Thursday, November 19, 2015

Fairfax Chamber Board of Directors Approves Change to Become the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce; Kelley Indianapolis MBA alumnus Brinegar named chairman of the Council of State Chambers; WMC support: Wisconsin Assembly passes civil service changes; Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber wins Outstanding Chamber of Commerce award; Ocean Springs Chamber Event: Huge crowds arrive early to dodge rain at 37th annual Peter Anderson Festival; Young Professionals of Galesburg and the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s 20 Under 40: Charles Goodrich; Paducah Chamber Leadership Now Conference; Pat McGaughey: Scarcity & Abundance; Town Square Publications Custom Chamber of Commerce Maps

Good morning Chamber world! Today is going to be a GREAT day!



Fairfax Chamber Board of Directors Approves Change to Become the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce

Tysons, Va. – Today, the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (Fairfax Chamber) Board of Directors approved the re-branding and restructuring of the Fairfax Chamber to the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. The new entity, effective January 2016, is an answer to the call from business and political leaders for one unified business voice for Northern Virginia and more accurately reflects a role the Fairfax Chamber is already fulfilling.
“The Fairfax Chamber is the Voice of Business in Northern Virginia™ and has been for some time now,” said Mitchell D. Weintraub, Partner, Cordia Partners and Chairman, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. “The re-branding and restructuring will allow us to better serve and increase our value to our members, stakeholders and business community.”
The largest regional chamber in Virginia representing more than 500,000 employees, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce will be the region’s leading voice for business advocacy, thought leadership, business-to-business opportunities and key community partnerships.
During the next several months, the Fairfax Chamber will bring together other chamber executives, business and political leaders, and community partners in a collaborative manner to help shape the launch of the new entity in January 2016.
“The new Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce will seek to complement, not compete with the other chambers,” Weintraub continued. “This is about strengthening and unifying the regional business voice region.”

Further information on the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce will be announced in January 2016. CONTACT: Alex Chagouris, Director, Communications & Marketing <achagouris@fairfaxchamber.org> --- 703-752-7526




Kelley Indianapolis MBA alumnus Brinegar named chairman of the Council of State Chambers
Kevin J. Brinegar, president of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and a 1994 graduate of the Kelley Evening MBA program, was recently selected to chair the Council of State Chambers. Brinegar will lead the prestigious industry organization until September 2016.
Brinegar joined the Indiana Chamber's lobbying team in November 1992, became the chief lobbyist and senior vice president of government affairs in 1997, and assumed the role of president and CEO in 2002. Prior to his employment with the Chamber, Brinegar worked for the Indiana Senate as a financial analyst for the Finance Committee for nine years. He also worked as a management analyst for the Legislative Services Agency for three years.
Brinegar is recognized as an expert in the areas of business taxation, property taxation, local government, state budget and school finance. Read more: IUPUI.com


WMC support: Wisconsin Assembly passes civil service changes



The Wisconsin Assembly on Tuesday passed a Republican-sponsored proposal overhauling the state's 110-year-old civil service system making it easier to hire and fire state workers, even though a conflict in the Senate will delay its final approval until at least next year.
Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, the bill's main sponsor, said he was confident a compromise could be reached to pass the measure early next year and send it to Gov. Scott Walker, who supports it.
"We're not going to let a single provision spell the death of this bill," Steineke said at a news conference.
The Assembly passed the bill just 20 days after it was introduced, leading to complaints from Democrats that it was being rushed through.
Senate and Assembly Republicans disagree on whether applicants for state jobs should be required to check a box indicating whether they have prior criminal convictions. The Assembly proposal passed Tuesday would do away with the requirement, a move opposed by some Senate Republicans that is not in their version of the bill.
Walker has been outspoken in his support of the measure, making it one of the first issues he championed after dropping out of the Republican presidential race last month. Read more: TwinCities.com


Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber wins Outstanding Chamber of Commerce award


A chamber of commerce in the region has been recognized by a statewide association for its organizational excellence.
The Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals, or MACP, presented the 2015 Outstanding Chamber of Commerce Award to the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce for the fourth time during the association’s Leadership Conference and Annual Meeting last month.
The Muskegon chamber won the award in the large chamber category.
Bob Thomas, director for the MACP, said the chamber’s accomplishments included leadership in state and local policy issues, its role in the “Watch Muskegon” image campaign and community development and its best practices in leadership development.
The Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce received the award based on its accomplishments in a number of categories: leadership and governance, financial stewardship, business advocacy and membership programming. Read more: Grand Rapids Business Journal

Ocean Springs Chamber Event: Huge crowds arrive early to dodge rain at 37th annual Peter Anderson Festival



For only the second time in the 37-year history of the Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival, rain fell on the event -- but it seemed to do little to reduce the number of people coming to the event or dampen anyone's enthusiasm.
By 10 a.m. Saturday -- just an hour after the festival opened -- the streets of downtown Ocean Springs were already packed with festival-goers, many of whom likely arrived early to get ahead of the gloomy afternoon weather forecasts.
Right at noon, rain fell for the first time -- light at first, then heavier -- but that initial rain only lasted about 15-20 minutes. Many obviously came prepared for the inclement weather, pulling out umbrellas and ponchos when the rain began.
Margaret Miller, Executive Director of the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, which stages the festival each year, noted it was raining on her last Peter Anderson Festival, as she has announced her retirement at the end of the year.
"It's raining on my parade," she said, laughing. "But it does seem to be holding up for us. We have the rest of today and all day Sunday, so hopefully we'll see some sunshine."
Despite the weather, Miller said the crowds were strong and steady and the new artists and attractions added to the festival this year were a hit.
"All the new things we've done this year have been very successful," she said. "It's been an opportunity for people to see some things they haven't seen before."
Likewise, festival patrons seemed no less enthusiastic because of the weather.
"This is just such a great event, rain or shine," said Ocean Springs native and businessman Tim Reynolds. "This does so much for our community, for our local businesses and, plus, it's just a good time. So many people come back home to Ocean Springs for this event." Read more: GULF LIVE



Young Professionals of Galesburg and the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s 20 Under 40: Charles Goodrich
This week’s recipient of the Young Professionals of Galesburg and the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce’s “20 Under 40” award to be profiled is Charles Goodrich, manager of LIqui-Green Lawn and Tree Care.
According to the nomination, Goodrich “has a compassionate drive.”
Goodrich volunteers his time as a certified arborist for Saluting Branches at the Rock Island National Cemetery on Arsenal Island and serves on the city’s Tree Commission. He also volunteers his time as a Knox County Sheriff’s Auxiliary member.
“Charlie shows strong leadership skills and is a great role model for anyone who is looking to start their own business. Charlie goes out of his way to help others,” the nomination states.
In addition, Goodrich is “honest, hard working, a person of integrity, has high goals, and has a vested interest in this community. He has optimism and a real vision for not only his own business, but for the entire business community, and residents of this area.”
Here’s more about Goodrich in his own words:
Q. What do you do in your current position?
A. I am blessed to be the Manager of Liqui-Green Lawn and Tree Care of Galesburg. We specialize in fertilization, weed control, disease, and insect control of residential and commercial lawns and landscapes. We proudly service Galesburg and the surrounding communities. My position at Liqui-Green includes monitoring the quality of work being done and making sure that we are growing in the right direction every day to serve our community. I believe as a local family-owned company we should treat all lawns and landscapes as our own. In addition to my position at Liqui-Green, I started my own venture in 2014 as a regional certified arborist for the Quad Cities, Muscatine, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids and in 2015 I launched a national tree supply distribution company called Tree Savers providing consulting and products to tree care and landscaping companies across the United States.
Q. How are you involved in the community?
A. Locally I am a member of the Galesburg Chamber of Commerce, I am an active member of our Business Networking International (BNI) Chapter, and I am the Chief of the Knox County Sheriff’s Auxiliary Deputies. I also serve on the Galesburg Tree Commission and am an active member at Bethel Baptist Church. I am fortunate to also be a part of the International Society of Arboriculture.
Q. Of what achievement are you most proud? Read more: Galesburg Register-Mail



Paducah Chamber Leadership Now Conference

Date: November 19, 2015
Time: 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Location:  Show map
Julian Carroll Convention Center
415 Park Avenue
Paducah, KY 42001
Contact: Sandra Wilson
Phone: 270-443-1746
Learn Something New. Hear Something Different.
A one day event designed to enhance leadership by bringing together young professionals, emerging leaders, business professionals, entrepreneurs and community leaders! Keynote Speaker Meagan Johnson will focus on multi-generational workplaces and breakout sessions will feature a variety of speakers on topics ranging from leadership, volunteerism, entrepreneurship and achievement as well as a focus on local topics of interest with five-minute "Lightning" talks.


Pat McGaughey: Scarcity & Abundance

In reviewing the ACCE Horizon Initiative: Chamber 2025 and the eight Influences that will drive our future it's important to note that today's information will be equally important ten years from now. The only way to illustrate scarcity and abundance impacts on future local economies is to identify those
of the present. 

Scarcity and Abundance is another way of looking at what is negative and what is positive. While I completely agree an inventory of both is required today in helping us plan for the future, I'm equally adamant about a focus on the positive abundance we have in our communities to drive our planning.


We must not let our research turn our thinking toward the negative and what's wrong; we must use the negative information to plan our reinvestment in our future. Too often, a study of negative issues brings people down and my message this week is to simply avoid that trap.
The red line on a self-evaluation graph below is a baseline to measure ourselves in seven different areas. This graph example shows three of the seven to be below par. Negative thinking suggests this is a self put down. Positive thinking says we have found where we need to re-invest in ourselves. Never let data depress you; let it inspire you. Read more: Pat McGaughey


Town Square Publications Custom Chamber of Commerce Maps 

Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.
Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your publication proposal, Click here

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