VACCE March 2024 E-Newsletter
The mission of VACCE is to equip Chamber of Commerce professionals with leadership skills and tools to build innovative Chambers.
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2024 VACCE Spring Conference |
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The VACCE Board of Directors is pleased to invite you to join us for our 2024 VACCE Spring Conference to be held:
Thursday & Friday, March 21 & 22, 2024
Hotel 24 South
Staunton, VA
Hosted by the Greater Augusta Regional Chamber
The Chamber profession has a VIBE. Attend the Spring Conference to experience just what this VIBE is all about!
Thursday is "CHAMBER DAY" - content will be focused on operations, programs, events, etc. - sharing best practices for your role.
Friday is "ME DAY" - you'll get a chance to take a deep dive into who you are and how you lead.
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VACCE Webinar - March 2024 |
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Understanding the Corporate Transparency Act
Thursday, March 14 – 10:00am
Tom Sullivan, Vice President, Small Business Policy – U.S. Chamber
Do you know how to answer your members if they ask you about the Corporate Transparency Act? If you answered “no,” then I encourage you to make it a point to join us on this webinar. The Corporate Transparency Act, which went into effect in January 2024, may require your small business members to report information about ownership to the government. The CTA will impact millions of small businesses across the U.S., and knowing the intricacies of this act and its potential impact is essential for small businesses. Otherwise, they may incur criminal or civil penalties for not filing or updating this report.
CLICK HERE to register for the webinar. The meeting will be recorded and shared with the full membership in case you aren't able to join us that day.
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NEW - All Things Chamber Webinar Series
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VACCE 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:
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All Things Governance – Governing Documents, Board Role & Responsibilities, Committees, Board Meetings & Strategic Planning
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All Things Operations – Financial Management, Staff Teams & Team Culture with a Bonus on Financial Statements
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All Things Membership – Recruitment, Relationships & Retention with Bonus Sessions on CRM Systems, Investment Schedules, and Membership Math
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All Things Events & Programs – Types of Events, Meetings, Programs, and Training with a Bonus Session on Event Planning Checklist
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All Things Community – Development of Strategic Partnerships through Education Programs, Advocacy & Public Policy, and Leadership Programs
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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. 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. 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.
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WiseChoice - Enrollment Begins March 1
The Virginia Chamber is pleased to work with our VACCE members to inform and enroll the business community regarding the WiseChoice Healthcare Alliance. Enrollment begins March 1, so now is the time to educate, engage, and train. If you are interested in receiving additional information on the WiseChoice Healthcare Alliance, or need tips on how to market the Alliance to your membership, please email Hannah Emerson.
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VACCE Associate Member Updates |
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Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy recently hosted a webinar, and panel of industry and economic development leaders about all things utility-scale solar in Virginia. The panel, featuring Beverly Ambs of the Brunswick Chamber discussed topics including the opportunity this brings, misconceptions, and the political landscape. The webinar recording is available to view and share.
Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy recently released the 2023 Clean Energy Jobs & Economic Impact Reports for our priority states, NC and SC being two of those. Click to see your state's impact here.
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WEBINAR: Friends, Frenemies or Worse: Working with Your Local Government
Chambers can often have unique relationships with their local government. Some local governments are members, some major financial supporters, and all have some sort of tax and regulatory impact on your members. In this webinar, we'll discuss ways to strengthen your relationships with local government and what to do when those relationships turn sour. We'll talk about how to influence your local elected officials and how to respond when they don't want to be influenced.
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Thank you to all who have purchased All Things Chamber. I’d love to hear your feedback – shoot me an email or comment in our private Facebook Group. Now…if you are looking to ramp up your chamber's leadership and personal development initiatives, look no further! With over 29 years of chamber leadership experience, I offer tailored programs designed to empower your team, engage your board, and amplify your impact. As a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach and a certified Maxwell team member, I would be excited to help you deliver dynamic workshops for your members, facilitate impactful meetings and energizing retreats. If you are looking for speakers for keynotes, summits and conferences for your chamber, here are some of my topics: Beyond Handshakes: Building Deep Connections for Professional Success, The Power of Five: Starfish Principles for Dynamic Leadership, CliftonStrengths, MIND Design Thinking Styles, Social Styles, Effective Communication, The Harmony Hub: Conflict Management and Resolution, and presentations from John Maxwell’s Books – The Leader in Me 2.0, Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, Becoming a Person of Influence. Contact me today to discuss how we might partner and help your chamber thrive!
Teri Smiley, Owner
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VACCE would like to welcome Two Capitols Consulting as a new Associate Member:
Two Capitols Consulting
Randy Pearson, Vice President
Two Capitols Consulting is ready to work with your chamber to develop and execute successful government strategies. The bipartisan team at Two Capitols Consulting is well versed in federal and state policy and has a successful track record in advising clients on how to effectively interpret, navigate and impact federal and state policy. Find out more below:
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Showing appreciation to your volunteers shouldn’t end just because February is over, and Valentine’s has long passed. YGM’s Anissa Starnes shares 5 Key Tips for Showing Volunteers Appreciation - all year long – in YGM’s March Blog post.
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Alleghany Highlands Chamber
The Chamber is pleased to announce that Josh Taylor will succeed Teresa Hammond as the Chamber's new Executive Director effective April 1, 2024. Josh currently serves as the Director of Marketing & Special Projects for the Chamber. Click here for the press release. The Chamber is now accepting applications for the open Marketing & Special Projects Coordinator position. Please see the VACCE Careers page for more information.
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Bath County Chamber
Jackie Wade has announced her retirement from the Chamber effective March 15. The Chamber is now accepting resumes for her position of Executive Director. Please see the VACCE Careers page for more information.
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ChamberRVA
ChamberRVA Mix is taking the Mix to new levels! ChamberRVA is excited to partner with the region's most influential business organizations in hosting a region wide Mega Mix. We value the opportunity to collaborate with: Goochland Chamber, MBL - Metropolitan Business League, Virginia Hispanic Chamber, Virginia Asian Chamber, Richmond LGBTQ Chamber, and the Hopewell-Prince George Chamber. The event will be held March 13 at the Henrico County Public School's Adult Education Center at Regency.
Join PlanRVA, the Richmond Regional Transportation Planning Organization, Central Virginia Transportation Authority, and ChamberRVA for the 2024 Transportation Forum on March 15 to learn how you and your community can engage in regional transit planning. Regional leaders, transportation experts, and advocates are invited to attend to discuss multi-modal transportation investments and opportunities to improve infrastructure.
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Charlottesville Regional Chamber
The Chamber and the City of Charlottesville's Office of Economic Development proudly present the Future of Talent series, diving deep into the evolving landscape of work. The last of the three events will take place March 20. Small business owners and hiring managers are invited to learn from expert presenters and share fresh ideas for attracting great talent and building a strong team.
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Culpeper Chamber
The Chamber’s 2024 Business Directory & Community Guide is available in print and online. You can view it here!
On Friday, February 23rd, U.S. Senator Mark Warner, Chancellor David Dore, Germanna Community College President Janet Gullickson, the Chamber, and the Virginia Foundation for Community College Education hosted a special celebration of federal funding to support early childhood education and internships for foster youth. The event also featured a roundtable with students benefiting from these funds and provided a broader discussion on the workforce development impact of these funds on our local community and businesses.
The Chamber is excited to be hosting the 2024 State of the Community on March 20th at 8:00 am at the Country Club of Culpeper. This year, we're thrilled to feature esteemed speakers, including Carl Stafford, Virginia Cooperative Extension - Culpeper Unit, sharing insights on Agriculture, and Chief Chirs Settle, Culpeper Police Department, providing invaluable perspectives on Public Safety. Plus, dynamic panel discussions on Workforce & Education and Health & Wellness.
The Culpeper Young Professionals group announced their chosen charity for 2024! This year, all proceeds from their programming will go to support Aging Together, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of seniors in our community.
The Chamber and Fauquier Chamber Young Professional Groups are excited to host a joint networking mixer/social on Thursday March 21st 5-7pm at Narmada Winery.
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Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber
Robert Boerrigter, Philip Kauneckas, Angelika Matczak, and Beverly Scruggs were named to the Board of Directors of the Danville Pittsylvania Chamber of Commerce at the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on February 1, 2024. They will serve alongside 14 other board members who direct policy for the Chamber. For more information, click here.
The Chamber, the Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce, and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) are partnering to provide Chamber members an opportunity to learn about the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership (V-TOP) and EmPOWER work-based learning framework. Both initiatives are designed to assist employers in recruiting talent and strengthening regional talent pipelines. Please click here for the full release.
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Hampton Roads Chamber
The Chamber kicks off the State of the City Series this month with the Virginia Beach State of the City on March 13 which is tracking to be the largest one on record! Then it’s to Chesapeake for another outstanding update from the mayor on March 27.
The Chamber is also proud to be celebrating a few recent achievements including the first Marketing Workshop Series for Small Businesses which is a four-part series aimed at helping small businesses understand effective ways to market their businesses led by our own marketing committee industry experts. We also celebrate record-breaking attendance at our January and February networking events where we have connected with more businesses than ever before. Finally, it is our best year yet for HRSHRM, a partnership with the Hampton Roads Society for Human Resources and our four-part bootcamp that supports HR professionals on a variety of topics.
Finally, we are excited to have three chamber team members attend VACCE this month as two of them come to Staunton to celebrate their Service Awards! We look forward to connecting with our fellow chamber colleagues at the Spring Conference!
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Highland County Chamber
Virginia’s sweetest event of the year returns on March 9 – 10 and 16 – 17, 2024 with the 64th Highland County Maple Festival! The county-wide event features free maple sugar camp tours, over 100 juried arts & crafts vendors, live entertainment, and delicious food like famous maple doughnuts. Get the full details here.
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Isle of Wight Chamber
The Chamber is pleased to welcome Marci Levine as their new President & Executive Director.
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Northern Virginia Black Chamber
The Chamber is pleased to introduce the Economic Evolution Accelerator Program, tailored specifically for Black-owned businesses. The transformative 12-week educational journey is designed to empower members in expanding and strengthening their business. The program supports early-stage businesses in all sectors and industries. The workshop-driven program focuses on mentorship, training, leadership mindset, and technology. Our focus is to provide the education and resources for Black-owned businesses to grow, sustain, and get funding for their business.
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Other Updates of Interest |
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ACCE
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.
ACCE also released an article last month on Chamber Funding Opportunities - click here to read the article.
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IOM Blog
By William Pawlucy IOM, CAE, MPA
President, Association Options, LLC
In every article and every presentation, the speaker or writer typically says “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is coming and you need to be prepared”. What I would like to say is that AI is here and if you aren’t using it right now, you are behind. Click here to read the blog.
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