2017 Best Places to Work in Kentucky Rankings Announced
Saint Joseph Martin, a part of KentuckyOne Health, L&N Federal Credit Union and Edward Jones take top honors
Frankfort, Ky. (April 26, 2017) – Saint Joseph Martin, a part of KentuckyOne Health, L&N Federal Credit Union and Edward Jones were ranked the 2017 Best Places to Work in Kentucky by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM).
During the Thirteenth Annual Best Places to Work in Kentucky awards ceremony, nearly 1,300 attendees joined in celebrating the 100 Kentucky companies who were recognized for their commitment to focus, measure and move their workplace environments toward excellence.
Winners from across the state have been selected in three categories: small companies of 15-149 employees, medium companies of 150-499 employees and large companies consisting of more than 500 employees (categories based on number of U.S. employees, only Kentucky employees surveyed). The selection process, managed by Best Companies Group, is based on an assessment of the company’s employee policies and procedures and the results of an internal employee survey.
The number one small company and first-time winner is Saint Joseph Martin (SJM), a part of KentuckyOne Health, founded in 1947, by the Sisters of Divine Providence. They are a non-profit critical access hospital, who have been serving Floyd County and adjacent counties in Eastern Kentucky for 70 years. As a community hospital, the facility focuses on providing primary and preventive care, through inpatient, emergency, clinic and an array of outpatient services.
L&N Federal Credit Union, the top winner in the medium company category, has been in business since 1954. With assets over $1billion and an array of products and services, L&N can offer everything necessary for someone's personal or business finances. Over 80,000 people have taken advantage of flexible mortgage and consumer loans, free online/mobile banking, free checking, business accounts and more.
Edward Jones, the winner of the large company category for the third year in a row, is the nation’s largest financial-services firm in terms of branch offices, with more than 12,300 U.S. locations. Every aspect of our business, from investment types
The Kentucky Society for Human Resource Management (KYSHRM) state council and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce are proud to host the Best Places initiative, as both organizations support the value of workplace excellence as a key component in moving Kentucky forward.
"HR professionals are the CEO's strategic partner in creating an adaptive advantage for Kentucky's employers. The Best Places to Work in Kentucky program recognizes those employers who set an exemplary standard of excellence for both employee engagement and business success,” said KYSHRM Chair, Lynn Ingmire, SHRM-SCP, SPHR.
According to Kentucky Chamber President and CEO, Dave Adkisson, “In order to make Kentucky’s economy thrive, we must be able not only to educate and employ Kentuckians here, but we also must entice those from out-of-state to work here. The Best Places program does just that.”
For more details about Best Places to Work in Kentucky, visit bestplacestoworkky.com
To download a PDF of the entire ranked list, please click here.
To view the 2017 Best Places to Work in Kentucky Magazine, please click here.
Jeff Emsweller awarded regent scholarship from Chamber Institute
Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jeff Emsweller has been awarded a regent scholarship from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management (IOM).
Regent scholarships are given to professionals across the country and recognize individuals for their involvement in industry professional organizations, community service, and professional backgrounds.
“Regent scholarships offer executives the opportunity to attend Institute and learn about emerging industry trends, expand their organizations’ influence and grow their peer network,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, vice president of Institute for Organization Management at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “We are pleased to help these talented professionals advance their careers and organizations.”
Emsweller will be attending the University of Georgia in Athens this summer for his third year in the four-year program. He completed his first year of Institute at the University of Arizona in Tucson before transferring to the University of Georgia in his second year. Emsweller has served as Greensburg/Decatur County Chamber of Commerce executive director since July 2010.
Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of association, chamber, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates. Institute’s curriculum consists of four week-long sessions at five different university locations throughout the country. Through a combination of required courses and electives in areas such as leadership, advocacy, marketing, finance, and membership, Institute participants are able to enhance their own organizational management skills and add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.
Each of the regent scholarship recipients will attend one of Institute’s five sites in 2017. At the completion of the four-year curriculum, each of the recipients will receive the IOM graduate recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in nonprofit management and their commitment to the industry. In addition, all credit hours earned through Institute may be applied toward the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) or Certified Association Executive (CAE) industry certification. Nearly 1,000 individuals attend Institute annually. Read more: Greenesburg Daily News
Birmingham Bloomfield 2016-2017 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide
The Birmingham-Bloomfield 2016-2017 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide is available at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Joe Bauman and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town Square Publications (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.
Carol Stream Chamber celebrates 25 years
At our April membership luncheon, the Carol Stream Chamber celebrated their 25th anniversary of being a chamber. They recognized 16 businesses who have been members of the chamber for the past 25 years. They were:
Blooming Color of St. Charles
Brust Funeral Home
Carol Stream Animal Hospital
Carol Stream Fire Protection District
Carol Stream Park District
Carol Stream Public Library
Community Consolidated School District 93
Computer Services & Networking, Inc.
Daily Herald
DuPage County Farm Bureau
Holiday Inn & Suites - Carol Stream
Jeffrey J. Handel, D.D.S.
McNees & Associates
Rainbow Academy
John W. Wheeler, Jr.
Village of Carol Stream
More Information: Carol Stream Chamber
Flint & Genesee Chamber presentation: Tenth-Annual Jumpstart Entrepreneur Conference in May
Skypoint Ventures executive David Ollila will be the keynote speaker at the 10th annual Jumpstart Conference, presented by the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce’s eTEAM.
Ollila, Skypoint’s President and Chief Innovation Officer, is a serial Innovator and entrepreneur with 12 patents to his name on everything from sporting goods to wearable technology. He is leading the charge in developing the Ferris Building, 615 S. Saginaw St., into an innovation hub that attracts talent and investment from across Michigan and beyond.
Ollila will share his experiences as an entrepreneur and the steps it takes to bring an idea to market. Before joining Skypoint, he was the Founding Director of Invent@NMU, a nationally recognized innovation and commercialization center located at Northern Michigan University.
Chemical Bank is the corporate sponsor of Jumpstart, which takes place May 11 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Gateway Centre, 5353 Gateway Centre.
Jumpstart was created to help entrepreneurs and small business owners can gain the knowledge and resources needed to start a business. The conference attendees will have the opportunity to participate in following breakout sessions:
Click here to register. For more information contact, Karena Hamlet, Business Development Specialist at khamlet@flintandgenesee.org.
Jumpstart was created by the Chamber’s eTEAM to provide a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs and small business owners to gain valuable information. In addition, the Spark Awards and the Rising Star Awards honor up-and-coming business owners on the basis of their growth trajectory and entrepreneurial success. Spark Awards are presented to new businesses and the Rising Star recognizes early stage businesses that have exhibited growth.
The eTEAM is a regional collaboration of entrepreneurial service providers working to connect local entrepreneurs and small businesses with resources to promote growth and success. eTEAM member organizations, include: Michigan Small Business Development Center, City of Flint, GST Michigan Works! and Metro Community Development, in addition to many other service providers.
Ollila, Skypoint’s President and Chief Innovation Officer, is a serial Innovator and entrepreneur with 12 patents to his name on everything from sporting goods to wearable technology. He is leading the charge in developing the Ferris Building, 615 S. Saginaw St., into an innovation hub that attracts talent and investment from across Michigan and beyond.
Ollila will share his experiences as an entrepreneur and the steps it takes to bring an idea to market. Before joining Skypoint, he was the Founding Director of Invent@NMU, a nationally recognized innovation and commercialization center located at Northern Michigan University.
Chemical Bank is the corporate sponsor of Jumpstart, which takes place May 11 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Gateway Centre, 5353 Gateway Centre.
Jumpstart was created to help entrepreneurs and small business owners can gain the knowledge and resources needed to start a business. The conference attendees will have the opportunity to participate in following breakout sessions:
- Starting a Food-oriented Small Business: Discover the tools and steps necessary to get your business started. This workshop will provide an array of information from labeling and licensing, to where products can be sold and much more.
- What Does it Take: Insights on product development, prototyping, and tools and resources available to take your idea from concept to creation.
- Ferris Wheel: Learn more about what the Ferris Wheel co-working space has to offer.
- Social Media Marketing: Which social media platform should you use? When should you post? And what should you be talking about to engage potential customers? All these questions and more will be answered in this informational session that features real-time social media campaigns that have proven successful.
- Understanding Socio- Economic Impacts with Government Contacting: Small business, women-owned small business, HUBZone, service disabled veteran owned small business, and small disadvantaged businesses that are interested in sustainable growth. Learn how these advantages can factor into your business.
- Meet the Lender: What to Expect. Learn what to expect and what’s involved in applying for a commercial bank loan, including SBA programs.
Click here to register. For more information contact, Karena Hamlet, Business Development Specialist at khamlet@flintandgenesee.org.
Jumpstart was created by the Chamber’s eTEAM to provide a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs and small business owners to gain valuable information. In addition, the Spark Awards and the Rising Star Awards honor up-and-coming business owners on the basis of their growth trajectory and entrepreneurial success. Spark Awards are presented to new businesses and the Rising Star recognizes early stage businesses that have exhibited growth.
The eTEAM is a regional collaboration of entrepreneurial service providers working to connect local entrepreneurs and small businesses with resources to promote growth and success. eTEAM member organizations, include: Michigan Small Business Development Center, City of Flint, GST Michigan Works! and Metro Community Development, in addition to many other service providers.
Fredericksburg Chamber honors Hughes, Howell
The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce presented two awards during its state of the chamber event Tuesday at the Jepson Alumni Executive Center in Fredericksburg.
George Hughes, president of SimVentions in Stafford County, received its annual Joseph L. Argenzio Award, which honors an outstanding volunteer who goes above and beyond in service to the Chamber. William J. Howell, who is stepping down as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates at the end of his term, received the Chamber’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Argenzio Award is named for the late Joe Argenzio, the youngest infantryman to land on Normandy during D-Day, who developed a special relationship with the Chamber toward the end of his life.
Chamber President and CEO Susan Spears told Hughes that he’d been invited to the event to speak about his passionate support of STEM education. She surprised him when she revealed that that the video that had been filmed of him at the Chamber’s recent STEM 16 Summit at Massaponax High School was really for the award. Read more: Fredericksburg.com
Greater Beloit Chamber Host: Candidates Talk about Issues Facing Schools
School District of Beloit Board of Education candidates answered questions regarding discipline, racial tensions, staff turnover and more at a forum Monday evening.
Hosted by the NAACP, the League of Women Voters and the Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce, the forum was held at Kolak Education Center and moderated by Ralph Berkley.
There are three open seats on the board. Incumbents Shelly Cronin and Laurie Endres are running as well as former board member Tia Johnson and newcomers Adam Aberle and Wendy Sanchez.
The five candidates said they hope to make improvements in the following areas: Aberle, order and discipline; Cronin, discipline, teacher retention and achievement gap; Endres, academic achievement and resources for students; Johnson, academic achievement, budgeting and trust; and Sanchez, staff retention, discipline and funding.
When asked about how to address racial tensions in the district, Endres said the board needs to have difficult conversations about race and set policies to ensure every child obtains a quality education regardless of race. Johnson said the board needs rewrite any ambiguous language in its code of conduct. Sanchez said board members need to unify and address student issues.
However, Aberle said the district needs to stop looking at issues from a racial perspective and needs to be colorblind.
“We have 21 percent African American students and a 71 percent poverty rate. It’s not an issue of what color they or the teacher are. Students need a structured environment,” Aberle said.
Cronin also said she wishes color wasn’t such an issue and said the code of conduct has to be uniformly applied at all schools in the district. Read more: Beloit Daily News
Good morning #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber to host summer events
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.
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