August 2013 newsletter (2)

CONNECTIONS August 2013 - Vol. 44, Issue 8

IN THIS ISSUE...

August B.E.E.R. Luncheon with Stevie Ray

Leadership P2- Pat MulQueeny named to ACCE P3 - Vikings Tickets

Events P4- Article by Cathy Haukedahl P4- Ambassador or the Month

Join us for our B.E.E.R. Luncheon in August as we will hear from Stevie Ray with Stevie Ray’s Improv Company! We are partnering with the Bloomington, Edina and Richfield Chambers of Commerce (B.E.E.R.) for this event, so there will be great networking opportunities!

Stevie Ray will demonstrate his program on “How to Network at Programs and Events.” He will use hands-on exercises to help attendees sharpen their skills for handling tough, on-the-spot challenges. Stevie is a master entertainer as well as a respected keynote speaker and corporate trainer. He is a nationally syndicated columnist for the Business Journal Newspapers, and is the author of several books, including Working the Room: Networking for Professionals, Keep Your Mind on Your Work, What We Laugh At...and Why, and Speaking in Public without Sweating in Private.

Community Building P5 -Gross Sales P6- School District

Networking P7- Chamber Events

LOCATION: Radisson Blu Mall of America Hotel, 2100 Killebrew Drive, Bloomington, MN COST: $30 for Chamber members; $55 for non-Chamber members

CHAMBERFEST! September 5th from 4:30PM-6:30PM FREE FOR ALL MEMBERS ChamberFest is our annual member appreciation event where we recognize all of our Members and the number of years they have supported the Chamber. We have five specific categories – 0-5 years, 5-10, 10-15, 15-25 and over 25 years of membership support. There will be many prizes to win and tons of fun to be had, along with complimentary appetizers and cash bar! So mark your calendar for September 5th for this great After Hours Event that you can attend at no charge! You MUST be a Eden Prairie Chamber Member and RSVP for this event. Contact our office with any questions 952-944-2830!

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Girl’s Gone Golfin’ & Women’s Networking After Hours

Look for us on LinkedIn “Eden Prairie Chamber” V our YouTube Visit CChannel “EPChamber2” Join the Discussion! epchamber2.blogspot.com

The Chamber's Women's Golf Tournament will take place on Monday, August 26th!

This year's event will take place at Bent Creek Golf Club in Eden Prairie. We still have a few open golf spots. Register today to guarantee your spot! Check the insert for more details and to register. Call our office at (952) 94-2830 with any questions.

NEWSLETTER PREFERENCE- ELECTRONIC or PRINT If you want to only receive an electronic version of the newsletter, please send an e-mail to communications@epchamber.org and in the subject line, put “Electronic Newsletter Only.”

THANK YOU to our 2013 Annual Sponsors!

Generall Sponsor

Gold Sponsor General Sponsor

Silver Sponsor’s

Bronze Sponsor

YOUR CONNECTION TO BUSINESS & COMMUNITY SINCE 1969

Leadership Eden Prairie Chamber’s Pat MulQueeny Joins American Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors Alexandria, VA (July 3, 2013)--The American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) announced that Pat MulQueeny, IOM, president of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, was recently elected to the association’s board of directors. MulQueeny will be officially welcomed to the board during ACCE’s annual convention in Oklahoma City, July 23-26.

“Pat’s successful leadership of the Eden Prairie Chamber, combined with his excellent contribution to ACCE and to other boards, will be of great value to our organization,” said ACCE President Mick Fleming.

Pat has served as the president of the Eden Prairie Chamber since June of 2002; he has over 18 years of Chamber of Commerce experience and 23 total years of association experience. He currently serves on the Southwest LRT Business Advisory Committee, has served on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives Board of Directors, Carver County Park Board and Jonathan Association Board of Directors.

Established in 1914, ACCE is the only national association uniquely serving the professional development needs of individuals managing chambers of commerce throughout the U.S. and Canada. Representing more than 7,000 chamber professionals, ACCE enhances the knowledge, leadership skills and management effectiveness of chamber executives and their staffs through education, trend analysis, benchmarking and best practices. ACCE promotes the highest standards of professional excellence and integrity within the chamber profession. For more information, visit www.acce.org.

Export/Trade Summit Set Save the date for Tuesday, October 8th as the Eden Prairie Chamber will be hosting an Export/Trade Summit in coordination with the Minnesota Trade Office. Set to speak will be U.S. Congressman Erik Paulsen and representatives from the trade office. The program will be from 7:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. More details to come

Certificate of Origin: Free for Members By: Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce Does your company send products overseas or to foreign countries? Do these countries require a Certificate of Origin stamp from the Chamber? If so, the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce is here to help. We provide Certificate of Origin stamps free to our Chamber members! Simply call ahead when you need your documents stamped to let us know you are coming in, bring your documents and we will stamp and sign for you. It is that easy!!

History on Certificate of Origins: · Certificates of Origin were established in 1923 by the Geneva Convention and due to the widespread network of Chambers of Commerce they were selected to do Certificates of Origin for businesses. · Country of Turkey – by law companies must join the Chamber – either the business is a Chamber member or they are a black market business · What does a Certificate of Origin mean to exporters – that the product doesn’t get stuck in customs, their banks use it to verify documents when payment is letter of credit, the product goes into a foreign country at a lower tariff or duty or no duty rate is applied to the product which could save the company 3-7% For more information, please call our office at 952-944-2830.

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“Connections” (USPS 729770) is published 12 times per calendar year by the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, 11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Periodicals postage paid at Hopkins, MN - POSTMASTER: Send address changes to “Connections,” 11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Leadership Are you ready for some FOOTBALL? The Chamber has lower level Vikings season tickets available for single game purchase at face value. The four seats are located in the lower level, section 100 row 26. Games available for purchase on a first come first served basis are: • • • •

September 22 versus Cleveland October 13 versus Carolina November 7 versus Washington December 15 versus Philadelphia

To purchase these tickets, please call Amy Sinclair at 952-944-2830 and have your credit card ready – the four tickets cost a total of $328. For those interested in the Green Bay Packer game – these will be on the live auction at the Chamber’s October 26th Gala event at the Radisson Blu. The Gala will also include the Chicago Bears tickets as part of our heads/tails raffle and the final game to be played at the Metrodome – Detroit Lions - will be on the Gala’s silent auction!

Check out the insert for more details on our 2013 Gala! The sooner you buy your tickets the better chance you have to win a free night stay at the Radisson Blu Hotel!

11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 • Ph: 952-944-2830 • Fax: 952-944-0229 • www.epchamber.org

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Leadership Supportive Businesses get Big Returns By: Cathy Haukedahl, Board Chair Flagship Bank It’s said it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes the village to keep the village itself thriving.

Cultures rely on the diverse talents of those within the community just as businesses rely on vendors, suppliers and customers. Smaller mall stores need anchor tenants for traffic. Each year, State Fair vendors depend on crowds brought in from every means ranging from promotion to family tradition.

As consumers, we often think of seasonal businesses as those who provide services or products for us at specific times of the year – holiday retail, snow removal, lawn services, golf courses, tax preparation, etc. To seasonal businesses, peak season is quite different from their consumers’ viewpoint. Months before the consumers even plan their season of the experience, the business or organization are at a minimum building inventory, preparing venues, adjusting insurance needs, adding more staff or volunteers or engaging outside service providers.

August is a month of both relaxation and transitions. Vacations, fairs, time at the lake are often coupled with preparing for kids to go back to school or off to college. Many of the businesses that provide those experiences are our Chamber members. Our “village” is peppered with less-obvious seasonal businesses, whether front line, supplier or vendor.

This month, consider how you may take part in supporting at least one of your Chamber community members whether visiting one working the State Fair, doing your back-to-school routine, contributing to a charitable organization who is in need of inventory or funding, or even hiring support for your next peak season.

It’s time for another B.E.E.R Luncheon! Join us for a B.E.E.R. General Membership Luncheon at the Raddison Blu Mall of America Hotel this month as we will hear from Stevie Ray with Stevie Ray’s Improv Company. We are partnering with the Bloomington, Edina and Richfield Chambers. Stevie Ray will demonstrate his program on “How to Network at Programs and Events.” He will use hands-on exercises to help your people sharpen their skills for handling tough, on-the-spot challenges.

I personally NEVER miss a B.E.E.R. Luncheon. Our odds of meeting new business associates increase 3x’s by attending just one event. That’s my kind of return on investment! Personal networking tip from me for this event: Try to sit at a table where you know the least amount of people. See you there!

Ambassador of the Month: Kevin Honius Kevin Honius is the newly promoted Vice President at Unity Bank in Edina. His primary role with Unity Bank is to build relationships with clients so they can assist them with growing their business by providing loans and cash management tools. His focus and where he finds the most enjoyment is working with small to medium size companies and watching them succeed and grow. He feels that the future of our communities depend on the strength of small businesses which create jobs and spur economic growth.

Unity Bank is a family owned community bank whose charter has been around over 125 years and has 9 branches in Minnesota.

When Kevin is not working his time is spent playing sports and being outdoors. Summers are filled with softball, golf and riding bike while winter is busy with basketball and skiing.

The thing he enjoys most about being an Ambassador is working with the elite group of volunteers that make up the group. While he feels they try and keep things light, he says the Ambassadors also take their role of promoting the chamber and getting to know new chamber members very seriously. It is a unique opportunity to be able to visit the newest members at their place of business and learn how the Eden Prairie Chamber and the Ambassadors can assist them in promoting their business.

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11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 • Ph: 952-944-2830 • Fax: 952-944-0229 • www.epchamber.org

Community Building Gross Sales: How does Eden Prairie Compare?

By Carolyn I. Allmon, Business Development Committee Carolyn Allmon Business Forecasting Services The Eden Prairie Chamber Business Development Committee recently became aware of data compiled by the Tax Research Division of the Minnesota Department of Revenue showing Gross Sales by Minnesota city and sales for each of those cities by industry. This article summarizes findings regarding Eden Prairie’s sales over time and how these compare with other metro-area cities.

The Sales and Use Tax returns filed with the Department by Minnesota businesses, on which Gross Sales are reported, are the source of the information which follows. According to Mara Wescott of the Tax Research Division, though the data is self-reported, Department of Revenue personnel confirm and verify locations via postal codes and geo coding. Data is by calendar year and can be accessed through the Dept.’s website . 2011 is currently the last available and comparison data only exists for 2008-2011. Findings: Trend in Eden Prairie Sales 2003-2011. Over the period 2003-2011, Eden Prairie Gross Sales were the highest in 2005 ($5.3 billion) and fell to the lowest level in 2009 ($4.1 billion). In 2011, they rose approximately to the 2003 level and have been rising since 2009. (See Figure 1.)

Top sales in 2005 (33% of the total) came from the Computer Electronics and Internet Services industries. These two industries continued to dominate at more than 30% of Eden Prairie sales until 2006 when Wholesale-Nondurables and Prof. Scientific, and Tech Services gained momentum. In 2011, these two industry groups were Numbers One and Two at $699 million and $346 million respectively followed by Wholesale Durables, Retail Vehicles and Parts, Machinery, and Computer Electronics. Eden Prairie Sales Compared with other Metro Cities (2008-2011). Eden Prairie has been in the Top Ten of all Minnesota cities by Gross Sales since 2008; tenth in 2011; ninth in 2008 and 2010 and eighth in 2009. (See Figure 2. Note: Duluth and Rochester omitted.) When you compare the level of Gross Sales per Business for Eden Prairie with other Twin City metro areas in the Top Ten, Eden Prairie ranks seventh out of eight. Only St. Paul sales per business are lower. Bloomington and Roseville are highest with Maple Grove third after topping all in 2008 and 2009. Minneapolis gross sales exceed those of all Minnesota cities in total but when divided by the number of businesses, per business sales bring its rank down just above Eden Prairie and declining through 2011. (See Figure 3. Duluth and Rochester omitted.)

Eden Prairie Sales as a percent of Minnesota Total Sales (2008-2011) Eden Prairie Gross Sales as a per cent of the total for the state have remained steady since 2008 at about 2%, although the percentage for 2011 is the lowest of the four years. (See Table 1.)

Table 1 Eden Prairie Gross Sales as % of Total 2008-2011 Year

Eden Prairie

Total Minnesota

%

2008

$4,532,205,037

$201,681,003,598

2.25%

2009

$4,082,250,155

$266,666,158,772

1.53%

2010

$4,309,050,589

$279,159,186,053

1.54%

2011

$4,464,220,492

$299,803,105,999

1.49%

11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 • Ph: 952-944-2830 • Fax: 952-944-0229 • www.epchamber.org

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Community Building Update from the Eden Prairie School District

By Eden Prairie Schools Great things continue to happen in Eden Prairie Schools. This time of year is filled with activities in preparation for the start of another school year. Here are a few of the highlights happening in Eden Prairie Schools.

Referendum options presented to school board – At the July 24 meeting, Superintendent Tryggestad and district administrators presented a revised set of recommendations for the district’s referendum election. This information was submitted for the Chamber newsletter prior to July 24, but the details of the recommendation are included on the district’s website. In spring 2013, Superintendent Tryggestad and district administrators presented referendum proposal recommendations with an initial time line for board approval in June 2013. Recent changes in legislation approved by the 2013 Minnesota Legislature affected the district’s referendum planning and caused the district to re-examine its recommendations.

Board approves 2013-14 budget – At its June 11 board meeting, the Eden Prairie School Board approved the budget for the 2013-2014 school year. The unassigned revenue budget for the district’s general fund is estimated at $92,473,000, which is about $184,000 less than the 2012-2013 school year. The unassigned expenditure budget is estimated at $94,154,000, which is about $514,000 more than the 2012-2013 school year. In developing the 20132014 budget, it was necessary to address a $4.6 million gap between revenue and expenditures. The district made about $2.3 million in budget reductions to partially cover the gap. Initially, the district was planning to use about $2.3 million in unassigned fund balance to cover the remainder of the gap. However, the district received about $650,000 above what was anticipated from the state so the amount of fund balance was reduced to about $1.6 million.

Board approves end of November 2010 action – At its June 11 board meeting, the Eden Prairie School board approved a resolution declaring the previously approved board action commonly known as the “November 2010 Resolution” and its component parts as “null and void” as the district begins the implementation of its new strategic plan beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. The November 2010 resolution stated that the school board required data and information to inform the then-proposed K-6 configuration plan. Superintendent Curt Tryggestad and the district administration believe the overall intent of the resolution was to require the district to present certain evidence to the board in support of proposed boundary changes and other related changes in the district. “We believe the broad intent of the November 2010 resolution has been completed and that the board’s current governance model provides the structure for similar information to be shared with the board,” said Superintendent Tryggestad.

“The board’s action allows us to move forward and use the strategic plan as our road map for the future.”

Joint project improves connectivity – The city of Eden Prairie and Eden Prairie Schools are collaborating on a project that will improve the internet connection, and increase the speed and reliability of the connections for both organizations. The Hopkins School District is also collaborating on the project. The city and the two school districts have worked together to build a fiber optic network that will provide benefits to all three organizations. By working together and sharing the infrastructure, the cost of the project is more affordable for all three organizations. “This newly constructed fiber network will provide the district with uncapped access to internet bandwidth, which will be a tremendous asset as we continue to implement our i-Learn@EP initiative,” said Josh Swanson, the district’s executive director of technology. “This collaborative project will create an infrastructure to connect the city and Eden Prairie School to the rest of the world on a network that is fast and stable,” said Rick Getschow, city manager, City of Eden Prairie. The network will result in greatly increased flow of data. “Imagine the flow of water through a half-inch pipe compared to a culvert,” Swanson said. “This is the scope of how much we are increasing our capacity for data flow.” The construction of the network began in late spring and will continue throughout the summer.

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11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 • Ph: 952-944-2830 • Fax: 952-944-0229 • www.epchamber.org

Networking

Networking Events in June and July 2013!

Ribbon Cutting with Sawatdee Thai Cuisine 13300 Technology Drive, Eden Prairie www.sawatdee.com (952) 641-5777

Site Visit with Melaleuca JoAnn Quackenbush www.melaleuca.com (612) 963-4457

After Hours at Hyatt Place

Record setting numbers at July Fusion meeting with Nicole Santelman from the MN Vikings

80+ Attend Eden Prairie Business Conference!

Seminars attracted large crowds

Denny Stockdale speaks on encouragment

Erik the Bikeman Speaks at After Hours

11455 Viking Dr. #270, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 • Ph: 952-944-2830 • Fax: 952-944-0229 • www.epchamber.org

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This is a publication of: Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce

11455 Viking Drive, Suite 270 Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Ph: 952.944.2830 Fax: 952.944.0229

www.epchamber.org

AUGUST 2013 - EPC Calendar of Events Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday 1

Friday 2

7:30AM - Business Development Meeting

5

6

7

8

7:30- 8:30 AM, Business@ Breakfast at The Colony

7:30AM - Board Meeting

9

4:30-6:00PM, After Hours @ Noodles & Company

12

13

14

7:30AM - Government Committee Meeting

7:30- 8:30 AM, Business@ Breakfast at The Colony

15

16

11:30-1:00PM- B.E.E.R. Luncheon with Stevie Ray

19

20

21

22

23

7:30- 8:30 AM, Business@ Breakfast at The Colony 11:30 AM - 1:00PM, Fusion Meeting: Financial Advice for emerging leaders

26

27

4:30-6:00PM - After Hours with Sawatdee

28

29

30

7:30- 8:30 AM, Business@ Breakfast at The Colony Girl’s Gone Golfin’ @ Bent Creek at 2PM Golf After Hours from 4:30-6PM

PLEASE RSVP FOR ALL EVENTS BY 12 PM THE DAY PRIOR! Visit epchamber.org to view details, pricing or to RSVP today!