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Dividends-March 2003 President's Message I want to share two exciting initiatives with you and to solicit your feedback. The first is a new partnership that we recently formed with Pro Portsmouth. As many of you know, Pro Portsmouth has been around for 26 years. Its mission is to promote the Seacoast's diverse arts, cultural and business communities; enhance quality of life, build community spirit and encourage economic health. Members of that organization, supported by volunteers, carry out this mission through popular events like Market Square Day, First Night Portsmouth, Children's Day and other events that bring people into the Central Business District to celebrate all those things that make Portsmouth a special place. It's amazing how many people have been directly involved in these events, how many families were introduced to Portsmouth by volunteering through Pro Portsmouth, and how many businesses have supported the mission through sponsorships. We at the Chamber understand the economic impact of these festivals, not just for the merchants, but for the many other benefits that continue to ripple through the community following these events. For these reasons, your Chamber has entered in to a partnership with Pro Portsmouth to ensure the future of these community-building events. As an element of that partnership, we recently hired Barbara Massar to produce and manage downtown events and festivals. While Barbara will be an official Chamber employee, she will continue to work with the Pro Portsmouth Board of Directors, led by Joshua Cyr, and the Downtown Business Association. Our long-term goal for Barbara goes beyond her event planning to an expanded role as an advocate for businesses in our Central Business District, and as a key player in finding new ways to attract locals and visitors to one of New Hampshire's richest historic and cultural centers. So mark your calendars today for Fleet Children's Day (May 4) and Market Square Day (June 14), and plan to round up your family and friends to head downtown to celebrate the coming of Spring! I'm also excited by a new initiative we recently launched that will focus on "preparing for the economic upturn." George Bald, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Resources and Economic Development, will visit the Seacoast on two consecutive Fridays to talk with industry leaders about their challenges, goals and perceptions of the seacoast business climate, and to discuss what we can do as a whole to move in a positive direction. Commissioner Bald will also spend some time talking about state initiatives and how local businesses can benefit from working more closely with DRED. Our goals are to find ways to retain and attract well-paying jobs, develop strategies to meet common challenges, make sure that we are working to keep our dollar investments in New Hampshire, prepare the Seacoast and New Hampshire as the place of the future and work toward positive sustainable growth that preserves our New Hampshire advantage. We have many challenges ahead of us, some unknown and some we need to start working on. On March 18, we invite you to join us for a Citizen's Bank Business Development Workshop with the same focus. This forum will have a similar goal-for you to tell us about the state of your business or industry, and what you need from us to help ensure a healthy and vibrant future. As always, we welcome your feedback on all Chamber programming and invite you to get involved. Our strength is our membership. We thank you for investment in the Chamber and look forward to working on your behalf. Chamber News State of the City Breakfast Chamber members and guests will have an opportunity to connect with city officials on a number of topics at the State of the City Breakfast Forum scheduled for 7:30-9 a.m., March 19 at Yoken's Restaurant and Conference Center. The event is part of the Fleet Speakers Series. Portsmouth officials plan to talk about the 10-year master plan including the process of establishing and prioritizing projects and programs, the education funding proposal created by the coalition communities, the future of the McIntyre Federal Building, and introduce the new police and fire chiefs. A group of seniors from Portsmouth Senior High School will also attend the breakfast forum at the invitation of the Chamber to hear about the future of their city and to meet the city leadership. Yoken's Restaurant will underwrite the students' meals. Cost is $12 for Chamber members and $15 for non-members. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP by calling (603) 436-3988 or responding via email to info@portsmouthchamber.org. Chamber to Host The Chamber will host its annual Legislative Reception from 4-6 p.m., March 24 at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel. The event, underwritten by Public Service of New Hampshire and Northern Utilities Natural Gas, is free and open to all Chamber members and guests. Reception refreshments are sponsored by McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, P.A. and Flextronics. Local representatives expected to attend include NH Senator Burt Cohen, NH Representatives MaryAnn Blanchard, Paul McEachern, Terie Norelli, Laura Pantelakos, Jackie Pitts and James Splaine; and other Seacoast-area community leaders. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP by contacting the Chamber at (603) 436-3988 or info@portsmouthchamber.org. eCoast.org Pages Win Site-of-the-Week Honors The new eCoast web site recently won honors as nh.com's Web Site of the Week. The new site, completed in late fall last year, was recognized for its design and ease of use. The site, home to the eCoast Technology Roundtable and a number of other features, was designed by Chamber members Brigham Pendleton, Brigham Pendleton Design; and programmed by Harbour Light Productions. The newly designed web presence features eCoast business profiles, a dynamic job-search board and event sign-up area, eCoast and area high-tech news, a calendar, and an area containing research, a collection of reports and seminar presentations in electronic form. The events manager, database, email reminder package, company corner and job posting site were all designed and programmed by Eric Crago of Port City Web. Historical content was provided by Scott Campbell, Buzz on a Budget. For more information on the site, contact Jennifer Quinlan, the Chamber's business development manager at jquinlan@portsmouthchamber.org or (603) 436-3988. 'Position Your Business' The Chamber invites the local business community to take part in (Re) Position Your Business for Success: An Information and Resource Fair. The event, underwritten by Citizens Bank, is scheduled for 11 a.m.-4 p.m., April 29 at the Yoken's Comfort Inn in Portsmouth. The program is targeted to established small business owners, consultants, entrepreneurs, start-ups or anyone else who is looking for the practical tools to catch the business cycle on the uptick. Throughout the day, a number of the area's top experts and experienced veterans will show participants how to groom their businesses for success. The sessions will feature a number of presentations including Turning "Lemons" into Lemonade:Tips from the Trenches with Katie Paine, CEO of KD Paine and Partners and publisher of the Measurement Standard; Sell to Your Markets by Using Your Strengths with M.L. Hannay, M.L. Hannay Associates Training & Development; Why "Doing Good" Makes Good Business Sense with Mary Jo Brown, president of Brown & Company Graphic Design; and an Entrepreneurs Panel - Keys to Success!! with Lisa Destefano, Destefano Architects; Peter Egleston, Portsmouth Brewery; Bill Savoie, Harbour Light Productions; Zach Gregg, International Office Suites; and Scott Peuschel, Pierce Atwood. The event will also feature a collection of business support agencies that will be on hand to assist participants with business-related issues including Buzgate, International Trade Resource Center, MicroCredit NH, NH Department of Resources and Economic Development, S.C.O.R.E, NH Procurement & Technical Assistance Center, Small Business Development Center and the Women's Business Center. Cost of the program is $20 for Chamber members and $25 for nonmembers and reservations are required. Admission price includes program, lunch and admission to the B2B Expo which follows the resource fair. To RSVP, or for more information, contact Jennifer Quinlan at (603) 436-3988 or jquinlan@portsmouthchamber.org. Members Urged to Complete Verification By now, all Chamber members should have received a 2003 Coastline Membership Directory Verification Form. The form, sent out in February will be used to verify and correct member information that is used in the Chamber's referral database and this year's Coastline Business Directory. Those members who have received the form are urged to return it to the Chamber as soon as possible,especially if there are any changes to phone numbers, contacts, addresses or membership category listings. Those who did not receive a copy of the form should contact the Chamber immediately at (603) 436-3988 to update their information. As part of the verification form, the Chamber is also asking members to submit a 25-30-word description of their business. The descriptions will be used by Chamber staff to provide referrals and develop customized information lists in response to inquiries. The deadline for completing the verification form has been extended until March 20 to give all members a second opportunity to verify their information. For more details, or to get a copy of the verification form, call the Chamber at (603) 436-3988 or visit www.portsmouthchamber.org/coastlineverification.pdf Chamber Events Seacoast's First Brew Pub More than 200 Chamber members and guests turned out Feb. 27 for an evening of fun and networking at the Portsmouth Brewery. The evening featured the Brewery's unique menu of pub fare and their popular menu of fine refreshments. Some visitors also walked away with other mementos of the evening thanks to the generosity of Chamber members. Pawn Nitichan, City Year, and Peter Millette, Retired Senior Volunteer Program both won Portsmouth Brewery Chuck Roast jackets; Nate Lowery, Prexar, picked up a Portsmouth Brewery monogrammed hat and shirt; Mike McConnell, United Business Machines, walked away with a gift basket full of flowers and other goodies courtesy of the Flower Kiosk; and Mark Emmons, Resource Laboratories, LLC, drew four monogrammed Brewery pint glasses. Tom Nilsson, Wrenn's Nest, also won $192 in a special 50/50 cash raffle in support of the Chamber's efforts at this year's Sea Trade Cruise Shipping Convention being held this month in Miami, Fla. The Chamber thanks Peter Egelston and his staff, as well as doorprize sponsors, for a great evening. Generating Profitable Growth Seminar Planning, designing, implementing and measuring are the basic steps to building a successful business. That's what UNH Professor Steve Wrenn told an audience of more than 50 attendees Feb. 11 at the Chamber's third in a series of business development programs. The morning seminar, entitled Generating Profitable Growth in a Changing and Challenging Economy-Analyzing, Re-constructing and Measuring your Business for Today's, and Tomorrow's, Growth Opportunities, was underwritten by Citizens Bank and presented at the Pease Int'l Tradeport campus of NH Community Technical College. Prof. Wrenn and partner David Wile, Clipper Consulting Group, encouraged attendees to evaluate their businesses and develop clear a concise mission statement, goals and objectives that would drive future activities. They also emphasized the importance of a "customer focussed" approach in developing product lines and services that generate profits. They said that looking at a business from the perspective of customers' wants and needs is a critical component in building a foundation for continued growth. Those interested in finding out more about the content of the seminar may surf over to www.portsmouthchamber.org and download the full MicroSoft PowerPoint presentation. It may be found in the About the Chamber section in the Chamber Library. Calendar Tourism Summit The Chamber's Tourism Committee will host its Second Annual Tourism Summit March 12 at the Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel. The one-day program, underwritten by Public Service of New Hampshire, will feature a continental breakfast followed by break out sessions which will focus on effective marketing strategies, the future of tourism and collaborative partnerships. Anyone involved in tourism, members and non-members, is invited to attend. Cost for this year's summit is $30 at the door for members and $35 for nonmembers. For information on the 2003 Tourism Summit surf over to www.portsmouthchamber.org/tourismsummit2003.cfm. Business Development Workshop The next Citizens Bank Business Development Workshop will feature a moderated roundtable discussion with local businesses to discuss: what developments/trends owners and managers are seeing within their business or industry, the impact of the economy, and business support needs (access to capital, training, skilled workers, workshops, tax relief, etc.). Those interested in attending should RSVP by calling (603) 436-3988, or emailing jquinlan@portsmouthchamber.org. State of the City Breakfast 7:30-9 a.m., Wednesday, March 19 Join us March 19 to connect with city officials on a number of topics at the State of the City Breakfast Forum scheduled for 7:30-9 a.m., March 19 at Yoken's Restaurant and Conference Center. The event is part of the Fleet Speakers Series. Guest speakers for the morning program will be John Bohenko, Portsmouth city manager; Lyonel Tracey, superintendent of Portsmouth schools; Michael Magnant, new Portsmouth chief of police; and Chris LeClaire, chief of the Portsmouth Fire Department. Portsmouth officials plan to talk about the 10-year master plan including the process of establishing and prioritizing projects and programs, the education funding proposal created by the coalition communities and the future of the McIntyre Federal Building. Cost is $12 for Chamber members and $15 for non-members. Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP by calling (603) 436-3988 or responding via email to info@portsmouthchamber.org. Legislative Reception 4-6 p.m., Monday, March 24 Please join us to meet with our local legislative delegation, city government officials and Chamber executives from across the Seacoast at this year's legislative reception. The event is underwritten by Public Service of NH and Northern Utilities Natural Gas. "This is a great opportunity for our members to meet face to face with those people who work on issues that sometimes have a great impact on their businesses," said Peter Hamelin, Chamber president. The reception refreshments will be sponsored by McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, P.A. and Flextronics. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Chamber at (603) 436-3988 or info@portsmouthchamber.org. Business After Hours at Pesce Blue 5:30-7:30 p.m., Thursday, March 27 Icelandic pan-seared char, yellow fin tuna, grilled whole brook trout served with caramelized endive,crisp citrus and blood orange sauce are just a few of the entrees listed on the menu of one of the Seacoast's newest restaurants-Pesce Blue. Join us March 27 for an evening your palate is sure to remember as Business After Hours travels downtown for an evening of fun, networking and fine dining with owner Joachim Sandblicher and the rest of the Pesce Blue staff. Business to Business Expo 4-8 pm, Tuesday, April 29 Whether you're looking for new products and services or a chance to scope out the competition, this year's B2B Expo and Business After Hours will offer something for everyone. The event, scheduled for 4-8 p.m., Tuesday April 29 at Yoken's Restaurant and Conference Center, is a program of the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce. Nearly 100 businesses are expected to take part in what will be the third in a series of business-to-business expos. For a look at this year's exhibitors and sponsors, visit www.portsmouthchamber.org/b2bexpo2003.cfm. The event is underwritten by Public Service of NH. Those interested in participating in the expo may contact Nicole Wohl, the Chamber's events manager, for details at (603) 436-3988 or nwohl@portsmouthchamber.org. Movers & Shakers The New Hampshire Art Association, in conjunction with nine other Portsmouth art galleries, invites Chamber members to sample the Seacoast's finest artists as part of their Arts 'Round Town reception program. Receptions are scheduled for every second Friday evening of the month, from 5-8 p.m., May 9-Dec. 12 at participating galleries. A brochure, including a map with participating galleries and sponsors, will be available at each gallery. For more information, contact Janet Carlson at (603) 964-6719 or willys@ttlc.net. Calypso Communications recently announced a partnership with new client, Environmental Power Corporation (EPC), an industry leader in the innovative development of alternate and renewable clean energy systems and technologies. Calypso designed and wrote EPC's website; created cd business cards for their sales and marketing, and investor relations departments; and conceived and produced their trade show exhibit for a recent international conference. The Seacoast Science Center recently received an extended line of credit loan from Federal Savings Bank in collaboration with the NH Charitable Foundation, which served as the guarantor of the loan. According to the bank officials, the loan provides the center with the cash management tools it needs to offer visitor programming and educational opportunities year round, despite the seasonal nature of its work. The financial services firm Edward Jones was recently ranked No. 1 among full-service brokers by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, according to Holly Hunter, one of Portsmouth's investment representatives. The story appeared in the magazine's annual special edition "Stocks '03" on newsstands Oct. 1. For more information on the company, visit www.edwardjones.com. Peter Hamblett, president and CEO of Federal Savings Bank, recently presented the Bank's Excellence Award to Bank Courier Walter Kenney. The award is presented annually to the employee who exemplifies the bank's philosophy customer service philosophy. Hamblett described Kenney as, "A special person who treats everyone with respect. He is always upbeat and happy. It is a pleasure when he stops in." The University of New Hampshire Continuing Education program invites Chamber members to the 11th Annual Pollution Prevention Conference set for April 21 at the New England Center in Durham, N.H. The conference will feature business, industry and government experts who will talk about environmental regulations, establishing supplier partnerships, global warming, techniques for water conservation, laser technology, sustainability and core energy efficiency programs. To find out more, visit www.learn.unh.edu/pollution or call (603) 862-4234. The Lollipop Tree, a specialty food manufacturer located in Portsmouth, has added Cherry Bread with Belgian chocolate bread mix to its Celebration Bread line. To find out more, visit www.lollipoptree.com. New England Destinations Management, a full service event and conference planning organization located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire was chosen by the State of New Hampshire to plan, organize and manage the Annual Economic Development Meeting held at the Center of New Hampshire in Manchester. The day's events featured a European-style breakfast, a series of break-out seminars hosted by a diverse panel of experts from the New Hampshire business community, and an awards luncheon.To find out more about New England Destinations, visit www.nedestinations.com. The Seacoast Family YMCA invites Chamber members to its 16th Annual ArtSource Auction set for noon, April 13 at Yoken's Restaurant & Conference Center. According to YMCA representatives, the auction is the Y's biggest fundraiser of the year with more than 50 percent of the proceeds going to their ACCESS financial subsidy program which provides child care, day camp, recreation, and health and welfare programs to many members of the community. To find out more, visit www.seacoastymca.org or call (603) 431-2334. Relyco Sales, Inc. recently welcomed two new employees to their offices located in the Cocheco Falls Millworks building in downtown Dover. Michael Beaudreau joined the company in December as account executive to Relyco's telesales department . Joni van Gelder will serve as a partner development coordinator. Relyco Sales, Inc. is a global distributor of value-added printed materials, business equipment and forms processing software. For more information, visit www.relyco.com. D. Scott Campbell & Associates, a marketing & PR consultancy based in Portsmouth, N.H., is pleased to announce the signing of two new clients: Dynamic Internet of Nashua and Silverback Software of Newmarket. Both companies are early-stage technology startups. D. Scott Campbell & Associates builds Buzz on a Budget' for businesses great and small by providing marketing, public relations, and consulting services that are affordable, targeted, and strategic. For more information on the company, visit www.BuzzonaBudget.com. Smile Design Center, a state-of-the-art dental office offering general, cosmetic and implant dentistry services, recently opened an office at Pease International Tradeport. Dr. Vitali Bondar, a graduate of Loma Linda University Dental School in California, has been practicing dentistry for over 10 years. For more details, visit www.yoursmiledesign.com. Teletrol Systems, Inc., a Dean Kamen-company based in Manchester, has tapped Rumbletree to produce a new corporate identity system and collateral program. Rumbletree has been providing clients with strategic and creative marketing solutions for more than 12 years. The agency offers advertising, design, and interactive services from its offices in Portsmouth. For more info, visit www.rumbletre
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