Chamber Honor Marks ‘Tremendous’ Successes
Christy Gillenwater has served as president and CEO of the chamber since 2013.
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Southwest Indiana Chamber is a finalist for a national award, which Chief Executive Officer Christy Gillenwater says is validation for a "monumental year." The organization is a National Chamber of the Year Finalist in its category of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. Gillenwater says the recognition reflects the region’s momentum with projects including the Regional Cities Initiative, land-based gaming and the I-69 expansion.
She says the recognition illustrates the success of the chamber’s "alliance model," which involves eight alliances focusing on areas including family businesses, business owner diversity and young professionals.
In April, the Southwest Indiana Regional Development Authority signed a contract with the Indiana Economic Development Corp., which is a key step in the Regional Cities Initiative process. Through the initiative, the region can access as much as $42 million in state matching funding for quality of life and talent attraction projects. Also earlier this year, the Indiana Gaming Commission approved plans for the Evansville’s Tropicana Casino to become the state’s first land-based casino.
Since 2007, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives has annually recognized up to five of more than 7,500 chambers of commerce nationally with Chamber of the Year awards. The Southwest Indiana Chapter is competing in category three, which is the association’s second-largest grouping. The other finalists in that category are the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce in Kentucky and the Gainsville Area Chamber of Commerce in Florida.
Southwest Indiana Chamber Board of Directors Chairman Jeff Mulzer says being named a finalist recognizes the chamber’s "impressive and unwavering work towards making our region a globally competitive place to work, live and grow a business."
The next steps in the award process will take place during August’s ACCE Convention in Savannah Georgia. Gillenwater says chamber leaders will participate in interviews with judges on August 9, and winners will be announced August 10.