June 22, 2015

2015 Batter Up! Membership Campaign Results


 Recently, your Chamber concluded the 2015 Batter Up! Membership Campaign. This effort to bring more members to the Chamber was a huge success and the Chamber welcomed 37 new members to the organization.   Although the competition was a close call, the Veteran team came out with the win! Thank you to our team captains for their dedication to this campaign:
Scott Swenson Home Federal Veteran Captain
Carmen Schaffer Viva La Vida Travel
Rookie Captain



                     


There were several key players in this competition. First, second and third place medals were awarded to the top contenders of each team. Additionally, Scott Swenson, overall winner of the campaign, was awarded with the first pitch at the June 22nd Saint Paul Saints baseball game. Special thanks to the following participants for all your hard work:

Rookies
Mike Kinderman Home Federal 3rd Place Rookie
Gina Lee
Sun ThisWeek Newspaper
1st Place Rookie
Barb Platten MTM/ MNet
2nd Place Rookie

Veterans
Scott Swenson Home Federal 1st Place Veteran
Don Chapdelaine SKB Environmental 3rd Place Veteran
Mary O'Rourke Baskets On Occasion
2nd Place Veteran
 
Your Chamber would like to thank everyone involved in the 2015 Batter Up! Membership Campaign.  Without your had work and dedication, this event would not have been possible.  When the Chamber grows, your business grows as well!
Committed to Business... for YOU.

DCR Chamber visits Capitol Hill 

 
Business leaders and Chamber staff members from the DCR, TwinWest, Minnesota and U.S. Chambers are pictured at an evening reception atop the U.S. Chamber rooftop

Representatives from your Chamber participated in America's Small Business Summit earlier this month hosted by the U.S. Chamber.  The Annual Summit serves as a platform to build professional and personal networks and chambers from across Minnesota also use the opportunity to meet with Members of Congress and share issues of importance for the local business community.  Priority issues that were discussed with Members of Congress included:  Expanded Joint Employer Responsibility, Jobs Through Trade, Medical Device Tax Repeal, and Transportation/Infrastructure.  Click here to view the Briefing Papers or call 651-452-9872 for more information.

   
July's Breakfast with Champions Topic: Organizational Tensions

Join us this for our next "Breakfast With Champions" featuring speaker Scott Morrell of Stone Arch Organization Development. This event will be on July 23rd from 7:30-9:00 a.m. at the Southview Country Club. 

 Dr. Scott Morrell, President of Stone Arch Organization Development, is based in Minneapolis, MN. Scott works with senior leaders, boards and management teams to execute more effective organizations leading to better performance. Scott serves a variety of industries; Healthcare, Higher Education, Medical Manufacturing, Finance & Banking, State and local government and small businesses. Scott regularly speaks and trains on:Building Cultures of Trust, Development of Conflict Competent Organizations and Strategic Thinking: Change and Continuity. 

Attendees of Strategic Thinking: Leverage Organizational Tensions will receive:
  • An innovative lens to view their company's chronic problems - avoid the pendulum swings - for organizational health
  • A mapping tool designed to differentiate problems that are unsolvable from tensions, dilemmas or polarities to leverage
  • Permission to see functional conflict as a necessary business objective
  • Space to identify key polarities that need the most attention in 2015-2016
Click here to register. 
 
Events Calendar
 
 
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
22
7:00 p.m.
23
8:00 a.m.
24
8:00 a.m.
Noon

2526
29
3:30 p.m.
30123
678
8:00 a.m.

Noon

9
8:00 a.m. 

3:30 p.m.
10
1314
7:30 a.m.
15
7:30 a.m. 
16
7:45 a.m.

3:30 p.m.
17
Thank You 2015 DCR Chamber Golf Classic Sponsors

We would like to recognize all of the sponsors that helped us pull of the 2015 DCR Golf Classic. Thank you to our: Premier Sponsor - Gopher Resource; Pinflag Sponsor - Valley Staffing; Golf Ball Sponsor - Flint Hills Resources; Partner Sponsors - Atomic Data, Dakota Law, P.L.L.C, and Vision Source Yankee Eye Clinic;  Putting Green Sponsor - Think Mutual Bank; Beverage Cart Sponsors - Cherokee Service and Paul Eggen State Farm; Dinner Sponsor- Ecolab; Lunch Sponsor - Eagan CVB;  Drink Ticket Sponsor - Home Federal Savings Bank; Golf Cart Sponsor - SKB Environmental; Exclusive Tee Sponsors - Affinity Plus Credit Union, Anchor Bank, Associated Bank, August Ash, Ayars & Ayars, Eagan Campus of Hotels, Jensen's Food and Cocktails, JBL Companies, Merchants Bank, Shred Right, Superior Service Center, and Xcel Energy;  Shared Tee Sponsors - 5-8 Grill and Tap, Dakota Electric, Gateway Bank, KW Commercial, and Life Wellness Center.
In-KInd Contributors: Gateway Bank, Green Mill, Granite City, Wings Financial Credit Union Prize Sponsor: UPS Store- Eagan

 

We greatly appreciate our sponsors' investment, as this tournament could not happen without their support. 

Celebrate July 4th With Firecracker Cupcakes

Ingredients:
5 pieces red pull and peel licorice
6 drops red food coloring
1 cup flaked coconut
4 drops blue food coloring
12 oz frozen whipped cream, thawed
24 cupcakes of your choice
Red and Blue Sprinkles

Directions
Cut each licorice twist into five pieces; pull apart one end of each to make firecracker fuses. Set asideIn a resealable plastic bag, combine 1/4 teaspoon water and red food coloring; add 1/2 cup coconut. Seal bag and shake to tint coconut. In another bag, combine 1/4 teaspoon water and blue food coloring; add remaining coconut. Seal bag and shake to tint. Spread whipped topping over cupcakes; decorate with coconut or sprinkles as desired. Insert firecraker fuses into tops. Refrigerate until serving. Yield: 2 dozen.
 

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

 

Eagan Advisory Planning Commission meets June 23- see the agenda.
West St. Paul Open Council Work Session meets June 22 - see the agenda.
West St. Paul City Council meets June 22 - see the agenda.
Mendota Heights Planning Commission meets June 23 - see the agenda.
Rosemount Planning Commission meets June 23- see the agenda.

Farmington Economic Development Authority meets June 23 - see the agenda. 

Who's Hiring? Resources for Employers 

 

With Dakota County's unemployment rate at a low of only 3.3%, many employers continue to seek qualified candidates while job seekers look for new opportunities.  Below are a number of resources to assist you in this challenging workforce development environment.
Advertise your Business in the Weekly Update

Your Chamber has many ways to advertise your business. We've told you about the complimentary opportunities, but we also have more exclusive advertising spots available in our printed and electronic newsletters. 

The Weekly Update is a weekly email communication filled with member news, local and regional news, chamber program information and much more.  The Weekly Update is sent out on Monday mornings.

 

Options:

  1. Basic Ad - 272.5(w) x 122.5(h) pixel area to advertise your company.  This is a great way for members to introduce their company to other members of the chamber.  TWO of these ads can be run in a week and are placed at the bottom or middle of the newsletter.  Investment: $50 per ad, per week.
  1. Deluxe Ad - 340(w) x 153(h) pixel area to advertise your news, event, sale, etc. displayed on weekly update.  This ad is typically placed in the middle of the weekly update.  Investment: $100 per ad, per week.
  1. Weekly Update Sponsorship - 545(w) x 245(h) pixel area to advertise your news, event, sale, etc. This ad is typically placed at the top of the weekly update.  Additionally, your company logo linked to your web address will be displayed at the bottom of the weekly update for quicker access to your website and company information, as well as being noticed by all viewers.  Investment: $150 per ad, per week.
Please email Chelsea if you are interested in advertising with your Chamber!
Member Spotlight: Krista Jech

 

Krista Jech, Chair of our upcoming Annual Event, was asked what she enjoys most about her membership with the DCR Chamber.  Krista explained, "I am a Sales, Events and Marketing Manager for ECM Publishers and Sun Thisweek Newspapers.  I relocated to our Apple Valley office a little over a year ago which has allowed me to become more involved with the DCR Chamber.  Being involved in the Chamber has opened so many networking doors for me.  Whether it is regarding one of my events, or a specialty publication or magazine that I am producing, I have gained many resources through networking

 that are assisting me in taking these projects to the next level. The Chamber staff, and board members, have been so welcoming as I get more involved.  I look forward to meeting you this year!"

Krista Jech is our Committee Chair for our upcoming Excellence Awards Event. To join us at the Kickoff Committee meeting on June 29th or to learn more about the committee, please RSVP by clicking here. 
 
New Members
We welcome the following new members!

 

 

 

UTC Aerospace Systems

14300 Judicial Road
Burnsville, MN 55306
(651) 681-8900

View website HERE

 

UTC Aerospace Systems is one of the world's largest suppliers of technologically advanced aerospace and defense products. It employs more than 40,000 people worldwide with approximate annual sales of $13 billion. Its Sensors & Integrated Systems business is headquartered in Burnsville, Minnesota. The Burnsville campus employs over 1600 people, boasts one of the most capable wind tunnels in the world, and designs and manufactures a variety of products for commercial, regional, business and military aircraft, helicopters and other platforms. Major products include air data systems, ice detectors, flight management systems, and engine sensors.  

 

 

Netrix IT

1285 Corporate Center Drive

Suite 190

Eagan, MN 55121

(651) 389-3312

Contact: Richard Gall 

View website HERE

 

Netrix IT is a managed IT services firm that focuses on three things:
  1. Data security - we have outside consultants come in and evaluate our processes and procedures to ensure we maintain the highest standards for data security
  2. Accountability - we provide guaranteed Service Level Agreements and have a live dashboard that allows our clients to hold us accountable for performance
  3. The Future - we provide a three year fiscal IT roadmap for our clients that helps them know where they are going with their technology.


 

South Metro Lawn Care

4001 Black Hawk Road
Eagan, MN 55122 

(612) 384-2517 

Contact: Michael Freeman

View website HERE
  

South Metro Lawn Care, LLC. is an Eagan-based Lawn Maintenance and Landscaping Services provider. Formed in 2013 out of a partnership with Carver Nursery, SMLC provides turnkey solutions for commercial and residential commercials during both the summer and winter months.  

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

 



Your Chamber provides 4 $500 scholarships to young women moving on to pursue higher education in the Dakota County Community, through the DCR Chamber Foundation. Congratulations to all the recipients. 

 

Carol Keyes, one of the founding principals of Complete Health, Environmental & Safety Services, Inc. (CHESS), was recently awarded the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE)-Northwest Chapter Safety Professional of the Year (SPY) award.

 

Congratulations to Marco, Inc. Marco, Inc. has been named one of the Top 150 Workplaces in Minnesota for six consecutive years based on an employee-based survey project from the Star Tribune. 


Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce
3352 Sherman Court, Suite 201
Eagan, MN 55121
651.452.9872