MCCC Center For Workforce Development Offers Professional Development Series For Business Owners, Entrepreneurs And Managers

Blue Bell/Pottstown, Pa.—Area business owners, managers and entrepreneurs can prepare to take their businesses to the next level with a series of non-credit professional development courses taught by industry experts being offered by the Montgomery County Community College Center for Workforce Development.

The Center for Workforce Development will offer five seminars on timely, relevant topics including social media marketing, ESOPs and profitability, succession planning, employment law and strategic negotiation on Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. from April 6 to May 4 on the College’s Central Campus at 340 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell, Pa.

Social Media Marketing (April 4, Parkhouse Hall Room 309): Tap into the power of social media marketing through exploration of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and others. Learn how to establish a social presence that fits your brand, organic posting and scheduling techniques, and targeting paid social advertising. Taught by Devin Concannon, who has managed search engine optimization, conversion rate optimization, paid search, and social media across a digital agency, a Fortune 500, a late stage, and early stage startup. (Course Code: BICBC 1041).

ESOPs and Profitability (April 13, Parkhouse Hall Room 101):  As the Baby-Boomers age, tens of thousands of businesses will be sold over the next decade. Forward-thinking owners are looking for ways to grow their enterprises, take care of their families, and reward the employees integral to their success. This course, led by the Kevin McPhillips, CEO of the non-profit Pennsylvania Center for Employee Ownership, provides an overview of the Employee Stock Ownership Plan basics. Participants will learn how they can be paid handsomely for some or all of their business, while dramatically improving productivity, and rewarding and engaging employees. (Course Code: BICBC 1042).

Succession Planning (April 20, Parkhouse Hall Room 101):  Banks usually require key man life insurance on closely held corporations. Good companies always coach future leaders for success. Learn how to develop a succession plan within your organization and why it is important. Taught by Eapen Johnson, a senior level human resources executive with more than 20 years of experience. (Course Code: BICBC 1043).

Employment Law (April 27, Parkhouse Hall Room 101):  Stay abreast of recent changes in employment law that can affect your business. Taught by Meloney Sallie-Dosunmu, a national and international speaker, trainer, consultant and recognized expert on human resources, leadership and management.  (Course Code: BICBC 1044)

Strategic Negotiation (May 4, Parkhouse Hall Room 101):  Provides individuals at all career stages, including rising managers, with skills to improve negotiation and performance. Learn to approach transactions strategically, think critically, and motivate behavior. Taught by Jeffrey T. Tucker, chair of the Employment Law Practice Group and a member of the Education, Business, and Municipal Law Practice Groups of the Bethlehem, Pa. based law firm of King, Spry, Herman, Freund & Faul. (Course Code: BICBC 1045)

Each session is $125, or you can register for all five sessions for $500 – a $125 savings. To register, call 215-641-6397, and provide the Course Code associated with each session for which you would like to register. If registering for all five sessions, use the Course Code BICBC 1040.

About Montgomery County Community College

For more than 50 years, Montgomery County Community College has grown with the community to meet the evolving educational needs of Montgomery County. The College’s comprehensive curriculum includes more than 100 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as customized workforce training and certifications. Students enjoy the flexibility of learning at the College’s thriving campuses in Blue Bell and Pottstown, at the Culinary Arts Institute in Lansdale, and online through a robust Virtual Campus.

As an Achieving the Dream Leader College, the institution is positioned at the vanguard of national efforts to increase completion, improve learning outcomes, and remove barriers to access for students. The College is also recognized regionally and nationally for its sustainability leadership, work with military veterans, community service and service learning opportunities, and use of classroom technology. For more information, visit http://www.mc3.edu.

Professional Development Series Announced‏

Professional Development Series Announced The Lehigh Valley Arts Council announces their 2016 Professional Development Series for business-minded arts professionals who wish to stay current in their field. Beginning in the new year, three seminars are scheduled that will examine new marketing strategies and advances in technology. Each session features relevant experts as presenters. Arts Council members enjoy a fee discount; however, enrollment is limited and reservations are needed in advance. Refreshments will be provided. To order tickets, visit LVArtsCouncil.org. Digital Storytelling: Put Your Best Story Forward On January 19, 2016, the informational seminar Digital Storytelling: Put Your Best Story Forward, will address the tremendous growth of the web and social media as it applies to artists and arts organizations for marketing purposes. Two presenters, Caroline Savage, Program Director of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and Ken Unangst, Owner & Founder of Digital Feast, will provide examples on how to clearly define a message in order to capture attention and engage an audience. Both of these professionals specialize in working with arts organizations and arts businesses, assisting them with comunitcating through visuals and technology. The panelists will provide examples of how to clearly define your message by addressing the following questions: What does your mission look like? How do you create a story that resonates with the community? What is the value and impact of this visual medium on your audiences? Location: Butz Corporate Center , 9th & Hamilton, 2nd Floor conference room Time: 5:30 to 8:00PM. Fees: $25 for Lehigh Valley Arts Council members; $45 for nonmembers. An Introduction to 3-D Printing On May 21, 2016, artists and designers will have the opportunity to experience 3-D Printing in a workshop that allows attendees to design and print their own creations. The process involves a scan of an object with a 3-D scanner, then uses computer technology to slowly manufacture successive layers, recreating the original form in a new material. Presenter Brian Slocum, Managing Director of Design Labs at Lehigh University, will guide the workshop and explain the endless possibilities of this innovative process as it pertains to the future of design and engineering. Location: Lehigh University, Wilbur Powerhouse Prototyping Lab Time: 9:30AM to 12:30PM Fees (includes materials): $75 for Arts Council members; $100 for nonmembers. Call for Artists: Are You Ready to Answer? On July 12, 2016, this seminar will explore the various components of a successful submission, including the right marketing materials and contractual requirements. Competition in the arts for commissions, exhibitions, and sales requires that an artist be ready in advance to submit a professional application. Organization is key to preparing your materials, but what extra steps do you need to take in order to market and promote your work in the best light? Our presenters, Sculptor Daniel Kainz and Nicole J. O’Hara, Esquire, Gross McGinley, LLP, will give insight on the entrepreneurial side of being a professional artist. Location: Butz Corporate Center, 9th & Hamilton, 2nd Floor conference room Time: 5:30PM to 8:00PM Fees: $25 for Arts Council members; $45 for nonmembers.

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About the Lehigh Valley Arts Council The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is the region’s central voice for the arts, promoting arts awareness and advocating its value while strengthening access to the arts for all citizens in our community. The Arts Council’s mission is to promote the arts; to encourage and support artists and their development; to assist arts organizations; and to facilitate communication and cooperation among artists, arts organizations, and the community. Services include arts research and advocacy, professional development seminars, publications, and cooperative regional marketing initiatives.

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Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101 610-437-5915 / operations@LVArtsCouncil.org www.LVArtsCouncil.org / www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org

Digital Storytelling: Put Your Best Story Forward A Professional Development Seminar

As part of its Professional Development Series, the Lehigh Valley Arts Council is presenting a seminar about the art of digital storytelling, on Tuesday, October 27, 2015, at the Butz Corporate Center , 9th & Hamilton, 2nd Floor conference room from 5:30 to 8:00PM. Featured presenters are Caroline Savage, Program Director of Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and Ken Unangst, Owner & Founder of Digital Feast. Both of these professionals specialize in working with arts organizations and arts businesses, assisting them with communicating through visuals and technology . “Whether you are applying for a grant or promoting your arts business, your story defines you,” says Randall Forte, Lehigh Valley Arts Council Executive Director, “and that story needs to be about people, about arts, and about relevance.” With the tremendous growth of web and social media marketing, it is vital to capture attention in an engaging and concise way. The panelists will provide examples of how to clearly define your message by addressing the following questions: What does your mission look like? How do you create a story that resonates with the community? What is the value and impact of this visual medium on your audiences? Refreshments will be provided. The fee is $25 for Lehigh Valley Arts Council members, $45 for nonmembers. Registration is required. To order tickets, visit LVArtsCouncil.org.

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About the Lehigh Valley Arts Council The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is the region’s central voice for the arts, promoting arts awareness and advocating its value while strengthening access to the arts for all citizens in our community. The Arts Council’s mission is to promote the arts; to encourage and support artists and their development; to assist arts organizations; and to facilitate communication and cooperation among artists, arts organizations, and the community. Services include arts research and advocacy, professional development seminars, publications, and cooperative regional marketing initiatives.

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Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101 610-437-5915 / operations@LVArtsCouncil.org www.LVArtsCouncil.org / www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org

Crowdfunding: What It Means For The Arts

In the increasingly competitive environment for arts funding, artists and emerging organizations are finding both access and success through crowdsourcing platforms. As part of its Professional Development Series, the Lehigh Valley Arts Council is presenting a crowdfunding seminar, featuring the largest arts fiscal sponsor in the country, Fractured Atlas, on Tuesday, June 2, 2015, at Penn State Lehigh Valley from 5:30 to 8:00PM. Fractured Atlas helps more than 3,500 artists and organizations in every discipline to find funding and other resources to support their creative projects. With fiscal sponsorship, one can solicit tax-deductible donations and apply for grants; the sponsored “project” might be a one-time collaboration or an independent artist or even an arts organization that does not have its own 501(c)(3) status. “The popularity of crowdfunding is definitely on the rise,” says Randall Forte, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Arts Council. “We are pleased to offer the arts community this opportunity to learn first-hand how it works.” Fractured Atlas Project Specialist Theresa Hubbard from the New York office will serve on a panel with local arts professionals who have used the program. Hubbard will explain the application process and the many of the ancillary benefits that the company provides, such as marketing and ticketing services. The basic criteria for eligibility to attain a fiscal sponsorship are: 1. You must be a Professional or Organizational member of Fractured Atlas. 2. You must submit the online application. 3. Your project must be artistic. 4. Your project must have some public benefit and be non-commercial in nature. Refreshments will be provided. The fee is $30 for Lehigh Valley Arts Council members, $50 for nonmembers. Registration is required. To order tickets, visit LVArtsCouncil.org.

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About the Lehigh Valley Arts Council The Lehigh Valley Arts Council is the region’s central voice for the arts, promoting arts awareness and advocating its value while strengthening access to the arts for all citizens in our community. The Arts Council’s mission is to promote the arts; to encourage and support artists and their development; to assist arts organizations; and to facilitate communication and cooperation among artists, arts organizations, and the community. Services include arts research and advocacy, professional development seminars, publications, and cooperative regional marketing initiatives.

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Lehigh Valley Arts Council 840 Hamilton Street, Suite 201 Allentown, PA 18101 610-437-5915 / operations@LVArtsCouncil.org www.LVArtsCouncil.org / www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org

Lehigh Valley Arts Council Presents #ARTS: Mobile Technology For Dummies

Allentown, PA – Lehigh Valley Arts Council’s Professional Development Series offers a technology seminar for arts professionals, “#Arts: Mobile Technology for Dummies,” on Wednesday, April 30, 2014, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the Butz Corporate Center, Ninth and Hamilton streets, Allentown.

This interactive session focuses on the adaptation and implementation of mobile technology to help tell the story of your brand, expand your marketing efforts, and grow your business.

Featured presenters, Matt McKernan, President of Mosaic Interactive, an award–winning, interactive and traditional marketing agency, and Steven Leibensperger, graphic and exhibit designer for Crayola, fine artist, and musician will provide both the developer and artist perspective. Arts entrepreneurs and arts administrators will learn how mobile technology can enhance their social media marketing, increase website traffic, and serve as a sales platform.

Hit the ground running: attendees are encouraged to bring their laptop, tablet, and smartphone to this hands-on seminar.

The member fee is $25; nonmembers pay $45. Tickets are available at www.LVArtsCouncil.org /www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org. Light refreshments will be provided.

For more information:
Call: 610-437-5915.
Email: operations@LVArtsCouncil.org 
Web: http://www.lvartscouncil.org/ArtsMobile.html

Location: Butz Corporate Center, 840 Hamilton Street (Suite 200 Conference Room), Allentown Pa. 18101
Date / Time: Wednesday, April 30, 2014, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Fee: The member fee is $25; nonmembers pay $45.
Attendance: Reservations are required. Tickets can be purchased online
Tickets:
http://www.etix.com/ticket/online/performanceSearch.jsp?performance_id=1803990&cobrand=lvartsboxoffice
http://www.lvartscouncil.org/ArtsMobile.html