The Issue 383 www.thecolumbuspage.com

September 2016

News of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce

Catalyst

The premier event of the fall returns October 9th at Ramada-Columbus: the 16th annual “Taste of Columbus.” Event proceeds will support the Columbus Public Schools Foundation and the Columbus High STEM Academy, along with the Chamber of Commerce.

This year's committee is co-chaired by Chris & Amy Blaser and Mike & Trina Jeffryes who been working with their committee for many months to organize a wonderful evening for you!

VENDORS Taste of Columbus will highlight some temptations for your tastes, as local food vendors prepare tastes of their very best. You will also have the opportunity to taste some very special spirits from distributors and Nebraska wineries. Confirmed vendors so far:

Applebee’s

Wal-Mart

Buresh Catering

Columbus Community Hospital

Hy-Vee

Pizza Ranch

Ramada-Columbus

Shadows Restaurant & Pub

Wunderlich’s Catering

Subway

RAFFLE This year’s raffle item is a 14K two-tone scallop half circle diamond necklace donated by McChristy

Jewelers. You can have a chance to win this beautiful piece for just $10! Contact our office to purchase your tickets today!

ROYAL AUCTION The Royal Auction will again feature a stellar collection of items donated by the Columbus business community and leading individuals. Among the auction highlights that are confirmed are:

a week in a Mexican condo

hunting trips

golf trips including the Sandhills

great party packages

UNO Hockey package

Great American Beer Festival trip

Husker Basketball suite tickets

Airboat tour of Loup River

Sunday October 9th, Ramada

Reserve your advanced Taste of

Columbus tickets for $35 today!

Thank you Diamond Level Sponsors!

Business After Hours Monday, September 26th

5:00- 6:30 PM

1328 Bill Babka Drive (Airport Hangar)

All employees of any Chamber

member are welcome!

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2016-17 Chamber Membership Directories have been sent and are also available at the Chamber office. The directory includes community and member contact information, and will be distributed to people interested in moving to Columbus and visitors. We hope this will acquaint newcomers with Chamber members’ products and services at the same time as we provide needed information for them as they join our community.

MEMBER DIRECTORIES Spreading the message about Columbus

Thank you to this

month’s Hospitality

Sponsor!

Hospitality sponsors provide

beverages for meetings held in

the Chamber conference room

and also have a display table to

showcase their business!

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Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Staff Kara Asmus Workforce Coordinator K.C. Belitz President Chris Bruggeman Office Manager Sandie Fischer Events Planner, Entrepreneur/Membership Developer Deb Loseke Director, Convention & Visitors Bureau Amanda Polacek Marketing Director Sharyle Sands Vice President

2016-2017 Board of Directors Bill Flint, Chairman of the Board Steve Line, Chair-Elect John DiMambro, Promotions Division Chairman Chris Langan, Community Development Division Chairman Chad Dyhrkopp, Business Development Division Chairman Pat Pope, Internal Affairs Division Chairman Dianne Wall, Treasurer Joe Steffensmeier, Past Chairperson Russ Freeman Dennis Grennan Ben Hellbusch Sharee Jedlicka Lisa Kaslon Vanessa Oceguera Kurt Shevlin Ex-Officio Members Mayor Mike Moser, City of Columbus Jerry Engdahl, Platte County Mary Novotne & Brent Bond, Commodores Bernie Hansen, NE Dept of Labor

Our Mission: Enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life in the Columbus Area.

This publication is distributed stakeholders Dues include $2 per year subscription for your Catalyst

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Columbus Days 2016 celebrated our community in fine fashion once again! Thanks to all who helped and all who participated in Columbus Days 2016. A special thanks to: Vanessa Oceguera, who chaired the Columbus Days Board, and all the outstanding volunteers who are part of that group; our awesome sponsors; and of course, everyone who attended!

Thank you from the Chamber

COLUMBUS DAYS GETS THE GOLD!

View the full album

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The Go Play Committee has released this year’s grant application. The mission of “Go Play” is to support local organizations in providing our area’s youth with great life experiences through sports. The annual Go Play event allows area youth to gather for training in multiple sports. Funds raised through the event are returned to area sports organizations through the granting process. Grant application deadline is coming soon and grants will be awarded during November. Grant applications are available at the Chamber office and the YMCA.

Helping kids have better access to sports

GO PLAY GRANTS

Recognizing outstanding business leaders and volunteers

Nominations are being sought for the Chamber’s highest business-related honors. These awards will be presented at the Columbus Area Business Hall of Fame banquet November 22 to the outstanding businessman and businesswoman in the community. Also at the Hall of Fame event, the Charles Farnham Volunteer of the Year Award is given to the community’s outstanding volunteer. Download nomination forms from our website or pick one up at the Chamber office.

CALL FOR AWARD NOMINATIONS

Give us Your Best Shot!

The Convention & Visitors Bureau is once again sponsoring a photography contest open to professional and amateur photographers of all ages. Photographs can be entered in four categories: Festivals, Outdoor Activities & Vistas, Nature Still Life and Landmarks. Prizes will be awarded in each category with an overall “Best of Show” winner. All photographs must be of events, people or scenes in Platte County, Nebraska. Deadline: Entries and releases must be received on or before October 28, 2016, by 5:00 pm. Late entries will not be accepted under any circumstances.

Complete contest rules are available at www.visitcolumbusne.com/photo-contest or at the Chamber office.

For more information contact Deb Loseke at 564-2769 or dloseke@megavision.com.

CVB PHOTO CONTEST

Get Involved! 2016 Nebraska State Chamber Legislative Forum

Thursday, September 28th 7:00 a.m. Chamber of Commerce Breakfast $5.00 This year’s forum will focus on the Nebraska Legislature’s 2017 session, including developments in the areas of taxation, labor law, and economic development. The State Chamber will provide an update on how Nebraska fares in several economic competitiveness rankings, give an overview of state spending, and how business is impacted by Nebraska taxes. Contact the Columbus Chamber for reservations at chamber@megavision.com, or call us at 564-2769.

NSAA Nebraska Girls Class “B” Golf Tournament October 10 and 11 Quail Run Golf Course. The organizing committee is seeking approximately 40 - 50 volunteers each day from the community to assist with the two-day tournament. If anyone is interested in helping with the tournament please call: Deb Loseke at the Columbus/Platte County Convention & Visitors Bureau at 564-2769 or Al Niedbalski at 564-3258.

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DRIVE FOR FIVE

JOB FAIR A GREAT SUCCESS Thanks to the many businesses and individuals who attended the August 10

th Columbus job fair. More than 300 job seekers

were in attendance as well. We were excited to see the level of talent and experience the candidates are bringing to Columbus! We hope to hear all of them have been hired in our community very soon.

BIE MEETING NOTICE Remember the Business, Industry, and Education committee meeting has been moved this month due to the Labor Day holiday. Plan to attend at 7:00 am, Friday, September 9, where we will continue to collaborate as business and industry leaders and professionals gather with leaders in the education industry to better meet the workforce needs of our city!

WELCOME NEW SPONSORS Welcome to our new Drive for Five sponsor – Valmont Industries and to a returning sponsor – HOME Real Estate! These businesses help support the effort to bring new, skilled talent to our community. We have over 1,000 jobs advertised at present, and many more jobs that are not advertised. The Chamber of Commerce is working hard to attract new and returning residents, to improve the skills of our existing workforce, and to ready our students for the exciting opportunities that await them post-graduation. We thank all of our sponsors for their contribution to these important activities.

Connecting Talent With Columbus Area Employers

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1st IMPRESSION AWARDS Celebrating positive first impressions

The Streetscaping Committee of the Chamber would like to recognize the following business owners for their efforts in projecting a positive, first impression as we continue to welcome visitors, interns and potentially new residents to our community. Gene Steffy Ford Fantastic 4-H’ers for their

improvements to the City of Columbus sign

Linda Price CPA McKown Funeral Home When you visit these businesses, please let them know their efforts are appreciated!

The Goodwill Arm of the Chamber

Great Plains State Bank, Ribbon Cutting: Rick Chochon, Employees of Great Plains State Bank and the Chamber Commodores

United Methodist Church Outreach Center, Ribbon Cutting: Rev. Cindi Stewart, Rev. Seong Lee, Volunteers, and the Chamber Commodores

AUGUST COMMODORE CALLS

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Columbus Community Hospital Rehabilitation Services, Member Visit: Doug Janssen & Skipper Mary Novotne

The Heritage at Meridian Gardens, Member Visit: Skipper Mary Novotne and Vickie Hesse

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JULY INVESTMENTS We thank our members for their membership investment!

AYSO Columbus, Katie Gassmann Behavioral Health Specialists, Inc.,

Brian Samek Bertsch, Tom Bling by Zing - Independent Director,

Nicole Lindhorst Capitol City Electric, Adam Randall Choice Transport, LLC, Heidi Loop Columbus Community Hospital

Foundation, Carol Keller Columbus General Contracting,

Kimberly Hoefer Columbus Physical Therapy, P.C.,

Steve Line Columbus Screen Printing Inc.,

Tom Schwank Dakota Mac, Nick Luchsinger Daniels Produce,

Andy & Tannie Daniels El Pueblito Restaurant,

Octavio Garcia El Tapatio, Fernando & Teresa Lopez Ernst Realty, Jim Ernst FDC Publishing of the Midwest,

Boyd Jones Follett Columbus Campus Bookstore,

Danielle Beiermann Gene Steffy Ford, Joe Steffensmeier Grace Episcopal Church,

Ellie Thober Hirschbrunner, Dennis

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, Dan Groene

Jones Properties LLC, Gary Jones Lippert, John Overturf Electric Motor Serv., Inc.,

Gene Overturf Owens Educational Services,

Ethan Herb Parts Bin Inc., Gaylord Boilesn Platte Valley Printing, Steve Hurt Sammy's Superheroes,

Jeremy Stanislav Scheffler Machine, Clint Scheffler Schieffer Signs, Tim Schieffer Selectel, Inc., Matt & Teri O'Flaherty Servicios En General, Maria Davila Shell Valley Classic Wheels, Inc.,

Travis Roth Siedlik Signs, Mike Siedlik Slumberland Furniture, Scott Bales Strategic Impact Plus, LLC,

Kelli Faltys T&K Pit Stop Bar & Grill,

Kenny Kallenbach The Firm, Cortney Sells Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church,

Rev. Timothy White Tucker Masonry Co., Jennifer Tucker Valencia Salon, Kimberly Taake

Welcome New Member! Gateway Mortgage Group Dave Wudel 915 23rd St., Suite 200, Columbus (402) 973-1066 dave.wudel@ gatewayloan.com www.gatewayloan.com/officers/Dave-Wudel/ Banks/Savings & Loans/Credit Unions Sponsor: Sandie Fischer

PRSRT STD PO

PAID COLUMBUS, NE

PERMIT #500

Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce 753 33rd Ave.

Columbus, NE 68601-6427 402.564.2769 Fax: 402.564.2026

Chamber@megavision.com www.thecolumbuspage.com

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September 2016 Calendar of Events

01 Commodores CAS Enterprises, Inc. 10:00 a.m.

05 Labor Day Chamber Closed All day

09 Branding Committee Chamber 1:00 p.m.

13 Housing Committee Chamber 10:00 a.m.

14 Entrepreneurship Committee Chamber 9:00 a.m.

15 Commodore Call Cornerstone Insurance 10:00 a.m.

20 Finance Committee Chamber 7:00 a.m.

20 Admirals Picket Fence 7:30 a.m.

20 Commodores State Farm—Annette Alt 10:00 a.m.

21 Transportation Committee Ramada 12:00 p.m.

22 Commodores Kidwell 10:00 a.m.

23 Ag Committee Stack ‘N Steak 7:00 a.m.

26 Engaging Immigrants Committee Chamber 10:00 a.m.

26 Activities & Entertainment Comm. Chamber 11:00 a.m.

26 Board Meeting Chamber 12:00 p.m.

26 Streetscaping Chamber 1:15 p.m.

26 Business After Hours Midwest Medical 5:00-6:30 p.m.

27 Community Builders Chamber 11:30 a.m.

28 State Chamber Legislative Forum Chamber 7:00 a.m.

29 Hispanic Networking Breakfast Chamber 8:30 a.m.

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