jan-feb 2013 chatter

ChatterThe Chamber

Providing Leadership and Opportunity for business

Member News & InformationJanuary/February 2013

www.greaterwestchester.com

Award Winner Honored for Six Decades of Service

The Arc of Chester County has

been helping individuals with dis-

abilities and their families for 60

years creating and offering a wide

array of services including early intervention and edu-

cation programs, housing and employment services,

transportation and summer camps. For its ongoing, out-

standing commitment to the community, The Arc has

been named the Mosteller Community Service Award

winner by the Greater West Chester Chamber of

Commerce (GWCC).

The award, given annually since 1961, will be pre-

sented at the Chamber’s annual banquet to be held

February 5 at the Mendenhall Inn.

Jeanne Meikrantz, who becamethe non-profit organi-

zation’s executive director in October when long-time di-

rector Diane Carey retired, said she was excited and

honored to learn The ARC waschosen for the award es-

pecially given the number of excellent community serv-

ice organizations in the community.

“As the incoming executive director, I know how for-

tunate I am to have been given the opportunity to join

such an incredible organization and community,” she

said. “This award is a great testament to the dedication

and contributions of those who have worked so hard to

fulfill the mission of The Arc and provide quality serv-

ices to individuals with disabilities and families.

Whether hosting an event such as Breakfast with Santa,

adopting individuals and families in need during the

holidays, advocating for a child’s right to education,

continued to page 17

When Alvy Kelly turns 80 on Jan.

27, 2013 he will have much to cele-

brate: a wonderful family that now

includes three great grandchildren;

Kelly’s Sports, the thriving business

he started 40 years ago; the many

West Chester community projects

he helped fund and build,and a list of accolades he has

received for his many community endeavors.

On February 5, Alvy will celebrate another achieve-

ment when the Greater West Chester Chamber of

Commerce (GWCC) honors him as its 2012 Outstanding

Citizen of the Year. The award, presented each year

since 1948, will be given at the Chamber’sannual ban-

quet at the Mendenhall Inn.

When he learned of the award, Alvy, fit and trim at

nearly 80, was taken a back.

“I am certainly honored,” he said during an early

morning interview at Kelly’s Sports on Matlack Street

and Route 202. “I’m still trying to figure out why.”

“This all seems like a dream,” he added gazing around.

“I don’t look for thanks but it’s certainly nice to be ap-

preciated.”

Looking back, Alvy said he began working when he

was 9, hunting and trapping muskrat with his late friend,

Jim Brice, and selling them for $4 each to a local furrier.

Alvy then caddied and set-up bowling pins. He joined

the Air Force right out of West Chester High School

serving during the Korean War from 1950 to 1954. He re-

turned home and married Adelyene Izzi Kelly. Alvy and

Addy, who passed away in 2005, shared 52 years of mar-

riage and raised three children.

continued to page 6

Giving Back in An Outstanding WayBy: Dorothy Kennedy

By: Dorothy Kennedy

http://us.myflavia.com/home/index.jsp

WELCOME NEW MEMBERSWELCOME NEW MEMBERS

January/February 2013 www.greaterwestchester.com 3

Anytime Fitness Mr. Lou Samba

1502 West Chester Pike, Ste. 38

West Chester, PA 19382

610-692-6400

[email protected]

www.anytimefitness.com

Fitness

Avis Rent-A-Car Mr. Lou Zaccagni

1306 West Chester Pike


610-701-9800; Fax 610-701-9811

[email protected]

Automotive-Rental

Baxter Properties / Highgate Apartments Ms. Linda Haley



610-430-7400

[email protected]

www.baxterproperties.com

Apartments

Broad Run Golfer's Club Mr. Jeff Broadbelt

1520 Tattersall Way


610-738-4410; Fax 610-738-4412

[email protected]

www.broadrungc.com

Country/Golf Club

College Admission Planning Services Mr. David Cattie

510 Oakbourne Road


610-430-7328; Fax 610-430-7301

[email protected]

Consultant

D'Ambrosio Auto Group Mr. Jeff D'Ambrosio

1221 E. Lancaster Ave.

Downingtown, PA 19335

610-269-9500; Fax 610-873-9247

www.jeffdambrosio.com

Automotive-Dealers

Design6 Degrees Ms. Brenda McCallum

P.O. Box 3211


610-844-9869

[email protected]

www.design6degrees.com

Marketing/Public Relations

Doc Magrogan's Oyster House Ms. Kaela Mast

117 East Gay Street


610-429-4046

www.docmagrogans.com

Restaurant/Cafe

First Resource Bank Mr. Glenn B. Marshall

101 Marchwood Road

Exton, PA 19341

610-363-9400; Fax 610-561-6039

[email protected]

www.FirstResourceBank.com

Banking/Saving/Loans

Gage Strength Training LLC Mr. Devin Gage

820 Deerfield Lane

Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

484-432-6794

[email protected]

www.gagestrengthtraining.com

Fitness

Gecko Group Ms. Ellie Byron-Haley

211 W. Chestnut St.


610-430-0305; Fax 610-430-3409

[email protected]

www.geckogroup.com

Marketing/Public Relations

Morton Family Law Kim Denise Morton

158 W. Gay St., Suite 202


610-692-3999; Fax 610-692-7711

[email protected]

www.mortonfamilylaw.com

Attorney

continued to page 4

4 www.greaterwestchester.com January/February 2013

Rams Head Bar & Grill Mr. James Cappello

40 East Market St.


484-631-0241; Fax 484-631-0180

[email protected]

www.ramsheadbarandgrill.com

Restaurant/Cafe

Ryan, Morton & Imms, LLC Mr. Seamus M. Lavin

220 W. Gay St.


610-430-1504; Fax 610-430-7106

[email protected]

www.rmilaw.com

Attorney

Sun East Federal Credit Union Mr. Scott Edwards

P.O. Box 2231

Aston, PA 19014

610-485-2960; Fax 610-485-3011

[email protected]

www.suneast.org

Banking/Saving/Loans

Wiggins Shredding Mr. Brad Wiggins



610-692-8327; Fax 610-692-8329

[email protected]

www.wigginsshredding.com

Business Services

Welcome New Members continued page 3

Chamber StaffMark J. Yoder Dave Fairman

President Director of Membership

Maggie O’NeillOffice Operations Director

Bethany HenryMember Services Coordinator

Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester119 North High Street t: 610.696.4046West Chester, PA 19380 f: 610.696.9110www.greaterwestchester.com

In the next few months you will begin to see an exciting and dynamic new Chamber campaign

Think.Shop.Buy.Local

This valuable program will directly connect Chamber member businesses with customers and the

community. Set to launch in early 2013, you will begin to see the Think.Shop.Buy.Local logo on a

plethora of Chamber communications. If you would like to learn more about this exciting opportunity,

please call the Chamber at 610-696-4046.

Special thanks to the enthusiastic members of the Chamber's Marketing Committee for their hard work and dedication to creating this new offering from the

Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

www.gwcc.org

www.susquehanna.net


Our members are the foundation of our organization. To honor them we would like to congratulate and thank

those who renewed their membership in October and November 2012. Thank you for your ongoing support of

the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

Members for 20 - 29 yearsWells Fargo Bank

Elmark Signs & Graphics

Halladay Florist

Black Berry Technologies Inc.

ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center

William S. Malany & Sons, Inc.

Parkway Dry Cleaners, Inc.

Robert S. Supplee, P.C.

Westtown Dental Associates

West Chester Capital Advisors Inc.

The Gilbert & Sullivan Soc. of Ches. Co.

Green Mount Cemetery Assoc.

KMRD Partners, Inc.

La Difference Salon & Day Spa

ARAMARK @ WCU

FAIRMAN'S Skate, Snow & Surf

10 - 19 yearsModel Specialties Co.

Lorgus Flower Shop

TnT Handling USA, Inc.

West Chester Dental Arts

Process Aquatics International LLC

Communication Graphics

Peter R. Johnson & Company

Northeast Package Delivery

Hicks Property Management, LLC

Buckley, Brion, McGuire, Morris & Sommer LLP

Paychex

Mitch's Market Street Gym

Morgan Stanley / West Chester

G & G Cigar Company

Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America

Patricia Schultz Enterprises, Inc.

Krapf's Coaches Inc.

The Klip Joint

Tom Mohr Law Office, P.C.

Benny's Pizzeria

West Chester Off-Campus Housing

Cypress Capital Management Inc.

Avilion, Inc.

Optimal Massage

Blue Dog Printing & Design

William H. Bunch Auctioneer & Appraiser

BLINK

WCHE

3 - 9 yearsGayle Bohman

Strategy Arts

West Chester Soft Pretzel Factory

Biffen Wealth Management

Meridian Bank

Nask Door, Inc.

Matlack Florist, Inc.

ABC Hearing Net

John M. Hannafin

Thoughts Embellished Inc.

Back Office Thinking

JMF Tech Support, LLC

Francis Automotive Services

Miho Kahn Interiors LLC

Mr. Stuart's Martial Arts

uFinancial Group

S.B. Conrad, Inc.

Moonflower

A Taste of Olive

AFJ Company

Annette D. Telgarsky, P.C.

Underground Services, Inc.

Cobblestone Realty

Edward Jones Investments

Jason Fallon / Mortgage Network, Inc.

Phase 1 Electric, Inc.

Tree Top Builders, Inc.

Parisian Cleaners

1 - 2 yearsCharles A. Melton Arts & Education Center

MERJE

T.P. Fisher General Contractors/Remodelers, LLC

Beneficial Bank

Charles Wasserman, Ph.D.

The WC Press

The Honorable Ryan Costello

ELITE Personal Training, Studios and Corporate Fitness

RE/MAX Town & Country / Brian Dickerson

America's Pie

Beacon / IDV

Susanin, Widman & Brennan, P.C.

Thank You to Our Renewing Members in October & November 2012


Alvy worked in the defense and space missile division

of Burroughs Corporation from 1955 to 1972, helping to

install the first Atlas missile siteat Cape Canaveral, Fla.

He had been selling sporting equipment out of his house

when he was laid off from Burroughs in 1972. Alvy and

Addy took the opportunity to start Kelly’s Sports at

West Chester’s Parkway Centerand opened a second

store in Kennett Square in 1980. The two stores and a

warehouse were consolidated at the current West

Chester location in 1985. Under the leadership of their

son Steve Kelly since 1995, Kelly’s Sports now has about

80 employees with a second location in Harrisburg.

Along with Addy and Kelly’s Sport’s, Alvy has over the

years been responsible for untold philanthropic projects

in the Greater West Chester community from creating

and restoring athletic fields, establishing the Little All

American Football Association (LAFA), to donating and

installing lights at community and educational institu-

tions at all levels. Kelly’s Sports and its owners have

been honored many times by athletic, business and

civic organizations, as well as by educational institu-

tions such as West Chester University and Cheyney

University. In 2008, Alvy was inducted into the Chester

County Sports Hall of Fame. That same year, Kelly’s

Sports was named GWCC’s Business of the Year.

Retired since 1995, Alvy remains active in the com-

munity and gets a tremendous amount of joy when

meeting former parents and players who recognize him-

from his days as anEast Side Little League coach.

Mark Yoder, GWCC president, looks forward to pre-

senting him with the Outstanding Citizen award in

February.

“We are proud to honor one of West Chester’s native

sons,” Yoder said. “Alvy’s accomplishments may seem

like a dream to him, but to those of us who have seen

what he has done in and around West Chester, his gifts

and talents are a wonderful reality. He truly exemplifies

the meaning of outstanding and we thank him for his

longstanding and ongoing efforts on behalf of our com-

munity.”

Giving Back in An Outstanding Way continued page 1

� Geothermal Experts

� Radiant Heat Instalation

� Mr. Slim Ductless AC by Mitsubishi

� NATETM Certified Technicians

� TRANE Comfort Specialist

� Preventative Maintenance Agreements

� 24/7 Emergency Service Available

� Voted Best HVAC Company by DLN Readers

Discover The Energy Savings With A Geothermal System

610-692-3900 � www.bvhvac.com PA031124

www.bvhvac.com


The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with Applecross Country Club to offer re-

newing members an opportunity to win a Casual Golf Membership at Talamore and Applecross Country Clubs.

All current members are eligible to win during the month they renew their membership.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following businesses who were picked in a lottery drawing of Chamber businesses

that renewed their memberships in October and November 2012

Ms. KimberSchladweiler

A Taste of Olive

Ms. Beth Carotenuto

ACAC Fitness & Wellness Center

Ms. Michelle Morkun

Avilion, Inc.

Mr. David Biffen, Jr.,CFP,CLU

Biffen Wealth Management

Ms. Debi Wright Friedmann

Blue Dog Printing & Design

Mr. David Fairman


Mr. Thaddaeus Fisher

T.P. Fisher General Contractors/Remodelers, LLC

Mr. John Hannafin

Mrs. Mary Lou Enoches

La Difference Salon & Day Spa

Ms. Christine M. Wildauer

Lorgus Flower Shop

Mr. Douglas R. Barr

Morgan Stanley / West Chester

Mr. Joe Nask

Nask Door, Inc.

Mr. Ronald Ginns

Phase 1 Electric, Inc.

Mr. Brian Dickerson

RE/MAX Town & Country

Angela Sikdar


Daniel J. Brennan

Susanin, Widman& Brennan, P.C.

Mr. Tim Carney

TnT Handling USA, Inc.

Mr. Bill Mason

WCHE

Mr. Vince Liuzzi

Wells Fargo Bank

Mr. Jim Powers

West Chester Soft Pretzel Factory

GOLF MEMBERSHIP WINNERS

www.marketstreetprint.com

http://www.autorentpa.com/westchester/index.php


Hurricane Sandy was one of the

costliest storms to hit the United

States. The massive storm hit the

East Coast at the end of October.

The areas affected were declared

federal disaster areas by

President Obama which allows

for some special rules related to

reporting casualty losses, making

charitable contributions and the

filing and payment of taxes including trust funds.

Businesses and individuals who suffered storm dam-

age have the opportunity to report their unreimbursed

casualty losses on their 2012 tax return or amend the

2011 tax return. The benefit of amending the prior year

return allows for a faster refund. However, there are

other considerations which may affect the decision to

amend. The rules related to reporting and calculating ca-

sualty losses are complicated and should be evaluated

by a qualified professional. Some owners of rental real

estate may actually owe taxes due to the extensive dam-

ages and insurance reimbursements. If you have suf-

fered a loss, it is important to provide your accountant

with complete information. Below is a listing of infor-

mation that your accountant will need to complete your

tax return:

• Property description – for real estate show location

• Whether the property is business, income pro-

ducing, or personal use

• Date of acquisition

• Original cost plus any improvements

• Depreciation taken in prior years

• Estimated market value before casualty

• Estimated market value after casualty

• Insurance reimbursement amount (whether es-

timated or actual)

• If not received yet, when do you expect to receive

the reimbursement?

The damage done by the storm has created a wave of

goodwill and generosity from businesses and individuals.

The Internal Revenue Service has responded by chang-

ing some rules on charitable giving to facilitate the in-

creased desire to help those affected.

• Exemptions for donations made to individuals:

Employers who help employees recover from the wreck-

age of Hurricane Sandy can exclude the donation from

the employees’ taxable income. The exemption applies

to qualified disaster relief payments, such as living ex-

Hurricane Sandy Tax ReliefBy Kathy Wileczek

Kathy Wileczek, CPA ([email protected]) is with Maillie,

Falconiero & Company, LLP. We are one of the leading regional ac-

counting, tax and advisory firms in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Our

client service philosophy has helped forge an excellent working re-

lationship with our diverse client base.

penses or home repairs not covered by insurance.

Employer-sponsored private foundations may also pro-

vide disaster relief to employees affected by the hurri-

cane without effecting their tax-exempt status, though

the foundations must follow federal guidelines for dis-

aster relief through charitable organizations.

• Streamlined Review: The IRS is expediting the

approval process for groups seeking tax-exempt status to

help hurricane victims.

• Employers can set up tax-advantaged leave do-

nation programs to help facilitate cash gifts to charities

providing disaster relief to the victims of Hurricane

Sandy. Under these programs, employees may donate

their vacation, sick or personal leave in exchange for em-

ployer cash payments made to qualified tax-exempt or-

ganizations providing relief for the victims of Hurricane

Sandy. This leave donation program will be in effect un-

til December 31, 2013. Donated vacation, sick, and per-

sonal time off will not be included in the income or

wages of the employees. Employers will be permitted to

deduct the amount of the cash payment.

Due to the shutdown of our financial system and the

disruption of the business operations the Internal

Revenue Service is allowing relief from many late filing

and payment penalties. If you receive a notice, it should

be reviewed by your accountant before paying.

There are several proposals in Congress related to ad-

ditional tax relief benefits to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

It is difficult to predict the final outcome given the other

uncertainties that currently exist in our tax law. Anyone

who has suffered significant storm damage should con-

tact their accountant for specific guidance before the end

of the year.

www.phase1electric.com


Platinum Sponsor

(Adopting 20 wreaths)

We would like to give a special thank you to our Platinum

Sponsor of the Adopt-A-Lamppost program

Gold Bow Sponsor

(Adopting 6 or more wreaths)

Brandywine Maintenance

Brickhouse Environmental

Cmedia

Doc Magrogan's Oyster House

Elite Fitness, Personal Training Studios & Corp. Fitness

Services

Grand Sport Auto Body

Jacquette Consulting, Inc.

Kyle's Auto Tags

Lamb McErlane PC

M&T Bank and Wilmington Trust, N.A.

MacElree Harvey, Ltd.

Main Line Today

Meridian Bank

QVC, Inc.

Radley Run Country Club

S.B. Conrad, Inc. General Contractor

Schramm, Inc.

Side Bar & Restaurant

Stephano Slack LLC

Stillman Volvo

Tague Design Showroom

The Chester County Hospital and Health System

TQ Consultants, LLC

Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express

Unruh, Turner, Burke & Frees, P.C.

Weed Man

William M. Dunleavy & Company Inc.

Red Bow Sponsor

(Adopting 3-5 wreaths)

Arthur Hall Insurance

Barclay Friends

Barnaby's West Chester

Beneficial Bank

Bill & Linda Scott

Brandywine Valley Heating & A/C

Ed & Julie Breiner

Capriotti's

Comcast Spotlight

Dave Magrogan Group

Dave's Automotive Repair Enterprises,

DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home

Dorset Connects

Fox Chase Bank

Fulton Bank

Genuine Healthcare Resources

Hotel Warner

Kaly

Kildare's Irish Pub

In Memory of Margo Mallory Ambler

metropolitan @ west chester

Moonflower

National Penn Bank

Robert G. Partridge

Rainer & Company / M. DeHaven

Rams Head Bar & Grill

David G. Rogers

Rothwell Document Solutions

Jim Scanlon

Sun East Federal Credit Union

TD Bank

The 5 Senses

The Goddard School in West Chester

Thomas Comitta Associates, Inc.

Univest - Banking, Insurance, Investments

Wells Fargo Bank

William S. Malany & Sons, Inc.

Green Bow Sponsor

(Adopting 1-2 wreaths)

ABC Hearing Net

Dr. Timothy Blair

BlueEdge Consulting

Andy Chapis / ReMax

Ches. Co. Lodge 11 - Fraternal Order Police

Clarke, Nicolini & Associates, Ltd.

Coins of Chester County

Creative Properties

Daily Local News

Delightful Desserts & Culinary Creations Inc.

Don Walls Custom Painting

Edward Jones / Jeff Kitchen


Faunbrook Bed & Breakfast

Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union

The Hickman

Jon & Judi Ivins

Adopt-A-Lamppost Program – 2012The Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester would like to thank the following companies and individu-

als for their generous support of adopting one or more of the Christmas wreaths that decorate downtown West

Chester for the holiday season:



Were you one of the Business

Owners or HR Managers who

waited until the November election

to plan for the required health care

changes enacted under the Patient

Protection and Affordable Care Act

(PPACA)? If so, you are not alone,

but with the Supreme Court ruling

in June and the re-election of President Obama, the

PPACA will move forward, and it is time for HR man-

agers to get started. Three major aspects that employ-

ers are focusing on are the overall cost, the shift to new

plans, and the status of part-time employees.

Cost will determine many of the changes employers

face. According to Aon Hewitt, health care costs per em-

ployee are projected to increase to $11,188 in 2013

($10,522, 2012). The projected employee’s portion will

increase to $2,385 in 2013 ($2,204, 2012), and the em-

ployee’s out of pocket expenses such as co-pays, etc. is

projected to increase to $2,429 in 2013 ($2,200, 2012).

Health care costs are rising at twice the rate of inflation.

Furthermore, the opt out rates for individuals who re-

ceive lower wages will decrease because workers who

can afford it, must obtain coverage or pay a penalty,

which will increase the enrollment rate for some com-

panies. Many employers are expected to mitigate these

dollar increases from the law by increasing the em-

ployee’s proportion of the premiums, and move to-

ward a plan that covers 60% of essential benefits

provided by the employer. Almost half of employers in

one survey are considering using a defined contribution

strategy where the employer agrees to pay a set

amount and the employee must pay anything above

that amount. When giving a range of plan options, the

employee can save money by choosing a lower-cost

plan. Employers are also enacting wellness and health

programs, some with incentives and financial rewards

if employees engage in a healthier lifestyle, and plan de-

sign strategies to encourage employees to use less

health care in order to cut cost.

Many employers are considering shifting to a con-

sumer-directed health plan (CDHP). These plans have

employees use spending accounts such as Health

Savings Accounts (HSAs) or Health Reimbursement

Arrangements (HRAs) in order to purchase health care

services directly. Generally, there is a high deductible

that employees must meet, but then medical expenses

will be covered by traditional insurance. Employees

with an HSA have control over all the money in the ac-

count: pre-tax dollars they contribute, and an optional

employer contribution. Only employers fund HRA ac-

counts, and they decide if left over money at the end of

the year rolls over. CDHPs are becoming popular be-

cause they have saved 20% on average for employers,

and they offer more personal economic decisions for

employees such as how much care to get and what type

of care to use. More than half of employees surveyed by

MBGH and the Benfield Group LLC offered CDHPs, and

many were making them the only plan option by 2018.

Finally, many employers will need to redefine full-time

employment. Under the PPACA, an employee who works

more than 30 hours/week is considered full-time and is el-

igible for health care coverage in companies with 50 or

more full-time employees. Otherwise, the company must

pay a $2,000 penalty per ineligible full-time employee. If

your company is not already compliant, there are some

options to consider: switch more employees to fewer

than 30 hour workweeks, offer new lower-cost high-de-

ductible health plans for employees, make employees

working 30 hours per week eligible for the full-time health

insurance plan, or offer voluntary benefit options in con-

junction with high-deductible CDHPs, which would shift

costs to the employee. One word of caution, part-time

benefits is a recruitment and retention tool that helps at-

tain the highest quality workers, so consider before elim-

inating benefits entirely.

The PPACA has a magnitude of implementations that

every employer needs to prepare for. Below are deadlines

that everyone should be aware of in the next 2 years

(from Allen Smith, SHRM, October 2012):

• Provisions enacted in 2013

o Health flexible spending account limit of $2,500.

o Restricted annual limit on essential benefits at $2

million.

o Exchange notices to all employees due by March

1, 2013 (there is no guidance as of yet, so this deadline

may be postponed).

o Elimination of Medicare Part D subsidy tax ad-

vantage.

o Patient-centered outcome research fee on health

insurers and sponsors of self-funded plans.

o 0.9% increase in Medicare tax for employees earn-

ing at least $200,000, which affects withholding and W-2

forms.

Preparing for ObamaCareBy Peter R. Johnson of Peter R. Johnson & Company



• Provision enacted in 2014 (the big year for

PPACA):

o Individuals must have health coverage or pay a

penalty.

o Exchange coverage.

o Employer “pay-or-play” mandate - $2,000 per em-

ployee penalty on employers with more than 50 em-

ployees who do not provide health insurance to full-time

workers

o Insurer coverage of essential health benefits (in-

dividual and small-group markets only).*

o Insurer rating limits (individual and small groups

only).*

o Insurer guaranteed issue and renewability.*

o Waiting periods limited to 90 days.

o No annual dollar limit on essential health bene-

fits.

o Coverage for clinical trials,*

o Increased wellness incentive to 30 percent.*

o No pre-existing condition exclusions, regardless

of age.

o Cost-sharing limits of $5,950 for individual cov-

erage/$11,900 for family coverage (to be adjusted for

2014).*

o Deductible limit of $2,000 for individual cover-

age/$4,000 for family coverage.* (some question

whether this requirement applies to small groups only

or both large and small.)

o Insurer provider fee—Insurer must pay based

on net written premiums.

o Reinsurance fee on insurer and third party ad-

ministrator of self-funded plan, payable 2014-16.

o Section 6055 IRS reporting for plans that pro-

vide minimum essential coverage.

o Section 6056 IRS reporting for large employers

(at least 50 full-time employees), presumably to verify in-

dividual mandate and pay-or-play information.

*Exempt plans if grandfathered (an employment

based group health plan, whether insured or self funded,

or that provides individual insurance coverage that was

in existence on March 23, 2012 defined by the Affordable

Care Act).

If your HR Department needs assistance forming a

plan to handle ObamaCare or any other human re-

sources initiatives, please call our office.

Preparing for ObamaCare continued page 10

Peter R. Johnson & Company is a West Chester-based compensation

consulting firm that provides total compensation plan design and pro-

gram management including assistance in writing winning job de-

scriptions. Our experienced staff of compensation consultants enables

Peter R. Johnson & Company to provide plan design, implementation

support, and ongoing administrative services for all phases of a

client’s total compensation program. For more information on “How

to Hire The Best,” please reach us at www.prjandco.com or 610-436-

6114. .

Scott Mayes, ChairmanComcast SpotlightTimothy R. Jefferis, Chairman-ElectTD BankChris Tolsdorf, Vice ChairmanTolsdorf Oil Lube Express

Thank You to our 2012 Board Members

2012 Officers

Rob Partridge, SecretaryWC Area School DistrictDonna Urian, TreasurerFischer, Cunnane & Assoc., Ltd.Mike Brown, Past ChairmanKMRD Partners

Board of Directors

Mary BighamWC DishBryan BrocksonEDiS Construction & DevelopmentThomas CiccaroneParkway Dry CleanersJohn J. Cunningham, IVLamb McErlane PCRonald K. DellaVecchiaDellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc.Guy T. Dunn1-800-905-Geek/Geeks on CallMarc ErnestFranklin Mint Federal Credit UnionThomas GavinChester County HospitalLiz GoldingSusquehanna Bank

Nicole GrebloskiArthur Hall InsuranceBruce GriffinYMCA– West Chester AreaFrank JacquetteJacquette ConsultingMell JosephsStudent Services, Inc/WCUJeannie McGinnMcGinn Marketing WorksArlene McGranaghanDaily Local NewsPatrick McKenna, Esq.Gawthrop Greenwood, PCAndrew McMenaminDNB FirstBrian MillerMars Drinks North America, LLCMarisa PowellPietro’s/Nonna’s Restaurants

www.clearsoundinc.com


Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 Martin Luther King Day

22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

Coffee Connection

Opening its newest location right here in West Chester

Stop in for breakfast and meet the staff.

1060 Andrew Dr. Suite 120

West Chester

Wednesday, Jan. 16 7:45am 9:00am Free for members

$10 for non-members

RSVP Appreciated

Membership Luncheon

Transportation update presented by TMACC (Transportation Management Authority of Chester County).

Planning Commision, and Septa. Learn about what is going on around the area and what is expected in the future.

Wednesday, January 23 Higher Grounds Conference Center 910 South High St., West Chester 11:45am 1:00pm $25 for members $35 for non-members RSVP Required

Business Card Exchange

stop in to meet some friends and see the Melton Center.

501 E. Minor Street, West Chester

Wednesday, January 30 5:30pm 7:30pm Free for members

$10 for non-members RSVP Appreciated


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Many years ago, a mentor

taught me an important lesson

about behavioral development.

I was in my early twenties and

still impressionable. His suc-

cinct message was: First we

form habits, then habits form

us. His reasoning being that

whatever behaviors a person

adopted as either good or bad

habits would impact that per-

son’s advancement and overall circumstances. While

I don’t remember the event that resulted in the men-

tor’s inculcation, the lesson stuck.

Throughout my life, the mentor’s lesson resur-

faced whenever I found myself in a rut due to poor

performance. These dull episodes would soon result

in an epiphany as the mentor’s reminder popped

back into my consciousness.

A simple example about habits and behaviors

might be parental guidance in helping children de-

velop good dental hygiene. The daily urging that

“brushing your teeth” is important for good health

and a proactive method for averting the dentist’s drill

is learned by children and hopefully becomes a habit.

The culmination of personal habits and behav-

iors result in a company’s culture along with the stan-

dard operating procedures. A procedure and a habit

really are not too different in that they both yield con-

sistent outcomes.

In customer service operations that lack a stan-

dard operating procedure for call scripting, problem

resolution and proper follow up, the likelihood for in-

consistent performance is ripe. These inconsisten-

cies result in a personality-based service delivery in

which customers are at the mercy of a service profes-

sional’s personality, rather than a stable process.

Therefore those service professionals, who

excel, by virtue of their positive attitude or their par-

Impact of Habits and Personal BehaviorBy Steve Coscia

Steve Coscia ([email protected]) of Coscia Communications

writes, speaks and consults about customer service. His books,

tapes and television appearances have helped thousands of

business professionals.

ent’s instruction about courtesy and respect for oth-

ers, will improve customer retention, increase cus-

tomer satisfaction and, as a reward, attract a

disproportionate amount of the workload. The in-

creased workload manifests itself in at least two si-

multaneous outcomes: (1) Customers aware of the

behavioral inconsistencies will always request to be

served by the better performers and (2) Managers

will delegate more tasks to the more responsible

subordinates thereby broadening the subordinate’s

skills and ensuring more future delegation. Mean-

while, the poor performers hurt their employer’s

reputation; add unnecessary escalated calls to their

manager’s workload and wind up doing less than

their more productive counterparts.

Managers must expect the best, keep the bar

high and practice fair workload distribution. This is

easiest when everyone is a world-class performer.

When mediocrity seeps into the service environ-

ment, then everyone loses – customers, front-line

service professionals and managers.

Briar photography610-296-8323

briarphotography.com

When image counts.

www.arthurhall.com

www.blairphotography.com


Is Your Firm Ready for BYOD?By Neal Zimmerman, Dorset Connects

People increasingly expect to use their personal lap-

tops, smartphones and tablets at work. And they do.

More than 70 percent of U.S. small businesses allow

employees to use their smartphones for work, accord-

ing to the Aberdeen Group, a Boston-based technology

research firm.

Employers with "bring your own device" (BYOD) poli-

cies can cut their costs for purchasing and administer-

ing phones and computers. Also, employees often are

more productive and happier when using the devices

they're most comfortable with.

However, BYOD is not necessarily the panacea that

many hope it to be. Allowing employees to use many dif-

ferent types of devices for business can turn into an IT

nightmare for supplying tech support, and, more im-

portantly, securing sensitive business data and com-

munications.

If you are considering implementing BYOD at your of-

fice, or if you have done so already, be sure to ask your-

self and your IT support team these questions:

1. Do we have clear policies to prevent the sharing

of confidential or proprietary business information?

Data security is a key concern with BYOD. While some

cloud-based services offer more security than others, ul-

timately the biggest concern is often whether employ-

ees know which business information to protect and

how to protect it.

This consideration applies across the board, from

electronic files to social media to in-person conversa-

tions. Develop clear policies that apply generally to

business information and communication, and then ex-

plain how they apply to what employees do on their

own devices.

2. Can your employees reliably secure their own de-

vices?

One of the big risks of BYOD is that personal devices

might be lost, stolen or accessed by unauthorized peo-

ple. The simplest way to prevent data theft is to keep the

device locked with a passcode when not in use after a

period of inactivity. This is the setting we recommend

for our clients.

It might make sense to require employees to keep de-

vices that they use for work locked at all times -- even at

home -- with a hard-to-guess password. Be sure em-

ployees know how to lock and unlock their devices and

advise against letting other people, including family

members, use them.

Creating and managing security policies for your mo-

bile devices, while requiring some planning and buy-in

from your different department heads, is not compli-

cated or hard to implement. For example, Microsoft

Exchange 2010 allows you to set polices requiring a se-

cure passcode to unlock devices and to even remotely

wipe a device should it be lost or stolen. Free cloud

based apps can provide even greater control such as the

ability to deploy apps to Droids and IOS (iPhone/iPad)

devices as well.

As we head into 2013, business leaders should make

a resolution to work with their IT support team to plan

and implement a mobile device policy that will help

protect both their company’s and their client’s sensitive

information.

Dorset Connects offers complete IT and telecommunication man-

agement solutions that take the hassles out of managing and main-

taining your critical IT systems. We’ll customize a support plan that

is tailored to your environment and exceeds your support expecta-

tions. www.dorsetconnects.com

Chamber Chatter Radio Show Every Monday at 1pm

Listen Live on

WCHE 1520AM or

www.wche1520.com

Like to be a guest? Please send an email to [email protected] or call 610.889.0626 for consideration

www.wche1520.com


The Board of Directors requests your presence at the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce’s

Annual BanquetHonoring the

2012 Outstanding Citizen of the Year

Alvy Kelly

Tuesday, February 5, 2013The Mendenhall Inn

Grand BallroomMendenhall, Pennsylvania

J. Dewees MostellerCommunity Service Award Recipient

The Arc of Chester County

and the

Cocktails 5:30pm ~ Dinner 6:45pmResponse card enclosed. Please respond by January 25, 2013

Presenting Sponsor:

Cancellations after January 31, 2013 may not be reimbursed. In the event of snow emergency, the banquet will be rescheduled for Wednesday, February 6, 2013.


finding meaningful jobs or supporting an individual

in their home or community, The Arc of Chester

County welcomes every opportunity to serve.”

Founded in 1952 as The Association for Retarded

Children, The Arc’s mission is to “advocate, educate,

and provide services to empower individuals with

disabilities and their families to enhance the quality

of their lives.” Through partnerships with individuals

and organizations, The Arc has been a leader in cre-

ating innovative programs in many areas including

education, housing, recreation, job coaching and em-

ployment.Programs developed by The Arc include

the first sheltered workshop in Chester County, now

a separate organization calledHandi-Crafters, Inc.,

Tom Thumb, the first community-based classrooms

for children with developmental or intellectual dis-

abilities; and the first group home in Chester County,

now operated by Brian’s House.

Today, the organization annually serves over 3,000

families including a growing number of children and

adults with autism.

Looking to the future, Meikrantzis confident The

Arc will continue to provide exceptional services

and expand its partnerships with organizations such

asGWCC and other supporters and volunteers.

“Members of our community are valuable partners

in our work and in fulfilling our mission,” she said.

“We deeply appreciate all the support and efforts of

so many as we move forward.”

Award Winner Honored... continued page 1

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DAREAUTO.COM

Family OwnedSince 1976

301 S. Bolmar StreetWest Chester, PA 19382

JJeffrey GribbenAssistant Vice PresidentBranch [email protected]

137 N. High StreetWest Chester, PA 19380www.foxchasebank.com

www.buckleyllp.com

www.dareauto.com

www.foxchasebank.com


The Mars Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade &

Members of WSFS Bank

L – R: Dr. Sara Missett, Principal Ann Helion, Art

Teacher Bette Naughton, Rob Partdrige, and the

Brockson girls!

Winning Decorated Box- East Bradford

Elementary School


WSFS Holiday Toy Drive

(L-R) Katherine Lovell, Francesca Crane – Bridge of Hope,

Leeann Riloff, Monique Howard- Maternal & Child Health

Consortium


Jumpstart 2013: Five Tips to Make a DifferenceBy: Donna Saul, President, Donna Saul, LLC

There are lots of lists about how

business owners can prepare for a new

year. What they skip, more often than

not, are the fundamentals of building a

solid foundation and achieving the bot-

tom line results critical to the ongoing

life of a business. That’s not to say that

other aspects aren’t equally impor-

tant—should you consider mobile mar-

keting (yes), is an HR audit appropriate (maybe), are

staffing and compensation plans adequate (potentially),

but to me the key question is this: how much are you go-

ing to sell next year and where will that business come

from?

More often than not, I see what I call victim-selling:

companies cast a wide net and scramble to do all kinds of

things hoping it will generate sales, and they take what

falls their way. But that doesn’t provide a consistent way

of generating sales and revenue. That requires a solid

sales plan with sales projections —what are you going to

sell, when, and where will that business come from.

(That’s the short version.) These elements are critical to

your company’s growth, and yet they are the most fre-

quently overlooked because they are hard to build and

even harder to maintain, especially if you haven’t done it

before. But if you build them and manage the execution,

you’re sure to hit your numbers in 2013 and beyond.

Here are a few other things I consider fundamental to a

healthy bottom line:

1. Build a good sales team: The best teams have high

quality people who are developed consistently and driven

to produce the numbers. But your reps need a playable

hand including these seven cards-- the right marketplace,

a competitive offering, adequate territory, a good com-

pensation plan, good management, realistic goals and

enough time to hit them. If you don’t hold all seven cards,

get them.

2. Salesdrives marketing, not the other way around.

In my experience, you can build all the fancy marketing

programs you wish, but in the end, somebody has to sell

your product or service. Build your sales projections

then develop the marketing plan to support it. For ex-

ample, if the majority of your sales come at year end,

then enhance the months prior with a kick ass marketing

program that will prime the market and generate more

sales coming into your busy time. If you don’t sell any-

thing at year end, then don’t spend your marketing dollars

there. And don’t waste your money on low hanging fruit,

or shiny new objects in the form of a good story told by an

experienced marketing sales rep. There are no slam dunk,

one size fits all marketing plans, no matter what you hear or

read. There are only well thought out, custom plans that are

built and managed week in and week out to ensure they hit

the mark. So be critical, be judicious and be stingy until you

can be reasonably sure that the money you spend will gen-

erate the results you want.

3. Target, target, target. Unless you have money to

burn in the form of wasted sales and marketing dollars,

build your sales plan with a specific market in mind. Is the

bulk of your business this year going to come primarily

from new business, from existing customers or some com-

bination of both? Think in terms of shooting through

crosshairs with a rifle vs. a shotgun. Think about what you

want to accomplish, be realistic, and build your sales and

marketing plans accordingly.

4. Streamline processes. Be fanatical about evaluating

howyou do things and making improvements on the spot

whenever possible. “Because that's how we've always done

it," and "If it's not broke, don't fix it" just don’t cut it in these

competitive times. There's always room for improvement,

and you'll never survive if you aren't flexible enough to

change with the market and constantly develop as a com-

pany. The key to success is to make it about developing a

company culture around the idea that you’re always looking

for the best, most efficient, most productive approach --

even if you’ve been doing it the same way for 20 years.

5. Invest in one new customer touch-point: New

methodologies are popping up all the time. Find out how

your current customers came to know or prefer to connect

with you and be where they are. Whether it’s a blog,

Facebook, Twitter (or other), mobile coupons or QR codes,

or networking, spend time in making that happen.And don’t

overlook your website. It should be attractive, easy to nav-

igate, SEO optimized, with quality content that moves cus-

tomers along a conversion path. Your social media efforts

have to drive traffic somewhere, and that most logical place

is your website, so evaluate it with a critical eye – if it lacks

visibility in search or doesn’t capture and convert leads, it’s

time for an update.

Have a healthy, productive and lucrative New Year!

Next article, next issue: Seriously, Stop Talking (a.k.a.

Why your new sales aren’t happening.)

Donna Saul is a business strategist and consultant with a proven track

record in helping companies grow, add revenue, increase sales, im-

prove productivity and build a better bottom line. She can be reached

at [email protected], or via the web at www.donnasaul.com.


Jane Chalfant / Kiki Boutique

Kelly's Sports, Ltd

Keystone Federal Credit Union

Krapf Coaches Inc.

Kreutz Creek Winery

Law Offices of David M. Melchiorre, LLC

Lewis, Hopkins & Williamson, Inc.

Moore Events, Inc.

Henry C. Nace, State Farm Agent

Richard C. Nelson, DDS, PC


Penn Office Products, Inc.

David Rayburn

Ryan's Pub

Safe Harbor of Chester County, Inc.

A. Roy Smith

Susquehanna Bank

Glen & David Sweet

Taylor's Music Store and Studios, Inc.

Tynan Consultants

Tom Walsh/Century 21 Alliance - Commercial

Dean Wesley

W.C. Connections Program / Elwyn, Davidson School

West Chester Area Day Care Center

West Chester Bus. Improvement District

West Chester Capital Advisors

West Chester Friends School

William Wood Co. REALTOR

WSFS Bank

James E. Yiaski, CPA

Zukin Realty Inc.

As we turn the calendar to 2013 we are changing up our

website! Coming in February, the GWCC website will

have an all new look with more community information,

friendlier tabs, and most of all a better experience for

YOU, our valued Chamber members.

What to look for:

- Members Only Access

- Think.Shop.Buy. Local

- Up to date newsfeed on fellow chamber members

- Community calendar where you can post YOUR

events for everyone to see

- Register and pay for events at the click of a

button

And much much more! Look for the teaser at the

Annual Banquet on February 5 and the website launch

soon thereafter!

A New and Improved GWCCWebsite

Adopt-A-Lamppost Program continued page 9

www.ladifferencesalon.com


The GWCC Government and Legislative Committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss what is happening in the country and the local area. This month’s meeting they thought that we always hear the results of the Presidential Election, but we sometimes forget about our area.

So here are the 2012 Election Results:

o Presidential and Statewide Elections: Democrat candidates won all of the statewide elections in Pennsylvania stunning many pundits and giving a setback to the Pennsylvania Republican Party. Polling close to Election Day indicated that PA was in play for Mitt Romney leading to a last minute advertising blitz and visits from Mitt Romney, President Clinton and several prominent surrogates. However, PresidentBarack Obama (D)easily won Pennsylvania and eventually the nation. For Pennsylvania Senate, Bob Casey (D)defended a challenge from Republican Tom Smith, even though polls had that race being dead even leading into Election Day. Tom Smith spent millions of his personal funds to best Casey. For Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Freed (R) was easily beaten by Kathleen Kane (D). This race attracted national Super PACs who ran attack ads, some of which have been denounced by the very candidates they were designed to help. State Representative Eugene DePasquale (D) won the open seat for Pennsylvania Auditor General and Rob McCord (D) won a second term as State Treasurer.

o Congressional Races: All but one of Pennsylvania’s incumbent Congressmen won re-election, including

those who represent the Greater West Chester Area - JimGerlach (R), and Pat Meehan(R). In other races within Pennsylvania, for the 12th CD (Western PA), Keith Rothfus (R)defeated one term incumbent Mark Critz (D) in Pennsylvania’s most hotly-contested Congressional race which was full of television ads attacking both candidates. State Representative Scott Perry (R) easily won the 19th Congressional District (Central) to replace retiring Todd Platts and Matt Cartwright (D) is the new Congressman in the 17th CD (Northeast) replacing Tim Holden.

o State Legislature: Several new legislators have been elected, but the Republicans maintain their majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly. However, Democratic candidates won all three Senate open seats decreasing the Republican majority to 27-23. The matchup in SD-15 against John McNally (R) andRob Teplitz (D)saw the democrat winning the election. . State Rep. Matt Smith (D) won in SD-37, against D. Raja (R). This race for the vacant seat of recently retired Sen. John Pippy (Formerly R-Allegheny) was one of the most closely contested in the state, but Smith had pulled ahead close to Election Day. In SD-49 Sean Wiley (D) easily defeated Janet Anderson (R) to replace outgoing Sen. Jane Earll (R-Erie). The Greater West Chester only had two State Senators up for re-election, Dominic Pileggi (R) and Andy Dinniman (D) who both easily won re-election.

For the House no incumbent Democrats were defeated and several GOP incumbents survived by the narrowest of margins giving the Republicans 111 to 92 seat majority. For West Chester, HD-156 Dan Truitt (R)bested Bret Binder (D) in a traditional close district that has flipped from Democrat to Republican in several recent elections. For HD-157 Warren Kampf (R)defeated Paul Drucker (D), in a 2010 rematch. The district also has a history of tight races, as Drucker himself only narrowly won the seat in 2008. In HD-161 Joe Hackett (R) survived his race against challenger Larry DeMarco (D). Representative Joe Hackett narrowly won in 2010 replacing Bryan Lentz (D) who ran for Congress. In one of the closest races, Nicolas Micozzie (R)won by a narrow margin against. Seamus Bonner (D) in HD 163:Thirty-four year veteran Micozzie (R-Delaware) ran on his record and his leadership experience in the House. Micozzie represents a moderate district and has beaten back many serious challenges over the years. Two other House Republican freshmen survived close challenges, Rep Justin Simmons (R) and Rep Rick Saccone (R).

The GWCC Government and Legislative Committee meets on a monthly basis to discuss what is

happening in the local area and the country that affect your business. This month’s meeting they

thought that we always hear the results of the Presidential Election, but we sometimes forget

about our area and we would like to recap the local and national political results.

Chamber Chatter

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The Chamber Chatter is a bi-monthly publication with a circulationof 1100. It is free to members of the Chamber. Editorial Content andadvertising is limited to Chamber members. Editorial coverage doesnot imply or indicate Chamber endorsement of members business,product or services.


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