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.

MONDAY AND TUESDAY

GARY | The Legacy Foundation's session, "Update Your Organization's Profile on Guidestar (www.guidestar.org)" will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday or 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Both sessions are at Images of Hope, 2131 Jackson St. RSVP to chicks@legacyfoundationlakeco.org. Call (219) 736-1880 for more information.

TUESDAY

HIGHLAND | The Calumet Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants presents the 2008-09 Kickoff Meeting with Chuck Carlson, CEO and Portfolio Manager of Horizon Investment Services, at 6 p.m. at Theo's Steaks and Seafoods, 9144 Indianapolis Blvd. Cost is $25 by Sept. 10 or $30 at the door. For more information, visit http://www.geocities.com/imacalumet, e-mail imacalumet@yahoo.com or call President Mark T. Camarena at (630) 530-6707 or (219) 864-8685.

TINLEY PARK | The Business to Business Expo will be from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., at the Tinley Park Convention Center, Interstate 80 and Harlem Avenue. Sharon Colander and Sue Marines, Marines Consulting will be speaking at this session. Attending the Expo is free with a business card. To register to exhibit, or for more information, visit http://www.btobexpo.com or call (708) 747-0844.

MERRILLVILLE | A live video feed of Barnes & Thornburg LLP's next Life Science Lunch Series seminar, "Green Building for the Life Sciences," is set for 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Purdue Technology Center, 9800 Connecticut Drive. For more information, or to register for the program, log on to http://www.btlaw.com/Event.asp?Event_ID=749 or contact Deb Hallberg at deb.hallberg@BTLaw.com or at (317) 231-7356.

VALPARAISO | Small business operators are invited to Duneland Chapter of Business Networking International from 7 to 8:30 a.m. Tuesdays at Strongbow Inn. 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.

GRIFFITH | The North Lake Chapter of BNI (Business Networking International), which encompasses Hammond, Gary, Griffith and East Chicago, meets from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Tuesdays at Pepe's Restaurant, 222 E. Ridge Road. For more information, call Michael Pelz at (219) 977-2090 or (815) 370-2940.

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.

TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY

MERRILLVILLE/HAMMOND | The NWI Small Business Development Center and The Napoleon Hill World Learning Center present a free workshop by Dan Gibbons, "Leveraging Your Most Valuable Asset n Yourself!" from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Purdue Technology Center, 9800 Connecticut Drive, Merrillville, and from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at The Calumet Conference Center at Purdue University Calumet, 2300 173rd St., Hammond. Call (219) 644-3513 to RSVP.

WEDNESDAY

SCHERERVILLE | The Highland-Griffith chapter of Leads Club meets at 8:15 a.m. Wednesdays at St. John Township Community Center, 1515 U.S. 30. Call Luba Petryna Balacky at (219) 201-6874 or visit www.leadsclub.com.

CROWN POINT | Indiana Business Professionals chapter of the Leads Club meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at Schoop's Restaurant, 1124 N. Main St. Call Michelle Frey at (219) 662-9729 or e-mail mkmfrey@yahoo.com or visit www.leadsclub.com.

VALPARAISO | The Valparaiso chapter of Leads Club meets at 7:30 a.m. Wednesdays at the Fifth Third Bank, 56 S. Washington St. (on the Courthouse square). Call Barbara Rivera at (219) 759=4274 or e-mail efnbarb@aol.com or visit www.valpoleads.com.

THURSDAY

MERRILLVILLE | The Merrillville Noon Kiwanis Club meets from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays at the Old Country Buffet off U.S. 30 (1634 E 80th Avenue). For more information call Aaron Yakovetz at (219) 707-5023, e-mail aaron@goiim.com, or visit www.kiwanis.org .

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.

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.

SEPT. 23

CROWN POINT | Mayor Uran's Office of Special Events and the Crown Point Parks & Recreation Department, in partnership with Lakeshore Public Television will host a free one-hour seminar, "Digital TV & You" at 3:30 p.m. at Sauerman Woods Park (behind the Hub Pool-1000 E. South Street). RSVP by Sept. 17 at (219) 661-2271.

MERRILLVILLE | The Legacy Foundation's session, "The New 990: What Do the Reporting Changes Mean for Your Organization" will be from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Our Lady of Consolation, 8303 Taft. RSVP to chicks@legacyfoundationlakeco.org. Call (219) 736-1880 for more information.

SEPT. 24

MERRILLVILLE | Northwest Indiana's Workforce Development Summit will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza, 800 E. 81st Ave. The annual Business and Consumer Expo will be immediately after the summit. Cost for the summit is $35. Deadline to register for the summit is Sept. 17. For more information or to be a vendor at the expo, call the Merrillville Chamber of Commerce at (219) 769-8180.

Sept. 25

GARY | The Center of Workforce Innovations will host "Building Your Community Network" for faith-based or community-based organizations from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Strongbow Inn in Valparaiso. Cost is $15. Register online at www.theeventconn.com. Call (219) 462-2940 or e-mail bgrimsgard@innovativeworkforce.com for more information.

MERRILLVILLE | The Legacy Foundation will host a Proposal Prep Brown Bag Session from 12:30 to 2 p.m. at the Lake County Public Library, 1919 W. 81st Ave. RSVP to chicks@legacyfoundationlakeco.org. Call (219) 736-1880 for more information.

OCT. 1

HAMMOND | The city of Hammond and the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring an identity theft seminar and shredding event, "Identity Theft, Yes It Can Happen to You ...," presented by Jacqueline Kennedy, Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Jean Shepherd Community Center, 3031 Mahoney Drive. RSVP by calling (219) 931-1000.

SCHERERVILLE | The Calumet Chapter of the Indiana Society of Accountants will sponsor a Current Tax Issue Seminar at Teibel's Restaurant, U.S. 30 and 41. The eight-hour program will feature speaker Chris Bird, EA, CFP, from Belleville, Ill. For information, call (219) 845-5400 or (219) 659-5482.

OCT. 2

HAMMOND | The Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce's fourth annual Business Expo will be at Dynasty Banquet Center, 4125 Calumet Ave. Booths space is available for $180 for members and $250 for nonmembers. For more information, call (219) 931-1000 or visit http://www.lakeshorechamber.com.

OCT. 21

CROWN POINT | First Financial Bank will host a Business Before Hours n "Increasing Your Sales in a Down Economy/How to Get More Treats with Less Tricks" n from 8 to 9 a.m. Contact Judith Mariola at (219) 226-2066 or Judith.mariola@bankatfirst.com to RSVP.

OCT. 22

CHICAGO HEIGHTS | Prairie State College's Career Development Services invites local businesses and organizations to participate in a job fair from 4 to 7 p.m. in the atrium of the college's main campus, 202 S. Halsted St. Registration is $75 per company. Each addition representative attending the fair will be charged $25. The job fair is free for job seekers and open to the public. For more information, contact Tanya Norfleet at (708) 709-3755 or tnorfleet@prairiestate.edu, Ramien Manson at (708) 709-3922 or rmanson@prairiestate.edu or visit www.prairiestate.edu/counseling_advising/careerDevelpoment/jobfair.html.

OCT 23

PORTAGE | The Northwest Indiana Business Roundtable presents the 2008 Reliability Seminar at 7 a.m. at the U.S. Steel Midwest Training Center (close to U.S. 12 and U.S. 249). Cost is $15 in advance or $25 at the door as seating permits. Call Joe Roorda at (219) 956-5229 for more information.

NOV. 13 and 14

MERRILLVILLE | The Indiana High Speed Rail Association hosts the 10th annual Golden Spike Seminar a the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza, 800 E. 81st Ave. For information, call (219) 887-1351 or e-mail indianahsrassn@yahoo.com.

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.