november 2012 forum for business
DESCRIPTION
November 2012 Forum for BusinessTRANSCRIPT
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 1 BUY LAKELAND. It MAKEs GOOD cENts! LAKELANDchAMBEr.cOM
L A K E L A N D A R E A C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E
F O R B US INESS
november 2012 | vol. xxI, no. 11
mobile payment options
2 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
C H A M B E R S TA F FK a t h l E E N l . M U N S O N
President [email protected]
B a R B a R a B E N N E t t Executive Assistant
S a R a h B R E E d Administrative Assistant, Member Relations | Public Affairs
K a R a B U t c h Administrative Assistant,
Membership Development | Communications [email protected]
S a l ly c h a p M a N Vice President, Finance & Administration
c a R O ly N J a c K S O N Senior Vice President, Member Relations
J a c q U E l I N E l . J O h N S O N Senior Vice President, Convention & Visitors Bureau
K a t I E M c B R I d E Membership Consultant
N I K K I O a K l E y Membership Account Executive
t E R R y O t t I N g E R Vice President, Membership Development
R I c h R O y Vice President, Public Affairs
p a t t y S M I t h Administrative Assistant, Convention & Visitors Bureau
l . J O a N N W a l l E R Membership Consultant
a M y W I g g I N S Vice President, Communications
35 laKE MORtON dRIvE pO BOx 3607
laKElaNd, Fl 33802-3607 (863) 688-8551
laKElaNdchaMBER.cOM
© 2012 lakeland area chamber of commerce. all rights reserved. the lakeland area chamber of commerce reserves
the right to refuse certain advertising and is not liable for advertisers claims and/or errors. the opinions expressed
herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the position of the chamber.
l a K E l a N d a R E a c h a M B E R O F c O M M E R c E F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S M O N t h ly
W a l K E R W I l K E R S O N | c h a I R M a N O F t h E B O a R d CLiftonLarsonaLLen LLp
K a t h l E E N l . M U N S O N | p U B l I S h E R LaKeLand area ChaMber of CoMMerCe
a M y S . W I g g I N S | E d I t O R LaKeLand area ChaMber of CoMMerCe
c E d E S I g N c O . | c R E a t I v E d I R E c t I O N , p R O d U c t I O N & p h O t O g R a p h y www.CedesignCo.CoM
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F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 3
9:00Catch up with the rest of the marketing team,
finding out what is going on with the park and numbers from the
day before
7:00
Get ready for the day… shower and
breakfast.
Head to the park catching up on news,
sports, and things going on in the area
9:00Check emails, prepare for the next day and prepare a proposal for a prospective corporate event
Head to bed and read something not work
related… a book or the new bicycling magazine
Jump out of bed – yup a morning person – go for a run with my rescued dog or quick
bike ride
Attend an employee health and wellness fair for a client to discuss employee
discounts
9:30 Follow up with
prospective clients on the status of their discount employee
ticket program
10:30 Go to a new client to
discuss their company picnic at LEGOLAND Florida and employee
discounts
6:30
Head to Business after Hours with the Lakeland Chamber!
5:00
Lunch in the park, ride a roller coaster to keep life in perspective… also walk the park to see what is new like
Brick or Treat
12:00
Try to make it home to watch NBC Nightly
news (my favorite)
Go out on a date (I hope!), or go for an extended bike
ride, run or stand up paddleboard, so long
as I get outside
8:00Arrive at
LEGOLAND and get to work on
urgent requests from clients
1:00Check voicemail and email and respond
appropriately
Get Genine, our wonderful coordinator,
the information she asked for that morning then make cold calls
to businesses.
2:00
7:30
L E G O L A N D F L O r I D A
a d ay i n t h e
LegolandFloridaResort.com
Meet with sales team to discuss new
clients, corporate events in the park,
and other industry and community news.
11:00
6:30
10:00 read local business
magazines and newspapers to search
out potential new clients or see what is happening with
current clients
3:00
11:00
4 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
ROByN KEyT RetRieveR Payment SyStemS
A M O N T H LY
HOWTO
] C O n n e C tLocalProcessing.com
Npc MOBIlE SqUaRE INtUIt vERIphONE
Requires a Merchant account
yes no yes yes
card Reader Free Free Free $119
Is card Reader Encrypted yes no yes yes
apple IOS yes yes yes yes
android yes yes yes no
Blackberry yes no yes no
tablet Support yes no no no
virtual terminal yes no yes yes
card Reader works on pc/Mac
yes no no no
Signature capture yes yes yes yes
Swipe Rate .05% - 2.9% 2.75% 2.7%/1.7% Group Pricing
Keyed Rate .05% - 3.1% 3.50% 3.7%/2.7% Group Pricing
Monthly Fee $19.95 no Min. or $12.95 $19.00
transaction Fee $0.10 $0.15 if keyed $0.00/$0.00 $0.15
These days, whether you are selling a service or a product, you may find yourself wishing you could take a payment while you are out and about. Capturing credit card data and closing the sale has become easier with the proliferation of Smart Phone technology. Blackberry, android, iPhone, and iPad all give you the convenience of portability.
BUt hOw sAfE ArE thEY tO trANsAct sALEs? VErY! as long as you use encrypted hardware and PCi Compliant providers. having
a merchant account that is covered by PCi Compliance is a big step toward protecting you and your customers.
The durbin act which went into effect October 2011 gives merchants who accept debit cards a significant improvement in their bottom line costs. Most banks cannot charge more than .05% to process a debit card; this is down from 1.19% before the act changed the rules. if that same transaction was key entered, previous costs could have been 2.19%. in most cases, merchants should shop for processors who offer interchange rates and avoid the fixed rate or tiered model. anytime, card data is key entered, a higher rate is assessed by the provider due to fraud concerns so swiping is always the most economical standard operating procedure.
a mobile solution like any merchant account requires a tax id, a voided check and the description and carrier of the phone in order to establish a unique and secure account. The Patriot act also requires personal information to verify the business owner as a reputable citizen. By taking these steps, you can be processing on the GO in 24-48 hours!
whAt ABOUt thE cOsts? This chart gives a comparison of the top 4 providers of processing.
CrownShredding Ad 2.5x10.5.pdf 2/6/09 2:31:01
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 5
E x p e r i e n c e E M E R G E : C e l e b r at i n g s e v e n y e a r s i n 2 0 1 2
this year, eMeRGe members made explora-goo, had a round of shots for breakfast, packed the bar, and even followed a few leaders. now, it is time to celebrate everything we’ve accomplished this year and to start looking ahead to 2013. Join us at the United Women’s Club of Lakeland for the 2012 annual dinner and dance Party and enjoy dinner provided by Grillsmith and see some eMeRGe members showing off their best dance moves. it promises to be an
unforgettable night. tickets are $20.00 for members and $30.00 for guests. tickets can be purchased at eMeRGeLakeland.com.
whO ArE wE? eMeRGe Lakeland is a meaningful networking organization of talented young professionals ranging in age from 21-42. this organization is a partnership with the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Central Florida that provides a venue for members to build
relationships, develop professionally, become politically aware, philanthropically active, and contribute to the economic development and quality of life in Lakeland.
NOt AN EMErGE MEMBEr YEt? Visit eMeRGe Lakeland.com and learn more about becoming a member. Opportunities for involvement abound in the areas of marketing, membership, events, technology, and volunteerism.
You can follow EMERGE on TwiTTER @EMERGElakEland and join ThE EMERGE lakEland GRoup on facEbook. GET involvEd! join EMERGE lakEland TodaY!
CHRiSTiNA NyKLiE
Contact Bryan Mau
863.688.1725
Have You Heard From Your 401(k) Provider Lately?
When you want a loan, you go to your bank…
When you need insurance, you go to your insurance carrier…
When you want someone to run payroll, you go to a payroll company…
Why?Because they are the experts at what they do best.
So why would you trust any of these companies to take care of your 401(k)?
When was the last time you reviewed your 401(k) Plan?
1509 South Florida AvenueLakeland, FL 33803(863) 688-1725www.cpsinvestmentadvisors.com
] C O n n e C tEMERGELakeland.com
at the uniTEd woMEn’s
club of lakEland
nov 8, 2012 5:30 pM To 9:30 pM
1515 WiLLiaMSBURG
SqUaRe
EMERGE Lakeland announces their
www.WatsonClinic.com • 863-680-7755, option 3 • Follow us on
Women guiding women on the journey to wellness.
e understand the life-saving significance of early detection for breast cancer because we’re not just Watson Clinic doctors, we’re women too. Our team of breast imaging specialists utilize the area’s most advanced technologies, including digital breast tomosynthesis - also known as 3D mammography – producing more
detailed images of breast tissue than ever before. If cancer is found, we provide the expertise of a breast-specific surgeon, experienced plastic and reconstructive surgeons, compassionate nurse navigators, an accredited cancer center and invaluable support groups and education classes. Watson Clinic is proud to lead the way in breast health services.
] C O n n e C tInstituteofSpanish.com
MARKETiNGM I N U T Ew o r t h m i l l i o n s
TERESA MARTiNEzInstItute of spanIsh CommunICatIon
aaccording to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the hispanic population of the United States currently exceeds 52 million1, second in number only to Mexico, at 112 million, making the USa the second-largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. This growing minority’s purchasing power in the U.S. has reached an astounding $1 trillion, and is expected to grow to $1.5 trillion by the year 2017 2. it is not surprising that U.S. companies are tapping into this ever-growing market, targeting hispanic consumers and potential employees.
here in Polk County, the hispanic population is approximately 18.1%3, comprised of those with origins in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela and other Spanish-speaking countries. Our hispanic neighbors represent all socio-economic levels and reside in all areas of the county, from urban gated-communities to the rural countryside.
accurate communication is essential to any successful human interactivity. When communicating with U.S. hispanics, it is important to understand that this culture stems from 20 different countries, making it very rich in diversity. While hispanics share many cultural similarities, the Spanish language is diverse as
well, with variations in accents, intonation, slang, colloquialism, and regionalism. nevertheless, the key factor that unites hispanics is the Spanish language. hispanics, even those fully bilingual, most often prefer Spanish and expect communication to adhere to a high language standard. Spanish, regulated by the Royal Spanish academy in Spain, is a rule-driven language with strict grammar rules.
Like written or spoken business
communication in english, Spanish communication should have the same level of accountability and precision. to accurately express terms, intent and meaning from one language to another, however, the communicator must have a complete understanding of not only grammar and vocabulary in both languages, but also any cultural influences and idiosyncrasies that may come into play on the communication piece. Thus, an effective, fluent, bilingual speaker does
not necessarily make a qualified interpreter/translator and the use of translation software may carry embarrassing consequences.
While translation blunders may be humorous, they also are potentially costly, offensive, and damaging to the image of a business. a seemingly small error (e.g. a nonsensical phrase, a false cognate, misuse of an accent, etc.) in a document or a Web site may produce disastrous results when presented to the public. even corporate giants are not
immune to translation blunders. american airlines, in promoting its new, luxurious, first-class leather seats, translated the seemingly harmless tagline “Fly in Leather” into Spanish:“Vuela en cuero 4” . imagine the surprise of millions of the airline’s Spanish-speaking customers when they were invited to “Fly naked”.
take the extra step to ensure that you are effectively reaching our nation’s largest minority. how you communicate will certainly affect your business!
1u.s. census bureau. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.census.gov.
2The nielsen company (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/reports-downloads/2012/state-of-the-hispanic-consumer-the-hispanic-market-imperative.html
3u.s. census bureau. (2011). Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/12/12105.html.
4digital dreams (2012). Retrieved from http://www.digitaldreams.com.ar/espaniol/empresa/ marketing_blunders.htm
From left to right: Denise Robson, Dan Dorrell, Managing Partner of the Lakeland Office, and Amy Bruce. As a true testament of remaining local, the professionals in the Lakeland office have served the community their entire careers.
MEET OUR TEAMTHE LARGEST LOCAL CPA FIRM IN POLK COUNTY
At Cross, Fernandez & Riley, LLP (C/F/R), our main focus is providing quality, hands-on service to our clients. We accomplish this by providing prompt, expert advice with a high degree of professionalism and personal attention.
Our team feels there are three elements of service that are essential to our clients’ success and satisfaction – quality, timeliness and affordability. We take pride in the fact that we can fulfill all three elements. When you choose C/F/R, you can rest assured that you will never have to sacrifice quality, time or money.
Lakeland OfficeP: (863) 937-9520
Orlando OfficeP: (407) 841-6930
Tampa OfficeP: (813) 321-6869
Winter Haven OfficeP: (863) 299-5638
For more information about our services, please visit www.cfrcpa.com.
rEACHING Our LArGEsT
MINOrITy
F E AT U R E
8 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
Mike McGeeM c G e e A u t o S e rv i c e & t i r e S McGeeTire.com
Friendly Greeting Get out from behind your sales counter and warmly greet your customer. Make eye contact and introduce yourself and ask for your customer’s name. Extend your hand to shake. Welcome your customer into your store. Avoid asking “Can I help ya?”, instead ask “How can I be of assistance?”
Analyze the NeedAsk questions and listen intently. Get as much information as possible such as… what brand are they currently using? What are they specifically looking for in the product they want to purchase? Listen for other sales opportunities.
Show the Recommended ProductBased upon the information the customer provided, show the recommended product. If possible, let the customer feel and touch it, otherwise be prepared to show a picture of the product you are selling.
State the benefits and features of your productA benefit is something the customer will experience after purchasing the product. A feature is physical component of the product that will bring create the benefit for your customer. For instance, in selling a tire you may say “This tire will give a smooth and comfortable ride” because it has 20% more cushion that will help absorb the bumps in the road.
Close the SaleAsk the customer to buy (the sooner the better). Ask the question in a positive way so it is hard to say no. For example, “Can we install these tires now” or “We accept all majorcredit cards, which one would you like to use”? If the customer still says no, then ask “What will it take to earn your business”.
W I t h t I p S F R O M t h E p R O S
y O U R
havE a plaN.Set aside a specific time to make calls. Put it in your calendar like any other appointment and stick to it. Find a quiet place where you can focus and make calls to schedule your appointments.
aSK FOR thE BUSINESS. So many people get hesitant towards the end of an appointment, even when things are going well. No need for fancy closing tactics, just ask for the business.
BE hONESt. If a prospect’s current provider is a good fit for them, be honest and tell them that. People remember honesty, and a reputation as an honest sales person can go a long way.
Business to Business Products
5 StepS to a Retail Sale
C P s I N v E s T M E N T
A D v I s O r s cpalliance.com
WWW.OAKBRIDGE.COM
MON TO FRI 9-5; SAT 10-5; SUN 12-5 || 1301 GRASSLANDS BLVD. SUITE 100 || 863.647.1100 800.677.1301 || PAT JONES 863.581.4699 || KARA STAHLEY (PROPERTY MANAGEMENT) 863.661.4317
A PRIVATE COUNTRY CLUB COMMUNITY
A PRIVATE COUNTRY CLUB COMMUNITY
AWARD WINNING HOME DESIGNS
AWARD WINNING HOME DESIGNS
GRASSLANDS IS CENTRAL FLORIDA’SGRASSLANDS IS CENTRAL FLORIDA’S
Be a good listener you’ve heard that old saying “God gave you two ears and one mouth for a reason,” right? Well that could not be more relevant to sales. In sales of any kind it is vital to know your customer and to understand their needs. Asking the right questions and then really listening to what your prospect has to say will almost always present the opportunity for you to offer them a solution and make the sale.
Follow up This is the most important piece of the sales puzzle. Perhaps the single biggest mistake reps make is not establishing a specific date and time for the follow up call at the end of their initial sales call. vague commitments like, “I’ll call you next week” or “I’ll send the proposal and follow up in a couple of days,” result in missed calls, voice mail messages, and ultimately a longer sales cycle. simply ask for a follow up date and time.
Know your product/service There is nothing that will kill a sale faster than a representative who does not know his/her product. Know every detail about what you are offering and how it can potentially benefit your prospect. This requires a little homework to understand how your product may be relevant to a specific business, but the time spent will be worth it when it translates to sales. If you are presented with a question you don’t know the answer to, NEvEr lie or make something up. That will come back to bite you. simply tell your prospect that you don’t have that information, but will get it for them.
3 Tips ThaT Will Give You The BoosT You’ve Been lookinG For
Liz cravenB I G H A r ry D E A L s . C O M W O M A N T O W O M A N M A G A z I N E . C O M P O L K E L D E r C A r E . C O M
F E AT U R E
s m a l l b u s i n e s s o f t h e m o n t hmaster Gia graduate jewelers and three Gia graduate gemologists. Whatever you need in the way of repair, appraisal, or choosing the right jewel, you can find someone to help you at Foshee Jewelers.
Mr. Foshee’s business philosophy is to treat every customer the way he would want to be treated, and community service is a Foshee business principle. Mr. Foshee provides major support to the following organizations: the Lakeland Masonic Lodge, the Lakeland
59 years, Juanita, also worked in the store. Mrs. Foshee is still recovering from a terrible accident where she was stung more than 100 times by yellow jacket wasps. in addition to Foshee family members, harout “harry” Keshishian, G.G., a master gemologist, jewelry appraiser, and gold buyer, helps Mr. Foshee with the business. all together they form a team which consists of two master watchmakers, two master clock technicians, three
were fixtures in neighborhoods, customers were familiar faces, and most were friends. When you visit the store, you will see customers who are greeted by name as they come in for watch and jewelry repairs and just to say hello.
this feeling of community is partially due to the nature of a family business. Mr. Foshee’s son, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister, and grandson all work in the store. Until October 2010, Mr. Foshee’s wife of
Foshee Jewelers inc. has been in business in Lakeland for 59 years. in 1953, Clyde Foshee started in the jewelry business as a watchmaker after attending vocational courses at Lakeland high School. Mr. Foshee operated his first store on Memorial Boulevard for 22 years, and then moved to ingraham Plaza. in 2010, he moved around the corner and established the current shop at 943 east Parker Street. Foshee Jewelers harkens to a time when family businesses
Shrine Club which provides support to the Shriners hospitals for Children, the Watson Clinic Foundation, and other community breast cancer awareness events.
Foshee Jewelers has contributed to its long-time neighborhood, the community at large, the families of employees and more for 59 years, making Mr. Foshee and his team a wonderful candidate for the Chamber’s Small Business of the Month for October.
SMAll BuSinESS
oF thE Month
CoMMittEE MEMBER
PAtRiCiA hEnDlER
(City oF lAkElAnD)
PRESEntS thE
oCtoBER SMAll
BuSinESS oF thE
Month AwARD to
ClyDE FoShEE oF
FoShEE JEwElERS
inC. PiCtuRED FRoM
lEFt to Right:
PAtRiCiA hEnDlER,
ClyDE FoShEE, PAM
CothERn, AnD ChRiS
FoShEE.
B y pat R I c I a h E N d l E R , City of LaKeLand
FOSHEE JEWELERS iNC. MR. CLyDE R. FOSHEE (863) 686-3479943 E Parker StLakeland, FL 33801
] C O n n e C twww.fosheejewelers.com
10 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 11
MATTERSth
e
Wa N t t O K N O W W h y B E I N g a M E M B E R O F t h E l a K E l a N d a R E a c h a M B E R I S S O B E c O M I N g ? R E a d O N . . .
c a l E N d a R E v E N t h I g h l I g h t S R I B B O N c U t t I N g SN E W M E M B E R S
O F
WE3 ExpO tO ShOWcaSE WORKFORcE EdUcatION advaNcES
the Polk County Public schools will showcase more than 30 academies at the upcoming wE3 Expo. Polk Academies provide workforce training in fields like business, law, medicine, design, aerospace, and more – preparing our students for success in the workforce!
Join the workforce Education division for a look at how Polk Academies are “Changing the Face of Education!” the Expo will be held at the lakeland Center on november 6 and 7, and will feature more than 150 high school and middle school exhibitors who will showcase their products and skills.
Parents and students, come see the excellent educational opportunities available right here in Polk County! Businesses, come interact with the next members of your workforce who are already learning in-demand skills and earning industry certifications in a variety of fields.
visit WE3Expo.com for more details.
12 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
MONday, NOvEMBER 12EMERgE laKElaNd StEERINg cOMMIttEE 3:45 p.m.Chamber Briefing Room
WEdNESday, NOvEMBER 14gOvERNMENt aFFaIRS 8:00 a.m.Chamber Briefing Room
WEdNESday, NOvEMBER 14BUSINESSvOIcE OF gREatER laKElaNd 9:00 a.m.Chamber Briefing Room
WEdNESday, NOvEMBER 14ExEcUtIvE cOMMIttEE MEEtINg 4:00 p.m.Chamber Briefing Room
MONday, NOvEMBER 19talENt dEvElOpMENt & EdUcatION cOMMIttEE MEEtINg 3 p.m.Chamber Briefing Room
WEdNESday, NOvEMBER 28BOaRd OF dIREctORS MEEtINg Noonlakeland yacht & Country Club 929 lake hollingsworth Drive
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JaNUaRy 10, 2013 EcONOMIc FOREcaSt BREaKFaSt the lakeland Center
FEBRUaRy 7, 20132012 aNNUal MEEtINgthe lakeland Center
10thUr
08thUr thURSday, NOvEMBER 8
SchMOOzE a’palOOza 11:30 a.m. la Porta Rossa at Mario’s 1833 E Edgewood Dr
thURSday, NOvEMBER 8 EMERgE laKElaNd aNNUal dINNER & daNcE paRty 5:30 p.m. united women’s Club of lakeland 1515 williamsburg Sq
thURSday, NOvEMBER 15 BUSINESS aFtER hOURS 5:30 p.m. Cannon Buick-Cadillac-Mitsubishi 5210 S Florida Ave
FRIday, NOvEMBER 16 22Nd aNNUal chaMBER gOlF ScRaMBlE 11:00 a.m. lone Palm golf Club 800 lone Palm Dr
1 2
28wED
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22Nd aNNUal chaMBERgOlF ScRaMBlE 11:00 a.M.
BUSINESS aFtER hOURS 5:30 p.M.
gOvERMENt aFFaIRS 8:00 a.M.
BUSINESSvOIcE OF gREatER laKElaNd | 9:00 a.M.
ExEcUtIvE cOMMIttEE MEEtINg | 4:00 p.M.
EMERgE laKElaNd StEERINg cOMMIttEE 3:45 p.M.
BOaRd OF dIREctORS MEEtINg | NOON
talENt dEvElOpMENt EdUcatION cOMMIttEE MEEtINg | 3:00 p.M.
SchMOOzE a’palOOza 11:30 a.M.
EMERgE laKElaNd aNNUal dINNER & daNcE paRty 5:30 p.M.
07thUr
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 13
E v e n t H i G H L i G H T S01
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BUSINESS aFtER hOURShosted by fun bike center Motorsports
01 | Board Member andrea teves Smith (Peterson & Myers, P.a.) presents the plaque of appreciation to dave, elliot, and Jordan dorsch of Fun Bike Center Motorsports alongside Chairman of the Board Walker Wilkerson (CliftonLarsonallen LLP) and Chamber President, Kathleen Munson.
02 | The crowd greatly enjoyed the fun and energetic atmosphere of Fun Bike Center Motorsports while browsing their motorcycles and apparel.
03 | networking was big on the agenda that night! afterwards members enjoyed the events after “after hours” as Fun Bike Center Motorsports offered specials and promotions at their restaurant Mojo’s next door.
SchMOOzE a’palOOza hosted by beef o’brady’s family sports pub
04 | tom Cancellare of Fairfield inn & Suites by Marriott and Liz antaya of OMS Group, inc. share stories of past business experiences while enjoying the food at Beef O’Brady’s.
05 | Mary ann Bauerle of Professional tax Consultants and Clifford Glover of Grace Publishing Outreach Magazine, get down to business and discuss ways they can help each other connect customers and grow their businesses.
06 | terry Ottinger, Vice President of Membership, addressed the crowd at Beef O’Brady’s before starting their 30-second commercials!
05
STEpHANiE COLONCommunIty southern bankbank offICer/busIness banker
each month, the Chamber enlists the help of 20 volunteers to mentor new and current members with involvement in Chamber events and programs.
This month, the Chamber would like to
recognize Mrs. Stephanie Colon, Bank Officer/Business Banker at Community Southern Bank for her outstanding attention to Chamber members and attendance at events! Stephanie is a wonderful asset to the Chamber and to the Lakeland community!
thuRSDAy, noVEMBER 8 11:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
lA PoRtA RoSSA At MARio’S 1833 E EDgEwooD DR
$25 MEMBERS onlyliMitED SEAting
RSVP At lAkElAnDChAMBER.CoM
the Chamber’s board of directors took part in a very productive Board Planning Retreat on September 14-15, in St. Petersburg.
Chair-elect Mark Wilson (Kimley-horn and associates, inc.) presided over the retreat, with a record number of directors and special guests in attendance.
the two-day strategic planning session focused on “the Face of tomorrow’s Business” with a thought-provoking presentation by Keynote Speaker danny hearn, President and CeO of the Catawba County, nC Chamber of Commerce, and current Chairman of the U.S. Chamber institute for Organization Management Board of trustees. hearn’s remarks addressed the evolving demographic and social media trends taking place both in the business environment and the country, and how chambers of commerce can position themselves to provide critical business and marketing resources to meet the needs of tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.
On Friday afternoon, retreat participants were given a unique opportunity to tour the St. Petersburg downtown area, and view the exciting rebirth of this popular arts and entertainment district. the tour was followed by a Community issues exchange Session with St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster, Lakeland Mayor Gow Fields, St. Petersburg Chamber Board of Governors Vice Chair Marcus Greene, and Lakeland Chamber Board Chair Walker Wilkerson. the distinguished panel of city and chamber officials discussed top issues they are addressing and how they are dealing with them.
On Saturday, Retreat facilitator dr. Larry Ross (Florida Southern College) led the group in breakout and general sessions to develop strategies related to the Chamber’s 2013 Business Plan. the plan will be published in the January Forum for Business.
Walk-In Week Information SessionsMonday, November 5 - Thursday, November 8
Noon-6:00 p.m.
Looking for more from your career? Get a personal introduction to opportunities from a nonprofit, regionally accredited university. At Webster, we offer small classes one night a week taught by professionals in their field. Call or click to apply today.
Master of Business Administration Master of Arts: • Counseling • Human Resources Management • Management and Leadership
Lakeland Campuswebster.edu/lakeland 863-687-9309
$50 application fee waived for new applicants
EC-2269 Chamber_Nov.indd 1 10/1/12 11:49 AM
C h a m b e r ’ s B o a r d p l a n n i n g R e t r e at F o c u s e s o n t h e F a c e o f T o m o r r o w ’ s B u s i n e s s
KATHLEEN MUNSON PReSident
] C O n n e C tLakelandChamber.com
cOMMUNIcAtIONs KurT ELMHOrsT | vice Chair
allen & company of florida
MEMBEr VALUE MIKE MCGEE | vice Chair
McGee auto service and Tires
PUBLIc POLIcY TIM JACKsON | vice Chair
nujak companies
QUALItY Of LIfE MIKE LAPAN | vice Chair
The lakeland center
tALENt DEVELOPMENt AND EDUcAtION sTACy CAMPBELL-DOMINECK | vice Chair
polk works/Region 17
chaMbER lEadERs also hEaRd fRoM ThE chaMbER’s vicE chaiRs on pRoGREss ThEiR kEY
sTRaTEGic issuEs (ksi) GRoups havE MadE This pasT YEaR in pRovidinG MEMbER sERvicEs and valuE:
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 15
CpS investment AdvisorsChas P. Smith, CPa/PFS, Jim Luffman, CPa/PFS, Peter Golotko, CPa/PFS, MBa, tony Corrao, derek Oxford, Scott Sweeten, and Sharon Mort, all of CPS investment advisors, a wealth management and financial plan-ning firm, hosted the CPalliance™ Leaders conference in Boston. topics discussed included professional eth-ics in the financial services industry as well current investment trends for high net worth individuals and retirees. CPS investment advisors is a member of the CPalliance™ with over one half billion in combined as-sets under management.
Cleveland & Company - Allstate insurancehas been awarded the allstate insurance Premier Service agency (PSa) designation based on feedback from allstate customers regarding customer service experience with Cleveland & Company. allstate says that , “The PSa designation is reserved for agencies that demonstrate a high commitment to providing strong service to allstate customers”.
Henkelman Construction, inc.Brittany Rassel has joined the team of henkelman Con-struction, inc. Brittany has a degree in Marketing from the University of South Florida, and will be serving the Lakeland based construction firm as Marketing execu-tive.
Coldwell Banker Commercial Saunders Ralston Dantzler RealtyJulie townsend recently joined the firm as real estate sales associate. Julie specializes in general commercial real estate, focusing on the Lakeland downtown area and business district. her professional associations include Lakeland Rotary Club, Florida Public Rela-tions association, Leadership Lakeland Class 28, and Leadership Lakeland alumni association. in addition, she serves on the board of directors for the Florida Bi-partisan Civic affairs Group and recently was elected to the board of directors for the Lakeland downtown development authority.
City of LakelandLakeland City Commissioner Justin troller was re-cently appointed as a member of the Selective Service System Local Board in the State of Florida. troller will serve as a Selective Service Local Board member for 20 years and as part of his commitment, he will par-ticipate in a one-year comprehensive training program. troller was nominated by Governor Rick Scott and was appointed by President Obama to serve on the Selec-tive Service Local Board.
Geneva Classical Academyannounces that Richard Cali has been named the in-terim headmaster. an educator for nearly twenty years, Cali is an experienced advocate and practitioner of the classical model of education, which replicates the teaching style of the ancient Greeks and Romans and america’s founding fathers. Prior to Geneva, he served fourteen years at Berean academy in tampa. in addi-tion to teaching classes as diverse as fifth grade, high school Bible, logic, rhetoric, and literature, he served on Berean’s Curriculum development and Review Com-mittee and helped lead the school through a transition time as interim headmaster and assistant headmaster.
thE LAKELAND chAMBEr PrINts BUsINEss ANNOUNcEMENts EAch MONth As sPAcE PErMIts. PLEAsE E-MAIL ANNOUNcEMENts tO [email protected]
20+
yEaRS
M E M B E R R E N E W A L S
1 9 6 2 | 5 0 y E a R S Loftin reaL estate, inC.
1 9 6 5 | 4 7 y E a R S beLK #355
1 9 7 0 | 4 2 y E a R S battery usa, inC./iMperiaL Motor parts
1 9 7 4 | 3 8 y E a R S CLiftinLarsonaLLen LLp
rita staffing, inC.
1 9 7 5 7 | 3 7 y E a R S bent’s CyCLing & fitness
stahL herndon & assoCiates inC.
1 9 7 7 | 3 5 y E a R S Cps investMent advisors
saM’s sport shop
1 9 7 8 | 3 4 y E a R S hauser’s Coin CoMpany, inC.
Craig w. vaLentine, d.M.d., p.a.
1 9 8 2 | 3 0 y E a R S peterson & Myers, p.a.
poLK state CoLLege/winter haven CaMpus
springer-peterson roofing & sheet MetaL, inC.
1 9 8 5 | 2 7 y E a R S innovative inK
1 9 8 6 | 2 6 y E a R S r. CLine, inC.
fun biKe Center Motorsports
spherion
1 9 8 7 | 2 5 y E a R S Citrus ConneCtion
santa fe CathoLiC high sChooL
1 9 8 8 | 2 4 y E a R S basKets instead, inC.
CoMputer MerChandise Corp. (CMC) stephen M. Martin, p.a.
poLK County aniMaL hospitaL sMith, feddeLer, & sMith, p.a.
town & Country terMite & pest ControL, inC.
1 9 8 9 | 2 3 y E a R S apg eLeCtriC, inC.
fLeetwing Corporation iMperiaL syMphony orChestra
MaiL proCessing assoCiates, inC. Mid-state MaChine and fabriCating Corp.
rodda ConstruCtion, inC.
viCtory ChurCh
1 9 9 0 | 2 2 y E a R S braMbLe ridge goLf Course, inC.
LaKeLand housing authority northwestern MutuaL finanCiaL networK
1 9 9 1 | 2 1 y E a R S sunbeLt titLe agenCy
1 9 9 2 | 2 0 y E a R S bruCe pest ControL, inC.
Jones, wiLson, vaLLeJo assoCiates, p.a.
Keystone ChaLLenge fund, inC.
Learning resourCe Center
of poLK County, inC.
CoMfort Keepers
Cornerstone interLoCKing, inC.
MidaMeriCa adMin & retireMent soLutions
shaw house bed & breaKfast
10
yEaRS
aCtion heating and CooLing, inC.
griLLsMith
LoCK insuranCe
5
yEaRS
Lanier funeraL hoMe, inC.
15
yEaRS
16 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S16 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
N E W M E M B E R SaBUElO’S MExIcaN FOOd EMBaSSy3700 lakesIde vIllage blvdlakeland, fl 33813(863) 686-7500abuelos.Comdean andrewsREStauRantS
aMJ EqUIpMENt 3810 drane fIeld rd lakeland, fl 33802 (800) 881-1487 amjequIpment.Com korey toepel InduStRIaL EquIPmEnt & SuPPLIES
aNtONIO’S catERINg aNd EvENtS Call to sChedule an appoIntment (863) 646-2137 aCandevents.Com anthony abrams CatERERS
BUlK SOlUtIONS INc 4040 warIng rd lakeland, fl 33811 (863) 248-1136 bulksol.Com sam laneave tRanSPoRtatIon
chaSE BaNK 4001 us hIghway 98 n lakeland, fl 33809 (863) 853-9484 jpmChase.Com razI usman BankS
chaSE BaNK 3010 lakeland hIghlands rd hIghlands plaza lakeland, fl 33803 (863) 668-9736 jpmChase.Com domIngo ramIrez BankS
chaSE BaNK 5555 walt loop rd lakeland, fl 33807 (863) 815-3020 jpmChase.Com Cheryl valentIne BankS
chaSE BaNK 4736 s florIda ave lakeland, fl 33813 (863) 648-0618jpmChase.Com sandy strauss BankS
cOlO5, llc 4800 sprIng park rd jaCksonvIlle, fl 32207 (904) 731-3390 Colo5.Com roChelle prICetEChnoLogy SyStEmS PRovIdER
cRacKER BaRREl #189 4343 lakeland park dr lakeland, fl 33809 (863) 853-5405 CraCkerbarrel.Com jerome gonzalez REStauRantS
lOvE chIROpRactIc cENtER 5227 us hIghway 98 s lakeland, fl 33812 (863) 709-1600 loveChIropraCtICCenter.Com tIffany love hEaLth Care - PhySICIanS - ChIRoPRaCtIC
RIc’S WINE MaRKEt 4110 s florIda ave lakeland, fl 33813 (863) 644-8181 rICswIne.Com rIC reed WInE – REtaILER
ROad & tRaIl BIcyclES 5113 us hIghway 98 s lakeland, fl 33812 (863) 937-8058 roadandtraIlbICyCles.Com jason brown BICyCLES
SERvIcE pROvIdER gROUp5323 mIllenIa lakes blvd, ste 161orlando, fl 33829(321) 202-2880servICeprovIdergroup.CombrIan smIthemployee leasIngInsuranCePayRoLL PRoCESSIng
SKatEWORld911 n lake parker avelakeland, fl 33801(863) 687-6447skatelakeland.ComChanel bellotoEntERtaInmEnt Fun CEntER
SOcIal lOOKS 5121 s lakeland dr, ste 2 lakeland, fl 33813 (877) 707-6242 soCIallooks.Com ryan mCCrory SoCIaL mEdIa ConSuLtIng
StREaMSONg RESORt 1000 streamsong dr streamsong, fl 33834 (813) 399-9474 streamsongresort.Com tom parkRESoRtS
cUStOM MOBIlE WEB appS Call to sChedule an appoIntment (863) 602-7055 Cmwapps.Com marty martInson maRkEtIng/advERtISIng
ExtRa SpacE StORagE 2190 harden blvd lakeland, fl 33803 (863) 413-0013 extraspaCe.Com brenda jerkIns SELF StoRagE WaREhouSE
ExtRa SpacE StORagE 1012 us hIghway 92 w auburndale, fl 33823 (863) 967-6048 extraspaCe.Com brIan moreno SELF StoRagE WaREhouSE
ExtRa SpacE StORagE 6445 s florIda ave lakeland, fl 33813 (863) 644-5544 extraspaCe.Com edward pIsCIa SELF StoRagE WaREhouSE
FUlMER & FUlMER, pa 1960 e edgewood drIve lakeland, fl 33803 (863) 688-2220 fulmerandfulmer.Com arthur fulmer jrattoRnEyS
gRacE pUBlIShINg OUtREach MagazINE, llc Call to sChedule an appoIntment (863) 651-1952 ClIfford & tIna glover PuBLIShERS
gREatER FaIth tEMplE chURch220 w beaCon rdlakeland, fl 33803(863) 608-4700paster wIllIe brownChuRChES/SynagoguES
hOt WachUla’S, INc. 1401 e gary rd lakeland, fl 33801 (863) 683-0303 hotwaChulas.Com gus palas REStauRantS
J BURNS pIzza 2306 e edgewood dr lakeland, fl 33803 jburnspIzza.Com matt wade REStauRantS
laKElaNd tOyOta ScION, INc. 1200 w memorIal blvd lakeland, fl 33815 (863) 688-5451 lakelandtoyota.Com jamIe wagner automoBILE – dEaLERS – nEW
laKElaNd tv 202 n massaChusetts ave lakeland, fl 33801 (863) 800-0726 lkldtv.Com randy borden tELEvISIon PRoduCtIon
during the month of September, our Visitor information Center assisted hundreds of
individuals, answering questions pertaining to Chamber member businesses and the
Lakeland community.
walk-In vIsItors ..................................... 305reloCatIon response maIlIngs ............ 1reloCatIon response (walk In) ............ 8aCCommodatIons .................................... 3wInter aCCommodatIons ...................... 2vIsItor InformatIon maIlIngs ............ 14vIsItor Center e-maIl InquIrIes .......... 58
tOUrIsM INQUIrIEssEPtEMBEr
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 17 F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 17
FlORIda pRESBytERIaN hOMESLakeland, FL 33803
901 s LAKEsIDE Dr | (863) 688-5521FPHI.COM
cOUNty lINE ROad aUctION & BaRgaIN BaRNLakeland, FL 33811
3043 DrANE FIELD rD | (863) 940-4842COuNTyLINErOADAuCTION.COM
thE MORtgagE FIRM Lakeland, FL 33815
101 W MAIN sT, sTE 133 | (863) 937-8024CLOsEMyMOrTGAGE.COM
gOt caNdyLakeland, FL 33801
115 s KENTuCKy AvE | (863) 853-9999GOTCANDyLAKELAND.COM
daS hUNd haUS, INc. Lakeland, FL 33803
3210 rEyNOLDs rD (863) 289-8631
Max hOME INSpEctIONS, llc CALL TO sCHEDuLE AN APPOINTMENT
(863) 529-8608MAxINsPECTIONs.COM
R i B B O N C U T T i N G S
Special thanks to Mayor Gow Fields, Commissioner don Selvage, Commissioner Justin troller, Commissioner Phillip Walker, Commissioner edie yates, and all the Board Members and Chamber Champions who truly
make these ceremonies special events.OlIvE gaRdEN ItalIaN REStaURaNt
3911 us HIGHWAy 98 N | (863) 858-3876OLIvEGArDEN.COM
early in my career i was a channel account manager for a Silicon-Valley based company that designed and manufactured components for the satellite tV business. This was back in the days when satellite dishes were 10 feet in diameter. One of my customers was located in a rural part of arkansas. his family name was not only the name of the company, but it was also stamped onto every one of his fiberglass satellite dishes. he was quite successful and was one of the small town’s largest employers. he was proud of the company he had built.On one visit, i began quizzing him on the
reasons for his success. Was it the product, his employees, his manufacturing process, or his sales team? With a huge grin he said, “Because i put my family name on every product i sell, my reputation is on the line. everything we do in this company is about upholding the valuable name of our family.”This entrepreneur had infused his soul into his business and thus, his personal reputation became the driver of his brand. he explained to me that his good name was more important than the value of his bank account. This became his guiding ethic in how he ran his business and sold his products.
today, ethical and socially responsible companies believe that purpose and being precede profits. that means that your brand, or the products and services you represent, must really make a difference in the world. Customers now buy more than the benefits. they also buy into the social purpose of your company. For instance, one of the goals of the dish manufacturer in rural arkansas was to become a sustainable company that created meaningful employment for his neighbors. do your customers believe you are making a difference?your personal
reputation is also linked to your brand. that is, you must be the brand. you must be trustworthy, honest, and respectful of the customer’s needs. When you make a mistake, make things right, rebuild trust and provide great customer service. do your customers trust you?Because of a satellite dish manufacturer in arkansas, i learned a valuable lesson on how to integrate my personal being into my business actions. as an old proverb says,
E t h i c a l p r a c t i c e s W i l l B u i l d y o u r R e p u tat i o n
R. JOSEpH CHiLDS, DBACollege of busIness & legal studIesSoutheaSteRn univeRSity
Look out after the best interest of
your partners and customers
fulfill your promises
reciprocate loyalty
feed the economic engine of your
trading partners by finding the win-win.
“A good nAme is moRe
vALuAbLe thAn Riches.”
hErE Is A sUMMArY Of hIs BUsINEss
PrActIcEs
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 19
I N T E L L I G E N T B A N K I N G
Downtown Lakeland 101 South Florida Avenue
863-682-7100
Bartow 515 North Broadway Avenue
863-534-3585
South Lakeland 5015 South Florida Avenue
863-701-2685Member FDIC
Bank of Central Florida
“We like banking with people we know and trust.”
…John and Lu Fitzwater
www.bankofcentralflorida.com
“The bankers make us feel like we're their top priority.”
As philanthropic leaders in the community, John and Lu Fitzwater have made a positive impact in Lakeland. They value personal commitment and involvement and take pride in working with bankers who share the same sense of community.
“The bankers know everyone by name. They offer exemplary service and are very proactive. They have become our trusted advisors. This is the way banking used to be,” says John Fitzwater.
p o l k p r o g r e s s u p d at e
] C O n n e C tFLSouthern.edu/ PolkProgress
DR. JAMES FARRELL, CFAFloRida SoutheRn College
it appears that home prices nationwide have begun to level off and some markets are beginning to recoup their losses of the last few years. the Case-Shiller index reported that home prices for July were up 1.6% over June, and perhaps more importantly 1.2% over July 2011. While we are still down 30% from our 2006 peak, home prices are stabilizing as June and July have brought us our first year over year gains since mid-2010 which was buoyed by the home buyer tax credit. Prior to that, we had not seen year over year gains since
20 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
2006. Our current home price level aligns us with where we were in late 2003, during the rapid price climb which regularly saw increases of 10 to 15% per year.
the tampa market is included in the index and is more representative of the central Florida market than the index as a whole. tampa remains 44% off of its peak price level, however it is currently up 3.6% year over year and 8.2% up from its post-2006 floor. While Florida real estate experienced significant declines in value, it is rebounding along with the rest of the nation. in Polk
County, we have had similar experiences. as reported in September’s Polk Progress Report, the median price of homes sold in June was nearly $110,000 and the portion of homes accounted for by foreclosures has dropped. While the price increase is a positive sign as median prices had fallen to $92,000 we remain off of our peak of $214,000.
the remaining uncertainty in the housing market centers on what has been called the shadow supply of housing. there remains a substantial number of foreclosures and potential foreclosures
waiting to be placed on the market. Following the robo-signing scandal, banks had to rework how they handled the volume of foreclosures on their books. the recent increase in the number of foreclosure filings is a signal that banks may have sorted out their internal issues and will once again push their inventory onto the market. there are two sides to the increase in foreclosure filings. On one hand, the supply of homes for sale will increase and the foreclosed homes will put downward pressure on the sales prices. On the other
hand, this will reduce the uncertainty in the market as the shadow supply becomes actual supply and we gain a better understanding of the true market.
as banks ramp up their foreclosure processing, we should expect to see upward trending but bumpy prices. While the expected increase in foreclosed properties on the market may dampen the price rebound temporarily, the alleviation of the uncertainty over those properties should ease the risk premium buyers currently receive for buying in this market.
F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S | 21
Heacock Insurance Group is an Independent
Agent which means we shop the market for
the broadest coverage at the best rates.
If you like to comparison shop, but don’t
have the time, contact our Personal
Insurance Advisors. We’ll shop for you.
PROPERTY • LIABILITY
WORKERS COMP • PAYROLL
FINANCIAL SERVICES
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
100 E Main St. • Lakeland, FL 33801 • P. (863) 683-2228 • TF. (800) 677-5172
WWW.HEACOCK.COM
WE SHOP FOR YOU
INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE INSURANCE
L a k e l a n d C h a m b e r H o n o r e d f o r p R p r o g r a m s
for more information about the florida association of chamber professionals visit facponline.com.
at the 92nd annual Meeting of the Florida association of Chamber Professionals, the Lakeland area Chamber of Commerce once again was honored for excellence in public relations and communications. The “2012 Public Relations Program award” was presented for the Chamber’s 2012 “i Can…” awareness and branding campaign. This campaign featured Chamber members from all industries and highlighted the opportunities that Chamber membership provides for businesses in Lakeland.
This year’s awards were judged by professionals from state-wide media and included Public Relations Program, Membership Communications/Marketing Materials, Convention & Visitors Bureau Marketing/Communications, and audio/Visual/Online Communications.
Our chamber is
so honored to receive
this award from our
state association.
But, without our
members it wouldn’t
have happened,”
said amy Wiggins,
vice president of
communications who
accepted the award on
behalf of the chamber.
“this campaign is
only possible because
members came
together to collaborate
and share their
enthusiasm for the
chamber.
CE DEsIGN CO.
GIL WILLIAMs PHOTOGrAPHy
LEDGEr MEDIA GrOuP
MCQuEEN MArKETING, LLC
tO thE DEsIGN AND ADVErtIsING
MID-sTATE MACHINE & FABrICATION COrP.
My PET’s ANIMAL HOsPITAL
TAPATIOs rEsTAurANTE
MExICANO
fEAtUrED
Commona TASTE of local business one cup at a time
the Common
grounds member
feature gives your business the
opportunity to showcase “a day in the
life” of your employees and customers.
each month, one of the door prizes at
the business after hours event will be a
Common grounds lakeland Chamber
coffee mug & the opportunity to
submit a 350 word article about
your local business.
tailwheels etc. inc. is an accelerated flight training facility designed to assist people that want to be pilots achieve their goals. my son Jonathan and i started this fast paced program because of the high dropout rate that pilot trainees were experiencing. We knew something different had to be done. The pilot population was dropping and a pilot shortage was coming. in fact, it’s here today. We know that many people can’t take a year to acquire their pilot’s license so we utilized many of the training techniques that were used in World War ii.
When We stARted We hAd onLy thRee RuLes:
1. We had to have fun. 2. our students had to have fun. 3. We had to turn out very high quality pilots.
so far we are doing very well! We needed our business to be family based both for us and our clients. This is the only job i have ever had where i can’t wait to get to work every day! so far we have completed close to 2,000 pilots from all over the united states and the world.
moving our business to Lakeland was an eye-opening experience. i had no idea of the cost of moving our operation. We have more than 30 employees and complete about 250 to 300 students per year. We didn’t want any interruption in their jobs or the training of students so some coordination was required. The management at Lakeland Linder Airport was the best to work with… They made our move feel seamless.
We joined the chamber because of the opportunities to meet with other business-minded people. We are located on the south side of Lakeland Linder Airport and are open for flight training seven days a week. We offer all types of training in addition to our accelerated program. visit us at www.tailwheelsetc.com or call (863) 401-3592.
B y J O h N a M U N d S E N taiLwheeLs etC. inC. | taiLwheeLsetC.CoM
22 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
Details
Fast Growing Area with High Visibility
Space Size 20’ x 80’ (1,600 sf)
Building Fascia Signage & Monument Sign
Double Doors with Back Alley for Deliveries
Ruthven Center II
FOR LEASE 2300 E. EDGEWOOD DRIVE
Call Today! 863-686-3173J. Greg Ruthven, CCIM or Matt Ruthven, CCIM
[email protected] [email protected] warehouse space? Call or visit www.Ruthvens.com
Central location near U.S. Highway 98 South, Polk Parkway (570) and South Florida Avenue.
24 | F O R U M F O R B U S I N E S S
“EXPERIENCE THE FAMILY DIFFERENCE!”
“A TASTE OF THE ISLANDS”
Please Join Us 5210 South Florida Avenue, Lakeland
The New 2013Models Have Arrived!
With CARIBBEAN AFTER HOURS PARTY
The Island boys
Thursday, November 15 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.5210 S Florida Ave
Your RSVP is appreciated... Visit LakelandChamber.com to register.$10 Members | $30 Non-Members
Additional Parking at Red Elephant Pizza & Grill
JOIN US - RAIN OR SHINE!
Lake
land
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ceP.
O. B
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607
• Lak
elan
d, F
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802
- 360
7
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VIC
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Locally Owned & Operated
EXCEPTIONAL PRICES!FOLDING TABLES AT
18x60 $3999
18x72 $4999
18x96 $6999
30x60 $5999
30x72 $6999
30x96 $8999
60” Round $10999
(863) 682-3450www.officefurnituredepot.com
2440 Hwy. 98 North1 Mile South of I-4 Across from Lakeland Chrysler
Blow-Molded Plastic Folding TableLight Weight • Commercial Grade
Nov12 LkldChamberAd:FloorMatAdNov-LKLD 9/27/12 5:15 PM Page 1