In rural communities such as ours, it takes everyone rowing in the same direction to accomplish significant tasks, which alone one person may not be able to pull off. Community and Economic Development is conducted by community members, all of us. It is a process where local people can not only create more jobs, income…
With over 75 in attendance, the GJACC Membership came together for the first time in over a year to celebrate expansions being made by our local businesses. The message from these businesses was one of strength and gratitude towards our amazing community and the partnerships that allowed them to be successful during a time that…
What a difference a few short weeks can make! In my January column, I assured you that we would get back to in person networking as soon as it was safe to do so. That time has come! Today, as I write this, we’ve seen over 26,000 vaccinations administered and daily case counts falling to…
In 2017 the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce recognized a gigantic need in our community for a shipping and logistics facility. It was a need heard far and wide in the community over a number of years. A strategic partnership with the Grand Junction Chamber was quickly forged and Rocky Mountain Rail & Storage…
Not so long-ago chambers of commerce were viewed by some as socializing bodies where business people come together to network. Although still a valuable networking venue, our Chamber has always strived to be much more for our members. This past year has shown stark examples where we advocated for businesses (particularly through the Five Star…
Advocating for the local business community is a strength and core competency for the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. It is also a member expectation with 34% of respondents to the latest general membership survey indicating that they belonged to our organization because they wanted a strong partner to advocate for businesses. It also ranked…
When the Chamber Board of Directors conducted their annual planning session virtually in early November, a key theme emerged…the focus has to be on our members and how to help them transition from pandemic to prosperity. The plan that was adopted in December by the Board reflects that philosophy. It also incorporates some lessons learned…
“Thank you for doing the five-star program. We haven’t gone out to eat since March and knowing we had choices by looking at the Five Star ad in the paper made us feel safe visiting a favorite restaurant once again.” The person on the phone recently didn’t identify themselves and they didn’t need to. Their…
Each year, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce sends out its annual survey to all of its members. The board uses this survey to effectively plan for the needs of our members. It is the one time of year that all members are invited to weigh in with their thoughts on the organization and…