Chamber Day at the Statehouse

The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce and the Northeast Indiana Chamber Coalition (NEICC) yesterday held a "Chamber Day at the Statehouse" bus trip for area businesses and members.

While in Indianapolis, the group got a special tour of the State Capitol Building, met with government officials and legislators from Northeast Indiana such as Sen. David Long and Rep. Matt Bell, ate lunch at the Columbia Club and heard from distinguished keynote speaker, Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard, co-author of the Kernan-Shepard Report.

Here are some pictures from yesterday's event:

Your First Look @ Parkview Field

This is what you've been waiting for. Get a sneak peek @ Parkview Field when the Chamber hosts its April Cc: me on April 9 from 5-7 p.m. Enjoy tours of the field, live music from Fort Wayne's own BonaFide, great food and much more.

Sponsored by Aptera Software and The State Bank & Trust Company. Brought to you by the Chamber, YLNI, DID and the TinCaps. This is one event not to miss.

(click on image for more information)

In This Issue...

In today's issue of the Chamber's Emphasis magazine (published bi-weekly as the center section of the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly)...

Find out what this year's 2009 ATHENA Recipient, Kathleen Randolph, has to say about receiving the award.

Our new monthly CEO Corner from President/CEO Kris Foate debuts.

What April 9 Chamber event promises to hit a "home run"?

Find out more about Gov. Daniels and Former Gov. Kernan's recent visit to the Chamber.

For questions and information about Emphasis please contact Nicole Wilkins, Communications Manager at nwilkins@fwchamber.org.

Commercial Facade Grant Program Goes Above Expectations

The recipients of the City's first Commercial Facade Grant program have been announced. The program was so successful that the original $200,000 set aside to fund it was doubled to $400,000. Originally eight of the requested projects would have been funded; by doubling the fund, 21 projects have been approved at a $1.2 million investment.

The grants offset the costs of facades, signage, lighting, awnings, parking improvements, decorative fencing, and other enhancements for businesses located in economic development target areas designated by the City Council.

Chamber Academy Next Week

(click on image for larger view and more information)

NASA Launches Satellite with Fort Wayne-Made Components

Chamber member ITT Corp's space systems technicians and engineers designed and built key instruments aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's most recent weather satellite, NOAA-19.

Launched by NASA on Feb. 6, the satellite is now in orbit, flying over the earth's north and south poles every 100 minutes.

Morning Mix Tomorrow!

The next Morning Mix of 2009 will take place Thursday, March 19 from 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. at Easter Seals Arc (4919 Coldwater Road)

The Morning Mix is designed for professionals who are involved in sales, business development, public relations, or any career that requires getting the word out. You will experience 20 minutes at three different tables, receiving the opportunity to present your "unique selling proposition" to a couple of dozen businesspersons in a fast-paced, fun and structured setting.

Admission is $5. In addition, please make sure to bring a stack of your business cards. Continental breakfast is included. For more information, or if you are interested in being a table captain for a Morning Mix, please contact Laureen Voirol at (260) 424-1435, ext. 266 or lvoirol@fwchamber.org. You do not have to be a Chamber member to attend.

Managing Small Business in a Recession

The City of Fort Wayne and Small Business Administration Resource Partners are offering a free workshop on how to manage a small business in a recession. The workshop takes place Thursday, March 19 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the City-County Building in the Omni Room.

The workshop is designed to answer questions for small-business owners who are facing challenges from the economic downturn. Topics include selling during a recession, cost reduction, reorganization, expense control, restructuring debt and more.

The City of Fort Wayne is partnering with the Chamber of Commerce, Women's Enterprise, Small Business Administration, SCORE, Community Development Corp. and the Indiana Small Business Development Center to offer a series of business workshops during 2009. Watch for upcoming sessions.

For more information contact Rachel Blakeman at (260) 427-1120.

YWCA Invites You to Sign-On for Justice

The YWCA is hosting a community-wide event, Sign-On for Racial Justice, in honor of the United Nation's International Day for the Elimination of Racism.

Sign-On for Racial Justice will include a press conference, networking time, and an opportunity to sign the Compact for Racial Justice of the Applied Research Center. By signing the compact collectively, Fort Wayne joins a national movement aimed at providing resources and support for racial justice workers across the country. To view the Compact visit http://www.arc.org/content/view/594/1/.

Community leaders are invited to attend and Sign-On for Racial Justice on Friday, March 20 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the YWCA (1610 Spy Run Ave.).

For questions or to RSVP contact Aja Michael, (260) 424-4908, ext. 247.

Nationally Renowned Artist Brightens Auburn Car Musuem

(Click on image for a larger view and more information)

Magazine Ranks Indiana Top Place to Do Business in The Midwest

National publication, "Chief Executive" magazine has named Indiana as the best state to do business in the Midwest. It is the second consecutive year the state has taken the top honor according to the magazine. Indiana ranked 11th in the nation, down three spots from its 2008 ranking. The magazine bases its ranking on surveys of more than 500 chief executive officers.

To see the rankings in "Chief Executive" click here.

Employers and Educators Convene at Internship Development Workshop

March 4th, 50+ business and education partners gathered at the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce for the 3rd Annual Internship Development Workshop to learn practical tips on connecting and networking with each other, entrepreneurships, how to write your internship posting, and a local company's best practices for their program.

Speakers included Linda Worden of Navistar, Remound Wright of Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, and Michelle Merritt of Three Rivers Federal Credit Union. "We see this workshop as a great opportunity to share valuable and practical information with those working to start or improve their internship programs," said Kay Anthony, manager of the Graduate Retention Program.

Artie Nominations Due Friday

Arts United in partnership with the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce is proud to present the 2009 Artie Awards in celebration of outstanding people and organizations making contributions to the arts in Northeast Indiana.

These awards will be presented at the exclusive Bravo Breakfast on Friday, April 24 at 7:30am at the Chamber's Anthony Wayne Room.

For more information as well as a nomination form, please visit http://www.artsunited.org/. All nomination forms must be received on or before noon on Friday, March 20.