Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce

How bad is the average American's commute? Comparatively speaking...not too bad....

2009-12-17T13:50:00.000-05:00

The Economist recently reported on a study done by Regus, a property company. The study examined the average commuting times across the world, surveying 11,000 people in 13 countries. I think its safe to say that Americans are located in a very auto-centric society, and if there is one thing that we are used to in the Lehigh Valley, its traffic jams. So, you'd think America would be pretty high on the list, right?

Wrong.

Of the thirteen countries surveyed, America ranked as having the 2nd shortest commuting time. The results:

China
India
Belgium
Germany
Mexico
France
Britain
South Africa
Netherlands
Australia
Spain
United States
Canada

By way of comparison - 32% of those in China surveyed indicated that they had considered leaving their job as a result of the commute. In America, that number was halved, with only 16% of respondents answering the same.

What to do if your Facebook or Twitter account is hacked

2009-12-17T11:24:00.000-05:00

This actually just happened to my coworker here at The Chamber, and it occurred to me that with so many new people on Facebook and Twitter, you may not realize when your account has been hacked or what to do if it is.

How to tell if your account (or a friend's) is hacked:
If you get a non-nonsensical message or see a wall post that doesn't make sense or seems out of character/has many spelling mistakes, chances are pretty good that the account has been hacked. For my coworker, it was "Smashing Record Along with You!" followed by a link to a webpage. "OMG is this you in this video?" is another pretty common one, and there are many variations. Most important thing here: if you see something like this, DON'T CLICK ON THE LINK. That will infect your computer as well.

What to do if your account is hacked:
1. If it's a wall post on Facebook, click the "Remove" button on the right of the subject. This will remove it from your profile and from the news-feed.
2. Change your password, right away! To do so in Facebook, click Settings, then Account settings, then Password and follow the instructions.
3. Post a message in your status update saying that your Account was hacked and that NO ONE should click on a funny-looking link that was supposedly sent from you. Here's exactly what my coworker typed: "ACCOUNT HACKED 5 minutes ago. Do not accept any video email posts from me! Thanks!"
4. Run anti-virus software. Never a bad idea after something like this.

Below is Security info from Facebook. I hope this is helpful!

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It is possible that malicious software was downloaded to your computer or that your password was stolen by a phishing website designed to look like Facebook. Please carefully follow the steps provided:

Run anti-virus software: If your computer has been infected with a virus or with malware, you will need to run anti-virus software to remove these harmful programs and keep your information secure.
- For Windows:
  http://www.microsoft.com/protect/viruses/xp/av.mspx http://www.microsoft.com/protect/computer/viruses/default.mspx
- For Apple/Mac OS:
  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222
Reset password: From the Account Setting page, you will need to create a new password. Be sure to use a different password than you use for other sites or services, made up of a complex string of numbers, letters, and punctuation marks that is at least six characters in length. Do not use words found in the dictionary.
Never click suspicious links: It is possible that your friends could unwillingly send spam, viruses, or malware through Facebook if their accounts are infected. Do not click this material and do not run any ".exe" files on your computer without knowing what they are. Also, be sure to use the most current version of your browser as they contain important security warnings and protection features. Current versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer warn you if you have navigated to a suspected phishing site, and we recommend that you upgrade your browser to the most current version. You can also find more information about phishing and how to avoid it at http://www.antiphishing.org/consumer_recs.html and http://onguardonline.gov/phishing.html.

Phishing is an online attempt to trick a user by pretending to be an official login page or an official email from an organization that you would have an account with, such as a bank or an email provider, in order to obtain a user’s login and account information. In the case of a phishing login page, the login page may look identical to the login page you would normally go to, but the website does not belong to the organization you have an account with (the URL web address of the website should reflect this). In the case of a phishing email, the email may look like an email you would get from the organization you have an account with and get emails from, but the link in the email that it directs you to takes you to the above phishing login page, rather than a legitimate login page for that organization.

To prevent your account information from being obtained in a phishing scheme, only log in to legitimate pages of the websites you have an account with. For example, "www.facebook.example.com" is not a legitimate Facebook page on the "www.facebook.com" domain, but "www.facebook.com/example" is a legitimate Facebook page because it has the "facebook.com" domain. When in doubt, you can always just type in "facebook.com" into your browser to return to the legitimate Facebook site.

If you are still unable to access your profile, please send us more information regarding the issue so we can investigate. Please submit your report here.

Daily Briefing, 12/17/2009

2009-12-17T07:12:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

The conflict between teachers and the school board in the Saucon Valley School District, with the School Board approving a teacher's contract by a 5-3 vote. In Bangor, the Borough adopted a budget that includes a 1.5 mill tax raise - smaller than the initially proposed 2 mill tax raise after Borough employees volunteered to give up raises for the year. In Northampton County, County Executive Stoffa wants to save money and will do so by trying to renegotiate labor contracts with the County's 11 unions.

In state-wide news, the Pennsylvania Senate approved its own version of tables games by a 27-22 vote - but the vote differs from the version passed by the House on local issues and smaller "resort" casinos, and House leaders say that this version of the bill will not pass.

In national news, Time yesterday announced their 2009 Person of the Year: Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, with the outcome in doubt, President Obama will head to the world-wide climate summit in Copenhagen tomorrow.

We have one Chamber event today: a mixer at 3900 Hamilton Blvd.

That's all for now! Have a great day, and we'll be back later.

Valley Social Cover Model Party - Christina Iannelli

2009-12-16T14:04:00.000-05:00

There is a great event coming up that we wanted to give a plug for. The event features the lovely young woman in this picture to the right, Chrissy Iannelli (yes, the daughter of the Chamber's very own Tony Iannelli). Chrissy is a model and NBA Dancer who is featured on the cover of the most recent Valley Social magazine.

The event itself begins this Friday, December 18, 5:30pm at Daniels BMW (4600 Crackersport Road, Allentown). Here are the details from the Facebook page:

"Join Valley Social Magazine and this issues cover model Christina Iannelli at Daniels BMW for the first event of the night for cocktails, hors d'ouerves and live entertainment from 5:30-8:30pm then an exclusive afterparty at the hot new Infusion Lounge at Sands Casino from 10:00pm - 2:00am. Don't miss this special night!!"

The event is free and open to the public! We hope to see you there!

What do you want from The Chamber's blog?

2009-12-16T13:00:00.000-05:00

One of the things we pride ourselves on at The Chamber is being a bottom-up organization. In the past few months, we have become increasingly active in the realm of Social Media. In addition to this blog, we operate a Facebook Page, a LinkedIn Group, a YouTube Channel and a Twitter Feed, as well as a series of offerings in Social Media training. We use these various tools to better connect with our members, policy makers and the Lehigh Valley as a whole. If you follow what we discuss at all, you know that we try to offer a broad array of value-added content, providing information and advice, as well as assisting our members in networking and promoting their various business initiatives.

So, here is where these two items connect. We think we've been doing a good job at providing content to those who follow us online - all five of our Social Media tools have seen steady increases in participation and visitors. But, we want to be better.

Here is our question: What would you like to see on our Social Media? Do you want to see more information on business advice? More online networking opportunities? Information about public policy? Local events? The Chamber itself? How can we better serve you?

Comments and responses are VERY appreciated!

A Call To Action: Do You Pledge to Buy Lehigh Valley?

2009-12-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

Obviously, one of our main goals at The Chamber is to promote local businesses. It's good for our economy and its good for our members. As such, we are proud promoters of the Buy Lehigh Valley pledge.

The pledge is simple: businesses, whether they are members or not, pledge to shift 5% of their spending from out of the Valley to back in. According to our statistics, if every business in the Valley took this pledge, an additional $100 million would be spent in the Lehigh Valley.

A Call to Action:
Have you taken the Buy Lehigh Valley pledge? You can do so right here: just leave your business name and a contact person in the comments, reply to the Facebook/LinkedIn note, or send us a Tweet at @GLVCC.

We encourage you to do your part to help the Lehigh Valley grow!

Daily Briefing, 12/16/2009

2009-12-16T06:54:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

In Allentown, despite City Council's veto of the Mayor's budget, the budget takes effect today as a result of stipulations in the City Charter. Attorney General Tom Corbett announced three more incitements as part of the ongoing Bonusgate investigation. Announced yesterday was the indictment of Representative Bill DeWeese (D-50), former Revenue Secretary and State Representative Steve Stetler and an aide to DeWeese. DeWeese resigned his post as Majority Whip and Stetler his as Revenue Secretary. Meanwhile, the House voted yesterday to legalize table games and send the bill to the Senate. The Senate is expected to take up the bill immediately and possibly vote on it as soon as today.

We have one Chamber event today: a joint lunch between the East Penn and Western Lehigh Chambers of Commerce.

Hmm, slow news day today! That's it for now though - we should be back at least once later. See you then!

A Great Facebook Promotion from one of our members

2009-12-15T11:15:00.001-05:00

One of our Chamber member's is running a great promotion that we wanted to share with you for its originality.

Christine's Secret Garden is an exotic tea business sells tea and related items. Christine recently started a Facebook fan page and is actively using the page to market her business. As part of her effort to build the page's fan page, Christine has created a unique promotion. From Christine: "For every 50 people that become a fan, I will select one name for a $5.00 gift certificate. If some one refers 10 fans, the person doing the referring will receive a gift."

Obviously, we are big proponents of Social Media at The Chamber and think this is a great idea, and something that should be replicated by other businesses.

(Fair warning: shameless plug approaching!) For those of you who are interested in learning more, The Chamber is running a training on using Social Media to provide value added content.

Daily Briefing, 12/15/2009

2009-12-15T07:09:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

In the Saucon Valley School District, the local Teachers' Union has voted to accept the most recent labor contract. The ongoing dispute, which has caused two separate strikes, must now be voted on by the Saucon Valley School Board. Speaking of school boards, the Bethlehem Area School Board has received an $88,000 grant that allows it to restart previously transportation cut SPARK program. The program serves low income 3 and 4 year olds in the district. Meanwhile, Lehigh Valley police departments have received $1.3 million in funding from the federal government - the money will go to fund region-wide radio upgrades and help build a regional crime-fighting center. In huge real estate news, Lehigh Valley home sales jumped 86% from the same month last year. While that rate of growth cannot possibly continue, realtors believe that the extension of the tax break for home purchases will continue to accelerate sales. Meanwhile, the political season has begun early in the Valley, as Congressman Charlie Dent (R-15) has bought radio ads attacking Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan (D), his presumed opponent in the race for the 15th Congressional District.

In state-wide news, table games were approved yesterday by a 97-95 vote in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. The House also approved funding for Pennsylvania state universities. The bill now moves onto the State Senate. In the upcoming Governor's race, Attorney General John Corbett leads all five Democrats in a poll released yesterday; however, Corbett never breaks 50% in any of the hypothetical match-ups, which leads analysts to conclude that the race is still very much open for anyone.

In national news, Senator John Lieberman's threat to filibuster the proposed Senate Health Care reform legislation - which included a Medicare buy-in for those over 55 - appears to have worked, with Senate Democrats appearing to be ready to remove the Medicare buy-in from the legislation. And, in more good news when it comes to banking, Wells Fargo has said it will repay the $25 billion it was loaned as part of the TARP bank bailout of last year.

Business Matters aired yesterday, featuring a heated debate on whether or not public funding should be used towards the arts. You can catch the show online later today.

That's it for now! We'll be back at least once later today. Have a great day!

Another casualty of the recession: spending on higher education

2009-12-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

We found this interactive map via Good. It is an interesting (and depressing) way of displaying how state budgetting on higher education fared in the past fiscal year. As you would expect, the answer: not well. Here are the facts:

On average, states cut spending to higher education 6% this past budget cycle.
Pennsylvania was slightly above the national average, cutting its spending 7% from the previous year.
Somehow, five states managed to increase spending on higher education: North Dakota (one of only two states not in debt this year), Texas, Alaska, Maryland and West Virginia.
On the other end of the spectrum, thirteen states cut spending more than 12%. Not surprisingly, these are the states that we most frequently hear about having budget problems: California, Nevada, Florida, Illinois, etc.

The Chamber Kicks Off Advanced Social Media Training

2009-12-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Over the course of last year, we held three very successful introduction courses to Social Media. Based on the overwhelming positive response, we are very pleased to announce the introduction of our Advanced Social Media Training! The details are below:

You're On Social Media...Now What?

Thursday, January 28, 3:00 - 5:00pm

Chamber Offices (561 Main Street, Suite 200, Bethlehem)

$49 member cost, $79 nonmember

Web Registration

Social Networking provides a great way for you to engage current and new customers in a wide variety of ways..but, if poorly utilized, you will do nothing but waste your own time and time of potential businesses. This training will teach you how to provide critically needed value-added content that will keep people visiting your social networking sites and utimately using your business.

Detailed handouts will be provided so you can get started as soon as you get back to your computer.
You won't know how much business you are losing till you get in the game! You need to attend and take advantage of this important training opportunity.

For more information contact Michael Schlossberg at mikes@lehighvalleychamber.org.
To register contact Marta Anglade at martaa@lehighvalleychamber.org.

Daily Briefing, 12/14/2009

2009-12-14T06:22:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! We hope you had a great weekend. Here is today's Daily Briefing.

The Morning Call runs a great story on a conflict between the two County Executives and the current administration at Lehigh Valley International Airport. The Call also runs a story on the upcoming electric deregulation and the choices that it presents to PPL customers when it comes to who will supply power to customers (incidentally, if you are a business, than the Chamber has a great electric supply program for you that can dramatically help reduce your costs). In Bethlehem, local authorities note that the Sands Casino has not let to a massive uptick in crime, although some communities, like Hellertown, have said that it has led to an increase in certain criminal offenses.

In state-wide news, Pennsylvania's political elite spent the weekend in New York at the annual Pennsylvania Society, a weekend extravaganza of schmoozing and fundraising. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is considering legislation that would require that any state construction firm that receives a state contract use a system that would determine if their employees are illegal immigrants.

In national news, the Senate approved a $447 spending bill this weekend that ensures that several government agencies will be able to continue to operate. The bill was approved 57-35 along mostly party lines.

Business Matters airs today, featuring a debate about whether or not public funding should go to the arts. This was a pretty contentious one. It will air at 8:00pm tonight on WFMZ-TV. You can also join in the debate at the Business Matters blog.

That's it for now! We'll hopefully be back later today.

Guest Post: Why Should a Business Owner Care about Social Media?

2009-12-10T10:00:00.001-05:00

So, in an effort to make our blog more diverse and reflective of our membership, we're going to start having our members write guest posts. This post comes to us courtesy of Donna Hosfeld of Hosfeld Insurance. Donna has done a great job of appropriately using social media to push her business and has proven that social media can help any small business, even fields that you wouldn't normally associate with this area (like insurance).

Her post is below. By the way, if anyone else would be interested in writing a guest post on a topic of your choosing, please E-mail me at mikes@lehighvalleychamber.org and let me know!

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WHY SHOULD A BUSINESS OWNER CARE ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA?

When asked to write a “guest article” for the Chamber Blog, I was flattered. Confused and bumfuzzled as to what perspective I should take, but still excited about the opportunity.

Ignoring social media would be ridiculous. Thinking it is something that will go away is just as crazy. Yet, many others still give me an “eye roll” or a chuckle when they hear that I post, tweet and blog. Odd, isn’t it? As a business owner, one needs to be alert and aware of what’s going on outside the box. We operate within the box we’ve created. Yet, we reach out on a daily basis to those outside of it. By recognizing the reach of social media, we simply extend our ability to communicate with the world around us.

I started with Linked In. It was easy to use and understand. It seemed “safe” because there were many other business professionals using it. My online resume and page did the same thing as my business website. It made me “real” and credible. Yet, it also did more. It “linked” me to other people I knew and ultimately other people I hadn’t yet met in the real world. The web of networking was never so clear and visualized.

Facebook looked like a fun thing. I didn’t really see it as anything that made sense for business, but it had all the bells and whistles that would make anyone intrigued! It was a virtual amusement park for adults! There are games and quizzes that could engage one for hours. Heck, I learned I type 92 words per minute, faster than in high school! Who said this aging thing was bad? Then the photo section! Wow! In minutes, I could “visit” high-school classmates, the countries they’ve visited, their pets, their kids…and I could post mine, too! Like Grandma at the grocery store when she pulls out her wallet to show off the grandkids…I could “whip out” my virtual wallet of history to show whenever I wished! Updating is addictive. Realizing how much we love to communicate didn’t surprise me. We’re human. But being able to process what all of my friends are doing throughout a day or week is amazing. With a telephone or email, we might know what a few are doing. But with this? Wow.

Soon I found Facebook had an option for the business! A “business page” linked to my personal page allows me to inform and advise “fans” when something interesting crosses my insurance radar screen. I can send updates about weather situations, seminars, open houses, helpful tips and news! Kind of like having my own personal podium out in the middle of Main Street!

Getting cocky with my newfound skills, I figured it was time to start a blog. Months before, I didn’t even know what a blog was. It sounded nasty…didn’t it involve a gelatinous monster that was going to eat the city? I watched enough late-night television to know that there was danger ahead for Will Robinson.

But I forged ahead and made friends with the program. You can insert photos, videos, do all kinds of creative things. Again, it became one more way to share the information I had with others. The blog is now a part of my regular website (www.hosfeldinsurance.com) and it can be updated anytime! I can do it myself, whenever I have something relevant to say. I no longer have to make my web guy nuts every time I feel a need to add something…I can do it from anywhere! He handles the big website stuff, but this is so within my skill set!

What else could there be? Ah, little grasshoppers…there was still the Mighty Twitter. I had signed up for it, decided it was useless, stupid and difficult. Made no sense. Who could ever get a point across with 140 characters? And who was listening? Strangers? No thanks. I closed the account.

Perplexed that I was missing something, I tried it again. There HAD to be something to this thing! I “followed” some folks who seemed reputable. I let them “follow” me. The whole thing screamed “STALKER” to me…

When my first stranger “followed” me, I freaked. Why would she do this? Who is she? What does she want? Oh, Lord, what have I started? I consulted with a friend who is a “social media guru” and he assured me that this is the way Twitter is SUPPOSED to work…that this was a GOOD thing. Whew! Who knew?

Eventually, I got it. I made friends with folks I’d never met! I then met them at organized gatherings at local bars and restaurants. I realized how cool this thing really was! Suddenly, I “knew” people from various towns, jobs, age groups, just through meeting on Twitter! After meeting in person, tweeting with them became even more fun!

Emoticons have become my friends. I can LOL with the best of them. I tweet with my tweeps on Twitter and I sponsor Tweetups. Oh yeah, it’s that crazy!

These venues exist and prosper because we’re human. We want to communicate. We want to share. Work is busy, life is busy…yet, with a few spare seconds, you can still reach out and know there are others out there with similar experiences. We may not have time to sit at the diner for coffee, or at the pub for a beer, but we can “chat” via the Blackberry anytime, anywhere.

When I started my insurance agency in 1998, I was incredibly lonely. Working alone, there were many days the only person I saw was the postman. Four walls and a telephone. Cold-calling strangers is not as fun as you might think.

Had that been 2009 instead of 1998, I would have had a network of “links” “friends” and “tweeps” upon which to rely. Whether you have a sick cat, a flat tire, or a bad case of the flu…there are folks who are a keystroke away from offering advice and/or a kind word of encouragement. From a personal standpoint, or a business one, this is invaluable. Fewer than 140 characters “Hang in there” “Congratulations” or “Go get ‘em” can mean the world when you need to hear them.

By providing a free-flowing stream of fresh information and data, Twitter rocks. By “following” the right folks, you are up-to-the-minute on local or global news, weather, traffic or any subject that intrigues you. Earthquakes on the other side of the world are tweeted before you see them on CNN! You can know when that new Thai restaurant opens…you can see the fabulous pasta dish that someone ordered within seconds of it arriving at their table!

I’ve been able to be a resource to others as well. Whether it’s answering a basic insurance question or arranging to meet for a personal review of someone’s policy, these models allows conversations to occur. Late at night, I can chat on the Blackberry, having conversations I wouldn’t ordinarily have in my pajamas chugging hot chocolate!

Time sucker you say? Not as much as you might think. Relatives have asked me when I find time to work since they see me on Facebook “so much”. Truth is, I work a lot. But because I can communicate from anywhere on that Blackberry, I use those empty time pockets to post. Whether I’m waiting for the dentist, bored during the commercials, or just being a passenger in a car…I can share things in an instant. Maybe it’s an amazing sunset. An astounding plate of chili-cheese fries. Or an update on a bad traffic situation. Most of what I post is useful, relevant or fun. Hopefully, all three!

Will social media replace regular networking? Never. The virtual interplay is enhanced by “meetups” and “tweetups” and informal gatherings for coffee. We’re human. We still like to see smiling faces, hear chuckles and giggles, and connect with warm, firm handshakes. Social media options simply provide valuable introductions before we enter a room.

We need not worry about our world becoming cold and impersonal. These simple tools allow us to go back to the playground and “make friends” on the most basic terms. The rules didn’t change. It’s easy. Just like Mama taught us, BE NICE, SHARE and HAVE FUN!

@hosfeldinsuranc (On Twitter)

Hosfeld Insurance, LLC (On Facebook)

www.hosfeldinsurance.com

Daily Briefing, 12/11/2009

2009-12-11T07:04:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

Some gaming news to lead off today: Easton will receive $450,000 of the estimated $1.8 million that the Valley will receive in tax dollars from table games, if and when they are legalized. Easton did not receive any of the money from slots. In Northampton County, however, some Council members are considering suing Bethlehem over disagreements for the way that Bethlehem is spending portions of the casino money. Speaking of Northampton County, the County passed its 2010 budget - a budget that, after cuts, included no tax increases, despite Executive Stoffa's original call for a 9% tax increase.

In state-wide news, former State Representative Sean Ramaley has been acquitted of all charges related to the Bonusgate scandal. The trail result is a political blow to Attorney General Tom Corbett, who is also running for Governor.

In national news, a survey notes that only 4% of troubled mortgages have received help under programs established by the Obama administration. New numbers indicate that patent filings have fallen from the previous year's filings - the first time in 13 years this has happened. And, for the 14th straight money, the U.S. government spent more money than it took in, this month recording a $120.3 billion deficit.

That's all for now! Have a great day!

The Obama jobs plan

2009-12-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

The Obama administration recently announced its plan to stimulate jobs creation and assist small businesses. It seemed like a topic that was worth a closer look. Here are some of the highlights of Obama's proposed legislation:

Incentives for small businesses, more road construction money and rebates to home-owners who engage in energy conservation improvements, such as home weatherization.
Elimination of the capital-gains tax of small businesses.
Extension, through 2010, of a $250,000 tax-write off for small businesses.
Extension of a tax break that allows businesses to deduct capital expenses.
Elimination of fees and extension of government guarantees for loans through the Small Business Administration.
Increase in overall infrastructure spending.
Increase in subsides for green jobs.
Extension of unemployment benefits and other social safety-net measures.

The measure would be paid for, at least in part, by repaid loans from the TARP bank-bailout.

Daily Briefing, 12/10/2009

2009-12-10T06:36:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

In local tax news, the Borough of Emmaus increased taxes 6%. In Bethlehem, 324 new parking meters will be installed and meter hours will increased from 6pm - 9pm in an attempt to plug a 9.5% revenue shortfall for the Bethlehem Parking Authority. In Easton, city Council passed its 2010 budget; the budget has no tax increases. There's good news when it comes to home sales; numbers produced by the Lehigh Valley Association of Realtors have shown that home sales doubled in November when compared to last year. There was also good news on a national level, with foreclosures filings decreasing 8%, the fourth straight month that such filings went down. Slightly north of the Valley, Hazelton Mayor Lou Barletta (R) has announced that he will make a third run for Congress against Democrat Paul Kanjorski.

In state-wide news, tax revenues were down 2% against projections, leading Governor Rendell to say that more state layoffs may be necessary event if table games are legalized and reach his desk. Speaking of gaming, Sands revenue and the revenue of casinos state-wide took a hit last week, dropping 10%, as is standard for the industry for this time of year.

Today is a busy day at The Chamber, as we are holding three events: the Easton Area Chamber of Commerce is holding their holiday luncheon, there is a grand opening for Phoenicia's, a new restaurant in downtown Easton, and a mixer at the Liberty Bell Shrine in Allentown.

That's it for today! Have a great day, and we'll see you later.

Report: 29 states increase taxes

2009-12-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

A report from the National Governor's Association and the National Association of State Budget Officers can best be summed up as follows: OUCH. 29 states increased taxes this past budget year. The key points:

29 states increased taxes, bringing in an extra $23.9 billion.
11 states increased personal income taxes, bringing in $10.7 billion in new revenue.
22 states (and Puerto Rico) used layoffs.
23 states used across the board cuts.

The conclusion that we can draw from this report is just another restatement of the obvious: governments are down on their revenue as well.

Daily Briefing, 12/8/2009

2009-12-08T06:03:00.000-05:00

Good Morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

According to a new local survey, 75% of companies plan on maintaining their current staffing level for the first quarter of 2010 - a number that is slightly above the 73% national rate, although both numbers show an improvement from previous quarters. In the Borough of Nazareth, Borough Council voted to increase property taxes by 7.8%. According to a consultant hired by Northampton County for the purposes of property assessment, the Bethlehem Sands property has a market value of $250 million, a number that is lower than expected. And speaking of Northampton County, Northampton County Councilman Ron Angle was sworn in as a Bangor Area School Board Director yesterday, a move which some believe is illegal. DA John Morganelli is currently seeking a court order to determine if that is in fact the case.

In state-wide news, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives is set to vote today on the legalization of table games. The initial tax rate on the measure would be 16%, with 2% to be split by local and county governments and the rest going to the state. The federal Environmental Protection Agency yesterday found carbon dioxide and other related gases to be dangerous; as a result, new regulations could come into effect that will raise energy costs. This could be particularly expensive in Pennsylvania. The U.S. Senate is set to vote today on an amendment to the health care reform bill that would ban abortion funding - and our Senator Casey is a co-sponsor of the measure.

In national news, President Obama is set to propose the creation of a $200 billion jobs program, using TARP bailout money that has been paid back. Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, said yesterday that it is too soon to know whether or not the current economic recovery will be a permanent one.

Business Matters aired yesterday, featuring a one-on-one interview with Auditor General and Democratic candidate for Governor Jack Wagner. The show will be online later today, and you can also check out the Business Matters blog for more info on the show.

We have one Chamber event today: the Women's Business Council is holding their Holiday Tea & Tree party.

Welcome, New Members!

2009-12-03T10:47:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the new Chamber Members in November!

Advance Auto Parts

9755 Commerce Circle

Business Type: DISTRIBUTORS & SUPPLIERS

Alcazar Networks, Inc

4949 Lierty Lane, Suite 320

(484) 664-2800

gaving@alcazarnetworks.com

www.alcazarnetworks.com

Business Type: TELEPHONE PRODUCTS & SERVICES; TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Ameriprise Financial - Gilbert

1555 Brookside Road

(610) 391-1883

Business Type: FINANCIAL SERVICES

Assurance First Land Abstract Company

7540 Windsor Drive, Suite 103

(610) 393-3500

titleins@assurancefirst.net

Business Type: TITLE COMPANIES

BE Cooler

6723 Carls Hill Road

(484) 951-3462

sales@becoolernow.com

www.becoolernow.com

Business Type: WATER TREATMENTS & RELATED SYSTEMS; BEVERAGES & DISTRIBUTORS

Berkheimer Outsourcing Inc

1530 Valley Center Parkway, Suite 200

(610) 954-9575 ext 2368

rstrage@work2berk.com

www.work2berk.com

Business Type: DATA PROCESSING, PRINTERS, PUBLISHERS & GRAPHICS, RECORDS MANAGEMENT & DESTRUCTION

Bissell Enterprises

5587 Teeka Court

(610) 262-4008

bissell@us.aflac.com

Business Type: INSURANCE

Brian's Professional Cleaning Services Inc. tdba Brian's Professional Cleaning & Restorations Company Inc.

235 South Broad Street

(610) 759-5518

briansprofessional@rcn.com

www.briansprofessional.com

Business Type: CLEANING SVCS, EQUIPMENT, RESTORATION & SUPPLIES

Carrabbas Italian Grill

2471 Park Avenue

(610) 258-5326

ca8905@carrabbas.com

www.carrabbas.com

Business Type: RESTAURANTS & CAFES

Center for Allergy & Asthma Care

250 Cetronia Road, Suite 102

(610) 841-3890

caacom@ptd.net

Business Type: PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS

Chelsea Associates

562 Chelsea Lane

(610) 762-9305

chelseassociates@gmail.com

Business Type: MARKETING SERVICES

Countryside Pallet, Inc.

P.O. Box 142

(610) 838-8312

countrysidepalletbd@msn.com

Business Type: PALLETS

Designfusion, Inc.

7535 Windsor Drive, Suite B202

(610) 706-0329

www.designfusion.com

Business Type: SOFTWARE CONSULTANTS & DESIGN

Employee Employer Solutions

1936 Peach Tree Lane

(610) 694-9586 ext. 1

www.employeemployersolutions.com

Business Type: INSURANCE

Euro Yogurt LLC

129 East Third Street

(610) 419-8192

euroyogurt@gmail.com

www.euro-yogurt.com

Business Type: RETAIL SALES

Extreme Marketing

339 Liberty Road

(908) 859-3678

www.extrememarketingnj.com

Business Type: MARKETING SERVICES

Fundamental Financial

3201 Highfield Circle

, Suite J

www.fundamental.com

Business Type: FINANCIAL SERVICES

George R. Desh Appraisals

1281 Sycamore Avenue

(610) 865-9282, (cell) 610-739-0519

georgedesh@hotmail.com

Business Type: REAL ESTATE APPRAISALS, DEVELOPERS & SERVICES

Heilman Foods Inc.

203 Florentine Drive

(610) 392-4153

jeh2@ptd.net

Business Type: FOOD PRODUCTS, SERVICES & SUPPLIES

Ivy League Mortgage

22 West Broad Street

(610) 419-8575

www.ilmbethlehem.com

Business Type: MORTGAGE BROKERS

KGB Corporation

P.O. Box 747

(877) 610-1114

www.KGB-Corp.com

Business Type: MARKETING SERVICES

Massage by Denise Mikovitch

2152 Amilisa Road

(610) 746-7761

badmik@verizon.net

Business Type: THERAPISTS

Penn Solar Power LLC

2106 Beechwood Street

(610) 295-7771

www.pennsolarpower.com

Business Type: ENERGY

Petra Mediterranean

81 West Broad Street

(610) 866-3901

Business Type: RESTAURANTS & CAFES

Phoenicia

154 Northampton Street

(610) 849-1749

www.phoeniciaonline.com

Business Type: RESTAURANTS & CAFES

Progress Printing Company

428 Pine Street

(610) 392-8658

www.progprint.net

Business Type: PRINTERS, PUBLISHERS & GRAPHICS

Robinson Tech Products

3962 Portland Street

(610) 261-1900

www.inweldcorporation.com

Business Type: DISTRIBUTORS & SUPPLIERS

Rockn' Joe Coffee Lounge & Eats

One West Broad Street

(610) 882-3508

www.rocknjoe.net

Business Type: RESTAURANTS & CAFES

Office of Dr. Edward M. Salgado

825 Delaware Avenue

(610) 865-5993

drsalgado@verizon.net

Business Type: PHYSICIANS & SURGEONS

SWF Industrial, Inc.

1033 Water Street

(717) 252-3948

www.swfindustrial.com

Business Type: FABRICATION

Valley Manor Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

7650 Route 309

(610) 282-1919

www.extendicare.com

Business Type: REHABILITATION FACILITIES

A North Star Agency Auto Insurance & Notary Services

127 Soth Seventh Street

(610) 432-5145

www.anorthstarglobal.com

Business Type: INSURANCE

Business Type:

Chamber publicity in the wake of Obama's visit

2009-12-07T14:34:00.000-05:00

So, unless you don't live in the Lehigh Valley or have been living under a rock for the past week, you know that President Obama was in the Valley on Friday. As a result, we saw quite a bit of media coverage in the area, and The Chamber was fortunate enough to have its voice heard in a variety of stories on the President's visit. Here are some of the examples:

WFMZ: http://wfmz.com/view/?id=1309012
TONY IANNELLI: I do believe the private sector will specifically be the driver of the new economy and we need to set a stage that will allow then to be profitable.

WFMZ: http://wfmz.com/view/?id=1309012
>> TONY IANNELLI: I do believe the private sector will specifically be the driver of the new economy and we need to set a stage that will allow then to be profitable.

>> REPORTER: Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce President Tony Iannelli says the focus on infrastructure will also be a key part of a very complicated recovery process.

>> I think it's been ignored for a long time.

Morning Call: http://www.mcall.com/news/all-lyrics.7105988dec04,0,2413151.story
Hokey and trite as it sounds, the three cities and their suburbs put aside their parochial interests and combined efforts to diversify and revitalize the region. The Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp. is the only major development agency. The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is the only chamber group.

Morning Call: http://www.mcall.com/news/all-a1_5jobs.7105680dec04,0,2607348.story
Tony Iannelli, president of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, said he was encouraged that the summit included panelists from the private sector, which he said will lead an economic recovery. Of the Chamber's 5,000 members, about 85 percent are small businesses with 100 or fewer employees. Such small businesses are a primary focal point of the jobs summit. Local businesses won't be ready to boost employment until they see signs they are returning to profitability, Iannelli said. The current economic environment is one in which businesses survive by containing costs rather than expanding, he said. ''The stimulus was intended to spike the economy, but at this time the stimulus has not had an overwhelming impact on the Lehigh Valley economy,'' Iannelli said…

Daily Briefing, 12/7/2009

2009-12-07T05:25:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! We hope you enjoyed your snowy weekend. Here is today's Daily Briefing.

The Morning Call runs a story on Gracedale, Northampton County's senior citizen home, and the controversy over the its potential privatization. In Lower Macungie Township, the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission has come out against a proposed quarry in the Township, saying that they are concerned over the potential for a negative impact on farming and residential properties nearby. There appears to be some good news when it comes to H1N1, as the amount of cases has peaked, although experts are concerned for the potential of another wave of the disease. In Easton, Chamber member Bob Buesing of East Coast Touring Company has said that he will raise the $10,000 needed to fund a tourism study to help determine if tourism and arts are the future in Easton.

In national news, the Treasury department has announced that of the they expect to recover all but $42 billion of the $340 billion they lent out last year in the bank bailout. And, in Copenhagen, the UN Summit on Climate Change has kicked off.

Business Matters airs today, featuring a one-on-one interview with Auditor General and Democratic Candidate for Governor Jack Wagner. The show airs tonight (Monday, December 7) on WFMZ-TV - you can also read more about the show over at our Business Matters blog.

We have one Chamber event today: a tree lighting in Phillipsburg.

And that's it for now! Have a great day - we should be back later.

Daily Briefing, 12/4/2009

2009-12-04T06:14:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

Of course, President Obama will be in the Valley today, appearing at Lehigh County Community College around 12:00pm. He will be making other stops in the area, including at least one at Allentown Metal Works, though much of the rest of the President's schedule remains unknown. This will not be the President's first visit to the region; he was here when he was campaigning back in April, and although politics will not exclusively be the focus of this visit, the Morning Call notes that this visit isn't exactly politics-free. Meanwhile, the President held a jobs summit at the White House yesterday that was attended by Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski; the visit put Allentown in the national spotlight, with the Mayor winding up on stage with the President and appearing on MSNBC's Hardball. The President's opponents are speaking out as well; former Lehigh Valley Congressman and Senate Candidate Pat Toomey blasted the President in advance of his visit yesterday, criticizing the President's job-creation efforts.

In other news, Renew Lehigh Valley held a public forum on the bi-county public health board proposal yesterday. In loca tax news, Upper Nazareth township was able to lower property taxes by a little more than 7% yesterday; in Northampton County, a decision by the county Retirement Board lowered the County's pension obligation, and as a result has lowered the County's proposed tax increase. Also discussed at Northampton County yesterday was the possibility of closing Gracedale, the County's Nursing Home, with many members speaking against the possible closure.

In national news, Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, had a reconfirmation hearing yesterday - some offered praise, with others criticizing the Chairman for perceived failures by the Federal Reserve. Speaking of the economy, November's unemployment numbers are expected to be released later today. Analysts expect the numbers to remain at 10.2%.

Today is a busy day in The Chamber world, with three events being held: First Friday in Bethlehem, a mixer at the Roxy Theater in Northampton and a workshop on Financial and Business Mastery from ActionCOACH.

That's it for now! Have a great weekend and we'll be back Monday.

What do I blog about?

2009-12-03T11:23:00.000-05:00

When we talk about blogging and social media, one of the concepts we discuss more than anything else is the concept of value-added content. When you use social media, you have to give people a reason to follow you and see what you have to say. In other words: be interesting. Be different. Most important of all, don't do nothing but sell - engage in a conversation.

So, when it comes to blogging, what should you talk about? Granted, blogging as a business is can be a time commitment, and can sometimes be a struggle to find new things to discuss. However, blogging can work for any company - just ask Donna at Hosefeld Insurance about the success of her blog.

So, what do you write about? Here are some thoughts:
1) Talk about industry-wide items.
2) Give people your own personal insight about your business or something interesting/quirky within it.
3) Show something fun! You don't always have to be serious.
4) Don't just rely on text. Show video (embedding video from YouTube is very easy) or pictures.
5) Make a how-to or step-by-step instructions of something related to your industry/business.
6) Offer guest posts!
7) Offer exclusive blog/internet deals. The Chamber just did that for our ATT-Lehigh Valley Christmas concert and we generated extra ticket sales as a result - that's money we wouldn't have if not for Social Media!
8) Talk about an event you are having or already attended. Discuss what you learned at it.
9) Discuss current events and how it relates to what you do.

Daily Briefing, 12/3/2009

2009-12-03T07:38:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone! Here is today's Daily Briefing.

In local budget news, Allentown City Council rejected the Mayor's budget yesterday by a vote of 4-3. Beyond symbolism, however, the vote was largely meaningless; according to the Allentown City Charter, the Mayor's budget will still be in effect by December 15 in the absence of a passed budget from City Council. In Williams Township, an increase in expenses has forced Township Supervisors to possibly double taxes in this year's budget. With President Obama coming to the Valley tomorrow, the Morning Call runs a Q&A that has details of the visit. Ahead of the visit, Obama's Organizing for America held an event that featured small business owners in favor of his health care plan, while opponents in the 9/12-Lehigh Valley Tea Party Group criticized the President for not meeting with them. In Bethlehem, good news, as the Sands had its third straight record week, making it the 2nd busiest casino in the state.

In national news, the health care reform battle continues in the Senate. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) is working on drafting a compromise to the controversial legislation that could potentially win Republican support. Meanwhile, Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) has circulated a memo that lays out a variety of procedural tactics that would delay and slow down passage of the bill. In other news, Bank of America announced yesterday that they would repay the $45 billion taxpayer-funded loans that they took during the height of the recession last year. Also, NBC has been sold to Comcast, who will now own a majority share in the network.

We have one Chamber event today: a mixer at the McCann School of Business & Technology.

That's it for now! See you all later, and have a great day.

Chamber President's Roundtable with Ross Born

2009-12-02T14:34:00.000-05:00

Chamber President's Roundtable with Ross Born

Thursday, February 11, 2010

11:45am - 1:00pm - Hyatt Place

North & Guetter Streets, Bethlehem

Currently serving as the CEO of one of the best known businesses in the Lehigh Valley, Ross began work with Just Born in 1978 and was recently introduced to the Candy Hall of Fame. Ross Born will tell you how your business can thrive in the 21st century!

The President's Roundtable is series is designed for business leaders who are interested in and have questions for the featured guest.

Reservations can be made by mail to The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 205, Allentown PA 18101, faxed to 610-437-4907 or by contacting Lorie (610-841-5802, lorier@lehighvalleychamber.org).