Chamber. Ambassador. Manual. “As the leading Siouxland area business
advocate, the Siouxland Chamber of. Commerce represents its membership.
Chamber Ambassador Manual
“As the leading Siouxland area business advocate, the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce represents its membership by promoting the economic welfare and quality of life for the tri-state region.”
Mission Statement “As the leading Siouxland area business advocate, the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce represents its membership by promoting the economic welfare and quality of life for the tri‐state region.” purpose of the ambassadors • • •
To support and promote the general welfare of the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce through recruiting and retention of members. To support Chamber members through participation in ribbon cuttings, ground breakings, press conferences and grand openings. To host the Annual Dinner, Key Executive Welcome & Golf Classic
membership in the ambassadors • •
• • • •
An individual whose employer/sponsor is in good standing with the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce and who display a strong commitment to the purpose of the Chamber and the Ambassadors are eligible to apply. The Ambassadors shall be comprised of no more than 45 active members at any given time. There shall be no more than: o one (1) Ambassador from a Member firm o two (2) Ambassadors grand‐fathered* from other firms to a single member firm o 15% from any industry If an ambassador transfers member firms, the new employer must sign off on a transition form indicating their desire for the individual to represent their firm as an Ambassador within 30 days. A transition fee will accompany this process to cover expenses of the ambassador badge, etc.) Should an ambassador fail to meet the minimum requirements set forth for membership in the ambassadors, he/she will be subject to review by the Ambassador Selection Committee. Prospective Ambassadors will be interviewed by the Ambassador Selection Committee. All new Ambassadors will have an introductory period of three (3) months. o New ambassadors will attend a mandatory Ambassador Orientation set up by the Chair of the Selection Committee & the Director of Investor Relations. o During the 30 days, the new Ambassador will be paired up with a mentor within the Ambassadors as a part of the New Ambassador Mentoring Program. o New ambassadors are expected to accumulate 25 points within the introductory period. o At the end of the introductory period, new ambassadors will meet with the Selection Committee for review.
Terms: * Grand‐fathered refers to an ambassador who transitions to a new member firm who already has ambassador representation. If the member firm agrees, the transitioning ambassador will be allowed to represent the member firm.
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rules & requirements • • • • • •
All active ambassadors must accumulate 150 points per fiscal year (October through September), and emeritus** ambassadors must accumulate 50 points per fiscal year. Ambassadors must actively participate in bringing in at least one new member per fiscal year. Annual dues of $35 are payable at the beginning of the Chamber fiscal year (October). Statements will be mailed to the sponsoring firm and must be paid by November. Ambassadors are required to purchase a green blazer after introductory period. Ambassadors must serve on at least one ambassador committee. Ambassadors are expected to attend Chamber of Commerce activities such as: o Business After Hours o Ribbon Cuttings o Ground Breakings o Press Conferences o Open Houses o Key Executive Welcome o Chamber Golf Classic o Chamber Annual Dinner
Executive Committee The officers of the Executive Committee will meet on a quarterly basis or as‐needed, and shall consist of: • Chair – shall preside over all meetings; shall serve as liaison to the Chamber of Commerce Board and Committees; shall work closely with the Director of Investor Relations; shall serve a term of one year. • Vice Chair – shall act in the absence of the Chair; shall serve a term of one year as Vice Chair and proceed to the Chair position immediately following. • Immediate Past Chair‐ shall offer advice and consultation when requested. • Selection Committee Chair • Annual Dinner & Golf Chairs • Director of Investor Relations‐ shall coordinate all activities and work in concert with the Executive Committee, a non‐voting member. The Executive Committee will identify leadership within the Ambassadors for committee chairs and nominate a slate of eligible candidates to serve as Vice Chair. This will be voted on by the Ambassadors.
Terms: **Emeritus ambassadors are those ambassadors who have 15 years of service. They are allowed to continue as an ambassador as long as they have a sponsoring firm in good standing with the Chamber. Emeritus are required to make 50 points a year.
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committees The Executive Committee will appoint Committee Chairs each year. All ambassadors must participate in at least one committee each year. • Key Executive Welcome‐ This optional annual event takes place each year in March/April. The goal of this event is to welcome executives who are new to Siouxland or new to an upper level management position. The evening provides them with an opportunity to meet other executives and begin to build their network of professional resources. The role of the ambassadors is to plan the event, help recruit new executives to be highlighted, and host the event. Planning begins in December/January depending upon the date of the event. The Event Chair is responsible for: o Scheduling meeting dates with the Events Coordinator and Director of Investor Relations o Chair the committee meetings o Selecting the Master/Mistress of Ceremonies • Chamber Golf Classic‐ This annual golf outing is one of two major annual fundraisers for the Siouxland Chamber. The goal of this is not only to raise non‐dues revenue for the Chamber, but also to provide our members with a networking focused event. This event is typically held around the 4th Monday of June at two Chamber member golf courses. The afternoon shotgun is immediately followed by a networking and awards banquet at an off‐site location. The role of the ambassadors at this event is to plan, execute, volunteer the day of the event, recruit golfers and sponsors, and host our guests at the networking and awards banquet. Planning begins in January. The Event Co‐Chairs are responsible for: o Scheduling meeting dates with the Events Coordinator and Director of Investor Relations o Chair the committee meetings o Creating sub‐committees, as needed, to assist with the planning • Chamber Annual Dinner‐ The Chamber Annual Dinner is the largest and second major annual fundraiser for the Chamber each year. The goal of this event is to raise non‐dues revenue for the Chamber, review the organization’s achievements over the past year, and bring in a high‐caliber speaker to entice the community to attend. The role of the ambassadors at this event is to plan, execute, and host our guests at the event. The Chamber Executive Committee begins the search for a key note speaker immediately following the event. Planning begins in June/July. The Event Chair is responsible for: o Scheduling meeting dates with the Events Coordinator and Director of Investor Relations o Chair the committee meetings o Creating sub‐committees, as needed, to assist with the planning • Selection Committee‐ The Selection Committee is responsible for interviewing potential new ambassadors and creating accountability within the group regarding point accumulation. The chair of the Selection committee will be responsible for: o Scheduling meeting dates/time with the Director of Investor Relations. o Reviewing new ambassador applications. o Reviewing point status quarterly, and finding volunteers to help make low points calls. o Planning and executing New Ambassador Orientation as needed. o Recruiting new Ambassadors through an active marketing campaign. o Developing a mentoring program for new Ambassadors. • Membership Drive (Ad‐hoc) ‐ The Membership Drive Committee is responsible for the planning and execution of a membership drive. The chair of this committee will recruit ambassador
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members and Chamber volunteers to serve as a sales arm of the Chamber for the period of the membership drive. This committee will help to determine the incentives offered to participants.
meetings Ambassador meetings will be held at Noon and 7:30 a.m. rotating on the 4th Thursday of each month or as needed. The meeting location will be pre‐arranged and Ambassadors will be notified of the location via email. The structure of these meetings will include: • review of upcoming events • review of points • updates on new member acquisition from the committee • potential new member referrals • review of new members and drops
point system
Ambassadors are required to accumulate 150 points per year (October 1st through September 30th of each year). Ambassador point accumulation will be reviewed quarterly. The Selection Committee will review low points, and follow up with individuals not meeting the average on a quarterly basis. 1 new member a year 25 points Ribbon Cuttings/Ground Breakings/Press Conf. 5 points Monthly Meeting 2 points Committee Meetings 2 points Business After Hours/Open Houses 5 points Annual Events 5 points 10 points if exceeds 4 hours Retention Cards 2 points (must be returned in 4 wks) New Ambassador Mentoring Program 5 points
ambassador application 4
Name Firm Position Address City State Zip Phone Email Job Description Firm Sponsor Please list your strengths and weaknesses What attributes will you bring to the Ambassadors? What community organizations do you belong to? Please provide two references from other community organizations you are actively involved with. Which Committee would you be interested in participating in?
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