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The Chamber recently helped the Medical Clinic of North Texas celebrate a ribbon cutting for its beautiful new facility within the Las Colinas Medical Center Complex. With balloons and decorative touches in the company's colors and with an incredible spread of food and drink, their staff really showcased the facility and the quality of care available.
We got tons of photos capturing the great turnout. The best photos of the bunch are included below!
Longtime Irving Retailer, AAMCO Transmissions, Opens New Shop
On Thursday, August 12, AAMCO Transmissions celebrated its Grand Opening with a ribbon cutting at its new location: 1100 West LBJ Freeway. While the location is brand new, AAMCO is certainly not new to Irving. The provider of brakes, tune-ups, transmission and auto services has been located at 501 West Second Street for 42 years. Ken Suri has owned and operated the franchise for the last 20 of these 42 years. An outstanding corporate citizen for more than four decades, AAMCO, has over that time built a large and loyal customer base - many of whom packed the lobby alongside friends, family and Irving business leaders.
"AAMCO boasts a long and rich history in Irving," said Mayor Herbert Gears. "We are pleased they will continue that history at this wonderful, new location."
To learn more about AAMCO, visit www.aamco.com. To learn more about the benefits of membership such as hosting a ribbon cutting for your business, please contact your Chamber of Commerce by calling 214.217.8484.
From left to right: AAMCO Owner Ken Suri, Irving Mayor Herb Gears and City Councilman Roy Santoscoy.
Ken Suri and Mark Graham, President and CEO of American Driveline, AAMCO's Parent Company Prepare to Cut the Ribbon
The Suri family joins company, City and Chamber officials for a photo
AAMCO's new location at 1100 W. LBJ Freeway on Grand Opening Day!
There's a new McDonald's in Las Colinas. The Chamber recently helped Ronald McDonald and the team at Grissett Enterpises celebrate their opening with a ribbon cutting / fundraiser for the Ronald McDonald House charities. Several city officials turned out, and the Dallas Morning News filed a report of the festivities which you can find here. The new restaurant is located at 114 and O'Connor.
Anthony Grissett cuts the ribbon with an assist from Ronald
The Grissett Enterprises Team
Shirly Dobson presents an official proclamation honoring Irving's newest McDonald's on behalf of State Representative Harper-Brown
Ronald McDonald makes a couple of new friends
Chandra Hill, Director of Member Relations and Finance, poses for a photo with Ronald
The Chamber recently celebrated the Grand Opening of Aspen Creek, a new restaurant at 4300 Airport Freeway, with a ribbon cutting celebration. From the restauranteurs behind the Texas Roadhouse chain, Irving is home to their first location in Texas and only their second in the nation.
Several Chamber members stayed around to eat after the festivities and gave great reviews. The crew of Irving reporters at the Dallas Morning News also gave the place a try. Read their reviews here!
The new restaurant on opening day!
An official proclamation was presented by State Rep Harper-Brown's office in recognition of Aspen Creek's Opening
Chamber representatives and Aspen Creek employees all got in the act in cutting the ribbon.
UPDATE: WFAA did a great story on this! Read it here. See it below:
A benefits plan was formally launched on Wednesday, July 14, at the Chamber Information Center in Irving's Heritage Crossing by an Irving-based nonprofit group.
"We continue to partner on new initiatives to help small business," said Shawn Callaway, Vice President of Marketing & Communications. "We are extremely pleased we could help this great organization spread their message of affordable health care for small business."
The North Texas 3-Share Plan will give uninsured people who are employed by small businesses a new health care alternative. It calls for monthly health care premiums to be split between the employee, employer and a subsidy fund.
"The North Texas 3-Share Plan will be a major step in providing low-cost healthcare plans to low-wage employees of small employers who are excluded from the mandates of Healthcare Reform," said Don Spies, President of the North Texas 3-Share Plan. "The 3-Share plan offers the best opportunity to provide a medical home for a large number of low-wage working individuals for the least cost of public funds since contributions are also required from the employer and employee in order to participate in the program."
The plan is available through small employers -- defined as those with between two and 50 employees -- that have not offered group health insurance in the past 12 months. Landscapers, construction firms, auto repair shops and painting companies are among the small businesses expected to take advantage of the plan.
"We are starting in Irving," said Jessica Hernandez, Parkland's vice president of community-oriented primary care, "but we foresee that patients will be able to be seen at any of our eight clinics."
North Texas 3-Share Plan patients can be seen in Irving at Parkland COPC's Irving Health Center located at 1800 N. Britain Road.
"This is a program that is long overdue," stated Brenda Sauls speaking on behalf of Commissioner Mayfield who was travelling and unavailable to attend. "This is a great way for people to gain access to the great medical services offered by the Parkland system."
Commissioner Maurine Dickey who also spoke Friday, July 16 at the Chamber's State of Dallas County event with Dr. Ron Anderson, President & CEO of Parkland Hospital, was in attendance and offered her congratulations as well.
The press conference was followed by a ribbon cutting, an official proclamation from the Mayor's office and also a proclamation from State Representative Harper-Brown's office - all honoring the North Texas 3-Share Plan for providing much needed access to health care for small business and for choosing Irving, home to more than 8,000 small businesses, as the place to launch.
To learn more, visit www.northtexas3share.org. Photos from the press conference follow:
From left to right: Jessica Hernandez, Don Spies, Shawn Callaway and Brenda Sauls
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Shawn Callaway presents a proclamation on behalf of the Mayor to Don Spies and the North Texas 3-Share organization
Don Spies cuts the ribbon signifying the North Texas 3-share Plan's Official Launch.
A standing room only crowd gathered in the Chamber's Information Center at Heritage Crossing to hear the announcement.
Don Spies displays the proclamation
Glory House provided a delicious spread for attendees
Even though Yogurt Zone, 7403 N. MacArthur Blvd #150, has been in business since Dec. 4, they have been waiting for the perfect opportunity to celebrate. And celebrate they did on July 8 with a ribbon cutting and yogurt for all!
With over 60 flavors that are rotated 12 at a time every two to three weeks, Yogurt Zone is the first and only frozen yogurt location in Irving. As a healthier alternative to ice cream, frozen yogurt can serve as a great snack no matter what time of day. Yogurt Zone is open from 11 a.m. till 11 p .m and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Conveniently located on MacArthur Blvd, Yogurt Zone is never out of the way. Stop by and enjoy one of their delicious flavors today!
team cut the ribbon
The Yogurt Zone team accepts a Proclamation honoring them
for opening the first yogurt shop in Irving!
Las Colinas Beverage, 4000 N. MacArthur Blvd. Ste. 100, has a selection worth celebrating, and so it was recently that the Chamber celebrated with this retailer of fine wine, craft beers and cigars. With a ribbon cutting, and beer and wine tasting, it was a grand event that quenched our thirst and proved an educational experience!
Here are a few fun facts learned at the ribbon cutting:
· The store has been open since September. It's a long way till their 21st birthday!
· Las Colinas Beverage is the largest American craft beer and import beer distributor in the Metroplex
· The store has 13 wine distributors. That's 11 more than the typical store!
· While a supermarket usually works with two beer distributors, Las Colinas Beverage works with four!
· The store offers a robust discount program - those buying a case of beer or building their own case, receive a 10 percent discount as do those purchasing four bottles of wine.
· Las Colinas Beverage offers free ice with purchase. Just bring a cooler or they will provide a bag!
Las Colinas Beverage Ribbon Cutting
An Official Proclamation recognizes the store!
Sam's Club Presents More than $6,000 in Charitable Donations
On Friday, June 18 the Chamber helped Sam's Club celebrate a grand re-opening after significant remodeling to the store. It was quite the occasion as Sam's Club recognized its employees who have been with the store since 2001.
Sam's employees, Jennifer Sorrel and Melodie Palmer, presented a $5,000 check to the BAPS charitable organization during the event. A surprise donation of $1,255 was also presented to the Irving Police Department by Sam's Club.
A very large crowd gathered for the grand re-opening.
Check presentation to BAPS Charities.
The Irving Police Department receives a check.
The ribbon cutting!
On Thursday, June 17, the Chamber broke out the big scissors for Jessy's Girl Salon & Spa. Jessy's Girl is a full service hair salon located at 1800 Marketplace Blvd Suite 180 in Irving. They have a well-educated and highly motivated professional staff who specialize in customized salon services for both men women and children, and who are dedicated to providing their clients with exceptional customer service! Pay them a visit next time you need a cut and tell Jessy the Chamber sent you!
Great Places to Work Institute, the company that consolidated Fortune Magazine's "2006 100 Best Companies to Work For" survey states, "When you invest in your people, you invest in your organization's success." Of the top 100 companies deemed the best to work for, 33% offer company-sponsored childcare. In this survey, childcare is considered one of the "best benefits" when companies are considered to be one of the best to work for.
Children's Choice Learning Centers, a company that specializes in providing daycare options for companies is based here in North Texas (Richardson), with a great daycare center on Nissan's corporate campus here in Irving (8900 Freeport).
As several ambassadors of the Chamber learned at their recent ribbon cutting, Nissan employees have it made with access to a beautiful day care center staffed by attentive child-care experts. But as we also learned, Children's Choice's Irving location is open to the public as well at very reasonable rates, so whether you are looking for daycare for your own children or for your company, Children's Choice Learning Centers are a great option!
To learn more about opening a daycare within your company, contact Sandi Brooks.
To learn more about daycare at their Irving location, contact Evelyn Jackson.
Shirley Dobson on behalf of State Representative Linda Harper Brown presents Evelyn Jackson with a proclamation honoring Children's Choice
While there are many fun toys, activities and learning opportunities for the kids at the Children's Choice Learning Center, it's not every day they get to partake in a ribbon cutting!
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