Kosciusko Chamber named ‘Chamber of the Year’

Earlier this month, the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce was recognized as the 2023 Indiana Chamber of the Year by the Indiana Chamber Executives Association, the organization representing chamber professionals from across the state. This prestigious recognition honors the innovation in driving economic growth and prosperity for their community.

The Chamber of the Year Award is a testament to the Kosciusko Chamber’s leadership team’s results in fostering a thriving business environment, advocating for the needs of its members, and championing the interests of the business community. With an exemplary track record of excellence, the Kosciusko Chamber has played a pivotal role in strengthening the local economy and enhancing the quality of life for residents of Kosciusko County.

Throughout the year, the Kosciusko Chamber has demonstrated outstanding leadership and achieved remarkable milestones. The organization has celebrated multiple years of record membership growth and an excellent retention rate. The Kosciusko Chamber continues to target solving problems within the community, including taking the lead to create 150 new childcare seats through Launchpad, the Chamber’s early learning initiative. The organization hosted over 90 events in 2022 and reached more than 11 million people through their fun social media posts spotlighting local businesses.

“By providing a comprehensive range of resources, programs and opportunities to connect, the Kosciusko Chamber was the unanimous choice for this award recognition for 2023,” said ICEA President Shelli Williams. “Their creativity and innovation has propelled the Kosciusko Chamber to be a highly respected organization within our state among peers.”

“I am extremely honored and proud to be recognized by ICEA as the Indiana Chamber of the Year,” said Kosciusko Chamber President and CEO Rob Parker. “I am blessed to have an excellent staff that shares a passion and a vision for our community and through their hard work, dedication, courage and creativity, we have exceeded our own lofty goals and expectations. We love our

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chamber members and our community and hope that is demonstrated in what we do every day.”

Eight Indiana chambers were selected as semi-finalists to be reviewed by a judging panel represented by chamber professionals located outside of Indiana. The Indiana Chamber Executives Association has awarded the chamber of the year distinction since 2002 and this is the first time the honor has been awarded to the Kosciusko Chamber.

Buy now, pay later

accessible to consumers. There are many stores where you can physically go in and use the BNPL service as a payment.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, online shopping increased tremendously.

Spending money became easier and easier, especially during a time when individuals were financially strapped.

While buy now, pay later services have been offered for years, companies such as Klarna, Afterpay and Affirm offer zero-interest payment plans for many different partnering retailers.

Usually, the payments are broken up into four even payments every week or every other week, depending on the service. These services can be used anywhere from online clothing retailers to larger online purchases such as mattresses or furniture.

Over the years, many stores have adapted this purchasing tool to make shopping easier and more

Some of these stores include Finish Line, Sephora, Ulta, Target, etc. While this may seem like a great service to offer, it can be dangerous to people’s long-term financial goals.

There are hidden risks to be aware of when using BNPL apps/ services. It’s important to know your financial situation and your management abilities to ensure the BNPL loan will be paid promptly.

When using BNPL services, ask yourself: Is the purchase absolutely necessary? Is buy now, pay later your only way to afford it? Are you completely certain you can make the payments on time?

In most cases, it is generally better to pay for a purchase in full and not have a loan following you, but if you need to use one of these services, be sure you are taking responsible steps and making payments on time.