WINTER 2019
Connect & Empower ACCE Strategic Plan: 2019–2022
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INSIDE 12 | T he EOS Model: Why It’s Gaining Traction Among Chambers of Commerce 18 | Data Drives Decisions 20 | Ask the Comm Pros
WINTER 2019
CONTENTS
DEPARTMENTS
FEATURES
04 | ACCE News
09 | Connect & Empower ACCE Strategic Plan: 2019–2022
24 | Faces and Places
COLUMNS 02 | From the Chairman
Nancy Keefer, CCE, IOM
28 | What’s your most valued metric? Sheree Anne Kelly
OFFICIAL CORPORATE SPONSORS
SILVER SPONSORS avalanche
12 | The EOS Model™: Why It’s Gaining Traction Among Chambers of Commerce Katherine House
18 | Data Drives Decisions 20 | Ask the Comm Pros
FROM THE CHAIRMAN
acce
From Transactional to Transformational With the notion of membership changing, what will a successful chamber look like in 20 years? How can a chamber fulfill its mission to empower its organization to be recognized as a model of prosperity as the world changes around us. On a recent ACCE Emerging Cities Council call, Lancaster Chamber President & CEO Tom Baldridge, CCE, discussed factors that led his chamber to consider a bold shift in its business model—a dual structure consisting of a “business success hub” that offers customized services on a fee-for-service basis, and a “community prosperity hub,” which seeks investments from businesses to finance the chamber’s agenda to enhance the community. He discussed what it took to change his team’s culture to shift away from a member-centric mindset. It forced them to change how the chamber communicated, how it delivered and demonstrated value, and how they engaged with important community stakeholders and more. It was a bold move and it didn’t come without challenges. As he described the obstacles his team faced, I thought about the evolving list of essential skills for effective chamber professionals. Whether you’re reexamining your chamber’s business model or engaging in critical projects, what are the skills required to advance important organizational and community outcomes. During the ACCE Board’s strategic planning process, I think we captured key elements in the Community Advocacy section of our new plan. We want to empower chamber leaders to address their communities’ greatest challenges. ACCE released the Horizon Initiative in 2015. Since, the most frequently asked question received is, “how do I translate Horizon influences into action?” Chambers are well positioned to provide the leadership needed to create meaningful change in areas like talent pipeline, economic opportunity, public private partnerships, quality of life and diversity, equity and inclusion. The Horizon influences will remain our guide, but ACCE will develop more practical and tactical programming for chamber professionals at all levels. I believe ACCE plays a very significant role in providing us with resources, a peer network and benchmarks for success. We’ll go deeper into the 9th influence—Limitations of Government—examining trends impeding progress and the role that chambers can play to align community leadership to advance priorities. We’ve launched a new task force chaired by Chip Cherry, CCE, president and CEO of the Huntsville Madison County Chamber, that is researching the essential skills needed to effectively engage the public sector. We are working on new professional development programming to provide the latest management and leadership trends for managing through change. It’s an exciting time to be a chamber leader, and ACCE wants to help you be successful. By focusing on community impact issues, your chamber is choosing to play the long game. The goal becomes less about making a big impact today and more about making small impacts every day to achieve a transformational outcome for your community. —Nancy Keefer, CCE, IOM | Chairman, ACCE Board of Directors
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Chamber Executive
Winter 2019
ACCE’s award-winning journal for and about chambers of commerce
Chairman Nancy Keefer, CCE, IOM Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce (Fla.) Chairman Elect David Brown Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce (Neb.) Immediate Past Chair Jay Chesshir, CCE Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ark.) Treasurer Leonardo McClarty, CCE, IOM Howard County Chamber of Commerce (Md.) Vice Chairs Jay Byers, CCE Greater Des Moines Partnership (Iowa) Kelly Fanelli Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches (Fla.) Christy Gillenwater, CCE, IOM Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce (Tenn.) Carlos Phillips Greenville Chamber (S.C.) President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives V.P., Communications & Networks Will Burns wburns@acce.org Manager, Communications & Marketing Tania Kohut Graphic Design Blue House DC bluehousedc.com Advertising Sales Beth Bronder bronder@acce.org
Chamber Executive, ISSN 0884-8114, is published quarterly by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Periodicals postage pending at Alexandria, VA 22314 and additional offices. Office of publication: 1330 Braddock Place, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Chamber Executive, 1330 Braddock Place, Suite 300, Alexandria, VA 22314. Visit us online at http://www.acce.org/ce or call 800-394-2223 for information about editorial, advertising or subscriptions.
ACCE NEWS ACCE Staff News
Sheree Anne Kelly Elected WCF Vice Chair
Beth Bronder is ACCE’s new vice president of development and partnerships. She joins the association with more than 20 years of development and organizational management experience. Previously, Beth consulted for the National Governors Association and held a leadership role at CQ Roll Call/The Economist Group. She also held seniorlevel positions at a number of companies including Bloomberg and Unisys.
ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly was elected to serve a three-year term as regional vice chair (North America) of the World Chambers Federation’s (WCF) 10-member executive committee.
Bethany Orban joined ACCE as our new marketing and communications manager. She will lead ACCE’s efforts to revamp the association’s communications strategy to more effectively showcase the evolving role chambers play as catalytic community leaders. She comes to ACCE from the chamber community after managing communications and programs for the Maury County Chamber and Economic Alliance (Tenn.). Sarah Amoyaw is ACCE’s new community advancement and communications coordinator. She will coordinate professional development activities for ACCE members and develop original content to highlight best practices, industry trends and community impact. She will also support the Education and Talent Development Division’s work with the National Skills Coalition and Business Leaders United.
She will work to create more engagement and partnership opportunities in conjunction with other key ACCE leaders: • ACCE’s executive committee partnership liaison, Tim Giuliani, CCE, president & CEO of the Orlando Economic Partnership • ACCE’s international executive committee representative, Greg Durocher, president & CEO of the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce (Ont.) • ACCE and WCF board member, Jay Byers, CCE, IOM, CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership (Iowa) WCF is a global forum uniting the global network of 12,000 chambers and their respective business communities. In addition to strengthening links among chambers, WCF also helps individual chambers become more productive.
ACCE Partners with National Skills Coalition ACCE launched a new partnership with the National Skills Coalition and its Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships (BLU) to organize chamber-led state coalitions to elevate the voice of employers in workforce policy discussions by: • Harnessing the collective voice of industry to influence state skills policy to align with local employers’ needs • Increasing the number of states adopting skills policies that directly connect to the skills needs of industry • Driving federal policy innovation by highlighting successful state policies and a connected network of affiliated businesses With the support of the Ballmer Group and J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation, ACCE and BLU will develop networks of seven states in 2019, to be joined by a second cohort in 2020. BLU will provide infrastructure support and policy guidance to each state affiliate, and ACCE will assist the lead organizations with targeted coalition building and network growth. For more information, contact Amy Shields at ashields@acce.org.
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Chamber Executive
Winter 2019
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ACCE On the Road October Chamber events pro1 fessionals gathered in Kansas City, Missouri, for ACCE’s annual events training conference. Content-rich sessions delivered inspiration and practical ideas for hosting stand-out events. The ACCE Board of Directors met in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to approve ACCE’s new strategic plan and participate in a Cultural Intelligence workshop. Members of ACCE’s
2 Metro Cities Council
met in Grand Rapids to discuss emerging industry trends and policy priorities. Ryan Kilpatrick, executive director of Housing Next, discussed affordable housing initiatives. And, the Emerging Cities Council met in Holland, Michigan, to learn more about how the Michigan West Coast Chamber is implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System® popularized by Gino Wick-
man’s book, Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business. November ACCE President & 3 CEO Sheree Anne Kelly participated in the Mayors’ Education Policy Advisors Network Convening, hosted by the National League of Cities. Sheree Anne served on a panel discussing how cities can partner with local businesses to create equitable postsecondary education and career pathways for our future workforce. The Greater Boston
4 Chamber hosted mem-
bers of ACCE’s Government Relations Division for its annual roundtable meeting. The group discussed Boston’s life sciences ecosystem, federal research funding, workforce housing and regional policy priorities. While in town, they also toured the MIT Media Lab and Fenway Park. Executives from ACCE
5 member chambers trav-
eled to Tuscany on a familiar-
ization tour hosted by Aventura World, an ACCE official corporate sponsor. During the trip, ACCE Board Chair Nancy Keefer, CCE, IOM, president & CEO of Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce and ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly, along with executives from the Pistoia-Montecatini Chamber of Commerce, participated in a panel discussion about the role of chambers. The event was featured on an Italian television news program. January The current cohort of 6 ACCE’s Fellowship for Education and Talent Development held its second meeting in Los Angeles. Participants continued to develop their regional action plans for improving education and talent development outcomes in their communities. Members of ACCE’s
7 Major Cities Council
met in Irving, Texas. Partici-
pating CEOs shared industry trends and best practices and toured Citi’s Cybercommand Center and Keurig Dr Pepper’s bottling plant. They were also joined by Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer who discussed the economic development partnership between the city and the Irving-Las Colinas Chamber. February ACCE enjoyed catch8 ing up with chamber executives on the West Coast during the Western Association of Chamber Executives’ annual conference. ACCE’s Healthy Communities Program held its second meeting in Los Angeles, which featured expert speakers on mental health, business engagement and program sustainability. Ten chamber leaders are participating in the program, along with a community partner, to develop and refine a promising community health initiative.
Chamber Executive
Winter 2019
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Featuring Keynote Presenters Henry Timms and Carla Harris Learn more at www.ACCE.org/convention
Register Today Connect with your peers and the profession’s influencers and partners during three days of unmatched learning and networking opportunities at #ACCE19 in sunny Long Beach. Participate in solutions-focused sessions, interactive workshops and memorable social outings. Return to your chamber energized with innovative ideas and practical takeaways that empower your organization to boldly lead your community forward.
JULY 14 –17, 2019 Register, reserve hotel rooms, review event details and more at www.ACCE.org/convention
acce
Connect & Empower ,E
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DI AN
N C LU SIO N ACCE has experienced continued financial stability, membership and revenue growth and high member satisfaction ratings. To build on that momentum, we are aligning our resources to enhance our programs and services and elevate the capabilities of chambers of commerce to impact the communities they serve.
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ACCE Strategic Plan: 2019–2022
Center of Excellence
Chamber Stories
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Internal Excellence
WE
R IN N U MBER
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Community Advocacy D S AN
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Our goal is to provide innovative thought leadership, programs and services to meet the challenges and opportunities of the chamber of commerce industry.
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Winter 2019
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Impact ACCE connects and empowers chamber executives to have the courage and confidence to be catalytic leaders addressing their communities’ greatest challenges.
PILLARS OF OUR PLAN ACCE has established four pillars to support chamber professionals.
Center of Excellence
Chamber Stories
ACCE will focus on innovative best practices to help chambers stay ahead of trends and prepare for future change.
ACCE will help chambers craft their narratives and serve as a national platform and megaphone for chamber success stories.
Community Advocacy
ACCE will develop connections, information and services to help chambers address their community’s greatest challenges.
Internal Excellence
ACCE is driven to be the strongest organization it can be for staff and members.
LENSES TO SHARPEN OUR FOCUS All ACCE activities will be evaluated through two strategic lenses.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
An inclusive and diverse perspective should drive every aspect of our operations and work.
Power in Numbers & Connectivity
We’re stronger together and recognize that peer-to-peer sharing is among the greatest value propositions within ACCE.
This is a representation of the ACCE 2019–2022 strategic plan showcasing the key highlights of the plan. To see the strategic plan in full visit www.acce.org/strategicplan 10
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Winter 2019
Priorities and Initiatives Center of Excellence
Chamber Stories
• Focus on innovative best practices and resources -- Practical, tactical and relevant -- Streamlined, curated and easier to find • Align ACCE programs and services -- Focus on economic, business, social and political trends that impact communities -- Best practices, samples, Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking, peer communities, foundation activities • Original thought leadership -- Help chambers anticipate disruptors and perhaps disrupt our own industry
• National platform for chamber success stories -- Complete overhaul of ACCE website and communications strategy -- Showcase how chambers are using the Horizon Influences -- Help chambers craft their narratives • Highlight forward-leaning chamber professionals -- Promote through speaking opportunities, magazine, web content, social media, national partners • Dialogue on the future of the “chamber brand”
Help chambers anticipate major shifts and critical trends.
Chambers are often great at telling their members’ stories, but not as strong at telling their own. ACCE will highlight chamber success stories on a larger scale.
Key Initiatives • Complete review of Certified Chamber Executive curriculum • More programming for current and aspiring CEOs, including future-focused convention keynote on “New Power” • New ACCE Idea Lab task force will identify trends and highlight best practices
Key Initiatives • Website redesign coming in 2019 • New communications team in place to develop a new strategic communications plan • National poll on the value of chambers coming in 2019 • More partnerships to showcase the impact chambers have in communities across the world
Community Advocacy
Internal Excellence
• Provide information, connections and services to help chambers address community challenges -- From transactional value to transformational leadership • Expand training and best practice sharing to elevate capabilities of all chambers -- Talent pipeline, economic development, equity, publicprivate partnerships, government relations, marketing & communications, community health • Create opportunities for like-minded chambers to collaborate and address pressing issues
• Improve internal processes and leverage technology to make ACCE more high touch, responsive, nimble and customizable • Strengthen member and non-member engagement strategies • Ensure alignment of ACCE, ACCE Foundation and Fringe Benefits, Inc.
Develop tools and resources to help chambers impact the communities they serve.
Key Initiatives • New task force focused on best practices for engaging the public sector • Expand ACCE programming to support chamber staff professionals in key function areas
Ensure ACCE is the best association it can be for our team and our members.
Key Initiatives • ACCE digital transformation underway to improve member experience, peer engagement opportunities, online learning and marketing communications • New member engagement form now active. More comprehensive member engagement plan to be launched in 2019 • ACCE Foundation’s new strategic plan focuses on aligning fundraising activities with ACCE’s strategic plan.
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S O E E H T erce m m o C nc e of e i s r r e e p b x OS E Cham E g r n i e o h m T h a re tion A S c s a r r e T b g ainin Cham G e e s ’ r t I h T y Wh HERIN BY KAT
E HOUS
E
WHAT IS EOS?
The EOS Model™, or Entrepreneurial Operating System®, is a set of concepts and tools to help leadership teams get what they want out of their businesses. Developed by entrepreneur Gino Wickman, EOS has been used by more 40,000 companies of all sizes. Among the core components of EOS are: • Vision: Identifying your organization’s vision and making sure everyone is on board • People: Getting the “right people in the right seats” • Data: Using scorecards to track progress Chamber leaders familiar with EOS stress that it is not a “flavor of the month” management style. Rather, it provides the tools, systems and structure to implement the best business principles that leaders already know about. The EOS Model is explained in a series of books, including Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Wickman. A network of trained EOS implementers can be hired to help organizations through the process, although some businesses and chambers choose to “self-implement.” For more information, go to www.eosworldwide.com.
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Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce displays its core values, which came out of the EOS process, in the chamber's office.
: L E D O M Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce
About four years ago, the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce appeared to be at the top of its game. A finalist for ACCE’s Chamber of the Year, it had also earned five-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. President Jane Clark had navigated a successful merger of her Holland chamber with a nearby chamber. Yet something was off. Things seemed “unsettled,” Clark said. A self-confessed micromanager, she was frustrated that the organization wasn’t achieving everything she thought it could. One day, a human relations consultant and chamber member suggested she read Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business. Written by Gino Wickman, the book explains his Entrepreneurial Operating System®, or EOS®, which offers the structure and tools for running a successful business, including a process for identifying core values, setting goals and determining metrics used to track progress. While reading the book’s first page, Clark knew EOS was exactly what she needed. After learning that three members had implemented EOS and loved it, Clark found a certified implementer to talk to her and key staff members. Soon after, the chamber
hired that implementer, and, she said, “EOS has been life-changing.” “Here’s what EOS does: it gets everyone on the same page—staff, volunteers and board members,” says Clark. For the Michigan West Coast Chamber, the most transformative aspect of adapting EOS was defining the chamber’s core values, as defined by working through specific exercises. Now when she hires employees, she hires to the chamber’s core values, such as “Deliver remarkable experiences.” The process of choosing ambassadors and board members is inextricably linked to core values, too. As a result of implementing EOS, all the chamber’s ambassadors were asked to re-apply by writing a paragraph about which core value they could most relate to. Over time, the Michigan West Coast Chamber developed scorecards (a basic EOS measuring tool) for ambassadors and board members, in addition to employees. The board scorecard, for example, delineates the expected number of outreach calls.
while others may be scared. “For some, it may involve a new level of accountability,” she said. Another tenet of the system that can make everyone, including the president, feel vulnerable at times is open and honest communication. EOS encourages teams to address the issues within the organization that no one wants to talk about by creating an environment that is open to feedback and new ideas. While EOS is simple to understand, Clark said it is not easy to implement. It’s hard work, but in the end it’s worth it. More than three years after embarking on the chamber’s EOS journey, Clark can point to several benefits, including increased member engagement and board involvement, higher member satisfaction and streamlined staff meetings. Clark said she has experienced improved staff alignment because EOS helped the chamber define, set and measure expectations.
In the beginning, Clark says some staff members may be excited about EOS,
Jane Clark
CHAMBERS AND EOS
Jane Clark, president of the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce, spoke at ACCE’s annual convention in Des Moines about her chamber’s EOS journey. ACCE members can access an audio recording of her presentation at www.acce.org/eos. Clark has also begun best practices conference calls with other chamber CEOs who are implementing EOS and plans to hold a user’s group meeting at the convention in Long Beach this summer. Contact Clark via email, jane@westcoastchamber.org, or by calling (616) 392-2389. Chamber Executive
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how it ties to the end result,” he said, providing a “rationale of why we do what we do.”
Paul Rumler
The Quad Cities Chamber (Iowa and Illinois)
By their nature, chambers of commerce “are trying to change things that take a lot of time to change,” said Paul Rumler, president and CEO of the Quad Cities Chamber. It can be challenging for organizations to stay focused on long-term goals and keep employees energized along the way, he said, and that’s where EOS can help. In the early stages of EOS implementation, businesses set an ultimate goal, or 10-Year Target™, in EOS parlance. From there, they work backwards and set three-year goals, annual goals and quarterly goals, he explains. To achieve these goals, organizations must also determine which metrics should be part of weekly scorecards that will gauge progress. “EOS provides clarity for everyone on your team about what you want to accomplish and what it’s going to take to get there,” Rumler said. Rumler should know. He is helping to implement EOS for the second time in his chamber career, albeit in different roles. In the Quad Cities, he has taken on the role of visionary. The EOS model requires a visionary, or “creative problem-solver,” as well as an integrator, who manages daily issues and integrates sales and marketing, operations, and finance. While working for the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce in Michigan, Rumler served as integrator. Implementation of EOS causes chamber executives to view their organizations more like a business, he said. As a result, he looks at metrics in a whole new way. Rather than asking how many new members the chamber has recruited, he focuses on prospect visits—and whether the weekly goal was met. “Instead of talking about the end result, we are talking about the process and
Executives need to realize that goals, metrics, even core values will get tweaked during the first several months, he says. You must also be prepared for potential staff departures. “This is something people choose to be a part of,” he said. The EOS process also “requires you to be really open with who you are and how you are performing and open to colleagues’ opinions,” he said. “That level of openness sometimes scares people.” The very act of choosing a leadership team instrumental in implementation can ruffle feathers if those who thought they should be chosen aren’t. Is EOS right for your chamber? “You have to be ready for a transformation,” says Rumler. “You have to be ready for not settling for OK results, OK team members and OK members,” he explained. Above all else, once you start, you must be committed to the process.
Brittany Quick-Warner
Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce (Oregon)
When Brittany Quick-Warner took over as CEO of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce in fall 2017, it seemed like the office was in chaos. This stemmed in part from the death of her mentor earlier that year, the chamber’s long-time CEO Dave Hauser. Quick-Warner, a five-year employee who had served as interim CEO, felt she was always playing catch-up. Staff turnover was part of the problem. Without adequate documentation and processes in place to bring on new employees, the chamber seemed to lose six months of productivity every time an employee left, she says. After reading
Katherine House is an award-winning business writer who lives in Iowa City, Iowa. She has contributed several articles to Chamber Executive, including those about disaster recovery, the Santa Train in Appalachia, tiered dues structures and a charter school in Louisiana. 14
Chamber Executive
Winter 2019
several books about business processes, Quick-Warner attended Jane Clark’s session about EOS at ACCE’s 2018 convention. Afterwards, Clark gave her a copy of Gino Wickman’s book Traction, which Quick-Warner read on the flight home. Since last fall, the Eugene Area Chamber has been working to implement EOS. It did not have the budget to hire a certified implementer, something other small and medium chambers may grapple with. However, Quick-Warner was already working with an executive coach who agreed to help. EOS also forced her to create a leadership team to facilitate implementation. This was tricky, she said, since every member of her 10-person staff reported directly to her. In creating the team, she solidified connections with employees. The process also helped her realize that she “did not have a good system in place to get feedback from staff.” Creation of an accountability chart, EOS’ detailed version of an organizational chart, gave her the opportunity to document each person’s role, which has proven helpful during employee transitions. Although Quick-Warner is a relative newcomer to EOS, she believes it has great potential for her organization. “Chambers have the issue of everyone coming to them to solve a problem,” she noted. “Until we can actually prioritize what we want to accomplish this quarter, it’s harder to say ‘No.’” EOS implementation also helped her staff become more comfortable setting revenue goals, something that may seem counterintuitive to nonprofits. Now she can see that, “If we want to serve in X capacity, we need X people and X revenue,” she says. “That creates a clear picture for the staff and the board of what it will take.” For Quick-Warner, EOS goes far beyond a typical strategic plan. The Eugene Chamber’s strategic plan was created by the board with staff input. However, there were no metrics attached, which frustrated employees. “Often strategic plans are so big and vague that anything you do could fit in,” she says. “We needed clarity and focus”—something the EOS model provides.
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Data Drives Decisions The Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking Tool
Every year, ACCE surveys its members through the Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking tool to identify traits and trends across organization size, function and location. By providing the most up-to-date information, you help your peers gauge their performance against the industry. Participating also gives you access to the full data to generate visual reports on membership, events, personnel, finances, and more. Data is power, whether you are painting a picture for your board or motivating your staff to take that next leap. Enter your information, and join the movement of chambers making great things possible.
Categories of Chambers by Annual Revenue Category 1
Category 3
$450K
$900K-$2M
and under
Category 5
$5M
and over
Category 2
Category 4
$450K-$900K
$2-5M
Need some examples of how data from Dynamic Chamber Benchmarking could help you? Check out these case studies.
Case Study 1 Growing Membership
Case Study 2 Implementing Tiered Dues
The CEO of a Category 2 chamber wants to know how his chamber membership stacks up against peers. Because the CEO submitted his data, he can access the full results of the survey and generate the following report:
The CEO of a Category 4 chamber wants to know how long other chambers have been using tiered dues and whether tiering has led to more revenue from dues. She submitted her data well before the deadline, so she is able to see the following data:
3-5 years
More than 5 years
Average revenue per member from dues Median current membership
2 years or less
Category 1 Category 2
Category 1
$426
Category 3
462 Category 2
Category 4 Category 5
$477 733
Category 3
20%
Change in membership 2 years or less
80%
100%
Change in dues
+6%
$950
+14% 1,339
Category 5
60%
$672 922
Category 4
40%
3-5 years
+9% +19%
$1,356 1,932
The CEO realizes that, with 650 members, there might be opportunities to increase membership. With the board’s support, he holds a listening tour with local businesses. With a few tweaks to programming, the chamber sees their membership increase 15% the next year.
Enter your data today Visit www.ACCE.org/DCB
Over 5 years
+20% +32%
The CEO is surprised that so many of her peers have had tiered dues for more than five years and that the results in revenue and membership are so strong. She adds tiered dues to the agenda for her next senior team meeting and brings this data with her.
This graphic was produced by Beutler Ink, a digital agency specializing in marketing communication strategy and data visualization.
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Erin Aylor
Beth A. Bowman
ASK THE COMM PROS ACCE called upon the expertise and insight of the 2018 Awards Matt Morrow
for Communications Excellence Grand Award winners to learn about Kimberly Flores
their communications activities and the trends that deserve your attention. Here are their responses. Read more at www.acce.org/commtrends. Angela Sanchez Joe Pellman
Lindsay Touchy
David L. May
BETH A. BOWMAN, CCE, IOM
What is the one thing your chamber did over the last year to more effectively communicate your vision, mission, goals and priorities to your membership and other key stakeholders?
DAVID L. MAY, CCE, CAE, IOM President & CEO Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce (Colo.) We initiated a Bringing Business Home campaign (BringingBusinessHome.org) to emphasize the importance of business to a strong quality of life. By featuring chamber members who contribute at their job, in their neighborhoods and in the community, we can connect to our mission: “proactively empower[ing] business people to build a community where business can thrive and citizens are proud to live.” The campaign also contributes to the Bold Voice of Business initiative, which is part of the chamber’s five-year strategic Northern Colorado Prospers (NorthernColoradoProspers.com) campaign. Through this initiative we aim to serve as the voice of business to advocate the perspective of business.
President & CEO Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Texas) Irving Economic Development Partnership We believe our member-investors are our best spokespersons, so we continue to roll out and enhance our Global Ambassadors program that prepares and challenges our board members to promote Irving and the chamber at every opportunity. The program, a partnership with the city, convention and visitors bureau, Las Colinas Association, school district and arts, includes training and a communication speaker’s guidebook filled with key messaging, facts, anecdotes and communication techniques for promoting the chamber as well as Irving as a business hub and a great place to live, work and play. The goal is to equip community leaders with tools to ensure powerful messages, consistency and effectiveness in telling the Irving-Las Colinas story.
JOE PELLMAN Director, Marketing & Communications Indy Chamber (Ind.)
The most impactful thing the Indy Chamber has done over the last year, from a communications perspective, has been returning to the basics: strategically submitting op-eds to local and national publications on relevant and trending topics. These opportunities help us make the business case for everything from inclusive economic growth to public health and give us a platform to highlight our members as the subject matter experts and civic leaders they are. This content can then be repurposed on our website, in newsletters and on our social media platforms. As the voice of the business community, it doesn’t serve our staff or our members to stay silent on things that affect business and talent.
ANGELA SANCHEZ Vice President of Communications Little Rock Regional Chamber (Ark.)
Our highly successful Love, Little Rock campaign is a great example of how we were able to communicate our vision and priorities for our region to the entire nation. Rather than pursuing an opportunity that wasn’t a good fit, our tongue-in-cheek “breakup letter” to Amazon, beginning with the now-famous line “It’s not you, it’s us,” allowed us to celebrate the city’s resources and benefits with site selectors and C-suite executives alike. Starting with a full-page ad in the Washington Post, owned by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, on the RFP deadline, “Love, Little Rock” has since been featured or mentioned in over 1,000 pieces of print, online and broadcast news coverage totaling more than one billion potential impressions.
MATT MORROW President & CEO Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce (Mo.)
We develop and distribute a monthly recap video entitled “Your Membership Investment Matters.” In the video, I speak directly to members about the successes, programs, events and initiatives which have taken place over the previous weeks in our four areas of strategic focus. I always tether the message back to how we can do all of this because of their investment in chamber membership. I emphasize how our activities and programs increase opportunities for member businesses and how they strengthen local economic growth, even if the member is not able to attend or participate directly. Chamber Executive
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LINDSAY TOUCHY Vice President of Marketing & Communications Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce (Texas)
What communications trend(s) should chambers be monitoring to ensure they communicate value in an innovative and modern way?
ERIN AYLOR Vice President of Marketing Charleston Metro Chamber (S.C.)
Communications need to be relatable and personal, utilizing storytelling as a powerful tool. Stories should be more emotional and customized so that we are connecting to build trust, which will enhance engagement. Examples of this include using member influencers to amplify and elevate your voice, replacing traditional press releases with conversations and appealing narratives, nontraditional social media channels such as Instagram and Snapchat and using market research to develop relevant content.
With today’s younger generation and emerging technology raising the bar for the customer experience, the Galveston Regional Chamber closely monitors social media and digital advertising through different media channels, including online newspapers, digital billboards and social media advertising. To ensure our brand stands out, we are adding more visual communications like graphics and videos. Each of our events and programs consists of a different audience, so we use targeted advertisements for each event via social media and/or GEO fencing to attract customers and create a personalized experience. As a result, 2018 was our most successful year for events!
JOE PELLMAN Director, Marketing & Communications Indy Chamber (Ind.)
Chambers of commerce are often seen as the cheerleaders for their communities, and while there’s nothing inherently wrong in fulfilling this role, sometimes a community’s challenges are downplayed or overlooked in content and conversation. Over the last few years, the Indy Chamber has not shied away from discussing difficult topics affecting our region, shifting the narrative from roadblocks to opportunities for all in our community to succeed. I suspect more regions will adopt a similar mindset in 2019.
ANGELA SANCHEZ Vice President of Communications Little Rock Regional Chamber (Ark.)
If Facebook has been the focus of your social media efforts in the past, as it has been for us, you’ve probably noticed an alarming decline in engagement. This is due to a change in Facebook’s algorithms—giving posts from Friends higher value than brands or pages. With that in mind, we advise giving more attention to other social media channels and marketing methods to deliver your message. Consider trying social messaging—particularly to engage millennials—through SMS messaging for a personal touch.
KIMBERLY FLORES Director of Public Relations & Communication Salt Lake Chamber (Utah)
To really see the value in our various campaigns, such as the Clear the Air Challenge, Tax Modernization and tackling the Housing GAP, the Salt Lake Chamber felt it was time to once again invest in media monitoring services. We now have the ability to track our mentions, but also see how our well our campaigns are performing. The reporting makes it easy to show our executives and board members the impact of our marketing efforts.
Visit www.acce.org/ACE18 to view and be inspired by the award-winning entries of all the 2018 Communications Excellence (ACE) Grand Award winners: Champaign County Chamber of Commerce (lll.); Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce (S.C.); Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce (Colo.); Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce (Texas); Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce (Texas); Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (Mo.); Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce (Ind.); Indy Chamber; Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ark.); Round Rock Chamber (Texas); Salt Lake Chamber; Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce (Mo.); Wilmington Chamber of Commerce (N.C.). Learn more about ACE at www.ACCE.org/awards/ACE 22
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FACES AND PLACES
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Buckalew
Duck
Fry
Godet
Hagen
Hansen
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McGuinness
The Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named LYDIA A. ARANDA its new president & CEO. She was previously the
interim president and chief development officer of the chamber and its bi-national affiliates in Douglas, Nogales and Sierra Vista. Prior to that, along with several years as regional vice president of diverse growth segments for Wells Fargo, Aranda served two Arizona governors, first as Gov. Janet Napolitano’s small-business advocate and director of small business for Arizona Department of Commerce, then as co-chair of Gov. Jan Brewer’s Governor’s Latino Advisory Council. AMBER BATCHELOR was named president of the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce (Fla.). She succeeds BETH MITCHELL
who retired after leading the chamber for more than 18 years. Batchelor was previously membership development manager for the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce (Va.).
Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce (Ala.) promoted Executive Vice President ANNA B. BUCKALEW, IOM, to president & CEO. She succeeds RANDALL L. GEORGE, CECD, and currently serves on the board of directors of ACCE’s Foundation.
The Austin Area Chamber of Commerce (Minn.) named ELAINE HANSEN its new president. She succeeds SANDY FORSTNER who retired after leading the chamber for over 18 years. Hansen was previously senior development coordinator for Gerard Academy. The Charlevoix Area Chamber of Commerce (Mich.) named SARAH HAGEN president. Most recently, Hagen was manager of the 1918 Cellars Tasting Room at Castle Farms and has been an active volunteer and member of the Charlevoix Main Street Promotions Committee, which she has chaired since 2017. The Habersham Chamber of Commerce (Ga.) named MARY BETH HORTON president. Horton was previously the Clarkesville economic development director with the Clarkesville Downtown Development Authority.
MEGHAN HUNSCHER was named president of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce (N.J.). She previously served as executive director of the Morris County Economic Development Corporation, a division of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.
The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce and Industries (Mo.) appointed KATHY DUCK as its new president & CEO. Duck previously served as executive director of small business for the Tulsa Regional Chamber of Commerce in Oklahoma.
The Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce (N.Y.) named MAUREEN MCGUINNESS president. She was previously the Rensselaer County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s economic advancement and member relations manager.
Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce (Mo.) named BLAKE FRY. Most recently, he was president of the Hudson Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau (Wis.).
The Fayette Chamber of Commerce (Ga.) named COLIN T. MARTIN president & CEO. He previously led the Harris County Chamber of Commerce in Georgia.
Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce (Fla.) named ERIC GODET, SR., president & CEO. Godet previously chaired the chamber’s public policy committee as a member of the organization’s board of directors. He also served as chairman of the Council for Economic Outreach in 2009 and chairman of the chamber’s board of directors in 2010.
The Greater Greer Chamber of Commerce (S.C.) named DAVID MERHIB president & CEO. Merhib was previously president & CEO of the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce in South Dakota.
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The Greater Hartsville Chamber of Commerce (S.C.) promoted MURPHY MONK to president. She had been the chamber’s membership development coordinator.
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The Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce (S.C.) named REYNE MOORE president. Previously, Moore, a Boeing Commercial Airplanes alumna, held the CEO seat of Bull Block Advisory. Moore was also selected as an honoree for the 2018 class of The State’s 20 Under 40, which recognizes influential young leaders in South Carolina. THERESA M PINTO, IOM, was named executive director of the Lake City Columbia County Chamber of Commerce (Fla.). She has more than 25 years of experience in chamber, consulting and management roles, including leading chambers in Rocky Mount, N.C., Laurinburg, N.C. and Laconia, N.H.
Schlacter
LISA SORIN was named president of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce (N.Y.). She was previously executive director for the Westchester Square Business Improvement District.
The Williston Area Chamber of Commerce (S.D.) named HEATHER VOLL as its new president. Voll was previously the events and convention services coordinator for the Williston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
BRET SCHANZENBACH was named CEO of the Carlsbad
Chamber of Commerce (Calif.). Schanzenbach succeeded Ted Owen who retired after 15 years at the chamber. Schanzenbach previously led the Vista Chamber of Commerce.
ROBERT SCHLACTER is the new president & CEO of the Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce (Mass.). He succeeds SUSANNE MORREALE LEEBER, who retired after leading the chamber for 27 years. Schlacter most recently served as vice president of business development and executive consultant at Transition Solutions.
The Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce (Mo.) named TOBIAS (TOBY) TEETER as its new president. Teeter succeeds ROB O’BRIAN, CECD, who retired after serving as president for
23 years. Formerly an attorney and registered lobbyist, Teeter transitioned into an entrepreneur, starting and running small firms as well investing in several tech start-ups. MIKE THRONE was named president & CEO of the Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce (Ohio). Throne succeeds RANDY DAVIES who retired. Throne had previously spent 21 years as
editor of the Chillicothe Gazette.
STAN WITHEROW was named president of the Albertville
Chamber of Commerce (Ala.). He was previously district manager for Stage Stores, a parent company of Goody’s/Peebles.
The Marketing Agency Chambers Trust Check out our infographic on pages 18-19 And if you need creative solutions for communicating value or acquiring members, get in touch: hello@beutlerink.com
Learn more at beutlerink.com/acce Chamber Executive
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A NOTE FROM SHEREE ANNE
What’s your most valued metric?
F
rom day one, I’ve been amazed by our industry’s passion. Chamber professionals want to build strong and vibrant communities, advance critical issues and solve a range of societal and regional problems. When that passion is applied to the chamber profession, it manifests as interest in advancing the chamber industry, elevating the capabilities of all chamber leaders, and perhaps the most valuable attribute, chamber professionals want to give back. If there are ways ACCE or I can be helpful, please let me know. skelly@acce.org 703-998-3540 LinkedIn.com/in/ShereeAnne
LEADING OWNING CONTRIBUTING ENDORSING FOLLOWING OBSERVING Gideon Rosenblatt's Engagement Pyramid
CCE has samples of successful, modern A engagement plans and strategies you can leverage for your members. Visit www.acce.org/strategies to access more information. 28
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Engagement has long been touted as the key to HR success. Countless studies show that employee engagement builds loyalty, increases productivity, improves satisfaction rankings, lowers the number of sick days used, among other positive results. Engaging Chamber Members The same goes for chambers of commerce and other membership organizations. In its 10th Annual Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, Marketing General, Inc. surveyed 689 association executives on membership trends. When asked the leading reasons participants believe members don’t renew, the most common answer from business association leaders was members’ lack of engagement in the organization. Another 2018 survey from Advanced Solutions International benchmarked professionals from 425 membership organizations around the world. The results point to the inextricable link between engagement and retention, and there’s a growing trend to intentionally address that connection. Thirty-six percent of respondents said they have a formal member engagement plan, up from 28% in 2017. Participants with engagement plans highlight organizational benefits ranging from member renewals to increased event attendance, online engagement, non-dues revenue and other assets.
50%
of business association executives cite
LACK OF ENGAGEMENT as the top issue impacting membership renewals Marketing General, Inc. Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report, 2018
Engaging You I firmly believe that engagement is one of the most important metrics for ACCE. We have an exciting new strategic plan that was built for you, by you. We gathered extensive feedback from chamber professionals to ensure your association is focused on you, the future of our industry and the future of our world. We want to do a better job of engaging you—our passionate members. Please take a brief moment to complete our member engagement survey, www.ACCE.org/engagement so we can begin to build our future together. There are many ways to plug into ACCE, and there will be even more engagement opportunities created during this threeyear plan. Member engagement takes many forms. Gideon Rosenblatt created an engagement pyramid that includes six levels of engagement, each building on the previous, until a member reaches the pinnacle, leadership. We have opportunities at all levels. The list you see in the engagement form isn’t finite. Do you have other ways you’d like to contribute? Don’t hesitate to reach out to me—I’d love to hear your thoughts. And as always, we’re looking for even more examples of your success stories, both big and small, so please share those too. I’m grateful for all that you do for your communities and for ACCE. I can’t wait to see where we go together in the years to come.
Is your retirement strategy missing a piece?
Discover how ACCE’s 457(b) Plan can fit into your retirement picture. If you’re an executive already maxing out your pre-tax deferral limits on the 401(k) plan, then the ACCE 457(b) plan is a way to build your pre-tax savings beyond what the 401(k) plan allows. Yes, you can do both! The 457(b) plan can also reduce the retirement income gap for executives whose compensation exceeds the social security wage base. Why? Your social security income calculation at retirement will not include income earned over this limit. This means executives need to save a higher percentage of their pre-tax income just to maintain their lifestyle in retirement!
Take a closer look. With the ACCE 457(b) Plan, enjoy very little
administrative burden, no required employer contribution and zero annual fees. Contact Stacey Breslin for a no-obligation consultation at 703-998-3549 or email sbreslin@acce.org.
