January 5, 2015

Ring Out The Old, Ring In The New: Happy New Year From The Chamber

As an evolving organization, your Chamber hopes to serve your business in countless ways. Last year, the DCR Chamber was proactive with your suggestions. Rolling into 2015, your chamber is pleased to continue several NEW programs.

The womEn's circle, which began in October, will continue to meet monthly to connect women and enrich their personal and professional lives. In mid-January, we hope to satisfy your networking needs as we bring back Speed Networking. Additionally, we hope the addition of a new morning event, the At Large Coffee Break, will offer you more convenience and another opportunity to host our members.

Moving into 2015, we encourage you to reflect on your past year as a Chamber member. Were you involved? Did you attend any events? Did you join a committee? Your chamber offers countless ways for you to stay involved. Considering the following tips on utilizing your membership:

Join a Committee

Ambassadors, Government Affairs, Golf Classic, womEn's conference, womEn's circle, and Grow Minnesota

Become Part of a Professional Development or Networking Group

ChamberNets 1 and 2, Business Owner's Round Table, South Metro Young Professionals and the womEn's circle

Attend At Least One Event Per Month

Coffee Break, Why Not Wednesday?, Speed Networking Luncheon, Breakfast with Champions and Legislative Breakfast Series

Sponsor an Event

The womEn's conference, the womEn's circle, DCR Chamber Golf Classic, and Business Excellence Awards

Utilize your Online Resources

Hot Deals, Job Board, DCR Chamber website advertising, utilize the online calendar and send us your news releases!

These are only a few ways for you to get involved at the DCR Chamber. Visit our website for more info, or give us a call with questions. As always, if you'd like to see additional programing, let us know. Happy 2015!

Committed to business... for YOU.

DCR Announces Top Legislative Priorities

DCR Chamber is working on your behalf to ensure your business interests are represented at the Capitol during this upcoming legislative session. Several priorities have been identified and approved by your Board of Directors; focusing our efforts to ensure the Dakota County region remains a competitive place in which to do business. To date, they include:

Personal Income Tax: Reduce tax burdens for pass-through entities
Workforce: Produce graduates in workforce demand areas
Health Care: Enact practical reforms to MNsure
Transportation: Build business community consensus on a 2015 policy
Workers' Compensation Reform
Minimum Wage: Opposition to Automatic Escalator

Learn more about the 2015 Policies. If you would like to be added to a specific Policy Interest and Action Group for one or all of the policies, please contact Vicki Stute at 651.228.9201. We need your support and voice.

January's Breakfast with Champions to Feature "The Ideal Guest Experience"

Having a great Guest Experience is no longer a luxury that only

Sponsored and Hosted by Argosy University

large businesses can deliver. It is a survival tool in today's market and the only true competitive advantage.

Join us for this month's "Breakfast with Champions" that will feature guest speaker Don Thorpe of Shared Experience Consulting, who will be leading a workshop in growing and expanding your business. Don will speak on how to successfully create the business you want, improve the results, and increase your income and business/life balance.

Don has a unique and special insight into the world of small business, its growth factors, success factors and the guest experience. He has lived it for his entire adult life. In his coaching, consulting and speaking, Don walks the participants through the daily minefield of business. Giving them strategies and systems that will give them consistent, predictable results.

Don will also speak on the IDEAL Guest Experience. Which covers introducing, designing, executing, aligning, and leading. The IDEAL Guest Experience is a comprehensive, holistic approach that any business can use to improve the experience for customers or guests. Start today; make your business the obvious choice of the guests in your market. Click here to register for this great event!

Events Calendar

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
5	6 8:00 a.m. Rosemount Coffee Break	7	8 8:00 a.m. Eagan Coffee Break	9
12 11:30 a.m. Speed Networking Luncheon	13	14 8:00 a.m. ChamberNet Two Noon ChamberNet	15 11:30 a.m. the womEn's circle	16
19	20 Noon Meet the Chamber	21 7:30 a.m. Business Owner's Roundtable 8:00 a.m. Farmington Coffee Break	22 7:30 a.m. Breakfast with Champions	23
26	27 8:00 a.m. West St. Paul/Mendota Heights Coffee Break	28 8:00 a.m. ChamberNet Two Noon ChamberNet	29	30

The womEn's circle: Join Us As a Guest For Our Next Event!

Are you looking for new ways to grow personally and professionally? To expand your network and make new connections? To develop your leadership skills or get involved in the community? Look no further, because the Dakota County Regional Chamber has the perfect group for you:

The womEn's Circle is an extension of the womEn's conference, which aims to connect women and enrich their personal and professional lives by providing the tools and resources to fulfill their aspirations on a regular basis. This ongoing monthly series requires membership credentials within womEn's circle and is designed for women to develop leadership skills, build business connections, gain professional and personal skills and be energized, educated and empowered.

To find out more about womEn's circle, please click here. YOU can attend our next womEn's circle on January 15th from 11:30 - 1:00 p.m.. at Mendakota Country Club as a guest, for a one-time fee of $25. Click here to see the event page for our January womEn's circle, "Make it a Kick-Butt Year". All you have to do to attend as a guest is email Chelsea and let her know your information.

Don't miss this Energizing, Educational and Empowering series!

Toys For Tots a Success

Thank you members for your generosity this holiday season! Our Toys for Tots bin was overflowing with toys donated from DCR members and Dakota County businesses. A special thank you to Laurie, a Target stranger who donated $30.00 to our cause. We hope to continue our community outreach efforts through programs like this in the future. Happy New Year!

Local Focus: Find Out What's Happening In Your Community

Eagan City Council meets January 6 - see the agenda.

Rosemount City Council meets January 6- see the agenda.

Mendota Heights City Council meets January 6- see the agenda.

Farmington City Council meets January 5- see the agenda.

Click here to read President of the Minnesota Chamber Bill Blazar's column for this month, adressing the Minnesota Chamber's legislative agenda.

City of West St. Paul to Hold Open Meetings with Residents; Final Meeting Scheduled for January

City of West St. Paul- In an effort to increase community involvement on important issues, the City of West St. Paul will be holding four Neighborhood Meetings in January. The meetings will be held in each of West St. Paul's three wards with a final meeting taking place at West St. Paul City Hall.

Topics of discussion will include the Robert Street Improvement Project, Harmon Park renovations, and an upcoming 3-year project to prevent storm water from entering the City's sanitary sewer system. There will be time set aside for questions as well. Click here to read the full press release.

Tues. Jan. 6 - Ward 1

Thompson Park (360 Butler Ave. E. West St. Paul, MN 55118)

Wed. Jan. 14 - Ward 2

Heritage School (121 West Butler St. West St. Paul, MN 55118)

Thurs. Jan. 22 - Ward 3

St. James Lutheran Church (460 Annapolis Ave. West St. Paul, MN 55118)

Tues. Jan. 27

City Hall (1616 Humboldt Ave. West St. Paul, MN 55118)

New Members

We welcome the following new members!

Taco Andal�

18500 Pilot Knob Road

Suite A

Farmington, MN 55024

Contact: Bryce Wilson

Taco Andal� (ON-duh-lay, like what Speedy Gonzales says!) is a new fast-food restaurant opening soon off Pilot Knob on the north end of Farmington. Offering take-out and some limited dine-in, we expect to reach most of our customers through delivery. While still honoring the classics, we aim to specialize in unique and exciting tacos and burritos (and churros!) with a focus on fresh ingredients- nothing canned and foods only frozen when other alternatives aren't available. We also intend to use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. Our goal is to open in February.

Chuck and Don's Pet Food Outlet

3852 150th Street West

Rosemount, MN 55068

Contact: Carrie Linnell

www.chuckanddons.com

Chuck & Don's was founded by Charles "Chuck" Anderson and Don Tauer who met through their involvement in owning, training and showing dogs. The first location opened in Eagan, Minn. in 1990 with the mission to be the local destination pet supplies store with excellent customer service and a wide selection of products. Today, there are 23 stores in Minnesota, six locations in Colorado and one location in Wisconsin. Chuck & Don's mission is to enrich the lives of pets by providing the best products, service, and education for its customers. Chuck & Don's advocates responsible pet ownership and commits to meaningful corporate citizenship that makes a positive difference in the communities in which it operates.

Paramount Auto Service

15026 Cimmaron Avenue

Rosemount, MN 55068

Contact: Dan King

651.731.5967

www.paramountautoservice.com

Walk into a Paramount Auto Service location and you will see the difference. In our waiting areas, customers may enjoy our Caribou coffee bar, leather seating, beautiful decor, Free Wi-Fi, and plasma screen televisions. Additionally, you will always be greeted by clean, well dressed, well trained service professionals. Our friendly sales professionals and certified automotive technicians can help with all your automotive needs, including complete automotive service, tires and preventative maintenance. We offer the best warranty in the business with a 24 month or 24,000 mile nationwide warranty on all repairs and services. We are a Triple A Approved Auto Repair company with A.S.E. certified Technicians.

Member News

News on what's happening with our members and in the community!

Marco, Inc. is pleased to announce Marco engineers Clay Ostlund and Nick Thompson completed their Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification in Brussels, Belgium. This designation is accepted worldwide as the most prestigious networking certification in the industry. Click here to read more.

Let's face it...consuming alcohol may be part of your holiday celebration. Insider Training has a few strategies to keep you focused on your health during the season. Read our latest health/fitness blog "Do's and don'ts of holiday beverages" by Nutrition Specialist Nicole Carlson, R.D., L.D.

Your Chamber is seeking candidates for a part-time Intern for Fall Semester! Please forward any interested candidates to Vicki Stute.

Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce

1121 Town Centre Drive, Suite 102

Eagan, MN 55123

651.452.9872

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