Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Eric Spoonmore announced today that the Chamber is backing a plan that involves a newly created Capital Improvement Board (CIB) to manage the Monroe Convention Center expansion project. The Chamber urges elected leaders to swiftly accept the proposal and appoint members to serve on the CIB as soon as possible. “The Chamber closely examined the various governance proposals submitted by City and County leaders, and we agree that the community’s interest is best served by a CIB that will oversee the expansion and related construction activities of the convention center,” said Spoonmore. Over the past year, the Chamber along with other local economic development organizations has urged elected leaders to take quick action on the expansion plans to avoid a sunset of the Monroe County Food & Beverage Tax funding mechanism by the State Legislature in its upcoming 2023 session. “Time is truly of the essence to get this done. We hope all parties can agree to the CIB governance plan as it stands. Taxpayers have been paying the Food and Beverage tax for five years with no tangible results. It is time to deliver on the promise of an expanded, world-class convention center here in Bloomington,” said Spoonmore. County Commissioners took a step forward on the expansion plans by enacting a CIB in November. The CIB is fully accountable to the public and established in accordance with state statute. The County Council unanimously favors the CIB plan, but it requires City leaders to agree by January 1, 2023. The City Council is expected to discuss the CIB proposal at its next meeting on December 14.
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The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is inviting interested parties for lunch and conversation on Justice Reform on Tuesday, November 15th at the Elks Lodge located at 400 N. Walnut St. in Bloomington. “This important discussion will inform the public on the many complexities of our local system of criminal justice including the need for a new jail facility in Monroe County,” said Eric Spoonmore, the Chamber’s President & CEO. What Justice Reform Entails. There will need to be a new justice center to replace the one built in 1985. According to the 2020 Criminal Justice & Incarceration Study conducted by the RJS Justice Services, “The jail facility is failing and cannot ensure consistent and sustainable provision of constitutional rights of incarcerated persons. The report goes on to declare, “daily inmate population exceeded the jail’s functional capacity on most days since 2004 and all days per year consecutively since 2015.” Beyond the new justice center, the study reveals that 75-80% of the daily 250-320 inmates have some sort of mental illness or substance abuse issue. The current facility does not have the space nor the staff of mental health professionals to address this issue. The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce along with numerous community partners plan to attend the Monroe County Commissioners’ work session on Wednesday, August 31 to discuss a pathway forward for the expansion of the Monroe Convention Center. The Commissioners’ work session will begin at noon in the Monroe County Courthouse, Nat U Hill Room. “We are anxiously awaiting the County Commissioners’ response to the City of Bloomington’s proposal to acquire the Monroe Convention Center and begin moving forward on expansion,” said Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce President Eric Spoonmore. “We are very pleased that the County Commissioners invited City representatives to their meeting for this important discussion.” The Chamber of Commerce, City of Bloomington representatives, and local hospitality & tourism leaders will be present at the work session to advocate for a pathway forward on the convention center expansion project. The long-delayed project was supposed to be funded by a local food and beverage tax that passed in 2017. Since then, the tax has generated over $15M in revenue, but the project has seen no progress to date. “The lack of any meaningful progress on the expansion is deeply concerning because it could put the future of the food and beverage tax funding mechanism in jeopardy by the State Legislature during its 2023 legislative session,” said Spoonmore. “Time is of the essence, and the Commissioners’ teamwork in this process is critical to achieving a successful outcome for the community.” The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce today announced the ten young professionals who will receive a Ten Under 40 Award at this year’s celebration. The 11th Annual Ten Under 40 Awards will be held on Friday, July 22 at the Woolery Mill. The Ten Under 40 Awards, co‐hosted by The Chamber and its YPB (Young Professionals Bloomington) program, is an awards celebration honoring young notables under the age of 40 who are rocking the business world through professional achievement, leadership, and civic involvement. This year’s Ten Under 40 award winners are: Adam Beasley American Senior Benefits Kasey Butcher Williams Brothers Health Care Pharmacy Priscilla Cuevas Middle Way House Josh Dodds Evergreen Villages at Bloomington Kayla Dusseau Ivy Tech Community College - Bloomington Lisa Greathouse IU Health Dr. Julius Hanks Indiana University Megan Holtsclaw German American Bank Emily Pike New Hope for Families Aubrey Williams Edward Jones The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is inviting key stakeholders and interested parties for lunch and conversation on the future of Lake Monroe on Friday, June 3rd at the Golf Club at Eagle Pointe. “This discussion will help guide future planning for Lake Monroe,” said Eric Spoonmore, the Chamber’s President & CEO. “As the primary water source for the region, the lake is one of the most critical resources in the greater Bloomington area, and we must steward it accordingly.” What Lake Monroe Means. This body is the sole drinking water source for over 130,000 people and generates over $40 million in economic impact annually. The Lake Monroe watershed consists of over 440 square miles of land in Monroe, Brown, Lawrence, and Jackson Counties. The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce’s partnership with the 4th annual Kelley Impact Competition (KIC) hosted by The Kelley Institute for Social Impact (KISI) concluded on April 1st, 2022. The winners of the competition, Spades Consulting, will implement their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) plan in the 2022-2023 school year. The annual case competition brings together socially minded students at Indiana University and is made possible by a gift from Kelley School of Business alumnus Lance Breitstein, BS'11. In addition to $15,000 in student prizes, $10,000 in seed money supports the implementation of the winning idea to create lasting social change in the community. The winning team consisted of four Indiana University sophomores, Naina Prabhakar (majoring in Marketing and International Business), Kayla Oxley (majoring in Marketing and Business Analytics), Katie Cole (majoring in Marketing, Business Analytics, and Sociology), and Ashwin Ramesh (majoring in Finance and Business Analytics). The Spades Consulting team said they decided to participate in KIC so they could make an impact on the community and grow as leaders. Chamber members, their employees, and the public are invited to join the fun at PrimeTime Business After Hours on Thursday, April 21, from 5:00 – 8:00p.m. at the Monroe County Fairgrounds. The event, which debuted in 2013, is three events rolled into one: Business After Hours, a Business Expo and an exhibition of local food trucks. This year’s PrimeTime Business Expo will spotlight over 90 exhibitors in the exhibition hall. Businesses currently hiring will be marked by having balloons at the tables. Along with the business and community partner exhibits, a wide variety of local food-truck fare will be available in this year’s new attraction, Food Truck Frenzy. A beer and wine garden featuring local wineries and breweries will also be on site. Brother William Morris, host of Soul Kitchen, will emcee the festivities. “The Chamber and our members are very excited for the return of this year’s PrimeTime Business Expo,” said Eric Spoonmore, president and CEO of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. “This is a terrific opportunity for the community to connect with our local businesses, enjoy delicious food, and have a great time together at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.” The first 250 people to arrive at the PrimeTime Business Expo will receive a food voucher to use at one of the food trucks in attendance. The PrimeTime Business Expo is open to all Chamber members, their employees, and the public. Those interested in attending should register at the event’s page at www.ChamberBloomington.org. There is no cost to register for the event. The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce it is now accepting nominations for the 12th Annual Women Excel Bloomington (WEB) Awards. Each year, seven women are recognized for their outstanding leadership in influencing the growth of others in the community and/or in their professional organization. These prestigious business leadership awards will be presented at the WEB Awards reception scheduled for late May. WEB nominees serve as an inspiration, helping others to excel as they lead by example. They may be employed in either the business sector or a non-profit organization. Other criteria include:
Katie Sensabaugh was recently named the Director of the Success School for the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. As chair of the Chamber’s foundation, she will work with community partners in both the education and business sectors of Monroe County to develop strong relationships with the students, teachers, and employers to positively impact the emerging talent and future workforce of our community. “I am thrilled to continue my work at the Chamber as the Director of the Success School,” said Sensabaugh. “I look forward to continuing the partnerships between our community’s business professionals and schools to ensure students develop the critical skills needed for their future life success.” Prior to becoming the Director of the Success School, Sensabaugh served as Membership Services Coordinator at the Chamber. She currently also serves as Chamber staff liaison to the Bloomington Women in Leadership group. Sensabaugh’s previous roles include Program Director at Big Brothers Bigs Sisters of Northwest Ohio, Gemologist and Jewelry Designer for an independent jewelry store, and manager of a retail clothing store. She was recognized for her efforts to develop lasting professional relationships and provide excellent volunteer management and customer service to her clients. Sensabaugh received a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a Certificate in Business Administration from Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington. PRESS RELEASE: Christopher Emge Named Director of Advocacy & Public Policy for Bloomington Chamber1/26/2022 Christopher Emge was recently named the Director of Advocacy & Public Policy for the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. As chair of the Chamber’s advocacy division, he will work with Chamber members to raise the collective voice of business and advance issues of importance to the business community at the city, county, state, and federal levels. "It is an honor to continue my service for the Chamber in a new capacity as Advocacy Director,” said Emge. “I look forward to working closely with our members and elected officials to enhance the Bloomington-Monroe County quality of place that we all hold dear." Prior to becoming the new Director of Advocacy & Public Policy, Emge served for three years as the Principal of the Success School, a program of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. He also currently serves as a member of the City of Bloomington Parking Commission and as an advisor for the Indiana University School of Public Administration Fellowship program. Emge is a past recipient of Arizona State University’s Social Embeddedness Award and holds two degrees from Indiana University, including a Master’s in Public Administration. “We are delighted that Christopher will be leading the advocacy efforts for the Chamber,” said Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Eric Spoonmore. “His decades of experience in the public and non-profit sectors combined with his deep knowledge of local issues will deliver significant value for our members.” Emge’s new assignment with the Chamber is effective January 31. |
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