To have business briefs listed in The Arlington Connection, mail to 7913 Westpark Drive, McLean, VA 22102, e-mail to arlington@connectionnewspapers.com or fax to 703-917-0991. Deadline is 2 p.m. the Thursday before publication. This free community listing is reserved for events that are open to the public at no or minimal cost. Call Elizabeth Orr at 703-917-6449 with any questions.
The Northern Virginia Business Referrals group meets every Tuesday at 7 a.m. for breakfast at the Metro 29 Diner, 4711 Lee Highway, Arlington. The group facilitates networking by limiting membership to one member per profession, and has been in existence since 1996. For more information on Northern Virginia Business Referrals, call 703-312-7117 or visit the NVBR Web site, www.nvbr.org
Arlington's SOC Enterprises has received a $6,000 restricted cash grant from the Gannett Foundation. This funding will supplement the SOC JOBS project by providing additional pay for educational and vocational certificates, paid work incentives and motivational incentives for women with disabilities receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) funds and services. The SOC JOBS program, a public/private venture designed to move welfare recipients with disabilities off of the TANF rolls and into a life of sustained self-sufficiency, has been serving needy individuals in the Arlington/Alexandria areas since 1999. TANF recipients served by SOC JOBS are classified as the most difficult population to place and sustain in meaningful employment. The Gannett Foundation, a corporate foundation sponsored by Gannett Co. Inc., serves local organizations in those communities in which Gannett Co. Inc. has a local daily newspaper or television station. The program makes contributions through grants education, health and advancement of the people who live in Gannett communities. The contributions are their way of helping to improve the quality of life and addressing the most pressing community issues.
Ratner Companies, the parent organization for the Hair Cuttery salon chain, presented four awards to Arlington salons and stylists on Oct. 17 for receiving some of its highest customer satisfaction and leadership scores in the region. Alice Vu, leader of the West Falls Church Hair Cuttery and April Petrus, leader of the Broaddale (Falls Church) Hair Cuttery, were honored for their leadership achievements. Also presented with top customer satisfaction awards were the West Falls Church and Columbia Pike salon teams. Additionally, Petrus was named the top salon leader in the region, and will compete for a national award in Cancun in February 2005. Twice every year, clients of each Hair Cuttery salon in the United States participate in the company's "WOW" survey, where they rate the salon's customer service based upon a recent visit. Additionally, the staff of each Hair Cuttery salon completes a leadership survey. Stylists are asked to rate their salon leaders based upon success in upholding the company values in the salon. The values are instilling self-confidence; building teamwork building relationships; integrity; and promoting quality of life.