inside Christmas and

tuna cans:
Small Business
of the Month:
Business After
Hours:
this issue EMERGE See who Fifth Third Bank
Lakeland received the and Stone Center
participates in plaque for this host December
Canned Tuna monthly award. event.
Wreath Contest. Page 5 Page 8
Page 3

Buy Lakeland. It makes good cents! • visit LakelandChamber.com

LAKELAND AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

FORUM FOR BUSINESS

monthly
February 2010
Vol. XX, No. 2

• MARCH 18, 2010 •

The Lakeland Center

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The Diversity Business Council

of the Lakeland Area Cham-
ber of Commerce is pleased
to announce that the keynote
speaker for the CommUnity
Celebration will be Carlos
Luna.

Make your reservations now

by calling (863) 688-8551
Ext. 228.

See Page 15 for more details.

• See Page 2 for ticket order form and sponsors

ALSO INSIDE: Upcoming Events • EMERGE Lakeland • Ribbon Cuttings • Members on the Move
Onelightbulb.org announces Lakeland Green Expo
GreenHome Wamalama eco-expo to feature local sustainable product
and service companies and promote central Florida’s ‘green’ economy
OneLightBulb.Org, an organization event will be a series of free sustainability
dedicated to promoting energy conser- presentations by the expo sponsors and
vation and green technologies in local other local experts that include inform-
communities, proudly announces the ative topics on green job opportunities,
second in a series of local sustainability vehicle offerings from local dealers; energy and water conservation and new
expositions called, GreenHome solar energy technology solutions from innovative green technologies.
Wamalama - Green Business Expo various providers and sponsors like
2010. The event will be held at The QuikBeam Energy of Winter Haven, The GreenHome Wamalama - Green
Lakeland Center in Lakeland Florida and many other vendors of alternative Business Expo 2010 is designed to inform
on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 and energy and sustainability solutions. consumers and promote local economic
offers residents throughout central and This event will provide informative and development by raising public awareness
southwest Florida an opportunity to actionable content for both consumers of the areas’ green product and service
learn about the many local companies and business owners on how they can providers. The event is designed to be
offering green, eco-friendly and other save energy, save money and “green up” a fun and educational experience for
sustainable solutions for consumers, their homes and facilities. families, businesses and the community.
homes and business. The Lakeland Exhibitor registration discounts are
Area Chamber of Commerce is a As in previous events, the Expo will available to Lakeland Area Chamber
participating sponsor in the Expo and feature a CFL recycling drive, an Members. Detailed sponsorship, exhibitor
Chamber member businesses who wish Eco-Kids zone with fun, learning and attendee information is available
to be involved will receive a 20% activities and plans to showcase green on the GreenHome Expo Web site,
discount off exhibitor fees. initiatives offered through local city at www.lakelandgreenexpo.com or
and county programs. Throughout the www.greenhomewamalama.com.
In an effort to promote educational
programs on energy conservation, water

{www.lakelandgreenexpo.com }
conservation and recycling the
GreenHome Wamalama Green Business
Expo will feature an array of ecologically
responsible products and services. The
event will feature ‘Green Earth
Presentation Sponsors’ like Magnify
Credit Union, boasting the area’s first
net-zero energy, green commercial
building project in the state to
achieve a Gold level LEED
certification; new Hybrid

Lakeland Area
Chamber of Commerce
Forum For Business Monthly

Volume Information: February 2010

Vol. XX, No. 2

Joe L. Ruthven
Chairman of the Board

Kathleen L. Munson
Publisher & President

Amy S. Wiggins
Editor

Kingston Partners
Design
No. 2
EMERGE Lakeland in the Community
EMERGE Lakeland helped spread some
holiday cheer at one of the Boys and
Girls Clubs of Lakeland during the
holiday season. Members visited with
kids and helped lend a helping hand by
wrapping donated presents. Members
also had the opportunity to learn more
about the Boys and Girls Clubs and
were given a tour of the facility.
Volunteerism is one mission of
EMERGE. The EMERGE Lakeland
Volunteer Committee is dedicated to
exposing members to needs within the
community and venues to serve others.
EMERGE Lakeland members also
participated in the Canned Tuna
Wreath Contest during the Bumble Bee
and VISTE Canned Tuna Concert.
The contest required entrants to build a
wreath using unopened cans of Bumble
Bee Tuna. The “E for Emerge” wreath
was built and decorated by members of
the Marketing Committee and served
as a way to promote holiday cheer,
donate food and spread the word about
EMERGE Lakeland.
EMERGE Lakeland will hold several
events in 2010 for members and
individuals looking to join EMERGE
Lakeland. Whether you are looking to
network and attend social events, seeking
out volunteer opportunities or career
development functions, EMERGE
Members of the EMERGE Marketing Committee with the “E for EMERGE” entry in the VISTE
Bumblebee Tuna Wreath Contest
Lakeland has you covered. EMERGE
Lakeland promotes social interaction
among young professionals, opportunities
for philanthropic engagement and
career enrichment.
Visit EmergeLakeland.com to learn
more about upcoming events, volunteer
opportunities, development and social
outings. If you are a current member,
consider getting more involved by join-
ing a committee. Find EMERGE
Lakeland on Facebook and Twitter...
even more opportunities to keep up
with events and programs.
EMERGE members hear from Mike Taylor,
one of the directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs
of Lakeland and Mulberry.
Nominations accepted
beginning March 1
Nominations for Leadership Lakeland
Class XXVIII will be accepted from
March 1 through April 9, 2010, at 4:00
p.m. The nomination form will be
available in the March Forum for
Business Monthly or online at
LakelandChamber.com in the
"Online Forms" section.
Established in 1983 by the Lakeland
Area Chamber of Commerce,
Leadership Lakeland is an annual
program designed to identify leaders
and enhance existing leadership in our
community. Leadership Lakeland does
not take public policy positions or
advocate any individual viewpoint. The
program unites leaders from diverse
backgrounds and perspectives to improve
their ability to lead effectively, offering
its members a broad range of experi-
ences, and insights about the commu-
nity, its people, its needs and its services.
Participants in the program are selected
from applicants representing business,
public and private agencies, and civic
and professional organizations through-
out the Lakeland area. The final selec-
tion of members is made by a selection
committee. Some of the criteria
considered are as follows:
• Has the candidate reached a
responsible level in their chosen
career?
• Has the candidate demonstrated a
commitment to serve the community?
• Does the candidate have the time
and resources to give community
service?
• Does the candidate represent a
cross-section of the business
community, including government,
community service volunteers and
professionals?
 NEW MEMBER
RECEPTION

Riverside Bank at 4400 S Florida

Avenue hosted the December New
Member Reception, and welcomed
new Chamber members with open
arms, and of course donuts and
coffee! The staff and Chamber
Champions were able to learn a
great deal about new businesses
and provide information on oppor-
tunities to assist those businesses
in making the most of their
Chamber memberships.

In addition to hosting the December

event, Riverside Bank supports the
New Member Receptions as the
Presenting Sponsor, providing
continued opportunities for new
Chamber members to get involved.

Thanks to Riverside Bank and

staff for a great event!

Riverside staff and new members

No. 4
January Small Business of the Month Award presented
This month we recognize a special
group of caring people. Dr. David Lee,
DVM and his staff have been providing
veterinary care for companion pets for
27 years. Additionally they provide the
pet owner with the knowledge necessary
to enhance their pet’s health and
happiness.
Edgewood Animal Clinic (EAC) offers
routine veterinary care, surgical pro-
cedures, dental health care and kennel
services. EAC’s laboratory and diagnostic
equipment enhance their ability to
provide quality care.
Dr. Lee credits his well trained staff as a
full partner in the success of EAC. Two
of his Certified Veterinary Technicians
(CVT) has worked with him for 20 and
25 years. Combining training, experience
Looking for a business or service?
Lakeland visitors and residents are encouraged to do business with Chamber members. Browse the Preferred Business Directory to
locate the products and services you need. To view the directory, visit the Chamber’s Web site at:
and team work they add value to their
work product.
January Winner
Despite long hours at the clinic which Edgewood Animal Clinic
includes Wednesday evening appoint- 1708 E. Edgewood Drive
ments, Dr. Lee finds time for family, Lakeland, FL 33803-3412
golf, Gators and civic involvement. He (863) 688-8301 phone
has been involved with girls and boys (863) 683-3499 fax
Eclinic2@tampabay.rr.com
youth soccer, helped with “First Tee”
youth golfing organization, volunteered
time for Canine Companions for
Independence, serves on the board of
Veterinary Emergency Clinic and is a CORRECTION: In the January issue,
graduate of Leadership Lakeland Baron Realty, Inc. was incorrectly
Class VII. identified as the November Small
Business of the Month. Baron Realty
The Lakeland Area Chamber of Inc. is the December 2009 Small Business
Commerce would like to congratulate of the Month.
Edgewood Animal Clinic as the Small
Business of the Month for January.
The January Small Business
of the Month Award was
presented to Dr. David M.
Lee, DVM, Edgewood
Animal Clinic by Small
Business of the Month
Award Committee Member,
Don Pickard (Pickard &
Pickard Inc. REALTORS).
Also on hand to receive the
award were (pictured l. to
r.) Sarah Johnson, Kay
Southwick, Maryann
Wnuk holding Annie the
cat, Cindy Dawson, Karen
Gunther and Christina
Kurz.
LakelandChamber.com
Estates at Carpenters hosts December’s Business & Breakfast
The final Business & Breakfast of 2009 was
hosted by the Estates at Carpenters at 1000
Carpenters Way. A beautiful room and
stunning buffet welcomed members and
guests in from the muggy December morn-
ing. Mr. Brian Robare, Director of Opera-
tions, offered words of welcome and tours
to those in attendance.

Rusty Fox of Sandler Training provided a

program to help navigate the sales process;
this modified procedure has been developed
Rusty Fox of Sandler Training explains typical sales process
to streamline the sales process to make
buyer and seller more efficient. The
members nodded in approval as Rusty went
step-by-step through the right and wrong
way the sales process often goes.

Thanks to Rusty and Sandler Training for

a very informative and entertaining
program, and a special thanks to the
Estates at Carpenters for their great
hospitality.

Members enjoy a delicious breakfast and beautiful surroundings at the Estates at Carpenters

BUSINESS
AND BREAKFAST
G WAREH

SAVANNAH COURT
6550 N SOCRUM LOOP ROAD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 11
7:30 A.M. ~ 9:00 A.M.

$5 Chamber Member ~ $15 Non-Member

Your R.S.V.P. is appreciated! Visit the Chamber Store at LakelandChamber.com
to register and pay using your credit card or email psmith@LakelandChamber.com
to register and pay at the door.

No. 6
Fifth Third Bank & Stone Center host December Business After Hours
Fifth Third Bank & Stone Center
welcomed Chamber members and
guests into the newly remodeled
Stone Center showroom at 2205 E
Edgewood Drive. Cabinets and granite
lined the walls decked with greens
and reds.
Since 2005, Fifth Third Bank has
hosted the December Business After
Hours event, making the transition
from their downtown branch in 2008.
With a smaller lobby and less parking,
Market President Patrick Fagan decided
to share the hosting opportunity with
Fifth Third customers, building on the
Chamber’s encouragement of members
helping members.
With plenty to eat and drink, members
spent the evening networking, meeting
new contacts, and dreaming of new
kitchens and baths. Linda Harkins,
with Fifth Third Processing Solutions,
was the guest chef for the evening and
prepared hot and cold appetizers and
beautiful desserts for everyone to enjoy.
There was a smile on every face, especially
when it came time for door prizes.
Thanks to AFLAC/Les Middleton, Bal-
loons and Beyond, bd’s Mongolian
Grill, Fifth Third Bank, & Progressive
Communications for providing door
prizes! If you’d like your company name
listed in the Business After Hours high-
lights, be sure to bring a door prize to
the next event!
Special thanks to David, Patrick and
their supportive teams for hosting
such a beautiful event!

Patrick Fagan, Market President of Fifth Third Bank & David Beck, President of Stone Center were on hand to welcome guests.

Thanks to AFLAC/Les Middleton, Balloons and Beyond, bd’s Mongolian Grill,

Fifth Third Bank, & Progressive Communications for providing door prizes!

No. 8
 RENEWALS
The Chamber would like to recognize
and thank the following businesses for
their long-standing support and loyalty.

20+ Years Renewals

1940 - 70 Years
The Ledger
1944 - 66 Years
Verizon
1950 - 60 Years
Harrell's, Inc.
1953 - 57 years
Sale Insurance Agency, Inc.
1955 - 55 years
Stille Real Estate
1959 - 51 Years
Fletcher Printing Co., Inc.
1962 - 48 Years
Farm Credit of Central Florida, ACA
1965 - 45 Years
James I. Black & Company
1966 - 44 Years
Lakeland Eye Clinic
1967 - 43 Years
Bright House Networks
1968 - 42 Years
W.H. Alderman Plumbing Co.
1970 - 40 Years
Lohr Enterprises
Battery USA, Inc./Imperial Motor Parts
1972 - 38 Years
Folsom Construction, Inc.
1973 - 37 Years
Sligh Clinic of Chiropractic
1977 - 33 Years
Lakeland Periodontics, Inc.
1982 - 28 Years
Manpower, Inc.
1983 - 27 Years
Emeritus at Lakeland
1984 - 26 Years
Avon Leasing, Inc.
Storage & Handling Equipment
1985 - 25 Years
Lilley Air Conditioning, Inc.
1987 - 23 years
Citrus Connection/Lkld Area Mass Transit Dist
1988 - 22 Years
Munchel's Fine Jewelry, Inc.
Central Pavers, Inc.
Computer Merchandise Corp.(CMC)
Stephen M. Martin, P.A.
Taylor Rental Center
1989 - 21 Years
CF Industries, Inc.
Fleetwing Corporation
Ross Vecchio, P.A.
The Fearn Partnership, Inc.
Victory Church
1990 - 20 Years
Lakeland Regional Medical Center Foundation
All-Brite Specialty Services, Inc.
All About Signs & Service, Inc.

15 Year Renewals
Florida Handling Systems, Inc.
Mike's Painting & Home Improvements, Inc.
Computer Data Networks Partners, Inc. (CDN)

10-Year Renewals
Hair Razors Salon, Inc.
Florida Refuse Service
Sunshine Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
NEW MEMBERS
The Chamber is proud to welcome 12 new members for December 2009
Through their membership in the Chamber, businesses invest in themselves and their community. We urge you to to “Buy Lakeland. It makes good
cents!” by doing business with these new Chamber members. For the most up-to-date list of members, visit our on-line Preferred Business Directory
at LakelandChamber.com!

Beltone Hearing Aid Center

103 W Highland Dr
Lakeland, FL 33813-1540 Performance Electric
(863) 294-8353 and Design, Inc.
Fax: (863) 299-0334 3525 Reynolds Road, #8 SERVPRO of Haines City
www.beltone.com Lakeland, FL 33803-8372 / Polk City
Hearing Aids (863) 666-6400 6039 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Ste 502
Mr. Patrick Conlon Fax: (863) 667-3216 Winter Haven, FL 33884-4115
Electric Contractors (863) 236-3553
HWE Enterprises, LLC, dba Gary & Pam Lee Fax: (863) 236-3556
ComForcare Senior Services Cleaning - Water & Smoke Damage
1643 Williamsburg Square Quality Health Plans, Inc. Mr. George Hernandez
Lakeland, FL 33803-4279 201 N Kentucky Av Ste 200
(863) 825-6008 Lakeland, FL 33801-4962 Shoot Straight Lakeland, LLC
Fax: (863) 825-6008 (863) 682-2771 230 N Lake Parker Ave
www.comforcare.com Fax: (863) 686-3819 Lakeland, FL 33801-2167
Home Health Care www.qualityhealthplan.com (863) 937-8021
Mr. Howard Ellis, Jr. Insurance Fax: (863) 937-9301
Sabiha Khan www.shootstraightlakeland.com
Joni Finkbeiner Guns-Retail
Photography, Inc. Raymow Enterprises, Inc. Mr. Steve Brown
723 S Missouri Ave 101 Dunbar Ave Ste G
Lakeland, FL 33815-4737 Oldsmar, FL 34677-2975 Tempco Pest Control, Inc.
(863) 687-8986 (813) 855-3790 PO Box 50397
Fax: (863) 284-2681 Fax: (815) 855-0485 Ft. Myers, FL 33994-0397
www.finkbeinerphotography.com www.raymow.com (863) 675-0925
Photography Landscaping Fax: (239) 693-6550
Ms. Joni Finkbeiner Mr. Aaron Carlton www.tempcopestcontrol.com
Mr. Larry Latimer Pest Control
New Egg Investments Mr. Gary Sawyer
402 S Kentucky Ave., Ste 125 The RCSI Group
Lakeland, FL 33801 110 E Pine St Weber Environmental
(863) 812-4290 Lakeland, FL 33801-4965 Services, Inc.
Fax: (866) 213-1985 (863) 603-7369 5935 State Road 542 West
www.newegginvestments.com Fax: (866) 336-9768 Winter Haven, FL 33880-5128
Investments www.thercsigroup.com (863) 551-1820
Mr. Arthur Roy Employee Benefits Fax: (863) 551-1639
Mr. Michael R. Martens www.weberes.com
Landscaping
Mr. Kenneth Weber

No. 10
No. 12
DECEMBER TOURISM INQUIRIES
During the month of December, our Visitor Information Center assisted hundreds MARK YOUR
of individuals, answering questions pertaining to Chamber member businesses
and the Lakeland community.
CALENDAR
Walk-in Visitors..................................263 Winter Accommodations .......................0
Relocation Response Mailings................4 Visitor Information Mailings ...................3 EVENTS
Relocation Response (Walk In).............17 Visitor Center E-mail Inquiries...............81
Accommodations...................................0 Tuesday, February 2
2009 Annual Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
The Lakeland Center
Exhibit Hall

Thursday, February 11
Business & Breakfast, 7:30 a.m.
Savannah Court
6550 N Socrum Loop Rd

Thursday, February 18
Business After Hours, 5:30 p.m.
Galloways Flooring Warehouse
2145 E Edgewood Dr

Thursday, February 25
64th Annual Tiger BBQ, 6:00 p.m.
Joker Marchant Stadium
2301 Lakeland Hills Blvd

MEETINGS
Monday, February 1
Small Business of the Month
Committee Meeting, 11:45 a.m.

Monday, February 8
EMERGE Lakeland Steering
Committee Meeting, 3:45 p.m.

Wednesday, February 10
Government Affairs Committee
Meeting, 8:00 a.m.

Thursday, February 11
Leadership Lakeland Health Care Day

Wednesday, February 17
Executive Committee Meeting
4:00 p.m.

Monday, February 22
Lakeland Area Chamber Foundation
Board of Directors Meeting, 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, February 24
Board of Directors Meeting
Noon
Lakeland Yacht and Country Club 929
Lake Hollingsworth Drive
FHSAA State Sporting
Events a Slam Dunk For
Lakeland’s Economy!
Lakeland has enjoyed being the home
to The Florida High School Sports
Athletic Association (FHSAA) State
Volleyball, Wrestling and the Boys’
and Girls’ Basketball Championship
Finals for many years now. Each year,
these high school teams from across
the state battle for their respective
state titles at the Lakeland Center.
They bring thousands of fans, media,
coaches, scouts and supporters to the
area with them. The real winners are the
area merchants, hotels, and restaurants as
millions of dollars are spent throughout
Polk County during these games.
Please strive to offer exceptional service
and warm hospitality ensuring our
visiting guests leave Lakeland with
enjoyable memories in addition to
their exciting competition at The
Lakeland Center! Let’s make their
Florida Finals uniquely Lakeland
memorable! The upcoming dates are:
• FHSAA State Wrestling Finals:
February 18-20, 2010
• FHSAA Girls State Basketball
Finals: February 24-27, 2010
• FHSAA Boys State Basketball
Finals: March 3-6, 2010

No. 14
CommUnity Celebration ‘10
World renowned artist to speak at event
Carlos Luna was born in Pinar del Rio,
Cuba, in 1969. In 1991, age 22, he had Event Information:
the opportunity to fulfill the desire of his When:
grandmother. Her request to him in March 18, 2010 in the community.
1979, when he was 9 years old was “as 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. We hope you will
soon as you have the opportunity, swear to Doors open at 11:00 a.m. come to learn, to
us, that you will get out of Cuba. Don’t Where: socialize, to laugh,
look back. Swear it!” Carlos Luna’s The Lakeland Center-Exhibit Hall to be encouraged
opportunity came from the University of Cost : and to gain an
Mexico, where he was invited to study art. Corporate Table: $350 renewed respect
He now lives in freedom in Florida with Individual Tickets: $25 for all of our
his wife and three children. differences which
make Lakeland
Carlos is now a world renowned artist. such a rich
He has had solo exhibitions in Puebla, The CommUnity Celebration is an event community.
Mexico; Long Beach, California; San that inspires optimism and encourage-
Juan, Puerto Rico; Chicago, Illinois; and ment. It provides you and your employees Carlos Luna
in Lakeland, Florida. He’s won many with a positive environment with other
awards for his work including the Alien of like-minded business leaders
Extraordinary Ability Immigrant Visa
which affords him permanent residence in
PRESENTING SPONSORS:

SPONSORS
the United States.
SPONSORS

FOCUS Magazine, GEICO,

We hope you’ll come to hear the story
Publix Super Markets, Inc., and
of his family’s life in Cuba and the over-
whelming obstacles that he overcame to WONN/WPCV/WLKF/WWRZ Radio
enjoy the freedom in this country. His
grandparents, his aunts and uncles, and
his parents suffered under the dictator-
ships of Batista and Castro. Relatives
were killed and tortured. They had their
land and possessions taken from them.

His family’s story is one of great courage

and determination which serves as an
inspiration to all those who hear it. We
hope you’ll take advantage of this incredi-
ble opportunity to hear Mr. Luna’s tell his
story and his feelings about America.

Carlos Luna is one of the stories featured

in Teresa Martinez's recently published
book Success in Exile: Five Decades of
Cuban Stories.

MAKE YOUR
RESERVATIONS
Make your reservations now to the
CommUnity Celebration by calling:
(863) 688-8551 Ext. 228
For more information, please see the flyer in
this edition of the Forum for Business Monthly.
 FEBRUARY MEMBERS ON THE MOVE
Keith and Schnars, P.A.
Keith and Schnars, P.A., Engineers,
Planners, and Surveyors, is pleased to
announce that John N. “Jack” Breed,
Vice President, is serving as an Adjunct
Professor at the University of Florida,
teaching a senior course in Geomatics,
the Practice of Surveying and Mapping.
Perpetual Technology Solutions
Has successfully achieved the Microsoft
Security Solutions Competency. The
Security Solutions Competency is de-
signed to recognize the unique skills and
requirements of partners specializing in
delivering security-based solutions.
Alliance for Independence
Is proud to welcome Javier Marin to its
Board of Directors – Javier is the VP and
Manager of the Downtown SunTrust
Branch. He is very interested in helping
organizations with a strong mission &
serving the community.

Northwestern Mutual
Financial Network
Thomas G. Pate, CLU, ChFC, CASL
has been awarded a professional designa-
tion in the field of long-term care, Certi-
fied in Long-Term Care (CLTC). The
program is independent of the insurance
industry and focuses on providing insur-
ance professionals the tools they need.

Danielle Fence Mfg Co, Inc.

Proudly announces that Todd Weihmeir
will assume the management and promo-
tional responsibilities for their new
20,000 sq. ft. Outdoor Design Center
opening in March 2010. As part of his
new role, Todd will coordinate the intro-
duction of 25 new product lines.

Proudly announces that Jeff Vikari will

be transitioning from his role as Director
of Marketing to lead the Commercial
Sales Group initially focused on the New
Home Construction market. The addi-
tion of the complete outdoor living prod-
ucts line offers endless opportunities to
our builder partners.

CPS Investment Advisors

Bryan Mau, Regional Director of Retire-
ment Services for CPS Investment Advi-
sors was selected 2009 New Resident
“Who’s Who of Central Florida”. Bryan
was selected for his numerous hours vol-
unteering for many different not-for-
profit organizations and serves on several
boards in the area. Bryan Mau joined
CPS Investment Advisors in September
of last year after he and his family relo-
cated from New Hampshire.

No. 16
 The Lakeland Chamber prints business announcements each month as space permits. Please mail
your announcements to the Chamber or e-mail: membersonthemove@LakelandChamber.com
Bank of Central Florida
Paul Noris, President and CEO of Bank
of Central Florida announced Joseph
Furnari III has joined the bank as Execu-
tive Vice President/Retail Banking Exec-
utive. Mr. Furnari was most recently
City President with Wachovia Bank.
Coldwell Banker Commercial
Saunders Real Estate
Commissioned Painting “Peace River
Woodies” by Famed Nature Artist,
Thomas Brooks added to The Saunders
Collection: Natural Lands of Florida.
Florida Southern College
CaptainU, a national recruiting service
for college-bound student-athletes, has
named Florida Southern among the
Hottest Softball Colleges of 2009. The
December rankings cover all three
NCAA Division.
The School of Business and Economics
at Florida Southern College announces
an innovative master of business admin-
istration (MBA) degree program. The
full-time, accelerated 16-month program
will begin in August 2010.
Cipher Integrations
Don Kane of Cipher Integrations has
completed a certification assessing his
knowledge of installing, configuring, and
administering Microsoft Windows Oper-
ating Systems and is now recognized as a
Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP).
 RIBBON CUTTINGS
The following company recently celebrated a ribbon cutting in the month of December.
See the photos on our Web site at LakelandChamber.com.

The Salvation Army Christmas Center

3043 Drane Field Road, Suite 1, Lakeland, FL 33811
(863) 581-7101

{ RIBBON CUTTING THANK YOU

Special thanks to retiring Mayor Buddy Fletcher and newly elected Mayor Gow Fields and all the board members
and Chamber Champions who truly make these ceremonies a special event. }

The 2010 Buyer's Guides have arrived!

If yours has not been delivered yet or if you need
additional copies, please stop by the Chamber
and pick them up.

No. 18
 Return Service
Requested
PERMIT # 31
US POSTAGE
PRSRT STD

LAKELAND
FLORIDA
PAID
Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 3607 • Lakeland, FL 33802-3607

GALLOWAY’S FLOORING WAREHOUSE SUPPORTERS:

2145 E EDGEWOOD DRIVE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18 • 5:30 TO 7:30 P.M.

$10 Chamber Member ~ $30 Non-Chamber member

Your R.S.V.P. is appreciated! Visit BAH.LakelandChamber.com to register and pay using your credit card
or email psmith@LakelandChamber.com to register and pay at the door.