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The Columbus Chamber of Commerce office continues to be housed in the Stafford Opera House. We are the hub that offers visitors information on local events, shopping, eateries, along with historical and other local sites to see. We also encourage and welcome our Chamber and community members to stop by and visit us at the office any time.
We are seeing growth in our region, with more to come. The Chamber supports smart growth that balances growth with quality of life. This includes, but not limited to establishing community criteria of well-being, mental and physical health, basic needs being easily met, opportunities for advancement, advocacy, high achieving education system, and community members who support their community.
The Chamber Board of Directors is a team that works to not just create the Chamber’s policies to support our members, but to drive value to them in a way that helps advance the quality of life through economic and community development. One economic driver is technology. The Columbus region has the perfect opportunity to be a larger part of the technology equation with Houston based Axiom Space and Space Port to our east and the Musk Hyperloop Plaza and Space X Headquarters to our northwest. We are in a technology aerospace hub that has explosive opportunities and we can be a part of the conversation on how to bring those opportunities to our region.
In our first Business EXPO held on June 24, 2024, Colorado County born and raised George Pate with Sp33d Computers, presented his technology piece. Pate’s depth of knowledge and expertise were evident, and he is an example of local entrepreneurs pursuing technology-led current and futuristic industry. How do we go deeper to expand technology-based education in our region? One way that the Chamber is addressing this is through a Business & Technology Committee that will help produce our second business Expo in June of this year, the Regional Business Summitt. More information is coming; if you are interested in discussing now, please contact me.
The Chamber has a vision to be a part of establishing a 2050 Strategic Plan for the Columbus community. Mike Meier and Peggy Harrison have joined me as facilitators to multiple round tables. Over the last several months we have put together specific groups to identify that group’s priorities.
Our goal is to take these priorities to the citizens of Columbus in a series of town halls beginning in March. The desired outcome is to identify what the people want their community to look like in 2050. With this vision in place, local leadership, businesses, and educators will have clarity on the direction the community wants to move toward.
The Chamber produced, Leadership Colorado County program, has seen a great inaugural year. Class members and speakers met throughout the County in Eagle Lake, Weimar, and Columbus.
The class has gained insight into operations in what it takes to operate and make sustainable a town, county, education system, law enforcement, the medical community, emergency management, fire departments, economic and community development, and more.
April 9 is the Legislative Day, and the Class will be traveling to the State Capitol to visit with legislators and learn a bit more about the legislative process. It has been a very good first year and we greatly appreciate everyone who has helped make this program a success.
In our rural communities we do not have the networking base of larger cities. It is one of the reasons that my conversations center around thinking, operating, and working regionally. The Columbus Chamber has members throughout Colorado County and into neighboring counties and is why we are collaborating regionally to expand all of our members’ networks.
This is a win-win for all of us as we help create more work, more jobs, identify supply chains, build capacity to offer more products locally and engage those local dollars to stay local by shopping locally. Be watching for regional networking mixers coming up.
Looking ahead in 2025: In addition to what has already been mentioned, we will be working on: Marketing Reach > Tourism > Small Business Resources > Education > Workforce > Housing Development.
We appreciate the entrepreneurial spirit. The businesses that create jobs, and the community that supports those businesses. The Chamber’s focus is always on adding value to our members.
