Good morning #ChamberWorld! It's going to be a great day!
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of January 11
The U.S. Small Business
Administration, in consultation with the Treasury Department, announced on
January 8, that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) will re-open the week of
January 11 for new borrowers and certain existing PPP borrowers. To promote
access to capital, initially only community financial institutions will be able
to make First Draw PPP Loans on Monday, January 11, and Second Draw PPP Loans
on Wednesday, January 13. The PPP will open to all participating lenders
shortly thereafter. Updated PPP guidance outlining Program changes to enhance
its effectiveness and accessibility was released on January 6 in accordance
with the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Non-Profits, and Venues Act.
This round of the PPP continues
to prioritize millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing
up to $284 billion toward job retention and certain other expenses through
March 31, 2021, and by allowing certain existing PPP borrowers to apply for a
Second Draw PPP Loan.
Effingham County Chamber President & CEO Norma Lansing Announces Retirement
The Effingham County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announces the upcoming retirement of President & CEO Norma Lansing, effective April 30, 2021.
Lansing has served as President & CEO since 1988. During her tenure, the Chamber has nearly doubled in membership size, became a county-wide chamber and introduced many key programs including the Chamber Community Scholarship Program that has awarded over $200,000 to local students, the Business Outreach Center which serves local entrepreneurs and business owners with counseling, services and the Cooperative Energy Buying Program, offering business savings on their commercial energy needs.
Under Norma’s leadership, the Chamber has won numerous state, regional and industry awards, including being named national Chamber of the Year in 2020 and the Illinois Chamber of the Year in 2016. Lansing has built relationships between business, education and government that have resulted in programs such as Effingham County CEO, Effingham County Vision 2020 and Effingham Regional Career Academy.
She has been the recipient of a leadership award from the Illinois Workforce Partnership, Distinguished Illinois Chamber Executive Award by the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, Outstanding Leadership in Community and Economic Development by East Central Illinois Development Corporation and the Vocational Excellence Award by Effingham Noon Rotary. She is an accredited Illinois Chamber Executive and graduate of the Institute for Organization Management, Basic Economic Development Course and Dale Carnegie training.
In announcing Lansing’s retirement, Chamber Board Chairman Jeff Speer of ReMax Key Advantage noted, “The Board of Directors and I appreciate the 30 + years of service that Lansing has contributed to the growth and success of the Chamber. At every meeting, my appreciation of Norma’s leadership and admiration for how much she loves our community grows.
“We understand that finding Lansing’s replacement will be difficult, but we have been working on this succession plan for nearly two years and are confident that we will attract an experienced and capable individual to lead the Chamber in its role as the leading business development organization in Effingham County”, Speer concluded.
The Chamber Board has retained Ottsie, LLC, Sally Rutledge Ott, ACE, NFPC, to conduct a search for the next Chamber President & CEO. For more information, email Sally at effceochamber@gmail.com.
Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2020 Community Profile & Membership Directory
The Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce 2020 Community Profile & Membership Directory is available at the Crossroads Regional Chamber today! Thanks to Deann Patena and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!!
Crossroads 2020 Community Profile and 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 Owensboro Chamber Kentucky General Assembly Update: Senate Bill 5 Provides Business Liability Protection
Many new faces were sworn in this Tuesday, including 22 new representatives and five new senators. That increased the super majority of the Republican Party in both chambers, 75-25 and 30-8, respectively.
The House announced the following changes to the rules that guide its session:
Abolished the consent calendar, which grouped bills together under one vote rather than individually considering each bill.
Bills no longer have to be posted in committee for three days prior to a reading; instead, only one day will be required. Posting of some bills has been waived by legislative leadership in the past, and House Majority Floor Leader Steven Rudy explained that in a short session the rule change will simply forego the need to waive posting.
Both chambers gave the first of three readings to priority bills today, an atypical move for most opening days.
The 2021 regular session is a short session with a maximum of 30 legislative days available for the General Assembly to take action. Several legislators have suggested that the calendar will change to include working this Saturday, January 9, along with adding some days next week to pass priority legislation and push the budget process to the front of the session rather than waiting until the final days to do so.
This year’s legislative session will last 30 working days and is required to end by March 30.
The legislation being considered is mostly related to limiting Gubernatorial powers. They also deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, abortion and the courts system. Yesterday nine of the 10 bills passed in their respective chambers, putting them track to pass by tomorrow.
It is anticipated that a majority of the legislation will be vetoed by Beshear.
However, with super majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly, Republicans have the ability to override any vetoes.
Summaries of the majority's proposed priority legislation follows:
HOUSE BILL 1
Allows businesses and schools to stay open as long as they “meet or exceed” guidance issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, detail their plan and post it on their door. Provisions waive interest and penalties on employer’s unpaid unemployment insurance bills until 2022.
Allows family visitation for children in foster care during an emergency.
Allows nursing homes residents to have one designated “essential personal care visitor” who would be exempt from any orders preventing visitation in nursing homes.
HOUSE BILL 2
Transfers the power to enforce state abortion laws from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to the Attorney General’s office.
Allows the Attorney General to seek civil and criminal penalties for any violation of the law.
Defines abortions as “elective” procedures— a response to the COVID-19 shutdown last spring when elective surgeries were suspended but abortions were deemed essential procedures and were allowed to continue.
HOUSE BILL 3
Creates three judicial districts spreading the cases filed against state government around the state instead of only in Franklin County Circuit Court.
The chief justice of the Supreme Court would select one judge from each of the three districts to convene a panel to hear the case.
The first district includes 54 counties in Western Kentucky (including the Greater Owensboro region counties), the second district includes 13 counties in Central Kentucky and the third district includes 53 counties in Eastern and Northern Kentucky.
HOUSE BILL 4 (Constitutional amendment requiring voter approval in 2022)
Our current Constitution requires the General Assembly to finish legislative sessions on March 30 in odd-numbered years and on April 15 in even-numbered years.
House Bill 4 proposes striking those set dates allowing the legislature to convene at any time of the year and allows 10 extra days per year if approved by three fifths of each chamber of the General Assembly.
HOUSE BILL 5
Prohibits governor from temporarily reorganizing the executive branch cabinets, boards, agencies and commissions when the legislature is not in session.
Keep existing law that requires legislative approval of any changes to the organizational structure of the executive branch.
SENATE BILL 1
Proposes placing a 30-day expiration date on any executive order restricting in-person meeting of schools, businesses and religious organizations unless the order is extended by the General Assembly. The bill gives local governments more flexibility for emergency orders they institute.
Requires approval from the Attorney General if the governor wishes to suspend a statute through executive order during an emergency.
Requires the governor’s office to give a report every 30 days about the contracts issued and revenues received while the state is under an emergency order.
SENATE BILL 2
Provides legislature more oversight over emergency regulations and allows legislative committees to amend the regulations or find them deficient. It also creates provisions allowing public comment on the regulations.
SENATE BILL 3
Removes the lieutenant governor as a member of the Kentucky Council on Agriculture
Transfers authority over the Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation and the Agricultural Development Board from the governor to the commissioner of agriculture.
SENATE BILL 5
Provides liability protections for businesses operating during emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill seeks to protect businesses from being sued if someone catches the virus at the business.
It would not protect a business from “wanton, willful, malicious, grossly negligent, or intentional failure to adhere to executive actions while the declared emergency continues.”
SENATE BILL 9
“Born Alive Infant Protection Act” requires physicians to “give medically appropriate and reasonable life-saving and life-sustaining medical care and treatment to all born-alive infants” and requires any abortion provider to take any appropriate steps to protect the life of a “born-alive infant” and makes it a felony if the provider does not comply.
Crossroads Regional Chamber: From the Prez
To Crossroads Regional Chamber Members and Community,Happy New Year!
As we enter into 2021 we hope to move forward with our favorite events as well as some new ones.
We have an exciting January program featuring Congressman Frank Mrvan. Please register to receive the zoom information.
We will be hosting our Annual Business Expo on February 16, 2021. Information regarding sponsorships and registration is in the newsletter.
On March 13 we are planning a new event this year at the New Dean and Barbara White Community Center in Merrillville. We will be Celebrating the Chamber turning 10 years and honoring our local business community. More information to follow.
We have several sponsorship opportunities available and our Partnership Program is available now for anyone interested.
Please contact me at deann@crossroadschamber.org if I can help in any way.
Be Safe,
Deann Patena
President/CEO
MeQuon Thiensville Community Profile and Membership Directory
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.
Clarkston Area Chamber and the Oakland Chamber Network: PPP, EIDL, & SBA Resources for Small Biz
Join us on Thursday, January 21 at 1:00pm for PPP, EIDL & SBA Resources for Small Biz brought to you by the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce through Oakland Chamber Network. The SBA Michigan District Office along with the SBA Region V Administrator will discuss PPP updates and loan forgiveness, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), and new resources included in the recently passed $900 billion stimulus package.
There is no cost to attend, but registration is required to receive the link to join us via Zoom.
GRAC: Results of the 2021 West Michigan Business Advocacy Survey are in
With responses from more than 700 members, the Chamber survey shows COVID-19 business relief and recovery, a talented workforce, and healthcare affordability as the top three issues for West Michigan businesses in 2021.
The Annual Survey, coupled with our legislative priorities, is the foundation for our advocacy for member-driven policy and allows us to better inform government of our business’s needs.
Watch the video below to learn more about what our team is doing to address these concerns for you. 
“With vaccines and an end to the pandemic on the horizon, this is valuable input from our business community as we work to build a strong recovery,” said Rick Baker, President and & CEO of the Chamber. “The message is clear: create a business climate that supports small businesses and those impacted by public health restrictions as well as tackle barriers to business growth, like talent, to make West Michigan a prosperous region for all.”
In this year’s survey, over 70% of respondents said that our West Michigan business climate was either favorable or very favorable – a significant backtrack from last year’s 94% favorability and many preceding years in the upper 90’s. 78% of this year’s respondents represented small or mid-sized businesses.
“Public health measures and business restrictions put in place to beat the pandemic have certainly impacted this metric,” continued Baker. “We are focused on working local, regional and state leaders to get this perception back on track. We must strive to be the best place to start and run a business in 2021.”
See the survey results here and to learn more about our team’s work within the top three issues – COVID-19 relief and recovery, talent, and healthcare – visit the Chamber website.
Roanoke Regional Partnership names new executive director - John Hull succeeds Beth Doughty
The Roanoke Regional Partnership announced Tuesday that John Hull has been named as its executive director. He succeeds Beth Doughty, who retired in December 2020 after 22 years with the organization.
Hull has worked with the partnership since 2010, most recently serving as its director of marketing intelligence. He was previously the acting director of business investment and executive director of the Western Virginia Regional Industrial Facility Authority and regional economic development manager with the Roanoke Valley Alleghany Regional Commission.
“John is one of those rare individuals that is a data-driven decision maker, yet understands the importance of relationships,” Roanoke Regional Partnership President Brett Marston said in a statement. “I look forward to working with him on the partnership’s current activities, as well as on future initiatives.”
Doughty joined the Roanoke Regional Partnership in 1990 as marketing director, served as executive director from 1992 to 1999 and then served as president of the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce from 1999 to 2008. She then rejoined the partnership as executive director and also served as president of the Virginia Economic Developers Association.
Founded in 1983, the Roanoke Regional Partnership is a public-private economic development marketing and strategy organization for Alleghany, Botetourt, Franklin and Roanoke counties, the cities of Covington, Roanoke and Salem, and the town of Vinton, as well as more than 200 businesses. Since its inception, it has worked with partners to create more than 19,000 jobs and has generated an estimated $19 billion in economic development investments. Read more: Virginia Business
Portage County Business Council Welcomes New Board Members and Officers
The Portage County Business Council (PCBC) Board of Directors recently welcomed new officers and board members. PCBC’s priorities for its members and the community are retention and attraction of businesses and employees. PCBC serves as the chamber of commerce, economic and talent development organization and is home to Ignite Young Professionals, Ambassadors and the Heartland Leadership Initiative.
Jake was born and raised in Stevens Point, graduated from Pacelli High School in 2014, and graduated college in 2018 with a degree in Agricultural Business between UW-Madison and UW-River Falls. Jake worked on their family dairy farm growing up and now works exclusively in the dairy store while helping out on the farm during harvest season. He is the fifth generation of the family on the farm. Jake does not have a specific title, but enjoys being involved in nearly all parts of the business. Jake enjoys watching and playing sports, listening to audiobooks, and researching and trading stocks. He was recently married to his wife, Amanda, in the summer of 2020.
Contact: Todd Kuckkahn, Executive Director, toddk@portagecountybiz.com
715-344-1940, www.portagecountybiz.com
Gift Ideas Under $50 That Support Oxford Businesses
With just one week left until Christmas, last-minute shoppers can find that perfect gift for their loved one right here in Oxford without spending an arm and a leg.
The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce’s Shop Oxford Local Gift Ideas online e-book is filled with ideas for gifts under $50 that help support local businesses.
From cheesecakes from City Hall Cheesecakes to art supplies from the Clay Canvas to gift certificate ideas, the online e-book has something for just about anyone on your shopping list, and all for less than $50.
Shopping local keeps tax dollars here in Oxford. Sales taxes are the largest revenue source for the city’s budget.
“This year has been tough on our local economy, to say the least,” said Chamber Senior Vice President Pam Swain. “Our local shops, restaurants and local service providers need your support now more than ever.”
Click here to view the Shop Oxford Local Gift Ideas online e-book. Read more: HottyToddy.com
MGC Chamber: Mardi Gras t-shirt sales will continue in Pass Christian
The Pass Christian Mardi Gras Parade is canceled, along with many others on the Coast, but the carnival celebration doesn’t have to end. The Pass Christian Chamber of Commerce has partnered up with local tattoo artist Ben Rusher to design a Mardi Gras t-shirt. The vibrant colors represent Pass Christian with accents of wildlife and nature in the area. The white long-sleeve t-shirts are available for pre-order only at mscoastchamber.com. Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce CEO Adele Lyons said, "Certainly some parades and balls are being canceled but that doesn't mean Mardi Gras Day just goes away. It'll still be celebrated in a lot of different forms. I'm sure we'll start seeing king cakes come out. So, it was really important for the Pass Christian Chamber to move forward with Mardi Gras by having a t-shirt. This helps support the small business grants that are given out in that community as well as scholarships to high school students. So, it's a way of still celebrating Mardi Gras whether you're at a parade or not.” The t-shirts are on sale right now for $20 and larger sizes are $24. You can preorder until January 25th and they will be ready for pick up February 4th. Source: Index-Journal
Southeast Kentucky Chamber virtual meeting: Kentucky Chamber shares legislative hopes for 2021 session, provides insight on covid-19 relief
Pandemic relief and recovery were the main focuses of Kentucky Chamber President Ashli Watts during a virtual meeting hosted by the Southeast Kentucky Chamber on Thursday to discuss the state chamber’s priorities for the 2021 legislative session which kicks off in January.
Watts opened up Thursday’s meeting touching on covid-19 vaccines in Kentucky. She said she had spoken with Ky. Gov. Andy Beshear prior to the meeting and had been informed that all front-line health workers and first responders are scheduled to receive the vaccine by January, when EMT and EMS workers are expected to be vaccinated.
“66 percent of covid deaths in Kentucky have been in our long-term care facilities,” said Watts, noting that those facilities should be receiving the vaccine as early as December 15. She said the Kentucky Chamber is suggesting that those vaccines take place on site at the workplace.
From there, Watts transitioned to discuss the top priorities of the state chamber for the 2021 legislative session which, according to Watts, include: Infrastructure, covid-19 liability protections, modernization of the state’s unemployment insurance program, tax reform, substance use disorder and recovery, reform of the state’s criminal justice system, investing in education, focusing on childcare, and supporting Kentucky’s signature industries.
In terms of infrastructure, Watts said the Chamber is urging for a gas tax to help raise money to fix existing infrastructure as well as to provide for new infrastructure needs across the state.
“The gas tax is really a consumption-based tax where you can see the improvements,” said Watts. “We do not have enough money in our road fund to pay for our existing infrastructure, or to maintain [it].”
For more information contact: Josh Little | Director of Operations, Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce - o. 606.432.5504
Town Square Publications (https://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.
Danville Boyle County Chamber Community Map
Kentucky Chamber Paycheck Protection Program Loans Guidance
As part of the latest Congressional pandemic relief bill, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was renewed, and applications will re-open the week of January 11th.
On Wednesday, January 13 at 10:00 AM, join panelists, Brian Cromer of Stites & Harbison and Diane Kilner of MCM CPAs and Advisors, for a discussion of what has changed for this new round of funding and how to make use of the program.
Before Wednesday, we also encourage you to check out the U.S. Chamber’s Guide to Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Loans.
CLICK TO REGISTER 
Key PPP updates include:
PPP borrowers can set their PPP loan’s covered period to be any length between 8 and 24 weeks to best meet their business needs;
PPP loans will cover additional expenses, including operations expenditures, property damage costs, supplier costs, and worker protection expenditures;
The Program’s eligibility is expanded to include 501(c)(6)s, housing cooperatives, direct marketing organizations, among other types of organizations;
The PPP provides greater flexibility for seasonal employees;
Certain existing PPP borrowers can request to modify their First Draw PPP Loan amount; and
Certain existing PPP borrowers are now eligible to apply for a Second Draw PPP Loan.
A borrower is generally eligible for a Second Draw PPP Loan if the borrower:
Previously received a First Draw PPP Loan and will or has used the full amount only for authorized uses;
Has no more than 300 employees; and
Can demonstrate at least a 25% reduction in gross receipts between comparable quarters in 2019 and 2020.
The new guidance released includes:
PPP Guidance from SBA Administrator Carranza on Accessing Capital for Minority, Underserved, Veteran, and Women-owned Business Concerns;
Interim Final Rule on Paycheck Protection Program as Amended by Economic Aid Act; and
Interim Final Rule on Second Draw PPP Loans.
Find the list of PPP lenders, download the application form, and learn more by visiting the U.S. Small Business Administration website: sba.gov/ppp.
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