New Year, New Chamber
The Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Area Chambers of Commerce announced 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 the Joint Chamber Breakfast held on Tuesday, January 12, 7:30am - 9am at Washtenaw Community College’s Morris Lawrence Building. At this 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.â€
“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.