The Charlestown Business Association invites members and the public to join a "Business After Five" St. Patrick's Day Social. The event will take place at Tangierino on Wednesday, March 17th, from 5:30 - 7 pm. Join us after work for Tangierino's delicious appetizers, and business and social networking on St. Patrick's Day. Mix with other local businesses and residents, while having a great time after work in Charlestown.

The event is FREE for CBA members and $20.00 for non-members and the public. Tangierino is located at 83 Main Street, in Charlestown. REGISTER AT http://www.charlestownbusiness.com

Bunker Hill Community College and the Massachusetts Office of Small Business and Entrepreneurship Present Darryl Settles, Founder and Owner of The Beehive

Darryl Settles, Founder and Owner of The Beehive will be speaking about his experiences as an entrepreneur on Thursday, March 4th at 2pm. The event will take place in Room A300 Lobby Bunker Hill Community College, Charlestown Campus.

The City of Boston Office of Business Development will be coming in to talk to CBA Members about what resources and programs are available from the City of Boston Office of Business Development for city and Charlestown business.

Some of these programs include the Boston Small Business Resource Guide - A guide designed to help business owners navigate the process of starting, expanding, or relocating a business; The Neighborhood Restaurant Initiative – Designed to provide restaurants with a variety of targeted resources ranging from business development, to licensing and permitting assistance, to marketing and design; and ReStore Boston – Designed to assist neighborhood business and property owners with storefront improvements with professional design services, signage, security measures, and general repairs.

Speakers will include Office of Business Development Deputy Director, Rafael Carbonell and Steve Rumpler Senior Program Manager, who will also be speaking about other Economic Development Initiatives such as Boston Buying Power – A cost-saving initiative that allows small businesses to purchase energy at a long-term fixed price through access to the deregulated energy market; Boston Community Change – A neighborhood-based customer loyalty program that allows you to Shop Locally, Share Locally; Boston Invests in Growth – A loan pool designed to jumpstart well-financed construction projects, create jobs, and strengthen Boston’s economy; and Partners with Nonprofits – Provides matching grants up to $25,000 to help nonprofit organizations enhance the infrastructure of facilities that serve the immediate community.

This meeting location is yet to be determined and will be announced shortly. If you are interested in sponsoring or hosting this meeting please contact the CBA at info@charlestownbusiness.com

To find out more about the Office of Business Development http://www.cityofboston.gov/dnd/obd/default.asp

The Charlestown Business Association held it's kick-off Annual kick-off meeting, celebrating 25th years of service in Charlestown. This year's event was held February 11th and was sponsored by the new Fairmont Battery Wharf in Boston's North End to promote this year's theme "Thinking outside the Town."

"The CBA is going to focus on helping businesses market themselves to customers outside of Charlestown," says Karl Hoyt CBA Co-chair. "We are going to offer various events and educational meeting to help businesses do this."

Those in attendance included policital figures Councilman Sal LaMattina and Candidate for State Senate (D)Michael Albano, along with over thirty business people from Charlestown and the Boston area attended the event to network their businesses.

Business attendees included Jim Brogan (Northpoint Investments), Patti Fine, Anne Connolly and Helene Tassone (ConSoné Academy), Leah Horgan (Tangierino), MaryLee Trettenero (Boston Intuitive) Carl & Cathy Blatchley (My Computers Run), Diane Grant (Diane Grant Design), Karl Hoyt (Whittemore Wright Co), Mark Daly, Dan Polvere, Bill McCarthy & Susan Blum (McCullough Stievater Polvere), Heather Ruthoff (Red Jewel Photography), Catherine Applegate (Etcetera), Robert Aldrich (Eventwon), Pamela-Scott Smith (Scott Smith Marketing PR), Corrine Hood-Green (Attorney), Greg Messer (GP Messer CPAs), Christiane Wolff (Bunker Hill Bed and Breakfast), Bette Task (Bunker Hill Florist), Steven Telesmanick (Constitution Inn), Tom Coots (Cooperative Bank), Lysa Miller (Ladybugz Inc.), Kendall DeLong (Mary Kay), Mary Ann Chase (Attorney), Robert Borzakian, Jr. (Liberty Bell), John Moore (Navy Yard Bistro), Arthur Krolman (Krolman Corp).

The Fairmont Battery Wharf, who sponsored the event, served a various selection of delicious appetizers, and dessert in their "Skylight" room, a beautiful room used for receptions for larger events. The hotel staff also gave tours of the new property to attendees.

CBA co-chair Tom Coots spoke at the event outlining the year's upcoming events, introducing the CBA board, thanking attendees and volunteers and introducing the 2010 advertising campaign for the CBA "Thinking Outside the Town".

The CBA would like to thank Hilary Green and the Fairmont Battery Wharf for sponsoring the event, and CBA Members and others in attendance at the Annual Meeting, along with the CBA's volunteer board (Tom Coots, Karl Hoyt, Diane Grant, Jessica Cluff, MaryLee Trettenero, Mark Daly and John Moore).

To find out more about the CBA and it's events go to http://www.charlestownbusiness.com

The Charlestown Business Association has created a “Linked In” group for CBA members to join to network their businesses and also post topics, discussions, events and discounts. To join the group please click join http://www.linkedin.com and search for our Group - Charlestown Business Association and request to join the group.

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