July Newsletter 2012

CONNECTIONS JULY 2012 - Vol. 43, Issue 7

IN THIS ISSUE...

“My Enemy, My friend” - July’s General Membership Luncheon Thursday, July 12th from 11:30 AM - 1:15 PM at Grace Church

Leadership P2- Article by Glenn Schwartz P2- Sponsorship Corner P3- Ambassador Updates P3- Ambassador of the Month

Public Policy P4- Article by David Olson

Community Building P5- Article by Bill Waddington P5- Veterans Career Fair P6 - Article by EP Schools

Networking P7- Article by Pat MulQueeny P7- ChamberFest Information P8- June 2012 Calendar

cheon. We have the honor to hear from Edward Daniel “Dan” Cherry, who is the author of My Enemy, My Friend, a story of reconciliation from the Vietnam War. Also speaking, will be Nguyen Hong My, the MiG pilot.

This inspiring book chronicles an intense 1972 dogfight between Dan’s F-4 Phantom and a North Vietnamese MiG-21 and his subsequent meeting and friendship with the MiG pilot, Nguyen Hong My. Dan travels extensively giving speeches and promoting his book in an effort to help Vietnam War veterans bring closure to their war experiences. He is also Executive Vice President of Aviation Heritage Park, an educational facility in Bowling Green, Kentucky dedicated to inspiring the youth of today by exhibiting aviation artifacts that represent the careers of distinguished aviators from South Central Kentucky.

Dan developed his leadership and administrative skills during his career as a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. He entered the Air Force in 1959 as an Aviation Cadet and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in 1960. His military credentials include flying 295 combat missions during the Vietnam War and shooting down a North Vietnamese MiG-21.

He earned several military awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star with one oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with nine oak leaf clusters and the Air Medal with thirty four oak leaf clusters. He completed his service in the Air Force with the rank of Brigadier General and was inducted into the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame in October 2000. Dan has also served in state government as Secretary of the Kentucky Justice Cabinet.

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We will be partnering with the Southwest & Shakopee Chambers for this event. RSVP today, you will not want to miss this rare opportunity!

SPONSORED BY: LOCATION: Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Road, Eden Prairie

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OU THANK Y 12 to our 20 rs! ponso Annual S

Join us at our special July General Membership Lun-

COST: $25 for Members & their guests / $40 for non-members / Corporate Table Option: 8 people, get your own table and only pay $175

Gold Sponsor

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Silver Sponsor Valley Staffing, Inc.

Bronze Sponsor

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YOUR CONNECTION TO BUSINESS & COMMUNITY SINCE 1969

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Leadership Membership is a Two-Way Street

By Glenn Schwartz, 2012 Chamber Board Chair Glenn J. Schwartz, Attorney at Law

One of my primary goals as 2012 Chair of the

~ SPONSORSHIP CORNER ~ Ambassador Lunch Sponsor (All Year):

Board is to increase Chamber membership. While this is truly a vital goal, it is important to add some context to the goal and a crucial component of reality.

The addition of new members adds opportunities to our current members for increased networking. For the Chamber, membership growth represents the benefit of increased participation in programs and activities. For the new members, joining the Chamber offers options to increase networking, to take advantage of educational or business programs, to expose young professionals to others in the same situation and to participate in governmental and community affairs.

Membership growth in numbers alone is simply not enough. The Chamber staff and it’s volunteer leaders must continue to develop a structure to indoctrinate new members, to insure that they have every opportunity to become involved. We must then monitor each member’s progress through the initial periods of membership. We want every new member to be aware of the Chamber benefits and programs and to have every opportunity to realize all of the goals that motivated them to join.

Since I have been a part of the Chamber, the Ambassador Committee has initiated a mentorship program, assigning an Ambassador to mentor a new member. Our goal is to have a mentor assigned to each new member. Our staff follows up with each new member with congratulations and an on-boarding packet. New members receive several initial announcements when they join. I am working to institute a “Check-up Procedure” to contact new members six months into their first year of membership. Our Legacy Committee constantly monitors membership participation with the goal of contacting members who have not been active recently to encourage them to attend Chamber events.

Membership is a two way street. When the new member takes the step to join the Chamber, that member should be prepared to make a commitment to become involved in Chamber activities. Chamber committees offer a wide spectrum of opportunities to participate, generally at no additional cost of the new member. Chamber After Hour events are free to members. Every new member receives a complimentary pass to certain Chamber events. New members should be prepared to invest time, effort, energy and at least some additional funds to take advantage of all our Chamber has to offer.

Umbria Pizzeria - Eden Prairie 7922 Mitchell Road, Eden Prairie 952-374-6464 www.goumbria.com

Women’s Networking Luncheon (June):

Ideal For U 12100 Singletree Lane, Suite 110, Eden Prairie 605-212-8312 Interested in sponsoring a General Membership Luncheon, Women’s Networking Luncheon or other Eden Prairie Chamber event? Contact our office at 952-944-2830!

consider postponing joining the Chamber until they will have the time and opportunity to participate.

Chamber staff and its volunteers have made a commitment to give all of our new members every opportunity to make their Chamber membership rewarding. All we ask of each new member is that they get involved and give their investment to the Chamber the best possible chance of success.

We take the time to inform prospective members that are unwilling or unable to actively participate in the Chamber events, to carefully

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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 June’s Ambassador of the Month: Kieth Schultz - Sharper Management

J

une’s Ambassador of the Month is Kieth Schultz. Kieth has worked in the real estate industry for more than a dozen years and has been partnering with the Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Sharper Management, an Eden Prairie-based property management firm, for nearly six months.

By day, Kieth coordinates single-family leasing and homeowners’ association programs for Sharper Management, a company dedicated to providing superior services and being a strong neighbor in the local community. Kieth brings this dedication and enthusiasm to his work with the Chamber of Commerce’s Membership Growth committee and has quickly become a key partner in a short period of time. Kieth is also an active member of Fusion, a group established to help emerging leaders of Eden Prairie and surrounding area businesses grow professionally and personally through networking and education. Congratulations and thank you, Kieth!

Ambassador Updates from the Month of June The Eden Prairie Chamber Ambassadors serve as goodwill representatives in our business community. They learn about member businesses and encourage membership retention through mentorships, personal phone calls and much more. Below are some of the places that our very busy Ambassadors visited during June of 2012!

Department Q - Technology Services Austin Massee 250 Prairie Center Drive, #207 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 612-276-2773 www.departmentQ.com

Eide Wellness - Vicki Eide

Eide Wellness Vicki Eide 7105 Interlachen Court Eden Prairie, MN 55346 612-385-9141 www.eidewellness.com LearningRx (Chanhassen) Terri Johnson 600 Market Street, Suite 120 Chanhassen, MN 55317 952-949-6900 www.learningrx.com/chanhassen Pets Are Inn Ann & Jim Platt 5100 Edina Industrial Blvd. #206 Edina, MN 55439 952-837-1877 www.PetsAreInn.com

Pets Are Inn - Ann & Jim Platt

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

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Public Policy Develop Relationships and Grow the Economy

By David C. Olson Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

Keep in touch with your customers, and good things are bound to happen. That’s the premise behind Grow Minnesota!, the Minnesota Chamber’s private-sector initiative focused on job retention and creation. And it’s working.

One of the most noteworthy achievements in the program’s nine-year history is the recent announcement by Gerdau to house new continuous casting steel-making equipment at its St. Paul mill. The caster, representing a $50 million investment, ensures the plant’s competitiveness and also retains more than 330 high-paying jobs.

The Gerdau initiative, and the myriad success stories around the state, are a tribute to the statewide Grow Minnesota! network, Nearly 60 local partners – including the Eden Prairie Chamber – work year-round to connect with business leaders in their communities. They collectively represent the eyes and ears of economic development across Minnesota.

Gerdau’s decision to bolster its Minnesota operations was far from happenstance. Company representatives at the St. Paul mill approached us in May 2011 to assist them in earning the Brazilian-headquartered company’s investment. The Minnesota Chamber has enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the mill through business retention visits and previously helped on permitting issues.

Eden Prairie High School Chamber Student Members (pictured here) did a job shadow at Nemer Fieger.

Bill Blazar, who spearheads Grow Minnesota!, subsequently created a work group including city, regional and state economic development organizations to help move this initiative along quickly. Within a month, representatives from the Gerdau’s corporate headquarters came to the Twin Cities.

The Minnesota Chamber also initiated important conversations between Gerdau and Xcel Energy regarding electric rates. St. Paul was competing for the investment with a company facility in Texas, where electric rates were more favorable.

Gerdau is an extraordinary story that made the headlines, and it represents only a slice of the statewide results being delivered by our dynamic statewide network. Other achievements are equally noteworthy. In the 2010-11 program year, more than 400 business volunteers assisted chamber staff in conducting nearly 1,000 conversations with company decision-makers. The program provided one-on-one assistance to 122 firms and protected 4,900 jobs.

Business assistance is first and foremost at the Minnesota Chamber and our statewide network of local chambers. When businesses seek help, we respond. We are at your service. The premise is simple: Helping companies find solutions to your problems is fundamental to growing healthy businesses and creating jobs for Minnesotans.

David Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, visit the web at www.mnchamber.com.

BusinessConnection

Everyone’s got an answer...

Your connection to business answers.

...ours will GROW your business.

We know times aren’t easy for Minnesota businesses these days. You need a resource that provides direct and immediate help for all of your important business questions. BusinessConnection is your free, go-to service in Minnesota for any and all business questions. Its purpose is to help Minnesota businesses grow by breaking down barriers, opening doors and answering questions – so you can get back to business.

Connect anytime: www.mnbizconnect.com Call toll-free: 1-888-MINN-BIZ / 1-888-646-6249 Personal assistance is available 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. BusinessConnection is a service of Grow Minnesota! and sponsored by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, its local chamber partners and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Connect online: www.mnbizconnect.com

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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 Iced Tea Professionals

By Bill Waddington Owner, TeaSource

A

t TeaSource we try to think of ourselves as tea professionals. At our new location in Eden Prairie (561 Prairie Center Dr 55344, between the Original Pancake House and the library), we take great pride in selling and serving many great teas, including iced tea.

We also take great pride in teaching others about tea. One of the first things I learned in this business is that great iced tea is one of the easiest things to make, you don’t even have to boil water.

Three Easy Ways for Iced Tea:

Eric Nelson (center) @ his After Hours event

Cold Brew Iced Tea – the easiest method For a light, smooth iced tea, place 8-10 rounded tsps. of tea in a gallon jug either loose or in T-Sacs. Fill the jug with cold water. Let tea steep in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Remove the leaves. Serve over ice.

Instant Iced Tea – we all need instant gratification For a fast and flavorful iced tea, use 1.5 teaspoons of tea (about 4.5 grams) per 8 oz. cup. (50% more than usual). Follow instructions on the tea package for correct brewing temperature and time. Steep the tea. Remove the leaves and pour the tea directly into a 16-20 ounce plastic or glass container filled with ice. Half of the ice will melt immediately, making the drink the desired strength. The remaining ice cubes will cool the drink. Add more ice as desired.

Iced Tea Concentrate- great for summer parties For a large batch of iced tea, brew about 1 ¼ cup of dry tea with 8 cups of water. Follow instructions on the tea package for correct brewing temperature and time. Strain into another container and refrigerate this concentrate. Dilute 1 part concentrate to 2 parts water as desired.

Iced tea was first invented at the St. Louis World’s Fair in August, 1904. In 2012 while the majority of iced tea is consumed in the U.S., this refreshing drink is also enjoyed as far away as Australia and Japan.

At TeaSource we always have at least four iced teas ready to serve. We can also make instant iced tea of almost any tea in the store, so you have nearly 250 iced teas to choose from. We are open Mon-Fri, 8-8 and Sunday 8-5, so stop by, relax, and get cool with some fresh-steeped iced tea.

Veterans Career Fair H

iring a veteran is good business! The Minnesota Veterans Employment Service and the U.S. Department of Labor want to make recruiting and hiring veterans easy for you.

As a “Veteran Friendly Employer,” you place a high value on a veteran’s experience with teamwork, leadership, integrity and ability to get the job done. For more info visit: www.PositivelyMinnesota.com/Veterans or contact: Char.Morgan@state.mn.us

Where: Earle Brown Heritage Center 6155 Earle Brown Drive Brooklyn Center, MN

When: Wednesday, July 11 TIME: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM

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 A Message from the Eden Prairie School District

By Eden Prairie Schools

The 2011-2012 school year has wrapped up in Eden Prairie Schools, but there is always many things happening in your school district. Here are some of the highlights: •

More than 740 students received their diplomas from Eden Prairie High School at the annual commencement ceremony on June 8 held at Mariucci Arena. Eighty-three graduates were gold cord recipients by earning a grade point average (GPA) of 3.9-4.0. One hundred thirty-four graduates were silver cord recipients by earning a GPA of 3.75-3.89. There were also 237 red honors cord recipients. These students had a GPA of 3.5 or above, six or more Advanced Placement and/or college-level credits, and 54 or more credits. The three student speakers were Madison Bessinger, Neeraj Algaonkar and Samantha Wargolet. The guest teacher speaker was Brian Sibley, EPHS social studies teacher.

•

Eden Prairie High School has been named as one of the top schools in the nation by Newsweek, the Washington Post and the U.S. News and World Report. Newsweek’s rating places EPHS in the top two percent of high schools in the country. Their “Best 1,000 Public High Schools in the Nation” are schools that are “proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready grads,” according to the publication. The Washington Post’s “High School Challenge” list is based on the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced International Certificate of Education tests given at a school each year, divided by the number of graduating seniors. This rating system places EPHS in the top four percent of the country. U.S. News and World Report released its listing of “Best High Schools” and also placed EPHS in the top four percent. That publication evaluated nearly 22,000 public high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia using data from the U.S. Department of Education.

•

At its May 22 meeting, the Eden Prairie School Board took action related to scheduling a referendum election. The board approved a motion to rescind a previous motion to schedule a referendum election for November 2012 and will not hold a referendum election during 2012. In addition, no decision was made to schedule a referendum election on any future date. The recommendation to not conduct a referendum election was brought by the board’s finance committee after an in-depth review of the district’s finances and other issues related to the possible scheduling of a referendum.

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•

At the May 8 school board meeting, the district’s learning and teaching team presented information on beginning the transition to more extensively use technology devices as part of the teaching and learning process. While implementation details have not yet been finalized, the team presented the overall vision for converting to a digital curriculum and how to more effectively engage students and personalize learning for all students through the use of digital devices. The use of digital devices to enhance student learning is the natural next step in the evolution of how the district incorporates technology in the classroom. Eden Prairie Schools is beginning the journey to put more technology in the hands of students and teachers through an effort called its “digital conversion.”

The phrase “digital conversion” refers to our transition from a paper-based system of fixed content (i.e. textbooks, tests and assignments on paper) to a digital (technology) based system of adaptive content where students and teachers use technology devices to access and create content as an integral part of the learning process. To support the initial steps of the digital conversion process, the district will continue the teacher training process this summer. Many district teachers have already had training in using digital curriculum. The training this summer will be focused on teachers at Central Middle School with the topics of developing digital curriculum and using digital devices for student learning.

Training will also continue to be provided to teachers from other grade levels throughout the 2012-2013 school year.

The details of the digital conversion implementation will be finalized in late summer or early fall.

Women’s Networking After Hours!

Join us for our annual Women’s Networking After Hours and bring a guest! There will be drink specials, appetizers & networking! Here’s the scoop:

WHEN: Thursday, July 19th from 4:30 - 6:00 PM WHERE: Redstone 8000 Eden Road Eden Prairie Don’t miss it, RSVP today: (952) 944-2830!!!

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

Networking Best Practices in Using Your Membership

By Pat MulQueeny, IOM, President Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce

O

ur monthly surveys continue to show that our members are very satisfied with their Chamber membership and would refer other businesses to join the Chamber (98%)! Our programs and events rated very high by those members who attended the events – all of them were over 4 out of 5 with our Fusion and Golden Apple Award luncheon both receiving a rating of 4.83 out of 5!

Our members can maximize the benefit they receive by being involved and attending programs. But, what if your schedule is a bit busy and you are having a difficult time getting to programs? There are opportunities to use the Chamber without ever leaving your office!

Promote your Business – Many of our members want to promote their business and gain new clients. A few ways to do that without networking at an event is to utilize our advertising opportunities – these include banner ads on the Chamber website with over 1,000 unique visitors. Additional advertising is available in our e-mail blasts that are sent out weekly reaching over 1,000 people in our membership and in the Chamber newsletter.

The new Shop Local Program is another great way to promote your business. Simply stated if you are a retailer, restaurant or company that can benefit from providing a coupon to employees of our member companies, then you need to sign-up for this FREE member benefit. We will give you the number of coupons we need and the Chamber will get them distributed. In fact we just completed our first round of Shop Local with almost 2,500 employees receiving coupons!!

Business Information – For those not looking to gain sales from other Chamber members, but want to build a network of business people to share ideas and exchange information, should join the Chamber’s LinkedIn and Facebook pages. These groups are designed for business discussions, sharing of ideas and even top ten lists of business tips! These groups are free to our members and can help you in many ways.

For advertising information and rates for website advertising, e-blasts, banner ads and the newsletter, please call Sammi Dummel at 952-944-2830 or e-mail her at communications@epchamber.org.

ChamberFest, our membership appreciation event, is coming up soon! Be sure to mark your calendars, here are the details: • • •

WHEN: Thursday, August 23rd TIME: 4:30 - 6:00 PM WHERE: Emerson Process Management 12001 Technology Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344

Contact our office to RSVP today! See you there.....

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

JULY 2012 - EPC Calendar of Events Monday 2

Tuesday 3

Wednesday 4

Thursday

Friday

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EPC OFFICE CLOSED HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!

Visit the EPC booth at Round Lake!

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11:30 AM- Ambassador Committee Mtg. @ EPC Office

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

7:30 AM- Business Development Committee Meeting

3:30 PM- Recognition Committee Mtg. @ EPC Office

11:30 AM - 1:15 PM- “My Enemy, My Friend” SPECIAL General Membership Luncheon @ Grace Church

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM: Noontime Networking @ Healthy Training

*Newsletter ads due to EPC by 4 PM

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7:30 AM- Government Committee Meeting

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

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM- Fusion Meeting @ Buca, Lester Bagley (MN Vikings)

11:30 AM - 1:00 PM- Business Success Seminar @ STAR BANK, Robert Warrick

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4:30 - 6:00 PM- Women’s Networking After Hours @ Redstone Bring a Guest! *Newsletter inserts due to EPC

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7:30 - 8:30 AM, Business@ Breakfast at The Colony 11:30 AM - Gala Committee Meeting @ EPC 4:30 - 6:00 PM- After Hours @ Hellmuth & Johnson

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Annual EPC Golf Tournament!!!!

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