Collective Impact Winter 2016

Collective

G R E AT E R

GREEN

B AY

CHAMBER

| w i nter

2016

p u g n i k o Co : n o i t a r o b a l l o c

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WINTER 2016 | issue #12

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Published by the greater green bay Chamber for Chamber members VISIT THE greater green bay Chamber AT:

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PRESIDENT Laurie Radke EDITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Steve Levin ART DIRECTOR Dana Jacobson WRITER Jen Hogeland Collective Impact is published quarterly by the Greater Green Bay Chamber, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A, Green Bay WI 54303. Collective Impact is supported by advertising revenue from member companies of the Greater Green Bay Chamber. For information about the advertising rates and deadlines, contact sales at 920.593.3418.

Collective Impact (USPS 10-206) is published quarterly for $18 a year by the Greater Green Bay Chamber, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A, Green Bay, WI 54303. Periodicals postage paid at Green Bay, WI. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Collective Impact, 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A, Green Bay WI 54303. PH: 920.593.3423.

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Professionals 00 First Business 02 Northeast Wisconsin Technical College - Corporate Training & Economic Development 02 Keller 14 Element 14 St. Norbert College 20 SMET 20 SCORE 20 National Railroad Museum 20 Hometown Bank 24 YMCA 24 UnitedHealthcare 31 Robinson Heating and Cooling 31 American Heart Association 33 Prevea360 Bac k Cover Cellcom

8 15

28

Membership

NationJob, Affinity Partners, Ambassadors

economic development

Fam Tour, Advance Business and Manufacturing Center incubator, Brown County Culinary Kitchen, Wage & Benefit Survey

workforce development

Partners in Education, Find Your Inspiration, Your Future Greater Green Bay, Youth Apprenticeship, Current Young Professionals YP Week and Advisory Council, Leadership Green Bay

government affairs

Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition, Legislative Agenda

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Collaboration is the opportunity to move beyond ourselves and craft shared visions and goals.

As your Greater Green Bay Chamber we work towards being as collaborative and inclusive as possible.

The true strength then comes in the unity of partners working together towards achievement and success.

We believe in this principle because sharing knowledge, learning from each other and being good stewards of resources will only make us stronger as a community. Our members not only desire these partnerships but have come to expect them, as they should.We strive to provide measureable outcomes and a return on investment.

As a Chamber we are committed to strengthen member businesses through enhancing economic and workforce development, resulting in improved quality of life in our community and region. In everything we do we serve as a catalyst for our members, partners and volunteers to collaborate.

By reaching out to others we are able to capitalize on the knowledge and expertise from individuals and organizations for the betterment of greater Green Bay. As you read through this issue of Collective Impact, you’ll see how your Chamber is collectively making a difference. This is only a sample of the level of partnership and collaboration occurring, but hopefully this will give you a glimpse of some of the great work transpiring.

Thank you for your continued support. Let’s continue to collaborate to ensure that greater Green Bay remains a perfect place to live, work and raise a family!

— Laurie Radke

President, Greater Green Bay Chamber

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 3

“By partnering with NationJob, the Greater Green Bay Chamber is able to offer members an affordable solution to recruit quality candidates in an efficient manner.”

— Missy Steffek, director of membership and retention, Greater Green Bay Chamber

Partnership provides members a job-posting tool The Greater Green Bay Chamber is always on the lookout for resources to help member businesses save money and work more efficiently. By partnering with NationJob, members are able to post open positions at a drastically reduced rate and compete for top talent.

Member businesses with less than 34 employees are able to post their hiring needs for free, while larger employers receive an average 60-90 percent savings off standard corporate rates.

4 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

Steffek reveals NationJob also has partnerships with job sites, including Indeed, Beyond, Simplyhired, JuJu and VetJobs.com, which can further increase the exposure of open positions in Northeast Wisconsin.

“The time and effort NationJob can save Chamber members is tremendous,” says Teena McIntire, community development manager for NationJob.

Membership

Affinity Partners program offers valuable member discounts In today’s competitive environment, businesses are eager to take advantage of discounts to improve their bottom line and offer perks to employees. The Chamber partners with five businesses through an Affinity Partners program enabling members to save money on products and services and receive a greater benefit from their membership investment.

By collaborating with Cellcom, Staples Advantage, UnitedHealthcare, Greater Green Bay YMCA and Group Transportation Services (GTS), the Chamber passes along special savings opportunities.“Each Affinity Partner in unique in what they offer members to hopefully provide an incentive to the many different industries that are represented within our membership,” says Missy Steffek, director of membership and retention at the Chamber.

They highlight the benefit of our partnership and we bring the knowledge of our product.”

UnitedHealthcare has been part of the Affinity Partners program for several years. David Bishop, director of account management–small business for UnitedHealthcare, says, “The Chamber provides a great service to its members and we believe partnering with them is mutually beneficial. We are able to spread our message about living healthier lives and at the same time help them increase membership.”

Tom Swiecichowski, manager of specialized markets at Cellcom, explains the wireless provider joined the Affinity Partner program to strengthen its connection to the community.

“We wanted to offer benefits to members that they couldn’t get from walking in off the street,” says Swiecichowski.“We work with the Greater Green Bay Chamber to co-brand the program.

❝

❝

Michelle Murton

or, sales direct reen Bay Greater G YMCA

A ber, the YMC ith the Cham w g m n ti co ra r o u b o in “By colla ith employers w t r ec fo n n ay co w a es as is able to te our servic o a m l, al ro p r d te af an — munity eir employees th ” rt e. o p rc p fo su rk them to ductive wo force is a pro healthy work

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Staples Advantage provides member discounts on office supplies, furniture, cleaning/janitorial supplies and more, while GTS offers exclusive member savings on shipping and transportation needs.

By partnering with the Chamber, the Greater Green Bay YMCA entices employees with a financial incentive to join a membership and wellness program. “Collaborating with the Chamber allows the YMCA to reach more people and make a bigger impact on the community,” says Michelle Murton, sales director at Greater Green Bay YMCA.“We can also further support an employer’s efforts to help employees reach their well-being goals.”

Tom Swiec ichowski

manager o

f specializ

ed market s, Cellcom “All entities benefit from the Affinity P Members feel artner progr value in thei am. r membersh Green Bay C ip. The Great hamber sees er the value in membership maintaining th base, and of ei r course we ar our customer e able to ke s and potentia ep lly grow our customer ba se.”

Kevin Leurquin

business to business sales consultant, Staples Advantage “Our Affinity Partners program offering is tailor-made to a member’s needs.We are able to provide additional savings and value to members.”

David Bishop

director of acc ount management small business, UnitedHealthcare – “UnitedHealthcare is always looking to partner with community organiz ations that have go als that align with ours — to make th e communities we re side and serve a better place to live and to raise familie s.”

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 5

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6 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

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Ambassadors welcome businesses on behalf of Chamber Ambassadors have the interest of both area businesses and the Greater Green Bay Chamber at heart.They represent the business community and help attract new members.

Missy Steffek explains the Ambassador program is made up of professionals from Chamber member businesses. The volunteers collaborate with the Chamber by attending Chamber events and making connections among individuals and businesses.

Ambassadors participate in ribbon-cutting ceremonies as a way of supporting business growth. They attend Business After Hours events to meet and greet members, wearing their Chamber-issued green coats for easy identification. Because Ambassadors are deeply involved in Chamber and community happenings, they are a wealth of knowledge and a valuable resource to members.

“Ambassadors are paramount for supporting Chamber programs and

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helping new and existing members realize their importance to the Chamber,” says Steffek.

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Last fiscal year, more than 35 Ambassadors acted as a liaison to the Chamber participating in more than 80 events and attending over 55 ribbon cuttings and ground breakings.

Becki Starry, realtor at Starry Realty, has been an Ambassador for more than 20 years. She became an Ambassador to get a better pulse on what is happening in her community and to understand the vision of Greater Green Bay. She prides herself on making valuable connections among members.

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“I think one of the biggest benefits we as Ambassadors can offer is helping make connections — to introduce one member to another. By working as an extension of the Greater Green Bay Chamber, we also have a pulse on what is happening in the community and are able to share our knowledge with those we meet,” says Starry.

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Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 7

“As we strive to be one of the best places to work and live in this country, we need to hold ourselves to very high standards. In my experience, those standards can only be achieved when we collaborate.”

— Peter Zaehringer, vice president, economic development, Greater Green Bay Chamber

8 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

Economic Development

FAM Tour highlights the best of NEW The Greater Green Bay Chamber is continuously striving to improve the quality of life in the region. One of the ways the Chamber is able to accomplish its mission is by focusing on economic development.

“Everything we do in economic development touches everyone in our region, no exceptions,” says Peter Zaehringer, vice president, economic development at the Chamber.

“While we have enormous expertise on staff at the Chamber, our goal is to always assemble a team that will make what our businesses and communities need possible.”

In an effort to market and grow the area, the Chamber partnered with Fox Cities Regional Partnership to host four site selectors in August 2015, for a two and a half day FAM tour of the area.

Zaehringer explains site selectors typically work with employers looking for the best location for an expansion, consolidation or relocation. While the economic development team within the Chamber regularly

works with site selectors, the majority are located within the community and are familiar with the region. He reveals this was the Chamber’s first FAM Tour. Their objective was to market the area for business attraction and to create relationships to spur economic development.

While the Fox Cities and Greater Green Bay tend to be competitive when it comes to development, Zaehringer explains they both knew in order to promote the area they needed to work as a team for a common cause. The demonstrated collaboration is strong between the communities.

“We need to collaborate to compete, and not compete against each other,” says Zaehringer. “Rather than making the project a success for only the Greater Green Bay Chamber, we were able to be more successful and have a broader impact by working together as a team.”

Zaehringer explains site selectors from outside the state are evaluating a region based

on a variety of qualities. As a potential new business considers an area, they want to know if an expansion is in its future or if they have a permitting issue, that the community will be approachable, regardless of boundaries. This is where collaboration is key.

“Our goal was to put together data and decision-making information to promote our areas as not just a great place to do business, but to showcase we can work together beyond political boundaries,” adds Zaehringer.

During the FAM Tour, the communities showcased its finest features.

“We wanted to send them home with information but we also wanted to create an experience they would remember and talk about,” says Zaehringer. “At the community debrief the site selectors spoke freely about our region and the state of Wisconsin.They were excited to see how well we worked together, now we just need to tell our story louder and more freely.”

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 9

“These companies provide jobs, diversify the local economy as well as contribute to community services and development, making our region more attractive.”

— Elizabeth Slade, Advance Business & Manufacturing Center incubator program manager, Greater Green Bay Chamber

10 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

The Incubator Advance incubator supports area businesses Many small businesses need a helping hand when starting up. The Advance Business & Manufacturing Center incubator provides the physical space as well as access to resources and support for start-up and expanding businesses. The Chamber partners with SCORE, NWTC Center for Entrepreneurship and the UWGB Small Business Development Center to offer valuable assistance to entrepreneurs.

partners, they get the business jump start they need without a hefty price tag.

“An incubator is a program designed to help develop start-up companies, so we have business mentors and coaches, networking events, professional development courses and onsite partners to offer assistance,” says Elizabeth Slade, Advance Business & Manufacturing Center incubator program manager at the Chamber.

Slade explains when a business gets a strong start, it has the potential to grow and flourish.

“This leads to thriving businesses that transition into the community,” she adds.“Advance provides tenants physical space and a collaborative environment as well as educational and networking opportunities. Our partnering organizations work with the entrepreneurs one-on-one to assist them in developing and building a successful company.” says Slade.

Incubator tenants appreciate the professional setting and shared office amenities — a receptionist, meeting space, copier and more.

And, because business owners can walk down the hall or up a flight of stairs to find answers to questions from several of the Chamber’s

The environment within the incubator encourages collaboration. Connections are made among business owners; networking opportunities make it possible for companies to do business with individuals they might not have otherwise met.

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 11

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te ing to crea lp e h is e m o ition “The outc that trans s e s s e in s u athriving b hese comp T . y it n u m m the into the co d diversify n a s b jo e r nies provid as well as making ou my local econo ttractive.” re a region mo

Elizabeth

Slade

Supporting entrepreneurs prove to be a recipe for success Ask any talented chef or baker what’s holding them back from starting a business and you’ll likely hear the cost of setting up a commercially licensed kitchen at the top of the list.

The Brown County Culinary Kitchen is a collaborative partnership among Advance, a department of the Greater Green Bay Chamber, The Farm Market Kitchen, Curative Connections and NWTC Entrepreneur Resource Center.

The Brown County Culinary Kitchen provides commercially licensed kitchen space as well as connections to the resources businesses need to get their start — and grow.

In the past fiscal year, the Culinary Kitchen provided space to 22 licensed processors.

While the fully-equipped, shared-use kitchen is tremendously helpful for chefs and bakers getting their start, the business coaching and technical assistance can be even more beneficial.

“Navigating regulations surrounding the handling, production, distribution and sale of food-based products can be daunting.We help to simplify the process and reduce the initial investment so foodpreneurs can build a customer base prior to investing $100,000 or more,” says Slade.

12 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

Wage & Benefit Survey brings Chambers together While the Chamber has many programs targeting workforce development, attracting and retaining top talent in the region requires the collaboration of the community.

There has been some type of wage and benefit study available from the Chamber for decades, but by partnering with local Chambers they’ve been able to offer an even more valuable resource to its members.

The Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition (NEWCC) collaborates to sponsor compensation and benefits research to help area employers better respond to market conditions in their hiring and compensation practices.

Members of the Coalition include the Greater Green Bay Chamber, Fond du Lac Association of Commerce, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce and Waucapa Area Chamber of Commerce.

“The Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition Wage & Benefit Survey is a study of wages and benefits conducted throughout Northeast Wisconsin.Accurate and up-to-date data is collected on an annual basis to attract and retain quality employees and to assess the viability of local companies’ wages and fringe benefits,” adds Cindy Gokey, economic development coordinator at Advance Business & Manufacturing Center.

“We wouldn’t have the study if we didn’t have our member companies contributing to the survey and entering data for us. They are providing valuable, real-time data and in turn they’re able to access the complete results. It is a winwin,” says Gokey.

Over 150 companies contribute to the survey, providing wage and benefit information for thousands of job titles. The dynamic reporting tool allows users to drill down to reach specific compensation details. The system can provide comparisons by job title, region and more.

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Cindy Gokey Bay Chamber Greater Green

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 13

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Workforce Development

Business, educators support PIE initiatives The Greater Green Bay Chamber realizes by working with area businesses and educators it can have a greater impact on the community’s future workforce.

Partners in Education (PIE), a program established by the Chamber in 1992, connects businesses, area schools, post-secondary institutions and community organizations committed to helping students develop the skills needed to successfully transition from the classroom to the workforce.

One key component of PIE’s mission is to assist all students, grades K-12, as they prepare to move from school to a career. Programs within PIE, such as Your Future Greater Green Bay, Find Your Inspiration, Career Conversations,

Brown County Teen Leadership and Youth Apprenticeship, encourage teens to consider career prospects carefully and to evaluate needs within the community. PIE partners with schools and educators to support students in this search while including businesses in career exploration opportunities.

While the connection between educational institutions and the community is strong, PIE continues to look for opportunities to collaborate with businesses and schools to make an impact on the up and coming workforce.

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sue zittlow

director of workforce development Greater Green Bay Chamber

“Partners in Ed ucation is a colla borative partne among educatio rship n, business, and the Chamber. W traverse the jour e ney from youth to career and beyond. We wo rk to strengthen , connect and in youth with the spire help of seasone d leaders to en them in the com ga ge munity. Additio nally, we strive recruit and reta to in young profess ionals through interactive opp engaging, ortunities. We w o rk with passiona leaders that aspi te re to reach new levels within th organizations an ei r d to make an im pact in the com munity.”

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 15

Find Your Inspiration “Being able to interact with hundreds of eighth grader students in one day certainly allowed us tell our story and show them a little about our company. We could have never done something like this on our own.”

— Bill Harke, director of public affairs, Milk Source

16 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

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Ashley Knutson Greater Green Bay Chamber

Find Your Inspiration brings businesses and students together Determined to revamp and refresh its annual career expo, the Chamber created Find Your Inspiration, a collaboration among middle school career educators from surrounding school districts, area businesses and industry partners to showcase potential careers to students.

“Find Your Inspiration is n specifically designed to alig mic ade Ac ls’ oo sch a with are and Career Planning and is a great opportunity for g businesses to begin buildin e.” elin pip nt their tale

“The concept of the event is to provide students with an experience of careers by industry sector — or career cluster as they are learned by students — that would inspire them to continue further exploration, achieve academic success in high school, develop soft skills and aspire to post-secondary education or training,” says Ashley Knutson, youth career development manager at the Chamber.

The Chamber partnered with school districts and businesses to bring nearly 1,500 eighth grade students and more than 50 exhibitors together for the one-day event.

Find Your Inspiration highlighted more than 200 careers and 16 career clusters.

While Find Your Inspiration fit with the schools’ Academic and Career Planning needs, businesses embraced the opportunity to connect to its future workforce.

Bill Harke, director of public affairs at Milk Source in Kaukauna, was a key collaborator and sponsor of Find Your Inspiration. He believed the event would be the perfect chance to introduce students to jobs and future employment in the dairy industry. “If we got 10 kids interested in agriculture in Wisconsin that is a huge win. I would take that every day of the year,” he adds.

To further engage students, the Chamber collaborated with partners from various organizations that worked with the arts — the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Artisan and Business Center, The Art Garage, Mosaic Arts and University of Wisconsin-Green Bay’s Art Education Department.

“Collectively, these organizations, along with the Chamber, provided context to the importance of creativity as a soft skill desired by employers, as well as a number of careers within the arts,” says Knutson.

Knutson explains the goal of Find Your Inspiration is to ensure every student will attain a career they are prepared for with an employer they want to work hard for. “There are a lot of pieces to attaining this goal. The success of Find Your Inspiration is because our businesses understand this is one important piece of the puzzle,” she adds.

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Connie Jordan

teacher, Bayview Middl

e School

“The Greater Green Bay Ch amber, with its many contacts, was able to pull tog ether an event that brought together busine sses that represent different career clusters. Studen ts had access to local business and were able to learn about connections to their interests and possible careers.

It was a great collaborative eve nt for the area.”

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 17

Your Future

18 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

A community effort to attract, train and retain the future workforce

“The Your Future program provides more transparency by creating a direct line for schools to reach out to businesses and vice versa. If we are able to get to the students, identify the areas they are interested in and prepare them for the future labor market, businesses in Northeast Wisconsin are going to be in a better place.”

To prepare youth for the workforce, it’s no secret businesses and educators need to come together. Because workforce development is a critical component of improving the quality of life in the region, the Greater Green Bay Chamber finds value in preparing students for the future.

The Chamber recently established Your Future Greater Green Bay, a web-based software program to showcase local businesses and career opportunities. Ashley Knutson, youth career development manager at the Chamber, explains the objective of the software is to build direct connections between Greater Green Bay area businesses, schools, educators, students and community career readiness programs.The intent is to retain local talent for future employment, assist students and educators in developing Academic and Career Plans and provide learning experiences that will transfer from the classroom to the workplace.

— Paula Kuse, human resources director, Broadway Automotive

Your Future Greater Green Bay collaborates with schools to understand their career education needs and with businesses to determine workforce needs.The software then connects businesses with schools to help build a talent pipeline. By working together, schools and organizations can address the workforce needs of Greater Green Bay. Your Future Greater Green Bay also increases business visibility.

Paula Kuse, human resources director at Broadway Automotive, explains Your Future Greater Green Bay is a useful resource for her employer to showcase job, internship and apprentice opportunities as well as build relationships with area schools. She adds,“It is a step in the right direction as we look to build our future workforce.”

By September 2016, the Your Future Greater Green Bay program will connect and showcase more than 200 businesses and career opportunities to 10,000 students and 1,000 educators.

“The value of this collaboration is to bridge the knowledge gap between businesses and schools, showcasing to students how school applies to their future career through integration of work-based learning experiences and business involvement in the classroom, ultimately providing students with inspiration for their future,” adds Knutson.

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Ashley Knutson

youth career development manager, Greater Green Bay Chamber “Our workforce development staff works with businesses to market car eers as well as company’s culture to students.

This supports students’ ability to aspire to a career and complete the appropriate tra ining.”

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 19

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Youth Apprenticeship Businesses find reward in training youth Hands-on experience is arguably the best way to learn, but what company is willing to give students new to the workplace a chance to shine?

The Chamber’s Youth Apprenticeship program connects eager students with companies willing to train the future workforce. Students from area school districts are accepted into the Youth Apprenticeship program prior to their junior or senior year. Students must fulfill their high school requirements and complete industry-related secondary education coursework or advanced placement courses while being employed.

NEW Water, the brand of the Green Bay Metropolitan Sewage District, has had five youth apprentices over the years. “One of the biggest reasons I wanted to be part of the Youth Apprenticeship program is to get younger generations involved in our industry,” says Bruce Bartel, treatment manager at NEW Water in Green Bay. “We have an aging workforce in the waste water industry as a whole and we’re trying to get more people interested.”

David Schultz, youth workforce development manager at the Chamber, explains upon completion of the apprenticeship, students are better prepared to continue working towards their chosen profession.They’ve gained the valuable skills necessary to be successful in the workplace thanks to mentored on-the-job learning.

“Without forward-thinking, positive mentors willing to invest in Youth Apprenticeship students, the YA program cannot be successful. The skills gap in the Wisconsin workforce is significant, but its negative impact on our productivity and economy can be minimized through mentorship. This all hinges on connecting education and business in a way that all parties see positive outcomes,” says Schultz.

Businesses also benefit from employing apprentices. Last fiscal year, more than 90 percent of graduates accepted a full-time position with the Youth Apprenticeship employer.

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(YA) nticeship e r p p A th “You en all essful wh c c u s t s o . Positive is m are active s r e tter ld o h e stak ad to a be le l il w n o ti loyee and collabora dent, emp y.” tu s d e r a p pre munit f the com member o

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Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 21

“Collaboration means hard work — it never comes easy — but we pulled something together that was truly unique and different.”

— Brian Johnson, Greater Green Bay Chamber

22 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

Young Professionals YP Week credits collaboration for success Bring a group of young professionals together and they’re sure to stir up some excitement. Last summer, Current, the young professionals group within the Greater Green Bay Chamber, organized YP Week. They were elated with the event’s success.

Greater Green Bay joined eight other communities throughout the state and put together a week of activities, April 11–18, 2015. Each community hosted a number of events targeting young professionals. “It was a week long of saturated programing,” explains Brian Johnson, Current program manager.

“Typically Current hosts several events a month but during YP Week we had 21.”

To pull together that many events, collaboration was critical.

Current was very intentional in engaging groups that target a similar demographic. The Emerging Leaders Society and Habitat Young Professionals hosted several events during the week. They also partnered with the Green Bay Packers, Volunteer Center of Brown County, Downtown Green Bay and University of Wisconsin – Green Bay to assist with events.

“Our collaborative partners allowed us to help create something special that members of the community couldn’t experience otherwise,” says Johnson.

Johnson estimates the events had a total of 550 participants, although the food truck rally, Current’s signature event, drew a crowd of 3,000-4,000.

Johnson reveals there was a lot of collaboration among the young professional organizations with a lot of promotion between groups. A central web site listed all groups’ events.

The event is expected to grow next year with 15 communities joining the statewide initiative. YP Week is scheduled for April 23-30, 2016.

“YP Week reinforces what we are trying to do as a program — attract and retain young professionals.The key difference is we collaborate with far more local partners during this week, and the exposure we get at the state level is unique as well,” concludes Johnson.

YP WEEK PHOTOS BY ske Shaunae Te Photography

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 23

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Young professionals partner with local government When looking to attract and retain young talent, community matters.

Brian Johnson, Current program manager, believes if Greater Green Bay is appealing to young professionals and they feel connected, they are more likely to call the community home.

“If we can help young professionals grow roots in this community, they are going to create an affinity to Greater Green Bay that they aren’t going to want to let go,” adds Johnson.

To help create a connection, Current recently formed the Young Professionals Advisory Council. Applications were accepted and nine individuals were appointed last fall. Members collaborate quarterly with Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt to share ideas and offer feedback.

The objective is to get younger generations more involved in the political process.

“There was a high demand to be part of the Council, which suggests young professionals want to be part of the political process, they just want to be part of it in a way that allows their contributions to be recognized,” says Johnson.

Mayor Schmitt’s partnership and participation in the Council is critical as he is the conduit to the city government.The Mayor will use the group as a sounding board to get a young professional point of view on his ideas and the young professionals will pitch ideas

to the Mayor on what they’d like to see done in Greater Green Bay. “YPAC is intended to transform the community in a way that makes young professionals want to be part of the community,” adds Johnson.

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Barbara

Koldos (pictured above) business development, Somerville architects engineers “The Chamber is focused on the development of the area and the development of businesses, making sure businesses come together. I bel ieve young professionals play an important role in the future of our community, so the Young Professional Ad visory Council is helping figure out how to engage tha t generation.”

Brian Johnson Greater Green Bay

Chamber

y Advisory Council one wa “The Young Professional the to young professionals for us to better connect m collaborate with local community by having the h jective is to come up wit city government. Their ob t tha ies ity-change opportunit what I consider commun s.” the political proces require the utilization of Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 25

“Without the collaboration from local businesses, and the participants’ commitment to the program, Leadership Green Bay’s reach and community impact wouldn’t be nearly as vast.”

— Sue Zittlow, director of workforce development, Greater Green Bay Chamber

26 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

Leadership Green Bay Businesses buy into developing leaders Leadership Green Bay is a community-based leadership program designed to grow local leaders and inspire community engagement.

While up and coming leaders benefit from the information and experiences shared throughout the program, businesses find value in its employees obtaining important leadership skills.

For many businesses, the Chamber’s Leadership Green Bay program is used as a professional enrichment tool.

Since the program’s inception, local businesses have encouraged and financially supported the more than 1,000 participants in Leadership Green Bay.The budding leaders completed more than 140 small group projects and contributed more than $2.3 million of volunteer time to the Greater Green Bay community.

By partnering with organizations and Leadership Green Bay supporters, the Chamber is able to accomplish its mission of strengthening member businesses through workforce development by building better leaders and improving quality of life by completing community projects that need attention.

Community collaboration is critical to developing these future leaders.

The Chamber relies on area employers to provide program participants — men and women interested in taking charge of their career as well as in moving Greater Green Bay forward.

Organizations also step forward to offer sponsorship, speakers, tours and meeting places for the nine Leadership Green Bay session days held throughout the year.The 2016 class sponsors include American Transmission Company, PAi, Green Bay Packaging, Howard-Suamico School District, Green Bay Packers, Thrivent and Prevea.

Leadership Green Bay has been developing and inspiring professionals since 1985. Each year, between 40 and 45 candidates are welcomed into the program. Each month while in the program, from September to May, program participants are immersed in a full-day lesson that includes guest speakers, team-building exercises and networking.The class is also broken into teams and tasked with completing a community project designed to raise awareness of an issue, improve team skills and effect change.

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i Kaminskgra duate Jennifer ay B ip Green

Leadersh s manager relation VP, public d Bank Associate Bay program rship Green s to build “The Leade opportunitie ership h it w e m d provide ce my lead s and enhan relationship ected in ep me conn skills that ke fessionally nity, both pro the commu uating, ly. Since grad and personal ips have proven to nsh these relatio d will continue to an le ab lu be inva ry day.” ork I do eve w e th ce enhan

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 27

28 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

PHOTO BY JAY SALVO

Government Affairs

Together Chambers have a louder voice Years ago, when a handful of area Chambers discovered they had similar values and concerns, they formed the Northeast Wisconsin Chambers Coalition (NEWCC).The Coalition continues to collaborate because they still share many of the same beliefs and issues — and they know they are much stronger together.

change. By partnering with Chambers, member businesses can continue to do what they do best — making products, delivering services, creating income and generating jobs — while NEWCC lobbies on behalf of businesses to push proposals that help them compete and to prevent bad bills from passing.

“It became abundantly clear we are much better united than we are apart,” says Joe Reitemeier, CEO and president of Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce. “When we started having conversations about what is keeping you up at night and what are the primary issues within your business community, we found a tremendous amount of similarity.”

For communities like Waupaca, NEWCC is vitally important. “In the past, we didn’t do a lot on the legislative side, so our involvement in the coalition makes a huge difference to our community,” says Terri Schulz, president of Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce.

NEWCC consists of the Greater Green Bay Chamber, Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce, Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce and Waucapa Area Chamber of Commerce.

Reitemeier explains the Coalition began having conversations that focused on the region rather than individual communities. Many of these issues required buy-in or support from local legislators.

“By working together, we learned we have a much louder voice when speaking to our legislators,” says Jayme Sellen, director of government affairs at the Greater Green Bay Chamber. “Together we are reaching so many legislators and leveraging the relationships we have to bring attention to the business interests of Northeast Wisconsin.”

Sellen explains it’s easier to get attention from lawmakers when the Chambers work collaboratively. She adds, “When you have multiple organizations working together on something it shows legislators it is such an important issue we are banning together.”

While these policies and regulations impact local businesses, most companies don’t have the time or expertise to fight government for

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Working together allows NEWCC to build up all of Northeast Wisconsin.“The more successful businesses are, the better our communities are,” adds Sellen. “And, a healthier regulatory environment for businesses to work in is essential to the Chamber’s mission, which supports workforce and economic development and results in an improved quality of life for the community.”

affairs, Jayme Selflen government

o director hamber reen Bay C Greater G need to work isconsin we W st cus ea h rt o N rather than fo er th o “To build up ch ea r to look out fo ness going in together — to realize a busi e ” n.

W o s. gi st re re re te in s the enti lp he ly on our own al re s e Fox Citie Waupaca or th

Joe Reitemeier

CEO and president, Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce “We identify the biggest issues and concerns our collective business communities have.We speak on behalf of approximately 300,000 employees and 5,000 companies when we present this information to local legislators.

Together, we speak with a louder, more unified voice.”

Terri Schulz

president, mmerce Waupaca Area Chamber of Co rs involved, and we “We are the smallest of the Chambe to being our politidon’t have a staff member dedicated s the Waupaca Area cal voice, so the collaboration allow r reach and impact.”

Chamber of Commerce to have a large

Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 29

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30  Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

Chamber agenda gets attention of legislators NEWCC speaks on behalf of 5,000 businesses and more than 300,000 employees.The Coalition identified the biggest issues and concerns facing their collective business communities and put together a legislative agenda.

“Business attraction, retention and expansion are very important to the health and growth of our state’s economy, so our goal is to bring attention to the needs of Northeast Wisconsin and the issues that are unique to us.”

Jayme Sellen, director of government affairs at the Greater Green Bay Chamber, explains the legislative agenda is a two-year plan for prosperity that addresses a number of areas, including taxation, regulatory relief, healthcare, transportation, economic development and workforce development. Items on the agenda are mutually beneficial to all Chambers involved.

One of the business concerns NEWCC teamed up to tackle was related to interstate 41 and the originally proposed weight limits.

Another agenda item addresses strategies to recruit and retain young professionals.

“We set our priorities based on what we want to see happen, so it’s a proactive agenda,” says Sellen.“There are also things that come up that we feel may harm the business community, things we can’t plan for, so we have to be able to react to poor pieces of legislation.”

NEWCC also partners on other programs that bring a benefit or service to Chamber members, such as NationJob, the Wage & Benefit Survey and professional development of Chamber staff.

NEWCC partners recently organized a drive-in.

Sellen reveals they led a group of more than 30 members to Madison for a Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC) event to talk through the legislative agenda with lawmakers.

Collaboratively, NEWCC strives to push legislation that provides a climate for businesses to grow and be successful in the state. Sellen adds,

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llen Jayme Sereen Bay Chamber Greater G

traction pansion and at ex n, io nt te growth “Business re e health and th to t an rt o the legis very imp y, so we push m o n o ec s e’ nesses of our stat imate for busi cl a s te ea cr , we are islation that sful. Together es cc su e b d e issues to grow an tention to th at re o m g n able to bri consin.” ortheast Wis that impact N

PHOTO BY JAY SALVO Winter 2016 | Collective IMPACT 31

Chamber member anniversaries.

35 years

Medalcraft Mint Inc. NBC26 & MYNEW32 Fox World Travel Rock Garden/1951 West/Comfort Suites Hotel

30 years

Ryan Funeral Home & Crematory West De Pere School District Eye Care Professionals Global Recognition Inc. Stellpflug Law S.C.

25 years

Vande Hey Company Inc. Brander Construction Technology Inc. Associated Financial Group Dean Distributing Inc.

20 years

Southside Tire Co. Inc. Woodward Radio Group- 105.7 WAPL, 95.9 Kiss FM, Razor 94.7, KZ Radio 104.3, 92.9

15 years

HBBA Referral Network Informed Choice LLC Village of Suamico Nsight Telservices UWGB Small Business Development Center

32 Collective IMPACT | Winter 2016

10 years

Nicolet National Bank Heyrman Construction Company Inc. Town of Ledgeview Simon Bay Park Square Mall The Karma Group Inc. Campbell Wrapper Corporation Circle Packaging Machinery Inc. Digital Office Solutions Inc. Kobussen Buses Ltd. Alliance Insurance Centers LLC

5 years

Pool Works Inc. Werner Electric Supply Co.

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Greater Green Bay Chamber 300 N. Broadway, Ste. 3A Green Bay, WI 54303