Our 8th interview in our 2020 ACCE Chamber of the Year Finalist Series is with John Urbahns from Greater Fort Wayne Inc. in Indiana. In the interview the main areas that we covered were the highlights of their synopsis that were submitted with their Chamber of the Year application, what makes Greater Fort Wayne Inc. stand out, their plans on how to lead through the recovery from COVID-19, and words of advice for other Chamber Champions to improve their own Chamber.
John covered two highlights from their Chamber of the Year synopsis that both center around inclusion. The first program that he spoke about was the GFW Inc. Bridge Program that pairs entrepreneurs in their community with established businesses to speed up the success for the entrepreneurs. The second program he discusses is called Employing People with Disabilities which so far has encouraged 32 businesses to hire 51 people with disabilities in their community.
When John talked about what makes Greater Fort Wayne Inc. stand out, he said that they are not just a chamber, but they are also an EDC and Employment Development organization with a goal to build a nationally recognized economy. As mentioned before they focus on inclusion including race issues.
Greater Fort Wayne Inc. plans to lead through the recovery from the economic impact of COVID-19 by pivoting to more of a virtual environment. They have called all 1,400 members to assess their needs to know how to lead as they move forward.
As John shared his piece of advice for the Chamber Champions listening, he encouraged others to take the lead to set the vision for your community. Be present for the uncomfortable conversations and be a part of the solution.
If you would like to connect with John, he can be reached below:
Email: jurbahns@greaterfortwayneinc.com
Website: greaterfortwayneinc.com
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