Annual Report - DeKalb Chamber of Commerce

DeKalb
Chamber of CommerCe
2013
Annual Report
PLATINUM SPONSORS
2013 YEAR IN REVIEW
MISSION STATEMENT
To serve and advance business interests of the Greater DeKalb Region.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Increased membership by nearly 100 new members.
Expanded our Chamber Membership to nearly 550 Members for the year.
Recognized nearly 75% of Members as 110% Club Members.
ANNUAL SPONSORS
Retained more than 90% of existing members.
Increased dues income by more than 7% and other revenue by more than 30%.
Conducted 26 ribbon cuttings, 12 Business After Hours (including 35 Members), and a Candidates Night.
Partnered with Sycamore Chamber for the 2013 Community Expo, held at
the Sycamore High School Field House with more than 120 vendor booths.
Provided internship opportunities for 5 area interns from Northern Illinois University and Kishwaukee College.
Awarded 2 scholarships to DeKalb High School students totaling $1,250.
Participated in welcoming NIU students to the area by handing out 750 bags
of member information to new students and family members.
2013 AT A GLANCE
1st Quarter: Monthly After Hours Events, Member Roundtable on the new
tax laws, Public Policy Discussion with a guest speaker from the Illinois Policy
Institute, Candidates Night (General Election), 2012 Annual Celebration
Dinner, Community Expo
2nd Quarter: Monthly After Hours Events, Member Roundtable with
Constant Contact on Email & Social Marketing, Speed Networking,
Leadership Academy Graduation, Annual Golf Outing (Luau theme),
Downtown After Hours
3rd Quarter: 4th Street Family Fun Fest, Kishwaukee Fest, Farmer’s Markets,
4th Annual State of the City, New Teachers Welcome Event, A Taste of
Northern, Corn Fest, Kite Fest, Oktoberfest at the DeKalb Airport, Monthly
After Hours Events, Member Roundtable – Utilizing Interns Effectively
Mailing & Printing Services
4th Quarter: Speed Networking, Public Policy Discussion Panel, DeKalb
High School Career Fair, ATHENA Award Reception, Monthly After Hours
Events, Winter Bash at Faranda’s Grand Opening, Member Roundtable –
Being Top of Mind in 2014, DeKalb County’s Largest Holiday Office Party,
Hollydays, Spooktacular, Santa Comes to town, Downtown Carriage Rides
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce 164 E. Lincoln Highway • DeKalb, IL 60115 • (815)756-6306 • Chamber@DeKalb.org • www.DeKalb.org
Cover photo provided by Jeff Struthers
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OFFICERS
OFFICERS, BOARD OF DIRECTORS
& STAFF 2013
Mark Smirz
Steve Braser
Kristina Garcia
Kim Goyke
Wendy West-Krauch
Matt Duffy
Board Chair
TBC Net, Inc
Vise Chair
Resource Bank
BOARD MEMBERS
Secretary
Sonoco Alloyd
Treasurer
Conexion Comunidad
Past Chair
Siepert West Financial Consulting
Executive Director
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
Lisa Angel
Debbie Armstrong
Ron Breese
Jim Briscoe
Mike Cullen
Rudy Espiritu
Gary Evans
Bill Finucane
Shaw Media
National Bank & Trust Co.
DeKalb County Convention
& Visitor’s Bureau
Breezy’s Heating & A/C
City of DeKalb
Castle Bank
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DeKalb Community Schools
Northern Illinois University
Jim Fox
Dr. Jeffrey Frank
David Galica
Mark Kerman
Rob Larkins
DJ Larson
Lisa Small
Jill M. Tritt
Lauren Woods
Dave Yanke
Beth Young
Corporate Counsel
Foster & Buick Law Group, LLC
Corporate CPA
Siepert & Co., LLP
Floor to Ceiling Store
Spex Expressions
Northern Rehab Physical
Therapy Specialists
Foster & Buick Law Group, LLC
Cracker Jax
Lehan Drugs
BOARD MEMBERS
Keith Foster
Armor Technologies
DeKalb Park District
LINE-X of Greater Illinois
Kishwaukee College
STAFF
Josh Waddle
Membership Manager
Rosalie Williams
Administrative Assistant
Jessica Struthers
Events Manager
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Anthony Affrunti
Marketing Intern
Jeff Kamholz
Marketing Intern
COMMITTEE ACHIEVEMENTS
Chamber committees consist of active member volunteers who meet regularly to
discuss issues relative to theircommittee. The committees help plan, organize and carry out
activities that promote the Chamber and accomplish the committee’s objectives. These
volunteers also participate in fundraising for the Chamber and are called on year-round
to assist the Chamber in a variety of events. The Chair of each committee guides each
group of volunteers and acts as a community leader and representative of the Chamber.
Ambassadors Committee
26 Ribbon cutting ceremonies
Member gifts provided to each New Member by Cracker Jax
Continued our Ambassador Mentor program for new members
Increased our number of Ambassadors to 30
57 Chamber members participated in hosting our After Hours events in 2013
BUSINESS EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Hosted New Teacher Welcome luncheon for 38 new teachers and staff members
Presented 2 scholarships to DeKalb High School students totaling $1,250
Co-hosted DeKalb High School Career Fair for 9th -12th Grade students
DEKALB LEADERSHIP ACADEMY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Graduated 2012-2013 class of 24 future leaders
Recruited and selected 2013-2014 class with 25 future leaders for the 10th Leadership Academy Class
Oversaw the planning of the DeKalb Leadership Academy
Maintained high standards for the program by holding monthly session reviews
Featured a student bio weekly in the Daily Chronicle and in the Chamber E-Connection newsletter
Fundraiser raised over $4200 for the Leadership Academy endowment fund and the Junior Leadership Academy
Class completed three community projects: Beatin’ Betes 5K, Bike Rodeo, Meals on Wheels Marketing Plan
Graduated the third Junior Leadership Academy class of 22 high school students from DeKalb and Sycamore
PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE
Hosted a Candidate’s Night at the Egyptian Theatre for the April elections
Hosted two Healthcare Discussions regarding the new Healthcare Laws
Held the Fourth Annual State of the City Event in conjunction with new NIU President Doug Baker
Brought in various community leaders to find out more about important issues and changes
affecting the DeKalb area
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Referral Group
2013 has seen growth for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Referral Group.
We have added a second group in 2013 that meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month.
The addition of a second group adds even more value to the chamber, while helping
drive business to participating members. This year’s group chairs were Dave Yanke of
Line-X and DJ Larson of Lehan Drugs. Look for more exciting things to come in 2014!
COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENTS
NIU Huskies Football Team has the longest home winning streak in the NCAA of 26 games.
Jordan Lynch finished 3rd in the Heisman Trophy voting.
City of DeKalb completes construction of a new police station.
DeKalb & NIU hosted the IHSA Football Championships in 2013 and will continue every other year through 2021
Chessick Indoor NIU Athletics Practice Center opened in October.
Additional cooperativeness with NIU Athletics throughout Downtown DeKalb
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PROGRAMS AND EVENTS
ANNUAL DINNER MEETING CELEBRATION
This is the Chamber’s annual celebration of our successes of the past year and a look at the
challenges to come. The dinner meeting includes introduction of the new Officers, verification
of the membership’s election of new Board members, a thank you to our outgoing Board
members and officers, and recognition of the Business of the Year, Ambassador of the Year
and the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame inductees.
COMMUNITY EXPO
Each year we partner with the Sycamore Chamber and present the annual Community Expo.
In 2013, we held it in the Sycamore High School Field House and filled the facility with more
than 120 vendor booths for throughout the area. The event continues to expand and evolve
to meet the needs of our members and reach out to the community. The Expo provides both
a great business to business networking opportunity and a great community event.
Farmers’ Market
The Farmers’ Market was held every Thursday beginning in June through September at Van
Buer Plaza. The market brought an average of 25 vendors per week to offer fresh local produce,
baked goods, and various handmade items. The Egyptian Theatre helped provide local musical
talent for entertainment during the lunch hours. The Farmers’ Market also accepted credit,
debit, and Link cards to make purchasing healthy food accessible for all.
Hollydays
Hollydays encompasses all the holiday events that go on Downtown DeKalb. The first holiday
happening begins with Hollydays Open Houses the weekend before Thanksgiving for all downtown
merchants. This weekend gives merchants a chance to give their customers a sneak peak at their
holiday merchandise and offer early purchase incentives. Santa came to town the first Thursday
in December. The evening began with cookies, cocoa, and caroling with the DeKalb High School
Madrigals in the Egyptian Theatre. Santa was then ushered into town by DeKalb Police and Fire
departments. After Santa made his grand entrance children visited with him after the Mayor and
our Sponsor, NB&T, officially opened the house for the season. Visits with Santa and Carriage
Rides took place every Saturday in December before Christmas where the public visited with Santa
in his house and took complimentary carriage rides through Downtown DeKalb from the DeKalb
Public Library.
Member and Community Promotion
DeKalb Chamber of Commerce members are promoted through many different avenues
including: website listings, social media, award winning annual business directory, and the
Chamber E-Connection Newsletter. Hundreds of exclusive member referrals are given out
over the phone and in our office as well. The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce also has a
monthly radio show on WLBK, providing a forum for the public to become aware of Chamber
programs and events. Nonprofit members are invited on-air to provide them with an
opportunity to keep the community informed about upcoming activities. A regular column is
written for the Daily Chronicle and NI Business Connections to highlight or recognize various
people, keep the community informed about key business topics and review past events.
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Member Roundtables
2013 brought a lot of new ideas to our “Member Roundtable” series. We started off the year
with a Tax member roundtable that was highly attended and hosted by Resource Bank. In April
a marketing expert from Constant Contact presented new digital marketing ideas including
social media hosted by the Egyptian Theatre. September brought us to NIU to talk about how
to use Interns effectively, and finished the year with a discussion on how member businesses
will stay “Top on Mind in 2014” in our community. Important and fun topics will continue to be
covered in 2014 based on the feedback from our membership!
MEMBER2MEMBER PROGRAM
The Member2Member program is the perfect way to extend
exclusive deals to fellow Chamber Members. This program helps
encourage DeKalb Chamber Members to do business with other
Members. The deals are promoted throughout the year via the
Chamber website (DeKalb.org), E-Newsletter (Chamber E-Connection)
and other E-Blasts.
NEW NEIGHBOR PROGRAM
The Chamber offers a New Neighbor Program to allow our Members to connect with new
businesses and new residents to the area. Each month DeKalb Chamber Members have access
to lists of new residents and businesses to allow them to reach out to those new contacts.
SHOP LOCAL PROGRAM
The Shop Local Program is a great way to promote your business throughout the year giving
special deals to both chamber members and the public. Shop local is promoted via the
DeKalb Chamber website (DeKalb.org), E-Newsletter (Chamber E-Connection) and other
E-blasts. During the 2013 Holiday season, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
and Castle Bank teamed up to push shopping local in
the community with special shop local cards that were
available at all DeKalb, Castle Bank locations.
Spooktacular
Downtown DeKalb plays host to the annual trick-or-treating for children the Saturday before
Halloween. Nestle kindly donates the candy for all downtown merchants to pass out as costumed
children go door to door to trick-or-treat, make creepy crafts, and go through the kid version
of the Egyptian Theatre’s Amenti haunted house.
UNITE FOR IMPACT
For the past four years, there has been a partnership formed between five area Chambers
and the Kishwaukee College Center for Business Development and Continuing Education.
This partnership is called Unite for Impact and provides an opportunity to fill common needs
for all organizations involved and our members. This year the group worked together to help
with the coordination of the Industrial Workforce Initiative with the DCEDC. The five participating
Chambers include DeKalb, Genoa, Kirkland, Rochelle and Sycamore.
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NEW MEMBERS
Alarm Detection Systems, Inc
Alexis Kay Designs, Inc
Allstate Insurance - Patrick Shafer
American Red Cross
Armor Technologies - Rochelle
Barb City Automotive
Barsema Alumni & Visitors Center
Baymont Inn & Suites - Rochelle
Bob-Jo Cycle
Bubble Bath Bay Car Wash
Buffalo Wild Wings
C.S.R. Bobcat, Inc
Carmine’s Subs Wraps Salads
Cassie’s Popcorn
CMJ Technologies
Debutantes School of
Cosmetology & Nail Technology
DeKalb Citgo
DeKalb County State’s Attorney,
Richard Schmack
DeKalb Harley-Davidson
DeKalb Iron & Metal Co
DeKalb Masonic Lodge #144
Dixon Ottawa Communications
DNA Communications
Ducky’s Formal Wear
Family Wellness & Rehab SC
Fanatico
Faranda’s Banquet & Conference Center
Fifth Third Bank
Finest Furniture
Fritzee’s Garage Doors, Inc
Glidden Florist, Glidden Goods,
A Fair Trade Emporium
Grace Place
Hampton Inn - DeKalb
Hanlon Child Care
Hauser-Ross Eye Institute
Hauser-Ross Optical
Hillside Restaurant, Inc.
Hometown Sports Bar & Grill
Illinois Chaos
Illinois Valley Business Equipment Inc
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Intelligent Computing Solutions
Irving Construction Co, Inc.
j & d mini storage
Jerry Smith
Jersey Mike’s Subs
KishHealth System Center for
Family Health, Malta
KishHealth System Laboratories,
Midlands Court
KishHealth System Laboratories,
Plank Road
Klein, Stoddard, Buck & Lewis, LLC
La Di Events
LaBella Baskets
LegalShield - Worry Less. Live More.
Lovell’s Discount Tire
McDonald’s East
MCR Framing
Mikimoto Japanese Steak House
Mutual of Omaha - Lisa Busch
Ollie’s Frozen Custard
OLT Marketing, Inc
OSP Services
Ritz’s Southtown Auto
Rosy’s Roadhouse
Smalltown Skate Shop
State Farm
State Farm - Scott Zeimet
Syndeo Networks, Inc
T. Allen & Associates, LLC – Genoa
T. Allen & Associates, LLC – Sycamore
Tapa La Luna
Thayer Lighting, Inc.
The Huddle Restaurant
The Petal Boutique
Think Driven
Tom & Jerry’s Restaurant
U-Haul
Unified Wire
University Shell Inc
William James Studio
World Finance Corp.
Yamber Properties LLC
AWARDS
2012
2013
Ambassador of the Year:
Jackie DiNatale
ATHENA Recipient:
Ann Lehan
2012
Business of the Year:
The Lincoln Inn
2013
Hall of Fame Inductees:
Frank Roberts and
Jerry Smith
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