Hobby Lobby now hiring
Hobby Lobby is accepting applications for new store temporary setup help, with an opportunity to work full- and part-time positions in floral, crafts, art, custom frames, hobbies, fabrics and cashiers. Apply in person at Hilton Garden Inn Tampa Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills Room, 26640 Silver Maple Parkway, Wesley Chapel. Applications are being accepted Feb. 19 through Feb. 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Job fair set at Porter Campus on Feb. 26
The third annual Metro Job Fair is set for Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The job fair will be in the Building B conference center.
Employers from the public and private sectors, health care, hospitality, manufacturing and construction interested in promoting open and future positions will have the opportunity to meet with job seekers from the community and PHSC students seeking employment.
The job fair is open to anyone looking for a job. Job seekers also may have opportunities for on-site interviews with potential employers.
To attend, job seekers must preregister for the event at tinyurl.com/yd2b2gps.
Who is your customer?
Learn how to identify your customer in this seminar, which is part of the Pasco Economic Development Council’s SMARTstart Entrepreneur Education Series. This session, called “Who is My Customer?” helps businesses identify the “right kind” of customers for their specific business model.
The free session will be on Feb. 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Dade City Entrepreneur Center, 7838 Meridian Ave., Suite No. 309, in Dade City.
To register, go to the events calendar on the PascoEDC.com website.
For more information about the entrepreneur center, call (352) 437-4861.
Central Pasco Chamber community affairs
Pasco County’s Program Administrator for the office of Economic Growth, Melanie Kendrick, will be the guest speaker and give an update on the county’s mapping of Census Designated Places for the 2020 Census. The meeting will be Feb. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce, 1903 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Suite 16, in Land O’ Lakes. The meeting is free and all are welcome.
North Tampa Bay Chamber development briefing
The North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce has a development briefing on the fourth Thursday of each month, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $15 if members prepay and $20 for members at the door; for non-members, the cost is $25. The group meets at Hunter’s Green, 18108 Longwater Run Drive, in Tampa.
East Pasco Networking Group
Todd Vande Berg, director of planning for the City of Zephyrhills, will be the featured speaker at the Feb. 26 breakfast meeting of the East Pasco Networking Group. The meeting, which starts at 7:30 a.m., will be at IHOP, 13100 U.S. 301 in Dade City.
Small businesses’ share of U.S. economy dips slightly
While small businesses create two-thirds of net new jobs, and drive innovation and competitiveness, their overall share in the U.S. economy has gradually declined, says a new report released by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy.
The report says that small businesses account for 44 percent of U.S. economic activity.
U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) is the market value of the goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States.
Across the 16 years from 1998 to 2014, the small business share of GDP has fallen from 48 percent to 43.5 percent. Over the same period, the amount of small business GDP has grown by about 25 percent in real terms, or 1.4 percent annually. However, real GDP for large businesses has grown faster, at 2.5 percent annually.
The full report, “Small Business GDP, 1998-2014,” and a summary of the research, are available on SBA’s Office of Advocacy’s website. The office has sponsored research on small businesses’ contribution to GDP since 1980.
North Tampa Bay Chamber business breakfast
Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning will be the featured speaker at the North Tampa Bay Chamber’s business breakfast meeting on March 5 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. Cost is $15 for pre-registered; $20 at the door; $25 invoiced; and $35 for non-members. For more information, visit NorthTampaBayChamber.com.
North Tampa Bay Chamber monthly coffee
The North Tampa Bay Chamber has a monthly coffee social at the Hilton Garden Inn Suncoast Parkway, 2155 Northpointe Parkway in Lutz. There is no fee to attend the gathering, which is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., on the first Thursday of every month.
Xtreme Adventures adds U-Haul services
Xtreme Adventures has signed on as a U-Haul® neighborhood dealer to serve the community of Lutz, according to a news release from U-Haul Company of Florida.
Xtreme Adventures, at 24810 State Road 54, will offer U-Haul trucks, trailers, towing equipment, moving supplies and in-store pick-up for boxes. Normal business hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., daily.
To reserve U-Haul products at this dealer call (813) 948-0715, or visit tinyurl.com/y2jgyhhp.
Land O’ Lakes Music Festival Bands & Brews
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce is presenting the Land O’ Lakes Music Festival, Bands & Brews, on March 23 from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The musical lineup features Solar Exposure, Peace of Woodstock, Stonegrey and Bearded Brothers. There will be vendors and food trucks, too. Admission is free. Parking is $10.
Staff member retires from property appraiser’s office
The Pasco County Property Appraiser’s office has announced the retirement of William “Fu” Trinh, a Cobol programmer, who provided outstanding support to the appraiser’s team, according to a news release from the office.
Zephyrhills Chamber business breakfast
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has its monthly business breakfast on the first Monday of each month at Golden Corral, 6877 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills. The admission is $8 for members and $10 for visitors. The next breakfast will be March 7 from 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
