Monday, September 30, 2019

Chicago Fed Index Points to a Pickup in Midwest Economic Growth in August; Flint & Genesee Chamber and GM launch small business grant program; #FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Be happy!); The GOA marks 40 years of supporting suburban business; Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2019 Community Profile & Membership Directory; Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.'s VP Ellen Cutter wins national ’40 Under 40′ award; 2019 Portage County Business Council Job Fair - Monday, September 30, 2019 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center; WELCOME HOME - The Nation's Premier New Resident Marketing Program for Your Chamber Members; October Power In Partnership to feature Kentucky Governor’s Race; South Suburban Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Resource Guide & Business Directory; Northern Virginia Chamber and PSC Announce 2019 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards™ Finalists; Covington 10th graders learning soft skills from Aspire Mississippi team; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.



Good morning #ChamberWorld! It's going to be a GREAT day!

Chicago Fed Index Points to a Pickup in Midwest Economic Growth in August



The Midwest Economy Index (MEI) moved up to –0.26 in August from –0.37 in July. Contributions to the August MEI from three of the four broad sectors of nonfarm business activity and one of the five Seventh Federal Reserve District states increased from July. The relative MEI decreased to –0.27 in August from –0.06 in July. Contributions to the August relative MEI from all four sectors and all five states decreased from July. Read more


Flint & Genesee Chamber and GM launch small business grant program

Today, General Motors (GM) and the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce announced a grant program to help Flint neighborhood businesses address challenges that impede their ability to grow and thrive. Known as the Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant Program, the $200,000 GM-funded initiative aims to expand revitalization efforts across the city’s neighborhoods by supporting local businesses and increasing the capacity of nonprofits doing vital work there to support residents.




(From l-r) Mark Miller, Regional Director, GM Customer Care and Aftersales; Mike Perez, GM Flint Assembly Plant Executive Director; Jane Worthing, CEO, The Genesee Group & RLC Chair; Lori Wingerter, GM Chief Philanthropic Officer; Terry Rhadigan, GM Executive Director of Corporate Giving; and Tim Herman, CEO, Flint & Genesee Chamber.

The competitive program will award grants up to $10,000 to help eligible small businesses in Flint expand, make repairs and leasehold improvements, purchase inventory and equipment, and make façade improvements. In addition, the businesses receiving grants will support nonprofits to address a variety of challenges, such as transportation, blight, infrastructure, housing, youth and senior services, education, public safety and health and well-being to create stronger connections for residents to each other and other valuable resources.

“General Motors cares about the communities where we live and work and about building a stronger future for us all. We look forward to partnering with small businesses throughout Flint to remove barriers to their success and to contribute to the economic growth of their neighborhoods,” said Terry Rhadigan, GM’s executive director of corporate giving.

“The collaborative effort between GM and the Flint & Genesee Chamber – announced during the Chamber’s Regional Leadership Council (RLC) meeting at Factory One – is the newest phase of the Moving Flint Forward initiative that began at the height of the Flint water crisis,” said Chamber CEO Tim Herman.

“Flint’s recovery and revitalization must extend beyond downtown and include our neighborhoods to see long-term, sustainable change,” said Herman. “The grants will help accomplish this by empowering neighborhood small businesses to address their challenges but also support the needs of local nonprofits. That’s why we are excited to partner with GM on this unique grant program.”

“GM was born in Flint and continues to thrive here, so the community’s livelihood is extremely important to us. From the wages we pay our Flint-area employees to our spending with local suppliers, this grant program is another opportunity for us to invest in our community,” said Mike Perez, plant executive director for GM Flint Assembly.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis after completing an application, which includes explaining how the funds will be used and the impact the improvements will have on the surrounding neighborhood. Additionally, businesses will be required to support a nonprofit neighborhood organization and show evidence of assistance delivered, such as volunteering, coordinating a service project or providing pro bono services.

The program is open to anyone who owns and operates a small business within the city of Flint. Small businesses for this program will be defined as 20 or fewer employees and may not be a franchise operation. Applications will be reviewed by a committee comprised of representatives from GM, the Flint & Genesee Chamber, the City of Flint, local grant-making organizations and community members.

Technical assistance will be provided to assist with the application process, implementation and tracking of grant activities to ensure requirements are met and businesses are using funds appropriately, and connections to resources that will bolster the businesses’ capacity beyond the grant period. Grantees will be required to meet as a group several times during the grant period to network, provide updates on grant activities, share best practices/lessons learned, discuss service projects and possible connections and receive technical support.

More information about the Moving Flint Forward Small Business Grant Program, including the online application, process for completion and submission deadline, is available at FlintandGenesee.org/Moving-Flint-Forward.



#FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Be happy!)

"Your heart knows the way"

The GOA marks 40 years of supporting suburban business


You could say Shirlanne Lemm and The GOA Regional Business Association grew up together.

The association is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year as a key advocacy and networking group for suburban businesses. Lemm, who's been GOA's president and CEO since 2009, has been with the organization for 35 of those 40 years.


Both have shared the experience of watching the suburbs grow in the prosperity of the late 20th Century, as well as the evolution of businesses in the early 21st Century.

When The GOA formed from the merger of the Elk Grove Village and Bensenville chambers of commerce in 1979, Lemm said, the idea was the suburban business community would find strength through unity.

"Our tagline (at the time) was 'We could do much more together,'" she said. "By joining the organizations, they would have a more powerful voice on political and business issues."

Since then, the organization has been an active advocate for local business, providing services from networking events and workshops to lobbying state lawmakers in Springfield for legislation that supports business.

Throughout the years, Lemm and The GOA have seen several changes in the business community, some of which have provided additional challenges for many business organizations.

Membership, for one, has been a factor. Lemm notes that 40 years ago, members would usually stay with the same company for most of their careers, which provided continuity. Today, members come and go as they move from one company to another, which has put the onus on organizations to recruit new company member when one leaves that company.

"People are a lot more fluid in their jobs now," she said.

The GOA currently has about 800 members representing local businesses, as well as companies from Wisconsin to Kankakee, Lemm said.

"Part of the thing that has been great for us is that because we're regional, a lot of our events are well attended," she added.

Social media and the way people communicate and network through sites such as LinkedIn and Instagram has also been a challenge. But, Lemm noted the fear many years ago that online networking would replace chambers and business organizations never panned out, as people have continued to find more value in face-to-face networking.

"You do business with the people you know, like and trust," she said, "and just knowing someone from Facebook ... you don't know them personally.

"There's always going to be a place for an organization such as ours that brings businesses together and creates the opportunity for you to build relationships."

What social media has brought, though, is a significant change in the way people communicate -- especially with Millennials. Lemm said the organization has adapted to reach business people -- from Baby Boomers to Millennials -- through the channels each generation is comfortable with.

"You run the gamut," she said. "So we'll print scheduled events that we mail out, but we also send them out on Facebook and Instagram."


Lemm said that while the association has accomplished much for its members during its 40 years, she finds the most satisfaction from seeing local members grow and become successful.

"Our whole purpose is that we are pro-business advocates," she said. "We go to Springfield and fight for the betterment for business. But creating that opportunity for people to connect and grow their business ... I don't think that will ever go out of style." Read more: Daily Herald


Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2019 Community Profile & Membership Directory

The Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Profile & Membership Directory is available at the Crossroads Regional Chamber today! Thanks to Sue Reed and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!





Crossroads Regional Chamber 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.

Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.'s VP Ellen Cutter wins national ’40 Under 40′ award


Ellen Cutter has been named to the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ (ACCE) “40 Under 40” list for 2019. Cutter, Greater Fort Wayne Inc.’s VP of economic development, received the award Monday night at the ACCE’s Annual Convention in Long Beach, Calif. The awards honor the best and brightest men and women under the age of 40 in the chamber industry.
“Ellen has dedicated her career to community service,” said John Urbahns, president and CEO of GFW Inc. “She has been instrumental in our community’s growth, is a joy to work with, and is one of the brightest young leaders I have encountered in more than two decades of community development. We’re on a mission to build a nationally recognized economy in Allen County, and we’re fortunate to have someone like Ellen, who is among the best in the U.S. in our industry.”
Cutter was selected from a field of more than 110 applicants. Award criteria include demonstrated success in the chamber profession and significant contributions to the community.
As vice president of economic development, Cutter manages business retention, business attraction, downtown development, airport development, and workforce development activities. she previously served for three years as director of the Community Research Institute at Purdue University Fort Wayne. During that time, she collaborated with GFW Inc. on the Northeast Indiana Target Industries report and as the project manager of the “Road to One Million Plan” for the Indiana Economic Development Corp.’s Regional Cities program, which secured $42 million for quality-of-place projects.
Prior to working in Fort Wayne, she served as principal and director of research for Market Street Services, a community and economic development consulting firm based in Atlanta. Her eight-year tenure included strategic planning and technical assistance in more than 20 states and dozens of communities ranging from Des Moines, Iowa, to Austin, Texas, and the State of West Virginia.
A Chicago-area native, Cutter is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, and she earned her Master of City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech, with a focus on economic development and land use. She is an AICP-certified urban planner.
“I’m honored to be included on this list,” Cutter said. “It’s a reflection of the exceptional team we have at GFW Inc. We take the responsibility of growing jobs, wages, and the economy very seriously, and the progress we make every day is a true team effort.”
Also at Monday’s ACCE awards banquet, GFW Inc. accepted three national Communications Excellence awards. GFW Inc. won Best in Show and a Grand Award for its 2018 campaign promoting Electric Works. The ACCE also honored GFW Inc.’s digital marketing strategy—which includes social media, email marketing, and a revamped website—with an Award of Excellence.
“We want to be the best in the country in everything we do,” Urbahns said. “Every day, we compete nationally against other communities to grow jobs, wages, and the economy, and our marketing materials help set us apart. We’re proud to highlight Allen County as the vibrant community it is.”
Judges named three Best in Show winners, 10 Grand Award winners, and 41 Award of Excellence recipients out of more than 160 entries in 2019. Grand Award winners went on to compete for the title of Best in Show, which recognized the best piece across each category.
A panel of communications and marketing professionals from six U.S.-based chambers of commerce evaluated entries, which were organized by category (based on the chamber’s annual budget) and entry type: advertising and marketing, campaigns, digital, and publications. Read more: Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.

2019 Portage County Business Council Job Fair - Monday, September 30, 2019
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center

Are you looking for an exciting new career opportunity? If so, the 2019 Portage County Business Council Job Fair is the place for you! There is no cost to attend and you will be able to talk with employers from many industry sectors. Companies will be on-hand to fill full-time, part-time, seasonal, and permanent positions. Many businesses will have on-site applications and same day interviews. In addition to the many hiring professionals represented, Tim Solinger of Full Sail Writing & Editing Services, LLC will be available to review your resume for free. Be sure to stop by and take the next step toward a rewarding career!

For more information, please contact:
Tonya Kowalski
Portage County Business Council
715-344-1940
tkowalski@portagecountybiz.com



WELCOME HOME - The Nation's Premier New Resident Marketing Program for Your Chamber Members 

Welcome Home, the nation's premier new resident marketing program,is a new mover marketing program designed to help get your chamber members' businesses  in front of the most valuable audiences - new residents.

Exclusive to chamber members, the WELCOME HOME program is a remarkable advertising tool, highly visible, targeted and delivered direct to new resident's mailboxes, catching them as they establish new buying habits.

In addition, WELCOME HOME is distributed to local libraries, park districts, municipalities and your local chamber office.

Get your members in front of one of the most valuable audiences: NEW RESIDENTS.

Don't miss this opportunity to promote your member businesses to new residents ON A MONTHLY BASIS, ALL YEAR LONG!

Mailed monthly to new movers from the previous 30 days!

They are new to the neighborhood. They have money to spend. They need your member's businesses and services.





Palatine Area Chamber WELCOME HOME

Town Square Publications  (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's NEW MOVER publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.


October Power In Partnership to feature Kentucky Governor’s Race

The two candidates running for Governor of Kentucky will participate in a forum as the program for the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Power in Partnership luncheon on Thursday, October 3rd at 11:30 a.m. The event will be held at the Julian Carroll Convention Center. Paducah Bank is the sponsor. The luncheon event is being held instead of the Chamber’s monthly breakfast and will be aired live on WPSD Local 6 during their noon news hour.  Attendees must pre-register to attend.  The doors will open at 11 a.m. The program will be held between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost to attend is $20.     

The program will feature Governor Matt Bevin and Attorney General Andy Beshear.  Todd Faulkner, WPSD Local 6 Evening News Anchor, will be the moderator.  The two candidates for Governor will answer questions from a media panel comprised of Jennifer Horbelt, WPSD Local 6 Evening News Co-anchor; Joshua Roberts, The Paducah Sun Assistant Editor; Greg Dunker, WKYX – WKYQ Radio; and Ryland Barton, WKMS National Public Radio.   

Governor Matt Bevin, 52, is the Republican candidate and currently serving as the 62nd Governor of Kentucky.  He and his wife Glenna, have nine children.  He is a US Army veteran and small business owner. He is a graduate of Washington and Lee University and upon graduation he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Army, ultimately rising to the rank of Captain. He spent four years on active duty with primary responsibilities as the 5th Mechanized Infantry Division Artillery’s counterfire officer.

Attorney General Andy Beshear, 41, is serving as the 50th Attorney General of Kentucky and is the Democratic nominee for Governor.  He and his wife Britainy have two children.  He is the son of Steve Beshear, the 61st Governor of Kentucky.  He is an attorney and graduate of Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia. 

Attendees are asked to follow these guidelines:
·         No campaign banners, brochures, buttons, pens or other campaign materials or promotion activities will be permitted by attendees.
·         Supporters must be respectful and courteous.  No unruly behavior will be allowed.  Those who do not follow these rules will be asked to leave.
·         The audience will be asked to remain silent during the Forum and to refrain from responding to any candidate’s answers or comments.

Attendees who are not a Chamber Power Card holder, should make reservations by noon, Tuesday, October 1, online at paducahchamber.org, email info@paducahchamber.org or call the Chamber at 443-1746.


South Suburban Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Resource Guide & Business Directory  

The Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Guide & Business Directory   is available at the Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Barbara Wesener and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together! 






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.

Northern Virginia Chamber and PSC Announce 2019 Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards™ Finalists

Winners to be Announced Live at the 17th Annual Awards Gala on November 6 at 6 p.m. EST


Tysons, VA – Today, the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (Northern Virginia Chamber) and the Professional Services Council (PSC) announced the finalists for the 17th Annual Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards™ (GovCon Awards), the premier awards event for the Washington area government contracting community. The winners will be recognized during the annual awards gala on Wednesday, November 6 at The Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner. 
The purpose of the GovCon Awards is to honor the exceptional work of the leaders and businesses in the region's government contracting sector.  The award categories include: Contractor of the Year in four revenue categories, Executive of the Year in three revenue categories, and one Program of the Year.  The Program of the Year, introduced in 2014, will represent the most successful contracted program chosen from among the finalists of all four “Contractor of the Year” categories and will be presented on November 6 at the awards. 

The 2019 Washington Government Contractor Awards Finalists are:

Contractor of the Year:
Up to $25 Million
• Arena Technologies
• Datastrong
• DT Global (Development Transformations, LLC)
• HigherEchelon
• Mobius
$25 – 75 Million
• Acclaim Technical Services. Inc.
• Advanced Concepts and Technologies International, L.L.C. (ACT I)
• Amyx, Inc.
• Apprio, Inc.
• Ridgeline International

$75 – 300 Million
• AbleVets
• DCS Corp.
• Kearney & Company 
• Knight Point Systems
• Net Esolutions (NETE)
• Octo Consulting
Over $300 Million
• American Systems
• Emergent BioSolutions
• Parsons
• SAIC
• SOSi
Executive of the Year:
Up to $75 Million
• Dave Cerne, Acclaim Technical Services, Inc. (ATS)
• Tony Crescenzo, IntelliDyne, Inc.
• Matt Jones, TMA: An SAP NS2 Company
• Robin Portman, Atlas Research
• Chad Sehlke, Sehlke Consulting, LLC
$75 – 300 Million
• Cynthia Barreda, NetCentrics
• Bob Eisiminger, Knight Point Systems
• Andrew Maner, E3/Sentinel
• Mehul Sanghani, Octo Consulting
• William Vantine, Systems Planning & Analysis Inc.
 
Over $300 Million
• Mac Curtis, Perspecta
• Scott McIntyre, Guidehouse
• Tom Romeo, Maximus Federal
• Julian Setian, SOSi
• Carey Smith, Parsons

In addition, an outstanding leader from the government contracting sector will be inducted into the Greater Washington Government Contractor Awards Hall of Fame in honor of his or her tremendous lifetime achievements and one individual is selected as the Public Sector Partner of the Year for outstanding contributions to promote effective partnerships between the sectors.
Hall of Fame: Ed Bersoff, Chairman, Parabilis, LLC.

Public Sector Partner of the Year: General Paul J. Selva, 10th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, United States Air Force
“The 2019 Greater Washington Government Contractor Award finalists are the pre-eminent leaders in the government contracting community,” said Julie Coons, Northern Virginia Chamber president and CEO. “The selection process is highly competitive, and all finalists should be very proud of this achievement.” 
“These finalists represent the best that the private sector brings to public service and solving problems for the government,” said David J. Berteau, PSC President and CEO. “Together, PSC and the Chamber salute their accomplishments and eagerly anticipate their future success.”
In keeping with the program’s history of identifying a charitable partner, Operation Renewed Hope Foundation was chosen for their commitment to providing quality housing and supportive services to our nation’s homeless veterans. They also provide a range of services assisting veterans and breaking their cycle of homelessness. 
More information about the GovCon Awards can be found at www.novachamber.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter through @NovaChamber and @PSCSpeaks and hashtags: #GovCon2019 #GovConAwards #GovConAwards2019. 
CONTACT: Nikki Lyon, Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce         


Covington 10th graders learning soft skills from Aspire Mississippi team



 Tenth grade students across Covington County this week are getting a crash course in soft-skills training, thanks to a state-sponsored economic development program.
Students at Mount Olive, Seminary and Collins are getting tips on resume writing and learning how to conduct themselves on job interviews.
“I think it will help me in the long run in the future, to be successful in what I want to do,” said Desmon Keyes, a student at Mount Olive High School.
“I thought [resume writing, interview skills] was something that I could just bypass, but I learned that it’s not and I’m going to need it,” said Christopher Rivere, another student at Mount Olive High School.
The training is offered by the group, “Families First” and organized by Covington County’s Aspire Mississippi Team.
Aspire Mississippi is a program from the Mississippi Development Authority. It encourages economic growth through the development of local projects.
“We would like this program to be ongoing, presented every year in the tenth grade, it’s very important,” said Marie Shoemake, executive director of the Covington County Chamber of Commerce and a member of the county’s Aspire Mississippi team.
Covington County is one of six counties selected to participate in this year’s Aspire Mississippi program. Read more: WDAM.com


Good morning #ChamberWorld! 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     

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