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Eddie Brown serves as the President and CEO of the Sherman Chamber of Commerce. He climbed the ranks as a Chamber executive after a 40 year career at Coca Cola.
Sherman is located about an hour north of Dallas. The City of Sherman is currently experiencing growth of about 1200 residents each year. The Chamber averages about 500 members each year, but is steadily growing with the rise in population.
Brown discusses different areas of focus for professional growth from providing opportunities for his members to develop leadership skills, to board and staff training opportunities, and one of the most important areas for growth, what we can learn from others.
The Sherman Chamber began a Leadership Sherman program back in 1980 and the program continues to grow and develop today. Leadership Sherman is as much about exposing its participants to leaders in various fields to provide opportunities and to ask questions of other industry leaders.
The program continues with an orientation class to bond the group together. While meeting together one day a month, and attend a trip to Austin the classes seem to become friends and stay friends after the class is graduated. It fosters participants to become a network of resources for one another.
Eddie emphasized the importance of continuing education programs for Chamber executives as well as staff members to strengthen Chambers and provide tools to help Chamber members.
He suggests budgeting for professional growth and emphasizing to leadership the importance and purpose of the training. Eddie feels that the training is often more important than some of the day to day tasks Chamber staff take care of and should become a higher priority. There is a benefit to having shared experiences with other Chamber executives to foster networks and to learn from others.
If you’d like to contact Eddie Brown to further discuss any of these topics please feel free to reach out to him.
Eddie Brown
903-893-1184
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