[Vision2020] Moscow Chamber of Commerce "State of the Chamber" in Daily News

[Darrell Keim]

This was in yesterdays Daily News.  Thought it may be of interest.

Keim outlines direction for Moscow Chamber of Commerce

New director hopes to get committees up and running

By Tara Roberts, Daily News staff writer

Thursday, November 15, 2007 - Page Updated at 12:00:00 AM

*Keim*

Progress is the goal of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, executive director
Darrell Keim said at his State of the Chamber address Wednesday afternoon.

"It's been an interesting year at the chamber," he said. "I wanted to show
everybody what the plan is to go forward."

Keim took over as director in September. Former director Paul Kimmell
resigned in early 2007 after six years with the chamber. He was briefly
replaced by Dennis O'Keefe, who resigned in July just weeks after starting
his post. Chamber president Mike Nelsen of St. John Hardware also resigned
in July and was replaced by Hodgin's Drug owner Pam Hays.

Keim outlined the structure of the chamber for the approximately 40
businesspeople who attended the meeting. He emphasized the importance of the
subcommittees that work under the chamber board.

These committees are "where the work of the chamber happens," he said. Some
haven't met in months, so his goal for his first year as director is to get
every committee going strong.

A main goal for the Government Affairs and Community Development committees
is to get chamber representatives at important city, county and state
meetings, Keim said. The chamber already has a strong voice in the
community, but increasing meeting attendance will make chamber members'
voices heard when leaders make decisions on important issues such as
economic development.

"The chamber represents 400 businesses when they make a statement, don't
they?" Keim said.

The Education Committee is working on the Latah Works job shadowing program
and, if it receives a grant, the Learning For Life program, which teaches
high school students career skills.

Keim said a "centerpiece" is needed for the chamber's visitor and relocation
packets, so he has asked the Public Relations Committee to develop three new
brochures. One brochure will describe retail opportunities, and another will
highlight technology-related businesses. A third brochure will map out a
self-guided art tour.

"I want people to ... be able to see what Moscow's about right away," Keim
said. "We need to be able to show them in concrete terms that we have
culture, we have history, we've got shopping, we've got things that most
communities our size don't, and we have them in abundance."

There also is a subcommittee for chamber membership and the Moscow
Motorcycle Classic, which first took place this summer and already is being
planned for next year. Keim said more subcommittees can be added as needed.

"It is our chamber and it can grow and change as Moscow needs it to grow and
change," Keim said.

Jeremy Nesset, a financial consultant for D.A. Davidson and Co., asked how
the chamber will work with a community that is divided about how and how
much business growth should occur.

Keim said the chamber hosts forums and gathers information for its members
but does not take overtly political stances. It is also important to get
diverse people in subcommittees so they can thoroughly discuss issues as a
chamber before taking a stance.

Nesset asked how Keim would lead the chamber if a business such as Wal-Mart
wanted to come in and chamber membership was split in opinion.

Keim cited a "big box" survey the chamber administered two years ago, in
which respondents were "overwhelmingly pro-growth or pro-planned growth." A
section for future surveys may be added to the chamber Web site.

Hays noted the chamber mission statement says the chamber must promote free
enterprise while preserving quality of life.

Nelsen said in a situation like Nesset's, the chamber "becomes the
information outlet, pro and con."

Keim agreed.

"We just let the numbers speak for themselves," he said. "We don't have to
take a stance."

*Tara Roberts* can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 234, or by e-mail at
troberts at dnews.com.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.fsr.com/pipermail/vision2020/attachments/20071116/9de43519/attachment.html