Strategic planning for 2015 was on the minds of the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce at its monthly meeting Wednesday, Aug. 6, at the chamber office. Several ideas were presented by executive director Tammy Cotton. Suggestions for items to be in the works included revising the mission statement, checking if any by-law changes are necessary, taking …read more.

Despite inclement weather, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf outing, which occurred June 18, brought in approximately $1,000 more than last year’s event. The event also saw an increase in teams with a total of 32. During the Wednesday, July 2, board meeting, board member Tom Tuttle expressed gratitude toward all members of the golf …read more.

SYRACUSE – The Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce, the Syracuse Rotary and the Syracuse Parks Department are again sponsoring the Tour des Lakes, or also known as the Liberty Bike Ride, set for July 12. The event will emanate from the Syracuse Community Center and Lakeside Park. Registration for the Tour begins at 7 a.m. and …read more.

Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce is drawing closer to its annual golf outing, June 18, at Maxwelton Golf Club. This year’s event will include two tee times at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m., with Chamber Executive Director Tammy Cotton set to gather golf teams preferred tee times soon. Golf outing task force chair Larry Biller stated …read more.

What started out as a relatively brief Syracuse Town Council meeting hit a snag Tuesday night during the council’s regular monthly meeting, when town manager Henry DeJulia requested $20,000 from the Elkhart TIF (tax increment finance district) on behalf of the Syracuse Redevelopment Commission to market the industrial and technology park. Councilmen Bill Musser and …read more.

Kick off the summer season with an evening of laughter as Main on Main Improv Troupe will be performing a FREE live comedy improv show at the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 27. Trained by filmmaker and actress Jessica Hardy, the group has been performing together since 2012, creating live improvised …read more.

The young entrepreneur group launched by the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce is making progress, according to group representative Kristi Martin who shared its progress with board members during a regularly scheduled board meeting May 7. Martin announced the group’s new official name is Young Entrepreneurs Association of Syracuse-Wawasee or YEA’s. The group has also adopted …read more.

[weaver_youtube jhebeXjPOoo rel=0] Dr. Kenneth Pennington talks with Curt Nisley, Republican primary candidate for State Rep. District 22 at the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber Meet the Candidate Night. US Rep. District 2 Democratic Candidate Joe Bock is shown in the background. (Photo by Deb Patterson) Republican and Democratic candidates for the May Primary participated in the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber …read more.

    [weaver_youtube kQPvsYXLaEo rel=0]   Steve Harris, Tyler Haines, Mark Caruso and David Cates, primary judge candidates for Kosciusko Superior Courts 1 and 2 take a few minutes to talk together before the program. (Photo by Deb Patterson) Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce offered area residents the opportunity to meet and hear candidates in the …read more.

The Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Meet the Candidates Night” event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 25, at the Syracuse Community Center, Celebration Hall, 1013 N. Long Dr., Syracuse. The chamber has invited local candidates to attend this meet and greet event. Each candidate will have a few minutes to …read more.

Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a Meet the Candidates Night from 6 p.m. 8 p.m. March 25 at the Syracuse Community Center. Board members looked at the invitations for primary candidates during the chamber’s meeting, March 5. The event will be an informal meeting, allowing voters in Kosciusko County the opportunity to meet …read more.

Junior Achievement board members received an award from the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce for Nonprofit Agency of the Year. Junior Achievement provides programs and funding for more than 1,700 students in the Wawasee Community School Corp. making economic education possible for local students.

The year 2014 is off to a good start for the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce with five new members being accepted during its Feb. 12 meeting. New members included Y & S Designs LLC, Syracuse; Westmain Tavern, Syracuse; Pizza Hut, Syracuse; K21 Foundation, Warsaw; and Big Brothers Big Sisters, Warsaw. Renewals are continuing to come …read more.

Tired of winter? You aren’t the only one! Come see Main on Main Improv Troupe performing live comedy improv to drive the winter blues away. Main on Main will be performing a free show at the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce office at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25. The group has been performing together since 2012, …read more.

Local businesses took center stage during Tuesday’s Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce annual awards dinner — catered by Grill-N-Grate — as several were recognized for their various services. There was a record-breaking attendance with 183 people filling the Syracuse Community Center’s gym. Chamber President Richard Owen noted the chamber had decided against having a speaker this …read more.

Familiar with Nappanee’s apple sculptures or the Elkhart County elk sculptures? Well, something similar might be in store for Syracuse. Jeff Stillson, an artist from Nappanee, visited the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce’s board meeting recently with a presentation about potentially bringing similar sculptures to the downtown area and in front of local businesses. Stillson played …read more.

  The first Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Christmas decorating contest, for both businesses and homes, was held and the winners have been announced. All homes or businesses within Turkey Creek Township were invited to participate by entering the contest. The entries were judged based on curb side appeal only. Approximately 12 entries competed for the $125 …read more.

The beginning of the holiday season is Syracuse is on its way. Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce, Lakeland Youth Center and the Syracuse Parks Department are bringing Holiday Magic to town from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23. Anyone of any age is invited to participate in all the activities. The fun kicks off at …read more.

Board positions were discussed during the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce’s regular board meeting, Nov. 6, after two individuals — Dave Mayer and Kathy Boyts — expressed interest in joining the board. Chip Erwin highly recommended Mayer who holds lengthy experience with fundraising, among other skills. Board members are already familiar with Boyts who is a …read more.

Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Tammy Cotton shared a meeting she had with Wawasee High School Principal Mike Schmidt, Kathy Myers and WHS Assistant Principal Steve Perek to chamber board members at their regular meeting Oct. 2. The theme of that meeting, according to Cotton, was connecting students with the local community and its …read more.

Under OSHA regulations, all employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must provide workers with training for the new Globally Harmonized System by Dec. 1. Under the GHS, product labeling, material safety data sheets and terminology have been updated and modified to more effectively communicate hazards to workers. This is a significant change from the …read more.

How the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce can assist local businesses in using other local businesses was a main topic of consideration for the chamber board of directors at its monthly meeting. Chip Erwin, head of the ambassadors committee, is ready to launch a new “shop locally” campaign aimed not only at consumers, but other local …read more.

Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board member Beth Kroes reported her research results to the rest of the board about bringing the Taste of Home cooking show back to Syracuse. Kroes said the organization gave them a “no,” stating the Indiana market was currently over-saturated. If one of its scheduled shows were to cancel, the organization …read more.

There is no better way to celebrate the nation’s independence than with the whole community, and the Syracuse-Wawasee area provides many ways to do so. Starting Thursday, various activities will take place around the area, beginning with the Flotilla Road Race for athletic types. It will take place at 8 a.m. at Syracuse Lakeside Park. …read more.

So far, 28 teams are signed up to participate in the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce’s annual golf outing June 19 at Maxwelton Golf Club. However, a couple openings for teams are still available. The golf outing will start off with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and be followed by a shotgun start at 1 p.m. Teams …read more.

David Neff, team leader at WorkOne in Warsaw, attended the regular Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board meeting April 10 and  spoke of the different programs offered by WorkOne, a non-profit. Among the programs offered by WorkOne is JAG, which helps high school students earn credits toward graduation and provides internship possibilities for participants. WorkOne also …read more.

During the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce’s regular board meeting, Jan. 9, Executive Director Tammy Cotton announced four new members had joined the chamber. Members include: Superior Wood Products, Warsaw; Pontoon Restoration Co., Warsaw; Huntington St. Bar & Grill, Syracuse; and Casey’s General Stores Inc., which is based out of Ankeny, Iowa, with a location in …read more.

The Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board anonymously voted on returning board members during their regular meeting, Dec. 5, since they did not do so during the November board meeting. The vote is required by the by-laws with board member Matt Schwartz stating they needed to set the precedence. Board members also voted on who would …read more.

Nine board members, whose terms are ending this December, agreed to serve another two years during the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce’s regular board meeting held Wednesday. The board also nominated two candidates – Noreen Black, who is with KeyBank, and Chip Erwin, who is with The Sleepy Owl – to fill current chamber president Kathy …read more.

Three candidates were nominated to fill a vacant seat on the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board during their regular board meeting, Oct. 3. After discussing existing by-laws, which eliminated one candidate who was still on their one year off, the board voted to include Susan Littlefield, a sales representative with The Papers Inc., on the …read more.

The town of Syracuse and the Syracuse Wawasee Chamber of Commerce are on a fact finding mission to see if merchants in the uptown area are interested in starting the process of joining the Indiana Main Street program. Surveys were hand delivered Friday, Sept. 28, and as of this morning Tammy Cotton, executive director of …read more.

Businesses have the opportunity to decorate a lamp post for this year’s Syracuse Fall Harvest Festival. To reserve a lamp post, contact the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce. Businesses can begin decorating their designated lamp posts on Oct. 1. Judging will take place on Oct. 13, with the decorations remaining up throughout the month of October. …read more.

A presentation on a program called Village Key began the Sept. 5 meeting of the board of directors of the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce. Todd McLaughlin of Village Key presented the program that is now in place in South Bend, Mishawaka and Nappanee. The holder of the key or plastic swipe tag from the company …read more.

Events and committees topped the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce board meeting today as members continued to lessen the burden on Executive Director Tammy Cotton. Cotton read over a list of her involvements before asking board members to take part in committees for certain events and functions of the chamber. One committee formed was for the …read more.

Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce will be considering its role in several currently chamber-organized events, particularly Syracuse SummerFest. Event task force chair Chad Jonsson approached the subject with his written report on SummerFest, which was submitted earlier since he is on vacation. In the report, he questioned the amount of work placed on chamber executive director …read more.

Two local men are looking to bring A Simple Marketplace to Syracuse. Rod Henry and Tom Stoughton introduced A Simple Marketplace program as a way to raise funds for the Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce and attract new members. The program would allow chamber members discounted rates to cross-market deals and events. The chamber would then …read more.