Committee Preference forms available on-line. Click here to sign up!

2005 Major Events! Click here to view the current schedule.

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!

Receiving bad checks?  Click here to find out how the chamber can save your business time and money on check recovery!

Click here to view the 2005 Executive Committee & Board of Directors

Special Thanks to our Diamond Level Investors

    Platinum Level Investor

Top Five Keywords Searched for the Week:

1. Real Estate

2. Dining

3. Recreation

4. Utilities

5. Employment

Memo from President Duane O'Neill

Mississippi Business Shines Bright In National Spotlight

 Mississippians are routinely bombarded with news claiming that our state is last or near the bottom of many surveys.  While some of these allegations are warranted, many are not.  Lately the trend seems to be changing and our state is being recognized for our attributes and areas of excellence.  For example, Entrepreneur Magazine has ranked the Metro Jackson area as one of the top ten for entrepreneurship. Inc. Magazine has also listed our community as one of the fifty best metro areas to start and grow a company. As most people are aware, national statistics indicate a high failure rate among start-up businesses.  However, the savvy entrepreneurs in the Metro Jackson area seem to buck that trend. In fact, many of our small businesses have gained recognition nationally for their achievements.  This brings me to my subject today, which is the wonderful ongoing local area success story of Sherri Hilton and Persnickety.

Sherri was a reporter for WLBT-TV for twenty years, but with the encouragement of her husband Ken, she made a leap of faith and became a small business owner opening a gift shop on Main Street in Madison.  With much hard work, her business has done quite well…. so well in fact that her peers nominated Persnickety for the Rising Star Award, the top national award in the category of decorative accessories.  From the slate of nominees, the judges selected four finalists including Persnickety.  The announcement of the winner was made during a banquet at the Dallas Market Center.  At the end of the day Persnickety trounced the competition, which included some major players from large market areas.  Quite an accomplishment for a small business on Main Street Madison, Mississippi!

Sherri gives two basic reasons for her achievement.  First is the idea of setting oneself apart from the competition.  This is an ongoing effort, because if you are successful, others will try to emulate your plan.  Therefore you must continually change to stay unique in your field.

The second, and most important principle that Sherri uses as a guide is “Customer Service.”  Whether it is staying open late for some guy who has nearly forgotten a present for his wife on their anniversary, or coming in early to accommodate someone on their way to work, Sherri states that the customer dictates her business hours.  Going that extra mile for her clients - whether its staying open after hours, or some other way of giving special attention to customers - is what makes Sherri’s business and any other business successful.  Maybe that is why Mississippians are recognized for entrepreneurial success. Employing basic people skills, treating each other with respect and being hospitable are characteristics for which we are best known. They are also our best attributes for business success.  What a unique portrait we present to the rest of the country!  Sherri Hilton is another of many great examples of who we are in Mississippi and why our future is so very bright.

Cynthia Buchanan, Vice President, Community Development

The Networking committee held its first Minority and Women Networking Event for the year on March 8.  AmSouth Bank hosted the event and over fifty business owners were in attendance.

The goal of the event is to bring purchasing agents and minority & women business owners together for the purpose of encouraging partnerships, and to learn more about what opportunities exist for doing business with those companies.   Nelene Ledford, owner of Cahoots Party World states, “It would be very difficult for me to meet one-on-one with purchasing agents if not for these events.  The events are very beneficial for my business and I would encourage other business owners to attend.”

The committee would like to thank AmSouth Bank for hosting this event and would also like to thank the following Casinos for attending:  AmeriStar, Beau Rivage, Caesar’s Entertainment, GoldStrike Casino, and Pearl River Resort.

Minority/Women Business Owner Roundtable Networking Event
AmSouth Bank
March 8, 2005