My Business Advocate

Building Better Communities by Building Better Businesses

July 2010 Volume 30, Issue 7

Highlights of Coming Events

7/1 Noon-2 pm Maranda Park Party - Lamar Park7/14 5:30-8 pm Candidate Forum- Wyoming Library7/16 11:00 Chamber Connections7/16 11:30 3rd Fridays! Networking Luncheon at Hyatt Place7/27 8:30 am BIG ANNOUNCEMENT-SAVE THE DATE7/27 Kent County Commissioner Candidate Forum at WKTV8/13 Multi Chamber Speed Networking8/27 & 28 Foremost 28th Street Metro Cruise8/28 Metro Cruise 5/10K Walk/Run10/25 South Kent Regional Legislative Luncheon - Details to be Announced10/29 South Kent Business Expo - Details to be Announced

Calendars on Pages 6 & 7Log on to www.southkent.org for details.

ExcitingAnnouncement!!!

July 27, 20108:30 am to 9:30 ammark your calendars andkeep the date open.

Details will follow via email.

Pleasecontact sue@southkent.org with your current email address if you aren'tcurrently receiving email from WKACCor you have recently changed your address.

The

Sixth AnnualForemost 28th StreetMetro Cruise

presented by the WyomingKentwood Area Chamberof Commerce

on Friday,August 27, 2010 from 1 pm to9 pm and on Saturday, August28 from 9 am to 9 pm on andaround 28th Street through theareas of Grandville, Wyoming,Kentwood, Grand Rapids, andCascade Township. Event areasfor the Metro Cruise

include

Rogers Plaza, Klingman’s

and

Woodland Mall.

Our Title Sponsors

Foremost Insurance, FarmersInsurance

and

J C TaylorInsurance

are working togetherthis year with the Metro Cruise

committee as title sponsors of this year’s event. They havebeen supportive and helpful inimplementing additional sponsoropportunities as well as inparticipating in ongoing planningand public relations opportunitiesfor the Metro Cruise

. They willbe represented at the event andproviding car enthusiasts withopportunities for coverage for theirvehicles. The Foremost Racing Team will be at the event andother surprises are in the works.

Swap Meet & Car Corral

Woodland

will also host theannual automotive Swap Meetand Car Corral as well as someunique automobile displays.Many other plans are still in theworks for both

Rogers Plaza andWoodland/ Sears Auto Center.Steve’s Antique Auto Repair

,with Rick and Steve Sturim at thehelm, is crucial in running thispopular event.

Futureliner

On Display

This year, again, the Futurelinerwill be sponsored by the

WyomingDDA

and will be available for viewat

Klingman’s

, which will alsohost the Metro Million display of high end classic cars. This ispromising to be a spectaculardisplay this year and a must-seefor event goers. Grandstand seatingis available for the Pass in Reviewshow with the classics running anddriving for review.

Love that NASCAR

Flagstar Bank

and

Sonic

will bebringing a Nascar Simulator

(continued on page 9)

Metro Cruise Events Offer Something For Everyone

YOUR CHAMBER MANAGEMENT

2010 Board of Directors

*indicates Executive Committee Member

*Norine Mulvihill - American Diabetes Association,Board Chair*Todd Duncan - Consumers Energy, Past Chair*Kathey Batey - Priority Health/SpiritedPresentations, Senior Vice Chair*Matt Uhl - PNC Bank N.A.*Danna Mathiesen - Mercantile Bank*David Szidik - Proforma Inﬁnite MarketingBrent VanderKolk - VanderKolk & VanderKolk PLC,Legal CounselRichard Chrisman - Hungerford, Aldrin Nichols &Carter, Chair, Fin. & Budget

Community Relations Division (Blue)*Kathey Batey - Sr. Vice ChairTommy Brann - Brann’s Steakhouse & GrilleRichard Chrisman - Hungerford, Aldrin, Nichols &CarterBrent Vander Kolk - Vander Kolk & Vander Kolk,.PLCLillian VanderVeen - Lenger Travel ServicesMember Relations Division (Red)*Matt Uhl - Vice ChairBetsy Artz - Loeks Theaters (Celebration Cinema)Skip Knapp - EdwardJones InvestmentsMembership Development Division (Gold)*Danna Mathiesen - Vice ChairBob O'Callaghan - Citadel BroadcastingFinancial Development Division (Green)*David Szidik - Vice ChairBrent Holland - Chameleon LtdCarol Crawford - The Alternative BoardDan Van Dyke - PDS Group LTDDenise Hughes - D2 MarketingRob Wells - Vantage Pointe FinancialEx-OfﬁcioJack Poll - City of Wyoming, MayorRichard Root - City of Kentwood, MayorCurtis Holt - City of Wyoming, ManagerBill Doren - Chamber Foundation Chair

My Business Advocate,

Building Better Communities by Building Better Businesses





$QQLYHUVDU\6SRQVRUVKLS3DFNDJHV







1DPLQJULJKWVWRDQHYHQWIRUH[FOXGLQJ0HWUR&UXLVH



/RJR/LQNSODFHGRQ&KDPEHUZHEVLWHIRU



5HFRJQL]HGFHOHEUDWHGWKURXJKRXWDOOHYHQWV



WK$QQLYHUVDU\&RUQHULQWKH1HZVOHWWHU



/RJROLVWHGRQDOO(PDLO%ODVWV



5HFRJQLWLRQRQ6RFLDO0HGLD



/RJROLVWHGLQ*UXE&UDZO3URJUDP



/RJROLVWHGLQWKH6RXWK.HQW6ZLQJ*ROI2XWLQJ3URJUDP



/RJROLVWHGLQWKH%XVLQHVV([SR3URJUDP



/RJROLVWHGLQWKH6DQWD3DUDGH3URJUDP



/RJROLVWHGDQG5HFRJQLWLRQDWWKH$QQXDO0HHWLQJ3URJUDP



)UHH6KRZFDVHWDEOHWRD1HWZRUNLQJ(YHQW



±)UHHOXQFKWLFNHWVWRD

)ULGD\1HWZRUNLQJ/XQFKHRQ



±)UHH/XQFK1/HDUQHYHQWV







/RJR/LQNSODFHGRQ&KDPEHUZHEVLWHIRU



WK$QQLYHUVDU\&RUQHULQWKH1HZVOHWWHU



/RJROLVWHGRQDOO(PDLO%ODVWV



5HFRJQLWLRQRQ6RFLDO0HGLD



/RJROLVWHGDQG5HFRJQLWLRQDWWKH$QQXDO0HHWLQJ3URJUDP



)UHH6KRZFDVHWDEOHWRD1HWZRUNLQJ(YHQW



±)UHHOXQFKWLFNHWVWRD

)ULGD\1HWZRUNLQJ/XQFKHRQ



±)UHH/XQFK1/HDUQHYHQWV







/RJRSODFHGRQ&KDPEHUZHEVLWHIRU



WK$QQLYHUVDU\&RUQHULQWKH1HZVOHWWHU



5HFRJQLWLRQRQ6RFLDO0HGLD



)UHH6KRZFDVHWDEOHWRD1HWZRUNLQJ(YHQW



±)UHHOXQFKWLFNHWWRD

)ULGD\1HWZRUNLQJ/XQFKHRQ



±)UHH/XQFK1/HDUQHYHQW





WKACC Candidate Forum Prepares Voters for August Primary

Wednesday, July 14, 2010 at5:30 pm, the Wyoming-KentwoodArea Chamber of Commerce willhost a Candidate Forum at theWyoming Public Library located at3350 Michael Ave. SW, prior to thePrimary Election on August 3rd.We have invited candidates forcontested races in the U.S. Senatein the 3rd District, State Senatein the 29th District and StateRepresentative in the 72nd and77th Districts. Most have indicatedthey will participate.

A forum for Kent CountyCommissioner candidates

in the8th, 9th, 12th and 13th districtswill be held on July 21st at????at WKTV Studios located at 5261Clyde Park SW.Forum Moderator, Kathey Batey from

Spirited Presentations

and

Priority Health

will supervise thelength of responses and insure allthe candidates will receive equaltime to be heard. This event is open to the publicand there is no charge to attend.Space is limited by room capacity.

Santa Parade Becoming Community Tradition

Sponsors and Parade Entries arenow being accepted for the

4th Annual WKACC Santa Parade.

Saturday, December 4, 2010 at10:00 am with WOTV's Marandamaking a guest appearance as ourGrand Marshall.Parade ﬂoats are a great way to callattention to your business, school orcause, and are a perfect way to getschool homecoming and workinglate with friends, a cooler of softdrinks and a couple of pizzas?Great memories are made whenpeople take on a project like aparade ﬂoat.

Can't Do A Float?

Employees with Santa hats canmarch with YOUR company bannerand pass treats to the kids andﬂyers and brochures to the parents.

Our 2009 parade had morethan 50 entries

Kids, parents and grandparentsattended from all over Kent County.Some of them may have been yourcustomers or potential customers.

Celebration Cinema

made a splash with their mobile frog pond full of kids at our 3rd Annual Santa Parade in Dec '09. Employee volunteers marched along side the ﬂoat distributing candy and coupons to the spectators that lined South Division from 34th to 43rd Streets.

The crowd gets bigger everyyear.

As the community begins to lookforward the this annual event, it'sfast becoming a family holiday tradition in the Wyoming andKentwood Communities.Don't miss this fun and uniquecommunity marketing opportunity.How will your business helpus welcome Santa and theHoliday Shopping season? Formore information contact sue@ southkent.org for details.Sponsorships include paradeparticipant spots.

Building Better Communitiesby Building Better Businesses

your employees involved.

It's not a real parade withoutcolorful ﬂoats for everyone toenjoy.

There is no wrong way to decoratea parade ﬂoat and many sites onthe internet give you step by stepinstructions. All you need is anidea.

Team Work

Work with another ChamberMember business or two andorganize a theme ﬂoat to represent your businesses. This project willhelp your volunteer ﬂoat buildersnetwork with other ChamberMembers. make new friends andhave a lot of fun. Remember high