But the real meaning of the cupcake wasn't a practical one. It was symbolic. It symbolized the halfway point we have reached in implementing our three year strategic plan. In 2015, when the Board took on the task of researching best practices, understanding what our members value, learning why some businesses aren't members, and analyzing and evaluating the path our organization should take, a set of priorities were developed. And they were committed to making those priorities a reality. They have worked hard to set a vision for the Chamber and keep us working toward building an organization of excellence as we serve the community.
As we reached the halfway point in the implementation of the plan, we wanted to celebrate the accomplishments we've reached so far and remind us that we still have goals left to achieve. Here's some of the highlights that our Chair, Sarah Marshall, mentioned at the luncheon.
Priority Area: Delivering Value to Members
- The Chamber changed its member database in an effort to start organizing and segmented member by their needs and interests to address a diverse membership base.
- One objective under this priority area is to increase the visibility and awareness of members. Through the redesign of McKinneyOnline.com, a community news website, the Chamber added a robust business directory to the news platform giving our Members greater visibility to the community and connecting business with customers. The Chamber also redesigned it’s website in order to target a business audience while allowing McKinneyOnline.com to be the vehicle for community and consumer news, events, products and services.
Priority Area: Advance Community Excellence
- The purpose is to take a leading role with key stakeholders in advancing business and community priorities. We started this broad initiative by conducting a compression planning day where we invited key community stakeholders and representatives of our diverse membership and community at large to help narrow down what community initiatives we should focus our efforts in order to build on the strong economic climate we enjoy and continue to expand those efforts. As a result of that day, a handful of task force groups have been formed to research and report back to the Chamber the potential of creating new programs. Currently, there is an education and workforce development task force, diversity and inclusion task force and a group who is researching the potential of developing a Competitiveness Council.
- As an information source the Chamber continues its advocacy efforts on key issues that are important to the vitality of our community and that support business success.
Priority Area: Develop Organizational Sustainability
- The purpose of this area is to ensure the long term Chamber sustainability to meet the needs of our members and the McKinney Community.
- The Chamber focused its efforts inward by re-organizing the staff so they are best positioned to execute the strategic plan and move these priority areas forward.
- Next month, the Chamber will submit its application for re-accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This process is a large undertaking as they assess nine different sectors of the Chamber and assign points based on best practice benchmarking. While the Board and staff work on completing the application, it’s given us an opportunity to review so many aspects of what we do – from policy and procedures to programming for members to coordinated advocacy efforts.
To view the Chamber's Strategic plan
click here.
Cheers,
Lisa Hermes
For those who attended the Quarterly Membership Lunch last week, you probably noticed (and devoured) the 1/2 cupcake at your place setting. Perhaps you were thinking we are putting our members on a diet plan. Or perhaps you thought we ran out of cupcakes and had cut them in half to share. But the real meaning of the cupcake wasn't a practical one. It was symbolic. It symbolized the halfway point we have reached in implementing our three year strategic plan. In 2015, when the Board took on the task of researching best practices, understanding what our members value, learning why some businesses aren't members, and analyzing and evaluating the path our organization should take, a set of priorities were developed. And they were committed to making those priorities a reality. They have worked hard to set a vision for the Chamber and keep us working toward building an organization of excellence as we serve the community.