2015 Annual Report Leading Longview. People. Place. Prosperity.
Strengthen. Promote. Provide. Represent. Build.
Our Mission Statement
Chairman’s Message
To engage in and promote projects that have a positive economic impact on the Longview Trade Area.
Vision Statement There is no more exciting time in the future of Longview than the present. We are blessed to live in a City in which the citizens work cooperatively alongside our public officials, businesses and various interest groups to make this a wonderful place to live, work and raise our families. With the City’s adoption of the Comprehensive Plan for the City of Longview, as well as the strategic planning on the part of LEDCO and the Longview Chamber of Commerce, we are poised to take important steps toward moving Longview forward to even greater accomplishments. The Chamber recently organized a follow-up intercity trip to Greenville, South Carolina to take a deeper dive into how
To be recognized as an effective resource, providing relevant, innovative, and impactful programming that ensures a healthy business climate and an enhanced quality of life for Longview and Gregg County.
Our Core Ideology and Values
this community of similar size is executing on their long-range planning. This trip was well attended by local public
CORE IDEOLOGY
officials, business leaders, and representatives from several school districts and charitable organizations. It is exciting
We believe that together we can have a stronger voice and influence positive outcomes.
to see what vision, long-term planning and collaboration can accomplish when focused on a comprehensive plan such as the one adopted this year by the City of Longview. To be successful, this effort should be truly collaborative and comprehensive with involvement from all stakeholders within our community, from local leaders of businesses of all sizes, local government officials, educational institutions, charities and providers of social services. Remember, it
We believe Longview is a great place to live and work.
goals through public-private partnerships. We have already accomplished much, but each of you play an integral role
We believe that together we can develop leaders to shape Longview’s future.
in setting the vision for the future and doing the hard work that it takes to reach these goals.
CORE VALUES
It has been twelve years since my wife and I made the decision to move from Fort Worth. I had spent the previous
Strengthen the local economy by researching and providing available resources to grow our local businesses.
is not about overnight transformation, but rather, the deliberate, incremental and sustained progress toward common
six years regularly “visiting” Longview on business and fell in love with the City. What a wonderful decision that has been for my family. Longview is blessed with natural beauty, as well as excellent schools, healthcare and a growing economy. We are fortunate to have City and County leaders who promote a culture of support for the local business community and do what it takes to attract new business and talent to the area. However, it is the people of Longview that make it special. It is the pride we take in our community and our spirit of collaboration and cooperation that make us “Uniquely Longview.” Ken Cunningham
Chairman, Longview Chamber of Commerce
Promote the community by marketing Longview as a destination for new businesses, tourists, active older adults, and potential employees. Provide networking opportunities by organizing and hosting a myriad of seminars, events, etc. for our Chamber members. Represent the interests of business with government by building relationships with governmental agencies and effectively voicing the needs of area businesses. Build community-wide leadership by encouraging and developing a shared vision for the future of Longview and collectively influencing stakeholders to make it happen. LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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2015 Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Appointed Directors
Chamber Staff
Ken Cunningham
Kelly Hall
Dana Parr
Joe Bob Joyce
Kelly Hall
Chairman of the Board
President/CEO
Board Member
Longview Chamber of Commerce
Copeland Insurance Group
Longview Economic Development Corporation
President/CEO
Good Shepherd Health System
Paul Anderson Senior VP & Director of Communications
Leska Parker Wade Johnson
Jim Barron
John Ray
Chairman-Elect of the Board
Board Member
Board Member
J & J Barron Enterprises, LLC
Lively Cadillac GMC
Johnson & Pace, Inc.
Judge Becky Simpson
Director of Development
Suzanne Brown Advocacy and Communications Director
Lisa Monsivais Office Manager
Shalee Faircloth
Board Member
Councilman Richard Manley
TVaughn Builders, LLC
R. Manley Enterprises
Amy Canton
Roy Eon
Jill Bayless
Tim Vaughn
Chairman of Finance
Board Member
Texas Bank and Trust
Information Services Coordinator Leadership Longview Coordinator
Courtney Gill Brad Tidwell
Kara Bolster
Past Chairman of the Board
Board Member STEMCO
Citizens National Bank
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Brett Lindig
Pat Britton
Board Member
Board Member
SYSCO Food Services of East Texas, LLC
Eastman Chemical Company, Texas Operations
Keith Honey
David Hayes
Board Member
Board Member
AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company
Hayes RV Center
LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Young Entrepreneurs Academy
Why the Longview Chamber of Commerce Won’t Settle for the Status Quo. Longview and the Longview Chamber of
2010 was another pivotal year for the Longview
Commerce (LCC) have been through many
Chamber of Commerce (LCC), in large part because
changes since their inception. Growth and
they managed to articulate exactly what they do so well
improvement cannot occur in a vacuum:
and why it’s a critical part of the process in growing
change, a catalyst brings them forth.
a vibrant, healthy city. With executive leadership and a committed board of directors, the LCC crafted their
2015 was a pivotal year for the LCC, as this brought
own long range plan and decided they were no longer
in a changing of the guard, as the City retrieved its
satisfied doing business “old school,” they were going
contracts for economic development and convention
to embrace an interactive role in moving Longview
and visitors bureau (CVB). The Chamber rolled up its
forward. Because being good to the community, is how
sleeves and seized this opportunity to become more
to be good to business.
laser focused on their core of four pillars:
Advocacy Solutions Education Solutions B u s i n ess S o l u t i o n s Organiz ational Solutions
In rolling up their shirt sleeves, five things they knew they could do well became priorities that guide the Chamber today as it sets many positive initiatives into action. 1. Strengthen the local economy 2. Promote the community
Restructuring the organization and creating new
3. Provide networking opportunities
funding strategies to sustain the organization through
4. Represent the interests of business with government
the abrupt change were conquered.
5. Build community-wide leadership.
Between planning retreats and input from community leaders and elected officials, a collaborative approach came together and has become the steam behind the engine moving Longview forward.
LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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One of the ways the Chamber took initiative was
The Chamber also took on the initiative of creating an
instigating Inter City Visits. This tool is used to
Urban Main Street concept that would give tools to
identify cities that have redeveloped and learn from
downtown owners encouraging rehabilitation of
their stories how they turned blight into success.
storefronts, inviting new business formats into the mix,
Elected officials, business owners, and community
and maintaining a historic image that creates unity
leaders are invited to attend a three-day visit that
in the downtown grid while allowing a new marketing
includes meetings with the host city leaders and
strategy to flourish. Through Community Block Grants
hearing “from the horse’s mouth” why they did what
and Facade Grants, business owners found help
they did, what tools they used, and how they brought
creating visual appeal to the urban area. With the
forward community interest to carry out the plan.
Texas Historical Commission granting a Texas Main
The Longview Chamber Inter City Team has been to
Street to Longview, and Longview becoming a
three cities since this program has been initiated:
Certified Local Government (CLG awarded in 2014,)
Chattanooga, TN, Ft. Collins, CO, and most recently,
the urban redevelopment plan saw renewed interest
two trips to Greenville, SC, to take a deeper dive
and revitalization.
into the failures and successes of successful transformation.
For fun, because no successful initiative that involves residents and business owners should be dull, the
Movie Night downtown showcasing The Wizard of Oz.
Chamber sponsored movie nights on Heritage Plaza. The free events, open to everyone, fostered a fun reason to be in the downtown community. Lots of little munchkins and their families followed Downtown Longview’s red brick roads to enjoy Dorothy’s adventures on the yellow brick road in The Wizard of Oz. Another success story from the Longview Chamber of Commerce’s “new school of thought” was in creating a Business Solutions Center. This complete resource for Longview business owners offers online training addressing timely business issues
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LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
and tools to navigate the demands of an aggressive business community. Think of this as professional development “anytime, anywhere.” Installing wayfinding signs, so obvious but missing from our city, helped tourists find their way at key intersections. Sponsoring this program gave the Chamber high visibility and applause for taking the leadership on creating a better way to navigate Longview.
Early leadership development programs begin with YEA!
Entrepreneur Center (free space for 60 days to launch startup businesses) and, of course, continued training with our exciting Leadership Longview training program. It’s not enough to just reach out to the other cities, and engage our youth in the changing the community we live in, we must also be strategic about advocating for our local business on a state and national level.
The Chamber recognizes that if it’s going to carry forward the success of these new endeavors it must capture the enthusiasm and networking skills of a younger generation. Creating the successful YEA! Young Entrepreneurial Academy (9-month program to connect professionals and students in a mentoring
Professional leadership development through Leadership Longview.
capacity that allows bright minds to present business plans to potential investor panels), the Satellite LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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The role of this Chamber is committed to investigating
In making sure our members and the community
and supporting legislative initiatives that better improve
participates in the process of voting, we created
the prospects of local business. The LCC knows that
LongviewVotes.Com Visitors to this site can keep up
combining our local voice, 1100 strong, with other
with issues affecting business and submit letters
chambers across the state and nation, leads to
directly to their elected officials.
successful representation. Some key propositions that this Chamber stands behind are opposition of proposed EPA’s Greenhouse emissions, IMEX, support State transportation funding-proposition Propositions One and Seven, Market Fairness Act, Natural Gas initiatives, Support for legal sale of Beer and Wine, Support of Amending Hotel Occupancy Code, and Insurance coverage continuation for terrorist events. The 2015 East Texas Coalition visited Austin, Texas to carry out the advocacy needs of our members.
We have and will continue to send task forces to Austin and Washington to carry out the advocacy needs of our members.
By including a tourism component to the LCC, we fulfilled a fun and much needed role in the community of spurring forward hospitality events which in turn created an economic development momentum all its own.
Discover Longview, and its all aboard Tour, began transitioning from a tourism tool to an employee attraction and retention tool for human resource
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LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
departments of major companies to understand the
As part of our new muscle in promoting Longview, the
unique qualities of Longview and why knowing the
Chamber reached out to meeting planners for small
features of the city helps retain potential employees
and large events, the Texas Film Commission, creating
and fun-loving tourists to relocate to Longview.
new festival guides, and sponsoring new interstate billboards promoting Longview.
The Longview Visitor Center, a hallmark of the 2012 renovation to Chamber offices, provided a one-stop shop for all things Longview. With tourism questions
With an eye to fostering local networking opportunities, the LCC promotes goodwill and recognizes achievements of local leaders. It’s hard to say if any other city
coming from a variety of avenues it’s easy to see why
organization does as much to bring folks together over
the LCC has been key in facilitating the prospects of
a meal and an accolade, but the Chamber is honored
Longview to the many guests that pass through our
to sponsor so many events that recognize the
city. With the CVB contract transfer, the Visitor Center
accomplishments of others:
became the Business Solutions Center where member
Salute to Healthcare Luncheons, which honors the
companies showcase their company literature and
Healthcare Professional of the Year, Volunteer of the Year,
passively make connections with other members and
and the Dr. Sam Mack Lifetime Achievement Award.
visitors interested in learning more about the chamber.
State of the City, the annual Mayor’s address to give credit to the city’s accomplishments and it’s future goals. Emerging Leaders Awards, professionals under the age of 40 are recognized for their contributions to the growth of Longview. Quarterly Membership Luncheons, weeknight mixers, and golf tournaments too. Total Resource Campaign, an eight-week extravaganza designed to recruit new and retain current members to the Chamber. This enthusiastic event has change the business model for the Chamber and funded specific
Creation of the new Business Center showcasing Chamber members.
programs and services that local businesses members find useful. LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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These mixed with our strong social media presence
Uniquely Longview magazine, the award-winning
and the ongoing efforts to keep our branding campaign
Longview Progress Report, Chamber Buzz e-blasts for
in the conversation of regional awareness.
all departments at the chamber, our website, and that
Because being Longview’s Chamber is more than just a typical organization, it’s a collaborative effort
ultimate in business information and networking, The Business Solutions Conference.
for promoting local business, the Chamber has
Our executive leadership whole-heartedly believes
35 members in an Ambassador Program that stimulate
that to be the best chamber in the region requires
communication and patronage of new businesses and
unparalleled support for every project going forward in
local members. They attend ribbon cuttings, Business
our city. We are at the forefront of almost every good
After Hours, Business Solutions Conference, work
thing moving forward, offering support, access to staff,
the Boat and RV show, and generally represent the
communications, and networking with our membership
Chamber to the community. One of our best assets,
to find the just right folks to carry off the critical
hands down.
missions going forward in Longview. The LCC is more than a chamber; it’s one of the engines powering Longview forward to the fast track. Moving forward through organizational restructuring, the chamber continues creating new ways to enhance the business community. New programs to enhance business and new training channels are in place. Enhanced employee and leadership programs are underway to roll out in the near future. New tools for advocacy are being incorporated into the chamber toolkit, creating that synergistic voice to elected officials
STEMCO’s new headquarters is a modern, technologically enabled, open, collaborative office environment that is fostering connection, collaboration and innovation. The Chamber takes pride in their print materials like the award-winning Uniquely Longview magazine as well as their digital communications materials including Chamber Buzz e-blasts.
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LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
and greater presence in the legislative arena. Your chamber has emerged from the firestorm with a bright, focused and energized team of professionals on
With many means to communicate to chamber
a strategic path to safeguard the interests of business,
members and the community, the chamber takes pride
thereby creating that idyllic community where people
in their print materials like the award-winning
want to live, work and play: Longview!
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
410 North Center Street Longview, TX 75601 903.237.4000 Fax 903.237.4049 www.longviewchamber.com