MARCH
2021
Chamber at a
Glance
In This Issue The Year Of The Pivot
Superwoman 2.0 Conference THE YEAR OF THE PIVOT
I
Meet Our New Members!
Mark Your Calendars 03.05.21
First Friday Coffee
03.11.21
Superwoman 2.0 Conference
03.18.21 Speaker Series with Brien Convery
have to admit, I tried hard NOT to write about the pandemic for this edition. Like you, I am done with ‘pivoting’ and the ‘unprecedented’ ‘new normal’, but as we near the anniversary of the upending of our lives, it seemed a bit obtuse to simply dismiss the journey of the past year, especially given the struggles and sacrifices of so many.
This time last year, we were making the final preparations for the Annual Awards Gala, our premiere event of the year. At the time, I couldn’t possibly have imagined that 12 months later we would be facing a second pivot to our awards celebration, but with the continuing public health restrictions we have been forced to rethink our annual tradition. In the end, it has actually turned into an opportunity to reimagine what this celebration could be. In many ways, this philosophy has shaped the way we work every day. For the Chamber, it’s been an opportunity, not without its challenges and stresses, to embrace technology, develop new ways to engage members, expand and highlight our advocacy work, and strengthen the Chamber network.
For many of our member businesses, it has been a similar arc, and while every journey has had its unique set of struggles, barriers and frustrations, we have also seen evidence of determination, innovation, and reinvention.
"...I have to admit, I tried really hard NOT to write about the pandemic for this edition" CAROLYNN CANCADE It is homage to that entrepreneurial spirit that we will celebrate our 2021 Business Achievement Awards. While the Awards presentation recognizes the contributions and accomplishments of a select group of finalists, it is truly a celebration of our entire business community. There are many stories of resilience of those that have been able to see the opportunities that have presented themselves, stories of those that have lent a hand, lifted up others and given back to their community, and stories of those that continue to endure, have faltered or are unsure of what the future holds. cont'd pg 6.