Fort Worth Chamber's Newz-E-Letter: April 2, 2008

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For Members, About Members	April 2, 2008
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PICTURE OF THE WEEK!

Stonegate Mansion hosted a recent Women Influencing Business event. The evening was filled with drinks, hors d'oeuvres and a live jazz duo. For more information about WIB click here.

Above L to R: Jill Gunnell, State Farm; Suzette Watkins, Riverside Kennel; Suzi Hill, The Hill Company; Carol Osteen, Techline Furniture & Cabinetry.

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Comedy night: Mr. B, as you may remember, is a dropout from Florida State University. Even though going to school was a joke academically, B also couldn’t pass enough of the online courses. The few days B attended class, he did meet fellow jokesters Ray Romano and Brad Garrett, and they laughed at B’s jokes. Or was it at B? Either way, they have been Newz-E-Letter readers for years and have had minimal success on TV, they claim. Thursday, April 10, the boys are at Nokia (what, they aren’t good enough for a weekend date?) and Jim Austin of The Austin Companyny has two VIP seats and a precious parking pass for one lucky Riddler.

Pretty as can be: Mr. B was the speaker at the Chamber Lunch & (No) Learn at Blue Mesa today, and while at University Park Village, B likes to go by Lemongrass Salon – Aveda LifeStyles and come out looking and smelling fruity. Lemongrass has his personal blends gift basket, infused with lavender. It’s a gift assortment to calm and soothe the senses, and includes hydrating lotion, body cleanser, exfoliating Dead Sea somethings and purty-fume spirit. The Chamber has a similar gift basket to give away, and the certificate says Ask for Lauren. Trust B, you’ll want to ask for Lauren.

The lights are on Downtown: Which came first, residents or retail? Late ’80s, there were two residents and one slumbering stowaway in downtown Fort Worth. Now there are thousands, and retail is booming, too. But you don’t have to live downtown to shop until you drop there, and we’ve got $50 gift certificates for two readers to shop, eat or party anywhere in Sundance Square. It’s an excellent start to a special date night or a shopping spree.

¿Cómo se dice?: How do you say Mr. B is the funniest writer in town in any language? Hana Laurenzo of Teneo Linguistics Company knows, and she is willing to do a free consultation and translation of up to 250 words. Sounds like a great opportunity to market your service to a whole new world, which sounds as if it would make a good song title. Teneo is one of the Chamber’s 2008 Small Business of the Year honorees.

Law of the land: Before she came to the City of Fort Worth’s Economic and Community Development Department, Cynthia Garcia was in the City Attorney’s office for 13 years. Garcia is a key player in the Rosedale-Evans Avenue turnaround.

Law on the set: MPI Protective Service was hired to protect assets on the set during filming in Wisconsin of Johnny Depp’s new movie Public Enemies, the story of gangster John Dillinger.

So sentimental: Can’t reveal who, but an (un)wily husband in the PR industry planned a garage sale last Saturday, the day of his wife’s birthday.

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Duh! Surely it was just a little Simpsons humor when TCU announced that Homer was the new dean of its Neeley School of Business. This Homer, O. Homer Erekson, has hair AND brains. He’s returning to his roots from the Bloch School of Business at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and replacing Dan Short, who wants back in the classroom.

New doo: Colonial Country Club is looking spiffy with new carpeting, chandeliers, lobby furniture and a Heath bar toffee chocolate cake dessert to die for…or steal your table partner’s. You can see/eat for yourself at the Chamber’s Colonial Preview Luncheon May 13.

Switcheroo: Ben Loughry of Integra Realty Resources succeeds Brian Barnard of Haynes & Boone as chairman of the Chamber this month. Wonder if he will be an editor? Brian, thankfully, was too busy as an attorney to edit Mr. B.
DW (no I): Glad everyone will be sober at tomorrow’s Chamber Day at the Speedway, hosted by Texas Motor Speedway. Straight-talkin’ and straight drivin’ Darrell Waltrip is the featured speaker.

Plaudits: Ray Dickerson of American National Bank, emcee of the Chamber’s 2008 Small Business of the Year luncheon, had some familiarity with a couple of the finalists:

The Fort Worth Club was “founded in 1885 and I was a charter member.”
Innovative Developers built "our 7th Street building and I can attest to the quality of work. They take pride in the work they do and continuing pride in taking care of what they’ve built even after the last check has been written.”
Worthington National Bank and Greg Morse “are good competitors. It’s nice to compete against someone who knows what they are doing, and Greg knows what he’s doing.”

Free fries, too: One of the perks for David Goodroe of Designs for Living as the new President of the Board of Trustees for the I’m Lovin’ It House is that he gets use of the Ronald McDonald costume three times a year.

Logan’s run: Kurt Logan of American National Bank is the Chamber’s reigning Star Action Ambassador. Kurt gives everyone he meets a handshake and a $10-spot.

Taking stock: Next Wednesday, Tim Estes of Estes Financial Services, will seminar on Investment Myths. Hope he can explain what’s been happening to our portfolios since January is a myth.

Managing the city: After two months on the job, Fort Worth City Manager Dale Fisseler’s goals are to:

Improve financial stability
Invest in infrastructure ($2.3 billion)
Simplify government (condense his 26 departments)
Prepare for increased gas drilling
Address labor relations
Focus on the future
Not forget the “other” Fort Worth

Stage left: Speaking of the city, it has quite a few “acting” managers—Fernando Costa, Tom Higgins and Carl Smart –and an acting chief of police –Pat Kneblick. Makes you wonder if they’re going to drama school first.

Happy Birthday: The Chamber’s group of young professionals, VisionFW, is one year old this month. Click here to see the save the date for The Spectacle, Vision FW's Annual Celebration.

Loan (un)sharking: Tom Burke, Mr. IBM, reminds that those of you with college age brats might check to see if the Texas B-On Time college loans are still available. Students can qualify for loans, and if they maintain a 3.0 average and graduate within four years from a Texas public university, the loans are forgiven. Tom says he wishes they’d do that for car loans – “keep your car at least four years, have no accidents or speeding tickets, and the loan is forgiven!”

Reunion.com? Robbi and John Hatfield (Exit Realty Hatfield) met Dak Hatfield (Innovative Developers Inc.) at a recent Chamber event and are checking family trees.

Clark’s brother? Staying in software, Dave Kent is starting a new job with Microsoft this month.

She’s cookin! Ricki Epstein, owner of Affairs to Cater, has opened a kitchen on Randol Mill at Fielder in Arlington. That’s a kitchen Mr. B would want to raid. She is also opening Zorro’s Buffet Restaurant at Berry and I-35.

More great eats: OK, Mr. B read this diet disaster and is now is sooooo hungry! Chef Papa's Buffet (on McCart) is an all-you-can eat buffet. “We serve home cooking, soul food, backyard BBQs, Cajun and homemade desserts.”