“Each year, this award is bestowed upon a company that has
demonstrated organizational excellence for strategic customer
management,” said SAMA President and CEO Bernard Quancard. “We are
very impressed and satisfied that Emerson has integrated many of the
key elements of a world-class strategic accounts organization.”

These elements are being documented in a SAMA case study examination.

Emerson is being recognized for the rapid transformation the company
has made over the last 3-5 years to:

– change the corporate culture from one of product-selling to
customer-centricity;

– embed a disciplined account business planning process;

– facilitate the development of business relevant value propositions
and align the company offerings to customer drivers;

– demonstrate the value of improved customer-supplier productivity;

– manage an internal network of best practices exchange;

– effectively support the executive strategic customer relationship
with internal executive sponsors; and,

– meet and deliver to customer expectations.

This level of achievement requires significant enterprise alignment,
cooperation and commitment — vertically and horizontally.

“Emerson is extremely proud to receive this honor,” said John Gardner,
Senior Vice President, Strategic Accounts for Emerson Process
Management. “While it recognizes hard work on the part of our team, it
really signifies the stronger alignment we are achieving with our
strategic accounts. By deepening our understanding of our customers’
business and operational drivers, Emerson is now in a much better
position to become a true solutions provider … providing relevant,
measurable business improvement for our customers.”

“This is a concrete case of organizational transformation worthy of
recognition and acknowledgement,” said Quancard.

About SAMA

Founded in 1964, the Strategic Account Management Association serves
the top sales leadership of the global 1000 companies. SAMA is a
knowledge-sharing organization devoted to advancing strategic
customer-supplier value, collaboration and learning. For more
information, visit www.strategicaccounts.org.

SOURCE: Strategic Account Management Association (SAMA)

Round Rock Operation Blue Santa – Classic Level
CORT Business Services Corporation – Principal Level
The Dance Gallery – Principal Level
LiquidXPress – Principal Level
Raymond James & Associates – Principal Level
Lora Tucker – Good Life Team – Principal Level
Edward Jones Investments – Joe Brown – Principal Level
Wyoming Springs Assisted Living & Memory Care – Principal Level
Faith4Life Church – Principal Level
Family Tree Dental Group – Principal Level
Shadow Cats – Principal Level
Shelton & Power LLC – Basic Level
The Yoga Room – Basic Level
Vino 100 – Basic Level
MJ’s Army – Basic Level
Dowdy House – Basic Level
Cam Scott – Community Leader Level

In addition, longtime investor Victory Designs upgraded to Principal Level.

To discuss your business objectives and how to take full advantage of your Chamber investment, please contact Doug Kurkul, Shontel Mays, Amanda Morgan or Michele West of the Chamber staff at 255-5805.

New Chairman’s Circle Investor:

• Visible Risk, LLC

New Classic Investor:

• World Entrepreneurs Network

New Principal Investors:

• Agape Pregnancy Resource Center
• Art by the Glass Studio
• Baseball Chi
• Chola Indian Restaurant
• Edward Jones Investments
• FocalPoint of Georgetown
• Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers
• Round Rock Sertoma Club
• The Blood & Tissue Center of Central TX
• WorldPay New

Basic Level Investors:

• 136th MEB at the Round Rock Armed Forces Reserve Center
• Advidium Champion Energy Services
• Community Matters Inc.
• Hvacmasters, LLC
• Mel’s Meals
• Mike Parker & Company Real Estate, LLP
• Pacific Coast League Baseball
• Texas Turkish American Chamber of Commerce
• The Gold Gals
• Nice and Neat Professional Organizing
• Virginia College at Austin

New Community Leader Investor:

• Sarah Christie

The following Chamber investors also upgraded their memberships to Principal in March:

• Austin Brokerage Company
• Jan-Pro Cleaning Services

New and longstanding investors alike wishing to learn more about how to take full advantage of their investment are urged to contact Bruce Crowell at 512-255-5805 or bcrowell@roundrockchamber.org.

The following Chamber investor upgraded its memberships to Chairman’s Circle in February:

• St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center

New President’s Club Investor:

• Liquidation Channel

New Principal Investors include:

• Adams Gifts & Home Decor
• Capital I.D.E.A.
• Harbor America – Robert Brown, Independent Broker
• Jackson Hewitt tax Services
• Round Rock Honey Co, LLC
• Rubbish Works of Williamson County
• Star Ranch Golf Club
• VooDoo BBQ & Grill
• Zed’s Restaurant

New Basic Level Investors include:

• Aaron Thomison Masonry Inc.
• Mystikal Motions
• Organo Gold
• Physician Billing Service
• Round Rock Chambermasters
• The Meat House
• Union Pacific Railroad

New Community Leader Investors include:

• Jerry Bradley

The following Chamber investors also upgraded their memberships to Principal in February:

• Comfort Suites
• Miracle Maids
• RV Outlet Mall

New and longstanding investors alike wishing to learn more about how to take full advantage of their investment are urged to contact Bruce Crowell at 512-255-5805 or bcrowell@roundrockchamber.org.

Founded in 1922, TAB is the largest and most influential broad-based business group in Texas. The organization’s mission is to make the Texas business climate the best in the world. Its members and staff advocate policies in Washington, D.C. and Texas to advance that vital objective.

Kurkul, who joined the Round Rock Chamber as President and CEO in November 2010, has a long background in the world of pro-business advocacy. After serving in the Reagan Administration in 1985-86, Kurkul spent 21 years with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) in Washington, D.C., the last 5 of those years in a vice president capacity. He then spent three-plus years as CEO of the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce, the second largest chamber in the state of Nevada.

“TAB plays an important role in shaping the business climate in Texas,” said Chamber Chairman Writ Baese (Hill Country Payroll). “Doug’s service on the TAB Board will help elevate the profile of Round Rock and our vibrant business community at the statewide level and beyond.”

“The Round Rock Chamber has several critical functions, including helping local businesses succeed, promoting economic development, and advancing our quality of life,” said Kurkul. “Our success depends in part on our progress in the fourth part of our mission, which is shaping a positive business environment in Round Rock, Central Texas, and beyond. I’m looking forward to contributing to TAB’s efforts, on Round Rock’s behalf, to continue to shape the best possible business climate for Texas.”

The Round Rock Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Partnership is one of the largest and most active business organizations in Central Texas. Information about the organization is available at www.RoundRockChamber.org. Information about doing business in Round Rock can be found at www.RoundRockTex.com.

FTZs promote the global competitiveness of U.S.-based businesses, facilitate trade, and encourage manufacturing and logistics. FTZ operations involve operations combining foreign inputs with significant domestic inputs. Within FTZs, companies are able to manufacture, assemble, test, sample, process, and repackage. Companies can also utilize FTZs for warehousing, inspection, labeling, salvaging, and distribution. Texas leads the nation with 31 FTZs.

As representatives of Round Rock and the Round Rock Chamber, White and Yeats are committed to sound governance of the FTZ and to ensuring Round Rock businesses are aware of how the FTZ may benefit their operations. Benefits to companies using FTZs may include relief from inverted tariffs, duty exemption on re-exports, and duty deferral, among others. The Round Rock Chamber also assists exporters by administering Certificate of Origin Seals for exporting.

The Round Rock Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Partnership is one of the largest and most active business organizations in Central Texas. Information about the organization is available at www.RoundRockChamber.org. Information about doing business in Round Rock can be found at www.RoundRockTex.com.

New Principal Investors include:

• La Madeleine
• Any Lab Test Now
• IPG Search Marketing
• Joleen Van Zanden – Realtor, Pacesetter Properties
• K & M Steam Cleaning
• Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas
• McDonald’s Restaurant #5157
• Richard A Crow & Associates
• Seven Star Martial Arts
• Social Butler

New Basic Level Investors include:

• European-Bistro
• Breeze Salon & Spa
• Camp Doublecreek
• Campo Azul Bar and Grill
• CenTex Appraisals
• EMTS Academy
• Hagy & Associates, P.C.
• Laser Scientific
• Security Finance
• Sport Clips Inc.
• Strong Electric, LLC
• Texas State Optical
• Title Boxing Round Rock
• Zahir Walji

New Community Leader Investors include:

• Kris Whitfield, member of City Council
• Gina Littlefield
• Patt Ott
• Sarah Burris
• Willie Johnson

The following Chamber investors also upgraded their memberships to Classic in January:

• UFCU-Highway 79 Financial Center

The following Chamber investors also upgraded their memberships to Principal in January:

• Chaparral Women’s Club
• Modern Woodmen of America-Linda Gray Ayotte

New and longstanding investors alike wishing to learn more about how to take full advantage of their investment are urged to contact Bruce Crowell at 512-255-5805 or bcrowell@roundrockchamber.org.

The City of Round Rock has been selected as the 2012 recipient of the Texas Municipal Utility Association Outstanding Municipal Utility Award. The award was announced at the TMUA conference on Jan. 27 in Fredericksburg.

Each year, TMUA honors a municipal utility system with active members in TMUA that meets one of the following requirements:

• Is widely recognized as a leader in the municipal utility industry
• Has enhanced the prestige of all municipal utility systems
• Has made a measurable improvement to customer services
• Has developed innovative solutions to any utility problem

“It’s always an honor to be recognized by your peers, and we are especially pleased to be recognized for innovation for both long-range and operational projects,” City Manager Steve Norwood said. “Our regional water project addresses the No. 1 problem faced by utilities in Texas: how best to secure long-term, affordable, reliable water supplies. What makes it really special is that we developed a solution that successfully involves partner cities. And our pipeline repair program allows us to perform critical system maintenance with as little disruption to residents as possible.”

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