Issuu

LA KE LA ND AREA CHAMBER OF COMME R CE

F O R B U S IN E SS JANUARY 2013 2012 | Vol. xXII, No. 1

it’s your business

new chamber partnership works for you BUY LAKELAND. It Makes GOOD cents!

FORUM FOR BUSINESS Lakelandchamber.com

CH A M BER STAFF K a t h l een L . M unson President

KMunson@LakelandChamber.com

B a rb a r a B enne t t Executive Assistant

BBennett@LakelandChamber.com

s a r a h bree d

Administrative Assistant, Member Relations | Public Affairs

sbreed@lakelandchamber.com

Kara Butch

Administrative Assistant, Membership Development | Communications

kbutch@LakelandChamber.com

L a ke l a n d Are a C h a mber of Commer c e F orum for B usiness M on t h l y M a rk E . W i l son | C h a irm a n of t h e B o a r d Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc.

K a t h l een L . M unson | Pub l is h er Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce

Am y S . W i g g ins | E d i t or Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce

S a l ly C h a p m a n

Vice President, Finance & Administration

SChapman@LakelandChamber.com

C a ro l y n J a c kson

Senior Vice President, Member Relations

CJackson@LakelandChamber.com

J a c q ue l ine L . J o h nson

Senior Vice President, Convention & Visitors Bureau

JackieJ@LakelandChamber.com ni c e br a n d in g a g en c y | Cre a t i v e Dire c t ion , P R O D U CT I O N & P h o t o g r a p h y www.brandnicely.com

K a t ie M c B ri d e Membership Consultant

KMcbride@lakelandchamber.com

N ikki O a k l e y

Membership Account Executive

NOakley@LakelandChamber.com

Terr y O t t in g er

Vice President, Membership Development

TOttinger@LakelandChamber.com

Rich Roy

Vice President, Public Affairs

rroy@lakelandchamber.com

P a t t y S mi t h

Administrative Assistant, Convention & Visitors Bureau

PSmith@LakelandChamber.com

L . J o a nn W a l l er Membership Consultant

jwaller@lakelandchamber.com

Am y W i g g ins

Vice President, Communications

AWiggins@LakelandChamber.com

35 Lake Morton Drive PO Box 3607 Lakeland, FL 33802-3607 (863) 688-8551 LakelandChamber.com ÂŠ 2013 Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserved. The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce reserves the right to refuse certain advertising and is not liable for advertisers claims and/or errors. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the position of the Chamber.

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R ec om m e nd e d R e a d i n g : A Bo ok R e v i e w f r o m A Ch a m b e r Peer

Denny Krahe DK Fit Solutions

CONNECT ] DKFitSolutions.com

There is no shortage of books available touting the latest and greatest exercise crazes and diet trends. Many of these books are very well thought out, fact driven, easy to understand, and motivational enough to inspire healthy changes in our lives.

For me, the book that speaks most clearly about the best way to live a healthier life is Real Food , by Nina Planck. As the title suggests, this book confronts poor health from the dietary perspective. The author talks about growing up on a farm, moving to the city to attend college, and then moving back to a rural area to raise her family. She explains how her health declined while she was in college, even though she was eating a vegetarian diet and exercising regularly.

The light bulb went off when she moved back to an area where she could grow a garden to help her meet her nutritional needs more naturally, and suddenly she started to feel better. As a personal trainer, my clients expect for me to be able to help them lose weight and feel better physically. And while regular exercise is an important part of that, I am reminded every time I read through Real Food that the most important aspect of being physically healthy is the food that

we put into our bodies. In our fast paced lifestyles, too many of the things we eat fail to qualify as real food. TV dinners, fast food meals, and other forms of overly processed food have lost so much of their nutritional values that they should hardly even be classified as food, let alone the staples of our diets that they have become. Real food doesnâ€™t come in a can or a box. Real food doesnâ€™t have a fun cartoon mascot trying to sell the product. Real food comes from the ground

and from nature. Real food has one or two ingredients, and they are ingredients that you can actually pronounce. In Real Food, Nina Planck speaks honestly about the one thing that most affects our health, which is the food that we eat. The way that she explains her personal experiences, as well as much of the science behind the production of the food we eat, provides the motivation and reason that I need to make sure I eat as much real food as possible.

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Chairman’s Circle Meets with Attorney General pam Bondi and Florida Polytechnic University Chair Robert Gidel

kathleen munson lakeland AREA chamber OF COMMERCE President

The Chairman’s Circle was founded in 2003 to provide a business forum for senior level executives to meet and build relationships with one another, and participate in strategic marketing and membership events to enhance their business and the overall Lakeland business community.

CONNECT ] LakelandChamber.com

The Chairman’s Circle held its Fall Business Luncheon in November, chaired by Alice Hunt (Hunt Construction of Central Florida, Inc.). During the luncheon meeting, members heard from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Robert Gidel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Florida’s new university, Florida Polytechnic. Ms. Bondi discussed some of the key issues her office is currently addressing, including her efforts to reform Florida’s Medicaid fraud problems and recent foreclosure settlement that will provide $3.6 billion in mortgage relief to nearly 50,000 people in Florida. She addressed questions from members regarding

the State’s position on the National Affordable Healthcare Act. Members also heard from Robert Gidel, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Florida Polytechnic University. Mr. Gidel updated the group on the Poly Board’s recent acceptance of funds and assets transferred from the USF Foundation to construct the new campus, located at the corner of Polk Parkway and I-4. Issues such as accreditation, student enrollment and opening date were discussed, and Mr. Gidel assured the group that the new university will work with the community to ensure that all academic and development goals are met.

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi addresses Chairman’s circle members.

In other business, Ms. Hunt announced that five new members will be inducted into the Chairman’s Circle in 2013.

Dr. Ed Goodemote.........Radiology and Imaging Specialists, Inc. Kevin Griffith..............Morgan Stanley Harold McLeod.............SunTrust Bank Paul Noris....................Bank of Central Florida Lee Wall........................Wall Foss Financial , LLC

The following business le aders are members of the Chairman ’s Circle: Ralph Allen Allen & Company of Florida

Clayton Hollis Publix Super Markets, Inc.

Ira Anderson Crowe Horwath LLP

Leonard Mass Drummond Company, Inc.

Timothy F. Campbell Clark, Campbell & Lancaster, P.A.

Mike McGee McGee Auto Service and Tires

Mike Carter CliftonLarsonAllen

Mark Miller GrayRobinson, P.A.

Gary Cassard Bright House Networks

Sam Morrone Pepperidge Farm, Inc.

Dan Dorrell Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP

Jennifer Potter Wells Fargo Bank

Dale Dreyer CenterState Bank

Ben Pressentin BB&T

Ken Ely Platinum Bank

Bob Puterbaugh Peterson & Myers, P.A.

Art Erickson Florida Lifestyle Communities

George Rogers GEICO

Gow Fields City of Lakeland

Art Rowbotham WONN/WPCV/WLKF/WWRZ Radio

Scott Franklin Lanier Upshaw, Inc.

Joe P. Ruthven The Ruthvens

Mike Furr Furr & Wegman Architects, P.A.

Dr. Lou Saco Watson Clinic LLP

Kamal Haider, M.D. Clark & Daughtrey Medical Group, P.A.

Chas P. Smith CPS Investment Advisors

Ford Heacock Heacock Insurance Group Florida Polytechnic University Board Chair Robert Gidel updates members on the new University’s progress.

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Dr. Eileen Holden Polk State College

Dr. Elaine Thompson Lakeland Regional Medical Center Ralph Weeks Quality Petroleum Corporation

HOW TO

A M O N T H LY

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Wow! It is 2013 and a New Year is in front of us. The number one New Yearâ€™s resolution is to get into better shape. The resolution is easy. Putting it into action is another story.

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We can title this, â€œGet off your BUTT and out of your RUT!â€?, because putting your resolution into action is the first step. The hardest part is putting yourself in motion.

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Now that you are determined to get out of your rut, the next question is â€œWhich exercise program is best for me?â€? The answer is any program that you will consistently do, as long as it is SAFE.

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Resolve to get active

Find a safe exercise program

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Donâ€™t forget a healthy diet

As the owner of Serious Exercise it would be easy for me to say just come and see us. We can get you in shape. We have great trainers that put together awesome programs for our clients. We also have a fantastic nutrition program that teaches you how to eatâ€Śnot diet. That being said, I know that there are many good exercise programs out there and you can have success with these programs. There are many good gyms in Lakeland as well. There are specialty gyms and clubs such as runner clubs, boxing, dancing and yoga studios. If you prefer staying at home, there are numerous in-home DVDs or video game exercise programs. There are many choices and you may choose more than one form of exercise for your fitness. The answer to which exercise program is best for you is again: Any safe program that you will do. What interests you? What do you like doing the best? What will get you â€œoff your butt and keep you out of your rut?â€? Only you can decide what is right for you!

Keep it up! ^O`b\S` W\ bVS U`SS\ W\WbWObWdS

CONNECT ] SeriousExercise.com

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Have a prosperous 2013

Health & Wellness for your Business

Sozon Vatikiotis Alltrust Insurance

CONNECT ] AlltrustInsurance.com

As one of the leading employee benefit firms in Florida, we routinely consult our clients on the importance of employee wellness programs. Simply put, there is no better cost containment mechanism from a benefits perspective than a well run program aimed at improving the overall physical and mental health of an employee population. But should we stop there? What about the health and wellness of our businesses? All too often, companies fail to assess and update their business processes. This is an increasingly complex and competitive corporate world, and truly

successful companies are vigilant in analyzing and improving corporate processes. More often than not, our audits uncover multiple areas where companies can improve; improvements that can have a significant positive impact on the overall profitability and health of a company. For example:

Payroll Solutions Payroll solutions have become exponentially more robust and advanced than their predecessor systems. It is routine practice for payroll companies to offer substantive resources such as HR assistance, benefit administration,

Health Care Reform compliance and many others. Additionally, the overall pricing of payroll has become much more competitive. The end result? Companies are now getting much more bang for their buck.

Employee Handbooks These are the backbone of our companies. Increased regulation has caused the concept of compliance to become an ever shifting, fluid concept. As a result, we must ensure our policies are updated to mirror regulatory changes. It’s simply unhealthy for our businesses to use the same handbook we’ve been using for years, or worse, no handbook at all.

Health Care Reform The Supreme Court has ruled and the Presidential election is over. Health Care Reform is here to stay. Simply put, we can no longer take a head in the sand approach. The time is now to discuss the impact Health Care Reform will have on our specific companies, both financially and procedurally.

HR Consulting/ Training We are asking more and more from our HR departments. It is essential that we offer the resources and training necessary to take on such ardent tasks. We shouldn’t ask our HR managers to go at it alone.

We, as employers, often get so caught up in our day to day operations and responsibilities that we tend to overlook some simple, but vital analyses. It’s understandable, really. It’s human nature to overlook, and in some cases, completely ignore certain issues when we are afraid of what we will discover or when we don’t even know where to begin. This is not a healthy approach, however. We spare no time or expense in maintaining our health, our homes, our vehicles and other facets of our lives. Shouldn’t we give the health and wellness of our companies the same attention?

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F E ATU R E

B y w h i t ne y c a brer a , r. n.

| director of lifestyle medicine

golds gym | south lakeland

Managing Health Care

A Familiar Case Study You are the owner or decision maker of a small to medium sized business in Polk County. You pride yourself in offering affordable health care to your employees. But, you are beginning to feel uneasy and unsure what the Affordable Care Act will mean for your business. Youâ€™ve read the reports on escalating chronic disease. You realize things are not going to be getting any better in the

Is there a way out of becoming a statistic in the rising epidemic of businesses that either have to eliminate health care benefits - or close their doors? 8

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near future and that more and more of your employees are dealing with the symptoms of chronic disease. Something has to give. Health care costs have now reached a tipping point. The political arena has polarized the situation by either recommending that Medicare be privatized or abolished or, raising taxes and letting the deficit increase exponentially.

Addressing Chronic Disease The United States is on the verge of a health catastrophe that will lead to economic ruin. Half of all Americans suffer from one or more chronic disease conditions, and that number is expected to rise over the next decade. According to a Milken Institute study, diabetes cases are projected to increase 53% by 2023. Heart disease cases will increase 41%; lung cancer 34%; and colon cancer 32%. The data collected during the past 10 years states that 70 to 90 percent of these diseases are preventable and caused by poor lifestyle choices. Here is where Radical comes in. The word “radical” comes from the Latin word, meaning “root”. When we address the ROOT causes of our lack of health and well-being, we find our bodies have a remarkable capacity to prevent, arrest and even heal themselves at a rate much more quickly than we ever thought possible. The ROOT of the chronic diseases that are afflicting over 50 percent of our citizens come from the combined lifestyle effects of:

Lifestyle Medicine Defined Health education and mentoring is the cornerstone to drive healthier habits in employees. Preventive treatment regimen screenings for the basics – heart disease, colorectal cancer, etc. – are incomplete if not accompanied by an educational component and prescriptions for exercise and nutrition and the lifestyle behaviors associated with disease.

The key components of an effective wellness program for employees are: Health Risk Appraisals with biometric measurements performed before and after programming and then again at 6 months.

Support and active participation of upper management.

Did you know that Coronary Artery Disease and Type 2 Diabetes can be largely eliminated simply by making comprehensive lifestyle changes? The EPIC study that followed 23,000 people showed that just by walking 30 minutes a day, not smoking, and eating a reasonably healthy diet (maintaining a healthy weight) prevented 93 percent of diabetes, 81 percent of heart attacks, 50 percent of strokes and 36 percent of all cancers. The “takeaway” is this: Heart disease and Diabetes account for more deaths in the U.S. than everything else COMBINED! They are completely preventable by making lifestyle changes. No Drugs. No Surgery. Right now. And, companies can reduce the outlay of health care dollars by simply refocusing “health care medicine” into “lifestyle medicine.” More and more, employers are implementing evidence-based programs designed to empower employees with accurate health information coupled with personal responsibility. These programs address health care concerns at the root – and reduce the cost to businesses and economy in the long run.

A Workplace environment that supports employee efforts to adopt a healthier lifestyle.

Ongoing programming and a “village” of local individuals that will continue to provide emotional and physical support of the newly adopted lifestyle.

Employee comprehensive lifestyle counseling via multiple modalities such as video, cooking demos and tastings, group discussion, an exercise component, shopping tours, nutrition workshops, menu planning, family education, supportive food choices on campus and dietary meal assistance for home use.

Gold’s Gym of South Lakeland has embarked on an initiative of “Making Lakeland the Healthiest City in Florida” by expanding their role in the community to be the “Center for Lifestyle Medicine”. They are proud to be able to offer this cutting edge program of Disease Prevention and Reversal to Polk County. To accomplish these goals, Gold’s Gym has a dedicated Director of Lifestyle Medicine, Whitney Cabrera, BSN RN. Whitney is available for assisting companies as they create a healthy workplace environment as a hedge against the growing costs and effects of employee healthcare. The ROI of implementing this initiative is incredible. With more than 20 years of data to support this programming, Gold’s can proudly state that the ROI is 7.6:1. The extent of the debilitating conditions that are arrested and prevented through lifestyle medicine are immeasurable and are calculated on national averages. The radical nature of preventing and reversing chronic disease through lifestyle management simply makes great sense both economically and from a humanitarian perspective. Unlike drugs and surgery, the side-effects to this “radical” attack to the root of health care issues are only good!

For more information on slashing your rising health care costs while providing immeasurable benefit to your employees, contact Whitney Cabrera, Director of Lifestyle Medicine at Gold’s Gym, South Lakeland at WCabrera@ StrategicWellness.net or (863) 838-7645.

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smal l b u s i n e s s o f t h e mon t h

Hubbell Eye Clinic Dr. Gerard H. Hubbell O.D. P.A. (863) 688-6197 924 S Florida Ave Lakeland, FL 33803

CONNECT ] www.HubbellEyeClinic.com

Dr. Gerard H. Hubbell is a board certified, licensed doctor of optometry. He opened his clinic, optical shop, and lab in 1977, at 924 South Florida Avenue. For 35 years, the clinic has been serving Lakeland, with personalized extensive eye care beyond routine eye exams and testing for glaucoma. Dr. Hubbell and his associate, Dr. Branning Hollis, manage patients who have had LASIK and cataract surgery, along with patients with diabetes and plaquenil side effects. Dr. Hubbell is known for his experience in fitting

contact lens wearers who have challenging prescriptions. Many of his peers in Lakeland refer their patients to Hubbell for contact lens consultations. The optical shop is staffed with licensed opticians and offers a large variety of name brand frames, as well as economy frame and lens packages. A new, high-tech program superimposes frame styles onto patient photos, a favorite feature of the frame selection process. Because there is an on-site optical laboratory, same day service can often be

provided. The clinic uses social media to keep patients informed about appointments and order status. Dr. Hubbell strives to be a participating provider with most insurance companies, and his staff assists patients with understanding their insurance coverage, and submitting proper claims for services and products. In addition to his doctorate in optometry, Dr. Hubbell holds several bachelors degrees from Auburn University and the University of Alabama. These degrees include physiological optics

and aeronautical engineering. He holds certificates in physics, chemistry, management and medical law. He is listed in the platinum edition of the American Registry of Whoâ€™s Who as a pioneer in the fields of diagnostic eye care and contact lenses. Dr. Hubbell is a recognized speaker, lecturer, and published author within his field. A graduate of Winter Haven High School, he has been honored many times for his community service work providing eye care to the poor and indigent. He was inducted into the Polk County Schools

B y Terri A . Go l eno ,

Small Business of the Month committee member Terri A. Goleno (Cheatham, Goleno, & Ferguson, P.A.) presents the December Small Business of the Month Award to Dr. Gerard H. Hubbell.

For more information on some of the requirements for the Small Business Award and to view previous recipients, please visit Lakeland Chamber.com/ BusinessResource. 10

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Hall of Fame in 2005. The Hubbells have established a foundation to assist teachers with costs associated with obtaining advanced degrees. President Bill Clinton presented the 1997 Vision USA Award to him in the Oval Office. Local charities benefitting from his talents and philanthropy over the years include Lions Club, Lighthouse Ministries, Catholic Charities, and VISTE. The Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce congratulates Hubbell Eye Clinic, the December winner of the Small Business of the Month Award.

Cheatham, Goleno, & Ferguson, P.A.

THE

MATTERS OF

W A N T T O K N O W W HY B E in g A M E M B E R O F TH E LA K E LA N D A R E A CHA M B E R I S S O B E C O M I N G ? R E AD on . . .

CAL E N D a R

E V E N T H I GHL I GHT S

NEW MEMBERS

LAKELAND

Drawing from Our Successes. Building on Our Future. JOIN US FOR THE 2012 CHAMBER ANNUAL MEETING THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2013 THE LAKELAND CENTER EXHIBIT HALL RECEPTION: 5:30 PM • DINNER: 6:30 PM Entertainment provided by

THE STAFF & STUDENTS OF FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE Tickets: $60/person • $650/corporate table of 10 Purchase tickets by January 24, 2013 at

http://AnnualMeeting.LakelandChamber.com or call Barbara Bennett at (863) 688-8551, Ext. 233 Sponsored by

GrayRobinson, P.A. AT&T • GEICO • MIDFLORIDA Credit Union • Publix Super Markets, Inc.

R I B B O N C U TT I N G S

Florida Southern College: A Lakeland Treasure Please join us as we pay tribute to and celebrate Florida Southern College – a driver of growth and a producer of highly-talented alumni prepared to meet the business, medical, educational, and social needs of our community. Founded in 1883, Florida Southern College is the oldest private college in the state. In 1921, Lakeland Chamber and City leaders launched a successful campaign to relocate the College to the shore of Lake Hollingsworth. In 1938, President Ludd Spivey invited architectural great, Frank Lloyd Wright, to the campus to create the first uniquely American college campus. Wright was 67 years of age upon his first visit to Lakeland. As he toured the orange grove area he envisioned the buildings rising “out of the ground, into the light and into the sun.” His master plan called for 18 buildings using the following basic materials: steel for strength; sand because it was native to Florida; and glass to bring God’s outdoors into man’s indoors. The first building to arise was Annie Pfeiffer Chapel in 1941. Today, Florida Southern is home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Wright’s buildings and named as the #1 “Most Beautiful Campus” in America by The Princeton Review. The entire campus has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975.

You won’t want to miss this special program and an exciting evening with the Chamber!

save the date

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january 2013 dates thur 10

Thursday, January 10 Economic Forecast Breakfast

tues 15

Tuesday, January 15 Hats Off to Chamber Members

thur 17

tues 29

7:00 a.m. The Lakeland Center

wed 09

9:00 a.m. Chamber Briefing Room

mon 14

5:30 p.m. Waller Construction, Inc. 1065 S Florida Ave, Ste 2

Wednesday, January 23 Board of Directors Meeting

thur 24

Thursday, January 24 SCORE Business Round Table

thur 07

February 7 2012 Annual Meeting

tues 19

February 19 67th Annual Tiger BBQ

Noon Lakeland Yacht & Country Club 929 Lake Hollingsworth Drive

7:30 a.m. Chamber Briefing Room

11:45 a.m. Chamber Briefing Room

3:45 p.m. Chamber Briefing Room

wed 16

wed 23

Monday, January 14 SBA Committee Meeting

Monday, January 14 EMERGE Lakeland Steering Committee

Tuesday, January 29 the business of Education After Hours

4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. LEGOLAND Florida One LEGOLAND Way, Winter Haven

8:00 a.m. Chamber Briefing Room

Wednesday, January 9 Business Voice of Greater Lakeland

8:00 a.m. Florida Technical College 4715 S Florida Ave, Ste 4

Thursday, January 17 Business After Hours

Wednesday, January 9 Government Affairs

Wednesday, January 16 Executive Committee Meeting 4:00 p.m. Chamber Briefing Room

The Lakeland Center

Joker Marchant Stadium

Chamber Closed: Tuesday, January 1 for New Yearâ€™s Day Holiday Monday, January 21 for Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday monday

tuesday 1

wednesday

thursday

friday

sat

sun

1 2

Chamber Closed

government affairs 8:00 A.m.

economic forecast breakfast | 7 a.m.

business voice of greater lakeland 9:00 A.m.

sba committee meeting 11:45 a.m.

hats off to chamber members | 8:00 a.m.

16 Executive Committee Meeting | 4:00 p.m.

17 business after hours 5:30 p.m.

EMERGE Lakeland steering committee 3:45 p.m.

23 Board of Directors Meeting | Noon

Chamber Closed

24 score business roundtable | 7:30 a.m.

Annual Meeting Reservation deadline

29 the business of education after hours 4:30 p.m.

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Ev ent HI G HLI GH T S 01

Business After Hours

Hosted by Cannon Buick – Cadillac - Mitsubishi

01 | Vice President of Membership

Development, Terry Ottinger presented the Plaque of Appreciation to host Danny Cannon, Cannon Buick – Cadillac - Mitsubishi.

02 | Tara Reeves, Catering Coordinator

for Red Elephant, accepts the Plaque of Appreciation from Terry Ottinger. The food was wonderful!

03 | Chamber members stop to pose for

a picture in-between networking and checking out the amazing cars in the showroom!

Schmooze a’Palooza Hosted by La Porta Rossa

04 | Jared Weggeland of Southern

Homes of Polk County, Inc. shares his 30 second commercial with all the members that attended!

05 | Members enjoy great food from La

Porta Rossa. Schmooze a’Palooza is the perfect way to meet up to 20 contacts over lunch!

07 During the month of November, our Visitor Information Center assisted hundreds of individuals, answering questions pertaining to Chamber member businesses and the Lakeland community. Walk-in Visitors...................................... 218 Relocation Response Mailings............. 6 Relocation Response (Walk In)........... 24 Accommodations..................................... 2 Winter Accommodations....................... 1 Visitor Information Mailings............. 23 Visitor Center E-mail Inquiries........... 75

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paralegal. Calloway earned her Associates Degree from Polk Community College, Winter Haven, FL in Liberal Arts and Office Technology. She formerly worked at Lilly O’Toole & Brown PA and has over 15 years experience as a personal injury paralegal and legal assistant.

Dreamward Travel Inc.

Central Florida SCORE Maria Martinez and Mark Scolnick have completed the required training and have been recognized by SCORE.org as a SCORE Certified Mentor. Central Florida SCORE offers no cost and confidential business mentoring and can be reached at (863) 619-5783 or score122@verizon.net.

Radiology and Imaging Specialists Pleased to announce an addition to their medical staff. Kevin J. Sawyer, M.D. has joined the physician group as a board-certified radiologist. Dr. Sawyer received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of medicine in Washington, DC and completed his Residency in Radiology at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV. He completed his Surgical Internship from Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ and received his Fellowship in Abdominal Imaging from University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC.

B oys & Girls Clubs of Lakeland & Mulberry, Inc. The James J. Musso Club was honored with a Florida Area Council state-wide award for Program Impact Excellence in Sports, Fitness, and Recreation for their T.G.I.F. program. The T.G.I.F. program teaches life skills such as patience, cooperation, and how to follow directions with a challenge to complete a series of 10 physical and educational tasks. Also, Cole Gard & Todd Kontny served as cochairs for the 38th Annual Musso Golf Tournament, raising much-needed funds for four clubs serving more 1,500 club members.

YMCA of West Central Florida, Inc. Pleased to announce that the following individuals have joined the Board of Directors: David K. Boles, President, Office Furniture Deport; Gilbert Rincon, CEO, Early Learning Coalition of Polk County; Matt Green, Controller, Land South Group; and Elaine Thompson, CEO, Lakeland Regional Medical Center.

Sessums Law Group Proud to announce Michele Calloway has joined the firm as a highly experienced personal injury 14

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Maria Thomas, CTC, DS, ACC, MCC, recently returned from a travel agent familiarization tour of 10 top-rated resorts in Jamaica sponsored by the Jamaica Tourist Board. This event was by invitation only and high-lighted the areas of Negril, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios. The trip included presentations by the JHTA ( Jamaica Hotel & Tourist Association) and attending the JAPEX (The Jamaica Product Exchange – a premier trade event, and the single most important business generator for Jamaica’s tourism product). Maria is currently completing the studies to be qualified as a Jamaican Travel Specialist.

Lakeland Regional Medical Center President and CEO Elaine Thompson, PhD, was recently named to the Becker’s Hospital Review “120 Women Hospital and Health System Leaders to Know.” According to Becker’s Hospital Review, those included in this national list demonstrate outstanding leadership within the hospital and healthcare industry and were chosen based on exceptional oversight of hospital or health system operations, financial turnarounds and quality improvement initiatives.

Baylis & Company PA CPA’s Director of Communications and Marketing Kathy Wallen was recently installed as President of the Kiwanis Club of Lakeland. Kathy is the 3rd woman in the club’s history to hold this office.

nice branding agency Proud to announce that CE Design Co. is now Nice Branding Agency. This woman-owned business has grown and matured over five years and wants to steer its focus toward developing brand identities. Whether it be love at first sight or a rekindled flame, Nice Branding sets out to make companies fall in love with their brands. Although identity services will become more of a focus, Nice Branding Agency will still provide the full spectrum of creative services such as advertising, marketing, social media and Web site design. The girls of CE Design Co. have always been Nice, but now they’ve made it official. Visit BrandNicely.com to learn more.

The Lakeland Chamber prints business announcements each month as space permits. Please e-mail announcements to motm@lakelandchamber.com

S CRAM B L E R E S U LT S

Congratulations to the following 1st Place Winners at the 22nd Annual Lakeland Chamber Scramble sponsored by Bright House held at Lone Palm Golf Club on November 16, 2012!

NET winners

gross winners

NET WINNERS

Golf Etc

TD Bank

A huge thank you to Ira Anderson of Crowe Horwath, LLP for being this year’s Scramble Chairman!

J.J. Miller Riley Baumann Brett Blondell Brett Hitchcock Luke Miller Lance Niekro

James Locascio Andy Burgess Sam Houghton Marty Knapp Matt Maloney Michael Peeples

GROSS WINNERS

MEMB E R R E N E WA L S 20+

years

15 1 9 8 4 | 2 8 Ye a rs Galloway’s Flooring Warehouse, Inc. Texas Cattle Company

1 9 7 8 | 3 3 Ye a rs B & B Auto Body Works, Inc.

1 9 7 6 | 3 6 Ye a rs

years Heritage Equities Incorporated tmr Creative, Inc.

Musser & Richards, L.L.C.

1 9 4 5 | 6 7 Ye a rs Lakeland Animal Nutrition, Inc.

1 9 6 9 | 4 3 Ye a rs Lakeland Center for Oral Surgery & Implantology

1 9 7 3 | 3 9 Ye a rs Sligh Clinic of Chiropractic, Inc.

1974

3 8 Ye a rs

McGee Auto Service and Tires

1 9 8 2 | 3 0 Ye a rs Eye Specialists of Mid-Florida

1 9 8 4 | 2 8 Ye a rs

years

High Shine Cleaning Services, Inc. W.A. Magarino, MD, PA

1 9 8 8 | 2 4 Ye a rs

Polk County Board of County Commissioners TD Bank TelCel Communications

Eye Express

1 9 8 9 | 2 3 Ye a rs W. Clinton Wallace, P.A.

MARCOBAY Construction, Inc.

1 9 9 2 | 2 0 Ye a rs

Quality Petroleum Corp.

Elkins Electric, Inc.

years

Southeastern University

ServiceMaster Commercial Services

1 9 7 5 | 3 7 Ye a rs

Scrappy Thomas, Inc.

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

N EW M E M B E R S All American Furniture & Mattress Factory

845 N Florida Ave Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 683-5054 www.allamericanfurniturelakeland.com Bonnie Evans Furniture Retailers

Assured & Associates

128 Palmetto Ave NW Winter Haven, FL 33881 (863) 450-3138 www.assuredandassociates.com Dosichell Radford Health Care – Home Health Care

BeFly Bike Tours

Call To Schedule An Appointment (863) 899-1818 www.BeflyBikeTours.com Beth Geohagen Bicycles

Catering by the Family

2322 W Cypress St Tampa, FL 33609 (813) 875-2000 www.cateringbythefamily.com Steven Gonzalez Caterers

Cavalier Distributing Florida

4930 E Lakeland Commerce Pkwy, Unit 4 Lakeland, FL 33805 (863) 701-4580 www.cavbeer.com/florida Kelly Taylor Beer

Discount Tire Co. 6975 Highway 98 N Lakeland, FL 33809 (863) 797-1236 www.tires.com Justin Newby Tire Dealers

Executive Cleaning Services, LLC Call To Schedule An Appointment (800) 664-6393 www.executive-clean.com Jesse Guarin Cleaners – Janitorial Services

Florida Hospital Zephyrhills 7050 Gall Boulevard Zephyrhills, FL 33541 (813) 788-0411 www.fhzeph.org Brett Uravich Health Care – Hospitals

Grow Financial Federal Credit Union 9927 Delaney Lake Dr Tampa, FL 33619 (813) 837-2451 www.growfinancial.org John Flores Credit Unions

Headley Insurance Agency 3544 S Florida Ave Lakeland, FL 33803 (863) 701-7411 www.headleyinsurance.net Scott Headley Insurance

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INtegrity First Corporation of Pennsylvania

Terracon Consultants, Inc.

Call To Schedule An Appointment (863) 816-4592 www.integrityfirstins.biz Donald Ivol Jr. Insurance

2335 Commerce Point Dr, Ste 180 Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 606-0423 www.Terracon.com Mat Chinault, P.E. Engineers

Kauffman Tire

Vivint

5056 US Highway 98 S Lakeland, FL 33812 (863) 937-0700 www.kauffmantire.com Kevin Guzman Automobile/Truck – Repair

12682 Telecom Dr Tampa, FL 33602 (863) 216-5232 www.vivint.com Aaron Bates Security Services/Systems

LaFaye’s Restaurant & Catering

Woman to Woman Magazine

1302 N Florida Ave Lakeland, FL 33805 (863) 683-3111 Sheila Watson Restaurants

Call to Schedule an Appointment (863) 644-4664 www.WomanToWomanMagazine.com Aileen Figueroa Publications

New Life Outreach Ministry, Inc. 1031 W 5th St Lakeland, FL 33802 (863) 510-5696 www.NewLifeLakeland.org Larry Mitchell Human Services

Nick & Moes

4410 Kathleen Rd Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 858-0928 www.nickandmoes.com Nick Sallem Convenience Stores

Perspective Prism Enterprises

Call To Schedule An Appointment (321) 689-3082 www.PaulESinger.com Paul Singer Personal Development & Improvement

Polk Foodie/Home & Garden Magazine 115 Allamanda Dr Lakeland, FL 33803 (863) 802-5043 Liz Craven Publications

Procare Cleaning Services of Central Florida

Call To Schedule An Appointment (863) 510-5281 www.procarecleaningfl.com Lindsey Semko Cleaners – Janitorial Services

Sprint

851 Trafalgar Ct Maitland, FL 32751 (407) 230-8692 www.sprint.com Thomas Kirkland Communications

Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment 401 Channelside Dr Tampa, FL 33602 (813) 301-6883 www.tampabaytimesforum.com Gary Napert Entertainment

Each month, the Chamber enlists the help of 20 volunteers to mentor new and current members with involvement in Chamber events and programs. This month, the Chamber staff would like to recognize Ms. Karen Houtz, Commercial Relationship Officer at Community Bank of Florida for her outstanding attention to Chamber members and attendance at events! Karen is a wonderful asset to the Chamber and to the Lakeland community!

karen houtz

community bank of florida commercial relationship officer

R IBBO N C U TT I N GS

Special thanks to Mayor Gow Fields, Commissioner Don Selvage, Commissioner Justin Troller, Commissioner Phillip Walker, Commissioner Howard Wiggs, Commissioner Edie Yates, and all the Board Members and Chamber Champions who truly make these ceremonies special events.

Premier Home Mortgage Lakeland, FL 33801 223 S Florida Ave | (863) 709-1300

THOR Electrical Consulting, LLC Lakeland, FL 33810 5505 Chiles Ln | (863) 899-5671

Leaning W Youth Outreach Call to Schedule an Appointment (863) 255-8663 www.leaningWYouthOutreach.com

Lakeland Habitat for Humanity Lakeland, FL 33815 1317 George Jenkins Blvd | (863) 682-3812 www.LakelandHabitat.org

Abueloâ€™s Mexican Food Embassy Lakeland, FL 33813 3700 Lakeside Village Blvd | (863) 686-7500 www.abuelos.com

Junior League of Greater Lakeland

Mattress Firm

Lakeland, FL 33801

Lakeland, FL 33809

90 Lake Morton Dr | (863) 682-2112 www.JLGL.com

3954 US Highway 98 N | (863) 815-4938 www.mattressfirm.com

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Health Care After the Election

rich roy Vice president public affairs

CONNECT ] LakelandChamber.com

Now that President Barack Obama has won a second term, the Affordable Care Act is back on the fast track. Some analysts argue there could be modifications to reduce federal spending as part of a broader deficit deal; for now, this is just speculation. What is clear is the law will have sweeping ramifications for consumers, state officials, employers and health care providers, including hospitals and doctors. One of the biggest questions focuses

on small business owners and how the law affects them. No employer is required to provide insurance. But starting in 2014, businesses with 50 or more employees that don’t provide health care coverage and have at least one full-time worker who receives subsidized coverage in the health insurance exchange will have to pay a fee of $2,000 per full-time employee. The firm’s first 30 workers would be excluded from the fee. However, firms with 50 or fewer

people won’t face any penalties. In addition, if you own a small business, the health law offers a tax credit to help cover the cost. Employers with 25 or fewer fulltime workers who earn an average yearly salary of $50,000 or less today can get tax credits of up to 35 percent of the cost of premiums. The credit increases to 50 percent in 2014. As we move forward on implementation of the health care law, some observers think there could be pressure in

Congress to make some changes to the law as a larger package to reduce the deficit. Among those options are scaling back the subsidies that help low-income Americans buy health insurance coverage. The amount of the subsidies, and possibly the Medicaid expansion as well, could be reduced. Your Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce will keep you informed on important details as the debate on health care continues to evolve.

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YOUR 401K. WHY YOU SHOULD INVEST AND WHY IT ISN’T A PIGGY BANK. Check Out MONEYMATTERSBYNATE.COM 212 EAST HIGHLAND DRIVE | LAKELAND, FL 863.683.0708 | WALLFOSS.COM

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

Bank of Central Florida

“My bank is interested in helping us be successful.” …Dean Boring | President/CEO, Boring Business Systems

Boring Business Systems is the area’s top seller of Canon, Konica Minolta and HP equipment with sales predicted to increase by 12% next year. Dean Boring is proud that his customers can rely on his team of professionals for personal service and fast, reliable solutions.

Boring Business Systems competes against multimillion dollar regional companies by offering customers more selection, service and technology.

“Our company is like Bank of Central Florida. We can react faster, are more responsive, and more competitive in our industry,” says Boring.

www.bankofcentralflorida.com

Mobile Banking available

Member FDIC

Downtown Lakeland 101 South Florida Avenue 863-682-7100

South Lakeland 5015 South Florida Avenue 863-701-2685

Bartow 515 North Broadway Avenue 863-534-3585 FORUM FOR BUSINESS

po l k pr og re s s u p dat e

Dr. James Farrell, CFA Florida Southern College

CONNECT ] FLSouthern.edu/ PolkProgress

With the presidential election behind us, President Obama now returns to the White House to attempt to avoid the fiscal cliff. The fiscal cliff is the product of the Budget Control Act of 2011, which was part of a deal between the White House and Congress to agree to increase the debt ceiling. The original intent of the Budget Control Act was to create a series of tax hikes and spending cuts that both parties would see as so detrimental to our economy that they would be forced to work together on a resolution for our growing deficit. The combination of tax

polk progress index 230 220 210 200 190 180 170 160

2003

2004

increases, reduction of tax breaks and spending cuts are expected to cut our deficit nearly in half. However, the speed and bluntness with which this will occur is expected to push us into a recession for the

2005

2006

first half of 2013. While our economy has been in recovery mode as of late, with GDP climbing at a 2.7% rate in the 3rd quarter, the provisions of the budget act have been estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to pull

MEET OUR TEAM THE LARGEST LOCAL CPA FIRM IN POLK COUNTY At Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP (C/F/R), our main focus is providing quality, hands-on service to our clients. We accomplish this by providing prompt, expert advice with a high degree of professionalism and personal attention. Our team feels there are three elements of service that are essential to our clients’ success and satisfaction – quality, timeliness and affordability. We take pride in the fact that we can fulfill all three elements. When you choose C/F/R, you can rest assured that you will never have to sacrifice quality, time or money.

From left to right: Denise Robson, Dan Dorrell, Managing Partner of the Lakeland Office, and Amy Bruce. As a true testament of remaining local, the professionals in the Lakeland office have served the community their entire careers.

Lakeland Office P: (863) 937-9520

Orlando Office P: (407) 841-6930

Tampa Office P: (813) 321-6869

For more information about our services, please visit www.cfrcpa.com.

| FORUM FOR BUSINESS

2007

Winter Haven Office P: (863) 299-5638

2008

2009

2010

3.5% of GDP out of the economy and increase unemployment by approximately 1%. For most local residents, the immediate impact will be in the first January paycheck. With the employee-paid Social Security tax set to reset to 6.2% (the 2% reduction that was part of 2011 and 2012 stimulus spending has not been renewed) and the reversion to the pre-2001 tax brackets (the 10% bracket folds into the 15% bracket, the 25%, 28% and 33% brackets all increase by 3% and the 35% bracket increases by 4.6%), most employees should expect to see their paychecks reduced by 2 – 5% before any other changes (insurance cost, annual increase etc.). The cut in pay is likely to hit saving and discretionary spending behavior as households adjust to lower income. The secondary effect will be the government spending cuts. The Office of Management and Budget estimates that there will be a 9.4% cut to discretionary

2011

2012

defense spending, an 8.2% cut to nondefense discretionary spending and a 7.6% cut to non-defense mandatory spending, totaling $65 billion in all. Exactly how these cuts would be made, however, is unknown at this point. Overall, the negative impact to the Polk County economy will be reflective of the economy overall, if not slightly worse as we have tended to underperform during recent downturns. Dr. Carl Brown’s Polk Progress Index has shown growth in recent quarters, however, should the Budget Control Act take place, we should expect to see a slight downturn in the first quarter of 2013 and perhaps a larger one in the second quarter. There is a silver lining of the fiscal cliff, if Washington fails to act, is that our deficit will fall to under 4% of GDP, which is a long-term goal of both parties, we will just get there on a much rougher road than we had hoped.

T e c h C or ne r : Rein v e nt i ng S ma l l B u s i n e ss On lin e Ryan McCabe

REINVENTING

SMALL BUSINESS

innovative technology driving small business success

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LAKELAND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OCOOS.COM

CONNECT ] Ocoos.com

The age of “Brick and Mortar” is being replaced by the new “Click and Mortar” model as the number of people using the Internet to make purchases rapidly rises. From 2009 to 2010 there was a 14.8% increase in consumer spending online and from 2010 to 2011, another 16.1%

increase. As more and more people are using the Internet to find products and services, it is important for Lakeland Chamber Members to use the tools to fully participate in the Internet economy. Enter the Reinventing Small Business Initiative. Your Chamber is

proud to introduce the Reinventing Small Business Initiative in partnership with Ocoos. com, a spin out from the University of Florida. This Central Florida technology company has recently released a Web platform that accelerates the way small businesses operate online. Ocoos is reimagining the way small businesses can efficiently build and operate a full business infrastructure through the use of state-of-art Internet technology. With the Ocoos platform, a small business can drive all the business functions (marketing, sales, operations, finance,

etc.) in a world class manner with minimal investment. In addition, they have created a unique social and content driven marketplace for customers to interact with and buy from small businesses. The simple profile builder on Ocoos allows business owners to concentrate less on infrastructure and more on providing services. With Ocoos, a company has complete control over

its Web site, and Ocoos provides all the back-end tools to run the business from one dashboard. This includes online booking, e-commerce, customer relationship management, and financials. A large enterprise may well spend millions of dollars to build similar capability, but through the Reinventing Small Business Initiative the Ocoos platform can provide this power to small businesses at a very affordable price.

To learn more about how your small business can join the reinvention process, contact Kara Butch at (863) 688-8551, Ext. 242 or visit Ocoos.LakelandChamber.com.

Advance Your Career with Webster University

Graduate Programs for Adults Looking for more from your career? Get a personal introduction to opportunities from a nonprofit, regionally accredited university. At Webster, we offer small classes one night a week taught by professionals in their field. Call or click to apply today. Master of Business Administration Master of Arts: • Counseling • Human Resources Management • Management and Leadership Lakeland Campus webster.edu/lakeland 863-687-9309

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COMMON

TA S T E

a of local business o n e c u p at a t i m e

The Common Grounds member feature gives your business the opportunity to showcase “a day in the life” of your employees and customers. Each month, one of the door prizes at the Business After Hours event will be a Common Grounds Lakeland Chamber coffee mug & the opportunity to submit a 350 word article about your local business.

B y M a r t y Co h en United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. CallUnitedTheyllCome.com

For 38 years, United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. has been servicing Polk county and the surrounding areas. United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. provides a full range of products that include replacement of HVAC equipment for residential, commercial, institutional and industrial, including ice machine, reach-in and walk-in coolers/freezers and refrigeration preventative maintenance, service and sales. In 1997 United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. added the DUCTZ franchise (formerly DUCTBUSTERS) to promote the benefits of breathing clean, fresh, healthy air. Nobody is more committed to quality than DUCTZ when it comes to HVAC duct cleaning for both residential and commercial applications, dryer vent cleaning, fresh and exhaust air cleaning. DUCTZ also provides services for air and biological growth testing. United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. also offers indoor air quality solutions like air purification systems, air filtration systems, attic insulation, UV lights, Photo Catalytic Oxidation units, residential and commercial window film, and power factor correctors. These products will enhance the life of your equipment, your quality of life, and your total home comfort. As owners of United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. Gary and Jeri Henderson are committed to 100% total customer satisfaction. The United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. family consists of loyal, long-term employees that make each customer’s experience memorable. We invite you to experience for yourself the exceptional services provided by United Refrigeration and Air Conditioning, Inc. for your home or office indoor comfort needs. By calling us now and mentioning this feature article you will receive 15% off any of the products or services we offer as our personal New Years Gift to you. Call now to schedule appointment: (863) 299-8573. Always remember “Call United They’ll Come!”

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T rave l e r s E x p e r i e n ce d La Do l c e V ita W i t h t h e C h a m ber From October 31 to November 10, the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce took a group of travelers to live “La Dolce Vita” – The Good Life – in the beautiful Tuscan countryside. Together they tasted authentic Italian cuisine and witnessed breathtaking artifacts of the Italian Renaissance. Usually reluctant to travel with a tour group, Sam Crosby of Miller, Crosby & Miller, P.A. said he jumped at the chance to travel with the Chamber. “The trip was great, the food fantastic … and we learned a great deal from our highly informative tour guides,” he said. “We also very much enjoyed the company of our fellow travelers.” Now, the Lakeland Chamber is ready to take you on another adventure to Spain’s Costa del Sol. For seven nights, travelers will stay in the costal city of Torremolinos along the Mediterranean. The trip includes tours of Ronda and its plunging gorge, the Rock of Gibraltar, and Granada, along with optional tours of Seville, Malaga, and Morocco. Prices start at $2,749 ($2,849 for non-Lakeland Chamber members). For those who just can’t get enough of Spain, travelers ca stick around for the 2-day Madrid extension. Don’t miss out on the chance to explore a land that has been touched by countless civilizations. Its rich heritage and beautiful scenery make visiting Spain a once-in-alifetime opportunity!

Tammy Bryan, Gary and Cyndy Tarr and Trish Pfeiffer enjoying time spent at The Forum in Rome.

Jenn James, Sandy Serletic, and Debbie Houghton in Tuscan cooking class.

Michele Purcell, Don and Sandie DePianta at a wine tasting.

Jenn James, Laurie Melton, Amanda Nobles learning how to make homemade pasta.

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Cyndy Tarr, Carolyn Kibler, Amanda Nobles sampling chocolate, nuts, cheese, wine, liquers, sausages,…

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