On behalf of the Genesee Regional Chamber staff let me wish you a very happy New Year. I hope it is filled with great success for your business and the best for your family!
As we enter 2013, I can’t help but to reflect on the past year. As I look back, I am reminded that 2012 was a challenging yet exciting year for our organization. We worked through a lot of change — mostly positive as I talked about briefly last month. But there was something else that stood out. 2012 was a year that we experienced many firsts. For example:
- We surpassed the 1,000-members mark, gaining 232 new members in 2012 alone.
- The Regional Chamber now has its first consumer focused business unit – the Flint-Genesee Regional CVB.
- Led the region in the application and approval of the state’s largest Next Michigan Development Corporation, the first along the I-69 International Trade Corridor.
- We embarked on the first real journey to rebrand Flint and Genesee County. The new brand will help change the national image and the dialog about our region.
- Launched the region’s first Shared Services Center; a resource that will help local municipalities, school districts and businesses work more efficiently and effectively, improve service quality and customer satisfaction, and generate potential savings.
- Formed a partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to support employment of more Flint-area teens through our Summer Youth Initiative program.
- Formed/led a collaborative initiative with local chambers designed to help our collective communities achieve long-term success.
We accomplished a great deal in 2012 and these “firsts” that I just mentioned are significant strides. I’m compelled to point them out because they show that the Regional Chamber continues to evolve and grow. We are doing new and different things, and achieving strong results because of it — for our members, the local community and the state of Michigan. You will hear a lot more about our collective progress and accomplishments in March at our Annual Meeting.
Lastly, I want to thank our new members for becoming part of the Regional Chamber, we look forward to learning more about your business and how we can assist you with your goals; and to those members who have been with us for some time, we thank you again for your continued support. May 2013 be a conduit for continued progress toward the reinvention of Flint and Genesee County.