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Why Invest in a Membership?
Investing in the Vermont Chamber of Commerce SAVES YOU MONEY. It's that simple. And like other wise investments, being a part of the Vermont Chamber pays handsome dividends. Here's why:
1. The Vermont Chamber is People. The Vermont Chamber of Commerce is a private, non-profit business organization. Chamber members employ thousands of Vermonters. TOGETHER, Vermont employers and Vermont employees give Vermont its well-deserved reputation for providing high quality products and services.
2. Our Work and Mission. Our mission is to create an economic climate conducive to business growth while preserving the Vermont quality of life. We have a BALANCED approach to the challenges facing Vermonters and the Vermont business community. We believe, for example, that environmental protection and economic development are not mutually exclusive. We can - and must - have both a healthy environment and healthy business climate that stimulates business growth and jobs.
3. We Mean Business. We work to increase the effectiveness of government and to improve the relationship between government and the business community. Decisions made in Montpelier affect you and your business. With five staff lobbyists, a diverse Board of Directors, 16 committees and focus groups, and hundreds of volunteers, we not only speak for business - WE MEAN BUSINESS!
4. An Effective Voice. By working closely with other business groups, we mobilize the troops so that when battles are fought in the legislative arena, the business view is HEARD. And heeded. There is strength in numbers, and with 1,500 member firms representing thousands of employees, the Vermont Chamber is a powerful voice.
5. Saving You Money. When the Vermont Chamber influences government, YOU save money. Running a business is a full-time job. You don't have time to track legislative and administrative decisions that affect your bottom line. Making sure the business voice is heard in debates on workers' compensation, tax policy, property tax reform, improving the health care system, environmental protection, permit issues, etc., is also a full-time job. It's the Vermont Chamber's job.
6. Enhancing the Business Image. The Vermont Chamber has been, and will continue to be, an unabashed advocate for the free enterprise system. We believe that in Vermont, business IS people. And people ARE business. Through our legislative advocacy and communication efforts, we have been a major player in changing the way the public, the media and the politicians look at business.
7. Your Personal Ombudsman. Anybody who has been in business a while has run head-on into the government bureaucracy. It takes special expertise to penetrate that bureaucracy and cut through red tape. The Vermont Chamber has staff experts who KNOW how government works, and why it sometimes doesn't. Help is often just a phone call away.
8. Direct Savings. You investment in the Vermont Chamber brings valuable benefits. Save money on group health and dental insurances through CIGNA and Delta Dental. Save on phone and Internet costs through our SoVerNet program. Save on shipping costs with our Airborne Express Partner Savings Program. Save money, time and aggravation by using our 2002 Vermont and Federal Law Manual and the Internet-based human resource product, HR Comply Survival Guide. Keep up to speed with regular newsletters, special updates and our weekly legislative updates. Save on booth space at our Business and Industry EXPO, the state's largest annual business-to-business trade show. Save on listing and advertising opportunities in our respected travel publications.
9. You Help Set the Policies. You have a direct voice in the Vermont Chamber's governmental affairs policy-making process. Each year, we ask for YOUR views in a legislative issues survey. When necessary, additional specific surveys are distributed among the members as well. Then the results of these surveys are used to develop Chamber positions. You can play an even more active role by serving on one or more committees and special task forces, or on the Board of Directors. How much or how little you want to participate is up to YOU.
10. The Global View. We've heard it so often, it's become a clich; we're all a part of a global economy. But it's true. Today we are pursuing new markets and facing new competition across the continent and around the world. The Vermont Chamber's International Business Council is helping Vermont businesses prepare for their global future. Our trade missions to Taipei are producing tangible results for Vermont firms.
11. Business & Education. The Business Education Partnership seeks to improve the lifelong educational and economic opportunities of Vermonters by creating partnerships among the employers, educators and communities.
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