The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is kicking off the new year with a weekly news quiz, published each Friday and focusing on local issues and member news.

The quiz is designed to help residents become more informed about local government and other community issues, as well as to highlight what's happening with Chamber members.

Click here to take the quiz!

Several employees of Chamber-member organizations were among those honored with The Mill's Fast 15 awards, which recognize Bloomington's fastest-growing businesses and MVP employees.

They include:

• Markay Winston, MCCSC assistant superintendent of curriculum, instruction & assessment
• Cory Hawkins, City of Bloomington Banneker Center program specialist
• Molly Nagy, director of people operations at Brainlabs (formerly Hanapin Marketing)
• Kurtis Cummings, founder & president of Switchyard Brewing Co.
• Kyle Caird, Global Vision brand manager at Cook Medical
• Becky Throckmorton, HR manager & EEO officer at Weddle Bros. Construction
• Stephen Crane, Bloomington Herald-Times editor

​Congratulations to these Chamber members and all Fast 15 awardees! Learn more here.

Christopher Emge, principal of the Success School at the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, was appointed this month to the City of Bloomington Parking Commission. 

He was appointed by Mayor John Hamilton for a term ending Jan. 31, 2022.

The Chamber's Success School, formerly known as the Franklin Initiative, acts as the connection between the business community and the education community. Find out more about the Success School here.

In a Dec. 6 article in the Indiana Daily student, Erin Predmore, CEO of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, stressed the importance of shopping locally for the holidays to support Bloomington/Monroe County businesses.

Premore also highlighted the Chamber's Holiday Gift Guide, which provides dozens of suggestions for shopping local. 

​Read the IDS article here.

Chamber CEO Erin Predmore addressed the impact of COVID-19 on the local business community during a Nov. 27 Noon Edition on WFIU. The segment also featured Jeff Meese of One World Enterprises and Efrat Feferman of the Monroe County United Way.

Predmore talked about efforts to support local businesses, including the Chamber's online holiday gift guide, which spotlights more than 100 shops and other businesses.

Click here to listen.

More than 100 items from Bloomington Chamber members are highlighted in our first annual 2020 Chamber Gift Guide, to help you shop local for the holidays. The guide is divided into 15 categories, including "For Bringing Home a Bit of Bloomington," "For the Fashionista" and "For Holiday Cheer." ​You can view the Chamber Gift Guide here.

Free downtown on-street parking will be available from Thanksgiving through Sunday, Nov. 29, and the city's public garages will offer free parking on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for Dec. 25-27 and Jan. 1-3. Click here for details.

In addition, parking will be free at certain Indiana University lots after 5 p.m. weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday. This includes IU lots at 4th and Dunn, 6th and Dunn, and Poplars Garage.

Chamber CEO Erin Predmore joined a panel and Bring It On! hosts William Hosea and Cornelius Wright to discuss the state of black-owned businesses and the entrepreneurial resources available to them. The show aired on Oct. 19, 2020 on WFHB 91.3 FM. A recording is available here.

Other panelists were Virginia Githiri, lecturer at the IU School of Health and owner of Popcorn Kernels with a Twist; and Jim Adams, III, the territory sales leader for State Farm Insurance.

The Chamber has been working with a Black-Owned Business Affinity Group to help support and grow black-owned businesses in our community.

 Erin Predmore, CEO of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, was a guest on the Oct. 16, 2020 WFIU Noon Edition, focused on how COVD-related festival cancellations are impacting southern Indiana.

​Other panelists were Judy Epp, Spencer Pride fundraising director; Diana Choate, Monroe County Fall Festival president; and Elaine Bedel, Indiana Destination and Development Corporation secretary and CEO.

Click here to listen to a recording of the discussion. Read the WFIU report: "Bloomington Chamber CEO Talks Effects of Local Event Cancellations."

The 2020 General Election is on Tuesday, Nov. 3. In addition to the race for U.S. President, many candidates are running for local, state and federal office. To help voters navigate their options, the Chamber has launched a nonpartisan resource guide for elected positions that represent all or parts of Monroe County.

In addition to general resources about the voting process, the site includes information about candidates for U.S. Congress District 9, Indiana Senate and House of Representatives, Monroe County Council and Commission, Monroe County Circuit Court, other Monroe County elected offices, and the school boards for Monroe County Community School Corp. and Richland-Bean Blossom Schools.

Not sure who's on your ballot? Go to the League of Women Voters Vote411 site, enter your address and get a listing. Or search for your ballot on the Indiana Voter Portal by clicking the "Who's On The Ballot" link.