#BestChamber practices: Dearborn Area Chamber Ribbon Cutting: STEP and the CVS Retail Training Class; Registration Open for BACC’s Network to Success Luncheon on Feb. 20; #FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Be happy!); 2020 Chamber of Commerce Serving Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County elect the 2020 Board of Directors; WELCOME HOME - The Nation's Premier New Resident Marketing Program for Your Chamber Members the Perfect Compliment for Welcome Wagon; Decision years ago to create Economic Partnership continues to pay dividends; The 2019 Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide; #FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Be happy!); The Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce Community Map; GROW NKY to Release Regional Immigrant Integration Community Plan at NKY International Festival; Dan Robinson Selected as new Seymour Chamber President; Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce holds 96th annual gathering; honors local businesses; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

 Feb. 10, 2020

Chamber of Commerce Daily News

presented by Town Square Publications

https://www.townsquarepublications.com 
by John Dussman

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


#BestChamber practices: Dearborn Area Chamber Ribbon Cutting: STEP and the CVS Retail Training Class

About the CVS Retail Training Class

In partnership with CVS, the classroom at STEP’s Dearborn Heights Thrift Store has been transformed into a mini CVS store. Participants learn every aspect of working for CVS and retail in general. Each participant puts into practice what they’ve learned by working at the STEP Thrift Store and a work trial program at a CVS Store. Graduates are given priority for hire at CVS stores, and gain skills and knowledge that they can carry with them anywhere.

About STEP

Dearborn-based Services to Enhance Potential (STEP) provides support and services to more than 1,300 disabled adults in Wayne County seeking employment opportunities.

What:             Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

A celebration of the CVS Classroom

and the partnership between STEP and CVS

When:                        Friday, February 7, 2020

2:00 pm

Where:           STEP Thrift Store and Donation Center

23830 Ford Rd

Dearborn Heights, MI 

Contact:               Daniel Cherrin

                             dcherrin@northcoaststrategies.com

                             313.300.0932

Registration Open for BACC’s Network to Success Luncheon on Feb. 20

 Registration is now open for the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) Network to Success Scramble Luncheon on Thursday, February 20, from 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Makray Memorial Golf Club, 1010 S. Northwest Hwy. in Barrington. Tickets are on sale for $40 per Barrington Area Chamber member and $50 per guest and include a three-course lunch.

The Network Scramble is a high-powered networking event that helps local businesses meet new contacts and make business connections during lunch. Participants are assigned to sit at different tables for each of the lunch courses, where they have the opportunity to pitch their business and answer discussion questions to promote their marketing initiatives. BACC encourages businesses to register early, because this event is limited to no more than four professionals per industry and no more than two representatives from each company. Participants receive a follow-up contact list of all attendees and are encouraged to provide company flyers or small items, at no additional charge, for goody bags distributed at the event.

For an additional $50, a table sponsorship includes: your company’s name on one of the networking tables, a half-page color ad in the program, and recognition during live announcements.

For information, visit the BACC website at www.BarringtonChamber.com, or call (847) 381-2525.

#FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Be happy!)

When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things - not the great occasions - that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness. Bob Hope

2020 Chamber of Commerce Serving Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County elect the 2020 Board of Directors

Lexington, VA - The Chamber of Commerce Serving Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County elected their 2020 officers and board of directors during their final meeting of the year on December 11, 2019.  The board of directors serve three-year terms.

John Stallard of C.H.E.F.S. Catering Company was elected President of the Chamber. John relocated to Rockbridge with his family in 2002.  Having more than thirty years in the culinary and restaurant industry, Stallard started C.H.E.F.S. (Creative Hospitality Events from Stoneridge) in 2005. The catering kitchen is set on the 32-acre property known as Stoneridge Inn just south of Lexington. 

Stallard and C.H.E.F.S. have contributed to many community organizations over the years, including Rockbridge Area Hospice, Rockbridge Area Habitat for Humanity, and the Lexington-Rockbridge Jaycees. C.H.E.F.S. has been a corporate sponsor of the Chamber for the past 4 years.

When asked his thoughts about stepping into the role of President, Stallard replied: “The Chamber’s message has been loud and clear in recent years: foster civic engagement, sustain economic progress and revitalization in our community and promote workforce education.  I wanted and needed to be part of something bigger than myself, so being more involved in the community and the county through the Chamber for the past 5 years has really shown me how truly blessed we are to be in such a beautiful, vibrant and growing community.”

Jim Jones from Natural Bridge State Park Manager, was elected to serve as Vice President. Jim became the park manager in July of 2016. He started his career as a ranger at Claytor Lakes and served in several other state parks throughout the Commonwealth as well as park headquarters for about 15 years.  Additionally, Jim operated his own business in sales and installation of commercial playgrounds in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland. After a decade and a half, he decided to leave the world of retail and returned to his original calling at state parks. 

His family roots are from Lee County; he grew up in Staunton and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School, has a bachelor degree in Forestry from Virginia Tech and lived in Botetourt County for most of his life, so he understands Southwest Virginia. He and his wife Jen are now residents of Rockbridge County, calling this home. Between them they have four children: Ethan, Rachel, Evan and Hallee. He looks forward to serving the communities of Rockbridge County, Lexington and Buena Vista.

Mary Buzzard grew up in Buena Vista and has spent her entire career in community banking, helping her neighbors, friends and family with their banking and mortgage needs. A founding member of the CornerStone Bank management team, Mary established the Retail Banking division and now serves as Vice President, Senior Retail Credit Officer & Mortgage Manager of CornerStone Mortgage Services. A mother of four, Mary enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, coaching softball, kayaking, fishing and other outdoor activities.

Also joining the board of directors are: Katherine Brinkley, Washington & Lee University; Shane Gonsalves, Sweet Treats Bakery; Christy Harris, Edward Jones Investments; and Lauren Welsh, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage.

The board of directors’ returning members are: Patrick Blevins, State Farm Insurance; Tim Braddick, Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc.; Steve Funkhouser, Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Department; Dave Hawkins, Raetz & Hawkins PC CPAs; John McCoy, Commonwealth Environmental Associates; Holly Ostby, Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital; Stacy Stevens, Bank of Botetourt and Virginia Mountain Mortgage; Jonathan Tarris, Tarris Law, Bobbie Wagner, Rockbridge YMCA; Jay Williams, Virginia Military Institute; and Ben Worth, Dabney S. Lancaster Community.

For more information about the Chamber of Commerce serving Lexington, Buena Vista and Rockbridge County, online business directory or community events, visit lexrockchamber.com or call (540) 463-5375.

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

the Perfect Compliment for Welcome Wagon...

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.




Welcome Home Geneva


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.

Decision years ago to create Economic Partnership continues to pay dividends

Last week, the Warren County Port Commission announced it had been the recipient of a large grant from the Mississippi Development Authority for infrastructure improvements to the Ceres Industrial Park. 

Specifically, the grant will be used to help fund construction of a road to the park’s largest open site, going near the Tyson’s plant and over a creek. 

Completion of the road will check yet another box in the Port Commission’s to-do list in making the park, and the large open site in particular, among the most marketable locations in the state of Mississippi and this region.

In a few weeks, the Love’s Travel Center will be completed and traffic at the Flowers exit will grow at a rapid pace, not just bringing additional exposure and business to the industrial park complex, but all of Warren County. 

When you add this grant and the work it will help fund, along with the project ready status recently received by Entergy, the Ceres Industrial Park is moving from an after-thought in economic development circles to among the brightest attractions for local, regional and state economic development recruiters.

There are those who still want to question the move made a few years ago when the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Foundation and the Port Commission merged into what is now referred to as the Vicksburg-Warren Economic Development Partnership and went out to recruit a new director and economic developer. They found Pablo Diaz.

In that time, Pablo and his team, along with visionary business leaders on each of the boards of the chamber, foundation and commission, have set down a path that has fixed issues, made tough decisions and made the needed investments to strengthen the economic foundation of our community.

With all of this success, all of the progress and even more yet to come, how can there be any more questions? The results are the only answers we need.

This week, the Vicksburg-Warren County Chamber of Commerce will mark its 125th anniversary at the chamber’s annual meeting Friday at the Vicksburg Convention Center. In many ways, it will be a celebration of the chamber’s past and its present.

But as a part of the economic triad that makes up the Partnership, the chamber should also celebrate its future and the role it plays — along with the Port Commission and Economic Development Foundation — in driving Vicksburg and Warren County’s economic successes.

Congratulations once again to all those who have been a part of these recent successes and economic victories; it’s our feeling the best is still yet to come. Read more: Vicksburg Post

The 2019 Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide

The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide & Map is available at the chamber today ! Thanks to Maggie Dobson and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together! 

A Guide to Cedarburg

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.

The Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce Community Map

The Valparaiso Chamber Community Map is now available at the Valpo Chamber today! Thanks to Rex Richards, Danielle Oeding and Kurt Gillins and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Valparaiso Chamber map

Town Square Publications  (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. 

GROW NKY to Release Regional Immigrant Integration Community Plan at NKY International Festival

GROW NKY, the strategic workforce collective working to leverage Northern Kentucky’s assets to grow, attract and retain a globally competitive workforce, announced today that they will release a regional immigrant integration community plan at the NKY International Festival on March 14, 2020 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. The 2020 Gateways for Growth Community Immigrant Integration Plan is a follow up to research released by New American Economy (NAE) in partnership with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Duke Energy and Gateway Community and Technical College in June 2019.

“Successful immigrant integration drives economic growth,” said Leisa Mulcahy, Managing Director of GROW NKY and Vice President of Workforce at NKY Chamber. “Data indicates that immigrants represent a rich potential pool for workforce talent right here in Boone, Kenton, and Campbell counties. Introducing this new community plan at a regional festival celebrating diversity and unity simply makes sense. It’s the perfect venue and opportunity.”

The initial research conducted by NAE was part of the Gateways for Growth award the NKY Chamber received last year for GROW NKY. The grant provided for a data report on existing immigrant populations as an important first step in determining the impact the immigrant population has on the local economy as well as the workforce.


The 2020 Gateways for Growth Community Plan will outline action steps to:

• Celebrate and promote Northern Kentucky’s global diversity
• Encourage and support strong immigrant leadership and civic engagement
• Facilitate meaningful cross-cultural connections
• Provide equitable access to community, health, and safety services
• Support students in gaining the education required to success in the workforce
• Establish and support inclusive recruitment, retention, and advancement strategies
• Enhance access to career pathways

Northern Kentucky was one of only 14 communities selected nationally for the 2019 Gateways for Growth award to receive research from NAE and technical assistance from NAE and Welcoming America to support this work. The NKY Chamber also received a matching grant of $12,500 from Duke Energy. Grant partners included Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board, Duke Energy, Gateway Community and Technical College, and Catholic Charities of Louisville, Kentucky - Office for Refugees.

“We’re thankful for the support of GROW NKY and their commitment to inclusive workforce development strategies across the region,” said Darren Wurz of Covington Rotary. “The NKY International Festival is a free, family-friendly celebration our region’s global heritage and we’re honored to be the springboard event for this vital report.”

The NKY International Festival is March 14 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center. Admission to the NKY International Festival is free and open to the public. The festival is sponsored by GROW NKY, Duke Energy, Clark Schaeffer Hackett, Gateway Community and Technical College, Heritage Bank and Thomas More University. The NKY international Festival is also supported by a Rotary International District Grant.

To learn more about GROW NKY visit nkychamber.com/GROW. To learn more about the NKY International Festival, visit nkyinternationalfestival.com. Source: NKY Chamber

Dan Robinson Selected as new Seymour Chamber President

The Seymour Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has announced the selection of Dan Robison as the new Chamber President, effective March 2. Robison succeeds Tricia Bechman, who resigned in November after serving the chamber for over five years.

“We conducted a very broad and exhaustive search for our new president, engaging the help of the Indiana Chamber Executives Association,” said Jay Fischer, Board Treasurer and Chairman of the Search Committee. “Dan’s skillset and community and business experience checked all of the boxes that we were looking for to lead our organization forward.”

The Seymour Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1931, and Robison becomes its ninth president. Read more: LocalNewsDigital


Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce holds 96th annual gathering; honors local businesses

Businesses looking for a reason to come to or stay in Rhinelander got a taste of how the city's leaders champion economic growth Thursday night.

The Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce held its 96th annual gathering with a "roaring 20s" themed celebratory dinner.

Several businesses were honored for their decades of membership; Ripco Credit Union reached a 40 year milestone most notably.

Looking ahead, executive director Lauren Sackett said the chamber hopes to better incentivize businesses to make Rhinelander their home. 

At Thursday's event, Sacket was also surprised with the "Spirit of the Hodag" award. She said she was honored to work with local businesses.

"Myself and my staff consider it to be a tremendous honor to be advocates for our business and our residents, promoters of the vibrant community we share with our visitors, and defenders of the attitude that we should be putting our community first," said Sackett.

Casa Mexicana, Lights of the Northwoods and Quality Collision Center were chosen by the community as the best retail, tourism and industrial businesses of the year respectively. 

Downtown Rhinelander Inc. was chosen as the non-profit organization of the year while Dave Heck and Erica Sauer was chosen as the male and female volunteer of the year respectively. 

Additionally, all the dinnerware and food at Thursday's event was composted like it was at Rhinelander's inaugural Project North Festival in 2019. Read more: WJFW 12

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