The CACCE Board of Directors is pleased to invite you to join us for our

2024 Annual Management Conference:

Wednesday - Friday, November 20 - 22, 2024

The Chetola Resort

Blowing Rock, NC

This conference is geared toward Chamber Executives and their senior staff members - and we'll have plenty of opportunities for you to network with your peers! Check out our conference sessions below:

• 2035: The Next Horizon for Chambers of Commerce
• GrowthZone 2024 Chamber Survey Results
• National Election Update & Analysis
• Policy Outlook for 2025
• Building Better Boards
• Bridging Generations in Small Business Leadership

One item we're particularly excited about is our Welcome Reception on Wednesday evening at the Perry Car Barn. We have been invited to visit the exclusive private showroom of Chip Perry, founder of AutoTrader.com. You will not want to miss this exclusive peek at his private car collection! Many thanks to Jeff Fishback and his team with Purchasing Alliance Solutions for sponsoring this special event for us!

Be sure to CLICK HERE for more information and to register!

Thursday, September 5 – 10:00am

Navigating the Tightening of the White Collar Exemption 

Cheryl Millsaps, CCE, IOM, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Effective July 1, 2024, the new rule mandates an increase to the salary threshold for white collar workers to qualify as exempt from overtime based on the duties tests for executive, administrative and professional workers. Is your organization ready for the tightening of the white collar exemptions? If you have questions about this, go ahead and send them to Tiffany so that we can be sure to cover all your questions during the session!  

CLICK HERE to register for this meeting. Once you complete the short registration form, the system will share the Zoom meeting link, and you can add it to your calendar. The meeting will be recorded and shared with the membership in case you aren’t able to join us on that day.

Monday, September 16 – 2:00pm

Introduction to North Carolina Employee Ownership Center

Anne-Claire Broughton, Founder and Vice Chair

The North Carolina Employee Ownership Center serves as the central hub for information and resources around employee ownership in North Carolina. Employee ownership is a business model in which employees collectively own a percentage of the business for which they work. Two of the main forms are Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) and worker cooperatives. In both, employees are given a financial stake in the business. 

CLICK HERE to register for this meeting. Once you complete the short registration form, the system will share the Zoom meeting link, and you can add it to your calendar. The meeting will be recorded and shared with the membership in case you aren’t able to join us on that day.

Wednesday, September 18 – 10:00am

NC Chambers – Special Event Permitting

Pat Preslar, Education Outreach Program Coordinator, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission

Join us to hear an update on special event permitting for your chamber events/fundraisers where alcohol is served. You’ll learn more about the process, requirements, and FAQs to help you maintain compliance.

CLICK HERE to register for this meeting. Once you complete the short registration form, the system will share the Zoom meeting link, and you can add it to your calendar. The meeting will be recorded and shared with the membership in case you aren’t able to join us on that day.

Wednesday, September 25 – 10:00am

SC Chambers – Special Event Permitting

Tammy Sullivan, Senior Compliance Analyst, Alcohol Beverage Licensing, South Carolina Department of Revenue

Join us to hear an update on special event permitting for your chamber events/fundraisers where alcohol is served. You’ll learn more about the process, requirements, and FAQs to help you maintain compliance.

CLICK HERE to register for this meeting. Once you complete the short registration form, the system will share the Zoom meeting link, and you can add it to your calendar. The meeting will be recorded and shared with the membership in case you aren’t able to join us on that day.

CACCE is pleased to partner with Teri Smiley and Starfish Partnerships for our All Things Chamber Webinar Series. This is perfect for new staff members or a refresher for current staff.

The All Things Chamber bundle provides pre-recorded material, averaging a hour per module, plus downloadable notes pages of the slides and additional PDF documents. Participating chambers will have access to the website through December 2025.

The fee for the program is $195 per chamber. CLICK HERE to register. Participating chambers will also be invited to a private Facebook group for Q&A and connecting with fellow chamber members across the country. 

Convergent Nonprofit Solutions

Convergent Nonprofit Solutions Fall Webinar Series covers three essential topics: workforce development, talent attraction, and succession planning. Each session delves into critical aspects of workforce management, offering actionable insights and strategies to help communities thrive in today’s competitive landscape. The webinars are available at no cost. Registration info is available in Convergent's August 2024 Economic Development newsletter here. 

Lumin Strategies

Do you lead a small chamber and feel like advocacy is impossible to start? Read this:

"As a small chamber with just a two-person staff and a limited budget, we don't have time or money to waste. The Advocacy Framework has empowered us to build a robust advocacy program that rivals those of larger chambers, using only the resources we have at hand. It's been a game-changer for our ability to effectively champion our members' interests."

Sandy Price, President

Tri-County Chamber in South Carolina

Schedule a call with us to learn about Advocacy Framework, our signature 12-month program for chamber leaders.

Aiken Chamber

The Chamber will host their Blastin' for Business Clay Shoot Tournament on Friday, September 13 at the Palmetto Shooting Complex in Edgefield, SC. Blastin’ for Business Clay Shoot, often referred to as golfing with a gun, will be a fun and exciting day outdoors with good food, great networking and shooting clays! We are welcoming straight shooters and novices of all skill levels who enjoy the fast pace of shooting sporting clays. For more information on Chamber events, check out their Commerce Report here.

Asheville Area Chamber

The Chamber welcomes Casey Gilbert as Vice President of Public Policy. Casey brings a passion for public policy and deep belief in being of service to the role along with academic and professional experience in public policy and nonprofit leadership. Asheville Chamber staff first met Casey in 2019 during an Intercity Visit to Portland, Maine where Casey served as executive director of Portland Downtown business improvement district. When she moved to Asheville a few years ago, Casey engaged with the Asheville Chamber serving as a panelist at Policy on Tap on business improvement districts as well as becoming an Asheville Chamber member for her consulting business. Casey also previously served on the Board of Directors for the chamber in Portland, Maine and co-chaired the Nonprofit Council of the Melbourne Regional Chamber in Florida.

Berkeley Chamber

The Chamber has been selected by CivicLab to participate in a three-year incubator to rethink and revitalize their communities by strengthening rural higher education and employment systems. Berkeley Chamber Rural Initiative joins other communities participating in this cohort from states across the country, including Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Montana, North Carolina, and Ohio. To read more, click here.

Blowing Rock Chamber

The Chamber has contracted with YGM to lead the search for their next President & CEO. Please see the CACCE Careers page for more information.

Boone Area Chamber

The Chamber will host their Spirit of Boone: The Boone Area Chamber 75th Annual Membership Gathering on Thursday, September 12 in the Grandview Ballroom in the North End Zone at Appalachian State's Kidd Brewer Stadium. Spirit of Boone is a tribute to the strong and resilient spirit that has defined our community over the years. Our celebration includes a special tribute to the recipients of the 2024 Boone Area Chamber of Commerce Community Awards. These businesses and community leaders have played a significant role in supporting the growth and prosperity of our community and will be welcomed as our honored guests for the evening. Click here for more information.

Charleston Metro Chamber

The Chamber recently announced President and CEO Bryan Derreberry will retire at the end of 2024 after a distinguished 13-year tenure leading the organization. Under Derreberry’s leadership, the Chamber transformed into a leading advocacy organization and was recognized as the 2018 Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). For the full press release, click here.

The Chamber is thrilled to announce the appointment of Melissa Fiore as a new Director of Membership Engagement. Melissa will help lead efforts to connect with current and prospective members, ensuring that their values, needs and aspirations are fully supported by the Chamber’s wide range of resources.

Greenville-Pitt County Chamber

The Chamber is thrilled to introduce the 2024-2025 Leadership Institute Class, presented by Nutrien! This year’s class of 27 community leaders showcases a diverse group of professionals from businesses and organizations across Greenville and Pitt County. We can't wait to see the impact these future leaders will make. To view the full list of participants, visit here. 

Lancaster County Chamber

The Chamber, in partnership with the Chester County Chamber, proudly hosted a dynamic stop on the SC Chamber’s 2024 Grassroots Tour. With around 70 local business leaders in attendance, the interactive lunch event was a vibrant platform for discussing key issues affecting business competitiveness across the state, giving attendees the chance to voice their opinions on matters that directly impact their businesses.

Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber

The Chamber Visitor & Convention Bureau's Hilton Head Island 2024 Vacation Planner recently won a prestigious Destiny Award from the U.S. Travel Association, recognizing it as the best in the country. The 2024 Vacation Planner tells the deeper, richer story of the destination by highlighting the island’s core values: community, arts and culture, ecotourism, history, recreation, and wellness. Judges said: “This book grabs you and never lets you go. Through the voices of local entrepreneurs, artists, and historians, the 2024 Vacation Planner focused on immersive storytelling that brings the destination alive."

Lexington Chamber & Visitors Center

Annual Meeting: The Chamber hosted their Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon last week and saluted area businesses and individuals. The coveted Mike Till Impact Award was presented along with awards for small business, large business, young professional, and the ambassador of the year. Lt. Governor Pamela Evette was the guest speaker.

Women’s Leadership Council: The WLC was launched in January and hosts quarterly meetings. Dr. Rebecca Battle-Bryant of Battle Plan Consulting will be the featured speaker at a Sept. 17 breakfast. She will discuss the 5 Generations @ Work.

High School Intern: For the second year, the Chamber secured a high school intern for the Fall semester. Zoe Frazier, a senior at Lexington High School, will work with staff on various Chamber programs, events, and initiatives.

Mint Hill Chamber

The Chamber would like to welcome Lindsay Stephenson as their new Membership and Marketing Coordinator.

North Augusta Chamber

The Chamber’s September 12^th Good Morning North Augusta breakfast will present the State of Our Community: Economic Influencers. Our panelists will include: North Augusta Mayor Briton Williams, Aiken County Council Chairman Gary Bunker, Aiken County School Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy, and Department of Energy Manager of SRS Operations Michael Budney. The panel will be facilitated by Robbie Bennet, CEO of SRS Community Reuse Organization.

The Honorable Pamela Evette, Lt. Governor of South Carolina, will be the keynote speaker for the Chamber's Power Lunch on September 17^th at Palmetto Terrace. The Lt. Governor will discuss the workforce readiness of our youth and a new statewide initiative and jobs board knows as YES, Youth Employment Site.

The Chamber’s EmpowHer Women in Business Showcase is scheduled for September 26^th at the North Augusta Community Center. This dynamic event is dedicated to fostering economic mobility for women in our community, providing them with tools, resources, and networks need to achieve their professional and personal goals. Dr. Nkkie Price will deliver a keynote address on “The Power of Storytelling.” 

Raleigh Chamber

The Chamber's Marketing and Communications team was honored to have been recognized in the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Awards for Communications Excellence in the Audio/Video category for our Annual Meeting Pharma Membership Commercial and in the Print & Electronic Publication category for our 2022/2023 Impact Report.

The Chamber will host its annual Golf Tournament on Monday, October 21 with more than 300 golfers playing simultaneously on three courses at the Prestonwood Country Club.

Wilmington Chamber

The Chamber would like to congratulate Kristin Peoples on her promotion to Director of Member Relations and Engagement. A dedicated leader, Kristin excels in building relationships with businesses of all sizes, ensuring they maximize their Chamber membership. Her leadership in member engagement and community involvement continues to drive positive change.

The Chamber would also like to welcome the following new staff members to their team:

• Jacki Booth, Manager of Leadership Programs
• Margaret Gorman, Manager of Leadership Program
• Madeline Eckel, Marketing and Member Engagement Specialist

ACCE

Events and Communications Conference - Registration Open

Join us for ACCE’s Events and Communications Conference, October 16 through 18 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. We will welcome both new and more experienced professionals from chambers of all sizes working in the events, programs and communications areas. Learning and discussion will take place in workshops, general sessions, smaller breakouts, and peer-led roundtables. CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

Mark your calendars for #ACCE25 scheduled for July 22 - 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA. Check out the video here for the new host city!

Bob Harris Resource - Committees with Impact

Please CLICK HERE for Bob's latest material on Committees with Impact. 

IOM - 2025 Winter Institute Registration Now Open

We look forward to another amazing year at Tucson. Click here to go to the general Institute registration page, or continue reading for individual site information and registration pages.

Leadership Education Conference 2024

The Larry & Rebecca Collett Foundation is bringing top leadership development companies to the Lowcountry to foster growth and empowerment. The conference will be held November 4 & 5, 2024 at the Lowcountry Conference Center in Summerville, SC. Businesses investing in local leadership initiatives cultivate skilled professionals who drive innovation and success. Championing grassroots leadership development shows commitment to nurturing talent and sustainable growth, positioning companies as catalysts for positive change and leadership excellence in their communities. To learn more about this conference, click here.