Chamber Executive Iowa Digest - October 2014 - Chamber news: 5 Iowa cities on Top 100 Best Places to Live list; Chamber speaker: Siouxland Chamber dinner sells out at 1800; National honor for north Iowa business leader Robin Anderson; Chamber conference: Community and Retail Academy to be held in Le Mars; Osage Chamber partnership: Mitchell County farms share healthy harvest bounty; Chamber engagement: Cy statues celebrate Ames, Iowa; Hot (air) topic: September Creston, IA Chamber of Commerce happenings; Chamber good news: Cost of living in Mason City, Iowa; Chamber Event: U of O Mutt Strutt approaches

Chamber news:  5 Iowa cities on Top 100 Best Places to Live list
Five Iowa cities have been named to this year's Top 100 Best Places to Live by Livability.com. This year Iowa City ranked 10th, Ames was 30th, West Des Moines was 57 on the list with Cedar Rapids at 65 and Des Moines at 82.The listing for Des Moines says , "One of the wealthiest cities in America is Des Moines, the capital of Iowa and a major headquarters for finance, insurance and publishing. The health industry is well-represented by four major hospitals and a cancer center, while the community’s quality of life is enhanced by 76 parks, three golf courses and three family aquatic centers."
"It's great to see Ames on this list for the second year in a row," said Dan Culhane in a news release. He is Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development President and CEO. Read more: KCCI 8 NEWS

Chamber speaker: Siouxland Chamber dinner sells out at 1800

The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce said Monday its dinner featuring former U.S. Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell has sold out. About 1,800 tickets have been sold for the Sept. 29 annual dinner at the Sioux City Convention Center since they went on sale July 31, said Renee Beaulieu, the chair of the Chamber Board of Directors....Sioux City Journal

National honor for north Iowa business leader Robin Anderson

The President and CEO of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce has been appointed to a national committee. Robin Anderson is one of ten new executives named to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100.  The group advises the U.S. Chamber’s board of directors, recommends programming and strengthens outreach to the business and chamber communities. Get more: KIMT.com

Chamber conference: Community and Retail Academy to be held in Le Mars

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Plymouth County and the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce the Community and Retail Academy conference coming to Le Mars Wednesday, Oct. 29.
Business, industry, and community leaders are invited to learn about ways to create and market business branding, social media marketing, creating livable communities, and learning the customer trends for Northwest Iowa and Plymouth County. Read more: Akron Hometowner

Osage Chamber partnership: Mitchell County farms share healthy harvest bounty

Mitchell County residents took advantage of good weather Sept. 6 to visit farms and businesses that feed them. From pumpkins to meat to wine, mums and melons, farms in Orchard, Osage and St. Ansgar offered tours as part of Fresh on the Farm.
The afternoon was sponsored by Healthy Harvest of North Iowa in partnership with local farmers, Mitchell County Extension, the Osage Chamber of Commerce and NCR-SARE. Read more: Agri-News.com

Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Idea: Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead - by Sheryl Sandberg, CEO Facebook

Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.

Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook and is ranked on Fortune’s list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business and as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. In 2010, she gave an electrifying TEDTalk in which she described how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. Her talk, which became a phenomenon and has been viewed more than two million times, encouraged women to “sit at the table,” seek challenges, take risks, and pursue their goals with gusto.

In Lean In, Sandberg digs deeper into these issues, combining personal anecdotes, hard data, and compelling research to cut through the layers of ambiguity and bias surrounding the lives and choices of working women. She recounts her own decisions, mistakes, and daily struggles to make the right choices for herself, her career, and her family. She provides practical advice on negotiation techniques, mentorship, and building a satisfying career, urging women to set boundaries and to abandon the myth of “having it all.”  She describes specific steps women can take to combine professional achievement with personal fulfillment and demonstrates how men can benefit by supporting women in the workplace and at home.

Written with both humor and wisdom, Sandberg’s book is an inspiring call to action and a blueprint for individual growth. Lean In is destined to change the conversation from what women can’t do to what they can.

Chamber engagement: Cy statues celebrate Ames, Iowa

Starting Aug. 31, Ames residents might have been wondering from where the 30 6-foot tall Cy statues all around the city came.

The statues came about through an initiative called CyclONE City. CyClone City was created by Leadership Ames 27 class, which was developed to make informed, involved and concerned community leaders in the Ames area, according to the Ames Chamber of Commerce website. Read more: Iowa State Daily

Hot (air) topic: September Creston, IA Chamber of Commerce happenings

September finds the chamber of commerce busier than ever. This is due in large part to the help and assistance the Chamber gives to the Creston/Southwest Iowa Hot Air Balloon Committee for the upcoming 37th annual Hot Air Balloon Days Weekend to be held Sept. 19–21.
Weather permitting, Balloon Days kicks off with a fun flight of many of the balloonists on Friday evening sometime after 5:30 p.m. The balloon races will be held on Saturday the 20th and Sunday the 21st. Depending on the wind direction, many of you can step outside your door and enjoy the spectacular view of balloons soaring across Creston on these days or head up to the airport to watch them take off. Creston News-Advertiser

Chamber good news: Cost of living in Mason City, Iowa

The Mason City Chamber of Commerce released their most recent cost of living report. They’re finding it does not cost a high dollar to live in the area.  Just a few areas they looked at include housing, utilities, groceries, and transportation. They compared costs in these areas to cities like Mankato, St. Cloud, and Sioux Falls.
With 100 being high, Mason City has a score of 91.4, Mankato 95.6, St. Cloud 94.8, and Sioux Falls 99.1. Mason City ranked especially well where groceries, housing, transportation and health care costs are concerned. The President of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce says why it’s important to have this data. Read more: KIMT.com

Chamber Event: U of O Mutt Strutt approaches
The Iowa Great Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce invites you to hit the trails with your four-legged family members for the 3rd annual University of Okoboji Mutt Strutt Saturday, Oct. 4.  It's a fun and fur-filled one-mile walk begins at the Pearson Lakes Art Center at 8:30 a.m.
People and their pooches will strut their stuff over to the Dickinson County Nature Center and then back to the Art Center for a pet/owner look alike contest, best pet trick showdown and cutest mutt show! Read more: Dickinson County News

Chamber business: Goldman Sachs is looking to help 10,000 small businesses with a $500 MILLION investment

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program is a $500 million investment to help small businesses create jobs and economic opportunity by providing them with greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services. 10,000 Small Businesses is designed for business owners with limited resources who have a business poised for growth. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to growing their business and creating jobs within their community. Learn more about this program and eligibility requirements. Further information: 10,000 Small Businesses 

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotation (Education)

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”--- Albert Einstein

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Chamber Executive Ongoing Education Weekly New Idea: Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini; Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce appoints new board chairman; Plan to boost energy efficiency in Kansas City unveiled; Kentucky's Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce Teaching Academy address educational, business concerns; Small Norman, Oklahoma Marketing Firm Named U.S. Chamber Blue Ribbon Small Business Award Winner; Le Mars Area Chamber (Iowa), Supervisors recognize Ag Awareness Week; Waconia Businesses Hope for Economic Boost from 'Taste of Minnesota'

Influence, the classic book on persuasion, explains the psychology of why people say "yes"—and how to apply these understandings. Dr. Robert Cialdini is the seminal expert in the rapidly expanding field of influence and persuasion. His thirty-five years of rigorous, evidence-based research along with a three-year program of study on what moves people to change behavior has resulted in this highly acclaimed book.
You'll learn the six universal principles, how to use them to become a skilled persuader—and how to defend yourself against them. Perfect for people in all walks of life, the principles of Influence will move you toward profound personal change and act as a driving force for your success.

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce appoints new board chairman

Paul La Schiazza, president of AT&T Illinois, takes over Tuesday as chairman of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, succeeding Scott Swanson, president of PNC Bank

. Swanson had held that position for two years. La Schiazza is a 35-year veteran of AT&T, a multinational communications company and one of the state's largest private employers, with more than 14,000 Illinois employees. He has been a member of the chamber board since 2007 and its vice chairman for two years. Read interview: Chicago Tribune

Plan to boost energy efficiency in Kansas City unveiled

Kansas City Power & Light Co., the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the city of Kansas City are joining forces to put commercial, government and other institutional buildings on an energy diet.The partnership on Friday formally launched an initiative that aims by 2030 to slash the amount of electricity used in Kansas City by 5 percent. The goal is to make the area a leader in the nation for energy efficiency.The Kansas City Energy Initiative calls for helping building owners save energy with more efficient lights, equipment upgrades, heating and cooling monitoring systems and other improvements. Read more here: Kansas City Star

Kentucky's Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce Teaching Academy address educational, business concerns

Teens can find the most obscure information with an cellphone app but they can’t always write it down or add it up, skills that make or break a job applicant. “I have probably 600 applications at my desk right now,” said Brad Logan of Hitachi Automotive Systems. “I’d say no less than 40 of them are completely illegible. I can’t even make a phone call because I can’t read the handwriting.” The difference between engaging your interviewer or talking to your shoes begins in school, one of many topics Danville-Boyle County Chamber of Commerce Teacher Academy participants discussed with local employers last week. Read more: Advocate Messenger

Small Norman, Oklahoma Marketing Firm Named U.S. Chamber Blue Ribbon Small Business Award Winner

 The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently named McMahon Marketing of Norman, Oklahoma, a Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winner. The annual program recognizes companies for their dedication to the principles of free enterprise and contributions to restoring jobs and supporting economic growth. McMahon Marketing was selected from a record number of applicants across the nation for demonstrating exceptional business practices in areas including strategic planning, employee development, community involvement, and customer service.
 
"As the business community has worked hard to do its part in moving the country forward economically, small businesses have continued to be the driving force responsible for much of our progress," U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue said. "Our Blue Ribbon Award winners are the best of the best--growing and succeeding despite significant challenges."

Read more: Digital Journal

Le Mars Area Chamber (Iowa), Supervisors recognize Ag Awareness Week

Residents will celebrate Plymouth County Agriculture Awareness Week July 21-27. Tuesday, the county board of supervisors unanimously passed a resolution making that declaration. The resolution cites facts such as Plymouth County is first in the state for soybean production at 9.7 million bushels. The county ranks second in Iowa for corn production at 44.7 million bushels.
Members of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce agriculture committee attended Tuesday's supervisors' meeting in support of the resolution. Read more: Le Mars Daily Sentinel

Waconia Businesses Hope for Economic Boost from 'Taste of Minnesota'

Organizers of a popular food, drink and music event in the Twin Cities are relocating after their original spot was flooded out.
The Taste of Minnesota won't be at Harriet Island over the Fourth of July Weekend; instead, it's moving to the Carver County Fairgrounds in Waconia.
Waconia's Chamber of Commerce President says they're getting bombarded with phone calls about the Taste of Minnesota, and local businesses say they're already setting up contingency plans in case they get more people in town than expected. Learn more: KSTP News

Famous Chamber of Commerce Quotations (Attitude)

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and shadows will fall behind you.”
― Walt Whitman

Source: www.goodreads.com

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