DRC10: Top Ten Things You Need to Know in September

1. DRC CEO Dale Petroskey will travel to China this month with the mayors of Dallas and Fort Worth to promote American Airlines’ new direct flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong.
2. The DRC will host a legislative reception for members to meet their state representatives on Sept. 10. Sign up for this Power Hour today!
3. Leadership Dallas Alumni has sold out an event that highlights experienced senior executive women. “Advancing Women to Corporate Boards” will explore the trends in board service for women, how to get on a board, and what to expect as a board member.
4. Dallas ISD Superintendent Mike Miles and Board of Trustees President Miguel Solis will speak at State of the District on Sept. 16 to address the milestones, goals, challenges, and opportunities that face the district.
5. The Dallas Entrepreneur Center and Golden Seeds will host a series called “Learn How to Fundraise” on Sept. 18. Panelists will provide feedback and analyze a live pitch of a new startup.
6. The DRC will celebrate a “Member Milestone” for UMB Bank’s 100-year anniversary this month.
7. Network with other business professionals at Leads Over Lunch on Sept. 24. Each attendee will receive a list of pre-registered attendees for follow up.
8. Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award winners will share their experiences and help you get started on a performance excellence journey at our Small Business Forum on Sept. 25.
9. At the end of the month, the DRC is rolling out its new website! You will have access to visually rich content that is easy to navigate. Keep up with the DRC for more information on the official launch date.
10. Eligible Texans who are not currently registered or need to update their registration due to a move or name change have just 28 days remaining before the November election’s voter registration deadline on Oct. 6. Learn how to register to vote here.

Infographic of the Week: Small Business

By: Ryan Tharp, Director of Research and Economic Development

It’s true that most of the new private-sector jobs in this country are created by small businesses. In fact, approximately 43 percent of private payroll is derived from small establishments. In Dallas-Fort Worth, 97 percent of all establishments have fewer than 100 employees. About 150 of those establishments are ranked as the fastest growing private companies in the nation by Inc. Magazine. These small businesses are cauldrons of innovation and creativity that very often launch the next big thing. Dallas-Fort Worth is a prime location with access to many desirable markets for startups. Many small-business development centers serve the region and can assist entrepreneurs in getting their businesses off the ground.

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July and August New Members

The DRC welcomed 24 members in the month of July and 25 members in the month of August. Learn more about each company below by clicking on the company name.

July Members
Allstate Insurance- Tim Arp
America SCORES Dallas
American Brain Tumor Association
Arrow-Magnolia International, Inc. 
Bowlmor
CityDoc
Eighteen Eight Men’s Salon
Green Eagle Graphics
Guardian Mortgage
Henry S. Miller Brokerage
Mimeo.com
Murphy’s Corporate Lodging
Newt Global
Platinum Motorcars
Strategic Staffing Solutions
Stravis Consulting
Supreme Lending
Texas Brand Bank
Texas Capital Bank
The Palm Restaurant
Trinity Valley Foods
Urban Mattress
Walton Development
Yooz, Inc.

August Members
Amegy Bank of Texas
ProBuild
BankFinancial
Broussard Logistics
Carpathian Concepts
Conti Organization
Earth Day Texas
Forest City Texas Inc
HomeAdvisor
Intake Studios
J. Lash & Company
Linkex
Love’s Travel Stops
Lundy Marketing Group
North Central Surgical Center
NuSpray International Inc.
Pegasus Community Credit Union
People  First
QuestCare Medical Services
Showcall
Slalom Consulting
Sloan Bergmann
The ODEE Company
UnitedHealthcare
Vision33

Interested in learning more about membership with the DRC? Click here or complete our membership information form.

Dallas Entrepreneur Center Update

By: Tara Vornkahl, Manager of Innovation

Like the Dallas startup scene, the summer season is moving along quickly and the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) is busier than ever! A few activities in the works include introducing the fall class of DEC Ambassadors and gearing up for VentureSpur’s next accelerator class. Read on for more information on all that has been going on at the DEC during the month of August and check out the events that are taking place throughout the startup community here in DFW.

Education Outlook Breakfast Highlights College and Career Readiness Model

By: Lexi Smith, Communications Coordinator

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College and career readiness should be a major focus of school districts across the nation. J.D. Hoye, President of the National Academy Foundation (NAF), spoke about this issue at our Education Outlook Breakfast on Aug. 28.

The Education Outlook Breakfast brought educators and the business community together to discuss the NAF model that includes “industry-focused curricula, work-based learning experiences, and business partner expertise.” According to J.D. Hoye, instructional practice, robust partnerships with industry, and a strong advisory board are essential for success.

The program focuses on five key themes, including finance, hospitality and tourism, information technology, engineering, and health sciences. Dallas ISD has 3,613 students in the NAF program and 28 academies with all five fully developed themes. About 10 percent of Dallas ISD high school students are in NAF academies. Students from Dallas ISD’s Kimball High School, a nationally distinguished NAF academy, attended the breakfast and spoke about their own experiences in the NAF program.

Internship Wrap-Up

By: Anna Beth Gruber, Intern, Communications

For those of you keeping score at home, you may remember my “Meet the Interns” blog post from earlier in the summer. In that post, I introduced the latest team of interns at the DRC, myself included, and shared many of our enlightening thoughts on the DRC, our hobbies, and most importantly –deserted islands. It’s hard to believe that was almost two months ago, and I am now finishing my final week at the DRC, and all of our other fabulous interns have already left.

With my time at the DRC coming to a close, impending senior year at the University of Denver, and that notorious job search quickly approaching, I wanted to give an overview of my time at the DRC and what my experience here was like. I was instructed to keep my thoughts to “fewer pages than Moby Dick,” so instead I decided to simply leave the DRC community, and all future interns, with a few final thoughts and impressions the DRC has left me, and some of our other interns, with.

1. They don’t bite, I promise!

This is the friendliest staff I think I have ever worked with, everyone seems to always be smiling here, I think it’s because they really like the work they are doing at the DRC. Not only is everyone willing to go above and beyond to help a member of the DRC, but also they’re a great staff to work with, are quick to help each other out, and are always good for a laugh or a quick coffee pick-me-up (I’m looking at you Comms). You’ll always have the chance at the DRC to talk to amazing people, whether it’s within the DRC staff itself or someone you meet at an event, listen to what they have to say, and ask them about their experiences with the DRC or about their experiences within the Dallas business community. The people you meet through the DRC are willing to give you advice on pretty much anything, from resume tips, to how you should dress for an interview. As our Research Intern, Colin, put it “There are all sorts of different people, both at the DRC and through its members/connections, which we get to interact with; make sure to make the most of all those meeting opportunities, as you never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll hear that will change your life.”

2. Come hungry.

Yes, I do mean literally. This place is ALWAYS feeding you; it’s ridiculous (Breadwinners for days!). But, I also mean this figuratively, in the sense that you should come to the DRC with an appetite to learn. The DRC staff is full of knowledge on the Dallas region, (about which I could probably write a whole second blog), and even if you’re a native to this area, such as myself, you’ll learn so much about the different parts of this region – a lot of which you may discover you never even knew about – the people and businesses who contribute and are invested in its continued success (which, I may add, includes the DRC team), and so much more. If you work hard and take everything from this internship as a learning experience, you’re going to walk away from your time at the DRC with not only an expansive knowledge of the region, but also a new understanding of so many different aspects of what makes a business function successfully on a day-to-day basis, both behind the scenes, and in the front lines, and many tips on what you can and should do to be a successful person in the business world. (Editor’s note: thank you Trisha, our economic development intern, for that little piece of advice!)

3. Keep an open mind, and open ears!

If you keep this piece of advice in mind, and adhere to it, you never know what you’ll learn, or who you’ll meet at the DRC. There are so many opportunities to not only grow and learn as a person, but also to expand your network while you’re at the DRC, so don’t be afraid to get a running start, and insert yourself into any opportunities that may arise, because, like I said, you’ll never know who you’ll meet. Pro-tip: the member engagement team at the DRC hosts a crazy amount of networking events, so volunteer to help at one of them, you’ll win brownie points with the member engagement team, and it’s a great opportunity to meet and network with people you might otherwise never have the chance to. At one of our speed networking events this summer, Anthony, our Member Services intern, jumped right into the mix to take advantage of the opportunity. He came away with a lot of new connections, and with a new and improved “elevator speech.”

In order to keep to my allotted word limit, I will stop myself here, although I could go on and on about the numerous opportunities that the DRC has given me, and how great this staff is. I wanted to wrap up my thoughts by saying “thank you” to everyone on the DRC team, this has been one of greatest summer internships I’ve had, and I really don’t want to leave, and there’s a good possibility that I may not. Everyone was so welcoming and quick to help me with whatever I needed, and I have learned so much in the few months that I have been here. If you ever get a chance to work with this wonderful team at the Dallas Regional Chamber, you should count yourself lucky. It is full of great people, who love what they do, and are truly invested in making the Dallas region the best that it can be.

If you’re interested in interning at the Dallas Regional Chamber, be sure to check out our different positions. 

True Patriot and Public Servant Congressman Ralph Hall to be Honored

By: Erica Mulder, Director of Public Policy

At 91-years-old Congressman Ralph Hall has a history not comparable to many.  He’s the oldest serving member of Congress and the oldest person to ever serve in the U.S House. At 89, he joined the Twitter-verse, went skydiving, and still laces up his running shoes for a two-mile jog every morning.  There’s an airport and a parkway in Rockwall named after him, and soon a lake that will also bear his name.  But that recognition doesn’t come without a lifetime of dedication and hard work.

Announcing the 2014 Women’s Business Conference Breakout Sessions

The DRC has an incredible lineup for the 19th Annual Women’s Business Conference on Oct. 3.

Presented by Jackson Walker L.L.P., the conference is an annual event focused on providing professional development and networking for women executives at all levels of their career. This half-day seminar has exceptional speakers and enriching breakout sessions that you don’t want to miss. Register now to reserve your spot.

Keynote speakers include Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America, and Marni Walden, Verizon’s Executive Vice President and President of Product and New Business Innovation.

We are also excited to announce the breakout sessions for the 2014 Women’s Business Conference:

Seminar 1 – “Stories from the Top” Panel

• Jan Langbein, CEO, Genesis Women’s Shelter
• General Robin Babb Akin, United States Army, Military Consultant at Advanced Defense Systems Group
• Hattie Hill, President and CEO, Women’s Food Service Forum

Seminar 2 – “Serving on Corporate and Nonprofit Boards”

• Sandra Beach Lin, Board of Directors Member at American Electric Power, WESCO International, PolyOne Corporation, and Interface Biologics

Seminar 3 – “Generations in the Workplace”

• Paula Sullivan, President, The Wright Resource Group

Seminar 4 – “Building and Protecting Your Brand”

• Kerri Konik, Founder and CEO, Brandscape Atelier

Visit our events page to register and learn more about the conference schedule.

We hope to see you there!

Member Monday: CN Catering and The Room on Main

Brittany Timmerman, Manager of Events at the DRC, spoke with David Kilpatrick, Director of Catering for CN Catering, about his company and The Room on Main.

What is one specific thing you want your fellow DRC members to know about CN Catering and The Room on Main?
CN Catering is a full-service catering company offering services for corporate events, weddings, cocktail parties, happy hours, and other special events. We provide businesses with turn-key event solutions that include in-house staffing, rentals, linens, floral, audio-video, and full-service production staff.

What is your favorite thing about doing business in the Dallas region?
Southern hospitality in a large, fast-paced metropolitan area with diverse clientele from all over the country (and world!).

You have a unique partnership (CN Catering and The Room on Main) with the two separate companies. What do you like best about the partnership?
We get to pair a premier venue with a catering company and are able to deliver a product that is second to none. We are able to oversee all aspects of our events, which allows us to better manage client expectations.

What can the region look forward to seeing out of your business in the next year?
The Room on Main is currently renovating and updating for our five-year anniversary. CN Catering recently partnered as the exclusive caterer with The Windsor at Hebron Park, one of North Dallas’ premier venues, and we have been added as one of four exclusive caterers with The Dallas Arboretum. CN Catering is also in talks to open new exclusive venues in the next 12-18 months.

How does your company utilize social media?
We are fully integrated with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest, with daily updates to keep our clients and fans updated on our activity as well as emerging trends in our industry.

What is your favorite Dallas sports team?
Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars (we have partnered with both in the past).

The DRC would like to thank CN Catering and The Room on Main for hosting the Leadership Dallas Welcome Reception this Wednesday.

The Cut – LYFE Kitchen

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Click here to learn more about LYFE Kitchen.