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What is the Chamber of Commerce and why would you become a member?
Description
It doesn’t matter what your industry is or what business you are in, support is key. Support from like-minded people can help you to find success. There are many resources that we all tap into, like online groups or social media, but a largely untapped resource is on the community level. The Chamber of Commerce in your local community can be a huge untapped resource.
Every community has a Chamber of Commerce, or at least they should. The goal of any Chamber is to help to further the interests of small businesses in a local area. The activities can range from hosting events, to lobbying local representatives to charitable works for the betterment of the community. I have invited Kim Baker, the CEO of our local Chamber here in Gallatin, TN to help us understand What does the Chamber of Commerce do, Exactly?
Kim is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University where she received a Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Communication as well as University of Tennessee Center for Industrial Services, where she obtained her Tennessee Certified Economic Developer designation. Additionally, Kim completed the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Executives Institute as well as four years of U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute, obtaining the designation “IOM”. In 2020, Kim was selected to be a member of the 4th cohort of the US Chamber Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship Program with other local and state chambers to address pressing education and workforce challenges, nationwide, and in 2022 she was named a fellow with the US Chamber. Kim began her work with the Chamber in November of 2013 and was named CEO in February of 2015.