Greater Vancouver Chamber announces record attendance for March 23 event - 03/19/10 >The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce today announced it has hit an event attendance record – 1,200 people are now pre-registered for the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce No Business After Hours event, "Cruisin' Into Spring with Friends" to be held on Tues., March 23, 5-7 p.m. Last year's spring No Business event drew 500 attendees. Cruisin' Into Spring is being held at renowned yacht builder Christensen Shipyards, LTD & will be catered by Beaches. The prize drawing is a Caribbean cruise for two. The event will feature live music, a huge buffet catered by Beaches & more. The draw of this event is that it is a networking event where the Chamber guarantees there is no business taking place. There are two No Business After Hours events held per year. Participants enjoy coming to a business event where they can interact with colleagues and other business people without the selling and marketing often associated with business networking events. No Business After Hours, "nothing it's supposed to be and everything it should be" is truly about making in-person connections and having a great time. It's the fun kind of networking.
Go to www.vancouverusa.com for full event details or call 360-694-2588.
Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Announces Raffle - 03/18/10 >VANCOUVER, Wash. – With 1 in 1,000 odds, it's no wonder the tickets are going fast. The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday that it is now selling tickets for a raffle fund-raiser to support GVCC programs and services.
The raffle prize is a $2,500 travel voucher, PLUS $2,500 cash. GVCC employees are not eligible to win. Only those 18 and older may purchase raffle tickets.
Tickets are $25 each or 5/$100. The winning ticket will be drawn at the Chamber's annual golf tournament at Camas Meadows on June 17, 2010. The winning ticket holder does not need to be present to win.
There are no restrictions on ticket purchase other than those listed above. Only 1,000 tickets will be sold. The travel voucher is good for any type of travel, including transportation and lodging.
Raffle tickets may be purchased at the GVCC office, 1101 Broadway, Suite 100 in downtown Vancouver or by calling 360-694-2588. Tickets will also be available for sale at GVCC events.
About the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce has served the Southwest Washington business community since 1890. The Chamber is an alliance of member businesses, individuals and organizations who join together to support business. The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce is the heart of the Clark County business community. For more information about our organization, visit www.vancouverusa.com.
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GVCC Membership Just Got Better! - 03/12/10 >The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that membership now includes a complimentary annual subscription to the Vancouver Business Journal.
For member businesses that may already receive the Journal this may be an opportunity to receive an additional copy to share in the office or to provide to a customer or vendor. The subscription provided by the Chamber will not qualify members for a refund on a current subscription to the Vancouver Business Journal. For businesses that truly don't have a use for the additional copy, however, the Journal will extend current subscription by one year from the original expiration of the existing subscription.
This additional benefit of membership is a way to thank members for their membership investment and the work they do on a daily basis to make Southwest Washington a great place to work, live and play.
"It is critical that the business community be kept up to speed on what and how their partner businesses are doing in southwest Washington," said Kim Capeloto, GVCC President & CEO. "This subscription to the Vancouver Business Journal is just one more way that we are reaching out to our members to ensure that local business news and information regarding the business environment is getting to our friends in the business community as we pull ourselves out of this economic situation."
For questions or assistance with subscription extensions, please e-mail Debbie Trimble at the VBJ at dtrimble@vbjusa.com. The Vancouver Business Journal, www.vbjusa.com, publishes weekly and focuses on the businesses and business issues important throughout southwest Washington.
BUSINESS LEADERS ECHO GOVERNORS' MESSAGE TO MOVE CRC PROJECT FORWARD - 02/22/10 >VANCOUVER, Wash. –Southwest Washington business leadership supports the clear and direct message of Governors Gregoire and Kulongoski regarding recent developments which could impact the construction of an improved Interstate 5 crossing of the Columbia River and related improvements in the Bridge Influence Area.
In light of the January 19, 2010 letter signed by City of Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt, Portland Mayor Sam Adams, Clark County Commission Chair Steve Stuart and Metro Council President David Bragdon requesting additional review of the Columbia Crossing Project after years of community-based planning, Clark County business leaders stand united in voicing their concern that project delays will further stall regional economic development and jobs creation.
Scott Horenstein, Identity Clark County (ICC) Board of Directors chair said, "The fact is, the Columbia Crossing effort is the number one priority in our community and, likely the most important infrastructure project many of us will witness in our lifetimes. The proposal by municipal leaders to call a halt to forward progress in order to undertake further review and study of the fifteen (15) years of development to date will simply bog down the process, drive the cost of the Columbia Crossing up, and goes against the spirit of community planning."
Business leaders from the Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce, Identity Clark County, the Columbia River Economic Development Council, Vancouver's Downtown Association, and East Vancouver Business Association agree that additional study and the establishment of arbitrary "work elements" will only delay our region's ability to succeed, not only in the Vancouver/Portland metropolitan area, but in the increasingly vital global marketplace. Jobs, freight mobility, economic development, and quality of life issues are at stake.
"There is no greater economic stimulus for our region than the jobs that will be created to build the bridge combined with the instant increase in freight mobility that the new bridge will offer to our entire region, not to mention the world," said Don Russo, GVCC Board of Directors chair. "Improving this bottlenecked corridor will increase economic opportunities between Canada and Mexico and improve access to our region's critical rail and shipping channels."
In the January 19th letter, Mayor Leavitt, Mayor Adams, Commissioner Stuart and Council President Bragdon stated that they "believe that cost, physical and environmental elements of the project as currently proposed impose unacceptable impacts on our communities."
The reality is that after fifteen (15) years of community involved planning and study, delay of this critical project imposes unacceptable impacts on our communities and could make or break the region's ability to compete, both in the Pacific Northwest and in the global economy.
About the Southwest Washington Business Partners
Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce (GVCC):
The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce has served the Southwest Washington business community since 1890. The Chamber is an alliance of member businesses, individuals and organizations who join together to support business. The Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce is the heart of the Clark County business community. For more information about our organization, visit www.vancouverusa.com.
Identity Clark County (ICC):
Identity Clark County is a politically connected, focused organization with resources that enable it to be strategic, to leverage, to create and facilitate partnerships, and to influence those issues that make a significant difference in the development and economy of the region. ICC's goal is to build a community with strong character, identity and a balanced economy through focused leadership by creating, facilitating and leveraging partnerships with a strategic vision and unified action plan. More info: www.identityclarkcounty.org.
Columbia River Economic Development Council (CREDC):
A public/private partnership with more than 180 investors, CREDC has been serving Clark County, Washington since 1982. Its mission is to stimulate job creation and investment in the region. This is accomplished while ensuring the county's exceptional environment and high quality of life are maintained. More info: www.credc.org.
Vancouver's Downtown Association (VDA):
For the past 20 years Vancouver's Downtown Association has been a leader in the effort to weave together business, residential, cultural and historical perspectives to build a vibrant city center. We make good things happen in the heart of our city. Please visit www.vdausa.org for more information about our the organization.
East Vancouver Business Association (EVBA): East Vancouver Business Association was founded in 1991 as a means for East Clark County businesses to express their interests in both civic and economic development. Our mission is to promote and support business, education and community growth and to instill cooperation and mutual support of our professional and civics goals.We are a group of business and community leaders with a vision of building a stronger community. Please visit www.evba.net to learn more about our organization.
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