Tuesday, October 28, 2014

1300 people attend Duluth Area Chamber annual dinner : Speaker Enbridge CEO Monaco: Twin Ports critical to the company; Wisconsin chambers' teamwork: Alliance promotes manufacturing jobs; Chamber issue: Incentives at heart of Wichita debate over sales tax jobs fund; Chamber news: Nebraska-Iowa Bridge to the future; LaMotte named Devil's Lake Chamber Member of the Year; Southeast Kentucky Chamber announces interim president/CEO; Kewanee Chamber of Commerce seeks downtown Christmas tree; U.S. Chamber: Challenge Cup Competition Kicks Off in D.C.; Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude): Audrey Hepburn

1300 people attend Duluth Area Chamber annual dinner : Speaker Enbridge CEO Monaco: Twin Ports critical to the company

Enbridge Inc.’s top official was in the Twin Ports on Thursday, visiting the company’s regional headquarters and its terminal in Superior. Then, Al Monaco, Enbridge’s CEO and president, capped off his day by giving the keynote address to 1,300 people at the Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner and meeting at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
That was a record for the annual event, now in its 144th year. And it’s the most people that the DECC’s Lake Superior Ballroom can hold. For the chamber, it was a coup to get Monaco.
“It’s a big deal,” said David Ross, the chamber’s president and CEO. “It’s a $33 billion company. It has more than 11,000 employees. It’s the largest distributor of oil in the country.” Read more: Bakken.com

Wisconsin chambers' teamwork: Alliance promotes manufacturing jobs

Dodge County manufacturers are taking action to promote the availability of jobs in the manufacturing trades. The recently formed Manufacturing Business Alliance of greater Dodge County is gaining momentum with activities to address the skills gap and now has the highest membership since its inception two years ago.
Pam Korth, manager of human resources at Apache Stainless Equipment Corporation is chairperson of the manufacturing alliance.
“This alliance was created out of need,” Korth said. “The labor pool for skilled trades is too small in the area, which is saturated with manufacturers. We can’t grow our companies by hiring away labor from each other. We needed to increase the pool.” Read more: Beaver Dam Daily Citizen

Chamber issue: Incentives at heart of Wichita debate over sales tax jobs fund

Cities like Oklahoma City have recovered jobs faster than Wichita.
In 2007, Oklahoma City funded a $75 million jobs program through a bond issue, said Roy Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce. The bond issue put to voters also had separate propositions on the ballot for infrastructure, transit, fire and police and streets.
Now, Oklahoma City is going through “a phenomenal growth spurt,” Williams said. Read more:  The Wichita Eagle

Chamber news: Nebraska-Iowa Bridge to the future

The $112 million Highway 34 Bridge, first proposed more than 20 years ago and under construction for the past two years and 10 months, will open today.
Opening ceremonies will be held at 9 a.m. with the bridge formally opened to the public at 3 p.m.
Gov. Terry Branstad of Iowa, and Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska, will both deliver remarks at the opening ceremonies, which will be conducted on the Iowa side of the bridge in Pacific Junction.
Jim Ristow, president of he Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, said the link to I-29 in Iowa opens a new world for Bellevue and Sarpy County, but that the pace of progress will hinge on what Bellevue voters do with Proposition 1.
The bridge, together with its Iowa and Nebraska access roads, encompasses seven miles of newly laid, four-lane divided highway. Read more: Omaha.com

LaMotte named Devil's Lake Chamber Member of the Year

It's an exciting time in Devils Lake. That was one of the constant themes of the Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce 88th Annual Meeting held on the campus of Lake Region State College Wednesday afternoon.

"Looking around and seeing the number of current businesses expanding and re-modeling, it's very exciting," Paula Vistad, Devils Lake Chamber of Commerce executive director, said at the event. "I can't say enough about our members. They all work very hard and have helped create a positive business environment here in Devils Lake."

Craig Whitney, president and CEO of the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber, discussed the positives as well as the challenges of communities in North Dakota. One commonality between most cities in the state is its workforce and recruiting new employees. Read more: Devil's Lake Journal

Southeast Kentucky Chamber announces interim president/CEO
Jared Arnett, the current president and CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber, was named as the first Executive Director of SOAR (Shaping Our Appalachian Region). In taking this position, Arnett will transition from the Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to SOAR beginning Nov. 3.
“I’m tremendously proud of what the Chamber has accomplished during my time here. I’m honored to have had the opportunity to serve our members and the region,” Arnett said. “My new role at SOAR will allow me to continue to improve the job creation process in eastern Kentucky.”
During this transition, the Chamber Board of Directors has appointed Jacob Colley, vice president of operations, as interim president and CEO until a new president and CEO is chosen. Read more: Floyd County Times


Kewanee Chamber of Commerce seeks downtown Christmas tree
Christmas is still a couple of months away, but Mark Mikenas is already thinking about Christmas trees. Mikenas, the executive director of the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce, is looking for someone to donate a big fir tree to serve as the downtown Christmas tree.
“As always, we look for something in the 25-30 foot tall range, good looking on all sides and accessible from the street when we take it down,” Mikenas said. And this year, he said, the chamber is reviving a tradition from yesteryear. Read more:  Kewanee Star Courier

U.S. Chamber: Challenge Cup Competition Kicks Off in D.C.
This year’s Challenge Cup kicked off this week in D.C., with dozens of bright entrepreneurs descending on the 1776 campus to take part in the mentoring, coaching, and networking sessions that led up to last night’s pitch competition. Challenge Cup participants are working in healthcare, education, energy, and government—all highly-regulated, challenging industries that are ripe for innovation.
Given just 60 seconds to convince the judges that they should be chosen to continue in the competition, many dry-mouthed entrepreneurs struggled to state their case before the dreaded gong was sounded. There were apps to help parents understand their children’s homework; bracelets that monitor the wearer’s sun exposure; signs to help people make informed decisions about efficient transportation methods; and a way to charge mobile devices using the kinetic energy creating by simply walking. Read more: Free Enterprise

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude):


“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!” Audrey Hepburn

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