WELCOME TO THE
EASTERN BAY

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Eastern Bay Chamber is an active and vibrant business organisation that connects Eastern Bay Businesses with each other, provides services and consults with local government. If you are operating a business of any size in the Eastern Bay of Plenty, you should join the Chamber.

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Why join the Chamber?

1. B-Heard. The Chamber represents its members in the Eastern Bay by facilitating debate and working with the Councils and other organisations to achieve the best outcomes for business. The Chamber is your voice.
   
2. B-Connected. To network with Eastern Bay business leaders, provide connections, promote third-party organisations and provide access to mentoring services. The Chamber is a powerful business network.
   Whakatane Retail Promotions Group - to promote and grow the retail sector in Whakatane.
3. B-Fit. To provide access to training opportunities, professional development and training organisations.
4. The Chamber has access to Training for you and your staff.
   
5. B-Global. To provide assistance to members in regard to importing, exporting, trade documentation and overseas contacts to stimulate export. The Chamber can assist you to Export your products and services outside of the region or country.
   
6. B-Ahead. To offer members savings on high use/cost items including petrol, stationary, vehicles, financial services, business insurance, medical insurance, telecommunications, computer hardware, liquor and more. Chamber member receive discounts on some goods and services.

If this is your first time to the EBOP Chamber Website:

This website is provided as a resource to Chamber members and to the general public and new information is added on a regular basis. Here are some good starting points.

• Browse a list of our current members
• See a list of upcoming events
• Subscribe to our email newsletter
• Read the latest CEO Chat

New Kiwis is a free web based recruitment service that connects returning Kiwis and skilled migrants eligible to work here and currently living in NZ to Employers. For more information click on the New Kiwis logo or email newkiwis@chamber.co.nz or call 0800 18 2323.

Latest news:

CEO Chat

May 2012

It has been a busy couple of months. No doubt businesses are feeling the same. Easter was a great time for visitors and locals who enjoyed the great weather we have to offer. It almost seems that summer had finally come to town.

We are on the move. As from the 21st of May we will be in Park Lane offices, above Laser Photos & Camera. Some will remember that we used to have offices here a while ago. As our membership grows we believe that we should be more centrally located and this position certainly will enable us to do that too. We welcome you calling and seeing us. If anyone has a coffee machine or small "beer" fridge (for our milk of course) they would like to donate please feel free to. 

New Members
Welcome to recent new members -

• Signs Direct
• Eastland Group Ltd
  

Warehouse Expansion
In the news you would have seen that the Chamber wrote a letter of support to the council wanting this project to proceed. I believe that this will be a great opportunity to improve the numbers of people coming back to the CBD. Interestingly it appears that a large number of Whakatane people shop at the Warehouse in Tauranga.  The Warehouse expansion will hopefully stop that drain. It should also be noted that this support does not include any Town Vision Plans. We have yet to be told what these are.

Submissions
We have made a number of submissions to the WDC LTP. If you would like a copy please contact me and I can forward to you.

Horizon Business Excellence Awards
On the 26th October this will be the night we celebrate business excellence in the EBOP. We have a number of new categories and we will notifying you of these and the criteria. We have also enlisted the support of the Waikato University Business School who will do the judging this year. They are experienced in doing this as they have done this role for Te Awamutu and Cambridge Chambers' awards. This will also ensure that those businesses that raised concerns about locals judging locals can now compete with complete assurance that all information will be confidential. 

We will be having a launch in association with Focus Chartered Accountants and Te Runanga o Ngati Awa on 31st May at the Mataatua Wharenui. 
 
Chamber Benefit News
Member To Member online deals
We are starting a new concept to give members another way to offer special deals. This is being sponsored by Signs Direct.
We will be providing this service shortly so if you have got a special deal you want to offer members get in touch with Kirsten.  Each member will be offered one "free" advertising space annually, following that you will have the opportunity to pay for a advertising space.
    
Z Card have just advised that the Z online application tool has gone live. This means from now onwards Chamber of Commerce members wishing to sign up to the Z card/Chamber plan will do so through this tool. The brochure already reflects this as the method of signing up by directing members to the site. The new dual branded Z/Chamber card is ready also so anyone signing up online from this point onwards will receive the new dual branded card.  Click on this link to the Z Card online application.
 
Ronald MacDonald House
Most of you are all aware of what Ronald MacDonald House does for families. A number of our members have used these facilities.
There is an event  hosted by Ronald McDonald House Auckland on  Wednesday 23rd May 2012 at the Whakatane Hotel from 6 pm to 7.30 pm where Wayne Howett The CEO I will share with you how the House is supporting families in our community.  Ronald McDonald House Auckland (RMHA) provides shelter and support to families from all over New Zealand whose child is receiving medical treatment at Starship. Last year alone, 194 families from the Bay of Plenty Region used this facility.

Being far from home with a hospitalised child is always a challenge for a family. It provided families with free accommodation close to the hospital ward and the peace of mind this provides to parents ‐ knowing they are only minutes from their child ‐ is truly priceless. The House ensures that the whole family can remain together and strong. Research has shown that families are better placed to find strength and cope when they are together. The  guest speaker for the evening will be local resident Sarah Thomas, who along with her son Lewis, stayed at RMHA recently. Sarah will kindly share with us her journey and highlight the positive impact the support from RMHA had on her family.

With Bay of Plenty families making up 9% of RMHA’s total occupancy in 2011, and occupancy for the region having risen by 23% in 2 years, this reception presents a great opportunity to come together and both celebrate and spread awareness of the work of RMHA in Whakatane.

RSVP: claire.cooper@rmh.co.nz

Leadership Opportunity
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Outward Bound, all Rotary clubs have been invited to celebrate with the Trust. The purpose of this exercise is to promote Outward Bound to the youth of New Zealand, raise funds for its future survival, and to positively promote the benefits of Outward Bound.
A “Classic” three week course will be run from 26th August 2012 to 15th September. Each course has nine ‘watches’ comprising 14 people aged from 18-26 – a total of 126. The cost of the course is $3,400 which excludes the cost of travel to Anakiwa in the Marlborough Sounds. Whakatane West Rotary club has committed to contributing half the cost of the course being $1700. The balance is due to be paid by the 30th June 2012 by the person .  The successful applicant will be required to fund that balance and may choose to approach their employer for financial support to go on this course.
Rotary are looking to interview interested applicants and hope that you may have a person in your organisation who you would feel confident putting forward and hopefully supporting financially. Only one applicant will be sponsored by Whakatane West Rotary.
Please contact Karen Gow, Whakatane West Rotary by e-mail: Softech@wave.co.nz or mobile 0274 587872. A Scholarship Application form can then be forwarded to you. Applications close by May 11th.

EBOP successes
Antipodes water now seen on TV during Masterchef, has also recently won a silver medal at the 2012 Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Awards, the Oscars of Water! Go Antipodes Water Company.

Mataatua Wharenui opened at Easter. Those who have had an opportunity to view will know that this is  a great experience. Make sure you get along and view this - there will be a chance to see the experience at the Horizon Business Excellence Awards launch on 31st May.

Welcome to Whakatane
Kaylene and Gerry Don.  New Managing partners of Unichem Pharmacy in the Strand. They are looking forward to enjoying all the delights of the EBOP. Word has it that Gerry is a keen golfer. They are looking to add value to the current successful business. One of these is the recent acquisition of a robotic dispensing machine. The only one of its type in the EBOP. Watch out for a competition in the future relating to this machine. We look forward to seeing them at events shortly and if you are in the shop make sure you say hi and welcome.

Upcoming Events
Sunday 6th May - Bay of Plenty Coast 'n' Country Cycle Challenge.  This event will be starting at the north end of The Strand at 9:00am.  Organizers will be starting set up from 7am and all equipment will be off The Strand by 9:30am.  Coffee Shops are invited to open early and take advantage of some early business (supporters and riders getting their pre-race caffeine fix).

Thought Of the month
People are like Sticks of Dynamite ...... the power is on the inside but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit.
M. Anderson

Thursday 31 May	Horizon Business Excellence Awards - Launch - Have you visited the Mataatua Wharenui and been taking through the visitor exprience? Now is your chance - come along to the Horizon Business Excellence Awards Launch in association with Focus Chartered Accountants and Mataatua Visitor Experience.
Tuesday 26th June	Dare to Dream - An invitation to join 'Dare to Dream'
	Event Calendar 2012 - Check out our calendar of events for 2012.