Author Archives: North SA Chamber Editor

Mayor’s Vision for San Antonio & State of the County Address

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Kirk Kistner
Bartlett Cocke General Contractors

About the Company: For more than 50 years, Bartlett Cocke General Contractors has been a leader in the San Antonio commercial building industry. As the largest commercial building contractor in San Antonio, Texas, Bartlett Cocke has a reputation of timely completion, a commitment to safety, honoring warranty services, financial stability and prompt payment. The Bartlett Cocke team members are experts in CM-at-Risk, Design-Build and Bid services. Their foundation is their people and their proven ability to build the best possible project for the greatest possible value. Many of their employees, skilled craftsmen, officers and shareholders have been with the company for over 20 years. Because Bartlett Cocke is employee-owned and well managed financially, many of their employees are motivated to remain with the company throughout their careers.

About the Program: Hear the Mayor’s Vision for San Antonio during a luncheon program featuring keynote address by Mayor Julián Castro and get “the Bexar facts” regarding County priorities directly from County Judge Nelson Wolff.

Personally Speaking: Kirk says, “The North Chamber is one of San Antonio’s greatest assets, providing the business community with world class professional development, networking and leadership training opportunities.”

AACOG Now Accepting Nominations for 2012 Regional Awards

By North SA Chamber Editor
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The Alamo Area Council of Governments is accepting nominations for the 2012 Regional Awards. Recipients will be honored on December 5, 2012, at the Annual Meeting of the AACOG Area Council & Board of Directors.

The categories for nomination are Regional Citizen of the Year, Corporate Steward of the Year, Community/Non-profit Project of the Year, and Government Project of the Year.

Who is eligible for nomination?
Any person, corporation, community/non-profit project, or government project that has contributed to the significant positive advancement of the Alamo region and/or any communities in the twelve county region (Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Medina, and Wilson counties) is eligible for nomination. Current elected officials and public sector employees are ineligible for nomination except when they are part of a government project being nominated.

How do I submit a nomination?
Complete one awards nomination form per entry. Multiple nominations are allowed provided you use a different form for each entry. Complete all sections of the nomination form. Incomplete forms will not be considered. Nominations must be received by 3:00 p.m. on Friday, October 19, 2012.

Nominations can be submitted online, or submitted via mail or in-person to:
Tim Treviño, Sr. Director of Strategic Planning and Agency Communications, 8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700, San Antonio, TX 78217-6228.

For more information, contact Mr. Treviño at (210) 832-5089 or ttrevino@aacog.com. Nomination forms can also be faxed to (210) 225-5937. Online form available

Security Service Offers Scholarships for Graduating High School Seniors

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Security Service Federal Credit Union (SSFCU) is currently accepting scholarship applications from area college-bound high school seniors graduating in the spring of 2013.  Winners will be awarded with a one-time, $1,000 scholarship to assist with college expenses.

To be eligible, the applicant must be a member, dependent of a member or grandchild of a member of Security Service Federal Credit Union.  The applicant must also rank in the top 15 percent of their graduating class, with plans to pursue a degree at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university.  Winners will be selected based on their academic achievements, community involvement, extracurricular activities and character.

To apply, seniors residing inside Bexar County should contact their school counselors at the beginning of the school year, as those applications will be submitted through the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation and are due November 2, 2012. Students may also contact the Foundation directly at 210-525-8494 to request an application.  Non-Bexar County applicants can download an application online at www.ssfcu.org or call 1-888-415-7878, extension 4537, to request an application.  The deadline for submitting all non-Bexar County applications is January 31, 2013.

About Security Service Federal Credit Union

Security Service Federal Credit Union offers competitive, affordable financial products and services designed to meet the needs of its members. Security Service is an industry-leading financial institution with more than $6.7 billion in assets and more than 900,000 members in Texas, Colorado, Utah and around the world. The credit union is among the top 10 credit unions in the nation and is the largest in Texas and San Antonio. Security Service strives to be America’s best credit union and provides the true benefits of credit union membership with financial services of the highest quality and value. Learn more at www.ssfcu.org or call 1-888-415-7878.

USA Cares and Security Service Federal Credit Union team up to train credit union employees to better serve military members

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Security Service Federal Credit Union (SSFCU) has teamed up with USA Cares to better equip credit union employees to work effectively with military borrowers.

This month, SSFCU began rolling out the USA Cares Military Family Housing Education Program to employees in Fort Carson, CO, with plans to provide the training in all branches that serve a military population.

The goal is “to put greater numbers of military families into affordable homes through knowledgeable professionals who understand the unique circumstancesbrought about by military service,” according Bill Nelson, USA Cares executive director.

MFHEP teaches how the military functions and the impact it has on military familydaily life. It helps make sense of the military language, rank and pay system, outlining what happens when a service member is injured and explaining how his or her pay will continue during hospitalization and treatment. The goal is to help borrowers and lenders as they work together to make affordable and sustainable financial decisions.

“The material presented through USA Cares is important and helpful, providing greater depth of understanding as it relates to an important segment of ourmember base – military families,” said Rick Weber, senior vice president of member service in the Mountain Region for Security Service Federal Credit Union. “We are 100 percent committed to doing our very best serving those who serve our country.”

Once an employee completes the course, he is qualified as a Certified Housing Professional through USA Cares, indicating adherence to specific standards of practice that ensure quality service to military borrowers.

About USA Cares
USA Cares is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization that helps post 9/11 military families bear the burdens of service with financial and advocacy support. Its mission: To help with basic needs during financial crisis, to assist combatinjured Veterans and their families and to prevent private military home foreclosures and evictions. In seven years, USA Cares has received over 21,000 requests and responded with more than $7 million in grants. Military families anywhere in America can apply for assistance through the USA Cares web site, http://www.usacares.org/ or by calling 1-800-773-0387. For more information on USA Cares contact John Revell, jrevell@usacares.org or call (270) 352-5451 x101. For more information on the MFHE Course go to the USA Cares website or email Beverly.frase@usacares.org.

About Security Service Federal Credit Union
Security Service Federal Credit Union offers competitive, affordable financial products and services designed to meet the needs of its members. Security Service is an industry-leading financial institution withmore than $6.7 billion in assets and more than 900,000 members in Texas, Colorado, Utah and around the world. Headquartered in San Antonio, the credit union is among the top 10 credit unions in the nation and is the largest in San Antonio. Security Service strives to be America’s best credit union and provides the true benefits of credit union membership with financial services of the highest quality and value. Learn more at www.ssfcu.org or call 1-888-415-7878.

Tex-Star Bank wants you to be aware of the following new Phishing Scam

By North SA Chamber Editor
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You’ve heard of the traditional email phishing and computer malware scams that attempt to steal customer bank information, but now there is a new player in town and this one is convincing. Scammers are now using what is called the chat box scam to steal information from online banking customers. Here is how it works.

The victim unknowingly downloads a piece of malware onto the computer by downloading an infected attachment or clicking a bogus web link. The malware then waits for the victim to visit his or her online banking website. (This scam is so convincing because it happens while you are visiting your actual bank’s website not a fake website created to look like the bank’s site.) Once the victim is on the site, a message flashes saying it is running a security check. Then, the customer receives this or a similar bogus pop-up message.

“The system couldn’t identify your PC You will be contacted by a representative of bank to confirm your personality. Please pass the process of additional verification otherwise your account will be locked. Sorry for any inconvenience, we are carrying about security of our clients.”

The poor grammar in this message should be a red flag to customers, but most people won’t notice it. Instead, they will worry about being locked out of their account and proceed to follow the instructions. This is when a chat box appears stating that someone will be with you shortly , just like the ones customers are accustomed to seeing on retail websites. During the live chat, the victim will be asked to provide personal banking information  to verify his or her identity, but really the victim is providing the sensitive information to a scammer who will use the information to illegally access the victim’s account.

It is also possible for the malware to simultaneously complete a purchase or an unauthorized transfer to another account  as the victim is keying in account information.  Also of notable concern is that this type of attack could conceivably be used against businesses and their employees, with the attacker posing as an IT help desk technician.

It is essential that banks inform customers of this scam. Make sure they know that your bank does not have a live chat option on the website and that a legitimate customer service person would never ask for the customers’ passwords or account numbers.  Also, encourage customers to keep their internet security software up-to-date. This will help protect them from such malware.

IBC Bank Names Mike Sohn President & CEO of San Antonio Market

By North SA Chamber Editor
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The IBC Bank-San Antonio Board of Directors today named Mike Sohn to lead San Antonio operations as president and CEO. Sohn has 28 years of experience in the banking industry and has been with IBC Bank for more than two decades. He becomes the third CEO for the San Antonio market since it opened for business in the Alamo City 26 years ago and succeeds former CEO Steve Edlund. Sohn previously served as executive vice president in charge of commercial lending in the San Antonio market. In his new position, Sohn assumes the CEO leadership role, which includes managing the day-to-day operation of the commercial lending department and overseeing the retail branch network of 30 locations, which also includes branches in the communities of Luling, Marble Falls, San Marcos, and Schertz.

IBC Bank-San Antonio is managed by a local board of directors that makes local decisions and chaired by Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. Other board members include: Dennis Nixon; Roy Barrera, Jr.; Alan Chesler; Robert L. Cook; Phil Hardberger; Malcolm T. Hartman; Tom Travis; Charles M. “Marty” Wender; Ronald D. Wolff; and Robert B. Wray.

“IBC Bank has played an integral role in the economic development of San Antonio and South Texas. With the growth of information technology, bioscience, aerospace, and the Eagle Ford Shale oil and gas play, Mike Sohn’s expertise and vision will deepen IBC’s strong market presence,” Wolff said. “Mike is one of IBC’s most seasoned leaders with specialization in lending to professionals and executives, commercial real estate, construction, manufacturing, and the oil and gas industry.”

“Mike Sohn embodies our ‘We Do More’ attitude and is uniquely qualified to continue the market’s legacy of customer service excellence,” IBC Chairman and CEO Dennis Nixon said. “Further, International Bancshares Corporation views IBC San Antonio as a strong growth market and fully supports its development and expansion.”

Community outreach is an IBC strength, which Sohn embraces by volunteering his time with various youth-related sports activities, including AAU local and national basketball tournaments and high school interscholastic youth sports. He previously served as a board member with the San Antonio Sports Foundation and the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. He is active in a number of professional organizations including the Texas Society of Professional Engineers, the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA), the San Antonio Chapter of the American Petroleum Institute (API), the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association (TIPRO), and the Coastal Conservation Association.

IBC Bank-San Antonio has a long record of service to the community, education, health care, and financial literacy. IBC played a significant role in bringing the first microsociety, Adamsville, to San Antonio, which is an in-school learning laboratory at Adams Elementary. IBC Bank-San Antonio employees actively participate in Money Buzz – a large-scale, corporate-wide, financial literacy initiative helping families and children develop sound financial practices. The San Antonio Employee Advisory Board (EAB) coordinates hundreds of IBC employee volunteer hours in the community every year. Sohn will continue to play an integral role in these community outreach efforts, as well as the bank’s marketing and employee development initiatives.

Sohn graduated with a bachelor of science from Texas A&M University in College Station. He also graduated from Southern Methodist University’s Intermediate Banking School. He and his wife Donna have two sons.

IBC Bank–San Antonio is a division of International Bancshares Corporation (NASDAQ: IBOC), an $11.6 billion multi-bank financial holding company headquartered in Laredo, Texas, with 210 facilities and more than 335 ATMs serving 88 communities in Texas and Oklahoma. International Bancshares Corporation was named one of the nation’s 100 most trustworthy companies by Forbes in 2012. More information is available at www.ibc.com. Visit us on our YouTube channel, IBCBankWeDoMore.

Message from the President & Chairman of the Board

By North SA Chamber Editor
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Keeping your business and our community strong is at the core of everything we do.

As you know, we’ve asked for feedback on your perception of the North Chamber and your preferences for media usage and benefits. You communicated to us the positive impact that the North Chamber has had not just on the North side, but also on San Antonio and Bexar County overall. In response, we’ve freshened our brand to clearly state that we are the North San Antonio Chamber.

We only had to look to our vision statement “to be the chamber of choice in San Antonio and Bexar County,” and mission “to strengthen member businesses and the community through advocacy, networking, recognition, leadership and professional development,” to re-focus our core emphasis on “Keeping Bexar County Strong.”

New look

You, our members, are the first to get a sneak preview of the new look. We will immediately begin to transition the new brand into our building, collateral materials and digital media. We’ll launch the logo on our social media channels tomorrow.

Be a part of it.

On Friday, August 24, visit one of our online communities to be among the first to see the new brand. If you aren’t on a social network yet, why not take this opportunity to build a profile and join the conversation?

Still to come.

The complete transition to the new brand will continue for several weeks. Stay tuned to learn more about the upcoming new website and updated membership benefits.

It’s our pleasure to serve you and we hope to see you very soon.

Duane Wilson
President & CEO, North Chamber

Larry Anthis
Chairman of the Board, North Chamber
Vice President, Frost

Word from the Chairman

By North SA Chamber Editor
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On behalf of the North Chamber it’s my honor to lead this vibrant community of businesses and professionals. Thanks to your membership, the North Chamber is building business and leaders across Bexar County as we advocate for business, provide networking, recognize and cultivate leaders.

We always say, “Participation is the key to maximizing your membership.” That’s true, but we want to help you amplify your involvement with additional resources and benefits. In an effort to engage more fully, we conducted a membership survey, and you, our members, communicated the primary importance of professional relationship building, advocacy, information, participation and visibility.

To address these focus areas and provide opportunities that enhance your membership experience, the North Chamber will revise and improve membership benefits to reflect the resources our members value most, including: communications, visibility, referrals, discounts/offers and exclusive member programming. Revised membership benefits will be available and announced in Fall 2012.

As we work to improve connectivity, we will continue to host events that address mobile technology and social marketing and engage our growing online communities. While we will no longer mail a printed newsletter, in August 2012 we will introduce new digital media featuring an email newsletter and website with more member visibility via social communities, blog content, photos, and enhanced online directory and referral tools.

Already we are posting member news on Facebook and Twitter, and as we develop and introduce new media, we will post member content to our blog, spotlight content in our email newsletter and website, and post blog links to our social media profiles based on membership level. I do hope you’ll like and follow us and share and re-tweet often!

Now is an exciting time for the North Chamber, our members and San Antonio. We are on the cutting edge of programs in leadership, sustainability, infrastructure and marketing, and we welcome you and your employees to be a part of it all.

It’s our pleasure to serve you and we hope to see you very soon.

Word from the Chairman

By North SA Chamber Editor
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On behalf of our membership and staff, we salute you for working to grow your business, employees and our vibrant community. Because of your membership and individual participation, the North Chamber is keeping San Antonio strong as we advocate for businesses large and small; provide exceptional business-to-business connections; recognize leaders at every age and career stage; and cultivate the workforce through leadership and professional development training.

Connectivity & Communications

We always say, “Participation is the key to maximizing your membership.” While that’s true, we want to help you amplify your involvement with increased visibility opportunities and enhance your membership experience with meaningful and convenient communication.

Earlier this year, I challenged our leadership team to reimagine this Chamber’s connectivity to the community. Already, we are exploring ways that we can engage more fully. You’ll see we’ve hosted and planned events that address our members’ increasing reliance on mobile computing devices, smartphones, and digital and social media, and now you can join the conversation in our communities on Facebook (North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce), Twitter (NorthSAChamber) and LinkedIn.

To lead this effort at the operational level, please join me in welcoming to the North Chamber staff a longtime member and volunteer, Renée Crittenden Garcia, as she assumes the new role of Vice President of Marketing & Business Development. Coupled with our efforts to improve connectivity, Renée will work with our Membership Council and Committee to revise and improve membership benefits to reflect the resources our members value most. Watch your in-box for your invitation to participate in various feedback forums.

Advocacy & the 2012 Bond Election

We’re excited to welcome back County Judge Nelson Wolff, who will provide the Bexar Facts at the Annual State of the County Address on Thursday, May 18, at the Omni San Antonio Hotel. This will be an informative update as there are many new infrastructure projects that will impact our Chamber membership.

Early voting has begun (through Tuesday, May 8) for the May 12 election regarding the City of San Antonio’s $596M bond project – and every vote counts! The bond dollars are divided as follows: $337M+ for streets, bridges and sidewalks; $128M+ for drainage and flood control; $87M+ for parks, recreation and open space; $29M+ for library, museum and cultural arts facilities; and $14M+ for public safety facilities.

Some of the more notable projects include $30M for the completion of the 1604/281 Northern Interchange; $6.6M for Callaghan Road improvement (Evers to Centerview); $8.8M for Hardy Oak Blvd; $30M for Hausman Road (Loop 1604 to IH10). In addition to highways, there are significant dollars included for drainage, parks and libraries throughout the North Chamber service area.

This entire bond package – which had significant public input, will be completed without raising taxes, and because San Antonio has successfully managed its finances, the City has the nation’s highest bond rating of AAA allowing the City to borrow money at a lower rate.

The bond measure will make sure our tax dollars are spent wisely by: requiring an annual financial audit; establishing a citizen oversight committee to ensure an open competitive bidding process that supports local job growth and that funds are spent properly. In addition, no money will go towards the development of a light rail system or a downtown street car.

Each of the above mentioned projects will have its own proposition on the ballot; however, the North Chamber Board of Directors has recommended that all propositions merit a “yes” vote. To learn more about the proposed bond projects, visit the City’s website at sanantonio.gov/2012bond.

Mark Your Calendar

For those of you who enjoy the friendly competition and fellowship of a day on the greens, I hope you’ll join us for the Annual Golf Tournament on Thursday, May 10, at TPC San Antonio. The golf committee, chaired by Kara Sagebiel, JBGoodwin Realtors/Kara Sagebiel, has planned an exciting event. I want to offer special recognition to our chair-elect Brad Rollins and Dahill for their title sponsorship and his help in securing the Tourney’s awesome venue. Plan to attend, network and stay late to toast the winners!

Additionally, we are seeking nominees for the ATHENA Leadership Awards Program®. If you know a leader who’s inspiring women to achieve their full potential, please nominate and encourage your nominee to complete an application and submit it by the deadline, Friday, June 1, 5 p.m.

Now is an exciting time for the North Chamber, our members and our growing City. The North Chamber is on the cutting edge of programs in leadership, sustainability, infrastructure and education, and we welcome you and your employees to participate as an event attendee, committee volunteer or sponsor. It’s our pleasure to serve you and we hope to see you very soon.

Word from the Chairman

By North SA Chamber Editor
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It is a great joy to lead the North Chamber. As we set course for the future, the North Chamber will focus on connectivity, the millennial generation, small business and broadening member participation. In addition, Membership Council Chair Chris Scherer, Law Office of Chris A. Scherer, has created a new committee led by Maria Barrett, PS&Co, with the goal of sharing the North Chamber’s benefits with 100 new members in 2012.

A recent reminder of the power of an active chamber was the City Council’s approval of a roads/streets bond initiative. In 2007, under the leadership of then chair Terrell McCombs, the North Chamber advocated for the passing of a bond proposal that would address the significant need for street and bridge improvement. That bond passed, and five years later, 149 of the 150 projects are complete. By investing in and maintaining our growing metro’s infrastructure needs we ensure that businesses will continue to originate, relocate, remain and flourish here.

North Chamber programs are in full swing. We are offering monthly CIO Breakfast, CIO Panel on April 5th, Employment Law Update on March 22nd and quarterly Chairman’s Council Breakfast for our highest level of membership. The monthly Networking Breakfast, quarterly Small Business “How 2” and Sustainability Series and the many ongoing committees are also worth discovering.

The recipe for success in a volunteer organization is participation, passion and value proposition. Woody Allen said, “80% of success is showing up.” Will you participate by attending an event or joining a committee? Passionate members succeed because they are willing to roll up their sleeves and contribute their time and talents, thereby multiplying them. Finally, when you define your values and understand how they intersect with the North chamber ideals of business and leadership growth you’ll find this organization to be of great worth.

Finally, I appreciate the many engaged and active volunteers who serve our member businesses. Welcome to Brad Rollins, Dahill, 2013 Chair Elect, and Jim Heaney, Comerica Bank, new Technology Council Chair. I want to recognize and thank the following stakeholders for their support of the Gala: AT&T, Corporate Travel Planners, Dahill, eESI, Frost, Security Service Federal Credit Union, SWBC, Travis Wolff, and USAA Real Estate Co. Congratulations again to Pat Duncan, USAA Real Estate Co., for his deserved recognition as the San Antonian Award recipient.