Bedford
Area (Indiana) Chamber of Commerce is looking for a new President
The Bedford Chamber
Board of Directors has announced that the search is now underway to fill the
President vacancy.
The job description can be found on the Bedford Chamber's website. The deadline
for the receipt of resumes is Wednesday, May 13, 2015. Interested
applicants should email a resume and cover letter to the Search Committee: search@bedfordchamber.com.
All correspondence will be done electronically and all candidate information
will be held as confidential. The Strategic Development Group (SDG)
is the consulting firm guiding the search.
For additional questions, please visit the Bedford Chamber's
website or email search@bedfordchamber.com.
The Bedford Area Chamber Board is looking for a dynamic and
visionary leader - so please share this opportunity with all of the talented
people you know who may be interested in running a Chamber in beautiful
Southern IN. Source: ICEA
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives Certification and Awards given to local chambers
At the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE) last week, the organization designated four chambers in the state as Kentucky Certified Chambers. This new designation is a peer reviewed, best practices certification awarded to chambers who meet nationally benchmarked criteria on internal organization, processes, financial controls and service to members. The four chambers that were honored with this designation were Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Kyndle (Kentucky Network for Development, Leadership and Engagement), Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce and the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce. The Kentucky Certified Chamber program is the third of its kind outside of the U.S. Chamber Accreditation. It helps chambers analyze the policies and procedures they have in place as well as best practices in multiple areas. It also gives executives an additional tool to examine the inner workings of their organization and involve the board with this process.
KCCE also named Brad Schneider with Kyndle as the 2015 Executive of the Year. Knowledgeable and trustworthy; sees the big picture as well as small details; sincere and interested in promoting the chamber industry and mentoring. He has leadership and the ability to move people to collaborate. These are just some of things said by those nominating Brad.He is a board member with KCCE and has not missed a conference since he got started in the industry seven years ago.This past year has been a pretty significant year for Brad:
*he was the guiding force behind the creation of Kyndle – the new combined chamber and EDC that servces Henderson, Union, Webster and McLean counties
*was able to maintain an 85% retention rate through the merger and end the first fiscal year in the black
*he maintained a prominent leadership role with C-Link (catalyst for completion of I-69)
*he worked closely with Christy Gillenwater at Southwest Indiana Chamber to form BridgeLink for the building of I-69’s Ohio River bridge
*and he worked with Murray State to establish a satellite SBDC office within the Kyndle office
Brad is a true professional and always available to help anyone. It is with great pleasure that KCCE announces Brad Schneider as 2015 Executive of the Year. Read More: Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives
Legislatively Speaking, Kevin O’Keeffe, Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce
On Wednesday April 15, I joined several other Executive Directors of West Suburban Chamber of Commerce’s as we traveled to Springfield for the Annual Employer Action Day. We had a full day worth of speeches, meetings and lobbying and were able to meet with Governor Rauner, Senate President John Cullerton as well as Senate Minority leader Christine Radogno and House GOP leader Jim Durkin.
Among the issues that were paramount to Chamber Execs was the proposed Transportation for Illinois Coalition or TFIC Capital Bill. The Illinois Chamber along with many other local Chambers are working towards a state capital bill. Together we have identified that Illinois transportation needs annual investment of at least $1.8 billion a year.
To address this need, TFIC has come up with a proposal that funds the infrastructure work. The proposal would provide $1.39 billion in ongoing maintenance funding each year for improvements over a five year time frame.
The proposal includes the following revenue sources:
- Increase in the motor fuel tax
- Increase the general sales tax rate by .1% and capture for transportation
- As well as other fee increases
Another high priority of chambers as well as businesses across the state is Workers Compensation legislation. Currently the discussion is primary cause. What this legislation does is establish a primary cause standard for determining whether the workplace contributed/caused the injury. It defines the scope of “traveling employee” to “employment related travel” or whether the injury occurs while actively engaged in the duties of employment. What this states in layman’s terms is it switches the burden of proof as to whether the employee got hurt on the jobsite or while outside of work. Currently, in most cases the employer has to prove that the employee did not get hurt in the workplace, whereas the proposal brings the burden of proof more on the employee. The Illinois Chamber and Chambers across the state support this legislation. I am going down to Springfield on April 22 to talk to state legislators about this legislation.
*All Worker’s Compensation bills are being held in committees pending negotiations.*
At the conference, Governor Rauner spoke about the need for a constitutional amendment in regards to pension reform which he hopes to put on the ballot for the November 2016 election. This is just in the infancy stage and I will give you more information as I find out more.
In the meantime I am representing you and would welcome any input that you have. We are restarting our Governmental legislative committee in May and if anyone would like to be on the committee which would meet once a month, please contact me at kokeeffe@bolingbrookchamber.org. This is a very important function of Chamber of Commerce’s these days and I would appreciate your input.
Kevin O'Keeffe
Executive Director
(630) 226-8420
Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce focuses on minority businesses, leaders
Like many small business owners, Lon Aguilar started Promesa Logistics as the owner and sole employee.
Aguilar
was honored by the Michigan West Coast Chamber Wednesday, April 22, as
the Minority Business of the Year. He opened in Hudsonville in 1997 and
in the past three years the delivery company has grown by more than 50
percent.
Promesa means bold promises, said
Bing Goei, owner of Eastern Floral and the 2014 recipient of the award,
as he introduced Aguilar. "Aguilar is the kind of businessman who
believes in the promise of the firm handshake," Goei said.
The goal of Promesa was never to be the biggest, Aguilar said, but to take care of customers.
“I
operate from my vehicle,” Aguilar said. “The office is not where I feel
comfortable. I feel comfortable building relationships with my
customers in their facilities.” Read more: Holland Sentinel
Madison County Chamber Partnership: Law Enforcement Appreciation Week Set
The Madison County Business League & Foundation will be recognizing local law enforcement with a weeklong celebration during Law Enforcement Appreciation Week May 10-16.
"We want to recognize the law enforcement officers who work unusual hours, knowing they may be in dangerous situations that could risk their lives in order to protect our homes, workplaces, schools and entire community," Jan Collins, executive director of the MCBL&F, said.
The MCBL&F has partnered with the local chambers of commerce in Madison County for the celebrations, and they are asking others interested in participating to join in, too.
"We invite our business community, schools, churches and organizations to participate in recognizing our law enforcement officers for their dedication and commitment to Madison County," Collins said.
They have spearheaded a campaign to raise funds to provide a gift from the community to each law enforcement officer in the county. Read more: Madison County Journal
Bob Crum to step down as leader of regional commission to take post in Hampton Roads
Robert A. Crum Jr. is leaving as leader of the Richmond region’s planning and transportation organizations, but he isn’t going far.
Crum, 53, announced Thursday that he has been hired as executive director of the Hampton Roads Regional Planning District Commission, which represents 17 jurisdictions just east of the nine localities he has served for 6½ years.
“Too bad for us, but good for
them,” said Kim Scheeler, president and chief executive officer of the
Greater Richmond Chamber, who has worked closely with Crum since they
arrived in Richmond within weeks of each other in 2008. Read more: Richmond Times Dispatch
Chamber interest: Madison's Airfares Highest Among Top 100 US Airports
Because of the presence of a high number of business travelers and the low number of cut-rate airlines, getting out of Madison by plane can be a lot more expensive than flying out of Newark or the 98 other busiest airports in the land.
Of the 100 busiest airports in the country, the Dane County Regional Airport ranked No. 1 in average cost of a domestic airfare in the most recent quarter measured by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Passengers originating in Dane County -- the 84th-busiest airport in the country -- paid an average airfare of $505 from October through December, compared with the national average of $393.
The high average can be blamed on the airport's lack of low-cost and discount carriers, among other factors, including geography, or being close to airports that do have lower-cost, higher-frequency carriers, and the increasing number of business travelers, who don't usually buy economy fares, said airport and business spokesmen. Read more: Aviation Pros
Chamber partnership: Leadership Arkansas
Leadership Arkansas is a program designed to take a statewide view of the economic and political challenges that face our great state. Leadership Arkansas offers leadership opportunities that expand the impact of community leaders across the state. Created by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Associated Industries of Arkansas, Inc., Leadership Arkansas builds a sense of statewide community by identifying and training individuals with the passion and commitment to become personally engaged in issues, programs and activities aimed at building a better Arkansas.
The individual contribution of Arkansas leaders is multiplied by their collective strength and enhanced by the distinct and diverse nature of the regions of Arkansas in which they reside. The members of Leadership Arkansas are dedicated not only to their local communities, but to their statewide community. Leadership Arkansas is a unique program designed to promote statewide leadership.
Leadership Arkansas is based on the belief that individuals can expand their leadership capacities to make a difference in the state of Arkansas. Leadership Arkansas alumni and class members learn, grow and change as they go through the nine-month program, which allows them to see firsthand the challenges and accomplishments of our local communities.
The success of Leadership Arkansas to date has led to alumni members deciding to change the landscape of our state and their local communities by becoming state legislators, city councilmen, planning commissioners, etc.
Leadership Arkansas has been fortunate to have the support of the Arkansas General Assembly with the former Speaker of the House serving as class chairman and members of the General Assembly participating in the class.
Leadership Arkansas sessions include:
- annual educational, issues-oriented, nine-month class program
- seven day-and-a-half sessions held in various communities throughout the state
- Arkansas leaders who represent a wide geographic base and who have diverse backgrounds and vocations
- exposure to the many social and environmental complexities of the state
- on-site demonstrations and tours
- diverse geographical and cultural experiences
- insight into the people, places and history which influence public policies
- fun and casual settings which foster new relationships and camaraderie
Leadership Arkansas Class IX Selects 35 Individuals
Thirty-five individuals from throughout the state have been selected for Leadership Arkansas Class IX, a program created and operated by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce/Associated Industries of Arkansas and presented by ARcare. For a list of the 35 members of Class IX, click here.
Leadership Arkansas Class IX begins with a Retreat Session – Session I Tourism on October 5-7 at Lake Dardanelle near Russellville. Class IX sponsors include Southland Park Gaming & Racing and Walmart Stores, Inc.
Other planned sessions include:
Session II – Arkansas State Chamber/AIA Annual Meeting/Mock Legislative Session, November 12-13
Session III – Manufacturing/Workforce, December 11-12, Batesville
Session IV – South Arkansas Economy, January 15-16, 2015, Texarkana
Session V – Northwest Arkansas Economy/Education, March 19-20, 2015, Fort Smith
Session VI – Northeast Arkansas Economy/Agriculture, May 13-15, 2015, West Memphis/Blytheville
Session VII – Military/Central Arkansas Economy/Leadership Arkansas Class IX Graduation, June 18-19, 2015
The mission of Leadership Arkansas is to challenge, inform, inspire and engage current and future business leaders to enhance the economy of the state of Arkansas. Leadership Arkansas’s vision is to work to build an economically strong and vibrant state by training skilled community leaders to recognize and capitalize on economic opportunities, motivate others to act to strengthen the economies of local communities, serve as an ambassador for the economic potential and growth of the state, and promote the election and appointment of officials who understand the importance of economic growth to the state.
Leadership Arkansas comprises a nine-month class program consisting of seven day-and-a-half sessions held in various communities throughout the state. The sessions include Arkansas leaders who represent a wide geographic base and who have diverse backgrounds and vocations; exposure to the many social and environmental complexities of the state; on-site demonstrations and tours; diverse geographical and cultural experiences; insight into the people, places and history that influence public policies; and fun and casual settings which foster new relationships and camaraderie.
Leadership Arkansas has educated and engaged more than 400 alumni since its inception eight years ago. The program’s goal is one participant from each of the 75 counties within the next five years.
For more information on Leadership Arkansas, contact Susie Marks at smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com or 501-210-4206.
Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)
“Every
day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been,
and look at what can be.”
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