THE AREA CHAMBER VOICE

Ontario Auto Ranch is proud to be a part of the Treasure Valley and all

the communities. Over the past 5-years we have continued to grow

and support many organizations, schools, local rodeos and more.

Todd & Paula McCurry are the owners and operators, who both grew-

up locally, in Idaho’s Treasure Valley. They started with one little Ford

dealership and have grown to 8 stores with 11 franchises spread from

Mountain Home, Meridian, and Fruitland, Idaho and stores in Ontario

and Baker City, Oregon.

The Auto Ranch Group’s mission is to serve ALL the automotive needs

of their customers, consistently exceeding customer expectations by

leading the industry in providing a completely transparent and hassle-

free purchase and service experience, focused on value, integrity, and

convenience.

Why should you choose one of the three Auto Ranch Dealerships here?

“Simple: We Do Business A Better Way! We provide a totally hassle-

free purchase experience that’s completely transparent, with no games

or gimmicks, with pre-discounted guaranteed BEST PRICES. Our service

department is loaded with experienced Master Technicians, who take

pride in working on vehicles.”

If you’re looking for a Ford, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Subaru or Ram

Truck, Ontario Auto Ranch can help. If new vehicles are not on your

bucket list, we also have certified pre-owned and lots of one owner

vehicles to choose from. As the Auto Ranch has grown so has its net-

work of vehicles. If you are looking for something specific, just let us

know and we’ll help find it for you!

September 2021 Phone : 541-889-8012 Fax:541-889-8331 Website: www.ontariochamber.com

Gold Sustaining Member

Sustaining Members

BUSINESS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Our mission is to market and strengthen

our businesses, while enhancing the

quality of life in our community.

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ONTARIO AREA

CHAMBER

BOARD

Executive Board

Cathy Yasuda Board Chair

Ranelle Crosby

Board Chair Elect

Sandy Hemenway

Treasurer

Debbie Blackaby

Past Board Chair

John Breidenbach

President/CEO

Board Members

Betty Carter

Richard Fitzsimonds

Dale Gonzalez

Aaron Larson

Terry Leighton

Lisa Mathews

BOARD CHAIR MESSAGE BY BOARD CHAIR CATHY YASUDA

It is hard to believe that this month we will be recognizing the 20th

Anniversary of the 911 terrorist attacks on New York, Washington D.C.,

and Pennsylvania. I think everyone of us can recall that exact moment

in time on that fateful day. I remember I was getting ready for work

when the first plane crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade

Center. I remember feeling immediately scared and panicked that this

was not just an accident, and something was really wrong. I drove to

work listening intently to the radio and at the office someone brought

in a TV, so we were able to witness everything unfold before our eyes.

It was a day that changed the world.

In remember that fateful day and in recognition of all the lives that

were lost and impacted with the 911 attacks, the Ontario Chamber of

Commerce, the Argus Observer, and the Faith-based Community are

joining together in a special “Community Reflection in Prayer” on

Saturday, September 11 at 9 a.m. in the Four Rivers Cultural Center

Hikaru Mizu Japanese Garden.

The program will include a welcome by the Ontario Chamber, invoca-

tion, Recognition and thanks with the LE/EMT/Fire and First respond-

ers, remarks by Craig Wilhelm, Civilian Aide to SECARMY-Oregon and

prayer time.

Churches, local businesses, and other civic organizations are requested

to encourage your teams/congregations to attend this special reflec-

tion. Masks are requested and social distance seating will be available.

Organizers also encourage the community to acknowledge and thank

our local first responders during this month of remembrance. You can

send cards, provide meals or extend other gestures of gratitude.

We invite you to come and join us on September 11th as we gather in

thanks, gratitude, and prayer.

Thank you for your continued support of the Ontario Chamber of

Commerce.

Stay safe and be well.

REMEMBERING

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Painter Holdings & Business Ventures, Inc

DBA Lindsay Ecowater

541-889-5405

2452 SE 4th Ave

Ontario, OR 97914

New ownership took over the business April 2021. Serving Ontario and surrounding areas of

the Treasure Valley since 1957. We provide proven solutions to bad water. We service what

we sell.

Clothezline Laundry Co. 541-881-7999

336 SW 5th St

Red Apple Parking Lot

Ontario, OR 97914

Hours are 7 days a week 8 am to 8:30 pm

Newly opened laundromat with all new state of the art Woscomot machines. Machines accept

coins, credit/debit cards or download the FasCard App to pay via phone. We offer a clean safe

environment with the convenience of grocery across the parking lot. Wash and fold services

coming soon.

Hours are 7 days a week 8 am to 8:30 pm

Upcoming Chamber Forums:

September 6: No Forum Labor Day

September 13: Treasure Valley Reload Center

September 20: Energy Trust of Oregon

September 27: Senator Lynn Findley

PLEASE WELCOME OUR NEW CHAMBER MEMBERS!

FROM THE DESK OF THE ONTARIO AREA CHAMBER COMMERCE CEO

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How to Reshape Your Business Strategy to Survive 'The Great Resignation'

Okay, you lost some talent. Now it's time to execute the "damage control" plan for higher sustainability and better organization across the board.

A broadly unexpected phenomenon is the global exodus of talent across organizations small and large. The pandemic led to an unprecedented shift in rethinking work-life bal-ance, providing new possibilities for freelancers working from home, along with an influx of remote jobs through new businesses making the leap.

And while the onus is on shaping the work dynamics around retaining talent, the majority of the businesses suffered the consequences of parting ways with long-time employees. Rebuilding core departments and catching up on institutional knowledge takes time. Here is what to do to reduce the tension across the organization — and externally — and sur-vive through the next few months

Discuss "The Great Resignation" with your team

The current shift in employment will leave a lot of your staff questioning the longevity of the company. Without a consistent message, you risk an upcoming trend of "abandoning the ship" unless you communicate the situation

Set up an internal meeting openly discussing the global phenomenon with your team. As-sure them that the business is prepared — and it's a transitional period for the world.

Disclose your hiring plans and your future roadmap, firmly explaining the next steps. Make sure your vision stays clear and you get the buy-in from key stakeholders within the company. If needed, schedule one-on-ones with managers and individual contributors who need to be actively involved in the process.

Understand it's a calibration process Studying the crowd dynamics reveals a lot about social influence and tendencies to blind-ly follow the new movement.

Your talent is surrounded by people other than workplace colleagues — family members,

friends, peers in other firms. Some of them are likely to quit their jobs and boast about

new job opportunities, better possibilities, even escaping large communities and living as

nomads or getting into woodwork or farming. While the sense of freedom sounds exhila-

rating, it represents an extreme — seeking a breath of fresh air after a long year of lock-

downs and panic, which affected social dynamics, disarmed parents with kids staying at

home and led many to question employment safety across brick and mortars.

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CONTINUED:

Communicate delays with clients and partners If you are overwhelmed yet struggling to fill in key positions, the worst step you can take

is forcing your team members to assimilate the responsibilities of former employees.

Instead, rethink your existing workflow and plan for possible delays, considering the available resources on deck.

While your recruitment team may be lining up a series of interviews or you are busy es-tablishing strategic partnerships for outsourcing and offloading work, account for possi-ble delays in deliveries. Worst-case scenario, consider some downsizing or putting some less critical contracts or projects on hold for a few months.

Once you run the numbers and estimate the workload capacity, communicate this with your accounts and partners. Set up calls with your blue-chip clients or send a newsletter indicating possible delays with orders. Assure them it's a temporary restructuring during the summer season.

This may be a great opportunity to negotiate some long-term contracts, set innovative preorder deals or even negotiate better terms for next year. Consider the cost of acquir-ing new talent and budget this into contractual forecasts and estimations.

Take a step back

Managing a fast-paced business or projecting a certain profit margin year over year can be stressful with key people leaving the organization. If nothing else works, consider ad-justing the numbers and transitioning to maintenance mode until the year's end.

Growing a business is a marathon. It takes time and perseverance. Sometimes, injuries are bound to happen, and you need some bench time for recovery before you get ready for the next run. The pandemic has disarmed tens of millions of businesses around the world, and there is nothing shameful in postponing your growth plans for next year.

While key hires may no longer be on board, it's time to take a step back and rethink the strategy for the next few months. Companies juggle with challenges — be it securing funding, closing strategic contracts, hiring top talent, promoting for management roles or innovating to stay ahead of their competition.

Make sure you understand the global trends and act accordingly. Risk management is

integral for every entrepreneur out there — and this is what differentiates resilient lead-

ers from newcomers.

ONTARIO AREA CHAMBER HAPPENINGS

Idaho Power believes supporting suppliers with diverse backgrounds, opinions and perspec-

tives makes them a more nimble and effective company. We strive to engage and support

small, local and diverse companies who provide goods and services at competitive prices,

provide contracting opportunities and drive the local economy.

That’s why Idaho Power invites small, diverse and/or local businesses to register to do busi-

ness with us. Our new online supplier registration tool allows businesses to register for possi-

ble upcoming opportunities and to see what types of goods and services the company needs

— from landscaping to roofing, other construction services and more!

Learn more at idahopower.com/supplierregistration. Questions? Email SDBProgram@idahopower.com.

https://tatertotfestivaloregon.com/

Tater Tot Festival, Ontario, Sept. 17-18, 2021: Welcome to the birthplace of the humble tater tot — the former Ore-Ida factory in this out-of-the-way town on Oregon’s eastern border. Celebrate the nostalgic school-lunch treat with two days of tater-focused activi-ties, including an eating contest, live music, a carnival boardwalk, a cooking competi-tion, games, a beer garden, and plenty of tater-inspired food.