2008 is an exciting year for the Brentwood Chamber.  In 2007 we embarked upon a long-term plan to expand and improve the resources and benefits of Chamber membership.  2008 is the first full year to implement our initial plans and identify additional projects.  Many creative ideas have been shared, and I'm sure many more ideas have crossed your mind.  However, have you shared your ideas?  The only way a Chamber can be responsive to specific membership needs is when those specific needs are known.  If you have an idea that you feel will benefit business in Brentwood, I encourage you to share it. 

We're all busy with our own businesses, yet regardless of our individual business, we share many of the same questions and challenges. It's those shared questions and challenges that prompted the Chamber to start working on a Business Resource Center that will be located in the Chamber office.  It's those shared questions and challenges that create the topics for our monthly educational business luncheons.  And, it's those shared questions, challenges and passion for our community that identified the initial set of Chamber committees. 

Where do you fit within the Chamber community?  Our initial Chamber committees include ambassadors/liaisons, business resources/education, community events, historic downtown Brentwood, legislative advocacy, marketing, ag/tourism, member services and technology.  What's your hot spot?  Call the Chamber Office at 634-3344 and have your name added to one or more committees.  I encourage you to get involved this year and help us implement new and exciting programs.  Your involvement will make a difference.

I'm excited about this Chamber year, and consider it a privilege to serve as Chamber President as we continue the momentum begun in 2007.  Together we can make it an absolutely GREAT 2008!

Kathi

I can't believe we are almost at the end of 2007. We started this year asking the membership what they wanted and needed from the Chamber of Commerce to help them to become more successful. We hope we have addressed each need and request that has come before us. As in the start of a business, there needs to be creative ideas, information gathering and planning before anything gets off the ground. The beginning of 2008 will be a starting point for a lot of projects and committees that promote local business. We will be working on the new Business Resource Center, providing more working/educational business luncheons and jump-start the committees such as ambassadors/liaisons, business resources, community, legislative advocacy, marketing, member services and technology. All of this is a work in progress. The heart of this association is the members willingness to get involved, and the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce has a big heart. As we all know, the more you get involved, the more you will get back from an association like ours. This next year will be exciting so get involved, stay involved and help us make this an even better Chamber to belong to. It has been a privilege and an honor to be on the board of directors and I wanted to thank the membership for this opportunity.