Bessemer Area



Bessemer Area

Chamber of Commerce

Annual Report

2005

Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce

321 North 18th Street

Bessemer, Alabama 35020

(205) 425-3253



Highlights of 2005

Division Reports

Membership Division

Chairperson: Pam Nichols, Noland Health Services

Mission: To effectively serve the membership of the Chamber and create programs, activities, and events which will be beneficial to each member.

1. Increase membership retention:

a. Change billing cycle to annual and semi-annual COMPLETED

b. Terminate memberships when dues are 60 days past due CONTINUAL PROCESS

c. Develop a volunteer quarterly call program to survey members IN PROCESS

d. Develop membership benefit programs (especially for small businesses):

i. Short lunch or early evening programs COMPLETED (4 held in 2005)

ii. Topics: time management, stress management, marketing, etc. (These subjects were taught by John Moser & Associates)

2. Reformat Business After Hours to increase attendance COMPLETED (Themes for each Business After Hours with music, good food, and better door prizes, Corporate Sponsors to be the hosts)

3. Conduct the most successful annual Golf “FORE” Tournament COMPLETED (Financially one of best taking in $11,682 not counting CS monies and spending $11,022, with better food, prizes and format)

4. Organize and plan four membership seminars HELD TWO WITH ROTARY

5. Evaluate and/or reformat 2005 Leadership Program DISCONTINUED

6. Conduct a Membership Drive in April 2005 COMPLETED (Brought in 91 new members and $18,000 in new revenue and held a very successful Membership Casino Night at Woodward Country Club to welcome our new members and existing membership)

Business Development Division

Chairperson: Jon Sparks, Alabama Power Company

Mission: To redefine the Bessemer Area’s image by promoting and supporting business development through facilitation, coordination, and expansion of resources serving existing and prospective businesses.

1. Support the creation of a functioning western Jefferson County regional Economic Development committee made up of local city officials and chambers. CONTINUING (Working with the western Jefferson County Mayors at their quarterly meetings and led by Jon Staggs)

2. Sponsor an Administrative Professionals Day for local businesses. COMPLETED (Held first event in April with County Commissioner Mary Buckelew as the speaker and gift baskets and door prizes for the Admin Professionals attending, it was sold out with over 60 attending)

3. Improve the Chamber’s website to provide business related information and data.

IN PROCESS (Ronnie Acker and David Moore are continuing to work on this and Committee will need to work on this in 2006)

4. Continue to build business related partnerships with western area Chambers and Cities. CONTINUING (President is attending neighbor Chamber’s Annual Meetings and supporting the western Jefferson County Mayor’s Quarterly Meeting)

5. Continue to develop economic development based promotional information. CONTINUING (Continuing to collect demographic and economic development information that highlights properties and services in the Bessemer Area. Held a sold out Business Awards luncheon on June 23rd recognizing our local businesses with John Moser as the speaker)

Governmental Affairs Committee

Chairperson: Tim Thornton, UAB Medical West

Mission: To set the political agenda for the Chamber and to address all issues in the political arena facing local business and the Chamber.

1. Address the political impact on the Northern Beltline and its route and proposed exchanges. CONTINUING (Involving the western Jefferson County Mayor’s in this process and attended all RPC meetings concerning the beltline. An Economic Summit was held in April which we attended)

2. Hold a quarterly legislative focused membership meeting: March, June, September and December. HELD TWO (Held two with State Senator E.B. McClain and U.S. Representative Artur Davis at speakers)

3. Be prepared to state a policy on employer/employee relations. COMPLETE (Will utilize the standard response of the CCAA, BCA and U.S. Chamber)

4. Develop relationships with elected officials-local, County, State and Federal. CONTINUING (Continued to build relationships and present Chamber’s benefits with local, County, State and Federal elected officials, some are good others continue to need work)

Contractors/Developers Committee

Chairperson: Kenneth Coston, Coston General Contractors

Mission: To represent the interests of contractors (general and sub), developers, and realtors in the Chambers regional area with local, County, State and Federal building policies, legislation, ordinances and codes.

1. Host a meeting of area developers, contractors, and representatives of Jefferson County and the City of Bessemer concerning procedures for project approval. COMPLETE (There will be subsequent meetings to the two held in 2005 with this group and additional invitees as deemed necessary by Committee)

2. Host a meeting of area realtors and those in #1 above to discuss area developments. COMPLETE (Bessemer Realtor Association holds its monthly meeting in the Chamber and this group was invited with two attending the second meeting)

3. Keep up to date on improvements in procedures as a result of #1 and #2 above. CONTINUING (County has made some changes and is in the process of making more concerning getting plans approved for developments)

4. Be the voice for change for the Contractors/Developers in the Bessemer Area. CONTINUING (Committee met with County Commissioner Shelia Smoot to discuss roads and developments)

Community Building Division

Chairperson: Charles Trammell, Bessemer Area YMCA

Mission: To build a stronger, more unified community through continued program development, promotion, planning, and networking of area organizations.

1. Support local schools by awarding teacher of the year recognitions COMPLETE (These were presented to the teachers selected by the Bessemer City School System in May)

2. Recognize community and civic volunteers by awarding the Charles A. Long Sr. Outstanding Civic Award COMPLETE (Recipient for 2005 was Quitman Mitchell selected by past recipients and board members)

3. Continue to recognize the local Fire Fighter and Law Enforcement Officers of the Year COMPLETE (Monroe Adams was the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and Sam Ousley was the Fire Fighter of the Year)

4. Support community wide activities by:

a. Participating in the annual 4th of July Celebration COMPLETE

b. Participating in the annual Christmas Parade COMPLETE

c. Participating in the annual Community Blood Drive COMPLETE

5. Continue to grow the Community Service Scholarship Fund and award qualifying scholarships annually CONTINUING (Malika Moore (Jess Lanier HS), Jason Hyche (McAdory HS), and Scott Lee (Bessemer Academy) were the recipients of the 2005 scholarships.)

6. Continue the PRIDE Award Program and PRIDE Service Projects

a. Award 3 PRIDE Awards each quarter DID NOT COMPETE (Recommendations from members were not made, to continue this in 2006)

b. Sponsor one service project per quarter COMPLETED ONE (Picked up signs and trash on Academy Drive and Visionland Parkway)

Tourism Division

Chairperson: Melonee Delee, Visionland

Mission: To promote Bessemer Area attractions to visitors as well as local residents as a place to visit and enjoy.

1. Host a FAM tour in early fall 2005 CANCELLED (Cancelled due to lack of response, will try again in 2006 if we can recover some revenue to spend on promotion and advertising. Committee worked very hard on this especially Traci Channell)

2. Coordinate a discount ticket/coupon booklet for visitors to area including: Visionland, WaterMark Place, restaurants, and golf courses. CONTINUING (Melonee Delee and Bob Morgan are coordinating this with local hotels and this will be a continuing process)

3. Continue to work toward a tourism/visitor shuttle for area. CONTINUING (Have ideas and suggestions but can not implement until lodgings tax revenue is restored to Chamber.)

4. Prepare a tourism/convention calendar by quarter beginning with 2nd Quarter 2005 COMPLETED (This was done and will continue as a Chamber Annual Calendar in 2006)

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download