gwinnett chamber expo 2014

• Gwinnett Chamber Business Expo & Job Fair • Sunday, August 17, 2014 • Gwinnett Daily Post • gwinnet tdai lypost .com

Beginning with the General Membership Meeting, intermingled with top notch educational seminars and concluding with a Business After Hours networking event, the schedule of events for the 2014 Business Expo & Job Fair is packed with opportunities to market your organization, learn more about surrounding companies and make connections! Plan to spend the majority of your day with us on Thursday, August 21 at the Gwinnett Center! The day will begin with the Chamber’s monthly General Membership Meeting, presented by Rocket IT, featuring an update on the Atlanta Media Campus & Studios that will soon be calling Gwinnett home. Featuring keynote speaker Scott Condra – president of Jacoby Development – the master plan includes higher education and research facilities, media production studios, multi-family and student housing, an onsite hotel, office space and supportive retail establishments. “This mixed-use development, anchored by the largest film and television media complex outside of California, will become a significant economic driver for not only Gwinnett County but also the region and state,” said Dr. Daniel Kaufman, Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce President & CEO. As Milton Berle once said, “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” The Business Expo & Job Fair is the Chamber’s door to allow the Gwinnett business community greater opportunity to grow, thrive and succeed. From 1-5 p.m., the Expo & Job Fair – presented by Gwinnett Medical Center – will showcase more than 150 of the area’s leading companies. This complimentary come-and-go event also provides educational seminars that focus on corporate responsibility, email marketing, human resources, media relations, networking, sales and social media, to name just a few. “The Business Expo & Job Fair does a fantastic job of highlighting the collaboration of business, education, and government along with Gwinnett’s

2014 Gwinnett Chamber

Business Expo & Job Fair

solid reputation for job creation and business growth,” said Carla Carraway, president of Precision Planning, Inc. and 2014 Gwinnett Chamber Board Chair. “The business activity demonstrated is second to none and a fine example of Gwinnett’s thriving business and economic environment.” The Job Fair is the place to be for those looking for a career change, providing seekers an

opportunity to meet with human resource professionals from Gwinnett’s leading companies that are hiring now. Concluding the Expo & Job Fair will be the largest Business After Hours event of the year. Featuring fare, entertainment and providing the ideal platform to make those necessary professional connections, it’s no wonder it was voted “2014 Best in Gwinnett” by the readers of

Gwinnett Magazine! Like the Gwinnett Chamber, the Expo focuses on growing businesses throughout Gwinnett County and metro Atlanta. Programs such as the Expo help to create a pro-business environment for companies looking to grow and expand in Gwinnett resulting in more quality jobs and a better community. It is truly THE business event of the year!

gwinnet tdai lypost .com • Gwinnett Daily Post • Sunday, August 17, 2014 • Gwinnett Chamber Business Expo & Job Fair •


Let’s Work the Room!

PRESENTER: Al Simon, President – Sandler Training by Simon, Inc.

TIME: 1:15 – 2 p.m. LOCATION: Room 4A,

Gwinnett Center

There is a strategic approach to networking and creating solid

relationships. What do most people love to talk about? Themselves! You

differentiate yourself by being interested AND interesting. This

session will equip you with the tools to have people gravitate toward you, while looking for opportunities to network and earn your business!

_______________________________Paying it Forward and Your Triple Bottom Line: The Benefits to Social

Performance

PRESENTER: Skip Vaughan, Sr. Marketing Director – Pepsi Bottling

Group

TIME: 1:15 – 2 p.m. LOCATION: Room 4B,

Gwinnett Center

“Creating a strong business and building a better world are not

conflicting goals – they are both essential ingredients for long-term success.” - William Ford Jr., Ford Motor Company. Attend and learn how investing in a Corporate Social

Responsibility Program is a positive for the greater good, your company’s

culture and your bottom line._______________________________

Closing the Deal – A New Way to Sell

PRESENTER: Al Simon, President –

Sandler Training by Simon, Inc.


Gwinnett Center

Traditional tactics and today’s savvy prospects combine to sabotage selling efforts.

Discover a new system used by contemporary top performers that will

convert leads into business – on your terms!_______________________________

How to Attract Top Talent

PRESENTER: Brendon Davis, Director of Business Operations – The

Davis Companies

TIME: 2:15 – 3 p.m. LOCATION: Room 4B,

Gwinnett Center

To compete in business you need the right people with the right skills.

Attracting best-in-class colleagues is the key to long-term success. This session will discuss places off the

beaten path to recruit, as well as hiring practices.

_______________________________On-Boarding and Employee

Retention: It Starts at the Very Beginning

PRESENTER: Layne Davlin, Founder & CEO – Einstein HR; NAPEO

Leadership Council Chair


Gwinnett Center

Nearly 25 percent of the working population experiences professional

transitions annually – costing an average of at least six months salary to replace them. A proper on-boarding

plan is necessary to alleviate turnover; find out how your business’ first

impression speaks to new hires and how to keep them engaged.

_______________________________Relating to the Media:

Getting Your Story Told

PRESENTER: Joé Lloyd, Account Manager & Retail Practice Lead –

Write2Market

TIME: 3:15 – 4 p.m. LOCATION: Room 4B, Gwinnett Center

Got a story, don’t know who to tell?

The keys to the media relations kingdom don’t have to be a secret.

This presentation will share insights on the importance of cohesive team communication, the strategies for

building unified messaging and “go to” techniques for getting your

company out there. _______________________________

Email Marketing - Simple Strategies for Success

PRESENTER: Stephanie Sokenis, Director of Small Business

Development – Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce

TIME: 4:15 – 5 p.m.

LOCATION: Room 4A, Gwinnett Center

Email is the most cost-effective, trackable, targeted and efficient way to build and maintain relationships in all types of business. Learn how to master

communications with a comprehensive look at approaches that lead to increased profits and

captivation._______________________________Social Media Strategy: Developing

Your Brand’s Online Presence

PRESENTER: Cliff Tillery, COO – Make It Loud, Inc.

TIME: 4:15 – 5 p.m.

LOCATION: Room 4B, Gwinnett Center

It’s no secret that a company’s positive social media presence is critical to its

sustainability. With so many platforms, with so many advances - how do you choose - how do you capitalize? By implementing a strategic plan! This session will cover which avenues are

right for your target audience and how to reach them.

Attend Free Business Seminars!Schedule of EventsGeneral Membership Meeting,

presented by Rocket ITLights...Camera...ACTION! Scott

Condra, president of Jacoby Development, will speak about the Atlanta Media Campus, which is

using a television and movie studio as the catalyst for a full-scale mixed-use re-development.

Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Location: Gwinnett Center –

Salons 4, 5, 6 & 7Cost: $45 for Chamber members;

$55 for non-members Registration required – Visit

GwinnettChamber.org/events to secure your seat.

Business Expo, presented by Gwinnett Medical CenterMore than 150 of the area’s premier companies will be

showcasing their products and services!

Time: 1 – 5 p.m.

Location: Gwinnett Center – Exhibit Halls A, B & C

Cost: Complimentary

Job Fair, presented by The Davis Companies

Looking for a career change and/or employment? The Job Fair is the place to meet with professionals

from Gwinnett’s leading companies that are hiring NOW!

Time: 1 – 5 p.m.Location: Gwinnett Center –

Exhibit Halls A, B & CCost: Complimentary

Please help us prepare our vendors by registering at

GwinnettExpo.com.

Seminars, presented by Country Financial

Best-in-class presenters will cover attracting top talent, corporate responsibility, email marketing, media relations, networking,

on-boarding and retention, sales and social media.Time: 1 – 5 p.m.

Location: Gwinnett Center – Meeting Rooms 4A & 4B

Cost: Complimentary - space is limited

Business After Hours, presented by Country Financial

Explore Gwinnett, Gwinnett Center & Proof of the Pudding

Concluding the Expo will be the largest Business After Hours of the year! Don’t miss this opportunity

to network and make those necessary professional connections.

Time: 5 – 7 p.m.Location: Gwinnett Center –

Welcome Area in Exhibit Halls A, B & CCost: Complimentary

Visit GwinnettExpo.com for more information.

COST FOR SEMINARS: Complimentary - Registration is not required, but space is limited.

gwinnet tdai lypost .com • Gwinnett Daily Post • Sunday, August 17, 2014 • Gwinnett Chamber Business Expo & Job Fair •

By: Dr. Daniel J. Kaufman, Gwinnett Chamber President & CEO

During my first address as president & CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber at the 2013 Business Expo & Job Fair General Membership Meeting, I challenged fellow business and community leaders to join me in crafting a common vision for Gwinnett. Essentially, my message was that hope alone will not allow us to continue to be “the community of tomorrow, today,” but rather thoughtful and deliberate action from all segments of the community will be required if we are to continue on our path of success. You see, hope is not a method; we’ve got to work together to make it happen. I

learned that important lesson in my previous life as an Army officer. Since the Cold War ended, the United States Army has been downsized, restructured, and reengineered more extensively than almost any private business. In the early 1990s, Army Chief of Staff General Gordon R. Sullivan took the post-Cold War army into the new era. A global powerhouse with nearly 1.5 million employees, an annual budget of $56.3 billion, and strategic alliances in every part of the world, the Army is one of the world's most complex organizations. It also has decades’ worth of “standard operating procedures” and “that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality. Faced with a 40 percent reduction in people and funding, Sullivan focused on new

peacetime missions, streamlined a cumbersome bureaucracy, reinvented structures and procedures, and set the guidelines for achieving a vast array of challenging new goals. General Sullivan wrote a book on strategy and restructuring, from which I took the title of this piece. Hope is not a method; wishes are not plans. It is easy to take Gwinnett’s good fortune for granted. Decades of growth, excellent schools, world class services, evolving transportation options, award-winning community parks, emerging live, work, play centers, and convenient shopping suggest that these good times will last forever. We are fortunate to live, learn, work, and play in a community with many assets that continue to propel us forward. First and foremost, Gwinnett has a diversified portfolio of industries setting a strong

foundation for growth. Another strategic asset is Gwinnett’s diversity in both population and business ownership. Gwinnett is in the top three percent of all U.S. counties in terms of minority business ownership, with over 40 percent of businesses within the County being minority-owned. In addition, Gwinnett is one of just eight counties in the nation where black, Asian and Hispanic business ownership rates exceed nine percent, and we are the only county outside of New York, Washington D.C., and Houston that meets such criteria. While our strengths are many, Gwinnett does face its share of challenges ahead, including ethnic incorporation, strategic investment and redevelopment. We must work together to ensure that all groups in our society have a seat at the table and that Gwinnett does not become

a fragmented community. Second, we must invest strategically in our community to ensure that our future is sound. We must also continue our revitalization efforts of targeted areas so that Gwinnett remains a community of choice. As the President & CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber, my commitment is for the Chamber to be a forum where business, government, education, healthcare, arts/culture/entertainment, and the philanthropic and public service communities come together to craft a common vision for the Gwinnett community. On the road ahead, just as I challenged those in the room at my first address to the community, I challenge you to join me in the continual pursuit of ensuring that Gwinnett remains a vibrant community of choice in which to live, learn, work, and play.

Hope is Not a Method


Ackerman Security Services Advantage ResourcingAffincon/AFLACAlzheimer’s Association- Georgia ChapterAmerican Senior Benefits*American Water ServicesApollo First AidArena TavernArrowhead PlumbingAssisted Choice, Senior Living ExpertsAtlanta Business ChronicleAtlanta FalconsAvion Energy GroupBath Fitter BIS BenefitsBlueWave ComputingBNIBrandBankBrenau University Business RadioXBusiness WiseCablesAndKitsCarefree Boat ClubCDI Managed Services Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta ChoicesToYou.comCivis Bank Compass Self StorageConstangy, Brooks & Smith, LLPCostco – Mall of GeorgiaCountry Financial Crescent Business ReportDave & Buster’sDelta Community Credit Union**District 44 ToastmastersDynasty Jewelry and Loan, LTDE2E Resources, Inc.ED Granite City, Inc.Einstein HR EMC SecurityExplore Gwinnett*Fidelity Bank Fifth Third BankFriends of Gwinnett County Senior ServicesGem Shopping Network, Inc.*Georgia Department of Community Affairs*GrandView Planning GroupGwinnett CenterGwinnett County Public Schools*Gwinnett County Public Schools Career & Technical Education*Gwinnett Daily PostGwinnett Medical Center**

Gwinnett Online CampusGwinnett Place MallGwinnett Public Library*Gwinnett Sports CommissionGwinnett Technical CollegeGwinnett YMCAHire Dynamics*La Raza 102.3/100.1 Leadership GwinnettLIFESouth Community Blood CentersMake It Loud, Inc. Martin PhotographyMedical Weight Loss by HealthogenicsMercer UniversityMerry MaidsNavy Federal Credit UnionNeoLife – Clark Vitality**NeuroStudies.netNew Leaf Landscape Services

Next Star Communications/Sprint Inc.** North Georgia Business ConnectionNorthwest Exterminating Company, Inc.Olympus Worldwide Chauffeured ServicesPalmetto Grant ConsultingParker Young Construction Peach State Federal Credit UnionPre-Press to Printing, Inc.Primerica*PruittHealthPurchasing Alliance Solutions, Inc.Quantum National BankRainbow Village, Inc.Randstad*RD Direct Inc. Ricoh Electronics*Shane Company Jewelry*Signarama BufordSoutheast Janitorial Supplies, Inc

Spherion Staffing Services – Gwinnett**Sutter, McLellan & Gilbreath, Inc.Suzanna’s Kitchen, Inc.*Synergy America, Inc.*The Davis Companies**The FamilyThe Richard Young Agency – Farmers Insurance Toshiba Business SolutionsTRC Staffing* Troy UniversityUniversity of Georgia - Gwinnett CampusUniversity of Georgia Small Business Development CenterUniversity of PhoenixWaypoint HomesWhen Everyone Survives Foundation, Inc.Wholesale School Supply Inc.*Wilkinson Real Estate AdvisorsWilson Lewis CPAsWoodward Property Group

Participants * Denotes Job Fair Exhibitors** Denotes Expo & Job Fair Exhibitors

gwinnet tdai lypost .com • Gwinnett Daily Post • Sunday, August 17, 2014 • Gwinnett Chamber Business Expo & Job Fair • XNSP1704

SaturdayOctober 11th12:00 PM - 7:30 PM

The Lawrenceville Lawn

Small Business Success Lives Here! “Entrepreneur” and “small business” are terms that describe how countless fledgling businesses began. They are also descriptors of the future economic growth and success of our community and our region. Small businesses are the engines that drive the economy: during the last 20 years, small businesses were responsible for creating 64 percent of net new jobs in the U.S. Of the 21,000 businesses in Gwinnett, 75 percent of them have 10 employees or fewer,

and 98 percent have 50 employees or fewer. Successful small business leaders have learned how to recognize an opportunity and go after it, as the incredibly varied Gwinnett economy demonstrates every day. The Gwinnett Chamber is committed to creating the right business climate to help these companies and their visionary leaders succeed. In addition to our community’s pro-business environment, the Chamber provides a vast array of resources available to assist entrepreneurs and small

businesses in Gwinnett:• Small Business Essentials is a program developed by the Gwinnett Chamber to provide small business owners with the necessary information and resources to help navigate the best possible path to start or grow their business. Facilitated by industry experts who have the knowledge and experience to explain how to tackle the issues many small business owners face, these meetings are free and open to anyone, Chamber members and non-members alike. • Another Chamber program

series, Eat & Educate, provides small business owners with in-person, topic-specific opportunities to acquire the tools they need to be successful in business. Topics include surviving the first five years, finance and cash flow, legal and compliance issues, business plans, setting goals, minority assistance, networking, sales training, marketing, tradeshow tips, and more.• In November, the Chamber hosts its very first Small Business Summit, a day full of opportunities to tap into the experiences of successful local business experts who will share relevant and valuable tips, tricks

and tools to help small business owners grow their business and make money. The Summit features a dozen informative and content-rich 75-minute workshops on a variety of small business topics, as well as a Small Business Resource Fair. By offering small business owners access to the education and resources required to manage their businesses more effectively, there will be a positive ripple effect on the local economy and community. Entrepreneurs and small businesses will be able to learn the keys to thriving in today’s global economy and in the future.

Gwinnett Chamber Small Business Programs

gwinnett chamber expo 2014

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