President's Message

Dear Chamber Members,

It gives me great pleasure to write this message as your new Board President. I was born and raised in Kodiak, and it is important for me to be involved in creating a strong and diverse economy. I look forward to the next year of serving our membership.

We recently held our Annual Meeting and Dinner on October 27 th . It was a costume optional event and we had many amazing costumes including a hedgehog, Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski, Robin Hood and our own Trevor Brown as Napoleon! There was a great turn out with over 100 members attending and we were able to truly celebrate the accomplishments of our community over the past year. Thank you to all who attended.

The Chamber could not have put on this successful event without the delicious food and service from the Best Western Kodiak Inn, Mill Bay Catering, and our local Girl Scouts. Thanks also to Alaska Airlines who helped sponsor the event and became our newest PIKE Sponsor. Our PIKE program, which stands for Partners in Kodiak’s Economy, allows businesses to make a committed plan of giving. This helps to support Chamber events and activities throughout the year. We welcome Alaska Airlines to this growing group of supporters.

As we begin the busy holiday season, the Annual Dinner was a good reminder of the phenomenal community of which we are a part. Please remember to reach out to Chamber staff for ideas and assistance as you work to promote your business or organization this winter.

We will hold a Business After Hours at the Best Western Kodiak Inn on the 17 th of this month. I hope to see you all there.

Sincerely,

Stacey Simmons
President
Our Sponsors
Annual Recognition Awards Presented to Local Powerhouses 

Each year the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce takes the time to recognize local businesses, organizations, and individuals that have had a significant impact on Kodiak’s economy and community. Board Members of the Chamber solicit nominations for awards from Chamber Members and then deliberate over who will be awarded.

This year the Board selected 6 awardees. Each were recognized and presented with plaques during the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Dinner, last Friday. Those recognized included George Cusick for the President’s Award, Joyce Gregory as Volunteer of the Year, The Morning and Noon Kodiak Rotary as Service Organization of the Year, Kodiak Marine Supply as Business of the Year, Threshold, Inc. as Member of the Year, and lastly Kodiak College received the prestigious Cornerstone Award, given to a Chamber Member that through their history of service have truly established themselves as a cornerstone of the community.

The College was particularly chosen for this honor because of its long track record in our community. The college currently serves over 750 students each semester during the regular school year, and approximately 1800 students total when including the summer term and workforce and community education programs. It continues to develop adding an Alaska Native Studies Department and Maritime Workforce Development Department, to its wide range of academic and career and technical education programs.

“Recognition Awards are an important community tradition, the Chamber is a member driven organization, so it is especially important that we take the time to applaud the accomplishments of our members. Threshold was able to collect 652 tons of recyclables, the Rotary gave out textbooks on Alutiiq culture to every single 3 rd grader on the island, these are the types of efforts that strengthen our community.” remarks Trevor Brown, Executive Director of the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber’s Annual Meeting is the largest gathering of Kodiak Chamber Members of the year. The crowd of over 100 people, joined in congratulating the awardees. Anyone interested in joining the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce as an individual or an organization, should contact chamber@kodiak.org or 907 486 5557, for more information. A list of member benefits and an online enrollment form can be found on our website.
#GivingTuesday: Tips & Tricks for Non-Profits

Following on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, non-profits around the nation have established Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday falls each year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, a movement to encourage philanthropy alongside commercial holiday spending. In 2016 alone, $177 Million was donated to nonprofits.

For many nonprofits Giving Tuesday can be a way to kick off a end-of-year giving campaign, or give a boost in fundraising for a specific project. There are many ways to participate and make the most of Giving Tuesday this year.

1. Social Media is Key: Giving Tuesday is often seen written as #GivingTuesday, a nod to the online donations that primarily fuel this day of giving. Using social media effectively can gain exposure to your nonprofit and reach new audiences. According to Blackbaud’s Annual Giving Report , 62% of millennials made a donation via mobile phone last year. And millennials are more charitable then you may think, with 84% of millennials making a charitable donation in 2014, with an average gift amount of 481 dollars. #GivingTuesday may be a convenient way to explore a new donor base.

2. Donation Matching: Because Giving Tuesday is a national movement it can be an attractive idea for a corporate donor. You may find a company that will agree to sponsor a donation matching period on or surrounding Giving Tuesday. Donors will feel there gifts will have a larger impact, and your corporate sponsor will gain the exposure of a nationally used hashtag.

3. Organize a Volunteer Project: Giving Tuesday can also encourage donations of time which can be equally as important as fiscal fundraising.You may consider using Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to liven up your volunteer pool. Organize a specific effort that day, either of a project or a new volunteer orientation session. Document their participation on your social media to encourage others to get involved or donations from fans of your organization who don’t live in Kodiak.

4. Use Your Resources: Looking for more ways to get started. Explore givingtuesday.org for resources including sample campaign ideas, graphics, and more tips. Also don’t forget to rely on your Chamber. Visit our member directory , and consider ways you can partner with either another non-profit, or a local business for more visibility. If you are planning to participate in #GivingTuesday, let Chamber Staff know so we can be sure to promote your creative ideas on our social media pages.
Board of Directors
President Stacey Simmons 
Past President Rick Kniaziowski                                  
Vice President Julie Bonney                  
Secretary/Treasurer Jeff Sanford
Board Members               
Susan Johnson · Ellen Simeonoff · Tyler Kornelis ·
Aaron Walton · Brian Lickfield · Lindsay Knight
City of Kodiak Representative Mike Tvenge
Kodiak Island Borough Representative Michael Powers
USCG Base Representative Capt. Jeffery Good
USCG Air Station Representative Capt. Mark Morin
KEA Representative Darron Scott
Discover Kodiak Representative Aimee Williams
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