Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce: Engaging, building, leading our community
The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives recently released the Horizon Initiative, a bold report outlining eight influences affecting chambers in the next 10 years. Considering the world’s accelerating pace of change, the report emphasized the need for chambers to adapt to oncoming pressures, evolve with the times and ultimately thrive in a world shaped by these eight influences.
Considering what lies ahead, we have been challenged to assess current practices, to anticipate the needs of tomorrow’s members and to strategize accordingly. Our board of directors and staff, like many across the country, were inspired by the report and regarded it as a catalyst for re-defining our future; ensuring our best days are yet to come!
The quest for answers and interpretation of the Horizon Initiative resulted in a three-year strategic plan, Chamber 2020. The bold new plan outlines three primary objectives: Engage stakeholders through high-value opportunities and innovative strategies, build capacity for increased economic and leadership resources and lead the region to a dynamic economy and quality of life.
As we prepare for an increasingly diverse workforce, workplace and marketplace in terms of generation and ethnicity, engaging diverse business leaders from across the region will be a major priority for the Tri-City Regional Chamber. We will evaluate and update our offerings to appeal to the next generation of business leaders, and integrate our programming to meet the needs and styles of a more diverse membership.
A primary goal over the next three years is to establish the Regional Chamber as the definitive business organization and leading source for innovative and high quality programming. The Chamber 2020 plan includes tactics to contemporize our communications, utilize technology to establish more personal relationships with members and collect and apply feedback from members to improve the chamber and the member experience. We will grow membership by creating and implementing a high touch member retention plan, and increase assistance to members in gaining access to new markets.
Building capacity for increased economic and leadership resources is the second objective of the Chamber 2020 strategic plan. During the next three years, a great deal of importance will be placed on aligning our resources and generating funds to support our mission; this includes both our human and financial resources. We will develop a high-performance team that is a leader amongst regional organizations. As an organization, we will work to attract, nurture and motivate catalytic leaders who crave and will help create change. Additionally we’ll recruit a broad volunteer base of leaders with ideas to improve their business and their community. In terms of financial resources, we will raise revenue primarily for mission goals; carefully divesting of events and programs not aligned with our mission, and aggressively seek funding from mission-supporting members.
The final objective of Chamber 2020 is to lead the region to a dynamic economy and quality of life. This calls for us to be a bold advocate for business and community development, create solutions and advance policies that strengthen business and improve the region’s economy. As a champion for community and economic development initiatives, our plan includes strategies to convene and collaborate with stakeholders on regional objectives, and to develop a regional strategic plan to optimize the future of the Tri-Cities.
The Tri-City Regional Chamber is surely evolving. To quote businessman and author Jack Welch, “A leader’s job is to look into the future and see the organization, not as it is, but as it should be.” The leadership of the Tri-City Regional Chamber has created a plan to continue to provide our proven core benefits of networking, marketing, advocacy and member services, but has energetically envisioned a bold future where we challenge assumptions, explore ideas, lead coalitions and help shape the future of our region.
This story was originally published March 23, 2017 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce: Engaging, building, leading our community."