from the president’s desk
TwinWest business gives:
strengthening and recognizing
your efforts
I am consistently impressed by the charitable activities of the TwinWest business community. For example,
Comcast’s Twin Cities region Comcast Cares day on April 25 rallied 1,400 volunteers to work on more than 50
local improvement projects across the metropolitan area. St. Louis Park small business Total Entertainment
Productions cleaned up a stretch of Highway 169 in early May. There are easily hundreds of other stories like these
two in the western suburbs.
TwinWest wants to help celebrate organizations that give their time and resources to sports boosters, orchestra
clubs, disease prevention, local education initiatives and other charitable activities. Based on the elevated
charitable requests today’s economy has spurred, we also want to help organizations plan for when to say “yes”
and when to say “no.”
Your Chamber is pleased to help businesses develop their giving strategies and be recognized for their support of
the community through a new initiative called TwinWest Business Gives. TwinWest Business Gives is associated
with Minnesota Business Gives, a program managed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in partnership with
local chambers of commerce.
Your organization can participate in this initiative by simply completing a form certifying that you gave at least
two percent of your pretax earnings in cash or in-kind contributions to charitable organizations during your most
recent fiscal year. When factoring in employee volunteer time, I anticipate that many businesses in the TwinWest
area will qualify for recognition in this no-cost program. See page 21 of this issue of Directions for more detail on
the program, including an opportunity to attend a June 18 Strategies for Smart Giving seminar.
If you missed our celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit on May 21 at the Small Business Awards Luncheon, in
this issue of Directions you will learn that Mike Sowada, VISI Incorporated, was named TwinWest’s Entrepreneur
of the Year and Heather Morel, Paeonia Floral, was recognized as our Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. I wish
to congratulate both of them and all the finalists featured in the May issue of Directions for their outstanding
achievements. Each finalist is not only a successful business leader, but also runs an organization that is known for
its generosity and passion for success.
And finally, I congratulate the TwinWest Foundation on its awarding of $57,000 to 58 high school students
pursuing their educational dreams. The month’s feature tells the story of the Foundation’s 2009 Legacy Scholarship
recipient Michael Harries, a Wayzata High School senior. You’ll be inspired by Michael’s in school and out of
school activities as well as his commitment to his education, his family, and his community.
Sincerely,
Bruce Nustad
President
June/July 2009 7
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