GOVERNMENT
them to succeed without government telling them what they need to do and how to do it.” Even Manfredi, perhaps the most skeptical at City Hall, said, “Kelly Anderson is a promising new presence in the Chamber, and I believe she has the potential to excel as the director, provided she receives adequate support and autonomy from her board to implement necessary changes and improvements. “ For the chamber, there are no hard feelings. “No one in our boardroom is upset with the city,” Jackson stressed during his interview with InMaricopa . The chamber even confirmed it will continue giving the city a platinum membership — worth $5,000 a year — for free, asking nothing in return. That was a stipulation in the contract, but the chamber will continue to honor it in good faith. After all, if the city wasn’t a member, it would be a bad look. Best not to let it get that far.
are thankful to have played a part in setting the stage for their success,” the city’s Brown said in a statement to InMaricopa . “We look forward to seeing the chamber as a self-sustaining and thriving organization within our community.” For the first time in its 14-year history, the chamber wrote a mission statement, vision and core values under its new leadership. This year, it plans to create maps and a member directory, launch a youth mentorship program, clean up finance reporting, create a strategic plan and much more. In December, the chamber launched Taste of Copa, a discount food tour reminiscent of those in Scottsdale and Phoenix. That was open to all restaurants, not just members. It’s also promised to start allowing the press to cover chamber events, something Présumé didn’t allow without paying a fee. Last year, the chamber welcomed 55 new members, netting nearly $40,000 in revenue. Its annual gala made about $25,000. It revamped its website, joined the statewide Arizona Chamber Executives network and received a training scholarship, among other new accomplishments.
“The city has encouraged and supported the chamber for a number of years now. It is time for us to step back and allow them to succeed without government telling them what they need to do
and how to do it.” COUNCILMEMBER ERIC GOETTL
“In recent months, I have been delighted to see the vision, planning and direction Executive Director Kelly Anderson and their new board of directors have established and are beginning to implement,” Councilmember Goettl told InMaricopa . “The city has encouraged and supported the chamber for a number of years now. It is time for us to step back and allow
Councilmember Vincent Manfredi is owner of InMaricopa .
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InMaricopa.com | February 2024
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