may/june 2014 chamber chatter

Providing LeadershiP and oPPortunit y for business

Chatterthe Chamber

the Me Mber ne ws & infor M ation resourCe

2014 MAY/JUNE

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Space reservation is due by the 1st of the month prior to publication (i.e. March/April edition-reservation due by Feb. 1, and the ad itself is due Feb. 8).

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce has Experienced the Marketing Revolution with Stratus Interactive.The Chamber has officially launched our brand new website and we’re moments away from launching our exciting new ThinkShopBuy…LOCAL mobile app! We partnered with a local award-winning marketing agency and active GWCC member, Stratus Interactive, to develop a fully redesigned, responsive website. Our goal was to provide as much value as possible to our current and future members, and Stratus exceeded all of our expectations.

Our new website is designed to be a go-to resource for Chamber members as well as everyone who lives, works and visits in the community. We are so proud of this amazing new website and mobile app because it’s our opportunity to deliver Chamber and community members vital resources that reflect the commitment, enthusiasm, professionalism and passion of all those influencing local business in the Greater West Chester area.

We’re thrilled with Stratus’ expertise and dedication to the project, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Stratus made the website process painless, educational and fun, and we were treated like VIPs from start to finish. They also opened our eyes to the benefits of an inbound marketing strategy with HubSpot and how it will help the Chamber grow and achieve its growth and membership goals!

We invite everyone to explore our beautiful (and user friendly) new website. When we launch the ThinkShopBuy...LOCAL mobile app in just a few days, you can download the app on your iPhone or Android and start discovering all the awesome local businesses participating in the program.

Our marketing and website partner, Stratus Interactive, is a tremendous asset to the business landscape of the Greater West Chester and surrounding areas. Their passion and commitment to helping companies like ours authentically communicate with their target audience through inbound marketing, sales websites and traditional marketing channels puts them in a league all their own. We can say from experience that Stratus Interactive is

so much more than just a marketing agency, but instead a consultant, a confidante and an expert in their field. Our website vision and goals have been realized through our partnership with Stratus and we hope you will have an opportunity to get to know them as well! If you want to learn more about Stratus you can visit their website, www.stratusinteractive.com, or call them at 610.692.6229 x 209.

Inside Scoop Alert: Stratus Interactive will have a brand new location on Market Street in May when they move into the former Blaze Salon space. Stratus’ CEO, Kymberly Robinson, and her husband Jamie Robinson will also be expanding their microbrewery, Boxcar Brewing Company when they open a family-friendly brewpub right next door at 142 E. Market St. in the space formerly occupied by The Note. Be sure to stop by and say hello to Stratus starting May 1st and to Boxcar this summer!

The Chamber Chatter is a bi-monthly publication with a circulation of 1100. It is free to members of the Chamber. Editorial Content and advertising is limited to Chamber members. Editorial coverage does not imply or indicate Chamber endorsement of members business, product or services.

Chamber Chatter Advertising Rates

Providing LeadershiP

and oPPortunit y

for business

ChaMber staff

Mark yoder President

dave fairman Director of Membership

Maggie o’neill Office Operations Director

bethany Kopp Member Service Coordinator

greater west Chester Chamber of Commerce

119 north high street west Chester, Pa 19380 tel 610.696.4046 fax 610.696.9110 www.greaterwestchester.com

The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce took every precaution to ensure that all information is correct at the time of publishing. The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

Design6˚ | connections count www.design6degrees.com

Adagio Consulting Group, Inc. Mr. tony buchanan P.o. box 3121100 e. gay st.west Chester, Pa 19380610-431-8282fax [email protected]/it serviCes

The Art Trust Gallery Ms. Liz ruff16 w. Market st.west Chester, Pa [email protected] gaLLery

B.K. Mechanicals, Inc. Mr. Jesse Krupinski24 hagerty blvd., suite 8west Chester, Pa 19382610-692-7965fax [email protected]

Champions Barber Shop Mr. Miguel nieves22 w. Chestnut st.west Chester, Pa [email protected] shoP

Church Street Gallery Ms. Carol giblin12 s. Church st.west Chester, Pa [email protected] gaLLery

Cruise Planners Mrs. Janellen Carney405 Knolls rd.west Chester, Pa 19382610-399-5333fax 610-399-1995jcarney@cruiseplanners.comwww.classiccruiseplanners.comtraveL agenCies

Fame Fire Company of West Chester Mr. don Powers200 e. rosedale ave.west Chester, Pa 19382610-692-5404don.powers@famefireco.orgwww.famefireco.orgnot-for-Profit organization

Girard Partners Ltd. Mr. gerry McConnell555 Croton rd., ste. 210King of Prussia, Pa 19406610-337-7640fax 610-337-7644gmcconnell@girardpartners.comwww.girardpartners.comfinanCiaL serviCes

Hilton Garden Inn Exton / West Chester Ms. Kim turnbaugh720 east eagleview blvd.exton, Pa 19341610-458-8822kim.turnbaugh@hilton.comwww.hiltongardenextonwestchester.comLodging

Janney Montgomery Scott / L. Erskine Ms. Lynn s. erskine, Cfa200 n. high st., suite 201west Chester, Pa 19380610-701-6062 fax 610-436-4373lynn.erskine@janney.comlynnerskine-janney.comfinanCiaL serviCes

Long Cove Foods, LLC Mr. william ternay2511 Chestnut aveardmore, Pa 19003267-374-9922longcovefoods@gmail.comwww.longcovefoods.comwhoLesaLe distributors

Market Street Sales and Rentals Ms. denise wroten123 e. Market st.west Chester, Pa [email protected] estate

Michelle Neils / State Farm Insurance Ms. Michelle neils 112 walnut driveLincoln university, Pa [email protected]

Modis Ms. Paula Pedana1400 n. Providence rd. suite 5025Media, Pa 19063610-548-7354; fax [email protected] serviCes

The Chamber Welcomes new Members

Chamber Chatter NEWS | 2

new Chamber Members continued

MeMber Spotlight

Jester faMiLy ChiroPraCtiC 620 W. Strasburg Roadwww.jesterchiropractic.com 610-696-6676

it will be 10 years, this year, since Jester family Chiropractic opened its doors in downtown west Chester, and much has changed in that time for the growing health and wellness practice.

in January of this year, drs. deron and Jennifer Jester moved their practice to a new, larger location in the borough. The new location, at 620 w. strasburg road, sits at the corner of n. bradford ave. and w. strasburg rd across from The daily Local news building, walgreens, and the new giant gas station. “from the inside to the outside, everything is better, “ says Jennifer Jester.

They’ve added one thousand square feet of space to this new office in order to provide more products and services that patients can take advantage of all under one roof; everything from massage therapy, exercise counseling, nutrition counseling, custom herbs, yoga, and more.

“we really want to help people find natural and non-invasive ways to optimize their health and function,” says deron Jester. not only have they done a beautiful job renovating and updating the building in which they now reside, which used to be an automotive repair shop, but they were also able to add fifteen parking spaces to the parking lot attached to their new building, something they both felt would help patients to better access their services.

one thing they both insist has not nor will ever change is their commitment to their patients; “our patients really are like family to us and we are committed to helping all of them live their best life ever.”

3 | Chamber Chatter NEWS

Rams Head Barber Shop Mr. Miguel nieves304 s. high st.west Chester, Pa 19382484-999-8226barber shoP

Cindy Rodney-Smith / State Farm Insurance Ms. Cindy rodney-smith 8 Colgate driveCherry hill, nJ 8034610-742-3857 fax 919-789-3705cindy.rodney-smith.g12z @statefarm.comcindyrodney.sfagentcareers.cominsuranCe

White Ridge Systems Mr. Matt schwartz600 eagleview blvd., suite 300exton, Pa 19341610-590-4541matt.schwartz@whiteridgesystems.comwww.whiteridgesystems.comCoMPuters/it serviCes

Williams, Humphreys & Company Mr. eric MacCollum 1831 delaware ave.wilmington, de 19806302-225-3000fax [email protected]

Wroten Renovation Ms. denise wroten123 e. Market st.west Chester, Pa 19382610-692-7446denise@wrotenrenovation.comwrotenrenovation.comKitChens & bath


board of direCtors

2014 gwCC board MeMbers

offiCers

Chris tolsdorf, Chairman Tolsdorf Oil Lube Express

donna L. urian, Chairman-elect Fischer Cunnane and Associates, Ltd.

rob Partridge, vice Chairman West Chester Area School District

Marc ernest, treasurer Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union

Marjorie wentz, secretary Trinity Wealth Management

tim Jefferis, immediate Past Chairman Penn Liberty Bank

Mary bigham WC Dish, LLC

bryan brockson EDiS Construction & Development

Thomas Ciccarone Parkway Dry Cleaners, Inc.

John J. Cunningham Lamb McErlane PC

ronald K. dellavecchia DellaVecchia, Reilly, Smith & Boyd Funeral Home, Inc.

guy t. dunn 1-800-905 Geek / Geeks On Call

helen flanders YMCA Oscar Lasko Youth Program Center

debi wright friedmann Blue Dog Printing & Design

Thomas gavin The Chester County Hospital

Liz golding Susquehanna Bank

nicole grebloskie Arthur Hall Insurance

Mell Josephs Student Services, Inc.

Jeannie Mcginn Fulton Bank

Patrick M. McKenna Gawthrop Greenwood, PC

andrew McMenamin DNB First

brian Miller Mars Drinks North America, LLC

Marisa Powell Pietro’s Prime / Nonna’s Restaurants

donna saul Business Coaching & Consulting

brian stephenson Wells Fargo Advisors

Mr. Jamie robinson Boxcar Brewing Company, LLC

dr. rachel Coyer Chester County Cat Hospital, P.C.

Ms. Marilyn davis Cmedia

Ms. Maureen tomoschuk Community Volunteers in Medicine

Mr. alex g. hionis Concordville Inn

Mr. vasiliois stavropoulos DeStarr’s Restaurant and Bar

dr. Mark wiegand Five Points Chiropractic Wellness Center

Ms. Julie C. May The Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Chester County

Mr. al silkroski Hilltop Enterprises, Inc.

Ms. Crystal Kelso Jefferson at Westtown

Ms. Polly zobel Kaly

Mr. david Magrogan Kildare’s

Mr. scott sterling Malvern Federal Savings Bank

Mr. steve angeline Mendenhall Hotel & Conference Center

Mr. daniel zajac SimoneZajac Wealth Management Group, LLC

Mr. John r. barone John L. Smith Inc.

Mr. Chuck swope Swope Lees Commercial Real Estate, LLC

Ms. Julie sommese Univest Bank and Trust Co.

Mr. dave vanryn VanRyn’s Barber Shop

Ms. Carol Quigley West Chester Film Festival

goLf MeMbershiP winnersThe greater west Chester Chamber of Commerce has teamed up with applecross Country Club to offer renewing 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. The drawings will continue each month through december 2014.

Congratulationsto these businesses who were picked in a lottery drawing of Chamber businesses that renewed their memberships in february and March 2014:


MEMBERS FoR 30 yEARS oR MoREdaily Local newsdestarr’s restaurant and baraaa Mid-atlantic - west Chester branchfrancis hall insurance servicesLewis, hopkins & williamson, inc.Macelree harveyManito abstract Company, inc.first dental of west ChesterPellini gold Cordes, LLCrothwell document solutionssartomer usa, LLCtaylor’s Music store and studios, inc.r.K.M. advisors, inc.wetzel gagliardi & fetter LLCunited way of Chester Co., inc.Clompus, reto and halscheid vision associatesLamb Mcerlane PCtolsdorf oil Lube expressyMCa - west Chester areawest Chester friends schoolsunset hill JewelersMaillie LLP

20 - 29 yEARSClarke, nicolini & associates, Ltd.gawthrop greenwood, PCgood fellowship ambulance Club of Chester Countywhirlaway travel, Ltd.County Lines MagazineThe gilbert & sullivan society of Chester County

fairMan’s skate, snow & surfThomas Comitta associates, inc.Mr. Carl e. bliss, P.a.

10 - 19 yEARSstephano slack LLCfive Points Chiropractic wellness Centervotg north america, inc.william wood Company, LLCalliance environmental systems, inc.Kalyamerican window treatment, inc.Chester County Cat hospital, P.C.american helicopter Museum & education CenterMalvern federal savings bankMr. a. roy smithKelly’s sports, Ltdrobert e. delphais, inc.hilltop enterprises, inc.west Chester Psychiatric associatesrobert w. rogers appraisalsKeystone federal Credit uniontd bankarchitectural allianceJefferson at westtownfaunbrook bed & breakfastJacquette Consulting, inc.Kildare’s

3 - 9 yEARSbest western Concordville hotel & Conf. CenterConcordville innMendenhall hotel & Conference Center

eclat ChocolateConnections Program, elwynwest Chester film festivalnicholson Law Centere.smith Productionsnancy ellis state farm insuranceMauger & Co., inc.franklin Mint federal Credit unionswope Lees Commercial real estate, LLCvinod K. Kataria M.d.P.C.The bryn Mawr trust Companygreat valley PropaneservPro of west Chester, inc.Chester County recorder of deedsCuddle My Kids, inc.applecross Country Clubbig diamond importers & fine Jewelryintegrative health & Chiropractic Centerunivest bank and trust Co.national Mail graphicsCommunity vounteers in MedicineJohn L. smith inc.vanryn’s barber shopspeedpro imagingrhoads Creative, inc.Landmark americanawsfs bankCfs, The school at Church farmbruce a. Kraig associatesdorset ConnectsMs. Lynn b. smileyCmedia

Continued on page 13

Our members are the foundation of our organization. To honor them we would like to congratulate and thank those who renewed their membership in February and March 2014. Thank you for your ongoing support of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

dave fairman Director of Membership

Thank you to our renewing Members in february & March 2014

Donna Saul is a business strategist and consultant specializing in building companies with strong revenue streams and better bottom lines. You can hire her via website at www.donnasaul.com or Twitter @donnasaul.

[email protected] | 610.889.0626 | www.donnasaul.com

How to Get Ahead With Integrity— in work and in Life

recently, i was asked to be keynote speaker at the 2014 womenomics forum sponsored by the friends of the delaware County women’s Commission, and the delaware County bPw. it was an unexpected opportunity and one for which i’ll be forever grateful because not only did i meet wonderful women, but preparing my presentation forced me to think about what’s worked and what has not in terms of developing a successful career. it’s not only about what you do, but how you behave that will make the difference between success and not.

here are 12 tips for getting ahead while remaining authentic:

1. Ask for what you want—clearly and concisely. but before you ask, you have to deCide what it is you truly want—and why—because in the end, you may get what you want, but wake up and decide it’s not what you want after all. so put in the time —in whatever way you have to—to learn what is right for you and what is not, and why. unless you know both, you’re setting yourself up for potential disappointment. (here’s a tip: Money does not buy happiness—it’s only buys comfort.)

2. Set your focus. everything you do in a day, every encounter you have, should address this question: does this bring me closer to my goal or does it not? act accordingly.

it wouldn’t hurt to mention here a technique called “as if ”—act and live as if you are already what you want or who you want to be. This has a very interesting way of making that thing a reality. a simple example is being late driving to an appointment —instead of rushing and thinking about being late, think ‘as if ’ you are moving right on time. Then see what happens. More than likely, you’ll end up where you want to be at the time you’re expected to be there. This works for professional scenarios too.

3. Maintain that focus. This is the most difficult part if you haven’t spent the time really thinking about what you want and internalizing it to the point where it becomes the overriding focus in your life (and i don’t mean that to a paralyzing extent).

a lot will happen that can throw you off track—don’t get involved unless whatever it is affects you deeply and directly, and even then, wait a beat before you do because more often than not, things will work themselves out before you ever have to address them. you may have to lower your antennae – or sensitivity levels a bit—but it can be done. while everyone else is spinning their wheels with drama or projects or other things that don’t matter, you’re focusing on a steady course toward your goal. what you don’t want is to get involved, get distracted with what doesn’t matter, and then ‘wake up’ an hour, day, or month later and find you’re still at the starting block. so focus on what you want—not to the exclusion of everything else, but as the ‘background music’ to all you do professionally and personally.

4. Don’t take any crap. There’s a difference between the usual everyday crap, and the stuff that can derail your reputation or your career. establish and maintain your boundaries, even if that means direct confrontation (nicely, of course). focus on creating a win-win as often as possible, and do your best to negotiate solutions that are quick, effective and satisfy some aspect of what each party wants or needs. remember, you always can escalate, but you cannot de-escalate.

5. Say what you want. where the notion that woman (particularly) who are assertive are “bossy” and somehow inferior started, i don’t know and i don’t care. what i do know is this: ignore it. stereotypes are created as a means of control. stop cooperating. you can ask for anything you want, provided you ask politely. your boss, your client, your coworkers and colleagues are not mind readers, so don’t waste your time getting twisted if you haven’t been clear and consistent about what it is you’ve set your sights on, and what are your boundaries. if it’s a raise, say that; if it’s a promotion, say that too. and if it’s the bad behavior of other people that sidetracks you time and again, say that and explain your expectations. Politely.

Continued on page 13

By: Donna Saul



filing taxes can be stressful. Many taxpayers found that they owed more taxes due to significant changes in the tax laws. several income tax provisions expired at the end of 2012, the tax rates increased and taxes related to the new health care laws became effective. if you’re ready to plan a vacation, but still feeling the pain of april taxes, you might want to consider some ways to get a tax deduction for your vacation expenses.

business owners know that expenses including travel, meals and lodging are deductible against income when there is a business purpose. with a little bit of planning a vacation and business trip can be successfully combined. The tax deductible portion of the trip is limited to the cost that would have been incurred had the trip been strictly for business purposes. Lodging and meals for days before or after qualifying business travel are not deductible.

Deductible travel expenses while away from home include the following:

Travel by airplane, train, bus, or car between your home and your business destination and while at your business destination.

Meals (50% deductible) and lodging

Fares for taxis and other types of transportation from the airport or train station to your hotel and the work location, and from one customer or place of business to another.

Tips you pay for services related to any of the above expenses.

Other ordinary and necessary business expenses related to your travel, such as seminar and conference fees, dry cleaning and laundry, business calls, computer/internet fees, etc. (personal entertainment costs are not).

Ways to maximize the tax deductible portion:

Search for conventions, industry meetings and educational seminars in resort or vacation destinations.

Plan business meetings at the end of one week and the beginning of the following week. That makes staying over the weekend necessary and deductible.

If taking the family consider:

- Driving to your destination to reduce non-deductible travel costs.

- Stay in one family hotel room rather than multiple rooms. The amount of deduction will be limited to the cost of a single room.

non-business owners are also eligible to the deductions described above assuming they itemize their tax deductions and business related deductions exceed 2% of their adjusted gross income. as with any business deduction, it is important to maintain adequate records related to the expense including documentation to prove a trip’s business purpose. it is best to contact your accountant prior to your trip for guidance on substantiating your expenses or purpose. i frequently use this rule of thumb to make a decision. if you could reasonably expect a “large employer” to approve the trip, you should be okay.

how to get a tax deduction for your vacationBy: Kathy Wileczek

Kathy Wileczek, CPA is a principal in the West Chester office of Maille LLP (formerly Maillie Falconiero & Company, LLP). Maille LLP offers broad accounting capabilities to track, analyze and manage every financial aspect of your business, agency or organization.

[email protected] | 610-696-4353 | www.maillie.com


good backups are not just about getting your files and folders back; good backups are all about making your business work the way it used to before you had that crash in the first place, with everything put back just the way it was before something crashed. good backup systems test themselves and are monitored to ensure they are always doing their job. asking your vendor the right questions when selecting a backup system will ensure you are protected and get up and running after a crash in hours or days instead of weeks or months.

1. Backups – File-only The most common backup scenario deployed today focuses only on the business data, that is to say – the files and data created by the user after the system was installed and set up, but not the programs, settings, and operating environment. file-only backup captures files in a way that you can quickly recover from the loss of a few files or a small database, but leave you exposed to days or weeks of downtime if a computer or server crashes.

in the event of a disaster such as failure of the computer or server, or a more catastrophic loss such as fire or flood, the restoration process might look like this:

first, repair or replace the defective computer or server. Load an operating system capable of supporting all of the line of business applications. update the operating system with all of the security patches, install antivirus, install all of the business applications, and run all of those updates. on a desktop computer this might take 1 to 3 days, on a server this process can easily take at least a week depending on how many users need to be set up again, on the availability of parts, and whether or not you have a contract with a service provider.

sometimes, the software that needs to be restored is old enough that it is hard to replace, or cannot be loaded on newer systems. in this case, restoring from a failure may also include costly, unexpected software purchases and the down-time associated with employees learning to use the new versions of software.

next, all of the files need to be restored. if restoring from the cloud, we have seen this typically take a few days to a week or two, but if restoring from a local copy of backups, usually no more than a day.

2. Backups – System Image More commonly, businesses are turning to “system image” backups to protect themselves. a system image backup captures the whole system – the files, the operating system, all of the programs, all of the settings, all of the user accounts – everything! restoring from system image backups involves taking the most recent system image snapshot and reinstalling it on the existing, repaired computer or server, or purchasing new equipment and making small modifications in the system image so that it can be restored on different hardware. since all of the programs, data, operating system, settings, and accounts are preserved in a system image backup, the business can be put back together just like it was before the crash. recovery from image backups is measured in hours or days, depending on if recovering a simple computer or a batch of servers.

3. Replication with most system image backup solutions you can add a replication feature. with a replication feature, you can stream a copy of your backup image offsite to another location, excellent protection against flood and fire. Many business owners will keep an appliance at their homes and configure their server to stream a complete snapshot of their servers at the office to the appliance at their home. in the event of a disaster, the appliance can stand-in for the server, or can be brought to the office and a new server rebuilt from the images on the appliance. rather than keeping backups “on the cloud” for hackers to steal, business owners and managers find that keeping the backups “at their other office” (if they have more than one office), or on an appliance at the owner’s home provides a level of comfort and security unachievable by keeping private data on public cloud servers.

4. Testing and Monitoring whether you choose file-only backups or system image backups for your business, be sure to always test your backups – make sure the integrity of the backups is intact. Many automatic backup systems fail without giving alarm, so it is also important to actively monitor your backups system. do you know of any stories where a company thought its backups were running, only to find out when they really needed it – it had failed? regular testing and monitoring will ensure this won’t happen to you.

Christopher Reagoso is a Project Manager at the Chester County Computer Corner, which provides Computer, Server, the Cloud, and Business Telephone System services in downtown West Chester.

610-441-7222 | www.afdaniel.com

Finer Points of Good Backups


TWILIGHTIt’s

Time

August 2, 2014

Presented by the West Chester Cycling Classic, a subsidiary of the Greater West Chester Chamber of CommerceIRONHILLTWILIGHTCRITERIUM.COM

A FULLDAY OF

RACING ANDFAMILY FUN

Part of the USA CRITS Championship Series

WEST CHESTERPRESENTED BY GREATER WEST CHESTER

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

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Chamber greyscale.ai 1 4/14/14 3:31 PM

I T ’S TWIL IGHT T IMe

Iron Hill Twilight Race Series Celebrates 10 Years of Pro Bike Racing ExcitementAugust 2, 2014 promises to be an exciting day in downtown West Chester as the borough hosts the 10th Anniversary edition of the Iron Hill Twilight Race Series. With 20,000 visitors expected to line the streets for the marquee event, the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium, the day promises to be one of the biggest celebrations ever held in West Chester. Since its inception in 2005, this challenging professional bike race has become one of the most important cycling events on the east Coast.

“Without Iron Hill Restaurant and Brewery’s continued sponsorship and support, this great event would not enjoy the success it has had throughout its ten-year history,” said Mark Yoder, president of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium, the Iron Hill Twilight Race Series will include a full slate of exciting racing action, including the Rothman Institute Amateur Men’s Criterium and the Pro-Am Women’s Criterium. Of course, there will be many events for the whole family to enjoy starting with the ever-popular West Chester Dental Arts Kids’ Bike Race where children 3 to 10 years of age will pedal their way to the finish line to the delight of moms and dads. If that’s not enough, there will be other family friendly events including the Kinetic Physical Therapy Community Festival, the AAA Travel Kids’ Zone and the Market Street Block Party.

Joining this year’s list of events is a special appearance by Mike McGrath, genial host of the nationally syndicated You Bet Your Garden, heard on WHYY-FM. Mike will be engaging visitors in one-on-one conversations, offering his insights on healthy living through the garden, including such topics as little known health remedies you can grow yourself, organic fertilizers and natural substitutes for pesticides and other chemical-free ways to enhance the lawn and garden.

Yoder predicts steady growth for both the Iron Hill Twilight Race Series and the Iron Hill Twilight Criterium as it enters its second decade. “With the continued support of local businesses, our sponsors, the Chamber, the West Cycling Club, and the borough, the next ten years promise exciting times for West Chester.”


if you’re like many employers, you consider employee pay confidential information.

your handbook might even state as much—and include a warning that discussing such confidential information is grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

Policies forbidding employees from sharing wage information with coworkers have always been on the wrong side of the national Labor relations act (nLra) (if not in fact then at least in spirit), because the nLra gives employees the right to assemble for the purpose of improving wages and working conditions.

still, news stories about employees being disciplined or even fired after complaining about pay aren’t exactly uncommon.

but President obama wants to change all that.

The white house recently announced that the President would be signing a new executive order—non-retaliation for disclosure of Compensation information—prohibiting federal contractors from retaliating against employees who discuss their compensation.

The same day, a Presidential Memorandum was released, advancing Pay equality Through Compensation data Collection, instructing the secretary of Labor to establish new regulations requiring federal contractors and subcontractors to submit compensation data, including data by sex and race, to the department of Labor (doL). The President is anticipating that the added scrutiny will encourage em-ployers to establish more equitable compensation practices, but if it doesn’t, the doL will have the information it needs to target poten-tial offenders.

You say you’re not a federal contractor or subcontractor? Maybe not, but you’ll want to keep abreast of these current events just the same.

The executive order and the Presidential Memorandum are but the latest in a long line of actions designed to bring about “equal pay”— a cause the President has been very vocal about supporting.

in 2009, President obama signed into law the Lilly Ledbetter fair Pay act, which extends the time to file a complaint of wage discrimi-nation, and in 2010 he created the national equal Pay task force to crack down on violations of equal pay laws. The President has also been a consistent promoter of the Paycheck fairness act, which would amend portions of the equal Pay act to provide more remedies for, enforcement of, and exceptions to prohibitions against sex dis-crimination as it affects wage payments. for starters, the Paycheck fairness act would make it illegal for all employers (not just fed-eral contractors) to prevent employees from discussing or comparing pay.

while the bill has yet to pass the senate, these recent white house announcements prove the issue of pay equality is far from dead. in fact, there’s every sign that wage discrimination will be a hot topic as we move into the next Presidential election.

What should you do?all employers should be sure to understand their responsibilities under the equal Pay act. for example, some employers are under the impression that pay discrepancies have to be significant to be unlawful, but that’s not true.

also, don’t wait for trouble. instead, consider proactively conduct-ing a pay audit. if you don’t have a compensation expert on staff, think about hiring one to assist in the process.

finally, if you haven’t already, consider the benefits of a wage ad-ministration program, which will provide guidelines and processes for deciding wages, whether for new or incumbent workers, includ-ing a written rationale for pay decisions should they later be challenged.

President Obama Signs Executive Order to Advance Pay Equality for Women

By: Peter Johnson

Peter R. Johnson & Company is a West Chester-based compensation consulting firm that provides total compensation plan design and program management including assistance in writing winning job descriptions. 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, please reach us at www.prjandco.com or 610-436-6114.

Wednesday, May 14

Wednesday, May 14501 e. Miner st., west Chester

(entrance on Market street) 5:30pm – 7:30pm

free for members | $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

business Card exchangeThe Melton Center

Wednesday, May 7

Wednesday, May 7bellingham retirement Community

1615 e. boot rd, west Chester 7:45am – 9:00am

free for members | $10 for non-members RSVP is appreciated

Coffee ConnectionBellingham Retirement

Community


May EvEnts CAlEnDAr

Wednesday, May 28

women’s executive round tableWhat I’m Learning About Leadership

Guest Speaker: abigail adams artistic director, People’s Light Theater

Wednesday, May 28Pietro’s Prime

125 w. Market street, west Chester 5:30pm

$55 for members | Limited spots available Visit www.GreaterWestChester.com to sign up

Thursday, May 22

education foundation Membership Luncheon

Thursday, May 22Concord Country Club

1601 wilmington Pike, west Chester 11:45am – 1:00pm

$25 for Members | $35 for non-Members rsvP is required

Sponsored by

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Sponsored by


June EvEnts CAlEnDAr

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Tuesday, June 10

business Card exchangeFame Fire Company

Tuesday, June 10200 e. rosedale ave., west Chester

5:30pm – 7:30pmfree for members | $10 for non-members

RSVP is appreciated

eVery MOnday @ 1PM

Chamber Chatter radio showListen Live

www.wche1520.com

Proudly supported by:

MarK yOur CaLendar

1 0 t h a n n i v e r s a r y

iron hill twilight race seriesAugust 2, 2014

downtown west Chester

Wednesday, June 11

Wednesday, June 11Pietro’s Prime

125 w. Market street, west Chester 5:30pm

$55 for members | Limited spots available Visit www.GreaterWestChester.com to sign up

executive round tableWhat I’m Learning About Leadership

Guest Speaker: John Molinelli aMeteK, inc.


610-696-4700 [email protected]

Auto Rent is part of the Fred Beans Family of Dealerships which is a respected part of our community

Open Evenings and Saturdays Free Local Pickup and Delivery

Daily, weekly, monthly

6. Expect complications and challenges. Just because you stated it, don’t expect it to be easy. i learned something very important from a man who crossed my path when i was in my early 20’s. i was lamenting something—i don’t recall what it was but i never forgot what he said: “donna, decide what you want in life and the price you’re willing to pay for it, because everything comes with a price.” i’ve forgotten a lot of lessons in my life but i’ve never forgotten those words.

7. Know who has the power. it’s not always the person you’d expect. Those of you in sales already know this—the gatekeeper is the difference between success and failure. This holds true within any company and for life in general. Know this: Those with the real power are quiet about it.

8. Learn how to take a punch. The world is not fair, and neither is work, so stop expecting it to be. but this i have learned: truth always will reveal itself. so take the hit, deal with it, and then rise above it and move on. to act otherwise only diminishes you.

9. BE authentic; act with integrity and STAND UP. Maintain perspective and move on from the challenges life serves up. i’ll give you one night with your best buds and a bunch of drinks, but then stand uP, get over it, learn what you could have done better, and then move on. The faster you take positive action, the better you’ll feel.

10. Be kind, be generous; be gracious. because these never will fail you.

11. Accept mentors – however they appear. My first mentor came in the form of my grandmother, who taught me the value of my word; my second was a guy who taught me how to navigate a complicated work environment. People will show up out of the blue and tell you what you need to learn. Keep an open mind, and be grateful they care.

i see a lot written these days about getting yourself a mentor as soon as you can. There is truth to that, but i find the best mentors over time are the ones who seek you out because they see your potential, even before you do. you may not see right away what they have to offer, but stick around for a bit and keep your ears open to see what you begin to learn.

12. You can falter; but you cannot stop. you’ll meet challenges, problems and doubts in th form of unproductive coworkers, saboteurs, and doubts from within yourself at times. stand up. face your fears; reestablish your boundaries, and meet the challenges life delivers head on. if you get thrown into the mud–and it will happen–you can sit there or you can climb out. your choice.

How to Get Ahead With Integrity—in work and in LifeContinued from page 6

1 - 2 yEARSsimonezajac wealth Management group, LLCecoservices, LLCtgM halsteadCrozer-Keystone health systemboxcar brewing Company, LLCavis / budget rent-a-Cardesign 6 degreesemily alice salongfM advisory group of Janney Montgomery scottChester County Computer Corner

sb designstish boutiqueentrepreneurs for wellnessyMCa oscar Lasko youth Program CenterMarling’s emergency water removalCollege hunks hauling JunkJohn serock Cateringtemenos Conference & retreat CenterThe Marketing department

renewing Members in february & March 2014Continued from page 5


dareauto.com

Family OwnedSince 1976

610-696-7153

301 S. Bolmar Street, West Chester, PA 193828:30-5:30 Monday-Friday • 8:30-4:00 Saturday

Our Services Include:PA State & Emissions Inspection • Heating & Air Conditioning • Brakes & Tune-UpsAlignments • Oil, Lube & Filter Changes • Preventative Maintenance • Tire Services Foreign & Domestic Cars • Same Day Service Local Shuttle Service • Belts & Hoses

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DARE_ad_chamber_011714.pdf 1 1/17/14 1:46 PM

www.edwardjones.com

MKT-8275-A-AD © 2013 EDWARD JONES. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Face-to-face meetings. One-on-one relationships. How did Edward Jones become one of the biggest fi nancial services companies in the country? By not acting like one.

Jeff Kitchen, AAMS®

Financial Advisor.

105 South High StreetWest Chester, PA 19382610-430-1320

Eric S Smith, CFP®, AAMS®

Financial Advisor.

704 West Nields StreetSuite GWest Chester, PA 19382610-436-4101

Randall S Evans, AAMS®

Financial Advisor.

1339 West Chester PikeWest Chester, PA 19382610-399-5185

Brad AbelFinancial Advisor.

105 South High StreetWest Chester, PA 19382610-430-1320

Meeting on your schedule, not ours.

Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce 119 North High Street West Chester, PA 19380

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDWest Chester, PA

Permit #177

Now’s the time to launch your new business ideas. | design6degrees.com | 610.844.9868

The best ideas are built on teamwork. At Design6˚̊we work with our clients to develop effective communications that stand out from the crowd, focusing on long term brand solutions for your company vision, product launch or special event.

may/june 2014 chamber chatter

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