Some of crucial work we do on the Greater Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce is within the realm of advocating for our native enterprise neighborhood. We prefer to assume that our method to advocacy is each distinctive and impactful. These traces of work begin with the premise that our enterprise neighborhood and native governments are interdependent. Which means what we attempt to do is create and preserve relationships that are primarily based on sharing info and enterprise intelligence with native leaders. The purpose is for either side to profit from each interplay. Usually, that manifests in conferences, calls and different private contact that could be very a lot consistent with how most of our Chamber of Commerce actions transpire. With the COVID-19 pandemic altering each means during which we work, we’ve needed to be artistic in how we do that.
Tallahassee and Leon County haven’t any scarcity of challenges proper now, however one of the most effective issues occurring right here right now is that there’s a actual want from native leaders to see our hometown thrive. That’s a terrific place to start out when attempting to strengthen the relationships between enterprise and authorities. It’s definitely honest to say that it has by no means been extra essential. The work we do on this area occurs by means of our Enterprise Advocacy Committee (BAC) and the devoted volunteers who surrender many hours every month to maintain these conversations going. Throughout this pandemic, when so many companies are struggling, the interdependent nature of our relationship with native authorities has by no means been clearer.
Beneath the management of BAC Chair Sammie Dixon, we’ve got remained diligent in our advocacy efforts. Earlier this week, the Chamber’s BAC held a digital assembly with Metropolis of Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey becoming a member of the dialogue. One of the most effective attributes of our BAC members is that they symbolize a large cross-part of essential industries, essential providers, and different foundational components of our native financial system. With Mayor Dailey on the decision, he was in a position to hear instantly from these enterprise leaders on how the pandemic and our now extended financial pause are affecting employers and the hundreds of jobs they symbolize.
Mayor Dailey was form sufficient to provide BAC members practically an hour of his time and the dialogue between them was invaluable for all concerned. The Mayor and all of our native elected officers have completed a terrific job maintaining communication traces open throughout these troublesome instances and the outcomes have been optimistic for native companies. Past the BAC name with Mayor Dailey, we’ve got additionally saved involved with quite a few native leaders together with a latest digital assembly with County Fee Chair Bryan Desloge. There has been common outreach with Superintendent Rocky Hanna and Leon County Colleges as nicely. It is essential to notice that the employees on the Metropolis of Tallahassee, Leon County and Leon County Colleges have by no means been extra aware of enterprise. By way of their management, the Metropolis and County have helped shepherd quite a few assets for companies in want of a lifeline proper now. These assets and different useful info for native companies might be discovered by way of the Chamber’s on-line COVID-19 portal.
Our advocacy efforts for native companies by no means cease – particularly in moments like these. We’re lucky to dwell in a terrific neighborhood and even in these robust instances, we proceed to indicate what makes Tallahassee and Leon County nice. Relationships between leaders will proceed to be crucial strategy to drive outcomes. {Our relationships} persist as a result of we are all on this collectively.
Jay Revell
Vice President, Advocacy and Public Coverage