January 2024 Newsletter : simplebooklet.com

BOARD OF DIRECTORSKITTY HARRISON, Past ChairJohnny Londoff ChevroletKERI MEYER, TreasurerVantage Credit UnionDR. ROBYN LAWRENCE, SecretaryGet Well Family ChiropracticJAIME JENKINS, PresidentGreater North County ChamberBRET BERIGANChristian HospitalANDRE BROOKSParamount BankSCOTT PALERMO, ChairmanA Skeetz ProductionBRIAN DOUGLASState Farm, Matt Brown AgencyDR. ELIZABETH PERKINSSt. Louis Community College-Florissant ValleyIN THIS ISSUEON THE COVERPage 1President's ReportPg. 3Chair's LetterPg. 4Pg. 5Pg. 6Pg. 7Pg. 11-12Pg. 8Pg. 9January EventsPg. 10Pg. 13MELISSA ADNEYOne Way RoofingLORENZO BOYDStifel, Nicolaus & Company Inc.MORGAN TEAGUETeague & AssociatesDR. GREG CLARKNorth County Christian SchoolNew MembersRenewalsAJ OVERKAMPServPro of Overalnd/Cool ValleyWomen In Networking Lunch2024 EventsJanuary Membership LuncheonPg. 14Pg. 15Be a GNC Chamber AmbassadorLeads Groups Updates!Happenings2024 Business Person of the Year: John Hutchens, Hutchens Mortuary &Cremation Center; our 2024 Zykan Legacy Awardees: Bob & Holly Mannecke,Mann Meats; our Cathy Behlmann Volunteer of the Year: Felicia Miller, MillerAgency & Associates; our Rookie of Year: Claire McGale, JACCK Foundation forthe Arts, and our Ambassador of the Year: Micah Mayfield, Delmar Mortgage! WHITNEY BRASEL, Vice ChairSSM Health DePaul Hospital- St. LouisTOM FRIEDHOFFOld Town DonutsJON VOGTCatering to You Banquet CenterJanuary Off the Clock

Page 3

Page 4

president reportJaime JenkinsPage 3JaimeHappy New Year! 2024?! How is this possible??! We had an amazing 2023 and we look forward to what 2024has in store! There are exciting things happening this year-you won’t want to miss any of it! Be sure to jump in and getinvolved! There are so many ways to be involved in the GNC Chamber. From our Leads Groups to our Boardof Directors-there are so many opportunities to be seen and make connections! Join a committee-have funplanning one of our events or help us market the GNC Chamber! Come out to our monthly Off the Clock andlearn something fun about your fellow GNC Chamber Members! Who knows, you may very well learnsomething that you didn’t want to know! Congratulations once again to our 2024 Business Person of the Year: John Hutchens, Hutchens Mortuary &Cremation Center; our 2024 Zykan Legacy Awardees: Bob & Holly Mannecke, Mann Meats; our CathyBehlmann Volunteer of the Year: Felicia Miller, Miller Agency & Associates; our Rookie of Year: Claire McGale,JACCK Foundation for the Arts, and our Ambassador of the Year: Micah Mayfield, Delmar Mortgage! I invite you to join us this month for our January Membership Luncheon on Wednesday, January 17th atOrlando’s Event and Conference Center. We will be installing our 2024 Board of Directors which make this agreat luncheon to attend! You can meet those that are leading the GNC Chamber for 2024! Rememberreservations are required! As we look ahead to 2024, I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to our 2023 Board Chairwoman, KittyHarrison for her leadership! 2023 was a successful year for the GNC Chamber filled with highs and some lowsthat we made it through thanks in part to Kitty! There was never a question too big or small or event too manyquestions for her! Thank you, Kitty, for your leadership! Please welcome our 2024 Board Chairman, Scott Palermo with A Skeetz Production! If you haven’t had achance to talk with Scott, please be sure to introduce yourself and welcome him on board! Scott is a lifelongNorth County resident and is excited to be at the reigns for 2024! He has some great ideas in store, and welook forward to working with him! Thank you to our outgoing Board Members: Yolanda Allen-Jackson, A Savvy Employment Solutions & A SavvyHealthcare Solutions; Carl Lathan; and Dana Grimm, The Daniel and Henry Company. We appreciate yourdedication for the last three years to the Board and the GNC Chamber! Thank you!Today is the first blank page of a 365 page book…. let’s write a great one! Remember- “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller

Page 5

Chair LetterScott PalermoA Skeetz ProductionPage 4Hello Fellow Chamber Members and Happy 2024 to you all,My name is Scott Palermo from A Skeetz Production, a graphic design and brand promotion firm, and I am very honoredto serve as the Chairman of the Board for the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce.I would like to, first, take this opportunity to thank the 2023 board members for all of their hard work and a send aspecial thank you to outgoing Executive Board members, Dana Grimm, Yolanda Allen-Jackson, Carl Lathan, Bret Beriganand especially Kitty Harrison who have been meeting and exchanging emails up to the last day of their terms in order tomake the transition into the new year as smooth as possible. As much as we hate to see core members retire from theboard, we are excited to get new members involved at that level and we look forward to a really great new year.I would be remiss if I didn’t also acknowledge the commitment of Jaime Jenkins who after 12 years with the chamber, hastaken on the role of President. She stepped in quickly after Venus’ resignation and lead the effort to put together anawesome Gala and has been finalizing budgets, interviewing candidates for new staff members, and developingprograms for the upcoming year over the last month as well.Because of the transition, there are several plans for the future that we are unable to tell you about until the new boardmeets in January but I hope everyone will join us on at the luncheon on January 17th when we can introduce our agendato the membership. I can give you here, a general idea of objectives that we have for 2024:- We will be offering a pass so members will be able to purchase attendance to all our monthly luncheons at thebeginning of the year, allowing participation in what we intend to be new and engaging programs without the need topre-register or register upon arrival.- We will focus on intensifying networking opportunities by strengthening and then expanding our Leads Teams, betterrecognizing our volunteers, mentoring and sharing success stories.- We will reach out to the community to enlarge our imprint and influence as well as expand the types of businesses weimpact in the North County area.- We will offer some new and expanded Marketing efforts for our members to reach other chamber members, andmembers of the general public on a larger scale.I am extremely passionate about North County, it’s people and the success of the businesses and organizations. I havelived and worked here my whole life and had a lot of experiences that have been inconceivably spectacular but that doesnot mean that I don’t believe that those great things won’t happen again-- In fact I absolutely expect that they canhappen—and I know they can happen with this group of people. I hope you and others will join us for the amazing thingwe expect 2024 to be.One more thing: We often hear from our members “How do I get more involved with the Chamber?” The answer is theAmbassador Committee. The Ambassadors are the face of the chamber. They meet a couple of times a month, they are aliaison for new members at luncheons and they attend ribbon cuttings. Simple, right? It is a great opportunity tonetwork with other members and we will teach you how to go about doing it well! If you are interested in gettinginvolved or finding out more, please reach out to me, Micah Mayfield from Delmar Mortgage—our 2023 Ambassador ofthe Year and Committee Chair-- or Jaime in the Chamber office.Cheers to a fantastic and successful 2024!Keep it REAL,Scott

Page 6

Let's Welcome Our New members!HG EventsNikki Grren119 S. Florissant Rd. (63135)(314) 333-1536With many years of local event experience, we know how to make your event one toremember. We help you build your event from the ground up. Check out the portfolio tosee some memories from our past events.Our wide range of vendors ensure you have exactly the event you want. From corporateevent functions to anniversary parties, we help you find the event schedule that works foryou. Contact us to meet with our planner and talk about your many options.Our clients agree that our events are big hits...probably because we strive for 100%customer satisfaction. From email updates about how the planning is going to managingthe day of the event, we will support you the whole way through.Learn more here!Page 5S. Ingram Contracting LLCStonie IngramBlackjack 63033(314) 448-8960Concrete workAssociated Couriers LLCMatt Silverberg4806 Trade Access Blvd. (63042)(314) 806-0056With 45 years of comprehensive experience, AC has evolved into a leader within thelogistics and transportation industry, nationwide! Our team specializes in medical,radiopharmaceutical, and life science logistics solutions.Our roots originally established and grew within the Radiopharmaceutical industry, whichrequired extreme precision and very little margin of error for safe and dependabledeliveries. This experience has supported our base standards to service other industries,while expanding our network to include up to 23 strategically placed hubs.Today, we are certified to handle life-saving medications, Covid-19 test kits,pharmaceutical prescriptions, medical devices and more - throughout our entire valuechain network. Our drive to innovate customized solutions for our e-commerce customershas driven us to develop a suite of services for the final mile logistics industry as well.When you need hazardous materials, medical supplies and pharmaceuticals shipped safelyand quickly, contact AC and request a customized quote.Visit them online here!Join us for the Ribbon CuttingMonday, Jan 8th @ Noon!

Page 7

B & B Heating & Cooling, Inc.Behlmann PropertiesBusken Construction Corp.City of HazelwoodCommunity America Credit UnionCounty Accounting & Tax ServiceDr Ronald SchmidtEhrlich's Heating & CoolingEl-MelEmerson Family YMCAFlorissant Dental ServicesHutchens Mortuary & Cremation CenterKen's Auto Repair & Towing LLCLasting Impressions Home Remodel CenterMAD Auto Wrecking, Inc.Martz & Wilson LLPMidwest Smiles Family DentistryPurgahn & AssociatesRebuilding Together St. LouisResler-Kerber Optometry, Inc.State Farm InsuranceSteve Robbins, CFPThe UPS StoreWoodland Dental CareYWCA Metro St. Louis Early Education ProgramGNC Member RenewalsPage 6Many thanks for renewing in 2024! That'swhat we call a rock-star move!

Page 8

Monday, January 1stGNC Chamber Office ClosedTuesday, January 2ndLeads Group 39:00 amHelfer’s Pastries & DeliWednesday, January 3rd Board of Directors Meeting11:30 amGNC Chamber OfficeThursday, January 4thLeads Group 17:30 amHelfer’s Pastries & Deli Monday, January 8thRibbon CuttingNoonHG EventsTuesday, January 9thLeads Group 39:00 amHelfer’s Pastries & DeliTuesday, January 9thWomen In Networking LunchNoonFerguson Brewing CompanyThursday, January 11thAmbassador Meeting11 amGNC Chamber Office Thursday, January 11thLeads Group 2NoonGNC Chamber OfficeThursday, January 11thJanuary Off the Clock5 pm to 7 pmMissouri Better Living ServicesFriday, January 12thDeadline to register for the LuncheonJanuary 2024 CalendarTuesday, January 16thLeads Group 39:00 amHelfer’s Pastries & DeliWednesday, January 17thJanuary Membership Luncheon11 am to 1 pmOrlando’s Event & ConferenceCenterThursday, January 18thLeads Group 17:30 amHelfer’s Pastries & DeliTuesday, January 23rdLeads Group 39:00 amHelfer's PastriesThursday, January 25thNew Member Meet & Greet9 amGNC Chamber OfficeThursday, January 25thAmbassador Meeting11 amGNC Chamber Office Thursday, January 25thLeads Group 2NoonGNC Chamber OfficeJoin us this monthfor one ofthese events!!Page 7

Page 9

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

GNC Chamber HappeningsPrepare to be wowed by our latest and greatest accomplishments!Page 11Thank you to everyone that came out to our Nite of Stars “The Golden Age of Hollywood”! Thank you to our 2023 Partners: Elite Sponsor Christian Hospital; Premier Partner SSM Health DePaul Hospital – St. Louis;Gold Partners: Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Inc. Our Emerald Sponsors: Alltru Credit Union, City of Florissant, Gary’sAutomotive Service, Handyman True Value Hardware, Paramount Bank, Sam’s Club-Ferugson, SERVPRO of Overland/CoolValley, St. Louis Community College – Florissant Valley, and Valley Industries. Our Bronze Sponsors: A Savvy HealthcareSolutions, Central Bank, Delmar Gardens North, Emerson Family YMCA, Garden Villas North, & Hutchens Mortuary &Cremation Center, Midland States Bank, & Scott Credit Union. Our Bronze Sponsors: A Savvy Employment Solutions, ASkeetz Production, City of Bellefontaine Neighbors, Garden Plaza at Florissant, Goldkamp Heating & Cooling, JenningsSchool District, and Seniors Helping Seniors! Special thanks to our “Bogarts” Spirit & Booze sponsors: CNB St. Louis Bank,& theGreater North County Chamber Board of Directors. Our “Hollywood” Auction Sponsor: Morrison Travel & Cruise.Our “Casablanca” Bar sponsor: Fogarty’s House of Vapor. Our “Paparazzi” Photobooth Sponsor: Kent Miller Photography.and our Program Sponsors: Hazelwood School District, & Oak St. Health.Our committee did such a wonderful job creating a memorable evening. Thanks to Chair, Whitney Brasel for spearheadingsuch a wonderful event and to all the committee members, Board of Directors, and chamber members that donated andvolunteered to make the event a success. We recognized not only our 2024 Awardees, but also our anniversaries! From 55 years all the way to 5 years! It was an absolutely beautiful evening! Be a part of the Nite of Stars Committee and help us plan the 2024 Nite of Stars Gala!

Page 13

GNC Chamber HappeningsPrepare to be wowed by our latest and greatest accomplishments!Page 12Our Women In Networking Group wrapped up 2023 with their luncheon in December! They held a “Rob Your Neighbor” Christmas Game which brought out a ton of laughs!If you are not attending this group you should be! this group is growing each and every month! Men-Send the women in your office to lunch once a month! We wrapped up 2023 with our December Membership Luncheon at Catering to You! There were UglyChristmas Sweaters everywhere and we presented the “State of the Chamber”! Great news--we gained63 new members and retained 94% of our GNC Chamber Membership! That’s amazing! Thank you to Randy Curless with County Accounting & Tax Service for being our December LunchSponsor and to Jon Vogt and his team at Catering to You for hosting us!

Page 14

2 0 2 4E V E N T SJ A N U A R YA P R I LJ U L YO C T O B E RF E B R U A R YM A YA U G U S TN O V E M B E RM A R C HJ U N ES E P T E M B E RD E C E M B E R1/9-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon1/17 - January Luncheon @Orlando’s Event & ConferenceCenter 11 am to 1 pm 1/25 - New Member Meet & Greet@ GNC Chamber Office 9 am1/11 - Off the Clock @MissouriBetter Living Services 5 pm to 7 pm2/8 - Off the Clock @ TBD2/13-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon2/21- February Luncheon@Ferguson Brewing Co. 11 am to1 pm3/12-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon3/14 - Off the Clock @ JohnnyLondoff Chevrolet 5 pm to 7 pm3/20 - March Luncheon @Orlando’s Event & ConferenceCenter 11 am to 1 pm 4/9-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon4/11 - Off the Clock @ Snap!Content Studio 5 pm to 7 pm4/17- April Luncheon @ Cateringto You 11 am to 1 pm 4/27 - Annual Music Trivia 5/9 -Off the Clock @AmericanFamily Insurance Paul Manganelli5 pm to 7 pm5/14-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon5/15- May Luncheon @ Glen EchoCountry Club 11 am to 1 pm6/7- Annual GNC Golf Tournament6/11-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon6/19- June Luncheon @ Orlando’sEvent & Conference Center 11 amto 1 pm7/9-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon7/11 - Off the Clock @ GNCChamber 5 pm to 7 pm7/17- July Luncheon @FergusonBrewing Co. 11 am to 1 pm8/1-Annual GNC ScholarshipBowling Tournament8/8 - Off the Clock @ JACCK Studio5 pm to 7 pm8/21 - August Luncheon @Catering to You 11 am to 1 pm8/13-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon9/10-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon9/12 - Off the Clock @Dooley’sFlorist & Gifts 5 pm to 7 pm9/18- September Luncheon @Orlando’s Event & Conference Ctr.11 am to 1 pm (NoCo Treasures)9/27-Annual GNC Women’sEmpowerment Seminar10/8-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon10/10 - Off the Clock @ Helfer’sPastries 5 pm to 7 pm10/16 - October Luncheon @Catering to You 11 am to 1 pm11/12-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon11/14 - Off the Clock @ GNCChamber 5 pm to 7 pm11/20- November Luncheon @Orlando’s Event & Conference Ctr.11 am to 1 pm 12/6- Nite of Stars Gala12/10-Women In Networking @Ferguson Brewing Co. Noon12/18 - December Luncheon @Catering to You 11 am to 1 pm

Page 15

Hey, you social butterfly! Do you love minglingwith new faces and expanding your network? Areyou passionate about helping others and eager tohelp our Chamber thrive? Well then, listen up!I'm on the hunt for some awesome folks to joinour team of Ambassadors!Our Ambassadors are a talented bunch ofbusiness wizards who lend a hand at Chamberevents, guide new members to all the Chamber'samazing opportunities, and introducethemselves to fresh faces. We're a lively andfriendly group of volunteers who are always onthe lookout for more like-minded individuals tojoin our ranks!We meet twice a month on the 2nd & 4thThursdays from 11-12 noon at the Chamber office.Bring your lunch along and come as a guest tosee if we're your kind of people.If you're keen to join our tribe, reach out to JaimeJenkins at the Chamber office and let's get thisparty started! We can't wait to learn more aboutyou and your biz!GNC AmbassadorsJoin the party as a GNC Chamber Ambassador! Become our welcome wagon for newmembers!Page 21

Page 16

Leads Group UpdatesPeek at our Leads Groups! These tight-knit communities are theperfect spot to nurture business relationships and snag some sweetreferrals!Leads Group 1Thursdays at 7:30 am, Helfer's Pastries & Deli is where it's at!Leads Group 2Pop into the GNC Chamber Office every 2nd and 4th Thursday at noon!Leads Group 3We savor sugary delights while we gather every Tuesday at 9 am for a powwow at Helfer'sPastries.Hold on to your hats, folks! The North County Chamber of Commerce just welcomed their newest leads group, Leads Group 3.This dynamic team is packed with the best of the best, from in-home healthcare and insurance to real estate, mortgages, andfinancial services. They're all about building lasting professional relationships that boost leads, business, and support.So, if you're on the lookout for a group of pros to join forces with, look no further! The Leads Group 3 crew meets everyTuesday at 9:00 am sharp at Helfer's BakeryReady to dive into a world of opportunity? Reach out to Paul Manganelli - American Family Insurance at 314-972-6000 to jointhe fun!If you've swung by a GNCC luncheon, you've probably bumped into one of our friendly members. We're a crew of savvybusiness folk who put building relationships at the forefront of our "networking" strategy. Our top priority is to connect ourclients, pals, and fam with the services they need, and our chamber and leads group relationships give us the power to makeit happen.At each meeting, we shine a spotlight on one of our members to give them extra time to share their expertise and swap ideaswith the group.Leads 2 gets together on the 2nd and 4th Thursday from Noon to 1pm at the Chamber office. Bring your lunch and join us forsome quality networking.If you have any questions or want to check if your group is represented, give Brian Douglas a holler at (314)599-0377 orbrian.douglas.j009@statefarm.com.Page 22Rise and shine, early birds! Every Thursday, Leads Group I gathers at Helfer's Pastries and Deli, 380 St. Ferdinand in Florissantfrom 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. The networking kicks off at 7:30 sharp, where members get to know each other over some coffee andbreakfast. At 7:45, the fun begins with an "inspirational moment," followed by members sharing updates on their business andexchanging leads.This fantastic group is looking for new members in HVAC, electric, plumbing, and banking. If you're interested, come on downand join the meeting as a guest. To join as a full member, your business must be a Greater North County Chamber member andnot compete with an existing member. It's the perfect opportunity to jump-start your morning with a super breakfast fromHelfer's while picking up game-changing strategies for your business. For more info, hit up Teri Reiter, secretary for the group,at teri@freedom-title.com or give Teri a call at (314) 495-9800.

January 2024 Newsletter

Page 1

Page 2