Hope for ’24

The Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce was first established in 1902. Over the course of its 120-year history, the Chamber has seen our community grow untold bounds not only in population size but also in industry, community priorities, social pressures, and changes in access to economic prosperity. Community efforts like ours have and will continue to make a difference. Despite this longevity, we are often asked, what exactly does a Chamber of Commerce do? In short, I chose to volunteer my time leading Eugene’s local Chamber ofCommerce because there is no institution charged with advocating for the needs of local business. One local voice might be hard to leverage at a City Council table, in a capital  office, or in a Congressman’s ear. However, what about 1200 voices? Working as a collective of business needs, the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce can advocate for a strong local business climate to include supporting existing businesses as well as attracting new businesses and new jobs to our region. We are here to act as a catalyst for positive change and be a champion for a strong local economy.This past year your Chamber Board was busy! We witnessed a surge of reconnection, purpose, healing, and renewed vision for where we are going not only as a chamber but as a community. No longer in the throes of a pandemic response, we celebrated a fresh,  whole year of digging down deep to unearth our potential as a community. We wrestled with difficult issues, innovated toward reducing social inequalities, debated paths forward, and charted new trails for economic development in our region.In 2023, we engaged on issues ranging from redistricting to Measure 110; from how our community engages in climate change action to state advocacy for local business. We worked to retool our economic development efforts through Onward Eugene and advocated for local development through urban renewal. The Chamber board weighed in on important efforts towards addressing homelessness and public safety for local businesses while representing balanced and fair policy-making on issues ranging from housing to energy. Outside of advocacy, the Chamber Board provided oversight to our region’s largest Chamber of Commerce, keeping solvency, transparency, and efficiency at the heart of our operations.As the new Chair of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, I look back on my year on this board with great hope. Grateful for the leadership of the Immediate Past Chair, Amanda Walkup, and for my colleagues who continue to lend their professional and personal business acumen to our community. I look forward to a year of new clarity, passion, and plain old work to help everyone in our community live happy, healthy lives.Thanks to our local business leaders who continue to pour themselves into this community and those who tirelessly invest their heart and passion into the vision of what Eugene can be. Additionally, to all those who not only believed in their dream but also chose our region to care for and nurture it to success. While 2023 was a hallmark year for our returning to baseline, 2024 will be our year for growth, shared vision, and prosperity.