MONDAY

VALPARAISO | Northwest Indiana Professional Networking meets from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Mondays at the South Bend Chocolate Cafe, 57 Franklin St. NIPN members meet to network and chat with others who are in career transition. There is no fee. For information, call (219) 464-4861 or e-mail nipn@kvworks.org.

TUESDAY

CHESTERTON | Small business operators are invited to Duneland Chapter of Business Networking International from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Round-the-Clock Restaurant. For information, call Sandy Boland at (219) 926-2505.

GARY | Managers, business owners and sales professionals are invited to the Indiana Business Professionals Chapter of the Networking Club from 7:30 to 8 a.m. Tuesdays at The Baker's House upstairs meeting room, 6004 Miller Ave. For information, call Tammie Galloway at (888) 263-6926, ext 1.

VALPARAISO | Business professionals are invited to the Business to Business Development Group from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Tuesdays downstairs at the Fifth Third Bank building, 56 Washington St. For more information, call Jack Kinsey at (219) 531-5331.

WEDNESDAY

HIGHLAND | Doug Lewis, an Edward Jones financial adviser, will host a broadcast course, "Cutting Through the Technical Tax Rules Impacting Charities," from 1 to 4 p.m., at 8415 Kennedy Ave. Cost is $60 and reservations are required. For more information or to register, call (219) 923-1482.

MUNSTER | Just Imagine Seminars will host a four-hour presentation to help attendees "Get a Grip on Their Money" at 6 p.m. at the Visual and Performing Arts Center. Registration and payment ($99 for individuals and $149 for couples) is available at www.justimagineseminars.com.

SCHERERVILLE | Business professionals are invited to the Highland-Griffith-Dyer Chapter of Leads Club from 8 to 9:15 a.m. Wednesdays at St. John Township Community Center, 1515 U.S. 30. Call Carey Yukich at (219) 650-4050 or visit www.leadsclub.com.

CROWN POINT | Business professionals are invited to the Indiana Business Professionals Chapter of the Leads Club from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Schoop's Restaurant, 1124 N. Main St. Call Michelle Frey at (219) 662-9729.

THURSDAY

SCHERERVILLE | A BNI (Business Networking International) business development group meets at 7 a.m. Thursdays at the Paragon Restaurant at 1545 W. U.S. 30. Call Michael Pelz at (219) 977-2090 for more information.

VALPARAISO | The Porter County Business League meets at 7 a.m. Thursdays at the Round-the-Clock restaurant, 217 E. Lincolnway. Contact Kim Michalski at (219) 510-3674 for more information.

VALPARAISO | Business professionals are invited to the Valparaiso Chapter of Leads Club from 7:45 to 8:30 a.m. Thursdays at the Fifth Third Bank Basement Community Room, 56 S. Washington St. (on the Courthouse square). For more information, visit www.valpoleads.com or call Cindy Wyman at (219) 405-2405.

FRIDAY

MERRILLVILLE | Northwest Indiana Networking Professionals meet at 7:15 a.m. Fridays at Towne Center Retirement Community, 7250 Arthur Blvd. (73rd Avenue, east of Taft). Contact Beverley Steinman at catchbev@sbcglobal.net or (219) 730-1262. Info: www.nwinetworking.org.

SATURDAY

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Prairie State College will host a workshop on empowerment for business professionals, parents and teachers from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Business and Community Education Center, 202 S. Halsted St. Tickets are $39.99 in advance, $49.99 at the door, and $29.99 for groups of five or more. Cost includes lunch. For more information or to register, call (708) 709-3750.

OCT. 30 and NOV. 1

GRIFFITH | Griffith Savings Bank, 510 N. Broad St., will offer free classes for first time homebuyers from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Participants will learn how to earn discounts on closing costs and get other questions answered. Call 924-5950 to RSVP.

NOV. 2

HAMMOND/VALPARAISO | TechPoint hosts a free live video feed from 7 to 8:30 a.m. of its New Economy New Rules briefings, "The Role of Technology in Indiana's Economic Future." This presentation will broadcast at Valparaiso University and the Purdue Calumet Entrepreneurship Center. Registration is required. For more information or to register, go to http://www.techpoint.org/eventdetail.aspx?id=765 or contact Deb Hallberg at deb.hallberg@BTLaw.com or at (317) 231-7356.

NOV. 7

CHESTERTON | Chester Inc. Information Technologies will be hosting a Microsoft Small Business Server seminar at 9 a.m. at the Hilton Garden Hotel. The event is free. Seating is limited. For more information or to register, call (219) 464.9999 or e-mail Rich Shields at rshields@chesterinc.com.

NOV. 8

GARY | The Gary Chamber of Commerce and Indiana University Northwest are hosting "Passport to Success: A Business to Business Expo" from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Savannah Hall at IUN. John Morikis, president at COO of the Sherwin-Williams Co., will be the keynote speaker. For more information, call the Gary chamber at (219) 885-7407.

NOV. 13

CROWN POINT | First Financial Bank, 11890 Broadway, is hosting a Ladies Business Owners & Officers Seminar, "Upward and Onward to Success in 2008," from 8 to 9 a.m. Admission is free. To reserve a spot, call Andrew Kyres at (219) 226-2062 or Judith Mariola by e-mailing judith.mariola@bankfirst.com or by calling (219) 226-2066.

NOV. 14

HOBART | The Society of Human Resources Managers (SHRM) hosts a half-day conference, "Surviving the Mental Health Frenzy," from 8:15 until noon at Avalon Manor. Registration and breakfast buffet starts at 7:15 a.m. Cost is $45 for members and $55 for non-members. Go to www.shrmnwi.org to register.

To read more calendar, visit www.nwitimes.com/business. To include an item in the local business calendar, send event information, time, date, cost and location to: business@nwitimes.com or fax to (219) 933-3249.