(FLINT, MICH) Today, the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce, formerly the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce held its 2013 Annual Meeting at the Holiday Inn Gateway Centre in Flint. The meeting focused on the Chamber’s impact on the Flint-Genesee County region in 2012, future growth, the announcement of a new Flint & Genesee community brand identity and an organizational name change.
According to Tim Herman, CEO of the Chamber 2012 was a year of firsts and 2013 promises to be a year of continued growth for the region.
“Last year we began to see a resurgence of the Flint and Genesee County we have known in the past,” said Herman. “Despite some tough years for Michigan, Flint and Genesee County communities have found a renewed optimism and a revitalized spirit of exploration, invention, discovery and determination.”
The Annual Meeting showcased the Regional Chamber’s key results in 2012, including:
- Generating $120 million in economic impact based on 424,008 overnight room stays.
- Generating $28 million in overall lodging revenue.
- Retention/expansion and attraction efforts resulting in $97 million of total investment and contract value in the region; and as a result 569 jobs were created and retained.
- Assisting businesses with 20 investment projects generating an estimated $57.4 million annual payroll.
- Helping businesses win 2,225 government contracts with a value of $82 million through the Chamber’s Procurement and Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).
- Conducting 60 employer education workshops, which served 757 firms and trained 1,014 employees.
- Graduating 582 students from the TeenQuest leadership and pre-employment training program.
- Hiring 492 teens through the Summer Youth Initiative (SYI) Job Fair.
- Serving more than 1,500 students in county elementary and middle schools.
- Serving 12,461 students through 339 career prep workshops.
- Becoming one of the top 10 chambers in Michigan based on revenue and number of members.
- Surpassing the 1,000 member mark to 1,009.
In 2013, the Chamber will focus on:
- Assisting businesses and entrepreneurs with the tools and resources they need to grow.
- Continuing to work with local businesses and governments to provide quality services for residents, increase efficiency, improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs through the Shared Services Center.
- Promoting growth in the region through the four-county (Shiawassee, Genesee, Lapeer and St. Clair) I-69 International Trade Corridor, which was approved as the state’s largest Next Michigan Development Corporation in 2012.
- Developing education programs that continue to help our youth gain new economy skills.
- Creating an engaged and connected member network working to do business in Flint and Genesee County.
- Speaking out on key legislative issues that affect our local economy, business environment and quality of life through our Public Policy Committee.
“Our organizational culture has been a source of strength and ingenuity through challenging times. It is the foundation of our success. As we progress through 2013, the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce remains dedicated to the growth and prosperity of the Flint & Genesee region,” said Herman.
A copy of the Chamber’s Annual Report is available online at flintandgenesee.org .
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About the Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce
The Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce (flintandgenesee.org) is one of the Top 10 largest chambers in Michigan. We are the voice of business and community advocacy in Flint & Genesee. The Chamber is over 100 years old, was established before the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and is a founding member of the United States Chamber of Commerce.
Two words describe the Chamber as it enters its second century of service: collaboration and partnership. It is our goal to work with government, business, education, nonprofit organizations and consumers to support the growth and development of the community economically, culturally and socially.