National awards presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives recognize industry-leading Chambers
In an awards competition recognizing the best in the Chamber industry, Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. has been named a finalist for the 2024 Chamber of the Year award, presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).
The award, sponsored by GrowthZone, is the most prestigious and competitive recognition presented annually by ACCE. It recognizes the leadership role chambers of commerce have in their communities. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and impacted key community priorities, such as education, transportation, economic prosperity and quality of life.
To ensure the fairest competition, applicants are grouped into four categories based on annual revenue, membership, area population, and other factors. Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. is one of three national finalists in Category 4 representing the largest Chamber organizations. The other finalists in Category 4 are the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce in Phoenix, Arizona and the State Chamber of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City.
“This year’s finalists represent the best in the chamber industry,” said Sheree Anne Kelly, ACCE President & CEO. “They are community leaders and innovators, driving growth and regional prosperity. We congratulate them on this outstanding achievement.”
“To be named a finalist among peer organizations nationwide is an incredible honor,” says Mark Owens, President and CEO of Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. “This prestigious recognition is a testament to our entire team at Greater Winston-Salem, Inc., along with our board, investors, members, and partners who work with us to initiate programs that drive our community forward and drive the Chamber industry forward.”
“Our board is proud of the staff and all of our partners for achieving this important accomplishment! Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. is leading Winston-Salem and Forsyth County’s efforts to recruit and retain companies and talent, align the workforce pipeline with the business needs of tomorrow, and support the growth of small businesses throughout the community. Our efforts in reaching these objectives are visionary, and with this honor from ACCE, we can confidently say they are among the best in the country.” says Cathy J. Pace, Chair of the Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. Board of Directors.
Organizations entering the Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds in at least three of five key performance areas in ACCE’s Annual Chamber Operations Survey, including net revenue and assets, membership account retention, and membership dollar retention.
Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application addressing all organizational operation and programmatic work aspects. Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists. Winners are selected from among finalists based on an interview before a panel of experienced chamber professionals.
Chamber of the Year winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 17, during the Awards Show at ACCE’s Annual Convention in Dallas, Texas.