#Chamber interest: Chicago Fed: Midwest Economy Index Up; Danville-Boyle County Chamber among commenters calling for impact study of pipeline plan; Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber: Still time to get involved with holiday events; Orion Area Chamber Impact Awards Luncheon; The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is honored to announce the selection of the late Senator John Miller as our 2016 Distinguished Citizen of the Year; 5 Star Chamber: Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory; Aurora-area business leaders wait to see impact of Trump; Baileys Harbor: Wreath-making workshop; Indiana Chamber Awards Top Honors for 2016; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in Michigan

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



#Chamber interest: Chicago Fed: Midwest Economy Index Up

Midwest Economic Growth Picked Up in October

The Midwest Economy Index (MEI) rose to –0.01 in October from –0.11 in September. The relative MEI increased to +0.25 in October from +0.16 in September. October’s value for the relative MEI indicates that Midwest economic growth was somewhat higher than what would typically be suggested by the growth rate of the national economy. Read more

Danville-Boyle County Chamber among commenters calling for impact study of pipeline plan

The Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce and state Sen. Jimmy Higdon are among dozens who have called for an environmental impact study of the Utica Marcellus Texas Pipeline Project since Nov. 2.

As of Thursday, a total of 31 comments had been submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission concerning the plan from Houston-based energy infrastructure company Kinder Morgan.

All 31 comments call for an environmental impact study of or state outright opposition to the plan, which would repurpose 964 miles of pipeline to send byproducts of fracking called natural gas liquids (NGLs) from the northeast to the gulf coast.

The plan would affect natural gas pipelines in seven states — Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Of the 31 comments made over the course of about two weeks, 29 have been from Kentucky residents and two have been from people in Cincinnati. Boyle County has produced by far the most comments from any one area, with seven comments coming from Danville, one from Junction City and one from Gravel Switch. Read more: Advocate Messenger

Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber: Still time to get involved with holiday events

For many families, a favorite holiday tradition is driving around local neighborhoods and looking at Christmas decorations.

This year, the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce and Visit Oxford have come together to make finding the most festive homes easier.

The Night of Lights will kick off Dec. 9 and run through Dec. 27. With the guidance of a map, members of the community are taken on a self-guided tour featuring homes across Oxford and Lafayette County decorated with magical lights and festive decorations.

“We believe this is something that people will be excited about, not only locally, but will also bring people in from out of town,” said Pam Swain, senior vice president of the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber’s committee members encourage local homeowners and businesses to call the Chamber and add their display to the list of featured displays.  The Chamber will then include all that register on a map of holiday lights to view in the area.

For more information or to be a part of the tour, call the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce at 662-234-4651 or email deckthehalls@oxfordms.com. Read more: Oxford Eagle

Orion Area Chamber Impact Awards Luncheon

Impact Awards Luncheon

December 1st

11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Kings Court Castle Restaurant at Canterbury Village

The Chamber's biggest event of the year, the Impact Awards Luncheon is where we celebrate our best. Awards are presented to Business Person of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Aspiring Entrepreneur of the Year, Youth Impact Award, Community Beautification Award, and the Economic Impact Award are also presented to honorees.

Members $30

Non-members $50

Table of 10 $270

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce is honored to announce the selection of the late Senator John Miller as our 2016 Distinguished Citizen of the Year

The Late Senator John C. Miller (1st District)

A lifelong public servant and advocate for children, Senator Miller left an indelible footprint on both our community and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, John grew up in Morton Grove, Illinois and graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in history and education. He moved to Hampton Roads in the early seventies to begin his career in journalism with WVEC TV. During his 18-year tenure, he served in several roles including reporter, anchor and, ultimately, News Director. His weekly documentary news program, Focus, earned numerous national awards.

Following his career in broadcast journalism, John served as a top aide in Washington DC for six years to U.S. Senator Paul Trible. Upon returning to the Peninsula, he greeted the region daily on Good Morning Hampton Roads and held key administrative positions with both public broadcasting station WHRO and Christopher Newport University.

John was elected to the Virginia State Senate in 2007 and worked tirelessly to ensure that every child in Virginia receives the best education possible. He led the General Assembly in reducing the number of SOL tests and most recently carried successful legislation to redesign high school education to better prepare students to be a part of the 21st century workforce. He earned the “Solid as a Rock” award from the Virginia Education Association for his commitment to public education and was named “Policymaker of the Year” by the Association for Career and Technical Education. The Virginia State Reading Association honored John by naming him their “Friend of Literacy” and he is the only legislator to have received this award twice. The Virginia Chamber of Commerce recognized John’s commitment to business by awarding him an “A” rating and, earlier this year, acknowledge him with their “Excellence in Workforce Development” award. He was also committed to improving senior citizens’ voting rights, non-partisan redistricting, and enhancing veterans’ quality of life.

In addition to John’s accomplishments in the General Assembly, he was equally impactful in our community. He served for two years as the President of Peninsula READS, which provides literacy skills necessary for adults to function more effectively in their lives and neighborhoods. John was also a member of numerous boards and committees including the Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula, the Newport News Youth Commission, the Downtown Hampton Child Development Center, the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth, the Newport News YMCA, the Junior League of Hampton Roads Advisory Board and People to People, an organization dedicated to improving race relations in Newport News.

One of his most rewarding endeavors was his two decades as an umpire for the Warwick Little League. Although his strike zone was small – it was consistent, and he was as respected on the diamond as he was everywhere else.

A true man of the people, John will be remembered as a quiet, unassuming friend and confidant to those in need and one who embraced the opportunity, over his lifetime, to make a genuine difference in the world. Read more: Virginia Peninsula

5 Star Chamber: Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory

The Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory is available at the Rapid City Chamber today! Thanks to Linda Rabe, Kristina Simmons and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Rapid City Directory

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.

Aurora-area business leaders wait to see impact of Trump

Aurora business leaders are taking a wait-and-see attitude to the impact President-elect Donald Trump will have on the local economy.

At an Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce meeting at Aurora Country Club, Madeleine Doubek, publisher of Reboot Illinois; Ben Taylor, executive director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Great Lakes office; and Ted Dabrowski, vice president of policy and spokesman from the Illinois Policy Institute, discussed the national – as well as state – election results with area business people.

Aurora Mayor Robert O'Connor said Chamber members and local businesses "need a sense and understanding of what direction we are going in."

"We're hoping to get a better touch and feel as things occur, and local business and government are interested in how this is going to play out," he said. "You don't always get a sense of things during the campaign – people then are in their own worlds, and there are promises made. Now, there is the reality of the moment. We need to know the direction for business, taxation, and regulatory policies. Read more: Chicago Tribune

Baileys Harbor: Wreath-making workshop

There will be a wreath-making workshop at The Ridges from 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 3. There is a $10 fee, which includes material for one wreath. Additional wreaths and swags are $5 each. Not only will you make a beautiful, natural wreath, but you also can relax in the beautifully decorated Kaye Cabin while sipping on warm cider, eating delicious cookies and listening to holiday music. I went last year with some friends, and we made beautiful wreaths and had a great time. It’s something you should go and do, and it’s definitely worth the small price. It will make you want to go every year. The Clearing does an amazing job gathering many volunteers to help you make your wreath that you will be proud to have on display. Make another and give it as a gift. Read more: Green Bay Press-Gazette

Indiana Chamber Awards Top Honors for 2016

An agriculture titan, a small-business-owning state representative, the two minds behind a groundbreaking children’s tech toy and a bustling entrepreneurial city were awarded the highest honors tonight at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s 27th Annual Awards Dinner.

The winners are: 
• Business Leader of the Year: Sonny Beck, of Beck’s Hybrids in Atlanta
• Government Leader of the Year: State Rep. Dan Leonard (R-Huntington)
• Indiana Chamber Foundation’s Indiana Vision 2025 Dynamic Leaders of the Year: pi lab “Edwin the Duck” creators Matt MacBeth and Don Inmon
• Lifeline Data Centers Community of the Year: Fishers

“Each of the award winners is working to enhance not only their industries or regions, but the entire state of Indiana. They are working to make Indiana a better place to work and live,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar. “The lasting achievements made by our honorees will impact our state far beyond 2016.”

Videos honoring the award winners can be viewed at www.indianachamber.com/go2/winners. Full stories about the winners are at www.bizvoicemagazine.com (brief summaries of why they were selected follow below).

The Indiana Chamber’s annual dinner featured Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist George F. Will as keynote speaker to the crowd of nearly 1,500 at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.

The event was presented in partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. Lifeline Data Centers is the Community of the Year sponsor. Ivy Tech Community College served as the speaker sponsor, while the opening reception sponsor was Uzelac & Associates. The speaker reception sponsor was Hirons & Company Advertising + Public Relations.

The Indiana Chamber Foundation sponsored the Indiana Vision 2025 Dynamic Leader of the Year honor. Indiana Vision 2025 is the Indiana Chamber’s long-range economic development plan and the award emphasizes entrepreneurship and others facets of the plan’s Dynamic and Creative Culture driver.

The awards dinner followed the Indiana Chamber’s fall board of directors and annual membership meetings. Indiana Chamber Volunteers of the Year Stuart Buttrick (Faegre Baker Daniels, Indianapolis); Todd Miller (Myers Spring Company, Logansport); Mark Richards (Ice Miller, Indianapolis); were announced during a luncheon ceremony.

Ron Christian – executive vice president external affairs, and chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Vectren Corporation in Evansville – was formally elected the Indiana Chamber’s 2017 chair of the board of directors. Read more: Indiana Chamber

Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in Michigan

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