November 2015
Chamber News Mission
Our
The River Falls Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau works together to connect, promote, and support its members to further enhance the local economy and cultivate a sense of community.
Business After Hours
Tuesday, November 10th 4:30-6 p.m. Kinnic Health & Rehab (1663 E Division Street) Join us for an evening of networking, great food and cold drinks. This event is the perfect opportunity to meet local business leaders and connect with fellow members. Mark your calendars today for this free, informal way to market your business. Sponsored by: Kinnic Health & Rehab.
Free WI Buisness Tax Seminar Wednesday, November 18th 4:30-6 p.m. City Hall Training Room
Upcoming Events: November 10 - Business After Hours November 18 - Business Tax Seminar November 20 - Chamber Coffee November 27 - River Dazzle December 3 - Business Breakfast December 18 - Chamber Coffee
Please pass this newsletter on to additional employees or put in your lobby. Thank You!
Join the River Falls Chamber of Commerce and Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) for a Wisconsin tax seminar geared toward new and existing businesses.The seminar will cover business tax registration, electronic filing with My Tax Account (MTA), withholding, and sales and use taxes. Business tax incentives and DOR resources will also be highlighted. While this event is free, registration is required. Use your member ID to sign up online or contact the River Falls Chamber at 715425-2533.
Chamber Coffee
Event Sponsor
Friday, November 20th 8:30-9:30 a.m. City Hall Training Room (222 Lewis St) Take part in this great free networking event as you enjoy free coffee and donuts. Share what is new with your business and hear what is new with other members. Stop by for the whole hour or just for a few minutes and enter to win a great door prize. Sponsored by: B Wireless.
Chief Executive Officer NEWS from the
Chamber Highlights
E-Mail Blast Sponsor: Promote your business or event by sponsoring an e-mail blast. Includes your logo and a brief message about your company. $50 Event Sponsorship: Each year the Chamber organizes numerous Chamber and community events. These events include: River Falls Days, Town N’ Country Day, Business After Hours, Chamber Coffees and much more. Sponsoring one of these events is a great way to get your business noticed. Prices vary. Membership Mailing Labels: Advertise special events or promotions to your fellow Chamber members by purchasing preprinted member mailing labels. $50 Newsletter Inserts: Promote your business or event with a newsletter insert. $100 Website Links: Connect your website to the Chamber website. Upgrade your membership to include a web link. $35 link, $60 enhanced listing with link. To take advantage of any of these great marketing opportunities, please contact the Chamber at 715-425-2533.
With so many great things taking place throughout our membership community, I wanted to take a brief moment to provide the following updates: • Membership Survey. Thank you for those that completed the survey prior to last week’s deadline! The information you provide is extremely valuable as we continue to seek ways to improve your membership value. Chris Blasius • 2016 Board of Directors. Thank you for your nominations. A slate has been recommended from a great selection of qualified individuals to represent a variety of member sectors. • Manufacturing Month. Over 25 participants took part in an open house and facility tour held at Minnesota Rubber and Plastics last month. • Community Expo. Halloween was a busy day as the witches, ghosts, and goblins transcended through the high school commons area to learn more about the great offerings available through our surrounding community. • Annual Dinner. Nominations will soon be accepted for those deserving special recognition. Categories include: Citizen of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Large Business of the Year (25 or more employees), and Non-Profit of the Year. Watch for details in the near future. • River Dazzle. I challenge you to find a better way to get in the holiday spirit. Head downtown the day after Thanksgiving to watch the lighted parade, vote on your favorite chili, and drop off your “list” with Santa and Mrs. Clause.
Tourism Corner The Bacon Bash is now the nation’s largest free bacon festival!
Matt Russell - Chair First National Bank
Danielle Campeau UWRF
Dan Nistler Jamie Benson River Falls School District Riverwalk Art & Antiques Janet Burns Bill Rasmussen UWRF Hammarback Law Offices, S.C Kellie Burrows American Cancer Society Jeff Schwab B Wireless Cedric Ellingson Bo’s ‘N Mine Monica Steiner Steiner Plumbing, Jen Loesch Heating & Electric River Falls Hospital Scott Morrissette Bremer Bank
Kevin Westhuis City of River Falls Scot Simpson Ex-Officio City of River Falls
With the help of a $27,780 Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) grant from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, the River Falls Chamber of Commerce received a marketing boost to promote Judy Berg the 2015 Bacon Bash that attracted over 16,000 bacon lovers to River Falls September 19 – 20. With over 66% of attendees as out-oftowners, the nearly 16,000 bacon fanatics drew an overall economic impact of $749,597 with $546,572 from traveler spending at local hotels, restaurants and shops (based on rates provided by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism). As a direct result of the JEM grant, the River Falls Chamber promoted the Bacon Bash through new marketing channels such as a digital billboard near the Mall of America, TV—including a segment on KSTP TV’s Twin Cities Live, a podcast on Heavytable.com to name a few. Notable responses from the various campaigns include: • “The River Falls Bacon Bash was a top-performing link in both WI Traveler emails in which the event was included. More impressively, the “Win a Year’s Supply of Bacon” deal posted on TravelWisconsin.com received 525 clicks (453 unique), making it the most clicked link on the Deals page (TravelWisconsin.com/Deals) in any given month for all of 2015 so far!” according to representatives at Laughlin Constable, the Wisconsin Department of Tourism’s advertising firm. • “The results were excellent! The web tile on StarTribune.com had a click-thru rate of .15% compared to the industry average of .06 - .10%,” stated a representative from the Star Tribune. • “The display campaign was remarkable…a click thru of .72 is off the charts. I’ll be using the Bacon Bash as an example of what’s possible,” stated a representative from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Mark your calendars for the 2016 Bacon Bash in River Falls—September 17 – 18. Learn more at www.riverfallsbaconbash.com.
River Dazzle
Friday, November 27th, 1-8 p.m. Downtown River Falls Celebrate River Dazzle with us on Friday, November 27th. Gather the whole family downtown to enjoy a festive day of events! Promote your business by sponsoring the event, become a participating location for the chili crawl, or enter a unit for free in the illuminated parade!
• 12:-00 - 2:00 p.m. Cookie Decorating • 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Santa & Mrs. Claus & Reindeer! • 1:00 - 5:30 p.m. 10th Annual Chili Crawl • 2 - 6:00 p.m. Free Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides • 6:30 p.m. River Dazzle Parade For more information visit the Chamber website www.rfchamber.com
Business Breakfast -
Tuesday, December 3rd 7:30-9 a.m. West Wind Supper Club
Community Events! Relay for Life - Kick Off
Monday, November 9th 6:30 p.m. River Falls High School Join the American Cancer Society Relay For Life as they kick-off Relay season on Monday, November 9, with a Team Captain event held at 6:30p at the River Falls High School Media Center. Meet the planning committee, hear first-hand an exciting announcement, learn the event theme, what to expect different in 2016, get ideas for fundraising and recruitment, and get all of the materials to build your team. This year’s Relay will be held Friday, April 1, 2016 - and that’s no foolin.
If you’ve ever needed help solving problems, getting answers or reducing the regulatory burden of state government then this event is for you! As the ‘concierge service for business’ the Office of Business Development will identify the many ways they’ve helped business cut through red tape to solve problems, identify laws and rules that need to be reformed and link to various resources and services available in Wisconsin. Since early Submission deadline: Monday, 2013, more than 500 events have been held in counties all across the state. After hearing this presentation which includes real life examples of problems encountered and solutions November 23 provided, business owners have brought more than 400 issues to their attention seeking assistance, including numerous ideas for regulatory reform. The presentation is followed Early each year the University of by a Q&A session so don’t miss out on the opportunity to share your ideas on how to Wisconsin-River Falls works with the reduce the regulatory burden imposed by state government regulations! Sponsored by: community to raise funds through River Falls Community Foundation. the Bowls for Hope event in which proceeds raised help a worthy nonRegister online with your member ID at rfchamber.com. or email maranda@rfchamber. profit organization make a difference in the St. Croix Valley. Applications are now open for the 2016 recipient of Looking to make the River Falls community more aware of your business in 2015? Sponsor a this charity event. The 2016 Bowls for Business After Hours! This is the perfect opportunity for you to invite River Falls locals into your Hope event is Tuesday, March 8, from location. Interested sponsors should have adequate parking and space inside for 30-50 people. 5-7 p.m. at UW-River Falls. To be conThere is no upfront cost to sponsoring a Business After Hours, however sponsors are responsisidered for the 2016 Bowls for Hope ble for providing appetizers and drinks for attendees. Email
[email protected] by Friday, proceeds to benefit your St. Croix ValNovember 20th if you are interested. Selected locations will be notified mid-December. ley nonprofit organization, complete the Request for Funds form found at http://www.uwrf.edu/BowlsForHope/ FundRequest.cfm. Interested charitaSave the date: Thursday, February 4th 2016 ble organizations should submit their requests online by Monday, Nov. 23. Nominations now open! Submit yours before Friday, November 20th. Link available on the Since 2010, Bowls for Hope has raised Chamber homepage. more than $34,000 for St. Croix Valley charitable organizations.
Bowls for Hope
Become a Business After Hours Sponsor
Annual Awards Banquet
Membership Directory Ads
It’s almost 2016 Membership Directory Time! The annual membership directory is a resource for all Chamber members to stay informed on our mission, programs, leaders, partnerships and Chamber resources available. It includes your business listings, formatted 3 ways - Alphabetical, By Category, By Representative. Ad represenatives from ECM publishers will began sales for the 2016 Membership Directory December 1st. Rates and additional information available on page 8.
We’ve moved!
Visit us at our new location: 215 W Maple Street (City Hall - Lower Level)
715.425.2533
Chamber News - Page 4
www.rfchamber.com
Ambassadors Visits CHAMBER Field of Dreams
From L-R: Jeff Schwab, B Wireless; Vince Seidling, Edward Jones Investments; Jodi Pechacek, CPR Wealth Advisors, Jane Davis, Field of Dreams; Monica Wright, Epress Employment Proffessionals; Toni Hinz, Junior’s Bar & Restaurant; Monica Robey, Steiner Plumbing, Heating & Electric
Field of Dreams opened in 2013 featuring batting cages of varying speeds for both softball and baseball, private and group lessons and is the perfect space to host birthday parties and your next event. Field of Dreams joined the Chamber a little over a year ago and has benefitted from the additional exposure. Their purpose is to develop and enrich batting, pitching and catching skills in baseball and softball enthusuasts of all ages in the St. Croix River Valley. It is their mission to provide the very best programming, staff, and equipment in order to meet the needs of their athletes. Owner Jane Davis commented, “It has been so much fun and rewarding to watch kids from the River Falls community working on their baseball and softball skills.” Field of Dreams is looking forward to hosting a large softball and baseball camp coming up in January/February to prepare the kids for the 2016 season. Hours of operation vary by season. Interested parties can learn more at www.rffieldofdreams.com or 715-781-1456. Stop by and check out all that they have offer, at 125 1/2 Main Street.
Comforts of Home
From L-R: Jeff Schwab, B Wireless; Comforts of Home staff members Monica Robey, Steiner Plumbing, Heating & Electric; Toni Hinz, Junior’s Bar & Restaurant; Jodi Pechacek; CPR Wealth Advisors; Monica Wright, Express Employment Professionals; Vince Seidling, Edward Jones Investments
Comforts of Home, located on the south end of town at 2348 Aurora Circle is the premiere provider of assisted living. Their experienced staff provides personalized assistance, supportive services, and compassionate elder care in a carefully designed community setting. Comforts of Homes prides themselves on having the highest quality care at the most affordable price around. Their well-trained caregivers are on-site 24/7 to provide supervision and assistance. Comforts of Home is dedicated to making each resident stay comfortable and enjoyable by offering a beauty/ barbershop on-site, daily scheduled activities and home-cooked meals and healthy snacks in a homelike atmosphere that is easy to navigate. Set up a time to meet with their experienced staff by calling 715-425-1530.
Chamber News - Page 5 Dick’s Fresh Market
2014 Chamber Annual Award Winners
2014 Business of the Year
BUSINESSBriefs
Bo’s ‘N Mine 2014 Small Business of the Year
www.rfchamber.com Cedric Ellingson Monica Steiner River Falls Baseball Council Steiner 2014 Citizen of the Year Plumbing, 2014 Non-Profit of the Year Heating &Electric 2014 Ambassador of the Year
A local partnership of the City of River Falls, River Falls Economic Development Corporation, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the Chippewa Valley Technical College has been awarded a $1.4 million grant to construct a business incubator to serve the St. Croix Valley region. The U.S. Economic Development Administration Investments for Public Works and Economic Development Facilities grant will fund the creation and construction of the St. Croix Valley Business Incubator. Businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the region will benefit from the incubator that is designed to accelerate the growth of new and existing businesses and support an entrepreneurial culture. The incubator is set to open in the fall of 2016. The St. Croix Valley Business Incubator will have approximately 13,000 square feet dedicated to general manufacturing and 18,000 square feet occupied by offices and common areas. The facility will be located in River Falls at the corner of Casey Street and Sutherland Avenue as the flagship of the newly developed Sterling Ponds Corporate Park on the city’s north side. For more information, contact Director Danielle Campeau at
[email protected] or call 715-425-0643. The City of River Falls is pleased to announce that Gordon “Gordie” Young, Deputy Chief of the Royal Oak, Michigan Police Department has accepted the position of River Falls Police Chief. As per Wisconsin Statutes, the City’s Police & Fire Commission presided over the selection process that drew nearly 60 applicants from a dozen states. The appointment will formally be made at the November 2nd Commission meeting. Chief Young will begin duties on January 4, 2016. Dr. Carole Mottaz, Chairperson of the Commission said, “I am very pleased with our choice of a new Chief of Police, Mr. Gordon Young of Ortonville, Michigan. The procedure used to reduce the applicant pool from 59 to 1 was rigorous and thorough. I am particularly impressed with his creative problem solving, experience with policy development and grant writing. He and his family will be a very welcome addition to our community.” Mr. Young follows Chief Roger Leque who retired in October after serving the community for 37 years, 24 as Chief of the Department. Interim Chief John Aubert will continue to serve until January 4. The department includes 23 sworn officers and an additional 5 non-sworn positions. Mr. Young had the following to say about his appointment, “It is an incredible honor and privilege to lead the River Falls Police Department and have an opportunity to build on the success of Chief Roger Leque. I’m excited to get to know the police department staff, city employees and members of the community. My top priorities will be community policing, providing exceptional service, and supporting a premiere police agency through local partnerships.” This holiday season, WESTconsin Credit Union will host The Mitten Tree campaign, a Kindness Counts initiative. Each office will display The Mitten Tree, a tree in its lobby decorated with holiday ornaments and donated mittens, gloves, hats, scarfs and more. The purpose of The Mitten Tree is to collect cold weather apparel and accessories for those in need as the winter season’s sub-zero temperatures set in. Last year, the credit union collected over 2,700 items. The campaign begins Monday, November 2, and runs through Saturday, November 21. Donations can be dropped off at any WESTconsin office during regular office hours. Acceptable items include new mittens, gloves, hats, scarfs, earmuffs, coats, boots and blankets; please no previously used items. Items can be handmade or store purchased, and suitable for all age groups. Monetary donations will also be accepted at all WESTconsin offices or online at westconsincu.org. Reverie Photography is giving the gift of hope this holiday season. When you purchase one regularly prices family session and receive a gift certificate for a free mini session ($99 value) 20% of the purchased session fee will be donated to the River Falls Food Pantry. Call Rachel @ 715.245.0239 or visit the MyReverie Blog at www.reveriephoto.com for details. Come spend an unforgettable evening on Friday, November 6, while a crime scene is unraveled just in time for dessert. Figure out whodunit with your group while digging into a tasty dinner, all in one $65 ticket! Enjoy a gut-busting live performance, full bar service and a delicious dinner, possibly served by the suspects themselves. You will be a witness to the murder, so it’s up to you to help solve the crime. Social hour starts at 5 p.m. so don’t be late or you may miss some clues! Since this is an interactive event, consider bringing your friends and/or co-workers and sponsor a table of 8 for $600. Sign up today by emailing the River Falls Rotary Club at
[email protected] the number of tickets you would like. The early child development is vital to sucess in adulthood. Providing young children with a healthy environment in which to learn and grow is not only good for their development—economists have also shown that high-quality early childhood programs bring impressive returns on investment to the public. Success by 6 (SB6), a United Way initative that supports the physical, emotional, and social development by the age of six. It is a flexible and sustainable model developed to meet the needs of local communities. United Way St. Croix Valley began implementing SB6 in 2005 by developing our vision, mission, priorities and logic model. SB6 is an ongoing, coordinated, collaborative, seamless, universal system from age prenatal-6 yrs.
Annual Award Nominations Now is the time to recognize those in our community for their outstanding contributions. Nominations are being accepted in four categories: Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year, and Citizen of the Year. To place a nomination, follow the link on the Chamber homepage. Award winners will be recognized at the Annual Awards Banquet on Thursday, February 4th.
Past Award Recipients
Business of the Year Dick’s Fresh Market UWRF Family Fresh Market West Wind Supper Club First National Bank
Citizen of the Year Cedric Ellingson Dr. Bob Johnson David Markson Leah Gavin RF Fire Department
Small Business of the Year Bo’s ‘N Mine Brickhouse Music Riverwalk Art & Antiques Lund’s Hardware South Fork Cafe
Non-Profit of the Year
River Falls Baseball Council Our Neighbors’ Place St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity River Falls Food Pantry Turning Point
Deadline: Friday, November 20th
