Chamber Executive Indiana Digest
 December 2015

Good morning Chamber world! Today is going to be a GREAT day!

Indiana Chamber Unveils Top 6 Legislative Priorities for 2016

Transportation infrastructure funding, reverse credit transfer to the state’s accredited two-year colleges and expansion of the state’s civil rights law are among the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s top priorities for the 2016 session.

These objectives were announced at the organization’s annual Central Indiana Legislative Preview in Indianapolis today.

The Indiana Chamber proposes an array of strategies to establish a sustainable funding stream for the state’s roads, highways and bridges. These include dedicating more of the state’s sales tax on fuel purchases to infrastructure, increasing and indexing fuel excise taxes and implementing fees on alternative fuel vehicles.

“Indiana benefited greatly from the Major Moves program that accelerated our timeline and funded $4 billion worth of projects over the last decade. But those dollars are spent or allocated. It’s time to move forward with the next generation of resources to drive our economy by moving people and products throughout our state and beyond,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar.

“Legislative action is needed in the coming session to address glaring needs and begin implementing long-term strategies to allow our state to live up to its ‘Crossroads of America’ designation.”

Brinegar concludes that the good news is that legislative leaders, the Governor and others are on the same page about the need; the challenge will be how to get there. Read more: Indiana Chamber

Chamber interest: Notre Dame's research effort may be approaching watershed

SOUTH BEND — A decade ago, upon becoming president of the University of Notre Dame, the Rev. John Jenkins declared his goal to create “one of the pre-eminent research institutions in the world.”

Today, with university research spawning several companies in South Bend and intellectual property continuing to rise on campus, it looks like Jenkins’ vision might be reaching a watershed moment.

Two buildings are nearing completion at Ignition Park, the state-certified technology park south of downtown, where firms working in fields such as computer hardware and molecular diagnostics will aim for the next stage in their growth. One of the buildings also will house the Notre Dame Turbomachinery Facility — a $36 million laboratory that includes General Electric among its partners.

“I think there’s almost a palpable feeling around campus that Notre Dame finds itself right on the cusp,” said Richard Cox, director of the university’s Office of Technology Transfer.

Notre Dame spent about $70 million on research in 2005, the year Jenkins became the university’s president. Now, that number is approaching $200 million annually. The amount of intellectual property generated on campus — as measured by new inventions, patents and licensing agreements — has increased steadily over the past 10 years as well.

During the university’s 2015 fiscal year, which began in July 2014 and ended in June 2015, faculty and staff reported 78 inventions, received 21 patents and entered into 17 licensing agreements allowing their technology to be used. The numbers in each of those categories have more than doubled compared with where they were in 2009.

Jeff Rea, president and CEO of the St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce, said Notre Dame’s focus on research and commercialization will help the local economy as well. Universities worldwide are increasingly being looked at as economic drivers and centers of innovation that can lead to new businesses and attract skilled workers.

“It’s just the start, but it’s a tremendous start,” he said of Notre Dame’s progress. “To have partners like GE in the aerospace field really sets a framework for future opportunities as well.” Read more: South Bend Tribune

#BestChamber Practices: Greater Elkhart Chamber: Business and Education Partnership Award Nomination

The Greater Elkhart Chamber
Education/Career Development Council
Business and Education Partnership Award

The Business and Education Partnership award is given to recognize Chamber Member for profit and non-profit businesses that have demonstrated an ongoing relationship with a school in the Elkhart Community through use of time and resources.  Nominations are received and evaluated by the Education/Career Development Council of the Greater Elkhart Chamber.  Candidates are judged using the following criteria: 

1. Duration of commitment:  Emphasis will be given to businesses that have maintained an on-going relationship with a school or a program.
2. Use of time:  Emphasis will be given to partnerships that have made a commitment of time rather than a strictly monetary commitment.
3. Impact on students:  Consideration will be given to partnerships that have the greatest impact on students.

Guidelines:

• Schools will be asked to nominate Chamber Member businesses that meet the criteria for the award.
• All Elkhart County school districts within the area served by the Greater Elkhart Chamber will be invited to participate.
• The Education/Career Development Council will evaluate the nominations and select a quarterly winner.
• In addition to the award, the business will receive media exposure through the Chamber newsletter and local media. Get application: Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce

Enrique Conterno Named Chair of Indy Chamber

One day after laying out its 2016 legislative agenda, the Indy Chamber named new leadership for its board of directors. Enrique Conterno of Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) will serve as chair.

Conterno has served as president of Lilly Diabetes since 2009. He also serves on the board of the National Association of Manufacturers and the Board of Visitors for Duke's Fuqua School of Business.

The Indy Chamber elected its corporate officers Wednesday. Along with Conterno as chair, the 2016 corporate officers include:

·         Vice Chair, Brian Sullivan, Shiel Sexton

·         Vice Chair-Elect: Connie Bond Stuart, PNC Bank

·         Treasurer: Lisa Schlehuber, Elements Financial

·         Secretary: Rafael Sanchez, Fineline Printing Group

·         President: Michael Huber, Indy Chamber

"The Indy Chamber has a 125 year history of strong corporate leadership in our community and the breadth of our impact over the course of those years is a direct reflection of the strength of our members." said Michael Huber, president and CEO of the Indy Chamber. "We are eager to continue this great work under the direction of our new Board leadership as we all work to have the greatest impact we can on our members and our community."

The Indy Chamber also added new members to its board of directors. They include:

·         Mark Kugar, BMO

·         Doug Brown, Bose McKinney & Evans LLP

·         Toby McClamroch, Bingham Greenebaum Doll

·         Chris Yeakey, Cushman & Wakefield

·         Mary Boelke, Deloitte

·         Dr. Charles Miraglia, Indiana Blood Center

·         Keith Rudemiller, Kroger

·         Randy Reichmann, Old National Read more: Inside Indiana Business

Daviess County Chamber/Visitors Bureau interest: Indiana's Historic Pathways project passes through county

If you’ve been on U.S. 50 or Old Maysville Road lately, you may have noticed the newly installed Indiana’s Historic Pathways signs. The signs have created a buzz around the community that many hope will encourage Hoosiers and others to visit the sites located near what was once the historic Buffalo Trace.

Indiana’s Historic Pathways, which passes through 16 Hoosier counties, is a National Scenic Byway made up of U.S. 50 from Vincennes to Lawrenceburg and its overlap, U.S. 150, which separates itself from U.S. 50 at Shoals before extending to Clarksville near the Kentucky stateline. The Pathways were designated part of the National Scenic Byway just over six years ago.

Megan Glenn, senior program assistant for Historic Southern Indiana, said the Indiana Department of Transportation has been busy over the course of the last few weeks installing more than 200 signs along the U.S. 50 and U.S. 150 corridor.

“The signs along the route let travelers know they are on a byway,” said Glenn of the signs featuring a bison, since the footpaths worn by the Eastern American bison, a now extinct animal, were located just south of the current U.S. 50 and 150 routes.

Information provided by Historic Southern Indiana states that after the Indiana Territory was created in 1800, a road was constructed just to the north of the Buffalo Trace that was used by stagecoaches and others traveling. That route eventually became what is now known as U.S. 150.

“The bison showed where the terrain was easiest to be traveled,” said Daviess County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau executive director Samantha Bobbitt, adding that railroads were also constructed near the trace. Read more: Washington Times Herald

Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Idea: The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal

By Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr

The number of hours in a day is fixed, but the quantity and quality of energy available to us is not. This fundamental insight has the power to revolutionize the way you live. 

As Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz demonstrate in their groundbreaking New York Times bestseller, managing energy, not time, is the key to enduring high performance as well as to health, happiness, and life balance. Their Full Engagement Training System is grounded in twenty-five years of working with great athletes -- tennis champ Monica Seles and speed-skating gold medalist Dan Jansen, to name just two -- to help them perform more effectively under brutal competitive pressures. Now this powerful, step-by-step program will help you to: 

· Mobilize four key sources of energy 

· Balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal 

· Expand capacity in the same systematic way that elite athletes do 

· Create highly specific, positive energy management rituals 

The Power of Full Engagement is a highly practical, scientifically based approach to managing your energy more skillfully. It provides a clear road map to becoming more physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned -- both on and off the job. Read more: Amazon

Monticello chamber presents 3rd annual Parade of Lights

On Saturday evening, the Greater Monticello Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau held their annual Parade of Lights, and Christmas carols were sung at the gazebo in downtown Monticello.

This was the 3rd year the parade has been held in the evening, making the annual event one which sparkles and lights up the evening and the streets of downtown Monticello.

Prior to the start of the parade, spectators gathered around the gazebo near the White County courthouse to enjoy Christmas carols, which were beautifully sung by Christin Lowry. 

For the complete story, read Monday's Herald Journal. Read more: Monticello Herald Journal

Elkhart Chamber Event: Indiana Toll Road looking for bounce back year in 2016

After declaring bankruptcy in 2014 and getting a new partner in 2015, the Indiana Toll Road hopes 2016 is the year to get back on its feet.

"Right now it's a lot of paperwork and behind the sceneswork," Amber Kettring, PR Manager for the Indiana Toll Road said. "Plans and strategy. We've been doing this for months now and have been really busy doing pre-work. In 2016 the actual work will begin. In January, we hope to demolish the Fremont Plaza and the pavement project in the spring as well."

The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce held an annual breakfast Thursday to hear from the Toll Road about its upcoming investment. The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company is investing $260 million over the next five years to rehab the toll road. The big three portions of that are the Toll Plazas, which they're investing $30 million into renovating, resurfacing the roads to make them smoother and safer for drivers and also technological upgrades to help with safety and efficiency.

"We're going to be providing a safer, more efficient transportation corridor," Rick Fedder, COO of the Indiana Toll Road said. "We're very, very focused on the safety of not only our employees but our customers and first responders. We want to make sure we have the technology and use the technology to make sure we are decreasing the number of incidents on the toll road and increasing safety awareness as well." Read more: WNDU

St. Joseph County Chamber News: South Bend, Indiana Ranks First as Best City to Get Wealthy

Published Friday, November 20, 2015

South Bend came in first in Money Under 30's Best Cities to Get Wealthy rankings.

When it comes to saving money, where you live matters. Money Under 30 found 10 cities with affordable housing and above-average salaries for 18- to-34-year-olds. Could these be the best cities in America for getting rich?

If you want to grow wealthy, where you live matters.

Although Silicon Valley may be today’s locale of choice for aspiring members of the triple comma club, most of us aren’t going to strike silicon gold by launching the next Facebook.

And here’s the thing about California: The rent is too damn high. According to Rent Jungle, an average one-bedroom apartment in Palo Alto rents for about $2,600 a month — almost double what it was in 2009.

Most of us will have a better shot at becoming a millionaire by finding good-paying work in an affordable city.

For example, in Chicago, the mortgage payments on a $300,000 home are about a third of the monthly rent in Palo Alto.

But what about jobs? It doesn’t matter if housing is cheap if you can’t find a job with a decent wage.

Money Under 30 studied cities across the United States to find the ideal combination of modest expenses and decent salaries. In other words, we looked for locations where you can earn and save at the same time.

We looked specifically at how much young people were earning in each location. The per capita income in Fairfield, CT is quite high, but not a lot of people under 30 are getting a piece of that pie.

So where are young people making more money and also keeping more of it? Here we present the 10 best cities in America to build wealth. Note: All figures are based on the Census Bureau’s 2014 projections (the latest data available).

Here is the publisher's findings about South Bend:

Metro population: 268,291

•Median income (with a bachelor’s or higher): $71,829

•Young people making > $35,000/yr: 65 percent

•Median rent: $720

As if Notre Dame grads need another reason to brag: South Bend tops our list for a slew of reasons — including a median income that’s 10 percent above number two Springfield. Nor is South Bend exactly in the boonies; Chicago is just 90 minutes away by car if you’re craving hopping nightlife or culture out the wazoo. As you might expect, the education sector offers big opportunities with Notre Dame the top employer: The university experienced a 21 percent increase in full-time faculty and staff between 1993 and 2002, according to the City Data website. It’s also home to AM General, which produced the almighty Hummer, and makes heavy-duty vehicles for the military.

•Unemployment rate, bachelor’s degree or higher: 2.3 percent

•Best (or worst) Notre Dame joke: How many Notre Dame football fans does it take to screw in a light bulb? Answer: 956. One to screw in the bulb and the other 955 to talk about how grand the old light bulb was. Read more: MoneyUnder30.com

Indiana Chamber to push for expanded civil rights law

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announced Thursday that its board of directors has voted "overwhelmingly" to support expanding the state’s civil rights law to include protection for sexual orientation and gender identity.

The board is comprised of more than 100 business executives and civic leaders from throughout the state.

“We believe this expansion is a necessary action for the General Assembly to take,” Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar said in a written statement. “After the negative perception of our state generated by the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the spring, we need to get this right in order to secure the reputation of Indiana as a hospitable and welcoming place."

The vote took place at the group's annual fall meeting, where the group establishes public policy positions it will support during the upcoming General Assembly.

"The time has come for Indiana to expand protections against potential discrimination," Brinegar said. "This action will increase the state’s future business competitiveness in the recruitment, attraction and retention of talent, as well as enhance respect for all employers and employees." Read more: Indianapolis Business Journal

Many awarded at Greensburg Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Annual meeting

The Decatur County Chamber of Commerce held their annual dinner, awards and recognition dinner on Thursday evening at the Indiana Grand Racing and Casino. The event held annually features recognition for each of the Chamber’s members, the annual business meeting and awards are given out for Entrepreneur of the Year, Ambassador of the Year, Small Business Grant Winner and the Don Horan Community Leader of the Year Award.

The night began with invocation by 2014 Don Horan Community Leader Award winner Oris Reece and dinner.

Following dinner, Johnny Budd, Superintendent of Decatur County Schools and Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Board President, began the annual meeting.

Following the meeting, awards were handed out.

Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jeff Emsweller says that the awards given out are of utmost importance to the night.

“It is always great to give out the awards that we do,” Emsweller said. “These awards and recipients are true pillars of the community.”

This year’s small business grant winner was RBSK Partners. The $1,000 grant is annually awarded to a locally-owned business located in Decatur County and is used for enhancing, promoting or growing the business. Read more: Greensburg Daily News

Chamber Collaboration: Indy Looking For Hollywood's Lens

Visit Indy says Indianapolis is looking to gain "incredible marketing exposure" and millions of dollars in economic impact through a new effort aiming to attract film and television production projects. Vice President Chris Gahl says Film Indy is a two-year public-private partnership that will promote the city as a good location to film movies, TV shows and commercials. He says, even without state-level incentives, Indianapolis is attractive because of its "diversity of locations within minutes of each other."

Visit Indy is partnering with the Indy Chamber, the city of Indianapolis and the Central Indiana Community Foundation on the pilot program. It will begin in January and be overseen by a 12-person Film Advisory Board. Organizers expect to hire an Indy Film Commissioner in the first quarter of 2016. It is being funded by $300,000 from Visit Indy, the CICF and the city of Indianapolis.

Officials say three years of research showed the need for the effort. Other cities, including New Orleans, Baltimore, Chicago, Kansas City and Portland have created a city-level office to promote their film-friendliness. Read more: Inside Indiana Business

Chamber Chuckle -  Wacky Wednesday Weirdest Chamber Requests

"Can you come fix my outside light?"

Indy Chamber beefs up its microlending territory

The Indy Chamber's microlending division has boosted its loan pool and enlarged its footprint, thanks to a new designation by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

The division, known as the Business Ownership Initiative, announced Friday that the federal agency approved its application to become an SBA microlending intermediary. The new title comes with a modest capital injection and means it can start deploying hundreds of thousands of dollars to small businesses in the greater Indianapolis area on behalf of the SBA.

IBJ reported last year that the Indy Chamber was pursuing the designation.

“Ninety percent of businesses in our region have less than 50 workers, and they account for one of every five Indy jobs,” Indy Chamber CEO Micheal Huber said in prepared remarks. “Partnering with the SBA to strengthen microlending is a smart economic development strategy, supporting the homegrown ventures that generate employment and investment.”

Microloans are business loans, typically in the low-five-figure range, aimed at entrepreneurs who may have a tough time tapping banks or other sources for cash. They're often used to purchase inventory, upgrade equipment, buffer cashflow and more.

Before the SBA's blessing, BOI had already been managing a roughly $1.85 million microloan pool, but roughly 92 percent of it was restricted to Marion County because of restrictions placed by the entities that granted the capital, including the city of Indianapolis.

The new SBA status adds $250,000 to the loan pool, a figure that can grow as high as $5 million and be loaned outside of Marion County. Read more: Indianapolis Business Journal

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations: (Positive Thoughts)

“The strangest and most fantastic fact about negative emotions is that people actually worship them.” – Peter Ouspensky

Top Three Daily Postings in the last month at Midwest Chamber of Commerce blog – click to go there or Google search “Midwest Chamber of Commerce blog”

St. Joseph County Chamber News: South Bend, Indian... Dec 3, 2015	122
Prince William Chamber Holds Legislative Kick-Off,... Dec 8, 2015	119
Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Ide... Nov 24, 2015	109

If you would like delivery of a new gloss Chamber directory or gloss community map in May/June 2016, please contact me at your earliest convenience. John Dussman (847)-427-4633

To request your chamber publication proposal, Click here