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Military Affairs Walt Miller, Vice Chair e Chamber's Military Affairs Committee provides support for Robins Air Force Base and Air Logistics Complex, and the members of the Guard and Reserve in Central Georgia. e Chamber also works closely with the 21st Century Partnership in protecting the missions at Robins Air Force Base and other concerns related to the base. Military Affairs committee members participated in and supported the fund raising efforts for the Sgt. Rodney Davis Medal of Honor memorial monument in Linwood Cemetery as well as the "Remembering Our Fallen" exhibit which was created to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. In an effort to support the enlisted troops stationed at R AFB the committee secured passes from Bibb County for 100 families to have free access to Lake Tobesof kee during the summer months. In addition, members attended many ceremonies and events on base and participated in briefings/tours of R AFB. Regional and Government Partnerships Dan Slagle, Vice Chair Regionalism was a high priority for the Chamber during 2013. e Chamber's goal each year is to initiate and support regional and local partnerships. e Chamber continues to reach out to the surrounding counties to join them as a regional voice for business. e Chamber's annual event, Macon Day and A Taste of Macon at the Capitol in Atlanta was held with over 1,000 guests in attendance during the evening event. e Good Morning Macon events continue to be an excellent networking opportunity for members while being informative at the same time. As part of the Chamber's legislative agenda, they supported the consolidation referendum for Macon and Bibb County and will continue to support the consolidation of Macon-Bibb in their ongoing efforts to merge two governments together. What an exciting year for Macon and Bibb County! e Chamber continues to support many transportation, education and economic development initiatives. e year would not be complete without a trip to Washington, DC. e Chamber partnered with the Georgia Chamber for a visit to our nations capital to meet with the congressional delegation to discuss issues important to this region including transportation, infrastructure and Robins Air Force Base. Chamber Viability/Membership Dan Forrester, Vice Chair Membership growth was a primary focus for the Chamber last year. A Chamber cannot be successful without a strong membership base and the Chamber is pleased to be on an upward trend in membership sales and retention. e Chamber had a positive growth in membership — both in the number of members at the Chamber and the revenue received. e Chamber ended the year with 862 members with membership investments totaling $535,000. A Small and Minority Business Task Force was formed to develop a plan designed to increase retention and increase new membership among small and minority businesses. is dedicated group compiled many recommendations that are currently underway or under consideration in the future by the Chamber. eir recommendations included developing a new updated website, a focus on personal communication with members, increased media exposure (including social media) and establishing a Small Business Council to address the special needs of small and minority businesses. e new website should be launched during the summer of 2014. e Chamber continues to be an advocate for business by focusing on projects and programs that serve the interests of the community. In an effort to provide more services and programs for our members, we identified a program to raise additional sponsorship revenue during 2014. A Total Resource Campaign will launch in May 2014 to aid in those efforts. Education & Workforce Development Committee Cyndey Busbee, Vice Chair e Workforce Development Committee's objective is to support regional and local partnerships while addressing workforce issues facing employers in Central Georgia. A regional Workforce Development Summit was held for community leaders, Human Resource directors, government officials, and other area chambers. e Chamber supports the Promise Neighborhood Project and has placed education/schools as a key initiative for next year. e STAR Student and STAR Teacher event is hosted each year by the Chamber in partnership with the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE). Macon Now! omas Wicker, Vice Chair Phase II of the Macon Now! Initiative is focused on economic growth and prosperity for our region. Pledges of over $1.8 million plus several in-kind contributions have been received by the Chamber. New Jobs Jobs Retained 042914 Annual Report.indd 7 5/14/14 1:51 PM