Dear Chamber Members,
As the pandemic’s weeks have settled into months and what was once odd has become our new work and life normal, you can rely on the stability of your Chamber and our ongoing work on your behalf. I’m proud to boast that we have not missed a beat and continue our member advocacy work, including leading the creation of coalitions advocating for a safe return to work, and weekly share valuable and relevant content to our members via online seminars while seeking new ways to engage and connect our business community.
We are on the forefront of organizations communicating at the local, state, and federal level to ensure a safe return to work while urging policymakers to continue making investments that will support business, retrain and retool employees, and support what we all recognize will be a period of business recovery. Our Back to Work Leadership Task Force meets regularly to address the fast-moving developments in this crisis, ensuring that our elected leaders understand what our members need to speed that recovery.
The Chamber PAC has launched its Policy Lunch series with notable Virginia leaders and invites participation from all members. These Lunches gather members in robust numbers for energetic business discussions and will continue through the summer into the Fall. If you haven’t participated in the past, this is a unique opportunity to hear information first-hand and ask questions, if you like. The PAC welcomes all members for these events—all you need to do is register! If you haven’t attended a Policy Lunch before, I urge you to try this new engagement opportunity with the Chamber.
Collaboration is a part of our organizational DNA, and we rely on collaboration with members to develop relevant and shareable content, policy positions that we then advance to elected officials, and guidance on what we should consider and advocate for as investments in workforce, education, and business. In that same spirit I have been asked to join the Connected DMV COVID-19 Strategic Renewal Task Force. The first meeting of this task force is later this week. Our objective is to develop a strategy and actionable recommendations to regional governments that will help us all build a resilient and sustainable economic recovery. I’ve spoken with many of you about what it is that you see as critical for both near-term and long-term economic recovery. If you have ideas you would like to share, please email or call me. I want to hear from you! We are all in this together.
I trust that you, your colleagues and family remain healthy and safe as we navigate this uncertain time—and move forward to economic and personal recovery.
Best Wishes,
Julie Coons
President and CEO
202.276.1644
