Calendar:

Weekly Meeting:

Our regularly scheduled weekly meeting will be held Wednesday morning at the Weathervane Restaurant in University Mall from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Meeting Dues are $5.00 per week.  Place your business card and $1.00 in the Optional Drawing. One card will be selected and that person will receive the week's kitty. For Express Check-In, please arrive with a $5.00, a $1.00, and a business card and we will check you in. We greatly appreciate your bringing correct change. We cannot change large denomination bills ($10, $20, $50, etc.) and cannot accept checks.

This Week's Speaker:

This week the Chapel Hill Leads Group will conduct an Open Meeting to discuss how to add greater value to your membership.

Speaker's Schedule for January 2008

April 2 - Bill Lindenmuth, Triangle Financial Services
April 9 - TRC Group presentation by Julie Howe
April 16 - Diana Minta, A Better Image Printing
April 23 - Lincoln Steffens - Cartridge World
April 30 - Frank Rexford, Integrated Mortgage Strategies, Ltd.

Did You Know:

Women's Roundtable - 8:00 a.m., Tuesday, March 24, 2008

The women's roundtable is a chance for employees of chamber members to discuss common challenges. The meeting agenda includes introductions, success stories, member presentations, book reports and hot topics. The Women's Roundtable meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. For additional information regarding the Retail Roundtable, contact Jan Bolick by email at jan@businessclassins.com.

Communications and Marketing Committee - 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, 2008

The Communications and Marketing Committee meets to discuss ways in which the Chamber can more effectively communicate with members, and focuses on ways in which the Chamber can better market itself and its members. The Communications and Marketing Committee meets every other month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. For additional information regarding the Communications and Marketing Committee, contact Meg Branson at (919) 967-7075 or by email at mbranson@carolinachamber.org.

Small Business Roundtable - 11:45 a.m. to 1:00pm, Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The purpose of the Small Business Roundtable is to bring Chamber members together around the table to exchange ideas about a shared interests in a non-competitive environment. Members share stories of challenges, successes and day-to-day best practices to assist in the success of every member. The Small Business Roundtable is held on the first Wednesday of the month at the

Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce
104 South Estes Drive
Chapel Hill 27514
from
11:45 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Bring your lunch, dine with your colleagues, and learn about Small Business Management and Growth.

Government Relations Committee - 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 3, 2008

The mission of the Government Relations Committee is to monitor and make recommendations to local government on issues affecting Chamber members and their interests. The Chamber is also active with regional, state, and national organizations and efforts, and helps leverage their resources to the benefit of our members. The Chamber's Government Relations Committee meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Chamber offices. All Chamber members are welcome to attend. Contact Kevin Schwartz or Adam Klein at 919.967.7075 ext. 24 for information regarding the Government Relations Committee.

Spanky's First Friday Business Before Hours - 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Friday, April 4, 2008

The Chamber's monthly morning networking event, First Friday Business Before Hours, will be held from 7:30 to 9 a.m., Friday, April 4 at Spanky's. First Friday is sponsored by Spanky's and A Better Image Printing. Spanky's is located at 101 E. Franklin St. in Chapel Hill. Don't forget to bring your business cards. First Friday Business Before Hours draws 50–80 members, is a monthly, morning networking opportunity sponsored/hosted by different Chamber members. and held on the first Friday of each month. For additional information contact Tracy Hager at 919.967.7075 ext. 22.

Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina - Coming in April 2008

The Chapel Hill Leads Group will sponsor a Spring Food Drive, benefiting the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina sometime in April. Prepare today by accumulating your donations of  Food and Non-Food items. Try to set aside one hour to staff the collection table. If you cannot donate the time, a food / non-food item will gladly be accepted. Spread the word to your clients during this week. Let them know about the food drive. Perhaps you might collect items at your business and bring them to University Mall.

A big Thank You goes out to David Stoner of EnviroFix (www.killodors.com or (919) 847-5355) for initiating and overseeing this event. This is a great opportunity for the Leads Group in help those less fortunate. The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce " Business Matters" will carry this announcement to all of the Chamber's members. The following is a suggested list of Food and Non-Food items being accepted by the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina.

Suggested Food Items     (Please, No Glass Containers) Peanut Butter Canned Meals (Stews, Soups, Tuna, Ravioli, etc.). Pop-top cans a plus! Canned Fruits and Vegetables. Rice Cereal

Suggested Non-Food Items     (Please, No Glass Containers) Paper products (Toilet paper, paper towels, etc.) Hygiene Items (Toothpaste, Shaving items, soap, etc.). Diapers and "Attends" Elderly Nutrition Drinks ("Ensure") Infant formula  Please - No loose jars of baby food as they will have to be discarded due to health regulations.

About the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina is a nonprofit organization that provides food for people in need in 34 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. The Food Bank serves a network of more 880 partners agencies offering soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults. In fiscal 2005-2006, the Food Bank distributed more than 31.4 million pounds of food and non-food essentials to these agencies. Sadly, hunger remains a serious problem in central and eastern North Carolina. In these counties, more than 440,000 struggle each day to provide enough food for their families. www.foodbankcenc.org.

Networking In Your Neighborhood

Apex Leads Group (New Location)

The Apex Leads Group (www.networkinginapex.com) meets every Tuesday at Carrabba's Italian Grill, 1201 Haddon Hall Drive, Apex 27502. Christine Rhyne Johnson of Mary Kay (919-386-0567) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Cary Leads Group (New Location)

The Cary Leads Group meets every Thursday at the Hibernian Restaurant & Pub ( http://www.hibernianpub.com/), 1144 Kildaire Farm Road, Cary, NC 27511. Located between SW Maynard Road and SW Cary Parkway. John Majernik of MannaTech (919-612-4170) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Chatham County Leads Group.

The Chatham County Leads Group meets every Tuesday at Our Neighborhood School Pizzeria ( www.ourneighborhoodschool.com/pizzeria.html), 87 Thompson Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Volunteers from the Chatham County area will facilitate the meeting. They meet from 8:00 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Clayton Leads Group

The Clayton Leads Group meets every Wednesday at The Coffee Mill, 105 South Lombard Street, Clayton, NC. Bobby Whitley (bwhitley@jhnetwork,com) (919-719-3804) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:30 a.m.

Hillsborough Leads Group

The Hillsborough Leads Group meets the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month. Ned Parson of American Speedy Printing (493-0985) is the facilitator. They meet at the Occoneechee Steak House from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Holly Springs Leads Group

Holly Springs Leads Group meets every Wednesday at Java Divine (www.javadivine.com) in the Bass Lake Shopping Center, 128 Bass Lake Road, Holly Springs, NC. Barb Petty of Melaleuca (919-662-5418) and Debbie Walter (919-303-1829) are the facilitators. They meet from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

North Raleigh Leads Group

The North Raleigh Leads Group (www.northraleighleads.com) meets every Monday morning at the Percolator Coffee, 5039 Falls of the Neuse Road, Raleigh 27609. David Stoner of EnviroFix (919-847-5355) and Charlie Edinger of Second Chance Solutions (919-219-5264) are the facilitators. They meet from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

Pittsboro Business Women's Group [PBWG]

The Pittsboro Business Women's Group meets the first and third Tuesday morning of each month at the Chatham Mortgage, 76 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312. Janet Wyatt (542-4222 or pittsborobwg@hotmail.com) is the facilitator. They meet from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

Western Wake Leads Group

Western Wake Leads Group meets Thursdays at the BNC in Cary beginning at 8:00AM. The BNC is located at 649 Walnut St. The cost will be $2 and will cover coffee and tea. For further information click here: http://smallbiz.meetup.com/483/calendar/7054450/ or call the BNC at 342-5251.