At the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting held on January 31, 2019 at the Frisbie Memorial Hospital Community Education & Conference Center before a full house of over 100 members and officials, Anne Brown of Daystar, Inc. was introduced as the Chamber’s 2019 Chair of the Board.
Following her thanks to previous year’s Chair of the Board, Keith Newton of D.F. Richard Energy, Anne stated “I stand before you with gratitude and eager anticipation for the year to come! I am excited and honored to serve as the Chairman of the Board. It goes without saying that I have great respect for the Chamber and its work to support our members’ growth and enhance the quality of life in the City I grew up in.” She first thanked members for their support of the Chamber, stating “you are the reason we exist and work so hard to promote the greater Rochester community. I look forward to meeting more of our members and working with you throughout the coming year. “
She recognized past Chairs of the Board, stating “your leadership has made an impact on the success of our Chamber and the business community it serves. Thanks to you, an amazing staff, and past Board members, the Chamber has a strong foundation.”
Anne expressed that “this year will be a year of growth and evolution for our Chamber”. She cited the exciting developments happening and that Rochester is growing and evolving with diverse businesses in terms of industry, interests, and size. She stated, “the Chamber’s challenge is to remain relevant to the business community and stay connected to their needs so that it can we provide the programs and services they value.”
Anne informed members that, “the Board will undergo a comprehensive review of our Chamber initiatives. A survey of Chamber members and Rochester businesses will be conducted to gather feedback on their challenges and in what ways the Chamber can best serve them. In conjunction with the survey, the Board will also work in tandem with the staff to review programs and services to evaluate which programs are working well and which have served their purpose. Furthermore, we will work to identify any gaps between the needs of our members and the services we provide to develop initiatives that will support our current and future members. Our members are our reason for being and our business community is our lifeblood. The success of our Chamber depends on the participation of our members.”
Anne invited members to share their ideas and feedback. She also encouraged members to take advantage of their Chamber membership in a manner that helps their business grow. “Whether you’re a small yoga studio, a local law office, a bank, an educational institution, non-profit, large manufacturer, or something else… the Chamber has services that can help you promote your business, connect you with others, educate you on new initiatives, and advocate for you needs”.
Lastly, she encouraged members to do business with other Chamber businesses. She expressed her excitement to work alongside a group of people who are passionate about our Chamber mission and dedicated to doing right by its members and introduced the 2019 Board of Directors and Chamber Staff.
For additional information, contact the Chamber at 603-332-5080.
