August Vista '13

Volume 2013, Issue 8

The Chamber Vista A monthly publication of the Sierra Vista Area Chamber August 2013

Volume 2013, Issue #8

“We Mean Business”

Update from

Executive Director Amanda Baillie

2

Member Spotlight: Mia Bella's

Consultant-Carolyn McLain

3

Aegis Receives Customer

Magazine Award

3

Win 5 Meals for ONLY $5!

4

July Events at a Glance

5

International Trade Show

6

Member Page 7

Board of Directors / Chamber Staff

8

Parade and Festival bring business promotional opportunities It may still be summer, but the Chamber

is already working on two Christmas

events to help benefit our members and

the community.

We know many of you are also starting to

plan for the festive season, in particular

your entries for the 55th Annual Christ-

mas Parade.

We are delighted to

announce that the

theme for this year’s

parade is A Cowboy

Christmas.

This is a chance for

the community to cele-

brate its southwestern

history and roots and

we cannot wait to see

how our entrants will decorate for one of

the state’s oldest parades.

In keeping with the theme, our grand mar-

shal will be Steve Conroy, perhaps best

known for his work with the Cochise Cow-

boy Poets & Music Gathering.

Steve will be retiring from the gathering

this year and we thought this would be a

great way to honor the commitment and

hard work he put into this nationally ac-

claimed event.

Look out for more information on how to

enter the parade, sponsored by Lawley

Automotive and Cox, in September.

Festival of Trees

You may have already seen in the paper

that the Chamber is partnering with the

Sierra Vista Herald to stage this year’s

Festival of Trees.

Now that we have a for profit hospital in

our community, there is no longer a need

for the Sierra Vista Regional Health Cen-

ter Foundation, which had organized the

festival for the last 13 years.

Rather than see this wonderful event dis-

appear, the Chamber and Herald decided

to step up and take on the responsibility

of seeing this festive tradition continue at

The Mall at Sierra Vista.

The Chamber believes the festival offers

an affordable way for

businesses to market

themselves.

By submitting an en-

try—a decorated tree,

wreath, centerpiece or

gingerbread house—

businesses can pro-

mote to the thousands

of people who visit the

12-day festival.

We hope to see business participation

increase for the 14th annual event.

While revenue from the festival will help

the Chamber continue to provide its many

benefits and programs to aid the busi-

ness community, a local charity will also

receive funds.

Right now, the Herald is inviting non-

profits to submit an application to receive

monies. The chosen organization must be

able to provide volunteers during the fes-

tival and be willing to sell raffle tickets.

Applications are available online at

www.sierravistachamber.org,

www.svherald.com/festival and

www.themallatsierravista.com

Sponsorship opportunities are also avail-

able for this event—just call the Chamber

for info.

More details on how you can participate

in the festival will be available soon.

There is no denying it has

been a tough economic year

so far, but thankfully there is

some good news mixed in

with the bad.

Sequestration continues to

defy common sense and

while the politicians at the

nation’s Capitol continue

with their stalemate, commu-

nities like ours suffer the con-

sequences.

Following the layoffs at the

hospital, we were disheart-

ened to learn that General

Dynamics has had to cut 102

positions.

We know other government

contractors are facing similar

staffing challenges and tough

decisions which, along with

furlough days, means a trickle

down effect for local busi-

nesses.

In the community of Havre de

Grace, MD, near the Aber-

deen Proving Ground, a num-

ber of local businesses are

offering discounts to fur-

loughed employees.

If that is something your busi-

ness is currently doing, or

plans to do, let us know

about it and we will help

spread the word.

Nobody knows what the fu-

ture holds at Washington,

D.C. And while sequestration

has had a major impact on

Sierra Vista, there is also

some good news for our com-

munity.

Retail activity looks promising

with the arrival of new Chamber

members Hobby Lobby and Jo-

Ann Fabric.

In addition, the Tractor Supply

Store is under development and

soon we will welcome Cal Ranch

also.

These new businesses all bring

new jobs with them, which is

something to be especially wel-

comed right now.

And when substantial compa-

nies such as these choose to set

up shop in Sierra Vista, it en-

courages other enterprises to

take a look at the potential of

our community.

While the reduction in hospital

staff is unwelcome news, the

construction of the new facility

will hopefully help bolster the

local economy through construc-

tion jobs and area spending by

those employees.

The Chamber has been a vocal

supporter of the Rosemont Cop-

per Mine, which it is hoped will

receive the go ahead very soon.

The economic benefits of this

major project will help the local

economy for many years to

come.

So it is very much a mixed bag

right now and the Chamber will

continue to work to help the

business community through

both the good times and the

bad.

Talking of bad, we know that the

Patient Protection and Afford-

able Healthcare Act is proving to

be a headache for all businesses.

That is why we partnered with the

Small Business Development Cen-

ter to stage the recent healthcare

seminar, which featured two of

the state’s 15 certified PPACA pro-

fessionals.

The knowledge imparted by Shelly

Winson and Ray Magnuson was

invaluable to the more than 120

people who attended this event.

While much still remains unclear

about the law, the feedback we

have received tells us that this was

a very educational and informative

session.

We plan to invite Shelly and Ray

back to Sierra Vista some time

next year for an update.

In the meantime, we recommend

businesses visit

www.healthcare.gov to keep

abreast of the ongoing changes

and regulations.

So I have just enough space to

mention this year’s Home & Busi-

ness Expo on Sept. 7 at The Mall at

Sierra Vista.

As of this writing we had less than

20 booths left—that’s ahead of

last year’s number and we are de-

lighted that businesses are taking

advantage of this members-only

benefit.

The expo has really gone to an-

other level since we moved it to

the Mall last year and we are look-

ing forward to another show that

will bring solid leads to our mem-

bers.

Chamber Update by Executive Director Amanda Baillie

“Sequestration continues to defy common sense and while politicians at the nation’s Capitol continue with their stalemate, communities like ours suffer the consequences.”

Page 2 The Chamber Vista

Page 3 Volume 2013, Issue 8

Member Spotlight—Candles light up a passion for business woman

Aegis Limited, a leading outsourcing

and technology services company and

part of the $27 billion Essar conglom-

erate, announced that it has been the

recipient of the Silver MVP Quality

Award from Technology Marketing

Corporation's (TMC) CUSTOMER

magazine.

CUSTOMER magazine has been the

voice of the call/contact center, CRM

and teleservices industries since 1982.

CUSTOMER’s MVP Quality Awards ac-

knowledge organizations with a true

commitment to high ethical Quality

standards, Methodology and Business

Compliance.

Sandip Sen, Global CEO, Aegis Limited

said, “Aegis has earned the MVP Qual-

ity Award for the fifth consecutive

year; this progression clearly outlines

our dedication and commitment to

providing the best customer experi-

ence while continuously maintaining

an innovative approach to quality, and

offering cost-effective, high-quality

solutions to many of the world’s lead-

ing brands.”

Peter Bloom, President, North Amer-

ica and Global Quality & Customer

Experience, Aegis Limited added, “Our

Quality program is focused on provid-

ing the client and Aegis with an accu-

rate view of the business, leveraging

the call center for insights into the

business, and driving improvements in

CSAT, Sales, Cost, and Compliance.”

“Aegis has impressed our editors at

CUSTOMER with their ability to build a

feeling of community while providing

impeccable customer service,” said

Rich Tehrani, CEO of TMC. “Aegis has

demonstrated a true commitment to

high ethical standards, stringent poli-

cies and challenging goals.”

Chamber Member—Aegis receives CUSTOMER magazine’s MVP Quality Award

By Amanda Baillie

Everyone would like to be paid for

something they love doing, and for

Carolyn McLain that is certainly true.

When asked why she decided to be-

come a Mia Bella independent

consultant, the answer is sim-

ple: “I just love candles!”.

A regular visitor to local trade

shows, Carolyn had frequently

seen the same Mia Bella rep-

resentative selling the candle

range.

And so she approached the

woman and ended up becom-

ing one of the local Mia Bella

team.

Since then, she has been a familiar

sight at area expos—her prime source

of income.

“I find there is lots of flexibility and

you run things as your own business,”

said Carolyn, who also runs a second

business as a math tutor.

“I also like the fact it is a well estab-

lished company which has been in

business for over 20 years. And it’s a

great way for me to get cheaper can-

dles!”

While trade shows are her preferred

method of sales and promotion, Caro-

lyn will also visit people’s home for a

more personal service.

She also occasionally uses her busi-

ness to raise money for local good

causes.

Made with palm oil, Mia Bella candles

burn cleanly and come in a wide vari-

ety of scents, from the best selling

apple pie (which both looks and smells

like the all American baked goody) to

seasonal items like Christmas

pine.

“Christmas is definitely the busi-

est time of the year,” Carolyn

said.

A long time Chamber member

and Ambassador, Carolyn be-

lieves her membership has

proved more than worthwhile.

“That’s how I get all my contacts”

she said. “I also like being able to

do the shows and the fact that

everything is included in the price

for the expos.”

Contact Carolyn at 249-0674 or visit

http://gift.scent-team.com

Advertise to 625 local businesses

for about 20 cents each!

Schedule of Events Wed. Aug. 7 - MAC Luncheon, 11:30 at

Thunder Mountain Activity Center. $15

Thurs. Aug. 8 - Business at Twilight, 5:00

-7:00 pm, Port Royale Apts. (See Page 6.)

Fri. Aug. 9 - Ribbon Cutting, 4:00 - 4:30

pm, Teen Hut, 440 BN. Hwy 90, Suite B-6

(Wal-mart Shopping Center, next to Veri-

zon Wireless. )

Sat. Aug. 10 - Woman 2 Woman - 8:30 am

- 2:30 pm, Cochise College Community

Rm, 901 N. Columbo. Must RSVP: 515-

5478.

Tues. Aug. 13 - Ribbon Cutting, Wound

Cares, LLC, 5:00 - 5:30 pm., 302 El

Camino Real, Bldg 10, Suite F.

Wed. Aug. 14 - Ambassadors Committee

Meeting, Noon, Angelika’s German Deli

Fri. Aug. 16 - Board of Directors Meeting,

7:30 am at the Chamber

Wed. Aug. 21 - Military Affairs Commit-

tee Meeting, 8:00 am at the Chamber.

Thurs. Aug. 22 - Leadership Committee

Meeting, 8:30 am at the Chamber.

Fri. Aug. 31 - Chamber 101, 11:30 am at

the Chamber. RSVP: 458-6940

Page 4 Newsletter Title

Reach over 625 businesses in Sierra

Vista and surrounding communities

Take advantage of this member-only

benefit!

We insert and mail for you!

Super low advertising rates! Members

pay only $99. Executive Club Members

pay just $49.

SPECIFICATIONS: Inserts must be on

8.5x11, flat, non-glossy, standard weight

(20lb.– black & white, 24/28lb.— color)

paper.

June NEWSLETTER DEADLINE:

Friday, August 23

NOTE: Insert space is limited and is pro-

vided on a first come, first serve basis.

For information, call the Chamber at

458-6940 or email:

[email protected]

Page 4 The Chamber Vista

Annual Home & Business Expo

Saturday, September 7

10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

at The Mall at Sierra Vista

This event is the only fall home show

and we are near booth capacity.

Register today at www.sierravistachamber.org

Sponsored by SSVEC, Cherry Creek Radio, Sierra Vista Herald,

Cox, Southwest Gas, Mr. Fix It of Sierra Vista,

Rosemont Copper and KKYZ.

Following the success of our

Forks & Corks event at the Expo

last year, we again wanted to pro-

mote local restaurants to atten-

dees.

This year we are giving the public

the chance to win five $25 gift

certificates, donated by Chamber

member restaurants, for just $5.

With 15 participating restaurants

there are three chances to win.

Tickets will be on sale at the

Chamber from the week of Au-

gust 5 as well as at the Home &

Business Expo on September 7.

The drawing will take place at the

Expo at 4 p.m. and you do not

need to be present to win.

Stop by the Chamber today to get

your tickets, or our info tables at

the Expo.

Page 5 Volume 2013, Issue 8

Events at A Glance

For upcoming events please visit us at www.sierravistachamber.org/events

Top Left: Ribbon

Cutting at Bayada

Home Health

Care.

Top Right: Ribbon

Cutting for Sierra

Vista Farmers

Market at Vet-

eran’s Memorial

Park.

Middle & Bottom:

July’s Business at

Twilight hosted by

the Better Busi-

ness Bureau at

Lawley Automotive

Center. (Next BAT

August 8th at Port

Royale Apart-

ments. See page

six for details!)

Page 6 The Chamber Vista

International Trade Show will educate businesses on cross border possibilities In the last several months the Cham-

ber has been exploring the possibili-

ties that lie along and across the bor-

der.

We have taken a group of members

to tour Naco, Mexico.

We met with the Tucson Hispanic

Chamber to talk about future part-

nerships.

We hosted a seminar on targeting

Mexican shoppers, cosponsored by

the Small Business Development

Center.

We have attended two international

trade expos in Nogales and Rio Rico,

focusing on Mexico, organized by the

Southeast Arizona Governments Or-

ganization (SEAGO).

We also welcomed our first members

from Naco, Mexico.

Our foray into this important arena

continues next month when we part-

ner with SEAGO, SBDC, the Sierra

Vista Economic Development Foun-

dation and the Mall at Sierra Vista to

bring the next international trade

expo to this community.

To be held on Friday, September 27,

at The Mall, this event will include an

impressive roster of guest speakers

covering a wide range of topics, from

cross border tourism to trade grants.

The day will begin with a look at tour-

ism, featuring speakers from the

Cochise County Tourism Council, Ari-

zona Office of Tourism and Sonora

Tourism Office.

Session two will focus on importing

and exporting, and experts will be on

hand from the U.S. Commercial Ser-

vice Export Assistance Center, the

Arizona Commerce Authority, the

Mexican Consulate and the U.S. Gen-

eral Consul.

We are delighted to welcome the

Mayors of Nogales, AZ, and Naco,

Mexico, to this event, as well as a

representative of the regional eco-

nomic development agency in

Sonora.

Lea Marquez Peterson, Presi-

dent/CEO of the Tucson Hispanic

Chamber, will talk about the many

programs and initiatives they have

going on to help businesses reach

Mexican customers, while Alex Solis

from new Chamber member Presta-

mos CDFI will give details on a $10

million fund available to local busi-

nesses.

Local, state and federal officials, or

their representatives, have also been

invited to attend, and there will be

some traditional Mexican entertain-

ment.

This is a free event open to the pub-

lic and we encourage our members

to take the time to learn about the

business opportunities available in

nearby border communities and

deeper into Mexico, where many

companies are growing.

The International Trade Expo will run

from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. (you can

attend all or parts of the conference)

and details on how to register to at-

tend will be coming soon.

Sail on down to the USS Port Royale Where we are proud to be hosting the

AUGUST BUSINESS at TWILIGHT!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

In the Clubhouse of

1201 N. Columbo Ave. (just north of Cochise College)

Food, Fun and Future Friends, Door Prizes, 50/50 Raffle

For information contact:

[email protected]

Too often, interactions with the government are burden-some and frustrating. From seeking out financing opportu-nities to learning about the latest regulations affecting them, hard-working businesses are spending too much time navigating the federal bureaucracy. On October 28, 2011, the President issued a challenge to government agencies to think beyond their organizational boundaries in the best interest of serving America's busi-ness community, and start thinking and acting more like the businesses they serve. He directed the creation of Busi-nessUSA, a centralized, one-stop platform to make it eas-ier than ever for businesses to access services to help them grow and hire. BusinessUSA implements a "no wrong door" approach for small businesses and exporters by using technology to quickly connect businesses to the services and information relevant to them, regardless of where the information is located or which agency's website, call center, or office they go to for help. Visit business.usa.gov for more info.

Business.usa.gov

Page 7 Volume 2013, Issue 8

Thanks to these members for renewing their commitment to the business community

A Special Welcome to Our New Members!

Executive Club Members

Allstate Insurance Company - Pat Meldrum

American Southwest Credit Union

American Family Insurance

American Systems

Arizona Water Company

Atomic Fight Club

Beacon Group

BrightStar Homecare

CACI, Inc.

Castle & Cooke Arizona, Inc.

Castle & Cooke Mortgage, LLC

CerendipiTees

CGI

Cherry Creek Radio

City of Sierra Vista

Coca-Cola Refreshments USA, Inc.

Cox

Data Systems & Technology, Inc.

Dental Village

Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott

Garden Terrace Assisted Living Home

General Dynamics Information Tech.

Hobby Lobby

Horizon Moving Systems of Sierra Vista, Inc.

JR's Food and Spirits

KKYZ Radio

Landmark Cafe

Las Palomas Apartments

Lawley Automotive Center

Lawley's Team Ford

Life Care Center

Long Realty Co.

Longhorn Restaurant

Mall at Sierra Vista - Management Office

ManTech Telecommunications

& Info Systems

Mr. Fix It of Sierra Vista, LLC

Naco Dental

National Bank of Arizona

Navy Federal Credit Union

Netmedix IT Solutions

New Frontier Animal Medical Center

Northrop Grumman Corporation -

*Large Business of the Year 2013*

Patio Pools & Spas

Pioneer Title Agency

Pueblo del Sol Country Club

Rommel Equipment Services

Rosemont Copper Company

Sierra Vista Ace Hardware

Sierra Vista Herald & Bisbee Daily Review

Sierra Vista Regional Health Center

Southeastern Arizona Contractors Assoc.

Southwest Gas Corporation

Southwestern Eye Center

Specialists in Dermatology

Stachel & Associates, P.C.

Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Coop.

Sun Canyon Inn

Systems Integration

Tailored Living

The Boeing Company

TownePlace Suites by Marriott

University of Phoenix

Waddell & Reed Financial Advisors,

David Burnett

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Wayland Baptist University

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc.

Windemere Hotel & Conference Center

Arizona Family Law Center (520) 459-4000

Cochise Dermatology and Aesthetics (520) 458-1505

DePaul Industries (520) 458-6100

Friction Games, LLC (605) 680-3040

Hobby Lobby Stores, LLC (520) 417-2424

It Works Global (727) 692-9825

Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores

Legal Shield-Independent Associate

Antonio Medina (774) 451-3955

Ocean View Shuttles, LLC (520) 272-0414

Pampered Chef-Independent Consultant

Sharon Shulsky (520) 678-8906 Prestamos CDFI, LLC (602) 258-9911

Sage Management, LLC (520) 458-0550

Shred-It (520) 882-9939

Sierra Vista Vision (520) 335-1643

Sierra Wash-N-Dry (520) 459-5519

Teen Hut, The (520) 459-8371

The Solar Store (520) 322-5180

Unashamed Christian Store (520) 458-1184

USA Sew & Vac, LLC (520) 458-9077

Accent Care

American Southwest Credit Union

Big Nose Kate's Saloon

Canyon State Wireless

Clark Information Systems

Comfort Keepers

Corium 21- The Aloe Miracle

CST Corner Store #1670

Farmers Insurance-Ginny Francis

Fran Richey Insurance Agency

Garcia Development, LLC

Horizon Moving Systems of Sierra Vista, Inc.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Kindred Nursing and Rehabilitation - Hacienda

Liberty Tax Service

Local Locksmith

Longhorn Restaurant

MHS & More LLC

Navy Federal Credit Union

Pauline Fredericks Photography

Pizzeria Mimosa

Pueblo del Sol Country Club

Pueblo del Sol Water Co.

Rosen Orthodontics

Shady Lady's Closet

Sierra Remodeling & Home Builders

Sierra Vista Ace Hardware

Sierra Vista Public Schools

Southwestern Eye Center

Steve Haymore CPA, PC

Westover Roofing

21 E. Wilcox Dr.

Sierra Vista, AZ. 85635

The Chamber Vista is a publication of the Sierra Vista Area Chamber 21 E. Wilcox Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635 (520) 458-6940, Fax: (520) 452-0878

www.sierravistachamber.org Mission Statement The Sierra Vista Area Chamber promotes business and provides leadership for the improvement of the community. 2012-13 Board of Directors Executive Officers Chairman - Michael Benson, TDY Housing Past Chairwoman - Dee Dee Hoeft, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage Chair Elect - Rick Shelley - Horizon Moving Systems Treasurer—Anita Farrow, National Bank of Arizona Secretary—Jack Blair, SSVEC Board Members Frank Gonzalez, Lawley Automotive Elsie MacMillan - Sierra Toyota Ken Cecil - Mall at Sierra Vista Phil Vega - Sierra Vista Herald / Bisbee Daily Review Nancy Nash - Stuff ‘N Baskets Nathan Williams - Nathan Williams, Law Office Glen Cobb—Sierra Suites Kevin Peterson—CGI Mary Tieman—Southeast Arizona Workforce Connection Jon Galchik—TASC

Sierra Vista Area Chamber PRESORTED

STANDARD

US POSTAGE PAID

HEREFORD, AZ

PERMIT NO. 29

CURRENT RESIDENT OR

Chamber Staff Executive Director - Amanda Baillie, [email protected] Membership & Marketing Director- John Hargraves III, [email protected] Communications Director - Margaret Dillard, [email protected] Office Manager - Toni Rogers, [email protected] Events Coordinator - Diane Erwin, [email protected]