The October 10th Membership luncheon hosted around 80 people at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Marion. Marion Chamber Board chair Michelle Hamilton welcomed the attendees and Deborah Hogg provided the invocation. Luncheon sponsors, AISIN Group, was represented by William Cox. The 4-person program panel provided insightful information on customer service and it's impact on the regional economy.

Welcome New Members since the last luncheon:

• E. Claire Beauty+Wellness Collaborative - Elizabeth Strusz
• Fedex Ground – Andrew Keeven (registered for the luncheon)
• Granny Puckett's – Tammy Chandler
• Murray Inspections LLC – Lindsay Murray (registered for the luncheon)
• Sparkly Stars Commercial Cleaning – Summer Pease (registered for the luncheon)
• The Daily Egyptian – Jessica Guthrie (registered for the luncheon)

Recent Projects

The Chamber’s Golf Scramble on September 22nd was a huge success with 24 teams and 16 live holes filled with fun and networking to support the Chamber’s mission and programs. Special thanks to our major sponsors and partners for making it an extraordinary day and we look forward to our 40^th Golf Scramble in September 2024.
 

Programs like the golf scramble help us to expand our programming to support our 2023 – 2025 Strategic Plan. One of the facets of this plan is to expand our outreach to our youth. On September 29^th, we hosted our second ‘Bite of Reality’ event at the Marion High School in partnership with SIU Credit Union. Over 35 volunteers worked with around 300 business class students on a financial literacy event that not only explored budgeting but working together to make their financial goals a reality. If you volunteered for this semester’s event, please wave! Thank you for your dedication and time at this year’s event. We look forward to next year!
 

Don’t forget to register this week to join us for the 2023 Regional Chamber Luncheon on October 19th at the Rend Lake College Event Center. Join members from all southern Illinois chambers gather for networking and knowledge! Speakers include Clark Kaericher, Senior VP of Government Affairs, Illinois State Chamber and Deanna Verduin, Deputy Director of Secure Choice for the Illinois State Treasurer's Office. Thank you to WSIL for sponsoring this year’s regional luncheon.
 
We are excited to announce that this year’s APOGEE Leadership event will also include 2.75 HRCI Continuing Education Credits and 2.75 SHRM Professional Development Credits. Please make sure and share this event with your peers so they can take advantage of our national and local speakers, including dr. Jason Richardson, Elijah Hamilton, and Chastity Mays. Ticket reservation deadline is Oct 19^th. Learn more and preview the speakers at marionillinois.com 
 
Voting members received an email this morning about board nominations and elections. Those wishing to be part of Chamber leadership are encouraged to fill out the online or print form and get it back to the office by October 17^th. We encourage you to take part in this year’s elections, the ballot will be announced at the November Luncheon. Voting members will receive a custom email or can log in to vote.

Voting members will also be able to vote on the 2023 ‘Citizen of the Year’ and ‘Young Professional Leadership’ awards this month. You will receive an email in the coming weeks featuring our award nominees. Voting members will receive a custom email or can log in to vote.
 
We are hiring a new Programs Coordinator at the Chamber office. Information about the position is posted on the Chamber’s blog. This part time position will be focused on events, marketing, and development of new partner programs in the coming year.

Upcoming Projects

Join us for the following networking events with fellow member businesses!

• Celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Marriott Townplace this fall, date to be confirmed!
   

As we plan for next year, we have several opportunities and resources for you to take advantage of.

• In preparing for the April 2024 eclipse, reserve your glasses by Mid-November! Make sure and check out the partial solar eclipse this Saturday!
  Eclipse Glasses Reservation
  
• In further preparation for the event, we are planning to have our next community guide available in March. We are planning for 5,000 issues with Ad space
  and directory listings available along with community resources and information. Reserve your space this month!
  Reservation Form
• We are continuing to roll out our new dues structure. We are shifting from the employment-based fair dues platform to an investment-based dues model. Dues Structure and Information
• The request forms for 2024 luncheons and quarterly eBlast sponsorships are available now at marionillinois.com/marketing.

 Join the Regional Office of Education (ROE 21) for the 2023 Career Fair at the Pavilion in Marion on October 25th from 9 am - 2 pm. The purpose of this event is to connect students from 10 local high school students with employers and companies from across our region to spotlight employment opportunities and cultivate talent. To participate in this event, registration is available through the Chamber event calendar.

A strong economy is built on more than just transactions and bottom lines. In a recent Salesforce Research survey, 86% of consumers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive customer experience. As our county’s economy continues to grow through investment and visitors coming to our region, customer service is more important than ever. This month’s panel will not only provide insight from a retailer’s point of view, but also the science behind the consumer experience and how we can make the most of it. We would like to welcome this month’s speakers:

Program Facilitator: Brian McHugh – Edward Jones

Panelists

• Ashlee Spiller with visitSI
• Jon Wofford with Watermark Auto Group
• Dr. Sev Ulu with Southern Illinois University