Advantage Magazine | February 2022

ROCH ESTER A Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce Publication

February 2022

Treasure island resort & casino EVOLUTION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION

8 MEET THE MEMBER Media Core

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXCHANGE 2022 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA Workplace Wellness: Culture and The Chamber announces its 2022 Employee Engagement Legislative Agenda

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February 2022

What’s Inside Feature

Treasure Island Resort and Casino

8

Meet the Member

10

Chamber News

15

Community News

18

Newsreel

Media Core

Advertising Information: Brent Ackerman backerman@RochesterMNChamber.com

Advantage Information and Questions: Katie Becker kbecker@RochesterMNChamber.com

FUNCTIONALITY C R E AT I V I T Y At TSP, high-level functionality goes hand-inhand with inspired creativity, allowing our team to incorporate an artistic vision while making any space safe and efficient.

STAFF

Chamber President Ryan Parsons 507-288-1122

2021-2022 CHAMBER BOARD OFFICERS Chair of the Board Christy Blade

Rochester Post Bulletin

Membership Brent Ackerman Development Director 507-424-5666

Vice Chair John Eckerman RSP Architects

Treasurer James Kelly

Membership Director Kali Aldrich

507-424-5665

Secretary Emily Benner

Communications Director Katie Becker

Boston Scientific

507-424-5661

Director of Operations Cheryl Krage 507-424-5699

Membership Director Tim Shea

507-424-5663

Administrative Assistant Cherie Thurlow 507-288-1122

2021-2022 CHAMBER BOARD MEMBERS Santhi Arunachalam

Xylo Technologies Inc.

Lizzy Haywood

People’s Food Cooperative

Dr. Christine Beech*

Copiavia

Doug Holtan

Mayo Clinic

Chad Behnken

Hamilton Real Estate

Marge Kelley

Express Employment Professionals

Emily Benner

Boston Scientific

Sarah Miller

White Space, LLC

Dr. Lori Carrell

University of Minnesota - Rochester

Matt Morehead

Carlson Capital Management

Teresa Czaplewski

Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home

Dan Nistler

Merchants Bank

Steve Dunn

Taco JED

Omar Nur

Somali American Social Service Assoc.

Scott Eggert*

Broadway Plaza

Sylwia Bujak Oliver 125 Live

Jessica Eidem

IBM Corporation

David Pederson

Dunlap & Seeger, P.A.

Shawn Fagan

Fagan Studios

Jack Priggen

Cardinal of MN, LTD.

Abel Garcia

Remodeling D.L, LLC

Joselyn Raymundo Rochester Home Infusion

Karen Hanson

Home Instead Senior Care

Sharon Schneller

Olmsted Medical Center

Gwen Stevens

People’s Energy Cooperative

*Denotes at large members of the Executive Committee

VISION

MISSION The Chamber promotes business success which supports a thriving community.

Rochester-area businesses are empowered to succeed in a diverse and collaborative climate.

VALUES As a service organization, the Chamber is committed to conducting our work in accordance with the following values:

Collaboration | Diversity |Innovation Integrity | Proactivity Chamber Advantage USPS 446-900 is published monthly by the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce at 220 S Broadway Ste 100 | Rochester, MN 55904 | Phone: 507-288-1122 Periodical Postage paid at Rochester, Minnesota | Annual Subscription: $20 (free to Chamber members) | Christy Blade, Chair of the Board | Editor: Katie Becker Postmaster: Send address changes to: Chamber Advantage, 220 S Broadway Ste 100, Rochester, MN 55904 or email: chamber@rochestermnchamber.com

Feature F

TREASURE ISLAND RESORT AND CASINO: EVOLUTION OF AN ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION How Treasure Island Resort and Casino continues to be a fun destination for all ages.

By Maura Keller

Dotting the American

landscape are gaming resorts aplenty. Ranging from smaller, more intimate venues to larger attractions offering something for everyone, today’s gaming resorts are considered one-stop entertainment venues that keep visitors coming back for more. And nothing could be more true when describing Minnesota’s own Treasure Island Resort & Casino in Welch, MN. What began as a bingo hall in 1984, has grown into the casino resort complex you see today. So, what does Treasure Island attribute to its success? As general manager of Treasure Island, Mike Heavner explains, the impact of the region has been significant; starting with providing economic prosperity to the Prairie Island Indian Community. As a result, Treasure Island is one of the largest employers in Goodhue County, and the resort supports many local businesses.

“Our biggest success has been transforming Treasure Island to be the full-scale resort and casino it is today. We offer a variety of entertainment and experiences that appeal to people of all ages and interests – there is something to enjoy for everyone,

February 2022

Treasure Island has positioned itself as one of the top entertainment venues in the nation with their venue seating around 16,000 people.

whether you want to gamble, take in a show with friends, have a date night with a significant other or simply get away for a weekend with your family,” Heavner says. “Ultimately, we are fulfilling our vision statement to be a source of pride for the Prairie Island Indian Community, our guests, our team members and our surrounding communities. I believe we have come a long way in fulfilling that vision.

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F Feature

Treasure Island Resort and Casino’s full-service waterpark, The Lagoon, is a fun place for all ages.

What successes are we most proud of? From a property standpoint, I am proud of the projects our team has accomplished to transform Treasure Island into a full-scale resort and casino.”

Treasure Island strives for continuous improvement to provide guests new and innovative experiences at the resort. Recent projects that have been completed in the last few years include the new Tado Steakhouse, the Lagoon waterpark, an outdoor amphitheater and the most recent hotel addition – the Wolf Tower, which provides an additional 300 hotel rooms, making the hotel the second largest in the state with 788 total rooms.

“From a management standpoint, I am most proud of the resiliency and dedication of our team members throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We have had to deal with many challenges for the past two years, including closing the resort, transforming the property for COVID operations and finally safely reopening the casino and all of our amenities,” Heavner says.

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And similar to many businesses, Treasure Island also has had to navigate the “great resignation,” which has had a disproportionate impact on the hospitality industry and caused a major supply chain disruption.

Through it all, the casino’s highest priority has remained the same: To protect the health and safety of team members and guests.

“Treasure Island has made every effort to take care of its team members and I believe we have a stronger, closer team because of the challenges we’ve overcome together,” Heavner says.

Never-Ending Fun

One thing’s for sure: Treasure Island Resort & Casino has evolved into an entertainment destination that offers something for everyone. While gaming is the obvious draw, guests can enjoy a luxury hotel, fine dining in Tado Steakhouse, a full-service waterpark, a scenic golf course, a bowling center and arcade, an invigorating spa, and a wealth of national entertainment options – all while enjoying the splendor of the Mighty Mississippi River.

February 2022

Feature F In fact, Tado Steakhouse has become a favorite among guests to Treasure Island, as the upscale restaurant boasts exemplary menu offerings and a commitment to service and quality, bar none.

“The servers and culinary team truly deliver an exceptional experience. I suggest anyone to treat themselves to a great meal at Tado,” Heavner says.

In addition to exquisite dining options, Treasure Island has also expanded the hotel and added an outdoor amphitheater, which offers a great outdoor entertainment experience with intimate seating and unmatched sightlines.

To complement the entertainment onstage, the resort features some of the best food trucks in the region featuring a variety of food options while providing a “festival feel” to the event. The venue itself offers 10,000 reserved seats, as well as a general admission berm for up to 6,000 people.

Throughout its long standing history, Treasure Island has positioned itself as one of the top entertainment venues in the region. In fact, the caliber of entertainment continues to increase each year.

“We feel that Treasure Island Resort & Casino is well positioned to succeed as we approach what hopefully is a more ‘normal’ post-COVID world,” Heavner says. “People have been isolated for a long time and we are excited to offer an escape, whether for the day or an extended stay, to anyone in the region. We plan to continue upping our game in all of our key areas: casino gaming, dining, and entertainment.”

To learn more about Treasure Island Resort and Casino, visit them online at www.ticasino.com or in person at 5734 Sturgeon Lake Rd. in Welch, MN.

Back in the day: Treasure Island Resort and Casino started out as a bingo hall in 1984, and has grown into the casino resort complex you see today.

As Heavner explains, in 2021 Treasure Island hosted two of the most high-profile acts in the country – Luke Bryan and Lizzo, which both drew over 16,000 fans. This summer will be another big year for concerts as the resort is working hard to secure another great lineup for 2022. The legendary Santana will perform indoors at the Island Event Center this April.

February 2022

Advantage Magazine | 7

M Meet the Member

MEET THE MEMBER: MEDIA CORE It has been said that an image is worth

a thousand words, and videos are worth even more than that. Video marketing is a powerful form of marketing which uses videos to promote your business.

Businesses of all sizes can utilize video marketing, and it has proven to be one of the most effective forms of marketing, allowing businesses to increase their engagement across a variety of digital and social channels. Media Core, a local Rochester company founded by Josh Langmade, specializes in video marketing and can help any kind of business with their specific video needs.

Q: Tell us more about Media Core. What

does your company offer to the Rochester region?

A: Media Core is a Video Production Agency, and we work with businesses on a variety of video needs. Some of our main videos are Company Story’s, Recruitment, Testimonials, and Internal training / Education. Every company can use video in some way or another we just need to educate people on the possibilities of doing a project. Every project that we work on with a client is going to be tailored to a specific need.

Q: How did it start for Media Core?

A: Josh Langmade started Media Core

Media Core is a Video Production Agency that works with different businesses on a variety of video needs.

at the end of 2018 while he was still working in Spring Valley. January 1st of 2019, he quit and went full time into the company.

Media Core was going to be a social media marketing company at the beginning that did photos and video. His passion was video, and he kept getting video projects and it continued growing from there. Later in 2019 his brother Jacob Langmade graduated from college and decided to join the team. From there the company kept evolving into the best video production company around. The team is currently at 6 employees and we have an office on the NW side of Rochester. We

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“EVERY COMPANY CAN USE VIDEO IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.” continue to serve the area but also have been doing more and more work all over Minnesota and the Midwest. Josh always says that it’s about the people. If you take care of people and have a great product you will grow.

February 2022

Meet the Member M Q: Media Core became a member of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce in April of 2021. What do you find valuable in your membership to the organization?

A: We feel that being part of the chamber will help with getting more involved in the community and having the ability to connect with a lot of businesses and individuals plugged in to Rochester.

Q: What is a unique fact people should know about Media Core?

A: We were originally going to be a social media management company that offered video on the side. Soon enough there was more desire and need for quality video in the Rochester area so we transitioned into offering only video and becoming the experts in it. However, from that early exposure into social media management we still have great knowledge in that space which has proved very beneficial to our clients.

“WE FEEL THAT BEING PART OF THE CHAMBER WILL HELP WITH GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY..”

Q: What is the outlook for your business and

industry?

A: The video industry is growing rapidly, and Media Core is staying at the forefront of it. We are looking to continue growing and serving more of the area as well as more in MN and the surrounding states. We want to come along side businesses to understand what their needs are and come up with a plan to help solve it.

Visit Media Core online at www.mediacoremarketing.com or in person at 2660 Superior Dr. NW, Suite 104, in Rochester.

Media Core is growing rapidly and continues to do projects throughout Rochester and Minnesota and even in surrounding states.

February 2022

Advantage Magazine | 9

MARCH

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5:30 PM

Join the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce for a night under the stars on

Thursday, March 31st, 2022. This gala will celebrate the success and growth of the business community in the Greater Rochester Area.

REGISTER BY VISITING https://bit.ly/3CjLoT7

Important Information Date: Thursday, March 31, 2022 Time: 5:30pm-8:30pm Location: Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Dr. SE, Rochester, MN Agenda: 5:30pm-6:00pm: Networking and Introduction 6:15pm: Program and Keynote Speaker 8:00pm: Networking Member Admission: $60 General Admission: $80 Virtual Member Admission: $50 Virtual General Admission: $70

Featured Keynote Speaker Elliot Kotek A social impact filmmaker & entrepreneur working in innovation, technology and media, Elliot produced the first ever user-generated feature film, steered storytelling about a social robot for kids with cancer, enabled a farmer with ALS to independently tell his wife he loves her, and produced the world’s first lab to make 3D-printed prosthetic limbs.

Elliot believes nimble collaboration is a key to innovation and works on concepts and campaigns with massive corporations as well as non-profits.

Elliot’s driven by the mantra that Ideas + Empathy = Impact, and gets excited by entertainment that defies stereotypes while serving to entertain and inspire.

Presenting Sponsors:

Gold Sponsor:

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

Media Sponsor:

Destination Medical Center ISG Kwik Trip Minnesota Energy Resources Rochester Airport Company RSP Architects Star Tribune Media Company Treasure Island Resort and Casino West Bank Table Sponsors: Altra Federal Credit Union Associated Bank Avra Hospitality Benike Construction Bolton & Menk, Inc. City of Rochester CRW Architecture + Design Group Destination Medical Center Doma Title

Dunlap & Seeger, P.A. Hawkins Ash CPA’s HGA KNXR - MN 97.5 MetroNet Nuss Truck Group Inc. ONB Bank Premier Bank Rochester

Rochester Community and Technical College Rochester Post Bulletin Rochester Title and Escrow Company, Inc, Schad Tracy Signs Think Bank Townsquare Media Widseth Winona State University - Rochester

C Chamber News

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

Join us for Business after Hours (BAH), a monthly

networking function which brings professionals together to network and build valuable business relationships. Enjoy delicious food and drinks while connecting with a variety of business and organizations operating in the greater Rochester area. This event is a great opportunity to increase your organization’s visibility and generate productive business leads.

Come and connect, expand your network, and build community while enjoying River Valley Power and Sport on Thursday, February 24 from 4:30PM 6:30PM. Date: Thursday, February 24 Time: 4:30pm-6:30pm Location: River Valley Power and Sport, 5327 E Frontage Rd. NW, Rochester, MN Admission: Free, registration required

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AM ESPRESSO

AM Espresso is a monthly Networking PLUS event

brought to you by the Chamber. Come join fellow Chamber and community members to expand your network, promote your business, and enjoy delicious breakfast refreshments. We believe there is value for all in building a supportive business community. As the local economy shifts towards recovery, it is more important than ever to interact with each other to share ideas and best practices.

Come join fellow Chamber and community members to expand your network, promote your business, and enjoy delicious breakfast refreshments.

In March, you are invited to SPARK Children’s Museum.

Date: Friday, March 4 Time: 7:30am-9:00am Location: SPARK Children’s Museum, 1201 12th St. SW, Suite 632, Rochester, MN Admission: Free, registration required

February 2022

Chamber News C

BDX - WORKPLACE WELLNESS AND CULTURE As businesses work together to provide an

Series Sponsors:

adaptable, team oriented workplace for all of their employees, it is important to remember that a positive workplace culture for your team can help with retention, improved customer service, and more. Join the Chamber and experts from GEOTEK and Olmsted County at the next Business Development Exchange (BDX) for a roundtable conversation to learn the business practices and systems when it comes to office culture, employee engagement, and workplace wellness.

Agenda: Workplace Wellness • Pa Houa “PH” Moua, Olmsted County 11:45-11:55am: Employee Engagement • Mollie Forstner, GEOTEK Developing a Positive Workplace Culture • Pa Houa “PH” Moua, Olmsted County • Mollie Forstner, GEOTEK Q&A./Roundtable Discussion Date: Thursday, February 24 Time: 11:30am-12:30pm Location: Winona State University - Rochester, 400 S Broadway, STE 300, Rochester, MN Admission: Free for members, $10 general admission, registration required

February 2022

Session Sponsor:

Advantage Magazine | 13

C Chamber News

CHAMBER ANNOUNCES 2022 LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

As the 2022 legislative session begins, the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce presents our 2022

legislative agenda. The legislative agenda represents key priorities for the Rochester area business community and will provide an overview of our path forward in the current legislative session. The Chamber will advocate for the support of workforce programs that drive talent attraction and retention, utilizing state and federal funds to address the deficit in Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, and infrastructure and community projects that can elevate the Rochester region.

Encouraging a strong business environment in the Rochester region and access for businesses to the resources needed to continue their recovery from the pandemic is a priority and the Chamber. The Chamber team welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with legislators, businesses, community partners and more to promote a growing business community in the region.

Key Legislative Priorities: Infrastructure

Support of bonding efforts that encourage development, sustainability and enhance the Rochester region, including road infrastructure and community projects that positively impact the regional business community.

Workforce

Support of workforce programs and initiatives that provide career pathways and awareness of high-demand career opportunities, including experiential learning opportunities.

Additional Priorities: Workforce •

Support legislation which reforms occupational licensing processes in high-demand occupations to address workforce gaps and assist in talent attraction and retention.

General Business •

Support the use of state and federal funds to address the deficit in Minnesota’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.

•

Support efforts to reduce uncompetitive taxes that hinder entrepreneurship, talent attraction and retention, and business growth and investment.

•

Oppose additional mandates and workplace restrictions to allow area businesses the opportunity to make appropriate and responsive decisions for their workplace and changing economic conditions.

•

Encourage effective economic development through support of programs and incentives that can inspire investment in enterprise, drive regional business growth, and strengthen the ability of Rochester and Minnesota to be competitive in business attraction and retention.

Healthcare •

Support efforts to sustain Medicaid Expansion, ensuring access to services and to to help control health care costs and expense to business.

• Infrastructure •

•

Support the growth of telecommunications infrastructure, including rural communities, to ensure access to reliable internet service for businesses and community.

Support the extension of funding for the Rochester International Airport runway improvement project to ensure reconstruction and airport enhancements are completed.

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February 2022

Community News C

ROCHESTER WINS GLOBAL MAYORS CHALLENGE sustainable job growth, as Rochester’s $6 billion Destination Medical Center (DMC) economic development initiative is expected to generate new construction jobs over 20 years.

Mayor Kim Norton shares, “We are so very honored and excited to be selected as one of the top 15 cities selected. Advancing the work in our proposal will allow us to address the marked disparities that exist for BIPOC women in Rochester. It will also help meet the needs of the construction and built

Bloomberg Philanthropies announced the 15

winning cities of the 2021-2022 Global Mayors Challenge, a worldwide innovation competition that supports and spreads cities’ most promising ideas.

Rochester has the opportunity to enter a three-year implementation period with a $1 million grant and robust technical assistance.

The 15 winning cities named today hail from 13 nations on six continents and collectively represent more than 30 million residents. They were selected from among 50 Champion Cities that spent the past four months rigorously testing and refining their projects. When the competition launched in January 2021, mayors from 631 cities in 99 countries submitted their boldest ideas to the competition.

“Our co-designers and project partners were essential to the development of the project proposal and are key to our community’s future success. Collectively, we are committed to creating a model that can be effective here and also replicated across the country and globe. Our focus is on building community all people at a time,” highlights Chao Mwatela, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director.

The Rochester project focuses on the economic mobility of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) women through careers in all-phases of the built environment and construction. Construction is a key pathway to economic recovery and

February 2022

environment industries that are vital to our growing community and in advancing the new federal infrastructure investment.”

“As the world works to address the profound public health and economic effects of the ongoing pandemic, cities can implement innovative ideas at a pace that national governments simply can’t match,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P. and 108th Mayor of New York City. “Our fifteen winners offer bold, achievable plans to improve health, reduce unemployment, empower women, and more. Collectively, they have the potential to improve millions of their residents’ lives – and the most successful solutions will inspire cities around the world to embrace them.”

“The Mayors Challenge shows that there can be a positive legacy to emerge from all the hardship of the past two years – and that it’s happening in our cities,” said James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Now we turn to help these mayors implement their ideas, evaluate, and spread the ideas that produce big impact.”

Additional information about Rochester’s project can be found here: https://bit.ly/34YRnRr

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C Community News

PACE INTERNATIONAL FEATURED IN NATIONAL RV PUBLICATION Known to some as “Rochester’s best-kept

secret”, Pace International has delivered products and solutions to customers all over the country over the last 50 years. As it celebrates a huge milestone this year, we were recognized and interviewed by a top National RV publication where they detailed all the levels and complexities of Pace and the network it supports. From sales and technical support with an award-winning Rochester-based call center to shipping products nationwide from its 70,000SF Rochester warehouse, we are setting the pace both locally and Nationally in more ways than one.

The launch of our new TravlFi™ brand developed and owned by Pace from hardware to the activation through billing of the service and support, is just one of the newest and innovative launches for the RV market.

Photos from this publication were also done by a local Rochester chamber business, Ken Klotzbach of Image Conscious Photography.

Check out the article here on page 38: https:// nbm.uberflip.com/i/1437999-january-22/32 If you are interested in learning more about Pace’s local impact, please contact our Executive Vice President of Sales, Tim Duetsch.

"Once people know someone's story, they see beyond what meets the eye and understand them on a deeper level."

- Hanan Abdelgadir

GET INVOLVED or GIVE at www.diversitycouncil.org

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February 2022

Community News C

IDEAS TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS IN THE NEW YEAR

By Dean Swanson, volunteer Certified SCORE Mentor and former SCORE Chapter Chair, District Director, and Regional Vice President for the North West Region

One of the most common goals for the new year by small business CEOs is the need to grow your business. But, when it comes to settling on realistic strategies to make that happen, they really need some fresh ideas. We have found that one can learn a lot from other businesses.

Brett Farmiloe, Founder & CEO of Markitors, a digital marketing company that connects small businesses to customers through organic search is one of SCORE’s content partners. As he has done in the past, he has come up with some good suggestions when he asked business professionals and leaders for their insights “How can you grow your business in the new year?” Here are some of his responses.

Invest in Quality SEO Content. Organic search is a channel that produces a reliable and sustainable flow of trusted leads at a low cost. The trick to getting organic search to work is investing the resources to create content, build backlinks, and address any technical issues presiding on the website. If a business is looking to grow in the year ahead, organic search is certainly a long-term strategy to build a marketing funnel. Keep in mind that when hiring an SEO expert, a campaign may take between 4-12 months to see results. However, once the campaign produces results, a business should enjoy a steady stream of new clients and revenue. -Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Make Use of Social Media. It might sound cliché at this point, but social media is the future of business growth. So, you need to make the greatest possible use of social media. Everyone has a smartphone in their pocket, and social media platforms are amongst the most-used apps on those phones. If you set up your social media business page, advertise products, enable any shop or product promotion options, and regularly interact with your followers, you’ll set yourself up to see significant results in the new year. -Vicky Franko, Insura Capitalize on E-commerce. If you haven’t been getting the most out of the e-commerce boom, now is the time to capitalize on it. There’s a market for practically everything online, from services like insurance to products. However, if you don’t have an online presence that can capture customers’ awareness or interest, they’re going to find it elsewhere. Make sure you have an up-to-date website and social media. These are the key ingredients to growing your business in the new year.

-Brian Greenberg, Insurist Fill an Untapped Niche. Look for niches in need of being filled. You might think you have all of your bases covered, but untapped opportunities are waiting for you. Once upon a time, offering loan services specific to small businesses was an underutilized market, but we’ve gone on to help others, and ourselves, thrive. Start the year off by making a plan to look for opportunities and stick with it. -Allan Switalski, LendThrive To read more, visit SCORE’s website at https://bit.ly/3lC7k6d

Utilize Existing Customers. If you’ve got a long list of satisfied clients, try to utilize them for referrals. A satisfied client is a grateful client, and they’ll likely be happy to recommend you to others. As an interior design firm, there is already a lot of demand for our services. However, that doesn’t stop us from making the most of our relationships with our clientele, so we get a fair number of referrals. -Alisha Taylor, Alisha Taylor Interiors

February 2022

Advantage Magazine | 17

N Newsreel

NEWSREEL Updates from the Chamber member community.

Raymundo Named to Advisory Board

Westra Appointed VP of Community Impact

New Location for Nuss Truck & Equipment

Post Bulletin Awarded Vance Trophy

Joselyn Raymundo has been named to the Merchants Bank Advisory Board for Rochester. Raymundo is the Founder/CEO of Rochester Home Infusion (RHI). She is humbled and excited to join the Board and her experience running a woman, minority- and veteran-owned business will bring a unique perspective on how Merchant Bank could further help the business community.

Think Bank is pleased to announce that Alaine Westra has been appointed our new Vice President of Community Impact.

Westra brings strong experience in the non-profit sector and a firm commitment to community service to this new role at Think.

Nuss Truck & Equipment is pleased to announce the opening of their ninth dealership location, which is located at 3499 Chelsea Road West, Monticello, MN. Nuss is the region’s largest dealer of new and used Mack and Volvo Trucks, and Volvo Construction Equipment. This new state-of-the-art facility, with top-trained staff, will serve customers in the West Metro and Central Minnesota

The Post Bulletin has been awarded the Vance Trophy from the Minnesota Newspaper Association, which is awarded to the top daily newspaper in the state.

They also received 24 awards with 12 first finishes including Use of Photography as a Whole, Local Breaking News Coverage, Photo Story, and more.

Merchants Financial Group, Inc. Earnings

Mercer Named as Curator

Schambureck Receives Promotion

Merchants Financial Group, Inc. (MFGI) announced year-end earnings for 2021 with net income of $28,770,000, according to MFGI President & CEO Gregory M. Evans. The earnings exceeded MFGI’s plan for the year by more than $8.2 million and is an increase of 33.8% over 2020 earnings.

Long-time museum professional, Bill Mercer, has been named Curator of Collections of the National Eagle Center.

Mercer, who joined the Center as it kicked-off Phase I of its $27 million renovation and expansion, has more than 30 years of experience in museums around the country.

CRW architecture + design group is proud to announce that Erin Schambureck, MFA has been promoted to the position of partner/shareholder with the firm. Erin has been practicing Interior Design for over 15 years and specializes in corporate, senior housing, retail and housing projects.

New Library Program A new partnership with Rochester Public Library (RPL) and Family Service Rochester (FSR) is providing the community with increased access to social services. For the last month, Social Worker Allison Carpenter has been working out of the library’s Wellness Corner. In her new role she is able to provide much-needed support to individuals who need housing, food, and other social services.

Does your company have a new hire, recent promotion, or recognition to announce? Submit your Newsreel to Katie Becker at kbecker@rochestermnchamber.com.

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February 2022

Event Lineup E

EVENT LINEUP FEBRUARY 10

FEBRUARY 18

Chamber 101

Women’s Roundtable

Date: Thursday, February 10, 2022

Date: Friday, February 18, 2022

Time: 8:00am-9:30am

Time: 7:30am-9:00am

Location: Cascade Meadows, Saint Mary’s University

Location: Rochester Area Chamber

- Rochester Campus, Meeting Room 102, 2900 19th

of Commerce Conference Room, 220 S Broadway

St. NW, Rochester, MN

Ave., Ste 100, Rochester, MN or Virtual Zoom

FREE - Registration required

FREE - Registration required

FEBRUARY 24

FEBRUARY 24

Business Development Exchange

Business After Hours - River Valley Power & Sport

Date: Thursday, February 24, 2022

Date: Thursday, February 24, 2022

Time: 11:30am-12:30pm

Time: 4:30pm-6:30pm

Location: Winona State University - Rochester, 400 S

Location: River Valley Power & Sport, 5327 E Frontage

Broadway, STE 300, Rochester, MN

Rd. NW, Rochester, MN

FREE for members, $10 for general admission.

FREE - Registration required

Registration required

MARCH 4

MARCH 31

AM Espresso - SPARK Children’s Museum

2022 Annual Celebration

Date: Friday, March 4, 2022

Time: 5:30pm-8:30pm

Time: 11:30am-12:30pm

Location: Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Dr, SE,

Location: SPARK Children’s Museum, 1201 12th St.

Rochester, MN

SW, STE 632, Rochester, MN

Member Admission: $60

FREE - Registration required

Virtual Member Admission: $80

February 2022

Date: Thursday, March 31, 2022

Advantage Magazine | 19

R Ribbon Cuttings

RIBBON CUTTINGS

Congratulations to the following members on their successful Ribbon Cuttings!

Branch Out Day Spa

Branch Out Day Spa celebrated their new location, expansion, and new Chamber membership with a ribbon cutting on December 9. Owner, Michele Branch, cut the ribbon.

4100 18th Ave NW, Rochester, MN 55901 www.branchoutdayspa.com

Active PT

Active PT celebrated the Grand Opening of their new location with a ribbon cutting on December 10.

President, Joan Ward, cut the ribbon.

3708 Broadway Ave. N, Ste 104, Rochester, MN 55901 https://www.activeptandsports.com/

Tierra Encantada

Tierra Encantada celebrated their Grand Opening and new Chamber membership with a ribbon cutting on January 27. Owner, Kristin, cut the ribbon.

3805 Cascade Creek Rd. NW, Rochester, MN 55901 www.tierraencantada.com

Is your company celebrating an anniversary, grand opening, or other significant milestone?

Contact Brent Ackerman at backerman@rochestermnchamber.com to schedule your ribbon cutting today!

20 | Advantage Magazine

February 2022

Welcome to the Chamber W

WELCOME TO THE CHAMBER! Introducing our newest members.

Castle Realty of Rochester

Rochester Poppins, LLC

Moments Hospice

Access Systems

Copiavia

Townies Grill’d Philly Subs and More

American Dialogue Company, LLC

Links Handyman Service

Whitney Hegseth (507) 512-3600 PO Box 9277, Rochester, MN 55903 www.onlinecastles.com/rochester/

Jayme Womeldorf (507) 888-9700 1816 2nd St. NW, STE B, Rochester, MN 55902 www.momentshospice.com/rochester

Christine Beech (507) 993-8953 1445 Valleyhigh Dr. NW, #6192, Rochester, MN 55903 www.copiavia.com

Regina Seabrook (651) 285-3912 5613 Clearwater Rd. NW, Rochester, MN 55901

Karine Kvam (507) 696-8452 Rochester, MN 55904 www.rochesterpoppins.com

Dan Fredenburg (507) 585-0400 955 SE Olson Dr., Waukee, IA 50263 www.accesssystems.com

Cody Livingood (507) 923-6691 244 E Soldier Field Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902 www.towniesubs.com

Lincoln Ruggeberg (507) 259-5006 2728 Marion Rd. SE, Rochester, MN 55904 www.facebook.com/Links-Handyman-Service-103114711165156

Do you know of a business that has recently opened in Rochester? Are you connected to a business-owner looking to expand their network? Then a Chamber membership is right for them!

Please contact chamber@rochestermnchamber.com with any referrals.

February 2022

Advantage Magazine | 21

Periodical Postage

220 South Broadway, Suite 100 Rochester, MN 55904 507-288-1122 www.RochesterMNChamber.com

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