Chicago Fed: Midwest Economic Growth Steady in September; Michigan Chamber support touted as 'breakthrough' on energy bills; Chamber contest: TrakSafeT is Made in FredVA winner of $10,000 grand prize; This festival will draw thousands to downtown Ocean Springs; Jasper Chamber Recommendation: Connect with Southern Indiana Leadership Program; Chamber 630 Scholarship; Chamber support: New Madison songwriting conference, festival unveiled for 2017; Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber Sponsor: Chris Knight will be featured at Harvest Moon Festival; Town Square Chamber Membership Directories

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

Chicago Fed: Midwest Economic Growth Steady in September

The Midwest Economy Index (MEI) edged down to –0.10 in September from –0.08 in August. However, the relative MEI moved up to +0.17 in September from +0.13 in August. September’s value for the relative MEI indicates that Midwest economic growth was somewhat higher than what would typically be suggested by the growth rate of the national economy. Read more

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Michigan Chamber support touted as 'breakthrough' on energy bills

A key business group's endorsement is being touted as the "breakthrough" needed to update Michigan energy laws before the legislative session expires in two months.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce, whose members have been at odds over provisions governing competition in the electricity market, said Tuesday it supports new versions of bills that are pending in the Senate. The Republican-controlled chamber is expected to approve the legislation two days after the Nov. 8 election, and the business lobby is hopeful the GOP-led House will follow suit in the "lame-duck" session so the issue is resolved before new lawmakers take office in January.

The rewrite of 2008 energy laws is one of Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's top legislative priorities. It has been more than 17 months since he outlined proposals to lawmakers.

"This proposed substitute is substantially different. It is a dramatic improvement over the bill that was reported out of committee" in May, Chamber President and CEO Rich Studley told reporters during a briefing that was also attended by two senators sponsoring the legislation and an adviser for a nonprofit connected to Michigan's two major utilities, DTE Energy and Consumers Energy. Changes that would ease utility competitors' ability to submit bids to provide new power were a "very important breakthrough for us," Studley said. Read more: Madison.com

Chamber contest: TrakSafeT is Made in FredVA winner of $10,000 grand prize

FREDERICKSBURG – A panel of three judges had a difficult decision of choosing a winner of the fourth-annual Made in FredVa contest last night. The business idea pitch from the business group of TrakSafeT won the grand prize of $10,000 toward their business startup expenses.

Also, the winner of the People’s Choice was Hapcast, receiving a $500 cash award. The audience liked the business pitch for their mobile messaging app which allows businesses to post events and sales.

TrakSafeT business members: Anthony Worthey, President/CEO, Thomas Stallworth, COO, Tim Berry, CFO, and Mick Schaller, Director of Marketing explained how the array of hardened, reliable sensors mounted at level railroad crossings will provide advance notice to train operators that the crossing is blocked, which enables the train to stop before reaching the crossing and therefore avoiding accidents. The judges remarked, “The presentation and business plan were executed professionally and well thought out by TrakSafeT. This business will have a great future.”

Business members of Hapcast: Steve Labrador, Kris Carter, and Charlie Kaiman launched a beta of the app this past Wednesday and were excited about their start. “It was such a thrill to be a part of this competition,” they said. “By winning the People’s Choice award gives us the incentive to move to the next step with the business.” 

There were five finalists selected from 20 entries for the business startup competition, which is patterned after the popular “Shark Tank” television show. 

Hapcast, 2 Hearts 1 Dress, Homes and Hounds, TrakSafeT, and The Virginia Divearium were this year’s finalists. Each finalist had five minutes to pitch his or her idea, followed by 10 minutes of questions from the judges: Kevin Fastabend, Senior VP of Virginia Partners Bank, Adam Fried, Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Builders, Ltd., and Catherine Sullivan, Owner of Monkees of Fredericksburg. Contact: Whitney Watts, Vice President, Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce 540-735-1922; whitney@fredericksburgchamber.org 



This festival will draw thousands to downtown Ocean Springs

The 38th annual Peter Anderson Festival is just a week away.

The festival in downtown Ocean Springs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5-6 will be mainly on Washington Avenue and Government Street. According to the Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce, more than 100,000 people each year attend the festival created to honor master potter Peter Anderson.

Arts, crafts and food will be offered by 400 vendors. Among the arts and crafts will be jewelry, pottery, metalwork, photography, paintings in various media, sculpture, woodwork, ceramics, glasswork, printmaking, furniture, and candle and soapmaking. In addition to packaged foods offered by vendors, several restaurants and other fresh-food vendors will offer goodies such as wood-fired pizza, hot dogs and barbecue. Some of the vendors are Martha’s Tea Room, The Froghead Grill, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Snow Boogers and The Shed.

Festivalgoers who don’t live or don’t have friends who live near downtown are encouraged to use free shuttles to the entrances. Buses will pick up at Ocean Springs Upper Elementary and Oak Park Elementary, both at 2300 Government St., as well as at the Greyhound Stadium parking lot at 1005 Hanley Road. The shuttles will run every 15 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. both days. Parking on side streets is not allowed, festival organizers caution.

Portable restrooms as well as comfort stations for parents of babies, toddlers or young children or those just needing a rest will be set throughout the festival. Information booths at the four main entrances (Marshall Park on Washington Avenue; corner of Government Street and Denny Avenue; corner of Porter Avenue and Bellande; and Washington Avenue at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church), will have festival guides, official T-shirts and posters. Note: T-shirts are known to sell quickly, and there is a limited supply, so arrive early Saturday to ensure getting one.

Looking for Shearwater Pottery commemorative festival mugs? They’ll be found at the Shearwater Pottery booth in the L&N Depot Plaza, on Washington Avenue near the railroad tracks. Read more: Sun Herald

Jasper Chamber Recommendation: Connect with Southern Indiana Leadership Program

Explore the region & sharpen your leadership skills with USI's Connect with Southern Indiana program

Connect with Southern Indiana, a regional leadership program managed by USI's Community Engagement, is accepting applications for its 2017 class. The annual program is focused on promoting active citizenship and developing creative problem solving skills for individuals in the non-profit and for-profit sectors across a nine-county region in Southwest Indiana. The program highlights divergent and analytical thinking, idea generation, communication skills, and strategic entrepreneurship from a community development perspective.

The Connect with Southern Indiana program is open to residents from Dubois, Gibson, Knox, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick counties. The deadline to apply is November 21, 2016. If you are interested or know of someone you think would be a great fit for our program, visit our website for additional information and to download an application form:

www.usi.edu/connect

Chamber 630 Scholarship

Chamber 630 is proud to once again, provide scholarships that will be awarded to a Chamber630 Member or their student, furthering their education. 

Any employee (or their student) of any business that is a Chamber630 Member in good standing is eligible to apply. This is a great benefit for anyone 

who intends to go to a vocational or trade school, two or four year college or university in 2017.

Scholarship applicants may complete the packet by visiting http://www.chamber630.com/all-posts/scholarship-application or by completing the 

document provided with this notice. Please be sure to read full instructions. The deadline for all applications is the end of business, January 27, 2017. 

Notification of scholarship recipients will be sent in April.

Funding for this program is through the generosity of Chamber630 Members. If you are interested in contributing, please contact info@Chamber630.com or call 630-968-4050.

Laura Crawford, President & CEO


Chamber support: New Madison songwriting conference, festival unveiled for 2017

A new music conference and festival on songwriting coming in 2017 could help turn Madison into a "great music city," said organizers at a Tuesday night launch event.

The municipally funded Madison Songwriter Conference & Festival, first teased earlier this month, will be held over four days next June. Its mission, as outlined at the launch party held at the Brink Lounge, would be "to provide songwriters and composers the knowledge to pursue, the expertise to implement and tools to guide their journey to make a living making music."

Roy Elkins, the CEO of the music software company Broadjam and a principal organizer of the conference, said that the "core elements" of a great music city are already here in Madison — performers like the funk and soul drummer Clyde Stubblefield, institutions like the University of Wisconsin School of Music, history like the legacy of Smart Studios where bands like Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins would come to record music.

Building off those key ingredients, an annual event like the songwriter conference and festival could put Madison on the map, according to Elkins.

"If we do this right, Madison will be a destination," he said after the event. "If I could visualize a few years out...this is going to be one of the key destinations for sponsors in the industry to go."

The event, as the name suggests, will apparently feature two different components: a conference with education and networking, and a festival with live music.

Speakers on Tuesday said the conference will include panels, workshops, and training sessions on different elements of songcraft, as well as on skills like career management, licensing, and "how to make a living through music." Among the confirmed speakers at the conference are Garbage drummer and Nirvana producer Butch Vig, along with rocker Kip Winger.

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The festival will feature musical performances at venues like the High Noon Saloon and the Brink Lounge. Elkins said the lineup would primarily be focused on local musicians, and likely wouldn't feature national headlining acts — although he said he wouldn't rule it out "if McCartney calls and says he wants to play the festival."

The conference and festival will at least partly be funded by money from the City of Madison, joining other musical events like the one-day citywide event Make Music Madison and Bandswap to get municipal funding.

In addition to presentations from Elkins, the musical entrepreneur and fellow festival organizer Corey Whitmore, and Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce president Zach Brandon, the launch party also featured close to 30 different musicians and figures in the local music scene who came to endorse the event. Read more: Madison.com

Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber Sponsor: Chris Knight will be featured at Harvest Moon Festival

Usually, the moon comes out at night. This Thursday, Knight will come out for the Moon. The Harvest Moon Festival, that is.

Now in its third year and ever-growing in popularity, the 2016 Harvest Moon Festival will once again be held at the Pulaski Judicial Center Plaza in downtown Somerset on Thursday, October 27, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. And just like the simple pleasures of looking up at a big, beautiful orb in the clear autumn sky, it’s free.

This year’s featured performer is Chris Knight. A native of western Kentucky’s Webster County, Knight has become a Somerset staple nonetheless with multiple appearances at the Master Musicians Festival over the years. That’s something that has become commonplace with the Harvest Moon Festival — whether acts like Tyler Childers, Kevin Dalton, and Kelly Rae Burton the first year, or the raucous Sundy Best last time around.

Considering it’s Tiffany Bourne — who both serves as community development director for Pulaski County Government and president of the MMF board — behind both events, the crossover feel should seem elementary.

“It started three years ago after MMF, and I was sad that MMF was over,” said Bourne. “I remember walking by the judicial plaza one day and wondering why we weren’t utilizing that space more.

“We don’t have a lot of fall festivals going on in town, (we didn’t have) that one signature fall event for the town,” she added. “We kind of threw it together that first year. I was able to use my experience from MMF to be able to put on a festival for Pulaski County government in my actual day job.”

Knight, an Americana-style singer-songwriter, is known for songs like “It Ain’t Easy Being Me” and “Down the River.”

“After coming off last year, with Sundy Best being so popular, we had to bring in a crowd favorite,” said Bourne. “People in this town love (Knight) through MMF. We feel like he’s one of ours, even though he’s from Slaughters, Ky. We do take ownership of him since he’s been here so many times.”

Knight isn’t the only one appearing, however. Other acts MMF fans might recognize will also be on hand: Elvie Shane, Kites, Will Muse, and Kevin Dalton and the Tuesday Blooms.

Music is just one part of the equation, however. The Harvest Moon Festival is one final hurrah in the calendar year for Market on Main, the popular outdoor farmers market that’s typically found on the judicial plaza in summer months.

“That’s how we started the first year,” said Bourne. “They wanted to end their season with a bang. Bring in a bigger band and do things on a little bit bigger scale.”

The normal Market on Main vendors will be on hand, about 25 regular booth spaces reserved, but special for the event will be several more food and beverage providers, including:

Baxter’s Coffee; Station 211 Coffee; Tacos Tanaco; Get UR Smoke On BBQ; Ruckel’s; Mill Springs Pizza; R&D Ribbon Fries and Funnel Cakes; Beaux BBQ; and cotton candy from the Somerset Junior Woman’s Club.

Bourne thanked all the sponsors for making it possible, including the City of Somerset Tourist & Convention Commission; Lake Cumberland Tourism; Don Marshall Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Nissan; the Downtown Somerset Development Corporation; A1A Communications; County Attorney Martin Hatfield; Woodson Bend; Jim Muse Dentistry; Jeremy Bartley; Cricket Wireless; Frei Plumbing; First & Farmers Bank; and the Somerset-Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce. Read more: Commonwealth Journal

Town Square Chamber Membership 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.

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 Here

Greater Williamsburg Chamber: Economic Growth continues to be Most Important Public Policy Issue for Alliance Member; Best Chamber Practices: Craft Food Workshop – a joint Dandelion Foods and Mississippi Mills Chamber workshop April 2; Indy Chamber idea: Maker-space movement touches down in Indy; Eau Claire (Wisconsin) Chamber event: Refresh Live Leadership Simulcast; Chamber interest: Legislators back bill for Arkansas state police; Western Chicagoland Suburbs Welcome Two-Time ‘Shark Tanker,’ Dave Alwan to Multi-Chamber Event; The Chamber Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg Business Assistance Programs: Economic Development; Georgetown/South County Chamber Best Chamber Practices: Leadership Scott County; Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude)

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

Greater Williamsburg Chamber: Economic  Growth continues to be Most Important Public Policy Issue for Alliance Members

The Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance released results for their 2015 Economic Outlook Survey today.  The survey, completed by 94 area businesses, about 12% of membership, marks the sixth year for collecting the data from Alliance member businesses.

Economic growth remains the top public policy issue for the respondents followed by tourism and the attraction of new businesses. Some differences in public policy issues from the previous year included transportation, housing cost, and heath care. There is slightly less concern with transportation, 28% to 20%, possibly because the expansion of Interstate 64 is gearing up to happen. There is more concern for housing costs and availability, from 17% last year to 35% this year. Health care has become less of a concern, 45% to 23%.

This year, 34% of members plan to expand their business this year, 96% plan to stay here in Williamsburg and not relocate, and 38% anticipate increasing their employment level. Other good news includes 69% of members expect that their business revenues will increase in the coming year. This is up from the 63% last year. In a new question this year, the Alliance asked what may be the cause of increased revenues. Forty two percent of business members expect the higher business revenues to be a result of increased marketing, 30% believe the increase comes from increased demand, and 27% believe general market improvement.

In the coming year, 63% of business members believe their expenditures will increase coming from higher marketing expenditures, development of new products, and higher compensation for existing employees. Fifty two percent of businesses predict these expenditures will lead to an increase in profits.

The Alliance conducts the membership economic outlook survey annually and shares the data with area municipal leaders to convey the changes in economic outlook of area businesses.

 

Best Chamber Practices: Craft Food Workshop – a joint Dandelion Foods and Mississippi Mills Chamber workshop April 2

Dandelion Foods and the Mississippi Mills Chamber of Commerce are excited to announce a new workshop series aimed at individuals and businesses looking to start, grow and expand their craft food business.

The Business of Craft Foods will aim to help local food entrepreneurs transform their passion for food into artisan & value-added food businesses. Through a series of expert speakers, panel discussions and networking opportunities, these sessions will offer participants critical and time saving information needed to launch a successful food business.

The kick-off event will feature a showcase presentations from successful food entrepreneurs, including Janet Campbell, owner and founder of Mrs. McGarrigle’s Fine Mustard, Equator Coffee Roasters’ owner Craig Hall, an overview of business resources from Susan Fournier of Valley Heartland, a panel discussion as well as more to be announced.  Subsequent sessions will include topics such as Laws, Labeling, and Marketing Strategies; Developing Your Business Plan & Financing Strategies; and Building Your Brand and Getting to Market. Read more: The Millstone

Indy Chamber idea: Maker-space movement touches down in Indy

The corner of Brookside Avenue and 10th Street, just off Massachusetts Avenue, could soon be the center of what city planners hope is a model to address industrial blight.

By fall, the site should be home to the city’s first “maker space”—a collaborative area where artisans have access to industrial tools and programming—housed in 30,000 square feet at the 539,000-square-foot Circle City Industrial Complex.

Named after the “maker movement,” similar spaces have emerged across the country. The Indy space will anchor the latest phase of redevelopment for the sprawling 1920s building, which was built as an automobile-fan factory but is now home to a variety of users ranging from industrial to artistic.

Teagen Development Inc., the building’s new owner, and Riley Area Development Corp. plan to renovate the south end of CCIC—a portion that is roughly 120,000 square feet.

The maker space will take up about a quarter of that, with the rest allotted for retailers, restaurants, offices and studios. The overall project is expected to cost $5 million. Read more: Indianapolis Business Journal

 

 

 

Eau Claire (Wisconsin) Chamber event: Refresh Live Leadership Simulcast

Wednesday, April 15, 2015 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Chippewa Valley Technical College
620 W Clairemont Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701

Back for its sixth year, the Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast brings a distinguished lineup of inspirational speakers directly to you. Each specifically chosen for their proven expertise and extraordinary accomplishments, this year’s speakers will share their insight on how to lead your business, inspire your team and live an influential life. The simulcast will be broadcast live from California to Chippewa Valley Technical College’s Business Education Center.
The 2015 Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast speakers include:
• Daymond John, CEO of FUBU and Shark Branding, and Co-Star on ABC's “Shark Tank”
• Dan Aykroyd, Actor, Comedian, Screenwriter, Musician, Businessman … Ghostbuster
• Liz Murray, Motivational Speaker and Bestselling author
This half-day event was designed with leaders like you in mind. Join us to learn about the power of great leadership, be motivated to reach your full potential and have a few laughs along the way. Read more: Eau Claire Chamber

Rogers-Lowell  & Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber interest: Legislators back bill for Arkansas state police

Money for a new headquarters for Arkansas State Police Troop L is close to approval in the state Legislature, lawmakers said at a forum Saturday.
"As far as regional issues go, this might be the most important one for us in this legislative session," said Sen. Jon Woods, R-Springdale.
Woods was among lawmakers speaking at a forum hosted by the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce on Saturday morning at Northwest Arkansas Community College.
In 2011, state police bought 25 acres in Lowell for the facility. The agency had been trying since 2005 to buy land to build a new regional headquarters. Read more: Arkansas Online

Western Chicagoland Suburbs Welcome Two-Time ‘Shark Tanker,’ Dave Alwan to Multi-Chamber Event

The cattleman from Peoria will have a second chance on Shark Tank this week. If you miss it, your second chance to see him will be on Thursday, March 26^th, 2015 at the Multi-Chamber Spring Luncheon at Bobaks Signature Events in Woodridge Illinois.  Entrepreneur Dave Alwan of Echo Valley Meats Inc. will speak about opening up his own business and the trials and tribulations on his path to success, and of course, his two experiences on SHARK TANK. The event also features a business expo prior to the keynote; forty businesses from all over the region will be on display from 10:30 – 2:00. 

Dave auditioned for the ABC TV show Shark Tank during Season 4.  Though he didn’t secure a deal, the “sharks” liked his meat products, authenticity, and enthusiasm.  Not getting the Shark Tank deal still brought Dave Alwan many successes. After the show, online sales at Echo Valley Meats Inc. increased over 600%. Dave has also been asked to speak at many colleges, universities, corporations, and organizations across the country. Dave’s story of hard work and his common-sense approach to life and business will uplift and inspire you.

“Dave Alwan has a great story to tell; dreaming the big picture while taking calculated risks and hard work has been Dave’s formula for success. This is a [don’t miss] event, Dave is a motivational speaker to whom we can all relate. This event also provides an opportunity for phenomenal networking,” said Laura Crawford, President & CEO of Chamber630. 

Eighteen chamber of commerce organizations are participating in this event. Please visit www.chamber630.com; tickets are $35 each and seating is limited.

The Chamber Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg Business Assistance Programs: Economic Development

The Chamber is the center of economic development services and programs in Northwest Ottawa County. We coordinate the area’s strategic planning process, provide data and contacts to potential new businesses and act as the primary marketer of the community to the outside world. We have also developed solid relationships with neighboring communities through the West Michigan Economic Development Coalition and have brought educators and employers together through our Business Education Partnerships programs.
Our focus is retaining and growing our existing businesses by bringing the resources they need to stay competitive in today’s global economy. We administer U.S. Small Business Administration 504 Loan funds, provide small business counseling and facilitate communication among local municipalities and the business community. We create opportunities for businesses to network with potential customers and peers and oversee an extensive training and workforce development initiative. When a business has needs outside The Chamber’s list of services, we refer them to the appropriate agency or person who can best help them to move forward.
Contact David Miller, Vice President Economic Development at 616.846.3153 for more information on any of the following. Read more: The Chamber of Commerce Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg


Georgetown/South County Chamber Best Chamber Practices: Leadership Scott County

 

Created in 1991, more than 400 community leaders have participated in the Leadership Scott County Program.  Monthly sessions (August – May) consisting of local history, education, government, agriculture, economics, health care and public services provide participants the background knowledge of our community while developing leadership skills.

With the formation of the Leadership Development Committee in 2004, the Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce has taken a lead role in the overview of the Leadership Scott County Program.  This committee will be responsible to ensure the consistency of the program mission from class to class.

View the Leadership Scott County Video.


Leadership Scott County
Georgetown/Scott County Chamber of Commerce
160 E. Main St.
Georgetown, KY 40324
Phone: (502) 863-5424Fax: (502) 863-5756  Contact Name: Laura Green  Or email: laura@gtown.org


Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation: (Attitude) 

As you cannot do what you want, want what you can do.”

Leonardo da Vinci