In This Issue:

Articles

Business-To-Business

Chamber Scholarship

Directory Correction

Dickmann-Flunker Leaves Chamber

Leadership Institute

Deliberations

The Member Ship

Member Close-Up

Talk of the Town

Welcome These New Members

Development Director

Photos

April Events

Annual Dinner Reminder

Inserts

February Box Score

Business-To-Business Expo

Scholarship Application

Great Lakes Compact

Power Hour

Chamber Briefcase

AT&T Affinity Program

International Trade Directors Visit

Spring Seminar Series

Strategies for Protecting Your Intellectual Property

Blackwolf Run Meadow Valleys

LTC Evening College Info Sessions

News from TheBull

Aurora Business Link

Cucina

St. Nicholas Community Health Education Calendar

Business-To-Business
It's All About Networking…

They used to call it "word of mouth" and they used to say people do business with people they know and trust, but really the bottom line for many businesses is about getting connected, networking, developing relationships, developing partnerships and always working to expand the pool of business opportunities. If you agree this is important, then think about the Business-To-Business Expo.

The Business-To-Business Expo will be a great show, tailored to build your business base.

The Expo will be held at UW-Sheboygan on Monday, June 2, 2008. We are inviting members of the Sheboygan County business community to put themselves on display. Your booth at the show will be a snapshot into what your customers and clients mean to you. Tell your story about the services and products you offer. Exhibitors have many options: you can sell on site, you can offer show discounts, or you can provide certificates that will draw people to your business location for weeks after the show. You can schmooze with giveaways or have booth drawings. The options are plentiful.

The B2B Expo Committee is working hard to make this a fun event - we will also have short seminars of 30-40 minutes each on various topics: Fred Fitchen, golf pro at The Bull at Pinehurst Farms, will do a golf workshop; Mike Grubich of Kohler Co. will get attendee participation in his Experiential Leadership program; Jon Rost of Next Marketing will teach you how to maximize your marketing through branding. Just to name a few. Admission is free and open to the public, however, the evening event will have an admission cost. The Taste of Sheboygan County-Ultimate Business Connections will feature special tastes from area restaurateurs. Networking, developing leads, food and fun. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the Expo Raffle, with great raffle prizes to include a signed Packers football by the 2006-07 Packer team, including Brett Favre, golf certificates, and much more. Need an Expo contract? Want more information? Call the Chamber office at 457-9491.

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INSERT - February Box Score

Chamber Scholarship Applications Available

Applications are now available for the 2008 Chamber of Commerce $2,000 scholarship. They are available on the Chamber website or at the Chamber office.

The two major criteria for the scholarship are:

1) Applicants must either be employed by a Chamber member business or be the child or spouse of someone employed by a Chamber member business.

2) Applicants must be planning to enroll at one of the six Chamber member colleges in the fall. Chamber member colleges are: UW-Sheboygan, Lakeshore Technical College, Lakeland College, Silver Lake College, Marian College or Concordia University.

Applications must be returned to the Chamber office, 712 Riverfront Drive, Suite 101, by Monday, April 14.

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INSERT - Aurora Business Link

INSERT - LTC Evening College Info Sessions

DICKMANN-FLUNKER LEAVES CHAMBER

With just over nine years on the Chamber Staff, Executive Assistant Tammy Dickmann-Flunker has decided to take a position with H.I.L., Homes for Independent Living, for a newly created Administrative Assistant position. Tammy has grown significantly during her time here and has been a proficient asset to this Chamber. Her diverse knowledge and her great computer skills have served us well. As editor of the monthly newsletter she has worked to continually improve our communications to our members. Tammy, the Chamber and our members bid you farewell and wish you the very best in your new ventures.

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INSERT - Cucina

The Chamber is working diligently to provide additional opportunities for our members in many different areas. The Chamber Board seeks accountability in making certain we continue to add value to your membership. NovoPrint USA is a Chamber member publishing company that has worked with us for several years to produce the Sheboygan County map. NovoPrint is engaged to undertake a new publication, the Sheboygan County Business Profile, a book that will tell the Sheboygan County story, serve as an image piece, an attraction piece and provide important business resource information.

A new affinity program, designed to save costs for Chamber members, is being offered through AT&T. This program offers phone service and Internet packages. Affinity programs are carefully reviewed before offered to our membership. The program must be beneficial to the Chamber as well. Watch your mail for details on this program. This win-back program may be a winner for you.

With local elections underway, lack of interest in the recent candidate forums and difficulty in getting people interested in running for public office, the need for good, quality, insightful leadership in all areas is becoming increasingly important. Where will new leadership come from? Leadership development is the key. The Chamber is offering programs on succession planning and having sustainable businesses. It is important that the business community continue to nurture leadership development within their companies. We need to do the same throughout the county. The Chamber continues to offer programs that support leadership development via experiential leadership, hands-on leaders, the Sheboygan County Leadership Institute, seminars, and more. Make these opportunities work for you!

See you at the Chamber's premier event, the Annual Dinner on April 17th.

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INSERT - St. Nicholas Community Health Education Calendar

INSERT - Strategies for Protecting Your Intellectual Property

INSERT - Great Lakes Compact

Originality Rules

Hospitality and tourism are a major economic driver in Sheboygan County and in one way or another affects our entire membership. Oh, yes, it does. Tourists' cars break down, tourists throw their backs out, tourists leave home without socks, nylons, tanning lotion, or a tie.

But I'm a contractor, an attorney, an accountant.

I see. Well, sir, or madam, because of the additional business of the auto shop, or the chiropractor, or the retailer, business expansion might be on the horizon for them and the services of a builder, lawyer or tax expert might be needed.

That is why the Chamber participates actively in tourism promotion and tourism activities.

One of those activities occurred in March: the Governor's Conference on Tourism. The highlight this year was the unveiling of the State's new "branding platform."

Hyped for weeks, the unveiling was made by Governor Jim Doyle at the Conference's closing dinner.

I'm sure you all feel you are familiar with "brands." I'm also sure the greater percentage of you view brands as slogans or even colors: "The Breakfast of Champions," "Just Do It," the orange of Home Depot, the red of Target.
But those really aren't brands. A real brand isn't something you see, it is something you feel. A brand creates loyalty, instills confidence, creates a perception of value and it reduces buyers' reservations.

Before you create a brand, you have to know what you are. You need to define yourself and your product. If you don't know what you are, the consumer certainly won't know either. The consumer will have nothing with which to identify.

So Governor Doyle didn't really unveil a brand at his dinner, rather, he identified what Wisconsin is. The identification, called the brand platform, was developed with the facilitation of the Lindsay, Stone & Briggs marketing firm and input from hundreds of stake-holders across the state.

The new brand platform "captures the people of Wisconsin and their legacy of originality, innovation, pride and passion."

It officially reads: "Because of the passionate nature of the state's people to create fun, express themselves in original ways and feel more comfortable doing it here than anywhere else, in Wisconsin originality rules."

Think about it.

I did. My first thought was "what is this?"

I need to think more.

I did. And you know what. I like it. Wisconsin is Wisconsin because of its people. Because of the creativity of those people in so many areas. Because of their originality.

I like it. Originality Rules.

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INSERT - Chamber Briefcase

WE'RE NOT JUST FOR BREAKFASTS ANYMORE!
When the Chamber changed its mission to "We Mean Business" many changes were made to ensure you agree. Three committees are focusing on critical topics such as Business Attraction, Business Assistance and Business Retention and Expansion. They work closely with a long-standing committee called Workforce Development. Another new committee working with all Chamber committees is Data Research and Management. Examples of new programs developed by these committees include:

OPERATIONS MANAGER'S ROUNDTABLE
Since November, 10 to 15 businesses have met "To improve the operations of Sheboygan County based manufacturers through a sharing of strategies and tactics among non-competing firms." The emphasis on non-competing is because we want firms to freely exchange information with no fear of compromising their advantages. Topics have included robotics, safety, productivity improvement projects and training tomorrow's workforce. There is a buzz about the roundtable and new firms are asking to join. We need to form new roundtables and the focus need not be on operations. Some have suggested plant engineering and others have suggested sales and marketing. Are you interested? Do you have a topic for a roundtable? Don't be silent!

LAKESHORE ENTREPRENEUR AND INVENTOR NETWORK
The first Network meeting on February 25 at LTC generated more interest than imagined - we had to bring in extra chairs! We had bakers, butchers and candlestick makers. Yes, we did! We also had hunters, fishers, renovators, shoemakers, and more. At the March meeting, the topic was patents and other forms of intellectual property. You don't want anyone to know the innovation in your exciting idea do you? But, wait, now you are ready to launch your idea and need to know how to sell and market it so you can make some money. Join us on Monday, April 28 at UW- Sheboygan, from 6-8 pm in Room 1202, second floor Acuity Technology Center to learn and talk about sales and marketing from the perspective of other entrepreneurs. On May 19 we return to LTC's Cleveland Campus, Wisconsin Training Room from 6-8 pm. Extra chairs will already be in place. The Network is FREE, but you will receive value.

WAGE AND BENEFIT SURVEYS
Many participated in the Chamber's first ever Wage Survey as we worked with our Society of Human Resource Management colleagues and a consultant. Those who registered their data are able to view the results on-line. Many of the county's top 100 employers participated with well over 25% of the workforce. The results will be useful to these firms to stay competitive in a variety of ways. Soon, we will be providing information about the Chamber's first-ever Benefits Survey. If you wrestle with how your firm compares you will want to participate. Yes, the data you provide is secure.
MORE, but tried and true!

Components of our Business Retention and Expansion program are new, but the reason we call is to find out your key business related issues so we can help. When one of our volunteers requests an appointment, please say YES. You will be glad you did.

The Ambassador's Business Connections programs, Coastal Connections for young professionals and other programs are designed to help you network your business and learn about new customers. These programs are for you. Join us! Call John at extension 2-307 if you have questions or email at rogers@sheboygan.org.

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INSERT - AT & T Affinity Program

INSERT - Power Hour

Ambassadors Committee Seeks New Members

Openings exist for several new members to the Chamber's Ambassadors Committee.

The Ambassadors are the Chamber's outreach and goodwill group that plans and executes ribbon cuttings, Business Connections, the golf outing and winter event. Applicants need flexibility in their schedules so they can attend monthly meetings at 7:30 a.m., ribbon cuttings (generally planned for the lunch hour) and Business Connections (once a month from 5-7 p.m.).

Persons interested can pull the application off the website or request that one be mailed by calling the Chamber office.

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INSERT - Spring Seminar Series

Tourism Breakfast Features
Deputy Secretary Richardson

Wisconsin Department of Tourism Deputy Secretary Mark Richardson will be the featured speaker at the Tourism Week Breakfast sponsored by the Tourism Alliance of Sheboygan County.

The event will take place at 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 15 at the Wisconsin Room of The American Club.

Cost is $20. Reservations can be made at the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce office: call 920-457-9491 or email moyer@sheboygan.org

INSERT - Blackwolf Run Meadow Valleys

Dinner with a Boomer Baby

Variety is the nature of the Chamber's Annual Dinner. We've done body language, mental telepathy, schmoozing, small business growth guru, boomtown development, quartets, Harley bash and now our Baby Boomer Show. "I'm A Boomer Baby" starring Dan Riley will be a real crowd pleaser. Riley entertained the Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives at the state conference and was the hit of the conference. WOW! His energy, his talent, and his rapport with the audience were superb.

The Annual Dinner is the Chamber’s premier member event of the year. This year it will be held at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center on Thursday, April 17. The price is $48 per person (tables of 8 may be reserved for $370). The reception begins at 5:30pm, welcome at 6:15pm, dinner at 6:30pm and the program will start at 7:30pm.

With a career spanning 30 plus years, Riley has appeared throughout North America and the World. He has toured with Jay Leno, Billy Crystal, Kenny Rogers, Bill Cosby and Dolly Parton, just to name a few. Energetic and talented, he gives a fast-paced, family friendly look back at the music of The Baby Boomers, often re-writing the lyrics for comedic value. You will laugh hard and often. You will likely sing along. We look forward to seeing you there!

Certainly, spouses and guests will enjoy this event. Mark the date on your calendar. Invitations are being mailed. We fully expect to bring down the house with this incredible Annual Dinner and show.

INSERT - Business-To-Business Expo

Member Close-Up

American Orthodontics
Taking Sheboygan's
Name Around the World

For 30 of its 40 years American Orthodontics has been taking Sheboygan's name around the world. The Sheboygan based company reports that about 50 per cent of its total business this year will come from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Far East.

The company celebrated its 40th anniversary by hosting about 160 sales representatives, managers and international distributors representing 56 different countries at its 2008 international meeting held at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center in February. It marked the first time the international meeting has been held in Sheboygan.

Started by Dan Merkel on a signature note in 1968, American Orthodontics now sells its products to more than 60 countries across the globe.
It operates out of nearly neighboring facilities at 1714 Cambridge Ave. and 1919 N. 18th St. The Sheboygan facilities produce 95 percent of the company's output.

The company has grown from a handful of employees and less than 5,000 square feet of manufacturing space in one building in 1968 to a 24/7 operation and 100,000 square feet of space in three buildings today. With subsidiaries in the UK, Switzerland, Germany, France, Mexico, Australia and China as well as distribution in nearly 100 countries, the sun never sets on American Orthodontics.

Merkel still holds forth as chairman and chief executive officer of the firm, but leadership recently changed as Mike Bogenschuetz is replacing the retiring Rich Iverson as president. Bogenschuetz, 44, is a Sheboygan native who started with the company in 1980 while a student at North High School and worked his way up the company ladder after obtaining bachelor's and master's degrees at Lakeland College.

Both Merkel and Bogenschuetz cite their talented, dedicated, loyal employees as the reason for the company's success.

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INSERT - The Bull at Pinehurst

Talk of the Town

Wisconsin Emergency Medicine Services (EMS) Section of the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services named Suzanne Martens, MD, St. Nicholas Hospital Emergency Department and Infinity HealthCare, its interim medical director.

Community Bank & Trust announces the promotion of Eric Hesselink to Commercial Lending Officer at the Sheboygan Falls location.

Several Aurora Health Care physicians have received recognition from the Diabetes Physician Recognition Program for providing quality care to their patients with diabetes. The national recognition comes from the National Committee for Quality Assurance and the American Diabetes Association. Also, Aurora Health Care's employees once again rallied to support community programs and services by donating a record $2.3 million through the 2007 Aurora Partnership Campaign.

VirtualArtGalleryofSheboygan.com is pleased to announce the addition of watercolorist Kathleen Mullholland, local Bead Artist Nancy VanDerPuy, and Silk Painter Patty Aker to its online gallery.

Midwest Dental in Sheboygan will offer oral cancer screenings 9:00 a.m.-noon on April 12. No appointment necessary. Call 920-457-1717 for more info. Free oral cancer screenings will be offered. For a nominal fee of $20. Midwest Dental will utilize the FDA approved enhanced oral cancer screening tool, ViziLite Plus.

Fulbright Visiting Specialist Selcuk Akgul will speak about aspects of the Muslim world at Lakeshore Technical College’s Cleveland campus on April 8. For more information call Megan McDonough at 920-693-1821.

For purposes of the Phase I planning and cost assessment of the Sheboygan County Chamber of Commerce building, Abacus Architects has been selected as the architect.

March 10th marked its 10th anniversary of the Aurora Sheboygan Dialysis unit.

No, the Sheboygan A's aren't running for president, but they certainly are talking "change." First is the change in leadership. Chad Gehr has been named to take over the managerial reins of the city's baseball club. Gehr, an infielder for the team for several years, has served as a coach for the past two seasons. The team is also planning a major renovation project at Wildwood Baseball Park that will address fencing, netting, parking, dugouts, skybox, scoreboard and new spectator areas.

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INSERT - Scholarship Application

Sheboygan County Takes Over
Kenosha Tourism Information Center

For two months - April and May - the Wisconsin Information Center on I-94 near Kenosha will be a microcosm of Sheboygan County attractions and events.

The Tourism Alliance of Sheboygan County will be setting up a display featuring all the activities and opportunities presented by Sheboygan County in the summer.

Anchored by an actual race car, the display of photography, items and brochures will feature the attractions and events that keep Sheboygan County near the top of the list of Wisconsin's 72 counties in terms of its tourism economy.

INSERT - International Trade Directors Visit

Photos

THE SHEBOYGAN HUMANE SOCIETY opened its doors to Chamber members at the February Business Connections.  While networking topped the agenda, Chamber members enjoyed visiting the Society's puppies and kittens as well.

THE NEW WAL-MART STORE in the Town of Sheboygan opened its doors on March 7, following Manager Jason Radue's official cutting of the Chamber's celebratory ribbon. Radue is surrounded by Wal-Mart Associates and Chamber Ambassadors.

ANOTHER LUCKY Chamber Business Connections attendee gets the call from UW Sheboygan's Carrie Hoppe.   The University gave away several prizes at its March Business Connections.

BANK FIRST NATIONAL "officially" opened its Sheboygan branch at 2600 Kohler Memorial Drive with a Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting.  Sharing the honors are Bank First National president Tom Bare, left, and Regional President Mike Molepske. Others joining the Chamber's Ambassadors are (fourth, third and second from right) Jason Krepline, Sheboygan Market President; Lisa O'Neill; Chief Financial Officer, and Mr. Bare's wife, Virginia Bare.

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April Chamber Events

April 4
First Friday Forum ~ 12-1:15pm
CityStreets Riverside Restaurant
$10 for lunch
Topic: Great Lakes Compact

April 10
Coastal Connections Power Hour ~ 12-1pm
Nino’s
$5 for members, $15 for non-members
Topic: Take a Step in the Right Direction

April 17
Annual Dinner ~ 5:30pm
Blue Harbor Resort & Conference Center
$48 per person

April 30
Chamber Briefcase
7:15am-9am
Pine Hills Country Club
$10 per person
Topic: Maximize your Marketing Through Branding Principles for Every Size Business

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