Category: President’s Blog

Our Purpose in Every Effort

By: Margaret Dillard – Chamber President Collaboration is defined as the action of working with someone to produce or create something. We collaborate with city and county governments, school administration and educators, health care organizations, workforce center, Small Business Development Center, Visit Fairmont, local business leaders and more. We work with other organizations to produce…

Sunshine in our Disposition

By: Margaret Dillard – Chamber President As the sun warms the Minnesota landscape, as you shed your winter coats and your feet dance their way into your favorite walking shoes, you may want to explore the community with a fresh perspective. I’ve heard more than one long-time resident say that they think Fairmont is experiencing…

Committed to strength

By: Margaret Dillard – Chamber President A small group of us who recently changed jobs were discussing how long it takes to get settled in. The opinions varied about the length of time and after further thought, I think it has taken a full three years to wrap my head around the responsibilities of leading…

Inviting New Residents

By: Margaret Dillard – Chamber President America is in the early stages of a workforce shortage. US Department of Labor reports show Martin County’s Unemployment at 2.6 percent falling .7 over the last year. MinnesotaWorks.net consistently features more than 215 job opportunities within 25 miles of Fairmont. Local employers have answered the challenge by raising…

Past success, forward momentum

By: Margaret Dillard – Chamber President Over the last year, chief concerns among business leaders throughout the region continue to be lack of workforce, housing and childcare. We know that agriculture is the driving force of our economy. The board and staff of the chamber strive to address these concerns and more business issues through…

The new American Dream

By: Margaret Dillard – Chamber President Everything you have learned about traditional economy, education, workforce and shopping habits is no longer relevant without considering that the focus of the American Dream has shifted. New generations have brought on this different way of thinking about … well, almost everything! According to a 2015 US Census report,…