I can hardly believe May is already here. With warmer temperatures, greener landscapes, and Sheboygan County in full bloom, this season naturally reminds us of renewal, growth, and new opportunities. That same sense of momentum is something we’re feeling strongly here at the Chamber.
Spring is not just a change in weather—it’s a shift in energy across our business community. It’s when ideas take shape, partnerships strengthen, and we begin laying the groundwork for a vibrant and successful summer season. Across Sheboygan County, our members are innovating, hiring, expanding, and continuing to demonstrate what makes this region such a special place to live and work.
May also marks Young Professionals Month, and we’re excited to celebrate the energy, talent, and impact of young professionals across Sheboygan County. We’ve put together a variety of activities and events designed to engage, support, and recognize the next generation of leaders in our community.
Will you be joining us for Best Under 40? There are only a few tickets remaining, and the event is happening this Thursday, May 7. It’s always an inspiring evening as we celebrate outstanding young leaders who are making a difference across our region.
To learn more about all of our upcoming events—and to register for Best Under 40—visit us at sheboygan.org. We hope to see you there!
One of the highlights of late May is welcoming our summer interns and co-op students. Each year, we are fortunate to host talented individuals from universities across the country and around the world. Through the Better Together Intern & Co-op Program, these students gain hands-on experience, participate in team-building and volunteer opportunities, and connect with our dynamic business community.
Upcoming Events
Best Under 40 Awards Dinner
The Village at 170
May 7 | 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
YP Month Event: Bingo & Bright Moments
Pine Haven - Giddings Ave Campus May 11 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM vibe@5
Impressions Fine Art Gallery May 14 | 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
This program is more than just a professional stepping stone— it’s a chance to showcase Sheboygan County as a place where young talent can see a future. The relationships built here often extend far beyond a single summer, helping strengthen our longterm workforce pipeline. If you’re interested in engaging with or supporting this initiative, I encourage you to learn more by visiting our website.
As we celebrate this season of growth, I also want to extend a heartfelt congratulations to the graduates across Sheboygan County. Your hard work and dedication have brought you to this exciting milestone, and we are proud to be part of a community that supports your journey ahead.
May is truly one of the most beautiful times of the year here. Let’s take a moment to enjoy it—while also continuing to support one another, collaborate, and move forward together.
John Rogers - Business Roundtables Facilitator
May Day
Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know and that was the case moments ago when I researched May Day on the Internet. May Day has many definitions. I did not know!
John Rogers
For example, in Europe, May Day is a spring festival. Maybe this is how in the USA, May Day became somewhat synonymous with the day to plant a tree or something else. There is an ice cream flavor named May Day, you can get an AI-assisted calendar with the same name and more.
If you say ‘May day” 3 times, that means you are in distress particularly if you are flying an airplane and this was my first introduction to the term because my father was in the Army Air Corps [now the Air Force] during WW2. When he wanted to get my attention, he would sometimes say “May day, John”. Dad was an airplane mechanic and many of those skills transferred to a car and I would often help as the duty go-fer another tool.
When it comes to roundtables, perhaps instead of the 4 typical quadrants we use for prioritizing your concerns: URGENT & IMPORTANT; IMPORTANT, not urgent; URGENT, not important; neither we should add a May Day category for a concern you absolutely need help with such as a topic you send me before a roundtable to be certain it gets discussion for your benefit. Yes, in recent months I was sent a topic that was discussed in 2 different roundtables – a May Day topic!
In another pair of roundtables, recently, we discussed a topic that yielded significant help for a business owner who wanted “visibility” for a new tool. Attend this roundtable on May 13 to learn more https://business.sheboygan.org/events/details/worksite-wellness-roundtab le-2023-05-13-2026-42004 and use that link to register for it.
Is your curiosity elevated? Good! Bring your ‘elevator pitch’ to a roundtable. Any questions? Send them to john@sheboygan.org .
Upcoming Roundtables
Worksite Wellness: Wed. May 13 | 7:30 AM
Mid-Day: Wed. May 13| 11:30 AM
Sales & Marketing: Mon. Jun 1 | 11:30 AM
Non-Profit: Wed. Jun 3 | 7:30 AM
Kristin Bahr - BID Member Services Director
There’s a growing energy in the Harbor Centre Business District, exciting events, new opportunities, and communitydriven initiatives are bringing fresh momentum to downtown Sheboygan.
The Harbor Centre BID recently held its Annual Member Meeting, drawing a strong turnout of engaged business owners and stakeholders from across the district. The meeting highlighted the many successes of 2025, from expanded events and increased foot traffic to enhanced marketing efforts that continue to strengthen Sheboygan’s downtown, riverfront and South Pier appeal.
Attendees previewed 2026 goals, focusing on deeper member engagement, strategic growth, and maximizing new opportunities for visibility. A key feature of the discussion was the BID’s new website and how members can leverage its tools to promote their businesses and events more effectively.
This past weekend downtown Sheboygan welcomed hundreds of guests to the Harbor Centre district for Sheboy-Con. A free, fun, family-friendly celebration of geek culture across Sheboygan. This year’s event expanded into a dynamic, communitywide experience stretching from The Bugle on 8th Street down to Blue Harbor Resort. Engaging stops along the way included The GameBoard, Above & Beyond Children’s Museum, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan Visual Artists, Impressions Fine Art Gallery, and many more. Each location offered interactive activities that encouraged visitors to explore the district, discover new businesses, and enjoy unique experiences throughout the day.
As we look ahead, summer is right around the corner—mark your calendars for 8th Streatery, returning every Tuesday from June 9 through August 11. This beloved weekly event brings the community together in the heart of downtown Sheboygan for great food, live music, and vibrant street life you won’t want to miss.
Kristin Bahr
Anna Toman - Director Of Membership Development
Hello Members!!
As I transition to my new role in Illinois, I want to say thank you for allowing me to serve you as your Membership Director over the last few years. It's been an honor to serve you and get to know you, your business, and your families. Please welcome Joe and ease him into his role as Membership Manager.
Please welcome our new members from April:
• LongHorn Steakhouse
• Ray Cazis
• Express Employment Professionals
• Sheboygan Falls Dance Association
• Sheboygan County Detachment #1446, Marine Corps League
• Mari Has a Little Patch
• Sheboygan Toastmasters
• Lakehouse Sheboygan
• Derek's Curbside Grill
• Flawless Hoops
Make it a great day, Sheboygan County! Love, Anna
Ellie Meyers - Director of Events
As we move into the heart of spring, there’s a renewed energy across Sheboygan County—and plenty of opportunities to connect, celebrate, and engage with our vibrant business community.
VIBE@5 – May 14
We’re excited to kick things off with our next VIBE@5 on May 14, hosted at Impressions Fine Art Gallery at Blue Harbor. This event is always a fantastic way to unwind after the workday while building meaningful connections in a unique and inspiring setting. We hope to see many of you there.
Ribbon Cutting: Focus on Health Now – May 15
Ellie Meyers
Join us on May 15 as we celebrate the ribbon cutting for Focus on Health Now. It’s always a privilege to welcome and support businesses that are making a positive impact on wellness in our community.
Ribbon Cutting: Rocky Knolls Mountain Bike Trail
We’re also thrilled to celebrate the ribbon cutting for the Rocky Knolls Mountain Bike Trail. This exciting addition highlights the continued growth of outdoor recreation opportunities in Sheboygan County and showcases the collaborative efforts that make projects like this possible.
Save the Date: Annual Golf Outing – August 26, 2026
Be sure to mark your calendars for one of our signature events of the year—the Sheboygan
Anna Toman
County Chamber Annual Golf Outing—taking place on August 26, 2026, at Town & Country. Registration will open shortly after Memorial Day, so please keep an eye out for additional details and be ready to secure your spot.
As always, thank you for being an essential part of our Chamber community. We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events and continuing to build a stronger Sheboygan County—together.
Leah Bischoff - Transition Concierge Specialist
Better Together: In the Middle of It
Lately, it feels like a lot is happening all at once, and it’s starting to click.
Our May 28th Career Fair at Blue Harbor is a big part of that. We’ve got a strong group of employers signed up already, and there’s still space if you’ve been thinking about it. You can check out who’s attending here
What’s a little different this time is everything around the event. We’ll have free headshots, plus resume and interview help throughout the day. It gives people something to actually do while they’re there, not just walk around and hope for the best. Details can be found on our calendar & registration page.
We’re also keeping things going with a Newcomer and Networking event later in the afternoon. It’s been a good way to give people more time to connect and not feel rushed. If you’re planning to come, it truly helps us if you register ahead of time, but is not required. I also had the chance to partner with Sargento at a Milwaukee career fair recently, and we had a line of job seekers waiting to connect with the full event. It worked because we were in it together. If you have hiring events coming up, I’d love to join you. Reach out to me directly at Leah@sheboygan.org
You’re there to talk about the job. I can help with everything that comes after, whether that’s relocation, housing, or just helping someone feel good about making the move here.
On the outreach side, we’ve had a little bit of everything lately. Referrals, walk-ins, people planning moves, people already here looking for something new.
That’s where we can really partner and make the process smooth together.
And heading into year three, that’s probably the biggest shift. This work feels more natural now. People know about it, they’re using it, and it’s working.
It’s not something we’re trying to build anymore. It’s something we get to keep growing.
Leah Bischoff
Alexis Schroeder - Program Coordinator
Leadership Sheboygan County
Our Adult Leadership Sheboygan County had their “Agriculture Day” experience in April and it was a huge hit! Participants were warmly welcomed by Caan’s greenhouse, Sartori & Hickory Lawn Farms, where we had some amazing tours and presentations. Participants also listened to some great presentations by the 2026 Alice in Dairyland as well as Mike from Diamond Vu. The day was extremely educational and so valuable for all participants. In May we look forward to graduation and celebrating this class and all their accomplishments this year!
To apply for for Leadership Sheboygan County 26-27, click HERE.
Junior Leadership Sheboygan County
Our Junior Leadership Sheboygan County students participated in Leadership & Entrepreneurship Day in April. The students had a great morning with Booth Leadership, then created “human billboards” of themselves and shared with their class. We were able to take a trip to “The Game Board” where we learned about the owner Lynn and her amazing journey! The class ended with a panel of local entrepreneurs where the class was able to ask them questions about their journey, struggles they may have experienced and their successes. Our 2025-2026 class comes to an end in a few weeks where participants will graduate and celebrate their time here as part of Junior Leadership Sheboygan County!
Better Together Summer Interns & Co-Ops
We are gearing up for another great summer with our Intern & Co-Op Program! This program is 6 weeks during the summer and is a fun way for these visiting interns & co-ops to get immersed in all the amazing activities, events, people, venues and history that Sheboygan County has to offer! Participants will navigate a scavenger hunt app throughout the program to check out different events, gatherings, landmarks and other fun challenges, as well as attend Chamber hosted events which allow for them to get to know their peers, meet interns from other companies and build a new network of friends here in Sheboygan County! Registration for Interns & Co-Ops Program is active April 1st through June 4th and can be found on our website!
If you have an intern or co-op joining your company this summer, please register on our website or email me for assistance at alexis@sheboygan.org
Coastal Young Professionals
Thank you to Consumer Credit Counseling Services & the Family Service Association of Sheboygan County for hosting our group for “Personal Finance for Young Professionals”. Tisha O’Dell and Travis Neiswender from UnitedOne Credit Union shared some truly enlightening presentations and we could not be more appreciative of them taking their time to educate us!
May is YOUNG PROFESSIONALS MONTH! We will be kicking off YP month at the Best Under 40 Awards Dinner on May 7th. On May 11th we will be volunteering our time and joining the residents at Pine Haven for some BINGO fun! We will be having a BLAST ice cream social with outdoor networking, games & of course, ice cream. Wrapping up YP month we will be hosted by the Sports Core, where they will be doing a behind the scenes tour, talking about their membership benefits and allowing us to use their pickleball courts! Join us at one or all these awesome events!!
