U.S. Senator Gary Peters Addresses Breakfast hosted by the Livonia Chamber of Commerce and Greater Farmington Area Chamber; Chamber interest: McCullough chosen as new economic chief for Mississippi; Chamber news: Top 10 BEST Places to Start A Business in the U.S. - #4. Evansville, Indiana-Kentucky; Countryside Harley dealership receives West Suburban Chamber Impact award for supporting local veterans; Clarksville leaders tour Bowling Green (Kentucky) for ideas; Lynchburg Chamber progresses with fundraising for new building; Fort Adkinson (Wisconsin) Chamber: Support the 2015 Project LEAD Class Project!; Welcome page: Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce;

Happy Friday, Chamber world! Today is going to be a GREAT day!


U.S. Senator Gary Peters  Addresses Breakfast hosted by the Livonia Chamber of Commerce and Greater Farmington Area Chamber



U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) today addressed a breakfast hosted by the Livonia Chamber of Commerce and Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce, where he highlighted his top priorities in the U.S. Senate, including supporting small businesses and job creation, and heard from business leaders about issues most concerning them.
“Our small businesses lead the way in innovation and entrepreneurship, hire locally and contribute to our communities across Michigan,” said Senator Peters. “Small businesses like the ones represented here from Livonia, Farmington, and Farmington Hills are some of Michigan’s top job creators, and that’s why I am working in Washington to ensure they have access to the capital they need to compete, succeed and even grow their small businesses into large companies.”
As a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, Peters last week introduced the Small Business Lending Reauthorization Act of 2015, a bipartisan bill that will ensure Michigan’s small businesses are receiving the loans and credit they need from the 7(a) loan program, the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s main lending program. Last year, this program loaned more than $1.2 billion to 2,145 small businesses in Michigan. Read more: Senator Gary Peters


Chamber interest: McCullough chosen as new economic chief for Mississippi


Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has named Glenn McCullough Jr. as the new director of the state's economic development agency.
McCullough is a former head of the Tennessee Valley Authority and former mayor of Tupelo. In June, McCullough will succeed Brent Christensen, who is leaving the Mississippi Development Authority for a job in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Bryant announced the appointment of McCullough on Thursday during the annual meeting of the state chamber of commerce, the Mississippi Economic Council. Read more: wmcACTIONnews5.com


Chamber news: Top 10 BEST Places to Start A Business in the U.S. - #4. Evansville, Indiana-Kentucky

Evansville is an economic and commercial hub in the Indiana-Kentucky-Illinois Tri-State area. The city’s biggest employers include two medical centers, the local school district and Berry Plastics, a company that makes plastic packaging products. Evansville also has several cultural districts with entertainment venues, local restaurants and boutiques. Businesses can join the Southwest Indiana Chamber to get listed in its directory, get discounts on business services and join local groups, including the Diverse Business Alliance and the Downtown Alliance. The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville also has resources including free site selection services, business expansion programs and a technology incubator.

Read more: Nerd Wallet

 

Countryside Harley dealership receives West Suburban Chamber Impact award for supporting local veterans

For its work supporting local veterans, the Illinois Harley-Davidson dealership in Countryside, 9950 Joliet Road, was honored April 15 with an Impact Award on behalf of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
On behalf of area veterans, Illinois Harley-Davidson previously invited a representative from the Disabled American Veterans group to answer questions from veterans and made donations to the Heart of a Marine foundation to purchase walking sticks. They also sent three veterans of World War II to see the World War II Memorial Wall in Washington D.C. though Honor Flight Chicago.
On July 25, Illinois Harley-Davidson will honor and take donations for Lance Cpl. Evin Bodle at the Countryside dealership. Bodle was blinded in a mortar attack while serving in Afghanistan. At the event, Bodle will be given a party, a tribute from the color guard with a 21-gun salute and a presentation from Bugles Across America. Read more: MySuburbanLife.com

Clarksville leaders tour Bowling Green (Kentucky) for ideas

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Conversation is expanding about how, when and where to initiate a full-scale revitalization of downtown Clarksville. A recent inter-city visit to Bowling Green, Kentucky – where a similar effort has slowly but surely succeeded and gained national recognition – has given the Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce and business leaders here plenty more to think about.
Privately funded by the Aspire Clarksville Foundation, the local Chamber recently led what was described as a “very informative and valuable trip” to Bowling Green.
Cal Wray, executive director of both Aspire and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council, said a group of more than 25 community leaders made the short trip to learn more about what Bowling Green has achieved in revitalizing its core, and how that city did it. The trip was coordinated by Melinda Shepard, Chamber executive director; Katie Gambill, Chamber chairman; and Lacey Groves, Chamber events coordinator. Read more: The Leaf-Chronicle

Lynchburg Chamber progresses with fundraising for new building

The Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce has raised more than half the money needed to construct a new building for the group’s first move in 37 years.
The organization aims to finish fundraising and put out a bid for construction by the end of this year and break ground in 2016. The chamber has accumulated about $1.1 million and needs $878,000 more.

The new location, on Candlers Mountain Road, is next to the Kirkley Hotel in Lynchburg. The planned square footage is more than twice that at the current location, off of Memorial Avenue and Langhorne Road. The acreage, meanwhile, is at least triple in size.

“The new location puts it in within 85 percent of our hotel rooms in our community,” said Bob Leveque, chair of the chamber’s fundraising campaign. Read more: News & Advance

Fort Atkinson (Wisconsin) Chamber: Support the 2015 Project LEAD Class Project!

Help preserve the lovely canopy of shade at Ralph Park, where over 20,000 people enjoy athletic and cultural events annually. This year’s Project LEAD class will plant up to 30 trees to counteract the effects of the Emerald Ash borer, which is slowly killing many of the park’s trees. Become a donor, and help continue the 22-year legacy of Fort Atkinson’s designation as a Tree City USA!

To donate

 

Welcome page: Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce

 WELCOME TO EUREKA SPRINGS

Eureka Springs; Arkansas has been a popular resort town and vacation destination since the 1800’s. Nestled in the Ozark Mountains of Northwest Arkansas near the Missouri border, Eureka Springs became known early on for its healing waters, Victorian architecture and historical significance and as a haven for artists.
As time went by first class lodging including hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, cabins and cottages, campgrounds and resorts were built to accommodate visitors who continue to discover Eureka Springs as a destination for couples, weddings, families and for group travel. To further the Eureka Springs experience guests to our historic city can enjoy top Arkansas attractions such as the Great Passion Play, Opera in the Ozarks, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Blue Spring Heritage Center, the Eureka Springs & North Arkansas Railroad, live theater and music shows, caves, festivals and parades. If paranormal is your thing, find it here in our historic hotels. And, we’re only an hour away from Branson, Missouri and just over an hour’s drive from the new Crystal Bridges art museum. Outdoor activities such as hiking, horseback riding, bicycling, boating, fishing, swimming can be enjoyed as Eureka Springs is surrounded by three lakes, two rivers and the majestic Ozark Mountains, Eureka Springs is home to many award-winning restaurants and great shopping opportunities abound all over the city.

The broad spectrum and popularity of Eureka weddings has earned our romantic village the distinction of Wedding Capital of the South. Eureka Springs has been consistently honored as one of the Top 25 Arts Destinations and our proximity to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art makes us the obvious destination for art lovers. For visitor information, vacation packages, discounts, tickets, retirement or relocation assistance don’t hesitate to contact us at the Greater Eureka Springs Chamber of Commerce.
For information when visiting Eureka Springs, stop in at our Visitor Center. We hope to see you soon!

 

Friday: 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and your Chamber of Commerce) by Patrick McGaughey

RULE #80      Post vision statements above the mission statement.