Chamber Blog

Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce Helping Businesses Prepare For H1N1

The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce is helping small businesses prepare for the H1N1 virus.

Tomorrow morning from 7:30 to 9 at the Rose Garden, all businesses are invited to attend "Swine Flu: Myths and Facts of H1N1 in the Workplace."

According to the Chamber's Executive Director, it's an efforts to show businesses how to develop a strategic effort to show businesses how to develop a strategic plan.

"We think businesses ought to at least have some plan of preparedness so if in fact they do have employees who are contracting it, they know how to deal with all of the issues" says Roger Luce with the Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce.

Unfortunately with the economic meltdown, he says many businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, let alone worry about H1N1.

He says this will give businesses in the area a chance to get the facts on the pandemic.

Chamber of commerce warns about companies

The Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley received telephone calls from local business owners who were targeted by promotional companies, an official said.

President of the Chamber of Commerce Bonnie Grady said two companies have been trying to sell advertising for promotional items, claiming to be partnered with the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley and Wood County Emergency Services.

"Businesses have the right to sell their products, but what I take issue with is that these companies are misrepresenting themselves as chamber partners," said Grady. "They very well may be legitimate businesses, but it's not agreeable to me that they are claiming to be partnered with us. It may be that these companies are trying to make themselves sound appealing by saying they are associated with us."

The two companies called Mid-Ohio Valley businesses Tuesday and Wednesday trying to sell advertising space on 5 inch by 8 inch glossy magnets printed with emergency phone numbers, Grady said.

Grady said she spoke with a representative from one of the companies, Team Spirit Promotions based in Illinois. The representative said the company was partnered with the Chamber of Commerce of the Mid-Ohio Valley.

When Grady explained that she was the president of the chamber and no such partnership existed, the representative denied ever saying there was a partnership.

"She became very defensive," said Grady. "And then she claimed they were partnered with Wood County Emergency Services, and not the Chamber of Commerce."

Read full story [News and Sentinel]

Chamber to offer H1N1 session

The Wausau Region Chamber of Commerce is offering an informational session on swine flu to local businesses.

The session will be from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Sept. 29 at the Rose Garden, 131 W. Thomas St. in Wausau, according to a news release. It will address myths and facts about the H1N1 virus to prepare businesses to deal with the ailment.

There is no cost and registration is not required.

Utah Hispanic Chamber named among best regional groups

The Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, singled out as one of the nation's "extraordinary and visionary" chambers, is set to be named Thursday by the organization's national group as the best medium regional chamber.

The Utah chamber's executive director, Patricia Dark, along with board Chair Silvia Norman, will receive the award during the annual convention of U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Denver.

In addition to the group award, Dark was named the regional director of the year.

National Chamber President David Lizárraga noted that the award pays tribute "to the unparalleled achievements and innovations that have significantly empowered the U.S. Hispanic community, the nation's largest and fastest-growing minority group."

Said Dark: "We are dedicated to strengthening our network of businesses and entrepreneurs" with the goal of expanding "economic-development opportunities and ... [promoting] trade in Utah."

Unhappy Chamber of Commerce members voice concerns to directors

The Mesquite Chamber of Commerce will hold a forum on Sept. 29 to give members a chance to voice their concerns and ask questions of the board of directors.

The forum is a response to concerns expressed by members unhappy with recent resignations, including that of Katherine Cole, the chamber’s executive director.

Cole resigned earlier this month after barely two months on the job. Neither she nor the chamber executive would comment, but it’s understood that she clashed with members of the board.

Several chamber members voiced their concerns at Monday’s board meeting.

“I just want to register my disappointment that Katherine is no longer with us,” said Barbara Maue, owner of Liberty Income Tax Service and chairwoman of the Downtown Business Advisory Committee. “She was the best thing to come out of the Chamber in almost 11 years that I have been a member. My vote would to bring her back, and while I know that she may have rubbed some of you the wrong way, which she did with me the first time we met, but that is typical because she spoke her mind.

“But she did more in six weeks in putting programs together and helping businesses, which is something that I have been asking for a very long time.”

Maue said the downtown committee was started “because we couldn’t get any help from the chamber when all the road construction was going on, especially seeing how many businesses were going out of business during that time. We looked for help from the chamber and from the city, but we didn’t get any.”

In planning and organizing the upcoming So Long Summer event, Maue said, the committee has met each week, “but we haven’t seen any of you (the chamber board) there to help us, which is meant to draw people to downtown and for the promotion of the downtown businesses.”

“I think that the Chamber has lost touch with the small business owner,” said Chris Zarndt, owner of Mesquite Home Theater.

Read full story [Desert Vally Times]

Chamber viewpoint: Small businesses can use tough times to refocus

Small businesses have an advantage that can really help them survive, and even thrive, in these challenging times. That advantage is flexibility. Huge corporations, which operate much like the huge cruise ship QE2, are impossible to turn on a dime. Small businesses can make decisions and implement changes necessary in fluid conditions. A small business owner can review the business plan and quickly decide a new course to steer the ship of business.

Small businesses can seek help from supporters, friends, family, and even other small business owners. Small business owners have closer connections with their customers, making it easier to talk and ask for their ideas. It's also an opportunity to sell existing customers new products or services.

Other advantages of small businesses include an ability to offer exceptional customer service (they have a smaller number of employees to train) and the ability to use networking opportunities. Who isn't impressed when the business owner greets you, the potential customer, by name? A small business owner can use these times to reach out to former customers and rebuild a relationship. Unlike big business which requires formal approval processes for decisions, the small business can offer special sales pricing or incentives quickly and efficiently. A small business can be innovative and entrepreneurial in packaging their services and products. They can beat the larger businesses to the market with new ideas.

Whether in business or in our personal lives, we can spend a lot of time and energy lamenting the downturn in the economy. Or we can look for ways to streamline our operations and run a tight ship when it comes to our budgets. Practicing "back to the wall" management can be exciting and can refocus our efforts like no other situation can. In good times we all tend to get a little plump and lazy. When times are good, it's easy to add people, to get fancy, and to assume that the ride will continue to be smooth. When times get tough, successful businesses (and successful families) take a critical look at what they are doing, what needs are essential, and how to get the most of the dollars available.

Read full story [Marietta Times]

Minnesota Chamber: Businesses more optimistic

The recession is hurting Minnesota businesses, but pessimism is fading, according to a survey released today by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

An equal number of 350-businesses around the state who were surveyed were optimistic as pessimistic about the economy. Twenty-four percent said the economy is getting worse while 23 percent said its getting better. That compares to last year when 59 percent said it was getting worse, and only 7 percent said it was getting better.

However, only 6 percent of the firms surveyed expect to add employees in the next 12 months.

One of the barriers to hiring, according to the survey, is a high tax burden: 61 percent of the respondents said that high taxes were their biggest barrier to creating jobs in the state.

Read full story [Biz Journal]

Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce: Lawsuit targets Internet remarks

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against an unknown person using the Internet screen name "Elmer Fudd," claiming the person posted false and defamatory information about the organization on discussion boards hosted by The Sun News.

The posts, which appeared on the comment sections of several stories last month, claimed the Horry County Sheriff's Department had conducted raids at the chamber and other businesses. The posts also claimed that computers were seized from those businesses, although a sheriff's department spokesman said no raids occurred and no computers were seized.

"The claims were absolutely false," said Cherie Blackburn, a lawyer representing the chamber of commerce. Blackburn termed the posts "a vicious cyber defamation campaign" in court documents filed Friday in Conway.

Blackburn said several concerned people called chamber officials last week after reading the posts, prompting the organization to file a lawsuit to refute the rumors.

"It's something the chamber felt like they had to react to," Blackburn said. "They couldn't allow the rumors to go unchallenged."

Blackburn said her office plans to file a subpoena this week to learn the identity of "Elmer Fudd." The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages.

Read full story [Sun News]

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Chambers of commerce adjust recruitment methods to attract young professionals

Successful baseball teams always have a steady pipeline of young talent being groomed in the minor leagues. Likewise, chambers of commerce understand that developing the leaders of tomorrow is essential to their futures.

“As with any organization, our membership is aging,” said David Pruente, the membership director of the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce. “Younger members bring progressive ideas, and chambers should market themselves to the younger generation.”

Young leaders benefit not only the organization but the larger community, said Rick Hemmingsen, the president and CEO of the Independence Chamber of Commerce.

Read full story [Kansas City]

New chamber of commerce opens in Myrtle Beach

A new business organization made its debut Tuesday in Myrtle Beach.

Its leaders say they'll serve small businesses that are being overlooked by other local chambers.

There were already chambers of commerce for Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Little River and a few other towns. But the founders of the Grand Strand Chamber say another one was needed.

The owner of the 7 Twelve Boutique already belonged to the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce when she decided to join the new Grand Strand Chamber. Michelle Spontak says she's not unhappy with the old chamber and will remain a member, but the new group offers something more.

"This is something that I think supports the smaller businesses and grants more exposure," said Spontak.

The founder of the new Grand Strand Chamber says there are some 17,000 businesses in Horry and Georgetown counties, and the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber represents fewer than 3,000 of them.

Read full story [Carolina Live]