CHAMBER HORIZONS
Building Tomorrow was the 2024 Chamber theme, chosen by Board President Brad Lenertz of Alexandria Clinic, a service of Alomere Health. It’s important to reflect on yesterday and celebrate today, but we must always remember that today’s actions are building our future.
We hope you were able to keep this concept top of mind throughout the year and incorporate it into your businesses and organizations, your community service roles, and your personal lives to build an incredible tomorrow for yourself, your family, your professional teams, and the community as a whole.
The Alexandria Lakes Area is growing and evolving at a quick pace, and it’s important that we stay one step ahead of the changes to ensure we navigate them in the best possible way. If we keep looking to the future but fail to constantly consider what today’s actions are setting us up for, we could end up going in a direction that we hadn’t planned for.
We’re excited to see what the coming year brings, and sincerely thank you for your support of the Chamber, and for the role you play in Building Tomorrow for our community!
~ Tara Bitzan, Director, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce
Upcoming Chamber Events
Inclusive Design: Website Accessibility
(Details on Page 2) Hosted by CYBERsprout, Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission, and the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, December 3 from 8-10 am Douglas County Library | 720 Fillmore St. Visit AlexandriaMN.org to register
Wake Up Alexandria!
Friday, December 6 from 7:30-8:30 am
Alexandria Technical & Community College 1601 Jefferson St. Nonprofit of the Day: United Way of Douglas & Pope Counties
Wake Up Alexandria! Friday, December 20 from 7:30-8:30 am Lake Darling Resort | 2301 County Rd. 22 Nonprofit of the Day: Alexandria Area YMCA Holiday Attire Contest!
Give the gift of Chamber Bucks!
Consider giving Chamber Bucks for gifts or employee rewards this holiday season. Anybody can purchase Chamber Bucks and they can be spent at hundreds of participating Chamber member businesses!
Chamber Bucks are available in any increment and are valid for 12 months. There are no fees involved - if you purchase $20 in Chamber Bucks, you pay $20! Best of all, Chamber Bucks keep dollars local.
Order ahead by calling 320-763-3161, emailing info@alexandriamn.org, or order online at AlexandriaMN.org.
Chamber Partners
Platinum
Alomere Health
Arrowwood Resort & Conference Center
Bell Bank
Bremer Bank
First Western Bank & Trust
Glenwood State Bank
Holiday Inn of Alexandria
US Bank
Viking Bank
Walmart Supercenter
Gold
Alexandria Clinic, A Service of Alomere Health
Douglas Machine
We appreciate your support!
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
Henry’s Foods Network Center, Inc.
Vivie
Silver
3M Abrasive Systems
Division Plant
Aagard
A’BriTin Catering
Alexandria Industries
AmericInn by Wyndham Sauk Centre
AmericInn Lodge & Suites
Alexandria
Brenton
Brother’s Market
Elden’s Fresh Foods and Downtown Floral
Ellingson Plumbing, Heating, A/C & Electrical
Garden Center, Inc.
Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Heartland Orthopedic Specialists
Hilltop Lumber
Horizon Public Health
Massman Companies
Neighborhood National Bank
Pike & Pint Grill
Sanford Health
SolarGen of Minnesota
SunOpta
Super 8 of Alexandria
Tastefully Simple Widseth
Winning Edge
Welcome! November new members
Anytime Fitness Alexandria
Austin Sanderson
320-763-8989
301 30th Ave. W
alexandria@anytimefitness.com
AnytimeFitness.com
Premier eSports & Gaming
Travis Shaw
4451 County Rd. 13 info@pegmn.com PegMN.com
Member Workshop
This event is offered in partnership with CYBERsprout, Alexandria Area Economic Development Commission, and the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce at 320-763-3161 or email info@ alexandriamn.org
Inclusive Design Website Accessibility
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 from 8-10 AM
Douglas County Library - 720 Fillmore St.
Explore principles and best practices to better understand what an inclusive digital experience means to you and your organization. Learn to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully engaging with your website.
This session includes practical tips, tools, and techniques for creating a website that is accessible to all users, including those with visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments. This is a ticketed event. Chamber Members can register for $25/person and guests for $35/person at alexandriamn.org.
Event partners:
Please consider these new members for your personal and professional needs, and welcome them to our network!
Wake Up Alexandria
Wake Up Alexandria is a networking event held the first and third Friday of each month from 7:30 to 8:30 am at a Chamber member location. A dollar gets you in the door, with all proceeds donated to a 501(c)3 nonprofit Chamber member.
November Hosts
Windmill Ponds | November 1
715 Victor St.
Nonprofit of the Day: Santa for Seniors
Windmill Ponds is located in a beautiful residential neighborhood and offers assisted living care, memory care, and care suites for those needing more complex services. It is owned and operated by a nonprofit organization with a mission “to serve those who entrust us with their lives, health, and well-being.”
Bursch
Travel | November 15
324 Broadway St., Ste. 104
Nonprofit of the Day: Lakes Area Humane Society
Bursch Travel can assist with all travel planning, including vacation packages, destination weddings, honeymoons, land adventures and expeditions, business travel, escorted tours, exclusive groups, and more. Bursch Travel advisors are conversant in helping clients decipher the many product offerings in the travel industry.
Thanks to our 2024 sponsors!
Alomere Health for sponsoring the Spring Speaker Event featuring Holly Hoffman, who helped us explore our true survival skills.
Sanford Health for sponsoring the Fall Luncheon featuring, Mike Henke, who showed us how to build an ideal workplace.
Innovative Builders for serving as the Duffers Delight Title Sponsor, and to all businesses who served as green, tee, team, lunch, dinner, putting contest, ball sponsors, and more
Walmart for serving as the New Member Sponsor by providing frames for new member certificates.
Winning Edge Graphics for serving as the dessert sponsor at our Annual Chamber Celebration which highlights the successes of the year and looking ahead to what’s to come.
Pot of Gold sponsors, listed in all Wake up Alexandria eBlasts, website, and at Wake up events.
Bremer Bank for serving as the Chamber Buck Sponsor.
Our media partners, KXRA-KX92-Z99 Radio and VoiceOfAlexandria.com, KIK-FM & COOL-FM, K-Lakes Country/ KLKX-FM, Echo Press Newspaper, and Senior Perspective.
Changes coming for Chamber newsletter!
Starting in January 2025, the Alexandria Chamber’s monthly newsletter is moving from a hybrid printed/digital newsletter to a weekly fully digital newsletter.
The newsletter will come out every Monday morning and feature all the same great things you find in our monthly newsletter but in a more condensed version with the option to click and learn more or download a flyer for your business.
If you are not currently receiving our newsletter digitally but would like to, email Lauren at marketing@alexandriamn.org. If you are currently receiving the newsletter via email, no action is needed.
If interested in advertising in the weekly digital newsletter, reach out to Lauren at marketing@ alexandriamn.org.
You are cordially invited to kick off your holidays in style at the 45th Annual Holiday Ball benefiting the Alomere Health Foundation. We are thrilled to be back, and we can’t wait to see you there. Visit the Newsroom at AlomereHealth.com to purchase tickets.
Membership Team
Volunteers on the Membership Team visit new member businesses to welcome them to the Chamber. They also serve as liaisons, supporting new members with introductions, information, and education on membership benefits.
November Visits
Interstate Engineering
Darren Hungness, Project Manager; Michael Bakken, Project Engineer; James Fladung, Project Engineer; Katie Klemenhagen, Project Technician; Macy Eddy, Project Engineer; Mike Foertsch, Senior Project Engineer; Sam Byers, Project Technician
Life Link III
Jeremiah Gleitz, Regional Clinical Manager; Tom Emmerich, Pilot; Adam Shipman, Flight Paramedic; Bob Wershing, Flight Paramedic; Jenni Pomije, Flight Nurse; Kaitlyn Roach, Partner Engagement Manager
Interstate Engineering provides innovative engineering, surveying, and planning solutions throughout the Upper Midwest. Services include funding transportation, water systems, serving public and private clients with their specific needs, and more.
The Henn House, 1710 Fillmore St., offers functional fitness classes, sports performance programs, and open member access, while empowering athletes and fitness enthusiasts to reach their potential. It has a variety of membership options and weekly classes.
Life Link III is a nonprofit that transports critically ill patients by helicopter. The organization has locations strategically placed throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Locally it is stationed at the Alexandria Airport.
TLC Home Watch is accredited by the National Home Watch Association. The company’s goal is to provide peace of mind to homeowners while they are away, no matter the time of year.
The Henn House Jacob Henn, Owner
TLC Home Watch MN
Brad & Michelle Lenertz, Owners
Ambassadors
The Ambassadors are volunteers who extend the public relations arm of the Chamber. They attend business open houses, groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings; welcome new businesses to the area; and commemorate relocations and major remodels. They are out making business visits the second Wednesday of every month.
November Visits
Alexandria Technical & Community College Foundation - New Housing
Chris Harris, Senior Director of Individual & Planned Giving; Jeff Wild, Vice President of Advancement & Outreach/ATCC Foundation Executive Director
The Alexandria Technical and Community College Foundation opened a new student housing building this fall called the J.A. Wedum Foundation Hall. This new building houses 150 students.
nVent recently acquired ECM Industries. nVent is a $3.3 billion dollar company with a portfolio of enclosures, electrical and fastening, and thermal management solutions. Locally, nVent manufactures billions of electrical staples each year.
Mission Mechanical - New Location
Carrie Hassler, Admin Assistant/Social Media Manager; Jesica Schmitz, Office Manager; Nick Shaw, Owner; Tom Petersen, Owner; Dee Dee Uhlenkamp, Accountant
Mission Mechanical recently moved to a new location at 1110 N Nokomis St. NE. The plumbing, heating and air conditioning service company serves the local and surrounding areas. In addition to its location in Alexandria, it has another location in Fargo, ND.
nVent - Business Acquisition
Tammy Schwegel, Office Coordinator; Aaron Stoen, Plant Manager; Trenten Anderson, Production Supervisor
Thanks for sharing your ornaments!
A total of 28 businesses brought in ornaments for the Chamber Christmas tree this year! The ornament selected as the most creative/unique (pictured), was submitted by Randy Fischer Real Estate. The business was awarded a free Chamber email blast. All other entries were placed in a random drawing for a free Chamber email blast. Those winners included Echo Press Newspaper and Bethany on the Lake. The tree was part of the Parade of Trees presented by the Runestone Museum and Legacy of the Lakes Museum.
Business Buzz
Saundra Lauer, DNP, FNP-C and Linsdey Buttweiler, WHNP-BC, IBCLC of WELL & Company received NAMS (North American Menopause Society) certification.As NAMS-certified menopause providers, they offer comprehensive care tailored to individual needs and personalized treatment plans.
For the 3rd year in a row, Zimny Insurance Agency was named a 2024 Best Practices Agency. This designation is awarded to participants in the Best Practices Study, which analyzes and documents the business practices of the highest-performing insurance agencies in the industry.
Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge celebrates grand opening
Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge held a ribbon cutting and open house on Thursday, November 7 to celebrate the grand opening of its Alexandria location. The 50,000 square-foot, 74-bed facility includes a chapel, dining hall, classrooms, common areas, quiet spaces, weight room, gymnasium, and more. The facility offers treatment and recovery programs for those struggling with addiction. It offers outpatient, telehealth and inperson, licensed residential, long-term recovery, and more.