Chairman's Message

I am ecstatic over the opportunity to serve as your Chair for 2008! No greater honor can be bestowed. Thank you, Board of Directors and members, for your support. Together, we will continue our agenda of promoting all member businesses that will create a healthy business climate for the region. This year we will be “goals” driven. Without a plan, a strategy, an initiative, we are like race car drivers with blindfolds. Therefore, my first goal is to establish processes to keep us focused on where we want our Chamber to go.

We are blessed by the volunteerism of several devoted and dedicated members. Our executive committee includes Chair Elect Penny Freeman, Vice-Chair Henry Friloux, Secretary Bob Monti, Treasurer Nolan Schexnayder, and Past Chair Blaise Gravois…..a team of professionals offering their time and expertise to make this organization the powerhouse that it is becoming! Equally, RRCC is reaping the benefits of another group of professionals serving as leaders of our committees including Business Development Chair Richard Drexel, Communications Chair Annette Wray, Education Chair Frank Fontana, Events Chair Blaise Gravois, Membership Chair Penny Freeman and Public Policy Chair Henry Friloux. Many thanks to these wonderful individuals who provide the foundation from which we must build!! I would be remiss in not mentioning our Chamber transition chair and Workforce Development taskforce leader Lily Galland who has done an awesome job in bringing her group to the forefront on a state level in addressing technical worker shortages and providing solutions to the BESE Board. Our founding Chamber Chair and taskforce organizer Conley Dutreix, will again work with us in coordinating the regional and parish by parish taskforces to address issues. Many thanks to these two outstanding leaders for remaining involved and committed to our Chamber! You have and continue to make a tremendous impact on our program of work.

Each committee is challenged to attain goals for 2008 and in our first committee Chair orientation, we have developed some impressive initiatives namely Chamber representation at all public school board and council meetings; support LA Ethics #1, a coalition of Chambers and business groups organized to promote ethics reform in our state; develop additional revenue streams thus increasing revenue to provide more member benefits; seek U. S. Chamber certification for RRCC; provide Jr. Achievement in St. James and St. John Parish schools; increase ambassador program to 25 and establish a recognition program for the ambassadors; provide a quarterly newsletter and make it self-sustaining; maintain 90% attendance rate for committee meetings; increase membership to 380; seek 501 (c) 3 status; and begin research into providing medical insurance for small businesses. The committees have numerous activities planned for 2008 to assist in reaching these goals, and we will continually talk about where we are with our goals and team building throughout the year. Yes, this will take a concerted effort of all our members but we can and will do it!! Please, get involved with our pro business agenda. Make the most of your Chamber membership. The networking and advertising opportunities for our small and mid size companies are remarkable at best! You are the reason we are growing stronger but we need you to get involved to make a difference! Join a committee by calling the Chamber office at 985-359-9777 or email me at chesley@ampmstaffing.com. Stay informed and involved. Visit our website at www.riverregionchamber.org for updates.

In closing, thank you to the staff of the River Region Chamber of Commerce. Chassity McComack, our Executive Director and Dotti Lee, our Administrative Assistant have done outstanding jobs to keep us all on the same page. We are privileged to have their administrative acumen necessary in maintaining operations. Please visit them at the Chamber office at 301 West Airline Highway in LaPlace and let them know how much they are appreciated.

I look forward to getting to know you all in moving our Chamber forward in 2008!

Chesley Cashio
2008 Chair