Issue link: http://visitithaca.uberflip.com/i/464557
It is a great honor to have the opportunity to serve as Board Chair for our Chamber of Commerce for 2015. I get to follow in the footsteps of our Past Chairs like Mike May, David Hall, Laurie Linn, Tom LiVigne and many others. They are a distinguished group of leaders devoted to making a positive contribution to our community, they are smart, engaged, hard-working, caring, driven and inspirational. What do I have in common with this group of distinguished leaders? I said "yes" to serve as Chair without having any clue as to what I am getting myself into. I think of the Chamber as the heart and soul of our business community and its impact reaches every individual in our community whether they are aware of it or not. I am so grateful to work for an organization that values giving our time and resources back to the community through service. And, because of how important the Chamber is in our community, it is my policy to always say "yes" when asked to help or participate through the work of government aairs, the Ambassadors, the Small Business Council and the networking opportunities like Business After Hours. We have a strong and engaged Chamber that is made up of six sta, over 100 volunteers and 744 members representing well over 50,000 employees in Tompkins County. My great wish for 2015 is for everyone to say "yes" to the Chamber. So many important conversations happen at the Chamber and we all have the ability to advocate on behalf of the business community, to help each other be successful and to leverage our talents to make lasting contributions. These contributions are greater than the sum of their parts, and they will collectively improve Tompkins County for years to come. The great irony to me is through my service to the Chamber I will receive more than I can ever give. I'm grateful for this opportunity and look forward to the journey ahead. Thank you. Chamber Heart and Soul 2015 Board Chair Kara Taylor