Chatter Jan-Feb 2015 online

2015 JAN/FEB

Chatter the Chamber

The Member News & Information Resource

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

Dear Members,

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

CHAMBER STAFF Mark Yoder President Dave Fairman Director of Membership Bethany Kopp Member Service Coordinator

On December 5, 2014, the Greater West Chester Chamber hosted the 35th Annual Mars Drinks Old-Fashioned Christmas Presented by QVC. Once again, the weather played a role in the event, but it wasn’t threatening enough to keep over 25,000 spectators from coming into Downtown West Chester to experience what some have called “the best parade to see live” period.

I want to start by thanking all of our sponsors, without their support this event would not be what it is today. I want to especially thank Mars Drinks for being our Title sponsor for the fourth year and QVC for their second year as Presenting Sponsor.

On December 24th and 25th, the Mars Drinks Old-Fashioned Christmas Presented

by QVC was aired multiple times on QVC to over 100 million households. The sky is the limit for the Old-Fashioned Christmas parade and for your Chamber; none of that would be possible without the support of our sponsors, our volunteers (especially Todd Marcocci and Amy Walp of Under the Sun Productions), and the community.

As we look forward to 2015, we have some very exciting happenings at the Chamber.

Our ThinkShopBuy…LOCAL program continues to build support and interest from the membership and the community at large. To date there are over 140 participating businesses offering discounts and incentives that are truly engaging the Greater West Chester Community and beyond.

In March, the Chamber will once again host the Walt Disney Company’s Disney Institute where we will present Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence.

This immersive benchmarking experience will engage you in the time-tested best practices, sound methodologies, and real life business lessons that sustained the global success of Disney for over 85 years. The result? Relevant tools and actionable strategies that can be adapted to achieve your transformation goals. We look forward to seeing you at this special offering from the Greater West Chester Chamber.

Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce

In April, we will host our annual 10 Grand event. Mary Lou Enoches will be returning for her 10th year and the Chamber Board has been hard at work to make the 10 Grand something even bigger and better in 2015…so stay tuned for details.

119 North High Street West Chester, PA 19380 tel 610.696.4046 fax 610.696.9110 www.greaterwestchester.com

We will then host the 2015 Iron Hill Twilight Criterium Race Series on Saturday, August 9. In addition to the Pro Men’s and Women’s races, we will once again host the Tolsdorf Tricycle Challenge…a huge success in 2014 that looks to bring many more businesses to the competition. Again, we are thankful for our very supportive sponsors and volunteers that really make this event possible. Please take a minute to check them out at IronHillTwilightCriterium.com.

So, as you can see there is a lot to look forward to in 2015. We are working very hard to connect you and your businesses to the Greater West Chester Community and beyond. Remember, we are here to be a resource for you and your business and want to answer the question: “What keeps you up at night?”, because helping you answer that, is what is going to make all of us successful.

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce took every precaution to ensure that all information is correct at the time of publishing. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

Design6˚ | connections count www.design6degrees.com

Mark Yoder, President Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber Welcomes New Members Advanced Detailing of the Main Line

The Perfect Fit Alterations

Sandler Training

Jennifer Oberg 31 Skyline Drive Glen Mills, PA 19342 808-269-0525 love@jenniferoberg.com www.theperfectfit.vpweb.com Apparel

Mr. Bob Sinton 466 Germantown Pike Lafayette Hill, PA 19444 610-940-0600 sinton@thetrainingcenterinc.com TTC.Sandler.com Training & Consulting

Pillar Real Estate Advisors

Santander Bank

Mr. Andrew Turner 433 West Market Street, Suite 9 West Chester, PA 19382 610-430-6255 aturner@PillarREA.com www.PillarREA.com Real Estate

Mr. Malcolm Weaver 50 West Market Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-431-9330 mweaver@santander.us www.santanderbank.com Banking/Saving/Loans

Primavera Fitness

Show-A-Tooth Photo Booth Co.

Matthew Reichert 145 West Gay Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-696-5685 mattcloutglass@gmail.com Retail

Mr. Nickolas Primavera 142 East Gay Street, Storefront West Chester, PA 19380 484-538-0089 TeamPrimaveraFitness@gmail.com Primavera-Fitness.com Fitness

Ms. Kelcie Rudman 1199 Blenheim Road West Chester, PA 19382 717-371-3513 ShowAToothPhotoBooth@gmail.com ShowAToothPhotoBooth.com Party Supplies/Balloons

Grateful Beans / Fennario

Rahn Agency / Farmer’s Insurance

Take Shape For Life

Mr. Alex Rahn 49 North Bailey Road Thorndale, PA 19372 484-722-4320 arahn@rahninsurance.com www.farmersagent.com/wrahn Insurance

Ms. Tracy Keim 1600 Barbara Drive Downingtown, PA 19335 484-888-1051 tmkeim@aol.com www.tracykeim.tsfl.com/explore Health Services & Products

Read 2 Dream Foundation

Trust Point Payroll

Ms. Carol Baker 511 North Brandywine Street West Chester, PA 19380 610-316-7521 CarolBaker211@comcast.net www.Read2Dream.com Not-For-Profit Organization

Rich Murray 657 Exton Commons Exton, PA 19341 610-624-3000 rm@trustpointpayroll.com www.trustpointpayroll.com Payroll & Tax Preparation

Mr. Matthew Davis 1281 King Road, Suite 200 West Chester, PA 19380 484-319-8284 matt.advanceddetailingml@gmail.com www.advanceddetailingmainline.com Automotive Services

Capital Commercial Real Estate Group Jennifer Minicozzi 3748 West Chester Pike Newtown Square, PA 19073 610-359-9700 jminicozzi@capitalcomre.com Real Estate

Clout Glass LLC

Mr. Brendan Greene 111 North Church Street West Chester, PA 19380 610-662-0570 fennario01@comcast.net Food & Beverages

GreenDrop Ms. Samantha Kresz 810 West Chester Pike West Chester, PA 19382 888-944-3767 skresz@gogreendrop.com www.gogreendrop.com Personal Services

Host Merchant Services Jeff Raybould 250 Corporate Boulevard, Suite L Newark, DE 19702 302-224-8129 jeff@hostmerchantservices.com Financial Services

RE/MAX Professional Realty, Inc. / D. Robins Mr. Daniel Robins 17 West Biddle Street West Chester, PA 19380 610-656-6288 danielrobins@remax.net paproperties.info Real Estate

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Thank you to our

Renewing Members in October & November 2014 Members for 20 - 29 years County Lines Magazine Halladay Florist First Niagara Bank

Our members are the foundation of our organization. To honor them we would like to congratulate and thank those who renewed their membership in October and November 2014.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

William S. Malany & Sons, Inc. Stalnaker Control Systems Green Mount Cemetery Assoc.

La Difference Salon & Day Spa ARAMARK @ WCU FAIRMAN’S Skate Shop Lorgus Flower Shop TnT Handling USA, Inc. West Chester Dental Arts

Dave Fairman Director of Membership

10 - 19 years StanAb, LP Independence Blue Cross Chester County Cat Hospital, P.C. Hicks Property Management, LLC

Stratus Interactive

Matlack Florist, Inc.

Sun East Federal Credit Union

Thoughts Embellished Inc. Play-A-Round Golf BackOffice Thinking M&T Bank Land Services USA, Inc. Donna Saul LLC, Assoc.

Business Strategist & Consultant AFJ Company Annette D. Telgarsky, P.C. Edward Jones Investments / E.Smith Jason Fallon / AnnieMac Home Mortgage Tree Top Builders, Inc. Parisian Cleaners Side Bar & Restaurant WSFS Bank Delightful Desserts & Culinary Creations Inc. Lisa Wolfe Music, LLC

Paychex

Cruisin’ Style LLC

PSE Staffing Solutions, Inc.

Ink Spot Printing & Copy Center

Canine Design William H. Bunch Auctioneer & Appraiser BLINK WCHE Unlimited Technology, Inc.

Chamber Chatter NEWS

Nask Door, Inc.

Susanin, Widman & Brennan, P.C.

Benny’s Pizzeria

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1 - 2 years

Buckley, Brion, McGuire, & Morris LLP

Krapf’s Coaches Inc.

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3 - 9 years

Henry Nace / State Farm Insurance

Wiggins Shredding Jillian Skrocki / Liberty Mutual Peak Legal Group Lee Smith Architects & Centaur Construction Company Artisan Exchange Chefanti, LLC Dr. Sharon Kelly Psychologist The Solana Willistown Krombolz Sheets Insurance Chester County Kitchen and Bath Moody’s Analytics

2015 GWCC Board Members Officers

Board of Directors

Donna Urian, Chairman Fischer Cunnane & Associates, Ltd.

Mary Bigham Town Dish, LLC

Debi Friedmann Blue Dog Printing & Design

Patrick M. McKenna Gawthrop Greenwood, PC

Robert Partridge, Chairman- Elect Cutanea Life Sciences

Bryan Brockson EDiS Construction & Development

Thomas Gavin The Chester County Hospital

Michelle Patrick West Chester University

Liz Golding Susquehanna Bank

Marisa Powell Pietro’s Prime

Nicole Grebloskie Arthur Hall Insurance

Donna Saul Donna Saul LLC, Assoc. Business Strategist & Consultant

Marc Ernest, Vice Chairman Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union Marjorie Wentz, Treasurer Trinity Wealth Management, LLC Andrew McMenamin, Secretary DNB First Chris Tolsdorf, Immediate Past Chairman Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express

John J. Cunningham Lamb McErlane PC Guy T. Dunn 1-800-905 Geek / Geeks On Call Helen Flanders YMCA Oscar Lasko Youth Program Center Robert Fraser West Chester Area School District

GOLF MEMBERSHIP WINNERS The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Applecross Country Club to offer renewing members an opportunity to win a Casual Golf Membership at Talamore and Applecross Country Clubs.

All current members are eligible to win during the month they renew their membership. The drawings will continue each month through December 2015.

Timothy Jefferis Penn Liberty Bank Quazi Khaled Mars Drinks North America, LLC Jeannie McGinn Fulton Bank

to the following businesses who were picked in a lottery drawing of Chamber businesses that renewed their memberships in October 2014 and November 2014:

Leigh Timberman Infiniti of West Chester

Mr. John F. Penny AFJ Company

Mrs. Mary Lou Enoches La Difference Salon & Day Spa

Mr. Paul Keogan BackOffice Thinking

Ms. Carol Campenni Lee Smith Architects & Centaur Construction Company

Ms. Ilysa Biles BLINK Sigmund J. Fleck Buckley, Brion, McGuire, & Morris LLP Mr. Eric Adams Chester County Kitchen and Bath Ms. Jo Anne Durako County Lines Magazine Mr. Jason Fallon Jason Fallon / AnnieMac Home Mortgage

Congratulations

Brian Stephenson Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

Mr. John C. Mosteller Green Mount Cemetery Assoc.

Mr. William I. Hicks Hicks Property Management, LLC Mrs. Lauren Blake Krombolz Sheets Insurance

Ms. Lisa Wolfe Lisa Wolfe Music, LLC Ms. Theresa A. Malany William S. Malany & Sons, Inc. Ms. Janet Alioto Moody’s Analytics Mr. Henry Nace Henry Nace / State Farm Insurance Mr. Steve Graves Play-A-Round Golf Ms. Kymberly Robinson Stratus Interactive Mr. Dan Wright Tree Top Builders, Inc. Ms. Emilie Gardner Wiggins Shredding

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Citizen of t h e Y ea r

By Dorothy Kennedy

Following his Father’s Lead, Outstanding Citizen Gives Back William “Bill” Ronayne learned early about giving back to the community. His late father, John T. “Jack” Ronayne, was an active volunteer with many organizations including Boy Scouts of America, Great Valley Little League, and the West Whiteland Historical Commission.

Bill, owner of Brandywine Valley Heating & Air Conditioning, began volunteering when he was 19, joining the West Chester Fire Department in 1974 and serving as an assistant chief from 2003 to 2008. After 40 years, he is still at it, fighting fires with Fame Fire Company and co-chairing the capital campaign for its building addition.

Over the years, Bill has offered his time and talent to a variety of organizations including the West Chester Area Senior Center, Rotary Club of West Chester, West Chester Area P.A.L., CAT Brandywine (Center for Arts & Technology), Chester County Council Boy Scouts of America, East Bradford Township, the Borough of West Chester and HVAC-industry associations too numerous to mention.

For his long term, ongoing, commitment to the community, the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce (GWCC) is honored to name Bill Ronayne its 2014 Outstanding Citizen of the Year. The award, given annually since 1948, will be presented during the Chamber’s annual banquet held Feb. 3, 2015 at the Desmond Hotel, Malvern.

“When you look at the criteria for the Outstanding Citizen award, Bill Ronayne is a perfect fit,’’ said Mark Yoder, GWCC president.

“His service is ongoing and far reaching, from civic groups to service organizations and school committees. Forty years of firefighting alone is amazing. The Chamber is honored and grateful to recognize him as its Outstanding Citizen of the Year.”

For his part, Bill said he was “caught off guard” when he learned of the award.

“I was humbled to be picked and to join such an elite group of past winners,” Bill said.

“The work I do in the community to give back is because I think the community has given me so much over the years. I love West Chester and the community we serve.”

Bill got into the HVAC field by accident when he went looking for a job out of high school. He was hired at Brewer Sheet Metal, West Chester, now Brewer Heating & Air Conditioning, in 1974 by owner Vernon Brewer, Jr., whom Bill describes as a “great mentor and long-time friend”. With 20 years’ experience in the HVAC industry, he started Brandywine Valley HVAC in the basement of his home in 1993. After five years in Exton, Brandywine Valley moved to its current location on Old Fern Hill Road, West Chester.

When he’s not working or volunteering, Bill plays ice hockey four days a week and enjoys racquetball, running and biking. As for the future, his goals are to “enjoy life, volunteer and work as long as I can to make a difference in people’s lives.”

Members of GWCC remain grateful for this outstanding citizen’s commitment to making Greater West Chester a great place in which to live and work.

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Chamber Chatter NEWS

How to Align Your Life with Your Objectives—Successfully We start each and every year with good intentions. “THIS YEAR”, we say, “This year I’ll get it right!”—we think, we plan, we set goals and we believe we will meet them. More often than not, this is followed by yet another end of quarter or end of year along with the realization we may not be as far along as we’d hoped. Let’s get real—staying on track isn’t easy, and in a world gone mad with ever increasing pressures, demands and distractions, sometimes it can seem near impossible. This is a scenario I’ve watched unfold with clients and client companies time and time again. I don’t know that I’ve found the perfect solution, but I have found one that works well for me, which I hope is worth sharing.

First and foremost, get clear on your objectives:

I know, you’ve heard this before, but getting it right is more easily said than done. The trick is to have one thing you want more than anything else, and be ruthless in your pursuit of it. It’s not for sissies, and it won’t make you all that popular with friends and family.

It’s important to remember the key to a successful life is balance, but the second most important element is clarity. Someone once told me a very long time ago to decide what I wanted in life and the price I was willing to pay for it, because “everything comes with a price”.

I have forgotten a lot of things in my life, but I have never forgotten that. What I have learned is that when you measure everything in your day and your life against this one goal, it’s amazing how focused you get, and how easy all else becomes.

Next, allow yourself time to think:

It’s easy to get stuck running from thing to thing and task to task, and get nothing done by the end of the day. You think the other items are important, and tell yourself that once you get them done that you’ll have time to devote to the one big thing you really want to accomplish. However, in the end all you do is exhaust your energy on the details that don’t matter, and don’t make a significant contribution to your bottom line or to your mental health. How often do you get to the end of a busy day and wonder what did you actually accomplish that meant anything? A really smart guy once said “ship something every day”. He wasn’t talking about shipping merchandise, but accomplishing one thing that moves your goal or your agenda forward. Otherwise, days, weeks and months go by and you’re watching friends, colleagues and competition move forward while you don’t. So ship something every day!

By: Donna Saul

Don’t overbook your day.

How often do you find yourself looking at a blank space in your calendar and stuffing a meeting or something else into it without regard for what’s surrounding it or what else you want to accomplish?

I found the simplest solution is to block out time each and every day for project work, errands, or anything else that is aligned with (a) my one big objective, or (b) with the things involved with the normal course of living life.

This prevents me from adding unimportant things to my calendar on a whim, or just because someone asked in a moment when I’d lost sight of my one single objective. Try it. You’ll be amazed at how much smoother your days become when measured against your main objective. In those times when you’re too busy to take a breath, stop and do just that—a mental check on whether you’re activities are still in alignment with your objectives, adding to your bottom line, or moving you towards your dream.

Establish priorities and commit to them, or as I once heard: “Do. Do not seek to do.”

Yoda-like, but still effective. You love your friends and family, yet you may confuse interruptions from them as importance. A call from a family member that they’re in the emergency room is important; someone else’s poor planning that forcibly becomes your priority is not important. It’s a game-changer to know the difference, especially in those times that anything other than the next step to your main objective is a step away.

Give these recommendations a shot. You might find that as your goals become more focused, your achievements become more fulfilling. There’s no better way to start your new year than with the assurance that you have a plan to make it your most productive year yet.

Donna Saul is a business strategist and consultant specializing in building companies with strong revenue streams and better bottom lines.

donna@donnasaul.com | 610.889.0626 | www.donnasaul.com

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Me mbe r Spotlight Losing a loved one is always a difficult time for family and friends, and trying to plan a funeral during this time can be overwhelming—with both financial and emotional burdens.

But thanks to Steve Founds, J. Allan Lester and Christopher Feryo, renowned members of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce since 1979, the West Chester community is in good hands when it comes to planning, honoring, and celebrating their loved one by offering their unique ABC Cremation and Burial Plan.

Founds Funeral Home, Inc. 229 S. High Street West Chester, PA 610.696.0134 www.foundsfuneralhome.com

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For three generations, the funeral home has provided dignified funeral and cremation services at an affordable cost throughout the Greater West Chester Area. Their dedicated staff understands how hard it is on families to plan such events, and they’ve stepped up to the plate to alleviate the unnecessary stress that comes with planning or pre-planning a funeral or cremation service.

“The Founds Funeral Home, Inc., ABC Cremation and Burial Plan is a lower-cost, direct cremation or graveside burial plan designed to allow grieving families the freedom to participate in the end-of-life process of their loved one. The greater the degree of participation, the greater the total savings realized by the family.”

The Founds Funeral Home, Inc. is located at 229 South High Street in West Chester and is honored to assist you in your time of need, and will do everything in their power to make your experience a meaningful and memorable one. They can be contacted at 610.696.0134, please visit their website at www.foundsfuneralhome.com.

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Chamber Chatter NEWS

By: Spencer Deane

Call that client today, it’s easier than you think; they don’t bite.

Let me say right at the start: I don’t love the telephone.

In fact, I often go out of my way to avoid using it.

I’m not talking about cold calling - I’m referring to normal everyday calls such as follow-ups to new prospects.

And the ridiculous thing is it’s not based on any kind of rationale whatsoever.

With today’s easy access to emails and social media, it’s easy to avoid using the phone. Why call someone when you can turn to technology instead? It takes up less time for starters. And when we have lots of things to do, we put the phone calls to the bottom of our to-do list.

Remember if they are follow-up calls to prospects you KNOW these people, you’ve had some dealings with them. It is NOT a cold call.

Don’t think, oh no, I’ve got all these calls I need to make; consider what could result from ringing the first five people. How much value could an hour’s planned calling provide you?

It’s easy to procrastinate. We busy ourselves with email, and stuff in the business and we stop considering the value and importance of making those calls.

How many times do you make those calls and think: What was that all about? Why was I putting it off? And you laugh at yourself.

And as a result, the problem gets bigger and bigger and bigger.

And the list of follow-up calls gets longer and longer and longer.

Phone-avoidance can create a blind spot, even a fear. Why does it create that fear? Fear of failure, fear of rejection? Sometimes when you rationalize it, you laugh at yourself. Why don’t I pick up the phone more often?

We need to love the telephone. Perhaps again, perhaps for the first time. Welcome the challenge of speaking to people. After all, what’s the worst thing that could happen?

So what next? Get rid of the distractions. Make the calls outside of your office if necessary. Move to another table in your office as if you are going to a meeting. Get rid of the negative emotions you normally feel in your chair and shift your mentality.

In fact, enough of writing a blog about loving the telephone, I need to make some calls.

Spencer Deane is a Partner at TAB – (The Alternative Board – PA & Ohio Valley) TAB helps forward-thinking business owners grow their businesses, increase profitability and improve their lives by leveraging local business advisory boards, private business coaching and proprietary strategic services.

sdeane@tabpaohvalley.com | 610.517.0798 | www.tabpaohvalley.com

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Awareness Highlights Need for

By Dorothy Kennedy

Mosteller Community Service Award Winner Awareness of domestic violence has increased dramatically since the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County (DVCCC) was founded nearly 40 years ago. Nationally, recent incidents involving high profile athletes have focused attention on the issue and, sadly, local awareness has grown due to the deaths of victims in Chester County highlighting the ongoing need for education, outreach and support.

Since it was founded in 1976, DVCCC has helped over 35,000 survivors of domestic violence, providing direct services to 3,100 victims annually.

For its exemplary longterm service to the West Chester and Chester County communities, the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce (GWCC) is honored to recognize DVCCC with its 2014 Mosteller Community Service Award to be presented during the Chamber’s annual banquet on February 3, 2015 at the Desmond Hotel, Malvern.

In naming DVCCC its Mosteller Award recipient, Mark Yoder, GWCC president, said the Chamber looked at the organization’s diverse programs, its quick and effective response to victims of domestic violence and its ongoing efforts to train and educate the public as well as professionals including police, health care workers and school personnel.

“The Chamber is honored to recognize the outstanding service the Domestic Violence Center provides locally and throughout the county,” he said. “The depth and breadth of its programming is truly awe-inspiring. We salute the many volunteers who are working every day to educate children, adults and professionals before domestic violence occurs and respond to individuals when it does.”

According to Dolly Wideman-Scott, CEO of DVCCC, one in three women and one in seven men will experience domestic violence. Victims can be of any age, gender, race, socioeconomic background and education level. One in three teenagers experience dating violence each year.

Founded in 1976, DVCCC provides intervention, education, outreach, advocacy and programs to prevent, reduce and remedy domestic violence in Chester County. Free and confidential services include: 24-hour hotline, support groups, legal advocacy, emergency shelter & transitional housing programs, children’s programs & counseling, and community education & training. The Center provides services in English and Spanish at its main, confidentially-located site and at satellite sites in Coatesville, Kennett Square and Oxford. The agency now has a presence in Phoenixville.

A major new component is the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) which helps identify victims of domestic violence who are at the greatest risk of being killed. The goal is to get them out of harm’s way, if necessary, and encourage them to contact DVCCC while the police are on scene. To date, DVCCC has trained 36 of Chester County’s 45 police departments and aims to have all departments trained and implementing the program in 2015.

The organization’s other goals include: • continuing its outreach to the youth of Chester County with presentations on how to have healthy relationships and what to do in a dating violence situation.

• increasing education and training for businesses.

• raising funds to rehab one of its properties to four 1-bedroom apartments for single victims of domestic violence.

Dolly Wideman-Scott said DVCCC and its many volunteers are honored to be recognized by the GWCC. “On behalf of the courageous survivors of domestic violence, the Domestic Violence Center is humbly grateful for this honor,” she said. “It takes a community to help break the cycle of violence and build a violence-free community for everyone.”

The Domestic Violence Center of Chester County’s mission is to provide intervention, education, outreach, advocacy and programs to prevent, reduce and remedy domestic violence in Chester County.

610-431-3546 | www.dvccc.com

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Chamber Chatter NEWS

Understanding Asset Allocation and Diversification Asset allocation and diversification are two buzzwords often used in the investment community. The goal today is to help understand what they mean.

What is Asset Allocation?

Asset allocation is deciding what percentage of your money you want divided into various buckets, mainly stocks, bonds, and cash.

How you decide to allocate your money into these different options should be defined by your risk tolerance, time horizon, income, expectations, and various other factors.

Generally speaking, if you are a risky investor you will have more of your money invested in stocks. History shows us that stocks have a greater likelihood of earning money over the long run. Stocks also have a greater chance of losing money.

If you are a conservative investor, you will likely be more comfortable with bonds or cash. Bonds and cash historically earn less. So why would you ever choose to earn less? Primarily because you aren’t comfortable with the inherent ups and downs of stocks.

There is good news for bonds too. The good news is bonds typically have less volatility (aka, they are unexciting). The ups aren’t as high, but the lows aren’t as low.

Keep in mind all bonds are not created equal. Depending on the type of bond you purchase, you may be exposed to credit risk, prepayment risk, default risk, and interest rate risk.

What Should My Asset Allocation Be? This is the million dollar question! The decision on how you allocate your assets is a critical one.

Your initial asset allocation will be dictated by a number of considerations.

By: Daniel R. Zajac

The goal is to balance your return expectations (how much you want to make) with your appetite for risk (how much are you willing to lose).

The lower risk, high return mythical unicorn we all seek doesn’t exist (if you think you’ve found it, I am assuming your friend Big Foot told you about it while visiting the leprechaun at the end of the rainbow.

Sarcasm my friends, sarcasm).

Keep in mind your allocation can change as your financial situation changes. Some things to consider are the following: - If and when you need the money - What type of money is it (IRA, ROTH IRA, 401k, taxable, etc.)

- Do you have other assets in addition to these assets - Your age

What is Diversification?

Assuming you have already decided on an appropriate allocation as discussed above, the next step is to pick investments to help fill your need. The goal should be to invest in a number of similar but different strategies.

When looking at stocks, you can diversify into large, medium, or small cap stocks (or stock funds). You can choose growth or value stocks. You can decide if including international stocks makes sense for your portfolio. You can even look into emerging market stocks and weigh the potential versus risk for your comfort zone.

Bonds have all different types too. You can be invested in short term or long term bonds (or bond funds). You can include corporate, municipal, or government bonds, bonds with high quality, or high yield.

A good diversification strategy should allow your money to be invested in stocks and bonds with multiple objectives and expectations.

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author(s) noted and may or may not represent the views of Capital Analysts, Inc. or Lincoln Investment. The material presented is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing contained herein should be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. As with all investments, past performance is no guarantee of future results. No person or system can predict the market. All investments are subject to risk, including the risk of principal loss. Asset allocation or diversification does not guarantee a profit or protect against loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Small cap stocks may be subject to a higher degree of risk than larger, more established companies’ securities, including higher risk of failure and higher volatility. The illiquidity of the small-cap market may adversely affect the value of these investments so those shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. The Standard & Poor’s Midcap 400 is a capitalization weighted index that measures the performance of the mid-range sector of the U.S. stock market. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. Mid-cap stocks may involve additional risks due to their greater volatility and lower liquidity than larger companies. Large cap stocks typically have at least $5 billion in outstanding market value. Corporate bonds are debt securities issued by a corporation and sold to investors. The backing for the bond is usually the payment ability of the company, which is typically money to be earned from future operations. In some cases, the company’s physical assets may be used as collateral for bonds.

Corporate bonds are considered higher risk than government bonds. As a result, interest rates are almost always higher. Municipal bonds are debt securities issued by a state, municipality or county to finance its capital expenditures. Municipal bonds are exempt from federal taxes and from most state and local taxes, especially if the investor lives in the state in which the bond is issued. Government bonds are guaranteed by the U.S. Government and if held to maturity, offer a fixed rate of return and fixed principal amount. Guarantee only applies to the timely payment of principal and interest and does not pertain to the portfolio, mutual fund, or variable annuity holding such securities. Values will fluctuate, and upon redemption, share values may be worth more or less than the original investment. Advisory services offered through Capital Analysts, Inc. or Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc., Registered Investment Advisors. Securities offered through Lincoln Investment Planning, Inc., Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA/SIPC. www.lincolninvestment.com SimoneZajac Wealth Management Group, LLC. is not affiliated with Capital Analysts, Inc. or Lincoln Investment. None of the information in this document should be considered tax or legal advice. You should consult your legal or tax advisor for information concerning your individual situation.

Daniel R. Zajac, CFP®, AIF®, CLU® is a senior advisor with Simone Zajac Wealth Management Group. You can learn more about Daniel and read his thoughts on financial planning at www.financeandflipflops.com.

daniel@simonezajac.com | 610.363.1344 | www.simonezajac.com

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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An Update from Harrisburg:

From Elections to the Budget Now that the holidays have come and gone, everyone in Harrisburg has turned their focus toward Pennsylvania’s economy and the deficit challenge that awaits the new leadership in the legislature and the newly elected Governor Tom Wolf. PA’s economy in November yielded a surplus of about a million dollars but this growth pales in comparison to the deficit of nearly $2 billion dollars that must be addressed next fiscal year.

The PA Independent Fiscal Office (IFO) estimates PA’s annual revenue to grow about 2.7% over the next five years and also expects annual costs to increase by 4.7%. The IFO also asserts that there is only about $50 million dollars left to the state’s credit line for borrowing. In addition, Budget Secretary Charles Zogby held the administration’s mid-year budget briefing recently where he confirmed prior estimates of a nearly $2 billion planning deficit heading into the coming fiscal year.

Secretary Zogby began by shedding light on the seemingly systemic tradition of handling the budget in Pennsylvania, and expressed concerns on how mandated cost growth is accounted for well before final revenues numbers and reforms are implemented for the new budget. In the coming fiscal year, Secretary Zogby noted, mandated expenditures will increase by more than $1.8 billion dollars.

The largest costing increase will come from human services which will grow by $910 million. Public pension costs are expected to increase by $592 million. Corrections and debt service will expand by nearly $328 million this year.

In addition to mandated spending increases Secretary Zogby highlighted a loss in state revenue of $14 million due to the Philadelphia cigarette tax and a possible loss of $125 million from gaming license revenues and a potential loss of $95 million from non-impact drilling as well.

Secretary Zogby’s report did not solely focus on the negatives as he called for solutions in pension reform, especially to Act 120 which like employee’s benefits are pulling more and more from the state’s General Fund each and every year.

With the future shape of PA’s economy unclear, especially under a new Governor and an overwhelming majority of Republican legislators there may be some reforms to the state’s tax structure and budget.

4.7% cost increase

Harrisburg

2.7%

11 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

revenue Growth

Compliance with the New Repair Regulations may Provide Additional Deductions in 2014 Effective for 2014 all businesses are required to comply with the recently issued tangible property rules. Tangible property is anything which can be touched, and includes both real estate and personal or moveable property. These rules determine whether expenses related to those assets will be capitalized or expensed.

Although the regulations are effective for 2014, it requires every business to examine their prior year expenditures and bring them into compliance with the current law. Businesses with real estate and large equipment may be greatly affected by the changes. Failure to comply with the new regulations can cause a loss of deductions and create prior year tax assessments and penalties.

Prior to the regulations there was ambiguous guidance on how expenditures to existing assets should be treated for tax purposes. The lack of definitive regulations created differences in how the same expense was treated amongst various businesses. Practitioners and their clients frequently used cost as a base guidance on whether to capitalize or expense.

What has changed?

Under the new regulations there are definitions and tests to classify these expenditures on existing assets. Cost is not a factor. Each expenditure will fall into one of several buckets. Improvements to be capitalized are defined as restoration, betterment and adaptation.

Repairs, maintenance, materials and supplies will continue to be expensed. The regulation also allows for the expensing of undepreciated components of real property that have been replaced.

What does this mean for your business?

Business owners will have to review current and prior year expenditures to determine their classification under the new procedures.

Determine how those items would appear on your books as of the end of the year.

- Expenses that should have been capitalized will be recorded as assets and depreciated through 2014.

- The remaining value of assets that should have been expenses will be expensed as of the end of 2014.

By: Kathy Wileczek

What if I don’t comply?

Failure to comply with the changes can be expensive.

Repairs that are deductible under the new regulations may have to be capitalized.

A permanent loss of depreciation, if a disposal has not been accounted for properly.

Future increased costs of filing a Form 3115 once outside the window provided.

A potential increase in audit risk because the IRS is expecting most business-related tax returns will include a Form 3115.

Giving the IRS the ability to potentially dictate whether an item is a deductible repair or an item that has to be capitalized if the change of accounting method is not adopted in a timely manner.

Circular 230 governs practice before the IRS (including by CPAs and other enrolled tax return preparers), which includes preparing documents, filing documents, and communicating with the IRS. If a CPA files a federal tax return for 2014 for a client without the appropriate forms or certain election statements, the CPA could be in violation of Circular 230 and subject to disciplinary action. Failure to comply with Circular 230 could result in censure, suspension, or disbarment of any practitioner from practice before the IRS. Your accountant will work with you to determine what information is needed to file this year. Even businesses with no monetary changes will need to file for a change in accounting method. Every business will be impacted differently and it is important to work with your accountant to make sure that the correct elections are made.

The sum of these changes will need to be reported on your 2014 return as change in accounting method (Form 3115).

Kathy Wileczek, CPA, Principal at Maillie LLP (formerly Maillie Falconiero & Company, LLP), a CPA firm with over 65 years of experience in business, government and non-profit accounting, and business advisory.

kwileczek@mallie.com | 610-696-4353 | www.maillie.com

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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Adopt-A-Lamppost Program – 2014 The Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester would like to thank the following companies and individuals for their generous support of adopting one or more of the Christmas wreaths that decorate downtown West Chester for the holiday season:

Gold Bow Sponsor

Red Bow Sponsor

Green Bow Sponsor

(Adopting 6 or more wreaths) The Daniel Robins Team Re/ Max Professional Realty

(Adopting 3-5 wreaths) Arthur Hall Insurance

(Adopting 1-2 wreaths) A. Roy Smith

Brickhouse Environmental

Battavio Plumbing Heating & Cooling

ABC Hearing Net

Cutanea Life Sciences

Beth Trapani & Dr. Jim Scanlon

John Serock Catering

Bill & Linda Scott

Kelly’s Sports, Ltd

Brandywine Valley Heating & A/C

Let Freedom Ring M&T Bank and Wilmington Trust, N.A. Meridian Bank Penn Liberty Bank Radley Run Country Club Side Bar & Restaurant Tague Design Showroom The Chester County Hospital Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, P.C. William M. Dunleavy and Company Inc.

Comcast Spotlight DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc. Fulton Bank MacElree Harvey Manito Abstract Company, Inc. National Penn Bank Penn’s Table Restaurant Rams Head Bar & Grill Saints Peter & Paul School SP&O Susquehanna Bank Swope Lees Commercial Real Estate, LLC

Barnaby’s West Chester Clarke, Nicolini & Associates, Ltd.

Lewis, Hopkins & Williamson, Inc. Market Street Print Penn Office Products, Inc. Rhoads Creative, Inc. Richard C. Nelson

Cobblestone Realty

Rothwell Document Solutions

Connections Program, Davidson School/Elwyn

Ryan’s Pub

Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House

Safe Harbor of Chester County, Inc.

Don Walls Custom Painting

Saint Agnes School

Dorset Connects

StanAb, LP

Edward Jones Investments

The Arc of Chester County

Founds Funeral Home, Inc.

The Hickman

Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union

West Chester Area Day Care Center

Henry Nace / State Farm Insurance

West Chester Asset Management, Inc.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

West Chester Business Improvement District

James E. Yiaski, CPA Jon & Judi Ivins

West Chester Off-Campus Housing

The metropolitan east goshen

Keystone Federal Credit Union

William Wood Company, LLC

The metropolitan west chester

Kildare’s

Windle Water Works

Thomas Comitta Associates, Inc.

Krapf’s Coaches Inc.

Zukin Realty Inc.

Univest Bank and Trust Co.

Kreutz Creek Winery

Weed Man Lawn Care

Landmark Americana

William S. Malany & Sons, Inc.

13 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

Aquaterra Technologies, Inc.

Law Offices of David M. Melchiorre, LLC

CHAT AROUND THECHAMBER CHAMBER CHAT AROUND THE West Chester Does Small Business Saturday Right with

Jamie Jones

WhirlAway Travel

This past Saturday I made it my mission, with three kids in tow, to support Downtown West Chester local businesses for Small Business Saturday. With the help of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce’s Think Shop Buy LOCAL app, we were able to not only check in at 10 participating stores, but knock out a ton of holiday shopping! The best part about shopping local was the uniqueness of the gifts that I was able to purchase! I was able to schedule my annual office Christmas surprise, found children’s gifts, Pollyanna gifts, a mother-in-law gift, plus got some great ideas for the kids that I can pass on to Santa!

We even ate lunch at a participating restaurant that we have never tried before and it was DELICIOUS! Small Business Saturday was a great opportunity to support local businesses, find great gifts, and most of all, have fun with my kids!”

We booked three weddings on Small Business Saturday and the store was busy throughout the day with people preparing for the upcoming holiday season! All of us at Cakes and Candies by Maryellen look forward to spreading the holiday cheer whenever customers use the ThinkShopBuy...LOCAL app.”

Maryellen Bowers

Cakes and Candies by Maryellen

Chamber Chatter 1 Issue

(2 Months) Advertising Rates

Eighth Page/Business Card 3.625” (w) x 2.25” (h) Quarter Page 3.625” (w) x 4.75” (h) Half Page 7.5” (w) x 4.75” (h)

. . . . . .

3 Issue (6 Months) Save 10%

6 Issue (12 Months) Save 20%

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Full Page 7.5” (w) x 9.75” (h) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $300.00. . . . . . . . . . . $810.00. . . . . . . . $1,440.00 Space reservation is due by the 1st of the month prior to publication (i.e. March/April edition-reservation due by Feb. 1, and the ad itself is due Feb. 8).

The Chamber Chatter is a bi-monthly publication with a circulation of 1100. It is free to members of the Chamber. Editorial Content and advertising is limited to Chamber members. Editorial coverage does not imply or indicate Chamber endorsement of members business, product or services.

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January Events Calendar

1 2 3

4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22 23 24

25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Thursday, January 15

Wednesday, January 22

Business Card Exchange

Lunchtime Networking

Uptown! Entertainment Alliance – New Theater in downtown at the Armory

Torchiana Automotive Business

Co-Sponsored by:

John Serock Catering Thursday, January 15

Wednesday, January 22

226 South High Street, West Chester 5:30pm – 7:30pm

319 Westtown Road, West Chester 12:00 – 1:30pm

Free for members | $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

Free for members | $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

Wednesday, January 28

Thursday, January 29

Women’s Executive Round Table

Membership Luncheon

“As a Non-Profit CEO, How I Lead and What I Value in my Board Members”

“Understanding how Banks evaluate you for Credit”

with Frances Sheehan, President and CEO Brandywine Health Foundation Sponsored by

Wednesday, January 28

Thursday, January 29

Faunbrook Bed and Breakfast 699 West Rosedale Avenue, West Chester 5:30pm – 8:00pm

Concord Country Club 1601 Wilmington Pike, West Chester 11:45am – 1:00pm

$55 for members | $65 for non-members RSVP is required

$25 for members | $35 for non-members RSVP is required

15 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

February Events Calendar

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 21

22 23 24 25 26 27 28

Tuesday, February 3

Tuesday, February 10

Annual Banquet

Coffee Connection

Honoring 2014 Citizen of the Year Bill Ronayne & the J. Dewees Mosteller Community Service Award Recipient Domestic Violence Center of Chester County

YMCA - Oscar Lasko Center

Sponsored by :

Tuesday, February 3 The Desmond Hotel Cocktails – 5:45pm | Dinner – 6:30pm

Tuesday, February 10 1 East Chestnut Street, West Chester 7:45am – 9:00am

See page 17 for details

Free for members | $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

Wednesday, February 25

EVERY TuesDAY @ 1PM

Women’s Executive Round Table

Chamber Chatter Radio Show Listen Live

with Angela Magasko, President and CEO – Marketing Viewpoint Sponsored by

www.wche1520.com

Wednesday, February 25 Pietro’s Prime 125 West Market Street, West Chester 5:30pm – 8:00pm

Proudly Supported by:

$55 for members | $65 for non-members RSVP is required

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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10 TH ANNIVERSARY

10 GRAND CLUB Save The Date – Tickets on Sale Now Friday, April 10, 2015 7:00pm – 10:00pm

GRAND PRIZE OF $10,000

Join us for the 10th anniversary of the biggest night in West Chester featuring food, fun and chances! This year we’ll be giving away TVs, gift cards and more! Unlike previous years, everyone will walk away as a winner. Get your tickets now to find out what we mean! $200 per ticket (only 200 available) $50 Guest Ticket (limit 1 per $200 ticket)

Buy your ticket now for your best chance to get your lucky number.

Call Us Today to Reserve a Ticket at 610-696-4046! *You do not have to be present to win.

A portion of the proceeds support the Education Foundation Scholarships.

GWCC ANNUAL BANQUET Annual Banquet

Tuesday, February 03, 2015 | The Desmond Hotel Corporate Sponsorship – $1600 • Full page ad in program • Premium seating for 10 • Banner placement • Name recognition

Cocktails 5:30 pm | Dinner 6:45 pm One Liberty Boulevard, Malvern, PA

Executive Sponsorship – $1200 • Half page ad in program • Seating for 10 • Name recognition

2014 Outstanding Citizen of the Year

William Ronayne

Director Sponsorship – $550 • Business Card ad in program • Seating for 4

Individual Seat – $90

J. Dewees Mosteller Community Service Award Recipient

Domestic Violence Center of Chester County To purchase tickets, visit www.GreaterWestChester.com

17 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

Sponsored by

Save Money While Supporting Local Businesses with

College Hunks Hauling Junk 316 E Union Street Professional Services

Landmark Americana 158 W Gay Street Dining

Strickler Insurance Agency 127 E. Chestnut St. Suite C Professional Services

MoreVent Heating Cooling Plumbing 1041 Andrew Drive Personal Services

Visit www.GreaterWestChester.com to Download “ThinkShopBuy...LOCAL” Today!

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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19 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

Advisor. Advocate. Agent.

610-696-2394 | www.arthurhall.com

Are you ready to bring clarity to your business challenges? Are you ready to inspire new ways of thinking about organizational effectiveness? Then, you’re ready to D’Think…

GWCC Welcomes Disney Institute Disney’s Approach to Leadership Excellence This immersive benchmarking experience will engage you in the time-tested best practices, sound methodologies, and real life business lessons that sustained the global success of Disney for over 85 years. The result? Relevant tools and actionable strategies that can be adapted to achieve your transformation goals.

Thursday, March 26, 2015 8:00am – 4:00pm Days Hotel West Chester

Registration GWCC Early Bird Members - $299 Non-Members - $399

To learn more and to register for this powerful event, visit: GreaterWestChester.com

Sponsored by:

As to Disney artwork/properties: © Disney

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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www.edwardjones.com

Meeting on your schedule, not ours.

Face-to-face meetings. One-on-one relationships.

How did Edward Jones become one of the biggest financial services companies in the country? By not acting like one.

Jeff Kitchen, AAMS® .

Financial Advisor

.

Eric S Smith, CFP®, AAMS®

Brad Abel

Financial Advisor

Financial Advisor

.

105 South High Street 704 West Nields Street, Suite G West Chester, PA 19382 West Chester, PA 19382 DARE_ad_chamber_011714.pdf 610-436-4101 1 1/17/14 1:46 PM 610-430-1320

MKT-8275-A-AD © 2013 EDWARD JONES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Family Owned Since 1976

C

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CM

MY

CY

CMY

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610-696-7153

dareauto.com

Our Services Include: PA State & Emissions Inspection • Heating & Air Conditioning • Brakes & Tune-Ups Alignments • Oil, Lube & Filter Changes • Preventative Maintenance • Tire Services Foreign & Domestic Cars • Same Day Service Local Shuttle Service • Belts & Hoses

301 S. Bolmar Street, West Chester, PA 19382 8:30-5:30 Monday-Friday • 8:30-4:00 Saturday 21 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

.

105 South High Street West Chester, PA 19382 610-430-1320

Chamber Chatter NEWS

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Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce 119 North High Street West Chester, PA 19380

PRSRT STD U.S. Postage

PAID

West Chester, PA Permit #177

Image vs. Perception The way you think of your business and the way your customers perceive your business may be fundamentally different, which is why it is essential for every business to develop a strategic marketing plan and stick to it.

Learn more at design6degrees.com/perceptions and let Design6Ëš help you achieve your goals in 2015.

New thinking for a brand new year. | design6degrees.com | 610.844.9868