Monday, July 31, 2017

Paducah Chamber Wins Prestigious Chamber of the Year Award; #BestChamber practices: Fox Lake Chamber: Assisting the homeowners and business community affected by flooding; 5 Star Chamber: Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory; Symphony of Chesterton Invites Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce to After Hours Business Event; Looking to the Future: Daviess County Chamber and Visitors Bureau collaboration: Dedication ceremony set for Bicentennial Park, time capsule; U.S. 31 plan still a priority for St. Joseph, Elkhart counties - 'Next Level' a big step for Indiana; Meridian showcased at Mississippi's Giant House Party; Indy Chamber Hires Jennifer Pearl as Director of International Programs; Chamber interest: Hot Glass. Cold Beer. 7 Michigan breweries offering tastings in handmade glass cups; Arlington chamber: NOVA Regional Elected Leaders Summit Ticket Prices Increase Friday!; The Oshkosh Chamber Welcomes Two Team Members; Guest Article: Former IACCE speaker Cathi Hight: 5 strategies to recruit new members; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.


Happy Monday, #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!


Paducah Chamber Wins Prestigious Chamber of the Year Award

The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce has been named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), an Alexandria, Va.-based association of more than 7,500 chamber of commerce professionals, and 1,300 chambers of commerce, around the world. 
Chamber of the Year, sponsored by WebLink International, is the most prestigious and competitive award presented by ACCE and is the only globally-recognized industry award that honors top chambers of commerce. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities, such as education, transportation, business development and quality of life. 
Chamber President Sandra Wilson, Board Chair Tammy Zimmerman of Payment Plus, 2016 Board Chair Bruce Wilcox of Henry A. Petter Supply and 2015 Board Chair Bryan Carner of U.S. Bank accepted the award July 18 at ACCE’s Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee. 
"We are thrilled and honored to be named Chamber of the Year," Paducah Chamber President Sandra Wilson said. "We wouldn't be here without the hard work of our members, volunteers, our chamber board and our staff. 
"Being selected Chamber of the Year is a great way to celebrate a record-breaking 2016, and we are thrilled to be recognized on the national level." 
Chambers of commerce interested in competing for the award first must qualify by participating in a vigorous multi-stage process. Organizations entering the Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds in at least three of five key performance areas, including net revenue, net assets, membership account retention, and membership dollar retention. 
Qualifying for Chamber of the Year is a rigorous process. Chambers compete based on meeting key performance criteria on the ACCE Annual Operations Survey. Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application addressing all aspects of organizational operation and programmatic work. Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists. Winners are selected from among finalists based on an in-person interview before a panel of experienced chamber professionals. 
This year's competition drew entries from chambers throughout the U.S and Canada. To ensure the fairest competition, applicants are grouped into five categories based on: annual revenue, membership, area population, and several other factors. Read more: Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce

#BestChamber practices: Fox Lake Chamber: Assisting the homeowners and business community affected by flooding

To our Business Members and our community:
There are many business owners and homeowners that have been affected by the recent flooding in our communities.  Lake County was declared a disaster area.  There are agencies that are offering support to you and your business.  You can go online to some of the website links:

* Forms available at the Grant Township Assessor's office, 26725 Molidor Rd, Ingleside
   http://www.lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/1664

* Grant Township Center, Ingleside
   Stay connected with Grant Township and sign up for their email newsletter
   www.granttownshipcenter.org

* Village of Fox Lake
 http://www.foxlake.org

* Additional help is provided through FEMA
   http://www.disasterassistance.gov

* Lake County Board/District 5 - Judy Martini
  Stay connected and sign up for Lake Cty. Board newsletter
  http://www.lakecountyil.gov/flood
  Salvation Army 888-369-1349
  Red Cross  847-220-7495

Fox Lake Area Chamber
847-587-7474








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.






Symphony of Chesterton Invites Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce to After Hours Business Event

Acute medical events are often life-changing, but they do not need to always be life-ending. Symphony of Chesterton is a true Medical Resort, and the staff works diligently each day to improves the outcomes of their guests who have experienced acute medical events.
“We have 36 licensed, Senior Living apartments,” said Angela Boland, Director of Clinical Business Development. “Roughly half of which are studio apartments, and the rest feature one-bedroom. We also have over 70 Recovery Suites for those who need more medical care during rehab. We use those suites for our rehab-to-home program. For those who are unable to transition back to their homes, we are then able to accommodate them in one of our apartments. This way, we can offer them full medical post-acute care in a wonderful, comfortable environment.”
Visitors who walk into Symphony of Chesterton are often surprised by the resort style appearance and the diverse amenities offered there.
“”It’s a tranquil place, a very positive place where people can rehab before going home. We have an art studio, a movie theater with popcorn machine and a fully-equipped exercise and physical therapy studio. We have a courtyard with putting green, shuffleboard deck and tables where guests can sit and enjoy the weather,” said Boland.
Visitors to Symphony may notice the rich, familiar aromas from Chesterton Perk - their own in-house coffee shop, which serves Starbucks products.
“We have people from the community stop by, just because it’s such a quiet, comfortable place to grab some coffee and relax,” said Boland, who is proud of the many ways Symphony shows their dedication to the community they serve.
“We are members of Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, active in Duneland Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club. We hold events all year round, from our Vendor Fair to our Fall Festival. We offer health screenings and entertainment programs which the public are all invited to attend. We’ve had the high school choir here to perform. The Car Show is coming up, and we are working with the Chesterton Art Center on an Art Fair,” said Boland.
Kimberly Urban-Gee, Administrator of Symphony of Chesterton said that connecting with the community is a priority for the facility.
“We are a fairly new facility, so we’re working to help people understand not just that we are here, but what we do here,” said Urban-Gee. “Where Symphony really stands out is as a sub-acute medical resort. We specialize in rehab, and we also offer assisted living for those who need it. Our goal is to sponsor some event each month to welcome the public to the center.”
Today’s Business After Hours was just one such event, inviting members of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce to stop by, spend some time there, meet some friends both new and old and see what Symphony is all about.

Ann O'Heir, Chief Executive Office of Visiting Nurses Association of Northwest Indiana was pleasantly surprised to see all that Symphony of Chesterton has to offer. Read more: Portage Life



Looking to the Future: Daviess County Chamber and Visitors Bureau collaboration: Dedication ceremony set for Bicentennial Park, time capsule


The finale of the city’s Bicentennial celebration is set for Friday when the new Bicentennial Pocket Park will be dedicated on Main Street and the steering committee will officially donate the Bicentennial time capsule to the Daviess County Museum.
Ceremonies are set for 4 p.m. on July 28 at the pocket park on the north side of the 400 block of East Main Street. The public is invited.
Prior to the ceremonies, Bicentennial Co-Chairperson Don Spillman, along with the “Past Presidential First Ladies,” will offer free tours at the museum, 212 E. Main St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. At the museum, there is a time capsule exhibit and a guestbook to sign for the event. The guest book will be put in the time capsule along with several memorabilia items.
The time capsule will not be opened again until 2066.
“Volunteers at the museum have done an outstanding job of displaying all the time capsule items and once we close up the time capsule, no one will get to see these items again for the next 50 years. For some, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view everything our committee has collected for the past two years,” said Terri Kelso, Bicentennial co-chairperson.
Washington Mayor Joe Wellman said, “I’m looking forward to it because it’s the culmination of 18 months of celebrating our city’s bicentennial. It’s a great collection of memorabilia that we are officially dedicating and encapsulating.We are wrapping up what I think has been an extremely successful bicentennial celebration.”
The pocket park was funded with city and economic development funds as well as grant monies.
A new bronze plaque for the park will be unveiled at the ceremony and refreshments will be served.
“Without the vision Mayor Wellman had back in 2014 which inspired a small group of volunteers to start planning a celebration two years in advance, none of this would have been possible,” Kelso said. “As a community, we can all be proud of the legacy we’ve created together.”
Spillman said he’s been so involved in the bicentennial for more than three years now that he’s going to miss it.
“It’s been fun for me to help things that the people have enjoyed,” he said.
“From an historical perspective, just making the community aware of the vibrant history has been an important thing,” Spillman said.
The upcoming dedication is “the last big hurrah” since it all started Spillman noted.
He said the pocket park project is part of the downtown renewal effort, which includes Daviess Community Hospital’s new CORE Center next door, renovated Indiana Theater across the street and a new restaurant coming soon nearby.
During the ceremony, the steering committee will officially donate the new time capsule to Becky Kremp and Jan Schuler-Hicks, volunteers representing the Daviess County Historical Society.
Guest speakers for the ceremony include Indiana Senator Eric Bassler (R-Washington), Wellman, Daviess County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau Director Samantha Bobbitt and Ron Arnold, director of Daviess County Economic Development. Read more:Washington Times Herald




U.S. 31 plan still a priority for St. Joseph, Elkhart counties - 'Next Level' a big step for Indiana

Sometimes, I can see the future.
In early May, I wrote a column about the highway funding bill that was passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed by Governor Holcomb. On behalf of the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, I testified in support of this legislation because our businesses need safe, efficient roads for moving people and products.
I wrote about how that legislation was going to help our commerce and communities. Also, I cautioned, “it will be up to us to make sure U.S. 31 stays at the top of the list. And while I’m at it, I’m going to continue to advocate for other local projects, too.”
So, here we are. Gov. Eric Holcomb recently visited Goshen to celebrate his Next Level Indiana road funding plan. I was there to celebrate with him and the other community leaders. We stood next to a growing wall near downtown Goshen that is part of a needed U.S. 33 bypass that will separate large trucks from Goshen’s vibrant downtown.
This bypass is actually part of a different funding stream and the project is well underway. But it was a good backdrop for Holcomb because it is a visual of what we’ll see with the Next Level Indiana program.
The five-year total for infrastructure improvements in Elkhart County will be nearly $46 million. The total for St. Joseph County will be more than $48 million.
As road funding advocates predicted, this will have a major impact on the safety and efficiency of our roadways. Elkhart County will see 219 lane-miles of resurfacing and 31 bridge projects. St. Joseph County will see 195 lane-miles of resurfacing and 50 bridge projects.
Still, we continue to push for U.S. 31. That highway doesn’t even touch Elkhart County and most of it is outside St. Joseph County. Yet, it is a vital connection between our region and the population hub of our state.
My friend and colleague, Jeff Rea from the South Bend Regional Chamber, reports that the Next Level Indiana plan includes more than $83 million for U.S. 31 improvements. Those projects include an interchange in Tipton County and a grade-separated railroad crossing. That is great news.
Now, this is where my earlier prediction comes to play. I believe our efforts helped the roadway secure some of the attention it needs. But there is an issue. The plan calls for J-turns at Indiana 10 and 110.
What is a J-turn? It is sometimes called a “Michigan left.” You might want to look this up on the Internet. It involves eliminating crossing traffic by implementing right turns, followed by U-turns. Left turns are allowed with special staging areas. And then you do the hokey-pokey and turn yourself around. That’s what it’s all about.
Statistically, it is safer than what we have now. Practically, it is one of the “Band-Aid fixes” I warned about last May. It was designed when INDOT didn’t have any money. Now they have money.
Even INDOT admits that the J-turn is a temporary fix. An interchange is the preferred solution. My concern is that once the temporary fix is in place, policy makers will consider it completed.
During a recent meeting in Argos, INDOT unveiled the J-turn proposal to area residents. The locals were less-than-thrilled with the idea. I also expressed my concerns, at that meeting and with the official online feedback form.
Even if J-turns are not the solution, at least U.S. 31 and our local projects are getting the attention they deserve, thanks to the highway funding plan. Still, we need to continue to be advocates for the right projects.

Kyle Hannon is president and CEO of the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at khannon@elkhart.org. Source: South Bend Tribune



Meridian showcased at Mississippi's Giant House Party



The Queen City was showcased at Mississippi's Giant House Party on Wednesday.

Hundreds of people gathering at the pavilion to support the City of Meridian and all it has to offer.

Founders Square filled up with tents and booths from Meridian businesses and organizations. Meridian and Lauderdale County elected officials and members of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation spoke to the crowd and invited them to visit the Queen City.

It's an opportunity to show people what all is going on in Meridian.

"Lots going on in Meridian," says Jeff McCoy, EMBDC. "We have the Arts and Entertainment Center, the Riley Center and educational facilities. All that is coming together to make Meridian more vibrant than it has been and we're looking forward to the future."

Meridian Day at the Neshoba County Fair goes back to 1951. For 66 years, Meridian leaders have been promoting the city.

Leaders with the EMBDC say they want to continue this for years to come to showcase Meridian. Read more: WTOK.com


Indy Chamber Hires Jennifer Pearl as Director of International Programs

The Indy Chamber has hired international strategist Jennifer Pearl as its Director of International Programs, a newly-created position that reflects the organization’s growing focus on global commerce as a regional economic priority.  According to analysis from the Brookings Institution, more than 100,000 jobs across the Indianapolis metro are supported by exports and foreign investment. 

Pearl was most recently based in Beijing, China as a Senior Consultant with North Head, a public affairs and strategic communications agency headquartered in Beijing. She conducted policy analysis and public affairs campaigns for clients doing business in Asia and trade across international markets. Her clients included Fortune 500 multinational corporations, trade associations, healthcare companies, education firms, and public agencies.   

“We’re excited to welcome Jennifer to our team and add her international expertise to our efforts to grow our regional economy,” said Maureen Krauss, Chief Economic Development Officer for the Indy Chamber.  “She brings more than a decade of international experience in business, public policy, and communications to this new role, which will play an important part in the success of our Accelerate Indy strategy.” 

Unveiled last fall, Accelerate Indy is an ambitious regional blueprint for economic growth led by the Indy Chamber and other partners focused on priorities like talent and workforce development, entrepreneurship and small business support, business attraction and encouraging advanced industry innovation. 

International commerce is another key priority of Accelerate Indy:  In 2016, the Indy Chamber released the Metro Indianapolis Global Trade & Investment Strategy, a plan to increase regional exports and foreign direct investment developed through the Global Cities Initiative, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase.   

As Director of International Programs, Pearl will oversee the implementation of this plan, as well as supporting the global business development goals of the Indy Partnership (the nine-county business attraction arm of the Chamber) and seeking other opportunities to raise Indy’s international profile.   

Pearl has strong ties to Indiana, having managed global partnerships for five years at the Indiana University School of Public Health. She is an alumna of Indiana University. Source: Indy Chamber


Chamber interest: Hot Glass. Cold Beer.  7 Michigan breweries offering tastings in handmade glass cups


DEARBORN, Mich. - The 8th annual “Hot Glass. Cold Beer”, event takes place at the Glass Academy in Dearborn on August 3th from 7-10pm.  This event features live glassblowing demonstrations, delicious cold beer from 7 Michigan craft breweries, and various food samples from local restaurants.

Each $68 ticket gives the customer one handcrafted drinking glass made at the Glass Academy, beer, food tastes and the best live glassblowing demonstrations in the USA!  This tasting glass then becomes a take home souvenir of the Glass Academy and reminds people of the live glassblowing demonstrations they witnessed during the beer event.

Here’s how it works; upon arrival at the studio gallery, the customer chooses a handcrafted tasting glass made specifically for this event evening from a designated table.  “It’s an amazing selection of glasses to choose from; some are tall, others short, some are more narrow while others have bumps and lines on them.”  Comments Janet Salamon, one of the gallery assistants.  “Each one is truly one-of-a-kind so it’s a really individual choice of what fits in your hand the best and attracts you.”

From there, the customers can go and try beer’s that are set up in various stations around the studio along with some food samples from area restaurants and vendors.  With beer in hand, many customers will take the time to shop the gallery for a unique one-of-a-kind beer mug, pilsner or snifter, or take the time to watch the live glassblowing demonstrations happening in the ‘hot shop’ area of the studio.

This years featured breweries will be; Downey Brewery and Dearborn Brewing, Farmington Brewery, Kuhnhenn from Warren, Filmore 13 from Pontiac, Poison Frog Brewery in Jackson, and Unity Viabration in Ypsilanti.  It’s a great way to try beers in an intimate setting,” explains Gordie Garrity, a 8 year seasoned veteran of the beer event.  “Because the venue only showcases 7 breweries, you get a chance to talk with the brewers and really sample the beers to find out what you like the best.  Then you get to kick back and watch the glassblowers masterfully create these awesome beer mugs!!”

This year’s featured glass tumbler will be a light colored blue made from recycled glass. Tickets are $68 pre-show and $78 at the door.  You must be 21 to attend this event.  VIP tickets sell for $200 includes an extra fancy drinking vessel made by Master glassblower Chris Nordin, (value $150), relaxation in a private air-conditioned room, and most important, first in line for all the tastings!

Tickets can be purchased 24 hours a day at www.GlassAcademy.com, or by phone at 313-561-4527. The Studio Gallery, featuring works made at the Glass Academy, will also be open for purchases during the show.

For more information, please contact Sue Dourghty at 313-561-4527 or visit www.GlassAcademy.com



Arlington chamber: NOVA Regional Elected Leaders Summit Ticket Prices Increase Friday!

The Arlington Chamber is excited to co-host the Northern Virginia Regional Elected Leaders Summit, featuring elected officials from across the region, including Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette, on Wednesday, September 6.

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 bolstering economic growth, and discover how each jurisdiction in Northern Virginia can work together for the betterment of our regional economy.

Ticket prices increase this Friday, August 4. To register and find more information, visit our website

The Oshkosh Chamber Welcomes Two Team Members

Amber Thiel as Member Relations Coordinator


The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce is happy to announce Amber Thiel as its new Member Relations Coordinator.

Amber manages member retention efforts, coordinates Chamber networking events and member activities including Business After Hours, A.M. Oshkosh, OC Connection Breakfast, and Ribbon Cuttings as well as larger Chamber events such as the Annual Golf Outing and Business Expo. She also staffs the Ambassador group and manages Propel, Oshkosh's young professionals group. Amber will be working alongside Jessica Sosnoski who is the current Manager of Marketing and Communication.

In 2012 Thiel graduated from Kimberly High School and attended college at the University of Wisconsin- Oshkosh where she completed her Bachelor’s degree. She double majored in Communication and Psychology and graduated in May of 2016. Prior to working at the Chamber, Amber was a Recruiter for Aerotek.

“I have always loved living in Oshkosh and I am excited about the opportunity to be in a role that has a direct impact on the professional community here. All of the current members that I have had the pleasure of meeting with have been amazing and I look forward to continuing to meet representatives and to help local businesses prosper,” said Amber.


Alyssa Wilsnack as the new Education & Talent Development Coordinator

The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Alyssa Wilsnack as the new Education & Talent Development Coordinator.
Working alongside Patti Andresen-Shew, Alyssa will be responsible for collaborating with various educational partners throughout the Oshkosh area. Alyssa will be coordinating soft skills trainings, company tours, and the annual Interviewthon. Alyssa will also help to plan, coordinate, and facilitate the Amplify Oshkosh movement, an initiative focused on providing awareness for opportunities and talent within all aspects of Information Technology.

Alyssa received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business – Human Resource Management from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh in the Fall of 2015. “I’m very excited for this opportunity with the Chamber. Throughout my previous work experience, I’ve become very passionate about talent development. I’m grateful to have this opportunity to work with the Chamber and become a viable resource for students and professionals alike," said Alyssa.



Guest Article: Former IACCE speaker Cathi Hight: 5 strategies to recruit new members

Do you ever feel like you're reacting to low membership rates rather than being proactive to attract new members? Before you continue on with your current recruitment methods, keep the following in mind:

Membership recruitment is a sales process. Understand who your audience is, their preferred method(s) of communication, and how to properly engage with them. Marketing, branding and sales should work together to create a cohesive message that resonates. In the end, membership is about money and creating long-lasting relationships. Prove to prospective members why they will benefit from your association.


You can't be all things to all people. Realistically, who is your target market? Where do you reach them? Make a list of prospective members, competing associations, and determine the true availability of those prospects. Does your current messaging resonate with them? Stop trying to attract everyone and be specific about who would truly benefit from your organization.

Research prospects' needs. Go ahead, ask them what they want. Do they belong to organizations? If so, what are they missing from them? How can your association fill in those gaps? We've turned into a "me-based" society, and your organization needs to be able to answer the "What's in it for me?" question.

Understand your value. You now understand who your prospects are and what messaging they need. So how do you communicate your organization's value? Fluff incentives like "free month of membership" and "discounted dues" will not sustain your membership levels. You need to communicate your value clearly and consistently.


Test, test and test some more. If you're not measuring your membership recruitment activity, how will you understand what is truly working? Track your recruitment processes, stages of engagement, and what encourages members to commit. Routinely look at metrics to see what is working, and perhaps more importantly, what isn't working. Website traffic, social media engagement levels, click-thru rates, non-member attendance levels, etc., can be excellent ways to gauge success.

There's not one way to increase membership. Determine what works for your organization, measure you outreach efforts, and continually evaluate your recruitment activities.

Sincerely,

Cathi HIGHT
Kaizen Consultant
Hight Performance Group
Work: (512) 354-7219
cathi@hightperformance.com
www.hightperformance.com





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

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