To our valued stakeholders:
For nearly three decades, the Jefferson Chamber’s mission has remained unchanged: to improve the business climate and quality of life in Jefferson Parish and the region. We strive for excellence, maintaining status as a Five – Star Accredited Chamber of Commerce, placing us in the top 2% of Chambers in the United States. We would like to take this opportunity to let you know how your investments and contributions have promoted successful initiatives in our community throughout the past year.
Advocating on a local, state, and federal level to endorse and support pro-business policies and legislation continues to be our first priority. In 2024, we made great strides toward improving the business climate in Jefferson Parish through an increased advocacy presence at all levels of government. This included a hospitality suite at Washington Mardi Gras, which provides unparalleled access to Louisiana’s elected officials, regular visits to the State Capitol during the legislative session with weekly updates to our membership, and a strong working relationship with our local government. While our state continues to endure an insurance crisis, we worked to educate our members and advocate for initiatives that would help to improve the availability and affordability of private insurance in a competitive market. We were an active participant on Louisiana’s Early Childhood Care and Education Commission to create a vision and framework for the future of early childhood care and education in Louisiana. Additionally, for over 2.5 years, the Jefferson Chamber worked to ensure the new Jefferson Parish Industrial Zoning Code was supportive of the industrial sector of Jefferson Parish. Please consider joining a committee and attending one of our governmental site visits to ensure our voices are heard at all levels of government!Â
Educating and professional development remain a high priority to ensure our workforce is equipped to supply ever-demanding job growth. Our Education and Workforce Development Committee strengthened its ties with all levels of education and industry through collaborative partnerships and informative meetings and tours. Leadership Jefferson, a nine-month program designed to develop business and community leaders with the capacity to improve the quality of life in our region, graduated its 22nd class in 2024. The Young Professionals committee held numerous seminars with leaders in our community and provided invaluable professional development opportunities for its members. In collaboration with JEDCO, our Prosper Jefferson series provided training on topics such as artificial intelligence, branding, wage and labor laws, and more.
Connecting people ensures growth in businesses, and no organization does that better than the Jefferson Chamber! Monthly networking events, such as our Business and Breakfasts, and Business Card Exchanges, provide an accessible way to increase your business network. Several of our signature events boasted record-breaking attendance, including the Annual Meeting, Legislative Breakfast, and State of Jefferson. We look forward to seeing you at our many events in 2025!
As President and Chairwoman of the Jefferson Chamber, respectively, we could not be prouder of the work of the Chamber’s small team and our dedicated volunteers. We hosted over 80 events in the past year, including educational seminars, networking events, advocacy trips, and more. Our members voluntarily participate on six different committees, as well as the Jefferson Chamber PAC and Foundation, for the betterment of our organization.
Thank you for your continued support of the Jefferson Chamber and your investment in our award-winning Chamber to make our mission of Improving Business – Improving Lives possible.
We look forward to our continued partnership with our investors and the community in 2025!
With Our Sincerest Gratitude,
Ruth W. Lawson
President, Jefferson Chamber
Nora Vaden Holmes
2025 Chair, Jefferson Chamber
