June 2012 Forum for Business

F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 1 BUY LAKELAND. It MAKEs GOOD cENts! LAKELANDchAMBEr.cOM

L A K E L A N D A R E A C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E

F O R B US INESS

june 2012 | Vol. xxI, no. 6

2 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S

C H A M B E R S TA F FK a t h l E E N l . M U N S O N

President [email protected]

B a R B a R a B E N N E t t Executive Assistant

[email protected]

K a R a B U t c h Administrative Assistant,

Membership Development | Communications [email protected]

S a l ly c h a p M a N Vice President, Finance & Administration

[email protected]

c a R O ly N J a c K S O N Senior Vice President, Member Relations

[email protected]

J a c q U E l I N E l . J O h N S O N Senior Vice President, Convention & Visitors Bureau

[email protected]

K a t I E M c B R I d E Membership Consultant

[email protected]

N I K K I O a K l E y Membership Account Executive

[email protected]

t E R R y O t t I N g E R Vice President, Membership Development

[email protected]

R I c h R O y Vice President, Public Affairs

[email protected]

h E a t h E R S h E a R S Administrative Assistant, Member Relations | Public Affairs

[email protected]

p a t t y S M I t h Administrative Assistant, Convention & Visitors Bureau

[email protected]

l . J O a N N W a l l E R Membership Consultant

[email protected]

a M y W I g g I N S Vice President, Communications

[email protected]

35 laKE MORtON dRIvE pO BOx 3607

laKElaNd, Fl 33802-3607 (863) 688-8551

laKElaNdchaMBER.cOM

© 2012 lakeland area chamber of commerce. all rights reserved. the lakeland area chamber of commerce reserves

the right to refuse certain advertising and is not liable for advertisers claims and/or errors. the opinions expressed

herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the position of the chamber.

l a K E l a N d a R E a c h a M B E R O F c O M M E R c E F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S M O N t h ly

W a l K E R W I l K E R S O N | c h a I R M a N O F t h E B O a R dCLiftonLarsonaLLen LLp

K a t h l E E N l . M U N S O N | p U B l I S h E RLaKeLand area ChaMber of CoMMerCe

a M y S . W I g g I N S | E d I t O RLaKeLand area ChaMber of CoMMerCe

c E d E S I g N c O . | c R E a t I v E d I R E c t I O N & p R O d U c t I O Nwww.CedesignCo.CoM

F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 3

Beef O’Brady’s family spOrts puB*

BuffalO Wild Wings*

Butterfly BistrO, llC

Chateau Brieann restaurant

dunkin dOnuts

Jets pizza Of lakeland

ker’s WinghOuse Bar & grill*

krispy kreme dOughnuts

lOlli da

mOe’s sOuthWest grill-sOuth lakeland

mOJO’s Wings, Burgers, Beer*

OvatiOns fOOd serviCes lp*

rita’s iCe Custard happiness

smOkey BOnes BBQ & grill*

the red elephant pizza & grill*

Winners CirCle spOrtsBar and COmedy CluB*

1 3 t h a n n u a l l u a u d o w n t o w n s h i n e s o nEvEn with thE thrEat of rain that aftErnoon, thE 13th annual luau Downtown hostED

by CitizEns bank & trust was bright anD sunny – just thE way a luau shoulD bE!

chrissanne Long of Marketing system Blueprints presents Bill Alcock of Winners circle sportsbar & comedy club with the text to Vote People’s choice Award.

thanks again to the staff at citizens Bank & trust for a beautiful event!

*cONtEStaNtS FOR KINg OF thE WINg aNd pEOplE’S chOIcE tExt tO vOtE

Mary stephenson of citizens Bank & trust presents the King of the Wing winning trophy to Beef O’Brady’s Family sports Pub.


DAwN DECAMiNADA small business development center

rEADY YOUr BUsINEss

For business owners, expanding into a foreign market can be a difficult decision. The uncertainty of whether or not your product will be successful is just one of many questions you may have when it comes to insuring international success and increasing your bottom line.

Many of the same lessons followed in local

business start-up can be applied when looking internationally.

First, do you know your target market or markets? Do you know the laws and cultural preferences of the market and most importantly will your product actually sell? If so you will want to develop a selective export market strategy

and focus on those top markets that are going to yield the highest results.

Next, do you have the commitment of your company from top to bottom? This applies to large companies as well as local small businesses. The management team of your business is going to take on additional responsibilities once you reach the point of

export readiness. Can your management team handle these responsibilities and do you have their full commitment?

Third, do you have the capacity and working capital to produce and fill the product orders?

Finally, and probably the most important is do you have a budget? The average commitment from U.S. companies is $250,000 for travel, tradeshows, a marketing database, legal fees and various other costs associated with expansion.

If you have been in business or are starting out and want to consider expanding into a foreign market there are many resources available to business owners. First, attend some local export seminars. The US Department of Commerce, World Trade Center Association

and the District Export Council can provide counseling and seminars to assist business owners.

For local Florida business owners Enterprise Florida (EFlorida.com) provides assistance to companies expanding to the Florida market or Florida companies looking to expand overseas. Enterprise Florida provides export counseling and advice to Florida manufacturers, export intermediaries, and services companies. Enterprise Florida can also help identify federal sources of funding that can help finance exporting.

A M O N T H LY

HOwTO

StIll UNSURE OF WhEthER OR NOt yOU aRE REady tO ExpORt taKE thE ExpORt qUEStIONNaIRE at ExpORt.gOv/BEgIN/aSSESSMENt.aSp.

Do you know your target market or markets?

Do you know the laws and cultural preferences of the market and most importantly will your product actually sell?

Do you have the commitment of your company from top to bottom?

Do you have the capacity and working capital to produce and fill the product orders?

Finally, and probably the most important, is do you have a budget?

iMpORTANT ?’S TO ASK yOuRSELF


OAKBRIDGE REALTY OFFICE HOURS: MON TO FRI 9-5; SAT 10-5; SUN 12-51301 GRASSLANDS BLVD., ST. 100 | LAKELAND, FL 33803 | 866.668.1227

Contact Marketing Executives Pat Jones 863.581.4699, Debbie Haskell 863.602.8830 or Kara Stahley (Property Management) 863.661.4317

he Sanctuary is truly unique in every aspect. These Tuscan-style estate villa homes offer exceptional views overlooking Grasslands Golf & Country Club’s 17th and 18th holes. Only 46 homesites are available in this

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Ta k i n ’ i t t o t h e S t r e e t s . . . ith a kick off at first friday, the City of lakeland is partnering with the florida department of transportation, Citrus Connection,

and many recreational groups to promote a fun-filled month of activities featuring different modes of transportation.

By using a network of resources set up by fdOt Commuter services, the City hopes to encourage residents to get up and get out of the house. Commuter services was launched in 2007 to work with businesses and travelers to promote better, more efficient ways to get employees to work. Working with the Citrus Connection, local biking and running clubs, lakeland vision and the Chamber, Commuter services kicks off the June events with the Bike rodeo at first friday.

multi-modal month isn’t just about commuters… the lakeland community is teeming with clubs and groups that make biking, running, and walking fun! engaging the community to get out and move is essential to our application to recognize lakeland as a Bike friendly City!

For MorE INForMATIoN oN TAkIN’ IT To ThE STrEETS, or To lEArN MorE AboUT TrACkINg yoUr TrIpS, vISIT CommutErsErviCEsfl.Com

M u lt i - M o d a lMo N T h

FRIday, JUNE 1 dOWNtOWN laKElaNd’S FIRSt FRIday

JUNE 16-23 pUBlIc tRaNSpORtatION aNd caR pOOlINg

FOR a calENdaR OF thE MONth’S EvENtS INclUdINg FUN RUNS, BIKE gROUpS, aRt RIdES aNd MORE vISIt cOMMUtERSERvIcESFl.cOM

MUlTI-MoDAl MoNTh EvENTS


DAviD SANDOwspherion staffing

E x p e r i e n c e E M E R G E : i c a n m a k e a d i f f e r e n c e

]C o N N E C TEMERGELakeland.com

professionals like myself to help our businesses grow.

So, naturally I worked hard to reach out to the community to locate an outlet that would allow me to pursue that passion further. After searching online and asking around to some local business professionals, I found information about EMErgE lakeland. Whenever a new person tries to reach out in the community it can be somewhat difficult to get involved and meet new people. With EMErgE lakeland, I immediately connected with several local

Working in Tampa for the past few years made it difficult to pursue opportunities for community involvement and business networking. by the time I would be able to get back to lakeland to get involved with local networking, most events would be ending. I was lucky enough to be able to find an opportunity at Spherion Staffing, locally owned and operated, to not only continue my passion for staffing and putting quality people to work, but to also participate in local business, leadership development, and meeting new business

business professionals in a matter of days. I have never felt so invited, involved and connected to a local community group the way I did with EMErgE lakeland. In the first few weeks of membership I attended several meetings and group outings and was overwhelmingly received by the group. EMErgE is all about connecting business professionals, and those professionals know that you get back what you give. As a member, you are given many different ways that you can participate including attending the events.

Members are also actively involved on planning committees and help guide the vision of the group and the direction EMErgE is heading.

I would personally like to thank Jessica gutowski, Craig hill, Chrissanne long, and Jorge rivera for helping make my induction into the group every bit worth the small price of $50 dollars to join. It has been a very exciting journey thus far and I continue to look forward to my future as an EMErgE member. get involved, stay connected and support your local business community!

Space Available Directly Across from Lakeland Airport

Warehouse spaces from 1,500- 12,000 square ft.

Equipped with air-conditioned offices

Security surveillance cameras on site

www.warehouserental.com

family owned and operated since 1990

863-646-9229

RENTAL WAREHOUSESWITH OFFICES

Kroon’s Enterprises

community!

sUPPOrt YOUr


The Internet is the great equalizer that can allow small companies to compete well in an international arena if done correctly. As in the USA, search engines are by far the top place people find and research products and services.

Here are some tHings to know wHen targeting searcH engines in otHer countries.

DiffErEnt CountriEs – DiffErEnt sEarCh EnginEsThe top search engines vary from country to country. In China, it’s baidu. In Japan, they favor yahoo Japan. In russia, yandex is the big SE. research this so you know what search engine optimization is best for your Web site to succeed in the country you wish to target.

spEak thE lingo!As german Chancellor Willy brandt famously observed; “If I am selling to you, I speak your language. If I am buying, dann müssen sie Deutsch sprechen”. The same applies to successful international Internet marketing. This goes beyond shoving up a page with some quick and dirty translation under your Web site. your copy needs to be well translated with natural language flow and idioms. keyword research in the targeted language must be performed and optimized into the site.

CCtlD Contra subDomainThe easiest approach for a foreign language Web site is a subdomain. To target Spain, for example, set up a Spanish language Web site at espana.[yourwebsite].com.

The best method, however, for serious international search engine optimiza-tion is to register a domain under the ccTlD (country code top-level domain) for the country you are targeting, for example www.[yourwebsite].es in Spain. This is highly recommended for countries where google and bing are not the top search engines. be aware though, that to register some country extensions, a registered business entity and/or physical business address is required in that country.

]C o N N E C TAdvantage- Positioning.com

MARKETiNGM I N U T Ew o r t h m i l l i o n s

CrownShredding Ad 2.5x10.5.pdf 2/6/09 2:31:01

LiNDA JEzARDAdVAntAge PosItIonIng, Inc.

a

hOStINg hERE OR thERE?gOOglE cONSIdERS gEOgRaphIc lOcatIONS OF thE WEB SItE hOStINg IN thEIR RaNKINg algORIthMS, SO hOStINg thE WEB SItE IN thE cOUNtRy yOU aRE taRgEtINg IS REcOMMENdEd. It IS EaSy, WIth a cREdIt caRd, tO pURchaSE hOStINg FROM aN OvERSEaS hOStINg OUtFIt. MaKE SURE yOU RESEaRch FOR RElIaBlE hOStINg FIRSt BEFORE yOU SIgN Up.

KEEp It lOcalUSE lOcal cONtact addRESSES WhERE pOSSIBlE. thESE WIll gEt INdExEd aNd hElp thE SEaRch ENgINES IdENtIFy yOU aS a lEgItIMatE OpERatION IN thE taRgEtEd cOUNtRy. USE lOcal StORIES, IMagES, cURRENcIES aNd MEaSUREMENtS. IF yOU aRE ShIppINg pROdUct, BE SURE tO addRESS INtERNatIONal ShIppINg cONSIdERatIONS, OR SEt Up lOcal dIStRIBUtION.

aESthEtIcSdESIgN, IMagES aNd cOlOR MUSt alSO BE thOUght thROUgh. cOlORS havE StRONg cUltURal cONNOtatIONS. BE SENSItIvE tO thIS IN yOUR WEB SItE dESIgN. ORaNgE IS thE cOlOR OF MOURNINg IN Egypt. IN chINa, gREEN IS aSSOcIatEd WIth INFIdElIty!

FINal WORdgOOd INtERNatIONal INtERNEt MaRKEtINg caN BE yOUR chEapESt ROUtE tO dOINg BUSINESS OvERSEaS. BUt dO It RIght!

AbroAD

Q.HowmanyyearsHaveyoubeeninvolvedinexports/internationalbusiness?

a. since 2003, 9 years

Q.HowlongHaveyoubeeninbusiness?

a. since 2001, 11 years

Q.wHataretHeprimaryproductsyouexport?

a. thin film lithium Batteries

Q.wHatportionofyourtotalsalescomesfrominternationalcustomers?

a. Currently more than 80% of our products are for international programs. Our key customers are located across europe, asia and north america. Within asia we ship to korea, thailand, taiwan as well as into China and Japan. for our european customers we supply products into germany, france, switzerland, Belgium and the uk. this diverse group of clientele has allowed solicore to reach a global marketplace and end customers worldwide.

DaviD eagleson vP of worlDwiDe salessolicore,inc.solicore.com



a. 28 years


A. 28 years


a. gulf Coast avionics is a leading supplier of avionics, pilot supplies and aircraft services. since 1984 gulf Coast avionics has been providing quality merchandise from name brand manufacturers to keep pilots, aircraft owners and operators flying. Our e-commerce Web site and our annual product Catalog are favorites among aviators around the world. We have a comprehensive inventory developed to meet almost any avionics, instrument, or pilot supply need.

Q.wHatportionofyourtotalsalescomefrominternationalcustomers?

a. We can attribute 25% of our sales to international customers.

Q.didyouseegrowtHinyourinternationalmarketsovertHepasttHreeyears?HastHiscausedyoutoaddemployees?

a. yes, mainly in Brazil and gulf Coast avionics was fortunate to add an employee from Brazil that speaks portuguese.

rick garcia . ownergulfcoastavionics

gca.aero

borders

beyond

C O v E R F E AT u R E B U S I N E S S I N t E R v I E W SLaKeLand ChaMber of CoMMerCe


lisa kaiser Hickey ownerdouglassscreenprintersdsp-cando.com


a. We have seen a growth of more than 200% into our international markets over the last several years and we expect that growth to continue into the foreseeable future. the current demand has us in the planning stages of added additional personnel in order for us to be able to support longer production hours as well as additional quality and control personnel to manage both the growth and demand.the good news is our production headquarters in lakeland has given us the necessary space to expand production to meet the growing global demand for our thin film lithium batteries.

Q.areyoulookingforlocalpartners/suppliers?

a. solicore works very hard to utilize local partners and suppliers as we are a manufacturing entity that is based in lakeland and supporting a demand worldwide. lakeland has been our home from the beginning and we are committed to growing locally as have established a strong manufacturing and r&d capability as we look to continue to expand for the future.

rick garcia . ownergulfcoastavionics

gca.aero


a. 34 years


a. We are just reaching out to expand our business into Central america.


a. if you’re in the business of getting liquid from one place to another, we can help. We manufacture custom gaskets and hoses and carry a line of more than 20,000 product accessories including pumps and instrumentation. Because we’re able to reverse engineer gaskets, our business is ideal for energy markets overseas.

Q.wHataresomeoftHecHallengesyou’vediscoveredasyouexploreinternationalbusiness?

a. One of the biggest surprises is shipping. We don’t currently have a physical presence internationally, but even if we did, many of the addresses we are communicating with are just “name of Business, name of County or town”. it can be confusing and time consuming to get product in and information out.

Q.HowdoyouexpectyourmoveintointernationaltradetoaffectyourHiring?

a. my passion, and my reason for owning a business, is to employ people. i know that exporting and opening satellite locations will give me the opportunity to hire domestically and internationally. We’ve already made some changes internally to provide better customer service to international accounts, and i hope we will be able to hire more people very soon.

DaviD sHaHin . owner flowcomponents&eQuipmentsupply

flowcomponentsusa.com


a. 73 years


a. 10 years


a. even 73 years ago, douglass screen printers was on the leading edge of technology, focusing on screen printing rather than the typical hand-lettered signs of the 1930’s. We maintain the most advanced computers, scanners, plotters, presses and printers available so that we can offer quality, consistency and competitive prices. Our exports are not all that different from our domestic products, mainly decals and signs

Q.wHatportionofyourtotalsalescomefrominternationalcustomers?

a. about 5% of our sales currently come from international customers.


a. no and no. this is an area where we have just handled orders as they arose rather than making any direct effort. however, i have learned through multiple international colleagues and organizations that international sales is the primary way businesses are growing their revenue during this recessionary climate. i took a course from usf in international trade and i applied for a scholarship to have usf help me with an export marketing plan (which i won). We are in the process of developing that plan with an eye towards developing trade relationships in Colombia, panama, peru and Chile.

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s m a l l b u s i n e s s o f t h e m o n t hDental Convention has recognized Dr. Scott for his work as the project Dentists Care Coordinator which provides dental care to the underprivileged. Dr. Scott has also been awarded lakeland volunteers in Medicine Dentist of the year honors for his significant impact in our community’s dental health. As a member of the Central Florida/lakeland Cleft palate team and a doctor on staff at lakeland regional Medical Center, Dr. Scott uses

trained to use the latest in technology, materials, and methods of treatment. Dr. Scott and his staff boast an amazing 200 years of combined loyalty and service to Scott orthodontic Associates.

Dr. Scott has a passion to provide quality dental care to the underserved in our community. he works alongside student dental assistants at Travis vo-Tech with young patients in the “give kids a Smile” program. The Florida National

with a waterfall. This is definitely a welcome distraction to those who are nervous and it helps to put patients at ease.

The professional office staff works hard to fulfill their mission to “increase self-esteem and confidence by creating lasting, healthy, beautiful smiles.” They know that their abilities to transform problem teeth can provide a life changing experience for patients. All the orthodontic assistants are certified and

Dr. greg Scott is in the smile making business.

There is a lot to smile about at Dr. Scott’s office. patients and guests are greeted by a friendly staff as they enter a warm and spacious reception area. guests can wait comfortably while patients are being seen. Even more inviting is the actual treatment area. There is a panoramic view of the beautiful outdoor scenery including a relaxing koi pond, complete

his talents to offer life changing reconstruction for children and young adults with facial deformities.

Dr. greg Scott is indeed a smile maker. he and his staff are making a positive difference in the lives of his patients and the life of this community.

The lakeland Ares Chamber of Commerce would like to congratulate Scott orthodontic Associates as the Small business of the Month Award winner for the month of May.

SCOTT ORTHODONTiC ASSOCiATESdr. greg scottP. (863) 709-19415110 S Lakeland DrLakeland, FL 33813

SMAll BuSinESS oF thE Month CoMMittEE MEMBER GARy ClEVElAnD (ClEVElAnD & CoMPAny, inC.) PRESEntS thE MAy SMAll BuSinESS oF thE

Month AwARD to DR. GREG SCott AnD SCott oRthoDontiC ASSoCiAtES. AlSo on hAnD wERE (l to R): tESSi GoRDon-ChAGnot, StACy CAStilE, MiChEllE

RoSAMonD, DEE MullinS, ShARon REnCh, PEGGy yARoS, JAn MooRE AnD Jill MoyER

B y g a Ry c l E v E l a N d , CLeVeLand & CoMpany, inC.

]C o N N E C TDrGScott.com


MATTERSTh

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Wa N t t O K N O W W h y B E I N g a M E M B E R O F t h E l a K E l a N d a R E a c h a M B E R I S S O B E c O M I N g ? R E a d O N . . .

c a l E N d a R E v E N t h I g h l I g h t S R I B B O N c U t t I N g SN E W M E M B E R S

o F

the rich artistic heritage, the incredible landscapes and countryside along with the food and wine of the area make tuscany a major destination for travelers each year.

Come and experience ‘la dolce vita’ with the lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce on october 31-november 8, 2012. there is an optional extension to rome available for two additional days. this group travel experience is the second such adventure that has been offered through the lakeland Chamber.

traveling with the Chamber is a way to experience the world with folks from our community! many who joined the Fall expedition to China were able to meet with businesses to learn more about opportunities and best practices. those opportunities will be available in tuscany as well.

on thursday, June 7 at 5:30 p.m., la Porta rossa will host a final informational meeting for those interested in learning more about the trip. to rsVP for this meeting, please contact heather at (863) 688-8551, Ext. 228.

Deadline for registration and $500 deposit for the trip is June 29, 2012 and the final payment must be paid by July 27, 2012. For more information about the trip itinerary and arrangements, visit italy.lakelandChamber.com.

“la dOlcE vIta” – tRavEl tO tUScaNy WIth thE chaMBER

MaRK yOUR

Oct31St

NOv 08ththru


MONday, JUNE 11EMERgE laKElaNd StEERINg cOMMIttEE 3:45 p.m.

MONday, JUNE 11 chaIRMaN’S cIRclE SpRINg lUNchEON Noonthe terrace hotel

tUESday, JUNE 12 gOvERNMENt aFFaIRS 8:00 a.m.

tUESday, JUNE 12 BUSINESS vOIcE OF gREatER laKElaNd 9:00 a.m.

MONday, JUNE 18talENt dEvElOpMENt/EdUcatION KSI MEEtINg 3:00 p.m.

WEdNESday, JUNE 20ExEcUtIvE cOMMIttEE MEEtINg 4:00 p.m.

WEdNESday, JUNE 27BOaRd OF dIREctORS MEEtINg Noonlakeland yacht & Country Club 929 lake hollingsworth Drive

thURSday, JUNE 28ScORE ROUNdtaBlE 7:30 a.m.Chamber Briefing Room

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monday tuesday wednesday thursday friday sat sun

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thURSday, JUNE 14BUSINESS & BREaKFaSt 7:30 a.m.Estates at Carpenters 1001 Carpenters way

thURSday, JUNE 14EMERgE laKElaNd: thE FUtURE OF MEdIcINE8:00 a.m.Clark & Daughtrey Medical Group, inc. 4710 S Florida Ave

thURSday, JUNE 21BUSINESS aFtER hOURS 5:30 p.m.Community Bank of Florida 3221 S Florida Ave

29 30

ExEcUtIvE cOMMIttEE MEEtINg | 4:00 p.M.

ExEcUtIvE cOMMIttEE MEEtINg | 4:00 p.M.

BUSINESS aFtER hOURS5:30 p.M.

BUSINESS & BREaKFaSt 7:30 a.M.

EMERgE laKElaNd: thE FUtURE OF MEdIcINE8:00 a.M.

ScORE ROUNdtaBlE 7:30 a.M.

talENt dEvElOpMENt/ EdUcatION KSI MEEtINg 3:00 p.M.

BOaRd OF dIREctORS MEEtINg | NOON

EMERgE laKElaNd StEERINg cOMMIttEE 3:45 p.M.

chaIRMaN’S cIRclE SpRINg lUNchEON NOON

gOvERNMENt aFFaIRS 8:00 a.M.

BUSINESS vOIcE OF gREatER laKElaNd9:00 a.M.


E v e n t H i G H L i G H T S

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02 BUSINESS & BREaKFaSt Hosted by southland suites of lakeland

01 | Sherry vogel discusses pre-planning with advanced directives as Southland Suites of lakeland hosts the April business & breakfast.

02 | Don bosko of beef o’brady’s Family Sports pub and bob read of legal Shield welcome one another before sitting down to enjoy breakfast and discussion.

NEW MEMBER REcEptIONPresented by tD Bank, Hosted by Hawthorne inn

03 | Cheryl Cullivan of A Sweet Event and Maria Martinez of Inneractive Coaching llC exchange business cards at the April New Member reception hosted by hawthorne Inn.

04 | New Member Jimmy Waller of Sihle-Waller Insurance shares information about his insurance business.

lEgISlatIvE WRap-Up BREaKFaStPresented by clark, campbell & lancaster, P.a. and mosaic, the legislative wrap-up Breakfast connected chamber members with our Polk county state elected officials. special thanks again to gold sponsor Bank of central florida; silver sponsors Businessvoice of greater lakeland, inc., florida strategic group, kimley-Horn and associates, inc., valencia Hills Health and rehabilitation center; and Bronze sponsors a-c-t environmental and infrastructure, Baylis and company Pa, cPas, lakeland surgical and Diagnostic center, llP.

05 | The lakeland yacht & Country Club provided a beautiful venue for the sell-out crowd.

06 | representative ben Albritton visits with Sara roberts (polk vision) and her daughter after the breakfast.

07 | The polk County Delegation at the 2012 legislative Wrap-Up breakfast(l-R) representative John wood, representative seth mckeel, senator JD alexander, representative kelli stargel, representative Ben albritton, chairman walker wilkerson (cliftonlarsonallen llP), government affairs chair tim Jackson (nuJak companies) and President kathleen munson.

07


the Circle of Distinction platinum. Saunders also led the company overall to its fifth win of the “Commer-cial Elite office” award. This recognition is bestowed upon companies with sales numbers that are in the top 15 of all companies worldwide.

Also, W.C. “boo” graves, Iv, recently joined the firm. graves covers the east Florida coast, is a native Floridian, and a third-generation Indian river County citrus grower. graves obtained a bachelor of Science degree in Citrus business from Florida Southern Col-lege in lakeland, Fl. he is a member of the lakeland Association of realtors® and the realtors® Association of Indian river County.

Lakeland Regional Medical CenterCEo Elaine Thompson, phD, was recently named to the becker’s hospital review “100 Non-profit hos-pital, health System CEos to know” based on her healthcare experience, awards and involvement in the community. According to becker’s hospital review, the presidents and CEos included in this national list head non-profit hospitals and health systems that have been recognized for superior clinical, financial and operational performance.

Lighthouse Ministries, inc. has earned a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator. This is the highest possible rating given by Charity Navigator, one of the nation’s premiere independent charity evaluators. The 4-star rating recognizes ex-ceptional performance exceeding industry standards and outperforming most charities in its cause.

university of South Florida in lakelandDr. John I. liontas has received the roCMElIA re-searcher Award from the republic of China Multime-dia English learning and Instruction Association. li-

Southern Homes of polk CountyCongratulates Janet backman as Sales person of the Month of March. Janet, who sells new homes in the Auburn preserve Community in Auburndale, finished the month with eight sales.

Joy Morse insurance Agency, inc.has qualified for the coveted Crystal Excellence Award, the highest honor in the legion of honor Soci-ety at State Farm Insurance. To qualify for this award an agency must be profitable for 20 out of 24 years or qualified for legion of honor for 25 years. A very small percentage of agents companywide are able to achieve this level of accomplishment. The Crystal Ex-cellence Award demonstrates a strong commitment to high standards for excellence & leadership.

Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Ralston Dantzler Realty

kyle vreeland was named the Emerging broker Train-ing (EbT) rookie of the year for 2011. The CbC EbT rookie of the year is awarded to the sales professional who has produced the highest Closed Commercial Adjusted gross Commission Income for the 2011 cal-endar year, who was an Emerging broker Training stu-dent, and who successfully completed and graduated from the EbT program in 2011.

Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Realty

Coldwell banker Commercial officially released sales recognition awards for 2011, announcing that Dean Saunders, AlC, CCIM earned the 2011 #1 global Sales professional Award. This is Saunders third such award in four years. For the 2011 sales year, he continues his six-year standing in the “Top 2%” category for sales worldwide. Saunders also placed for the fifth time in

ontas joined USF in 2010. he is an associate professor of ESol (English for speakers of other languages) in the Division of Education.

watson Clinic LLpClinical Director of the Watson Clinic kidney Center Mary Ann blanchard, rN, bS, was honored at an an-nual conference held by the Florida Medical Quality Assurance, Inc. (FMQAI): Florida Medicare End-Stage renal Disease Network (ESrD), an event which was attended by more than 300 representatives from dial-ysis facilities across the state. blanchard received the highly coveted Susan v. Mcgovern Memorial Award for making an impactful contribution to insuring a quality of care for dialysis patients, and for running her facility with an eye on process improvement, ex-emplary patient care, and improved outcomes

Also, radiation oncologist Sandra Sha, MD, has co-authored a study on the effectiveness of a non-invasive breast brachytherapy for tumor bed boost that has acquired international attention. This breast radiotherapy technology is intended for women with early stage breast cancer and is designed to deliver a precisely targeted boost dose of radiation directly into the area of the tumor. These findings were presented at the ESTro World Congress brachytherapy meeting in May, a prestigious international forum which takes place in barcelona, Spain, and have been accepted and are currently pending publication in the red Journal, the premiere medical publication on radia-tion oncology.

All Saints’ Academypleased to announce Mrs. Stephanie Jackson will be joining the school community as the Director of Stud-ies for the lower Division. Mrs. Jackson comes to us after spending eight years with the gulliver Schools in Coral gables, Florida. As the Director of Studies, Mrs. Jackson will have an integral role in shaping the curriculum and learning opportunities for students in preschool through the fifth grade.

Central Florida SCOREWelcomes Maria Martinez, MbA, ACC, owner of INNEractive Coaching as a mentor. Maria will be specializing in Communication. Central Florida SCorE can be reached at (863) 619-5783 or [email protected].

Boringrecently purchased the copier division of Till office Equipment, expanding boring’s presence into east polk County. Moving forward, Dick and rich Till and their entire service division will join the boring team.

thE laKElaNd chaMBER pRINtS BUSINESS aNNOUNcEMENtS Each MONth aS SpacE pERMItS. plEaSE E-MaIl aNNOUNcEMENtS tO [email protected]

ON THE

CHAMBER

M O V E


R i B B O N C u T T i N G S

dIvINE chIROpRactIc hEalth & WEllNESS, pllclakeland, Fl 33813

5113 s lakeland dr, ste 4 | (863) 660-4204

davE BROOKS-allStatE INSURaNcE agENcylakeland, Fl 33813

4688 e Cr 540a | (863) 937-9174

ENzO’S FaMIly SalONlakeland, Fl 33813

4116 s flOrida ave | (863) 647-5654

Special thanks to Mayor gow Fields, Commissioner Justin Troller, Commissioner Edie yates,

Commissioner howard Wiggs, and all the board Members and Chamber Champions who truly make

these ceremonies special events. FlORIda tIlE INdUStRIES, INc.lakeland, Fl 33803

3545 reynOlds rd, ste 1 | (863) 284-4188 WWW.flOridatile.COm

BaBy avENUE cOMpaNy lakeland, Fl 33803

1437 tOWn Center dr | (863) 585-2229

16 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S16 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S

dyNaMIc 24 INc.620 MIdflorIdA drlAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 644-5665duAne drIsdoMHealtH & Fitness

EdUcatION ENhaNcEMENt SERvIcES, llccAll to schedule An APPoIntMent(863) 409-2831dr. AntIonette WIlcoxeducation

FlEEt pROdUctS2700 s coMbee rdlAkelAnd, fl 33803(863) 669-1734fleetProductsfl.coMMArk MooneyhAMautomobile/truck Parts

FlOW cOMpONENtS aNd EqUIpMENt SUpply604 n PrAIrIe IndustrIAl PkWyMulberry, fl 33860(863) 425-4976floWcoMPonentsusA.coMdAVId shAhInindustrial equiPment & suPPlies

g & K SERvIcES3735 corPorex PArk drtAMPA, fl 33619(813) 917-1638gkserVIces.coMchrIs goMbosuniForms-sales

hUNtER ENgINEERINg cOMpaNy1504 f MAx hooks rdgroVelAnd, fl 34736(561) 797-0823hunter.coMsteVen hArrIsmanuFacturers

IMagINE tOURS & tRavEl, llc4740 cleVelAnd heIghts blVd, ste 2lAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 709-9208IttWorld.coMrIck rIcArttravel agencies

J BURNS pIzza4648 cleVelAnd heIghts blVdlAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 937-9280jburnsPIzzA.coMMAtt WAderestaurants

JOhNSON, aUvIl, BROcK & pRactIcO, p.a.37837 MerIdIAn AVe, ste 100dAde cIty, fl 33525(352) 567-2500dAdecItylAW.coMleonArd johnsonattorneys

K & K glaSS5938 7th stzePhyrhIlls, fl 33542(800) 889-6773kkglAss.coMchrIstIne gerstMeIerglass

laKElaNd vOlKSWagON209 s lAke PArker AVelAkelAnd, fl 33801(863) 688-8112lAkelAndVW.coMjAred dAIVeleeyautomobile –dealers – new

N E w M E M B E R Sadt FIRE aNd SaFEty5471 W WAters AVetAMPA, fl 33634(813) 362-3427Adt.coMAMy WhelAnsecurity services/systems

585 FaShION StUdIOcAll to schedule An APPoIntMent(863) 899-0008PhyllIs hIllretail

a tO z RENtal cENtER4046 s florIdA AVelAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 646-1004AtozrentAlfl.coMkAren deMIchAelrental services

aaRp FOUNdatION1415 coMMercIAl PArk drlAkelAnd, fl 33801(863) 665-2300AArP.orgPAMelA bettIsemPloyment training & career services

alvaREz laW FIRM5015 s florIdA AVelAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 609-0808rIcArdoAlVArez.coMrIcArdo AlVArezattorneys

aNcIENt aRt OF hEalINg, llc5131 s florIdA AVelAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 644-2447AncIentArtAcuPuncture.coMchIP beArdsleyacuPuncture

BaBy avENUE cO.1437 toWn center drlAkelAnd, fl 33810(863) 585-2229kAtrInA steVensoncHildren’s & inFants wear

BOONE dIStRIBUtORS, INc.4100 s frontAge rd, ste 307lAkelAnd, fl 33815(863) 665-5131robert boonewHolesalers

BUttERFly BIStRO, llc1212 s florIdA AVe, ste 2lAkelAnd, fl 33801(863) 940-4730dIAnA sIMMonsrestaurants

chatEaU BRIEaNN REStaURaNt-BaNqUEt FacIlIty5125 s florIdA AVelAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 937-9660chAteAubrIeAnn.coMjoAnne lIstrestaurants

cROSS ENvIRONMENtal SERvIcES, INc.Po box 1299crystAl sPrIngs, fl 33524(813) 783-1688crosssenV.coMbobbIe schWodenvironmental contractors

MayzIE’S llc4636 cleVelAnd heIghts blVdlAkelAnd, fl 33813(863) 535-6299MAyzIes.coMAMAndA MAygiFt sHoPs

thE MEN’S WEaRhOUSE #33403957 us hIghWAy 98 nlAkelAnd, fl 33809(863) 859-7418tMW.coMPAtrIck flynnmen’s aPParel

MIllENIa EvENt catERINg4303 VInelAnd rd, ste f 18orlAndo, fl 32811(407) 648-2276MIllenIAcAterIng.coMchef locaterers

SaUNdERS laW gROUp500 s florIdA AVe, ste 800lAkelAnd, fl 33801(863) 687-6000sAunders-lAW.coMAlAn Perezattorneys

St. lUKE’S MINIStRIES, INc.910 QuIncy stlAkelAnd, fl 33815(863) 686-7455stlukesMInIstrIes.orgreV. Arthur johnson sr.cHurcHes/synagogues

StERlINg FURNItURE2405 e.f. grIffIn, ste 1bArtoW, fl 33830(863) 666-2071susAn stoVerFurniture dealers

StIcKy StUFF SIgNS & gRaphIcS, INc.4753 us hIghWAy 92 elAkelAnd, fl 33801(863) 965-7845stIcky-stuff.coMterry hArtleysigns

SUNBElt WORKSItE MaRKEtINg, INc.1062 us hIghWAy 92 WAuburndAle, fl 33823(863) 967-8045coMPletetheAPP.coMsPencer VIceinsurance

tRy It agaIN thRIFt ShOp225 e lIMe stlAkelAnd, fl 33801(863) 937-9018lorI sAndsretail

WIgINtON FIRE SyStEMS5912 breckenrIdge PkWy, ste dtAMPA, fl 33610(813) 623-2333WIgInton.netrAndy Ageeconstruction

WORdJacK MEdIa382 n 191st st, ste 70291MIAMI, fl 33179(863) 513-5948WordjAck.coMjoe cAIninternet marketing

F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 17 F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 17

20+

yEaRS

bLair group

huLbert hoMes, inC.

VoyLes eLeCtriC Co., inC.

zaxby’s

10

yEaRS

best western pLus auburndaLe inn & suites

CrothaLL Laundry serViCes, inC.

wiLLiaMs photography

Moody Law, p.a.

5

yEaRS

M E M B E R R E N E w A L S

wADE ALTMANsuPerIor busIness technologIes

Each month, the Chamber enlists the help of 20 volunteers to mentor new and current members with involvement in Chamber events and programs.

This month, the Chamber staff would like to recognize Mr. Wade Altman, owner of Superior business Technologies, Inc., for his outstanding attention to Chamber members and attendance at events! Wade is a wonderful asset to the Chamber and to the lakeland community!

1 9 4 4 | 6 8 y E a R SweLLs fargo banK/adMin offiCe

1 9 5 4 | 5 8 y E a R SbanK of aMeriCa/LaKeLand banKing Center

1 9 6 7 | 4 5 y E a R SLunz prebor fowLer arChiteCts

yMCa of west CentraL fLorida, inC.

1 9 7 1 | 4 1 y E a R SdougLass sCreen printers, inC.

1 9 7 6 | 3 6 y E a R Sxyz Liquor

1 9 7 7 | 3 5 y E a R SCrowe horwath LLp

1 9 8 0 | 3 2 y E a R SatLantiC fiLter of poLK County, inC.

1 9 8 2 | 3 0 y E a R Shudson puMp & equipMent

sCLafani wiLLiaMs Court reporters, inC.

1 9 8 3 | 2 9 y E a R SfLower Cart fLorist

LaKeLand square MaLL

1 9 8 4 | 2 8 y E a R Sthe parLour inC. of LaKeLand

thorpe heating & CooLing, inC.

1 9 8 5 | 2 7 y E a R SfLorida bLood serViCes

the hair shanty

oMnia, inC.

1 9 8 6 | 2 6 y E a R Spepperidge farM, inC.

syLVan Learning Center

1 9 8 8 | 2 4 y E a R SLaKeLand seafood, inC.

MunCheL’s fine JeweLry, inC.

preston Craft hearing aids

tri-County huMan serViCes, inC.

1 9 9 0 | 2 2 y E a R SCoLdweLL banKer

residentiaL reaL estate, inC.

ConsuLate heaLth Care

sir speedy printing

1 9 9 1 | 2 1 y E a R SCLaussen’s fine furniture

danieLLe fenCe Mfg. Co., inC.

LaKeLand Christian sChooL, inC.

Kenneth L. Mundy, d.d.s., p.a.

outbaCK steaKhouse, inC.

1 9 9 2 | 2 0 y E a R Sautobody resurreCtion Center, inC.

CeMent produCts & suppLy Co., inC.

farnsworth & MuLLins, p.a. Cpa’s

s.p.C.a. fLorida

southern hoMes of poLK County, inC.

e. haroLd wiLson, inC.

dba wiLson eLeCtriC Co.

During the month of April, our visitor Information Center assisted hundreds of

individuals, answering questions pertaining to Chamber member businesses and the

lakeland community.

WAlk-In VIsItors ..................................... 324relocAtIon resPonse MAIlIngs ............ 2relocAtIon resPonse (WAlk In) ......... 14AccoMModAtIons .................................... 5WInter AccoMModAtIons ...................... 1VIsItor InforMAtIon MAIlIngs ............ 13VIsItor center e-MAIl InQuIrIes .......... 72

eLite offiCe LogistiCs

peaChee ConstruCtion

the sanoba Law firM

15

yEaRS

tOUrIsM INqUIrIEs


Heacock Insurance Group is an Independent

Agent which means we shop the market for

the broadest coverage at the best rates.

If you like to comparison shop, but don’t

have the time, contact our Personal

Insurance Advisors. We’ll shop for you.

PROPERTY • LIABILITY

WORKERS COMP • PAYROLL

FINANCIAL SERVICES

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

100 E Main St. • Lakeland, FL 33801 • P. (863) 683-2228 • TF. (800) 677-5172

WWW.HEACOCK.COM

WE SHOP FOR YOU

INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE

chaMBER WElcOMES ROy v p p u B l i C a f f a i r s

his professional interests focus on various economic development initiatives with equal

representation from both public and private sectors. in addition, rich serves as an advocate for the

statewide Guardian Ad litem program and enjoys attending tampa Bay rays games in his free time.

richard roy received a b.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from Western kentucky University and was until most recently working for Florida house leadership as legislative aide to Speaker pro-Tempore John legg from pasco County.

rich brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Chamber on local government issues ranging from

infrastructure, urban sprawl, economic development, transportation and utilities. his background covers various municipalities from small communities to major metropolitan cities stretching from the Midwest to the Sunshine State. A strong advocate of public policy and communications, he has been successful in developing positive public policy initiatives with both the Indiana and Florida house of representatives, as well as the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce. rich’s involvement with both policy and communications has led to strategic initiatives providing for more transparency in state government with the Indiana house of representatives to economic development and educational policy with the Florida house of representatives.


Mobile Banking now available

Downtown Lakeland 101 South Florida Avenue

863-682-7100

Bartow 515 North Broadway Avenue

863-534-3585

South Lakeland 5015 South Florida Avenue

863-701-2685Member FDIC

Bank of Central Florida

“They understand the complex business of radiology.”

…Ed Goodemote, PhD, RN | CEO, Radiology and Imaging Specialists

Radiology and Imaging Specialists’ experienced physicians

and staff have provided radiology services to the

community for more than 40 years. When they needed

to expand, they looked for a bank that understood their

unique lending and treasury needs.

“At Bank of Central Florida, we talk directly with local

people for loan decisions,” Ed Goodemote says. “We like the

individual attention we receive from the entire staff.” www.bankofcentralflorida.com

“Our physicians and staff prefer Bank of Central Florida.”


p o l k p r o g r e s sfrom 66.2% in 2008 to below 64% today. This drop muddies the argument that the drop in unemployment is signaling recovery as we now have a lower percentage of our population looking for work. A drop in the labor force participation rate is not unexpected, however, as our baby boomers have begun reaching retirement age. The proportion of workers to retirees

is shrinking and is expected to continue to shrink as life expectancy has increased.

overall, our job market is stronger than it was a year ago and is expected to be stronger a year from now. While the improvements are slow, they reflect the continued shift in our work force to a service and capital-heavy production based economy.

million workers in the beginning of 2010, we now stand at approximately 142 million workers. between 2008 and 2010 our labor force shrunk by 500,000, but has since added back 1.2 million people, this is a stark contrast to the previous four year span in which our labor force grew by seven million people. our labor force participation rate has continued to drop

3500 new jobs as the market continues to recover slowly.

Much of the conversation regarding the drop in unemployment revolves around whether the recent drops in unemployment truly reflect a recovery or simply workers leaving the labor force. From a peak of 146 million workers at the beginning of 2008 to a low of 138

With the presidential race underway and the economy stuck in a slow recovery, jobs are at the forefront of many discussions. on a national level, as of March, we have seen the unemployment rate fall steadily over the past year from 8.9% to 8.2% while the number of employed has increased from 139 million people to 142 million people. In polk County, we have seen quarterly unemployment drop from a seasonally adjusted 12.5% to 10.4% during 2011. More recently we have seen unemployment continue to fall in the 1st quarter of this year with 10.6%, 10.0% and 9.5% for January, February and March, respectively. This coincides with the local employment numbers, which increased on a seasonally adjusted basis from 241,582 to 242,522 during 2011. Since the beginning of this year we have added approximately

]C o N N E C TFLSouthern.edu/ PolkProgress

DR. JAMES FARRELL, CFAflorida southern college

tOtal EMplOyMENt260,000

255,000

250,000

245,000

240,000

235,000

230,000

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The international global community and the Florida Chamber believe Florida faces a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally transform our economy by becoming a global hub for trade, logistics and export-oriented manufacturing activities. on the eve of Florida’s 500th anniversary in 2013 commemorating our state’s rich heritage and diverse cultural history, and in celebration of Florida World Trade Month, it’s important to reflect on our state’s important historical role in trade, as well as how international business is revolutionizing Florida’s future economy.

Florida has long been an important consumer market and gateway for trade between the United States, latin America and Caribbean nations. over the next decade, Florida should be positioned for a larger leadership role as a trade hub.

MARK wiLSON pRESiDENT florida chamber of commerce

F l o r i d a C h a m b e r i n i t i at i v e s S u p p o r t i n t e r n at i o n a l B u s i n e s s

]C o N N E C TFLChamber.com

Florida is located in the fastest growing U.s. business and consumer market – the arc of southern states from texas to Virginia.

Florida is also located at the crossroads of growth in north-south and east-west trade lanes with access to more than 1.1 billion consumers in the Western hemisphere by 2035.

the widening of the Panama canal, combined with growth in Latin America and caribbean markets, will realign global trade lanes and increase flows through this region in the coming decades.To secure Florida’s

future, the Florida Chamber has called for the doubling of Florida-origin exports over a five-year period – from 2010-2015. last year, Florida-origin exports reached $64.8 billion – a 17 percent increase over 2010. While there are challenges that require the business communities action, we are on our way to fulfilling this important goal.

If Florida were a country, we would have the 20th largest economy on the planet. More than 55,000 Florida companies export and, incredibly, that equates to 20 percent of all U.S. exporters. This is the second largest number of exporters in the United States.

The number of Florida exporters has grown 76 percent since 2003. More than 95 percent of Florida exporters are small- and medium-size businesses with 500 or fewer employees. These small- and medium-size

companies accounted for 67 percent of Florida’s exports in 2009 – the highest figure of any state in the United States.

last year, international business, trade and foreign direct investment in Florida sustained nearly one in six jobs in Florida and accounted for one-sixth of the state’s economic output. Approximately 1.3 million jobs in Florida depend on international business.

growing international commerce is a rallying cry for the florida Chamber’s international Business Committee. to help us grow florida and your business, join our international Business Committee by contacting frank ryll, director of global Outreach at (850) 521-1205 or [email protected].

CoNSIDEr ThE

The lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce is fortunate to be led by an elected 36-member board of directors and five ex-officio members. These dedicated volunteer leaders direct the governance of the Chamber and represent the interests of our 1,650 members.

In July, a nominating committee headed by Chair-elect Mark E. Wilson (kimley-horn and Associates, Inc.) will convene to nominate 12 new directors to serve a three-year term on the Chamber’s board of directors, effective January 1, 2013.

Active Chamber members in good standing are invited to submit their names or the names of others mem-bers who meet the qualifications of nomination. Nominations will be submitted to the 2013 officers and Directors Nominating Committee.

SoUghT For

NaMES OF pROpOSEd BOaRd caNdIdatES ShOUld BE SUBMIttEd NO latER thaN FRIday JUly 6, 2012 tO:

KAthlEEn MunSon President lakeland area chamber of commerceMAIl: Po box 3607lakeland, fl 33802-3607 fAx: (863) 683-7454 eMAIl: [email protected]

qUEStIONS REgaRdINg thE NOMINatION pROcESS May BE dIREctEd tO KathlEEN at (863) 688-8551, Ext. 234 OR tO thE

BOaRd OF dIREctORS

a TASTE of local business one cup at a time

Dr. mary nelle james is a Chiropractic physician at Cheatwood Chiropractic.she practices with Dr. Chris Cheatwood who has been providing Chiropractic care to his patients in lakeland for the past 25 years.

Dr. james attended college at Clemson university in Clemson, sC and gradu-ated in 1995 with a b.s. in civil engineering. in 1998, she began working as a wil-derness instructor helping teenage adjudicated youth in a behaviors modification program in south Carolina. in 1999, she moved to montana to continue her work as a backcountry team leader.

in 2004 she graduated from northern arizona massage Therapy institute in sedona, az with an 840 hour massage therapy certification. she has additional training from upledger institute in Craniosacral therapy and myofascial release with tom myers’ anatomy trains.

in july 2007, she began her Chiropractic training at palmer College of Chiro-practic in port orange, fl. There she served as the president of the student council. she attended more than 250 additional hours in seminars and extracurricular edu-cation, and graduated in 2010 with her Doctorate of Chiropractic.

Dr. james believes in the Chiropractic philosophy that the body has an innate intelligence that keeps it healthy and vital. it is through a continuous barrage of en-vironmental toxins, consuming unhealthy processed foods and drinks, emotional stresses and traumas that lead to the slow deterioration of our bodies and eventual disease. in order to support and strengthen our bodies we must choose to eat well, exercise, keep a positive mental attitude and keep our nervous systems communi-cating effectively and efficiently. Dr. james helps patients design a safe and effective wellness plan that will incorporate all of these components of health.

Cheatwood Chiropractic provides Chiropractic adjustments, massage ther-apy, spinal decompression, ultrasound therapy, electrical stimulation, organ re-flex work, Craniosacral therapy, nutritional supplementation, nutritional plans, detoxification programs, free educational talks for businesses and school physi-cals. The clinic accepts united health Care, bC/bs, and Cigna health insurances. for more information, call (863) 680-1064.

d R . M a R y N E l l E J a M E SCheatwood ChiropraCtiC CLiniC | CheatwoodChiropraCtiC.CoM

the common

grounds member

feature gives your business the

opportunity to showcase “a day in the

life” of your employees and customers.

each month, one of the door prizes at

the business After hours event will be a

common grounds lakeland chamber

coffee mug & the opportunity to

submit a 350 word article about

your local business.

Common



C h a m b e r ’ s J a c k i e J o h n s o n H o n o r e d a s T o u r i s m p r o f e s s i o n a l o f t h e y e a r

At visit Central Florida’s Annual Tourism Week luncheon, Jackie Johnson, Senior vice president, Convention & visitors bureau was honored as Tourism professional of the year. This award, voted on by the Tourism Development Council board members recognizes an individual who is willing to give time, talent, imagination and resources to enhance the guest experience in polk County.

here’s what the TDC had to say about Jackie:

“Jackie has worked tirelessly for more than 25 years to support, tourism not only for the City of lakeland, but also for all of polk County. This is reflected in her commitment to ensuring everyone who visits our community has a great experience and a great place to stay (and within their budget)! She can find a good restaurant for the family, and provide resources for any of the unique details that many travelers request. Whether it is spending many long days

manning the visitor Information kiosk at SUN ‘n FUN or working to develop published materials for a regional conference, she handles both types of obligations with a smile and in an efficient and effective manner.

Jackie enthusiastically works in conjunction with the polk County Cvb and lakeland Center, selling our County Tourism assets in a variety of meetings & conferences throughout the Southeast. She played a crucial part in

assisting the lakeland linder regional Airport and polk County Tourism in attracting major air services to our area. She also has had a significant positive impact on our area by developing materials, videos, and presentations that highlight the great quality of life we have in polk County.

besides her duties with the lakeland Chamber of Commerce, she also serves as the glue that keeps the lakeland hotel Motel Association together.

This as you can imagine is no small feat with so many diverse properties and managers! but when the FhSAA Championships come to town, it always seems that she is the one with her fingers on the pulse of hotel availability. She can always find a wayward group the right hotel at the right time!”

The lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce is proud of the hard work and dedication that Jackie provides to our Chamber, our City, and our County. Congratulations Jackie!

tOURISM dEvElOpMENt cOUNcIl BOaRd MEMBERS pRESENt thE “tOURISM pROFESSIONal OF thE yEaR” aWaRd tO JacKIE JOhNSON. FROM lEFt tO RIght: Jesse douthit, nancy guran, polk County Commissioner melony Bell, Winter haven City Commissioner

Jamie Beckett, mike lapan, frank Johnson, desiree Chasse, Jackie Johnson and sandy fortin


Don’t be a square! Join us at our business after hours.

Thursday, June 21, 20125:30 to 7:30 p.m.3221 South Florida AvenueLakeland, Florida

Hosted by

$10 Chamber Member • $30 Non-Chamber Member.

Your RSVP is appreciated. Please visitLakelandChamber.com to register.

Locally Owned & Operated

IF YOU DON’T BUY FROM US, YOU’LL PAY TOO MUCH.WE GUARANTEE IT!

OUR LOW

PRICE

PROM

ISE

OUR LOW

PRICE

PROM

ISE

We are so confident in our pricing,

WE OFFER A LOWPRICE PROMISE:THERE IS NO OTHER STOREIN POLK, HILLSBOROUGH,OR ORANGE COUNTYTHAT SELLS FOR LESS!

And youwill not haveto sacrificeservice or quality.

(863) 682-34502440 Hwy. 98 North 1 Mile S. of I-4 Across from Lakeland Chrysler

www.officefurnituredepot.com

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June 2012 Forum for Business

Documents

Transcript of June 2012 Forum for Business