Long Time DCR Chamber Member, John Curlee, to Retire After 36 Years of Business |
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On behalf of the DCR Chamber of Commerce, we would like to recognize John Curlee of Curlee State Farm Insurance, who will be retiring from his business at the end of this year. Since John joined the DCR Chamber, his participation and engagement in the Chamber has been outstanding. When I arrived at the Chamber three years ago, John was one of the first members who reached out and welcomed me. I want to personally thank John for his steadfast support over the past several years. Our Chamber has benefited from his company through sponsoring events and participating in various committees.
John started his agency from scratch in 1984 when the population of Eagan was only 32,000. As Eagan grew, so did the Curlee State Farm Agency. John’s wife, Diane Curlee, has played a prominent role in the Agency as Office Manager and handles the payroll and financials. With the help of many wonderful team members over the years, the Curlee State Farm Agency has grown and prospered. Early on, John joined the Chamber. He has served on the DCR Chamber Board, attends many Chamber functions like the Coffee Breaks, Business Excellence Awards, the Annual Meeting, DCR Chamber Golf Tournament, and other programs. He has also helped with membership drives and received the 2005 Business Excellence Award.
John is also active in Eagan Rotary, the Eagan Foundation, and Peace Church in Eagan. He has played a role in creating the Eagan Rotary Bandshell, the Eagan Hockey arena and has been supportive of the Open Door, the Eagan Citizens Crime Prevention Golf Tourney, and supported many youth organizations.
On a personal note, John wants to thank State Farm for the opportunity. He would also like to give a shout out to the City of Eagan for being a great community to raise a family and to grow a business. He is also grateful to all the contacts and friends within the DCR Chamber. Most of all, John is deeply grateful to the customers for the opportunity to serve as their Good Neighbor Agent over many years.
Congratulations to John on his career, and best wishes for a great retirement!
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Governor Walz Loosens Restrictions for Businesses Around the State of Minnesota
On Wednesday, December 16, 2020, Governor Tim Walz announced new adjustments to businesses around the State of Minnesota. These new adjustments come after a three-week shutdown. Here are some of the highlights of these new changes.
- Elementary Schools can decide to do in-person learning effective January 18, 2021
- People can gather indoors with one other household with no more than 10 people
- Gyms/fitness centers can open December 19, 2020, at 25% capacity – no more than 100 people in a facility
- Youth Sports can start practice on January 4, 2021
- Outdoor venues can be open at no more than 25% capacity
- Indoor entertainment /event centers/venues remain close till January 11, 2021
Learn more about Governor Tim Walz's new changes and restrictions for businesses HERE
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Minnesota Lawmakers Pass $216 Million Relief Bill for Small Businesses
Minnesota Legislature agreed on a COVID-19 relief package on Monday, December 14, 2020. This relief package is aimed at businesses and workers who took the biggest hit from a four-week “pause” ordered by Gov. Walz in November. Some details of the Bill include:
- $100 million in direct aid to restaurants, bars, gyms, and fitness centers.
- Grants will range from $10,000 to $35,000 depending on the number of employees.
- $14 million in direct grants to movie theaters and convention centers.
- $102 million to counties to be given to small businesses, nonprofits, and live theater operations
Learn more about the new small business relief bill HERE.
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Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development Weekly Update
The weekly call of the State and Business Community took place on Thurs. December 17, 2020. The majority of the call was dedicated to the recent Governor’s Executive Orders that were issued on December 16, 2020.
For the full details of the meeting click HERE to listen. Below are additional links for more information for businesses.
MN DEED
MN Dept. of Health
MN Dept. of Labor & Industry
MN Dept. of Commerce
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The DCR Chamber of Commerce Welcomes, Heather Proskey, New Director of Member Relations
The DCR Chamber would like to welcome our new Director of Member Relations, Heather Proskey, to our staff. Heather comes to the DCR Chamber with a background of working in the Chamber world. She most recently worked as the President of the Savage Chamber of Commerce. If you have any questions about your DCR Chamber membership you can contact Heather at [email protected]. Welcome to the DCR Chamber, Heather!
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Rediscover Everything the DCR Chamber Has to Offer with Meet the Chamber!
Know a business that may want to join the Chamber? Looking to refresh your memory on all the great events we offer before the new year. Join the DCR Chamber Wednesday, December 30, from 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM, for our monthly Virtual Meet the Chamber event.
Meet The Chamber (New & Prospective Member Orientation) is a monthly meeting to provide an opportunity for new members, new company representatives, and prospective members to meet and learn all about how to get the most from their DCR Chamber membership.
Each attendee is also given the opportunity to introduce themselves and give a 30 second commercial about their business or position.
Thank you to our sponsor SPIRE Credit Union
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January Public Affairs Webinar Transparency, Civic Engagement: Logistical Considerations in a Virtual Legislative Session
The 2021 Minnesota legislative session will convene remotely via virtual meetings, with the potential to significantly affect how government operates and how the public can engage – for better and for worse. While email, smartphones, and social media have all changed the way legislators engage with each other and their constituents, the planned move to remote operations represents a profound shift away from in-person interaction.
Please join us at our January Public Affairs webinar on Friday, January 8, 2021, from 8:00 AM - 9:00 to hear from the experts on how to pivot and successfully navigate through a virtual session. We will have the experts explain how this session will happen and provide the tools to advocate for your businesses.
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Jeff Hayden
Former State Senator
(Invited)
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Nick Zerwas
Former State Representative
(Invited)
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Thank you again to all of our sponsors Charter Communications, Flint Hills Resources, Velocity Public Affairs
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DCR Chamber Ends the Year with Great Dakota County Critical Issues Webinar
We held our final Dakota County Critical Issues Forum on Tuesday, December 15. This month's forum focused on COVID-19 updates for businesses. Gina Adasiewicz, Dakota County Public Health, Daniel Huff, MN Department of Health, and Sharon Lamberton, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association of America joined DCR Chamber members for a great conversation about updates on the virus, testing, and vaccines. Thank you, Gina, Daniel, and Sharon, for joining us and sharing your wealth of knowledge with our members.
If you were unable to attend last weeks Dakota County Critical Issues Forum, you can watch a recording below:
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Thank you again to all of our sponsors for their continued support CenturyLink, SKB Environmental, SPIRE Credit Union, Think Bank, and Twin Cities Orthopedics.
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Xcel Energy Makes Electric Vehicle Charging Easier and More Affordable
Xcel Energy is launching an electric vehicle charging program that will make charging at home easy, faster, and more affordable for Minnesota customers. The program is part of the company’s EV vision to power 1.5 million EVs on the road in the company’s service areas by 2030. The new program follows a successful pilot that Xcel Energy launched in summer 2018, which enrolled 100 participants who benefited from a new charging option that resulted in cost savings while improving the overall electric vehicle experience. Learn more about this new program HERE.
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After a summer of listening and learning to the public, Network Next has identified the top future bus rapid transit (BRT) alignments for near-term implementation. Metro Transit is now asking the community to rank the top alignments to help prioritize implementation. Learn more and take the online survey HERE.
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Networking at its Best
Registration is Required
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Wednesday, December 30, 2020
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
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DCR Chamber Virtual Coffee Break
Thursday, January 14, 2021
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
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Renewed Members
If you have questions or concerns about your membership renewal, please contact Anna Schueler at [email protected] or call 651-452-9872.
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Update Membership Files, Company Changes
Post your News, Hot Deals, and Job Openings
Log in by entering your username (email) and password to gain access to your company's member site to update information and take advantage of all the marketing tools included with your membership.
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