Chamber Newsletter - May 2019

Chair
Sara Pierce
Pierce Accounting
and Tax Services
Vice Chair
Deb Barnes
Lakeview Methodist
Health Care Center
Mission Statement: The Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce is an advocate for promoting a healthy business clim
Board of Directors Officers:
Board of Directors:
Stephanie Busiahn
Visit Fairmont
Dave Cone
Kahler Automation
Corporation
Brandon
Edmundson
Krahmer, Shaffer
& Edmundson, Ltd
Nicole Gries
Valero Renewables
Staff:
Past Chair
Les Anderson
Martin County
Farm Bureau
Treasurer
DeAnn Eversman
Dee’s Floral &
Designs
Judy Gustafson
U.S. Bank
Teresa Haycraft
Fairmont Ford
John Kasper
Graffiti Corner
Steve Pomerenke
Compeer Financial
Blake Potthoff
Fairmont Opera
House, Inc.
Ned Koppen
President
president@fairmontchamber.org
Kandi Menne
Office Manager/Director of
Communications
info@fairmontchamber.org
Benjamin Landsteiner
Marketing & Social Media
Coordinator
benjamin@fairmontchamber.org
Miranda Larsen
Finance Coordinator
finance@fairmontchamber.org
Contact Information:
Fairmont Area Chamber of Commerce
323 East Blue Earth Avenue
P.O. Box 826
Fairmont, MN 56031
Phone: (507) 235-5547
www.FairmontChamber.org
Retail Committee reborn
By: Ned Koppen - Chamber President
There is a new group that
has formed at the Fairmont Area
Chamber of Commerce. The new
group is called the RBE Committee.
The acronym RBE is short for
Retail, Business and Entertainment
Committee. The
group formed to expand on the work that
the Chamber’s traditional Retail
Committee has done over
the past few years.
The Retail Committee
has always provided services
such as our Chamber Bucks
program and Bad Check Alerts.
The Chamber and this newly
populated group of members
feel that there is more that this
committee can do. While the
group is new, they have hit the
ground running.
In addition to renaming
the committee to create
greater inclusion of businesses,
there is also a new Mission.
That mission is “To attract and
encourage local shopping”.
From that start, the committee
will create the initiatives
it wants to pursue in order to
help our local businesses, organize
and coordinate community
events and possibly create
new shopping events.
Retail has changed in today’s world. There
are many new challenges that all businesses need
to address and adapt to. The RBE Committee will
try and work for all of our Chamber members as
well as our whole community being thoughtful,
creative and dedicated when it considers what
direction it takes in advocating for our local businesses
and shoppers.
The community of Fairmont has so much to
offer and buying local from any of our great local
“The Retail
Committee has
always provided
services such as our
Chamber Bucks
program and Bad
Check Alerts. The
Chamber and this
newly populated
group of members
feel that there is more
that this committee
can do.”
businesses is high on that list. Local jobs and wages,
convenience and savings, a stronger tax base,
and community pride are a few great benefits
shopping local provides. Knowing that the money
we spend here, stays here is another.
Our local businesses also contribute
greatly to all of the non-profit organizations
that need our help funding the programs
and services that they
offer. These local businesses
are also owned and operated by
our friends and neighbors. All
of these people are most likely
to invest in our community,
churches, organizations and
our way of life.
The work of this new committee
is just getting started. If you
would like to be involved in determining
what direction their
ideas and efforts take them in,
please join us. Bring your talents
and expertise to this group
to enhance the current Martin
County shopping experience
and create new reasons to shop
locally here at home.
If you would like more information
about the RBE Committee
and how you can contribute,
contact me at the Chamber
offices at (507) 235-5547 or
email me at president@fairmontchamber.org.
In the meantime,
stop at a local business and see what they
have to offer. You won’t be disappointed.
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