Spotlight
Brown Elected to Lead International Board
David G. Brown, president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, has been named chair of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Board of Directors during the organization’s annual meeting July 15.
“David has been an instrumental part of ACCE’s success over the last 15 years, particularly in the development of our Horizon Initiative, providing groundbreaking research on the future of chambers,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “As we look to the future and implement our new strategic plan, we are fortunate to benefit from the caliber of proven industry experience David provides. I am confident that David’s leadership will accelerate our efforts as we work to elevate the capabilities of chambers of commerce around the world.”
ACCE is a professional development organization serving the women and men who lead local, regional and statewide chambers of commerce and similar private sector-led economic development organizations around the world. The Alexandria, Va.-based association represents nearly 9,000 professionals who work for and with more than 1,300 chambers of commerce.
ACCE board chairs serve one-year terms, and Brown’s term will span July 2019 through July 2020. In this role, he will oversee activities of a 70-member board of directors that provides leadership and strategic direction to the association’s 30-person staff.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be entrusted with this role during such a thrilling time for our industry. Our organizational climate is changing, and chambers are striving to become the place where community building initiatives begin and endure,” said Brown. “The chamber industry has a bright future, and ACCE plays a major role. I look forward to leveraging our unified strength, exceptional talent and breadth of services to lead the industry as we look to the future and solve some of our communities most pressing challenges.”
David Brown is president and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber, one of the largest, most highly accredited chambers in the nation and ACCE’s 2015 Chamber of the Year. Under David’s steady leadership, the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership has successfully landed more than 760 projects, representing 37,090 jobs and more than $8.6 billion in capital investment since 2004.
David is a graduate of Dartmouth College with academic specialties in industrial location and environmental studies and has completed courses at the National Development Council, the American Management Association, Bell Leadership Academy and Gallup University.
In addition to his professional responsibilities, David contributes his time and expertise to numerous community service organizations including the Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust, Boys Scouts of America, College World Series of Omaha, Greater Omaha Alliance for Business Ethics, Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, University of Nebraska at Omaha Entrepreneurship Advisory Board and the U.S. Strategic Command Consultation Committee. Nationally, David serves on the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Board and is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100.
Tags: #VolunteerLeadership, #ACCE18, #ACCE19, #BoardofDirectors, #ChamberIndustry, #ChamberofCommerce, #DavidBrown, #Leadership, #Omaha
Meet the newest Certified Chamber Executives
Eleven chamber of commerce leaders from eight states have recently joined an elite roster of professionals who have earned the Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation.
Since the first CCE designation was conferred some 40 years ago, more than 500 chamber professionals have become certified. More than 250 people have an active certification today.
ACCE celebrated this year’s Certified Chamber Executives — Steve Baas, Marvin Bond, Lisa Hermes, Tony Howard, Jamee Jolly, Christine Kennedy, Sandra Lindquist, Roy Nascimento, Lynn Olberding, Jodie Perry and Erin Williams — in Des Moines at the #ACCEAwards Show on Wednesday, July 18.
“The CCE program assesses and tests the applicant's knowledge of core chamber management areas —management, planning and development, membership and communication, and operations,” says Bob Quick, CCE, president and CEO of Commerce Lexington Inc. and 2017-18 CCE commission chairman. “Chamber professionals who are designated CCEs have rightfully earned this outstanding recognition through hard work, countless hours of dedication to their field, and leadership of their chamber to achieve the chamber’s goals. We are proud to have this year’s class join a long tradition of professional excellence.”
Congratulations, from your friends at ACCE!
Steve Baas, CCE
Senior Vice President for Governmental Affairs & Public Policy
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce
Milwaukee, Wis.
Marvin Bond, CCE
Vice President of Investor Relations
Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
Irving, Texas
Lisa Hermes, CCE
President & CEO
McKinney Chamber of Commerce
McKinney, Texas
Tony Howard, CCE
President & CEO
Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce
Leesburg, Va.
Jamee Jolly, CCE
President & CEO
Plano Chamber of Commerce
Plano, Texas
Christine Kennedy, CCE
COO and Executive Vice President
Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance
Lynchburg, Va.
Sandra Lindquist, CCE
Executive Vice President & COO
New Orleans Chamber
New Orleans, La.
Roy Nascimento, CCE
President & CEO
North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Fitchburg, Mass.
Lynn Olberding, CCE
Executive Director
Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce
Marshalltown, Iowa
Jodie Perry, CCE
President
Richland Area Chamber of Commerce
Mansfield, Ohio
Erin Williams, CCE
President & CEO
O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries
O'Fallon, Mo.
Learn more about the Certified Chamber Executive designation and meet our CCE Commissioners.
Congratulations, Best in Show winners
ACCE’s Awards for Communications Excellence, sponsored by Golden Openings, Inc., celebrate top-notch marketing work that effectively communicates policy work, the accomplishments of the chamber of commerce, community advancement and economic development initiatives, membership attraction and retention, events and more.
The top three entries — one from each size category — are presented the Best in Show award.
At the #ACCEAwards Show in Des Moines, Iowa, on July 18, three organizations — Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (S.C.), Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce (Mo.) and Champaign County Chamber of Commerce (Ill.) — were recognized as this year’s Best in Show winners.
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce: Quarterly Report Series
Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce: Springfield Region Digital Brochure
Champaign County Chamber of Commerce: Chamber Zone
Judges of this year’s Communications Excellence awards selected one entry — submitted by the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.) — to receive a specially-created recognition called the “Total Eclipse” award. The entry was honored for its creative execution and attention-grabbing results for the advertising surrounding the Great Solar Eclipse in 2017, which included various signs scattered throughout Lincoln in August 2017.
Lincoln Chamber of Commerce: Eclipse Seasonal Signs
In addition to celebrating winners of the Best in Show and Total Eclipse awards, Grand Award winners took to the stage and Awards of Excellence winners were recognized. (Check out this blog post, where we announced Grand Award and Award of Excellence winners.)
Tags: Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Communications, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Marketing, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, #ACCE18, #ACCEAwards
Congratulations, Chamber of the Year finalists!
The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives today announced finalists for the 2018 Chamber of the Year competition, sponsored by MemberClicks.
Finalists for 2018 Chamber of the Year are (sorted by category):
Category One:
Des Moines Downtown Chamber
Des Moines, Iowa
Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce
Valparaiso, Indiana
Category Two:
Conway Area Chamber of Commerce
Conway, Arkansas
Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce
St. Charles, Missouri
Round Rock Chamber
Round Rock, Texas
Category Three:
Greater Green Bay Chamber
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce
Humble, Texas
Plano Chamber of Commerce
Plano, Texas
Category Four:
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
North Charleston, South Carolina
Greater Louisville Inc.
Louisville, Kentucky
Tulsa Regional Chamber
Tulsa, Oklahoma
State/Province Category:
Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce
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 2018 ACCE Annual Convention in Des Moines, Iowa.
Learn more about Chamber of the Year here.
Tags: Awards, Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of the Year, Tulsa Regional Chamber, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce, Des Moines Downtown Chamber, Greater Green Bay Chamber of Commerce, Greater Louisville Inc., Greater St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce, Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce, #ACCE18, Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce, #ACCEAwards, Plano Chamber of Commerce
