7. EDSR 10-11-2010ITEM #7.
of
ver
MEMORANDUM
TO: Economic Development Authority
FROM: Annie Deckert, Economic Development Assistant
DATE: I I October 2010
SUBJECT: Marketing Update
Attachments
Positioning Businesses for Growth- Chamber Manufacturer's Month Celebration
15` Annual River's Edge Art Crawl
River's Edge Halloween Fun Fair
The purpose of this memo is to provide a brief update on the recent and proposed marketing
initiatives and events of the Economic Development Division.
U date
Business Recycling Event
Staff is partnered with the Environmental Department to hold a Business Recycling event on
September 30~'. Local manufacturers, businesses and Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce
members will joined us for breakfast to celebrate the launch of Elk River's Business Recycling
Program. Attendees will learn about how they can save money by participating as well as hear
presentations from local and corporate businesses on how their green initiatives saved them
money. Mayor Klinzing awarded attendees Energy City High Fives for their participation in the
event; there were over 35 attendees. Look for the high fives in local businesses.
MN Manufacturer's Week-Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce Celebration
This year, the Elk River Area Chamber of Commerce has planned a series of three events
throughout to celebrate our local manufacturers:
• Positively MN, Commissioner Dan McElroy, Tuesday, October 12``', 7:30-9:OOam
• Three Emerging, Bill Glahn, Tuesday, October 26`h, 7:30-9:OOam
• Building Our Economy, Bill Blazar, Tuesday, November 9, 7:30-9:OOam
1 S` Annual River's Edge Art Crawl
On Thursday, October 14`'', 2010 from 4:OOpm-8:OOpm, local artists will be displaying and selling
their art in downtown businesses; listen to music, enjoy refreshments and enter a drawing to win
$200.00. Event sponsored by the River's Edge Business Association and Elk River's Parks &
Recreation.
River's Edge Halloween Fun Fair
The 4`" annual Halloween Fun Fair will be held downtown on Friday, October 29~' from 10:OOam
to 5:OOpm. Participating businesses will have treats for kids, as well as face painting and a kid
friendly haunted house.
MN Commercial Association of Realtors (MNCAR) Expo -Land Development Conference -
October 27.2010
This year, the City will be an exhibitor at the MNCAR Expo. The sponsorship includes a display
booth at the event with an anticipated audience of 600 commercial real estate professionals from
across the state, City recognition in all event print and email promotion materials, including media
advertising distributed to over 9,000 commercial real estate industry professionals, City recognition
on the MNCAR website from August-October 2010 and exhibitor banner and expo program
recognition. This gives the City an opportunity to network and build relationships with
commercial brokers and realtors and market our available sites in the City. Staff will be utilizing
the Economic Development social media sites (Facebook and Twitter) to highlight available sites,
restaurant opportunities, Northstar Business Park, Gateway Business Park and more.
:-;;~ ~~,
-:.iii
city of
• Elk
Etk River Area --
C~iamberof Commerce R1Ver
Invite you to ce%brate
Minnesota Manufacturing
Month
Presented by Dan McElroy
Tuesday, October 12
x:30-9:00 a.m.
Metal Craft Machine
& Engineering
13760 Business Center Drive, Elk River
If business growth depended solely on
the availability of facilities, infrastructure
and people, you could succeed any-
where. But you need so much more than
just the basics. Success demands tremen-
dous positive energy -both from you
and from the place your company calls
home. "Positively Minnesota" is a public-
private partnership working to develop a
broad-based initiative to promote Min-
nesota and its business economy at local,
regional, and national venues.
Join us as DEED Commissioner Dan
McElroy provides an overview and un-
derstanding of our regional economy
and job market and what that means
as businesses position themselves for
the new normal in Minnesota econ-
omy. He will bring new insight about
recent legislative and agency programs
such as angel tax credits, infrastructure
grants, and workforce development in-
centives. You will hear the latest about
labor market intelligence and current
economic conditions and trends.
Dan McElroy is Commissioner of the
Minnesota Department of Employment
and Economic Development and a for-
p B~gi~+
Presented by Bill Glahn
Tuesday, October 26
7:30-9:00 a.ma
Great River Energy
Mississippi River Conference Room
17845 Highway 10, Elk River
There is a need to revitalize the econo-
mies of communities throughout Minne-
sota from the bottom up. The energy
industry is at the beginning stages of a
revolutionary transition to cleaner,
alternative sources of power such as
renewable energy and deployment of
smart grid technologies. These new
power technologies tend to be smaller in
scale and distributed in nature and fit
well with agricultural and bio-based
economies. Bill Glahn discusses ways
these converging trends can help com-
munities like Elk River rebuild their local
economies and create jobs.
Presented by Bill Blazar,
Grow Minnesota!
Tuesday, November 9
7:30-9:00 a.m.
Location to be announced
MINNESOTA NEEDS BUSINESSES.
MINNESOTA NEEDS JOBS. More than
ever before, Minnesota needs a pri-
vate-sector effort to retain and ex-
pand our business base. That is the
goal of Grow Minnesota!, a statewide
initiative uniting Minnesota communities
behind the premise that our state as a
whole is greater than its parts. Site visits
with local companies provide insight
about how businesses are changing their
practices: first to survive and then to be-
gin growing again. The Elk River Cham-
ber just completed their first year with
this seven year old program. Bill Blazar
will present information on the trends
that Grow Minnesota! visits heard from
local and regional businesses. The infor-
mation gathered from visits all over the
state are used in speaking with legisla-
tors about what the needs are of the
business community.
Bill Blazar is Minnesota Chamber of
Commerce Senior Vice President of Pub-
lic Affairs and Business Development. He
manages Grow Minnesota!, the Cham-
ber's business retention and expansion
for Growth
William L. Glahn is Director of the Min-
1st Annual
RiversEdge ArtCrawl
Downtown Elk River
Thursday,
October 14, 2010
4PM to 8PM
Stroll Through Downtown Elk River
and see Local Artists displaying
and selling their art in Downtown Businesses.
Listen to music, enjoy refreshments
Enter a drawing to win $200.00'
Sponsored by The RiversEdge Downtown Business Assoc.,
The Arts Alliance and by The City of Elk River Park and Rec Dept. ~1~~
%~. ~ _ _ry - ~ c..., ~r
~~ ~ ~~ t" ~ ~~: Elk ,.
,, ~~ ~~ ~ ~. ~. ~ ~:. ~ . ;f~ R.iver
~~~~~ ~ r - bringing home the arts Parl<s and
- Recreation
*Attendees can compete for a cash prize Uy completing a "Mystery Phrase" as they visit the various artists. The prize will
be awarded via a drawing. Refreshments will be served at the Arts Alliance as well as some of the other locations.
`Tri~~. or `Tr~a~~r~~
to our 4th ~nnusl
fi~Isllow~~n ~'un fair
in 9o~ntown ~Ik R.iv~r
October 29th, 2010
Hosted By 10:OOam to S:OOpm
Kiver
Parks and
Recreation
~ Pick up a trick or treat card for a