Weekly Roundup 9/10/2021

Chambers Encourage COVID Vaccination

• The state of Alaska and the Alaska Chamber launched a program on Thursday to encourage Alaskans to get vaccinated for COVID-19, giving away prizes of $49,000 apiece to one newly vaccinated adult and youth each week through Oct. 30.
• The Indy Chamber, along with other Business Equity for Indy partners, created the Vaccinations Employer Playbook to provide clear, actionable recommendations and implementation resources for employers of all sizes to increase employee vaccination rates.
• The Chicagoland Chamber urged businesses to require staff returning to worksites be vaccinated against COVID. “Businesses are in a unique position to help change the direction of the pandemic, and we encourage businesses of all sizes and industries to require vaccinations so we can protect ourselves, those around us, and continue on our path to economic recovery,” said chamber President Jack Lavin.
• The New Jersey Chamber announced it is mandating its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and it is requiring all attendees of its in-person events to provide proof of either vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test.
• The Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce is encouraging businesses to incentivize the COVID-19 vaccine for employees and require regular testing.
• The Bristol Chamber teamed up with local health officials as part of the “Take a Shot on Life” campaign to host a mobile vaccination van at the chamber office.
• The Decatur-Morgan County Chamber is encouraging residents to get vaccinated to combat the rising COVID cases and ongoing workforce challenges. “It’s important that people consider getting vaccinated, getting back to normal so that we can continue to have a vibrant economy,” said chamber President Crystal Brown.
• The Detroit Regional Chamber announced that it is requiring Mackinac Policy Conference to be vaccinated and reducing capacity to 1,300 attendees. The chamber is using the CLEAR Health Pass app to manage the process. Learn more about the safety measure from chamber President Sandy Baruah.

#ChamberStrong Examples

• The Clarksville Area Chamber kicked off its Political Development Institute program this week to give emerging leaders the opportunity to learn more about the community and the process of running for elected office.
• Leaders in St. Louis recently renewed their pitch to welcome Afghan refugees to the region, highlighting humanitarian and economic benefits. “Immigrants make our community stronger,” said Jason Hall, president & CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc. “This is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.”
• With more than 30,000 Indian Americans calling Gwinnett County their home, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce recently signed a partnership agreement to collaborate and promote business opportunities between India and Gwinnett.
• As the Huntsville, Alabama region continues to grow, the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber has kicked its strategic plan for economic and workforce development into overdrive to better understand and support the needs of area employers.
• The Greater Binghamton Chamber will hold its first Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference this month to take an in-depth look at what a more inclusive community can mean for economic development.
• The Chamber of Lawrence, Kansas, Economic Development Corporation of Lawrence and Douglas County (EDC) announced the public phase of Rising Together, a bold, five-year economic development plan to bring $2.5 million to accelerate the local economy.
• As part of its ongoing efforts to advocate for more inclusive economic recovery efforts, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce called on elected officials to support strategic investments in health care, child care, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and reskilling opportunities for those hardest hit by the pandemic.
• The board of the Silicon Valley Organization announced that the organization would be immediately rebranded as the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. "We are enormously proud of reactivating the Chamber of Commerce and the brand of our home city, San Jose. This renaming represents less of a new day as it does a return to our historical roots and mission and captures the best version of ourselves,” chamber President & CEO Derrick Seaver said.
• The Daytona Regional Chamber is dedicating $27,000 in funding to support minority-owned businesses through its Daytona Business United Minority Scholarship Program. The initiative provides education, mentorship and network engagement to support the growth of participating companies.
• The Greater Des Moines Partnership is one of 16 finalists and the only U.S. finalist in the International Chamber of Commerce World Chambers Competition. The Partnership is one of four finalists in the category of Best Resilience Project for its DSM Forward project.
• With a new NCAA policy to allow student athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness, the Chamber of Business & Industry of Centre County and the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau launched HappyValleyTalent.com, an online platform that helps talent and businesses connect for appearances, autographs, endorsements and more. 

What We're Reading

• NYT: Biden’s Vaccine Push: What You Need to Know
• Korn Ferry: Four-Step Guide to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Workplace
• U.S. Chamber: The Business Case for Criminal Justice Reform: Second Chance Hiring
• LinkedIn: So Stressed! Women Report Bigger Burdens But See a Lot More Escapes 
• Fourth Economy: Creative Ways to Use ARPA Funds 
• McKinsey & Company: What Matters Most? Five Priorities for CEOs in the Next Normal