Weekly News 

9 June 2008

From the keyboard of Lee Schearer,

A Celebration Of Life

That is what those of us who attended the John F. Sipp memorial event this past Sunday witnessed, as we shared our thoughts, and our experiences with such a fine gentleman. John was truly a remarkable man. He was very proud of his three boys and their individual accomplishments and also of this "girls" who helped run his agency. He always gave credit to their achievements and acted as if they were his own daughters. In the business world John was a constant networker and he never missed an opportunity to help a new business entrepreneur in getting his or her business going and offering the wisdom that only comes with life experiences.

I know that I speak for many of you who have had the honor and privilege of knowing and working with this wonderful man. We at the Leads group will miss our friend, but we will never fail to remember his graciousness, his wisdom and his presence. He has made a lasting impression on so many of our lives and we, the community and the world is a better place to have had the opportunity to know John F. Sipp.

Respectfully,

Lee Schearer

 Calendar:
Weekly Meeting:
Our regularly scheduled weekly meeting will be held Wednesday morning at Extraordinary Ventures, Inc., 200 South Elliott Road, Chapel Hill 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:
"As a Geriatric Care Manager, Bill Crittenden provides assessment, consultation, and referral services to senior adults and their families."
Speaker's Schedule for June / July 2008
June 18 - Mimi Shankin, NC Community Shares
June 25 - Dick O'Donnell, Clearwire
July 2 - Open
July 9 - Tommy Sikes, TS Financial
July 16 - Marcella Stewart, Mary Kay, Inc.
July 23 - Nancy Eichin, USANA Health Services
Did You Know:
New Chapel Hill Leads Group Attendees - 28 May 2008
Mark Prokop - Vemma
New Chapel Hill Leads Group Attendees - 4 June 2008
Joe Davy - Davy Consulting
Bucky Harris - Boom Clicks
Robby Knox - Knox Insurance
Jennifer McLaurin - John F. Sipp & Associates
Heather Swartz - AM Painting
Friday the 13th Happy Hour - 4:00 p.m. to ?, Friday, June 13, 2008
Several Chapel Hill Leads Group members will hold an impromptu social event at MEZ, a contemporary Mexican restaurant located at 5410 Page Road in Durham. Mez Happy Hour is from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. From Chapel Hill take I-40 East to Exit 282 (Page Road). At the bottom of the exit ramp, turn right onto Page Road and continue for 0.3 miles. Mez Contemporary Restaurant will be on your right  at the corner of Page Road and Slater Road. See you there!
Carolina Designer Craftsmen Guild Announces New 2008 Carolina Designer Craftsmen Show Executive Director
"The Carolina Designer Craftsmen Guild, based in Raleigh, said Janice Mrkonjic, president of Savvy Event Designs, was hired a executive director of the 2008 Carolina Designer Craftsmen Show. On Thanksgiving weekend more than 100 professional craftspeople will gather for the fall craft festival and sale to be held at the Exposition Center at the N.C. State Fairgrounds in Raleigh."
(Carolina Woman, May 2008, pages 42-43)
Membership Committee Meeting - 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 10, 2008
The Membership Services Committee strategically plans the growth of the Chamber through building member loyalty retention and is responsible for the oversight and enhancement of the Chamber's membership programs and services.

The Membership Committee meets the second Tuesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce facility. The Membership Committee is open to Chamber members. Contact Diana Minta of A Better Image Printing or Meg Branson for information regarding the Membership Services Committee.

Non-Profit Roundtable - 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Non-Profit Roundtable is a forum for Executive Directors, managers and staff of Chamber members, non-profit organizations to exchange ideas, discuss common issues and challenges and share experiences.

The Non-Profit Roundtable meets the second Wednesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce facility. The Non-Profit Roundtable is open to Chamber members. Contact Meg Branson for information regarding the Non-Profit Roundtable.

Business In Education Committee - 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Friday, June 13, 2008
The Business in Education Committee look to bring local business leaders into the classroom. The Business in Education Committee  is open to Chamber members. Contact Kimberly Pfirrmann for information regarding the Business in Education Committee.
Second Friday ArtWalk - 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday, June 13, 2008
The next 2nd Friday Artwalk will be taking place in Carrboro and Chapel Hill on Friday evening, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Many of the galleries will have live music and other art related entertainment. Admission is free. Various art galleries of Chapel Hill and Carrboro participate in the Second Friday ArtWalk, offering different attractions at each location. http://www.2ndfridayartwalk.com . You can print the 2nd Friday Artwalk map and brochure for ease in locating participating galleries. Transportation to the various venues is up to those attending. Brochures are available at any participating gallery.
Retail Roundtable - 7:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 17, 2008
The purpose of the Retail Roundtable is to bring Chamber members together for an exchange of 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 Retail Roundtable meets the third Tuesday of each month at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce, 104 South Estes Drive, Chapel Hill, 27514. The Retail Roundtable is open to Chamber members. For additional information regarding the Retail Roundtable, contact Meg Branson at 967 - 7075 or by email at mbranson@carolinachamber.org.
Business After Hours - 5:30 p.m. to 7:30pm, Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Chamber’s premier monthly networking event, Business After Hours, will be held at Performance Automall from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 19. Performance Automall is located at 1810 North Fordham Boulevard (NC15-501) in Chapel Hill. Business After Hours is sponsored by the Performance Automall and Curtis Media Group. Don't forget your business cards.
Networking In Your Neighborhood
Apex Leads Group (New Location)
The Apex Leads Group (www.apexleadsgroup.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.
Breakfast Club
Just a reminder that the breakfast club is still meeting at 7:00am at the Weathervane Restaurant. Anyone is invited to share good conversation and a quick breakfast before our regular Leads Group meeting at our new location. This is one way that we can continue to support the management & staff that supported the Leads Group for such a long time.
Cary Leads Group
The Cary Leads Group meets Thursdays at the BNC in Cary beginning at 10:00AM. The BNC is located at 649 Walnut Street, Cary NC. John Majernik of MannaTech (919-612-4170) is the facilitator. They meet from 10:00 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 (New Location)
The Hillsborough Leads Group meets the second and fourth Thursday morning of each month at The Village Diner, 600 West King Street, Hillsborough, NC. Ned Parson of American Speedy Printing (493-0985) is the facilitator. They meet from 8:15 a.m. to 9:45 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.
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 Street, Cary NC. 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.