The Laurentian Chamber of Commerce kicked off the new year with a fantastic January Breakfast Connections event, hosted by Park State Bank. Despite the chilly January morning, our spirits were warm as we gathered to connect and learn more about one of our outstanding Chamber members.

Park State Bank truly made the morning special with its hospitality and delicious breakfast spread. The warm meal was the perfect compliment to the engaging conversations and networking opportunities. During the event, Park State Bank also shared some exciting updates about their merger with First National Bank in Chisholm and Cook. Park State Bank continues to be an Advocate for the Laurentian Chamber of Commerce and a huge supporter of advancing the entire Arrowhead Region.

We were thrilled to see so many professionals from our business community come together for this event. Attendees represented a variety of organizations and had a chance to share a brief update with the group including:

• Habit for Humanity: Looking to build 6 homes for families in 2026 & look forward to their annual dinner on February 26th.
• Alzheimer's Association: Hosting a walk on September 19th & looking for volunteers and committee members for the event.
• AT&T: Offering promotions for switching from a different carrier, business discounts, and have internet service options available.
• City of Mt. Iron: Working on upgrades to the waste water treatment facility and water lines.
• Arrowhead Transit: Excited to launch an app later this year.
• Approve Home Services: Offering plumbing and electrical services & hosting Business Happy Hour on January 28th at the Whistling Bird in Gilbert.
• Minnesota North College: Spring semester started on Monday.
• Thrivent: Offering financial advise for individuals and their unique needs.
• Mesabi Metallics: Has 500 workers on their construction project & an MPCA Public Meeting this week.
• Virginia Community Foundation: Fiscal sponsor for the Virginia Splash Pad and seeking donations for the project.
• Discover the Range: Encourages signing up for their online event calendar to automatically post your organizations events.
• Mesabi Youth for Christ: Will be serving at the Habitat for Humanity annual dinner & hosting their annual dinner on April 10th.
• Northridge Community Credit Union: Launching an exciting new credit card option very soon.
• Midwest Communications: Happy to help organizations with radio advertising.
• Angel Fund: Hosting a curling bonspiel on February 14th
• Rick Pierce: Developing a small homes project in 2026
• UMD Labovitz School of Business & Economics: Hosting an information session for the IRON Program on January 27th at the Sawmill Saloon & Restaurant. 
• U.S. Steel: With the partnership of Nippon Steel they will be investing $800 million into projects at our local facilities.

The diverse perspectives and shared experiences made for meaningful discussions and connections that we look forward to continuing to grow through these events.

A huge thank you to Park State Bank for hosting this memorable event and to all who braved the cold to join us. Your participation is what makes these gatherings so impactful.

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

Our next Breakfast Connections event will be February 11th hosted by U.S. Steel, so stay tuned for more details!