I feel fortunate to be kicking off the New Year as Board Chair with US Womens Open having been in Edina last week at Interlachen Country Club. What a big compliment to the City of Edina to have a golf course worthy of this kind of championship event. Thanks to the USWO organizers and the Chamber, the company I work for (Gabbert & Beck Galleria) along with three other great sponsors, TDS Metrocom, FPD Power Development and Xcel Energy shared a wonderful Villa for the week on hole number 10 at Interlachen. The partnership opportunities at this chamber are abundant and our Villa is a great example of how these four companies pooled resources to be able to secure a Villa and use it for great entertaining and networking as well as an opportunity to show our appreciation to those we already do business with throughout the year. In addition, the Chamber staff was also at the Villa throughout the week giving them the opportunity to meet, greet and connect people along the way. Speaking of partnerships, last year I had the opportunity at Galleria to partner with a chamber member business giving them a wonderful presence throughout the holiday season on all of our signage and collateral throughout the shopping center as well as inclusion in all of the local advertising we did. In exchange they contributed dollars to help us with a couple of gift card giveaway contests for our customers at our Holiday Open house in early November. They liked the idea of co-branding with a local upscale shopping center like the Galleria and we liked the idea of partnering with a nationally well known mid west based company, a win for both of us.

I am convinced that there is so much untapped potential for the members to partner and co market their businesses and brands. I think sometimes we join the chamber thinking it is only an opportunity to sell our products and/or services to the other members but what if you take a different approach and think about it as an opportunity to form a strategic alliance with another company/ies resulting in greater visibility and awareness with respect to goods and services you have to offer to both the membership and the community at large. It is sometimes the businesses that are polar opposites to your own that have the greatest opportunities for partnerships. There is also so many ways to introduce your company and to be visible to the 400 chamber members. Keep your eyes and options open in the coming months when you are attending the various events. One in particular is our own Braemar Open golf event coming up on Friday, September 12th, which is always a really fun day with lots of opportunities to get your business involved.

Enjoy the month off in July and have a great fourth!!

Jill Noack,VP/General Manager, Gabbert & Beck
3510 Galleria • Edina, MN 55435 • 952-915-8480