Page 8 Berthoud Weekly Surveyor December 27, 2012

Profile of Chamber Executive Director Tiffany Yenchus-Holcomb

By Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer The Surveyor Tiffany Yenchus-Holcomb is a mother of three, who is finishing up a double degree in public relations/ marketing and business administration while working as the executive director of the reenergized Mead Area Chamber of Commerce. Yenchus-Holcomb has a soft place in her heart for small business. She had just joined the Downtown Revitalization Committee in August when the Mead Chambers executive director position came to her attention. I approached Ted Bendelow because I thought this would be a great way for me to support small businesses locally and to use the skills Ive gained thus far in school, said Yenchus-Holcomb. My ultimate goal is to have a freelance public relations marketing business where I focus on small businesses. She believes many small businesses fail because they dont realize what resources are available to them and they dont understand the difference between advertising and marketing. She wants to help businesses survive and thrive by using grassroots approaches to promote their companies. Yenchus-Holcomb and her husband, Matthew Holcomb, moved to Mead in 2007. They wanted their children to grow up in a small, community-minded town. They are hands-on parents and active at their childrens school. My husband has been such an inspiration. I watched him go back to school and not only finish his bachelors degree, but also his masters degree all while working full-time, fulfilling his duties with the National Guard and being an amazing dad and husband, said Yenchus-Holcomb. I finally realized that if Matt could juggle all of that, I owed it to myself and my family to do the same. Yenchus-Holcomb believes the goal of the Downtown Revitalization Committee dovetails with the goals of the Mead Area Chamber of Business. Beautification of the town is important to economic development on both a small and large scale. If people drive through town and see a crumbling downtown with no curb appeal, they will simply drive on by, said Yenchus-Holcomb. As the executive director of the Mead Area Chamber of Commerce, Yenchus-Holcomb put together a proposal on how to revitalize and rebuild the chamber. She came up with phases of change that included revamping the website, redefining and adding more member benefits, and creating new events and new ways to support the businesses and local community, such as the Mead Mavericks poster. These are just a few of the things that weve done so far, said YenchusHolcomb. Im also working closely with Linda Martin, economic development specialist with the Town of Mead, to collaborate on events and develop new events. The chamber currently has 69 members, and new members are signing up every day. The message about the benefits of becoming a chamber member is getting out to the businesses in Mead and beyond. Yenchus-Holcomb believes there are many benefits of chamber membership, such as business promotion, but she feels one of the biggest advantages of becoming a member are the connections made through networking. Opportunities for collaboration happen for chamber members Mead Area Chamber of Commerce news The chamber is cancelling the December and January General Membership/Networking meetings in observance of the holidays. The 2013 membership rate is $75, regardless of business size or current membership rate. Nonprofit and individual memberships are $50. The chamber is re-establishing their Business After Hours events, and the chamber will be combining the general membership/networking meetings with Business After Hours events. If you are interested in the prospect of becoming a chamber board member please e-mail tiffany@ meadchamberofcommerce.com. all the time and these relationships can result in amazing outcomes for all parties. Things are looking up, especially in the town of Mead, because there is so much participation, and it is renewed participation by old and new faces. Were putting Mead back

on the map, and its exciting, said Yenchus-Holcomb. You can visit the chambers new website at MeadChamberofCommerce.com. Tiffany Yenchus-Holcomb can be reached by e-mail at tiffany@ meadchamberofcommerce.com or call 720- 209-9701.

Lets grow together!

The Mead Area Chamber of Commerce is organized to advance the general welfare and prosperity of the Mead area. All necessary means of promotion shall be provided and particular attention and emphasis shall be given to the economic, civic, commercial, industrial, and educational interests of the area.

Chamber donates $2,565 to high school athletic department

The Mead Area Chamber of Commerce created the 2012-2013 Mead Mavericks Winter Sports Season calendar and sold advertising space to local businesses. Their efforts raised $2,565 for the athletic department. Over 500 posters were printed and will be distributed to local Mead area businesses.

The chamber will continue to support the Mead High School Athletic Department by creating posters for all three sports seasons throughout the year, with 50 percent of the proceeds being donated to the school. If your organization is interested in collaborating with the chamber, or would like to advertise in the upcoming Mead Mavericks Spring Sports Season poster, please contact the executive director of the Chamber Tiffany Yenchus-Holcomb at 720-209-9701.

Game day recipe ideas

By Rudy Hemmann The Surveyor On New Years morning, or for that matter any morning during the holiday season, the chief cook of the house would far rather be spending time with family, opening presents or visiting with house guests, than slaving over the proverbial hot stove. For precisely that reason I am suggesting an easy-to-make casserole dish which goes together fast and is tasty as well. The recipe works equally well as a dish to complement a holiday brunch. The basic recipe appeared in a holiday mailing from a local grocer. I added a few simple ingredient suggestions to make the dish more festive, and wallah a wonderful, yet easy, breakfast casserole for New Years morning was created. Breakfast Casserole 1 can (16.3 oz.) large biscuits (Grands) 1 pkg. (8 oz.) fully cooked bacon 1 cup (8 oz.) shredded cheese (Just about any kind will do.) 8 eggs 1 tsp. tarragon cup sour cream tsp. salt tsp. pepper 1/3 cup green onion, chopped 1/3 cup red pepper, chopped 1/3 cup green pepper, chopped Pico de gallo or your favorite salsa (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9 X 13-inch dish or pan with cooking spray. Cut each biscuit into four equal pieces and place at bottom of dish. (Most of the bottom of the dish should be covered.) Layer cooked bacon and cheese over biscuits. In a bowl whisk together eggs, tarragon, sour cream, salt and pepper. Pour over biscuits. Top with onions and red and green peppers. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Serve with pico de gallo or salsa if desired. Notes: As a time saver, the vegetable chopping may take place the previous day. With regard to the bacon, the 8 oz. package called for is the pre-cooked variety. You may want to start with a one pound package of raw bacon if you choose to cook your own. Try substituting a layer of thinly sliced or cubed ham for the bacon Enjoy.

meal. Optional extras for guests to choose from can be tortilla chips, shredded Whether its college bowl games on cheese and sour cream. And dont forget New Years Day or the Super Bowl in the most important ingredient of your February (when I predict the Broncos game day: Go Broncos! go all the way and the state turns a Game day chili wonderful shade of orange and blue), Ingredients: its nice to have a delicious, simple dish 1 large can chicken broth that can serve plenty of winter-time 1 can diced tomatoes sports fans. I recently found a recipe 1 small can diced green chiles for chicken and white bean chili that fit 2 cans white beans the bill after I altered it a bit to suit my 1 lb. cooked chicken, diced taste. 2 tbsp vegetable oil Ive always liked chicken green chili, 1 onion, chopped but it was too spicy for most kids and I 2 cloves of garlic, minced wanted something lighter than tra tsp ground cumin ditional red chili. You can adjust this Dash of cayenne pepper recipe for big parties or even to freeze Pinch of salt to taste the leftovers for cold winter days in the 1 cup corn (optional) future. Serve it with a salad and your Optional garnishes: cheese, sour favorite bread to make it a nice filling cream, chips, onions Instructions: Heat oil and cook onion and garlic in large pan until soft. Stir in broth, tomatoes, chiles and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and beans (and corn if desired) and simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve in bowls and garnish according to taste, then cheer loudly for the winning team. Serves apPhoto by Susan Richards proximately 8. This delicious New Years chili can be further enhanced with a nice cold mimosa. By Susan Richards The Surveyor

Breakfast casserole.

Photo by Rudy Hemmann