Networking, education topics of member events
by BETH ALTENA
Tom Duisterhof of Gordon Water and Molly Schmit of the Wolverine YMCA in Belmont are two of the prize winners during a recent Rockford Chamber of Commerce luncheon held at the Rockford Ambulance office on Shaner Avenue. With great food, good company and wonderful networking, winning prizes is just an added bonus of attending the Chamber’s luncheons, which are held every two months.
Visitors to a recent Rockford Chamber of Commerce (RCC) luncheon enjoyed a meal catered by Honey Creek Inn and heard about the top ten rules of networking in an entertaining but useful presentation by Michael McGovern. In addition to great speakers, getting to know other business people in the community is another perk of belonging to the Chamber and participating in Chamber events.
In short presentations before the main speaker, several RCC members took a few minutes to talk about what their business offers. The charming Dr. Sandy Stanton, of ChiroHealth, was one of the mini-speakers and called the events “lunch and learns.” She explained that chiropractic care is just one facet of her company, where clients can also learn about healthy choices, such as nutrition and the importance of ergonomics to continued well being.
Newer to the Rockford area is Tom Duisterhof, owner of Gordon Water Systems, who recently purchased Hart Water. Duisterhof said it is interesting that he ended up the new owner of the long-term Rockford business owned and operated by Don Hart. Dysterhoff said Hart and Duisterhof’s father, Gordon, were both in the water business in the early and mid 1970s. Gordon Duisterhof started his business in 1973 in Kalamazoo and Van Buren County. Hart served the area here during the same time. Both became Kinetico water system suppliers at about the same time. The new system of treating water—only available since 1970—was at that time and still is the only non-electric water softener.
It seems fitting to have Duisterhof as a second-generation provider stepping into Hart’s role offering Kinetico water systems and other water related services. You can welcome him to Rockford by visiting the Gordon Water office in the same building as the Rockford Chamber of Commerce offices behind Rockford Hardware.
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