Northern Virginia Chamber, United Bank, George Mason University, and Washington Business Journal to Host Annual Economic Conference; Naperville Area Chamber Of Commerce Announces Chairman Of The Board; Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide; Fox Cities Chamber to Host Tax Reform Event for Businesses on January 11 with Schenck; OneZone January Luncheon: What's Up with the Economy; The Prairie du Chien Community Guide; Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to Highlight Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber’s First Legislative Forum of 2018; Paducah Chamber Elects 2018 Officers And Board; Logan County Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Map; Chamber issue: We can benefit from new interstate; Friday: 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and your Chamber of Commerce) by Patrick McGaughey (Chamber Mentor); Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

Happy Friday, #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT YEAR!


Northern Virginia Chamber, United Bank, George Mason University, and Washington Business Journal to Host Annual Economic Conference

One Region, One Future: Accelerating Economic Growth, TOGETHER.

Tysons, Va. – The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber) has announced that it will host the 26th Annual Economic Conference — One Region, One Future: Accelerating Economic Growth, TOGETHER — in partnership with United Bank, George Mason University, and Washington Business Journal. The event will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2018 from 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church.

One Region, One Future: Accelerating Economic Growth, TOGETHER provides a forum for both public and private sector leaders to gain insight on key economic drivers, workplace trends, and the impacts and opportunities that will shape the regional, national, and global economies in the coming year.

Roger Krone, Chairman and CEO of Leidos will present the keynote.

Washington Business Journal Publisher James MacGregor will serve as moderator for a discussion with guest speaker, Knox Singleton, CEO of Inova Health System.

Featured speakers include:

• Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D., Dwight Schar Faculty Chair and University Professor, and Director of The Stephen S. Fuller Institute, George Mason University
• Terry L. Clowers, Ph.D., Northern Virginia Chair and Professor of Public Policy, George Mason University

Panelists include:

• Dr. Gerald Gordon, President & CEO Fairfax County Economic Development Authority
• Victor Hoskins, Director Arlington County Economic Development
• Brian Kenner, Deputy Mayor, Planning and Economic Development, Washington D.C.
• David Petr, President & CEO, Montgomery County Economic Development Corp.
• Moderated by: Mary Claire Burick, President, Rosslyn BID

Registration is available online. Entry is $100 for Northern Virginia Chamber members and $125 for non-members. Members of the media who plan to cover the event should contact Northern Virginia Chamber Director, Marketing & Communications, Elaine Gilligan, egilligan@novachamber.org to register.

Naperville Area Chamber Of Commerce Announces Chairman Of The Board

The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has named Emily Ory chairman of its Board of Directors. Ory, Account Executive of Corporate Concepts, Inc., will serve a two-year term.  She will be inaugurated at the 2018 NACC Gala on Friday, February 2 at Abbington Distinctive Banquets. 

After eight years of membership, Ory attributes much of her business growth to the Chamber of Commerce as its programs have afforded her the opportunity to develop both professionally and personally.  Her connection to the organization started at a young age. 

“Ever since I was a child and my mother, Jan Erickson, worked at the Chamber it was engrained in me that the Chamber of Commerce was the business hub of the community,” said Ory.  “When I graduated college, and found myself in a business development role, naturally I was eager to not only join the Chamber but become an active, engaged member.”

Her focus throughout her two-year term will be to fulfill the outstanding goals of the current strategic plan and develop the 2025 strategic plan for the organization.  She also hopes to engage and educate Members and the community at large to better understand the diverse benefits of the NACC. 

“Through my Chamber membership, I have seen the return on investment time after time. Not only with the business I have received, but I have created life-long friendships and built a circle of trusted advisors I can look to for guidance.  For all of these reasons, I found myself wanting to give back and continue to be a part of what makes the Chamber so unique.”

The Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce also welcomes nine new board members.  The new members of the Board of Directors include: Christina Caton Kitchel of Caton Commercial Real Estate Group, Ahmed Elganzouri of Edward-Elmhurst Health, Mike Havala of Loaves & Fishes Community Services, Syed Hasan of Hotel Indigo Naperville Riverwalk, Mike Healy of Esser Hayes Insurance Group, Ian Holzhauer of Nagle Obarski PC, Megan Lynch of North Central College, Tracy Nelson of BMO Harris Bank N.A., and Rosemary Spann of The Spann Group. 

For more information about the Chamber’s 2018 Gala, please visit www.naperville.net.  





Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide is available at the Virginia Peninsula Chamber today! Thanks to Mike Kuhns, Suzy Johnson and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide

Town Square Publications  (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.

Fox Cities Chamber to Host Tax Reform Event for Businesses on January 11 with Schenck

The Fox Cities Chamber will host an event with Schenck SC on Thursday, January 11 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Werner Electric Supply in Appleton. The special event will help businesses understand how they could be affected by the federal tax reform legislation along with helping them evaluate if the new tax code will suggest a change in entity type.

The event will be presented by Corey Kolbe, CPA, CFP, MST, Shareholder from Schenck SC. Kolbe has a thorough background in corporate and individual income tax planning and compliance for closely-held businesses. His experience includes planning and compliance related to multi-state and consolidated corporate tax issues with specialties that include taxation of flow-through entities. He has a special emphasis in the real estate and construction industries and serves as one of the firm’s leaders in these areas.

The tax reform event will be held on Thursday, January 11 from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Werner Electric Supply, located at 4800 W. Prospect Avenue in Appleton. This event is free and open to all businesses, but registration prior to the event is required. Please register at foxcitieschamber.com or call (920) 734-7101. Media are encouraged to attend but should first inquire with Emily Feagles, Director of Marketing & Communications.

For additional news and information, follow Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce on Facebook and Twitter @FoxCitiesChmbr.  

OneZone January Luncheon: What's Up with the Economy

Wednesday, January 10, 2018 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM EST FORUM Conference Center
11313 USA Parkway
Fishers, IN 46037 
Tax reform. Healthcare repeal. Drug epidemic. Workforce development. Unemployment. Full employment. The list goes on.

What is the status of our economy? Dr. Matt Will, University of Indianapolis, talks about the impact on business, the state and the nation in 2018. Find out where the economy is heading . . . and what your business can do to be ready.
Dr. Will, Assistant Professor of Finance in the UIndy MBA program, is a financial economist and advisor on public policy to state and national government. In addition, he is a regular media commentator on topics related to business and economics, an oft-requested speaker and the author of several books.

IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ:
This luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. You may arrive to check in beginning at 11 a.m.

Agenda
11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Guests arrive to check in, visit display tables, and connect with other chamber members.
11:30 a.m. Lunch and program begin promptly at 11:30 a.m.

Cost
$25 for member who prepays
$30 for member walk-in*
$35 for potential member or guest
$40 for potential member or guest walk-in*
$240 for corporate reserved table of 8

Interested in promoting your business at a luncheon?
Showcase and display tables are are available at this and other luncheons. Call us at 317.436.4653.

Pre-paid reservations are required by noon on Monday, January 8.

The Prairie du Chien Community Guide  

The Prairie du Chien Chamberr of Commerce Community Guide is available today at the Chamber of Commerce! Thank you to Bob Moses and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together! 

Prairie du Chien Community Guide

Town Square Publications  (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.

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell to Highlight Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber’s First Legislative Forum of 2018

  

U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) will address local business leaders and the public at the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber of Commerce Legislative Forum luncheon on Tuesday, January 23, 11:00 AM at Crystal Gardens in Southgate. The event, presented by BASF Corporation, is the first of the Chamber’s 2018 Legislative and Business Forum series. The series is designed to educate and to promote communication between business and political leaders and is open to the public.

“We are honored to host Congresswoman Dingell and to learn about the key issues that will impact the Southern Wayne County business community this year,” commented Ronald J. Hinrichs, president of the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber of Commerce. “Congresswoman Dingell is a remarkable leader and public servant, and is a great speaker to kickoff our 2018 forum series.”

Space is limited and registration is requested for this event. Tickets are $20 each, and can be purchased at www.SWCRC.com, or by calling the Chamber office at 734-284-6000. Tickets are available at the door for $25 per person.

Corporate Sponsors for this event are AT&T, BASF Corporation, Comcast, DTE Energy, Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Monroe Bank & Trust, The News-Herald, SEMCA, United States Steel, Wayne County Community College District, Downriver Community Conference, Signarama of Allen Park, and Public Service Credit Union. Forum sponsors include Fritz Enterprises, Inc. and Howe-Peterson Funeral Home.

Businesses and individuals have the opportunity to sponsor a table of high school students, investing into our future leaders. Current high school sponsors include State Representative Frank Liberati and Ceasar Capital Management. Contact the Chamber office for more information at 734-284-6000.

Be sure to follow the Southern Wayne County Regional Chamber of Commerce on Facebook at facebook.com/SWCRC and the Chamber website for all the latest Chamber news and events.

Paducah Chamber Elects 2018 Officers And Board

Leon Owens, President of Swift & Staley, has been elected to serve as the 2018 Chair of the Board for the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce. Tammy Zimmerman, President/CEO of Payment Plus who was Chair in 2017, will serve as Immediate Past Chair. Daniel Jones, Owner/President of Strawberry Hills Pharmacy, has been elected as Chair-elect.

Leon Owens is President of Swift & Staley Inc. With 165 employees in Paducah, KY, the small business government prime-contractor is 100% employee owned and recognized as an exceptional infrastructure support services company. Before being named president, Owens held positions of increased responsibility ranging from Human Resource Manager, Operations & Maintenance Manager, Corporate Development Manager and Chief Operating Officer. Before joining Swift & Staley, he worked for 15 years as a production operator at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant. Owens earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Eastern Illinois University, and a master’s degree in business administration from Murray State University. He serves as vice-president of Portsmouth Mission Alliance, a board member of the Paducah/McCracken County Joint Sewer Agency, a former member of the Paducah Citizens Advisory Board, and a former member of the presidential appointed Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health.

In addition to Owens, Zimmerman and Jones, other members of the Chamber’s 2018 Executive Committee include: Chad Beyer, i5 Design Group, Vice Chair; Mike Karnes, Williams, Williams & Lentz, Treasurer; Cory Hicks, Four Rivers Nuclear Partnership, Vice Chair of Business Advocacy; Jim Dudley, KeeFORCE, Vice Chair of Membership and Marketing; Sonny Smith, Attorney with McMurry & Livingston, PLLC, Vice Chair of Education and Workforce; Terri Lundberg, Practice Manager, Lundberg Medical Imaging, Vice Chair of Small Business; and Sandra Wilson, President, Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce.

New Board members joining in 2018 are: Jessica Newman, Advantage Insurance; Gretta Rose, Beltline Electric; and Susan Ybarzabal, CFSB.

Continuing Board members are: Andy Carloss, Midtown Market; Tony Copeland, Arkema; Danny Evitts, Independence Bank; Bob Ezell, Computer Services Inc.; Barry Hatcher, Kemper CPA Group, LLP; Mardie Herndon, Paducah Bank (also Chair of PED); Mike Lawson, MP Lawson Construction; Dona Rains, Baptist Health; Wayne Reid, Lourdes; Craig Rice, Atmos Energy; Bill Robertson, Paducah Water; Greg Thompson, The Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky; and Shawn Washer, HDR Engineering, Inc.

Ex-officio Board members are: McCracken County Judge Executive Bob Leeper; Paducah Mayor Brandi Harless; Brian Harper, McCracken County Schools; Dr. Donald Shively, Paducah Independent Schools; Dr. Anton Reece, West Kentucky Community Technical College; Dr. Adrienne King, Murray State University; Scott Darnell, Paducah Economic Development; Matt Snow, Paducah Young Professionals; and Crystal Balentine, Leadership Paducah Foundation.

Logan County Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Map


The Logan County Chamber of Commerc Community Map is available at the Chamber today! Thanks to Tammy Tinsley, Dee Dee Brown, the Tourist & Convention Commission and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Logan County Community Map

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.

Chamber issue: We can benefit from new interstate

With talk of a new interstate being a possibility for Mississippi, area residents can anticipate a boost to the local economy. Just not in the next few years.

Originally proposed in 2005 to extend from Natchez eastward to Georgia or South Carolina, the Gulf Coast Strategic Highway — also known as Interstate 14 — has begun in west Texas. In 2015, Texas received a congressional designation for the interstate mostly consisting of U.S. 190, which cuts through the center of state. This April, the first section of I-14 was officially unveiled: a 25-mile stretch of U.S. 190.

Garrick Combs, executive director of the Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce and the Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation, said he is “pretty confident an interstate will be built” if the U.S. Congress designates the route.

If the route becomes a reality, it will likely convert part of Hwy. 84 into interstate highway. That means Brookhaven and Lincoln County would have an additional interstate.

Texas is the only state that has designated roads for this project, so Louisiana and Mississippi need to get on board next. A congressional briefing is anticipated to take place the week of Jan. 22, during which delegates from Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas will meet to garner support for the interstate.

Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, who serves on the state Highways and Transportation committee, believes another interstate in the area will definitely be a positive thing.

“Having another interstate gives the potential for more commercial, industrial and distribution center growth in Lincoln County,” said Doty. “I believe we would see the same type of businesses that are along I-55 replicated on and east/west route. Many national chains will only locate at an interstate exit and additional exits would provide a boost to the Lincoln County economy.”

Although getting the I-14 designation is the first step, the process looks to be a long one. Combs said it took 12 years from the time Hwy. 78 was designated as I-22 for the passage to be completed for motorists. That’s plenty of time to recruit new businesses to the area.

“It’s going to dramatically increase traffic counts throughout the area, spur commercial and retail development around Hwy. 51 and 84,” he said. “It should increase our favorability to companies who need to move lots of goods.”

More commercial and retail development means more business for construction crews and more employment opportunities for locals. It also means more opportunities for shopping, lodging and dining out.

We certainly hope that the “Future 14” project will come to fruition and serve as a step in the right direction for the people and businesses of Lincoln County. Daily Leader

Friday: 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and your Chamber of Commerce) by Patrick McGaughey (Chamber Mentor) - 

RULE #106    No chairman, no committee

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