Westside Association Meeting Minutes January 4 - 2010

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

Approval of December minutes moved and 2^nd/passed

Treasurer’s Report

• Check issued for 1^st payment to the Grand Opera House
• Check issued for web hosting for the year

Chamber Report:

• Economic Outlook survey sent to members
  • 138 responses from local CEO/businesses
    • 30% reported decline in workforce
    • overall only about 600 below the year before
  • Sales volume
    • 60% of responses reported lower sales than previous year
    • 41% reported more profitable- made adjustments
  • Wages
    • 33% reported decrease in payrolls
  • 67% optimistic about sales/profits for 2010
  • little to no job growth being projected by respondents

Director’s Meeting: Meeting Jan 14

• Plan annual meeting

New Business:

• Window clings for members- send after payment of invoice
• Invoices for dues will go out in Feb.
• Annual meeting will be held at LaSures
• Need 2 more committee members to help with annual meeting

Networking: News from members

•  
  • John Casper- Oshkosh Chamber
    • 1100 members
    • business expo Jan 28
  • Jeff Nelson- Technosis
    • Last quarter very good
    • Possible Milwaukee office in spring
    • Will be starting his own business shortly- Capture- on line management
  • Phil Hergert- Malkowsky, Herger, Weiland, CPAs
    • Added Ken Wolf to the firm
    • 10-12 people on staff
    • business or individual  work
    • estate planning is growing
  • Gary Eake
    • Sold land on 44
  • Mark Riensch- RA Smith
    • Roundabout designs
    • Laser scanning
    • 6 employees in Oshkosh
    • Main office in Brookfield
      • Branch in Appleton
      • Closed branch in Madison
  • Robin Jennings
    • Selling chamber memberships
    • Selling eco products
    • Still job searching
  • Jeff Thorkildsen- St Raphael’s Church
    • 2^nd President of Westside
    • 6 years at St. Raphael’s- Business and Development Director
    • 23 people on staff
    • support group for unemployed/under employed
      • about 1 year old
      • grew from about 6 to 120 in database
      • about 40 have found positions
  • Ron Hasselbacher- Cartridge World
    • Remanufacture in/toner cartridges
    • Double digit growth in 2009
    • Celebrated 5^th year in business in December
    • Business or individuals
    • Also able to do older cartridges
  • Glen Nelson
    • Financial advisor
    • Retirement/succession planning for small business
    • Just opened his own firm in May 2009
  • Karen Gzgolewski- Oshkosh Northwestern
    • New publications (estate planning)
    • Parade of homes
    • 86,000 paged viewed per date on the website
  • Kathy Hanson- EAA
    • Upcoming events
      • Ski Plane Fly in – Jan 23
      • Hops and Props- March 6
      • Family Flight Fest March 20/21
  • Connie Drexler- 44 Degrees North
    • Westside representative on the Chamber board
    • Member of Women in Management
    • 20 years in public relations/advertising

Meeting adjourned at 1PM

Meeting adjourned at 1PM