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Vail Daily column: You can’t accomplish alone what we can accomplish together

Chris Romer
Vail Valley Partnership

Why join your local chamber of commerce? The chamber of commerce brand promise reflects our fervently-held belief that the health of the business community and the health of larger community in which it lives are inextricable. As the regional of chamber of commerce representing Eagle County, our work at Vail Valley Partnership — providing the tools that business need to succeed — is central to the success of the entire community.

What does a good chamber of commerce do? Our value to members is focused around five primary goals:

• Building communities to which residents, visitors and investors are attracted.



• Promoting the communities.

• Striving to ensure future prosperity via a pro-business climate.

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• Representing the unified voice of the employer community.

• Reducing transactional friction through well-functioning networks.

Vail Valley Partnership’s board of governors — representing businesses of various size and industry throughout the valley — has helped lead the organization forward. Their leadership and guidance allows our staff to focus on helping businesses prosper, and helping our community thrive.

What does this mean? It means we are a catalyst for growth within the local business community, but that growth shows in larger ways: not as a creator of jobs but as a partner in growing the businesses and future leaders who create the jobs that strengthen our communities.

This manifests itself in our role in enhancing vitality of member businesses by providing robust benefits programs, educational events, signature programs, connections, and marketing tools. Consider our Power Groups, Leads Groups, NEXT Vail Valley emerging leader program, networking events, Merchant Ski Pass program, Workers Compensation Program, and Platinum Service Program — all designed to help businesses connect, learn, advance the professional development of their teams, to save time & resources, and to effectively reach destination visitors.

Consider our role in destination sales, as we drive increased lodging occupancy to benefit the local economy. We work with meeting and event planners to offer a comprehensive view of our destination, tap into local expertise, and introduce planners and visitors to compatible local member businesses and organizations.

We focus on various economic development programming efforts to help facilitate economic growth in terms of revenue, economic diversification, jobs, and preservation and building the tax base. We do this to ensure our economic health stays strong for years to come, which doesn’t happen by accident. Our continued economic growth needs an intentional approach to help existing Vail Valley businesses thrive and support new businesses that have the potential to boost our local economy.

Programs made possible through community partnerships including the SmartBusiness Eagle County business retention and expansion program, MyPartner Career Network, CareerWise youth apprenticeship program, and our data center ensure we can help build a business-friendly community that is welcoming, supportive, and appreciative of the businesses that make our quality of life possible.

We maintain relationships with key state, county, municipal, special district, business, education, and nonprofit stakeholders to advocate for our business community at a regional and state level with a focus on key issues impacting our community, including workforce housing, transportation and transit, workforce development, and rural broadband.

Leadership from our board — along with the work of our talented staff — enable the Partnership to provide support and services to the Vail Valley businesses helps strengthen their success and profitability thus promoting prosperity and opportunity for our community.

We’re stronger together — and you can’t accomplish alone what you can accomplish together.

Chris Romer is president and CEO of the Vail Valley Partnership, the regional chamber of commerce. Learn more at http://www.vailvalleypartnership.com.


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