Snow Emergency February 9, 2010
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Our President Rob Wonderling joined Mayor Nutter today at the city’s announcement of a snow emergency, starting tonight at 9 p.m. The Chamber applauds Mayor Nutter’s efforts to remove the record-setting snow from last weekend and the services made available to residents.
As the voice of the business community, the Chamber encourages its members to follow the City’s lead and to stay home, if possible, tomorrow unless your work is “mission critical.”
Fortunately, the technology we have today can make a virtual office place a reality. The Chamber is closed tomorrow because of the snow.
Of course, we ask that all employees and residents follow parking regulations. And, please note, SEPTA subways will run all night. Expect bus, trolley, and regional rail service to be cancelled as the storm intensifies.
Stay warm —
Bridging the Gap: Managing Generational Diversity February 8, 2010
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Submitted by: Angela Foreshaw-Rouse, AARP
Workplace demographics now span four generations — from traditionalists and baby boomers to Gen Xers and Ys. The audience of 120 at the recent Bridging the Gap program, comprised mostly of HR professionals, managers and decision-makers, received an in-depth look at the studied generations, learning about the needs and motivations of workers across the age spectrum, and how to create effective multigenerational workplaces.
AARP’s Washington, D.C.-based Deborah Russell, Director of Workforce Issues, set the tone as keynote speaker by discussing the changing dynamics of generations in the workplace. She was then joined by a regional panel of experts: David Marks, Chair of The Bridge Network and Financial Analyst, Campbell Soup Company; Claire Simmers, Ph.D., Professor, Haub School of Business, St. Joseph’s University; and Marjorie Stein, Esq., Director, Employee Relations, CIGNA
If you missed the event, you can learn about best practices for leading, managing, and engaging your workforce by listening to the podcasts below.
Listen to the Bridging the Gap keynote presentation.
Listen to the Bridging the Gap panel discussion.
View pictures from the event on flickr.
For more information on workforce issues, visit www.aarp.org/money/work and check out the Employer Resource Center.
What Higher Ed Contributes to Greater Philadelphia February 5, 2010
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Below is the text of an Op-Ed, by Chamber president Rob Wonderling, Villanova president Rev. Peter Donohue, and Citizens Bank president & CEO Dan Fitzpatrick, that appeared in last week’s Philadelphia Business Journal.
Local municipalities and state governments looking for new revenue sources recently have focused on institutions of higher education and their students as untapped wellsprings of funds. Pittsburgh’s mayor briefly considered a tuition tax. In Harrisburg, legislative proposals would allow municipalities to impose an essential services fee on colleges and universities.
As representatives of this region’s business community and as leaders of local colleges and universities, we believe such efforts are seriously misguided. They fail to acknowledge the significant contributions to the region’s economy generated by this sector. And they fail to address the potential risk to our future prosperity.
Greater Philadelphia’s higher education sector is a major employer and purchaser of goods and services. It produces tomorrow’s innovative companies and supplies tomorrow’s talented workforce. (more…)
Hear NBC’s Meet the Press moderator discuss the economy February 2, 2010
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David Gregory, NBC’s “Meet the Press” moderator will be in town on Tues., Feb. 23, to address the business community at our annual Economic Outlook Breakfast at the Hyatt at The Bellevue.
Gregory and a panel of business leaders will offer their perspectives on the region’s economic competitiveness and the issues that will impact the business community in the coming year. Sovereign Bank will release the results from its much-anticipated survey of the regional business community.
David Gregory was recently named the #5 “most used reporter” during nightly newscasts in the past decade by the Tyndall Report.
View more information and register on the Chamber’s web site.
Governor Cites Marcellus Shale as Huge Opportunity for State January 29, 2010
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Submitted by: Jeff Kimball, President and CEO, L.R. Kimball
At the GPCC’s “Conversation with the Governor” event this week, Governor Rendell addressed the more than 500 attendees on a wide range of issues from health care to job creation to the environment. As a Pennsylvanian and business owner, the Governor’s plan around natural gas from the Marcellus Shale geological formation in Pennsylvania was of particular interest. Marcellus Shale represents the prospect to generate new revenue and jobs within our state. Nationally, Marcellus Shale is a great opportunity not only for my company, but the commonwealth and residents of Pennsylvania to lead the charge around energy creation and environmentalism.
Finally, as he approaches the end of his final term, I would like to thank Governor Rendell for his dedication and service to Pennsylvania and wish him the best in his future endeavors.
Reducing Employee Stress by Implementing a Health and Safety Program in a Tough Economy January 28, 2010
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Submitted by: Compliance Management International
In December 2009, the national unemployment rate approached 10%, and it’s even higher in many states. In these tough economic times companies are experiencing increased absenteeism, increased numbers of grievances, and more workers’ compensation claims. Employers tend to burden employees with more responsibilities resulting in higher employee stress. Studies have shown that stressed employees make more mistakes, are less creative, are less receptive to coaching, and may be more volatile in interactions. This results in lower efficiencies and overall impacts to the company’s financial condition. Also, this can significantly impact existing health and safety programs. Eventually employee stress can lead to burnout. Burnout occurs when employees have:
• Unclear or impossible requirements
• High stress times with no down times
• Lack of personal control, and
• Lack of recognition
Taking a proactive approach by addressing these issues will help maintain the workforce and build your safety culture. (more…)
A Union of International Business & Soccer January 20, 2010
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All the buzz is about the newest addition to the Philadelphia professional sports community, Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union. To celebrate, a group of bilateral business organizations have joined forces – with their passion for soccer – to organize a business networking reception with CEO & Operating Partner Nick Sakiewicz, President Tom Veit, and members of the Philadelphia Union soccer team coaching staff.
Major League Networking: A Union of International Business and Soccer will be held on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Pyramid Club of Philadelphia.
Mr. Sakiewicz is a founding executive of Major League Soccer, and since the League’s inception over thirteen years ago he has acquired extensive experience and success in branding, launching and forming MLS as one of America’s major professional sports leagues.
As President, Tom Veit oversees all business matters relating to the club and stadium. Veit joined the Union from the University of South Florida, and has previously worked in the MLS with the Tampa Bay Mutiny.
Join the executive staff of the Philadelphia Union to welcome the MLS team to the area and network with members of the local and international business community and soccer enthusiasts alike.
Space is limited!
Click here to register now.
For more information, please contact Jaime Scofield at jscofield@greaterphilachamber.com or call 215-790-3627.
Presented By: British American Business Council; Chilean and American Chamber of Commerce; French-American Chamber of Commerce; German-American Chamber of Commerce; Italy-America Chamber of Commerce; Irish American Business Chamber & Network; Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia; Swedish American Chamber of Commerce
Creativity & Your Workforce January 15, 2010
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Submitted by Virginia Maroun, Senior VP, External Affairs, Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
Is creativity an intensified expectation for your team and your company as we enter a new decade?
Writer Daniel Pink, who was recently quoted on CBS Sunday Morning, (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/10/sunday/main6078280.shtml) would say that creativity is central to innovation.
Pink was also the keynote speaker in late 2009 at a seminar on corporate creativity presented by the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia (a Chamber affiliate) with Towers Perrin (now Towers Watson). The seminar was part of an on-going project measuring creativity among employers in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
Training for the Council’s Business Volunteers for the Arts, a program known to inspire creativity in its business participants, will be held on March 6. To register call 215-790-3620 or visit www.artsandbusinessphila.org/BVA/
Internet Strategy and Social Media: Need more Twitter followers? January 13, 2010
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Submitted by: Jody Raines, MarCom.net
You may wonder how some Twitter users have thousands of followers and why your account hasn’t grown as quickly as you’d like. Perhaps it is something you are doing? Like any good Internet marketing strategist, I’ve analyzed what seems to work. Just like SEO for your website to get high Google rankings, the way you position yourself in Social Media can have great impact on your ability to connect with an audience. (more…)
YPN hears from 2010 William Penn Award recipient Charlie Pizzi January 5, 2010
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Submitted by Christopher Parker, TD Bank
YPN members and guests gathered at Center City hot-spot, the American Pub, at YPN’s recent networking event to hear remarks from Tasty Baking Company CEO & 2010 GPCC William Penn Award recipient, Charlie Pizzi, and to celebrate the Holiday Season. Mr. Pizzi provided insights into his leadership style, feeling of civic responsibility and outlook on the Philadelphia business climate generating a lively question and answer session. Mr. Pizzi also is the Deputy Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
Members had also been asked to bring a toy for the annual McClure Elementary School Holiday Toy Drive. This request was well heard and the response overwhelmingly generous. Toys were delivered the following day and received enthusiastically by McClure Elementary Vice-Principal Randy Davila. Thank you to those who participated in the Toy Drive and other McClure events through out the year. These efforts provide an ongoing gift to the McClure Community.
Happy & Healthy Holiday Wishes to all YPN Members, looking forward to a Prosperous & Fun 2010 ahead. See you on January 13th at the Loews Hotel, as we welcome Philadelphia District Attorney, Seth Williams.
See photos from the event on Flickr.
View information and register for YPN’s next networking event on January 13.
Dan Senor to Speak about Bestselling Novel Start-Up Nation January 5, 2010
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Submitted by Debbie Buchwald, Executive Director, America-Israel Chamber of Commerce
Did you ever wonder why Israel, a country about the size of New Jersey with only 7 million inhabitants, no natural resources and surrounded by enemies produces more start-up companies than Japan, China, India, Korea, Canada and the U.K.? Now there’s an answer. START-UP NATION, the new internationally acclaimed bestseller, now #6 on the NY Times business book list, uses anecdote and insight to explore Israel’s successes in innovation and entrepreneurship. The stories highlight defining moments in Israel’s economic history and the authors have insightful reflections on what makes Israel one of the most powerful high tech centers in the world.
My pulse raced when I read this book. Will Shimon Peres meet with embarrassment or success when he pitches Israel’s new battery-operated car company concept to the CEO of Renault? Can Intel Israel continue to manufacture chips as promised during the 1991 Gulf War? What do Harvard and the Israeli Defense Forces have in common?
Dan Senor, Co-Author of START-UP NATION, will be in Philadelphia at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 27th for a book signing and talk at Drexel University. I have heard Dan speak twice and he is terrific. He is an adjunct senior fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, has been involved in policy, politics, and business in the Middle East. As a senior foreign policy adviser to the U.S. Government, he was one of the longest-serving civilian officials in Iraq, for which he was awarded the highest civilian honor by the Pentagon. He also served as a Pentagon adviser to Central Command in Qatar and as a foreign policy and communications adviser in the U.S. Senate. In his business career, he has invested in a number of Israeli and American start-ups, and today is with a New York–based global investment fund. Senor’s analytical pieces are frequently published by the Wall Street Journal. He has also written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Weekly Standard, and TIME. Dan is a graduate of Harvard Business School and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
You should definitely attend the program. There is a networking reception and book signing before the program. Books are included in the nominal admission fee of $20. Check out the details here.
Technology Connectors 2.0 Launch December 24, 2009
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Submitted by Justin Ennis, Programs Manager, Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
Join the Arts & Business Council on Tuesday, January 12, 5-7pm at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists for the unveiling of Technology Connectors 2.0! Hear about how you can team-up with your tech colleagues to create innovative solutions for our region’s arts organizations, all while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres in a contemporary art gallery setting.
The Arts & Business Council is thrilled to feature Harold Hambrose, CEO, Electronic Ink, who will discuss his new book, Wrench in the System: What’s sabotaging your business software and how you can release the power to innovate. All attendees will receive a copy of Harold’s book, compliments of Electronic Ink.
All newcomers are welcome to participate and exchange ideas with the Council’s committed corps of Technology Connector volunteers. Let’s make 2010 the year of the Technology Connector!
What: Technology Connectors 2.0 Launch
Where: The Center for Emerging Visual Artists (www.cfeva.org)
1521 Locust Street, Lower Level, Philadelphia, PA 19102
When: Tues., January 12, 5-7pm
RSVP to Justin Ennis, Programs Manager, by Friday, January 8, 2010
2010 is the Year That Counts December 23, 2009
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Submitted by:
Rob Wonderling, President & CEO, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce
As an Honorary Chair of the 2010 Philly Counts census campaign, I’d like to share this information with you and your organization.
Let me tell you why 2010 is the year that counts.
As you may know, the national census happens every 10 years and will take place next year. I encourage all Philadelphians – as well as all residents of this 11-county, tri-state region – to participate. Here’s why:
More than 170 federal programs allocating more than $400 billion use Census-based formulas to determine who gets the money. According to a preliminary report, Philadelphia received more than $4 billion in federal funding in FY 2008 based on decennial census data. That’s more than $2,500 per person.
That’s a lot of money. It could have been even more. For the past nine years, Philadelphia’s population has been under-counted. We know this because earlier this month, the U.S. Census Bureau accepted Philadelphia’s first-ever Census challenge and added 93,000 residents to the population estimate, bringing our official estimate to 1,540,351, up from 1,447,395.
What’s in a number?
This means for the first time in 60 years, the official Philadelphia population has gone up, not down. The city population is growing, which is a sign of economic health and a confirmation of the energy we feel throughout the city.
Also, higher population should mean hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars in additional federal funding to Philadelphia going forward for programs that range from affordable housing to neighborhood improvement plans and economic development.
I want to thank the Citi Foundation and the William Penn Foundation for funding Philadelphia’s Census challenge.
And I want to ask you to make sure that in 2010, you count. And get counted.
Business After Hours at Fado December 17, 2009
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Submitted by: Ron Fulton, CLEAR Account Executive
This festive event was a mix of business, good conversations, quality networking and some good brew provided by the Philadelphia Brewing Company. The diversity of the crowd and their respective professions were as delectable as the great finger foods the Fado staff provided with a smile and super service.
For CLEAR, this was my first Chamber event and I was duly impressed with the organization by the GPCC staff, and the overall quality of attendees and leads. We will surely make these events a regular occurrence on our calendars, and as CLEAR continues to grow its base of 4G Wireless Broadband customers throughout the Philly area, I am sure we will one day be a guest speaker and certainly a sponsor. Keep up the great job!
Visit the Chamber’s Flickr page to see more photos from the event.
See info about our next Business Before Hours event, on February 3.
Emergency Toy Rush in Greater Philadelphia December 16, 2009
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Submitted by:
Brian P. Tierney
Chief Executive Officer and Publisher, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Santa needs your immediate help.
Each year, Toys for Tots, run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, helps underprivileged children in our community experience the joy of Christmas. More than a new toy, Toys for Tots delivers with it a powerful message of hope: Someone cares.
This year, in light of the tougher times that we all now share, there has never been a greater need for donated toys to make every child’s holiday a happy one. The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve needs to collect 40,000 toys by Monday, Dec 21 in order to meet the demand.
Through donations exceeding $100,000 in value, the local ownership of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Daily News and philly.com have stepped up to help save the season. We urge you know to step up with us.
Toys for Tots needs you to take action now. Please, donate a new, unwrapped toy any time between now and Monday, December 21 at 5 pm in the lobby of The Inquirer Building, Broad and Callowhill Streets in Center City, Philadelphia or The Inquirer Printing Plant, 800 River Road, West Conshohocken. For more donation locations go to www.toysfortotsphila.org and click “Donate Toys” to find a location near you.
Every boy and girl, from toddler to teen, should have something waiting under the tree when they wake up on Christmas morning. As a community, we can make a tremendous difference this holiday season.
Please donate a toy today.
Thank you,
Brian P. Tierney
Chief Executive Officer and Publisher, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Non-profits, Fundraising, and 2010: What Lies Ahead? December 10, 2009
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Submitted by Robert Evans, founder and managing director of The EHL Consulting Group
What a pleasure to talk directly with representatives of more than 75 Philadelphia-area non-profits at Nonprofit Trends & Issues: Coming out of the Recession under the banner of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. I was able to be a bit provocative about perspectives on succeeding as the economy improves! And along the way, several dozen for-profit organizations sent men and women who shared a common agenda: either to learn about being better donors or to market to the non-profits that also belong to the Chamber.
I do hope that some of what I projected was thought-provoking and challenging. Certainly the words from the three other participants were insightful and professionally driven.
My presentation focused on the good news (and some bad news) about fundraising in the recovering economy. A recently-released “white paper” from the Giving Institute and Giving USA served as the basis of my presentation; the document is available on-line here and I urge Chamber members to read about how the other downturns in the economy have impacted charitable giving previously and what predictions they have for the future. Based on history, we can expect about three to four years before giving returns to previous high levels set in 2007, but we may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.
The questions and comments I received and the thoughts that the three distinguished panelists suggested would lead us to treasure networking; we can certainly share each other’s stories and experiences and learn from one another. And perhaps that’s the value of attending various seminars and workshops, be them at the Chamber of Commerce or in other settings.
But the one lesson we should all understand is the value of coming together to strengthen our city and region. The non-profit sector is such an important and dominating aspect of the economy here, but all-too-often we tend to forget the value of gaining total perspective on important issues. With fundraising so critical today and non-profits seemingly requiring so much creative and positive support, meetings that the Chamber convenes can only help all of us to better serve the millions of people in Greater Philadelphia who are looking for better educational resources, more comprehensive health and medical options, creative arts and cultural opportunities, and social and human services that touch and protect people. Successful fundraising in Philadelphia is critical, especially right now, and the resources do in fact exist to make sure that needs are met and services flourish.
I strongly believe that 2010 will be a far better year for all of us if we come together as a strong and committed community!
Online Membership Directory adds enhanced marketing benefits December 10, 2009
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The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce continues to seek ways to offer enhanced, innovative services for our members. That’s why we are proud to announce additions to our online membership directory, the go-to-online resource for regional business professionals.
Visit the online directory here.
Members can now take advantage of new marketing benefits that will help prospective customers find you from our online membership directory.
New features include the ability to update your company’s online description with searchable key words and the option to add links to your company’s social media’s sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter. In addition, the online membership directory now displays more information about your company, such as employee size, annual revenue and county location.
The Chamber has also added targeted benefits to the membership directory reserved only for members. When members are logged-in to our website, they can now perform advanced searches to find members. In addition, members can view the name and title of the primary contact at fellow member companies.
To fully take advantage of these new marketing benefits, we encourage you to log-in to our members-only section and update your company profile.
Visit the members-only log-in page here.
Discover how successful women reach the top December 7, 2009
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Discover how successful women reach the top at our annual Women in the Workforce program.
Now in its fourth year, this is one of the Chamber’s most successful programs. It helps women (at all career levels and in all industries) grow their careers by learning firsthand from prominent female executives who have already achieved success in their fields. There is a Q&A session with panelists about their backgrounds and experiences, and the panelists then rotate among small groups of attendees to lead discussions and provide further insight.
This program is ideal for women just beginning or transitioning their careers because of the opportunities for business networking, professional development, and personal growth.
For the agenda, speaker information and to register, visit the Chamber’s Web site.
