Amazing America's Small Business Summit

By Diane Probst
President/CEO

America's Small Business Summit is amazing!

The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce will be taking a group toAmerica's Small Business Summit

May 21-23, 2012 in Washington, DC.

It will include valuable meetings with more than 700 small businesses and Chamber leaders from across the country. With the 2012 elections looming, it is time to make the voice of small business heard in Washington.

At the 2012 Summit, you will:

* Participate in policy briefings tailored to your priorities.

* Engage with your members of Congress.

* Learn from leading business experts.

*Celebrate the US Chamber's 100th Anniversary!

 America's Small Business Summit sessions cover a range of issues, from policy insight to management expertise. Click here to view the information on the event:

http://www.uschambersummit.com/

Registration fees depend on the number of people going.

To sign up give me a quick call at the Chamber at (361) 729-6445.

Eagle Ford Shale - Turning Prospects Into Business for YOU!

By Diane Probst
President/CEO

Eagle Ford Shale - Turning Prospects Into Business

On March 8, I attended a Workshop on how your business can benefit from the Eagle Ford Shale. We are determining if a workshop here will be beneficial and worthy of your time.  We could possibly be bringing one to you in the very near future.

The workshop featured speakers on the following topics:
Adam Haynes, Chesapeake Energy's needs for goods and services
Chris Burnett, NuStar Energy for the pipeline sector for goods and services
John Roberts, Kinley Construction for sub-contractors needed
Dean Kruckenberg, of the Alice EDC and Chamber will cover what is happening in Alice, Texas
Ralph Coker, SCORE Corpus Christi will cover how small companies can market their goods and services to large companies in Eagle Ford Shale.

The workshop is being offered by the Small Business Development Center of Corpus Christi. Stay tuned to your Chamber Information if you have an interest.

TV Show on HummerBird Celebration

By Diane Probst
President/CEO

NBC Sports Network show features 2011 HummerBird Celebration

Nikon's Birding Adventure HOst, James Currie, visited Corpus Christi and Rockport-Fulton and spent several days with local birders filming the natural inhabitants as well as rare and much sought after birds during their migration. The show aired at the end of January. There are also several show re-runs in store for the next several months. It also included coverage of Corpus Chrisit birding sites and the Hawk Watch Celebration Event.

Aransas County is a mecca for birdwatching to those with an affinity for birding. Sitting in the Central Flyaway Migration Path, our area is a haven for many species of shorebirds, inland birds and migratory birds.

This TV Show provides a great opportunity for us to tell the wonderful story of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. They are simply the "Star of the Show. We are excited at the opportunity this TV show brings for increased visitors to our area.

Watch the show in its entirity at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pveSbKtBCsE.

The Rockport-Fulton Chamber of Commerce's Tourism Development Council (TDC) is the advisory group that oversees the marketing plan for the community. It is important for features such as this to happen in order for the TDC to achieve its goals and objectives.

Great Day Houston and San Antonio TV Shows

By Diane Probst
President/CEO

It's A Great Day in Rockport-Fulton!

We're on the road again! Sometimes you hear Sandy Jumper of my staff and I say this when we are off to do a live TV show featuring Rockport and Fulton.

When doing our media selections process for last year, we asked our media buyers how we could boost a slow period. They suggested getting a following going on the nearest big city's "Great Day" Segments. These segments have proved to be very beneficial. We are definitely turning heads and getting the attention of the viewers.

We started doing the segment first in San Antonio featuring the Mayor of Rockport and the Mayor of Fulton and various others on occasion. In the meantime, we have formed a great relationship with the producers of the show. They recently went on a "Road Trip" to Rockport and Fulton. Here is the segment featuring that trip:

http://www.kens5.com/great-day-sa/GDSA-rockport--135918628.html
(click on the arrow in the middle of the Fulton Mansion photo)

We also started making trips to Houston and love being featured on Great Day Houston with Deborah Duncan. Watch the segment by clicking on the link below.

http://www.khou.com/great-day/videos/travel/gdh_11-01-11_seg2-133002608.html

We have several more trips to San Antonio and then to Houston for more shows. We are grateful to our membership for sending us up to the shows with their materials, food, event promotion, etc.

Watch the segments and let us know your thoughts on demonstrations and exhibits while on the show. The next segment will be in Houston on March 12. We will be featuring "From the Market to the Grill with the Family". We plan to show three ways a meal can be done with very little effort using our fresh market seafood and the grills at the beach.