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2018 Iacce FALL CONFERENCE

CELEBRATE, INSPIRE & INVEST
Wednesday, November 7, 2018

8–11am PRE–CONFERENCE SESSIONS
SESSION 1: ChamberMaster As A Recruitment & Engagement Tool

(Additional Fee), Cotillion Ballroom
presented by Shari Pash, Consultant, Specializing in Chamber & Membership Growth In this extended session, we work hands-on in ChamberMaster to highlight tools and create strategies that can be used for impacting membership recruitment and engagement. We will discuss and create custom fields that allow for data gathering and provide information for strategic strategies for growth. In addition, we will discuss ways to encourage members to utilize the member-only features, including going into the MIC and enhancing their profiles. We will touch on and have an open group discussion on how attendees best utilize the event module to create custom sponsorship packages and other best practices, and work-arounds that others have implemented.

SESSION 2: Introduction Into Leading Your Chamber, Cheminee Ballroom presented by Joseph Henning, IOM, ACE, CAE, President/CEO, Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce & Desirée Bennyhoff, IOM, ACE, President/CEO, Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce
While this complementary session is helpful for new chamber leaders, seasoned executives also find it beneficial to brush up on best practices – specifically in the areas of governance, finance and advocacy. Several examples and handouts will be available, and Joe and Desirée will be available for additional discussion for the duration of conference. This session is also helpful for your team members, especially recent hires, to help acclimate them to the profession.

11:30am CONFERENCE BEGINS: Opening Remarks & Lunch, Marquette Ballroom
Jeff Griffin, IOM, President/CEO, Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce
sponsored by ComEd Energy Efficiency Programs


12:00pm OPENING KEYNOTE: Marquette Ballroom
presented by Dr. Chris Reynolds, Athletic Director, Bradley University

Executive Employment Contract Template: Marquette Ballroom
presented by Jon Ridler,ACE,Executive Director,Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce IACCE has invested in Illinois chamber executives by offering a members-only benefit – access to an employment contact template crafted specifically for chamber execs.The sample contract was created by attorney Julie Proscia, partner with SmithAmundsen, LLC.

1:00pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS BY TOPIC

SESSION 1: Regional Economic Development Partnerships

LaSalle Ballroom
presented by Chris Setti, CEO, Greater Peoria Economic Development Council Learn how to unite your region for growth through strategic partnerships.

SESSION 2:Workforce Development – How Does Your Chamber Participate?
Cheminee Ballroom
presented by Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey, President, Illinois Central College
Inadequate workforce preparedness is a top concern of employers nationwide, and chambers of commerce are uniquely positioned to take a lead role in ensuring businesses have employees who are trained and job-ready.

SESSION 3:Toss Your ‘To-Do’ List – Time Management Strategies
Cotillion Ballroom
presented by Shari Pash, Consultant, Specializing in Chamber & Membership Growth When you have much to accomplish, how do you decide which task has top priority? Toss your to-do list and instead create a success list.This session will focus on achieving clarity to better invest your time, and have control over how you manage that time.

2pm BREAK, Marquette Ballroom sponsored by GrouVe

2:30pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS BY TOPIC
(
REPEAT OF 1PM SESSIONS – SAME LOCATIONS)

3:30pm IACCE Board of Directors Meeting, Illinois Room

3:45pm GENERAL SESSION: Get Your Business Online With Google, Marquette Ballroom presented by Erin Bemis, IOM, Speaker, Google’s ‘Get Your Business Online’ Program
Attendees will learn benefits of participating, and the process of becoming a program partner, to help your community grow and thrive online.

4:45pm Shuttle to Caterpillar Visitor Center
Pick-Up at the Hotel’s Madison Street Entrance (behind hotel bar)

5pm Evening Kick-Off
Caterpillar Visitor Center (110 SW Washington Street in Peoria)

5:30pm Cocktails & Hors d’Oeuvres
Peoria Riverfront Museum (222 SW Washington Street in Peoria)


THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8

7:30–8:30am BREAKFAST, Marquette Ballroom
sponsored by IX Solutions

8am Topical Legislative Issues YOU Want To Learn About,Marquette Ballroom presented by Todd Maisch, President/CEO, Illinois Chamber of Commerce &
Ben Taylor, IOM, Executive Director, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
This survey-driven session will explore hot advocacy topics IACCE members indicated are at the top of their legislative agenda concerns.

8:30 am GENERAL SESSION: Building Members For Life With Great Customer Service
Marquee Ballroom
presented by David Aaker, IOM, Aaker & Associates
This enthusiastic and participatory session shines a bright light on the opportunities chambers have – each hour of each day – to provide outstanding customer service with every phone call, walk-in, email, and other interaction.Your chamber is the point of
the business arrow in your community, and our goal is to hit a bullseye with each opportunity.Topics include communication, listening skills, ethics, and the impression that you, your staff, and your board make in your community and region.

sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management

SMALL SESSION: An Early Look At Tuesday’s Election Results
Cheminee Ballroom
presented by Todd Maisch, President/CEO, Illinois Chamber of Commerce &
Ben Taylor, IOM, Executive Director, Great Lakes Region, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
This deep dive into the results of Tuesday’s mid-term election will answer questions – or raise more – about what the political landscape might look like for the next two years.

10:30am  BREAK, Marquette Ballroom

11am CONCURRENT SESSIONS BY TOPIC

SESSION 1: Political Action – Should Your Chamber Get In The Game?

Marquette Ballroom
presented by Dave Kilby, IOM, President & CEO, Western Association of Chamber Executives Realizing that sometimes the only way to change policy is to change the politicians, the number of chambers involved in helping elect business-friendly candidates to office is on the increase.This session will touch on the ABCs of political action – including political action committees (PACs), endorsing candidates, and 10 powerful things chambers can do without a PAC.

SESSION 2: Strategies & Tools To Kick-Start Your Digital Marketing Plan
Cotillion Ballroom
presented by Robin Hammond, Director of Marketing & Communications,
Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce

Small staff with little to no marketing budget? No problem! Get organized and extend your reach by making the most of your digital tools.Take away easy-to-implement and practical email, social media and content marketing tricks for your toolbox – all without breaking the bank.

SESSION 3: Essential Documents for Chamber Operations
Cheminee Ballroom
presented by David Sabathné IOM,ACE,President & CEO,Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce There’s never enough time to get the work done, and now you want me to write procedures? Chamber executives are driven to achieve their mission every day – delivering greater benefits to members, and improving the business environment for all. In this fast-moving environment where we are never truly finished with our work, how can we set aside tome to document our activity, measure it, and write procedures that support our organizations? This session will help identify three major areas of organization, and tips for how to reduce time managing paper, so we can spend more time doing the important work.These documents include a procedure manual, a policy manual, and a ‘red book.’

SESSION 4: Building A Crowdfunding Specialty Within Your Chamber
LaSalle Ballroom
presented by Florence Hardy, truCrowd
Learn the basics about crowdfunding, with a particular focus on debt and equity based options.This workshop will provide a blueprint for introducing a crowdfunding specialty in your organization as either a revenue or non-revenue generation center.

11:30am COMPLIMENTARY HEADSHOTS
provided by Daryl Wilson Photography
Outside of Cotillion Ballroom (available until 2:30pm)
 
12pm 1pm  LUNCH & ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS BY TOPIC, Marquette Ballroom sponsored by Ameren Illinois Efficiency Program

KEYNOTE: Is Your Chamber Ready To Live The New Brand?
Marquette Ballroom
presented by Dave Kilby, IOM, President & CEO, Western Association of Chamber Executives Recent W.A.C.E. research on the chamber of commerce brand and new messaging will be shared. A key question to be examined: Do you have the courage to make necessary choices and create the changes necessary to become a ‘3C’ (a catalyst, a convener, and a champion) chamber? This is what’s wanted, expected, and needed in the years ahead.

2pm 2:30pm BREAK, Marquette Ballroom
CONCURRENT SESSIONS BY TOPIC

SESSION 1: Selling Sponsorships Pain-Free
Cotillion Ballroom
presented by Shari Pash, Consultant, Specializing in Chamber & Membership Growth
If sales is not your thing, and yet you’re expected to sell sponsorships, this is the session for you! Attendees will learn steps to create a sustainable foundation for signing new sponsors. We’ll discuss clarifying sponsorship packages and connecting to strategic member segments, and tips for preparing to make sponsorship calls.The session will include an overview of implementation and utilizing steps in the sales process – a process proven to increase sponsorships. Sales techniques, steps, tips and tools will be shared.

SESSION 2: Gaining Media Attention – Earning Your Chamber Coverage
LaSalle Ballroom
presented by Renee Charles, Spokesperson & Executive Director of PR, Bradley University Learn effective strategies for working with the media. Get tips on gaining coverage for your events, writing press releases, and strengthening media relationships.

SESSION 3: Using Data to Retain Members
Cheminee Ballroom
presented by Rudy Flores,IOM,Executive Director,Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce ‘What do I even GET out of this?!’ is a question we might hear during renewal season. What if you could succinctly recap all the ways you helped a business through their membership – social media engagement, event attendance, and everything in between? This session will showcase how one chamber of commerce collects data for everything – EVERYTHING – to demonstrate its worth to new and renewing members.
​
3:30pm BREAK, Marquee Ballroom sponsored by Gulf Plains Energy

4pm CONCURRENT SESSIONS BY TOPIC
(
REPEAT OF 2:30PM SESSIONS – SAME LOCATIONS)

6pm COCKTAIL HOUR, Cotillion Foyer

7pm CELEBRATION & AWARDS DINNER, Cotillion Ballroom

​
EVENTS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9

7:30–8:30am BREAKFAST, Marquette Ballroom, 
8am Past Chairs Breakfast, Hotel Restaurant

GENERAL SESSION: 60 Membership Ideas In 60 Minutes
Marquette Ballroom
facilitated by John Broich, Membership Manager, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Come prepared to share your ideas (and questions) at this fast-paced session!

9am Illinois Bicentennial Celebration
Marquette Ballroom
presented by Dr.Timothy Cundiff
Dr. Cundiff will entertain the crowd with great Illinois stories in honor of the state’s year-long bicentennial event.

10am CLOSING KEYNOTE: Leadership for Chamber Success
presented by David Aaker, IOM, Aaker & Associates
A closing reminder that chamber executive leadership, and the leadership of the board of directors, is the ‘lighthouse of the business community.’ It is our responsibility, and the expectation of our communities, that the chamber is one of the brightest lights and major ingredients in the success of members.
sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management

2019 Fall Conference Announcement
​Passport Drawing
Closing Remarks 







​Hotel Information
​Conference hotel: 
Marriott Pere Marquette
​Peoria, IL


Thank you to our conference
​sponsors & exhibitors

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Special Event Sponsor

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​Keynote Sponsor


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​Wednesday Lunch Sponsor
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​Thursday Breakfast Sponsor
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Awards Dinner Sponsor
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​Thursday Lunch Sponsor

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Sustaining Sponsor
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​Affiliate Sponsors

 Exhibitors 

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 Interested in an opportunity to be a sponsor?  
Sponsorship opportunities

A huge thank you to the 2017 fall conference committee

Conference Chair:
Valentina Tomov
Greater Oak Brook Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Partnership

​Committee:
Desirée Bennyhoff
Edwardsville|Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce

Kelly Donnelly
Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Jeff Griffin
Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce

Howard Meyer
Skokie Chamber of Commerce

Tricia O'Brien
Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce & Industry

​Dale Perrin
LZ Area Chamber of Commerce

Mindy Phillips
Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce

Dave Sabathné
Western DuPage Chamber of Commerce


​The temperature is difficult to control in the conference rooms, so it is recommended to dress in layers to remain comfortable throughout the day.

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Apple Discounts? 


We have a business account with Apple - email (is best) or call Greg Hurtado at 512-674-2260, mention IACCE and get a discount on all products you purchase.

  • Get Involved
    • Join IACCE
    • Login
    • The Value of IACCE
    • Mission & History
    • Board of Directors & Staff
    • Committee Profiles
    • IACCE By-Laws
    • Member Directory
    • Past Chairs
    • Contact
  • Professional Development
    • 2021 Fall Conference
    • IACCE Events
    • Chamber of Commerce Week
    • Past Conferences >
      • 2020 Fall Conference
      • 2019 Fall Conference >
        • 2019 Fall Conference Presentations & Pics
      • 2018 Fall Conference
      • 2017 Fall Conference
      • 2016 Fall Conference
      • 2015 Fall Conference
      • 2014 Fall Conference
      • 2013 Fall Conference
      • 2012 Fall Conference
    • Scholarships
  • Awards & Certifications
    • Accreditations
    • Chamber Certification Program
    • Distinguished Illinois Chamber of Commerce Executive of the Year
    • Distinguished Service Awards
    • Outstanding Chamber of the Year
  • Resources
    • ILoveLocal
    • Planning for the Future - Resources Post COVID-19
    • IACCE Job Postings
    • US Chamber Resources
    • What is a Chamber?