The Carroll Chamber of Commerce Retail Committee will be promoting Think Carroll First this holiday season in an effort to encourage consumers to shop local and discover what Carroll businesses have to offer.

Think Carroll First table tents are available to any Chamber Member. This theme applies to many types of businesses, not just retail. Stop by the Chamber office and pick up a table tent for your business.

Carroll it's All here!

Local Photograhper Donates Giclee Print

Kim Hackett, Secreteary-Treasurer of the Carroll Chamber of Commerce accepts a giclee print (photograph on canvas) from local professional photographer Stan Buman. Chamber staff is thrilled with this beautiful piece and invite the public to stop by and view this unique photo. Thank you Stan.

Stan has been doing photography for several years and more of his work can be seen at www.fencelinephotos.com.

Chamber's Leadership Development Program Continues with Board Dynamics Workshop

Six select members of the Carroll Chamber of Commerce participated in "Board Dynamics - How a Board Member Really Adds Value to an Organization" in the Harold Bierl Community Room at the Chamber today. These individuals serve on boards of non-profit organizations. The reason the Chamber conducts thistraining is two-fold: It provides added membership benefits to the non-profit organizations that belong to the Chamber; and, it strengthens the member organizations by setting expectations for volunteer board members.

Two Chamber members, New Hope Village and New Opportunities not only have participants in the two-hour workshop, but Frank Hermsen (New Hope) and Chad Jensen (New Opportunities) assisted with content and delivery.


"Chamber workshops like Board Dynamics help train board members of non-profit organizations. This is beneficial to volunteers new to a non-profit boards, and to organizations that need expert guidance on organizational leadership," said Frank Hermsen, executive director of New Hope Village.

The Chamber 's Leadership Development programs include Carroll County Leadership Institute, Connect Young Professionals, workshops and much more.

Chart of the Week

Leading Midwest Economist Says Iowa Economy Improves

Report for the month of October 2009

Creighton University Economics Professor
Ernest Goss delivered some welcome news this week. A leading indicator of economic growth measured by Goss' Creighton Economic Forecasting Group bucks the midwest trend in the month of October.

For a second straight month, Iowa’s Business Conditions Index bounced above growth neutral. The index, a leading economic indicator from a survey of supply managers in the state, climbed to 55.5 from 52.9 in September and 48.9 in August. An index of 50.0 is considered growth neutral.

Not so for the Mid-America region however...

The October Business Conditions Index for the Mid-America region, a nine-state area, slumped to 51.8 from September’s much healthier 56.2, indicating a fragile recovery, according to the latest survey results. “This month’s decline suggests that the economic recovery underway is going to be a disappointing one. In fact, the volatility and level of the overall index over the past several months, indicates that a double dip recession is a growing possibility. Downturns in farm income, in addition to legislative uncertainty in Washington, are having negative impacts on the regional economy,” Creighton University Economics Professor Ernie Goss said today.

The Creighton Economic Forecasting Group has conducted the monthly survey of supply managers in nine states since 1994 to produce leading economic indicators of the Mid-America economy. States included in the survey are Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.


Goss' news for Iowa employment is not as sunny. Since the national recession began in December 2007, Iowa has lost 3.0 percent of its jobs with 2.9 percent of the loss occurring since October 2008. “Even though Iowa’s unemployment rate has stabilized, based on our surveys over the past several months, I expect the state’s jobless rate to climb by another 0.3 percent by the end of the year,” said Goss.

Follow these monthly reports and more from Creighton University Economics Department:
http://www.creighton.edu/business/economicoutlook/index.php

Chamber Board Holds Retreat

Carroll Chamber of Commerce Board members gathered Friday in the Harold Bierl Community Room  for their annual Chamber retreat. The day long session included a preview of the Chamber's "Board Dynamics" workshop conducted by Chamber Exec. Jim Gossett, planning for 2010 led by Chamber Vice-President Rob Cordes, and LOTS of input from Board members. Much of the discussion centered around the Board's desire to continue to put Chamber members 1st in all the organization does.

While this is not a change in direction - the chamber exists to serve its members - board members are enthused about doing even more to be sure members are getting the value they need and desire from their involvement with the Chamber. Look for specific activity the board and staff will engage in through the coming months to improve the Chamber's service to its membership and the community.

Freda Dammann Wins Individual Friend of Tourism Award

Freda Dammann, an ordinary person making extraordinary things happen in Iowa tourism was recognized at the 2009 Iowa Tourism Conference in Tama for her efforts. Freda has been a devoted volunteer for the Manning Hausbarn/Heritage Park since 1989 and named as the Director in 2008. In Manning she has helped coordinate the RAGBRAI visit, Kinderfest, Wiehnachtsfest and Maize Daze as well as leading the force in Manning to become a Main Street Community. Her volunteer efforts don't stop in Manning. She has been very active in Western Iowa Tourism Region since 1989, including holding every office the last five years, including president. She has donated thousands of hours over the years for local, region and state tourism and was vital in creating opportunity and enthusiasm for tourism in Iowa. Congratulations Freda! and thank you for all you do for Carroll County tourism.

Photo(from left): Kathy Dirks, past president of the Travel Federation of Iowa (TFI); Freda Dammann; Tim Waddell, Community Development Division Administrator from the Iowa Department of Economic Development; Kristie Wetjen, vice-president of TFI.

Economic Development Professionals to Governor Culver: Allow Tax Credit Programs to Work

Many thanks to Iowa Governor Chet Culver for taking the time to speak at the Professional Developers of Iowa Annual Meeting and Fall Conference last week in West Des Moines. The Governor was candid about budget cuts, flood relief, and when asked, about Iowa’s tax credit programs. “We’re not going to over-react on tax credits,” said the Governor, when asked to stand with PDI to keep the programs going, “we will not tolerate bad actors abusing our incentives”(that very good, if unintentional play on words drew a few titters from the crowd). He was clear to the group of Iowa’s economic development leaders. He would be working to improve controls in administration of tax credit programs, “clawback” on past recipients if appropriate, but not change tax credit programs for film, job creation, historic preservation and more to grow Iowa’s economy.

There are those who want to eliminate tax credit programs in Iowa. Some think it would help save the budget. The fact is that tax credits are used to spur growth. A decrease in revenue to the state would be the result of fewer tax credits, not less cost. Still, there is a lot of support for Iowa’s tax credit programs to fuel growth in a sagging economy. Not the least of which is a guest editorial in the October 16 edition of The Des Moines Register by Ed Wallace, President of Iowa Taxpayers Association. Read it here. Decision makers should follow Governor Culver's lead. Don't "throw the baby out with the tax credits" in Iowa.