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Member Spotlight...Douglas county car care program

1/29/2019

 
Kris Chisholm, Executive Director of Douglas County Car Care Program gives us some insight on the nonprofit corporation. Douglas County Car Care Program is faith-based and represents a community coalition uniting the social service agencies and faith-based social ministries addressing people in poverty challenged with transportation barriers.

Top 5 Under 40

1/22/2019

 
By Tara Bitzan, Executive Director, Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
Each year, the Alexandria Chamber and the Echo Press partner to honor young professionals in the community through the Top 5 Under 40 awards program. These individuals are recognized for their professional achievements, community involvement and overall depth of qualities.
We’re excited to introduce you to this year’s honorees!
Christina Bleeker is a Supply Chain Analyst with 3M. She graduated from Rutgers University in New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree in Supply Chain Management and Marketing. She moved to Alexandria two years ago with 3M company. She has worked on numerous cost-saving projects in support of key initiatives for the Abrasive Systems Division. Within the 3M company she has served as the 3M Gives Community Chair, led the United Way campaign, served on the Relay for Life committee and the 3M Club committee. She believes to be an impactful leader you must genuinely care about your peers as well as your community.
Daylon Faber is the owner of Farmers Union Insurance Agency – Faber Insurance. Daylon started his career as a teacher – a foundation that proved helpful as he later transitioned into the insurance business. He was drawn to the idea of helping and educating people and eventually opened his own insurance agency in his hometown of Alexandria. He has since been recognized as the Farmers Union Top Producer of New Brokerage in Minnesota and achieved the Farmers Union Summit Award for being one of the top agents in the state.  He is involved with Rotary, the Boy Scouts, Honor Flight, Oletober Fest, the Pitch Your Plan Challenge, Leadership Alexandria, serves as a FAN Coach at Alexandria Area High School, and coaches his children’s activities.
Tyler Golberg is the co-founder of CYBERsprout. He got his start by taking online website development classes. He honed his skills by working on HomeSpotHQ.com, an online web app for managing house maintenance. When he moved back to his hometown of Alexandria in 2013, he was asked to help with a friend’s website. This led to another project, and another, until a few months later CYBERsprout was born. The company has since grown to 7 team members working in 12 states. In 2016, Tyler was named one of Minnesota Business Magazine’s 35 Under 35 Young Entrepreneurs. He has been involved with Rotary, the Alexandria Technical and Community College Foundation and Communication Arts Advisory Board, the Splash Pad Vision Group, and the BCE Academy Advisory Board at Alexandria Area High School.
Brittney Thoreson is the Vice President of Housing for Knute Nelson. She graduated from the Healthcare Management Program at Concordia College in Moorhead in 2009. She was hired by Knute Nelson in 2011 as the Housing Advisor and later transitioned to a Therapy Supervisor position in Knute Nelson’s Home Care Division. She was later promoted to Director of Hospice and then to Vice President of Hospice. Today, she serves as Vice President of Housing and oversees four residential senior living communities for the company. She is a board member of The Written Gift, is an Advance Directive facilitator and serves on the Task Force on Opioid and Abuse Reduction. She is a graduate of Knute Nelson’s Leadership Academy, the Chamber’s Leadership Alexandria program and is a current Fellow in the Leadership Academy through Leading Age Minnesota.
Andrew Wiener is an attorney with McCarten Law Firm. He majored in Political Science at St. Cloud State University and attended the Willamette University College of Law in Oregon. He was accepted to the Minnesota Bar in 2011 and was hired as an associate attorney at Tillitt McCarten Johnson & Haseman in Alexandria. In 2013, the firm restructured as McCarten Law Firm and in 2015 Wiener was promoted to partner. He served as vice president and later president of the Douglas County Bar Association. He works in Family Law, Criminal Defense, Civil Litigation and Estate Planning. He also represents low-income clients on behalf of Legal Services of NW Minnesota and volunteers with a Law Clinic hosted by West Central Minnesota Communities Action. He also volunteers with the Father’s Resource Program, Alexandria Area High School Mock Trial program, Douglas County Library Friends and Foundation, Matt Kjelland Memorial Foundation and youth basketball programs.
The honorees will be honored at the Chamber’s Annual Celebration on Monday, January 28 at Arrowwood Resort and Conference Center in Alexandria and will be featured in the Chamber’s Year in Review publication, published by and inserted into the Echo Press on January 30.
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Member spotlight - Ravnik & Co.

1/15/2019

 
Betty Ravnik who owns Ravnik & Co. tells us about the unique one stop design destination in historic downtown Alexandria, MN. The retail store carries furniture, gifts, home décor and the interior designers to help you pull it all together. From a simple paint color consultation to a complex home remodel, the experienced designers will help guide you through the design process to create an interior uniquely you.

minnesota at risk of losing its innovators

1/8/2019

 
By Tara Bitzan, Executive Director, Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce
     The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce recently released the 2019 Business Benchmarks. This annual report compiles key indicators that define our business climate – where Minnesota ranks compared with other states – to identify strengths and areas for improvement for Minnesota to compete in the global economy.
     Key findings of the data compiled from state and federal agencies shows that innovation is a key strength of Minnesota, and the state continues to make progress in infrastructure improvements – an important factor in the ability to compete in a global marketplace. Minnesota is ranked first in business five-year survival, second in labor participation rate, fourth in number of residents with two  year degrees or higher, fourth in patents per capita and fourth in technology and science workforce.
     Those are exciting numbers and definitely a source of pride for our state. However, there are other numbers that are overshadowing these – numbers that can and must be controlled so that we can allow our innovation and shining workforce to help us flourish.
     The state’s economy is growing at a slower pace than many other states and we remain in the top five states with the highest tax rates for both corporate and individual taxes. Minnesota ranks third highest in corporate income tax, fourth highest in business and entrepreneurship tax index, fifth highest in pass-through and individual income tax rates, ninth highest in overall state and local taxes per capita and second highest in unemployment tax.
     Along with the state’s high taxes, a tight labor market is posing a significant problem statewide. Sixty-nine percent of employers in 2018 – versus 18 percent in 2010 – cited the ability to find workers as a key concern through the Minnesota Chamber’s Grow Minnesota Partnership. Job vacancies exceed the number of job-seekers in the state. Although 2017 was the first year since 2001 that Minnesota had more people moving into the state, the impending labor shortage – expected to hit 239,000 by 2022 – makes it more critical that Minnesota keep and attract skilled workers, work to get people back into the labor market and prepare students for jobs of the future. Minnesota remains in the middle of the pack for overall cost of living, but shortages in child care and workforce housing are issues that impact our ability to attract people.
     The many newly elected officials on deck as the Minnesota Legislature soon convenes will definitely face some challenges. To ensure Minnesota stays competitive and moves in the right direction in these business benchmark rankings, our officials need to enact pro-growth reforms to reduce taxes on both individuals and businesses so that people want to operate businesses here.
     Protecting the rights of employers to develop wage and benefit packages that best suit the individual needs of companies and employees needs to be a priority, as does ensuring affordable, quality health care by limiting government’s role and enhancing the ability of private employers to provide insurance to employees and ensuring that public health programs are sustainable. Private-sector workforce efforts should be supported to help employers attract and retain skilled workers.
     There are some major hurdles to overcome, but they can be accomplished. If they aren’t, Minnesota stands to lose those businesses that currently put us in the spotlight as an innovation state.

     The Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce joins more than 40 other local chambers and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce to unify around a common advocacy agenda for Minnesota businesses statewide. This collective voice, representing tens of thousands of businesses across the state, amplifies our members’ priorities with state policy leaders.

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206 Broadway St.  Alexandria, MN 56308
320-763-3161 
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  • ABOUT US
    • The Chamber and Visitor & Resource Center
    • Our Team
    • Our Volunteers
  • Our Community
    • Visit Us
    • Make Alex Home
    • Do Business Local >
      • Chamber Bucks
      • Pride of the Lakes
    • Jobs
    • History
  • Programs
    • Chamber Programs
    • Chamber Events Calendar
    • Past Event Resources
  • Members
    • Member Directory
    • Member Login
    • Join Us!
  • In the Know
    • Chamber App
    • Email Sign Up
    • Blog
    • Business Resources
  • Young Professionals
    • About AAYP
    • AAYP Events
    • AAYP Newsletter
    • Join Us!
  • Community Calendar