Leawood Chamber of Commerce Member Memo — March 4, 2011

Upcoming events and news from around the Leawood area.

Leawood Chamber Events

Business Building Workshop - Dennis Rosen

Mar. 11, 2011, 8:00 at Leawood South Country Club, 12700 Overbrook Road, Leawood, 66209

Creating Devoted Customers to...
Improve Your Bottom Line
By Dr. Dennis Rosen, WinFluence® Solutions

Customer satisfaction is insufficient in today’s market to build your business. Satisfaction simply means customers consider your business an option. Even “loyal” customers are often only loyal until a better deal comes along. You want devoted customers who stick with your business and tell others about you. This requires going beyond simple satisfaction.

In this workshop, Dr. Dennis Rosen will explain HOW to WOW your customers through analysis of physical and emotional needs that affect customers’ perceptions of your service. He will show you how to determine actions that will have the greatest effect on perception of service. He’ll explain how to adapt to customer differences, how to handle customer complaints and how to motivate your employees to provide great service. You’ll understand how to make your customers devoted and improve your bottom line.

Attendees will receive a copy of Dr. Rosen's book (a $25 value), a 30-page workbook, and a free continental breakfast.

Course Topics
• The Customer WinFluence® concept and its value to your business.
• HOW to get beyond simple satisfaction to WOW your customers through needs analysis.
• The two categories of needs that must be addressed.
• The four factors that cause perception problems with your customers’ and how to overcome them.
• The four customer personality types and how to adapt to each.
• The importance of adapting to customer mood differences.
• Prioritizing service activities. Choosing where to start to have the greatest benefit.
• Four low-cost ways to shorten perceptions of waits for your customers and make them happier.
• The two categories of services errors and why each must be handled differently.
• How to motivate employees to provide great service.
• The amazing power of MMFI.

Who Should Attend
• Anyone who interacts directly with customers.
• Anyone who manages individuals who interact with customers.
• Anyone who wants practical information on actions to improve customer perceptions of service to differential their business from competition.

About the Presenter

Dr. Dennis Rosen is an award-winning marketing professor specializing in customer behavior and service improvement. Dennis is founder of WinFluence® Solutions and has provided presentations, training and consulting to businesses across the US, Canada and Australia for over 20 years. He is author of the book, Create Devoted Customers: WinFluence® Secrets for Immediate Customer Service Improvement. Dennis’ style is energetic, enlightening and entertaining. He provides a new outlook on customer service he calls Customer WinFluence® designed to create devoted customer who come back to your business and tell others how great you are.

Use the Register Online link below and sign up today!

If you have trouble registering for this event, please email us at Event Registration Assistance.


By registering online, you agree to the chamber's refund policy as noted at www.leawoodchamber.org/refund_policy.cfm.

The reservation deadline for this event is Wednesday, March 9th, by 5:00 pm!

To view a video message from Dr. Rosen regarding this event please click.

Morning Mingling

Mar. 8, 2011, 8:00 at Costco Wholesale, 12221 Blue Valley Pkwy, Overland Park, 66213 — Register Online
Cost: There is no cost to attend this event.

Members & Non Members use the link below to register:

Leawood Chamber members, their guests, and 'future' Chamber members are invited to join us for some great Leawood Chamber networking.

Use the link below to register today!

If you have trouble registering for this event, please email us at Event Registration Assistance.

The registration deadline for this event is Friday, March 4th, by 5:00 pm, so make your reservation today!

2011 Legislative Breakfast Series

Mar. 12, 2011, 7:30 at Ritz Charles, 900 West 137th Street, Overland Park, — Register Online
Cost: $20 for members and $25 for non-members. Prepayment is required.

By clicking on the "Register Online" link, you agree to the chamber's refund policy as noted at www.leawoodchamber.org/refund_policy.cfm.

Register by clicking on the link below:

The Leawood Chamber of Commerce and the Johnson County Public Policy Council will sponsor the Legislative Breakfast Series to enhance the communication and exchange of information between the business community and the Johnson County state legislative delegation. Legislators will be on hand to discuss issues and offer the most current legislative updates.

Featuring: Senator Terrie Huntington
Representatives Rob Bruchman, Amanda Grosserode, Scott Schwab and Sheryl Spalding

Speaker Schedule to be announced, and is subject to change.

All meetings will be held at the Ritz Charles Overland Park, 9000 West 137th Street, and casual attire is requested. Breakfast will be served promptly at 7:30 a.m.

Cost:
$20-Single breakfast for Chamber members
$25-Single breakfast for non-members

Use the Register Online link below and sign up today!

By registering online, you agree to the chamber's refund policy as noted at www.leawoodchamber.org/refund_policy.cfm.

Paid reservations are required in advance.The reservation deadline for this event is Tuesday, March 8 by 5:00 p.m. Sorry, we are unable to offer refunds for cancellations received after the reservation deadline

Leawood Young Professionals After Hours Networking

Mar. 16, 2011, 5:00 at Sullivan's Steakhouse, 4501 W. 119th St., Leawood, 66209 — Register Online
Cost: There is no cost to attend this event.

Members & Non Members use the link below to register:

Join us for some great networking at this month's Leawood Young Professionals After Hours event!

If you are between the ages of 21 - 39 years old and wish to build your professional network and give back to the community, Leawood Young Professionals is the group for you!

Leawood Chamber members and guests are welcome! There is no cost to attend!

Use the link below to register today!

If you have trouble registering for this event, please email us at Event Registration Assistance.



Register today!! Registration deadline is Monday, March 14th by 5:00 pm!

Leawood Community Events

"Bye Bye Birdie" Auditions (Leawood Stage Company)

Mar. 5, 2011, 10:00am at Leawood City Hall, 4800 Town Center Drive, Leawood, 66211
Contact: April Bishop – aprilb@leawood.org 913-339-6700 x157
Cost: N/A

Calling all actors, singers and dancers ages 7 through adult.

The Leawood Stage Company will hold auditions for the summer production of Bye Bye Birdie on Saturday, March 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, March 6th from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. in the Oak Room of the Community Center, on the lower level of Leawood City Hall (enter the building through the north doors).

Call-backs will be held Monday evening March 7th by appointment. Leawood Stage Company is pleased to welcome Eric Van Horn back as director of this production. Van Horn last directed Brigadoon for LSC in the summer of 2009. Bye Bye Birdie will be a fun show for the cast as well as audiences. Bye Bye Birdie is a Broadway musical satire of Mid-century Modern America. The story centers around Conrad Birdie, an Elvis Presley type rock & roll singer, who is about to be inducted into the army. Birdie travels to Sweet Apple, Ohio to give a typical teen-age girl from his fan club a good-bye kiss on the Ed Sullivan Show.

We encourage performers with all types of backgrounds, ethnicity and experience from 7 to 77 to audition. Be a part of this fabulous community theater experience ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Historic Oxford Schoolhouse Open to the Public

Mar. 5, 2011, 11:00am at Ironwoods Park, 14701 Mission Rd., Leawood, 66224
Contact: April Bishop – aprilb@leawood.org 913-339-6700 x157
Cost: FREE

The Historic One-Room Oxford Schoolhouse built in 1877, located at Ironwoods Park (147th & Mission) in Leawood, Kansas, will be open to the public every Saturday in March and Saturdays and Sundays in April and May. Saturday hours are 11:00am - 2:00pm and Sunday hours are 1:00 – 4:00 pm, weather permitting.

Visit the school and talk with a costumed docent about the history of the Oxford School and the surrounding rural area. The Oxford Schoolhouse is also available for programs year-round to groups of all ages by appointment any day or time, except during open house hours.

For more information please call (913) 339-6700 ext. 157.

Sluggerrr Saturdays

Mar. 5, 2011, 12:00pm at U.S. Toy Store, 2008 W. 103rd Terrace, Leawood, 66206
Contact: Jonathan Hurst-Sneh – 816-965-2330

On Saturday, March 5th, Sluggerrr from the Royals will be appearing at U.S. Toy from 12-1 p.m.! Also, all day willl be our free "Make it, Take it" event where you can make your very own Mardi Gras mask!

Mardi Gras Celebration

Mar. 5, 2011, 6:30pm at Gaslight Grill Back Room, 5020 W. 137th Street, Leawood, 66224
Contact: Fred – manager@gaslightgrill.com 913-897-3540
Cost: Standard menu pricing applies Weblink: http://www.gaslightgrill.com

We will feature New Orleans style dishes in addition to our dinner menu. Lynn Zimmer and the Jazz Band featuring guest performer Bob Schad on the banjo will be playing in the Back Room.

Cupcake A La Mode's Birthday Bash

Mar. 5, 2011, 12:00pm at Cupcake A La Mode, 11529 Ash Street, Leawood, 66211
Contact: Lisa Clark – 913-338-1911
Weblink: http://cupcakealamode.com/

Please join Cupcake A La Mode from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 5, for it's birthday party! They will have great festivities, FREE cupcake samples all day, giveaways, new product unveilings, face painting, $20 dozens, raffle drawings, and much more!  Plus Theresa from Mix93! 

News & Announcements

Meet the Candidates Running for Johnson County Community College Trustees

The Johnson County Public Policy Council, an affiliation of Johnson County area chambers of commerce, invites Chamber members to meet and greet the Johnson County Community College Trustee Candidates on Wednesday, March 9, 2011 from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m.

The event will take place at the Ritz Charles located at 9000 W. 137th Street, Overland Park, KS. The schedule is as follows:

4:30 p.m. Informal Meet & Greet
5:00 p.m. Welcome & Candidate Comments
5:30 p.m. Q&A
6:00 p.m. Adjourn

There is no cost to attend this event and no advance registrations are required. Candidate responses will be videotaped and posted on leawoodchamber.org following the event, in an effort to educate those who cannot attend.

The candidate's hoping to secure a position on the Johnson County Community College Trustees includes:

• Benjamin Hodge
• Greg Musil
• James Nelson
• Ron Platt
• Richard Schroder
• Jon Stewart
• Richard Van Buskirk
• Don Weiss
• Douglas Wood

The election will take place on Tuesday, April 5, 2010.

Members of the Johnson County Public Policy Council include:

De Soto Chamber of Commerce
Gardner Chamber of Commerce
Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Leawood Chamber of Commerce
Lenexa Chamber of Commerce
NEJC Chamber of Commerce
Olathe Chamber of Commerce
Overland Park Chamber of Commer ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Trezo Vino Transformation To Attract Sports Fans During March

Trezo Vino, in Leawood’s Park Place, has transformed its bar into a sports bistro concept and is ready to host sports fans during March, a month notorious for sports mania, with its “Around The Rim” promotion, March 8 – April 4. Executive chef Daniel White has created an innovated “Big XII” menu that includes traditional bar foods with a twist of sophistication. Special bar deals will be offered every day while the big games are televised on two, brand new 55-inch LED high-definition TVs. A raffle will be held to win one of the 55-inch TVs with a portion of proceeds benefitting Harvesters – The Community Food Bank. In addition, every guest will have the opportunity to fill out a “Sweet Sixteen” bracket with a perfect bracket winning the other 55-inch TV, along with other valuable prizes.

For a full release, menus, video, Twitter pitch, and resource links, please visit http://pitch.pe/129520.

The Leawood Chamber Welcomes its Newest Members

Lamar Court
11909 Lamar Ave
Overland Park, KS  66209
Ph: (913) 906-9696 Fax: (913) 906-9955
lamar@tutera.com  
http://www.lamarcourtalf.com/
Business Category: Assisted Living / Health Care Management / Health Care Management Assisted Living, Healthcare Community
Referred to the Chamber by: Nancy McAuley

MetroMedia, Inc.
4210 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Ste. 314A
Fairway, KS  66205
Ph: (913) 951-8441 Fax: (913) 951-8441
kmoore@metromediapublishers.com  
Web site coming soon: www.metromediapublishers.com/
Business Category: Publisher / Media Production / Media Production, Custom Media, publishing and mobile applications

Proforma Marketing
8218 Nieman Road
Lenexa, KS  66214
Ph: (913) 685-9098 Fax: (913) 685-3532
tammie.green@proforma.com  
http://www.proformabusiness.com/
Business Category: Advertising Promotional Products / Corporate Gifts / Corporate Gifts
Logo apparel, branding, incentive programs, awards & recognition, trade show marketing, collateral marketing & materials, print demand, eCommerce &a ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Mardi Gras Celebration and Dog Parade

Join us Friday night, March 4th, for Happy Hour with 435 magazine and the Kansas City T Bones. Billy Eberling will be at Cafe Roux from 7-11pm with blues and zydeco music. Saturday March 5th, Rich Berry will be there from 7-11 pm playing acoustic blues. Fat Tuesday Dan Bliss will be there from 7-11 pm.

On Sunday, March 6th, join us for our Mardi DOG Parade. $10 entry fee with all proceeds going to the Three Dog Bakery Foundation. Parade starts at 9 am and stay after to enjoy our wonderful brunch.

Chamber Congratulates Sherry Joseph, with Sullivan’s Steakhouse, on Promotion

The Leawood Chamber wants to congratulate Sherry Joseph, previous General Manager for Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Leawood, on her recent promotion to Director of National Sales for Del Frisco’s Restaurant Group. She will be moving to Dallas, TX in order to fulfill her new role.

Joseph served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors starting in the spring of 2010, and took on the additional role of being the Chair for last year’s A Taste of Leawood event.

Fellow Sullivan's employees and the community thanked Joseph for her years of service by throwing her a going away party on Friday, February 18. Nearly 100 guests were in attendance, including fellow Chamber members, VIP guests, Sullivan’s staff, and her family and friends. In the photo taken at the party above is pictured (from left to right), Brian Schwark, with Arvest Bank, Linda Murray, Director of Membership for the Leawood Chamber, Sherry Joseph, Kevin Jeffries, Leawood Chamber President, and Melissa Cade, Private Dining & Special Events Manager for Sullivan's.

“We were extremely fortunate to have Sherry as our General Manager since the opening of the Leawood location, and wish her the best in her new endeavor as Director of National Sales for Del Frisco's Restaurant Group.  We are excited for all of the awesome things she ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Kansas Legislative Update 02-25-2011

Legislative Report for the Leawood Chamber of Commerce
For week ending February 25, 2011
From Bob Vancrum, Kansas Government Affairs Consultant

This was an active week with a flurry of activity as both chambers reached the midway point of the session.  Even so, most would agree that the Legislature is by no means half-way through this year.

Budget Issues

The Governor’s rescission bill, making midyear spending cuts in the 2011 budget (HB2014), remains mired in conference committee.  There is still a dispute about the funding of special education appropriations necessary to satisfy the Feds that Kansas would not have to repay substantial amounts of stimulus funding.  The House wants to borrow the money from KPERS for a year and then take the money out of base state aid per pupil as an additional cut in the 2012 budget. The Senate thinks further cuts in education are a bad idea.   Meanwhile, neither chamber has worked their 2012 budget bills since they have been unable to agree upon cuts to be made in 2011.

Economic Development and Tax Policy

Both the House Tax and Senate Tax committees have passed the Governor’s legislation restructuring most of the tax incentive and tax credit programs.  House Tax removed the sunset from the HPIP program in HB2317, and cut the minimum investment necessary to $1 million in urban counties and $50,000 in rural counties.  The ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Barn Players Honors Volunteers

The Barn Players honored volunteers at a recent “Volunteer Appreciation Reception” held at the Barn Players Theatre, 6219 Martway in Mission.  Vida Bikales, president of the Barn Players Board of Directors, said that the efforts of Volunteers were an integral part of theatre operations and thanked each and every volunteer for their time and efforts.  The reception was catered by Alter Ego Catering and included a large cake complete with the logo of the Barn Players.

Honored as Volunteer of the Year for 2010 was Ms. April Bishop, who literally worked in all departments including House Manager.  Ms. Bishop is the Cultural Arts Coordinator for the City of Leawood and is a resident of that city. 

Ms. Bishop, on the right, is pictured receiving her 2010 Volunteer of the Year Award from Volunteer Coordinator Mandy Harkleroad, on the left.

For information on volunteering at the Barn Players, contact Mandy Harkleroad, Volunteer Coordinator, at mandy.harkleroad@plattformad.com.  

For information and/or reservations at the Barn Players call 913-432-9100 or on the web go to www.thebar ... (go to www.leawoodchamber.org for more information)

Leawood Foundation Matching Challenge for Gezer Park Children’s Play Area

Gezer Park is the 2011 focus of fundraising for the Leawood Foundation. The foundation is funding a children’s play area for the park, which will be available mid-summer 2011. The first $75,000 contributed toward the children’s play area is being matched with $25,000 from the foundation until June 30, 2011. Good news: our residents have contributed almost $50,000 so far!

Please help us reach our goal by making a tax-deductible contribution that stays in your community.  Contributions may be made online: gkccfonlinedonations.org/leawood/ leawood.asp. Or, send checks to: Leawood Foundation 4800 Town Center Drive Leawood, Kansas 66211

Member Profile

U.S. Toy

Our stores feature a huge selection of children's toys, teacher / classroom materials, carnival / novelty products, and party & seasonal supplies. Please visit our stores for our full selection of children's toys including these great brands: Thomas, Melissa and Doug, Kid Fun, Playmobil, Lego, Crayola, & so much more!

Please note: To include your notice in the Leawood Chamber Member Memo, we must receive it before 5:00pm on Wednesday. Thank you!
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