The Chamber’s Education Committee, chaired by Stephanie Stover, had the tough job of selecting three winners from a field of more than 900 nominated teachers.  Nominations received by the chamber are first screened and all names and references to schools are removed.  The first set of judges read and sort through each nomination. The top three from each grade level are then sent on to final judging before the winners are named.

The winning teachers for 2013 are:

Ms. Celia Tynan,                    McCollough Elementary

         Ms. Sharifah Ahmed               Salina Intermediate

     Mr. Michael Dicks                 Fordson High

Ms. Tynan has been working at McCollough Elementary since 2005 but has also spent some time in the classrooms at River Oaks and William Ford.  The fifth grade student who nominated Ms. Tynan wrote these words to describe how he felt about his teacher:

 “My teacher is like a moon in the solar system.  When you look up at her she is always there.  She glows and is always smiling at you.”

 Joining the Dearborn Public Schools team as a teacher in the fall of 2012, Ms. Sharifah Ahmed is proof that it doesn’t take a long time to make a difference. This Salina Intermediate Language Arts teacher is engaging her students by making subject matter relevant to the real world and current events.  The nomination essay for Ms. Ahmed included comments such as:

 “We usually read articles about things that happened in the past and things that are happening in the present.  We learn things that connect with every-day life every single day,” 

 The student went on to say, “We all want to be successful beyond high school.  She is making it come true.” 

With his own children accompanying him to the podium, Mr. Dicks, a Fordson teacher since 2008, acknowledged the great work that all teachers do to make sure students are successful in the class room.  His comments were from the heart and filled with emotion as he thanked his students for nominating him.  However, the words of his nominator truly captured the soul of Mr. Dicks:

“He makes it his goal to work with each and every student and assure them a successful future.   He’s been known to spend hours after school assisting not only his own students but any student that walks through his classroom door”. 

 The three honorees received a $1,000 cash prize, a hand-made glass apple award, and are now part of a select group of Dearborn teachers who have been recognized by the community for their ability to make a difference.  In addition, the school where the teacher of year works received a cash prize.  Sponsors for this event included LaFontaine Automotive Group, CentralMichiganUniversity, McDonald’s, Health Alliance Plan, Dearforn Federal Savings Bank, Tim Hortons Four Area Locations. 

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Lovejoy has served for the past 14 years in several capacities with DavenportUniversity, including Director of Job Development, Director of the Romeo and Oxford campuses, Admissions Training Manager, and most recently Regional Employment and Internship Manager.  She’s managed teams and campuses, with an annual operations budget of more than $1.5 million, and has been the face of Davenport in the community.

“With Jackie’s experience and expertise in the areas of business growth, public speaking and community outreach, we know she is the perfect person to build on the solid foundation already assembled by the current staff,” said Rick V. Morrone, board chair of the Chamber.

Hired originally as a trainer and speaker for the college, she also arranged off-site events in such locations as Las Vegas, Nevada, Disney at Orlando, Florida, and state-wide in Michigan. 

“It is with great enthusiasm that I embrace my new role with the Dearborn Area Chamber,” says Lovejoy.  “I look forward to working with the staff as we continue the great programming and services that members have come to expect.”

Active in her campus’ local communities, she has been a board member, president-elect and emcee for the Romeo Washington Chamber of Commerce and a committee member for the Macomb County Chamber.  Her other civic involvements include past board member for Winning Futures and 9 year mentor, and as an executive steering committee member for WEDO, the Women’s Economic Development Outreach Tour. She earned her BA in Psychology from WayneStateUniversity.

Jackie’s husband Joe is Technical Director at DealerTrack in Warren, Michigan.  They have been married 21 years and reside in Beverly Hills with Lucky and Butchie, their pound-found dogs. 

Lovejoy, along with the board of directors and staff, will direct the course of the Chamber, known for significant membership outreach and signature events including Teacher of the Year Awards, Taste of Dearborn, the new YoungEntrepreneursAcademy and Small Business Saturday.

The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce promotes the best interests of over 500 member organizations by enhancing leadership opportunities, connection with prospective customers, endorsement of products and services, increasing sales and saving money.

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This year the Chamber will honor Severstal North America as Business of the Year. As one of the largest steel producers in theUnited States–with facilities inDearborn,MichiganandColumbus,Mississippi–responsible corporate citizenship is a key business priority. The company has invested over $3 billion in modernizing its assets and has some of the most efficient and environmentally friendly steelmaking facilities in the world. Charitable donations and employee volunteer activities are focused in the local communities in several key areas, including community enrichment and education, arts and culture, and environment. Severstal North America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of OAO Severstal, one of the world’s largest steel and mining companies. Visit their website at www.severstalna.com or follow them on Twitter @SeverstalNA.

The Leadership Award will be presented toLynne Killion, proprietor of PostNet.Lynne Killionowns the neighborhood business center–which offers the business community of Dearborn/Dearborn Heights printing services, color copies and finishing services–with husbandDon. They have been residents ofDearborn Heightsfor 36 years.  Lynne serves on the executive committee of the Dearborn Area Chamber and has been active in several veterans’ initiatives including Hiring Our Heroes and the committee to bring the Vietnam Wall toDearborn. The Killions are active in the Dearborn Heights Rotary, as well as the Kiwanis Club ofDearborn Heights.

Westborn Market will receive the Small Business Award. Westborn Market has served the people ofSoutheastern Michiganfor almost half a century.  What was originally a corner fruit stand has grown into an International Marketplace.  Today, the store reflects a unique combination of the freshest produce, choice meats, gourmet groceries, flowers and a huge wine selection. The store offers an extensive list of services, including party trays, catering, fruit baskets, full floral design, and delivery services.  The market is committed to its support of local farmers, purchasing much of its produce locally. The food store also hosted a successful Meet Michigan Again event to promote Michigan-made products.

The luncheon will also honor a forward-thinking unique business model that breaks traditional molds with its Innovator of the Year.  The three finalists are Dearborn Public Schools/Henry Ford Community College 5-Year Program, Goodwill Industries and Village Ford Green Initiatives. The winner will be announced at the luncheon. Past awardees have included TechShop, The Henry Ford Makers Faire, Hype Athletics and Severstal North America.

The B.R.A.C.E. event connects and showcases organizations in the Dearborn and Dearborn Heights community.  The luncheon, including a video component spotlighting each awardee, will also highlight businesses celebrating milestone anniversaries, from 5 years to 180 years.  The expo will enable companies to promote their products and services to more than 300 business owners, community leaders and corporate professionals.

The cost to attend the event is $50 for Chamber members and $65 for non-members; $500 for table of 10 with signage. Space is limited.  Register online at www.dearbornareachamber.org.

The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce promotes the best interests of over 500 member organizations by enhancing leadership opportunities, connection with prospective customers, endorsement of products and services, increasing sales and saving money.

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Nominations for the 2013 Alberta Muirhead Teacher of the Year Awards are being requested from Dearborn students.  Students are encouraged to recognize favorite teachers who have made significant contributions in their lives. Nomination forms can be mailed or faxed to the Dearborn Area Chamber offices and can also be submitted online at http://dearbornschools.org/toy.  The deadline for nominations isFriday, April 12, 2013. One winner from elementary, middle and high school will be announced at a special ceremony,Wednesday, May 15, 2013.  LaFontaine Automotive Group is the presenting sponsor of this annual event.

“We want to make this process as simple as possible because we wanted to encourage all students to nominate their favorite teachers,“ said Chamber Education Committee Chair Stefanie Stover. “Teachers make such an impact in the lives of our community’s children. We expect to receive hundreds of nominations again this year.”

 The Ford Community and Performing Arts Center will host the annual award ceremony and reception for nominated teachers and nominating students.

 “The Teacher of the Year Awards began in 1997, under the leadership of Chamber Member Alberta Muirhead,” said Stover.  In its first year, 65 nominations were received for 57 teachers in 19 schools. “We received over 1,000 nominations last year.”

 Teachers selected will receive a $1,000 cash prize, a plaque commemorating their achievement, and will become part of a select group ofDearbornteachers who have been recognized by the community for their dedication and passion for teaching.

Community partners involved in this nomination process and event are Central Michigan University, Dearborn Federal Savings Bank,Dearborn Symphony Orchestra, Health Alliance Plan, McDonald’s “The Future,” Tim Hortons four Dearborn/Dearborn Heights locations, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn Federation of Teachers, Henry Ford Community College, Henry Ford Medical Center-Fairlane, The Henry Ford and The Red A Benefit Group.

Sam’s Club will provide reception refreshments and additional incentives for teachers. Key Bank will donate the gift bag for each attending teacher and The Glass Academy will donate the glass “apple” awards for each teacher.

Education is one of the Dearborn Area Chamber’s core strategies.  Through programs such at Teacher of the Year, the Chamber, a 550+ member organization, cultivates learning and mentoring opportunities between the student population and local business.

For nomination form click here: `13 Teacher Nomination.2                                                                              

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“Jennifer has been an incredible leader to and for the chamber.  Her energy, knowledge and competitive nature, has been the foundation of the upward trend of this organization,” said Rick V. Morrone, Board Chair, “The board and staff will work hard to ensure the continuity of services to the membership and community during the search for a new President.”

IMPACT Management Services will be conducting the search for Giering’s replacement.  Interested candidates should forward their resume to Nic Shabro at nshabro@theimpactanswer.com by March 8. The Dearborn Area Chamber will not be accepting calls or resumes.

 The Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce provides 550+ members with the opportunities and resources to engage and network with other businesses, enhancing financial growth, professional development and the ability to contribute to a thriving community.

If we continue to justify entitlement, making the lives of our children easier and less focused on drive and hard work, we are failing them and they will never be able to compete with nations who are laser focused on hard work, success and competition. Great lessons are learned and character built through trial and struggle. Students in Far East countries attend school approximately 70 days longer than students in the US.  And we are worried our students won’t get enough sleep? The sun will not rise later because high school students in rural America don’t want to get up early and tend to the farm and animals. Will a drill sergeant let his troops postpone basic training until after a late brunch? If our society keeps seeking exceptions and the easy road, our children are going to have a rude awakening when they start college and enter the workforce. These children are the future lawyers, doctors, corporate CEOS and business owners. We had better start preparing them for the future.

When I was a high school student no one told me I wasn’t supposed to be awake at 7 am. In fact, I was usually awake at 5:30 am finishing homework from the night before. Why? Because after school ended, I went to practice, then directly to the ballet class; sometimes until 9 pm. After a late dinner I did as much homework as I could until I couldn’t keep my eyes open. No one told me I couldn’t or shouldn’t, I just did what I had to. This was in addition to religious classes, chores and babysitting on the weekends to earn spending money. My mother and father didn’t start a movement to make my schedule easier. I was in training for real life.  Imagine if the same effort behind this petition was dedicated to education reform; something that is really going to make a difference.

In my brother’s household, excuses are an admission of failure. We are creating an excuse for children not to perform by identifying this early start time as a hurdle they must overcome. Someone who didn’t know anything about hurdles was Cliff Young. In 1983, this 61 year-old farmer wore overalls and gumboots to run an 875 kilometer endurance race in Australia. One hundred fifty, highly trained athletes, most in their 30s, would take almost a week to complete the race. Much training and preparation went into the race including eating a proper diet, wearing performance enhancing shoes, anticipating weather conditions and scheduling the appropriate amount of sleep. No one thought this man had a chance. In fact, they hoped he wouldn’t die trying to complete the race. His technique was criticized; he shuffled rather than ran, and was quickly passed by all of the other runners. The race took about 7 days to finish, and in order to compete, the athletes would have to run 18 hours and sleep 6 hours. Cliff Young did not know that. He hadn’t prepared. That mental hurdle had not been placed before him. The first night when everyone else stopped to sleep, he ran. His goal, after all, was to get to the finish line. And so he kept running. Every night he got just a little bit closer to the leading pack. By the last night, he passed all of the world-class athletes while they were sleeping. He remained ahead until the finish line. Not only did he run theMelbourne toSydney race at age 61 – without dying I might add; he won first place, breaking the race record by 9 hours. Cliff Young finished the 875 kilometer race in 5 days, 15 hours and 4 minutes. He didn’t sleep because he didn’t know that he was supposed to. Neither do our kids.

Our society is becoming far too fragile. As parents, teachers and as a community, we cannot lower expectations so everyone meets them, we must raise expectations and give our children something to work toward. Employers and business owners hire individuals who are hard working, who persevere and push to succeed.  We must develop a workforce that can meet these standards and who is armed to compete globally. Push our children to work harder, faster and get stronger, because the kids in China have their alarm set for 5:00 am.

*This article was endorsed by my 15 year old nephew, a student in the Dearborn Public School System.

From the desk of:

Jennifer Giering
President
Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce

Event Connects Local Businesses With Veterans and Their Spouses

DEARBORN – MI – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will partner with the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations to host “Hiring Our Heroes – Dearborn/Detroit,” a hiring fair for the region’s veterans and their spouses.  The event is part of the Chamber’s nationwide “Hiring Our Heroes” initiative.  Over 300 hiring fairs in 49 states and theDistrict of Columbia have been held and over 14,000 veterans and military spouses landed jobs.

The “Hiring Our Heroes” Hiring Fair is scheduled for April 4, 2013, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at theFord Community & Performing Arts Center, located at 15801 Michigan Ave., just one block east of Southfield Freeway.  Organizers are committed to making this one-of–a-kind FREE hiring fair a win-win for employers and veteran/military spouse job seekers.

This event is one of the largest fairs to date, with a goal of bringing 100-area employers together with hundreds of local veterans.  These companies will range from America’s biggest employers to dozens of small companies from across the state.  These companies are looking for veterans of all levels of rank and experience.  Employers and job seekers must pre-register for this FREE event by going to www.hoh.greatjob.net. Employer registration closes March 27, 2013.  Job seekers should bring proof of military service.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Hiring Our Heroes event is co-sponsored locally by the Dearborn Area and Detroit Regional Chambers of Commerce, Ford Community and Performing Arts Center, City of Dearborn, Veterans’ Services Division, State of Michigan, Michigan National Guard,  Vietnam Veterans of American Michigan State Council, Wayne County Veterans Affairs Division, the Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), the U. S. Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and The American Legion.

Credentialed members of the media are invited to register through press@uschamber.com or by calling 202-463-5682. For more information please contact Ms. Jennifer Giering, Director of Small Business Engagement at jgiering@uschamber.com.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

www.uschamber.com                         @USChamber

www.freeenterprise.com                   Hiring Our Heroes Dearborn/Detroit

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Members will continue to enjoy a number of networking events and programs including Chamber Connect, our traditional morning and after hour events and monthly Small Business Lunches. The Small Business Journal will continue to provide a platform for information sharing, connections and increased visibility for our new members. In addition, small business owners can plan on “Meet The Purchaser” returning this fall, with increased procurement opportunities.

The Chamber will continue to host the successful Business Builder Breakfast Series which provides a platform for key decision makers from around the state to address the local business community. To kick off the series, the chamber will host “A Tale of Two Cities” featuring Dearborn Heights Mayor, Dan Paletko and Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly, January 15, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Warren Valley Banquet Center. Tickets are $30 and can be secured online at www.dearbornareachamber.org.

The annual Business Recognition Award Ceremony & Luncheon will return honoring some outstanding chamber members; Business of the Year – Severstal, Small Business of the Year – Westborn Market and Individual of the Year – Lynne Killion, PostNet.

Community events such as the Teacher of the Year, Taste of Dearborn, Special All-Stars Day, and the Farmer’s Market will continue as in past years. Also look for Hiring Our Heroes, a hiring event for veterans and their spouses, to return to Dearborn April 4 at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center.

We will continue to strive to be one of the leading business development organizations across the state, as we drive business to our members, while maintaining an efficient and lean organization.  As we look forward to 2013, we will use our core initiatives to guide our operational plan; member development, community development, travel and tourism, government affairs, and education – all of which support economic development.  Look out for a great, new year ahead!

From the desk of
Jennifer Giering
President
Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce

Kearns, a Dearborn resident, has served on the board since 2011.  An avid golfer, he also serves on the board of governors at the Dearborn Country Club.  He and wife Teri, are parents of two active boys and a dog, Bauer.

“We have an outstanding group of individuals who make up the board of directors.  Their vision, experience and leadership will guide the chamber on a continued path to success in 2013,” said incoming Board Chair, Rick Morrone.

At the event, Mike Kirk, Neumann Smith Architecture, outgoing Board Chair, was recognized for his commitment and leadership during his term. In addition, seven outgoing board members were honored for their service: Fouad Ashkar, DTE, Stefanie Denby,Ford Land, Eddie Fakhoury, Dearborn Education Foundation, Steve Henry, Leader Printing, Dr. Gail Mee, Henry Ford Community College,Lee Morris, Camp Dearborn, and Jackie McClure, Allegra Print & Marketing.

Two new board members will assume their three year terms January 1, 2013: Chris Baum, DMC Sports Medicine and Rob Cory, Ford Land.

The Chamber provides 500+ members with the opportunities and resources to engage and network with other businesses, enhancing financial growth, professional development and the ability to contribute to a thriving community.

Chamber Ambassadors are the organization’s front line volunteer corps.  Jenna was elected by members of the group and Chamber staff for her commitment and involvement. “Jenna exemplifies what it means to be an Ambassador. She volunteers at every opportunity to assist with membership recruitment, event planning and fundraising. She brings an unmatched level of energy and enthusiasm to our entire operation,” said Jennifer Giering, President of the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jenna is currently working as the Business to Business Coordinator for LaFontaine Automotive Group in Dearborn, Michigan. A strong advocate for paying it forward, she involves herself in LaFontaine’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Charity Board yearly to promote various avenues that raise funds for cancer research. Her professional interests focus on making LaFontaine Automotive Group a top of mind dealership for the Southeast Michigan area and one of her current projects includes working with local charities to collect food for the holidays. In addition, she serves as Membership Chair for the Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce Connection’s Group and is a member of the Dearborn Rotary Club.

The Chamber provides 500+ members with the opportunities and resources to engage and network with other businesses, enhancing financial growth, professional development and the ability to contribute to a thriving community.

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