June 2011 Newsletter

CONNECTIONS June 2011 - Vol 42, Issue 6

General Membership Luncheon- June 2011

IN THIS ISSUE...

Thursday, June 16th from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM Leadership

Join us for our General Membership Luncheon on Thursday, June 16th, as we get an update from Stan Gadek, President & CEO of Sun Country Airlines! Learn the latest about Sun Country Airlines as they continue to develop their business. Seating will be limited, so RSVP today- you will not be disappointed!

P2- Article on Road Project P3- Message from Board Chair P3- Ambassador Update P3- Ambassador of the Month

Stan Gadek joined Sun Country Airlines in March 2008 after having served as Senior Vice President – Finance and Chief Financial Officer of AirTran Airways in Orlando, Florida.

Public Policy P4- Article by Minnesota Chamber P4- Sponsorship Corner- May

Community Building P5- Spotlight: Prairie Village Pet Hospital P5- Student Scholarship Winners P6- Article by SCHEELS P6- Chamber Challenge Wrap-up

Networking P7- New Member Information P8- June 2011 Calendar P8- Gala Save the Date

With more than thirty years of experience in the airline business, Gadek has also served as acting Chief Financial Officer at Atlas Air – a cargo air carrier operating a fleet of 747 freighters; VP Controller for Atlantic Coast Airlines; Assistant Controller for Continental Airlines and Director of Accounting for Northwest Airlines. Prior to Gadeks’ airline career, he worked for the public accounting firm of Ernst and Young.

Gadek, a native of Chicago, Illinois, earned his Master of Business Administration at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota and his Bachelor of Science in Accounting at the University of Illinois following a four year tour of duty with the United States Marine Corps. He currently resides in Minneapolis and has a wife and three adult children.

This luncheon will be held at Crowne Plaza located at 5401 Green Valley Drive in Bloomington. The cost to attend is $25 for Chamber Members and their guests or $40 for Non-Members. Please RSVP in advance on our website or by calling the Chamber office at (952) 944-2830.

SPONSORED BY:

Member Tes monial: “Joining the Chamber was a good decision, but being active in the Chamber was a great decision.”

Adam Weinblatt Liberty Mutual Insurance

Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce

Annual Golf Tournamnet Monday, July 25th at Bearpath Golf & Country Club Sponsorship opportunities and spaces to golf are still available Spaces are limited, so sign up TODAY- use the registration form enclosed!

Visit our website or call the Chamber office for more informa on (952) 944-2830!

A special THANK YOU to our 2011 Annual Sponsors!

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor

YOUR CONNECTION TO BUSINESS & COMMUNITY SINCE 1969

General Sponsor

Leadership Eden Prairie Awarded $275,000 Grant for Road Project The City of Eden Prairie was recently awarded a $275,000 grant through the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) to help pay for a planned road improvement at Valley View Road and Prairie Center Drive, in the Golden Triangle area of Eden Prairie. The grant was provided through DEED’s “Innovative Business Development Public Infrastructure Program,” which was created to fund infrastructure projects that support job growth. Three Eden Prairie companies that will directly benefit from the road project and that will be adding jobs are: Dell/Compellent, VISI and BOSE. All three qualified as “innovative businesses” and provided letters of support to the City for the grant application.

Project Need: Traffic congestion at this location is significant and becoming an impediment to job growth for area businesses. Excerpts from the letters of support include: “We expect Dell will continue to invest in Compellent and hire professionals to grow our business at our present locations. Our current estimates are that we may hire an additional 300 employees just in Eden Prairie over the next 12 to 15 months. The traffic situation at Prairie Center Drive and Valley View is a major concern for our employees. The congestion late in the day presents significant commuting delays to our team and a safety risk. Your efforts to alleviate this situation are greatly appreciated.”- Jack Judd – CFO, Dell/Compellent “The congestion on local roads has caused troubles for VISI in the past and has required us to adjust accordingly. We appreciate the City of Eden Prairie’s efforts to improve the road infrastructure and support the initiative to improve traffic flow.” -Mike Sowada – CEO, VISI Project Summary: Valley View Road will be widened to provide a dedicated right turn lane from westbound Valley View Road to northbound Prairie Center Drive. It also includes adding double left turn lanes from westbound Valley View Road to southbound Prairie Center Drive and restructuring the intersection signals. The total cost of the project is expected to be $825,000, with the City paying for the majority of the cost.

Construction should begin in August of 2011 and is expected to be completed by late fall 2011. Congestion along this stretch of roadway typically occurs in the late afternoon. The improvement should significantly reduce congestion along Valley View Road and will help accommodate future expansion and growth of many area businesses.

Valley View Road Closure: The City plans to close Valley View Road temporarily during construction. This will shorten the project completion from about 2 months to 5 weeks.

If you would like to provide input on this project, contact Assistant City Engineer, Randy Newton at 952-949-8339, or email him at rnewton@ edenprairie.org. Also, you can provide comments at an open house scheduled for Thursday June 2, 2011 from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM at the Star Bank Community Room located at 250 Prairie Center Drive in Eden Prairie.

Jim Beckman 952.856.0799

Tenant & Buyer Representation New Leases & Lease Renewals www.crestcommercialrealestate.com Phone: 763-972-4280

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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 Message from the Board Chair

By Patrick Bernal, 2011 Board Chair Supervalu Government spending, raising the National Debt Ceiling, budget cuts and taxes, is there anything else to talk about?

Maybe, but that is the subject that is dominating the conversation in Washington, so we should probably pay attention on Prairie Center Drive.

Patrick Bernal 2011 Board Chair SUPERVALU

I am personally confused and conflicted with the debate. On one hand I know that the level of debt we are carrying as a nation is unsustainable. The Federal Government will pay more than $241 billion in interest payments this year, twice as much as it will spend on education. Nearly half the budget will go to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Defense will get another 25%. This year’s projected budget deficit is over a trillion dollars!

Being 62 years old, and a contributor for the past 46 years, to the still solvent Social Security Trust fund, you will excuse my reluctance to advocate cuts in those and Medicare benefits.

I believe in a strong National Defense, facilitating business investment, the maintenance of a high quality transportation infrastructure, the return to best educational system in the world, universal access to health care, investment in energy and medical research.

However, I am told it can’t happen, we can’t pay for it! I get confused because since the Bill Clinton years of budget surpluses, we have lowered taxes, borrowed trillions of dollars to fund three wars in the Middle East, bailed out Detroit and Wall Street.

Raising taxes on any segment of the population appears to be a non-starter. Simplify our tax laws or ‘tax fairness’ are code words for the same thing. They invoke the same passion and get little, if any, political traction. That doesn’t leave much on the table.

In the next few weeks the Republican Congress and the Democratic President will attempt to negotiate a deal on raising the debt limit that will determine who we are as a nation, or at the very least, frame the debate for the 2012 Presidential Election. My hope is that it is settled now and the outcome is one that moves the country ahead with a sense of unity, purpose and pride.

Ambassador Updates

Ambassador of the Month- April

The Eden Prairie Chamber Ambassadors serve as good will 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 Ambassadors visited in May!

Barb Lyons, Sign-A-Rama

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Full Throttle Print & Imaging,LLC: Jim Beckman, (952) 934-6599 www.fullthrottleprint.com / 7580 Quattro Drive, Chanhassen

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Nicki C. Photography: Nicki Cermak, (612) 202-4399 www.nickicphotography.com / Eden Prairie, Studio in NE Minneapolis

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Pro Fitness Training: Kurt Hartmann, (952) 942-7227 www.profitnessmn.com / 8345 Crystal View Road, #104, Eden Prairie

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Randy’s Bobby & Steve’s Auto World: Randy Neis, (952) 944-1690 www.bobbyandstevesautoworld.com / 8100 Flying Cloud Drive, E.P.

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DreamWorld Studios: Todd Vaske, (952) 224-0188 www.dreamworldstudios.com / 6595 Edenvale Blvd, #155, Eden Prairie

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Digital Chateau, Inc.: Bill Faulk, (952) 974-8427 www.digitalchateau.com / Eden Prairie

Barb, with her husband Lee, have owned the Sign*A*Rama Franchise in Eden Prairie for the last 5 ½ years and have been members of the Eden Prairie Chamber since their beginning in business.

Barb and Lee have two daughters, Christy and Sarah. They live on a Hobby Farm south of Delano with three Morgan Horses, a barn/house cat (Miss Kitty) and Sarah’s Long Hair Chihuahua, Lucy.

Barb has enjoyed many of the activities that the Chamber offers, but especially enjoys being an Ambassador. This enables her to meet and greet the newest members of the Chamber, and help them make the most of their membership in the Chamber. Being an Ambassador has also enabled Barb to see the new companies and what their products and services are so that she can keep Sign*A*Rama in a position to be able to meet the visual marketing needs of our new and existing clients.

Visit our website for photos: www.epchamber.org/Photo_Gallary.asp 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 Sponsorship Corner We would like to thank our lunch sponsors for the month of May! Ambassador Lunch Sponsors:

Grow Minnesota!

By David Olson, President Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Minnesota faces many challenges if it is to build the infrastructure necessary to develop and grow our economy. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is advancing several key policy initiatives at the 2011 Legislature intended to make this state attractive to companies to start or locate and expand here.

Equally important, however, is that Minnesota is pro-active in checking in with businesses – thanking them for investing in this state and asking them what can done to help them be more successful from their Minnesota base. That’s the foundation of Grow Minnesota!, the Minnesota Chamber’s distinctive private-sector initiative aimed at retaining and creating Minnesota jobs.

952-374-6464

952-941-6556

General Membership Luncheon Sponsor:

952-944-1200

The success of Grow Minnesota! is a tribute to the commitment of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce, part of our statewide network of 56 local chamber and private-sector economic development organization partners. In its eighth year, Grow Minnesota! now operates in 60 of the 87 counties in Minnesota. Your local chamber staff and volunteers are among the more than 350 business leaders statewide currently engaged in the face-to-face visits. We thank them for their tireless efforts to connect with business leaders and bolster our public policy initiatives at the Capitol. These conversations really are the engines – jet engines at that – for job creation Grow Minnesota! welcomes its newest partner – the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Minnesota.

“Regular business retention visits to our Latino companies will allow us to increase our business assistance effectiveness,” said Val Vargas, president and chief executive officer of the Hispanic Chamber.

“We can better accomplish our mission of economic empowerment of the Latino community for a stronger Minnesota. The statewide Grow Minnesota! program provides us with valuable access to an established partnership network, as well as new business assistance and expansion resources.”

We continue to broaden our scope of work. In recent months, Grow Minnesota! has been working with the Department of Employment and Economic Development to better coordinate business retention efforts. Governor Dayton is making job retention and growth his top priority. The Governor’s willingness to help with retention and contact businesses that are prime prospects for expanding in Minnesota is great news for Grow Minnesota! and all Minnesotans.

Our chamber network frequently relies on state resources when responding to business inquiries and solving their problems. Our statewide economy will benefit through this working relationship.

Grow Minnesota is increasingly recognized as a go-to resource for economic development inquiries.

Witness a survey in 2010 where 25 percent of respondents indicated that if they needed business assistance, they would turn to a local chamber of commerce. Grow Minnesota! and its local chamber partners have more experience and are better equipped than others to be responsive to these inquiries.

And a growing number of Minnesota businesses are turning to Grow Minnesota! for the assistance they need to grow and create more jobs in our state.

Our goals remain ambitious as Grow Minnesota! builds an awareness of its ability to help businesses stay and create jobs in Minnesota. Our follow-up assistance is second to none. Grow Minnesota!, working with our local partners, has an unprecedented opportunity to continue to build an effective program to keep and attract businesses.

David Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. For more information, visit the Web at www.mnchamber.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 SPOTLIGHT ON A CHAMBER MEMBER: Q & A Prairie Village Pet Hospital; Chamber Member since 1984 We had the opporunity to spend a little time with Dr. James Nelson, from Prairie Village Pet Hospital. Below are some questions we asked to get to know them and their business a little bit more.

Eden Prairie Chamber (EPC): Please tell us a little bit about your business.

Prairie Village Pet Hospital (PVPH): Since 1984, Prairie Village Pet Hospital has been an independently owned, freestanding, full service veterinary clinic. We provide personal, compassionate care to pets and their owners, including veterinary medicine, surgery, dentistry, plus urgent care, house calls and animal transport.

EPC: What are some key aspects of your business that you take special pride in?

PVPH: I take enormous pride in our staff. Our team includes of two veterinarians, six veterinary technicians, two kennel assistants and our head receptionist who just celebrated 17 years with our clinic. It takes good service over time to develop an enduring bond with pet owners.

I believe that our success is due in part to the long tenure of our full-time staff, many of whom have been with us for over 10 years. We continue to invest in advanced technologies including digital imaging, ultrasound, in-house laboratory services, oxygen support, sophisticated monitoring systems and other products and services.

EPC: What is it about the Chamber that has lead you to be a member?

PVPH: I believe in investing in the community. I feel that our economy has suffered because of the shift in spending towards businesses outside our community. I’m committed to supporting the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce because it supports small businesses and gives back to the people within the community. I think the Chamber does a great job and I’m proud to be a part of it.

EPC: Final question, what are some positives that you are looking for in 2011- 2012?

PVPH: I feel fortunate that the recession did not hit us as hard as many businesses, and I look forward to steady growth over the next few years. Our motto is “From Routine to Extreme, we’ll be there for you,” and we are committed to being the veterinary clinic our clients know and trust.

Prairie Village Pet Hospital is located at 7815 Terrey Pine Court, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 (952) 934-0335 www.pvph.net

Meet Our 2011 Student Scholarship Winners!

Brandon Hill

Mitchell Gulbransen

Dr. Jean L. Harris Award, $1,500

Student Citizenship Award, $1,500

This award was developed to honor high school seniors who promoted human rights, fostered diversity and have an inclusive spirit.

Brandon Hill is the recipient of this award and will be graduating from Eden Prairie High School in the coming weeks. He has a long list of volunteer activities and organizations that he is involved with. He has a strong passion for working with an organization called The Brotherhood where he has worked hard to improve education for other students. Mr. Hill will be attending Stanford, Harvard or Yale this fall. Congratulations and good luck!

The Citizenship Award is given to a student who lives in Eden Prairie, participates in the community and has demonstrated academic responsibility. Mitchell Gulbransen is the recipient of this award and will be graduating from Eden Prairie High School this spring. He has been involved in many different activities within the community and has shown strong leadership though his journey. Mr. Gulbransen will be attending the University of Minnesota and will study in their University Honors Program this fall. Congratulations and good luck!

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 Improve Your Life...and be Comfortable Doing It

By Jason Mack, Store Leader SCHEELS in Eden Prairie Center

Chamber Challenge 5K Wrap Up Thank you to everyone who participated, supported or volunteered in the first ever, Chamber Challenge 5K. Because of you, it was a great success!

Someone once told me, “Your mind and body are the foundation for everything that you do”. The more conditioned your mind and body, the better you will perform in all you do. You will perform better at work, better at home and better in any activity you participate in.” It makes so much sense, yet too many of us take this for granted.

Fitness and exercise are a major part of that conditioning. It takes GOAL-SETTING, DISCIPLINE and having the RIGHT GEAR to get the most out of your workout and really enjoy doing it.

Goal-Setting: You can Google thousands of articles on setting goals but it really comes down to setting realistic short and long term goals that are measurable. For example, “I want to run a 5k within 3 months.” It is far easier to exercise when you have a goal you are working towards. In addition, you need to write your goals down and tell someone else to hold you accountable. It is proven you have a 50% better chance of hitting your goals when you write them down and/or tell someone. Lastly don’t forget to celebrate when you hit your goals!

Discipline: “EVERYTHING IS HARD BEFORE IT GETS EASY”. Bottom line, it takes hard work and discipline to consistently exercise and focus on your health.

Working out with a partner will help you stay motivated. If you haven’t consistently exercised in the past, give yourself at least a month before you begin to really feel better and see the benefits. I promise, it will be worth the pain!

Right Gear: This is the best part! Having the right gear will help you get the most of your workout and look great doing it! It starts with having the right shoes and socks.

Everyone’s feet are a little different so it is critical to make sure your shoes are right for you. I also highly recommend technical socks that support your feet and wick moisture. You will be amazed at how much better your feet feel versus a cotton sock.

Your feet are the support for your entire body, when your feet feel good, the rest of your body feels good.

Remember, exercise leads to a better mind and body…THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL YOU DO. It takes goal-setting, discipline and the right gear. Everything is hard before it gets easy. Stop into SCHEELS in the Eden Prairie Center and we would love to help you out. We will make sure you get the right gear and advice to help you improve your life!

A few photos from the 5K- Visit our website for more!

Chamber Challenge 5K BIG Success: Despite the less than ideal weather, the Chamber’s first 5K event was a big success; bringing together businesses and residents as part of a major community event! We had 245 runners pre-register, 10 exhibitors and additional participation from many businesses including our event sponsor, SCHEELS. Our team sponsors include: CBeyond, Eaton Corporation and Premier Sport & Spine. Our in-kind sponsors include: A-Z Rental, Embroid Me, Hampton Inn, Jason’s Deli and W Creative.

Why a 5K? Health and fitness go hand-in-hand with employee productivity and helping build a strong community.

Through this event, we were able to give our Members the chance to promote health and fitness to their employees and to give our Member businesses (in the health and wellness field) the chance to promote their business. At the same time, we were able to add another community event for Eden Prairie.

Strategic Plan Component: As part of our strategic plan, the Chamber is focused on providing world class programs and opportunities for our Members. Adding a new community event, that focuses on health and wellness for our Members and local residents, hits the mark on our goal of additional events that draw businesses and the community together.

Overall Winners: Male: Rupert Economy from Victoria, MN Female: Kris Kuhn from Robbinsdale, MN

WAY TO GO!

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

Networking Be Sure To Add The Following New Members to Your 2010-11 Directory!

1st Reverse Mortgage USA 1660 S. Hwy 100, #500 St. Louis Park, MN 55416 Steve Garver; Mortgage Banking www.1strmusa.com (612) 636-9578

Automatic Date Processing 8100 Old Cedar Avenue S. Bloomington, MN 55425 Sam Foltz; Payroll Services (952) 814-5887

Church of Kingdom Treasures International P.O. Box 44263 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Drs. Melvin & Andrea Rhines Non-Profit Organization (952) 943-0189

Crest, LLC 2920 Nelson Road Delano, MN 55328 Wayne Teig; Commercial Real Estate www.crestcommercialrealestate.com (763) 972-4280

First Choice Systems 8100 Penn Ave. S. #124 Bloomington, MN 55431 Troy Telthoester; Internet Marketing www.firstchoicesystems.com (952) 303-5798

Go Sell Go Sales Team 16595 S. Manor Road Eden Prairie, MN 55346 Johl Sligh; Direct Mail Advertising www.gosellgo.com / (612) 327-3123

GoodCities 7340 Hunters Run Eden Praire, MN 55346 Rev. Dr. Glenn Barth Non-Profit Organization www.goodcities.net / (952) 975-0516

Law of LIfe Chiropractic 12100 Singletree Lane, #129 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Boe Tankersley Chiropractors (952) 746-1258

Mitchell Worldwide, LLC 6337 St. Johns Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55346 Jim Mitchell Business Consulting www.mitchellworldwide.com (612) 730-6361

Norwex Enviro Products 512 S. Sutton Lake Blvd.

Jordan, MN 55352 Amy Mahowald Retail Sales www.amymahowald.norwex.biz (952) 492-2270

Pasta Zola 8251 Flying Cloud Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 Mitch Thayer; Restaurants www.pastazola.com / (952) 454-1432

Rowland Construction Group 8905 Aztec Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55347 Steve Sopczak Construction/Commercial www.rowlandconstructiongroup.com (952) 345-2115

Sentry Insurance P.O. Box 44147 Eden Prairie, MN 55346 Diana Smith Insurance Agencies & Companies (952) 944-6662

W.J. Thom Company 211 Verner Street Jordan, MN 55352 Dick Thom Advertising Speciality Products www.wjthompromo.com (952) 492-5512

Perfectly done pasta slathered in flavorful sauces, buon appetito!

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC- Warrick 601 Carlson Parkway, #190 Minnetonka, MN 55325 Robert Warrick Financial Investment Services (952) 404-7431

Eden Prairie Center Food Court 8251 Flying Cloud Drive Eden Prairie, MN 55344 www.PastaZola.com

Save 25% on your 1st group order (min. 6 pasta boxes) for your next business meeting.

Download Group Order form at PastaZola.com Expires Aug 31, 2011

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

JUNE 2011 - EPC Calendar of Events Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday 1

Thursday 2

7:30 AM- Business@Breakfast at The Colony 3:30 PM- Recognition Committee Mtg. at EPC

6

Friday 3 7:30 AM- Chamber 101 at EPC

4:30 PM- After Hours at Wings of the North w/ Mr. Appliance

7

8

9

11:30 AM- Ambassador Mtg. at EPC

7:30 AM- Business@BreakfastThe Colony- GUEST DAY!

11:00 AM- Women’s Networking Luncheon at The Marsh- Work/Life Balance Panel

13

14

15

16

17

11:30 AM- Gala Mtg at EPC

7:30 AM- All-Chair Mtg at EPC

7:30 AM- Business@Breakfast at The Colony

11:30 AM- General Membership Luncheon at Crowne Plaza in Bloomington- Stan Gadek, CEO of Sun Country Airlines

*Inserts for July Newsletter due to EPC!

20

21

22

23

24

7:30 AM- Government Committee Mtg. at EPC

7:30 AM- Business@Breakfast at The Colony

11:30 AM- Fusion Mtg. at STAR BANK

7:30 AM- Business Development Mtg. at EPC

11:30 AM- Noontime Networking at Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Eden Prairie

28

29

27

10

30

7:30 AM- Business@Breakfast at The Colony

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

Save the date for this year’s Gala event....

Bourbon Street Ball Saturday, November 12, 2011

Details & sponsorship information will be available soon!