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By Joe Boomgaard | MiBiz
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Chamber leaders are by nature positive people since their job is to help promote and market their membership. But they say they’re also not afraid to tackle issues that hurt the competitiveness of their members. While that’s certainly nothing new, chamber executives across West Michigan are somewhat mixed on the prospects for 2011. As they prepare for that sentiment, MiBiz asked the leaders to share their outlook and some insight into what opportunities and challenges members see in the coming year.

Participating in the roundtable were:

Jeanne Englehart, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Steward Sandstrom, Kalamazoo Regional Chamber of Commerce
Jane Clark, Holland Area Chamber of Commerce
Cindy Larsen, Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce
Joy Gaasch, Chamber of Commerce of Grand Haven, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg
Ken Malik, Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce
Jim Schoettle, Zeeland Chamber of Commerce
Ed Kwantes, Walker Chamber of Commerce
Amy VanLoon, White Lake Area Chamber of Commerce
Cindy Timmerman, Coopersville Area Chamber of Commerce
Carlos Sanchez, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

MiBiz: What will define 2011 for your organization and for your members?

Englehart: Quite simply, 2011 will be defined by efforts to remake Michigan and increase the competitiveness of its citizens and businesses. This will be the driving force for our organization in serving our members. As Michigan, the Midwest and the nation works its way out of the recession, private and public stakeholders must be focused on not rebuilding the old economy, but a new, more diverse economy led by bringing innovation to the marketplace, strengthening existing businesses, entrepreneurship, and improving the skill sets of this generation of workers and the next. As businesses tackle the work head on, we will also be remaking our governments, something the fiscal reality necessitates. As this is done, the business community needs to be helped, not hampered, by state and local policies.

Sandstrom: 1) Direct member benefits – innovative and valuable. 2) Talent attraction and retention efforts – finally, a critical need. 3) Advocacy that pays attention to Lansing – (specifically,) the tax code and regulatory reform, but is focused regionally on partnerships, efficiencies and cooperation.

Clark: 2011 is just the beginning of Holland’s bright future. In order to fully capitalize on the opportunities that are on the horizon, the Holland chamber will become even more involved in many aspects of the community. We have an agenda that includes a wide spectrum of issues, including quality of place, life-long education, business development, workforce development and collaboration.

Larsen: The 2011 theme as chosen by the chairman of our board, Michael Hagen of The Lakes Mall, is “Forging Muskegon’s Future.” Forge means to establish something with great effort. We recognize that all our members are forging ahead in their own companies and together we are forging Muskegon’s future.

Gaasch: 2011 will be defined as a year of continued recovery for the business community and for our chamber will be a year filled with opportunities that are created by that recovery.

Malik: The Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce (WKACC) will focus on its mission of “Building Better Communities by Building Better Businesses.” We realize that we cannot control the macro-economic environment so we will concentrate on the elements that we can influence. In order to have survived in the very challenging economy over the last several years, our members for the most part have calibrated their business cost structures to the reduced revenue streams. …(W)hat our members need is an increase in demand. Government tax incentives to hire additional personnel do not make business sense if the revenue stream is flat.

Schoettle: It is our goal to continue to increase the value of our organization. We will listen to our members and respond to their needs, improve our methods of communication including the Zeeland chamber website, Facebook page, tweets and use of surveys to enhance our two-way communication. We will collaborate with organizations who share our mission to: Promote and Foster Economic Growth.

Kwantes: I believe that 2011 will continue to be a challenging year for all businesses. We all hope for strength and growth in our economy. I started the Walker Chamber of Commerce to assist our members in networking opportunities and community events. Our goal will be to work together to build a better business community.

VanLoon: Many (members) are reporting increased numbers from last year and anticipate another prosperous and successful year ahead. Some are still waiting to recover with hopes of the economy to swing around. The White Lake Area Chamber is looking into offering more seminars and educational series that will give businesses tools to help them grow. …Our goal is to be visionary in building a stronger business community and to remain committed to progress and prosperity.

Timmerman: We have three goals: to support our historic downtown business district and shop owners by being their advocate; to increase membership to develop relevant programming; and to find appropriate community organizations to assume the responsibility of community festivals and events so we can better focus on the needs of our members, to recruit, retain and grow existing businesses.

Sanchez: Results from 2010 Census will show the growth of the Hispanic communality,   thus businesses. The Hispanic chamber will continue to press for access to markets and contracts in private industry for the benefit of all. The chamber will also support those businesses wanting to market to Hispanic community.

MiBiz: What are the best opportunities for your chamber’s member businesses in 2011 and how can your organization help them succeed? What most concerns them heading into the New Year?

Englehart: It will be our entrepreneurs and the innovative leaders who identify the best, new opportunities in the marketplace and seize them. The chamber’s purpose will be to support their spirit and ideas and to help the region’s businesses prosper by providing the information and resources they need to grow and expand. Further, the chamber is committed to ensuring the voice of West Michigan business is heard, advocating for public policy that supports economic growth and vitality. Our members are most concerned by uncertainty. The uncertainty caused by the economy, Michigan’s confusing business tax, rising federal healthcare reform and public sector deficits are issues that will top the priority list for the chamber in 2011.

Sandstrom: The biggest opportunity for our members is taking advantage of the national economy finally coming around. They will need more — more raw product, more talent, more space, (and so on). We excel at making connections, so when a product is needed, we can connect the member with another member who can deliver. The concerns members have (are) around a lack of certainty. It’s not a question of will the economy turn, but exactly when? It’s not a question of will they be taxed, but how much? It’s not a question of will they be regulated, but will the regulation be reasonable? …(W)e will work to make the tax code, regulatory environment and those who administer those areas as reasonable and as certain as possible.

Clark: It is clear that the spending policies, tax structure and regulatory policies of Michigan have a tremendous impact on current businesses and our ability to attract and support new business. The Holland chamber will continue to focus on reviewing and recommending positions for our members to take on issues that will have a major impact on business in this region and the state. We will also be working together with other area organizations to improve our value to our members and the community, as well as encouraging other organizations in both the public and private sectors to collaborate for greater efficiency and effectiveness of our area’s resources.

Larsen: We will continue to promote the “Buy Local, Think Global” campaign as it has made a difference in our community for all sectors of our economy. We have reports of a great year in sales from a number of our members, and they attribute a part of their success to this campaign. When it comes to concerns, financing is the biggest obstacle to growth. Unfortunately, there are too many projects on hold due to a lack of capital.

Gaasch: As we move into 2011, opportunities will abound for chamber businesses throughout Northwest Ottawa County. Each of the communities our chamber serves has improved or is planning improvements in public infrastructure. All the work that has been done provides businesses the opportunity to grow and gain new customers and it also positions northwest Ottawa County as a great place to start a new business or grow a new industry. The issues that seem to concern our business the most moving into 2011 is the unknown and uncertainty of what impact Health Care Reform and tax structure at both the state and federal level will have on their business.

Malik: Our members have indicated that they want our chamber to focus on improving our networking events to increase their connections with other businesses, the community and local government officials and on providing instructional seminars that assist small businesses improve and sharpen their marketing plan investments and operating efficiency to increase profitable market share. The WKACC plans to address the directives of its members by focusing our marketing initiatives to attract new members … and offering more instructional seminars…. Our membership is most concerned about the state of the Michigan economy and expects the new leadership in Lansing to decrease the cost of doing business in Michigan by reducing the many non-valued added government requirements and addressing the tax burden on small businesses….

Schoettle: West Michigan has a great attitude. In a small town, Zeeland businesses have shown that we can make an economic impact at home and across the globe. We need to make sure that we are true to the “caring for others” that we so proudly talk about, both in terms of our social setting and environmental impact. Healthcare is seen as an ongoing challenge.

Kwantes: We are doing a multi-chamber business networking luncheon in February so we will be able to have our members meet other businesses in the area and let them know what they can offer them in the business environment. We will continue to do AfterHour Events in 2011, a small business expo, and bark-n-park for the summer. As far as concerns, like most businesses in the area, the economy is a major concern so we hope that we continue to see business growth and new jobs here in Walker.

VanLoon: One program that was introduced this year to our members is our Leads Group. This networking group is designed to build a trusted circle of individuals from various industries while developing a network of relationships to share referrals and sales leads within the group. The group is yet another way to assist and support members. The chamber will continue to strive for building that stronger business community and offer needed resources. Creativity and innovativeness will be crucial. Diversifying their market may make or break many businesses.

Timmerman: Our best opportunities are cultivating relevant relationships to help grow their business. Our concerns, overwhelmingly, are taxes, state and Federal, and healthcare mandates.

Sanchez: Training and educational opportunities are what the Hispanic chamber will offer to our members. Helping them build capacity to compete with other businesses. Our main concern is the anti-immigrant sentiment building up in our area due to the poor economy.

MiBiz: How can chambers throughout West Michigan identify and work on areas for collaboration in 2011?

Englehart: Our regional business community, through the joint legislative priorities of West Michigan Chamber Coalition, is speaking with one voice to demand that this moment be turned into an opportunity to reform and revitalize Michigan, re-establish sound fiscal management, provide a competitive business and regulatory environment, and make strategic investments to promote a high quality of life, services, education and growth. The officials we elected in 2010 have the chance to make the bold decisions to revitalize and reinvent Michigan. The coalition acknowledges that this will not be easy, but this is their charge.

Sandstrom: Venues exist today that have already provided opportunity for discussion and cooperation, and we need to amplify that opportunity in 2011. The West Michigan Policy Conference in Grand Rapids is a good example. Our Chair, Arnie Mikon, CEO of TowerPinkster, and I sit on the steering committee and regularly interact with our peers at chambers throughout the region. As a result, we have good cooperation on state legislative priorities today (tax code and regulatory reform) and the relationships we have built will undoubtedly lead to more. A regional effort on talent attraction/retention may be an example that has potential.

Clark: We will continue to leverage the power of the West Michigan Chamber Coalition. This coalition amplifies our voice to over 6,000 businesses representing over 370,000 employees in our region. Our work in 2011 will focus on collaborative advocacy efforts to provide the voice of business to all our newly elected officiates.

Larsen: Government advocacy is a top priority for our chambers. We have many areas where we are in agreement and will very soon prioritize our advocacy issues. With all the new elected officials at the state and federal level, it is very important the business voice is loud, clear and consistent throughout West Michigan.

Gaasch: As chambers, we are able to identify and bring a unified voice to government regarding public policy that affects the business climate in Michigan. Working collaboratively on advocacy issues will be critical in 2011 as Michigan’s new leadership in Lansing tackles the many tough issues it will have on its plate. Collaboratively, the chambers in West Michigan can make sure our business is voice heard.

Malik: The chambers in Michigan should adapt a collegial approach among themselves by working together to share best practices and open their networking and instructional seminars to other chambers. The aphorisms “A rising tide lifts all boats” and “1+1=3” captures the essence of what could be achieved by working together.

Schoettle: Chambers need to be representative leaders of their members. New ways of communicating such as Facebook and online surveys make it easier to listen to challenges and celebrations around us. Being loyal to the best interests of our members, we need to look for efforts that will solidify good attributes and be ready to promote changes that lead to added value for our members and our communities. Being open to collaboration is an important step.

Kwantes: By doing our multi-chamber networking luncheon, we will bring new businesses together that might not have had the opportunity to meet before. Each chamber needs to help each other in order to succeed in my opinion.

VanLoon: Collaboration among chambers may be a key element in growth and sustainability. The White Lake Area Chamber will continue to work with their neighboring chambers to the north and south while partnering in programs and sharing best practices. It’s important to step back and take a look at who does what well and build from there.

Timmerman: Coopersville already works collaboratively with 30 or so West Michigan Chambers through the West Michigan Chamber Network. We network monthly, educate and arm ourselves by sharing best practices and resources. We also work with the Michigan Chamber and the Michigan Association of Chamber Professionals and the U.S. Chamber to give our members a voice at the state and federal levels.

Sanchez: First, communicating with each other. Find common challenges and build capacity to respond. The Hispanic chamber is building collaboration with other chambers in the area (Hispanic and non-Hispanic) to better serve our members.

MiBiz: What could be the biggest “game changer” for your community in 2011?

Englehart: Early in 2011, the first game changer will be the elimination of the Michigan Business Tax. This is a critical step in increasing the competitiveness of our job providers and reducing the cost of doing business in Michigan. The business community welcomes this action and will work tirelessly to ensure that its replacement is simple, with a low rate and a broad base. Second, given budget pressures and the need to avoid further fee and tax increases on citizens and job providers, over the course of 2011 we will see an increased interest in sharing of services, and perhaps consolidation, among Michigan’s 1775 local governments, 550 school districts and their neighbors. Lansing must enact policy changes to remove barriers and support the reshaping of the structures behind how local services are delivered, but consolidations will occur. This will be a culture change for us, but will ensure an efficient use of limited taxpayer dollars and effective service delivery.

Sandstrom: I believe we will move forward with the Arcadia Commons West project in a significant, capitalized way and we will have a public vote on financing an events center in downtown Kalamazoo. I believe that 2011 will be the “breakout year” for the Kalamazoo Promise. Our region is beginning to adopt a culture where educational attainment is paramount to our success…. We have seen the beginnings of this new culture take hold in our region over the past five years. 2011 may, indeed, be the year where we significantly begin to change the game educating kids, attracting and retaining talent, and realizing business and community success.

Clark: Our community has captured a new economic opportunity with the nearly $1 billion in new investments by Johnson Controls-Saft and LG Chem. These two global leaders in advanced energy storage are currently developing sites in Holland for new, high-tech manufacturing facilities. The location of these lithium-ion cell manufacturing plants has the potential to reinvigorate our local economy and position Holland and West Michigan at the center of a new technology that is fast becoming a driving force toward the future of the automotive and renewable energy industries. We have the potential to dramatically expand and diversify our economic base with this growing industry. We’re charged-up and charging ahead to rise to the challenge of making it happen in the biggest way imaginable.

Larsen: It would be great to have a state government that sees itself as a true partner to business and local communities. If we had support in Lansing to develop and grow business in this state, our residents would see and feel the benefits in short order.

Gaasch: The economy!

Malik: In general, we are confident that if our newly elected officials in Lansing listen to the voters on their mandate for what state government needs to address as the number one priority, our state and particularly the Western Michigan economies would greatly benefit. For the WKACC, our seven-year-old Foremost Insurance Metro Cruise to be conducted on August 26-27 is potentially our biggest “game changer.” Our goal is to increase attendance to over 750,000 over the next three years, which would increase awareness of the WKACC and attract visitors who would spend their tourist dollars in our local economy.

Schoettle: We need to lead passionately! In order to make progress, we need to communicate the value of our organization, be constantly listening for needs, cheering on positive change and holding to our foundational values.

Kwantes: The biggest and best “game changer” not only for the Walker Chamber of Commerce but all chambers, will be more jobs in the area. The Walker Chamber of Commerce has chosen this as our slogan, “The Time is Now....” We believe that the time is now to get involved with your local chambers and work with them to make your community a success.

VanLoon: There is a constant reminder to support our local businesses. The reasons are numerous why to buy from locally owned businesses but the main concept is to keep more money re-circulating in the community. Local businesses provide jobs, help grow other businesses and help to reinvest in the community. Supporting locally owned businesses is all part of economic development and stability.

Timmerman: No plan to address the onerous Michigan Business Tax and federal healthcare mandates. Our business owners have been operating on a shoestring for a decade. They are weary and brittle. Any additional expenses will drive them out of business.

Sanchez: Results from the 2010 Census will show the business potential of our community. It will also entice business owners to look at the largest “minority” in a different light.