Meeting Minutes | April 7, 2011

Meeting called to order by President Connie Drexler @12:00

Approval Feb minutes (Mike/Ron) passed

Treasurer’s Report- no report for the month

Chamber Report:

• Kristin Mirkes-new staff member- members/events
• Carolyn Schmidt- contracted sales position
• April 27- florescent  tube recycling day
• 04/14- Business after Hours at Aurora
• new program with CRL- long term care- 10% discount on facility
• new program with Mosaic- Identity Theft/Recovery Program- reasonably price

Chamco

• airport area- make an Aviation business park
• Economic development at Airport
• Partners-EAA/city/Foundation/UWO/Chamber/Winnebago County/FVTC/Airport Tenants
• Attract Aviation related business
• Only 7 acres currently available
• Purchase 2 properties that have 195 acres
• April 19- County Board to vote on purchase
• Chamco would market the property
  • Drive economic development
  • 3.3 million to purchase the land- county reimbursed up to 90%
  • modeled after other Industrial Parks in Oshkosh
  • city would put it in a TIF district
  • create 1000 direct jobs300 others
  • 343 million in activity
• Motion (Gary/Robin) that the Westside Association  supports the purchase of the land to create the Aviation Park and send letter to county supervisors to vote yes (passed)

Sign Project for 9^th Ave

• Met with DOT and the City – asked Westside to spearhead the sign project
• List all businesses at each intersection
• Contact Fritz at M&I Bank for more information

Guest Speaker- Bob O’Donnell- UW-Oshkosh- Small Business Development Center

• Help people develop business plans
• Preview business plans
• Successful Entrepreneurs-
  • Great Ideas-Talented Team-Access to capital
  • Opportunities to create new products or services that solve problems
  • Opportunities to improve existing products or services
  • Opportunities created by emerging trends
  • Opportunities created by growing market niches (such as demographic shifts)
• Access to capital
  • Early stages- your own, family and friends
• Local examples of innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Renewegy LLC- manufactures of med range wind turbines for single and multiple institutions
  • Craft-e-Corner- built a 5Million dollar company in 3 years on Ebay –
    • On line retailer of craft supplies and equipment
  • Credit Coach- start up software company recently raised 2M in v venture capital
• The center will have office space in the new Sage Hall on the UWO campus-
  • opening September 2011
  • 240sq ft
  • business incubator/accelerator focused on opportunities in Science and Technology

Meeting adjourned at 1PM