Business owners know the importance of celebrating milestones and anniversaries. It is motivating for not only the business, but also for its customers, and supports the continued success of the organization.
This year, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce is celebrating 100 years of membership with a year full of exciting programs and educational campaigns! These include opportunities for members to share their stories and learn how to continue their growth in a competitive landscape.
The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce was started in 1924 by a visionary group of community leaders that had the goal of fostering economic growth and prosperity in the Greater DeKalb Region. Over the past century, it has become a pillar of support, guidance and collaboration for businesses and organizations, marking its 100th anniversary as a testament to its enduring commitment to the community.
To celebrate the history behind our organization, we have featured its story in our new 2024 DeKalb Area Guide & Business Directory: “Century of Stories, Legacy of Success,” along with DeKalb’s Downtown and industry history. The community can delve into the stories behind the Soldiers and Sailors Clock, the DeKalb Farmers’ Market, the companies that have found success in DeKalb and much more! Copies of our new directory can be picked up at our office, 130 W. Lincoln Highway, Suite 200, or read digitally at dekalb.org.
The DeKalb Chamber recognizes that our members have been fundamental to our century of success, so we want to celebrate their history too! Over the course of the year, we will be sharing stories submitted by our members describing their origins, anniversaries, milestones, awards, memories and more. These stories will be shared on our social media and our brand new 100-year celebrations webpage, dekalb.org/100yearcelebration.
Another part of our 100th anniversary celebrations include two new programs launched thanks to Presenting Sponsor Meta.
The first is our Business Essential Skills Trainings (BEST) Series that launched May 1. This series is designed to empower businesses and nonprofit organizations with the essential knowledge and tools needed to thrive in today’s competitive landscape. With a focus on practicality and real-world application, it serves as a transformative resource, guiding businesses towards sustainable growth and enhanced resilience in the ever-evolving marketplace. The first session, Creative Optimization for Facebook and Instagram, taught users how to craft and optimize engaging content on their social platforms. Our next session, Chamber 101 on June 18, will focus on how to take advantage of membership features like search engine optimization, chamber groups and more.
Our second program launched with support from Meta is our new Chamber Business Studio which we will be using to create a series of videos where members share their business journeys and visions for the future. To motivate the continued support of our organization and celebrate our members’ contributions to our shared success, they will have this opportunity to share their inspiring stories.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter @dekalbilchamber or visit our website at dekalb.org to keep up with all our 100th anniversary celebrations and get to know the tales of our members.
- Alexis Aviles is the communications assistant for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce.