2024 3rd Quarter Update
While things can slow down for many organizations over the summer months, YOUR Chamber charged full steam ahead in our efforts to champion business growth and business prosperity.
Along with the return of the annual Leadership Summit, the 3rd quarter included important Public Policy updates on the State of Union County, the announcement of the inaugural Women in Business Honorees, and partnering with local organizations for the first-ever Monroe Latin Fest.
Read on to see your membership at work.
CATALYZE BUSINESS GROWTH
2024 Leadership Summit
More than 100 elected officials, business and community leaders attended the 2024 Leadership Summit. Community strategist Doug Griffiths, CEO of 13 Ways, Inc. shared on Collaboration, Community, and the Future of OUR community. The Summit included a morning keynote, lunch, and an afternoon workshop with table discussions where attendees shared ways to apply the information Doug presented.
AM Power Networking Connects and Informs Professionals
The AM Power Networking Program began based off of results from the 2023 Annual Membership Survey. These monthly events are opportunities for attendees to grow their professional networks.
We took the program on the road over the summer, with sessions at the Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport and in Waxhaw
One way YOUR Chamber helps champion business growth and prosperity is by offering affinity programs that give special discounts to Chamber members. This summer, we added a new program to address a challenge many businesses, especially small businesses face: adequate HR support on a budget.
CELEBRATING DIVERSE COMMUNITY
Chamber Partners with WOW Supermarket for Latin Fest
In June, YOUR Chamber partnered with Wow Supermarket, the City of Monroe, the Union County Community Arts Council, and Rodriguez Produce for the Inaugural Monroe Latin Fest. More than 5,000 people attended the event in downtown Monroe on Sunday, June 30.
There were musical acts throughout the day, along with food trucks from a variety of Latin cultures, as well as bounce houses and kids’ activities.
Inaugural Women in Business Honorees Announced
2024 saw the inaugural Women in Business Awards. Over 2 dozen women from across the county were nominated in the categories of Women to Watch and Women of Influence. At the final Women in Business Luncheon of the year, the winner were presented.
PUBLIC POLICY EFFORTS
State of Union County
Union County Manager Brian Matthews shared an update on the County at the September Public Policy Luncheon. He gave an overview of the county’s $578.16 million operating budget.
The County also recently updated its Water/Sewer Master Plan, and Matthews updated attendees on details. He also highlighted efforts to grow the business community. Matthews wrapped up giving attendees an outline of the process for property revaluation that is coming next year.
Infrastructure Series: Broadband
One of the pillars of our Legislative Agenda states, “The Chamber supports policies, programs, and initiatives that provide adequate, cost-effective public and private infrastructure essential for business development, growth, and prosperity throughout Union County.” Access to reliable, high-speed broadband is critical for business and community development.
This summer, we picked up our Infrastructure blog series with 2 installments on Broadband in Union County, focusing on the challenges, and the work the County and State leaders have done and is continuing to do to expand connectivity.
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Middle School Speakers Bureau Training
The 2024-2025 school year will see an expansion of the Middle School Speakers bureau to 4 Union County Public Schools: East Union Middle, Parkwood Middle, Porter Ridge Middle and Sun Valley Middle.
This project of the Workforce Development Task Force sends speakers into schools to ‘take over’ the classroom for a day to teach students about career opportunities in manufacturing, trades, and other local industries.
In September, over 30 speakers attended training at the Chamber. CTE director Brian Davis with UCPS and his CTE team are crucial partners in this important work, and helped coordinate the training along with Chamber members Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, Union Power, and Alliance for Children.
Emerging Leaders Workshop
A strong workforce is made up of people who are dedicated in their professional lives, as well as to improving their community. A thriving community benefits all. One arm of our workforce development, the Emerging Leaders Program, equips future influential decision-makers in Union County with comprehensive professional and personal skills, engaged civic knowledge, and active community service.
To help members become more engaged in community service, we hosted “Volunteer Opportunities to Build a Thriving Community,” a workshop for Emerging Leaders.
Representatives from nonprofits that address the top challenges facing our community shared about their work, and attendees had time to visit nonprofit booths to learn how they can become more involved.
It is YOUR partnership and YOUR investment that makes all of this work to champion business growth and business prosperity throughout Union County possible.
