Spotlight

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

Last week, six marketing and communications leaders from Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri and Tennessee gathered at #ACCEHQ to carefully review more than 160 award submissions. We thank our judges for joining us in Alexandria, Virginia, and lending us their eyes and expertise for this year's competition: Jeremy Henderson (Chattanooga Chamber); Joe Pellman (Indy Chamber); Jennifer Gerlock (Frederick County Chamber of Commerce); Mia Jankowiak (Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce); Kyle Oppenhuizen (Greater Des Moines Partnership) and Alesha Henley (St. Louis Regional Chamber).

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 2019 Annual Convention in Long Beach, California. Learn more about the Awards for Communications Excellence here.

Grand Awards

These award winners represent the finest entries in each entry category in each of the three total annual budget categories. Winners of the Grand Award go on to compete for the Best in Show, which recognizes the best piece in each of the three categories. 

Advertising and Marketing

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce
Champaign, Illinois
Dr. Rogers' Neighborhood: Photo 1, 2, 3, 4 | Facebook Invite

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce
Huntsville, Alabama
Second Chance Job Fair: Flyer | Handout

Campaigns

Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce
Bentonville, Arkansas
BecauseBentonville Campaign

Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Electric Works Campaign: Regional Video | Website | Advocacy Brief
 

Digital

Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce
Dalton, Georgia
"When You're in D-Town" 

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce
Lincoln, Nebraska
"Lincoln, We Chose It" Video

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
Kansas City, Missouri
A New Website for the KC Chamber: www.kcchamber.com

Publications

Mason Deerfield Chamber
Mason, Ohio
Mason Deerfield Chamber's New Member Packet

Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Eugene, Oregon
Open For Business Magazine Rebrand

Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
Irving, Texas
2018 Irving-Las Colinas Chamber Annual Report

Awards of Excellence

A limited number of Awards of Excellence are presented; winners are selected from submissions of each entry type, from each category. Their work represent communications excellence in the chamber profession. 

Advertising and Marketing

Greenville Chamber
Greenville, South Carolina
Marketing Materials

Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky
Business Spotlight

Campaigns

Buffalo Niagara Partnership
Buffalo, New York
Adaptive Reuse Campaign

Edmonton Chamber of Commerce
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2019-2022 City Budget Campaign

Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce
Fort Collins, Colorado
Bringing Business Home Campaign

Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce (dba: Greater Gainesville Chamber)
Gainesville, Florida
Rebranding Florida's Gainesville Area Chamber of Commerce

Goshen Chamber of Commerce
Goshen, Indiana
Design & Brand Touchpoints

Greater Green Bay Chamber
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Startup Hub Launch

Loudon County Chamber of Commerce
Leesburg, Virginia
50th Anniversary Rebranding Campaign

One Acadiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Regional Celebration

Salt Lake Chamber
Salt Lake City, Utah
Housing GAP Coalition Campaign

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Springfield, Missouri
Yes for OTC - Yes on A & B Advocacy Campaign to Pass Property Tax Renewal and Increase Proposals

The Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce (dba: The Chamber)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Rebranding the Chamber

Digital

Aiken Chamber of Commerce 
Aiken, South Carolina
Geofence Targets D.C. Market

Association of Washington Business
Olympia, Washington
AWB News/AWB Amplified

Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga Works

Community Development Foundation
Tupelo, Mississippi
Ignitecast - The Official Podcast of the Ignite Leadership Conference by CDF

Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce
Eugene, Oregon
Bold Leadership 2019 - Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce

Goshen Chamber of Commerce
Goshen, Indiana
Walk and Talk with the Chamber FB Live Weekly Series

Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Create Great - GR Chamber Year in Review

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Boston, Massachusetts
City Awake Website

Greater Des Moines Partnership
Des Moines, Iowa
"I'm Up" Music Video

Greater Fort Wayne Inc.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Digital Marketing Strategy

Greater Houston Partnership
Houston, Texas
A Redesigned Houston.org

Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce
New Braunfels, Texas
Success Flows Here: Feature Film Highlighting Chamber's 100th Anniversary

Greenville Chamber
Greenville, South Carolina
Online Tier Selector

Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce
Holland, Michigan
Digital Transformation: New Member Journey

One Acadiana
Lafayette, Louisiana
Aligned for Impact Video Series - One Acadiana

St. Louis Regional Chamber
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis Regional Chamber: Making Social Media Trends

Southwestern Auglaize County Chamber of Commerce
New Bremen, Ohio
Our Community

Tulsa Regional Chamber
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa Creativity Database

Publications

Bossier Chamber of Commerce
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier Annual Manual

Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Annual Report

Buffalo Niagara Partnership
Buffalo, New York
2019 Advocacy Agenda

Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Atlanta, Georgia
New Georgia Economy Book

Greater Des Moines Partnership
Des Moines, Iowa
Quarterly Board Reports

Mason Deerfield Chamber
Mason, Ohio
Mason Deerfield Chamber's 2018-19 Community Profile & Relocation Guide

Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville 2018 Regional Economic Development Guide

Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
Rogers, Arkansas
The Good Life Destination Guide

Salt Lake Chamber
Salt Lake, Utah
Utah's Growth: Today's Actions Create Tomorrow's Future

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce
Springfield, Missouri
Community Leadership Visit Report 2018: Chattanooga, TN

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

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives today announced finalists for the 2019 Chamber of the Year competition, sponsored by MemberClicks.

Finalists for 2019 Chamber of the Year are (sorted by category):

Category One:

Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce 
Murray, Kentucky

Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce
Wooster, Ohio

Effingham County Chamber of Commerce 
Effingham, Illinois

Category Two:

Kalispell Chamber of Commerce
Kalispell, Montana

Longview Chamber of Commerce
Longview, Texas

Grapevine Chamber of Commerce
Grapevine, Texas

Category Three:

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce
Asheville, North Carolina

Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce
Bowling Green, Kentucky

Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership
Ocala, Florida

Category Four:

Salt Lake Chamber
Salt Lake City, Utah

Greater Louisville Inc. 
Louisville, Kentucky

Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce
Irving, Texas

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 2019 ACCE Annual Convention in Long Beach, California.

Learn more about Chamber of the Year here.

Tags: Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce, Best Chambers, Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership, Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, Salt Lake Chamber, Chamber of the Year, Top Chambers of Commerce, Chamber Professional, Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce, Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, Grapevine Chamber of Commerce, Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce, #ACCE19, Greater Louisville Inc., #ACCEAwards, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Longview Chamber of Commerce, Awards

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.

Tags: #ACCE18, #ACCEAwards, Certified Chamber Executive

Last week at the annual #ACCEAwards Show, nearly one-thousand community-builders gathered at the Iowa Events Center in downtown Des Moines to celebrate winners of many special awards, including Chamber of the Year.

Sponsored by MemberClicks, Chamber of the Year is the most prestigious and competitive award presented by ACCE and is the only globally-recognized industry award that honors top chambers of commerce for exemplary work.

Category One
Des Moines Downtown Chamber
Des Moines, Iowa

Synopsis 1: Leadership Education and Advancement Pipeline (LEAP)
Synopsis 2: Downtown DIG (Development Insights Group) Program

Category Two
Round Rock Chamber 
Round Rock, Texas

Synopsis 1: Implementing the Workforce Realization Occurring Cooperatively Strategy
Synopsis 2: Implementing the REV UP Round Rock Strategy

Category Three
Plano Chamber of Commerce
Plano, Texas

Synopsis 1: Business Center & New Chamber Facility
Synopsis 2: Public Policy and Advocacy

Category Four
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce
North Charleston, S.C.

Synopsis 1: Bridging the Talent Gap
Synopsis 2: Local Area Chambers

State/Province Category
Chamber of Commerce Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii

Synopsis 1: Manufacturing in Hawaii Initiative
Synopsis 2: 2017 Hawaii on the Hill

This year's competition drew entries from chambers throughout the U.S. and Canada. To ensure the fairest competition, applicants are grouped into five categories based on: annual revenue, membership, area population, and several other factors.

Learn more about Chamber of the Year here.

Tags: #ACCEAwards, Chamber of Commerce Hawaii, Chamber of the Year, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Des Moines Downtown Chamber, MemberClicks, Plano Chamber of Commerce, Round Rock Chamber of Commerce

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: #ACCE18, #ACCEAwards, Champaign County Chamber of Commerce, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Communications, Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, Marketing, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce

Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Membership Achievement Awards! These chambers of commerce (listed alphabetically) are in the top 10 for their total revenue range in one or more of these categories: member retention of accounts, member retention of dollars, or new member retention of accounts. These statistics were compiled from ACCE’s Fiscal Year 2017 Operations Survey via Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking (DCB). DCB is open year-round for survey participation, but for the Membership Achievement Awards, chambers who submitted FY 2017 data through March 23, 2018 were eligible for the awards.

Dollars listed based on the chamber’s annual revenue

Up to $450,000

Member Retention

Anson County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Cortland County Chamber of Commerce (N.Y.)
Dorchester Chamber of Commerce (Md.)
Fitchburg Chamber Visitor and Business Bureau (Wis.)
Gardner Edgerton Chamber (Kan.)
Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce (La.)
Rowan County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce (Ont.)
Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)
Venango Area Chamber of Commerce (Pa.)

Dues Retention

Cadillac Area Chamber of Commerce (Mich.)
El Dorado Chamber of Commerce (Ark.)
Gardner Edgerton Chamber (Kan.)
Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce (Mont.)
Minden-South Webster Chamber of Commerce (La.)
Muskego Chamber of Commerce and Tourism (Wis.)
Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
Plymouth Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)
Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)
Wells County Chamber of Commerce (Ind.)

New Member Retention

Charles County Chamber of Commerce (Md.)
Fitchburg Chamber Visitor and Business Bureau (Wis.)
Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Marion Area Chamber of Commerce (Ill.)
Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce (Ga.)
Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce (Ky.)
Muskego Chamber of Commerce and Tourism (Wis.)
Richmond County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)
Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)

$450,001 to $900,000

Member Retention

Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street, Inc. (Ill.)
Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Iowa)
Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Wis.)
Missoula Area Chamber of Commerce (Mont.)
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce (Fla.)
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Westmoreland Chamber Of Commerce (Pa.)
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)

Dues Retention

Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street, Inc. (Ill.)
Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce (Pa.)
Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Wis.)
Putnam County Chamber of Commerce (Fla.)
Shoals Chamber of Commerce (Ala.)
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
Wayne County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
West Des Moines Chamber (Iowa)
Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)

New Member Retention

Burlington County Regional Chamber of Commerce (N.J.)
Granbury Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Greater Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce (Ariz.)
Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Iowa)
Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce (Iowa)
Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Wis.)
Pocatello Chubbuck Chamber of Commerce (Idaho)
TwinWest Chamber of Commerce (Minn.)
Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
West Des Moines Chamber (Iowa)

$900,001 to $2,000,000

Member Retention

Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association (Colo.)
Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce (Wyo.)
Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce (La.)
Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
Ludington and Scottville Chamber of Commerce (Mich.)
Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce (N.J.)
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)
Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce (S.D.)
Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce  (S.K.)
Vail Valley Partnership (Colo.)

Dues Retention

Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (Pa.)
Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Lima/Allen County Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
Ludington and Scottville Chamber of Commerce (Mich.)
Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance (Va.)
Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce (N.J.)
Ocala/Marion County Chamber & Economic Partnership (Fla.)
Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce (Wis.)
Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Vail Valley Partnership (Colo.)

New Member Retention

Columbia Chamber of Commerce (Mo.)
Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (Pa.)
Frederick County Chamber of Commerce (Md.)
Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association (Colo.)
Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce (Kan.)
Halifax Chamber of Commerce (N.S.)
Lake Houston Area Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Ludington and Scottville Chamber of Commerce (Mich.)
Meadowlands Regional Chamber of Commerce (N.J.)
Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce

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

Member Retention

Community Development Foundation (Miss.) 
Greater Green Bay Chamber (Wis.)
Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Kalispell Chamber of Commerce (Mont.)
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce (Kan.)
North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce & CVB (S.C.)
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (Mo.)
St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce (Fla.)
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)

Dues Retention

Buffalo Niagara Partnership (N.Y.)
Community Development Foundation (Miss.) 
Greater Green Bay Chamber (Wis.)
Greater Louisville Inc. (Ky.)
Knoxville Chamber (Tenn.)
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce (Kan.)
Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry 
Ohio Chamber of Commerce
St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (Mo.)
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)

New Member Retention

Alliance Southwest Louisiana
Buffalo Niagara Partnership (N.Y.)
Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Wis.)
Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Greater Louisville Inc. (Ky.)
Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce 
Louisiana Association of Business & Industry
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce (Kan.)
Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)

Above $5,000,000

Member Retention

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce (Idaho) 
Greater Cleveland Partnership (Ohio)
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce (Okla.)
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (Neb.)
Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce (Ala.)
Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce (Ill.)
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (Wash.)
Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce (S.D.)
The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia (Pa.)

Dues Retention

Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce (Idaho)  
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (S.C.)
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (Ohio)
Greater Cleveland Partnership (Ohio)
Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce (Okla.)
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (Neb.)
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce (Ala.)
Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce (S.D.)
Tulsa Regional Chamber (Okla.)

New Member Retention

Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Association of Washington Business
Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce (Idaho)  
Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (S.C.)
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber (Ohio)
Greater Cleveland Partnership (Ohio)
Kentucky Chamber of Commerce
Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce (Wash.)
Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce (S.D.)
Tulsa Regional Chamber (Okla.)

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

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: 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, Awards, Round Rock Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of the Year, Tulsa Regional Chamber, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce, Conway Area Chamber of Commerce

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives today announced winners of its Communications Excellence awards program, sponsored by Golden Openings, Inc.

In June 2018, five marketing and communications leaders from Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington, D.C. gathered at #ACCEHQ to carefully review more than 150 award submissions. We thank our judges for joining us in Alexandria, Va., and lending us their eyes and expertise for this year's competition: Sybil Topel (Chattanooga Chamber); Ken Brady (Charleston Metro Chamber); Anna Stokes (The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia); Susan Farhang (United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce) and Elaine Gilligan (Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce).

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 announced during the #ACCEAwards Show on Wednesday, July 18 at #ACCE18 in Des Moines, Iowa.  

Grand Awards

Advertising and Marketing

Champaign County Chamber of Commerce (lll.)
Chamber Zone         

Salt Lake Chamber
Utah Tax Modernization

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce (Mo.)
Springfield Region Digital Brochure

Campaigns

Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Preserving Public-Private Partnerships in the Chamber Industry – Legislative Advocacy Campaign - Strategic Plan, Written Testimony, Oral Testimony, and Fact Sheet

Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (Mo.)
A Better KCI

Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ark.)
Love, Little Rock Campaign - Website and Video

Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Choose Cape Fear - Website and Video

Digital

Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce (Ind.)
Valpo Chamber Video Newsletter Highlights

Indy Chamber
The New IndyChamber.com

Round Rock Chamber (Texas)
Skilled Trades Image Campaign

Publications

Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (S.C.)
Quarterly Report Series - Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4

Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce (Colo.)
Northern Colorado Prospers Quarterly Report  

Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
2018 Membership Directory, Relocation & Island Guide

Awards of Excellence

Advertising and Marketing

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.)
Lincoln Beer Tour

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.)
YP Week

Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce (Va.)
Superhero 5K 2018 Marketing

Plano Chamber of commerce (Texas)
Plano Chamber Story – Member Testimonial Campaign

Robins Regional Chamber (Ga.)
SOAR

Campaigns

Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montréal
Metro Cities Chambers for NAFTA 2.0 - Press Releases 1/18/18 and 1/22/18

Detroit Regional Chamber
Detroit Regional Chamber Campaign for Civility - 2017 Mackinac Policy Conference Summary, 2017 Mackinac Policy Program Book, Detroiter Magazine October 2017, 2018 Detroit Policy Conference Program Book

Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce (N.Y.)
Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce Rebrand Bash

Greater Des Moines Partnership (Iowa)
Economic Development and Talent Attraction Digital Marketing Campaign

Greater Des Moines Partnership (Iowa)
Maximizing Momentum 2022: Investor Campaign for the Greater Des Moines Partnership

Greater Oklahoma City
Safer Streets, Better OKC Campaign

Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce (Mich.)
Grand Rapids Chamber Rebranding Campaign

Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce (Fla.)
Minority Business Accelerator

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber (Ala.)
2017 School Tax Renewals

Jefferson Chamber of Commerce (La.)
LiveWell Jefferson Campaign

Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.)
Eclipse Seasonal Signs

One Acadiana (La.)
One Acadiana South Louisiana Branding Initiative

Sanford Area Growth Alliance (N.C.)
Prelude to Progress

State Chamber of Oklahoma
OK2030 Campaign

Tulsa Regional Chamber (Okla.)
Tulsa Regional Chamber Economic Development Campaign

Digital

Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce (Ala.)
Eastern Shore Elf

Edmonton Chamber of Commerce (Alb.)
Digital, Blog, Brand Lessons Learned from the City of Champions Debate

Fayette Chamber of Commerce (Ga.)
Video: 2017 Chamber Accomplishments

Garrett County Chamber of Commerce (Md.)
Deep Creek Virtual Reality Experience

Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce (Mich.)
Grand Rapids Chamber Breakfast with Legislators Social Media Campaign

Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce (S.C)
AikenHasIt.com Digital Campaign

Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce (Ark.)
Small Business BingoFest

Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
New Website – www.IrvingChamber.com

North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce
Chamber Video Testimonial Digital Campaign

Northwest Metroport Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Economic Development Video

Plano Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
Plano Chamber Building Blocks Emails

Round Rock Chamber (Texas)
PRO Round Rock

Seminole County Regional Chamber of Commerce (Fla.)
Riverside Dash 5K & 15K Event: Influencers/Race Ambassadors Campaign

Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ohio)
EPIC Toledo Website

Wake Forest Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
Open for Business Podcast

Publications

Chandler Chamber of Commerce (Ariz.)
How We Stand – Chandler Chamber of Commerce

Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce (N.C.)
2018 Visitors & Relocation Guide

Fayette Chamber of Commerce (Ga.)
Fayette Community Source Magazine

Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce (Ga.)
Annual Report

Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce (Ga.)
Gwinnett Chamber Annual Report

Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce (Ark.)
The Good Life Destination Guide

Learn more about ACCE's Communications Excellence awards here.

Communications Excellence winners: 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013

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

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce was coming up on its 100th anniversary when it decided to pursue a change of strategy. Prompted by shifting political, demographic and industrial headwinds, the new 15-year strategic plan, dubbed Georgia 2030, was meant to serve as a road map for leaders in business and government to better address new challenges before they become unmanageable.

“Coming into 2016, we were really faced with a state that’s rapidly changing, and we knew we needed to pivot as an organization,” said Kelsey Moore, director of economic development and special projects at the Georgia Chamber. “For much of the state, especially the rural counties, the outlook doesn’t look good, so we set out to empower them to change before some of these predictions become a reality.”

Chamber staff began by pulling data on demographic and economic trends, using subscription software from Chmura Economics & Analytics, as well as the U.S. Census Bureau and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget. They found that, by year 2030, Georgia will have an additional 1.9 million residents, and will no longer be majority-white or Republican.

Armed with their findings, a delegation from the chamber embarked on a tour of the state’s 12 regions, which was organized into a series of sessions held at affiliate chambers and open to the public. Attendees engaged with the presenters using interactive live-polling software, which allowed them to fill out surveys in real-time on their smartphones and tablets to provide feedback about key issues in the state. 

“We were selling out and it was usually standing-room only, which honestly came as a shock to us,” said Moore. “For a lot of these communities, no one ever really asked them before what they thought about these issues. They were really appreciative that we weren’t just lecturing them—we were actually listening to their opinions.”

The Georgia Chamber drew upon the survey data and insights gained from the listening tour and synthesized it into a strategic document. The final report found that 76 percent of respondents think the state’s legal environment is too costly for business; 83 percent support advancing dialogue with diverse communities; and 60 percent support expanding Medicaid or implementing a Georgia-specific alternative. Another major finding was that 85 percent of respondents want to see the chamber more actively promote Georgia-made products and services.

“We found that our investors and stakeholders expect the business community to be involved in issues that we weren’t previously involved in, like race, diversity and poverty,” said Moore. “We’ve always been involved in education, but there’s more of an understanding now that if a child doesn’t have enough to eat, he won’t be able to concentrate in class.”

The success of the Georgia 2030 strategic initiative helped the chamber land the coveted Chamber of the Year title at the ACCE convention in Nashville in July.

“It was a wonderful, outside nod to all of the blood, sweat and tears we put in and all of the thousands of miles spent travelling around the state,” said Moore. “Getting that recognition from an international organization really reaffirms the work we’re doing and gives us a boost to keep going.”

Looking ahead, Moore says the chamber plans to use the data and feedback from the listening tour to foster a dialogue with diverse communities about issues like healthcare, education and workforce.

“We received so much great feedback from across Georgia by engaging and conversing with all of our stakeholders and giving them a voice,” said Moore. “We know that if we can show you what the future looks like and start talking about it today, then we have the opportunity to change it. That’s a really positive thing for a lot of our communities.”

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Tags: #ACCE17, #ACCEAwards, Chamber of the Year, Georgia Chamber, Georgia2030, Strategic Plan

It’s been a whirlwind year for the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. In the last fiscal year, the chamber radically revamped its total resource campaign and developed a master plan for the renovation of the second-largest research park in the U.S.—two achievements that helped it land the much-coveted Chamber of the Year award from ACCE.

“We feel blessed,” said Chip Cherry, president and CEO at the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber. “As someone who has seen the judging process up close and personal, this award is truly humbling.”

ChamberON

One of the biggest undertakings of the year was the restructuring of the chamber’s total resource campaign, which had become unwieldy and duplicative due to its large size. Before the modifications, there were more than 45 volunteers working independently of one another, which burdened chamber staff by requiring them to spend an inordinate amount of time managing the program.

“In short, the volunteers’ goals and objectives had diverged from the chamber’s,” said Cherry, adding that “the focus had shifted to rewards, and this caused some friction among our staff.”

To rectify the situation, Cherry made the decision to whittle the program's ranks down to just 11 volunteers from the initial 45. He also hired a full-time staff member to oversee the campaign, which was rebranded as “ChamberOn,” to reflect its renewed mission and reinvigorated sense of purpose.

These changes have revived the performance of the program, which has increased productivity by nearly 15 percent since late 2015. The operating costs have also been cut, because of the smaller size of the volunteer cohort and the reduced amount of trips and rewards they require.

“I have not heard a single complaint from any of my members related to this process,” said Cherry. “Occasionally, when there's an event coming up and we have a few unsold tables or seats, we can count on these individuals to push hard and get it done. It’s led to us having a much better performance from our events perspective.”

Cummings Research Park Master Plan

The Cummings Research Park—the nation’s second largest—had seen better days. Built more than half a century ago to suit the needs of a mostly suburban generation of workers, the park’s oldest buildings were no longer viable and its restrictive zoning regulations prevented city officials from making much-needed changes.

“When the park was developed, it wasn’t really designed to attract people to come work there,” said Cherry. “The current generation wants to see a sense of place versus just a piece of real estate.”

The chamber led a committee, including partners from the City of Huntsville and the Huntsville/Madison County Industrial Development Board, to craft a 50-year master plan for the park. The committee wanted to enhance the park’s appeal by installing amenities like bicycle lanes, greenways and pedestrian paths. It also lobbied to overhaul the outdated zoning regulations that, for years, had prevented the city from building apartment buildings and eateries on the edges of the property.

"We wanted to develop housing around the parks so that people can live there and then walk or bike to work,” said Cherry. “It’s sidewalks; it’s pocket parks; it’s centers where there will be restaurants and shops. Skilled workers want all of these different things.”

In May 2016, a press conference was organized to unveil the draft master plan to the research park’s many stakeholders. A 12-week public feedback period was held, with stakeholder sessions arranged in small and large groups. The consensus was positive.

“A plan is only as good as its implementation—which we’ve already begun,” said Cherry. “The entire community has bought into this process, and the feedback we’ve gotten has been through-the-roof.”

What’s next?

Coming off an eventful year and a big win at the ACCE convention in July, Cherry is adamant that the chamber not grow complacent. He sees revamping the chamber’s communications shop as the next major challenge to tackle.

“I think the biggest priority for us right now is trying to figure out how to get in front of the communications challenges we all face,” he said. “We want to ensure we have that relationship of trust where we can share the business point of view and be part of the dialogue. It’s one of the key things we’ll be working on this next year.”  

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Tags: #ACCE17, #ACCEAwards