The Chamber kicked-off its 11th annual Total Resource Campaign (TRC), a 12-week resource development effort intended to raise money in support of Chamber programs and initiatives.
Over the next three months, 85 corporate teams and more than 250 Chamber volunteers will gather resources that will enable the Chamber to effectively carry out its vision of successfully positioning our region as America’s best location to live, learn, work and play.

“The theme for the 2010 campaign is ‘Taking Care of Business’ which clearly demonstrates what the Chamber does in our community by tackling the challenges of improving our region,” said Charles Van Rysselberge, president and CEO, Chamber. “This year’s goal is $2,540,000 which aligns the Chamber’s various campaigns and adds $1,000 to last year’s results.”

The goal will be reached through memberships, sponsorships, donations and advertising sales. Investments in the Chamber facilitated through TRC have a powerful and positive impact on education, public policy, regional advancement and many other areas of economic growth for the Charleston region. This also includes the seminars and programs designed to provide knowledge and practical advice for businesses. 

2010 team leadership includes:

Bobby Pearce, Nelson Mullins Law Firm - Chairman 
Cheryl Clark, Holiday Inn Express North Charleston
Larry Collett, WCBD-TV, Channel 2
Marcus DeBiasi, Rick Hendrick Imports
Karen Elsey, Laura Alberts, Tasteful Options
Kent Floyd, Total Comfort
Bill Goodwin, The Goodwin Group Inc. 
Bridget Hearn-Simmons, South Carolina Federal Credit Union
Michelle Kelly, ClearChannel Communications 
Richard Moore, Kestrel Horizons LLC
John Osborne, Osborne & Osborne
Mary Porter, Porter Consulting Group
Shannon Seabrook Smoak, National Bank of South Carolina

“The strength and vitality of the Charleston business community is directly impacted by the strength and resources of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce,” said Bobby Pearce, TRC 2010 Chairman. “This 2010 TRC campaign is ‘Taking Care of Business’ by providing the tremendous resources needed so that the Chamber's programs and services can meet the growing demand for assistance and support from Charleston area businesses.”

For more information contact Janet Newham at 843.805.3025.

Click here to read more.

Does your company offer flex time, job sharing, telecommuting or health/wellness programs? If so, you may be eligible for the workplace flexibility award. Applications are now open for the 2010 Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. This prestigious award recognizes employers of all types and sizes across the country that are using workplace flexibility as a tool to enhance business and employee success. 

Workplace flexibility is a way to define how, when, and where work gets done and how careers are organized. It is not a one-size-fits-all policy or program, but a myriad of work options that reflect job responsibilities, life situations, as well as individual and organizational needs. 

Examples include:
• Compressed work weeks
• Job sharing
• Part-year work
• Flex careers, including care giving leaves and sabbaticals
• Phased retirement

Application deadline is March 12, 2010. The application process takes place in two rounds: 

Round I: Employer Questionnaire 
Employers nominate themselves by completing an online application survey about their workplace flexibility programs, policies and culture. The survey takes approximately one hour to complete. To register and complete the application now click here.

Round II: Employee Survey
For qualifying employers from Round I, a sample of employees will be asked to complete a survey about their access to workplace flexibility programs and about the culture. The survey will take 20 minutes to complete. Eligible applicants will be considered based on their ability to demonstrate that workplace flexibility is being used successfully to meet both business and employee objectives. 

Alfred P. Sloan Award recipients will be recognized at the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting on June 3, 2010. All applicants receive a customized benchmarking report comparing their effective and flexible workplace practices to a nationally representative sample of U.S. employers and to award winners. In 2009 there were 449 winners of the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility. 

Past winners in the Charleston area include: 
AAI Services Corporation
Barling Bay LLC 
Booz Allen Hamilton 
Call Experts
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Community Management Group
EMES LLC
KFR Services Inc.
Lowcountry Graduate Center 
LS3P ASSOCIATES LTD – Charleston
Morris Financial Concepts Inc.
Noisette Company 
Santee Cooper
Scientific Research Corporation
Stanley Inc.
Tegron LLC

To be eligible for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, employers must meet all of the following criteria:

• Any employer in the U.S. is eligible to apply in 2010. An employer that does not have a worksite located in one of the participating communities may apply as an "at-large" applicant. If an organization has multiple locations, separate applications must be submitted for each location that wants to be considered for the award. It is the worksite that is considered for the award, not the organization as a whole.
• A minimum of ten employees must currently work from or report to the eligible worksite. This does not include contract workers or consultants who are not reported to the IRS, but does include employees who travel frequently or work from home as long as they report back to the eligible worksite. 
• The organization must have been in operation for at least one year. 

Employers of all sizes, in the public and private sectors, for-profit and not-for-profit are eligible for the Alfred P. Sloan Awards for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility provided all of the above criteria are met. 

For more information about the awards or about When Work Works, please use the Sloan Awards Hotline number (800.966.2044) or email whenworkworks@familiesandwork.org. 

FastTracSC, an organization designed to help entrepreneurs hone the skills needed to create, manage, and grow successful businesses in South Carolina, reached a statewide milestone and celebrated achieving over 1,000 graduates at a luncheon in Columbia, S.C. on January 28, 2010.

FastTracSC is a coalition of agencies with a vision of creating new businesses, new jobs and new wealth for South Carolinians through the FastTrac® entrepreneurial training programs developed by the Kauffman Foundation. The programs provide aspiring and existing entrepreneurs business insights, leadership skills, and professional networking connections. Graduates are better prepared to create a new business or expand an existing enterprise. Three FastTracSC programs, NewVenture™, GrowthVenture™ and TechVenture™, are offered throughout the state.

“Having been involved with the fantastic FastTracSC program since its first entrepreneur was enrolled, I take great pride in seeing that this life-changing business course has now graduated over 1,000 entrepreneurs. FastTracSC has been a hugely positive experience for so many business people and its direct contribution to the creation of many, many jobs has been tremendously positive for the State of South Carolina,” said Bobby Pearce, member FastTracSC Advisory Committee.
 
About FastTrac®: A program of the Kansas City-based Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the largest organization in the nation solely focused on entrepreneurial success at all levels. FastTrac is offered in South Carolina through FastTracSC, an initiative of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on the FastTrac® programs and FastTracSC, visit www.FastTracSC.org or contact Mary Dickerson at 843.805.3089.

Newly elected Town of Mt. Pleasant Mayor Billy Swails addressed the Chamber's East Cooper Area Business Council. "We need community support to do what we do," said Mayor Swails. Click here to read more.

EXECnetSC Launches New Website to Connect Executives with Entrepreneurs 

Charleston, SC – EXECnetSC launched a new website, www.execnetsc.org to allow executives and entrepreneurs to connect and communicate in a social media environment.

EXECnetSC is a bank of retired and semi-retired seasoned executives who can serve in leadership positions for start-up ventures and small businesses and assist them with the growth and sustainability of the company. Entrepreneurs and small business that have been in business over a year can log into www.execnetsc.org and create a profile with their criteria. 

“Often an entrepreneur launching a company has extensive expertise in their product or service area and limited knowledge in commercializing their idea or running a business. In order to get a company started, have a better chance for sustainability and/or obtain funding, an entrepreneur needs the experience of a seasoned executive on their management team,” said Chuck Williams, ThinkTEC chairman.

Different from a traditional mentor program, EXECnetSC facilitates the placement of business leaders in management roles and on company boards. The assignments may be short-term (less than one year) or long term (a year or longer) and may include positions as board director, president, CEO, CFO, COO or chief technical officer.

Once an executive and entrepreneur agree to a match, contact information is shared and the two parties negotiate their working relationship directly. All assignments are voluntary and there is no obligation to accept a suggested match. Matches are made based on need, background, experience, availability and demand.
 
EXECnetSC was created in 2007 by the Innovation Division of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and SC Launch! The concept came about at a ThinkTEC Innovation Summit when a speaker remarked that to improve a start-ups chance for success and receive funding it is important to have seasoned help on their management team. 

A panel of experts addressed the Chamber’s Developers Council on Tuesday to discuss development challenges in the current economy. The panel included Steve Slifer, former Chief U.S. Economist for Lehman Brothers; John Darby, President & CEO, The Beach Company; Chris Fraser, President, Grubb & Ellis|WRS; Chris Abbott, Senior VP, Bank of America and Brian Kornahrens, Assistant VP, Carolina First. According to the speakers, despite the economy, Charleston is better off than a lot of cities but 2010 will still be a long road ahead. Click here to read more.

The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce and Center for Women have teamed up once again to present the fifth annual Women in Business Conference, Friday, February 12 at the Charleston Marriott. Like its predecessors, this collaborative conference will assist hundreds of local business women advance professionally by providing networking opportunities and timely topics. 

For the second time, there will be a contest presented in partnership with Charleston Inspired to challenge working women to share their own creative or innovative survival stories, including something that they have overcome (small or large) during challenging times. The grand prize winner will win a free registration to the conference, a Charleston Inspired gift basket and will have the opportunity to share their story during lunch at the conference. The top five stories will be printed in the event program. 

Stories can be submitted January 7 – January 29, 2010. Winners must be able to attend the conference. Please limit your story to 300 words. To submit your story click here.

This is the premier business event for women to expand your options, whether you are a woman entrepreneur, a business professional or a prospective business owner. Linda Tarr-Whelan, expert on women's leadership in this country and internationally, will be the keynote speaker. 

Breakout session topics include: 

How to Play Well with Others: Businesses and non-profits have successfully employed Cause Marketing to create and structure partnerships to generate revenue. A panel discussion of business and non-profit representatives will describe successful Cause Marketing examples and how this tool becomes even more valuable using online social media.

Winning with People: What happens when someone pushes your buttons? Learn the secret to handling difficult behaviors with class! The insight from Winning with People gives you the know-how to command the respect you deserve. 

Recharge your Moxie: Are you looking to boost your creativity? Put some zest and zing in your problem-solving? Think differently? Make a positive difference? We'll work hard and play hard with high energy exercises, interactive discussions, and thought-provoking activities to Power Up! your moxie. 

Don't Be A Twit: Social / digital media is a phenomenon that's turning everyone into a publisher and content creator. But do you really know how to use these tools effectively? Do you keep on target with your business message? Are you making valuable connections for your business? Learn tips, tricks and solutions for furthering your efforts online.

For more information on the Women in Business Conference click here or for sponsorship opportunities contact Lindsey Pakkala at 843.805.3102.

Click here to read more.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented a 2009 Environmental Justice Achievement Award to the Mitigation Agreement Commission (MAC) and the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities (LAMC) for their work with the city of North Charleston and the South Carolina Ports Authority to foster environmental protection and economic revitalization in distressed neighborhoods. The partnership between MAC and LAMC created a $4.08 million community plan for the City of North Charleston that will fund community, neighborhood, and economic development projects and focus on developing grassroots solutions to environmental justice issues and pollution. Due to the formation of LAMC and the subsequent development of the MAC, more than $8,250 in education scholarships have been awarded and a consultant to develop the marketing and revitalization plans to strengthen the Mitigation Agreement Commission and the Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities neighborhoods and to research affordable housing development options has been selected. 

In just three years, the partnership has provided a voice for previously unheard communities, and now serves as a primary liaison between elected officials, public agencies, planners, private developers, and the neighborhoods it represents. This partnership represents one of the first port expansion projects to include both community revitalization and environmental protection projects as part of its formal mitigation plan. The formation of this partnership has brought a more keen awareness of environmental concerns to the Ports Authority. 

Partners Include:
Lowcountry Alliance for Model Communities, City of North Charleston, North Charleston City Council - District 10, South Carolina State Ports Authority, South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, Institute for Families in Society - University of South, Carolina Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture - Clemson University, South Carolina Department of Transportation, Berkeley – Charleston – Dorchester Council of Governments, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, South Carolina Employment Commission, North Charleston Housing Authority, Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Clemson University Restoration Institute