November/December 2005

Thank You! A BIG THANK YOU on behalf of the Avon Chamber of Commerce goes out to Bruce Shein of Avon Executive Offices for his generous donation of a desperately needed table for the Chamber’s conference area!

Networking with the Chamber The Chamber thanks the following businesses for their donations to our “Business After Hours” drawings:

August 17 – hosted by the Chamber members of Plaza 44: The Bagel Chalet, Inkjetwarehouse, Tracy L. Lachmann Massage Therapist, Nardi Family Chiropractic, PC Farm, Ski Market, and Tile & Stone Showcase by S.J. Masters:

The Bagel Chalet - two $10 gift certificates Stephen E. Cadieux, CPA - decorative fragrance candle Carl Candels & Associates - two tickets to

Papermania Inkjetwarehouse - one carton of paper (your choice) Tracy L. Lachmann Massage Therapist - two

certificates for a one-hour massage each Magda & Associates - glass paperweight Nardi Family Chiropractic - therapeutic pillow PC Farm - optical mouse Ski Market - two $50 gift certificates Sovereign Bank - cookbook, garden bag and umbrella

September 14 – Pig Roast III hosted by Cove Creek Mortgage, MaidPro, NOVA Marketing Services, and Marriott Residence Inn-Avon:

Imprint Newspapers – 1/4-page ad in the Avon Post Magda & Associates - glass paperweight Marriott Residence Inn-Avon - gift certificate for a

complimentary two-night stay Sovereign Bank – car care kit and duffle bag Logo Concepts, LLC - complimentary travel mugs

for all attendees

October 12 – hosted by Miller Foods, Miller Transportation and Oma’s Pride:

The Bagel Chalet – $10 gift certificate Edward Jones – two movie tickets to Hoyts Cinemas Enchanted Gardens – fall basket with crocus bulbs Magda & Associates – glass paperweight MaidPro - $25 gift certificate Miller Foods – four gift certificates for a turkey Oma’s Pride – three $25 gift certificates for Oma’s

Pride all-natural raw canine and feline food

Welcome New Members

Dr. Joanne A. Santiago, Avon Chiropractic (chiropractic physician), 549 West Avon Road, 673-2225, www.avonchiro.com.

Sam D. Na, Biner, LLC (manufacturer sales rep., international business consulting), 65 Anvil Drive, 269-8103.

Paul R. Carrier, Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. (residential mortgages) 56 East Main Street, 676-1503, paul_r_carrier@countrywide.com.

Galina Murphy, Curves 30 Minute Fitness (cardio/strength training and weight loss guidance) The Shops at River Park, 51 East Main Street, 678-0008.

Cecile Enrico and Jennifer Heil, Interval House West (providing services to victims of domestic violence) P.O. Box 340207, Hartford 06134, 246-9149 x12, Cecile.Enrico@IntervalHousect.org.

Lewis Green, L&G Business Solutions (management consulting firm focused on marketing, public relations & sales) 651 Country Club Road, 673-7543, www.l-gsolutions.com.

Dana Price, MP Star Financial, Inc. (provides accounts receivable funding to service companies with corporate receivables) P.O. Box 156, Canton 06019, 306-3140, www.mpstarfinancial.com.

Lisa Duncan, Eric Kopp and Judy Vuennel, Physical Therapy Partners (physical therapy and preventive care) 35 Nod Road, 677-0739, www.fitness-forum.com.

Joseph Muro, Reminder Press, Inc./Reminder Yellow Pages (publisher) 130 Old Town Road, P.O. Box 27, Vernon 06066, 1-800-300-2446, ext. 340, www.reminderyellowpages.com.

Richard J. Christensen and Kathleen A. Kelson, Season's Hallmark Shop (greeting cards and gifts) 530 Bushy Hill Road, Simsbury, 06070, 678-8852, rjaycris@comcast.net.

Robyn Benard, William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty (real estate company) 37 West Avon Road, Avon, 674-9400, www.williampittsir.com.

Member News LynxMedia USA is proud to announce that www.AvonCT.US is nearing the top of all the major search engines! Through the end of 2005, we are celebrating by offering three months free when you buy a link to your website or any other advertisement for twelve months. Mention reading about it here and get an ADDITIONAL month free! Contact Heather Dyer at 673-1432, heatherdyer@lynxmediausa.com. The financial services firm Edward Jones was named the No. 1 full-service broker in the August edition of SmartMoney magazine. For more information, call Peter Vignati at 676-1442 or go to www.edwardjones.com.

Upcoming Events November 2 / December 7 – “Morning Business Network Connection & Corporate Consultants Forum,” 8 to 9 a.m. Hosted by Cosi, 385 West Main Street (Route 44). Members free. November 7 / December 5 – Government Affairs & Economic Development Committee meeting, 5 to 6 p.m. Chamber office. November 8 / December 13 – Avon Chamber Operating Committee meeting, 7:30 a.m., Chamber office. November 9 / December 14 – Membership Committee meeting, 8 to 9 a.m. Canton Insurance Center, 23 Waterside Court. November 9 – Joint Chamber “Business After Hours” with Canton Chamber of Commerce – 5 to 7 p.m. Hosted by A Place For Mom, Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, Innovative Stone and Waterworks, and Jordan Florist – at Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, 301 Country Club Road, Avon. Members free. $20 non-members. November 10 / December 8 – Communications Committee meeting, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Q Real Estate, 112 West Main Street (Route 44). November 15 – Avon Chamber Board of Directors meeting, 7:30 a.m., Avon Old Farms Hotel. November 15 – “Mind Your Own Business,” – “Year-End Tax Planning Strategies” presented by Stephen Cadieux, CPA, 5 to 6:15 p.m., at the offices of COCC, 135 Darling Drive, Avon Park South. Members free. November 16 / December 21 – Education Committee meeting, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Cosi, 385 West Main Street (Route 44). November 17 / December 15 – Meetings & Events Committee meeting, 4 to 5 p.m. Laurel Gardens of Avon, 101 Bickford Extension. December 7 – “Business After Hours” – Annual Holiday Event/”Toys For Tots” Drive,” 5 to 7 p.m. Hosted by Laurel Gardens of Avon, 101 Bickford Extension. Members free. $20 non-members. To register for events or receive additional information, contact the Avon Chamber office at 675-4832 or at avonchamber@sbcglobal.net.

Member Profile John Taylor Dill Joyce & Thresher Insurance Let’s admit it, nobody likes insurance. Nobody likes to think about it, talk about it, and certainly nobody likes to pay for it. Insurance is, however, a very important part of any business plan. It is important to know that your company/organization is properly insured against the various types of claims that may arise. John Taylor, Senior Vice President Property & Casualty, Dill, Joyce & Thresher, specializes in all lines of commercial insurance (Property, Liability, Automobile, Workers Compensation, Professional Liability, etc.) for all types of Commercial Enterprises. John realizes that everyone’s business is different, as is everyone’s appetite for risk. It is essential that your agent understand your business, and what is important to you when developing an insurance strategy. Only through an in-depth analysis of your business and the exposures inherent to your business can one determine the most appropriate insurance solutions. This process of talking to business-owners, helping them understand the exposures they face, and working with the insurance companies to develop an appropriate insurance program is what John Taylor enjoys the most. You must trust your agent, feel comfortable with him/her, and know that they have your best interest in mind. Your agent must also have the knowledge, experience and wherewithal to get the job done. John’s experience and background uniquely qualifies him for the tasks outlined above. The experience he has gained in various roles working for insurance companies prior to joining DJT in 2002 have given him the essential technical expertise and practical knowledge. Dill Joyce & Thresher is a full service Insurance Agency with five divisions of insurance: Business Insurance; Employee Benefits; Personal Lines; Individual Insurance; and Pensions. DJT has offices in Avon and Windsor. Agency principal, Paul Mikkelson, is a former president of the Avon Chamber. John can be reached at 860 773-6345 or via e-mail at john@djtins.com. John Taylor of Dill, Joyce & Thresher Insurance was selected for a Member Profile at the April 13 “Business After Hours” hosted by Dill, Joyce & Thresher Insurance and Magda Associates.

Avon Chamber of Commerce Phone 860.675.4832 Your Business Connection Fax 860.675.0469 412 West Avon Road www.avonchamber.com Avon, CT 06001 avonchamber@sbcglobal.net

Editor: Bernadette Mayer Phone 860.673.5030 Mayer Communications Fax 860.673.5088 brmayer@comcast.net

Deadline for the January/February issue: December 10.

Mailing sponsored by

Chamber Insurance Trust/

“Filling the Moving Van” for the Victims of Hurricane Katrina by Lisa Bohman

Rarely do I write for this newsletter in the first person. Usually my handiwork is evident only in pieces that serve to promote you, the members. However, I felt compelled to break my rule and speak to you now. Those of you who have heard me at the various Chamber events know how fond I am of saying that our Chamber “rocks” and that we have the best members anywhere. Never were these two statements more true than on September 8; for on that day I was witness to one of the most moving experiences in my time serving as your executive director. Thanks in part to this Chamber, in collaboration with Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center, we were able to fill not one, but TWO moving vans with batteries, blankets, bottled water, non-perishable food goods, tarps, tents and toiletries to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina. To watch the procession of cars starting in the early morning just before 7 a.m. and continuing to well past 7 p.m. was a sight to see. The truly amazing part of that day was the outpouring of support by not just those from our Chamber and the community at large who donated to the relief effort, but also by those who stayed and volunteered. At any given moment during the day, you could look around and see moms, young people, firefighters, veterans, chamber members, employees from the Carmon family of funeral homes, all working together to help our fellow Americans in a time of crisis. I want to take this opportunity to both recognize and personally thank some very special members, without whom an undertaking of this magnitude could not have been possible: John Carmon, Erin Doherty and the staff of the Carmon family of Funeral Homes for opening both their business and their hearts to this worthy effort. Tony Lupoli of Woodland Moving and Warehouse in Hartford. Though not a member, he generously donated not only the moving vans – without which this collection could not have occurred – but also drove those same moving vans that weekend all the way to the Winston/Salem, North Carolina distribution center, where the items were then sent on to the hardest hit areas in both Louisiana and Mississippi. John Buckley of OFS Fitel and Steve McGuff of Reflexite Corporation. Without these two men, I would have been lost. Not only did each provide invaluable guidance and advice, but they also donated throughout the day countless boxes, pallets, shrink wrap, tape and reflective vests. The items collected that day would have never made it to the trucks without their help and support. Jamie DiPace and the men and women of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department. Their dedication and assistance was invaluable; from directing traffic, to accepting and sorting donations, to loading the truck – they did it all.

Rich Leone and the employees of COCC, who supported this effort through their generosity and countless volunteer hours. Judy Bloom of LynxMedia USA; Dr. Richard Kisiel, Superintendent, Avon Public Schools; and Phil Schenck, Town Manager, Avon who so willingly and so efficiently spread the word to so many in such a short amount of time. To the following members who generously volunteered their time and/or made a donation: Bonner & Company Canton Insurance Center COCC Complementary HealthCare Institute Cove Creek Mortgage ESearch Group Farmington Savings Bank Farmington Valley Visitors Association LynxMedia USA Magda & Associates Measure Twice Nardi Family Chiropractic New Era Telecommunications OFS Fitel Old Avon Village Raymond James Financial Services Reflexite Corporation Re/Max Premier Realtors – Leslie Chaput The First National Bank of Litchfield The Hunt Agency The Law Office of F. William O’Connor Webster Bank And, last but certainly not least: “Thank you” to the various clergy of the houses of worship in both Avon and Canton who announced the collection at their services the weekend prior, to my friends and fellow members of the Simsbury Junior Woman’s Club for their enthusiastic support of this collection, and to the men, women and children of Avon and surrounding towns whose generosity made it all possible. Though I tried my best, I feel sure I have probably overlooked someone in the process. If that is the case, please accept my heartfelt thanks for what you did to make this collection such a huge success and know that your contribution was no less appreciated. “Thank you” seems like such a little word for the very big thing all of you did that September day. Let me just say that I am both proud and privileged to be associated with an organization such as our Chamber. You will forever be remembered in the hearts of those you helped.

Everyone helped! Here volunteer Barb Kasner (center) of Avon with her new-found friend Griswold Jordan of Jordan Florist get ready to receive more donated items for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Avon Chamber Executive Director Lisa Bohman (l.) organized the collection with Erin Doherty of Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center.

The success of the collection for the victims of Hurricane Katrina would not have been possible without the unselfish support of the men and women of the Avon Volunteer Fire Department.

Volunteers (l. to r.) Mrs. Wingo, Ashley Dearstyne and John Eichler of Ladd-Turkington and Carmon Funeral Home pack boxes of donated items.

Volunteers from both Avon Chamber member businesses and the community helped make the collection a success.

Volunteers packed boxes all day for loading into the moving van.

Volunteers Jay Carmon and Kent Chamberlain of Carmon Funeral Home & Family Center load the moving van. The 48-foot van was donated by Tony Lupoli of Woodland Moving and Warehouse in Hartford.

Avon students of all ages helped with the collection effort.