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South Des Moines Chamber of Commerce
 
Issue 16
May 2005
 
In This Issue
President's Message
Golden Leadership Circle
Board Member of the Month
Business of the Month
Annual Spring Fling Thing
Membership Directory Updates
Scholarship Recipients
Breakfast B4 Business Highlights
Southside Revitalization Project
Annual Golf Outing
New Chamber Members
Membership Luncheon-April Highlights
Ribbon Cutting Highlights
Tradesmen Community Credit Union
Hampton Inn Refurbishes Bridge
Allegra Print & Imaging
Identity Theft
Golden Leadership Circle
Board of Directors
 
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
 
I recently attended the groundbreaking for the new "Welcome to Des Moines" sign, to be located at the intersection of HWY 65/69 and Indianola Ave. Not only will this be a very attractive brick and stone sign, but also one that will welcome thousands of motorists into the City of Des Moines. Mayor Cownie said "I wish every entrance into the city had a sign that looked this nice". It should take another 60 to 90 days before the sign is completed.

I couldn't help but notice and remember all of the things, and people, and efforts that have gone into this sign. I remember when Dave McClannahan was Chamber President in 2001, and how he invisioned this sign. Many people have been involved with this project and I'd like to thank them for all they've done. Many Chamber members and board members have been involved with this through their affiliation with the South Side Revitalization Partnership. This group has really taken on this project, obtained volunteers, raised the money, received donations from contractors/vendors, worked with designers, worked with the City, and will bring this dream to reality. Jo Corigliano, Chair of SSRP, along with her board and members, have been working on this for some time. Tom Akers, SSRP member, has been extremely instrumental with doing the bulk of the work I just described, along with Ron Woods. There's no doubt, that without SSRP, we probably would not have this sign. We surely need to thank them for all their efforts and can feel great that this sign is really a welcome addition to South Des Moines.

Craig Krouch, President
222-2377

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2005 GOLDEN LEADERSHIP CIRLCE
 
AIB College of Business
Companies of Clarke
First American Bank
First Bank
Four Points Sheraton = DSM Airport
Iowa Realty = South Office
Southridge Mall
Speck Enterprises
Wakonda Club
Willow Creek Golf Course

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BOARD MEMBER OF THE MONTH - AMAR SINHA
 
Amar has been in the hospitality industry for the past 7 years and loves what he does! Prior to joining the hotel business, Amar worked as District Manager with Bulk Petroleum and oversaw 17 CITGO gas stations and a truck stop in the states of Iowa, Kansas and Missouri.

He joined the Knapp hotels in March 1999 and was one of the sales managers selling all three properties that Bill Knapp owned at that time - The Inn at Merle Hay (Currently Best Western); The Inn at University (Bed, Bath & Beyond location); and the Valley West Inn. Amar has been with the Four Points Sheraton Des Moines Airport since December 2000. He has also been active in the South Des Moines Chamber as well and has been a board member for the past two years.

Amar enjoys the hospitality industry and believes in making it a great day for his customers and clients by providing a high quality of customer service.

Thank you, Amar, for serving on the South Des Moines Chamber Board!

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BUSINESS OF THE MONTH - MIDWEST SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
 
Software Solutions Provider

Midwest Software Solutions specializes in HIPAA compliant software systems designed for attorneys, CPAs, medical offices, and others.

The company currently offers affordable scanning, electronic medical billing and electronic medical record solutions. These products update and streamline conventional filing systems and will dramatically decrease the burden of paper storage.

Call Midwest Software Solutions today!

Alex Niswander, Owner
2110 Country Cove Lane
Altoona, IA 50009
(515) 967-7952
info@midwestsoftsolutions.com
www.midwestsoftsolutions.com

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ANNUAL SPRING FLING THING (Formerly known as ANNUAL STEAK FRY EVENT)
 
South Side Sock Hop

Join Chamber members for a South Side Sock Hop (50's - 60's style) and enjoy some south side hospitality and networking. Feel free to dress for the party in your poodle skirts, saddle shoes, ponytails or ducktails.

WHEN? TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2005

WHERE? AIB College of Business - Patio 2500 Fleur Drive

TIME? 5:00 Networking

6:30 Dinner
7:00 Program and Prizes

Proceeds will benefit:
ORCHARD PLACE

Cost: $20.00 per person

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Menu:

Choice of meat: Grilled Hamburgers ** Breaded Tenderloins ** Grilled Chicken
Shakes, Green Rivers, Fries, Onion Rings, Fruit, Veggies, Brownies & Cookies, Beer and Wine

HOOLA HOOP CONTEST

BUBBLEGUM

HOP SCOTCH

CAR SHOW

PRIZES FOR BEST MALE & FEMALE COSTUME

SILENT AUCTION

Call 286-4996 for tickets TODAY!
RSVP BY MAY 18, 2005!

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MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY UPDATES
 
Please make the following changes in your membership directory:

Hampton Inn Airport:
Add Cheryl Hayes as contact person to replace Ivy Magner.

REGIONS BANK:
Add Clark Raney as contact person to replace Kent Britton.

BLANK PARK ZOO:
Correct Address is: 7401 SW Ninth Street, Des Moines, Iowa

COLDWELL BANKER-MID AMERICA GROUP REALTORS
Gary Perkins phone number should be: (515) 224-8619; Fax number: (515) 224-8644

JOHN DEERE COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION:
Tony McKillip has been transferred to a different location. Please add Josh Ernst as contact person.
Josh's e-mail is: joshua_ernst@jdccu.org.

COMMERCIAL FEDERAL BANK:
Monty Dorman has been transferred to the Indianola Office. Please add Patti George to replace him.
Patti's e-mail is: pattigeorge@commercialfed.com

Please delete "Club of Italian-Americans" from the Clubs & Organization Section.
Please change the telephone number of the Italian-American Cultural Center to: 280-3719
Delete the Italian Folk Dance Group and add the following:
Gruppo IL Trattenimento Italiano
Patricia Civitate
2200 S. Union
Des Moines, IA 50315
(515) 244-4672

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SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
 
The South Des Moines Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the winners of the 2005 South Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Education Opportunity Grants. The recipients of this year's scholarships are:

Nicholas Babberl, son of Gary and Diana Babberl of 4913 SW 17th Street, and Elizabeth Dilling, daughter of Steve and Karen Dilling, 1911 SW Payton.

Both are seniors at Lincoln High School.

The scholarship recipients are chosen on the basis of a competitive application process including an essay explaining how the students have integrated the 6 Pillars of Character (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship) into their lives, and how life on the south side has prepared them for life after high school. The scholarships will be presented to Babberl and Dilling at Lincoln High's Senior Awards Night on June 2, and the students will be introduced to the South Des Moines Chamber members at the Annual Spring Fling event on May 24.

Students will be available for photos at the South Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling on May 24 at AIB College of Business.

The 6 Pillars essays follow.

Linda (Lin) A. Phillips, MS, NCC, NCCC
SDM Chamber of Commerce Education Committee Chair
Career and Life Transition Counseling
200 Army Post Road, Suite 3
Des Moines, Iowa 50315
515.285.1249
lap001@juno.com

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"6 Pillars of Character" by Elizabeth Dilling

The six pillars of character have been a part of my life for a long time. Before they had a name, my family taught me the values by example. The six pillars of character are: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship. These values are something you don't wear like clothes, but they do show what your heart and soul are made of.

Trustworthiness is important to me. I work hard to be honest with my friends, in my schoolwork or activities, work, and with members of the community. I expect people to be honest with me so I should be willing to give it in return. I pride myself for standing up for my values. Over the years there have been family conflicts, but if any one of them needed me, I would be there for them: family comes first.

Respect is important to me. I have a very hard time respecting someone if they don't respect me. I make every effort to be respectful of the other students in my class as well as teachers. We are all different and need to be accepting of other people's beliefs and opinions. I learned at an early age to try to get along and try to resolve any fights I'm around. I try to understand both sides and work to create a solution.

I take responsibility to heart. As a camp counselor, I am responsible for the safety and welfare of my campers. It is my job to stay on our scheduled tasks, try to get all the campers involved and participating in the activities, and to teach them lessons relating to our camp theme. I have been in many activities and take responsibility to be at all the events I have agreed to, and participate to the best of my ability. Other people are depending on me and I won't let them down.

Fairness is a characteristic to me that is hard to achieve. No matter how hard you try, someone won't be happy. I try my hardest to treat people as I want to be treated and hope that is good enough. I try to make compromises between two person's ideas and find the fairest and best way to make all involved happy.

Caring comes naturally to me. I plan on becoming a nurse so I feel that caring instinct. The fact that I care about others is shown in how I keep in touch with so many of my friends. These aren't just my classmates, they are friends from camp. They may be states away, but I try to stay in touch. I like to know what's going on in their lives. I like to send little notes of encouragement to them if they are down. Just knowing someone cares is the best thing to make troubles go away. Sometimes just listening to what they have to say is enough.

Citizenship is part of my daily life. I volunteer in community activities through school and church groups. I can see the good that is done by helping others. When I volunteered at the Gatchel United Methodist Church's Shalom Zone after school program, I could see the excitement in the girls' eyes when I would come back again. I could feel that I was making a difference in their lives by just spending time with them, helping with homework or supervising playground activities. I currently am a youth member of my church's Staff Parish Relations Committee. My goal is to be a youth leader at a local church during and after college. I enjoy sharing my faith and learning more from those around me.

The Six Pillars of Character are alive in my life. Being honest, respectful of others, dependable, fair, compassionate, and active in my community are my core values. I will continue to strive to be the best person I can be at college, in my working life, and my family life. I will continue to share my values with all that I come in contact with.

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"6 Pillars of Character" by Nicholas Babberl

When I give someone my word I will always try my hardest to get that promise accomplished. If I am called for a meeting or gathering then I will try my hardest to be there on time as to respect the others who were there on time so that we can make the meeting as proficient as possible.

I respect people whenever possible; I do not make judgments about their appearance or about their first impressions. I try to give them a fair chance at portraying themselves. My views of them are also flexible, because they might have been having a bad day and were not their normal self and so my view of them could change after getting to know them better.

I try to care about the issues that are given to me and try to complete them in a proficient and timely manner. I try not to procrastinate or do the task in an incompetent manner just to have the task done. I also care about others, if they are in need and I can lend a helping had I will offer to help. If someone asks for my help and I cannot help them then I will think of people I now who might be able to. For example, I am on the Lincoln Railmen All-Male Dance Team and we are a very community-conscious organization. We have organized canned food drives and have worked at soup kitchens to feed the homeless. We have also helped move furniture and other personals for families who are moving houses. Also, we have shared our talent in dancing to entertain groups and organizations throughout the community ranging for about every type of business level and social level.

Fairness has also become a large issue in my life. If I am volunteering for an organization with small children and the activity is something in sports, I know I have an obvious advantage. However, I will not use that advantage willingly. I would hold back deliberately so that the children can have fun instead of me shutting them out so that I can have the spotlight. Also, in my dance team, I believe that your talent level should not reflect your position on the team. I believe that everyone has a voice in any matter because we are a team and to be a team, we need to make non-executive decisions. However, we still need to respect our coach who does have the ability to make the executive decision over us.

Trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, and citizenship are all huge platforms in my character. Being a former Boy Scout I can also add to this list with our Boy Scout Code. It goes: A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent. Many of these relate to the 6 Pillars of Character and are all integrated into my life as a morally responsible person.

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BREAKFAST B4 BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS
 
Breakfast B4 Business was held at US Bank at 4515 Fleur Drive on March 29, 2005.
 
 
 
US Bank welcomed the South Des Moines Chamber with warm hospitality, colorful balloons and refreshments.   Charlie Willms, Valerie Walte & Lori Thompson listened to Chamber President Craig Krouch's remarks.
 
 
The event was very well attended. This is an excellent opportunity for networking!
 
 
 
Kevin Pearson & Rodney Janssen   Kevin Pearson hosted a very interesting early-morning get-together.
Many thanks to Kevin and his firm for the warm hospitality, the valuable insights he shared with us, and the fantastic coffee he imported from Cup O'Kryptonite for the occasion.
 
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Southside Revitalization Partnership
 
Update on the Proposed South Side Bike Trail that will connect the Easter Lake area to the Great Western and head past Blank Park Zoo, Golf Course, Fort Des Moines Park, and Southridge Mall.

The City's citizen Bike and Trails Advisory Committee and the Park Board have given their recommendation of approval to add a preliminary route for this trail to the City's Recreational Trails Master Plan Map. It is anticiapted that City Council could potentially approve adding this trail to the City's master plan map sometime in June. Once a trail has been added, it then becomes eligible to be placed in the schedule of planned trail projects.

In the past, the City has matched its local funds for trail building withFederal monies, but the availability of these federal funds depends on funding levels and the success in writing grants for these funds. There is little doubt that a bike trail is coming and with the help of the South Side Revitalization Partnership but the question is when. If the Project Destiny campaign, for a 1 cent sales tax for art, culture, trails and amenities is proposed to tax payers and passed later in the year, this will greatly speed up the process of making Des Moines the Trail Capital of the country. In addition to City and Federal funds, many private donors have stepped forward to improve the City's Trail system. This includes the Principal Riverwalk, Meredith Trail, and the Kruidenier Trail at Gray's Lake Park.

The Trail that is being proposed, if approved by City Council, may occur in the time frame of 2010 -2012, depending on the availability of funds. Current trails that are being planned by the City include the Walnut Creek Trail - connecting Water Works Park to the Clive Greenbelt Trail, the Waveland Trail - connecting much of Des Moines' west side to the Walnut Creek Trail, and the Des Moines River Trail connecting downtown to the Easter Lake area.

David Harkin CFP, CLU, ChFC
Financial Advisor

American Express Financial Advisors, Inc.
IDS Life Insurance Company
535 E Army Post Road Suite C
Des Moines, IA 50315
(515) 974-8528 Fax: (515) 974-8529
http://advisors.americanexpress.com/david.d.harkin

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ANNUAL GOLF OUTING
 
The South Des Moines Chamber Annual Golf Outing will be held on Friday, July 22, 2005, at Copper Creek Golf Course, Pleasant Hill. Tee off time will begin at 11:30. Dinner will be included.

Opportunities for hole sponsorships are available.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW & GET YOUR FOURSOMES TOGETHER!

 

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NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS:
 
MIDWEST SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
Alex Niswander, Owner
2110 Country Cove Lane
Altoona, IA 50009
Telephone: 967-7952
E-mail: info@midwestsoftsolutions.com
www.midwestsoftsolutions.com

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DESIRABLES
Cheryl A. Taylor
5906 SW Ninth Street, Suite 3
Des Moines, IA 50315
Telephone: 953-5557
Fax: 953-5557
E-mail: jamescheryld@aol.com

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WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER!

IF YOU KNOW OF A NEW BUSINESS IN SOUTH DES MOINES, PLEASE CONTACT A BOARD MEMBER! WE WILL FOLLOW UP WITH A "WELCOME" AND RIBBON CUTTING!

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MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON OF APRIL HIGHLIGHTS
 
Highlights of the April membership luncheon featured:
 
 
 
Kim Poam Logan, Guest Speaker, Executive Director of the Iowa Asian Alliance.   Julie Kincheloe, Vice President, presided over the meeting.
 
 
This is the beautiful view from Wakonda Club
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RIBBON CUTTING HIGHLIGHTS
 
The South Des Moines Chamber welcomed Dickey Doogan's with a ribbon cutting on April 5, 2005. Strong support from Southridge Mall was evidenced by the large number of their staff in attendance. Dickey Doogan's is now open seven days a wekk from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. for lunch and dinner. They are famous for their steaks and ribs, but are perhaps best known for their bar-b-que, all of which is smoked on-premise.

If you haven't already eaten at Dickey Doogan's, stop in soon to enjoy their casual, family-friendly atmosphere. We welcome them to the South Side and wish them continuing success!

 
 
 
Dickey Doogan's Roadhouse Grill   South Des Moines Chamber members enjoying refreshments
 
 
 
Overhead sign gives fair warning!   Ribbon Cutting - Dickey Doogan's - 4-5-05
 
 
CONGRATULATIONS!
 
BLANK PARK ZOO RIBBON CUTTING
 
 
 
Ribbon Cutting - 4-25-05   New "Do The Zoo" Sign
 
 
 
Front of the spacious new ZooPlex.   The Zoo Crew
 
 
Some of those who attended were not Chamber members!
Can we sign him up?
 
GROUNDBREAKING EVENT for the NEW OFFICIAL "WELCOME TO DES MOINES" SIGNAGE on HIGHWAY 69 - April 27, 2005
 
 
 
Out with the Old   In with the New
 
 
 
The dignitaries who presided   Groundbreaking
 
 
 
TRADESMEN COMMUNITY CREDIT UNION THIRD ANNUAL CHARITY CAR SHOW
 

(Featuring Harley Davidson Motorcycles)

2930 SE 14th Street - Des Moines, Iowa

The proceeds of this benefit show will go to the Children's Miracle Network, whose mission is "Helping Hospitals Help Kids".

DATE: June 11, 2005 TIME: 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ADMISSION: Free

RAIN DATE: June 25, 2005

Come join us for food, fun, and games. Trophies will be awarded, and door prizes will be given. Also don't miss out on the music provided by Good Vibrations DJ's.

* Pre-registration for cars and motorcycles will be $10.00, day of show $15.00

For more information, call Dave or Kristen at 282-3606

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HAMPTON INN REFURBISHES BRIDGE
 
Hampton Inn Des Moines Airport and Des Moines West joined together to refurbrish one of the famous bridges of Madison County = Hogback Bridge in Winterset on May 4th.

They volunteered to paint and landscape the Hogback Bridge. Be sure to visit the bridge at the Winterset Festival this fall.

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HAMPTON® NAMED BEST MID-PRICE HOTEL CHAIN WITHOUT FOOD & BEVERAGE BY BUSINESS TRAVEL NEWS

Hampton, the national brand of more than 1,250 mid-priced Hampton Inn® and Hampton Inn & Suites® hotels, today announced that it has been ranked as the No.1 mid-price hotel chain (without food & beverage) by the Business Travel News "Top U.S Hotel Chain Survey."

The annual results, which were published in the February 7, 2005 issue of Business Travel News, revealed that Hampton topped eight of ten survey categories, including "Physical Appearance of Hotels," "Helpful, Courteous Staff," "Quality In-Room Business Amenities," and "Overall Price-Value Relationship." "We are honored to share this top ranking in the BTN survey with the Hampton brand," said [GM FULL NAME], general manager of the Hampton Inn [CITY/LOCATION]. "This recognition is further evidence of our commitment to provide exceptional service and accommodations as part of our ongoing, significant brand enhancement program "Make it Hampton."

The highly successful 'Make It Hampton' program, the first phase of which has been completed in nearly 1,300 existing hotels, is the single largest transformation ever undertaken by a hotel brand to enhance the guest experience at its hotels. With this innovative program, Hampton is raising the bar for the mid-market hotel segment and giving Hampton hotels a leg up on the competition, particularly older brands that have neglected to maintain levels of guest and quality satisfaction.

Located at 5001 Fleur Drive, the Hampton Inn is located near Des Moines Airport and offers free hot breakfast, free high Speed Internet, and 100% customer satisfaction.

To make reservations at any Hampton hotel, travelers can visit the Hampton Inn Web site at hamptoninn.com or call 1-800-Hampton. Hampton participates in the Hilton HHonorsâ guest reward program, which allows its members to DoubleDipâ by simultaneously accumulating both hotel points and airline miles with each qualifying stay.

CONTACT: Cheryl Hayes
Hampton Inn Des Moines Airport, Des Moines Iowa
515-287-7300

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ALLEGRA PRINT & IMAGING ANNOUNCES FOOTPRINT FUND AWARD RECIPIENTS
 
Local nonprofit organizations to receive no-cost print communications services

Jim Eaton and Pat Rhoades, owners of Allegra Print & Imaging in Des Moines announced the recipients of this year's Allegra Print & Imaging FootPRINT Fund, which helps nonprofit organizations "leave a footprint" in the community by awarding print services for promotional and informational materials.

Award recipients include: Alzheimer's Association - Greater Des Moines Chapter, Food Bank of Iowa, IRIS (Iowa Radio Reading Information Service), MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), Prevent Blindness Iowa, American Heart Association, Rebuilding Together, Autism Society, Iowa Hospice Organization, Iowa TAG (Talented And Gifted), Visiting Nurses, Children and Family Urban Ministries, Blank Park Zoo, Des Moines Health Center, Youth Homes of Mid-America, City of West Des Moines Human Services, Planned Parenthood of Greater Iowa, Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation, The Home Connection, Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity.

The Allegra Print & Imaging FootPRINT Fund, launched earlier this year, awards $10,000 annually to nonprofit organizations and associations seeking financial assistance for graphic design, printing, and mailing of brochures, newsletters, handouts, invitations, programs and other print communications. Applicants that qualify are eligible to receive up to $1,000 each during 2005.

Award recipients were selected by a review panel based on how print services will be used to further organization goals including service expansion, program enhancement and maximization of existing resources, as well as the organization's innovation and resourcefulness.

"Allegra Print & Imaging in Des Moines is proud to be part of a community that has so many fine organizations," said Eaton. "This year's winners of the FootPRINT Fund demonstrate the type of commitment and ingenuity that we are looking for in recipients of this award. We are honored to support them in their local efforts."

Allegra Print & Imaging launched the FootPRINT Fund as part of its Community Care Campaign, a nationwide effort supported by the company's franchise headquarters, Allegra Network. The FootPRINT Fund was developed to help unite and strengthen local communities by assisting eligible nonprofit organizations and associations in building their awareness and increasing local support.

To be considered for a FootPRINT Fund award, nonprofit groups, associations and charitable organizations must submit a completed application. Next year's applications will be available in January at 1000 Thomas Beck Rd. or on our Web site at www.allegradsm.com.

"The FootPRINT Fund award is intended to make it a little easier for our community organizations to make a difference, one step at a time," said Rhoades. "And it is a way for us at Allegra Print & Imaging to thank the community for its ongoing business and support."

Allegra Print & Imaging in Des Moines features traditional and advanced printing technologies including full-color printing, mailing, graphic design services, digital color output direct from computer disk, on-line file transfer, high speed copying, complete finishing services, print management solutions and project consulting.

Allegra Print & Imaging is a member of Allegra Network LLC, one of the world's largest printing franchises linking nearly 500 locations in the United States, Canada, Poland and Japan.

For more information, call 515-244-1414 or visit the company's Web site at www.allegradsm.com.

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IDENTITY THEFT
 
This subject is so important, that we wanted to run it again for your own information!

The fastest-growing crime to retailers: Identity Theft

Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years, and their hard earned money, cleaning up the mess the thieves have made of their good name a credit record. Just today alone there was 27,123 identity theft victims. In our country last year there were over 9.9 million victims. Unfortunately, if you become a victim, identity theft restoration is time consuming, expensive and unpleasant. Each victim will spend an average of $1,495 and 600 hours getting his or her finances straightened out, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. And that’s not counting lawyer’s fees.

Five years ago identity theft was not even considered a crime. Today there are over 27 million victims, with less than 5% of the criminals getting caught. No one is exempt from it, no one can stop it, and it is not going away. This is the crime of the future. Making smart decisions every day with our personal information is a must to minimize the chance of being hit.

Take the first step as an individual

Today there are over 2.36 billion errors on our credit reports. Starting March 1st, Iowans can order one free credit report per year under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. The FACT Act has set up the centralized service from the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. For your free credit report, call (877) 322-8228 or visit www.annualcreditreport.com . You can also mail a request to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Even if you have perfect credit, you should review your credit report for errors. The Federal Trade Commission FTC believes 25% of all current credit reports have at least one error on it. Review your report carefully.

Take the first step as a business owner

The FACT Act was passed in December 2003, but rules were written just recently on the disposal provision. The law requires the destruction — "shredding or burning" or "smashing or wiping" — of all paper or computer disks containing personal information "derived from a consumer report" before it is discarded.

That means that if you do a credit check on one employee before you hire them, or you get private information from a service that came originally from a credit report, you fall under the rules. The disposal provision goes into effect June 1. By then, all businesses, whether employing one worker or 1 million, will be responsible for private information regarding employees and potential employees.

FACT Act is just one of many recent laws aimed at protecting consumer and company privacy, including medical records, credit information and corporate trade secrets. If you do not destroy and information gets out, there are penalties, according to National Association for Information Destruction (NAID):

  • Civil liability. An employee could be entitled to recover actual damages sustained if his or her identity is stolen as a result of your inaction. Or you could have to pay statutory damages of up to $1,000 per employee.
  • Federal fines. The federal government could fine you up to $2,500 for each violation.
  • State fines. States can fine up to $1,000 for each violation.

Additional steps to minimize your risk – Keep personal information private

  • Never give your credit card number or other personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call and know you can trust the business.
  • Shred or tear up papers with your personal information, such as bill statements and mail solicitations for credit cards. Always take your ATM and credit card receipts.
  • Remove extra information from your checks, such as SSN, date of birth, address, and middle name. Checks can be lost or stolen, or information copied.
  • Memorize your social security and PIN numbers and passwords. Don't carry extra credit cards, Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport, unless essential.
  • Choose an "assigned" driver's license number from the DOT. (Don't use your SSN.)
  • Don't reveal financial or unnecessary personal information on sweepstakes entries, prize offers, warranty cards, subscriptions, city directories, etc. Information often is sold and circulated -- increasing your junk mail and the risk of Identity theft.
  • Ask the national credit reporting agencies NOT to give your name to solicitors. (Credit reporting agencies sell lists to credit card marketers and others.) To remove your name, call 888-567-8688 (888-5-OPT-OUT.) You may request to be removed for two years, or you may request permanent removal.
  • Examine your account statements every month to prevent unauthorized charges.

If your identity’s been stolen – Act immediately

  1. Place a fraud alert on your credit report and review your credit reports.
  2. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
  3. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place.
  4. File a complaint with the FTC.

Information from the FTC can be found at:
www.consumer.gov/idtheft
FTC ID Theft Hotline: toll free 877-IDTHEFT

Article submitted by Dave McClannahan of First Bank - 3401 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, IA

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GOLDEN LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
 

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
 
Executive Board
 
Craig Krouch, Vice President
West Bank
222-2377
  Juliana Kincheloe
Iowa Realty
453-5296
  Dr. Sara Neil, Secretary
South Des Moines Chiropractic Center
244-1823
 
John Kendeigh, Treasurer
Coco & Ermels CPA
285-2382
  Joan Bindel, President
AIB College of Business
246-5390
  Shar Pardubsky, Sr.Vice President-Greater
Greater Des Moines Partnership
DSM Partnership
286-4998
 
Board of Directors
 
Shirlee Buschow
AIB College of Business
246-5324
  Alan Kincheloe
Faller & Kincheloe, PC
362-5672
  Teresa Holland
Southridge Mall
287-3881
 
Gary Calvert
Iowa State Bank
287-3750
  Dave Harkin
American Express Financial Advisors
974-8528
  John Irving
Baker Electric, Inc.
288-6774
 
John Kirchoff
Dewey Ford
289-4960
  Cyndi Lorenzen
Radisson Hotel/Johnny's Italian
Steakhouse
222-1921
  Dave McClannahan
First Bank
244-6355
 
Amar Sinha
Four Points Sheraton DSM Airport
287-6464
  Mary Ellen Nicklaus
Companies of Clarke
247-0000
  Ron Wyckoff
Wyckoff Industries
287-6000
 
Sadie Smid
Allegra Print & Imaging
244-1414
  STAFF: Mary Knueven
South Des Moines Chamber
286-4996
Fax: 286-4974
   
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