Albany Area Chamber of Commerce awarded four-star accreditation by U.S. Chamber

ALBANY — The United States Chamber of Commerce has awarded the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce four-star accreditation for its policies, organizational procedures and impact on the community.

The Albany Area Chamber has been accredited with the U.S. Chamber since 1997 and previously held three-star status.

“Each day, chambers of commerce are working hard to put the American dream within reach of every hard-working business owner,” Raymond P. Towle, U.S. Chamber vice president of Federation Relations and Institute for Organization Management, said. “The accreditation designation tells chamber members, as well as the greater business community, that this is an organization that has effective programs, sound finances and is a strong advocate for their interests.”

Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in its operations and programs and demonstrate core competencies in nine areas: governance, finance, human resources, government affairs, program development, technology, communications, facilities and benchmarking.

This self-review can take from six to nine months to complete.

“To be awarded 4-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber is an incredible accomplishment for the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, our staff and our volunteers, who work every day to support the membership, stand up for business, build collaborative partnerships and advance economic opportunities for the Albany Area,” Bárbara Rivera Holmes, president and CEO of the Albany Area Chamber, said. “There are more than 7,000 chambers of commerce in the United States; our 4-Star designation puts us in the top 3 percent of chambers across the country and demonstrates excellence in nine core areas ranging from governance and government affairs to finance, communications and technology.

“I could not be prouder of our organization and of what this designation means for our members and our community.”

Holmes said this is a significant accomplishment for those associated with the chamber — including its volunteers — who give a lot and work hard to serve the Albany area.

“What this means is that we have a solid organization,” she said.

She said it also gives the organization a strong trajectory moving forward. In turn, this has a positive impact on the community.

“I was very excited (when I received word of this status),” Holmes said. “I couldn’t wait to share this with our staff.

“This doesn’t belong just to the staff. It belongs to everyone who plays a role.”

The U.S. Chamber recognized the Albany Area Chamber’s work in a variety of areas, including:

— Government affairs program, through which the chamber has established itself as an advocate for the Albany area business community through its involvement in regional coalitions, policy advocacy and trips to meet with state and federal lawmakers;

— Role in business, community and economic recovery and advocacy following natural disasters of 2017 and 2018;

— Work force development and educational programs and partnerships, including its “Go See” tour of schools and its “Priority One” mentorship initiative;

— Branding and external communications.

“I am proud of this community and proud of the great efforts that the Albany Area Chamber has made. To serve as the chairman of the chamber board this year is the very least I could do in light of what this community has given me,” Scott Tomlinson, CEO of Flint Community Bank and current chairman of the board of directors of the Albany Area Chamber, said. “This accomplishment just confirms what I already knew concerning the hard, diligent work of our staff and team of volunteers. This recognition is truly an honor.”

Local and regional chambers are rated “Accredited,” “Accredited with 3-Stars,” “Accredited with 4-Stars,” or “Accredited with 5-Stars.” The final determination is made by the accrediting board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members.

The U.S. Chamber is the world’s largest business federation, representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

Jennifer ParksJennifer Parks

Special Illustration

Jennifer Parks