Last edited 2:19 p.m., Dec. 7, 2012The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce received the 2012 Missouri Chamber of the Year last month in St. Louis during the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual meeting.
Missouri chamber President Dan Mehan cited the Springfield chamber’s strength in membership, job creation efforts and advocacy for local businesses.
The statewide award is on the heels of the Springfield chamber earning a national chamber of the year award. The American Chamber of Commerce Executives in August recognized the Springfield chamber in the largest award category – those with revenues exceeding $2 million. Among its roughly 140 peer chamber groups, the Springfield chamber beat out finalists from St. Joseph County in Indiana and the Hilton Head-Bluffton area in South Carolina.
“Our city has been put on the map in a lot of ways, and this is one more,” Springfield chamber President Jim Anderson told
Springfield Business Journal in September after receiving the award. “I think it affirms that what we’re doing as a business advocacy and economic development organization is blue ribbon.
“But I promise you our volunteer leadership and staff team doesn’t get complacent. The day after the award ceremony, we were charging as hard then as we were the day before.”
On Sept. 1, 2011, the chamber wrapped up a
month-long membership drive that netted a record 420 new members, bringing the total membership to more than 2,100, and raised a record $200,000. Nearly 400 volunteers worked during the campaign. Membership is currently 1,874, according to Brent McCoy, the chamber's membership director.
According to the chamber’s 2012 annual report, which will be reviewed during its Jan. 25 annual meeting at University Plaza Convention Center, the economic development team this year helped to create 271 new jobs, $7.6 million in new payroll and $66.2 million in new capital investments. Through Springfield Business Development Corp., the chamber’s economic development subsidiary, there were nine announced projects, including such companies as SRC Power Systems and SRC Automotive, Kraft Foods, Arrowhead Building Supply and Sunrise Communications. The SBDC reports 19 current active projects on the board.
With the achievements, Anderson was invited to speak to Drury University’s 410 graduating students during its Dec. 15 winter commencement.
“I know of no one who has had a broader impact on the economic development of our region than Jim Anderson,” Drury President Todd Parnell said in a news release. “His integrity, work ethic and sincere care for our community are inspirational to all. Jim’s been a good friend to Drury and I know he’ll send our graduates off with an inspirational message.”
Anderson received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Drury in 2002, and his daughter Rebecca is graduating on Dec. 15, the release said.[[In-content Ad]]
