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Chamber Keeps Focued on Progress

Connect Your Business

As months zoom by, chamber keeps focused on progress
By Sharon Powers, President
North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce

It's hard to believe that we're heading into August. Considering the challenges we've faced this year, many people will look forward to 2009. What does the rest of the year hold for our community and businesses? As businesspeople, we face this question daily, in one form or another. How we anticipate and respond affects the future of the community and our economic future.

The North Las Vegas Chamber works in several ways to gather information and influence the outcomes that reduce the uncertainty businesses face. It helps us to understand the impacts and opportunities for our businesses and lets us be more proactive and increase our chances for success. The chamber also allows individual businesses to band together to be a sizable force for lobbying and for exclusive benefits. What is the chamber's focus for the rest of 2008 and beyond? We'll continue to provide opportunities for our members to grow and prosper, even in this difficult economy, and we'll continue to address the myriad challenges facing business from government regulation to the rising cost of health care. Our government affairs committee continues to work within task forces to target issues such as health care, transportation, taxes, and education. A task force focusing on local government processes will be conducting member forums to help identify processes within the city of North Las Vegas that need improvement from the business perspective. The task force will then work with city staff to produce an easy-to-use business model.

The chamber has also contracted with Ferrari Smith Public Affairs to assist with its lobbying and public affairs efforts. We're excited to be working with professionals such as Chris Ferrari and Patrick Smith as they help us to further our government affairs and advocacy programs. Through their expertise, we'll be able to more effectively spread the chamber's message and continue to work to ensure a viable business climate for our members. In the next couple of months, three major events will take place. The seventh-annual Directions 2008: Economic Outlook of North Las Vegas will discuss not only the projects and developments ahead for North Las Vegas, but how the city compares demographically with the rest of the valley. Directions, sponsored by the Las Vegas Business Press, is scheduled for Aug. 28 at Texas Station.

The chamber will roll out its first Women's Leadership Conference on Sept. 4. The Women's Leadership Conference will feature keynote speaker Debra Benton, the founder of Benton Management Resources. Her client list reads like a "who's who" in successful business style and her expertise has afforded her front-page coverage in The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. The Women's Leadership Conference will run in the Rio's events center.

Rounding out our annual event calendar will be the sixth-annual Salute to Heroes recognition luncheon Sept. 25 at Texas Station's conference center. This event will "wow" you, bring tears to your eyes, and make you proud to be an American. First-responders, members of the armed forces, and individuals from the community will be recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty or making a significant impact on a person, group, or community. These "heroes" represent agencies and citizens from throughout the valley. With all the negativity in the news today, this event will remind you that there are great things happening in our communities.

Within the next couple of weeks, the chamber will have named its inaugural Leadership North Las Vegas class. These individuals will represent a cross section of our valley and will have shown a commitment to help shape the future of North Las Vegas. These professionals will hold the distinction of being in the first Leadership class and will set the standard for future classes. An intimidating challenge for sure, that's what makes them Leadership North Las Vegas material.

Sharon Powers is president and CEO of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.

Reprinted from Las Vegas Business Press July 28, 2008