Good morning #ChamberWorld! It's going to be a GREAT day!
Indiana Chamber Honors Excellence at Annual Awards Dinner, Elects Fort Wayne Attorney as New Board Chairman
Fort Wayne’s Chuck Surack, Sweetwater Sound founder and CEO, is the Ogletree Deakins Business Leader of the Year. Surack leads the largest online retailer of music instruments and technology in the country. This year, more than 1,800 employees will contribute to more than $800 million in business, continuing an annual trend of 20%-plus growth.
The Birch Bayh-Richard Lugar Government Leader of the Year is Gov. Eric Holcomb, who continues to aggressively push his Next Level policy agenda through the Indiana General Assembly. His priorities include expanded workforce training opportunities, dealing with the opioid crisis and making Indiana as competitive as possible for talent and business location/expansion.
John Thompson, owner of four Indianapolis-based businesses, is the Dynamic Leader of the Year. The first business he started was Thompson Distribution and the largest is First Electric Supply. He is also a mentor to many, investor in a variety of ventures and the longest-serving board member of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.
The Republic Airways and LIFT Academy Community of the Year is Plymouth, which is home to several strong industrial businesses in the process of expanding their footprint. The public and private sector is working together to offer high quality education and cultural amenities, creating a strong quality of life for all residents.
“We are thrilled to recognize each of these honorees for their tremendous efforts in making Indiana a better place to live and work. They have allowed their passions to drive them to great heights and their achievements will continue to impact our state for years to come,” says Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar.
Earlier in the day, the Indiana Chamber held its fall board meeting, where Fort Wayne attorney Tim Haffner was welcomed as the new chairman of the board of directors. He joined the board in 2006.
Haffner, who will serve a one-year term as board chair, is a partner at Faegre Baker Daniels where he is a corporate and commercial lawyer.
“Tim is an excellent advocate for Northeast Indiana and has a passion for policy – both at the local and state level. He’s a very thoughtful leader who cares very deeply for Indiana. We are very excited to have him as our volunteer leader for the next year, ” Brinegar offers.
More information – including a press release, BizVoice® magazine story and award video – is available for each honoree at www.indianachamber.com/19awards.
The dinner – presented by Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield – featured guest speakers Donna Brazile and Dana Perino of Fox News.
Earlier today, the Indiana Chamber also honored three Volunteers of the Year during a luncheon: Larry Gigerich, executive managing director at Ginovus; Donna Niesen, partner at Katz, Sapper & Miller; and Casey Stanley, vice president of marketing and business development at Ontario Systems.
The Annual Awards Dinner’s opening reception sponsor was PNC. The speaker sponsor was OneAmerica. Corporate sponsors were AT&T Indiana, CBRE, French Lick Resort, NIPSCO, Tilson and Zimmer Biomet.
Contributing sponsors were AECOM Hunt; Community Health Network; Corteva Agriscience; Eskenazi Health Foundation; Fineline Printing Group; IGT Indiana; Indiana Soybean Alliance/Indiana Corn Marketing Council; Indiana Wesleyan University; Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick; KERAMIDA Inc.; Markey’s Rental & Staging; MCM CPAs & Advisors; Pacers Sports & Entertainment; Plymouth Foundry, Inc.; Roche Diagnostics Corporation; Subaru of Indiana Automotive, Inc.; The Kroger Co.; UPS; Vectren, A CenterPoint Energy Company; WFYI Productions; and WGU Indiana.
The Indiana Chamber partners with 25,000 members and investors – representing over four million Hoosiers – to achieve the mission of “cultivating a world-class environment which provides economic opportunity and prosperity.”
Ridgeland, Chamber celebrate Railroad District with ceremony
Ridgeland officials hosted a ribbon-cutting last week unveiling the recently christened Railroad District, part of the city’s developing downtown area.
The city of Ridgeland and Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce hosted the ribbon cutting to reveal the newly named Railroad District in Ridgeland last Thursday morning despite a steady drizzle of rain at the Plaza at Old Town Crossing.
“We don’t let rain or anything else affect us having a good time,” Mayor Gene McGee said. “This is a time to celebrate the vibrant downtown area we have today.”
The event was on Nov. 6 at 10:30 a.m. The crowd included city officials, members of the media, local business owners and leaders, Historical Society members, residents, former Ward 5 Alderman Scott Jones and others.
Current Aldermen in attendance included: D.I. Smith, Ken Heard, Bill Lee, Kevin Holder and Chuck Gautier. Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Linda Bynum was also present.
Attendees were treated to snacks and refreshments under a tent after the ribbon-cutting presentation.
Ridgeland Police Officers were on scene monitoring traffic and attendees crossing busy West Jackson Street.
Speakers at the event were Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce President Bill Bethany of Community Bank and Mayor McGee.
“This is a historic day,” Bethany said before bringing McGee to the podium.
He noted that the Historic Society chose the name because of the “important role the railroad played in the growth of our city.”
McGee acknowledged that developing a downtown atmosphere has been a goal since at least the early nineties. He said he has enjoyed seeing areas and landmarks of the city named to better reflect and promote the city’s history.
He said they hoped to attract more business and encourage more family-friendly events and festivals by giving the area its own identity.
Community Relations Specialist Kristen Beal said that the naming of the Railroad District came about when the Historical Society members and the representatives from the business community on Jackson Street wanted to find a name and identity create an identity for the area.
The two groups met and with the help of the Mississippi Development Authority and found a name that both groups were satisfied with. The historical significance of the name came from the importance of the railroad in the founding of Ridgeland in the 1800s. Read more: Madison County Journal
Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber map: Town Square Publications: Promises Made, Promises kept!
The Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce recently worked with Town Square Publications on the production of a map. Town Square Publications provided all the map design and cartography for the product and sold the sponsorships, so there was no cost to the chamber. The chamber provided local content and photos that showed our organization’s focus on promoting our communities and helping our businesses to thrive. Town Square Publications provided the chamber a proof before going to print. The result was a top quality map. We were especially pleased with the quality of the printing and the paper.
The chamber works hard to identify programs that will be of benefit to our chamber members, such as the 28th Street Metro Cruise program that draws over 200,000 to our area and the annual Santa Parade. The Wyoming-Kentwood chamber map is another great example, and the chamber received the additional benefit of non-dues revenue.
Your company delivered on your promises. We appreciate our partnership with Town Square Publications and will call on them again for the next project.
Bob O’Callaghan
President
Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber
Arlington Chamber Of Commerce To Celebrate 2019 At The 95th Annual Meeting
ARLINGTON, Va. - The Arlington Chamber of Commerce recently announced the outstanding Chamber members and Chamber committee that will be honored as 2019 award winners at the Chamber's 95th Annual Meeting. With more than 300 attendees anticipated, the 95th Annual Meeting is a key event for the Arlington business community that will celebrate the Chamber's 2019 accomplishments, while looking ahead to 2020. In addition, this year's event will feature Vice President of Public Policy at Amazon, Brian Huseman, as the keynote speaker. The event will be held Friday, December 6, from 11:30 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Pentagon City Hotel.
"The 95th Annual Meeting award winners have made a significant impact, not only on the Chamber, but also on the community as a whole," said Arlington Chamber President & CEO Kate Bates. "The Chamber is thankful to our members and our 2019 award winners, whose support and involvement has been key to our work to strengthen businesses and the economic environment for those who work, live, and do business in Arlington. We look forward to honoring the awardees and celebrating the accomplishments of the Chamber, as we prepare for a prosperous 2020."
The 95th Annual Meeting award winners are:
2019 Chair's Award
The Chair's Award recognizes a member organization and its representative(s) who have made an outstanding contribution of resources to the Chamber and the business community in Arlington.
2019 President's Award
The President's Award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution of volunteer assistance to the Chamber.
John Murphy of Washington Workplace
2019 Committee of the Year
The Committee of the Year Award recognizes a committee that has done an exceptional job of executing the mission of the Chamber membership and Arlington business community.
Membership Development Committee Chaired by, David Dockendorff of M&T Bank
Members of the media are invited and encouraged to attend the event. If you would like to register as media, please contact Morgan Mentzer, Communications Coordinator, at (703) 525-2400 or communications@arlingtonchamber.org.
To register for the 2019 Annual Meeting, please follow this link.
Mclean County Chamber: Save a Life: Get CPR / AED Certified
Accredited by the American Heart Association, this class is taught by CODEBUSTERS certified CPR instructors. It covers how to recognize and treat life-threatening emergencies including cardiac arrest and choking for adults, children and infants; how to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke in adults and breathing difficulties for children. Certification is valid for two years. This class is not intended for healthcare professionals. A CPR certification card will be emailed after successful completion of the manikin practice and test.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Chamber Office
Register Here
Mclean County Chamber: Save a Life: Get CPR / AED Certified
Accredited by the American Heart Association, this class is taught by CODEBUSTERS certified CPR instructors. It covers how to recognize and treat life-threatening emergencies including cardiac arrest and choking for adults, children and infants; how to recognize the warning signs of a heart attack and stroke in adults and breathing difficulties for children. Certification is valid for two years. This class is not intended for healthcare professionals. A CPR certification card will be emailed after successful completion of the manikin practice and test.
Tuesday, Dec. 3
8:30 am - 10:00 am
Chamber Office
Register Here
#FamousChamber Of Commerce Quotations: (Be happy!)
Slow down, appreciate the usefulness of life and all the loveliness it holds. Mary Anne Byrne
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Palatine Area Chamber WELCOME HOME
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Coldwater Chamber sells its portion of their building, will stay put
Coldwater Executive Suites, LLC has purchased the building section that houses the Coldwater Area Chamber of Commerce at 20 Division Street
The 2019 Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide
The Coldwater Area Chamber is staying in its current location on South Division Street, but it has sold the portion of the building that houses its offices.
As of October 31 Coldwater Executive Suites, LLC has purchased the building section that houses the Chamber of Commerce at 20 Division Street.
According to Chamber Executive Director Cayden Sparks, Coldwater Executive Suites, LLC in conjunction with Bucklin Law PLC and Bucklin Family Dentistry, will be working together to update and modernize the building and to improve the exterior and interior of the building.
The Coldwater Area Chamber of Commerce will continue to occupy the building by rental agreement, and Sparks says no Chamber funds will be utilized on the remodel of the building.
The exterior of the building has recently undergone an extensive renovation. Read more: WTVB am
Kentucky Chamber Offers New Workers’ Compensation Program to Reduce Rates for Businesses
Kentucky Chamber Offers New Workers’ Compensation Program to Reduce Rates for Businesses
—In an effort to help businesses manage costs of employee benefits, the Kentucky Chamber has announced a partnership with ClearPath Mutual to offer its members workers’ compensation insurance at a reduced rate.
“Our organization is dedicated to creating opportunities for Kentucky businesses. We have partnered with ClearPath Mutual on this workers’ compensation program to help our members’ bottom line while providing the quality insurance,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Ashli Watts. “The Chamber is committed to making Kentucky the best state in which to do business and this cost-saving program provides value to our membership.”
As employee benefits remain the second largest expense for businesses, outside payroll, the Kentucky Chamber has teamed up with insurance companies to provide multiple health insurance plans, and most recently, workers’ compensation insurance.
“I am so excited ClearPath Mutual and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce found a way to begin offering a workers’ compensation plan to Chamber members," said Jeff Borkowski, CEO of ClearPath Mutual. "This is a big win for our fellow members. As the program gradually rolls out, more Chamber members will be able to experience the great customer service, fair claims handling and proactive loss prevention services that we offer, all at a very competitive price."
ClearPath Mutual is one of the Commonwealth’s largest workers’ compensation benefits providers, offering Kentucky Chamber members up to a 10% discount on workers’ compensation premiums. All Kentucky Chamber members are eligible to participate in the program, which takes effect January 1, 2020, and can be quoted with a business’s insurance agent now.
To learn more about this and all the Kentucky Chamber member savings programs visit www.kychamber.com or contact Hilary Morgan at hmorgan@kychamber.com.
The Cedarburg Chamber of Commerce Community Guide & Map is available at the chamber today ! Thanks to Maggie Dobson and the chamber team for their help and direction putting this together!
A Guide to Cedarburg
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.
WMC’s Nick Novak Promoted to Vice President
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) announced on Thursday that Nick Novak has been promoted to Vice President of Communications & Marketing.
Novak joined WMC in 2016 as Director of Communications & Marketing, and was promoted to Senior Director earlier this year. Prior to his time with WMC, he served in communications roles at Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin and The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy. In addition, he worked on multiple state and federal political campaigns.
“Nick has proved to be a key member of the WMC team,” said WMC President & CEO Kurt Bauer. “His leadership and dedication to serving our members will help to move this organization forward.”
With his promotion, Novak joins WMC’s executive leadership team and will continue to oversee all aspects of WMC’s communications and marketing efforts.
“I am proud to be part of such an amazing association,” added Novak. “I truly value the trust our members put in us each day to represent them on the business community’s most challenging issues. This promotion is humbling, and I look forward to hitting the ground running in my expanded role.”
Novak earned his B.A. in economics and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and lives in Verona with his wife and dog.
Town Square Publications Chamber Membership Directories and Community Profiles: The best in the U.S.
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