Events and Programs

Chamber Summer School is a series of courses on professional and personal growth presented throughout the summer for members by members in their areas of expertise. Topics include sales & marketing, customer service, and time management. Summer School kicks off June 21 and continues through the end of August. 

Generations in the Workforce

Generations in the Workforce is a session that identifies the four generations of workers who are side-by-side in the workplace for the first time in history.  This session will help you manage and work with Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X'ers and Millennials.  You will also be able to diagnose workplace issues from a generational perspective, identify potential generational conflicts and help prevent them, and learn different motivation and retention tips specific to the different generations.

Presenter | Janis Petrini & Jocelyn Hodak, Express Employment Professionals
Date | Tuesday August 16th, 2011
Time | 7:30 - 9:30 a.m.  
Location | ITT Technical Institute, 1980 Metro CT SW
Cost | $20 members/$25 future members. 
Registration | CANCELLED 

Cooperative Collaborations: Creating and Retaining Talent in West Michigan

What if there was a way for small to mid-sized companies to reduce cost, improve productivity and add creativity, while simultaneously grooming future leaders for the benefit of the regional business market? By working with college and university partners, employers can do just that!  This session will teach you about the numerous opportunities for businesses of all sizes to work with college career centers to help fill their human resources pipeline.

Presenter | Susan Proctor, GVSU & Cindy Brown, West Michigan Strategic Alliance
Date | Tuesday August 16th, 2011
Time | 10:00 a.m. - Noon  
Location | ITT Technical Institute, 1980 Metro CT SW
Cost | $20 members/$25 future members. 
Registration | CANCELLED

Developing a Collaborative Team

Presenter | Joan Epperson, Global Business Solutions & Associates, LLC
Date | Tuesday August 23rd, 2011
Time | 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Location | Chamber Office, 111 Pearl St. NW
Cost | $20 members/$25 future members. 
Registration | Call the RSVP Hotline at 616.771.0303 or click below. 

Overview of Creating a Tech Plan for Your Business

The way businesses communicate and exchange information is drastically changing.  Telephone systems and computer network technologies are converging, such as Voice-Over IP, and NuWave has carefully positioned themselves to provide the newest solutions to your changing technology needs.  This session will give you an insight to the state-of-the-art products and services which will meet and exceed your technology expectations.  From telephone and communication, to eBusiness and computer network solutions, John with NuWave Technology Partners will show you how to create a Tech Plan to maximize productivity in your business.

Presenter | John Westra, NuWave Technology Partners
Date | Thursday August 25th, 2011
Time | 7:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Location | Chamber Office, 111 Pearl St. NW
Cost | $20 members/$25 future members. 
Registration | Call the RSVP Hotline at 616.771.0303 or click below. 

"It was my pleasure to attend two GRACC Summer School classes presented by Rob Pocock of Priority Health.  Rob’s presentations were laser-focused on key points in such a way that I was energized to start applying his principals immediately.   In the class about customer service, I learned that if I invest time in my circle of influence, it will expand.  The other class taught me that effective time management is the ability or organize and execute around priorities.  And more time spent on important, non-urgent issues, means less time spent putting out fires." 

-Alix Criswell, Patriot Reality

For more information regarding these events, please contact Wes Trimpe at 616.771.0342.

|  Mindscape