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Chicago Fed: How Tight is Michigan’s Labor Market?
Michigan’s labor market continues to recover from the Great Recession that ran from December 2007 through June 2009 and its own recession that started four years prior to that. Michigan’s unemployment rate peaked at 14.9% in June 2009, coinciding with the end of the Great Recession. Since that time, Michigan’s unemployment rate has dropped steadily, reaching 4.5% in August 2016. The last time Michigan’s unemployment rate was this low was in January 2001, just before the much shorter and milder 2001 recession. (1)
While Michigan’s current labor market expansion isn’t the longest in its history, (2) the fact that the state’s unemployment rate is now lower than that of the nation makes one wonder how much longer it can last. The superior performance of Michigan’s Southeast and Western Michigan Purchasing Managers indexes relative to the U.S. measures and recent indications that auto sales may have plateaued also imply that Michigan’s labor market expansion may be near a turning point. This blog examines some of Michigan’s labor market indicators to assess whether Michigan’s labor market is at or near “full employment.”
The chart above shows the annual averages of the U.S. and Michigan unemployment rates, respectively. Since 1976, Michigan’s unemployment rate has generally been higher than that of the U.S., especially during the Great Recession and the severe 1981–82 recession. The two instances in which Michigan’s unemployment rate fell below that of the U.S. came during the mid to late 1990s and in recent months. The fluctuation in Michigan’s unemployment rate helps to show the cyclical nature of the state’s economy, driven by the manufacturing sector, specifically the automotive industry. The lows in Michigan’s unemployment rate came during boom times for the automotive industry and the highs came during rough times. Light vehicle sales volumes hit all-time highs last year and are just below those levels year-to-date in 2016. The majority of auto analysts feel that light vehicle sales will continue to slightly fall off of their 2015 highs in the next couple of years. With the automotive industry having peaked, does that mean Michigan’s labor market has peaked as well? Read more, See charts: Michigan Economy - Chicago Fed
Virginia Peninsula Chamber to assess, act on business needs in 2017
New incoming board chairwoman Debra Flores of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce wants to use the organization as a conduit to energize active community involvement among residents.
"I strongly believe that we must spread the word throughout Hampton Roads of the greatness of the Virginia Peninsula," Flores told told more than 260 attendees of the Chamber's annual meeting Tuesday at the Newport News Marriott at City Center.
Flores, president and administrator of Sentara CarePlex Hospital in Hampton, said that she wants to build on the chamber's efforts of this past year, which included a focus on workforce development — including helping transitioning military members — and empowering emerging leaders.
Flores, who has served on the chamber board for about 10 years, said she'd like to attract more members and keep the chamber relevant. To that end, she plans to help chamber leaders come up with an action plan after collecting feedback on member needs, such as ensuring that the skills of workers match employer needs. The chamber has maintained its membership from last year with 1,407 members this year, chamber President and CEO Mike Kuhns said in an interview. Read more: Daily Press
Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber cuts ribbon on new City Hall office
On Wednesday evening, the Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce celebrated its move into City Hall with an open house and ribbon cutting at the new office.
Chamber Executive Director Jeff Emsweller saw the move as a reason to celebrate, “The Chamber has always had a terrific working relationship with other organizations in our community and government officials, but now being in the same building as the Economic Development Corporation, MainStreet Greensburg and the Mayor’s office, our relationship is even better in my opinion,” Emsweller said. “We are all within arm’s reach so we are able to discuss business and plans at almost any moment just by walking down the hallway.”
The move also opens up the Chamber to focus a greater amount of time on its members and mission to be a resource for its members.
“While we continuously promote Greensburg and Decatur County, we are not the Visitor’s Bureau,” Emsweller said. “When we were located on Broadway Street, we had people stopping in to find out more about things such as the tree growing out of the courthouse tower, or different places to eat or just general directions. Now, the Chamber of Commerce staff of just two spends more time focused on our members. People stopping in our office today are on specific Chamber of Commerce type business which allows us to focus more on our mission statement of being a resource for our members.”
Working as a resource to its members, the Chamber’s new office includes features that are open to its members like the Duke Energy Conference Room.
The room features a 60-inch screen TV for video or powerpoint presentations as well as seating for 30 people, according to Emsweller. The room is made available free of charge to members of the Chamber. For non-members, there is a small fee. Members can expect to see more marketing opportunities with the Chamber and more classroom type events such as the planned Chamber 101 sessions which will be starting soon. Read more: Greensburg Daily News
Birmingham Bloomfield 2016-2017 Community Guide & Directory
The Birmingham-Bloomfield is available at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Joe Bauman and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town Square Publications (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.
Lansing expands internet access with more than 100 new Comcast outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots
Comcast announced last week the installation of more than 112 new XFINITY outdoor Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the Lansing area, boosting connection range for residents and commuters on the go.
“These new outdoor hotspots are an enormous benefit because they provide our residents many more opportunities to access and enjoy social media and entertainment wherever they go,” Tim Daman, president and CEO of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, said. “This access is a quick and easy way to stay connected to what’s important while on the go in the Lansing area.”
Any Comcast customer can utilize the hotspots easily by entering their login information into the available “xfinitywifi” networks. Comcast offers non-customers two complimentary 60-minute sessions per month, with additional hourly, daily, weekly or monthly access passes for purchase. The expansion builds on a network that already consists of thousands of residential and business hotspots in Mid-Michigan.
“Comcast has always been a great corporate and community partner to Mid-Michigan and they continue to invest in the latest technology,” Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. (D-East Lansing) said. “People now have more ways to stay connected at home or out in the community which is essential, especially during the holiday season.” Read more: Michigan Peninsula News
Oxford-Lafayette County chamber: Help with winter clothes drive
Lincoln/Logan County Chamber moves to new location
For those wondering why the Lincoln/Logan County Chamber of Commerce office is closed today can understand the simple reason of location, location, location.
In a brief statement from Cathy Wilhite, president of the Chamber, said their offices would be closed Nov. 29 and 30 and plan to reopen at their new location at 110 N. Kickapoo St., in Lincoln Dec. 1.
Wilhite said one of the many reasons for the move will be space for various activities.
“We decided to move because we want to be able to offer seminars, classes and to host some smaller events for ourselves and other businesses and the new space offers us the ability to do that much more easily than where we have been located,” wrote Wilhite in an email.
According to Wilhite the space has multiple offices that the chamber will be using, a board room and a conference room, plus some open space that will allow them to host a variety of functions and events.
“The fact that it is downtown really did not specifically play into our decision; it was the square footage and the physical set up that worked for what we want to accomplish,” wrote Wilhite who said the chamber will continue to offer the Leadership Academy, Lunch N Learns, educational and training classes and hosting business seminars in the new year. Read more: State Journal Register
Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations: (Leadership)
A statesman gains little by the arbitrary exercise of ironclad authority upon all occasions that offer, for this wounds the just pride of his subordinates, and thus tends to undermine his strength. A little concession, now and then, where it can do no harm is the wiser policy. - Mark Twain
Billy Harper to Highlight the 20th anniversary of the Paducah Chamber's BEP
Local business man Billy Harper will be the featured speaker for the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce’s 20th anniversary luncheon celebrating the establishment of the Business Education Partnership (BEP). The luncheon will be held on Thursday, December 15, at 11:30 a.m. at the Commerce Center, 300 South 3rd Street, in the Paducah Bank Community Room.
Harper led the effort for the Paducah Chamber to establish the BEP, a 501(c)(3), in order to strengthen the partnerships between business leaders and educators. The overall mission of the BEP has remained constant throughout these 20 years: to establish mutually beneficial partnerships between business and education and become a pro-active voice for educational issues at the local, regional, and state level.
Harper has more than 40 years of executive leadership experience in construction and construction-related businesses. As a successful entrepreneur, he has negotiated several company acquisitions, start-up operations and business sales during his career, and has structured a diverse company poised for long term growth. In 1980, he founded Harper Industries, Inc., a privately owned construction services holding company, and serves as its President & Chief Executive Officer.
He has received many civic and industry awards and recognitions over the years, however, his most cherished is the distinguished Eagle Award presented to him by the Boy Scouts of America. He has served on both state and national boards for the Council of Economic Education, Associated General Contractors, World Presidents Organization (WPO), and the Governor’s Scholars Program. He is a long time member of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and has served on the Board of Directors, led numerous sub-committees and was Chairman from 1989-1990. He served on the Kentucky State School Board of Education from 2008-2012. Read more: Paducah Chamber
Wausau Region Chamber model: NTC students help churches draw millennials
Church Mutual Insurance Co. wants to help their clients — primarily churches — draw in a young generation of parishioners, so the company brought that challenge to a group of young people.
Students from Northcentral Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point joined forces this fall at The Branch. It's a program that connects young people and businesses to solve industry challenges and encourage young talent to stay in central Wisconsin.
The Branch's fall cohort developed a solution for Church Mutual after 10 weeks of work. The students created a field guide for Church Mutual clients and a video with insights to help religious groups appeal to millennials. The crux of those guides: Religious leaders should be more adaptable, understandable, approachable and convenient to bring in younger parishioners.
Church Mutual Insurance Co. wants to help their clients — primarily churches — draw in a young generation of parishioners, so the company brought that challenge to a group of young people.
Students from Northcentral Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point joined forces this fall at The Branch. It's a program that connects young people and businesses to solve industry challenges and encourage young talent to stay in central Wisconsin.
The Branch's fall cohort developed a solution for Church Mutual after 10 weeks of work. The students created a field guide for Church Mutual clients and a video with insights to help religious groups appeal to millennials. The crux of those guides: Religious leaders should be more adaptable, understandable, approachable and convenient to bring in younger parishioners.
The Branch is modeled after a similar program in Milwaukee called The Commons, and a pilot project this summer in central Wisconsin was spurred and funded by Church Mutual, The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce, NTC and several other colleges and community partners. Read more: Wausau Daily Herald
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the Midwest!
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
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