Professional Development Seminar Bridget Lynch...

Professional Development Seminar

Bridget Lynch—Red Iron Training Thursday, October 18

8:30 am — 11:30 am

“Success on Purpose” will address the fundamental skills every person dealing

with the public must have. No matter what your career choice, be more confi-

dent and more successful when you have the basics.

Examine the components of business success and leave with your own workable

plan to succeed! Topics include:

Determine your Value Proposition - clear tangible results customers get

from using your product or service

Know what your customer wants and needs and what it takes to

fulfill those desires

Understand why people use your product or service and what adds

value

Project a positive image and have broader name recognition in your market

Develop pro-active habits that ensure business, repeat business and referrals

Networking opportunities are endless - get the most from each of these op-

portunities by knowing how to make connections that will count

Steps you can implement to cool down a potentially hot situation

Reputation doesn’t require perfection - it means doing business with

knowledge, respect and valuing your customer/client

Evaluate the responsibilities of every owner, manager, supervisor and em-

ployee

In this relaxed and unintimidating session, both the novice and the long time

professional will be comfortable learning proven business techniques that can be

implemented immediately. Skills will be developed, refreshed and refined

throughout this session; skills that will make your life easier and you more

successful.

Cost is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

Please RSVP by Monday, October 15.

Make checks payable to:

Seward Area Chamber of Commerce

616 Bradford St., Seward, NE 68434

402-643-4189

[email protected]

Fall 2012

Board Meeting Minutes

Committee Updates

Wall Street Journal article

Ambassador Calls

Chamber Bucks

New Miniature

In This Issue

The Chamber

A Catalyst for Growth

An Advocate for Business

A Partner in the Community

How it Works

Chamber Members play such a vital role in generating taxes to

keep our community percolating!

Trish Lenz

President

Memorial Health Care Systems

David Avery—Prestige Signs

Alan Baldwin—Chief of Police

Greg Barnes—Superintendent of Seward School District

Joe Caldwell—Ridgewood

Brenda Henning—State Farm Insurance

Duane Miner—The Cattle Bank

Paul Mueller—Pac N Save

John Owens—Edward Jones

Charlie Schumacher—Jones National Bank

Andrew Swenson—Concordia University

Jeff Volzke—Volzke Funeral Home

Pat Coldiron—Executive Director

Executive Assistants

JoAnn Boshart and Denise Christensen

2012 board of directors

Charles Lieske

President-Elect

Victorine Originals

Kandi Brown

Treasurer

H&R Block

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes—9/5/2012

Members Present: Alan Baldwin, Greg Barnes, Kandi Brown,

Joe Caldwell, Brenda Henning, Trish Lenz, Charles Lieske,

Duane Miner, John Owens, and Jeff Volske.

Kandi gave the Treasurer’s report. We are pretty much on target

as to where we were last year at this time.

A report was given on the Duck Race. The Diving for Ducks was

well attended, but went too fast. We may organize it a little

differently next year.

The Chamber is co-sponsoring a Leadership Class with the

Seward County Economic Development to help build a better

understanding of how to solve issues in communities.

The Ambassadors and Pat welcomed the Public School and the

Concordia Faculty and Staff and also provided materials to new

students at St. Gregory the Great. They also made calls to Farm

Bureau and Dr. Folkers at Hackbart Chiropractic. They will be

welcoming Mueri Drug, Sports Express and Cobblestone Inn.

Pat took materials down to the Nebraska Artifact Show. She also

attended the Nebraska Fly Back Congressional Report at SAC

Museum, hosted by the Lincoln and Omaha Chambers and the

Nebraska State Chamber.

The Board was updated on the status of the pole barn for the

Christmas floats. Gary Rolf, Scott Willet and Charles Lieske and

coming up with a plan and getting estimates for materials. Work

is also being done on a way to come up with money for advertis-

ing and insurance for the parade.

The new Chamber Bucks program was discussed.

Trish gave an update on issues of Economic Development.

Next meeting will be October 2nd, at Noon at the Seward

Country Club.

240 N. 5th St.

402-643-6054

125 S. 6th Street Seward, Nebraska

402-643-4770

www.remboltlawfirm.com

Sketch of the 2012 Seward Annual Commemorative Ornament

celebrating 25 years of the solid pewter Christmas ornaments.

Watch for news about availability later this year!

Meeting Highlights

Christmas Committee—08/31/2012 Present: Jean Kolterman, Patrick Checketts, Del Peters, Charles Lieske, Jacquie Hirschman, JoAnn Boshart, Pat Coldiron and Denise

Christensen

Discussed plans for the new shed for the floats. We are working on getting poles from SCPP and will try to get donation from the

community for wood.

Reviewed plans for decorating the town. We won't be decorating the Fairgrounds unless we can find someone outside the committee

who has a passion for it and can oversee the entire project.

We will be holding sub-committee meetings to discuss the Letters to Santa program and a possible Passport program.

We decided not to hold a Fruit Cake Raffle this year. Talked about other fund-raising ideas. We may look into a round-up for dollars

program to help fund the Christmas activities.

We will be holding the Gingerbread House contest again. New contests this year will be a Christmas Table Top Display and Sugar Plum

Fairy and Little Drummer Boy contests.

Del Peters plans to do the Fruitcake Toss again Saturday morning on the square. Pat is looking into carriage rides sometime during the

day depending on when the owners and horses can come and whether the liability issues can get resolved.

We talked briefly about the parade. We will be scheduling a parade meeting later this month to go over details.

Kiwanis plans to have Santa's Soup Supper in the Civic Center on the evening of the parade.

We discussed advertising and sponsorships. A sub-committee is working on the details and making a recommendation.

Next meeting scheduled for Friday, October 5th.

First Impressions—09/14/2012 Present were Lisa Bennett, Scott Willet, Tony Vrana, Mel Bolte, Pat Coldiron and Gary Rolf. Members welcomed Tammy Daniel and Lecia

Motley.

Rolf and Willet reported on plans for building a pole barn to house the chamber’s Christmas parade floats. Rolf shared blueprints of the barn

projected to be built at the city’s wastewater plant grounds. Coldiron and Rolf have approached the city for its approval. Coldiron gave Rolf a

source to obtain poles. Members discussed potential funding sources for the approximate $4,000 cost. Willet suggested a strategy to involve

local retailers and others to participate by “rounding up” purchase amounts, and using the extra funds collected to help fund the barn.

Member consensus was to help implement this strategy. Members also discussed potential sources for donated materials and labor. Members

also agreed to keep the barn project under the First Impressions umbrella as a subcommittee. Rolf will pitch a story idea on the barn to the

Independent to help create interest and also possible donations.

Willet reported a successful tire recycling event on September 5 with 148.74 tons collected.

Rolf and Coldiron reported that a number of First Impressions surveys have been returned. The committee will continue with this project

asking local hotels and restaurants to assist with distributing the survey. Rolf will distribute the survey when he attends Concordia sporting

events this fall and winter. Rolf is continuing to work on a database to enter the survey responses.

Bolte reported on the Seward sign. He is working with the city’s zoning department and shared a blueprint showing how drainage around the

sign will be accomplished. He also shared several examples of lighting he received from Verle Wiemer. Bolte is scheduled to present the

project to the county commissioners, and ask for approval to utilize the county’s property to erect the sign. Bolte will obtain quotes for bricks

and the lighting. Bennett said she will prepare a grant request to the Seward Foundation to assist with funding for the sign.

Committee meets again October 12.

Dr. Craig Slepicka Dr. Keith Wintz

236 S. Columbia Avenue

(402) 643-2944

105 S. 5th St, Ste 205

P.O. Box 264

Seward, Nebraska

Phone: 402-643-4615

Fax: 402-643-4693

Increase your businesses visibility and move merchandise using your Chamber of Commerce’s website at www.sewardne.com.

Online Business Directory Listing- FREE Each chamber member receives a listing in the Chamber’s online business directory. Visitors to the site find your listing by searching by category or keyword, or viewing an alphabetical listing.

Member Web Page- FREE Included with your business directory listing is a member information web page for each member. Use this web page to promote your business and provide important information – like driving directions or business hours and a link to your business’s own website.

Access your Member Portal to update your web page information and use the following features: Go to www.chamberlogin.com and enter your login and password.

Post Job Openings You can post job openings on your Chamber’s website and maintain the postings yourself, using your unique “Members Only” login. Postings run on a weekly basis.

Post Hot Deals Advertise specials or offer coupons on the website’s Hot Deals page. Your unique “Members Only” login lets you enter the title, description, category, and date range for the special to run. The Hot Deal can include a link to your website. Visitors to the Chamber’s website can subscribe to receive the Hot Deals e-newsletter and will be alerted by e-mail when new Hot Deals are added.

Advertise Business Events on the Community Calendar

Post your Customer Appreciation, Grand Opening, or other event on the Chamber’s community calendar. Simply login using your “Members Only” access and submit your event for chamber approval.

Your Chamber’s ChamberMaster application also includes an events management module that makes it even easier to participate in Chamber events. Now, you can register for events online. You can also opt to be reminded of events, or sign up for automatic e-mail notification when events are added.

Your Chamber staff is available to assist when needed. Start taking advantage of these opportunities today and see the results tomorrow.

Jonathan Jank, Executive Director, Seward County Economic Development Corporation

“You can be a leader without standing in front,” said Barbara Schmidt, UNL Extension Educator. Schmidt was the keynote speaker who

helped kick off the 2012 Seward County Leadership Development program on Thursday, September 20. The program is a collaborative effort

between the Seward Area Chamber of Commerce, Seward County Young Professionals, UNL Extension Office, and the Seward County

Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC).

Schmidt’s quote is a great reminder for all of us as we work together for the best interests of our County. It doesn’t matter who is in front of a

project, idea or issue, it matters who’s behind it. In my nearly seven months on the job as the director of SCEDC, collaboration has been the

key to making community and economic development efforts thrive in Seward County.

The Seward County Leadership Development program is a great example of teamwork. The program started because a need was identified by

the partners involved. The need is for leaders to be spurred on in Seward County. We realized training that engages potential leaders from all

backgrounds (i.e., high school students, experienced professionals, retirees, etc.) can help lead Seward County into the future.

This program is a step in the right direction. The most important step is to ask oneself, “How am I going to get involved in a leadership role

to help Seward County move forward?” We have a choice; we can either make history or let history make us. Seward County is primed for

greatness and it starts with developing one leader at a time.

655 South Street Seward, Nebraska

402-643-6535

[email protected]

www.BestHomesBuilt.com

http://www.chamberlogin.com/

This article was in the August 17, 2012 edition of the Wall Street Journal written by Conor Dougherty.

Some people think of the chamber of commerce as the place where businessmen

bicker over things like how to add downtown parking spaces. But Chris Mead, who

has been writing a book about the chambers for five years, wants to correct that

impression.

It was the chamber in Atlantic City, N.J., he says, that created the Miss America

Pageant, while the St. Louis chamber helped pay for Charles Lindbergh’s flight

across the Atlantic. That’s why his famous plane was called the Spirit of St. Louis.

Then, too, the downfall of gangster Al Capone was engineered by the Chicago Association of Commerce, which collected

financial information leading to his arrest.

Elliot Tiber, president of the White Lake-Bethel, N.Y., Chamber of Commerce, had the permit for the Woodstock Music & Art

Fair, the 1969 music festival.

“They needed a permit, and I had a permit,” says Mr. Tiber, who recalls his chamber had four members including himself, and

the right to have a festival.

Mr. Mead assumes most people think chambers are boring. “Except they’re not,” he says.

While the 58-year-old Mr. Mead is a senior vice president of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, a trade group for

officials of 1,200 local chambers, this is his personal pet project. He arrives at ACCE’s Alexandria, Va., building at 6 o’clock

every morning, he says, when the place is quiet and the parking lot below his corner-office window is empty. He writes history

until 7:30, before tackling more contemporary problems like signing up new members and dreaming up things to sponsor.

The American workplace is full of people with side interests: aspiring novelists who take lunch with a laptop and musicians who

come into the office red-eyed from last night’s gig. Mr. Mead is like that, a part-time dreamer.

“It is passion not quite to obsession,” says Mick Fleming, the ACCE’s president and Mr. Mead’s boss.

Why would anyone subject himself to this for a book that might never get published? Walter Russell Mead, Mr. Mead’s older

brother and humanities professor at Bard College, in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., has one explanation. While many history

books are centered on powerful presidents and painful episodes like war and slavery, little has been said about the moderately

powerful local folk who did much of the heavy lifting on main street.

“It turns out these totally anonymous people [at chambers] were actually big drivers in how this country has grown,” he said.

Merchant groups go back millennia and were formalized in Europe. Colonists brought the idea to the Americas, but, unlike their

European forebears, most American chambers had no formal ties to the government.

Mr. Mead has always had an obsessive streak, his wife, Laura, says. He once tried to write a book about famous quotes concern-

ing Washington, D.C. He never finished. She supports his chamber book but wants him to hurry up. Her advice? “Don’t make

it so narrow that the only people who would want to read it are chamber people. Speaking recently in his office, which has a

U.S. map with 198 red dots on it marking every chamber he has visited, Mr. Mead rattled off some of his quirkier findings.

In 1936, the president of the Michigan state chamber also became head of the International Nudists Conference. The next year, a

Missouri chamber executive handcuffed himself to a woman’s radiator and threatened to stay there playing solitaire with his free

hand until she said yes or no to his marriage proposal. She said yes.

“I love it when these characters emerge,” he says.

Some of his stories have a dark side. Local groups were in some cases active in upholding segregation, for instance, and

promoted urban renewal that destroyed minority neighborhoods.

One story in the book describes how, in the late 19th century, the New Orleans chamber pressured the Louisiana legislature to

weaken quarantine laws that were costing time and money while cargo sat at the harbor. A subsequent yellow fever outbreak

killed an estimated 20,000 people in the Mississippi Valley.

Mr. Mead says that the closer he gets to the present the less objective he can be. “It’s one thing to say something that happened

100 years ago, but it’s hard to be a historian of people who are paying membership dues,” he says.

“If it’s history, it’s history. We’ve got bigger issues right now,” says Ben Johnson, president of the New Orleans Chamber, one

of Mr. Mead’s members, who says he wasn’t aware of the yellow fever episode.

The inspiration for Mr. Mead’s largely upbeat adventure came several years ago when he was reading an Al Capone biography

that detailed the Chicago chamber’s role in putting the gangster away. He wondered why he had never heard the story despite

working for a national association of chambers, and after collecting other bits of trivia he decided to create a list of five stories to

be distributed to members—”just to show our members that chambers have done something interesting,” he says.

He expanded the effort to include notable people who had served on chamber boards (John D. Rockefeller was one), and to more

than 100 pages. Mr. Mead kept going and today has a tentative title for what he has written: “The Magicians of Main Street.”

He hopes to see it published. “If 500 of the right people read it, maybe I’ll think it’s worth it,” he says. “I could have a minor

career in speaking at chamber anniversary dinners.”

Liberty First Credit Union

First Dollar Certificate

Lisa Eggerling—Farm Bureau


Welcome Dr. Jordan Folkers

Hackbart Chiropractic

Josh Harmoney—New Owner

Seward Appliance Repair


La Carreta Mexican Restaurant


Sports Express

New Seward Location

Mueri Drug

New Location

Ambassador Call

October 17th @ 3:00 pm

Welcoming Dr. Lindsay Rice

Seward Family Medical Center Lobby

250 N. Columbia Ave.

Family Night

Tuesday, October 16, 2012 5:45 – 6:30 Free Family Meal

6:30 – 7:30 Presentation

Family Nights are for parents and their children to relax at the end of the day and enjoy a free meal followed by a parent presentation and child activities. Please sign up at UNL Extension Office at 402-643-2981, or St. John Child Development Center at 402-643-3122. We want to be sure to prepare enough food for everyone! This invitation is open to all families in our community. Meal served and sponsored by St. Vincent de Paul Church.

“Books Speak to You” Jim Aylesworth, National known author of more than thirty books will speak about the excitement of books, and how to get your child to read using rhythm, rhyme and repetition. Published books include: “The Mitten”, “Old Black Fly”, “The Gingerbread Man”, and “Naughty Little Monkeys”. Check out the St. Vincent de Paul book fair before and after the program.

FREE Jim Aylesworth autographed book for every child.

Where: St. Vincent de Paul church, 152 Pinewood Seward, NE Sponsored by: Read Aloud Nebraska, Eastern Nebraska Reading Council, Seward County Bridges, Chapters Books & Gifts,

UNL Extension Office Seward County, St. John Child Development Center, Seward County Headstart.

Seward Memorial Library Event

Evonne Agnello wrote newspaper stories about other people for thirty years before retiring to write her own story and first book, Shaking Shame from Mental Illness. Evonne grew up in Seward where her family owned The Seward County Independent from 1949-1977. After going away for college and pursuing a career she returned in 1972 to publish her family's newspaper for three years. During the past 40 years she has been working with a variety of newspapers in the United States. After retiring she found time to enjoy writing classes and record and publish her story. On Saturday, October 6, Evonne will share information about writing family stories and encourage local writers with their projects. Seward Memorial Library will host the one-hour program which begins at 1 p.m.

COMMUNITY EVENT

Come hear the inspiring true story about one girl’s dream to change the world.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012 7:00 pm

Seward High School Auditorium 532 Northern Heights Dr.

Seward, Nebraska

While her life was tragically cut short during the Columbine High School shooting on April 20, 1999, Rachel Joy Scott’s shining example of kindness and compassion was not defeated that day. Come hear the inspiring true story of one girl’s dream being fulfilled over a decade after her death. The presentation is a powerful reminder of the little things we can do everyday to make our world a better place.

2012 Seward Miniature Available Now! SEWARD

AMUSEMENT

PARK—

17th in a Series

$18.00

We were able to get a few more

of the 2011 Seward Middle School

$18.00

Seward Miniatures from past years are available at the Chamber office.

Please stop by to check out the supply or call us at 402-643-4189.

Return Service Requested

Use Them the Same as Cash!

Announcing . . . The New “Chamber Bucks”

The Seward Area Chamber of Commerce is now including routing and account numbers on the new

Chamber Bucks, formerly known as the Seward Gift Certificates.

Starting October 15th, the Chamber Bucks will not be sold at the banks. You will be able to

purchase them at the Chamber Office open Monday thru Friday, 8 am—5 pm. You may call the

Chamber office to make other arrangements should you not be able to visit during their normal

office hours.

The Seward Area Chamber of Commerce and Seward Sam say,

“Shop Seward! It makes Cents!”

Redeemable only with Chamber Members. Look for the 2012 Seward Area Chamber of Commerce window decal

to locate Chamber businesses. Membership Directories will also be available.

Did you know that you can use Chamber Bucks to get a haircut, buy a dress, pay your light bill, get groceries and

more?

They make great gifts and would be a wonderful way to give employees a Christmas Bonus!

Celebrate the Spirit of Christmas in Seward!

Saturday, November 24

Santa arrives on the Fire Truck at 10:00 am Live Reindeer on the Square! Fruitcake Toss and Reindeer Games Opening of the Indoor Winter Wonderland Pulled Pork Sandwich Luncheon at the Civic Center Sugar Plum Fairy & Little Drummer Boy Contest Winners Announced Gingerbread House Contest winners announced Christmas Table Top Contest displays Carriage Rides in the Morning and Afternoon Helping Hands Kiwanis—Santa’s Soup Supper—Before and After the Parade

Lighted Christmas Parade at 5:30 pm * Lighted Evening Christmas Parade *

A Great Start to a New Tradition!

If you were there last year you know how magical Seward’s First Annual Lighted Evening Christmas Parade turned out to be! We’ve learned a few things, are making some improvements, and are gearing up for another wonderful event.

Mark your calendar and Save the Date to join us as a participant in the parade or a spectator on the sidelines. Either way, it’s going to be a great time!

Interested in becoming a part of the parade? Forms, rules, route, and helpful information on how to light an entry for an evening parade are available on our website at www.sewardne.com.

* Other Dates to Keep in Mind *

Nov. 17 ~ GFWC’s Craft Show Dec 6 ~ Downtown Activities Dec 9 ~ Concordia Christmas Parade of Homes Dec 9 ~ St. Gregory the Great Seminary Concert Dec 13 ~ Downtown Open Houses Dec 20 ~ Mitten Merchants Night

Visit www.sewardne.com for more details on the above events and additional events including the Rotary Club’s Breakfast With Santa, Rivoli Theater’s Free Holiday Movie, and “Christmas at Concordia.”

Seward shops are open extra hours during the holidays to serve you!

After 15 years of business in Seward, we are closing our doors (due to health reasons).

We would like to thank you for your patronage throughout the years!

David Avery Deb Schlueter

Professional Development Seminar Bridget Lynch...

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