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April 2017

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UPCOMING EVENTSBusiness Builder When: Tuesday, April 11 and Thursday, April 27; 8:30-9:30 a.m. Where: Chamber BoardroomCost: Free

To Sell is NOT to SellWhen: Thursday, April 13; 8:30-10:30 a.m.Where: Chamber BoardroomCost: Free to members; $10, future members Speaker: Greta Schulz

The ABCs of Employment When: Wednesday, April 12; 8:30-10 a.m. Where: Chamber Boardroom Cost: $30 in advance; $50 at the door Presented by: FordHarrison

Power Networking @ Lunch When: Tuesday, April 18; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Where: Holiday Inn-Palm Beach Airport Cost: $35, members (in advance), $40 after deadline; $45, future members (in advance), $50 after deadline Partner: Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach County

YPOP ConnectWhen: Wednesday, April 19; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: South Florida Science Center and Aquarium Cost: Free for chamber members; $20, future chamber members

Network Advance When: Thursday, April 20; 8:30-9:30 a.m. Where: Chamber BoardroomCost: Free

2017 Business Awards BreakfastWhen: Friday, April 21; 7:45-9 a.m. Where: Palm Beach County Convention Center Cost: $45, members (in advance), $50 after deadline; $55, future members (in advance), $60 after deadline

Network for a Cause When: Thursday, April 27; 5:30-7:30 p.m. Where: The Butcher Shop Beer Garden & Grill Cost: $15, members (in advance), $20 after deadline

The March Breakfast, presented by Gunster, featured Andrae Bailey, former CEO of the Central Florida Commission on Homelessness. Bailey offered multiple resolutions to the problem, suggesting that the solution to homelessness is housing. He supported this by explaining the Housing First Model, which is succeeding in Orlando. Bailey emphasized his message

by sharing emotional stories about the homeless that he had encountered throughout downtown Orlando.

 Jon Levinson, a member of the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County’s Board of Directors, ended the program with a call to action. He asked leaders in the community to get engaged and educated with the problem and assist with the solution.

 Guests placed donations in mailboxes sponsored by GL Homes. The money collected in these mailboxes will go towards Creating Housing Opportunities. This program pays the first and last month’s rent and deposit to help people

experiencing homelessness move into housing using the Housing First model. 

 To learn more about the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County’s visit online: homelesscoalitionpbc.org

ANDRAE BAILEY ADDRESSES HOMELESSNESS ISSUES AT

CHAMBER BREAKFAST

From left: Andrae Bailey, former CEO of the Central Florida Commission to Homelessness; Joe Chase, Chamber Chair; Sarah Alsofrom, Director of Community Relations of GL Homes; Marilyn Munoz, Executive Director of the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County; Jon Levinson, Board of Director for the Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County PHOTO BY CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY

On March 14 the Florida Chamber of Commerce and The Chamber of Com-merce of the Palm Beaches partnered in the presentation of a Town Hall to discuss Florida’s future.

Florida 2030 is our opportunity to work together to strengthen your community, your business, and your future. Help us make Florida a better place for tomorrow by engaging in Florida 2030 today. For more information about Florida 2030 go to www.flchamber.com.

“When it comes to securing Florida’s future, it’s important to think long term. Florida will need to create 2 million net new jobs between now and 2030, and 6 mil-lion more people will call our state home.

Florida 2030 is a two-year research pro-gram that will serve as Florida’s next blue-print to stimulate strategic thinking about Florida’s future. Through the Florida 2030 Town Hall briefings, we’ve heard more than 5,000 voices and have been to more than 50 counties to engage business and com-

munity leaders in identify-ing key trends and the factors that can drive their regional economy,” said Tony Carva-jal, executive vice president, Florida Chamber Foundation.

Florida 2030 — A Plan for the Future

From left: Tony Carvajal, Executive Vice President of the Florida Chamber Foundation; Laurel Baker, Executive Director at Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce; Kelly Smallridge, President & CEO Business Development Board of Palm Beach County; Pam Rauch, Vice President, Corporate Development & and External Affairs, Florida Power & Light Company; Joe Chase, Chamber Chair; Dennis Grady, President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches PHOTO BY CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPY

Leadership West Palm Beach enjoys Western Communities Day

On Wednesday, March 1, the 2017 class of Leadership West Palm Beach experienced Western Communities Day, which began with a visit to The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Next came a tour of the Solid Waste Author-

ity, an extrication demonstration at Fire Station 5, and a tour and air-boat rides at Grassy Waters Preserve.

Thank you to our Western Com-munities day chairs, Carlos Cabrera and William Brasmar. Special thanks to our Class 2017 Sponsors — Florida Power & Light Company, The Palm Beach Post, Reikenis & Associates, Brightline, TD Bank, Glidden-Spina + Partners, and KPA Promotions.

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Trustees from the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches were treated to an exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of the new Brightline trains. Approximately 40 Trustees toured Workshop b, Brightline’s railroad operations center just north of Downtown West Palm Beach. They were greeted by Brightline’s new Chief Executive Officer Dave Howard and Chief Marketing Officer Julie Edwards who thanked them for their support.

 During the tour, they were able to step inside BrightBlue, Brightline’s first trainset and see all of the many technological innovations of this custom-built train. The Trustees toured both the Select and Smart coaches, as well as the locomotive. Brightline will soon will be providing express inter-city train service between West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Brightline will begin introductory service between West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale in late July, followed by service to Miami shortly thereafter.

Chamber Trustees get firsthand look at Brightline’s railroad operations center

Leo and Kathryn Vecellio named Community Leaders of the Year

Picture from left: Dennis Grady,

President and CEO of the Chamber

of Commerce of the Palm Beaches;

Mike Bauer, General Manager

of Roger Dean Stadium; Joe

Chase, Chamber Chair.

Leo and Kathryn Vecellio are the recipients of the 2017 Community Leaders of the Year Award, sponsored by Bill Bone of Larmoyeux & Bone.

The Vecellios are active members of the community. They learned “giving back” from their parents, which is evident in their public outreach. In addition to giving of their time, the Vecellio Family Foundation helps financially support numerous education, charitable and religious programs. 

The Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2017 Business Awards. These awards recognize business es and individuals who demonstrate a solid commitment to their business goals, their employees and their local community.

Business of the Year ■■Duffy’s Sports Grill■■Brightline■■Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation ■■Braman Motors

Small Business Person of the Year

■■Carey O’Donnell, O’Donnell Agency ■■Bob Goldfarb, Men’s Custom Clothier ■■Allen Gast, Gast Construction Group, Inc. ■■Scott Lewis, Scott Lewis’ Gardening

and Trimming

Non-Profit (Arts & Culture) of the Year

■■Hispanic Human Resources Council, Inc.■■Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society ■■Historical Society of Palm Beach County ■■Nova Southeastern University

Health and Human Services Organization of the Year

■■Dermatology Associates of the Palm Beaches, PLLC

■■Children’s Services Council■■Hospice of Palm Beach County Foundation■■Homeless Coalition of Palm Beach County

Young Professional of the Year ■■Matthew Hoffman, Sugar Cane Growers

Cooperative of Florida■■Emily Clifford, J.P. Morgan Private Bank■■Ann Marie Sorrell, The Mosaic Group■■Dr. Adam Ramsey, Iconic Eye Care

Diversity Organization of the Year

■■Compass Community Center■■Urban League of Palm Beach County ■■MorseLife Health System ■■Mandel Jewish Community Center of

the Palm Beaches

Back this year is the Diversity Organization of the Year Award. This award will honor a Chamber member business that has implemented programs in the workplace to create and promote diversity.  

 The Business Awards Break fast will be held Friday, April 21 at 7:45 a.m. at the Palm Beach County Conven tion Center. Thank you to our sponsors: Larmoyeux & Bone, Florida Crystals, Holland and Knight, The Palm Beach Post, South Florida Science Center & Aquarium, Blue Ocean Capital, FordHarrison, Lemonlight Media, Southwest Airlines and Chen Moore & Associates.

 Registration is open for table sponsors and individual seats. Please register online at www.palmbeaches.org or for infor mation, call (561) 833-3711 (ext. 231).

Ellen CraneEllen Crane, APR, is the Director of Public Affairs for Cancer Treatment

Centers of America (CTCA), a national network of five hospitals that serves adult patients who are fighting cancer. From the company’s headquarters in Boca Raton, she manages national and local partnerships with such organizations as the American Lung Association, Cancer Support Communities and the YMCA. Prior to joining CTCA, Ellen was president of her own public relations consulting firm for 15 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Georgia and is accredited in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America.

Jennifer HamptonJennifer Hampton is the owner and CEO of Superior Virtual, a

full service digital marketing agency specializing in website design, search engine optimization, and social media management. Hampton, who is also an author and public speaker, specializes in inbound marketing, social media marketing and corporate training. She works with small and mid-size companies to improve online communications through the use of Web and mobile technologies to build digital relationships. To date, Hampton has been a guest speaker at more than 300 events nationally.

TRUSTEE SPOTLIGHT

Dino MorraDino Morra is Vice President of Sales for C3 Cloud Computing Systems in

Delray Beach. He began his career in 1992 with AT&T, where he was recognized twice as a Leaders Council winner for creating long-term strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 enterprise, health care, education and government clients. In 1999, Morra joined US LEC and led the explosive sales growth in the Southeast as Regional Vice President of Sales, where he oversaw more than 300 sales professionals. He continued with the organization for an additional six years after the acquisition by Paetec, and later Windstream, before joining Atlantic Broadband as their Director of Enterprise Sales.

Above, from left: Dennis Grady, President & CEO Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches; Dan Lindblade, CEO Greater Ft. Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce; Alfred Sanchez, CEO Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce; Dave Howard, CEO Brightline; Joe Chase, Chamber Chair; Robert Agrusa, Executive Director of Central Florida Partnership. PHOTOS BY CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY

This year the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches donated $3,000 to the Cardinals/Marlins Fund from the proceeds of their annual Baseball Bash at Roger Dean Stadium in February.

The Cardinals/Marlins Fund,

established in 1998, provides financial assistance to sports and community service non-profit organizations in Palm Beach and Martin counties so that young people may participate in baseball, sports programs and physical fitness activities.

Chamber supports the Cardinals/Marlins Fund