YLNI's 2020 Program has a Vision for the Future

Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana issued an exciting announcement this week. Thanks to the support of the Lincoln Financial Corporation, YLNI is moving forward with the 2020 Vision Program. The idea behind 2020 Vision is for the younger folks of Northeast Indiana to prepare to be the leaders of tomorrow, and to develop an idea of what they want to see in this region by the year 2020... and make it happen!

The focus of the strategy will be not only to make Northeast Indiana a good place to work, but an attractive place to live and play. This in turn will bring more skilled individuals to our local job market. YLNI plans to attack this plan in three phases: Engage (researching Gen Y), Empower (educating the community), and Execute (implementing the vision). Click here to read more about YLNI's strategy for 2020 Vision.

Small Businesses Sought for Project Bid

Attention to all small businesses: We received word that Messer Construction is seeking project bids from small businesses for the Veteran's Affairs Regional Office Center Corridor Project in Indianapolis. Bids are due November 18 at 2 p.m. to Messer Construction's Indianapolis Office (6964 Hillsdale Ct., Indianapolis, IN 46250). This project will include the renovation of 13,000 square feet of office space. If you are interested in this project, contact Chad Lynch, Project Engineer at (317) 576-9250 for more information.

Free Expo for Businesses in the Hospitality Industry

If your business is involved in hospitality, then this post is for you! One of the Chamber's Leads Groups, the Leads R Us, have come together with a special expo specifically designed to provide resources for those in the hospitality industry (restaurants, bars and other venues). They saw a need for this type of special event, and sought to fill it of their own initiative.

Tom Reynolds, Treasurer for Leads R Us, had this to say: "Six weeks ago some vendor reps to the Hospitality Industry were talking after a Chamber Leads Group meeting about the recession and the chilling impact it had on our customers. We realized that no one ever held any kind of event locally for the benefit of people who operate hospitality venues, so we decided to do so. The upcoming Hospitality Expo was created and designed to provide helpful business management advice as well as door prizes, free food and beverages and a host of discounts and specials for our customers in a small, local event."

Take advantage of this free event - the only investment on your part is your time. It will take place next Tuesday, November 17 from 2-5 p.m. here at the Chamber. Read more about the Expo here, or contact Tom with specific questions at (260) 483-3575.

In this Issue....

Check out the latest issue of our magazine, the Emphasis. It's our mission to pack each issue with content that will be useful to your business. This week you will read about the recent dedication of U.S. 24, the Fort to Port project, which the Chamber has been heavily invested in for the past several years. This project has paved the way for economic development in the future!

This issue also includes a letter from Kay Anthony of our Graduate Retention Program. Kay shares some good news about regional education during these difficult economic times. You will also discover more about the Chamber's new Connect For Lunch program, and learn from Chad Pollitt of Digital Hill how to use Social Media to your advantage in the business world.

For this and other issues of Emphasis, visit our Web site. If you are interested in learning how you can be featured in Emphasis, please contact me, Joanna Jessup, at jjessup@fwchamber.org. I will be happy to work with you to promote your business!

Congrats to FWCS' Dr. Wendy Robinson

Congratulations are due to Dr. Wendy Robinson, the Superintendent of Fort Wayne Community Schools! She will be honored next week by the National Alliance of Black School Educators at a celebration dinner in Indianapolis. Dr. Robinson will receive the Joseph E. Hill Superintendent of the Year Award.

Dr. Robinson is receiving this award because she has demonstrated quality leadership that has resulted in significant, positive outcomes for students of African descent.

In addition to the long list of organizations throughout the Fort Wayne community that Dr. Robinson is involved with, she is recognized nationally for her expertise in improving urban education, and is the president of the Indiana Urban Schools Association. She has been with Fort Wayne Community Schools in a variety of roles for 35 years.

We at the Chamber know Dr. Robinson well. She is a past recipient of our ATHENA Award, in recognition of her efforts to assist women in their attainment of professional goals. Just one of several awards she has received throughout the community. Thank you Dr. Robinson for your service and contribution to the Fort Wayne community, and congratulations on an award well-deserved!

Way to Go Old National... 175 Years is a Long Time!

Another business we want to acknowledge this week is Old National. We have three Old National members here in Fort Wayne: Old National Bank at Maysville Road, Old National Bank at Chestnut Hills Parkway, and Old National Insurance, also at Chestnut Hills Parkway.

So what's the big deal? Well - Old National Bancorp is celebrating 175 years, and it is the largest financial services holding company headquartered in Indiana. Not only that, but they rank among the top 100 banking companies in the U.S. Aside from their community banking services, Old National also has one of the largest independent insurance agencies headquartered in Indiana (remember, Chestnut Hills Parkway).

In celebration of their 175 years, Old National officials rang the New York Stock Exchange's closing bell on November 11.

Such longevity indicates something good is going on at Old National. Here's to 175 more years!

Are You Prepared for Litigation Against Your Business?

The last Chamber Academy of 2009 will tackle the big topic of handling litigation against your business. This Academy is titled "The Litigation Process" and will be presented by Benjamin D. Ice of the Murphy Law Group. Businesses often find themselves targeted for litigation - have you considered if your business is at risk for this, and how you should prepare if it is? Mr. Ice warns that cases are won and lost before they're ever filed!

We offer a variety of training workshops at the Chamber. What you should know about Chamber Academy is that it takes place in smaller groups and in an up-close and personal setting. The end result is that the workshop content is tailored specifically to you, and the instructor has the opportunity to interact with you one-on-one and answer your questions.

If you are concerned about how litigation may impact your business, register for this session at fwchamber.org, or find out more by contacting Katelyn Daniel at (260) 424-1435.

Young Businesses, Do You Have the Tools to Succeed?

One of our goals with the Daily Dose is to provide you, our members, with useful and educational information for your business. Our Interim President & CEO, Mike Landram, wanted me to share this information with you. The following article talks about the impact young businesses (5 years and younger) have on our economy due to job creation - firms 1-5 years old generate most net job creation in our country! The takeaway from this is that the economy benefits as a whole when young businesses are provided with the tools to succeed and stay afloat. Experts say that at least half of all businesses fail within the first year. I hope you find this article useful, and if you are a young (or older!) business seeking tools to flourish and succeed, please let us know - that is what we are here for!

An Opportunity to Bring Your Soldier Home for the Holidays

We are proud to say that we are once again teaming up with Majic 95.1 and the Fort Wayne International Airport to bring a soldier back home to their family for the holidays with the Home for the Holidays contest. We will fly a member of the armed services free of charge back home to the Fort Wayne area!

If you have a family member on active military duty, tell us your story in 300 words or less to be considered for this prize. Visit Majic's Web site for rules and a submission form. The stories will be reviewed and the winner will receive one free round-trip ticket to FWA. Here's the best part - we will fly them in from anywhere in the world they may be currently serving! Take advantage of this opportunity right away - the submission deadline is next Friday, November 20!

Feet on the Street: Follow the Yellow Brick Road...

by Teresa Royer
Member Relations Specialist

I went out to Fairfield Inn & Suites on Lima Road recently to attend their open house and ribbon cutting. It was a great event as it is family-owned – with many family members participating in the open house coupled with great staff that led us on a tour of their beautiful hotel.

What I especially liked was the theme for the evening---The Wizard of Oz. I, being a Dorothy fan especially liked this! The tour was as easy as following the yellow brick road – literally, as they had taken the time to create a yellow brick road for the guests to follow. Along the way, you were greeted by characters from this awesome movie.

What is especially nice about the Fairfield Inn is the beautiful décor and atmosphere. You have the feeling of being in a classy hotel with friendly, professional service -- a hotel to which I would have no problem directing my friends and relatives who may be planning a visit to Fort Wayne.

There was great food provided by Bar-B-Cutie (which was delicious, by the way) and drinks. One of the door prizes was complimentary tickets to Wizard of Oz, the musical at the Embassy – which performed Monday, November 9.

Unfortunately, I was not able to stay for the drawing. Now, I will always wonder if I would have won……… I never win anything, so my odds have to be increasing, wouldn’t you think?

Scholarships Available for Local Students

On Friday, December 4, Saint Francis University will hold a Talent Day and award scholarships to high school seniors. The Talent Day is designed for seniors with interest in art, communications or music - the students submit an art portfolio or audition for a scholarship. The scholarships will be renewable for eight semesters and can be added to academic scholarships and need-based grants the student may also have.

If you know of any graduating high school seniors interested in the arts, please encourage them to pursue this opportunity to engage with one of our local universities. Retaining our young people in the Fort Wayne area is an area near and dear to our hearts at the Chamber. We even have an initiative devoted solely to the cause of connecting employers with students through internships in order to strengthen our regional workforce (the Graduate Retention Program). We want to develop the talent pool in Northeast Indiana by encouraging our young people to stay here to learn, work and live.

Areas of study eligible for scholarship consideration include: Art History, Music Technology, Studio Art, Communication Arts and Graphic Design, Art Education, Computer Art, Communication, Jazz Ensemble, Pep Band, Drum Line, and the University Singers.

For more information on Talent Day or to reserve a time for your student, call (260) 399-7700, ext. 8001.

Brooks Construction: A Long-time Family Affair

Congratulations to Brooks Construction Company - they are celebrating 100 years of business, and Governor Mitch Daniels took note and honored them with the Governor's Century Business Award. Brooks is on a roll - they also just won the Chamber's Large Business of the Year Award. Their longevity and ethical business practices are a few of the reasons they were chosen by our nominating committee. Brooks was started in 1909 with horse pulled equipment and they are now in their third generation of family ownership. Read more about what they have done here, or check out their Web site here: brooks1st.com.

Office Party Anyone?

One of our Chamber members, Bower North Productions, has the perfect solution for those of you who are looking for a good way to treat your employees this holiday season. Give them something a little different with the audience-participation mystery "Lost in Tinseltown." This comedy performance is the perfect entertainment for small office parties. The show will take place December 19 at the Holiday Inn IPFW & Coliseum. Seating is limited, so book your dinner-show reservations now. Call (260) 482-3800 for ticket information.

Congrats to Lionel Tobin of Stuart Manufacturing!

Lionel Tobin (third from left in picture), President of Stuart Manufacturing, and a member of the Chamber's own board of directors, has been named the Small Business Administration's Minority Small Business Person of the Year in Indiana! The award was given during the SBA's Minority Enterprise Development week.

Tobin's company is an award-winning manufacturer and designer, specializing in custom cables and electrical modules. Their mission is to give back to the community through job creation in an underemployed area - the company is located in an Urban Enterprise Zone in central Fort Wayne, and has over 200 employees. Congrats to Mr. Tobin and Stuart Manufacturing!

Employers, Stay up to Date on Federal Posting Laws

Employers, make sure you stay up to date on what the law requires you to do for posting notices for your employees. Make sure you have notices describing Federal laws prohibiting job discrimination based on race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, equal pay, disability and genetic information.

The "Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law" poster has been revised to reflect current employment discrimination law... Make sure you are compliant with the new law by clicking here.

Mmmmm, Tasty...

Before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here, and you know what comes right after Thanksgiving? That's right, the Taste of the Chamber! We get excited about this event every year - hundreds of people mill through our historic building here in downtown Fort Wayne, sampling the best food and drink our members have to offer, all in a cheery Christmas setting (we even decorate for you).

This year's Taste will happen on Thursday, December 3. One of the best aspects of the Taste is the annual Silent Tree Auction. Our members get competitive and see who can decorate a tree with the most creativity - and efforts do not go unrewarded. If your company is interested in sponsoring and decorating a themed Christmas tree, let us know right away. Contact Laureen at lvoirol@fwchamber.org, or (260) 424-1435, ext. 264.