W.A.C.E. recently updated the Member Portal associated with our website and membership database. Members who log into the website now have easier access to “member-only” resources, and increased control over their membership records.
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The W.A.C.E. Academy Committee is charged with ensuring that the content delivered during our annual programs represents the best practices available to create a solid foundation for successful chamber management. Additionally, they are charged with identifying dynamic, successful leaders who can share that knowledge as members of the Academy faculty.
W.A.C.E. is fortunate to have a solid core of faculty who return each year to share their experience and that of others with our attendees. We’re also fortunate to have a large network for resources we can turn to when it’s necessary to replace a faculty member. Dave Kilby, President Emeritus, W.A.C.E. ![]() From where I sit, one of the Chamber industry’s biggest challenges continues to be communicating value. Words definitely matter when trying to convey what chambers of commerce do – their purpose. W.A.C.E. has tried to assist and address the messaging challenge with the 3Cs:
While out doing workshops and speaking gigs the past two years, I was impressed that while many have fully embraced the 3Cs, some chambers had embraced their own “3-word messaging” as a way to more clearly tell their story. The 3-words were posted on websites, printed on business cards, on pull-up banners, board agendas and letterhead. Christina A. Urquieta, STAART Program Coordinator, Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce ![]() When the Greater Stockton Chamber of Commerce launched the STAART Program — Stockton Takes Action Against Retail Theft — we weren’t just addressing a growing problem, we were answering a call. Our local businesses were frustrated. Residents were concerned. Retail theft was impacting not just individual stores but entire commercial corridors and neighborhoods. As a Chamber, we kept hearing concerns at meetings, ribbon cuttings, through business communications with a common theme: business owners and consumers alike felt helpless. STAART was built to address this head-on. After hearing from businesses and Chambers of Commerce across San Joaquin County, we partnered with the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office and signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a formal pathway for collaboration. The idea was to take a proactive approach: combine technology, visibility, and community engagement into a toolkit that businesses and residents alike could use to report, respond to, and ultimately prevent retail crime. ![]() W.A.C.E.’s annual Staff Salary & Benefits Survey is one tool designed to advance two of the three Imperatives in our current Strategic Plan. Specifically, Imperative 1 challenges us to provide Chambers with industry best practices. Imperative 2 commits W.A.C.E. to advancing the Chamber leadership pipeline. W.A.C.E. is committed to ensuring that the Chamber work is viewed as a profession and a career. One key to that positioning is to advocate for Chamber staff professionals being paid appropriately. Based on the data collected from members, it appears that wages increased for many positions, although not all. It appears that economic pressures, along with changing areas of focus in the work being done by Chambers led to impacts on wages with positions focused on economic development, workforce, or program management seeing increases while other more traditional roles were more likely to see no gain or even reductions over past years. Chambers of Commerce across the country are increasingly playing a role in workforce development, adapting to address the needs of businesses and job seekers alike. At Vail Valley Partnership (VVP), we have long been engaged in workforce development and more recently recognized the pressing need for a structured workforce development initiative tailored to our local community.
That’s how Vail Valley Works was born. Vail Valley Works is a program designed to equip professionals at all stages of their careers with the skills, connections, and leadership capabilities necessary to thrive in Eagle County (CO). Eagle County, home to Vail and Beaver Creek ski resorts, presents a unique set of workforce challenges. Like many rural resort-based economies, we contend with high living costs, a seasonal labor force, and an ongoing demand for skilled professionals across various industries. Employers across sectors—hospitality, healthcare, construction, and more—struggle to attract and retain qualified workers. ![]() At the Greater Arvada Chamber, we are committed to serving as a powerful voice in the region when it comes to policy and regulation impacting businesses. We also firmly believe that this work, from elected official engagement to policy testifying and education, should be accessible for everyone in our business community, not a select few decision-makers. That’s why we have recently reframed our policy efforts as an Advocacy Network. The Chamber’s Advocacy Network currently counts over 130 business leaders who have signed up to engage in this critical function of our organization and community. Through strategic initiatives, impactful programs, and a commitment to education and advocacy, the network has made significant strides in shaping an informed, business-friendly legislative landscape. ![]() W.A.C.E. introduced the Outstanding Program Awards as a way to “practice what we preach” and recognize the innovative and impactful programs created by chambers of commerce. These awards honor outstanding examples of chamber performance in our core competency areas, celebrating chambers that serve as catalysts for business growth, conveners of thought leaders, and champions for thriving communities. Leadership in the chamber industry is about more than just guiding an organization—it’s about inspiring progress, fostering innovation, and making a lasting impact on the communities we serve. At this year’s W.A.C.E. Annual Conference, we proudly recognized individuals who embody these qualities and more. These award winners are the visionaries, changemakers, and trailblazers who set the standard for excellence, leading with curiosity, courage, and commitment. Congratulations to the following 2025 individual award recipients:
W.A.C.E. is proud to recognize the outstanding achievements of chamber professionals who have set the standard for excellence in communications. This year’s award winners have demonstrated exceptional creativity, innovation, and impact in key categories, including email newsletters, video, and website development. Their efforts not only enhance member engagement and strengthen the voice of chambers across the region but also serve as great examples for other chambers to follow when communicating with their members and communities.
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April 2025
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