President's Column

by: Ray Phelps

Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a wonderful time this holiday season. I am looking forward to exciting times as Chamber president for 2010.

More than ever your Wilsonville Chamber membership is bringing the best return on the investment you made. The Board’s goal is to continually increase value and ensure the focus is always on members in keeping with the Chamber’s Vision: create and promote the economic vitality for business in the south metro region.

The momentum the Chamber has built over the past several years advocating the interests of Wilsonville’s businesses will continue. The Chamber’s Mission, “Business is the Priority,” requires that economic development in the south metro area, including transportation and transit infrastructure, be at the top of the Chamber’s 2010 agenda.

The Chamber is working proactively with Wilsonville’s public officials, the county’s Economic Development Commission and Metro to advance the economic vitality of our members. There are several pending actions exemplifying the need for Chamber involvement: Metro will complete by the end of 2009 its update of the Regional Transportation Plan directing all new transportation projects in our community; the Aurora Airport is now in process of updating its Master Plan to possibly expand the operation of this transportation facility; land in North Wilsonville between Day and Ridder Roads, referred to as Coffee Creek I, will be promoted by the Chamber for economic development; a decision by spring of 2010 to designate land for inclusion inside the region’s Urban Growth Boundary during the next 50-years.

The current economic situation has motivated the Chamber’s Board of Directors to help members receive more value from their membership, build a stronger network of business associates and clients, and increase their knowledge of developing a successful business. The Chamber hired Brandi Hereford as Membership and Events Director. Brandi will spend most of her time coordinating member services with Steve Gilmore, the Chamber’s CEO.

The Board of Directors has added new events to the Chamber’s membership portfolio. You will receive details later regarding these events. Several of these events result from comments the Chamber’s Board of Directors received from members: a new monthly after work networking event – The Last Call; a one-hour monthly brown bag luncheon seminar – Small Business University - featuring members educating members on topics such as tax laws, best way to spend your advertising budget, the basics of a good website, and more; for members without a storefront or located outside the city, there will be two Small Business Showcases in May and November.

The Board will continue building productive alliances with other chambers in the south metro area to provide a clearer and stronger business advocacy voice to city, county, regional, state and federal public officials. An example of the benefit of having a collective approach by south metro chambers on an issue that promotes the economic vitality of our members is the current improvements of I-5.

Thank you for the honor of being your president in 2010.