Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives Announces New Executive Director; Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Directory and Resource Guide; #BestChamber Practices: Clarkston Area Chamber: Light Bulb Moment of the Month; The Greater Reston Chamber Successfully Lobbies for Federal ACA Fix for Small Businesses; #FamousChamber of Commerce Quotations: Honoring Volunteers; #BestChamber practices: Diplomat By-Laws - City of Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce; Chamber issue: HUBER and SULLIVAN: Transit tax increase a worthy investment in city's future; MMAC: More area economic indicators improve in May; Tricia Buehne named Highland Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year; Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories and Community Profiles;

Good morning Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!


Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives Announces New Executive Director

Frankfort, KY - The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE), the professional development society for local chambers of commerce in Commonwealth today announced the hire of Amy Cloud, as the new Executive Director. 

Cloud is the CEO of the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce in Nicholasville, and immediate past chair of KCCE’s board of directors. Cloud has nearly ten years of chamber industry experience and completed programs from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for Organizational Management and the Kentucky Institute for Economic Development. Cloud was also awarded the 2014 Kentucky Chamber “Executive of the Year” and in the same year completed the Kentucky Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE) program. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky with a BA in Communications- Marketing & Graphic Design.

“Amy has been a tremendous force in economic development and job attraction in Jessamine County,” said KCCE board chair and Hardin County Chamber President, Brad Richardson. “We’re looking forward to having her talents and deep knowledge at the disposal of Chambers across the Commonwealth.”

Cloud will begin her duties on July 25th at the Kentucky Chamber offices in Frankfort, KY. Her predecessor, Ali Crain, will be leaving her role for a position with U.S. Peace Corps in Morocco. KCCE thanks Crain for her tremendous contributions to the organization over the last several years. Source: Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives

Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Directory and Resource Guide

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Directory and Resource Guide  is available at the Virginia Peninsula Chamber today! Thanks to Mike Kuhns, Suzy Johnson 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: Clarkston Area Chamber: Light Bulb Moment of the Month 

First Merit Bank - Clarkston Branch

In April 2016 & October 2015 First Merit Bank - Clarkston branch sponsored a financial literacy program for the Girl Scouts and South East Michigan. 80 Girl Scouts have participated in the program which allows the scout to earn their financial literacy badge. First Merit Bank - Clarkston branch will continue to offer this program to our scouts every spring.

Learn more and nominate someone for

Light Bulb Moment on the Month

The Greater Reston Chamber Successfully Lobbies for Federal ACA Fix for Small Businesses 

Mark Ingrao

One of the Reston Chamber's priorities this past General Assembly Session supports exempting small businesses that were otherwise facing premium hikes due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under the ACA, small businesses between 51 and 100 employees were due to be scooped into the small group insurance market starting in 2016. The measure which passed both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan support, calls for the mandatory expansion of the small group market. Virginia is one of a few states where the Bureau of Insurance regulates and oversees the 

implementation of the ACA.

The Greater Reston Chamber is a member of the Northern Virginia Partnership, which advocated for legislation that repeals expansion to firms with 51-100 employees and maintains the small group definition at 1-50. The small group market is more restrictive and expansion would have attracted businesses with higher risk employees, so premiums would have increased for everyone. This law provides a very important fix and protection for small employers in Virginia.

Please read page 8 of the Northern Virginia Chamber Partnership Report for more details about this legislation that successfully passed. 

For more information on how the Reston Chamber is supporting your business contact Mark Ingrao, CCP, CAE, President & CEO of the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce at marki@restonchamber.org.

#FamousChamber of Commerce Quotations: Honoring Volunteers

“What volunteers bring is the human touch, the individual, caring approach that no government program, however well-meaning and well-executed, can deliver.” 

– Edward James Olmos

#BestChamber practices: Diplomat By-Laws - City of Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce

You have volunteered to be a part of an exclusive group representing the City

of Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce. In an effort to make the Diplomat

program an enjoyable, beneficial and successful one, the following guidelines

have been established.

MISSION: To communicate, promote and market the work of the Ridgeland

Chamber and the City of Ridgeland and to serve as goodwill representatives;

assisting in Chamber activities and programs for the membership and promoting

the Chamber and City whenever appropriate.

DUTIES: Promote the image and value of the Chamber by assisting with

groundbreakings, ribbon cuttings, grand openings and Business After Hours and

serving as host/hostess at all Chamber functions.

• Assist with the Chamber’s membership recruitment and retention program.
• Contact new businesses and extend an invitation to them to join the Chamber.
• Deliver packets of information to potential new members out-lining the purpose and objectives of the Chamber. 
• Follow-up with members who are delinquent with their membership investments and work to retain those members. 
• Organize the Diplomat’s First Friday meeting where Diplomats review Chamber events for
• each month.
• Serve as host/hostess at twelve Business After Hours, the Chamber’s major networking event.
• Each Diplomat is responsible for four BAH door prizes
• throughout the year. 
• You will receive a schedule designating which months youare responsible for a door prize. 
• Ridgeland Chamber Diplomats are not eligible for door prizes on the months that they supply a prize. However, on subsequent months when no prize is provided, they can place their business card in the bowl and participate in the door prize drawing. 
• Diplomats will introduce first-time attendees, recognize new Chamber members and serve as emcees, drawing for door prizes, etc. during the event. 
• Diplomats will also assist BAH sponsors when necessary.
• Serve as official goodwill representatives of the Chamber and communicate the Chamber’s activities, accomplishments and goals to the community. 
• Diplomats will take active roles in Chamber events including the Great Links Golf
• Tournament, New Member Luncheons and Annual Membership Banquet.

DIPLOMAT MEMBERSHIP: Membership in the Diplomats shall not exceed

45 members at the present time. More Diplomats may be added in the future if

the need arises. The overall membership will be reviewed periodically.

Nominees for Diplomat membership shall be affiliated with Chamber business

members in good standing. Read more: City of Ridgeland Chamber

Chamber issue: Huber and Sullivan: Transit tax increase a worthy investment in city's future

Q: Should residents support transit improvements, including more frequent service and the Red Line?

 By Mike Huber and Steve Sullivan

In May, the Indianapolis City-County Council passed Proposition 145, finally giving Marion County voters the chance to say yes to improved transit service with a referendum on our Nov. 8 ballot.

Since the council acted, new Census data showed Marion County gaining 4,000 residents in 2015, the largest increase in Indiana. The MIBOR Realtor Association 2015 housing data analysis also described the hottest Indy home-buying market in nearly a decade. Indianapolis is growing—but we can’t neglect transit as a quality of life and economic development priority and expect these trends to continue.

The Indy Chamber and MIBOR have listened to thousands of local employers and homeowners and learned from other cities as we compete for jobs and investment.

Our lack of transit options comes up repeatedly as an urgent issue: Indianapolis is the nation’s 14th-largest city, yet our bus fleet ranks 84th. We have to close this gap.

A yes vote for mass transit is a vote for growth and for giving local workers and families a better opportunity to reach the middle class through education and employment. It’s a vote to bring new investment to struggling neighborhoods, and to make our city even more appealing to new talent and business. Read more: Indianapolis Business Journal

MMAC: More area economic indicators improve in May

The metro Milwaukee economy showed improved performance in May as 17 of the 23 economic indicators tracked by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce posted year-over-year increases, up from just 13 improved indicators in April.

“The aggregate number of positive indicators rebounded in May to its highest total in seven months, but overall job growth remains lackluster,” said Bret Mayborne, the MMAC’s economic research director.

Nonfarm employment in the metro Milwaukee area rose just 0.6 percent in May, compared to a year ago, to 862,300. Over the same time frame, jobs nationally grew at a 1.7 percent rate and rose 1.5 percent in the state.

“Year-over-year job increases in the metro (Milwaukee) area have fallen under 1 percent in six of the past seven months and rank significantly below both national and state level growth rates,” Mayborne said.

The local unemployment rate is now down to 4.2 percent (not seasonally adjusted), down 0.8 percentage points from a year ago. Read more: Biz Times

Tricia Buehne named Highland Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year

It’s an award that embodies everything for which the Highland Chamber of Commerce stands. The recipient of the Bill Pierce Chamber Member of the Year Award has shown selfless dedication, sacrifice and goes above and beyond the call of duty for the good of the Chamber and the community. And that’s Tricia Buehne.

“(Buehne) is no stranger to hard work and dedication,” said Judy Neier, who presented the award.

Buehne grew up in St. Rose and was raised on a dairy farm. Growing up, she had a typical farm life. She rode her scooter and bike to school, rode four-wheelers, and shared a room with her sister.

“While her sister was a neat freak, she was not so much,” Neier said. “In fact, when asked to clean up her part of the room, she would get the job done in quite a hurry, because she would hide it all under the bed.”

Buehne also had an extensive doll collection. “She did take special care of her dolls and had quite a collection. She also has a collection of dolls from every state,” Neier said. “Also near and dear to her were her 4-H bunnies. She spent more time looking for them and playing with them than she did showing them.”

Buehne was a cheerleader in grade school and later played the saxophone in the marching band.

“Being involved in her career, the chamber and other community organizations takes up most of her time, but she is willing and able to help out around the farm if need be,” Neier said. “And she can bake like nobody’s business when she finds the time.”

After graduating high school, Buehne pursued a position at a local bank as a part-time teller and proof operator. Since that moment, she’s never looked back. She has spent the last 16 years with First Mid Illinois Bank & Trust and currently holds a position as vice president of mortgage lending.

“It’s such an honor to receive this award,” said Buehne, who will serve as chamber president for the upcoming year. “I really care about the Chamber and the whole community.”

Buehne said receiving the award in recognition of her work was a huge compliment, and she has big aspirations for the Chamber of Commerce for the next year.

“I want this to be the best year ever. I want us to get to know the businesses in town, not just on a professional level, but on a personal level too. Let’s make the next 12 months great.” Read more: Belleville News-Democrat

Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories and Community Profiles

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 chamber publication or map proposal, Contact Town Square Here