Chamber Insights — A Quarterly Chamber Newsletter

Chamber Insights is a quarterly newsletter featuring guest articles, member profiles, photos from past events, and member-exclusive opportunities.

Featured Article: The Importance of Having a Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Plan

Trisha Camosy & Michael Polzin

Two of our Chamber members, Camosy Construction and Leeward Business Advisors , address how Covid-19 has affected their businesses and the importance of creating Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery plans in this quarter’s guest blog.

All businesses face risks. Business leaders often wrestle with the cost of risk reduction measures verses the benefit. In the context of a global epidemic like Covid-19, the seemingly improbable risk of a global disruption has become a reality. Having a plan does not have to break the bank and can afford business owners peace of mind and importantly, a solution to maintain business operations.

Planning for Disaster Recovery requires protecting your physical assets and company information so it could be recovered if it were damaged in a disaster, such as a flood, tornado, or fire. To control costs, it is important to know the priority assets. The list of priorities should then be used to inform the plan.

Preparing for a Business Continuity event requires a similar approach. However, the scope of the risk has a different focus. Business Continuity planning focuses on addressing risks that could impact the ability for the business to continue to function in a new or unknown set of circumstances. Sudden changes in the business market, impacts to logistics and shipping, and significant loss of staff are examples of potential triggers for a Business Continuity plan.

Maintaining business success through the Covid-19 global crisis is requiring businesses to pull pages from both play books. Businesses without plans need to adapt quickly or risk long term, potentially irreversible impacts. Fortunately, there are many freely available resources and companies that can help businesses prepare, test, and when needed, carry out their recovery and continuity plans.

I talked with Trisha Camosy about how Camosy Construction has been impacted by Covid-19 and how they planned for continued business success.

Michael Polzin: How prepared was Camosy Construction to respond to the Covid-19 crisis?

Trisha Camosy: In our 110th year of operation, Camosy Construction, like most businesses, is facing new challenges due to the “Safer at Home” order. We have adapted to the ideal of “Pivot and Refocus” to maintain operations while providing a safe environment for all our employees. With the help of our Captive Insurance group and Insurance company, we created a Pandemic Preparedness Plan that outlines “work at home” considerations, infection control measures, exposure protocols and appointing individuals within our company to handle aspects that must be addressed when situations arise.

MP: Has the business been impacted by the Covid-19 events?

TC: Overall, Camosy has been able to remain operating at almost 100%. Some construction for clients, such as pharmaceutical companies, needed to put off the on-going work in order to focus on more essential projects. To continue our other projects safely, we implemented extra precautions including providing additional hygiene stations, monitoring for any staff with symptoms, enforcing social distancing on sites and within the offices, and diligently monitoring product availability.

The Architect/Engineer/Contractor (A/E/C) industry, like most industries, has its own specific set of elements that must be monitored and maintained to be productive and competitive. This makes it extremely important to have a plan in place to address these critical components.

MP: How are the people of Camosy Construction getting through the crisis?

TC: Change may be difficult, but it is how you handle change and adversity in a time of crisis that people will remember.

No company operates risk free. The cost of preparedness is a sliding scale and businesses need to decide where to draw the line and how much to invest proactively to reduce or avoid risks. There are approaches that create a well-balanced solution to control costs while avoiding high impact risks. No plan should be expected to add value if it is not well formed and properly tested to ensure its viability.

Resources for developing Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans

Trisha Camosy is the Marketing Coordinator for Camosy Construction and serves on the Board of Directors for the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce.

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Michael Polzin is the CEO of Leeward Business Advisors.

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Member Profile: Pleasant Prairie RecPlex

The Village of Pleasant Prairie is home to the RecPlex, the largest municipal recreation facility in America. The RecPlex opened in 2000 and will be celebrating their 20th year anniversary on October 1st. Located in Prairie Springs Park, on the shores of Lake Andrea, RecPlex has so much to offer to all ages and throughout the whole year. Each year, a little over 2 million people visit the facility, from local members and participants for sports and recreation activities to millions of tourists and guests for tournaments, competitions and triathlons. RecPlex is home to a state-of-the-art fitness center, an ice arena with two NHL-sized ice rinks and a pro shop, an aqua arena with 50m Olympic-sized pool, an indoor waterpark, a sports fieldhouse with suspended indoor track, racquetball courts, ballfields, concessions and much more.

Our facility was forced to close due to the COVID-19 health emergency on March 18th. Despite limited reserves and ongoing utilities and general operating costs, all membership accounts, advertising partnerships and sponsorships were placed on hold and not charged during the crisis. Where most facilities decided to close completely or continue to receive payments, we took a proactive approach with the closure to invest in our members and facility. Our maintenance staff has been hard at work and posted numerous facility improvement photos on social media throughout the weeks and our programming staff in fitness, sports, ice, aquatics, therapeutic recreation and youth has offered programs and services virtually. These times were unprecedented and very difficult for so many and we are very much looking forward for our soft opening on May 26th.

“Families belong here” is our tag line due to the amazing community and the numerous opportunities available for the whole family. The RecPlex offers both family and individual memberships. As the Marketing & Promotions Director, our advertising/sponsor partnerships are a huge focus and benefit for the facility. It allows local businesses to get exposure to millions of people each year, many who travel and are looking for suggestions while in the area, as well as to our huge member base and local visitors, who are at the facility much more frequently. Things to do in the area including food, shopping, hotels and activities are some of the most requested information by our patrons. There are numerous advertising opportunities available for massive exposure, please visit our website or contact me directly, Josh Covelli for more details.

RecPlex is excited to open again and has a well balanced approach to safeguard their members, guests and staff while allowing access to the facility. Please follow us on social media and visit us online at RecPlexOnline.com for all updates.

The Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce thanks the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex for their membership with the Chamber. We encourage you to do business with other Chamber members .

We will continue to share the stories of our members each quarter in the Chamber Insights newsletter, as well as on social media.

What is your story? If your business is interested in being featured, please contact the Chamber .

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501(c)(3) vs 501(c)(6) – What is the difference?

The Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) organization. The c3 and c6 are two common IRS tax-exempt statuses for nonprofits. Here are some common differences:

501(c)(3)

Operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, literary, or scientific purposes.

Includes membership associations (e.g., professional society), if the purpose is to advance the profession with respect to “educational” activities.

Lobbying and political activities are significantly restricted. A c3 will lose tax-exempt status if the IRS determines that it has engaged in “substantial” lobbying activities.

Enhanced fundraising advantages, such as eligibility to receive tax-deductible “charitable contributions” and gifts of property and eligibility to receive many grants.

Eligibility to receive other state and local tax exemptions (e.g. sales tax).

501(c)(6)

Operated to promote a common business interest, and to improve business conditions in the industry.

A membership organization (e.g., business league, industry trade association), advancing a common business interest.

Allowed a wide-range of lobbying. Yet, the main stipulation is that a c6 is required to disclose to membership the % of their annual dues that is lobbying. (KACC does not lobby)

Dues or other payments to a c6 are only deductible to the extent that they serve an “ordinary and necessary” business purpose of the payer.

The Chamber is a 501(c)(6) organization and is not eligible for most of the relief funding provided by the government and the Small Business Administration. Even the latest relief package approved by the House on April 23 excludes 501(c)(6) organizations from relief funding.

The Chamber has reduced staffing expenses through furloughs, reduction of hours and reduction of pay. However, the Chamber continues to have monthly expenses – rent, utilities, insurance, etc. – that need to be paid. During times of “business as usual,” the Chamber’s budget is $20,000 per month. Even with the reduction in expenses and cost controls, our current monthly revenue does not cover our current monthly expenses.

Because of this need, the Chamber has created a “Chamber COVID-19 Relief Fund.” The goal of this relief fund is to raise 60-90 days of funding for the Chamber. We are asking members that can to send contributions to this Relief Fund. These contributions will help sustain the Chamber through the pandemic. Checks can be sent directly to the Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce, 600 52nd Street, Suite 130, Kenosha, WI 53140. If you wish to contribute via a credit card, please call Lou Molitor at (262) 237-2316 and the transaction will be confidentially handled for you via the Chamber’s online payment system.

The Kenosha Area Chamber of Commerce values and appreciates all of our member businesses. We will continue to provide all of the services that we can during this pandemic. As the economy opens, the Chamber will provide guidance to businesses on how to keep their employees safe, how to keep their customers safe, how to obtain access to PPEs and marketing to let their customers know that it is safe to do business again.

Now, we are asking for your help. Thank you in advance for your consideration and contribution.