While evaluating the past year that I’ve served as board chairman for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, I want to say first and foremost how much I appreciate and value your membership. Our members are the foundation of our strength, and we are more than 1,600 members strong and growing.
As we conclude 2008, the Chamber financials demonstrate that the organization is financially strong despite the poor economic conditions that currently pervade our country. We have continuously made strides in economic and business development throughout the year, and our county has seen vast capital investments this year. We are preparing to open Mills Business Park in 2009, a joint venture with DeHoff Family Foundation, that will provide growth and relocation opportunities for business in Stark County and beyond, and will bring new jobs to our region.
The unparalleled staff of the Chamber and its departments has showcased our community as a destination for events, for football and for the arts. The Canton/Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, in collaboration with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, has been successful in securing the USA Football Junior World Championships for summer of 2009. Eight international teams representing the best-of-the-best in high school football will compete for the first time in the United States right here in Canton. Our four, incredible downtown festivals, Zing in the City, Canton Blues Festival, Vintage Canton, and most recently, Light Up Downtown, entertained more than 30,000 attendees. Our professional business events support the Chamber’s mission for advancing business through networking, education and safety. In fact, the Stark County Safety Council was recognized again as the No.1 safety council in Ohio. As always, our Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival team produced a One of a Kind Event as more than 700,000 guests and 4,200 volunteers came together to celebrate the enshrinement of our most recent group of football greats.
The arts are invigorating our community now more than ever, helping to bring more people to the county and to the center city. First Friday, a joint effort between ArtsinStark and the Canton Development Partnership, now in its second year, has grown steadily and has led the charge for more artists, studios and galleries to find a home in Canton. The community is anxiously anticipating the arrival of Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota. This larger-than-life exhibit of Kimono is a true testament to Canton/ Stark County’s prominence in the arts.
The work of our School Funding Task Force has resulted in greater understanding between business leaders and public educators. Formed in 2007, the task force has worked to study and identify trends in school funding and spending and has looked for a way to benefit education in Stark County. We believe this new level of understanding will mark the spirit of business-education cooperation in the future.
Our 21st Century Government Steering Committee brings together the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Massillon Area Chamber, the Jackson-Belden Chamber, the North Canton Chamber, the Canal Fulton Chamber and the Minerva Chamber, along with the Stark Development Board and the Stark County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. The steering committee sees an opportunity to encourage greater collaboration among local governments. It is concerned about the rising cost of government and the similarities in governmental function across the county. The steering committee hopes to create a new, professionally funded government collaboration office, under the auspices of an existing community organization of high credibility.
It has been an honor and a privilege to have served as the 2008 Chairman of the Board for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce, and to work alongside the strong executive management team, led by president and CEO, Dennis P. Saunier. I believe that this year has been one in a long series of strong foundational years for the Chamber, culminating in a climate for growth and prosperity. As we enter our 95th year of advancing business and developing community, we are undoubtedly equipped for a fruitful future.
Thank you for your membership now and in the coming years.
Sincerely,
Tim Maloney, Chairman of the Board
