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Newsletter Sponsor

TONIGHT!

The Chamber team will be heading over to Citizens Bank tonight for their annual fall after hours! The event is free to attend and the bank will be serving burgers, brats and beer! We hope to see you there!

TOMORROW

Join the Chamber and the City in welcoming Best Brains Learning Center to Lakeville!

Welcome Waters!

Thank you to The Waters for bringing Kingsley Shores and Kingsley Place into your family of communities. The Waters of Kingsley Shores and Kingsley Place offers a mix of senior living options in Lakeville nestled between Lake Kingsley and Orchard Lake. The Waters of Kingsley Place is focused on independent living exclusively, while The Waters of Kingsley Shores offers a continuum of care including independent living, assisted living and memory care. Schedule a tour today!

THIS TUESDAY

SEPTEMBER 30 - Lakeville South High School

5-6pm: Resource Fair (prize drawings!)

6-8pm: 8 Breakout Sessions (choose three)

This event is geared toward families with students in

grades 8-12. We have partnered with Lakeville Area Schools, several colleges and local businesses to bring you information about how to navigate high school and your post host school decisions. It is open to anyone, whether your student attends Lakeville school or not. Click link to see flyer and please distribute to your team members as you see fit. No registration required. Prize drawings for Resource Fair participants!

Breakout Sessions:

Your High School Plan
Financial Aid, Scholarships and FAFSA
College Selection: 2- and 4-year
College Financial Planning
Post Secondary Test Preparation
In-Demand Careers
Learn while you Earn – direct into workforce
Launchpad: Your Future Starts Here

FIRST SESSION WEDNESDAY

The Chamber has partnered with two of our attorneys and one financial advisor to bring you these FREE sessions to help you be and stay compliant with 11 of the most recent and upcoming state mandates. Please share with your HR team and register individually for each event.

Minnesota Mandate Compliance Information Sessions

October 1 and October 8, 8:30am-10:30am

Holiday Inn & Suites Lakeville

October 1 Topics:

Paid Family and Medical Leave
Earned Sick and Safe Time
Salary Range and Pay Transparency
Pay History Ban

October 8 Topics:

Non-compete Ban
WESA 2.0 Pregnancy Accommodation
Cannabis in the Workplace
Captive Audience Meeting Ban
Minimum Wage Changes
Worker Misclassification
Secure Choice Retirement

Paid Leave – Multiple Resources

The MN Chamber has aggregated several resources regarding the upcoming Paid Leave mandate, starting January 1st. Click HERE to be connected to information on: FAQs, Private Plan Options, Payroll Tax Calculator, Workplace Posters, and more.

Month 1 in the books!

Leadership Lakeville 2025-2026 is underway! Last week our new class of 20 students was welcomed to the year by Jon Cramer, President of Loeffler Construction & Consulting and our program sponsor, as well as Lakeville City Administrator, Justin Miller. In month 1, the class had the opportunity to get to know each other as well as learn about city budgeting, our parks and recreation department, and our city commissions. We also toured the Heritage Library and the Historical Society (who is celebrating 30 years, BTW!).

March 21, 2026!

It’s hard to believe we are talking spring 2026, but our show date is now set! Our Home, Landscape and Community Expo is open to any business who wants to meet and interact with the general public. Click the image to see the exhibitor options and to register. There is an early bird discount for vendor booths who register by December 31, 2025.

The 2025 Businessperson of the Year is being honored February 5^th, 2026…

...NOW, we just need to select who it is! The Businessperson of the Year is selected each year by a committee of previous winners. This group will meet in early November to discuss nominations and choose the new honoree. If you know a leader in our community that should be considered, please email me a short nomination by November 1.

Ambassador Spotlight:

The Property Geeks, Real Broker, LLC

Our Chamber Ambassadors give back so much of their time and talent to the Chamber and our business community. They attend events, write thank you notes, deliver membership and anniversary plaques, and more. Throughout the year we will highlight their businesses. Make sure and say HI when you see them around! Our next business is...

Name: Sarah Ruhland

Title: Real Estate Professional/Director of Team Operations

Company: The Property Geeks, Real Broker, LLC

How long have you been in business or in your current line of work?

10 years

What inspired you to start this business or do this work? Was kind of a happy accident! I started working admin for a realtor and lender couple who also had vacation rentals and traditional rentals to be managed as well. I learned a TON about all aspects of real estate, and then got my license about a year and a half in, helping also launch The Property Geeks Team in the beginning of 2016.

What is your favorite product or service you provide?

Truly guiding people through what can be a very stressful time in their lives. Moving/buying/selling is a lot in itself, but many times it comes with additional life challenges (death, divorce, financial or medical issues, growing family, etc.) – I enjoy being the person my clients can count on to help them and be at their side during this big transition.

Do you have a special promotion or event coming up?

We held a massive community Easter Egg Hunt this past spring at the new Antler’s Park Pavilion with 13,000 eggs!! It was nothing short of amazing!! We got so many compliments from attendees about how organized it was, with all of the kids getting enough eggs and other fun things to do in addition to the hunt. We can’t wait to do this again next year!!

What’s the most rewarding part of running your business or being a part of your organization?

Our Team/Collective truly embodies the word collaboration. From day one our culture has been the most important thing to us, and I am proud that we have kept that at the forefront this entire time. The people we connect with are a group of givers – we like helping each other succeed and lift each other up. And we also have some fun while doing it too.

Where can people find more information about your business (website, social media, etc.)? thepropertygeeks.com,

FB – thepropertygeeksmn and sarahthereliablerealtor,

IG - @thepropertygeeks, and @sarahthereliablerealtor

If you were to describe your Chamber experience, what would it be and why? Welcoming! Everyone is so nice and welcoming right from the start. It can be intimidating to walk into large groups of people that know each other and try to make conversation. But I have always found someone to chat with that seems to have true interest in getting to know more about me and my business.

Thank you for your membership!

Now Hiring

Know anyone looking? We have some great companies hiring! If you are currently hiring for any positions, email Kim so we highlight you!

Member News

Visit Lakeville Tourism Tidbit

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

MN Zoo

September 26 – November 2

New this year! This year’s Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular features an expanded, one-way walking route. It’s designed to give you more space and even better views of the pumpkins. Feel the gourd vibes as you stroll through thousands of glowing pumpkins. Whether it’s your first time or already one of your family’s favorite fall activities, you’ll be wowed by the woodsy trail.