The Board’s Executive Committee recently approved the appointment of the following individuals to serve as members of the 2024 Nominating Committee:

• Kami Welch, Arvada Chamber (chair)
• Angie Anderson, Glenwood Springs Chamber
• Sheri Heiney, Prescott Chamber
• Chris Romer, Vail Valley Partnership
• Molly Schiff, Santa Maria Valley Chamber and current Emerging Leaders Chair
• Glenn Morris, WACE

​The W.A.C.E. Bylaws (Article VI – Elections and Appointments) charge the Nominating Committee with two responsibilities, e.g. recommending a slate of candidates to serve on the W.A.C.E. Board of Directors, and nominating a slate of officers to lead the Board during the next fiscal year.

​I’m thrilled to invite you to our Annual Conference in Henderson, Nevada, from February 5-7. This year, we’re embracing the theme Curiosity Inspires Community, a powerful reminder of the role curiosity plays in our work and our lives. Registration opens this month, and I can’t wait for you to experience what the Conference Planning team, led by Chair Candace Carnahan, have in store.

W.A.C.E.’s Annual Conference is the highlight of our programming each year. With a mission focused on providing high value professional development, it’s critical that our conference continue to raise the bar in terms of content and experiences.  
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At the same time, it is important to the Conference Planning Committee that we keep the price of the conference as low as possible, even in the face of rapidly increasing costs. Sponsorships are one way that we seek to create an incredible experience at an affordable price.

W.A.C.E. is fortunate to have a number of strategic partners who regularly step up to provide some of the income needed to produce our annual conference. Maybe even more impressive, however, is the number of local Chambers and regional Chamber organizations who also step forward as “Chamber Champion” sponsors to help underwrite the conference for their peers and colleagues.

Spend a little time visiting with local Chambers and it quickly becomes evident that there are many who are doing incredible work on behalf of their members and their communities.   Whether it is delivering innovative and impactful programming, increasing the effectiveness of their communications, or making a real difference as catalysts, conveners and champions, the creativity and resourcefulness of local Chambers is noteworthy.
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One of the key tenants of WACE is recognizing excellence and sharing it within the community to inspire Chambers everywhere to step up their game.   “When I first started in Chamber work, I had some great mentors who told me that R&D in the Chamber industry means “rip off and deploy,” shared Glenn Morris.   “Seriously, one of the reasons I was successful as a Chamber CEO was the willingness of peers to share and work collaboratively across communities.”

WACE’s mission calls on us to lead and promote the development of Chamber professionals.   Through programs like the WACE Academy, Annual Conference, and others, we seek to ensure Chamber professionals have the opportunities necessary to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective catalysts and change agents in their communities.
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The Accredited Chamber Executive designation recognizes those Chamber professionals who have committed themselves to ongoing professional development and have achieved a level of excellence in their ability to lead a local Chamber of Commerce.

​Anyone who has sat with more than one Chamber executive in a group has probably heard someone say “If you’ve seen one Chamber, you’ve seen one Chamber,” or something similar. 
 
While it is true that individual local Chambers can look and operate in different ways based on their community, priorities, and resources, it’s also true that there are core competencies that successful Chambers need to master and excel at in order to be effective in achieving their specific mission priorities.

As many of you know from your own experiences, curiosity is one of the most powerful tools a leader can wield. Whether you’re navigating success or working through challenges, approaching each moment with a genuine desire to explore, learn, and grow often leads to the most unexpected and impactful outcomes. That’s the spirit we’re bringing to this year’s W.A.C.E. Conference with our theme, "Sparking Curiosity to Inspire Community."

Kami Welch, ACE, President & CEO, Arvada (CO) Chamber; Chair-Elect, W.A.C.E. Board of Directors

​​At the August 2024 Board Meeting, the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) enthusiastically approved a new Strategic Plan that promises a bright future for the Chamber of Commerce industry. This plan is the result of several months of work by the Board to affirm our purpose and vision, and to ensure the work the association engages in aligns with our mission and delivers value to our members.

Earlier this month, W.A.C.E. held the 2024 session of the W.A.C.E. Academy.   More than 150 Chamber professionals spent three days in intensive training sessions designed to help build their capacity to lead Chambers.
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Both during Academy – and in many conversations we have with local Chamber throughout the year – we are asked for referrals to Chambers that are doing particular things well.   One of the real strengths of our industry is the collective willingness to share, mentor, and help another Chamber improve their effectiveness and impact.

To that end, we created a quick survey to identify Chambers that have strong programs related to some foundational (and emerging) topics and are willing to be a resource to others in our industry.   At the same time, we also want to identify topics that Chambers feel they need help with to help direct our future training and educational offerings ... so be honest!