New Web Site on the Way!

Hi all --

Just wanted to let you know that the Library's new web page will be up and running sometime in late January... The new site will be much more concise and easier to navigate. For a sneak peek here is the new home page. I can't wait to show it off!

12/12 Recap

Hello all --

A brief follow-up, with the attendance here (let me know if you can't view it):

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pC3IuhtGzGDN4XkuAfah9CA&gid=7

The big news items for the day:

• Jay Anderson is back with the group and we're thrilled to have him back on board. Welcome back, Jay!
• This was Genia's last B2B meeting as a Greater Spokane, Inc. employee. Starting in January, Genia will have her own business. She will have seven (correct, Genia?) leads groups of her own that she will be operating and managing. Thanks for your effort on behalf of the Downtown B2B, Genia.
• The gift exchange came off without a hitch, save my inability to count to 14... I've got 1-8 down but the rest still confuses me. The spirit of the season award goes to Kyle Klippert for sending an emissary bearing a bottle of wine on his behalf. Kyle, I've got a bottle in return sitting on my desk.

We will be taking the rest of December off and will start back up again on January 9th. I have on my calendar that Petrushka is scheduled to do a presentation while James Hicks is slated to do a table presentation. Let me know, Petrushka and James, if this needs to change.

Finally, as we sit back and drink our chosen drinks for the next few weeks, I have a favor to ask. If everyone could put some thought toward any changes that you might like to see in either the form or function of our group, I'd love to hear them. Email me with ideas, or even better, put your thoughts up for the entire group to consider at our little homestead on the Internet: http://downtownb2b.blogspot.com/

Happy holidays to all and here's to a productive '08!

~Mark

11/28 Recap

Hi all --

The next to last meeting of the year had a turnout with 11 members in attendance, 9 excused absences and 6 members that I didn't hear from -- you can see the guilty parties on the online spreadsheet. Also, 5 leads were passed and graciously received. Related to leads, Paul Hajek came to visit me at the library for a quick tour of the facility and an even briefer showcasing of library resources. Thanks, Paul. The full leads/attendance run-down can be viewed here (make sure you are looking at the 11/28 tab): http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pC3IuhtGzGDN4XkuAfah9CA

We also had 3 guests: Brook Cunningham from the law offices of Paine Hamblen, Dan Edwards from CSK Communications and Jason Rautenkranz from Shred-it. Thanks for coming, guys. If you have any questions about the group, just give Jason, myself or Genia a shout.

As for group business, Jason announced that in a landslide, the group voted to add an extra $10 to our extra membership dues to create a pool for awarding our top leads producer on a semi-annual basis. Members have until the end of February to get their $10 to Dean, our newly appointed treasurer. In all seriousness, cash would be preferred so that Dean doesn't have to deal with cashing checks.

In other news, Geez... I can't think of anything. Oh, wait. I've been elected chair for the coming year! Carol Reynolds will be the new vice-chair, Dean Marshall is our new treasure and Paul Hajek and Petrushka Pavlovich will serve as mentors for new members to the group. As we slip into 2008, I think we should all give a round of applause and thanks to Jason for keeping the group vibrant, engaging and shiny side up. It may be the self-interest kicking in, but I'd like to suggest that we all chip in at our meeting on December 12th and pick up Jason's lunch. Bring an extra buck and we'll be set.

Finally, the meeting on the 12th will be the greedy gift exchange. It seems the standard gift has become a bottle of wine but any gift of $5 - $10 will suffice. Note: as tempting as it might be, this is not a white elephant gift exchange so this is not the time to unload that vase that's been sitting out on the garage shelves for the past 30 years.

That's it. See y'all on the 12th!