February 2015 Newsletter
2. 2015
PAGE 1
Top stories in this newsletter:
Page 1
February Luncheon
President’s Perspective
Platinum Sponsors
Page2
Business After Hours
January speaker
Business Card
February Luncheon
February 10, 2015
11:45am
Page 3
Membership Renewals
New Members
Leadership Saraland
Page 4
Board of Directors
February Calendar
Mission Statement
Saraland Civic Center
Speaker: Sydney G. Raine
President of Mobile Works Inc.
In order for businesses to grow and compete in the local and global economy, they
must have skilled, experienced workers. New and evolving business models reaffirm
that education, job training and career development are the cornerstones of economic
security for Mobile County s workers. That’s where Mobile Works come in.
At Mobile Works they are dedicated to building a world-class workforce with solutions
that create a stronger economy, so that all Mobilians have the opportunity to share in
the prosperity of Mobile. They invite you to learn more about their program.
Our guest speaker for February, Sydney G. Raine is a 1963 graduate of Central High
School, Mobile, Alabama and a 1967 graduate of Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana.
Mr. Raine is presently the President of Mobile Works, Inc., but his employment history extends back to the
early seventies whereas from 1971-74, he was Job Developer and Monitor for the Emergency Employment Act
Program, in 1975, Director for the Cooperative Area Manpower Planning System, and from 1975-2000, Director
of Mobile Consortium.
His professional training consists of Basic Management Concept Training, Advance Management Training and
Link Enterprises Management and Supervisory Training.
Mr. Raine is involved in numerous business and civic related activities and serves on the Board of the following
organizations: Mobile County Personnel, the Franklin Memorial Primary Health Center, the Drug Education Council, the American Red Cross, the Bay Area Food Bank, and the Homeless Coalition of the Gulf Coast. He is the
active Chairman of the Mobile County Public School System’s Career Technical Education Advisory Board. He is
a member of Mobile United, a 1974 Graduate of Leadership Mobile and a1996 Graduate of Leadership Alabama.
He has also received numerous awards such as the 1976 Outstanding Youth Men of America Award, the 1983
Mobile Alumni Chapter Kappa Alpha Psi Man of the Year, the 1991 Distinguished Leadership Award from the
National Association for Community Leadership, the 1991 Superior Individual Performance Award from the National Alumni Council, UNCF, Inc., the 1992 Outstanding Service Award from the National Association of Counties, and the recipient of the 1998 Presidential Award from the Southeastern Employment and Training Association. Most recently he received the Partners in Progress Award from the State Office of Workforce Development.
Over the last 33 years, Mr. Raine has been responsible for handling in excess of $600 million in federal funds to
provide training and employment services for eligible individuals in Mobile County.
Sydney G. Raine is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and State Street A.M.E. Zion Church. He is married and has two children.
Please click here to make your RSVP for this event $5.00 per person
From the President’s Perspective
I would like to thank the Saraland and North Mobile community for
their continued support of our Chamber. As I attend Luncheons
throughout Mobile County, the Saraland Area Chamber of Commerce by far has the best attendance. Saraland has a lot to offer
with the tremendous growth and success of our school system,
commercial and retail development and the City Services such as a
top rated Police and Fire Department. The Chamber has been
working hard to bring large economic events to the city such as the Alabama Bass
Trail Mobile-Tensaw River Delta Tournament on May 30, 2015. Past President Jeff
Kahn led the team on securing this event for Saraland. There will also be an announcement on a large International event later this month in Saraland that may be
the largest economic impact for a weekend this city has ever seen. Remember to
shop Saraland and the North Mobile Area and look forward to seeing you at the next
luncheon.
- President Rick Schaffer
We would like to thank the 2015 Platinum Sponsors of the
Saraland Area Chamber of
February 2015 Newsletter
PAGE 2
2. 2015
January Luncheon Speaker
Dr. Arron Milner
Superintendent of the Saraland School System, Dr. Aaron Milner spoke at the Saraland Area Chamber of Commerce Monthly Luncheon in January. Dr. Milner spoke on
behalf of the School System and all of the wonderful
things going on within the School System. He spoke on
the number of awards each school
receives each year and how the number of students are
continually rising each year.
Dr. Aaron Milner spoke on behalf of the importance of the property tax increase,
allowing major improvements to the Saraland School System class-room space,
technology, and transportation for over 1,500 students on a daily basis. On January 27, 2015 62 percent of voters in Saraland voted in favor of this property tax
increase which will appear on property tax bills beginning in October of this
year. The school system will see a return in January 2016.
For more information please click
directly on the Spartan photo to visit
the Saraland School System website.
BUSINESS AFTER HOURS
Holiday Inn Express & Suites
If you missed Business After Hours on January 20th, you missed out on some
great networking opportunities, not to mention outstanding food & beverages
from Holiday Inn Express in Saraland. Pictured are just a few of the great
crowd that turned out for this event. The Chamber would like to extend a huge
‘Thank you’ to Teresa Floyd and the staff at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites
for all of their help and hosting this event!
For more photos of this and other Chamber events, please click directly on the
picture to visit our Chamber Website.
If you would like to know how your business can sponsor the next Business After Hours event, please
contact the Saraland Chamber of Commerce
Support the Saraland High
School Softball Team
To pre-order your plate, please
click the photo above to email your
information.
The Lady Spartans will be selling 8 oz. rib-eye plates
with green beans, baked potato and a roll. The price of
this plate will be $12.00 and the funds raised will be
supporting the girls softball team for the 2015 school
year. Pre-orders will be due no later than 4:00pm on
Friday, February 6 and plates will be ready for pick up at
the High School on February 13th from 5:00pm-7:00pm.
If your business orders 10 or more plates they can be
delivered.
February 2015 Newsletter
2. 2015
PAGE 3
Membership Renewals:
Ala Dept of Rehabilitation
Members since 2006
Alabama Power Company
Members since 1986
Celeste Rd Baptist Church
Members since 2007
CTS, Inc.
Members since 2010
Dupont
Members since 2003
Elite Rentals
Members since 2011
G.A. West & Co.
Members since 2002
Lamar Advertising
Members since 2011
Laquinta Inn & Suites
Members since 2008
Regions Bank
Members since 1986
Roberts Brothers
Members since 1991
Saybolt, Inc.
Members since 2000
Sherwin Williams
Members since 1986
State Farm-Jeff Kahn
Members since 2011
Trax Tires
Members since 1996
Women’s Business Center
Members since 2008
New Membership:
Flexicrew
405 Saraland Blvd
Saraland, AL 36571
Holleys Pawn Store
11 S Hwy 43
Saraland, AL 36571
Intl FCStone Securities
107 St. Fracis St. Suite 990
Saraland, AL 36602
Momma Goldbergs Deli
920 Industrial Parkway
Saraland, AL 36571
Mom’s Treasure-Daughters Boutique
405 A Saraland Blvd S
Saraland, AL 36571
Leadership Saraland
In 2014, Leadership Saraland graduated the first class of eighteen men and
women selected as a cross-section of the emerging leadership of the community. The program provided instruction and hands on field work to help
them cope with the increasing complexities of community decision making.
Leadership Saraland was developed and sponsored by a consortium of the
City of Saraland. Classes will begin in March 2015 for our new and improved class and courses. If you would like to sign up or more information
about this class, please click here. The fee for this course is $300.00 per
person which includes lunch, supplies and field trip expenses.
Leadership Saraland Mission Statement
“Leadership Saraland engages members of the Saraland Community in creating and sustaining a cohesive culture of lifelong leadership development,
training and education. Leadership Saraland seeks to empower individuals
to become leaders by facilitating opportunities for learning, self-reflection,
and skill development. We believe in developing visionary, goal-driven, and
action-oriented leaders. Exhibiting an awareness of self and others, a leader
at Leadership Saraland strives to be: Accountable, Collaborative, Ethical,
Service-Oriented, and Supportive of all.”
17th Annual Business
Expo Jobs Fair
April 30, 2015
Mobile Civic Center
Expo Hall
For more information about
this event, please click directly
on the picture to visit South
Alabama Regional Planning
Commission’s website
Spotlight of the Month
Congratulations to Teresa
Williamson for winning Spotlight
of the month! For more information on Teresa Williamson,
please click directly on the picture to visit her website!
February 2015 Newsletter
2. 2015
PAGE 4
3 Lion’s Club
Saraland United Methodist Church, noon
3 Toastmaster
Chairman of the Board: Eddie Holmes
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, 6-8 p.m.
President: Rick Schaffer
4 Rotary Club of North Mobile
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, Noon
President Elect: Ron Mitchell
5 Sunshine Club
Treasurer: Wayne Lyssy
Senior Citizen Center, 11:00 a.m.
12 Keep Saraland Beautiful
CO/VP Administration: Chris Mears
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, Noon
VP Membership& Diplomats: Pam Pully
City Council Meeting
Saraland Municipal Annex, 6:30 p.m.
VP Econ. Development: Jeff Kahn
10 Toastmaster
VP Community Development: Rita Wright
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, 6-8 p.m.
10 Saraland Chamber Luncheon
VP Governmental Affairs: Bill Silver
Saraland Civic Center, 11:45 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
VP Public Relations: George Burroughs
Planning Commission
VP Special Projects: Maxine Jackson
Saraland Municipal Annex, 6 p.m.
12 Sunshine Club
Senior Citizen Center, 11:00 a.m.
Tremaine Martin, Greene Phillips
19 Sunshine Club
Tom Williams, Satsuma Council
Senior Citizen Center, 11:00 a.m.
Woodmen of the World
312 Celeste Road, Saraland, 6 p.m.
Contact: Tom Williams, (251) 648-4811
17 Lion’s Club
Saraland United Methodist Church, Noon
17 Toastmaster
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, 6-8 p.m.
18 Rotary Club
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, noon
24 Toastmaster
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, 6-8 p.m.
24 Board Meeting
Saraland Chamber of Commerce, Noon
Civic Forum
26 Sunshine Club
Senior Citizen Center, 11:00 a.m.
Del Williamson, Quint’s Hardware
Ronnie Outlaw, Bama Auto Parts
Chris McFarland, Smoothie King
Evelyn Gibson, Long’s Human Resources
Jeff Krafve, Shell Chemical
NEXT
Where: Rotolo’s Pizzeria
860 Industrial Pkwy., Ste. J
Saraland, Alabama 36571
Saraland Chamber of Commerce
Business After
Eloise Frost, Individual Member
HOURS
Dr. Aaron Milner, Superintendent
Bob Cowart, Aaron Oil
Juanita Chandler, Chandler Properties
Wanda Threadgill, Roberts Brothers
When: March 16, 2015
Brian Wilson, Walmart
Charles Simmons, Dupont
Nick Patel, LaQuinta Inn
Terri Pringle, SARPC
Paul Stanley, Catfish Junction
Scooter Thronson, Thronson Paint & Body
Anita Clarke, C Spire Wireless
Jeff Schmitz, Alabama Power Company
Saraland Lions Club
7th Annual Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, March 21, 2015
6:30am until 10:30am
Chief J.C. West, City of Saraland
Donna Jones, Executive Director
If you would like to be taken off
of our newsletter list, or know
someone who would like to be
added, please email us at
[email protected]
If you would like to add or update
your club or organization to our
calendar, please email us at
[email protected]
Catfish Junction
300 Industrial Parkway, Saraland
Tickets are $5.00 in advance and $6.00 at the door.
Children ages up to 5 years old are free with a paid adult.
Purchase tickets at: Catfish Junction, Saraland City league fast
pitch & boys baseball and Saraland Lions Club members.
For more information please call 675-6172 or 455-5325
Saraland Area Chamber of Commerce
Mission Statement
“To Promote economic expansion and enhance the quality of life in the North
Mobile Area, by supporting businesses, encouraging community leadership and
fostering communication.”