Give your Marketing a Spring Cleaning Serenity Now: Create your own Productive and Serene Office Member of the Month
March 2017
C O N T E N T S
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4 Chamber Headquarters 5000 Brooktree Road, Suite 100 Wexford, PA Cranberry Twp. Office 2525 Rochester Road Cranberry Township, PA P: 724.934.9700 F: 724.934.9710
Jim Boltz President JBoltz@PghNorthChamber.com For more information on the Chamber’s program of work, please contact: Patty Bittle Marketing and Events Director PBittle@PghNorthChamber.com Al Davidson Membership Account Executive ADavidson@PghNorthChamber.com Kristina Hall Program Director KHall@PghNorthChamber.com Heather Schwartzbauer Membership Coordinator HSchwartzbauer@PghNorthChamber.com Amy VanAtta Executive Assistant AVanAtta@PghNorthChamber.com
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From the On February 9th, we held our Annual Meeting. Mr. Jim Roddey and PA Speaker of the House, Mike Turzai were our keynote speakers. At this time, we review the past year and give a snapshot of what is in the plans for the future. In case you couldn’t attend, here is a summary of what was presented. The function of a Chamber of Commerce is changing. Technology, diversity, lifestyle and the changing priorities of its members make it important for a Chamber of Commerce to reposition itself to more effectively serve the needs of its members and communities. As the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber moves forward, we are transitioning from the more traditional Chamber to one that is out in front of economic development, education, workforce development and technology. All that, while maintaining our strength in connecting members through networking and events. At the beginning of every year, the Board of Directors establishes objectives for the coming year. In 2016, we set four objectives that will set the foundation for us to become a more dynamic organization: Be a recognizable community resource. Have innovative educational programming. Leverage technology to enhance activity. Expand membership and increase engagement. Here is a recap of those objectives with some of our achievements: Be a recognizable community resource. In 2016, we wanted to maximize our community events. Two of our biggest, the Food and Wine Event and the Taste of Cranberry, were the highest attended events in their history. In fact, for the first time ever for the Chamber, the Taste of Cranberry was recognized by the readers of the Butler Eagle as the Silver Award winner for winter events. We also expanded our Marketplace luncheons from once a month to five. These meetings are held throughout our footprint and are for both Chamber members and nonmembers alike to get together to discuss hot topics that are affecting businesses today. In 2017, we are excited to announce a new quarterly speaker series, Innovation Pittsburgh. Jim Roddey, former Allegheny County Executive, will be the host to Pittsburgh business leaders speaking on regional economic development and critical issues that will affect businesses. Have innovative educational programming. Based on the response that we received regarding social media, we decided to develop a Social Media Conference. This workshop brought in speakers from all over the US to talk about how businesses should use social media. This event had over 100 participants in an all day workshop that we are confident will continue to expand.
Thank you to our Valued Corporate Sponsors and Chamber Partners
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B USINESS A FTER H OURS March 16 Bravo! Cranberry 20001 Route 19 Cranberry Twp., PA
April 4 Walnut Grill 12599 Perry Highway Wexford, PA
Business After Hours are from 5-7pm
E VENTS Friday, March 17 8am—11:30am The Washington Place St. Barnabas Health System Friday, March 24 6:00pm Adams Ridge Clubhouse 100 Adams Ridge Blvd. Mars, PA 16046
M ARKETPLACE L UNCH M EETINGS March 1: Bravo! Cranberry, 11:30am - 1:00pm 20001 Route 19, Cranberry Twp March 8: Monte Cellos at The Hampton Shoppes 11:30am1:00pm 4655 William Flynn Highway - Route 8, Allison Park March 15: Cranberry Sports Grill, 11:30am - 1:00pm 1294 Freedom Road, Cranberry Twp. March 27: Family Bowlaway Fun Center, 11:30am—1:00pm 540 Fairground Hill Road, Butler
CONNECTIONS
Daily networking events for business leaders throughout our Pittsburgh North region Wexford: Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m. Chamber Headquarters, 5000 Brooktree Rd., Suite 100 Warrendale: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. Jergel’s Rhythm Grille, 910 Slade Lane Cranberry Twp.: Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. Council Chambers, 2525 Rochester Road Ross Twp.: Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. Treasure House Fashions, 7607 McKnight Road Gibsonia: Fridays, 7:30 a.m. Sports Medic 2 The Rescue, LLC , 5895 Heckert Road
2017 B OARD OF D IRECTORS E XECUTIVE C OMMITTEE John Tubridy – Board Chair Franchise Network of Pittsburgh Ann Gatty, Ph.D.– Chair-Elect Strategic People Solutions Philip J. Scolieri, J.D.– Vice-Chair Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Lisa Hunt - Past Chair USX Federal Credit Union
Gary Basilone – Foundation Chair Basilone Executive Search Kent Clifton - Treasurer AXA Advisors, LLC Gregg Hill – Secretary Dollar Bank Jim Boltz - President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
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Tracy Armstrong, North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Judith Bernhard, Advance Sourcing Concepts, LLC Ryan Breen J.D., Breen Law Firm, LLC Steve Carpenter, Northwood Realty Andrew Chiapusio, Mars National Bank Steven W. Diffenderfer, NexTier Bank Todd Harris, Liberty Insurance Agency John Laslavic, ThistleSea Business Development, LLC Al Marschke, ACN Business Essentials Amanda McCollough, Dittman EyeCare, Inc. Robert O’Friel, Luttner Financial Group Dan Penberthy, NexTier Bank Jan Stevens, Coldwell Banker Kim Yerace, Petroleum Technical Services, LLC
Coffee and bagels provided at Connections by: page 4
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PNRC Member Kandy McCool Legal Shield and Identity Theft Protection Jim Boltz, PNRC President said, “Kandy supports the Chamber in so many ways. She is the co-chair of the Events Committee, attends a majority of our activities, brings numerous guests and works hard on our behalf. Her contributions make our chamber a better place.” “Kandy McCool is one of the most vocal advocates of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber and frequently promotes the chamber at other groups and organizations that she is a part of. Kandy goes beyond just speaking of the advantages of chamber membership and is always looking for ways to connect her fellow PNRC members and refer business their way. She volunteers for the PNRC anytime she is needed, including serving for several years as the Events Committee Chair, and the PNRC is fortunate to have such a dedicated and involved member as Kandy McCool.” said Lisa Hunt, of USX Federal Credit Union. “Kandy has been a very integral part of growing our chamber. She is known around our community as a champion for small business owners and spends much of her time connecting others to help them succeed. Her and her husband John have mastered the art of networking and seek out opportunities daily to help make our region a better place to raise our families,” said Heather Schwartzbauer, Membership Coordinator, PNRC. Patty Bittle, Marketing and Events Coordinator, PNRC said, “Kandy is a highly persuasive spokeswomen for the Chamber. She promotes The Chamber at any events she attends, and is always inviting other to our Networking and Community events. Kandy is the Co-Chair for the PNRC Events Committee she devotes her time freely, and is a vibrant presence at the many events the Chamber holds. She is an enthusiastic and respected member of the Chamber. Her hard work does not go unnoticed.”
Member Testimonials " he Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship at Chatham University greatly benefits from our membership to the Pittsburgh North T Regional Chamber, which helps us expand our reach and boost awareness of our programs that assist women entrepreneurs and business owners start and grow companies in the Greater Pittsburgh region. Many of our Center's members are also active members of the Chamber and we look forward to enhancing our great relationship. Anne Flynn Schlicht, Assistant Director.” Anne Flynn Schlicht Assistant Director, CENTER FOR WOMEN'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Member testimonials are the Chamber’s best and most effective way to promote the benefits and services that a Chamber membership provides. Share your success with the Chamber and your story may be featured in an upcoming edition of Corridors. Email all testimonials to Patty Bittle
PghNorthChamber.com
February 2017
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Give Your Marketing a Spring Cleaning
By Ron MacDonald
No matter how you look at it, Spring housecleaning always feels like a chore. But, once you get it behind you, everything seems fresher and you come away with a sense of real accomplishment. The same can be said about refreshing your marketing. However, the stakes are usually a lot higher. You might be able to skip a year when it comes to the house. But, you cannot afford to be complacent about your business. There are too many outside forces at play and you could find yourself left behind and trying to catch up. Here are a few things you should consider at least once a year to tidy up your marketing. What’s New with Your Competition? Have new competitors entered your market? How are they presenting their businesses? How do you stack up? Look at what they’re doing and make sure you can answer them. Learn from their smart moves and, more importantly, their mistakes. Knowing their shortcomings uncovers opportunities to distinguish your business from them. Check out their website, look at their ads, see how active they are on social media. What are they doing, what are they saying and how are they saying it? Are they offering specials, discounts or other incentives? Maybe you should consider doing the same ... or, better yet, something more. Your competitors are likely not going away anytime soon. So, the more you know about them, the more relevant you’ll be . Revisit Your Advertising and Promotions If you’ve been using the same advertising channels for a while, revisit them. Determine if they’re working for you and if you need to consider alternatives. If you’ve been running the same ad over and over, you’ve likely benefited from frequency and recognition. (That’s assuming you’re in the right places.) But, there’s a fine line between consistency and staleness. People tend to gloss over the same ad they’ve seen time after time. So, consider a tweak or two. You can keep the same general message and style. But, a few changes here and there could breathe new life into your promotions and give people a reason to pay more attention. Maybe it’s a new spin on your message. Or a limited-time offer. Or something seasonal. Try to react to current events and market shifts. Most of all, make sure any ads you do are placed where your prospects are. The days of taking the shotgun approach to advertising are over. Instead of blasting your ad everywhere and hoping something sticks, you need to be where people are looking.
Social Media Habits Are Changing If you’re active in social media, it’s vital that you stay on top of the latest trends. Social media is moving very quickly as users are becoming more sophisticated. What may have been a good tactic a year ago might be yesterday’s news today. Make sure you’re following your audience. For example, younger users are quick to switch platforms. So, they may have moved away from where they spent their time a year ago. Pushing posts, launching "like" campaigns, adding links from your blog and running ads are some ways to create a buzz about what you've been up to. These can be very effective tactics to get the word out and build awareness. It’s not that expensive and could bring in some quick returns if you have the right message. Remember, the traction you gain is often determined by the incentives you offer. (More about incentives below.) Is Your Website Working for You? In many ways, your website is the face of your business. If you STILL don’t have a mobile-friendly website, you are hurting your business. What’s keeping you? If you rely on organic web searches to add leads to your sales funnel, YOU MUST HAVE A MOBILE-FRIENDLY SITE. If you don’t, your website will appear in mobile search results AFTER all of your competitors who have one. And, believe me, they do. Keep your website from becoming stale. As search engines index the Internet, they can see which websites are changing and which aren’t. Those doing more get ranked higher. Those that become stale are penalized. Try doing simple things like adding new photos or videos (search engines LOVE video) to your home page, or something more adventurous, like creating a blog and sharing your expertise. Usually, the most important part of a website is the call to action. Free consultations are meaningless, because everyone offers them. You need to offer something useful to your audience that gives them a good reason to provide their contact info. It could be coupons, new client specials or useful tools and information that position you as the go-to source. Create a unique landing page with a simple form for each offer. The more info you ask for, the less inclined people are to provide it. You likely won’t get this right the first time. So, take a trial and error approach. Continued on Page 11
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How to Spring-Clean Your Finances Weed out and straighten up your financial clutter with these six simple tips. By Meghan Rabbitt
Spring cleaning is simultaneously awesome and awful, isn’t it? You probably have to give up time you’d far rather be spending outside, where it’s finally sunny. Yet there are few things better than that amazing, fresh-start feeling you get from blowing the dust off everything. Guess what? The same can be true when it comes to your money. Just like how now can be the perfect time to clean out your closets, it’s also an ideal time to consider organizing, simplifying and helping set yourself up for months of financial success.
months and three different color highlighters,” suggests Motske. “Then use one color to highlight your necessary costs (utility bills, insurance, groceries, toiletries), another to highlight items you bought because you really wanted them (your Netflix subscription or the new vacuum cleaner that’s easing your allergy symptoms), and another to highlight less thoughtful purchases (that round of drinks you bought at happy hour).” “This exercise is usually eye-popping. Most people don’t realize how much they’re spending on stuff they really don’t need or want,” he says.
After highlighting your “problem areas,” take them high -tech by connecting your accounts to the LearnVest To save you time, we asked financial advisers around Money Center. Once it’s set up, tuck those the country for their best advice on how to springhighlighters in a drawer—the Money Center’s Inbox, clean your finances. Consider trying these tactics to which looks a lot like your e-mail inbox, will import all do a quick spruce-up. of your spending and saving data to help you track your progress. You can even categorize what you Create an ICE Folder spend into folders like “Groceries” or “Travel” or “Pet If you’re the money manager of your household, you owe it to the people you love to put together a folder of Supplies,” then set budgets for each folder and get an automatic update on how much money you have left information that will help them figure out how to handle your finances in case anything happens to you. to spend. Come next spring, you’ll have a record of the year’s spending and can even see how your This is your “In Case of Emergency,” or ICE, folder. spending has “trended” over time. “Include all of the info someone would need to Make It Automatic manage your finances, such as your account If you haven’t made your savings contributions numbers, login IDs and passwords, a list of bills you pay each month, investment and retirement fund info automatic by now, you’re behind the curve. “Harnessing the power of this free hack will make your and anything else that would need to be handled in life easier,” says Stacy Johnson, CPA, and author your absence,” says Tyler Gray, a financial adviser with SageOak Financial in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This can of Life or Debt. be a literal folder or a folder on the desktop of your “Have money taken out of every paycheck for savings computer. If you go for the more high-tech option, before you see it. Then, automate your bill-paying: make sure to rename the folder something innocuous You should always review your bills, but paying at (perhaps not “All Financial Documents Here,” for least some of them automatically not only streamlines security reasons) and fill your partner in on the folder’s the process, but ensures your payments are on time.” alias. To help avoid account-draining bill surprises, stick If your partner or someone else handles your finances, ask that person to create an ICE folder for you. Morbid? Maybe a little, but this step could make life a lot easier in the event of an emergency. Break Out the Highlighters Jeff Motske, CFP, President and C.E.O. of Trilogy Financial Services in Huntington Beach, California, says spring is a great time to take a closer look at your budget—and one way to do it is to go old-school. “Get your credit card statements from the past six
PghNorthChamber.com
March 2017
with automating only recurring payments that are the same every month, like your rent or insurance— not your credit card. For guidance on setting up automatic deposits, see our guide to building up savings. If you already have automatic deposits set up for your emergency fund and retirement accounts, nice work! Now consider increasing your contributions. Continued on Page 10
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From the President continued Our Lunchbox Sessions continue to grow in popularity. These presentations are done monthly by Chamber members that share their expertise on topics that are on the forefront of businesses We have also developed partnerships with numerous schools and organizations in the educational field. We partner with Junior Achievement to support their efforts to educate students, as early as the elementary level, about the business world. Through our new Educational Stakeholder Program, we currently partner with five universities that among other things, will allow their students to become members of the Chamber and receive full member benefits. By doing this, students can make connections that will help them in their internship and job search, while developing their soft skills and public speaking. Leverage technology to enhance activity. We established a stronger online presence by converting our newsletter to digital print. This created a benefit for our advertisers because their ads became interactive and a gateway to other sites. It also allowed us to reach more members. Our weekly electronic calendar, Monday Morning Coffee, has become a staple for most Chamber members. The open rate of our email marketing is 27% compared to the industry average of 20%. Our click through rate of 15% doubles the industry average of 7%. Expand membership and increase engagement. As previously mentioned, we established an Educational Stakeholder Program. This program allows us to partner with institutions of higher learning to better prepare the business leaders of tomorrow. Fifteen percent of our membership serve on a committee. This leverage of the expertise of our membership allows us to be one of the most active chambers in Western Pennsylvania. In appreciation of all our volunteers, we initiated the Member of the Month to show our gratitude for their efforts. Strengthening our online presence in order to increase engagement was also a goal of ours. We increased our reach in Facebook by 4.7%. Our Twitter followers increased by 73% that produced a 317% increase in engagements. We also had a 219% increase in Instagram posts. We are positioning our Chamber to better serve our members and our communities. Today starts our tomorrow. Exciting Things for 2017 - Innovation Pittsburgh As we previously touched on, this will be a quarterly speaker series that will be right here at St. Barnabas at Kean Theatre, right down the hall. Jim Roddey, will be the Master of Ceremony to a host of Pittsburgh business leaders speaking on regional economic development issues. March 17 th will be the inaugural event and we want to thank Dollar Bank for sponsoring it. In the education world, our initiatives include our college partnerships, currently we have 5, and we are talking to numerous others, our student memberships, student to employer connectivity on our website and new educational resources for small business. In member benefits, we are expanding our Affinity partnerships and releasing a new Chamber app, Go Chamber that will help Chamber businesses reach more customers in their community. We will also be providing text message marketing that will allow members to receive up to the minute news regarding Chamber activities. We are already recognized as one of the most active Chambers in Western PA, maybe the state. Combining these new initiatives with everything else that we do, should contribute to the prosperity of our members and the region.
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
Serenity Now: Create Your Own Productive & Serene Office By Kristin DiBacco Is your desktop hidden under mounds of paper and post-it notes? Is the floor in your office space piling up with books, binders, and more paperwork? If so, it may be time to tackle the clutter and do some spring cleaning in your office. Believe it or not, a survey done by a the staffing firm Adecco showed that 57% of workers admit to judging their colleagues based on how clean or dirty their workspace is. A disheveled workspace can affect not only the relationship with your coworkers but also your productivity. While walking through your office, use the tips below as a guideline to help you create a space where you can be productive, inspired, and organized enough to convey a sense of professionalism rather than making your colleagues wonder whether some sort of intervention is in order! Today’s office spaces can be as unique as the people who work within them.. Some have an office in a high rise, others work from home, and some do the majority of their work from their car or coffee shop. Whatever your particular setting, you can adapt these strategies to help create a productive and serene workspace. #1 Clear Your Desk Decide what day you are going to start and put it on your calendar. Treat this appointment just as you would a doctor's appointment or meeting with your boss; don’t cancel! Start by clearing your desk completely. Also, ask yourself what you would like your desk and office to feel like. Keep things simple when you are starting to declutter. I recommend starting with four piles: Recycle, Keep, Shred, File. #2 Create Zones The purpose of zoning your office is so the items have a home and can be easily accessible for the task at hand. What zones do you need for your office and what will it take to make those zones happen? Do you need an area for a library or resources? You might need an area for an inbox if others in the office frequently drop items off for you. More than likely, you will need an area for receipts as well. Start by making a list of necessary zones, then scan your office space to determine the appropriate spot. #3 Have a Place for Everything “A place for everything, everything in its place.” – Benjamin Franklin Everything requires a home, whether it be the binder you use every day, the random phone book, or your pens and other office supplies. Once you have created a home for every item, label it’s new home! This can be as simple as a post-it note on the shelf or drawer or using a label maker or fun chalkboard labels. Make the space yours and inviting. You probably spend most of your waking hours here. This technique is especially helpful if the office space is shared. Then make it a point to return items to their home when you’re finished using them. #5 Follow the 2-Minute Rule David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, shares a practical yet very easy rule to overcome procrastination and laziness: If it takes less than two minutes, tackle that task NOW! Try it! You may surprise yourself with how many items don’t even make it to your to-do list because you have already accomplished them! #7 O.H.I.O- Only Handle it Once Handle your papers as few times as possible! This rule applies particularly to junk mail. Think of the items that pile up on your desk or kitchen counter. If you touch it and know it’s junk--toss it! For other items, you may have to handle them more than once, but this rule is something to consider so you aren’t spending valuable time sifting through the same pile of papers over
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PghNorthChamber.com
March 2017
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How to Spring-Clean Your Finances
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Go Paperless You know that amazing feeling when you get rid of clothes you haven’t worn in two years? Well, according to Johnson, getting rid of that filing cabinet filled with old bills and credit card statements can feel just as freeing. “The single best piece of advice I give my clients is to go paperless,” says Johnson. “Scanning your important documents allows you to find them quickly, protects them from loss and makes your home less cluttered.” Of course, you shouldn’t just start tossing. Our general rule is to hang onto tax records for seven years, and it might be easiest to keep the hard copies of those. But everything else—including bank and credit card statements, as well as pay stubs—can be scanned and stored in a cloud-based filing provider, such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Need to know which of your paperwork you can clear from your desk, and how long you should keep the rest around? Check out our guide to filing financial documents.
Review Your Beneficiaries Spring can be a great time of year to take a look at the people you’ve designated to receive your money in case something happens to you, says Kimberly Foss, a CFP in Roseville, California. “Just like wills, retirement accounts have beneficiaries, so it’s important to ensure your assets will go to the right people,” she explains. Any account with a substantial amount of money, be it retirement, checking, savings or investment, should have a designated beneficiary. It’s usually as simple as calling your bank and asking for a form to fill out (sometimes you can even do it online). Your beneficiary is the person who will receive your assets, so be sure to review these forms after a major life event like a marriage, death or birth of a child. And make sure you designate someone—should something happen to you, assets without a beneficiary run the risk of going into expensive, time-consuming probate court. Create Your Own Financial Calendar Let’s face it: It’s too easy to ignore financial tasks right up until the last minute. (Hello, tax prep!) That’s why now is a great time to create your “financial calendar.” It’s simple: “Set reminders throughout the year to do things like review insurance policies, get a credit report or rebalance investments,” explains Gray. “Mine is in a Google calendar.” Not sure what needs doing, or when? Add your personal due dates and tasks, like “Increase retirement contributions” or “Make final debt payment (celebrate!).”
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
Give Your Marketing a Spring Cleaning Home-Cooking is Good, Except when It Comes to Marketing. If you’ve been getting by doing your own marketing, it might be time to get more serious. Sooner or later, you need to bring in the pros to help raise your profile. This is simply the cost of doing business. It should be viewed as an investment, not an expense. Going cheap will hurt you in the end. If you can’t afford it, work out some trades or payment plans. You might be surprised how willing people are to work with you. By doing your own marketing, you’re taking time away from the things you do best and devaluing your time. And, it usually shows.
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Spring is a season of renewal and rejuvenation. So, shake off the rust, get out the broom and add some polish to your business. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ron MacDonald believes that every person, business or organization is great at something. What you offer may be similar to others, but you add special value that sets you above them. Or you have a unique way of doing things that distinguishes you in a positive way. Step2 Branding & Design helps organizations identify what makes them great and use it to get them noticed, influence their markets and add value to their businesses. Learn more at Step2Branding.com.
Serenity Now: Create Your Own Productive & Serene Office Continued from Page 9 and over. It might also be a good time to evaluate the need for an assistant or someone to do the initial sort for you.
#9 Celebrate the Milestones You’ve Met Make time to celebrate your accomplishments… no matter how BIG or small!
#8 Declutter Often What time of day are you going to declutter each day? Pick a regular time that makes sense for you and make it a recurring appointment on your calendar. Maintenance is the most important piece of the puzzle when it comes to organizing. Don’t miss this step!
Kristin DiBacco Certified Professional Organizer The Serene Space www.theserenespace.com
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
619-672-2847
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Community Connection
Cranberry Township Developer Plans to Build Retails Strip at St. Kilian’s Corner Stephan Davis, the principal of Mansfield Capital LLC, has plans to build an 11,000 square foot multi-tenant retail building on a 1.4-acre property at the corner of Franklin Road and Rt. 228. At its meeting on February 23, Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors accepted testimony about the project, to be called Franklin Square, during a hearing on the developer’s conditional use application. No tenants have been identified as yet, but the building could be partitioned to accommodate multiple retailers. Streetscape enhancements along the project’s road frontage are included in the plan. The same developer previously built the building that houses Moe’s Southwest Grill nearby. The Franklin Square building would have a similar style. For more information, contact Planning and Development Services Director Ron.Henshaw@CranberryTownship.org
Apartment complex developer eyes central Brandt Drive location The currently undeveloped area between the old Auction Barn and Executive Drive along Brandt Drive is poised to become one of Cranberry’s newest neighborhoods. At its February 23 meeting, Cranberry’s Board of Supervisors heard details of the proposed Tentative PRD and accepted public testimony. The project, involving six buildings, five of which include ground-level parking with four stories of apartment units above, includes a courtyard clubhouse community center, an outdoor pool, a trail system, sidewalks, and the Township’s first protected bike lane. The proposal also includes finishing Brandt Drive through to Thomson Park/Executive Drive, where a mini-roundabout would be installed. A parcel from adjacent LaSalle Plaza would be sold to the developers as part of the project. For more information, contact Planning and Development Services Director Ron.Henshaw@CranberryTownship.org
McCandless Township Town Forum on Opioid Crisis set for April 11 Tuesday, April 11 at 6:30pm CCAC North. A night for local government, school officials and the public to mingle and learn about the opioid epidemic. The forum is sponsored by the Town of McCandless in partnership with the North Allegheny School District, the Community College of Allegheny County North Campus and the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office H.O.P.E. (Heroin Outreach Prevention and Education.
Pine Township Pajama Party The Pine Community Center welcomes children ages 6-12 to this FUN event. Put on your PJ’s and come to the PCC for an exciting evening with cookie, decorating, board games, Wii and a special movie. Enjoy snacks and refreshments! March 10th 7-9pm. For registration information: http://twp.pine.pa.us/communitycenter/events_home.html
St. Patrick Day Zumba Fundraiser Party into St. Patrick's Day with a fun-filled Zumba class to benefit the Four Diamonds Fund. Visiit http:// www.fourdiamonds.org for more information. Fee: $10.00 - $15.00 (cash only) Purchase tickets in advance Limted
tickets at the door
Mother Daughter Tea Party Moms and their little princesses are invited to enjoy an afternoon of royal fun. Food, refreshments, nail painting, live princesses, crafts, games, and more! Date: Saturday, March 18 / Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm. Register by March 11. Fee: Member Queen $10.00 Member Princess: $20.00 Non-Member Queen: $15.00 Non-Member Princess: $30.00
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NexTier Bank Nonprofit Spotlight The Alzheimer Association The Alzheimer’s Association provides vital programs, services and support to those individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or related dementia, their families and caregivers. The Greater Pennsylvania Chapter serves 59 counties in western, central and northeastern Pennsylvania through our six offices, including one right here in Pittsburgh. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States? It currently it’s the only disease in the top ten with no treatment or cure. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia including 400,000 in Pennsylvania. The Alzheimer’s Association provides a variety of programs and services such as support groups, one on one care consultations, continued educational programs and access to these information or resources 24/7. Our Helpline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in 140 languages. A complete list of our resources are always available at our website alz.org/pa. We are able to fund our mission through a series of fundraising initiatives and events hosted throughout the year. Our most popular signature event is the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. It’s the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide and 25 locations in our chapter. The Longest Day is our second signature event and held each year on the summer solstice, June 21 st. Thousands of participants do what they love in honor of their loved on facing Alzheimer’s all while raising awareness and funds for our cause. You can help support our mission by getting involved and joining us at anyone of our upcoming events! Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information contact Angela Grimm at agrimm@alz.org.
The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber of Commerce along with St. Barnabas Health System is proud to announce our new educational series, Innovation Pittsburgh. This will be a quarterly series hosted by James Roddey, former Allegheny County Executive. The series will bring in industry experts to educate local business leaders on critical community issues, regional economic development and pertinent issues that affect businesses today. To register, click here.
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The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber would like to thank those who have renewed.
We thank you for your continued support! Send Out Cards - Walkins
Square One Medical
Glade Run Foundation
Olive Garden/Cranberry
Vactor Family Chiropractic dba Weight Loss North Pittsburgh
Paint Monkey
2 Krew Security and Surveillance
Paul Davis Restoration of Allegheny
Phelps Nursery PGH, West Inc.DBA Fratangelo Gardens, INC
Waddell & Reed
Luttner Financial Group- Robert O'Friel
Jason's Deli Petroleum Technical Services, LLC.
Cranberry Supply Co. Burns White LLC Huntington Bank - Wexford USX Federal Credit Union
Lisa A. Groff, CPA, MBA
Chatham University Eden Hall Campus
Honda North
NexTier Bank
Sports Medic 2 The Rescue, LLC Pittsburgh Jet Center Nakama Japanese Steakhouse & Keller Williams Realty Sushi Bar
Welcome to those who have joined!
Thank you for your referrals!
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
Implement New 2017 Income Tax Withholding Tables for Employers Updated income tax withholding tables for 2017 have been released. The newly revised version contains percentage method income tax withholding tables and related information that employers need to implement these changes. In addition, employers should continue withholding Social Security tax at the rate of 6.2 percent of wages paid. The Social Security wage base limit increases to $127,200 ($118,500 in 2016). The Medicare tax rate remains at 1.45 percent each for the employee and employer. The additional Medicare tax of 0.9 percent for employees (not employers) remains in effect and should be withheld from employee wages that exceed $200,000 in a calendar year, at the beginning in the pay period in which the employee’s wages exceed $200,000. In 2017 the amount for one withholding allowance on an annual basis is $4,050 (same as 2016). Employers should start using the revised withholding tables and correct the amount of Social Security tax withheld as soon as possible in 2017, but not later than February 16, 2017. For any Social Security tax under-withheld before that date, employers should make the appropriate adjustment in workers’ pay as soon as possible, but not later than March 31, 2017. Employers and payroll companies handle the withholding changes, so workers typically won’t need to take any additional action, such as filling out a new W-4 withholding form. Individuals and couples with multiple jobs, people who are having children, getting married, getting divorced or buying a home, and those who typically wind up with a balance due or large refund at the end of the year may want to consider submitting revised W-4 forms.
As always, it’s prudent for workers to review their withholding every year and, if necessary, fill out a new W-4 to give to their employer. For example, individuals and couples with multiple jobs, people who are having children, getting married, getting divorced or buying a home, and those who typically wind up with a balance due or large refund at the end of the year may want to consider submitting revised W-4 forms. Please contact the Holsinger office at 724.934.4880 if you have any questions about income tax withholding in 2017.
PghNorthChamber.com
March 2017
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5000 Brooktree Road, Suite 100 Wexford, PA 15090