greater owensboro chamber of commerce
Past Chamber Board Chairs gather over shared experiences On Thursday, June 20, Past Board Chairs spanning five decades gathered at the Commerce Center to connect over their time dedicated to the Chamber. Each Past Chair reflected on the highlights and challenges faced during their year-long appointment, making note of many of the familiar initiatives that are now synonymous with the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Donald R. Neel, 1976 Chamber Board Chair, saw the revival of Rooster Booster during his time as Chair. Rooster Booster began in the 1950s at Gabe’s Restaurant and has moved locations throughout the years including stops at the Executive Inn and Owensboro Christian Church. Dr. Neel recalled Rooster Booster Breakfasts making Ponderosa Steakhouse home for a period in the 1970s, at which time they saw an average of 40 attendees. Rooster Booster, now held at the Owensboro Convention Center, currently sees an average attendance of 353 community members and is one of the most well-attended Chamber functions in the country. 1992 Board Chair, Don P. Moore, III, recalled the original establishment of the Chamber Young Professionals organization in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While CYP has seen a range of involvement over time, the mission of the organization has remained consistent — to connect young professionals in Owensboro and develop opportunities to grow future leaders. CYP has relaunched in recent years and has a growing membership of more than 160 young professionals. The organization has built community recognition and is considered an integral part of growing and retaining young talent in Owensboro. While each Board Chair’s tenure only lasts one year, each Chair has had the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the future of the organization. The initiatives, partnerships and programs being built now will craft the story of the future of Owensboro, just as those before have brought us to today.
Each Past Chair reflected on the highlights and challenges faced during their year-long appointment, making note of many of the familiar initiatives that are now synonymous with the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.
JULY 11 ROOSTER BOOSTER WELCOMES
TOMORROW’S CHAMBER Today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders — and we want to see them at Rooster Booster! We encourage our Chamber Members to bring their children, interns and other young people in their lives to the July 11 Rooster Booster.
Vol 17/Issue 7
CHAMBER MATTERS 2019
JULY
Leadership Owensboro applications now open Leadership Owensboro, a program of the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, has a tradition of excellence in cultivating and encouraging Owensboro leaders since 1982. The program, boasting an alumni base of more than one thousand, is the premier local professional development and community learning opportunity. “It is always exciting to anticipate the next class,” said Jessica Kirk, Executive Director of Leadership Owensboro. “We continue to work with dedicated faculty to enrich the program each year ultimately strengthening the tradition of the program that so many people in the Owensboro community are extremely proud of.” “Leadership Owensboro is an integral component of our communit y ’s succession plan. Talent drives economic growth,” said Candance Castlen Brake, Chamber President and CEO. Classes consist of nine full-day sessions that will include topics such as education, human needs and services, local government issues, our justice system, tourism, healthcare and more. In addition to the once monthly classes from September through April, the class members will be required to participate in local civic leadership meetings and will work as a class to present and implement a solution to an identified community challenge. The 2019-2020 schedule begins in September at Rooster Booster and concludes with graduation in May 2020. To learn more about Leadership O wensboro and download an application visit chamber.owensboro. com/leadership- owensboro. Applications for the 2020 Leadership Owensboro class are due by noon on Wednesday, July 31. For more information on the Leadership Owensboro program, please contact Candance Castlen Brake at (270) 926-1860 or cbrake@ owensboro.com.