Friday, December 18
The Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Area Chambers of Commerce announced today that the respective Boards of Directors have unanimously approved a resolution to pursue joint operation and form the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber. In addition, Diane Keller, current President of the Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce, will be President of the new organization.
Further details will be available at a special event held on Tuesday, January 12, 7:30-9:30 am at Washtenaw Community College’s Morris Lawrence Building. At that event a formal announcement will be made about the joint operation and chamber leadership will discuss the plan for moving forward.
“The joint operation of these organizations represents a significant step towards more regional efforts to meet the needs of our membership base,” commented Karl Couyoumjian, Chair-Elect of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “We are also very pleased to welcome Diane with her extensive Chamber background and look forward to her leadership and direction as we work towards serving members of the new organization.”
“Now more than ever we felt it was important to explore collaboration, and I’m pleased to see this effort move forward,” noted Mark Ouimet, current Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Chair.
A committee of current Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Chamber board members and member representatives was formed in October to explore the joint operation of the two organizations. The committee met numerous times and concluded that collaboration between the two groups is in the interest of their business members and the community and would result in expanded affinity programs and benefits for members; overall cost savings; increased networking opportunities and a stronger voice in public policy.
Diane Keller will become President of the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber on January 1, 2010. She has been President of the Ypsilanti Area Chamber of Commerce since June, 2007. A longtime local resident, Keller previously served as Director of Education for the Ypsilanti Chamber and as manager of the Ypsilanti Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce Announces Visioning Committee Members
Tuesday, September 2
The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce has formed a Visioning Committee to formulate a series of recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Visioning Committee members were announced today. The mission of the committee will be to create a framework for the future direction of the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce. This includes developing a series of recommendations for the Chamber Board of Directors on the framework as the organization strives to create a vibrant organization for our current and potential members. The committee is also charged with identifying opportunities to increase the relevancy and effectiveness of the organization.
The Co-Chairs of the Committee are John Petz, Director, Government & Community Relations, Domino's Farms Corporation; and Debra Power, President, Power Marketing and Research.
Additional committee members include: Newcombe Clark, Bluestone Realty Advisors; Paul Ganz, DTE Energy; Linda Girard, Pure Visibility; Jim Kosteva, University of Michigan, Bill Milliken, Milliken Realty Company; Tim Neiman, Dynamic Edge; and Marisa Smith, The Whole Brain Group.
The committee has a tightly structured timeline that includes three meetings in the month of September, 2009. The committee will then make recommendations to the Board of Directors for consideration. A timeline will then be developed for a search for the next head of the Chamber.
The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce is a 1,200-member community non-profit organization that actively facilitates, educates, and advocates on behalf of its members through our services and programs. Chamber member offerings include numerous networking opportunities and events, educational seminars, leadership development, member-to-member discounts and access to health insurance.
