HIGHLIGHTS
Noteworthy Successes
•Started an infrastructure series on YOUR Chamber’s Blog to effectively inform the community about critical issues facing our county.
•Worked with strategic partners to host the largest Union County Job Fair in recent history. A record of 530 job seekers and 83 employers participated.
•More than 5,000 people attended the Inaugural Monroe Latin Fest, a partnership with WOW Supermarket, the City of Monroe, and the Union County Community Arts Council.
•Recognized six outstanding community leaders at the Inaugural Women in Business Awards.
•To ensure YOUR Chamber is a world-class organization for years to come, and as part of our Continuous Improvement Plan, the Chamber completed a review and update of our policies as well as our bylaws.
YOUR Membership at Work
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMNET:
Expanding Opportunities for the Future
Based on feedback from our annual member survey we took action to tackle workforce issues that many of our members face. The 2024 Job Fair, in partnership with South Piedmont Community College, Union County Public Schools, NC Works, and Centralina Workforce Development was the largest in history with 83 employers and over 500 job seekers. The Job Fair featured several organizations conducting on-the-spot interviews and provided resources to address employment barriers, such as transportation and childcare, along with tips for building strong resumes.
We partnered with Union County Public Schools on several other projects, including the Middle School Speakers Bureau and Make It In Union County. This year, the Speakers Bureau was able to expand into four schools, reaching even more students and presenting them with hands-on learning experiences directly tied to future employment opportunities in our community. Make It In Union County has traditionally been a week-long celebration, but this year, the program was extended throughout the entire month of October. By doing so, more manufacturers were able to participate. Through 15 field trips and 40 in-class speakers, Make It Month reached over 1,970 students which is nearly 500 more than in previous years.
ADVOCATING FOR A THRIVING COMMUNITY:
Supporting Business Friendly Policies and Informing Voters
Following the success of the Inaugural Leadership Summit, YOUR Chamber gathered with over 100 elected officials, business leaders, and community leaders for the 2024 event. We brought back popular speaker, author, and community strategist Doug Griffiths, CEO of 13 Ways Inc to speak on Collaboration, Community, and the Future of OUR Community. The discussion included a keynote session and breakout groups. Topics discussed included how change can be difficult and what makes Union County unique. Attendees left the session with a renewed desire to seek ways to collaborate with others to strengthen Union County.
As the Chamber’s Advocacy Program continues to grow and strengthen, our efforts to communicate have expanded. This year, we started a blog series focused on critical infrastructure needs in Union County. The two topics covered were wastewater and high speed Internet. More topics will continue in 2025. Additionally, members of the Public Policy Committee traveled to Raleigh in June with advocacy consultants, Lumin Strategics. During the trip, we were able to meet with members of the Union County Delegation including Representatives Dean Arp, David Willis, and Mark Brody and Senators Dave Craven and Todd Johnson.
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL:
Championing Under-Represented Business Leaders
In an effort to help more Union County companies do business with local government, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee partnered with South Piedmont Community College to host a Government Contracting Series, with session topics such as “Let’s Get HUB Certified”, “Marketing to the Government”, and more. This was our second year offering this series, and in order to extend our reach, a virtual option was available to allow registrants to attend the events online or watch them at their convenience.
This year, we hosted our inaugural Women in Business Awards in October. At the awards, six honorees, chosen from over two dozen nominations, were celebrated for their achievements. There were two categories: Women to Watch and Women of Influence.
