If you were unable to join us last Thursday for the Chamber’s annual Membership Meeting & Awards Celebration, let me give you a quick recap: Fantastic organizations and individuals were recognized for the hard work, creativity and generosity that make Abilene and the Big Country an incredible place to live and work. And the food was great.
Overall, the event was just one example of, a metaphor perhaps, for the incredible work that collectively comes from the Abilene Chamber of Commerce: Months of careful planning, weeks of heavy lifting and a few days of furious energy capped by a night of celebration and fun. A huge thank you to the planning committee and staff that worked so hard to make the event a success.
I briefly mentioned Thursday night that the greatest perk of serving as your chair over the last year is the all-access pass that has enabled me to see firsthand everything the Chamber and its affiliates do on behalf of our community. Unless you live and breathe it every day like our amazing staff does, there’s just no other way to really get your arms around the full breath and depth of the work of our Chamber. To steal a quote our President & CEO, Doug Peters, loves to use (he stole it from some other guy) - “Chamber leadership involves aggressively pursuing the hundreds of incremental moves needed to achieve greater prosperity of our communities.”
I want you to take a moment and imagine an Abilene that doesn’t include the leadership and impact of the following organizations and programs: Cultural Affairs Council, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Abilene Industrial Foundation, Hispanic Business Council, Military Affairs Committee, Abilene Young Professionals, Redcoat Ambassadors, Business Expo, Leadership Abilene, Small Business Week, Ag Committee, Business Advocacy Council, the Downtown Abilene Initiative… I could keep going. What a scary thought!
For 113 years, people like you have been helping our Chamber lead the business community and over the last year I was given a front row seat to witness your resiliency and passion. And for that, I am very grateful.
Marshall Morris
First Financial Bank
Abilene Chamber 2020-2021 Board Chair