Safecracker: Got a giveaway donation form, but the prize wasn’t listed. Figured we could steal from someone’s vault and give away something for everyone. Called the number on the form and spoke with K.G. (Kevin Garnett) Nair at … The Vault! His ground-floor Tower restaurant is loaded with incredible food and more incredible wines – enough for every incredible Newz-E reader – so we negotiated a woohoo, more-than-credible, edible lunch for six people. You and your five favs will find hidden treasures in The Vault when you fine dine on K.G. (Psst: If you don't win, go to the discount coupon pages at the Chamber's website --Membership Directory -- to check out The Vault's coupon and other great deals. You can even add your own discount.)
Breakfast of champions: We’re all champions in our own way, but not so many of us are national champions such as Mack Brown, head coach of the Texas Longhorns. He’s the guest speaker Feb. 15 during SafeHaven’s Legacy of Men breakfast at the Renaissance Worthington. The nonprofit, which assists women, will honor Mike Stone with its Legacy of Men award. We're honored to have two seats for you.
Will work for office: Mr. B and boss Miserly Mistress are not getting along during our contract renewal arguments. Miserly has asked Mr. B to move his office from Chamber cubicles and over to one of Kim Permenter’s Atrium Executive Business Centers, which give you all the services needed to run your own office. B called Kim; Kim called back and said she’d give B a $50 American Express gift card if he didn’t move in. Something about only dealing with serious businesses. So, B is office-less, but he has the gift card to give away.
| | | |
| PICTURE OF THE WEEK | | | | |
 |
| | | |
Last month’s Leaders in Business series presented by Weaver featured Roger Williams, Weatherford auto dealer and former secretary of state for Texas. A reception is usually held at the Petroleum Club of Fort Worth for the speaker, sponsors and other special guests. With Williams and his wife Patty are Vernon Bryant, Southwest Bank and Eric Fox, Lockheed Martin.
See more photos of this event in our Online Photo Gallery.
| | | Sponsored by | |
|  | | | | | | |
|
Roses are red: Mr. B fawns over favorite floral forget-me-not Martha (Cornbread) White -- new married name isn’t as clever – at Gordon Boswell Flowers. He wants to send Valentine’s Day roses to Martha, Ms. B, ex-Ms. B, daughter MisBehavin’, son NoBGood’s gal pal, boss Miserly Mistress, second boss Andra B, etc., etc…12 in all. Mr. B asked Martha if he could buy a dozen and she could deliver one each to 12 Valentines for the same price. Or ask the Val Gals to pick them up at one of two Boswell locations? Martha hemmed and hawed and said she’d get back to B. You, on the other hand, can win 12 beautiful long-stem red roses arranged in a vase with lush greenery and delivered to your sweetie.
Michael Bublé not available: But we have the next best thing. Rocky Willett and the Texas Millionaires, just in time for Valentine’s Day, will perform a Singing Valentine Feb. 12, 13 or 14 at your site. B tried to get one for hisownself, but it is $50 to send to yourself and that would have been about 37 weeks’ pay. You’ll get a Barbershop Quartet that harmonizes a custom card, a silk rose and two good old-fashioned love songs for your sweetheart. (Psst, the four favorite love songs of all time are Unchained Melody - The Righteous Brothers; Unforgettable - Nat King Cole; Theme from An Affair to Remember and You've Got a Friend Carole King/James Taylor.)
21st century: Welcome, welcome, Fort Worth Chamber, which has launched its Facebook fan page. Won't you please become our Facebook fan? Lovely Lauren promises fun stuff in addition to event photos, meeting notices, networking, etc. Click here to see the fan page. In five years, we'll start tweeting. Promise!
P stands for profits: Adrian Murray, owner of Painless Performance Products, says 2009 was the very best year for his auto performance and racing equipment company. “People may cut out trips and vacations, but they don’t cut out hobbies in their garage,” he said. Adrian won’t tell you, but Mr. B paid a Pennie for her thoughts and found out Adrian generously shared the wealth with Meadowbrook Middle School.
|  |
We give, now we ask: The Chamber’s East Area Council has a really cool two-day Math & Science Camp for Meadowbrook Middle School. Really cool, like worth attending and skipping work. About 50 people — students and leaders – are involved in late May and we need to get two days of lunches donated. Let me know if you can help.
We’re really Super: While thinking about all the hoopla, revenue and profit numbers for Super Bowl XLV in Arlington next year, you might be surprised to learn that the NFL is a non-profit organization. It passes its money through to the owners.
Home-office job? Laura Myles has worked at Lakewood Village Retirement Community 14 years. She expects to retire there, in more ways than one.
Rolling, rolling…: Mr. B was getting a bit old to be playing shuffleboard in the B Mansion, so he wandered over to Fort Worth Billiards, which has all the game room furnishings ever manufactured. B now has a lovely indoor bocce ball court, so come on over for bocce and prune juice. While at FWB, he saw the $40,000 Isabella Billiards Table that the company won for being recognized as the No. 1 store among all of Brunswick Billiards’ dealers.
Might be TMI: Charlotte Inglish was regaling Mr. B about the benefits of Artisan MedSpa, Laser & Wellness, including the occasional dance classes, where, Charlotte says, you “learn to dance by moving the way your body was meant to move.”
|
 |
What? No Homeland Security? Managing Director Donnie Sherwood of Integra Realty Resources was telling a story about having once done appraisals on some military sites. Shannon Gracey attorney Lisa Vaughn jokingly asked how he got comparables for that assignment. Integra’s Keri Redford (Robert’s daughter?) has done appraisals of two islands.
One more for Rushmore: Worthington National Bank has three presidents in its downtown office. The latest is Matthew Steward, President and Senior Loan Officer, who will oversee the quality of loans and the growth of the company. He was one of Worthington’s founding members seven years ago.
Early Valentine’s love story: James Music, the executive chef at Shula's 347 Grill, has an incredible tale of romance and marriage, even 10 years later. A chef's hours are not conducive to dating so he tried the online route. He was about to give up when a woman named Ann caught his fancy. They wrote for months via email before finally agreeing to meet at a Dallas Stars game. Ann, however, admitted she had not been telling the whole truth ... Ann was her middle name to protect her identity from online shenanigans. "Well, what is your first name?" James asked. She told him "’Lyric’ and I practically fell out of my chair.” He showed her his driver's license and told her to take a close look at his last name. She screamed. They laughed. "My beautiful wife (Lyric Music) and I have been married for what I know is without a doubt the best 10 years of my life," James said. "I love her with all my heart. By the way, she hasn't changed her name yet... I think she likes it."
|
 |
Just doing it: Shauna Gheen was let go from the banking world in June, having worked with small businesses the majority of her 20 years. So she started Consider It Done!, a virtual assistant business. She helps all types of businesses with administrative tasks and/or projects that they don’t have the time, expertise or staff to do.
Go with the flow: A builder who obviously should remain nameless, described living in retirement homes as “Go go, slow go, no go.”
Gas guzzling: Ray Davis and Bob Simpson, incoming investors and co-chairmen of the board for your new $525-million Texas Rangers, made their money in natural gas. After a short Hicks-up, mineral rights lease prices around the Ballpark sure have risen. If these Rangers don’t play well, they could end up traded back to the minors as a Tulsa Driller.
You go girl! Five of the 12 finalists in the Chamber’s Small Business of the Year competition are women-owned businesses. Chamber thinks that is a record, but only Big Boss Bill (BBB) has been around since the awards started in 1882 and he can’t quite remember that far back. The five: Path to Wellness Chiropractic (Dr. Lauren Roberson); McConstruction Company (Denise McCune); Project Partners (Lerii F. Smith); Technology Team (Sherry Green) and Buzz Custom Fence(Denise Schrader).
Hope it’s not you! Because of legislative limbo, 2010 is a good year to die. As of this second, there would be no estate taxes to pay.
|
 |
Like bacon grease? Mr. B brought his pet piglet to Barb Craft, owner of Craft Training Center. Ooops, wrong kind of training center. She trains speakers and says your speechifying should have some sizzle at least every six minutes. She also says to try and avoid saying “snuck”, “ain’t” and “ya’ll”. So, ya’ll follow her lead now or ya’ll ain’t gonna make it big.
Faulty wiring: Lupe Zamora, who owns construction and electrical companies bearing his name, wondered why his left wrist was constantly in pain. For a year, he wondered. Turns out it is broken and he’s in a cast for six weeks.
|
