Chamber news: Amazon to add more than 2,000 Indiana jobs; Fairfax County Chamber Launches Digital Research Paper Library; Michigan - Stable 5.5% Unemployment Rate Recorded For June, 2nd Quarter; Chamber Event: Taste of the Bay happening Monday night; Fox Cities Chamber event: Urban art market all about making connections; Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear visits Jessamine County Chamber; Chamber Chat: Arts fair, car shows and 50/50 raffle highlight July in Geneva;

Chamber news: Amazon to add more than 2,000 Indiana jobs

Amazon is hiring 1,400 new employees for their fulfillment centers in Indy, Plainfield, and Whitestown. Hundreds more will soon be working in southern Indiana too.
“A job announcement of this magnitude is massive and it impacts the entire region so we are thrilled,” says CEO of Indy Chamber Michael Huber.
The online retailer is offering Hoosiers full time work, packing and shipping orders at their Indiana distribution center. These jobs are a part of a larger hiring plan in which Amazon is recruiting for full-time positions across the U.S. Amazon says these positions will offer Hoosiers competitive wages and comprehensive benefits including health insurance.
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce says these jobs will be a great boost for the current economy, and will also attract more businesses to the Indianapolis area.
“The impressions that we make on companies is so important and making sure that when companies decide to locate operations here they get off to a good start, because more often than not when a company starts off here and has success they are going to continue to expand,” said Huber. Read more: FOX 59

Fairfax Chamber Launches Digital Research Paper Library

Tysons Corner, Va. – The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce (Fairfax Chamber) today announced it has launched a digital library for research papers. The research papers are submitted by Fairfax Chamber member companies on a topic of their choosing that falls within on of its nine thought leadership councils—Corporate Social Responsibility, Economic, Government Contracting, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, NextGen, NOVAForward, Professional Development, Veterans and Military Business, or Women in Business.

“The Fairfax Chamber is thrilled to announce the launch of its online research paper library,” said Jim Corcoran, Fairfax Chamber President and CEO. “We are proud to be a source for business intelligence throughout the Northern Virginia region. We look forward to continually providing our members with resources to stay up-to-date on the trends and issues that matter most to the business community.”

To learn more about how your company can be a part of the digital research paper library at the Fairfax Chamber, please contact Becky Graham, 703.752.7515, or Molly Boyce, 703.752.7508.

Visit the Fairfax Chamber website to download research papers submitted by the region’s business leaders.


Michigan - Stable 5.5% Unemployment Rate Recorded For June, 2nd Quarter

Michigan's unemployment rate in June looked just like May's -- 5.5 percent, state officials reported Wednesday.
For the second quarter, unemployment also ended up at 5.5 percent, down slightly by four-tenths of a percentage point from the 5.9 percent rate posted in the first quarter of 2015.
However, the state reported some good news in the stable number -- Michigan has a run of six straight months in 2015 in which the number of unemployed people in the state has remained less than 300,000 people. That hasn't happened since 2001.
The number of employed in Michigan dropped by 7,000, breaking a string of monthly gains recorded since May 2012. However, total employment rose by 38,000 or .9 percent from December 2014 to June 2015, according to the Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB).
Although minor, June's increase in payroll jobs was the ninth straight month of gains dating back to October 2014. For the year, job gains have averaged 10,000 per month. From June 2014 to June 2015, payroll jobs in Michigan have increased by 91,000 or 2.2 percent, slightly over the national gain of 2.1 percent, according to the DTMB. Read more: MIRS Report - Michigan Chamber

Chamber Event: Taste of the Bay happening Monday night

Dozens of vendors will pack the D'Iberville Town Green Monday night for the Tasty of the Bay event. Different restaurants will be serving up a variety of South Mississippi treats. Guests will be able to sample some of the finest flavors offered around Back Bay in a bistro table setting to encourage mingling.
The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, July 13. Admission is for adults 21 and older. Tickets cost $25 per person, or $40 per couple.
The event is put on by the the D'Iberville/St. Martin Area Chamber of Commerce, and the proceeds will benefit different events that the two chambers put on throughout the year.  See more: WLOX 3

Fox Cities Chamber event: Urban art market all about making connections

Hundreds of people walked through rows of various prints, ceramics and even specialty pet treats Saturday as The Artery: Parklife, an urban market, created an outlet for local artists and small businesses.
Held Saturday in Appleton's Jones Park, 30 vendors set up shop for the second market of the summer.
Adrienne Palm, director of Leadership, Pulse and Cultivate for the Fox Cities Chamber and the event's curator and organizer, said limiting the number of vendors is tough, especially when choosing a wide variety of mediums.
"It's highly curated so the artwork is consistent and quality," Palm said. "We want to keep it fresh and new. We don't want to oversaturate."
The first market was held at OuterEdge Stage in April, and more than 600 people attended. Palm said it attracted more than she expected, helped vendors sell out of product and created a networking opportunity for everyone involved. Holding a second market was a no-brainer, she said.
"We had vendors that did over $1,800 in sales last time," Palm said.
The importance of the event goes beyond helping artists expand their businesses, Palm said. It is about creating a community that allows people to thrive, brings in more culture and, ultimately, attracts young people to the area. Read more: PostCrescent.com


Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear visits Jessamine County Chamber

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear attended a June 22 luncheon with the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce at the R.J. Corman hanger in Nicholasville.

Chamber Chat: Arts fair, car shows and 50/50 raffle highlight July in Geneva

“Spännande” in Swedish or “exciting” in English – that’s truly what Swedish Days supported by Northwestern Medicine was last month.

A giant thank you to the city of Geneva departments for making sure the downtown always looked its best and for all the pre-work of setting up and hooking up whatever was necessary to run the six-day event. To the Geneva EMA, Geneva police and Geneva fire departments for keeping everyone safe and not letting the crowds have “too much fun.”

To Kane County for allowing us to use their property for our exciting events and attractions. The sponsors who were present all week, the more than 140 volunteers who represented Geneva superbly and the Geneva businesses for staying open late for the throngs of visitors. To anyone who donated monetarily, time or talents – the Geneva Chamber of Commerce appreciates it! This festival is truly a community event.

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Now that it is July, this month is all about the Geneva Arts Fair. Downtown Geneva will be transformed into a venue for esteemed artists from July 25 to 26. Presented by the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, the juried show is celebrating 14 years. More than 155 fine artisans from around the country display their unique oils and acrylics, vibrant watercolors, captivating sculptures, dazzling jewelry, decorative ceramics and vivid photography. Read more: Kane County Chronicle