Happy Friday Chamber world! Today is going to be a GREAT day!
Midland Area Chamber, Midland Tomorrow starts search for president/CEO
The Boards of Directors of the Midland Area Chamber of Commerce and of Midland Tomorrow have agreed to begin the search for a president and chief executive officer to lead both organizations. Waverly Partners LLC, a national executive search firm and the provider of executive search services of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, has been retained to help conduct the search. Sharon Miller, owner of ITH of Michigan LLC, will serve as chair of a 10-member search committee that will work with Waverly Partners to identify qualified local, regional and national candidates.
“Waverly Partners consultants met with the committee, along with Chamber and Midland Tomorrow staff. We have developed a profile with the experience and leadership characteristics of our preferred candidate,” Miller said. “The committee is open to executives with backgrounds in chambers of commerce, economic development, business associations, other types of nonprofits, or related experience with a commitment to business advocacy and strong economic development in Midland and the Great Lakes Bay Region.”
The profile has been posted on the websites of the Chamber and Midland Tomorrow. For more information, contact Eric Peterson of Waverly Partners at Midland@Waverly-Partners.com; all inquiries will be held in confidence. Read more: Midland Daily News
World Trade Center Kentucky announces new chairman of the board
The Board of Directors at the World Trade Center Kentucky (WTC-KY) has named Zachary B. Scott as Chairman of the Board to succeed Glen Krebs, attorney at Wyatt Tarrant & Combs LLP. Krebs has served as Chairman since June 2013 and will remain as a Board member.
Zachary B. Scott
Scott is former District President for United Parcel Service, one of the world’s largest publicly-traded logistics companies. In addition to serving as the Chairman of the World Trade Center Kentucky, Scott also serves on the Executive Committee of Conexus Indiana Logistics Council, the Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce and IU Health Board of Directors.
“We are excited to have Zachary as our new Board Chairman,” said Ed Webb, president and CEO of the World Trade Center Kentucky. “He brings 36 years of leadership and international trade experience to the Board and clearly understands the export opportunities that exist in the State of Kentucky. We‘re fortunate to have someone of Zachary’s caliber and vision to serve as Chair. I am confident that Zachary, along with our board, will drive this organization and Kentucky’s export efforts forward.” Read more: Lane Report
Stellar Communities application coming to close in Crawfordsville
Applications are filed, plans have been discussed and officials have toured the city. The time has come in the Stellar Communities grant process for Crawfordsville to sit back and wait.
Representatives from various state organizations, including the Department of Transportation and Department of Natural Resources, visited Crawfordsville Tuesday afternoon to take a firsthand look at what Crawfordsville Mayor Todd Barton plans to do. “We had the room full of stimulating things, our plans and everything,” Barton said.
The group started the visit at the Crawfordsville Commerce Park by going over various aspects of the Stellar plan. Putting organizations such as Indiana West Advantage, the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street, the Leadership Academy and Wabash College in close working proximities will promote synergy, according to Barton. The initiative is being referred to as Fusion 54. Barton explained that the name alludes to Montgomery County being the 54th county in Indiana alphabetically and that it will avoid bureaucratic perceptions. He hopes that it will also appeal to younger age groups.
Another component of the plan includes a volunteer center where people looking to donate their time can be matched with volunteering opportunities. “That will unleash a huge amount of potential in our community,” Barton said.
Barton wanted to show the state agencies specific areas that are central in his plan for the grant, including the Ben Hur building. The building project is in the hands of Vandalia Heritage Foundation, a point that Barton emphasized to the visitors. “They (Vandalia) are taking on a very strong Indiana partner, so that resonated very well,” he said. Read more: The Paper of Montgomery County Online
Madison start-ups compete for Silicon Valley trip
Six start-ups have been chosen by the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce to compete for an all-expenses-paid trip to Silicon Valley to pitch their story to top investors.
The start-ups, all from Madison, will make presentations to a panel of out-of-state investors and a live audience on Aug.25 at the chamber's neXXpo: Business in Fast Forward event. The event includes a happy hour sponsored by Zendesk and a Startup Showcase, where very young companies will have the chance to make five-minute presentations.
Start-ups competing for the Silicon Valley trip are:
■ bluDiagnostics, is developing an app-based device that monitors female fertility. It was developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison researcher Katie Brenner, and won the 2015 Wisconsin Governor's Business Plan Contest in June.
■Fetch Rewards has an app that makes grocery shopping easier. It was founded in 2013 by Wes Schroll, who was a University of Wisconsin-Madison student at the time.
■Health eFilings makes proprietary software that helps physicians and health care organizations comply with Medicare reporting requirements. Read more: Journal-Sentinel Online
Elmhurst (Illinois) Chamber President's Letter --- August 2015
While the State of Illinois continues to struggle in the field of economic development, DuPage County has developed a public/private alliance that, since its creation a decade ago, has played a vital role in business growth and job creation across 38 municipalities.
As our County’s Economic Development Alliance, Choose DuPage’s mission is to:
As our County’s Economic Development Alliance, Choose DuPage’s mission is to:
- Support local municipal economic development initiatives;
- Grow, retain and attract businesses; and
- Address policy issues critical to the needs of business.
In Elmhurst, Choose DuPage partners with both the city’s Economic Development Commission on its annual Commercial Real Estate Forum and the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry on business legislation initiatives before the Illinois General Assembly.
According to Choose DuPage’s recently-released 2014 Annual Report, nearly 38,000 new businesses opened countywide last year, making the ninth consecutive year of growth since the Alliance began tracking numbers in 2006. At $1.3 million, 2014 sales tax receipts increased for the sixth consecutive year and surpassed pre-recession numbers for the third year in a row.
Our County’s 2014 industrial vacancy rate of 5.5% is its lowest since before 2006 and the lowest in the 14-county region (including Northwest Indiana and Southeast Wisconsin) for the second year in a row, while the Class A office vacancy rate of 16.5% is DuPage’s lowest since 2008. In last year’s Fourth Quarter alone, some 1.1 million square feet of office space was absorbed.
With 118 new projects in 2014, DuPage ranked second only to Cook County (385) in the region. Criteria for new projects included minimums of $1 million invested, 20,000 square feet of expansion and 50 new jobs, plus headquarters facility and Choose DuPage involvement. Our County’s total included 29 of 127 manufacturing projects, 22 of 65 projects in warehousing and distribution, 15 of 102 business services projects and 14 of 74 retail projects. The region’s 657 projects created or retained some 39,000 jobs and investments of $6.8 billion. Read more: Elmhurst Chamber
According to Choose DuPage’s recently-released 2014 Annual Report, nearly 38,000 new businesses opened countywide last year, making the ninth consecutive year of growth since the Alliance began tracking numbers in 2006. At $1.3 million, 2014 sales tax receipts increased for the sixth consecutive year and surpassed pre-recession numbers for the third year in a row.
Our County’s 2014 industrial vacancy rate of 5.5% is its lowest since before 2006 and the lowest in the 14-county region (including Northwest Indiana and Southeast Wisconsin) for the second year in a row, while the Class A office vacancy rate of 16.5% is DuPage’s lowest since 2008. In last year’s Fourth Quarter alone, some 1.1 million square feet of office space was absorbed.
With 118 new projects in 2014, DuPage ranked second only to Cook County (385) in the region. Criteria for new projects included minimums of $1 million invested, 20,000 square feet of expansion and 50 new jobs, plus headquarters facility and Choose DuPage involvement. Our County’s total included 29 of 127 manufacturing projects, 22 of 65 projects in warehousing and distribution, 15 of 102 business services projects and 14 of 74 retail projects. The region’s 657 projects created or retained some 39,000 jobs and investments of $6.8 billion. Read more: Elmhurst Chamber
Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT) Names Jody Holland, Ph.D., Executive Director
Oxford, MS: August 3, 2015- Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT), a local community foundation through which individuals, families, organizations and corporations invest in the well-being of Oxford and Lafayette County, has named Jody Holland, Ph.D., as its new Executive Director.
Dr. Holland is charged with developing long-range strategies as well as providing leadership and executing administrative functions for LOFT. Jody will be responsible for asset development, public relations, and grant writing.
“I am excited about this opportunity to help continue develop and grow LOFT, which has contributed so much to the Lafayette and Oxford community”, said Dr. Holland.
Jody holds a Ph.D in Public Policy and Administration from Mississippi State University, a M.S. in Management from Belhaven University, and a B.A. in Business Administration from Delta State University. Dr. Holland brings over 15 years of private, public, and non-profit leadership experience to the position. In addition, Dr. Holland is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy in the Department of Public Policy Leadership, where he teaches leadership, community development, public policy, and grant writing courses.
The President of the Board of Directors at LOFT, Walt Davis, expressed that, “all of us on the Board are thrilled to have Jody on board as our new Executive Director. We’ve already been blessed with the help of wonderful and talented Executive Directors and Jody now continues that tradition.”
Founded in 2002, Lafayette Oxford Foundation for Tomorrow (LOFT) is a community foundation that supports the arts and cultural, civic, educational, health and human services, and municipal activities that improve the quality of life for all Lafayette County and Oxford residents. Since 2005, LOFT has awarded nearly $200,000 in grants to many deserving non-profit, charitable organizations across Oxford and Lafayette County to fulfill LOFT’s mission. Additional information about LOFT can be found at www.loftms.org.
New initiative: Better Business program coming to Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber
The Better Business Basics Plus program is being developed through the Wytheville-Wythe-Bland Chamber of Commerce, Mount Rogers Planning District Commission, Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development and Virginia Tourism Corporation. The program will consist of six week intensive business training course that will culminate with a business plan competition in which participants will be able to complete for grant money and additional prizes worth over $5,000. Grant money will primary be focused on new or expanding businesses to locate in the Town of Rural Retreat in support of the local revitalization efforts.
Participants selected to participate in the limited seating program will be required to attend the free six week training courses to cover everything from a business plan, cash flow, legal, marketing, and customer service. Each participant will complete a business plan to be used in a competition for the prize monies. Classes will take place each Thursday evening from 6 – 8 p.m., starting Sept. 10.
The Better Business Basics Plus program is designed to assist new entrepreneurial ventures an/or existing businesses to develop a deeper understanding of the operations of a profitable business with an added Plus of receiving incentives. Read more: SowaToday.com
Friday: 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and your Chamber of Commerce) by Patrick McGaughey
Friday: 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and your Chamber of Commerce) by Patrick McGaughey
RULE #110 We
can’t pay new bills with old income
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