Kohler expansion expected to bring 250 jobs to Hattiesburg
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant announced Tuesday morning that KOHLER Engines is expanding its manufacturing operation in Hattiesburg, a move that’s expected to bring 250 full-time jobs to the area over the next two years.
KOHLER has been producing engines in Hattiesburg for the past 20 years and currently employees 350 full-time workers. The company says it will bring more jobs to the area as it consolidates its manufacturing operations from a facility in Wisconsin to Hattiesburg.
“The name KOHLER is synonymous with quality. The company is known around the world for its high-quality products, so it makes sense they would increase their engine manufacturing capabilities in Mississippi – home to the most talented, productive workforce found in the U.S.,” Bryant said.
According to Bryant, the KOHLER expansion will include the company leasing an additional 300,000 square feet of industrial building space in Forrest County Industrial Park.
“KOHLER Engines is proud of our 20-year relationship in Hattiesburg, and we appreciate the support of the community and the state of Mississippi. This consolidation to our plant in Hattiesburg will help us serve our customers better by giving them a single source for all of our twin-cylinder gasoline engines. Our business continues to grow, and this development makes our operation even stronger and more capable of delighting our customers in the future,” said Brian Melka, president of KOHLER Engines.
Bryant said the Mississippi Development Authority is assisting with equipment relocation and workforce training. Forrest County and the City of Hattiesburg are providing assistance for infrastructure improvements and tax breaks for KOHLER.
“The state of Mississippi values its partnership with KOHLER, whose employees in Hattiesburg take pride in quality craftsmanship, enabling the company to achieve its goals in Forrest County,” said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough, Jr. “We salute the teamwork of our partners at the Area Development Partnership, the city of Hattiesburg and Forrest County, which, along with the MDA team, was instrumental in bringing hundreds of new career opportunities to the people of the Pine Belt region.” Read more: WDAM TV
#FamousChamber
of Commerce Quotation: (Be Happy Today!) –
Terre Haute Chamber Board of Directors Name Kristin Craig Chamber President
Terre Haute, IN – The Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors have named Kristin Craig the new Chamber of Commerce President, effective July 1, 2019.Craig will step into the role upon current Chamber President David Haynes retirement. Haynes announced last month his plans to retire on June 30, 2019.
Craig will be the first woman to lead the Chamber as President in the organization’s 106 year history.
The appointment of Craig from Vice President to President was made during the Chamber’s regularly scheduled Board Meeting on Tuesday morning.
“This is an exciting time for the Chamber and its membership,” says Chamber Board of Directors Chair Brian Kooistra, Chief Operations Officer for Garmong Construction Services. “Kristin has shown great leadership and vision during her time at the Chamber. We have several initiatives underway and with
Kristin at the helm we have great momentum going into the future.”
A native of Argenta, Illinois, Craig has been employed by the Chamber since 2002 and has served in numerous capacities over her sixteen year tenure. An alumna of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, she returned to The Woods in 2016 to receive her master’s degree in leadership development. Her thesis study focused on the future of the Terre Haute Chamber.
“I’m grateful the Board of Directors trust and believe in me to continue the legacy and mission of the Chamber,” Craig says. “I’m incredibly dedicated to our community; advancing our members, our Downtown and the entire West Central Indiana region. I look forward to growing and expanding the Chamber, providing more support for local businesses and continuing the overall Chamber mission.”
Haynes applauded Craig as his successor on Tuesday. The board unanimously voted in favor of Craig as President.
“During my tenure as President I’ve witnessed great leadership and drive from Kristin and it was my hope that she would be given this opportunity to lead,” Haynes says. “I am thrilled with the board’s decision.”
In addition to her role at the Chamber, Craig serves on the board of several organizations, including: Art Spaces, Inc., United Way of the Wabash Valley, Terre Haute Young Leaders, Wabash Valley Leadership Institute and Rediscover Clinton. She and her husband Scott, both work in downtown Terre Haute. They reside in Clinton, Indiana with their three daughters, Amelia, Lily and Kate. Source: TH Chamber
Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber collaboration: Spring Oakland Chamber Network Mixer
Join members of the 27 Chambers that serve Oakland County. Build your referral sources and prospective client base in a fun, relaxed atmosphere! Bring lots of business cards and an appetitie for a great time! Appetizers and cash bar included. Chamber Members: $10 in advance; $15 at door Non-Members: $25 per person
Exhibitor Tables Available for $250.00 - Sign up at the link below or contact the BB Chamber office for details at 248-430-7688
Silver Sponsorship - $500.00 - Contact the BB Chamber for information at 248-430-7688
When: Thursday, April 11, 2019 5:00 PM thru 07:00 PM
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide & Map is available at the chamber today ! Thanks to the Maggie Dobson 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.
Virginia Peninsula Chamber partnership: Youth Career Expo
The Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Peninsula Workforce Board and the Greater Virginia Peninsula School Divisions work together to produce the Youth Career Expo (YCE). It is our belief that by creating career ready graduates, we are paving the way for our youth to contribute to the economic sustainability of our region. The goal of the Expo is to educate students about the variety of career opportunities in the region and the skills needed to acquire those jobs.
YCE provides a balanced exhibition of the industries which make up our region, with a cross-section of over 60 exhibitors from nearly every business sector including Shipbuilding, Advanced Manufacturing, Government-Public Safety, Finance, Construction, Hospitality, STEM, Defense-Aerospace, Education, Automotive, Green Jobs, Healthcare and Transportation, have a presence at this event.
If you are a business owner, you understand the need to plan ahead, and to compete for the future workforce. The Youth Career Expo is a great opportunity for businesses, like yours, to connect with the future workforce and to encourage them now, to acquire the skills they will need to be successful in your industry, later.
Working with high school students nearing graduation provides you an opportunity to help sustain future economic stability, while giving students the chance to explore career choices available in our region.
WHEN
Thursday, March 21, 2019 | 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
WHERE
Hampton Roads Convention Center | 1610 Coliseum Drive | Hampton, VA
Learn More: Contact Suzy Johnson at sjohnson@vpcc.org or (757) 325-8160
Learn More: Contact Suzy Johnson at sjohnson@vpcc.org or (757) 325-8160
2019 Nomination for the New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of the Year
The New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce encourages you to nominate a deserving friend, co-worker, boss or employee who has impacted our business community in a significant and compelling way. This annual award has a rich history of honoring female business leaders who contribute beyond their job duties to make the New Richmond area an inviting place to live and work. The parameters to nominate are purposefully broad so we get a diverse mix of nominees who may work in the private sector, government or non-profit world. Ideally they live and/or work in the New Richmond area and are members of the New Richmond Chamber. A panel of judges will review nominations, and among many factors, look for women who blazed a path in business and set an example for others to follow.
The recipient of this award will be honored May 1st, 2019 at the Women’s Business Luncheon at R and D Catering in New Richmond, an event attended by hundreds of community members and business leaders. All nominees will receive recognition.
Please consider nominating someone you know and describe in 300 words or less why this person should receive the 2019 award. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 29, 2019. It is expected that all nominees of this award will be present at the Women’s Business Luncheon on May 1st.
Please note: We do share the name(s) of nominators with the nominee.
Oswego Chamber Promotion: Weather Forecast for Spring: Predictably Unpredictable
The recipient of this award will be honored May 1st, 2019 at the Women’s Business Luncheon at R and D Catering in New Richmond, an event attended by hundreds of community members and business leaders. All nominees will receive recognition.
Please consider nominating someone you know and describe in 300 words or less why this person should receive the 2019 award. Nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 29, 2019. It is expected that all nominees of this award will be present at the Women’s Business Luncheon on May 1st.
Please note: We do share the name(s) of nominators with the nominee.
Oswego Chamber Promotion: Weather Forecast for Spring: Predictably Unpredictable
Local SERVPRO® disaster recovery professional spotlights resources to help property owners plan in advance for potential severe spring weather
With spring around the corner, Steve Pearson, SERVPRO of Kendall County, encourages property owners to be prepared for potentially severe weather. Spring weather can be unpredictable, with wide temperature swings and extreme weather changes—sometimes within a 24-hour period. Thunderstorms along with the lightning, tornadoes and flooding they can bring, cause most of this severe spring weather. Thunderstorms can occur anywhere in the U.S., even in spots that don’t experience them often.
“Home and business owners need to be aware that severe weather conditions can develop rapidly and hit unexpectedly, so it’s important to plan ahead,” says Pearson. “By the time you hear about an approaching storm, you may have little or no time to prepare for it. The time to prepare is now, before severe weather occurs.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) also stresses the importance of individual and community preparedness for extreme weather events. Their National Seasonal Safety Campaign1 seeks to inform the public about seasonal weather hazards during the time they are most common. For the NWS Spring Safety Campaign that means the period from March 1 to June 1, encompassing Hurricane Preparedness Week from May 5-11, 2019. For each season and its related threats, the NWS provides no-fee Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to a user’s WEA-capable phone when severe weather is expected (Warning) or possible (Watch) at or near the phone’s location.2 For the spring season, these alerts include thunderstorms, tornadoes, flood and excessive heat along with tsunami warnings and rip-current statements for coastal residents and visitors.
“As disaster remediation specialists, we know how important advance planning and preparation can be not only for surviving an unexpected event, but also for recovering from it once the threat has passed,” says Pearson. “Follow the advice of the experts: prepare an emergency kit that includes an emergency evacuation or shelter plan, a first aid kit, a three-to-five day supply of water and food, personal hygiene items, medications, blankets and pet supplies, if you have pets. Be sure to include important contact, insurance, utility and medical information stored in a reliable and accessible place like the SERVPRO Ready Plan App3 or other readily available spot. Having these critical items available to grab and go in both your home and car allows you to quickly move to safety and then take immediate steps toward recovery once the emergency is over.”
While it’s important for families and individuals to heed the safety advice of the NWS as the spring severe weather season approaches, it’s also important for businesses to prepare for the threats of the new season. “For businesses, advance planning for severe weather and other unexpected events can mean the difference between surviving or closing their doors forever,” according to Pearson. “As many as 50 percent of businesses close down following a disaster, unable to survive long periods of business interruption caused by a disaster and its aftermath. To help address this problem, SERVPRO developed their Emergency READY Profile (ERP).4”
Business owners work with their local SERVPRO franchise professional to implement their ERP, beginning with a no-cost facility assessment and employing online tools to document critical facility, contact, and line-of-command information. Having this information in a central, easily accessible location helps facilitate the prompt, appropriate and efficient response that SERVPRO knows is critical to getting a business back in business as quickly as possible.
For more information on SERVPRO® of Kendall County, please contact Steve Pearson at (630) 554-2280 or servpro9804@gmail.com. For more information on SERVPRO® and the SERVPRO® Emergency READY Program, please visit www.ready.SERVPRO.com.
1 https://www.weather.gov/safetycampaign
2 https://www.weather.gov/wrn/wea
3 https://ready.servpro.com/Home/MobileApp
4 https://ready.servpro.com/Home/ReadyProgram
“Home and business owners need to be aware that severe weather conditions can develop rapidly and hit unexpectedly, so it’s important to plan ahead,” says Pearson. “By the time you hear about an approaching storm, you may have little or no time to prepare for it. The time to prepare is now, before severe weather occurs.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) also stresses the importance of individual and community preparedness for extreme weather events. Their National Seasonal Safety Campaign1 seeks to inform the public about seasonal weather hazards during the time they are most common. For the NWS Spring Safety Campaign that means the period from March 1 to June 1, encompassing Hurricane Preparedness Week from May 5-11, 2019. For each season and its related threats, the NWS provides no-fee Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) to a user’s WEA-capable phone when severe weather is expected (Warning) or possible (Watch) at or near the phone’s location.2 For the spring season, these alerts include thunderstorms, tornadoes, flood and excessive heat along with tsunami warnings and rip-current statements for coastal residents and visitors.
“As disaster remediation specialists, we know how important advance planning and preparation can be not only for surviving an unexpected event, but also for recovering from it once the threat has passed,” says Pearson. “Follow the advice of the experts: prepare an emergency kit that includes an emergency evacuation or shelter plan, a first aid kit, a three-to-five day supply of water and food, personal hygiene items, medications, blankets and pet supplies, if you have pets. Be sure to include important contact, insurance, utility and medical information stored in a reliable and accessible place like the SERVPRO Ready Plan App3 or other readily available spot. Having these critical items available to grab and go in both your home and car allows you to quickly move to safety and then take immediate steps toward recovery once the emergency is over.”
While it’s important for families and individuals to heed the safety advice of the NWS as the spring severe weather season approaches, it’s also important for businesses to prepare for the threats of the new season. “For businesses, advance planning for severe weather and other unexpected events can mean the difference between surviving or closing their doors forever,” according to Pearson. “As many as 50 percent of businesses close down following a disaster, unable to survive long periods of business interruption caused by a disaster and its aftermath. To help address this problem, SERVPRO developed their Emergency READY Profile (ERP).4”
Business owners work with their local SERVPRO franchise professional to implement their ERP, beginning with a no-cost facility assessment and employing online tools to document critical facility, contact, and line-of-command information. Having this information in a central, easily accessible location helps facilitate the prompt, appropriate and efficient response that SERVPRO knows is critical to getting a business back in business as quickly as possible.
For more information on SERVPRO® of Kendall County, please contact Steve Pearson at (630) 554-2280 or servpro9804@gmail.com. For more information on SERVPRO® and the SERVPRO® Emergency READY Program, please visit www.ready.SERVPRO.com.
1 https://www.weather.gov/safetycampaign
2 https://www.weather.gov/wrn/wea
3 https://ready.servpro.com/Home/MobileApp
4 https://ready.servpro.com/Home/ReadyProgram
New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce Community Map
 |
| New Castle-Henry County Chamber map |
The New Castle-Henry County Chamber of Commerce 2016 Community Map is available at the New Castle-Henry County Chamber today! Thanks to Missy Modesitt, Mary Campbell 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 guide or publication needs at no expense to the chamber. Please email John Dussman at jdussman@tspubs.com or call (847)-427-4633.
At chamber awards, businesses are 'rock stars' of Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights business owners and employees partied like rock stars Friday night during the Chamber of Commerce's 72nd annual awards banquet.
The theme of the night was rock 'n' roll -- what incoming chamber board chairman David Jaffe used as inspiration and motivation to the 250 or so chamber members who attended the reception at Arlington International Racecourse.
"You are the rock stars of Arlington Heights," said Jaffe, a Realtor with @properties. "Whether you're a business owner, village official or volunteer, you make Arlington Heights the vibrant town that is the envy of the entire Chicagoland area."
Jaffe said he wants to increase membership in the chamber by 100 and add an additional group to the Business Builders networking program, while also increasing the exposure of existing chamber businesses through video online.
But Friday night was also for looking back and celebrating businesses that have made an impact in the last year.
Outgoing board chairman Jason Miller and board members made a grand entrance to the awards reception, clutching guitars and microphones as they lip-synced to "The Power of Love" by Huey Lewis and the News. (Later, local band Exit 147 with lead guitarist Jim Tinaglia, a village trustee, entertained the crowd.)
One chamber board member, Marc Poulos, came to the gala with a wig and his face painted, channeling the band Kiss. Fitting, that Poulos is proprietor of self-titled business Marc Poulos Painting & Decorating, which won the chamber's Small Business of the Year -- a new award for 2019.
"This isn't really the painting we do," Poulos quipped.
Awards were handed out in seven categories.
• Business of the Year went to Fitness 19, owned by Miller and his wife Ashley.
• Waverly Inn, the 72-bed memory care facility that opened in September on Rand Road, was awarded Emerging Business of the Year.
• Arlington Cares, established in 2002 to help residents in need of temporary economic assistance, was named Non Profit Organization of the Year.
• Mary Cay Chisholm, a doctor of audiology with Northwest Speech and Hearing Ltd., was named Business Leader of the Year.
• Susie Holmbraker and John Corbett were named Volunteers of the Year for their involvement with the chamber's Business Builders, the Rotary's Santa Run, and Metropolis Performing Arts Centre's wine tasting event.
• Community Leader of the Year, also a new award, was given to Mike Sidor, an 8-year village trustee who will step down this spring when his term ends. Sidor helped establish the small business development agreement, a village-chamber partnership aimed at getting businesses up and running sooner.
"This is a great chamber and this is a great town," Sidor said. "And when you're a trustee and you're looking at it from a 5,000-foot view, the chamber is just a little portion of it, but such a critical portion of this town." Read more: Daily Herald
#BestChamber practices: Batavia Chamber of Commerce: Eggs Benefit: Maximize Your Membership!
No fee, included in your membership (Limited to the first 40 guests registered)
Eggs Benefit - Join us for an informational gathering to roll out all of the great things that are available to you through your Batavia Chamber membership. We are going to show you how to get the most out of your investment in the Batavia Chamber of Commerce. Register online at www.bataviachamber.org
Food provided by Pal Joeys
Coffee provided by Fresh Ground
Location: Pal Joey's - 2030 Main Street, Batavia
Friday, March 15, 8:00 - 9:30 AM
Contact Information: Catherine Fitch Send an Email
It was full house during Thursday’s Hopkins County Regional Chamber of Commerce State of the Cities and County luncheon held a Ballard Convention Center.
A handful of city mayors and Hopkins County Judge-Executive Jack Whitfield spoke to the crowd about their first 66 days in office, sponsored by First United Bank and Trust Co.
Madisonville Mayor Kevin Cotton first mentioned the Madisonville North Hopkins Maroons fighting for the state championship basketball tournament in Lexington. He also upheld all of the city workers.
“So, many people asked me, ‘What’s it like to be mayor?’ I said, it’s like a hurricane,” managing all the city departments, and that is the reason he has consolidated some of those including the tax department and merged code enforcement with the fire department inspection division. The city engineering department has moved back to City Hall to lower costs.
The mayor said he is making sure the city is as efficient as possible by splitting the city administration duties to oversee department expenses, and adding a deputy administrator to be a voice for the residents in moving ahead. He is also hearing needs of area youth, saying their voices do matter.
Cotton noted he has ridden along with the street and sanitation departments to hear their concerns. He plans to evaluate insurance options for city workers and their families with adding a nurse practitioner option for visits at no cost to keep employees and their families healthier.
He also spoke about the northside pressure zone progress and increasing sewer capacity that could generate housing development.
Whitfield took the podium, saying the county continues its safety efforts in the community with the addition of more school resource officers and jail programs. The Western Kentucky Archery Complex is growing and is packed every weekend, the YAA field is now a sanctioned Little League facility with improvements made by the city and county.
“The last 66 days have been very busy,” the judge-executive said, “with a very steep learning curve … we’ve had a lot of issues in the past couple of months,” concerning the budget and cost increases with reduced funding from the state.
Whitfield said he is excited about the future of Hopkins County, and he wants to help smaller cities, and get more done by working with officials in the region and state.
Hanson Mayor Jimmy Epley noted, “I feel like a fish out of water — I can tell you that,” noting the city is growing, but not leaps and bounds. “We have some issues we have to work out,” concerning sewer and water lines in the city. “We’ve got a lot going on in the city of Hanson.”
Epley welcomed new businesses and residents to the city to help make it grow. Read more: Surf KY
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
