TED Talks speaker and consultant Bob Roitblat will be the keynote speaker for the Annual Meeting of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier (MAST), to be held Thursday, May 2, at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Jamestown.

Mr. Roitblat is the CEO of Mainsail Consulting Group, where he has combined his experiences in business and as a competitive sailor to draw parallels between winning a yacht race and building a winning business. He has more than 30 years’ experience running companies from all phases of their existence, from start-up to sale. He also has consulted with and supported enterprises across a broad range of industries including technology, distribution, manufacturing, NGO’s, and professional services.

“Innovation is your only insurance against irrelevance, the only antidote to margin-crushing competition, and the only guarantee of enduring customer loyalty,” Mr. Roitblat says.

During his talk he will discuss how businesses can harden themselves against potential economic downturn, enabling them to not only survive, but to become more resilient and thrive during periods of turbulence; how they can develop innovative practices that enable members to more easily adapt to changing market conditions; and how to apply innovation beyond just new products and services but to dig deeper into operations and communications.

The MAST Annual Meeting is sponsored by Media One Radio Group, OBSERVER, The Post-Journal, and Univera Healthcare Southern Tier. The cost to attend is $50 per person. Meal selections are an eight ounce center cut sirloin, pan seared salmon, or pasta primavera. The social hour begins at 5:30 with dinner at 6:30. Reservations are required by April 25. To register, please call the Chamber/MAST office at (716) 484-1101.

Hanover Chamber Appreciation Luncheon April 11

The Hanover Community Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday, April 11. The event will be held at the Colony Seafood & Steakhouse, 876 Main Road, Irving, starting at noon. Assemblyman Andrew Goodell will be the keynote speaker. Additional speakers are County Executive George Borrello and Silver Creek Mayor Jeffrey Hornburg. This event is sponsored by ECOLAB. Advance reservations are required and seating is limited. For more information or to register, visit the Chamber’s online events calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org or call the Chamber at 366-6200.

Chamber State Legislative Breakfast to Feature Goodell and Young

The Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that both Assemblyman Andrew Goodell and recently retired State Senator Cathy Young will be speakers for the Chamber’s annual State Legislative Breakfast, Friday, April 12. We are very excited that Cathy can join us as it will be an opportunity to hear her perspective on opportunities for the southern tier as part of her new role as Director of the Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture at Cornell AgriTech, and to discuss the New York State budget and proposed legislation. Senator Young served the residents of the 57th State Senate District for fourteen years until she stepped down March 11. Assemblyman Goodell continues to serve the 150th State Assembly District.

The Chamber State Legislative Breakfast will be held at 8:30 a.m., Friday, April 12 at the Lakewood Rod & Gun Club, 433 East Terrace Avenue, Lakewood. It is sponsored by Chautauqua Institution, Insurance Management Company, Jamestown Community College, Jamestown Mattress Company, Media One Radio Group, Nestle Purina PetCare, OBSERVER, The Post-Journal, Serta Mattress Company, The SUNY Fredonia Division of Advancement & Engagement, UPMC Chautauqua, and Webb’s Year-Round Resort. The cost is $18 for Chamber members or $21 for non-members. Advance registration is requested by April 5. To register, please call the Chamber at (716) 366-6200 or (716) 484-1101 or sign up through our online calendar at www.chautauquachamber.org.

Hydronics for High-Efficiency Biomass Boiler Training April 25 at MTI

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is offering a full-day design-focused workshop on Thursday, April 25 on Hydronics for High-Efficiency Biomass Boilers at the Manufacturing Technology Institute at Jamestown Community College. This course will combine best practices for modern, high-efficiency wood-fired boilers with hydronic distribution systems, explore operating characteristics, and help you learn how to combine heat sources and distribution techniques into stable, efficient, and reliable systems.

The instructor for this course if John Siegenthaler, a mechanical engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, licensed professional engineer, and Professor Emeritus of Engineering Technology at Mohawk Valley Community College. He is principal of Appropriate Designs — a consulting engineering firm in Holland Patent, NY, and has worked closely with New York State Energy Research and Development (NYSERDA) on the development and implementation of the Renewable Heat NY initiative.

The training is being coordinated by the Manufacturer Association of the Southern Tier in cooperation with NYSERDA and hosted by Jamestown Community College. Sincere thanks to County Legislator Mark Odell, Chair of Planning and Economic Development and head of the Legislative Subcommittee on Energy for helping to make vital connections for this project and helping to promote the event.

The cost is $149 per person. A group rate is available for three or more employees from one company, and currently registered college students and staff are just $50 per person. For more information or to register, call (518) 465-7085, extension 142 or register online at www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=2551001.