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Debbie
Moreno, ACE
President/CEO, Greater Bakersfield CA Chamber of Commerce |
Do you
remember the “Got Milk” commercials. As chamber
professionals we should certainly relate to the
messaging. After all, when something needs to
happen in your community, who gets called on to
get the job done? The chamber, of course. Just
think what it would be like in our communities
if local chamber weren’t there to take up the
challenge and get things done.
In the same manner,
W.A.C.E. is the organization in the western
states that chamber professionals can turn to
for tools and resources to help them “get things
done.” Even though you may be the only chamber
professional in your community, you are not
alone when you have the network of other
W.A.C.E. chamber members available to you, and a
Board of Directors of committed industry
professionals reviewing priorities each year and
designing programs that are truly relevant to
help you and thus your chamber succeed.
In 2010
your board is committed to providing top knotch
training, taking the lead in technology advances
(to show many of us the way) and to “retool” the
W.A.C.E. Toolkit. We’ll also concentrate on
economic development and industry core
competencies.
We all
know the value of synergy and Vice Chair Simon
Brackley (Santa Fe, New Mexico) will continue
working with state and regional associations to
improve relationships, consider partnerships and
investigate working together to provide training
for chamber volunteer leaders.
W.A.C.E.
will continue terrific training opportunities
that will include something for everyone in both
topics and delivery methods. Chair elect Cindy
Roth (Riverside, California) will oversee non
conference training including Academy Plus, the
Senior Executives Roundtable and a fall webinar
series. Vice Chair, Mike McLaran (Salem Area,
Oregon) will chair the planning committee for
the 2010 annual conference to be held at the Los
Angeles Airport Marriott.
Vice
Chair Betty Nokes (Bellevue, Washington) will
take the tool kit “off the shelf” – update the
language, re-name, re-brand, and expand delivery
methods to get it in front of association
members at every turn.
Vice
Chair Tom Pierson will continue the work begun
last year to improve technology usage to promote
connections among members and work to enhance
and expand the Resource Library on the WACE web
site. In addition he will direct a focus on
economic development that will assist members in
developing job creation/retention program
options that will help chambers strengthen their
local economies.
A really
exciting new project will be spearheaded by
Immediate Past Chair Diane Schwenke. This
multiyear project will start with an update of
our Charlton Research and then move forward with
helping chambers successfully implement core
competencies with the aid of a W.A.C.E. inspired
book written specifically for the chamber
industry and targeted for release at the 2012
W.A.C.E. conference in Las Vegas.
What an exciting program of
work, and what an exciting industry to be a part
of. As I write this I am marking my 20th year in
the chamber industry, and through good years and
not so good years, strong economies and
incredibly weak economies, I can’t think of
anything I’d rather be doing. I’m honored to
serve as your chair for 2010.
Debbie Moreno, ACE
2010-11 Chairman of the Board
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