Dividends-April 2005

From the President & Chair
Dick Ingram, president        

Robin Whittaker, board chair

Thank You for Volunteering for Your Chamber!

This month we are taking a slightly different tack with the President’s column.  During April, organizations around the country are recognizing the many volunteers who make a difference for the work they do.  The Chamber is no different.  We benefit from the dedicated service of numerous volunteers who work with the Chamber staff and our members in a variety of ways.  

Many serve on the standing and special purpose committees of the Chamber.  They are the Ambassadors that greet you when you attend a Chamber event.  They serve on the Business Development Committee and develop programs and services that help you grow your business.  They travel to Washington and Concord as members of your government affairs committee to advocate for you and your business.  They help create our special events – the auction, dinner dance, annual dinner and golf tournament.  They serve on the tourism committee, helping to promote Portsmouth and the Seacoast as a premier destination for visitors.  They are the eCoast, helping make WiFi possible in Market Square and Prescott Park. They make our Business After Hours and Mid-Day Meet possible.  Pro Portsmouth and its network of volunteers create Market Square Day, Children’s Day and New Year’s Portsmouth, events that celebrate the unique character of Portsmouth.  And they work critical business issues through the Downtown Business Association.  There are so many who share of their time and talent for the benefit of us all.

One group of particularly dedicated volunteers who deserve special mention is the Chamber’s board of directors.  This is an extremely gifted and giving group of individuals.  They work hard and often perform that work out of the limelight.  As a result, they often do not receive the recognition that they deserve for the work they do.  We both are struck, after every board meeting, at the level of involvement of each member and the talent that they bring to the task.  These are individuals that want to make a difference.  They care about Portsmouth.  They care about the Seacoast community.  They care about making sure that businesses in the area have what they need to succeed and thrive.  They are willing to do what ever they can to make the chamber relevant to its members and a leader in the community.

Who are these people who are working so hard for you?  You know them; you just may not know how much they are giving back to this community.  At our annual dinner in June, we will honor our outgoing directors and welcome new members to serve a 3-year term.  You will hear more about that in due time.  In the meantime, when you see one of these exceptional volunteers, thank them for what they do on your behalf: Michael Kane, The Kane Company; George Toscano, Toscano & Ardito; John Tabor, Seacoast Newspapers; Dave Bickford, Public Service of NH; Fred Palazollo, Granite State Development Corporation; Renee Reidel, Two International Group; Victoria Gray, Danvers Savings Bank; Tim Fortier, McLane Graf Raulerson & Middleton; Lisa DeStefano, DeStefano Architects; Tom Ferrini, Portsmouth City Council Liaison; Lisa Grella, Ocean Properties; John Lyons, Lyons Law Offices, PA; Dave Mullen, Pease Development Authority; George McQuilken, eCoast Technology Roundtable; Paul Sorli, Portsmouth Gas Light Co.; Jay Levy, Merrill Lynch; Alison Pyott, Citizens Funds; Jim Jalbert, C&J Trailways; and Steve Weiler, Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel.

We are privileged to work with such a special group of volunteer directors.  Our members, the business community and the Greater Portsmouth area are all very well-served by the generous gift of time and talent they bring to the table every time they work on your behalf.

Our hat is off to them and all of the many excellent volunteers that serve your Chamber. 

 Chamber News

State of the City Breakfast

Planned for May 18

City Manager to Cover Wide Range of Projects, Programs

You’re invited to the “State of the City” Breakfast Forum, scheduled for 7:30-9 a.m., Wednesday, May 18 at the Seacoast Repertory Theatre in Portsmouth. The breakfast is part of the Bank of America Speaker Series.

Portsmouth City Manager John Bohenko will kick off the presentation with an overview of challenges facing the community including background on the status of the statewide property tax, the city’s budget, the fight to save the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and construction in the downtown area including the new Hilton property and the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel’s proposed conference center.  Cindy Hayden, deputy city manager, said he also plans to touch on the McIntyre Building redevelopment plan, economic indicators, new developments at the Pease Tradeport and the contribution of the arts to the local economy.

Portsmouth Police Chief Michael Magnant will follow Bohenko with a report of crime statistics for 2004, including a 2005 forecast and a brief overview of department initiatives, education programs and future challenges.  Representatives from the school department will cover progress on the Portsmouth Middle School building project and review the coming activities, opportunities and challenges.  And Portsmouth Fire Chief Chris LeClaire is expected to talk about public safety issues and challenges facing the department.

Cost of the continental breakfast is $12 for Chamber members and $15 for nonmembers. Those interested in attending should RSVP by contacting the Chamber at (603) 436-3988, ext. 10 or via email at info@portsmouthchamber.org.

Year of Growing Sales Series

Seminar III Set for May 12

Program to Cover Using Latest

Technologies to Enhance Sales

Technology is great, but business owners and managers will need to understand how to leverage the right technology tools throughout their sales cycles and business practices to be more successful, according to members of the Chamber’s Business Development Committee.  The group will host experts in the field at the last in a series of sales development seminars from 8-10 a.m., May 12 at the NH Community Technical College in Portsmouth.  The program, underwritten by Federal Savings Bank, will cover Using the Latest Technology to Help Support your Salespeople and Enhance the Sales Process.

Presenters for the session include Gary Bedrosian, managing principal, Bedrosian & Associates, and his client, Scott Purswell, president, Dovetailed Kitchen; and William Savoie, CEO ofHarbour Light Strategic Marketing, and his client, MaryAnn Sewall, general manager, Breakfast Hill Golf Club.  Bedrosian will be talking about how to grow a business with contact management software.  Savoie will explore ways to get people to visit a company web site.

For more details on the speakers and an outline of the presentations, visit www.portsmouthchamber.org/yogs3.cfm

The seminar is open to the public.  Cost is $10 for Chamber members, and $15 for non members. To register, please contact the Chamber  at (603) 436-3988, ext. 10 or email info@portsmouthchamber.org.

Shipyard Campaign Shifts

into High Gear on Web

Chamber Collects Thousands of Support Letters from Locals

The battle to save the Shipyard shifted into high gear in March with an intensive letter writing campaign and the unveiling of the Seacoast Shipyard Association’s website created by Daystar Computer Services and Nocturnal Media Group, LLC.  Ginny Griffith, Chamber business development manager; and Portsmouth High School Senior, Kelley Marshall, an intern with the SSA, have been key organizers of campaign activities.

To date, local Chambers and the SSA have collected and sorted tens of thousands of letters of support that will eventually be hand-delivered to the desk of the Secretary of Defense.  The effort, supported by the local media and civic organizations, featured page-size advertisements, radio spots and plain old phone and leg work, according to Griffith, the chamber’s liaison to the SSA.  A second round of letters was mailed recently to 130,000 Seacoast-area residents courtesy of Eastern Marketing Services of Durham’s shared mail program.  The mailing was sponsored by Ocean National Bank and Foster’s Daily Democrat.

While the web site has only been online for a couple of weeks, more than 12,000 visitors have already perused the web-based command post filled with information and suggestions on how people can help.  Visitors may also download a copy of a proposed support letter on the site which may be completed and faxed to participating Chambers of commerce or the SSA.  That same letter is included as a flyer in this issue of Dividends.

Thursday, the first wave of letters from Seacoast-region Chambers were bundled  at the Kittery Town Hall.  Members of the SSA and supporting organizations will accompany them to Washington where they will be delivered to the Secretary of Defense by members of the Maine and New Hampshire delegations.  According to Griffith, the campaign will continue as long as possible, “so if you haven’t already signed a letter of support, there’s still time to show your support.” 

Those who’d like to get more involved should mark their calendars for Shipyard Day and the Rolling Rally set for Saturday, April 23. Communities throughout southern New Hampshire and Maine are expected to participate in the awareness event including Biddeford/Saco, Sanford/Springvale, Rochester, Dover and Portsmouth.  The day will culminate with a collective rally at the Shipyard’s Gate 1 with both governors and legislative delegations from both states.  See the SSA website for a schedule of activities.

The shipyard is a significant economic engine in the region employing more than 4,800 people with a payroll of more than $318 million.  The Secretary of Defense is expected to announce his closure list sometime in May.

For more on the SSA and the “Save the Shipyard Campaign,” visit www.saveourshipyard.org or contact Griffith at (603) 436-3988, ext. 14 or ggriffith@portsmouthchamber.org.

Children’s Day Celebrates

15th Anniversary

Volunteers Welcome for Fun-Filled

Day of Kids’ Activities

While it may not yet seem like it, Spring is just right around the corner, and with it, Bank of America Children’s Day 2005. 

“This is  the 15th anniversary of an event that gets better every year because of community involvement!” said Barbara Massar,  Pro Portsmouth executive director and organizer of the event.  “We invite everyone to take part, it’s sure to put a smile on your face–and the faces of the thousands of children who come each year.” Massar said the entire day is sponsored, hosted and supported by downtown merchants, area companies, civic organizations and volunteers from throughout the Seacoast.”

This year’s Children’s Day logo  will be unveiled by the young artist who created it at 3 pm., April 19 in Bank of America’s Market Square Branch. The artwork will be featured on maps, posters and t-shirts promoting the event. 

“Since 2005 represents the 100th anniversary of the signing of The Treaty of Portsmouth, we asked children to illustrate  what peace means to them and what it would look like,” said Massar.  “As usual, their work was right on!”

Other Children’s Day sponsors are Seacoast Coca Cola, Portsmouth Copy, LifeSize Graphics and Ad Cetera Graphics. Media Sponsor for Children’s Day 2005 is The Bay/WTSN.

Those interested in volunteering for children’s day or other Pro Portsmouth events may contact Carrie Tammik, volunteer coordinator at (603) 436-3988, ext. 30 or volunteer@proportsmouth.org.  For more information on Children’s Day or other Pro Portsmouth events, visit www.proportsmouth.org. 

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Chamber Events 

 

HEALTHCARE SUMMIT

 

Top healthcare insurance officials from throughout New England traveled to Portsmouth to talk with members about health insurance issues at a special Healthcare Summit held March 4 at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel. 

 

The event, underwritten by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of NE and sponsored by Portsmouth Regional Hospital, Global Success Solutions, and Equinox Health & Healing; was organized by the Chamber’s Government Affairs Committee to educate members on the issues, trends, opportunities and strategies available to businesses in high-cost areas. 

 

Key speakers for the half-day program included NH Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny and Charles Baker, president and CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. Representatives from New Hampshire’s community of health insurers were also on hand to provide information and talk with attendees. 

Sponsored By: