New Castle-Henry County 2016 Chamber Business Expo - Information for Vendors; Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory; Chamber collaboration: Event honoring female leaders gives top honors to high school principal; Frankfort Area Chamber event: Frankfort City commission, mayoral candidates go head-to-head at fall forum; Hampton Roads Chamber: Military Citizen of the Year; Mississippi chamber of commerce gets economic improvement input from Philadelphia, MS; Glenview Chamber Surpasses 500 Members; Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations: Warren Buffett; Wanted: The right workers for today's jobs; Town Square Chamber Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-lo Guides and Maps

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

New Castle-Henry County 2016 Chamber Business Expo - Information for Vendors

EXPO TIME:

Special Business to Business Hour 9am-10am, Open to the public: 10am—3 pm,

Set Up: November 2 from 1-4 PM November 3 from 8-9:00 AM- all vendors must be set up by 9:00am

EXHIBIT INFO:

We have a limit of 50 spaces available and we sell out each year. Booth space may not be used by more than one business without prior permission from the Chamber office.

There are 2 Size Choices and a NEW Non-Profit Member Option:

8’X10’ Premium Booths (1-22): For those companies needing more room to display products. These booths are located on the room perimeter with electricity available. 8 ft X 30 inch tables, 2 chairs, table skirt provided. $225 for Chamber Members, $350 for Non-Members

4’X10’ Display Table Booths (23-50): For those companies primarily making contacts and distributing information. 8 ft X 30 inch tables, 2 chairs, table cloth and skirt provided. No electricity available. $150 for Chamber Members, $350 for Non-Members

NEW THIS YEAR! Non-profit Display Table: For our non-profit members only, non-profits may choose one of the larger booths at regular rates. 4 foot by 30 inch table (half of a display table), 2 chairs , table cloth and skirt provided. No electricity available. $100 for non-profit Chamber members.

All exhibitors (BOTH EXPO AND TASTE) are to provide a door prize ($25+ Value): Please bring your door prize with you to the Expo. You may display it in your booth and Chamber staff will collect it at the end of the day. Attendees are entered into the drawing by filling out a card with their contact information and having that card signed at each booth. The Chamber will draw for and contact all winners and have them collect their prize at the Chamber office. All exhibitors will receive a spreadsheet listing of all attendee information based on all of the cards put in the drawing. If you are participating in both the Taste and the Expo as a vendor, you need only provide 1 door prize.

EXPO ADMISSION: FREE! Attendees will be given a door prize registration card that must be validated at each booth before being eligible for door prize drawing. We expect about 300 attendees. More information: New Castle - Henry County Chamber



Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory is available at the Lake County Chamber today! Thanks to Stewart Kerr, Renee Coco 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.

Chamber collaboration: Event honoring female leaders gives top honors to high school principal

 Tracy L.N. Wilson, Grand Haven High School principal, became the 12th recipient of the Lakeshore ATHENA award on Tuesday, Oct. 4. 

The leadership award is presented annually to a woman, or man, for their professional excellence, community service and who actively assists women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills.  

"I'm completely overwhelmed with this honor; so humbled to be among some extremely incredible women and will continue to #PayItForward as I work with the students of Grand Haven High School," Wilson said. We have a fabulous staff and work extremely hard to support all kids and their needs. I'm grateful to be part of these efforts each and every day."

Wilson started working for Grand Haven Area Public Schools 28 years ago, and became the first female high school principal in the district's history in 2011. She spent 10 years teaching and coaching, and 12 years as assistant athletic director and assistant principal. 

Wilson has advocated for all students and is a role model and mentor for young women, according to a release from the Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg.  

Wilson said she plans to continue to be a role model for young women by "modeling strength through adversity, confidence to stretch beyond my means along with a drive to never, ever give up."

She was involved in the development of several programs including: Capturing Kids' Hearts; Bucs Above Bullying; TEAM GH...One Family, One Team, One Grand Haven; Cystic Fibrosis 5K; Love a Buc, Help a Buc Program; and is co-founder of the Mental Health Awareness Advisory Council.  

As an advocate for suicide prevention training, Wilson completed a program to be a trainer along with other GHAPS staff.

Wilson received the Excellence in Service Award from GHAPS in 2015, and is president of the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals.   

The recipient is chosen by a selection committee composed of representatives from the participating chambers of commerce and community business leaders. Nine ATHENA nominee finalists were recognized on Oct. 4, which was attended by over 360 regional community and business leaders.   

ATHENA has honored women every year since its inception in 2005. 

The program is a collaboration of the Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg; the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce; and the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.  Read more: M LIVE

Frankfort Area Chamber event: Frankfort City commission, mayoral candidates go head-to-head at fall forum

Frankfort residents had their first opportunity to see all seven city commission candidates and both mayoral candidates against the same backdrop at a candidate forum Tuesday evening.

With a moderate turnout and broadcast on Channel 10, the candidates were mostly agreeable addressing the issues, even in the cases of disagreements. The event, hosted by the Frankfort Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by the Frankfort Plant Board, was segmented, with commission candidates answering questions for around 90 minutes and the mayoral candidates for a half hour.

Asked by broadcaster and radio station owner and manager Kristin Cantrell what they perceive as the three biggest issues facing the city, the candidates gave a variety of answers, some less specific than others. In response, candidate David Fields brought up a topic that was the subject of another question later in the evening from State Journal reporter Gayle Deaton, referring to the recent conflict between the plant board and the Tanglewood Neighborhood association as “the elephant in the room.”

The situation was described variously as “not acceptable” by Fields and “a mess” by incumbent Robert Roach and “reactive” by Joe Fiala. Donna Hecker said “any way you slice the pie, money got wasted.” Read more: State Journal

Hampton Roads Chamber: Military Citizen of the Year

Norfolk, VA –Held in conjunction with Fleet Week and the Navy’s Annual Birthday Celebration, at the Military Citizen of the Year (MCOY) luncheon, honors the Samuel T. Northern Military Citizen of the Year. This award is presented to the enlisted military individual who’s personal and public contributions have had the most positive effect on the Hampton Roads community. The luncheon also gives the business community the opportunity to show its appreciation for the military presence here in Hampton Roads.

Date: October 7, 2016

Time: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM

Location: Norfolk Waterside Marriott

235 E Main St.

Norfolk VA 235101668

Keynote Speaker: Virginia State Senator Frank Wagner (7th District)

Day of contact: Priscilla Monti (757)-470-6805 - Visit hamptonroadschamber.com

Mississippi chamber of commerce gets economic improvement input from Philadelphia, MS

Transportation infrastructure was one of the many topics discussed at the Depot during the Mississippi Economic Council's Connection Tour.

President of the state chamber of commerce, Blake Wilson is traveling to 22 communities to talk about issues that are important to Mississippians.

"We make it a real point to go to rural communities because Mississippi is a state in fact of rural communities and if we're not reflecting the views of folks who live in rural Mississippi, we're missing the boat," says Wilson.

Business leaders in the community were surveyed on a series of questions and those results will go to the legislature for input on what measures should be taken to help grow not only the states economy but the local economy as well.

"This has been very informative for me," says Sen. Jenifer Branning. "I do plan to take it back and study it and I expect to be making a decision in the 2017 session about how to improve our infrastructure."

For years there's been talk of putting in a 4-lane bypass that officials say would encourage economic development. While that's still in the beginning stages, a few bridge projects in the city are being completed. Read more: WTOK TV

Glenview Chamber Surpasses 500 Members

The Glenview Chamber of Commerce surpassed 500 members this month.

The chamber has grown 58 percent over the last five years, Executive Director Betsy Baer said this week.

“Glenview is a great hometown, with multi-generational family-owned businesses, strong commercial and service sectors, and outstanding institutions. Our new and revamped programs gave us the chance to celebrate and support our customers and neighbors,” Baer said. 

Photo: Longtime Chamber members Maria and Matthew Doetsch with Doetsch Realty in 1948 (seated: Agent Les Hilbrick ). Third generation family Member Jerry Doetsch, (Berkshire Hathaway) is Glenview Chamber’s immediate past president. Courtesy of Glenview Chamber of Commerce Source: Patch

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations: Warren Buffett

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you'll do things differently.

Wanted: The right workers for today's jobs

Wisconsin needs to import people to fill job needs, WMC chief tells Eau Claire chamber event

“Help wanted” signs have become as much a part of Wisconsin’s landscape as farms and fall colors.

For several years, politicians and business leaders have blamed the so-called skills gap for the difficulty many employers have finding people with the necessary skills to fill jobs. 

But on Friday, the head of the state’s largest business trade group told Chippewa Valley leaders it’s time to change that narrative. 

“It’s not a skills gap anymore,” said Kurt Bauer, president and CEO of Madison-based Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce. “It’s an enthusiasm gap and a population gap.” 

Translation: Wisconsin doesn’t have enough people to fill all its jobs, and residents looking for jobs don’t want the positions that are available.  

“The biggest problem we have in this state is not job creation. It’s finding people for the jobs we have, with the retiring baby boom generation,” Bauer said during an “Eggs & Issues” presentation at the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce.

Birth rates are not at population replacement level, he said, and it’s a problem around the world — and getting worse. 

Already, more companies are delaying expansions and offering incentives such as higher salaries and bonuses, flexible hours, telecommuting and even casual dress codes to attract workers, he said.

“If you don’t have people, you don’t have workers, you don’t have consumers and you don’t have tax base, then bad, bad, bad things happen.” Bauer warned. “That’s economic contraction.”

Bruce Barker, president of Chippewa Valley Technical College, agreed the growing worker shortage is a huge issue for west-central Wisconsin employers. Read more: Leader Telegram

Town Square Chamber Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-lo Guides and 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 chamber publication or map proposal, Contact Town Square Here