Chamber Committees
Ambassadors take a leadership role in keeping Central Chamber members engaged and informed through phone calls, visits, attending ribbon-cutting ceremonies and making introductions at member meetings. They are enthusiastic people who are energized by connecting with other people. The friends you know who always host the parties, know everyone’s name and go out of their way to make sure everyone is included – that’s our ambassadors.
The Business Relations Committee is comprised of visionary, experienced leaders in the Central area who understand how to persevere and implement long term growth strategies in Central. This committee is charged with the oversite of the economic development arm of the Chamber and its initiatives. Initiatives such as business retention interviews, expanding shop local campaigns, creating special events to enhance the quality of life in Central and supporting smart economic growth policies all contribute to the economic development of Central. These initiatives help protect our business environment, drive revenue to Central businesses and enhance our community.
Businesses need skilled employees, students need fulfilling, profitable opportunities and Central needs a growing economy. The Education & Workforce committee is for contentious businesspeople who understand that by collaborating with Central Area Schools all three of these needs can be fulfilled. Through projects like our educational scholarships, internship coordination and specialized training seminars, the Education & Workforce committee works to support and equip both businesses and schools to ensure businesses, students and Central all thrive.
Politically informed leaders who enjoy keeping up with policies on the national, state and local level communicate with members through surveys, phone calls and in-person visits to determine what the business community’s top priorities are and inform businesses on policies that will affect them. They become the voice of our business community by keeping a friendly, professional line of communication open between Central businesses and local, state and national lawmakers. Through member meetings, emails and phone calls, this committee is helping to protect a pro-business environment.
Creative, out of the box innovators who see opportunity in every challenge, brainstorm and implement programs like the Hello Local campaign, which encouraged over $130,000 of spending in Central. This hard-working committee has an entrepreneurial spirit which they use to provide benefits like luncheon networking events, Office Depot and other affinity programs and promotional opportunities, such as Christmas in Central, to Central businesses. If you have a can-do attitude and a lot of ideas, be a guest at our next meeting.
If the Chamber provides money-saving affinity programs, opportunities to impact Central School students and shop small campaigns to increase sales but Members never hear about it – did it really happen? The Strategic Communication committee plans to never find out because they are committed to crafting clear, engaging emails, social media posts print materials and whatever else effectively communicates to the Central business community. This committee is comprised of people who think writing is something you do for fun and love to keep up with the ever-evolving way people send and receive important messages.
Event Committees
The Krewe de Centrale’ Mardi Gras Ball is the premier gala event in Central! One of the highlights of the evening is the crowning of the Ball’s King and Queen. This themed event always has music that gets your moving, fun for the whole night, savory food, bubbly drinks and door prizes you’ll actually want to win. Plus, sponsors compete to see who can decorate their table with the most joie de vivre. A great time is had by all so, “Laissez les bons temps rouler!”
The Annual Awards Banquet honors our Chamber businesses and outstanding members who have made an impact on the vitality and economic strength of the city through their loyalty to Central, investment into the community, development of skilled employees and value provided to customers and clients. Businesses of the Year, Chamber Member of the Year and Lifetime Achievement awards highlight the event.
Central restaurants partner with the Chamber for events to promote eating in Central. Experience what our city’s eating establishments have to offer, win prizes and support the restaurants that we love. Eating locally reinvests sales tax revenue into our city, schools and infrastructure, on top of boosting the local economy. Bon Appetit!
Central businesses partner with the Chamber to host fun and educational events to promote shopping in Central. Hello Local, Shop Small Central Christmas and Shop Small Business Saturday all encourage residents to shop locally through fabulous prizes, discounts, public awareness campaigns and more. Businesses, the city, schools and the Chamber collaborate to bring these projects to life.
The Golf Scramble in October is the main way we raise the funds we need to promote a pro-business environment all year. We thought playing golf would be a way more fun way to do it than passing a plate around. We partner with other nonprofit organizations to give them a portion of the proceeds. This is always a fun day to make new business contacts, enjoy a day on the course and have some tasty snacks. Both golfers and sponsors win prizes!
The Saturday before Thanksgiving Shop Small week kicks off with runners from all over the state coming to participate in this 5K race. You could add to your recorded run times or simply have a wonderful Christmas time. Either way, dress in your merriest elf accessories. Runners in every age group win prizes and there is even a kids’ 1-mile fun run so bring the whole family. Following the Elf Run 5K, everyone enjoys our community Pancake Cook-off. Sample the best pancakes Central has to offer and vote for your favorite!
We host the parade that has been a part of the culture of Central since 1686! The parade travels from Joor and Hooper, down Joor and ends at Joor and Lovett. There is merry music, flurry floats, cool cars, Christmas candy, bright beads and of course Santa and his sleigh! Show off your business’ fun side with a float. The night before the parade, catch the Lighting of the Community Christmas Tree. The Lighting builds unity in our community with the Coca Cola Santa Truck, the CHS Jazz Band, various chorus groups from around the area, the reading of the Christmas Story and the lighting of the Nativity. The night concludes with the lighting of the Christmas Tree.