Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Chicago Federal Reserve: William Strauss: Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2018 US and Midwest Economic Forecast Luncheon; Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Profile & Directory; Oxford, MS, has been selected a top retirement destination by Where to Retire magazine; #BestChamber practices: Plymouth Chamber of Commerce: Business Resources: Indiana Small Business Development Corporation; Chambers working for afterschool STEM; New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Community Map; A Chamber story you should know: Christian County Chamber: 32nd Annual Gander Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony; Virginia Gov. -elect Northam wants state economic development efforts 'under one tent' as chamber readies blueprint for growth; Fox Cities Chamber to host its Annual Report to the Community on January 18; A growing hotel landscape: Several factors led to influx of Southwest Michigan hotels; 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 Federal Reserve: William Strauss: Lake County Chamber of Commerce 2018 US and Midwest Economic Forecast Luncheon

Find out what the economy has in store for 2018. This is the MUST attend business event of the year!

Economic Forecast Lake County 2018; presented by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, provides Lake County’s business and government leaders a chance to examine the issues, challenges and opportunities in 2018.

We are pleased to welcome back Mr. William Strauss; Senior Economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Economic Advisor, to present his forecast for the coming year, with an economic assessment of the US and Midwest economy for 2018.

Opening remarks by Mundelein Mayor; Steve Lentz.

Thursday, January 18th
11:30 am - 1:15pm
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Libertyville - Mundelein
510 East IL Route 83, Mundelein, IL 60060

Tickets and Registration
www.lakecountychamber.com
admin@lakecountychamber.com

or Call: 847-249-3800
Please register before January 15th 2018


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.

Oxford, MS, has been selected a top retirement destination by Where to Retire magazine

Houston, TX (Dec. 5, 2017) – Oxford, MS, has been selected a top retirement destination by Where to Retire, the only magazine in America geared toward helping people with retirement relocation decisions. Oxford is profiled in a feature titled “8 Tax-Friendly Cities” in the January/February 2018 issue, available nationwide on Dec. 12.

Where to Retire Editor Annette Fuller said many relocating retirees consider taxes when making their move. “Retirees find they must take into account the tax situation in their potential location to make a well-rounded, wise decision. With a historic downtown and all the benefits of the University of Mississippi, Oxford paints an overall rosy picture, with a lesser tax bite,” Fuller said.
Each year, 700,000 Americans relocate to new towns to retire. Generally, relocating retirees are healthier, better educated and more affluent than those who choose to not relocate. They bring significant economic benefits to their new states and hometowns. Nationally, two dozen states and hundreds of towns seek to attract retirees as a source of economic development.
Where to Retire, now in its 26th year of print, is published six times a year. The magazine covers the best retirement regions, towns and master-planned communities, and recently released its 10th biennial list naming the 50 best master-planned communities in the U.S. It has a national circulation of 200,000 and is sold on various newsstands and at Barnes & Noble bookstores. A one-year subscription is $18. All material in the magazine is protected by copyright law, and reproduction of content requires the permission of the magazine. Print and electronic reprints of an article may be purchased through Dave Hart.



#BestChamber practices: Plymouth Chamber of Commerce: Business Resources: Indiana Small Business Development Corporation

Individual ISBDC advisement services are offered monthly in Plymouth. Entrepreneurs, potential entrepreneurs and business owners in Marshall County are encouraged to sign up for one on one, confidential business counseling with Alan Steele, Advisor with the North Central ISBDC.
The next session will be Tuesday, December 5th, at the offices of Marshall County Economic Development, 2864 Miller Drive, Plymouth. Preregistration is required. Please call 574-520-4291 or email asteele@isbdc.org, identifying yourself as a Marshall County participant.

Read more: Website >



ACCE: Chambers working for afterschool STEM


Chambers of commerce are teaming up with the Mott Foundation’s 50 State Afterschool Network to advance STEM programming for elementary school-aged students. Read this review (based on this recent webinar) to learn how South Carolina and Washington are helping the future workforce get a head start, outside of normal school hours Read more: ACCE Weekly


New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Community Map 


New Castle-Henry County Chamber map

The New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Community Map is available at the New Castle-Henry County Chamber today! Thanks to Missy Modesitt, Mary Campbell 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 guide or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633. 


A Chamber story you should know: Christian County Chamber: 32nd Annual Gander Memorial Wreath Laying Ceremony


The Military Affairs Committee of the Christian County Chamber of Commerce invites the public to attend a Wreath Laying Ceremony to honor those lost in the plane crash in Gander, Newfoundland. The event will be held on Tuesday, December 12, 12:00 p.m. at the Fort Campbell Memorial Park in Hopkinsville, KY.

Just before dawn on the chilly December morning of December 12, 1985, a charter jet carrying 248 Fort Campbell soldiers took off from Gander International Airport in Gander, Newfoundland. Most of the soldiers were members of the 101st Airborne Division and headed home for Christmas. Returning from a six-month deployment to the Sinai Peninsula, they carried toys and gifts for spouses and children who planned to meet them at the Campbell Army Airfield on post.

The plane crashed less than a mile from the runway where it had just stopped to refuel on its way from the Sinai Peninsula to Fort Campbell's airfield. Everyone on board, including eight crew members, died. Investigators later ruled that ice on the jet's wings caused it to go down.

"This is a story about our community, about family and loss. It's important to remember what happened in Gander, Newfoundland, and especially the soldiers who died and their families," stated Katie Lopez, Director of Military Affairs.

The Wreath Laying Ceremony takes place at 12:00 p.m. at the Fort Campbell Memorial Park in Hopkinsville. Parking for attendees will be available along 41-A and the Hopkinsville Police Department will be on site to assist with pedestrian safety.

If you have any further questions about the ceremony, please contact Katie Lopez at klopez@christiancountychamber.com , or by calling (270) 885-9096.



Virginia Gov. -elect Northam wants state economic development efforts 'under one tent' as chamber readies blueprint for growth
Improving Virginia’s economy will be the top priority of Gov.-elect Ralph Northam, who says he wants to bring all of the state’s economic development initiatives under one authority in his administration.
Northam said Thursday the state has “a lot of tools in the toolbox” to diversify and grow the state’s economy, including the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Center for Innovative Technology, and GO Virginia, a fledgling attempt to foster regional collaboration in developing new industries.
“I really want to bring those together under one tent,” the governor-elect told news media at the Virginia Press Association’s annual legislative day at its headquarters in western Henrico County.
Northam is expected to deliver the same message on Friday to the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, which will deliver its “Blueprint Virginia 2025” to the incoming governor at its annual economic summit in Williamsburg.

“I like the direction the governor-elect is going,” said Barry DuVal, president and CEO of the state chamber, which expects a record crowd of more than 900 people at the eighth annual summit on Friday. Read more: Richmond.com


Fox Cities Chamber to host its Annual Report to the Community on January 18



The Fox Cities Chamber will hold its annual Report to the Community on Thursday, January 18, 2018. Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a light breakfast and networking. The Report will commence at 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. The event is scheduled to be held at The Best Western Premier Bridgewood Resort Hotel & Conference Center, located at 1000 Cameron Way, Neenah, Wisconsin 54956. Chamber members and non-members are encouraged to attend this annual event that will feature stories told from Chamber partners about their experiences, relationships and the resources that inspire the community, invest in people and talent, and continue to strengthen businesses in the Fox Cities Region.

Bob Mundt, Fox Cities Chamber President/CEO shared, “The Fox Cities Chamber would like to invite you to join other business and community leaders as we share our successes and transformations of the past year and present our plans for what’s to come in 2018. Community stakeholders involved in the Chamber will be showcasing their successes and delivering valuable information to our guests. This year, we’re thrilled to introduce new staff additions to the Chamber and the Partnership who will be leading the organization forward. I hope everyone can attend and contribute to our ongoing success.”

This event is open to the public and there is no cost to attend, however registration is required. To register, please visit foxcitieschamber.com or call (920) 734-7101.







A growing hotel landscape: Several factors led to influx of Southwest Michigan hotels



For many travelers, hotels are the lighthouses of the highway.

They stand as a beacon for weary motorists and families on vacations. In Benton Township, there’s an entire row of these lighthouses beckoning I-94 drivers in search of refuge.

In Southwest Michigan, hotels have been popping up at an accelerated rate within the last five years. To the surprise of several municipalities and residents, there are more planned for the next few years.

The newest hotel in the area belongs to Michael Patel and his business associates at Ganesh Hotels, a hotel management company in Elkhart, Ind.

The Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott opened this summer along Red Arrow Highway in Stevensville. Before that, Patel was the first to plant a flag along the hotel corridor in Benton Township with the opening of the Hilton Garden Inn. In addition to co-owning the Hilton and Fairfield Inn, Patel is also the manager and owner of Comfort Suites in Stevensville.

Patel and his partners in Ganesh Hotels have put a focus on tourism in St. Joseph in recent years.

Patel could not be reached for comment on the amount of hotels in the region, but has previously spoken to the importance of how giving people places to stay can serve as a big draw from I-94.

“We chose this location because (Exit 23) is the gateway to St. Joseph,” Patel said when Fairfield Inn and Suites first opened. “On top of all the weddings this area pulls in, it’s hard to accommodate everyone during the peak holiday summer seasons. That’s not to mention all the sporting events. This hotel should help alleviate that problem.”

Speaking of tourism

Millicent Huminsky, executive director of the Southwestern Michigan Tourist Council, said there are 23 hotels and motels located in Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Stevensville.

While Phillips spoke of how the Senior PGA has brought more attention to the area, Huminsky said it’s more than that.

“The Senior PGA is huge for the area in May,” Huminsky said. “Players, media and spectators come for the week. But it’s only every other year. It’s not as big for hotels.”

Huminsky surmised the abundance of hotels can be traced to tourism.

Unlike most tourist seasons, Southwest Michigan’s doesn’t end in September due to the emergence of the region’s wineries and breweries. The wine and beer trail has managed to stretch the tourist season to more than the months that run from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Businesses are seeing more visitors from April through the end of October.

Huminsky made an argument that area businesses have also contributed to the growth in the hotel market.

“We’re fortunate to have Whirlpool and Lakeland (Health) that do business year-round. That means a lot of overnight travelers,” she said. “The outages at the Cook Nuclear (Power) Plant means hundreds come and stay for four or more weeks. That’s big for the area in the off season.”

In addition to businesses and outages, Huminsky said football can be a factor for the region.

When the University of Notre Dame’s football team has a successful season like this year, that equates to overflow travelers who can’t find a place to stay in South Bend for home games.

Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce Director Chris Heugel is at the forefront of tourism in Southwest Michigan. He’s spent 25 years in the hospitality industry as a general manger and operator of hotels, while taking part in market studies for the construction of new hotels.

Heugel said the region has changed exponentially in the last decade, which has brought more hotels with it. He said Southwest Michigan has spent the last 10 to 15 years embracing the culture of a tourist destination.

“We’ve been found,” Heugel said. “We used to be a Chicago vacation spot, but now we’re getting them from all over the Midwest. That means bigger markets in Indiana, Wisconsin and the rest of Michigan.” Read more: Herald Palladium






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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