In many of our communications, you may have come across the term “Chamber 2.0” from our Chamber communications team. I want to clarify and explain what this means in this issue of the President’s Message.
One of my first responsibilities as the President and CEO of the chamber was to review and update the chamber’s strategic plan. This was a task that I particularly enjoyed, having previously guided many clients through a similar process in my management consulting business. As we began to involve the board and staff in redefining the chamber’s identity, purpose, and advocacy for the thousands of Chamber members and businesses in Illinois, we started by identifying the values that would form the core of the chamber. These values are based on the belief that we cannot effectively serve our members if we do not embody these values within the chamber organization. As we identified these values, we found a strong alignment between the board and the chamber staff. The values we have settled on are as follows:
- Integrity- We will hold ourselves to a high level of deliverables and ethics in everything we do.
- Collaboration- We will work well with each other and our business partners and leverage our diverse experiences and perspectives as a strength while fostering a growth mindset.
- Leadership- We will be leaders in creating value for our members such that we improve the value proposition for all of them. We will be the independent business organization of choice for the state.
- Transparency– We will seek to provide clarity and be open and honest in our business dealings.
- Accountability- We will accept responsibility for that which is in our control.
As we enter this next phase of the chamber, we are refining and improving our identity and operations, much like launching a new version of software. Our mission, as the leading business organization in Illinois, is to advocate for a business environment that promotes economic growth, free enterprise, and economic prosperity for businesses of all sizes and across all industries.
Our Vision- The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is the pre-eminent business organization of choice with the impact of transforming the commercial experience for all the businesses in the state by creating a business climate supportive of growth.
We are committed to collaborating with leaders who support a pro-growth, pro-business, pro-Illinois agenda, regardless of their political beliefs. We aim to find common ground to advocate and implement policies that strike a balance between the needs of employers and employees within the state. While we will recognize and acknowledge policies that positively impact businesses, we will also maintain our independence to address any shortcomings or imbalances in the policies proposed by legislators in Springfield.
As we unveil our strategic plan for the state, known as Chamber 2.0, we anticipate turning heads as we collaborate with individuals and organizations that the chamber has not previously engaged with. This disruption will mark the emergence of a new chamber that aims to deliver the balance we envision across the state and the various industries our members are involved in. We believe that the state needs business associations who remain independent, free of incumbrances to the very government that we seek to impact.
I am excited to continue sharing the progress and key elements of this plan as we prepare for an impactful 2025 and the 104th Legislative session.
Yours in Business,
Lou Sandoval
President and CEO
Illinois Chamber of Commerce