Happy Monday #ChamberWorld! It's going to be a GREAT week!
Paducah Chamber Receives 5-Star Accreditation From U.S. Chamber
June 13, 2018 --- The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce has been awarded the prestigious, 5-Star Accreditation, one of the highest honors from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business-advocacy organization. The recognition places the Paducah Chamber among the nation’s top 1% of all chambers of commerce. Of the approximately 7,000 chambers in the United States, only 116 have earned recognition as a 5-star accredited chamber. In Kentucky there are four chambers with 5-star rating including Northern Kentucky, Bowling Green, Christian County and Paducah.
“We are thrilled to have been recognized with the 5-Star Accreditation,” said Sandra Wilson, Paducah Chamber President. “We have worked really hard these past few years to move to the top ranking from the U.S. Chamber.” The Paducah Chamber had previously been a 4-star Accredited Chamber. The accreditation process takes place every five years for Chambers.
The Paducah Chamber was also recognized for excellence in 2017 as the National Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. This was a repeat win having also won in 2011.
Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive Accreditation, a chamber must meet rigorous standards for leadership, staff development, chamber policy and procedures, programs – including governance, government affairs, technology, planning and finance. This ranking reflects the organization’s dedication to serving both its members, and the business community at-large, by operating efficiently, being innovative and collaborative, providing members with resources to help their businesses grow, and contributing to positive change in the community.
In order to be considered for accreditation, chambers must complete a detailed application outlining nine areas of organizational structure that include governance, finance, human resources, government affairs, program development, technology, communication, facilities, and benchmarking.
Local chambers are rated Accredited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars, or 5-Stars. State chambers are recognized as either Accredited State Chamber or Accredited State Chamber with Distinction. The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.
The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce is the region’s largest business advocacy organization with approximately 1,000 member firms and is the fifth largest Chamber in the state. More information: Paducah Chamber
Green Bay, Wis.- (June 18, 2018) – The Greater Green Bay Chamber
has been named a finalist for the 2018 Chamber of the Year award, presented by
Alexandria, Va.-based Association of Chamber of Commerce Executive.
The award is the most prestigious and competitive recognition
presented annually by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).
ACCE is an association of more than 8,000 professionals from 1,300 chambers,
including 93 of the top 100 U.S. metro areas.
The Chamber of the Year award recognizes the leadership role
chambers have in their communities. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year
designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key
community priorities, such as education, transportation, business development
and quality of life.
Chamber of the Year winners will be announced at the 2018 ACCE
Annual Convention in Des Moines, Iowa.
“Wow! What an honor to have the Greater Green Bay Chamber named as
one of the best chambers of commerce in the entire country. Congratulations
goes out from the chamber board to our President & CEO Laurie Radke and her
team for their unrelenting focus and passion to strengthen member businesses by
enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of
life in the Greater Green Bay community,” stated Craig Aderhold, chairman of
the chamber board and EVP head of commercial banking
for Wisconsin Bank and Trust.
Chambers interested in competing for the award first must qualify
by participating in a vigorous multi-stage process. Organizations entering the
Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds in at least three
of five key performance areas, including net revenue and assets, membership
account retention, and membership dollar retention.
Qualifying for Chamber of the Year is a rigorous process. Chambers
compete based on meeting key performance criteria on the ACCE Annual Operations
Survey. Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application
addressing all aspects of organizational operation and programmatic work.
Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists.
Winners are selected from among finalists based on an in-person interview
before a panel of experienced chamber professionals.
This year's competition drew numerous entries from chambers
throughout the U.S and Canada. To ensure the fairest competition, applicants
are grouped into five categories based on: annual revenue, membership, area
population and other factors.
Contact: Niina Baum, marketing communications manager, 920-593-3423 or nbaum@greatergbc.org
Birmingham Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide
The Birmingham-Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide is available at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Joe Bauman and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Birmingham-Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource 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.
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and Women’s Biz Net (WBN)WBN to Honor Outstanding Women Leaders on Sept. 27 at OWL Awards Luncheon at Biltmore Country Club
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and Women’s Biz Net (WBN) will honor local women leaders during their inaugural Outstanding Women Leaders (OWL) Awards Luncheon on September 27, 2018 at the Biltmore Country Club, 160 Biltmore Dr. in North Barrington.
“There are women among us who serve as role models, breaking barriers and setting the bar high for their accomplishments professionally and to the community,” said BACC President/CEO Suzanne Corr. “We developed the OWL awards to thank those amazing women leaders who make a tremendous impact on the lives of others. These are important stories that others should hear.”
Birmingham Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide
The Birmingham-Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide is available at the Birmingham-Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Joe Bauman and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Birmingham-Bloomfield 2017-2018 Membership Directory and Community Resource 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.
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and Women’s Biz Net (WBN)WBN to Honor Outstanding Women Leaders on Sept. 27 at OWL Awards Luncheon at Biltmore Country Club
The Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce (BACC) and Women’s Biz Net (WBN) will honor local women leaders during their inaugural Outstanding Women Leaders (OWL) Awards Luncheon on September 27, 2018 at the Biltmore Country Club, 160 Biltmore Dr. in North Barrington.
“There are women among us who serve as role models, breaking barriers and setting the bar high for their accomplishments professionally and to the community,” said BACC President/CEO Suzanne Corr. “We developed the OWL awards to thank those amazing women leaders who make a tremendous impact on the lives of others. These are important stories that others should hear.”
OWL Award Recipients will be recognized in the following categories:
1. Professional Excellence
2. Community Contributions
3. Nonprofit Leadership
4. Mentorship and Education
1. Professional Excellence
2. Community Contributions
3. Nonprofit Leadership
4. Mentorship and Education
OWL Award applications are now being accepted and must be submitted to the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce by August 20, 2018.
For more information contact Suzanne Corr, BACC President, at 847-381-2525 or suzanne@BarringtonChamber.com
Business hall of fame inductee lauds Arlington Chamber for civic-engagement efforts
Three pillars set the stage:
When I spoke with media, I had the opportunity to talk about the great people of Flint & Genesee. About our resilience, and love for our city and the broader region. We talked about Flint’s rebound. That we have solid fundamentals in place to attract investments and jobs, create economic stability and growth and improve quality of life. We also talked about the increasing importance of tourism to our local economy and how Flint & Genesee is expanding its automotive footprint to form a cluster of companies that are focused on self-driving vehicles. There was so much to tell them and not enough time. But I can tell you that these conversations always help us tell a more holistic story — one that includes our challenges AND where we are making exceptional progress.
Once again, I really enjoyed the conference. I gained great insights and information from some of the brightest minds across Michigan and the nation. So, staying with tradition, I developed a short list of key takeaways that I want to share with you. You may want to review the list to see if there’s application to you and/or your business.
Tim
CDF joint venture: Camp lets students ply, weld and paint to learn about industry
Downtown La Porte’s Rapid Revitalization Brings Optimism For Future
Northwest Indiana is quickly becoming notorious for the revitalization of its historic downtowns, and the city-center of La Porte, Indiana, is no exception.
In the last four years, the blocks surrounding La Porte’s century-old courthouse on Lincoln Highway have experienced dramatic physical improvements, and has become a rapidly growing community; one that has cut down its vacancies from 70 to 20 percent.
Yet, as unprecedented as La Porte’s revitalization may seem, the phenomenon hasn’t exactly come as a surprise to Mayor Mark Krentz. In fact, Mayor Krentz views the progress as a timely payoff, one that stems from both a refined focus from the city, as well as the elbow grease that the citizens have put into re-energizing their hometown.
“I think it’s all connected, because when you start to actually address the quality of your town or city, you’ve got to look at it from an economic development standpoint, but you also have to look at the aesthetics,” said Mayor Krentz. “I think paying attention to every side is important, and our community focusing on that balance is what is promoting the city in a new and vibrant way.”
The aesthetic improvements to the historic downtown are ongoing, but the physical restoration of the buildings surrounding the Lincoln strip have already brought a new sense of life to the city. Fresh coats of paint and refurbished facades seem to be intertwined with a surge of new businesses that have put down their roots in the downtown area.
“For the downtown renovations, there were funds that were made available to the shop owners to help them with their facade improvements, and at the end of the day it’s the movers and shakers in the community that are making this whole thing possible,” said Mayor Krentz. “Once that revival starts, it’s somewhat contagious, and it attracts more families, more businesses.”
One of those new businesses that has recently laid down its roots in La Porte is Four Seasons Asian Fusion. The restaurant only opened in March, but has already found itself prospering on the corner of Lincoln and Monroe.
“Our restaurant serves a different type of food in La Porte, and although our menu is focused on Asian fusion, we’ve had so many different types of people come in through the doors,” said owner Kevin Gao, who moved to La Porte from Mishawaka to open the restaurant. “Right now the community has served us so well, and we just really appreciate all of the support.”
At the same time, just as the city continues to see the influx of entrepreneurs who have recognized the vast potential La Porte now offers, businesses and organizations that have been established in the area for several years have also taken notice to the city’s revival. One such entity is the Pax Center, which is headed by longtime La Porte resident Nate Loucks.
“Besides the immense exterior improvements and the longevity of new businesses that come into the area, the city just seems to have a better and more purposeful plan,” said Loucks, who is also the pastor at State Street Community Church. “It’s a long-term, sustainable kind of growth, instead of just slapping band-aids over problem.”
Loucks’ Pax Center is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of programs for struggling community members, such as weekly community meals and a food pantry.
“It’s a little ironic, because the worse the economy gets, the busier we get, since we provide food to those that are hungry,” said Loucks. “That said, our numbers now compared to four or five years ago are actually down quite bit, probably even by eighteen percent.”
That eighteen percent statistic certainly isn’t to say that the Pax Center is losing its ability to serve and feed people, but it rather shows evidence of a community that is seeing its unemployment numbers fall while prosperity climbs. Moreover, although Loucks admits that he’s seen his city go through some rough decades, he is confident that the community is finally on the right side of the bell curve.
“I’ve lived in and around La Porte for my whole life, and I’m truly excited about the city’s future for the first time in many years,” said Loucks. “We have the potential to be something great, something unique.”
For more information contact Suzanne Corr, BACC President, at 847-381-2525 or suzanne@BarringtonChamber.com
Cary Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Community Map
The Cary Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Community Map is available at the Cary Grove Chamber today! Thanks to Lynn Caccavallo and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
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| Cary Grove Area Chamber 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.
Business hall of fame inductee lauds Arlington Chamber for civic-engagement efforts
Decades ago, Scott McGeary’s parents would take him to occasional celebratory dinners at the Key Bridge Marriott, where they would enjoy both the food and the vistas of the nation’s capital that unfolded just across the Potomac River.
On May 2, McGeary was again at the hotel, this time in the 14th-floor ballroom as he was inducted into the Arlington Business Hall of Fame.
“I never imagined I’d be standing here,” McGeary said from the dais. “My father [a Clarendon shop owner] was the first member of this Chamber I ever knew. He encouraged me to join.”
McGeary, an attorney, currently serves as director of state public policy for Washington Gas. He is the latest in a line of two dozen leaders to be enshrined in the Business Hall of Fame since its establishment in 2009 by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.
“This is really a great night,” said Bob Hawthorne of United Bank, who presided over the ceremony and called McGeary “one of Arlington’s most exemplary” civic leaders.
“Scott’s clearly made his mark in Arlington,” Hawthorne said after ticking off the honoree’s long list of civic-engagement roles. “I’m exhausted just reading it, much less doing all that.”
That engagement has included active roles with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce (where he served as chairman), Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (where he has chaired the NOVABizPAC public-policy arm), Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce and Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
In the civic arena, McGeary – a Gulf Branch resident – serves as secretary of the Arlington Electoral Board, presided for two terms leading the Arlington County Civic Federation, held leadership posts with the Arlington Committee of 100, has been a member of the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals and is a past chairman of the Arlington County Republican Committee. He also has served as vice rector of George Mason University, where he earned his law degree.
In remarks, McGeary said the role of chambers of commerce across the nation is changing, from being mere boosters to having a stronger impact in the public-policy arena. He ticked off an A-to-Z list, from affordable housing and airports to zoning, where the Arlington Chamber has been active, “making a positive difference on every single one.” Read more: Inside NOVA
#FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Carpe Diem!)
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." Makatma Gandhi
Flint & Genesee CEO Tim Herman Blog: MPC laid foundation for relevant, timely discussion on key issues
The 2018 Mackinac Policy Conference offered thought-provoking sessions about issues that are critically important to the state of Michigan and Genesee County.Three pillars set the stage:
- First, Is Michigan Prepared? Discussion focused on ensuring Michigan’s competitiveness for major business investment by protecting the existing business climate and addressing issues preventing sustained prosperity for all.
- Second, The Mobility Disruption. It’s all about strengthening Michigan’s readiness for the disruption that next generation mobility will create for industry and society.
- And third, Trust. How will the state restore confidence in the critical institutions of government, media and business to build trust in our society.
When I spoke with media, I had the opportunity to talk about the great people of Flint & Genesee. About our resilience, and love for our city and the broader region. We talked about Flint’s rebound. That we have solid fundamentals in place to attract investments and jobs, create economic stability and growth and improve quality of life. We also talked about the increasing importance of tourism to our local economy and how Flint & Genesee is expanding its automotive footprint to form a cluster of companies that are focused on self-driving vehicles. There was so much to tell them and not enough time. But I can tell you that these conversations always help us tell a more holistic story — one that includes our challenges AND where we are making exceptional progress.
Once again, I really enjoyed the conference. I gained great insights and information from some of the brightest minds across Michigan and the nation. So, staying with tradition, I developed a short list of key takeaways that I want to share with you. You may want to review the list to see if there’s application to you and/or your business.
- Reduce the opportunity gap and enhance the quality of life for Flint & Genesee residents and Michiganders by promoting economic inclusion strategies.
- The bedrock of economic development is a prospering workforce, talent, infrastructure and quality of life.
- Employing disadvantaged groups begins with Flint & Genesee schools, and community and business leaders working together.
- Infrastructure funding should not be thought of solely as fixing and repairing, but also in terms of competitiveness. Michigan is at the forefront of autonomous vehicle development but does not have the roads or broadband internet across the state to support widespread rollout. How are we doing in Flint and Genesee County?
- Diversity is where you count people. Inclusion is where people count.
Tim
CDF joint venture: Camp lets students ply, weld and paint to learn about industry
On Tuesday morning, six middle schoolers were given a flat piece of metal a little larger than a smart phone. At the time, they had no clue how to transform it into something of value.
By Wednesday afternoon, the metal had been plied, cut, welded and painted into a trophy with the Itawamba Community College logo and mascot. With help from professional instructors, students at the advanced manufacturing camp at the ICC Belden Center gain hands-on experience while beginning the process of finding a future career.
“I’ve never done anything like this. Most times you’re just in a classroom and the teacher tells you how something works,” rising Tupelo High freshman Jacob Jones said. “This process was different because you come out here and actually weld two pieces of metal together yourself. You’re not just hearing about it.”
The students first used pliers to shape the ICC logo and mascot before taking their piece of metal into a robotics lab. There, a machine cut the design of the logo and mascot.
Then, students donned masks to weld their trophy to a base that allows it to stand upright. Finally, they used blue and red spray paint to decorate.
“This was really fun. I like to make stuff, but have never been able to use so many tools,” rising Mooreville High freshman Caleb Carroll said. “It’s cool that we started with just a regular piece of metal and turned it into a trophy.”
Beside this manufacturing lesson, the students also visited Toyota and Hawkeye Industries manufacturing sites. The camp, which is a joint venture between Hawkeye Industries, Itawamba Community College and the Community Development Foundation, aims to introduce students to 21st century manufacturing technology and basic entrepreneurial skills.
“The value in this is for these kids to see if they want to pursue a career. If at this age they despise this, than they’re probably going to despise it four years from now,” ICC Electrical Instructor Jeff Franks said. “But if they’re intrigued by it, they’re still going to be intrigued by it. This gives them an early shot at making some career choices.” Read more: Daily Journal
Northwest Indiana is quickly becoming notorious for the revitalization of its historic downtowns, and the city-center of La Porte, Indiana, is no exception.
“I think it’s all connected, because when you start to actually address the quality of your town or city, you’ve got to look at it from an economic development standpoint, but you also have to look at the aesthetics,” said Mayor Krentz. “I think paying attention to every side is important, and our community focusing on that balance is what is promoting the city in a new and vibrant way.”
The aesthetic improvements to the historic downtown are ongoing, but the physical restoration of the buildings surrounding the Lincoln strip have already brought a new sense of life to the city. Fresh coats of paint and refurbished facades seem to be intertwined with a surge of new businesses that have put down their roots in the downtown area.
“For the downtown renovations, there were funds that were made available to the shop owners to help them with their facade improvements, and at the end of the day it’s the movers and shakers in the community that are making this whole thing possible,” said Mayor Krentz. “Once that revival starts, it’s somewhat contagious, and it attracts more families, more businesses.”
One of those new businesses that has recently laid down its roots in La Porte is Four Seasons Asian Fusion. The restaurant only opened in March, but has already found itself prospering on the corner of Lincoln and Monroe.
“Our restaurant serves a different type of food in La Porte, and although our menu is focused on Asian fusion, we’ve had so many different types of people come in through the doors,” said owner Kevin Gao, who moved to La Porte from Mishawaka to open the restaurant. “Right now the community has served us so well, and we just really appreciate all of the support.”
At the same time, just as the city continues to see the influx of entrepreneurs who have recognized the vast potential La Porte now offers, businesses and organizations that have been established in the area for several years have also taken notice to the city’s revival. One such entity is the Pax Center, which is headed by longtime La Porte resident Nate Loucks.
“Besides the immense exterior improvements and the longevity of new businesses that come into the area, the city just seems to have a better and more purposeful plan,” said Loucks, who is also the pastor at State Street Community Church. “It’s a long-term, sustainable kind of growth, instead of just slapping band-aids over problem.”
Loucks’ Pax Center is a non-profit organization that offers a variety of programs for struggling community members, such as weekly community meals and a food pantry.
“It’s a little ironic, because the worse the economy gets, the busier we get, since we provide food to those that are hungry,” said Loucks. “That said, our numbers now compared to four or five years ago are actually down quite bit, probably even by eighteen percent.”
That eighteen percent statistic certainly isn’t to say that the Pax Center is losing its ability to serve and feed people, but it rather shows evidence of a community that is seeing its unemployment numbers fall while prosperity climbs. Moreover, although Loucks admits that he’s seen his city go through some rough decades, he is confident that the community is finally on the right side of the bell curve.
“I’ve lived in and around La Porte for my whole life, and I’m truly excited about the city’s future for the first time in many years,” said Loucks. “We have the potential to be something great, something unique.”
Loucks is far from alone in his optimism for his hometown, and is joined in his positive outlook by other “movers and shakers” like Gao, as well as folks like Bert Cook, who stands as the Executive Director of the Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation.
“It would be hard to drive downtown and not notice significant differences from one or two or three years ago, and the momentum that we have is so important for a city undergoing this sort of revival,” Cook said.
Cook sits on a number of boards in La Porte, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Enterprise Association, and the Northwest Indiana Forum’s Economic Development Committee. His experiences in all aspects of local economic development have given him some insight into the revitalization of the city, and he believes all signs point to a continued upward trend. Read more: La Porte County Life
“It would be hard to drive downtown and not notice significant differences from one or two or three years ago, and the momentum that we have is so important for a city undergoing this sort of revival,” Cook said.
Cook sits on a number of boards in La Porte, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Enterprise Association, and the Northwest Indiana Forum’s Economic Development Committee. His experiences in all aspects of local economic development have given him some insight into the revitalization of the city, and he believes all signs point to a continued upward trend. Read more: La Porte County Life
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.
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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
