2017 Future Wisconsin Summit; Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and Calamos Invesments Host 10th Annual Regional Economic Forecast; #Best Chamber practices: Midland Area Chamber of Commerce: Cool Stuff to Share; University Of Kentucky President Dr. Eli Capilouto To Address Paducah Chamber; 5 Star Chamber: Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory; RV Boon Squeezes Elkhart County Job Market; Lynchburg Regional Technology Council To Host TechEDGE Awards Dinner; The Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance Announces Henderson, Inc. as Recipient of the Health Promoter Award; Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Profile & Directory; Golden Triangle Development Link Announces Staff Changes; 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!

2017 Future Wisconsin Summit

The 2017 Future Wisconsin Summit is drawing near, and you don't want to miss this year's program!

The Future Wisconsin Summit is the year-end review of the work of The Future Wisconsin Project, aimed at solving Wisconsin's systemic economic challenges . . . five, ten, twenty years down the road.

For the last few years, the Future Wisconsin Project has identified the problem -- Wisconsin's workforce shortage. This year, WMC Foundation, along with the Future Wisconsin partners, will present solutions. 

Be a part of the solution, and join us for the 2017 Future Wisconsin Summit and show your commitment by becoming a sponsor. Wisconsin is not only the land of dairy, Green Bay Packers, and outdoor activity. It is now the land of economic opportunity. It's up to all of us to seize the opportunity -- together.

November 29 | 8:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center | Madison, WI

Join us for 4th Annual Future Wisconsin Summit in Madison!



Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and Calamos Invesments Host 10th Annual Regional Economic Forecast

Industry experts gather to help prepare regional businesses for the year ahead

Naperville, IL. (October 4, 2017) – The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (NACC) and Calamos Investments will co- host the 10^th Annual Regional Economic Forecast Thursday, October 19, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. The event has taken on a new format as it will take place in the late afternoon and will conclude with a cocktail reception.  The program will feature a panel of local and national industry experts who will share unique insight and analyses of market conditions for the coming year and provide attendees with economic perspective to help them better manage their business.

John Koudounis, Chief Executive Office of Calamos Investments will be moderating the discussion.  Mr. Koudounis has 30 years of financial services experience including executive leadership in the global securities business and a deep background in global capital markets.

This year’s panel includes experts: John P. Calamos Sr., Founder, Chairman and Global Chief Investment Officer of Calamos Investments; Gus Faucher, Chief Economist for the PNC Financial Services Group; and Caroline L. Harris, Vice President, Tax Policy & Chief Tax Policy Counselor for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation.

Nicki Anderson, President and CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce believes that this is a must-attend event for the regional business community.

“The Regional Economic Forecast provides an exceptional opportunity for local businesses to learn from internationally recognized experts as they discuss the global economy and its effect on the future of business. This year, we have changed things up by bringing in a new moderator and adjusting the time from morning to late afternoon to accommodate our attendees.  It should be a fantastic discussion, which is the reason business professionals return year after year,” said Anderson.   

The event will take place at Hotel Arista at CityGate Centre, located at 2139 CityGate Lane in Naperville. Registration will open at 3:30 p.m., with the program beginning promptly at 4:00 p.m. To learn more, visit www.naperville.net.



#BestChamber practices: Midland Area Chamber of Commerce: Cool Stuff to Share


Cool Article: Meditation: The Miracle Life Hack?

We might as well admit it and get this out of the way first: Everyone is looking for a hack. The hack. The one thing that will bring us happiness. The one thing that will make us lose weight. The one thing that will lessen the stress.

University Of Kentucky President Dr. Eli Capilouto To Address Paducah Chamber

University of Kentucky President Dr. Eli Capilouto will be the featured speaker for a Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon on Tuesday, September 26. The luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. and be held at the Julian Carroll Convention Center. The event is sponsored by Bryant Law Center and West Kentucky Community College.  

The luncheon is part of the Paducah Chamber’s Business Education Partnership (BEP) series that gives the local business community access to education leaders. It is open to the general public. 

“We are very pleased to have Dr. Capilouto visit our area and provide us with important information about the University of Kentucky,” said Sonny Smith, Paducah Chamber Vice Chair of Education and Workforce and Chair of the BEP.  

Dr. Capilouto became the 12th President of the University of Kentucky on July 1, 2011. Under his leadership, the $3.7 billion flagship and land grant research university has gained significant momentum in fulfilling its multi-faceted mission of teaching, research, service and health care. Dr. Capilouto has led a process to enrich UK’s academic experience by investing in priorities that maintain affordability and access; support the institution’s talented faculty and staff; and revitalize the living, learning and research facilities across campus. 

Under Dr. Capilouto’s leadership, the University of Kentucky is undergoing a significant physical transformation of its academic, research, residential, health care and community spaces. Through partnership, increased philanthropy and effective financial management, UK is self-financing the vast majority of its more than $2 billion infrastructure development. 

A native of Alabama, Dr. Capilouto previously served as Provost of the University of Alabama-Birmingham (UAB) and Dean of the UAB School of Public Health. He holds several undergraduate and graduate degrees from schools within the University of Alabama system, and a Doctorate in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University. He and his wife, Dr. Mary Lynne Capilouto (D.M.D.) a former Dean of the UAB School of Dentistry, have one daughter. 

Reserved tables of eight are $300 or individual tickets are $20.  Pre-registration is required at www.paducahchamber.org, email info@paducahchamber.org or call 270-443-1746 by no later than noon, September 25.    

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!

Rapid City South Dakota 2017 Community Guide & Membership Directory

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.





RV Boon Squeezes Elkhart County Job Market

The cyclical recreational vehicle industry is on a roll and in Elkhart County, the RV Capital of the World, that means jobs and lots of them. Just last week, Jayco Inc. and Grand Design RV announced expansions plans that could mean 750 new jobs in Middlebury, the latest in a series of local jobs announcements this year. But with the county's unemployment rate hovering around 2 percent, the RV revival is squeezing an already tight job market. "Everyone's looking for workers," said Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Kyle Hannon. "If you need a job, come to northern Indiana, you can find one."

In an interview on Inside INdiana Business Television, Hannon said quality of place efforts are key to addressing the worker shortage.

Hannon says about 29,000 people drive into Elkhart County daily for work, so looking to neighboring counties for help isn't an option. "Part of the problem is the economy is good most places, so there aren't a lot of spare workers around."

Watch the entire interview: Inside Indiana Business

Lynchburg Regional Technology Council To Host TechEDGE Awards Dinner

 TechEDGE is the region’s premiere networking and recognition event for technology professionals. The guest speaker for the evening will be James Maiocco, Chief Business Development Officer at Pushpay Holdings Limited.   

The 2017 Tech Council Annual Awards will be given to recognize the following:

Innovator of the Year: Innovator of the Year nominees can be an individual or business that has developed an innovative process, product, service or initiative. Candidates will be evaluated on concept, viability, and innovation impact on the local, national, and international scale. Finalists are: Innerspec Technologies and Selective Wealth Management.

Entrepreneur of the Year: The Entrepreneur of the Year is an individual award recognizing exceptional development of a technology-centric commercial enterprise. Entrepreneurial nominees will be evaluated on business model, current and/or future growth, and community impact. Finalists are: Magellan Learning Solutions and Isabelle Duston.

Technology Program of the Year: The Technology Program Award recognizes an educational institution or group of students who have shown outstanding achievement in the areas technology and innovation with our region. This award focuses on creating solutions for pressing technology problems that incorporate social innovation and entrepreneurship. The award may also recognize the creation of new summits and events that celebrate innovation. Finalists are: Altavista High School Robotic Eagles and Liberty University School of Engineering and Computational Sciences.

Technology Ambassador of the Year: The Technology Ambassador of the Year recognizes innovative technology leaders who have displayed exceptional technology leadership in their community and organization, fostering ideas and creative work environments, envisioning innovative approaches to solving problems. This awardee represents and embodies disruptive innovation and has shown a passion for challenging the status quo. Finalists are: Innovative Wireless Technologies and Leland Melvin.

When:  5:30 – 8 p.m. on October 10, 2017

Where:  Oakwood Country Club located at 3409 Rivermont Avenue, Lynchburg. 

ABOUT THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER:  Mr. James N. Maiocco, J.D. has been Chief Business Development Officer at Pushpay Holdings Limited since September 01, 2016. Mr. Maiocco co-founded Klir Technologies, Inc. in 2000 and served as its Chief Executive Officer since May 2002. Prior to Microsoft, Mr. Maiocco spent 8 years as an executive at venture-backed start-ups building high-volume SaaS businesses for the enterprise. He is a seasoned business executive with over 20 years' experience at cutting-edge technology companies, as General Manager of Business and Corporate Development at Xero for around two years. During his tenure, Xero consummated major partnerships with Apple, Google and Microsoft. He was a Global Director at Microsoft for over four years in the Microsoft Ventures and Microsoft Dynamics business units. He has attracted more than $5 million in Venture Capital and Angel financing, leading Klir from initial formation, to commercial product release and first revenue. Mr. Maiocco has been intimately involved with the Chief Technology Officer in product development and is a co-inventor on 27 patent-pending claims. Previously, he worked several years as a corporate technology Attorney at Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. During his tenure as an attorney, Mr. Maiocco counseled technology companies on a range of issues, including corporate securities, public reporting, intellectual property protection, technology transfers, licensing and OEM/reseller relationships. He assisted in closing more than $75 million in venture capital financings and M&A transactions. Prior to his legal career, he worked in corporate planning and architecture, advising companies on strategy and development. He serves as a Director at Microsoft Accelerator. Mr. Maiocco is responsible for managing the Seed Fund, Global Partners and Marketing. He has been with Microsoft for over three years. He served as a Director of Klir Technologies, Inc. He holds 3 patents, serves as an advisor on several boards and is a Member of the Executive Council of the Internet Marketing Association. He holds both a J.D., in Law and B.A., Architecture from the University of Washington and a M.P., Master of Planning from the University of Virginia.

Contact: Denise Jackson, Events Coordinator, (434) 845-5968 x13, djackson@lynchburgregion.org 

The Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance Announces Henderson, Inc. as Recipient of the Health Promoter Award

Williamsburg, VA –For the past few months, the Health Committee of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance has taken nominations for their first annual Health Promoter Award. Health is about individual choices and having the opportunity to make healthy choices, and the award recognizes an individual, organization, or business that helps create opportunities for members of our community to live healthier lives. We are pleased to announce that Henderson, Inc., nominated by The Arc of Williamsburg, has been selected as the recipient of this award!

Acknowledging that health care organizations and professionals are worthy of praise, this award is directed at those individuals, organizations or businesses that promote health even though it is not their primary purpose or business. Henderson Inc., a general contractor company based here in Williamsburg, has been building in the South Eastern region of Virginia for over 60 years. A few of their well-known projects include The Griffon rollercoaster at Busch Gardens, Williamsburg Landing, the Williamsburg Prime Outlets, and the Old Point National Bank Corporate Headquarters.

“Henderson, Inc. is a regular sponsor for many worthy causes and events. But more importantly, they educate, encourage, and promote their company’s mission and vision for a healthy lifestyle with their employees and their families,” says Pamela McGregor, Executive Director at The Arc. “Henderson provides small group training incentives to their salaried employees. They cover 80% of the cost for their employees at Benefits Personal Training. In addition, they participate in and sponsor various running events throughout the year, such as Run for the DOG and the Williamsburg Landing 5k Benefit Run for the Arc.” The company also discusses general wellness topic at their monthly safety meetings, and offers flu shots each Fall for any employee that would like one.

We are honored to have Henderson, Inc. as a Chamber member, and we are happy to shine a spotlight on their efforts to promote healthy living in the workplace. All of our nominees are fantastic parts of the Greater Williamsburg community, and we appreciate the nominations we were given for this award!

Contact: Kayla Kearse, Public Relations & Social Media Specialist, Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance 757-476-7321 www.williamsburgcc.com | www.visitwilliamsburg.com



Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Profile & Directory

The Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Profile & Directory is available at the Plainfield Area Chamber today! Thanks to Tasha Kitson, Mari Edmondson, Vitella Barnes, Kellie Wujek 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.

Golden Triangle Development Link Announces Staff Changes

The Golden Triangle Development LINK is pleased to announce the following staff promotions and additions:

Deason Promoted to MCEDA Executive Director

Joey Deason, former COO of the GTR LINK, has been named the Executive Director of the Madison County Economic Development Authority. He leaves the GTR LINK with an impressive record of hours worked and projects completed during his tenure.

Among many other projects, Deason was an instrumental part of recruiting Yokohama Tire Corporation, The Mill project at Mississippi State and the development of an industrial park for Starkville and Oktibbeha County.

In his new role, he will be charged with overseeing economic development for Canton, Madison, Ridgeland, and Flora, Mississippi.

“Joey Deason is among a very small group of economic development professionals that really get it. He is incredibly intelligent and observant but with an Attala County street smart and people acumen that really allows him to connect with people. When you can connect with people like Joey does doors will open,” said Joe Max Higgins, CEO of the GTR LINK.

“He has the brainpower, work ethic, personality and passion to succeed at the highest level in the Economic Development world. In the five years he has been at the LINK, he has become family. While we will miss him tremendously, we wish him the very best in all he does. He will always have a home in the Golden Triangle!”

LINK Announces Staff Changes

Macaulay Whitaker has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer. In this new role, she will be charged with organization operations and begin training under the GTR LINK’s lead technicians who oversee economic development for the region. Whitaker has been with the organization since 2011 and has held titles of Director of Programs and Events and most recently Vice President of Internal and External Affairs.

She has earned her IOM and APR Certifications and previously headed up the LINK’s workforce, military and communications divisions. Emily McConnell has joined the economic development team as a Project Manager.

McConnell joined the organization just last year as the Director of Programs and Events for the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce.

She holds a master’s degree from Mississippi State University and resides in Columbus. As Project Manager McConnell will handle data processing and packaging for economic development recruitment.

She will train directly under Brenda Lathan, Senior Vice President for Economic Development. Read more: WCBI

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