Our 5 Most Popular "Doing Good" Stories of the Year
With 2015 nearly
upon us, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to highlight some of our
favorite and most successful stories from 2014. Today, we highlight our top
five stories about businesses doing good. Free Enterprise
Saying farewell to Jacksonville AreaChamber president Ginny FanningAfter 13 years as president of the Jacksonville Area Chamber of Commerce, Ginny Fanning is looking forward to the next chapter in her life. Fanning’s last day as chamber president is Monday, after which she will be devoting her time to her position as a Morgan County commissioner. Chamber president “is the best job ever,” Fanning said Thursday as she reflected on her time as the face of the organization. “You have the opportunity to work with amazing volunteers and help promote an area you love.” Fanning was appointed to the Morgan County Board of Commissioners in August after the death of longtime commissioner Dick Rawlings, and she was elected to the position in November. Read more: MyJournalCourier.com The Central Michigan University Board of Trustees will see the reappointment of a familiar face and the induction of a new one at its next meeting. Gov. Rick Snyder has announced the appointment of Michigan Chamber president Rich Studley, of Grand Ledge, and the reappointment of Robert Wardrop II, of Grand Rapids, to the Central Michigan University board of trustees. The eight-person board is the governing body of the University. “Rich and Robert bring valuable leadership experience to the board and I am confident they will do great work for the CMU community,” Snyder said. Read more: The Morning Sun Springfield Area Chamber Exec. VP Rob Dixon named executive director of MCCA
Rob Dixon, executive
vice president of the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, has been
selected as the new executive director and CEO of the Missouri Community
College Association (MCCA). The MCCA Presidents/Chancellors Council
approved the appointment at its monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 10.
Dixon will assume his role as executive director of MCCA on Jan. 19, 2015. He replaces Zora Mulligan, who served as MCCA executive director for four years and is now chief of staff for the University of Missouri System. “Rob has actively supported community colleges throughout his career,” said Cliff Davis, chair of MCCA’s Presidents/Chancellors Council and president of the OTC Table Rock Campus. “His experience in governmental affairs, economic development, strategic planning, and workforce development will be invaluable as he leads MCCA and promotes the growth and development of Missouri’s community colleges.” Read more: Missouri Times Therese Pollard named Conway (Arkansas) Chamber's director of eventsThe Conway Area Chamber of Commerce has hired Therese Pollard as director of events. Pollard is responsible for the planning and execution of select Chamber events, including Academic Signing Day, Bowling for Business, Teacher Breakfast & Education Fair, Minority Enterprise Development Awards Gala, Business After Hours, and CEO Luncheons. “I am thrilled to welcome Therese to the Chamber. I believe our members will find her a joy to work with,” said Lindsay Henderson, senior vice president of Chamber operations. “The Chamber hosts a number of events throughout the year, so it was important to hire someone who was thorough, creative and people driven. We have found that with Therese.” Pollard was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but spent most of her childhood in Arkansas after her parents relocated to Cherokee Village. She moved to Conway in 2003 to attend school at the University of Central Arkansas, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Education. Read more: Log Cabin Democrat Holiday Story: Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce administration changes handsThe first unofficial week of Heather Melstrom’s job as the new Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce office administrator was anything but slow. From Wakota CAER’s annual breakfast and the Chamber’s networking happy hour to its board meeting and the Holiday Train, Melstrom plunged into the position. “It’s almost baptism by fire,” she said in an interview. Melstrom, 26, is replacing retiring office administrator Colleen Stelmach, who has anchored the Cottage Grove Area Chamber of Commerce for the last eight years. Melstrom starts Jan. 1. During her tenure at the Chamber, Stelmach said there has been a lot of growth and change throughout south Washington County. A former accountant for the Department of Defense for more than 20 years, Stelmach was nearing retirement in 2006 when she found a listing for a part-time position with the Chamber. A longtime Cottage Grove resident, she said she was looking for an opportunity to connect more with the community. Read more: South Washington Bulletin Chamber Heart: Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce to match Crisis Center winner's donationIn the last three weeks, the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce's Buy Here Holiday Blitz made four local shoppers' holiday dreams come true with big cash prizes. One of those winners, Beth Ritter Ruback, spread more holiday cheer by donating her entire $750 cash winnings to The Crisis Center of Johnson County. Beth secured the ticket at Surroundings Interiors. Following Beth's lead, the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce will match the donation to the Crisis Center with $750 of unclaimed prizes at 10 a.m. todayDec. 23. Read more: Iowa City Press-Citizen Economic development meetings get special guest speaker, former Ardmore chamber presidentIn the ongoing community economic development meetings, citizens of Wagoner have had the opportunity to hear plenty of top-tier advice from guest speakers.
On Dec. 11, the guest speaker was Wes Stucky, the president of Development Management, Inc.
Development Management,
Inc. is a consulting firm assisting economic development agencies and
private developers in organization management and industrial site
development.
Stuckey previously served
as president of the Ardmore Development Authority and Ardmore Chamber
of Commerce for 25 years. Both organizations were recognized nationally
and won numerous awards under his leadership. Many communities around
the nation have tried to emulate the successful program in Ardmore. Read more: Wagoner Tribune
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