WIB Committee Honors Female Rising Star of the Year
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Samantha Jackson is the owner of residential cleaning company, EZ Pizzi Cleaning. Samantha was born in Chester County, then moved to North Carolina, splitting her childhood between the two locations. She attended Downingtown East High School for two years, and graduated in 2006 from West Carteret High School in NC. In 2011, she earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology with a minor in Pulmonary Rehab from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. She then utilized her degree as a personal trainer for years, specializing in training young athletes, specifically volleyball and softball. Samantha had pursued the American dream of business ownership - overcoming challenges, balancing motherhood, and owning a company while still focusing on the community.
Samantha believes in giving back and establishing “hats for the homeless.” She is an active member CCCBI, supporting the chamber and various nonprofits in the community. She was recognized as a VISTA Millennial Superstar in 2023, and was also awarded the 2023 Small Business Person of the Year award with the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce. She is a friend, mother and mentor to her staff and other small business owners. While her goal for EZ Pizzi Cleaning includes endless growth, empowering other small businesses is a passion of hers. The greatest compliment to Samantha is a person confiding and trusting her enough to mentor them through reaching new heights along their journey. “Chester County is filled with inspiring and admirable people,” said Samantha. “I am beyond grateful to be recognized and I appreciate the support from everyone.”
Join us to honor Samantha and our Female Business Leader of the Year, Rosemary Fordjour!
Thursday, May 16, 2024
5:00pm to 7:00pm
Chester Valley Golf Club
Tickets include a sit-down dinner.
$125 for CCCBI Members
$150 for Non-Members
We will be joined by Keynote Speaker, Ann King Lagos, Founder and Designer of REALM Fine + Fashion Jewelry.
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May Speaker Series: Opioids in the Workplace
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Earlier today, CCCBI held it's 5th installment of the 2024 Speaker Series: Opioids in the Workplace.
This informative discussion centered around the reality of opioid use and abuse in Chester County, including how to address opioid use or an overdose, and how employers can navigate employees facing addiction or seeking treatment.
Kathy Collier, the Prevention Program Manager for the Chester County Department of Drug & Alcohol Services, presented attendees with the signs to recognize opioid overdose and how to administer Naloxone, a life-saving medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose. This medication blocks the opioid receptor sites in the brain, halting the body's indicators that opioids are present. Collier also stressed the importance of seeking immediate medical assistance after administering Naloxone.
Michelle Gallo, the Director of Human Resources for the County of Chester offered the County's understandings of the current laws and compliances surrounding employees who are seeking treatment for opioid use.
Attendees included Chester County Commissioner Eric Roe, Honorable John Bailey and Deputy County Administrator Erik T. Walschburger, who offered support for the efforts of the County and the dangers that opioids pose to all demographics.
This event was organized with the assistance of Bob Rafetto and Jim Selken, two long-time CCCBI Members who have experienced employees and employers struggling to navigate opioid use amongst employees.
Drug use and abuse can affect anyone. For anyone looking to learn more about this important topic, please utilize the resources below. For immediate medical attention in a crisis, please call 911.
For questions regarding services or funding,
the Department funds a toll-free Information
and Referral Line:
1-866-286-3767
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services
For questions regarding additional resources or how to help educate your colleagues, please contact Bob Rafetto: bob@rafetto.com
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By Jeremy Grivensky, Esq. and Gordon Prince, Esq.
Gawthrop Greenwood – Attorneys at Law
The United States Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) has issued a new Non-Compete Clause Rule (the “Rule”), banning: (1) employers from enforcing existing noncompete agreements against workers, with limited exceptions applicable only to “senior executives”; and (2) employers from imposing new noncompete contracts on workers (including senior executives) after the date the Rule becomes effective. Under the Rule, employers will be required to notify workers bound by existing noncompetes (unless they are a senior executive) that the employer cannot legally enforce any existing noncompete against them. The Rule provides specifications on what must be included in the notice, and even provides a model notice. The Rule applies not only to employees, but also to independent contractors, interns, volunteers, and apprentices.
One key exception to this ban on noncompetes, both existing and new, is that it does not ban the use of a noncompete clause entered into pursuant to a bona fide sale of a business entity, of a person’s ownership interest in a business entity, or of all or substantially all of a business entity’s operating assets, which is a common provision in such transactions.
The new Rule marks a significant development in business and employment law, and reflects the FTC’s attempts to balance employers’ and workers’ competing interests. Employers and workers alike should consult experienced legal counsel to evaluate any potential impact on their particular business and employment arrangements. The new Rule is set to become effective 120 days after publication in the Federal Register, which is expected to follow soon, but may be paused due to legal challenges. (The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has already said it would sue the FTC to block the Rule.)
Employers generally view noncompetes as essential tools for protecting intellectual property, trade secrets, and capital investments in their workers. In response, the FTC suggests that non-disclosure agreements and existing trade secret laws allow employers to protect these interests, even without noncompetes. It is important to note that the Rule does not affect the enforceability of, or ability to enter into, non-solicitation and confidentiality agreements with employees. Employers of all sizes should engage a lawyer to evaluate the Rule’s effects on their businesses, and develop new strategies for protecting their proprietary information and investments in their employees.
For employees or independent contractors subject to existing noncompetes, the new Rule will make it easier to seek new employment or start new businesses. Employee advocates have long criticized noncompetes, due to their potential to restrict job mobility and discourage competition. Before leaving their current jobs or launching new businesses, workers subject to existing noncompetes should speak to an attorney first.
While the FTC’s new Rule may advance workers’ interests and promote business competition, its implementation will pose legal questions for both employers and workers. As employers and workers prepare for the Rule’s effects, it remains subject to legal scrutiny, and potential litigation may shape the Rule’s scope and the FTC’s enforcement efforts moving forward.
Thank you to Gawthrop Greenwood for providing this informative Legislative Update!
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Attorney Gordon W. Prince is a member of the Business Law Department at Gawthrop Greenwood, PC, where he focuses his practice on business and corporate law, contracts, financing and secured transactions. He was named to Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch 2024, Super Lawyers Rising Star, as well as Top Lawyers in Main Line Today and the Daily Local News. For more information, contact Gordon at gprince@gawthrop.com or 610-696-8225.
Attorney Jeremy Grivensky is a litigator at Gawthrop Greenwood whose practice includes corporate law. He joined the firm in 2022 after graduating magna cum laude from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a Beasley Scholar and an award-winning editor of the Temple Law Review. Jeremy was named to Best Lawyers®: Ones to Watch in 2024 as well as Top Lawyers by Main Line Today and Daily Local News. For more information, contact Jeremy at jgrivensky@gawthrop.com or 610-696-8225.
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Welcome to VRA Realty, your independent boutique brokerage nestled in the heart of West Chester. Proudly serving clients across NJ, PA, MD, and DE, their mission is straightforward: Empowering Human Potential by Providing a Pathway to Financial Freedom Through Real Estate Investing.At VRA Realty, they believe in more than just transactions; they believe in transformation. That's why they're dedicated to teaching agents and consumers alike the art of investing their additional income into creating sustainable passive income streams. Their innovative approach doesn't stop there. Every Friday Morning, they host a transformative Mastermind session that some agents have described as "therapeutic." Here, they come together, support one another, and navigate the challenges—whether personal or professional—that we all encounter on our journey.But their commitment to collaboration doesn't end within their walls. VRA Realty extends an invitation to agents from all brokerages in the area to join their quarterly Mastermind sessions. It's an opportunity to lean into their core value of collaboration, learn from industry-leading speakers, and collectively push the boundaries of our business forward. With a focus on education and community, they're not just changing the real estate game; they're redefining it.
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VRA Realty Offers:
- Weekly Friday Morning Mastermind
- Monthly Investor Meetup hosted by their agent Rob Lawrence
- Agent Quarterly Collaborative Events
- In House Broker Support
- Ongoing Education and Training via The Locker Room Coaching
- E&O Insurance
- Flex Office Space for Agent Use
- VRA Branded App for Agents to Communicate and Share Resources
- Online Branded Store for Custom Merchandise
- Weekly Sales Training
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We’d love to hear from and highlight your business! We are seeking member spotlight stories to include in our weekly newsletter!
Email your news to abby@chescochamber.org
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