From the President Business After Hours, Connections Schedules, and Marketplace Lunch Meetings Member of the Month Looking Ahead & Planning for Alzheimer’s Your Vision is Our Vision at Sigma’s A Great Brand Requires Enduring Vision 2020 Annual Meeting 2020 Event Schedule Non-Profit Spotlight Chamber Connections Ribbon Cuttings New Members Networking Calendar 2020 Board of Directors
2020 looks to be an exciting year at the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber. This year is the 10 year anniversary of the merger of the Cranberry and the Northern Allegheny Chambers. That merger created the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber. Those two chambers both had a solid foundation with histories that went back to the 1990’s. The merger created one of the largest, most active chambers in the state of Pennsylvania. The PNRC will be celebrating our anniversary during the entire year.
Jim Boltz President
We plan special recognition of the 200+ current members that were affiliates at the time of the merger. In addition to being acknowledged throughout the year, those “founding members” will also receive special benefits to honor their dedication to our organization. The chamber will have another event filled calendar for 2020. In addition to the long time favorites like our Annual Meeting, the Taste of Cranberry, the Innovation Pittsburgh speaker series, the Social Media and Marketing Conference and our Holiday Social, we have added new and exciting events while transforming some others. Our traditional golf outing will be replaced this year with an outing at Top Golf. The success of our Health and Wellness Fair has prompted us to add a second one in the
spring. During the summer, we will be introducing the “Corporate Challenge.” Teams will compete in fun and games in order to win the Chamber Trophy. In the fall, we are initiating a Young Professionals Award ceremony. 2020 looks to be an exciting year! Sincerely,
Jim Boltz President, PNRC
PghNorthChamber.com
January 2020
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Thursday, January 30
Business After Hours
5pm-7pm
The Sports Grille at Cranberry
Daily networking events for business leaders throughout our Pittsburgh North region.
Wexford
Warrendale
McCandless
Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday 8:00am
Every Tuesday 11:30am
Every Thursday 11:30am
Chamber Headquarters 5000 Brooktree Road Wexford, PA
DoubleTree by Hilton Cranberry 910 Sheraton Drive Mars, PA
Fairfield Inn & Suites Pgh North 901 Providence Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA
Cranberry Twp
Valencia
Every 1st and 3rd Wednesday 8:00am
Every Friday 8:00am
Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA 2001 Ehrman Road Cranberry Twp., PA
Crystal Conservatories– St. Barnabas 100 Conservatories Court Valencia, PA
The Chamber is now offering afternoon meetings that will include open networking, lunch options, referral commercials and a sharing of ideas on best business practices. 1st Wednesday of Every Month 11:30am-1:00pm Monte Cello’s at the Hampton Shoppes 4655 William Flynn Highway, Route 8 Allison Park, PA
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4th Monday of Every Month 11:30am-1:00pm Family Bowlaway Fun Center 540 Fairground Hill Road, Butler PA
Lorry Perkins, Pittsburgh Mercy Health System Lorry embodies everything that the award is about. It is given monthly to a member that demonstrates exceptional support to the Chamber, its members and the community. Every year, the chamber, in coordination with some of its member charities, through the Giving Tree Program, collects specific gifts for people in need at the holidays. In each of the past 5 years, we have collected over 500 gifts. This year, towards the end of the collection period, Lorry saw that there were about 10 tags left that weren’t selected. These 10 tags represented 10 people that might not get a gift this Christmas. Lorry took those 10 tags and bought gifts for all of them. Not only did her efforts support the Chamber, its member charities and the community, more importantly, it symbolizes everything that Christmas stands for. I am sure that Lorry did not do this for the recognition and probably
doesn’t want it, but an act this unselfish cannot be overlooked. This is only a small way that we can say thank you. -Jim Boltz, President
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January 2020
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W
hen you or someone you love receives a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, it can be emotionally devastating. If you aren’t prepared, it can lead to financial devastation as well. What will you do to cover the costs associated with care?
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
Crunch some numbers.
To frame things realistically, here are some statistics relating to Alzheimer’s care costs: On average, in-home care workers are paid $19 per hour to assist Alzheimer’s patients.Nationally, adult day care services cost an average of $70 per day. The average cost for one year in an assisted living community is $3,477. A private room in a nursing home costs an average of $239 per day.
What are my choices?
Most people will need a financial plan to cover their costs should they require assistance, especially if they experience a lengthy stay in an assisted living facility or nursing home. Even if you or your loved one qualifies for Medicare, you will need to find ways to cover long-term care expenses. Thankfully, you can rely on other options such as longterm care insurance. This type of insurance offers benefits like nursing home care and in-home care, and you can opt for traditional long-term care insurance or go with a hybrid of life insurance and long-term care insurance. For the latter option, you can use the death benefit to pay for long-term care if needed.
Plan ahead.
First and foremost, your best strategy is to plan ahead. Waiting until you or your family is facing a crisis leaves you in a precarious position. If you or someone you love receives a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, experts cited by Next Avenue recommend seeking advice from a financial advisor or attorney who handles elder law right away.
Timeframes and Medicaid.
Generally speaking, those who are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are projected to live with the disease for eight to 10 years. If you are planning to rely on Medicaid to help cover costs, note Medicaid will review five years of financial records to assess whether or not you meet qualifications. According to some experts, the cap on how much income you can receive is quite low, and you can only own $2,000 in assets. Therefore, the sooner you begin making plans, the better.
What about Medicare?
Medicare does not cover the costs of long-term care, though it does cover long-term care hospital stays, hospice care, and care given at a skilled nursing facility. If you haven’t done so already, speak with an insurance advisor about affordable policy options that can help cover long-term care.
PghNorthChamber.com
January 2020
Additional options.
Some people cover long-term care expenses by liquidating assets such as retirement funds, vacation homes, or their luxury items like boats or RVs. A reverse mortgage is another option. Veterans can receive benefits from the Veterans Administration, and local charities can often offer various forms of assistance, whether in hands-on ways like lawn care from teen volunteers, or financial assistance through grants.
Be specific.
When seeking affordable care options, one idea is to create a list of the specific things you or your loved one needs help doing. Care that requires less skill, such as help with dressing, eating or running errands, is often less costly than care which requires medical training. The U.S. Administration on Aging offers an online tool to help find assistance in your location and in accordance with the particulars of your situation. An Alzheimer’s diagnosis carries tremendous emotional weight. When finances are insecure, the toll can be even more devastating. Make plans to pay for Alzheimer’s care so you can make the best of your situation.
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Baby Shower – Sigmas is
A
s we welcome the year 2020, we are excited to open our doors to our many returning and new guests here at Sigmas. Each person who walks through our doors brings their own unique ideas, themes and personal visions. Our job is to make those visions a reality. Whether it’s planning for a corporate training session, baby shower, retirement party, or even a wedding, we will do whatever it takes to bring your vision to life. If you are considering planning a special event in 2020, take a look below at all that Sigmas has to offer and some pro tips!
Corporate Training Workshops – Sigmas is not a hotel or a restaurant, but rather a unique, boutique-like private event venue that can customize your corporate event to ensure an exceptional experience for you and your guests. Our corporate all-inclusive packages include food, beverages, setup and technology (projectors, smart boards, wall mounted screens, confidence monitors and much more)!
great for baby showers, both large and small. While we offer many room options, our VIP lounge is great for intimate parties to provide a cozy, “at home” feel. For larger crowds, our lower level restaurant style dining room provides a “Tuscan Café” ambiance for our guests! Pro Tip: Ou r m a in lev el a nd lo w er level can also be used for Gender Reveal parties!
Retirement Party – We have space on our
main level for up to 120 guests. Sigmas has been a perfect setting for some pretty amazing retirement parties in the past – Our guests have used our white board walls to write special messages, and our mounted 80” TV screens for picture slide shows. Pro Tip: Pa y tr ibu te a nd ho no r your retiree with a video reel of 10 second snippets of each of their coworkers and loved ones sending them well wishes. Sigmas has all of the technology to make that possible!
Pro Tip: W h at is a co nfidence m o nito r? Feel at ease while giving your presentation by using our 50” confidence monitor that is positioned behind your audience so that the presenter can easily read slides while not having to continuously look down at their notes or behind them to the main screen. Page 8
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
Tori Angiolini, Sigmas Event Center
Wedding – Small weddings have flowed flawlessly at Sigmas with the use of our entire facility
and exceptional staff. The upstairs VIP lounge doubles as a great “get ready” room for the bride and her bridesmaids. The main level is a perfect area for a ceremony and/or reception, and our lower level dining room area works well for a cocktail hour. Pro Tip: Take advantage of a venue like Sigmas who can help you to connect with top notch caterers, flowers, music and much more. This makes Sigmas a one-stop shop for our newlyweds!
To learn more and schedule your tour, visit: www.sigmaseventcenter.com OR call 412-821-2530
PghNorthChamber.com
January 2020
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W
e recently took our family on a trip to Walt Disney World.
On the return flight, as I reflected on our stay, I couldn’t help but think about how that organization continues to uphold Walt’s dream more than 50 years after his passing. Walt Disney was a visionary who always aimed high. He never saw barriers; only opportunities. And he never put any limitations on his own imagination as he challenged ours. And, in doing so, he created a frame of mind to help shepherd the Disney brand into the next century and beyond.
More than Just a Dream Walt Disney’s greatness was about much more than wishing upon a star. It was about setting an expectation (or Brand Promise) for others to embrace and live by. If you’ve ever visited central Florida, you know that frequent rainstorms are a part of everyday life. We experienced our share of them during our stay. During one downpour, we found ourselves trapped in a gift shop with hundreds of fellow tourists. As Disney associates maintained order and safety in an increasingly crowded setting, they never exhibited any frustration. They never got exasperated with the throngs of patrons crowding the aisles and blocking the entrances. They kept smiling and remained polite during the entire ordeal. I declared to one young woman who was directing the nonparticipating traffic, “They must train you folks to be so polite.” I was mistaken. She said there was no such training. The positive culture and philosophy that Walt Disney created attracts likeminded people who share it. No training necessary. What are you doing to attract those who share your dreams and aspirations? Are you networking with like-minded individuals? Are you joining online communities that share your values and challenge your thinking? Are you engaging your co-workers to contribute in positive ways to your common goals? If you’re a supervisor, are you empowering your subordinates to broaden their skill sets in order to distinguish themselves and add value to your customers’ experiences?
Brand Loyalty and Brand Equity A recent purchase of new computers provoked similar thoughts. Our company needed to upgrade some MacBooks. We never even considered switching platforms to something “more affordable.” This is the work of Steve Jobs, still going strong nearly a decade since his passing. You see, Jobs knew that, if he defined a Brand Promise that was meaningful and stuck to it, people would remain loyal to Apple products. As long as the company continued to deliver on its promise of plug-and-play accessibility, innovation, elegance and “coolness,” people would be willing to pay a premium for their products. Sure, we could have purchased other laptops for half the price, but it never even crossed our minds. True value means a whole lot more than economics.
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
What are you offering that makes others willing to pay a premium for it? How are you delivering on your Brand Promise to build customer loyalty? Are you adding the little extras that make their lives easier even at your own expense? Are you setting realistic expectations and regularly exceeding them? Are you being responsive and offering advice instead of just taking orders? Remember, your expertise has real value and is worth sharing. All of this transcends widgets to create a frame of mind that builds positive Brand Equity. When you think about your brand, remember that it’s more than just your identity. It’s not limited to a name, logo and tagline. It’s the mindshare that your business creates. It’s what people think of when they hear your name. And, as Disney and Apple demonstrate, it’s something to be embraced and nurtured. There’s no reason why it cannot endure long after you’re gone.
Are You Brand-Ready for 2020? As the year begins, ask yourself how your current challenges and objectives align with your overall vision. Have you lost your way, or are you sticking to your Brand Promise? Is it still meaningful to your customers and prospects? Have you allowed yourself the room to evolve with their needs, or have you boxed yourself in? Engage your employees to stay involved and help maintain the focus on the guiding principles that distinguish you. Consult with customers and colleagues to learn how others are viewing your business. You might find that a little change is in order for the coming year, and that’s okay. If you get stuck, ask yourself, “What would Walt and Steve do?”
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ron MacDonald, of Step2 Branding & Design, believes that a marketing communications plan is vital to the success of any business; and effectively reaching the right audience with the right message and a polished, professional look is what distinguishes market leaders. Learn more at Step2Branding.com.
PghNorthChamber.com
January 2020
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The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber of Commerce invites you to attend the 2020 Annual Meeting. This event recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments and excellence of our business community each year. Join us this year as we commemorate the 10 Year Anniversary of the merger and honor the 200+ businesses that have been with us from the beginning for their decade of dedication. Purchase Tickets Here Page 12
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PghNorthChamber.com
January 2020
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Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy
Alliance for Nonprofit Resources
Pressley Ridge
American Cancer Society
Priority2Work
Anchorpoint Counseling Ministry
Quest Ministries, Inc.
Autism Society of Pittsburgh
Grace Youth and Family Foundation
Baierl Family YMCA Bethany Christian Services Boy Scouts of America - Laurel Highlands Council Breathe Pennsylvania C & S Patient Education Foundation
Ready Yourselves Youth Ranch
Special Olympics Pennsylvania
HEARTH InVision Human Services Junior Achievement of Western PA
Construction Junction
MHY Family Services
Cranberry Public Library
North Hills Community Outreach Once Upon A Hero
Don't Stop Dreamin'
Pittsburgh Cares
Dress for Success Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Job Corps-Career Transition Services
Pittsburgh Philharmonic
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UNITED WAY OF BUTLER COUNTY Verland / Susanne Killmeyer
Passavant Hospital Foundation
Pittsburgh Mercy
The Woodlands Foundation Treasure House Fashions
Crisis Center North, Inc
Good Samaritan Hospice
The Arc of Butler County
The Mayernik Center at Avonworth Community Park
Living in Liberty McGuire Memorial Foundation
Glade Run Foundation
St. Anthony School Programs
The Lighthouse Foundation
Lifesteps
Chatham?s Women?s Business Center
Cranberry Township Area Lions Club
Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA
Vincentian Collaborative System Vitalant (Central Blood Bank) VOICe WESA/WYEP Public Radio Women's Choice Network
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PghNorthChamber.com | January 2020
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Connections Meetings provide the opportunity to meet the business leaders that make up your Chamber membership in a casual networking meeting, Regularly scheduled in convenient locations within the operational footprint, Connections is the ideal way to engage with potential clients and customers.
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
The Chamber is very fortunate to celebrate the grand openings of new businesses into our growing region. On behalf of our members and Board of Directors, welcome!
PghNorthChamber.com | January 2020
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IQ Accounting Minuteman Press - Cranberry
Kawneer Cranberry - ALCOA MSA - The Safety Company ARMSTRONG Butler County Community College
Coldwell Banker - Jan Stevens General Rental Center Cranberry Twp. Volunteer Fire Co. Mayernik Center at Avonworth Community Park VOICe Newhaven Court at Clearview dba IntegraCare Clean Town USA- DBA New Wave Car Wash New York Life- Hacker Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association Legal Shield & Identity Theft Protection Renick Brothers Construction Co. North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Jergel's Rhythm Grille Paxton Bookkeeping and Tax Services
Dillon McCandless King Coulter & Graham
Consolidated Communications
Polesky Agency, Scott Berney Erie Insurance Cranberry Messenger Service Lisowski Tree Service and Landscaping,LLC Sarver Landscape Maintenance Company Sarver Management Muhlenkamp & Company, Inc Evangeline's Creative Side DQE Communications, LLC. Healthy Environments, LLC Kontos Mengine Law Group Panera Bread - McCandless XTO Energy Inc. Fuellgraf Electric and Technical Management Associates Lou Negley's Bottled Water Inc. Pittsburgh Plastics Manufacturing McCall Scanlon & Tice, LLC (CPAs)
Banccard Stryde Solutions, LLC I-Clean, Inc. Ambrogio and Gallo Landscaping Services, Inc. Jireh Mobile Gateway Rehab Sheeley Agency- Allstate Insurance Leathem Creation Co. MIBS Incorporated Natural Healing and Wellness of PGH, LLC Fresh Thyme Farmers Market Sigmas Event Center Rossman Hensley, Inc. Revive Upper Cervical Chiropractic RiteRug Flooring Colbert Law Dave & Buster's North Hills
Farmers National Bank of Canfield
Tony Chiappetta Voice Overs FortifyIT, LLC Mary Kay- Darlene Baverso
Andrew Chiapusio, First National Bank
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PghNorthChamber.com | January 2020
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Executive Committee Andrew Chiapusio—Chairman of the Board First National Bank Tracy Armstrong– Chair Elect North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Mark Prentice—Vice Chair Healthy Environments, LLC Philip J. Scolieri, J.D.– Past Chair Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Dr. Ann Gatty, Ph.D.—Foundation Chair Strategic People Solutions Lisa Hunt—Treasurer USX Federal Credit Union
Tiffany Nolan– Secretary i.e. Insurance Jim Boltz—President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
Board of Directors Gary Basilone Basilone Executive Search Elizabeth Blakely Link to Visibility Bruce Conley The Computer Coach Steven W. Diffenderfer Community BanK
Kathleen Kuznicki The Lynch Law Group
Cynthia Stirling Strawberry Ridge Golf Course
Jim Logan Pgh Batteries
Rakesh Unnithan WesBanco Bank
Alyssa Marsico Alzheimer’s Association
Nicky Voynick Sechler Law Firm, LLC
Calvin Sales New York Life
Valerie Wieloch Dollar Bank
PghNorthChamber.com | January 2020
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JOIN A COMMITTEE One of the best ways to take advantage of your membership is to get involved in a committee. You can impact your business by building relationships within the Chamber and advertise your talents by demonstrating them through committee service. Choose an area of interest and get involved! Contact the PNRC to join: info@pghnorthchamber.com
Ambassador Committee is designed to assist and promote the Chamber’s program of work as part of its recruitment and retention efforts in the Pittsburgh North region. Ambassadors are focused on three core functions Legislative & Economic Development for the Chamber: member recruitment, member Committee w or ks to encou r age and services, and member retention. support the growth of local businesses within the geographic areas served by the Chamber. This Community Outreach Committee focu ses committee will be proactively involved as an on service and promoting goodwill within our information gathering and disseminating regional footprint. This includes endeavors such organization on issues that impact business as scholarships, Days of Caring and Angel Giving growth, development and the infrastructure of Trees, etc. The committee works in conjunction our communities. The committee continually with the staff and the Board of Directors of the informs our members as to current political and Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber to identify legislative issues that affect the membership of worthwhile outreach endeavors to promote and the Chamber and businesses in our footprint. support. Marketing Committee is r esponsible fo r Events and Programming Committee creating innovative ways of promoting the serves as a support system to the Chamber staff Chamber and its program and services. This in the planning, development, execution, and committee is responsible for supporting the follow up for the Pittsburgh North Regional initiatives of the staff, Board of Directors and Chamber’s Signature events and programs. The committees. Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber offers a range of events and programs designed to Membership Committee su ppor ts the strengthen and grow businesses within the strategic direction of the Chamber to improve its regional footprint. value proposition and ensure programming and service excellence. The committee is responsible HYPE, Helping Y ou ng Pr ofessionals Excel, for identifying the needs of the members to supports the growth and involvement of talented ensure the Chamber offers a solid return on the young professionals by creating business membership investment. The committee provides opportunities, supporting community valuable insights on the best ways to: grow involvement, and fostering an overall investment membership, engage and retain current in the future of our region. HYPE brings together members, evaluate and make recommendations young professionals with the most powerful on member benefits and identify opportunities network of business leaders in the Pittsburgh and business trends in specific industries. North region by providing opportunities, information, and mentorship to the next generation of leaders.
Thank you to our Valued Corporate Sponsors and Chamber Partners