So, it has been a year since the Monroe Times asked for some input from community members to share what has been going on in our perspective worlds. I was flattered to be included in this opportunity. I think thus far, things have gone well, all things considered.
At least, I haven’t broken anything yet.
Looking forward to the new year, a few things seem to be a bit more glaring than in years past. Maybe it is because we do not have collective energies focused on the Green and Gold heading to the Super Bowl, or maybe because we are collectively ignoring the fact that once again The New England Patriots are making a return visit.
Come on. Really?
Whatever it is that is not distracting us, we sure have a lot to accomplish. The beginning of each year is crazy around here. Renewing memberships and getting everyone used to the latest changes that took place keeps us hopping. We are gearing up for our annual meeting in February. We invite all chamber members to get together to review how things have been and hear what the plans are for the upcoming year. It is a lot of fun to plan but it does not happen without some fantasist chamber members getting us there. We are lucky to have the Peppercorn Banquets available for us to gather. The wood burning fireplace is a cozy addition that keep people gathered in the retro horseshoe shaped bar while having an opportunity to catch up with colleagues they haven’t seen in a while. There is no shortage of sharing accomplishments, along with a few struggles.
It is great to work with our chamber members to make it happen. New Life Press is a constant for us and our printing needs. We love getting our invitations there. For personalized service, I don’t think you can ask for a better group of people. They have caught and corrected more than a few “oops” for us. They make everything we ask for look professional and they do it faster than I could imagine. The other company that gets us going on the right direction is Monroe Engraving. They recently moved to their new showroom. It is very impressive and from the sounds of it, they have been busy! I learned so much about them and what they are doing at their open house. I was not aware that they are the trophy and awards supplier for most of the school districts in the area. It is great to have an option like this right here in Monroe. No shame in plugging the companies right here in town that keep things running smoothly.
This year, we are fortunate to have a guest speaker Andrew Nussbaum. He is the regional tourism representative for the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. He is a great speaker and a great advocate for our area. Our board of directors and officers are introduced. We put effort in building a board of directors that offers a representation of as many industry types that we can. This year’s board consists of President Lynn Molinaro, Dairy Queen; Vice President Craig Fuchs, Orchid International; Treasurer Joe Klein, Bank of New Glarus; Past President Tim Wolff, Colony Brands; Adam Bansley, Empire Media; Erin Daniels, Monroe Clinic SSM; Al Rufer, PDC; Terry Snow, Pleasant View Nursing Home; Melissa Thompson, First Weber Hedeman Realty; and David Frey, David James Financial Group. We are very fortunate to have dedicated board members. As we welcome our new members, we also want to say thank you to the hard work of our exiting board members: Phil Vosberg, Jeff Maliszewski and Fuzzy Karlen. Each has served our board with dedication and a true interest in seeing the entire community grow and prosper.
— Melissa Even is the executive director for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce. She can be reached at melissa@monroechamber.org.
