Tag Archives: Buy Local. Buy North Chamber.

March 2013 Word from the Chairman

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASpring is in the air and with the season comes all things fresh and new. Now is a great time to make a new start and begin re-connecting with your North Chamber. Why not take some time to reflect on why you joined the North Chamber in the first place? Perhaps you wanted to network, build relationships and work on business development … or maybe you’re looking for leadership or professional development opportunities.

Get Connected. Get Involved.
Whatever your motivation for membership with us, we’re excited that you are a part of it. Now it’s time to get connected and get involved. One of the best ways to get connected is to join a committee, where you can work alongside fellow member professionals to plan and implement events, volunteer for events or benefit from informational sessions on a variety of topics from government affairs and technology to social media. Learn more about Participation Opportunities.

If you require more personalized assistance, please reach out to the staff liaison for membership and marketing, Renée Crittenden-Garcia, and she will be happy to help you identify ways that you can make the most of your membership.

Remember, the North Chamber is a membership organization and all that we do depends on the volunteer participation and support of our valued member businesses. It’s your leadership and involvement that helps to keep Bexar County strong.

Social Media
I certainly recognize that your time is precious and there’s only so much you can dedicate to activities outside of your office. If you aren’t able to attend meetings regularly, you can always stay engaged with North Chamber happenings, member and community news through our social media channels.

Like us on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter, use hash tag #keepSAstrong

Follow us on LinkedIn

Additionally, the North Chamber wants to help you promote your business online. All members are invited to share their company news, which is posted to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Chairman’s Council member news is posted to the North Chamber blog and may be viewed on the North Chamber homepage, in addition to social media channels. Learn How to Submit Member News.

For those members who are working at the business of social media every day, you may want to consider involvement in the new Social Media Committee where volunteers will participate in a users’ group to provide mutual counsel on social media strategy, tactics and trends and plan and implement a social media informational/instructional event. This is the first year for this committee, which is being chaired by Lisa Lewis, CPS Energy. You’re invited to attend the first committee meeting on Monday, March 25, at 11:30 a.m. at the North Chamber office.

Mark Your Calendar
For those of you who enjoy a little friendly competition and networking with fellow members, I hope you’ll join us for the Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, May 9, at the beautiful and challenging TPC San Antonio. We’re getting an early start this year with tee time starting at 7:30 a.m. As we anticipate a bright sunny day (and no rain like we encountered last year), you can still register for a foursome or join Dahill in sponsoring the tournament.

Lastly, I hope you’ll continue to Buy Local. Buy North Chamber. If we each commit to purchasing from a fellow North Chamber member – imagine the impact that could have on each of our businesses! Please visit the North Chamber website Find A Member section to assist you as you review your company’s needs and consider suppliers (you can search by business category, alpha by company name or just companies offering a coupon/special offer).

On behalf of our North Chamber staff and board of directors, I thank you for your continued membership, involvement and support. We appreciate all you do and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Brad Rollins
2013 North Chamber Chairman of the Board
Dahill

February 2013 Word from the Chairman

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWe have just come off the heels of a wonderful Annual Gala – A Night in Monte Carlo, and I was humbled by the opportunity to be among the businesses and leaders who came together to celebrate past success and to look ahead at our future plans for strengthening our community. There are so many generous companies and hard-working volunteers who contributed resources and time to make the night a success. Please join me in thanking our VIP Sponsors: AT&T Mobility, Corporate Travel Planners, eESI, Frost, McCombs Enterprises, Security Service Federal Credit Union, SWBC, USAA Real Estate Company and Texas Capital Bank; as well as all of the event sponsors, North Chamber staff, creative and sales team volunteers and the Dahill team for their support of the evening.

Additionally, I know we all enjoyed the casino gaming benefiting the wounded warriors and the North Chamber’s educational non-profit, Lead SA. It was an incredible honor to host and recognize the wounded warriors. We’re pleased to be able to support them, and I know that each of you will continue to honor the men and women serving in our armed forces.

Buy Local. Buy North Chamber.
It doesn’t go without saying – 2013 is the year to Buy local. Buy North Chamber. Each of our companies has to purchase to run our businesses. I challenge each of you to take the first step by making a list of your top five or ten purchasing needs and look from within the North Chamber membership to fill that need. You can begin your search by going online to northsachamber.com and clicking on the FIND A MEMBER tab to search the North Chamber’s online membership directory. Additionally, think about the folks you’ve met at North Chamber events or serving on chamber committees that may offer a service or product you’re seeking. And if you require more specialized assistance, just call the North Chamber to obtain a referral or a list of providers for a specific business category.

Go online. Get connected.
Whether you’ve entered or mastered the digital arena or not, there is no arguing that we are indeed operating in the digital age. It can be a little scary for some of us, but all sizes and types of businesses are using technology, web, email and perhaps social and mobile media at some level to operate and/or market their businesses.

There’s never a better time than now to get educated, go online and get connected. To seize the moment, take advantage of high quality low cost instruction at the Small Business How 2 Series. On Tuesday, March 19, you can learn How 2 set social media policy for your organization, and thereafter learn how to create and share content on the top social networks and how to integrate your digital media.

Furthermore, please take advantage of the digital marketing tools the North Chamber has provided our members. First, I hope you’ll join me and Dahill in “liking” and “following” the North SA Chamber on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter – where the North Chamber will help your company fan-build and increase visibility by posting member company news and “sharing” and “re-tweeting” member social content.

Visit the Marketing Toolkit to learn how to submit company news, add a coupon to your directory listing and enhance your directory listing with a color logo, detailed company description and social media links.

Building Leaders
At Dahill, we were proud to sponsor the February 13 kick-off breakfast welcoming the 84-member Leadership Lab Class of 2013! Special thanks to our 2012 North Chamber chairman of the board Larry Anthis, Frost; 2014 chair-elect, Clay Jett, Texas Capital Bank; and Leadership & Professional Development Council Chair, Annie Turner, Wells Fargo, for attending and providing remarks to inspire the Lab class to discover, be inspired and succeed. I also want to recognize the Leadership Lab chair, Malcolm McGee, CMIT Solutions, and co-chair Lisa Pinto, SWBC, for their leadership. I know you’ll continue to support these emerging leaders.

Be a part of it.
The North Chamber remains committed to offering topical and timely, quality programs. We do that through partnership with and the participation of our member companies and the individuals within them. The only way your company is going to truly benefit from all the chamber’s offerings is to tap in and connect now. To learn more about what events and committees are awaiting your involvement, go to northsachamber.com and click on Participation Opportunities. Remember, everything we do as companies and individuals is making a difference and helps to keep San Antonio and Bexar County strong!

Digital Membership Plaque – Brand your Website or E-mail Signature

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend

Member Plaque (gray) Chairman's Council Plaque (gold)The North SA Chamber values your membership and appreciates all you do to keep San Antonio and Bexar County strong. Show your pride in membership and display this plaque on your member company website along with a link to www.northsachamber.com. The images below are optimized for web use. You may also download a vector file (PDF) of the plaques to resize for your website.

See Legal/Links to this Website

Learn more about Digital Membership Plaque

Be Found! Enhance Your Company Listing: Add Company Logo, Offer a Coupon & Feature Social Media Profiles

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend

SearchThe North SA Chamber online membership directory – FIND A MEMBER – now has more features to help your business be found by other members searching for your products or services. Valued members and Chairman’s Council members can now add a color logo, include links to company social media profiles and add a coupon or special offer through your company listing in the online membership directory.

Add a color logo:

  • Valued Members (1 to 300 employees and annual dues between $300 and $900) and Bronze Chairman’s Council Members (annual dues at $1,000) may add a logo to their listing for $50/year.
  • Special offer: Get 20% off annual rate – that’s a $10 savings – when paid by Thursday, February 14, 2013. Prorated pricing not available. Company Logo spec sheet.
  • Silver, Gold and Diamond Chairman’s Council Members (Elective participation or based on 501+ employees and annual dues at $1,500+) receive a color logo included in their membership benefit package. To provide a logo for inclusion in your directory listing, please see the Company Logo spec sheet.
  • Once a logo request is submitted, staff processing may take up to 2 business days before the logo is live.

Include social media links, edit business description (member login required):

  • All members are invited to include a business description in company listings. When members do a keyword search, your description of specific information about the products and services you provide is scanned for matches. New! Members can now add to a business listing links to company social media profiles for Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+ and You Tube.
  • To add/edit your business description and add links to company social media profiles, please see the Company Business Description spec sheet.

Add a company coupon, special offer (member login required):

  • All members are invited to add a coupon or special offer in company listings. New! When members do a search, they now have the option to query by members who are offering a coupon. Set-up a coupon or special offer to chamber members and be sure to include details of the offer, percentage off, exclusions and/or expiration date.
  • To add a company coupon, please see the Company Coupon spec sheet.
  • Once a coupon request is submitted, staff processing may take up to 2 business days before the coupon is live.

Member Login:

  • A Username and Password are required to Login and access the business listing to add/edit business description, add social media links and coupons.
  • To login, go to Member Login
  • To obtain login, email Debby Zucker

Chairman’s Vision for 2013

By North SA Chamber Editor
Posted on by Email to a Friend

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABrad Rollins
Dahill, President
2013 North Chamber Chairman of the Board

An Ohio native, Brad Rollins relocated to San Antonio in 1999 and has embraced the community, serving professional and charitable organizations including the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, MS Society and many environmental and military causes. While encouraging community involvement throughout his organization, Brad is president of Dahill – one of Texas’ largest office technology providers, and in 2013, he will preside over the North Chamber and Lead SA board of directors serving nearly 1,400 member businesses across Bexar County. Guiding 500 employees in 16 offices in eight Texas cities and New Mexico, Brad fosters a creative environment that empowers employees to share ideas, identify solutions and lead. He says, “I am at home at the North Chamber where I feel that same sense of collaboration and the entrepreneurial spirit.”

A North Chamber member since 2001, Dahill recognized early on the value of the chamber environment and the opportunities it provides members to get involved and build relationships while working together for the good of the business community. “This chamber is much more personal,” says Brad, “We’re really a big chamber with a small town feel to it. When you take the time to be a part of it you can use chamber programs and benefits to build your business.”

In 2013, Brad will lead the North Chamber to concentrate on: encouraging members to do business with each other; emphasizing member benefits and social media; delivering leadership and professional development; and offering topical, timely and quality programs.

Buy Local. Buy North Chamber.
Passionate about bringing members together to do business with one another, Brad says his primary goal for 2013 is to promote a dynamic chamber of commerce. Brad envisions a localized economic recovery generated by and for North Chamber members. Plainly, says Brad, “Each of our member businesses needs to purchase to operate. If each of us commits to review our supplier lists, identify chamber members who meet those needs, and then buy and sell products and services with each other – that could have quite an impact on each of our businesses.”

Looking to capitalize on the North Chamber’s recent entrance into social media, Brad wants to enlist the social network to play a big role in a member-to-member commerce initiative. “Our members are increasingly interested in learning how to market their business with social media. In the New Year, the North Chamber will meet that need with informative instructional series and a ‘buy local, buy from North Chamber members’ initiative,” details Brad.

For a grassroots effort to work, Brad says North Chamber members have to get online, get engaged and use the tools the chamber has provided. “Make 2013 the year you commit to marketing your business through the North Chamber. Enlist your marketing folks to examine the online Marketing Toolkit, and find everything you need to access benefits like online directory search, social media engagement, offering member specials and promoting your business via North Chamber media.”

Leadership & Professional Development
Recognizing that many small to mid-size businesses don’t have access to internal professional development, Brad is dedicated to offering information, training and leadership development that provides professionals the skills they need to move to the next level. “Our business community wants a readied workforce and people who are prepared to lead. The North Chamber delivers a number of programs that do just that.”

Brad says Leadership Lab, the North Chamber’s nine-month leadership cultivation series, is the centerpiece of that effort. “I’ve observed people go through the program, and right away I could see a difference in how our employees perceive themselves. You can’t underestimate the value of feedback from people outside of your organization,” he adds.

Additionally, Brad is a proponent of the Small Business How 2, Sustainability and CFO Breakfast Series. “These programs not only offer small businesses specialized information, but also contribute to businesses’ operations and bottom line when instruction is applied,” he says.

Keeping Bexar County Strong
The North Chamber’s mission is to strengthen San Antonio through the delivery of advocacy, networking, recognition, leadership and professional development programs. “Overall, the North Chamber is committed to ensuring that we offer the most impactful programs,” says Brad. “So the North Chamber remains committed to monitoring government affairs and public policy issues that affect our members, connecting people to people, honoring our community’s leaders and bringing businesses the tools they need to advance,” he adds.

Finally, as a steward of the North Chamber, Brad has assembled a team of seasoned business leaders to guide the North Chamber in 2013. “As we embark on this New Year, I want to thank Larry Anthis and his board for the incredible, active and hands-on leadership in 2012, and I proudly assume the privilege of chairing this great organization,” says Brad. “I invite each of our members to embrace the concept of commerce among us, find an area of interest in the chamber and be a part of it. I want to thank each of our members for all of your support, attendance and volunteerism – and for all that you do to keep San Antonio and Bexar County strong.”