Outstanding 2016 Will Usher in Great Success for Coming Year
“Growth is never by mere chance; it is the result of forces working together.” This quote by James Cash Penny, perfectly represents the reason behind the Preston County Chamber of Commerce’ successful year. Through the teamwork, efforts and vision of the Board of Directors, the Executive Director, our members and the community, the Chamber has experienced remarkable growth, progress and transformation.
Over the past year, we have increased our membership by 5% and attendance has significantly grown at our signature events.
Our progress can be seen through our enhanced networking opportunities in our Preston County community through our Business After Hours, which focuses on making connections between Preston County businesses. We have also provided free training to over 200 Chamber members through our Lunch and Learn series which provides valuable information, on a variety of business topics, so that our members have the tools to enhance their business experience.
In September, we developed and implemented the Chamber’s Ambassador Program to encourage volunteers who have a long-standing knowledge of Preston County’s business economy and who would like to continue their on-going dedication to their community by volunteering for the Chamber. These volunteers play an important role in furthering our mission and we thank them for their continued support and countless volunteer hours.
Each month the Chamber features a profile of a successful small business, called “Business Spotlight.” This is a great way for us to promote our members and share their success with the community. Mike Lipscomb, Owner of M.E. Lipscomb Custom Remodels shared his experience with us following his business being featured as our “Business Spotlight,” “After my construction company M.E. Lipscomb Custom Remodels was featured in the Chamber’s “Business Spotlight”, we received many calls which resulted in several jobs being successfully booked. We are primarily a referral-driven company, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quick and positive results directly achieved by the Chamber’s advertising.”
Your Chamber has also experienced a transformation through a new logo, slogan and website. Through funding provided by the Preston County Commission, we were able to enhance the Chamber’s online presence and develop a fresh, new look.
Our new website will allow us to provide a great way to showcase and market our members as well as highlight the benefits the Chamber of Commerce provides. Our new site uses a content management system format, which allows the Chamber to manage the majority of the site in house. The site is also mobile-responsive, which allows users on mobile devices to navigate the site quickly and easily.
In this new year, we will be working to develop a strong relationship and improved communications with our local and state officials in an effort to keep abreast of city, county, regional and state issues impacting the business community and our members.
With the continued support of our members and the community we will continue to obtain our primary objective which is to support the growth and improvement of our business community. We look forward to working with our members to help their businesses connect, grow and prosper.
- Kristy Ash, Executive Director