Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Chamber Big 5: Kansas City must keep pushing ahead to help entrepreneurs; Chamber news: Fargo - Moorhead economy boom driven by service growth; Chamber news: 2014 Nebraska Housing Market; Kansas Chamber: Not in the same old Kansas anymore...; Malvern Arkansas chamber classes promote citizen service; Things you may not know about the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism; Famous chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)



Chamber Big 5: Kansas City must keep pushing ahead to help entrepreneurs


Kansas City’s bid to become “America’s Most Entrepreneurial City” is three years old. So how’s it faring, especially in creating companies and jobs?
Not well enough is the honest answer after evaluating early numbers released by supporters of this important and worthwhile effort. Still, more progress is in the works.
It’s part of the Big 5 program promoted by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce to improve the region’s economy.
Supporters said in 2011 that increasing the numbers of innovative enterprises and jobs in those companies would be crucial ways to measure success. In recent interviews, Peter deSilva and Maria Meyers outlined the successes achieved and challenges still faced in pushing the entrepreneurial envelope. Read more: Kansas City Star

Chamber news: Fargo - Moorhead economy boom driven by service growth

Business leaders in Fargo-Moorhead and Bismarck-Mandan said all of their areas’ economic cylinders are firing, with robust growth widespread.
In the Fargo-Moorhead area, where the economy grew from $8.3 billion in 2004 to $14.5 billion in 2013, the real estate and professional and business services sectors both more than doubled over the decade, growing 107 percent and 117 percent, respectively, Bureau of Economic Analysis figures show.
But finance and insurance also outpaced overall economic growth during the period, expanding 91 percent, as did wholesale trade, which rose 80 percent.
“I think it’s hard to put your finger on what it is other than its massive growth in all those areas,” said Craig Whitney, president of the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce.
Real estate of all kinds – industrial, commercial and residential – is growing because growth begets growth, he said.  See more at: Prairie Business


Chamber news: 2014 Nebraska Housing Market

In 2013, the Omaha metropolitan area experienced the following developments:
  • The government received over 2,600 new single-family housing construction permit applications. That number sits 25 percent higher than in 2013. The figure is record breaking for the past four years according to data from the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce.
  • More than 12,000 home sale contracts were perfected for the first time in the history of the Omaha Area Board of Realtors.
  • The average price for existing single-family housing units in Omaha returned to pre-2008 levels. Read more: Housing Predictor

Kansas Chamber: Not in the same old Kansas anymore...

Kansas has been the focal point of a lot of national media attention the last few months, and for good reason. Under the leadership of Governor Brownback and the Legislature, Kansas is now on the map as a competitor for job growth and investment. So why all of the new attention? What of the Left's claim that the sky is falling? In order to answer these questions, it's important that we look back to how the state was competing before Governor Brownback was elected in November 2010.
Kansas has a lot of things going for it. We have a great network of infrastructure. Our well-funded schools were recently ranked fifth best in the nation. Kansans possess a strong work ethic. But the state struggled to grow, ranking 10th worst in the country for out-migration from 2000-2009, losing over 15,600 taxpayers and 17,600 dependents during that time. Our great schools have been educating the rest of the country's workforce. But while we were losing taxpayers, state government spending grew by $2 billion from 2003 to 2008, an increase of nearly 50% in six years. The fastest growing industry in the state from 2001-2012 was government. This path was unsustainable. The status quo in Kansas wasn't working. Read more: Kansas Chamber


Malvern Arkansas chamber classes promote citizen service

From now through May, 10 residents of Hot Spring County are going to take one day each month to learn more about their community and about leadership in the annual Leadership Forum sponsored by the Malvern/Hot Spring County Chamber of Commerce.
“It is a nine-month series where on a Thursday, they will attend the chamber’s monthly breakfast meeting, then spend the entire day getting to know their community better, how it works and what are its strengths and needs,” said Nikki Launius, executive director of the chamber. “We then hope those citizens will want to find a way to serve to help their community improve and prosper.” Learn More: ArkansasOnline.com


Things you may not know about the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism

Ask 10 people you know about the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, what it is and what it does, and you’re likely to get 10 different answers. Here are a few facts about what the chamber, known as the OACCT, is and what it does.

• The OACCT is a non-profit organization that supports its members — the local business community — by bringing outside revenue to the area through its tourism arm and by supporting economic development.
• The OACCT is staffed by people who are passionate about the success of our community and of our members’ businesses. Read more: Southernminn.com
Famous chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)

“Your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn.”
~Unknown


Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article2668989.html#storylink=cpy

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