CHAMBER CONNECTION - March 14, 2018
FEATURED EVENT 
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Upcoming Events:
Friday, March 23, 8 am
CHEMICAL BANK SALES & MARKETING CONFERENCE
Vintage House, Fraser
Friday, March 23, 2 pm
#YOPROS SALES & MARKETING CONFERENCE BONUS SESSION
Vintage House, Fraser

Thursday, March 29, 7:30 am
MDOT BRIEFING ON I-696
Warren Civic Center, Warren
Friday, April 13, 7:30 am
BREAKFAST OF NATIONS
Carpathia Club, Sterling Heights

Wednesday, April 18, 11:45 am
MEMBER ORIENTATION/REFRESH
UHY Innovation Lab, Sterling Heights

Thursday, April 19, 5:30 pm
4TH ANNUAL CHAMBER CARES
Parkway Christian School, Sterling Heights

Friday, April 20, 8 am
BRAG RECRUITING EVENT
Wyndham Garden, Sterling Heights

CHEMICAL BANK SALES & MARKETING CONFERENCE SPEAKER LINEUP ANNOUNCED

Our second annual conference is designed to help small- and medium-sized business owners, operators and managers take their business to the next level by amplifying their brand in the marketplace, elevating their digital marketing and increasing their income through improved sales. Join us for an event packed with sessions covering everything from using social media as a prospecting tool to techniques proven to increase your sales conversions and optimizing your online presence. If you want to grow your bottom line, you need to attend. Your registration includes breakfast, lunch, six short but powerful sessions full of ideas you can use immediately to jump-start your business growth and a special keynote presentation by Blaine Fowler, host of the Blaine Fowler Morning Show on 96.3 WDVD. D on't miss our bonus session for young professionals -- for just $10 more, you can learn about promoting your personal and professional brand, network, and enjoy appetizers and a couple drink tickets. Bonus Session Details.


MDOT BRIEFING ANNOUNCEMENT

Constructed in three phases from 1961
 to 1989, the Walter P. Reuther Freeway-696 has reached its maximum life cycle. Due to the poor condition of the roadway, the Michigan Department of Transportation is planning a major construction project starting Spring 2018, and invites you to learn about its scope, which includes:
  • Replacing all pavement in both directions from 75 to 94.
  • Closing the westbound direction completely and keeping the eastbound direction open throughout construction from 75 to 94.
  • Night and weekend pavement repairs on eastbound and westbound 275 to 75.
The meeting will take place:
March 29, 8:30 - 10 am
Warren Civic Center
1 City Square, Warren, MI 48093
 
For more information, contact Melanie Davis at 586.731.5400 or [email protected].
 
This meeting is sponsored by the Sterling Heights Regional and Macomb County Chambers.

CHAMBER CHAMPION
 
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Company: Modern Family Mediation
Mai n Contact: Matt Babcock
Category: Legal Consultants
Member Since: 2012
  

MEMBER TIP: 
Why Isn't Our Sales Cycle Shorter?
By Gerry Weinberg, Sandler Training

Why isn't our sales cycle shorter? To answer this question we looked at 11 factors that historically support shorter sales cycles. Shorter sales cycles are generally not impacted by delayed closings or business lost to competitors.
  • Make Decisions - If you make buying decisions without having to think it over you will find a way to get your prospects to make decisions too.
  • Consultative Seller - If you can sell consultatively you can uncover the compelling reason to buy, a motivator that creates urgency and shortens the sales cycle.
  • Qualifier - If you qualify thoroughly there will be fewer opportunities for premature demos, quotes, proposals, and presentations that lead to delayed closings and lost business.

MEMBER BENEFIT OF THE WEEK:  
Complete Interactive Technologies -  Members save 10% on everything from phone systems to IP surveillance cameras, IP card access door systems, voice and data cabling and more .

MEMBER NEWS
2018 STERLING EDGE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

The city of Sterling Heights and the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber of Commerce are seeking nominations for the seventh-annual Michigan Week & Sterling Edge Awards luncheon featuring the outstanding businesses in Sterling Heights.
 
Nomination applications, due Friday, March 23, 2018 can be submitted online at shrcci.com. The Sterling Edge Awards seek to recognize Sterling Heights area companies that have demonstrated best business practices that can be adopted and emulated by other businesses.  Any outstanding Sterling Heights business, whether an inspiring start-up, a long-standing corporate entity, a great place to work or other, is eligible to win one of this year's five awards.  



HYATT CELEBRATES FIVE YEARS OF RECOGNITION, RISING TO THE TOP 10 COMPANIES THIS YEAR

Hyatt has been named to the 2018 FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For®" list, an annual ranking of companies with outstanding workplace cultures according to global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work and FORTUNE. Hyatt has earned a spot on the prestigious list for five consecutive years, ranking at No. 9 this year and jumping 86 places since its original list debut in 2014.  This recognition reflects how their commitment to caring for each member of the Hyatt family creates a great experience at work. Every day, employees are encouraged to bring their best self to work, and because of that, Hyatt is not only providing world-class experiences for their guests, but also for one another.

 

UCS CAREER FOCUS LUNCHEON 2018

U tica Community School's Foundation is celebrating a milestone with the 25th Career Focus sixth graders mentoring luncheon.  An impact over the years that requires two days in a row to accommodate slightly over 1,000 students per day, this luncheon has had the local community support of business leaders who sit with a table of students with the purpose of introducing them to a variety of career options. This year's keynote speaker is Ms. Tricia Morrow of General Motors. Morrow is responsible for safety strategy at GM, and joins the list of many before her including the first speaker in 1994 - Mark Andrews, Sports Director with the then Dick Purtan Show. Getting involved is easy, simply click the button below for two-sided application.  If you've never participated it's the experience of a lifetime, please consider joining us. Click here to see a video about the luncheon!



BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK NEEDS YOUR HELP!
 
Blessings in a Backpack - Utica will have a fundraising event at MOD Pizza at 23 Mile and Hayes on March 14 from 5-9 pm.  Mention our charity when you pay, and 20 percent of your expenditure feeds hungry children and helps break the cycle of poverty in our neighborhood.

Blessings in a Backpack - Utica would like to utilize a box truck (and hopefully a driver) for a couple of hours a month to move food from Meijer on Hall Road to the packing location on 19 Mile Road. This normally happens the first Tuesday of the month at 2:45 pm when school is in session. Please call Bob at 586.566.8855 for more information. 



HABITAT FOR HUMANITY 3RD ANNUAL GOLF OUTING

Macomb County Habitat for Humanity's 3rd Annual Home-in-One Golf Classic will take place on Friday, June 8 at Greystone Golf Club. Includes: 3 drink tickets, continental breakfast, driving range service, 18 holes with cart, classic lunch on the turn, dinner buffet, games & contests. Extras: Game improvement packages, 50/50 skins, raffle items. Take advantage of the early bird special if paid by Friday, March 16! Individual Golfer: $125 ($150 starting 3/17) or $450 for a Group of Four ($500 starting 3/17). 

 

313 PRESENTS MIX 92.3 SUMMER BREEZE  

MIX 92.3 Summer Breeze featuring R&B artists Keith Sweat, SWV, En Vogue, Stokley and Vivian Green will perform at Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill as part of the Fifth Third Bank Concert Series on Saturday, June 30 at 6 p.m. Tickets ($29.50 and a limited number of four-packs at $75 on the Kroger lawn, $39.50, $59.50 and
$79.50 in the Crest Ford pavilion and $99.50 in the Ford Motor Company Luxury seats) go on sale Friday, March 16 at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at 313Presents.com, LiveNation.com, the Fox Theatre and Little Caesars Arena XFINITY box offices and Ticketmaster.com. To charge tickets by phone, call 800.745.3000.


Find more "Member News" on the Chamber website!

WBOA Anniversary Celebration - Step Into Your Super Power

The Women's Business Owners Association (WBOA) would like to extend a warm invitation to all women business owners to join them at their special anniversary celebration on Wednesday, April 4 at 12:30 pm at the RED OX TAVERN, 45411 Park Ave., Utica. The guest speaker will be Linda Anger, owner of The Write Concept, who will be inspiring us all with her personal story of success, and sharing tips on how to step into your super powers. Lunch and cash bar will be available at your expense and is optional.  Please feel free to share this invite with other female entrepreneurs.  RSVP is required by Monday, April 2.




M-59 RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT UPDATE FROM MDOT:

MDOT began stage 1 of the second year of the M-59 reconstruction project. In the first stage (which will last through the end of the month), they will be adding a temporary widening outside of the right shoulder of each bound of M-59. In addition, they are making repairs the right two lanes and right shoulder of each bound as these are the lanes that we will keep traffic in while we rebuild the inside lanes, shoulder and turnarounds. 
 
As MDOT begins the second year of the project, they want to stress to the public that they want to maintain our level of commitment to the community.  If there is any way that they can help ease the burden of construction, please feel free to contact them.


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MEMBER ANNIVERSARIES
38 Years
Beck Insurance Agency

30 Years
Utica Rent-All

28 Years
Plante & Moran, PLLC, Clinton Twp.

27 Years
Charter Township of Shelby

26 Years
Hansons Running Shop

18 Years
Macomb-Oakland Regional Center, Inc.

12 Years
P.J. Herbert, Inc.

10 Years
Kerby's Koney Island

9 Years
Allstate Insurance / Todd Terry Agency
Sterling Millwork, Inc.
Towne Place Suites by Marriott

8 Years  
Rainbow Landscaping, Inc.
Real Living Kee Realty / Donna Caumartin
7 Years
Gallo Companies
Michigan Financial Co. / Jeff Manzella

6 Years
LAM Christian Church
Shelby Family Dental Care

5 Years
Pine Ridge Villas of Shelby

4 Years
Affordable Website Specialists
Fertilizer Plus
Just Cruises & Vacations
Rose Senior Living - Clinton Twp.
Trinity Community Care

3 Years
Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel / 
   Chris VanBelle McRest

2 Years
MMTC - Michigan Manufacturing 
   Technology Center

1 Year
Daybreak Counseling, P.C.
Keep Michigan Beautiful, Inc.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact
Gina Rieck at 586.731.5400, x15 or [email protected].