Report 2019 Annual Update Each Day, the Chamber Team Is Focused On
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CHAMBER REPORT: Mission-Driven, Community-Focused Following the year we won Chamber of the When we pair industry requirements with that of Year, 2019 had a lot to live up to. And looking our school district leaders and educators, we can back, it was evident that the Chamber’s focus help inform, train and prepare our students for on important mission work resulted in an the region’s high-demand jobs. We are incredibly impactful year. thankful for the 7,356 volunteer hours that our members donated towards this initiative. With an The Chamber’s mission is to initiate, advocate anticipated 35,000 new jobs being added to our and empower our region to advance a region over the next five years, this important work prosperous business environment. Our mission is paramount. work is fueled by our convening power. We invite hundreds of members and stakeholders At the start of 2019, our government relations team to co-deliver our regional initiatives by working launched a new approach, one that utilized data to together on our talent, government relations identify shared priorities with local municipalities. and leadership platforms. This shared The Investment Opportunity Study looks at key community-focus allows us to realize our data points to identify strengths and opportunities community’s unique promise. in each of the region’s towns, cities and counties and serves as a basis for a conversation with our Each day, the Chamber team is focused on elected officials on how to make their communities bridging our region’s talent gap, advocating for more investment worthy. The result has been a healthy business climate and cultivating our deepened relationships, the establishment of region’s leaders. 2019 saw us raise the bar in shared goals and the understanding that we are each of these areas. working together to advance our region. Our talent advancement efforts are centered on the business community identifying the types of employees they need. This is integral in positioning our regional education and training system to meet the talent demand. ...the impact of the work done in 2019 will be felt for years to come. 1 CHAMBER REPORT As for our leadership platform, the team kicked off the year with a refresh of a long-standing program. Thrive, a professional women’s series, seeks to inspire and be inclusive of women from a variety of backgrounds and stages of their career. We have received a tremendous response, selling out each of the four events and getting rave The Chamber’s reviews from attendees. mission is to And these are just a few highlights from the year. initiate, advocate So, while not much can top the feeling of being and empower our named Chamber of the Year, the impact of the work done in 2019 will be felt for years to come. region to advance a prosperous business environment. 2019 IN REVIEW 2 Membership Record Setting Membership Growth 1718 members at end of 2019 85 net new members Member Engagement 84.5% on the Rise retention rate Nearly 30,000 individuals engaged with the Chamber through programs, events, committees and social media in 2019. 2.78% 5.4% increase growth in membership 29,109 revenue 27,609 5% growth in membership from 2018 2018 2019 3 CHAMBER REPORT GOAL: To engage, attract and retain new members. Leadership Circle: Engagement Off the Charts Leadership Circle programs provide investors the exclusive opportunity to connect with fellow leaders and go behind the scenes at some of our region’s top businesses and institutions. 316 Leadership Circle 2019 saw 50% higher engagement in Leadership Circle Investors programming over 2018. The Charleston Metro Chamber has been Sonder's most important local resource for connecting with other business members and community leaders. As importantly, the Chamber has helped us map business trends and understand the Charleston region as it exists today, as well as in the future. Membership with the Chamber is what you make of it. We sought a partnership and the Chamber answered the call. —Adam Chapman, Sonder USA, Inc. 2019 IN REVIEW 4 Government Relations Investment Opportunity Study Redefines Advocacy Efforts With a goal of deepening collaboration with local governments on shared priorities, the Investment Opportunity Study was released in January 2019. The data-driven, fact-based platform has resulted in increased dialogue and partnership opportunities. For instance, we are actively partnering with the City of Goose Creek to fulfill three goals outlined in their strategic plan: Increase Economic Activity Guide Growth Intentionally Increase Regional & Statewide Engagement View at: www.charlestonchamber.org/ios Top Infrastructure Priority Receives Funding Each year, the Chamber identifies the top infrastructure advancements that are vital in our metro. One of our top 23 priorities, the Ashley River Bicycle & Pedestrian Bridge, received approval this year for federal funding through the BUILD program. A local funding match has been secured from Charleston County, the City of Charleston and Medical University of South Carolina. The bridge will provide safe, connected and equitable crossing for all modes between West Ashley and Downtown Charleston. View at: www.charlestonchamber.org/infrastructurepriorities West Ashley Downtown 5 CHAMBER REPORT GOAL: To give our region a collective voice. The Mark Clark Expressway is Moving Forward The completion of the Mark Clark has been one of the Chamber’s top priorities for ten years. We celebrated the current progress with an event to thank Governor Henry McMaster and Charleston County Council Chairman, Elliott Summey, along with local and state elected officials whose leadership has kept the project alive. This is progress. We’ve turned the corner and we can see the finish line. We’re about to get there. —Governor Henry McMaster Community Leaders Advocate in D.C. The Chamber led a tri-county delegation of elected, civic and business leaders to Washington, D.C. to advocate for policies and investments that promote the retention and expansion of military operations and federal facilities in our region. Highlights included meetings with: Senator Lindsey Graham Congressman Joe Cunningham Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein Coast Guard Assistant Commandant for Capability, Rear Admiral Michael Ryan 2019 IN REVIEW 6 Talent Talent by the Numbers Supporting the Youth Engaging more students than ever Apprenticeship Program in workplace learning opportunities at Trident Tech 309 Total Students Hired as youth apprentices since 2014 34% 40% Female Minority Students Students 110 Apprentices 49 37 currently in program Students Students and participated Career-Ready Youth over hiring in in Hack-a-thons took on the Build A Shed 100 17 competition Host Different Students served through Chamber-led, Companies Pathways 1,000+ quality career experiences Mapping Your Path to a Career The Charleston region will add 35,000 jobs over the next five years. Students need a clear pathway that matches their skills and knowledge to take advantage of these job opportunities. That’s where Mapping Your Path comes in. It is a planning tool, launched by the Chamber in 2019, that will help students and those early in their career understand the best pathways to build a lucrative career. The pathways selected represent high-growth occupational clusters in our region, including: • Healthcare • Culinary/Hospitality • Business • Construction • Information Technology • Manufacturing View the tool at: www.charlestonchamber.org/pathways 7 CHAMBER REPORT GOAL: To grow our region’s talent pipeline. Talent Cabinet Talent Informs Efforts Strategies Launched in late 2018, the Talent Cabinet Activating Career Mindsets guides the Chamber’s workforce pipeline Exposing students to high-demand jobs by strategies. Comprised of 40 leaders increasing opportunities for them to experience from our targeted industries, K-12, the workplace. higher education, civic and philanthropic communities, this group meets bi-monthly Advancing Education to provide direction on our talent platform Expand avenues for all to succeed in college and programming initiatives. and career after high school by increasing awareness of options that allow for faster Member Volunteers graduation and no to low debt. Our members support the Chamber’s talent strategy through membership dues and Aligning Employers and Accelerate investments, but also through our Education System Engaging the business community and the donation of time. education leaders in discussions to create Volunteer Hours programs that align with employer talent demand 7,356 from member organizations and encourage students into those pathways. Bank of America Grant Funds Job Shadow Day 100 regional students participated in a Job Shadow Day in November, experiencing real-world work environments in our metro’s top industries. Many of the participating students were from Title 1 schools (schools with higher percentages of students in poverty) and it was their first job shadow experience. 65% of the participating juniors and seniors reported increased interest in the career field they shadowed. 2019 IN REVIEW 8 Leadership Cultivating Leaders members participated in 569 Chamber Leadership programs in 2019 % increase in participation 62 over 2018 Salt Lake City Inspires Collaboration Metro Leadership Visit 2019 brought 55 business and community leaders to Salt Lake City. With the goal of continuing to make the Charleston region the best it can be, attendees explored how Salt Lake approached solutions to a variety of issues similar to ours, including: Salt Lake’s approach to public transit and how they have built a successful multi-modal system The housing market and how they are experiencing and working to address similar housing affordability issues How Envision Utah has brought together business leaders, residents, elected officials, developers and conservationists to build a strategic vision Common Theme: The region’s thriving tech industry with an exclusive The Power of tour of Adobe and Silicon Slopes Collaboration It was clear that Utahns At TD Bank, we are committed to driving change that have found a way to find will enrich the lives of our customers, communities and common ground and work colleagues.