Good of Goshen campaign hopes to highlight success stories that have come out of the city; Kentucky Chamber: Pensions, education crucial to biz health; Scholarship applications available from Round Lake (Illinois) Chamber; Chamber Tweet of the Day: Detroit Chamber; Virginia Peninsula Community Invited to Fort Eustis Jan. 13 to Voice Concerns About Downsizing; Minnesota Chamber begins search for president; Conway Area Chamber: Congratulations to the 2014 Women in Business; Chamber issue: Dwayne Crompton: Collaboration is critical for early childhood development; Ottumwa (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce looking to make Ottumwa more attractive to new comers;

Good of Goshen campaign hopes to highlight success stories that have come out of the city

Goshen’s schools, businesses and officials want to tell stories of the good that comes out of their city.
The Good of Goshen, a campaign highlighting the work of individuals who are involved in the community, is an effort planned by the City of Goshen, the Goshen Chamber of Commerce, Goshen Community Schools and Goshen College to rebrand the city.
The four entities became sponsors of the campaign and are now working with Eyedart Creative Studio to develop the project, said Gina Leichty, one of Eyedart’s partners.
Part of the campaign included launching a website, goodofgoshen.com, which features stories of entrepreneurs and community leaders who work to make Goshen a better city.
The campaign and the website launched in late July, during the Elkhart County 4-H Fair parade, but the plan is to have an official launch in September. Around that time, billboards will pop up to advertise the campaign.
“People are uncommonly passionate about the city and their community, and so it’s been really fun for us to uncover those stories and have an opportunity to tell them because we believe in what we’re doing and in our city,” Leichty said. “And there’s just so much good material available that makes it really easy.” Read more: Elkhart Truth

Kentucky Chamber: Pensions, education crucial to biz health

The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce has some ideas about how to make Kentucky better, and the chamber president said Bowling Green and Warren County are doing well compared to other parts of the state.
Dave Adkisson, Kentucky Chamber president and chief executive officer, said the chamber is emphasizing in its 2015 legislative agenda the need for public-private partnerships, or P3s, and financial transparency in the state’s pension systems. He said pensions will continue to be a major point of discussion during the 2015 legislative session.
“The state’s pension problems cast a shadow over everything the state government does,” Adkisson said. “The Kentucky retirement system and the Kentucky teacher retirement system are both underfunded, and we’re now forced to play catch-up ... It keeps us from investing in our priorities, such as schools, colleges and universities. It’s siphoning off all of those new dollars. It’s been years in the making and it will be years in recovery.” Read more: Bowling Green Daily News

Scholarship applications available from Round Lake (Illinois) Chamber

Scholarship applications are available to graduating high school senior students in the Round Lake area and Hainesville. The Round Lake Area Chamber of Commerce offers scholarships to worthy graduates who want to further their education academically or vocationally. To request an application, email info@rlchamber.org, call (847) 546-2002 or visit the office at 2007 Civic Center Way, Round Lake Beach. Deadline application is Feb. 12. Source: Daily Herald 


Chamber Tweet of the Day: Detroit Chamber

Detroit Chamber retweeted

Startgrid ‏@startgridco 20h20 hours ago

Don't miss the #StartgridDET relaunch event with @DetroitChamber.Connect with #entrepreneurs shaping #Detroit. http://bit.ly/1xE8EVp

Virginia Peninsula Community Invited to Fort Eustis Jan. 13 to Voice Concerns About Downsizing

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce encouraging mass community participation to help showcase the real and devastating impact force reductions on Fort Eustis could have on the community.

Eliminating positions and downsizing jobs at the U.S. Army’s Fort Eustis would create significant, negative impact to every aspect of the Virginia Peninsula community and greater Hampton Roads, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (VPCC) said this week.
This month, before the Department of Defense rules on where cuts should occur throughout the Army, Newport News and the Peninsula community will have a chance to tell military leadership just that.
On Tuesday, Jan. 13, residents, business leaders, employees, educators, charitable groups and more are encouraged to attend the Fort Eustis Community Listening Session from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Wylie Theater on post.
“There are potentially thousands of uniformed and civil service positions at stake here, with a huge impact on the Virginia and Hampton Roads economies,” said Retired Navy Rear Adm. Craig R. Quigley, Executive Director for the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance. “It is very important that we have a good turnout at this event with crisp and specific messaging.” Read more: Virtual Strategy News


Minnesota Chamber begins search for president

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has launched its search for a new president. The process will be steered by the 48-member Board of Directors representing a cross-section of Minnesota businesses. The individual will succeed longtime president David Olson, who passed away in July 2014.
The president is responsible for leading and executing the strategic plan adopted by the Board of Directors. The board has retained Ballinger Leafblad of St. Paul to conduct a national search for candidates.Source: BusinessNorth.com

Conway Area Chamber: Congratulations to the 2014 Women in Business

The Conway Area Chamber of Commerce’s third annual Women in Business Awards, presented by the University of Central Arkansas Foundation and Simmons Bank, honored individuals in the Conway area who have excelled in leadership and community service and who have inspired others on both a personal and professional level. Each year, four individuals receive the “Outstanding Woman in Business Award,” sponsored by Conway Corporation and Southwestern Energy.
This year’s Outstanding Women in Business winners are Melissa Britton of Conway Management Inc., Chasity Campbell of Abundant Wellness/Bodyworks Spa, Tess Fletcher of Children’s Advocacy Alliance and Lori Ross Scroggin of Conway Regional Health System. The honorees embody high standards of excellence, dedication and accomplishment to their respective organizations, industries and to the business community. Read more: Log Cabin Democrat 

Chamber issue: Dwayne Crompton: Collaboration is critical for early childhood development

As a city, we are thrilled that the business community has added early childhood development to its list of five strategic priorities.

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce must be applauded for shining a light on this issue of school readiness, which plagues under-resourced neighborhoods.

With the leadership of the chamber, along with former mayors Kay Barnes and Carol Marinovich, and Tracy McFerrin Foster of the Hall Family Foundation at the helm, we have a great chance to transform this city, empowering the next generation of Kansas City families and children. But, as they take the lead, everyone must step up to lend a hand. Read more: Kansas City Star (Opinion)

Ottumwa (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce looking to make Ottumwa more attractive to new comers

The Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce is working to attract more residents to the community.
The Ottumwa Chamber of Commerce plus some other local groups got together to put make a relocation packet.
It's a professional packet with information inside about the city.
The group came up with a theme for the packet called "Choose Ottumwa."
They chose the theme because when people are relocating, they want them to Choose Ottumwa.
Residents, businesses, and businesses recruiting employees can use the packet. Read more: Heartland Connection