NEWS, RESOURCES AND A LOOK INSIDE THE MANY WAYS YOUR CHAMBER WORKS FOR YOU
Team Report - Behind the Scenes: Community Strategies
Sheron Rose leads the Chamber’s Com-munity Strategies Team, which includes Temisha Young and Bonnie Evans and works to provide outreach and engage-ment programs that encourage and enhance diversity in business in our area. They shared a bit about the role they play in bettering our city.
What do you and your team oversee for the Chamber?
SR: Our team leads and manages business diversity outreach and engagement activities, including the creation of innovative platforms and communication channels to enhance work-force-development-led initiatives. Our goal is to align and develop strategies and programs for those impacted by workforce development and strengthen small and minority businesses.
How does the local business community benefit from what you and your team do?
SR: Partnering with area educational systems and industry/business partners allows us to create a workforce/talent pipeline that aligns with and meets current industry/business needs. It is also essential for the retention of jobs and the recruitment of additional jobs. We support and encourage increased funding to support pre-K classes, understanding that a solid foundation for learning is essential for the future.
How does the community in general benefit?
TY: Building a strong minority business sector strengthens the overall quality of life for the Montgomery community. Business growth is essential in this sector because minority businesses typically create jobs in minority communities, which builds prosperity among minority families.
SR: The community benefits from our ability to manage and maintain strong professional relationships with key business development organizations and leaders in the community to foster partnerships that will enhance the growth and development of small, large, women-owned and minority businesses. In addition, an educational system that produces students who are prepared to go directly into the workforce or into additional educational training results in increased quality of life for our community.
What resources do you and your team provide Chamber members?
SR: We are often a liaison between the busi-ness community and education and connect them to implement mutual initiatives.
What do you consider some of your team’s most significant achievements?
BE: I consider the Diversity Summit and the Women in Business initiative, Conversations: Roundtables for Professional Women, as two of our most creative and exciting achievements.
SR: The Diversity Summit, Women in Business Roundtable and MGM Biztalk are initiatives that, in my opinion, have provided the most “take-aways” by connecting people and business and providing opportunity for personal and professional growth.
What is your team’s role in the Chamber’s governmental relations efforts?
SR: In addition to conveying the Chamber’s positions on policy, our department has the privilege of developing, cultivating and sustaining relations with members of city, county and legislative branches of govern-ment as well as industry leaders, community and executive officials.
