Invitation to Cyber Security Webinar - August 12

Good Afternoon All,

I hope everyone is trying to stay cool in this heat.

Michele Carlow from CTS Services and I wanted to invite you all to join us on August 12th at 10:00 AM for:

"What You Need to Know NOW About The Dangers of Evolving Cyber Threats!"

Click on the link below to register.

Description: Protecting Your ASSets from Hackers On The Dark Web

Cyber breaches are on the rise and hackers are targeting businesses of all sizes – including yours! All SMBs are under attack by cyber criminals! Vigilance, training and smart use of technology are essential. Every employee plays a key role in helping to protect the company's assets. It's time for you to understand the DARK WEB and why it matters to your business. Join us for an eye opening 45 minute presentation about the dark web and the steps to protect yourself. Compliance requirements may be at risk if your employees' credentials are available for sale on the dark web. A FREE dark web scan of your business email address will be offered to all who register. (A replay will be available!)

During this webinar you will learn:

• What the Dark Web is and why it matters to your business
• How digital credentials are compromised
• What attackers can do with this information
• Real-world examples (Yes, it can happen to anyone)
• Steps you can take to protect your company
• Why IGNORING your dark web risks will only harm your business

Time: Wednesday, Aug 12, 2020 10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Registration Link: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_764q9v36RkKep0TkW7t3Mg


Thanks,

Jack


Jack Lank, IOM
President & CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org
"People Do Business With People They Know"

Invitation to Cyber Security Webinar - August 12

Are you ready to Get Back to Business?

Now, with the State getting to reopen businesses we are inviting you to share your reopening plans so we can help celebrate your "Grand Reopening"

We created a Facebook page United Regional's Back to Business (https://www.facebook.com/United-Regionals-Back-to-Business-106228444403838/) and we invite you to post how you are planning to get back to business and to provide insight on the programs and policies being put in place to ready for the public for when you are able to reopen.

We encourage you to take photos with your employees, at your place of business, pictures of the updates you've made to deal with social distancing, special sales and/or promotions.

Post to the page or send your information to jack@unitedregionalchamber.org

We are here to help, let us know what we can do to help you reopen and Get Back to Business!

Thank you,

Jack


Jack Lank, IOM
President & CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org

"People Do Business With People They Know"

Are you ready to Get Back to Business?

Franklin's British Beer Company is closed

Via the Franklin radar we find:

"It looks like yet another location of a small local chain of British pubs has closed down, with the only locations now being found in Southeastern Massachusetts.

According to a source, British Beer Company in Franklin has shut its doors, with a check on the company's website showing that it has indeed been removed from the locations page. The Franklin outlet of the pub joins several others that have closed over the past several years, including Framingham, Danvers, Walpole, Westford, and Worcester, and it appears that both New Hampshire locations in Manchester and Portsmouth have shuttered as well. Outlets in Cedarville, Falmouth, Hyannis, Pembroke, Plymouth, and Sandwich remain in operation, with the closest one to Boston--the Pembroke restaurant--being approximately 30 miles from the city.

The address for British Beer Company in Franklin was 280 Franklin Village Drive, Franklin, MA, 02038. The website for the chain can be found at https://www.britishbeer.com/"

https://bostonrestaurants.blogspot.com/2020/06/british-beer-company-in-franklin-has.html

The ribbon cutting in 2011 for British Beer Co

The ribbon cutting photo comes from the archives on Aug 5, 2011
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/08/remember-when-august-5-2011.html

Are you ready to re-open under Phase 1?

Good Afternoon All,

We are excited to start the Governor's re-opening phase one and the United Regional Chamber is here to help.

Are you ready?

If so, we would like to feature you on our "United Regional's Back to Business" page, where we will be celebrating your grand re-opening.

As a local business this promotion is easy and free. All you need to do is take a photo of you and your team at your place of business and send it to jack@unitedregionalchamber.org

If you are running any type of special sale or promotion, have limited hours, etc. please include that information when you send it.

Let us know if there is anything we can do to help!

Thank you,
Jack


Jack Lank, IOM
President & CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org
"People Do Business With People They Know"

Are you ready to re-open under Phase 1?

What Is the Point of Chamber Membership?

Listen, friends, when society starts throwing around blanket definitions of which roles are "essential," although we can understand the meaning in this context, I think everyone starts considering their value a little.

A Chamber of Commerce is a unique thing. Many people think we are a city, probably tax funded, entity. Not true. Many people think we are a marketing agency. Not true, although we do provide marketing services. Many people think we are Downtown event planners. Not in our job descriptions, although we do believe our community is enriched by having regular activities to enjoy.

At the United Regional Chamber, we heavily consider ourselves to be customer service professionals. We exist to serve our business members, school districts, individual members, non profit partners, and the residents and visitors of our communities.

We provide word of mouth referrals on a daily basis. We manage a social media presence with broad reach. We create networking connections and new partnerships. We help your granddad find the phone number he didn't find in the yellow pages. We help high school kids navigate the steps of their community service project. We mail visitor packets out of state to people who are interested in relocating here, and we encourage them to stay in our local hotels and order our favorite menu items from local restaurants.

We help newcomers settle in by giving them useful resources accompanied by a sincere warm welcome to the community. We are an information hub.

We work closely with city leaders, local merchants, State agencies, Small Business Development Centers and more to stay in the know of things that could benefit or damage our communities. We are in a constant state of event planning, and are regularly brainstorming new things for families to do– because the truth is, if nobody enjoys living in and visiting our communities, our businesses will not thrive the way we want to see them thrive.

If you ask us "what's the point of joining the Chamber" we can rattle off a list of things we will do for you/your business, and I will explain that in some ways, we are like a gym membership– the more ways you choose to use your membership, the more benefit you will see. No two people will use the exact same combination of equipment, because we recognize that different members are seeking different results. Overall, like a gym, a Chamber cultivates a healthier community.

A Chamber is many things. We are flexible and ever evolving, because that's what it takes to be forward thinking and relevant. We offer a mix of tangible benefits and intangible benefits to our members, but a vibrant Chamber is GOOD for a vibrant community.

Before you dismiss a Chamber of commerce as non-essential for your business, please consider that Chambers are essential for community. Supporting your chamber is doing something for yourself– helping to build the quality of life in the communities where you live, work and play. #URCC #Chamberstrong

Jack Lank, IOM
President & CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org
"People Do Business With People They Know"

United Regional Chamber of Commerce

Why You Need Your Chamber Now More Than Ever

What Does a Chamber of Commerce Do?

No other organization represents the local business community like a Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber of Commerce brand is recognized across the globe as an organization fighting for the rights of employers. No other group balances the needs of the business community with the needs of the general community like the Chamber of Commerce.

Chambers are your businesses' life raft in the troubled waters of COVID-19. They were the life raft for you during the great recession and they'll be again the next time a crisis rolls around.

How Can Joining the United Regional Chamber Help Me?

Right now, the United Regional Chamber of Commerce (URCC) is learning to navigate complicated government processes while protecting your rights so you can stay focused on keeping your business afloat. We're talking to governors, state legislators, members of Congress, and any other person with a .gov email address, to convince them that the economy isn't the antithesis of public health. Both can coexist safely and prosperously together.

Our members get value through member discounts on office supplies and other tangible goods, but you can't put a price on the value they're receiving from the URCC's advocacy efforts aimed at the federal, state, and local government. Over many years, URCC leaders have built relationships with a myriad of public officials, always trying to find the right opportunity and opening to showcase a public official's comments while subtly (or sometimes not so subtly) educating them to the realities of providing jobs.

We hope you'll take advantage of all the webinars, Zoom meetings, and educational programming that we're providing (mostly free of charge) to keep you engaged with government and business leaders. We still have our monthly Executive Express-O hosted by URCC Board Member Charlie Miller of Business Advisory Solutions and our Extreme Networking Group that meets every other week. Same people, same timely topics, same great ideas. 

www.unitedregionalchamber.org

The only difference is that we're now conducting these meetings virtually via Zoom. We had one virtual Alive After Five facilitated by Rob Peters of Rob Peters Entertainment and we're going to have more. We have our on-line Job Board and we encourage you to send in your job listings.

We're doing it for YOU in hopes it'll help YOU survive. Visit our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegional/) and read our weekly enews to learn about the programs that we are offering.

If you have any ideas about the programs and groups you would like to see facilitated by the URCC, please contact me.

#URCC #Chamberstrong


Jack Lank, IOM
President & CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org
"People Do Business With People They Know"

Webinars for Small Business Owners

Having trouble viewing this? Click Here. www.msbdc.org/semass NEED INDIVIDUAL HELP FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS? Let our MSBDC business advisors help you navigate the SBA Debt Relief Programs. Please complete our "Request for Counseling" confidentiality form and someone will call you to schedule a telephone appointment with an advisor. https://www.msbdc.org/semass/rfc.html  Online Request for Counseling Form WEBINARS FOR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS PPP & Debt Relief Program with the MSBDC Southeast Regional Office Wednesday, April 29, 2020 2:00 p.m. Ili Spahiu, Assistant District Director for Lender Relations in the U.S. Small Business Administration's MA District Office, will provide SBA Covid-19 Updates for Economic Relief Programs. Cliff Robbins, Sr. Business Advisor, MA Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) will discuss the benefits of utilizing the free services of the MSBDC. https://clients.msbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=110400005 REGISTER Get the latest info on supporting your business with Laurie Driscoll, South Eastern Economic Development (SEED), and Jill Beresford, Massachusetts Small Business Development Center at the next ZOOM meeting. Friday, May 1, 10 a.m. Use this link and Meeting ID to enter the live Zoom meeting: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/316252883​​​​​​​ Meeting ID: 316-252-883 Contact Pam @ pdziura@cranberrycountry.org with questions. COVID-19 Recovery Update with City, State and Federal Officials Friday, May 1, 2020 2:00 to 3:00 pm Join us for a COVID-19 Economic recovery call update with the Metro South Chamber of Commerce, Massachusetts Office of Business Development, Mayor of Brockton Robert F. Sullivan, and special guest Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Register online. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_C_dkP-SBRTGOEnjWOKElAw  Contact Lexi at areinertson@metrosouthchamber.com with questions. REGISTER MA Small Business Development Center Network Southeast Regional Office | 200 Pocasset Street, Fall River, MA 02721 Sent by amfenton@msbdc.umass.edu in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!

The newsletter was shortened for publication here. To view the full set of contents
https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Webinars-for-Small-Business-Owners.html?soid=1101853174121&aid=jHXrqBJSzeA

United Chamber: Up-to-Date Information and Resources

Good Afternoon All,

During these crazy times we know most of you are working remotely and/or working from home. Your Chamber team is in the office every day and we want to be able to be an information resource for you and your business.

We want to be provide all of our members the most up-to-date information and resources available. At this time we do not have the staff or the talent to update our website as often as the information is being sent to us so we have been posting all of the information, links, etc. to our Facebook page.

Please like our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegional/ to keep up-to-date with the information we receive from the local, State and Federal resources.

Thank you and we hope everyone stays self and healthy.

Jack


Jack Lank, IOM
President and CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861

www.unitedregionalchamber.org "People Do Business With People They Know"

United Chamber: Up-to-Date Information and Resources

Save Small Business Fund - grant application opens Monday, Apr 20

Small businesses are the foundation of our communities and our economy. Employing nearly half the American workforce, they keep our neighborhoods running and make them feel like home. The impacts of the coronavirus pandemic have wrought unprecedented financial uncertainty. These businesses need resources and relief — and they need it now.

That's why the Save Small Business Fund, a grantmaking initiative funded by contributions from corporate and philanthropic partners, is providing $5,000 in short-term relief to employers across the United States. These one-time supplemental cash grants are for businesses that have between three and 20 employees and operate in an economically vulnerable community.

The grant application will go live on Monday, April 20 at 12:00 PM PT/3:00 PM ET. To learn more about the Save Small Business Fund and to apply for a grant, visit www.savesmallbusiness.com

We're all in this together and we'll get through this together,

Jack

Jack Lank, IOM
President and CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762

www.unitedregionalchamber.org
"People Do Business With People They Know"

 

www.savesmallbusiness.com

URCC Member Stone Ridge Grill and Bar Feeds First Responders on Easter Sunday

United Regional Chamber of Commerce Member (UCCC) Stone Ridge Grill and Bar's (SRGB) Chef Rob Nihil prepped and cooked dozens of family Easter dinners on Friday, getting everything perfect for pick up on Saturday. And owner Peter Kalemkeridis said that they sold out of every meal.

After that 13-hour shift, Chef Rob spent Saturday prepping and cooking 50 meals that SRGB supplied to local first responders at the COVID-19 Test Site in Foxboro. It was their way of saying thank you to the brave heroes who are on the front lines, keeping us safe.

SRGB hasn’t been open in Plainville for a year, but they have already shown that they value our community and its first responders.

SRGB is at 60 Man Mar Drive in Plainville. They are offering take-out, delivery, and curbside pick-up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some of the meals that were supplied to local first responders

 

Stone Ridge Grill and Bar Feeds First Responders on Easter Sunday

FM_#245 Josh Vanada, President, URCC YPO 4/07/20 (audio)

FM #245 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 245 in the series.

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Josh Vanada, President of the United Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Org (YPO). We had our conversation via conference bridge to adhere to the ‘social distancing’ requirements of this pandemic period.

We talk about the revamping of the YPO focused around the 3 C’s (community, connection, and continuing education). The web site is being redone along with that of the United Chamber’s page. 

In the meantime, updates can be found on their Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegionalYoungProfessionals/

The recording runs about 14 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Josh Vanada.   Audio file = https://www.hipcast.com/podcast/H1nxNrC7




--------------

United Regional Chamber of Commerce page http://www.unitedregionalchamber.org/

Updates can be found on their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/UnitedRegionalYoungProfessionals/

We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm).

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/
If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

FM_#245 Josh Vanada, President, URCC YPO 4/07/20 (audio)

United Regional Chamber of Commerce on the COVID-19 Pandemic

The past three weeks have been nothing short of unbelievable and that adjective does not even seem adequate. The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly challenged us --- our leaders, businesses, workers and economy. The severity of the very fluid situation changed hourly, shifting to daily. In a short period of time, the way we learn, conduct business and live our lives were all disrupted.

This has and will continue to be a challenging time. Business leaders had to reinvent their entire business models with little to no notice. Leaders face unchartered territory, shifting regulation, difficult decisions, and the fear of maintaining the livelihood of their business and retaining the jobs for their employees with fewer customers. Thousands of workers, who are like family, have taken pay cuts or have lost their jobs altogether for an unknown amount of time.

However, amid this time of uncertainty and change, I have seen resiliency, adaptation, ingenuity, compassion and unity in its truest, most authentic form. Locals have rallied around efforts to support our local businesses and non-profit organizations. Manufacturers have shifted their production to retain their talented workforce, while filling a critical need of personal protective equipment for medical professionals on the front lines of fighting this epidemic. Retailers, arts/culture organizations, restaurants, gyms/fitness businesses have taken a hard pivot into the digital space – offering online ordering, Facebook live sales, DIY at-home projects, educational content, and more. 

Local, state, and federal lawmakers have worked to create bipartisan legislation to provide much needed aid for hardworking Americans and businesses of all size. I have seen neighbors serving neighbors –providing food for students in need, displaying teddy bears or hearts in their windows as a sign of hope, and going to the grocery store for the immunocompromised and elderly.

These examples are a mere sampling of the adaptation and kindness that has occurred, but they are indicative of our very nature --- the definition of who we are as Americans. From the Miracle of Hickory during the devastating polio epidemic, to the Great Recession, within more recent memory, our community time and time again has pulled together, hunkered down, and has emerged bruised, but not defeated. The COVID-19 economic disruption will be no different.

www.unitedregionalchamber.org

Our communities’ health and well-being are our top priority. Our neighbors’ lives are at risk and we cannot afford to overwhelm our healthcare infrastructure. Our government leaders have had to make some tough choices to flatten the curve. We must withstand these temporary setbacks, all while doing our part to protect our families, co-workers, and neighbors.

It continues to be an honor to serve in this role on your behalf every day. Regardless of the IRS definition, I believe that all businesses are “essential:”

• You make up our local economy, bringing personality to our cities and towns
• You create a place to belong, to connect, to celebrate. and to cultivate a new relationship
• You are the familiar face mixing up our favorite cocktail or the server who makes you smile by remembering your name
• You are the retailer who pays attention to every detail --- from your front window display to your thoughtfully selected merchandise
• You provide opportunity, a second chance, a means of supporting a family, and the hope and promise of a better future
• You make and sell products that improve the lives of humanity across our region, country and the globe
• You have sacrificed for incremental growth, have faced tough decisions, and have seen seasons of success and set back
• You are stylists, therapists, and self-care professionals who have mastered your craft to provide needed rest, healing, enhanced confidence, or even a listening ear, to your clients
• You give our communities vibrancy, energy, and attraction
• You are essential …. and we need you

The United Regional Chamber of Commerce is your partner, sounding board, and advocate. We are in this with you.

Working for Business,

Jack Lank, IOM
President and CEO
The United Regional Chamber of Commerce
310 South Street
Plainville, MA 02762
Phone: 508-316-0861
www.unitedregionalchamber.org