Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce: Building the teams that make things happen

The Tri-City Regional Chamber is a convener for leaders and influencers, a catalyst for business growth and a champion for a strong community. We are excited to share the work being done and where our focus will be, and to play our part in driving growth and success in the Tri-Cities.

As our member businesses and employers are our primary customer and driving force, their needs are paramount. Therefore, we must operate at a level of excellence, efficiently and effectively, to provide a place businesses and professionals can belong, engage and thrive.

We believe that we have a distinctive role to play in the community that requires continued evolution in our events, programs, services, effective partnerships and bold leadership on issues of regional importance. As the lead accountability organization for myTRI 2030, the Regional Chamber is relentless in our efforts to mobilize citizens, business, nonprofits and government around this transformative project. Thus myTRI 2030 seeks to build a collaborative community and economic development system for the region. It creates a unified focus so that all entities can do what they do best in better coordination with other partners in the system. Throughout the next decade, myTRI 2030 will change the way we work with partners, coordinate efforts and leverage resources for the greatest possible impact for the companies and people that call the Tri-Cities home.

With our responsibility of being the voice of business, we aim to establish ourselves as credible thought leaders within the community. This license to lead is also the license to convene business and other interests to work together. The Chamber is committed to providing opportunities to access our elected officials and engage in the public policy process to ensure our business climate remains strong and prosperous.

The Tri-City Regional Chamber has received a four-star accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The only program of its kind in the country, U.S. Chamber accreditation recognizes excellence in chamber planning and performance. To achieve accreditation, a chamber must demonstrate quality programs, clear organizational procedures and effective communications by meeting operational and program standards in the areas of governance, program development, government affairs and technology. Accreditation designation tells chamber members, as well as the greater business community, that this organization delivers effective programs, has sound finances and is a strong advocate for their interests.

We just completed our 10th year as a Procurement Technical Assistance Center, serving seven counties in Central/Eastern Washington (Benton, Franklin, Grant, Yakima, Klickitat, Walla Walla and Columbia). The eight locations across Washington state ensure that businesses can find, bid and win federal, state and local government contracts. During the past 12 months, our PTAC center helped 80 businesses earn over $12 million in government contracts.

Each year, the Regional Chamber presents more than 70 events and programs that draw approximately 8,000 attendees for learning and connecting. As the region’s most prestigious event, the Women in Business Conference and ATHENA Awards Luncheon continues to break attendance records while serving as a resource for professional and personal development. The Chamber recently added another exceptional event, the Tri-Cities Diversity Summit, designed to help employers develop strategies to hire and retain a diverse workforce.

The Regional Chamber is making strong and steady progress toward our goals — validating that we are indeed positioning our organization for an incredible 2020. We are looking ahead to the future and evolving to meet the most pressing needs of members and our community.

This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Tri-City Regional Chamber of Commerce: Building the teams that make things happen."