January: President's Corner
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By Mathew Mingrone, President/CEO, Visalia Chamber of Commerce
A New Year’s Promise to Our Chamber Members
As the season of New Year’s resolutions returns, I reflect on my own habit of never making them. I’ve always believed that we know what we need to improve, so why wait until January to commit to eating healthier, working out more, or spending less time scrolling social media in favor of quality time with family?
This year, instead of a personal resolution, we’re making a promise—to you, our valued Chamber members. Our 2025 Resolution is to create even greater value in your membership.
Over the past several years, the Visalia Chamber of Commerce has hosted events that are educational, entertaining, informative, and celebratory. This year, we took a deeper dive into understanding what you, our members, truly want from your Chamber experience. We’ve gathered input through one-on-one meetings and group discussions, all centered around a single question:
“What do you want out of your Chamber membership?”
Your answers highlighted three main priorities:
Celebrations – Many of you love events like Oktoberfest and the Annual Awards celebration.
Advocacy – Others emphasized the importance of representation on issues like regulations, laws, and ordinances that affect your businesses.
Business Growth – Most members sought resources to enhance the success and growth of their businesses, particularly in areas like marketing, human resources, bookkeeping, and taxes.
To address these needs, we’re thrilled to introduce the Pro Success Series (PSS)—a quarterly workshop series designed to provide timely, actionable insights on topics you’ve requested.
What makes this series unique is the strength of our membership. Each workshop will be led by one of our own Chamber members—experts in their fields—who will share their knowledge to help fellow members succeed. Sessions will be approximately 60 minutes, with time reserved for questions and networking.
There will also be opportunities for sponsorship and facilitation, giving members a chance to showcase their expertise while supporting the program.
Stay tuned for more details as we unveil the first installment of the Pro Success Series, launching in February 2025. Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected business community.
Here’s to a successful and impactful 2025!
