Get Involved

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The Chamber encourages all of our members to get involved.  Participation on various committees is a great way to get your ideas heard and help propel our community to the next level.  We have a number of different special interest committees in which our members can participate including Governmental Affairs, Community Development/Workforce Development, Education, Retail, Membership, Marketing & Publicity, Young Professionals, Special Events, Christmas Parade, Professional Development Summit, Tourism and Annual Meeting.  Contact the Chamber today for more information on the committees you are most interested in.

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS: 
Chairman, Susan Foy; Mark Lamborne; Dan Meeks; Jim Burns; Marvin Wagoner     

The mission of the Governmental Affairs committee is to be informed and responsive to the political actions at the local, state and national levels; be informed of political actions from the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama, Business Council of Alabama and US Chamber of Commerce; heighten the visibility and credibility of the Chamber as an organization keenly interested in government actions as they affect Alexander City and the Lake Martin area. Be proactive in lobbying legislative entities on pertinent projects/initiatives specified by the Chamber Board of Directors.

• Organize legislative roundtable with key federal, state, and local officials. 
• Organize a Washington fly-in for April to meet with the national delegation.
• Invite local officials to chamber board meetings on a regular basis.
• Have a regular presence at City Council meetings. The Council meets on the 1st & 3rd Monday of each month at 6:00 p.m. with pre-meeting at 5:30 p.m.
• Attend County Commission meetings when appropriate. The County meets on the 2nd Monday at 9:00 am. 
• Coordinate legislative trips to Montgomery for the Jr. Ambassadors and Leadership Lake Martin.
• Participate in the Chamber of Commerce Association and Business Council of Alabama partnership activities and events.
• Organize and sponsor the Holiday Breakfast for chamber members, elected officials and city department managers in December.
• Organize town hall meetings for the local, state, and national elections between the primary election in June and general election in November
• Take proactive position on legal issues and ordinances that put undue stress on business and industry. 

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT / WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: 
Chairman, Mark Lamborne; Susan Foy; Jim Burns; Fred Dobbs; Dan Meeks; Blaine Tharpe; Jim Sizemore; Marvin Wagoner

 This committee focuses on business recruitment including retail, restaurants, small business ventures, and other commercial development projects.  In addition, this committee participates in organizations/events which focus on enhancing the quality of life aspects of the area.

• Conduct a property and building audit and maintain a comprehensive database of existing buildings, commercial space and available land for development.
• Encourage the development of a landscape ordinance, architecture standards review committee for major gateways in to the City.  
• Attend the International Council of Shopping Centers Southeastern Show in Atlanta.
• Chamber to be represented on other community boards such as the City Coordination Committee, Main Street Alexander City, Industrial Development Board of Alexander City, and Lake Martin Economic Development Alliance.
• Develop and implement an image campaign for Alexander City.
• Have quarterly round table meetings with representatives along Highway 280 including Childersburg, Sylacauga, Dadeville, and Opelika/Auburn.
• Continue to market and promote the Alabama Entrepreneurial Research Network site.
• Promote an accurate 2010 Census in the community.
• Develop a comprehensive marketing publication.
• Facilitate the development of a master plan for new community and business development: “Envision 2020”.
• Organize and execute a community stake holders summit.
• Gather accurate demographic information
• Sustain Lake Martin Human Resource Association activities.
• Renew the promotion of Gateway to Education.
• Ask the Lake Martin Economic Development Alliance to update the Chamber Board of Directors on a Quarterly Basis.

SPECIAL EVENTS: 
Chairman, Susan Foy; Mark Lamborne; Dan Meeks; Jim Burns; Fred Dobbs; Blue Vardaman.

• Identify, plan, organize, and conduct special events for the purpose of promoting the Alexander City area.  For consideration as events are:  Taste of Lake Martin; Bar-B-Que Cook-Off; Lake Martin Classic “Athletic” Event.
• Plan, organize and conduct annual Hometown Christmas Parade.

MARKETING & PUBLICITY: 
Chairman, Jane Howell; Susan Foy; Rhonda Watson, Corinne Hodges; Becky Nappier; Jeff LaMonica; Becky Cleveland; Kim Dunn; Joanne Ninesling; Marvin Wagoner

• Finalize the redesign of the Chamber Website before the annual meeting in February.
  
• Produce Chamber Currents quarterly.
  
• Produce a new television commercial to run on the local channel and Charter channels.
  
• Submit monthly articles to Lake Martin Living.
  
• Investigate the feasibility of an outdoor billboard.
  
• Produce the annual Visitor’s Guide.
  
• Produce a membership directory.
  
• Submit regular columns to The Outlook.
  
• Launch a new “image” campaign for Alexander City.
  
• Produce additional marketing materials for retail/commercial development efforts. 

EDUCATION:  Chairman, Wanda Toland; Sherlene Leonard; Marvin Wagoner
The education committee serves as the link between the business community and our education system. This committee works to implement programs designed to enhance the relationship between business, industry, educators, and students within our school system.

• Teach “Choices” to the entire 8th grade in the Spring.
• Select Junior Ambassadors for the 2009-10 school year.
• Take the Junior Ambassadors on a Field trip to Montgomery for a historical and/or legislative tour.
• Support the Retail Committee’s “Teacher Appreciation Week.”  In addition, consider other activities for teacher appreciation such as biscuits on the first day of school.
• Conduct interviews and select “Teacher of the Year.”
• Honor “Teacher of the Year” during the annual chamber meeting.
• Recognize the individual schools “Teachers of the Year” with plaques presented during the teacher’s convocation.
• Promote the Gateway to Education Scholarship Program throughout the community soliciting funding support.
• Distribute Gateway to Education materials where appropriate.
• Recognize school board with a special breakfast during School Board Appreciation Month
• Chamber President and CEO to be a member of the Alexander City Schools Education Foundation Board of Directors

RETAIL:  Chairman, Neal Watts; David Booth; Theresa Young; Sherlene Leonard; Cam Caldwell; Kim Dunn; Marvin Wagoner
The retail committee is charged with providing assistance in implementing programs that promote, protect, and benefit retail sales. In addition, programs and events will be implemented to attract tourists and shoppers in general to the area.

• Produce and distribute the annual Visitors Guide by Memorial Day weekend.
• Promote Teacher Appreciation Week in May.
• Sponsor “Coffee Break From Crime” with the ACPD.
• Market and Promote Chamber Checks program.
• Recruit retail businesses into Chamber membership
• Assist the community development committee in the pursuit of new restaurants and retail shops.
• Partner & support Main Street Alexander City to continue revitalization of downtown projects.
• Sponsor Holiday Open House in November.
• Arrange for Jr. Ambassadors to help with Holiday Open House and Santa Claus on Broad Street.
• Sponsor a retail meeting with a speaker from the Alabama Retail Association.
• Continue with the “Chamber Christmas Cash” Bash Program

MARKETING & PUBLICITY:  Chairman, Jane Howell; Susan Foy; Becky Nappier; Jeff LaMonica; Becky Cleveland; Kim Dunn; Joanne Ninesling; Marvin Wagoner

• Finalize the redesign of the Chamber Website before mid-year
• Produce Chamber Currents quarterly.
• Submit monthly articles to Lake Martin Living magazine.
• Submit regular columns to The Outlook.
• Continue weekly radio segment on Kowaliga Country, 97.5 FM
• Continue monthly television segment on WAXC-TV, The Front Porch 
• Produce the annual Visitor’s Guide.
• Work closely with Tallapoosa Publishers to produce South’s Best Kept Secret publication
• Coordinate with the Membership Committee to produce a membership directory
• Additional projects for consideration:
• Launch a new “image” campaign for Alexander City.
• Produce additional marketing materials for retail/commercial development efforts.
•  Investigate the feasibility of an outdoor billboard.
•  Produce a new television commercial to run on the local channel and Charter channels.

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS:  Chairman, Neal Watts; Blue Vardaman

• Identify young professionals in the community
• Plan quarterly meetings with “topic of the day” speakers
• Consider a young professionals project similar to those projects accomplished by Leadership Lake Martin

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SUMMIT:  Chairman, Lesa Roberts; Tammy Jackson; Wanda Toland; Kim Dunn; Joanne Ninesling; with the support of the Chamber Ambassadors  

• Plan, organize, and conduct annual Professional Development Summit with goals to:
• Continue to conduct the event in the month of October
• Secure nationally known speakers
• Increase attendance
• Increase Business Expo vendors
• Include the Leadership Lake Martin Class for the morning portion of their Education Class Day

MEMBERSHIP:  Chairman, Pam Wellborn; Lesa Roberts; David Booth; Theresa Young; Kim Dunn; Marvin Wagoner

• Focus on retention and recruitment of members through the development and introduction of membership benefits and affinity programs such as:
  • Health Care program ( Chamber Options)
  • Media Package
  • Credit Card Processing Program
  • Enhancement and promotion of Member to Member discount program
  • Considering establishing notary public service within the Chamber office
  • Highlighting in the weekly e-news and other media a benefit of the week
  • Continuing to notify member businesses with the “A Return on Your Investment” card when referred
  • Continuing to notify non-member businesses on one occasion with the “A Benefit of Investment” card when referred  
• Conduct at least two, and consider one each quarter, Business After Hours promoting the event more aggressively
• Produce a PDF format membership directory to place on the Chamber website for easy access and printing by website visitors
• Update the Chamber website frequently, so that all current membership and new member highlight information is accurate.
• Co-Sponsor with the Governmental Affairs Committee the annual Holiday Appreciation Breakfast
• Continue Coffee & Conversation each 2nd and 4th Wednesday morning.
• Continue the Ambassador Program

ANNUAL MEETING:  Chairman, Susan Foy; Mark Lamborne; Dan Meeks, Jim Burns; Marvin Wagoner; Kim Dunn; Joanne Ninesling; with the support of the Chamber Ambassadors

• Plan, organize, and conduct the Chamber’s annual meeting.