Personal interaction is the best way for the Chamber to learn about member needs, help you make connections, and identify other ways we can support your organization. Downtown Bloomsburg Inc., the Montour County Task Force, and Berwick merchants are among the groups the Chamber supports in bringing businesses together to discuss and address issues. We are now proposing to form a manufacturers’ council, which would meet quarterly. An initial meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 29, from 9-10:30 a.m. at The Greenly Center in downtown Bloomsburg. The focus will be on workforce development, specifically for existing employees. Any business interested in learning more about the manufacturers’ council should contact Fred Gaffney at the Chamber at 570-784-2522 or email.
From ChamberChoice and Smart Business Pittsburgh
As a trusted partner and advisor, benefits brokers have the opportunity to educate and counsel employees year-round on benefits offerings to keep them engaged. All too often though, benefits professionals become entangled in the process — only focusing on the employer or HR director. They develop tunnel vision when it comes to recognizing and minimizing the impact selecting benefits each year has on employees.
“The bottom line, benefits are confusing and stressful. Many employees make their benefits decisions without fully understanding the offerings available to them, how they work and more importantly whether or not a plan is suited for their unique needs,” says Ron Carmassi, sales executive at JRG Advisors.
Smart Business spoke with Carmassi about how alternative benefits can help alleviate dissatisfaction with benefits programs.
Where do some benefits programs fall short and how can employers fix this?
A 2016 Harris Poll revealed that half of employees find benefits decisions to be stressful, 20 percent regretted their choices and 41 percent found open enrollment to be extremely confusing. The poll also found that while HR directors spend a significant amount of time and effort throughout the year preparing and sourcing options for employees, only one-third of employees actually read the material. This lack of education and knowledge creates anxiety and dissatisfaction around the benefits program.
The secret ingredient lies in education. Most employees associate ‘benefits’ with ‘health insurance.’ While health insurance is the main staple, there are a wide array of lesser-known benefits to offer and employees may not be aware of all their options. Alternative benefits offerings, aside from standard health insurance, can play a vital role in increasing employee satisfaction and ultimately their engagement.
What are examples of alternative benefits?
Voluntary benefits: These benefits are a great way to enhance your total program and increase employee satisfaction, with little impact on the budget. Some types of voluntary benefits that can deliver convenience and value are accident, critical illness and pet insurance. Employees need a clear understanding of not only how the coverage works, but also the benefits of having coverage and the potential risks of going without.
Life insurance: While it can be depressing to prepare for your mortality, it’s an important topic. LIMRA, a research and consulting firm, determined that 30 percent of Americans don’t have life insurance, and 48 percent of households have an insurance gap of $200,000 or greater. The research also found that from 2010 to 2016, life insurance enrollment increased 10 percent among millennials as they began aging, buying homes and having children. A life insurance plan can be valuable to younger employees who may be starting families. If you already offer life insurance, all employees should be reminded to review and update their policies.
Short-term/long-term disability: Regardless of whether your workforce is young or old, long-term disability should be considered. No one is immune, so take a multi-generational approach. Many of the older employee population have families and recognize the importance of protecting themselves in the event they’re unable to work. For younger employees, it’s an opportunity to remind them that disabilities are a real possibility. While ‘disability’ is commonly associated with a catastrophic condition, it could simply mean being temporarily unable to work due to back problems or surgery. In any case, it’s always better for employees to be safe than sorry.
Retirement plans/401(k): Whether employees are close to retirement or have decades left in the workforce, saving for retirement is a key component of financial security. Offering a 401(k) or other retirement benefits can increase employee loyalty and is a great recruitment and retention tool. But they are only helpful if employees are aware of and understand them. Many people participate in a 401(k) contribution plan and develop an out-of-sight, out-of-mind mindset. Open enrollment is the perfect time to review retirement savings. If an employer provides a 401(k) match up to a certain percentage, employees should be encouraged to increase their contribution to that threshold.
Insights Employee Benefits is brought to you by JRG Advisors.
The Chamber now has another tool to help members get the word out about the many job opportunities available in our area. Our online Jobs page is now live. Members are invited to email job postings to the Chamber. People can subscribe to this page to get updates when new postings are added, and we will also promote them through social media..
Also, with the school year wrapping up, the Chamber and local CareerLink office are getting calls about businesses in need of seasonal employees. We also get calls from people looking for work from home opportunities. Send us information on these openings as well.
The Columbia Montour Chamber’s board of directors recently approved the addition of a new Chamber membership category for individuals. This individual membership category will cost $130 for a year (half of the base rate of $260 for a business or other organization) and has the following restrictions:
– Elected officials, business owners or employees of businesses or other organizations are not eligible – those businesses, organizations, or municipalities must join instead at the base rate of $260 at a minimum
– This membership level will give those in it access to all Chamber events at member pricing (for those events that have a registration fee)
– They will not be listed in the Chamber Directory and are also not eligible to serve on the board
This new membership category will apply mainly to retirees that are looking to stay involved in the local community and with the Chamber, students and political candidates.
For any questions about membership and if this new category may apply to you, please contact Matt Beltz at 570-784-2522 or email.
Member News
- Community Options, Inc., one of the Chamber’s newest members and a provider of residential and employment support to people with disabilities, will host a lunch event at its office at 1117 Old Berwick Rd., Bloomsburg, tomorrow, May 31, at 12 p.m. for individuals interested in possibly serving on a new business advisory committee for Community Options’ Bloomsburg office. There is no cost to attend, and anyone is welcome. The committee’s main objective will be to promote the integration of persons with disabilities within the communities in which they reside, enabling them to become viable and contributing neighbors, employees and citizens of the community. No RSVP is required for this lunch, and anyone interested may just show up. For questions, contact associate executive director David McConaghy at 570-638-6007 or email.
- The high school student council at Central Columbia High School will host a spring carnival in the CCHS parking lot this Saturday, June 2, from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. There will be food vendors, a bounce house, car show, crafters, games, a rock wall provided by the National Guard, other independent vendors, live music and much more. All proceeds generated from this event will be donated to the Think Big Foundation, a local nonprofit founded by a Geisinger physician in 2014 that supports Geisinger pediatric cancer patients and their families.
- Art of Floating will hold a open house and day of celebration for its fifth anniversary on Saturday, June 9, from 12-4 p.m. There will be live music, food and beverages, special offers, additional vendors, children’s activities and more. Art of Floating will also be collecting donations for the Ronald McDonald House of Danville, and anyone that makes a donation will receive a 15% off coupon at Art of Floating. Visit the event page to see a full list of items that RMHD needs, as well as additional information about the vendors that will be attending, including fellow Chamber members Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble and Marley’s Brewery & Grille.
- The Bloomsburg Area YMCA will hold its 11th annual community yard sale on Saturday, June 9, from 6:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. to support youth development, healthy living and social responsibility in the community through programs at the Y. If you have stuff taking up space around your home that could become someone else’s treasure, look for the Steve Shannon truck in the Y parking lot to drop off your items and support a good cause. The Y will be accepting household items, bedding, games, toys, collectibles, small appliances in working condition, furniture, clean clothing, shoes and boots, dishes, holiday decorations, and more, but no TVs, printers, or computers. Any individuals or groups looking to volunteer for the yard sale or donate food for the bake sale can call the Y at 570-784-0188 or visit the front desk of the Y.
When the journey began, there were 21 strangers wondering what to expect. On May 17, 2018, this group of colleagues and friends gathered for last time as the Leadership Central Penn Class of 2018. The Pine Barn Inn was the location of the festivities of the final class day and graduation. The morning began much like the rest, greetings and a light breakfast. But soon, there were four presentations on the community impact a group of strangers can have, when motivated by a single goal of service. The four Leadership teams tackled projects for five worthy community organizations and made a real impact on those these nonprofits serve.
The community projects included backpack stuffing at AGAPE, organization of the donation warehouse, and hospital bed assembly at the Hope Center (Nescopeck), cleaning of the camp and stocking the med shed at Camp Victory, exterior clean up and maintenance at the Teen Center (Berwick), and painting, new light fixtures, bedding and all the comforts needed at The Women’s Center. Hundreds of lives were impacted by these efforts, including those of the LCP class. These projects inspired the class members so much that they went above and beyond the requirements of the class. Some got corporate sponsors and partners to assist, others organized teams of additional volunteers, and more went back for additional hours of community service, joined local nonprofits’ boards and kept giving.
After an emotional morning it was time for lunch with the graduates’ guests. The keynote speaker was Ed Edwards, former president and CEO of the Columbia Montour Chamber, and one of the founders of the LCP Program. Edwards spoke about his experiences with LCP and what it means to be a leader in today’s community. He also shared that community leadership does not need to be done in grand gestures, but large impact can be made by small efforts that inspire others to act, which is what LCP works to instill in its graduates.
Following Edwards’ keynote, the 2018 class nominated speaker, Eric McCabe, assistant to the athletic director at Bloomsburg University, gave a witty and thoughtful speech about his experiences with LCP. He shared insights from his classmates and stated, “each class taught us something new, gave us something different to take away. I must admit I was a skeptic before I participated in this program, but I now know I am much better for it. Leadership Central Penn has made more knowledge on topics that don’t just affect my place of business but affect our local communities as a whole. This program has made me more confident to communicate and work with what was a once a group of strangers.”
Following McCabe’s speech, Jeff Emanuel, Chamber Foundation director, and Fred Gaffney, Chamber president, presented the LCP certificates of completion to the class of 2018, which are:
Matt Beltz
Columbia Montour Chamber
Tamara Collae
PPL Electric Utilities
Stephanie Gryboski
Geisinger
Vanessa Hales
Geisinger
Sharon Haverlak
SEKISUI SPI
Brandi Hoffman
Service 1st Federal Credit Union
Jordan Ikeler
First Keystone Community Bank
Amanda Jarski
First Keystone Community Bank
Michael Maylath
Autoneum North America, Inc.
Eric McCabe
Bloomsburg University
Scott Near
Kawneer
Jalon Orzolek
Kawneer
Brandon Stauffer
Autoneum North America, Inc.
Teresa Peters
For the Cause
Brian Rakauskas
Girton Manufacturing
Adam Robinson
Geisinger
Candy Ryan
Bloomsburg University
Carol Walters
Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital
Rhonda Wieners
The Hope Center
McKayla Zimmerman
First Columbia Bank & Trust
Congratulations to the Leadership Central Penn Class of 2018. A special thank you goes out to 2017-18 program sponsors: SEKISUI SPI, Kawneer, USG and Bloomsburg University. Thanks to the nonprofits scholarship sponsor Central Susquehanna Community Foundation for sponsoring Teresa Peters and Rhonda Wieners’ participation in the program. Finally, a special thank you to Welch Performance Consulting for sponsoring breakfast and assisting Emanuel in his first year as the director of the LCP program.
This is the fourth and final post recognizing all of the valuable contributors that once again made the 2018 Chamber golf tournament a success in 2018. It is the continued support of these businesses and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs and benefits to its members, giving its members a stronger voice in advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thanks to all of the individuals and teams that played in the golf outing. They represented the following organizations:
3B Cleaning & Floorcare
Atlantic Broadband
Barry Isett & Associates
Cintas
First Columbia Bank & Trust
First Keystone Community Bank
Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital
Hutchison Insurance
Kawneer
Law Offices of Lutz & Petty
M&T Bank
North Branch Group/Thrivent Financial
Pine Barn Inn
Safelite Auto Glass
SEKISUI SPI
Service 1st Federal Credit Union
Service Electric Cablevision
Stackhouse & Son Well Drilling
Towne Camera
USG
Wagner’s Trophies & Engraveables
Williams
Zartman Construction
Zimmer Insurance
This is the third in a series of posts recognizing all of the valuable contributors that once again made the Chamber golf tournament a success in 2018. It is the continued support of these businesses and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs and benefits to its members, giving its members a stronger voice in advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thanks to all of the organizations that donated prizes for this year’s golf tournament. These businesses provided goods and/or services for the winning teams and individuals and for the door prize raffle. The golf tournament would not be successful without the generous donations from these businesses.
Art of Floating
Atlantic Broadband
Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble
Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital
GordnerCoombs Insurance
The Inn, Farmhouse & Brewery at Turkey Hill
Ken Pollock Ford Lincoln
M&T Bank
McBride Memorial Library
Mill Race Golf & Camping Resort
Penn State World Campus
Quaker Steak & Lube
Rita’s Ice (Bloomsburg)
Rock God Brewing
Williamsport Crosscutters
This is the second in a series of posts recognizing all of the valuable contributors that once again helped make the annual Chamber golf tournament a success in 2018. It is the continued support of these businesses and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs and benefits to its members, giving its members a stronger voice in advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thanks to the 20 hole sponsors of this year’s golf tournament.
3B Cleaning & Floorcare
Berwick Elks 1138
Bloomsburg Carpet
Bodnar Sales & Service
Central Susquehanna Community Foundation
Commonwealth Health – Berwick Hospital Center
Dan Meuser
Danville Child Development Center
First Keystone Community Bank
GordnerCoombs Insurance
Ken Pollock Ford Lincoln
North Branch Group/Thrivent Financial
North Shore Railroad
PenTeleData
Pine Barn Inn
Press Enterprise
Service 1st Federal Credit Union
Steph’s Subs
Walker’s Jewelers
Zimmer Insurance
This is the first in a series of posts recognizing all of the valuable contributors that helped make the 2018 annual Chamber golf tournament a success once again. It is the continued support of these organizations and individuals that helps the Chamber fulfill its mission of offering programs and benefits to its members, giving its members a stronger voice in advocacy and being involved in more activities and initiatives in our communities.
Thanks to the major sponsors of this year’s golf tournament:
Event Sponsor
Williams
Dinner Sponsor
Atlantic Broadband
Beverage Sponsors
3B Cleaning & Floorcare
Snack Sponsors
Central Susquehanna Community Foundation
Hole-In-One Sponsor
Alexander Family Buick GMC Truck