L O N G V I E W
C H A M B E R
O F
C O M M E R C E
ANNUAL REPORT 2019 EDITION REDEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION
ADVOCACY
COLLABORATION
HEALTH
OUR MISSION STATEMENT To engage in and promote projects that have a positive economic impact on the Longview Trade Area.
VISION STATEMENT
R.E.A.C.H. Redevelopment. Education. Advocacy. Collaboration. Health.
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 VALUE. CORE IDEOLOGY We believe that together we can have a stronger voice and influence positive outcomes. We believe Longview is a great place to live and work. We believe that together we can develop leaders to shape Longview’s future. CORE VALUES Strengthen the local economy by researching and providing available resources to grow our local businesses. 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.
2019 Successes
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E D I T I O N
Redevelopment
$100k
Education
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AEP grant to the East Texas Manufacturing Academy Academy
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Advocacy
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The Longview Chamber of Commerce was honored to receive the ACCE award for Chamber of the Year.
Mentors from Chamber member organizations served the Ware East Texas Montessori campus for the 2018-2019 school year. Page 6
Collaboration
People travelled to Little Rock Arkansas as part of the Longview Chamber’s Intercity Visit program.
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The R.E.A.C.H Team celebrated 50 ribbon cuttings with new businesses in Longview, Texas Page 12
Health
800
Environmental scan survey participants to help assess the health of the current and future workforce. Page 14
R E A C H R E D E V E L O P M E N T
E D U C A T I O N
A D V O C A C Y
C O L L A B O R A T I O N
H E A L T H
Redevelopment. Education. Advocacy. Collaboration. Health. LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL REPORT
Leading Longview: R.E.A.C.H.
2019 ushered in the fourth year under the Chamber’s five-year strategic plan, R.E.A.C.H. The board, volunteers and staff remained focused on this continued and successful blueprint for the Longview trade area to support existing businesses while continuing to promote an environment that creates jobs and improves the quality of life in Longview.
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The Chamber’s Foundation Board continued to advance the priorities of our business community while working with key stakeholders. One focus area is to aid in the transformation of underutilized areas of our community while remaining in alignment with the City’s Comprehensive Plan. In 2019, the Foundation focused on building relationships amongst area schools and higher education to advance the East Texas Advanced Manufacturers Academy. The work included targeting growth of the student population, securing grants and funding for additional equipment, and adding curriculum.
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Education initiatives continued and broadened to strengthen workforce development including tools to help students plan for their future, a Partners In Education Conference and a special presentation of “Developing Students with Workforce Readiness Skills” presented by Lonnie Moore. Support continued through the Texas Internship Challenge, and developing a replicable model of the successful Career Ready Plus campus certification program in partnership with Ware Elementary School.
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Another year of unprecedented involvement as the East Texas coalition expanded to include the Lindale Chamber of Commerce, bringing the total delegation to Austin, Texas, to over 150 attendees, and broadening our regional footprint. Coffee Conversations were held addressing issues in our trade area, in particular redevelopment of a key entrance property; business Email Compromise with the Secret Service and Longview PD cyber; Education state policy update; and federal contracting opportunities with the HUBZone. Read the Advocacy section for more!
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Initiated by the Chamber, leadership from the City, LEDCO and Chamber have collaborated to: move forward with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, a long-term road map for future development; supported City and LEDCO efforts to renovate the Petroleum Building in downtown Longview; the newly-formed Cultural Arts Committee applied for and received the designation of a Texas Cultural Arts District, one of only 43 in the state.
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Sponsored over 45 programs and events and over 50 ribbon cuttings that promote our local businesses and provide needed support to compete in our 21st century global marketplace. This year we continued discovery within the HealthyVIEW initiative by conducting an employee health and wellbeing survey and held industry-driven focus groups to better understand our local predicament and advance initiatives in 2020. In carrying out this new strategic plan, the initiatives rose to the level of national recognition as the Longview Chamber was honored to be awarded the ACCE Chamber of the Year for 2019-2020! But this Chamber does not rest on its laurels: the focus continues moving forward to engage in and promote projects that have a positive economic impact on the Longview Trade Area. The R.E.A.C.H. strategic plan is our roadmap to the future. Working together, we can move Longview aggressively forward and realize a more vibrant community for the generations who follow us. The following pages outline in further detail what we achieved in year 4! Chuck King, 2019 Chairman of the Board
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
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Kelly Hall, President/CEO
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019 Longview Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
Chairman of the Board
Chuck King Chick-fil-A
Vice Chairman
Immediate Past Chairman
Chairman Elect
Richard Manley
R Manley Enterprises
Vice Chairman
Chair of Finance
Vice Chairman
Dana Parr
Kevin Hood
Advanta Insurance Partners
Texas Bank and Trust
Vice Chairman
Ron Hutchison Conterra Networks
Jim Green
David Hayes
Eastman Chemical Company, Texas Operations
Hayes RV Center
Wade Johnson
Jessica LaRue
Casey Robertson
Johnson & Pace Incorporated
Harbour, Smith, Harris & Merritt, P.C
Longview Regional Medical Center
Cheryl Jaskiewicz
Dr. Roger Johnson
Sam Neale
Rodney Overman
Mark Robinson
Pinnacle Senior Living
Texas Office Leasing
Napps Technology Corporation
Henry & Peters, P.C.
AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company
Appointed Directors
Todd Hancock
Kristen Ishihara
Natalie Lynch
Judge Bill Stoudt
Meredith Todd
CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System
Longview City Council, District 4
Longview Economic Development Corporation, Board Member
County of Gregg
R. Lacy Services, LTD
Chamber Staff Kelly R. Hall
Misty Amaya
Stephanie Raudales
President/CEO
Education and Workforce Manager
Special Projects and Event Coordinator
Suzanne Brown
Dave Jochum
Ana Arroya
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications
Director of Business and Development
Special Projects and Business Development
Bianca Adams Information Services Coordinator
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2019 Accomplishments | Success Abounds REDEVELOPMENT
EDUCATION
Brad Tidwell, Chairman of the Foundation
Ron Hutchison, Board Liaison
Work with other stakeholders in Longview and the City’s Comprehensive Plan to aid in the transformation of underutilized areas of our community.
Seek new and innovative ideas that improve access to basic and advanced educational opportunities with the cradle-to-career collective impact to help our citizens reach their potential and become skilled contributors to our highly educated workforce.
Amphitheater Amphitheater – due diligence continued with various surveys and actions toward the opportunity of bringing this project to fruition.
Innovation Hub After the last InterCity Trip there was great interest in the formation of a software driven innovation hub. Initial research began and continues toward this exciting project!
Career Ready Plus Certified Campus ▸ Raising Highly Capable Kids programs were held in the spring and fall, graduating 21 in the spring and 7 in the fall, bringing the total to 67 families’ lives being impacted by this program. The program expanded into Pine Tree ISD. ▸ Over 60 volunteers served as mentors in the Ware Elementary classrooms. The East Texas Advanced Manufacturing Academy has been established to provide high school students an opportunity to obtain training in instrumentation and electrical technology and precision machining technology. www.ETxAMA.org
ETXAMA Expanded course offerings with Kilgore College. The Academy received a grant from AEP in the amount of $100,000. Eastman Chemical flew a team to Kingsport Tennessee to see RCAM (Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing), nestled in what is known as the Academic Village. This visionary approach graduates from GED to PhD while incorporating intentional skill development to meet the needs of area industries. This model provided attendees an opportunity to see what could happen if we continue to bring higher education, area ISDs and industry together.
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▸ Teacher Appreciation - Five lead teachers and Principal Duck attended the Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta, Georgia for teacher development. The Ron Clark Academy is a highly-acclaimed demonstration school, meaning the Ware teachers were able to observe strategies and techniques in actual classrooms. The school is known for teaching educators ways to increase student engagement, ensure academic rigor, and create a climate and culture in their own schools that will lead to success. Ron Clark has been particularly successful in working with at-risk students. Some of the ideas will be rolled out for the 20192020 school year. ▸ The newest addition to the Ware Community Garden, the green house sponsored by Longview Regional Medical Center. ▸ An initiative was overwhelmingly successful in exciting students about their acacdemic performance when the Chamber hosted a limousine ride and catered dinner at The Summit Club for 4th grade A/B Honor Roll students.
▸ In collaboration with Junior League of Longview, Summer Literacy Camp was held for students. ▸ Eight new teachers were hired as a result of the Ware partnership in hosting a tour and reception for applicants, introducing them to the CRPCC initiatives at the school. Mentors, other partner organizations, and lead teachers introduced the incredible changes occurring at the school. ▸ 5th Grade Career Showcase was held showcasing 12 companies to participate and educate students on the myriad career options available in Longview. ▸ Career tours were held with 3rd Graders who visited Eastman Chemical, Texas Operations, and 4th and 5th grades visited Sabine Mining Company and Pirkey Power Plant. ▸ The Ware faculty and staff hosted a volunteer appreciation event at the school to recognize all campus volunteers. Assistant Superintendent Horace Williams attended as well, and the students gave gifts to their mentors and thanked them for their service. ▸ Preliminary STAAR scores were higher than last year’s scores, presented at the end-of-year agency meeting, emphasizing how all organizations have impacted the campus to help improve student outcomes.
The purpose of today’s Superintendents Forum meeting is to discuss legislative updates and future collaborative opportunities with Longview ISD, Pine Tree ISD, Spring Hill ISD, White Oak ISD, and New Diana ISD.
Superintendents Forum The first Superintendents Forums of 2019 were held in June, with six ISDs and approximately 25 business executives in attendance at the private education council meeting. Priscilla Camacho, Senior Vice President of Public Policy at Dallas Regional Chamber, shared the legislative updates from the 86th legislative session. Each superintendent (Longview, Pine Tree, Spring Hill, White Oak, Gladewater, and New Diana) shared about their districts. The second Superintendents Forum was held in November and featured guest speaker Jenna Courtney with TXPost (Texas Partnership for Out of School Time). Five superintendents and 25 business and non-profit leaders attended.
P.I.E. Conference P.I.E. 2019 featured dynamic speaker, Leader in Me and Franklin Covey consultant, Lonnie Moore. Registration for this event increased to 184 guests.
Every Child Has Access Resource Guide - Published annually by the Longview Chamber of Commerce.
Every Child Has Access Resource Guide (ECHA) ECHA has been delivered to all LISD, PTISD, and SHISD campuses. The 2019 publication was debuted at Junior League’s Poverty Conference. Later in the year, sponsorship lead to publishing the first Spanish version, which was then delivered to local schools and non-profit organizations.
Lonnie Moore, of FranklinCovey, teaching to a full house for Leader In Me in our schools at the 2019 P.I.E. Conference.
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Bridging the Talent Gap LCC was selected as a $2,500 grant recipient for Bridging the Talent Gap, which is a campaign to help employers, employees, learning providers and other community stakeholders understand and meet the challenges of ensuring a skilled and educated workforce. The Graduate! Network leads a national effort to increase college completion among adults, and Bridging the Talent Gap is their employer and employee engagement strategy. The Graduate! Network’s Kathy Zandona met with the Chamber and its grant partners in August. Kathy and Mike Jenkins from Kilgore College, the navigator for this project, announced it to our members at the Partners in Education Conference in August.
campus. Yesterday, Principal Patricia Duck, her teachers, and all of the Ware students showed their appreciation for all of the wonderful people who have poured into them by hosting a Volunteer Appreciation Reception. Many gifts, hugs, and thank you cards were given. Be the change you want to see in our community.
Staff attended LearnX Conference in Philadelphia to collaborate with other communities who have completed this process/are currently in the process, as well. Additionally, they learned about upskilling our current workforce in order to fill the workforce skills gaps quickly. Bridging the Talent Gap is an initiative sponsored by The Graduate! Network with the goal of helping employers, learning providers and other community stakeholders understand the challenges of ensuring a skilled workforce. Longview has been chosen to be part of this initiative by participating in the employee and employer survey. The employee survey has been launched through 5 selected employers. The employer survey will be launching mid-January.
60 Chamber member volunteers go through orientation to become mentors at Ware Elementary.
ADVOCACY Jessica LaRue, Board Liaison Advocate for legislation that promotes business and industry, economic development, job creation and community quality of life at the local, state, and federal levels of government.
Career Ready Plus Campus Teacher Support ▸ Provided an overnight retreat for team-building and strategic planning for the principle and staff. ▸ Hosted a staff welcome luncheon for all Ware teachers in August at Courtyard by Marriott. ▸ Arranged the Ware teacher and staff appreciation Christmas party in December.
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Parent Involvement ▸ Classroom Mentors - 60 volunteers have gone through orientation to be classroom mentors for the 2019-2020 school year.
Ware Mentors Over 60 mentors from Chamber member organizations served the Ware East Texas Montessori campus for the 2018-2019 school year. Additionally, more than 10 organizations offered their services and volunteers to the
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“Bringing leaders together to explore and understand what makes cities healthy is the key to finding the way forward for Longview.” – Kelly Hall
InterCity Trip The Cultural Arts group formed from the 2018 InterCity trip to Waco submitted the Cultural Arts District application in June 2019, and was awarded the
designation, making Longview one of only 43 cities in Texas to have this distinguished designation. The 2019 InterCity trip was May 15-17, 2019, in Little Rock Arkansas. 32 individuals registered and 30 people participated in the exploration process which covered downtown redevelopment, advancing education, utilization of a Young Professionals Group, and branding of Little Rock; I Love Little Rock. Feedback from the trip has been extremely positive!
▸ Technology – featured guest speaker Bill Mack, Resident Agent with Secret Service in Tyler, and Sargent Shannon Purdon from our Longview Police Cyber team. This transitioned into a small group meeting Coffee Conversation with media interview to get the word out, particularly to small businesses. ▸ Special topics with guest speakers have included: Healthcare with Mary Elizabeth Jackson of CHRISTUS; Bill Mack Secret Service and on Business Email Compromise; Education with Dr. James Wilcox of LISD and Priscilla D. Camacho, J.D., Senior Vice President, Public Policy, at the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce; and Transportation with Judge Bill Stoudt, Gregg County, and Macie Wyers, Transportation Planning Manager, City of Longview. ▸ A final session wrap-up covering 86th session grew into a regional effort, “Capitol Connect!”
East Texas Legislative Trip to Austin The East Texas Coalition expanded to include the Lindale Chamber of Commerce in the 2019 legislative session, bringing over 150 attendees to meet with legislators and agencies on the policies important to the Longview trade Area as well as the East Texas trade area. We have succeeded in increasing the regional footprint for East Texas representation!
Weekly Government Affairs Calls In tandem with the 86th Legislative Session firmly established, weekly governmental affairs calls kicked off to update our members on legislative activity pertaining to business. Bills being followed introduced in the areas of Water (of which imminent domain is closely tied, impacting utilities), Healthcare, Public Information Act, Economic Development, and some regarding labelling and medical communications pertaining to opioid abuse. The issues requested by the Public Policy and Chamber board are integrated into these calls, and some were then transitioned into Coffee Conversations serving as potential grass roots efforts stoking demand for a deeper dive with broader based summits.
Capitol Connect! Regional advocacy approach in holding the 86th legislative update. Includes chambers of commerce from Gladewater, Henderson, Jacksonville, Kilgore, Lindale, Longview, Nacogdoches, Shelby, and Tyler. The event sold out.
Bills followed in the 86th Session Public Information Act. Senator Watson, SB943 / HB2189. Data protection & privacy. SB866 has brought about some response from members. This is the bill that refers to “Unconscionable Charges” by free-standing ERs. Josh Selleck, City Manager of Kilgore presented detailed information and interpretation of HB2 that has caught the attention of rural areas’ chambers of commerce and municipal governments. A special review took place at Pinecrest Country Club.
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Coffee Conversation
The candidate forum for the City Council District 6 election had excellent turnout to hear the moderated event between incumbent Steve Pirtle and Cierra Evans.
GOTV The candidate forum for City Council District 6 was held April 9, 2019. Lead by Mark Robinson, moderated by Ric Brack of LNJ, filmed by Longview & Kilgore Cable TV, and covered by a photojournalist from KETK. KETK News Director, Ed Kosowski, offered to provide a station anchor to moderate. Approximately 40 people attended. Councilman Steve Pirtle was challenged by Cierra Evans. GOTV initiatives with awareness and voter registration.
An increase in Business Email Compromise (BEC) crimes in East Texas. Secret Service Agent, Bill Mack, educates on protecting organizations. The US Secret Service, Tyler Resident Office has observed an increase in Business Email Compromise cases in the East Texas region. Victims can include small, medium and large businesses as well as government and non-profit organizations. Business email compromise, BEC for short, is a scam in which criminals compromise a business email account, then use that email account to direct a company’s customers to make fraudulent payments. In East Texas, we have investigated cases of BEC crimes in which victims have lost anywhere from several thousand dollars to more than 1 million. Tyler Resident Office Secret Service Agent, Bill Mack, educated on protecting organizations against Business Email Compromise (BEC). Sargent Shannon Purdon from our Longview Police Cyber team added local input as well. Coffee Conversation was held in August regarding redevelopment and city ordinances, focusing on the property where Waffle Shoppe restaurant is vacant. A highly successful meeting that outlined the facts regarding variances filed, their process, and a separate process defined for changing city codes. Longview News Journal coverage.
Lt. Governor Patrick speaks as companies from across Texas convened in Austin to support Texas energy and it’s importance to our economy and employment.
Texas Energy Day The Chamber was a sponsor and was part of Texas Energy Day in Austin on February 20. Over 700 employees from Texas energy companies came to Austin to hear updates on legislation and then visited every elected official in the State Capitol to emphasize and increase awareness on the positive impact of energy on the Texas economy.
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October – HUBZone Federal Contracting Program Workshop. The Historically Underutilized Business Zones (HUBZone) program helps small businesses in urban and rural communities gain preferential access to federal procurement opportunities. This workshop explained what HUBZone designations are, how they are determined, where they are located and how to find them in Longview, as well as cover HUBZone eligibility requirements. The federal government has a goal of awarding at least 3% of all dollars for federal prime contracts to HUBZone certified companies. The HUBZone Coffee Conversation opened doors for further discussion on Entrepreneurship training opportunities, HUBZone resources database training, and connected small businesses with SBA and local SBDC.
Texas 2036 Kelly Hall served on a working group to review Texas 2036’s preliminary health policy findings and to provide guidance for the future direction of our work. TX 2036 team members were in Longview to visit with the HealthyVIEW team.
Op-Ed
The Chamber partnered with Blaire Body with the New American Economies Association to write an op-ed concerning the impact on immigration and our labor force. The article was posted on the Chamber website and pushed through our social media network. Read the op-ed: “Immigration reform could boost Longview’s labor force for years to come”
Margaret Spellings, former Secretary of Education under the Bush Administration and presently the CEO of Texas 2036, was present. Survey findings were reviewed, gaps and communication/awareness opportunities identified.
TAB State Biz PAC & TAB Federal Biz PAC Kelly Hall continues serving on the State PAC and she was asked to begin serving on the Federal PAC. She met with the Federal team to make Hill visits in September. The agenda includes a roundtable meeting at the US Chamber on Maritime Security, Trade, and Travel as well as individual meetings with Deputy Secretary of Education General Mick Zais, Senator Ted Cruz, Linda Dempsey with the National Association of Manufacturers, Senator John Cornyn, Congressman Louie Gohmert, Representative Garrett Graves, Representative Will Hurd, Representative Colin Allred, Policy Advisor Dir. of Hispanic Engagement Dr. Andrea R. Ramirez, Representative Henry Cuellar, Representative Jodey Arrington, Representative Brian Babin, Representative Dan Crenshaw, Representative Sylvia Garcia, Ken Barbic | Assistant Secretary of Congressional Relations, USDA, Senator James Inhofe, Representative Veronica Escobar, Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson, and Representative Michael McCaul.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100 Kelly Hall continues to be one of 3 people who represent Texas on the CC 100. In September, she made hill visits and meet with policy leaders. Upon arrival to the U.S. Chamber for Sunday afternoon meetings she saw where Longview was one of a handful of Chambers featured on the front of the building.
The Census provides the basis for reapportioning congressional seats, redistricting, and distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support states, counties and communities’ vital programs — impacting housing, education, transportation, employment, health care and public policy.
Census 2020 Work began with the City of Longview’s task force, Complete Count Committee, to inform, educate and work toward an accurate census count of Longview in 2020. The objective is to count everyone living here once, only once, and at the right place. The Chamber will disseminate to the business community.
Texas Business Conference Approximately 300 professionals attended this conference in Longview, Texas, with emphasis on employment law. There are opportunities to utilize two confidential programs that would help small businesses in Longview. for OSHA and for ADA compliance. “OSHCON,” for OSHA regulations, has already reached out to discuss possibilities to present and educate interested Longview businesses.
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COLLABORATION Richard Manley, Board Liaison Seek to play an increasing role in bringing stakeholders to the table and continue to build a network that fosters an environment where our agencies, government and employers work in concert to build a thriving community for future generations.
Elementary, were served lunch by the Spring Hill High School culinary arts students, and toured the East Texas Advanced Manufacturing Academy. The class completed their project at Longview Community Ministries in time for the April project reveal and ribbon cutting. The Class had their Tour Day in March. Businesses toured include, AAON Coil, Komatsu Mining, Neiman Marcus, and Sysco Foods. Two “Lunch & Learns” were held to explain the application process and answer questions in order to facilitate the process. The class of 27 individuals had the privilege of spending Community & Economic Development Day with Judge Bill Stoudt, Representative Jay Dean, and Senator Brian Hughes. They also heard reports from the Chamber, LEDCO, and Mayor Andy Mack. The Leadership Longview program has graduated over 1400 participants since its inception in 1981.
The Leadership Longview class listen to local and state leaders during Community and Economic Development day.
Leadership Longview The 2019 Class of Leadership Longview graduated 23 members at the Business Solutions Summit as a part of the Small Business Awards luncheon.
Leadership Longview Alumni The Leadership Longview Alumni group has a brand new committee with a new structure. There are 70 paid alumni, up 16% from 2018, and up 38% from 2017.
28 applications were received for the class of 20192020, with 27 of those making the class of 2019-2020. The new class kick-off retreat was held at Sky Ranch with class members and 8 members of the planning team. Local executive coach and author, John Grubbs, led the leadership training portion of the retreat. Recent Leadership Longview grad and local leadership coach and entrepreneur, Aaron McFatridge, led the team-building portions of the retreat.
The alumni committee hosted the new class meet & greet in September at Conterra Networks. There was an alumni kick-off event for families in October held at the Miracle League Field. The local AMBUCS group cooked hamburgers and hot dogs, Spacewalk of Longview provided inflatables, and Kona Ice provided dessert. There were over 60 people in attendance.
The Leadership Longview Class of 2019 had their Health & Emergency Services Day heard from Longview Regional Medical Center’s CEO, Casey Robertson; toured CHRISTUS Good Shepherd’s Institute for Healthy Living; toured the Longview Emergency Operations Center; and met with local non-profit agencies about the resources provided in health & emergency services-related areas.
Business Before Hours (BBH) & Business After Hours (BAH)
The Leadership Longview Class of 2019 had their Education Day where they heard from Principal Duck and Misty Amaya about the work being done at Ware
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In November, the alumni had a lunch & learn where they heard from the director of Silver Paws, a local non-profit that trains therapy dogs.
Business Before and After Hours, provided an intense opportunity for members to connect, enjoyed robust attendance this year. The video invitations are becoming competitive amongst members, adding to member engagement and potential member interest. Video shoot scheduling continued as half and full-day schedules, to optimize resources.
East Texas Boat & RV Show The East Texas Boat & RV Show took place on January 18, 19, & 20, 2019. While preliminary attendance numbers look flat compared to last year, the overall revenue held firm and we exceeded budget expectations. All booth space was sold, which has not happened in recent years. The energy and atmosphere was good and the event was wellreceived by attendees.
R.E.A.C.H. Team Jim Bartlett Fine Jewelry had a great time filming their Business After Hours promotional video.
Business Solutions Conference (BSC) Business Solutions Conference and Small Business Awards Luncheon included author, speaker and entrepreneur, Frank Kenny, as the keynote speaker, with over 300 Chamber members in attendance. Small Business Awards/ Leadership Longview Graduation were also presented. Frank Kenny spoke about the need for small business to embrace social media and digital marketing. Our annual State of the City luncheon was held on November 6, 2019, with 360 registered guests.
This team continues to grow and strengthen as a strong volunteer arm of the Chamber, providing support in welcoming members at our face-to-face events. Monthly lunch meetings keep this group organized and engaged, as well as aware of member businesses who speak at these meetings. An annual lunch and learn where all team members, current and prospective, receive an update on current and new guidelines, in addition to applying for leadership positions and signing their new 2019 commitment forms. 41 people serve as volunteers, conducting 50 ribbon cuttings in 2019. September/October REACH report published and disseminated. We are experiencing large increases in the reach and readership of this publication through the multi-channel distribution, boosting via social media, and creation of sub stories from the publication. We have a worldwide audience (though small global presence, but it is there!).
Chamber Golf Classic
Chamber Classic Golf Tournament This year’s tournament was again, a great success with a full slate of teams. Our volunteers and Pine Crest Country Club were instrumental in the event being executed smoothly. We meet or slightly exceed budget expectations.
The Chamber’s R.E.A.C.H. Newsletter is a bi-monthly digital publication aimed at providing an in-depth review of issues and events.
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HEALTH Casey Robertson, Board Liaison (Organizational Health – Administration / Finance / Operations) Deliver outstanding service to members, equipping them with the tools to be successful.
HealthyVIEW Total Resource Campaign This annual campaign funds the program of work for the next fiscal year and is possible through the efforts of volunteers. The 2019 campaign consisted of 61 volunteers from 37 member businesses. The goal of $500,000 was exceeded to reach funding of 104% of goal!
We continue to work on all aspects of our “culture of health” initiative. The HealthyVIEW Summit featured keynote speaker, Angela Gaffney, who presented on, “Creating a Wellness Movement,” to 280 registered participants. The Mack family honored Dr. Jay Gordon with the Dr. Sam Mack Lifetime Achievement Award. Angela Gaffney continued the conversation around health and wellbeing during the summer as a workshop webinar, and then conducted on-site meetings in Longview with businesses who are interested in her services. CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center hosted a before hours focus on health and wellbeing opportunities in our marketplace. CEO, Kelly Hall, & Jennifer Ware of CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System, have completed the fellowship with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Upon completion, they submitted a road map for the next 3 years; produced a Ted Talk, and provided research documentation on our market area.
Annual Banquet The following recipients were highlighted during the banquet: ▸ Chairman’s Award: Kristen Ishihara ▸ Chairman’s Award: Peggy Vaughan ▸ Manufacturer of the Year: Westlake Chemical Corporation
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Candace Gray of the Buckner Family Hope Center.
Environmental Scan The environmental scan was completed with over 800 employees completing the survey disseminated by the Chamber, United Way, Junior League and Buckner Family Hope Center. LETU’s Behavioral Science’s Team reviewed and analyzed the data.
Those that completed the survey reported a salary range mostly between $30 – 70K, 70% had college degrees and 88% were white. The information will be introduced at the annual meeting in. Dr. Albert Reyes will present findings at the Chamber’s January Annual Meeting. A toolkit was developed and used with six focus groups that represented a different industry cluster in our MSA. Stakeholders gathered in November to review and also heard from Margaret Spellings, former Secretary of Education under the Bush Administration, now the CEO of Texas 2036. Texas 2036 is a non-profit organization working on long-term policy solutions to ensure Texas continues to the best place to live and do business. Great ideas were shared on how we can continue to move forward with our HealthyVIEW initiative.
the HealthyVIEW of East Texas Employers Health Plan Cooperative. The Department of Labor has filed an appeal against this decision but without requesting the Court “stay” the ruling as part of the appeal, which would have allowed the ruling to be put on hold awaiting the appeal decision. The District Court’s decision will go into effect and will remain in effect unless and until it is reversed on appeal. As a result, CCEHPC will have to pause quoting any new employer participant groups until we get further direction from the DOL. It is important to note: Any plans that were quoted through May 6 were honored and groups already implemented were able to retain their plan for the full contract policy. The Chamber signed on to an Amicus Brief with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the AHP regulation litigation. Following the District Court Decision in April, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce publicly denounced the court’s ruling.
2019 CHAMBER SUCCESSES Communications Blue Zone Project Over 50 of the Blue Zone books were distributed to investors, board members and interested individuals. Contracting with the company costs $50,000 for the initial study. Currently, we have an investor willing to cover a third of the cost. The executive at Harris Health System who helped champion the initiative in Tarrant County has agreed to come and visit with our team and board to discuss the “Why” and the outcomes they have experienced the past 5 years, as well as why they believe this work must be sustained in their marketplace.
▸ The chamber took a different approach with the Uniquely Longview 2020 publication by writing their article for the issue. ▸ Over 100 Business Briefs ▸ 35 News Press Releases ▸ 3 Published Editorials ▸ 22 Blog Posts
HealthyVIEW of East Texas The Health Association was reborn, resulting in 14 participating Chambers from the 31 counties encompassed by the AHP. A ruling in March from Judge John D. Bates of the District of Columbia struck down parts of the rules on Association Health Plans, one being geographical plans such as
▸ The R.E.A.C.H. Newsletter, an interactive document, is emailed to approximately 2,000 unique chamber member email addresses, published in ISSUU and posted on the LCC web site, and boosted on LCC Facebook page with advertiser recognition. Substories are then published at two and four-week post publishing intervals, with additional boosting, and advertiser recognition. Results on Facebook are an additional 10-11,000 in reach, and an additional 1,000 accessing the publication. The publication has received
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multiple awards in state competitions for its layout and content. Each issue is maintained online for one year at LongviewChamber.com and longer on ISSU.com. ISSUU readership has increased in 2019 by 200-250% for 5-10 minutes before clicking on story and ad links for further information and registration, in addition to web site views. The publication has a global following, albeit small, tracked on ISSUU.
Staff Development ▸ Dave Jochum and Misty Amaya attended the 2019 W.A.C.E. Conference in Anaheim, CA. Misty received a $540 scholarship to cover her registration. ▸ Suzanne Brown graduated from U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Institute of Organization Management, with the IOM Certificate in Nonprofit Organization Management, earning the IOM. ▸ Dave Jochum attended the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Series in Houston. ▸ Ana Arroyo was hired for the position of Special Projects and Business Development Coordinator.
& Economics Report, attended the HealthyVIEW Summit and visited several member businesses that afternoon. Over the weekend, June 15th & June 16th, a photographer with the NY Times, Bryan Schutmaat, was in town taking pictures for the story that was published on Longview’s efforts to create an economic environment that encourages entrepreneurism while attracting and retaining talent. The photographer took pictures at Silvery Grizzly, Oil Horse, and with Foundation Board member, Josh Black at U.S. Title and with Kelly Hall at the Chamber.
Sharpening the Skill Set! Our newer staff members are sharpening their skill sets this week at the highly acclaimed WACE Academy. A three-year course of study on excellence in all aspects of Chamber management essentials, as well as building relationships with other chamber professionals in this highly collaborative profession. Great job Dave Jochum, Bianca Adams, Stephanie Raudales, and Misty Winn Amaya! Dave and Misty have now completed year two, and Stephanie and Bianca have completed year one.
▸ Suzanne Brown represented the Chamber at Energy Day in Austin, Texas. ▸ Two staff members graduated from LeTourneau University • Misty Amaya earned an MBA. • Ana Arroyo earned a Bachelor of Business Administration. General Business. ▸ Kelly Hall taught two courses on Strategic Leadership at the University of Wisconsin for the U. S. Chamber’s Institute for Organizational management. David Jochum, Bianca Adams, Stephanie Raudales, and Misty Winn Amaya sharpening their skills at W.A.C.E. Academy.
Membership ▸ The Chamber added 100 new members in 2019. ▸ Retention - The number of dropped members has decreased by 20% from the 2017-2018 year, and decreased by 18% in the 2018-2019 year. Kelly Hall has her portrait made by a New York Times photographer for an article highlighting Longview’s economic outlook as a part of the greater Texas economy.
Organization Highlights In March 2019, NY Times writer Jim Tankersey, Tax
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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
We Won! The Longview Chamber of Commerce is awarded ACCE Chamber of the Year! Thank you to Chuck King and Peggy Vaughn for being present for the ceremony and celebration. Click here for our celebration video. Team members, Kelly, Suzanne, Dave, and Stephanie attended ACCE annual conference in Long Beach, California, and discovered the Chamber won ACCE Chamber of the Year. At the October 10 Longview City Council meeting, the Chamber was recognized by proclamation for Chamber of Commerce Week and for being awarded the Chamber of the Year, 2019-2020.
410 North Center Street Longview, TX 75601 903.237.4000 • Fax 903.237.4049 www.longviewchamber.com
LONGVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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410 North Center Street Longview, TX 75601 903.237.4000 Fax 903.237.4049 www.longviewchamber.com