Issue 01 Executive Director s Message Business After Hours Recap-Alpine Bank Save The Date: #iheartfruita-2017 Annual Banquet 2017 Chamber Awards Nomination Form What s New for 2017? Member Spotlight: Restoration 1 Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Newsletter Point 6 New Years Resolutions For The Small Business Owner Before we move to what is new for 2017 we must say a fond farewell to outgoing board member Dr. Michael Reeder. Mike has been a valuable asset as a Board Director and V.P. the past 3 years. Mike served his term well, usually the best dressed dude in the room, always with the tie on, and looking dapper you have been great! Thanks Mike and VisualEyes Eyecare for your dedicated service! I would like to welcome our new Board member for 2017: Allie Daniel, Happy Trails Colorado, welcome aboard Allie! She will join current board members: President Denise Hight, Treasurer Dustin Wells, Grand Valley Bank, Secretary Derek Biddle, Family Health West, City Council Liaison Joel Kincaid, Merge2Media, Southside Marketplace Liaison Julia McHugh, Museum of Western Colorado, and Directors: Donna Stratton, Tyler Dixon, Williams, Turner & Holmes, P.C, and Andrea Gatley, Alpha Dog Systems. Thank you all for your time and dedication, we look forward to your leadership and direction for 2017 and beyond! Now on to what is new for 2017. As you will see later in the newsletter we have changed programming to better accommodate our members and their time, you spoke and we listened! Please make note of these changes in your calendars. Your Board of Directors and Chamber staff are very excited to be holding the Annual Awards Banquet in Fruita at the Fruita Community Center once again. Please plan to attend the 2017 Annual Banquet and Awards on February 11th. This year s theme is #iheartfruita. This year, we are changing up the format a little with Mr. Walter White, former Mesa College Maverick and Kansas City Chief, as our guest speaker. Walter is very connected in the NFL, in particular with the Broncos, we may have a guest Bronco sighting or two. As 2016 closes, we wish you the warmth of family and friends, the richness of real community, and may you ride into 2017 with renewed energy, vision, and passion! Warm Regards, Frank Ladd 1. Re-evaluate your mission statement and goals to make sure they are still relevant to your business today. 2. Jump on the social media bandwagon. If you already have, expand what you are currently doing. 3. Ask for (and listen to) feedback to help your grow your business. 4. Achieve a better balance between your business-life and your personal-life, so you don t get burned out. 5. Focus on the follow-up so good leads don t slip through the cracks. 6. Give back to your community. Find a cause that matters to you, and give what you can.
Join us on Thursday, January 19, 2017 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Fruita Community Center, 324 N. Coulson, for our next Business After Hours, hosted by the City of Fruita. Each month the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce offers a Business After Hours (BAH) event for members and guests. This fun event is hosted by a different Chamber member each month. Each BAH features the host member at their location and offers a valuable networking opportunity for all who attend. COST: $5.00 for pre-registered Members $10.00 for Members at the door $15.00 per person for Courtesy Clients, Prospective Members, Member Guests, and Non-Member Businesses. Please join us for this fun networking opportunity! It is fast and easy to register online at www.fruitachamber.org or responding to the email invite. Or, you can call the office to register and pay at 970-858-3894. The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce would like to thank our December Business After Hours host: Alpine Bank. Tom Oliver and his staff shared their holiday spirit with us, giving out great prizes, specialty beverages and delicious food from Rib City Grill. Thank you Alpine Bank for the continued support as a Partner Member to the Chamber. We appreciate you!
Friday - January 13, 2017 Ambassador Meeting Fruita Area Chamber Office 9:00am Wednesday - January 18, 2017 Board Meeting Colorado Canyons Hospital 7:00 am Thursday - January 19, 2017 Business After Hours Fruita Community Center Hosted by the City of Fruita 5:30-7:30 Friday - January 20, 2017 Marketing Meeting Judy s Family Restaurant 7:30am This is to remind you of the next food handlers class at the Mesa County Health Department. Date: Monday, January 9, 2017 Class times: 8-10 am or 3-5 pm (Please note new times for all classes in 2017!) Location: Community Services Building, 510 29 1/2 Road, GJ Cost: $10.00 per person Saturday - February 11, 2017 2017 Annual Banquet #iheartfruita with Special Guest Walter White Fruita Community Center 6:00pm We look forward to seeing your employees at one of the classes. Questions? Feel free to call us at 248-6900. Mesa County Health Department Consumer Protection Program PO Box 20,000-5033 Grand Junction, CO 81502 Phone (970) 248-6960 Fax (970) 248-6923 www.health.mesacounty.us Call the Fruita Area Chamber for more information! 970-858-3894
Join us for a great evening with our Special Guest: Walter White, former All-American Mesa College Mavericks Football Player, Kansas City Chiefs Tight End, and Founder of the Chiefs Ambassadors Program. Get your nominations in for this year s awards. The forms are available in this January Connection Point Newsletter, as well as at the Fruita Chamber office. Hurry, the deadline is January 13, 2017!
In The Know: What s New for 2017? -The focus of the Toolbox in 2017 will be Leadership Development -There will be three different Leadership Symposiums -They will take at different times of day, so that more people can attend. -The Leadercast will be an all day live simulcast on May 5th, 2017. Mark your Calendars, you will not want to miss this one! -The other two will take place on July 25th, 2017 and November 14th, 2017. -There will be three events instead of monthly gatherings. -There will be a committee that meets monthly to help plan and develop these events. -The first event is a Fashion Show on March 22nd, 2017. -The second event will be a rafting trip on August 26th. -The Final event will take place in December and will be determined by the committee. -Southside Market place will not hold the July 3rd Family Fun Fair. -Instead Southside Marketplace Committee will put their energy into Bikes, Brews, & BBQ to be held May 20th, 2017. -There will be a gear swap, Local Brewery participation, and local BBQ restaurant participation. -Watch for more details as they emerge! This could be your business that is grabbing someone s attention. Contact Jen Keck for more information on advertising. (970) 858-3894 jen@fruitachamber.org
January
Thank you to these new and renewing Fruita Area Chamber Members! Triumphant Life Group Larry Williams PO Box 26 Fruita, CO 81521 Phone: 970-639-0159 Website: www.triumphantlifegroup.com Alpha Dog Systems Arrowhead Veterinary Hospital Callahan Edfast Mortuary Elite Care at Home Fruita Canyon Dental Home Loan Investment Company Lore DeField Moon Farm, Inc. Office Depot Reddy Ice Shelter Insurance Companies-Kerry Phillips Wine Country Inn
The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce has three groups designed to help you develop relationships that enhance your networking and marketing opportunities. If you have any questions about these groups please contact the Chairperson, as noted below, or the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce at info@fruitachamber.org. Monday Noon Business Builders When: Every Monday @ 12:00 noon Where: TBD-Watch the Weekly Update for more information. Contact: Rod Fleharty Grand Junction Regional Center 970-255-5700 Rod.fleharty@state.co.us WTF-Welcome Thursday Friends When: Every Thursday @ 12:00 noon Where: See Schedule Below Contact: Andrea Gatley Alpha Dog Systems 970-639-0629 andrea@alphadogsystems.com 1st Thursday: Kannah Creek West - 456 Kokopelli Blvd 2nd Thursday: THIS MONTH ONLY: Rib City Grill - 455 Kokopelli Drive Suite 5 3rd Thursday: El Tapatio Fruita - 402 Jurassic Ave 4th Thursday: Suds Brothers Brewery - 127 E Aspen Ave 5th Thursday: Rib City Grill - 455 Kokopelli Drive Suite 5 Southside Marketplace When: Third Monday of Each Month @ 3:00pm Where: Dinosaur Journey Museum 550 Jurassic Court Contact: Julia McHugh Museums of Western Colorado-Dinosaur Journey 970-858-7282 jmchugh@westcomuseum.org Along with the three business development groups, the Fruita Area Chamber will also offer the following opportunities for our members in 2017: Fruita Business Toolbox 2017 A series of three leadership development opportunities. Watch the Weekly Update, Newsletters, and your email for more information! SAVE THE DATE! May 5th, 2017: All Day Leadercast Event. You won t want to miss this! Contact: Kathie Fingerson Healers of the Valley 970-462-5290 Kathie@healersofthevalley.com Women In Business Brand New Format for 2017! If you are interested in being a part of the planning and development committee for the NEW Women In Business, please join us for our next meeting! When: Wednesday, January 11th, 2017 5:30pm Where: Suds Brothers Brewery-127 E Aspen Ave For more information please contact Jen at the Fruita Chamber: jen@fruitachamber.org or 970.858.3894 Fruita Area Chamber Ambassador Program If you are interested in becoming more involved with the Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, this group may be for you! Get involved with events, ribbon cuttings, mentoring new businesses, and more! The Ambassadors meet the 2nd Friday of every month at the Fruita Chamber office. Contact Jen for more information: jen@fruitachamber.org. Quarterly Community Development Forums These are chamber run events designed to both keep you informed and give you a voice in our community. In the past we have held events like the Economic Development Summit and the Candidate Forum. We will keep you up-to-date on the future events.
Board of Directors and Staff Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Director Director Director City Council Liaison Southside Marketplace Liaison Denise Hight, Freelance Writer (970) 858-6375 hightswrite@gmail.com Mike Reeder, Visual Eyes Eyecare, PC (970) 858-2020 info@visualeyeseyecare.com Dustin Wells, Grand Valley Bank (970) 858-7555 dustin@grandvalleybank.com Derek Biddle, Family Health West (970) 858-3900 dbiddle@fhw.org Donna Stratton, Individual Member 858-8344 stratstein@gmail.com Tyler Dixon, Williams, Turner & Holmes, P.C. (970) 242-6262 tydixon85@gmail.com Andrea Gatley, Alpha Dog Systems (970) 639-0629 andrea@alphadogsystems.com Joel Kincaid, Merge 2 Media (970) 858-2411 joel@merge2media.com Julia McHugh, Museum of Western Colorado (970) 858-7282 jmchugh@westcomuseum.org Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce Staff Executive Director Frank Ladd frank@fruitachamber.org Administrative Assistant Jen Keck jen@fruitachamber.org Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce, 432 E. Aspen Ave., Fruita, CO 81521 Telephone: (970) 858-3894 Fax: (970) 858-3121 fruitachamber.org Connection Point Newsletter Deadline Please take note that the deadline each month for advertisement and articles is the 25th of each month for the next monthly newsletter. Any questions or information can be sent to jen@fruitachamber.org or call us at (970) 858-3894.