Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce - Noteworthy Sept. 2023 by greaterriverviewchamberofcommerce

An official publication of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce SEPT. 2023

NOTEWORTHY

GRCC Office:

6152 Delancey Station Street Suite 205 Riverview, FL 33578

www.riverviewchamber.com

813-234-5944

Office Hours:

Mon.-Thurs. 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Fri. 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Hey y’all! I pray this finds you well and enjoying the somewhat cooler temperatures. It is hard to believe we are already in September, but here we are, and boy have we been busy!

Debbie Kirkland

Director Director

of Investor Relations

Teri Perkins

of Branding and Marketing

Elizabeth Corn Event Coordinator

Jennifer Sookoor Financial Administrator

Tracy Wilson

We are anxiously anticipating the launch of our new website to coincide with the new CRM program allowing us the ability to better serve our community of Investors. We are also launching a Chamber Podcast, Chamber Inside Out! Through this new media component, we will provide information about the Chamber, our upcoming events and Member/Investor opportunities. But the most exciting segment will be interviews with a Chamber member (or members) about their business. The new Podcast will broadcast every Monday throughout Hillsborough County! Participating Member/Investors are given 5 minutes to talk about their business, promotional offerings, or any upcoming events they may be having. How cool is that!?!?!

And there is more…We have yet another way for you to promote your business in the new Business Expo! Open to ALL businesses, nonprofits, home-based, and food/beverage providers, this is an opportunity to showcase

Director

of Business Development

Stay informed of the latest Chamber

and happenings

Ny'Kole "Nykki" Krivda, BSc., MBA-HRM President and Ceo

news

your business, engage with the community, and grow your business connections. And it doesn’t stop there…the new Turbo Networking is a fast-paced, one on one speed networking opportunity that enables you to meet and interact with multiple individuals from your business community!

If you haven’t caught on to our theme, we have created several new opportunities for our Member/Investors and there is even more on the horizon, so stay tuned! We cannot achieve success without you, so we hope you will get involved! Start by making sure your information is up to date. Check your business listing, employee contacts, email addresses, phone numbers, and be sure we have your current logo. Then register for any and all of the events above and partner with your Chamber in growing your business.

Y’all stay cool!

OEL Heating & Cooling

Thank you!

STERLINGMEMBERS

FromtheChair 3

4 Directory GRCC Board of Directors ______________________________________ GRCC Ambassador Team ______________________________________ New Opportunity ______________________________________________ Welcome New Members ______________________________________ Renewing Members ___________________________________________ GRCC TCOB (Taking Care of Business) ________________________ GRCC Military Affairs Committee _____________________________ Chamber Happenings _________________________________________ In the Know ___________________________________________________ Save the Date _________________________________________________ Member Spotlight _____________________________________________ Non-Profit Spotlight ___________________________________________ Education and Training ________________________________________ Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies ___________________________________ GRCC Calendars _______________________________________________ GRCC 2022 Award Winners ____________________________________ 5 6 - 8 9 10 - 12 13 14 - 15 16 17 - 19 20 - 21 22 - 24 25 26 27 28 - 30 31 - 32 33 PAGE

of Directors

Chair of the Board Tammy See OEL Heating & Cooling Treasurer Theresa Sharkey Your Pie Past Chair Michael Broussard The Flying Locksmiths Jim Johnson Board Emeritus Christian Beiter Preservation 1st Financial Group Dave Boyle YMCA Camp Cristina Jeff Campbell Lydansco Business Consulting Strategic Planning & Funding, LLC Nikki Foster The Mosaic Company Gabriel Mbulo Edward Jones Kristi McCart McCart & Tesmer, P.A. Phil Minden St. Joseph's Hospital-South Dawn Myers Myers Law PA Jason Newmyer AdventHealth-Riverview Bill Short Elena Westrop Charity Clothing Pickup

assador Team

Dawn Myers Myers Law PA Cora Simon Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant Jenn King Jenn King Bookkeeping Annette Bilyeu Spectrum Business Elena Westrop Charity Clothing Pickup Jennifer Montgomery RYT IT Solutions Chris Nelson LegalShieldChristina Nelson Craig Beckinger An ABC Event, Inc. Jen Friedrichsen T & J Painting, LLC

Jill Jofko Riverview Woman's Club Joe Eletto Century 21 Beggins Joe Nichols trax - Credit Union Lisa Jordan Accent American, Inc. Lisa Tackus Align Right Realty Riverview Melissa Canfield Grease Monkey Melissa Hartmann Osprey Observer

Paulette Y. Merchant Keller Williams South Shore Renee Scott Renee Scott Insurance Michael Beiter Preservation 1st Financial Group Richard Rohde R Processor, Inc.

assador Team

Ron Akers FruxPay Tammy See OEL Heating & Cooling Mike Jones FL DOE Vocational Rehabilitation Pat Magruder Magruder Agency

Tammy Dotson Time 2 S.H.I.N.E. Consulting

assador Team

Congratulations to the GRCC Ambassador of the Month, Lisa Jordan with Accent American, Inc.

Accent American is a family owned and operated business in Tampa since 1985, providing high quality, certified professional carpet and upholstery cleaning, including leather, tile grout cleaning, Oriental and specialty rug cleaning, as well as water damage, fire damage, smoke and nicotine damage, and mold remediation and restoration and more.

Are you interested in becoming an Ambassador?

Ambassadors are highly visible, prestigious volunteers who serve as the Chamber's primary liaison to Chamber members. Considered the goodwill arm of the Chamber, the Ambassador Team plays an essential role in member recruitment, communication, and retention. Each Ambassador is charged with conveying member needs, questions, and concerns to Chamber staff, keeping our Chamber in line with our members' desires. Each Ambassador makes a commitment to build lasting relationships with the community in order to build a loyal, committed membership base that will continue to support, participate, and invest in the Chamber.

If you are interested in being an Ambassador or would like more information, please contact Debbie today at (813) 234-5944 / Debbie@RiverviewChamber.com

Trustee Investor TampaElectric.com Investor since 1995 SouthStateBank.com Investor since 1999 Suncoast Credit Union Investor since 2008 Baycare.org/SJHS Investor since 2012 hccfl.edu/ Investor since 2008 ThankYou! 9 NEW Opportunity! Would you like to be featured on the NEW Chamber Podcast? Step in front of the camera and chat with Chamber staff as we get your business out in front of 6,000+ followers on social media! For more information, contact the GRCC office and be some of the first to get on the schedule for this new Chamber feature!

ew Members! 10 Bubble Down Car Wash Justin Gregory bubbledown.com Alli Howard, Realtor Century 21 Link Realty allihowardtamparealty.com BHHS Florida Properties Group - Dee Spence dspence.bhhsfloridaproperties.com Appreciation Financial Cameron Marksman appreciationfinancial.com

w Members! 11 Fresh Coat 91579 Mandy Mundh FreshCoatPainters.com Ideal Dental Riverview Chaeri Valdes myidealdental.com/riverview Parian Luxury Apartments Kristina Belle theparian.com

Welcome New Members! 12 Welcome!

y ewing Members!

27 YEARS

HCA Florida South Shore Hospital

23 YEARS

YMCA Camp Cristina

17 YEARS

Four Paws Veterinary Hospital

16 YEARS

Hillsborough Community College -

Southshore

14 YEARS

Walsh Commercial Cleaning Service

11 YEARS

The Outreach Clinic

8 YEARS

Campo Family YMCA

Florida DOE Vocational Rehabilitation

7 YEARS

Center Academy

6 YEARS

Chris A. Castellano, DMD, PA

Cruise Planners - Sherry Leybovich

5 YEARS

McCart & Tesmer, P.A.

Renee Scott Insurance Agency

The Law Office of Ashley Ivanov, P.A.

Watermelon Swim Riverview

4 YEARS

ServPro of Brandon/North Riverview

Edward Jones - Gabriel Mbulo

HCA Florida Riverview Emergency, A Department of Brandon Regional Hospital

OEL Heating & Cooling

3 YEARS

Heather Michael - Crissy's Hair Salon

2 YEARS

Dancing for Joy - Main Studio

RGS Foods

1 YEAR

Brandon Medical Center

Florida Strawberry Festival

Judge Wesley Tibbals, Circuit Court

Residence Inn - Tampa Sabal Park / Brandon

Southern Fabricating Machinery Sales, Inc.

Tampa Bay Water

Thank Thank you! you! you!

Thank

Are you getting the most of your Chamber membership? Get involved! 14 Minthe orning orat Night!

Are you getting the most of your Chamber membership? Get involved!

Military Affairs Committee

Are you, or one of your employees, a military veteran or active duty? If so, GRCC Military Affairs Committee (MAC) wants to know! Every month, MAC honors a military veteran,

but we need your information! Please visit our website at https://www.riverviewchamber.com/military-affairs and submit your contact information and consider joining this wonderful committee.

The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) Military Affairs Committee is dedicated to serving and supporting our military (past, present and families) in the Greater Riverview community through advocating and educating the GRCC and community in how they can assist and participate in enriching the lives of our military community.

Chamber Happenings

GRCC Hosts Monthly Meeting Luncheon Sponsored by St. Joseph’s Hospital South

The Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) hosted their Monthly Membership Meeting on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at the beautiful Winthrop Barn Theatre in Riverview. A delicious lunch was beautifully displayed and served by GRCC member, Coastal Catering. Bob Sharp of Cookson Hills Family Ministries of FL delivered the day’s Invocation to begin the meeting. Leading the attendees this month in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance was the GRCC Military Affairs Committee Co-Leader, Joe Eletto of Century 21 Beggins. Mr. Eletto followed the pledge with the Military Recognition honoring Nadere and Michelle Johnson, with Nadere’s Photography and Operation International Gift of Knowledge.

GRCC Chair of the Board, Tammy See of OEL Heating and Cooling, started the meeting by welcoming the crowd, recognizing the past Board Chairs of Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, as well as the current Board of Directors who were in attendance. She continued by having all visitors stand and introduce themselves. Special thanks were given to the audio and visual support for the luncheon provided by Mario Johnson with MJI Media; photography by Gerardo Luna of Gerardo Luna Photographs; and linens provided by Susan Williams of Fancy That Specialty Linens.

Chamber Happenings

The crowd gave a warm welcome to the new President for St. Joseph’s Hospital South - Patrick Downes, who greeted the crowd and introduced himself and shared his excitement for the hospital and his new role. He then introduced Donna St. Louis, Vice-President of Business Development, who spoke to the crowd regarding the importance of early detection for disease. The final speaker for this month’s sponsor was Jason Barnett, Business Development, who highlighted Baycare’s many hospitals and service centers throughout Tampa.

GRCC Past Chair, Michael Broussard of The Flying Locksmiths, introduced and thanked the 28 renewing members. GRCC Board Member, Kristi McCart, McCart & Tesmer, gave an update on the recent Teaching to Excellence event and its success. HCSO Deputy Cliff Fletcher addressed the crowd regarding the County’s Business Watch Program, encouraging them to participate. A testimony was given by GRCC member, Dave Lechuga with Florida Executive Realty, regarding GRCC’s new LEAD Program, as he strongly encouraged the business owners to sign up for this exciting new GRCC endeavor.

GRCC Board Member, Christian Beiter with Preservation First Financial Group, welcomed and recognized 8 new members to the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce:

Alli Howard - Century 21 Link Realty

Appreciation Financial

BHHS Florida Properties Group - Dee Spence

Bubble Down Car Wash

Dawn Gittens - Realtor

Fresh Coat 91579

Ideal Dental Riverview

Parian Luxury Apartments

ServPro of NE Hillsborough County/Plant City

The meeting ended with a few of the GRCC Ambassadors handing out the door prizes and the 50/50 raffle drawing. For more information regarding the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce, or upcoming Chamber and community events, visit www.riverviewchamber.com.

Chamber Happenings

Florida Chamber of CommerceFlorida Scorecard

From the Florida Chamber of Commerce website, The Florida Scorecard™ is a dynamic online tool that identifies and tracks key metrics that are important to Florida’s economy today and into the future. The Florida Scorecard gives stakeholders the power to measure progress on a statewide level and within their own communities. Check back often as this information is updated regularly. Click image below to visit the FCC Scorecard.

Hillsborough County Economic Development Report

This information is collected and published to assist the business community with data relevant to evaluate the dynamic economic ecosystem and workforce potential Hillsborough County has to offer. Contact the Economic Development Department’s Corporate Business Development/Business Intelligence team at (813) 272-5560 with any questions or to provide feedback on this report. Click Hillsborough County logo above to obtain reports.

w 20

ECONOMIC VIEWPOINTS

Credit Cards Bolster Consumer Spending

Curtis Dubay, Chief Economist, U.S. Chamber

Total credit card debt rose 0.8%, reaching an all-time high of $1.27 trillion in July. However, as a percentage of after-tax income, it is still well below the average of the last 20 years.

Why it matters: Consumers are using their credit cards to continue spending at the robust levels they have been for the last three years.

Be smart: At the same time, consumer borrowing for things like cars, RVs, education, boats, trailers, and vacations rose a modest 0.2% in July. The difference in these types of consumer credit is interesting.

Credit card rates don't fluctuate as much as other rates because the principal is capped, and the debt is unsecured.

Because of this, consumers are using credit cards to keep spending on everyday items but are spending at a slower rate on bigger ticket items.

Looking ahead: This situation is likely to continue. Wages, after factoring in inflation, are rising, albeit modestly. It will take some time to make up for lost purchasing power. Consumers should be able to keep spending, using their credit card balances to fill gaps.

But: They may continue to hold off on borrowing for larger purchases that would weigh on their budgets.

In the Know 21

Save the Date!

This is a meeting where we inform our new and potentially new members about all of the great opportunities that exist within the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce.

Come and get excited with us as we meet new faces and walk away with new ideas!

by:

Sept. 19th - Tampa

Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) is excited to sponsor the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce’s new Leadership, Education, And Development (LEAD) Program.

Session Two - Managing Change and

Innovation

Click image to register for LEAD Program today!

Save the Date!

Join members and guests of GRCC for our Monthly Membership Meeting Luncheon at the Winthrop Barn Theatre. This monthly event is always a GREAT networking opportunity!

Thank you to this month's sponsor, AdventHealth!

Advanced registration and payment requested. Seating is limited and nonrefundable.

Don’t miss this new networking experienceconnect with multiple people in one evening, enjoy appetizers, and purchase drinks at Happy Hour cost! There is no charge to attend this event. Space is limited, so register today!

Thank you to GRCC member, Bahama Breeze, for hosting!

Click image to register for Turbo Networking today! Click image to register for GRCC luncheon today!

L I C K T O R E G I S T E R

Save the Date!

Passport to GRCC - Business Expo 2023! Take a trip with the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce through our Passport to GRCC Business Expo! Grab your special business "passport" and journey through our Expo as we showcase local businesses and entrepreneurs. Enjoy food, drink, live music, and multiple vendors where you can purchase those souvenirs during your journey!

Open to ALL businesses, nonprofits, home-based, and food/beverage providers! Showcase your business, engage with the community, and grow your business connections. Space is limited, so get registered today! Many different sponsorship/exhibitor levels available!

Member Spotlight

Accent American joined the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce in 2017. Accent American is owned and operated by Ken and Lisa Jordan. It is a family owned and operated business in Tampa since 1985, providing high quality, certified professional carpet and upholstery cleaning, including leather, tile grout cleaning, Oriental and specialty rug cleaning, as well as water damage, fire damage, smoke and nicotine damage, mold remediation and restoration, and more.

Accent American proudly serves Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk and most of Pasco counties. When selecting a Tampa area carpet cleaning and disaster restoration company, knowledge, credentials and reputation are a must. They pride themselves on honest, professional, on-time service and stand behind their work 100%.

Our goal as a company is to make every customer we do business with a "life long" customer. This is why our first priority is to ensure that your carpet, upholstery, tile grout and Oriental rugs are cleaned to your satisfaction each and every time.

For more information, visit https://accentamerican.com/

Majesty Title Services became a member of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce in 2018. Majesty Title is a full service title agency, providing their business- influencing clients and their clients with service and protection on their real estate transactions. Their expertise and leadership differentiate them from the competition. They are a national firm, with a local focus.

Their title solutions provide evidence of title and insure real property ownership, the cornerstone to a safe and successful real estate transaction. Competent funds disbursements, purchase contract execution, and seamless property ownership transfer are the keys to successful residential closings. Majesty Title Services handles transactions in which land trusts are involved, and legal document recording, search projects, and foreclosure proceedings are a few of the ancillary services provided to ensure long-term security through title solutions. They also handle transactions involving 1031 Exchanges, and construction loans that have ongoing disbursements.

For more information, visit https://majestytitle.com/

Non-Profit Spotlight

ECHO (Emergency Care Help Organization) joined the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce in 2009. ECHO’s mission is to assist residents of Hillsborough County in crisis with emergency food and clothing, offering life stabilizing programs and resources.

The ECHO Food Pantry along with the ECHO Clothing closet was created to assist neighbors who have suffered a recent emergency and need help with food and clothing, or have undergone a recent loss of a job, or reduced income due to health issues, house fire, require help for emergency foster children, or other hardships are encouraged to visit.

ECHO has excellent resources in place to help neighbors rebuild their livesopportunity to earn their GED, a workshop on how to navigate the resources available, a place they can feel comfortable learning how to search for jobs, create their resume and practice mock interviews. All programs are available FREE of charge.

For more information, visit https://echofl.org/

Experienced Autism Alliance has been a member of the Greater Riverview Chamber of Commerce since 2019. Experienced Autism Alliance is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting families with children and adults with Autism through charitable means.

Experienced Autism Alliance was constructed by parents Tanya and James Hines, who both have a child on the spectrum, and occupational therapist Amanda Grozdanic. The trio knew there was a lack of resources for families and wanted to use their experiences to assist families in the autism community. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization was specifically designed to link families to local resources and offer one-on-one consulting to help parents and caregivers navigate through the process of diagnosis and beyond.

The mission of Experienced Autism Alliance is to provide resources, education, and community events to improve the lives of families affected by autism.

For more information, visit https://autismalliancefl.org/about

Education and Training

Sept. 20 - Financing & Banking

Sept. 26 - Nonprofit Leadership Roundtable

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Hillsborough County assists existing and emerging businesses in Hillsborough County, through no-cost confidential business consulting, information, and low-cost training.