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Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce IMPACT January 2007 Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce IMPACT January 2007
From the Chairman of the Board January 2007
Calendar of Events
Being involved with this Chamber can truly
be a life changing event. At least for me, it
is. Being the 2007 Chairman of the Board
is definitely a professional and personal
highlight for me. I have been very lucky to
work with some of the best community
leaders, all of which have been strong supporters
of this Chamber.
I would like to start by thanking Bob Hay and Bob Phillips for leading us
through a record breaking year in 2006. The increase in membership,
programs, and business-related activities was tremendous. Of course
Bob was supported by the most awesome staff in the world - Pat, Peter,
Miriam, Amber, and Georgia. On top of that, our executive committee
and chamber board, offer so much time and input that allows us to be
the "unified voice" that we are.
Our goals for 2007 are many. This chamber continues to take the lead
in the political arena. Not by being political, but by informing our members
of issues and bills that will directly impact them. This is not always
easy. Remembering that we have many sole owners and many large
businesses with thousands of employees our chamber has worked hard
to find the balance in representing everyone. This will continue to be a
main focus for us.
We will also continue to investigate ways to give back to our
members.Everyone has heard, probably more times that we can count;
you get out what you put into it. Meaning, of course, to get business out
of the chamber you need to be involved, attend meetings, and of course,
participate in events. And that is true. But, as a Chamber, that does not
mean our job is done. We are continuing to find ways for everyone to get
more "bang for their buck." One of the ways we can do this is to establish
Affinity Programs. This is not a quick process, but done properly,
everyone will benefit.
The other goal for 2007 is to give more space to our members and our
committees. With that being said, you won't see many articles from me.
What you will see is updates on committees - what's going on, when do
they meet and how can you help. Members - keep those press releases
coming. It's a great way to tell everyone what you are doing and what
you are about.
I'm looking forward to a great year and I thank everyone for their
involvement with the Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce.
West End Committee
Highlights and
Accomplishments
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Denise Burdge
Chairman of the Board
January 1….….New Member Breakfast
7:30 a.m. - Burnley Employment & Rehabilitation
Services - Snydersville
January 4….….Membership Committee
4:00 p.m. - PMCC
January 5….….Government Affairs Committee
8:00 a.m. - Best Western Pocono Inn - Stroudsburg
January 8….….Education Committee
12:00 noon - Monroe Career & Technical Institute -
Bartonsville
January 8….….Business Card Exchange
5:00 p.m. - Budget Inn & Suites - East Stroudsburg
January 9….….Women in Business Luncheon
12:00 noon - Best Western Pocono Inn - Stroudsburg
January 10….…Eeconomic Development/Transportation Committee
8:00 a.m. - PMCC
January 11….…Tech Task Force
4:00 p.m. - PMCC
January 12….…Leadership Pocono
8:00 a.m. - PMCC
January 16….…Small Business Development Committee
8:00 a.m. - PMCC
January 17….…HR Breakfast
8:00 a.m. - Best Western Pocono Inn - Stroudsburg
January 19….…Monthly Breakfast
7:30 a.m. - Best Western Pocono Inn - Stroudsburg
January 22….…West End Committee
8:00 a.m. - Western Pocono Community Library-
Brodheadsville
January 22….…Executive Committee
8:30 a.m. - PMCC
January 23….…Board of Directors
8:30 a.m. - Best Western Pocono Inn - Stroudsburg
January 24….…Women in Business Steering Committee
10:00 a.m. - PMCC
January 26….…Environmental Committee
8:00 a.m. - PMCC
TBA…...……… Expo Committee
TBA…...……… Quality of Life Committee
The West End Committee meets regularly to discuss issues affecting the West End Businesses.
The goals of the Pocono Mountains Chamber of Commerce West End Committee are Community
Involvement, Chamber Presence in the West End, Small Business Development, Commerce,
Traffic Problem on Route 209, and Infrastructure.
The West End Committee has conducted Transportation and Telecommunications Studies. They
are responsible for the State Police Satellite Office in Gilbert and they held their First Annual
Business Exhibit, hosted by the Western Pocono Community Library.
Members in the News continued from page 7
that early notification, early CPR, and early defibrillation are the keys to
patient survival. Several different training programs are available for
businesses and individuals and can be tailored to your specific needs.
Most training classes will be held at either the West End Fire Company
in Brodheadsville or the Polk Township Fire Company in Kresgeville,
however if your community group or business needs training, the 11
certified instructors can come to your location. For further information
regarding class availability, pricing, or locations contact Bruce Bisbing,
Administrator (570) 992-3257 or bbisbing@westendems.com.
WRH Assessments is pleased to announce that W. Ridgely Haines has
been selected to the Wilkes University Sovereign Center for Leadership
& Management Development Team of Experts. WRH Assessments provides
assessment tools that assist companies and organizations hire,
retain, and develop a high performance workforce. The mission of the
Sovereign Center is to facilitate the enhancement of leadership at all levels
within an organization, working to assess and expand an individual's
capacity to be effective in current and future leadership roles. Through
leadership training and development, the Center helps individuals and
organizations improve strategic thinking, broaden cross-functional
skills, and successfully adapt to an ever changing workforce environment.
For more information on WRH Assessments, visit: www.wrhassessments.com
or call: (570) 586-8268.
Women in Business Luncheon
The December Women in Business Holiday Luncheon, which was
sponsored by Pocono Manor Resort & Casino, was held at the Shawnee
Inn & Golf Resort. Everyone in attendance celebrated with carol singing
led by Ginny Kirkwood and participants also took part in the annual
holiday ornament exchange. Terry Burns of Pocono Personnel won the
50/50 which she donated back into the scholarship fund.
Members of the WIB Committee are shown from left to right as follows:
Danielle Jordan, Dr. Kim Filipkowski, Uli Klein, Catherine Schratt,
Cindy Papile, Ginny Magda
The January luncheon will be held at the Best Western Pocono Inn and
will be sponsored by Weichert Realtors Acclaim. The featured topic will
be "Yoga, A Way to Find Balance in 2007" and will be presented by Leslie
Underhill of Santosha on the Ridge.
For more information on upcoming WIB luncheons, to donate a door
prize, or to sponsor a luncheon, please contact Miriam Conway at (570)
421-4433.
Monthly Breakfast
The Monthly Breakfast, held on November 17, 2006 at the Best Western
Pocono Inn, was sponsored by Unity Bank. Ms. DeAna Susinskas has
been with New Jerseybased
Unity Bank for
four years. She talked
about SBA Lending.
Unity Bank is #5 in
New Jersey for SBA
Lending, #10 in New
York and #35 in the
Country. SBA Lending,
which shifted from the
government to banks,
offers an affordable
alternative to conven-
Picture from left to right: Mark Hodgson, Abigail
Gasper, DeAna Susinskas
tional methods of financing. Unity Bank offers several loan programs
through SBA such as: Commercial, 504 Loan and 7(a) Loans. You can
rely on Unity's Small Business Capital Group to tailor a loan program
that will fit your needs. For more information, contact Ms. Susinskas at
(570) 476-1931 or visit their web site at www.unitybank.com.
The Special Program was VNA/Hospice. Ms. Abigail Gasper, a Registered
Nurse, talked about Hospice Care. VNA/ Hospice offers home health,
pain management, and hospice care to Monroe County. Ms. Gasper
talked about the different levels of care and the Hospice House. The
Hospice House, an impatient, beautifully-appointed, family-friendly
medical facility for terminally ill patients and is a six bed unit, with a
home-like atmosphere, and private rooms. They are open 24 hours a
day, seven days a week. For more information contact VNA/Hospice at
(570) 421-5392 or visit their web site at www.vnahospiceofmc.org.
Membership Anniversaries
25 Years
Stone, Cyphers, DeAngelo & Hornberg
United Way of Monroe County
10 Years
Wal-mart Supercenter
Workforce Mortgage Association
5 Years
All Points Towing & Service Center
Close the Loop, LLC
Michael E. Gonsky, DDS
Rose Consulting
Zahra Pediatrics
Congratulations!
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