Many people wonder what exactly the Chamber does for our community. We get a lot of calls about events such as the Apple Festival, the Antique Show, the Garden Jubilee, and other events, but those are actually organized by other entities such as the Travel & Tourism Office or Downtown Hendersonville, Inc.
The Chamber’s main goal is to help you and your business thrive in Henderson County. From networking opportunities and business referrals, to efforts that improve the overall strength of the community, the Chamber strives to be of benefit to the community. Following is an overview of what we do.
• The Chamber answers the community’s “mail” and in today’s society we answer e-mail, website, fax and phone requests as well. The Chamber responds to over 35,000 contacts per year from people wanting information about our community.
• The Chamber is an instrumental partner in our community’s workforce development efforts. These include acting as liaison between the business community and educational institutions as well as coordinating services for displaced workers during major downsizing or plant closure situations.
• The Chamber consistently encourages citizens to “Shop and Dine Henderson County” in an effort to support local businesses (which provide local jobs) and to keep sales tax dollars in Henderson County. The Chamber along with Henderson County and other non-profit groups has a history of joining forces to develop specific campaigns to reinforce these efforts.
• The Chamber provides numerous programs and activities designed to assist small business owners and operators. Through seminars, networking opportunities, knowledge sharing and other activities the Chamber supports existing and new small businesses as they work to survive and thrive in an ever changing business environment.
• The Chamber makes available Affinity Programs to its members that offer beneficial prices for telecommunications services, office supplies, package delivery, Employee Assistance Programs and more.
• The Chamber’s website provides information to potential newcomers and visitors to
Henderson County. The website also acts as a gateway to other community sites – including Travel & Tourism and the Henderson County Partnership for Economic Development.
• The Chamber has long believed that building a strong business community includes building a strong community. Our efforts to improve business conditions in Henderson County have proven successful in the past and will continue to have a positive impact on all of Henderson County.
• The Chamber works with the Henderson County Public School System and Blue Ridge Community College to ensure that the workforce, and citizens entering the workforce, have the skills (or opportunities to gain the skills) to meet the employment needs in Henderson County. This partnership is designed to improve the skill sets of students graduating or otherwise leaving the K-12 system and entering the workforce, improve training/educational opportunities for the current workforce and un/underemployed that improve opportunities for advancement, support school administrators, teachers, students and parents who are involved in the educational process and determine higher educational needs in Henderson County and support increasing higher ed capacity.
