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General Information
Our goal:
We want to partner with you to help both of our businesses make money. Period. We can offer you reasonably priced, actually better-than-market priced professional services that help bring customers to your business. We're not looking for a one-time shot, we're looking for partners--people with whom we can build a lasting business relationship that is profitable to us both.
Quick History:
For almost 20 years IHS, Incorporated, has been in the IT business in the Birmingham, Alabama, area providing consulting services (both IT and general-business consulting) to businesses large and small. We've been building websites for years. We have, literally, thousands of dollars invested in the tools and equipment to build websites and perform all kinds of IT work. We average one full day/person/month in formal training. Our technical library is massive. Our experience spans many years, large businesses, small businesses, retail, warehouse and distribution, utilities, and more.
We want to help you grow your business!
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July ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 7/15/2008Our July ITSBITS® Java & Jabber networking event will held on July 15th. The meeting will be at Jason's Deli on US-280--that's just across the highway from the Superior Grill. The meeting will begin at 8:30 AM and end about 9:45 AM.
This will be a no-speaker, open networking event. Our premise says the more people you can meet and become acquainted with, the more business you're likely to do and the better off you'll be in any number of ways. So, if you're a business owner or principal, we invite you to come out and join us for this event. Bring a friend, your elevator speech, and lots of business cards and enjoy yourself as you network and meet potential customers. You may even walk away with one of the great door prizes we've lined up!
Put the July meeting on your Outlook Calendar click here-- Back To Top of This Page --
June ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 6/17/2008
Our June ITSBITS® Java & Jabber open networking event was held at CostCo on Galleria Circle in Hoover. DJ's Fine Meats was our host the meeting.
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May ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 5/20/2008
Our May ITSBITS® Java & Jabber open networking event was at the Union State Bank in Cahaba Heights, 3179 Green Valley Road, Birmingham, AL 35243 and Kristy Glover of Union State will be our host.This was be a no-speaker, open networking event. Our premise says the more people you can meet and become acquainted with, the more business you're likely to do and the better off you'll be in any number of ways. So, if you're a business owner or principal, we invite you to come out and join us for this event. Bring a friend, your elevator speech, and lots of business cards and enjoy yourself as you network and meet potential customers. You may even walk away with one of the great door prizes we've lined up!-- Back To Top of This Page --
April ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 4/15/2008
Our April Java and Jabber open networking meeting was Tuesday, April 15, at 8:30 AM. The meeting was held at the beautiful new facilities of the University of Phoenixlocated at
100 Corporate Parkway, Suite 250,
Birmingham, Alabama 35242
(Phone 205-421-1208) The meeting was hosted by Jessica Bynum Kyle. It was income-tax day, so we probably lost a couple of people to the annual drudge, but still we had almost 40 people present to meet and network. The University's folks gave us a rundown of how they've grown and what they offer, then we did our elevator speeches, and finally we gave the program over to Supervisory Special Agent Miskell of the FBI...our featured speaker for this meeting. To say that he was a great speaker is an understatement--he kept everyone glued to their seats as he talked about cyber crime, keeping our kids safe on the internet, and related topics. If you missed it, well, you missed a great meeting and a great speaker.
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March ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 3/18/2008
Our March Java & Jabber networking meeting was hosted by Kathy Mann, Mann Records Management (205-542-2077) at Carino's Italian Grill (see map), (205) 560-0505 in the Patton Creek development in Hoover. Unlike some of our J&J meetings, this one was an open networking meeting--no speaker, just networking.
The food was great and we want to especially thank Carinos for the spread they put on for the group. It was during the spring school break, and we were a little worried about how many people would come, but we needn't have worried because some 40 folks showed up and that made it a great networking meeting.
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February ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 2/19/2008
One of our members, Karen Schwelling, hosted our February networking event at the beautiful Red Mountain Bank. We had a great crowd for networking and making new business contacts. Our speaker was John Hooper from the Alabama Department of Public Health, Emergency Preparedness Team, and he spoke about what we need to do to be prepared for an emergency situation.
January ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 1/15/2008
For our January meeting, we had a slightly different format. The meeting was hosted by Adair Michael, one of our Marketing Group members, and the Marriott Hotels' Courtyard in Hoover (1824 Montgomery Highway South)--we give them a special thanks. We were privileged to have Mr. Blain Barton of Microsoft join us for the meeting. Blain was there to "put a face" on Microsoft and to talk to our business-owners and principals. We had our usual networking event first, then Blain took a few minutes to speak to the group about Windows Vista, and to take questions. Our thanks to Blain for being with us. We had an even bigger crowd than usual and it was a great meeting.-- Back To Top of This Page --
December ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 12/18/2007
Our December--call it our Christmas--meeting was at the Pelham Sprint Store. One of our newest ITSBITS® Marketing Group members, Jay Yellock of Max Communications, was our host. The store is located at the end of Alabama Highway 119 next to Cahaba Cycles. Unlike a lot of groups, we don't believe in exclusivity...we believe in numbers. Our premise says the more people you can meet and become acquainted with, the more business you're likely to do and the better off you'll be in any number of ways. So, if you're a business owner or principal, we invite you to come out and join us for the meeting. Bring lots of business cards and enjoy yourself as you network and meet potential customers. As always, we asked our folks to bring a small gift for a nursing home resident...to help us make some forgotten old folks' Christmas a little brighter.The folks at Lakeview Estates on Valleydale Road send their thanks for the things that were contributed. They want you to know that it all went for the purpose that was intended and it was all appreciated.
We hope you had a Merry Christmas!
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November ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 11/27/2007
Our November monthly meeting was at Allstate Insurance, 181 Cahaba Valley Parkway, Pelham, AL 35124. We had a great turnout and lots of fun...oh and some business turned as well. You should have been there.
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October ITSBITS® Java & Jabber 10/16/2007
Our October monthly meeting was at Jason's Deli on Highway 150 in Hoover. Jason's is at the end of the fly-over near the Galleria Mall. School was out, but we still had some 26 people networking. Mark Meadows with the PapaJohnBowl.com/ESPN organization told us about what they're doing and brought tickets as a door prize. They went along with tickets from Barbar Motor Sports to the Barber Vintage Festival/AHRMA Vintage Road Racing event coming up 10/19-10/21. You should have been there and you might have won those tickets.
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September ITSBITS® Business After Hours Meeting 9/11/2007
OK, some of you are like me--I don't do mornings...where's the coffee? So...we've tried to put together a string of business after hours meetings. Our last one was September 11 at Martini's Fine Food, 2132, Lorna Ridge Lane in Hoover. Martini's furnished appetizers and there was a cash bar. (For restaurant information you can click here or phone 823-7300.) The meeting was fun and the food was great. If you weren't there, sorry you missed it.
If you have a restaurant or similar location that would like to have a group of people descend upon them one Tuesday evening, please, put us in contact with them.
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September ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 9/18/2007
Our last monthly networking meeting was be September 18, 2007. Our host was Adair Michael and we met at the Colonnade Courtyard. (Take 280 East from I-459, immediately get off as if you were going to the shops of the Colonnade--away from Cahaba Heights. Pass the shops and the BellSouth/AT&T center and through the next intersection. Go a little farther and you'll see the Courtyard sign on the right. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month.) It was a great meeting...it was a fun meeting.
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August ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 8/21/2007
Our August monthly networking meeting was August 21, 2007, at 8:30 AM. Our host was Dave Woodruff of Meineke Car Car Center in Alabaster and we met at CostCo in Hoover (just behind the Galleria.) (We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month.) We had around 30 people there and we had a good time, met some new folks, and did some business. We hope you'll join us for our next meeting.
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July ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 7/17/2007
Our July networking meeting was July 17, 2007, at Red Mountain Bank. If you weren't there, we missed you. But please, plan on coming to our next meeting (above).
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June ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 6/19/2007
Our June meeting was held at the offices of DeltaCom--our thanks to them for providing our meeting spot this month. Raj told us a little about things available to help us financially. The food was great, the group and the networking was great. Come on out and join us for our next meeting.
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May ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 5/15/2007
Our next ITSBITS® Java & Jabber networking event will be on Tuesday morning, May 15, at McAlister's Deli in Pelham. We will start at 8:30 AM and run until about 9:45-give or take. McAlister's is located at 152 Bowling Lane in Pelham, across from the Advance Auto Parts on Highway 31 between Valleydale Road and US 119. (If you need further directions, call 205-985-9797.)
Please come and bring a friend with you--the more we have, the more business you can do! We continue to grow and have had great turnouts at our recent networking events at CompUSA, Costco, and The Station. Many thanks to all who contributed to the success of these meetings.
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May ITSBITS® After Hours Meeting 5/3/2007
For those of you who said, "I don't do mornings," we're having our first after hours meeting at The Station on Morris Avenue, 2025 Morris Avenue (254-8005). Three years ago The Station changed ownership and direction--come out and join us from 5:30PM until about 7:00 PM--snacks will be provided by Pat Townsend and there'll be a cash bar. Bring lots of business cards and have a good time.
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April ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 4/17/2007
Our April meeting will be hosted by Jack Mize of Waste Solutions Management. We'll meet from 8:30 AM until about 9:45 AM. at Costco in Hoover, 3650 Galleria Circle (between the Galleria Mall and the Fly-over in Hoover.) We'll have a speaker who'll talk on a business-related subject. There will be door prizes, refreshments, lots of networking, and lots of good information. Bring tons of business cards and join us for a great meeting. There'll be java, too.
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March ITSBITS® Java & Jabber Meeting 3/20/2007
Our March meeting was hosted by one of our newest members, CompUSA Business Services, at 3230 Galleria Circle, Hoover, AL 35244. We had some 25 people in attendance. Our speaker was Mr. Dick Clark! No, not the music guy. This is Dick Clark of Reliable Sign Service spoke about some things you might need to know about using signs for your business. There were some great door prizes, too. If you missed it, we're sorry. But come to our next meeting!
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First Alabaster Java & Jabber Meeting Coming 3/6/2007
That's right, we're opening new Alabaster Pages on our website and we're starting a new meeting group--in Alabaster, Alabama. If your business is in Alabaster or you do lots of business with folks in the Alabaster area, you should come in and see what a marketing group is all about. Our host for March 6's Alabaster Java & Jabber meeting will be Juana Colvin at the Turner Agency, Allstate Insurance, 21 Weatherly Club Drive, Suite 400, Alabaster, AL 35007. We'll meet from 8:30 AM until about 9:45 AM. We'll have a great speaker for you, too--someone who will share information that can actually help you in your business. Bring lots of business cards and come join us for networking and more.
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February Java & Jabber
Our meeting on February 20 was hosted by Steve Toole of Steve Tool Creative Services at the Red Mountain Bank. Steve told us a little about his business, and then Pam Wilkes of Dale Carnegie Training gave us a quick run down on how to remember names---something all of us seem to need help with. Door prizes came in from U.S. Lec. Our thanks to all these fine folks for their help in making our meeting a success.
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January
Brandi Lawrence of Re/Max Realtors hosted our January meeting which was well-attended. Over 20 people came and heard Kathy Mann of MRM Records Management talk about ways to make your office more efficient. As always, the networking was great. We want to thank both Brandi and Kathy for their help.
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Christmas Party
Come to Richards Bar-B-Q and Grill at 6:30 PM December 19 and join us for our Christmas party. Free to all, but please, bring something as a not-wrapped Christmas gift for a needy, elderly person in a nursing home. (Suggestions include daily needs items like shampoo, body wash, body powder, gripper socks, pajamas, stuffed toys, individually-wrapped soft candies, life-like-baby dolls, etc.)
Directions: Take the Acton Road exit off U.S. 459 between U.S. 280 and I-65. Go northwest toward Hoover. Pass McDonalds and find Richards in a strip-center on your left. They have steaks and all kinds of really good food--plan on spending about $15 or less for a great meal.
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Monthly Meeting (January)
Our January monthly meeting will be Tuesday, January 16 at 8:30 AM. It will be hosted by Brandi Lawrence of RE/Max on 201 Amphitheater Road in Pelham. Our speaker will be one of our newest members, Ms. Kathy Mann of MRM Services, LLC. Kathy will give us some pointers on office organization--so we can actually find some of that stuff we've misplaced. We'll also have our latest "A Good Read" ready at the meeting, printed by another new member, MinuteMan Press in Alabaster. Come to this free event and see why you should be in the ITSBITS Marketing Group. (Go ahead and put the February meeting on your calendar for February 20 at 8:30 A.M.--location is still TBA, but reserve the time now.)
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Monthly Meeting (December)
Our December monthly meeting will be December 13 (Wednesday) at Ivan Leonard Chevrolet on U.S. 31 in Hoover. We will be distributing "A Good Read" to member and visitors alike and discussing other efforts to help market your business. Our speaker is still up in the air, so we'll just say TBA. Come to this free event and see why you should be in the ITSBITS Marketing Group.
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Monthly Meeting(11/8/2006)Our first monthly meeting was held November 8 at the Red Mountain Bank and was sponsored by The Perfect Present Shop. (Pictured, Charlotte George (TPPS), Gloria Anderson (Redmountain Bank), and Vicki Smith (TPPS.) Our speaker was Mr. Joe Primm from UAB's School of Business who discussed a number of programs available to through UAB to help your small business succeed. We introduced our lates initiative--"A Good Read"--which will be distributed throughout our marketing area.
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©2006-2008 by IHS, Incorporation--all rights reserved.