Chamber Column: Let’s show PGA fans what Sheboygan is all about
When 250,000 people converge on Sheboygan County for the 2015 PGA Championship this week, it’s easy to think of them as just coming here for the golf.
After all, they spend most of their time at Whistling Straits, then fall exhausted to sleep waiting for the next morning’s play action. Right?
It’s important to remember there’s a valuable, rare opportunity we have — the chance to say “hello” and to show off the amazing friendliness of our area.
Let’s not underestimate the value of a lakeshore smile. Let’s be sure we roll out the welcome mat.
Perhaps your kids could create a homemade “Welcome PGA” yard sign, or your business might utilize existing signage — especially the electronic kind — emblazoned with a big hello. Read more: Sheboygan Press
State chamber CEO: Kentucky leaders need to raise their game
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Dave Adkisson believes the state's political and business leaders can learn useful lessons from basketball coaches John Calipari and Rick Pitino.
Specifically, he's focused on their in-game intensity. Adkisson thinks Kentucky needs more of that competitive fire.
"Kentucky knows how to compete when we want to," he said.
Our conversation came on the heels of this week's annual Business Summit in Louisville.
The state chamber unveiled its four pillars of prosperity for Kentucky during the event, which included a keynote address from former "Meet the Press" host David Gregory and a debate between gubernatorial candidates Jack Conway andMatt Bevin.
Adkisson said the goal of the four pillars is to affect the dialog of the governor's race and create a culture of competitiveness.
"We can't just show up," Adkisson said in an interview.
He said the four pillars, described below, were produced after engaging business leaders around the state, including a survey that went out to more than 500 of those leaders.
The chamber also worked closely with Ted Abernathy, principal of Economic Leadership LLC, a North Carolina-based economic development and information curation consultancy, to craft its message.
Adkisson walked me through the pillars.
- A healthy, skilled workforce to create a globally competitive talent development system
Just a few years ago, the struggling economy and the Affordable Care Act, known in political circles as Obamacare, was top of mind for many businesses. But as the economy slowly recovers and the Affordable Care Act has taken effect, Adkisson said ensuring the state has an active, prepared and skilled workforce is a more pressing concern. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and others, for example, have stressed the need to fill a crucial skills gap for 21st century jobs in areas such as advanced manufacturing and information technology.
“Workforce is on the tips of tongues of many business leaders,” Adkisson said. Read more: Louisville Business First
Chamber issue: Should Indy get money from state’s ‘regional’ cities program?
Gov. Mike Pence and Indiana economic development officials tout the state’s “regional cities” program as an incentive for communities to work together to make their area of the state a more attractive place to live.
But what constitutes a “regional city” is creating a divide among observers of the program’s roll out. Some see it as a program to benefit the outlying portions of the state and question why Central Indiana is competing for a share of the $84 million that will go to winning regions to help fund economic development projects.
The true intent of the program, they feel, is helping communities outside of the state’s urban core build a national brand and turn the tide on population stagnation.
Yet, supporters of Central Indiana’s inclusion say the area is just like any other region in the state and faces its own struggles for growth.
State economic development officials, who joined Pence in heavily lobbying for the program, characterize its goal as “the development and success of widespread, sustainable regional economic growth across Indiana.” Read more: Indy Star
Chamber news: Three combined Virginia sales tax holidays begin today
A new combined sales tax holiday weekend will be underway beginning today in Virginia.
Virginia’s existing three tax holidays were combined into a single event by the 2015 General Assembly. The three existing tax holidays that were combined are back to school in August, hurricane and emergency preparedness in May and Energy Star and Water Sense in October.
“Anytime shoppers have an opportunity for savings it can be very helpful,” Bluefield Chamber of Commerce President Marc Meachum said. “It gives them a little more money to spend in a variety of stores.”
During the holiday, shoppers will not be charged state and local sales tax on a variety of items. Most school and office supplies, such as pens, loose-leaf paper, scissors, binders, backpacks and construction paper, will be tax-exempt as long as each item costs $20 or less. Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per article or pair will be tax-exempt. Read more: Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Chamber Executives, Mayors Give South Suburbs A Strong Voice On Tollway Planning Council
The south suburbs have a strong voice on a newly formed panel that will help guide a massive and expensive project to reconstruct the Tri-State Tollway from Rosemont to Oak Lawn.
Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott, Chicago Ridge Mayor Charles Tokar and Justice Mayor Kris Wasowicz are among the officials named last week to the Central Tri-State Tollway Corridor Planning Council, which will help oversee the Interstate 294 portion of the tollway's $12 billion capital project called Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.
Also named to the council were Ken Grunke, executive director of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, and Donna Smith, executive director of the Bedford Park-Clearing Industrial Association.
The part of the project that calls for rebuilding Interstate 294 from Balmoral Avenue in Rosemont to 95th Street in Oak Lawn has a $1.7 billion budget. Advance work is set to start as early as 2018 with actual reconstruction scheduled for 2020-2022.
One of the goals for Wasowicz is a tollway interchange at 88th Avenue in Justice. He said a feasibility study is already underway.
"That has been a priority of mine for seven years," Wasowicz said. "A feasibility study is underway and a phase one engineering study, as well." Read more: Desplaines Valley News
Lansing Promise begins search for executive director
The Lansing Promise Scholarship Program has raised roughly $2.5 million since planning began five years ago. More than $1 million of that came in May.
“A Special Evening with Earvin “Magic” Johnson”, an event hosted by the Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club, brought in $200,000 from a dinner and an additional $800,000 from the basketball star and his friends.
Now, the nonprofit is seeking its first executive director, who would be tasked with expanding the fund-raising base as well as building relationships with business and community partners, said Kellie Dean, chair of the Lansing Promise Zone Authority Board.
“(Hiring an executive director) is an incredibly positive step for something that started with a group of people in a room trying to decide what Lansing Promise could be,” Dean said.
The Lansing Promise first became available in 2012. Since then, close to 500 students have received assistance to attend Lansing Community College or Michigan State University, Dean said.
Students who apply must live in the boundaries of the Lansing School District, attend a high school located within those boundaries for four years (including Lansing Catholic), and apply for federal student aid. The Promise scholarship then backfills the remaining amount necessary to attend LCC or the equivalent amount toward tuition at MSU.
Dean said Lansing Promise staff want to get more students involved, look at offering four-year college funding and expand the program to include vocational and technical schools. Read more: Lansing State Journal
Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Event: Run-off Election
Candidates in the Republican runoff for Harrison County sheriff will take part in a forum Thursday at University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus, 730 East Beach Blvd.
Doors will open at 7:30 a.m., and the forum, sponsored by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, begins at 8 a.m. in the Fleming Education Center Auditorium.
Melvin Brisolara and Troy Peterson will face off in the Aug. 25 runoff. Questions for the candidates can be submitted by Tuesday to Emily at 604-0014. Read more: Sun-Herald
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