Business calendar

THIS WEEK

- Tuesday: Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Women in Business' presenter Lee Donald speaks on getting organized' Augusta Towers Hotel and Convention Center, 11:30 a.m.; $17 at door, $20 for nonchamber members; R.S.V.P. to Allison Hopkins at (706) 821-1306 or ahopkins@augustagausa.com.

- Tuesday: Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours; business networking event; 5:30-8:00 p.m.; Knology, 3714 Wheeler Road; $12 for chamber members, $15 for nonmembers; call Allison Hopkins at 821-1306 for reservations.

- Tuesday: Columbia County Chamber of Commerce Inaugural Golf Tournament; 9:30 a.m., Champions Retreat Golf Club; $250 per player or $1000 for a team of four; price includes golf car, goody bag, lunch and admittance to the awards reception; contests include hole-in-one, closest to pin, and longest drive; contact Terra Carroll at 860-4735 for registration or sponsorships.

- Tuesday: North Augusta Chamber of Commerce Small-Business Person of the Year reception, 6-8 p.m., North Augusta Country Club; $15 for members, $18 for nonmembers; call 279-2323.

- Wednesday: QuickBooks Pro 2005; learn how to use QuickBooks for bank accounts, accounts payable and receivable, paying sales tax and more, Serotta Maddocks Evans & Co., CPAs; 8:15 a.m. to 5 p.m.; $125 includes continental breakfast and lunch; call Melissa Canady at 722-5337 for directions and reservations.

- Thursday: North Augusta Chamber Business Expo & Job Fair; 3-7 p.m.; North Augusta Community Center; sponsorships and tabletops available; call the chamber for more information.

- Thursday: Business Basics Workshop by the Small Business Development Center at the University of South Carolina Aiken; topics include opening and running a successful business; 9-11:30 a.m., Penland Administration Building, Room 106; $25 includes resource guide; register at sbdc@usca.edu or call (803) 641-3646.

- Thursday: North Augusta Chamber of Commerce 2005 Business Expo & Job Fair; 3-7 p.m. North Augusta Community Center; call 279-2323 for more information.

UPCOMING

- Sept. 27: Retirement Planning & Distribution Strategies free workshop/seminar; make the most of your retirement investments; 10-11 a.m. and 6:30-8 p.m., morning session at Aiken Chamber of Commerce, evening at Houndslake Country Club; R.S.V.P. to Matt Neiman Insurance by Thursday at (803) 279-0420, ext. 6005.

- Sept. 28: Independent Contractors - Avoiding the Risk of Avoiding the Law; speaker Jim Allen, of Nece Allen, explains how and when you can use independent contractors without the risks of future liability; 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Augusta Inn & Conference Center; 1075 Stevens Creek Road; $15, R.S.V.P. to Paula Kitchens at paula.kitchens@ augustametrofcu.org.

- Sept. 29: Retirement Planning & Distribution Strategies free workshop/seminar; make the most of your retirement investments; 10-11 a.m. and 6:30-8 p.m., morning session at North Augusta Community Center, evening at The River Club; R.S.V.P. to Matt Neiman Insurance by Thursday at (803) 279-0420, ext. 6005.

- Sept. 30: North Augusta Chamber Business After Hours; 5-9 p.m., Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and Botanical Gardens; includes children's activities, entertainment and refreshments; free for members and their families.

- Sept. 30: Business After Hours, Greater North Augusta Chamber of Commerce business networking event, 5-9 p.m., Georgia Golf Hall of Fame's Botanical Gardens.

- Oct. 3-4: Third annual Regional Minority Enterprise Conference & Expo; National Science Center's Fort Discovery; 5 p.m. Oct. 3; 8 a.m. Oct. 4.; advance registration $59; contact Helen Blocker-Adams at hba@hbagroupintl.com or (706) 792-1427.

- Nov. 11: Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce 2005 Women in Business Signature Event; guest speaker Carolyn Kepcher, executive vice president of the Trump Organization; 6:30 p.m.; Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta; 10-seat corporate table $450, individuals $50 for members and $60 for nonmembers; contact Allison Hopkins at 821-1324 or ahopkins@augustagausa.com.

- Nov. 15: Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce Small Business Expo & Small Business Person of the Year Awards Luncheon; 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. for luncheon; expo lasts until 8 p.m., Radisson Riverfront Hotel Augusta; corporate tables $180, booths are available for $150, includes ticket to the awards luncheon and Business After Hours; luncheon-only tickets $20; Business After Hours tickets only $12; contact Allison Hopkins at 821-1324 or ahopkins@augusta gausa.com.

ONGOING

- Free help for small-business owners and entrepreneurs, Service Corps of Retired Executives, a nonprofit volunteer counseling organization; call (706) 793-9998 in Augusta or (803) 641-1111 in Aiken.

- Preparation course for PHR/SPHR human resources certification; Augusta-Aiken Society for Human Resource Management; $25 members, $50 nonmembers; Augusta State University; contact Dalton Brannen at (706) 667-4524 or visit www.augusta-aikenshrm.org.

- Instructor-led online courses; Augusta State University Education to Go program; call 736-1636 for schedule or go to www.ced.aug.edu and click on "Courses."

- Software training for Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office and other applications; daytime and evening classes offered Monday through Saturday; Computer Link; (706) 860-8313, 596 Bobby Jones Expressway.

- Microsoft Office User Specialist tests; MCSE, A+, N+, and I-NET+; Savannah River College; call Shannon Thomas at (706) 738-5046.

- The Augusta Network Club, a group of noncompeting business people who have informal meetings; 8 a.m. every other Thursday; no dues; call Charles Scavullo Sr. at (706) 737-9177.

- The Leads at Lunch chapter of Business Networking International meets every Tuesday at 11:30 at T-Bonz Banquet Hall at 2860 Washington Road; noncompeting professionals whose purpose is to exchange business referrals; current opening for a printer; call Debbie at 364-6612.

- The Referrals at Breakfast meeting of Business Network International, every Thursday at 7 a.m. at the Marriott Courtyard on Stevens Creek Road; call Wesley Ott at (706) 832-2848.

The business calendar is a free public-service listing of the Augusta Chronicle. We should receive typewritten information by noon Tuesday. Please send items to The Augusta Chronicle, C/O Damon Cline, Newsroom, P.O. Box 1928, Augusta, Ga 30903; or bring them to the news building at 725 Broad St.; send a fax to (706) 722-7403; or e-mail damon.cline@augusta@chronicle.com.