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Annual Gala
Each January the Chamber celebrates with a themed event and raises funds to support member services and programs. The Gala features a silent auction, live dessert auction, raffle, dinner and entertainment, in a spectacular setting.
Annual Golf Classic
For over 39 years, members have enjoyed networking on the greens at the Annual Chamber Golf Classic in Bloomington. Traditionally held in June, this event provides members with the opportunity to play a challenging, private course while sponsors use the event to provide exposure for their companies.
Art-A-Whirl
In partnership with the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association this annual event showcases over 900 of Northeast Minneapolis’s artists. Art-A-Whirl is the largest open studio and gallery tour in the United States and takes place the third weekend in May.
BCC General Membership Meeting
The General Membership Meeting is the Bloomington Chamber's main meeting. It brings top-notch speakers and presentations, provides updates on Chamber activities, features members and introduces new members. This is a must-attend event in Bloomington! This program meets the first Thursday of every other month.
Best in Business Awards
The Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce has a long tradition of recognizing members of the business community that support and accelerate the region. The Best in Business Awards Luncheon honors five companies who have excelled, grown and supported the community in unique and meaningful ways. All honorees submitted lengthy applications detailing their best practices, philanthropic engagement and workplace successes in 2012.
2013 Honorees
All applications for the Best in Business Awards are judged by a volunteer committee of Chamber member business representatives. The 2012 committee is chaired by Laurel Boerger of Xcel Energy. Additional committee members are listed below.
Business Matters/ Safety Matters
Business Matters/Safety Matters is a free program offered by the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce and Bloomington Police Department to all businesses in the city. The program is an excellent way to keep in contact and network on issues specific to doing business in Bloomington. Information sharing is invaluable and this program builds cohesiveness within the Bloomington Business Community. Join the many other businesses in Bloomington that have taken advantage of this terrific program!
Business Day at City Hall
Business Day at City Hall provides members with the opportunity to have meaningful conversations with City Council members, department heads and key city staff about issues affecting their businesses. This event occurs annually and is a partnership between the Chamber and the City of Minneapolis.
Celebrate Northeast Parade
This Chamber sponsored community event draws 8,000 spectators to Central Avenue as a procession of 120 entrants moves south down Central Ave, Northeast Minneapolis’s main street. Representatives from neighboring communities, non-profits, local schools, neighborhood groups, faith communities and local businesses participate in the parade or act as volunteers or sponsors.
ChamberNets and Business to Business Groups
ChamberNets and Business-to-Business (B2B) groups are networking leads groups comprised of Chamber members. Group members develop professional networking relationships and share business referrals or introductions. These initial referrals and introductions have the potential to multiply and create endless business opportunities.
Groups are limited to one individual per industry. Guests are encouraged to attend; however, you must contact the group chair prior to the meeting. Contact information for group chairs is listed below.
Interested in joining a ChamberNet or B2B group but not sure where to start? Fill out the membership inquiry form.
Chamber Night Out
The Chamber likes to bring our members together two times a year to socialize and learn more about what the Chamber has to offer. This is a low cost and casual event that allows Chamber members to network and socialize at a unique location and meet committee volunteers and learn about different committees and programs.
Chamber Town Talk
The Chamber hosts Town Talk four times a year connecting members and local businesses with government leaders. It serves as a forum for discussion about current business issues and community initiatives. Each Town Talk event is focused on a specific topic and led by qualified and knowledgeable leaders from the community.
Critical Issues Forum
The Minneapolis Regional Chamber recognizes that the world marketplace is continually changing and now requires our region to be proactive in order to compete nationally and internationally. The Chamber has been an advocate for regionalism for nearly a decade originating the InterCity Leadership visits, as author of the 11 county Business Vitality Index and founders of the award winning metromsp.org website.
In 2013, the Chamber continues to promote regionalism with the Critical Issues Forum. This four part series engages business leaders in thoughtful conversation about the future of this region. Moderated panel discussions with regional experts identify opportunities for growth and critical issues facing the region. Each forum includes time for discussion and a question and answer session as we strive to identify possible solutions.
Each year, the Chamber also releases the MSP Business Vitality Index, a cross sectional look at significant indicators that gauge the performance of the region from a business perspective. The Index benchmarks Minneapolis/Saint Paul and some of its competitors in three key, broad areas: business climate, workforce development and quality of life. This report is unveiled in April and highlights the latest efforts to advance the Minneapolis/Saint Paul marketplace.
DRIVE Emerging Leaders
DRIVE-Developing & Retaining Individuals with Vision & Energy - is a group for young professionals in the Twin Cities region. Designed for those under the age of 40, DRIVE provides networking and leadership growth opportunities for individuals from both small and large business, as well as the nonprofit sector. DRIVE is a program created by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce as part of its investment in the region's growing workforce.
DRIVE hosts both monthly roundtable discussions and social events throughout the year. Roundtables feature a guest speaker and small group conversation about topics that are timely and influence the workplace and the greater community. Social events include happy hours, events with other young professional organizations and volunteering.
Executive Women’s Council
Executive Women's Council meetings are forums for networking, education and support of Twin Cities' women executives. Luncheon and happy hours are held at various downtown locations and focus on topics relevant to the region's marketplace. Each event features panelists who are experts in their fields, with unique perspectives and leadership experience.
Get Acquainted Breakfasts
Held five times a year at a different location, this Northeast Chamber program provides members with an opportunity to network with other members from Northeast, Bloomington and Regional Chambers. This event is free and includes a continental breakfast and the opportunity to introduce your business during the one-minute commercial.
Good Morning Minneapolis
Each of these breakfast meetings focuses on either a prominent issue or current event affecting the business community and the city of Minneapolis. Events include ample networking time, breakfast and valuable insight from guest speakers.
Holiday Train
Join us as we celebrate the annual return of Canadian Pacific Railway’s Holiday Train. The train decorated in holiday lights pulls into Shoreham Yards in Northeast Minneapolis every year in December. This is a fantastic family and community event that includes hay rides, a kiddie train, music and festive treats.
InterCity Leadership Visit
A delegation of community leaders visits cities throughout the nation to explore ways of solving issues facing our region. This delegation will also host a variety of topic-specific programming that provides a more in-depth look at issues facing this region and fosters potential solutions.
Leadership Twin Cities
This nine-month program is designed to provide emerging community leaders with an in-depth understanding of the issues affecting the region. Participants meet the second Thursday of each month, from September to May, for a full day of activity. The participants are chosen each year through an application process.
Let's Connect!
Let's Connect! is held every other month at the Bloomington Chamber offices. This popular networking event gives each attendee the opportunity to give a one-minute commercial about his/her company and features space to display brochures. Attendees also receive a continental breakfast.
Meet the Chamber
These orientation meetings are designed to be a 'guide to getting the most out of your membership’. Attendees have the opportunity to promote their business while learning about Chamber initiatives, programs, and services to help them grow their business. Prospective members, new members, new employees and members who would like a 'refresher course’ on the Chamber are encouraged to attend. Sessions are held on the second Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., in Bloomington, and the third Tuesday at 8:00 a.m., in Minneapolis. Sessions are also held throughout the year at the Northeast Minneapolis Chamber.
This statewide initiative promotes and sustains corporate support for communities by recognizing companies that contribute two percent or more of pre-tax earnings to address community needs and that enhance Minnesota’s quality of life. The annual luncheon is held in December of each year, and recognizes three companies for their outstanding giving programs.
Northeast Networking Nights
This is the best way to casually learn more about the businesses and individuals that make up the Chamber! Held five times a year at a different restaurant in Northeast, members enjoy complimentary appetizers and a cash bar.
Northeast Celebration
Co-Hosted by the Northeast Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce and the East Side Exchange Club, this collaborative event is an evening of networking and recognition as we honor those that serve and support our community. Awards are given to the year’s best small, medium and large businesses and well as the Officer of the Year and the Book of Golden Deeds Award. Appetizers are provided by Northeast Minneapolis Chamber member restaurants and caterers and the evening features a cash bar, silent auction and cash raffle drawing.
Small Business University is a series of programs that provides new tools, best practices and creative solutions to the daily challenges of running a business.
Businesses with fifty or fewer full-time employees make up more than 75% of the Chamber’s membership. We work hard to support this group of members with benefits and events that address their particular needs.
Weed It & Reap
Weed It & Reap has been a volunteer tradition in Northeast Minneapolis for over two decades. During the first full weekends of May and October 900 volunteers from local schools, neighborhoods and businesses put on garden gloves and grab bright yellow garbage bags and pick up the sidewalks, alleys, parks and open spaces in Northeast.
Welcome Home Minnesota Twins Luncheon
The Welcome Home Twins Luncheon is an event co-hosted by the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Saint Paul Are Chamber of Commerce at the spring of each year to celebrate the opening season of the Minnesota Twins. This event features the attendance by players, coaches and front office personalities, live interviews and insights from the coaches about the upcoming seasons play. 500-600 members attend this annual event and help raise over $10,000 for the MN Twins Community Fund.
| Minneapolis Regional Chamber 81 South Ninth Street, Suite 200 Minneapolis, MN 55402 |
info@minneapolischamber.org |
