FWCC - About the Chamber

Chamber newsletter distributed through the Fort Worth Star-Telegram the first Tuesday of each month to approximately 120,000 subscribers as well as the entire membership.

For many military communities across the country, May 13 was indeed, Friday the 13th. That’s the day that, four days ahead of schedule, the Department of Defense (DOD) released its list of recommended base closings in the latest round of base realignment and closure (BRAC). And while Fort Worth’s Naval Air Station – Joint Reserve Base escaped the Pentagon’s axe, other facilities in Texas were not so lucky.

According to the Pentagon’s recommendations, NAS JRB Fort Worth stands to gain 426 jobs – 112 active military and 314 reservists. The base is currently home to 13 major units and 68 aircraft from the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Texas Air National Guard. And, its estimated economic impact on the area is $1.5 billion annually.

“The DOD’s BRAC recommendation list is final,” said Albon Head, chairman of the Fort Worth BRAC Strategy Task Force and new chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber. “This is another big win for Fort Worth, Tarrant County and the Metroplex. We salute Congresswoman Kay Granger for her leadership and thank all our community partners for their support in successfully communicating the merits of the NAS JRB Fort Worth and its contribution to our military.”

But as Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was quick to point out on May 13, the list that was released is only a recommendation and “the base realignment process is by no means over.”

That sentiment was echoed by Tim Keheler, vice president of governmental affairs for the Fort Worth Chamber. “This is a positive sign, but there are still hurdles yet to overcome,” Keleher said. “We can’t assume that just because we weren’t on the closure list that things won’t change.”

According to Keleher, now the BRAC Commission will hold hearings to determine if they concur with the Pentagon’s recommended closings and cities and installations now on the closure list will do all they can to sway the commission to give them a reprieve. And cities such as Fort Worth that stand to benefit from the recommendations must remain proactive and work to ensure the recommendations become final with little or no change.

As noted in a May 15 editorial by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “(Texas leaders) had best be prepared to argue issues such as global posture, operational readiness and mission capabilities, and not just jobs.”

That is precisely what the Fort Worth BRAC Strategy Task Force will do between now and Sept. 8, the day the BRAC Commission must send its recommendations to the President of the United States. The task force, made up of civic, community and business leaders, will continue to promote NAS JRB’s military value as well as its potential for growth and expansion.

Head emphasized that the task force will continue its efforts with the Congressional delegation and other community partners to assure that the positive results remain positive for Fort Worth, Tarrant County and the surrounding region. “This has been a regional initiative,” said Head.

“We have room to grow here,” said Keleher, adding that he believes that is one of the reasons the DOD not only spared it, but intends to add personnel as well as new missions. “The task force and our consultants did an excellent job of conveying that to the DOD.”

But the job is not over until the BRAC Commission sends its recommendations to the President.
“Because of the groundwork this community laid a decade ago, we’re able to accommodate the further expansion of this base, which is a model for its joint operations,” said Head. “This is great news for the base, for our community, and for the men and women in the armed forces.”

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Your mission: Attend the Fort Worth Chamber’s 123rd Annual Meeting -- top priority. The luncheon, Code Name – Ranger, is slated for Wednesday, June 1. The presenting sponsor for the event is TexasBank. Entertainment underwriter is XTO Energy. This year’s Spirit of Enterprise Award will be presented to Sundance Square. (See insert in this issue of the Chamberletter.

This annual meeting is shrouded in secrecy as the keynote speaker (identity divulged only on a ‘need-to-know” basis) will address sensitive topics of national and international interest.

Due to restrictions placed on the Fort Worth Chamber by the National Office of Chamberland Security, his/her identity cannot be revealed prior to the event. For clearance to attend, access the classified “eyes-only” section of the Fort Worth Chamber website: www.fortworthchamber.com for security review. Once vetted, you are cleared to attend Mission: Possible.

For information regarding this SOLD OUT event, contact Beverly Rozanski at 817/336-2491, Ext. 263 or email her at brozanski@fortworthchamber.com.

This round of Base Realignment and Closure has been referred to as “the mother of all BRACs” but it’s debatable whether it lived up to its billing. However, with 33 major bases across the country (and dozens of smaller ones) recommended for closure or realignment, it’s not surprising that many people dubbed this Friday the 13th as “BRAC Friday.”

One has only to look at press reports from cities that didn’t fare as well as Fort Worth to truly understand the economic and emotional value of military installations to their communities. Depending on whether your area gained or lost jobs, this round of BRAC decisions was either “the careful work and judgment of our nation’s most knowledgeable military leaders” or they were “irrational and irresponsible” according to an editorial in the Hartford (Conn.) Courant. (Connecticut stands to lose nearly 9,000 jobs and a lot of prestige if the submarine base at New London is shuttered.)

Cities such as Fort Worth that came out ahead can sympathize with those that found themselves on BRAC’s hit list resulting in a loss of jobs. We find no joy in the misfortune of others, but it is thanks to the hard work by Congresswoman Kay Granger in Washington, BRAC Task Force Chair Albon Head and our many community partners that Fort Worth stands to benefit from BRAC 2005.

We can also empathize with them having been on the short list in the past. Fort Worth took a devastating hit in 1991 when Carswell Air Force Base got the axe. But from the ashes of that economic tragedy arose Naval Air Station - Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, home to members of the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Texas Air National Guard. I believe it is the very “jointness” of this facility and the collaboration of its personnel that kept it from landing on the wrong side of the BRAC list. As J.R. Labbe noted in a Star-Telegram editorial, when the secretary of defense first talked about what he expected to accomplish in this round of BRAC, the secretary stated that he wanted to think differently, operate differently and look for “jointness” of operations. NAS JRB fits that description perfectly.

But it is important to realize that the BRAC announcement on May 13 contained only recommendations. These decisions are not carved in stone; four months of review will follow. We, as a community, must continue to be proactive and continue to make the case for NAS JRB Fort Worth to the BRAC Commission. The BRAC Task Force, facilitated by the Chamber, will continue to work with our community partners, business and civic leaders and other concerned citizens to ensure that the Joint Reserve Base continues to be a viable and growing part of our region.

Fast Trac Financials: Need-To-Know Info
By Sunny Lowe

“I didn’t get into this business to do (fill in your own least favorite task)”. We all have felt it at times. Usually it is something out of our experience or out of our comfort zone. The truth is, however, some of these things are essential to making our business succeed. The last few weeks at Fast Track, we have focused on the mysterious world of accounting. For me, this is one of those topics.

As entrepreneurs, we get into business from the sheer force of will. We do not let things stop us, and we take the challenges one at a time. Most of us have our pet ways of checking the pulse of our business. We ask questions like, “How much did we bill this month?” or, “What do our receivables look like?” believing these tell us what we need to know.

I guess the hard news is they don’t. Did you do better in your billings? Was it with reduced or increased costs? Was your profitability affected? Did you spend more money to make less money? How do you know?

All these questions are queries that we often do not know how to get answered, or just are plain ignorant of because we did not know to ask.

In business, this is not acceptable. We may be in business to do network engineering (in our case) but in truth, we are in business to run an enterprise, and that means knowing the heartbeat of the business, and that is the financials.

With standard financial reports, and knowing how they tie together, you can answer really key questions such as these very easily:
“Am I solvent?”
“Am I profitable?” (not the same thing)
“Is my accountant robbing me?“
“Can I add another person?”
“What would it take to get to the next level?”
“Is my business operating efficiently?”
“More or less so?”

All these questions get tied back to several standard reports called income (profit and loss) statement, cash flow report and balance sheet. When these three are prepared correctly, they should tie together and tell you whether you are profitable (P&L) whether you are solvent (cash flow) and your asset position.

So, exactly “what is correctly?” Well, your accountant does not know. Neither does the default report in QuickBooks, but you can get there.

Only you know which expenses are overhead, which are cost of goods, which are inventory, and where to categorize those odd expenses for your industry.

When you apply this knowledge that only you have, (with your accountant’s help) suddenly your books will jump off the page at you. OH!! That is what is going on here!

And you will not just be “doing your business,” but turning the necessary corner of “running your business.”

The Fort Worth Chamber asked a Fast Trac participant to chronicle the experience of going through the program, a four-month course focusing on different aspects of business as it relates to the small business owner. Our author is Sunny Lowe, vice president of the Computer Networking division of The Strickland Group, a Microsoft Partner in downtown Fort Worth.

In the Works
The Fort Worth Housing Authority is planning to renovate the Cambridge Court Apartments at 8124 Calmont Ave. Fort Worth Business Press, April 18-24

The owner of the Fort Worth Cats baseball team, Carl Bell, is proposing an urban village on 35 acres of land between the Cats’ Lagrave Field and the future site of the Tarrant County College campus along the Trinity River. Fort Worth Business Press, April 25-May 1

Gerald Haddock's Haddock Enterprises plans 10 restaurants in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, focusing on Tarrant County. Fort Worth Star Telegram, May 2

Ameristar Commercial, a 15-year-old commercial real estate company in Plano, is planning to expand into Tarrant County. Fort Worth Star Telegram, May 2

Expansions and Moves
Al Pugh, a certified public accountant, has expanded his lease to 3,500 square feet at 2001 Beach St. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 11

The North Central Texas Farmer’s Market has opened a new home behind the Village at Camp Bowie. Fort Worth Business Press, April 4-10

Steele & Freeman, a Fort Worth general contracting firm, has begun work on a $3.2 million expansion and remodeling at the Ryan Family YMCA at 8250 McCart Ave. The project includes construction of an outdoor pool with water park amenities and enlarging the facility by more than 15,500 square feet. Fort Worth Business Press, April 25

Under Construction
Construction has begun on the 60 condominiums in what will become The Neil P. at Burnett Park at 411 W. Seventh Street. Fort Worth Business Press, April 4-10

Retirement Corp of America began construction on a 20-acre condominium gated community on River Bend Boulevard. Fort Worth Business Press, April 18-24

Wilson & Stonaker has broken ground on a 55-acre retail development at the southwest corner of Texas 199 and Loop 820, anchored by Lowe's Home Improvement Center. Best Buy, Verizon Wireless and National Tire and Battery have pre-leased space. Fort Worth Star Telegram, May 2

On the Dotted Line
TTI, a Fort Worth-based electronics component distributor, has leased 190,000 square feet of industrial space at 2601 Sylvania Cross Drive in Mercantile Center in north Fort Worth. The building will house connector production and product distribution operations. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 4

Fort Worth architect and real estate developer Ken Schaumburg bought a second downtown city block for a residential development, perhaps for an extension of his Le Bijou town house development or a high-rise tower. The block is bounded by Seventh, Eighth, Calhoun and Jones Streets. He will determine a development plan in the next few months. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 11

Trinity Industries has leased 90,000 square feet at Richland Industrial Park, at Texas 121 and Handley-Ederville Road in Richland Hills. The company makes railroad cars, military tanks and other heavy equipment. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 11

Trinity Hospice, a home-care provider for terminally ill patients, has leased 4,672 square feet of office space in Manhattan Plaza, 6850 Manhattan Blvd. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 4

Several leases have been signed for the Lone Star Shopping Center, 6500 Camp Bowie Blvd including: Bon Ton Roule Cigars and Fine Wines (leased 2,000 square feet for a cigar shop) Austin-based EZMoney Stores (leased 990 square feet), and Wireless Toyz (opened a 2,880-square-foot store in the center). Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 4

2nd Nature Design has leased 3,987 square feet in the Foch Street Showrooms, off West Seventh Street in the Cultural District, where it plans to move in May. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 4

Origen Financial, a lender for consumer manufactured homes, is leasing 40,000 square feet at the Mercantile II building, near the southeast corner of Interstate 35W and Meacham Boulevard. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 4

Several leases have been signed for the Riverbend Business Park, Loop 820 and Trinity Boulevard including: Video Amusement Manufacturing leased 6,000 square feet at 2410 Gravel Drive; Handex of Texas leased 7,000 square feet at 2304 Gravel Drive; FiberTower leased 2,000 square feet at 2613 Gravel Drive; D&B Auto Repair leased 2,250 square feet at 7530 Sand St.; and Fame Products expanded into 8,100 square feet at 7560 Sand Court. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 11

Margie Thompson, a Fort Worth real estate investor, has bought vacant lots at 1509 and 1513 Evans Ave., totaling 5,450 square feet. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 11

Macerich Co., the California-based owner of 64 malls nationwide, has added Ridgmar Mall to its portfolio and plans to bring more high-fashion retailers to the west Fort Worth shopping center. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 14

Arnold Velez of Clear Outdoor and Sandra McGlothlin, a co-owner of Empire Roofing and Empire Waste Disposal, have signed a contract to buy the ground floor, now occupied by Rick O’Shea’s Pub, at 904 Houston Street. Fort Worth Business Press, April 4-10

Cartridge World, which specializes in remanufacturing black and color ink and laser toner cartridges, has leased 1,320 square feet of retail space at 2830 S. Hulen St. in the Rivertree Center. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 25

Trinity Hospice has leased 4,672 square feet of office space in Manhattan Place, 6850 Manhattan Blvd. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 25

Fab One, a custom auto parts manufacturer, has leased 18,000 square feet at 3341 E. Loop 820. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 25

The Koenigseder Family Partnership has bought 1.1 acres at Interstate 35W and Farm Road 1187 for the construction of a Midas Muffler Automotive Store. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 25

D. Williams-Smith has bought 10 acres at 3825 and 3841 S. Cravens Road. Fort Worth Star Telegram, April 25

Best Buy has leased 30,000 square feet of retail space at Landmark Lakes II Center. Construction is now underway at the corner of Jacksboro Highway and Interstate 820. Fort Worth Business Press, April 11-17

US Oncology, a Houston based health-care service network, has leased the 75,000 square foot Gateway 22 building at Alliance Texas. Fort Worth Business Press, April 11-17

Two leases totaling more than 75,000 square feet, have been negotiated for the NorthPoint Trade Center I, 751 Eight Twenty Blvd. Ferguson Enterprises -- a wholesale distributor of plumbing and building products, industrial pipe, valves and fittings, heating and cooling equipment, waterworks products, and tool and safety products -- leased 43,245 square feet. Corropack Containers Corp., a manufacturer of stock cardboard to custom-designed retail packaging and thermo-formed trays, has leased 32,434 square feet. Fort Worth Star Telegram, May 2

Potbelly Sandwich Works, which specializes in made-to-order sandwiches, shakes and homemade desserts, has leased 2,300 square feet at 5000 S. Hulen St. Fort Worth Star Telegram, May 2

Double J Realty has purchased the West Apartments, a 36-unit complex of three buildings at 4805, 4821 and 4833 Locke Ave. in Fort Worth. Fort Worth Star Telegram, May 2

Openings
Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opened its newest location in Fort Worth on Bryant Irvin Road at the beginning of this month. Fort Worth Business Press, April 4-10

PM Realty, one of the nation’s leading real estate firms, announced the opening of a branch office in Burnett Plaza. Fort Worth Business Press, April 18-24

The Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, located at 800 W. Magnolia, opened recently. The new 50,000 square foot facility features state of the art cancer equipment and technology. Fort Worth Business Press, April 18-24

Data provided by Strategic Insight Group, Intelligence Research Partner of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

Sponsorships & Networking: A Symbiotic Relationship

When is a Fort Worth Chamber event sponsorship more than an ordinary sponsorship? When the sponsor takes full advantage of the unique networking opportunities that Chamber events provide.

A perfect example of this is Small Business of the Year Silver Sponsor Pro Staff Personnel Services, one of the largest privately owned staffing companies in the country. Business Development Manager Lisa McClure has spent the past couple of months since the 2005 “Rising Star” Small Business of the Year Awards meeting with all the winners and finalists to congratulate them one-on-one.

“We’re taught that for every one person you meet, you reach a potential of 250 people,” said McClure. “It works; it doesn’t matter who you talk to. If they don’t need your services, they may know someone who does.”

If McClure’s math is right, she’s been reaching a few thousand people lately. McClure has contacted all the SBOY winners and finalists and set appointments to stop by briefly to congratulate them with a special gift basket. “It’s just a visit, not a business meeting,” McClure emphasized. “If they want to talk business, it’s up to them.” More than few of these meetings have lasted longer than the few minutes that she anticipated. And some have turned into business relationships and, she expects, some others will also.

McClure believes that the Chamber sponsorship is just part of being actively involved in the community, something stressed at Pro Staff. The company’s Dallas office had long been associated with the Greater Dallas Chamber’s Top 100 awards and had been pleased with the business relationships that grew from that partnership. The Fort Worth office saw the Small Business of the Year Awards as a similar opportunity. And, based on the success of their 2005 sponsorship, McClure says Pro Staff has already signed up as a sponsor for next year’s awards.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship,” she said. “Our main focus is on helping small and emerging companies grow their businesses. We can help them with labor force issues and help them cut costs as well.”

But McClure stresses that for a sponsorship to be equally beneficial to the sponsor as to the Chamber, the sponsor must network with event participants by following up with those they meet after the event is over. Perhaps a business relationship will grow from that contact, perhaps not. But that contact knows dozens of other people who might just need the sponsor’s services. That’s where those 250 contacts come in. As far as McClure is concerned, no networking is ever wasted in a business based on relationships.

“It’s important to Pro Staff to be involved in community events such as the Small Business of the Year Awards,” she said. “These businesses are our potential clients.”

Fort Worth's Sundance Square Named 2005 Spirit of Enterprise Award Winner

Twenty-five years ago, the core of downtown Fort Worth was similar to many U.S. cites: drab, worn-out and, yes, boring. After business hours, the downtown streets were practically deserted.

Cut to the year 2005, and the story is completely different. Downtown Fort Worth has experienced a truly amazing transformation, and is now recognized as one of the liveliest and most successful downtown areas in America. Publications from The New York Times to Condé Nast Traveler sing its praises. Ask almost anyone in Fort Worth the reason for this incredible turnaround, and they’ll answer with two simple words: “Sundance Square.”

Sundance Square is a popular destination for dining, shopping and entertainment.

Security guards on patrol make Fort Worth's downtown area one of the safest in the nation

From the Knights of Pythias Hall to the D.R. Horton Tower, Sundance Square is an eclectic mix of old and new.

Dining al fresco is a popular option for visitors and residents alike at Sundance Square.

To recognize the key role it has played in the revitalization of downtown Fort Worth, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce has named Sundance Square Management Company the 2005 Spirit of Enterprise Award winner. The award will be presented at the Chamber’s 123rd Annual Meeting on Wednesday, June 1.

“On behalf of the Bass family and everyone at Sundance Square, I would like to thank the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce for this honor,” said Edward P. Bass. “Over the past 20 years, my family has focused on and dedicated itself to the development and transformation of downtown Fort Worth. Starting with my brother Sid and the first visions of Sundance Square, we have dreamed of creating a vital, lively, pedestrian friendly, 24-hour-a-day city center -- a downtown that would attract a rich mix of users.”

Of course, cities across the nation have poured hundreds of millions of dollars into downtown redevelopment, hoping to light a spark that would restore the urban core. Sundance Square succeeded where others failed through the application of innovative concepts of urban planning. First, major efforts were made to preserve the historical integrity of downtown Fort Worth, from the vintage bricks on Main Street to the careful restoration of structures built in the early 20th century. Another important insight was making the area friendly to pedestrians through generous sidewalks and shops facing the street. Perhaps the most important factor was the realization that it would take a multi-use environment – combining office, retail, entertainment and residential spaces – to create a downtown that would thrive and endure. Throughout the transformation, Sundance Square has worked in close partnership with civic, government and business leaders to create an inclusive and economically vibrant downtown area.

Walk through Sundance Square today, and you’ll see that these ideas have yielded remarkable results. Every night of the week, the area attracts people from all walks of life: teenagers headed to the latest movies, couples enjoying an evening at Bass Performance Hall, families browsing the shop windows, college students studying at Barnes & Noble, downtown residents walking their dogs and tourists eating a great meal in one of the many restaurants. The atmosphere in Sundance Square strikes the perfect balance between the old and the new, from the popular Chisholm Trail mural to the ultra-high-tech Bank One Building. The watchful presence of Fort Worth police officers on horseback, along with private security officers on bicycles and Segways, adds to the safety and appeal of Sundance Square.

By remaining true to Fort Worth’s roots, Sundance Square has helped the city branch out and achieve unprecedented growth. Sundance Square creates jobs, attracts visitors and businesses, hosts exciting festivals and events, and functions as a vital engine in the Fort Worth economy. Without question, the success of Sundance Square has spurred further development in downtown Fort Worth and beyond. With ambitious new projects in the planning stages, Fort Worth and Sundance Square are poised to reach even greater heights in the coming years.

“I believe Fort Worth is one of the finest cities in America to live, work and do business. It has the warmth, friendliness and quality of life of an all-American hometown and the vitality, sophistication and advantage of a true metropolitan city,” said Bass. “In order to truly succeed, we need several generations of people who think the same way all of us have, continually renewing the downtown center and keeping it genuinely attractive economically. In the end, a downtown can never stand still; it must always keep remaking itself.”

Can’t get away to the Hawaiian islands any time soon? Trying to get into that “aloha” spirit? Wish you had a flower lei around your neck and a tropical beverage in your hand?

Well, the next best thing is the June Business After Hours hosted by SouthTrust Bank. Pull out your brightest clothes – Hawaiian shirts and floral dresses – and plan to meet and greet your fellow Chamber members there. Presented by Bank of America.

Business After Hours is a terrific way to network and get to know other Chamber members. Make your plans now to cruise on by.
For more information, contact Teresa Pearson at 817/336-2491, ext. 249. Register online at www.fortworthchamber.com or with Doris Becker at dbecker@fortworthchamber.com or ext. 288.

Leads Groups are networking gatherings comprised of no more than 30 individuals with each one representing a different industry. Leads Groups meet weekly and generate a lot of business. Participants must be members of the Fort Worth Chamber. A $50 annual fee is charged per company, but a company may be in two Leads Groups, until/unless that slot is needed for another company in the same industry. Gold members participate for free with the same restriction.

To visit a Leads Group, either contact coordinator Diana Dugan or call the group leader directly to make sure there is no conflict of industry. Each group has its own rules and personality, although they all fall under Chamber guidelines. Consistent attendance provides the maximum benefit.

For more information, contact Diana Dugan, coordinator at 817/336-2491, ext. 258.

Texas Tornados
Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. -1 p.m.
Luby’s Cafeteria, 251 University
Leader: Paul McKinney (817) 244-6300 paul@mckinneycommercial.com

The Big List
Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Bonnell’s, 4259 Bryant Irvin Rd.
Leader: George Fassett, (817) 923-2419, georgefassett@thumbtechs.com

Lead Cats
Tuesday, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Joe T. Garcia’s, 2201 N. Commerce
Leader: Cory Davis (817) 508-7432, cdavis@1stodyssey.com

SW Morning Networking
Artistic Blends, 5298 Trail Lake Dr.
Leader: Jean Davis, (817) 233-9211, jean@swtc-business.com

Wednesday Group
Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Call for location
Leader: Michael Bell, (817)416-9977, mvbell@y2marketing.com

Lead Launchers
Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Woodhaven Country Club, 913 Country Club Lane
Leader: Michale Frogge (817) 296-7788, michale@froggeconsulting.com

Leads Masters
Thursday, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Diamond Oaks Country Club, 5821 Diamond Oaks Drive
Leader: Tina Gardner, (817) 205-5044, tinagardner@charter.net

eLeads Group
Thursday, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Café Aspen, 6103 Camp Bowie
Leader: Maureen Sullivan, (817) 239-7533, maureen@ourfortworth.com

The Phoenix Group
Friday, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Café Aspen, 6103 Camp Bowie
Leader: Mike Hildenbrand, (817) 680-3477, micolga@ameriplan.net

Congratulations to the Fort Worth Chamber’s top Action Ambassador for March 2005, Justin Bezilla. Bezilla has been an ambassador only since February 2005 and is a sales executive with Linc Service, LLC..
Action Ambassadors work on behalf of the Chamber calling on new members and serving as greeters at various Chamber functions. Currently, the program is recruiting new members, however, Ambassadors must be members of the Fort Worth Chamber. The Action Ambassador program is a great way to learn more about the Fort Worth Chamber and plug in to all of the programs it offers. It is also a great networking tool allowing ambassadors to contact Chamber members on the Chamber’s behalf. Contact Teresa Pearson at 817/336-2491, ext. 249 for information on becoming an Action Ambassador.

Colonial's Growth pains symptom of success

Currently, Colonial Health Group –winner as the top Emerging Business at the Chamber’s 2005 Small Business of the Year Awards – is making its home in an attractively renovated older building of Magnolia Avenue. On the day of this interview, Colonial’s President Mark Euckert and Vice President Todd Baker are wading through some water from a burst pipe and workers are finishing out the remainder of the building to accommodate the company’s phenomenal growth. They have already outgrown two locations since 2002 and figure they will outgrow this one before too long.

But the construction work seems no distraction for these two successful business partners or their employees. Colonial Health Group (CHG) is a nationwide physician recruiting, staffing, medical billing and practice management firm based in Fort Worth. Euckert and Baker met in the early 90s while working for the largest physician recruiting firm in the country. Euckert left to concentrate on software development, but Baker stayed in the physician recruiting business. They got back together a few years ago and started Colonial with a better idea. They would focus strictly on radiology.

“Physician recruiting is a fun business and it’s recession-proof,” said Baker.

“We focus on a certain niche – radiology,” added Euckert. “We don’t handle all specialties; we don’t try to be all things to all people.”
CHG has three main areas – recruiting services, practice management services and billing services. Although based in Texas, CHG has clients all over the country, many in the Northeast.

The recruiting services arm is dedicated to making a strategic fit between clients served and the best physician clients available. The CHG client list ranges from solo to group practices, single to multi-system hospital and to community based facilities.

“We can help companies find the best physician, negotiate contracts and competitive compensation packages, because we know the business,” said Euckert.

In the midst of all this growth has come the practice management side of the business and, says Baker, perhaps the winner of the 2006 Emerging Business winner – Pinpoint Radiology. This part of the business provides physician management and staffing services in radiology departments across the country. “We choose to limit our management services to radiology in order to be the specialist in this field,” stressed Baker.

The CHG Billing Services arm provides comprehensive professional and technical billing services as well as accounts receivable management services to radiology departments and outpatient imaging centers across the country.

Both Baker and Euckert feel winning the SBOY award as the top emerging business of 2005 is a great honor and that it is validation for their hard work as well as that of their staff.

“The award is a great motivating factor for our staff and a great hiring tool for us,” said Baker. “Our employees are a valuable part of everything we do here.”

Baker feels the award proves that CHG must be doing something right. For him, three factors come into play.

“The award is nice to have and it shows that we are no fly-by-night organization,” Euckert said. “It also helps our Dun & Bradstreet list and gives us a positive record with the Better Business Bureau.”

The company is continuously hiring to expand its own staff to meet the needs of the company and it appears likely that Euckert and Baker will again be considered by the SBOY committee next year.

Been a Victim of Identity Theft? No? Are You Sure?

Have you been a victim of identity theft? If not, you probably know someone who has. And, according to information offered at a recent Chamber Technology Council luncheon, the number of ID theft victims is rising at an alarming rate. It is imperative that we not simply wait until it happens to us, said David Bentz, Group Leader, United States Secret Service, we must proactively do all we can to prevent it.

Through 2002, only 26 percent of ID thefts were reported to the police, noted Dr. John Nugent, professor, University of Dallas. But recent statistics indicate that that incidences of ID theft are spiraling upward. And, said Dr. Nugent, the number will only increase.

Simply put, identity theft is the misuse of another person’s personal information. That can mean through opening new accounts or other frauds, or misuse of both non-credit card and credit card accounts.

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s Sept. 2003 Identity Theft Survey Report, more than 33 million Americans had been ID theft victims sometime between 1990-2002, including an 80 percent increase from 2001 to 2002. Consumer out-of-pocket expenses have totaled $1.5 billion annually since January 2001. Between 1998-2002, total ID fraud losses reached nearly $53 billion and 297 million man hours were spent correcting those problems.

Principal methods of ID theft include:

Bentz strongly recommends the following steps to protect yourself from ID theft:

Bentz and Dr. Nugent strongly urged everyone to educate themselves on the topic of ID theft. They recommended the following websites for more information:

Attendees at a recent Joint Job Links held in conjunction with the Greater Dallas Chamber were treated to a quick, yet concise explanation of networking by Dean Lindsay, author of “Cracking the Networking CODE: 4 Steps to Priceless Business Relationships.” The event was sponsored and hosted by Southwest Office Systems.

Lindsay, who touts himself as a “progress agent,” explained that successful networking comes from earning someone’s trust, defined by Lindsay as a promise of progress. And successful networking equals being progress for someone.

“Everything we do, consciously or subconsciously, we do because we believe the perceived consequences of those actions will bring us what I label as the Six Ps of Progress,” explained Lindsay.

“The most successful individuals in any industry are those who become progress agents,” said Lindsay, “and stay progress agents. Get out and meet people. Network everywhere.”

Lindsay uses the acronym CODE to make his steps to successful networking easy to remember.

C – Create personal curb appeal by being a success in your own eyes. Success breeds success so always be the best you can be.

O – Open face-to-face relationships by proactively seeking new contacts. But, cautions Lindsay, research has shown that it takes most people six to eight positive impressions to remember and begin to trust a new contact.

D – Deliver solid first impressions. People meet people all the time. You need to stand out as someone they want future contact with.

E – Earn trust. Earning trust is hard because trust is fragile and can be weakened by broken promises and unrealistic expectations.

So mean what you say and do what you say you will do.

The 2005 Fort Worth News Bureau Media Directory is hot off the press! This comprehensive guide to print and broadcast media in the greater Fort Worth area has been updated and includes names, addresses, and e-mails of hundreds of editors, advertising directors and producers from both Dallas and Fort Worth. The guide includes the major dailies, network and wire service bureaus, and also community weeklies and special interest publications from throughout Tarrant and surrounding counties on the west side of the Metroplex.

$30 for Fort Worth Chamber members, $40 for non-members; only $20 for Gold Members of the chamber, plus tax and handling.

Other available Chamber publications include:

Go to www.fortworthchamber.com and click on Publications to buy the directory or other publications online. Or call 817-336-2491 x 242 to order by phone.

Recently, four new employees joined the staff of the Fort Worth Chamber – three in the workforce/education area and one in economic development.

Ashley Cash is Manager of Education Programs and Regional Coordinator for the College for Texans Campaign. She has an MS in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin, with a concentration in administration and planning for nonprofit agencies. She currently works to build partnerships within the education and business communities to aide and encourage students to pursue higher education.

Laura Misuk is the Industry Cluster Coordinator, initially focusing on aerospace and working with industry leaders, workforce boards and Chambers of Commerce throughout the region to further the development of the current and future workforce. She has a Masters degree in Public Adminstration from the University of North Texas and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from the University of Iowa.

A Fort Worth native, Melonye Whitson is serving as the Workforce Development Coordinator. Whitson is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a BBA in Finance. At the Chamber, she will be working on the Job Links program as well as helping to build the capacity of businesses to attract and retain workers by using the Chamber’s Workforce Development Services and relationships.

Lacy Slinkard comes to the Fort Worth Chamber from the Shreveport Chamber of Commerce’s economic development staff. A Longview native, she is a Project Coordinator in the Chamber’s Economic Development department. She has a BS degree from Stephen F. Austin University.

The Chamber welcomes them all to the staff.

For more information contact:
Arden Dufilho
Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce
817-336-2491 Ext. 259