September 2018
CORRIDORS
Serving Business Corridors in Western Pennsylvania Tips for Your Year-End Marketing Strategy Year-End Healthcare Planning
Member Accolades Photo Gallery
C O N T E N T S
Chamber Headquarters 5000 Brooktree Road, Suite 100 Wexford, PA Cranberry Twp. Office 2525 Rochester Road Cranberry Township, PA P: 724.934.9700
Jim Boltz President JBoltz@PghNorthChamber.com For more information on the Chamber’s program of work, please contact:
Kristina Hall Director of Events & Programs KHall@PghNorthChamber.com Heather Schwartzbauer Membership & Digital Media Coordinator HSchwartzbauer@PghNorthChamber.com Amy VanAtta Executive Assistant AVanAtta@PghNorthChamber.com
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From the President
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Business After Hours, Signature Events and Connections Schedules
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Member of the Month Planning Ahead: Tips for Your Year-End Marketing Strategy
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SBA Office of Advocacy - Regional Regulatory Roundtable
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Year-End Healthcare Planning
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Managing Cash Flow is Key to Business Success
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Community Connections
From the Where did the summer go? It just seems like yesterday that school was let out for the summer, the pools were opening and people were either playing on a ball field or a golf course. Now, the kids are going back, the nights are getting cooler and everyone is talking football. The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber had a great summer. Our traditional favorite event, the Food and Wine Classic was bigger and better than ever with a wider Jim Boltz, President variety of restaurants, entertainment, games and raffles. Also, this summer, the Chamber hosted our first ever Mega Mixer with eight other Chambers on the Gateway Clipper. It was such a great success, with almost 400 attendees, that people are already talking about next year’s event. September looks to be just as exciting. On Monday, September 10th, we have one of our beloved Meet & Move Luncheons at the DoubleTree by Hilton with the Beaver County Chamber and the SMC. The next in our Innovation Pittsburgh speaker series is on September 21st at St. Barnabas’ Kean Theatre. We have a great line up of speakers. You will be able to learn what is on the horizon for the area and the opportunities that are there for you and your business. The lineup includes: Rich Fitzgerald- Allegheny County Executive Michael Marr- Shell Oil Appalachia Integration Lead Katharine Kelleman- Port Authority of Allegheny County, CEO David Ruppersberger- President of the Allegheny Regional Alliance Evan Rosenberg- Publisher of the Pittsburgh Business Times Don’t miss this opportunity to have breakfast, network and gain insight from some of the most influential leaders in Pittsburgh. On September 24th, we have our most popular event of the year, the Taste of Cranberry & Beyond. Not only can you enjoy unlimited samples of food from our best regional restaurants but there will be numerous raffles, entertainment and a kids zone. More details can be found on our website for all these events. We look forward to seeing you at them.
Member Testimonial The Chamber is a great way to get connected in the North Pittsburgh area. Most helpful for me has been making connections for services - marketing , bookkeeping, banking, and so on that I use. The 4 months before I opened my business I attended every Chamber event there was - which is multiple per week. Now I get out to two or three events a month, but that early investment in making connections continues to pay off as I get out less often. -Jim Logan, Ride Share Driver-UBER
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B USINESS A FTER H OURS September 20 October 4 Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza Houlihan’s Cranberry 2045 Mackenzie Way, Cranberry 20406 Rte. 19, Cranberry Twp.
Business After Hours are from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
E VENTS Meet and Move Luncheon Monday, September 10 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Cranberry 910 Sheraton Drive Mars, PA 16046 Taste of Cranberry & Beyond Monday, September 24 5:00-8:00 p.m. DoubleTree by Hilton Cranberry 910 Sheraton Drive Mars, PA 16046
M ARKETPLACE L UNCH M EETINGS September 5 Monte Cello’s at The Hampton Shoppes 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 4655 William Flynn Highway Route 8, Allison Park September 24 Family Bowlaway Fun Center 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. 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 Sponsored by North Hills Psychological Associates, Inc
2018 B OARD
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D IRECTORS
E XECUTIVE C OMMITTEE Ann Gatty, Ph.D. – Board Chair Strategic People Solutions Philip J. Scolieri, J.D.– Chair-Elect Scolieri Law Group, P.C. Andrew Chiapusio—Vice-Chair First National Bank John Tubridy—Past Chair Franchise Network of Pittsburgh Gregg Hill—Foundation Chair Dollar Bank Lisa Hunt—Treasurer USX Federal Credit Union Kim Yerace—Secretary Petroleum Technical Services, LLC Jim Boltz—President Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber James Roddey—Advisor to the Board St. Barnabas Health System
B OARD
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D IRECTORS
Tracy Armstrong, North Pittsburgh Greeting Company Gary Basilone, Basilone Executive Search & Staffing Ryan Breen J.D., Breen Law Firm, LLC Steven W. Diffenderfer, Community Bank Todd Harris, Liberty Insurance Agency Jim Logan, Ride Share Driver-UBER Al Marschke, ACN Business Essentials
Warrendale: Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. DoubleTree By Hilton, 910 Sheraton Drive Sponsored by Direct Payment Consultants
Alyssa Marsico, Alzheimer’s Association
Cranberry Twp.: Wednesdays, 7:30 a.m. Council Chambers, 2525 Rochester Road
Robert O’Friel, Luttner Financial Group
Ross Twp.: Thursdays, 7:30 a.m. Treasure House Fashions, 7607 McKnight Road Valencia: Fridays, 7:30 a.m. The Crystal Conservatories, 100 Conservatories Court
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Tiffany Nolan, i.e. Insurance
Mark Prentice, Healthy Environments, LLC Jan Stevens, Coldwell Banker Nicky Voynick, Salem Media Group
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PNRC Member Calvin Sales New York Life Jim Boltz, President PNRC said, “Calvin is always willing to help grow the Chamber. He attends Ribbon Cuttings, participates in Chamber Membership Blitzes, sits on the Membership Committee and is a friendly face at Business After Hours. His personality and dedication are great assets to the Chamber.” “Calvin is new to the Chamber and has quickly made an impact. He serves on the membership committee and he is willing to knock on doors, make connections and welcome new people. Always about relationship and not "sales", even though that's his name! Get to know Calvin! He will make you laugh and truly want to help you to grow your business,” said Nicky Voynick, Salem Media Group. George Payne, Federated Mortgage Corp. said “Calvin is always at events with a smile on his face and a welcoming handshake. He likes to build personal connections with all of his clients and friends and takes the time to get to know you. He is always willing to help and volunteer his time with the Chamber.”
PghNorthChamber.com
September 2018
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Planning Ahead: Tips for Your Year-End Marketing Strategy By: Sadie Stresky, Brand Strategist at 321Blink It’s hard to believe the holiday season will be here in a few short months. While that may signal relaxation and time off work for some, business owners know that the end of the year is a critical time for planning out the year ahead, especially regarding the company’s advertising budget. Whether your fiscal year begins in January or July, here are some of 321Blink’s recommendations for creating an effective year-end marketing strategy for 2019 and beyond. The Big Picture As you wrap up your 2018 marketing strategy and plan for next year, consider your company’s “big picture” for the future. Identify the major business objectives you hope to accomplish, such as launching a product, entering a new market, or simply gaining more brand awareness. Once those goals and the deadlines for achieving them are established, work backwards from important milestones to start developing a marketing plan. An example of how working backwards can be done effectively is the way one of our senior living clients handled promoting a brand new property last fall. Once they made the decision to break ground on a retirement living community, we worked with them nearly two years ahead of the grand opening to create a robust digital marketing strategy. It looked a bit like this: 1. The first phase focused on getting the target audience to the project’s website to learn more, see construction updates, and sign up for a VIP mailing list and early bird discounts. 2. As time got closer to the completion of the building, we changed the messaging to encourage interested parties to schedule a tour and attend on-site information sessions. 3. Once the building was ready for residents to move in, we updated the messaging yet again to promote the events in celebration of the grand opening and to keep people engaged. When making your own strategy, remember to ask: what are your goals, how do you plan to achieve them, and what do you need to do to ensure your customers know about them?
Assess Your Assets It has been said that “those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it,” and the same can be said for your marketing strategy. It’s important to take stock of every marketing objective your company has done in the past 1-3 years and try the following: 1. Identify the tactics that worked especially well and the ones that failed to give a return on your investment. 2. Consider new ways to reach your audience. Get to know your demographic and meet the customers where they spend the most time, such as on specific social media platforms. 3. Take it a step further by researching what your competitors and similar companies in other parts of the country are doing. Year-end planning is also a great time to review the state of your company’s website to ensure that it functions as it should. If your site is not mobile responsive, has a number of SEO errors, or is generally difficult to navigate for your customers, it’s time to hire a web developer to fix your website or build a new one.
Budget and Content Creation Of course, your budget plays a major factor in what your strategy will look like. Be sure to account for the various expenses required to execute your marketing. If your company does marketing in-house, things like subscriptions to Adobe Creative Cloud, stock photo licenses, camera/computer equipment, and marketing automation software may need to be budgeted for – maybe even additional personnel to handle the content creation and execution. Another alternative is to hire an advertising agency to handle some or all of the marketing for you. In addition to having a budget in mind, you will need to plan ahead to create a realistic timeline and identify your top priorities. Agencies and vendors act as an extension of your team to create a marketing strategy that’s authentic to your brand. By having clearly defined marketing objectives and an idea of what your needs and budget will be, your company will be positioned for a successful new year.
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Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PghNorthChamber.com
July 2017
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SBA Office of Advocacy - Regional Regulatory Roundtable Join the Office of Advocacy for a roundtable discussion of federal regulatory issues impacting your small business. Advocacy is also inviting Pennsylvania Congressional offices and key federal agencies to hear your concerns about federal regulations and other issues you may be facing with your small business. The Scranton roundtable will take place at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel Scranton on Lackawanna Avenue beginning at 8:30am on September 12. President Trump has made regulatory reform a center piece of his agenda and signed two executive orders addressing the regulatory burden faced by the private sector. As the independent voice for small business within the federal government, The Office of Advocacy has a unique and important role to aid agency implementation of the new executive orders. To assist in accomplishing the goals of the executive orders, we have developed a Regulatory Reform Action Plan. As part of this plan, the Office of Advocacy is hosting Regional Regulatory Reform Roundtables across the country in an effort to hear from small businesses first-hand about what federal regulations most concern and/or impact them. In order for this Regulatory Reform effort to be successful, they need small business participation. This will be an opportunity for small business leaders to educate Advocacy and federal agencies through first-hand accounts of how federal regulations impact their small business. The information gathered at these roundtables will be utilized to inform agencies, Congress and the public on what specific regulations can be modified or removed to help small businesses. Registration for this event is free, however please fill out the registration form below so that they will be prepared to discuss various regulatory issues. If you are unable to attend but would still like to provide federal regulatory small business concerns, please fill out the form. https://www.sba.gov/advocacy/regulatory-reform-input The Office of Advocacy is an independent office housed in the SBA that serves as an independent voice for small business within the federal government, the watchdog for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) and the source of small business statistics. Advocacy advances the views and concerns of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy makers. The agenda will be created based upon registrations. All small businesses are welcome to attend for as little or as long as their schedule will permit. Small Businesses do not need to attend all day, Advocacy staff and Federal Agency staff will be in attendance to hear your comments and concerns. Don’t see your industry on the agenda? No problem. ALL small businesses are welcome to comment on federal regulations at any time during the roundtable or you can come during the final segment of general small business concerns. *Registration will begin at 8:00 and the event will begin at 8:30* 8:00-8:30am: Registration and networking 8:30-8:40am Opening Remarks and Welcome 8:40-8:50am: Who is Advocacy and Why are we here? 8:50-9:30am: Input from the Transportation, Hospitality, and Retail Industries 9:30-10:00am: Input from the Financial Services and Real Estate Industries 10:00-10:30am: Input from the Construction and Manufacturing Industries 10:30-10:45am: Break 10:45-11:30am: Input from the Agriculture, Energy, and Land Use Industries 11:30-11:45am: General Small Business Regulatory Concerns 11:45-12:00pm: Closing Remarks 12:00-12:30pm: Networking The purpose of each roundtable is to hear directly from local small businesses in various industries. Depending upon the feedback from the registration comment form, the roundtable agenda may be modified to fit the interests of the small businesses in attendance.
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Member Accolades General Rental Celebrating 20th Anniversary
Congratulations to General Rental Center for their 20th year in business! Be sure to contact them for all of your party and equipment rental needs!
Sechler Law Firm Anniversary Sechler Law Firm just celebrated the one-year anniversary of the opening of their Mars office! Congratulations and best wishes for many more years to come.
Fastest Growing Agency-321 Blink 321Blink was recognized as the #24 Fastest Growing company in Pittsburgh (#1 fastest growing agency). Treat customers great.. treat employees even better.. do great work.. end of story! Congratulations!
The Lynch Law Group on The Pittsburgh Business Times Fast 50 List
Congratulations to The Lynch Law Group for achieving Number 11 on The Pittsburgh Business Times Fast 50 List of fastest-growing, privately held companies in western Pennsylvania. This is not the firm’s first time to make the Fastest Growing Companies list. It also was selected in 2012, 2013 and 2017 and was recognized as one of the region’s Best Places to Work in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Chris Kail Raises Funds for Real Men Wear Pink
Chris Kail has raised over $11,000 for Real Men Wear Pink, which supports breast cancer research. He is 6th in the Nation with his fundraising efforts. Congratulations Chris for supporting such a great cause!
WesBanco named as a Top Workplace
WesBanco was named a TOP WORKPLACE by the Pittsburgh Post Gazette! Congratulations to all of the employees that make WesBanco such a great place.
PghNorthChamber.com
September 2018
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Year-End Healthcare Planning By: JRG Advisors As autumn approaches, we focus on the year-end review and wrap up so we can establish objectives and strategies for the year ahead. It is also the time many employers focus on the company’s employee benefits program – which may mean working on the plan renewals, employee open enrollment meetings and preparing IRS reports and filings. If your employee benefits plans are renewing in the next couple of months you should be talking with your benefits advisor about the options you have to consider. For example, after determining the budget for employee benefits, you can discuss the merits of fully insured health insurance plans as compared to self-funded options; and consider defined contribution or other funding strategies to control costs for the company and the employees. There are many ways today for employers to establish a benefits strategy that supports a better value in the long term. Not all options are good for all companies, but a knowledgeable employee benefits consultant will navigate you through the options that achieve your objectives. Additional considerations for 2019 include changes to the Individual Mandate. For example, there will no longer be a penalty imposed on individuals who fail to maintain minimum essential health benefits. There were no changes to the Employer Mandate, meaning Applicable Large Employers, (ALE’s) are still required to offer compliant coverage or pay significant penalties. The IRS recently started sending penalty notices, known as Letter 226J for employers that owe either Penalty A or Penalty B. Be sure of your group size and your responsibility under the Employer Mandate to avoid penalties.
Applicable Large Employers (those with 50 or more full-time employees including full-time equivalent employees during the prior calendar year) are still required to submit and file Forms 1094-C and 1095-C to the IRS and provide Form 1095-C to the employees. Here are those deadlines: -January 31st – deadline to mail the 1095-C to the employees. (30 day extension provided in past years -February 28th – deadline to file 1094-C and 1095-C Forms if mailing paper returns. -March 31st – deadline to file 1094-C and 1095-C Forms if filing electronically. Small employers, (those with fewer than 50 full-time employees including full-time equivalent employees during the prior calendar year) may not be subject to the Employer Mandate, but may be subject to filing forms 1094-C and 1095-C, and mailing 1095-C to the covered individuals if you have a self-funded medical plan.
And for most employers regardless of size, ERISA and model disclosure notices are required to be distributed to the employees. Some of these notices are due by certain calendar dates. Other notices are required to be distributed as part of new hire onboarding documents and during the plan open enrollment period. In summary, all employers should be able to answer a few questions: Is our company an Applicable Large Employer and if so do we offer coverage that provides a minimum value? Are we currently reporting and filing the appropriate forms based on our size and plan type? Have we distributed the required notices under ERISA? Do we have a strategy to control our costs? About the Author: JRG Advisors, LLC is a premier insurance broker, employee benefits consultant and service company. JRG has been the managing company for the ChamberChoice program since 1992 and continues to bring a suite of unique plans and pricing to Chamber Members across the state. To learn more please contact JRG Advisors and ChamberChoice at 412-456-7253 or www.jrgadvisors.net or www.chamberchoice.com.
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Turnover: Preventing it and dealing with the aftermath By: The Associated Press, from PA Chamber’s Morning News A tight labor market and a shrinking pool of talented workers make “I’m quitting” some of the most dreaded words a small business owner can hear. Staff turnover is a fact of life, but it’s particularly painful at small companies competing with larger businesses for workers. Owners learn they must make staff retention efforts a priority — including mentoring or changing workplace policies — and do some soul-searching if turnover increases. When five out of 22 staffers left Dash Design last year, owner David Ashen understood that some naturally wanted to move on to new challenges. But he also discovered after talking to employees that they felt the culture in his New York-based interior design company had changed since he brought in a new business partner. Ashen realized he needed to help employees feel more connected to the business, and focused on mentoring younger staffers. “We ask them, where do you want to be in six months or three years, and create a path to do that. When we failed to do that, people were less satisfied in their work,” he says. Ashen has also started letting workers have flexible schedules and bring their dogs to the office. Many companies find that a staff can be stable for some time, and then several employees leave at once. And with fewer employees, small businesses aren’t as able as big corporations to shuffle assignments when people leave. At The SEO Works, a digital marketing company in Sheffield, Britain, five staffers out of 30 left in a short period last year for a mix of professional and personal reasons, managing director Ben Foster says. When staffers who are on teams leave, coworkers can pitch in while a replacement is hired, Foster says. But when employees who work by themselves quit, the managing director “just had to step up and take on two roles,” he says. The company has been changing its policies to try to improve retention, and recently also introduced flex time. Owners find that one big thing they can do is be clear with younger workers who want to know there’s a chance for them to grow and develop new skills. Jeff Rizzo and business partner Matt Ross aim for each of their 10 staffers at product review website RIZKNOWS to understand what they need to do to win a promotion or a raise. Companies that want to reduce turnover need to let employees know they’re valued and that what they do matters, says Leigh Branham, owner of Keeping the People. To continue reading this article, visit https:// triblive.com/business/headlines/13987560-74/ turnover-preventing-it-and-dealing-with-theaftermath
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Social Media & Marketing Conference
The Chamber hosted a Social Media & Marketing Conference on Tuesday, August 7 at La Roche College. We were happy to hear from a variety of speakers and topics which spanned from Google to Blogging, LinkedIn, Digital Marketing and even Podcasts!
Tossin’ For Good Cornhole Tournament
The Chamber’s Young Professionals Group, HYPE, hosted a Corn hole Tournament on Saturday, August 25 at Adams Township Community Park to raise money for local nonprofits. The winning team chose to donate the proceeds to Alzheimer’s Association and The American Cancer Society. The second place team donated the proceeds to Butler County Humane Society. We are happy to support and raise money for such great nonprofits! Photos courtesy of Al Marschke, BluMars Media.
Managing Cash Flow is Key to Business Success Cash flow is the lifeblood of every small business but many business owners underestimate just how vital managing cash flow is to their business's success. In fact, a healthy cash flow is more important than your business's ability to deliver its goods and services.
ADVERTORIAL
While that might seem counterintuitive, consider this: if you fail to satisfy a customer and lose that customer's business, you can always work harder to please the next customer. If you fail to have enough cash to pay your suppliers, creditors, or employees, you are out of business. What is Cash Flow? Cash flow, simply defined, is the movement of money in and out of your business; these movements are called inflow and outflow. Inflows for your business primarily come from the sale of goods or services to your customers but keep in mind that inflow only occurs when you make a cash sale or collect on receivables. It is the cash that counts! Other examples of cash inflows are borrowed funds, income derived from sales of assets, and investment income from interest. Outflows for your business are generally the result of paying expenses. Examples of cash outflows include paying employee wages, purchasing inventory or raw materials, purchasing fixed assets, operating costs, paying back loans, and paying taxes. Note: A tax and accounting professional is the best person to help you learn how your cash flow statement works. He or she can prepare your cash flow statement and explain where the numbers come from. If you need help, don't hesitate to call. Cash Flow versus Profit While they might seem similar, profit and cash flow are two entirely different concepts, each with entirely different results. The concept of profit is somewhat broad and only looks at income and expenses over a certain period, say a fiscal quarter. Profit is a useful figure for calculating your taxes and reporting to the IRS. Cash flow, on the other hand, is a more dynamic tool focusing on the day-to-day operations of a business owner. It is concerned with the movement of money in and out of a business. But more important, it is concerned with the times at which the movement of the money takes place. In theory, even profitable companies can go bankrupt. It would take a lot of negligence and total disregard for cash flow, but it is possible. Consider how the difference between profit and cash flow relate to your business. Example: If your retail business bought a $1,000 item and turned around to sell it for $2,000, then you have made a $1,000 profit. But what if the buyer of the item is slow to pay his or her bill, and six months pass before you collect on the account? Your retail business may still show a profit, but what about the bills it has to pay during that six-month period? You may not have the cash to pay the bills despite the profits you earned on the sale. Furthermore, this cash flow gap may cause you to miss other profit opportunities, damage your credit rating, and force you to take out loans and create debt. If this mistake is repeated enough times, you may go bankrupt. To continue reading this article, visit http://thinkholsinger.com/newsletter/#4
The Chamber was pleased to welcome Ashley HomeStore into the North Hills area on August 3. The world’s most popular furniture store has arrived in Pittsburgh! Be sure to visit the new 62,000 square foot showroom located at 7215 McKnight Road.
Ribbon Cuttings
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!
The Chamber was excited to celebrate a Grand Opening with Route 228 Auto Mall on Thursday, August 16. Stop by for an Oil Change, Car Wash or just to say hello! They are located at 215 Scharberry Ln , Mars.
The Chamber was excited to celebrate the opening of a new office space with HBKS Wealth Advisors on Thursday, August 23. They are located at 200 Pinewood Lane, Suite 204 in Warrendale.
Community Connections will provide the latest updates from our municipality partners. Stay up-to-date on what is happening in the areas that you live and work in.
Cranberry Township Farmers Market
Head over to the Cranberry Township Municipal Building, 2525 Rochester Road, on Friday, September 7 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. for a Farmer’s Market! The Farmer's Market is located in the rear parking lot. Vendors vary from week to week. For more information, click here.
Puppy Plunge!
Calling all dogs! Bring your dog, with a current rabies vaccination, to the Waterpark for a swim on Saturday, September 8 at North Boundary Park! The Cranberry Township Waterpark is offering this very special program to all dog lovers. We are opening the pool for a canine only swim! For more information, click here.
Pine Township Speaker Mike Turzai and the Township of Pine Announce Pedestrian Safety Project
Speaker of the House Mike Turzai and Pine Township Manager Scott Anderson released the following statement announcing plans to construct an asphalt path connecting Pine Community Park, and the Treesdale Residential Community to help increase the safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. To read more, click here.
Grandparent's Day
Head down to Pine Community Center on Saturday, September 8 from 1:00-3:00 pm to celebrate Grandparent’s Day! Children 6 years and older and their families are welcome! Grandparents are free and Members are $10/ family, non-members are $15/family. For more information and other events, click here.
McCandless Township Community Day 2018
The 18th annual Town of McCandless Community Day will be held on Saturday, September 8 at Town Hall. As always, it kicks off with a parade at 12:15 p.m. and ends with a fireworks spectacular at 9 p.m. In between, you’ll find all kinds of live acts, food, rides, games and other groovy stuff. Click here for more information.
Roadside cleanup on Oct. 13. Sign up today!
The Town of McCandless is seeking volunteers (aka, "litter getters") for a roadside cleanup on Saturday, October 13 from 10 a.m. to noon. Volunteers should meet at Town Hall by 9:30 a.m. A continental breakfast will be served before everyone breaks out. For more information, click here.
The top 3 zip codes in our membership are:
1. 16066 2. 15090 3. 15237 page 16
NexTier Bank Nonprofit Spotlight Construction Junction
2018 marks the 12th year for Construction Junction’s annual fundraiser, The Steel City Big Pour, being held here in our warehouse space on Saturday, SeptemBEER 15th.
BUY TICKETS Many times, we are asked the question: What does the Big Pour have to do with reuse?
Reuse on a large scale creates many overhead costs, from Worker’s Compensation Insurance to rent to supplies. The revenue from sales of donated items is only enough to pay for around 90% of the bills we have to pay to keep the store and warehouse going. In order to raise money to support the other 10% of our core running costs, we needed a fundraising idea. In 2007, a group of CJ supporters came up with the answer – and the Steel City Big Pour® was born. The Big Pour is a fantastic event, featuring tastes of the finest foods and craft beers from the Pittsburgh area and beyond, and live art and music by local artists. We organize and run the Big Pour ourselves – it’s our only fundraiser – and it’s held every September. The Big Pour generates enough revenue to cover that other 10% of our running costs, and is so successful that funds raised have also allowed us to make occasional improvements and undertake partnerships and community programming. The first Steel City Big was held way back in 2007. Construction Junction launched the Big Pour because we needed to diversify the organization’s revenue. Relying on donated materials can be challenging and not always predictable. CJ is a large organization with significant overhead.
Our day to day operation includes 100,000 square feet of rented space, over 30 employees, free pick up and deconstruction services. We have developed a Goodwill job training program over the last 7 years that fluctuates from between 5 and 8 paid trainees (people with barriers to employment) who work 5 days a week to assist in various aspects of processing donated materials. When our full-time community outreach coordinator, Terry Wiles, isn’t busy securing sponsors, vendors, and volunteers to ensure that we can hold a successful Big Pour year in and year out, he is busy with recycling partnerships, collection events, and community programs. Terry also handles our CJReGives program, a way for us to donate material back to other nonprofits. You may have had the chance to meet him at a reuse focused tour for youth, various industry engagement events, or other outreach appearances. He is always busy providing mission information and awareness to the public. 2018 has seen us further build our community engagement through the Studio Blue furniture painting project with Shuman Juvenile Detention Center, as well as supporting artists and local green products through our pop-up shops and retail store. The Big Pour is one of the critical pieces of the financial resources that come together every year to make CJ more than a store. We are a community resource that actively seeks impactful, innovative partnerships. Your support through donating materials, purchasing materials, and attending the Big Pour helps us touch the lives and projects of tens of thousands of people in our region. And this year the event is not in competition with Pitt – Penn State game, so hopefully some of our long time attendees will be able to make it to the event.
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The Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber would like to thank those who have renewed.
We thank you for your continued support!
20 +Years
Pittsburgh Business Times SAM's Club
Cranberry Center Dental Services Inc. Lutheran SeniorLife
Nexus Financial Network
Community College of Beaver County (CCBC)
Williams Industrial Sales
Robert Morris University Online
Breen Law Firm
Alliance for Nonprofit Resources
First Commonwealth Bank Wexford
Autumn View Investments
McCall Scanlon & Tice, LLC (CPAs)
GEICO Local Office
English Lane Nursery
Thought Process Enterprises
Il Pizzaiolo- Glenshaw
PNC Bank/North Hills Regional
Thrive Chiropractic
Clearview Federal Credit Union Integrative Staffing Group MedExpress Urgent Care McKnight
Valadian Consulting
SERVPRO of Wexford
KinderCare Learning Center
Strategic People Solutions
MassMutual Financial Group
MedExpress Urgent Care Wexford
Trinity Supply & Installation
Cranberry Community Management Co.
Bonner & Bibza Realty
Bethany Christian Services
Welcome to those who have joined! Guardian Storage- Hampton
Club Pilates Hampton
Guardian Storage - Ross Twp.
Dress for Success Pittsburgh
Izzazu Salon, Spa & Blowout Bar
Jewelry by Alicia and Scott
Staples
Waddell & Reed
Fragasso Financial Advisors
No BS Marketing and Business Building
Viterium LLC
Blaze Pizza
Rt 228 Auto Mall
Board & Brush Pittsburgh North
Call Me Crazy Cookie Lady
Philly Pretzel Factory
Club Pilates North Hills
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa Cranberry
Macy’s Ross Park Mall
Coldwell Banker- Brian T. Gierl
Town Square Publications
Dameron Digital GNC McCandless Crossing
Smorey Giger Law
Thank you for your referrals! Lisa Hunt, USX Federal Credit Union
Gregg Hill, Dollar Bank
John McCool, Legal Shield & Identity Theft Protection
Jessie Uhlig, Flynn Construction
Seth Prentice, Armstrong
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Tracy Armstrong, North Pittsburgh Greeting Company
Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber
PghNorthChamber.com
September 2018
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Thank you to our Valued Corporate Sponsors and Chamber Partners