What: Chamber U: Creating and Maintaining a Business Plan
Instructor: presented by Amy Patrick, Wilmington University
Where: N.C.C. Chamber of Commerce
When: Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 from 8:00 AM TO 10:00 AM
Cost: Member prepaid- $25.00 : Non Member prepaid- $35.00

So, what’s the plan?

To register for this edition of the Chamber U program follow the link below:

Register online in advance!

For more information, please email the NCCCC or call (302) 294-2062.

The list represents the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs. Music website Pandora, convenience store chain 7-Eleven, Brooklyn Brewery, and Radio Flyer, maker of the iconic children’s red wagon, are among the prominent brands featured on this year’s list.

“The leaders of the companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have figured out how to grow their businesses during the longest recession since the Great Depression,” said Inc. president Bob LaPointe. “The 2010 Inc. 5000 showcases a particularly hardy group of entrepreneurs.”

The 2010 Inc. 5000 serves as a unique illustration of the profound changes taking place in the U.S. economy. The Awards are ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2006 to 2009. The minimum revenue required for 2006 is $80,000; the minimum for 2009 is $2 million.

Despite the fact that most of this year’s measuring period of 2006-2009 took place during the latest recession, aggregate revenue among the companies on the list actually increased to $321.6 billion, up more than 50 percent from last year. The effects of the recession are seen, however, in the median three-year growth rate, which dropped to 96 percent from last year’s 126 percent.

Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found on www.inc.com/5000.

In addition to being named NO. 1,454 in the Inc. 5000 this year, eZanga also placed 34th within the Greater Philadelphia Metro Area and ranked 147th within the Advertising and Marketing industry.

About eZanga, Inc.:

Delaware-based eZanga provides online advertisers with local, regional and national advertising focused on generating high return on investment. eZanga offers SEM, PPC and contextual advertising solutions. eZanga also operates a search engine, which is powered by proprietary technologies that take advantage of Meta search by retrieving search results from multiple search engines and re-ranking and displaying the most relevant results without duplication. eZanga is an Inc. 500 company and was deemed Delaware’s fastest growing company by Inc. magazine in 2008.

About Inc. Magazine

Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures LLC, Inc. is the only major business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies that delivers real solutions for today’s innovative company builders. With a total paid circulation of 712,647, Inc. provides hands-on tools and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing, and technology.

Delaware’s industry structure has become less cyclically sensitive.

Just as happened during the 1973-75 recession, the recent recession has significantly reduced the proportion of business cycle sensitive industries in Delaware’s economy. Durables manufacturing is extremely sensitive to swings in the economy because purchases of durables can always be delayed. As pointed out previously by CRI, the recent recession closed down Delaware’s two automobile manufacturing plants and gutted machine manufacturing. The manufacturing industries left standing, such as computer and electronic products, have workforces concentrated in nonproduction jobs such as engineering, science, marketing, IT, and finance. This extends as well to downsized manufacturing industries such as chemicals. Cycle sensitive construction is down one-third from an expansion peak and is stabilizing.

Meanwhile, industries gaining ground in Delaware, including healthcare, leisure and hospitality, education, telecommunications, and government, are all less business cycle sensitive. Demand for healthcare remains relatively price insensitive and is propped up by an infusion of Federal funds into Medicaid and the Medicare reimbursements from a rapidly growing elderly population. Regardless of how Federal healthcare “reform” plays out, demand for healthcare will be driven up by the aging population. Leisure and hospitality is on the rebound, with recovery in restaurants and stabilization in gaming. Demand for higher education continues to be strong as the gap in wages between college and high school graduates continues to get wider.

Delaware personal income has become less cyclically sensitive.

Since the 1973-75 recession, Delaware personal income has out-performed the nation during every recession, including the recent one. As noted by CRI, the growth area in Delaware personal income over the past decade has been transfer payments dependent. Transfer payments have jumped from about 12% to almost 17% of Delaware personal income. This shift is found across the nation, but is occurring more rapidly in Delaware. The two major components of transfer payments, medical benefits and social security, have been rising considerably faster than the nation. An aging population also is driving up pension income. In the near-term these sources of income will remain steady.

Delaware’s business tax burden remains competitive.

Despite back to back increases in the gross receipts tax, Delaware has the 7th best business tax climate among all the states. The FY-2011 state government budget continues the reduction in the state workforce through attrition, provides cost savings in education through administrative consolidation and transportation efficiencies, and implements other efficiencies. Most significantly, no increase is slated in state taxes. Under funded health benefit obligations will have to be addressed in the long term, but in the near term Delaware government is headed in the right direction.

Delaware’s economy won’t come roaring back and may even flat line for a few months, but the components for recovery are in place and the vital signs remain on the upswing. The road ahead is steep and it will take at least three years to return to the pre-recession levels of activity. Nevertheless, if Congress and the President can refrain from further debt spending and changes in the rules of the game, Delaware’s path will continue upward.

This post is the work of Dr. John E. Stapleford, Director Center for Economic Policy and Analysis

The Caesar Rodney Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan research and educational organization and is committed to being a catalyst for improved performance, accountability, and efficiency in Delaware government.

• The Delaware Community Development Corporation, a SBA certified development company, teamed with Citizens Bank to finance a $2,621,000 SBA 504 loan to purchase a new facility for Environmental Alliance (EA). The financing included a $1,171,000 SBA debenture through DCDC and a $1,450,000 convertible loan from Citizens Bank.

• The borrowers benefited from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act which allowed for the waiver of fees normally associated with the loan. This resulted in more than $30,000 in savings that could be invested elsewhere in the expansion of the business.

• Environmental Alliance is a full-service engineering and environmental consulting firm that works primarily with industrial companies, brownfield developers, and petroleum companies, providing consulting services in the areas of environmental site assessment and remediation, permitting, air quality services, and expert testimony/litigation support services.

• The new facility will position the company to hire 13 new employees in their Wilmington office.

• Based in Wilmington, Environmental Alliance employs over 50 professionals, including engineers and geologists with satellite locations in New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

• The SBA 504 loan program provides long-term, fixed-rate financing to acquire fixed assets, such as real estate or equipment, for expansion or modernization.

WHO: The Honorable Tom Carper, U.S. Senate
Andrew Dinsmore, Office of Senator Ted Kaufman
Bill Smith, Dori Smith and Paul Miller, Owners, Environmental Alliance
Jayne Armstrong, district director, SBA Delaware District Office
Bill Abernethy, executive director, Delaware Community Development Corp.
Scott Sukeena, senior vice president, Citizens Bank

WHAT: Check presentation/photo opportunity, tour & interviews

WHEN: Friday, September 3, 2010
10:00 a.m.

WHERE: 5341 Limestone Road
Wilmington, De 19808

Learn how industry leaders are using mobile computing to improve productivity, streamline operations, and drive revenue. Hear about new technologies and gain valuable insight on the state of mobile computing marketplace.

Who: Technology Forum of Delaware Educational Event
What: Mobile Computing
Where: Harry’s Savoy Grill
When: Wednesday, September 15, 2010 from 5:30 to 8:30
Cost: $25.00 for TechForum DE members $40.00 for non-members

Register online!

Check out this panel of experts from the mobile computing field that includes:

Donna Christoph,
Supply Chain IT Project Leader,
Wawa, Inc., a leader in using mobile computing to improve quality and service delivery.

Brian P. Murphy,
VP, Sales & Public Sector
BoxTone, Inc., a provider of software for managing and monitoring mobile users and applications across multiple platforms.

Anthony Tancredi,
Director of Technology
Diamond Technologies, Inc., a regional systems integration firm specializing in Mobile computing solutions.

Come join the discussion and bring a friend or colleague!

In the spring of 2002 I was driving from my home in Delaware to the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s conference in Asheville, North Carolina, where I was scheduled to speak My oldest daughter, Bonnie, was in the car with me; she was a college student at the time and interested in attending some of the workshops. Even though she was already a published writer, she knew the value of learning more about the craft of writing.

As I was passing through the Richmond, Virginia, area, I was thinking about a magazine interview I had to do the following week. Normally I am the one interviewing someone and then writing an article, but this time I was going to be the subject of the article. Writer’s Digest magazine wanted to do a profile of me, highlighting my success in writing for so many Websites over the past few months.

When I worked in the fundraising field a number of years ago I loved planning big special events. One time I tried to set the Guinness Book of World Records by having the largest number of people dance the “Twist” in one location. I even got Chubby Checker to tape some Public Service Announcements to help promote the event. As a writer and author, I knew I needed a Website, and when I came up with the name I Love To Write.com, (that site has evolved into I Love To Write Day.org) it wasn’t long before the idea of holding the ‘world’s largest party for writers’ came about.

I told Bonnie to “remember this moment,” because I “officially declared” November 15 to be I Love To Write Day, and I knew that I Love To Write Day would be a success.

However, never in my wildest dreams did I believe how successful it would become! About two weeks after the conference was over, I established the I Love To Write Day Website and began sending out press releases to media outlets all across the United States. I also sent information to schools, bookstores and libraries.

About ten days later I started getting numerous media requests for interviews and more info about I Love To Write Day. And the response from schools was absolutely overwhelming. By the time November 15 rolled around, over 11,000 schools all across the country had signed up to hold special ILTWD events and activities. Bookstores, libraries, churches, community centers and even a few malls joined in the fun. When USA Today published an interview with me on the first ILTWD, my phone didn’t stop ringing, and I lost track of how many e-mails I was receiving.

The Governors of 9 states have officially proclaimed November 15 as I Love To Write Day in their states, and urge all of their residents to find time to write and celebrate the day.

My goal for I Love To Write Day is simple: people of all ages are encouraged to write something. A poem, a letter, an essay, start a novel, finish a novel…the possibilities are endless!
Hundreds of people e-mailed or wrote to me shortly after the first I Love To Write Day. They shared samples of what they had written, and how they enjoyed writing again. Unfortunately, many people have stopped writing, and the thought of putting words on a piece of paper (or a computer screen) can be a frightening experience.

I urge everyone to remember how important writing can be. Spend some time writing something today. You don’t have to set a goal of writing a novel (unless you have wanted to write one for a long time); just write something that is short, and meaningful to you.

Writing can be fun, but also challenging. People need to be challenged, and writing is but one of many creative ways to express yourself. I am very excited because more I Love To Write Day activities are being planned all across the United States. For many people, that will be the beginning of their writing career.

I Love To Write Day has the potential to launch the career of the next John Grisham, Mary Higgins Clark, Stephen King or Toni Morrison.

Please visit the official I Love To Write Day Website at www.ilovetowriteday.org and learn how you can join in the fun. When people become stronger writers, they become better communicators…and everyone wins!

John Riddle
Founder
I Love To Write Day
www.ilovetowriteday.org

Read John’s bio by clicking here.

The New Castle County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to be hosting our fifth annual County Chamber Charity Challenge at Delaware National Country Club. The Chamber is proud to donate a portion of the proceeds from the Charity Challenge to one of our non-profit members, Bear Babe Ruth Little League who will be building the area’s first Miracle League field. This organization was chosen by our golf committee.

Please consider participating in this event as a player or a sponsor.

What: Chamber Charity Golf Challenge
Where: Delaware National Country Club
When: Thursday, September 9th 2010 from 11:30 AM TO 7:00 PM
Cost: Varies as detailed below:

Foursome: $500 Single Player: $135
Hole Sponsor: $150
Foursome and Tee Sign: $600

or Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Pamela Mayse at (302) 294-2062, or by e-mail. Sponsorship levels are as follows:

For questions or information regarding Silent Auction or Gift Bag donations, please contact Pamela Mayse at (302) 294-2062, or via e-mail.

Would you like more information? Please click HERE to view a pdf of the event flyer.

Please note:
No refunds will be given for paid registrations. Payment will be required for cancellations received within 48 hours of the event.

This report examines 10 key indicators of economic freedom based on size of government, taxation, and labor market freedom to develop a ranking of economic freedom across North America. Residents of Delaware continue to benefit from the highest levels of economic freedom in North America.

Download the report and read all about it here:

Economic Freedom of North America 2010 (PDF)

It’s good being first.