HOUGHTON - At its annual meeting Friday, the Keweenaw Peninsula Chamber of Commerce outlined steps it's taking to improve its future and that of its members, and honored other community members who have been just as forward-thinking.
Over the past few months, said interim executive director Tom Wright, the Chamber developed a strategic plan, aimed at seven core areas: visibility, access, training and education, low-cost advertising, advocacy, member discounts/incentive programs and business development.
Those areas aren't just for the Chamber, but for the members, Wright said.
In advocacy, the Chamber could support candidates whose policies would benefit local businesses, or alert officials to issues of interest to members.
"The Chamber, in a lot of ways, is the tip of the spear, the focal point of the businesses," he said.
In distinguishing the Chamber from similar organizations, one function that stood out was as a clearinghouse of information for people new to the area who need to know where to go.
"We're the organization that can send these folks around," he said.
They've also streamlined their organizational structure. In past years, the board of directors has had as many as 17 members, making consensus - or in some cases, a quorum - difficult That number is being trimmed to nine. But to retain outside experience, the Chamber created an advisory council, which will have an uncapped size and will represent a variety of community interests.
The Chamber will also be remodeling its website in 2012 to make it more user-friendly, said Karyn Hanks-Olsson, a member of the board of directors. It will also be collaborating on a phone system that will funnel tourism-related calls to the Keweenaw Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Jay Ringler, treasurer for the Chamber, said the organization is becoming leaner and more focused on benefits for members. After several years in which expenses edged out income, the Chamber's projected 2012 budget has income of a little more than $120,000 to go with expenses of a little more than $100,000.
Eighty percent of last year's income will come from member investment; most of the rest comes from events and billable services. Expenses were split between operating (61 percent), membership services (29 percent) and events (10 percent).
The balance shifts this year, when membership and events spending is expected to account for more than 45 percent of the budget.
Several movers and shakers from the previous year received awards at the banquet.
Finlandia University won the Project of the Year award for renovations at McAfee Field. The $2.3 million first phase of the project includes a lighted ProGrass synthetic field and a scoreboard. The Hancock Central High School football team played the first varsity game at the new field in September.
"It's an honor to get an award from a group of peers," said Nick Stevens, executive vice president for business and finance at the university. "Finlandia is excited about growth and projects similar to this summer."
The $6 million second phase will include the "Lion's Den," which will have field house and locker room facilities, followed by a final phase that will add a softball field.
"Right now, our women's softball team has to play all its games on the road, so this will provide them with a home field," said Duane Aho, executive vice president for advancement.
Also on deck, Stevens said, is the university's renovation of the former Hancock Middle School building into the university's College of Health and Science.
Winning the Chamber's Spark Plug awards were LJJ Construction owner Jonathan Julien; Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium & Keweenaw Superintendent Darryl Pierce and Western Upper Peninsula Planning & Development Region Executive Director Kim Stoker. Bruce Rukkila, a past president of the Chamber board, was named as an honorary life member.
The board also conducted elections at the meeting. Johanna Davis and Stephan Olsson were re-elected, while Michael Scott joined the board.
Speaking at the meeting was Doug Luciani, executive director of the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce and a native of Hancock.
"I think you guys are on the right track. ... I think your future looks very bright," he said.
