Category Archives: Uncategorized

Joseph Wright Vice President of Technology Transfer (TSI) here at the Chamber of Commerce is the “Meet the Staff” staff member this week.  Joseph has been at the Chamber for almost four years!

Joseph said that the most interesting part of working at the Chamber is how the Chamber identifies problems and issues for local businesses and how we go about addressing and solving those problems.  He thinks its fun to work for an organization that is so dedicated to its members.

For Joseph the coolest thing about working at the Chamber that is since he is in charge of business retention he has been given the opportunity to tour almost all of the food processing plants in the region.  Its pretty cool getting to see how it is all done.

Joseph wants the members and community to know that he is in charge of business retention and entrepreneurship and that if there is anything he can do for start up or small businesses they should let him know so he can do his best to help!

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern

The Ronald McDonald House of Siouxland has paired up with Buffalo Wild Wings for “Eat Wings and Raise Funds”.  On April 13th (tomorrow) from 5-1opm 10% of all pre-taxed food sales goes towards the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Siouxland.  You just have to present the coupon below.

What a great idea, eating good food and giving back to the community at the same time. The mission of the Ronald McDonald House Charities  of Siouxland, Inc. is to help kids and families heal and keep kids healthy. They accomplish this by offering 3 core RMHC programs: the Ronald McDonald House, the RMHC Matching Grant Program and the RMHC Scholarship Program.  For more information visit the website for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Siouxland.

Coupon:RMHC New

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern

Beth Trejo the Director of Investor Relations here at the Chamber of Commerce is the “Meet the Staff” staff member this week.  Beth has been at the Chamber for two and a half years!

When asked about the most interesting part of working at the Chamber Beth said it is all of the different businesses and business owners that she gets to work with on a daily basis.

Beth is trying to help the small businesses in Siouxland with marketing and promotion.  She also wants to increase benefits to all of the Chamber Members.  Her goal is to increase the diversity of the leadership at the Chamber, she admits that it is not a quick process.

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern

Mark your calendars for April 15th and 16th.  Isagenix is hosting Tony Escobar an inspirational speaker.  Isagenix is the world leader in Nutritional Cleansing and Replenishing.

Tony has earned commendation for his work as a professional Trainer, Coach, and Nutritional Consultant.    For the past six years Tony has been working in jails and prisons using his 12 step program that he will share with you on Saturday April 16th!

Friday April 15th there will be a short meeting going over everything that will be going on Saturday.  Saturday the 16th will be an all day event with Tony and Randi Escobar.

For more information contact Bev Lessman  at 712-253-7434.

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern

Say hello to Nicole Thompson this weeks Meet the Staff for the Chamber.  Three years ago in May Nicole Thompson joined the Chamber Staff as a Communication Specialist (TSI).

Nicole said that it is all of the people she gets to connect with everyday that makes her job here at the Chamber interesting.  Nicole has collected a few funny stories from her time at the Chamber, but her favorite is the River-Cade Carnival story.  One year, when Debi Durham was still here Nicole and Debi planned all week to go to the carnival in the parking lot right outside of the office.  The day finally came for them to go to the carnival, they rode one ride and got sick!  Nicole and Debi were both sick the rest of the day.  Looking back now Nicole is not sure why they thought it would be such a good idea to go to the carnival.

As the Communication Specialist Nicole works with the Members to plan ribbon cuttings and open houses and she also works on all of the annual events.  She wants to remind everyone that there are three events coming up.  The Business Builder Series in April and May, the golf event in June, and the Annual Dinner in September.

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern

The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce in partnership with SCGO (Sioux City Growth Organization) is hosting the Small Business Builders Series sponsored by Iowa’s National Career Readiness Certificate.  The series is for business leaders and owners that want to improve their process to create consistent and predictable results.

The first event on April 19th is Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work & What To Do About It. At this event you will learn three main things; 1) Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it, 2) How to create consistent and predictable results in your business, and 3) How to add value and growth to your business.

The second event on May 17th is Key Strategies to Consistently Outperform Your Competitors. The three main things you will learn at this event are; 1) Where sustainability lives in most businesses, 2) How to make your game worth playing for your employees and your customers, and 3) The difference between delegating and neglecting your responsibilities, in order to achieve truly effective and consistent results.

For more information or to register visit The Chambers Website

Dianne Gampp is the Director of Finance here at the Chamber and has been working here for 17 years.   Before working at the Chamber Dianne was a one woman office, being the bookkeeper, the secretary, and just about everything else!

Dianne says that the most interesting part about working as the Director of Finance is working with the numbers and getting it all to work out.  Dianne likes bookkeeping, she always has since the first class she took.

When asked about the funniest thing that has happened to her while working at the Chamber Dianne just laughs.  In the mail one day she received a signed check for the amount of zero dollars!!  Wouldn’t that be a surprise!

Keep an eye out for more  of The Chamber Staff blogs!

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern

We are trying something new here on the Chamber Blog.  Each week  we will have a blog about a staff member at the Chamber.

Mary Koster the Executive Secretary is the first person you see when you walk in the glass doors at the Chamber, she greats you with a big smile and a friendly hello.  Mary started at the chamber 23 years ago, when she first started she was working with the Siouxland Initiative Campaign (Economic Development). 

When asked what the most interesting part of working at the Chamber is Mary said “Getting to meet and great new people everyday.”  She has a lot of funny stories from working at the Chamber but her favorite is about a phone call.  One day Mary answered the phone, there was a woman on the line slightly hysterical saying “What should I do my Chihuahua is choking!?”  Mary put down the phone and laughed (wouldn’t you?), picked up the phone again and calmly gave the lady a number of vet.  She still wonders why the lady would take the time to call the Chamber instead of looking up a vet.

Mary wants you to know that we are striving to be a service organization and want to help the members however we can, we also encourage communication to our members.

Feel free to call Mary with any questions you have about the Chamber or Siouxland at (712)255-7903 or stop by the Chamber at 101 Pierce Street.

Katie Brannen
Social Media Intern