Showing posts with label Bluefield chamber. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bluefield chamber. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Chicagoland Area Chamber of Commerce: Exploring Access to Capital in the Mid-Market; Grow your global network with MMAC’s World Trade Association; King Coal Highway: Construction of vital corridor a priority; Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Directory and Resource Guide; Troy Chamber Hosts 11th Annual Nonprofit Management Conference; Kyndle unveils 5-year economic development strategic plan; Chamber good news: Grant will provide funds to enhance downtowns in Goshen, Nappanee, Middlebury and Elkhart; Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber Junior Leadership graduates 22, recognizes Grace Dyer for Leadership Award; Town Square Publications Maps

Good morning Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!



Chicagoland Area Chamber of Commerce: Exploring Access to Capital in the Mid-Market

Date
May 17, 2016
Time
4:30 pm-6:30 pm
Location
Metropolitan Club, 67th Floor | 233 S. Wacker Drive, Chicago
Tickets
Member Ticket: $35
Non-Member Ticket: $70

Illinois mid-market companies generate 20 percent of local business revenue and employ more than 30 percent of the workforce, with the latest research indicating continued expansion in this sector. However, mid-market growth strategies often require acquisition capital, which is reported as a top challenge among business owners.
At this event, learn from a panel of experts about:
  • The range of resources available for mid-market companies seeking capital
  • Best practices for making financial decisions to ensure continued growth
  • Access to capital trends in the mid-market sector
Panelists:
  • Mark Parker, SVP-Executive Director, Business Operations, GE Capital Bank
  • Vipul Patel, Senior Vice President, Transaction Solutions, Aon
  • Taneka Tucker, Vice President, Business Banking Credit Risk Manager, BMO Harris Bank
Moderator:
  • Tom Gimbel, Founder and CEO, LaSalle Network

Questions? Contact Kim Rodgers at krodgers@chicagolandchamber.org or (312) 494 6772.




Grow your global network with MMAC’s World Trade Association

Wisconsin International Trade Conference


It takes more than one day to keep informed on the ever-changing global business environment. That’s where membership in the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s World Trade Association steps in. WTA links companies and individuals with common interests in exploring and expanding their global business.
WTA provides programs and peer exchange forums you won’t find anywhere else. Just ask WTA chairman Bruce Glaub, BMO Capital Markets, who states, “WTA is great at identifying the needs of its members in the current international business environment and developing programs accordingly.”
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And while the Wisconsin International Trade Conference is our premier event, monthly programs address issues ranging from getting accurate market intelligence to handling foreign regulations. There’s no substitute for in-depth conversations with your peers who have been there and done that. WTA also hosts quarterly roundtable discussions for professionals focused on the international issues surrounding compliance or manufacturing.
It’s all about membership
Our network is strong and growing. About half of our members have been involved in international trade for more than 15 years, while 25 percent are just getting started. WTA includes distributors, service providers and representatives from educational institutions and government – everyone you need to know in the international arena.
Overcoming obstacles
We understand the challenges that come with exporting. Finding partners you can trust; getting accurate market intelligence; handling foreign regulations and compliance; and protecting your intellectual property are just a few of the issues we can help you navigate. Read more: Biz Times


King Coal Highway: Construction of vital corridor a priority

U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va., says a resumption of construction on the long-delayed King Coal Highway project must be a priority for state officials. And we certainly agree with that statement.
With the recent passage of the FAST act by Congress, West Virginia is set to receive $2.5 billion in transportation funding over the next five years. The King Coal Highway project in Mercer County, which has been stalled since 2007, is currently set for a resumption of construction in 2019 as part of West Virginia’s six-year highway plan.
With federal transportation dollars now flowing into West Virginia, we believe it is imperative for construction on the local Interstate 73/74/75 corridor to begin at that time, and preferably much earlier. In fact, we would like to see dirt moving at Stoney Ridge near the Christine West Bridge later this year. And members of the King Coal Highway Authority, who traveled to Washington last week to seek support for the project, made that same argument.
The region has simply waited far too long for a resumption of construction on this all-important project. Now that federal funding is available, state officials, including Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and state Department of Transportation Cabinet Secretary Paul Mattox, must prioritize the King Coal Highway.
Those who traveled to Washington last week included Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce President Marc Meachum, Mercer County Commissioner Greg Puckett, King Coal Highway Authority Executive Director Mike Mitchem, and several other southern West Virginia officials. The group met with Jenkins, U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. Read more: Bluefield Daily Telegraph


Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Directory and Resource Guide

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2016 Business Directory and Resource Guide  is available at the Virginia Peninsula Chamber today! Thanks to Mike Kuhns, Suzy Johnson and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!




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.

Troy Chamber Hosts 11th Annual Nonprofit Management Conference


Troy Chamber Hosts 11th Annual Nonprofit Management Conference, presented by PNC Bank
April 25, 2016—Troy, MI— The Troy Chamber of Commerce and its Non-Profit Network (NPN) will host the 11th Annual Nonprofit Management Conference, presented by PNC Bank on Wednesday, May 25, 8 a.m.–3 p.m., at Woodside Bible Church, (6600 Rochester Rd., Troy). This affordable management conference for nonprofit professionals, board members and volunteers is sponsored by PNC Bank, Woodside Bible Church, MORC, and the Troy Chamber of Commerce.
“Providing affordable training for nonprofits is always at the top of the list of goals and objectives for the Non-Profit Network,” said Jody House, Troy Chamber vice president and NPN staff liaison.
The day begins with a continental breakfast and networking hour followed by two breakout sessions, lunch, and two afternoon sessions.
At each morning breakout session, attendees choose one of five seminars covering seven core areas specifically geared toward nonprofit organizations: Governance/Operations, Marketing, Human Resources/Volunteers/Staff, Fund Development/Donor Relations, Leadership/Board Development, Technology and Finance/Accounting.
In the afternoon, from 1-3:00 p.m., attendees choose between two sessions. These will be more in-depth presentations; one about working from best practices and the other about avoiding legal pitfalls online.
Cost for the day-long event, meals included, is $50 for Troy Chamber members and $100 for non-members. Two or more attendees from the same non-member organization will receive a $10 discount per person. Space is limited and reservations must be made in advance.
To register, call the Troy Chamber at 248-641-3694 or e-mail: jody@troychamber.com. For more details on the event, including descriptions of the breakout sessions and speakers, visit troychamber.com/events/non-profit-management-conference/
About Troy Chamber of Commerce’s Non-Profit Network
In cooperation with the Troy Chamber of Commerce, the Non-Profit Network (NPN) exists to provide collaboration between, and improve the awareness of, non-profit organizations that serve, or are based, in Troy. The NPN wants to partner with area businesses to improve the overall quality of life in Troy and the surrounding communities. Read more: Contact: Jessica Hruska, Marketing & Communications Specialist - Jessica@troychamber.com (248) - 641-1606


Kyndle unveils 5-year economic development strategic plan



Great strides have been made to grow and retain jobs in the region, but Kyndle is aiming for even better returns with its ambitious five-year economic development strategic plan Ignite 2021.

"New jobs and investment don't just happen," said Rick Tappan, the immediate past chairman of Kyndle. "It has to be a coordinated approach."

Kyndle unveiled its $3 million, five-year economic development initiative to attract jobs to Henderson, Union, Webster and McLean counties during an informational meeting Tuesday afternoon at the Henderson Fine Arts Center.

The goal is to raise $3 million in cash and pledge commitments. Ignite 2021 campaign co-chair Scott Davis acknowledged it was a daunting challenge but that he was "extremely confident" the goal would be achieved.

In the past 90 days, 55 investors have raised $2,110,000. Kyndle is 70 percent of the way to its fundraising goal and aims to reach the $3 million mark by May 31.

Davis and Old National Bank Market President Tony Krampe held up a large ceremonial check with the amount raised during the meeting. Old National Bank provided a key contribution to the campaign.

"We feel that Kyndle is the engine for economic growth and development in our community and our region," Krampe said. "Our pledge for this campaign is just another sign of Old National's ongoing commitment to impacting the lives and strengthening the communities and areas that we serve."

"We're going to need the money to lure these new businesses and to operate Kyndle effectively," Dempewolf said. Read more: The Gleaner

Chamber good news: Grant will provide funds to enhance downtowns in Goshen, Nappanee, Middlebury and Elkhart
More than a quarter of million in grants will help promote four downtowns in Elkhart County.
The Community Foundation of Elkhart County has issued a three-year, $270,000 grant to the Elkhart County Convention & Visitors Bureau, which it will match 100 percent, for the Live Work Play Capacity Grant program. The bureau is the official promotional agency for the county’s hospitality industry.
The grant is intended to bolster each downtown’s ability to manage programs that will spur development, enhance business and nurture cultural opportunities, according to the ECCVB.
The bureau’s staff will manage the funding and provide oversight and technical assistance to each proposal from cities and towns. The ECCVB said each community is contributing funding for their respective efforts. Also, the Live Work Play Capacity Grant program will be evaluated over the three-year period to assess its effectiveness.
“This grant program will help each downtown expand its ability to take on projects that are either not happening or not moving forward at its fullest potential. We expect these projects to improve the quality of place in each community for residents and businesses. We’re excited for the possibilities that will emerge from this process,” said Diana Lawson, executive director of the ECCVB.
Downtown development proposals that are in the works include:
• Goshen: The goal of the grant fundign is to enhance downtown as a destination for arts and culture, starting with staffing and support to complete the fundraising campaign for the Goshen Theater renovation. The project partners include the Goshen Redevelopment Commission and Goshen Theater Inc.
• Middlebury: The grant will fund staffing and marketing materials to coordinate events in the town center and to improve visitor center services for the town. The project partner is the Middlebury Chamber of Commerce.
• Elkhart: Launch of a downtown business development program to work with existing businesses, recruit additional businesses and support marketing and promotion activities. Partners for the program include the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce and Elkhart Redevelopment Commission, Read more: Goshen News


Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber Junior Leadership graduates 22, recognizes Grace Dyer for Leadership Award
Oxford, MS— The Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce recently graduated 22 students from its Junior Leadership Program and recognized its Leadership Award Recipient at a graduation ceremony held on April 11. This year's Junior Leadership program was sponsored by Your Extra Closet.  
Graduates from Lafayette High School include: Elaina Dickerson, Lakynn Hillhouse, Tate Howard, Core Lawrence, Hogan Linzy, Halle Moore, La’Kyjah Shaw, Sarah Beth Tidwell, Kaitlyn Traylor and Emma Wilson.
Graduates from Oxford High School include: Grace Dyer, Andrew Gardner, Jimmy Green, Mary Clark Hayward, Anna Blake Lively, Aubrey Merrell, Addison Mills, Matt Redfearn, Anna Renfroe, Drew Tacke, Sarah Katherine Waller and Carlisle Yoste.  
The Junior Leadership Program combines group study sessions with a community project that requires the use and development of leadership skills. Students participated in training sessions geared toward promoting team building, goal setting, community awareness, volunteerism, and communication skills.
“We had such a great group of young adults in this year's class,” Pam Swain, Senior Vice President of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce said.  “Through the program, they have been able to see some facets of the community they may not normally come in contact with, and we feel they can walk away from the program more enriched about what goes on in the Oxford-Lafayette County area,” Swain added.
At the end of the eight-session program, the class selects a Leadership Award recipient from among their fellow classmates. It is awarded to a program participant who has shown great leadership skills throughout the course of this program, as well as excellent community service. Voted the recipient by her peers, this year’s Leadership Award recipient was Grace Dyer of Oxford High School.

Dyer is the 16 year old daughter of Frank and Allyson Dyer. She is in the Beta Club, Spanish Club, Anchor Club, Beyond Our Walls Club, the Mentor Program and Mock Trial, where she was a finalist in competition. She won 2nd place in the 2015 Science Fair and is a computer applications top student. Dyer is also on the Swim Team, participates in Young Life, and volunteers weekly with More than a Meal. She would like to attend college somewhere in the South, although she is not quite sure where as of yet.  

This year's participants were also required to volunteer their time throughout the program.  The volunteer hours required extra time by the students and gave them the opportunity to use and develop the leadership skills they learned.  Throughout the course of the program, each participant was required to complete a minimum of 8 volunteer hours on their community service assignments. They volunteered their time with Lafayette County Literacy Council, Lovepacks, and assisted in the coordination of a blood drive.
 “We are so pleased with the outcome of this year’s class and the contributions they have made to our community through their volunteer time.  Their presentations at graduation were well prepared and insightful, showing us all just how much they learned from their time in the program,” said Lolita Gregory, Junior Leadership program chair.
The program started in 1998 and has successfully graduated nearly 500 participants.

For more information about Junior Leadership or about the Chamber, call 662-234-4651 or visit the website www.oxfordms.com.  




Town Square Publications Maps, Directories 


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.

More information: Town Square Publications

To request your publication proposal, Click here

Monday, August 10, 2015

Chamber Column: Let’s show PGA fans what Sheboygan is all about; State chamber CEO: Kentucky leaders need to raise their game; Chamber issue: Should Indy get money from state’s ‘regional’ cities program? Chamber news: Three combined Virginia sales tax holidays begin today; Chamber Executives, Mayors Give South Suburbs A Strong Voice On Tollway Planning Council; Lansing Promise begins search for executive director; Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Event: Run-off Election



Chamber Column: Let’s show PGA fans what Sheboygan is all about


When 250,000 people converge on Sheboygan County for the 2015 PGA Championship this week, it’s easy to think of them as just coming here for the golf.
After all, they spend most of their time at Whistling Straits, then fall exhausted to sleep waiting for the next morning’s play action. Right?
It’s important to remember there’s a valuable, rare opportunity we have — the chance to say “hello” and to show off the amazing friendliness of our area.
Let’s not underestimate the value of a lakeshore smile. Let’s be sure we roll out the welcome mat.
Perhaps your kids could create a homemade “Welcome PGA” yard sign, or your business might utilize existing signage — especially the electronic kind — emblazoned with a big hello. Read more: Sheboygan Press

State chamber CEO: Kentucky leaders need to raise their game




Kentucky Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Dave Adkisson believes the state's political and business leaders can learn useful lessons from basketball coaches John Calipari and Rick Pitino.
Specifically, he's focused on their in-game intensity. Adkisson thinks Kentucky needs more of that competitive fire.
"Kentucky knows how to compete when we want to," he said.
Our conversation came on the heels of this week's annual Business Summit in Louisville.
The state chamber unveiled its four pillars of prosperity for Kentucky during the event, which included a keynote address from former "Meet the Press" host David Gregory and a debate between gubernatorial candidates Jack Conway andMatt Bevin.
Adkisson said the goal of the four pillars is to affect the dialog of the governor's race and create a culture of competitiveness.
"We can't just show up," Adkisson said in an interview.
He said the four pillars, described below, were produced after engaging business leaders around the state, including a survey that went out to more than 500 of those leaders.
The chamber also worked closely with Ted Abernathy, principal of Economic Leadership LLC, a North Carolina-based economic development and information curation consultancy, to craft its message.

Adkisson walked me through the pillars.

  • A healthy, skilled workforce to create a globally competitive talent development system
Just a few years ago, the struggling economy and the Affordable Care Act, known in political circles as Obamacare, was top of mind for many businesses. But as the economy slowly recovers and the Affordable Care Act has taken effect, Adkisson said ensuring the state has an active, prepared and skilled workforce is a more pressing concern. Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and others, for example, have stressed the need to fill a crucial skills gap for 21st century jobs in areas such as advanced manufacturing and information technology.
“Workforce is on the tips of tongues of many business leaders,” Adkisson said. Read more: Louisville Business First


Chamber issue: Should Indy get money from state’s ‘regional’ cities program?

Gov. Mike Pence and Indiana economic development officials tout the state’s “regional cities” program as an incentive for communities to work together to make their area of the state a more attractive place to live.
But what constitutes a “regional city” is creating a divide among observers of the program’s roll out. Some see it as a program to benefit the outlying portions of the state and question why Central Indiana is competing for a share of the $84 million that will go to winning regions to help fund economic development projects.
The true intent of the program, they feel, is helping communities outside of the state’s urban core build a national brand and turn the tide on population stagnation.
Yet, supporters of Central Indiana’s inclusion say the area is just like any other region in the state and faces its own struggles for growth.
State economic development officials, who joined Pence in heavily lobbying for the program, characterize its goal as “the development and success of widespread, sustainable regional economic growth across Indiana.” Read more: Indy Star


Chamber news: Three combined Virginia sales tax holidays begin today


A new combined sales tax holiday weekend will be underway beginning today in Virginia.
Virginia’s existing three tax holidays were combined into a single event by the 2015 General Assembly. The three existing tax holidays that were combined are back to school in August, hurricane and emergency preparedness in May and Energy Star and Water Sense in October.
“Anytime shoppers have an opportunity for savings it can be very helpful,” Bluefield Chamber of Commerce President Marc Meachum said. “It gives them a little more money to spend in a variety of stores.”

During the holiday, shoppers will not be charged state and local sales tax on a variety of items. Most school and office supplies, such as pens, loose-leaf paper, scissors, binders, backpacks and construction paper, will be tax-exempt as long as each item costs $20 or less. Clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per article or pair will be tax-exempt. Read more: Bluefield Daily Telegraph


Chamber Executives, Mayors Give South Suburbs A Strong Voice On Tollway Planning Council


The south suburbs have a strong voice on a newly formed panel that will help guide a massive and expensive project to reconstruct the Tri-State Tollway from Rosemont to Oak Lawn.

Countryside Mayor Sean McDermott, Chicago Ridge Mayor Charles Tokar and Justice Mayor Kris Wasowicz are among the officials named last week to the Central Tri-State Tollway Corridor Planning Council, which will help oversee the Interstate 294 portion of the tollway's $12 billion capital project called Move Illinois: The Illinois Tollway Driving the Future.

Also named to the council were Ken Grunke, executive director of the West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, and Donna Smith, executive director of the Bedford Park-Clearing Industrial Association.

The part of the project that calls for rebuilding Interstate 294 from Balmoral Avenue in Rosemont to 95th Street in Oak Lawn has a $1.7 billion budget. Advance work is set to start as early as 2018 with actual reconstruction scheduled for 2020-2022. 

One of the goals for Wasowicz is a tollway interchange at 88th Avenue in Justice. He said a feasibility study is already underway.

"That has been a priority of mine for seven years," Wasowicz said. "A feasibility study is underway and a phase one engineering study, as well." Read more: Desplaines Valley News

Lansing Promise begins search for executive director

The Lansing Promise Scholarship Program has raised roughly $2.5 million since planning began five years ago. More than $1 million of that came in May.
“A Special Evening with Earvin “Magic” Johnson”, an event hosted by the Lansing Regional Chamber Economic Club, brought in $200,000 from a dinner and an additional $800,000 from the basketball star and his friends.
Now, the nonprofit is seeking its first executive director, who would be tasked with expanding the fund-raising base as well as building relationships with business and community partners, said Kellie Dean, chair of the Lansing Promise Zone Authority Board.
“(Hiring an executive director) is an incredibly positive step for something that started with a group of people in a room trying to decide what Lansing Promise could be,” Dean said.
The Lansing Promise first became available in 2012. Since then, close to 500 students have received assistance to attend Lansing Community College or Michigan State University, Dean said.
Students who apply must live in the boundaries of the Lansing School District, attend a high school located within those boundaries for four years (including Lansing Catholic), and apply for federal student aid. The Promise scholarship then backfills the remaining amount necessary to attend LCC or the equivalent amount toward tuition at MSU.
Dean said Lansing Promise staff want to get more students involved, look at offering four-year college funding and expand the program to include vocational and technical schools. Read more: Lansing State Journal



Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce Event: Run-off Election


Candidates in the Republican runoff for Harrison County sheriff will take part in a forum Thursday at University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus, 730 East Beach Blvd.

Doors will open at 7:30 a.m., and the forum, sponsored by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, begins at 8 a.m. in the Fleming Education Center Auditorium.

Melvin Brisolara and Troy Peterson will face off in the Aug. 25 runoff. Questions for the candidates can be submitted by Tuesday to Emily at 604-0014. Read more: Sun-Herald

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Northern Kentucky chamber president interview: No Brent Spence progress until 2018?; Regional cities initiative in Southern Indiana gets deadline extension, adds new local partner; Traverse City (Michigan) businesses find it difficult to fill jobs; Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce calls for Caraway on cash; Bluefield Chamber Good news: Welcomed developments on horizon; Jodi Maughon named head of Madison County Chamber of Commerce; 30,000 to Attend Sheboygan 4th Of July Parade; Marion, Illinois 18th best for small business; Famous 4th of July Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)

Good morning Chamber world! Today is going to be a GREAT day!


Northern Kentucky chamber president interview: No Brent Spence progress until 2018?


The president of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce doesn’t see an opening to make progress on a Brent Spence Bridge replacement in the near future. Not until 2018, to be specific.
“I see several years down the road before we get to any consensus,” Trey Grayson, the former Kentucky Secretary of State, said in a recent interview ahead of his one-year anniversary on the job. “I look at it as were not going to have a consensus out until 2018 when we have a new governor,” a new president and possible changes in the composition and leaders of Congress.
Until the possibility for a consensus is there, Grayson thinks additional Brent Spence planning (if any is needed) should move forward. He also said the region’s leaders need to relook at alternatives to relieve overcrowding on Interstates 71 and 75, so traffic is improved even if the key bottleneck isn’t fixed. Finally, he also thinks the time should be used to rethink whether a Brent Spence replacement is the only solution.
Greyson, who is paid $190,000 a year, also talked about the challenges of having Toyota close its manufacturing headquarters in Erlanger, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport’s future and other issues confronting the Cincinnati region and Northern Kentucky specifically.
The following are excerpts from the interview at the chamber’s offices in Fort Mitchell:
Question: What are the biggest challenges Northern Kentucky is facing currently?
Answer: There is a challenge of two different states having two different state laws. So sometimes employers are not sure what they can do what they can’t do. Another challenge is attracting and maintaining a skilled workforce, and with that challenge, the heroin issue really exacerbates it. I was talking with a chamber member recently and they were talking about how they had an employee die from an overdose. It’s an issue that is not just affecting families but also efficiencies at work. Those are two of the biggest right now. Read more: Cincinatti.com

Regional cities initiative in Southern Indiana gets deadline extension, adds new local partner


A regional collaboration designed to improve the quality of life and place and prioritize capital projects in Southern Indiana has some breathing room to submit a proposal to the state. And the effort has a new partner in Harrison County.
The collaboration, known as Our Southern Indiana. is deep in the throes of crafting an application to take part in the Regional Cities Initiative. The program is designed to boost economic development and population growth by centering efforts on talent attraction and regional development. The Indiana Economic Development Corp. is managing the state's new program.








As much as $84 million in state funding is expected to be used in only a few regional areas or cities. They'll be chosen through an application process in which the regions outline multi-year strategic plans.
Wendy Dant Chesser, president of One Southern Indiana, the chamber of commerce for Clark and Floyd counties, said the IEDC has extended the deadline to submit the application to Aug. 31 and will start accepting applications in July. The original deadline was July 1.
“The good news is that we have more time to work through the process,” Chesser told Louisville Business First. “The bad news is that everybody else we are competing with has more time as well." Read more: Louisville Business First

Traverse City (Michigan) businesses find it difficult to fill jobs


Nick Trahair of the AmericInn in Traverse City is in a unique situation: He only needs two more employees to fill his summer staff positions.
He is fortunate. With an increase in available jobs, positions are increasingly difficult to fill — there are more open positions for workers in the area than there are workers available, business officials and jobs experts say.
"We have a great staff," Trahair said. "We've gotten creative with incentives. We offer good wages with summer bonuses and production goals. We do lunch for employees, sometimes we have ice cream on hot days, and we've played miniature golf next door. We even have beach picnics. We do a lot for our employees to keep morale up."
The search for workers is ongoing, and at times difficult for businesses in this area that rely on the summer tourist trade. Some businesses even have had to lean more heavily on workers from other countries to fill critical positions.
"With 36 years in this business, I've never seen anything like this," said Jane Butzier, Northwest Michigan Works manager. "As the economy grows there are jobs going unfilled. We don't have the people to fill the positions."
The reasons for the dearth of workers are difficult to define, according to Laura Oblinger, executive director of the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce. "There are a lot more businesses in the area, and people are busier. More business means more staff. They are all indicators of a stronger economy." Read more: Detroit News

Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce calls for Caraway on cash


Cari White of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce wants to help put the face of former U.S. Sen. Hattie Caraway on the face of the $10 bill.
Caraway’s position as the first elected female senator and her role in the women’s rights movement, farmers’ rights and New Deal policies were the driving reasons for a campaign, White said in the announcement.
“She was a pioneering woman in Arkansas,” White told The Jonesboro Sun (http://bit.ly/1TP67mE ). “For Arkansas at that time, it was an amazing feat.”
The U.S. Treasury Department announced a campaign to replace Alexander Hamilton on the bill in 2020. The date lines up with the 100-year anniversary of the 19th amendment, which gave women the right to vote. A means of measuring popular candidates will be the amount of use of the Twitter hashtag “TheNew10” with a candidate’s name. White aims to launch a social media campaign to get the state and nation involved.
“The goal is to get every Arkansan onboard, especially those in Northeast Arkansas,” she said. Read more: Washington Times



Bluefield Chamber Good news: Welcomed developments on horizon



A number of new projects and developments currently in the works look promising and could certainly help Mercer and Tazewell counties. For example, we learned last week that two new restaurants — IHOP and Buffalo Wild Wings — could soon be coming to Princeton near the Interstate 77 and Route 460 interchange. And that’s in addition to the ongoing construction on Bojangles that is nearing completion on Oakvale Road.
A newly renovated Arby’s also will be opening soon in the city limits of Princeton, and Mercer County Development Authority Development Director Janet Bailey is hoping that construction can resume soon on the Chick-Fil-A project also located along Oakvale Road. Work on the stand-alone Chick-Fil-A has been stalled due to complications with underground fuel tanks and Department of Environmental Protection regulations. But she is hopeful that construction will recommence soon. So are we. A stand-alone Chick-Fil-A would be a nice addition to the heavily traveled interchange of Route 460 and I-77.
In Bluefield, City Manager Dane Rideout and city Community and Economic Development Director Jim Spencer are hard at work on a new economic development project that they hope can be a game changer for Bluefield. In fact, it’s being called Project Game Changer, or Project G.C. for short. Rideout told members of the Greater Bluefield Chamber of Commerce last week that the five- to seven-year plan could bring more than 1,000 jobs to the city if the proposal comes to fruition. Rideout, Spencer and Bluefield Mayor Tom Cole have already presented the proposed economic development plan to U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and U.S. Rep. Evan Jenkins, R-W.Va. Read more: Bluefield Daily Telegraph

Jodi Maughon named head of Madison County Chamber of Commerce


Jodi Maughon has been named the new executive director of the Madison County Chamber of Commerce.
Maughon has been with the chamber since September 2010. She is a 2011 graduate of Mississippi College with a bachelor’s degree in communication with an emphasis in public relations. Maughon started out as an intern with the Madison County Chamber of Commerce before taking a full-time position as project coordinator in 2011. In March 2012, Maughon was named director of programs and special events. Read more: The Clarion Ledger


30,000 to Attend Sheboygan 4th Of July Parade


There is no shortage of Independence Day festivities in the Sheboygan area slated for this weekend.
The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce lists more than one hundred entrants participating in the annual 4th of July parade, which kicks off at 9am Saturday.
 Lisa Hartman says, “We’ve got a lot of organizations in there willing to celebrate the Fourth of July. We have the Kiel Municipal Band, the Sheboygan Pops, high schools participating with their drum -lines and dance teams.  It’s just a lot of fun.”
Hartman says some thirty thousand spectators are expected to line the parade route this year but, attendees are being reminded that lawn chairs and blankets cannot be set up before 5am Saturday- per city ordinance. WHBL.com

Marion, Illinois 18th best for small business


Marion is considered the 18th best city in Illinois to start a business, according to a recent study by a consumer finance company.
The study was done by NerdWallet, a finance company based in San Francisco.
The business climate — including the average revenue of businesses, percentage of businesses with paid employees and businesses per 100 people plus the local economic health, including median annual income, median monthly housing costs and unemployment rates — were used in determining the rankings.
NerdWallet analyzed 285 places in Illinois, each with a population of at least 5,000. Five of the top 10 cities have populations under 10,000. All of the cities listed in the top 10 are in northern Illinois.
Oak Brook came in as the top spot, with the second-highest number of businesses and the highest number of businesses per 100 people with 43. That's over 3,400 businesses. It is home to the headquarters of McDonald's, Ace Hardware, Blistex, TreeHouse Foods and other major corporations.
The remaining top 10 includes: Itasca, Lincolnshire, Countryside, Peru, Deerfield, Elks Grove Village, Burr Ridge, Northfield and Lisle. Rounding out the top 20 were: Bensenville, Litchfield, Effingham, Northbrook, Libertyville, Downer's Grove, Schaumburg, MARION, Morris and Bloomington.
The survey stated Marion has a population of 17,2382 with 1,846 businesses and revenue of $1.743 million. Forty-one percent of the businesses have paid employees and 10.68 percent of the businesses employ more than 100 people. The city's employment rate is 6.3 percent, according to the survey.
Median annual income and median annual housing costs accounted for 10 percent of the 35 percent overall score in the local economic health category and 15 percent was counted for the unemployment rate with a lower rate contributing to a higher overall score. The business climate accounted for 65 percent of the overall score.
The news was not surprising to Dalus Ben Avi, executive director of the Marion Chamber of Commerce.
"Marion is the place to do business. The Marion community is filled with people who are supportive of its businesses and the people who work in the Marion area," Avi said.
"Marion has the perfect mix of ingredients for being a great place to attract and grow businesses: a thriving regional airport; investments in infrastructure; access to Interstate 57 and highways; strong caliber of employees; distance from several metropolitan areas such as St. Louis, Indianapolis and Nashville; excellent education institutions and healthcare facilities; beautiful scenery; wide variety of activities and events to choose from; and the willingness to question the norm and see what can be changed for the betterment of the entire area," she continued. Read more: Daily Republican


Famous 4th of July Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)


If it's your job to eat a frog, it's best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it's your job to eat two frogs, it's best to eat the biggest one first. - Mark Twain