#FamousChamber of Commerce Quotations: (three events in one day):
"When you are totally exhausted but have to keep going, wash your face and hands and put on clean socks and a clean shirt. You will feel remarkably refreshed". --- H. Jackson Brown, Life's Little Instruction Book, Volume II
#chamberhire - Lake County Chamber Announces New Executive Director, Sedrik Newbern
The Lake County Chamber of Commerce would like to announce and welcome Sedrik Newbern as the Interim Executive Director for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce. Sedrik comes to us with a broad range of experience in business, sales and marketing. We look forward to work with Sedrik on several new programs and opportunities for the Chamber.
He has served on several non-profit boards and committees including serving as co-founder of The Precious Gift of Hope Foundation. For his leadership in business and in the community, Sedrik has been recognized as one of Lake County Illinois’ Most Influential African Americans, received the Alumni Achievement Award from Western Kentucky University Gordon Ford School of Business and received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Civic Leadership Award from the Chamber of Commerce. A native of Nashville, TN, Sedrik holds a BS in Marketing from Western Kentucky University and an MBA with a concentration in Economics from Tennessee State University.
Stewart Kerr, the former Executive Director, has decided to pursue other opportunities in the area. The Board of Directors of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce would like to thank Stewart for his many years of service to the Chamber and is grateful for all the work he has done to bring the Lake County Chamber of Commerce the programs and relationships that have been built over the years. We wish Stewart well in all his endeavors.
Please join us for a Meet the Director event on September 6th,2018 at the Chamber Office, 5:30pm to 7:00pm. For more details about this event please contact our Chamber Office at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Michael Darling – Chairman
Lake County Chamber of Commerce
1313 N. Delany Rd. 2nd Floor
Gurnee, IL 60031
www.lakecountychamber.com
Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Resource Guide & Business Directory
The Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce 2018 Community Guide & Business Directory is available at the Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Krisann Durnford and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
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.
#Bestchamber practices: Oxford Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Loans Its Parking Lot to Nonprofits for Football Season
Before football season even begins in the LOU community, the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce spends its summer reaching out to local nonprofits to give them the chance to use the Chamber’s parking lot during football games. This gives each selected nonprofit an opportunity to raise funds for their respective organization.
Each summer the Chamber of Commerce mails more than 60 letters to numerous non-profits offering each one the chance to claim a football weekend, which allows the organization to rent parking spaces to football patrons each game, according to Rosie Vassallo, the Chamber’s receptionist in charge of organizing the nonprofits.
“This is a great benefit for nonprofits that are a member of the Chamber of Commerce,” she said.
The first seven organizations to respond to the Chamber are the “winners” and have officially claimed a spot in the rotation for the upcoming football season, Vassallo said.
Vassallo picks one random weekend during the summer to mail the letters, which is kept secret as to give all nonprofits a fair chance at claiming one of the seven spots.
“Our first responses usually come in by Wednesday of the next week,” she said.
Most of the organizations that participate in this opportunity raise between $1,200 and $3,500 during their respective football weekend date, according to Vassallo. The Organizations typically sell each parking spot for $25-$40 a piece, she said.
The parking lot—which is located directly behind the chamber on Jackson Ave. and across from the Ole Miss campus—holds 50-60 spots for vehicles. If all the vehicles are small and compact, the lot can possibly hold up to 75 vehicles, Vassallo said. Read more: Hotty Toddy
#chamberhire - Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance Board Announces Terry Banez as New Business Council Interim Executive Director
The Greater Williamsburg Chamber and Tourism Alliance today announced that its Executive Committee has appointed Terry Banez as the new Interim Executive Director for their Business Council.
Banez brings over 25 years of business leadership experience to the organization. “I am really excited about the opportunity to lead business growth in this amazing region,” said Banez. “This opportunity allows me to lead the next chapter for the Business Council of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance, while serving a vibrant business community with over 800 Alliance members. The Business council is focused on leading all of our diverse industries to grow economic impact and support the community.”
“This is a perfect time for Terry Banez to become the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance’s Business Council Interim Executive Director. We’ve selected a very strong leader at a time when the Business Council is undergoing a transformation to continue to serve all businesses in the Greater Williamsburg region,” said Board Chair, Jeanne Zeidler. “Our confidence in Terry’s ability to steer and operate the organization is strengthened by her business leadership experience in Williamsburg, nationally and globally” says Jeanne Zeidler. “Terry’s passion to see local business grow and thrive is visible in her passion for our region.”
Prior to GWCTA, Banez worked as Director Trade Strategy & Operations for Newell Brands (Yankee Candle Company Division) leading over $300 million in business. Terry served as the Director of Sales and Operations for the Yankee Candle Company and was the opening General Manager for their Flagship store on Richmond Road in Williamsburg.
Terry has a strong background of regional community involvement including serving on the Board for the United Way of Greater Williamsburg, the Board and Executive Committee for the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance, Avalon Women’s Shelter, Wounded Warriors Project, Habitat for Humanity and many other community organizations. Terry is a native of Williamsburg and a graduate of Lafayette High School. Her family has lived in the area for over 100 years and this fuels her passion for the area to prosper.
Banez will begin her new post with the Alliance on September 4, 2018.
#lovemychamber - Business Breakfast Bytes, from the Fox Cities Chamber, will focus on Employing Individuals with Disabilities in September
The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce’s monthly educational program for small to medium-sized businesses, Business Breakfast Bytes, will resume in September to provide education relating to employing people with disabilities by providing resources and information that are available to employers who can benefit from hiring and adding this underutilized talent pool to their business.
In partnership with SOAR Fox Cities, Inc. and generously sponsored by Katapult, LLC and Employment First/Board for People with Developmental Disabilities, the September education session is scheduled on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. at Fox Cities Environmental Learning Campus at the Bubolz Nature Preserve.
Hiring people with disabilities has the power to not only improve the life of the individual employed but also can improve the overall culture of a business. One of the goals of the September Business Breakfast Bytes session is to breakdown any stigmas relating to the topic, such as the misconception that making accommodations to hire people with disabilities may be too expensive for a business. According to the Department of Labor, 57% of accommodations cost absolutely nothing, while the rest may typically cost only $500. There are also tax incentives to assist employers in covering the costs. Are you already hiring individuals from this talent pool? This presentation will also cover ideas for how to expand and improve upon the current process you already have in place.
Come and learn why hiring people with disabilities is not about charity but about smart business. Join Erin Schultz, Executive Director of SOAR Fox Cities, Inc. as she leads the panel of experts who include: Nicole Greetan, Business Services Consultant at Department of Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation; Darrin Kuehn, Senior Director Store Operations at Festival Foods; Vanessa Mcgovert, Regional Director at Planet Fitness and Emily Warriner, Manager at Planet Fitness; Doug Pollesch, District Leader at Kwik Trip; and Edward Ruffolo, Director of Technology at Miron Construction Co, Inc.
“This session will be a great opportunity for any business – large, small, public, or private – to learn about the benefits of employing individuals with varying abilities and diversifying their workforce,” shared session facilitator Schultz. “Join me, and some of the employers in our area who are already employing individuals with varying abilities, to learn how to start this conversation within your own company or reinvigorate your already existing initiatives.”
Business Breakfast Bytes are a complimentary, monthly business educational program focused on providing our small to mid-sized business members across the Fox Cities Region with education and resources addressing top business concerns.
To celebrate September as Chamber of Commerce Month, this specific session is open to the public. Come and see what the Fox Cities Chamber has to offer. Registration is required for each session of Business Breakfast Bytes. Utilize the registration link on the Chamber website or call (920) 734-7101 to register. Please visit the Chamber website for complete details of the September session, being hosted at Fox Cities Environmental Learning Campus at the Bubolz Nature Preserve in Appleton from 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM on Tuesday, September 18. Details and registration can be found at foxcitieschamber.com.
For immediate questions, please contact MiKayla Kunde, Member Programs Manager, by email mkunde@foxcitieschamber.com or phone (920) 734-7101.
#chamberhire - TC Chamber Names New Executive Director
The Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce named its new executive director Tuesday.
Whitney Waara - a Traverse City resident the Chamber says has an "extensive background in operational management, business consulting, and public broadcasting" - was introduced to the organization's board of directors Tuesday morning. She will join the staff full-time in early September.
“This is a dream opportunity for me to be able to work in my own backyard and help our region thrive,” Waara says. “Our region has so many incredible assets and great supporters, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with our business community to help make this place even better for all of us.”
Waara's appointment was made by outgoing CEO Doug Luciani of TraverseCONNECT, the parent organization of the Chamber. She was one of two finalists who was interviewed and made it through a search process that began in June. Waara earned an MBA in marketing from the Kent State University School of Management, and holds an undergraduate degree from Kalamazoo College, where she studied business and economics. She launched her professional career in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a consultant for Arthur Anderson, LLP, Sprint and the US Postal Service. She also owned and operated a USDA-certified organic produce farm.
From 2004-14, Waara worked for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in various management roles. After relocating to northern Michigan in 2014, she spent more than a year as Executive Director of the Land Information Access Association (LIAA). Most recently, she was the senior director of operations for Ask Big Questions based in Evanston, Ill.
“Whitney brings a wealth of relevant experience to the Chamber executive director position and a passion for the community that will help her hit the ground running and be successful," Luciani says. “Her extensive background in communications, planning and organizational development will be a tremendous asset both to the Chamber and its diverse and dynamic members.”
Locally, Waara has served on the Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation Commission and as a volunteer at Interlochen Public Radio and the Glenn Loomis Montessori school. She and husband Sam Augusta have three young sons. Read more: The Ticker
Kernersville Chamber of Commerce 2017-2018 Community Guide
The Kernersville Chamber of Commerce Community Guide is available at the Chamber of Commerce today! Thank you to Chris Comer and the Chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
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.
A Letter to Commerce Lexington Inc. Members
#bestchamber practices: FCPS Safety Plan is Paramount to Student Success, School Safety
32 Current & Past Commerce Lexington Inc. Board Chairs Sign On to Support FCPS Safety Investment Plan & Nickel Tax Increase
#bestchamber practices: FCPS Safety Plan is Paramount to Student Success, School Safety
32 Current & Past Commerce Lexington Inc. Board Chairs Sign On to Support FCPS Safety Investment Plan & Nickel Tax Increase
Commerce Lexington Inc. has held a longstanding belief that education and the success of our students go hand in hand with creating a vibrant city and healthy economy. Having a highly-educated and well-trained workforce is essential to attracting new business and retaining existing business and industry. As such, Commerce Lexington Inc. believes it is imperative to do what we can as a community to support our youth by providing them with all the resources at our disposal to ensure all students are successful - whether it’s supplies, mentoring, new and improved facilities, and of course a safe environment.
Commerce Lexington Inc.’s Executive Board supports Fayette County Public Schools’ ten-point School Safety Investment Plan, which is based on national best practices and will make Lexington schools among the best prepared in the country. The plan is a result of more than four months of study and discussion from hundreds of community members across all areas of the school district.
The comprehensive plan puts our school district on the cutting edge of safety and includes more law enforcement officers, more mental health professionals, secure entrances to every school, expanded emergency planning and safety training, increased social media monitoring, metal detectors in every middle and high school, and the availability of adolescent assessment and health services for students in grades six through 12.
Although SEEK per pupil funding in Kentucky was increased overall during the 2018 General Assembly, the formula allocation results in a loss of $5.1 million for FCPS next year. Additionally, cuts to state funding for transportation, textbooks and professional development resources also negatively impact FCPS revenues. To protect students in the classroom, the school board has already cut more than $4.4 million from the Central Office to cover that deficit. Meanwhile, the FCPS existing emergency contingency fund would cover less than six weeks of expenses.
No one wants to pay more taxes, especially businesses. However, we believe that the nickel property tax increase is a small price to pay to protect our children. We see this as an investment in our future workforce and our economy. As the district continues to grow, this plan will go a long way to ensure that students, teachers and administrators can focus on what they should be – preparing our kids to be productive citizens.
Please take a moment to review the following informational documents.
FCPS 10-Point Safety Plan | District Safety Advisory Council Report | Safety Plan FAQ
Sincerely,
Commerce Lexington Inc.’s Executive Board supports Fayette County Public Schools’ ten-point School Safety Investment Plan, which is based on national best practices and will make Lexington schools among the best prepared in the country. The plan is a result of more than four months of study and discussion from hundreds of community members across all areas of the school district.
The comprehensive plan puts our school district on the cutting edge of safety and includes more law enforcement officers, more mental health professionals, secure entrances to every school, expanded emergency planning and safety training, increased social media monitoring, metal detectors in every middle and high school, and the availability of adolescent assessment and health services for students in grades six through 12.
Although SEEK per pupil funding in Kentucky was increased overall during the 2018 General Assembly, the formula allocation results in a loss of $5.1 million for FCPS next year. Additionally, cuts to state funding for transportation, textbooks and professional development resources also negatively impact FCPS revenues. To protect students in the classroom, the school board has already cut more than $4.4 million from the Central Office to cover that deficit. Meanwhile, the FCPS existing emergency contingency fund would cover less than six weeks of expenses.
No one wants to pay more taxes, especially businesses. However, we believe that the nickel property tax increase is a small price to pay to protect our children. We see this as an investment in our future workforce and our economy. As the district continues to grow, this plan will go a long way to ensure that students, teachers and administrators can focus on what they should be – preparing our kids to be productive citizens.
Please take a moment to review the following informational documents.
FCPS 10-Point Safety Plan | District Safety Advisory Council Report | Safety Plan FAQ
Sincerely,
 Karen S. Hill Chief Operating Officer/Chief Nursing Officer Baptist Health Lexington 2018 Commerce Lexington Inc. Board Chair | 
Jeff Koonce
Market President WesBanco Commerce Lexington Inc. Chair-Elect |
CO-SIGNED BY THE FOLLOWING COMMERCE LEXINGTON INC. PAST BOARD CHAIRS:
Ann Bakhaus
Mira Ball
Carla Blanton
Luther Deaton
Paula Hanson
Bob Hewett
Jim Host
Guy Huguelet
Jeri Isbell
Joe Kelly
Bill Lear
Wayne Martin
Terry McBrayer
Kim Menke
Herb Miller
Harold Mullis
Danny Murphy
Foster Ockerman, Sr.
Harry T. Richart III
Nick Rowe
Ken Sagan
Bob Slone
Mary Ellen Slone
Doug Steele
Alan Stein
Kit Stolen
Bill Thomason
Darby Turner
Woodford Webb
Mike Whitley
Ann Bakhaus
Mira Ball
Carla Blanton
Luther Deaton
Paula Hanson
Bob Hewett
Jim Host
Guy Huguelet
Jeri Isbell
Joe Kelly
Bill Lear
Wayne Martin
Terry McBrayer
Kim Menke
Herb Miller
Harold Mullis
Danny Murphy
Foster Ockerman, Sr.
Harry T. Richart III
Nick Rowe
Ken Sagan
Bob Slone
Mary Ellen Slone
Doug Steele
Alan Stein
Kit Stolen
Bill Thomason
Darby Turner
Woodford Webb
Mike Whitley
Vacant for a decade, Owosso Armory has been revamped into work space
A little more than a century after it was built, the Owosso Armory is serving a new purpose.
Meetings take place on the stage where Alice Cooper and Jerry Lee Lewis once performed. People work on gym floors where soldiers used to work out.
For decades, the space acted as a training center for the National Guard and a venue for sporting events, concerts and community gatherings. After sitting unused for about a decade, the building is back in operation as the home for local businesses.
The building is a mix of old and new. There's new carpeting abutting century-old door frames. Original banisters on the staircases mirror new ones on the adjacent walls. The gymnasium's stage is now a conference room with glass windows.
“We tried to save as much of the character of the original building as we could,” said Jeff Deason, the president and CEO for the Shiawassee Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber spearheaded the $5.5 million redevelopment project and agreed to buy the building from the Michigan Department of Military & Veteran Affairs in 2013.
The project was paid for through a combination of tax credits, grants and loans, Deason said. Construction on the 36,000-square-foot building started in spring 2017.
"I don't think people really believed it until they saw the construction going on," Deason said. "People got really interested at that point." said.
Today, colorful paintings of rams from Michigan ArtShare hang on the walls in the entry of the building. A balcony in the back of the building overlooks the Shiawassee River. Read more: Lansing State Journal
One Southern Indiana Celebrates at Annual Meeting
Whirlpool Vice President Speaks on Corporate Responsibility as Organization unveils Strategic Plan
One Southern Indiana (1si) held its annual meeting today at Horseshoe Southern Indiana. More than 375 guests attended the luncheon.
The 2018-2019 1si Board of Directors and officers were voted upon by the membership and newly elected chair Diane Medley spoke briefly about the upcoming year and 1si Strategic Plan – 2020 and Beyond. Awards were also presented with Brian Smith of Callistus Smith Agency, Inc., being named Ambassador of the Year and Stefanie Griffith, part owner of Strandz Salon & Threadz Boutique, named Volunteer of the Year.
Jeff Noel, Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Whirlpool Corporation was the keynote speaker of the event. Noel described Whirlpool’s efforts to engage its employees and community through a variety of projects including volunteerism in local and regional nonprofit organizations and economic development efforts to create quality of place in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Whirlpool led the way in transforming a one-mile strip of vacant riverfront into the Golf Club at Harbor Shores, which hosts the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, producing an economic impact of approximately $11 million in its corporate home, Berrien County, and a total of $14 million in Michigan, every two years.
President and CEO of 1si, Wendy Dant Chesser, ended the program with a brief overview of the new strategic plan. The entire plan can be found on the organization’s website, www.1si.org. This year, 1si again partnered with the News & Tribune to publish the annual report to the community. The supplement was given to guests and will be available to the public in an edition this week.
Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce event: Grapes on the River
In its seventh year held in Manistee, hosted by the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce and presented by Jeff Reau with Edward Jones, Grapes on the River pairs local cuisine with Michigan wine and beer.
This year it will be held on Saturday at the Manistee Municipal Marina. The event kicks off at 4 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. Featured will be live entertainment by Younce Guitar Duo, with 11 Michigan artisan wineries and two artisan food pairing vendors.
“Grapes on the River is a great community event to bring area wineries, restaurants and musicians to the downtown and showcase the beauty of our area,” said Kendra Remai, event chair with Douglas Valley Winery.
Partnering with the event, the Catamaran Racing Association of Michigan will also be holding races at First Street Beach on Saturday and Sunday, right on the shores of Lake Michigan.
The first race is expected to take off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday with another at 1 p.m. Other festivities will be held after the races, which were deemed successful last year.
People are also encouraged to go downtown after the races.
“With the event being downtown, patrons can spend the afternoon browsing the shops and restaurants,” said Remai. “A few hundred people gather on the lawn to enjoy tastes from the different wineries throughout the afternoon.”
More information on Grapes on the River can be found at manisteegrapesontheriver.com/. Tickets are still available for purchase. Read more: News Advocate
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.
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