The consolidation of the Winston Salem Chamber and Winston-Salem Business, Inc. into Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. was planned late last year to occur on March 31st. Because the State of the Economy luncheon planned for April 2 is postponed, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. will launch digitally on that day. You will notice the transition as the website winstonsalem.com and other digital platforms like social media begin to carry the Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. branding.  

As part of a broad economic development plan that was approved unanimously by the boards of both the Chamber and WSBI, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. will serve as a unified voice of business in our county and streamline efforts to attract economic development. Key initiatives for Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. are to attract investment and talent in key industries and to initiate a national marketing strategy that celebrates Winston-Salem’s unique character and opportunities. With a focus on placemaking, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.’s new website, logo, and materials will showcase our community to the world.  

We realize that in the span of the last few weeks, the world has changed as economic priorities for cities and towns everywhere have shifted. We didn’t expect Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. to launch under the circumstances brought about by the coronavirus outbreak, but we will move forward and face each new challenge as our community always has – by unifying our collective strengths and working together to overcome them. It’s never been clearer than it is during this pandemic that a collaborative approach where we leverage resources is the best approach for our future, and that is what we are building with Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. 

Our business community needs us now perhaps more than ever in our 135-year history, and while our name will change, our commitment to them will not. Our immediate priorities in response to the Coronavirus outbreak are to protect public health, coordinate the local production of vital medical supplies, and lead our community’s economic relief and recovery efforts. We are working diligently to help our existing businesses as we continue to stay in contact with prospective businesses. We are looking at many options to support our business community and want everyone to know it is vital to continue supporting our local businesses while practicing social distancing.   

As we move forward in the coming months, it is our hope and commitment that Winston-Salem will stand out as a resilient and strong community that has worked together to weather this storm. In the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic, communities will need nimble strategies to recruit and retain companies and talent, and we will be able to do that as Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.