Strategic Impact Priorities

2012-2014: An Agenda for Community Prosperity

The Greenville Chamber develops strategic goals by surveying Members and working with the Board of Directors, Committee Leaders, and Staff. The following two measures are used to gauge each of the final impact priority items:

• Will it help build one of the premier business communities in the world?
• Will it help increase per capita income in the region?

Catalytic Projects

The Chamber will provide regional leadership to identify and execute catalytic projects that are capable of transforming the Upstate economy.

Projects like the attraction of Southwest Airlines, an expanded medical school, and the early conversations that led to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research require a certain “can do” spirit that Greenville is known for. This strategic goal keeps us reaching for more big ideas.

Action Plan:

• Develop ideas annually with input from members, community leaders, and economic development allies.
• Prioritize ideas and form a task group to tackle the top project.
• Celebrate successes and provide recognition for leaders involved.

Grow High-Impact Companies

The Chamber will lead the efforts to attract and grow early-stage, high-impact companies for creating wealth and high-wage jobs in the region.

In just a few short years, a handful of small technology companies forming the NEXT initiative now number 75 with an annual economic impact of $42 million. This critical mass of companies and talent now gives Greenville and the region an opportunity to continue this momentum in the future. A vision has been carefully crafted to build on this foundation and explore new paths of innovation.

Action Plan:

• Begin implementation of the NEXT Strategic Plan aimed at building a regional ecosystem infrastructure in the areas of talent, capital, facilities and innovation.
• Continue to increase the number of companies in NEXT.
• Communicate the economic importance of entrepreneurial growth.

Industry/Large Employer Competitiveness

Build a world-class competitiveness initiative to support existing industry and major employers in the region.

Greenville and the Upstate have long been identified as the economic engine of South Carolina. Service to existing industry and major employers is a key ingredient to increase per capita income, the Chamber’s chief measure of community prosperity. Large employers have unique needs and this strategic area of the Chamber will build relationships and results in this business segment.

Action Plan:

• Build a community competitiveness plan around the needs of large employers.
• Advocate issues important to the manufacturing sector and strengthen the Manufacturers Roundtable group.
• Continue to develop and utilize the Economic Scorecard as a primary measure of success around human capital, innovation, entrepreneurship and industrial composition.

Leadership

Expand the development of Greenville leaders as a tool to enhance community prosperity and to provide greater value to Chamber members and community.

A successful community must have well-trained leaders ready to assume key community positions. After 38 years of the 10-month Leadership Greenville program’s successes, alumni are serving in elected office, on boards and commissions, and leading businesses and organizations. Today’s leadership programs also include Youth Leadership (starting in the 11^th grade), PULSE (designed for Young Professionals ages 22-39), and the five-week informative course, Opportunity Greenville. The future for these critical programs is a focus on growth, diversity and technology.

Action Plan:

• Establish a baseline and increase the number of leadership alumni engaged in community service by 10% over the next three years.
• Position all leadership programs to be better known in the community, especially among diverse groups.
• Leverage technology to improve communications and the overall leadership program experience.

Management Process

Become the best managed Chamber in the Southeast.

Chamber Staff will implement continuous improvement processes for strategic planning, customer/market focus, system management and business results in 2012.

Member Engagement

Fully understand, engage and develop current and potential Greenville Chamber members.

There is strength in numbers. As we enter 2012 there are 2,100 members of the Greenville Chamber. More members, and more engaged members will make the Chamber even stronger. We adopted this strategic priority to keep the importance of our membership front and center.

Action Plan:

• Attract new members and retain existing members through engagement.
• Survey membership regularly to discover business challenges and respond with relevant programs.
• Continue to develop bottom-line savings programs for members.
• Create more marketing exposure opportunities for members.

Public Policy

Be the Upstate’s Voice of Business.

Over the past seven years the Greenville Chamber has built a model of public policy collaboration among a dozen chambers of commerce. It is in the DNA of these chambers to be the voice of the business community to our elected officials. In the years ahead, the Upstate Chamber Coalition will get stronger, engage more members in the process and continue to be the source of information about important legislation.

Action Plan:

• Develop the annual Legislative Agenda and lobby aggressively for its passage.
• Grow the grassroots network of engaged and informed members by 1,500 in one year.
• Stage events that provide Chamber membership with access to public officials.

Small Business

The Chamber will lead Greenville’s development of an effective yet efficient program to enhance small business growth and prosperity.

Small business, where every business begins, is the lifeblood of the Chamber and will likely provide the job creation we need to fuel economic recovery. With 85% of the Greenville Chamber’s membership in this category, it is mandatory we understand the needs of small businesses and respond with helpful programs and services to support this growth.

Action Plan:

• Develop a strategic planning model to identify and respond to small business needs.
• Create technology tools to give Chamber members direct web access to resources from 14 partner agencies and organizations.
• Create a business analysis tool to help members examine their operations and identify areas to strengthen.
• Utilize database capabilities to match offerings with needs to maximize the small business member experience.
• Launch a Minority Business Accelerator program, including hiring a staff professional to work with minority-owned businesses to improve, grow and connect with large organizations.