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2010 Chamber Golf Classic!
July 26, 2010
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Our Sponsors:
Register: 218.722.5501 |
The Duluthian Archives |
The New Code of Business Because it helps alleviate uncertainty, Duluth's proposed Unified Development Code will build a better business climate. City of Duluth Land Use Supervisory Cindy Petkac and Senior Planner John Judd are aware Duluth has battled a perception that it has an anti-business climate. They believe that's about to change. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Revitalizing Real Estate Regional pros access the commercial and housing sectors - and see a brightening horizon. For many commercial real estate firms in the Duluth area, the past couple of years have been ones to forget. But to hear them talking about the next couple of years - those could be some to remember. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Cultivating Commercial Development From West to East - and the Miller Hill area - projects are progressing. Dave Holappa, president of Holappa Commercial Real Estate, sees reason for optimism in certain city segments because of projects in progress: "The new Residence Inn came out of the ground and there's restaurant activity with Buffalo Wild Wings and Texas Roadhouse. And that's all in that same corridor, so the Miller Trunk remains relatively steady." Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
Help for Health Care Progressive Businesses Pursue a Variety of Solutions to Decrease Employee Health Care Costs Everybody wants good care, but it's often an expensive proposition for both companies and their employes. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Health Cost Management Tips from the Pros As employers, health care providers face the same issues you do - and they bring an empowering message. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Harmonic Convergence Local Fitness Businesses' Goals Dovetail with Employer/Worker Interests - In Cost-Effective Ways The cost of health insurance is top of mind for many employers right now, and health care issues are making headlines daily. While there is no quick fix for these challenges, a number of Duluth businesses are committed to creating an environment that encourages healthful living. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
| January - February 2010 Local Ingenuity Northland Companies find exporting products can be bumpy, but fruitful, journey 
For one company, it was a matter of getting the recipe just right. Another business had to expand into new markets to grow sales, while a third pursued an international sales strategy from the start. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Building A Business Plan Launching a Company is Not For the Faint of Heart-But Expert Resources Can Help It's one of the most daunting challenges around: starting your own business. For most people, the idea is little more than a fantasy to drift into when the boss gets a little too grumpy or the customers too demanding. 
Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
| Buying Local: Why Companies Do It Businesses Can Boost Employment, Uphold Quality- and Forge Stronger Customer Relationships Can cream cheese be compelling? Yes- when it's from Franklin Creamery, spread on Johnson's Bakery bagels. And when a Duluth Entertainment Convention Center convention crowd enjoys them while reading that their breakfast items were sourced locally. 
Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
| November - December 2009 The Next Big Thing Area leaders look ahead to the issues - and successes - impacting the Northland 
For a large, complex university such as the University of Minnesota Duluth, it's impossible to identify one "Next Big Thing." For that reason, Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin said UMD has targeted a list of priorities. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Building Stronger Schools and a Stronger Business Climate Improvements are vital in attracting more business and more Duluthians The drama of Duluth School District's Long Range Facilities Plan has been swirling for several years. It may come at a surprise to some that  several of the plan's projects have already been completed and most are big out. When it's completed, the school district's buildings will have been brought up to date in terms of teaching techniques, technology, air quality, safety and other factors, all under a wide-reaching and forward-looking facilities plans.Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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The Case for Connectivity Duluth will benefit from improved streets, corridors and multimodal transportation options During a year when motorists are constantly navigating around street construction, it's difficult to accept that more work is needed. But no sooner is one transportation challenge overcome than another emerges. Needs change in tandem with development. Simultaneously, transportation decisions affect development. It's a complicated matrix driven by factors including shopping, housing, recreation - even school locations. Click Here (PDF) for the full article |
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Delivering Dollars and A Very Good Time Northland Festivals and Events Continue Playing a Huge Role in Stimulating our Economy It’s a reality: Duluth has a reputation as being a “tourist town.” Of course, this isn’t strictly true. But there’s no denying that local events and festivals play a huge part in consistently stimulating the local economy – and attracting out-of-towners to the city to spend their hard-earned cash in pursuit of a good time. The Duluthian decided to speak to the people who help bring these attractions to fruition to see just how these events specifically contribute to Duluth’s economy on a regular basis. Click Here (PDF) for the full article. |
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The New Efficiency Collaborating - and delivering more bang for the buck - creates a bigger convention and conference pie Perhaps the straw that broke the camel’s back for an outraged public were national news reports that despite the tough economy, some financial firms contributing to its downward spiral saw no need to curtail plans to whisk their staff to exotic, expensive conference locales. Click Here (PDF) for the full article. |
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Education Pays Big Dividends for the Northland At about 22 percent of the population, students have become an economic powerhouse Pop quiz. What picture comes to mind when thinking of the typical Twin Ports college student? Probably not an economic powerhouse. But it’s an increasingly accurate view, say area experts. To find out why Click Here (PDF) to read the full article. |
| The Twitter About Technology Mobile Applications and Social Networking Sites Can Benefit Your Business The Stratospheric growth in new mobile technology and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can leave many business owners dizzy with doubts over what's harnessing to be more competitive- and what's just hype. While Northland technology leaders aren't unanimous on the subject, they do offer some good guidance. Click Here (PDF) for the full article. |
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| The New Efficiency From Retail to Remodeling-and Online- Businesses Offer Services for Cost-Conscious Customers As the economic downturn plods on, some businesses in Duluth have been trying to shake things up. Click Here (PDF) for the full article. |
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| How Fast is Fast? Diverse Northland Businesses Apply Technology to Meet the Need for Speed From our news to our healthcare providers, businesses across the Northland have found ways to connect with the public faster then we would have ever dreamed. To find out how Click Here (PDF) to read the full article. |
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| Generational Team Builders In a Recession, Simularities Between Worker Generations Are More the Norm With four generations actively involved in the workforce today, alot of time, research and energy have been spent documenting their differences. And, for the most part, these attitudinal differences are a key piece of information for employers to better understand and meet the needs of their workforce. Read On...Click Here (PDF) |
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| One Size Doesn't Fit All The Benefits of a Changing Workforce In the current economic climate, logic would suggest employers don't need to try as hard to offer an attractive benefits package. After all, many employees are simply thankful to still have a job. Thus, benefits become a lesser priority. Read On...Click Here (PDF) |
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| Lead For Success Countless Volumes Have Been Penned on Leadership But at its essence, good leadership could be summarized like this: Think of a string- push it and it goes nowhere. Pull- and it follows you quite readily. Read On...Click Here (PDF) |
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Fuel For Thought Northland Energy Suppliers Plan For Customer Needs In the last year, the northland experienced a dramatic rise- followed by an equally sharp drop- in fuel prices, new mandates for renewable energy sources, a proposed rate hike for Minnesota Power customers and the suggestion to sell Duluth's natural gas utility. Read On...Read More (PDF) |
| Powering the Port Energy Businesses Boost Region's Transportation Industry To most of us who make this area home, marine traffic to and from the harbor is simply part of living here. In all likelihood, however, many area residents would be surprised to know how big a role the energy industry plays in port traffic. Read On...Read More (PDF) |
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Energizing New Industry Manufacturers Value High-Tech Reliability Businesses base their locations on varied factors, but energy is important to them all. The Duluthian spoke to several Northland companies and organizations to gain their viewpoints on energy matters- and why they value our region's energy reliability. Read On...Read More (PDF) |
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Choosing DuluthSavvy Leverage of Regional Assets Holds Keys to Our Future:
Duluth's northern location inspires the tenacity needed to create and sustain business - and natural resources critical to the region's economy are avalible due to our vey isolation. |
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Getting BridgedThere Can Be Multiple Benefits to Doing Business in Both Duluth and Superior:
The Bridge, get over it. How can businesses get over the divsion created by the Bridge and the state lines when doing business in Duluth and Superior? |
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Moving ForwardChamber Member Perspectives on Doing Business in a Changing Duluth:
Change is inherent to living and Duluth is certainly no exception. How can we be prepared to conduct business in the ever changing Duluth? |
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| Degrees of Change Educating Students for the New Workforce Needs: Looming retirements of an estimated 75,000 baby boomers in the Northland will create unprecedented job openings in the next decade. Combine that with job prospects from new Iron Range developments, and suddenly this region's employment outlook looks better than it has in years. Read On...Read More (PDF) |
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Education's BIG Economic Impact |
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| ID'ing the Northland's Future Skilled Workforce Education and Business Ramp Up Collaboration to High Gear: The education and business communities have long worked to develop training that nurtures a skilled regional workforce. Read On...Read More (PDF) |
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| Shades of Green The Business of Sustainability: If your business offers a recycling bin for empty plastic water bottles that come from your vending machine is that green? Or is it better to encourage your employees to drink tap water from a glass that can be washed and used again? Read On...Read More (PDF) |
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LEED By Example And Reap Long Term Savings: Do you insist on employees doing their work under your watchful gaze, even though they could be doing it at home, without driving their car to the office? Read On...Read More (PDF) |
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Finding Your Brand Identity
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Managing Business Debt
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Happy Workers
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