Business Advocacy
January brings a whirlwind of action for our advocacy team
January brings a whirlwind of action for our advocacy team Over the past month, the Chamber has been involved in every aspect of advocating on behalf of our members. In addition to preparing for upcoming school board and city council races, we are actively tracking more than 70 bills at the state level and have weighed in…
Read MoreNewly-elected legislators converge on Springfield
Newly-elected legislators converge on Springfield The Chamber along with the other eight organizations that make up the Springfield Metro Partnership hosted 45 newly-elected legislators this month in an effort to build on the strong relationship between the Springfield community and state lawmakers. The legislators were visiting Springfield as part of a legislative tour around the…
Read MoreState legislators get candid with Springfield’s young professionals
State legislators get candid with Springfield’s young professionals More than 50 young professionals turned out bright and early last week to hear what major issues Springfield’s state representatives are looking to tackle in the 2015 legislative session. In the joint meeting of the Chamber’s Network for Young Professionals and the Governmental Relations Committee, legislators fielded…
Read MoreNicastro highlights workforce needs in state of education address to Chamber members
Nicastro highlights workforce needs in state of education address to Chamber members Just days after announcing her retirement from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Commissioner Dr. Chris Nicatro provided Chamber members with what could very well be her last update on the state of education in Missouri. In the update, Nicastro highlighted a…
Read MoreSpeaker Pro Tem overviews planned changes to House legislative committees
Speaker Pro Tem overviews planned changes to House legislative committees Representative Denny Hoskins, Speaker Pro Tem in the Missouri House of Representatives, spoke to Chamber members at a meeting of the Governmental Relations Committee on September 26. Representative Hoskins updated the group on the 2014 veto session and some items to anticipate for the 2015 legislative…
Read MoreChamber panel examines “Access to Justice” in our region
Chamber panel examines “Access to Justice” in our region Recent legislative changes are improving access to justice and positively impacting businesses in our region. In a meeting of the Chamber’s governmental relations committee, State Senator Bob Dixon, Circuit Judge Michael Cordonnier, Dwayne Fulk of Polsinelli, PC and Crista Hogan of the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association…
Read MoreAmbassador of Kazakhstan visits Springfield in search of trade opportunities
Ambassador of Kazakhstan visits Springfield in search of trade opportunities In his remarks to the Chamber’s International Business Council this month, Ambassador Kairat Umarov highlighted a number of challenges and opportunities experienced by his home country of Kazakhstan, including the country’s interest in expanding international trade. Umarov was visiting southwest Missouri as a guest of…
Read MoreIssue Brief: “Access to Justice” in our region
Issue Brief: “Access to Justice” in our region In May, legislators brought the first major changes to Missouri’s criminal code in more than 30 years with the passage of Senate Bill 491. The bill, along with funding for two additional Greene County Circuit Judges, signifies progress toward improving access to justice in our region, but…
Read MoreChamber hires new president and CEO Matt Morrow
Chamber hires new president and CEO Matt Morrow The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors announced today that it has appointed Matt Morrow as the organization’s new president and CEO. The chamber worked with Waverly Partners, LLC to conduct a national search following former CEO, Jim Anderson’s announcement that he would retire on…
Read MoreIs Springfield the most dangerous city in America?
Is Springfield the most dangerous city in America? You may have seen the headlines on Facebook or other social media sites, but is Springfield really the most dangerous city in America? What are we doing to make sure our city’s reputation isn’t tarnished, and most importantly, how do rankings like these impact things like economic…
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