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Written by John Hawkins, president and CEO of MPI Consulting and NKY Chamber of Commerce Board chair
As the board chair of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and an active Chamber member for the last decade, I have seen first-hand the impact the NKY Chamber has had on the Northern Kentucky region. Through the Chamber’s efforts to live out its mission to promote and support the development of strong businesses and a vibrant economy through leadership and advocacy, all of us in the region can enjoy a better quality of life.
“Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day,” which takes place each year on the third Wednesday in October, is a day earmarked to highlight the work that chambers across the country are doing every day to help businesses and entrepreneurs thrive.
This past year the NKY Chamber advocated on behalf of its members on a wide variety of issues including tax reform, infrastructure, childcare, investments in dual-based credits and performance-based funding, sports wagering, the Brent Spence Bridge Corridor Project, and more. This year you will continue to hear us talking about these important topics and others, including increased work-based learning, affordable and attainable housing, legal immigration policies that make sense, and transportation for our employees.
On top of its advocacy work, the NKY Chamber hosted more than 120 events and programs specifically designed to support not only business owners, but also their employees. Programs and events such as the Women’s Initiative Regional Summit, Leadership Northern Kentucky, the Talent Strategies Symposium for HR professionals, and so many others. And it didn’t stop there. We provided members with access to tools and cost saving programs on important business needs such as health insurance, office supplies, human resources, professional development, and even marketing, to help reduce daily expenses, manage operations more efficiently, and help businesses grow.
Over the past five years, the NKY Chamber has seen a 16% increase in membership and today our membership includes 1,700 businesses of all sizes and across all industries with more than 85% of our members being small businesses employing 50 employees or fewer. This represents an important critical mass of businesses in our community, and our board and the NKY Chamber’s staff works hard to advocate on behalf of not only our members but the entire business community and to provide programming and resources that support our region’s businesses and economy.
Powered by more than 1,100 volunteers, we continue to make significant strides to ensure that Northern Kentucky has a vibrant and robust business community and that all businesses large and small, long-established or startups, major corporations or mom-and-pop shops, know that Northern Kentucky is growing, evolving, and ready to embrace the challenges ahead for business and community growth.
To all of you reading this who are involved with the NKY Chamber, we thank each of you for your involvement and support. If you are not yet a Chamber member, we welcome you to join us in our pursuit to make the Northern Kentucky Metro a world-class region in which to start, develop, and grow thriving businesses.