The GACCE Board of Directors is pleased to invite you to join us at our 2025 Board Development Conference to be held:

 Thursday & Friday, November 6 & 7, 2025

Hilton Garden Inn Downtown

Albany, GA

This conference is designed for the Chamber Executive and your incoming volunteer board leadership - you can invite your incoming chair, Executive Committee, and/or your full Board.

Our event this year will feature the following sessions:

·    Board Basics: Your Guide to Governance - Jeremy Arthur, Auburn University

·    Workforce Best Practice: West Alabama Works - Donny Jones, West Alabama Chamber

·    What Does Success Look Like: Advice & Lessons Learned - Panel Discussion

·    Power Update: Leadership & Organizational Development - Kim Greene, Georgia Power Company

·    Preparing Your Community for Disasters - Chris Clark, Georgia Chamber

CLICK HERE for the full agenda and to register!

Navigating the Unknown:

Leading Through Uncertainty

Four-Part Webinar Series for GACCE Members

In an era of rapid economic shifts, technological advancements, and unforeseen disruptions, the ability to lead with resilience and foresight is paramount for Chamber of Commerce professionals. This four-part webinar series is meticulously designed to equip chamber leaders with the essential skills and strategies to not only navigate uncertainty but also to empower their members and communities to thrive amidst it. Each one-hour session will provide actionable insights, practical tools, and collaborative opportunities to foster a proactive and adaptive approach to leadership.

SESSION 1 - The Resilient Chamber: Fortifying Your Foundation for Disruption

Tuesday, October 7 - 9:00am

To register for this meeting, please CLICK HERE.

SESSION 2 - Data-Drive Leadership: Using Insights to Illuminate the Path Foward

Tuesday, October 21 - 9:00am

To register for this meeting, please CLICK HERE.

Once you complete the short registration forms for each session, the system will share the Zoom meeting links, and you can add these to your calendar. The meetings will be recorded and shared with the membership in case you aren’t able to join us live on those dates.

We are excited to announce the dates & locations for our 2026 conferences…please be sure to save these on your calendar for next year:

2026 GACCE Staff Development Conference

for all chamber staff members

Monday – Wednesday, March 9 – 11, 2026

Hilton Garden Inn and Dalton Convention Center

Dalton, GA

Hosted by the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce

2026 GACCE Executive Leadership Conference

for Chamber Executive Directors, Presidents, CEOs, and senior staff members

Tuesday – Friday, July 7 – 10, 2026

Jekyll Island Club Resort

Jekyll Island, GA

2026 GACCE Board Development Conference

for Chamber Executives and their incoming volunteer board leadership

Thursday & Friday, November 5 & 6, 2026

Fairfield Marriott/Hilton Garden Inn and Georgia National Fairgrounds

Perry, GA

Hosted by the Perry Area Chamber of Commerce 



2025 Economic Inclusion Summit

November 12 | 8:30am

Georgia International Convention Center

College Park, GA

As Georgia continues to become more diverse, our state’s leaders must seek to understand, engage in, and accept the responsibility to work towards an inclusive environment. Click here for more information and to register.

We are excited to introduce McKenna Kauffmann as the Chamber’s new Programs & Events Director! McKenna brings over 10 years of experience in event management, community programming, and sponsorship development. Most recently, McKenna served as Sports Tourism Manager for the City of Gainesville, where she facilitated more than 100 events annually that generated over $33 million in estimated economic impact.

The Chamber will be hosting several events in October:

• October 8 - Young Professionals Burnout Doesn't Build Empires
• October 9 - Careers & Coffee: Brewing Talent for Georgia's Workforce with Southern Crescent Technical College
• October 22 - Business on the Green Golf Tournament
• October 28 - Business Growth Essentials: Human Side of Business
• October 30 - Business Power Hour: Legislative Preview Luncheon

On Wednesday, September 10th, the Chamber proudly hosted Grace Meets Grits: Women in Business Brunch. Together, we celebrated the power of women in business, enjoyed meaningful conversations, and shared an inspiring morning of connection. Our keynote speaker, Tinsley English, author of Grit, Growth and Gumption for Women, delivered a powerful message that reminded us of the strength, grace, and grit women bring to the table every single day. We are deeply grateful for the incredible women who joined us and for the positive impact they continue to make in our community. 💜 And of course—our Southern-inspired brunch menu featured a signature grits bar to perfectly match our theme!

The Chamber’s BOLD Annual Wine Social will take place October 30. Our annual BOLD Wine Social is a signature event featuring connection over wine, delicious bites from Three Sisters Catering, and support for North Fulton businesses who champion women in the workplace. The event's main demographic is businesswomen, but we always invite our businessmen counterpoints to join us and support their colleagues. 

The Chamber’s Economic Development arm, Partnership Gwinnett, recently brought home two awards for Communications Excellence. Partnership Gwinnett received the Silver Award of Excellence from the International Economic Developers Assoc. (IEDC) for its newly launched website. IEDC celebrates the best economic development programs and partnerships in the world, recognizing organizations that exemplify leadership, creativity, and measurable results in their communities. Click here to learn more.  It also received the 3CMA (City-County Communications & Marketing Association) for its best-in-class digital media campaign known as #BecomingGwinnett. Click here to learn more.

The Chamber recently returned from its 19th annual Strategic Leadership Visit (SLV) with actionable insights and renewed energy for the future of Gwinnett County. This year’s destination—Montreal, Canada—provided a dynamic backdrop for exploring best practices in economic development, talent cultivation, infrastructure, and placemaking. Click here to learn more. 

Join 400+ professionals from international and bi-lateral chambers for the annual Global Chamber Mixer—an evening of international tastings, global networking, and recognition of leaders making an impact in the international business community. This event offers a premier opportunity for organizations to elevate their brand and connect with a globally minded audience through sponsorship and partnership.

The Chamber hosted the 2025 Valor Awards, presented by Great Wolf Lodge, on September 4, 2025. This annual event recognizes the outstanding service and sacrifices of our local first responders. This year’s program honored 10 first-responder organizations and celebrated 170 nominees for their exceptional dedication to public safety. The event drew nearly 500 attendees, reflecting strong community support. We were privileged to welcome David Huddleston and David Jenkins as special guests and were inspired by keynote speaker Randy Toms, former mayor of Warner Robins and author of Just a Fireman. Awards presented included the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals of Valor; Lifesaving Award; Public Safety Unit of the Year; Public Safety Person of the Year; Communications Person of the Year; Medal of Merit; and the Shining Star Award.

The Chamber kicked off its 2025 Mission Possible Total Resource Campaign with a team of 58 volunteers and an exciting start at 60% of goal! Partnering with YGM and adopting the TRC model has been one of the smartest moves we’ve ever made for budgeting, financial planning, and program management. Even more, the campaign has strengthened relationships, connected more members, and built an energized, engaged culture. We highly recommend this business model and the YGM system to other chambers—it’s truly been a game-changer.

The Chamber hosted our annual Public Safety Appreciation Luncheon in September and it was a SOLD-OUT success with 200 registrations! This annual luncheon honors one representative from our 10 local public safety entities including City of Dallas Police Department, City of Hiram Police Department, City of Braswell Police Department, Fire Dept, Marshals Office, Georgia State Patrol, E-911, Metro Atlanta Ambulance, District Attorney's Office and Sheriff's Department. Each winner is presented a plaque from the Chamber and a valuable gift bag filled with our member's donated gift cards and items of value. This annual tradition is a powerful way to show gratitude to the brave men and women who serve and protect our community each day and lets our business community shower them with appreciation. I am happy to share additional details to help other local chambers host a similar event.  

The Chamber's Governmental Affairs Committee hosted Sarah Hawkins Warren, Presiding Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, during its September meeting.  

We are pleased to share information on a new grant program for our chamber members – GACCE Disaster Fund Grants. GACCE has created a Disaster Fund to assist our members in times of natural disasters. GACCE member chambers that need assistance after a natural disaster may apply for a grant from this fund if they meet the following criteria:

• The Chamber has suffered financial losses due to direct damage to their building and/or a disruption in normal operations as a result of a natural disaster;
• The Chamber is located in a county that has been declared a federal disaster area (grant applications received from chambers in a community that has not been declared a federal disaster area will be reviewed at the discretion of the GACCE Executive Committee);
• The Chamber is a current paid member of GACCE; and,
• The Chamber has at least one full-time employee.

CLICK HERE for the grant application.  

The U.S. Chamber Foundation's Institute for Organization Management has announced their 2026 program dates. CLICK HERE to see the sites and dates for 2026.