To ask about information on job bank postings and web site logo placement, click here.

Upcoming events and Membership news, click here.

ChamberPlus, Inc. news, click here.

Governmental Relations news, click here.

Workforce Development news, click here.

Economic Development news, click here.

Community Development news, click here.

Leadership Jackson news, click here.

Updated list of new members, click here.

New Photo Gallery Pictures, click here.

Did you know that the Chamber could save you money on Office Products? Click here to find out how!

Special Thanks to our Diamond Level Investors

    Platinum Level Investor

Memo from President Duane O'Neill

LEARNING FROM OTHER COMMUNITIES

Is the Metro Jackson area unique in the issues and challenges we face?  Does any other community in the nation struggle with regional cooperation? Public safety?  Workforce development?  Race relations?  How do we rate as a metropolitan area in addressing economic development or providing a healthy community?  These are just a few of the questions addressed by your board of directors at their annual retreat last week.  It just may have been the most productive exercise this Chamber has embraced in many years!

The board acknowledged that many other areas have already faced, or are presently facing the same concerns that we are confronting in Metro Jackson.  Some of these other communities have successfully addressed the particular issues and profited by their accomplishments.  With this understanding, your board unanimously agreed that looking to these other communities for insight on how they addressed the issues was a good starting point for us.  Therefore, the Chamber will lead an initiative that organizes our metro area leadership for a visit to another community that has successfully dealt with our area’s most pressing issues.  This will be an inclusive endeavor.  It is also not a new or unproven concept.  In fact most all cities our size already do this “InterCity Visit” program on an annual basis.  Cities such as Memphis, Little Rock, Mobile, Nashville, Birmingham and Asheville are just a few of those already using this idea to help their communities prosper.

As we begin the process it is important to emphasize that the “prioritized issues” ---those we believe to be most critical to our community--- will be the central focus that drives the entire effort.  These issues will shape the way we choose delegation participants and will also help identify the community/communities who will host our delegation.  As always, it is imperative that we approach this effort and any other undertaking from a total metro viewpoint.  It will also be important to have elected officials join with the business and civic leadership.  At our Chamber board retreat last week, it was gratifying to have in attendance six of our area mayors and representatives of the Board of Supervisors from all three counties during the discussion of this new idea.

This is an enormous task, but one the Chamber leadership is very energized to accomplish.  The time frame, which includes much detail work, will conclude with the actual visit in September of this year.  For those of you who would like to be involved in this effort, please contact me.

Next week I will share the results of the Board’s selection of priority issues facing our community.

    Executive Director, Niki Carr Lowery

Receiving Bad Checks?  Not Accepting Checks?

Would Your Business Benefit From Discounted Office Products?

ChamberPlus, Inc., a subsidiary of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership , has broadened its horizons and is venturing into other areas to help small (and large) businesses with day-to-day operations.  Beginning in November, ChamberPlus launched two new affinity plans:  discounted office products and a check recovery program.

F.A.R.S. Marketing is a check recovery program formed to help merchants, professionals and any organization that accepts checks to successfully recover those checks that are returned NSF or otherwise dishonored.  They will also collect any bank fees received during this time.  A $79 lifetime fee is all the business will incur and F.A.R.S. will do the rest.  You may call 601-948-7598 to learn more about this service.

Office Products Plus is now offering an exclusive discount off their office products.  This discount allows Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership members to save from 25-80% off the list price for the top 500 most frequently purchased office supplies.  The discount varies with the items you purchase.  There are several ways of placing your order to accommodate your style of business.  Office Products Plus will accept orders placed through their website, by fax, or telephone.  Call 601-898-2600 today to find out why 134 new businesses, and 35 existing businesses have signed up to receive their exclusive discount through the ChamberPlus program!

Currently, ChamberPlus is covering over 1,350 businesses enabling us to insure over 19,000 lives.  We appreciate the partnership we have with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, along with the help of the agents that choose our products and the 52 Chambers of Commerce promoting the ChamberPlus program to their members.

ChamberPlus depends on many organizations for its success and we appreciate all of them.  ChamberPlus was created to assist small businesses with health, dental, and life insurance.  With the addition of a new check recovery program and discounted office products, ChamberPlus has raised the bar to help small and large businesses lower their bottom line.

Please visit our website at www.chamberplus.org.  You may contact us at 601-948-7598, or by email at ncarr@metrochamber.com.

*ChamberPlus agent, Madelyn Matijevich, greets visitors at the ChamberPlus, Inc. booth during the 2005 Mississippi Business Journal Technology Expo.

Lobby Display Advertising - Only Three Available Ad Spaces Remaining!!

Join the Chamber in welcoming visitors and new residents to the metro Jackson area by purchasing the following benefits for $595 a year on our Lobby Display Advertising.  

1.                 11 x 8 ½” Advertising Space

2.                 Business Card Display Space

3.                 8 ½ x 11” Brochure Space

Contact Debi Green at (601) 948-7575, ext. 233 or e-mail djackson@metrochamber.com in order to receive more information and an advertising contract.