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Presented By
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FACES & PLACES 
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 More than 150 young professionals traded their suits for boots at the 8th Annual YP Night at the Rodeo last Thursday. The event began with a networking reception at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, complete with delicious food and drinks by Joe T. Garcia's.
After the reception, the YPs headed over to the Will Rogers Memorial Center to catch cowboys, bull-riding, and roping at the world-famous Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
From left to right: Michelle Regan, Higginbotham, Jose Avila, Metrocare Services, Rhea Jackson, Cancer Care Services, Sean Buckley, Bourland, Wall & Wenzel, P.C.
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I'm lovin' this: Jim Sappington knows how long it should take you to get your order at EVERY McDonalds' counter. Or how long your wait in the drive-thru should be. How much you typically spend. Digitally, he can remind you of the great smell of the hot fries as you drive near a restaurant or even offer up a mobile coupon on the spot. Sappington is the executive vice president of operations, digital and technology. February 21, he'll be the breakfast guest of TCU Business Dean (He's a) Homer Erekson during the Tandy Executive Speaker Series. Sappington started at McDonalds in 1987 as an accounting manager, and with accruals, estimates he has eaten 13,451,376,188 fries. If you're driving thru and would like counter service, enter for a seat at the Chamber table.
Who was that masked man? Author Landon Wallace isn't masked, but the nom de plume masks the identity of Kelly Hart & Hallman attorney Dee Kelly, Jr. Writing only early in the morning and late at night because of the success of his day job, Kelly has managed to produce "The Election," a romance novel with a political backdrop, and his debut novel "Come and Take It," which is historical but fiction. Reviews have been beyond his hopes and, buoyed, he is working on a sequel to "The Election." Kelly Hart's Mary Mary (not contrary) Schlegel, was able to get a signed copy of each book for someone's reading pleasure.
 Being very social: MB Marketing could be your M.D. for marketing. Especially if you're a small business that can't afford an ad agency. Doc Megan Brown has created a two-hour Lunch & Learn on How to Run Social Media Like an Agency. And ... there's really lunch with all that learning. The discussion includes demographics, distribution platforms, setting objectives, planning content, setting a content calendar, and more and even more. Attend and you'll be all a-Twitter with info to be a social smash hit. It is Feb. 7 from 11:30 a.m. --to-- 1:30 p.m. at Ensemble (where's the hyphen?) Coworking. Megan sent over a seat at the table for two readers.
Very unofficial Chamber survey: Last month, Marcelle LeBlanc, owner of The Velvet Box, and Pepper Sims, owner of Pepper-L Specialties, were at separate annual conventions displaying the coolest new toys and promotional items. Which convention would you have rather attended? Locally, The Velvet Box is the only one with brick and mortar that you could "attend." For Valentine's Day shopping, no place screams romance more, especially if you win one of these two $50 gift cards. Shop for clothes, educational books or toys. The customer service is beyond belief.
Congratulations to the January 24th Prize Winners:
- Hal Mayo, AISC Lending Services
- Rena Lawrence, Log Cabin Village
- Molly Sandlin, CAET Project Management Consultants
- Tyler Grant, Fort Worth Transportation Authority
- Dale Brock, Visiting Angels
- Cyndy Tonniges, TriQuest Technologies
- Bobby Mays, T&G ID Systems, Inc.
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HE SAID, SHE SAID, THEY SAID
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His golf is a gas: Bryan Way, Manager Commercial Finance at Bell Helicopter, has a putting green in his office. If you're ever in his space, but squeamish, do NOT putt the ball!
Looking ahead: Mr. B had been dying to meet Bob Gaudry and recently got the chance to interview the Pre-Planning Advisor with Dignity Memorial. Smart folks pre-plan their happy endings to lift the decision-making burden in times of mourning and to save money. Mr. B: "What happens when you are pre-paying on time (financing) and don't live the whole time?" Bob: "We still handle your wishes." Mr. B: "Is it proper decorum to celebrate a big sales month?" Bob: "I'm in pre-need, so yes. It's a good feeling knowing you are protecting families."
 He never sleeps: Carlo Capua, 30, is celebrating 15 years of his association with Sister Cities International. Guess he was a very young volunteer. He is still at it, too, balancing community service with his Z's Café and Catering and homebuilding (6 houses). And thinking outside the box: "Tokyo 2020 Olympics and I'm trying to recruit Fort Worth people to apply to volunteer," Carlo said. "Applications will be out in the summer and I think it would be bucket-list cool for people to apply. I already have a room booked in Tokyo just in case."
Big(gins)-time: Has there been recognition that fit more perfectly than the Lifetime Achievement Award Lillie Biggins is receiving Feb. 8? The retired leader of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital is being honored by the Fort Worth Business Press. During 2016, Biggins was the inaugural honoree of the Chamber's Susan Halsey Executive Leadership Award.
On point: Company President John Chawner said something similar to this when describing Pointwise, a finalist in the Chamber's 11-50 employee Small Business of the Year category. Pointwise is the choice for CFD (computational fluid dynamics) mesh generation, covering all of pre-processing from geometry model to flow solver export. "It's not as sexy as it sounds," Chawner said.
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"When you run over cones and signs, that's our business; hopefully it's not
our cones and signs."
-- Ben Watson, Site Barricades
Small Business of the Year finalist
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All of a sudden? Since re-imagining and re-structuring the company in 2014, after 35 years in business, Small Business of the Year finalist Muckleroy & Falls has had 615 percent growth, according to Harold Muckleroy.
We'll drink to that: Brenda Hicks-Sorenson, Fort Worth's Assistant Director of Economic Development, says Whiskey Ranch has "some outstanding gift opportunities for our economic development visits."
Kreskin: Mr. B predicts the City Council will approve Feb. 6 or 13 to move forward with a public vote on a $399.5 million -- give a penny or two -- bond package. A zillion details will be forthcoming.
 Flights of fancy: With Peter Pan soon to be featured at Casa Mañana, Evan Eastman of Spectrum Business related this story: "In our house, Lucky Charms is actually called Peter Pan cereal. Our oldest didn't know what a leprechaun was but she did know Peter Pan. They both wear hats and have green suits, are both little rascals that don't want to make adult decisions...la la la." The girls are Alice 5, and Nora and Penelope, 2.
Almost-free marketing: Mr. B realizes that few of you actually win giveaways; the list of winners each week is fake news. But you always CAN win with member-to-member discounts at the Chamber's online portal. $2 off a SuperCuts clipping. $250 off a visit to Exceptional Emergency Room, though it hopes you won't need it. $10 for botox units at SkinDeepLaserM.D. Use of a conference room for two hours at Ensemble Coworking. Add your company's offer online here or update your existing one, especially if your offer has expired.
71: Happy birthday, Nolan Ryan.
Heart-felt support: Keeping up with Mayor Price Is Right is EXHAUSTING. At the gym, cycling here, there and everywhere, walking town hall meetings. Would leave you red-faced. Which is perfect for Feb. 2 when Fort Worth goes red for the American Heart Association's National Red Day. If you want to support, walk with the Mayor beginning at noon at City Hall. Mr. B buds -- the Chamber's Bric Shelton and better half Bridget Shelton of Pearl Hospitality -- are "Passion Committee Champions," but this is a public event so no worries.
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FREE MAGAZINE/RELOCATION GUIDE AVAILABLE!
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 Our Fort Worth relocation guides are FREE for members, expanding companies, hospitals, hotels and realtors who would like to come by and pick them up (no shipping charge). One box (120 copies!) per member.
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