The Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce will be holding its “Good News Rensselaer County” event on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Schodack. Registration and lunch are scheduled for 11:30 a.m., and the program will follow from 12-1 p.m. County Executive Kathy Jimino will be joined by Chamber President Linda Hillman and nearly 200 expected attendees at this annual event, which honors local businesses that have positively impacted the region’s economy and quality of life. This event is sponsored by the Rensselaer County IDA.

Other upcoming events include “Economic Development: Opportunities for You & Your Business”, and a “Special Edition Monthly Breakfast” that will feature Congressman Paul Tonko as a guest speaker.

To find out more about these events, and to register, please click here or contact Kate Ollier at kollier@renscochamber.com.

The Business Council of New York State, Inc. is pleased to announce the 2011 winners of the Platinum, Gold and Silver Chamber of the Year Awards honoring outstanding chamber organizations and leadership teams. Recipients of the awards, in random order, are: the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce; North Country Chamber of Commerce; and CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity/CenterState Chamber of Commerce.

These exceptional recipients will learn which award they have received during The Business Council’s Annual Meeting at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21.

“We are proud to include 63 Chambers of Commerce as members of our organization,” said Heather Briccetti, acting-President & CEO of The Business Council of New York State, Inc. “The three we chose as winners of the Chamber of the Year Awards — out of an abundance of nominations — have demonstrated a tremendous commitment to improving the business climate in their communities and in the Empire State.”

To read more click here.

For more information about The Business Council’s Annual Meeting click here.

Any American Veteran who has started a new business in the past 12 months is eligible for a program that offers one-year complimentary membership to the Chamber and complimentary tuition for the Fall 2011 StartUp Smart Entrepreneurial Training Program in Clifton Park. For more information click here.

Ernst Lamothe Jr. writes in the Democrat and Chronicle - “Standing in the middle of her boutique, Shirley Joseph listed all the ways the Pittsford Chamber of Commerce has helped her business survive a sluggish economy:

Her employees use the chamber’s health insurance consortium, which allows small businesses like hers to provide a benefit that would be impossible without help.

The chamber lent a hand in managing her website, helping her brand the business and connect it with similar village shops.”

To read more click here.

The following posting is by Thomas J. Donohue, President and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

“The nation’s infrastructure—the lifeblood of our economy—is in rapid decline, the victim of underinvestment. A 2008 report estimated that the United States needs to invest $250 billion annually for the next 50 years to legitimately meet only surface transportation needs. We’re nowhere near that level of investment.

There are dire economic consequences for staying on our present course. Last fall, the Chamber released a study showing that the status quo in transportation infrastructure effectiveness over the next five years will result in the equivalent of $336 billion in lost economic growth.

Why are we falling behind? Because traditional public infrastructure funding mechanisms are inadequate for meeting the growing needs of our economy, businesses, and citizens. Receipts to the Highway Trust Fund have fallen substantially due to improved gas mileage and a federal gas tax that hasn’t moved in 18 years. Other traditional funding mechanisms, such as appropriations and municipal bonds, are being squeezed by the economic slowdown.

A comprehensive, multiyear highway and transit bill is long overdue, but it alone is not sufficient. Private investment must play a bigger role.

We can spur private investment by expanding and improving the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA), which provides federal credit assistance to nationally or regionally significant surface transportation projects. TIFIA is designed to fill market gaps and leverage substantial private co-investment by providing projects with supplemental or subordinate debt.

However, TIFIA’s reach is restricted to surface transportation projects. We need a similar financing mechanism to address our energy and water infrastructure needs. The answer is a new national infrastructure bank that would issue loans and loan guarantees for a broad array of infrastructure projects. With a modest initial investment of $10 billion, a national infrastructure bank could leverage up to $600 billion in private investments from global pension funds, private equity funds, mutual funds, and sovereign wealth funds.”

The Business Council of New York State is a proud member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

An infrastructure bank would also keep politics out of the equation. Careful procedures have been established to ensure that projects receiving loans or loan guarantees are based on merit and are of national or regional significance. The bank would be run transparently by experienced professionals under congressional oversight and would include checks and balances to prevent abuse.

Our infrastructure challenge requires fresh, new thinking. A reinvigorated TIFIA program and a new national infrastructure bank would keep and attract vast amounts of capital in our country, help us compete worldwide, and put thousands of Americans to work.”

Dr. John A. D’Ambrosio Ed.D.,the president of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce writes in the MY View section of the Recorderonline.com about the need for the state to enact a property tax cap.

“New York state’s finances have run amok for far too long. To say that fiscal sanity must be restored in Albany is a vast understatement. Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature are going to have to take some difficult steps to close a $10 billion budget gap. So says the Committee to Save New York. And so says the Orange County Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber is one of dozens of organizations statewide that have signed on to support the CSNY’s mission to pull New Yorkers’ heads out of the sand and educate folks statewide on why fiscal reform cannot be put off any longer. Yes, there will be pain. But if there’s one thing that those of us in business have learned — some more painfully than others — it’s that spending more than you earn isn’t going to float your business boat.

If New York had abided by this basic lesson of economics over the years, the state’s finances wouldn’t be such a shipwreck today. It remains to be seen if the hard steps that must now be taken will be enough to raise the ship and set the state back on an even keel.”

To read more click here.

Tell Speaker Silver to enact a 2 percent property tax cap Now! Click here to send a Message to the Speaker and your local legislators!

Craig Wolf writes in the Poughkeepsie Journal - “A few weeks after sealing the deal to consolidate the two big chambers of commerce in Dutchess County, most of the work is done and leaders are surprised it worked out as easily as it did.

And, they say, members are quite happy with the results, including saving money in a time when that especially counts.

The boards of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce voted late in 2010 to consolidate the two groups.

The Dutchess name survives, and so do the various programs that had been developed by the southern chamber. Four of its staff members have been taken on in the continuing organization.”

To read more click here.

The following is part of an interview that Kenneth Adams did with Adam Sichko of The Business Review before (subscription-based) being nominated by Governor Cuomo to head ESDC.

“Ken Adams, CEO of The Business Council, is out to fix what’s wrong with New York’s business climate. He’s worked magic with real estate, making a home out of an old casket factory.

You led civic organizations earlier in your career. How did you get to the Business Council?
In the mid-90s, I ran a BID [business improvement district] for downtown Brooklyn. That’s when I started to work with small business owners; that’s where my …”

To read more click here.

Dr. John A. D’Ambrosio, President of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce writes on the Chamber’s website, - “The Business Council of New York State hit the nail on the head in outlining what New York State needs to do to start on the road to economic recovery: capping property taxes as well as state spending; reducing the tax burden in general; reforming public employee pensions; and limiting government borrowing to capital improvements.

It’s clear that rebuilding the state’s economy must be the new Governor’s priority. Andrew Cuomo has stated that fiscal reform will be at the top of his to-do list and we must do all we can to ensure that he fulfills this campaign promise. It’s also incumbent upon us to hold him to his pledge to “overhaul our government, clean it up and pare it down while simultaneously putting New Yorkers back to work and making New York once again the jobs capital of the nation.”

I and many of my colleagues were encouraged by Gov. Cuomo’s State of the State address. He addressed many of the concerns of the business community and seems to understand the need for the state to take immediate and dramatic steps to become more business-friendly.”

To read more click here.

The Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce held its 122 Annual Celebration on Saturday, January 22. The 2011 event entitled The Winter Wonderland Gala, was sponsored by Visions Federal Credit Union and was held at Logan Ridge Estates; an elaborate and former private manor, then winery & restaurant, now banquet hall, located in Hector, NY. Close to 300 Chamber and community members, regional partners, dignitaries, VIPs and patrons were in attendance for the black tie event.

Two levels of décor, entertainment and attractions were featured; including a live auction, bag extravaganza, professional photography booth, and live music. Catering was featured by Hilltop Inn Restaurant and Ed Clute, as well as The Rochester Rat Pack, a 9-piece jazz and period band of Nik Entertainment Inc, performed. Highlights of the evening included after-dinner program remarks from the outgoing Chairwoman of the Board, Debra Whiting of Red Newt Cellars Winery & Bistro; as well as incoming Chairman, Rob Halpin of the Halpin Firm Inc. Three prestigious awards were presented, as well as an additional inaugural award unveiled. The deserving award recipients were not announced until the evening’s program, adding to the anticipation of event attendees and media guests. The following awards were presented by family members, friends or business colleagues for each category; as well as commemorative plaques received by each.

Community Service Award- Tony Vickio, due to his work with the Spirit of Schuyler, a local non-for-profit organization who helps individuals in time of financial need. Presented by Tony’s daughter, Beth.

Criteria: Member in good standing of the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce; Awarded to a business or and, individual that has demonstrated leadership and excellence in philanthropy; Encouraging civic initiatives, and/or facilitating humanitarianism; Has made this significant contribution within the last five years; Positively impacts the community in which the business operates..

Business Person of the Year- Sal Purpura and Bill Tague, due to the great history, success, improvements, expansions and overall achievements of Jerlando’s Ristorante. Presented by Ken Wilson of HSBC.

Criteria: Member in good standing of the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce; Made a dynamic contribution to the Schuyler County business community within the last decade; Expanded the business mix in Schuyler County; Continues to foster economic opportunity such as creating new job opportunities; Candidate must have assumed considerable risk; A highly respected entrepreneur.

For more information on the awards or the Watkins Glen Chamber please call 607-535-4300; or email info@watkinsglenchamber.com