Groups

Agricultural Committee – The Agricultural Committee helps to promote agricultural education and works to promote agribusiness in the Albert Lea-Freeborn County area to reaffirm important links between agriculture and the business community. Meeting day and time: meets as needed; dates and times TBD

We encourage all of our member businesses to consider having someone from their business apply to become a Chamber Ambassador. - Ambassadors are the public relations arm of the Chamber. Chamber “Green Coats” work to create an atmosphere of goodwill within our community as the official representatives of the Chamber and our business community. Chamber Ambassadors conduct Ca$h Mobs, ribbon cutting ceremonies, host Business After Hours events, organize the Chamber’s All Member Invitational Golf Outing, our Annual Meeting, and volunteer at multiple other Chamber events throughout the year. Meets: Third Wednesday of each month from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Weekly member visits.

The Business Education Collaborative leads the business community and educators in partnerships that impact public education, expand access to higher education, and develop a 21st-century workforce to successfully compete in the global economy. The council also develops strategies and policy changes to secure a workforce to meet the needs of Freeborn County area employers. Meets: First Thursday of each month from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

The Chamber Board of Directors are committed volunteers selected from our Chamber membership. The Chamber Board establishes the policies, sets the budget, and implements the Chamber's program of work. Meets: Fourth Wednesday of each month from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

This Board of Directors is the policy body of the Chamber Foundation. The Chamber Foundation Board sets goals, monitors financial performance, and programming. Board members also participate in fundraising, marketing, and public relations and also provide assistance with grant research. Meets: Quarterly; dates and times TBD

What started off as a spin-off of the Worksite Wellness Committee, focused solely on mental health in the workplace, has transformed into a Community Resiliency Committee. The purpose of this committee is to raise awareness of pandemic fatigue, reduce the stigma around mental health, and serve the diverse needs of our community at large, by providing programs, services and resources to increase emotional and psychological well-being. The committee is currently focused on Age Friendly Freeborn County efforts. This meeting is open to anyone! Meets: Third Thursday of each month from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.

The Board of Directors elects an Executive Committee of five officers to transact business between meetings of the Board. The Board also employs an Executive Director, who hires a staff of professionals to conduct daily business and operate the Chamber office, and to assist the volunteers in the accomplishment of our goals. Meets: Second Wednesday of each month from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

The public policy arm of the Chamber, the mission of this group is to be a proactive voice on public policy issues that impact our members, particularly at the local level. The committee studies issues that affect business and advocates for business interests and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding adopting a position or taking action on those issues. This committee also partners with the Minnesota Chamber and other local chambers throughout the state as part of the Minnesota Chamber Federation. Meets: Second Wednesday of each month from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.

Grow Minnesota! is Minnesota's first purely private sector, statewide business retention and expansion program. Its primary goal is to strengthen and grow Minnesota's economy. This committee Communicates regularly with Shakopee businesses and encourages them to grow here. We do this by conducting regular retention activities, including CEO-to-CEO visits and surveys. Company visits often reveal a need for assistance with business expansion, local or state government or the company’s general operations, and Grow Minnesota! representatives either provide that assistance directly or refer the company to the appropriate public or private sector organization. Visits are also used as an opportunity to collect feedback on public policy issues which is used to shape the local and state chamber’s public policy agendas.

The goal of this committee is to get more businesses Blue Zones Designated. Representatives from local businesses get together and share best practices and offer solutions for worksites, to inspire employees to be happier, healthier and more productive at work and at home. Meets: third Wednesday of every month from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m.