Macon Magazine

YVONNE WILLIAMS, President & CEO Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce For the Greater Good This has been a challenging year, but the Greater Macon Chamber is resilient and ready to serve our members and our community. We are streamlining our policies, processes and priorities to help the Greater Good. I would like to commend 2020 Chair Julia Magda for her visionary leadership during this unprecedented time. We are grateful for our partners and supporters, who have responded confidently with commitment to lead through the crisis. The Greater Macon Chamber embraced technology and learned new skills, careful to maintain our personal connections with members and partners, while communicating virtually. The Chamber advocated on behalf of our residents, hosting local and federal leaders, who kept us educated and informed through public Zoom Town Halls. GMC hosted a dedicated COVID-19 online resource page, Small Business Workshops and electronic updates. Macon Works successfully launched an innovative talent platform to help close workforce gaps by linking recruitment, skill building and career navigation into one collaborative system, deployed both online and as a mobile app used by employers and job seekers. The Macon Works platform is fully integrated with Bibb County Schools, providing critical access to career pathways. We encourage all business and industry executives to go online, set up profiles and post new employment opportunities. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we hope that it is from a train heading to one of our distribution centers. We will continue to shine the light on critical issues and advocate for the Greater Good. I believe that we are in a year of amazing opportunity. As a small business owner, I consider it an honor to be invited to help guide this storied organization. I hope my leadership role with the Greater Macon Chamber will inspire members of all sizes to raise their hands and become more engaged with this landmark institution, which celebrates 160 years of community service in 2021. I can honestly say that my Chamber membership has significantly impacted my business and personally benefited me as well. You do not have to face business challenges alone. Take advantage of the current professional resources available to Chamber members. Thoughtfully curated programs and initiatives have been inspired by the requests of our members. The Greater Macon Chamber's vision to connect, advocate, educate and accelerate has been endorsed by our Board of Directors and community partners. We remain greater together and are committed to make Macon-Bibb the best place for small and big businesses. ROB BETZEL, 2021 Chairman Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce 3 L E T T E R S F R O M O U R L E A D E R S

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