February 2019 Business Outlook

BUSINESS OUTLOOK M

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FEBRUARY 2019 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE PAGE 3

TLT BUSINESS & INDUSTRY SESSION PAGE 5

BUSINESS EXPO PAGE 7

MISSOURI INTERN CONNECT PAGE 11

SMALL BUSINESS OF THE YEAR AND GOLDEN APPLE AWARD NOMINATIONS PAGE 22

…more announcements and opportunities inside!

N E W S L E T T E R

P R E S E N T E D

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2018-2019 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Brandon Davis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chairman of the Board Jerrod Hogan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chairman Elect of the Board Kelli Perigo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer Clive Veri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Past Chairman of the Board Louise Secker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice Chairman Membership/ Community Development Services Brent Baker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Co-Vice Chairman Membership/ Community Development Services Betsy Kissel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Co-Vice Chairman Economic/ Workforce Development Services

DIRECTORS Gina Atteberry Todd Chenault Jeremy Drinkwitz Donovan Edwards Chad Greer

Rick Grise Jacqueline Hackett Mark Johnson Julie Larson Dr. Alan Marble

5 LEVEL SPONSORS S T A R

PLATINUM LEVEL City of Joplin Crossland Construction Company Downstream Casino Resort Liberty Utilities – Empire KOAM-TV/FOX 14 - KFJX SNC Squared Stronghold Data LLC

CHAIRMAN LEVEL

EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS Sam Anselm John Bartosh Dr. Glenn Colthorp Shawn Daniel Mike Gray

PARTNERSHIP

Dr. Brad Hodson Dr. Melinda Moss Sergio Rizo Bill Reiboldt Gary Shaw

CHAMBER STAFF EXECUTIVE Toby Teeter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Tonya Sprenkle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chief Financial Officer/Vice President Lisa Kelly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Executive Assistant

FINANCE & MARKETING Samantha Doubledee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Finance Manager Erin Slifka . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marketing & Public Information Manager

MEMBER SERVICES Stephanie McGrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Events Manager Reggie Powers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Membership Sales Strategist

ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Commerce Bank EaglePicher Technologies, LLC Freeman Health System General Mills H.E. Williams, Inc. Joplin Floor Designs Joplin Globe Publishing Company Joplin Supply Company KODE-TV/KSNF-TV Lamar Outdoor Advertising Lancaster Signs Mercy Hospital Joplin Missouri Southern State University Results Radio, AMI Radio Group Southwest Missouri Bank US Bank, N.A.

PRESIDENT LEVEL Arvest Bank BKD, LLP Community Bank & Trust (CBT) Lakeland Office Systems, Inc. Roper Honda Show Me The Ozarks Magazine Weed Whackers, Inc.

Kevin Welch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Business Attraction & Retention Loni Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Small Business Incubation

ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT Lea Schroer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Administrative Assistant Debra Anderson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Program Services Assistant Gary Shipman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Facilities Maintenance Coordinator

FIND US AT:

Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce 320 E. 4th Street, Joplin, MO 64801 (P) 417.624.4150 (F) 417.624.4303

www.joplincc.com /joplinchamber /joplinchamber

DIRECTOR LEVEL Cable ONE Business Choice Marketing Connell Insurance, Inc. Joplin ProPrint Motive Matters Storm Cloud Marketing

BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Over the last couple years I’ve spent more and more time in Bentonville. I love cycling the Greenway Trail with my wife and kids, working from the Onyx coffee shop just off the Bentonville square, catching a concert at the AMP, and visiting with Joplin transplants who now run venture backed start-ups or work at Walmart corporate. I crave the energy and culture they have built around what they call “Adventurepreneur.” It’s truly a blueprint for attracting and maintaining young, diverse professionals who value a high quality of life, an active lifestyle, and a culture of Toby Teeter President Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce

innovation and entrepreneurship, while maintaining a keen sense of community.

These are the community attributes young professionals value.

Now as the new Joplin Chamber president, I’m witnessing a clear shift from business

attraction to talent attraction (and retention) as the key economic development driver for the Joplin area. Sure, promoting our industrial sites, expounding about our transportation infrastructure, and packaging local and state economic incentives will continue to be components of the Joplin Chamber economic development effort. But increasingly, Joplin’s ability to attract and retain millennials and those in Generation Z (after millennials) will decide our local economic fate. A majority of the Joplin labor market will be comprised of millennials and Generation Z by the next decade.

That could be great news for Joplin. For many millennials, second cities are becoming their first choice. Younger professionals are shunning larger cities and moving back to their hometowns in large numbers. They are attracted to lower cost of living, easier commutes, and closer connections with family. They seek a neighborhood-oriented, livable version of the urban lifestyle that still offers viable career and entrepreneurial opportunities, burgeoning music and cultural venues, bike trails and walkable streets, and robust restaurant, coffee shop, and bar scenes.

The JACC will need to take a more holistic approach to economic development by (1) acting as a catalyst for private and public quality of life investments, and (2) promoting these community assets to those who are actively considering relocation to the Joplin area. Otherwise, Joplin’s loss could be Bentonville’s gain.

STATE OF THE LOCAL ECONOMY: A REPORT FROM YOUR CHAMBER METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA Employment Rates (Non-Seasonally Adjusted)

DECEMBER 2018 AREA

LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYMENT

UNEMPLOYMENT

JOPLIN, MO METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA

84,514

82,266

2,248

JOPLIN-MIAMI COMBINED STATISTICAL AREA

98,605

95,913

2,692

NOVEMBER 2018 RATE

LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYMENT

UNEMPLOYMENT

2.7% 84,631

82,713

1,918

2.7% 98,987

96,639

2,348

DECEMBER 2017 RATE

LABOR FORCE

EMPLOYMENT

UNEMPLOYMENT

RATE

2.3% 84,277

81,871

2,406

2.9%

2.4% 98,581

95,599

2,982

3%

MSA is comprised of Jasper and Newton Counties. Information is drawn from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Ottawa County, OK (Miami) was added to the two-county Joplin Metropolitan Statistical Area after the last census due to commuting patterns.

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

HHHHHHHHHHHHH ELECTIONS & LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

BillTrack 50 Widget

Your Chamber strives to keep you informed about elections and to help you keep track of legislation important to our region and allows you to easily see what is happening in state and federal politics. Our BillTrack 50 widget below highlights the legislation we think is of interest to our members and small business.

Are you looking for legislation not featured on the website widget? Just create a free account on BillTrack50.com and you’ll be able to search for bills covering any topic that interests you.

To see the widget, go to Joplincc.com/government-and-regulations/

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The Missouri Chamber has recently released its 2019 Legislative Agenda.

It can be viewed and downloaded at http://mochamber.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/2019-Legislative-Agenda.pdf

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK Tomorrow’s Leaders Today, presented by General Mills, enjoyed the Business and Industry Session which was sponsored by U S Bank, N.A. They toured Missouri American Water Company, Liberty Utilities, Component Packaging, General Mills, American Ramp Company and Ducommun, Inc. Thank you to all of the companies who allowed us to visit and tour them.

FEBRUARY 2019

Business & Industry Session

The Presenting Sponsor of the TLT Program is‌

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019 6

EXPO 2019 Winners PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD Winner receives free 2020 booth

Corner Greer and Associates TCHOTCHKE AWARD

Winner receives bragging rights

All Seasons Sign and Apparel WOW FACTOR AWARD

Business EXPO 2019 The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce’s 27th annual Business EXPO took place January 22 and 23 at Downstream Casino Resort Pavilion. EXPO is the region’s largest business-to-business trade show featuring nearly 130 exhibitor booths. This year’s theme is “A Portrait of Success,” to showcase what success means to our business community. Business EXPO is made possible through the support of our event sponsors: Freeman Health System, Downstream Casino Resort, US Bank, GalaxSea Cruises & Tours and CableONE Business.

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Winner receives $50 off 2020 booth

Liberty Utilities THEME PERFORMER AWARD Winner receives $50 off 2020 booth

Boys & Girls Club of Southwest Missouri TRIP FROM GALAXSEA $2000 trip voucher

Heather Garner, US Bank $50 OFF 2020 BOOTH FOR EARLY SET UP DRAWING Sign Designs

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019 8

BUSINESS OUTLOOK Morning Leadership.

With the beginning of a New Year, many people make a New Year’s resolution, a tradition that stems back to the ancient Babylonians. The Babylonians would make promises to their gods at the start of each new year to pay their debts and return items that they had borrowed

Thank you to our YPN program sponsor…

FEBRUARY 2019

For this month I wanted to deviate again from Monday

throughout the year.

Most of us will make a resolution to eat healthier, get more exercise, or to save money. All of these are very admirable goals and are directed to improve our lives. We start off strong, but then begin to falter after the first month. From a statistical standpoint, 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions will fail by February.

So, what does this mean? Why can’t you begin again and continue to push yourself?

2018-2019 YPN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Shawn Daniel Chairman

Jennifer Little Co-Chairman

Thinking of this brings to mind a term that I learned my Sophomore year in college, Kaizen. It was introduced to me in a Quality Control course. In the course we were focused on systems improvement and lean production. I know, SO EXCITING! Kaizen is a Japanese word that means “change for the better” or in activities, continuous improvement.

If you begin a resolution, to me, you are already better than your prior self because you started. Yes, by February you have probably stumbled some and have been lacking the energy to continue.

Maybe you had something else take priority for a bit and caused

Ryan Melton Past Chairman

Joe Malin Hayley Sirmon Whitney Warren Dale Clark Alex Gandy Amanda Mitchell Christina Williams Sergio Rizo Ray Moore Heidi Smorstad

time commitment issues, but why do you have to wait until the next year to start again? What stops you from setting a new start date or continuing what you were once doing?

If you stumble, pick up from where you left off. If you can do this, you will have already improved yourself over the prior year because you didn’t quit. All processes and systems are littered with peaks and valleys. You must focus on the next day and work yourself out of the valley.

Kaizen is about continuous improvement. Even the smallest improvement in your life, repeated, will add up and become a common practice of yours. You will begin to include other small improvements in your life. Then when you look back, you will see how your life has changed for the better.

If you pledged a New Year’s resolution, I want to challenge you to implement your own level of Kaizen to help you follow through.

—Shawn Daniel YPN Chair 2018-2019

Business Banking Relationship Manager Commerce Bank

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

RIBBON CUTTINGS PRESENTED BY…

Ribbon provided by COUNTRYSIDE IN THE CITY

LET US HELP YOU CELEBRATE!

Skinsculpting Sweet Serenity Spa Stacia Elliott, Owner 454 Redings Mill Road New Member, New Business

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To schedule a ribbon cutting or inquire about becoming an Ambassador, please call or email Stephanie, 417.624.4150 or stephanie@joplincc.com.

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

…building a bridge between employers and tomorrow’s workforce Established by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2018, this service helps Missouri students gain valuable career experience while simultaneously giving employers better access to the talent they need for tomorrow’s economy.

Missouri Intern Connect is a product of the Missouri Chamber’s Missouri 2030 strategic initiative. The research behind Missouri 2030 uncovered that workforce was one of the main concerns for our state’s employers — many organizations were struggling to find the talented workers they needed. In addition, the state overall was experiencing a troubling trend: Many young workers were choosing to leave Missouri for opportunities elsewhere.

Missouri Intern Connect addresses these issues by providing an easy way for students to connect with valuable internship experiences inside Missouri. These experiences give young people a connection to employers and lead to job opportunities which provide a powerful incentive to stay in Missouri.

Several organizations have been instrumental in creating Missouri Intern Connect, including these supporters: MU Extension — Business Development Program Missouri Department of Higher Education Union Pacific PHRMA

For more information visit https://www.mointernconnect.com/

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

WE NEED YOUR PROFESSIONAL CLOTHES! Missouri Southern State University and the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce are once again partnering together in collecting lightly used professional clothing for Dress to Impress. This event is designed to prepare students for their careers by helping them build a professional wardrobe - Dress to Impress has equipped over 1,000 students and alumni with professional clothing over the past four years! That is why we need your PROFESSIONAL CLOTHES! Please bring your donations to the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce or Missouri Southern State University Career Services office (Spiva Library – Suite 207). Deadline is ­­­­March 1, 2019.

Join the Home Builders Association of Southwest Missouri at their annual Home Show on February 15 and 16 at Northpoint Shopping Center, 440 South Range Line (in the former Office Max). Hours are 9:00 am to 8:00 pm both days.

Results Radio, AMI Radio Group is pleased to announce that Kurt Boney has joined their team as Market Manager for their stations in Joplin, Pittsburg, and Texarkana. A University of Nebraska alumnus, Boney has a 30-year career in broadcast management in markets in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. He has a strong passion for economic development, urban/downtown revitalization, and community organizations.

A group of young girls who disbanded their Daisy/Brownie Girl Scout troop last year recently presented a donation check to Wildcat Glades Friends Group. The girls worked on a “Make the World a Better Place” patch and gathered funds, according to troop leader Keisha Bock. The girls and their parents were asked where they wanted to donate funds and the group decided to choose Wildcat Glades. The girls and their families enjoy the trails and love the park, so the decision was easy.

OUR MEMBERS ANNOUNCE PRESENTED BY…

issues. The February 8 JCF meeting will include a special opening song, an announcement from the Joplin VA Clinic, an announcement on the Joplin Veterans Art Mural Project (J-VAMP), and a special guest speaker. Be sure to arrive early and bring business cards, flyers or announcements of your programs. This is a Business Networking meeting!

New attendees will have an opportunity for a short intro (less than 1 minute), so be prepared to talk about your business, programs or events. Let them know you’re coming by selecting “GOING” on their Facebook Event page: www. facebook.com/events/313424122609335/. Call Compass Quest if you have questions at 417.438.VETS (8387).

Visiting Angels is celebrating 10 years of caring for the Joplin and Carthage surrounding areas. Please join them in celebrating the caregivers, families and friends that have made the last 10 years a success. The Visiting Angels team thanks you for all your support and looks forward to many more years.

This February, the Wildcat Glades Friends Group along with other partners will be hosting Preschool Nature Connections programs, Yoga in Nature for Kids and Adult Yoga Workshop at Empire Market. The Joplin Empire Market is located at 931 East 4th Street. All programs are free of charge, but registration is requested. To register, please email robin@wildcatglades.org or visit their Facebook page for online registration options. Classes are limited to the first 20 students registered for preschool and yoga classes.

Three old apartment buildings were demolished at God’s Resort in early January to make way for a new five-plex to be built where they stood. The new five-plex will be like two others that were completed in 2018. The new buildings have one 2-bedroom apartment, and four 1-bedroom apartments, and have significantly increased the overall energy efficiency of the 27 dwellings which make up the transitional housing offered at God’s Resort, 1501 South Pearl Avenue. For more information about God’s Resort: www.godsresortjoplin.org.

Compass Quest Veterans Advocacy Group will host the JOINING COMMUNITY FORCES Council Meeting for the 1st Quarter 2019 on Friday, February 8, 2019 from 1:00-2:30 pm in the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center in Cornell Auditorium at Missouri Southern State University. The Joining Community Forces Council is a collaboration of like minded businesses, organizations and individuals in the area who actively engage in support for Veterans, serving military and family members in the community. This group has been meeting and sharing information for four years with 12 the goal of enhancing services and awareness of veteran

Connect2Culture presents “THE MIDTOWN MEN – Stars from the Original Broadway Cast of Jersey Boys” on Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 7:30 pm (doors open at 6:30 pm) at the Joplin High School Performing Arts Center, 2104 Indiana Avenue. THE MIDTOWN MEN reunites stars from the smash Broadway hit musical, JERSEY BOYS: The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. Formed in 2010, the popular vocal group has been widely praised for signature renditions of the greatest rock and roll songs of the 1960s. Together, they have played over 700 concerts in North America, Europe, and China, and have headlined alongside over 30 symphonies

including The Boston Pops and The National Symphony.

Featuring stories and songs, their acclaimed concert includes classic tunes originated by The Four Seasons, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Temptations, and more! Television audiences have enjoyed THE MIDTOWN MEN on Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Cher Show, Katie, and Access Hollywood. Their debut album, THE MIDTOWN MEN: Sixties Hits, was met with critical acclaim and garnered 5 star album reviews across iTunes. A follow-up live album and concert film, Meet The Midtown Men, has enjoyed multiple runs on Public Television nationwide and their holiday single, All Alone On Christmas, produced, arranged, and recorded with Stevie Van Zandt and members of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, plays yearly across radio airwaves. *Not a performance of, not affiliated with the show Jersey Boys.

Tickets: $40 Orchestra, $30 Mezzanine, $20-$30 Balcony.

Purchase tickets at connect2culture.org, 417.625.6683, or inperson on Saturdays (10am–3pm) at Joplin Empire Market starting February 9, 2019. Discounts: Groups of 10-50 receive 20% discount on tickets.

mid-morning with 15 minutes in the sauna. Then, off to a 90 minute hot stone massage and body treatment with aromatherapy. Next, slip deeper into relaxation and treat your skin with their 60 minute Gold Facial. Lunch is catered in from Red Onion halfway through the day. After lunch treat your feet to a detox soak and reflexology massage. Finish up your day with a beautifying brow wax and Norvell sunless tan. This perfect gift is now only $300!

Stealth Creative is excited to announce that Choice Marketing is now part of the Stealth family. While in Joplin looking to acquire a new business opportunity, Stealth heard about Choice Marketing. Both companies have insurance, healthcare and banking clients. What was initially thought of as a potential partnership snowballed into an acquisition when the full mutual benefit each agency could offer was realized. Mindy Jeffries, President and CEO of Stealth Creative, a St. Louis-based full-service marketing agency, saw an agency with a similar vision and values with incredible potential to grow in the community and beyond. It was important to entrust this new venture to someone who would be able to run the business with family values. Garett Jeffries has stepped in to the role of General Manager of the Joplin office. Garett will be in charge of business operations and acquisition. Prior to this, Garett worked at Stealth St. Louis in account service, client relations, and project management roles. The Choice team is also excited to have a greater depth and breadth of services they can now offer their clients. With their acquisition, Choice Marketing will transition to the Stealth name, expanding Stealth’s footprint in the Missouri marketing world. “The hope for the future is that we can bring our expertise to this area and allow the great employees at Choice to bring theirs to St. Louis,” said Jeffries. “Together we can build a stronger marketing force and hopefully better communities.” For more information about Stealth’s capabilities or to set up a meeting, contact Mindy Jeffries at 314.566.0162 or mjeffries@stealthcreative. com. To learn more about Stealth, visit stealthcreative.com.

The Alliance of SWMO will host a cyber safety seminar, “How to Keep Your Kids Safe in a Digital World.” This free seminar will focus on keeping kids safe online. Gain knowledge on how to monitor your child’s online activity and what dangers are lurking that all parents need to know about. The event will take place on February 22 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Missouri Southern State University, Criminal Justice Auditorium. To register visit http://www.theallianceofswmo.org/.

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Connell Insurance welcomes Kimberly Grizzle as their newest producer to join the Connell Team. Kimberly will be working out of the Joplin office, and has over 20 years of experience in the insurance industry as a P&C producer/ agent, licensed in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. She specializes in large commercial contractors, manufacturing, commercial real estate, not for profit organizations, and restaurants. Kimberly was born and raised in Joplin, MO, and is committed to giving back to the community. She is also active in other organizations for the betterment of the community and the people who live in it.

Premier Aesthetics and Luxury Spa has February specials just for you: Buy one Coolsculpting cycle, get another cycle half price. $75 off the Premier Gold Package - start your day

Please submit your “Our Members Announce” items by the fifteenth of the month to info@joplincc.com.

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019 14

Communications PROGRAM SPONSOR…

& Media Session

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

SESSION SPONSOR…

The Communications & Media Session took place on January 17, 2019, sponsored by The Joplin Globe Publishing Company.

The participants visited with various communication groups located in the Joplin area, to gain better understanding of the role communication plays in leadership effectiveness. The class heard presentations from Zimmer Radio Group, Joplin Globe, Ryan Ferguson on Crisis Communications, MSSU Marketing Department and KSNF-TV. Leadership Joplin is a program developed by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by community businesses to identify, cultivate and motivate future community leaders. Leadership Joplin is in its 36th year with more than 925 graduates. This informative and thought provoking program introduces participants to the community, exposes them to its challenges and requires them to fully participate in the 12 session curriculum. In addition, Leadership Joplin provides a strategic curriculum to enhance participants’ leadership skills and creates a dialogue for discussion on relevant topics and assessment of case studies, ultimately supporting the Chamber’s strategic initiatives and goals.

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

Department of Education looking for judges for the 2019 Technology Student Association State Championship Competitive Events April 14-16, 2019

Missouri Southern State University – TSA (Technology Student Association) is having its annual state championships at Missouri Southern in Joplin on April 14, 15, 16 and is looking for anyone who may be interested in helping judge the student events. TSA is a career and technical service organization that focuses on leadership and offers competitive events for the students to sharpen their skills. There will be approximately 70 high school and middle school competitions ranging from 3D Animation and Animatronics to Architectural and Engineering Drafting to Video Game Design. There will be skill competitions as well as written and oral competitions including Technology Quiz Bowl and Extemporaneous Speech.

Judging will take place Sunday, April 14 and Monday, April 15. The Awards Ceremony will be on Tuesday, April 16. If you are interested but can only attend on one of those days, we will do our best to accommodate that.

Anyone who is interested in technology and enjoys seeing the amazing things that these students can do will have a great time at the TSA State Championships.

If you would like to be a judge or have any questions regarding the competitions, contact Matt Johnson at jon.johnson@dese.mo.gov or Byekwaso Gilbert at Byekwaso.gilbert@dese.mo.gov.

If you are looking for information about TSA, the conference or the competitive events, go to https://motsaweb.org/ or https://tsaweb.org/.

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The Path to Successful Innovation

by KAREN BRADSHAW, Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at Missouri Southern State University

“Drive thy business or it will drive thee.”

–BEN FRANKLIN

Creating a culture of innovation can help your firm grow in a diverse economy. Innovation can assist your company with reducing costs, increasing efficiency, being more competitive, establishing new business relationships, and increasing profitability.

Your return on investment can be directly affected by your ability to innovate. Developing products and services that bring high perceived value to your customers can help increase your return on investment. This strategy can help you differentiate your company from your competitors and build loyal customers.

Innovative ideas can come from your employees, managers, consultants, suppliers, customers, market research, the Internet, or other sources. Future development in your company comes from being able to examine ideas and clarify which ones will benefit your customers and your firm. You need to have a system to analyze and implement these ideas.

Since each company has its own unique culture, you may want to consider how your company can develop a culture that rewards innovation and progress. What are the values and goals of your firm? How will you reward people who influence and contribute to creative ideas that influence your firm’s innovative culture? For you to be successful, you will need to encourage people to learn from failure and promote creative ideas and variety in choices.

Following are some ideas you can use to encourage a culture of innovation within your business:

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

IDENTIFY YOUR VALUE PROPOSITION Your value proposition identifies the unique benefits your company provides for your customers to meet their needs, and describes why you are better than your competitors. It also defines your target market, the problems your company solves for your customers, and your competitive advantage.

CONDUCT AN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Research your industry to estimate your potential for growth. Is the size of the potential market for your goods and services growing? Do you anticipate regulations that may impact your business? If so, what actions can you take to deal with these threats? Assess your competitors to find out about their products/services, prices and organizational culture. How will your industry affect your company now and in the future?

DEVELOP INNOVATIVE GOALS AND PLANS Develop goals and a strategic vision of innovation for your firm. As you are developing your innovation strategy, think about how you can create conditions that allow innovation to become part of everyday discussions among fellow employees.

Plan for training and resources that will assist your employees. Develop financial plans and goals to be able to support your vision. Develop a system for communicating with your customers by listening to their opinions and observing their purchase behaviors.

USE TECHNOLOGY WISELY Examine trends on the Internet, social media, and trade association data in order to develop new ideas. You need to identify opportunities that meet your company goals. How will you identify ways you can use technology such as suitable software and hardware that will be beneficial? Is there new equipment or new forms of technology that could make your firm more productive?

CULTIVATE A CULTURE OF TRUST You might find it difficult to get your employees to suggest new ideas, develop new systems, and risk failure if they are not encouraged, trained, rewarded, and supported by the management of your company. Truly innovative companies have a significant level of trust among their employees and managers. Have processes and events that capture ideas like suggestion boxes, brainstorming meetings, team meetings, newsletters, and intranets for sharing information. Remember, everyone in your company is responsible for innovation. They should all feel comfortable and encouraged to develop new ideas and be innovative.

VALUE PROPOSITION CANVAS A business model is the foundation upon which an organization’s strategy is constructed. In our dynamic economy, companies must review their business model on a regular basis to maximize their performance and increase their profits.

The Value Proposition Canvas is a tool to analyze a company and to more clearly understand their customers, create better products, and grow businesses.

Date: February 22 (Friday) @ 3:00-4:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall (look for yellow signs for room number) n Cost: $29

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BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

The Chamber’s Board of Directors and staff are pleased to welcome our newest Chamber Members.

Please keep these and all Members in mind when looking for goods and services.

ServiceMaster Extreme

Fire and Water Damage Restoration 29214 South 640 Road P.O. Box 451801 Grove, OK 74345-1801 918.787.2449 www.smextremeclean.com Kelly Gilliland, Business Development Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Hobart Design Group, LLC

Graphic Design 10950 Ilario Lane Neosho, MO 64850 417.291.0888 www.hobart-design.com Rodney Hobart, President Sponsors: Ginger LaMar, JACC; Erin Slifka, JACC

Croley Insurance and Financial

Insurance 3705 East Battlefield Springfield, MO 65809 417.881.3520 www.croleyinsurance.com Kelli Stanton, Marketing Director Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Shelter Insurance – Spencer Layne Insurance 1425 East 32nd Street, Suite B Joplin, MO 64804 417.781.5286 www.shelterinsurance.com/slayne Spencer Layne, Agent Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

The Driveway Diner BBQ

Food Truck/Caterers 2891 Southern Hills Drive Joplin, MO 64804 417.621.8991 Shawn and Carla Williams, Owners Sponsor: Loni Smith, JACC

Invite your clients or vendors to join the Chamber.

Contact Reggie Powers at 417.624.4150 or reggie@joplincc.com.

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS Infuxn Vodka Bar

Restaurant/Bar 530 South Main Street Joplin, MO 64801 417.483.3979 www.infuxn.com James Marcum, Business Manager Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Smoothie King JoMo

Restaurants 2202 South Range Line Road Joplin, MO 64804 760.715.2315 www.smoothieking.com Tristan Taggart, Franchisee/Owner/Manager Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Ollis/Akers/Arney Insurance & Business Advisors Insurance 2274 East Sunshine Street Springfield, MO 65804 417.881.8333 www.ollisakersarney.com Tammy Johnson, Director of Marketing & Community Relations Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

First Watch The Daytime Café Restaurants 3231 South Range Line Road Joplin, MO 64804 417.622.0738 www.firstwatch.com Dax Duncan, General Manager Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

WorkFresh Meals

Restaurants 3702 East 7th Street, Suite G Joplin, MO 64801 417.624.5678 www.workfreshmeals.com Jon Buck, Owner Sponsor: Toby Teeter, JACC

Great Circle

Mental Health/Non-Profit Organization 2807 Arizona Avenue Joplin, MO 64804 417.317.5885 www.greatcircle.org Bev Pfeifer-Harms, Director of Communications Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Missouri Farm Bureau – Aaron Brooks

Insurance 705 Illinois Avenue, Suite 25 Joplin, MO 64801 417.342.0697 https://agents.mofbinsurance.com/mo/joplin/705-illinoisave-10809821 Aaron Brooks, Owner Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Nightworks

Landscape Architects-Contractors & Designers 885 Caliburn Nixa, MO 65714 417.773.2627 Reginald Roberts, Owner Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

NextHome SoMo Life

Real Estate-Commercial & Residential 3929 East 7th Street, Suite F Joplin, MO 64801 417.627.5540 www.nexthomesomolife.com Mike and Tanya Scott, Broker/Owner/Realtor Sponsor: Melody Morgan and Chiquita Lemus, NextHome SoMo Life

KPM Technology

Information Technology 1436 South Glenstone, Suite 1 Springfield, MO 65804 417.875.1100 www.kpmtechnology.com Jason Bekemeier, Business Development Manager Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC

Jen’s Cheesecake Delights

Bakeries 1920 Virginia Avenue Joplin, MO 64804 417.499.5789 Jen Williams, Chief Cook and Bottle Washer Sponsor: J.D. Buckridge, Higher Vision Coaching.

Training.Consulting

THANK YOU FOR RENEWING…

PRESENTED BY…

Alpha Air Center, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2011 American National Insurance - The Gullett Agency LLC . . . 2017 American Red Cross of Southern Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000 Bank of Little Rock Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2012 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jasper and Newton Counties . . 2017 Braeckel’s Development Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2001 Building & Construction Trades Council of Joplin, MO . . . 2015 Cell Phone Medics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2009 Christ in Youth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 College Heights Christian School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1992 Cook Portable Warehouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2014 Counseling Associates of the Four States LLC . . . . . . . . . 2009 Fresenius Medical Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2008 Frost Oil Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017 Golden Corral Buffet & Grill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2003 Impact Benefits, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2014 Indigo Sky Casino . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2013 Joplin Ear, Nose & Throat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2018 Joplin Regional Community Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017 Keller Williams Realty of Southwest Missouri . . . . . . . . . . 2006 LegalShield . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2013 Mid-America Precision Products, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2002 Midwest AeroCare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2015 Missouri American Water Company . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1966 Neal Group Construction, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2004 Owens Corning Mineral Wool LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2016 Ozark Camp & Retreat Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2008 Pioneer Warehouse & Logistics, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2009 Planet Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017 Sam’s Club #6415 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1993 Southwest Missouri Lodging Association . . . . . . . . . . . . 2010 T.R. Smith Construction, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2017 Wyandotte Technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2018

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Gideon Marketing

Digital Marketing 4200 McClelland Blvd.

Joplin, MO 64804 417.385.3537 www.gideonmarketing.com Alan Snider, Owner Sponsor: Reggie Powers, JACC 19

BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

FEBRUARY 1 7:30 am JACC Morning Brew Missouri Southern State University FEBRUARY 5 9:00 am Leads Group One JACC

FEBRUARY 12 8:00 am YPN Professional Development Workgroup Joplin Avenue Coffee Company

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

4:00 pm Military Recruiting Meeting JACC FEBRUARY 13 8:00 am YPN Building Future Leaders Panera Bread

FEBRUARY 6 8:00 am Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Boys and Girls Club

9:00 am Leads Group Two JACC

8:00 am YPN Gives Back Workgroup Sami’s Family Restaurant

12:00 pm Lunch & Learn for Group Health Plan JACC

9:00 am Leads Group Three JACC

12:00 pm YPN HYPE Lunch Club 1201

12:00 pm YPN HYPE Lunch Club 1201 FEBRUARY 7 4:00 pm YPN Community Impact Workgroup Social BTB 4:00 pm YPN Gives Back to Building Bridges St. Paul’s United Methodist Church FEBRUARY 7 & 8 Leadership Joplin Overnight Retreat Sky Ranch Cave Springs Retreat Center FEBRUARY 11 12:00 pm YPN ED Talk, Mindfulness In The Workplace JACC

4:30 pm YPN BrandMasters Caroline’s FEBRUARY 15 10:00 am Eggs and Issues Grace Point Assembly, Carthage FEBRUARY 19 9:00 am Leads Group One Joplin Public Safety Training Facility 12:00 pm YPN Connections Workgroup Joplin Avenue Coffee Company

FEBRUARY 20 9:00 am Leads Group Three Adelmo Family Care 12:00 pm YPN HYPE Lunch Club 1201 FEBRUARY 21 8:30 am Leadership Joplin Class of 2019 Joplin Public Safety Training Facility 4:00 pm YPN Community Impact Workgroup Social BTB 5:30 pm Business After Hours Gusano’s Pizzeria FEBRUARY 22 8:00 am YPN Executive Committee JACC FEBRUARY 25 11:30 am Chamber Board of Directors JACC FEBRUARY 27 9:00 am Leads Group Two JACC 12:00 pm YPN HYPE Lunch Club 1201

BENEFITS OF HOSTING A CHAMBER EVENT

—•— Opportunity for company to showcase their business to approximately 150 Chamber Members.

—•— Attendee list provided to host.

—•— Opportunity to speak to attendees.

—•— Company name recognition on: JACC Monday and Wednesday memos emailed to more than 2,000 Chamber Members • Joplincc.com

—•— Company logo recognition on:

Quarterly event postcards mailed to approximately 1,600 Chamber Members.

• Back Page of JACC monthly digital newsletter “Business Outlook” emailed to more than 3,000 Chamber Member representatives and area businesses.

• Banner at event

20

2019 months are going quick contact Reggie Powers | reggie@joplincc.com | 417.624.4150

SMALL BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTER MISSOURI SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY | THE ROBERT W. PLASTER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS 3950 Newman Road, Joplin, MO 64801-1512 Phone: 417.625.3128 • Fax: 417.625.9782

FEBRUARY TRAINING EVENTS

FEBRUARY 2019

BUSINESS OUTLOOK

Register at: www.mssu.edu

STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS: THE FIRST STEPS Before you start a business, be certain to attend this seminar. Participants will have an opportunity to assess their business idea, learn about the importance of planning, discuss legal and regulatory requirements, learn about marketing strategies, and identify sources of financing. Each participant will receive a Start-up Manual.

Date: February 8 (Friday) @ 1:30-4:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall, Room 108 n Cost: $29/business (up to 2 attendees)

BUSINESS FINANCIALS: THE BASICS This training is designed for business owners, managers, and those who want to learn how to turn financial statements into useful management tools. Participants will review the accounts listed on the Profit & Loss statement and Balance Sheet and will learn how to calculate several useful ratios from these financial statements. Participants will then learn how to make business decisions from this information.

Date: February 12 (Tuesday) @ 2:30-4:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall, Room 108 n Cost: $49/person

QUICKBOOKS DESKTOP: UTILIZATION, TIPS, AND TRICKS This training will be a demonstration of QuickBooks and how to best utilize the program and its features.

Date: February 13 (Wednesday) @ 1:30-4:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall, Room 107 n Cost: $79

LIVEPLAN: BUILDING A BUSINESS PLAN Whether you are starting a business, trying to obtain financing from lenders or investors, or expanding your company, you should consider writing a business plan. Live Plan is an online business planning software that works on any type of computer with an Internet connection. You can construct a business plan and financial statements, which can be accessed by multiple users. This workshop will introduce you to the Live Plan software and provide tips on writing a successful business plan. Participants, who are MSSU SBTDC clients will receive 90-day access to Live Plan.

Date: February 20 (Wednesday) @ 2:00-3:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall, Room 108 n Cost: $39

VALUE PROPOSITION CANVAS A business model is the foundation upon which an organization’s strategy is constructed. In our dynamic economy, companies must review their business model on a regular basis to maximize their performance and increase their profits.

The Value Proposition Canvas is a tool to analyze a company and to more clearly understand their customers, create better products, and grow businesses.

Date: February 22 (Friday) @ 3:00-4:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall (look for yellow signs for room number) n Cost: $29

MICROSOFT EXCEL LEVEL 1 Learn the practical uses of Microsoft Excel. Participants will be given an overview of Excel and will learn how to build, format, save, and print Excel workbooks. During this training event, participants will learn how to create basic worksheets with text, numbers, formulas, and functions. Learn to utilize ribbons, the help system and other Excel features. Find out how to insert, delete, move, and copy data. Learn how to create and modify charts. Each participant will receive a manual and completion certificate.

Date: 2 Day Training: February 26 & 28 (Tues. & Thurs.) @ 1:30-4:30pm n Location: MSSU, Plaster Hall, Room 106 n Cost: $124

21

BUSINESS OUTLOOK FEBRUARY 2019

NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN 2019 Small Business of the Year Awards SPONSORED BY…

This is your opportunity to nominate a small business or a not-for-profit for the 2019 Small Business of the Year Awards presented by BKD, llp and the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce. The awards recognize the contributions of small business to the local economy and to the overall progress of the Joplin area.

Awards will be presented to three (3) deserving businesses serving our community—one business employing 1-10 employees, one business employing 11-50 employees and one not-for-profit business.

REQUIREMENTS FOR NOMINATION

n Must be in good standing with the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce n Must have been a member of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce for two years

FINALISTS WILL BE CHOSEN BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA

Contributions to the community n Business or management philosophy n Response to challenges Innovative products or services n Employee involvement/recognition

NOMINATE A BUSINESS HERE NOMINATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 28, 2019 Joplincc.com/awards

2019 Golden Apple Awards TITLE SPONSOR…

PRESENTING SPONSOR…

THE PURPOSE

Teachers play a vital role in the lives of our children. The purpose of the Golden Apple Awards Program is to recognize excellence in the teaching profession and to inform the public of the exceptional quality of instruction in the Joplin community. It is also an opportunity to recognize the importance of education and the tremendous resource we have in our teaching professionals.

AWARD CATEGORIES

One teacher is honored in each of the following four categories: Grades K-2 n Grades 3-5 n Grades 6-8 n Grades 9-12

ELIGIBILITY

n A nominee must be a certified classroom teacher who instructs students on a daily basis. n A nominee may teach at any grade level from kindergarten through grade 12. n A nominee must be teaching during the 2018-2019 school year in a public or private school in Joplin. n A nominee may not be a previous recipient of the Golden Apple Award.

NOMINATE A TEACHER HERE NOMINATION DEADLINE FEBRUARY 15, 2019 22

Joplincc.com/goldenapple

KEEP UP WITH ALL OF OUR EVENTS AND HAPPENINGS AT JOPLINCC.COM, OR SIGN UP FOR TEXT ALERTS AND RECEIVE REMINDERS FOR THE EVENTS YOU CHOOSE.

jacc MORNING BREW sponsored by

located at NIXON HALL

3950 East Newman Road

Friday, February 1, 2019 7:30-8:30 am

presented by

RSVP online at www.joplincc.com –OR– by calling 417.624.1996

sponsored by

Thursday, February 21, 2019 5:30-7:00 pm RSVP online at www.joplincc.com –OR– by calling 417.624.1996

located at GUSANO’S PIZZERIA 3929 East 7th Street, Suite E

THANK YOU TO OUR CHAIRMAN LEVEL SPONSOR FOR HELPING US COMMUNICATE WITH OUR MEMBERS…

presented by