Bitterroot Business News
406-363-2400 - fax 406-363-2402 105 East Main - Hamilton MT 59840 QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER -- January 2013
Chamber Officers for 2013 The 2013 Bitterroot Valley Chamber President is Rosie Huckstadt. Rosie and her husband Gene own Old West Gallery, Gifts & Antiques in Darby. President-elect is Sherri Williams, manager of First American Title in Hamilton and Treasurer is Scott Henderson, President of the First Interstate Bank branch in Hamilton. Congratulations to our newly elected officers!
Your 2013 Board of Directors & Staff
2013 Board Members
The Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome our newest Board Members for 2013: Ann Bethea is owner of Florence Ace Hardware, along with her husband Jim. Ann has been a business woman and leader in her field for the past 28 years. We look forward to having her with us for the next three (3) years. Dixie Dies is the Public Information Officer for the Northwestern Rockies Incident Management Team. She is involved with various non profit organizations throughout the valley and will be a great asset to the Board. Scott Henderson - Scott is President of the Hamilton Branch of First Interstate Bank, and has over 20 years experience in the banking industry. Scott will also serve as 2013 Chamber Treasurer. Andy Polumsky and his wife Teri, are owners of By Owner/Polumsky Properties in Hamilton. Andy has been involved with the Chamber in the past and brings with him 39 years of management experience. Laura Reichart and her husband, Hal, own and operate Bella Valle Italian Restaurant in Hamilton. Laura brings a wealth of experience and management to the Board and we look forward to her next three years. Mike Sadowski is CEO of Ravalli Services Corporation in Hamilton. Mike began his employment with RSC in 2008, and since that time they have completely restructured and rebuilt the organization. For several years he has wanted to become more involved with the community and we believe he will provide a lot of value as a Board member.
IN THIS ISSUE
Letters from Director ........................... Page 2 Letter from the President ..................... Page 2 Committee Updates ............................. Page 3 Chamber’s Annual Banquet ................ Page 3 Montna Chamber Choices ................ Page 4 Advertising Opportunities ................... Page 5 Ambassadors Open House ................... Page 6 Board of Directors .............................. Page 7 Calendar .............................................. Page 8
Letter from Director . . . Al Mitchell
Greetings and Best wishes for a healthy, happy and prosperous 2013!
We are looking forward to a fantastic year here at the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce. We started out January with a great winter retreat at the Skalkaho Steakhouse, where we welcomed our six new directors on board. During our day long retreat we held an orientation for the new board, had a super presentation on our new website (www.bitterrootchamber.com), conducted our monthly meeting and then discussed goals for 2013. I mention our new website because we are offering our members a great advertising opportunity! For a six month period, February through July, we are offering our members a chance to advertise on the new site for the low introductory rate of $60. That is just $10/ month. See details about this opportunity below. Another event to mark on your calendar is our Annual Chamber Banquet, which will be held on Saturday, March 16th at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton. More details will follow, but I am looking forward to our new President Rosie Huckstadt being our emcee for the evening once again. Theme for the event is a Black and White Affair with a touch of Green. Our 19th annual Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce Brewfest, which will be held on July 27th, is another project that we are very excited about. Co-chairs Steve Weber and Justine Morris, with the help of Greg Carter and the rest of the committee are committed to making this our best event ever. Goals that we discussed for this year include increasing our membership for the Chamber , as well as for our Ambassador group, and of course, striving to meet the needs of our membership. We want to help bring customers to your door. Remember, Our business is YOUR business! Again thanks for your membership investment and let us know if we can help you at any time throughout the year.
–Al Mitchell, director
Letter from our President ...
Rosie Huckstadt
Greetings and Salutations for the New Year of 2013.
Yes, it’s me again Rosie Huckstadt from Darby, they keep asking me to come back and I keep agreeing. As most of you know I am very pro Valley and very pro Chamber. We just attended our Chamber Winter Retreat at Skalkaho Steakhouse and made a list of goals for the coming year. I know you will be as pleased as I am with the 6 new board members. Make it a point to meet them. I want to thank the members in advance for all of your help and support that you give us. When we come to you for donations for the awards banquet, you give willingly. When we ask you to fill out a survey, you are there. When we ask you to come to Ribbon Cuttings and Business After Hours, you are there for us. We value your input and appreciate your membership. We are so proud of our 7 towns that make up the valley from north to south and want to do the best we can to serve you. Please feel free to call me at any time with your questions. I’m anxious to be your President and help accomplish the goals that we have set for 2013. Mark your calendars for a fun Open House that the Ambassadors are hosting February 7th...just a fun time from 5 to 7 at Lambros Realty for networking and an all-around fun time of refreshments and good times - you won’t want to miss it. The last time Donna Larson and I planned this, we had a packed house.
We again ask your help in sending us your nominations for the award winners for our upcoming awards banquet. We collect the names of people all year long, that stand out in some way in each community, and want you to be a part of this process. If you know any person in your community that stands out or is more than helpful...give us a call with your nomination and we will do the rest. The annual Awards Banquet will be Saturday March 16th at the Bitterroot River Inn...I personally promise you a fun filled evening and terrific food. This will be a good excuse to dress up, dust off the tuxedos, buy the wife a gown and have dinner with friends. So reserve a table for 8 early, last year we had to turn people away. So start thinking about getting your tickets now. More information to follow. I will sign off for now, you will be hearing from me from time to time and with more updates. Again, thank you for your faithfulness and your membership in the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce. Rosie Huckstadt President.
Ravalli Electric Co-op
Corvallis, MT - (406) 961-3001 - wwww.ravallielectric.com A Touchstone Energy Partner
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107th Annual Chamber Banquet
Black & White Affair with touch of green
at Bitterroot River Inn Conference Center Hamilton
Saturday, March 16 5:30 p.m. ~ No-host Cocktails 7:00 p.m. ~ Dinner 7:30 p.m. ~ Auction 8:00 ~ Awards
Dinner ~ Awards Live Auction ~ Silent Auction
SAVE The Date - The 107th Annual Chamber Banquet has been set for Saturday, March 16th at the Bitterroot River Inn in Hamilton. This year’s theme will be ‘A Black & White Affair, with a touch of green’ and according to the Ambassadors, this year’s event will be best yet! During our Annual Banquet we also recognize businesses that are making a difference in our valley. We recognize Business of the Year, Business Person of the Year, New Business of the Year, Economic Development, Volunteer of the Year, Unsung Hero, Spark Plug Award and the Laurel Award. So if you would like to nominate a business or someone for one of the awards, please contact us at 363-2400 to submit your nominations.
Committee Updates . . . Ambassadors Committee - Donna Larson-Shulund & Rosie Huckstadt, chairs
Happy New Year, the Ambassadors are excited and gearing up for 2013. Our First meeting was January 2nd, and already we are planning an Ambassador Recruitment Party. Yes, we love parties and networking. Hope to see you or a member of your organization at this event. Where & When? Lambros Real Estate from 5-7 PM on February 7th, - just call me for details… We are in the thick of the planning for the 107th Annual Chamber Banquet on Saturday March 16: Call to reserve your spot early, Black and White Affair with a Touch of Green, Its Dinner, Awards, Auction and no host Cocktails, again a party and networking. Notice a theme with the Ambassadors? Throughout the year we do ribbon cuttings for new businesses, (keep in mind; we will do a ribbon cutting when there is a location change.) Ambassadors help promote your business with Business After Hours, and help with any event that the Chamber needs us to be a part of. Be sure and call me if you have any questions on “Business After Hours” for your business.. Yes, networking & a party! Currently, we have 20 Ambassadors we meet once a month on the first Wednesday at noon at Lambros Real Estate for brown bag lunch, brainstorming, planning events, laugh, and you guessed it networking…If you or anyone in your business would like to be a part of the Ambassadors, WE WELCOME YOU. Thanks to the current Ambassadors, for all they do and they sure make my job as co-chair easy & fun. Call me, Donna Larson Shulund at 369-4422 or Rosie Huckstadt 363-7760.
Agri-Business Committee - Deb Harrison, Chair
Hello from the Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce, AgriBusiness Committee!! -- Happy New Year to everyone!! Again, this year our committee voted to nominate a Bitterroot Valley Ag Business for the U.S. Chamber Dream Big Award. This year we nominated Swanson’s Mountain View Apple Orchards and Distillery. Swanson’s Mountain View Orchards was established in 1909 by Charles J. Swanson and has been successfully operating since then. Please keep your fingers crossed and wish the Swanson’s and the Bitterroot Valley Chamber Agri-Business committee the best of luck!! Stay tuned….we will know more in just a few short weeks. With everyone being so busy, our committee has been rather quiet for a couple of months. We are actively recruiting new members to our committee and asking anyone who is interested to please
come and visit at our February meeting. Our next meeting will be February 7, 2013, 10:00 am at the Chamber Office. In the next couple of months we will be actively working on the Ravalli County Farm Tour that we will be sponsoring this fall. We are going to get an early start on it this spring and I just know it will be even more successful than it was two years ago. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to be a part of our committee.
Leads Group - Dale Hanson, Chair
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce the Chamber of Commerce Leads Group. We are a group of Chamber members whose purpose is to network with and become familiar with fellow members’ businesses with the goal of being able to refer those businesses to friends and acquaintances as we network and hear them talk about needs and wants they currently have. Participation in a Leads Group is a great way to grow your business. The group was designed to help each other grow their customer base by referring potential clients to fellow members. We meet on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 12:00 to 1:00 in the Stewart Title conference room. Our meetings start and end promptly so that you can efficiently plan the rest of the day. Any Chamber member is welcome to attend as a guest to see if the group is something they might want to participate in. One of our goals is to ensure that our fellow leads group members understand exactly what our product or service is, and how it is different from or better than similar products or services. That way we can be in a better position to send referrals to them. Having a well-rehearsed, two minute ‘elevator speech’ really helps get you started. You will not be able to give people a good understanding of your business or establish comfortable relationships simply by reciting your elevator speech, but it is a great way to break the ice and get started networking. Finally, we establish our credibility by regularly attending group meetings. You can't expect people to refer business to you if they see you only once in a while. With regular attendance, people will realize that you are serious about networking, and you will earn their trust enough to start sending you referrals. By following these tips, you will discover that over time, you will begin to get some good leads that will turn into business for you. And the best part is that unlike a cold lead, you will receive qualified referrals where your networking partner has already opened the door by recommending you.
Newsletter - Page 3
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Last, but definitely not least, high blood pressure is a common risk factor for heart disease. High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” because there really are no symptoms. High blood pressure is not curable but is easy to manage. Normal blood pressure is considered to be less than 120mmhg (Systolic) and less than 80mm/hg (Diastolic). Prevention is possible! There are many things you can do to prevent heart disease. Quit smoking if you are a smoker. It is never too late to quit. Be active. Find time in your schedule to be physically active, even if it only means walking 20 minutes a day. Every little bit counts. Lower your cholesterol by staying active and eating healthy. A healthy diet is one of the best ways to fight heart disease and stroke. Knowing your family history is another good way to help prevent your risk! Montana Chamber Choices Health Insurance and Wellness program wants your employees to have healthy hearts, and for your business to be as fruitful as possible. There are many benefits available to help keep your heart healthy! Through a routine eye exam, a doctor would be able to tell if you have high blood pressure. Chamber Choices offers a Vision Service Plan benefit where you can receive an eye exam with only a $10 copay. Montana Chamber Choices promotes a healthy lifestyle with a physical activity and healthy eating program like Shape Up Montana, which Montana Chamber Choices sponsors. Sign up this year and receive a discount at registration. Montana Chamber Choices is going red this month to promote a healthy heart-you should too! www.GoRedForWomen.org.
Tournaments Are Coming . . . Get ready Bitterroot Valley! Tournaments will begin in February!
February 15th and 16th 6B Boys and Girls District Basketball Tournament February 20th – 23rd Western C Girls and Boys Divisional Basketball Tournament Both events to be held on Dale Berry Court at Hamilton High School.
Member Spotlight
Congratulations to A2Z Personnel and owner, Sue Devlin, for being presented the Bitterroot Building Industry Association (BBIA) “Associate of the Year “ Award. Each year the BBIA chooses from its membership a business that has promoted the construction industry while assisting fellow members in their business dealings. A2Z Personnel has been a member of the BBIA since its founding days in the mid 1990’s, forming as an offspring of the Missoula Building Industry Association when construction was headed towards a boom in the Bitterroot Valley. A2Z has been in the valley since 1992. Building and Sub-contractors have depended on A2Z to supply them with experienced labor for all lines of construction work. Anyone in business knows the pride involved with being recognized by your peers for a job well done, so our hats are off to you, Sue Devlin and A2Z Personnel! Congratulations!
Chamber’s New Web Site Offer!
Bitterroot Valley Chamber of Commerce is offering a great, low introductory rate for adverting on our new website, www.bitterrootchamber.com. For a six month period February – July members will be able to advertise their business on our general website pages for an investment of only $60. That’s just $10/month. Ad size is 2.5 inches wide by 4.167 inches tall. Please e-mail to us in a JPG format. Due to the low rate, ads must be paid for in advance either by credit card, cash or check. Number of spaces are limited and will be processed on a first come first serve basis. Don’t miss out on this very affordable opportunity to highlight your business on the new website!
Tourism & Relocation Magazine The Chamber of Commerce will be publishing their Annual 2013 Tourism & Relocation Magazine in March. This year’s publication will also be a on our web site with turn-page capabilities, along with 5,000 hard copies - doubling your advertising dollars.
This Chamber promotes our valley by including this publication in all of our tourism and relocation inquiries. Our publication will also be distributed to all the lodging facilities up and down the valley and at major points of interest. It is full of information regarding our valley as well as a list of annual events, things to do and places to visit. Give Pat a call at 363-2400 for more information.
New 2013 Membership Directory
Our new 2013 Membership Directory will be coming out shortly. We will be listing all of our members in alphabetical order as well as categorically. This years directory will mirror our new web site categories. This will give our members added exposure to any one looking for businesses in our Valley. We will be sending this along with your new ‘2013 Chamber Membership Plaque’. Please replace this new information in your 3-ring Chamber Directory binder. We hope you will use your directory as your main source when looking for information and help us keep our local businesses strong!
Professional Investment Advice
Serving the Bitterroot Valley since 1981 363-0266 [ fax: 363-0241 [ 1711 North First [ Hamilton
Jim Moerkerke, CFP®, CWS® Senior Vice President, Financial Consultant
John Passuccio, CWS® Financial Consultant
Newsletter - Page 5
13 Ways To Help You Stay Fit In 2013 Looking for ways to stay fit in 2013. Well one of the best ways is to join a gym. It is always better when you are exercising with someone else. It keeps you on track and will keep you both motivated. Iron Horse Athletic Club is a great facility and will be more than happy to help you on your way to a healthier 2013. But if you cannot join a gym ‌ here are some simple ways to get you jumpstarted. 1. If you've got a young sports enthusiast in the family, play along. Shooting baskets and kicking a soccer ball around the yard are great ways to get your heart pumping. Thirty minutes of cardio training are recommended, but even five to 10 minutes will elevate your energy and speed your metabolism. 2. Take the kids for a walk or just go by yourself. 3. Pull young children in a wagon through the neighborhood. Or give them a ride in a jogging stroller. 4. Let little children ride bicycles or tricycles while you jog behind. 5. Get into some vigorous sweeping, mopping, or vacuuming. These types of housekeeping chores can burn a significant number of calories. 6. Take the stairs instead of the elevator.. 7. Get off the bus a stop or two before your destination on a regular basis adds up to a lot of heart-healthy walking. 8. Do yoga or Pilates while you, or the kids, unwind in front of a movie. While watching TV, do push-ups or sit-ups during commercials. Even one per commercial during a two-hour movie can give you some good exercise. 9. In a sedentary job, take your breaks outdoors and have a brisk, short walk. You'll also improve your concentration and mood. 10. Dance or do aerobics at home. No one is watching, anyway. 11. Practice stretching or light yoga moves while talking on the phone, listening to the news, or while dinner is cooking. 12. Find the high-energy items on your to-do list ‌.Think about washing the car, digging the garden, mowing the lawn, or reorganizing a closet. 13. Get up 15 to 30 minutes earlier than the rest of the family and use this time for a run, a walk, or some stretching and yoga. Bottom line - JUST GET UP AND MOVE!!!
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Ribbon Cuttings . . . CUSTOM SHOP 169 S. 2nd St Hamilton 375-5126 Louis & Theresa Tuminaro
BITTERROOT ORTHOPEDICS & SPORTS 1170 Westwood Drive Ste B - Hamilton 375-4868
RODAN + FIELDS Dermatologists 144 Bayberry Lane Hamilton 529-4748 Nicolett Weston
Welcome Your 2013 Board of Directors
Rosie Huckstadt - President Old West Gallery, Gifts & Antiques
Sherri Williams Presiddemt-Elect First American Title
Scott Henderson - Treasurer First Interstate Bank
John Stevens Past President Caffe’ Firenza
Laura Reichart Bella Valle Italian Family Restaurant
Chad Bauer Jensco Company
Andy Polumsky By-Owner./Polumsky Properties
Greg Carter Greg Carter Inc.
Dixie Dies US Forest Service
Ann Bethea Florence Ace Hardware
Ken Schultz Hidden Legend Winery
Mike Sadowski Ravalli Services Corporation
Committee Chairs:
STAFF:
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Ambassadors: Donna Larson-Shulund, Lambros Real Estate & Rosie Huckstadt, Old West Gallery, Gifts & Antiques
Al Mitchell
u
Agri-Business: Deb Harrison
u
Tourism & Marketing: Chamber Board
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Government Affairs: Fred Thomas, Western States Insurance & Teri Polumsky, By Owner Real Estate
u
Membership Outreach: Chamber Board
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Natural Resources: Pat Connell, Timberland Forestry & Wayne Hedman, Retired.
u
Leadership Bitterroot: Greg Carter, Greg Carter Inc.
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Leads Group: Dale Hanson, PayneWest Insurance
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Tournaments: Al Mitchell, The Paper Clip
Director
Pat Easley
Office Manager
Bitterroot Valley Chamber Volunteers
Marvin Edstedt - Bert Bovey - John Trangmoe Myrna Wolf - Patti Weeda - Mary Kay Browning
Newsletter - Page 7
Calendar of Events 2013
FEBRUARY 1-2 11th Annual Bitterroot Home & Ranch Expo at RC Fairgrounds. Call 375-9411 FEBRUARY 2 Hamilton Soroptimist Winter Golf. Call Mary Holloway 381-1335
Patrick Chaplin’s Photos
FEBRUARY 5-6 JSEC (Job Service Employer Committee) Is sponsoring FREE EMPLOYER WORKSHOP - Speaker: Fred Miller Tuesday, Feb. 5 from 1-3 in Stevensville at Stevensville Library -- Wednesday, Feb. 6 from 8:30 to 10:30 in Hamilton at Bitterroot College. Call DeLynn Gardner 406375-6049 FEBRUARY 7 Submission Deadline for the 20th Annual Ernst Peterson Photograph Montana Contest. 363-3338 FEBRUARY 9 2nd Annual Bitterroot Cowboy Ball at 1st Interstate Center, 363-3411 FEBRUARY 14
Chamber Meetings
AGRI-BUSINESS meets the 1st Thursday of every month at 9 a.m. at the Chamber office. AMBASSADORS meet 1st Wednesday of every month at 12-noon. Call for location.
CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS meets 3rd Tuesday of every month at 5 pm. LEADS meets 2nd and 4th Tuesday's of every month at 12-noon - Call for meeting place. TOURISM/MARKETING meets 3rd Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m., except July and August. Call Chamber for meeting place. Civic Club Schedules CORVALLIS CIVIC CLUB meets 3rd Monday of every month at 7:30 pm at the Corvallis High School lunchroom. Tonia Bloom 363-3485. SOUTH VALLEY CIVIC GROUP meets the 4th Thursday of every month at 6:30 at the Darby Library. Al Milton 821-3226. FLORENCE CIVIC CLUB meets 1st Monday of every month at 7 pm at School Administrative Building in Florence. STEVENSVILLE CIVIC CLUB meets 2nd Thursday of every month at 12-noon at St. Mary's Mission Visitor Center. Desera Towle 360-7002. Regular Luncheon Meetings KIWANIS - Wednesdays at 12-noon at BJ’S Restaurant LIONS - Tuesdays at 12-noon at BJ’s Restaurant ROTARY - Mondays at 12-noon at BJ’s Restaurant SOROPTIMISTS - Thursdays at 12-noon at BJ’s Restaurant
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HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY FEBRUARY 14 Ernst Peterson Photograph Montana Contest at the RC Museum Exhibit Opens. 363-3338 FEBRUARY 16 Fundraising Dinner at Sapphire Lutheran Home. Fundraiser for RC Museum. 5 - 9 pm. Call 369-1588 for more information. FEBRUARY 22-24 - Hamilton players present ‘Sweeney-Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ call 375-9050
MARCH MARCH 1-3 & 8-10 - Hamilton players present ‘Sweeney-Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ call 375-9050. MARCH 10
DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS
MARCH 16 Annual Chamber Banquet at the Bitterroot River Inn. MARCH 17
ST. PATRICK’S DAY
MARCH 31
EASTER MARCH 31 Easter Egg Hunt at RC Fairgrounds at 10 am
APRIL APRIL 27 HDO (Hamilton Downtown Organization) CRAB FEED. Call 375-1900