Business Advocacy

Network leaders travel to Jeff City to engage with state lawmakers In the final weeks of the 2021 legislative session, several members from The Network for Young Professionals Leadership Council had a first-hand opportunity to engage in the lawmaking process in Jefferson City. Current Network chair Jessica Harmison-Olson of Maxon Fine Jewelry, vice chair Dee…

Transportation stakeholders discuss infrastructure funding with state officials Transportation stakeholders and partners from the southwest Missouri region joined state officials on April 8 for the Chamber’s virtual Transportation Advocacy Day to discuss progress on passing long-term transportation infrastructure funding for Missouri. Sens. Dave Schatz and Lincoln Hough and Rep. Crystal Quade were joined by Jeff…

Helping employers vaccinate our region’s workforce Local and state experts offered Chamber members additional insight into COVID-19 vaccination options for employers during the year’s first Inside the Issues event on March 25. As additional phases continue to open under Missouri’s COVID-19 Vaccine Plan, employers face several options for offering vaccines to interested employees. Shad Burner,…

U.S. Chamber highlights pandemic relief, bipartisanship Experts from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce updated Springfield Chamber members on COVID-19 federal relief efforts during a virtual event on February 3. Tom Sullivan, vice president of small business policy, gave insight into recent changes to several pandemic-related business assistance programs, enacted through the most recent COVID-relief package…

Chamber leaders discuss legislative priorities with lawmakers Coming off of an unprecedented legislative year – and heading into a year that is also shaping up to be out of the ordinary – the Chamber tried to keep at least one aspect of its yearly advocacy effort somewhat traditional: the annual meeting with area legislators. This…

Preparing to advocate for you in an unprecedented legislative session The 2021 legislative session is set to be one unlike any in recent memory, as legislators work through pandemic restrictions and try to help businesses and employees begin the process of economic recovery. The regional business community hopes that that legislators can build on the…

A chance to speak with the Speaker The Chamber’s 2020 Public Policy Speaker Series had its final installment on Dec. 15 in a conversation with a Springfield-area political leader whose time in state-level politics is also coming to an end, at least for now. Elijah Haahr, who has served as the Speaker of the Missouri…

Reflecting on a lifetime of education leadership Anyone who knows Dr. Carol Taylor knows that one of her favorite mantras, especially lately, has been this: “Blessed are the flexible.” One look back at Taylor’s career in education shows she has taken that advice to heart in her own career, as she discussed during the second…