowindowservice.com
28. Pickwick Theatre: 847.825.5800
29. Resurrection Health Care: 847.813.3210
30. Ross E. Rubino, D.D.S.P.C. & Associates: 847.825.1002
31. Sebastian Co. Real Estate: 847.823.3117
32. Subway of Park Ridge at 2618 Dempster: 847.813.9552
33. The Juniper Center: 847-759-9110
34. Unbound Technology: 847-235-4994
35. William Cunningham Movers, Inc.: 773.594.0398
36. You Can Say…Yes! Motivational Guidance Services: 847.401.5787
37. Y-Tech Heating & Cooling: 847.696.0477
38. You can be here!