Monday, March 11, 2024

LABI Center for Free Enterprise - Baton Rouge

The year's best Legislative Session kickoff party is BACK! Join us on March 11th at the LABI Center for Free Enterprise for good food, drinks and great music after business at the Capitol wraps for the day. Mark your calendars now! We'll see you March 11th.

LED CEO Roundtables is an award-winning program that provides a platform for leaders of second-stage companies to share insights and knowledge on topics such as accounting, marketing, human resources and leadership development. Roundtables allow participants to learn and understand how to incorporate best practices and new strategies into their businesses. Applications must be submitted by the March 31 deadline. The program begins in July. Groups of 15 to 18 eligible participants are selected in each region and meet 10 times over the course of a year. CEOs from companies with $600,000 to $50,000,000 and employ at least 5 employees, but not more than 99 employees are encouraged to apply. For more information, contact Taylor Boudreaux, program manager of LED Small Business Services, at 225-342-4680.

Love the Boot Week is April 20-28! Your chamber and its members can be a part of this state-wide cleanup effort, engaging businesses, nonprofits, government groups, and individuals and families in all 64 parishes. Louisiana's businesses have a vital role to play in preventing litter. Love the Boot Week offers a fun, hands-on opportunity to engage your team and show your commitment to keeping your community clean. Visit lovetheboot.org to organize your own cleanup or beautification event, or sign up to volunteer for one in your area. 

WEBINAR: Friends, Frenemies or Worse: Working with Your Local Government

Chambers can often have unique relationships with their local government. Some local governments are members, some major financial supporters, and all have some sort of tax and regulatory impact on your members. In this webinar, we'll discuss ways to strengthen your relationships with local government and what to do when those relationships turn sour. We'll talk about how to influence your local elected officials and how to respond when they don't want to be influenced.

Click here to register and join us on Zoom Thursday, March 28 at 11am EST.

Thank you to all who have purchased All Things Chamber. I’d love to hear your feedback – shoot me an email or comment in our private Facebook Group. Now…if you are looking to ramp up your chamber's leadership and personal development initiatives, look no further! With over 29 years of chamber leadership experience, I offer tailored programs designed to empower your team, engage your board, and amplify your impact. As a certified Gallup CliftonStrengths Coach and a certified Maxwell team member, I would be excited to help you deliver dynamic workshops for your members, facilitate impactful meetings and energizing retreats. If you are looking for speakers for keynotes, summits and conferences for your chamber, here are some of my topics: Beyond Handshakes: Building Deep Connections for Professional Success, The Power of Five: Starfish Principles for Dynamic Leadership, CliftonStrengths, MIND Design Thinking Styles, Social Styles, Effective Communication, The Harmony Hub: Conflict Management and Resolution, and presentations from John Maxwell’s Books – The Leader in Me 2.0, Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, Becoming a Person of Influence. Contact me today to discuss how we might partner and help your chamber thrive! 

Teri Smiley, Owner

teri@starfishpartnerships.com

www.starfishpartnerships.com

Showing appreciation to your volunteers shouldn’t end just because February is over, and Valentine’s has long passed. YGM’s Anissa Starnes shares 5 Key Tips for Showing Volunteers Appreciation - all year long – in YGM’s March Blog post.

The Chamber has named Elizabeth Miller their Interim President/CEO.

The State of the Parish Luncheon will be held March 6 in the Grand Ballroom of the Grand Opera House of the South.

Join the Chamber for the third installment of Prosper Acadia where we're bringing together a powerhouse panel of experts from across Louisiana to talk about Small Business Financing. The event will be held March 28 at the Main Street Patio.

The Chamber is pleased to announce the 17th Annual Golf Classic to be held Friday, April 12th at Bayou Bend Country Club in Crowley. The tournament will consist of 18 holes of golf for teams of three. There will be both individual and team prizes at the end of the tournament.

Inside Higher Ed, a top source on higher education, last week featured BRAC and its partnership with regional higher education institutions on its agreement to use Handshake, the number one recruitment tool connecting employers and college students. The partnership was born in 2020 to increase the local business community and college student’s usage of the platform to better retain college talent. The partnership has proved influential, showing an increase of registered employers from the region increase from 2,133 to 3,891, and steady increases in student usership. BRAC continues to grow these numbers and is working to increase internship opportunities offered on the platform locally. Read the article here.

In collaboration with the Community Development Institute (CDI) Central at the University of Central Arkansas, the Chamber along with LA Tech College of Business and Louisiana Economic Development, hosted CDI in Bossier City, February 20-23! The Bossier Chamber hosted this training program designed in partnership with CDI Central, empowers individuals and communities to drive positive economic and social development. Led by Jessica Hemingway, PCED, and Lisa Johnson, alongside faculty from various sectors, students engaged in active learning through lectures, discussions, simulations, and projects. The inaugural class had 24 students. Find more information at bossierchamber.com/cdilouisiana.

We hosted, along with our partners, the Northwest Louisiana Job Fair on February 27 and 28 at the Bossier Civic Center. On February 27, job seekers got the chance to come to our “Prelude to Career Success” Day where they learned about resume writing, interview tips, dress to impress, etc. On February 28, we hosted the job fair with approximately 70 companies.

We’re pleased to announce our newest board of directors, with Carter Credit Union’s Jonathan Reynolds, taking the helm for 2024. Reynolds takes over the chairman role from Nicole Wilhite of Citizens National Bank, who held the role in 2023. The Chamber welcomed three new members to the Board of Directors in 2024 while four members of the board have completed their terms of service and have rolled off the board at the end of 2023. The new board members were installed at the Annual Meeting on Feb. 1, 2024. 

The Chamber will host the first of four panel discussions on March 19^th. The Small Business Masterclass series is new in 2024 and is aimed at providing information on topics that local businesses have indicated are top of mind. 

The Emerging Leaders group will meet for the second time this year on March 26^th. This group of young professionals is poised to offer new ideas and have communicated their strong desire to learn more about the Broussard business community. We look forward to having them engaged in Broussard!

The Chamber’s Annual Meeting at the Alario Center on February 6 welcomed more than 600 attendees to hear from newly elected Governor Jeff Landry. The Annual Meeting highlights the accomplishments of the Chamber over the previous year and included a ceremonial “passing of the gavel” from our 2023 Chair, Al Galindo, to 2024 Chair, Ryan Rodrigue.

Additionally, the Chamber held several Ribbon Cuttings for members, including the newest location for Smalls Sliders in Metairie. Drew Brees, a financial partner in Smalls Sliders, was in attendance welcoming guests to the new location.

The Annual NYP Pub Crawl registration is officially live! The event will be held March 16 on Front Street. Crawl the bricks of Front Street while enjoying food & drink specials along the way. This crawl is also a Poker Run, with prizes awarded to the best poker hand, best individual costume, and best group costume at the Finisher's Party. Live music, free beer (2 per-person), an event t-shirt, and a goody bag are also included for each registrant.

The 2024 annual Work Natchitoches Summit is quickly approaching! The event will be held April 9-10 at the Natchitoches Events Center. Whether you are a student looking to learn more about the Natchitoches job market or a community member looking to pursue a new career, this event will provide wonderful growth opportunities. Save the date and do not miss out!

More than 300 patrons and elected officials connected to advance region-wide collaboration and celebrate Louisiana culture at the Chamber’s second annual Welcome Reception at Washington Mardi Gras, Thursday, Jan. 25 at the Churchill Hotel in Washington D.C. The reception, presented by the Downtown Development District (DDD) of New Orleans, included special guests U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, New Orleans Councilmember District E Oliver Thomas, the Consulate General of France and Louisiana business and association leaders. New Orleans Councilmember At-Large Helena N. Moreno served as the honorary chairperson of the reception. Additional sponsors included Antares Technology Solutions, Chalmette Refining – PBF Energy, Entergy New Orleans and Ochsner Health, among others.

In celebration of NBRCC 20th Anniversary, the Chamber will host its international trip in Paradise to Italy - Embark on an epic odyssey and discover Italy’s timeless wonder during a 9-day getaway scheduled for October 26 - November 3, 2024! This is an open invitation to our community, local organizations, and resource partners. Contact us directly at info@northbatonrougechamber.org to reserve your spot!

Collin Sims and Vincent Wynne participated in the Chamber’s District Attorney Candidate Forum moderated by Andy Canulette with The Times-Picayune/NOLA.com on February 22. They are vying to win the remainder of the term of 22^nd Judicial District Attorney Warren Montgomery, who died in November. Sims is the interim District Attorney. The sold-out forum was well covered by local broadcast and print media, enabling the members and the public to be better informed when voting.

The Chamber’s CEO Lacey Osborne was interviewed by Newell Normand on his WWL-870AM morning talk show. They spoke about the collaboration among St. Tammany Economic Partners (STEP) and their combined efforts to maintain the quality of life in St. Tammany Parish while facing the challenges that come with steady population growth. Click here to listen to the radio interview. (STEP includes St. Tammany Chamber of Commerce, St. Tammany Corporation, Visit The Northshore, Northshore Community Foundation, Northshore Business Council, Northshore Homebuilders Association and Tri-Parish Works.)

The Chamber is hosting its annual Swinging for Scholarships Golf Tournament at Money Hill Golf Club in Abita Springs on Thursday, March 21. Proceeds from the tournament fund scholarships for St. Tammany students planning to attend a Louisiana college or university. Anyone interested in playing can register here.

2024 Annual Convention Registration Now Open

#ACCE24 is one of the most anticipated chamber conferences of the year. The event is scheduled for July 16 - 19, 2024 in Dallas, TX. Winners will be announced for Chamber of the Year and communication awards, sales accomplishments will be recognized and we will celebrate our newest CCEs. CLICK HERE for more information and to register for the event.

ACCE also released an article last month on Chamber Funding Opportunities - click here to read the article.

Navigating the New Frontier: How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping the Future of Associations and Chambers

By William Pawlucy IOM, CAE, MPA

President, Association Options, LLC

In every article and every presentation, the speaker or writer typically says “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is coming and you need to be prepared”. What I would like to say is that AI is here and if you aren’t using it right now, you are behind. Click here to read the blog.

March 7, 2024

Advocacy and Governance Training

LABI Conference Center - Baton Rouge, LA

The purpose of the training is to convey to the chambers and their volunteers of your chamber why advocacy is a membership tool, what is expected of board members, what can be expected of a chamber organization, and to give background information about chambers, their historical function, and best practices. We will also discuss the U.S. Chamber Accreditation program which is a national reputable accreditation program that provides best practices tools that lead to success for those chambers interested in achieving the national designation or just following best practices of nationally accredited chambers. For more information, please contact Monique Thierry at MThierry@uschamber.com by March 1,2024. The cost is $25.