In the case of the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce it is obvious that some “things do change” and it appears the Chamber is continuing to grow as the place to be for local business.

The Chamber reported that 2007 has been a great year! With the implementation of a strategic outlook focused on building its relationship with the Town, the tweaking of some of its policies and procedures and the addition of Katy Taggart as the new President of the Chamber along with other staff additions, the Chamber membership is on the rise. So much so, that since the beginning of 2007, the chamber has added 172 new members to its association. That is a staggering average of 17 new members a month over the last ten months.

There are a myriad of reasons for this surge in membership. In 2006, the Staff and members of the Board of Directors set out to open additional dialogue with the Town of Flower Mound. It was agreed by the Board that having the Town as a strategic partner in the activities of the Chamber was a key part of the Chamber’s mission. The Town was openly receptive to extending their partnership beyond their annual Diamond Level Chamber investment and after a series of meetings with representatives of the Town; a partnering agreement was approved by the Town Council and the Flower Mound Chamber Board of Directors.

In January the Town and the Chamber began working hand-in-glove to promote the commercial and civic interests of both the Town and the Chamber. A great working relationship has been established and new events such as “The 12 at 12 Luncheon”, a monthly luncheon with Mayor Jody Smith, have helped the Chamber and the Town to vette issues and ideas.

Another rewarding joint endeavor called “Unity in Communities” was fostered from a vision of Mayor Jody Smith. The dream was to create a loosely connected organization designed to build synergies between the services provided by the cities and the local non-profit organizations to assist the citizenry of the local communities, including Flower Mound, Highland Village, and Lewisville. From this vision, Ms. Taggart formulated the idea of honoring outstanding non-profits in the community and, at a banquet held for just that purpose, the first ever Non-Profit of the Year award went to the Denton County Children’s Advocacy Center. As a result of the Unity in Communities Luncheon, that organization was awarded a $14,000 Grant from Verizon.

The Town and the Chamber, both realizing the value of the area’s major employers, have joined together to sponsor the upcoming “Spirit of Excellence” luncheon which will recognize and honor the Major Investors of the Chamber and the Major Employers of the Town. The luncheon will take place on Monday, November 12 at the Texas Motor Speedway Grand Ballroom.

Next year the Town and the Chamber will team up on a “signature event” that should be the biggest event of the year and include festivities and national talent that can be enjoyed by the citizens of the community. Details of this exciting event have yet to be released, but planning is well underway.

With a clearly defined strategic path, strong leadership within the Chamber Board of Directors, increased Chamber staffing, revitalization of the relationship with the Town and the apparent alignment of goals, and a focus on how it can best support its members, the Chamber continues to capture the confidence of local business. The Chamber is committed to being a vibrant contributor to the success of the Town and its businesses by supporting the civic and commercial activities of both. One hundred and seventy two new members can’t be wrong; the Chamber is “THE PLACE TO BE FOR BUSINESS.”

Chuck Elsey is the senior member of Elsey & Elsey, a general practice law firm located in Flower Mound.