Good morning #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Rapid City Chamber polling members on political issues
The 2017 Legislative Session is just about upon us and the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for it.
Chamber executives have sent out more than 3,000 surveys to the group’s members to get their input on issues.
Data from the 15-point questionnaire will be compiled and shared with Legislative committee member and then the chamber board.
It is designed to help the business promotion organization decide which issue to weigh in on when they come up in Pierre.
“The chamber is a member driven organization and it's critical to our advocacy efforts to get input on how they feel about these issues,” said Chamber Vice President Lynn Kendall. “We advocate on their behalf so the issue survey is a tool that we use to get general input.”
Kendall says the surveys went out Dec. 30 and that the chamber will gather and collate the responses next week. Read more: KOTA News
Arlington Heights chamber chief gets state accreditation
The executive director of the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce has accomplished something that only about 20 other chamber leaders in the state have done.
Jon S. Ridler was recently awarded the title of accredited chamber executive from the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
"The accreditation by my state association is truly an honor as I collaborate with some great leaders who run very effective chambers across the state," said Ridler, who has been the executive director in Arlington Heights since 2004 and also serves on the IACCE board of directors as treasurer.
Applicants for the designation must have at least five years of service as a chamber professional, be an IACCE member, engage in continuing professional development, exhibit strong leadership ability and demonstrate involvement and proven accomplishments at the local chamber level and in the community.
Over the years Ridler, 49, has created changes at the chamber in an effort to address the needs of members and adapt to changes in the business climate. Several years ago the chamber altered its membership fee structure. Members now pay for what they want to be part of, he said.
In addition, he said the chamber has formed a stronger partnership with the village in an effort to create a thriving business community. "We work with Mayor Hayes and the village to focus on small business development and retention," said Ridler, who moved from Elgin to Arlington Heights about three years ago.
"This has been a great game changer," said Ridler about the connection between the two entities.
In addition, the chamber has been working to add additional communication with residents in town. "We want to connect the residents with our businesses," Ridler said.
Looking ahead to next year, Ridler said the organization will be celebrating its 70th year as a chamber, which now has 510 members. "The chamber incorporated in 1947," he said. Read more: Daily Herald Business Ledger
Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce 2016-2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory
The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce 2016-2017 Community Profile & Membership Directory is available at the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber today! Thanks to Pam Swain, Rosie Vassalo 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.
Jefferson branding effort set
A community branding and marketing project for the City of Jefferson will kick off Wednesday through Friday, aiming to provide a clear and consistent message that can be presented by the entire city and spur economic development .
The issue Jefferson currently faces regarding its “brand” is not that it doesn’t have one, but that the messages are not consistent, according to Jefferson Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Leigh Price.
The project spawned from a discussion about painting the “Welcome to Jefferson” signs, during which city officials took note of the differing messages being projected to the community. At the same time, there had been ongoing discussion regarding upgrading the city’s website and other things such as street banners, which also project various messages.
On Sept. 22, the Jefferson Common Council approved contracting with Chandlerthinks LLC for a total not-to-exceed cost of $69,500, of which $63,500 is contract work and $6,000 is travel expenses. In May, the council set aside $70,000 of on-hand cash to fund the project.
The branding project is expected to take six to seven months to complete and is planned to take place in four phases: explore (research), evaluate, express and engage. The following are a summary of the key deliverables for each phase.
• Phase I: The launch of the branding website, if chosen, as well as to produce the foundation for the strategy development performed during Phase II.
• Phase II: A live presentation of recommended branding direction for the City of Jefferson. The presentation also will include a summary of the research findings from Phase I.
• Phase III: A summary of the deliverables, including creative concepts and a central idea to drive branding; message evaluation among stakeholders for buy-in; logo review, possible development and application for community architecture; tagline development; positioning copy and community story; and brand guidelines. Read more: Daily Union
Northern Virginia Chamber Unveils 2017 Legislative Agenda
– The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber) has released its 2017 Legislative Agenda outlining the Chamber’s positions on issues for the upcoming 2017 Virginia General Assembly session.
The Northern Virginia Chamber’s 2017 Legislative Agenda is a comprehensive, 22-page roadmap for prosperity in Virginia and provides the regional business community’s positions and rationale on a number of key issues including transportation, education, right-to-work, public-private partnerships, healthcare, and energy.
The Northern Virginia Chamber’s 2017 Legislative Agenda highlights the business community’s support for preserving key investments that are important to Virginia’s future growth – particularly the investment in GO Virginia. Highlighted by robust bipartisan support from the public and private sector, GO Virginia’s promise to drive innovative regional collaboration will set Virginia apart from competitors across the country and around the world. Investments made in regional growth and economic opportunity now will reap tremendous dividends in years to come, and the Northern Virginia Chamber is committed to supporting that effort.
In addition to advocating for investments in K-12 and higher education as well as workforce development initiatives that ensure there is a continued pipeline of highly-skilled workers in Northern Virginia, the Chamber will continue its commitment to policies that support and improve the region’s transportation network. Approving the Metro Safety Commission is key to promoting a safe, reliable Metro system for the benefit of the entire region, as well as to preserve a critical funding stream not just for Metro, but for transit service across our region. The Chamber is committed to seeing this legislation approved during the 2017 General Assembly session.
“The Northern Virginia Chamber and its member companies are committed to working with legislators to ensure the region and the Commonwealth remain one of the best places to start or grow a business,” said Kathryn Falk of Cox Communications and Chair of the Northern Virginia Chamber’s Policy Committee. “The policy proposals outlined in this agenda support a strong business climate for companies small and large,” added Falk.
“The 2017 Legislative Agenda provides a path forward for legislators in Richmond to ensure Northern Virginia, the economic driver of the Commonwealth, grows for years to come,” said Jim Corcoran, president and CEO of the Northern Virginia Chamber. “Even in a challenging budget environment, the Commonwealth needs to continue to attract and retain businesses and top talent in an increasingly competitive global economy.”
For more information about the Northern Virginia Chamber's legislative agenda, contact Mike Forehand, Vice President, Government Relations, mforehand@novachamber.org. To download the 2017 Northern Virginia Chamber Legislative Agenda, click here.
Transportation Infrastructure Updates at West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance Meeting
Regional Chamber Alliances Meet at Benton’s CFSB
Benton, KY, January 11, 2017 – Representatives of two Kentucky regional chamber alliances met at the Benton location of Community Financial Services Bank during the recent Board meeting of the West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance (WKRCA) to discuss transportation infrastructure developments in the region. Represented also was Chamber Leadership Initiatives for Northwestern Kentucky (C-LINK).
Mark Welch, field representative with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, reviewed the changes occurring to the Purchase Parkway interchanges to upgrade them to interstate standards as required for designation of the parkway as Interstate 69. In addition, he discussed the Pause-50 Plan instituted this year to rebuild the agency’s Road Fund cash balance by delaying new state-funded transportation projects at all stages. The Pause-50 approach is designed to slow or delay the start of new projects in order that current commitments can be paid, lost revenue can be recovered, and the state’s funding base can be rebuilt. Next year, the plan calls for allocating $50 million to allocate toward project starts.
Welch also gave an update on the following regional projects:
1) The Benton interchange diamond which should be completed by the end of December
2) The US Hwy 45 section of the Mayfield bypass which should also be completed by the end of December 20, 2016
3) The Calvert City I-24/I-69 interchange which should be completed in mid-2018
4) The 68/80 Lake Barkley Bridge which should be open to traffic near the end of 2017 (the center span will be “floated in” in late January 2017)
5) The 68/80 bypass in Cadiz roadway should be completed in late summer/early fall of 2017
6) The 68/80 widening from Lake Barkley to Cadiz Bypass should be completed in 2019
7) The I-69 interchange in Fulton environmental documents are in progress on the Kentucky side
8) The “Diverging Diamond” interchange is being planned for the I-24 mall exit in Paducah.
Lee Lingo, a member of C-LINK and president of Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce, also addressed the group and stressed the importance of WKRCA and C-LINK’s working together. Because of their partnership, Interstate 69, a priority project for both organizations, is nearing completion. Since 2009 the two regional chamber alliances have advocated in both Frankfort and in Washington, D. C. for funding to complete this vital transportation artery to western Kentucky and to the Commonwealth.
Lingo added that it is important that C-LINK, WKRCA and representatives from southern Indiana, which is included in the I-69 Corridor, work together to market the opportunities for business development along this corridor. A meeting is being planned to begin developing a regional strategy.
During the meeting 2016 WKRCA Board Chair John Peck, president of Heritage Bank in Hopkinsville, passed the gavel to 2017 Board Chair Jason Billington with The Murray Insurance Agency in Murray.
WKRCA is an alliance of chambers of commerce in 14 western Kentucky counties from Fulton County to Christian County; C-LINK represents chambers in 10 counties in northwestern Kentucky from Union County to Breckinridge County. Source: Murray Mirror
Westfield Chamber of Commerce hosts Brooks, Schaibley and Brinegar to talk 2017
U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks, State Rep. Donna Schaibley and the Indiana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kevin Brinegar joined with Westfield Chamber of Commerce President Jack Russell to talk focus points in the state and nation for 2017.
Brinegar spoke on eight top priorities for the chamber to focus on in 2017. The priorities, according to Brinegar, are “support establishing a long-term sustainable funding stream for roads and bridges, support the expansion of publicly funded preschool initiatives for children from low-income families, support suitable testing for students and accountability for all involved in the education process, support the comprehensive approach to decreasing the state’s smoking rate, support a statewide water policy to assure future resources and economic prosperity, support making technology innovation an integral part of the state’s identity, support maintaining and enhancing an attractive tax climate and support a work share program that will allow employers to maintain a skilled stable workforce during temporary downturns.”
“It’s a big difference between whether your child spent three years in a Methodist preschool before going to kindergarten versus some less-advantaged child that spent those same three years in grandma’s house,” Brinegar said on finding a way to fund preschool initiatives for disadvantaged families.
“I’m really excited for the coming session with the budget and major roads issues,” Schaibley said. “I’m looking forward to getting back to business down at the statehouse.”
On the federal level, Brooks spoke on the Trump administration’s focus on projects such as roads, bridges, dams and ports, and adding the administration is “preparing to move a lot of product” in reference to global trade.Current in Westfield
Mississippi governor: School funding formula ‘a 1992 model’
Republican Gov. Phil Bryant told business leaders Thursday that it’s time to update Mississippi’s school funding formula because the current one is an outdated “1992 model.”
“With three years left in this second term, I understand it’s critically important that we get things done — a good education system,” Bryant said.
He spoke to several hundred people at an event sponsored by Mississippi Economic Council, the state chamber of commerce.
The current school funding formula, the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, was put into law in 1997 and phased in over several years. It was enacted by a Democratic-controlled Legislature over the veto of then-Gov. Kirk Fordice, a fiscally conservative Republican and a political mentor to Bryant.
The formula was designed to give schools enough money to meet midlevel academic standards, but it has been fully funded only twice in 20 years.
The shortfall in funding, under both Democratic and Republican administrations, has been a constant source of conflict. Education advocates say elected officials are making empty promises to help schools, while many legislative leaders say fully funding MAEP would lead to deep budget cuts for other state government programs.
Republican legislative leaders hired a New Jersey-based consulting group, EdBuild, to suggest revisions to the formula. Any changes would have to be approved by a simple majority of the House and Senate. The GOP holds a three-fifths majority in both chambers — more than enough votes to approve a new plan. EdBuild has not submitted its recommendations.
“Now, I know there are those out there that say, ‘Oh, this is a terrible plot again and they’re just trying to do something to harm public education.’ Nothing could be further than the truth,” Bryant said Thursday. “That is a 1992 model. If we were all giving our highway patrolmen 1992 Chevrolet Impalas, you might think we were a little disturbed.” Read more: Hattiesburg American
Michigan Chamber Announces Officers for 2017
Michigan Chamber Announces Officers for 2017
The Board of Directors of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce has elected new officers to the Chamber's Executive Committee for 2017. The Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Michigan Chamber set policy and establish priorities for the statewide business organization on key economic issues that affect job creation and business success in Michigan.
Ray Biggs, President & CEO of West Shore Bank in Ludington, will serve as Chair of the Michigan Chamber's Board of Directors for 2017. He replaces Joseph R. Fabiano, II, Principal, Fabiano Brothers, Inc., Bay City, who will become the Immediate Past Chair. Mark A. Davidoff, Michigan Managing Partner, Deloitte LLP, Detroit, will continue as Treasurer.
The Michigan Chamber's Executive Committee consists of seven vice chairs, each representing a different geographic region.
Six vice chairs were re-elected to serve in 2017. They are: Howard J. Miller, Chairman & CEO, Howard Miller Companies, Zeeland (District II – West Central); Frederick A. Edmond, President & COO, Frankenmuth Insurance Company, Frankenmuth (District III – East Central); Arnaldo Rodriguez, President & CEO, Technical Professionals Services, Inc., Wayland (District IV – Southwestern); William Deary, CEO of Great Lakes Caring Home Health & Hospice, Jackson (District V – South Central); Brian Eggers, Principal & Co-Founder, AKT Peerless Environmental & Energy Services, Farmington (District VI – Southeastern); and John Lindow, Vice President-Controller, Masco Corporation, Taylor (District VII – Lower Southeastern).
Kenneth Hayward, Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Grand Hotel, was elected as a new vice chair for District 1 (Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Michigan), the post previously held by Ray Biggs. Read more: Michigan Chamber
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