Now in its 18th year, the
February 2010 Archives
UPDATE: TXU Energy Rolls Out Solar Option
TXU Energy Partners has announced that it is partnering with SolarCity, a California-based solar design and installation services company, to offer
The news is creating quite a buzz! Read more at KRLD-AM, the Houston Chronicle, the Dallas Business Journal, UPI, Cooler Planet, and WBAP.
TXU Energy Recognized for Green Headquarters
Less than one year after receiving the Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR award, TXU Energy has been rewarded for taking more green initiatives. The company recently earned the EPA's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
"As an energy provider, the EPA's LEED certification is important to us," said Tom Leverton, chief operating officer for TXU Energy. "We encourage our customers to improve energy efficiency at their homes or businesses as a way to help them lower costs and preserve the environment. Our LEED certification demonstrates that we practice what we preach."
LEED certified buildings are constructed or refitted using a suite of standards developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for environmentally sustainable construction. When completed, they use key resources more efficiently when compared to conventional buildings, and provide employees with healthier work environments.
LEED certification isn't just about recycling and reusing materials. It also focuses on maximizing energy efficiency and utilizing "green" materials. Environmentally sustainable construction projects actively utilize recycled carpet and concrete, materials and products made from renewable sources, regionally manufactured materials and environmentally friendly paints and finishes.
Pictured above, the
CHAPARRAL CREEK APARTMENTS CATCH FIRE. URBAN
MICROSOFT-YAHOO DEAL GETS GREEN LIGHT.
EXXONMOBIL CEO HONORED FOR COMPANY'S CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP. Rex W. Tillerson chairman and chief executive officer of ExxonMobil has been named the 2010 recipient of the Award for Corporate Citizenship by the
ARCHON GROUP GIVES $565,000 TO
CARIS LIFE SCIENCES LAUNCHES NATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH REGISTRY. Caris Life Sciences, a leading provider of integrated anatomic pathology and oncology testing services headquartered in
EXXONMOBIL ADDS TWO BILLION BARRELS TO OIL RESERVES. Irving-headquartered ExxonMobil has announced that the company has added two billion barrels of oil equivalent to its proved reserves in 2009, the highest gain in the decade and a 33 percent rise above last year's addition.
FLUOR SECURES CONTRACTS IN
GENARES WORLDWIDE EXPANDS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY BOOKING SERVICES. Irving-based Genares Worldwide Reservations Services, the hospitality industry's leading global representation and hotel reservations company, has introduced one-click access to their booking engines through social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. Additionally, the company has formed a strategic partnership with ResNet World, a
AMERICAN AIRLINES SEEKING
DR. PEPPER SNAPPLE GROUP NAMES CFO. Official beverage sponsor of the Chamber and a top investor, the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc., has named Martin M. Ellen as its chief financial officer. Ellen will be in charge of the company's finance and information technology groups.
BBVA COMPASS FINISHES GUARANTY BANK CONVERSION. BBVA Compass has finished its conversion of Guaranty Bank branches in
iFRATELLI COLLECTING MEDICAL MOBILITY DEVICES FOR THOSE INJURED IN HAITIAN EARTHQUAKE. iFratelli Ristorante & Wine Bar is collecting medical mobility device aids for those injured in the Haitian earthquake. The restaurant is accepting crutches, walkers and orthopedic boots from February 22-28 at all locations including its two
BREITLING OIL AND GAS COMMENCES DRILLING ON BREITLING STAR #1 WELL. Utilizing a 2,000 horsepower drilling rig, Irving-based Breitling Oil and Gas has commenced drilling its BREITLING-STAR #1 well toward the Mississippian Chappel geological formation, in Northwest Texas'
SHERMCO EMPLOYEE RE-ELECTED TO SECOND TERM AS PRESIDENT OF NTAFE. Kirk Reeser, of Shermco Industries' Engineering Services Division, was recently re-elected to his second term as president of the North Texas Association for Facilities Engineers (NTAFE), which provides facility professionals with educational opportunities, job placement assistance, networking and informational services. Shermco Industries, based in
ICTN PRODUCER MAKES NETWORK TELEVISION DEBUT. Episode four of the Deep End, filmed at the Studios at Las Colinas, featured a familiar face. Cathy Whiteman, producer for the award-winning Irving Community Television Network, had a speaking role in the ABC drama. A decision on whether the series will be back for another series is expected in April or May. The Deep End airs at 7:00 p.m. Thursdays on WFAA-TV Channel 8.
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS RECEIVES A BOOST FROM SYNDICATED RADIO HOST. Irving-based Big Brothers Big Sisters received support from Michael Baisden, a nationally syndicated radio personality who is featured locally on KSoul-FM 94.5. Baisden announced on the air a "One Million Mentors Campaign" designed to recruit mentors in 72 cities over the next seven months with radio messaging and a recruitment bus tour. Baisden will not only help with finding mentors, he is also helping financially by matching funds raised up to $350,000 through the Michael Baisden Foundation.
Major Street / Lane Restrictions
- Teleport will continue to be closed south of
- Beginning February 22,
- Continued lane restrictions along
- The next round of public meetings which are targeted for the that last week of March/first days of April, in which we will be unveiling the station renderings and artistic elements for all six Orange Line Stations. Meeting dates/locations to be confirmed soon.
Key Construction Activities
Bridge construction is rapidly moving west and into the city of
Dear Chamber members:
As you may know, the current extension of the federal highway and transit programs expire on February 28th. Senate Leadership has proposed an extension of the programs through December 31, 2010 to be included in the tax portion of the jobs bill. This extension would fund the highway and transit programs at the 2009 SAFETEA levels. In order to prevent the Highway Trust Fund from running out of money and bringing these programs to a screeching halt, the extension would have to include a $19.6 billion General Fund transfer.
If Congress continues with the present practice of short term extensions, states will be unable to plan for the 2010 construction season, which will force them to cut back on letting projects and cause additional, unnecessary job losses. Please tell your Senators that funding the SAFETEA extension through December 2010 will help protect much needed highway and transit projects and jobs.
· The construction industry needs the highway/transit extension and the $19 billion transfer passed.
· This $19 billion transfer from the General Fund to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) will repay the HTF for lost interest since 1998 and ensure the continuity of the underlying programs.
· Without the $19 billion transfer the highway account of the HTF will fall below the $4 billion threshold in May and completely run out of money in August.
· Extending the programs through the end of the year and transferring funds to cover the short fall will give states a chance to keep their highway/transit programs moving forward, help contractors keep their companies going and keep the unemployment rate in construction from going even higher.
· Failure to extend the program and transfer the funds will force a slowdown in federal reimbursements to states.
· The impact will be felt acutely in July which is the height of construction season.
· States will be on the hook to pay contractors or they will be in breach of contract.
· Keeping up with obligations while the federal government slows reimbursements will put additional strain on state budgets.
· States will slow down moving forward with new projects because of the funding uncertainty. This will cause additional job loss for the construction sector and their suppliers including heavy equipment manufacturers and materials distributors.
Please contact your Senators to let them know that you support Senate passage of a highway extension through December 2010 and Highway Trust Fund fix of $19 billion.
Thank you for your action on this important issue.
John M. Gonzales
Regional Manager | Congressional & Public Affairs
Southwest/South Central Region
RIBBON CUTTING: RAISING CANE'S MARCH 5. Please mark your calendars and RSVP to vsegovia@irvingchamber.com, and make plans to attend as we welcome Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers to
TXDOT SMALL BUSINESS BRIEFING. TxDOT's Business Outreach and Program Services branch has announced a briefing conference in
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS TO BE PRESENTED MARCH 12. The acclaimed Crucial Conversations will be overviewed on March 12 at the beautiful La Cima Club in Las Colinas.
When: Friday, March 12
Where: La Cima Club atop Williams Square in Las Colinas: 5215 North O'Connor Boulevard Time: Breakfast and Networking 7:30-8 A.M.; Briefing 8-10; Q&A 10-10:30
Cost: $40 or $30 if two or more from the same company attend.
Registration: To register, call 972.717.5282 or email ilayne@linkagesinc.com
You should plan to attend, if...
You are experiencing situations and challenges like these:
- Important issues are not brought up in a timely manner to those who can do something about them.
- A colleague has just missed a critical deadline. What do you say?
- Your boss has a leadership style that is smothering you. You hesitate to speak up.
- Your team has been getting bad results. No one will speak up and no one wants to find out why.
You can benefit from learning:
- What the most recent research says about the cost of silence in your organization.
- How organizations are implementing Crucial Conversations to produce measureable change.
- To catch problems earlier because you will have the confidence and ability to speak up with candor.
- To improve collaboration and reduce conflict between employees and departments.
- To recognize when you are falling into bad habits of ineffective communication with other people -- assess your Style Under Stress.
- To express even tough ideas in ways that don't create defensiveness and that encourage others to share what they are thinking.
- To ensure that decisions are made with the collective best thinking of everyone in your team or group.
The Chamber recently honored Aviall's Paul Fulchino. On the occasion of the President and Chief Executive Officer's retirement, business leaders and elected officials came together for a reception in his honor. The retiring executive was recognized by Mayor Herbert Gears for a decade of service with a proclamation announcing Wednesday, February 17 as Paul Fulchino Day in
Congratulations to Mr. Fulchino and we wish you good fortune on the golf course!
The Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber recently honored newsmakers at a reception celebrating the accomplishments of leaders from the Irving business community. Jump for photos or read on to see which newsmakers were honored on Tuesday, February 16 at the Four Seasons:
ACE Cash Express: Represented by Annie Wood and Rita Mehta, ACE Cash Express was recognized for sponsoring the Chamber's State of the City event; (2) presenting Junior Achievement of Dallas a check for $25,000 at Townsell Elementary School in Irving where ACE associates teach Junior Achievement's program to third through fifth grade students; and (3) for donating $685,125 to the March of Dimes in support of programs to improve the health of all babies.
Akili: Represented by Shiek Shah and Andrew Thorby, Akili was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal for being among the 100 fastest-growing private companies in the Metroplex.
Aquire Inc: Represented by Cyndi Winsor and Dr. Douglas Preyna, Aquire was recognized by the Dallas Business Journal for being among the largest 200 private companies in the Metroplex.
Big State Drug Store: Represented by Brian Smith and Stacy Smith, Big State Drug Store for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the year and for being named as a board member for the Irving Healthcare Foundation.
Boyle & Lowery: Kitty Boyle was recognized by the Association of Community College Trustees as both the 2009 Western Region Trustee of the Year Award and the recipient of the 2009 M. Dale Ensign Trustee Award for your service on the DCCCD Board of Trustees for 13 years, serving as both vice chair and chair.
Breitling Oil and Gas Corporation: Represented by Chris Faulkner, Tamra Faulkner and Parker Hallam, Breitling Oil & Gas was recognized for developing new 3-D seismic interpretation and filtering technology for your company which increases the probability of pinpointing sizeable oil reserves still available in portions of the Hardeman Basin that were previously thought to contain no commercial-scale hydrocarbons.
Car Concepts/Rick's Independent Car Kare: Represented by Ricky Stephenson and Sherry Stephenson, Car Concepts / Rick's Independent Car Kare was recognized for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
CCI Club Design: Represented by Harry Chris, Ryan Yakel and Lisa Chris-Tietjen, CCI was recognized for the completion of a $1 million renovation of the Summit Club in
The City of
The City of
Cooksey Communications: Cooksey Communications was recognized for being nominated to the U.S. Chamber for its Small Business of the Year program and for being awarded five platinum honors, the highest, in the 2009 MarCom Creative Awards competition.
eBM Corp: Represented by Wael Salama, eBM Corp was recognized for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
EF Johnson: Represented by John Suzuki and Joe Oravetz, EF Johnson was recognized for receiving a multi-year contract for $4.8 million with four options valued up to $21 million, from the U.S. Department of Defense to deliver a wireless sensor network solution and for additionally receiving $5 million from the U.S. Navy to extend its virtual perimeter monitoring system solution.
Fabulous Frugale and Phantastic Photos: Represented by Michael Gallaway and Debra Gallaway, Fabulous Frugale and Phantastic Photos was recognized for opening two new businesses in Irving's Heritage District at 124 S. Main Street: Fabulous Frugale, a ladies boutique and home décor consignment shop as well as Phantastic Photos, a full service photography outlet.
FastSigns Irving/Las Colinas: Represented by Jeff Youngblood, Cory Merchant and Andrew Morrow, FastSigns Irving/Las Colinas was recognized for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
Fig Design: Represented by David Fiegenschue and Kathy Fiegenschue, Fig Design was recognized for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
First Choice Power: Represented by Catherine Carlton and Julia Garcia, First Choice Power was represented for planting more than 3,000 new trees through a partnership with the Arbor Days Foundation.
The Four Seasons Club and Resort: Represented by Michael Berk, the Four Seasons Resort and Club was recognized for being named a AAA 2010 Five Diamond Resort for the seventh consecutive year and being the only Five Diamond Resort in
George-McKenna Electrical: Represented by Don George, Brian Sidwell, Kevin Paxson and David Hawkins, George-McKenna Electrical was recognized for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
Glory House Bistro: Jo Ann Goin was recognized for opening the Glory House Bistro on
IBM: Tom Trotter was recognized for receiving the President's Award in appreciation of your 16 years of volunteer service with the DFW Minority Supplier Development Council and for IBM earning the Corporation of the Year Award from SER Jobs for Progress.
Law Offices of Rakesh Patel: Rakesh Patel was recognized for being named as a board member for the Irving Healthcare Foundation.
Mart, Inc.: Represented by
Parents for Safe Technology: Represented by Tish Troutman and Tonya Perrine, Parents for Safe Technology was recognized for being nominated for the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
REACH Agency: Represented by Ryan Sanders, REACH Agency was recognized for being nominated to the U.S. Chamber's Small Business of the Year program.
A great crowd turned out last night for a ribbon cutting and open house at the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute (MISI). Chamber members, Chamber Ambassadors, employees, friends and family enjoyed food, drinks and the company's spacious 7,000 square-foot facility on
One of the most advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities for back and neck pain as well as spinal disorders in the
"The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute is dedicated to improving the patient experience while providing state-of-the-art procedures - whether they are traditional or holistic," said MISI co-founder, Dr. Douglas S. Won speaking last night to all who attended. "The new spine care facility will exceed the needs of patients as well as provide them with an upscale spa-like atmosphere that our team hand picked from around the globe."
The expansion is a direct result of practice growth and the changing needs of patients. This is the first in a phased growth plan with a second comprehensive spine care facility on North Central Expressway in
Front of the Practice
Patients are welcomed in a modern space that is complemented by creamy whites, buttery yellows, rich chocolate browns and deep turquoises. The facility was created with an intricate attention to detail, including light grey carpeting, complementary tile selections, circular reception desk and lighted pendants. The overall design approach creates a spa-like environment - one that promotes a tranquil, non-threatening ambiance while also exemplifying the progressive, state-of-the-art nature of MISI. Details and finishes take cues from elements related to MISI's services - flow of motion, continuity and connectivity.
The waiting room includes a 55" flat panel TV and a 47" flat panel LCD TV that will host an array of patient spine care education. The theater system boasts serene, classical and jazz music lightly in the background. For the comfort of MISI guests, secured wireless Internet and a barista bar have been included. Stainless roller barn doors - imported from
Back of the Practice
All clinical and staff areas contain finishes, lighting and casework to meet all infection control and stain resistance criteria.
Eight private exam rooms feature high-end flooring, light grey carpeting and multi-colored cabinets.
"Through a careful and consumer-focused attention to detail, we have been able to create a space that will change how patients feel about treatment," Dr. Won said. "We were able to bring in designers and a health care development team that collaborated to create the facility."
Congratulations to Dr. Dana Bedden, who has been named by the Irving ISD Board of Trustees as the lone finalist for the position of IISD Superintendent of Schools. The Chamber enjoys a great partnership with the Irving Independent School District and we look forward to working with Dr. Bedden!
While the weather kept us from our launch this month, the Chamber has rescheduled the first Young Professionals Irving-Las Colinas (ypILC) mixer for Thursday, March 4 at 5:30 at the Las Colinas Country Club. We invite you to find out what this new program sponsored by TXU Energy is all about! More than an exchange of business cards, expect relationship building, leadership development and quarterly social events -- all especially geared for young professionals.
Full details are on facebook and on the Chamber's Web site. RSVP to Vanessa Segovia vsegovia@irvingchamber.com with your name, company and title!
Congrats to Irving.Net / Irving ISD for again winning an award this year from Texas Learns, the agency that manages the Adult Basic Education Programs for the state of
Pictured above:
Program Manager, Delia Watley and some of the Irving.Net staff - Raul Zamudio, Rusty Swift, Deborah Freeman, Edmund Barrera, Monica Zuniga, Jose Basurto, Delia Watley and Gregory McCarthy.
The 10,000-square-foot school offers an upscale salon atmosphere where students will perform services under the supervision of licensed Cosmetology instructors. The new location offers a Point of Sale tracking system that monitors student productivity and sales, as well as quality control factors such as wait times for each patron.
"Our new location will be absolutely gorgeous," said Margie Wisniski, vice president of operations of I.T.S. Academy of Beauty, "It will look more like an upscale beauty spa and salon than a school, and being in a busier location--across from the AMC Theater inside the mall--will help prepare our students to work in the faster-paced environment just like they will experience when they begin their careers as Cosmetologists."
The facility offers a program in Cosmetology that includes hair, skincare, make-up and nails, as well as an instructor course outline for those who want to teach.
Services for customers will begin June 1, 2010 and will include haircuts, color and highlight services, relaxers, facials, make-up, manicures and pedicures.
"The
LIVE NATION PARTNERS WITH WALMART, PLANS TO ENTER
ALLSTATE INSURANCE EXPANDS
AHC, INC. LEASES SPACE IN
LYRIC STAGE RECEIVES $36,000 TACA GRANT. The Arts Community Alliance (TACA) has awarded
IRVING COMPANIES MAKE FORTUNE LIST. Fortune magazine has released its list of the "100 Best Companies To Work" and the following companies with a significant presence in
FLUOR AWARDED DUPONT ENGINEERING CONTRACT. DuPont Engineering has awarded Irving-based Fluor Corporation a construction, maintenance and services contract for nine sites throughout the
MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE INSTITUTE OPENS FACILITY IN LAS COLINAS. The Minimally Invasive Spine Institute (MISI), one of the most advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities for back and neck pain as well as spinal disorders in the
GLORY HOUSE CATERING EARNS NATIONAL AND LOCAL RECOGNITION. Jo Ann Goin's Glory House Catering has earned "The Best of
CITY OFFICIAL RECOGNIZED FOR EFFORTS TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABILITY. The National Biodiesel Board has recognized Intergovernmental Services and Public Works Team Director Ramiro Lopez for his efforts in helping
21st CENTURY DENTAL OPENS NEW MED SPA. 21st Century Dental, located at 4301 N. MacArthur in
MACARTHUR OB/GYN RECOGNIZED FOR EFFECTIVE SOCIAL MEDIA USE.
EXXONMOBIL PARTNERS IN WOMEN'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE. Irving headquartered ExxonMobil, in partnership with Ashoka's Changemakers and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), has launched Women | Tools | Technology: Building Opportunities & Economic Power, an innovative challenge that seeks to identify transformative solutions for promoting women's economic advancement through technology. More information and submission information can be found at http://www.changemakers.com/en-us/technologywomen.Submissions will be accepted through April 14.
BYNARI OFFERING INSIGHT EMAIL SERVER FOR FREE. Irving-based Bynari Inc., a leader in messaging and collaboration software, has announced that their popular email server, Insight Server 4.4 (Intel version), will be available as a free download at www.bynari.net.
EMERGE TECHNOLOGIES RELEASES NEW NETBOOK CHARGING SOLUTION. Irving-based Emerge Technologies has expanded its line of ReTrak portable chargers to include a universal combo wall/car Netbook charger. The new charger, now available at major retailers and www.emergeretail.com comes with seven interchangeable tips to work with the most popular Netbook and mini-computer models.
SIGNATURE SENIOR LIVING EXPANDS. Signature Senior Living, an Irving-based operator of assisted living communities for seniors throughout
Lane Restrictions and Closures
· Evening of February 15 - Westbound Spur 482, all ramps leading to westbound Spur 482, and Stemmons Trail (8:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.)
· Evening of February 16 (9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.) the eastbound 114 frontage road near the SH 114/Northwest Highway split (near Holiday Inn Express). These closures are required to create a safe work space for construction of the 114 bridge structure.
· Restrictions will continue along the left shoulder of eastbound SH 114 just after the Northwest Hwy exit and on the right shoulder of the ramp from eastbound SH 114 to eastbound Northwest Hwy. This is the split near the Holiday Inn. The restrictions are required for crews to begin preparing for the 114 bridge structure.
· For those who use Brangus Drive at Walnut Hill, please note the upcoming closure on Feb. 22 that may last 1 to 2 weeks.
· Continued lane restrictions along Lake Carolyn Parkway, Meadow Creek/Green Park, and MacArthur Blvd.
Key Construction Activities
Bridge construction is rapidly moving west and into the city of Irving. Crews have finished a large majority of the bridge substructure work (columns, caps, girders, etc.) and are headed toward the Trinity River and Spur 482 Frontage Road area. As crews continue to set girders, activities may require some temporary night closures (9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.) along westbound Spur 482 (including all ramps leading to westbound Spur 482) and the Spur 482 Frontage Road. Construction of the bridge superstructure (deck, rail, etc.) may require some temporary night closures (9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.) in this area as well. And finally, there will continue to be heavy construction activity along the median of Lake Carolyn.
A great crowd turned out last night at WaveTwo Technologies. Chamber members, Chamber Ambassadors, WaveTwo clients, employees, friends and family enjoyed food, drinks and the company's spacious new office at 1431 Greenway,
Please note that our office hours have been adjusted for today and tomorrow based on the current weather forecast. Please also note that tonight's ypILC launch mixer is postponed until a later date, and we will also be closed in observance of the President's Day holiday. Please be safe in this inclement weather!
TODAY (Thursday) - office will close at 3pm today (Thursday). Tonight's ypILC event is postponed.
TOMORROW (Friday) - office will open at 10am tomorrow (Friday).
MONDAY (President's Day) - office will be closed in observance of the holiday.
UPDATE: Due to the inclement weather, our Young Professionals Irving-Las Colinas Mixer will be postponed to a later date. Please check the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber website for details. We will be updating you regarding the date change in the near future. Stay safe in today's weather and we look forward to seeing you at the Kick-Off for ypILC.
The Chamber and presenting sponsor TXU Energy are pleased to launch Young Professionals Irving-Las Colinas (ypILC), a group for those 23-40 who are interested in growing their social and professional networks and in giving back to the community. More information on the benefits of membership and the group itself will be presented at the first mixer, February 11 at 5:30 p.m. at Las Colinas Country Club. Other exciting, already planned events include a Golf Tournament March 19 and a leadership seminar from Jack Smalley, SPHR on April 13. Both of these will be held at Hackberry Country Club.
With lots of RSVPs already, including many on our facebook page, we're expecting a great crowd on Thursday for our first mixer and we hope to see you there!
More than just great networking and events, the group will provide a valuable resource. One of the things that will be provided in this space -- specifically for the Chamber's young professionals -- will be success stories and tips for professional development. The first article (below) comes from UK-based communications consultant, Barbara Gibson, whose power networking tips we included in an edition of the Business Focus several months back. Future articles will contain advice from
Power Networking Tips
By Barbara Gibson, ABC
The Golden Rule Work for your network. Don't look at networking with the idea of "what
can it do for me?" See yourself as a resource for every one of your contacts. Be a matchmaker.Send business leads and job leads to your contacts. Like most things in life, what you get out of your network depends on what you put into it first. The most powerful network is the one that is made up of people who owe you favors.
1. Remember that everyone else in the room has sweaty palms, too. Concentrate on making other people feel at ease not on your own insecurities.
2. Wear your nametag on your right side, as close to your face as possible, with your first name printed as large as possible. Always include your last name and company. Tip for job seekers: in the space where other people write their company name, write in "(looking for a job)." It's a great icebreaker.
3. Never get caught without a business card. Carry a stack to every event. Tuck extras in your wallet, computer bag, glove compartment, etc.
4. At networking events, keep your own cards in your left-hand pocket; place other people's in your right-hand pocket. Perfect a quick-draw technique.
5. Learn to "work the room." Don't gravitate toward people you already know well. Don't sit with people you work with. Make it your goal to meet at least 10 new people at every event.
6. Develop and rehearse a 30-second "elevator speech"--two or three sentences that describe who you are, what you do and the kind of contacts you hope to make. For example, "Hi, I'm Barbara Gibson. I've recently launched a new business doing media spokesperson assessment and development--a whole new category of business. I generally work through the PR professionals that support spokespeople, either the in-house PR people in large companies or PR agencies, and I work with clients all over the world."
7. Try giving and asking for two business cards - one to keep and one to pass along. Be a networking matchmaker.
8. As soon as possible after meeting a new contact, jot down notes on the back of the person's business card. Your notes (for your eyes only) should include memory joggers (mustache, red hair), reminders of where you met, what you discussed, things you have in common.
9. Follow up! Send a short note or e-mail to strengthen the initial contact. This is where your notes from #8 come in handy. For example, "I enjoyed meeting you at last week's IABC meeting. It's good to know I'm not the only cricket fan in the group. I'll keep my eyes open for a photographer for that project you mentioned. Hope to see you again soon." Always enclose your business card or contact details again.
10. Maintain contact. Develop a tickler system to remind you to touch base at least every 6-12 months. Clip articles that might interest them, send invitations or comp tickets to company events, e-mail a cartoon, or better yet, send them a business contact that will benefit them.
11. You can do #9 and #10 even if you haven't actually met! For example, you attended a luncheon meeting and the keynote speaker is someone you'd like to get to know, but didn't get the opportunity to meet (or did, but it was scarcely more than a handshake). Try to get a card, or obtain a mailing or e-mail address from the event organizer, and send a short note saying "I heard your presentation at yesterday's IABC meeting, but didn't get the chance to tell you how much I enjoyed it. I hope I get the chance to meet you sometime soon." Again, include your card or contact details, and plan for further follow-up. If you get the opportunity to meet in person, introduce yourself with a reminder of where you saw them before, along with a mention of your note. You'll now have the beginnings of a solid contact.
Major street/lane restrictions for the week of February 8:
- Highway 114: Beginning the week of February 8, restrictions will be present along the left shoulder of eastbound SH 114 just after the
- Continued lane restrictions along
Weekly Business Briefs - A Business Activity Report from the Irving Economic Development Partnership
DG FASTCHANNEL'S GROWTH ON DISPLAY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY. Irving-based DG FastChannel, the clearinghouse for most of the multimillion-dollar ads shown during the Super Bowl, reports it shipped a majority of the game's approximately 120 commercials to CBS. By giving advertising agencies and broadcasters a single contact, DG FastChannel has become the largest player in distributing digital advertising content and also, one of Fortune Magazine's "Fastest Growing Companies." Scott Ginsburg, chairman and chief executive at DG FastChannel was recently quoted in the Dallas Morning News as saying the company plans to hire both operations and salespeople to keep pace with the company's growth.
CAMPION TRAILS EXTENSION PROJECT TO BEGIN THIS MONTH. Work on the expansion of Twin Wells Park into Trinity View Park is set to begin this month. The project will extend the trail system 1.5 miles north from Mountain Creek Preserve for a total of 3.5 miles of primary trail in the southern section of Campión Trails. It includes 7,145 linear feet of 12-foot-wide concrete primary trail, one 90-linear-foot pedestrian bridge, five low-flow pedestrian crossings, four paver crosswalks, park benches and trash receptacles. The project will be funded through a grant from the Dallas County Trail and Preserve Program and is expected to be completed by August.
OMNI ANNOUNCES NEW MOKARA HOTEL BRAND. Irving-based Omni Hotels & Resorts has announced a new luxury hotel sub-brand - Mokara Hotels & Spas. The new brand will officially launch April 1 with their christening of the Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio under the Mokara name. While no timetable for expansion has been released, the company reports that about 25 hotels are being considered currently for the brand. The new concept will focus on wellness with the hotels being positioned to compete with other luxury brands like Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental.
FIRST CHOICE POWER TO BE FEATURED ON ABC'S EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION. Irving-based First Choice Power will provide renewable energy at no cost to a family in Kemah, TX, scheduled to appear on an April episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The family will receive green electricity from the company for two years, along with a free energy audit after six and 12 months.
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA RALLY TROOPS IN SUPPORT OF IRVING FOOD DRIVE AND HATIAN RELIEF EFFORTS. The Irving-based Boy Scouts of America (BSA), in their 100th year, are rallying troops to support Irving residents and also to provide relief for Haiti. The BSA has committed to providing tents and sleeping bags to Haitian people who have been displaced from their homes. To support these efforts, visit worldfriendshipfund.kintera.org/haitianrelief. To assist families in Irving, scout troops will be placing empty plastic grocery bags on resident's doors, encouraging citizens to place non-perishable food items in the bags for pick up on Saturday, February 20. Citizens and businesses can also donate directly to any of the following food pantries: Northgate United Methodist Church, South MacArthur Church of Christ, St. Luke's Catholic Church Food Bank, Irving Cares, Baptist Benevolent Ministries of Irving, First Baptist Church of Coppell, Living Hope Church of Coppell and Metrocrest Social Services of Carrollton. According to Irving Cares executive director, Teddie Story, food pantries are counting on the scouts in particular this year. Irving Cares saw a 49 percent increase in families served for the month of December and has already distributed over 24,000 days worth of food for Irving families in the past nine months. Last year, the Western Star Division of the Boy Scouts which serves Irving and Coppell collected 26,760 lbs of food.
RBC LIFE SCIENCES PROVIDING AID TO EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS. Irving-based RBC Life Sciences, a provider of nutritional supplements, wound care and pain management products, has donated 100,000 sterile wound care dressings to Haitian earthquake victims suffering from burns, abrasions, deep wounds and similar injuries.
FLUOR CORPORATION RECEIVES RECOGNITION FOR ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE. Irving-headquartered Fluor Corporation is featured in the January/February 2010 issue of Ethikos, a bi-monthly publication that examines ethical issues in business. Fluor's Code of Conduct and Ethics Training, Anti-Corruption Training and Compliance and Ethics Hotline, draw rave reviews from Ethikos. Other publications have also recently recognized the company including Corporate Secretary magazine, which in November 2009 awarded the company "best overall governance and ethics program" and awarded Wendy Hallgren, Fluor's vice president of corporate compliance, "Corporate Secretary of the Year."
HOSTESS BRANDS GOES MOBILE WITH LAUNCH OF WONDER BREAD IPHONE APP. Irving-based Hostess Brands has introduced the Sandwich "Wonder-izer" application,a free app for iPhone and iTouch iPods. Wonder Bread's Sandwich Wonderizer, also available at www.wonderbread.com, gives consumers the ability to create unique sandwich combinations from a list of more than 120 ingredients.
CITY EARNS GOLD TRANSPARENCY LEADERSHIP AWARD. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has awarded the City of Irving a Gold Leadership Circle Award by scoring 15of 15 possible points on ratings criteria for financial transparency.
CITY MANAGER EARNS HONORS. City Manager, Tommy Gonzalez, has been selected as an honoree in the Dallas Business Journal's 2010 Minority Business Leader awards program. Chosen by editors from a very competitive field of nominees, honorees were selected based on professional achievements and leadership in the community. Honorees will appear in the February 12 issue of the Dallas Business Journal and will be honored at an awards luncheon March 25 at the InterContinental Hotel Dallas.
VHA INC. HIRES DIRECTOR OF LOGISTICS. Irving-based national healthcare network, VHA Inc, has named Edwin C. Streeter senior director of logistics.
IDGROUP HIRES SENIOR DATA CONSULTANT. Fernando Duran has joined Integrated Design Group, Inc. (idGroup) as a senior data center consultant for the architecture and engineering firm's newly opened Irving office.
PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AWARDED TXDOT CONTRACT. Irving-based Protect Environmental Services has been awarded the Emergency and Non-Emergency Contract for TXDOT Dallas District covering Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall Counties.
MEDICAL & SURGICAL CLINIC OF IRVING RECOGNIZED AS SUPERIOR PRACTICE. The Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year by The Medical Group Management Association as a superior practice for its operational performance. One of the largest physician-owned multi-specialty group practices in North Texas, the clinic has served patients from Irving and surrounding communities since 1953.
IRVING CHORALE AND IRVING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RECEIVE GRANTS. Irving Chorale, a non-profit 80-voice chorus, and the Irving Symphony Orchestra have both been awarded $8,000 grants from The Arts Community Alliance (TACA).
FLUOR AWARDED PASADENA, TEXAS OIL REFINERY PROJECT. Irving-based Fluor Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide engineering, estimating and project management services for the conceptual engineering phase of an oil refinery project in Pasadena, Texas.
G P MOBILE OPENS ON BELTLINE. G P Mobile has opened its 3rd Metroplex location in Irving at 3668 N Beltline. Andy Castro manages the T-Mobile retail store.
ACEP EXECUTIVE EARNS HONORS. Marjorie A. Geist, Director of Academic Affairs for the Irving-headquartered American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has earned a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the CAE Commission of the American Society of Association Executives.
VHA INC.'S PHARMACY COST REDUCTION INITIATIVE SAVES MORE THAN $1 MILLION. VHA Inc., an Irving-based national healthcare network, reports that a pharmacy cost reduction initiative coordinated though the company's Boston office has saved 11 hospitals in Connecticut and Massachusetts over $1 million.
MICHAELS STORES HELPS CUSTOMERS GIVE HANDMADE GIFTS. Irving-based craft retailer, Michaels Stores has released the results of a customer survey which reveals that 87 percent of respondents believe handmade gifts to be more meaningful than store-bought presents. To help personalize cards and gifts for Valentine's Day, all Michaels retail stores will host Valentine's Day events while Michaels.com will offer creative gift ideas and a new how-to "webisode."
CAMPION TRAILS EXTENSION PROJECT TO BEGIN THIS MONTH. Work on the expansion of Twin Wells Park into Trinity View Park is set to begin this month. The project will extend the trail system 1.5 miles north from Mountain Creek Preserve for a total of 3.5 miles of primary trail in the southern section of Campión Trails. It includes 7,145 linear feet of 12-foot-wide concrete primary trail, one 90-linear-foot pedestrian bridge, five low-flow pedestrian crossings, four paver crosswalks, park benches and trash receptacles. The project will be funded through a grant from the Dallas County Trail and Preserve Program and is expected to be completed by August.
OMNI ANNOUNCES NEW MOKARA HOTEL BRAND. Irving-based Omni Hotels & Resorts has announced a new luxury hotel sub-brand - Mokara Hotels & Spas. The new brand will officially launch April 1 with their christening of the Watermark Hotel & Spa in San Antonio under the Mokara name. While no timetable for expansion has been released, the company reports that about 25 hotels are being considered currently for the brand. The new concept will focus on wellness with the hotels being positioned to compete with other luxury brands like Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental.
FIRST CHOICE POWER TO BE FEATURED ON ABC'S EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION. Irving-based First Choice Power will provide renewable energy at no cost to a family in Kemah, TX, scheduled to appear on an April episode of ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." The family will receive green electricity from the company for two years, along with a free energy audit after six and 12 months.
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA RALLY TROOPS IN SUPPORT OF IRVING FOOD DRIVE AND HATIAN RELIEF EFFORTS. The Irving-based Boy Scouts of America (BSA), in their 100th year, are rallying troops to support Irving residents and also to provide relief for Haiti. The BSA has committed to providing tents and sleeping bags to Haitian people who have been displaced from their homes. To support these efforts, visit worldfriendshipfund.kintera.org/haitianrelief. To assist families in Irving, scout troops will be placing empty plastic grocery bags on resident's doors, encouraging citizens to place non-perishable food items in the bags for pick up on Saturday, February 20. Citizens and businesses can also donate directly to any of the following food pantries: Northgate United Methodist Church, South MacArthur Church of Christ, St. Luke's Catholic Church Food Bank, Irving Cares, Baptist Benevolent Ministries of Irving, First Baptist Church of Coppell, Living Hope Church of Coppell and Metrocrest Social Services of Carrollton. According to Irving Cares executive director, Teddie Story, food pantries are counting on the scouts in particular this year. Irving Cares saw a 49 percent increase in families served for the month of December and has already distributed over 24,000 days worth of food for Irving families in the past nine months. Last year, the Western Star Division of the Boy Scouts which serves Irving and Coppell collected 26,760 lbs of food.
RBC LIFE SCIENCES PROVIDING AID TO EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS. Irving-based RBC Life Sciences, a provider of nutritional supplements, wound care and pain management products, has donated 100,000 sterile wound care dressings to Haitian earthquake victims suffering from burns, abrasions, deep wounds and similar injuries.
FLUOR CORPORATION RECEIVES RECOGNITION FOR ETHICS AND COMPLIANCE. Irving-headquartered Fluor Corporation is featured in the January/February 2010 issue of Ethikos, a bi-monthly publication that examines ethical issues in business. Fluor's Code of Conduct and Ethics Training, Anti-Corruption Training and Compliance and Ethics Hotline, draw rave reviews from Ethikos. Other publications have also recently recognized the company including Corporate Secretary magazine, which in November 2009 awarded the company "best overall governance and ethics program" and awarded Wendy Hallgren, Fluor's vice president of corporate compliance, "Corporate Secretary of the Year."
HOSTESS BRANDS GOES MOBILE WITH LAUNCH OF WONDER BREAD IPHONE APP. Irving-based Hostess Brands has introduced the Sandwich "Wonder-izer" application,a free app for iPhone and iTouch iPods. Wonder Bread's Sandwich Wonderizer, also available at www.wonderbread.com, gives consumers the ability to create unique sandwich combinations from a list of more than 120 ingredients.
CITY EARNS GOLD TRANSPARENCY LEADERSHIP AWARD. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts has awarded the City of Irving a Gold Leadership Circle Award by scoring 15of 15 possible points on ratings criteria for financial transparency.
CITY MANAGER EARNS HONORS. City Manager, Tommy Gonzalez, has been selected as an honoree in the Dallas Business Journal's 2010 Minority Business Leader awards program. Chosen by editors from a very competitive field of nominees, honorees were selected based on professional achievements and leadership in the community. Honorees will appear in the February 12 issue of the Dallas Business Journal and will be honored at an awards luncheon March 25 at the InterContinental Hotel Dallas.
VHA INC. HIRES DIRECTOR OF LOGISTICS. Irving-based national healthcare network, VHA Inc, has named Edwin C. Streeter senior director of logistics.
IDGROUP HIRES SENIOR DATA CONSULTANT. Fernando Duran has joined Integrated Design Group, Inc. (idGroup) as a senior data center consultant for the architecture and engineering firm's newly opened Irving office.
PROTECT ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AWARDED TXDOT CONTRACT. Irving-based Protect Environmental Services has been awarded the Emergency and Non-Emergency Contract for TXDOT Dallas District covering Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall Counties.
MEDICAL & SURGICAL CLINIC OF IRVING RECOGNIZED AS SUPERIOR PRACTICE. The Medical & Surgical Clinic of Irving has been recognized for the sixth consecutive year by The Medical Group Management Association as a superior practice for its operational performance. One of the largest physician-owned multi-specialty group practices in North Texas, the clinic has served patients from Irving and surrounding communities since 1953.
IRVING CHORALE AND IRVING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RECEIVE GRANTS. Irving Chorale, a non-profit 80-voice chorus, and the Irving Symphony Orchestra have both been awarded $8,000 grants from The Arts Community Alliance (TACA).
FLUOR AWARDED PASADENA, TEXAS OIL REFINERY PROJECT. Irving-based Fluor Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide engineering, estimating and project management services for the conceptual engineering phase of an oil refinery project in Pasadena, Texas.
G P MOBILE OPENS ON BELTLINE. G P Mobile has opened its 3rd Metroplex location in Irving at 3668 N Beltline. Andy Castro manages the T-Mobile retail store.
ACEP EXECUTIVE EARNS HONORS. Marjorie A. Geist, Director of Academic Affairs for the Irving-headquartered American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has earned a Certified Association Executive (CAE) credential from the CAE Commission of the American Society of Association Executives.
VHA INC.'S PHARMACY COST REDUCTION INITIATIVE SAVES MORE THAN $1 MILLION. VHA Inc., an Irving-based national healthcare network, reports that a pharmacy cost reduction initiative coordinated though the company's Boston office has saved 11 hospitals in Connecticut and Massachusetts over $1 million.
MICHAELS STORES HELPS CUSTOMERS GIVE HANDMADE GIFTS. Irving-based craft retailer, Michaels Stores has released the results of a customer survey which reveals that 87 percent of respondents believe handmade gifts to be more meaningful than store-bought presents. To help personalize cards and gifts for Valentine's Day, all Michaels retail stores will host Valentine's Day events while Michaels.com will offer creative gift ideas and a new how-to "webisode."
Dear Chamber members:
As you may know, the current extension of the federal highway and transit programs expire on February 28th. Senate Leadership has proposed an extension of the programs through December 31, 2010 to be included in the tax portion of the jobs bill. This extension would fund the highway and transit programs at the 2009 SAFETEA levels. In order to prevent the Highway Trust Fund from running out of money and bringing these programs to a screeching halt, the extension would have to include a $19.6 billion General Fund transfer.
If Congress continues with the present practice of short term extensions, states will be unable to plan for the 2010 construction season, which will force them to cut back on letting projects and cause additional, unnecessary job losses. Please tell your Senators that funding the SAFETEA extension through December 2010 will help protect much needed highway and transit projects and jobs.
· The construction industry needs the highway/transit extension and the $19 billion transfer passed.
· This $19 billion transfer from the General Fund to the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) will repay the HTF for lost interest since 1998 and ensure the continuity of the underlying programs.
· Without the $19 billion transfer the highway account of the HTF will fall below the $4 billion threshold in May and completely run out of money in August.
· Extending the programs through the end of the year and transferring funds to cover the short fall will give states a chance to keep their highway/transit programs moving forward, help contractors keep their companies going and keep the unemployment rate in construction from going even higher.
· Failure to extend the program and transfer the funds will force a slowdown in federal reimbursements to states.
· The impact will be felt acutely in July which is the height of construction season.
· States will be on the hook to pay contractors or they will be in breach of contract.
· Keeping up with obligations while the federal government slows reimbursements will put additional strain on state budgets.
· States will slow down moving forward with new projects because of the funding uncertainty. This will cause additional job loss for the construction sector and their suppliers including heavy equipment manufacturers and materials distributors.
Please contact your Senators to let them know that you support Senate passage of a highway extension through December 2010 and Highway Trust Fund fix of $19 billion.
Thank you for your action on this important issue.
John M. Gonzales
Regional Manager | Congressional & Public Affairs
Southwest/South Central Region
THIS WEEK'S NETWORKING
RIBBON CUTTING AND OPEN HOUSE AT WAVE TWO TECHNOLOGIES. There will be an Open House and Ribbon Cutting on February 10 at Wave Two Technologies at 1431 Greenway,
CHRISTINA GEARS TO SPEAK AT NEXT WOMEN'S
LE PEEP LAS COLINAS OFFERING DISCOUNTS TO SOCIAL NETWORKERS. Le Peep Las Colinas is offering a number of discounts exclusive to Facebook friends. Become a Fan of the restaurant on Facebook and look for special offers like the Valentine's Sweetheart special -- 2 Entrees, 2 Beverages and a Fluffy Heart Shaped Pancake Topped With Strawberries and Whipped Cream for $20.
There will be an Open House and Ribbon Cutting on February 10 at Wave Two Technologies at 1431 Greenway, 
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UPDATE: The DMN has posted coverage of the event
Yesterday evening, the Chamber hosted a reception honoring City Secretary, Janice Carroll, who is retiring after 30 years of public service, with nearly 15 of those years working for the City of Irving. In that time she served 4 Mayors and 22 City Council members! Many Irving elected officials and representatives from Irving attended the reception. Friends and colleagues from all over the Metroplex came to honor Carroll including Tom Hart, City Manager of Grand Prairie and a number of City Secretaries from surrounding cities.
Some photos from the reception:
BEST COMPANIES IN TEXAS CALL IRVING HOME. Several Irving-based companies have made the prestigious "Best Companies to work for in Texas 2010" list. Irving-headquartered companies making the list include Pioneer Natural Resources in the large company category, HCA National Patient Services in the medium company category and Aquire in the small company category. Other companies to earn the honor include Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, a company which operates major laboratory facilities in Irving, CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System, a facility within the Irving-headquartered CHRISTUS system and Transwestern and Aministaff, Inc. -- two companies with an Irving presence. The program is sponsored in part by the Texas Association of Business and the list is published at www.bestcompaniestx.com and in Texas Monthly magazine.
BUCHANAN TECHNOLOGIES ACQUIRES OHIO COMPANY, ADDS 50 NEW IRVING JOBS. Irving-based Buchanan Technologies has acquired Miamisburg, OH company, PEQ Services + Solutions Inc. in a deal that expands Buchanan's reach, keeps its headquarters planted in Irving, and brings 50 new jobs to the area. The merger will give the combined companies six offices, 500 employees and projected $60 million in revenue this year.
PADRINO FOODS PURCHASES IRVING INDUSTRIAL BUILDING. Padrino Foods, an authentic Mexican Food manufacturer specializing in tamales for restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores has purchased a 20,000- square-foot industrial building at 3200 Conflans Road in Irving, just east of Belt Line Road. Steve Montagna of Capstone Commercial negotiated the sale and the Chamber-managed Irving Economic Development Partnership was actively involved with the project.
CALDWELL PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL OPENS IRVING OFFICE. Retained executive search firm, The Caldwell Partners International Inc. has opened an office in Irving under the leadership of Jim Bethmann, who has joined the company as a partner. Founded in 1970, the company focuses on recruiting top-level executives in top-performing North American markets. The Caldwell Partners offices are located in the Tower on Lake Carolyn Building, 909 Lake Carolyn Parkway, Suite 1150.
BUCHANAN TECHNOLOGIES ACQUIRES OHIO COMPANY, ADDS 50 NEW IRVING JOBS. Irving-based Buchanan Technologies has acquired Miamisburg, OH company, PEQ Services + Solutions Inc. in a deal that expands Buchanan's reach, keeps its headquarters planted in Irving, and brings 50 new jobs to the area. The merger will give the combined companies six offices, 500 employees and projected $60 million in revenue this year.
PADRINO FOODS PURCHASES IRVING INDUSTRIAL BUILDING. Padrino Foods, an authentic Mexican Food manufacturer specializing in tamales for restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores has purchased a 20,000- square-foot industrial building at 3200 Conflans Road in Irving, just east of Belt Line Road. Steve Montagna of Capstone Commercial negotiated the sale and the Chamber-managed Irving Economic Development Partnership was actively involved with the project.
CALDWELL PARTNERS INTERNATIONAL OPENS IRVING OFFICE. Retained executive search firm, The Caldwell Partners International Inc. has opened an office in Irving under the leadership of Jim Bethmann, who has joined the company as a partner. Founded in 1970, the company focuses on recruiting top-level executives in top-performing North American markets. The Caldwell Partners offices are located in the Tower on Lake Carolyn Building, 909 Lake Carolyn Parkway, Suite 1150.
IDGROUP OPENS WILLIAMS SQUARE OFFICE. Integrated Design Group, Inc. (idGroup) has opened a new office in Williams Square at 5215 North O'Conner Boulevard to meet the needs of the firm's rapidly growing data center design practice. Over the past 18 months, idGroup has been awarded multiple data center projects in the region, including contracts with Thomson Reuters, Digital Realty Trust, the University of California at Santa Barbara, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The Boston, MA-based company has been named one of the fastest growing private companies in America by Inc. Magazine for each of the past two years.
COMMERCIAL LEASING ACTIVITY IN IRVING. (1) The Wood Group has signed a new 1,000-square-foot lease at 4545 Fuller Dr. in O'Connor Ridge in Las Colinas. Hudson Peters Commercial's Sara Fredericks and Debi Carter represented the landlord and Mohr Partners' Roy Reis represented the Wood Group; (2) Bradford Commercial Real Estates Services Brian Pafford and Jason Miller negotiated a lease for 12,298 square feet for Classic Soft Trim Inc in the Skyview Service Center at 1751 Hurd Dr. in Irving with 1725-51 Hurd Corp representing the tenant; (3) Minyard Food Stores has leased 9,252 square feet of industrial space at 8304 Esters Blvd in Irving from DCT Industrial Trust. Bob Scully of CB Richard Ellis negotiated the lease with Blake Kendrick of Stream Realty; 4) Panavision, Inc. has renewed 16,606 square feet of flex space for a five-year term at 8000 Jetstar Drive in Irving. The company which designs, manufactures and supplies film, camera systems, lenses and accessories for motion pictures and television, is one of the original tenants at the 1999, Jackson-Shaw built, 5-building 150,000-square-foot complex. Lease negotiations were led by Scott Ehley of International Capital on behalf of the landlord while Panavision was represented by Greg Langston and Bret Hefton with CresaPartners.
IRVING NON-PROFIT, AIDMATRIX, WORKING TO REVOLUTIONIZE DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS. A group of Irving-based computer programmers are helping change the way the world responds to disasters. Headed by former Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum, Aidmatrix, a nonprofit foundation, is working to give relief organizations the same technology that big corporations use to manage the flow of supplies. The foundation's online donor matching system works like a wedding registry where aid groups are able to post things they need online while the computer links them with companies or individuals offering supplies or cash to fill the request. The organization's system is currently being used by the United States Agency for International Development and 70 other relief organizations in Haiti, where an Aidmatrix staffer is on the ground helping coordinate warehousing and logistics.
VHA EXECUTIVE ADDRESSES WORLD HEALTH CARE CONGRESS SUMMIT. Peggy Naas, MD, MBA, Vice President of Physician Strategies, for the Irving-based national healthcare network, VHA Inc., recently addressed the World Health Care Congress. As a speaker at the Third Annual Leadership Summit on Comparative Effectiveness and Evidenced-Based Medicine in Washington D.C., Dr. Naas' discussed comparative effectiveness data and its effect on the future of health care delivery.
U.S. ARMY CHOOSES FLUOR FOR HAITI RELIEF SUPPORT. The U.S. Army has chosen Irving-based Fluor Corporation as a Haiti relief support contractor. Fluor will provide support and services to U.S. military and government personnel in the wake of the January 12 Haiti earthquake. The scope of work will likely include building and maintaining several logistical support areas in the general Port-au-Prince vicinity. It is expected that initially Fluor will provide construction services, followed by sustainment services and logistics support.
FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND CLUB AMONG WORLD'S BESTS HOTELS. Institutional Investor Magazine has released its 2009 Ranking of the World's Best Hotels, and the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Las Colinas has earned the number 37 spot. Highly regarded among business travelers, 150 frequently traveling senior financial executives from 39 countries were surveyed for the list.
CLARK, WATERS & HARDY, LLC EXPANDS. Clark, Waters & Hardy, LLC, an Irving-based financial services firm, has announced the addition of two experienced financial planners to their team, Mark Small, CPA, and Carrie D. Wilson, CFP, CDFA. The team now offers services in corporate benefits, divorce financial analysis, and personalized investment advising. An additional 700 square feet has been added to their Las Colinas office at 6565 N. MacArthur and additional expansion is planned. For more information, visit www.clarkwatershardy.com.
FIRST CHOICE POWER AWARDS 22 GRANTS TO TEXAS TEACHERS. In an effort to help stimulate and inspire young students across the state, Irving-based First Choice Power has awarded 22 grants totaling more than $50,000 to Texas teachers who submitted creative ideas to discuss energy and energy-efficiency in the classroom.
COOKSEY COMMUNICATIONS NAMES VP AND ACCOUNT MANAGER. Molli Samuels has been named to the position of Vice President and Account Manager at Irving-based Cooksey Communications.
NEC RELEASES LATEST SOFTPHONE. NEC Corporation of America (NEC), a leading provider and integrator of advanced communications, networking and IT solutions headquartered in Irving, has released its latest softphone, the Univerge SP350, a compact and versatile phone with the same features as a desktop phone but with the addition of advanced multimedia applications.
FASTSIGNS IRVING / LAS COLINAS EARNS PINNACLE CLUB AWARD. Owners Jeff Youngblood and Cory Merchant of Fastsigns Irving / Las Colinas were awarded a Pinnacle Club Award at the annual Fastsigns owners convention in Austin. The honor is given each year to top performing Fastsigns centers globally.
VOLLMER PR EARNS SILVER SPUR AWARDS. The Texas Public Relations Agency has awarded Chamber member, Vollmer PR, Silver Spur Awards in the non-profit category and in the special events category. The award honors outstanding professional achievement in developing and implementing significant public relations programs.
VHA EXECUTIVE ADDRESSES WORLD HEALTH CARE CONGRESS SUMMIT. Peggy Naas, MD, MBA, Vice President of Physician Strategies, for the Irving-based national healthcare network, VHA Inc., recently addressed the World Health Care Congress. As a speaker at the Third Annual Leadership Summit on Comparative Effectiveness and Evidenced-Based Medicine in Washington D.C., Dr. Naas' discussed comparative effectiveness data and its effect on the future of health care delivery.
U.S. ARMY CHOOSES FLUOR FOR HAITI RELIEF SUPPORT. The U.S. Army has chosen Irving-based Fluor Corporation as a Haiti relief support contractor. Fluor will provide support and services to U.S. military and government personnel in the wake of the January 12 Haiti earthquake. The scope of work will likely include building and maintaining several logistical support areas in the general Port-au-Prince vicinity. It is expected that initially Fluor will provide construction services, followed by sustainment services and logistics support.
FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND CLUB AMONG WORLD'S BESTS HOTELS. Institutional Investor Magazine has released its 2009 Ranking of the World's Best Hotels, and the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Las Colinas has earned the number 37 spot. Highly regarded among business travelers, 150 frequently traveling senior financial executives from 39 countries were surveyed for the list.
CLARK, WATERS & HARDY, LLC EXPANDS. Clark, Waters & Hardy, LLC, an Irving-based financial services firm, has announced the addition of two experienced financial planners to their team, Mark Small, CPA, and Carrie D. Wilson, CFP, CDFA. The team now offers services in corporate benefits, divorce financial analysis, and personalized investment advising. An additional 700 square feet has been added to their Las Colinas office at 6565 N. MacArthur and additional expansion is planned. For more information, visit www.clarkwatershardy.com.
FIRST CHOICE POWER AWARDS 22 GRANTS TO TEXAS TEACHERS. In an effort to help stimulate and inspire young students across the state, Irving-based First Choice Power has awarded 22 grants totaling more than $50,000 to Texas teachers who submitted creative ideas to discuss energy and energy-efficiency in the classroom.
COOKSEY COMMUNICATIONS NAMES VP AND ACCOUNT MANAGER. Molli Samuels has been named to the position of Vice President and Account Manager at Irving-based Cooksey Communications.
NEC RELEASES LATEST SOFTPHONE. NEC Corporation of America (NEC), a leading provider and integrator of advanced communications, networking and IT solutions headquartered in Irving, has released its latest softphone, the Univerge SP350, a compact and versatile phone with the same features as a desktop phone but with the addition of advanced multimedia applications.
FASTSIGNS IRVING / LAS COLINAS EARNS PINNACLE CLUB AWARD. Owners Jeff Youngblood and Cory Merchant of Fastsigns Irving / Las Colinas were awarded a Pinnacle Club Award at the annual Fastsigns owners convention in Austin. The honor is given each year to top performing Fastsigns centers globally.
VOLLMER PR EARNS SILVER SPUR AWARDS. The Texas Public Relations Agency has awarded Chamber member, Vollmer PR, Silver Spur Awards in the non-profit category and in the special events category. The award honors outstanding professional achievement in developing and implementing significant public relations programs.
THIS WEEK'S NETWORKING
CHAMBER LAUNCHES PROGRAMS TO ENGAGE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS. The Chamber has announced its Young Professionals Program, a group for young professionals ages 23-40 who are interested in growing their social and professional networks and in giving back to the community. They will launch with a mixer on February 11 at 5:30 PM at the Las Colinas Country Club.
RIBBON CUTTING AND OPEN HOUSE AT WAVE TWO TECHNOLOGIES. There will be an Open House and Ribbon Cutting on February 10 at Wave Two Technologies at 1431 Greenway,
CHRISTINA GEARS TO SPEAK AT NEXT WOMEN'S
COFFEE BREAK SEMINARS ON YOUTUBE. The business seminars presented monthly during the Coffee Break Networking Group have been recorded compliments of Reach Agency and are available for the public's viewing. You may view past videos by going to www.reach-agency.com/coffeebreak. Topics have included common legal issues faced by small business, frequently asked accounting questions, marketing for success and a forecast for 2010. The Coffee Break meets the second Tuesday of each month, 8:15 a.m. at Glory House Catering,
FIRST FRIDAY BOOK SYNOPSIS. The next meeting of the First Friday Book Synopsis will be February 5, 2010 at La Cima Club, 5215 N. O'Connor - 26th Floor. In just one hour, two books will be presented cover to cover by Randy Mayeux and Karl Krayer of the Creative Communications Network. In the first book, How Vanguard Companies Create Innovation, Profits, Growth, and Social Good, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, a
DART,
SH-183 OVERLAY STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS FEB. 8, 9 AND 10. In support of City Strategic Goal 1 - Land Use, Goal 2 - Vibrant Neighborhoods, Goal 3 - Economic Development and Goal 10 - Environmentally Sustainable Community, the City of
DART
-On Feb. 2 (8 pm. to 5 a.m.), the ramp from eastbound Spur 482 to eastbound
-On Feb 4 (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.), flaggers will be present at
- On Feb 4, flaggers will be present along westbound Spur 482 just before the
-Beginning Feb 2, crews will begin the remaining utility relocation work on Teleport.
-The night of Feb 2 (9 p.m. to 5 a.m.), expect lane restrictions of northbound and southbound MacArthur as crews set barrier in preparation for bridge substructure operations.
-Beginning Feb 3, lane restrictions of the inside, median lanes of northbound and southbound MacArthur will be required for crews to complete drill shaft operations.
IRVING ISD DESIGNING LARGEST NET ZERO MIDDLE SCHOOL IN U.S. Irving ISD administrators are designing what will become the largest net zero middle school in the United States. A net zero energy building is one that produces as much energy as it consumes. Through efficiency technologies and on-site power generation, the use of renewable energies allows the building to produce as much energy as it consumes from the electric grid. The net zero school will reinforce teaching and learning as it becomes an extended classroom where students can gain hands-on experiences working to explore geothermal science, rainwater collection, solar panel usage, wind turbine efficiency and other issues related to energy conservation. In order for the project to become a reality, IISD is exploring alternative funding options. For more information regarding the net-zero concept, or to discuss partnering with IISD in the concept, contact Scott Layne at 972-600-5400.
IRVING ISD LAUNCHES NEW VOLUNTEER CONNECT SITE. Irving ISD has launched a new Volunteer Connect Web site at www.irvingisd.net/pie/ as a means of streamlining the process of identifying and tracking volunteer opportunities available to students and the Irving community. According to Thelma Cantu, partnerships in education coordinator, Volunteer Connect will benefit the following groups -- 1) IISD schools seeking volunteers and partners in education 2) non-profit organizations and city departments seeking volunteers 3) IISD high school students seeking volunteer opportunities in Irving 4) Irving community members seeking opportunities to volunteer in schools. The site allows users to login, seek opportunities and make contacts for more information.
CARROLLTON-FARMERS BRANCH ISD EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION GALA SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY. To celebrate the spring, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD Educational Foundation is looking for sponsors for the inaugural "Springtacular" Gala on Saturday April 24. The magical evening at the Hotel InterContinental in Addison will include dinner, professional comedians, student performances, an auction and more. Proceeds from the gala support the ongoing mission of the Foundation to assist qualifying students and teachers with an array of scholarships and grants. Supporting this event as a sponsor will help to raise funds to meet ever increasing and unmet educational challenges. To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Mandy Brint, Director of Development, at 972.968.6543 or email brintm@cfbisd.edu.
LEADERSHIP IRVING-LAS COLINAS CLASS OF 2010 RAISING MONEY FOR IISD SCHOLARSHIPS. The Leadership Irving-Las Colinas Class of 2010 is selling chance drawing tickets to raise money to fund four scholarships for graduating
CHAMBER'S EDUCATION FOUNDATION RAISING FUNDS TO HELP
WHEN AND WHERE
Informational meetings are scheduled for the following dates and times. The same information will be presented at each meeting, so you may attend whichever meeting you wish. It is not necessary to attend all of them.
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2:00 p.m. Monday, February 8
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6:00 p.m. Monday, February 8
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6:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 9
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2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 10
All meetings will be held at
SUMMARY
State Highway 183 is being reconstructed by the Texas Department of Transportation. This project is an opportunity for significant new development and redevelopment that will add shopping, dining, entertainment and employment opportunities for
To help guide the new development, the City of
A copy of the draft State Highway 183 Overlay District ordinance is available on the City of
The city invites you to attend one of the informational meetings to learn about the proposed overlay and how it may affect your property. City staff will be available to meet with you and answer your questions. Follow-up meetings with city staff also can be scheduled if necessary to answer any questions that could not be answered at the informational meeting.
After the informational meetings have been completed, formal public hearings will be scheduled before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council. All affected property owners will receive a notice of these public hearings and will have an opportunity to speak before the Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council.
