Happy Monday #Chamber World! It's going to be a GREAT week!
Clarkston Area Chamber: Road Rally Drove Business and Clarkston's Competitive Side
Two teams competed in
the first ever Chamber Winter Games during the second annual YPN hosted Road
Rally on Wednesday, January 24, 2018. The teams consisted of 11 members each
and were led by their trusting team captains, Aaron Bedor of 87Media and Kevin
Smith of Independence Television.
Their tasks included
networking with the other team, performing the ultimate handshake, and
discussing a positive business experience they had with another CACOC member.
At the final stop of the night, the Official Judges realized the teams were
tied and it came down to one final task; a toast.
As team, "I'
Tonya", began their final challenge, Julie Nemeth of Nemeth Marketing
drew in the audience at Hamlin Pub and channeled her inner "300"
by expressing, "We are Clarkston"! This ultimately brought them to
victory and was awarded a gold medal.
Second place team,
"CarRamRod", were strong competitors with their Social Media
savviness and a hidden talent that surprised the judges. Brandon Gentile of Berkshire Hathaway, The Legacy
Group and competitive hockey player stunned the crowd by
juggling.
This event was made
possible thanks to our Presenting Sponsors, Bowman Chevrolet
and Genisys Credit Union.
Our YPN Sponsors, Farm Bureau Insurance, The
Milner Agency, Nuview Nutrition,
and Regiani Holistic Dentistry,
and our Hospitality Sponsors, Mr. B's Roadhouse,
Union Woodshop,
and Hamlin Pub.
#FamousChamber of Commerce Quotations: (Leadership)
“I would not fear a pack of lions led by a sheep, but I would always fear a flock of sheep led by a lion.”--- Attributed to Alexander the Great
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce 2017 Community Guide & Map is available at the chamber today ! Thanks to the Jennifer Andreas and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
Town SquarePublications (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.
Indiana's top talent scout shares Porter County opportunities, challenges
While serving aboard a guided missile destroyer, Blair Milo faced the challenge of getting the ship’s sonar system to do its job. The solution was a new system baseline upgrade. The challenge was how to do it.
As a member of Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s cabinet, Milo faces a similar challenge — connecting Hoosiers with training and skills to earn good-paying jobs.
“We need a system to connect workers with opportunities,” Milo said. “We need to close the current workforce gap.”
Returning Friday to Northwest Indiana, the former LaPorte mayor presented a workshop on building a 21st century workforce at the Porter County Community Foundation building. The Northwest Indiana Workforce Board sponsored the morning session which drew employers, educators and other business people.
Milo received a number of comments on opportunities and challenges facing Northwest Indiana.
Heather Ennis, of the Northwest Indiana Forum, praised local education leaders who are dedicated to preparing students for the future. Aco Sikoski, chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College’s Valparaiso campus, said campus officials are working with seven school superintendents about early college programs.
Doreen Gonzalez-Gaboyan, associate director of workforce engagement for Purdue University West Lafayette, noted how several universities are collaborating on developing career pathways for cyber security professionals.
Several participants cited a challenge with training clashing with work. Kenard Taylor, owner of Valparaiso-based KLT Consulting LLC, said these conflicts force employees to choose between work and study.
“Employers need to be more flexible,” Taylor said.
Rex Richards, president of the Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, cited challenges with people unable to pass drug screening tests for employment, as well as young people leaving college early with no degrees or work experience but carrying a heavy school debt.
“So many opportunities, so many people, so many directions. We have to articulate what people can take advantage of,” Milo said. “How do you feed an elephant? One bite at a time.” Read more: NWI Times
Greater Owensboro Chamber names 8 businesses as Members of the Year at 2018 Chamber Celebration
Owensboro, KY – Last night a crowd of over 650 gathered at the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Celebration, presented by Owensboro Health to celebrate the accomplishments of a banner 2017.
The winning businesses were among 50 finalists vying for the honors. Those earning the honors include:
• Emerging Business of the Year – Bella Ragazza Boutique
• Business of the Year 1-10 Employees – Diamond Lake Resort
• Business of the Year 11-50 Employees – Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc.
• Business of the Year Over 50 Employees – Canteen/Conti Corporation
• Non-Profit of the Year – Habitat for Humanity of Owensboro-Daviess County
• Education and Workforce Development Program of the Year – Wendell H. Ford Government Education Center
• Manufacturing Business of the Year – Sun Windows, Inc.
• Rick Kamuf Agri-Business of the Year – Cecil Farms Produce
Other award winners of the night included:
• 2017 Chamber Director of the Year – Rick Kamuf, Kamuf Brothers Farms
• 2017 Chamber Ambassador of the Year – Chris Arnold, US Bank
• 2017 Chamber Young Professional of the Year – Andrew Howard, Independence Bank
• 2017 Leadership Owensboro Class Member of the Year – Shawn Tomes, Kentucky Wesleyan College
• Innovator of the Year – Hollison, LLC
• 2017 Chamber Member of the Year – Owensboro Convention Center
The Business Celebration also included addresses from the presenting sponsor, Owensboro Health, as well as the 2018 Board Chair Bart Darrell, President of Kentucky Wesleyan College.
“Our awards program is an opportunity to celebrate our members who drive the economy and grow our community. The level of excellence displayed throughout the lists of finalists is remarkable. It is yet another example of how Owensboro truly is a shining community. Our Chamber staff is honored to be able to serve our members and to be a small part of their journeys,” said Candance Castlen Brake, Chamber President and CEO.
The Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is a nearly 1000-membership organization founded in 1913 with the purpose of connecting businesses and fostering economic growth in Owensboro and Daviess County.
For more information, contact Candance Brake at 270-926-1860
Oxford Garden Club and Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce Partner to Present first Business Landscape Award, will be Awarded Quarterly
The Oxford Garden Club and the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce have partnered to recognize local businesses that help to beautify Oxford by creating and maintaining exceptional exterior landscapes and curb appeal. The “Business Landscape Award” will be awarded the first Saturday of each new Quarter, and the winning business will receive a certificate of appreciation in addition to a “Business Landscape Award” sign placed in the front of the business for the duration of the quarter.
“So many of our local businesses do so much to enhance our quality of life here in Oxford with their efforts to create such pleasing landscapes,” said Christy Knapp, Chairman of the Oxford Garden Club’s Beautification/Plant It Pink Committee. “I’m thrilled that the Chamber has agreed to partner with us to
recognize those businesses who do so much to beautify our community.”
Members of the Oxford Garden Club’s Beautification Committee awarded the first Business Landscape Award to the “Oxford Clinic For Women,” located at 2610 South Lamar in Oxford.
“We are happy to partner with the Oxford Garden Club on this new award for our business community. Oxford is known for its beautiful landscaping, one of the many features of our community that makes us stand out,” said Pam Swain, Senior Vice President of the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. “We are proud the Garden Club wants join with us in recognizing those businesses who take an extra step in adding to our diverse beauty in the area. We congratulate Oxford Clinic for Women for winning the first honor.”
The next Business Landscape Award will be judged on Saturday, April 7th, and the Oxford Garden Club, together with the Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, look forward to highlighting another local business that demonstrates pride and willingness to contribute to the overall beautification of Oxford.
More details:
The Business Landscape Award (BLA) is a partnership between the Oxford Garden Club and the Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce. It will be judged and awarded on the first Saturday of each new quarter.
2018 BLA Schedule:
January 6, 2018
April 7, 2018
July 7, 2018
October 6, 2018#BestChamber practices: Effingham Chamber: Grant Money Available for Illinois Companies
Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) will be receiving a grant in excess of $1mm from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. These funds will be dispersed to Illinois manufacturing companies to be used for training purposes through an application and approval process conducted by the IMA. The application deadline is February 19, 2018. The grant will cover up to 50% of the approved training.
For additional information, please contact Randy Prince at (217) 303-8493
or email, rprince@ima-net.org.
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.
Hampton Roads Chamber: State of the City 2018 in February and March
The Hampton Roads Chamber means business and works to be an impactful advocate, powerful economic partner, and inspiring ignitor for the region. The State of the City Series is five luncheons designed for interaction among business, civic, and community leaders across Hampton Roads. It is an opportunity for city Mayors to reflect on the past year, while also sharing a plan for a successful future. These forums will provide members of the community with valuable information on community issues that affect local businesses, and insight on what to expect in the next year.
Chesapeake State of the City 2018
Date: February 22, 2018
Time: 11:30-2:00 pm
Where: Chesapeake Conference Center
Where: Chesapeake Conference Center
700 Conference Center Drive
Chesapeake, VA 23320
Norfolk State of the City 2018
Date: March 9, 2018
Time: 11:30-2:00 pm
Cost: Free
Where: Hilton Norfolk|The Main
Cost: Free
Where: Hilton Norfolk|The Main
100 E Main Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
Norfolk, VA 23510
Virginia Beach State of the City 2018
Date: March 28, 2018
Time: 11:30-2:00 pm
Where: Virginia Beach Convention Center
Where: Virginia Beach Convention Center
1000 19th Street
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
Contact: Priscilla Monti 757-470-6805 pmonti@hrchamber.com
Visit hamptonroadschamber.com
The Hampton Roads Chamber is the Region’s premier business organization; helping businesses succeed, drive regional economic growth, and enhance the quality of life of our community’s residents. The Chamber is a vigorous advocate for the economic success of its member businesses, which employ nearly 250,000 men and women in Southeastern Virginia.
Fox Cities Chamber Announces New Social Media Workshop this Spring
The Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce is offering an interactive three-part series workshop this Spring, “Social Media Plunge,” to educate and assist local small businesses on their social media initiatives. The hands-on educational workshop will provide guests with a deep dive into strategy and content creation, along with a further understanding specific to Facebook and Instagram to get the most out of their social media efforts. Turnkey tactics will allow attendees to take solutions back to their business and improve their presence online.
Social media experts from BConnected, LLC will facilitate each of the three sessions in March. Attendees will learn industry trends and the importance of creating strategic content, how to use platforms like Facebook and Instagram for business, find and interpret analytics, and other tips to help your business stand out and build a community of followers.
This workshop is intended for anyone who operates or works for a business that has a product or service to sell. Attendees should have some experience with social media and should already have business pages on at least one or more social media platforms. The education will be tailored to the novice-to-intermediate user as well as anyone seeking to amplify their social media efforts. Guests who previously attended our Social Daze Workshop in Fall 2017 should consider attending this workshop as a follow-up to the previously presented content.
“Social Media Plunge”, open to Fox Cities Chamber members and non-members, will be comprised of three sessions in order to cover the extent of information. Sessions are scheduled to occur March 6, 13 and 20. Registration is now open at foxcitieschamber.com.
- March 6 – session topic: How to create strategic content for social media
- March 13 – session topic: How to use Facebook and Instagram for business
- March 20 – session topic: How to build a bigger social network
“The “Social Media Plunge” Workshop will provide attendees with some of the tactics and strategies we use with our clients at BConnected. Attendees will have the opportunity to utilize those tactics during the presentation in real-time. You'll also gain valuable knowledge about current trends and strategies. When the workshop is complete, attendees will have a good understanding of the following: what makes each platform different; how to create quality content; how to create a content calendar; how to be more effective and how to reach more people on social media. One lucky attendee may be chosen for our social media deep dive as well,” shared Chris Burns, workshop facilitator and Director of Business Development at BConnected, LLC.
Visit the Chamber website for complete details of the Spring workshop, being hosted at Lakeland University in Neenah, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. in March. A one-time registration fee and process is available at foxcitieschamber.com. The “Social Media Plunge” workshop is open to Chamber members, members of other local chambers and non-members. Program fees apply.
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
