Program offers no-cost support services in three areas for businesses located in Hennepin County
Minneapolis, Minn. — Today Hennepin County and the Minneapolis Regional Chamber announce the launch of Elevate Business HC, a public-private initiative offering pro-bono services to businesses located in Hennepin County.

“I’m excited about this opportunity to support small and medium-sized businesses in Hennepin County working in partnership with the Minneapolis Regional Chamber,” said Hennepin County Board Chair Commissioner Marion Greene, District 3. “Small businesses bring vibrancy, creativity, and life to our region. Many of our region’s small businesses are minority and immigrant-owned, serving as the backbone of our communities. We want to ensure that they are able to survive,
grow, and thrive now and into the future.”

The programs included in Elevate Business HC are designed to support businesses impacted by COVID-19. They include:
Technical Assistance: Professional service providers are available for one-on-one consultations to discuss and find solutions for issues impacting individual businesses in a variety of areas including financing, human resources, technology, and many others.
Peer-to-Peer Roundtables: Reoccurring and facilitated small group discussions segmented by industry and areas of participant interest with a focus on sharing best practices and problem solving.
Topic-Driven Webinars: Industry and subject matter experts will discuss issues facing employers with a focus on workforce needs in remote environments during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include areas like workforce diversification, employee mental health and wellness, insurance policy review, and many more.
“Hennepin County is making this important investment so that our local entrepreneurs and business leaders have tools and resources they need to build a stronger, more inclusive economy than it was before,” said Patricia Fitzgerald, Hennepin County Community and Economic Development Manager. “Helping businesses navigate critical issues and strengthen their organizations will result in benefits across our county and region.”

“Regions that lay a strong foundation now will be better prepared for success when the most difficult part of the pandemic is past,” said Jonathan Weinhagen, President & CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber. “The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area grew faster in the period after the Great Recession than our competitive peer regions. Let’s make sure we do the same coming out of the current economic downturn. Elevate Business HC will marshal our resources to help businesses come back strong.”

Funding for Elevate Business HC is provided by Hennepin County through the Federal CARES Act. Hennepin County businesses are encouraged to log on to www.elevatebusinesshc.com to learn more and engage.

Minneapolis-St. Paul — The consolidation of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and TwinWest Chamber of Commerce became official today.

Both chambers’ boards of directors have passed joint resolutions, along with an affirmative vote of the membership, bringing together two of the region’s strongest business organizations into one to leverage their collective resources and relationships. The consolidation process began in May and concluded today.

The combined chamber has nearly 2,300 member businesses. The Minneapolis Regional Chamber serves the 11-county metro area while TwinWest has served the west metro cities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Medicine Lake, Minnetonka, New Hope, Plymouth, and St. Louis Park.

The chamber will operate under the Minneapolis Regional Chamber name. Jonathan Weinhagen, the current President and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber, will be President and CEO of the merged chamber. TwinWest Chamber President Shannon Full will serve as Executive Vice President.

The following is a statement from Minneapolis Regional Chamber Co-Chairs Ravi Norman of Norman Global Enterprises and Jason Besler of NorthRock Partners:

“Combining the strengths of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber and the TwinWest Chamber amplifies our ability to support businesses and drive economic growth. This was a discussion that was underway prior to this year, but the past several months have shown us every organization must seek out strong partnerships, deliver innovation, and focus on core mission. We are excited about the future of this Chamber and our ability to increase the value we bring to members and stakeholders now and for decades to come.”

The TwinWest Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1984 through the merger of several chambers of commerce. The Minneapolis Regional Chamber was founded in 1881.