COVID-19 has changed the way we work, live and do business. In just a matter of days, the world was disrupted by the pandemic. As time progressed, it seemed like some businesses have excelled. Some industries ceased in just a matter of days. Others swiftly shifted their business model to stay afloat. While the world was still grappling with the changes that COVID brought, … [More]
Dude! We’re All on the Same Team
One of the challenges with having a sales team is building the right sales culture. Years ago, I was on a sales team — and there was an opportunity I was working on, with the goal of getting a particular deal closed. There were some questions from the prospect I was speaking to that I couldn’t answer. I knew there was another member of the sales team who had more expertise in … [More]
Tempe Chamber Recognizes Two Local Businesses with 2020 Business Excellence Award
During the virtual broadcast of the 2020 State of the Chamber on June 26th, the Tempe Chamber of Commerce awarded two outstanding Tempe businesses with the 2020 Business Excellence Award — Boulders on Broadway and Chasse Building Team. Each year, these awards are given in both the small and large category to businesses whose practice in business and employee development, … [More]
2020 Business Woman of the Year
The Tempe Chamber of Commerce recognized three outstanding women and announced the recipient of the 25th Annual Business Woman of the Year award at the 2020 State of the Chamber & Annual Awards, held virtually on June 26th. The Business Woman of the Year award recognizes an individual’s excellence in her industry and demonstrated leadership within the community. The award … [More]
Tempe Chamber Welcomes New Board and Committee Volunteers
As the Tempe Chamber ends its fiscal year, it is pleased to announce that five new individuals will be joining the board of directors, starting their terms July 1, 2020. Jenifer Midgett, Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital John Bauer, Dignity Health Josh Diker, Wells Fargo Tom Binge, Renaissance Financial Sarah Clifford, Davis Miles McGuire Gardner, PLLC Rustyn … [More]
Tempe Chamber Events Update
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tempe Chamber has made several adjustments to its programming to protect the health and safety of its members, staff and partners. Within just days of the stay-at-home order, the Chamber committed to serve its members by taking committee meetings, monthly mixers, signature events and training webinars to online platforms. The 11th … [More]
Tempe Chamber Joins National Initiative to Address Inequality of Opportunity
The Tempe Chamber of Commerce announced it is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on a national initiative to address inequality of opportunity. The Tempe Chamber participated in the U.S. Chamber’s national town hall event on June 25th, where business and community leaders from across the country discussed concrete actions that can be taken by government and the … [More]
VP of Marketing & Programs Receives Honor
On June 30, 2020, Sukki Jahnke, CMP and vice president of Marketing and Programs for the Tempe Chamber received the 2019-2020 Planner of the Year Award from the Meeting Professionals Internationals MPI Arizona Sunbelt Chapter (MPI AZ). The Chapter Excellence Award “Recognizes an active planner member who has demonstrated leadership, delivers exceptional meetings and has made … [More]
Expecting the Unexpected
Planning for the unexpected: Is there really a way to do that? It seems counterintuitive and darn near impossible. How do we as leaders even begin to start to plan for something we do not foresee ever happening? If you had told me in January that we would all be quarantined to our homes for several months, wearing masks when we got out in public and homeschooling our kids, I … [More]
Arizona Gives Day
Coming off a record-breaking Arizona Gives Day in 2019 that generated $3.6 million from donors statewide, expectations were sky high for the eighth annual Arizona Gives on April 7. And then came COVID-19. As the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, Arizona Grantmakers Forum and presenting sponsor FirstBank moved closer to Arizona Gives Day 2020, the state — and the country — … [More]
Republic Bank of Arizona Steps Up for Nonprofits during Pandemic
When the Paycheck Protection Program launched amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Republic Bank of Arizona made a conscious decision to roll out the welcome mat and do its best to help every Arizona small business and nonprofit organization asking for help. The bank proactively reached out to its existing customers, but went a step further in contacting its fellow Alliance of … [More]
Expect More Arizona
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare some of the most pressing issues that Arizona schools face every day. While our state’s amazing educators have made every effort to support students and avoid a feared COVID-slide, some challenges have been more daunting than others, making even small wins especially sweet. Food insecurity: While some schools were able to begin online … [More]
Nonprofits Need Funding Now More than Ever
The coronavirus pandemic exposed a great many underlying issues across America, perhaps none more eye-opening than the fact that underserved communities were harder hit than most. Minority communities, the poor, the homeless and the elderly all saw more than their share of cases, and the pandemic exacerbated disparities. While most businesses found it difficult to make ends … [More]
Alliance News Updates
The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits has completed a series of strategic steps to broaden its reach and impact through advocacy and availability of programming and resources for the state’s more than 20,000 nonprofits. In February, the Alliance opened an office in Northern Arizona under the leadership of new Regional Director Angela Palmer. With support from a grant from … [More]
Returning Employees to Work during a Pandemic: What’s So Hard about That?
After managing the devastating impact the COVID-19 response has had on business, including the labyrinth of forgivable and non-forgivable government loans, businesses are now tasked with formulating a strategy for restarting the bulk of their operations. With that comes the perilous task of returning employees from furloughs, posting jobs, and changing the job functions for … [More]
Zoom – A Great Solution … If Set Up Properly!
Many folks, including myself, are utilizing the Zoom platform for web conferencing as more and more employers are urging their employees to work from home and minimize leaving their houses to come to the office. But, as with all things these days, every great solution comes with its challenges and learning curves ... and Zoom is no different. Many users are sending out alerts … [More]
Culture and the New Normal
Jimmy Dean of Jimmy Dean Sausage said, “You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust the sails to reach your destination.” What is happening during the pandemic may not be comfortable nor immediately welcomed by many of us. We have had to adapt to something that we did not see coming, may not entirely understand, and have little control over. A Black Swan. … [More]
COVID-19 – The Tsunami that Hit Corporate Leadership
First comes the ground-shaking tremors. Then, the aftershocks. In Fukushima, it was the shifting of the tectonic plates, a tsunami, and then a nuclear meltdown. In America right now, and globally, it’s COVID-19. But the result is the same. Lives lost. Businesses vanquished. Cities turned into ghost towns. Having witnessed the earthquake that brought Japan to its knees on … [More]
