Blogs

El Paso Inc., a weekly business newspaper with 8,000 readers, recently featured a lengthy interview with ACCE Chairman and Greater Oklahoma City (OKC) Chamber President and CEO Roy Williams, CCE. In the interview, Willams provides an excellent history of the accomplishments of the OKC Chamber, and reasons why so many cities (including El Paso) send delegations to OKC to observe and learn.

Read all about it here.

Chronicling the fascinating, sometimes quirky, history of chambers of commerce is a labor of love for ACCE’s Chris Mead. Read this profile of his project, featured on the front page of the Fri., Aug. 17 issue of the Wall Street Journal.

Looking for a unique way for members to interact with your chamber's staff and vice versa? Consider this idea from North Carolina's Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce: During the month August, several chamber members will hire chamber President and CEO, Aaron Nelson, as well as other chamber staffers, to work at their organizations for a day -- at no cost -- as part of the "Chamber for Hire" program. The program engages members and staff to share expertise, and provides chamber staff insights into members’ businesses that helps the chamber improve its services. 

Chapel Hill-CarrboroChamber staff will be working at the following businesses:

• Monday, August 20: Kristen Smith, director of public policy and member engagement, will spend the day at the SECU Family House at UNC Hospitals, processing referrals and guest check-ins at the front desk, folding laundry, and helping to provide meals for families staying at Family House. 
• Tuesday, August 28: Meg Branson, vice president, membership, will spend the day with WAKA (World Adult Kickball Association) Kickball & Social Sports, recruiting players for the fall season from the chamber’s Young Professionals Network, local businesses and non-profits, and promoting the Sept. 13 season kickoff.
• Thursday, August 30: Aaron Nelson, president and CEO, will spend the day at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, greeting and serving community members as they buy tickets and sign up for classes, and working as part of the development and marketing team.

This is the fourth year of "Chamber for Hire." Previous year’s assignments have included paving a road with Mellott Contractor’s and Supply Company; fitting people in shoes at Fleet Feet; waiting tables at Sutton’s; working with kids at Cely’s House summer camp; shoveling horse apples at NC Therapeutic Riding Center; and working at the intake desk at UNC Hospital's Emergency Department. 

Running the Greater Boca Raton (FL) Chamber of Commerce isn’t a bad gig, especially when you’re crowned "Outstanding Non-Profit Organization" by The SCORE Foundation. 

The small-business mentoring organization recognized the ACCE member chamber, run by Troy McLellan, for providing programs like the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, an after-school program that helps students start and run real businesses during the academic year. SCORE also liked its Golden Bell Foundation, which has donated $1M to local public schools.

Source: BISNOW newsletter on Associations

The Nothern Kentucky Chamber staff members who attended last week's ACCE Convention in Louisville, Ky., took the idea of "networking" to a whole new level. Check out how they met people at ACCE Convention 2012!  

After learning from and networking with over 700 chamber professionals they tell their members, "We are now even more well equipped to serve your business! So..... Call Us, Maybe?" 

Click on the link below to see this fun video; make sure your computer's volume is turned up!