Investing in Chamber Leadership One of the greatest investments a Chamber can make is investing in its own leadership. 📈🤝 Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Western Association of Chamber Executives (WACE) Academy in San Francisco as I continue working toward my Chamber Executive Certification, which I am on track to complete this February. 🎓 Over several days of training, we explored topics including strategic planning, ethics, governance, economic development, workforce, business retention, and how Chambers can play a more meaningful role in strengthening their local economies. One message was clear throughout every session: Successful Chambers don’t wait for opportunities to come to them. They build strong partnerships, listen to their business community, use data to guide decisions, and help create the conditions where businesses can thrive. 💼📊 I came home with pages of ideas, practical tools, and new relationships with Chamber professionals from across the western United States. Many of those ideas align with initiatives already underway here in Oregon’s Bay Area, including our Business Readiness efforts, workforce partnerships, advocacy work, and strategic planning for the future. Professional development like this isn’t just about earning a certification. It’s about bringing home new ideas, new perspectives, and […]