Updates from Cabarrus Chamber President & CEO, Alison Paladino

You are busy running your business, solving daily challenges, and looking for your next growth opportunity. You don’t have time to worry about how your Chamber is run—you just need it to deliver results. That’s why our team treats the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Institute for Organization Management (IOM) as a yearly necessity.

This July, I finished the four-year IOM program, and Jess Fick wrapped up her second year. We’re proud of completing the training, but it’s the competitive advantage it provides for your business that matters.

Business trends move fast. When we attend IOM, we tap into a nationwide network of peers and industry experts. That means:

• We’ve already vetted the strategies that work in communities like ours across the country, so you don’t have to guess what works.
• We bring back the latest data and policy frameworks to ensure your interests are protected at the local, state, and federal levels.
• When an unexpected challenge arises, we’re ready with proven, creative solutions and a national network to lean on.

First on the Agenda: A New Regional Approach

We aren’t waiting around to put our new ideas into practice. One of the biggest takeaways from IOM this year focused on modern member engagement—specifically, meeting businesses exactly where they are.

To bring that to life, we are launching a more efficient regional approach to make the Chamber more accessible than ever.

Here is what is coming your way this fall:

Regional Office Hours: While the Chamber’s home office will remain in Downtown Concord at the Cabarrus Center, we are breaking out of our main office walls to bring the Chamber directly to you. Look for us hosting dedicated, regular office hours right in Kannapolis, Harrisburg, and Mt. Pleasant. If you need to talk strategy, ask questions, or just catch up, we’ll be in your neighborhood.

Expanded Networking: We know how crucial local connections are to your growth. This fall, we are adding a brand-new networking opportunity in Kannapolis. This will be in addition to the current networking opportunities in Concord and Harrisburg that you know and love.

Meeting more Members (Digitally): We will be bringing member introductions and perspectives directly to your mobile devices and inboxes through quick-read blogs like this one and social media videos. If you aren’t currently following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook, now is a great time to start.

Investing in Your ROI

We view our IOM training as an investment in you. We spend the time learning the latest in business resources, workforce trends, and organizational management so that you have a Chamber that’s evolving, proactive, and just as ambitious as the business you’ve built. We’re thrilled to bring these insights back to Cabarrus County to make sure you have every advantage in a quickly changing economy.