The Dallas Regional Chamber is partnering with The City of Dallas and Education is Freedom (EiF) to offer more than 400 public school students in DISD and charters a real world job experience this summer through the Mayor’s Intern Fellow Program.  You can make this a reality, and we call upon you to host or sponsor an intern(s) for 20, 32, or 40 hours a week and profoundly impact a young person’s vision for his or her future. Companies that cannot employ an intern can sponsor an intern to work at a community organization or the City of Dallas office.

Open to businesses and community organizations of all sizes, the program provides paid internships and professional experiences. Your business will help develop the workforce of tomorrow by providing much needed job and communication skills; the soft skills that we all have to learn outside of the classroom. In addition, EiF provides training in resume writing, interview skills, and continues to monitor the interns’ progress through regular site visits.

Designed to provide a paid 8-week summer internship, this experience allows students to visualize their future, see the possibilities a quality education can present, and provide tools to chart the course to accomplish their goals. Equally as important, these young people will receive the opportunity to witness the powerful link between higher education and success in the workplace. The valuable experience gained from the internship will benefit the students in the coming years, as they apply for colleges, get into colleges, and apply for professional jobs.

The National Student Clearinghouse reports that 82 percent of the previous Mayor’s Intern Fellows who have graduated from high school since 2008 are verified as enrolled in college. This includes prestigious institutions including Georgetown University, Northwestern University, Howard University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University, Texas Woman’s University and Southern Methodist University.

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings is challenging us as corporate and community leaders to make this the most beneficial summer intern program in the nation. Register online at www.mayorsinterns.org for your intern(s) by March 1, 2012.  For more information, please call program administrator EiF at 214-432-8552, go to the official website at www.mayorsinterns.org, or direct inquiries to Adam Powell at APowell@educationisfreedom.org. Here also are a Program Brochure and an At a Glance Fact Sheet, providing a timetable and information on what is required of your organization.

The goal in 2012 is to employ 400 interns at 150 or more companies. Take the challenge now and commit to sponsoring interns for the next summer. Your commitment today will help secure the City of Dallas’s success tomorrow and dramatically change the life of a young person.

• An overview of the DRC’s priorities and objectives for 2012
• Listings of the Board of Directors and staff members
• Member benefits
• DFW Details – statistics about the region
• Alphabetical and categorical listings of DRC members

This directory is free to members and available to non-members for $54.13.  You can order online by clicking here.  Be sure to also check out the online directory for the most up-to-date listing of members, as this list is updated daily.

If you have questions about your listing, please contact Yolonda Henderson, Manager of Member Services at (214) 746-6613 or yhenderson@dallaschamber.org.

Word of mouth is a powerful advertising tool.  Does anyone remember the Faberge Organics Shampoo commercial?  “’When I first tried Faberge Organics Shampoo with pure wheat germ oil and honey, it was so good I told two friends about it.  And they told two friends.  And so on, and so on…’”  If you are just dying to step back into the 80’s, here’s a link to the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcskckuosxQ.

We can all recall having a great experience with a company or product and wanting to share this information with friends, family and colleagues.  Referrals are extremely valuable to both the product/service provider and those seeking the product/service.  It lends credibility and a sense of comfort.

The Dallas Regional Chamber has been in the referral business for 103 years.  Referring DRC members is a daily practice, and anyone can view our list of members when looking for products and services.  This list is available online, in print, and by calling the DRC (214-746-6600).  We even track the number of times our members’ information is reviewed or requested online and through our switchboard.

Understanding the value of a referral, the DRC is excited to announce its Member-Get-A-Member membership recruitment program.  It is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Share the benefits of DRC membership and your experience with a colleague, vendor, client or friend who is not a member.
2. Have them complete a membership application and return it with their membership investment to the DRC.  (Make sure your name is listed on the application as “Referred by.”
3. Receive a $75 DRC credit once the company is an active member.  This credit can be used toward any future DRC purchase in 2012…event ticket, sponsorship, membership dues, tuition, etc.

Member benefits and a list of DRC priorities and initiatives can be found on our website: www.dallaschamber.org.

Top recruiters will be recognized with prizes throughout the year, including gift certificates from member businesses, profiles in the Chamber Report and recognition at events.  If you have questions about this program, or DRC membership, please contact me at (214) 746-6729 or jschmiel@dallaschamber.org.

Growing our membership will not only strengthen our voice when advocating for business and the region, but it will help us achieve our mission of making the Dallas region the most economically prosperous region, and the most desirable place to live and work, in the United States.

I would like to introduce you to Emma, our new email-marketing partner. Starting February 1, we are launching a new email-marketing plan. Our goal is to send you messages in which you are interested. In order to do that we need YOUR help! Click here to update your profile and select the types of messages you would like to receive from us.

Here are some of the things you will get from us:

• Chamber Report – bi-weekly all chamber newsletter
• Events Email – bi-weekly calendar of upcoming chamber events
• Small Business Initiatives  – resources and events for the small business community
• Life Science Connection – a quarter update of the life science community
• Public Policy Pulse – bi-weekly public policy update from around the state (coming in mid-2012)
• Economic Development Updates – news of companies relocating and expanding to DFW (coming in mid-2012)
• Young Professional Updates – stay up-to-date on events and news from YP

Email marketing is a crucial communications channel in business today and Emma understands how important it is to you and your company. We have partnered with Emma to offer a 20% discount on all its services to our members. If you would like to take advantage of this offer contact our Emma Business Specialist, Jonathan Gesinger at 800.595.4401 x195.

I want to hear from you. Do you have suggestions on how we can improve our email marketing efforts? What has worked for you? What types of things would you like to see from us? Leave your comments below.

January is School Board Recognition Month in Texas.  It’s a time to formally acknowledge the efforts of our local school board trustees and thank them for their service to our communities and our children.  Local school board members invest countless hours each week, and serve totally as volunteers with no compensation.

Front row L-R, Bruce Parrott, Adam Medrano, Dr. Lew Blackburn, Interim Superintendent Alan King, Dr. Edwin Flores. Back row L-R, Eric Cowan, Bernadette Nutall, Carla Ranger, Nancy Bingham and Mike Morath

The nine Dallas ISD Trustees are tasked with the mammoth challenge of overseeing the 14th largest school district in the nation with a diverse population of more than 157,000 students in 225 schools, more than 20,000 employees, and a nearly a $1.2 billion operating budget.  Currently they are wrestling with important decisions around the issues of massive budget cuts, school consolidations and the selection of a new superintendent.

On behalf of the Dallas Regional Chamber, we say thank you to Dr. Lew Blackburn, Adam Medrano, Dr. Edwin Flores, Eric Cowan, Nancy Bingham, Bruce Parrott, Carla Ranger, Mike Morath and Bernadette Nutall for their service as Trustees of the Dallas Independent School District.

Many locally-elected school board members govern the public school districts we all live and work in across the region.  Reach out to them and say thank you also during this month of recognition.

The goal in 2012 is to employ 400+ interns at 150+ companies in an 8-week summer program designed to give Dallas public and charter school students’ access and exposure to a real world job experience.   Corporate, non-profit and other community leaders are invited to participate, helping to create one of the largest, and perhaps the most beneficial, summer internship programs in the nation.

The goal is to give students the opportunity to witness the powerful linkage between higher education and success in the workplace.   Take the challenge now and commit to sponsoring an intern(s) this summer.  By committing to host or sponsor an intern(s) for just 20 hours a week, you can profoundly impact a young person’s vision for his or her future.  Your commitment today will inevitably secure the city of Dallas’s success tomorrow!    Register online for your intern(s) by 3/1/2012 at www.mayorsinterns.org. 

For more information, please call us at 214-432-8552.  Also feel free to direct inquiries to Adam Powell at APowell@educationisfreedom.org

Education is Freedom is changing lives by increasing the number of underserved youth in Dallas who graduate high school and pursue a higher education by offering high quality, comprehensive college planning services through a dedicated team of school-based experts.  Education is Freedom partners with the City of Dallas and the Dallas Regional Chamber, facilitating and administering the Mayor’s Interns Fellows Program.

]]> http://dallaschamberblog.org/2012/01/23/join-mayor-mike-rawlings-2012-corporate-challenge-and-invest-in-the-future-of-dallas/feed/ 0 dallasregionalchamber http://dallaschamberblog.org/2012/01/23/introduction-to-intellectual-property-part-2-copyrights-trademarks-and-trade-secrets-oh-my/ http://dallaschamberblog.org/2012/01/23/introduction-to-intellectual-property-part-2-copyrights-trademarks-and-trade-secrets-oh-my/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:35:57 +0000 Dallas Regional Chamber http://dallaschamberblog.org/?p=3041 Continue reading →]]> By Jeremy Vickers, Director of Innovation

The second part of our Introduction to Intellectual Property Series continues the dialogue on types of IP. Many of you may be familiar with patents as a foundation tool for technology companies but may not be familiar with the other three types of IP: Copyrights, Trademarks, and Trade Secrets, Oh My! (My apologies to Judy Garland). We plan to cover the key pieces to each and describe what differentiates them here.

What are copyrights? How do I know if something is copyrighted?
Copyrights are reserved for original works of including anything literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic. Examples of copyrighted materials are software programs and architecture, poems, songs, movies, websites, and other content created by a person or organization.

Defining whether something is copyrighted is relatively simple. According to the USPTO, a copyright exists from the moment the work is created regardless of whether the word copyright is affixed to it. Copyrights do not need to be registered to be protected, but it is encouraged for works that may be very public and require documentation to prove their ownership. Bear in mind that any time a document is created, a website published, a presentation given or a piece of unique code written it is protectable as copyrighted material.

What is a Trademark? What is a Service mark? How do I register either?
Trademarks tend to be a little clearer cut than the other types of IP in that they cover a word, phrase, symbol, design, or logo. Imagine anything that your marketing or advertising team has created that is branding your company as something that can be trademarked. It is important to remember as you start a company or create new branding identities that you review what already exists in order to reduce your risk for Trademark violations.

A Servicemark (SM) is a form of Trademark IP that exemplifies how you use do business. For instance, a Servicemark would be used to describe the services you represent or sell while a Trademark (TM) would be used for the products. In general, a Servicemark is merely a type of Trademark.

Searching for and registering a Trademark is simple. There are dozens of tools and resources that exist, but it is always important to consult an attorney as you begin this process. The USPTO should be your second stop as they possess and maintain the database of all registered IP.

The process of applying for a Trademark is not as simple as letting the USPTO know that you want to register. You must clearly define the scope of products and services you sell as well as they key markets they apply to in order to for others to understand where a violation would occur.

What is a Trade Secret? How does it differ from a Patent?
A Trade Secret is a process, chemical composition, formula, design, pattern, or sequence of information that a company desires to keep secret through a series of internal processes. Three important things must occur for a Trade Secret to be in place.

First, what is kept secret must not be known in the general public. Second, possessing this secret must lend some economic benefit to the holder of the Trade Secret. Third, the holder of the secret must have made reasonable effort in maintaining secrecy. Examples of maintaining internal secrecy are non-compete and non-disclosure agreements (NDA).

The protection of Trade Secrets does differ quite significantly from other forms of IP which are protected under Federal law. Trade Secrets are governed state to state by the Uniform Trade Secrets Act with the exception of a few states (Texas is an exception). The difference in the laws in Texas are not significant and Texas does impose civil liabilities (and in some cases criminal penalties) for those that misuse Trade Secrets. We encourage further discussions with attorneys to understand the differences in law.

Where can I go to learn more about the four types of Intellectual Property?
It is important to discuss your own needs and organizational needs with an Intellectual Property attorney. There are dozens of large and small firms in North Texas that can help you out. Further, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (www.USPTO.gov) is a go-to resource for understanding the types of IP and the respective processes for registering them.

We are getting close to announcing the date, location, and detailed agenda for an upcoming Patent Issue Forum. Please stay tuned as we hope to release this information in the upcoming weeks.

The Dallas Regional Chamber’s efforts to drive improvements in public education are drawing notice, and according to a Sunday Dallas Morning News editorial, are among the positive avenues of support and partnership a new Dallas ISD superintendent can expect to find here.

Entitled “Foundation for Next DISD Chief”, the editorial doesn’t shy away from the challenges a new leader will undoubtedly face.  The main message, however, is that “Candidates also should know the things that may set Dallas schools apart from many urban districts across the nation.  That list is considerable, too. Consider them footholds for a difficult climb. Consider them selling points for the job of preparing the next generation of Dallas leaders.”

Among those selling points is the backing of the Dallas Regional Chamber and area business leaders, as well as the newly formed education coalition Commit!, which was recently incubated by the DRC.  Also listed front and center are the efforts of EducateDallas, a new political action committee supported by the DRC.

Characterizing that support as “The Rear Guard,” here’s what the Dallas Morning News had to say:

“Dallas’ political, philanthropic and business leaders will have the next superintendent’s back. They recognize that healthy schools are vital to reigniting the city’s growth and continuing to attract major employers. Thus they have pledged to help transform the school district into an asset to place on civic brochures. That’s a tall order, but the influence of City Hall and Mayor Mike Rawlings, plus the Dallas Regional Chamber, is being brought to bear. Rawlings has said he will ask the next superintendent what he or she needs to be more effective, and he will tap businesses to make it happen. It could be coming up with resources, partnering at schools or offering sheer moral support. Dallas school trustees have also committed to a new coalition, Commit, made up of educators, philanthropists and business leaders who pledge to encourage research-driven changes. The bottom line is that the next superintendent could whip out a cell phone to reach enlightened reformers and friends in high places.”

Additionally, there are words of praise for EducateDallas, a general purpose political action committee dedicated to electing high-quality members to the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees and serving as a force to bring education reform to Dallas:

“A new PAC has emerged, EducateDallas, with plans to recruit board candidates who subscribe to that philosophy.”

Bravo!