​First, congratulations to all of us on a tremendously successful Foundation Annual Celebration last week. I was so sorry to miss such an important opportunity to pause and celebrate together! And don’t forget about our regional competitiveness program, Compete l 25, coming up on August 13. I hope to see you there.
 
So glad to be home again, after a week in Philadelphia at the ACCE Convention, where I joined 900 peers from across the country. I came home energized – with new ideas, a stronger understanding of national trends, and renewed affirmation of the role chambers play in shaping communities.
 
Sheree Anne Kelly, ACCE’s president and CEO, talked about the uncertainty we’re operating in, and the urgent need for innovative, adaptive leadership from chambers. I couldn’t agree more.  
 
ACCE’s Horizon 2035 report, which I had the privilege of helping shape as a member of the research committee, reinforces what many of us already feel: chambers have never been more essential.
 
Trust in chambers remains strong. According to a 2024 Harris Poll commissioned by ACCE:

• 81% of U.S. adults agree that their local chamber of commerce is a trusted resource and partner for businesses.
• 90% believe their local chamber has an impact on growing the local economy.
• 88% say chambers positively impact challenges within their community.

 
The momentum is ours. We are charged to bring even more bold leadership and lasting impact to our communities. 
 
Horizon 2025 highlights three key spheres of influence shaping the future of chambers:

• Linchpin influences: our foundational role as conveners and community champions
• Timeless influences: the enduring challenges every chamber leader navigates
• Timely influences: emerging issues with long term implications 

 
The takeaway? Chamber leaders must think like futurists – able to discern weak signals that could evolve into trends, and craft community-specific strategies that are both grounded and visionary.
 
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. But I do hear a clear call: to lead and serve with both curiosity and courage. Let’s step into that together!  
 
 
See you in the trenches,
B

First, the celebration: please join us for our 26th Annual Foundation Celebration, a signature event honoring those who serve our community with heart. This year we recognize our 2025 HERBIE Award winners: Roxanne Sanchez of Nine Lives Thrift and Bremer Bank, represented by newly retired President and CEO, Jeanne Crain.
 
Your Chamber’s charitable foundation plays a vital role in serving the broader community by standing in the gap—connecting employer needs with community opportunity, and investing in leadership development. We need your support to continue this work!
You can help by:

• Registering to attend
• Donating a Silent Auction item
• Sponsoring the event (email me directly for details)

 
Second, your insight is needed: the Federal Reserve’s Community Advisory Board is seeking input, and I’d love your feedback on two questions:

1. How are you or your community being impacted by tariffs or changes to immigration policy?
2. What changes are you seeing in household budgets for low- and moderate-income families?

 
Please feel free to email me directly with your thoughts.  I’ll be combining and anonymizing any input I share.
 
Thanks for all you do—and I hope to see you at the luncheon!
 
See you in the trenches,
B

Greetings! A short note to you all this week as we ease into the July 4 holiday weekend. 
 
First: a huge thank you to everyone who joined us for our annual Golf Classic yesterday. It was a beautiful day with a full course, great energy, and plenty of friendly competition. Congratulations to our winners, and a special thank you to our sponsors for making the day such a success!
 
Second: it's almost time for our Foundation Celebration--our biggest fundraising event of the year for Leadership St. Paul and our workforce initiatives--happening on July 22nd from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Hamline University. Register today to join us in honoring our two HERBIE Award winners: Roxanne Sanchez of Nine Lives Thrift is the Individual winner, while the Organization winner is Bremer Bank, with former President and CEO, Jeanne Crain accepting the award.