O'Fallon Chamber Advances to Final Round in Prestigious Chamber of the Year Competition

O’FALLON, MO – The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries is thrilled to announce that they have been named a 2016 Chamber of the Year finalist in the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) national completion which recognizes the dual role Chambers have leading businesses and communities. Chamber of the Year awards honor Chambers in five categories based on the size of the organization. During all stages Chambers compete amongst peers from similar total income levels and up to three chambers with the highest number of points in each of the entry categories, based on total revenue, may be named finalists. The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries is one of three finalists in the under $500,000 total revenue category.
 
“To be named a finalist for this award is an incredible honor for the O’Fallon Chamber’s board of directors, volunteers, and Chamber staff who last year set forth on an ambitious strategic plan.  It is a tribute to the innovation and passion of the more than 630 individuals that work so hard to build better business community in the great O’Fallon area,” said Erin Williams, President & CEO.  “We are deeply honored to be selected as a finalist.”
 
ACCE President and Chief Executive Officer Mick Fleming said, “Applicants have already proven themselves worthy of emulation and praise by the time they reach finalist status. Only chambers meeting certain benchmarks are even invited to apply, so becoming a finalist is a big deal.  In each case, the chamber’s numbers are good, their highlighted programs are strong and their impact on businesses and communities is evident.”
 
Chambers of commerce interested in competing for the award first must qualify by participating in a vigorous multi-stage process. Organizations entering the Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds in at least three of five key performance areas, including net revenue, net assets, membership account retention, and membership dollar retention.
 
After chambers of commerce qualify for the competition, appropriate categories are determined for each applicant, based on total revenue, member accounts, service area population, number of businesses in the service area, and restricted revenue as a percentage of total revenue. Applicants are grouped using these factors to ensure a fair competition. An impartial judging committee comprised of industry professionals then reviews the applications and identifies finalists in each category based on scores.
 
In the final phase of the competition, the judging committee conducts in-person interviews with leaders from each finalist chamber. One winner from each category will be named at the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives annual conference in Savannah, Georgia, August 9–12.
 
About the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, founded in 1914, uniquely serves approximately 7,000 individuals who manage chambers of commerce. The mission of the Alexandria, Va.-based organization is to support and develop chamber professionals to lead businesses and their communities. Learn more about us by visiting www.ACCE.org.
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