| Chamber of Commerce Week September 12-16 The City of Marion and the State of Illinois will celebrate Chamber of Commerce Week September 12-16. The City of Marion and the State of Illinois will celebrate Chamber of Commerce Week September 12-16. This week is a time set aside to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of Chambers of Commerce and the communities they represent. The City of Marion issued a proclamation on Monday, September 12 officially declaring the week as Chamber of Commerce Week, and at the request of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has proclaimed September 12-16 as Chamber of Commerce Week in Illinois. “I firmly believe a robust Chamber of Commerce is one of the most critical components of every successful community,” said Dalus Ben Avi, executive director of the Marion Chamber of Commerce. “The passion, commitment, resourcefulness and ability to move people toward a common goal make Chambers of Commerce part of the backbone of every great community and they should be celebrated.” Chartered in 1921, the Marion Chamber is an organization of business and professional people working together to build a healthy economy and to improve the quality of life in the Marion area. The Marion Chamber and its members provide citizens with a strong business environment that increases employment, the retail trade and commerce, and industrial growth in order to make the City of Marion a better place to live. “When I think of the Chamber, I think ‘Community,’” said Mindy Reid, Banking Center Manager at Banterra Bank and member of the Marion Chamber’s Board of Directors. “Being actively involved in your local Chamber not only provides you and your business with multiple networking opportunities, but it also provides the means to give back to this community in which we live and work.” Mindy is also the chair of the Chamber’s Membership Committee. “Having a strong Chamber with determined committee members helps to create and maintain the ever growing business population in our region,” she said. “Success comes by the hands of many and the Chamber is a wonderful way to witness this!” Although their work is often done behind the scenes, Chamber of Commerce staff and volunteers are routinely involved in many areas of the community that help it thrive. The Marion Chamber works to support the growth of their approximately 500 members while helping to build a prosperous and sustainable community. “I was new to Marion when I got involved in the Marion Chamber,” said Gail Barger, president of Priority Payroll Co. and Priority Staffing Group, and Secretary of the Marion Chamber Board of Directors. “Joining the Chamber and, the most important part - becoming active in the organization, opened doors for me to a valued network. It is very important when you join to also become active! “The Marion Chamber has become a very essential part of our business plan and networking,” Gail said. “We have connected with numerous businesses and remarkable business people, served on numerous committees, and helped coordinate many successful events. The Chamber works hard for our community and we are happy to be a part of it.” Chambers of Commerce have contributed to the civic and economic life of Illinois for 178 years since the founding of the Galena Chamber of Commerce in 1838. This year marks the 97th anniversary of the foundation of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, the state’s leading broad-based business organization. “We are blessed to be part of a very active Chamber that is reflective of a very active business climate in the City of Marion,” said Doug Kimmel, director of the Williamson County Regional Airport and chairman of the Marion Chamber Board of Directors. “The economic success of Marion’s growth continues to be what drives our mission at the Chamber which is to provide a forum through membership benefits and events that encourages the continued growth and development of both new and existing businesses in our community.“ The State of Illinois is the home to international chambers of commerce, the Great Lakes Region Office of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and more than 400 local chambers of commerce. “For me, the chamber provided a great opportunity as a new business owner, in a new town, to meet other business professionals,” said Kenya Garner with State Farm and First Vice Chair of the Marion Chamber Board of Directors. “It has been more of a personal/social network – where I can call upon the other Chamber members as a resource, to answer questions and give advice or feedback in different situations. These relationships have proven invaluable since I did not come from a background of running my own business and didn’t fully grasp all the aspects of doing so.” For more information about the Marion Chamber of Commerce, visit marionillinois.com or call (618) 997-6311.  Published: 09/13/16 |
