The first-ever “Job Sector Survey” aims to collect measurable data about the sentiments, challenges and aspirations of King County employers. Results will be broken down by industry sector, geographic area and company size. This will form a data-rich illustration to guide elected officials, policy-makers and community leaders when making decisions that impact the local economy.

“The survey will tell us what employers on “Main Street” face every day and what they need to succeed,” said Phil Bussey, president & CEO of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “By capturing many different business voices—from storefront retailers to multi-national companies—we will finally have a substantive and relevant information base to determine the best ways to keep and grow jobs.”

“Seattle businesses have been remarkably resilient during the economic downturn, and we must remain innovative in our efforts to support business growth and ensure shared prosperity,” said Steve Johnson, acting director of the City of Seattle’s Office of Economic Development. “It’s essential that government understands the needs of businesses and remains pro-active in its efforts to support business and job growth.”

“Seattle and King County are truly unique in the depth and diversity of industry sectors,” said Bob Drewel, executive director of the Puget Sound Regional Council. “Our task is to assess the strengths of those sectors and then to sustain and to grow them. This survey will be a vital piece of information for regional leaders at all levels.”

Invitations for the online survey will be distributed to employers by each of the partner organizations beginning July 12. A link to the survey will also be posted at http://itstimeforbusiness.com and a hard copy will be available upon request. Responses will be collected until July 24. Each survey respondent will be entered to win two Southwest Airlines Green LUV tickets.

Since multiple organizations will be sending invitations, a single employer may get the survey from several sources. To verify data, participants will be asked to provide contact information. These details will remain confidential and no attribution to individuals will be made.

Partner organizations include:

Associated General Contractors of Washington, Association of Washington Business, Building Owners and Managers Association of Seattle King County, City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, Downtown Seattle Association, enterpriseSeattle, Fremont Chamber of Commerce, Greater Seattle Business Association, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, King County, King County Bar Association, Madison Valley Merchant Group, Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, National Investors Relations Institute Seattle, Prosperity Partnership, Queen Anne Chamber of Commerce, Seattle Business Coalition, Seattle Hotel Association, Seattle’s Convention & Visitors Bureau, Seattle Nightlife and Music Association, SODO Business Association, Tabor 100, Technology Alliance, Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, Trucking Association, Urban Enterprise Center, Washington Research Council, Washington Restaurant Association, Washington Retail Association, Washington Roundtable, Washington Technology Industry Association

Additional partners are welcome. For details, contact George Allen at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce at georgea@seattlechamber.com or (206) 389-7268.

Contestants were asked to demonstrate their positive experience with Microsoft Office 2010 or other Microsoft product. Three finalists were selected out of 33 submissions, with the $10,000 grand prize winner to be announced on May 12 at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Tradeshow at Qwest Field.

Finalists are:

4^th Avenue Media, a marketing company located in Bellevue

Thinkspace, an office space and operations management company located in Redmond

Questkids Clothing, a handcrafted clothing company located in Seattle

The contest was open to any business or organization with seven or fewer full-time employees, so long as they had a Washington state business license and complied with all contest rules.

The contest is part of an ongoing effort by the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Microsoft Corporation to help small businesses increase productivity and profits through technology training and tools.

If you are looking for a chamber to join – the Seattle Chamber is simply the best (even if you live in Bellevue).

March’s host, the PowerPlay Arcade has more than 105 gaming stations, from the to-scale Ferrari simulator with life size rear-ends and 62″ high definition televisions as windshields to the 16 Sega Outrun 2 full motion simulator suites that are inspired by Hummer and Harley Davidson. Then there is the Laser Maze which challenges players to race against the clock by navigating the room without breaking the beam just like Mission Impossible.

Each guest will receive a game card that will allow them to enjoy all that PowerPlay has to offer!

YPN @ Lucky Strike Lanes
Date: Thurs, March 25, 2010
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Lucky Strike Lanes 700 Bellevue Way NE, Suite 250, Bellevue 98004
Members: $15 pre-paid ($20 after 3/23, $25 at the door)
Non-members: $20 ($25 at the door)
Register: Online or contact Larry Pike at larryp@seattlechamber.com | 206.389.7215

About our host
Lucky Strike Bellevue is a sleek, sexy, upscale entertainment venue. The 50,000 square feet includes 16 bowling lanes, pool tables, a private Luxe Lounge, 3 bars, a large open lounge and Power Play which is an adult high-end gaming lounge with more than 125 different arcade games. Lucky Strike can hold parties from 8 guests up to 1450. A happy hour is offered daily from 4-7 p.m. in their lounge with 1/2 off appetizers and drink specials. You can find a live DJ on Friday and Saturday nights with no cover for entry. Whether you are planning a birthday party, holiday party, corporate event or just stopping in with friends or family, Lucky Strike Bellevue will create a memorable experience for every guest.

Why get involved in YPN?

• Exposure to what is going on in Seattle
• To build your business network with other young professionals
• Unique access to regional business leaders and political figures

BellevueBusinessJournal.com has joined with the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Microsoft Corporation for the “It’s Time for Business with Office 2010 Video Contest.”

Participation is easy. Simply follow three steps to enter:

1. Download a FREE trial version of Office 2010 and use it in your business.
2. Create a short video about your positive experience with Office 2010. Your video must be at least 30 seconds but no more than two minutes in length. Absolutely no video production experience is needed!
3. Complete the video contest submission form at itstimeforbusiness.com. Be sure to follow all the required steps.

Videos can demonstrate your favorite feature of Office 2010, show how Office 2010 improves your productivity, or explain how Office products helped you launch your business. Submissions will be judged on five criteria: originality, creativity, concept, information, and overall presentation.

Prizes
$10,000 Best Video/Grand Prize Winner
$1,000 Best Foreign Language Video
$1,000 Best Video by a Woman-Owned Business

ABOUT THE CONTEST
No purchase is necessary but participants must meet all contest rules and eligibility requirements.

Questions? Read the contest FAQs at itstimeforbusiness.com/contest/faqs. Submissions will be accepted until April 22, 2010.

Tickets are only $30 and can be purchased at the Ellensburg Chamber of Commerce located at 609 North Main in Ellensburg, or call 888-925-2204. Each ticket includes a commemorative wine glass and ten tasting scrip; tickets are limited. Of course, participants must be at least 21 years old.

Because Ellensburg is centrally located in the state, it makes for a great host for the Wine Festival; as Ellensburg is somewhat the “entrance” to Washington wine Country. Over 30 Washington State wineries will participate in the festival that was named “One of the top 10 things to do in the Northwest wine country” in Wine Press Northwest magazine!

Below is a sampling of wineries that are participating:

Adamant Cellars

Agatefield Vineyard

Airfield Estates

Bunnell Family Cellar

Daven Lore Winery

Desert Wind Winery

DiStefano Winery

Domaine Winery

Pouillon Winery

Dunham Cellars

Eaton Hill Winery

Gilbert Cellars

Gingko Forest Winery

Hedges Family Estate

J. Bookwalter Winery

Jones of Washington

Kestrel Vintners

Kiona Vineyard & Winery

Knipprath Cellars

Lowden Hills Winery

Martinez & Martinez Winery

Milbrandt Vineyards

Naches Heights Vineyard

Parejas Cellars

Revelry Vintners

San Juan Vineyards

Smanse Cellars

Snowgrass Winery

SuLei Cellars

Swakane Winery

Tertulia Cellars

Tsillan Cellars

Ward Johnson Winery

White Heron Cellars

Whitman Cellars

Wilridge Winery

Windy Point Vineyards

The downtown Ellensburg host venues are Fitterer’s Furniture, Gallery One Visual Arts Center, Pink Catered Events, Shaw’s Furniture & Appliance, The Party Barn Rentals, The Clymer Museum, Sazon, Boys Smith Vision Center, and The River at Grand Central. Each location is within walking distance of each other. Along with wine, each venue will feature live music.

Ellensburg is located in the heart of the beautiful Kittitas Valley and in the center of Washington State, home to year-round recreational activities, numerous events, excellent shopping and dining, and a variety of performing and visual arts. Ellensburg’s historical downtown district is home to art galleries, unique shops, and wonderful restaurants serving some of the Northwest’s best cuisine. Ellensburg is approximately 110 east of Seattle and 170 west of Spokane, log on to visitellen.com today, or head out to Ellensburg to experience the best of the west! Log on to visitellen.com for more information.

To participate, contestants must go to itstimeforbusiness.com/contest and download a free trial version of Office 2010 to use in their business. Any business or organization with seven or fewer full-time employees is eligible, so long as they have a Washington state business license and comply with all contest rules. Submissions will be accepted at itstimeforbusiness.com/contest until April 22, 2010.

The winning entry will receive a $10,000 grand prize. Best foreign language video and best video by a woman-owned business will receive $1,000 prizes.

Video submissions should explain participants’ positive experiences with Office 2010. This could include their favorite features of Office 2010, how Office 2010 increases their productivity, or how Microsoft Office products helped start their business.

Submissions must be at least 30 seconds and no more than two minutes in length. Any style of genre or film is allowed, including, but not limited to, animation, drama, still art, imagery, comedy or documentary. Acceptable file formats are .mp4, .avi, .mov, .mpg and .wmv.

The contest is part of an ongoing effort by the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce and Microsoft Corporation to help small businesses increase productivity and profits through technology training and tools.

Small businesses were projected to maintain or increase investments in technology, even in difficult economic times, according the “Microsoft SMB Insight Report” released last March. Driving technology investments were concerns about declining revenue, competition from larger businesses and general economic difficulties.

“Office 2010 is an incredibly powerful product for entrepreneurs and small business owners,” said Jaana Linsenmayer, senior product manager–IW BMO small business at Microsoft Corporation. “The contest is an exciting opportunity for them to ‘test drive’ the product and get some visibility for their business at the same time.”

“Chambers of commerce are advocates for small business,” said Emmy Jordan, senior vice president at the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce. “As the economy begins to recover, we want small businesses to have a competitive advantage through technology solutions and know-how.”

The winner will be announced on May 12, 2010, at the Greater Seattle Chamber’s Annual Tradeshow. Videos of the finalists and the winning entries will be displayed on itstimeforbusiness.com.

For more information about the contest, visit itstimeforbusiness.com/contest.