Blake Wilson leaving MEC for next director to build on foundation; Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Hosts 2017 State of the City Address Featuring Mayor Steve Chirico; 5 Star Chamber: Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory; After 25 years, Mundt to leave chamber for CEO position in Appleton, Wisconsin; Indiana Chamber: Community Impact of I-69 Expansion Takes Center Stage at May 5 Summit; KY Transportation Cabinet COS Asa James Swan to Speak to Chamber Alliance; Dearborn Area Chamber Announces New Director of Events and Media Relations; Northern Virginia Chamber to Honor First Responders at 39th Annual Valor Awards; HRC Event: Virginia Beach State of the City; Oswego Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of Tide Dry Cleaning; Highland Chamber sponsor: Candidates agree, school’s budget is No. 1 issue; 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!

Blake Wilson leaving MEC for next director to build on foundation

Blake Wilson has continued to make the Mississippi Economic Council a statewide organization.

As the third chief executive of the MEC, he said he has built on the foundation established by M.B. Swayze, who led the organization after it was established in 1949.

“He went around the state. He had an old Valiant. Everybody told me about Mr. Swayze and his old Valiant.”

“He went to all these town meetings.”

“I kind of went back to that model, and it worked.”

In 1997, there were 478 organization members, and membership has grown to 1,067, Wilson said.

Wilson will retire on June 16 after 19 years as president and chief executive officer of the MEC.

All told, he has been in chamber and association work for 37 years of his 47-year career, which includes nine years in newspapering.

He and his wife, Ann, plan to spend summers in a cottage that has been in her family for a long time on a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland between Annapolis and Baltimore.

Otherwise, they’ll be in Mississippi, near Brandon. “We’re Mississippians,” he said.

Swayze was followed by Bob Pittman, who was director for 33 years and “built a very solid program,” Wilson said.

But “this organization is not about the director,” Wilson said. “It truly is about the volunteer leadership.”

He was executive vice president of the Florida Chamber of Commerce.

“I was very careful to not come in here with a bunch of preconceived ideas and plans to make changes.”

He went around the state and held 44 small meetings, not amounting to “town meetings,” he said.

He asked three questions at each of those meetings: what does your community offer, what does it need, and what “drives you crazy” locally or in the state. Read more: Mississippi Business Journal

Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Hosts 2017 State of the City Address Featuring Mayor Steve Chirico

Naperville, IL. (March 3, 2017) – The 2017 State of the City Address hosted by the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (NACC) will be held on Monday, March 20, 2017 at Embassy Suites Chicago-Naperville, 1823 Abriter Court in Naperville.  This event is presented by BMO Harris Bank N.A.

The address serves as an inspiring recap of the year’s events.  The discussion will highlight the monumental progression of the area’s growth including new and existing businesses.  Additionally, the address will turn an eye towards the future, as we will learn about a number of programs and initiatives scheduled for the coming year.  The NACC has hosted the State of the City Address for the past 33 years for the Naperville community starting with Mayor Peg Price. 

“The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce plays an important role in success and retention of businesses in our region,” said Nicki Anderson, NACC President/CEO.  “Our partnership with the City and Naperville Development Partnership are crucial to the strength and viability of a successful business climate.”

The Mayor also uses the program as a time to not only to recognize Naperville’s accomplishments, but also the people who made it possible.  The State of the City Address honors city officials and their years of service to the community. 

“The State of the City address is an important venue to showcase the City’s commitment to economic growth, efficient government and serving our community well,” Mayor Steve Chirico said.  “This year’s address will celebrate our shared accomplishments, provide a roadmap for the year to come and inspire our businesses to continue making Naperville the premier location to live, work and play in the region.” 

Registration and networking begin at 10:30 a.m. with the program and lunch beginning at 11:00 a.m.  To make a reservation, call the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce at 630.355.4141 or register online at www.naperville.net.  Due to the popularity of this luncheon, early registration is highly recommended.  There will not be walk-in registration available.

About the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce

The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest suburban Chamber in Illinois with an active membership of 1,200 organizations of every size and from every sector. The NACC promotes economic growth and advocacy in and around the Naperville area.  For its efforts in promoting free enterprise and the business community, the Chamber has been recognized with 5-Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, an honor bestowed on only 1 percent of Chambers, out of the nearly 7,000 in the nation. Visit www.naperville.net





5 Star Chamber: Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory

The Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory is available at the Rapid City Chamber today! 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.



After 25 years, Mundt to leave chamber for CEO position in Appleton, Wisconsin

One of Council Bluffs’ longtime leaders is leaving.

Bob Mundt, president and CEO of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, announced today that he has accepted a position as president and CEO of the Fox Cities Regional Chamber of Commerce in Appleton, Wisconsin, effective in mid-April.

Mundt was named president and CEO of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce in June 1992 after serving as executive director of the Brookings, South Dakota, Chamber of Commerce for five years.

“This is a sad day for Council Bluffs,” said James Watson, chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors. “Bob was a fantastic man who’s done a great job for Council Bluffs.”

Watson said Mundt will remain with the chamber here until April 14, adding that the chamber’s executive board will be meeting on a regular basis to start the task of naming Mundt’s replacement as president and CEO of the 800-member organization. Watson said any decisions regarding the scope of the search for Mundt’s replacement will be made by the executive board.

“Finding someone to fill Bob’s shoes will be difficult,” Watson said. “That’s a big set of shoes to fill. We’ll be looking for someone who can take the chamber to the next level. Finding a new director for a high-profile organization is always a challenge.

“Bob will clearly be missed,” Watson added. “The progress made in Council Bluffs over the past 25 years — sometimes with the chamber in front and sometimes with the chamber working behind the scenes — has been phenomenal. Fortunately, Bob has set up a machine that will continue working when he’s gone.”

Mundt said the Fox Cities Regional Chamber of Commerce, a combined chamber and economic development organization, serves four major cities and a number of smaller cities and villages spread out over a three-county area about 30 miles south of Green Bay, Wisconsin. 

“It’s a larger chamber organization with about 1,200 members,” Mundt said.

Mundt and his wife, Martha, have three children, two of whom have completed college, with the youngest still attending.

“I’ve been fortunate in being able to stay here for 25 years and raise my family,” Mundt said. “But I’m looking forward to the new challenge.”

Read more: The Daily Nonpareil

Indiana Chamber: Community Impact of I-69 Expansion Takes Center Stage at May 5 Summit

Now that the completion of the Interstate 69 corridor from southern Indiana to Indianapolis is becoming closer to reality, it’s time to look at how the state can take its moniker of “The Crossroads of America” to the next level. 

The I-69 Regional Summit on May 5 in downtown Indianapolis will focus on how this long-awaited connection through the state positively impacts communities along the route and what increased economic development efforts those areas can pursue.

The event is presented by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and Hoosier Voices for I-69.

Speakers from across the United States and Canada will provide attendees with a comprehensive overview of the project and its magnitude, plus the potential economic opportunities that each community and the state has as a result. Experts also will examine ways to enable collaboration and leverage the new I-69 corridor from a statewide perspective.

The summit will open with the latest from the Indiana Department of Transportation on Section 5 and a timeline for Section 6, as well as updates on the Trump administration’s proposed transportation funding bill. Breakout sessions will cover topics such as branding and marketing strategies; the Canada/U.S. connection; economic development; zoning and tax credits; best practices and much more.

“We encourage business and civic leaders all along the I-69 route to attend this gathering. They will receive detailed information and a toolkit of ideas to take back to their own community or organization, as well as the chance to connect with experts who can be tapped into after the summit concludes,” says Indiana Chamber CEO Kevin Brinegar, who is also chairman of the board for Hoosier Voices for I-69.

A reception will be held May 4 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The summit begins the morning of May 5 at 8 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m. A luncheon from noon to 1:30 p.m. will be held May 5, with a keynote panel that includes Canadian Consul General Douglas George.

All events are held at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis. 

Cost for the full summit (including the May 4 reception) is $269 per person.

Individual tickets to the May 4 reception are $69. Individual tickets to the May 5 luncheon are $69; a table of 10 at the lunch on May 5 is $600.

Register online by visiting www.i69summit.com or by visiting the Chamber’s web site at www.indianachamber.com/specialevents.

KY Transportation Cabinet COS Asa James Swan to Speak to Chamber Alliance

Asa James Swan, Chief of Staff to Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Greg Thomas, will serve as the keynote speaker for a meeting of the West Kentucky Regional Chamber Alliance (WKRCA) on Thursday, March 30.  The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Community Financial Services Bank in Benton.

During his presentation Swan will respond to this question:  “In an environment of rising costs and increasingly-stretched funding, how will Kentuckians address the critical infrastructure needs facing our state?”  He will detail the challenges faced by the Kentucky Transportation  Cabinet (KYTC) over the past year and a half and will also discuss KYTC’s new prioritization model, SHIFT, which addresses these challenges. 

Prior to his current position, Swan served as a legislative liaison for the Transportation Cabinet. In addition, he also served as Legislative Director for former Kentucky 2^nd District Congressman Ron Lewis and as Interim Deputy Director of Coalitions with the US Senate Republican Conference.

Swan is a graduate of Huntington University in Indiana where he was a Rhodes Scholar candidate.  He received his Master of Arts degree in history from Western Kentucky University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in history at the University of Kentucky. He is a native of Campbellsville, Kentucky, and is married to Kentucky State Treasurer Allison Ball.

WKRCA is an alliance of Chambers of Commerce in 14 counties in western Kentucky from Fulton County to Christian County.  Both the WKRCA and its sister organization Chamber Leadership Initiatives for Northwestern Kentucky (C-LINK) have been strong advocates on the state and federal levels for the construction of Interstate 69, which is in its final stages of completion in Kentucky. CONTACT:  Fran Johnson, Executive Director, Phone:  270-408-4817, E-mail:  fjohnson@paducahchamber.org

Dearborn Area Chamber Announces New Director of Events and Media Relations

The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Zach Hayward as the new Director of Events and Media Relations.

Zach is joining the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce team after working as a Field Representative for Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. With Congresswoman Dingell, Zach has worked with the Dearborn community and is excited to have the opportunity to work with the small businesses and advocate for this wonderful city: “I am thrilled to be able to have the opportunity to advocate for and pull together the business community of Dearborn and cannot wait to get started”.

 “We are delighted Zach’s joining our team at the Chamber!” commented Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce President Jackie Lovejoy. “His past experience and enthusiasm will contribute to our mission of growth, progress, and innovation that we deliver to our members and the community.”

Zach comes from an events and hospitality background from spending summers on Mackinac Island at the Grand Hotel with his father, Ken Hayward (Managing Director), and will bring those event planning skills to his new position.  

 Zach Hayward is an Okemos, Michigan native and University of Michigan, Ann Arbor graduate.

For more information, please contact the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce by phone at 313-584-6100. Be sure to follow the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce on Facebook at facebook.com/DearbornAreaChamber, on Twitter @DbnAreaChamber and online at www.dearbornareachamber.org for all the latest news and events.

The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce provides 600+ members with the opportunities and resources to engage and network with other businesses, enhancing financial growth, professional development, and the ability to contribute to a thriving community environment. 

For More Information, Contact: Jackie Lovejoy, President, Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, Tel: 313-584-6100 E-mail: jlovejoy@dearbornareachamber.org

Northern Virginia Chamber to Honor First Responders at 39th Annual Valor Awards

The Valor Awards, now in its 39th year, honor public safety heroes from the Fairfax County Police Department, Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department, Fairfax County Office of the Sheriff, Town of Vienna Police Department, and Town of Herndon Police Department who have put their personal safety at risk to keep our community and businesses safe. The event will be held on Friday, March 17, 2017, from 11:00 AM –1:30 PM at the Hilton McLean Tysons Corner (7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, Virginia 22102). 

Chris Lawrence, News Anchor with News4 at 4, NBC4, will act as emcee. Registration is available online. Entry is $125 for a single ticket, or $1,250 for a table of 10.  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.

HRC Event: Virginia Beach State of the City

Virginia Beach, VA –"When I think back to my first year as mayor, I can see just how far we have come,” said Mayor Will Sessoms, Mayor of Virginia Beach, “looking forward, I see so much opportunity still ahead." The Honorable Mayor Sessoms will be sharing his thoughts about those future opportunities for Virginia Beach at the Hampton Roads Chamber's first 2017 State of the City event on March 15th at the Virginia Beach Convention Center

Whether you live, work, or play in Virginia Beach, this event is not to be missed. This State of the City address is the premier annual forum for interaction among Virginia Beach's business, civic and community leaders. Mayor Sessom's address will highlight key business development initiatives, provide strategic municipal progress updates, address challenges and opportunities, and provide a glimpse into the City's future. "Exciting times are upon us, and we are looking at the potential for some incredible transformative projects," said Mayor Sessoms.. These forums draw up to 1200 guests each. Please plan to arrive early as the rooms will be seated to capacity.

Virginia Beach State of the City 2017

Date: March 15, 2017

Time: 12:00-2:00 pm

Where: Virginia Beach Convention Center

1000 19th St, Virginia Beach, VA 23451

Day of Contact: Priscilla Monti

pmonti@hrchamber.com 757-470-6805

Oswego Chamber of Commerce celebrates the grand opening of Tide Dry Cleaning

Recently the Oswego Chamber of Commerce celebrated Tide Dry Cleaning opening in Oswego with a Ribbon Cutting ceremony.  Attending were the owners, Manager and corporate members of Tide.

Highland Chamber sponsor: Candidates agree, school’s budget is No. 1 issue

Tensions over the impending April election were put aside, at least for an evening, as four of the six candidates for Highland School Board participated in forum sponsored by the Highland Chamber of Commerce on March 9 at the Louis Latzer Memorial Public Library.

The session was a two-hour discussion where Rene Friedel, John Hipskind, Zach Lewis and Aaron Schuster answered a set of questions procured by the chamber and the audience.

Candidates Duane Clarke and the Jim Gallatin did not attend the forum.

Nancie Zobrist, the chamber’s executive director, guided the forum as the candidates took turns answering two sets of questions. One set of questions was curated by the chamber, while the second came from the audience.

While there were a few differences in campaign priorities, the candidates all seemed to agree on multiple subjects including the overall theme of the night, the district’s desperate need for additional money.

Finance and budget

Many of the questions and answers dealt with the candidates’ strategies for balancing the district’s budget and how they proposed to advocate for the schools in the face of Illinois’ declining financial situation, a subject which all of the candidates agreed would be a monumental task.

“There is no magic answer to this,” Friedel said. “Everyone is brainstorming. Everyone is trying to find an answer to get our budget balanced… No one seems to know what the answers are… I think we are a strong loyal town, and I think we are going to continue to strive forward and fight for our students.” Read more: Belleville News Democrat

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

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 Chamber Proposal