President's Report June / July

The following is the President's Notes presented to the Greater St. Francisville Chamber of Commerce board of directors at the July 16, 2009 meeting.

Even with the full heat of summer upon us, your Chamber of Commerce has not slowed down a bit. The first half of 2009 was a very successful one for our organization and I have little doubt the remainder of the year will be just as positive.

Last month's first-ever Annual Membership Meeting was a big success. Thanks go to our committee members and to Linda Osterberger for making it so. BESE Board member Chas Roemer gave a terrific - and timely - talk for West Feliciana on the future of public education in Louisiana. And one of the highlights of the evening was the distribution of our member survey, which was well received.

I would like to particularly single out the work of the Events and Member Services committees for their work on the dinner. The "Top 10 Reasons" to be a Chamber member, converted into a large poster, was a focal point of the evening. Their work on this project is proof-positive that our committee structure can, and does, work when everyone participates.

We will need to keep our momentum going for the next six months because there will be no shortage of events and projects. Here's a sampling:

- a Performance Management Training class in August
- Alcohol & Tobacco licensing classes hosted beginning in August
- the Chamber-to-Chamber event at The Victorian in October (over 250 guests expected)
- the Chamber's annual golf fundraiser in November
- our Chamber board of directors elections in November
- our 2010 membership drive in November and December

This month, I am asking the board's approval to create a Long Range Planning Committee for our Chamber. We're doing a terrific job managing the Chamber year-to-year, but I believe now is the time for us to chart a path forward for the next 3, 5 and 10 years. I think we can accomplish the first phase of planning over the next six months, if we agree. I truly believe this will be one of the most worthwhile endeavors for our Chamber in 2009.

Finally, let me encourage you to keep up the momentum we've built this year. Sometimes there can be a tendency to let down a bit after a strenuous stretch. Let's remain focused and committed towards achieving our goals and our membership - and our community - will be better for it.

Respectfully submitted,

Michael Smith, President
The Greater St. Francisville Chamber of Commerce