ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> <!-- InstanceBegin template="/Templates/new_site_template.dwt" codeOutsideHTMLIsLocked="false" --> <head> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" --> <title>Chamber of Commerce for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. -- About the Chamber</title> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <meta name="description" content="" /> <link href="CSS/CCPD_screen.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link rel="shortcut icon" href="" /> </head> <body> <div id="hdr"> <a href="#content"></a> <img src="images/Site-Banner.jpg" alt="Chamber of Commerce for Persons with Disabilities, Inc." width="750" height="159" /></div> <div id="navcontainer"> <ul id="navlist"> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="Navlist" --> <li><a href="index.html" title="Home (Accesskey: H)" accesskey="h"> <br /> <br /> Home</a></li> <li id="active"><a href="about.html" id="current" title="About the Chamber (Accesskey: A)" accesskey="a"> <br /> About the<br /> Chamber</a></li> <li><a href="surveys.html" title="Surveys (Accesskey: S)" accesskey="s"> <br /> <br /> Surveys</a></li> <li><a href="join.html" title="Join the Chamber (Accesskey: J)" accesskey="j"> <br /> Join the<br /> Chamber</a></li> <li><a href="members.html" title="Members (Accesskey: M)" accesskey="m">Member &<br /> Supporter<br /> Information</a></li> <li><a href="links.html" title="Links &amp; Resources (Accesskey: L)" accesskey="l"> <br /> Links &amp; <br /> Resources</a></li> <li><a href="programs.html" title="Programs &amp; Services (Accesskey: P)" accesskey="p"> <br /> Programs &amp;<br /> Services</a></li> <li><a href="events.html" title="News &amp; Events (Accesskey: E)" accesskey="e"> <br /> News &amp;<br /> Events</a></li> <li><a href="selfemploymentopportunities.html" title="Self-Employment Opportunities (Accesskey: O)" accesskey="O"> <br /> Self-Employment<br /> Opportunities</a></li> <li><a href="contact.html" title="Contact Us (Accesskey: C)" accesskey="c"> <br /> Contact Us</a></li> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> </ul> </div> <div id="cont"> <a name="content" id="content"></a> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="Main_Body" --> <h1> About the Chamber</h1> <ul> <li><a href="#Mission">Mission Statement and Story of the Chamber</a></li> <li><a href="#MemberBenefits">Member Benefits</a></li> <li><a href="#BOD">Management and Board of Directors</a></li> <li><a href="#FAQ">Questions</a></li> </ul> <p> &nbsp;</p> <h2> <a name="Mission" id="Mission"></a>Mission Statement and Story of the Chamber</h2> <h3> Mission:</h3> <p> To promote the business interests of businesses run by persons with disabilities and/or their direct caregivers ( Disability Businesses ) and to place businesses run by persons with disabilities on a level playing field with businesses run by others. </p> <h3> Vision:</h3> <p> For all Disability Businesses to be successful and for such businesses that are run by persons with disabilities to be treated by consumers in the same manner as businesses run by persons with no disabilities.</p> <h3> Strategic Plan:</h3> <ol> <li>Improve the Chamber membership s geographic representation throughout Florida and the rest of the Southeast. <ul> <li>Establish strategic alliances with organizations that can help find members.</li></ul> </li> <li>Grow Chamber membership. <ul> <li>Understand the needs of Disability Businesses.</li> <li>Focus on the recruitment of members.</li></ul> </li> <li>Membership retention based on value delivered to members. <ul> <li>Offer health insurance and other member benefits. </li> <li>Market Disability Businesses to each other. </li> <li>Educate members through newsletters, blogs, and webinars. </li> <li>Offer resources to start businesses, including advertising opportunities and available financing.</li></ul> </li> <li>Place Disability Businesses run by persons with disabilities on a level playing field with businesses run by others. <ul> <li>Convince businesses and other consumers that businesses run by persons with disabilities can provide goods and services equal quality to businesses run by others. </li> <li>Establish a nationwide network of organizations with similar missions to the Chamber s mission to provide power in numbers. </li> <li>Convince the Federal government to include businesses run by persons with disabilities as disadvantaged business enterprises. </li> <li>Work to improve the Ticket-to-Work program and other similar programs.</li></ul> </li> <li>Staff the Chamber with the proper paid employees and volunteer employees to satisfy the other provisions of the strategic plan. <ul> <li>Locate persons who have expertise and a passion to help this organization achieve its mission. </li> <li>Obtain grants to pay for the employment of qualified individuals who are disabled. </li> <li>Offer incentives to persons who obtain funds. </li> <li>Prepare an appropriate employment manual.</li></ul> </li> <li>Obtain funds sufficient to satisfy the other provisions of the strategic plan. <ul> <li>Obtain funds from government and non-profits </li> <li>Continue to sign-up sponsors. </li> <li>Continue to sign-up paying members. </li> <li>Perform services for funds</li></ul> </li> <li>Seek feedback from members and implement appropriate ideas.</li></ol> <h2> <a name="MemberBenefits" id="MemberBenefits"></a>Member Benefits</h2> <h3> The Chamber provides or will provide the following benefits:</h3> <ol> <li>Promotion of Disability Businesses for internal sales among Chamber Members and for sales to the general public. To increase membership and sales to the general public, the Chamber is implementing a grass roots campaign and a public relations campaign.</li> <li>Promotion of Support Organizations by listing these organizations on this website and promoting the list.</li> <li>Provision of media for Members to exchange expertise and ideas with one another.</li> <li>Provision of resources for Disability Businesses to form and grow. These resources will include advice through newsletters and blogs on various areas, including law (e.g., corporate law, tax law, and labor law matters), finance, management, and marketing. The resources will also include information with respect to disabilities. In addition, the Chamber will offer a network of expert organizations that can help Members, both with respect to business issues (e.g., formation of a Disability Business) and disability issues.</li> </ol> <h2> <a name="BOD" id="BOD"></a>Management and Board of Directors</h2> <p> The Chamber plans to hire a staff, including an Executive Director. Currently, the Chamber is operated by its Board of Directors, led by its Chairman, Peter Schoemann. All directors are volunteers who receive no compensation for their services.</p> <h3> <a name="Schoemann" id="Schoemann"></a>Chairman: Peter Schoemann, Esq.</h3> <p> <a href="http://www.broadandcassel.com/attybio.asp?ID=14370"> <img src="images/Peter_Schoemann.jpg" alt="Photo of Peter Schoemann" width="107" height="160" class="left" />Peter Schoemann</a> has strong ties to the disability community. Mr. Schoemann has four children (two daughters and two sons), of which both sons have autism along with kidney disease that will eventually result in complete kidney failure and the need for kidney transplantation. Mr. Schoemann currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Board and Chair of the Finance Committee for the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities, Inc. This Florida instrumentality is devoted to the protection and advocacy of all persons with disabilities in the state of Florida. In addition , Mr. Schoemann serves as a director of the Center for Independent Living in Central Florida.</p> <p> In addition to his ties to the disability community, Mr. Schoemann has an extensive business background. He received a B.S. and a Masters degree in Accounting, a Juris Doctor, and an LLM in Taxation, all from the University of Florida. Mr. Schoemann became a Florida CPA in 1994 and a member of the Florida Bar in 1995. Upon completing his education, Mr. Schoemann served as an attorney advisor for the Honorable Carolyn P. Chiechi of the United States Tax Court in Washington, D.C. Since then, he has worked as a corporate and tax attorney, focusing on such areas as business formation, mergers and acquisitions, tax-exempt organizations, and public finance. In addition, Mr. Schoemann is the Manager and creator of a family publishing business. Recently, Mr. Schoemann was named to the top forty under forty by the Orlando Business Journal.</p> <h3> Remaining Directors (in alphabetical order):</h3> <ul> <li><strong>Christine Eckstein, Esq., </strong>is the mother of four wonderful children, Kate&rsquo; age 11, David age 10, Kenny age 8, and Ava Maria age 3 and the wife of Peter Schoemann. She was born and raised in Sanford, FL along with her three brothers and sister. Christine&rsquo;s life in the disability community began New Year&rsquo;s Eve 1987, when her family learned that her sister would need to go on kidney dialysis and have a kidney transplant. Over the course of the following year, her whole family was tested for kidney disease. It was then, as a freshman at the University of Florida, that she learned her kidneys were in complete failure and that her brother&rsquo;s and father&rsquo;s kidneys were beginning to fail. Christine had to begin dialysis immediately to save her life. She spent 31 long months on dialysis until she received a kidney transplant in July of 1991. During this hard time, Christine remained a full time student at UF and earned a B.A. in Political Science. She then went on to UF&rsquo;s law school and graduated with honors. After law school, Christine worked briefly in a Legal Services office in Clearwater, FL handling primarily Social Security and public benefits issues for indigent families. <br /> <br /> It was around this time that she became concerned about the development of her oldest son David. After consulting with many physicians and pediatric developmental specialists, David was diagnosed with autism. Shortly thereafter, Christine&rsquo;s second son Kenny was diagnosed with autism as well. In addition, both of Christine&rsquo;s sons have inherited her kidney disease and will eventually need kidney transplants. It is clear to Christine now that she became a lawyer so that her children could have their own attorney. Christine&rsquo;s children are her world and she spends each and every day of her life participating in meaningful activities to help them reach their individual potential. Currently, Christine is a member of the Florida Bar, the Women&rsquo;s Club of Sanford, the Optimist Club of Sanford, the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, a religious education teacher for children with autism at Annunciation Catholic Church, a dividend school volunteer for Bentley Elementary School, a volunteer for Mid-America Transplant Services, and an officer of Builder&rsquo;s Stone Publishing, LLC. </li> <li><strong>Erika Harding</strong></li> <li><strong> <img src="images/Corey_Hinds.jpg" alt="Photo of Corey Hinds" width="107" height="160" class="right" />Corey Hinds</strong> has been working within Florida&rsquo;s job training and employment programs for over 10 years. He is the Employment Manager and the Client Assistance Program Director at the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities. He is responsible for the general operations of the Employment Section of the fourth largest federal/state protection and advocacy program for people with disabilities. Corey has led the Center&rsquo;s efforts in developing partnerships with employers, rehabilitation programs, and community organizations to increase job opportunities, economic development, small business opportunities and policy development to expand employment services for individuals with disabilities. <br /> <br /> Through Corey&rsquo;s leadership, the Center&rsquo;s Employment Program has assisted individuals who have received higher education degrees for careers in the healthcare profession, hospitality industry, customer service, banking and other high wage jobs in high growth industries. Corey serves on the Governor&rsquo;s statewide Florida Rehabilitation Council and the Broward Business Leadership Network to promote the hiring and recruitment of workers with disabilities. He received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University and his master degree in Public Administration from Central Michigan University, Washington, D.C. field Office at the Pentagon. </li> <li><strong> <img src="images/McClelland_Dennis.jpg" class="right" /><a href="http://www.phelpsdunbar.com/pages/profile.asp?id=411">Dennis McClelland, Esq.,</a></strong> is a lawyer in Tampa, Florida, who has a deep personal interest in assisting the disability community. He has a six year old child with autism and a brother with bi-polar disorder. He has assisted various organizations devoted to assisting individuals with disabilities by providing pro bono legal service and by assisting in fundraising events. In his professional life, Mr. McClelland is a Partner at the Tampa office of Phelps Dunbar LLP and is a Board Certified labor and employment lawyer. His practice focuses on representing businesses of all sizes -- from small businesses to Fortune 50 corporations -- in almost all aspects of labor and employment law, including preparing employment and severance agreements, preparing and/or reviewing employee handbooks and company policies, providing advice regarding compliance with federal, state, and local employment laws, and representing companies and their employees in litigation matters.<br /> <br /> As part of his legal practice, Mr. McClelland has handled numerous government investigations and court cases involving claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Mr. McClelland earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the Florida State University; he earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida College of Law.</li> <li><strong>Sue Mohr </strong></li> <li><strong> <img src="images/Nicholas_Shannin.jpg" alt="Photo of Nicholas Shannin" width="107" height="160" class="right" /><a href="http://www.floridalawonline.com/shannin.asp">Nicholas Shannin, Esq.,</a></strong> is a Board Certified Appellate Attorney, who is pleased to bring his skills to the board of the Chamber. Nick is a graduate of Rice University and graduated with honors from the University of Florida College of Law. Prior to entering law school, he used his sociology background as a social worker with the Human Services Council. Since graduation, Nick has built a successful practice as an appellate specialist and mediator and is a partner with the trial law firm of <a href="http://www.floridalawonline.com/index.asp">Page Eichenblatt Bernbaum and Bennett</a> in Orlando.<br /> <br /> Throughout Nick&rsquo;s legal career, he has maintained his heavy participation in non-profit endeavors serving as a representative for over 50 children as a pro-bono Guardian Ad Litem appointed through the Legal Aid Society. Nick has received the Award of Merit from that organization and is presently president-elect for that organization, having just completed his term as president of the West Orange Habitat for Humanity. <br /> <br /> The West Orange Habitat for Humanity is involved in a wonderful project to benefit disabled veterans. For more information, see <a href="http://www.woh4h.org/home_at_last_project.htm"> http://www.woh4h.org/home_at_last_project.htm</a>.</li></ul> <p> </p> <ul> <li><strong><a name="PierWestra" id="PierWestra"></a>Pier Westra</strong> was born and raised in Lakeland, Florida before attending boarding school in Tennessee and graduating from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida with a degree in Sociology. Following his undergraduate work, Pier spent more than 22 years helping those in need, beginning as a claims adjuster handling day to day automobile, home and commercial losses, as well as traveling to areas that were impacted by significant claims events. Ultimately he was responsible for managing multi-state claims operations for various insurance companies, including the corporate responses to some of the Nations worst natural disasters, including the Oakland Hills Fires, Hurricane Andrew, the Northridge Earthquake and finally the four hurricanes of 2004. His ability to martial resources, engage the community and motivate groups to act will be of specific value to the Chamber Board.<br /> <br /> Pier and his wife adopted a daughter, who was diagnosed within the Autistic Spectrum at the age of four. While working to obtain assistance for his daughter, he became acquainted with the obstacles that face those with disabilities. This experience has given him a desire to assist others in navigating these obstacles. Pier and his wife Vicky (who also serves on the Board) have long had the desire to give back to the community. As such, in 2007 in conjunction with the formation of their company, Jav&aacute;mo Coffees, they launched the Jav&aacute;mo Art for Autism Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to serve children who have been diagnosed with this autism and their families. This desire to serve those with disabilities, in conjunction with his personal and professional experiences, brings a unique and holistic approach to Mr. Westra&rsquo;s role on the Board of Directors for the Chamber.</li> <li><strong><a name="VickyWestra" id="VickyWestra"></a>Vicky Westra</strong> is the President of Jav&aacute;mo Coffees, Inc., a Disability Business Member. In this role, she co-manages the business with her husband, Pier (who is also a member of the Board of the Chamber). Prior to starting Jav&aacute;mo Coffees, Vicky worked at Tampa Electric Company (TECO) for 24 years in various roles. Her last role at TECO was Director of Customer Services and Marketing. Vicky has a B.S. in Business Marketing from The University of Tampa. She has served on various boards, including The Hispanic Services Council, United Way for TECO Energy Campaign, and the High Heel Hike to benefit Easter Seals. She has also served in support of various organizations within the community.<br /> <br /> Vicky and her husband have one child, Gabrielle. Gabrielle was diagnosed within the Autistic Spectrum when she was four years old. Through their company, Vicky and Pier have started the non-profit organization the Jav&aacute;mo Art for Autism Foundation to serve children who have been diagnosed with this disorder and their families.</li> </ul> <h2> <a name="FAQ" id="FAQ"></a>Questions</h2> <h3> Aren&rsquo;t there organizations that help disabled persons form businesses?</h3> <p>Two such organizations are <a href="http://www.griffinhammis.com/">Griffin-Hammis Associates</a> (a Chamber member) and <a href="http://www.abilitiesfund.org">The Abilities Fund</a> which helps provide assistance to the Chamber.</p> <h3> Won&rsquo;t it be difficult to organize a national network of disability businesses?</h3> <p> Yes, it will be, but the Chamber is needed.&nbsp;Various regions and groups use Chambers of Commerce to network and obtain resources. The Chamber plans to provide that for disabled persons in the southeast and to coordinate with Chambers of other regions. We are using both grass roots efforts and a public relations campaign to raise awareness of the Chamber&rsquo;s existence and of the benefits provided by the Chamber.</p> <h3> Is the Chamber a 501(c)(3) organization for which donations are deductible?</h3> <p>No, The Chamber is a 501(c) (6). Accordingly, donations are not deductible as charitable contributions. Membership fees, sponsorships, and other payments to the Chamber may be deductible as a business expenses. However, please check with your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of such payments.</p> <h3> How does the Chamber fund its operations?</h3> <p> At this time, most of the Chamber s operations are funded thru in-kind contributions. The Chambers also funds its operations through Support Organization Memberships, advertising and sponsorships. In addition, the Chamber is actively seeking grants. If you are interested in supporting the Chamber, <a href="contact.html">please contact us.</a></p> <center> <a href="index.html">Home</a> | <a href="surveys.html">Surveys</a> | <a href="join.html"> Join the Chamber</a> | <a href="members.html">Members</a> | <a href="links.html">Links &amp; Resources</a> | <a href="programs.html">Programs &amp; Services</a> | <a href="events.html">News &amp; Events</a> | <a href="contact.html">Contact Us</a> | <a href="privacy.html">Privacy Policy</a> | <a href="serviceagreement.html">Service and Use Agreement</a></center> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> </div> </body> <!-- InstanceEnd --> </html>