Good morning #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Joe Azar named Director of Economic Development for the Panola Partnership
On Monday, January 9, 2017, the executive board of the Panola Partnership unanimously voted to offer the Director of Economic Development position to current executive board member Joe Azar.
Azar has served on the Panola Partnership executive board for the past 6 years, and was scheduled to roll off this March. His first day in the office will be Tuesday, January 17th, due to the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Joe Azar was born and raised in Greenville, MS. He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree. He returned to the Delta to own and operate uniquely successful convenience stores called The Barn. At the same time, he also owned and operated one of the state’s largest music production companies.
Joe later moved to Nashville where he worked in the music industry as a personal artist manager for 16 years, of which during this time, met his wife to be, Katie, who co-managed their clients.
Azar attended post-graduate instruction from Belmont University’s School of Music Business. He co-founded Azar Entertainment and Dang Records. He managed recording artist Steve Azar, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, the original Crickets, The Outfield, Hank Williams III, Brady Seals of Little Texas, Jessica Andrews and several others.
Azar attended post-graduate instruction from Belmont University’s School of Music Business. He co-founded Azar Entertainment and Dang Records. He managed recording artist Steve Azar, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, the original Crickets, The Outfield, Hank Williams III, Brady Seals of Little Texas, Jessica Andrews and several others.
Joe negotiated recording agreements with major record labels; publishing deals; tours with agents, promoters, CMT and GAC, and multi-million dollar tour sponsorships with companies such as Jim Beam and ExxonMobil for his artists. Joe and his wife and children moved to Panola County in 2007 to work as the operations and general manager of Mississippi Distributors, Inc. in Batesville. After 2 years of an extensive business curriculum with Anheuser-Busch University, Azar became a successor manager to the local Anheuser-Busch wholesalership.
In 2012, he negotiated the sale of Mississippi Distributors to Southern Beverage Company of Jackson, MS, securing that 50 jobs would remain in Panola County. He became the Branch Manager and Equity Agreement Manager of Southern Beverage Company. During his time, he successfully recruited RedBull and many other strong suppliers for his company, leaving Batesville’s operation in 2016 with the leading portfolio in the state. For the past nine years, Joe also represented his company’s beverage delegation by visiting elected officials at our federal and state capitols. Read more: Panola County Partnership
Bowling Green Area Multi-billion-dollar babies: 2 Warren industrial parks support 6,016 jobs
"The foresight of the community and its leaders years ago have borne out, perhaps beyond even the best expectations at that time. Today, we celebrate that vision and leadership, and the many jobs that have resulted. Well done!" — U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on the 27th anniversary of Warren County's establishment of two industrial parks.
In 1990, the Bowling Green region was vastly different than today.
The idea of having two industrial parks in Warren County was just getting off the ground, one in the south end and eventually one in the north end of the county.
The county's population was 76,673, far less than today's estimated population of 122,851. The city of Bowling Green's current estimated population of 63,616 is just 13,057 less than the 1990-era Warren County population.
Central downtown development was still a dream, with a new baseball park, performing arts center and new Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce offices yet to come. Scottsville Road, the county's main commercial artery, wasn't nearly as crowded.
The establishment of first the South Central Kentucky Industrial Park and later the Kentucky Transpark in Warren County – both off U.S. 31-W – has economically transformed the region the past 27 years, bringing billions of dollars of value to Warren County, millions of dollars of tax revenue to Bowling Green and the county and providing thousands of new jobs to county residents and residents of the surrounding counties.
The two industrial parks host 34 different businesses, industries and educational institutions today and have an accumulated worth of $15.4 billion. Read more: Bowling Green Daily News
City of Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce 2016/2017 Community Map has arrived.
The new City of Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce 2016/2017 Community Map is available at the City of Ridgeland Chamber today! Thanks to Linda Bynum, Sandy Baas 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.
Flint & Genesee Chamber: Crowdfunding Helps Local Security Company Expand
Last year, Deborah Johnson, while attending a networking event hosted by the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, inquired about financing options available to help expand her Flint-based security alarm company. Johnson wanted to hire another installer/technician to help with customer retention by shortening the turnaround time for service.
“If a customer has to wait too long, they’ll go eventually somewhere else,” said Johnson, of Citizens Statewide Security, Inc., which opened its doors in 2003.
After hearing about the available programs, Johnson decided to go with a crowdfunding program, called Kiva, which provides zero-percent-interest loans for eligible entrepreneurs working to take their business to the next level.
After researching the program – she had never heard of Kiva – Johnson submitted a proposal for a $10,000 loan. Johnson was quick to point out that prospective borrowers on Kiva have to, as she said, “put some skin in the game.”
“You have get at least 15 friends and family to invest in your business before a loan request can go forward,” she said. “Like me, no one (in her circle) had even heard of Kiva.”
Her circle support along with an endorsement by the Flint & Genesee Chamber were keys to getting her request listed and financed through Kiva’s crowdfunded community. Not only was the proposal accepted, but Johnson reached her target in less than a month, with nearly 200 investors loaning Citizens Statewide Security as little as $25.
The Flint & Genesee Chamber is a Kiva trustee, which are people or organizations that publicly vouch for entrepreneurs in their community for the Kiva program. Read more: Flint & Genesee Chamber
#BestChamber Practices: Effingham County Chamber of Commerce: Continuing Education
he Chamber continues to place a strong emphasis on workforce training and education for 2017. We recently developed a partnership with McKendree University that provides Effingham County Chamber members and their employees a discount on the university's online degree programs. Individuals can earn everything from short term professional development courses to bachelor's and master's degrees through this program, and all done completely on line. You can learn more about these programs at www.McKendreeIsOnline.com.
This is another tremendous benefit to your investment in the Chamber.
We continue to look for opportunities to assist in improving your business operations and workforce skills and know that it isn't always convenient to leave the office to attend a meeting or seminar. That's why we have bumped up our online training presence through affiliations with leading online training organizations like Coggno and Dale Carnegie Training. Coggno offers a fully developed training library and learning management program which allows employers to monitor employee training progress and certifications. And, we can assist you with FREE training certificates, valued at up to $100! Want to know more? Call the Chamber office for your certificate.
In addition, we look for other opportunities to educate the business community on regulations, legislation and other topics of interest. On Thursday, March 2, a representative from the Insurance Compliance Department of the Illinois Workers Compensation Commission will be in Effingham offering a Lunch & Learn presentation on obligations employers have regarding workers compensation insurance. This is a great opportunity to learn and ask questions about this important employer requirement. Be watching for more details about the lunch.
Tech Tuesday is coming back, starting in February and we are also working on programming to help employers address the workforce readiness or soft skills needs of the current and future workforce. Plus efforts toward establishment of the Effingham Regional Career Academy continue to move forward.
We need volunteers to serve on committees, participate in roundtable discussions and offer insights on how we can best serve the needs of the business community. Help us, help you. Give me a call. I'd love to hear from you. More information: Effingham County Chamber
The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce promotes Jennifer Kerns to Member Relations Manager
Jennifer joined the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce in September 2013 as an intern through Grace College and was then promoted to Main Street Coordinator in January of 2015. In her new role, Kerns will create and execute an annual member relations plan that will focus on serving existing members and growing membership. “It is important to all of us at the Chamber to ensure our members are receiving their membership benefits. I am committed to being engaged with members whether they are new to the chamber or a seasoned member, so we can make sure their membership produces a return on their investment at every opportunity,” said Kerns.
In addition, Kerns leads the Chamber’s Ambassadors, Small Business Connection Committee, as well as the Young Adult Professionals (YAP) Committee. Jennifer is responsible for managing the collaborative effort of the downtown businesses, property owners, and other stakeholders to market and promote the C-4 District. In her downtown efforts, Kerns follows the Indiana Main Street model which is based on the four-point strategy of organization, promotion, design, and economic development.
“The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce values membership as its top priority. By giving greater attention to member relations, we are opening a wider door of support and this support will provide increased opportunities in maximizing your return on your Chamber investment. I am thrilled to promote Jennifer into this new role and I encourage all members to reach out to her as needed. I have the utmost confidence in her abilities,” said Rob Parker, President & CEO.
SSI wins Forward Janesville's Business of the Year Award
Forward Janesville honored a local company Thursday whose blossoming in recent years has been quiet—even by company's own admission.
Janesville-based SSI Technologies garnered Forward Janesville's 2017 Business of the Year Award for large corporations at the chamber of commerce's annual awards banquet.
It's the first time in 16 years of Forward Janesville running the awards banquet that it has awarded SSI the coveted award, one of a number of awards the group gives out.
SSI, which produces automated controls and powder-coated products for the automotive and industrial technologies industries, got the award at a time when the company is seeing continued growth across its seven locations—three of which are in Janesville.
Senior Vice President Bruce Corner accepted the award in front of about 400 people during a luncheon at the Pontiac Convention Center.
Corner, a 25-year company employee, chronicled the company's two divisions: SSI-Controls Technologies and SSI-Sintered Specialties.
Since the company was founded in 1982 as an offshoot of Parker Pen, it has grown from a one-facility industry producing about $4 million in revenue to a much larger corporation.
In 2017, revenues could approach $200 million, Corner said.
In the last two years, the company has opened an engineering division in Germany and a 60,000-square-foot sensor and controls manufacturing facility in the Czech Republic. That's along with a 125,000-square-foot expansion to its world headquarters and manufacturing facilities on Palmer Drive in Janesville.
Corner said SSI's Sintered Specialties division is now the nation's largest manufacturer of powdered metal automotive and nonautomotive components, and he called the company the world's “preeminent” producer of automated sensing devices and controls for automotive and heavy vehicle exhaust systems.
“All from a little company in Janesville, Wisconsin,” Corner said.
In 2009, SSI was generating $38 million in revenue. At that time, during the heart of a downturn that knocked the national automotive industry flat, SSI employed about 270 people in Janesville. Read more: Gazette Extra
Chamber of Commerce recognizes Bristol's best
The late Frank Leonard was honored Friday with the Bristol Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.
Leonard, the founder and owner of several companies in Bristol and a longtime community philanthropist, was honored during the chamber’s annual awards luncheon at the Holiday Inn. Over the years, he donated millions of dollars to Wellmont Health System and some of its facilities have been named after him and his family.
Leonard died suddenly in September at the age of 83.
His wife, Jackie, and children, Renée Leonard Kennedy, Robin Leonard North, Roger Leonard and Russell Leonard, accepted the award.
Roger Leonard said his father was an advocate for the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce because he believed that businesses and government can work together.
“I think my dad would be so proud to be recognized,” he said. “I think for him it would be an opportunity to share his story with all of the entrepreneurs out there who have the desire to start their own businesses. I think he would say, ‘Go out there. Take the risk. Make the mistakes. Pick yourself up and keep going.’”
Roger added that his father never met a stranger.
Other award winners were:
Ambassador of the Year: Dianne Necessary, a licensed aesthetician;
Convention and Visitors Bureau Service Award: Karen Hester, owner of Cranberry Lane and Southern Churn;
Keep Bristol Beautiful Service Award: Charles Earhart, owner of Earhart Campground;
And Leadership Service Award: Melissa Horton, Eastman Credit Union.
Leonard’s family and the other award recipients were photographed with Justin Grimm, a Bristol native who plays baseball for the World Series champions Chicago Cubs. Read more: Herald Courier
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