b business usiness - monetizedigital.us | monetize ... 2009.pdfdid you know the chamber/cvb...

Chamber will begin teaching customer service training The Alice Chamber of Commerce will

soon be offering Customer Service training from a certified instructor. Chamber direc-tor Juan Navejar attended a two-day Texas Friendly Hospitality Instruc-

tor Training program offered by the AgriLife Extension in College Station. “We want to offer all our members an enhanced training they can use to improve business techniques,” Navejar said. The basis of the program is the CIVIL (Culture, Internal and External Service, Value, Ideal Commitments, and Listen) framework. The CIVIL framework was compiled to teach others the value and art of customer service. The CIVIL framework combines many tools, ideas and beliefs into one inclusive instrument to help improve an organiza-tion or business’ current level of customer service. “The Chamber understands that great customer service can generate new in-come, jobs and more tax revenue if done correctly,” Navejar said. “Knowing the art of customer service has many benefits. Great customer service skills can increase employee and customer relationships, build customer loyalty and increase your

See HEART, 4

business tradition service community agriculture oil & gas growth

Official Publication of the Alice Chamber of Commerce

Heart Center opens new location

TRAINING, From Page 5

For more info, contact the Chamber at

361-664-3454

Dr. Usman Qureshi and his wife moved to Alice in 1995. The practice opened on January 22, 1996 with two employees and performed only minor diagnostic testing in the office. Thirteen years later, the Alice Heart Center is in a new much bigger state-of-the-art building with its new name Alice Heart and Vascular Center. Dr. Suraj Kamat and his family moved to Alice and he joined Alice Heart Cen-ter in 1998. The clinic now performs extensive diagnostic procedures including nuclear

Dr. Usman Qureshi shows off his new state-of-art technology used in the new building to help read imaging tests.

BB U S I N E S SU S I N E S S

stress testing, echocardiography and ultrasound vascular studies, laser skin perfusion pressure testing, lab tests and many other services. In the beginning Dr. Qureshi saw patients at his office located on First Street but had to travel to Corpus to perform heart catheterizations since the Hospital was not equipped for the pro-cedures. Working together with Chris-tus Spohn Hospital Alice, Drs. Qureshi and Kamat started performing heart

NOVEMBER 2009

“Alice Business Today” published by the Alice Chamber of Commerce

From the Chamber On behalf of the board of directors, I want to thank everyone who helped out with our Second Annual Skeet Shoot. The event was a huge success. A big kudos to Virginia Garcia for spearheading the event as well as our sponsors for the poster. A special thanks to Love Chrysler for the shotgun sponsorship. We had our Chamber Mixer in October at Del Cielo Home Health. We had a great turnout. Members who attended, exchanged business cards, business brochures and networked. Congrats to our Members of

the Month - Maurices in the Small Business category and Del Cielo Home Care in the Large Business category. Our next Mixer will in December at Alice Heart and Vascular Center. Just a reminder to our members, the 2010 Investment statements went out by email and mail last month. We rely on your investment dues for our day-to-day operations. Without your investments, the Chamber cannot function. The Christmas Parade is right around the corner on December 1st through downtown Alice. This year’s theme is “A Country Christmas.” We encourage everyone to get into the Holiday mood by participating or attending. Parade applications are available at the Chamber. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Agapito “Gap” Alaniz Jr., Chamber Board President

2009 Chamber Leadership

Executive Committee

Gap Alaniz President First Community Bank

Yvette Johnson Immediate Past President/VP-CVB Individual Member

Virginia Garcia V.P. AJWC-EDC President Elect WorkForce Solutions of the Coastal Bend

Nena Pitts V.P. - Membership CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Alice

Rito Silva V.P. - Civic Coastal Bend College

Hector Hinojosa Treasurer City of Alice Board of Directors

Mark Alaniz Love Chrysler Jeep of Alice

Dee Dee Arismendez Home Interior Ind. Contractor

Mark Casanova CHRISTUS Spohn Alice

Lawrence Cornelius Century 21

Michael Day Individual Member

Servando Garza Coym, Rhemet & Associates

J.R. Gonzalez Wells Fargo Bank

R. David Guerrero JWC Dist. Clerk

Robert Molina State Farm Insurance - Robert Molina

Mirka Pena Dixie Iron Works/MSI

Ex-Officio Ray De Los Santos City of Alice

Staff

Juan A. Navejar Jr. Chamber Director

Veronica Castillo Administrative Assistant

The Chamber of Commerce will be closed on Thursday & Friday, Nov. 26 & 27th for the Thanksgiving Holiday!

Luchazie General Store and Restaurant in San Diego held a grand opening ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 17th. The new store at the outskirts of Jim Wells County on Highway 44 and is owned by Luis Pizzini and family.

GRAND OPENING


Your First Step to Success

Coastal Bend College Alice Center

704 Coyote Trail - Alice, Texas 78332 (361) 664-2981 - Toll Free 1-866-891-2981 - www.coastalbend.edu

Customized Training Available for the South Texas Workforce

The holiday season is just around the corner and with it the 28th Annual Christ-mas Parade on Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

The Al ice Chamber o f C o m m e r c e /Convention and Visitors Bureau and the City of Alice is proud to announce this year’s theme as

“A Country Christmas” and is the high-light of the “ALICE – A WONDER-LAND OF LIGHTS” Christmas Cele-bration. “Choosing a theme is always tough. This year we decided to come up with something true to South Texas – a Coun-try Christmas,” Parade Chairperson Juan Navejar said. “The theme can be either the old country living or anything coun-try/western. It opens the door for some creative ideas.” Over the past couple of years, the pa-rade has grown with more than 65 en-tries last year. The priority is to make “A Country Christmas” as pleasurable as possible to the participants and the spectators. Every effort should be made to make your parade entry the very best it can be. In order to avoid confusing children that will be watching the parade, no parade entry will be allowed to have a living Santa Claus or Mrs. Santa Claus, as a part of its theme or decorations. “Alice-A Wonderland of Lights” will sponsor the only live Santa Claus in the parade. To be considered an official parade en-trant and eligible for an award, all parade registration forms must be delivered by Noon, Monday, December 1st to the Chamber of Commerce. The parade will begin at 6 p.m. from the City West Ball Park on North Cameron Street and travel south to Main Street before heading west to Dixie Iron Works. Awards will be presented for the best entries in Civic, Commercial, Church Youth and Most Unique Divisions as well as best performing bands/units. For more information or applications contact the Alice Chamber of Commerce at 361-664-3454.

2009 Parade theme “A Country Christmas”

For more info, contact the Chamber at

361-664-3454

Did you know the Chamber/CVB has…Maps, brochures, phone books, info on attractions and other cities.


Alice Ambassadors

Melva Alegria

Dee Dee Arismendez

Nettie Cornelius

Michael De Leon

Manuel Galindo (Life Member)

Albert Gonzales

Cynthia Hinojosa

Melissa Jaramillo

Debbie Micallef

Bruce Menking

Tem Miller

Rachel Munoz

Dene Murphey

Delma Palacios

Nena Pitts (Life Member)

David Silva

Margaret Smith (Life Member)

Marisela Saenz

Jack Walker

Clare Wonders

Emeritus

Joe Ash

Ralph Gomez

Pedro Jasso

Johnny Rivera

• P r o d u c tio n T e s t in g• O ffsh o r e S e r v ic e s• B r a id e d a n d S lic k l in e S e r v ic e s• F r a c F lo w b a c k s• H y d r a u lic C h o k e M a n ifo ld s• F r a c V a lv e s• P ip e l in e “ P ig g in g ” S e p a r a to r s• C a p illa r y T u b in g S e r v ic e s• P -V -T L a b o r a to r y• P -V -T S im u la t io n s• H y d r o c a r b o n L a b o r a to r y• R e s e r v o ir F lu id S a m p lin g• P r e s s u r e T r a n s ie n t A n a ly s e s

C o r p o r a t e H e a d q u a r t e r s1 0 0 0 F E S C O A v e n u e

A l i c e , T e x a s 7 8 3 3 23 6 1 -6 6 4 -3 4 7 9

w w w .fe s c o in c .c o m

ALICE AMBASSADORS It’s November and before long the Holidays will be here. But first things first, the taste of cool weather we had a couple of days in October will soon be here for a while, enjoy them while they last. Congratulations to all the Jim Wells County Fair participants. For many youths in the county, these were year-long projects that took time and money for them to put them on show. Thanks to all the supporters who assisted these kids in their projects. The Street Rod of Alice Rod Run also had a great turnout at their annual event held on the first weekend of October at the Fairgrounds as well. Many out-of-towners stayed in our local hotels. The Christmas Parade is December 1 at 6 p.m. The parade grows each year with more and more beautiful entries. This is a great family event. We still have some spots available in the Ambassadors. If you are a Chamber mem-ber and would like to be represented contact one of the Ambassadors for more informa-tion. We would love to have you be a part of this active group.

Rachel Munoz 2009 Alice Ambassador President

Our Mission The mission of the Alice Chamber of Commerce

is to promote the economic and community development in Alice, Jim Wells County

and the surrounding trade area.


JIM WELLS COUNTY FAIR

BBB has advice for consumers looking to take advantage of the program Time is running out for first-time home buyers to take advantage of the up to $8,000 tax credit set aside this year as part of the economic recovery effort. Barring a time extension, consumers looking to cash in must purchase a home by November 30th, 2009. Considering it usually takes 30 days to close on a house, now may be the time to act and Better Business Bureau offers guidance on how to benefit from the First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit. “With low interest rates and this fed-eral tax credit, now is a great time to take advantage of the housing market,” said Carrie A. Hurt, President and CEO of BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas. “However, it’s impor-tant that first-time home buyers don’t rush into buying a house just because of the tax credit. Consumers need to make sure they qualify for the tax credit and are able to make the mortgage pay-ments.” The First-Time Home Buyers Tax credit was created this year to stimulate the real estate market by encouraging first-time home buyers. The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s pur-chase price, up to a maximum of $8,000. Qualifying participants simply claim the credit on their Federal income tax re-turn. More than 1.4 million first-time home buyers have taken advantage of the tax

Byron W. Blair, P.C.

Certified Public Accountant

1315 E. Main, Suite 101 P. O. Box 211

Alice, Texas 78332

Office 664-6541 Fax 664-6544

Residence 664-4685

Cornerstone Member 2004

www.prosperitybanktx.com

1200 E. Main Alice 664-5446

361-661-1580 (24-Hour Fast Line Free, Secure Internet Banking

R

R

Page 4 “Alice Business Today” published by the Alice Chamber of Commerce

credit so far this year, according to the IRS. The National Association of Realtors predicts that the tax credit will result in an additional 350,000 sales. There are six bills before Congress that would extend the tax credit at least until the end of 2009, but there is no guarantee that any will pass. According to CNN, there has already been $14 billion allocated for the credit. There are a few requirements for par-ticipation and BBB offers the following guidance on the First-Time Home buyers Tax Credit: Don’t Rush In. Just because the tax credit is set to expire November 30, does-n’t mean you should rush into buying a house. In the long run, taking the time to find the right house is more important than receiving a tax credit toward pur-chasing a house you might not like. Defining First-Time Home Buyer. For the purposes of the tax credit, a first-time home buyer is defined as an individ-ual who hasn’t owned a principal resi-dence in the previous three years. Neither party in a married couple would qualify if either had owned a primary residence in the previous three years. Income Requirements. In order to receive the maximum credit, the modified adjusted gross income must be $75,000 or less for a single buyer and $150,000 or less for a joint couple. Single buyers earn-ing between $75,000 and $95,000 and couples earning between $150,000 and $170,000 are eligible for a reduced credit.

Use the Tax Credit Now. The Secre-tary of Housing and Urban Development announced that buyers using FHA-insured mortgages can apply their antici-pated tax credit immediately toward the purchase of a house. This is achieved through bridge loans by non-profits or an FHA-approved lender. Prepare to Stay Awhile. Home buy-ers must remain in the house for three years or they must return the credit. There are exceptions, including death or divorce. For more advice on home buying, visit www.bbb.org or check out BBB’s In-sider’s Guide to Success on Buying a Home available at bookstores nation-wide and on Amazon.com. BBB's mission is to be the leader in ad-vancing marketplace trust. BBB accom-plishes this mission by creating a com-munity of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encour-aging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB is the preemi-nent resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses and charities. Contact BBB serving Central, Coastal and Southwest Texas at 800-379-4222.

First time home buyer tax credit to expire


Wells Fargo is a proud Cornerstone Member of the

Alice Chamber of Commerce

Alice Main Alice Medical 601 E. Main Street 1910 E. Main Street 361-668-2400 3 6 1 -668-1000

WELLS FARGO


Staff Leasing Compa-nies now referred to as PEO’s or Professional Employer Organizations bring sophisticated web payroll systems into place streamlining your entire payroll process. Depending on the size of your organization and or your specific account-ing needs, you might find a better solution

with a quality PEO. They might help offset any additional set up fees for more sophisticated time clock or software packages. So, look into a PEO before going it alone. All payroll administration is handled by the PEO. You pay as you go and the PEO takes care of quarterly reporting. Once you have partnered with a PEO, you operate off their low SUTA rate, which is factored into the fee they charge for outsourcing services. Direct Deposit or ATM pay cards are suggested as an alternative to paper pay-roll checks. Budget Solutions With the pay as you go method of payroll, you are paying your employees, employment taxes and workers’ com-pensation insurance each time you cut pay. No quarterly payments will come due as the PEO is responsible for em-ployment taxes. No longer will your run the risk of penalties should the payments be made late. In addition, no upfront premiums for workers’ compensation and no end of the year audit asking for more money. If profits are running low due to a slower work season, you won’t be hit with quarterly payments or large work-ers’ comp premium payments... no fi-nancial juggling. Workers’ Compensation Insurance Employers have a legal responsibility to their employees to make the work-place safe, however accidents happen. To protect employers from lawsuits re-sulting from workplace accidents and to provide medical care and compensation for lost income to employees injured in workplace accidents, in almost every state, businesses are required to have workers’ compensation insurance.

Workers’ compensation insurance covers workers injured on the job, whether they are hurt on the workplace premises or elsewhere, or in auto accidents while on business. It also covers work-related illnesses. Which of these three categories regarding workers’ compensation do you fall in? 1) Un-insured or what’s called self-insured - If your business falls into this category you don’t have the protec-tion of exclusive remedy. 2) Insured - With just a few exceptions, the workers’ right of recovery against the employer is limited to the benefits provided by the Workers’ Compensation Act. This is called exclusive remedy. 3) Certified Self-Insured – This can provide the very best coverage. If a company can provide proof of financial security, a long-term commitment and financial guarantee this type of coverage can offer the best solu-tion. A company that’s certified self in-sured with local claims management could offer a better solution. Headquar-tered in Corpus Christi, Unique is the only PEO in Texas that offers this cate-gory of workers’ compensation insur-ance protection. Keep going, it gets better! Asset Pro-tection Risk mitigation is the best when you have appropriate workplace policies in place. If you are going it alone you need to ensure state and federal compliance. Employment laws change frequently; call for information on what laws apply

to a company your size and how to meet required compliance mandates. A PEO supplies you with employee manuals (tailored for your specific com-pany), job descriptions, multiple asset protecting HR solutions, workers’ com-pensation insurance with claims manage-ment, and unemployment claims man-agement. Are you running a big risk? A strategi-cally designed plan that is structured effectively will prevent losses and re-duce the cost of losses that do happen while creating a safer environment for your employees. A quality PEO program will assist in driving change in areas that will enhance business performance and assure continuity of business operations. Freedom A PEO provides you with the freedom to execute your day-to-day business plan without all the HR worries. You can rest assured knowing all the bases are cov-ered, that you are legally compliant, and that you are not afflicted from a myopic view of your business due to wrong or insufficient data supplied to you by em-ployees not professionally trained for handling HR matters. For a closer look at the PEO industry and to see if it’s right for you and your business call or email Connie Jackson for more information. Connie can be reached at (800) 824-8367 or at con-n i e j @ u n i q u e h r . c o m . W e b s i t e : www.uniquehr.com

Business solutions found in employer organizations

Connie Jackson-Laughlin

Unique HR Business

Consultant


SECOND ANNUAL CHAMBER SKEET SHOOT

Clay shooting is a growing sport. This was evident in the Alice Chamber of Commerce’s Second Annual Skeet Shoot in October. “This was our second annual event as we saw an in-crease in not only participants but in the experience level of those competing as well,” event chairperson and Chamber president elect Virginia Garcia said. “We want to thank everyone who came out to participate as well all those who help sponsor and make the event happen. Ten teams competed in the shoot held on Saturday, October 10th at the Jim Wells County Fairgrounds. Competing for wooden engraved plaques sponsored by First Community Bank, the four-person teams were given 30-rounds of clay to hit from different angles. “Shotgun sports sporting clays continues to grow around the country. It is a great game that has been lik-ened to playing golf with a shotgun. Many hunters like it because it is similar to the shooting conditions and as-pects of hunting,” Chamber director Juan Navejar said. “It’s evident about the sport. We saw new faces this year with competition being tough.” Winning the competition was Bill Cornelius, Lee De-Laune, John Cornelius and Josh Cornelius. Second place went to David Garza, Adam Nerio, Joe Ybanez and J.R. Castillo. Taking third place were Robert Molina, JJ Johnson, Carlos Molina and Morris Molina. Winning the shotgun on “Cut throat” competition was Lee DeLaune. The shot gun sponsored by Love Chrysler Jeep of Alice. “Our event could not have been possible without all our sponsors,” Garcia said. “The Chamber is grateful to all those who donated funds to underwrite the shoot, items for the silent auction and tents, for this event.”

Chamber Skeet Shoot draws fierce competition

TOP: Bill Cornelius, Lee DeLaune, John Cornelius and Josh Cornelius. MIDDLE: Second place went to David Garza, Adam Nerio, Joe Ybanez and J.R. Castillo. BOTTOM: Tak-ing third place were Robert Molina, JJ Johnson, Carlos Molina and Morris Molina.


CHAMBER MEMBERS OF THE MONTH

Del Cielo Home Care is the October Large Chamber Member of the Month. The home care specializes in Adult Day Care and Home Health. It is owned by Andres and Dorella Elizondo.

Maurices of Alice is the October Small Member of Month. The clothing store specializes in women’s apparel and accessories. The clothing store celebrates its first anniversary this year. During their first year, they have been avid supporters of Alice with clothing and food drives as well as advocates for animals. The store is under the management of Dalia Mendez.

Happy Thanksgiving From the

Alice Chamber of Commerce


Auto Home Business Life Health

1810 E. Main Alice 361-664-4348

1-888-664-4349

www.carlisleins.com


2701 E. Main (361) 668-0441

LEADERSHIP JIM WELLS COUNTY

Thinking as one or thinking as a team was the concept of the first session for the Leadership Class of 2010. Riding in a stretch limousine spon-sored by Star Light Limo Service to their first session in Sandia, the class met alone for first time this year. The 30-minute ride gave the class time to bond before attempting the ROPES Challenge Course at Camp Zephyr. The class was charged with getting to know each other by finding out two things about each other before arriving at Camp Zephyr. The class of eight along with two fa-cilitators jumped right in the get to know each other, ice breaker session, of the course. With much laughter and excitement, the morning session gave them an over-view of what being a team player is all about. Five different scenarios were played out with each scenario allowing the class to lead, follow, listen and communicate with each other. Going from one obstacle to another, the class worked as a team to get every-one off an unbalanced platform, as well as getting everyone across three wooden boxes using two small boards. Another

scenario had the class getting each other through a web that took some creative thinking of each member. “We learned that something so simple is not as easy as it may seem,” class mem-ber Georgia Uribe told the facilitator. “You can easily take this back into the workplace and associate with day to day things.” This was one of five scenarios the team completed together. After lunch the class

met indoors for an impromptu session of listening scenarios. Due to the rain that fell the night before, the high ropes had to be cancelled. “Despite not doing the high course, it was all very enjoyable and quite educa-tional,” class member Gaylynn Storm said. The class will reconvene on Thursday, November 12th for History and Econom-ics.

Class begins year with ROPES Course at Camp Zephyr

The Class of 2010 met for their first session on Tuesday, Oct. 13 for the ROPES Course. Class members are Hank Wiley, Vanessa Torres, Jamie Gonzales. Georgia Uribe, Prisilla Cope, Maria Trevino, Gaylynn Storm. Not pictured is Jimmy Schmidt.

In order to accommodate entrepreneurs busy schedules the Del Mar College SBDC operates a satellite office at Coastal Bend College - Alice. The Alice office services Jim Wells, Duval, Brooks, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen and Kenedy counties. This office run by senior coun-selor Larry Ellis offers business counseling, training and procurement technical assistance to the residents and businesses of South Texas. For more information on the Small Business De-velopment Centers and Procurement Assistance, contact Larry Ellis at 661-1119 or check out our website http://www.delmar.edu/sbdc

Cornerstone Member

1600 E. Main Alice

How to compete against larger companies

If you are a small business and a bit in-timidated by competing against larger companies in your niche, this article will give you some ideas on how to level the playing field. Do you think that because you have a small business you can’t compete against larger companies? If you do then think again. Most small business owners don’t feel that they are in the same arena as lar-ger companies so they don’t even bother to try. This can be a big mistake and one that can cost your company in the long run. Growing your company takes some com-petitive moves. Sure, you can continue to operate as you always have but this routine will not get you ahead. There are some tips, however, if you want to expand your business opportunities and compete against the big boys. Think big. Always have the big picture in mind. Thinking big means picturing what can be more than what already is. The day to day routine can get you in a rut and you can get so hung up on it that you fail to look ahead. Have passion. Loving what you do can help you get ahead. The passion you have for your business not only helps catapult

the company ahead but also helps moti-vate employees on a daily basis. Passion also translates directly to sales. The pas-sion you feel for your business can be more easily brought to the bottom line when there are fewer employees. Larger companies have to work twice as hard to get the same feelings across to custom-ers. Think outside the box. This may sound like an old cliché but it really is true. If you can have vision to do things differently you just may get ahead. This is particularly true when it comes to competing with larger companies. Think of ways that your company can provide something better than the large company can. Think ahead. Instead of thinking about this month’s numbers you should be looking towards the future. Great companies are made by revolutionaries - those who look ahead to the future to see the possibilities. Larger companies may use large telecom services. You can use the same technology on a smaller scale by ordering a T1. This state of the art communication service allows you all the same features and benefits at a much smaller cost.

Find your niche. Once you know what your market is you’ll be much bet-ter able to cater to it. Larger companies often lose focus and try to market to too broad a group. Instead use your market-ing skills to your advantage. Yes, you have a much lower marketing budget than the larger companies do. But you can use your marketing strategies to your advantage if you know your niche. Use the Internet to your advantage. The web has brought large and small compa-nies to an even playing field. Make sure that you use the Internet to boost your business. Always have a web site pres-ence. Don’t skimp when it comes to your website. You don’t need lots of pages but you do need a professional look. Be sure to put your website address on all your brochures and business cards. Provide what the big companies can’t or don’t. Look for weaknesses in your com-petition and use those to build your busi-ness. For example, one place where many larger companies fail is in provid-ing good customer service. Small busi-nesses can give better service because they care about each customer. Be sure to use that to help you win business over the larger competition.


Good Luck Alice High School Marching Band

State Competition

Tues. Nov. 3rd San Antonio

Falls is here and soon our friends from up north will begin to arrive in South Texas Our area is seeing more Winter Texans in recent years.

The CVB has seen an increase in reloca-tion packet information being requested from up north. October was busy with the Street Rods of Alice Annual Rod Run on Oct. 3-4 at the Jim Wells County Fair-grounds. The Chamber followed with its annual Skeet Shoot on Sat. Oct 10th at the JWC Fairgrounds. Two weeks later, the JWC Fair kicked off its annual Fair from Oct. 21-24th. The 28th Annual Christmas Parade will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 1st begin-ning at 6 p.m. and precede the lighting of downtown Alice. Each month we tabulate the number of sessions received on the pages and you would be amazed on how many hits we get and where they are coming from. In October the number of hits to our webpage were 18,752 sessions to the site indicating an increase from the summer


CONVENTION AND VISITORS

BUREAU

Convention & Visitors Bureau

1-877-992-5423

with most hits coming from northern Texas. Among the targeted web pages was general information about Alice, ac-commodations and sites. Applications for 2009 project funding are available at the Chamber of Com-merce and are due 60 days prior to event in order to receive board approval for events to be held in Alice. All requests must be presented to the Chamber board for approval before granting assistance from the CVB. Funding will be done a bit

different this year. Aside the application, the CVB will require a business plan and proof of insur-ance before awarding funding to assure we are using proper documentation of the hotel tax funding. Copies of a business plan can be obtain by contacting the Chamber of Commerce. People walking through our doors are asking for information on Alice, the area or asked for phone books and maps of Alice and Texas.

Los Dos Mariachis held a change of relocation ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, October 2, 2009. The restaurant is located on North Texas Blvd.

GRAND OPENING

There’s certainly something to be said for spontaneous and random acts of gener-osity. But when it comes to making charitable donations, it may be wise to give some thought to the matter to try and get

the most out of every dollar. Planned giving, usually arranged with the benefit of financial and legal experts, refers to strategies that can help you maximize your giving in a way that can be financially beneficial to everyone in-volved — including you, the donor. A little planning can make charita-

ble donations go a long way When you think through and compare various options for charitable contribu-tions, it’s easy to see how planning can lead to more profitable giving. Donating cash versus appreciated securities. The form of your charitable donation can make a difference. For ex-ample, you can choose to simply write a check for $10,000 to your favorite tax-exempt charity. Your check benefits the organization you wish to support and you reduce your estate value. People who itemize may also be able to deduct the gift from their taxable in-come for the year, subject to adjusted gross income (AGI) limitations. How-ever, you may want to look into your portfolio and, in consultation with your financial advisor, make a comparable gift in the form of securities. By donating appreciated stock with a current value of $10,000, for example, you receive an immediate income-tax deduction for the shares’ full appreciated value (as long as you’ve held the pub-licly-traded shares for more than one year and your deductions remain within AGI limitations). By giving away the stock, you also avoid a tax bill for any capital gains tax on the shares’ appreciation. Thus a gift of appreciated stock yields a dual tax bene-fit for the donor, while giving the charity the option to hold the stock in hopes of further appreciation or sell for a cash infusion. Bequest after death versus charitable remainder trust. If you have large stock

PAUL RYCROFT on Finance


Planned giving provides all-around benefits holdings and want to continue to benefit from your investments — but also want to share your wealth with your favorite char-ity — there are a number of ways to go. You can simply send the charity of your choice a check once a year and take the deduction on your taxes (subject to AGI limitations). You can also make provisions in your will to leave a portion of your assets to the charity. There are other options avail-able that a financial and legal advisor can help you explore that may allow you to give more to your favorite charity while you are still living. For example, by plac-ing your assets in a charitable remainder trust, you receive income for the remain-ing years of your life or for a specified length of time of 20 years or less. If you select a charitable remainder unitrust, the amount you receive will ad-just to reflect changes in your trust asset balance. As an irrevocable gift (meaning it cannot be changed), you can claim an immediate charitable income tax deduc-tion for the value of the charity's remain-der interest (again, subject to AGI limita-tions). Any amount exceeding the AGI limita-tion can be carried forward up to five years. Because the trust is essentially re-moved from the estate, it may reduce es-tate taxes. This form of giving also provides the added benefit of enabling you to enjoy the personal satisfaction of giving while you’re alive. And, the charity benefits by being the recipient of whatever remains in

the trust at the end of the term. Estate tax changes are looming.

Estate taxes, which can take a big bite out of an inheritance, are a moving tar-get. Unless Congress takes action to pre-vent it, the estate tax is scheduled to ex-pire for one year in 2010. In 2011, it is scheduled to resume with a lower exemption and higher rates. Proper planning, which takes into ac-count changing estate tax laws, can help you make the most of your charitable gifts.

Take advantage of professional advice

Talk to your financial advisor to dis-cuss how your giving goals fit within your overall financial plan and explore strategies for planned giving. A tax advisor can help you sort out how charitable donations affect your tax bill, while a lawyer can help you draw up necessary papers for a legal agreement such as a trust. With proper advice, it’s easier to be a good steward of your re-sources as you support organizations you value. Financial planning services and invest-ments offered through Ameriprise Finan-cial Services, Inc. Member FINRA & SIPC. This information is not intended as legal or tax advice. Please consult with your legal and tax advisors regarding your individual situation. ©2009 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.

801 N. Texas Blvd. Alice, Texas

Cornerstone Member

Member FDIC

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24-Hour Banking 664-8789 - 668-8831(24-Hour Customer)


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300 W. First Alice 361-668-8311

Alice Heart and Vascular Center held a grand opening ceremony at its new location on Medi-cal Plaza Blvd. on Tuesday, Oct. 27th.

HEART, From Page 1

catheterization and other vascular inva-sive and interventional procedures in Alice in the new Catheterization Labo-ratory in year 2000. Since then, thou-sands of patients have had extensive treatments performed and their quality of life improved through the partner-ship between Alice Heart Center and Christus Spohn Hospital. The doctors also perform heart and vascular proce-dure at several Corpus Christi hospitals. Alice Heart Center moved to its loca-tion on Main Street in year 2000 prior to opening its new 13,000 square foot building next to Christus Spohn Hospi-tal. The new location offers newer tech-nology and higher level of patient care. This includes brand new state of the art 64 slice CT scanner, capable imaging the beating heart with image resolution high enough to visualize even the smallest blood vessels. The clinic is also implementing elec-tronic medical records to protect patient medical records in the event of a catas-trophe by placing all information within a database which is encrypted and se-curely stored every night at a special-ized off site facility. The computerized program also will help the doctors when they see patients at the hospital giving them instant ac-

cess to all their office records and will greatly help to improve patient care. Fourteen examination rooms allow for faster service along with a computerized system in each room that allows patients to receive healthy information while wait-ing to be seen.

Both Drs. Qureshi and Kamat have made their impact in Alice through their high standard of medical care and af-fected the lives of not only their patients but also the many employees who proudly work for Alice Heart Center.

TRAINING, From Page 1

level of internal and external services.” The training the Chamber will provide incorporates tools and materials that come from the FISH! Philosophy adopted and created by John Christen-sen. The CIVIL framework incorporates ideas to help your business/organization develop the perfect customer service strategy plan that work best for your business. The two-hour training classes will be offered weekly beginning in December at the Chamber or can be offered at your business depending on the number of employees or members of management. Class sizes will be limited in order to customize training for each business. For more information, contact the Alice Chamber of Commerce at 361-664-3454.

A Rainbow Beginning AT&T - Texas A&W Investments Sunset Terrace A-1 Quality Fence Acetylene Oxygen Company Adcock Pipe & Supply *Adventure Moonwalk & Party Rentals LLC Alamo Lumber Company Alamosa Animal Hospital Alice Autoplex, Inc. Alice Board of Realtors Alice Body & Paint Alicecalendar.com Alice Cash & Carry Alice Counseling Center Alice Echo-News Journal Alice Family Eye Center Alice Fire Fighters Asso. Alice Feeder Supply, Inc. Alice Heart Center Alice Housing Authority Alice Mini Storage Alice Motor Inn *Alice Noon Lions Alice Optimist Club Alice Paint & Decorating Alice Pest Control, Inc. Alice Police Officers Asso. Alice Radiator & Muffler Alice Shoe Shop *Amanda’s Country Classic Amerigroup Community Care Ameriprise Financial Andrews Distributors Angel Care Ambulance *Armando Marroquin Astromatic Car/Truck Wash Atkinson - Wonders Avon Products B&J Air & Pump *Baby ‘N Me Ultrasound Baker Auto Sales Ball-Montez Electric Co. Barker, Paulette Bedgood, R.E. & Sons Best Western Executive Inn Betty Allison Realtors. Inc. Bob Hays Western Store Bordeaux Apartments Bowden Ford *Boys & Girls Club of Alice BriteStar Brush Country Bank Brush Country Casa Brush Country Claims Buckhorn Mini Storage *Burger Basket Byron W. Blair, P.C. C.A. Jackson, Inc. *CAM Trucking Service C.A.W. Company Inc.

Cameron Village Apts. Carlisle Insurance Agency Century 21 Hallmark *Chentes Restaurant Chiles Sales & Service CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Alice Church’s Fried Chicken Claro Communications Coastal Bend Blood Center Coastal Bend College Coastal Community & Teachers Credit Union Community Action Corporation *Community Coalition For Children and Families Cornelius, Nettie Cornerstone Baptist Church *Corpus Christi Hammerheads *Corpus Christi Hooks *Corpus Christi IceRays Covance Research Products Cowley Supply Company Coym, Rehmet & Gutierrez Engs. *Cruz Drywall & Painting CVS Dairy Burger Dan’s Processing Center, Inc. Day, Michael & Melanae Days Inn *Del Cielo Home Health Dee Dee C. Arismendez, Ind. Contractor Home Interiors DeLaune Drilling Service Devon Energy Dixie Iron Works MSI, Ltd. Dr. Alejandro Lopez Dr. Bandeira Teixeira Dr. Gary T. Cloud, O.D. Dr. Roel Garza & Assoc. Family Dentistry Dr. William Nisimblat, M.D. Edwards Furniture *Elsa’s Pill Box EnDyn OMS, Inc. *Especially For Me *Family Heritage FESCO, Inc. First Community Bank First State Bank of San Diego First United Methodist Church Flournoy Family Properties Flowers Machine & Welding Co. Garza, Joe Frank Richard J. Garza, P.C. Gilbert’s Fine Jewelry *GoComm Solutions LLC Goodwill of South Texas Guaranty Title & Abstract Gulf Coast Federal Credit Union H&S Constructors, Inc. Halliburton Services *Hampton Inn *H-E-B

Hispanic Heritage Committee H.D. Machine & Welding Holiday Inn Express *HomeCare Medical Equip. Humpal Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Hunter Petroleum Hunter-Ash Oil Co. Immanuel Lutheran Church International Bank of Commerce Island Glow Jasso Insurance Jigger JWC Fair Association Joe’s Plumbing Johnny’s Blooming Shop Johnson, Yvette Jolene’s Merle Norman K.C. Hall K&S Thread Services Keetch & Associates LHR Services & Equipment L&F Distributors La Copita Ranch La Hacienda Pharmacy *La Quinta Inn & Suites Lack’s Furniture Store Lawrence B. Cornelius & Co. Lemon & Gonzalez-Lemon Loomis International *Lone Star Motors Lopez Finance Love Chrysler Dodge Jeep Maurices Manpower *Maresch, Ernestina McCoys McDonalds McNinch, Leon CPA *Meridian Care of Alice *Mi Familia Adult Day Care Model Key Shop Murdoch Welding NSCL N&S Air Conditioning Neff’s Plumbing Service New York Life Insurance New Sound Hearing Aid Nortex Bakery & Fast Foods Page Water Well Drilling Paladium Bowl Panda Chinese Restaurant Perez, Marisela Phoinix Global LLC Picture Perfect Sanitizing Platinum Slickline Service Plaza Four Popeye’s Port of Corpus Christi *Prodigy Child Academy Prosperity Bank Raul Ramirez - State Farm

Ray Vess Jewelers *RC Electric *Rialto Jewelry Richardson’s Water Well Drilling Right of Way Service Inc. Rios, Margot Robert Molina - State Farm Insurance Robstown Catering *Rollies BBQ & Country Store *Rosas Funeral Home, Inc. Rush Truck Center, Alice Rushing & Gonzalez Saldivar Coastal Services, Inc. Sandoval, Ruben Scott Bearing Company Scottish Inn Sears Authorized Dealer Store Seidel, Whittington & Company SERCO of Texas, Inc. Sherwin-Williams Small Business Dev. Center SNBL USA, Ltd. South TX Blood & Tissue Center South Texas Museum South Texas Screening - Driving School Stewart Title Company St. Elizabeth Catholic School St. Joseph Catholic School Star Light Limo Service State Rep Yvonne Gonzalez-Toureilles State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa Steamatic of Alice Steve Costley Advertising *Tesoro Loan Texas Champion Bank Texas Star The Copy Center *The Menu Gazette The Tint Shop Third Coast Squadron *Tiny Tots Day Care Tractor Supply Company Truckers Equipment *True Elite Fitness & Well Tutti Frutti Delight Tyrone City Barber Shop *Unique Staffing *Universal Mortgage United Medical Services V.F.W. Post 8621 *VillageProfile.com *VTX Communications Walker, Jack Wal-Mart, Inc. Weiben Chiropractic Clinic Wells Fargo Bank Whataburger of Alice Workforce Solutions *Indicates new 2009 new member

Thank You 2009 Alice Chamber of Commerce Members

Alice Chamber of Commerce 612 East Main P.O. Box 1609 Alice, Texas 78332

Membership Benefits • Two FREE classified listings in the Chamber web-

site: www.alicetx.org • FREE Subscription to Alice Business Today, the

official Chamber monthly newsletter • Annual Membership Directory/Buyer’s Guide

listing all members, including a classified directory for member businesses

• Advertising opportunities in Chamber publications to promote your business

• Membership Services which include FREE Busi-ness Announcement/Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies, Conference Room Rentals and Mailing Lists

• Networking Opportunities through Chamber activi-ties to make valuable contacts and promote your business

• Opportunities to get involved in the Chamber’s volunteer working committees to help build a stronger economy and bright future for our commu-nity

• Access to economic and statistical information through the Chamber office

• Support of a professional staff that works fulltime for you and your fellow members

Objectives The following objectives have been established by the Alice Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors:

• To encourage and advance the growth of existing industries and businesses.

• To provide all proper assistance to any new firms, professional or individuals seeking to locate in the Alice area.

• To serve as liaison with all government, civic and educational entities, and law enforcement agencies in Alice and Jim Wells County.

• To increase our membership and provide quality service for our members.

• To identify and assist in obtaining funding to accomplish the ob-jectives of the Chamber of Commerce.

For more information on how to get involved and benefit as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, call (361) 664-3454, or stop by the of-fice located at 612 E. Main, Alice, Texas.

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