Good morning #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Wisconsin Assembly Republicans move bill to allow business associations to self-insure
A proposal that could shake up Wisconsin’s health care market is up for a vote in the Assembly Tuesday less than two weeks after being introduced.
The bill would allow businesses in the same chamber of commerce or industry association to join together and pay directly for their employee health care costs, similar to how many large employers self-insure as a way to manage costs.
Currently, businesses can band together to buy health insurance, but bill author Rep. Shannon Zimmerman, R-River Falls, said skyrocketing health care costs for families and businesses necessitates a new way for employers to find cost savings through what are known as association health plans.
Small businesses pay 8 percent to 18 percent more than large companies for the same coverage, Zimmerman said, citing a report from the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“Health care is one of the most important issues facing Americans today,” Zimmerman said in testimony before the Assembly Committee on Health last week. “If the law is working for big businesses and their employees, then I believe the same advantage should be given to smaller businesses.” Read more: Madison State Journal
Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce hires new executive director
The Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce has hired Cherie Sonsalla as its new executive director.
On Jan. 26, the chamber’s board of directors voted unanimously to approve Sonsalla for the position after a search committee conducted extensive recruitment efforts.
Sonsalla, who will start Feb. 12, replaces Katie Miller.
Miller, whose last day was Jan. 30, announced her resignation in December to take a job with Eppstein Uhen Architects in Milwaukee/Madison.
"I am honored to join the Oconomowoc Area Chamber of Commerce,” Sonsalla said. “The chamber’s work is vital to the business community, and I look forward to working with chamber’s board, volunteers and staff to grow the organization and to promote the interest and ensure the livelihood of local business."
According to a news release, Sonsalla will relocate to Oconomowoc from Ely, Minnesota. Sonsalla successfully served as the Ely chamber’s executive director as well as the Tourism Bureau marketing coordinator for five years.
Before that, she worked in several leadership roles with Ashley Furniture for nearly 25 years. Sonsalla is a graduate of Viterbo University in La Crosse and holds a bachelor's degree in organizational management.
"We had a number of strong candidates," said Oconomowoc Chamber Board President Ann Lueth. "Sonsalla was the ideal choice. She brings nearly 30 combined years of diverse business and chamber experience. With her exceptional background Read more: Journal Sentinel
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!
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.
Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director, Janelle Best, has been named as Oakland County Executive’s 2018 Elite 40 Under 40 Class
Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Director, Janelle Best, has been named as Oakland County Executive’s 2018 Elite 40 Under 40 Class . This program is, “an initiative of County Executive L. Brooks Patterson that recognizes and spotlights dynamic leaders under the age of 40 who are making a difference in Oakland County and beyond. In its seventh year, the program is open to individuals who live or work in Oakland County and are born AFTER December 31, 1978” (Advantage Oakland).
Janelle Best is a Clarkston native. She graduated from Clarkston High School and went on to obtain a bachelor's degree in Fine Art. After graduating she procured a job in Business Development at MeridianRx. Here, she focused on growing the provider network by contracting and credentialing pharmacies all over the United States. She began working at the Chamber in 2013 as the Economic and Workforce Development Coordinator. During her first year at the Chamber, she worked to increase the value of membership by providing educational workshops and training. She also focused strongly on Economic Development initiatives working closely with Oakland County Main Street and One Stop Shop for the Clarkston and Davisburg areas. In early 2015 she accepted the position as Executive Director of the Chamber where she works to carry out the mission set by the Board of Directors.
Other winners that are members of the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce include Sarah G. Thomas of New Heights Assisted Living, Dr. Lucetry B. Dalton of McLaren Healthcare System, Kyle Nieporte of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, and Greg Martin of DRAW (Disaster Relief At Work.
A full list of winners can be found at https://www.oakgov.com/advantageoakland/elite40/Pages/Eliteclass2018.aspx
Multi-Chamber Tax Reform Roundtable with Congressman Mike Bost and the U.S. Chamber
Tax Reform Roundtable 2/22
02/22/18
02:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Central)
Location: Carbondale Civic Center
200 South Illinois Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901
02/22/18
02:00 PM - 04:00 PM (Central)
Location: Carbondale Civic Center
200 South Illinois Avenue, Carbondale, IL 62901
A Tax Reform Roundtable with Congressman Mike Bost will be held on Thursday, February 22 at 2 p.m. at the Carbondale Civic Center. RSVPs are required. Please call the Carbondale Chamber to RSVP: 618.549.2146
Chambers:
Carbondale Chamber
Marion Chamber
Cartersville Chamber
Murphysboro Chamber
Herrin Chamber
Virginia Peninsula Chamber Small Business Study
You are cordially invited to attend a presentation on the CNU Small Business Study
Commissioned by the Small Business Task Force of the Peninsula Chamber featuring
Dr. Thomas Hall
Associate Professor of Economics
Christopher Newport University
Friday, March 9, 2018 - 8:00 AM
For many years, the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce has been working on small businesses development. To discover first-hand from Peninsula business owners what barriers to growth they face, as well as what factors promote local hiring, we recently commissioned a survey of hundreds of firms located in Hampton and Newport News. The survey was carried out in late 2017 by CNU's Wason Center for Public Policy; it is now complete and the data have been analyzed. On March 9, 2018 at 8:00 AM, Dr. Thomas Hall, who is an Associate Professor of Economics at CNU, will summarize the survey, present key findings related to what barriers Peninsula small businesses face, overview what factors promote prospective local hiring, and discuss policy implications. Please join us!
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Lakefront Plaza
21 Enterprise Parkway, Suite 100
Hampton, VA 23666
Champaign County Chamber of Commerce: Google Me: Tips from a Google expert on how to increase your presence on the Internet.
Thursday, February 8
Presented by Dave Delaney,
Speaker - Google's Get Your Business Online Program
Can customers find you online?
You invest time, effort and resources into your online presence, but is your website functioning how you want it to?
In the first breakfast of our spring series, certified Google speaker and digital marketing expert, Dave Delaney, will explain how to know if your online efforts are working and what to do if they aren’t.
Drawing from his background in digital marketing and social media strategy, Dave will discuss how to most effectively use the resources you have available to you and the importance of understanding your audience. He’ll introduce ways to track and measure progress so that your online presence is as big and bold as you are. More information: Champaign County Chamber
Anita Stump selected new leader for Bullitt County Chamber of Commerce
A local girl who grew up in rural Bullitt County now takes on the task of directing businesses into the future.
The Bullitt County Chamber of Commerce recently selected Anita Stump as its newest executive director.
Stump previously worked as member services director for the Bullitt County YMCA, with 20 years experience working with the organization.
A Clermont native, Stump was raised in the Happy Hollow area near the Jim Beam plant. Her great-grandparents lived nearby, and the Beam company purchased her grandparents’ house, which Baker Beam lived in for a time. The family attended Clermont Baptist Church.
“I used to stand outside of Jim Beam and sell newspapers to people leaving work,” she recalled. “I had my first job at age 9. That whole lane was family. I was told I got the last spot in Vine Hill Cemetery.”
Stump attended Cedar Grove Elementary and the old Shepherdsville Junior High before her family moved to Colesburg, where she graduated from North Hardin High.
Working at a Bonanza Steakhouse in Elizabethtown, Stump’s family returned to the Shepherdsville area. She then worked at the Bonanza location in Shepherdsville, which was located next door to the Bullitt County YMCA building.
“Next I had a job with Frank Paxton Lumber Company in Louisville,” she said. “That’s what got me started in the business field. From there a went to Monroe Shine and Company, where I worked as a para-professional.”
When Monroe Shine merged with another company and moved its offices across town, a former client hired Stump to work at Town Talk Manufacturing, where she did payroll and collections.
Stump wanted to do more than that, however, and looked for a job where she could better serve others. She applied for an office manager opening at the Southwestern YMCA location. Though she wasn’t quite qualified, she eventually was selected as an administrative assistant.
“I had never been part of the Y, but I liked its mission,” she said. “I wanted to be involved with something like that, an organization that cared about people.” Read more: Pioneer News
Kosciusko Chamber 2018 Warsaw State of the City Address
(Warsaw, IN) – The Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce recently announced the date and location of the 2018 State of the City Address with Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer. This year’s address will be at Lincoln Elementary School on Tuesday, March 6th at 12:30PM. General admission is free but lunch tickets are $20 each. Lunch will be served at 11:30AM and will be catered by Ruby Tuesday. To purchase lunch tickets, or sponsor the event, contact the Chamber at (574) 267-6311 or events@kchamber.com
Contact: Lauren Klusman, Phone: 574-267-6311 lklusman@kchamber.com
EMBDC: High school students recognized with "Head of Class" awards
The East Mississippi Business Development Corporation (EMBDC) visited schools across Lauderdale County Friday and honored select students with the prestigious “Head of Class” awards.
Kayleigh Tidwell & Makayla Thompson were the West Lauderdale High School recipients.
“The community sees us as like a big, close, tight knit group and it’s cool to be out of all the amazing people in this group to be chosen out of all of them," says Tidwell.
“Well at first I didn’t want to really be in this class, so now I just realize that working hard and having a positive attitude got me this award,” Thompson adds.
The students who won are all involved in vocational and technical programs. One student was recognized with the highest overall achievement. Another student was recognized for showing the most improvement.
Jaley Culpepper and Tatyana Cole were the Northeast Lauderdale High School recipients.
“I was really surprised, I didn’t even expect it but I feel excited that I got it," says Culpepper.
“I didn’t even know that our school does this type of stuff, so it was a surprise,” says Cole.
All of the students were surprised to hear their names called. Jolene Wiggins and Raven Collins were the Southeast Lauderdale High School recipients.
“I wasn’t expecting it, I know so many intelligent students in our class and I was really surprised to get this award,” says Wiggins.
“I just want to continue to be a leader and show other students in my class that it’s possible for them to do it, and if I can do it, they can do it,” Collins explains.
The final stop was in Clarkdale. Award recipient Solomon Roberts hopes he can make a positive impact on others: “I hope to encourage other students that they can do whatever they put their mind too.”
The EMBDC gives out these awards to students every semester. Read more: WTOK
How You Can Promote Your Business With Geneva Women In Business
Geneva Women in Business luncheon meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at various locations in Geneva. In addition to networking, selected luncheons feature a presentation on a range of topics to help small business owners reach their goals.
These events provide a great opportunity to promote YOUR business.
All you have to do is give us a raffle donation (worth a minimum of $50), and then during the raffle, you can give us a brief overview of your business.
Geneva Women in Business is a committee of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce created to promote successful businesses in Geneva. All small business owners are invited to take advantage of the dynamic education and networking opportunities GWIB offers.
For more information, contact Becki Drake at bdrake@stccapitalbank.com or (630) 463-4363.
Chicago-Southland Chamber event: Crucial Conversations: The Crisis Of Sexual Harassment In The Workplace: Host South Suburban College
Tuesday, February 13th 8:15 - 10:30am
Allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct permeated the news in 2017. As a result, several movements have been created to bring awareness to the egregious improprieties taking place in many industries.
Click Here For More Information
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories, Maps 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
