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2024 Chamber Day at the Capitol

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Capitol & PA Chamber Offices Legislative Reception on the evening of Monday, June 10



PACP is pleased to partner with Teri Smiley and Starfish Partnerships for a new All Things Chamber Webinar Series. This program is a staff onboarding program to get new chamber staff members – or current ones if you wanted to use this for staff meetings or a staff retreat – up to speed on all things chamber related. Click here for an introductory video from Teri. There will be six (6) modules in the series:

1. All Things Governance – Governing Documents, Board Role & Responsibilities, Committees, Board Meetings & Strategic Planning
2. All Things Operations – Financial Management, Staff Teams & Team Culture with a Bonus on Financial Statements
3. All Things Membership – Recruitment, Relationships & Retention with Bonus Sessions on CRM Systems, Investment Schedules, and Membership Math
4. All Things Events & Programs – Types of Events, Meetings, Programs, and Training with a Bonus Session on Event Planning Checklist
5. All Things Community – Development of Strategic Partnerships through Education Programs, Advocacy & Public Policy, and Leadership Programs
6. All Things “Extra” – Foundations, Marketing & Communications, Non Event Non-Dues Revenue, and Lessons Learned

The All Things Chamber bundle provides pre-recorded material, averaging a hour per module, plus downloadable notes pages of the PowerPoints and additional PDF documents.  

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. This versatile digital resource allows you to utilize the content for a comprehensive staff training or retreat or for individual training at your own pace.



Is Your Lawmaker Truly Pro-Business? The PA Chamber's Legislative Scorecard Lets You Know!

In our mission to strengthen Pennsylvania’s economy, the PA Chamber is committed to helping elect and work with state lawmakers who prioritize, support, and sponsor legislation that will boost the Commonwealth’s competitiveness. As bills move through the legislative process each session, our team determines which ones impact the business community (good and bad), communicates our position to lawmakers, and tracks their votes to determine which House and Senate members’ priorities align most with the state’s business community. Click here to read the full article.



Last week we hosted a free training called "Hosting Candidate Events." If you've been wondering if your chamber should host one, which type of event would be the best fit and how to keep it focused on business, check out the recording here. 

Be sure to save the date (February 22 at 10am ET) for this month's training: How to Fund Your Advocacy Program (even before you build it). Click here to register and hear from a panel of chamber execs how they fund their successful advocacy programs.

Happy early Valentine’s Day! I love chambers and the work they do in communities, and Starfish Partnerships was created to make a difference in the lives of others, one person and one group at a time. I invite you to read our latest blog post on “What’s love got to do with it?” here: https://www.starfishpartnerships.com/blog/whats-love-got-to-do-with-it. On another note, we are excited to launch the All Things Chamber Digital training program – our give back program! This program is sold through the association with $100 of each purchase to them so, check your association website to purchase. Lastly, I know what it’s like to be in your shoes and sometimes, you may need assistance and you just aren’t sure who to call. I invite you to schedule a free, no strings attached, chat with me to see if we are the right partner to help you. Reach out to me by email to schedule a chat: teri@starfishpartnerships.com

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Barata Bey as their new President. Doris Carson Williams will remain as CEO.

The Chamber is pleased to share this press release from Governor Shapiro's office highlighting the Chamber's efforts in supporting the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit.

The Chamber is pleased to announce Mark Hollar as their new Membership Director.

The GRCA Board of Directors recently announced that it has named Lucine Sihelnik as President and CEO. In this position, Sihelnik will be responsible for leading Berks County’s premier business resource for facilitating new and existing business expansion, project funding, redevelopment, business-to-business promotion, advocacy and workforce development. Click here for the full press release.

Effective March 1st, Sarah Messer will take on the role of President at the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, succeeding Gary Laird as he officially retires after 21 years with the Chamber. Sarah joined the chamber in 2021, initially serving as the Membership & Events Coordinator. Sarah was then promoted to Director of Operations in 2022 and subsequently assumed the position of Vice President last year.  Click here to read the Chamber's newsletter regarding Gary's retirement.

2024 Annual Convention Registration Now Open

#ACCE24 is one of the most anticipated chamber conferences of the year. The event is scheduled for July 16 - 19, 2024 in Dallas, TX. Winners will be announced for Chamber of the Year and communication awards, sales accomplishments will be recognized and we will celebrate our newest CCEs. CLICK HERE for more information and to register for the event.

Nonprofit Forms & Templates

We have collected examples and smart practices of templates that should make Chamber management a bit easier. CLICK HERE for the new document.

Deadline: Friday, February 9 at 5:00pm ET

This is a reminder that the scholarship application for the 2024 summer sites is open! All students, first-year and returning, are eligible to receive Institute scholarship funds. All applicants will be notified of their application status prior to registration launching. CLICK HERE to start your application.

The dates for the National Travel & Tourism Week have been changed to May 19-25 due to a conflict with another event US Travel is holding. Click here for more information.