PENDLETON — Madison County Chamber of Commerce earned statewide recognition recently after the Indiana Chamber Executives Association (ICEA) named it Chamber of the Year.
“This is an incredible honor for our team and for our community,” Clayton Whitson, president/CEO Madison County Chamber of Commerce, said in a press release. “We’re continually looking for new ways to enhance our value proposition to the business community.
“The other finalists for the award are all doing some amazing work in their communities, so to be honored as the top chamber this year is really special. It’s truly a testament to the team we have in place and the vision and guidance from our outstanding board of directors.”
The other finalists were Valpo Chamber, OneZone Chamber, Greater Muncie Chamber, Greater Kokomo Chamber, LaGrange County Chamber, Greater Bloomington Chamber and Owen County Chamber.
The ICEA annournced the award during its annual conference, which took place June 12-14 at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Madison, Indiana.
The Chamber of the Year Award recognizes organizational excellence in chambers of commerce across the state and is based on metrics including community leadership, membership development, programming, business advocacy, and community & organizational visioning, according to the release.
“The Madison County Chamber has set a high standard for excellence in chamber leadership for community visioning,” ICEA President Shelli Williams said in the release. “Their innovative approach and unwavering dedication make their chamber team a deserving recipient of this year’s award and a chamber that peers across the state look to for innovation.”
Highlights of the Madison County Chamber’s nomination include:
• Successful launch of the Local By Choice campaign
• Hosting a series of high-impact networking events and educational workshops.
• Record levels of membership growth and business opening celebrations.
• Advocating for local businesses at the federal, state, and local levels including their annual D.C. Fly IN to meet with lawmakers
Madison County Chamber of Commerce also received two Excellence in Innovation Award’s for programming efforts, including its “Local by Choice” campaign.
During the past four years, the ICEA board has presented Madison County Chamber with several awards, including with five Excellence in Innovation awards and the Chamber Executive of the Year award (Whitson, 2023).
ICEA is the professional association for Chamber of Commerce executives and staff in Indiana. It provides education, resources and networking opportunities designed to enhance the effectiveness and leadership capabilities of Chambers of Commerce across the state.
For more details about the Madison County Chamber of Commerce, visit madisoncochamber.com or call 765-642-0264.
