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Welcome
Chamber Membership Subscription 2008
The Geelong Chamber has now been operating continuously for nearly 155 years which, we believe, is a great achievement. You would also be aware that your Chamber continues to be the biggest independent Chamber of Commerce in Australia – a position that it has held for quite a number of years.
In setting its budget for 2008, the Chamber has been very mindful of your needs, as a member, and how the Chamber can do more for you and your business in a variety of ways.
This was also the basis for the directions and actions in the Chamber’s new Strategic Plan 2008-2010 which will be publicly launched in February. The new Plan still focuses on advancing business and industry in the Geelong region and valuing and growing the Chamber’s membership but has additional strategic priorities of ‘driving the knowledge economy’ and being a partner in the unified lobby to ‘Put the Geelong Region First’ and to achieve as a Smart Region. You will receive an invitation to the Plan’s launch later.
The Chamber will continue its joint-sponsorship of the Geelong Business Excellence Awards and of Smart Geelong Network’s Research & Learning Expo, incorporating the Researcher of the Year Awards, and will continue to jointly-support the successful Geelong Region Buy Local Campaign which started in mid-2007.
Communication with members remains a key objective of the Chamber for 2008 and this is done through the Membership Services and Marketing Committee, chaired by Director, Mark Davis, which is also responsible for the Chamber's program of very popular networking functions for 2008 and the introduction of some new sessions as well as the regular Chamber After Five functions, Panel Q&A Sessions, and Captains’ Nights.
To maintain the Chamber's objective of providing a balanced budget each year, the Chamber needed to increase the annual subscriptions across all membership categories. This increase is already factored into your subscription renewal invoice for the year to 31 December 2008.
The Chamber Council trusts that you recognise the ongoing benefits of the Chamber membership to your business, and to the Geelong region, by continuing your valued association with the Chamber through 2008.
Special Corporate Partner Packages are again available as an alternative and offer a number of extra features over those in the Chamber's category membership. The Chamber believes that they deliver considerably more benefits and much valuable exposure to member businesses which take them up. The three levels of Partnership are: President's Partner, Vice-Presidents' Partner, and Board's Partner. Annual membership of the Chamber is, of course, included in every Partnership Package and brochures are available from the Chamber’s office. Some Board Partnerships are still available and are for twelve months.
EARLY BIRD PRIZES The Chamber is pleased to announce that Adam Tattersall from Barwon Computer Solutions has given the Chamber two printers as prizes for the early payment of subscriptions. They are a Hewlett Packard wireless all-in-one printer/copier/scanner (valued at $179) and a Hewlett Packard colour photo printer (valued at $69). All Chamber members who renew their 2008 Membership Subscriptions in full by 31 March 2008 will automatically go into the Early Bird draw at the Chamber After Five function to be held in April.
The Chamber is delighted that Barwon Computer Solutions has made this generous offer to fellow Chamber members this year.
INFORMATION UPDATE Finally, to ensure that your latest business information is on the Chamber's Website, would you please advise the office as soon as possible if any of your currently-displayed details, including email, are incorrect. Yours sincerely Lawrie Miller Executive Director
Moving Home Solutions wins Micro Business Award
Photo supplied by the Geelong Advertiser.
Belmont's Moving Home Solutions took out one of the region's biggest business accolades, winning the Micro Business Award category in the Geelong Advertiser Business Excellence Awards.
Jane Korn established the company in 2005 and since then has moved more than 100 clients. Moving Home Solutions staff visit client homes before the move, pack and wrap all belongings for the removal van and then unwrap and arrange everything at the new destination. They also help clients with carpet and window cleaning, gardening, shopping and meals.
Awards judges commended the business owner's vision, which had set a "benchmark for entrepreneurship."
The Geelong Chamber congratulates Moving Home Solutions and all other winners of the Geelong Advertiser Business Excellence Awards.
Buy Local Campaign
The Buy Local Campaign is spearheaded by the Geelong Chamber of Commerce, Geelong Business Network, City of Greater Geelong Economic Development and Industry Capability Network. Everytime you buy locally you are helping create jobs and making the local economy stronger. A recent study commissioned by the City of Greater Geelong showed that everyday as a community we spend over $1.2 million outside our region. The Buy Local campaign aims to curb this escape spending and increase awareness of the region's supply capability. Take the Buy Local pledge today: - proactively seek local suppliers for goods and services - use local suppliers wherever competitive Why not browse the Chamber's member directory list and find out who your local suppliers are. Go to www.buylocalgeelong.com.au and get involved today! Our Vision:
The Geelong Chamber of Commerce will foster an attractive and viable environment for business and industry in the Geelong region and thereby provide the people of the region with a progressive and dynamic future.
Our Mission:
The Geelong Chamber of Commerce will advance business and industry in the Geelong region through creative and innovative leadership, advocacy, coordination and promotion of business interests.
Who We Are:
The Geelong Chamber of Commerce was founded by a group of local businessmen in June 1853 and has operated since then as an independent organisation with the primary role of advancing business and industry in Geelong.
The Chamber originally acted as a financier for a lot of Geelong's fledgling businesses and helped manage the Geelong Port and carry out shipping and export functions.
It is still a non-profit and non-political business organisation.
The Chamber remains totally independent to this day and answers only to its members who are representative of large, medium and small.
The Geelong Chamber is the largest and second-oldest Chamber in Victoria and it, unashamedly, promotes Geelong business and industry and always "Puts the Geelong Region First".
The Geelong Chamber is a well-accepted and well-respected association and, while non-political, is seen as being influential in political circles and enjoys direct links to Canberra and Spring Street through its local parliamentary representatives, who it speaks to on a regular basis, and government agencies.
The Chamber is close to all municipal councils in the region and both the City of Greater Geelong and SurfCoast Shire are represented on the Chamber board. The Chamber enjoys representation, through Directors, on a number of Geelong-based public boards and committees.
The Chamber believes that all of these bring about better communication and under-standing about the Geelong region's business' issues and needs.