Putnam County Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on March 4.
Palatka, FL. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce with its designation of Accredited with 5 Stars for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community.
“This accomplishment by the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce is an acknowledgement of their truly excellent work,” said Raymond P. Towle, U.S. Chamber Vice President, Federation Relations and IOM. “These Accredited chambers are recognized for their ability to serve as a resource to their region’s businesses while maintaining transparent governance practices, sound financial controls, safe work environments, effective communications, and value in programming. They are commended for their continued advocacy of free enterprise and leadership in their comminutes. It is a tremendous accomplishment.”
The purpose of the U.S. Chamber’s Accreditation Program is to facilitate continuing excellence in the chamber industry and to foster a pro-business environment across America. In order to receive Accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, communications, and technology. This extensive self-review can take 6-9 months to complete.
Chairman of the Chamber Board Derek Hembree stated “this outstanding achievement would not have been possible without the support and engagement of our exceptional members, as well as collaboration with community leaders, key stakeholders, elected officials and the great team that we have within the Chamber office. This is not only a win for the Putnam County Chamber, but for our entire community and validates that we are on the right track to make Putnam County a better place for businesses to succeed.”
“We could not have done this without the support of our member businesses, Board of Directors, and professional staff,” said Dana Jones, President of the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. “These past two years of leading businesses through the pandemic while maintaining the high standards of our traditional chamber work has been tough. It is humbling and gratifying to see these efforts pay off with this prestigious accreditation status. This achievement and national recognition reflect the professional commitment of our staff and volunteer leadership team.”
Jones added, “receiving Accreditation with 5-star designation for a second time is a tremendous honor as we are one of only 7 in the State of Florida and 1 of only 131 in the U.S. to achieve this status. Five-star recognition from the U.S. Chamber is extremely rigorous which is why so few chambers of commerce have achieved this level of designation.”
Local chambers are rated Accredited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars, or 5-Stars. State chambers are recognized as either Accredited State Chamber or Accredited State Chamber with Distinction. The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members.
Mission Statement: The Putnam County Chamber of Commerce is the principal leader in the promotion of commerce. Our mission is to be a creative force that promotes a better quality of life, excellence in leadership, coordination, and responsible development of business enterprise.
Original source can be found here.
