Chicago Fed Survey of Business Conditions - Survey shows growth picked up in late May and June; Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory; #BestChamber practices: Schaumburg Business Association: Member spotlight: BN.Net, Inc; Waterford Chamber Young Professionals Network: Brewing for Business; Rob Parker of Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce Completes Third Year at Institute for Organization Management; #BestChamber practices: Natchez-Adams County Chamber: Second Saturday event hopes to entertain; Regional Chambers Announce Northern Virginia Elected Leaders Summit; Bowling Green's new I-65 interchange improves access to industrial park; Gallagher Graduates from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Intensive Entrepreneurship Training at Babson College; 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!

Chicago Fed Survey of Business Conditions - Survey shows growth picked up in late May and June

The Chicago Fed Survey of Business Conditions (CFSBC) Activity Index increased to +1 from –8, suggesting that growth in economic activity picked up to a moderate pace in late May and June. The CFSBC Manufacturing Activity Index declined to +3 from +20, while the CFSBC Nonmanufacturing Activity Index rose to a neutral value from –24.
• Respondents’ outlooks for the U.S. economy for the next six to 12 months improved some, and remained optimistic on balance. Respondents with optimistic outlooks highlighted increased demand for their firms’ products, good local business conditions, and the potential for tax and regulatory reform under the current U.S. presidential administration. Respondents with pessimistic outlooks cited the slowdown in auto sales and elevated policy uncertainty under the current U.S. presidential administration.
• The pace of current hiring increased slightly, although respondents’ expectations for the pace of hiring over the next six to 12 months decreased. While the current hiring index remained positive, the hiring expectations index remained negative.
• The pace of current capital spending decreased, although respondents’ expectations for the pace of capital spending over the next six to 12 months increased. The current capital spending index moved into negative territory, and the capital spending expectations index remained negative.
• The wage and nonwage cost pressures indexes both increased and turned positive. Read more: Chicago Fed


Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory

The Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Guide & Membership Directory is available at the Lake County Chamber! Thanks to Stewart Kerr, Renee Coco 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.


#BestChamber practices: Schaumburg Business Association: Member spotlight: BN.Net, Inc

As a business owner, do you still rely upon the password as the primary means of defense for your organization?

If so, your business is at grave risk!!

Consider the following:

- 95% of all security breaches involve harvesting your password.
- 60% of employees share their passwords with others, whether they know them or not, simply because they work at the same place.
- 90% of all passwords created by employees can be cracked by a Cyber attacker in under 6 hours.
- There are, on average, 1 billion passwords stolen every year by Cyber attackers in Corporate America.
-It can cost your business up to $300 per year per employee to reset a password. Can your business afford that?

Is there an alternative to the password? Yes, there is, and believe it or not, it is your finger or eye!

At BN.Net, Inc., we launched a revolutionary new Infographic style newsletter to educate you on how you can have the ultimate password of all (it's virtually 100% hacker-proof). Plus, we cover what other exciting opportunities that Biometrics holds for you and your business!

We are offering a limited time, substantially reduced subscription rate just for SBA members. Click here to find out more!! Gemini IBD


Waterford Chamber Young Professionals Network: Brewing for Business

• The Waterford Chamber Young Professionals Network is hosting their annual Brewing for Business, July 20 at Oakland Yard. Taste brews from local breweries: Parker’s Hilltop Brewery and CJ’s Brewing Company. Entertainment by Johnny Stevenson, register at www.waterfordchamber.org. Read more: Oakland Press


Rob Parker of Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce Completes Third Year at Institute for Organization Management

A Leadership Training Program Produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, is pleased to announce that Rob Parker, President & CEO, of the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce, has recently completed his third year at Institute for Organization Management, a four-year nonprofit leadership training program at University of Georgia in Athens.

“Institute graduates are recognized across the country as leaders in their industries and organizations,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s vice president of Institute for Organization Management. “These individuals have the knowledge, skills, and dedication necessary to achieve professional and organizational success in the dynamic association and chamber industries.”

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 weeklong 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.

Institute for Organization Management is the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It is the premier nonprofit professional development program for association and chamber professionals, fostering individual growth through interactive learning and networking opportunities.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness. We educate the public on the conditions necessary for business and communities to thrive, how business positively impacts communities, and emerging issues and creative solutions that will shape the future.
institute.uschamber.com  





#BestChamber practices: Natchez-Adams County Chamber: Second Saturday event hopes to entertain

Locals and tourists looking for entertainment and a taste of what downtown businesses have to offer, can look no further than venues with yellow balloons Saturday, July 8. This month’s Second Saturday will include live music, a raffle and will focus on beer.

Natchez-Adams County Chamber of Commerce President Debbie Hudson said the Second Saturday is a way to showcase what businesses have to offer, but it also gives locals something in which to be involved.

“It’s a lot of people’s efforts to make it work,” Hudson said. Hudson said she hopes the event will encourage locals with a reason to get out and see the community and enjoy what Natchez has to offer. Rolling River Bistro, Bowies Tavern and the Natchez Brewing Co. will offer special beer-related deals during the Second Saturday events.

“Were just happy to be a part of it and help it grow,” said Pat Miller, owner and operator of the brewing company. Miller said he hopes people come out and have a beer in Natchez and join in the event.

“Nothing wrong with supporting local,” Miller said. Free merchant’s coupons will also be handed out at the Downtown Natchez Farmers Market. Sharon Brown, manager of Natchez Coffee Co., said she believes catering to locals with Second Saturday will help both foster and renew a sense of community downtown.

Brown said she believes the event is also a good way to attract tourists for a weekend attraction. “(Natchez is) a great weekend destination,” Brown said.

If attendees spend $20 at a participating business they will be entered to win a drawing of $100 or a stay in the Jim Bowie Suite at The River Edge Suites.

The winner will be announced the following Wednesday on the chamber’s Facebook page. Read more: Natchez Democrat

Regional Chambers Announce Northern Virginia Elected Leaders Summit



One of a kind roundtable will feature the Chairs of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties and the Mayor of Alexandria on September 6

Tysons, Va. – Today, the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce, Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce, Prince William Chamber of Commerce, , and Northern Virginia Regional Commission announced they will host the Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit.

The event will feature The Honorable Jay Fisette, Arlington County Board Chair, The Honorable Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman At-Large, The Honorable Phyllis Randall, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors Chair At-Large, The Honorable Corey Stewart, Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman At-Large, and The Honorable Allison Silberberg, Mayor of the City of Alexandria. Peggy Fox with WUSA9 will act as facilitator.

This one of a kind event will offer Northern Virginia’s business leaders the opportunity to learn about the economic climate in each jurisdiction, hear about new and ongoing initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth, and discover how each jurisdiction in Northern Virginia can work together for the betterment of our regional economy.

“We are thrilled to co-host this event with our fellow chambers and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission,” said Jim Corcoran, Northern Virginia Chamber President and CEO. “We look forward to hearing from the elected leaders of the largest jurisdictions in Northern Virginia on how they are working to grow our regional economy.”

The event will be held on Wednesday, September 6, 2017, at George Mason University’s Arlington Campus in Founders Hall. Registration is available online. Entry is $30 for co-hosting organization members and $50 for non-members. Ticket prices will increase after August 6.

Media interested in covering the event should contact Alex Thompson, Director, Communications & Marketing with the Northern Virginia Chamber, athompson@novachamber.org.

To learn more about the Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit, please visit the website.




Bowling Green's new I-65 interchange improves access to industrial park


When German-based Bilstein Cold Rolled Steel was considering putting a plant in the Kentucky Transpark in northern Warren County back in 2014, a big selling point was the prospect of a new interchange off Interstate 65 that would improve access to the industrial park.

On Thursday, that prospect becomes a reality for Bilstein and other employers in the Transpark. The new interchange, called Exit 30, will be unveiled Thursday, starting with a grand opening event in the morning coordinated by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

The $66.8 million project, funded mostly with federal money, has been in the works since 2004, when the first federal money was appropriated. After $6.6 million in utility relocation (mostly for moving a Texas Gas pipeline) and $46.6 million in construction costs, the interchange is now ready to provide easier access for the big trucks rolling into and out of Bilstein and other Transpark businesses.

“It (the interchange) was part of our decision,” said Mark Loik, Bilstein’s president and CEO. “We calculated travel time to the site using the existing highways and with the new interchange. The shorter travel distance (with the interchange) made the site very attractive to us.

“All of our raw material comes in by truck, and all our finished product goes out by truck. Our traffic will steadily increase as we expand. We have just started production.”

Bilstein, whose main customers are automobile manufacturers, currently has 40 employees at its 107,000-square-foot plant in the Transpark. It could expand to as much as 300,000 square feet and employ more than 100 people, said Loik.

And Bilstein is only one of many Transpark employers likely to benefit from easier access to I-65. Since 2003, when Bowling Green Metalforming became the Transpark’s first tenant, the industrial park has added 12 total tenants employing some 2,600 people.

“It (the interchange) will help our existing companies grow,” said Ron Bunch, president and CEO of the Bowling Green chamber. “It will also be easier for us to land new prospects. Companies like Bilstein have known the interchange was coming, and that factored into their decisions to come here.” Read more: Kentucky New Era




Gallagher Graduates from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Intensive Entrepreneurship Training at Babson College

National program helps entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity


Laura Gallagher, Wisconsin Trailblazer, Founder and CEO of The Creative Company, and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day Regional Ambassador joined one hundred and forty-five entrepreneurs when she received a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from Babson College and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses in May, 2017.

Her cohort of one hundred and forty-five entrepreneurs represented 38 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The small businesses in the national group at Babson represent a total of $174M in revenues and over 3,000 jobs from a broad range of industries including manufacturing, construction, retail, services, and non-profit organizations. The graduates join over 850 businesses that have successfully completed the Babson cohort and over 8,000 businesses served through the 10,000 Small Businesses program across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the UK.

The #10KSB initiative is a national program created to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing greater access to education, capital, and business support services.

“We’re proud of our graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Initiative. These entrepreneurs put forth incredible effort to complete this program and we are confident their efforts will continue in growing their businesses. We are excited to watch their many successes,” said Kerry Healey, President of Babson College.

Babson has been partnering with Goldman Sachs and others on the 10,000 Small Businesses program since 2010, and has helped train over 250 faculty and staff who deliver the program primarily at community colleges throughout the United States, as well as through the national blended learning program at Babson College. Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is an investment to help entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing access to education, capital and business support services.

For 11 weeks since February, these small business owners connected with peers and worked together through practical business education delivered through a blend of online and in-person sessions.

“I applied in November of 2016, went through three interview rounds and accepted the full scholarship – as well as the challenge – in January of 2017. The program is as rigorous as they say it is. The expectations are high. But, you are alongside your comrades in business,” said Gallagher. “The average age in our group was 47 years old. I’m 49. In my growth group of 8, we represented technology, construction, science and manufacturing. Everything at Babson is by design. I had a coach, a growth group (8), a section (39 people), a cohort (146) and I’m now part of a national network of business owners who have also been trained on the growth strategies as well as business fundamentals. This was an all hands on deck experience. I am grateful to Goldman Sachs, my professors at Babson, my peers and the incredible support I received from my team at The Creative Company. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to learn and grow.”

“The program is designed to be highly participative and immediately impactful, emphasizing peer-to-peer and experiential learning focused on their specific business,” said Babson Professor Richard T. Bliss, National Academic Director of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses. “These business owners represent the best of the U.S. economy, and this program helps them grow their businesses, create new jobs, and strengthen our communities. Nearly 70% of participants increase revenues and 50% create new jobs just six months after graduating.” Read more: Greater Madison Chamber

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