The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce and UnitedHealthcare have teamed up to launch the
UnitedHealthcare Community Chamber Program statewide.
The UnitedHealthcare Community Chamber Program delivers health plans built for business by
offering a range of plan designs, including built-in pharmacy, wellness rewards for employees
and $0 copays for virtual care visits. Potential savings of up to 25% on your medical premiums
compared to other UnitedHealthcare plans in Indiana, access to a large local and national
network including 1.1M+ doctors and health care professionals and 6,000+ hospitals, plus
additional savings of up to 4% on monthly premiums when you offer a UnitedHealthcare
specialty plan, like dental or vision, alongside your medical plan.
We would like to invite your Chamber to join with us in offering this valuable new benefit to
your members.
• Dozens of plan designs and dedicated support
• The value of working with UnitedHealthcare
Support your members and your community by working with UnitedHealthcare and the Shelby
County Chamber of Commerce to give your member businesses access to quality employee
health plans at competitive rates.
The UnitedHealthcare Community Chamber Program is built to:
• Help your Chamber make membership even more attractive to local businesses by
adding health plan access as a benefit
• Help your member businesses thrive with access to benefit-rich plans at rates they may
not find on their own
• Help your community by supporting healthier local businesses and employees
Please contact me at the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce to find out more about this
exciting new program and how you can participate.
Sincerely,
Julie Metz, Executive Director
Call Julie at (317) 398-6647
New Arrival: Duneland Chamber of Commerce Community Resource Guide
The Duneland Chamber of Commerce Community Resource Guide is available at the Duneland Chamber today! Thanks to Maura Durham, June Russell and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!!
Town Square Publications 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.
Virginia Peninsula Chamber: Veterans Day: MY STORY IS NOT UNCOMMON OR UNIQUE
BY BOB MCKENNA, PRESIDENT & CEO OF THE VIRGINIA PENINSULA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Happy Veterans Day. My name is Bob McKenna and I am currently the president and CEO of the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, but more importantly, I am a 27-year veteran of the Navy.
I am very proud to have served my country and am very grateful to those who have served and who continue to serve with honor. Most of you probably know this, but 101 years ago today was the very first commemoration of Armistice Day. The original Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918, marked the end of the Great War, or World War I, and the holiday began as a way to honor the heroism of Americans who served in that war.
Legislation was passed in 1938 making it a legal holiday known as Armistice Day. In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, Congress amended the Act of 1938 by changing the word Armistice to Veterans. In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill moved Veterans Day to the fourth Monday of October. This didn’t sit too well with many people, and several states did not comply and continued to celebrate it on the original date. Finally, on Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald Ford (a WWII veteran and Navy hero himself) signed a law returning Veterans Day to its original date.
It is important to remember the difference between this day and other similar days of remembrance and honor. Memorial Day honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our great nation. Armed Forces Day honors those who are presently serving. On Veterans Day, we honor all who have served our nation during many periods and many wars and conflicts — WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Desert Storm, Somalia, Just Cause, in the Balkans, Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom and countless other smaller/lesser known wars and conflicts.
Let me switch gears for a brief moment and answer the question: why did I choose to serve? My father was a Marine in the early days of Vietnam, my father-in-law was a Chosin Marine. My brother and four brothers-in-law served in the Navy. Another brother-in-law is a Marine vet. Continuing that line, one of my sons served in the Navy for four years, attended Christopher Newport University on the GI Bill and is now a proud Green Beret with the Army.
I often joke that I joined as a way to curry favor with a skeptical man who would soon after become my father-in-law, and then served for 27 years as a surface warfare officer — and dragged his daughter and grandchildren around the U.S., Europe and Japan for over two decades. I think my story is not uncommon or unique. People join for many reasons: for the challenge, to prove something, because their father served, to earn an education, to break a cycle of failure, poverty or abuse; or because a local judge gave them a choice between serving time or serving their country.
But in the end, they all come to understand that their service has a much deeper meaning to them — a sense of honor and dignity, self-sacrifice, patriotism, and finally, an understanding that they have become a part of something much larger than themselves. They take great pride in the fact that they wear the same uniform, salute the same flag and defend the same ideals as heroes like George Patton, Bull Halsey, Chuck Yeager and Chesty Puller. They take pride in their oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies foreign and domestic, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same. They hold their heads up proudly (and rightly so) because they share heritage and history with a long line of people who stood up, made sacrifices and defended the freedom of the greatest country the world has ever known.
We take great pride in the industrial and manufacturing strength of this great nation. We build the world’s greatest ships, fastest and most capable fighter jets, the most powerful weapons and armor, but our greatest asset is and always has been the soldier, the sailor, the marine, the airman and the coast guardsman who trains for and fights our nation’s wars and, in the process, ensures our enduring freedom. So, on this Veterans Day of 2020, our nation salutes each of you and says: Thank you so much for your service. May God bless you and continue to bless the United States of America.
Original article published HERE
Lake Zurich Area Chamber: A Solopreneur Event: Just because you are a business of one doesn't mean you need to be alone...
SPEAKERS:
Brad Bailey - Fifth Third Bank
Mark DaValle - Bryant & DaValle, P.C.
Derek Hartmann - Fraser Wealth Management
Some example discussion questions are:
How do you know when it's time to get an accountant? Or a bookkeeper?
How do you know if it's the right time to expand your business and get a business loan?
What are the different ways to raise funds for a business expansion and how do you decide which way to go? (use personal finances, friends and family, line of credit, bank loan, outside financing???)
What software do other solopreneurs use? QuickBooks, Freshbooks, etc? What do you recommend they use?
How much money should I be leaving in the business vs paying myself? Are there different ways to pull the money out? Strategies for this?
What can I claim as a business expense?
Are there resources on financial topics you'd recommend to solopreneurs?
Date: November 19, 2020
Time: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM CST
Location: From your desk.
A Zoom link will be sent out prior to the meeting.
QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING?
Email: cslattery@lzacc.com
Desplaines Chamber: Veterans Back-to-Work Boot Camp
GOING LIVE TODAY!!!
TUNE IN TO ABC 7 CHICAGO WINDY CITY LIVE TODAY! ANDREA BIWER IS JOINED BY MARNE DEITHORN FROM RIVERS CASINO TO TALK ABOUT THE VETERANS BACK TO WORK BOOT CAMP ON THE 1:30 AND 2:00 SEGMENTS!
WE ARE SO EXCITED!!!
NO T.V.? LIVE STREAM AT WWW.ABC7CHICAGO.COM
IF YOU ARE AN AREA BUSINESS THAT HAS A HIGHLY VISIBLE STOREFRONT, HELP YOURSELF TO OUR NEW 24" X 36" OUTDOOR SIGNS. SAVE OUR BUSINESSES! CALL THE OFFICE AT 847-526-5580 AND WE WILL DELIVER! While supplies last.
Looking for a quick boost of inspiration during these uncertain and difficult times? Our friends at the U.S. Chamber's CO— have got you covered. Check out these 10 business books offering the fresh perspective we could all use right now to help motivate you and keep your company thriving:
“No One's Listening and It's Your Fault: Get Your Message Heard During Organizational Transformations” by Pam Marmon
A framework to help leaders get their message across in even the most challenging of times. Click here to learn more about this read.
“The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned from 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company” by Robert Iger
The principles of true leadership, including optimism and decisiveness in the face of difficulty.
“Naked at Work: A Leader’s Guide to Fearless Authenticity” by Danessa Knaupp
A step-by-step guide for authentic, effective, and inspirational leadership. Click here to learn more about this read.
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers” by Ben Horowitz
“The Hard Thing About Hard Things” offers valuable advice on how to establish and run a successful startup, sprinkled with Horowitz’ humor, “real talk” and rap lyrics. This book is useful for both aspiring and established entrepreneurs looking for insight on building a business, even when there are no easy answers.
“The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win” by Jeff Haden
The central theory in “The Motivation Myth” is “motivation is a result of process, not a cause.” Haden encourages readers to reframe their thinking regarding motivation and success and tackle their goals through a series of clear and repeatable processes. For those who are feeling unmotivated or unaccomplished in their work right now, this book is a must-read.
“Shtick to Business: What the Masters of Comedy Can Teach You About Breaking Rules, Being Fearless, and Building a Serious Career” by Peter McGraw
What do business and comedy have in common? More than you might expect, posits “Shtick to Business.” Author McGraw draws from both comedy giants and cutting-edge research to reveal universal business lessons. In addition to being educational, this book is also fun — something everyone could use a bit more of right now.
The 2020-2021 Geneva Lake West Chamber of Commerce Community Resource Guide is available at the chamber today ! Thanks to Greg Gaskins and the chamber team for their help and direction with this publication
By Archie McDonnell
The EMBDC is an acronym for the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation. It is a 501(c)(6) organization that is widely funded by approximately 500 local businesses, the City of Meridian and Lauderdale County.
It houses Meridian’s Chamber of Commerce and its Economic Development efforts. It has in place a five year strategic plan that is primarily focused on assisting existing business and industry and attracting new industry into East Central Mississippi.
It’s approximately 500 businesses pay a membership fee to belong to the EMBDC and provide it a sustained source of private funding along with the public funding provided by the City and County.
In addition, the business community has pledged approximately $1.5 million over 5 years to provide additional support to fund its five year strategic plan. This plan is heavily focused on creating new jobs in East Central Mississippi through a combination of expanding existing industries and attracting new industries into our area.
As we all know, Meridian and Lauderdale County have limited resources and lots of very tangible needs both for our current citizenry and to attract new citizens. It is obvious that these needs will only be met if we increase revenue. The preferred method of increasing revenue is to attract new jobs.
The increased revenue can then be used to better maintain infrastructure and add new infrastructure, services, and benefits that we all desire to have in our community. This is why the number one priority of our community (public and private) should be to increase jobs. Increasing jobs is the number one priority of the EMBDC!
The City of Meridian and Lauderdale County are tasked with managing and running our City and County. The governing council or board of the City and County have limited terms of office. We need a long term vision for, and commitment to, economic development that includes marketing our community.
We need to speak with one unified voice when working with existing industries or prospects unfamiliar with our community. It absolutely makes overwhelmingly more sense to have one economic development organization with one hired professional supported by the appropriate staff managing our economic development strategic plan.
It can better market the best we have to offer those tasked with making major decisions about where they want to locate their facilities, operations, employees and their families (i.e. taxpayers). We should be thinking about this in terms of the City and County being a business and the EMBDC being its marketing entity. We desperately need one unified message that communicates who we are and why people should do business with us.
We need a major project to locate in our community bringing new jobs (individual & corporate taxpayers) to our community. We need to retain and expand our existing business base. Some of the latter don’t always make the headlines.
The reason we haven’t been as successful as we’d like to be is something that we all have to own. It’s because we aren’t on the same page, speaking with one unified voice and properly staffing and funding the EMBDC.
The business model that has had success across the country for economic development is the same business model being employed by the EMBDC. However, we have to do a better job of all subscribing to this same model, funding/investing in the model and utilizing the EMBDC to present our community’s attributes to those looking to relocate their business.
If we do so, we WILL have success. The EMBDC board brought a professional economic development executive to Meridian and Lauderdale County in 2015. The organization has been working diligently to build a foundation for success in our community.
We’ve built bridges with the Mississippi Development Authority, the City and the County as well as our legislative delegations. We recently received $3.5 million from the State of Mississippi to complete the Key Brothers Industrial Park (formerly the I20/59 Industrial Park). Mississippi Power Company added a multimillion dollar substation to the park. We have a prominent industrial site selection team marketing the site. The combination for lasting economic success is to have a process in place to consistently do these kind of things year in and year out.
I’ve been the Chairman of the EMBDC for two years. While we’re doing a lot of the right things, we’re not doing enough. We must direct our limited resources (public and private) to this professional organization and ensure through our input that they continue building the foundation for success. It’s a proven model that will deliver the results we need and want for our community. Every business, large and small, should be a dues paying member of the EMBDC.
Every public and private entity should be supportive and trust the EMBDC to do its job. It’s the only alternative we have given the limited financial resources that we have at our disposal. I should know. Marshalling financial resources is what I have done for a living for a half century.
The resources we’ve committed to the EMBDC are not competitive with those communities we compete with for jobs. Their strategic plans are better funded and their communities invest more in marketing their attributes that are appealing to those wanting to locate there. This is the first time we’ve put in place a five year strategic plan and had a capital fund drive to fund it.
Now, we’re having our first membership drive in at least a decade. If you want success, you have to be willing to make an investment. We need to up our public and private investment, be an EMBDC member and then expect to win. The business model I’ve described, the professionals to carry it out, and the will to win is in place. I ask those of you who are in the public and private sector to step up your investment and expect to WIN!
These are my personal opinions and not the opinion of the EMBDC, my employer or anyone else.
#BestChamber Practices: Kernersville Chamber: Member of the Month
When 2020 and the pandemic brought so many challenges and struggles to the citizens of Kernersville, it also brought out the best in one particular Kernersville business. We are thankful for people like Rick Wilburn and his daughter Emily and Wilburn Medical Supply, who are not only wonderful people, but they love their community and have shown their support for others through their business. We want to congratulate Wilburn Medical
USA for being selected as the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce’s November 2020 Business of the Month!Wilburn Medical USA provides medical supplies and equipment to Dr.’s offices, hospitals and other organizations such as universities and was founded January of 1997 by Rick Wilburn. Rick spent most of his career as a rep for other medical sales companies until he realized that he had what it took to create his own company. He landed in our lovely town of Kernersville and opened his business in 2 small offices. From those humble beginnings, Rick has built a company that not only has provided jobs for the current 12 employees but is generous to the community in which it resides. In August of 2019, Wilburn Medical USA moved into a new office and warehouse located at 140 Furlong Industrial Drive here in Kernersville.
Rick is known for his support of our community. He is a board member of Next Step Ministries, has volunteered at their Thrift Store, and has been a generous supporter of NSM fundraisers. When the pandemic hit our community, Wilburn Medical USA provided free masks, hand sanitizer and PPE to so many other organizations and businesses. Rick was interviewed by Fox 8 News to talk about how his company was doing their part to help and support the community. When supplies were in high demand but low in supply, Wilburn Medical USA came through for our community!
Currently, Rick has promoted his daughter, Emily, to CEO of Wilburn Medical USA is transitioning the business to her leadership. They have developed a very successful online strategy supported by an inside sales team. Wilburn Medical USA has had 23 years of exceeding customer expectations. The team takes pride in running circles around the big guys and then passing on the savings to their valued customers.
For more information about Wilburn Medical USA, please call 336-996-6820
As the U.S. Small Business Administration continues working with lenders nationwide on the Paycheck Protection Program and processing PPP loan forgiveness, here are five PPP loan forgiveness tips small business owners should know:
1. PPP loan forgiveness is applied for through a lender, not the SBA.
Borrowers can download PPP loan forgiveness applications from SBA’s website at sba.gov/paycheckprotection and then submit it with required information to the lender that provided them with a forgivable PPP loan.
Lenders have up to 60 days to review a PPP loan forgiveness application and the SBA has up to 90 days to review the forgiveness application once received from the lender.
The SBA remits the amount forgiven to the lender, who must process the forgiveness payment before notifying the PPP borrower of the amount.
2. Approximately 67% of Wisconsin PPP borrowers are eligible for a simplified PPP loan forgiveness application that can take as little as 15 minutes to complete.
Earlier in October, the SBA and Treasury released a simpler forgiveness application for PPP loans of $50,000 or less and streamlined the PPP loan forgiveness process for a majority of the borrowers. The simplified application has only seven items for a PPP borrower to verify and significantly reduces the time and paperwork needed.
3. Businesses still need to document PPP loan money was spent on eligible expenses.
Since a key part of forgiveness for PPP loans is using the money for eligible expenses, borrowers need to provide documentation, including verification of payroll and non-payroll expenses, with the forgiveness application as required by the CARES Act.
4. The SBA has already started remittance to lenders.
The SBA began approving PPP loan forgiveness applications and remitting forgiveness payments to lenders for PPP borrowers Oct. 2, 2020.
5. Help is available for the forgiveness process and recovery plans.
The SBA has set up a recovery hub at www.sba.gov/recovery with essential details, resiliency tips and connections to local assistance. SBA’s Resource Partner Network – which includes Wisconsin Small Business Development Centers, SCORE Mentors, Women’s Business Centers and the Veterans Business Outreach Center – also provides one-on-one business advising and technical assistance to small businesses at no- or low-cost.
In the Great Lakes Region, 777,925 forgivable PPP loans valued at more than $88.1 billion were approved. In Wisconsin, 89,615 forgivable PPP loans valued at approximately $9.9 billion were approved. More information about the PPP is available at www.sba.gov/paycheckprotection.
The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is providing federal CARES Act funds to help those small businesses hit hardest by COVID-related closures and capacity restrictions expand their capacity. Funds may be used for a business to construct temporary structures such as canopies and igloos or purchase portable heaters, and more. Funds are available on a first-come, first-served basis to qualified applicants, with a goal to award a minimum of 10 grants in each of Michigan's prosperity regions. Learn more here. Northern Kentucky Chamber: Annual Celebration, Presented by Fifth Third Bank Join the Northern Kentucky Chamber Thursday, Nov. 12 from 11:30 a.m.– 1 p.m. when we’ll come together virtually for the 2020 Annual Celebration, Presented by Fifth Third Bank, to honor the accomplishments of community members who are making a lasting impact on our region while also highlighting how the business community has come together during the pandemic. Of course, Board Chair, Dan Cahill, will also share a little about what’s to come as the NKY Chamber looks to the new year.
While the Facebook Live broadcast of the program is free to attend, the virtual networking portion of the event is available to those that register at the $15 or $40 level. As a way to continue the NKY Chamber’s commitment to supporting local businesses impacted by the pandemic, attendees who register at the $40 level will also receive a $25 gift card to a local Northern Kentucky restaurant. Please consider registering at this level to help support our region’s restaurants and ensure their survival during this difficult time.
Click here to register for the Annual Celebration, Presented by Fifth Third Bank |
