Get out the Vote on November 2!

On Tuesday, November 2, citizens can cast their votes in a very important election. There are numerous Porter County offices up for election as well as important state legislative offices. Citizens will also have the chance to vote for U.S. Congress and U.S. Senator. 

The Board of Directors of the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce urges all citizens to exercise their important privilege of voting on Election Day. 

There are numerous reasons why this is a very important election for business owners, their employees and citizens at large.

• The leadership of Porter County Government is at stake with one of three County Commission seats open. The winner will help shape policy for county government for the next four years.
• Several County Council positions are up for election. The County Council approves the budgets for all of County Governments. Their financial decisions will impact the rate of taxes for county government.
   
• Township Trustees are up for election. This office deals with Poor Relief and fire protection in the unincorporated areas of the county.
   
• Important County Administrative posts are up for election. Those include Recorder, Assessor, Clerk of the Courts, and Sheriff.
   
• The elected State Legislators will decide how redistricting will occur and determine the level of funding for important things such as funding for public schools, mental health programs and our state tax policy.
   
• Our Federal Congressional Representative and United States Senator will determine what kind and how much federal tax goes to stimulus programs and to regulate banks and the financial community as well as to fund military action any place in the world.

I, along with the Chamber Board of Directors, respectfully urge all citizens to vote on November 2.

 

Rex G. Richards

President

richards@valparaisochamber.org

 

Clean. Crisp. User-friendly. Easy to navigate.

The Valpo Chamber is pleased to announce that its website, http://www.valparaisochamber.org/, has been completely redesigned in an effort to offer its members added value and convenience.

Designed to showcase Valpo Chamber member businesses and provide important business and visitor information about the community, the fresh look and user-friendly navigation engages visitors with images from throughout the community and allows them to easily find the information they seek.

Essentially, the Valpo Chamber has combined three websites into one. The landing page offers web visitors three distinct choices with not only a Chamber tab, but the introduction of an added Community tab and Economic Development tab to help market Valparaiso’s economic vitality and quality of life.

This dynamic website was created by Valpo Chamber member The Grossbauer Group, Inc., whose diverse team members collaborate in a high-energy creative environment to provide comprehensive services such as graphic design, Web programming, Web conversion rate enhancement, search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, advertising, creative writing, print production, e-mail campaigns, public relations, and marketing metrics.

The new website has been a carefully planned project. We are proud of the final product and look forward to the benefits it will provide to our members and visitors," says Rex Richards, president of the Valpo Chamber.

WELCOME to the new and improved http://www.valparaisochamber.org/. Take a moment, look around. Meet the nearly 700 businesses that make the Valpo Chamber a thriving, diverse organization. We encourage you to explore the site and make it your practice to do business with Chamber members first.

Susan Antoszewski
Marketing & Communications Specialist

santoszewski@valparaisochamber.org

The positive impact of students on our local economy

College students in the greater Valparaiso community make a very positive and significant economic impact on the local economy.

Nearly 3,500 students – including law, graduate, and international students - are anticipated this fall on the Valparaiso University campus. Many of these students make their home here for at least nine months of the year, not to mention those who stay all year to work, intern, or continue their studies. These students patronize our restaurants and our service businesses, and shop at our local stores. Many also live off campus and commute back and forth, shopping for everything from gas to groceries. If parents come to visit, the opportunity to showcase and shop Valparaiso is even greater. At those times, the expenditures are multiplied and include special meals out and hotel room reservations.

In addition to Valparaiso University, we have Ivy Tech Community College and the Purdue University North Central campuses-- both locally and at Westville. These campuses also offer a nice boost for our local economy. Rather than attending college elsewhere, these students stay close to home, spending dollars here.

The bottom line? There is a real and unique economic engine that can be captured by local businesses in Valparaiso, because of the growing student population. We are fortunate to have such a great asset which sets us apart from most other communities. Millions of dollars are spent by students in our community each year.

One way the Valparaiso Chamber helps our members capture this student business is by offering the opportunity to advertise in our annual U-Guide or University Student Resource Guide. This publication is distributed to all the local campuses - inside every student’s mail box at VU, and at convenient distribution spots at other campuses. Advertisers are also given a Welcome poster for their window, and an online link to their business.

I encourage all businesses that want to provide goods or services to the university students in Valparaiso to contact Danielle in our office about participating in our U-Guide. We must remember that many times a great opportunity is right before our eyes.

Rex G. Richards
President

2010 Census - Valparaiso Counts!

Every ten years the United States Government undertakes a count of all our citizens. As the Chair of the Complete Count Committe, the local effort to encourage our citizens to participate, I would like to offer some important information about the 2010 census.

Who does the Census count?
*Everyone.

How big is the Census?
*118 Million housing units are anticipated to be counted
*79 Million questionnaires will be returned within a two week period

What the Census does for You:
*The Federal government uses Census numbers to allocate over $100 billion in funds annually for community programs and services.

*State and Local governments use Census information for planning and allocating for new school construction, public buildings, highway safety and public transportation systems, new roads and bridges, location of police and fire departments, and many other projects.

*Community organizations use Census information for developing social service programs, community action projects, senior lunch programs, and child-care centers.

*Businesses use the Census numbers to decide where to locate factories, shopping centers, movie theaters, banks and offices - leading to the creation of jobs in our area.

*The U.S. Congress uses the Census totals to determine how many seats your state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives. Likewise, states use the numbers to allocate seats in their Legislatures.

It is very important for all Valparaiso citizens to be counted. When the Census form reaches your household please take a few moments and respond right away.

Rex G. Richards, President

Valpo Chamber Blood Drive

In conjunction with the American Heart Association’s national Go Red for Women Day on February 6, the community of Valparaiso will be celebrating with red banners, a special breakfast and various initiatives to raise awareness of heart disease.
The Valpo Chamber, along with the Indiana Blood Center, will host a blood drive in front of the Chamber office at 162 W. Lincolnway. The bloodmobile will be on hand from 8:30am to 1:00pm, accepting donations from chamber members and residents alike. To schedule an appointment, go to http://www.donorpoint.org/ and click on Find a Drive. Walk-ins will also be accepted on the day of the drive.

Here are a few facts about blood donation:

*Every two seconds, someone needs blood – nearly 40,000 units of blood are used throughout the country every day.

*The blood supply needs constant replenishment – people with chronic illness may require up to 200 units of blood.

*Most people – 17 years & older, 110 pound minimum, good general health -- are eligible to give blood.

*Indiana Blood Center provides blood to more than 60 hospitals in Indiana.

*Nearly all blood used for transfusion in the United States is drawn from volunteer donors – hole blood may be donated every 56 days.

*Each donor receives a free mini-physical that checks for anemia, body temperature, pulse and blood pressure.

Please join us February 6 for this special opportunity. Donors will have a chance to win a $20 chamber gift certificate, awarded every hour of the drive, and redeemable at over 100 locations.

Don’t forget to bring a picture I.D.

Rex G. Richards, President

Marketing opportunities

During challenging economic times, businesses are typically more interested in investigating new means of moving their marketing and sales to a higher level, especially if it means beating the competition. The Greater Valparaiso Chamber has some really interesting opportunities that can distinguish your firm from the competition.

One specific advertising opportunity that mails four times a year to over 17,000 Valparaiso addresses – both homes and businesses -- is our Valparaiso Magazine. This slick four-color publication has been hailed by many readers as a great way to market their brand as well as establish their product in the Valparaiso community. Did you know that Porter County has the fourth highest per capita income of all 92 counties in Indiana? Valparaiso Magazine reaches a good portion of those people – people with money to spend on your products. Ads in the magazine are discounted to chamber members.

Another really popular chamber publication is the Valparaiso Membership Directory and Community Resource Guide. The publication is recognized as a top notch business and service directory, listing every single chamber member by business category and alphabetically by business name. In fact, many businesses use the directory in place of a phone book, when making a decision about a potential supplier of products and services. Over 700 various businesses are listed in this publication. Not only do all Chamber members receive this publication, but it is distributed to new residents, new hires and prospective relocates who contact the chamber and desire newcomer packets. The opportunity to advertise in the directory is exclusive to chamber members.

A unique third opportunity this year is for advertising space on the only official four-color Chamber-sponsored community map, complete with street guide, advertisers’ index and enlarged downtown inset. The map, which only publishes every three years, will be published in the late fall of 2009. This publication is used by individuals who want a detailed overview of Valparaiso, by vendors of major industries visiting the community as well as by parents of local university students getting familiar with the community. Despite internet options and navigational systems, visitors and residents alike request chamber maps more than any other single publication. Advertising space goes fast for this high-demand publication, especially in light of our city’s rapid growth in the last several years. Ad space is always offered first to members, and is a sell-out.

Last, but not least, is the ongoing opportunity to help you market your business brand with Web advertising on the www.valparaisochamber.org website. The site is available 24/7 and is viewed by members and non-members; businesses and residents.

Don’t lose sight of this valuable resource -- your Valpo Chamber can assist you in your 2009 marketing plan. The person to contact at the chamber for any and all of these is Danielle Oeding, at 219.462.1105, or Oeding@valparaisochamber.org.

Rex G. Richards, President

Valparaiso University Confucius Institute

One outstanding program available in Northwest Indiana is the newly established Confucius Institute at Valparaiso University. Confucius Institutes are non-profit public institutes with the goal of promoting a friendly relationship with other countries and enhancing the understanding of the Chinese language and culture among world Chinese learners as well as providing good learning conditions for them. All Confucius Institutes have a Chinese university partner to assist with Institute organization and oversight. Valparaiso University’s partner is Zheijang University of Technology, a public institution of approximately 35,000 students.

Recently, the Valparaiso Economic Development Corporation hosted a breakfast seminar for businesses who are interested in trading with and doing business in China. Guests included Deputy Consul Maoming Chu from the Peoples Republic of China Consulate in Chicago. At the presentation, guests were also entertained by members of the Jiangsu Silk and Bamboo Troupe from Nanjing, China.

There are several companies in and around the greater Valparaiso area that have extensive business ties with China. Our community benefits from international sales in the Far East and we are excited to have access to an even better understanding and knowledge through the Confucius Institute.

For more information on Valparaiso University’s Confucius Institute, visit www.valpo.edu/confuciusinstitute.

Rex G. Richards, President