Organization: ROGERS-LOWELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Mission: TO BE THE VOICE OF BUSINESS, TO PROMOTE AND INITATE RESPONSIBLE ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND TO ADDRESS COMMUNITY CHALLENGES IN THE ROGERS-LOWELL AREA AND THE REGION.
Activities: PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES DESIGNATED TO PRESERVE, PROMOTE, AND ENHANCE COMMERCE IN THE CITY OF ROGERS, ARKANSAS THROUGH DEVELOPING AND INVOLVING LEADERS, HONORING AND SERVING ALL BUSINESSES IN THE COMMUNITY, PROMOTING FREE ENTERPRISE, AND EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH CONFERENCES AND ADVERTISING.THE CHAMBER CONTINUES TO HOLD A FIVE-STAR ACCREDITATION WITH THE U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. ACCREDITATION WITH THE UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DEFINES EXCELLENCE IN CHAMBER PLANNING AND RECOGNIZES OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARD POSITIVE CHANGE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. AS OF JUNE 2020, OUT OF THE 7,000 CHAMBERS IN THE UNITED STATES, ONLY 128 CHAMBERS HOLD A 5-STAR RATING.IN 2019, THE CHAMBER ADDED 288 NEW MEMBERSHIPS WITH A YEAR-END OF 2,085 MEMBERS. HOSTED 125 EVENTS AND PROGRAMS INCLUDING 78 BUSINESS NETWORKING EVENTS FOR OUR MEMBERS. THE CHAMBER STAFF ASSISTED 341 INDIVIDUALS SEEKING RESOURCES ON STARTING A SMALL BUSINESS. DOWNTOWN ROGERS EXPERIENCED THE GROWTH OF 53 NEW BUSINESSES. CONTINUED GROWTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDED THE ADDITION OF 11 LOFT APARTMENTS IN THE 1907 BUILDING PROVIDES MUCH NEEDED MULTI-FAMILY UNITS. SEVERAL BUSINESSES ARE CONTRIBUTING TO QUALITY OF LIFE WITH A GROWING NUMBER OF BUSINESSES THAT OFFER ORIGINAL ART BY REGIONAL ARTISTS, LIVE MUSIC, AND INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCES. IN 2019, 75 BUSINESSES OFFERED ONE OR MORE EXPERIENCES IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES: (20) ART/MAKER CLASSES; (13) FOOD AND BEVERAGE CLASSES; (16) LIVE MUSICE/PERFORMANCES; (50) ART WALK OR HISTORICAL EXHIBITS; (9) DANCE/FITNESS; (6) CORP. TEAM BUILDING; (3) OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES; (7) TRIVIA & GAMES; AND (2) FASHION SHOOTS. 2019 SAW A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF NEW BUSINESS THAT THRIVED COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS 3 YEARS. AN INCREASE FROM 56% SUSTAINED IN 2016 TO 87% SUSTAINED IN 2019. VISIT ROGERS CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY DRAWING IN VISITORS, GROUPS AND EVENTS INTO THE COMMUNITY. 149 LEADS AND 65,568 ROOM NIGHTS WERE SOURCED IN 2019. IN 2020, OUR STRATEGIC AREAS OF FOCUS CONTINE TO INCLUDE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT, WORKFORCE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION, GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, SMALL BUSINESS OUTREACH, DESTINATION MARKETING, COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS, AND LONG-RANGE COMMUNITY PLANNING TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE.
NTEE category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building
Secondary category: Environment