Surprise award recipient at Midland Area Chamber of Commerce annual meeting
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| Bill Allen, MACC CEO |
Chamber CEO Bill Allen said there was “bit of a wild agenda” planned for the 354 people in attendance, including chamber staff who gathered award nominations and put together an event to remember for the business leaders of Midland.
“I hope we were able to exceed your expectations last year, because you know that’s really our goal,” Allen said. “We hope you’re still proud of this chamber and share these communications with your colleagues.”
The Chamber was gathered to celebrate an 89 percent retention rate over the past year, a figure Allen called “an amazing number,” made even more amazing by a Board of Directors and staff team that worked hard through leadership changes and a new partnership with Midland Tomorrow.
“It would’ve been easier to stay status quo,” Allen said. “But that’s not leadership.”
Steve LaLonde, chair of the chamber’s 2015 board, said it was his honor to choose and announce the “most prestigious” award that represents commitment to the Midland Chamber.
“The heart and soul of this organization never faltered,” LaLonde said, because of the recipient, who was referred to as both “he” and “she” before he revealed all 10 chamber staff members would receive the Chairman’s Award.
The Chamber staff members honored were: Amy Berry, Information Specialist; Diana Butler, Director of Membership; Roger Chamberlin, Director of Finance; Melissa Eigner, Program Specialist; Stephanie Kolodziejski, Farmers Market Master; Kristy LeVasseur, Director of Communications; Tina Lynch, Business Development Coordinator; Diane Middleton, Director of Community Programs; Char Reed, Information Specialist; and Lindsay Rotarius, Program Specialist. Read more: Midland Daily News
The Results Are in: Data Centers Help Drive Economic Growth, Tax Revenues in Prince William County
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| Debbie Jones, CEO, Prince William Chamber |
Submitted jointly by: Bobbie Kilberg, President & CEO, Northern Virginia Technology Council, and Debbie Jones, President & CEO, Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Every time you use your smartphone, send an email, share a photo or watch streaming video, a data center is behind it. Data centers are the backbone of our 21st Century digital economy, storing and powering the services that are often transparent to consumers like you and me. But data centers are enabling economic growth in ways beyond connecting business and consumers to digital content.
Northern Virginia is home to the largest concentration of private sector data center employment and locations in Virginia, and one of the largest in the U.S. In fact, in October 2015, Jones Lang LaSalle announced that Northern Virginia surpassed the Tri-State New Jersey / New York region as the largest data center market in the U.S., with nearly 20 percent of the market share.
Over the past decade, Prince William County has emerged as a key beneficiary of this growth. The data center industry makes a significant, growing, and demonstrable contribution to Prince William County’s economic prosperity, according to a January report released by the Northern Virginia Technology Council (NVTC). The Economic and Fiscal Contribution that Data Centers Make to Prince William County, produced by Richmond-based Mangum Economics, outlines the large economic impact data centers have in our county: in 2014, approximately 928 jobs, $54.6 million in wages, and $181.9 million in economic output can be attributed to the data center industry in Prince William County. Since 2007, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership has announced an average of $285.6 million in investment from this sector in Prince William County per year, reaching a high of $600 million in 2015.
Data center expansion and investment are a critical element, attracting private sector jobs and generating new state and local revenue. Data centers are a high wage and high growth industry. The sector paid private sector wages in Prince William County in 2014 that were 2.2 times greater than the county norm for all private sector firms. Data centers also represent a strong commercial industry that helps diversify Virginia’s economy away from its substantial dependency on federal spending. There is evidence, for example, that Prince William County’s data centers helped insulate the county from the ”double dip” that the state experienced as a result of the ”Great Recession of 2007” and the federal sequester in 2013.
Additionally, the data center industry grew 2.1 times faster than the norm across all county industries according to the most recent one-year growth rate for private employment in this sector. In fact, the most recent five-year growth rate for private employment in this sector was 11.8 times greater than the norm across all county industries.
Data centers also generate significant tax revenue for Prince William County – more than $11.5 million in 2014. Their capital intensity translates into a disproportionate amount of property tax revenue, by far the largest source of revenue for Virginia localities. For every $1.00 in Prince William County expenditures this sector was responsible for generating in 2014, it provided approximately $4.30 in county tax revenue to help underwrite the cost of schools, public safety and other county priorities.
As businesses and consumers around the world continue to generate ever increasing amounts of data, countries, states and local jurisdictions will continue to compete to attract new data center investment and jobs, and the economic diversification and positive tax revenue they bring. Prince William County has emerged as a global center for data centers and our local economy continues to benefit. It is important that we recognize our success in this regard and continue efforts to remain an attractive location for these 21st century centers of commerce.
Visit bit.ly/PWdatacenter to read the Prince William County report. Visit bit.ly/DataCenterReport for the full report.
Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Lunch and Learn Series: Chick-fil-A Vice President, Corporate Talent speaks to Oxford-Lafayette Chamber members
Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce members got the opportunity to listen to Chick-fil-A's Vice President, Corporate Talent, Dee Ann Turner during a Lunch and Learn on Wednesday.
This was Turner’s first visit to Oxford. While visiting she shared her stories both from working with the company for thirty years and her new book “It’s My Pleasure.”
“I’ve appreciated so much getting to know the people in Oxford,” Turner said.
“I hope that the opportunity I have had to share the principles in “It’s my pleasure” and from the principles that Truett Cathy instilled in Chick-fil-A that other businesses and their culture in town will be strengthened.”
Turner educated the Chamber members on the importance of Chick-fil-A’s values. She told them that Truett Cathy always told her “people decisions are the most important decisions to make” and “we are in the people business, not the chicken business.”
She also expressed the elements of a compelling culture in Chick-fil-A and how these elements can relate to any organization. The first was purpose, every business needs to know why they are in business she said. Secondly, having a mission, what does a business want to accomplish?
The third element was the creation of core values. Finally Turner said having guiding principles was the last element to a compelling culture in Chick-fil-A.
Turner also answered two rumors circling on social media about Chick-fil-A. First, Chick-fil-A will go public and secondly they’ll be open on Sundays. She confirmed that both of these rumors are not true.
Rosie Vassallo, receptionist and administrative assistant at the chamber was excited to listen to Turner.
“I was really excited when we heard she was coming,” Vassallo said. “For her to come and be able to visit with us and give us the stories of how they’ve grown it was just remarkable.”
For more information on Dee Ann Turner, visit her website http://www.deeannturner.com/its-my-pleasure/. For more information contact: Maggie McDaniel, PR Intern, Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Tel: 706-536-8092; Email: mhmcdani@go.olemiss.edu
This was Turner’s first visit to Oxford. While visiting she shared her stories both from working with the company for thirty years and her new book “It’s My Pleasure.”
“I’ve appreciated so much getting to know the people in Oxford,” Turner said.
“I hope that the opportunity I have had to share the principles in “It’s my pleasure” and from the principles that Truett Cathy instilled in Chick-fil-A that other businesses and their culture in town will be strengthened.”
Turner educated the Chamber members on the importance of Chick-fil-A’s values. She told them that Truett Cathy always told her “people decisions are the most important decisions to make” and “we are in the people business, not the chicken business.”
She also expressed the elements of a compelling culture in Chick-fil-A and how these elements can relate to any organization. The first was purpose, every business needs to know why they are in business she said. Secondly, having a mission, what does a business want to accomplish?
The third element was the creation of core values. Finally Turner said having guiding principles was the last element to a compelling culture in Chick-fil-A.
Turner also answered two rumors circling on social media about Chick-fil-A. First, Chick-fil-A will go public and secondly they’ll be open on Sundays. She confirmed that both of these rumors are not true.
Rosie Vassallo, receptionist and administrative assistant at the chamber was excited to listen to Turner.
“I was really excited when we heard she was coming,” Vassallo said. “For her to come and be able to visit with us and give us the stories of how they’ve grown it was just remarkable.”
For more information on Dee Ann Turner, visit her website http://www.deeannturner.com/its-my-pleasure/. For more information contact: Maggie McDaniel, PR Intern, Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Tel: 706-536-8092; Email: mhmcdani@go.olemiss.edu
Paducah Area Chamber Completes Trip to Frankfort
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| Sandra Wilson, President, PACC |
The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce recently visited the state capitol, and took several dozen city officials and business owners with them to talk about the needs of western Kentucky.
Paducah Chamber President Sandra Wilson says the more than 50 people from Paducah had to opportunity to talk about multiple issues to different state officials and elected representatives and senators.
Among the push for the chamber this year is a request to lift the nuclear moratorium in Kentucky so Paducah could have additional options with the nuclear trained workforce that exists after decades of experience at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant.
Wilson says they also talked with State Budget Director John Chilton, who has been busy working on statewide cuts to help balance the budget and begin to figure out the issues with the state pension plans. Read more: West Kentucky Star
Duneland Chamber Reality Store Volunteers Needed March 16
This year's 8th Grade Reality Store being held Wednesday, March 16! This special event helps area 8th graders learn how their school performance will affect their careers and quality of life. Volunteers are needed to staff industry-specific event booths. Lunch and breakfast is provided to all volunteers. Emails will be sent the week prior to the event, to all volunteers of details about the event. Call 219.926.5513 for more info!
Date: 3/16/16
Time: Various Shifts Available!
West Baraboo Village Board wants seat on chamber board
The West Baraboo Village Board wants more input into how room tax funds collected from its hotels and motels are spent.
The board has requested a seat on the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce board and is working to form a tourism commission that would discuss how the revenue is used. The board has considered various ways to distribute its room tax dollars in response to a new law limiting how much of the funding municipalities can keep.
Chamber Interim Director Keri Olson said she expects the Chamber and village will reach an arrangement to use the room tax funds on Chamber programs.
West Baraboo Village President Dave Dahlke did not respond to multiple requests for comment made by the News Republic over several days, but West Baraboo Clerk/Treasurer Kathy Goerks confirmed a new agreement between the village and the Chamber is being created by the village’s attorney, Mark Steichen. The previous agreement expired in January 2013. Read more: WiscNews.com
Palatine chamber names Steven Gaus new director
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| Steven Gaus |
The Palatine Area Chamber of Commerce has hired a new executive director. Steven Gaus, most recently the president of the Bensenville Chamber of Commerce board of directors, will start with the Palatine chamber on Feb. 9.
According to a news release from the Palatine chamber, Gaus has more than 30 years of experience in business development, sales management, leadership and sales. He served on the Bensenville chamber board since 2009, where he worked on workforce and economic development and spearheaded the development of leadership training that focused on chamber of commerce and community involvement.
“I am excited to work with the chamber businesses and board, and to become a part of the Palatine area business community,” he said in the release. “I look forward to meeting, interacting and helping grow all our members.”
A long time Northwest suburban resident, Gaus has been involved in civic and community groups, including the Lions, for more than 15 years.
Gaus replaces Mindy Phillips, who left the Palatine chamber in December to become associate director of the Arlington Heights chamber. Read more: Daily Herald Business Ledger
Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.
Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your publication proposal, Click here
Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Community Profiles, Custom Maps
Town Square Publications, a division of the Daily Herald Media Group, is a national chamber custom publishing group that specializes in developing partnerships by producing high-quality print and digitally integrated publications along with other added value programs dedicated to creating relevancy for local chambers of commerce and other membership focused organizations interested in raising non-dues revenues.
Our experience allows Town Square Publications to offer you attractive royalty and non-dues revenue share streams, provide direct distribution of your custom designed printed publications, including digital and mobile integration, and all with the quickest turn-around times available in the industry. Town Square also offers multi-media maps in both print and online formats, both with our No-Cost guarantee. More information: Town Square Publications
The networking opportunities and representation with a wide variety of diverse businesses in your community is the catalyst of a successful organization. For further information about Town Square's publishing partnership with chambers of commerce and our No-Cost guarantee and Earned Revenue Share Program, To request your publication proposal, Click here
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