Top 100 Best Places to Work in Indiana Companies Named; Rankings May 7; Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce to Host First Peninsula Executive Leadership Forum of 2015; Maysville-Mason County (Kentucky) forum: Senate candidates address chamber of commerce; New event recognizes Conway-area administrative professionals; Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce schedules IceBreaker April 23th; Biloxi Chamber - Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber Vintage Seafood Festival posters on sale now; Carol Stream Chamber event: How to Attract More Clients (and more Business) with the Three Magic Bullets of Marketing; Michigan Retail Index; Pat McGaughey: Chamber insight: When we say yes to other organizations, we're saying NO to our own organization

Good morning Chamber world! Today is going to be a GREAT day!

Top 100 Best Places to Work in Indiana Companies Named; Rankings May 7

The 100 companies selected as a 2015 Best Place to Work in Indiana include some new faces, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce announced today. A third (33) of the honorees are making their debut or returning to the list after at least a year’s absence.
“A record-breaking number of applicants – approaching 200 – has made the program more competitive,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar. “That shows in which organizations were selected as a Best Place to Work and in the rankings themselves.
“We have stellar mainstays who continue to impress with their work environment, perennial participants who made strides on the list and some newcomers who deserved attention. This group truly showcases a cream of the crop of Hoosier employers,” he states.
“These are organizations that demonstrate to their employees through their culture, communication, career opportunities, benefits and more how much they value their contributions to the overall success and bottom line.”
The actual rankings for the companies will be unveiled at a May 7 awards dinner, presented in partnership with Hylant, at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis. Elements Financial is the reception sponsor. Read more: Indiana Chamber

 

Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce to Host First Peninsula Executive Leadership Forum of 2015

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (VPCC) and Thomas Nelson Community College are pleased to announce the first Peninsula Executive Leadership Forum (PELF) of 2015 will feature Thomas R. Frantz and the MEGA REGION INITIATIVE on Friday, Feb. 20 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Chamber offices in Hampton.
Frantz is the CEO and Chairman of Williams Mullen, a leading law firm with over 250 attorneys across two states and the District of Colombia. A longtime member of the community, Frantz holds numerous leadership roles, serving on the boards of the Mason School of Business at the College of William and Mary, the Hampton Roads Business Roundtable, the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, Bluepoint Virginia, the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center Foundation and the Neptune Festival. Appointed by the Governor, he serves on the Board of Visitors and Executive Committee of the College of William and Mary and appointed by the Mayor of Virginia beach, he chairs the Bio-Tech and Healthcare Task Force. Read more: PRWEB

Maysville-Mason County (Kentucky) forum: Senate candidates address chamber of commerce

The candidates for the 27th District State Senatorial seat were the featured speakers Friday at a meeting of the Maysville-Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce.
Democrat Kelly Caudill and Republican Steve West are seeking to fill the unexpired term of former Senator Walter Blevins, who resigned Jan. 5 to assume the reins of the Rowan County judge-executive position. A special election will be held in the eight counties of the 27th district on March 3.  The district is made up of Mason, Fleming, Lewis, Rowan, Harrison, Bourbon, Nicholas and Robertson counties.
With 2015 being a short session of the Kentucky General Assembly, the district has had no representation on legislation moving through the Republican controlled Senate.
Both candidates were given five minutes to introduce themselves to the crowd and tell why they are seeking office. Immediately after introductions, a question and answer forum was moderated by Ledger Independent Publisher Bob Hendrickson, with the focus of the questions being several bills moving through both the Senate and House this session. Read more: The Ledger-Independent

 

New event recognizes Conway-area administrative professionals

The Chamber has launched a new event to celebrate and recognize administrative professionals in the Conway area.
The Administrative Professionals Awards luncheon is set for Administrative Professionals Day – Wednesday, April 22 – beginning at 11:30 a.m. The event will take place in Childers Dining Hall at Central Baptist College.
The inaugural luncheon honors administrative support staff, executive assistants, office and facility managers, office clerks, receptionists, and other administrative professionals.
The Chamber is accepting nominations for the Outstanding Administrative Professional Award, which will be presented to three individuals at the event. The deadline to submit a nomination is Wednesday, February 25. Read more: Log Cabin Democrat

Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce schedules IceBreaker April 23th

The Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce wants to break the ice with a new business gathering this spring.
The event is called IceBreaker, not only because it’s a networking meeting, but also for its locale: the Kohl Center, where the UW Badgers play hockey and basketball.
Chamber president Zach Brandon said the organization’s leaders wanted to hold a large-scale event “that showcased a great location in the region and gave business people a vantage point that they had never seen before.” Read more: Wisconsin State Journal

Biloxi Chamber - Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber Vintage Seafood Festival posters on sale now


The Biloxi Chamber of Commerce is selling vintage Seafood Festival posters while supplies last on Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Biloxi Visitors Center on U.S. 90 in Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce office at the Knight Nonprofit Center on Seaway Road in Gulfport.
Posters from 1982-2013 are $5 and the poster from 2014 is $15. Priced at 2 for $5 are 8-by-10 inch prints. Details at the Biloxi chamber: (228)-604-0014. Source: Sun-Herald.com


Carol Stream Chamber event: How to Attract More Clients (and more Business) with the Three Magic Bullets of Marketing


Presented by: Victoria Cook, Guilt-Free Business & Marketing Coach

Wednesday, February 25, 2015- 11:30am to 1:00pm

 Location: Windsor Park 124 Windsor Park Drive, Carol Stream
        

Attract more clients like magic! Would you like to attract more clients quickly, easily, and for zero dollars? Would it surprise you to learn that attracting the clients you want most is actually easier than attracting just anyone, and with these magic bullets, it even costs less?

This engaging presentation reveals three simple tools that you can use to make it easy for your best prospects to find you, and will keep your favorite clients loyal to you and your business.

In this presentation, you will learn:
 

• What you absolutely positively have to know to attract more of the clients you want most
• How the magic bullets of marketing work, and when to use them
• Which magic bullet could be the single most effective marketing tool you'll ever use

Men and non-members are always welcome to any Women In Business Luncheon. More information: Carol Stream chamber

 

Michigan Retail Index

Strong December Lifts Michigan Holiday Season

Most Michigan retailers reported better holiday sales, thanks to a strong December, according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
“December was the best month since July, helped by sharply lower gasoline prices, lower unemployment and moderate weather,” said James P. Hallan, MRA president and chief executive officer. “That boost lifted holiday sales and results for all of 2014, although not as much as expected.”
The December monthly survey of MRA members showed 54 percent of retailers increased sales over the same month last year, while 29 percent recorded declines and 17 percent reported no change. The results create a seasonally adjusted performance index of 66.5, up sharply from 48.1 in November. A year ago December the Index stood at 50.5.
Looking forward, 49 percent of retailers expect sales during January–March to increase over the same period last year, while 22 percent project a decrease and 29 percent no change. That puts the seasonally adjusted outlook index at 68, up from 64.1 in November. A year ago December the Index stood at 63.3. Source: MRA and FRBC

Pat McGaughey: Chamber insight: When we say yes to other organizations, we're saying NO to our own organization

For me, it was Lions Club, Little League and the Elks Lodge that trapped me into a volunteer mess that I tried to keep justifying was part of my role as a Chamber of Commerce executive but, I was fooling myself.

Imagine being president of the local Lions Club for 2 years raising big money for our community swimming pool. Then, I was asked to serve as the facilitator and be the inaugural president when our two local Little Leagues wanted to merge and I said yes to a variety of committees at the fun-loving Elks Lodge. And, oh by the way, run the local Chamber of Commerce.

It killed me. These groups and their missions were important to our community and I loved them but I should have been an advising member, not the president or committee chairman.

I found that the only way to say no was to find a new job elsewhere. When I did move, I learned say, "I would love to but it wouldn't be fair to my work with the Chamber of Commerce" when asked to volunteer. I still joined civic clubs but learned to protect my time and say yes to my organization first. -  Pat McGaughey,  ChamberMentor.com <pat@chambermentor.com>