November 2013 newsletter

November 2013 - Vol. 44, Issue 11 IN THIS ISSUE...

Women’s Networking Luncheon: Staying Healthy for the Holidays

Leadership

November 14th from 11:30-1:00PM

P2- Article by Pat MulQueeny P3 - Article By Cathy Haukedahl P4- Article by David Olson

Healthy Body, Healthy Business P5- Article By Stevie Ray

Community Building P6- School District

Networking P7- Welcome New Members!

Join us for our Women’s Networking Luncheon where we will be hearing from Ellie Johnson with Healthy training. She will tell us all we need to know about fitness and eating healthy for the holidays. The cost to attend is $25 for members and $40 for Non-Members. This event is located at Biaggis in Eden Prairie. Call (952) 944-2830 or go to epchamber.org to register!

Thank you to our Sponsors!

Upcoming International Trips!

Discover & Explore The French Riviera:Departing March 28, 2014! epchamber2 Follow us on Twitter!

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

Departing March 28, 2014 - The French Riviera Informational Meeting on December 4th, 5PM at Chamber Offices Departing Fall 2014 - Spain Informational Meeting TBD Departing February 2015 - South Pacific Wonders, Australia and New Zealand Informational Meeting on November 19th, 5PM at STAR BANK For More information on International Chamber trips please go to epchamber.org

THANK YOU to our 2013 Annual Sponsors!

Generall Sponsor

Gold Sponsor General Sponsor

Silver Sponsor’s

Bronze Sponsor

Leadership Chamber Recognizes Excellence By: Pat MulQueeny, President Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce Over the past two months the Eden Prairie Chamber has recognized excellence in our business community with the Small Business Person of the Year Award and our ATHENA Award. The importance of both these awards is to highlight the great work our business leaders are doing in making the Eden Prairie area an attractive location for current and future businesses. The Chamber’s government Committee heard the Eden Prairie Schools presentation on their upcoming referendums and forwarded a recommendation to the Board to support the school’s 2 referendum requests. The Board of Directors voted in support of both questions. We encourage our members to vote yes on these two ballot questions.

Membership Matters: In September, the Chamber saw 23 businesses join as new members of the Chamber! 2013 will be another year of growth for the Chamber and the more our organization can grow the more opportunities for our membership – grow your businesses with new clients, better vendors, promotions, marketing and more.

Year End Planning: Be sure to put in your 2014 plan your involvement in the Chamber. Items to be involved in is sponsoring programs to help build your brand and company awareness, attend programs to get more value through face-to-face interaction, join a committee, advertise to our members through our e-mail, newsletter and direct mail options. Being a member can help your business, but being INVOLVED will maximize your opportunities and return on investment.

As the Chamber plans its 2014, we are interested in your ideas, suggestions and speaker/topic recommendations for our programs. Please forward these to me at pat.mulqueeny@epchamber.org. We look forward to your continued involvement!

B.E.E.R. Luncheon Wednesday November 13, 2013

Silver Lining Care Homes, LLC holistic elderly care in a home environment

Join the Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie and Richfield Chamber’s of Commerce to learn more about Phase II development of the MOA, anticipates 20 million more visitors annually. Learn about all the new features! We will hear from Kurt Hagen, Senior Vice President of Development. This is a great opportunity to network with over 100 people!

Register at epchamber.org Location: Sofitel Minneapolis, 5601 West 78th Street, Bloomington Cost: $30 Members, $55 Non-Members

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Specializing in 24 hour care for persons aged 55 and older, who are unable to live alone due to cognitive and/or physical impairment.

Call today for more information and a tour!

Kelly Everson 612-710-1446

“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 2014 Strategic Planning - Momentum By: Cathy Haukedahl, Board Chair Flagship Bank We are wrapping up another calendar year, soon to be fully immersed in year-end goal completion, holiday celebrations and anticipation of our year to come. In the mix of all the busyness this time of the year, including the focus on completing this year strongly, how can you keep the momentum going? Is “momentum” an integral part of your business strategy?

There is a powerful difference between: 1)getting off to a great start when “it’s time to begin” and 2)crossing the starting line when you are already in motion.

How magnificently would your 2014 life and business intentions manifest if you were well on your way to next year’s goals before the ball drops in Times Square ringing in the New Year? It is already November. If you work in retail, hospitality, snow removal or other “winter service” industries, you are already heavily involved in your peak season. For some other businesses, the year winds down with the onset of the holiday season. Is your business doing a “planned” slowdown to allow for vacations, inventory, etc. or do you lose momentum “by default”?

November is the Month of Gratitude in our country. Starting around Thanksgiving time, it is tradition to connect with clients, colleagues, friends and family to be thankful for what the year has brought to our lives and our businesses.

Appreciation and future business go hand-in-hand. How would it serve your business if you also used this time of appreciation and celebration with your favorite customers and other VIP’s in your life by making a point to start implementing your forecasts and strategies for 2014 together? Eliminating the “waiting period” – putting off getting started until you open your new calendar – could offer you a strong competitive advantage.

We appreciate you as Eden Prairie Chamber members, volunteers and contributors to our business community. It is our strategy to keep the momentum of our organization strong through year-end and into next year by offering programs and opportunities for you to connect, appreciate and grow with other members and our community at large.

Leaders, competitors and difference-makers understand the need for momentum and focus, even prior to an actual engagement. Let’s celebrate the season and welcome in 2014 together – already in motion.

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.

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

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Leadership Help wanted: Throw your hat in ring for 2014 elections

By David C. Olson, President Minnesota Chamber of Commerce

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is recruiting candidates now to seek a legislative seat in the November 2014 elections. Please step forward, and we’ll guide and support you through the election process. Our pitch is sincere and straightforward. It’s more important than ever that we send men and women, Democrats and Republicans, to the Capitol who understand what it takes to run a business in today’s dynamic economy.

Why the urgency? Witness the legacy of the 2013 Legislature. The session kicked off with a common theme of jobs. Yet the gavel closed one of the most bruising and challenging sessions for Minnesota employers and their employees. We ask you to join the Minnesota Chamber and our statewide network of local chambers to place a priority on electing pro-business individuals to the Minnesota House in 2014.

We’re working on many fronts to build relationships with existing legislators as well as to identify probusiness candidates.

Here are a few ways you can help. Offer personal tours of your business: Think about leaders in your community who understand what it’s like to operate a business, and encourage them to run for the Legislature. Invite candidates and legislators to your facility, whether you are a large manufacturer or have three employees. Seeing your business and your employees in action is a great way to educate policy-makers on the issues you face and your value to your community and Minnesota. Communicate with your workers: Communicate with employees about the key issues that face your company and their paychecks. Do what works best for you, whether it’s including information in newsletters or conducting an information session over lunch hour. Then encourage and allow individuals to run for office if you can make it work for your businesses. Support pro-business candidates: Seeking elective office can be a daunting task, especially for political newcomers.

You can support candidate efforts in a variety of ways – from knocking on doors or writing a letter to the local newspaper to introducing them to other key business leaders or writing a check to their campaigns.

The Minnesota Chamber has a skilled team that works diligently at managing the risks that legislative decisions pose to you. Our ultimate success, however, depends on the individuals who cast the “yes” and “no” votes.

Our work for the 2014 elections begins with targeting individuals who can bring their business acumen to St. Paul. There’s no better place to identify candidates than within our working ranks. While we acknowledge the challenge for employers and employees alike with the time demands of today’s Legislature, we must make electing pro-business candidates a higher priority. The results of the 2013 session speak for themselves. Minnesota cannot afford more sessions like the one we just had.

David Olson is president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce – 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

Business On the Spot Business On the Spot The Three States of Being, and of Business By: Stevie Ray

When I walk my dog, I do what Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, tells me to do. Cesar knows that all mammals are social creatures. Social creatures respond very strongly to cues from the pack about how to behave. If the pack is on edge, you best be on edge too, or you could look up to find out you are alone and surrounded by some unfriendly elements.

Mammals typically take their cue from the leader of the pack. If the leader is calm, then everybody relaxes. If the leader is unsure, the pack replaces him or her with someone else. Cesar Millan says, when you walk your dog, don’t let him walk in front of you. That signals to the dog that it is the leader. The result is not a happy dog, but a nervous one. The job of the leader of the pack is to be on the look-out for danger; to protect the pack walking behind. I do what Cesar says, I walk with my dog a set behind me. Because he knows who the leader is, he relaxes and enjoys the walk.

All mammals live in one of two states of being; comfortable or nervous. All other emotions stem from those two states. If someone is comfortable, they like, they trust, they buy, they agree, they play will in a group, and they return. If someone is nervous, they fight, disagree, distrust, and avoid. If you can keep co-workers comfortable, they get more done. Comfortable customers give more good word of mouth. Comfortable investors open up the wallet.

Humans are not just social creatures, psychologists label us Ultrasocial Mammals because we gather in larger groups that any other mammal on the planet. The result is that we have a third state of being.

Besides being comfortable or nervous, we can live in a state of extreme comfort. This state is just as damaging as nervous. Whereas a state of nervousness shuts us down and closes off communication, extreme comfort leads to complacency.

If you wonder about the importance of complacency on business, just ask Kodak or IBM what happened when complacency took hold. As easy as it is to calm someone down who is nervous, is as hard as it is to get someone off their backside who is complancent.

Humans need a little bit of excited tension to stay focused and productive. Look around the office and watch for signs of nervousness. Nervousness is caused by either a lack of leadership, or a poor leader in charge (either to lax or too domineering). If you see complacency, then leadership isn’t keeping ahead of the pack and providing the all-important excitement of “what’s next.”

Grab the leash and lead the pack.

Stevie Ray is a nationally recognized corporate speaker and trainer, helping companies improve communication skills, customer service, leadership, and team management. He can be reached at www. stevierays.org or stevie@stevierays.org.

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 The 2013-2014 school year is off to a great start. Along with many tremendous things happening at all district schools, the district has been working hard to share information about the referendum election with parents and community members. The district greatly appreciates the endorsement of the referendum proposals by the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce. The chamber endorsement is another example of the beneficial partnership between the chamber and the district. The referendum election is set for Tuesday, November 5, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are reading this before November 5, you can go to the district’s website at www.edenpr.org for details about the referendum proposals. If you are reading this after November 5, the results of the election will be posted on the site. Here are a few others things going on in the district: Board Approves 2013-14 Preliminary Tax Levy – At its September 24 regular meeting, the Eden Prairie School Board approved the preliminary levy for the taxes payable in 2014, which provides a portion of the district's funding for the 2014-2015 school year. Each year, the school board approves a preliminary levy in September. The Minnesota Department of Education and Hennepin County then verify the district's proposed levy and information is sent to district property owners in November. These preliminary property tax notices will not include the impact of the November 5 election. The approval of the final levy will be on the board agenda at the December 10, 6 p.m. meeting. Public comment will be taken on the levy before board action. The impact of the November 5 election, if any, will be included in this final levy and in final property tax statements. The district is proposing a preliminary levy of approximately $39.45 million, which includes the general fund, capital expenditures fund, community education fund, and debt service fund. The proposed preliminary levy is currently estimated to be about $125,000 or .32 percent less than the 2013-2014 levy. Current estimates indicate preliminary tax statements may show a slight decrease in school taxes, about $20 per year, for the median-priced home in Eden Prairie. If the November 5 election is successful, the school portion of property taxes for the median Eden Prairie home will increase by about $379 per year, or approximately 23 percent.

Eden Prairie Schools Meet Accountability Targets – Four Eden Prairie elementary schools have been recognized as among the highest performing Title I schools in the state according to the new Multiple Measurements Ratings (MMR) released by the state Department of Education on September 30. Based on data from the past school year, Prairie View Elementary is recognized as a “Reward School,” meaning it is among the highest performing 15 percent of all Title I schools in the state. Eden Lake, Forest Hills and Oak Point have been recognized as “Celebration Eligible.” This category is the next 10 percent of high-achieving Title I schools. These schools are eligible to apply to the state for the “Celebration” designation by explaining quantitative and qualitative factors that make the school effective. (Cedar Ridge, Eagle Heights, CMS and EPHS are not Title I schools and are not eligible for the special MMR designations.)

The MMR was created in 2012 by the state as an accountability system for schools. The MMR, as its name implies, is a rating system that combines multiple measurements and a complex, comprehensive collection of data aimed at determining the effectiveness of a school with regard to its student groups. Schools with qualifying levels of minority students, English language learners, special education students, and families receiving free or reduced lunch benefits, are designated Title I schools, and are eligible for a performance designation. Title I is a federally funded program that provides additional education funds to designated schools to help improve student achievement.

EPHS National Merit, AP Scholar Numbers Increase – The results from last year’s Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test (PSAT) and AP tests are in and EPHS students have again posted amazing academic achievements. Sixteen EPHS students are on the 2014 list of National Merit Semifinalists. They are the top one-half of one percent of juniors who took the PSAT last fall. Only one other school in the state had more in this top category than EPHS. The AP Scholar categories list EPHS students who have successfully passed many AP exams during their high school career. The number of EPHS AP Scholars in all of the categories combined rose to 328 students, which is up from 322 last year. The students are listed in four scholar categories designated by the College Board.

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

Welcome 23 New Members from Setpember!

Alliance Benefit Group Ceiling Pro

Highland Bank A full service neighborhood print shop! www.glenprairiepress.com

Kitchen Werks

Kevin Bohlig Insurance Agency Inc. Lloyd Security New York Life

Michales & Barbosa Family Law

Silver Lining Care Homes, LLC South Hill Designs

Stevie Ray’s Improv Company

True Friends /Camp Eden Woods Valeo Health and Wellness Center Members – for more information on ongoing programs and announcements – go to epchamber.org and like our Facebook page. More postings related to the Student Membership Program and more!

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

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NOVEMBER 2013 - EPC Calendar of Events Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday 1

4

5

11

18

12

6

7

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

7:30AM - Business Development Meeting

13

14

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

7:30AM - Board Meeting

B.E.E.R. Luncheon @ The Mall of America

11:30-1PM - Women’s Networking Luncheon @ Biaggis

19

20

21

7:30AM - Government Committee Meeting

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

4:30-6PM - After Hours Expo @ Biaggis

27

28

8

15

22

11:30-1:00AM- Fusion Meeting at STAR BANK 5PM- Australia Informational Meeting @ STAR BANK

25

26

Happy Thanksgiving!

EPC Office Closed

29

EPC Office Closed

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