August 2026 Better Together Newsletter

In This Issue 2026 Golf Outing is Near and other Summer events

Aug ust 2026

Summer's not over yet!

Upcoming Events

From The Desk Of The CEO "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." — Margaret Mead Margaret Mead's words remind us that meaningful change begins with people who are willing to engage, collaborate, and lead.

Ribbon Cutting

Match Point Performance Center Aug 11 | 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

Deidre Martinez

As summer begins to wind down, many of us are already looking ahead to the opportunities that fall will bring. It's a season of renewed energy—a time to reconnect, build new relationships, and continue strengthening the businesses and communities we serve.

One of the greatest strengths of the Sheboygan County Chamber is our members' willingness to come together.

Whether you're attending an event, mentoring a future leader, serving on a committee, or simply supporting another local business, your involvement makes a difference. Strong communities aren't built by one organization or one individual— they're built through collective action.

As we move into the months ahead, I encourage you to find one new way to engage. Every conversation, partnership, and shared idea helps create a stronger business community and a brighter future for Sheboygan County.

Maximize Your Membership Sheboygan County Chamber Aug 12 | 8:00 PM - 9:30 AM

Sheboygan County Community Marketing Focus Group Sheboygan County Chamber Aug 14 | 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM

YP Event: Lakefront Bonfire Sheboygan Yacht Club Aug 19 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Thank you for your continued investment in our Chamber and in one another. Together, we are making an impact—and proving every day that we truly are Better Together.

John Rogers - Business Roundtables Facilitator

Annual Chamber Golf Outing 2026 Town & Country Sheboygan Aug 26 | 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

In My Wildest Dreams!

According to an AI generated definition I found on the Internet, an ‘influencer’ is “a person who has an online following and uses it to shape the thoughts, choices, and buying habits of other

Boardroom Ready Training Sheboygan County Chamber Every other Wed in Sep & Oct 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

people. They share content on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.” In the July 27, 2026 issue of TIME magazine, the article titled TIME 100 Creators has a subtitle ‘The Most Influential Digital Voices’. Of the 100 listed, I recognized one name, Alix Earle. Who? She was on the most recent edition of Dancing With The Stars and I do watch it with some degree of envy. I would love to know how to dance!

Alix has over 8.5 million followers on TikTok and she earns considerable sums of money as a result of being an ‘influencer’ with her own products and from others who pay her because she endorses, and may actually use, their products. In fact, she is on the back outside cover because of the hair product she uses.

I think you know by now that I truly enjoy facilitating the 8 different Chamber roundtables. Could I become an ‘influencer’ as defined earlier? I’m not on the various internet sites populated by influencers but perhaps The Buzz could expand?

The Buzz might influence you to register for a roundtable but I know my numerous invitations and reminders are the vehicles that prompt most Chamber members to register. How do I know this? You’ve told me so.

Additionally, those who attend roundtables may in-turn become an ‘influencer’ because they get useful suggestions and answers from their peers OR they provide useful suggestions and answers to those who suggest a topic for us to discuss. Another ‘influencer’ for the roundtables is word of mouth because roundtables make most attendees happy and they tell others!

So, in my wildest dreams, the Chamber roundtables get to be so popular that I get listed in TIME magazine the next time they need an ‘influencer’.

If I can influence you, join us for a roundtable soon. Find the upcoming roundtables on The Buzz or send me an email john@ sheboygan.org

Upcoming Roundtables Safety: Thu. Aug 6 | 7:30 AM Business Owner: Mon. Aug 10 | 7:15 AM HR Managers: Tue. Aug 11 | 7:30 AM

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Kristin Bahr - BID Executive Director Summer Isn't Over Yet in Harbor Centre!

What an incredible summer it's been in the Harbor Centre Business District! Tuesday nights have come alive with great music, delicious food, local shopping, and hundreds of people gathering downtown during 8th Streatery. It's been wonderful to see our community enjoying everything downtown Sheboygan has to offer.

Kristin Bahr

If you haven't made it to 8th Streatery yet, don't worry—there's still one more Tuesday to join the fun! Come out for an evening of food, drinks, shopping, and live entertainment featuring The Lonely Sidekick. It's the perfect way to wrap up another fantastic season.

The fun doesn't stop there! Make plans to join us for River Fest on Saturday, September 19. This family-friendly event features live music from Minor Worries and Buffalo Joe Band, local business vendor booths, food trucks, family friendly activities, 3 Sheeps Beer Tent, and much more. It's a great opportunity to spend the day along Sheboygan's beautiful riverfront.

Looking ahead to fall, be sure to mark your calendar for the Fall Wine Walk on Saturday, October 24. Tickets go on sale September 24, and this year we're excited to introduce a new VIP Wine Package with a limited number of tickets available. VIP guests will receive a specially curated swag bag featuring a full bottle of wine, additional merchandise, and an exclusive wine and cheese pairing.

Stay up to date on all Harbor Centre events and activities by visiting www.harborcentre. com We look forward to seeing you downtown!

Joe Costello - Director of Membership Development Strong communities are built through strong connections. When businesses, organizations, and community leaders work together, opportunities grow, partnerships flourish, and our local economy becomes stronger.

As a Chamber member, you're part of a network dedicated to helping businesses connect, grow, and succeed. Through networking, professional development, advocacy, and community engagement, we're committed to creating value for your business while strengthening Sheboygan County.

Joe Costello

Thank you for investing in our business community through your Chamber membership. We

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look forward to supporting your success and celebrating your achievements.

Welcome Our Newest Members Please join us in welcoming the newest businesses and organizations that have chosen to invest in the Sheboygan County Chamber: • Village Media • PARADIGM Real Estate • Redline Family Power Washing • Electro Tech Inc. • Oostburg Financial Services • Oostburg Insurance Solutions • Woodland Title Services We encourage you to connect with our newest members, introduce yourself, and help them feel at home in the Chamber community.

Help Us Grow Know a business that would benefit from Chamber membership? Member referrals are one of the best ways to strengthen our network. If you know a business that would be a great fit, please contact joe@sheboygan.org.

Together, we're building a stronger, more connected, and more prosperous Sheboygan County.

Ellie Meyers - Associate Director August is bringing exciting opportunities to celebrate our members, strengthen relationships, and experience the connections that make our business community thrive. From welcoming new members to enjoying one of our biggest networking events of the year, we invite you to get involved and be part of what makes Sheboygan County Better Together.

Join us for two upcoming ribbon cuttings as we celebrate the growth and success of our members: Ribbon Cutting: Inward Path Counseling - August 6 Help us celebrate Inward Path Counseling and welcome them as they officially mark one year, an exciting milestone with the Sheboygan County community.

Ellie Meyers

Ribbon Cutting: Match Point Performance Center - August 11 Join fellow Chamber members as we celebrate Match Point Performance Center and celebrate their new business.

Don’t Miss the Chamber Golf Outing — Registration Is Filling Up! August 26 - Town & Country Sheboygan The Chamber Golf Outing is more than just a day on the course, it’s one of the biggest networking opportunities of the year and a chance to connect with hundreds of local professionals in a fun, relaxed environment. With 216 golfers expected, this high-energy event brings together business leaders, teams, clients, and community members for a memorable day of networking, friendly competition, and fun.

Grab your foursome, bring your clients, and get ready for a day filled with games, contests,

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great food, drinks, and plenty of opportunities to build valuable connections. Whether you are looking to strengthen business relationships, meet new contacts, celebrate your team, or simply enjoy a great summer outing, this is an event you won’t want to miss.

Registration is open now, but spots are limited and this event sells out every year.

We are also accepting raffle prize donations for the Golf Outing! Donations are a great way to showcase your business, support this popular member event, and provide participants with even more excitement throughout the day. Even more importantly, proceeds from the raffle help fund the Chamber Ambassador scholarship program, which awards scholarships to four Sheboygan County students continuing their education each year.

By donating a raffle item or participating in the raffle, you are helping support the next generation of local leaders and making a meaningful impact on students pursuing their educational goals. We would love to feature your business as part of this effort!

Don’t wait , secure your foursome, register your team, and consider contributing a raffle prize to help make this year’s Golf Outing a success for both our members and our students. Please visit Sheboygan.org to register and for more information.

We look forward to seeing you in August!

Alexis Schroeder - Program Manager Leadership Sheboygan County Applications for the 2026–2027 class remain open, and we are excited to share that the class is already over half full! If your organization is looking to invest in its next community leader, now is the time to apply. We encourage interested individuals to register soon before the remaining spots are filled. For more information about the program, click HERE. Junior Leadership Sheboygan County Planning is also underway for the 2026–2027 Junior Leadership Sheboygan County program! We are excited to welcome a full class of 26 high school juniors and seniors from across Sheboygan County this fall.

Alexis Schroeder

We look forward to helping these emerging leaders develop their leadership skills, explore local industries, connect with community leaders, and discover the many opportunities our county has to offer.

Better Together Summer Interns & Co-Ops We wrapped up another successful Better Together Summer Interns & Co-Ops Program by celebrating our 93 participants on National Intern Day! Participants spent the afternoon at Deland Park enjoying a cookout, yard games, a leadership panel, and networking opportunities with fellow interns and local business leaders. We were honored to welcome Ryan Baumann (Rehlko), Dan Vogtman (Sargento), Jordan Lindstrom (Johnsonville), Matt Andrews (Rhode Brothers), and Erica Gollhardt (FifthColor), who each shared their unique career journeys, leadership lessons, and why they believe investing in the next generation of professionals is so important. Their stories were inspiring and provided valuable insight for our interns and co-ops as they begin their own career paths.

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Following the panel, participants had the opportunity to continue conversations with our guest leaders and expand their professional networks. We also recognized the top three participants in our summer-long Sheboygan County Scavenger Hunt, celebrating their enthusiasm for exploring our community and engaging in all the program had to offer.

It was the perfect way to celebrate an incredible summer filled with new experiences, meaningful connections, and community engagement. A heartfelt thank you to all of our participating employers, volunteers, speakers, and sponsors for helping make this year's program such a success!

Thank you to our 2026 Intern & Co-Op program sponsors Sargento, Johnsonville & Masters Gallery!

Coastal Young Professionals Our Coastal Young Professionals continued the summer with an exciting evening at Blackhawk Shooting Sports, where our members were graciously hosted for a hands-on introduction to the shooting range. Participants learned about firearm safety, received instruction from experienced range staff, and had the opportunity to practice in a safe and welcoming environment. For a few attendees, it was their first visit to a shooting range, making it a unique learning experience while also providing plenty of time to connect and network with fellow young professionals.

Looking ahead, we hope you'll join us on August 19 for our Lakefront Bonfire & Networking event at the Sheboygan Yacht Club. It's the perfect opportunity to enjoy a summer evening by the lake while building new professional connections.

We're also gearing up for one of our biggest events of the year — OktoberFeast! Be sure to purchase your tickets and join us for this annual community celebration. We look forward to seeing you there!

Board Room Ready We're excited to announce that Board Room Ready will return this fall! Our next session is planned for September/October and registration is OPEN! In these 5 sessions, you will lWhether you're interested in serving on your first board or looking to become a more effective board member, this program provides the knowledge and confidence to make a meaningful impact.

Make Your Mark With my recent promotion, I am excited to become more involved with the Make Your Mark program and continue supporting workforce attraction efforts throughout Sheboygan County.

One of the things I am most looking forward to is how naturally this initiative complements the Chamber's other programs.

Whether it's welcoming interns and co-ops, connecting young professionals, developing future community leaders through our leadership programs, or introducing newcomers to opportunities for board service, these programs work together to create a strong sense of community and belonging. By helping new residents become engaged early, we can build meaningful connections that encourage them to not only work here—but to make Sheboygan County their home.

I'm excited to continue building these connections and seeing how each of our programs contributes to strengthening and growing the workforce in Sheboygan County.

If you would like more information or need assistance with registration for Leadership Sheboygan County, Junior Leadership Sheboygan County, the Better Together Summer Interns & Co-Ops Program, Board Room Ready, Make Your Mark or any Coastal Young Professionals event, please email me at alexis@sheboygan.org. I am always happy to help!

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Liz Miyashiro - Director of Finance & Operations Investing in the Future Through the Chamber Foundation August is already here, and thoughts are beginning to turn toward back-to-school shopping, new classrooms and the start of another school year. It is also a great time to remember that much of the Chamber’s educational work is made possible through the Sheboygan County Chamber Foundation.

Liz Miyashiro The Foundation is the Chamber’s 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supporting programs that connect local students with businesses, career opportunities and the skills they need for the future. Programs such as STEAMFest, Explore Your Future and Junior Leadership help young people discover the many possibilities available right here in Sheboygan County.

These programs are possible because of the generosity of local businesses, organizations and community members. Donations to the Chamber Foundation support our education and workforce-development efforts and may be tax-deductible as allowed by law.

As our students head back to school, please consider making a gift to the Sheboygan County Chamber Foundation and helping us continue creating meaningful opportunities for the next generation.

To learn more about supporting the Foundation, contact Liz Miyashiro at liz@sheboygan.org.

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Better Together: Workforce Development Update Investing in Our Future Workforce As August arrives and students head back to school, the Chamber's focus on workforce development shifts into high gear. Through our Business Education Partnership (BEP), we work year-round to connect education and business, helping students discover the exciting career opportunities that exist right here in Sheboygan County.

One of the best ways to make an impact is by participating in STEAMFest 2026 on Tuesday, October 13. This hands-on event gives local businesses the opportunity to engage with students, showcase careers, and inspire the next generation of innovators, skilled professionals, and community leaders. A few hours of your time can leave a lasting impression on a young person's future.

Before then, I encourage you to join us for the Workforce Development Symposium 2026 on Wednesday, September 16, at Pine Hills Country Club. This event will bring together employers, educators, and workforce experts from across Wisconsin to discuss current workforce trends, share successful strategies, and explore innovative solutions to the challenges we all face. We'll also recognize our Golden Apple nominees and Business Friends of Education, celebrating those who are making a difference in education and workforce development.

The way we attract and retain talent continues to evolve, and collaboration has never been more important. Throughout August and September, the Chamber will also be hosting focus groups and community conversations to learn what makes Sheboygan County a great place to work, live, and play. Your feedback will help shape future talent attraction efforts, ensuring we continue to grow our workforce, strengthen our businesses, and welcome new neighbors to our community.

If you're interested in learning more about the Business Education Partnership Committee and our commitment to developing a strong workforce in Sheboygan County, I invite you to reach out. We'd love to share how you or your organization can become involved in supporting students, strengthening our workforce initiatives, and helping shape the next generation of talent.

When businesses, educators, and community leaders work together, we create opportunities that benefit everyone. That's the power of being Better Together.

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July 2026 In Review

Ribbon Cutting

Downtown 925 | Jul 15

vibe@5

Vesta| Jul 22

YP Event: Networking on the Range Blackhawk Shooting Sports | Jul 23

Ribbon Cutting

Fresh Meals on Wheels of Sheboygan County | Jul 23

Intern & Co-Op Program Finale & National Interns Day Deland Park | Jul 30

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Newsletter sponsorship opportunities now available! Please contact Deidre Martinez at 920.457.9491 or deidre@sheboygan.org for more information.