With the August 14 Primary Election right around the corner, the candidates running for Governor will appear next week, Thursday, July 26 in Mankato to participate in a candidate forum on Greater Minnesota issues. This event is free and open to the public. Check out the forum flyer below for more information. We look forward to seeing you!
Primary Election Day in Minnesota is August 14, 2018. At this election, voters will determine which candidates will move on to the November General Election for federal, state and local races. This year, an extraordinary number of candidates are running in the Primary Election for open seats for the City of Mankato Mayor and City Council as well as Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners. To ensure that the public has an opportunity to engage with these candidates and evaluate their qualifications prior to casting their vote, Greater Mankato Growth will host candidate forums for those running in the August 14 Primary Election for City of Mankato Mayor & City Council and Blue Earth County Board of Commissioners. The public is invited to attend all of these free events. No registration needed.
The schedule of Greater Mankato Growth’s pre-primary forums include: Read More
Greater Mankato Growth members have the opportunity to attend an upcoming event put on by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber Small Business Series will make a stop in the Twin Cities on Tuesday, July 24th in Minneapolis. As an additional benefit of being a member of Greater Mankato Growth you can attend for free by using promo code: SBSMNChamber. Read More
Register now for a luncheon workshop on August 8 – Individuals with Refugee and Asylee Status in the Workforce: What Employers Need to Know.
Individuals with refugee and asylee status are able to work without restrictions from the start of their time in the U.S. However, it can be complicated for employers and individuals to understand the process and the documents that the government provides and uses for the I-9. Given the workforce shortages we’re experiencing across the region, it’s essential that employers are equipped to employ the entire talent pool available to them. To help employers navigate these issues, Greater Mankato Growth is hosting this workshop with experts from the State of Minnesota’s Office of Resettlement Programs and the Minnesota Council of Churches. At this event, employers and hiring managers will gain a much better understanding of the rules and procedures surrounding employing refugees and asylees. There will also be time for Q&A so that you can get your most pressing questions answered.
Wednesday, August 8
11:30 am – 1:00 pm
ISG (115 E. Hickory St., Suite 300), 3rd Floor Conference Room
With the Greater Mankato Growth Talent Initiative and local efforts regarding talent attraction and retention (like moremankato.com), we feel it is critical to share important and helpful information to further mobilize the community around the workforce shortage. Read more for a guest blog post submitted by the Kato Public Charter School Board Chair, Brent Rossow.
Following Governor Mark Dayton’s veto of legislation that would have conformed Minnesota’s tax system to the new Federal tax law, there is uncertainty as to what this means for businesses and individuals. The following guest blog courtesy of Eide Bailly provides a helpful overview of where things stand and the key issues to follow moving forward.
Should you wish to discuss this issue further, please be sure to contact one of our fantastic member businesses with tax expertise. Read More
It’s been more than 4 ½ years since I was diagnosed with kidney and prostate cancer, and two years since I last penned an open letter to our business community about my health. My cancer journey has been generously documented and shared through our local media (KEYC, The Free Press and Radio Mankato), as well as our own CaringBridge site (https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/jonathanzierdt), my earlier letter/blog post and the Jonathan Zierdt Cancer Fund . So, if you are interested in the bulk of that history I’d invite you to visit any of those sources.
With the rising interest in electric vehicles, is your business or property ready to accommodate this audience?
An event will be held on Monday June 25, 1 – 3:30 pm at The AmericInn Hotel & Conference Center (240 Stadium Rd, Mankato) to help businesses, community partners, and residents learn more about personal electric vehicles (PEVs) and their infrastructure. Read More
Register now for a free luncheon forum on June 20 – Free Trade and the Impact on Minnesota. With international trade supporting more than a quarter million jobs in Minnesota, the current turmoil in the international trade system poses significant risks for the state. We’re pleased to be joined by experts from the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. and the Minnesota-based Center of the American Experiment who will debut new research about the impact of trade on Minnesota’s economy and discuss the importance of trade policies that prioritize free trade and opening new-markets.
Wednesday, June 20
12:00 – 1:30pm
Sakatah Trail Room, Greater Mankato Business Development Center (1961 Premier Dr, Mankato)
Though the event is free, we ask that you please RSVP here,as lunch will be provided. Read More
The Legislature convened in February with some optimism. The state had a modest surplus that would allow some budget flexibility and a general agreement on what bills needed to be passed, if not the specific provisions they would contain. However, that optimism was in short supply as the session ended on May 20 with the Legislature, under the threat of vetoes to several bills, passed a very large budget/policy bill, a tax bill that would conform Minnesota’s tax system to the new Federal law, and a bonding bill. Governor Dayton subsequently vetoed both the federal tax conformity and supplemental budget bills, representing the bulk of the Legislature’s work this session. The Governor did sign the bonding bill, which contained top priorities for the region. Following is a summary of what happened at the Legislature in 2018. Read More
Browsing through the Star Tribune’s website today, I found a little nugget that I thought would be appropriate to share — after all, sharing is caring. Of the Star Tribune’s Top Workplaces of 2017, some of the firms that scored highest in talent retention shared their tips for doing so. The tips range from “Be Nice” to “FREE BEER”! Us Minnesotans should have the be nice part down, right? Read More
As part of the Talent Initiative, Greater Mankato Growth is publishing a guest blog series highlighting the programs, tools and resources that are available in our marketplace. This series can serve as a catalog or library for businesses to address workforce issues.
Highlighting the Hiring Burden
Contributed by: Grant Moody, Express Employment Professionals
