Letter from the Editor

The first four months of 2010 have been quite action packed for the Business Alliance. We’ve enjoyed Dean Melissa Essary of Campbell Law School and Harvey Schmitt, President of The Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, both stellar speakers, at our Business Alliance Leader Lunches, hosted a very successful Business Connection Expo and completed the 4 sessions of Unit One: Business Development in the 2010 Navigation Series – not to mention having some good conversations at our BA Open Tables and After Hour events and launching a BA Navigation Series website. (You can find more information about this website in its own article below.)

So where will we go for ‘Act II’? We have more action packed leader lunches for you on timely topics such as the impact of actions by the Wake County School Board and a forum on what’s going on with money resources for small businesses. The Navigation Series moves into Unit Two: Personal Development where we are partnering with Wake Tech for our facilitator, Dr. Kathy Sturgis. And then there’s a July party on the horizon just for a fun break before we dive into serious business growth strategy Navigation sessions in the fall.

The goal for our events this year is to give you valuable resources and tools to grow your business – please come and get them!

April Issue 2010

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Happenings

Business Alliance Leader Lunch

Dr. Ann Denlinger of Wake Education Partnership will present to the Business Alliance on The Economic and Community Impact of the New Wake County School Assignment Program. A facilitated Q&A session will follow the presentation.

Ann Denlinger has been president of Wake Education Partnership since May 2007. She is a former classroom teacher, principal and superintendent who worked in Wake, Wilson and Durham counties. She was named North Carolina Superintendent of the Year in 2000 and in 2006 she received the Jay Robinson Leadership Award from the Public School Forum of North Carolina in recognition of her deep commitment to helping all children. She was also the first school superintendent to receive the prestigious Durham Chamber of Commerce Civic Honor Award in 2003. Dr. Denlinger earned her associate of arts degree from Peace College as well as master’s and doctorate degrees in education administration from Campbell University.

 

 

Business Alliance After Hours

Join fellow Business Alliance members for a little after work relaxation and networking in Caps Grille! Drink specials and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

 

Business Alliance Open Table

Join other Business Alliance Partners and Associates for a casual lunch and free ranging conversations in the Main Dining Room at the Capital City Club.

Navigation Series: Personal Development: Supporting Business Success through Career and Life Balance

What does “success” look like to you? Is it strictly marked by career milestones, or are there other factors that are important to you? While many of us become entrepreneurs to increase balance, it is easy to lose sight of priorities and values outside of business development. This Navigation workshop is designed to support your business success and satisfaction by giving you the tools to realign your personal and career goals.

More specifically, you will be led through activities that will assist you in your quest for balance:

• Define the major components that comprise your unique life picture
• Determine areas of balance and imbalance
• Articulate a vision that expresses your ideal successful life (i.e., what you want more/less of)
• Establish priorities and identify 2-3 goals that support your vision for increasing career/personal balance
• Identify specific actions that you can execute beginning today related to each goal

In addition, the workshop will underscore the importance of personal replenishment and present specific affirmations that support the alignment of life balance and career success.

Dr. Kathleen Sturgis is the founder and president of Capital Consulting Group, an organization dedicated to enhancing communication processes, facilitating change management, and reinvigorating strategic planning processes. With expertise in organizational communication, strategic planning and group facilitation, Dr. Sturgis is highly sought after for problem solving and strategic planning retreats as well as organizational culture interventions. Dr. Sturgis is a member of the faculty of The Leadership Trust, an international organization fostering humanistic principles and facilitative leadership. She serves on the advisory board for the Small Business Center of Wake Technical Community College. She has a number of book projects underway and has just released Dance of the Chameleon, a book for adult children of all ages, that encourages each of us to recognize and utilize our unique gifts, talents and abilities.

BA Member Announcements & Celebrations

(Please send submissions to bag_editor@yahoo.com)

The Eastern North Carolina Chapter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is pleased to announce that Sharon Hill of Chapel Hill has been nominated as a candidate for LLS’s 2010 Woman of the Year.

Sharon Hill, President of Sharon Hill International and member of Business Alliance, is one of an elite group of community and business leaders who will compete for the titles of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year. Competing for these titles is an honor surrounded with a great deal of fanfare, including a full-page ad in USA Today. However the most important reason candidates participate is to honor those who have been diagnosed with a blood cancer. Hill is particularly inspired to participate by her step-brother, Teddy Houston, who died of leukemia on December 31, 1999. She says, “Teddy was the epitome of a fun-loving, happy-go-lucky man. I still can’t get over how leukemia devastated his body and soul.”

As a candidate, Hill will raise funds for life-saving cancer research and patient services between March 23 and June 9, 2010. Every dollar she raises will count as one “vote” in her favor. The male and female candidates with the most “votes” will be awarded the titles Eastern North Carolina Man & Woman of the Year at a Grand Finale Gala on Thursday, June 10 at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. The local winners are then entered into the competition for National Man & Woman of the Year titles.

For more information and to show your support, go to www.mwoy.org/nce

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Debra Simonette, President of Creative Gifting, Inc., has been recognized by the National Association of Professional Women as VIP Woman of the Year in the Corporate Gifting and Promotional Products category. The NAPW recognizes companies within each industry that achieve professional and personal successes and focus on the betterment of their community.

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Debra Simonette, President of Creative Gifting, Inc. is celebrating the tenth anniversary of creating unique gifts and marketing solutions for its clients. Creative Gifting, Inc. has received various awards over the years including Business Leader Media recognition as one of the "Top 100 Small Businesses in North Carolina" in 2009 and as one of the "Top 100 Gift Basket Businesses in America" award. She was recognized for her accomplishments within the gift basket industry at ceremonies in Orlando, FL in 2007 and Boston, MA in 2005. Debra is celebrating this 10th anniversary with a new web site that promises personalization, keepsakes, marketing solutions, attention to even the smallest detail and relationships.... one gift at a time!

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Alice Osborn of Write from the Inside Out placed 4th in the annual Carolina Woman Writing Contest for her poem, "Permanent and Pressed."

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RDU Tennis is proud to announce new partnerships with Peace College, Crooked Creek HOA, Morrisville Parks & Rec, and Lakemont Club. RDU Tennis will be offering tennis camps at these Wake County locations to traditional and year round Wake County students 12 months a year! Please visit www.rdutennis.net for more information or contact Owner, Brian Rosenthal at brian@rdutennis.net or 919 395 7329. RDUTennis, LLC is a tennis service offered throughout North Carolina at resorts, country clubs, communities, and local parks.

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Delores P. McNair, of Married and Complete is excited to announce their 4th Annual GCWF Women's Conference. The conference was formed to enrich, support and minister to the needs of women, families and the community. The event will be held at Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh, Saturday, September 18th at 9am. This event is open to all ladies single and married. This year there is a special session for youth girls ages 10 to 15. The day includes, speakers, music, food, prizes, giveaways and much more. To register and for more information visit www.marriedandcomplete.com or www.gcwf.org.

Delores P. McNair is the new host of her own talk show on Power 750AM WAUG. The new talk show is "Jumpstart Talk", jumpstart your weekend every Friday at 4pm by listening to this fun, enthusiatic and listener involved talk show. The first show will air on Friday, April 9th at 4pm on 750AM. Tune in to "Dee" every Friday or email your topic suggestions to dee@jumpstarttalk.com.

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Daniel Trimpey, President and CEO of a local web development company, Page Progressive, would like to announce the launch of the newly redesigned VisionQuest Wealth Management & Capital website.

New Members

• Nicholas Bradfield Edward Jones Investments
• Liesl Ganes Send Out Cards
• Matt Greenan Navigon Financial Group Inc
• Charles Gupton Charles Gupton Photography
• Ron Hanks Thrive Tel Inc
• Samuel Johnson Navigon Financial Group Inc
• Kimberly Moses-Malone Mary Kay Cosmetics
• Craig Mathews Big Think
• Tracy Pagnozzi Write Trac Consulting Services
• Lee Smith Pathos Ethos
• Penn Clark Mission IT
• Fred Moorman Moorman Enterprises
• Katrellia Moorman Slim & Healthy Products
• Nathalie Naude Bluemoon Retreats
• David Stoner Envirofix
• Jim Wallace AXA Advisors

BA in the Community

(Please send submissions to bag_editor@yahoo.com)

If you are involved in community projects, we want to hear about them! Many of our members serve meals, help build Habitat homes, and volunteer their time to help others in need. Please share your experiences, or your company-related activity, with your fellow BA members.

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