The Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce brings good news to its members and the community! Beginning in early January, the Chamber's Board of Directors, energized and fully committed to leading the work necessary to move our Chamber forward, engaged in a strategic planning process. To date, with the help of facilitator Jack Burnett of the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, the Board has completed three intensive planning sessions. They first took a good hard look at the Chamber's present status and saw areas where improvements were needed. At the second session, Board members' forward thinking revealed ways in which the Chamber could deliver better value to its members and to the community, and improve its governance, operations, communications and finances. During the third session, using a strategic plan outline, the Board identified its broad goals and compiled a list of some 50 specific actions to transform the Chamber into the valuable and productive organization it has the potential to be to area businesses, local organizations and the community at large.

Listed here are the strategic planning sub-committees representing the goals for improvement, along with the names of the Board members who will lead the work in each area:

• Membership: Meg Curtis, Steve Neuhoff
• Communications: Jim Long, Marc Violette
• Governance: Dr. Alan Genovese, Babette Haley (Executive Assistant)
• Operations: Jim Bailey, Marc Violette
• Finances: Steve Venezia
• Implementing and monitoring the strategic plan: (the Board)

Our aim is for a renewed and revitalized Chamber of Commerce that is responsive to the needs of its members and the community, and Board members are energized and fully committed to leading the work necessary to move our Chamber forward. Chamber members stand to gain from this work with more relevant and valuable member benefits and business support. By the same token, our members. input, support and/or participation in this work, including Chamber events and projects, is more important than ever. Board members welcome--and need--assistance from Chamber of Commerce members to help fill out these subcommittees. How much time would you need to spend? Easy. Whatever you have to give, no pressure! But members' input is extremely valuable. If you would like to volunteer for a subcommittee or give input, please contact us.

If you are not yet a member of the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce, now is an optimal time to join. Mindful of the stress on businesses caused by the economic downturn of the past two years and unrelenting tax burdens, the Board has chosen to retain last year's dues schedule and payment arrangements in 2011.