Recognition from peers and colleagues is particularly meaningful, because insiders know what it really takes to succeed. Commerce Lexington has honored some of its 1,700 member businesses with plenty of awards over the years. In August the organization placed fourth in the nation for Chamber of the Year, an award given by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE).
ACCE is a trade association for people whose profession is running a chamber of commerce. Commerce Lexington’s executive personnel are members.
“It is the best — by far — group for professional development,” said Bob Quick, president and CEO of Commerce Lexington. “I can talk with chambers my size, or bigger or smaller, and find out about trends. It is the most invaluable organization that we are a member of.”
Formerly the American Chamber of Commerce Executives, ACCE changed the “A” to stand for “Association of” at its centennial convention in August. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, ACCE was founded in 1914. To honor outstanding chambers of commerce, ACCE divvied them into four divisions based on market size, membership base and dues revenue, with division one being the smallest and four the largest.
“We barely missed three, and we were put in with the large chambers, which at first didn’t seem fair,” Quick said. “Then we came in fourth, so we said we’ll take that — what a feather in our cap.”
Applying for the Chamber of the Year award wasn’t as simple as filling out a form. Chambers first had to be approved to apply. The process started in February 2014 with an operational survey stating financial information, membership and staffing data. Commerce Lexington was given the go-ahead and then had about a month to get the rest of the paperwork done, most of which involved writing synopses about two programs, the Community and Minority Business Development program and the Central Kentucky Regional Public Policy initiative.
“We knew competition would be really stiff,” Quick said. A few years ago he had been asked to be a judge for the Chamber of the Year nominations. A conflict came up at the last minute, so Commerce Lexington assistant vice president Dana Zinger went in his place.
“Dana was the one who said we can do this,” Quick said. “Then we turned Mark Turner [Commerce Lexington’s senior vice president, communications] on to it.”
In May, the Lexington executives were notified that Commerce Lexington was among the finalists in the largest category for Chamber of the Year. The final phase of the awards process was a 45-minute interview in front of a panel of judges at the convention. Joining Quick on the dais was Danny Murphy, immediate past chair of the Commerce Lexington board of directors. He is assistant dean for administration and community engagement at the University of Kentucky College of Law.
“I got to ride on the coattails of some great work put together by Dana Zinger and Bob Quick and the great staff at Commerce Lexington,” Murphy said. “I am truly one of many volunteer board members who could have been asked to join Bob Quick at the interview.”
After six months of preparation, the Commerce Lexington delegates waited with bated breath during the awards ceremony at the convention center in Cincinnati, Ohio. The chamber from Toledo, Ohio, came out on top, followed by chambers from Washington state and Boise, Idaho, and then Commerce Lexington.
“Even though we’re one of the four best, I told people laughingly, but also a little seriously, you’re expected to be in the final four,” Quick said. “But we’re expected to win.”
They will apply for the award again next year; the convention will be held in Montreal.
Commerce Lexington was founded in 1881 as the Greater Lexington Chamber of Commerce. In 2004, the chamber merged with Lexington United and the Lexington Partnership for Workforce Development to become Commerce Lexington, or CLX. The organization, with 24 staff members, promotes economic prosperity and quality living throughout central Kentucky, even partnering with other area chambers and economic development officials on public policy issues.
“Lexington and surrounding counties in the Bluegrass region share so many common interests,” UK’s Murphy said. “What’s good for Lexington is good for surrounding counties, and what’s good for the surrounding counties is good for Lexington.”
CLX is in a position to be successful because of its members, according to Quick. “If you look at the caliber of volunteer leaders we have, I’ll put us up against any organization in the country,” he said.
“There are so many people who care about the community, working behind the scenes long after they’ve served their time on the board,” Murphy said. “It’s a true blessing to continue to serve with these people.”