Programs and Services

The strength of the Chamber lies in its membership and the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce has a number of involvementopportunities that allow you and your company the opportunity to be noticed, reach new and existing customers and support Chamber events, programs and services. Whether you are looking to volunteer, advertise or attend an event, the chamber has something for you.

CHAMBER EVENTS

Business-Before-Hours is a networking event held quarterly and designed to provide a relaxed, informal get-together of Chamber business members and their guests before regular business hours. Business-After-Hours is a monthly networking event, arranged by our host sponsors, allowing the Chamber to showcase members' facilities. Members attend Business Before Hours and Business After Hours for contacts and cultivating business relationships.

Legislative Breakfast
A face-to-face opportunity for constituents to hear first-hand from their Federal, State and local legislators.  In addition to hearing the latest on legislative issues that impact our everyday lives, attendees are able to ask direct questions to the legislators present during the event. Held in the
Spring.

Annual Meeting
This event is held each January and is a review of our Annual Report and Accomplishments, our up-coming goals and initiatives; recognition of our current, new, and outgoing Board of Directors, and the celebration the Richmond County Citizen of the Year, while enjoying heavy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, and plenty of networking.

Chamber Golf Scramble
Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to showcase your company, golf with business clients and associates, network with local executives, and support the Richmond County Chamber of Commerce.

Buy Local Business Expo
Richmond County Chamber of Commerce’s premier business networking event is the Buy Local Business Expo. This event features face-to-face opportunity for vendors to display products and services and have conversations with countless potential customers. Attendees will also enjoy
food samplings from Chamber member restaurantsand  caterers, drinks, and a chance to win many
valuable door prizes throughout the evening. This event is held in conjunction with the April Business-After-Hours.

Industry Appreciation
Industry Appreciation Dinner is held each Fall and features a keynote speaker. Local officials, key management and employees are invited to this great event. This event is our way of saying thank you to the industries in our community for their investments.

MEMERSHIP SERVICES

Ambassadors
Ambassadors are responsible for promoting a professional atmosphere in which to establish business contacts. Committee members serve as greeters at Chamber functions, welcome new members to the Chamber and encourage member participation through phone calls and personal contacts. They help introduce new members to Chamber activities by serving as "buddies" during a new member's first year.

GOVERNANCE

Legislative
This committee is responsible for generating a healthy climate for economic, business, industrial, and civic growth, and identifies areas of concern. This committee is responsible for monitoring, evaluating and helping to formulate legislative issues, holds events with local, state, and national governmental officials, evaluates ballot issues that affect local businesses and the community and makes recommendations to the Chamber Board for endorsements. Committee members also work hand-in-hand with Chamber staff to plan, organize and promote local legislative events and legislative trips to Raleigh and Washington, DC when feasible.

 Finance
This committee is responsible for the fiscal integrity of the Chamber. It monitors the Chamber’s finances, accounting and budgeting functions of the Chamber. The committee is further responsible for reporting to the Board of Directors on the financial status of the Chamber, recommending to the Board policies or changes to policy related to the finance or accounting functions of the Chamber, and developing a yearly operating budget for Board consideration. The primary goal of the committee is to oversee a proactive financial process that uses best practices of financial management and that complies with applicable state and Federal regulations.

EDUCATION/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Education/Workforce Development
This committee promotes and partners with workforce and education initiatives. Encourage on-going interaction between the business community and local educational institutions in order to ensure a skilled and productive workforce.

Leadership Richmond 
Leadership Richmond is a hands-on training conference designed to develop and enhance the leadership skills of Richmond County residents and encourage graduates to apply their talents throughout the community in involvement in the Chamber of Commerce, other professional organizations, civic clubs, or in a public service capacity. Leadership Richmond is co-sponsored by the Chamber, Richmond Community College and North Carolina Cooperative Extenstion.


Shop Richmond First 
The Shop Richmond First  campaign is designed to encourage Richmond County citizens to make  their purchases locally and support our local economy. Shopping locally  increases local sales, creates additional job opportunities for our citizens  and also attracts new businesses which in turn will add to the shopping  opportunities available to us. Through the Shop Richmond First campaign  we can help our citizens understand the full impact of spending their dollars  in Richmond County. Increased sales in  existing businesses equate to more jobs for our citizens and at the same time  helps hold down your property taxes.

Over 30% of  the sales tax collected is returned to local government, which assists in  funding for recreation, road improvements, libraries, police and fire services,  utilities, parks and ultimately, a community with an improved quality of life  for us all. Also, increased local sales tax revenue decreases the need  for additional residential property tax increases. We all benefit when our  shopping dollars stay local.

This Shop Richmond First Gift Certificate Check program is  very easy and safe to use. The gift certificate is a legal check, purchased by  the gift giver and can be accepted by any participating Chamber business with  the same confidence as a cashiers check or as cash.

It is a great  way to give and a great way to keep our member businesses in the public's  spending loop. This is a great way to Shop Richmond First!!