Oshkosh Corporation Deserves a World-Class Location; Danville-Boyle County Chamber wins twice at state awards event; Jefferson County Chamber 2017 Community Guide; Upcoming Cybersecurity Summit to Address Hacking of Charlottesville Businesses After Report; Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide; Indiana Secretary of State educates Kokomo on investment fraud; Marshall Chamber Workmans Comp Lunch and Learn; Two West Michigan downtowns receive $3.1M makeover and it's 'well worth it'; Logan County Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Map; Mastering the 'side hustle': New Albany bakery owner tells story of starting her business to budding entrepreneurs at small business seminar; Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

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

Oshkosh Corporation Deserves a World-Class Location

We are extremely fortunate to have Oshkosh Corporation headquartered in the City of Oshkosh. As a global company with operations and facilities across the United States (Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida) and throughout the world (Europe, China, Australia, and Mexico) the company’s headquarters could be located practically anywhere. This is a possibility that we cannot afford to see become a reality.

Because of this potential reality, it is essential that we do everything possible to keep Oshkosh Corporation headquartered in Oshkosh. A failure to do so will have a devastating impact on our local economy and quality of life that will be felt by us all for decades to come. Oshkosh Corporation is experiencing significant growth across all of its divisions which has resulted in the company’s need to grow its workforce and expand its workspaces. Locally, Oshkosh Corporation has nearly 40 buildings scattered throughout the Oshkosh area and is running out of space. A new state of the art headquarters will help the company work more efficiently and effectively and continue its growth trajectory.

When Oshkosh Corporation announced its search for a new headquarters location, the City presented site selectors with 19 locations in Oshkosh for the company to consider. Using the criteria provided by Oshkosh Corporation there is only one location in the City of Oshkosh that meets all of the requirements for their new world headquarters. That location is Lakeshore Golf Course.

As a multinational Fortune 500 company, Oshkosh Corporation has specific needs that have to be met in order to remain competitive and successful in the global economy. The location of its new world headquarters must address these needs:

• Talent and workforce
• Unique location
• Minimum of 30 acres to be developed
• Easy access to major highways
• Good visibility
• State of the art technology and amenities
• Welcoming and supportive community that embraces its employees and mission
• Makes financial sense

Attracting and retaining top talent is one of Oshkosh Corporation’s biggest priorities. A new state of the art corporate headquarters located on a unique piece of land will reflect the quality and status of Oshkosh Corporation and will be a crucial element for attracting the best and brightest to work and live in our city.

Now is the time for all of us to work together to secure a future where we all gain. The City of Oshkosh keeps Oshkosh Corporation headquartered here with new jobs and tax revenue generated. All citizens of Oshkosh get increased access to the waterfront and greenspace with more recreational opportunities and improved amenities on the Lakeshore site. Oshkosh Corporation gets a new world headquarters creating a world-class destination that will attract the most talented minds from all over the globe to live and work in our community.

We encourage our organizations’ members as well as citizens of Oshkosh to take action and show their support for Oshkosh Corporation by putting yard signs up, attending and speaking at upcoming public input sessions, and contacting City Council members regarding the urgency and importance of this matter. Together we can keep Oshkosh Corporation in Oshkosh and secure the city’s economic future.

John Casper
President & CEO
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce




Danville-Boyle County Chamber wins twice at state awards event

At the 52nd Annual Celebration of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE) last week, a new award to honor a chamber Volunteer of the Year was awarded. The 2017 Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Steve Rinehart with the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce. His tireless work with workforce, the Teacher’s Academy and service on the chamber board highlighted his extensive application. As noted by KCCE Executive Director Amy Cloud, “We are honored to showcase volunteers because we know that no chamber executive is successful without dedicated volunteers.”

Paula Fowler, executive director for the Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce, submitted the application, who noted that Rinehart’s nomination was one of many received. Judged by professionals outside Kentucky, Rinehart’s nomination stood out among all.

Fowler noted in the nomination that Rinehart is administrative manager for Denyo Manufacturing Corp. — but this man is so much more to our community. He is active throughout the business world locally and regionally in a variety of ways.  After serving as board chairman of the chamber for two terms, he then stepped up to chair and launch the chamber’s Workforce Development Committee in 2007 and has been the driving force, leading a strong committee, in all that has been accomplished for our business community in this area.  Under his leadership, a Teachers Academy, now in its 10th year, has been created and involves educators from seven different counties and 11 different schools. Other efforts of the committee have included Work Ready certification and successive recertification for Boyle County in 2012 and 2014, a Magical Manufacturing Mystery Tour on National Manufacturing Day for the past two years bringing school leadership (from multiple schools and districts) on a half-day tour to learn what modern manufacturing looks like and to share workforce needs with our schools, and speaking in our schools teaching classes on what students need to be successful in the workplace.  And these are just a few of the highlights of all this committee has done. Read more: Advocate Messenger

Jefferson County Chamber 2017 Community Guide   

The Jefferson County Chamber 2017 Community Guide  is available at the chamber of commerce today! Thank you to Philip "Mike" Beard and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together! 

Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce Community Guide

Town Square Publications  (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.

Upcoming Cybersecurity Summit to Address Hacking of Charlottesville Businesses After Report

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce today released a comprehensive “State of Cyber-Security in Central Virginia” report of regional businesses and organizations. 57% surveyed note their enterprises have been hacked; and, while 72% note Cyber-Crime as an increasing threat to their firms, 82% see Cyber-Crime as only a low or moderate threat to their enterprises. 34% of respondents either do not have a response plan or don’t know. (A complete copy of “State of Cyber-Security in Central Virginia” is attached.)

This Wednesday, September 27th, a FREE regional Cybersecurity Summit presented by Advanced Network Systems, with Hantzmon Wiebel, BB&T Insurance, and The Chamber, will be held at Kardinal Hall, 722 Preston Avenue from 4 to 7 p.m. There is no charge to attend the Cybersecurity Summit, but registration through the Chamber’s website www.cvillechamber.com/events is required. More than 100 are expected to attend.

The Cybersecurity Summit includes insights from internationally network security expert and quoted oft commentator, Corey Nachreiner, the Summit’s featured speaker. Mr. Nachreiner is the Chief Technology Officer of WatchGuard Technologies, a Seattle-based, international cyber-threat management company. Mr. Nachreiner’s insights and forecast will be followed by a panel discussion with IT, financial and insurance industries experts.

The FREE Cybersecurity Summit is for all enterprises (business, nonprofits and governments).  Attendees will learn: the biggest cybersecurity risks locally, nationally, and internationally; predicted shifts in IT security threats over the next year; the biggest security mistakes most organizations make; and the most impactful steps organizations can take immediately to protect themselves.  The Cybersecurity Summit also includes: an Executive Overview, Industry Discussion, and Expert Panel Discussion with open Questions & Answers. The regional business and civic organization community will have opportunities to learn about cybersecurity best practices, research, and responses.

          Mr. Nachreiner is the author of the highly followed daily security blog “Secplicity – Security Simplified” and delivers a “Daily Security Byte” video on Facebook.  He is a speaker at forums such as Gartner, Infosec, and RSA. He is also a regular contributor to leading publications including CNET, Dark Reading, eWeek, Help Net Security, Information Week, and Infosecurity Magazine.

“Enterprises with less than 100 employees are the target of more than 70% of all data breaches,” stated Chamber President Timothy Hulbert, “and, 60% of small and mid-sized companies go out of business within six months of a cyber-attack.  This FREE Cybersecurity Summit, is a must for all businesses and civic organizations.”

Cybersecurity Summit online registration for Chamber members and non-Chamber members is open at www.cvillechamber.com/events. Summit attendees receive a “State of Cyber-Security in Central Virginia” report. Read more: ABC 29

Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide

The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 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!

Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce 2017 Business Directory and Resource Guide

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.

Indiana Secretary of State educates Kokomo on investment fraud

 Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson stopped by the Kokomo Chamber of Commerce Thursday morning to share information about investment fraud, including red flags Indiana residents should look out for to avoid landing in a financially crippling situation.

Kokomo was the second stop in a 14-city tour to show the documentary “$cammed: Investment Fraud Revealed,” which was made through Indianapolis’ PBS station, with the Indiana Secretary of State office using grant money from the Investor Protection Fund.

The documentary outlined three high-profile investment fraud schemes that ended in the perpetrators’ conviction and imprisonment.

The first case covered in the documentary was that of Vaughn Reeves, convicted in 2010 after selling church goers bonds they believed were going toward church construction and development projects. Instead, it was part of a large Ponzi scheme where investors were being paid with money from other investors.

The second case was that of Marcus Schrenker, who famously attempted to fake his own death after scheming individuals by using invested money to support his “lavish lifestyle” rather than on wise investments.

Finally, the documentary followed the case of former Indianapolis attorney Charles Blackwelder, who was convicted after maintaining a real estate Ponzi scheme aimed toward Indiana seniors that eventually costs his victims around $19 million collectively.

Victims were interviewed for each of the segments – something that Lawson said was more powerful than simply warning of hypothetical consequences. Victims discussed their emotions, with many expressing anger, frustration and regret that they fell into a scheme that cost them their savings.

Many victims of investment fraud do not receive their money back even in the case of a conviction, the documentary states, because it has already been spent. Instead, it calls prevention the best tool, and goes through a list of red flags to look out for. They include:

– Don’t respond to unsolicited communication, including phone calls, emails or messages over social media. Claims that an investment is risk-free are likely false, as no investment is risk-free.

– Check in with the Indiana Secretary of State’s office to see if a product is registered or if the person doing the business is legitimate.

– Overly consistent returns are another red flag, because stocks should fluctuate along with a changing market.

– Avoid a person describing complex strategies who urges a quick decision or is missing any documentation.

Lawson said the two most common types of fraud over the past decade have consistently been Ponzi schemes and real estate fraud. Many fraudsters go about that, she said, by building affinity with the potential victim – trust or some type of common bond. Read more: Kokomo Tribune

Marshall Chamber Workmans Comp Lunch and Learn 

Tuesday, October 10
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Marshall Public Library
612 Archer Ave.
Marshall, IL 62441

The Marshall Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a lunch and learn on October 10, 2017 at the Marshall Public Library.  The cost is $2 per chamber member and $5 for non chamber members.

This lunch and learn will feature Gloria Jimenez, outreach coordinator for Illinois Workmans Compensation Commition, IWCC.

The Insurance Compliance Division of the Workers’ Compensation Commission is responsible for enforcing the mandatory insurance provisions of the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act. If an employer has one employee, even a part-time employee, the employer must provide workers’ compensation insurance. That includes family members of the owner(s) who are employed by the company. Sole proprietors, corporate officers, business partners and members of limited liability companies may elect to come under the Act or they may choose not to (except for employers in extra-hazardous occupations, such as construction and trucking).

An employer that knowingly and willfully fails to provide workers’ compensation insurance may be fined up to $500 for every day of non-compliance, with a minimum fine of $10,000. Additionally, corporate officers who are found to have negligently failed to provide insurance are guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.

Click Here to Register

Two West Michigan downtowns receive $3.1M makeover and it's 'well worth it'

Two downtowns. One goal: beautification. 

The downtown districts in Whitehall and Montague - together known as the White Lake area - will both have received a makeover by year's end. 

In Montague, the nearly $600,000 project is just getting started. Whitehall completed its $1 million streetscape project at the end of June and is already beginning to see a difference in the way people visit Colby Street. 

"There's a lot more activity in the downtown," said Scott Huebler, Whitehall city manager. "People aren't going in a shop and leaving; they're hitting a couple shops, sitting and relaxing a little bit. It's definitely an improvement, and a plus for the downtown businesses." 

The work included new sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, trees, irrigation, outdoor electrical outlets, trash cans, benches and cement sitting blocks. 

Hueber described it as a "big facelift." 

Streetscaping was done at the same time as a watermain update -- $300,000 - and a complete rebuild of Colby Street (U.S. Business 31) by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The total project cost was about $2.5 million. 

In all, the two downtown projects have a total price tag around $3.1 million. Read more: M LIVE

Logan County Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Map

The Logan County Chamber of Commerc Community Map is available at the Chamber today! Thanks to Tammy Tinsley, Dee Dee Brown, the Tourist & Convention Commission and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!

Logan County Community Map

Town SquarePublications (www.townsquarepublications.com) can help you accomplish your chamber's gloss map, directory, community guide or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.

Mastering the 'side hustle': New Albany bakery owner tells story of starting her business to budding entrepreneurs at small business seminar

It was 1997 and Mary Jennifer Russell of New Albany was reeling because she'd just lost her first "real job" out of college. She swung from odd job to odd job, from substitute teaching to selling embroidered pillows for a friend's pillow business. And on the side, she baked and sold cakes. 

It was what she called a "side hustle" -- one more way to bring in income when she was struggling just to afford gas and lunch. 

But when she sold 10 cakes at once to a yogurt shop in Tupelo a year into her impromptu business, she realized she'd found what she wanted to do for the rest of her life. 

That was the story she told a small crowd of young business professionals and entrepreneurs at a small business seminar BancorpSouth and the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce hosted at Mississippi University for Women Tuesday evening.  

The seminar focused on strategies for aspiring entrepreneurs to start businesses that can stand the test of time -- especially the first year. 

"The majority (who attended) were people who were just thinking about (starting a business) or have ideas to do it and needed to know where to start," said Emily McConnell, director of programs and events at the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce. "The seminar was great for that, just in encouraging them to do it, to get out there and try." 

Nearly 20 years after selling cakes to the Tupelo shop, Russell's Sugarees Bakery employs 37 people and produces 1,000 cakes per week. It's been featured in publications from Oprah's Magazine to The New York Times. Russell herself was this year's Mississippi Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Person of the Year.  

Her advice to entrepreneurs: Choose something you like and are good at and then set goals. Or, as Russell called it, "practice visioning." 

"What do you want to see?" she said. "What do you want to smell? Really, really envision it with lots of detail." Read more: The Dispatch

Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.

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 Chamber Proposal

Southwest Indiana Chamber named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE); Paddock Publications (owner of Daily Herald and Town Square Publications) to buy 12 newspapers in Southern Illinois from GateHouse Media; Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce: New Holiday Traditions Set to Begin in Oxford this Year; Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce interest: Tesla executive to speak in Madison; #FamousChamber of Commerce Quotation: Networking; Town Square Chamber Publications: Valparaiso Chamber: Promises made, Promises kept!; Charlottesville Chamber Business Academy Fall Workshops Now Open for Registration; Glen Ellyn chamber has a new executive director; Chamber interest: KY Board of Education presents Kelly Award to NKY’s Brent Cooper, Louisville’s Audwin Helton; New federal overtime rule topic at Midland Chamber event; Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-Location Guides and Custom Maps;

Happy Monday, Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT week!

Southwest Indiana Chamber named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) 

The Southwest Indiana Chamber has been named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, which represents 1,300 organizations worldwide. The Southwest Indiana Chamber beat out finalists in its category from Bowling Green and Gainesville.

Chambers are judged in performance areas including net revenue and membership retention. The ACCE also evaluates community impact in areas such as education, transportation, economic development and quality of life.

The organization presented the award at its annual convention today in Savannah, Georgia. In accepting the award, Southwest Indiana Chamber Chief Executive Officer Christy Gillenwater said, "To work alongside passionate teammates and community members who are pushing the limits to create unbridled momentum in our region is a powerful thing. Thank you, Southwest Indiana, for your unwavering support."


In June, when the Southwest Indiana Chamber was named a finalist for the award, Gillenwater called it validation for a "monumental year," with projects progressing including the Regional Cities Initiative, land-based gaming and the I-69 expansion. Read more: Inside Indiana Business

Paddock Publications (owner of Daily Herald and Town Square Publications) to buy 12 newspapers in Southern Illinois from GateHouse Media

Paddock Publications Inc. announced Tuesday plans to purchase several daily and weekly newspapers in Southern Illinois from GateHouse Media LLC.
The sale, expected to be finalized Thursday, includes five daily newspapers and seven weekly newspapers in seven counties.

The dailies are the Benton Evening News, The Daily Register in Harrisburg, The Daily Republican in Marion, Du Quoin Evening Calland Eldorado Daily Journal.

The weeklies are the Ashley News, Du Quoin News, The Gallatin Democrat in Shawneetown, Christopher Progress, The Randolph County Herald Tribune in Chester, The Ridgway News and Steeleville Ledger.

Employees of the newspapers were told of the sale in a staff meeting Tuesday morning in Marion. All are expected to be retained.

"The purchase is in keeping with our corporate strategy to diversify the company into areas where Paddock's brand of journalism and marketing acumen will provide additive revenues and profitability," said Douglas K. Ray, chairman, publisher and CEO of Paddock Publications. "These newspapers fit that model, and we are confident in our ability to grow the business.

"Now we take Paddock's newspapering success in the suburbs to downstate Illinois through the purchase of the Southern Illinois newspapers. If other opportunities present themselves, we will grow this community newspaper portfolio." Read more:

Daily Herald

Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce: New Holiday Traditions Set to Begin in Oxford this Year

The Oxford Lafayette-County Chamber of Commerce and Visit Oxford have come together to create a family-friendly holiday weekend beginning with the Night of Lights on Friday, December 9th and Deck the Halls: An Oxford Tour of Homes Saturday, December 10th.

“We believe this is something that people will be excited about, not only locally, but will also bring people in from out of town,” says Pam Swain, Senior Vice President of the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. “We decided to do this event, because we feel like this is something that people are already doing. This will give a format for people to come in and see those homes.”

The Night of Lights will begin on Friday, December 9th and continue until Saturday, December 27th. With the guidance of a map, members of the community are taken on a self-guided tour featuring homes across Oxford and Lafayette County decorated with magical lights and festive decorations.

The Tour of Homes will take place Saturday, December 10th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Homeowners

from Oxford and Lafayette County are invited to participate by inviting the community to view rooms within their homes that have been decorated in great holiday splendor.

For more information or an application to be a part of the tour, call the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce at 662-234-4651 or email deckthehalls@oxfordms.com

Media contact: Pam Swain, Senior Vice President, Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce

Tel: 662-234-4651; Email: pam@oxfordms.com

Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce interest: Tesla executive to speak in Madison

Fitbits. Machines that can solve problems it would take humans hundreds of years to figure out. Furniture made on 3D printers.

Those are just a few examples of the avalanche of technologies poised to dramatically change our lives.

Keith Witek, Tesla Motors Inc.'s director of autopilot enablement and associate general counsel, will share his personal views on factors that make or break these types of potentially disruptive technologies at the Badger Startup Summit this month in Madison.

"It used to be that innovations that spawn or destroy entire industries would happen very infrequently," said Witek, who has an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Now major disruptions that can be life-threatening to industries or companies are emerging almost annually."

New technology and new multibillion-dollar markets can ambush unsuspecting established companies and markets in very short periods of time, said Witek, who was previously vice president of strategy and corporate development at Advanced Micro Devices. The tablet computer, for example, went from no users to 150 million users in about 18 months, he said.

The pace of change continues to quicken. For instance, it takes three to five years to bring new semiconductors from corporate development labs to the market. Advances in 3D and chip packaging and other technologies may soon allow custom miniaturized semiconductor products to get from development labs to market in less than six months, Witek said.

Given the accelerated environment, open sharing and cross-collaboration between disciplines are critical to creating a culture that generates disruptive technologies.

"The semiconductor market innovated like no other for 60 years largely because chemists, biologists, electrical engineers, material scientists, industrial engineers, physicists, mathematicians, mechanical engineers, and many more disciplines learned to work together and build on each others' disciplines," he said.

The Badger Startup Summit is part of Forward Festival, which includes more than 40 events taking place Aug. 18-25 throughout Madison.

The core Forward Festival event, on Aug. 23, is the Forward Technology Conference, which is paired with the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce’s neXXpo business exposition and Pressure Chamber pitch events. Read more: Journal Sentinel

#FamousChamber of Commerce Quotation: Networking


Networking is marketing. Marketing yourself, marketing your uniqueness, marketing what you stand for. – Christine Comaford-Lynch

Town Square Chamber Publications: Valparaiso Chamber: Promises made, Promises kept!

Note from the Valpo Chamber 

I want to thank you for an outstanding map which you produced for our Valpo Chamber.In my 43 years as a CEO in the Chamber Field, it was the smoothest project I have ever seen done. You made all the deadlines, your print quality and cartography was second to none. And of course you paid us in exactly the time frame you said you would so we could count the Royalty Check towards our current year revenue.

Life is very good when dealing with Town Square Publications.

You have the right of first refusal to do our next map. You are a great partner for our Chamber. We are living proof that a printed map is still very much in demand by both advertisers and consumers.

It would be my pleasure to recommend Town Square Publications as a firm Chambers and Tourism Bureaus should use when considering a printed Map or other print publications.

Rex G. Richards, CCE

President

Valpo Chamber of Commerce

Charlottesville Regional Chamber Business Academy Fall Workshops Now Open for Registration

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce Chamber Business Academy Fall Workshops are now open for registration.

The Chamber Business Academy Take Away Tuesdays and Chamber Business Academy @ PVCC offer 15 workshops. Take Away Tuesdays classes will be held at the Chamber of Commerce office, and the Chamber Business Academy @ PVCC classes will be held at the PVCC Stultz Center for Business & Career Development.

Attached is a copy of the Chamber Business Academy Fall Semester offerings. Class descriptions and how to register can be found at www.cvillechamber.com or by calling 434.295.3141.

The Chamber Business Academy was established by the Charlottesville Regional Chamber as a leading member service for Chamber member enterprises – businesses, non-profit organizations and institutions – providing business technical assistance, professional and personal development.

The Chamber Business Academy offers programs in an array of areas including: social media, leadership, employee relations, sales, marketing, management skills, financial management, human resources relations, communications, computer skills and more. CBA workshops and seminars are designed to be relevant, accessible and affordable for owners, managers and employees of any business and enterprise. The CBA is a workforce development tool for greater Charlottesville enterprises; helping to build a stronger overall workforce in our community. Enterprises participating in Chamber Business Academy programs note the benefit of higher employee retention, better leadership and better work performance.

The Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to representing private enterprise, promoting business and enhancing the quality of life in the greater Charlottesville communities. The Chamber has more than 1,200 member and affiliate member enterprises employing more than 45,000 people in greater Charlottesville, representing an estimated total payroll of more than $1.75 billion a year. Read more: NBC 29 Charlottesville

Glen Ellyn chamber has a new executive director

A Michigan native experienced in event planning and tourism will head the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce as its new executive director.

Dawn Smith, who has lived in the village for nine years, will start the full-time job Monday, Aug. 15. She succeeds Mike Formento, a former village president who stepped down after eight years from the top post at the chamber, a nonprofit group that promotes businesses in town.

Smith previously worked as a national tourism manager for Spirit Cruises and as a sales and marketing director for Photogenic, a company that offers souvenir photography at museums and other tourist hot spots.

She now works part-time managing a student foreign exchange program at the Global Education Association, chamber board President Tom Van Winkle told members in an email announcing her hiring.

"She's very exuberant," Van Winkle said Wednesday, "and she's very exited about starting."

Smith, who holds a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University, lives in Glen Ellyn with her husband Mike, a mechanical engineer at an Aurora company, and their daughters.

Since 2008, Smith has served on the Glen Ellyn Fourth of July Committee, an all-volunteer group that stages the annual parade and fireworks. Smith was "instrumental" in bringing food trucks to the Lake Ellyn cardboard boat regatta that kicks off the celebration, Van Winkle said.

Her predecessor, Formento, was the longtime face of the chamber, known around town as "Mr. Glen Ellyn." When he took the reins with another co-director in 2008, Formento was supposed to steer the chamber for two or three years, but ended up staying on to help move its main offices to north Main Street and to serve members weathering the Great Recession.

He later held the position on his own. In May, Formento announced he would step down after the chamber organized the Taste of Glen Ellyn.

Formento and Van Winkle approached the village board earlier this year about relocating the four-day festival to a downtown parking lot on the south side of the train tracks between Main Street and Forest Avenue. Read more: Daily Herald


Chamber interest: KY Board of Education presents Kelly Award to NKY’s Brent Cooper, Louisville’s Audwin Helton

The Kentucky Board of Education presented the 16th annual Joseph W. Kelly Award to two business leaders who are actively engaged in making a difference in their local schools: Brent Cooper, president of C-Forward Information Technologies of Covington, and Audwin Helton, president and chief executive officer of Spatial Data Integrations Inc. of Louisville.

“Kentucky is fortunate to have the involvement of the business community in P-12 public education,” Kentucky Board of Education Chair Bill Twyman said. “The support provided, as evidenced by these two individuals, is invaluable in helping Kentucky reach its educational goals.”

The Kelly award is given to businesspeople who offer outstanding leadership and service toward promoting school improvement and equitable educational opportunities for all Kentucky children.
In a letter nominating Cooper, Boone County Superintendent Randy Poe noted Cooper’s commitment to education as a driver of economic development.

“Brent believes an education system that prepares the next generation to become its workforce is the single biggest economic development tool a region can have,” Poe wrote.

As a member of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce board of directors, Cooper chairs the Education and Workforce Committee. He also serves as co-chair of the Greater Cincinnati Read On! campaign and as a math tutor for the Fort Thomas Independent schools. His company has a business engagement partnership with the Covington Independent schools’ James E. Biggs Early Childhood Education Center and participates in an Adopt-A-Class Foundation mentoring program with John G. Carlisle Elementary School. He also helps organize business engagement tours conducted in Boone County schools and other northern Kentucky schools. Read more: Northern Kentucky Education Council (NKYEC) Executive Director Polly Page stated, “Brent understands the interplay between business and education. From the very beginning, he has served as a liaison between the business community and education and understands how that relates to policy and funding.” Cooper has been an NKYEC board member since the inception of the council. Read more: Northern Kentucky Tribune

New federal overtime rule topic at Midland Chamber event

The U.S. Department of Labor published major changes to the overtime rule that will make about 4.2 million currently exempt employees eligible for overtime pay later this year. All employers will have to comply with the changes made to the overtime regulations by Dec. 1.

The Midland Area Chamber of Commerce is offering an informational program to help businesses learn more about the overtime rule changes and how to implement them. A continental breakfast, coffee and juice are included with registration.

The program will be Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 4 5:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn, Midland, 810 Cinema Drive. The seminar will be facilitated by Steve Palazzolo of Warner Norcross & Judd LLP.

Early Bird Registration is $10; after Aug. 17, registration is $15. Read more: Midland Daily News

Town Square Publications Chamber of Commerce Membership Directories, Community Profiles, Re-Location Guides and Custom Maps

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