May marks a season of celebration and new beginnings as students across the St. Cloud area don their caps and gowns, ready to embark on the next chapter of their lives. Graduation is not just a culmination of academic efforts but a launching pad into promising careers and futures. At the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, we take immense pride in supporting workforce initiatives that bridge the gap between education and employment, ensuring our graduates find meaningful opportunities within our community.

 

Thousands of students are wrapping up a chapter of their academic careers at area high schools as well as St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Technical and Community College, the College of St. Benedict and St. John's University, College of St. Scholastica, Rasmussen University and even more online. 

 

These graduates represent the future of our workforce, bringing fresh perspectives, skills, and enthusiasm to our local industries. As a Chamber, we are committed to fostering connections between these emerging professionals and the businesses that will benefit from their talents.

 

Best wishes to these new graduates as they transition from academia to the professional world, strengthening our vibrant St. Cloud community. Congratulations, class of 2025!

Join us for the Waite Park State of the City Address during Waite Park Chamber on Wednesday, May 21st. Hosted by Falcon National Bank at The Ledge, doors open at 11:15AM for networking - register now!

Sauk Rapids Chamber is hosted by Nick Novak Homes @ NRG Realty on Thursday, May 22nd at The Clearing in Sauk Rapids. Doors open at 11:15AM and the meeting begins at 11:45AM - register now to attend!

Here are a few more important dates to put on your calendar, but don't forget to check out our full events calendar for even more.

With the goal of keeping you informed and up to date, these news bites feature local, regional and national news items that relate to the business community in Central Minnesota.

 

LOCAL

Stearns County Special Election. The Stearns County Board of Commissioners has called for a Special Election for District 4. Individuals interested in running for the seat must file an affidavit of candidacy with the Auditor-Treasurer’s Office at the Stearns County Administration Center. Filing opens Tuesday, May 20 and closes at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Learn more

 

Center City Housing is now one step closer to building 40 one-bedroom apartments. The St. Cloud Planning Commission unanimously approved the construction of the apartment building on the former YMCA site. The plan will go before the city council at one of their next meetings. Learn more

 

STATE & NATIONAL

CO 100 Applications: Applications are open for the CO?100, the U.S. Chamber's annual awards program recognizing the best and brightest small and medium-sized businesses in America. Learn more. 

 

Voice of the American Workforce 2025. Now in its 19th year, the Voice of the American Workforce is the nation's largest survey on what attracts, motivates, and helps retain hourly workers. Read the Report.

 

DEED Seeks Grant Reviewers for Paid Leave Grants Program. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is looking for state employees and community members to serve as grant reviewers for the competitive Paid Leave Public Outreach Grants program. Learn more

 

Hiring teens this summer? Know the rules. As summer nears and the school year ends, many Minnesota businesses begin hiring teens to fill seasonal roles. The Department of Labor and Industry reminds employers about child labor laws that protect young workers, ensure safe workplaces and support their success. Learn more

 

The MPCA will finalize a reporting and fee process regarding PFAS. This includes an opportunity for the public and manufacturers to provide comments on the proposed PFAS reporting and fees rule. The comment period closes at 4:30 p.m. on May 21, 2025. Learn more

A warm welcome to these members who joined the Chamber in the month of April, 2025! We are so happy you are here, and we can't wait to meet all of you.

• AMAX Manufacturing, Inc.
• Arrows Family Services
• Blueprint Design Co
• BookSmartz, LLC
• Brookline Consulting
• Estate Claim Services
• GNH Construction, LLC
• HuHot Mongolian Grill
• MD Services, LLC
• Nuts and Bolts Marketing
• Spice of Life Tea Shop
• Texas Roadhouse St. Cloud
• Trustone Financial Federal Credit Union

 - Sponsored Content - 

Join us from 7-9 a.m. on June 3 at the SCFCU St. Cloud Branch to network, learn how to use fear as fuel in your life and career, and support SCFCU’s Eunice Adjei as she raises money to support the TriUnity Foundation as part of her Dancing With Our Stars campaign!

 

Networking takes place 7-7:30 a.m.

On the Cover: From Scratch

Mike and DeNae Hiltner, Owners of Great Harvest Bread Company, bake their bread with a mix of kindness, skill and entrepreneurial spirit.

 

Feature: Meet Smarter

Technology plays a crucial role in producing effective and memorable meetings and events.

 

Special Focus: Unique. Specific. Targeted.

marketing plans help guide not only what to say, but whe, how, where and why to say it. 

Also inside this issue:

• Fact Versus Fiction: Leave the fortune-telling to the psychics.
• Building Bridges: Central MN city updates.
• Always Check the Ice: Take proper steps when terminating employees.
• The (Virtual) Doc is In: Technology plays a major role in healthcare.
• Booths of Opportunity: Trade shows requir preparation and strategy.
• Human Capital: Investing in employee training pays off. 

COMING IN JULY: Women in Business Directory

Reach out to Melinda for more information, the deadline to reserve your spot is May 23rd

Register for booth space now. Last year each booth saw over 150 visitors! 

Only a few teams and sponsorship opportunities remain for the 79th Annual Chamber Open on July 28th at Territory Golf Club.

• Sponsor
• Teams

Sign up now to get the most out of your sponsorship!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended the 2025 Business Awards Luncheon on May 7th. It was a great event full of support and celebration. Thank you to all of our sponsors, and to our award winners for their dedication to business in Central Minnesota!

Didn't get a chance to attend? You can hear more about our award winners in the videos below. All videos were produced by Champion Sponsor Anderson Hughs Productions, and we thank them for their partnership!

Watch the Videos

• 2025 Business Central Mark of Excellence: Family-Owned Business - Doug and Deb Dingmann, Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Homes
• Entrepreneurial Success - Jim Beck and John Malikowski, Modern Barnyard
• Small Business Owners of the Year - Mike & DeNae Hiltner, Great Harvest Bread Company

St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce

1411 West Saint Germain Street, ste. 101

St. Cloud, Minnesota, 56301

 

320-251-2940

StCloudAreaChamber.com