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| | | IN THIS ISSUE
Small Business: Life Blood of Our Community
Winnebago County COVID Ordinance
Upcoming Events
Webinars video archive
Business Briefs
What's On The Ballot?
Leadership Class of 2021
Leadership Non-Profit Fundraising
New Member
Economic Development Update
Chamber Members Save
Member Spotlights
October Membership Renewals
Protective Facemasks Available
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| Member Matters is sponsored by Stellar Blue Technologies.
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| SMALL BUSINESS: LIFE BLOOD OF OUR COMMUNITY
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| The following letter was written by the Supple Restaurant Group and was emailed to members of the Winnebago County Board, Oshkosh Common Council, Tavern League, Wisconsin Restaurant Association and all area State and Federal Legislative representatives on behalf of the Supple Family regarding Golden Corral and as a cautionary tale of the reality our industry is facing. This message should hit home for every small business person that has laid it on the line and invested it all to realize their dream of owning a business. Over the past several months, the Oshkosh Chamber has advocated on behalf of its members in an effort to maintain business operations. We have also urged member business to be responsible by putting in place protocols to ensure the safety of your employees and customers. We challenged you all, and you responded, to not only meet the CDC standards but to exceed those standards. We see evidence of this every day in places of business throughout the community. Unfortunately, state and local units of government continue to look for ways to impose restrictions on business operations. As a business organization, we will continue to challenge and oppose those efforts. An adjoining article discusses our response to the most current attempt by Winnebago County to restrain business trade. The letter from the Supple Family provides the rationale why the Oshkosh Chamber aggressively opposes government over-reach. We all want this to go away. We continue to urge you all to implement the necessary protocols to maintain a safe business environment. Business people are truly concerned about the well-being of their families, employees and customers. However, we cannot allow the lifeblood of the community to go dark.
John Casper President & CEO | | |
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| The Harsh Reality of Legislative Decisions
Safer at home, curfew, reduced occupancy, a complete ban of bars & restaurants. On paper it makes sense. We all want to flatten the curve, eliminate the spike, and get through this pandemic. But when Governors, federal and state legislatures, county executives, and city councils pass mandates and rules sitting behind a desk or at home in their chairs, it is important that they are fully aware of the harsh reality that comes after these decisions.
- Wages totaling $821,092.25 paid out to 96 employees over a year – done.
- Real Estate taxes paid out $52,141.22 over a year, over $750,000 since opening in 2006 – done.
- Countless donations for school fundraisers, church picnics, nonprofit events, sports team sponsorships all benefiting the local community – done.
- Thirty-five employees lost their jobs on Monday. Their income and their health insurance. – done
That is the harsh reality when a long-time local restaurant is operating with less than 35 percent of its sales over last year. Due to legislative decisions, media exposure, and a pandemic.
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| WINNEBAGO COUNTY COVID ORDINANCE
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The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors recently tabled action on a proposed Ordinance to provide authority to issue and enforce far-reaching and broad General and Individual Orders that could shut down and restrict business operations and restrain business trade. Action on this Ordinance will be postponed until its November 17 Board meeting.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce – the combined state chamber, manufacturers’ association and safety council – joined the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce in sending a letter to the Winnebago County Board of Supervisors urging them not to adopt a draft ordinance that would increase the powers of the County Health Officer in an unlawful manner. | | |
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| | | OC CONNECTION
Tuesday, November 10
7:45 - 9:00 a.m.
6 in-person spots available this month! Guest Speaker Jessie Meidl, Downtown BID Manager.
Share referrals and present a one-minute "elevator pitch" to your business peers. | | | | | | | | | USING LINKEDIN AND VIDEO MARKETING TO INCREASE SALES
Create a scalable marketing system using LinkedIn and strategic video.
Session 1 • November 11 Session 2 • November 18 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Presented by Michael Raymond, Imagine Road Productions | | | | | | |
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| | | AMPLIFY OSHKOSH WATCH IT: KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR DIGITAL TECH Friday, November 13 • 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Free Zoom Webinar Featuring a panel discussion with Amplify's Cybersecurity Experts | | | | | | |
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| | | LEADING FROM THE TOP
A webinar series for the CEO, Owner or High-level Manager Session 2: Accountability
Thursday, November 12
8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Presented by
Joe Thompson and Vicki Updike of Differentiating Strategies | | | | | | | | | SOCIAL HUB Digital Advertising: How To Drive More Traffic To Your Website From Online Ads
Tuesday, November 17 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Presented by Tyler Hoffman Stellar Blue Technologies
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| | | LEADING AND MANAGING CHANGE THROUGH DISRUPTION Final Session • Where the Rubber Meets the Road: Real World Execution With Technical Guidance
Tuesday, November 17 11:45 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Free Zoom Webinar
Presented by
Wipfli LLP
| | | | | | | | | BREAKFAST BRIEFING: DEALING WITH A POSITIVE COVID TEST IN THE WORKPLACE
Thursday, November 19 8:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Presented by
von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
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| | | PROPEL YOUNG PROFESSIONALS UPCOMING EVENTS
November 9 • Volunteer At The Food Pantry • 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
November 12 • Fire Escape Gnome Workshop or Pick Your Own Pottery To Paint • 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
December 7 • Volunteer At The Food Pantry • 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
| | | | | | | | | WEST SIDE ASSOCIATION NOVEMBER 5 MEETING 12:00 - 1:00 PM • Zoom Meeting
Featured Guest Winnebago County Sheriff John Matz | | | | | | |
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| MISSED A CHAMBER ZOOM WEBINAR? WATCH IT NOW
The Oshkosh Chamber posts videos of past Zoom webinars, so you can watch a professional development or information session that you weren’t able to view at the time it aired.
Zoom webinars from October include:
- Ideas Amplified: Purpose Drives Digital Transformation
- Virtual Town Hall Candidate Forums and Municipal Budget Updates
- Leading and Managing Change Through Disruption, Session 2: Managing Change and Innovation: Moving from Surviving to Thriving
- Social Hub: How to Leverage Video and Photos to Increase Engagement Online
- Breakfast Briefing: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace: Policy and Program Considerations
- Leading From the Top Session 1: Changing Culture
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| Thank you to our sponsors!
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| von Briesen & Roper, s.c., announced that six lawyers and one non-lawyer professional recently joined the firm in locations throughout Wisconsin. Three Eau Claire lawyers joined the firm, Mindy K. Dale, Lindsey S.M. Minser and David A. Richie. The Milwaukee office added two lawyers, Kelly L. Krause and Sumeeta A. Krishnaney. The Neenah office added one lawyer, Mmeli Obi. The Green Bay office added one non-lawyer professional, Pamela W. Schneider (CPA, JD, LL.M, CMA).
Susan Lovern, President and CEO of von Briesen & Roper, said, “Our growth around the state and our new footprint in Eau Claire is a response to serving our clients and markets throughout the state in many fast-growing legal areas such as school, municipal, litigation and estate planning. We are excited to further our commitment to Wisconsin of providing unparalleled service and cost-effective representation with this great group of professionals”. | | |
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| | | The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Foundation has named a new executive director, Greg Giles. Greg is a veteran philanthropist with a wealth of experience who is no stranger to our community. Greg comes to the Foundation from the YMCA of Greater Houston, where he served as the executive vice president/chief advancement officer. Prior to his work in Houston, Greg was the executive director/CEO at the Fond du Lac Family YMCA for 16 years and in that time, through community collaborations, he helped rebuild the Y from a struggling facility serving 4,500 members to a thriving organization of impact that today boasts more than 11,500 members. During his time there, Giles directed a $12.6M capital campaign to build a new home for the YMCA and built annual support from $25K to $250K. | | |
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| REMEMBER TO VOTE ON NOVEMBER 3 WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT?
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| OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENDUM INFORMATION
The Oshkosh Area School District has created a webpage devoted to information about both of the November school referendums, including a video presentation and Frequently Asked Questions section.
The School District has also made the following resources available: | | |
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| State Legislative Races 18th State Senate District – Dan Feyen Vs. Aaron Wojiecowski
54th Assembly District – Gordon Hintz vs. Donnie Herman
53rd Assembly District – Mike Schraa Vs. Joseph Connelly
The Chamber's Webinar Video Archive contains videos of candidate debates for the 54th Assembly and 18th State Senate district races. | | |
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| ADVISORY REFERENDUM LIMITING POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS & SPENDING
Should the state legislature enact proposed legislation to support passage of an amendment to the United States Constitution that seeks to reclaim democracy from the expansion of corporate personhood rights and the corrupting influence of unlimited political contributions and spending?
YES NO (This is an advisory referendum only.)
Explanation of a “yes” or “no” vote:
An answer of YES to the referendum question indicates the voter believes there should be a limit to political contributions and spending and the expansion of corporate personhood rights.
An answer of NO to the referendum question indicates the voter believes there should not be a limit to political contributions and spending and the expansion of corporate personhood rights.
Please note that your vote on this question will not directly result in the passage or non-passage of any ordinance or state statute.
The purpose of the question is to advise your representatives of the amount of support for and against limiting political contributions and spending and the expansion of corporate personhood rights. | | |
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| START PLANNING FOR THE SPRING ELECTIONS
On December 1, individuals seeking to be elected to the Oshkosh City Council and the OASD Board of Education will be able to begin circulating nomination papers. Nomination papers can be obtained on the Wisconsin Election Commission’s website.
Candidates will need to use form EL-169 Nomination Paper for Nonpartisan Office. Candidates will need to secure 100 – 200 signatures in order to get on the ballot. Nomination papers must be returned by January 4, 2021. City Council nomination papers are to be returned to the City Clerk’s office at the City Hall located at 215 Church Avenue. Board of Education nomination papers are to be returned OASD Administration Office located at 215 S. Eagle Street.
City of Oshkosh: Four positions are up for election – the Mayor’s position, along with three other City Council members. Mayor Lori Palmeri will be up for re-election, as are City Council members Debra Allison-Aasby, Jake Krause and Bob Poeschl. At this point, we are unaware of whether these individuals plan to seek re-election.
OASD Board of Education: Three positions are up for election – School Board members: Jim Evans, Allison Garner and Kelly Olmsted. We are unaware of their respective plans to seek re-election.
The General Election is scheduled for Tuesday, April 6, 2021. Should there need to be a Primary Election, this would be held on Tuesday, February 16. | | |
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OSHKOSH CHAMBER ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP OSHKOSH CLASS OF 2021
The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the beginning of the program year for Leadership Oshkosh (LO) class of 2021. LO began in 1989 and totaling 1086 graduates since its inception. The goal of the program is to identify and recruit current and emerging leaders from various segments of the community and to train them become active and involved citizens. This is accomplished through a combination of mentoring, volunteer experience and education. The program runs from September, 2020 – May, 2021. During the 9-month program, Leadership Oshkosh students serve as adjunct board members to gain insight and understanding into the world of nonprofit organizations and governance. They also select a community charity and run a fundraiser. | | | | |
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LEADERSHIP OSHKOSH RAISES FUNDS FOR NON-PROFITS
The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce Leadership Oshkosh class of 2020 ran a virtual trivia contest and silent auction on September 24, 2020 that netted $13,310 in support of the Day by Day Warming Shelter and the Oshkosh Chamber Foundation for the Leadership Oshkosh program. The fundraiser is a component of their program to develop current and emerging leaders from various segments of the community and train them to become active and involved citizens. | | | | |
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| AVI Systems Terry Toraason (920) 445-8127 W6483 Design Drive, Unit B, Greenville www.avisystems.com | | |
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| ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
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| | | KINSETH HOSPITALITY AND AMERICAN COMPANIES BREAK GROUND ON TOWNEPLACE SUITES BY MARRIOTT
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on October 21, 2020 at 1365 North Westfield Street. To kick-off the event John Casper, Oshkosh Chamber President & CEO; Lori Palmeri, Oshkosh Mayor; Bruce Kinseth, Kinseth Hospitality Executive Vice President; Kraig Sadownikow, American Companies President; and Steve Hoopman, First Weber Realtors Commerical Specialist, each shared their excitement for the project. Following, a group of investors broke ground on the coming TownePlace Suites by Marriott which will offer guest rooms and amenities for both leisure and business guests. | | |
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OSHKOSH AND WINNEBAGO COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT RATES CONTINUE TO DECLINE IN SEPTEMBER For the sixth straight month, the unemployment rates for Oshkosh and Winnebago County saw declines in the month of September as reported by the Wisconsin DWD. CITY OF OSHKOSH EMPLOYMENT DATA The data indicated that the Unemployment Rate for September 2020 was 3.5%, down from a high of 14.3 percent in in April. By comparison, the unemployment rate in September of 2019 was 2.9%. Oshkosh’s September unemployment rate was one of the lowest of major cities across the State of Wisconsin. | | |
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| CHAMBER MEMBERS SAVE WITH... | | |
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Chamber members can save money every time they make a local or long distance call, just by switching to Northern Telephone and Data.
| | | | | | | Auto-Owners Insurance Company offers discounts to qualifying Chamber members on business package policies, commercial automobile policies and umbrella liability. In addition, owners of member businesses may also receive discounts on their personal automobile and homeowners insurance policies. | | | | |
| | | Have you gotten your Network Health Insurance quote?
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce members have access to high-quality health care coverage at an exclusive, cost-effective premium through Network Health.
Contact your health insurance agent or call 800-276-8004 to learn more about the exclusive premium discount through Network Health. | | | | | | |
Save up to 45% on monthly service with U.S. Cellular. Unlimited Voice and Data with no overages! Must order directly from Dan O’Day. Contact Dan at 920-427-2587 or at [email protected] | | | | |
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| CHAMBER MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS FEATURING.... | | |
| • Papa John's Pizza
• Nova Counseling Services
• The Courtyard at Oshkosh
• Oshkosh Marine Supply
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| CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the following members who renewed their memberships during the month of October. | | |
| ALBAN LTD
ALRO STEEL CORP
AMERICAN RED CROSS
APEX SAFETY & COMPLIANCE
APPLETON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
APPLIED PROCESS
AREA WATER PROOFING
ARROWHEAD CONVEYOR
ASSOCIATED BANK
BASLER FLIGHT SERVICE
BMO HARRIS BANK
BRICKHAM STAMPING COMPANY INC
CESA 6
COMMUNITY BLOOD CENTER
DIEDRICH AGENCY - A VIZANCE COMPANY
ECM HOLDING GROUP
EDWARD JONES
ERBERT & GERBERT'S
FLETCH'S LOCAL TAP HOUSE
FOX VALLEY PHYSICAL THERAPY
FOX VALLEY PRO BASKETBALL INC
GREEN 3
INVESTORS COMMUNITY BANK
JEFFREY P. ANDREINI MD, DIGESTIVE HEALTHCARE SPECIALIST
| | | JG HOME IMPROVEMENTS
KEYSTONE DEVELOPMENT
KOBUSSEN BUSES
LIFE PROMOTIONS
LOURDES ACADEMY
MARSH FAMILY EYECARE
MIRON CONSTRUCTION
MUNROE EXHIBIT & GRAPHICS
OSHKOSH TENT & AWNING
PERKINS RESTAURANT & BAKERY
POWERGRID SOLUTIONS
PRECISION ATHLETICS
RIGHT AT HOME
SHEA ELECTRIC
TANZANIA MEDI SPA
THE GRAND OSHKOSH
TRAVEL LEADERS
TRIANGLE MANUFACTURING
WINNEBAGO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
WISCONSIN PUBLIC SERVICE CORP
WITZKE ROOFING
ZARONIS
ZUPPA'S
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| PROTECTIVE FACEMASKS AVAILABLE
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| The Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce is offering for sale to Chamber members: - Three layer surgical type disposable facemasks, boxes of 50, cost $26.00/box.
- Five layer KN95 facemasks, boxes of 20, cost $46.00/box.
Prices include sales tax. Minimum quantity per order is one box of either type. Separating masks may lead to contamination so orders smaller than one box are not an option. If you are interested in purchasing, please send an email to [email protected], including your company name, contact name, email address, and the number of boxes of each type you wish to order. Masks will be available at the Chamber office for payment and pick-up during our regular office hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays. Appointments are not required. Preferred payment methods are check or cash. Please contact the Chamber office if you have questions, at 920-303-2266. | | |
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| Advertise in our newsletters - Call (920) 303-2265 to learn more! | | |
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Contact Us 120 Jackson Street, Oshkosh WI 54901 | | | |
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