Paul Sukut, Chairman of the Board

As we enter the middle of the year, I want to take a moment and reflect on what we’ve accomplished already this year and forecast just a bit about the second half of the year.

I hope you are taking advantage of your Chamber membership. We are hearing great reports from those members that are attending Chamber events and finding ways to connect and do business with other members of the Chamber.

The North Dakota Legislature has adjourned until 2011. The session went really fast and the Chamber saw most of its priorities through. We want to extend our thanks to our local senators and representatives for their efforts this session.

It takes a lot of time and dedication to basically put your life on hold for four months to serve. We are all grateful for that commitment. On the business front, it was a good session. In fact, I would surmise that North Dakota is the only state in America that saw its legislature pass a $395 million tax relief package.

The Chamber continues to work at the national level on issues of importance to our local members. In the coming months, our Chamber is coordinating with the U.S. Chamber to bring together the energy producing states in Washington D.C. to discuss energy policy.

Without question, this will be one of the major issues impacting our state in the coming decade. Also, at the April Chamber board meeting, the board gave approval to staff to form a task force on health care reform. The President has indicated this will be the next major issue on his agenda.

We all realize the importance of aff ordable health care to our businesses and it is important that we in the rural states make our voices heard on this issue. If you have an interest in serving on this task force, please call Kelvin at the Chamber. As we look toward June, it is a very busy month for the Chamber. I ask you to mark your calendar for Celebrate Bismarck-Mandan on June 11.

At this event, the Chamber presents various small business awards to local businesses. Gov. John Hoeven also will be joining us to present the statewide small business awards. This is turning into a wonderful celebration of business in Bismarck-Mandan and it is important that we take time to celebrate our success.

In June, there are two new events that will start and we hope you will attend as the Chamber Plaza is opened. The plaza is the area behind the boardroom that was a driveway and is now a patio area. On June 5 the first “Friday on the Plaza” will be held.

This event is scheduled over the noon hour with burgers and brats being served. It is a free event and our hope is that you will _ind time to come down and bring an employee or two with you. There is no agenda or presentation; it is just an informal networking session to have some fun.

On June 25 the Chamber Plaza will again be busy with the _irst “Dinner on the Plaza” event. This dinner on the plaza will be served by Corey Castlemen Catering. It is a bit more formal; members will be seated at tables of eight and there will be some live entertainment.

However, the goal remains the same, to mix and mingle with Chamber members, network and have some fun. I hope to see you at the Chamber in June. As always, if you have ideas or suggestions please let us know.