EXPO 2007: Reserve Your Booth Starting January 22nd!
The Bloomington Business EXPO is South Central Indiana’s largest one-day annual business trade show, presented by the Small Business Development Center and the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. Each year more than 150 area business professionals and community members gather at the Convention Center to showcase new products and services. This one-day event averages over 3,000 customers; imagine these customers walking through your doors in one single day!

The 2007 Business Expo exhibitor registration starts January 22nd at 8am. To learn more on how you can reserve your booth, call 812-339-8937 today and join in for the greatest one-day business event of 2007.

Ivy Tech to Host “Community Chats” at Village Deli
Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington will be hosting “Community Chats” every Tuesday beginning January 9, 2007. The chats will be held at the Village Deli, located at 409 East Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington, from 7:30 – 8:30 am. The series picks up from the Greater Bloomington Chamber’s “Chamber Chats” which ended in November 2006.

John Whikehart, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, said the forums provide an opportunity for important issues to be discussed and debated. “This weekly series had been a valued opportunity for various community leaders to meet with the public in an open and inviting environment. It was one of the first events that impressed me when I arrived in Bloomington five years ago, and I am pleased that Ivy Tech is sponsoring this engagement forum.”

Ivy Tech will continue to host Community Chats every week to discuss current issues facing Bloomington and the state.

Walker Named Head of BEDC
Ron Walker has been appointed president of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation. Walker was the director of economic development for the City of Bloomington, and previously served as project manager for Strategic Development Group. Walker replaces Linda Williamson, who left the BEDC in August.

As BEDC president, Walker will lead efforts in business retention and expansion, workforce development, and technology development while working closely with Indiana University, Ivy Tech Community College and other organizations to market and establish a competitive distinction for the Bloomington and Monroe County economy.

Walker said his initial plans include continued emphasis on life sciences, workforce issues, assisting existing companies and a continued role in the Certified Technology Park.

South Central Indiana's area economy is made up of many unique small businesses which often are overlooked. Each month learn about a local small business that you might have not known about!

ProsLink, Inc.
ProsLink, Inc. is a locally owned technology company that specializes in e-mail collaboration, data backup, and IT support. The company was started in 1987 by Don Hickman, who has now entrusted his sons, Scott and Craig Hickman, to expand the business into today's most sought after technology services.

ProsLink primarily supports small- to medium-sized businesses, but also consults for large organizations to help streamline their technology.

ProsLink started by supporting a handful of Indiana prosecutors’ offices and now has expanded to the entire state. While planning to expand into other states, Proslink continues to support many local businesses. Focusing on providing high quality technology solutions, ProsLink works with its clients to meet budgetary constraints and to avoid unnecessary spending. Clients quickly learn to trust ProsLink's expertise in protecting its clients' interests.

A few of the services ProsLink provides are:

- Server Management
- Device Monitoring
- Network Deployment and Support
- Application Management
- Co-Location and Hosting
- Help Desk Support

ProsLink strives to meet the demands and expectations of its clientele on a daily basis, with direct access to prompt technical support. Combining service and technology, ProsLink is a step above the rest by always giving clients the access they need. To learn more, visit the ProsLink website.

Bloomington's downtown Certified Technology Park is made up of many unique technology development businesses. Each month learn news about these innovative businesses and other initiatives impacting the Park tenants!

Bloomington Tech Park Company Helps Ford on the Assembly Line
If you’ve driven a Ford lately, chances are a Bloomington Technology Park company deserves some of the credit. Ford Motor's contractor has installed Apple-made computers with software from a Bloomington company in two of the automaker’s northern Indiana factories as part of a sequencing solution to boost assembly line efficiency.

“[Apple Computer’s] Mac Minis are cost effective and they are reliable machines,” said Jonathan Schalliol, vice president of business development and chief financial officer of Information in Place, Inc. The Bloomington Technology Park-based company is responsible for the development and installation of the Mac Minis in Ford’s plants.

Information in Place’s Mac-based system aims to solve assembly line problems. “The software [called PickIT] will tell the workers if they are inserting the wrong part or if they don’t follow the sequence," Schalliol said.
See Macworld for the full article.

NIH Conference Announcement
This year's 9th Annual NIH SBIR/STTR Conference focuses on the NIH SBIR/STTR process from start to finish and from idea to product commercialization. Spread over two consecutive days, attendees will learn the ins and outs of the NIH SBIR/STTR program, the funding opportunities available to small business researchers, and how the NIH SBIR/STTR program can be a valuable resource to help you start and/or grow your company.

With $640M available exclusively for small businesses to perform innovative research and R&D in the biomedical/behavioral sciences, you won't want to miss this event!

Improve Your Accounts Receivable
You won't be in business long if you can't get your customers to pay their bills. If a customer is late with a payment, call them immediately. Even a small delay reduces the chance you'll get the money. Be persistent. It's also smart to send a letter clearly stating the consequences (a hit to their credit rating, interest charges, referring the account to a collection agency) of further delays. Learn more about the best ways to prevent overdue accounts.

January 10: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106
Time: 10:00 am- 12:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

January 16: Tech Tuesday
What: A series of video conference presentations with a networking and educational component for Bloomington technology businesses.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 7:30 - 9:00 am
Contact: Terri Brown, inVenture, 812-335-7356

January 16: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

January 16: NSF SBIR Program Manager Visiting Purdue
What: Presentation will cover the highlights of National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, which provides initial funding to U.S.-based small businesses to develop their innovations into commercially successful products, processes and applications.
Where: Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Purdue Discovery Park, Fu Room—Potter 234, West Lafayette, IN
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Contact: Leza Dellinger

January 16: Life Sciences Lunch Series
What: The Indiana Health Industry Forum and Barnes & Thornburg present a monthly seminar series on critical issues in life sciences.
Where: Ivy Tech Community College, Bloomington Campus
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Contact: BEDC, 812-335-7346

January 16 - February 7: Small Business Planning Course Orientation Sessions
What: Thinking of starting a business? Attend an orientation session to learn about the SEED Corp. Feasibility and Business Planning Course. Upon completion of the course, you may qualify for up to $35,000 in loans. You need only attend one orientation session below to learn about the course.

Where: SEED Corp., 501 N. Morton, Suite 106
When: Jan. 16, 23, 30, or Feb. 6: 12pm - 1pm
Jan. 17, 24, 31, or Feb. 7: 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Cost: Free
Contact: SEED Corp., 812-323-7827 (registration required)

January 17: Icebreakers :: GET CONNECTED
What: Bloomington's after-hours networking event for entrepreneurs' tech-based businesses.
Topic: MIR's story, Ed Morris of Morris Innovative Research (MIR)
Where: tutto bène, 213 S. Rogers St., Bloomington
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Cost: Free
Contact: inVenture, 812-335-7356

January 23: Artists After Hours
What: Bloomington Area Arts Council monthly Artists After Hours
Where: John Waldron Arts Center, 122 S. Walnut
Time: 5:30 pm

January 23: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

January 24: Business Orientation Start-up Session (BOSS)
What: Learn what it takes to start your own business and become your own boss.
Where: SBDC, 501 N. Morton St., Suite 106
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Cost: $25
Contact: SBDC, 812-339-8937 (registration required)

January 30: Community Chats
What: A weekly series to discuss issues facing Bloomington and the broader region.
Where: Village Deli, 409 East Kirkwood Ave.
Time: 7:30 - 8:30 am

February 2: New Economy, New Rules Seminar
What: Series of video conference presentations from industry leaders geared towards the information technology industry.
Where: inVenture, 501 N. Morton St., inVenture Conference Room
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am
Contact: Marilyn Skirvin, Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, 812-335-7346

• Free Online Business Courses

• Preparing Your Business for Natural and Man-Made Disasters

• 2007 Refund Telephone Excise Tax

Adult Education Works
The Indiana Department of Education has a locally based Workforce Development Facilitator to assist your employees in developing the skills needed to become a more valuable member of your team. This workforce specialist will custom build a course for your employees, focusing on basic skills, soft skills, GED preparation and English as a second language. All courses focus on improving workplace performance and company productivity. Grants are available for companies who participate in this unique workforce training program.

Visit their website or contact the Workforce Development Facilitator, Matt Hopkins, at (812) 330-7731.

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