Meet our Athena Award nominees 8-9 Capture those tax deductions 7 Events calendar 14

emphasis M O N T H LY
March
2 0 11

Travel tips
and tricks
Chamber member Covington Travel tells
you the benefits of using a travel agency.
There’s a Member for That, Pages 10-11

ALSO INSIDE
Group purchasing
comes to Chamber
T H E G R E AT E R F O R T WAYN E C H A M B E R O F CO M M E R C E
 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Thank you for being involved

Chamber members and friends,
As spring approaches — yes, it really is just a
few weeks away — I’m excited to see so many
business people becoming more involved in our
great city. After all, it is you, the local business
Mike Landram person, that makes the difference day after day in
CEO and President our community. The Chamber is proud to repre-
The Chamber sent you, support you, stand by your side, and
make your voice heard.
mlandram@fwchamber.org By being actively engaged in The Chamber, you
become actively engaged in your city. Whether
you’re attending a Chamber event, participating
in a CEO or Leadership Roundtable, meeting your
legislators at a Third House Forum, or working
with our Graduate Retention team, your gift of
time and talent to The Chamber improves our
great city.
I know the challenge it can be to carve out time
to become involved here at the Chamber, so I
want to say you not only make a difference to
our team who enjoys seeing you, but you make
a difference in how things get done. By being an
active Chamber member, you build your business
through the people you connect with, you pave
the way through input in the legislative process
for business to be done better, and you mentor
and lead without realizing the impact of your
words or actions. Without you, our Chamber and
our community would not be what it is today.
So if you’re one of our great volunteers or active
Chamber members, we thank you for all you do
for everyone. If you’re on the fence, trying to de-
cide how to become involved, call us. We have lots
of ideas and are waiting for you to join us. You are
the reason we’re here!

emphasis M O N T H LY INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Volume 21, Issue 3 A limited amount of

4 How to give lawmakers your
Mike Landram advertising in Empha- opinion
President/CEO sis Monthly is available
exclusively to Greater Fort 5 Group purchasing comes to
Maribeth Callicoat Wayne Chamber of Com-
Controller merce members. The Chamber
Dave Young
Vice President of Air
For rates and information, 5 Tapestry celebrates 10 years
contact KPC Media Group:
Service Development
Lynn Sroufe
6 Eating healthfully on the go
Michelle Merritt
Vice President of
Fort Wayne general 7 Capture those meal and
manager
Membership and entertainment deductions
lsroufe@kpcnews.net
Communications (260) 426-2640 ext. 304
Jon Swerens
Director of
Sherri Ayres
8-9 The 2011 Athena
CO V E R P H OTO O F A N N B O B I LYA O F CO V I N G TO N T R AV E L : L AU R E N R I C H W I N E

Fort Wayne advertising

Communications and sales manager
Emphasis Editor sayres@kpcnews.net Award nominees
Lauren Richwine (260) 426-2640 ext. 323
Communications Specialist Or visit the web site:
and Photographer fwbusiness.com/emphasis 10-11 Corporate travel: Tips and
Emphasis Monthly is a publication of The Greater Fort tricks for a great trip
Wayne Chamber of Commerce. 12 Your guide to
826 Ewing Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(260) 424-1435 | www.fwchamber.org Chamber discounts
communications@fwchamber.org
12 New and renewing
Printed by KPC Media Group Inc., publishers of the
Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly members: January 2011
The mission of the Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce is 13 It takes a region to retain a generation
to create a vibrant economic environment by supporting business,
advocating on behalf of the business community, and fostering 14 Chamber calendar of events
community partnerships to advance a common economic vision.

E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY 3
CHAMBER NEWS
How to give lawmakers your opinion
You will hear regularly that contact with your
local officials is important. As a constituent, your
opinion is valued by those that represent you.
It is your opinion. Share it!
Your legislators want to hear from you. We en-
Katy Stafford courage you to contact them and voice your opin-
Director of Government ion on issues that matter to you.
Affairs There are many ways to contact your legisla-
The Chamber tors that fit every style of communication. You
can write a letter, send an e-mail, make a phone
kstafford@fwchamber.org call, set up a meeting, or speak with them at lo-
cal events they attend. Attending the Chamber’s
Third House Forums is a perfect opportunity to
Meet your get some individual time.
legislators
Ask your legislator to act
Exclusive events for
In your communication with your legislator, al-
Chamber members:
ways reference a bill number and give some back-
March 1: Northeast ground on the issue you are addressing and why it
Indiana Day at The matters to you. Then ask them to act; that is, write
Statehouse. an action message.
For example, “House Bill 1450, the unemploy-
March 19: Third
ment insurance bill, would affect my business in
House Forum
the following ways … . I would urge you to support
Details are on Page 14. this balanced, business-friendly approach to fixing
the unemployment insurance trust fund problem
Airline, Web travel firms in tussle
A dispute between American Airlines and some
Web-based travel companies is having a ripple ef-
fect in the travel industry. It’s a battle that could
ultimately affect how fliers shop for tickets and
find the best fares.
American stopped displaying and allowing its
Dave Young
flights to be booked through Orbitz on Dec. 21,
Vice President of Air
and less than two weeks later, Expedia, the largest
Service Development
online travel company in the world, stopped dis-
The Chamber
playing American’s flights.
dyoung@fwchamber.org At the center of this controversy is American’s
new booking hierarchy which, Expedia says, would
be costly to implement and would hinder travel
agents’ ability to offer fliers the best choice. That’s
a position the airline disputes.
Ironically, American also got into a dispute with
Sabre, the biggest of the centralized systems that
funnel fare information to travel agents, and the
original reservations system that American itself
4 E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY
facing our state.”
Leave something behind
Always leave something behind when you meet
with your legislators.
Leave a business card stapled to a one-page sum-
mary of how the bill will affect you personally plus
your action message. This will be valuable when
legislators speak on the issue.
This can also be done with an e-mail or a letter.
Attach your one-page summary with your con-
tact information so they can keep your informa-
tion with them and access you quickly if necessary
without having to access their e-mail.
Say thank you
When speaking with a legislator, always follow
up with a simple thank you. Send an e-mail or
write a personal note thanking them for their time
and their attention to the issue you addressed.
Their job is a thankless one, so extending that ac-
knowledgement is important.
“The Constitution only gives people the right to
pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.”
— Benjamin Franklin
developed. American has subsequently filed a law-
suit in Texas.
For now, though, if you’re looking for an Ameri-
can Airlines flight specifically, it is best to go di-
rectly to your travel agent or to American Airlines
web site, AA.com.
As a note, Southwest has for years offered its
fares only on its web site, www.southwest.com.
I believe this dispute may well carry over to more
and more airlines as individual distribution con-
tracts come up for renegotiation, so the traveling
public will need to keep themselves educated on
this matter.
“It’s the consumer who may suffer,” says George
Hobica of Airfarewatchdog.com in an article in
USA Today last month. “They’ll have to search
more to find the lowest fares and best schedules
and may end up having to book separate flights on
separate airlines to save time or money.”
CHAMBER
Find out more
Learn more at an
informational meeting
March 10. More details in
our calendar on Page 14.
Visit buywithpqc.com
or call the office at
260-481-6854 for more
information.
The 2011 Tapestry
keynote speaker is Molly
Ringwald
Register
online
Tapestry 2011
Friday, April 29
Go to www.ipfw.edu/
tapestry or call the office
at 260-481-6854 to
register. Preregistration is
required.
NEWS
GPO comes to The Chamber
The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce
is excited to partner with Prairie Quest Consulting
to offer Chamber members group buying power.
Prairie Quest’s Group Purchasing Organization
(GPO) will provide Chamber members the oppor-
tunity to purchase products and services at prices
typically only available to large companies.
“We believe the GPO is a win-win for our Cham-
ber members,” said Chamber President and CEO
Mike Landram. “Through their Chamber member-
ship, businesses have the buying power typically
reserved for larger companies, ultimately improv-
ing their bottom line.”
The program, called BuyWithPQC, markets
Chamber members as vendors in various catego-
ries such as landscaping, IT services, janitorial
services, and fuel cards. Prairie Quest Consulting
will be adding additional categories to the GPO as
Tapestry celebrates 10 years
By Ruth Stone
When the idea of Tapestry was born in 2001,
IPFW’s goal was to create a day of inspiration, re-
newal, and education for women in all stages of
life. Parkview Health shared this vision and to-
gether they held the first Tapestry in 2002. Ever
since, the public has wholeheartedly supported
the event and made it more successful each year.
$370,000 has been raised
The Tapestry Parkview Health Sciences endow-
ment fund has gone from a balance of zero to more
than $275,000. To date, 24 students have received
scholarships to study health and sciences at IPFW.
Last year broke a record with five students being
awarded a total of $28,000. Tapestry 2011 is on
target to break that record as well.
Women have taken a day for themselves
No work, no carpool, no demands to be anything
other than a woman. Every woman reading this
knows how critical (and rare) this is. Women don’t
often take days off from their lives.
More than 7,000 guests over the last nine years
show that women cherish this day. With 13 edu-
cational breakout sessions, shopping, time with
friends and colleagues, fabulous keynote speakers,
contracts are being awarded. The team at Prairie
Quest has been working to evaluate the most com-
mon needs of businesses so that the initial offer-
ings of the GPO allow for immediate savings for
Chamber members.
Prairie Quest Consulting was started by Presi-
dent and CEO Stacey Smith six years ago. Today,
Prairie Quest has more than 45 employees in five
states with its main focus assisting in acquisition
strategies for governments and military branches.
Prairie Quest has been a Chamber member since
the business began.
The service is free to Chamber members. No
limit on company size is placed on the GPO so
companies both large and small may participate.
Members interested in taking part in the GPO as
a vendor or purchaser can find the information on
The Chamber web site: www.fwchamber.org.
and more shopping … this is not a surprise.
Female role models have been recognized
Fort Wayne is filled with amazing female role
models whose positive activities have encom-
passed all aspects of life: family, community, and
profession. The challenge has been to choose just
one to honor each year at Tapestry.
Previous honorees include Weezie Dormer, Pa-
tricia Miller and Barbara Bradley Baekgaard, Patri-
cia Kunkle, Ione Auer, Harriet and Julie Inskeep,
Colleen Bettinghof, Suzon Motz, Patty Martone,
and Betty Stein.
Stars have shared their stories
Erin Brokovich, Marlo Thomas, Dyan Canon,
Dana Reeve, Linda Ellerbee, Patty Duke, Marie Os-
mond, Clinton Kelly, and Sandra Lee have graced
the Tapestry stage. Some were inspiring. Many
made us laugh. And all brought out our smiles.
The 2011 Tapestry keynote speaker is Molly
Ringwald, 1980s “Brat Pack” actress, theatre fa-
vorite, best-selling author, and current star in the
ABC Family show “The Secret Life of the American
Teenager.” At Tapestry, Ringwald will share her
tips on “Pretty is a State of Mind: Empowering
Women to be Their Best True Selves.”
E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY 5
H E A LT H M AT T E R S
The Chamber
discount
If your business has 2 to
50 employees, you qualify
for a discount of up to
five percent on your small
business insurance pre-
miums from PHP. Average
annual savings is $2,500.
To receive a free quote,
call PHP at (800) 982-
6257 or visit www.
phpni.com and click on
the Chamber Discount
Program link.
SMART SOLUTIONS
The Chamber
discount
Chamber members can
save 60 percent on “core
catalog” items and four
percent off “retail catalog”
purchases. You can also
monitor expenses with
monthly reporting, and
order online, via phone
or fax, and through retail
stores.
For more info, contact
Chris Michaels at (260)
249-3977.
6 E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY
Eating healthfully on the go
On the go and feeling hungry? Running from  Order grilled, not fried.
one place to the next can sometimes lead you to  Drink water.
the nearest drive-through to grab lunch or a quick  Remove the “extras” such as cheese and may-
snack. Although the value meal may be easier on onnaise.
your wallet, it may not be easier on your body.  Pass on the fries: A lot of fast food restaurants
According to the American Heart Association, have begun offering healthier alternatives.
60-70 percent of Americans are overweight or  Slow down: Take time and savor your food,
obese. By taking control of what you eat, you can you’ll fill up faster and feel better.
decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes and Pack healthy on-the-go snacks. If you know
cancer. Some fast-food value meals have enough you are going to have a busy day, plan ahead
calories, fat and sodium for your entire daily in- by packing healthy snacks to help you make it
take. What can you do to make healthier choices? through the day.
Choose healthier options. Educate yourself A few options for healthy on-the-go snacks:
on the nutritional content of the food served at  Fresh or dried fruit
fast food restaurants. This information can be  Veggies
found on the fast food restaurant’s corporate web  Granola
site or on independent web sites such as www.fast-  Unsalted nuts
food.com or www.fastfoodfacts.info.  Rice cakes
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind when  Low-fat cheese
ordering from the menu.  Bottled water
Initiatives for women in business
At Office Depot, our initiatives to help women Office Depot is an active partner with a variety
in business are guided year-round by our Women’s of women’s business organizations that offer re-
Executive Steering Committee, Women’s Market- sources for women who are seeking support and
ing Team and a 15-member Women’s Advisory knowledge in running their business.
Board comprised of women business leaders from Check the following groups to see which would
around the country. These individuals have been be best for your needs:
instrumental in identifying areas where Office De-  Center for Women’s Business Research:
pot can provide significant support. www.womensbusiness.info
Office Depot provides free Online Business  Dress for Success:
Seminars to help with the many challenges facing www.dressforsuccess.org
women in business today. Take a break from your  eWomenNetwork:
hectic workday and join us in the Office Depot www.eWomenNetwork.com
Web Workshops for free online seminars that of-  Global Summit of Women:
fer expert advice to busy women in business. Visit www.globewomen.com
www.officedepot.com/webcafe for more details  National Association for Female Executives:
on seminar agendas and scheduling. www.nafe.com
Office Depot also offers supplier and vendor  Women Impacting Public Policy:
diversity programs for women executives. To see www.wipp.org
how Office Depot can help you enhance your busi-  Women Presidents’ Organization:
ness, whether through promoting your product or www.womenpresidentsorg.com
service or engaging in a strategic alliance, contact  Women’s Business Enterprise National
us at supplychaindiversity@officedepot.com. Council: www.wbenc.org
 TIPS AND TRICKS
How to capture those meal
and entertainment deductions
By Kurt Berry
About BKD
In one of the largest revisions to the income tax
BKD LLP is the top-tier code, the Tax Reform Act of 1986 began limiting
U.S. CPA and advisory deductions for business meals and entertainment.
firm that delivers its ex- Prior to 1986, business meals and entertainment
perience and service with were 100 percent deductible; business meals and
a deep understanding entertainment are now typically subject to a 50
of your business, your percent limitation.
needs and what it takes Many taxpayers may be unaware of the excep-
to improve your business tions to the 50 percent limitation and could poten-
performance. tially be overpaying their income tax liabilities. As
BKD’s approximately taxpayers focus on yearend tax planning opportu-
2,000 personnel, includ- nities, they may want to re-evaluate policies and
ing about 250 partners, procedures for capturing and reporting business
serve clients in all 50 meal and entertainment information.
states and internation- Here are examples of expenses that are 100 per-
ally. To learn more, visit cent deductible:
bkd.com.  Recreational activities for employees: Ex-
penses related to recreational, social or similar ac-
tivities primarily for the benefit of employees are
exempt from the 50 percent limitation. Examples
include, but are not limited to, holiday parties,
company picnics, retirement parties, new em-
ployee lunches, team-building events and project
completion parties.
 De minimis fringe benefits: Expenses ex-
cluded under the de minimis fringe benefit rule in-
clude items such as coffee, donuts and other break
food provided to employees, occasional meals pro-
vided to employees during meetings and occasion-
al business meals involving only employees.
 Charitable contributions: If a charitable
event includes a meal and/or entertainment, only
the amount attributable to the meal and/or enter-
tainment is subject to the 50 percent limitation.
The remaining portion is deductible as a charitable
contribution.
 Reimbursed meal expenses: Amounts in-
curred in connection with services rendered to
another person under a reimbursement or other
expense allowance arrangement are not subject to
the 50 percent limitation. It is important to com-
municate to your customers and/or vendors which
PHOTO: STOCK .XC HNG
party is subject to the 50 percent limitation for
business meals and entertainment.
 Expenses for items made available to the
general public: Items such as promotional pop-
corn, snacks or meals preceding a sales presenta-
tion to potential customers are exempt from the
50 percent limitation.
In addition, here are some expenses that have
additional limits to their deductibility:
 Luxury boxes or “skyboxes”: Expenses re-
lated to the purchase or lease of a skybox or other
private luxury box are generally nondeductible.
The deduction is limited to the face value of non-
luxury box seats.
 Country club or other social membership
dues: No deduction will be allowed for amounts
paid for membership in any club organized for
pleasure, recreation or other social purposes.
Special rules also apply to the cost of food and
beverages consumed while away from home by
individuals subject to Department of Transpor-
tation hours-of-service limitations. These rules
apply to certain air transportation employees, in-
terstate truck operators, railroad employees and
merchant mariners.
Business meal and entertainment expenses are
highly scrutinized by the IRS, especially when
dealing with closely held businesses. Therefore,
it is important to retain the necessary documen-
tation to support the amount of an expense and
its business purpose. Implementation of internal
policies and procedures to capture the necessary
information will not only protect you against fu-
ture IRS scrutiny, it may also uncover significant
tax savings opportunities.
For larger taxpayers, the IRS has provided statis-
tical sampling methods that can be used to estab-
lish the amount of substantiated meal and enter-
tainment expenses exempted from the 50 percent
deduction allowance.
E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY 7
 Congratulations to the
2011 Athena nominees
Nancy Eshcoff Boyer
Judge, Civil Division of the Allen Superior Court
Nancy Boyer has served as judge in the Civil Division
of Allen County Superior Court since 1991, when she
became the first woman in Allen County to hold the
position of judge. Nancy was appointed to the Indiana
Civil Instructions Committee by the chief justice of the
State of Indiana. This committee was charged with the
responsibility of rewriting all of the civil jury instruc-
Sharon Eisbart
President/Owner, Sharon Eisbart Corporate Art
For the past 25-plus years, Sharon and her firm, Sha-
ron Eisbart Corporate Art, have provided local, regional
and national art to corporate and residential clients in
the Fort Wayne community and region. Her firm’s ser-
vices also include consulting, framing, delivery and in-
stallation.
Sharon’s love of art and the arts has extended to com-
munity involvement as she has served as president of
Colleen Huddleson
Assistant to the Dean/Assistant Professor,
University of Saint Francis School of Creative Arts
Colleen began her career at the University of Saint
Francis in 2005 after completing her Masters of Busi-
ness Administration degree.
As assistant to the dean in the School of Creative Arts,
she coordinates and applies for grants to support com-
munity outreach programs such as the Outdoor Gallery-
I Am Art-Public Art Project, Fort Wayne’s Global Village
on Stage: A Celebration of Diversity in the Arts, and
Closer Look Lecture Series.
Louise Jackson
Director of Development and Women’s Philanthropy,
Manchester College
Louise Jackson received her undergraduate degree in
business administration from Saint Mary’s of the Woods
College in 1997 and earned a master of business admin-
istration from the University of Saint Francis in 2003.
She has served as the chief executive officer of the Boys
and Girls Club of Fort Wayne and as a development of-
ficer at the University of Saint Francis and Indiana Tech.
Jackson began her volunteer work with the Junior
League in 1984. After caring for her mother in the final
8 E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY
tions in plain and understandable English.
Nancy graduated cum laude from DePauw University
in 1973 with her B.A. She also went on to graduate cum
laude from Indiana University School of Law in 1976
with her J.D.
Most recently, Judge Boyer is serving on a statewide
mortgage foreclosure prevention task force. She has
successfully implemented one of a handful of pilot fore-
closure prevention programs in Allen County, Indiana.
the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, winner of the Theo-
dore Thieme Award, vice president of Fort Wayne Civic
Theatre, and most recently was nominated for the Foel-
linger’s Carl Rolfson Award.
Sharon is a founding member of Francine’s Friends
Mobile Mammography, is chairperson for the Fort
Wayne Museum of Art Gala, involved with Parkview
Foundation’s Cookin’ Men, a United Way Mentor and
a board member of the Fort Wayne Jewish Federation.
Colleen serves on the board of the Fort Wayne Mu-
seum of Art and is a member of their education com-
mittee. In addition to her support of the arts, Colleen is
an avid historic preservationist who serves as the vice
chair on the City of Fort Wayne Historic Preservation
Commission.
She also served on the board of ARCH, Fort Wayne’s
non-profit historic preservation organization, and is a
member of the Historic Landmarks Foundation of In-
diana and ACRES Land Trust. She has volunteered on
many historic preservation activities such as the Allen
County Lincoln Highway Survey.
stages of life, she served on the Visiting Nurse and Hos-
pice board from 1999 to 2009. She served Hospice in
many capacities, including two capital campaigns.
Jackson was also elected president of the Fort Wayne
Women’s Bureau in 2007 and, during her three-year
term, oversaw the reorganization of leadership and suc-
cession planning.
She also helped launch the annual “Walk a Mile” fund-
raiser to support the Women’s Bureau’s Rape Awareness
Program.
The event raised nearly $100,000 in 2010 and set a
Guinness World Record for number of participants.
Marilyn Moran-Townsend
Chairman and CEO, CVC Communications
As chairman and CEO of CVC Communications, Mari-
lyn has spent 30 years working directly with clients in
addition to her executive duties.
Marilyn has provided executive speech coaching for
community leaders such as Olympic Greco-Roman Gold
Medallist Rulon Garder, a former Disney executive, a
mayor, and more.
In 2001, Marilyn was named Indiana Business Leader
Jane Schmitt
Treasurer, Aboite New Trails and Fort Wayne Trails
Jane has served as treasurer of Aboite New Trails
Inc. since its founding in 2002. During her tenure, Jane
successfully managed all financial audits and financial
activities for the organization, including the numerous
financial tasks during Oprah’s Big Give, Fort Wayne,
which raised more than $1.2 million for the trails.
Jane has been elected to continue her role as treasurer
of Fort Wayne Trails Inc., the newly formed non-profit
Heather Schoegler
Director of Communications, Parkview Foundation
Heather’s work at Parkview began in 1998 while ob-
taining her B.A. at IPFW. After some time away from
the organization and having obtained her MSOL from
Indiana Tech, she returned to serve in her current role
at Parkview in 2009.
She is responsible for increasing the awareness of the
Parkview Foundations through marketing, public rela-
tions, social media and other community engagement
Nancy Steigmeyer
Director of Career Services, Harrison College
As director of career services and an instructor at
Harrison and Indiana Tech, Nancy has the continued
opportunity to develop future business leaders through
working with students in class and one-on-one, helping
them recognize and achieve their goals.
Nancy is actively involved with the Fort Wayne Wom-
en’s Bureau where she has chaired committees for the
Hidden Heroine award and the Women’s Night of Shoes.
She has also been active in organizing teams and sup-
Tonya Vojtkofsky
Co-Founder, Fort Wayne Derby Girls
Tonya not only co-founded the Fort Wayne Derby
Girls, but also founded the Fort Wayne Derby Brats in
January 2009, a junior flat track roller derby league for
girls 9-17, teaching young girls the fundamentals of
playing in a team sport along with empowerment, cour-
age to avoid peer pressure and acceptance of peers from
all social backgrounds.
The Fort Wayne Derby Girls, now celebrating its sixth
season, have donated more than $55,000 to local wom-
of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
In 2003 she was one of five people inducted into the
Indiana Academy which honors citizens who have con-
tributed to cultural, scientific, literary, civic, religious,
and educational development in Indiana.
Presently Marilyn is the vice chair of the Indiana
Chamber of Commerce Foundation, chair of the Better
Business Bureau Foundation, secretary to the board of
directors for Parkview Hospital, and a member of the
board of directors for the History Center.
from the merger of Aboite New Trails, Greenway Con-
sortium, and Northwest Allen Trails.
Jane has also volunteered in various education and
youth organizations in the community including presi-
dent of Deer Ridge Parent Teacher Club, treasurer of
Woodside Parent Teacher Club, and treasurer and merit
badge counselor for her sons’ Boy Scout troop.
She also served on the auction committees for Con-
cordia Lutheran High School and Anthony Wayne Area
Council.
opportunities.
Heather invests time in serving with the region’s
Vision 2020, leading an intern at Parkview through the
University of Saint Francis’ EPIC program, and mentor-
ing a senior at Manchester College.
Heather is active in several location organizations in-
cluding board service with Young Leaders of Northeast
Indiana, Ronald McDonald House Charities of North-
east Indiana, and Junior Achievement of Northeast
Indiana.
porting the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event which broke
a world record in 2010 for the most people walking a
mile in high heels.
Nancy is very active with the Greater Fort Wayne
Chamber of Commerce where she is currently on the
Small Business Advisory Council, co-founder of the
Leadership Roundtable groups, Chamber ambassador
and has been the recipient of the Chamber VIP of the
year award.
In 2007, she was nominated and selected as a recipi-
ent of the Upstate Indiana Future 40 Award.
en and children organizations including SCAN, Fort
Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center, Hoosier Burn
Camp, Erin’s House, Easter Seals, Turnstone, Big Broth-
ers/Big Sisters, Great Lakes Burn Camp, A Day Away
Camp, and the largest donation to date from our Third
Annual Bust-A-Move Event, $10,000 to Cancer Services
of Northeast Indiana.
In 2009, she was nominated for the nationally recog-
nized “Break Thru Woman” with CNN’s Robin Meade
and last year was a nominee for the Athena Award.
E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY 9
THERE’S A MEMBER FOR T H AT

For more
CORPORATE TRAVEL:
By Lauren Richwine
As general membership at the Greater Fort Wayne
information Chamber of Commerce continues to grow, so does the
Visit the featured variety of organizations and companies that make up
members online: that membership. Each issue of Emphasis will introduce
or reacquaint you with a few Chamber members who fall
Covington Travel under that month’s specific theme. Whether your need is
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hamptoninn.com sourceful researcher should be able to piece together
a trip just as well as a seasoned travel agent, right?
Wrong. Margaret Klingenberger, president of Cov-
ington Travel, knows firsthand the difference having
“There’s a a travel agency behind you can make.
Member “Of course, there are certain business trips or vaca-
for That” tions you can plan on your own, but time is money,”
Klingenberger said. “Hiring a professional saves time
Showcase and money.”
Corporate Travel Covington Travel has been a member of Virtuoso
for 23 years, a by-invitation-only organization com-
Meet Chamber prised of the world’s finest travel agencies. This gives
members who can the company a distinct edge and global outlook,
help you create a specifically when it comes to travel problems that
great stay for your may arise. Klingenberger is able to call on her con-
employees. tacts around the world to assist travelers during bad
Wednesday, March 30 weather or to rearrange the entire schedule of a visit.
10 a.m.-2 p.m. There’s also the frequent chance of being upgraded,
The Chamber building something that remains largely unattainable for
Admission is open to those who travel independent of an agency.
everyone and free “We work with companies to find the best facilities and outs of the city they drive in,” said Dave Burian,
within the budget they have in mind,” Klingenberger general manager of Deluxe Taxi. “They know the hot
For more information, said. “Employers are always looking for discounts to spots, the overrated places. They are a wealth of in-
contact Michelle lower the cost of travel and we have access to the ma- formation just waiting to be tapped that you prob-
Merritt at (260) 424- jority of these as well. ably can’t get anywhere else.”
1435. “In the event of flight complications, we work di- Some clients book Deluxe Taxi’s services online as
rectly with the airlines to get our clients on a plane much as a month or two early. Thanks to a partner-
faster than if they were standing in line with every- ship with Citilink, the company now offers wheel-
one else. We’ll do whatever we can to ensure our cli- chair accessible vehicles as well.
ents have the smoothest experience possible.” “We’ve been in town for 23 years so it’s clear that
we are doing things the right way,” Burian said. “Taxi
M A I N P H OTO : L AU R E N R I C H W I N E

Knowledge on the go
You dash off the plane, grab your luggage, and ei-
ther look for your contact or find a taxi to flag down.
There are hidden benefits to the use of a taxi service
other than the constant availability.
“Taxi drivers are renowned for knowing the ins
drivers are often the first individuals to create an im-
pression of the city being visited so useful informa-
tion is vital to what we do.”
Ensuring a great hotel stay
Curtis Lazoff, property manager of the Hampton

10 E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY
Tips and tricks for a great trip
Inn Southwest, will be the
first to tell you that not all
hotels are equal.
“Travelers should be aware
that not all hotel chains of-
fer the same amenities such
as free WiFi, shuttle van ser-
vice, reward points and com-
plimentary breakfast,” Lazoff
said. “Just because a hotel
has a low rate doesn’t mean it
will fit your business needs.” Curtis Lazoff
He advises travelers to call Property Manager
hotels ahead of time and ask Hampton Inn
questions personally rather Southwest
than relying on third-party
information. The last thing a traveler needs is to ar-
rive and realize they won’t be able to work from the
hotel for one reason or another.
“The most frequently forgotten questions are
whether or not a hotel welcomes pets and what our
cancelation policies are,” Lazoff said. “There are only
two things a typical business traveler will remember
about your hotel: a horrible stay or an amazing stay.”
A common misconception about hotels is that al-
most any specific need can be met. In truth, many of
the chains have set standards that prevent certain re-
quests from being attainable. For example, requesting
specific items for breakfast that are not already on the
menu may be impossible.
The hotel may very well want to meet every expecta-
tion but be unable to. In the end, a quick phone call is
an easy way to ensure a great stay no matter where
you are headed.
E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY 11
MEMBER BENEFITS

large companies. Info at buywithpqc.com.

Your discount guide
Here’s a list that explains the money-saving fea-
tures of your Chamber membership:
PHP
If your business has 2 to 50 employees, you
qualify for a discount of up to five percent on your
small business insurance premiums from PHP. Av-
erage annual savings is $2,500. To receive a quote,
call PHP at (800) 982-6257 or visit phpni.com and
click on the Chamber Discount Program link.
Office Depot
Chamber members can save 60 percent on “core
catalog” items and four percent off “retail catalog”
purchases. For more info, contact Chris Michaels
at (260) 249-3977.
Group Purchasing Organization
Prairie Quest’s GPO provides Chamber mem-
bers with the opportunity to purchase products
and services at prices typically only available to
Event discounts and admittance
Every employee of each of our members receives
the member price for Chamber events. Also, all
employees of members can attend member-only
events, such as the Third House Forums.
Meeting rooms
Members get free usage of meeting rooms large
and small in the Chamber building during busi-
ness hours. Call 424-1435 for details.
Promotion and referrals
Members can create and offer member-to-mem-
ber coupons on the web site. Members also get
free promotion to a readership of 24,000 through
Emphasis and free phone and web referrals.
Notarization and certification of origin
Free for members by our front desk staff.
To learn more, contact The Chamber at (260)
424-1435 or visit our web site at fwchamber.org.

NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS

New members
January 2011
American Family Insurance
Apricot Lane Boutique
Cirrus ABS Corporation
Cohoat Business Growth
Advisors, LLC
Deister Concentrator
Frame Service
Georgetowne Place
Gibson Insurance Group
Happy Cleaning, Inc.
Juice Plus
K-Industrial of Indiana LLC
Morning Dew Lawn & Land-
scaping
OfficeMax
Pak Mail
Priority 1
Proactive Elder Care, Inc.
Ricker Oil Co.
Solid Path Financial, LLC
Sprint Wireless Revolution
Summit CPA Group
Find more about these
businesses in our
online directory at
www.fwchamber.org.
Renewing members
January 2011
AAA Acceptance Corporation
Aboite Eye Care, PC
AIDS Task Force, Inc.
All Star Construction & Exca-
vating, Inc.
Allen Dental Laboratory, Inc.
Angel Corps
Anthony-Patrick Insurance
Corp.
Don Ayres Pontiac-GMC-
Honda
Baker & Daniels LLP
Bank of America Home
Loans
Barnes & Thornburg LLP
Judy Baumgartner/Century
21 Bradley
Bonar Group-A GAI Com-
pany
Brooks Construction Com-
pany
CDM
CPS Marketing Group, Inc.
Chick-fil-A at Glenbrook
Square
ChosenLan Technology
Group, Inc.
Comcast Business Services
Commonwealth Engineers,
Inc.
Connolly’s Do It Best Hard-
ware
Cookie Cottage, Inc.
Cordes Drywall Co., Inc.
Country Inn & Suites
Coventry Meadows
Current Mechanical
Doc Dancer Heating & A/C,
Inc.
ENS Group
Facts Paper Co., Inc.
Findley Financial Corpora-
tion
Fort Wayne Public Transpor-
tation/Citilink
Fort Wayne TinCaps
Genesis Telecommunications
Gerig-Ottenweller Contract-
ing, LLC
Graber & Graber Contractors
Grabill Cabinet Company
Granite City Food & Brewery
Hagerman Construction
Corporation
Hamil, Lehman & England,
P.C.
Hamilton House Assisted
Living
Hawk, Haynie, Kammeyer &
Chickedantz
Heritage Food Service Equip-
ment, Inc.
The Heritage of Fort Wayne
Heritage Park
Holiday Inn Fort Wayne
Hylant of Indiana, LLC
Indiana Pathology Consul-
tants, Inc.
Indiana-Purdue University
Fort Wayne
KPC Media Group
Keefer Printing Company,
Inc.
KinderCare
Koomler & Sons, Inc.
L Spa Modern
L.M.L. Estate Management
Corp.
MarkleBank
D. O. McComb & Sons
Harold McComb & Son, Inc.
McCrory Publishing
McIntosh Energy Company
McMahon Paper & Packag-
ing, Inc.
Michael’s Photography, Inc.
MidWest America Federal
Credit Union
Moake Park Group, Inc.
The Nichols Company
Paychex, Inc.
Personal Care Medical Sup-
plies
Physical Medicine Consul-
tants
Premier, Inc., Realtors
Preston Pointe at Inverness
Centre
Proforma Viking
Quadrant, EPP
Raytheon Company
Ream Steckbeck Paint Com-
pany, Inc.
The Resource Development
Group, LLC
Seely Office Solutions
Shoemaker, Inc.
Roger Sipe CPA Firm, LLC
Staybridge Suites-Fort
Wayne
Strahm Construction, Inc.
Strategic Benefit Consultants
Mike Thomas Associates/F.
C. Tucker
Title Express, Inc.
Trotter Law Office
True North Strategic Advi-
sors, LLC
Volunteer Center @ RSVP
Wabash Electric Supply, Inc.
Windamatic Systems, Inc.
Wired Communications, LLC

12 E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY
G R A D U AT E RETENTION
It takes a region to retain
(and train) a generation
I’m sure you’ve heard the old adage “It takes a
Jennifer Fisher
village to raise a child.” There is probably a lot of
Graduate Retention
truth in that statement. We can all have an impact
Program Manager
on young people.
The Chamber
I think the same concept could be applied to
jfisher@fwchamber.org keeping our young people in the Northeast Indi-
ana region. So often you hear young people saying
that there is nothing keeping them in the area af-
ter high school and college. They seek big and bet-
ter things in other places and Northeast Indiana
loses potential talent and an employee pool that
could help drive the regions companies into the
future.
If we are not working together to engage our
young people, it could mean that Northeast Indi-
ana will have a shortfall in qualified, well-trained
employees in the future. This could be damaging
Saturday, April 16 to our region on many levels.
This event will feature
video game tournaments, Everyone can do something
problem solving There are many ways that our region can en-
competitions, an iPod gage our young people but it truly takes all of us
battle of the bands, to make an impact. If our businesses and organi-
guest speakers who will zations are not engaged in keeping young people
talk about STEM related here, why would they want to stay?
careers in the region, and There are many things that we can do to help
much more. young people understand the opportunities avail-
able to them in this region and help them develop
Get involved by skills that can make them better employees in the
sponsoring a game, long run.
providing a donation to I’ve discussed a few in past articles but here are
ensure that all Northeast some great ways high school and college students
Indiana high school in Northeast Indiana can be introduced to the ca-
students can participate, reers and businesses here.
donating a small item for  Employers can provide job shadow opportu-
the gift bags, or having nities for high school and young college students.
a table at the event with These half-day or day-long experiences can be a
your product. snap shot look at the work world and provide a
Visit neitechfest.com young person with a beginning understanding of
for more information careers available in the region.
about the event  Short-term externships can be a great oppor-
and sponsorship tunity to give a young person a project that can
opportunities. last from one week to one month. The student
gains real-world experience that looks great on
their resume while the employer gains from the
Upcoming events
Summer Internship search season:
February-May 2011, www.indianaintern.net
Educator Summit and Roundtable Discus-
sion: March 2, 5-7:30 p.m., The Chamber
Northeast Indiana TechFest 2011: April
16, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m., Sweetwater Sound. Info at
neitechfest.com.
Supervisor Bootcamp: April 28, 3-5 p.m.,
The Chamber
Intern Bootcamp: April 29, 3-5 p.m., The
Chamber
Sign up at www.fwchamber.org or call for
more information at (260) 424-1435.
fresh energy and perspective of a young person!
 An internship lasts one month or more and
can give a total immersion experience for a high
school or college student. This is the perfect chance
for a company to provide a young person with the
skills, knowledge, and understanding they need to
help them become successful employees.
Getting started is easy
Of course, I’m sure you know by now that you
can advertise internship opportunities on www.
indianaintern.net.
It’s easy to get signed up and started. You can
also post up for short term project based intern-
ship/externship opportunities on the site.
The Graduate Retention Program team can help
set up job shadow, externship, and internship pro-
grams that provide a young person with a better
understanding of careers available to them in this
region.
Your organization gains by creating a potential
pipeline of young people who are interested and
excited about what you do, and, let’s be honest, in
two to five years you may need these young peo-
ple, so you could very well be training your future
employees.
E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY 13
CHAMBER CALENDAR
MAR
1 Statehouse
More
information
on events
Get the most updated
events listing at our web MAR
site: www.fwchamber.org
Do you have an interest
2 Social Media Tools and Strategies: Proven
in teaching one of
our events, such as a
Chamber Academy or
Lunch ’n Learn? Or do
you have questions about
an upcoming event?
Contact Michelle Merritt
at (260) 424-1435 or
mmerritt@fwchamber.
org. MAR
2 Educators and industry leaders talk about
MAR
9 Learn how to build a culture of wellness and
MAR
10
14 E M P H A S I S M O N T H LY
OF EVENTS
Northeast Indiana Day at the
Round-trip bus ride to the state capital
Includes breakout sessions on key issues
and luncheon with area legislators.
Cost: $35. Open to Chamber and NEICC
members only
Tuesday, March 1 | 7 a.m.-6 p.m.
Contact Christina Mitson at (260)
424-0863 for information
Chamber Academy
Ways to Maximize ROI
Anthony Juliano, Kevin Erb and Julianne
Will of Asher Agency take a close look at
the pros and cons of Facebook, Twitter
and other social media tools.
Cost: Members: $19 | Nonmembers: $39
Wednesday, March 2 | 8-10 a.m.
The Chamber building, 826 Ewing St.
Register online at fwchamber.org
Educator Summit and
Roundtable Discussion
bridging the gap between their fields
Free to educators. Dinner is included.
Wednesday, March 2 | 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The Chamber building, 826 Ewing St.
More info online at fwchamber.org
Workplace Wellness Seminar
move your employees toward health
Includes breakfast. Cost: Wellness Council
members: $25 | Chamber members: $30
| Nonmembers: $35
Wednesday, March 9 | 7:30-11:30 a.m.
IPFW Walb Student Union Ballroom
Register online at wellnessindiana.org
GPO Informational Session
Read about our new GPO benefit on Page 5
Free meeting for members includes
continental breakfast.
Thursday, March 10 | 7:30-9 a.m.
The Chamber building, 826 Ewing St.
Register online at fwchamber.org
MAR Meet Me @ 5
10 Enjoy an evening of networking with hors
d’œuvres and a cash bar.
Cost: Members: $5 | Nonmembers: $10
Thursday, March 10 | 5-7 p.m.
Parkview Field, hosted by The TinCaps
Register online at fwchamber.org
MAR Lunch ’n Learn
16 LinkedIn In Depth
Host: Anthony Juliano of Asher Agency
Cost: Members: $10 | Nonmembers: $15
Wednesday, March 16 | noon-1 p.m.
The Chamber building, 826 Ewing St.
Register online at fwchamber.org
MAR Third House Forum
19 Meet your Northeast Indiana legislators
Share your thought regarding legislative
issues or policies that are of concern to
you with our representatives.
Event is free, but open to members only
Saturday, March 19 | 10 a.m.-noon
The Chamber building, 826 Ewing St.
Register online at fwchamber.org
MAR 7th Annual ATHENA Awards
23 Celebrating exceptional individuals
who have achieved excellence in their
profession, have served the community
in a meaningful way and have assisted
women in their attainment of
professional goals and leadership skills.
Cost: $35 | RSVPs required by March 18
Wednesday, March 23 | 11:30 a.m.-1:30
p.m.
The Diamond Room at Ceruti’s
Summit Park, 6601 Innovation Blvd.
Register online at fwchamber.org
MAR “There’s a Member for That”
30 Showcase
Corporate Travel
Meet Chamber members who can help you
manage your employees’ travel
Event is free and open to the public
Wednesday, March 30 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The Chamber building, 826 Ewing St.
Register online at fwchamber.org
 C e l e b r a t i n g 10 Ye a r s

Friday, April 29
www.ipfw.edu/tapestry
Molly Ringwald
1980’s “Brat Pack”
actress, theatre favorite,
best-selling author,
and current star in the
breakout hit The Secret
Life of the American
Teenager
Celebrate the fabric of women at this day of
inspiration, renewal and education.
Preregistration required by April 11

ATHENA AWAR D

AWARD LUNCHEON
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2011
THE DIAMOND ROOM AT CERUTI’S SUMMIT PARK
6601 INNOVATION BOULEVARD, FORT WAYNE
REGISTER BY MARCH 18 AT FWCHAMBER.ORG
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