Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Idea: One Minute Manager - by: Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, M.D.; Chamber report: Minnesota has one of highest minimum wages in nation; Chamber Best Practices: Onboarding 101: 3 Companies That Roll Out the Red Carpet for New Employees; Chamber Event: 29th Annual National Championship Musky Open August 15-17, 2014; Chamber issue: Questions of cost, choice frame S.D. medical debate; Chamber Event: Pioneer Day To Celebrate ‘True Grit’; Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude) - Amaka Imani Nkosazana

One Minute Manager - by: Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson, M.D.

For over twenty years, thousands of top managers and Fortune 500 companies nationwide have followed this book's techniques, thereby increasing productivity, job satisfaction, and personal prosperity. These very real results were achieved through learning management techniques that spell profitability for the organization and it's employees.

The One Minute Manager^® is a concise, easily read story demonstrating three very practical management techniques. The story unfolds to reveal several studies in medicine and the behavioral sciences that explain clearly why these apparently simple methods work so well with so many people. By the book's end you will know how to apply them to your own situation.

Chamber report: Minnesota has one of highest minimum wages in nation

Minnesota now has one of the highest minimum wages in the nation, following action by the 2014 Legislature, reports the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. The first increase takes effect Aug. 1.
The 2014, 2015, and 2016 increases take effect each August; the 2018 increase begins in January. Businesses also should begin planning for the automatic inflation increases beginning in 2018. Hometownsource.com

Chamber Best Practices: Onboarding 101: 3 Companies That Roll Out the Red Carpet for New Employees
At this point, there’s a good chance you’ve heard stories of how intensely competitive it is to get a job offer from a hot startup. You’re also probably very well aware of the amazing perks and benefits that tenured employees of more established companies like Facebook are treated to. But what happens in between?
A lot, it turns out.
The first few weeks at a new job are a critically important indicator of whether new employees will successfully adapt and ultimately contribute to the workplace. With startups leading the way, the business world has now started to take notice, and a growing number of companies are investing in orientation and training to overhaul this previously overlooked aspect of hiring. Underscoring its enhanced clout, the process has even earned its own moniker in corporate nomenclature: onboarding. Read more: Free Enterprise

Chamber Event: 29th Annual National Championship Musky Open August 15-17, 2014

The Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, along with Musky Clubs Alliance of Wisconsin Inc., are proud to bring the National Championship Musky Open to the Vilas County Fairgrounds in Eagle River on August 15-17, 2014. Over 1,200 anglers participated in this event in 2013 and we are looking forward to that many again this year. The National Championship Musky Open is a total catch and release tournament that provides great family fun for all ages and skill levels. Read more: Outdoorsfirst.com

Chamber issue: Questions of cost, choice frame S.D. medical debate

Two sides of South Dakota’s medical community will face off this fall to vie for the hearts and minds of voters. The state’s specialty hospitals and medical association are backing Initiated Measure 17, which would require many health care plans to cover any medical provider who is willing to accept their rates. But the state’s general hospitals and insurance providers are fighting that, saying it’s an unneeded regulation that will raise rates. And both sides are loaded with money and willing to spend it, setting up an expensive duel on South Dakota’s airwaves, billboards and mailboxes. The claims are bold.
“There’s nothing more fundamental about the doctor-patient interaction than being able to pick the doctor you want to help you with whatever medical condition you’re facing,” said Blake Curd, a state senator and doctor who is a supporter and adviser to the pro-IM 17 side. David Owen, president of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a leader of the anti-IM 17 side, calls it “one more layer of government control over health care.” Read more: Argus Leader

Chamber Event: Pioneer Day To Celebrate ‘True Grit’

The Cleveland Chamber of Commerce’s Pioneer Day is set for Saturday, Sept. 20. This year’s theme is “Cleveland: True Grit.” The theme stems from the Oklahoma Department of Libraries’ 2014 “Oklahoma Reads” program  which is encouraging readers throughout the state to journey to the Choctaw Nation of the late 19th Century and read Charles Portis’s classic novel, True Grit. Cleveland’s Jay C. Byers Memorial Library will be involved in helping the Chamber carryout the “True Grit” theme.

 An ideal Oklahoma read, True Grit takes place in Indian Territory. Michelle Miller, director of Cleveland’s public library said western literature remains a popular genre with Sooner State readers. “It’s the quest for justice, the adventure in a lawless frontier, and the unique and compelling characters that come together to make this novel a classic of American literture and one that has been enjoyed by readers of all ages,” Miller said. Read more: Cleveland American

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)

“Separate yourself from those who hinder your vision. Make a choice to walk away from the trap set to ensnare you. Realize when someone is pulling you backwards every time you take a step forward. Separate from them and the result of your action will be a life of success.”
― Amaka Imani Nkosazana

 
www.goodreads.com

Chamber Best Practices: Green Bay Area Chamber “About Us” Webpage; Oklahoma Lt. Governor Todd Lamb to keynote annual chamber luncheon; Grand Island Chamber: Nebraska State Fair Needs 300 More Volunteers in a Month; Arkansas State Chamber: Disaster Assistance/Resources Small Business Forum Scheduled for August 21; Chamber news: Lt. Gov. Brian Calley during Grand Haven visit: Personal property ballot proposal will create Michigan jobs; LaPorte, Indiana Chamber to host new teachers luncheon Aug. 7; Friday - 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and possibly your Chamber of Commerce)

The Green Bay Area Chamber “About Us” page from their website

Vision. The Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce will be acclaimed as a leader in building prosperous businesses and a thriving community.  

Mission. To strengthen member businesses through enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of life in our community and region.

5 Strategic Initiatives for 2012-2013 fiscal year.

Lead Through Collaboration.
We will strategically collaborate and connect our members to become the preferred partner of area businesses, local governments, community organizations and educational institutions supporting economic, workforce and community development.

Build Economic Prosperity.
We will focus on developing entrepreneurialism, assisting existing businesses and pursue targeted initiatives, that foster an innovative business environment and strengthen our community’s economy.

Be the Voice of Business.
We will influence issues of public policy that are crucial to building a prosperous business environment.

Enhance Quality of Life.
We will mobilize our membership and resources to improve workforce and community development in ways that will enhance quality of life in the Green Bay area. We will have a primary focus on leadership development to produce strong, engaged business and community leaders.

Strive for Organizational Excellence.
We will engage our members, empower our employees and maximize our resources in a fiscally responsible manner to build an innovative organization aligned with our vision and mission.

For more information about the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, call 920.437.8704 or visit our staff directory for specific program assistance. 

Source: Green Bay Chamber

Oklahoma Lt. Governor Todd Lamb to keynote Norman annual chamber luncheon

Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb will provide the keynote address at the Chamber's Annual Legislative Lunch scheduled for 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 6 at the National Weather Center. The Lieutenant Governor will speak on state issues that may impact local business and provide his outlook on the coming legislative session. Read more: Norman Transcript

Grand Island Chamber: Nebraska State Fair Needs 300 More Volunteers in a Month

Grand Island is now the "State Fair City" after City Council approved it Tuesday night. The annual 2 week fair has around 500 volunteers signed up but needs 800. So far that's are about 100 less volunteers signed up than this time last year. State Fair volunteers can sign up for about 4 hours of work doing one of dozens of jobs. See more:  1011now.com

Arkansas State Chamber: Disaster Assistance/Resources Small Business Forum Scheduled for August 21

A 2014 Arkansas Small Business Forum – “Disaster Assistance/Resources – Important Things Your Business Should Know” will be held from 9 – 11 a.m. on August 21 in the Bob Lamb Conference Room of the State Chamber Building in Little Rock.

This forum is for trade associations and stakeholder groups representing the small business self-employed taxpayer. Attendees will receive timely information from the American Red Cross, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Join us to hear important information regarding disaster assistance and resources that are available after a presidential disaster declaration has been issued. You will also hear the various steps you can take to make sure you are prepared to stay in business after a major disaster.

There is no cost to attend. To register, contact Susie Marks at smarks@arkansasstatechamber.com or 501-210-4206 or Gregory Metcalf at gregory.o.metcalf@irs.gov or 501-396-5912.

Chamber news: Lt. Gov. Brian Calley during Grand Haven visit: Personal property ballot proposal will create Michigan jobs

Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley sought to make a case for why voters should support personal property tax reform during the August primary at a recent appearance in northwest Ottawa County.
Addressing about 50 people during a legislative breakfast hosted by The Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg, Calley on Friday, July 18 said the measure known as Proposal 1 would help state investors create jobs and stabilize local governmental revenue. Read more: M Live

Hutch ahead of development curve, construction official says

Hutchinson and several parts of Kansas are experiencing a building boom, a Chamber of Commerce luncheon audience was told Wednesday, because of a pent up demand as facilities in various industries age and an aggressive stance by local officials in getting projects approved and a trained workforce developed.
“It’s a perfect storm of construction,” said J.R. Robl, business development and marketing manager at Hutton Construction Corp., Wichita, sponsor of the luncheon at the Hutchinson Town Club. “Commercial, residential, retail and industrial are all doing well. I can tell you it’s the busiest we’ve been in the last 10 years. We’re having trouble finding enough employees.” Read more: Hutchnews.com

LaPorte, Indiana Chamber to host new teachers luncheon Aug. 7

The Greater LaPorte Chamber of Commerce will host the new teachers welcome luncheon on Aug. 7 at the Silver Palace, 1719 State St.
New teachers, professors and administrators will be welcomed from LaPorte, New Prairie, South Central, LaCrosse, Wanatah and Westville public schools and LaLumiere, Brown Mackie College, Ivy Tech State College, and Purdue University North Central.
"We are thrilled to welcome this group of exceptional teachers into our community," said Mike Seitz, President of the Greater LaPorte Chamber of Commerce. Read more: NWI Times

Friday - 157 Rules for Executive Success in Organization Management (and your Chamber of Commerce)

Rule #1 - Always put a volunteer between you and the problem. 

- Patrick McGaughey

Will Gen X and Gen Y be Joining Associations? You Bet They Will - Smith-Bucklin Study; Franklin Chamber (Indiana) Searching For New Executive Director; Funding is essential for existing businesses to expand and new businesses to form - El Dorado Chamber Arkansas; Chamber Best Practices: New Member Orientation McHenry Area Chamber (Illinois)

Most notably, the study found that despite
popular belief, Generations X and Y workers are in fact likely
to join associations at even higher rates than Baby Boomers —
and they want different things from membership than members
of previous generations. The result of this report is a set
of actionable strategies that associations can use to attract
and keep members now and into the future...

Brooks’ groundbreaking study, Generations and the
Future of Association Participation, found that — despite
popular belief — the workers commonly referred to as Generations
X and Y (born after 1965) show every indication of
joining associations at even higher rates than Baby Boomers
(born between 1946 and 1964). The report found that more
workers, as well as a higher percentage of workers, are
expected to join associations during the next 10 years. It
also concluded that birthrate differences between the Baby
Boom generation and later decades have not translated into
dramatically different sized pools of adult workers.
Sparking Interest
Brooks, associate professor of public administration and
director of the nonprofit studies program at the Maxwell
School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University,
had spent years studying nonprofit organizations
and nonprofit economics. He noticed that professional
trade associations — nearly 10 percent of the nonprofit
world – had not been studied with the same detail as other
sectors. When he saw the RFP from the Smith Institute in
2004 seeking a researcher on generational issues in associations,
he felt it was a good opportunity to study what
was happening in that area, especially in light of the 1995
bestseller Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of
American Community, by Professor Robert Putnam. That
book examined the erosion of “social capital” as a result of
Americans joining fewer organizations. Since that book was
based on data gathered in the mid-1990s, Brooks wanted
to examine the adult behavior of Generation X almost 10
years later.
After receiving the $50,000 grant from the Smith Institute,
Brooks’ study used the largest and most comprehensive
data sets available on civic life in the United States,
looking at 30,000 people in 41 communities nationwide. It
compared the membership rates of several generations and
predicted membership from 2005 to 2015 using population
predictions from the U.S. Census.
As the data emerged showing that younger workers would
in fact join associations, Brooks was at a loss to explain
what appeared to be the exact opposite of what he
expected. The answer came to him while giving a lecture on
social capital to one of his classes.
Someone asked why this generation does not join neighborhood
and community groups, and Brooks pointed to the
fact that they have super-charged work habits. They change
jobs many times, often moving during the process, and so
they do not form community bonds. In addition, they often
move away from their hometowns in pursuit of careers, so
they don’t have roots going back to childhood.
“Someone said, ‘So basically, any social capital should
revolve around their jobs.’ And a light bulb went off for
me,” Brooks says. “The reasons Generations X and Y are
less involved outside of work are the same reasons they are
more involved in trade associations.”
A New Workforce
Brooks believes association participation will get even
stronger as Gen X hits the “sweet spot” of earning potential,
ages 40 to 55, but his optimism comes with a very strong
caveat: This will only happen for associations that recognize
the unique needs of this generation.
“If you look at employment trends over the next 10 years,
the major source of high-end job growth is in the idea economy
— people getting paid to be creative, individualistic and
entrepreneurial. That means the associations most likely to
prosper are those with these kinds individuals. These are
value creators and career owners; the kind of people who walk
out of a movie if they don’t like it. If an organization can tap
into these motivations and assemble these employees, they
can align firm incentives with career ownership.”
Rodney Masney, who serves as an executive vice president
on the volunteer board of the Americas’ SAP Users’
Group (ASUG), says the findings of the Generations report will
be used as ASUG shapes its three-year strategy and supporting
business plans. It also will be used to shape new products
and services for the changing needs of an emerging audience.
“Associations can gain insights from this research to
help shape their vision or strategies based on changing
demographics,” he says. “For example, as Baby Boomers
are looking toward retirement, organizations will become
more reliant on Generations X and Y as the heart of their
membership (or customers) and to be the next wave of volunteers.
It is critical that organizations understand what
drives and motivates these generations in order to engage
them.”

Source: Smith Bucklin website, SmithInstitute News

Franklin Chamber (Indiana) Searching For New Executive Director

Applications accepted at: info@iceaonline.com<mailto:info@iceaonline.com or mail applications prior to May 1 to Indiana Chamber Executives Association P.O. Box 377 Hanover IN 47243
Position Description: This position touches all aspects of business in the Franklin, IN community. With over 325 members, the chamber enjoys a diverse membership base. The Executive Director leads the organization for membership growth; programming; and overall management. Read more: ICEA Online

Funding is essential for existing businesses to expand and new businesses to form - El Dorado Chamber

Funding is essential for existing businesses to expand and new businesses to form, and did you know there are federal programs designed to do just that: Infuse businesses with cash to help them grow! Learn about some of these programs on Monday, April 28, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the Chamber. J. Wesley Crum, an attorney in Greenville, S.C., will discuss important federal programs, such as New Market Tax Credits and US Department of Agriculture REDLG Programs. Reservations are required to chamber@goeldorado.com or (870) 863-6113. 

Mr. Crum has worked on economic development, corporate financing and incentives with municipalities and companies for over three decades. He believes that these programs are often overlooked by municipalities but are effective in helping finance economic development projects. In today's environment of complex financing, it often takes private sector dollars, local tax dollars, and state and federal resources to make a project work." Read more from Jeremy Stratton's Letter from the President at El Dorado Chamber

Chamber Best Practices: New Member Orientation

"Discover McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce" Orientation - This Chamber is a membership organization that is committed to helping businesses develop, grow and thrive with our rapidly expanding County.  One of the first ways we seek to tie new members into our organization and allow prospective members to view the Chamber is through hosting a new member reception called the "Discover McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce". 

The Chamber hosts "Discover McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce" at the Chamber Office, 1257 N. Green St. in McHenry.  You will have an opportunity to review Chamber benefits with long term members as well as fine tune networking and marketing skills.  

Chamber Best practices - Morning Brew - by the Springdale (Arkansas) Chamber of Commerce --- Western Kentucky Leaders Criticize I-69 Proposal

One of the Chamber's most popular networking events is the Morning Brew. Every Thursday morning, from 8:30 a.m. until 9:15 a.m., Springdale's business community gathers at a different business.
Attendees have the opportunity to make announcements and hear from the host business. First time attendees are introduced each week as well. Fun door prizes and breakfast refreshments top off the fast-paced event. Cost is $2 per person...
Opportunities exist throughout the year for Chamber members to sign up to host a Thursday morning event. To learn more, contact a member of the Chamber's member relations staff.

Source: Springdale (Arkansas) Chamber of Commerce

Western Kentucky Leaders Criticize I-69 Proposal

Work on Interstate 69 keeps going, and so does the backlash on a controversial idea for the proposed interstate. Kentucky and Indiana leaders are responding to Owensboro Mayor Ron Payne's proposal to re-route the interstate through Owensboro. Mayor Payne claims using the Natcher Bridge will save billions of dollars instead of building a new bridge near henderson. More at Tristatehomepage.com