v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e w w w . m i s s i o n c h a m b e r . c o m

RGV BLUES8th Annual8th Annual

RGV BLUESFestival 2011Festival 2011SEPTEMBER 24

JUL—SEP 2011FIRST ISSUE

Fred KurthChairman of the Board Matt Z. Ruszczak

President/CEO

PREMIERE

ISSUE

Page 8

Greetings! We are excited about our magazine and hope that you find it helpful and informative. As we go into the last quarter of our fiscal year, I am taking this opportunity to share about our members, the board, our staff, and what’s coming up around the corner.

First our members. Members are the life blood of the chamber and we have been working diligently to make our roster accurate and then grow membership by 250 members this year. Yes, the economy makes us all evaluate expenses, but we are finding that our members get the value for the buck with the Chamber through exposure of the various media we use, networking at our events, infor-mative seminars, and community involvement. Look forward to our upcoming membership drive and get involved – get on a team!

Board of Directors. Our board consists of 15 dedicated, diverse and hard work-ing members from all types of businesses that allow us to have all sectors of our business community represented. Each board member welcomes your comments, questions, and suggestions and we are available to listen to your concerns anytime. Elections are underway to fill some seats, so get your vote in.

Staff. We are blessed with excellent staff members led by Matt Ruszczak, CEO and President. Every one of our staff members puts in long days on events that may be in the evening, on a weekend, or just a regular day with a smile and always with a professional attitude. Pat them on the back next time you see them and let them know you appreciate their efforts.

Upcoming events include our Blues Festival which is our opportunity to raise some money for Comfort House and the Chamber. The event promises to be a sell out early so get your tickets now. We have many sponsorships still available with Harley Davidson being our title sponsor.

Thank you for the wonderful year thus far and we look forward to continued success here at the Chamber.

Letter from the Chair

Fred Kurth, Melden & Hunt, Inc.

George Myers, Hunt Valley Development

Cathy Garcia, Freedom Life Church

D.P. Hernandez, M.D., Women’s HealthServices

Mario Reyna, South Texas College

Michelle Lea Zamora, Frost Bank

Husbaldo Salazar, Dahill A Xerox Company

Sandra Vecchio, RV Contractors

Ruben Plata, Texas National Bank

Javier Iruegas, Mission Regional MedicalCenter

Dr. Raul Pena, Peña Eye Institute

Robert Norman, BBVA Compass Bank

Vic Kasan, Hampton Inn & Suites

Oscar Ortiz R Ph, Walgreens

Sheila M. Pankratz, Cocina del Caribe

Scott Owings, Sharyland I.S.D.Superintendent

Dr. Cornelio Gonzalez, Mission C.I.S.D.Superintendent

202 W. Tom Landry Mission, TX 78572Tel 956.585.2727 • Fax 956.585.3044

Jul-Sep 2011 >// 03

Fred KurthChairman of the Board

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ADVISORY BOARD

Matt Z. Ruszczak, President/CEO

Crystal Santos, VP of Operations &Special Projects

Dago Rivera, VP of Membership &Business Development

Sarah Castillo, Membership ServicesCoordinator

Jessica Leija, VP of Tourism & CommunityDevelopment

Elizabeth Trantham, Bookkeeper

Jeanette Ceja, Customer Service Rep.

STAFF

Welcome & Bienvenidos

MessageDear Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce Family of Members,

Welcome to our new “My Mission” Chamber Magazine! It is my distinct honor and pleasure to serve you as President/CEO of this distinguished organization, and the “My Mission” is a new tool we are imple-menting to bring value to your Chamber Membership. In the next few pages we will outline many long standing activities as well as new initiatives our team executes to serve our Members. We continuously strive to provide to the Greater Mission Area in order to continue on our path of becoming a Greater Chamber of Commerce.

We greatly appreciate your membership and dedication to the Chamber and we would like to wholeheartedly invite you to join us for our upcoming activities, and take advantage of your Chamber Membership. I am looking forward to personally shake your hand at our next Break-fast Hook-Up, Buenas Tardes Luncheon, After Hours Business Mixer, Texas Butterfly Festival, the 8th Annual RGV Blues Festival, a Business Seminar, or one of our many Ribbon Cuttings.

These are among the many values your Chamber Membership brings you, and the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce team is here to serve you and your business. Enjoy the “My Mission”, join us at our next event, and allow us to advance Our Mission: Your Success! GoMission!

from the President

BUSINESS 83

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The Mission Chamber of Commerce invites theentire Rio Grande Valley Community to the 16thAnnual Texas Butterfly Festival taking place on

Saturday, October 22, 2011 in Mission, TX.This family-oriented event will feature butterfly

gardens, games, children’s activities for theentire family and much more...

Don’t Forget toMark Your Calendars!!!

TIME: 7:00 AM - 4:00 PMBike Race: 7:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Community Fair: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PMButterfly Walk: 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Community Bike Ride: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PMPLACE: World Birding Center

Bentsen Rio Grande Valley2800 S. Bentsen Dr. Mission, TX 78572

If you would like sponsorship info please call Jessica Leijaat (956) 585-2727 or e-mail at jleija@missionchamber.com

OCTOBER 22, 2011

of theBusiness Month

June 2011Renee’s of Sharyland2600 E. Griffin ParkwayMission, TX 78572Ph. (956) 519.9494

May 2011Mission Duncan Insurance220 East 10th StreetMission, TX 78572Ph. (956) 581-2183

July 2011Pete Jaramillo Insurance3805 Plantation Grove BlvdMission, TX 78572Ph. (956) 580-1066

Jul-Sep 2011 >// 05

Did

You

that The Mission Chamber of Commerce has a minimum of three networking events per month. The power of networking solely depends on your skills as a networker.

Here are some tips to take advantage of every opportunity the Mission Chamber has to offer:

KNOW. . .

Don’t forget that the Mission Chamber also has a facility to host your next seminar or small meeting. Please call the membership department at 956.585.2727 and ask for Sarah Castillo or Dago Rivera.

We Are Here to Assist You!!!

Ask open ended questions – This will open up the conversation and not make you look like a salesperson. Questions like “Who do you work for?”, ”What do you do?”, “Where are you located?” keep the conversa-tion going and breaks the ice.

Keep in mind that networking is about being genuine and authentic, building trusts and relationships and seeing how you can help others. Remember people do business with friends first!!

Become known as a powerful resource for others. When you are known as a strong resource, people remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people etc. This makes sure you always visible to them.

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ffective negotiation is a business practice that occurs when a buyer and a seller reach an agreement that result in a balanced outcome for both parties - a compro-

mise for both the buyer and seller or an evenhanded “give and take” result for those involved.

Some small business owners tend to disregard the power of negotiation when dealing with suppliers and other business associates, while others entrepreneurs believe giant corporations should only utilize this type of business maneuvering for their large transactions. In fact, successful negotiation is a powerful tool for businesses of any size; its benefits have a direct and powerful impact on small business profitability.

When properly executed, negotiation typically results in favorable financial and infor-mational benefits for small business owners. According to Effective Purchasing and Inventory Control for Small Business by William E. Dollar, the financial gain may come from the reduction of costs, while the information benefits is tied to improved communication between the buyer and the seller.

If not yet implemented, small entrepreneurs should seriously consider the potential for business savings when utilizing appropriate negotiation techniques in daily operations. What small business owner does not want to cut costs?

Regrettably, however, it is very common for small business buyers to believe their purchasing power to be insignificant; therefore, they do not ask for better prices from sellers. Small business buyers, however, should always ask for price reductions! The worst-case scenario is that they do not receive immediate price reductions; however, these types of requests often open doors for future negotiations with sellers.

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The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce Blues Committee announces its 8th Annual RGV Blues Festival, presented by Rio Grande Valley Harley-Davidson, benefiting the Comfort

House. The event is set for September 24, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. and will be held at The Club at Cimarron located at 1200 S. Shary Road in Mission, Texas. We invite you to come and enjoy the

live sounds of five incredible Blues Bands from all across Texas as you dine on authentic Cajun cuisine and bid on a great selection of silent auction items. This electrifying experience

promises to be the event of the year with a night of dancing, dining and fun…all to the sweet sounds of the Blues!

For more tickets or for information on how to become a sponsor of the 8th Annual RGV Blues Festival, contact Dago Rivera at (956) 585-2727 or at drivera@missionchamber.com

The Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce & RGV Harley-DavidsonPresent the

8th Annual RGV Blues FestivalFood • Live Music • Fun

LindsleE D. Brunson

Lindslee D. Brunson is the Adver-

tising Manager for the Progress

Times, Mission’s hometown news-

paper since 1972, and has worked

for the paper since 2003. Lindslee

has been actively involved in the

community since 2003.

DIPLOMAT SPOTLIGHT

I am looking forward tobringing another great event

to the City of Mission

As chair of the Chamber Diplomats, Lindslee is

spearheading the committee for The Dog Days of

Summer Are Over. She asks that you mark your

calendar for this chamber event coming up

September. 17th.

“I am looking forward to bringing another great

event to the City of Mission, helping build our

Diplomat program, and hope to make it exceed all

expectations!” said Lindslee. “Through the Dog

Days of Summer we will be able to help our

community animal shelters: including the City of

Mission Animal Shelter, The Oasis Animal Sanctu-

ary, and Palm Valley Animal Center. This

event is also designed to build the Diplomat

Program, drive people to Mission and give

them the opportunity to see all that we

have to offer. Another important purpose

of this event is to help create community

awareness of responsible pet ownership,

the importance of spay and neutering and

adoptions.”

The Dog Days of Summer Are Over will be

taking place at the Mission Sports Complex

on South Shary Road on September 17,

2011. This one-day event features Dog

Walk, Muttsquerade, Dog Competitions,

Vendors, Educational Demonstrations and

much, much more!

To be a sponsor, vendor, or to register

please contact a Chamber Diplomat at

(956) 585-2727.

Jul-Sep 2011 >// 08

K Double K6521 N. 10th St Suite FMcAllen, TX 78504(956) 844-5761

A&R VIDA 2017 N Conway Suite BMission, TX 78572(800) 680-2738

Xcell OrthopedicsPhysical Therapy2010 S Cynthia Suite 109McAllen, TX 78503(956) 686-2242

AFLAC 929 E. Esperanza Suite 14McAllen, TX 78501(956) 618-2737

Texas Green Solar& Wind Soluations1002 S. Alamo Rd.Alamo, TX 78516

HALO Rehabilitation 2500 Dicker RdHidalgo, TX 78572(956) 655-9241

We Buy Gold and Silver1653 West Palma Vista Dr Ste 3Palmview, TX 78572(956) 867-9188

TagleStar Web Studios 1524 S. 7th St.Edinburg, TX 78539(888) 618-5170

Agencia Total S.A. de C.V. Blv. Francisco Medina s/nLocal 61 Zona Hotelera NortePuerto Vallarta, mx 78572Brownsville, TX 78526(956) 504-2273

The Bayou Grill 5717 N. 10th St. Ste 400McAllen, TX 78504(956) 627-4091

eReal Estate Depot305(a) N. Shary RoadMission, TX 78572(956) 581-4333

Rio Grande ValleyPremium Outlets 5001 E Expwy 83 Suite 750Mercedes, TX 78570(956) 565-3910

Cornerstone SpaService MassageP.O. Box 5395McAllen, TX 78502(956) 802-1439

Alayna's Fashions 401 E. Gri�n Pkwy Ste AMission, TX 78572(956) 580-0178

Divine Custom Homes 1907 Seagull LaneMission, TX 78572(956) 467-1111

RGV Pop WarnerFootball League 6708 N. 17th StMcAllen, TX 78504(956) 905-9982

Manrique Custom Vision 2518 W. Trenton Rd.Edinburg, TX 78539(956) 661-9000

New Members // June - August 2011

Allen Industrial SupplyLab ServicesMission Duncan Insurance AgencyJoel D. Galindo, CPAAvila Plastic & Reconstructive SurgeryArrowhead Management, LLCMoseley Insurance AgencyMission Lion's ClubDonald ReinhardtWorkforce Solutions-McAllenCosmetic & Family DenistryFastSignsMcDonald's-SharyPalm Valley ChurchNew Hope at the BorderBorder TheaterBoggus FordCanales Dental CenterValley Oral & Maxillofacial SurgeryThe Osiris A. Gonzalez Law FirmGateway PrintingSouthern LandscapesCox Smith Matthews IncValley Symphony OrchestraTMC Teaching & Mentoring CommunitiesBell's Farm to Market

America's Shoes La Joya Area Federal Credit UnionPerez Fence CompanyTexas Money Exchange Browing-Ferris IndustriesMission Plaza Pharmacy #2Jason's DeliRe/Max ElitePerformance TherapeuticsNuestra Clinica del ValleH.E.B. PlusInter National Bank-Gri�nInter National Bank-Exp 83Inter Nation Bank-Tom LandryFamily Health Center of MissionMission Auto & Truck SalesLinebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson,LLPMission Towing, IncJavier Hinojosa EngineeringL & G EngineeringCourtyard CaféTexas Melon ExchangeBurns MotorsWeaks Martin ImplementGarden of Angels CemeteryMission Veterinary Hospital

State Farm Insurance-David Roze�Las Misiones at the Grove ApartmentsDelia's George Sathijaraj, M.D.Izaguirre Engineering Group, LLCAircool TechMartin Valley RanchDairy QueenPayne MissionAcero Fab, IncMarch of DimesIntertech FlooringMcAllen Construction, Inc.Rio Queen Citrus, IncOleander Acers O�cePerfessional Appraisal Services, IncPost-Net-MissioneReal Estate Depot, LLCHoliday Inn Express Hotel & Suites MissionDoctors Hospital at RenaissanceWaterford GardensMCM Sporting GoodsMission CISD

Membership Renewals // June - August 2011

Jul-Sep 2011 >// 09

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CHAMBER UPCOMING Events» September 5, 2011Office Closed in Observance of Labor Day

» September 7, 2011Mission Chamber Business Breakfast Hook-UpTime: 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.Location: Mission Chamber202 W Tom Landry, Mission, TX

» September 8, 2011Ribbon Cutting - Valley Business ReportTime: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.Location: 105A East JacksonHarlingen, TX

» September 14, 2011Buenas Tardes LuncheonTime: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Location: Balli’s Social & Event Center1620 E. Griffin Parkway, Mission, TX

» September 17, 2011Dog Days of Summer are OverTime: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Location: Mission Sports Complex

» September 24, 20118th Annual RGV Blues Festival 2011Time: 7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.Location: Club at Cimarron1200 S. Shary Rd. Mission, TX

» September 28, 2011Mission Chamber Business MixerTime: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Location: TBA

» October 5, 2011Mission Chamber Business Breakfast Hook-UpTime: 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.Location: Mission Chamber202 W. Tom Landry, Mission, TX

» October 12, 2011Buenas Tardes LuncheonTime: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.Location: Club at Cimarron1200. S Shary Rd. Mission, TX

» October 21 – 23, 2011Texas Butterfly FestivalLocation: Bentsen Rio GrandeValley State Park

» October 26, 2011Mission Chamber Business MixerTime: 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.Location: TBA

202 W. Tom Landry Mission, TX 78572

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 66

Mission, TX 78572