Global Petroleum Show
In the first 90 days of 2015 the Chamber was focused on business plan goals for the organization and made progress on many of them. Here are some highlights:
- The Future Workforce Committee played a pivotal role in matching an existing workforce need with training and employment resources to train job seekers in basic CNC Operator skills where there are current vacancies
- Nine Student CEOs in the Young Entrepreneur Academy finished their business plans and presented them to an Investor Panel composed of sponsors who provided close to $6000 to help them launch their businesses
- In partnership with other economic development partners the Chamber supported efforts for the development of an economic development marketing plan by participating in a site visit and providing resource materials to the consultant
- Again in partnership with economic development partners the Chamber took the lead in preparing for a community team of seventeen to participate in the Global Petroleum Show in Calgary June 9th to the 11th where we hope to help develop customer leads for existing businesses, make corporate visits to companies with a regional presence and identify niche manufacturers that would be a good fit for the area
- In its role of being the voice of business the Chamber Governmental Affairs Committee has taken positions on 18 bills that impact business from economic development initiatives aimed at assisting distressed areas (support) to employment bills such as a requirement to fund family medical leave through payroll deductions for employees at all sized businesses (oppose)
- In an effort to spur networking events that lead to customer development the Chamber hosted three Business After Hours, three Creating Connections Luncheons, and three staffed weekly leads groups
- In order to make data easily available to businesses, the Chamber published three monthly business barometers, a year end key data chart, a new community profile and partnered with the library in weekly Business Connections to help businesses better use free data to develop customers.