Out of the Chamber’s 1,000 plus members, 80% are small businesses. As such, the efforts of our Small Business Advisory Council (SBAC) are invaluable to our membership. The SBAC assists members through job fairs, recognition awards and trade shows. They keep abreast of trends and issues affecting the small business community in order to plan seminars, workshops and training sessions. SBAC members also play an active role in nominations for the annual Business Appreciation Awards, which recognize achievement in a range of categories from business longevity to community participation by employees.
The SBAC strives to lead and support business development and growth through market-driven education, business networking, and opportunities for workforce development. With this mission in mind, the SBAC has embarked on an impressive and detailed strategic plan for 2010, which calls for action from three newly formed subcommittees.
The Business Networking/Growth Committee will create, support, promote and enhance Chamber networking opportunities in order to increase the value of membership and support business growth. It plans to integrate these opportunities into Chamber events such as B2B (Business to Business), Business After Hours, Mega Marketplace, and EXPO, as well as more aggressively promote the “Think Chamber First” campaign. Joanne Crespo of Gotcha Covered Blinds will lead this sub-committee.
The Business Education Committee will identify, develop and deliver seminars, workshops and educational opportunities for the Chamber’s small business membership, as well as support new employee orientation efforts. It will develop a yearly calendar of education, coordinate speakers and presenters, and collaborate with organizations such as the East St. Tammany Chamber and the LA Tech Council. Sandy Hughes of Hughes-Consulting will lead this sub-committee.
The Business/School Connection Committee was created to build, support and sustain a relationship with our local schools in order to improve the overall work readiness of students/employees coming into the workforce. This committee will interact with the St. Tammany School Board and its teachers to implement the SBAC’s “Work Skills” program into a sustainable program in the high schools. Instructors for this program will be provided by the SBAC. In addition, the committee will provide internships, and participate in school career days, career exploration sessions, and job fairs. Paul Myers of Metairie Bank will lead this sub-committee.
The Chamber’s Small Business Advisory Council is currently chaired by Craig Marinello of Next Step Resources. The 2010 incoming Chairman is Sally Kingston of Merrill Lynch.
The SBAC offers monthly seminars with various speakers and topics. To keep abreast of these educational opportunities visit www.sttammanychamber.org.