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Table of Contents
From the Desk of
Laura Crawford
First Swing! Annual Golf Classic
What You May Not Know About Sponsorship
COBRA-How the Changes in the Law Affect your Business
Members in the News
Thank You Members!
From the
Desk of Laura Crawford...
MISSION:
The Downers Grove Area Chamber of
Commerce & Industry serves its community as the premier
business resource for its membership by
providing and protecting economic
opportunity
essential to operating and growing a successful
enterprise.
I’m happy to report that your Chamber
completed two projects this month that will greatly
impact your economic opportunity. The first is
the new website. If you haven’t checked it out, stop
reading this and
click here. Completely donated by the very generous
Maclyn Group, this website makes your business
easier than ever to find. It’s much more user friendly
and serves as a portal for the whole community. It even
has a community calendar right on the homepage so you
can post your events! Everything you need to
know about Downers Grove can be found at
downersgrove.org –member only discounts; a job bank;
letters written on your behalf, to legislators; links to
the Village; schools; healthcare; not-for-profit
organizations; even the history of Downers Grove. We
welcome an average of 11,000 unique visitors per month
and those visitors will easily find you when you list
your business in at least three different business
categories. This is a benefit of Chamber membership;
you can view it as your local Yellow Pages – only
cheaper. Give me a call if you want your business
‘exposed’ on this great new marketing venue. Enjoy your
new website and thank you for supporting the businesses
that support your community!
The second project is not as much fun,
but just as important. Two years ago the Chamber
started hosting meetings with builders, contractors and
property managers to discuss their concerns and ideas
about the permitting process, with Village staff.
Businesses asked that the process be streamlined,
predictable and consistent in interpretation. With these
priorities in mind, the Village Staff have proposed a
text amendment to the building permit ordinance that
reduces the text by half. While the process remains
revenue neutral, the contractor will now know their
exact permit fees before a project begins, no matter who
is reviewing the project. Fees are based on square
footage and type of project; there are flat fees
wherever applicable. Chances of discrepancies during
interpretation have been eliminated. We’re happy with
these business friendly advances and look forward
addressing the other areas of concern and great ideas
that have been exchanged at these meetings.
Good things come from good communication
– check out downersgrove.org and take a moment to thank
the Maclyn Group for a terrific job and Village
staff for the proposed business friendly advancement.
lcrawford@downersgrove.org
630-968-4050 x14
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First Swing! Annual Golf Classic-Play, Sponsor,
Volunteer
Golf Season has arrived! The Downers Grove Area Chamber
of Commerce & Industry’s First Swing! Annual Golf
Classic is fast approaching. The date of the outing
this year is Monday, May 11th at Seven Bridges
Golf Club in Woodridge. Registration will begin at 11:00
am and a shotgun start will be promptly at 12:30 p.m.
The 2009 Golf Committee has been busy creating new
avenues to impress attendees and innovative ways to
maintain energy on the course.
On this year’s golf outing, Golf Committee Chairman,
Rick Mytnik commented, “For whatever reason, we have
everyone excited about the event and there is a great
sense of team spirit and unity building. Everyone is
working together to make this an exciting, memorable and
fun event. The Downers Grove Chamber golf outing is
famous (or infamous) for being a loud, rowdy, fun event.
Based upon what I have seen, this event promises to be
the best ever. I can’t wait for May 11th.”
Laura Crawford, President & CEO of the Downers Grove
Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said, “Just like in
years past, the golf outing will be loads of fun and an
opportunity for new and long-time members to come
together to create business.”
First Swing! Annual Golf Classic is one of the Chamber’s
most anticipated events; Members cannot wait to get on
the green. With such a variety of industries in
attendance, it is advantageous for every business to not
only play but consider first rate sponsorship. The
assistance and support of Chamber Members during events
is crucial to the success of the program. As members,
remember to consider helping out with event efforts this
year. There are several ways to participate in this
great program: sponsor, play, or volunteer. To register
or to sponsor, simply go to www.downersgrove.org or call
Lauren Tarasewicz, Manager of Marketing & Programs, at
630-968-4050 ext 13. Click
HERE to register!
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What
You May Not Know About Sponsorship
Sponsorship is what you make of it!!!
The more energy you put into to your branding efforts
the bigger your ROI!! Sponsor Today!
Sponsor an event where people
will read your ads, will listen to your
mission and will give you business!
TOP 10 REASONS to SPONSOR with the
CHAMBER
-
Creates
interest in your products and services
-
Name
recognition to a highly desirable, upscale and
educated audience
-
Associate
your business with quality programming
-
Invest in
the community through Chamber education and
programming
-
Promote your
business regionally or statewide
-
Gauge
customer response to products immediately.
-
Heightened
visibility
-
Relate
directly with your customers
-
Advertise on all event materials and
communications
-
SPONSORSHIP
WITH THE CHAMBER IS AFFORDABLE!!!
If you are interested in Chamber
Sponsorship please contact Lauren today! She will be
happy to customize a sponsorship package to fit your
needs!
Contact Lauren Tarasewicz, Manager of
Marketing & Programs at (630) 968-4050 ex.13 or email
ltarasewicz@downersgrove.org
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COBRA-How Changes in the Law Affect Your Business
written
by Michelle Binks
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If
you offer your employees health insurance and
have at least 20 employees the new changes
implemented by President Obama and his
administration may affect you.
How Do I Know I'm Affected By This?
If an employee's employment ended
involuntary (i.e. layoff) between 9/1/08 and now
these changes most likely affect you.
What Do I Do?
If you have an outside firm administering
your COBRA compliance, ensure that they are
compliant with the changes. If you administer
your COBRA in-house you need to do the
following.
Send a letter by 4/18/09 to all employees whose
employment ended involuntarily between 9/1/08
and 2/16/09 indicating that they have the option
to elect COBRA coverage at a reduced rate. A
sample letter is available in both English and
Spanish at
www.dol.gov or
HR Consulting Solutions can provide this service
for you.
A
subsequent letter must also be sent to anyone
who becomes eligible for coverage after 2/16/09
indicating that they also have the option to
elect COBRA at the reduced rate.
If Employee's Only Have to Pay 35% of the COBRA
Cost, How Do I Recoup the Remaining 65%?
By completing IRS Form 941 - Quarterly
Employment Tax Return.
For additional information on this topic, please
visit our web site at
www.hr-consultingsolutions.com |
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Members in
the News
Angie's
List Super Service Award
Laura Neiberg, Vice President , Ancillary
Services and Community Health
The Wellness
Center was recently informed that we had been awarded
the 2008 SuperService Award (SSA) from Angie's List
which is a consumer rating site. Angie's List is where
thousands of consumers share their reviews on
local businesses and companies in more than 425
categories. Currently 750,000 consumers
Across the US
rely on Angie's list to help them find the right
business for the job they need done. This award is
special to us since it was determined by our customers,
and not based on some application that we filled out on
the Center's behalf.
This
is the latest in a list of accolades the Center has
recently received, including a third "Checkmark for
Quality" from Consumer Checkbook Magazine, "One of the
Best" as selected by Suburban Focus Magazine and the
Distinguished Achievement Award for Centers >50,000 sq.
ft. from the Medical Fitness Association.. It is also
an extension of the high quality services provided
by entities that make up the Good Samaritan Service
Area . Together we support Advocate's strategic vision
of building life long relationships with those we
serve. Notifications will be going out to our own
associates via Momentum and to the local media.
Downers Grove Park District
named a Finalist for National Gold Medal Award
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. –The Downers Grove Park District
was notified on April 21, 2009 by the National
Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) that the agency
is a finalist for the 2009 Gold Medal Award. The most
prestigious award in the industry, the Gold Medal honors
communities across the nation that demonstrate
excellence in the field of recreation management through
long-range planning, fiscal resource management, citizen
support systems, environmental stewardship,
preservation, technological integration, program
planning and assessment, professional development,
agency recognition and services for special populations.
Four finalists are chosen across six categories based on
population served. Once an agency is named a finalist,
it then must submit a video that highlights the
resources and accomplishments of the agency. Dan Cermak,
Administrator of the Downers Grove Park District
commented, “To be selected as a finalist is a great
accomplishment and an honor for the District that
accentuates the quality park and recreation services the
Park Board and staff continually strive to provide for
our citizens.
The Downers Grove Park District has won the Gold Medal
Award once before in 1983. The winner of the 2009 award
will be announced in October. For more information on
the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and
Recreation Management, visit
www.nrpa.org.
The Downers Grove
Park District is dedicated to providing a wide variety
of year-round recreation programs, facilities, parks,
open space and natural areas that respond to the
articulated needs and desires of residents. For more
information, call (630) 963-1300, or visit
www.dgparks.org.
Congratulations to the 2009-2010 Rotary
Club of Downers Grove Board of Directors.
In the club election held at the March 23rd meeting, the
following were elected to the Board of Directors for
2009-2010:
President: Barb Wysocki
President Elect: Todd Gallentine
Vice President: Joe Kenny
Secretary: Dan Techman
Treasurer: Bob Nelson
Club Administration: Mark Baresel
Service Projects: Steve Wilkey
Public Relations: Jim Provenzale
Membership: Barb Webster
Foundation: Rob Surrusco
Youth Coordinator: Amy Fisher
At Large: Keith Hoffman and Josh Schultz
Congratulations Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital!
The rest of the nation just got caught up on information
that we in Downers Grove already knew. Congratulations
to Dave Fox and all the staff at Advocate Good Samaritan
Hospital for the national recognition as one of the
top 100 hospitals! This is so well deserved; we’re
unbelievably fortunate to have such a premier healthcare
facility right in Downers Grove.
Read More
The business community is involved in many issues on
Capitol Hill on a daily basis. It is important to
recognize and thank those Members of Congress who
support an agenda that stresses economic development and
job creation.
Rep. Peter Roskam (IL-6)
Rep. Melissa Bean (IL-8)
Rep. Mark Kirk (IL-10)
Rep. Jerry Weller (IL-11)
Rep. Judy Biggert (IL-13)
Rep. Donald Manzullo (IL-16)
Rep. Ray LaHood (IL-18)
Rep. John Shimkus (IL-19)
Congratulations
Shred Doc & Creative Coasters
A High School District 99 Business
.JPG) On
Tuesday March 24th, 2009, the Transition 99
program held a ribbon cutting ceremony and became a
member of the Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce.
The Transition 99 program is the district program for
students with disabilities, ages 18-22. The ceremony
began at 5:30 P.M. Various members of the District 99
staff and the Chamber of Commerce attended to celebrate
the event including transition students Chris Deters and
Michael Johnson, Superintendent Dr. Mark Mc Donald and
Assistant Superintendent Dr. Mary Biniewicz, Director of
Special Services Dr. Kim Dryier, DGS Special Services
Department Chair Ann Sassano, Vocation Coordinator Mike
DellaMaria and Job Coach Judy Underfranz as well as
Transition teachers Amy Simler and Joanne Smith. The
president of the Chamber of Commerce, Laura Crawford,
and eight other members joined the evening to welcome
the two businesses.
By Michael Johnson
Transition student and assistant of
Shred Doc
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Thank
You Members
The Downers Grove Area Chamber of
Commerce & Industry would like to say a special thanks
to the following members:
Thank you to Dr. Diane Meyer of
Dr. Diane Meyer, Inc. &
Eric Hansen
of
Competitive Lawn care Services for
presenting “Going Green: Work, Home & Personal.
Thank you to Michelle Binks of
HR
Consulting Solutions, John Page of Vistage
International/SEI Financial Association and
Howard Kotlicky of
Personnel
Profiles of Chicago for presenting, “Selling an
Evolving Client Base,” at Business Roundtable.
Thank you to
Gatto's
Restaurant and Bar for sponsoring the Women's
Business Council Networking Night.
Thank you to
Seven Bridges Golf Club for hosting our April
Business After Hours.
Thank you to Mike Skarr
for speaking at the General Membership Luncheon on April
8th.
Thank you to
Jeffrey Ross
Photography for photographing the General
Membership Luncheon on April 8th.
Thank you to Mary Ann &
Mike Cervinka of
Arrow Gear for Sponsoring the General
Membership Luncheon on April 8th.
Thank you to Rick Mytnik
of
Illinois Business Systems for the Chamber's
new Camera.
Thank you to Andy Kindler
for is work on
Powerful Presentation Skills to Achieve Your
Goals with Andy Kindler: A Young Professionals Network
Hosted Event
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