By: Deb McMillan, Chamber President

As I write this article, we are just four weeks away from the mid-term election.  Navigating the first election season as a regional chamber has been a new experience and we are committed to providing as much information on the candidates as possible. 

Any candidate running for office in the region received an invitation to answer a questionnaire.  The results of those questionnaires can be found on our website at www.swmetrochamber.com.  Races include District #112 School Board, City Council and Mayoral races in Carver, Chaska, Chanhassen and Victoria, County Attorney, County Sheriff and Districts 1 & 3 County Commissioners.

Locally, the SouthWest Metro Chamber will be hosting a couple of opportunities to meet the candidates in an informal open house format. 

·        On the 12^th of October, we have invited every mayoral and city council candidate from the cities of Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria and Carver to attend our candidate open house at the Country Inn and Suites in Chanhassen.

·        On October 19^th, we will be hosting the Carver County Sheriff, Attorney and Districts 1 and 3 County Commissioner candidates at Cy's in downtown Chaska.

·        The Chanhassen Business Council will be hosting a forum for the city council candidates on Tuesday, October 26^th at the American Legion in Chanhassen.

·        The Chamber will host the candidates for State Senate District 34 and House of Representatives District 34A.

·        The League of Women Voters is hosting a school board candidate forum on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Blue House Forum.

For more specifics on these events, be sure to visit our website, www.swmetrochamber.com or don't hesitate to call the Chamber office for additional details.

Our friends at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce have provided some resources and information on the Gubernatorial candidates and those running for State offices.  We thank them for the opportunity to share the information with our members. 

The Minnesota Chamber's new Action Center will help provide a better understanding of the candidate's positions. 

·        Click here to find your candidates.       

·        Click here to access voting records.

·        To find out if your candidate supports business issues, click here.

We encourage you to engage in this important election, get to know the candidates, have a conversation with them about their political platform and vote on November 2^nd!

Excel Auto and Tire Service opened in June, and the SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce officially welcomed the shop to the Chanhassen business community with a ribbon cutting ceremony on September 15.

Excel is a complete auto service facility, offering everything from regularly scheduled maintenance to full-service repairs for both domestic and foreign cars.  In addition, Excel is also a certified Michelin Alliance dealer.  While the shop features Michelin, B.F. Goodrich, and UniRoyal tires, "just about any tire brand is available to us," said Dave Salveson, who manages the six bay facility with ASE certified technicians.

While the Excel name  is new, owner Denny Halleron and his staff bring a combined 60 years of auto service experience to the community.  For the past 20 years, Halleron has operated auto repair shops in five other metro locations - Brooklyn Park, Spring Lake Park, Maplewood, Eagan and Woodbury - under a franchise brand.  When his franchise agreements expired this year, Halleron chose not to renew them.  Instead, he seized the opportunity to become an independent provider.  "I grew up in an era of the neighborhood garage, with service people you knew and trusted," he explained.  "Becoming a locally owned and operated shop is a way to really connect with the local community, something I strongly support."

 Look for the company's expanded website in the coming weeks at www.excelautoandtire.com.   Denny, Dave and staff invite you to call for an appointment at (952) 358-3535.  Excel is located at 64 Lake Drive East behind ABRA and next to McDonalds.  The shop is open 7:30am-6pm Monday through Friday, and 8am-4pm on Saturday.

Chaska, MN - September 21, 2010-Several members of the SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Ambassadors and staff joined Minnesota DEED Commissioner, Dan McElroy, and the leadership and employees of Northern Star Co. to celebrate the opening of their potato processing plant in Chaska.

More than two years in the making, Northern Star Co. began a search for a new location in which to process their potatoes for the retail and industrial food markets.  Their search led them to Chaska and the 230,000 square foot building just off Highway 41 in Chaska which housed Mammoth Companies.  Vacant since April of 2007, Northern Star Co. began their renovation to convert the building into a state of the art potato processing facility.  After an investment of over $56 million dollars, the company now employs about 230 people with an annual payroll of more than $14 million at their campus in Chaska.  Their investment into this region goes far beyond the re-purposing of a once-empty industrial building;  Northern Star Co. will contribute $286,000 in property taxes annually and will be one of Chaska's largest electrical customers buying an estimated $1.8 million in electricity from the Chaska Electric utility each year.  As an engaged corporate citizen, Northern Star Co. and parent, Michael Foods Inc. and their employees partner with the United Way, hunger relief organizations and numerous other efforts to support the communities in which they do business.

"We are proud to welcome Northern Star Co. to this region", said Deb McMillan, president of the SouthWest  Metro Chamber of Commerce.   "In a struggling economy, we feel very fortunate to have Northern Star Co. here, investing in our community and contributing to the economic growth and health of the region.  We wish them many, many years of continued success and that their investment in our community is returned to them tenfold."

Location of Northern Star Co.: 101 West 82^nd St.  Their website: www.michaelfoods.com and their phone no: (952) 368-6528

Arrow Ace Hardware, located at 802 Yellow Brick Road in Chaska, MN. is a full service hardware store offering name brand products such as Benjamin Moore paint, TORO and STIHL along with a gourmet cooking accessories section.  We are committed to being  "the helpful" place by offering our customers knowledgeable advice, helpful service and quality products.

Phone: (952) 361-4263.  Web-site: www.arrowace.net.

U.S. Commerce Association's Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

WASHINGTON D.C., September 2, 2010 -- For the third consecutive year, The Mustard Seed, Inc. has been selected for the 2010 Best of Chaska Award in the Garden Centers category by the U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA).

The USLBA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year, the USLBA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Nationwide, only 1 in 120 (less than 1%) 2010 Award recipients qualified as three-time Award Winners. Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2010 USLBA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USLBA and data provided by third parties.

About U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA)

U.S. Local Business Association (USLBA) is a Washington D.C. based organization funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of USLBA is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The USLBA was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs across America.

SOURCE: U.S. Local Business Association

CONTACT:
U.S. Local Business Association
Email: PublicRelations@uslbaaward.com
URL: http://www.uslbaaward.com