Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Kentucky Chamber CEO on Common Core: 'We've got to bridge that skill gap'; Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce names Christine Kennedy new president; Linda Watts wins Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber Spirit of the Coast award; State of the City 2015 - The Hon. Thomas J. Weisner, Mayor, City of Aurora, IL; Chamber interest: Bricktown Brewery crosses into Fort Smith for expansion; Washeka Business Alliance (Wisconsin) Welcomes new Community Engagement Coordinator; Best Chamber Practices: Business After Business Networking at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show; The Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce invites you to the State of the City on March 27th; Leelanau (Michigan) Chamber interest: Lake Michigan Ice Formations Attract Tourists Once Again

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


Kentucky Chamber CEO on Common Core: 'We've got to bridge that skill gap'


David Adkisson, president and CEO of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, said more rigorous teaching standards established in Kentucky have made learning and testing clearer and easier to interpret for both students and teachers.
Adkisson also said the standards have the continued backing of business leaders in Kentucky who are "pragmatists" toward education and in favor of more demanding expectations that are clearly communicated to students in a way that better measures their college and career readiness.
Adkisson made the comments on a podcast series entitled "Get it Right, Common Sense on the Common Core" hosted by the Learning First Alliance, a partnership of education organizations that represents more than 10 million members working to improve student learning nationwide. You can listen to the podcast here. Read more: Louisville Business First


Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce names Christine Kennedy new president



The Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce named Christine Kennedy its new president on Tuesday. Kennedy has been interim president since January 2014.


“Christine has been with the Chamber for 15 years and has demonstrated her commitment to the organization, its mission and the vision to collaborate in the region to move our community forward,” Chairman of the Board of Directors Jim Richards said in a statement.
The announcement was made during the organization’s annual State of the Chamber at the Kirkley Hotel Conference Center.
Kennedy joined the chamber in 2001, overseeing new projects and the Leadership Lynchburg Program, which still is there today.
“This community is worth sweat equity to make sure we’re on top,” Kennedy said, speaking from a lectern to Tuesday’s sold-out breakfast, with about 200 people in attendance. Read more: the News & Advance



Linda Watts wins Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber Spirit of the Coast award


Linda Watts, who is retired from Mississippi Power, was honored Tuesday as the 2015 winner of the Pat Santucci Spirit of the Coast award.
The award was presented during the annual meeting of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino.
Until her retirement, Watts was the Coast division manager for Mississippi Power. She said that is the same position held by Walter Williams, who won the first Spirit of the Coast award in 1989.
A crowd of 650 attended the luncheon. Chamber officials also received a 4-star accreditation from Clark Thomason with the USA Chamber of Commerce. The Coast chapter is one of only 213 chambers in the country to be accredited and the only one in Mississippi, she said.
Watts, a chamber past president, was surprised to be named the 2015 winner and said, "This room is full of people that are so engaged over the years." Read more: Sun-Herald


State of the City 2015  - The Hon. Thomas J. Weisner, Mayor, City of Aurora, IL

Mayor Weisner is currently serving his third term as Mayor of Aurora, the state's second largest city, with a population of nearly 200,000. As Aurora's Mayor for nearly a decade, Weisner has propelled this former "blue-collar town" into the 21st century as a high performing, progressive city by strengthening neighborhoods, revitalizing Aurora's riverfront core, promoting sustainable development practices, developing a top-notch telecommunication infrastructure and vastly reducing crime. By focusing on public private partnerships to spur revitalization, Weisner is successfully cleaning up polluted riverfront areas and breathing new life into Aurora's downtown urban core.

Join us Thursday, April 16, at 11:00 a.m. to hear from Mayor Weisner. -From highlights of 2014 to major announcements for 2015 and forward, Mayor Weisner's annual State of the City Address is an opportunity for business leaders, community members, and our elected officials to hear the latest from the Mayor. Space is limited. Registration & Networking at 11:00 a.m. Lunch at 12:00 p.m. State of the City Address at 12:50 p.m. Piper's Banquets, 1295 Butterfield Road, Aurora  - Register Here


Chamber interest: Bricktown Brewery crosses into Fort Smith for expansion


Fort Smith, Arkansas, is redeveloping its downtown into a destination point, with restaurants and retail stores leading people to the scenic Arkansas River.
With several new businesses opening citywide, the downtown revitalization only helps to improve the area’s quality of life, said Tim Allen, Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce’s president and CEO.
That downtown revitalization includes a small piece of Oklahoma, with Bricktown Brewery opening in the former Varsity Sports Grill, 318 Garrison Ave. That Fort Smith restaurant is the latest location for the company that has been on expansion mode since 2011. Read more: Washington Times



Waukesha Business Alliance (Wisconsin) Welcomes new Community Engagement Coordinator 

The Alliance is pleased to announce that Sheila Buechel has joined our team as Community Engagement Coordinator. Sheila is responsible for supporting Alliance programs to advance outreach, build relationships and foster collaboration with education, workforce development, economic development, non-profit and other Alliance partner groups that impact the success of businesses in Waukesha County and the region.

Sheila comes to the Alliance with a background of teaching at Marquette University. Prior to teaching, her background includes industrial sales of hydraulic equipment throughout the Midwest. Read more: Waukesha Business Alliance

Best Chamber Practices: Business After Business Networking at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show

Join us and various Chicago neighborhood Chambers for a fragrant night of networking at the Chicago Flower & Garden Show. Make new business connections, enjoy cocktails and appetizers, and take the opportunity to browse the show, where some of Chicago's top florists, designers, retailers and clubs will be showcasing their gardening, landscape and horticulture products and services.
Beer, wine, and light appetizers included. Space is limited, RSVP now.
March 19, 2015 | 5:30 - 7:30 PM Navy Pier - Festival Hall
600 East Grand Avenue Member Ticket: $25 | Non-Member Ticket: $50
Questions? Contact Stacey Efstathiou at 312-494-6716.



The Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce invites you to the State of the City on March 27th.









The Greater La Porte Chamber of Commerce invites you to the State of the City on March 27th.  The event will take place at Best Western Plus, located at 444 Pine Lake Avenue.  Registration will begin at 11:00 a.m. with lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. and the address starting at 12:15 p.m.

Mayor Blair Milo will address the luncheon. This year's event will highlight some of the most significant accomplishments of the last year and outline upcoming goals in the areas of public safety, parks and community services, community development, traffic and transportation, and other quality of life issues.

The cost for the event is $25 for members and $30 for non-members.  Registration can be done by clicking the link below.
Register Here>>>


Leelanau (Michigan) Chamber interest: Lake Michigan Ice Formations Attract Tourists Once Again

"Huge blocks of ice. It's definitely something to see."
Ice caves are back on Lake Michigan.
They are smaller this year, but people are still making the trek to see them.
The ice formations are spectacular, but can also be dangerous.
The ice cave formations are beginning to show all off Gill's Pier Road and M-22 in Leelanau County.
That's where 9&10's Cody Boyer and Photojournalist Jacob Johnson checked out the formations and have important information for visitors.
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"It is, it's gorgeous. The blues and the ice are just spectacular."
It's a cold trek for anyone who wants to see them but the ice caves of Lake Michigan are back...almost.
"We came out last year and saw the ice caves which were spectacular and we heard that there were formations out here, not the caves but the color was beautiful."
Susan McEwen and her husband say they made the same trek to see the ice last year.
This time around, the caves are scarce but the formations are still something to see.
"Now last year's caves were spectacular," says Sally Guzowski, executive director of the Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce. Read more: 9 & 10 News

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)


“One way to get the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure.” William Feather
  

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