Ann Arbor / Ypsilanti Regional Chamber

In celebration of the merger, the Chamber is having a contest during the month of June.

The Arts Alliance recently held a launch party introducing their new website, a3arts.org, connecting to the Ann Arbor Area Arts Community. The Arts Alliance supports efforts to increase participation in arts and cultural activities and strengthen the Ann Arbor Area culture community and organizations that provide these programs.

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently announced the winners of its 2010 Michigan Small Business Awards. The Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Area Chambers were represented very well, winning three of the nine awards.

February’s Morning Edition featured a fantastic line up of speakers including Ora H. Pescovitz, Congressman Pete Hoekstra, Sultan Sharrief, Alex Milshteyn and Bob Guenzel. Russ Collins, back from the Sundance Film Festival, was our energetic emcee.

Zingerman’s may be best known for their world famous Deli located downtown in Kerrytown. Many people, even townies, are surprised to learn that there are nine, that’s right – 9, separate businesses. The Zingerman’s Community of Businesses (ZCoB) is “a family of small food related companies in the Ann Arbor area. Each is operated by one or more managing partners who share ownership and work in the day-to-day running of the business.”

ast week was Community Service Day at Leadership Ann Arbor, with the focus of discovering the different resources in our community as well as what volunteer opportunities are available.

How often do you think about water?

Over the weekend, I read a little blurb in the sports section about congressional hearings demanding change in the Bowl Championship Series format. It seems some Congressman believe we should have a playoff.

In 2009, the Chamber is 90 years old, Metzger’s wonderful German Restaurant is 80 years old, and Conlin Travel is 50 years old. All three anniversaries are possible because each organization morphed, changed, evolved in ways inconceivable to their founders.