The February Breakfast Connections event, hosted by Komatsu, brought business professionals from across the region together for a networking opportunity as massively impactful as their machines! From walking in the door of their beautiful facility to being greeted by an energetic room of industry partners - this event showcased the significance of building connections in the community.

Komatsu (formerly Joy Global / P&H) has been a cornerstone of our Iron Range mining community for many years. Moving into their current location in 2012, many have seen their tremendous facility from afar but were able to step inside and experience the major impact Komatsu has in our community. Together with regional partners such as Road Machinery & Supplies (RMS), they provide essential equipment and services to one of the Iron Range's largest industries - highlighting the importance of how organizations rely on each other to bring prosperity to our beloved area.

With an astounding attendance we were delighted to see so many professionals from our business community come together for this event. Attendees had a chance to provide a brief update on their organization, including:

• Angel Fund: Hosting a curling bonspiel on Saturday, February 14th
• Cheryl Carlson Photography: offering photography services & gearing up for Iron Range Earth Fest on April 18th
• North Star Credit Union: Excited to be connecting with business partners
• Bialke Financial Partners: Offering estate, investment, retirement, and business owner planning
• Alzheimer's Association: Hosting a Lunch & Learn on April 8th, walk on September 19th, seeking volunteers and committee members
• Northridge Community Credit Union: Offering specials on CD's of 4.2 and 4.5%
• Habit for Humanity: MN State Housing Tax Credit application opens February 17th & their annual dinner is on February 26th
• Thrivent: Offering financial advise for individuals and small business IRA options
• Arrowhead Transit: Seeking volunteers for their non-emergency medical transportation program
• St. Louis County: helped fund the building of the Komatsu facility and appreciate their partnership
• Jacob Ringstad: provided updates from Rep. Stauber including critical infrastructure funding & the Critical Mineral Dominance Act
• East Range Times: enjoy attending these events to connect with the community & seeking writers for the paper
• Kraus-Anderson: built the Komatsu facility and ready to help build other regional projects
• UMD Labovitz School of Business & Economics: establishing a guide for Iron Range intern opportunities
• Mesabi Youth for Christ: Hosting their annual dinner on April 10th - get tickets at the Laurentian Chamber Office
• L&M Radiator: partners with Komatsu to locally build radiators for their equipment
• Approve Home Services: Offering plumbing and electrical services & moving into HVAC services this year
• Shining Salt Shoppe: supports 45 local vendors, books, and mercantile in Gilbert
• RAMS: advocating to preserve the taconite tax credit & seeking support for a change to the distribution of the public school fund
• NewRange Copper Nickel: Scholarships available for tribal, trades, and STEM fields - deadline March 31st
• Carpenters Local 606: looking to add tradesmen to their union
• City of Virginia: seeking solutions to decrease tax burdens for residents and businesses
• Virginia Community Foundation: Scholarship opportunities available until March 1st
• Innovative: providing office essentials and branded items for businesses
• Frandsen Bank & Trust: joined the Laurentian Chamber Board and working on housing and refinance for clients
• Delta: Excited to be connecting with community members
• M.I. Credit Card Processing: offering credit card processing with no fees
• Logan Ward State Farm: offering insurance options
• U.S. Bank: look forward to getting involved with the Chamber Community, hosting customer appreciation event on February 25th

A huge thank you to Komatsu for hosting this spectacular event and giving guests a tour of your facility. Your participation is what makes these gatherings so impactful.

Thank you to everyone who attended and made this Breakfast Connections a memorable morning. If you missed it, don't worry - there are plenty more networking opportunities coming up!

Our next Breakfast Connections event will be March 11th hosted by All American Title, so mark your calendars!