• Hours:  Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
WASHINGTON AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
  • 323 W Main Street
    Washington, MO  63090
  • (636) 239-2715
  • info@washmo.org
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  • About Us
  • EVENTS
    • Community Calendar
      • Submit an Event
    • Annual Banquet
    • Business Breakfast
    • Cajun Festival
    • Government Forum
    • Golf Tourney
    • Member Luncheon
    • Music at the Market
    • Olde Fashioned Christmas
    • Pumpkin Palooza
    • Pumpkin Palooza (schedule)
      • Candy Crawl
    • Summer Mixer
    • Winter Mixer
  • Programs
    • Awards
    • Centennial Celebration
    • Education Series
    • Young Professionals
      • Fake Paddy's Day Pub Crawl
  • Benefits
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Join Now!
    • Board Room Rental
    • MEWA Insurance
    • Ribbon Cuttings
    • Sponsorship
    • Business Resources
  • NEWS
    • Our Blog
  • DIRECTORY
  • LIVE IN WASHMO

2022 Pumpkin Palooza Schedule

9/27/2022

 
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The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce will host Pumpkin Palooza, a free Halloween event, Saturday, October 29, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. on Main Street between Elm & Pine.  The Farmers’ Market will open at regular time (8:00 a.m.) and remain open for the duration of the event.  Contests at the event include baking contests, pumpkin roll, pumpkin decorating, costume contest, and giant pumpkin weigh-in.  A variety of activity booths will be available in the Main & Elm parking lot and the downtown merchants will participate in a candy crawl.  Other entertainment includes BINGO, Story Time, Lollypop the Balloon Artist, Babaloo, interactive Safety Town, Pony Rides, and Monkey Bus.  

Update:  Pumpkin Rolls will begin at Noon instead of 12:30 p.m.!

More information, as well as registration forms and a complete schedule of events, can be found at www.washmochamber.org/pumpkin and on the “Pumpkin Palooza (2022)” Facebook Event.  The costume contest, previously held at the end of the event, will now be held at 1:30 p.m.  For additional questions, please contact the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce at (636) 239-2715 or e-mail Cheryl.  

​​On-site Registration Only:
Pumpkin Roll (register by 11:30 a.m.)
Pumpkin Decorating / Ugliest Pumpkin / Ugliest Gourd  (register by 2:00 p.m.)

​​Pre-Registration Encouraged:
Baking Contests
Giant Pumpkin Weigh-In

​​No Registration Required:
BINGO
Candy Crawl
Costume Contest

OYP Class of 2022 Announced!

9/1/2022

 
The Outstanding Young Professionals Class of 2022 will be recognized at the Member Luncheon on Monday, October 3rd.  For more information on the awards, along with a nomination form for 2023, visit the Awards page in the Programs Menu.
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Nominations Being Accepted for OYP Class of 2022!

7/28/2022

 
Together, the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce and Missourian Media Group are recognizing the up-and-coming generation of area leaders. Following are the rules for the “Outstanding Young Professional Awards.” Awards will be presented at a Chamber luncheon on Monday, October 3, 2022.

ELIGIBILITY
Nominees shall be an employee of a company or organization which holds a membership with the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce. Nominees must be 40 years or under as of January 1, 2022.

PROCEDURE
• Nominations are due at the Chamber Office by August 19, 2022.
• Nominations shall consist of the Official Nomination Form, including the following three questions
o How has the nominee gone above and beyond the call of duty for his or her employment position?
o Tell us about the nominee's involvement in industry-related organizations, including memberships, certifications, leadership roles, and other professional development
o What participation, involvement, or leadership roles has the nominee held in their community?
• The persons selected to receive awards will be notified to ensure attendance at the Chamber Luncheon.

JUDGING
Judging will be done by a committee of five: three from the Membership PR committee of the Washington Area Chamber of Commerce and two from Missourian Media Group. The committee reserves the right to determine additional persons for consideration.

The Outstanding Young Professional Awards were created in 2013.  To date, the Chamber and Missourian have honored 119 recipients.  Information on past honorees is available at www.washmochamber.org/PastAwardWinners.

2022 Music at the Market Schedule Announced!

4/18/2022

 
Music at the Market, the live music partnership of the Chamber and the Washington Parks Department, kicks off Thursday, May 12 with Garden Party! 

​Events are held the 2nd Thursday of the month, May, June, July, September, and October at the Washington Farmers' Market.  Admission is free, and a featured food vendor is on-site with meals for purchase.  Wine, beer, seltzer, soda, and water can be purchased from the on-site bar.

Twenty picnic tables are set up for the event, but patrons are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.  

Music at the Market is a designated festival zone, so pets and outside coolers are not allowed.  For full details on the 2022 season, view our Series Poster or visit the Music at the Market page on our website.
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Welcome, The Grazing Board!

4/15/2022

 
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Ben King and his family recently opened a specialty grocery store, The Grazing Board, in downtown Washington.

Welcome, TLC MO Events!

4/4/2022

 
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TLC MO Events is a new Craft & Vendor gift shop on Jefferson Street.  There are currently over 15 featured vendors offering a variety of items.  For more information, visit ​tlcmoevents.com.

"Chairman's Circle" Awards Presented to Members of 50+ years at Annual Banquet

3/28/2022

 
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A new tradition was started at this year's Annual Banquet - recognizing members that have reached their 50th Membership Anniversary with the Chamber.  A "Chairman's Circle" award was created to honor these long-term supporters of our organization.  Each year, members reaching that milestone will be recognized at the banquet, and we had a great group to start with!
​
  • Altemueller Jewelry
  • AMEREN Missouri - Union
  • Bank of Washington
  • Bleckman Machine & Supply
  • Brown's Enterprises, Inc.
  • Chris Auffenberg Ford
  • City of Washington
  • Clemco Industries Corp.
  • Droege's Catering
  • East Central College
  • Elks Lodge #1559
  • Happy Apples Company
  • Hillermann Nursery & Florist
  • KLPW Radio - Broadcast Properties
  • Leo Straatmann Farm Service, Inc.
  • Mercy 4 Rivers​​
  • Mid-American Coaches, Inc.
  • Missourian Publishing Co.
  • Modern Auto Co.
  • Motor Appliance Corporation
  • Office Supplies & Equipment, Inc.
  • Our Lady of Lourdes Parish & School
  • Parmentier Auto Body, Inc.
  • Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co.
  • Roettering Heating and Cooling
  • Schroeder Drugs
  • Sikich, LLP (formerly Hochschild Bloom & Co.)
  • Unnerstall and Unnerstall, CPA
  • Unnerstall Oil Co.
  • Walde Miller Orthodontic Specialists
  • Washington Monument Co., Inc.
  • WEG Transformers USA Inc.

​Members who reached their 40th, 30th, and 25th anniversary of membership were also recognized with an anniversary decal to display on their membership plaque.
​
40-year Members
  • Hoelscher & Bruns
  • John Hall Lumber Company
  • Krakow Store & Restaurant​


​30-year Members
  • All Pro Supply
  • Cassette Electric
  • Spire Energy
  • Daniel G. Walde, DDS
25-year Members
  • Augusta Winery
  • Bennett Packaging
  • Country Manor Decorating
  • Imo's Pizza
  • Obermark Optomoetry, Inc.
  • Washington Historical Society

Welcome, AQM!

3/28/2022

 
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AQM, a commercial and residential IT provider,  originally opened in Union in 1993, and recently expanded with an office in Washington at 802 Rainbow Drive. 
​For more information, visit their website at  aqmcomputerhelp.com

Former Mizzou Quarterback Alex Demczak to Speak at Chamber Banquet

2/25/2022

 
Alex Demczak will deliver the keynote address at the March 26 Chamber Banquet.  Other agenda items include presentation of the Missourian's Washingtonian Award, as well as a report from the Washington Town & Country Fair and selection of 2022 Fair Queen Sponsors.
​
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Alex Demczak is a former SEC quarterback for the Missouri Tigers, who graduated with a degree in Communication and a minor in Business.  He is an inspiring communicator, facilitator and trainer who challenges businesses, schools, sports teams, and non-profits to maximize their potential and make a difference.

Alex is the author of Thrive U, an inspirational collection of stories from 100 collegiate and professional athletes from across the country. The book has been used by many youth groups, schools, and businesses as a resource to help others maximize their platform and thrive rather than simply survive.

Alex is a top keynote speaker and trainer for the Jon Gordon Companies. He frequently delivers keynotes and conducts training programs based on The Power of Positive Leadership and The Power of a Positive Team with the goal of helping leaders transform their teams and change the world. He is the Executive Director of the Touchdown Foundation which raises money to build water wells in 18 third world countries. Alex is an innovative entrepreneur that has a knack for starting new ventures such as Thrive U, Coach's Corner, MU Courtesy Carts, Thrive Speakers, Ignite small groups, and collaborates with multiple startups.

Alex is passionate about helping high performance leaders take the next step in their leadership journey and has worked with some most successful companies across various industries. Some of Alex’s past clients include The Cincinnati Reds, Bridgestone, Cintas, Veterans United Home Loans, OneCoast Retailers, O’shea Builders, and many others. Alex's mission is to help people increase their performance, enhance their leadership, and maximize their life.

More Info on the Banquet:
  • Date:  Saturday, March 26
  • Time: 6:00 p.m. Cocktails, 7:00 p.m. Dinner
  • Tickets:  $50/person
  • ​RSVP to: Cheryl (636-239-2715 x102)

Grahl, Mentz Elected to Chamber Board of Directors

1/12/2022

 
The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Don Grahl (The Creek Grill & Sports Bar) and Scott Mentz (Mentz Foundations) to the Board of Directors.  They were chosen through a membership-wide ballot that included four nominees, selected by a committee of past board chairs. 
 
“We are excited to add Don and Scott to our Board!  Both have a built great businesses in our community and have been wonderful supporters of our Chamber.  We are thrilled they have volunteered to serve our community in this capacity,” said Chamber President, Jennifer Giesike.  Board members typically serve two, 3-year terms on the board, although if selected by fellow directors to the Executive Board, additional years can be served.  Grahl and Mentz replace Dan Cassette (Cassette Electric) and Craig Mueller (Imo’s Pizza, Sugarfire Smokehouse), whose terms ended on December 31, 2021.
 
Don Grahl moved to Washington nearly 20 years ago and considers it, without a doubt, the best decision he and his wife, Donna, ever made. The move here has served their family exceptionally well, both personally and professionally.   Donna works at St. Francis Borgia High School, and together they own and operate The Creek Grill and Sports Bar, which just celebrated its 12th anniversary serving this community. Don and Donna have three adult children, including two that reside in town and work in the area. Don has one granddaughter and another on the way.
Don would consider it an honor to serve on the Washington Area Chamber Board of Directors. It would allow him to give back to this great city a fraction of what he feels it has given him and his family.
 
 Scott Mentz ​​ owns and operates Mentz Foundations, Inc., a small business specializing in concrete constructions.  He has been a leader in that field for over 35 years.  Scott is a hardworking, detail-oriented individual with strong managerial and organization skills. 
Scott is currently a Director at Heritage Community Bank.  He previously served nine years on the Washington Town & Country Fair Board and was President of the Franklin County Construction Industrial Council for three years.
Scott and his wife, Lisa, have two adult daughters, Stephanie and Taylor.  He loves spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and enjoys coaching youth sports, playing golf, farming, and traveling.
 
Grahl and Mentz will join 14 others on the 2022 Board of Directors.
 
Executive Board
  • Andy Robinson (School District of Washington) – Chairman
  • Jay Nowak (Bank of Washington) – 1st Vice Chair
  • Steve Strubberg (Horn Architects) – 2nd Vice Chair
  • Tanya McCormack (Washington Hearing Center)
  • Karen Timpe (Legacy Embroidery & Screenprinting)
  • Paul Brune (MFA Co-Op #2) – Ex-Officio
Board of Directors
  • Jon Ballmann (Past Fair Chairman)
  • Josh Brinker (Bank of Franklin County)
  • Becky Cox (Four Rivers Family YMCA)
  • Scott Hillermann (Hillermann Nursery & Florist)
  • Joe Maniaci (PFG Fox River Foods)
  • Luke Meyer (Citizens Bank)
  • Tricia Piontek (The Magnet Group)
  • Kevin Richardson (Zick, Voss, Politte & Richardson, P.C.)
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OUR MISSION: 
The Chamber brings businesses together to provide leadership in supporting services and programs that enhance the economic and educational opportunities to improve the quality of life for all.
​
OUR VISION:
​
Connecting businesses to build a better community.
OUR VALUE FOCUS:
​
Strengthening Business, Bettering the Local Economic Climate, Enhancing the Quality of Life, Promoting Growth

COMMUNITY ​EVENTS

Community Calendar
    **Submit an event!
​Music at the Market
Olde Fashioned Christmas
Pumpkin  Palooza
Cajun Festival
Golf Tourney

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