ing" business news, special sales, per-
sonnel chances, etc.
• An appearance on the local cable
TV program titled "Your Chamber
Today." Interviewed by long-time
chamber member Gordon Muir, the
business owner highlights his or her
store or company, reading a commer-
cial in the process. The Channel 15
telecast, donated by MediaOne, fea-
tures six businesses per month.
• Free consultation with a member
of the Service Corps of Retired
Executives, a business-counseling orga-
nization sponsored by the U.S. Small
Business Administration. Retired busi-
ness executives fi-om SCORE volunteer
their time and expertise to consult with
small business owners on their prob-
lems.
• Access to the chamber area's busi-
ness computer database, mailing lists
and labels.
• Opportunities to sponsor meetings
and programs for members and guests.
• Discounted group insurance pro-
grams and other group services.
• A number of business network-
ing programs, including business card
exchanges, awards luncheons, an
annual golf outing and other
social/business events throughout the
year. "Wake Up West Bloomfield" is a
monthly 8 to 9 a.m. networking ses-
sion usually hosted by a new business
or one that has undergone renovation
or expansion. "Network at Night" is a
monthly 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. session at
a different business site each month.
One of the chamber's biggest and
most popular programs each year is
the annual Art Festival held in June
on the grounds of the Henry Ford
Medical Center. Herman Frankel,
head of the Herman Frankel
Organization, was chairman of the
festival in 1998.
"He dressed up the show and gave
it a real touch of class, leading to
well-deserved recognition in the com-
munity," said Schneider. "Gordon
Muir took over the festival this year
and kept up that tradition."
Frankel, who has beer"' in the
building business for 47 years, is a
past chamber president and has
served on the board for 15 years. "It's
easy for me to participate in the
chamber of commerce because of the
nature of my business," he pointed
out. But its tough for the small
retail merchant who may work 12
hours a day and be involved in a real
competitive business environment.
"Sometimes they are just too tired
or don't have the time to attend meet-
ings or take part in activities. So, we
really have our work cut out for us to
get and keep retail business people as
chamber members. I give a lot of
credit to the store owners who are
active in the organization."
Sy Warshawsky of State Farm
Insurance is a charter member of the
chamber, a past president and current
board member. He's been in the insur-
ance business for 35 years, and used to
sell insurance to the farmers who popu-
lated West Bloomfield before stores and
offices were built. His office has been
on Orchard Lake Road for 30 years. He
feels that his affiliation with the'cham-
ber means at least a 10 percent increase
in business each year.
When new businesses started
springing up in the area, I used to go
door to door trying to get new mem-
bers for the chamber of commerce," he
recalled. "Lack of office manpower pre-
vents me from doing that now, but I
talk up the chamber as much as I can
among the local business community.
"Because of the fierce competition, it
used to be difficult to unify the store
owners in the various strip malls and
get them to sit together as chamber
members to try to solve our problems,
or work on joint programs for the com-
munity. However, there's a more har-
monious spirit of cooperation among
the business owners now. More people
seem to want to contribute back to the
community ... The chamber of com-
merce is definitely a strong force in this
community"
Chamber members also participate
in community service programs that
may not directly affect their bottom
line profits, but help spread good will
among residents. Szwak serves on a
West Bloomfield Schools advisory
committee that conducts mock job
interviews with high school students.
We then critique the oral inter-
views and the resumes they submit,
and provide the feedback to the stu-
dents," he said. "Many of them need
a great deal of help on resumes.
We tell the students the same
thing. They had better make sure the
resumes are correct, or they'll get off
on the wrong foot with the prospec-
tive employer. The students, teachers
and administrators agree that these
mock interviews help prepare the
youngsters for a business future."
Annual dues to join the chamber .
are $165 for businesses with 10
employees or less; $195 for 11-21
employees; $220 for 22 to 100, and
$275 for 100 or more. Elected offi-
cials pay $120 yearly. Li
IT GETS CHItOREN TO SCHOOL.
I T HELP GET THEM TO COLLEGE.
See the all new
2000 S40/V40
Today!
248-624-0400
OPEN SATURDAY
on Maple Rd. W. of Haggerty
Manor Motorcar Company
39500 Grand River Avenue • Novi, Michigan 48375
(248) 426-9600 • Fax (248) 426-8686
- ` , 413Zwr
WM*Okt
%WE
5rniSA,
Va
Crosswinds Mall • Adjacent to Caribou Coffee
4301 Orchard Lake Road • West Bloomfield • 248-538-0085
PARCEL
V 55MI"'•
aAstawmatommokaat
S Disunt Shi in
Packin g
PLU
wsswziteerMUM
THE PACKING & SHIPPING EXPERTS
BACK TO COLLEGE SPECIAL • S
Any Shipping Order
($25 minimum) •
SI 00
C3 PP
INCLUDES FREE PICK UP
L
MONT ° V 71 0 aissmises
BLANC
RAYMOND WEIL
GENEVE
Watches
RAD 0
GUCCI
MOVADO
In Crosswinds Plaza
Comer of Orchard 1.ake Road
And I.Ame Pine Road
248.539.1181
C
TISSOT
It ) aint lt on
( :I IR ( ) N (.1ti\N. I S
ORIS
— ShISS Kidd(' W.IIChPS —
S1 , 1Ce '77.1904
LONGINES
Maurice Lacroix
8/27
1999
DetMitiOWISh NgW54:11