San Rafael Chamber of Commerce: Your Chamber Representing Local Values. I have been hearing a lot lately about the US Chamber, particularly its position on tobacco and climate change. It has been very timely news. Though the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce (SRCC) has not taken a formal position on tobacco, we do have a strong commitment to a more sustainable future, protecting the livelihood of our employees and the health of their families and ensuring a diverse workforce for the future of Marin County. It just so happened that the Board of Directors recently re-examined its relationship with the US Chamber and voted unanimously to NOT renew their subscription based on these values. The SRCC is a member-based business advocacy organization providing a strong voice in support of the economic vitality of our community. We are interested in the well-being of our entire community. Leading companies invest in the San Rafael Chamber because we have aligned ourselves with the local values that make San Rafael special. We meet regularly with multiple sectors of our community including elected officials, health care authorities and educational professionals to address issues that matter most to our members, their employees, their customers and visitors to our city. The San Rafael Chamber is a natural balance of large, small and medium size businesses across all demographics and diverse industries with small businesses making up nearly 80%. We take positions on issues that matter most to these local members; including transportation/traffic congestion and lack of work force housing. We collaborate with the County on workforce development, support projects that create and retain jobs, work on fair and reasonable laws and regulations and support a clean and safe environment for our employees and visitors to our city. San Rafael Chamber members are actively involved in the community and lend their enthusiasm and expertise to making a difference in our community. For example the Health and Wellness Resource Group promotes and shares health related resources and information to our community and our members in order to increase the personal well-being of not just workers but all individuals. The Education Committee fosters the understanding, cooperation and collaboration between the business and education communities by identifying, promoting and supporting common goals. They work with the School-to-Career program to increase student internships and we are the only Chamber in Marin County to recognize deserving educators and welcome new teachers to the community. The Green Business Committee is passionately dedicated to connecting the voice of sustainable business with the Chamber, its members and greater business community, in order to help all these groups gain awareness and progress towards a more sustainable future for all. We are not only working diligently to improve the business climate in Marin but the overall health of our community. Whether you ever open an email, serve on a committee, attend an event or participate in one of our programs, the Chamber is working for you. Promoting Business and Building Community at the same time. When you have a question, need a resource or face a problem, we’ll be here for you. Please feel free to contact me directly via phone, email or just drop by the office. I am always interested in hearing your ideas, comments or concerns. Together we can grow and together we can make a difference. Best,
Joanne k Webster President and CEO
[email protected] 415 454 4163 x 101
