a letter from the new board chair a of commerce board …€¦ · if you do plan to attend, please...

JAN./FEB./MAR. 2018 CHAMBER NEWS 1*Content written by outside sources do not reflect the views & opinions of the Chamber.

2018 JA N . / F E B . / M A R .VOLUME 17 NUMBER 1

News4 5-7 10-13 14-15

CULTURE OF LEARNINGRENEWING/NEW MEMBERS MANAGEMENT MANUFACTURING

Continuous learning can sharpen the mind, expand your skill set, boost your confidence, and

provide you with opportunities in your personal and professional life. Employees who are committed to learning do not only benefit the employee themselves, but also the employer. By keeping their employees engaged and providing them with the opportunity to acquire new knowledge, employers fight turnover and attract top talent to their business. Businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve cultivate work environments that promote constant learning. Every business has their own way of keeping up a culture of learning in their offices. We reached out to our chamber members for tips on how they challenge their employees to be constantly learning.

6 Tips for creating a work environment geared toward constant learning:

Tip #1 Make It About Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA), not Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Tip #2 Get Buy-in at the Top

Tip #3 Engage Middle Managers

Tip #4 Communicate Your Goals

Tip #5 Continually Measure and Adapt

Tip #6 Embrace the Multichannel World

Happy New Year! It has been a pleasure serving as your Board of

Directors Chairman. I have had the opportunity to work alongside a great leader in our President and CEO, a talented staff and a dedicated group of volunteers that serve on your Board of Directors. Your Chamber of Commerce is f inancially strong and solely focused on being the leading driver and advocate for community and economic development in Jackson County.

Throughout this newsletter you will read thoughts from Community Leaders here in Jackson about creating a learning culture. I encourage you to think about how you can implement these strategies into your own life, business and organizations that you serve. I challenge you to continue learning. Continue learning about yourself, your business, your neighbor and your community. The more we learn the higher individual and collective impact we can have on our community.

I leave you in very capable hands of Ted Christoff. Ted is an excellent business leader and a better person, and I am excited to continue to serve

on your Board of Directors under his leadership.

Have a safe and successful 2018!

JOSH BURGETT

Board of Directors Chairman

BO

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Chambe r Me mbe rsC O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R S

Creating a Work Environment Geared Toward

C O N S TA N T LE A RN I N GBy: Sarah Lyman / Chamber of Commerce

“Do you have something to say? Email Sarah at

[email protected] if you would like to

make a contribution to the newsletter theme or

share what your business is celebrating.”

A LET TER FROM THE NEW BOARD CHAIRBy: Ted Christoff / Incoming Board Chair for the Jackson County Chamber

of Commerce Board of Directors

A s the in-coming chair for the Chamber, I am optimistic looking ahead for 2018. It will certainly be a

transitional year for Jackson. We are seeing the completion of the re-construction of Michigan Ave, the two-way conversion of Louis Glick and Washington streets, along with construction and renovations throughout the city. I see people

moving into the downtown and I see busy streets after hours.

There are many changes going on in the city and the county, and the Chamber plays an important role to help its members with growth, advocacy, and networking. I am very proud to have this opportunity to serve the members of the Chamber and the City of Jackson as a whole.

2 CHAMBER NEWS JAN./FEB./MAR. 2018 JACKSONCHAMBER.ORG

T H E C H A M B E R I N A C T I O NThe Jackson County Chamber of Commerce is active in bringing its members networking events (Off The Clock, Speed Network ing), educational events (Economic Luncheons, Leadership Jackson Classes), and promotional events (Good Morning! Greater Jackson, R ibbon Cuttings/Groundbreakings). Please see our Calendar (pages 8-9) to save future dates on your calendar!

We welcome all Chamber members to join us at our events! If you do plan to attend, please RSVP (517-782-8221) in advance to allow us to plan for food and other provisions accordingly. Thank You!

BOARDOFDIRECTORSKyle Hockley | Picture This...Jackson Mike England | England Family Agency - Farm Bureau Freddie Dancy | Dancy’s Fancy Butter Paul Buchholz | Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers Cathy Reynolds | Consumers Energy - Downtown Tim Rogers | The Enterprise Group of Jackson, Inc. Ted Christoff | Christoff & Sons Floor Covering Inc. Sandy Maes | Board of Governors Dr. Michelle Shields | Jackson College Mike Overton | Jackson County Patrick Burtch | City of Jackson Jeffrey Anderson | Anderson & Makulski, PC Jim Coutu | Michigan Works! Southeast Sue Goldsen | Board of Governors Jamie McKibbin | Jackson’s Hit Music Station - K105.3 Monica M Moser | Jackson Community Foundation Dave Page Jr. CPA | Rehmann Ryan Smithson | Baker College of Jackson Tabitha Williams | Comfort Inn & Suites Anita Maria Quillen | Diversified Engineering & Plastics LLC Linda Schaub | Spring Arbor University Doug Backinger | Caster Concepts Neil Fernandes | Rise Above/Notch 8

BOARDOFGOVERNORSMike Jones | Michigan Works! Southeast Robert Michaels | RjM John Crist | C P Federal Credit Union Sandy Maes | Henry Ford Allegiance Health Linda Furgason | Avis Rent A Car Steven Patch | Lally Group, CPA’s Teri Ogg | Manpower Inc Philip M. Moilanen | Marcoux, Allen, Bower, Nichols & Kendall, P.C. Dr. Daniel J. Phelan | Jackson College Sue Goldsen | Jackson’s Hit Music Station Ron Griffith | Spring Arbor University

Roger Curtis from the Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development sharing at the Economic Luncheon at JA XPO.

Speed Networking in October at JA XPO, sponsored by Dentistry By Design of Jackson, Dr’s A.J. Balaze and Fred Slete packed the house! This structured networking event is a fun, engaging way to connect with other Chamber members.

Congratulations and Thank You to our 2017 Best Booth Award Winners from JA XPO 2017 - Business 2 Business Showcase! 1st Place: Jackson Community Federal Credit Union, 2nd Place: Vision Tire and Auto Michigan Center, 3rd Place: Xcel Staffing

Brew with the Board A M was October 6th at The Parlour of Jackson. This event gives new and current members the opportunity to meet and greet with our Chamber Board of Directors and Chamber staff.

Off The Clock took place September 20th at The ORS Fieldhouse. Thank You again to our Title Sponsor Molina Healthcare and to our hosts at The ORS Fieldhouse. This event is great for making connections. Thank You to Commonwealth Commerce Center for a great food spread.

Congratulations to Roaming Goat on their R ibbon Cutting to celebrate their one-year anniversary. Check out Roaming Goat in Grass Lake.

Please RSVP!

CHAMBERSTAFFPRESIDENT/CEOMindy Bradish-Orta | [email protected] OPERATING OFFICER Mary Schuessler | [email protected] LIAISON Kelly Sharrer | [email protected] EVENTS DIRECTOR Matt Swartzlander | [email protected] DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Patrick O’Dowd | [email protected] ST IMPRESSIONS DIRECTOR Sarah Lyman | [email protected]

EXECUTIVECOMMITTEECHAIR: Ted Christoff | Christoff & Sons Floor Covering Inc.VICE CHAIR: Karen Richard | Culver’s RestaurantPAST CHAIR: Josh Burgett | Michigan LandbankTREASURER: Carolyn Matteson | Creative PromotionsSECRETARY: Bob Moore | Pentar StampingAT-LARGE: Dan Machnik | Willis & Machnik Financial Services Jamie McKibbin | Jackson’s Hit Music Station- k105.3

BOARDOFDIRECTORSKyle Hockley | Picture This...Jackson Freddie Dancy | Dancy’s Fancy Butter Paul Buchholz | Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers Cathy Reynolds | Consumers Energy - Downtown Tim Rogers | The Enterprise Group of Jackson, Inc. Sandy Maes | Board of Governors Mike Overton | Jackson County Patrick Burtch | City of Jackson Jim Coutu | Michigan Works! Southeast Jamie McKibbin | Jackson’s Hit Music Station - K105.3 Monica Moser | Jackson Community Foundation Dave Page | Rehmann Tabitha Williams | Comfort Inn & Suites Anita Maria Quillen | Diversified Engineering & Plastics LLC Linda Schaub | Spring Arbor University Neil Fernandes | Rise Above/Notch 8 Mollie Bolton | Edward Jones Investments Michael Ritter | Eaton Corporation Jenifer Robinson | Flagstar Bank Jeff Beal | Jackson Public Schools Geoff Bontrager | Northwest Public Schools Mike Brown | Jackson Area Transportation Authority

BOARDOFGOVERNORSMike Jones | Michigan Works! Southeast Robert Michaels | RjM John Crist | C P Federal Credit Union Sandy Maes | Henry Ford Allegiance Health Linda Furgason | Avis Rent A Car Steven Patch | Lally Group, CPA’s Teri Ogg | Manpower Inc Philip Moilanen | Marcoux, Allen, Bower, Nichols & Kendall, P.C. Daniel Phelan | Jackson College Sue Goldsen | Jackson’s Hit Music Station Ron Griffith | Spring Arbor University

JACKSONCHAMBER.ORG JAN./FEB./MAR. 2018 CHAMBER NEWS 3

ADVERTISERSINDEX Page

Anytime Fitness ................................................................................................................................................................................ 1Experience Jackson ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3Comerica Bank .................................................................................................................................................................................. 5Lammers Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. ................................................................................................................... 5Accident Fund .................................................................................................................................................................................... 6Commonwealth Commerce Center ..................................................................................................................................... 7Lally Group ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 8Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers ......................................................................................................................................... 9RjM ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................11Walton Insurance Group .......................................................................................................................................................... 12American Office Solutions ....................................................................................................................................................... 12Orthopaedic Rehab Specialists, P.C. .................................................................................................................................. 14Jackson Community Foundation ........................................................................................................................................ 15Comtronics .........................................................................................................................................................................................16CP Federal Credit Union ...........................................................................................................................................................16

Graphic Design by RjM | Printing and Mailing by LTi | Editor: Kelly Sharrer

We moved in early November and our new address is 134 W. Michigan Ave., Jackson, MI 49201.

OUR NEW HOME

BECOME JACKSON CERTIFIED

WHAT IS JACKSON CERTIFIED?

Jackson Certified is a fun way

to help people become more

aware and involved with the great

things of Jackson!

WHY IS IT GOODFOR BUSINESS?

BOOSTS MORALE

BUILDS LOYAL CUSTOMERS

CREATES TEAM BONDING

IMPROVES LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Contact Jessica Webb to find out more and get your

business certified!

[email protected]

517-764-4440

Certified.ExperienceJackson.com

N E W Y E A R ’ SMAKE IT YOUR

RESOLUTION


THANK YOURenewing Members1-5 YEARSFamily Life Radio WUFN 96.7 FM

Grass Lake Community Schools

Primerica, Shannon Monroe and Associates

Summit Landscape & Garden Center

Outback Steakhouse

Multimatic Michigan

Shop Rat Foundation

Classic Metal Finishing - CMF

Century 21 Affiliated Jester

Lomar Machine & Tool Company - Standard & Custom Equipment

Royal Adhesives & Sealants

Jackson Area Collaborative Kids Source (J.A.C.K.S)

Art Van Furniture

US Staffing Agency, LLC.

Once Upon A Child

BIGGBY Coffee - Cooper St

LTi Printing, Inc.

The Anchor Initiative

BIGGBY Coffee - Horton Rd

MidState Title Agency of Southern Michigan, LLC

PC Solutions

Wardcraft Conveyor & Die Products

Roadhouse Grill & Bar

Highfields, Inc.

M & K Jetting & Televising

Congressman Tim Walberg

Verizon - Wireless Zone

Outlet Creative Group, LLC

All Star Rental

Two Men and a Truck

6-10 YEARSLJ Ross Associates, Inc.

Travelodge

A ARP

Kiwanis Club of Jackson

U-Store of Jackson

RidgeCrest Health Campus

Inosencio Fisk, PLLC

MVP Sports Store / Michigan Custom Embroidery

Fry Krisp Food Products, Inc.

Hampton Inn

Robert Dorogi - B.R.D. Broadcast Marketing

Jackson 10 Theatre

11-15 YEARSHirst Electric Company

Gene Davis & Sons Banquet & Convention Center

16-25 YEARSSC&J dba McDonald's

Imagecraft Engraving & Awards

CITGO Petroleum Corporation

Applegate Heating & Air Conditioning Inc.

American Red Cross South Central Michigan Chapter

Cascade Ridge

67 YEARSAlro Steel

75 YEARSCity of Jackson - City Hall

WELCOMENew MembersCountryside –A Planned Adult Community2140 Robinson RoadJackson, MI 49203(517) 787-4150Cr ystal CaldwellRetirement/Nursing Homes

Our Neighbor's KeeperP.O. Box 582Jackson, MI 49204(517) 262-3189Patricia GougeonNon-profit / Charitable Organizations/Foundations

Thai Those Knots3010 Wildwood, Suite B2Jackson, MI 49202(517)748-1614Diana BenedictMassage Therapy

Aire Serv of Southern Michigan200 5th Street Michigan Center, MI 49254(517) 764-1500Mike KyserHeating / A ir Conditioning

Rush Jackson1980 W. Parnall RoadJackson, MI 49201(517) 392-6402Jerr y BlockSports Marketing

Peak Manufacturing 11855 Bunkerhill RoadPleasant Lake, MI 49272 (517) 769-6900A manda HutchingsManufacturing / Manufacturers Representatives

Pangborn Landscaping Inc.7075 Reynolds RoadHorton, MI 49246(517) 563-8191Vince PangbornLandscape / Lawn Care

Akova Studios9723 K ing RoadSpring A rbor, MI 49283(517) 581-0626Christopher JonesPhotography- Professional Photographers

Awaken Haunt, LLC4760 Churchill Road

Leslie, MI 49251(517) 878-3030Brian McVayEvents / Festivals

HealthQuest of Jackson1023 E . Ganson StreetJackson, MI 49203(248) 784-3388Rubina TahirHealth Care Ser vices

Transportation Audit & Recovery Services2808 Hearthstone Blvd.Jackson, MI 49203(517) 917-8050Mark DeilusBusiness Ser vices

Diverse Staffing 1035 Laurence Ave.Jackson, MI 49203(517) 403-3174Laura Mobley-Corn Employment Agencies

Fuller ImageryJackson, MI(734) 891-4188Katie FullerPhotography / Professional Photographers

Halo Branded Solutions6818 Dustin CircleKalamazoo, MI 49009(269) 544-2147Joe MeiningerMarketing Consultant

308 Brass Rail308 W. Prospect StreetJackson, MI 49203(517) 782-3414Nicole HonsingerRestaurants: Bars / Clubs / Coffee House

Franke Center for the Arts214 East Mansion StreetMarshall, MI 49068(269) 789-9677Patty WilliamsMusic

Kennedy Painting835 Hazelwood Blvd.Jackson, MI 49203(517) 789-5173Ford KennedyPaint / Paint Supplies

Dr. Martins Foot and Ankle Clinic100 S. Cooper StreetJackson, MI 49201(517) 879-4241Darr yl Martins

Physicians / Surgeons / Clinics / Medical Groups

Stop 1 Insurance Agency 834 N West Ave .Jackson, MI 49202(517) 539-5300Cor y R ichardsonInsurance

Mike Jors, Fifth Third Business Banking3245 E Michigan Ave.Jackson, MI 49202(517) 395-2011Michael (Mike) JorsBanks/Bank ing Associations

All American Security, LLC2019 E . High StreetJackson, MI 49203(517) 605-3846Joe PudilSecurity/Sur veillance

Handyman Stan, LLC3144 Walcott RoadJackson, MI 49201(517) 783-1456Stan Godlewsk iHome Improvements / Maintenance

Matrix Tool & Engineering714 McKay Street Jackson, MI 49202(517) 769-6409Keith GretzIndustrial Ser vice / Supply / Distributor

Greater Jackson Habitat for Humanity251 W. Prospect StreetJackson, MI 49203(517) 784-6620Wendy ClowNon-profit / Charitable Organizations/Foundations

The Jerrid Ehlinger Agency (Farmers Insurance)101 E . Michigan Ave.Jackson, MI 49201(517) 795-1343Jerrid EhlingerInsurance

Dee's Flowers6002 Spring A rbor RoadJackson, MI 49201(517) 750-1000Wendy HeadleyFlorist

RENEWING/NEW MEMBERS


CULTURE OF LEARNING

It is well known that a steady pace

of innovation and improvement

must be present in our workplace

to remain competitive in meeting the

changing needs of customers. Providing

training opportunities and access to

improve employee knowledge, skills and

abilities is the f irst step. The more critical

and diff icult next step is in fostering an

environment of sharing new ideas and

collaborating to overcome challenges.

At times, this second step requires

overlooking key performance indicators

on an individual basis and focusing instead

on the accomplishments of teams and the

company as a whole.

Lomar Machine and Tool Company has

found knowledge sharing to be the ideal

approach in meeting these requirements

of innovation. Our company places a high

value on our employee development and

retention while remaining a progressive

player in our niche area of manufacturing.

This does require a significant investment

each year in valuable formal trainings.

However, as a small business with tight

budgets and customer deadlines, we are

regularly reestablishing our reasonable

threshold for classroom trainings and their

associated lost productivity. A collaborative

culture has been critical in ensuring

employees have ongoing access to learn new

skills and ideas from co-workers whether

formal trainings are available or not.

Our company drives this culture from

the top with leadership offering an open

door, approachable environment to all

employees and supporting team efforts

to solve our daily challenges. Larger

scale ideas in solving process issues are

rewarded with gifts and recognition

through our Continuous Improvement

initiative. Although a number of

employees have opportunities to move

between departments to acquire new

skills and a broader understanding of our

company, we have found that knowledge

sharing is most effective among employees

who have similar positions. These groups

master skills, perfect processes and act

as informal mentors. We strive to match

a seasoned employee with each new hire

early on to assist with training and to

begin fostering an environment of open

communication. Seasoned employees

enjoy sharing the ideas they have

developed on the job and are eager to pass

on the knowledge they gain during formal

trainings. The areas of our business that

fully embrace this ideal act as a team and

regularly access the wealth of knowledge

within our company. This approach

has been extremely valuable to Lomar in

encouraging the achievement of better

results for employees, the company and

our customer.

Forming a Culture of SHARED KNOWLEDGE

By: Becky Porian / Lomar


Creating a learning culture in

your business or nonprofit

organization that tills the soil,

plants the seeds, and fertilizes professional

development is imperative. I just f inished

reading Intentional Interruption, Breaking

Down Learning Barriers to Transform

Professional Practice, Katz and Dack

(2013) about the idea that professional

development is only truly effective if it

results in true learning. They defined

learning as a process by which you learn

something new that results in changing

your behavior in future situations. All

other forms of professional development

are simply great activities and maybe

even relationship building, but not

true learning.

To be supportive as leaders of

organizational learning, we must

understand the different ways in which

people learn. To be honest, it is likely that

each employee has a different learning

style. It is commonly thought that there

are seven different learning styles:

• Visual (spatial): You prefer using pictures,

images, and spatial understanding.

• Aural (auditory-musical): You prefer

using sound and music.

• Verbal (linguistic): You prefer using

words, both in speech and writing.

• Physical (kinesthetic): You prefer using

your body, hands and sense of touch.

• Logical (mathematical): You prefer using

logic, reasoning and systems.

• Social (interpersonal): You prefer to

learn in groups or with other people.

C RE AT ING A C U LT U RE OF LE A RNING

• Solitary (intrapersonal): You prefer to

work alone and use self-study.

There are different ways you can test the

learning styles of your employees and

adapt different strategies to develop your

culture of life-long learning. Some of

these assessments are free with a simple

online search.

Luckily there is a multitude of learning

platforms; it is likely that each employee

will f ind something different that

resonates with them. There are formal

opportunities like the Jackson County

Chamber’s Leadership Jackson that is

designed to enhance leadership skills

for individual growth, organizational

improvement, and increased community

effectiveness that is delivered over a 7

month period. There are also ways to

utilize technology with very professional

webinars that are industry specific. Many

organizations implement book clubs,

giving each employee an opportunity to

choose a professional development book

and take time to authentically discuss what

they found valuable and how it impacts

the way they will do work in the future.

Other organizations build in time to go on

a “retreat” by spending time together with

a facilitator to learn new concepts. I have

also found that sharing time with a similar

organization to share best practices and

ideas that work can be very impactful too.

No matter the organization or the

employees, building a culture of life-long

learning is hard and rewarding work and

necessary to keep employees engaged and

growing in their skills and behaviors.

By: Monica Moser / Jackson Community Foundation

CULTURE OF LEARNING

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Creating a learning culture is

increasingly important in the

workforce. Part of creating a

culture of learning depends on the need for

clear communicating of goals. It is important

to note that communicating goals does not

only come from the top down. Goals can

and should be made by employees of any

level in an organization and they should be

encouraged to pursue this form of growth.

Professional development fosters growth in

employees which produces growth for the

organization. Equipping employees with the

resources to improve how they do their job

creates more knowledgeable team members

and develops confidence and ownership in

employees. With a greater understanding

of a certain practice, technique or tool,

team members are able to approach tasks or

problems more strategically and efficiently.

Lastly, providing team members with

opportunities to grow their knowledge

can lead to team members training other

employees, increasing skill level and team

collaboration.

In order to foster a culture of continual

learning, it is important to have the vision

and process communicated to all employees.

Repetition is essential in order to ensure

vision and process are clearly communicated

and to explain the importance of

professional growth. Continually remind

your team that learning not only grows the

individual but also grows teams and the

organization as a whole.

Consider the best times to communicate

goals and growth with your team. A

professional development policy should

be communicated first from Human

Resources. Beyond this, supervisors

should plan to cover the department’s

specific policy and process for professional

C O MMU NI CAT ING A LE A RNING C U LT U RE

development and learning during an

employee’s hiring and training process.

In order to ensure your vision has been

communicated, implement a process of

checking in with team members ensuring

they have all the information they need to

pursue professional development.

If you don’t have a plan or process for

professional development, start by asking

yourself these questions.

• What is the budget for professional

development, workshops and conferences?

By: Katlyne Heath / Spring Arbor University

CULTURE OF LEARNING

• How are opportunities offered to team

members or how does an employee request

new learning opportunities?

• How much time is allotted in the normal

work week for professional development?

• How are new tools, tips and practices

implemented?

Lastly when new ideas are implemented,

encourage your team to share with each

other how new practices or tools are being

implemented, and what the result has been.


CongratulationsBradley Johncox

Jackson Magazine’s 2017 “30 & Under”Award Recipient

Jackson County Chamber of Commerce

MONDAY, JANUARY 1Chamber Office Closed – Happy New Year

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12MLK Diversity Breakfast 2018 presented by AARP MichiganJoin the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, The Jackson County Intermediate School District, the City of Jackson Human Relations Commission, Business Leaders and students from Challenge Day 2017 as we honor and remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. while hearing an inspiring, motivational and encouraging speech from Circuit Court Judge, Susan Jordan.

• WHERE: Gene Davis & Sons Banquet & Convention Center (3575 Francis St.)

• WHEN: 7:30am-9:00am

• COST: $35 for Chamber Members in advance / $45 after January 9 (includes breakfast) RSVP's are required

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23Good Morning! Greater JacksonAttend this live radio program with NewsTalk 970am/101.5fm that features five (5) members. Breakfast, Networking and sharing from the Chamber's membership.

• WHERE: Bella Notte Ristorante (137 W. Michigan Ave.)

• WHEN: 7:30am-8:30am

• COST: $10 for Chamber members in advance; $15 at the door (includes breakfast)

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25109th Annual MeetingThe Chamber’s Annual Meeting is the time when we recognize and honor the Board of Directors and select businesses for their outstanding work in the community. We will be presenting awards for the Ambassador of the Year, the Brick Award (Sponsored by the Jackson Commercial Contractors Assoc.), Citizens of the Year (Sponsored by Mlive Media Group/Jackson Citizen Patriot, Reach HIR E Award (Sponsored by Michigan Works!

Southeast) Athena Award (Sponsored by Lloyd Ganton Retirement Centers) and the Small Business Person of the Year (Sponsored by Willis & Machnik Financial Services).

• WHERE: Jackson College Potter Center (2111 Emmons Rd.)

• WHEN: 5:30pm-9:00pm

• COST: $65 for Chamber Members in advance / $75 after January 20 (includes heavy appetizers) RSVP's are required

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2Brew with the Board Sponsored by ASKAll Chamber members are encouraged to attend Coffee with the Chamber, sponsored by ASK, to meet our staff, learn how the Chamber adds value to your business and discover the best ways to maximize your membership. Start your day with us, make new business connections and take advantage of this opportunity to share what your business offers with other members.

• WHERE: Jackson Coffee Co. (201 S Mechanic St.)

To Register: Unless otherwise noted, R.S.V.P. for events to Kelly at [email protected] or 517-782-8221 (please have your credit card information handy when you call). All cancellations must be received with a 24-hour notice or no shows will be billed. Non-members are encouraged to attend no more than two networking events before joining. All Chamber events are posted online at www.JacksonChamber.org under Events.


• WHEN: 7:30am - 9:00am

• COST: FR EE to attend. Space is limited, so please RSVP.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9Legislative Rise & ShineJoin your Jackson County Chamber of Commerce for a hot breakfast courtesy of the great staff at West Ave. Bob Evans Restaurant to discuss your important business issues with your local, state and federal elected officials.

• WHERE: Chamber Office (134 W. Michigan Ave.)

• WHEN: 7:30am-8:30am

• COST: $15 for Chamber Members in advance; RSVP's a must; member-only

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 19Chamber Office Closed – President's Day

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21Off The ClockJackson's Premier Professional Networking Event, join other Chamber members to network in a fun and unique atmosphere. With food, entertainment, live radio remote, dessert, drink and business sponsors, you'll not want to miss this.

• WHERE: Orbitform Group (1600 Executive Dr.)

• WHEN: 5:00pm-7:00pm

• COST: $5 for Chamber members; $10 for future Chamber members

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26Economic Luncheon with the 2018 ATHENA Recipient and the Jackson Business & Professional Women Nike Award RecipientJoin the Jackson Chamber, the Past ATHENA Award Recipients and the Jackson Business & Professional Women as we honor the 2018 Jackson ATHENA recipient and local women with the Jackson BPW Nike Award.

• WHERE: Ella Sharp Museum (3225 Fourth St.)

• WHEN: 11:30am-1:00pm

• COST: $25 for Chamber members in advance; $30 at the door (includes lunch)

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 27Good Morning! Greater JacksonAttend this live radio program that features four (4) members and a Chamber Segment. Sponsorships available.


• WHEN: 7:30am-8:30am


WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14Speed NetworkingThe plan is simple: We bring Jackson's professionals together to network (and have fun!). This is a unique way to meet people, generate new contacts and business leads in

a structured environment - in one afternoon! Maximum participants: 35.

• WHERE: Buffalo Wild Wings (1247 Boardman Rd.)

• WHEN: 2:00pm-5:00pm

• COST: $15 for Chamber Members in advance; $25 at the door - RSVP's a must

TUESDAY, MARCH 27Good Morning! Greater JacksonAttend this live radio program that features five (5) members. The month's show sponsors are: Home Builders Association of Jackson, Inc. and 4 more spots available.


• WHEN: 7:30am-8:30am


THURSDAY, MARCH 29Brew with the Board Sponsored by ASKAll Chamber members are encouraged to attend Coffee with the Chamber, sponsored by ASK, to meet our staff, learn how the Chamber adds value to your business and discover the best ways to maximize your membership. Start your day with us, make new business connections and take advantage of this opportunity to share what your business offers with other members.

• WHERE: The Chase Sports Bar (105 E. Michigan Ave.)

• WHEN: 4:30pm - 6:00pm

• COST: FR EE to attend. Space is limited, so please RSVP.

CALENDAR

Celebrating

www.ArborManorRehab.com • 517-750-1900Getting you well, getting you home.


W hat would happen if all the

managers in your office

suddenly left the company?

W hat if one your managers won the

lottery, another decided to live abroad,

and some others decided to move closer

to family out of state? Would there be

chaos? W ho would take charge? Would

everything stall, or have you been training

for this?

Technique has been training for this; the

managers at Technique push for constant

learning by having their middle managers

prepared to step in. Every employee is

cross trained to take over other jobs and

responsibilities if the need arises at an

unexpected time.

Jim Austin, Quality Manager at Technique

prefers to use the term “associates” as

opposed to employees – he pushes for

them to learn new skills, further develop

themselves personally and professionally,

and strive for failure. Yes, you read that

correctly, strive for failure:

“We purposely set them [associates] up to

fail. They will learn through checks and

balances” - Jim Austin, Quality Manager.

E N G AG E M I D D L E M A N AG E R SBy: Laura Wright & Jim Austin / Technique Inc. (Interviewed & written by Sarah Lyman)

Technique’s managers are heavily involved

in the development of their associates.

Through their high-tech learning academy

TechniqueU, apprenticeships for full time

engineering students, and performance

reviews, there are plenty of opportunities for

acquiring new knowledge and pursuing goals.

Performance reviews are done at least

annually for every Technique associate.

Managers sit with associates and establish

goals and objectives, which they set as the

steps you need to accomplish those goals.

There is f inancial reward for those who

complete their goals. Every associate is

expected to present f ive new things they

want to learn and be trained on.

Technique middle managers constantly are

seeking out the skill gaps in associates, other

managers, and the organization over all.

They strive to f ill the gaps by encouraging

learning after failure has occurred.

Austin likes to use the analogy of teaching

a baby to walk: “W hen a baby stumbles

or falls do you encourage the child to

continue learning or do you condemn their

attempts as failures? Of course, you would

continue to encourage the child and that

is why babies try again until they learn to

MANAGEMENT


walk; this is how Technique encourages

constant learning.”

Technique’s business is high tech and they

need talented associates that have the

knowledge base and skills, but they also

need everyone in their company to buy

into lifelong learning. Each department

has training plans and opportunities

established for the next year.

Technique attributes its low turnover

rate to its cross training, f lexibility, and

opportunities for learning. The managers

at Technique all have their own way of

promoting constant learning in their

department. The managers must truly

know their team and how to keep their

engagement levels high. Meetings are short,

incentives are in place, friendly competition

is at play. The managers are experts in their

department’s culture and use that to meet

them at their level, and challenge them

in a way that will keep them involved and

entertained. Managers have even gone so

far as to grill steaks for their department

after on time production, taken a team

out to race go carts, and played laser tag

to enhance a department’s teamwork and

celebrate their accomplishments.

MANAGEMENT


Have you ever

implemented

a brought-in

training, or implemented

a training program that

you felt was amazing,

only to have it fall f lat?

In every endeavor a business takes on, it is

important to follow the Plan-Do-Check-

Act-process. This is particularly prudent

when it comes to a business’ most valuable

asset: its employees. Educating employees

in an effective manner is crucial to not

only the success of the employee, but to

the success of the business.

E MPLOY E E T R A IN INGPlan, Do, Check , Act

By: Nicki Thomsen / MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP / Recruiting & Training Specialist

The success or failure of a training

program is never more evident than during

the onboarding process. W hether you are

creating a new position with a seasoned

employee, or hiring a new grad in an

existing position, it is important to look at

not only the Key Performance Indicators

of the position, but also at the individual

f il ling the position to ensure a solid match.

When they join your organization, each

employee brings unique life experiences,

and different learning styles. As an

employer, it is important to utilize the

knowledge, skills and abilities that

employees bring to the job site. A key

component to a successful partnership is

finding out what drives your employees

to do their best work, and how you as a

manager can maximize their learning

potential to ensure the way you are teaching

them matches the way they learn. A quick

and easy way to find out your employees

learning style is to have the employee

complete a learning assessment, such

as the VARK assessment (http://vark-

learn.com/). Once you have found your

employee’s learning style it is best to match

them with a mentor who is able to “speak

their language.” A mentor in this case

not only can teach the employee the lay

of the land, but if done properly they also

provide the employee with a confidant, thus

engaging the new employee, and lessen the

opportunity for turnover.

Another key success factor for business

is providing employees the opportunity

to provide feedback, an excellent way to

do this is through an anonymous survey.

Open and honest feedback affords the

employer the ability to modify training

plans and curriculums to better meet

the needs of future employees by either

expounding upon existing curriculum or

starting fresh with a new prospective on

doing things.

• Plan: Have new employees complete a

learning style assessment.

• Do: Educate employees using their

learning style, and assign a mentor.

• Check: Ask for open and honest feedback,

surveys are best as they provide anonymity.

• Act: Make necessary changes to better equip

either the employee or the organization.

Personal · Business · Life · Health517.787.2600

2929 Spring Arbor Road · Jackson MI 49204www.WaltonInsuranceGroup.com

We’re the missing pieceyou’ve been looking for.

MANAGEMENT


Granger is a family business that

has been in the waste industry

for more than 50 years. In a

smaller, closely-held company, you tend to

rely on informal interactions to promote

learning and growth. As we have grown

into a larger organization in multiple

locations, our top family management has

realized the increasing importance of more

formally passing on the “secret sauce” of

our industry knowledge to the broader

organization, while also being open to

learning new things. Two exciting things

that we are engaged in are helping us to

achieve these goals.

Granger is trying something new

this coming year. Three of our most

experienced, entrepreneurial managers

who helped make Granger what it is today

are moving toward retirement, and we

are going to be tapping them as “senior

In its 37th year Leadership Jackson has

challenged emerging leaders across

Jackson County to improve their

abilities and commitment to their business,

community and themselves. As the

professional development program of the

Chamber, Leadership Jackson is designed

to enhance leadership skills for individual

growth, organizational improvement,

and increase community effectiveness to

continue the outstanding leadership that

we have had in our community. Over the

years, nearly 750 individuals have attended

the program, many going on to lead area

FO S T E RING A LE A RNING C U LT U REin a Growing Family Business

LE A DE R SHIP JAC K S ON

By: Tom Hofman / Director of Human Resources / Granger

MANAGEMENT

advisors” as they draw down their time

with us. They are being tasked with

passing on their knowledge and experience

to their successors over an extended time

period, while also staying on to advise

family management and wrap up any issues

or projects that they lead. We are excited

and a little bit uncertain how it will all

work, but Granger family management

hopes that this will be honoring to these

managers while also creating a unique

learning opportunity to our emerging

leaders. We just have gotten started, but

we can sense already the positive learning

culture that this can create.

W hile the senior advisors are advising in

the coming year, Granger is also engaging

our successor leaders in a process of

collaborative, cross-functional planning.

Family businesses can be guilty of doing

things like they always have in the past

businesses and local nonprofits in varying

roles or as part of the Board of Directors.

Each year from September through March,

class sessions are led by area experts that

teach and inform in the areas of personal

understanding, business communication,

local government, and personal branding,

along with many others. The course seeks

to put participants in to different ways of

thinking to challenge their knowledge of

their leadership styles, their knowledge

of our community and their plans for the

future. Leadership Jackson uses in-class

without asking questions, and Granger

has been guilty of that as well. CEO

Keith Granger is personally leading out

a strategic planning process in 12-week

stints that is focused on challenging us

to become the industry leader in the

communities that we serve. To do this,

experienced and newer leaders are meeting

with frequency to present new ideas, go

back and forth with each other, and when

making plans, work together to avoid the

silos and move forward as one. We know

that our competitive industry requires

us to innovate and improve, and that our

people owning their piece of Granger’s

success is key.

Tom and his wife Wendy are part of the third-

generation of Granger family members who

currently own the business.

discussions and out of class experiences,

such as visiting local government meetings,

Chamber events, working with a mentor

and group service projects, participants get

a well-rounded view of the community and

how they do, or can fit in to it.

For more information on the Leadership Jackson program, visit JacksonChamber.org.


MANUFACTURING

First ever Jackson County MFG

Day was a success!

Three hundred Jackson High

School students visited: Alro Steel,

Advance Turning, Diversif ied Precision

Products, Eaton, CMF, Industrial

Steel Treating, LeMatic, Melling Tool,

Northwest Tool, Orbitform, and Petty

Machine and Tool.

The host companies demonstrated to the

students there are good paying careers in

manufacturing, the need for good math

and soft skills, along with JAC3 students

sharing their early success.

The JHS students ate lunch at Baker

College and enjoyed various presentations

throughout the new Mechanical

Engineering Building.

TechniqueU provided an activity

for the students. Laura Wright, HR

Director shared, “Technique was happy

to be involved. Representatives from

manufacturing and TechniqueU spent

the entire day at Baker College providing

students with a takeaway hands on

activity. Student used a variety of tools to

assemble a Viking Ship that was designed

Jackson County MFG DayH I G H L I G H T S

By: The Enterprise Group

Sponsors & Partners

Tour Locations


LANSING, Mich. — The state

Senate on Tuesday adopted a

resolution sponsored by Sen.

Mike Shirkey honoring the long-standing

contributions made by Michigan’s

manufacturing community.

“It is appropriate for many reasons to

celebrate Michigan manufacturing this

week,” said Shirkey, R-Clarklake. “Not

only is Michigan solidly leading the nation

in creation of manufacturing jobs, but

manufacturing is rewarding work that

provides the richest training ground for

success in nearly any career field one may

choose to follow.

“To encourage those who are contemplating

their first or next career decision and

to honor the giants who have built our

manufacturing foundation, Senate

Resolution 101 recognizes manufacturers

and their important work.”

Oct. 1 – 7 is Michigan Manufacturing Week.

The week celebrates the state’s diverse

manufacturing sector, which includes

the fields of transportation, machinery,

alternative energy, food and beverage,

computer and electrical products, furniture,

bioscience, defense, and many others.

Shirkey noted that one out of every

seven nonfarm jobs in Michigan is in

manufacturing, which employs 608,500

men and women.

Michigan has created more than 156,500

new manufacturing jobs in the last eight

years — an increase of more than 34

percent — remaining the national leader in

manufacturing job creation and outpacing

all other states.

“To those who are continuing to add to

Michigan’s incredibly rich manufacturing

heritage, we proudly introduce this

resolution recognizing them and their

work,” Shirkey said.

Shirkey Resolution HonorsM I C H I G A N M A N U FAC T U R E R S

We connect people and resources

to causes that strengthen and build our community.

For Jackson. For good. For ever.

years

Call us about a Donor Advised Fund, It’s like having your own foundation...only easier.

www.jacksoncf.org telephone 517-787-1321 email [email protected]

‘We applaud the entrepreneurial spirit of our manufacturers and their role in

making Michigan the Comeback State!’

by our TechniqueU students. The feedback

was positive by the participating students.

Alarmingly, many students didn’t know

how to handle a wrench or know what a

screw driver is used for. (We have much

work to do!)”

Lomar Machine & Tool hosted

approximately 200 students from Hanover,

Concord, Napoleon, and a home-schooled

group at their new facility on Coats Road.

They had a held an Open House during

the afternoon hours (after their R ibbon

Cutting ceremony) for the community.

JTV and MLive/Jackson Citizen Patriot

covered the event on Friday. The EG was a

Title Sponsor with W ILX for MFG week.

Barbara Pauli, Principal at Jackson High

called Debbie Kelly to share: “W hen

this all started, I had reluctant students,

teachers, and chaperones, but when they

returned to school on Friday afternoon –

what a different story that had to share!

There was excitement, understanding, and

comments being made about how they had

no idea how cool manufacturing was, and

how much money they could make!” Her

f inal statement proves that our efforts to

engage students had an immediate effect –

she was asked by four students as soon as

they returned to sign their work permit!

“W hat a FA NTASTIC day! Way to

go Jackson Michigan for bringing the

awesomeness of manufacturing to the

frontline!” Michelle Shields, Ed.D.,

Certif ied Career and Professional Coach

at Jackson College.

“WOW! GR EAT day! Way to lead

Manufacturing Day, Enterprise Group! You

two are a dynamic duo and along with all of

the other collaborators, a big KUDOS for

all of your hard work on making this

a wonderful experience in additional

exposure to the skilled trades!” Nancy

Peters-Lewis, Executive Director, College

and Career Access Center of Jackson.

MANUFACTURING


134 W. Michigan Ave. • Jackson, MI 49201

517.782.8221 • www.JacksonChamber.org

Let CP Federal help fill in the blankson your business needs!

Let CP Federal help fill in the blankson your business needs!

cpfederal.com517.784.7101 800.554.7101

“Bringing

to my business”Partnership

“I called to refinance my business loan and consolidate others into one loan. It was a very quick process and the communication was frequent and friendly. So, when a new business opportunity presented

itself to me, I didn’t hesitate to call Nicole and ask if she would be interested in helpingwith my new venture. She responded right away with a yes, and we started the process again!

I can’t imagine using another institution for my banking needs!”-Crossroads Bar and Grill

a letter from the new board chair a of commerce board …€¦ · if you do plan to attend, please...

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