Napa Chamber of Commerce has been voted Best Chamber Event in the 2011 NorthBay biz readers poll.
For the fourth year in a row, Napa Chamber of Commerce is being honored by NorthBay biz readers for Best Chamber Event. “We pay close attention to our membership and its needs,” says Katherine Zimmer, VP of marketing and communications. “We’re always evolving what we do to make it better and keep it current. I think that’s the key to our continued success.”
The Napa Chamber produces more than 50 events annually, ranging from educational forums and seminars to guest speakers and social mixers. Of course, each one offers networking opportunities. “The businesses of Napa support and attend chamber events,” says Lisa Batto, who was named chamber CEO in November 2009 after several years with the organization (see “Follow the Leaders,” May 2010), “so you’ll always meet key decision makers. They’re a great way to connect with quality businesses in the area.”
Ideas for new events come from the community as well as from chamber members (1,220 strong) and staff. “We poll members and track business trends to make decisions about what will be most beneficial for our members,” says Zimmer. “We also look at our five-year vision plan and focus on our value proposition as an organization. We measure the worth of an event idea and really hone in on what our members want and need to be successful.
“We always ask: What can we do to help our members generate more business and become more successful?”
By monitoring the local landscape, the chamber can respond to business needs. For example, when crime against businesses became an issue earlier this year, the chamber quickly put together a crime prevention seminar in conjunction with the Napa Police Department. It was free to all and “very well attended,” says Batto.
Of course, certain events have become mainstays. The Napa Valley Business Expo, a business-to-business and community-centered trade show, welcomed more than 650 attendees earlier this year. The Napa Valley Community Awards (a luncheon co-sponsored by the Napa Chamber Foundation and Mechanics Bank) spotlights eight “unsung heroes in the community,” including singling out a Nonprofit Organization of the Year. The E3 Conference, says Batto, focuses on “economics, education and expectations. We forecast the coming year and update happenings at the state and local level that could affect business operations.”
Zimmer adds the January general membership meeting to the list of musts. “It’s our gala for the year,” she says. “It’s about reconnecting with fellow members and gearing up for the year to come.”
Finally, says Batto, the annual golf tournament and mixer is “a casual way to connect and do business. It’s so well loved because it’s so well organized.
“We have an incredible team that organizes our events and oversees every detail,” she continues. “They’ve established a mechanism that lets them individualize each one and reach out to sponsors, partners and volunteers to really bring the best to each event.”
It seems to be working, if this award is any indication. Zimmer agrees: “This award is an acknowledgement that we’re getting it right,” she says. “That kind of validation keeps us moving forward on the right track. Thank you for your votes.”
