Northern Virginia Chamber Announces 2017 Greater Washington Innovation Awards™ Application Period; Batavia Chamber of Commerce honors longtime volunteers; Troy Chamber to Host “Best of Troy Awards” Breakfast Featuring A Keynote by Matthew Cullen of Rock Ventures; Jasper Chamber interest: New USS Indiana Nuclear Submarine --- Meet and Greet; Lake Zurich Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory; EMBDC leader emphasizes team approach to attract businesses; Kentucky Chamber leader outlines new opportunities for economic progress; Eau Claire Area Chamber president search update; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

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


Northern Virginia Chamber Announces 2017 Greater Washington Innovation Awards™ Application Period


The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber) announced that the application period for the 2017 Greater Washington Innovation Awards™ is now open through February 3, 2017. The Greater Washington Innovation Awards™ the premier event celebrating thought leadership, innovation and creativity in the Greater Washington metro area.

The award categories include:
Tech Innovator of the Year
Emerging Tech Innovator (in business less than 5 years)
Mature Tech Innovator (in business greater than 5 years)
Public Service Innovator of the Year
Professional Service Innovator of the Year
Hospitality, Tourism & Entertainment Innovator of the Year
Health & Life Sciences Innovator of the Year
Marketing & Advertising Innovator of the Year

To learn more about the application process, please click here to download the awards application information document. Interested parties may self-nominate or nominate business partners. The application period is open through Friday, February 3, 2017 and is available online.

If you are interested in sponsorship please contact Becky Graham, bgraham@novachamber.org, 703.752.7515. To learn more about the Greater Washington Innovation Awards™ and see past award recipients, visit the Northern Virginia Chamber’s website.

Batavia Chamber of Commerce honors longtime volunteers

Two longtime community volunteers who turned their passions into decades of service were named 2016 Batavia Citizens of the Year Friday.

Ed and Nancy Weiss will be honored Jan. 27 at the Batavia Chamber of Commerce's "Inspire 2017: A Celebration of Those Who Inspire Us!" annual awards event.

Ed, 79, and Nancy, 80, live in the Cottages at The Holmstad, a retirement community."Whatever her passion was, he jumped in, and vice versa," Mayor Jeff Schielke said in describing the couple as a "dynamic duo."

Nancy Weiss was a Kane County Board member for District 3 for six years. She advocated for the county to expand its forest preserve holdings, campaigning for adding as much open space it could. She left the county board to run for the East Aurora school board, where she served four years. Weiss's passion for the outdoors led her to help transform an overgrown area of bramble in the Batavia Riverwalk Wildflower Sanctuary surrounding Riverrain Point senior apartments into a living encyclopedia of plants and trees native to Batavia and Illinois.

In 1994, Weiss joined the Plain Dirt Gardeners club -- formed in the early 1990s to create the sanctuary -- because of her interest in nature.

A teacher by profession, she organized tours of the gardens to teach second-graders about nature and native plants and became a "cheerleader" for the sanctuary, said Diana Sharp, club president.

"It takes a lot of effort working with the various taxing bodies and coordinating volunteers," Sharp said. "Nancy was pivotal in enlisting others to adopt plots and engage in hard work. She was especially excited to teach others about the native plant species." Read more: Daily Herald

Troy Chamber to Host “Best of Troy Awards” Breakfast Featuring A Keynote by Matthew Cullen of Rock Ventures 




January 5, 2017– TROY, MI — Join the Troy Chamber as they kick off the New Year with the Best of Troy Awards Breakfast on Thursday, January 26 from 8-9:30 a.m. at MSU Management Education Center (811 Square Lake Rd., Troy). The award recognizes completed projects that best exemplify financial investment and aesthetic enhancement within the city of Troy.

The Best of Troy honorees include: Basso Design Group, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, DSM Engineering Plastics, Horizon Global, Innovative Learning Group, Shark’s BBQ, Tyler Technologies and Walsh College.

In addition to the Best of Troy Awards, the event will feature a keynote speech by Matthew Cullen, Principal of Rock Ventures LLC and CEO of JACK Entertainment.

“Matt Cullen and Rock Ventures have been a major force in helping recreate Detroit and our region. The timing is right in Michigan to show the capabilities our businesses have and the investment they make to strengthen our economy. The Best of Troy Awards demonstrates that commitment to growth and prosperity,” said Ara Topouzian, President & CEO of Troy Chamber.

The breakfast will end with the installation of the 2017 Troy Chamber Board of Directors and the appointment of Jill Feeney, Independent Associate at LegalShield & IDSheild as board chair.

The cost is $24 for Troy Chamber members and $34 for non-members and includes breakfast. Register at troychamber.com/events. For more information call 248-641-8151 or e -mail: theteam@troychamber.com



Jasper Chamber interest: New USS Indiana Nuclear Submarine --- Meet and Greet

There's a New USS Indiana. A Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine. The First Namesake ship in more than 70 years.

Join us in Welcoming the Commanding Officer and Master Chief of USS Indiana to the Hoosier State.

They are visiting Indiana Communities and businesses as part of an effort to raise awareness about the New Ship and Crew and learn more about Indiana and to engage Hoosiers. Nearly a hundred Indiana businesses are involved with manufacturing something for the Submarine program or in support of the construction of the ships. Hoosier Hands are building the Hoosier Boat.

Public and Media are welcome.

There will be Public Meet and Greets at:

American Legion Hall, Jasper IN Tuesday Jan. 10th 3:00 - 3:45

Other locations:

The Indiana Military Museum, Vincennes, Indiana Sunday Jan. 8th From 11:00 to 11:45

Muldoon's on Main, Carmel, IN Monday Jan. 9th 5:00 - 7:00

Westgate Academy, Odon/Crane IN Tuesday Jan. 10th 10:30 - 11:45

Ri Ra Irish Pub, Evansville, IN Tuesday Jan. 10th 5:30 - 7:00

The Exchange Restaurant Pub and Kitchen, New Albany, IN 11:45 - 1:30

Upland Columbus Pump House, Columbus, IN 5:30 - 7:00

More information: Inquiries please contact the USS Indiana Commissioning Committee info@ussindiana.org www.ussindiana.org






Lake Zurich Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory

The Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Business Directory is available at the Lake Zurich Area Chamber today! Thanks to Dale Perrin 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 guide or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633. 

EMBDC leader emphasizes team approach to attract businesses

The Meridian Star invited some community leaders to identify their priorities for 2017. The following interview is with Bill Hannah, president and CEO of East Mississippi Business and Development Corporation.

Don’t blame East Mississippi Business Development Corporation President and CEO Bill Hannah if he uses the term “the Tupelo model,” when referring to his vision for East Central Mississippi.

Hannah celebrated one of his first major victories this year when it was announced that Raytheon Company had chosen Meridian to build new training jets for the U.S. Air Force — that is if the company is awarded the contract as they are competing with three other companies for that jewel.

Part of Hannah’s delight in the possibility of Raytheon coming to Meridian is the announcement shows that some of his hard work for the last year and a half is finally starting to pay dividends.

When asked about his top three priorities for 2017, Hannah pointed the recent Raytheon announcement as an example of what he is trying to accomplish in Meridian.

“We want to be a more inclusive organization,” Hannah said. “There are 15 members on the EMBDC board of directors and I can tell you that it takes a whole lot more than 15 people to get a big project done like Raytheon. When we had Raytheon in town, we had 27 people in the room. I feel like I had every aspect of the community represented in the room. When you bring someone into town, it looks more full and complete to them when you have more people included. It gives them a flavor of the area and that flavor is not just me.”

Hannah said it has taken a lot of time and effort to start bringing community leaders together to make “inclusiveness” happen.

“For this to be successful, it takes the leaders in this community working together, knowing each other,” Hannah said. “They may work in the next building to someone but not know them. It’s my job to get them all in a room and get them to talk, to present our community wholistically. That’s what inclusive means to me.” Read more: Meridian Star

Kentucky Chamber leader outlines new opportunities for economic progress

A new majority in the state House of Representatives presents an opportunity for success for pro-business legislation that has failed to win passage in the General Assembly despite broad support, according to the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson delivered that message during recent meetings with more than a dozen local chambers of commerce, where he outlined the Kentucky business community’s goals for the 2017 legislative session. Adkisson discussed the Chamber’s 2017 Legislative Agenda, which places special emphasis on the need for pro-growth and job-creating legislation.

“The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is hopeful that under the leadership of Representative Jeff Hoover and his colleagues, Kentucky will finally be able to benefit from some commonsense policies that focus on economic growth,” he said.

According to Adkisson, the business community is focused on four top legislative priorities that will make Kentucky competitive with surrounding states: enacting right-to-work, repealing the prevailing wage, allowing charter schools, and reforming Kentucky’s legal system.

Right to Work

“It’s time to make Kentucky a right-to work state and allow employees to make a personal decision on whether to pay dues to a union,” said Adkisson. “States with right-to-work laws report faster per capita income growth, faster growth in manufacturing and non-agricultural jobs, greater capital expenditures, lower unemployment and fewer work stoppages.”

The Kentucky Chamber has lobbied for right to work legislation for more than 30 years, citing that the absence of right-to-work legislation has resulted in the Commonwealth ceding competitive ground to other states. Read more: Hazard Herald

Eau Claire Area Chamber president search update

The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for its next president and CEO until Feb. 3.

With help from Dowell Management of St. Paul, a chamber committee developed a position profile, which interested applicants can view online at tinyurl.com/​zbwut3c.

The chamber intends to have its new leader in place by June to succeed longtime President and CEO Bob McCoy, who is retiring June 2. Read more: Leader-Telegram

Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

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