Chamber profile: The value of asking why, Della Schmidt extraordinary CEO; Northeast Wisconsin Chamber members with less than 35 employees post their employment opportunities for free; MI Supreme Ct Ruling Allows Treasury to Impose 6% Sales and 6% Use Tax on Same Transaction; Salina, Kansas Chamber Partnership: Bulk Solids Innovation Center Groundbreaking Set; Indiana Chamber employers survey: Not enough skilled workers; Bowling Green Area Chamber collaborates with nonprofits, aims to employ; SBA Programs for Underserved Entrepreneurs; Chamber Federal Advocacy Links; Chamber marketing: Long-time Nebraska Slogan Remains Front Runner for Many as Others Come and Go; Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations: (Attitude)

Chamber Profile: The value of asking why, Della Schmidt extraordinary Winona Chamber CEO

In 1902, of a group of Winona area businessmen formed the Association of Commerce. Known today as the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce, it continues to play a key role in developing business, supporting education and facilitating the growth of tourism.

Join my conversation with the Winona Chamber President & CEO, Della Schmidt, and learn what led her to this role. Read more: Winona Daily News

Northeast Wisconsin  Chamber members with less than 35 employees post their employment opportunities for free

The Northeast Wisconsin Chamber Coalition has partnered with NationJob, Inc. to deliver a recruitment initiative that allows chamber members to promote their area jobs on a local, regional, and national level. NationJob receives over 60,000,000 "hits" per month from active jobs seekers. Thanks to the following chambers, members can post their positions and save 60-90% off their cost.

Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce
Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce

MI Supreme Ct Ruling Allows Treasury to Impose 6% Sales and 6% Use Tax on Same Transaction

The Michigan Supreme Court recently ruled 5-1 in Andrie Inc v Department of Treasury to allow the Michigan Department of Treasury to collect both the 6% Sales and the 6% Use Tax on the same Michigan-based transaction -- unless the consumer can prove that the sales tax was paid!

This ruling turns the burden of proof on its head and has very serious consequences for both Michigan sellers and Michigan consumers alike. Michigan sellers could now be faced with masses of requests for separately stated line items showing the tax and/or affidavits from their customers in order to prove that the tax was paid to Michigan, and consumers must now keep every receipt and/or affidavit to demonstrate that the seller paid the tax. If the consumer cannot prove this, they will be forced to pay the 6% Use Tax even if they rightly assume that the 6% Sales Tax was included in the total price.

Michigan Chamber members who are purchasing items in Michigan must now be diligent in making sure to either obtain receipts that explicitly show a line item for sales tax, or ask the seller for an Affidavit so you can later prove under audit that the tax was paid by the seller to the state of Michigan.

For for information, contact Tricia Kinley at (517) 371-7669 or tkinley@michamber.com.

Salina, Kansas Chamber Partnership: Bulk Solids Innovation Center Groundbreaking Set

A groundbreaking for the Kansas State University Bulk Solids Innovation Center will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, July 10, in the 600 block of North Front St. in Salina, KS. The public is welcome to attend.

The center is the project of Kansas State University with partners the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, Salina Economic Development Corp., U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, the state of Kansas, and the city of Salina. The Center is expected to be completed in 2015.

The research facility will be the only one of its kind in North America. The nearly 13,000-sq-ft center will be used to study and develop the understanding of bulk solids materials handling. Bulk solids are loose, dry commodities like sugar, minerals, pigments, and recycled plastics that account for more than 80 percent of items transported around the world.

Indiana Chamber employers survey: Not enough skilled workers

Nearly 40 percent of Indiana employers surveyed by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce say they haven’t filled recent job openings because they couldn’t find qualified applicants.
The greatest unfilled need, according to a chamber news release, came in the skilled trades, such as electricians, plumbers and engineering technicians. Two-thirds of the jobs left open required education beyond high school, such as a certificate, associate degree or bachelor’s degree. Read more: Star-Press

Bowling Green Area Chamber collaborates with nonprofits, aims to employ

Renea Covington, community initiatives director at the Housing Authority of Bowling Green, said she and her coworkers “try to tear down the walls and break the chains,” which she believes will be more possible with a new collaboration with the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber announced Tuesday that it is collaborating with the nonprofit Housing Authority and Goodwill Industries of Kentucky, Inc. on a workforce initiative. The announcement was made at KOBE Aluminum Automotive Products. Read more: Park City Daily News

SBA Programs for Underserved Entrepreneurs

SBA is committed to helping entrepreneurs in every community in America. For all the entrepreneurs in underserved communities including women-owned, minority-owned, veteran-owned and many other underserved groups, SBA.gov includes resources that may help you start and succeed in your business.

For a set of links to SBA resources for underserved entrepreneurs and communities, please visit this link and the links on that page.

Chamber Federal Advocacy Links

• The White House
• U.S. Senate
• U.S. House of Representatives
• Supreme Court of the United States
• Department of Labor
• Department of Commerce
• Small Business Administration
• Internal Revenue Service

Chamber marketing: Long-time Nebraska Slogan Remains Front Runner for Many as Others Come and Go 

 “The Good Life” is a very familiar slogan for Nebraskans, one that remains strong while others have come and gone.

“Welcome to Nebraska Land, Where the West Begins” is officially the states slogan, but it was in the early 1970s when Nebraska “The Good Life” really started to pick up steam. Over the years the tourism commission has coined many other slogans, but this particular one has held strong through the years.

"It does embody what living and working and playing in Nebraska is all about. It is the good life -- it's slower here, there's less crime, it just is a lot easier way to live and raise your kids," said Marion McDermott, executive director of the Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce. See more: Nebraska TV

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations: (Attitude)

“Live your everyday extraordinary!”
― Charles F. Glassman, Brain Drain The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life

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