LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
December 2014
To the Business Community:
The last 18 months at the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce have been active and busy! I am very proud of the many initiatives that we have introduced and the hard work of our staff. I also want to recognize the support of our affiliate partners; the many volunteers; our Board of Directors led by Susan Mailman, President of Coghlin Electrical Contractors; our members; and numerous stakeholders. These partnerships are invaluable and have helped to build a momentum toward advancing our “Recruit, Retain and Incubate” agenda.
As part of this new strategic agenda, the Chamber of Commerce has taken the lead on the region’s business recruitment and retention efforts. We began the year with the completion of a Worcester Regional Economic Outlook Report, which identified the industry sectors that offer the best opportunities for business recruitment in the region. This report is a blueprint as we work collaboratively with the newly formed Economic Development Coordinating Council. This Council includes business and government partners and works toward a unified economic development agenda for the city of Worcester and the surrounding areas.
These efforts have been complimented by an aggressive pro-business public policy agenda. The Chamber spent a significant amount of time with elected officials at the local, state and federal levels to educate them on the impacts of their decisions on local business. We are very proud that the Chamber led the effort to bring a gubernatorial debate to Worcester—this was the first time in more than three decades. Three days following the election, the Chamber hosted the Governor-Elect and the Lt. Governor-Elect to discuss its economic development agenda and the highest priorities for the Central Massachusetts region.
Capitalizing on the intellectual resources that exist in the Worcester region, the Chamber introduced a Higher Education-Business Partnership with the goals of retaining our young graduates to remain in the region. New initiatives, such as a centralized internship database and an entrepreneurial investment program, have helped to jump-start this effort.
As with any organization, operational activities are paramount to delivering quality services. Enhancements to the Chamber’s infrastructure include a new Web site with an integrated database that provides numerous member benefits.
I wish to thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Chamber’s mission and hope that you take advantage of all that we have to offer. I look forward to seeing you at Chamber events and hearing more about how we can help your business grow and prosper.
Yours Truly,
