Feb 08 NL - West Orange Chamber

Our Mission: To Develop, Support and Promote Chamber Member Businesses and Our Community.2008CommunityTrusteesChairman’s MessageJulie Kleffel, 2008 Chamber ChairmanBankFIRSTBankFIRSTBright FutureElectric, LLCCastle & CookeDeWitt ExcavatingEmbarqFirst CommercialBank of FloridaGrayRobinson, P.A.Health CentralLowndes DrosdickDoster Kantor &Reed, P.A.Manheim OrlandoMcCree Designed &Built Right!Miller, South &Milhausen, P.A.PrismOne Group, LLCProgress EnergyRegions BankSunTrust BankThe MiddlesexCompaniesVeranda PartnersFebruary 2008Happy New Year!I cannot believe that we have turned another page in history and that I have officially begun my service asyour new West Orange Chamber of Commerce Chairman for 2008. I am so excited about all the opportunitiesthat are before us as a Chamber and as a community. West Orange County is a wonderful community and itis my absolute pleasure to be associated with a local Chamber that is committed to supporting its membersby continuing to drive home our mantra of “Chamber members doing business with Chamber members”. Itis my sincerest hope that each chamber member will focus on assisting the Chamber with its ongoing growthby celebrating how the Chamber has made a difference in our community and in our businesses all throughoutthe year.I would like to extend my gratitude to all of our loyal Chamber members that have helped make 2007 a hugesuccess and that have renewed their financial commitment to the chamber for 2008. I specifically want tosay thank you to all of our Discover magazine advertisers because without your support the Chamber wouldnot be able to produce the magazine with the level of excellence we have all grown accustomed to over thepast several years. Thank you also to Progress Energy for providing the chamber staff with the demographicinformation that was included in the publication and thank you to Joe Alarie of Alarie Design Associates for hismagnificent cover artwork and design. As always there are many ways that you and your business can supportthe Chamber whether it is with membership fees, sponsorship dollars, or simply your time and energy. Thereare still sponsorship opportunities available for 2008 at all levels. Please be sure to contact your chamber staffto find out the best way to showcase your business and maximize your chamber membership.In closing, I want to extend a special thanks to Russ Salerno, my predecessor. Russ has put countless hoursinto making the Chamber and our community a better place. I want to welcome our new board members for2008. They are Chesta Hembrooke, Jeff Milhausen, John Murphy, Shelly Weidenhamer, Bob Hennen, KenDwyer, Kitty Phiillips, David Sylvester, and Commissioner Bob Buchanan. As always, our Chamber boardand staff are dedicated to providing you with the best service possible and stand ready to assist you in anyway we can in the coming year.I am looking forward to serving you, your business, and our community!Best regards,Julie KleffelWest Orange Chamber of CommerceBoard of Directors Chairman, 2008Walt Disney WorldCompanyWest Oaks MallJacqueline Siegel (local Philanthropist and wife of Timeshare Tycoon David Siegel), Michelle Damon(wife of the New York Yankee Johnny Damon), Tina Wong, Mrs. Orlando America, Michael Waldrop,a Purple Heart Recipient and Vice President of Business Development at McCree, Designed and BuiltRight! Danny Treanor, local weatherman from Channel 13 and Bert Roper, inventor of the Tree-SeeControl System, Benefactor of the Roper YMCA and Citrus Industry Entrepreneur. The Who’s Who ofWest Orange, what do they have in common?

West OrangeChamberBoard of DirectorsJoe AlarieA. Kurt ArdamanMayor Gary BruhnComm. Bob BuchananDebbie ClementsJim DensmoreKen DwyerThe Deed is DoneFor those of you who have been with the chamber for over a decade, you will remember the intensive buildingfund campaign that was established in pursuit of the purchase of the Chamber building. This campaignencompassed corporate and private donations, the selling of bricks and much more that lasted for the past 10years. It started back in 1997 when Lake Apopka Natural Gas (former residents of the Chamber building) andthe city of Winter Garden worked out a property swap and then offered the property at 12184 West ColonialDrive to the West Orange Chamber of Commerce for a lease option to purchase.The Chamber was in desperate need of a structurally sound, centrally located home. Many of the Chamber’scommunity partners enabled that to happen. The City of Winter Garden took the leadership role and offeredthe site and then asked other municipalities and private businesses to help in this venture. Oakland, Ocoee, andWindermere each contributed to the fund. BankFIRST, Florida Power (now Progress Energy), Health Central,Dan Petro and Walt Disney World also contributed by making annual contributions. Veranda Park contributeda small portion of their residential sales proceeds to the fund for a year. The West Orange Committee of 101was instrumental in keeping the fund growing. So very many of you helped to make it happen and on January14th, the Chamber became the proud owners of the building at 12184 West Colonial, the Chamber’s home.Louis Fazio, Jr.Rob FrankRon GarrisonBob GosselinPamela GouldThis is not the end of the road. Now that we proudly own the building, we planto expand the parking lot allowing our facilities to be more accessible to ourmembers and the community.For those that have never been to our offices or even if you have, we would lovefor you to stop in and check us out, you are always welcome in our home.Chesta HembrookeBob HennenComm. Teresa JacobsJulie Kleffel - ChairmanJohn McReynoldsJeff MilhausenJohn MurphyLinda OsterbergDan PetroKitty PhillipsStephen PrecourtRuss SalernoPaul SextonDianne SouthwellMayor Kathy StarkA Great Way to Mix Business and BreakfastEvery community has them and without them we would be at such a loss; West Orange is no exception andcould very well have the best ones when it comes to volunteers, those willing to give back to their communities. West Orange exceptional community leaders were recently honored at the Chamber’s Business &Breakfast sponsored by Bright Future Electric and Bistro Gourmet at McDonald’s. Russ Salerno, the 2007WOCC Chairman had the pleasure of presenting a variety of awards for contributions to the Chamber andthe greater West Orange Community. The auditorium was filled with community and Chamber members aswe honored: Kay Behrens and Jim Neumayer – Lifetime Directors; Neal Harris – Sam Hovsepian Award;Pam Gould - The Mary VanDevener Award, “The Spirit of West Orange”; Paul McGarigal – The GeorgeBailey Award; Randy June – The Bert Roper Award; Derek Blakeslee with the Bond Foundation – The JerryChicone Award; Regions Bank – Member of the Year; Shelly Weidenhamer – Chairman’s Award and JoAnneQuarles – The Ambassador of the Year award.After the prestigious Chamber awards were handed out, the attendees got a first hand glimpse of the recentproperty tax legislation that came before the voters on January 29th on Presidential Preference Primary day.Bill Donegan, Orange County Property Appraiser, gave a concise and informative presentation on how the taxcut would impact individuals as well as the governments. What a great way to mix business with breakfast.Lynetta SteedDavid SylvesterJim ThomasDr. Diane TreesMicheal WaldropShelly WeidenhamerMember to Member TestimonialThe West Orange Chamber has done a wonderful job to expand the perception and sell theimage of West Orange County to out-of-town vacationers, business guests and newcomers.They also provide accurate demographics to help attract new business to our area that willenhance our economic development.Judy BlackMain Street Realty International

HOT TOPIC – Wednesday, February 13th7:50 am – 9:00 amBankFIRST Community RoomThe “Hot Topic” will be Marketing Your Business On andOffline by Royall Media, Inc. The presentation will be brokeninto two sections, the first relating to the general marketingand advertising including an overview of strategy & planning,targeting a demographic, dominating a medium throughfrequency and repetition, and the media buying process. Thesecond section will cover search engine optimization techniquesand other ways of building web traffic to your websiteand marketing yourself online. This event will be held atBankFIRST in their new Community Room.Please mark your calendars and plan to attend.Space is limited; please R.S.V.P. to Chris Eckertat 407-656-1304 or ceckert@wochamber.com!The West Orange Chamber knows,that you know,that we know Small Business,but, does everyone else know,what you know about you? Take advantage of Member only Benefits Web Enhance Marketing (WEM)The Chambers Data Base on labels or on DiscFax BlastsAdvertising on the Chamber‛s WebsiteContact the Chamber at info@wochamber.com or407-656-1304 to find out how you can be in the know.The Chamber knows!EYE CARE. WE CARE.Your eyesare yourwindowto theworld.Robert S. Gold, M.D., F.A.A.P.David B. Auerbach, D.O.Louis C. Blumenfeld, M.D., F.A.A.P.Victor B. Thomas, M.D.Larry S. Lewis, O.D.www.eyephy.comMetroWestWinter rk your calendar forthe 6th Annual Best Fest“A Taste of West Orange”Thursday, April 17, 20085:00 – 8:30 pm“The Residences” at Veranda Park3rd floor, Rain or ShineVendors WantedContact Lauren at lwolf@wochamber.comAMBASSADOR ACCOLADES& ANTICSThe Ambassadors recently participated in the followingevents:RIBBON CUTTINGSWorld Market3227 Daniels Road, Winter GardenGlobal Counseling120 W. 6th Avenue, Windermere,West End Safe & Lock855 E. Plant Street, Ste 1000, Winter GardenHillcrest Insurance37 N. Boyd Street, Winter GardenCouture Cleaners348 Moore Road, OcoeeLola’s505 Main Street, Ste B, WindermereTechmart356 Moore Road, OcoeeJos. A. Bank3279 Daniels Road, P-102, Winter GardenZelmar Kitchen Designs1107 S. Clarke Road, OcoeeDynasty Gallery & Gifts1053 S. Clarke Road, OcoeeUno Chicago Grill3167 Daniels Road, Winter GardenANNIVERSARYSundax Florida (1st)890 Carter Road, Ste 180, Winter GardenIHOP (1st)13603 W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden