The Santa Maria Valley Chamber boasted some big wins after attending the Western Association of Chamber Executives Conference in Sacramento in February.
Glenn Morris, the chamber’s president/CEO, received his 10-year Accredited Chamber Executive (ACE) re-accreditation, and was awarded the Pettit Award.
The Pettit Award. is presented annually to a CEO or department head for “outstanding contributions for encouraging new executives to enter the profession and in assisting those in the field to attain higher professional standards and capabilities.”
“It’s a humbling honor to be acknowledged by one’s peers for your involvement and efforts,” said Morris. “While the award may be presented to me, the reality is that the work of our staff team and the support of our volunteer leadership is the reason I can support others in this profession.
“We believe that collaborating with chambers in our region and beyond benefits our community as we learn, benchmark, and share with others who are trying to make their communities better,” Morris said.
The ACE designation is awarded by the association’s board of directors to chamber executives that apply and meet a strict set of professional development and educational requirements. Morris is currently one of only 24 ACE recipients who are active in chambers of commerce in the West.
Molly Schiff, director of community and member engagement, was among the 19 chamber executives to graduate from Academy, a professional development program presented by the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.).
Academy is a three-year interactive training program on chamber management essentials designed for today’s chamber executives and staff professionals.
“We congratulate all of the graduates and their chambers for having the vision to invest in professional development,” said W.A.C.E. president Dave Kilby.
During the Academy program, graduates participated in 18 three-hour classes and must successfully complete additional independent study outside of the classroom.
Schiff also began her second term serving as vice chair on the W.A.C.E. Emerging Leaders Council.
“I’m thankful that the Santa Maria Valley Chamber prioritizes professional development. Being a part of WACE Academy has broadened my knowledge of the chamber industry and has allowed be to build lasting relationships with other chamber professionals,” Schiff said.
“Programs like Academy and Emerging Leaders not only allow me to grow professionally, they strengthen our organization as a whole,” she said.
W.A.C.E is an association of chamber of commerce executives and staff professionals designed to promote and enhance professional development. With some 800 members from 21 Western states and Canada, W.A.C.E. is the largest state or regional association of chamber of commerce executives in the country.