Flint & Genesee Chamber Of Commerce: Flint & Genesee Chamber Of Commerce Unveils New Name, Logo At Virtual Annual Meeting

Press release from Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce:

March 31, 2021

The new name and brand architecture revealed at the Chamber’s 2021 annual meeting, held virtually, reflects a market-driven response to creating growth and transformation of Flint & Genesee’s business community.

“Our new brand strategy will provide our stakeholders with easier entry points into the organization and connect them more readily with the services, resources and information they need,” said Flint & Genesee Chamber CEO Tim Herman. “Broadly speaking, the Flint & Genesee Group will focus squarely on improving the economic success of Genesee County and its residents.

“We will accomplish this through the work of our four divisions: Flint & Genesee Economic Alliance; Flint & Genesee Chamber; Flint & Genesee Education & Talent; and Explore Flint & Genesee.”

The roles and responsibilities of the divisions include:

“We believe that our rebranding will fundamentally improve our audiences’ understanding of who we are, what we offer and to whom,” said Herman.

In addition to unveiling a new name and brand identity at the meeting, the Chamber presented its accomplishments from 2020, a year defined and shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Annual Report, themed “2020 Disruption Fueled Innovation,” provides details on how the Chamber navigated the challenges of the past year and responded to the changing needs of its stakeholders and the broader community. The organization became much more digitally focused to deliver services, information and value during an unprecedented year, affected by shutdowns, social distancing and mask requirements.

“It was a defining year marked by three interconnected issues: a global pandemic and ensuing economic downturn; a racial and cultural awakening about the pain caused by a long history of racial injustice and a highly divisive U.S. presidential election,” Herman said. “Amid these major disruptions, our team realized what we’ve built over time – in terms of our culture, leadership, agility, and trust – would play a significant role in our ability to navigate a crisis like no other in modern history.”

The Chamber learned early on that the global pandemic was significantly impacting Flint and Genesee County small businesses. To respond, a greater portion of the Chamber’s resources were dedicated to small business support; enlisting staff from across the organization to provide information, referrals, and financial resources; and to being a good listener and advocate for the business community.

Also during the meeting, keynote speaker Bethaney Wilkinson, founder of The Diversity Gap Academy, delivered a 10-minute presentation on how leaders can drive equity and inclusion in their businesses and organizations.

“Intentional leaders make all the difference,” Wilkinson told viewers. “They dignify people. They pay attention to power. They practice costly hospitality.

“You have what it takes to create this kind of culture. I encourage you to be bold, to be brave and to take some risks,” Wilkinson added.

Following are 2020 accomplishments directly related to the organization’s business advocacy, economic development, tourism and education efforts, and other programs and services:

Economic Development

Business

Talent

Place

The Chamber’s full Annual Report is available online at annualreport.flintandgenesee.org.

This press release was produced by Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.