Celebrate Tualatin Award Winners

For the 2012 Year, our Celebrate Tualatin Awards Winners L-R are: Mike Shiffer & Tracy Smith, Valia Eskandari, Loyce Martinazzi, Perry P. Perkins, Amy Freeman & Jeff Houghtaling and Ramsey Zawideh.  For award detail and more photos visit our Facebook page!

Nothing Bundt Cakes Ribbon Cutting

In May we welcomed another business to Tualatin. Nothing Bundt Cakes co-owners Christie Burger and Michelle Roche held their Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting at their Martinazzi Square location.  Welcome!

Regatta Run presents Scholarship Check

With over 70 attendees cheering on, the Tualatin Chamber of Commerce Fit City and Regatta Run Committee presented the Scholarship check for $14,682.50 in honor of Corporal Matthew Lembke, to the Foundation for Tigard/Tualatin School. Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteers, sponsors and participants who helped to make this happen!

Chamber Ribbon Cutting

Official Chamber Ribbon Cutting Ceremony in front of the Visitor Center and new Outdoor Kiosk.

We are positioning Tualatin as a tourist destination for years to come!

Enjoy the Tualatin River

This gentle, winding river is ideal for canoeing, kayaking, fishing and bird watching. Launch at Tualatin Park, Jurgens Park, Browns Ferry Park or at 99W.

Women In Networking

One of our Business Teams, WIN (Women in Networking) is a wonderful networking opportunity for women within the Tualatin area business community for networking and education by learning from each other and special guest speakers.  We meet for this luncheon the third Thursday of every month.  Join us!

Friday Networking AM

Hosting a Networking AM can be a very fun and satisfying thing to do.  But if you’ve never hosted one before (even if you’ve attended dozens of them) it can be a little intimidating.  That’s where the Chamber Greeters come in.  It’s their job to guide you to a successful Networking AM, and these helpful hints are the first step.

How do people know?  The Chamber gives our members several opportunities to find out where the AM will be held each week: the current months Networking AM’s are on the front page of the newsletter, the Chamber website www.TualatinChamber.com lists the AM’s far into the future; and the weekly blast email, as well as the message on our phone, tells everyone where we will be on Friday.

HOWEVER, it is still your event, and while the Chamber does all it can, you still need to actively tell people you will be hosting a Networking AM.  This can be accomplished by reminding people at AM’s or luncheons you attend,  or mailing notices to Chamber members.  Don’t forget to invite your neighbors, even if they are not members.  Remember, it’s a networking event so everyone benefits from new contacts.

Attendance at Networking AM’s can range between 30 and 60.  The number varies each week, but as a rule we average 45.  It is best to plan for a large crowd and if you have food left over, your staff will love you!

My office is TOO small!  If you do not have a location that is conducive to hosting a large group of people, or you work from home and there just is not enough space, there are several locations in Tualatin that will gladly let you hold your AM at their location.  As the host you will still get all the publicity, they simply supply the space.  Please talk to your Greeters to see which location might be a good fit for your company.

What should I supply?

COFFEE & Food.  Since the AM’s begin early in the morning, it is traditional for the host to supply something for the attendees to munch on.  You are not required to supply them with breakfast, but it’s nice to have something to eat that early in the morning, and is a nice way to welcome everyone.  It can be donuts, bagels, muffins, coffee cake, maybe some fruit for those eating healthy; your imagination is the limit.  There is always coffee and usually juice for those who don’t drink coffee.  If appropriate these refreshments can include samples from your business.

Door Prizes.  Usually the host provides door prizes, it can be as few or as many as you wish.  We recommend something with your logo on it, or something related to you business.  Coffee mugs with candy in them are always nice.  If you have something you want to give away that is fairly expensive, you may only want to have 1 or 2, but if you want to fill up coffee mugs you might want to give away 4 – 6.  The idea is for people to remember you and your event, not for you to spend hundreds of dollars.  You will need to provide a container for attendees to put their business cards in.  You will be able to keep the business cards collected that day for followups like sending a thank you letter to attendees.

A Tour.  You might arrange tours of your business if it is appropriate or would be of interest to members.  Please arrange the tours to take place after the networking resumes approximately 8:30 am.

A Table or two.  Ideally, you should have a table near the entrance door for Chamber name tags and other Chamber materials.  Since handouts are notallowed to be distributed during the meeting, we will need a place to put member fliers and brochures as well.

Contract.  Sign the Chamber contract for your Friday and review your responsibilities with your contact Greeter.  If unable to follow through on your Friday Commitment, be certain to contact your Chamber Greeter ASAP.

It’s Friday at 7:30, now what?  The Chamber Greeter you have been working with will serve as the emcee that day.  Other Greeters will assist in greeting members, getting the self-introductions started, and holding the drawings.

7:30 am – The AM begins with a half hour of networking.  People will arrive between 7:30 and 8:00 am.

8:00 am – The emcee with have everyone gather in a circle for self-introductions, limited to 30 seconds or less. As the host, you are introduced first so you can welcome everyone and tell them about your company. Next, new members and first-time visitors are introduced.

8:30 am – After the introductions the emcee will turn the floor back over to you to do drawings. The Chamber’s 50/50 drawing is then held.

8:40 am – Networking resumes with people generally leaving between 8:40 and 9:00 am.

What’s the most important thing?  HAVE FUN!  And, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask your Greeter, or the Tualatin Chamber staff at (503) 692-0780