Our latest member survey reveals a complex picture of our business environment. While over half of our members (51%) still describe their local business environment as "Friendly," there is a significant undercurrent of concern regarding the direction of the state and nation.

When the economic winds shift, Chamber of Commerce leaders are often among the first to feel the change. They sit at the intersection of business sentiment, public perception, and organizational sustainability.   News reports about economic trends, political impacts, and public sentiment are mixed and it can be difficult for Chamber leaders to plan for the near-term, let alone for the future.

The W.A.C.E. Nominating Committee convened over the past few months and is submitting the following slate of members for service as officers and members of the Board of Directors of the association.  All members listed below have been contacted and have agreed to serve. 

Our Chamber Snapshot surveys provide a timely look at trends in the Chamber Industry. In October, we asked Chamber industry leaders about membership trends they are seeing in their organization. Check out the results below, and be sure to participate in our November Snapshot Survey on Chamber Issues & Outlook.

We've all heard that AI is important, but what does it actually mean for daily chamber operations? The recent WACE webinar, "AI: Real World Use Cases for Chambers," brought together chamber executives to share concrete, replicable ways they're putting AI to work to boost efficiency, retention, and revenue.

WACE’s recently completed Chamber Operations survey covered a wide range of issues and surfaced interesting trends.  The full survey results will be released shortly, but I wanted to respond to one concerning trend the survey surfaced.

If, when, and how much to raise member dues is a discussion as old as Chambers.   Chamber leaders must balance economic conditions, local support levels, and a host of other variables in setting a price for their members.  Many Chambers try to simplify the decision by adopting bylaw or policy provisions that essentially automate the decision.  
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Yet, it was surprising to see these data points:  56% of responding Chambers did not raise membership investment rates in 2025, and 58% report they do not plan to do so in 2026.

For our first “Chamber Snapshot” Survey, we asked about two celebrations and what (if anything) Chambers are planning to do to celebrate. 

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

• John Brewer, Billings Chamber (chair)
• Jeremy Harris, Long Beach Area Chamber
• Todd Sanders, Greater Phoenix Chamber
• Kami Welch, Greater Arvada Chamber
• Valerie Zizak-Morais, American Canyon Chamber
• 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 WACE Board of Directors, and nominating a slate of officers to lead the Board during the next fiscal year.

W.A.C.E.’s mission calls on us to lead and promote the development of Chamber professionals.   Through programs like the W.A.C.E. 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.