Business Recovery Center Opens in Conway; Jessamine Chamber Director, Chamber Garner Statewide Recognition; CIRCLE (Central Illinois Chamber Legislative Effort) Brings Concerns to Local State Legislators; Ready To Build On What Dearborn County Has to Offer; Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations (Leadership): Martin Luther King, Jr.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Arkansas Small Business Technology Development Center (SBTDC) and the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce announced the opening of a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Conway. The center is specifically designed to provide key financial services to businesses impacted by the April 27 tornado. More information: Conway Area Chamber

Jessamine County Chamber Director, Chamber Garner Statewide Recognition

Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce director Amy Cloud was named co-executive of the year at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE) awards ceremony held on April 24.
Cloud shares the honor with Hardin County chamber president Brad Richardson.

“I was very surprised,” Cloud said. “I was nominated by nomination letters being sent to KCCE. I know two of my ambassadors and two of my board members sent in letters.”

Cloud went up against chamber directors of all class sizes for the individual award. Read More: The Jessamine Journal


CIRCLE (Central Illinois Chamber Legislative Effort) Brings Concerns to Local State Legislators

Three issues were up for discussion at the annual CIRCLE hearings as part of Legislative Day in Springfield. To give local input on the issues, eight attendees from the Morton Chamber of Commerce traveled down to let legislators hear their opinions.
CIRCLE, the Central Illinois Regional Chamber Legislative Effort, has hosted the hearings the past five years. Each year, Morton has had representation at the hearings. Other area chambers that are part of CIRCLE includes Washington, East Peoria, Chillicothe, Peoria and Pekin, among others. This year, the group spoke to area legislators about not raising minimum wage, reforming workers’ compensation and ending the income tax raise. Read More: Morton Times-News

Ready To Build On What Dearborn County Has to Offer
By Eric Kranz, Dearborn County Chamber President   For the past four and a half years I have been working with small to medium sized business owners all over Southeast Indiana.   In my work with the Southeast Indiana Small Business Development Center and now the Dearborn County Chamber of Commerce, I have assisted entrepreneurs in 13 counties.  Over that period of time I helped those individuals start over 50 new ventures, invest over $85 million into new business starts and expansions, and create more than 300 jobs.  I’ve worked with hundreds of clients on thousands of issues.  The great part of working with the ISBDC is that I got to see issues facing businesses of all sizes.  We worked with businesses in any field, any industry from one person start ups to 500 person manufacturing facilities.  Read More: Dearborn County Register

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations (Leadership)


“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.


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