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Date ArticleType
4/27/2012 Community/Chamber
Chamber Receives Five Excellence Awards from Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives

Chamber Receives Five Excellence Awards from Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives


Contact: Jessica M.L. Thompson, Marketing & Communications Director
270-781-3200; jessica@bgchamber.com

BOWLING GREEN, KY-The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives (KCCE) presented five KCCE Excellence Awards to the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce at KCCE's annual spring conference on Thursday, April 26. The Chamber received the night's top awards in the following categories:
  • Best Communications: Chamber Connection Newsletter
  • Best Communications: Chamber Weekly E-News
  • Best Communications: www.bgchamber.com
  • Best Partnership Retention Rate: 85.4%
  • Best Special Event: 2011 Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet
"The Chamber staff, Board members, Ambassadors and volunteers are dedicated to this organization, and it's a proud day when they are recognized for their work. These awards testify to the level of success our organization has attained, I congratulate all involved in these most recent wins," said D. Gaines Penn, Chamber Board of Directors chairman.

This is the fifth consecutive year that KCCE has recognized the Chamber for excellence in communications and partnership development. KCCE is a statewide network of professionals dedicated to promoting professional education, ethical standards and efficiency in chamber of commerce management. The board of directors guides the professional development of chamber executives, employees and volunteers across the state.

"The Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is well-deserving of this recognition," said Ali Crain, ACE, IOM, executive director of KCCE. "We're proud to present the Chamber with awards that represent top retention rates and high quality communication."

With its receipt of three communications excellence awards, the Chamber demonstrates a high level of success in communicating with the Chamber partnership. Marketing & Communications Director Jessica M.L. Thompson said, "Our e-mail, print and online publications are representative of our organization's desire to effectively and efficiently communicate with our partnership, not just about upcoming events, but also about the value we provide and our partners' opportunities for business growth."

The Chamber reported a 2011 partnership retention rate of 85.4% in its KCCE award application, a rate that is well above the national average of 82.7% (American Chamber of Commerce Executives, 2011).

"We are extremely proud of our high retention rate because it indicates that our partners continue to find value in our organization," said Vice President, Chamber Operations Tonya Matthews, IOM, ACE, CCE. "Our commitment to the partnership and the community drive us to build and enhance programs and value-added benefits."

The Chamber's 2011 Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet won the Best Special Event category. During the banquet, the Chamber named the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant as the John B. Holland Business of the Year, as well as recognized multiple targeted businesses in the following categories: Expansion, Attraction, Green-to-Gold, Export Excellence and Innovation.

"Last year's Business & Industry Appreciation Banquet was an expansion of our previous years' banquets," said President & CEO Ron Bunch, CEcD. "We increased the number of awards and the level of recognition for our existing targeted businesses, generating more exposure of these businesses' contributions to our local economy."

With the addition of these five awards, the Chamber's achievements continue to grow. In addition to being named the 2009 Chamber of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives and receiving Five Star Accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, some of the most recent Chamber accolades include awards for communications and programming from the American Chamber of Commerce, the International Economic Development Council and the Southern Economic Development Council.

About the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce

Incorporated in 1935, the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce is a 5-Star Accredited Chamber by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and was named the 2009 Chamber of the Year by the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. As the fourth largest chamber in Kentucky, the Chamber serves as a premier business advocate for its more than 1,300 partners and is the driving force for economic development in South Central Kentucky. Its primary goals are to promote growth and success in the business community, reaching its small business partners and those in large industries alike. With leadership programs, governmental relations projects, educational initiatives and involvement opportunities, the Chamber aims to support the community and its neighbors in order to enhance the business climate and continue to grow the region.