December 2023 Better Together Newsletter Update

In This Issue This month, we look forward to our end of the year events and the holidays.

Decem ber 2023

From The Desk Of The CEO “A small business is an amazing way to serve and leave an impact on the world you live in.” – Nicole Snow We are in full swing with colorful twinkling lights and holiday shopping Deidre Martinez well underway. What small business have you supported so far this holiday season? If you are not quite sure what to buy your loved ones, we have Chamber Cash ready and waiting for you. With more than 300 participating businesses throughout Sheboygan County, you can’t go wrong giving Chamber Cash as gifts this holiday season. Help us keep our dollars local by supporting locally-owned businesses this holiday season!

Congratulations to our many ATHENA Leadership Award nominees and recipients. We had a wonderful evening celebrating this group of phenomenal leaders and organizations that go above and beyond to support women and girls in achieving their goals. With ATHENA behind us for the year, we roll right into Gala preparations. Nominations are now open, click here to nominate today!

Have you completed the Economic Outlook Survey? Your participation in completing this survey helps us to make more informed choices on how we support all of you, the types of tools and resources that will be made available and helps us better understand trends specific to our area. Be sure to Save the Date, as the results of the annual survey will be shared at the Economic Outlook Breakfast and Annual Meeting on the morning of Thursday, January 18th.

Lastly, we are pleased to announce our 2024 travel to Ireland.

Don’t miss out on another exciting adventure. We are thrilled to explore Ireland in October of 2024. Space is still available, but due to the popularity of this trip, it is filling up fast.

Upcoming Events

12.07.23

Coastal YP’s: Brews & Brainstorming Part 2

12.13.23

Creating Inclusive Workplaces Session #6

12.13.23

Out to Dinner with Coastal YP’s: Friendsgiving

12.14.23

vibe@5: Boortmalt

12.20.23

Out to Breakfast with Deidre Martinez: Seeboth Delicatessen

Upcoming Events [ Continued ]

01.03.24

Maximize Your Membership

Roundtable Meetings: 12.12.23 HR MANAGERS 12.12.23 SAFETY

12.13.23 BUSINESS OWNER SUCCESS STRATEGY

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All information about Chamber Travel can be found by clicking here.

We want you to Think BIG (betterment, improvement, growth), Influence Local! The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce is committed to providing expertise for fostering dynamic organizations throughout Sheboygan County. We are truly Better Together!

Kierra Brooks - Special Events Coordinator & Office Assistant Hello December! You are the last one, so be the best one!

December is easily one of my favorite months of the year. I think because the holidays just put me and so many others in such a joyful and loving mood, I forget about all that bad or wrong for this one month and just focus on the good.

Kierra Brooks

This month, YP’s will be hosting two events; first is our Brews & Brainstorming Part 2 (Dec. 7th, 5:30-7:00 pm), and second is our Friendsgiving dinner (Dec. 13th, 6:00-8:00 pm). Brews & Brainstorming Part 2’s sole purpose is to recieve feedback on the results of part one and allow our YPs to be included on the start of the planning process for 2024 events. Come and help shape our next year of events and enjoy some snacks & drinks on us! Friendsgiving, on the other hand, is a chance to bring everyone together for a holiday meal and games. A chance for us to create some lasting memories and bond with each other. All are welcome at both events, so please come join your fellow YPs in helping plan our future events and creating memories.

You can find all our events on sheboygan.org on the community calendar or on any of our social media. Please reach out to me at kierra@sheboygan.org if you have any questions or concerns about registering.

I hope everyone has a month full of laughter, joy, love and creating memories with their loved ones. Looking forward to seeing you all soon.

In the meantime, stay warm and happy holidays from our family to yours!

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Josh Aschenbach - Director Of Membership & Workforce Development It’s that time of the year when we typically reflect on and appreciate all the moments and experiences we are grateful for from the past year. Having assumed the role of Director of Membership and Workforce Development in July, I now have nearly six months of growth, new relationships and support to reflect on and express gratitude for.

Josh Aschenbach

First and foremost, on a personal level, I would like to extend my thanks to many who have been welcoming, kind and supportive as I embraced this new role.

It has been inspiring to witness the commitment to authentic relationships that many of you have shown, and I am grateful for the ways in which you all have embraced me into the Chamber community. I truly believe that the people are what make this area so unique and beautiful. The hospitality and kindness you have shown me are unparalleled in my career.

Second, I want to express how grateful I am for the generous financial support that enables the Chamber to achieve our goals. We absolutely could not accomplish what we do without the financial support of our members. Thank you for investing your money and expertise in the community that we all call home. I am truly humbled and honored that so many choose to give so generously to achieve the goals of the Sheboygan County Chamber. As always, we are committed to being excellent stewards of your generosity, and we will reinvest it in ways that promote and foster dynamic organizations in our communities.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the incredible spirit of giving and generosity that exists within the Chamber community. I am consistently amazed by the number of people who willingly and joyfully volunteer their precious time and energy to support the mission and vision of the Sheboygan County Chamber. Whether leading an activity in a gym full of 500 students or assisting at a registration table, your contributions have not gone unnoticed. Thank you all for bringing our tagline to life and exemplifying that we are “better together.” If you are interested in giving back through volunteerism, please consider registering to volunteer at Explore Your Future.

Scan the QR Code or click here to sign up your business to participate in Explore Your Future. This event will take place on January 10th and 11th at Lakeshore Technical College.

Here’s to you, the Chamber community, and everything we will accomplish together in 2024 and beyond!

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Christy Jacobs - Director Of Events “December ~ A month of lights, snow, coziness, and feasts; time to make amends and tie up loose ends; finish what you started and make your wishes come true.” – Unknown This is one of my favorite times of the year. It is a time to reflect and look back on the year. Even though we should be grateful every day, it seems to me that at this time of year, I find more things that I am grateful for.

Christy Jacobs

One of those would be the new relationships that I have come by during this past year at the Chamber. It has been wonderful working with many of you throughout the year on different projects, both through the Chamber and outside of the Chamber. These projects effect our community in some way or another. Thank you for being a part of that and for helping our amazing community.

December has us slowing down a bit for events. We have a vibe@5 on December 14th at Boortmalt and an Out to Breakfast with Deidre on December 20th at Seeboth Delicatessen.

Please visit sheboygan.org to register for both events.

Don’t forget that the new year brings our annual Chamber Champions Gala! Nominations are open!

This is a perfect time to celebrate organizations, businesses and people who all make our community a fantastic place to live and work. Show your support and nominate today by clicking here!

Have a wonderful Christmas and holiday season filled with joy, laughter and much happiness. ~Christy

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John Rogers - Business Roundtables Facilitator Eight is enough! Some of you might be old enough to recall that TV show from years ago. I do not recall watching any episodes, but it was a catchy title. Is eight enough for a baseball game?

Whose position would you eliminate? Do I have your attention?

Did you know Sheboygan County Chamber hosts eight different roundtables? Yes, in fact, we feature seven peer group roundtables and one for ‘technology transfer.’ 7 + 1 = 8!

John Rogers

The peer group roundtables are titled as follows: • Nonprofit Executives​​​​ • Safety Managers • Sales & Marketing Professionals • ​​​Human Resources Managers • BOSS (Business Owner Success Strategies)​ • Worksite Wellness Managers • Mid-day (the newest version for peers who prefer a noon-hour roundtable versus 7:30 am) The ‘technology transfer’ roundtable is called the Manufacturing Roundtable, and, yes, it focuses on going to a manufacturing site to learn what might be applicable at your manufacturing site or similar kind of business.

I enjoy serving as the facilitator and have gained a vast amount of knowledge by listening to my peers help each other consider topics. These topics are put into four categories based on a priority system: 1) URGENT & IMPORTANT, 2) IMPORTANT, but not so urgent, 3) URGENT, but not so important and 4) Neither urgent nor important.

What is critical is what others have to say about their experiences, such as: “The BOSS roundtable has been a staple in my rotation of meetings. It gives me confidence, grows my abilities and strengthens & sharpens my skills. As an attendee sometimes you learn the most from listening to others. Through sharing, brainstorming and altering your opinion, we all grow together as a workforce and a community.” - Lynn Potyen, Owner of The GameBoard “The Manufacturing Roundtable’s have been a great place to discuss a wide range of topics with other manufacturing leaders, educators, and support businesses. I have personally gained insight that has led to improved performance in my plant. I have also learned many best practices by touring manufacturing facilities as part of the roundtable.

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I highly recommend participating if you are a leader in manufacturing.” - Bill Bartnik, Operations Manager, Rockline Industries “I appreciate the Wellness Roundtables because it provides an opportunity to bring our worksite challenges to the table in a safe space. Everyone in the roundtable is supportive and willing to share their experiences in order to achieve the common goal of enhancing employee wellbeing.” - Emily Werner, Wellness & Communication Manager, Sartori Company There are many more examples, but for this article, I am hoping ‘3 is Enough’ to whet your appetite to attend a roundtable. Read ‘The Buzz’ every Monday because it has a listing of upcoming roundtables. Each roundtable is NO COST for you to attend, but registration is required!

Any questions? Send them to john@sheboygan.org.

2023 ATHENA Leadership Award Recipients Announced The Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce is delighted to announce the 2023 ATHENA Leadership Award recipients! This year’s ATHENA Leadership Awards Dinner, hosted at Pine Hills Country Club, featured three distinguished award categories: ATHENA Leadership Award, ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award and ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.

Over 160 people attended to celebrate nominated individuals from the Sheboygan area who exemplify strong leadership qualities and forge paths of leadership for women to follow. The ATHENA Leadership Awards fulfill ATHENA International’s mission to support, develop and honor women leaders, inspire women to achieve their full potential and create balance in leadership worldwide.

Lindsay Harrison-Eirich Owner/President, Engaged Marketing Co. Winner of the ATHENA Leadership Award & the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Lindsay Harrison-Eirich, recognized as the recipient of both the ATHENA Leadership Award and the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award. Additionally, we honor Professional Women’s Connection - Sheboygan Chapter as the recipient of the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.

Special thanks to our sponsors, nominees and attendees for contributing to an unforgettable and exceptional event. Your support is greatly appreciated!

Professional Women’s Connection Sheboygan Chapter Winner of the ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award

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November In Review

November 1

November 2

November 3rd-14th

Maximize Your Membership

Visit from Pawsitism, Inc.

Chamber Travel: Flavors of India

November 6

November 7

November 8

Coastal YP’s: City Insights #1

Ribbon Cutting: Ramirez & Sons Auto Repair & Towing LLC

Out to Dinner with Coastal YP’s: Las Brisa’s

November 9

November 14

November 17

vibe@5: Longhouse Axe Bar

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Ribbon Cutting: Positive Impact Properties

Ribbon Cutting: Indiana Avenue

November 25

November 27

November 29

Small Business Saturday

Visit with Deputy Secretary Sam Rikkers of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation

Out to Lunch with Deidre Martinez: The Horse & Plow

November 30 2023 ATHENA Leadership Awards Dinner

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Newsletter sponsorship opportunities now available! Please contact Deidre Martinez at 920-457-9491 or deidre@sheboygan.org for more information.

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