Virginia Chamber Professional Digest
February, 2017
Sorry
for the length of this newsletter, but please make sure to read the Chicago Fed
article on the future of farming, also the article on the 10 manufacturing
trends to watch in 2017, and (as always) news you can use as a Virginia Chamber
of Commerce professional:
Good
morning #chamber world! It’s going to be a GREAT week!
Virginia Peninsula
Chamber: Nonprofits and Service Organizations: Young Professionals Sign Up
Today!
Is your Nonprofit or
Service Organization looking for Young Professionals to join your board, help
coordinate a annual event, or become regular volunteers? Well on March 23, 2017
Bridge is hosting a "Get Connected" Speed Networking Event to connect
local organizations to local Young Professionals looking to get plugged into
the community! Sign Up Today to have a chance to introduce your organization,
program, or community event to our emerging community and civic leaders.
To sign up please submit the Name of Your Organization, Name of a
Representative, Logo, and short summary of your organization's/event's history
and needs to bridge@vpcc.org.
Jemal Harris
Director, Economic Advancement
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Peninsula Chamber Foundation
Program Manager
YEA!/YLA Virginia Peninsula
Direct: 757-325-8157
Chamber interest: Chicago Fed: The
downturn in agriculture: Implications for the Midwest and the future of
farming
by David B. Oppedahl, senior
business economist
Prices for key agricultural
products have fallen from their peaks in recent years, while input costs have
not fallen as much. Consequently, many farm operations in the Midwest have had
lower revenues and thinner profit margins—and some even losses. On November 29,
2016, the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago held a conference to examine the
agricultural downturn in the Midwest and discuss future directions for
farming. Read more
Prince
William, Greater Reston, Loudoun County and Arlington Chambers Working Together
to Produce Northern Virginia Restaurant Week 2017
In Partnership with the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel
Association
Manassas,
VA – Foodies rejoice! For the second year in a row, four of
Northern Virginia’s top business organizations -- the Prince William, Greater
Reston, Loudoun County and Arlington Chambers of Commerce -- are collaborating
to produce Northern Virginia Restaurant Week, March 20-27, 2017. The Virginia
Restaurant, Lodging and Travel Association (VRLTA) will once again join them as
a partner, making it one of the largest dining out celebrations in the state.
Northern Virginia Restaurant Week is a week-long, dining experience taking
place at a variety of establishments from fine dining to fast casual meaning
that everyone can take part. The goal of this event is to draw attention to
Northern Virginia’s vibrant hospitality industry, encouraging residents and
workers to explore new dining options close to home or work.
“The Prince
William Chamber of Commerce is excited to once again be partnering with fellow
Chambers on Northern Virginia Restaurant Week,” says Prince William Chamber of
Commerce President and CEO Debbie Jones. “It’s a great deal for Prince William,
Manassas Park and Manassas area residents. Commuters can find a participating
spot for lunch and then something closer to home for dinner. The regionalistic
aspect of this partnership perfectly matches the character of the community we
serve. I can’t wait to see which of our local restaurants will catch the vision
this year.”
In 2016,
more than 60 restaurants participated with special menus and pricing at both
lunch and dinner. This year the Chambers hope to increase participation.
Participating restaurants pay a flat fee of $250 ($500 if you are not a Chamber
member) to be included in promotions including logo recognition and having
their restaurant week menu posted on www.NOVARestaurantWeek.com.
Individual Chambers will also promote local restaurant participants on their
websites and social media outlets, collaborating on additional opportunities to
reach the entire Northern Virginia region. Restaurants and sponsors can sign up
by completing the registration form and
returning it to Andrea Short (ashort@pwchamber.org) at the
Prince William Chamber of Commerce.
For 2017,
Northern Virginia Restaurant Week will once again be working with OpenTable.com
to provide participating foodies a chance to make stress-free reservations.
Restaurants who are already on Open Table will be featured on a special NOVA
Restaurant Week page, making it simple for consumers to find convenient options
throughout the seven-day event.
Registrations
will be accepted until the beginning of Restaurant Week, but registering early
will ensure participants maximum exposure. Signature sponsors to date are Upper
Crust Pizzeria-DC Metro, One Loudoun, Reston Town Center and Potomac
Mills; several opportunities remain. Platinum Partners include Arlington
Economic Development, Bistro 360 and Historic
Manassas, Inc.
For more
information about Northern Virginia Restaurant Week, sponsorship opportunities,
or the collaboration between the Prince William, Greater Reston, Loudoun County
and Arlington Chambers, please contact Andrea Short, Director of Marketing
& Communications for the Prince William Chamber of Commerce, 571-765-1876
or ashort@pwchamber.org. NOVA Restaurant Week also has a
Facebook page where interested foodies can stay up to date on participating
restaurants and news: https://www.facebook.com/NoVARestaurantWeek. Diners
are encouraged to use #NOVARestaurantWeek when dining at a participating
restaurant.
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
Minimum wage, sales tax, education among
legislative priorities for business groups
Major business organizations in
Virginia are planning to “play defense” in the 2017 General Assembly session
against some legislative proposals, such as increasing the minimum wage, while
also lobbying against budget cuts for programs that help their industries.
At least two bills already have
been filed that would increase the minimum wage in Virginia from the current
federally mandated $7.25 per hour. The wage would go to $11.25 or $15 an hour
during the next three to four years.
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce,
the Greater Richmond Chamber and the Virginia Retail Federation said they will
oppose such bills.
“It needs to be left up to the
business owner,” said Jodi Roth, director of government affairs for the
Virginia Retail Federation. “We have members who do pay $15 an hour because
they can. We have members who don’t — they pay as much as they can pay. This
would be a job killer.” Read more: Richmond.com
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! Thanks to Linda Rabe, Kristina
Simmons 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.
Fredericksburg Regional Chamber honors two businesses for top
awards, Coldwell Banker Elite and Parrish Snead, Franklin, Simpson, PLC
Also, lauds Jud Honaker, Adrian Silversmith, Fredericksburg Regional SPCA
FREDERICKSBURG – The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce awarded
businesses for their successes, entrepreneurial spirit, and community
commitment at the Jan. 27 annual awards banquet and gala held at the
Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center.
Businesses of the Year Award
This award is given to a company that balances business success with a
dedication to improving the community’s quality of life.
Coldwell Banker Elite received the Large Business of the Year Award. The real
estate brokerage company has--for decades--bragging rights for being the best
Coldwell Banker affiliate in Virginia. They solidified it by acquiring Coldwell
Banker Carriage House Realty recently, strengthening the international brand
under one brokerage in Fredericksburg. The company delivers exceptional service
to their customers from their highly-skilled associates and cutting-edge
technology designed to enhance their ability to provide clients with the best
representation. Founder Kevin Breen started the real estate business in 1977.
In 1982 they began the first franchise of their brand in Virginia.
Coldwell Banker Elite shows dedication to the community. They raise $20,000 annually
for the Greater Fredericksburg Habitat for Humanity. The office sponsors the
UMW Great Lives Series, Leadership Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg Area SPCA,
among others.
Parrish, Snead, Franklin, Simpson, PLC received the Small Business of the Year
Award. The law office handled $200 million commercial real estate sales and
leases; and 300 client litigations in 2016. This firm is respected in the
industry and recognized for its outstanding business morals and fights for
positive results for their clients. Members of their team serve on numerous
boards such as Central Va. Housing Coalition, The Community Foundation,
Stafford Rotary, Thurman Brisben Center, and many others.
Entrepreneur of the Year
Adrian Silversmith won the Entrepreneur of the Year Award, which recognizes a
person who successfully plans and executes a business proposal to fill a
regional economic niche. Silversmith is the founder and owner of Sprelly; a
gourmet peanut butter spread eatery in downtown Fredericksburg. He won the
“People’s Choice” award in 2013 at the first Made in FredVa competition. Since
incorporating, Silversmith has donated and supported various non-profits and
schools and collaborates with other local start-up businesses to strengthen and
market events and services.
Community Impact Award
Fredericksburg Regional SPCA won the Community Impact Award, which honors a
business or organization that benefits the Fredericksburg Region on a daily
basis. Executive director Caitlyn Day leads the SPCA staff and volunteers.
Together they achieved surprising statistics in 2016.
By the numbers: The SPCA handled 1,341 adoptions last year. In 2015 the average
time a cat stayed at the facility was 206 days. In 2016, the average stay was
35 days. The average duration for a dog in 2015 was 88 days. In 2016 it was 14
days.
Also, merely six animals were euthanized for severe health issues.
The SPCA has forged new partnerships with civic and business leaders and
continues to provide our community with outstanding care and compassion for the
creatures who enter their doors.
Prince B. Woodard Leadership Award
Jud Honaker won the Prince B. Woodard Leadership Award, which salutes an
individual who has provided a lifetime of service and commitment to the
Fredericksburg Region. It’s named for the former MWC president whose vision,
integrity and dedication to serving others made him a pillar of the community.
Honaker is the president of Silver Companies Commercial Division. He has
pioneered the economic development of the Fredericksburg region for decades.
His leadership developed the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center, the
Quantico Corporate Center, and numerous extensive hotels and shopping centers.
As a young man, he started working for Carl D. Silver who took Honaker under
his wing and taught him the business. For decades he balances profit and the
community. Honaker has supported the Silver Foundation, served on the UMW Board
of Visitors, is a benefactor of the Rappahannock United Way, the Mary
Washington Hospital Foundation, the Fredericksburg Area Museum, among others.
Honaker influences the unfortunate by financial ways, jobs, homes to live in,
and pays for medical needs. He isn’t one to share the spotlight and doesn’t
want a payback.
An employee nominated Honaker for this award. She described Honaker’s giving
spirit when two employees were battling cancer. “Jud did whatever he could to
support us. He contacted hospitals, doctors, provided transportation, allowed
us weeks off at a time,” she wrote. “Most of all he offered friendship and
demonstrated how much he cares about others.”
Hampton Roads Chamber event: From
Local Dive Shop to Top 50 Government Contractor
Norfolk, VA –How does a company
grow from a local dive shop to one of the largest contractors for the Defense
Logistics Agency? The Hampton Roads Chamber is honored to present Karan Rai,
President and CFO of ADS Tactical, Inc. Rai will be speaking on his experience
throughout his career and how he has molded ADS’ future business prospective
with the Federal Government.
Chamber Leadership Series:
Karan Rai, President & CFO ADS, Inc.
Date:
Tuesday, February 2
Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Cost: $40 (Members), $55
(Non-Members)
Where: The Westin Virginia Beach
Town Center
4535 Commerce St
Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Day of Contact: Priscilla Monti,
pmonti@hrchamber.com 757-470-6805
Like us on Facebook at Chamber757
and follow us on Twitter @Chamber757
If you plan to cover this event,
please contact Shannon Curtin SCurtin@hrchamber.com (757) 664-2501.
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and
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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.
Loudoun Chamber Foundation Awards $10,000 to Local Nonprofits
Loudoun
Chamber Foundation is dedicated to supporting economic development,
education,
public safety and wellness efforts in Loudoun County
Lansdowne, VA – The Loudoun County Chamber of
Commerce today announced the Loudoun Chamber Foundation has selected five local
nonprofit organizations serving Loudoun County to receive financial grants to
support their work in our community.
The Loudoun Chamber Foundation has chosen to award $2,000 grants
to:
·
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington
·
Crossroads Jobs
·
Friends of Loudoun Mental Health
·
Mason Enterprise Center Loudoun
·
Windy Hill Foundation
The Loudoun Chamber Foundation was created in December of 2014
to provide financial assistance to area nonprofits that are focused on economic
development, education and workforce development, public safety and healthy
communities. The Loudoun Chamber Foundation is a field-of-interest fund with
the Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties.
“The Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce is committed to
investing in our community and investing in those organizations that are
focused on the economic, educational and health-related needs of Loudoun’s
citizens. These five organizations selected to receive Chamber Foundation
grants are providing valuable services that are making a real difference in the
lives of Loudoun County’s entrepreneurs and our neediest citizens. The Chamber
is proud to support their work and that of many other outstanding nonprofit
groups,” said Chamber President Tony Howard.
The 2017 Loudoun Chamber Foundation grant awardees are:
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington (CCDA)
was founded in 1947 to serve the poor in Virginia. Now serving only Northern
Virginia, the mission of CCDA is to serve the most vulnerable and to strengthen
individuals, families, and communities. CCDA serves all in need regardless of
race, religion, national origin. In 2007 CCDA opened its Leesburg Regional
Office (LRO) to connect Loudoun residents in crisis situations with services,
such food and emergency financial assistance with rent and utilities.
Crossroads Jobs offers free individualized
employment services to unemployed and underemployed individuals not served by
conventional agencies and job banks. Their mission is to provide job placement
services, including job search training and counseling; help applicants find
services to sustain them during the process; offer local employers a free
source of prescreened applicants; place applicants in permanent marketplace
jobs; and help successful applicants remain employed in stable careers.
Since 1955, the Friends of Loudoun Mental
Health has been serving Loudoun citizens by providing
assistance, awareness and advocacy for a broad range of mental health issues.
With no paid staff, the Friends of Loudoun Mental Health is a resource
efficient, volunteer driven, community based nonprofit that helps those
suffering from mental illness by providing assistance for living arrangements,
advocating for improved care and resources, and promoting recovery and
community awareness.
The Mason Enterprise Center Loudoun,
consisting of a business incubator, related entrepreneurship programs and the
Loudoun Small Business Development Center, works to enhance the entrepreneurial
ecosystem and impact economic development by tapping into the skills, resources
and energy of local communities and organizations, including George Mason
University, and offering services, programs and facilities that catalyze and
support businesses as they start, launch, grow and scale.
For the past 35 years, the Windy Hill Foundation’s (WHF)
mission has been to provide safe and affordable housing to low income families
in Loudoun, Fauquier, and Clarke Counties. WHF currently provides 166 units of
affordable rental housing for families, older adults, and persons with
disabilities in Middleburg and Brambleton. WHF also offers its 124 residents in
Middleburg comprehensive services to help them access resources such as
healthcare, education, employment, and financial assistance.
Contact:
Tony Howard, President & CEO
thoward@loudounchamber.org, (703) 777-2176
Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance To Host the
Annual Williamsburg Area Career Fair
Williamsburg, VA – The Greater Williamsburg Chamber
and Tourism Alliance will be hosting the Williamsburg Area Career Fair on
Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at the newly remodeled Fort Magruder Hotel &
Conference Center from 10:00am to 3:00pm. Job seekers looking to find the perfect
career path should take full advantage of this opportunity! The event will
include employer booths open all day featuring opportunities for full time and
part time employment, a resume clinic, and career speaker as well as onsite
computers for attendees to complete online applications as needed provided by
Thomas Nelson Community College. New this year – a “Continuing Education Area”
to promote workforce development with exhibitors that provide classes to help
increase skills and certifications necessary to advance in your current career
or change your career path. This event is free and open to the public.
Interested in becoming an employer
exhibitor? Spaces are still available for businesses to take advantage of hours
of prime recruiting time and the chance to receive applications from several
hundred job seekers. To register as an exhibitor or for more information, visit
www.williamsburgcc.com .
Teresa Beale: Hampton Roads economy needs the Atlantic Coast Pipeline
As
executive director of the Franklin-Southampton Area Chamber of Commerce, I am
motivated each and every day by our mission to improve the overall economy and
quality of life in the Franklin-Southampton area. A key part of this mission is
stimulating industrial growth and bringing more good-paying jobs to our
community.
At the
Chamber, I work with local companies and professionals to nurture our business
climate, and I also work with our colleagues in local economic development
offices to attract new businesses to the Franklin-Southampton area. When
businesses make decisions about where to locate, they are looking for a solid
transportation network, a skilled and well-trained workforce, and a great
quality of life. They are also looking for access to reliable, affordable
energy.
No business
wants to set up shop in an area that lacks a consistent and stable supply of
energy. That’s too much uncertainty. No business wants to open its doors in a
location where energy is too expensive. That’s bad for the bottom line. They
want access to a supply of energy that is there at all times, can be counted
upon no matter what, and that won’t make their operations cost prohibitive.
This is where the Atlantic Coast Pipeline comes in.
The
Atlantic Coast Pipeline, as many know, is a proposed underground natural gas
pipeline that will bring domestically produced natural gas from Ohio,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia to consumers in Virginia and North Carolina. The
need for the pipeline is urgent. Our existing pipelines are operating at full
capacity and are unable to support major new economic development. If we’re
going to continue to grow and attract new employers to our region, we need new
infrastructure and new supplies of natural gas.
During
the last few winters — the “Polar Vortex” of 2013-14 and the extreme cold of
2014-15 — local natural gas utilities actually had to suspend service to a
number of major industrial customers in the Hampton Roads area to ensure that
homes did not lose heat during a period of intense demand on their system. That
is a huge warning sign. It demonstrated very clearly that our existing
pipelines are overstressed and unable to keep up with growing demand. We need
to address this challenge, and we need to address it now.
Virginia Peninsula Chamber Youth Career Expo 2017 - Business and
Industry Supporting the Emerging Workforce
Hampton, Virginia - - The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
and the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development, in partnership with the
Greater Virginia Peninsula Six School Divisions, will host the ninth
annual Youth Career Expo on Thursday, March 2, 2017
from 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Hampton Roads Convention Center. This award
winning event is designed to help the future workforce make informed choices
about life after high school.
Students from age 16-19 will participate in mock interviews and in
a panel discussion with human resource professionals. Participating students
will also visit exhibits presented by businesses from various industry sectors.
They will gain exposure to the types of positions available and the educational
and training requirements for entry level career opportunities within the
Greater Peninsula area.
This year’s event welcomes back Newport News Shipbuilding as the
presenting sponsor and participants can expect a spectacular technology
display! The Youth Career Expo is expected to have over 2,000 high school
students, 250 business professionals and members of the United States Armed
Forces conducting mock interviews and serving as guides. In addition,
over 60 exhibitors divided by industry clusters: Shipbuilding,
Construction, Healthcare, Advanced Manufacturing, Local Government Agencies,
STEM, Defense, Finance, Higher Education, and more.
There are volunteer opportunities available for mock interviewers
and guides. Please visit www.pcfwd.org to
learn more or contact Rita Bond at 757-826-3327. For sponsorship and
exhibitor opportunities, please visit www.vaPeninsulaChamber.com or contact
Jackie Shapiro at 757-325-8162.
Chamber interest: Farmville Company plans to turn poultry
waste into energy
A Farmville
company is hoping to take poultry waste and transform it into electricity,
fertilizer, and distilling water.
Clean
energy company Carolina Poultry Power Project hopes to break ground on the
plant in 6-8 weeks.
The
company's Rich Deming says, "There's is an amazing amount of poultry
around here and it's an amazing economic driver. It creates about a billion to
a billion and a half pounds of poultry litter a year in this region."
That waste
can be use as fertilizer, but sometimes it can be too much of a good thing,
affecting the waterways with too much phosphate and potassium.
But Deming
says there's a way to change that. He says, "You make energy out of it.
You make useful thermal energy, you still get the beneficial fertilizer
benefits in the ash, it goes back to the fertilizer industry, it's just more
controlled."
All while
producing electricity for Pitt and Greene EMC.
Deming says
about a megawatt of energy could power around 300 homes.
Judy
Gidley, Director for the Farmville Chamber of Commerce, says they're excited to
know the plant will produce about 30 construction jobs and 15 high paying ones
once they open.
Gidley
says, "Any time we can get any new industry, whether they're mom or pop
business or big industry, we're just so tickled that they're coming to
Farmville." Read more: WITN.com
Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce's 127th Meeting of the
Membership
On Tuesday, January 10, 2016, The Roanoke Regional Chamber of
Commerce is hosting it's 127th Meeting of the Membership. Long standing
businesses in the area will be honored.
The CEO of Deschutes Brewery will be speaking. The meeting is
scheduled for 6:00p.m. to 9:00p.m., at The Hotel Roanoke. Read more: VirginiaFirst.com
Northern Virginia Chamber, Cardinal Bank, George Mason University,
and Washington Business Journal to Host Annual Economic Conference
Tysons, Va. – The Northern Virginia
Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber), Cardinal Bank, George Mason
University, and the Washington Business Journal have announced that they will
host the 25th Annual Economic Conference — Mapping New
Economic Opportunities: Regional, National, and Global. The event
will be held on Wednesday, February 1, 2017 from 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM at the
Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church.
Mapping New Economic Opportunities: Regional, National and Global provides
a forum for both public and private sector leaders to gain insight on key
economic drivers, workplace trends, and the impacts and opportunities that will
shape the regional, national, and global economies in the coming year.
Christopher Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton Worldwide will
present the keynote. Washington Business Journal Publisher James
MacGregor will serve as moderator for the keynote.
Featured speakers include:
- The Honorable Terry McAuliffe,
Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D., Dwight Schar
Faculty Chair and University Professor, and Director of The Stephen S.
Fuller Institute, George Mason University
- Terry L. Clowers, Ph.D., Northern Virginia
Chair and Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University
Panelists include:
- Jennifer Aument, GM, North
America, Transurban
- Teresa Carlson, VP, Amazon Web
Services Worldwide Public Sector
- S. Tien Wong, CEO, Tech 2000
& Appnetic, and Chairman, Lore Systems
Registration is available online. Entry is
$100 for Northern Virginia Chamber members and $125 for non-members. Members of
the media who plan to cover the event should contact Northern Virginia Chamber
Director, Communications and Marketing, Alex
Thompson, athompson@novachamber.org, to register. Follow the event on
Twitter @NOVAChamber, @CardinalBank, #econconf.
Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce names new executive
director
The executive board of the
Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce has named Jill Sluss the new executive
director. Sluss succeeds Caroline Goode, who recently relocated out of town.
A native of the Roanoke Valley,
Sluss has 25 years of experience in the marketing and communications industry.
She has held positions in television, radio, education, international customer
service and non-profit organizational development and management.
Sluss is a graduate of Roanoke
College, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a Concentration
in Communications. She is also a longtime community volunteer, and has served
on numerous boards of directors during the span of her career. She has a
particular interest in vocational and technical education and is the former
volunteer communications director for the SkillsUSA-Virginia Conference and
Competition that was previously held in the area.
“I am honored that I was chosen by
the board of directors to lead the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce,”
said Sluss. “I have a passion for building relationships and organizing
community events and look forward to representing the business communities of
both Salem and Roanoke County. I truly believe that the Chamber is the backbone
that links local businesses to the public.” Read more: Roanoke.com
Atwell installed as Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber president
A local certified public
accountant (CPA) was installed Tuesday as 2017 president of Somerset-Pulaski
County Chamber of Commerce.
Seth F. Atwell, partner
with Evans, Harville, Atwell & Company, CPAs, accepted a large gavel,
symbolic of chamber leadership, from outgoing president Mark Brenzel.
The presidential
installation and State of the Chamber Address at the chamber’s January membership
meeting are a format change from the installation ceremony at the Annual
Banquet and Awards Ceremony scheduled January 19 at the Center for Rural
Development.
Installing the 2017
president and review of chamber activities in 2016 were done earlier to shave
time off the Awards Banquet that sometimes stretches nearly three hours, noted
Bobby Clue, executive director of the chamber.
The Awards Banquet,
beginning at 6 p.m., will recognize numerous local businesses and individuals
for accomplishments, and present a Distinguished Community Service Award among
other individual honors.
Atwell, in
accepting the chamber’s top position, said his main goal would be to challenge
the chamber board and staff to develop a vibrant plan for 2017.
“It’s an honor and
privilege for me to serve as president of the chamber during 2017,” Atwell
remarked. He stressed the importance of small businesses’ contributions in jobs
and services.
Clue, in his State
of the Chamber Address, pointed out Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce
was organized in 1925 (as the Somerset Chamber of Commerce) and with more than
675 current members is the eighth largest chamber organization in Kentucky.
Among important speakers at the chamber’s monthly membership meetings last year
were Senator Mitch McConnell, Congressman Hal Rogers and Gov. Matt Bevin. Read
more: Commonwealth Journal
Chamber interest: Ten Manufacturing
Trends to Watch in 2017
As the New Year begins, the editorial team at the Manufacturing
Leadership Council offers its predictions for the year ahead. Contributors to
this blog include David R. Brousell, Jeff Moad, Sankara Narayanan, and Paul
Tate.
Trade Tensions Loom as Global Uncertainty Dominates 2017
Political upheavals during 2016 in both the U.S. and Europe have
created unprecedented levels of uncertainty about the freedom of international
trade for manufacturing companies over the next decade. The prospects of a
major trade deal between the U.S. and 12 Pacific Rim countries, known as the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), now seem dead in the water following
statements by the incoming Trump Administration to abandon the deal. A similar
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) deal with Europe is
stalled. And the U.K.’s Brexit vote last June has thrown the traditional trade
relationships between many European companies into disarray and could take up
to a decade to resolve. Large corporations may be able to negotiate their way
through the minefield of future trade agreements, but small- and medium-sized
manufacturing enterprises will need to be vigilant and flexible if they wish to
maintain broad and open access to key export markets around the world.
The Coming Collision Between Jobs and Automation
Faced with a dramatically changing political environment
stressing nationalism and protectionism, U.S. manufacturing’s profile will rise
in 2017 as the debate over how best to expand manufacturing jobs takes place.
That debate will become increasingly illuminated by a growing understanding
that automation, in contrast to off-shoring, has played a key role in not only
job elimination in the past but also in defining what jobs and skills are
needed in the future. It will also become increasingly clear to policy makers
that automation isn’t slowing down, and that the adoption of advanced
automation and information technologies will continue to result in not only
further low skill level job losses but also fewer mid-level positions, exposing
the fragility of the idea of “bringing back” jobs to the U.S. This dichotomy
will force a national conversation about how far industry should automate in
relation to needed employment, once again pitting those who perceive the
emerging digital global economy as a tailwind against those who perceive it as
a headwind.
The Skills Shortage Hits Home
Meanwhile, the ongoing debate about whether the manufacturing
skills shortage is real will finally come to an end. A growing U.S. economy,
lower unemployment levels, and expected lower taxes on businesses under the new
Trump Administration will spell accelerated expansion and an increased need for
more manufacturing workers, engineers, and managers. At the same time, the push
toward Manufacturing 4.0 will create a growing demand for software engineers in
manufacturing. The result: Manufacturers that have already created a
Next-Generation Workforce strategy and supply chain will prosper, while others
will struggle to attract the human capital needed to take advantage of new opportunities.
M4.0: It Will Resemble a “Digital Wagon Train”
The journey to Manufacturing 4.0, the next wave of industrial
progress built on digital technologies that many manufacturers are now
beginning to undertake, will come to resemble a “digital wagon train”,
traveling slowly, at times haltingly as companies come to grips with the fact
that M4.0 is much more of a cultural and leadership transformation than a
technological challenge, requiring deep changes in leadership orientation and
practices to deal with the complex, multi-layered transition to M4.0.
Manufacturing leaders will need to make tough decisions about vision, strategy,
alignment, execution, and culture to achieve the promise of M4.0. The challenge
will come down to whether leaders are personally ready for the epochal
transformation in front of them. Spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical
energies will need to be harnessed as much as adopting and integrating new
technologies.
M4.0: Manufacturing Leaders Must Broaden Their Horizons
As part of that reorientation, manufacturing leaders will also
be required to broaden their horizons as Manufacturing 4.0 creates new,
digitally-enabled opportunities to enhance operational efficiency by building
new workflows that link previously isolated functions such as manufacturing,
supply chain, and new product development. Leaders will be forced to gain
deeper knowledge of how other, contiguous functions work in order to understand
the opportunities for cross-functional collaboration, ultimately resulting greater
customer value. And manufacturing leaders will be expected not just to
understand how contiguous functions work, they will need to be able to build
stronger alliances so that they can influence decisions made across functional
boundaries.
Machine Learning and AI Enter the Mainstream
Having spent much of the past decade perfecting the sensing,
collection, and organization of data from the plant floor and across the supply
chain, manufacturers in 2017 will get serious about leveraging a new generation
of deep machine learning, artificial intelligence, and natural language tools
that will not only turn all of that data into new, real-time insights about how
the business is operating, but also deliver valuable recommendations for
improving operations or even heading off problems. Already, for example,
manufacturers are applying machine learning protocols to detailed part quality,
product testing, and field performance data to quickly isolate and fix the
underlying causes of quality problems.
The Digital Thread Stitches Together the Supply Chain
Until now, manufacturers have tended to aim their Manufacturing
4.0 initiatives at cutting costs and improving efficiency of internal processes
such as equipment maintenance and quality. Increasingly, however, manufacturers—particularly
those that rely on partners for production and assembly—will endeavor to build
platforms that securely give external partners access to the “Digital Thread.”
These digital platforms will enable visibility into product and design change data
and applications that enable collaboration. The result will be reduced part
tooling costs, increased design reuse, faster and less expensive prototyping,
and much more flexible production.
Blockchain To Emerge as New “Trust” Platform for Manufacturing
Value Chains
Originally developed to support the Bitcoin digital
cryptocurrency, the ability of the underlying blockchain technology to create
deeply-encrypted, immutable records in a highly-secure distributed ledger will
become increasingly important as a way to increase trust between collaborating
manufacturing enterprises. In 2017, blockchain technology will begin to be
developed and adopted by innovative manufacturing companies as a more secure,
and ultimately disintermediating approach to creating more agile supply chains
that can automatically negotiate and close new financial and supply-side
partnership deals, ensure IP protection, provide trusted proof of product
provenance and certification, and ratify material traceability and
transparency.
Manufacturing Cybersecurity Threats Demand Urgent Rethink
Increased connectivity as part of a Manufacturing 4.0
transformation strategy will inevitably create greater vulnerability to digital
disruption, interference, and malicious attack for the world’s manufacturers.
One in five manufacturing companies already report that cybersecurity concerns
have materially slowed, or prevented, one or more Manufacturing 4.0 projects or
initiatives, according to the latest Manufacturing Leadership Council
Cybersecurity survey. Over half also believe that in the next five years,
cybersecurity concerns could hinder the speed and scope of adoption of M4.0
technologies and approaches in some way. Traditional cybersecurity policies are
no longer adequate in this increasingly connected, data-driven world.
Manufacturers of all sizes will need to rethink, redesign, or radically improve
their cybersecurity strategies to better protect key assets, networks,
products, and personnel as they move along their journey to Manufacturing 4.0
in the year ahead.
Use of Advanced Analytical Software to Increase
Manufacturers will strive to hone their skills in using advanced
analytical software, already one of the most desired technologies, to not only
improve decision-making but also to identify new business models and
opportunities. Expect to see many companies extend their expertise with the
software from a largely diagnostic activity today to increasingly predictive
and even prescriptive undertakings with the technology. Building the capability
to travel this maturity curve with the software will determine which companies
create new competitive advantages, potentially enabling them to disrupt and
even reshape their markets.
Get Your Tickets to the 93rd Annual
Arlington Business Gala
Time is running out to get your
ticket to the 93rd Annual Arlington
Business Gala! Get ready to put on your dancing shoes and prepare for an
evening of mixing and mingling with friends and fellow business leaders. A
celebration of the Arlington business community, the Gala is the largest and
most prestigious Chamber event of the year and will be held this Saturday,
January 28 at The Ritz-Carlton,
Pentagon City.
Get your ticket today
to secure your spot at Arlington's Best Night Out! For questions regarding
registration, contact Hannah Dannenfelser
at chamber@arlingtonchamber.org or (703) 525-2400.
Top Five Daily Postings in the last month at Midwest Chamber of Commerce
Daily News – click to go there or Google search
“Midwest Chamber of Commerce Daily News”
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Jan 4,
2017
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133
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Dec 21,
2016
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131
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Jan 6,
2017
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122
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Jan 12,
2017
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Jan 26,
2017
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112
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Last Month’s Stories
Northern Virginia Chamber Announces 2017 Greater Washington
Innovation Awards™ Application Period
5 Star Hampton Roads Chamber
Rebrands: Dropping the “Of Commerce”
Lexington-Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce to Host 18th Annual State
of the Community Breakfast Christyl Lee, christyl@lexrockchamber.com,
Fredericksburg Regional Chamber Challenged Businesses to ‘Go
Green’ for a Year Dawn Haun, Communications Manager, 540-373-9400
Loudoun Chamber Seeks Valor Award Nominations Patch.com
Greater Reston Chamber: Tinsel 'n Tinis Annual Holiday Celebration
view our event flyer
Montgomery County Chamber holds annual meeting and awards event Roanoke Times
Former Halifax County chamber president tapped for Go Virginia
post WORK IT, SOVA
If
you would like Town Square to publish a no-cost gloss chamber directory or map
for delivery in August, 2017, please contact me at your earliest convenience.
Best,
John
John Dussman | Chamber Manager
Daily Herald Media
Group
155 E. Algonquin Road | Arlington Heights, IL 60005
If you know of a chamber news item that you
would like to be included in the CHAMBER EXECUTIVE VIRGINIA INTELLIGENCE REPORT
or the MIDWEST CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DAILY NEWS, please email me at jdussman@tspubs.com or call
me at (847)-427-4633. Thank you.
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