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The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives is excited to announce that Sheree Anne Kelly has been named as the organization's next president and CEO.

Sheree Anne, who currently serves as senior vice president at Washington, D.C.-based Public Affairs Council, will join the ACCE team September 5. Mick Fleming, who has served as ACCE's president and CEO since July 2001, will continue to serve the organization throughout the transition.

Sheree Anne Kelly says hello to ACCE members

"Finding a talented leader is often a daunting task when searching for the best person to lead a proven and successful association," said ACCE Board Chairman Jay Chesshir, CCE, president and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber. "Everyone involved in the executive search process has been extremely impressed with Sheree Anne and we look forward to working with her to build upon the amazing impact, strength, and resources we've created over the last 16 years."

Kelly was the unanimous choice of ACCE's 15-member CEO Search Committee, chaired by Roy H. Williams, president and CEO of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber. The committee worked with executive recruiting firm Korn Ferry.

"We went through a very methodical, disciplined process to find the right person," Williams said. "And at the end of that process, I believe the entire committee felt we perhaps exceeded our own expectations by finding Sheree Anne. Her attitude, enthusiasm, skill set, and personality should combine to take ACCE to a new level."

Kelly currently serves as PAC's chief public affairs expert and deputy for the organization, and executive director of PAC's Foundation for Public Affairs. In addition to strategic planning, operations management, and research oversight, she directs the Council's public affairs staff responsible for consulting, thought leadership and training on best practices and ethical considerations. She launched the international practice for PAC, which opened its first overseas office in Brussels in 2013. She's a frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer, having delivered presentations across North America, Europe, and Asia. Prior to joining PAC, Kelly worked in the government affairs department of the National Association of Home Builders, and held positions at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in corporate relations and corporate development.

"Since my first job out of college was working for the U.S. Chamber," Kelly said, "ACCE is a real full-circle career moment. I've always had this idealism about giving back to communities and groups, and being a productive contributor to a mission-driven organization, so working with chamber leaders and ACCE's staff is a thrilling opportunity."

View the full press release

Tags: ACCE News

 The ongoing economic recovery of Detroit has produced some real success stories. Since filing for municipal bankruptcy back in 2013, Motor City has enjoyed a solid comeback, accompanied by a building boom in its downtown core.

But, as is the case in much of the country, the recovery in Detroit has been markedly uneven. Since 2007, employment for suburban residents has increased by more than 16 percent, while at the same time falling by 35 percent for the city’s urbanites, according to data from City Lab.

At the Detroit Regional Chamber, Greg Handel, vice president of education and talent programs, wants to attack this inequality by its roots—by providing low-income students at Detroit public highs schools with funding to attend community college, tuition free.

“There’s this big economic revitalization going on, and a lot of these new jobs demand a highly skilled workforce,”explained Handel. “There’s a hope that if we get more students onto a pathway for college, they’ll be able to fill these jobs that are coming back downtown.”

Handel says the program will also help reduce the the number of families leaving the city. Detroit’s population, which stood at well over a million residents for most of the 1990s, has fallen to just 676,312 residents in 2016, the last year data was available.

“This is largely about retention of residents,” said Handel. “The city has been losing residents, so there’s a hope that this will slow down or end that drain away from the city.”

In 2011, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder formed a working group with the Detroit Regional Chamber to brainstorm ways to reform the city’s education system. They settled on a last-dollar scholarship program, to be administered by the chamber and funded by the Michigan Educational Excellence Foundation, a nonprofit business foundation created to improve education outcomes for low-income Detroiters.

The new scholarship, which made community college available tuition-free for all students in the city, became known as the Detroit Promise.

“As we look to the future, the next generation of leaders is being developed here in our schools,” said Gov. Rick Snyder last Fall in a blog post. “The Detroit Promise helps to provide access to a high-quality education, so that our students are equipped with the skills necessary to continue the city’s comeback for generations to come.”

More than 2,000 students have used the funds to attend community college since the program’s inception four years ago. Starting last year, the Promise was expanded to several four-year universities in the area—although students must have at least a 3.0 GPA and a score of 1060 on the SAT to gain admission.

Of the students who attended community college through the scholarship, about 20 percent graduated, which is roughly the national average for low-income, first-generation students, said Handel. To boost success rates, the chamber hired coaches to help students navigate the college experience.

“From research, we know that some low-income, first-year students enter college with a feeling they don’t belong,” said Handel. “Coaches encourage them not to get too stressed or too down on themselves, especially after that first setback.”

Looking ahead, Handel hopes to increase the numbers of students attending community college through the Promise from 500 to 700, and to roughly double the graduation rate for participating students to 40 percent.

“As employers look to hire Detroit residents for jobs and internships, we want to encourage our students to be in that pipeline,” said Handel. “A lot of these students believe that college is a luxury they can’t afford, even if the tuition is paid for. We want to show these kids that a pathway to success exists.”

Want to see your chamber featured on our blog? Contact Ben Goldstein at bgoldstein@acce.org to share your story. 

For decades, the San Francisco Bay area has been a region of prosperity. Fueled by the wealth of Silicon Valley, the city’s population growth shows no sign of slowing down.

Now, the region’s renowned public transit systems are feeling the strain of decades of expansion, as traffic congestion makes it hard to move around and causes headaches for everyone—businesses and consumers alike.

At the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Senior Vice President for Public Policy Jim Lazarus sounds a sanguine tone about traffic in the city.

“We don’t have congestion—we call it traffic,” he chuckled. “Traffic is good, congestion is bad.”

Lazarus has a behind-the-scenes view, as a member of the city’s new taskforce on reducing traffic, led by the San Francisco Chamber, which includes staff from the mayor’s office, regional agencies and a coterie of business associations.

“We have a fairly robust rapid transit system, but it’s bursting at the seams carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers a day,” said Lazarus. “There are no reverse commutes anymore. The traffic moves in all directions, all the time.”

The working group launched in 2015, in response to concerns the city would struggle to accommodate the one million expected visitors for Super Bowl 50. After the city successfully handled the influx, the group decided to continue meeting monthly to further develop strategies toward curbing the snarling congestion enveloping San Francisco’s winding grid system.

“This kind of ad hoc process led into some major meetings to give input to the city and the NFL,” said Lazarus. “That Superbowl, transit carried record loads, business didn’t grind to a halt and we survived with the kind of security constraints that were imposed on the town.”

At the working group’s monthly meetings, the agenda deals with strategies for enforcing traffic and parking control, as well as incentivizing sustainable options like carpooling and public transit. The group also studies current trends, like the effects of ride-sharing firms Uber and Lyft, which now comprise roughly 20 percent of the city’s traffic, according to a report from the San Francisco County Transportation Authority.

“There’s probably 5–6,000 ridesharing vehicles on the streets at any peak time in San Francisco,” said Lazarus. “It obviously adds to traffic, but it’s also replacing vehicles, so we’re trying to learn what the real net impact of all this is.”

And, in a nod to its Silicon Valley DNA, the working group is planning with an eye toward future adoption of autonomous vehicles, which Lazarus believes is looming on the horizon.

“Autonomous vehicles are going to give road capacity a big bump up, meaning there will be more vehicles in the same amount of roadway,” said Lazarus. “We don’t know what the full effects will be, but we think it will move traffic better if you take some of the human error out of the equation.”

Public transit in the region accommodates nearly one million passengers daily. The city has slated transit improvements for the next 5–10 years, including the electrification of the Caltrain commuter line and the addition of new several planned subway stations, that are expected to boost the system’s capacity.

“With the growth of deliveries, jobs, private vehicles and rideshare, San Francisco can’t add to the street grid,” said Lazarus. “We can only try to make it more efficient, and that’s our real goal here.”

Have a story to share? Pitch ideas to Ben Goldstein at bgoldstein@acce.org.

 The Aloha Spirit came alive in Washington last week, as the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii hosted Hawaii on the Hill, its fourth-annual fly-in to the nation's capital.

The packed, two-day agenda culminated with the Taste of Hawaii gala in the historical Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building. Inside the posh ballroom, attendees donning aloha shirts and flower leis milled about to Hawaiian music, as dozens of vendors shared samples of Hawaiian treats and sundries nearby

“This is about showcasing Hawaii on the Hill, and providing opportunities for Hawaii businesses to expand locally, nationally and globally,” said Sherry Menor-McNamara, president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii. “Although people see Hawaii as a tourist destination, we also want to educate them about our state’s innovative products and services.

Hawaii Food Manufacturers Association members served up authentic island cuisine, like kalua pig sliders—miniature pulled pork sandwiches doused with spicy ketchup—and Sun Noodle delights, ramen noodles topped with teriyaki sauce and garnished with crunchy Wun Tun Strips, a treat made by Hawaii Candy. Joining the strong food industry presence were companies like Hawaiian Airlines and Hawaii Gas Co., who were also there promoting their businesses.

“It's not just about food; We use this opportunity to showcase Hawaii’s various industries, like technology, transportation, and even education and health,” said Menor-McNamara. “These businesses participate in Hawaii on the Hill because they recognize the importance of keeping Hawaii on the map and continuing to inform our nation’s leaders about what our state has to offer.”

Feedback from participating chamber members has been unanimously positive, evidenced by the number of companies who now make the trip annually.

“It’s a great opportunity to network and showcase some of the high tech work we do,” said Eric Schiff, vice president at Navatek, a small defense contractor that works with the Office of Naval Research in the Marine Corps. “The Aloha State does it all—high tech, outstanding food—it’s just a fabulous place to work and play and live, and Hawaii on the Hill showcases that.”

Chamber of Commerce Hawaii was accompanied by the Neighbor Island Chambers, a partnership of chambers from smaller islands like Maui and Kauai.

“Here we are on the East coast, with all these friends and family, sharing Hawaii with them and all the amazing things our entrepreneurs make back home,” said Pamela Tumpap, president of the Maui Chamber of Commerce. “We want everyone who came out to remember that we do everything with the Aloha Spirit and a great pride in our culture.”

One major success story from past years is the Koloa Rum Company, which used the event as a springboard to expand its East Coast presence.

“Koloa Rum had a minimal presence on the East Coast, but since participating in Hawaii on the Hill from the very first year, they have expanded to more than 300 distribution channels,” said Menor-McNamara. “While these businesses are on the Hill promoting their products, they’re also able to connect with stakeholders and key contacts to build their businesses, so they see that as ROI, as well.”

Taste of Hawaii was part of the two-day Hawaii on the Hill trip organized by the state chamber, in partnership with Senator Mazie Hirono. Also on the itinerary was a welcome meeting and policy briefing with lawmakers, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and heads of executive branch agencies. More than 100 delegates representing 65 Hawaiian companies participated in the visit, up from 25 companies in 2014, the first year the chamber made the trip.

“While it’s an exciting initiative, it’s also an important one, because we need to continue to work with different stakeholders to ensure that the Aloha State continues to be in the forefront and on the map,” said Menor-McNamara. “Hawaii on the Hill showcases that—while Hawaii is a great state to visit and vacation—there are also many other great things going on that contribute to our economy.”

“On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this business to a friend or colleague?”

You’ve probably been asked this question before. But have you ever wondered why businesses ask it, and what they do with the feedback they receive?

The answer is actually a lot simpler than you’d think. It’s called a Net Promoter Score (NPS), and it’s a management tool that gauges customer satisfaction toward a brand.

“The big advantage to using NPS is that it’s a very well researched methodology that can be compared and contrasted with other organizations,” said Kent Oyler, president and CEO at Greater Louisville Inc. “It shows us who our supporters and detractors are, and we get to hear what both groups are saying about our programs and events.”

At GLI, the measure is used to track member and event satisfaction, both of which have emerged as key performance indicators on the chamber’s dashboard.

“Because we ask the same questions after every event, we can track our performance over time and figure out how to improve,” said Oyler. “NPS reminds us that neutral and detractor members and attendees are damaging to our organization when their complaints go unanswered.”

Net Promoter Score helps the chamber identify which events are succeeding and which aren’t. It also provides qualitative feedback in the form of complaints and suggestions, to help the chamber identify and modify persistent problem areas.

“Typically, events with a specific focus perform better than broader topics,” explained Shawna Burton, vice president of engagement and organizational advancement at GLI. Among the best performing events for the chamber have been Executive Session, an invite-only dinner for new Louisvillians, and the Top Investor series, which provides high-level keynotes on timely topics.

A low score doesn’t automatically mark the end of an event, but it is one of the main factors along with “mission fit, relevancy, profitability and staff time,” said Burton. “Our small business awards will be completely revamped this year because of low scores,” she said, adding: “Just last week, we nixed our webinar series, in part because of stubbornly low NPS scores.”

One of the advantages of NPS is its ability to rank customer support levels among members, enabling the chamber to drill down by business size, industry and other attributes.

“From an event perspective, our biggest supporters are Top Investors, because they seem to understand the organization best,” said Burton. “The biggest detractors usually provide feedback on logistical improvements such as AV issues or room temperature—mostly issues that we can fix for the future.”

The chamber shares NPS feedback with all staff members involved in the event planning process. For larger events, it holds “debrief meetings” to discuss what went right, as well as areas for improvement. For signature events like its Annual Meeting, GLI examines the previous year’s NPS feedback during the first planning session to better focus on correcting past shortcomings. 

NPS was introduced by author and business strategist Fred Reichheld in his 2003 Harvard Business Review article “One Number You Need to Grow,” and has since been adopted by more than two thirds of Fortune 500 companies. The score is claimed by its proponents to be correlated with increased revenue growth.

The NPS scale runs from -100 to +100, and positive scores are generally considered good. As an organization, GLI went from -13 in 2015 to +9 in 2016, and aims to hit +16 by 2017.

“The only downside is that when you start using it, there aren’t clear benchmarks around what is ‘good’ performance for chambers and events—is it a 40 or an 80?” asked Oyler.

Learn more about Net Promoter Score here.

Tags: Management, Net Promoter Score, Dashboard, Greater Louisville Inc., Key Performance Indicators

Congratulations to winners of this year’s Membership Achievement Awards! These chambers of commerce (listed alphabetically) are in the top 10 (of their revenue category) for retention of members, dollars and/or new members.

Dollars listed based on the chamber’s annual revenue

Up to $450,000

Member Retention
Charles County Chamber of Commerce (La Plata, Maryland)
Cortland County Chamber of Commerce (Cortland, New York)
Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dixon, Illinois)
Effingham County Chamber of Commerce (Effingham, Illinois)
Harwich Chamber of Commerce (Harwich Port, Massachusetts)
Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ludlow, Vermont)
Orleans Chamber of Commerce (Orleans, Massachusetts)
Rowan County Chamber of Commerce (Salisbury, North Carolina)
Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce (Shawano, Wisconsin)
Wells County Chamber of Commerce (Bluffton, Indiana)

Dues Retention
Alliance Southwest Louisiana (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
Dixon Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Dixon, Illinois)
Effingham County Chamber of Commerce (Effingham, Illinois)
Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce (Hartsville, South Carolina)
Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce (Murray, Kentucky)
Muskego Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism (Muskego, Wisconsin)
Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ludlow, Vermont)
Orleans Chamber of Commerce (Orleans, Massachusetts)
Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce (Shawano, Wisconsin)
Wells County Chamber of Commerce (Bluffton, Indiana)

New Member Retention
Alliance Southwest Louisiana (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
Charles County Chamber of Commerce (La Plata, Maryland)
Cortland County Chamber of Commerce (Cortland, New York)
Des Moines Downtown Chamber of Commerce (Des Moines, Iowa)
Effingham County Chamber of Commerce (Effingham, Illinois)
Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce (Hartsville, South Carolina)
Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce (Murray, Kentucky)
Okemo Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ludlow, Vermont)
Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce (Shawano, Wisconsin)
Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce (Westerville, Ohio)

$450,001 to $900,000

Member Retention
Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce (Bartlesville, Oklahoma)
Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce (Columbus, Indiana)
Greater Burlington Partnership (Burlington, Iowa)
Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (Wilmington, North Carolina)
Minot Area Chamber of Commerce (Minot, North Dakota)
Pocatello Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce (Pocatello, Idaho)
Rocky Mount Area Chamber of Commerce (Rocky Mount, North Carolina)
Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce (Siesta Key, Florida)
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce (Winona, Minnesota)

Dues Retention
Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce (Bartlesville, Oklahoma)
Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
Greater Burlington Partnership (Burlington, Iowa)
Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (Wilmington, North Carolina)
Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce (Greenville, North Carolina)
Ludington and Scottville Chamber of Commerce (Ludington, Michigan)
Minot Area Chamber of Commerce (Minot, North Dakota)
Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce (Salinas, California)
Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce (Siesta Key, Florida)
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce (Winona, Minnesota)

New Member Retention
Bay Area Chamber of Commerce (Bay City, Michigan)
Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce (Greer, South Carolina)
Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce (West Chester, Pennsylvania)
Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce (Pennsylvania)
Minot Area Chamber of Commerce (Minot, North Dakota)
Outer Banks Chamber of Commerce (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina)
Paulding County Chamber of Commerce (Dallas, Georgia)
Pocatello Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce (Pocatello, Idaho)
Temple Chamber of Commerce (Temple, Texas)
Winona Area Chamber of Commerce (Winona, Minnesota)

$900,001 to $2,000,000

Member Retention
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce (Cambridge, Ontario)
Garrett County Chamber of Commerce (McHenry, Maryland)
Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association (Glenwood Springs, Colorado)
Greater Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)
Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce (Lima, Ohio)
Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce (Rutherford, New Jersey)
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce (Oshkosh, Wisconsin)
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (Regina, Saskatchewan)
Vail Valley Partnership (Avon, Colorado)
Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Wichita Falls, Texas)

Dues Retention
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce (Cambridge, Ontario)
Columbia Chamber of Commerce (Columbia, Missouri)
Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (Erie, Pennsylvania)
Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association (Glenwood Springs, Colorado)
Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce (Topeka, Kansas)
Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce (Lima, Ohio)
Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce (Holland, Michigan)
Vail Valley Partnership (Avon, Colorado)
Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Wichita Falls, Texas)

New Member Retention
Cambridge Chamber of Commerce (Cambridge, Ontario)
Columbia Chamber of Commerce (Columbia, Missouri)
Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association (Glenwood Springs, Colorado)
Grapevine Chamber of Commerce (Grapevine, Texas)
Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce (Topeka, Kansas)
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce (Humble, Texas)
Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership (Ocala, Florida)
Southwest Indiana Chamber (Evansville, Indiana)
Vail Valley Partnership (Avon, Colorado)
Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Wichita Falls, Texas)

$2,000,001 to $5,000,000

Member Retention
Arkansas State Chamber/Associated Industries of Arkansas (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Buffalo Niagara Partnership (Buffalo, New York)
Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce (Centerville, Massachusetts)
Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead West Fargo (Moorhead, Minnesota)
Fox Cities Chamber (Appleton, Wisconsin)
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce (Kalispell, Montana)
North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce & CVB (North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce (Rapid City, South Dakota)
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Toledo, Ohio)

Dues Retention
Arkansas State Chamber/Associated Industries of Arkansas (Little Rock, Arkansas)
Billings Chamber of Commerce (Billings, Montana)
Buffalo Niagara Partnership (Buffalo, New York)
Chamber of Commerce of Fargo Moorhead West Fargo (Moorhead, Minnesota)
Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce & EDC (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce (Kalispell, Montana)
Louisiana Association of Business & Industry (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce (Rapid City, South Dakota)
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Toledo, Ohio)

New Member Retention
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce (Dayton, Ohio)
Fox Cities Chamber (Appleton, Wisconsin)
Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce (El Paso, Texas)
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce (Burlington, Vermont)
Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce (Las Vegas, Nevada)
Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce (Rapid City, South Dakota)
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (St. Joseph, Missouri)
South Bend Regional Chamber (South Bend, Indiana)
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Toledo, Ohio)
York County Economic Alliance (York, Pennsylvania)

Above $5,000,000

Member Retention
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Georgia Chamber of Commerce (Atlanta, Georgia)
Greater Cleveland Partnership (Cleveland, Ohio)
Greater Louisville Inc. (Louisville, Kentucky)
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (Omaha, Nebraska)
Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce (Mobile, Alabama)
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce (Davenport, Iowa/Moline, Illinois)
Tulsa Regional Chamber (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Dues Retention
Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce (Brooklyn, New York)
Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Georgia Chamber of Commerce (Atlanta, Georgia)
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (Omaha, Nebraska)
JAX Chamber (Jacksonville, Florida)
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce (Mobile, Alabama)
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce (Davenport, Iowa/Moline, Illinois)
St. Louis Regional Chamber (St. Louis, Missouri)

New Member Retention
Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (Asheville, North Carolina)
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Georgia Chamber of Commerce (Atlanta, Georgia)
Greater Cleveland Partnership (Cleveland, Ohio)
Greater Louisville Inc. (Louisville, Kentucky)
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (Omaha, Nebraska)
Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce (Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce (Mobile, Alabama)
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Tulsa Regional Chamber (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

These awards are based on information voluntarily entered in Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking, in the Fiscal Year 2016 Operations Survey. Only data entered by March 31, 2017 was considered. If your chamber did not participate in Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking, you were not considered for this award.

Tags: Membership Achievement Award, #ACCEAwards, Awards, Membership

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives today named finalists for the 2017 Regional Innovation Award.

West Alabama Works
Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama 
West Alabama Works recruits, trains, and empowers a highly skilled workforce driven by industry needs. The mission of this initiative is to meet the workforce needs of businesses in the critical industries in the region and to helping residents, particularly low-income residents and people with barriers to employment, obtain jobs that pay family-sustaining wages. The vision of West Alabama Works is that businesses will take the lead of the regional workforce development system to respond rapidly.

CAREEROCKIT
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Omaha Chamber launched CAREEROCKIT to educate, excite and inspire members of tomorrow's workforce, help them soar to new heights, and rock future careers in Omaha County. The first-of-its kind effort, enthusiastically supported by community partners, brought their business and educational communities together to help students move along the learning pipeline, gain applicable knowledge and build excitement for local career options, all to ensure their region can meet its current and future talent needs.

Middle Tennessee Reconnect Community
Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Middle Tennessee Reconnect Community (MTRC) is a ten-county collaborative dedicated to supporting adults who aspire to earn a college degree to enter or reenter higher education (Reconnectors). The collaborative includes public and private nonprofit higher education institutions, the regions three workforce development boards, and community and employer partners. This initiative is part of the state’s strategy to help adults enter higher education to gain new skills, enter jobs that pay well, or advance in their current workplace.

Elevate, Retain and Attract + Bridge
Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce (Allegheny Conference on Community Development)
“Elevate, Retain and Attract + Bridge” (E. R. A. + B.) is a collective workforce strategy to align their education and training pipeline to meet projected workforce demand. The Allegheny Conference released an in-depth workforce report: “Inflection Point: Supply, Demand and the Future of Work in the Pittsburgh Region,” spurred by innovation and technological change across every industry, and its implications for employers, educators and workforce talent.

ACCE's Regional Innovation Award recognizes organizations and alliances that are committed to building strong and vibrant communities through groundbreaking collaboration and program development. Learn more here.

Tags: Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Greater Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Regional Innovation Award, #ACCEAwards, Awards, Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives today announced winners of its Communications Excellence awards program.

In late May 2017, six marketing and communications leaders from Arkansas, Louisiana, Manitoba, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin gathered at #ACCEHQ to carefully review more than 100 award submissions.

These entries highlight some of the freshest and most innovative marketing and communications work coming from ACCE member organizations of all types and sizes.

Each submission was organized by type — advertising and marketing, campaigns, digital and publications — and by the submitting organization’s total annual budget range: under $1 million, $1 to $3 million and above $3 million.

In addition to awards listed below, three “Best in Show” awards will be presented at the 2017 Awards Show.

Grand Awards

Advertising and Marketing

Williamson, Inc.
Franklin, Tennessee
Williamson County Mobility Week: Graphic Elements, Host Media Guide, Emails and Social Media, Multi Media

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Kalispell, Montana
Winter Campaign: Press Release, Ski Vacation Contest Details, Weekend Sherpa Sponsored Content

Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga: Literally Perfect Campaign

Campaigns

Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce
West Bay, Grand Cayman
Economic Growth Matters Campaign

Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Tysons, Virginia
Northern Virginia Chamber Rebrand

Portland Business Alliance
Portland, Oregon
Portland Can Do Better Campaign

Digital

Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce
Greer, South Carolina
GreerMade Learn the Trade Video

Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
Toledo, Ohio
It Matters Where You Make It Video

Tulsa Regional Chamber
Tulsa, Oklahoma
FMAC Web Site

Publications

Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce
Selma, Alabama
Selma–Dallas County Find it Local Guide

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce
Conway, Arkansas
Off Campus 2016–17 College Guide

Community Development Foundation
Tupelo, Mississippi
CDF Annual Meeting: Invitation; Program and Annual Report 2016; Video Highlights

Awards of Excellence

Advertising and Marketing

Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort Coast Is Clear

Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Atlanta, Georgia
Advocacy Infographic

Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce
Moline, Illinois/Davenport, Iowa
I'm Invested: Videos, Newspaper Ads

Tulsa Regional Chamber
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Career Awareness

Campaigns

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Boston, Massachusetts
"Rise Together" Rebrand

Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce
Galveston, Texas
Lemonade Day Galveston County Campaign

Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Atlanta, Georgia
Georgia 2030

Livingston Parish Chamber of Commerce
Denham Springs, Louisiana
LP BACK 2 BIZ – Disaster Recovery Campaign

Lubbock Chamber of Commerce
Lubbock, Texas
Go Vote Lubbock Campaign: Flyer, Video

Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce
Naperville, Illinois
Rebranding Campaign

Orleans Chamber of Commerce
Orleans, Massachusetts
Runner Up! America's Happiest Seaside Town: Poster, Postcard, Video

Tulsa Regional Chamber
Tulsa, Oklahoma
TYPros Voter Engagement

Digital

Allegheny Conference on Community Development
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Greater Pittsburgh Chamber Year in Review

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Boston, Massachusetts
Website Redesign

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Charleston, South Carolina
“That’s Why I’m a Member” Video Campaign

Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Greater Chattanooga Economic Partnership Website

Conway Area Chamber of Commerce
Conway, Arkansas
125th Anniversary Video

Greater Des Moines Partnership
Des Moines, Iowa
Regional Momentum Video

Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Winter Golf Promo Video

Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce
Edwardsville, Illinois
SAVOR: Edwardsville/Glen Carbon Restaurant Week

Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Annual Report

Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce
Roanoke, Texas
Website

Plano Chamber of Commerce
Plano, Texas
Take 10: Legislative Landscape E-Newsletter

Greater Spokane Incorporated
Spokane, Washington
Business AfterSchool Video

Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce
Valparaiso, Indiana
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Charleston, South Carolina
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Greenville, South Carolina
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Irving, Texas
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Killeen, Texas
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Humble, Texas
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Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce
Lansdowne, Virginia
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Macon, Georgia
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Nashville, Tennessee
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Lafayette, Louisiana
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Orleans, Massachusetts
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Owensboro, Kentucky
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Salt Lake City, Utah
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Learn more about ACCE's Communications Excellence awards here.

Communications Excellence winners: 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013

Tags: Branding, Communications, Marketing, #ACCEAwards, Awards, Awards for Communications Excellence

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives today announced finalists for the 2017 Chamber of the Year competition, proudly sponsored by Indianapolis-based WebLink International.

Finalists for 2017 Chamber of the Year are (sorted by category):

State/Province Category:

Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Atlanta, Georgia

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
Regina, Saskatchewan

Category Four:

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
Charleston, South Carolina 

Chattanooga Area Chamber
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce
Dayton, Ohio

Category Three:

Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce
Bowling Green, Kentucky

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
Huntsville, Alabama

Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership
Ocala, Florida

Plano Chamber of Commerce
Plano, Texas

Category Two:

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Kalispell, Montana

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Fitchburg, Massachusetts

Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce
Paducah, Kentucky

Category One:

Des Moines Downtown Chamber
Des Moines, Iowa

Effingham County Chamber of Commerce
Effingham, Illinois

O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries
O’Fallon, Missouri

In the final phase of the competition, a judging committee conducts in-person interviews with leaders representing each finalist chamber. One winner from each category will be named at the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives annual conference in Nashville, Tennessee.

Learn more about Chamber of the Year here.

Tags: Chamber of the Year, Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce, Chattanooga Area Chamber, Plano Chamber of Commerce, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, Des Moines Downtown Chamber, Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Chamber, Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce, #ACCEAwards, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, Awards, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries

What can chambers of commerce do to get local businesses serious about going green? For Andrew Smith, vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation at the St. Louis Regional Chamber, the answer is surprisingly simple: challenge them.

It all started back in 2010, when the chamber teamed up with the Missouri Botanical Garden to introduce the Green Business Challenge, a competition that encourages organizations to draw up measurable road maps toward achieving sustainability.

“The Challenge works with companies to help integrate sustainability into the kinds of day-to-day operations common to every business,” explains Smith, who oversees the program on behalf of the chamber. “Our aim is to make sustainability work in accord with each company’s unique goals and culture.”

By leveraging corporate competition and public recognition, the chamber encourages  businesses to adopt sustainable policies and implement green practices.

“The global marketplace increasingly demands sustainability measuring, goal-setting and reporting up and down supply chains,” says Smith. “As companies engage locally with the basics of this range of accountability, they build resources needed to globally compete.”

Participating firms sign up for one of four program levels, ranging from “apprentice” to “champion.” They use a points-based scorecard to track progress, which gives businesses an efficient structure to plan and schedule work on a wide range of sustainable practice options.

“Each company determines its own strategy,” says Jean Ponzi who oversees the program at the Missouri Botanical Garden. “The categorized scorecard offers a comprehensive list of best practices to reduce waste, conserve energy and water, implement green purchasing and more.”

Companies are encouraged to assemble “green teams,” or groups of employees responsible for coordinating green strategy. Green teams collaborate with Garden staff, including Ponzi, who personally visits offices, plants and business campuses to advise firms on working with scorecard items that fit the company’s culture and capabilities.

“During site visits, we check out the supply closet, the break room, their parking lot and their dumpsters on the dock to get a sense of how green is working in each company,” says Ponzi. “Our customized coaching aims to improve financial performance, while reducing environmental impacts and engaging employees.”  

Now going on eight years, the Challenge has achieved impressive results. Of the 65 organizations that took part last year, 98 percent formed a green team, 97 percent established a corporate sustainability policy and 86 percent implemented a green purchasing policy.

One standout from last year was Hunter Engineering Co., a Branson, Mo.-based manufacturer of auto service equipment. Through the Challenge, Hunter installed equipment to reduce stormwater runoff, committed to purchasing environmentally friendly print materials and made the switch to more efficient, fluorescent lighting.

“The Green Business Challenge enabled Hunter to take a close look at a number of our business practices,” says Chip Hiemienz, director of business development at Hunter Engineering Co. “While converting to more environmentally friendly products, we were also able to experience big cost savings, too.”

At the chamber, Andrew Smith is hopeful that the initiative will pay off in the long run, by enhancing the region’s reputation as a leader in sustainability.

“Our achievements are still a pretty local story, but we have world-class players on our green business team who have had real success through the Challenge,” he says, adding: “We’d like to continue to foster successes like these—and we plan to.”