Chamber Insider - Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce

Volume 15, Issue 6
June 2015
Chamber Insider
Best Places to Start a Business in Michigan
Executive Board
Dr. Todd Christy, Chair
Fred Welch, Vice Chair
Phil Laney, Treasurer
Lesa Phillips, Secretary
David Krock, Past Chair
Detroit, Michigan’s largest city, is digging out
of a financial crisis years in the making. But a
NerdWallet analysis has found that some of
Detroit’s closest neighbors have strong economies
and are great places to start a business. We
Inside this issue:
pinpointed the best locations — and also came
across some striking findings.
St. Joseph in Top 10
1
Among top cities in the NerdWallet survey of
Michigan is Auburn Hills. In 2010 — as Detroit was
New Members
2
crippled by debt — Bob Kittle and Buzz Brown
started Munetrix, a technology company in Auburn
Pre-Employment
Screening
2
Golf & Steak Fry Sponsorship Information
3
Chamber Events Recap
4
June Calendar
5
July Calendar
6
Indiana Michigan Power 7
& Senator John Proos
More Customers
8
for over 300 local governments and school districts
in Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania, and has 10
employees in addition to its founders, plus paid
interns from Oakland University, a nearby public
research university.
“We’re really proud to be a Michigan-based
company helping the economy,” Kittle tells
NerdWallet. The company is also proud, he says,
to be “giving young adults the opportunity to learn
and earn a salary at the same time they hone their
public-sector skills.”
as Detroit was filing for bankruptcy, Kittle and
NerdWallet analyzed 128 places in Michigan using
six metrics to create a ranking of the top cities in
the state to start a business.
Brown received $48,000 in two grants from the
Click here to continue reading the article.
Michigan Small Business Development Center.
By Teddy Nykiel on May 26, 2015 | posted in Small
Business . The article was provided by nerdwallet.com and St. Joseph Today.
Hills, 25 miles north of Detroit. In 2013 and 2014,
Today, Munetrix builds data analytics platforms
9. St. Joseph
With an iconic lighthouse, white sand beaches and 17 parks, St. Joseph attracts visitors and
people looking for a second home. Local downtown businesses include Schu’s Grill & Bar and
Clementine’s Too, a restaurant on the St. Joseph River. The city also has a strong corporate
community, which includes appliance manufacturer Whirlpool Corp. and LECO Corp., a technology company focused on the life-sciences, environment, agriculture, food, energy and mined
-materials industries. The Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce serves businesses in St. Joseph
with networking events, marketing opportunities and discounted insurance plans, among other
business resources.
Chamber Insider
Welcome Our Newest Members!
Prudential
Lark’s BBQ
Freedom Boat Club
.
Russell’s Foreign Car Repair
Pre-Employment Screening: Avoiding Traps and Lawsuits
May 6, 2015 - Provided by Michigan Chamber of Commerce
Hiring new employees is more difficult today than it has ever been before. The pervasive nature of social media, the legalized use of previously-illegal drugs, and increased concern for protecting individual and company confidences all pose potential barriers in making hiring decisions. Employers of all sizes are well-advised
to implement legal pre-employment screening measures before hiring the wrong person for the job.
Michigan law permits employers to implement several types of pre-employment screens. Employers can:



Conduct credit background checks under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Conduct criminal background checks and drug screens.
Use social media, including personal Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter accounts to screen potential new
hires.
However, employers must be certain that they are following applicable laws when conducting preemployment screens. In general, employers should obtain written consent from potential new hires when performing pre-hire tests or screens.
Contributed by David J. Houston, Member of Dickinson Wright PLLC.
View the on-demand webinar “Pre-Employment Screening: Legal & Effective Use in Hiring” with David Houston.
Page 2
Volume 15, Issue 6
Thank You to Our 55th Annual Golf & Steak Fry Sponsors
Event Co-Sponsors
Great Lakes Sweep Members
Hole Sponsors
South Bend International Airport
Edgewater Bank
Williamson Employment Services
Old National Bank
Slumberland Furniture
Prism Science & Technology
Rock 107 WIRX
Fifth Third Bank
New Country 99.9
Putting Contest Sponsor
United Federal Credit Union
Berrien Dental
Benton Metal Recycling
Honor Credit Union
OnStaff USA
Berecz & Associates
Jerry Hunt’s Auto Center
Diamond Factory Service
Mosquito Squad of SWMI
United Way of Southwest Michigan
Golf Carts Sponsor
Kreis Enderle
Mulligan Sponsor
Horizon Bank
Sponsorships are Almost Gone!
Golf & Steak Fry
Co-Sponsor - $2,000 – 1 left
Lunch Sponsor - $1,500 –
Benefits include:
• Company name & logo sticker on each boxed lunch
• 4 golf tickets & 4 steak fry tickets
• Company name and logo on vertical signage – golf &
steak fry registration areas
• Logo on golf registration brochure – 1,742 distribution
• Logo on steak fry registration on web site – 1,742 distribution
• Logo on “welcome to the event” golf brochure – 128 golfers
• Recognition as major sponsor in all press releases, newsletter articles and electronic communications. 3 month impressions – Monthly e-newsletter (5,613) and weekly Friday member email (22,646)
• Social media communications – Facebook, LinkedIn,
Twitter
• Display table at event
• Provide 128 pieces of marketing/promotional material for
golf participant bags
Page 3
Benefits include:
∙ Company name & logo on each napkin
• Recognition as lunch sponsor on all materials
• Recognition in all press releases, newsletter articles and
electronic communications
• Provide 128 pieces of marketing/promotional material for
golf participant bags
Contact April Kiser at (269)757-0227 or
awatson@cornerstonechamber.com.
Volume 15, Issue 6
Business After Hours & Chamber Events
C
ornerstone Chamber members were busy this
month with Business Education Seminars, Chamber 101, Networking Group, an Open House, and a Business After Hours.
May’s Business Education Seminars offered Chamber
members the opportunity to learn about Google+ Business
Pages and different social media platforms. Trent Watford
of Tech Help hosted a hands-on training at Kinexus in
early May. Chamber members were able to access their
Google+ Business Pages and get individualized helped
from Trent. Drew Scott of Mid-West Family Broadcasting
had a great group attend his Lunch & Learn on social media. The topics included Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and
Etsy. Thank you to Trent and Drew for giving up their time
for our members!
Chamber members had an extra opportunity to network
and mingle during the month of May. United Federal CredWhat is
it Union held an Open House to show off their brand new,
state-of-the-art facility. Congratulations to UFCU on anoth- happening
on July
er fantastic event!
The month would not have been complete without a
24th????
Business After Hours at Ray’s on the Green. The weather
was gorgeous, so Chamber members took full advantage
Click here
of Ray’s outside deck. More than 100 people attended,
and many connections were made while eating, drinking, to find out.
and listening to live music. Ray’s on the Green provided
an amazing spread of food that included everything from
You don’t
fried asparagus to strawberry shortcake. May goes down
in the record books as another successful month of events
want to
for Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce and its members.
miss it!
Chamber Members
$159 per player for golf only
$599 per foursome for golf only
Registration for the 55th Annual Golf and Steak Fry at Harbor Shores Golf Club on July 14th is in full swing, and $35 per person for steak fry
($40 after July 7th)
the golf tournament is almost full. Be sure to make individual or team reservations as soon as possible. On the
Includes:
day of the event, golfers will check in at 10:00 a.m. with a shotgun start at 11:00 a.m. The Steak Fry will begin at
Greens fees
4:00 p.m., and dinner includes a 12oz. New York Strip, foil wrapped baked potato, sliced tomatoes, fruit salad, Cole
Cart
slaw, rolls, cookies, and iced tea . Two drink tickets are included with your ticket, and you can use them for soft
Boxed lunch
drinks, bottled water, beer, and wine.
1 team mulligan
Prizes awarded for the Top
Click here to register and pay online. You can also download the registration form and send it to Cornerstone
Three foursomes of the day
Chamber with your payment.
Limited Space Remains For This Year’s Golf Outing
June 2015
Benton Harbor
City Council 7
p.m.
St. Joseph
Township
Meeting 7 p.m.
7
14
1 Groundbreaking
Ceremony - Ber- 2
3
4
rien County Council for Children
8
15
Benton
Harbor
St.
Joseph
City
City
Council
Commission 6
7 p.m.
p.m.
Benton Town-ship
Board
meeting
5:30 pm
Lincoln Charter
10
16
17
9
11
Launch Point:
Township Board of Finding Entrepreneurial
Trustees
Success
Networking
Group at 7:30
5
6
Ribbon Cutting M Squared Modern Hair
Benton TwspBoard
meeting 5:30 p.m.
St. Joseph
City
Benton
Harbor
Commision
City
Council 7
6 p.m.
p.m.
St.
Joe
Charter
LMC
Wine
Township
Board
Service Work7shop
p.m.
Networking
Group at 7:30
a.m.
Seminar - Retirement
12
13
CEO Council
18
Red Fusion
19
20
26
27
Art Hop
Benton Twsp Bd
mtg 5:30 p.m.
21
22
St. Joseph City
Commission
6 p.m.
23
Chamber 101 Maximizing Your Membership
Benton Township
24
25
Networking
Group at
11:30 a.m.
Board meeting
28
29
30
Business After
Hours - Hilton
Garden Inn
Check out all the latest
Chamber events online at
www.cornerstonechamber.com.
See more photos Facebook
2015-2016 Michigan’s Great Southwest Visitor’s Guide Is Here
Stop by the Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce Monday through
Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to pick up a bundle of guides to
display at your business. The online version is coming soon!
July 2015
5
12
6
Benton
Benton Harbor
Harbor
City
City Council
Council 77
p.m.
p.m.
St.
Charter
St. Joe
Joseph
Township
Township Board
7Meeting
p.m. 7 p.m.
13
St. Joseph City
Commission
Commision 6
p.m.
6 p.m.
19
20
Benton Harbor
City Council
7 p.m.
26
27
1
2
3
4
Benton Town-ship
Board
meeting 5:30 pm
Benton Township Board meeting 5:30 p.m.
8
9
10
11
14
15
16
22
23
7
55th Annual
Golf & Steak
Fry
CEO Council
17
18
24
25
Lincoln Charter
Township Board
21
Ribbon Cutting & Grand
Opening Bash
- Anchor’s
Way Marina
Benton Twsp Bd
mtg 5:30 p.m.
Benton Township
Board meeting
28
29
30
31
Community Events
Member Activities –Find more information on-line.
Chamber Sponsored Events—Register on-line here.
Chamber Insider
INDIANA MICHIGAN POWER RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY BANKS
FORT WAYNE, Ind., May 18, 2015
– Indiana Michigan Power (I&M), a
subsidiary of
American Electric Power (NYSE:
AEP), announced that its financing
partnership with
community banks throughout Indiana and Michigan will continue for
another three years.
The venture began in 2012 when
I&M teamed up with regional and
local banks to develop a
senior unsecured term loan providing $110 million for infrastructure
development. The renewed
transaction, which closed last
week, increased the size of the
funding from local banks to $200
million, demonstrating both the
banks’ and I&M’s commitment to
economic development.
“I&M has been pleased with the
outcome of this financing strategy
and the economic benefit it
has in the communities where we
provide service. We look forward to
our continued relationship
with local banks as we invest in the
infrastructure needed to provide
our customers with reliable
electricity,” said Paul Chodak,
I&M’s President and Chief Operating Officer.
The proceeds from this transaction
will be utilized for updating aging
transmission and
distribution infrastructure, continuing the Cook Nuclear Plant life cycle management program,
making environmental retrofits at
the Rockport Plant to comply with
current U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency regulations as
well as building four emission-free
solar generation facilities
across the Indiana and Michigan
service territory.
A total of 11 banks with more than
395 branches across Indiana and
Michigan are participating
in the financing agreement. PNC
Financial Services and Fifth Third
Bancorp served as the
agent banks. Other participating
banks include:
Chemical Financial Corporation
Centier Bank
1st Source Corporation
First Merchants Corporation
Lake City Bank
Old National Bancorp
MutualFirst Financial, Inc.
Salin Bancshares, Inc.
STAR Financial Group, Inc.
Click here to read the full press release
provided by Indiana Michigan Power.
Proos: Extra Revenues Should Go to Roads
LANSING, Mich. — State experts forecast that Michigan’s economy will continue to improve and that resulting tax
revenues will be more than $365 million better than originally projected in January, said Sen. John Proos.
“It is great news that Michigan’s economy continues to recover and is expected to continue to grow into the future,”
said Proos, R-St. Joseph. “We continue to see the positive signs of a revitalized economy here in Southwest Michigan, where more jobs have been created, more people are working and unemployment is down.
“Another positive result of a growing economy is increased revenue. I strongly believe that the extra tax dollars
should go to fixing our roads.”
Michigan economists and fiscal leaders met Friday for the annual May Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference
at the Capitol. Their economic and tax revenue projections are used to set budget parameters for the next fiscal
year, which will begin Oct. 1.
They forecasted that state revenues the current fiscal year will be up $217.6 million and revenues for Fiscal Year
2016 will be $147.8 million more than previously expected.
“We must prioritize our roads in the budget — starting with investing all extra revenues into making our roads and
bridges safe,” Proos said. “Quality roads are critical for protecting drivers and reducing costly car damage, and they
are also key to attracting tourists and competing for jobs in a mobile economy.
“As we finalize the budget and fix our roads, we must remember that Michigan’s recovery didn’t happen by chance.
It is the result of making government live within its means and empowering people and job creators to succeed.
Both tenets are vital to long-term prosperity.”
Press Release provided by Senator John Proos office.
Page 7
Chamber Insider
38 W Wall Street
Benton Harbor, MI 49022
www.CornerstoneChamber.com
Phone: 269-932-4040
E-mail: pmuellen@cornerstonechamber.com
The Cornerstone Chamber of Commerce wants to recognize movers and shakers in our business community.
Business expansions, professional certifications or
credentials, industry recognition and services donated
are some of the noteworthy achievements we want to
appreciate in our businesses.
Submit your business news to awatson@cornerstonechamber.com
Your Chamber is working for you
When consumers know that a small
business is a member of the chamber of commerce, they are 44%
more likely to think favorably of it
and 63% more likely to purchase
goods or services from the company
in the future. Membership has its
rewards, and more business is one
of the rewards that keeps businesses
connected to their local chamber.
Consumers consistently think more
favorably of companies that are involved in their community, support
local causes and encourage employees to be involved. Chamber membership is the single most effective
way to accomplish all of those favorable attributes. Find out more about
the real value of chamber membership.
To learn more about Cornerstone
Chamber of Commerce, call (269)
932-4040 or click on
www.cornerstonechamber.com.