CHAMBER NEWS

Per Article III Section 3(a) of the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce Bylaws, notice of the appointment of the Nominating Committee shall be given to the Chamber’s membership. This year’s nominating committee is: 

1. Barry Burgess, Board Chair, Suttle & Stalnaker, PLLC
2. Amy Frasure, Bullseye Total Media 
3. Wendy Goodenough, Digit3
4. Jeff Harkins, Woodlands Retirement Community 
5. Reeves Kirtner, Kindred Communications 
6. Isaac Meyers, Guyan Golf & Country Club
7. Angie Swearingen, Board Chair Elect, St. Mary’s Medical Center

If you would like to be considered for service on the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors or would like to nominate another active member for consideration, please contact Tricia Ball at tricia@huntingtonchamber.org.

Are you fully leveraging the opportunities to promote your brand or business with earned media? Do you know the critical first steps in responding to the media during a crisis? Join Rachel Coffman, President of Coffman Collaborative, as she guides you through the key areas of media relationships, media pitching, and understanding how to utilize your events to build your brand through earned media.

Thank you to our Lunch & Learn series sponsor, Ohio Valley Bank!

Where: Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center, 1050 4th Ave. Huntington, WV

When: Thursday, August 22, 12-1 p.m.

Lunch: Christopher's Eats

Why do women juggle more tasks than we have time for and strive for perfection in every role? Are these superhuman expectations realistic, or are they set by society? As we stretch ourselves thin, who suffers? Join us on Sept. 4 with Jill Rice from Dinsmore & Shohl to explore whether our pursuit of perfection in multiple full-time roles is truly leading us to happiness.

Thanks to Dinsmore & Shohl for sponsoring this event!

When: Wednesday, September 4 | 12 - 1:30 p.m.

Where: Mountwest Community and Technical College, Room G07

Lunch: Lost Art of Culinary

This week we are joined by two esteemed guests from Edward Tucker Architects, Inc.: Ed Tucker, the founding principal who has been a pillar in the architecture community for decades, and Phoebe Patton Randolph, who has been with the company for more than a decade and is now principal and president of the firm.

We'll be discussing the crucial topic of succession planning, exploring Ed's journey and legacy, and hearing Phoebe's vision for the future. We'll also touch on navigating client relations during a leadership transition, lessons learned along the way, and more.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Moses AutoMall of Huntington! Listen on Apple, Amazon, and Spotify!

In case you missed the news, FedEx and UPS have increased their 2024 rates by an average of 5.9%. Here's what you need to know:

• While the average rate increase is 5.9%, your actual costs are likely higher and will vary based on package specifics and the services you use.
• Don't forget about surcharges; most of these have also seen a significant uptick this year.

As two of the top trusted shipping providers for businesses, this increase could have a big impact on your daily operations. 

Luckily, we have good news - you can leverage our membership benefits to combat these rising costs. We’ve partnered with Excelerate America, a national GPO, to bring you discounts of up to 50% off on FedEx shipping services. These top-tier savings will help significantly undercut rate increases at no additional cost to you.

UPCOMING EVENTS

This year’s State of the Valley, Presented by Meek's Rentals & Leasing, will highlight tourism in the Kanawha Valley, with insights into Cabell, Kanawha, and Putnam counties. Panelists include Chelsea Ruby, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Tourism; Tim Brady, President & CEO of the Charleston CVB; Anna Adkins, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Huntington Area CVB; and Kelli Steele, Executive Director of the Putnam County CVB.

These industry leaders will provide a deep dive into the latest developments, innovative initiatives, and future plans that are set to boost tourism and attract visitors to our beautiful region. The event moderator will be Chef Paul Smith, West Virginia’s first winner of the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Southeast.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with top tourism professionals and decision makers, discover exciting new projects and strategies for regional growth, network with business and community leaders, and be part of the conversation driving our state’s tourism forward.

Current sponsors include Meeks Rentals & Leasing, Advantage Valley, Inc., CAMC/Vandalia Health, Dinsmore, FWG Investments, Putnam County Bank, and West Virginia American Water. 

Connect with the community and member businesses during the 2024 Business After Hours Expo on Thursday, September 26 from 5-8 p.m., at the Marshall Health Network Arena Convention Center! Open to the public, the evening will feature prizes, food, open bar, and giveaways. Chamber members, this is a great opportunity to make new business connections and meet potential clients!

Don’t miss out on the chance to showcase your creativity—compete for Best Decorated Booth and enchant fellow attendees with your fairytale-inspired setup!

Food, open bar, prizes, and more!

MEMBER NEWS

The West Virginia Chamber of Commerce has created a brief survey to assess the feelings and needs of the employer community in West Virginia. 

This survey should take no more than 3-4 minutes to complete and will provide valuable feedback to the West Virginia Chamber. 

All responses are confidential. Please click here to begin this survey.

If you are not the primary decision maker for your company, please forward this survey to the appropriate person. Thank you for your continued support of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and as always, please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments.

Sip Downtown Brasserie is hosting a "Sip and Tip" night to benefit the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center! Come eat and drink, bring friends, and tip big! All tips that night will support the restoration of our historic gem of the Jewel City.

No ticket is needed to attend and support (however, we do recommend making a reservation to ensure a table for your party).

We will also be hosting a behind-the-scenes look at the ongoing renovation at the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center! Pre-purchase a $25 ticket that includes 1 drink and a sneak peak "Sip and See" of the lobby of the Keith from a KAPAC board member, between 5:30-7:30 pm on August 29th.

The Marshall Advanced Manufacturing Center (MAMC) and Advantage Valley will present an Industrial Supplier Expo Sept. 26 from 9 a.m. to noon at Valley Park in Hurricane. The expo will connect West Virginia small businesses to supplier opportunities with large industries while providing an opportunity for large companies to shorten their supply chains by sourcing goods and services locally. There is no cost to participate.

Guess what groovy people? Far Out Fest is back! RenewAll and Village Antiques & Art are excited to announce the return of Far Out Fest, our 60s/70s-themed event, happening Saturday, August 17th from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. at the Village Antiques & Art Side Yard, located at 610 W. 14th Street, Huntington, WV. 

Come dressed in your best 60s/70s attire and prepare for a day filled with live music, local food, vintage clothing, artist booths, antique vendors, raffle drawings, a photo booth, and the return of our vintage fashion show! Jam out to the groovy beats of Annie Wolfe, Living Room band, and more! Dress the theme and make memories by snapping photos in our themed photo booth! Enjoy amazing food from 9th Street Diner. Shop local art, antiques, and vintage clothing vendors. Open to all and no cost to attend! We ask that you bring cash for our vendors!

For more information, follow the RenewAll Inc Facebook Page.

From the bombastic and epic, to the folky and mystical, Get The Led Out (GTLO) has captured the essence of the recorded music of Led Zeppelin and will bring A Celebration of “The Mighty Zep” to the Theater concert stage on Saturday, Nov 09. Tickets go on sale this Friday, August 09 at 10am via Ticketmaster.com or the Coliseum Box Office, 

The Philadelphia-based group consists of six veteran musicians intent on delivering Led Zeppelin live, like you’ve never heard before. Utilizing the multi-instrumentalists, GTLO re-creates the songs in all their depth and glory with the studio overdubs that Zeppelin themselves never performed. Dubbed by the media as "The American Led Zeppelin," Get The Led Out offers a strong focus on the early years. They also touch on the deeper cuts that were seldom, if ever heard in concert. GTLO also includes a special “acoustic set” with Zep favorites such as “Tangerine” and "Hey Hey What Can I Do."

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS

The Monday Morning Memo is Generously Sponsored by

Thank You to Our Trustee Members

Thank You to Our Investor Members

Please note that the deadline for submissions for "In the News" in the Monday Morning Memo is at 

4 p.m. each Wednesday for inclusion the following week. Submitted items will only appear one time in the memo unless discussed and agreed upon with Chamber staff.

Email all submissions to Rebecca Kasey, Director of Marketing, at rebecca@huntingtonchamber.org.

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