Chamber Chronicle. Hobbs Chamber: Tis the season to Find It in Hobbs

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1 Chamber Chronicle December 2012 EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Bobby Shaw, Chair Bobby Shaw Realty Anne Dean, Past Chair Pop s Top Shop Manny Gomez, Secretary Hobbs Fire Department DIRECTORS Becky Bass Hobbs Jaycees Tommy Brooks ConocoPhillips Lindsay Chism Soaring Marke ng & Events Ruth Girón URENCO USA Tom Hart Halliburton Will Hawkins HMS Eagle Trust Founda on Sco y Holloman, Counsel Maddox, Holloman & Kirksey James Janecka GEO Group Denise Layton Soaring Society of America FISCAL YEAR FIRM FOUNDATION CORPORATE SPONSORS Granite - $10,000 Lea County State Bank Windstream Zia Park Casino Marble - $5,000 Johnson, Miller & Co. URENCO USA Slate - $2,500 Bobby Shaw Realty Pop s Top Shop Sandstone - $1,250 Baja Broadband G&G Roofing Lea Regional Medical Center McVay Drilling The Color Printer Xcel Energy Hobbs Chamber: Tis the season to Find It in Hobbs The Hobbs Chamber of Commerce is pu ng its Find It in Hobbs campaign into high gear near the end of 2012, encouraging Hobbs area residents to look no farther than home to find their holiday gi s. It s so important that Hobbs families remember it s the sales tax they an effort to shop locally to support our pay at Hobbs businesses that paves neighbors and to support our community along the way, Taylor said. roads and pays firefighters not their income tax or their property tax, In addi on to Black Friday sales Hobbs Chamber president and CEO events and other promo ons through Grant Taylor said. Nearly the city s the weekend, American Express promoted its third annual Small Business en re general fund is derived from the tax imposed on businesses sales of Saturday, a day it says is for everyone to support small businesses that goods and services the gross receipts tax. I can t emphasize enough that our invigorate the economy and keep city services are underwri en by commerce between Hobbs businesses and the credit card giant s Shop Small communi es thriving, according to customers. website. The site offered free and And while some consumers got into easy to use tools to help small businesses get the most out of the day and the spirit of holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, retailers were looking tools for consumers to show their support. forward to the drama c surge in sales that follows the stroke of midnight signaling the start of the perennial Black have collec vely ridden a wave of rec Throughout the year, Hobbs retailers Friday. Black Friday, Taylor said, is one ord high sales. Through September of of the most important days of the year this year, the monthly average gross to buy local. receipts for the retail trade has been With the super high volume of sales over $62 million, compared to 2011 s that takes place from Black Friday monthly average through the holidays, we can all make See Next Page

2 of nearly $56 million, according to state tax data compiled by the Hobbs Chamber. More and more, residents are staying in Hobbs to eat, shop and play because, more and more, they can find it in Hobbs, Taylor said. As vibrant as Hobbs commerce has been, and as robust as that has made our city government coffers, we have much to celebrate. Earlier in November, the Hobbs News Sun reported the City of Hobbs received in October an all me record disbursement from the state of nearly $6.6 million for its share of gross receipts taxes for business ac vity in August. The October check was the third me in calendar year 2012 the first during the city s fiscal year to cross the $6 million threshold. Not long a er the Nov. 11 GRT ar cle ran, it was me for the state to disburse funds again at midmonth. On Nov. 15, the state Taxa on and Revenue Department wrote the City of Hobbs in its no ce of ACH transfer, Your Distribu on has been electronically transferred to your bank account in the amount 6,241, Another cause for celebra on, Taylor said, is how the latest numbers compare in the state. a city of 100,000. It s amazing and something to be very proud of as a community. In 2011, the Hobbs Chamber first proposed a more strategic partnership with the City of Hobbs to help maintain and grow the city s gross receipts taxes and coined its role as the guardian of GRT. The Hobbs Chamber has since ar culated a more focused mission and strategy. We are promo ng commerce, promo ng community, and promo ng character through policy, advocacy, member educa on and coopera ve marke ng, Taylor said. Doing our job well translates to robust sales for individual businesses, as well as strong gross receipts tax distribu ons for the City of Hobbs, cri cal to the city s ability to provide essen al services. The Hobbs Chamber s Find It in Hobbs tagline is an ini a ve to spur Hobbs commercial vitality to the next level, Taylor said, with a focus on reducing leakage dollars to other markets. Clean drinking water, smooth roads and safe neighborhoods depend on commerce between each of us and our local businesses, Taylor said. When you find it In Hobbs, you really make a difference. This is the second month that our city government s GRT check has been larger than that of the City of Las Cruces, Taylor said. We d been nipping at their heels for a couple years, and now we ve had two consecu ve months of be er distribu ons than Seeking Find It in Hobbs Faces Do you have products and services residents and businesses tradi onally go to other markets to find? We want to tell consumers that if they re looking for (blank), they can find it in Hobbs. Also, if you have a compelling story about why you own a business in Hobbs, tell us your story! Like the Hobbs Chamber on Facebook We are earnestly trying to grow our social media visibility to the general public. Please go to the Hobbs Chamber s Facebook page, facebook.com/hobbschamber, and click the Like bu on to become a page fan. Seeking Volunteers We invite our members to recommend and encourage their employees to volunteer to help the Hobbs Chamber fulfill its mission. The regular volunteer ac vi es of our volunteers are ideal for those who specialize in sales, business development, public rela ons and more.

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4 Teams from New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma will converge on the Tasker Arena floor for the 55th Hobbs Holiday Tournament. Hometown proud Hobbs High alums look forward to this mainstay tradi on to reconnect with their classmates, their community and the compe on of Hobbs Eagle basketball. Hobbs High students and Hobbs residents alike are an cipa ng an exci ng season under the direc on of coach and former Hobbs basketball star Mike Smith. This tournament is a W for Hobbs every year and can be a win for your business, too. ADVERTISE! Sponsor a team! Help the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce make this tournament a success. See how on the next page.

5 Tournament Underwriter Tate Branch Dodge Inside front cover full page ad, gymnasium banner, radio and print adver sing acknowledgment, game announcement recogni on and other considera ons Tate Branch Dodge is also sponsoring this year s hal ime contest during each of the Hobbs Eagles nigh me games. Thanks to Tate Branch and team for stepping up in a big way! ARTWORK FOR ADVERTISING MUST BE RECEIVED BY THE HOBBS CHAMBER NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 7. PLEASE RESERVE YOUR SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING SPOTS RIGHT AWAY. SPONSORSHIPS ADVERTISING Diamond (TEAM) Sponsor* WE HAVE ONE TEAM SPONSOR SLOT LEFT! Pla num Sponsor Gold Sponsor Bronze Sponsor $250 $125 $50 NO FEE! *A DIAMOND sponsor also greets the sponsored team, provides the team with a meal and snacks, and should a end the team s games. CHOOSE AMONG THESE GREAT VALUES SOLD! Inside Back Cover (first come, first served) Full page Half page Quarter page Eighth page Add color PLEASE REMIT PAYMENT BEFORE PRINTING $400 $275 $200 $150 $125 $150 POP A SHOT MERCHANT $100 Business Name Pop a shot par cipa ng merchants will be reimbursed the cash value of Chamber Bucks awarded to the successful half court shooter whose booklet contains the Eagle signature page. Primary Contact

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7 If you re a Facebook user and you haven t liked the Hobbs Chamber s page, what are you wai ng for?! Help us surpass 500 likes before 2013!

8 Chamber Seeking Firm Founda on Sponsors for FY Firm Founda on funding enables the Hobbs Chamber to deliver valuable training and other enriching opportuni es to member businesses and their employees. Please consider partnering with the Hobbs Chamber as a corporate sponsor next fiscal year, beginning July 1, Sponsors will receive excep onal visibility for the excep onal leadership they demonstrate in suppor ng Hobbs Chamber member programming. Sponsors will receive prominent placement on the forthcoming Hobbs Chamber website, a lis ng on each communica on disseminated to the Chamber s membership, banner recogni on at Hobbs Chamber func ons, and other considera ons. Please call Grant Taylor at (575) for more informa on. Introducing Windstream Windstream understands that keeping your business connected is cri cal. Our promise is that every business we serve will enjoy superior data, voice and networking solu ons as well as customized, hassle free service all through a reliable best in class network. We specialize in businesses like yours and will work with you to develop a tailored solu on that will enhance your success. Marsha Nicholas Account Execu ve Windstream Communica ons marsha.nicholas@windstream.com (575)

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10 Hobbs Biz Leads November New and Renewed Business Licenses Anchondo Transporta on 1003 W. Lea (575) Mario Anchondo Transport Black Gold Services, LLC 726 E. Michigan, Ste. #100 (575) Gabiel Valdez and Virgil Woods Transporta on for Oil/Gas Industry Bling Bling 1401 N. Turner St. #E 1 (214) Harry H. Kim Clothing Frances' Place 208 Stanolind Rd. (575) Carlos Luna Food (Cokes, Chips, Burritos, etc.) Greater Energy Solu ons 600 N. Turner (575) Yesenia Urias Insula on H&H Paincare Center 5419 N. Lovington Hwy., Ste. 21 (575) Dr. Mamoona Sheikh Ahmad Medical Office Halff Associates, Inc N. Dal Paso #3 (575) Wayne Cooper Consul ng Services Hobbs Electric LLC 614 E. Taos (575) Gary D. Miller Electrical Contrator NewTex Auto Sales 324 W. Navajo (575) Guillermo Lujan Auto Sales Dealer On Point Plumbing 2043 E. Highland (575) Bill Flores Plumber Sanders, Bruin, Coll and Worley, PA 732 E. Michigan Dr., Ste. 500 (575) Law Firm Semana N. Grimes St. (575) Juan A. Roa Water So ener Steeles # N. Turner St. #B5 (713) Specialty Retailers (TX) LLC. Retail Sales of Apparel and Home Décor Tacos La Texana 500 S. Dal Paso (720) Armando Lucio Food Taqueria Villa Nuera 600 E. Marland (575) Raul Orozco Restaurant The Computer Palace 301 N. Grimes (575) Jalime Marquez Computer (services, repair, sales), Security Systems Tia Juana's Mexican Grille & Can na, Inc Lovington Hwy. (575) Ma Volquardsen and Denise ToddRestaurant Torr lleria Ojinanga 1518 N. Marland (432) Jesus M. Marquez Restaurant Vivid Fashions 1601 N. Turner, B 18 (575) Carmen Gu errez Women's Clothing Watermill Express LLC 400 S. Marland (303) Watermill Express LLC Water (Kiosk) Source: Hobbs City Clerk s Office

11 Legacy debt s ll lingers; please rally to zero out the balance before 2013 Grant Taylor, CEO When I arrived at the Hobbs Chamber in February of 2011, the Hobbs Chamber had no funds in the bank and was con nuously tapping a line of credit very generously financed by First American Bank the year before. The line of credit was the Hobbs Chamber s only life support as it hemorrhaged expenses. In a year s me, the board, staff and I slowed the bleeding and began to shore up money in the bank, trying to pay down the debt when we could manage it. In addi on to trying to rebuild our funds, we also set out to rebuild the image of the Hobbs Chamber through accurate bookkeeping, be er communica on, consistent programming and a clear mission and strategy. In May of this year, I called on members to help us more aggressively chip away at the balance of the line of credit with a Rally to Re re the Debt. Since May, more than 30 businesses and individuals have contributed over $6,000 for the sole purpose of paying down the debt. Also, 13 businesses showed confidence in our new direc on as Firm Founda on corporate sponsors, who in large part have helped our checking account stay on the posi ve side, in addi on to the dues from our more than 400 members who ve stuck with us. We thank each of you for your belief that our community, especially our business community, needs a chamber of commerce with its doors open and commi ed, capable people staffing it. What remains is over $17,000. Through lean staffing and careful money management, the balance of the debt has not moved upward, so these Rally dona ons have not been given in vain. For as extraordinarily prosperous as Hobbs commerce has been during my two year tenure, it has been personally painful to have the Hobbs Chamber struggle to survive as it has. I hope you all know how personally invested I have been, which is to also say how invested my family has been, in bringing back the Hobbs Chamber from the brink. I ve invested 100 percent of myself and I will seek 100 percent of Hobbs businesses to be invested in It s the only way. We should expect nothing less. Please, help me. This debt is a weight around my neck, and I need to start 2013 free and clear. Sure, we ve made substan al progress in two years as an organiza on, but we need to put this debt behind us, turn the page and focus our me and energy on fulfilling our mission promo ng commerce, promo ng community and promo ng character. Rally to Re re the Debt of the Hobbs Chamber I am answering the call to help the Hobbs Chamber of Commerce turn the page in 2013 by re ring the legacy debt with a dona on of $. My check is enclosed. Please invoice me for the amount above. Company/Nonprofit/Individual Name: Primary Contact Name: Title: Signature: Date:

12 Commerce Watch State jobs report: Unemployment con nues slow, downward trend New Mexico s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 6.3 percent in October 2012, down from 6.4 percent in September and also down from 7.2 percent a year ago. The rate of over the year job growth, comparing October 2012 with October 2011, was nega ve 0.7 percent, represen ng a loss of 5,900 jobs. The current round of job loss started in June a er ten months of over the year job growth. Six industries are currently adding employment and seven industries are losing jobs. Large gains were reported by the leisure and hospitality industry and the educa onal and health services industry, each adding 2,500 jobs since this me last year. Other industries had decreases in employment. The professional and business services industry reported the loss of 3,400 jobs, and construc on reported a loss of 1,300 jobs over the year. Government employment registered a net loss of 4,500 jobs since last year, with job losses reported at the state and federal levels. State government reported employment levels that were 3,800 jobs lower than last year. Federal government reported employment that was down 1,400 jobs. Local governments came in 700 jobs higher than this me last year. Hobbs Building Report Source: City of Hobbs Building Services October Commercial Evalua on Total: $3,105,949 October Residen al Evalua on Total: $3,633,299

13 Commerce Watch Unemployment Rate Lea County Oct % Sept % Oct % 0% 1% 2% 3% 4% 5% 6% Gross Receipts Tax Government Distribution City of Hobbs Nov (Sept sales) $6,241,138 Oct (Aug sales) $6,596,409 Nov (Sept sales) $5,612,575 $5,000,000 $6,000,000 $7,000,000 Gross Receipts Tax Government Distribution Lea County Nov (Sept sales) $1,028,357 Oct (Aug sales) $1,082,874 Nov (Sept sales) $945,682 $0 $1,000,000 $2,000,000

14 Good character among the most essen al workplace competencies If you were hiring a new CEO, what are the most important quali es you d look for? Surely you d want a high level of demonstrated competence knowledge, experience, intelligence, vision, communica on, and rela onship skills and the ability to mo vate, manage, and solve problems. But what about quali es such as honesty, moral courage, accountability, and fairness? Despite bold rhetoric about the indispensability of good character, many hard driving organiza ons are willing to be flexible on character to get an excep onally competent person. Thus, many current scandals in business, the church, and sports have occurred because organiza ons compromised their principles by recrui ng, retaining, or tolera ng leaders with serious character flaws who generated costly accusa ons of wrongdoing and undermined trust, morale, teamwork, and loyalty. I used to tell clients that competence and character were two separate aspects of intelligent employment decisions. Now I think it s a mistake to disconnect them. Good character is an essen al aspect of competence. Long ago, Samuel Johnson said, Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful. Warren Buffet updated that no on: In looking for people to hire, look for three quali es: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But if they don t have the first, the other two will kill you. Since it s easier to train a person of good character to do a job well than to develop character in a skilled but unprincipled employee, if you have to choose, hire for character and train for skills. This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

15 Winning Workshops Life is a Bowl of Choices: Staying Resilient in the Face of Nega ve Emo ons, December 19, 1 p.m. 4 p.m. Lynda J. Lakin, Ph.D., presented a much acclaimed program in October about choosing the best, most professional a tude and the professional and personal benefits that follow. In December, Dr. Lakin will con nue to explore how to iden fy nega ve triggers in life and select from various op ons to overcome their adverse effects on us and those around us. Dr. Lakin will emphasize resilience in this Winning Workshop, and this session will allow for analysis of simulated problems followed by a dialogue on which solu ons will serve us be er for the future. The workshop will be located on the third floor of the City Hall Annex, located at 200 E. Broadway St. Please RSVP to the Hobbs Chamber by December 14. Calendar of Events December 2012 (All members are invited!) December 6 Groundbreaking, 10 a.m., Permian Radiator, 1518 W. Broadway St. December 27, 28, 29 Hobbs Holiday Tournament. WE NEED VOLUNTEERS TO HELP US SELL TOURNAMENT BOOKLETS AND HALFTIME CONTEST TICKETS. PLEASE CALL THE HOBBS CHAMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR NAME TO HELP. Breakroom Supplies From drinks, to candy, to snacks, to paper goods EVEN cleaning supplies! You need it? We ve got it! Don t forget to call us to set up your easy toaccess Online Account! Looking for a unique centerpiece for your company's Christmas party and other special holiday events? We have just the thing! Keep It Sweet Shoppe is located in the Broadmoor Mall.

16 Promoting Commerce. Promoting Community. Promoting Character Find us on the Web: hobbschamber.org Grant Taylor, President & CEO: