Make plans to join us in Columbus:

2024 GACCE Staff Development Conference

(for all chamber staff professionals)

Wednesday - Friday, March 6 - 8, 2024

Columbus Iron Works - Convention & Trade Center

Columbus, GA

CLICK HERE for the current conference agenda.

CLICK HERE to register and make room reservations.

GACCE is pleased to partner with Teri Smiley and Starfish Partnerships for a new All Things Chamber Webinar Series. This program is a staff onboarding program to get new chamber staff members – or current ones if you wanted to use this for staff meetings or a staff retreat – up to speed on all things chamber related. Click here for an introductory video from Teri. There will be six (6) modules in the series:

1. All Things Governance – Governing Documents, Board Role & Responsibilities, Committees, Board Meetings & Strategic Planning
2. All Things Operations – Financial Management, Staff Teams & Team Culture with a Bonus on Financial Statements
3. All Things Membership – Recruitment, Relationships & Retention with Bonus Sessions on CRM Systems, Investment Schedules, and Membership Math
4. All Things Events & Programs – Types of Events, Meetings, Programs, and Training with a Bonus Session on Event Planning Checklist
5. All Things Community – Development of Strategic Partnerships through Education Programs, Advocacy & Public Policy, and Leadership Programs
6. All Things “Extra” – Foundations, Marketing & Communications, Non Event Non-Dues Revenue, and Lessons Learned

The All Things Chamber bundle provides pre-recorded material, averaging a hour per module, plus downloadable notes pages of the PowerPoints and additional PDF documents.  

The fee for the program is $195 per chamber. CLICK HERE to register. Participating chambers will also be invited to a private Facebook group for Q&A and connecting with fellow chamber members across the country. This versatile digital resource allows you to utilize the content for a comprehensive staff training or retreat or for individual training at your own pace.

Future of Talent and Workforce

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Georgia Tech Exhibition Hall - Atlanta, GA

CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

Rural Day at the Capitol

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Georgia State Capitol - Atlanta, GA

Connect with rural stakeholders and government officials at the Georgia Chamber’s Rural Day at the Capitol celebrating the positive impact of Georgia’s rural communities. Get updates on issues facing rural communities and hear from Georgia’s leaders as they share information relevant to rural attendees. CLICK HERE for more information and to register.

The Chamber is accepting resumes for the position of Director, Workforce Initiatives. For more information and to apply, please see the GACCE Careers page.

The Chamber is thrilled to announce that Ambassador Andrew Young will be our special guest speaker at our February Signature Luncheon in honor of Black History Month. This is an unforgettable opportunity to hear from one of the most distinguished diplomats of our time. The event will be held Thursday, February 8 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Atlanta Perimeter Dunwoody. Click here for more information and to register.

The Chamber is pleased to welcome Ruby Cervantes as their new Work-Based Learning Student from Cartersville High School. Ruby will spend the remainder of her Senior year interning with the Chamber team. The Chamber also welcomes Maddie Miller as their new Director of Programs & Events. Maddie brings a strong background in event and program management, especially in the non-profit development space, and holds multiple upper-level event certifications including Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and Digital Event Strategist (DES).

Join us in celebrating Okefenokee Day at the Capitol that will be taking place February 8 at the Atlanta State Capitol Building. We are currently hiring for a part-time Chamber Assistant position. Submit your resume and cover letter to info@okefenokeechamber.com.

We have officially received our determination letter as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

The Chamber invites you to attend their Annual Legislative Breakfast scheduled for February 6 at the Georgia Freight Depot. Click here for more information. 2024 marks the 40^th Anniversary of our Chamber, and we’ve got a fantastic year planned! As you consider engaging deeper with your local Hispanic community, the GHCC would be honored to work with you, and invite you to participate, engage, and make an impact together. We will be setting up an information session with GACCE on how to leverage being a member of the GHCC and the latest news on the Hispanic business community in Georgia. 

The Chamber hosted their 24^th annual Dalton Day, the Legislative Appreciation Reception, held at the State Capitol. Each year, the Chamber gives out Georgia-themed rugs to the state legislature. These rugs, generously provided by Mohawk Industries, were themed ‘Welcome to Georgia’ and gave a nod to the road signs one might see while crossing the state line. Click here to read more.

The Chamber will host the History of Black Businesses Hybrid Event on Thursday, February 8 in Fayetteville, GA. Invited guests include spiritual and political leaders, and the event is sponsored by AARP Atlanta.

The Chamber hosted a Marketing Seminar in January. 125 attended at Breneau University with Forum Communications presenting the program on artificial intelligence, machine learning, influencers, videos, etc. The program was titled "MODERN MARKETING...Change is in the Air”.

The Chamber recently hosted its Annual North Fulton Mayor's Appreciation Luncheon. The panel celebrated the region's successes while also demonstrating the camaraderie among the North Fulton mayors. The six regional mayors brought invaluable economic insight and a little laughter to GNFCC members. The Chamber will continue fostering this spirit of camaraderie as we work together for the betterment of the region.

We are proud to serve as the voice of North Fulton business for over 50 years and consider it one of our top priorities to be a strong advocate at the local, state and federal levels. As the legislative session begins at the Georgia State Capitol, we're excited to share our 2024 Legislative Agenda - click here. These key advocacy priorities were created based on feedback we received from countless conversations we’ve had with businesses, both large and small, across our region over the past 12 months. 

After nine months, the Chamber's staff and many of our tenants such as United Way, Community Foundation of NE GA, Leadership Gwinnett, and Sugarloaf CID moved back into our newly renovated office and event space in early January. Check out their renovation update here.

The Chamber is thrilled to welcome Nina Watts to our team as our new Member Engagement Manager. Nina has spent her career working in the mortgage sector as well as the legal field. She is looking forward to transitioning into the Chamber World. One of the things most impressive about Nina is her love of people and passion for the community as well as her abundance of soft skills. Originally from Kentucky, Nina raised both her children in Newnan, where she has lived since 1994. In this role, she will be responsible for the full execution of the Chamber’s Member Retention and Engagement plans. She will also support several key Alliances and initiatives. One of her first undertakings will be to schedule one-on-one time with each Chamber member who invested in a Total Resource Campaign (TRC) product so that she can introduce herself, thank them for their investment, let them know how much they are appreciated, and find out if there is anything the Chamber can help them with. I hope that our GACCE family will welcome Nina to the team.

2024 Annual Convention Registration Now Open

#ACCE24 is one of the most anticipated chamber conferences of the year. The event is scheduled for July 16 - 19, 2024 in Dallas, TX. Winners will be announced for Chamber of the Year and communication awards, sales accomplishments will be recognized and we will celebrate our newest CCEs. CLICK HERE for more information and to register for the event.

Nonprofit Forms & Templates

We have collected examples and smart practices of templates that should make Chamber management a bit easier. CLICK HERE for the new document.

Deadline: Friday, February 9 at 5:00pm ET

This is a reminder that the scholarship application for the 2024 summer sites is open! All students, first-year and returning, are eligible to receive Institute scholarship funds. All applicants will be notified of their application status prior to registration launching. CLICK HERE to start your application.

The dates for the National Travel & Tourism Week have been changed to May 19-25 due to a conflict with another event US Travel is holding. Click here for more information.