Good morning #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Idea: One book I still read every day: Train Your Brain for Success - by Roger Seip
Train your mind to achieve new levels of success!
Professionals and entrepreneurs do a great job of keeping up appearances. But if they're honest with themselves, they're short on living the life they really want. Train Your Brain For Success provides the perspective to analyze how you got where you are and, more importantly, learn the skills to get where you truly desire to be. Train Your Brain For Success explains specific ways of thinking and acting that will get anyone where they want to go, fast. Learn to condition your mind to move towards success automatically, by discovering greater memory power and fundamental techniques for boosting reading speed and comprehension.
Get a proven strategy for succeeding and becoming a record-breaking performer.
- Learn to live in the moment
- Become brilliant with the basics
- Aggressively take care of your mind
Chapter 16 -Your Energy Management Tools and Chapter 17 - The Power Hour - are tools for the rest of your life - JD
Train your mind for new levels of success by boosting memory power, reading speed and comprehension. More information: Barnes & Noble
#BestChamber Practices: Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce: Short Video Productions Support Small Business Saturday:
The Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce wanted to do something to support the small businesses in their area and make it meaningful for their members. Short video productions that could be filmed, enhanced and edited in-house with their own staff was the answer.
2016 was the first time it was attempted, and the results made the program worth repeating. In 2016 over 54,000 people were reached, thousands of likes and hundreds of videos shared on social media. Not only does it remind people to Shop Small, an initiative created and supported by American Express, it lets people know who a small business might be.
Goodyear tire may be considered by most to be a large business but most of the retail shops are franchises owned and operated as small businesses. Something else people don’t always think about is that small businesses have far more employees than do large companies, they are the life blood of the economy in every community.
Chamber President David Sabathne said at a recent chamber gathering “small businesses create the culture of our communities and everyone of us has a vote to decide if they leave our community or if they remain and thrive; and every dollar we spend with them equals a vote.” The great thing is you can vote as many times and as often as you want.
For more information about Shop Small or other programs and benefits the Chamber offers, call 630-231-3003 or email Team@westerndupagechamber.com and visit us on the web by searching Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce.
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, Julieth 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.
Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber presents awards at banquet
All three words, as it pertains to these matters, derive from love of one’s community.
The Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce held their annual awards and recognition dinner on Thursday, Nov. 9 at Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville, featuring the Small Business Grant Winner, Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the Don Horan Community Leader of the Award.
Mayasari Effendi of Mayasari Indonesian Grill, Brenley Jameson and Carmen Thackery, and David Fry were all award winners last Thursday.
Don Horan Community Leader of the Award
The Community Service Leader Award was first presented in 1961 by the then Greensburg Chamber of Commerce before being an annual award starting in 1975.
In 2013, to commemorate the contributions business leader and philanthropist Don Horan left behind following his death, the Community Service Award was renamed the Don Horan Service Leader of the Year Award.
Given its meaning to the community, Greensburg-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jeff Emsweller speaks highly of the award, saying the Chamber sees this as the highest award in the community.
Last year, the Don Horan Community Leader of the Year Award was given to Alan and Kristy Lowe. This year, the torch was passed to David Fry.
The award is presented to an individual or individuals who have gone above and beyond in the service for the greater good of the community, according to the Chamber.
Before he was introduced, the Chamber mentioned a variety of contributions Fry has made to the community, including his role in helping Greensburg advance to the final round of the Stellar Communities effort.
Fry spoke to the audience after receiving his award.
“The fact that this is now named the Don Horan Community Leader Award means a great deal to me, because Don and I shared office space next to one another at Fifth Third Bank for many years, and had a lot of talks about owning our own businesses and things like that,” Fry said. “So, it’s really even more special given that fact. You know, I don’t do this obviously for this reason (the award), I appreciate it, but I feel like I’m the one who always ends up walking away with greater rewards because of the people that I’ve met, the people that I’ve worked with, and the people that I’ve come to know through these types of involvements.”
Entrepreneur of the Year Award
The Entrepreneur of the Year Award is based on business involvement in the community, entrepreneurial innovation, business and community partnerships, and success.
Nine-year-olds Brenley Jameson and Carmen Thackery started a lemonade stand a few months ago to help raise money for nonprofit organizations in Decatur County. The young ladies spent the majority of their Mondays during summer vacation selling lemonade, raising $86 for New Directions of Decatur County, $86 for Our Hospice of Southeastern Indiana, $75 for the Decatur County Animal Shelter, $150 for Wreaths Across America, $204 for Big Brothers-Big Sisters, $138 for the Decatur County United Fund, $138 for Decatur County Meals on Wheels, and $80 for MainStreet Greensburg.
Essentially, more than $800 was raised by Jameson and Thackery for their community.
“We thank Jeff and the Chamber for supporting us during the summer,” Jameson said. “We thank all of our loyal customers for supporting us during the summer. You really made us feel a part of the community.” Read more: Greensburg Daily News
Business Breakfast Bytes, from the Fox Cities Chamber, will focus on Sales & Prospecting in December
The Fox Cities Chamber’s monthly educational program, Business Breakfast Bytes, will focus on the topic of sales and prospecting as it relates to almost every business. Employers and employees alike need to grow their client base and network to find ways to generate a steady revenue. This usually requires prospecting. The customer will not always come to you, sometimes you need to find the customer.
The upcoming session will feature a panel of experts that will provide education on strategies for sales and prospecting, recommendations on how to use them, and actions you should avoid. This presentation will also include a bonus overview on how to utilize LinkedIn to generate new business.
Eric Thompson, Partner at Sandler Training, will lead the panel of experts which includes: Renee Brey, Business Development Coordinator at Credit Systems of the Fox Valley, and Beth Haase, Director of Membership at the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.
“If you are struggling to make connections with prospects, unsure of the tactics that are working, or frustrated with not knowing what to do, join us for our discussion to identify the key prospecting behaviors, attitudes and techniques (BAT’s) that work for our local business leaders,” shared session facilitator, Thompson.
Business Breakfast Bytes are a monthly business educational program focused on providing our small to mid-sized business members across the Fox Cities Region with education and resources addressing top business concerns.
Registration for each individual session is required. Fox Cities Chamber members are allowed to bring a guest and may use the registration link on the Chamber website or call (920) 734-7101 to register. Please visit the Chamber website for complete details of the December session, being hosted at McMAHON in Neenah from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM on Tuesday, December 19. Details and registration can be found at foxcitieschamber.com.
For immediate questions, please contact MiKayla Kunde, Member Engagement Coordinator, by email mkunde@foxcitieschamber.com or phone (920) 734-7101.
Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Profile Guide
The Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Profile Guide & Membership Directory is available at the Greater Belleville Chamber! Thanks to Wendy Pfeil 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.
Twenty-five graduate from Leadership Bowling Green class
Twenty-five business professionals graduated Tuesday from the 2017 Leadership Bowling Green class. They completed a program that began in April with a retreat and included nine sessions during which they learned about local government, the region’s economy, agriculture, education, health care and the arts.
Leadership Bowling Green is a development program coordinated by the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce. The program, which started in 1985, allows emerging leaders to learn about the community’s strengths and challenges through lectures, discussions, tours and role-playing activities. The goal is to gain a wide knowledge about Bowling Green through an overview of a variety of community functions.
This year’s class also participated in a service project called “Career Exploration” that is designed to help sophomore students at Warren Central High School prepare for careers.
Amber Frye of Franklin Bank & Trust was announced as winner of this year’s Bart Hagerman Award, the top honor for a graduating member of Leadership Bowling Green. Frye was selected for the award by her classmates.
The Hagerman Award is named for Bart Hagerman, who served as chamber executive from 1983 to 1986. Hagerman initiated the first leadership program for chamber members in Kentucky while he worked as the assistant chamber executive at the Ashland Chamber of Commerce.
In addition to Frye, the members of the 2017 Leadership Bowling Green graduating class are:
Lori Beliles, Hancock Bank and Trust; Meghan Birkenhauer, Bluegrass Oral Health Center; Alicia Carter, Western Kentucky University; Kellie Crawford, Scotty’s Contracting and Stone; Rachel Donnelly, Scott & Ritter; Mark Ford, Fort Knox Credit Union; Melanie Hatfield, Service One Credit Union; Erin Holderman, WKU; Chelsea Houchins, American Bank & Trust; Tyler Jaggers, Leachman Buick-GMC-Cadillac; Chris Kummer, Warren County Parks and Recreation Department; B.J. Malone, Warren County Water District; Andria McGregor, TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital; Rebekah McKinney, Bell, Orr, Ayers & Moore; Rhondell Miller, HOTEL INC; Andrew Morlando, Graham Packaging; Jason Ross, U.S. Bank; Alison Sexton, Bowling Green Municipal Utilities; Brian Summers, Farmers National Bank; Andrew Tolbert, Carr, Riggs & Ingram; Joey Traughber, Traughber Mechanical Services; Nathan Vinson, English, Lucas, Priest & Owsley; Melanie Watts, Bowling Green Police Department; Chad Webb, Crowd South; and Brandy Zackery, Arnold Consulting Engineering Services. Read more: Bowling Green Daily News
Two restaurants, an expanded boutique and a specialty food shop are among the new names in the downtown and North Hills areas.
The newly remodeled DT Grinders — set to open next month — and Dontea’s Seafood & BBQ on Fifth Street are two of the new restaurants downtown, both of which will offer live entertainment.
Located on Front Street and 22nd Avenue is Crooked Letter, an expanded boutique which owner Debbie Mathis calls “a Mississippi Marketplace.”
Crooked Letter, which offers specialty products such as jewelry, pottery, art, coffee, candles, soaps, lotions and unique food items, opened on Oct. 7.
“Everything we sell is made in Mississippi,” said Mathis, a Meridian native.
Crooked Letter is across the street from the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience, and Mathis believes she chose the “perfect location.”
“I feel an energy in downtown Meridian like I’ve never felt before,” she said. “There are good things happening — people like me who are willing to step out and take a little bit of a risk and people in general that are willing to invest in downtown.”
With the recent announcement of the Mississippi Children’s Museum satellite in Meridian, Mathis says it’s an exciting time to be downtown.
“That's going to be huge,” Mathis said of The MAX and the Children’s Museum. “We already have a huge number of visitors tied to our area every day. We felt like with all the energy and the good things happening downtown, there’s a lot of revitalization, and it made sense to put our business downtown.”
Dontea’s, which opened earlier this month, is located in the historic African-American business district on Fifth Street. Owner Dontea Cross has brought what he calls “the best seafood and barbecue in town” to the new restaurant, located in the old Sportsman’s Club building.
Replete with a full ballroom-style dining room, a bar, a private dining area upstairs and a back patio/garden, Dontea’s is set to be part of the 5th Street renaissance.
DT Grinders, located at 1600 24th Avenue, is under new management.
Tom and Ashley Walker Brown hope to reopen Meridian’s well-known hot spot some time in December.
“This town needed something to revive it,” said Brown, who hails from Los Angeles. He and Ashley Brown, owner of Stitchin Krazy LLC in Meridian, purchased the property in September. “This old building was falling apart, and it needed somebody to save it — and we decided to save it.”
So far, the plan is to be open for lunch and dinner, with a menu that focusses primarily on steak and seafood and various other combinations. With years of experience as a chef, Brown says he hopes to bring a unique taste to Meridian.
“We’re using all top-of-the-line beef, nothing less than that,” said Brown, who added that live music, karaoke and trivia will likely be a regular part of DT Grinders’ entertainment. “We’re talking to the former owner to see what he did.”
Brown said the first floor will operate as a restaurant, the second floor a bar, and the third will be used for events.
Debby Delshad of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation agrees that downtown is coming back to life.
“For our size town and the potential of everything that’s coming, with the Children’s Museum and The MAX, we probably need about six more restaurants,” Delshad said. “Restaurants will be the draw. If restaurants come, then I believe retail will come after that.” Read more: Meridian Star
Michigan Continues to Climb in Latest Economic Competitiveness Study
Now in its sixth year, the study compares all aspects of Michigan'seconomy against the other 49 states. In 2012, the inaugural study ranked Michigan No. 47 based on data from 1998 to 2012. In 2016 Michigan ranked No. 25. In fact, the 2017 study notes since the end of the Great Recession in 2009, Michigan ranks as the ninth most competitive economy in the country.
"This study offers the most detailed and honest assessment of our state's economy," said economist and study co-author Timothy Nash, senior vice president of strategic and corporate alliances and the director of the McNair Center at Northwood University. "Michigan has led the Great Lakes Region in average GDP growth since the end of The Great Recession, ranking sixth nationally."
Michigan showed strong signs of growth since The Great Recession, Nash noted. The ranking of 21st uses economic data from 1998 until 2016.
"When looking at the general macroeconomic environment in Michigan, the ranking jumped to seventh in 2017 study from No. 48 in the 2012 study," Nash said. "In fact, Michigan ranks ninth in overall competitiveness since 2009 with real GDP growth ranking sixth and per capita wage growth ranking third nationally over the same period".
"Since the study began, the overall United States economy has shown underwhelming performance," said Keith Pretty, co-author, president and CEO of Northwood University. "This study and others, however, show Michigan remains on a strong growth trajectory".
New in the 2017 study is a look at the Michigan and U.S. automobile industries. The resurgence of the automobile industry in Michigan has clearly contributed to GDP growth. In 2016, the U.S. automobile industry reached an all-time record high for automobiles sold, at more than 17.5 million, with 2017 sales on pace to challenge that number. The auto industry remains the state's biggest economic driver.
"Michigan's economy has been on a path of strong recovery and growth," said Bob Thomas, executive director of the Michigan Chamber Foundation. "We are optimistic that Michigan can become an overall top 15 state by 2020."
Rich Studley, president and CEO of the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, also highlighted the importance of tax climate, an indicator of how a state's tax laws affect economic performance.
"We are pleased to see Michigan's improvement in state business tax climate, where we now rank second in the Great Lakes Bay Region, and twelfth overall," he said. "We are also pleased to see that Michigan'scorporate tax environment is now ranked eighth best nationally by The Tax Foundation". Read more: Markets Insider
Chamber interest: Agritourism workshop planned in Southside
Virginia’s farms are adding something new to their agricultural enterprises as they invite tourists to experience their fields. This blending of agriculture and tourism has created a growing interest in the components of agritourism and the tools for bringing people onto farmland.
With agritourism operations continuing to develop in the region, Southern Virginia has joined together and invites the agricultural community to Agritourism in Virginia’s New Economy workshop scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cloverdale Quarters located at 1120 Cloverdale Trail in Sutherlin.
The workshop is free, but you must register by Wednesday, Nov. 29. To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/SOVa-Agritourism or contact Amy Boles at the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce by calling 434-836-6990 or email chamber@dpchamber.org
The workshop is presented by the tourism offices in Danville Pittsylvania County, Halifax County, Martinsville-Henry County, Mecklenburg County; the Halifax County Agricultural Development office; the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex; the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Virginia Cooperative Extension; and the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Agritourism in Virginia’s New Economy offers both a broad overview of agritourism possibilities as well as the need-to-know details from experts and experienced farmers.
Virginia’s agritourism industry generates over $2.2 billion in economic activity for the state and over $135 million in state and local taxes. Approximately $8.3 million of these tax dollars are generated in the Southern region including the counties of Henry, Pittsylvania, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Charlotte, Greensville, and Lunenburg. More importantly, farmers are increasing farm income by incorporating agritourism into the farming operation. Read more: GoDanRiver.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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