In 2018, the United States Chamber of Commerce awarded the Jefferson Chamber with five-star accreditation, a distinct honor that puts the chamber in the top 1.7 percent of chambers in the nation. The purpose of the U.S. Chamber’s Accreditation Program is to facilitate continuing excellence in the chamber industry and to foster a pro-business environment across America.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s website, this is the only program of its kind that defines excellence in chamber planning and recognizes chambers for their outstanding contributions toward positive change in their communities.
By earning accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, a chamber shows its dedication to reviewing, improving and promoting strong business practices; recognizing leadership and outstanding contributions to the community, supporting the principles of free enterprise and promoting pro-growth policies at federal, state and local levels; and establishing best practices and staying in-step with industry changes.
This five-star accreditation stands as a testament to Jefferson Chamber’s quality of governance and operations, as only 116 out of 7,000 chambers have been granted this top ranking. The mission of the Jefferson Chamber — which was established just 21 years ago — is to work for the advancement of the business community, to enhance the economic, civic and cultural environment and to improve the quality of life in Jefferson Parish. Its members work to help businesses grow, implement relevant and informative programming and provide opportunities to build relationships with other businesses in the community.
Nick Karl of Peoples Health and 2018 Chairman of the Jefferson Chamber said it is “an incredible honor for such a young chamber to be recognized for its leadership in advocating, educating and connecting business.”
Emily Anderson, Communications Director for the Jefferson Chamber, said the accreditation applications are accepted three times throughout the year. For the Jefferson Chamber, it took nine months for staff to complete an extensive self-review and essays detailing their improvements and accomplishments.
“The accreditation application was a major team-building experience for us. Everyone assisted in submitting information throughout the process, and seeing the application come to fruition was an exciting accomplishment for the whole team,” said Todd Murphy, President of the Jefferson Chamber.
The Jefferson Chamber had previously received four-star accreditation, but judges felt that its growth in several areas over the past five years warranted this new merit.
“Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement,” said Anderson, adding that in order to receive accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs and technology. The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of the U.S. Chamber board members, and then it’s approved by the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chamber.
“The Jefferson Chamber is especially proud of its advocacy work over the past few years, which includes supporting statewide regulation for Transportation Networking companies such as Uber and Lyft, coastal restoration, workforce development and quality early childhood care and education,” Anderson said.
Christy Marino, Director of Advocacy and Special Programs for the Jefferson Chamber, said that the accreditation is a testament to the Jefferson Chamber’s effective leadership in addressing the concerns of its constituents.
“We hope that our five-star accreditation validates our commitment to supporting the issues that create the best opportunities for Jefferson Parish businesses,” Marino said.
Now that the Jefferson Chamber has been bestowed this honor, those involved in the Chamber believe it will attract more businesses to the parish.
“By becoming involved in a top chamber, businesses and employees will grow both personally and professionally through many opportunities to network and advocate,” Anderson said.
The five-star accreditation status is active for five years.
