Ambassador Committee
The Ambassador Committee is a prestige public relations booster and goodwill arm of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce. It will concern itself with activities that strengthen membership, establish good communications with members and enhance the image of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce.
Recognizing that the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce consists of businesses interested in establishing and maintaining Stoughton as a good business community in which to live and work.
it is the purpose of the Ambassadors as representatives of the business community and on behalf of the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce to:
1. Retain present membership and recruit new members.
2. Serve as public relations liaisons for the Stoughton Chamber at:
* Special events such as the Chamber Annual Dinner
* Lunch & Learns
* Business after 5
3. Establish good lines of communications with members.
Ambassadors have many opportunities to participate, including regular meetings, retention calls, networking events, ribbon cuttings, groundbreakings, Lunch & Learn, special activities and more. Ambassadors will have the favorable advantage of promoting their own businesses while taking part in these activities.
1. Monthly General Meetings are scheduled on the second Tuesday of the month.
2. Special Meetings of the Ambassador Committee may be called at the discretion of the Chairperson of the Ambassador Committee.
3. It is expected that Ambassadors will regularly attend monthly general meetings in order to keep updated on Ambassador activities and Chamber information. Absence from three consecutive meetings without an excuse will be construed as a resignation.
4.Each Ambassador is responsible for contacting his/her assigned list of Chamber members.
5. Recruitment of new members eligible for membership in the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce is an additional important responsibility.
6. Ambassadors may be called upon to contact non-renewing members.
Economic Development Committee
The Economic Development Committee is a key committee in helping the Chamber fulfill its mission of improving the quality of life in Stoughton. This group of business and governmental leaders in the community meet to discuss current and prospective plans that will affect Stoughton’s economic well-being.
The objectives of this committee are:
1. Insure a positive environment exists for businesses in the area.
2. Work with city government to insure the regulations covering businesses and economic activity in the Stoughton area are clear, consistent and practical.
3. Stay current on economic trends and evaluate their impact on the local economy.
4. Communicate pertinent information to members that may affect their business.
Committee meetings are held at the Chamber office on the first Monday of the month beginning at Noon. The meetings are scheduled monthly but the Committee actually meets only when there are issues of importance to discuss.
Contact the Chamber if you are interested in serving on this committee.
Retail Group
A community is defined by a variety of attributes. One of the key components of the Stoughton community is the retail sector.
The four blocks of downtown Main Street are often cited as the retail shopping area for the city but the availability of retail shopping opportunities extend well beyond that boundary – with stores located from one end of town to the other.
The Retail Group usually meets monthly but if warranted can and often does meet more often. The typical agenda includes such items as a discussion of upcoming events; the possibilities of using those events to create sales opportunities; discussion of cooperative advertising; and, any other issues impacting the retailing environment in the community. Meeting are informal and attendance can vary greatly depending on the time of year and the issues that need discussion.
Contact the Chamber and your name can be included in the announcement of meetings of this group.
Stoughton Incubator
The Chamber worked with the city Redevelopment Authority (RDA) to secure the funding for a study to determine if a business incubator would be feasible in Stoughton. The study not only concluded there was a potential market for a business incubator but that it could be an important economic engine that would create new jobs in the area. Based upon the positive results of the study, the RDA accepted the Chambers request to take the lead on going through to the next stage of developing an incubator in Stoughton.
At this point, the Chamber invited individuals to become members of the Incubator Committee. Persons were invited to participate based on the skills and expertise needed by incubator tenants. The current committee is comprised of individuals with experience in law, accounting, finance, planning, human resources, insurance, computer technology and general business management. The committee will be expanded as necessary.
The goals of the committee over the next two years are:
1. Identify possible location/facilities (focusing on reuse of existing building)
2. Prepare start-up financial plan including determining what services would be provided and identifying equipment and staffing needs.
3. Finalizing lease rates for tenants.
4. Establishing a management plan for the incubator.
5. Develop a marketing plan for promoting the incubator and attracting tenants.
If you have an interest in becoming involved with this committee, please let the Chamber know.
