At the end of January, the West Orange Chamber had a very successful Big Orange Awards event that was enjoyed by all those that attended. The Chamber Team is also feverishly working on the upcoming 18th Annual Best Fest – “The Taste of West Orange” on March 26, however, the West Orange Chamber is more than just events.  We have two very active Committees, the 3D Committee: (Business, Professional, and Workforce Development), and the Economic & Governmental Advocacy Committee (EGAC).  Both of these committees work to advance the initiatives of our strategic plan. 

The 3D Committee, which houses the Food & Beverage, Health & Wellness and Grow Workforce Task Forces, focuses on developing meaningful programs that assist chamber members advance to the next level.  The Networking Groups are also under the umbrella of the 3D Committee.  The Chamber currently has four productive & engaged Networking Groups:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Horizon West Networking.  All the Networking Groups offer opportunities for members to meet and share leads with one another.  If you are interested in learning more about the Task Forces, Networking Groups or the 3D Committee, please be sure to contact vbispo@wochamber.com

The second committee, The Economic & Governmental Advocacy Committee (EGAC) focuses on advocating for the business community.  Every year, the committee produces the annual Legislative Position Paper, assists in developing relavant topics for lunches, monitoring business issues locally and building awareness of key economic drivers and opportunities in West Orange County.  If you are interested in learning more about EGAC, please be sure to contact Krista Carter kcarter@wochamber.com.

As the year progresses, each committee will host guest spotlight speakers who will address relative topics that you, our members want to hear.  Be sure to watch the calendar and your email inboxes for notifications on these upcoming opportunities.  On February 28, 8:00am at the chamber office, our guest Spotlight Speaker is Chief Judge Donald A. Myers, Jr. of the 9th Judicial Circuit.  Chief Judge Myers will discuss the state of the courts, the issues facing them and how that affects you and your business.  Then on March 25, 8:00am at the Chamber office, our guest Spotlight Speaker is Clifford Marvin, Director of Public Policy and Alliances at CareerSource Central Florida. You won’t want to miss it.  

I know that you will find the Spotlight Speaker Presentations beneficial and will take the knowledge learned to help grow your business.  This is just another way the West Orange Chamber is here for you and your business.  Please be sure to take advantage of all of the features of your Chamber Membership investment.  If you ever have any questions about your membership or want moreinformation on how to increase your level of participation, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Chamber President, Stina D’Uva. 

Sincerely, 

Deborah Rios-Barnes