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Groups

DON’T JUST JOIN THE CHAMBER, BELONG.

Becoming a member of the Chamber is just the beginning. As an active, problem-solving organization, the strength of the Chamber lies in its membership. As the primary voice of business in our city, the Chamber mobilizes members to promote and drive important initiatives that benefit our region’s business environment. We encourage you to join a committee and add your voice to the growing business community in Freeborn County.

Ag Committee

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/Time: meets as needed; dates/times TBD

Ambassadors

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 - 11 a.m. Weekly member visits.

Business Education Collaborative

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 Friday of each month from 8:30 - 9:30 am

Chamber Board of Directors

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 am.

Chamber Foundation Board of Directors

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: 2nd Friday of each month at 7:30 a.m.

Community Resiliency Committee

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. This meeting is open to anyone! Meets: Third Thursday of each month from 7:30 am to 8:30 am.

Executive Committee

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 - 8:30 am

Governmental Affairs

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 Thursday of each month from 9:00 - 10:00 am

GROW MN! Economic Development / Business Retention

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.

Worksite Wellness Committee

The Worksite Wellness Committee shares best practices and offers 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 8-9 a.m. • The newly formed Employee Resiliency Committee is a sub-committee Worksite Wellness Committee. The purpose of this committee is to raise awareness of pandemic fatigue, reduce the stigma around mental health, to serve the diverse needs of employers and employees by providing information, activities, and services to increase emotional and psychological well-being.