Strictly Business at The Harp

The huge crowd that turned out at the weekly Strictly Business networking event at The Harp restaurant in Wilmington, NC yesterday underscored the strength of contact networking in southeastern North Carolina. This was the first time Strictly Business had met at The Harp, which is located on S. 3rd Street near Greenfield Park. The Harp is easy to find, there's plenty of parking, and the atmosphere was top flight.

Sponsored each week by Sea-Comm Media's Big Talker radio, the Strictly Business networking events are held in a different establishment each week. Appetizers are provided free and sometimes the location hosts are especially generous, as was the case last night, when the full buffet, in two separate stations, was ample, varied, appealing, and delicious! So thanks to owners Margaret Jennings and Val Cleary for the great space and wonderful food.

Lest you think Strictly Business is the same group of folks wandering from bar to bar each week, a good example in the photo below is Brian Keller, who very recently moved to Oak Island with his business-to-business promotion products company, ATL (www.adsthatlast.com). Brian, in the middle, and his wife Tracy (on the right) moved from Gastonia and this was their first time at Strictly Business. (As you can see from the plate in my hand, I wasn't shy about helping myself to the food, while Brian was more restrained.)

Brother and sister Robert and Paige Freeman. Both are photographers and Paige is also a Producer with Sea-Comm Media.


Annie Anthony of the Cape Fear Volunteer Center.


Rory Platow of the Big Buddy Program, this week's nonprofit beneficiary of the raffle ticket sale for prizes given by Strictly Business attendees.

Pre-Paid Legal's Elaine Huston and mortgage consultant Mark Whitmarsch.

Sea-Comm Media salesman Russ "Call me Doug" Hauptmann - who was actually setting me up for a joke when I took this photo.


Buffmaster's CarWash Mark Johnson with ActionCoach Reggie Shropshire - Reggie was and always will be a member of the United States Marine Corps and lately has been wearing these camies as a signature outfit - here he was trying to looking stern.


It didn't last longer than 2 seconds, however, and Reggie quickly flipped back to his usual, glowing smile.

Sea-Comm Media Producer Aimee Robbins with Sales Account Manager Amy Besterfeldt (aka "Jackie Jordan" - which is what I mistakenly named her in a few previous posts and never heard was in error - till last night when "Doug" Hauptmann told me that "Jackie Jordan" wanted to talk with me.


We were entertained by piano player Rebecca Hall.

Marge grabbed my camera and took this shot of me with Cristen Roggemann of the Big Buddy Program.


Here's Cristen Roggemann by herself.



Out on the front patio Harp co-owner Margaret Jennings (center) sat with John and Patricia Pietropaolo. John's with a New Hanover methadon maintenance center and Patricia has a permanent makeup company.

Another shot of the patio in front of the restaurant.



Sea-Comm Media news guy Joe Catenacci was the announcer - at first, as you can see, few looked up.


And then when he started announcing prizes people started really paying attention.


A nice piece of glass work in the restaurant.

The working area of the bar.

Brian Fenderbosch with Morvil Advertising + Design Group, Ranald Totten of WhatsOnWilmington.com, and architect Gordon Hall.


As we were leaving we said hello to N2 Publishing's Steve West.

Marge and I were at Strictly Business for about an hour and saw a lot of folks we already knew and also each met two or three new people with whom we'll follow up. That's the way networking is supposed to work and the way it always seems to work at Strictly Business, which is held from 5-7 (or later) each Wednesday. You can check the schedule each week at This Link.

Brunswick County Resort Maps Ribbon Cutting

One of the newest members of the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce had a ribbon cutting in May. Brunswick County Resort Maps is the company and owners Peter and Mary Kurki are in the center of the photo below.

Scott and Board Member Connie Reeves.

Connie Reeves with newly elected board member Ken Schiess, Executive Director Dana Fisher, and new board member Alice Razzano.

Newly elected board members Peggy O'Leary and Terry Grillo.

Ken Schiess with new board member Jamie Shoemaker.

Mary and Peter Kurki talk with Scott Schmidt of Carolina Creations Landscaping.

Alice with Susan Rivenbark and Dana.


NBCC volunteer Anne Donovan.

East Carolina Bank's Susan Cruse and Miriam Lee.

Peter with NBCC Board Member Jeff Harvell.


Mary and Peter Kurki.

Mary Kurki.

(Photos by Marge Brown)

Good morning!

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Carillon Assisted Living Business After Hours

Carillon Assisted Living of Southport recently joined the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce so you know what happened, right? We had a ribbon cutting and they hosted this month's Business After Hours!

In the photo below NBCC Executive Director Dana Fisher poses with Kathy Kibler, Carillon's Marketing Director.


Dana and Bruce Brown (me).


Kathy and me.


Carillon's Executive Director Jan Park with NBCC board member Connie Reeve and Kathy Kibler.


NBCC Board Member Tony Vlach and Ambassador Ken Schiess.

NBCC's Scott Reeves, Dave Seaton, and Ambassador Jamie Shoemaker.


A truly cool line up of walkers outside the Carillon dining room.

Gathering by the main entrance for the ribbon ceremony.


Posed, poised, and ready to cut.


Check it out, the ribbon's still in the air after the cut.

Congratulations Jan and Kathy and the entire staff and residents of Carillon Assisted Living. Welcome to the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce - we're proud to have you as members. And thanks for the hospitality!

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Wilmington Professional Group at Past, Present, Future Digital 4-14-10

Yesterday's weather wasn't quite as stunningly beautiful as the rest of the week, but that didn't stop harm the turnout at the Wilmington Professional Group's outdoor networking event at Josh Caine's Past Present Future Digital.

Below co-host T. Neal Whittington made sure everyone had what they needed.


Stephanie Willliams of Edward Jones was the sponsor for the event. That's Stephanie below, the blond woman with the gray top. You can also see behind and in front of the table (to the right of Neal) Sandy Powell, Hair Color Specialist of North Kerr Spalon & WPG Event Coordinator (waving hello with a big smile), entrepreneur Arian Kelley, Jon Hicks of Ethos Design, and accupuncturist Kris Peterson.


Another person who always has a smile is Thornton Burgess of Jubilee Snooze and Cruise - the B&B on a 45 foot yacht.


Eleazar Herrera and Manual Lopez both of Ethos. Manual's the one bustin' a move.


So, with no moves going on, here are Manual, Jon, an Eleazar.


Funny how you can always pick David Merrill out in a crowd. I guess it's because of his height?


And Michael Byrd of Wordwright Web is a standout because he's always nattily attired with shirt, tie, and pleated pants.

Three favs in this shot, Stylist Supreme Melissa Kinnamon (of Nsalo Salon), her spouse Klif Kinnamon of Zutu Marketing, and, making his approach from the background, Ken Schiess of HdVest.

It was a good time. Thanks to all, especially Josh, Sandy, Arian, and Neal for organizing and hosting the event. And Stephanie, thanks for putting on the generous spread!