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6601 Lyndale Avenue South Suite 110 Richfield, MN 55423 www.richfieldmnchamber.org 612-866-5100 What’s Inside: continued on page 3 NEWS Chair’s Column Upcoming Events Anne Schultz, owner, Linden Hills Florist 2015 Chamber Chairperson Hello and Welcome to the Chamber’s 60th Anniversary! I hope everyone had a prosperous 2014, I did and I know my connections through the Chamber helped make that possible! I would like to take a moment introduce myself and our new Board Members to you. My name is Anne Schultz and I am the Co- Owner of Linden Hills Florist. I am the Head Creative and lead a design team that offers innovative, on trend floral designs with a “wow” factor for your home or business! As a designer, I feature seasonal product from local growers to create beautiful floral designs. I emphasize blending textures and colors to give each arrangement a “fresh from the garden” feel. Two years ago we moved our business from a small retail store in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis to “e Cloud.” As a business owner, I not only needed to create exceptional product for my clients, but I also needed to stay on trend with current business models in my industry. I have found moving to a “virtual store” incredibly rewarding. It was definitely a leap-of-faith to change business models but it has been one of the best decisions of my professional career. I have more flexibility to source local product, by going straight to the grower, which in turn benefits my clients with the best floral product on the market. 2015 is a new year, have you looked at ways to update your current business model and add new possibilities to your company? If you want to talk to other Business Owners on the topic, stop by the Business Owners Round Table meeting and let the Chamber help you! connecting with the business community to identify challenges, explore opportunities and create innovative solutions Wed., Feb. 25, 2015 “State of the City Address” Wed., Mar. 25, 2015 BEER Luncheon feat. William Cope Moyers Wed., Apr. 17, 2015 Salute to Small Business Event Fri., May 15, 2015 BEER Luncheon with Ross Bernstein Wed., June 10, 2015 Business Expo After Hours Visit www.RichfieldMNChamber.org to view the community calendar Richfield Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community Richfield Chamber of Commerce 2014 recap Photos and commentary from the Chamber’s third trimester events Resources for connecting with Richfield’s broader business community

Transcript of connecting Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous ...€¦ · “State of the City Address ... In...

Page 1: connecting Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous ...€¦ · “State of the City Address ... In addition, our social media sites on Facebook and Twitter are doing remarkably well

www.RichfieldMNChamber.org

6601 Lyndale Avenue SouthSuite 110 Richfield, MN 55423www.richfieldmnchamber.org | 612-866-5100

6601 Lyndale Avenue South • Suite 110Richfield, MN 55423

www.richfieldmnchamber.org612-866-5100

What’s Inside:

Find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter!Join in our conversations and tell others about us as well.

continued on page 3

NEWSChair’s Column

Upcoming Events

Anne Schultz, owner, Linden Hills Florist2015 Chamber Chairperson

Hello and Welcome to the Chamber’s 60th Anniversary! I hope everyone had a prosperous 2014, I did and I know my connections through the Chamber helped make that possible! I would like to take a moment introduce myself and our new Board Members to you. My name is Anne Schultz and I am the Co-Owner of Linden Hills Florist. I am the Head Creative and lead a design team that offers innovative, on trend floral designs with a “wow” factor for your home or business! As a designer, I feature seasonal product from local growers to create beautiful floral designs. I emphasize blending textures and colors to give each arrangement a “fresh from the garden” feel. Two years ago we moved our business from a small retail store in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis to “The Cloud.” As a business owner, I not only needed to create exceptional product for my clients, but I also needed to stay on trend with current business models in my industry. I have found moving to a “virtual store” incredibly rewarding. It was definitely a leap-of-faith to change business models but it has been one of the best decisions of my professional career. I have more flexibility to source local product, by going straight to the grower, which in turn benefits my clients with the best floral product on the market. 2015 is a new year, have you looked at ways to update your current business model and add new possibilities to your company? If you want to talk to other Business Owners on the topic, stop by the Business Owners Round Table meeting and let the Chamber help you!

connecting with the business community to identify challenges, explore opportunities and create innovative solutions

Wed., Feb. 25, 2015“State of the City Address”

Wed., Mar. 25, 2015BEER Luncheon

feat. William Cope Moyers

Wed., Apr. 17, 2015Salute to Small Business Event

Fri., May 15, 2015BEER Luncheon

with Ross Bernstein

Wed., June 10, 2015Business Expo After Hours

Visitwww.RichfieldMNChamber.orgto view the community calendar

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

Richfield Chamber of Commerce 2014 recap

Photos and commentary from

the Chamber’s third trimester events

Resources for connecting

with Richfield’s broader business

community

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

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connecting businesses with one another by hosting networking events in both large and small group settings connecting with the business community to identify challenges, explore opportunities and create innovative solutions2 11

2015BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Angie SchaefbauerPresident

Richfield Chamber of Commerce

Anne Schultz2015 Board ChairLinden Hills Florist

Laura Barrett2014 Past Chair

Barrett Lawn Care, Inc.

Brad Beard2016 Incoming Board ChairFairview Southdale Hospital

Kristie BeauchaineCandlewood Suites

612.869.7704

Jennifer BornholdtHub Jewelers612.866.7700

Debra HamptonAmerican Dairy Queen Corp. (IDQ)

952.830.0214

Laurel HansenThe Arc Greater Twin Cities

952.915.3654

Jason KriegelMinnesota School of Business

612.436.7571

Nicole KrolikowskiBMO Harris Bank

612.798.3844

Colleen NagleKnight Barry Title, Inc.

612.252.2026

Debi Neitzel-WaitkusMaser, Amundson, Boggio & Hendricks,

P.A.952.925.4147

Gordon VizeckyBest Buy

612.291.7414

THANK YOU TO NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS

NEWAaron Lissarrague AgencyChampps AmericanaMary Kay Cosmetics - Kelly RoeringNorthern Star Council, BSA

Richfield Bloomington MitsubishiSavers - Drop Off OnlySigns By Tomorrow - Richfield

RENEWEDAdler Graduate SchoolAspen Waste Systems, Inc.BMO Harris BankBremer BankCity BellaCity of RichfieldECM-SUN GROUP, LLCFairchild Maddox + LeonidasFirst National Bank of the LakesGlobal MercantileHennepin County BoardIsiah Moore RealtyKirsch, MartinLarson & Larson FinancialLindstrom Law OfficesMinnesota InteractiveMN School of Business

Office DepotOrganic Lawns by LUNSETHPartnership AcademyPlekkenpol Builders, Inc.Radisson Blu - MOARichfield 4th of July Committee, Inc.Richfield Optimist’s ClubRichfield PlumbingRichfield Pub. School Dist. #280Richfield Spartan FoundationTCF BankTile-Rite LLP and Evolv HealthV.E.A.P.VinocopiaWellington Management, Inc.Woodlawn Terrace

Chamber Website 30,000 Visits

As of the end of December, the Richfield Chamber and Tourism combined website has welcomed over 30,000 visits for the year and 73% of them are new, not repeat visits! That’s an incredible number considering it has only been about nine months since all of our eMarketing strategic plans have been fully implemented! In addition, our social media sites on Facebook and Twitter are doing remarkably well and we delivered over 12,000 emails, averaging a 20% open rate. Shout out to our eMarketing partner, Minnesota Interactive – without them, we never could have achieved such great success!

Share Your Company News

We want to hear from you! Has your company recently won an award? Have you been recognized for a special achievement? Do you have an upcoming event? Has your firm recently reached a significant milestone? Or maybe you’ve changed store locations, hours, added a new product line or service? Has someone in your business recently been promoted? We want to share your news with the world to give you more exposure and free publicity for your accomplishments. Share your news today!

2015 Quick Phone Directory The Chamber sold advertising space in the first ever Richfield Business Phone Directory. The finished piece will reach 10,000 Richfield doorsteps and feature quick listings for area schools, emergency numbers and all Richfield Chamber member phone numbers. Watch for it to arrive in your mailbox this month!

Minnesota Chamber Grants Available The Minnesota Chamber has tailored a new grant program for businesses considering energy efficiency or waste management projects. Businesses may seek up to $4,000 for prequalified energy efficiency and waste management projects. Visit www.mnchamber.com for details.

2015 Board of Directors Announced The Richfield Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors unanimously approved their newest Board Members: Kristie Beauchaine, Candlewood Suites; Jason Kriegel, MN School of Business and Colleen Nagle, Knight Barry Title, Inc. RCofC Board Members Gordy Ecklund - Richfield Bloomington Honda and Pablo Muríllo - Global Mercantile completed their terms as of December 31, 2014; in addition, there was an additional available board seat that remained open after Mary Everett resigned in early 2014. All incoming board members assumed their roles effective January 1, 2015. In addition to the three new board members, Anne Schultz – owner, Linden Hills Florist, stepped into her role as 2015 Board Chair; all board members were recognized at the Chamber’s annual holiday event.

Although we’ve moved from our longtime location along Richfield’s Lyndale Avenue, Dunn & Semington remains committed to providing the highest quality design and

commercial printing services to the business community of Richfield.Let us help you bring your ideas to the marketplace!

www.dunnsemington.com (612) 866-72255250 West 73rd Street, Suite FEdina, MN 55439

Mention this ad and get 250 business cards for $15! Now through March 21.

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

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Business Owners Roundtable Our Business Owners Roundtable has been meeting throughout 2014 but we need more members! The group provides fellow business owners with a forum in which they can develop successful business strategies, engage a sounding board, and hear new tactical ideas. The group promotes an open exchange of ideas through group discussion and individual expert presentations. Contact the Chamber today if you’d like to get involved!

CHAIR’S COLUMN, continued

PROGRAMMING

As we ring in the New Year we have had some outstanding Board Members who have completed their terms. Please be sure to give a big “Thank You” to Gordy Ecklund of Richfield Bloomington Honda and Pablo Murillo of the Global Mercantile when you see them at the next Chamber event. Their volunteer services with the Richfield Chamber have been incredibly appreciated and even though their board terms have concluded, we know you will continue to see them involved in our 60th Anniversary year! The Chamber members stepping up to take their turn serving on the Board of Directors will be:

Jason Kriegel, Executive Business Program Chair for the MN School of Business. Jason has over 20+ years of business and industry experience in the banking, travel and human resources sector. He is the proud father of 7 adopted, special needs children. Teaching is his passion and he enjoys traveling to exotic destinations whenever and wherever he can. Jason is looking forward to the opportunity to network with business professionals and form new relationships with the members of the Richfield Community.

Colleen Nagle, Regional Manager for Knight Barry Title. Colleen joined Knight Barry Title in May 2012 and is currently the Regional Manager of Knight Barry’s Minnesota office. She started her career in the industry in 1994. Before joining Knight Barry, she worked for a title insurance underwriter and two title agencies, all in the Twin Cities area. She is passionate about the industry and enjoys helping customers and colleagues reach and exceed their goals. Colleen especially enjoys establishing, building and maintaining customer relationships with Realtors, loan officers, private mortgage banking groups, builders and law firms. She is very active in networking and building customer relationships in the Richfield community.

Kristie Beauchaine, Director of Sales for Candlewood Suites. Kristie has been in hospitality sales for over 15 years. She has worked for a variety of properties; resorts, full service and, for the last five years, in extended stay as Director of Sales for Candlewood Suites. She is responsible for developing new business which includes group and corporate business requiring stays of 7 or more nights. Kristie is excited about joining the Board of Directors and looks forward to connecting with other Chamber members at an upcoming event.

I would like to again say THANK YOU to our outgoing Board Members and a warm welcome to our new Board Members. I am looking forward to 2015 and know that it will be a very prosperous year for all our Richfield Chamber members. At the beginning of my time with the Chamber, Tim Carter, of Richfield Bloomington Honda gave me some great advice. As simple as it is, I have found it incredibly true during my time at the Chamber. Tim said to me, “You’ll get out of it what you put into it!” So I ask you, “What do you want to get out of the Chamber in 2015 and what will you put into it to achieve that goal?” Cheers to 2014 and I look forward to connecting with each of you in 2015!

City Council Passes 6-month Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Discussion As a dozen businesses filed state-level applications to grow and sell marijuana in Minnesota in 2015, the Richfield City Council approved a six-month moratorium on the consideration of distribution facilities citing a need to study regulatory details pertaining to the law. City Manager, Steve Devich, believes that it’s important to get ahead of the game and thoroughly take a look at how, or where, medical marijuana dispensaries might fit into Richfield.

Lyndale Station Phase 3 Has Begun Lyndale Station is beginning construction of a third building at the corner of 66th and Lyndale that will include a Caribou Coffee shop with a drive-thru and a MyBurger restaurant. Construction is scheduled to be complete this spring and will include public amenities and outdoor seating areas. The entire development is managed by Wellington Management based in St. Paul.

MEMBERSHIP

Chamber Membership in the Palm of Your Hand Imagine – everything you need to manage your Richfield Chamber membership in the palm of your hand….well, imagine no more! Announcing MemberPlus - a new feature for Richfield Chamber members which is an app available on Android and Apple devices. After download and installation, members will be able to:

• ReceivepushnotificationsfromtheRCOC• View a Community Feed (similiar to other social media site)

designed to foster social interaction and community support between members

• AutomaticallylogintotheRCOC’swebsiteandregisterforevents,check-inatevents,seenewsreleasesandjob postings, mark your favorite reps for easy networking, and more!

Download and install the app from your app store today! If you need help with your login name and/or password, contact the Chamber.

Download Member Mailing Labels and Print Directory Richfield Chamber members can download a .pdf member directory and/or member mailing labels at any time; both are updated weekly. Here are the download steps:

• Visitwww.richfieldmnchamber.org;clickthememberloginlinkatthetopofthescreen• Loginwithyourcredentials(contacttheChamberifnotknown)• Searchmenu/resources/files• Youwillseethemostrecent.pdfmailinglabels(formattedforAvery5162)and.pdfmemberdirectory• Clickthefileandsaveittoyourcomputer

We do not provide the lists in .xls format as we cannot control the usage and need to protect members from unwanted spam; however, you are welcome to build your own database from the information provided.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES, continued

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InteGRATE! Young Professionals

Richfield’s Young Professionals Group “InteGRATE!” met twice last trimester; once for happy hour at Pizza Lucé in September and joined forces with the Bloomington Chamber’s South Metro Young Professionals in November for a fun evening of pizza, socializing, and bowling at Richfield’s own, Lariat Lanes which has been a fixture on Penn Avenue since 1958! The group often incorporates service projects into their gatherings and they even have prize drawings – Rob Shurtleff, Bob the Website Builder, won free pizza from Pizza Lucé! Integrate! is the Richfield Chamber’s Young Professionals Group for dedicated, enthusiastic, and talented Young Professionals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s and/or those that are “young” in experience within their current industry. 2015 InteGRATE! planning is underway – contact the Chamber to get involved!

Ribbon Cuttings at Savers, Posters on Board, Von Hanson’s, Four Points by Sheraton and Maser, Amundson, Boggio & Hendricks, P.A.

Congratulations to all of our Richfield Chamber members who celebrated grand openings, anniversaries, renovations and expansions. Attendees included Mayor Debbie Goettel, members of the RCOC’s Ambassadors committee and Board of Directors, City Staff members, several other community members and guests. Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies are an important part of any overall marketing and advertising plan and a great way to kick-off a grand opening of a business, changed ownership or new management, moving to a new location, a remodel or expansion or celebrating a milestone. Ribbon cutting ceremonies are a benefit of RCOC membership and they offer an opportunity to meet key leaders in the community and get acquainted with your neighbors and other Chamber members.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Leadership MN – Session 1 Recap The first session of this exclusive program to which RCOC Chamber President, Angie Schaefbauer was accepted held in September! 35 members of the class of 2014-2015 gathered in Mankato for a jam-packed agenda. Attendees developed an understanding of the economic, demographic and public policy issues facing Minnesota as they relate to the business environment designed to prepare us for this distinctive tour of our state. The session also explored the ever changing financial services industry and examined how manufacturers are responding to global competition.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

66th Street Reconstruction Project Richfield has approved a $37 million plan to remake its heavily trafficked 66th Street, widening the four-lane road to add new features like bike lanes, turn lanes and broader sidewalks. The move will mean the destruction of 18 homes along the 3-mile stretch of road, which handles 20,000 cars daily. Additional conversations will include roundabouts at Nicollet/66th and Lyndale/66th; be sure to visit www.richfieldsweetstreets.org for details.

Zerorez Announces Move to St. Louis Park Zerorez, a privately owned carpet cleaning firm headquartered in Richfield will move to St. Louis Park later this year, shifting almost 170 employees from their 26,000-square-foot building along Highway 77 into about 60,000 square feet on the east end of the former Nestle factory which is near The West End retail center. Having been on the Business Journal‘s list of the 50 fastest private growing company for the past two years growth is clearly the catalyst behind the move – when they arrived in Richfield in 2011, they bought the building and had 22 vehicles for cleaning; they now have about 50 vehicles and – their new space in St. Louis Park will give them room to grow and to expand their services.

#RichfieldProud There’s always a lot going on in Richfield about which the City has a lot to be proud! Recent accolades include City Council confirming the appointment of Jay Henthorne as the City’s new Public Safety Director; Richfield Fire Chief Wayne Kewitsch receiving an Executive Fire Officer award from the U.S. Fire Administration National Fire Academy; andCityFinanceManagerChrisRegisacceptingtheGovernmentFinanceOfficersAssociation(GFOA)CertificateofAchievement for Excellence Financial Reporting.

2014 Local Election ResultsMichael Howard will take his seat in January as Richfield’s new at-large council member; he will replace Sue Sandahl, who is departed the Richfield City Council after four terms. Mayor Debbie Goettel will keep the reigns for a third term. Linda SlocumhasbeenelectedtoherfifthtermintheMinnesotaHouseofRepresentatives,(HouseDistrict50Aseat)defeatingher Republican challenger with more than 64 percent of the vote.

Richfield Public Schools Technology Planning Panel Richfield Public School has formed a District Technology Steering Committee which has begun a visioning process that will drive their strategic planning in the coming months. Chamber President, Angie Schaefbauer participated as a panelist at an advisory meeting last November. The group discussed issues related to technology, important skills that are needed for future learning, how technology impacts business and how the use of technology can enhance/alter/change education. The steering committee believes that as the visioning process begins and all possibilities are considered, the business perspective is an important piece of the planning process.

PROGRAMMING, continued

Advertise with the Chamber

The Chamber’s website continues to deliver world class levels of traffic - what does this mean to you? There’s never been a better time to advertise on the Chamber’s website! Banner ad space is available on the homepage, within the directory and along the right side of each page. Rates are competitive and affordable. Contact the Chamber for details.

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Leadership MN – Session 2 Recap Session two was held in Northern Minnesota in the Grand Rapids area. Topics covered the timber, mining and energy industries and briefings were provided by the Mining Minnesota organization – during which we learned about non-ferrous mining efforts in MN and what the future holds for the industry. We also heard from the Iron Mining Association and learned about the significant challenges the century-old industry faces and the tremendous impact iron mining has on the entire economy of Minnesota. We toured US Steel’s Keetac mine, saw the process of how taconite pellets are made and learned more about US Steel operations and their ability to compete in a global environment.

Leadership MN – Session 3 Recap Session three was held in the Twin Cities. Topics covered were healthcare, retail and technology. We received briefings from the MN Retailers Association and Mall of America. We toured PaR Systems, Inc. Thomson Reuters, and the University of Minnesota where we heard from the Office of University Economic Development and the Office for Technology Commercialization. We wrapped the session with a tour of Regions Hospital’s new Emergency Department and even “gowned up” for a tour of their surgical services where we saw some of their state of the art technology and new developments in hospital care.

MCCE 2014 Fall Conference Recap In September, Chamber President, Angie Schaefbauer attended the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives (MCCE)fallconferenceheldatBreezyPointResortinBrainerd.MCCEadvancestheeffectivenessofchamberprofessionalsby providing career development, communications, and networking to ensure professional and organizational growth. Attendees heard presentations from the MN Chamber’s Hiring Veterans Initiative, discussed staff, board and volunteer engagement, were briefed on the PolyMet Mining project, learned about Chamber Exec leadership attributes, mobile technology, employee management and engaged in peer discussion groups. The next professional development opportunity will be the MCCE Annual Meeting in January.

Statewide Policy Tour The Minnesota Chamber presented their 2015 Legislative Priorities at a Statewide Policy Tour meeting in November. They will advance another aggressive agenda in 2015 to ensure Minnesota offers a competitive landscape to jump-start and grow businesses. Priorities will be: tax relief, education/workforce, health care, transportation and labor/management.

Metro Area Chamber Exec Luncheon Recap InNovember,AngieSchaefbauer,PresidentoftheRichfieldChamberofCommerce(RCofC),attendedaluncheonfortheMetropolitanCouncilofChambersofCommerce(MCCC)attheDailyDinerinSt.Paul;attendeeswerebriefedby a representative from Delta Airlines. The Metropolitan Council of Chambers of Commerce is a united coalition of over 30 Chambers of Commerce in the Twin Cities region, who have met monthly for over 25 years, to network and discuss developing metro business issues, trends and professional development.

ADVOCACY

Chamber Recognized at City Council Meeting The Chamber has been hard at work advocating on behalf of local businesses – specifically Fireside Pizza and their desire to remodel. The Chamber was recognized not once, but 3 times during the September 9 city council meeting: once about our golf outing, and twice in regard to Fireside pizza/odor mitigation ordinance issue that was presented for the third time that night. Fireside received their parking variance and City Council agreed to their order mitigation proposal…the $600k renovation is expected to move forward!

We’ve Moved!

The Chamber office moved! Same building, different suite; look for us on the rotunda and in the old City Bella sales space which is suite #110. Watch for extensive remodeling efforts at Woodlake Centre!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Chamber President Angie Schaefbauer presented to the Richfield Rotary Club in September. The group was very eager to learn all about everything we’ve been up to lately! In her presentation “Chamber 101” Angie introduced Rotary to the board of directors, what we do, how we do it, gave many examples of all the different ways the Chamber impacts the community and discussed why Chamber membership is important to businesses. The presentation went VERY well – look for it to become a program in the near future for new and prospective members!

Join Richfield 4th of July Committee Richfield4thofJuly(MN)CommitteemeetingsbegininJanuary2015!Ifyouareinterestedinlearningmore,attending, joining, or all of the above, visit www.richfield4thofjuly.com.

Excellent schools = smart kids + increased property values! Richfield Public Schools are making tremendous strides in recent months further demonstrating Superintendent Steven Unowsky’s promise that the 2014-15 school year will be one of growth, energy and success for Richfield students, teachers and school communities. Checkout the new district website www.richfield.k12.mn.us; in addition to their new enhanced online presence, the district receive approval for their 2-year technology upgrade plan and recently announced improvements in MDE measures. The district’s commitment to a quality education for all students can only be described as Spartan Pride.

Beer with BEER Selects “Best Chamber Beer” Beer with BEERwas the last B.E.E.R. (Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield Chambers) programof 2014. Over 100 attendees enjoyed tasting 16 different craft brews and noshing on appetizers all while making new connections which could lead to potential new business! The vote is in and Excelsior Brewing Company’s “Bitteschlappe Brown Ale” was voted “Best Chamber Beer”. It will be the featured tap beer at Brunzwick Zone in Eden Prairie and will alsoberecognizedatRichfieldLiquors(6444LyndaleAve.).2015BEERsponsorshipsareavailable.ContacttheChamberto reserve your spot today!

Annual Holiday Party

A great time was had by all at our annual holiday party where we recognize our outgoing board members and 2014 board chair and welcomed our new board members and 2015 board chair. Special thanks to our event host, Pizza Lucé!

EVENTS, continued

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1. The Four business fundamentals that desperately need updating.2. The ONE thing guaranteed to attract the best customers, vendors and associates into your organization.3. The Four updates that every business must adopt to create and maintain a true competitive advantage.4. One easy change that immediately increases the value of everything you do — the power key to increasing

revenue while simultaneously reducing costs. Special thanks to breakfast sponsor Nick Mellum, Complete Chiropractic and Wellness, P.A.

Fall New Member Social

The Richfield Chamber Ambassadors hosted a fabulous event for all RCOC members who joined the Chamber in the last twelve months. It was very well attended and everyone enjoyed great small-group networking in a lovely environment while sampling delicious wine and snacks provided by the event sponsor, Vinocopia. Look for the next new member social this spring!

NovemBEER with Randy Shaver Closeto125B.E.E.R.(Bloomington,EdenPrairie,EdinaandRichfieldChambersofCommerce)membersjoinedus to hear Randy Shaver, KARE 11 news anchor, speak about the Randy Shaver Cancer Foundation at Olympic Hills Country Club in Eden Prairie. The mission of the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund is to support the cancer community in Minnesota by funding research, prevention, treatment and other programs relating to the cancer community’s needs. Special thanks to our B.E.E.R. sponsors, without whom events like this would not be possible: HealthSource Chiropractic, Memorial Blood Centers, Promotion Select, RBCU, Richfield Bloomington Honda and Xcel Energy.

RPW Hosts “Cool Tech Gifts for the Holidays”

RichfieldProfessionalWomen(RPW)hostedaveryinformativelunch“CoolTechGiftsfortheHolidays”whichwas presented by Best Buy. The meeting was held at City Bella on Lyndale in their newly renovated Community Room. RPW is designed to connect the Richfield Chamber’s female members to one another. The goal is to meet 6 times per year – dates, times and venues will vary as each member volunteers to plan a meeting. 2015 planning is underway; contact the Chamber for details!

Golf Event Tremendous Success! The Chamber’s 35th Annual Golf Event was a HUGE success! This SOLD OUT event was a lot of fun and a TON of prizes were given away! Take a minute to checkout all of the great photos in this newsletter taken by the Chamber’s Official Event Photographer, TMB Images – there are some great action shots!

September Meeting Recap The monthly meeting for September included a panel discussion over lunch examining the skills gap challenge and how the area’s educational system is evolving to align student curriculum to workforce need. Special thanks to all of the panelists who participated: Amy Gudmestad, Minnesota Life College; Jason Kriegel, Minnesota School of Business; Cecilia Cervantes, Hennepin Technical College; Steve Unowsky, Richfield Public Schools and to our panel moderator, Amy Walstien, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Minnesota School of Business hosted this great event which even featured a School Expo. Noodles and Company sponsored lunch – shout out to Abbie Klebs and her crew for providing a delicious assortment of pasta and salads!

October Member Meeting - Power Breakfast with CJ Coolidge

The RCOC hosted a great breakfast which featured CJ Coolidge, and great networking. “Increase Profit & Competitive Advantage” was an entertaining and powerful presentation during which attendees learned:

EVENTS

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connecting businesses with one another by hosting networking events in both large and small group settings connecting with the business community to identify challenges, explore opportunities and create innovative solutions6 7

1. The Four business fundamentals that desperately need updating.2. The ONE thing guaranteed to attract the best customers, vendors and associates into your organization.3. The Four updates that every business must adopt to create and maintain a true competitive advantage.4. One easy change that immediately increases the value of everything you do — the power key to increasing

revenue while simultaneously reducing costs. Special thanks to breakfast sponsor Nick Mellum, Complete Chiropractic and Wellness, P.A.

Fall New Member Social

The Richfield Chamber Ambassadors hosted a fabulous event for all RCOC members who joined the Chamber in the last twelve months. It was very well attended and everyone enjoyed great small-group networking in a lovely environment while sampling delicious wine and snacks provided by the event sponsor, Vinocopia. Look for the next new member social this spring!

NovemBEER with Randy Shaver Closeto125B.E.E.R.(Bloomington,EdenPrairie,EdinaandRichfieldChambersofCommerce)membersjoinedus to hear Randy Shaver, KARE 11 news anchor, speak about the Randy Shaver Cancer Foundation at Olympic Hills Country Club in Eden Prairie. The mission of the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund is to support the cancer community in Minnesota by funding research, prevention, treatment and other programs relating to the cancer community’s needs. Special thanks to our B.E.E.R. sponsors, without whom events like this would not be possible: HealthSource Chiropractic, Memorial Blood Centers, Promotion Select, RBCU, Richfield Bloomington Honda and Xcel Energy.

RPW Hosts “Cool Tech Gifts for the Holidays”

RichfieldProfessionalWomen(RPW)hostedaveryinformativelunch“CoolTechGiftsfortheHolidays”whichwas presented by Best Buy. The meeting was held at City Bella on Lyndale in their newly renovated Community Room. RPW is designed to connect the Richfield Chamber’s female members to one another. The goal is to meet 6 times per year – dates, times and venues will vary as each member volunteers to plan a meeting. 2015 planning is underway; contact the Chamber for details!

Golf Event Tremendous Success! The Chamber’s 35th Annual Golf Event was a HUGE success! This SOLD OUT event was a lot of fun and a TON of prizes were given away! Take a minute to checkout all of the great photos in this newsletter taken by the Chamber’s Official Event Photographer, TMB Images – there are some great action shots!

September Meeting Recap The monthly meeting for September included a panel discussion over lunch examining the skills gap challenge and how the area’s educational system is evolving to align student curriculum to workforce need. Special thanks to all of the panelists who participated: Amy Gudmestad, Minnesota Life College; Jason Kriegel, Minnesota School of Business; Cecilia Cervantes, Hennepin Technical College; Steve Unowsky, Richfield Public Schools and to our panel moderator, Amy Walstien, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. Minnesota School of Business hosted this great event which even featured a School Expo. Noodles and Company sponsored lunch – shout out to Abbie Klebs and her crew for providing a delicious assortment of pasta and salads!

October Member Meeting - Power Breakfast with CJ Coolidge

The RCOC hosted a great breakfast which featured CJ Coolidge, and great networking. “Increase Profit & Competitive Advantage” was an entertaining and powerful presentation during which attendees learned:

EVENTS

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Leadership MN – Session 2 Recap Session two was held in Northern Minnesota in the Grand Rapids area. Topics covered the timber, mining and energy industries and briefings were provided by the Mining Minnesota organization – during which we learned about non-ferrous mining efforts in MN and what the future holds for the industry. We also heard from the Iron Mining Association and learned about the significant challenges the century-old industry faces and the tremendous impact iron mining has on the entire economy of Minnesota. We toured US Steel’s Keetac mine, saw the process of how taconite pellets are made and learned more about US Steel operations and their ability to compete in a global environment.

Leadership MN – Session 3 Recap Session three was held in the Twin Cities. Topics covered were healthcare, retail and technology. We received briefings from the MN Retailers Association and Mall of America. We toured PaR Systems, Inc. Thomson Reuters, and the University of Minnesota where we heard from the Office of University Economic Development and the Office for Technology Commercialization. We wrapped the session with a tour of Regions Hospital’s new Emergency Department and even “gowned up” for a tour of their surgical services where we saw some of their state of the art technology and new developments in hospital care.

MCCE 2014 Fall Conference Recap In September, Chamber President, Angie Schaefbauer attended the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Executives (MCCE)fallconferenceheldatBreezyPointResortinBrainerd.MCCEadvancestheeffectivenessofchamberprofessionalsby providing career development, communications, and networking to ensure professional and organizational growth. Attendees heard presentations from the MN Chamber’s Hiring Veterans Initiative, discussed staff, board and volunteer engagement, were briefed on the PolyMet Mining project, learned about Chamber Exec leadership attributes, mobile technology, employee management and engaged in peer discussion groups. The next professional development opportunity will be the MCCE Annual Meeting in January.

Statewide Policy Tour The Minnesota Chamber presented their 2015 Legislative Priorities at a Statewide Policy Tour meeting in November. They will advance another aggressive agenda in 2015 to ensure Minnesota offers a competitive landscape to jump-start and grow businesses. Priorities will be: tax relief, education/workforce, health care, transportation and labor/management.

Metro Area Chamber Exec Luncheon Recap InNovember,AngieSchaefbauer,PresidentoftheRichfieldChamberofCommerce(RCofC),attendedaluncheonfortheMetropolitanCouncilofChambersofCommerce(MCCC)attheDailyDinerinSt.Paul;attendeeswerebriefedby a representative from Delta Airlines. The Metropolitan Council of Chambers of Commerce is a united coalition of over 30 Chambers of Commerce in the Twin Cities region, who have met monthly for over 25 years, to network and discuss developing metro business issues, trends and professional development.

ADVOCACY

Chamber Recognized at City Council Meeting The Chamber has been hard at work advocating on behalf of local businesses – specifically Fireside Pizza and their desire to remodel. The Chamber was recognized not once, but 3 times during the September 9 city council meeting: once about our golf outing, and twice in regard to Fireside pizza/odor mitigation ordinance issue that was presented for the third time that night. Fireside received their parking variance and City Council agreed to their order mitigation proposal…the $600k renovation is expected to move forward!

We’ve Moved!

The Chamber office moved! Same building, different suite; look for us on the rotunda and in the old City Bella sales space which is suite #110. Watch for extensive remodeling efforts at Woodlake Centre!

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Chamber President Angie Schaefbauer presented to the Richfield Rotary Club in September. The group was very eager to learn all about everything we’ve been up to lately! In her presentation “Chamber 101” Angie introduced Rotary to the board of directors, what we do, how we do it, gave many examples of all the different ways the Chamber impacts the community and discussed why Chamber membership is important to businesses. The presentation went VERY well – look for it to become a program in the near future for new and prospective members!

Join Richfield 4th of July Committee Richfield4thofJuly(MN)CommitteemeetingsbegininJanuary2015!Ifyouareinterestedinlearningmore,attending, joining, or all of the above, visit www.richfield4thofjuly.com.

Excellent schools = smart kids + increased property values! Richfield Public Schools are making tremendous strides in recent months further demonstrating Superintendent Steven Unowsky’s promise that the 2014-15 school year will be one of growth, energy and success for Richfield students, teachers and school communities. Checkout the new district website www.richfield.k12.mn.us; in addition to their new enhanced online presence, the district receive approval for their 2-year technology upgrade plan and recently announced improvements in MDE measures. The district’s commitment to a quality education for all students can only be described as Spartan Pride.

Beer with BEER Selects “Best Chamber Beer” Beer with BEERwas the last B.E.E.R. (Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Edina and Richfield Chambers) programof 2014. Over 100 attendees enjoyed tasting 16 different craft brews and noshing on appetizers all while making new connections which could lead to potential new business! The vote is in and Excelsior Brewing Company’s “Bitteschlappe Brown Ale” was voted “Best Chamber Beer”. It will be the featured tap beer at Brunzwick Zone in Eden Prairie and will alsoberecognizedatRichfieldLiquors(6444LyndaleAve.).2015BEERsponsorshipsareavailable.ContacttheChamberto reserve your spot today!

Annual Holiday Party

A great time was had by all at our annual holiday party where we recognize our outgoing board members and 2014 board chair and welcomed our new board members and 2015 board chair. Special thanks to our event host, Pizza Lucé!

EVENTS, continued

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InteGRATE! Young Professionals

Richfield’s Young Professionals Group “InteGRATE!” met twice last trimester; once for happy hour at Pizza Lucé in September and joined forces with the Bloomington Chamber’s South Metro Young Professionals in November for a fun evening of pizza, socializing, and bowling at Richfield’s own, Lariat Lanes which has been a fixture on Penn Avenue since 1958! The group often incorporates service projects into their gatherings and they even have prize drawings – Rob Shurtleff, Bob the Website Builder, won free pizza from Pizza Lucé! Integrate! is the Richfield Chamber’s Young Professionals Group for dedicated, enthusiastic, and talented Young Professionals in their 20s, 30s, and 40s and/or those that are “young” in experience within their current industry. 2015 InteGRATE! planning is underway – contact the Chamber to get involved!

Ribbon Cuttings at Savers, Posters on Board, Von Hanson’s, Four Points by Sheraton and Maser, Amundson, Boggio & Hendricks, P.A.

Congratulations to all of our Richfield Chamber members who celebrated grand openings, anniversaries, renovations and expansions. Attendees included Mayor Debbie Goettel, members of the RCOC’s Ambassadors committee and Board of Directors, City Staff members, several other community members and guests. Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies are an important part of any overall marketing and advertising plan and a great way to kick-off a grand opening of a business, changed ownership or new management, moving to a new location, a remodel or expansion or celebrating a milestone. Ribbon cutting ceremonies are a benefit of RCOC membership and they offer an opportunity to meet key leaders in the community and get acquainted with your neighbors and other Chamber members.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Leadership MN – Session 1 Recap The first session of this exclusive program to which RCOC Chamber President, Angie Schaefbauer was accepted held in September! 35 members of the class of 2014-2015 gathered in Mankato for a jam-packed agenda. Attendees developed an understanding of the economic, demographic and public policy issues facing Minnesota as they relate to the business environment designed to prepare us for this distinctive tour of our state. The session also explored the ever changing financial services industry and examined how manufacturers are responding to global competition.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES

66th Street Reconstruction Project Richfield has approved a $37 million plan to remake its heavily trafficked 66th Street, widening the four-lane road to add new features like bike lanes, turn lanes and broader sidewalks. The move will mean the destruction of 18 homes along the 3-mile stretch of road, which handles 20,000 cars daily. Additional conversations will include roundabouts at Nicollet/66th and Lyndale/66th; be sure to visit www.richfieldsweetstreets.org for details.

Zerorez Announces Move to St. Louis Park Zerorez, a privately owned carpet cleaning firm headquartered in Richfield will move to St. Louis Park later this year, shifting almost 170 employees from their 26,000-square-foot building along Highway 77 into about 60,000 square feet on the east end of the former Nestle factory which is near The West End retail center. Having been on the Business Journal‘s list of the 50 fastest private growing company for the past two years growth is clearly the catalyst behind the move – when they arrived in Richfield in 2011, they bought the building and had 22 vehicles for cleaning; they now have about 50 vehicles and – their new space in St. Louis Park will give them room to grow and to expand their services.

#RichfieldProud There’s always a lot going on in Richfield about which the City has a lot to be proud! Recent accolades include City Council confirming the appointment of Jay Henthorne as the City’s new Public Safety Director; Richfield Fire Chief Wayne Kewitsch receiving an Executive Fire Officer award from the U.S. Fire Administration National Fire Academy; andCityFinanceManagerChrisRegisacceptingtheGovernmentFinanceOfficersAssociation(GFOA)CertificateofAchievement for Excellence Financial Reporting.

2014 Local Election ResultsMichael Howard will take his seat in January as Richfield’s new at-large council member; he will replace Sue Sandahl, who is departed the Richfield City Council after four terms. Mayor Debbie Goettel will keep the reigns for a third term. Linda SlocumhasbeenelectedtoherfifthtermintheMinnesotaHouseofRepresentatives,(HouseDistrict50Aseat)defeatingher Republican challenger with more than 64 percent of the vote.

Richfield Public Schools Technology Planning Panel Richfield Public School has formed a District Technology Steering Committee which has begun a visioning process that will drive their strategic planning in the coming months. Chamber President, Angie Schaefbauer participated as a panelist at an advisory meeting last November. The group discussed issues related to technology, important skills that are needed for future learning, how technology impacts business and how the use of technology can enhance/alter/change education. The steering committee believes that as the visioning process begins and all possibilities are considered, the business perspective is an important piece of the planning process.

PROGRAMMING, continued

Advertise with the Chamber

The Chamber’s website continues to deliver world class levels of traffic - what does this mean to you? There’s never been a better time to advertise on the Chamber’s website! Banner ad space is available on the homepage, within the directory and along the right side of each page. Rates are competitive and affordable. Contact the Chamber for details.

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Business Owners Roundtable Our Business Owners Roundtable has been meeting throughout 2014 but we need more members! The group provides fellow business owners with a forum in which they can develop successful business strategies, engage a sounding board, and hear new tactical ideas. The group promotes an open exchange of ideas through group discussion and individual expert presentations. Contact the Chamber today if you’d like to get involved!

CHAIR’S COLUMN, continued

PROGRAMMING

As we ring in the New Year we have had some outstanding Board Members who have completed their terms. Please be sure to give a big “Thank You” to Gordy Ecklund of Richfield Bloomington Honda and Pablo Murillo of the Global Mercantile when you see them at the next Chamber event. Their volunteer services with the Richfield Chamber have been incredibly appreciated and even though their board terms have concluded, we know you will continue to see them involved in our 60th Anniversary year! The Chamber members stepping up to take their turn serving on the Board of Directors will be:

Jason Kriegel, Executive Business Program Chair for the MN School of Business. Jason has over 20+ years of business and industry experience in the banking, travel and human resources sector. He is the proud father of 7 adopted, special needs children. Teaching is his passion and he enjoys traveling to exotic destinations whenever and wherever he can. Jason is looking forward to the opportunity to network with business professionals and form new relationships with the members of the Richfield Community.

Colleen Nagle, Regional Manager for Knight Barry Title. Colleen joined Knight Barry Title in May 2012 and is currently the Regional Manager of Knight Barry’s Minnesota office. She started her career in the industry in 1994. Before joining Knight Barry, she worked for a title insurance underwriter and two title agencies, all in the Twin Cities area. She is passionate about the industry and enjoys helping customers and colleagues reach and exceed their goals. Colleen especially enjoys establishing, building and maintaining customer relationships with Realtors, loan officers, private mortgage banking groups, builders and law firms. She is very active in networking and building customer relationships in the Richfield community.

Kristie Beauchaine, Director of Sales for Candlewood Suites. Kristie has been in hospitality sales for over 15 years. She has worked for a variety of properties; resorts, full service and, for the last five years, in extended stay as Director of Sales for Candlewood Suites. She is responsible for developing new business which includes group and corporate business requiring stays of 7 or more nights. Kristie is excited about joining the Board of Directors and looks forward to connecting with other Chamber members at an upcoming event.

I would like to again say THANK YOU to our outgoing Board Members and a warm welcome to our new Board Members. I am looking forward to 2015 and know that it will be a very prosperous year for all our Richfield Chamber members. At the beginning of my time with the Chamber, Tim Carter, of Richfield Bloomington Honda gave me some great advice. As simple as it is, I have found it incredibly true during my time at the Chamber. Tim said to me, “You’ll get out of it what you put into it!” So I ask you, “What do you want to get out of the Chamber in 2015 and what will you put into it to achieve that goal?” Cheers to 2014 and I look forward to connecting with each of you in 2015!

City Council Passes 6-month Moratorium on Medical Marijuana Discussion As a dozen businesses filed state-level applications to grow and sell marijuana in Minnesota in 2015, the Richfield City Council approved a six-month moratorium on the consideration of distribution facilities citing a need to study regulatory details pertaining to the law. City Manager, Steve Devich, believes that it’s important to get ahead of the game and thoroughly take a look at how, or where, medical marijuana dispensaries might fit into Richfield.

Lyndale Station Phase 3 Has Begun Lyndale Station is beginning construction of a third building at the corner of 66th and Lyndale that will include a Caribou Coffee shop with a drive-thru and a MyBurger restaurant. Construction is scheduled to be complete this spring and will include public amenities and outdoor seating areas. The entire development is managed by Wellington Management based in St. Paul.

MEMBERSHIP

Chamber Membership in the Palm of Your Hand Imagine – everything you need to manage your Richfield Chamber membership in the palm of your hand….well, imagine no more! Announcing MemberPlus - a new feature for Richfield Chamber members which is an app available on Android and Apple devices. After download and installation, members will be able to:

• ReceivepushnotificationsfromtheRCOC• View a Community Feed (similiar to other social media site)

designed to foster social interaction and community support between members

• AutomaticallylogintotheRCOC’swebsiteandregisterforevents,check-inatevents,seenewsreleasesandjob postings, mark your favorite reps for easy networking, and more!

Download and install the app from your app store today! If you need help with your login name and/or password, contact the Chamber.

Download Member Mailing Labels and Print Directory Richfield Chamber members can download a .pdf member directory and/or member mailing labels at any time; both are updated weekly. Here are the download steps:

• Visitwww.richfieldmnchamber.org;clickthememberloginlinkatthetopofthescreen• Loginwithyourcredentials(contacttheChamberifnotknown)• Searchmenu/resources/files• Youwillseethemostrecent.pdfmailinglabels(formattedforAvery5162)and.pdfmemberdirectory• Clickthefileandsaveittoyourcomputer

We do not provide the lists in .xls format as we cannot control the usage and need to protect members from unwanted spam; however, you are welcome to build your own database from the information provided.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATES, continued

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2015BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Angie SchaefbauerPresident

Richfield Chamber of Commerce

Anne Schultz2015 Board ChairLinden Hills Florist

Laura Barrett2014 Past Chair

Barrett Lawn Care, Inc.

Brad Beard2016 Incoming Board ChairFairview Southdale Hospital

Kristie BeauchaineCandlewood Suites

612.869.7704

Jennifer BornholdtHub Jewelers612.866.7700

Debra HamptonAmerican Dairy Queen Corp. (IDQ)

952.830.0214

Laurel HansenThe Arc Greater Twin Cities

952.915.3654

Jason KriegelMinnesota School of Business

612.436.7571

Nicole KrolikowskiBMO Harris Bank

612.798.3844

Colleen NagleKnight Barry Title, Inc.

612.252.2026

Debi Neitzel-WaitkusMaser, Amundson, Boggio & Hendricks,

P.A.952.925.4147

Gordon VizeckyBest Buy

612.291.7414

THANK YOU TO NEW AND RENEWING MEMBERS

NEWAaron Lissarrague AgencyChampps AmericanaMary Kay Cosmetics - Kelly RoeringNorthern Star Council, BSA

Richfield Bloomington MitsubishiSavers - Drop Off OnlySigns By Tomorrow - Richfield

RENEWEDAdler Graduate SchoolAspen Waste Systems, Inc.BMO Harris BankBremer BankCity BellaCity of RichfieldECM-SUN GROUP, LLCFairchild Maddox + LeonidasFirst National Bank of the LakesGlobal MercantileHennepin County BoardIsiah Moore RealtyKirsch, MartinLarson & Larson FinancialLindstrom Law OfficesMinnesota InteractiveMN School of Business

Office DepotOrganic Lawns by LUNSETHPartnership AcademyPlekkenpol Builders, Inc.Radisson Blu - MOARichfield 4th of July Committee, Inc.Richfield Optimist’s ClubRichfield PlumbingRichfield Pub. School Dist. #280Richfield Spartan FoundationTCF BankTile-Rite LLP and Evolv HealthV.E.A.P.VinocopiaWellington Management, Inc.Woodlawn Terrace

Chamber Website 30,000 Visits

As of the end of December, the Richfield Chamber and Tourism combined website has welcomed over 30,000 visits for the year and 73% of them are new, not repeat visits! That’s an incredible number considering it has only been about nine months since all of our eMarketing strategic plans have been fully implemented! In addition, our social media sites on Facebook and Twitter are doing remarkably well and we delivered over 12,000 emails, averaging a 20% open rate. Shout out to our eMarketing partner, Minnesota Interactive – without them, we never could have achieved such great success!

Share Your Company News

We want to hear from you! Has your company recently won an award? Have you been recognized for a special achievement? Do you have an upcoming event? Has your firm recently reached a significant milestone? Or maybe you’ve changed store locations, hours, added a new product line or service? Has someone in your business recently been promoted? We want to share your news with the world to give you more exposure and free publicity for your accomplishments. Share your news today!

2015 Quick Phone Directory The Chamber sold advertising space in the first ever Richfield Business Phone Directory. The finished piece will reach 10,000 Richfield doorsteps and feature quick listings for area schools, emergency numbers and all Richfield Chamber member phone numbers. Watch for it to arrive in your mailbox this month!

Minnesota Chamber Grants Available The Minnesota Chamber has tailored a new grant program for businesses considering energy efficiency or waste management projects. Businesses may seek up to $4,000 for prequalified energy efficiency and waste management projects. Visit www.mnchamber.com for details.

2015 Board of Directors Announced The Richfield Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors unanimously approved their newest Board Members: Kristie Beauchaine, Candlewood Suites; Jason Kriegel, MN School of Business and Colleen Nagle, Knight Barry Title, Inc. RCofC Board Members Gordy Ecklund - Richfield Bloomington Honda and Pablo Muríllo - Global Mercantile completed their terms as of December 31, 2014; in addition, there was an additional available board seat that remained open after Mary Everett resigned in early 2014. All incoming board members assumed their roles effective January 1, 2015. In addition to the three new board members, Anne Schultz – owner, Linden Hills Florist, stepped into her role as 2015 Board Chair; all board members were recognized at the Chamber’s annual holiday event.

Although we’ve moved from our longtime location along Richfield’s Lyndale Avenue, Dunn & Semington remains committed to providing the highest quality design and

commercial printing services to the business community of Richfield.Let us help you bring your ideas to the marketplace!

www.dunnsemington.com (612) 866-72255250 West 73rd Street, Suite FEdina, MN 55439

Mention this ad and get 250 business cards for $15! Now through March 21.

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

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www.RichfieldMNChamber.org

6601 Lyndale Avenue SouthSuite 110 Richfield, MN 55423www.richfieldmnchamber.org | 612-866-5100

6601 Lyndale Avenue South • Suite 110Richfield, MN 55423

www.richfieldmnchamber.org612-866-5100

What’s Inside:

Find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter!Join in our conversations and tell others about us as well.

continued on page 3

NEWSChair’s Column

Upcoming Events

Anne Schultz, owner, Linden Hills Florist2015 Chamber Chairperson

Hello and Welcome to the Chamber’s 60th Anniversary! I hope everyone had a prosperous 2014, I did and I know my connections through the Chamber helped make that possible! I would like to take a moment introduce myself and our new Board Members to you. My name is Anne Schultz and I am the Co-Owner of Linden Hills Florist. I am the Head Creative and lead a design team that offers innovative, on trend floral designs with a “wow” factor for your home or business! As a designer, I feature seasonal product from local growers to create beautiful floral designs. I emphasize blending textures and colors to give each arrangement a “fresh from the garden” feel. Two years ago we moved our business from a small retail store in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis to “The Cloud.” As a business owner, I not only needed to create exceptional product for my clients, but I also needed to stay on trend with current business models in my industry. I have found moving to a “virtual store” incredibly rewarding. It was definitely a leap-of-faith to change business models but it has been one of the best decisions of my professional career. I have more flexibility to source local product, by going straight to the grower, which in turn benefits my clients with the best floral product on the market. 2015 is a new year, have you looked at ways to update your current business model and add new possibilities to your company? If you want to talk to other Business Owners on the topic, stop by the Business Owners Round Table meeting and let the Chamber help you!

connecting with the business community to identify challenges, explore opportunities and create innovative solutions

Wed., Feb. 25, 2015“State of the City Address”

Wed., Mar. 25, 2015BEER Luncheon

feat. William Cope Moyers

Wed., Apr. 17, 2015Salute to Small Business Event

Fri., May 15, 2015BEER Luncheon

with Ross Bernstein

Wed., June 10, 2015Business Expo After Hours

Visitwww.RichfieldMNChamber.orgto view the community calendar

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community

Richfield Chamber of Commerce 2014 recap

Photos and commentary from

the Chamber’s third trimester events

Resources for connecting

with Richfield’s broader business

community

Richfield

Connecting Businesses for a Prosperous Community