Tradeshow, awards, workshops among this week's business news

31st annual Business-To-Business Tradeshow to be held May 23

The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce is planning their 31st Annual BusinessConnection Tradeshow in the Amarillo Civic Center on Thursday, May 23.

This event is the longest-running annual event offered by the Chamber and is designed for businesses to promote their products and services to an estimated 4,000 visitors at the show each year, according to a news release. This is also a great opportunity for members to network with other business professionals and potential customers.

The Chamber is currently signing up exhibitors for the show. “We will have both the North Exhibit Hall and the Heritage Ballroom of the Civic Center filled with more than 250 booths for the one-day show. It’s a great way for the public to come check out a wide variety of businesses and industries as well as non-profit organizations all under one roof,” said Jason Harrison, President & CEO of the Amarillo Chamber of Commerce.

A 10x10 booth to exhibit at the show can be reserved for $400 each by contacting the Chamber. Attending the show to visit the booths is free with a VIP ticket between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., or guests can give a business card for entry during those hours. The general public can attend the show from 1 to 4 p.m. for a $5 admission charge. VIP tickets can be picked up for free at the Chamber offices downtown at 1000 S Polk during normal business hours from now until the day before the show.

Also, at the event this year, the Tradeshow Food Court will feature food and drinks from more than 15 restaurants and caterers. Food Court tickets are available through Wednesday, May 22, for $10 each or $15 each the day of the event. Food Court tickets include a one-time entry for all you can eat lunch between 1130 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in the Regency Room. The Food Court is sponsored by Affiliated Foods and Ben E Keith. Note: VIP and general admission does not include entry to the food court.

For more information on this show, call (806) 373-7800 or visit www.amarillo-chamber.org/businessconnection.html.

McDonald's Gives Back Day promotion to benefit 100 Club of Texas Panhandle

McDonald’s is teaming up with the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle for the next McDonald’s Gives Back Day, which is scheduled for Tuesday, April 30.

On that day, a portion of sales from participating McDonald’s locations in Amarillo, Canyon, Dumas, Dalhart, and Borger will go to benefit the regional non-profit, which is dedicated to providing assistance to the families of certified peace officers and firefighters killed or injured in the line of duty.

“The recent wildfires really highlight the dangerous circumstances our first responders face in keeping our communities safe,” explains Stephanie Khayat, Marking Coordinator for McDonald’s. “That’s why we felt the 100 Club was the perfect organization to benefit from our next McDonald’s Give Back Day.”

The 100 Club also provides law enforcement and firefighting agencies with life-protecting equipment that cannot be secured through budgeted funds. “Every dollar raised goes back to help our first responders,” explains 100 Club Executive Director Suzanne Talley. “Whether it’s providing financial support for a family or donating much-needed equipment, the 100 Club is dedicated to supporting our first responders on a number of levels.”

People can support The 100 Club by simply visiting any participating McDonald’s location in Amarillo, Canyon, Dumas, Dalhart, and Borger on Tuesday, April 30.

Since McDonald’s Gives Back Days began in 2020, more than $77,000 has been donated to local nonprofits including Amarillo Angels, Heal The City, The Ronald McDonald House of Amarillo, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Opportunity School, Downtown Women’s Center, Turn Center, Wesley Community Center, High Plains Food Bank, Los Barrios de Amarillo, and Faith City Mission.

Purina delivers $25,000 to the Humane Society of Deaf Smith County Second Chance Shelter as factory welcomes new leadership

HEREFORD – Team members from Purina in Hereford recently presented a $25,000 donation to leaders of the Humane Society of Deaf Smith County (DSC) Second Chance Shelter to support a program for spay and neuter surgeries.

Founded in 1999, the Humane Society of Deaf Smith County provides services to animals and strives to build a community where people value and respect animals. The Humane Society of Deaf Smith County provides care, comfort and compassion to abandoned and homeless dogs and cats. The organization’s mission is to prevent cruelty to animals, reduce animal suffering and expand humane education. The donation from Purina will be used to purchase a mobile unit or to partner with a local school to provide spay and neuter surgeries that may be too expensive for some adopters.

“We are honored to accept this donation from Purina as it will help us make a difference in the community,” said Director for the Deaf Smith County Humane Society, Kim Leonard in a news release. “Spay and neuter surgeries can be expensive for new pet adopters and with this grant money, we hope to find unique solutions for families looking to bring an adoptable pet into their home. We recognize the important work we have to do, and this donation is crucial in helping us achieve that.”

“At Purina, we focus on crafting the best quality food for pets, but we are just as passionate about the communities where we serve,” said Héctor Vallejo Paz, new factory manager of the Purina facility in Hereford. “I’m excited that we are able to give back in this way to animals in need. This investment in the community is why we are thrilled to present The Humane Society of Deaf Smith County’s commitment to caring for homeless animals and educating the public on this issue makes us confident they will use these funds to make a positive difference for pets – and people who love them – in this community.”

Recently named Hereford Factory Manager Hector Vallejo Paz is from Minatitlan, Veracruz and has worked in manufacturing for 21 years. He started his career with Purina in 2003 on the Nestle Productivity team and worked his way up to factory manager in Venezuela and eventually Mexico in 2019. His accomplishments include leading the Mexico factory one year without recordable accidents for the first time in the history of the plant in 2021. He was also key in increasing the number of female employees from 10% to 30% in 2023. Paz received his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a Master of Science in Automotive Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden. Paz lives with Max, his 7-year-old Maltese.

In the last five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million to organizations focused on making a difference for pets, people and the planet. The Purina Hereford factory employs more than 390 local associates. To learn more about causes Purina supports, visit purina.com/partnerships.

QuickBooks workshop to be held May 18 in Borger for agricultural, other business owners

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a QuickBooks Online Plus accounting software workshop on May 18 at Frank Phillips College in Borger. The one-day workshop will be held from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. in Room 117 at the college’s Center for Access and Innovation, 901 S. Opal St.

Registration cost is $50 and should be completed online at https://tx.ag/QuickBooksBorger2024. The registration deadline is May 15. The registration fee includes course materials and computer use. Couples are encouraged to attend and will be charged a single registration fee if they share a computer.

“We are limiting each session to 12 participants because we want each attendee to be in front of a computer,” said DeDe Jones, AgriLife Extension risk management specialist, Amarillo. “If the class fills up, then we will add additional classes as needed.” Jones, along with Will Keeling, AgriLife Extension risk management specialist, Lubbock, will be teaching the course.

Participants will learn the fundamentals of QuickBooks, including entering transactions, analyzing costs and profits, and payroll. QuickBooks Online Plus is a double-entry business accounting program often used by agricultural lenders and other small businesses, Jones said. During the course, participants will learn to enter transactions into the program and analyze costs and profits. No prior computer experience is necessary, she said.

For more information, contact Jones at 806-677-5600 or at dljones@ag.tamu.edu.

WT’s The Prairie News, 1910 PR win 13 statewide journalism awards

CANYON —West Texas A&M University students brought home 13 awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference in San Marcos.

Two student media organizations in the Department of Communication won awards: The Prairie News, WT’s student-run news organization, and 1910 PR, WT’s student-run public relations firm. Winning students came from the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, and the the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business.

Jo Early, a senior digital communication and media major from Amarillo and editor-in-chief for The Prairie News, won first place in the print news writing live competition, third place for “The Tale of Sarah Jane” multimedia feature, and first place for the “College of Engineering Launches Fourth Punkin’ Chunkin” general news video/multimedia story, both previously published on The Prairie News’ website.

JoLina Lopez, a senior digital communication and media major from Abernathy and social media engagement coordinator and associate editor-in-chief for The Prairie News, won first place for the previously published “Lost Faces, Found Voices” multimedia feature and second place for the general news video/multimedia story “Senate Bill 17 impacts diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at West Texas A&M.”

Lindsey Sawin, a December agricultural media and communication graduate from Vernon, won first place for the “What to Know about Thunder XIV” interactive infographics she created for a multimedia journalism course and later submitted for publication at The Prairie News.

The conference ran April 11 to 13.

Xcel Energy provides tree planting guide to help customers make best choices

Trees play an important role in regulating and improving the natural environment, and for Texas and New Mexico residents looking to save money on their electric bills, they’re an effective way to reduce the impact of summer heat and lower energy costs as well.

Xcel Energy is marking Earth Day by reminding area customers they can make the best choices on what and where to plant through Xcel Energy’s online tree-planting guide, customized for the region’s unique growing conditions.

“Trees are especially valued by customers in our area, not only for their aesthetic value but also for shading the sun and blocking the wind,” said Michael Swanson, program manager for Xcel Energy’s vegetation management group in Amarillo. “We encourage our customers to consider investing in trees that will stand up to our weather and to plant them in locations where they won’t interfere with power lines. This ensures everyone’s safety and helps us maintain high reliability on the electrical system.”

Carefully designed landscaping is one of the most cost-effective investments available to reduce energy costs, paying for itself in energy savings in seven to 10 years. Shaded surfaces may be 20 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the peak temperatures outside of the shade. Planting the right kind of trees around homes and businesses takes the edge off a hot day and prevents air conditioning units from cycling as often. Not only does this ease the strain on the equipment, but it also saves on monthly electric bills as well.

Information on where to plant trees and which varieties thrive in this region can be found on the sustainable landscaping page of xcelenergy.com.

Xcel Energy also is reminding customers to call 811 to have underground lines marked before taking on any landscaping projects such as tree planting that require digging.

Chuy's among businesses to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 5

At Chuy’s, Cinco de Mayo is a day full of fun and flavor, and you’ll have no better choice than to fill your cups, lift ‘em up and live it up. They’ve got food and drink specials for dine-in customers all day on Sunday, May 5.

The Tex-Mex restaurant founded in Austin is known for its menu of made-from-scratch dishes, fresh-squeezed lime juice margaritas, large portions, and a fun, eclectic atmosphere. Hours of operation vary by location. Visit http://www.chuys.com/locations for more info.

Chuy’s is offering drink and food deals throughout the day. And starting on April 29 and going through June 9, they will be offering three new, limited-time specials: Green Chile BBQ Ribs, Pablo’s Enchiladas and Fat Daddy Flautas.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo area business news and developments for April 28, 2024