Good morning Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
200K at Chamber event: Swedish Days parade highlights community spirit in Geneva
Libby and Troy Gower's home in Geneva has become a gathering spot for the annual Swedish Days Grand Parade.
Having lived along the parade route for decades, the Gowers welcome friends, relatives and neighbors each year to visit with one another and watch as the floats, cars, marching bands and other parade participants pass by.
With a bags game and a table full of food and drinks set out, this year was no different. "It's a tradition. Once you do it once, you don't stop," Troy Gower said. "It's just a fun time for everyone, it really is. And it gets the neighborhood together, too."
Gatherings like the one at the Gower house are a common sight during the parade, which highlighted the final day of the 67th annual Swedish Days Festival. This year's parade featured more than 100 entries, said Laura Rush, Geneva Chamber of Commerce communications manager. Of the roughly 200,000 people who attend the festival from Tuesday to Sunday, about 45,000 make an appearance for the parade alone, she said.
"It's a great way to cap off the end of our six-day festival," Rush said. "We want people to come back year after year or discover Geneva for the first time."
Among the first timers were Georgi and Steve Amundson and their sons, Ben, 7, and Sam, 4. For the Naperville residents who moved from Austria two years ago, the event offered a small taste of home.
"I love Geneva," Georgi Amundson said. "This little photos by town kind of reminds us of the little towns in Europe. We're always looking for something like this to enjoy." Read more: Daily Herald
Hampton Roads Chamber President Receives Executive Excellence Award
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Pictured in the attached photo from left to right: Joyce Waugh, Immediate Past Chair VACCE and Bryan K. Stephens, President & CEO, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce
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SMITHFIELD – Bryan K. Stephens, President and CEO of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce, was selected as “Chamber Executive of the Year” by the Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives at their annual meeting held June 23-24 in Smithfield.
The Executive of the Year award recognizes outstanding performance in the field of Chamber of Commerce management in the Commonwealth of Virginia and is presented to an individual who has exhibited characteristics that make him or her a leader both in their chamber and community. Outstanding achievements; effectiveness in addressing challenges; professionalism; program development and implementation; fiscal management; stature in the community; and other special qualities are considered in the nomination process.
Joyce Waugh, past President of VACCE and President & CEO of the Roanoke Regional Chamber presented Mr. Stephens with the award noting that, “In his relatively brief time with the Hampton Roads Regional Chamber, Bryan has made a remarkable impact in his community. We are delighted he has received this prestigious recognition from his peers. It is well deserved.”
Michael Dudley, Optima Health President and past Chairman of HRCC Board of Directors provided support for Stephens’ nomination. “Bryan has given new life to a Chamber. He has put the Chamber back in a leading role in the community. He has invigorated a team with high expectations. He has formed coalitions that had been left adrift. All of this has inured to the benefit of Hampton Roads.”
Bryan K. Stephens became president and CEO of the Hampton Roads Chamber in November 2013. Among the many successful initiatives he has led in that time was bringing business, military and municipal leaders together to form the Hampton Roads Military and Veteran Support Coalition, in an effort to retain highly skilled veterans in the region. He has also increased engagement with local, state and federal representatives to ensure that they are hearing about the concerns of the business community in Hampton Roads. Bryan also has guided, as a program of the Chamber, the formation of the largest Young Professional organization in the state, tHRive. In November 2015, under his leadership, the Hampton Roads Chamber was awarded with 4 Star accreditation from the US Chamber of Commerce placing them in the top 3% of all high performing chambers in the nation.
Commerce Lexington recognized among top chambers for third consecutive year
For the third consecutive year, Commerce Lexington Inc. has been recognized among top chambers of commerce internationally as a finalist for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ (ACCE) 2016 Chamber of the Year Award.
Since 2007, ACCE has annually recognized chambers of commerce in various size categories for their work leading businesses and communities with the Chamber of the Year Award, which recognizes excellence in operations, member services, and community leadership.
Commerce Lexington Inc. President and CEO Bob Quick, CCE, said, “We are humbled to be recognized once again among the top chambers of commerce within a category that contains some of the largest chambers in the country. The comprehensive nature of this honor means a lot to our board, staff, volunteers, and members, who contribute daily to our efforts to enhance our community, but it also affirms that we are doing quality work in events, programs and services across our organization.”
“Applicants have already proven themselves worthy of emulation and praise by the time they reach finalist status,” ACCE President and Chief Executive Officer Mick Fleming said. “Only chambers meeting certain benchmarks are even invited to apply, so becoming a finalist is a big deal. In each case, the chamber’s numbers are good, their highlighted programs are strong and their impact on businesses and communities is evident.”
The Chamber of the Year process begins with the Annual Operations Survey. Applicants qualified to compete by completing the survey and meeting thresholds in at least four of six key performance areas including: net revenue, net assets, reserve funds, membership account retention, and membership dollar retention.
ACCE staff and the Chamber of the Year volunteer judging committee determine the competition category for each applicant based on established criteria, including: annual revenue, member accounts, service area population, number of businesses in the service area, and restricted revenue as a percentage of total revenue. In the final phase of award process, the judging committee conducts in-person interviews with leaders from each finalist chamber.
The 2016 Chamber of the Year Award winners will be announced at ACCE’s Annual Convention Aug. 9-12, in Savannah, Georgia. Here is a complete list of ACCE Chamber of the Year Award Finalists: Read more: KyForward
#FamousChamber of Commerce Quotation: Tackle your Biggest Challenge First
If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first. --- Mark Twain
Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Profile & Membership Directory
The Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Profile & Membership Directory is available at the Crossroads Regional Chamber today! Thanks to Sue Reed and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town SquarePublications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community profile or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
#Bestchamber practices: Leadership Kernersville
(2016-2017 Application)
Leadership Kernersville is conducted each year, and has an alumni list of 200 community leaders since its inception in 1993. This program currently operates September through May, meeting once a month for a full day. Topics include: economic development, regionalism, education, history, law enforcement, government, health care and human services. Some of our Leadership Kernersville graduates go on to participate in Piedmont Triad Network, a program that networks together leaders from the 12-county Piedmont Triad area.
Goals: Identify current and future leaders within the community. To provide insight as to how Kernersville functions as a community (both internally and externally within the piedmont Triad region and the state of North Carolina). To further prepare participants for leadership roles and involvement within the community, the region and the state.
Requirements: 18-20 program participants are selected from a pool of applicants each year. To successfully complete the experience, each participant is expected to fully participate in all monthly sessions. Any participant missing more than one monthly session can make up the missed sessions, and graduate the following year. In summary, you are allowed to miss one class to graduate on time. There will be opportunities to sample other community meetings, such as the Board of Aldermen, Planning Board, Kernersville 2020 planning committees, etc.
Leadership Kernersville Class of 2017
The Chamber is taking applications for Leadership Kernersville Class of 2017. The Leadership Kernersville program is an intensive, nine-month commitment where all aspects of the program challenge participants to increase their personal and business knowledge of Kernersville. You will graduate with a better understanding of the community in which you live and work. We have informative sessions with community leaders, projects addressing community-based issues, History of Kernersville, Economic Development and a lot more. Please contact Taylor Dubois, taylordubois@kernersvillenc.com , 336-993-4521 with any questions or stop by the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce for an application form.
A few group images from years past:
Fun, fireworks and more: Fourth of July in Door County
Door County is ready to light up the night skies this weekend with Fourth of July celebrations and fireworks shows taking place in communities all across the Peninsula. Here's your guide to the parades, ceremonies, foods, music, oohs and aahs the county has to offer this weekend.
• The Fish Creek Civic Association celebrates its Fish Creek Summer Festival and Fireworks, including the popular Venetian Boat Parade, July 2 at Clark Park on the waterfront.
The fun begins at 4 p.m. with tasty summer treats and beer on tap; proceeds from the concessions benefit local nonprofit organizations. A corn roast also starts at 4 p.m., with proceeds supporting the Gibraltar School seventh- and eighth-grade classes’ trip to Washington, D.C. Popular R&B band Big Mouth and the Power Tool Horns heat up the night with music from 6 to 10 p.m.
Action on the water kicks off with the playing of the “Star-Spangled Banner,” a Dinghy Parade and tribute to the U.S. Coast Guard at 8:45 p.m. Fireworks over the bay start at 10 p.m.
For more information, call 920-868-2316 or 800-577-1880 or go towww.visitfishcreek.com. Source: Green Bay Press-Gazette
| Northern Virginia Chamber Announces Officers and 2016-2017 Executive Committee and Board of Director Members |
Tysons, Va. – The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber), formerly the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, has announced its officers and 2016-2017 members of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors.
Jennifer Aument, Group General Manager, North America, Transurban, will serve as the 2016-2017 Chair of the Board; Harry Klaff, Managing Director, JLL, will serve as the 2016-2017 Vice Chair; and Jennifer Siciliano, 2016-2017, Vice President, Government Relations, will serve as the 2016-2017 Secretary.A full list of members of the 2016-2017 Executive Committee and Board of Directors is attached to this email. New Executive Committee members for 2016-2017 include:
New Board of Directors members for 2016-2017 include:
“We are thrilled to add these celebrated individuals to our Executive Committee and Board of Directors who will assist in guiding the Northern Virginia Chamber to success,” said Jim Corcoran, Northern Virginia Chamber president and CEO. “The Northern Virginia Chamber’s mission is to offer business development opportunities to organizations interested in growth through knowledge, access and influence throughout the region. By adding these admired individuals to our board we are able to position ourselves and our member companies for success.” More information about the Northern Virginia Chamber Board of Directors can be found online. Dearborn Area Chamber Partnership: “Special All-Stars Day” Returns, Celebrating its 5th Year and Promising Great Fun for Special Needs Children and Adults!
Dearborn, MI - Special needs children and adults will have the opportunity to participate in all of the fun and excitement of the Dearborn Homecoming at “Special All-Stars Day” on Friday, August 5th. The Dearborn Area Chamber will partner with the City of Dearborn, Dearborn Community Fund, Wade Shows, Inc. and Little Caesars Pizza-Dearborn (located at Monroe St. and Dartmouth), for this exciting event, created to give children and adults with special needs an opportunity to enjoy select rides and old fashioned summertime fun!
Volunteers will offer games, activities, a dance party, face painting and snacks from 9 AM to noon at Ford Field Park in Dearborn, on Monroe Street just north of Morley. From 9 – 11 am “All-Stars” will be the guests of Wade Shows, Inc. and enjoy selected rides such as The Fun House, Tea Cup, Tilt-a-Whirl, Ferris Wheel, Bumper Cars, Merry-go-round, Super Slide and the Bumble Bee free of charge. Light refreshments will be served in the shelter next to the tennis courts. The event will feature the showing of a fire truck, provided by the Dearborn Fire Department, and a police car, courtesy of the Dearborn Police Department.
Several local groups are participating and donating their services to offer this morning of fun including Member Focus Community Credit Union, 1st Choice Urgent Care, Chief Financial Federal Credit Union, Aflac, Dearborn Goodfellows, Dearborn Kiwanis Club, Dearborn Heights Rotary Club, the Dearborn Heights Soccer Club, Fairlane Town Center, Special Education and Behavioral Connections, STEP Services to Enhance Potential, music by Lil’ Jimmy Dearborn, Better Made Potato Chips, Sam’s Club, Yogurtown, Edible Arrangements, Del Taco, Besek Photography, DJ Mark with MotorCityDJ.com, Pooky the Clown and face painting, S.T.A.N.D. from Dearborn Schools and more.
EMBDC program: Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves speaks at Leadership Lauderdale graduation
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves congratulated the graduates, touched on education in the state and described the ingredients that make an outstanding leader at Thursday’s Leadership Lauderdale 2016 graduation ceremony at the Riley Center.
Thursday’s event was sponsored by the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation and strives to provide existing and future leaders with opportunities to grow their civic knowledge and civic network. The program helps participants better comprehend the inner workings of the local community and build relationships with the area’s current and future leaders and inspire participants to focus their talents in a way that will best serve their community.
Leadership Lauderdale is jointly presented by the EMBDC, MSU Riley Center, Mississippi Power, Anderson Regional Medical Center and Midway Baptist Church.
Twenty-eight graduates received plaques during the ceremony. Community projects during the 10-month class included Back the Badge Initiative, Live Well Lauderdale, Spring Dream Art Show for middle school students and a youth fundraiser.
“It is people like you in this class who exhibit energy to make a difference. People like you give me great reason for optimism,” Reeves said. A passion for your community is what you have shown. I commend you for your service projects for they are not simple ideas. They improve the quality of life. Big ideas and leadership go hand in hand.”
To succeed as a whole, Reeves said the state must improve its educational system.
“If we are going to see long-term economic growth in Mississippi, e must improve our educational attainment level of our citizens,” Reeves said. We’ve spent $400 million in public education than five years ago. We must also be willing to reform our educational system. I believe that every citizen - no matter their zip code or what mom and dad do for a living - deserves an opportunity for success.”
Reeves said three leadership traits include vision, strong belief in one’s self and listening to other’s ideas.
“A strong leader crafts the vision to make their goal a reality,” Reeves said. “I campaigned on raising achievement levels of our children. I worked hard to push broad-based reform. We are seeing significant progress in student achievement in our state. We have great administrators and teachers who are doing the things necessary. Numbers matter. Results matter and the results show improvement.” Read more: Meridian Star
Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-Location Guides and 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. Town Square Publications parent company, Paddock Publications, has over 100 years’ experience of print product development and dedicated customer service in communities throughout the Midwest. 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 Chambers of Commerce and member focused organizations serve as a valuable resource in the local marketplace. 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
Westfield (Indiana) Chamber of Commerce Names President
The Westfield Chamber of Commerce board of directors has promoted Jack Russell president of the chamber. He most recently served as the director of marketing for the chamber and was previously an operations manager for Continental, Inc. in Anderson. His professional experience is comprised of business development, community relations and marketing. Russell is a graduate of Indiana University’s School of Arts and Science, and he currently resides in Westfield. Read more: Inside Indiana Business
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