Rowan County Chamber of Commerce officials announced that American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) has presented the local chamber with two Membership Achievement Awards for excellence in membership during 2008.

The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce achieved a top ten placement in the $450,000-$900,000 total revenue category for both NUMBER OF NEW MEMBERS AND NEW MEMBER DOLLARS.

The Membership Achievement Awards are determined from data compiled annually in the ACCE Chamber Operations Survey.  Award recipients are identified by placing in the top ten for their dues income category.

Earlier this month, the Rowan County Chamber was notified by ACCE that, based on the same survey, it qualified to enter the national Chamber of the year competition.  This is the fifth consecutive year the local Chamber has earned that distinction.

Seamus Donaldson of Community Bank of Rowan was Chamber Chair of the Board in 2008 and Skip Wood of Community One Bank and current Chamber Chair Elect was Membership Division Chair for both 2007 and 2008.  Donaldson previously served as Membership Division Chair in 2005 and 2006.

Both banks have fielded Chamber membership drive teams during the last few years and each has won the coveted “Banker’s Cup” as a result of their levels of new member recruitment.

In 2007, also under Wood’s leadership, the Chamber experienced its most successful membership drive in organization history bringing in almost 200 new members.  The Rowan County Chamber averages about 1,000 members.

Chamber President Bob Wright said, “We salute Seamus and Skip for stepping up and giving of their time and talents to help make the Rowan County Chamber and business community stronger.  They’ve done an outstanding job and continue to do so.  We can’t thank them enough for their service”.

Randy Welch of Duke Energy and 2009 Chamber Chair of the Board said, “Community Bank of Rowan and Community One Bank are generous institutions for allowing and encouraging their employees to get involved in local initiatives.  That’s the mark of a community-minded organization and we appreciate them.”

 USC Aiken Awards Murff Honorary Degree

June Murff, guest speaker for the University of South Carolina Aiken’s May Commencement ceremony and the 1994 USC Aiken Distinguished Citizen, received an honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service during the May 7 event for her support of higher education in South Carolina, her achievements in economic development and tourism promotion for the City of Aiken, and her continued service to the Aiken community. 

Murff is a graduate of Lander College and the United States Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization Management. She served as president of the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce from 1981 through 2002.  

During her time with the Chamber of Commerce, Murff received several awards, including Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year in 1986 and 2002; Outstanding Community Service Award, presented by the American Association of University Women in 1986; Executive of the Year, presented by the South Carolina Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in 1987; and the Order of the Silver Crescent Award, presented by the Governor’s Office in 2002.

The Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce received several awards for tourism efforts under the direction of Murff, including the Charles E. Hodges Tourism Promotion Award in 1992, presented by the South Carolina department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism and the South Carolina Joint Legislative Committee on Tourism and Trades.  The Chamber was also selected for the State Tourism Award in 1993.  

Murff’s local and statewide involvement includes serving on several boards such as the Economic Development Partnership, Thoroughbred Country Tourism, Governor’s Community Improvement, United Way of Aiken County, USC Aiken School of Business, the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, the Humanities Council of South Carolina, and the Aiken Partnership Board at USC Aiken. She also has served on the Clemson University and Lander University Boards of Visitors. 

Murff is a native of Ware Shoals, S.C. and was employed by the Riegel Textile Corporation before relocating to Aiken.  She was the advertising manager of the Aiken County Rambler before becoming involved with the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce. Murff and her husband, W.C. “Nick” Murff, currently reside in Aiken and have one son, Scott.

Anissa Starnes Chosen to Lead Burke County Chamber of Commerce

The board of directors of the Burke County Chamber of Commerce has voted unanimously to employ Anissa Starnes, a seasoned non-profit executive with North Carolina roots, as the president and chief executive officer of the Burke County Chamber. 

“Burke County is extremely fortunate to have someone of Anissa’s caliber step up and take on the role of chamber president,” says David Burleson, the 2008 chair.  “Anissa brings a high level of professionalism and commitment to the position.  Her knowledge and experience in the chamber profession will add value to our chamber and to the community.  There is no doubt in the chamber board’s mind that Anissa has all of the talents needed to move our chamber to the next level.  Our decision to choose Anissa was based on three factors: interviews, her professional references, and the correlation of her skill sets to those desired by the membership for the position.”

Starnes, a native Charlottean, brings a wealth of experience to the chamber position.  She began her chamber career with the Charlotte Chamber in 1991 and spent seven years on staff and held the position of Vice President.  She then spent five years as Senior Vice President and Interim President with the York County Regional Chamber in Rock Hill, South Carolina.  She also owned the consulting firm, Chamber Concepts, Inc. and, was dedicated to helping small to medium size chambers.  From 2004 to April of 2008, she served as the Chief Executive Officer of the international non-profit organization, Girls on the Run, an after-school program dedicated to preparing and educating pre-teen girls on positive self-esteem, and healthy living.  During her tenure with Girls on the Run, the program saw exponential growth.  The organization expanded from 100 cities to over 160 cities, and saw revenue more than double under her leadership.

Starnes is a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management program at the University of Georgia, and the South Carolina Economic Development School at the College of Charleston.   She currently serves as a faculty member for the Institute for Organization Management, and held the position of board of regent for the US Chamber.  

“I appreciate the confidence the Burke County Chamber of Commerce board of directors has shown in me,” says Starnes.  “This is a great opportunity for me, as well as my husband, to live in a community with a wonderful quality of life.  My strengths and those of the board members are very much aligned.  I enjoy building teams, listening to issues, and finding solutions.  I look forward to working with the business, government, and civic communities.  The better part of my first few weeks will be spent meeting with members of the chamber.  I want to be part of the success of Burke County.”

Starnes and her husband, Jerry, will be relocating to
Burke County.  Her first day at the chamber will be
September 2.  She replaces Mike Jackson who retired
in May.

ACCE PRESENTS UNION COUNTY Chamber of COMMERCE AWARDS FOR COMMUNICATIONS EXCELLENCE

The Union County Chamber of Commerce is a recipient at the 24^th Annual Awards for Excellence (ACE) program of the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). Winners were recognized during the ACCE Convention 2008 Innovate, July 30-August 2 in Pittsburgh. The Chamber’s entry, Annual Year in Review received an award of merit. The Union County Chamber has now garnered awards for three consecutive years.

The Awards for Communications Excellence (ACE) is an annual competition that recognizes excellence in all areas of chamber of commerce communications. ACE continues to be the vehicle for the chamber community to promote effective chamber communications as well as highlight initiatives, introduce events and inform members. The ACE competition drew entries from chambers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Chamber chair Lisa Hildreth {MAR-KEY Specialized Staffing, Inc.} praised the Chamber staff for setting and achieving such high goals. “It is rewarding to see what our Chamber accomplishes in comparison to others with far more resources” she said.

Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce Announces New Membership Director
 

The Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce announces April Jordan as the new Director of Membership.

Ms. Jordan is a native of Georgetown County and has had prior experience with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce.  She offers almost nine years of knowledge in sales and marketing including employment with Georgetown County Farm Bureau and as a Realtor in Georgetown County.  She is an alumni of the University of South Carolina graduating with a degree in Public Relations & Advertising.   

With her familiarity of Chamber programming and her past sales experience, Ms. Jordan brings a new perspective to Chamber Membership Programming efforts.  The Chamber is looking forward to her service to its pool of members and is pleased to have April as the newest addition to the Chamber Staff.  

Chamber selected as Finalist for Chamber of the Year for the 2^nd Year in a row 

The Laurens County Chamber of Commerce was recently selected as a Finalist in the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), Chamber of the Year award for the second year in a row. The Laurens County Chamber also has the distinction of being the only Chamber to be considered to make the “cut” two years in a row. 

 “We are overwhelmed and excited about the selection but are even more excited to be the only chamber as a finalist that is a repeat performer. It validates the wonderful effort and leadership that our chamber board, volunteers, and staff have been doing to change the message and direction of our community chamber” said Rob Clapper the President and CEO of the Laurens County Chamber. 

Chamber of the Year is the highest recognition a chamber can receive throughout the United States. Competition for the award is fierce and the standards extremely high. An impressive panel made up of national leader, in the chamber profession, make the selection. Chambers are evaluated based on their accomplishments, financial stability, membership recruitment and retention, government relations, strategic plan, communications, special events and innovative programs the chamber has initiated.

The process to qualify, apply, and be recognized as one of the elite involves a multi-stage process.  During all stages chambers compete amongst peers from similar dues income levels. One hundred five chambers from across the United States were qualified to enter the competition by meeting or beating the national average or median for their dues income level in four of these seven points: net income, current ratio, net assets, net assets as a percentage of total annual expenses, net gain in membership sales dollars, retained members dollars, retained member accounts. 

“It is truly just an honor to be considered. The leadership of our Board of Directors and volunteers are really working to bring the needed changes to Laurens County and further solidifies the idea; Laurens County truly is a special place” remarked Mr. Jim Firmin, Chairman of the chamber’s board of directors. 

The final selection will be made after additional screening this summer and will culminate with a final interview in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The award presentation will occur as part of the 2008 ACCE convention.  For more information contact the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce at (864) 833-2716.

The Laurinburg / Scotland County Area, North Carolina, Chamber of Commerce has appointed Theresa Lamson as President. Lamson, currently CEO of the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce in Laconia, New Hampshire, will join the Scotland County business organization on August 4^th, 2008. The Ewart Group of Spartanburg, SC served as consultant to the search process.

Theresa Lamson was born in Havre de Grace, Maryland and raised in Worms, Germany and Waynesboro, Pennsylvania. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and History from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She is married to Jim Lamson and has a stepson, Zachary.

Theresa Lamson oversaw tremendous growth as the President of the 650 member Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce over the past six years. Theresa developed and implemented a multi-year strategic financial plan eliminating $65,000 of debt. She also oversaw the implementation, administration, and accountability of an operational budget in excess of $330,000.

She merged two community chambers of commerce and now operates offices in Laconia and Franklin, New Hampshire. Theresa recently completed a successful three year capital campaign for the Chamber involving the rehabilitation of a local historical building. They completed the renovations within one year and are in the final year of pledges. Over $200,000 of in-kind contributions of labor, materials and expertise was generated and an additional $150,000 in cash.

Lamson, a seasoned chamber of commerce executive, also served three years as Business Services Manager for the Youngstown / Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce in Ohio. Theresa Lamson has been very active in each of her communities. She has recently served as the Finance Chairman for the Town of  Weare. She also volunteers for the Library and Animal Guardians. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of New Hampshire Community College. Theresa enjoys chaperoning youth activities and school dances. She also enjoys volunteering for her stepson’s sporting events.

Theresa served as President of the New Hampshire Association of Chamber Executives from 2005-2007. She is currently Secretary of the New England Association of Chamber Executives. A nine-year chamber of commerce veteran, Theresa Lamson is currently a participant of the Institute for Organization Management at the University of Arizona. She is active with the American Chamber of Commerce Executives serving on the Destination Cities Council, and participates in the Regional Government Affairs Program of the United States Chamber of Commerce.

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Harry Yeatman, Chairman of the Board of Directors said the search process proved to be invaluable. “It allowed us to look at some of the top talent from throughout the country”, stated Yeatman. “We are extremely pleased that Theresa and Jim Lamson will become a part of the Laurinburg / Scotland County community. They are both outstanding individuals and will easily assimilate into our community.” Allen McLaurin, Chairman of the Search Committee and Chairman-elect of the Chamber further remarked, “Theresa Lamson will bring much talent and tremendous enthusiasm to our organization. We look forward to working with her in the months and years to come.”

“Jim and I are excited about becoming a part of the community,” expressed Theresa Lamson. “We have been so impressed with everyone that we have met during the interview process. It is clear to us that Laurinburg and Scotland County will be a great place to call home.”

Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Awards over $9,000 in US Chamber of Commerce’s Institute of Organizational Management Scholarships

The Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE) announced recently that they had awarded over $9,000 in Institute of Organizational Management Scholarships.  The CACCE Scholarship Committee made their recommendations in mid-April.

In recent years CACCE more than doubled the amount of scholarship money to be awarded to worth recipients.  This year ten $500 scholarships and four $1,000 scholarships were awarded by the Scholarship Committee chaired by Carlotta Ungaro, President of the Beaufort County Chamber of Commerce. 

Two of the $1,000 scholarships were sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and titled Ashby Ward Scholarships, named for their former President and CEO, Ashby Ward. The recipients of the 2008 Ashby Ward Scholarship were Laurette Leagon from the Yadkin Valley Chamber and Beverly Nelson from the Archdale-Trinity Chamber.

The recipients of the $500 scholarships included Kelly Wallace of the Greater Smithfield-Selma Area Chamber, Jenni Tweed of the Henderson County Chamber, Deborah Carter of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber, Dean Faile of the Lancaster County Chamber, Linda Parsons of the Moore County Chamber, Teresa Ranking of the Belmont Chamber, Beth Simmons of the Reidsville Chamber, Becky Adams of the York County Regional Chamber, Radford Thomas of the Lexington Area (NC) Chamber and Jennifer Bryan of the Knightdale Chamber.

Other chambers who contributed to the scholarship funds included the Dunn Area Chamber, Greater Greenville Chamber, Henderson County Chamber, Rowan County Chamber, Greater Summerville/ Dorchester County Chamber, Union County Chamber and the York County Chamber.
 

Institute for Organization Management is a professional development program for association and chamber executives. Presented by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Institute is hosted at five university locations across the country. Since 1921, thousands of nonprofit professionals have attended, making it the most recognized and valued educational program in the industry. The Institute curriculum is a four-year course of study designed by experts in association, chamber, and nonprofit management. Participants take five required core courses each year with the same group of colleagues, creating a learning group that builds upon previous classes. Students consistently report that the experience the most inspiring and innovative professional development program they’ve ever attended.

The Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce has qualified to enter ACCE’s 2008 Chamber of the Year Competition.  Qualifying for this award demonstrates the chamber’s mastery and application of the core principles and techniques to run a chamber.  As a qualifier the chamber was selected based on data collected in ACCE’s Annual Chamber Operations Survey. 

Also, the Anderson Area Chamber of Commerce’s submitting entry for the 24^th Annual Awards for Communication Excellence entry “Imagine Anderson – Community Kick–Off received a final score of 98 out of 100 and achieved an Award Level of EXCELLENCE!

The entry will be recognized in the 2008 ACCE Convention Awards Show Program, on the ACCE website (acce.org) and other communication pieces.

The Chamber of the Year competition will involve a second application and will examine the chamber’s organization management, member communications, and programs used to support the community.

After three years as the Administrative Assistant, Misty Matthews has been named Office and Tourism Manager for the Yadkin Valley Chamber of Commerce.

At its May meeting, the Chamber’s Executive Committee approved Matthews for the newly created position with the Chamber. Chamber Chair Mike Hester said, “This new Chamber management position is a result of the changes in duties and responsibilities within our Chamber office. A successful Chamber is a reflection of its business community and with the growth in the tourism industry; the Executive Committee felt it was time for us to create a tourism-oriented position.”

Matthews will continue to operate the Visitors’ Center at the Chamber office in Downtown Elkin and serve as staff support for the Chamber Board and President/CEO. In her new position she will operate the Jonesville Welcome Center, supervise the Center’s evening and week-end staff and take a greater role in representing our community in regional and statewide tourism initiatives.

Chamber President/CEO, Laurette Leagon said, “Misty is the type of person that is meant for Chamber work. She has the personality that is very welcoming to our visitors and she has a deep affection for the success of our local businesses. This promotion is certainly good for Misty, but I think it’s even better for the Chamber.”

Matthews says she looks forward to the added responsibilities. “I have a wonderful staff in place at the Jonesville Welcome Center, and I will call upon on their knowledge and expertise to make sure we are doing all we can to make our visitors feel welcome and want to return again and again to the Yadkin Valley.”

Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce Hires New Membership Director

The Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce and welcome Robin Plesea as its new Membership Director.

Ms. Plesea brings with her over fifteen years of experience in sales and marketing, including employment at the American Heart Association and in print advertising sales.  She has an impressive sales record with the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber in Youngstown, Ohio, where she handled advertising, membership, and event/program sponsorship.

We are pleased to have Robin Plesea on board and look forward to a prosperous future with her.

Kershaw County Chamber Names CEO

The Board of Directors of the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center has named Elizabeth A. Horton as Executive Director. Horton, currently Vice President of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina, will join the Kershaw County business organization by May 12th, 2008. Chuck Ewart, President of The Ewart Group of Spartanburg, SC served as consultant to the search process.

Liz Horton was born and raised in Richlands, Virginia. She married Derek Horton in September 1993. The Horton’s lived in Sumter, South Carolina for five years while Derek was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base. After separation from the Air Force, Liz and Derek moved to Lugoff, South Carolina.

Liz Horton began her chamber of commerce career in January 2002 with the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce. She began as Assistant to the Vice President of Membership and by 2004 had been promoted to Vice President of Campaign & Special Projects. She was responsible for campaigns that generated over $2.8 million for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Liz also served as the staff liaison for the Information Technology Council.

In January 2007, Liz Horton became the Vice President of Membership & Marketing of the 1000 member Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce in North Carolina. Liz managed and developed numerous programs and projects that attracted over 11,000 participants in 2007. Also in 2007, the $525,000 “Total Resource Campaign” goal was surpassed by more than $225,000 making it the most successful campaign in Cabarrus Regional Chamber history. She was responsible for the weekly e-newsletter and monthly printed newsletters as well as, press releases and website updates and maintenance.  Also, Liz was responsible for an annual Quality of Life Publication, Membership Directory and Business Resource Guide and a regional map.

In addition to her organization management experience, Liz has also served as Director of Public Relations and Debt Management Counselor for the Armed Forces Services of America located in Columbia. Horton has been very active in each of her communities and has served on numerous Boards. She is a past Secretary and President of the Enlisted Spouses Club at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter.  

She is also a past Treasurer and President-Elect for the Association of Membership Executives of the Carolinas until the merger with the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Liz was a Board member in 2006 for the Family Shelter in Columbia, SC. She is a graduate of Leadership Columbia. In 2006, Liz Horton was named “Outstanding Young American in Business Leadership” for South Carolina.

In addition to her role and responsibilities with the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, Liz has been a participant in Leadership Cabarrus, a Special Olympics volunteer, and a registered platelet donor for the American Red Cross. Liz is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Johnny Deal (First Palmetto Savings Bank), Chairman of the Search Committee said the search process proved to be invaluable. “It allowed us to look at some of the top talent from throughout the southeast”, stated Deal. “We are extremely pleased that Liz and Derek Horton will become an important part of the Kershaw County community.”  Johnny Deal further remarked, “Liz Horton brings much talent and tremendous enthusiasm to the Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. We look forward to working with her in the months and years to come.”

“Derek and I are excited about this wonderful opportunity,” expressed Liz Horton. “We have been so impressed with everyone that we have met during the interview process. It is clear to us that Kershaw County is a very special place.”

With small business owners making up the majority of its membership, the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce is a natural advocate for small business. Not only does the Chamber foster general economic growth, but it also focuses specifically on small business success through programs and

The Greenwood-area winners will be honored at the SBA South Carolina District Office’s small business awards ceremony, part of the 5th Annual Salute to Small Business on Tuesday, April 1, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center.

Chamber Awarded "Business of the Year" by SCORE

First time a Chamber of Commerce is recognized in history of SCORE

The Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce is the proud recipient of SCORE's "Business of the Year" award.  Each year SCORE selects the small businesses of the Grand Strand that should be recognized for their outstanding efforts. These are local companies that have demonstrated the values of SCORE and should be recognized for both their business successes, ethics and giving back to the community.

The one company that was the outstanding leader and was recognized as the best of the best is the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber's accomplishments taken into consideration for this award are as follows:     

• Significant increase in customers (members) and customer satisfaction

• Doubled their revenue

• Got national recognition for the town through a partnership with NIKON      

• Completed the third successful Junior Apprentice program with their partners, the Georgetown School System and SCORE. The program has graduated over 60 teens. One of them competed & won at the state level, then competed nationally against senior teams and placed as a freshman. The same individual became a teacher in the program and the youngest SCORE counselor in their history.  

• In striving for continuous improvement is working on three new programs for the kids. They are the junior leadership program, E-Prentice and High Tech Apprentice.

• Smoothly managed a move without a service interruption

• Enabled the Grand Strand Chapter of SCORE to be named Chapter of the year for the State of South Carolina and become one of the five finalists for the national honor

In the history of SCORE it's the first time a Chamber of Commerce has been recognized as the "Business of the Year." 

Georgetown Chamber's Young Professionals Group
Kick-Off Shows Signs of Great Things to Come 

The Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce introduced PILOT to young professionals throughout the area on February 25.  Holly Crown from sponsor Webster Rogers, and Andra Watkins of kick-off sponsor Positus Consulting, were on hand with 30 other area young professionals that showed great interest in pursuing the success of the program.

 PILOT, an acronym for Professionally Inspired Leaders of Today,  is an organization for young professionals of Georgetown County between the ages of 22 and 39.  Modeled after other young professional groups in South Carolina and nationwide, PILOT intends to facilitate stewardship for young professionals in the county.

PILOT's mission is to create a sense of place for young professionals in Georgetown County, thus fostering personal, civic, and professional growth.  PILOT envisions making Georgetown County an economic and cultural center and improving the quality of life for all residents of Georgetown County. 

PILOT's goal is attaining a membership of 200 active professionals, who are motivated by a shared vision of the areas potential.   PILOT also aims to conduct social events to encourage networking, create an online PILOT  directory to promote membership's professional growth, create a Blog for discussion of business, educational, social, and cultural concerns, offer training seminars and workshops to build leadership skills, and be visible in the community through outreach efforts, political involvement, and community improvement projects. 

Pitt County Named One of the Nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People by America’s Promise Alliance

America’s Promise Alliance (the Alliance), the nation’s largest alliance dedicated to children and youth, in partnership with Capital One, today announced that Pitt County has been named a winner of its 2008 100 Best Communities for Young People (100 Best) competition. The 100 Best competition recognizes the 100 outstanding communities across America-large and small, rural and urban-that are the best places for young people to live and grow up. More than 300 communities in all 50 states applied for the honor this year.

Pitt County was chosen as one of the 100 Best because of the community’s ability to unite different sectors to work on behalf of its young people. One example of this is OASIS (Organizations and Businesses Assisting Schools in Success) where local businesses, agencies, organizations, and communities of faith partner with schools to provide financial and volunteer support. The program has almost doubled the number of partners over the past four years and during the 2006-2007 school year, its 130 Partners donated $2,934,734 in financial and in-kind contributions. The community also works to ensure its young people have an opportunity to explore different careers. The Health Sciences Academy prepares students for careers in health care and provides high school students shadowing opportunities and a chance to earn college credit. The program is made possible through a partnership between Pitt County Schools, East Carolina University, Pitt Community College, the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce, and the Eastern Area Health Education Center of North Carolina.

“The prosperity of every community and this country depends on how well we care for our children and youth,” said Marguerite W. Kondracke, president and CEO, America’s Promise Alliance. “Although no place is perfect, when we have communities that make young people a priority and are working to make sure they stay in school and have all the resources necessary to lead healthy, productive lives, we must recognize them and by extension inspire other cities and towns to follow their lead.”

“At Capital One, we are committed to building stronger communities, one neighborhood at a time,” said Carolyn Berkowitz, Vice President of Community Affairs for Capital One. "That’s why we’re proud to partner with the Alliance on the 100 Best competition to recognize the tremendous work in communities across the country to create environments where children and families have boundless opportunities as well as the support systems necessary to champion their growth and encourage their success.”

The 100 Best competition was first held in 2005. This year’s winners were selected by a distinguished panel that included some of the nation’s most well-known civic, business and nonprofit leaders such as: Gayle Manchin, first lady of West Virginia, United Way President Brian Gallagher, former Mayor of Denver and President of Webb Group International, Wellington Webb, Thomas Donohue, president and CEO, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Carol Coletta, president and CEO, CEOs for Cities, Christine James-Brown, president and CEO, the Child Welfare League of America, and Dr. Suzanne Morse, executive director of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change.

Heather Mayo, Pitt County Schools Public Information Officer, feels the award reflects the hard work of many.

“The designation of Pitt County as one of the 100 Best Communities in America for Young People recognizes the commitment of local officials, educators, community and business leaders, and parents in improving the lives of our children and giving them all the opportunities we can to become successful, productive citizens.  Hopefully, Pitt County's selection demonstrates we are moving in the right direction and will increase the momentum for our community's continued emphasis in support of our youth.”      

All communities that completed entries in the 100 Best competition were required to submit detailed information to the Alliance on existing community programs and initiatives that help deliver the Five Promises-resources identified by America’s Promise as being critical to the development of healthy, successful children: caring adults; safe places; healthy start; effective education; and opportunities to help others; to their young people. Applicants were also asked to describe how different sectors of their community come together to deliver the Five Promises and specific efforts and programs developed to ensure that their young people graduate from high school prepared for college and/or the workforce. Each of these communities, regardless of whether they were selected as a winner, will be eligible to apply for $300,000 in grants from the Alliance next month.

FIVE-STAR AWARD
Chamber’s designation is first in North Carolina

 BY JASON DEBRUYN, Staff Writer, MONROE
Union County Chamber of Commerce officials were rewarded for their efforts in becoming the first five-star accredited chamber in North Carolina history.

The United States Chamber of Commerce awarded the Union County Chamber a five-star accreditation award on Wednesday morning; an honor shared with only 37 other chambers nationwide.

“The leadership and staff is what got us where we are today,” Union County Chamber Chairwoman Lisa Hildreth said.

Chamber President Jim Carpenter expressed his gratitude to those who helped with the accreditation process: “We have a fantastic staff, fantastic volunteer leadership and this (accreditation) application is a reflection of that.”

U.S. Chamber of Commerce representative Mathew Wasserburger presented Union County chamber officials with a plaque and complimented them on being the first chamber in North Carolina to earn a five-star accreditation. There are almost 7,000 chambers in the nation; 298 are accredited and 38 have a five-star rating, Wasserburger said.

In order to become accredited, a chamber must complete an application showing why it deserves the designation. “(We look for) exceptional innovative ideas that benefit the community http://www.cacce.org. and business environment,” Wasserburger said. “http://www.cacce.org. We are looking for things that foster pro-growth, pro-jobs.”

The five-star rating requires a chamber to earn a 90 percent rating in all eight of the benchmark categories. During the presentation, Wasserburger said the Union County chamber even received a perfect rating in human resources, program development and technology and facilities. “The Web site is very impressive,” he said. “We like to see the five-star chambers be innovative, take member referrals online, (and have) online message boards, and blogs.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce does not release scores.

“It just goes to show all the hard work here in Union County, most particular what the chamber is doing for the http://www.cacce.org. county,” Monroe Mayor Bobby Kilgore said. “We got a lot of good volunteers, a lot of good hard workers and a great president http://www.cacce.org. so I congratulate them on what they’ve accomplished.”

Carpenter said he worked on the application “almost every night and weekend for about three or four months,” but added that he was “just the journalist. It was a culmination of all these years worth of effort and work” that culminated in the five-star accreditation.

Although Carpenter and Hildreth were pleased with the honor, they do not want to become stagnant.

Wasserburger said that “even a five-star chamber needs to continuously look inward at its policies, look where it is, where it’s going and where its been.”

In an effort to continue to better the chamber, Hildreth told about plans of starting a youth leadership program and wanted the “chamber to be a vital part in watching our youth become leaders.”

“We emphasize the long term,” Carpenter added. “We try to do the right thing, not the easy route.”

“Issues that we think are going to be pro-commerce, we are going to be involved in,” Hildreth said, talking about her plans for 2008. “We’re gonna have a stand and have a say-so about what we think is going to help business.”

“This is not an award that has been given,” Union Power Cooperative Executive Vice President Tony Herrin said. “It is an achievement that has been earned.”

Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE) Names Honorary Lifetime Members From North Carolina and South Carolina

The Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE) recognized two retired chamber executives from North Carolina and South Carolina at their Annual Management Conference at the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, SC on Thursday, September 6, 2007 during the awards dinner.  Carroll Gray was honored as the recipient of the prestigious award from North Carolina and John Garman was selected from South Carolina. 

Carroll Gray joined DesignStrategies, LLC (Greenville, SC and Charlotte, NC) as President in 2006 and is in charge of Planning and Community Development. Gray was CEO of the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce for 21 years (10/84 to 12/05) and during his tenure grew the budget 1,340 percent. In 2005, the Charlotte Chamber was the largest privately funded chamber in the U.S.  During this period, the chamber helped attract more than 2,100 new and expanding companies, created more than 200,000 jobs and raised $17 billion in capital investment. 

During John Garman’s tenure as President, the Anderson Area Chamber dues income increased 32 percent and total chamber income increased by 40 percent. Under his leadership, the chamber was the first in the nation to be awarded Five Star Accreditation by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Garman was selected by CACCE as South Carolina Chamber Executive of the Year for 2003.  On August 17, 2006, the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) presented John T. Garman, CCE, with a Lifetime Member Award. 

The CACCE Honorary Lifetime Member awards are given to those individuals who have made major contributions to the chamber of commerce industry and have made significant difference on economic development and other leadership endeavors in their region. An individual is nominated for honorary lifetime membership by a member of the Board of Directors.  This individual is a member in good standing with CACCE for a minimum of five years, has worked as Chamber professional for a minimum of ten years, or has retired from Chamber work.

CACCE Announces 2007-08 Board of Directors

The Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE) announces the following Board of Directors for 2007-2008.

Jim Carpenter, CCE, from the Union County (NC) Chamber will serve as President. President Elect is John Cox, CeCD, CCE, from the Cabarrus (NC) Regional Chamber. Ben Haskew, CCE, from Greater Greenville (NC) Chamber will be the Treasurer and the Immediate Past President is Rob Youngblood from York County (NC) Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Representing the Eastern Region of CACCE are Annette Fisher, Georgetown Chamber, Rita Berry, Greater Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber, Alan Libby, Greater Topsail Area Chamber, Bruce Beasley, Wilson Chamber, and Susanne Sartelle, CCE, Greenville Pitt County Chamber. Alan Libby will chair the Leadership Development Conference and Rita Berry will co-chair, along with Angelle LaBorde, the Professional Development Series Conference, both will be held in the Spring of 2008. Annette Fisher an Elyse Hillegass from the Gaston Chamber will chair the CEO Roundtable events.

Representing the Central Region of CACCE are Bob Wright, Rowan County Chamber, Keith McAdams, Greater Columbia Chamber, Radford Thomas, Lexington NC Area Chamber, Bob Morgan, Charlotte Chamber, Tammy Williams, Dunn Area Chamber, and David Coleman, Orangeburg County Chamber.

Representing the Western Region of CACCE are David Bradley, Greater Statesville Chamber, Angelle LaBorde, Greenwood Area Chamber, Richard Lutovsky, Asheville Area Chamber, Danny Hearn, CCE, Catawba County Chamber, Linda Cheek, Wilkes Chamber, and Lee Luff, CCE, Anderson Area Chamber. Lee Luff will chair the Annual Management Conference held in September 2008. Angelle LaBorde will serve as co-chair, along with Rita Berry, for the Professional Development Series Conference.

The One Year Presidential Appointees are Carolotta Ungaro, Beaufort Regional Chamber, Dan Meyer, Boone Area Chamber, and Janet Carr, Greater Raleigh Chamber.

The board of directors of CACCE consists of the president, president-elect, treasurer, the immediate past president and twenty other members elected on a rotating basis, six to be elected each year, two from each of the three regions and two Membership Professional Directors.  In addition, three members will be at-large representatives appointed for one year term by the president and approved by the board.  The executive officers will serve three year terms.

CACCE is a professional development organization dedicated to improving the educational opportunities for chamber of commerce executives and staff members in North and South Carolina.  The organization was formed in 1994 when the North and South Carolina state chamber associations merged.  For more information on CACCE, or any of CACCE’s conferences or programs, call Erin Granger at 803.733.1112.