Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce President Lauren Minor attended the Institute for Organizational Management last week in Athens, Georgia, where she learned valuable information to help improve and drive membership for the Chamber.

The Institute is primarily for people who run Chambers of Commerce or other member associations.

“It’s formatted like school,” Minor explained. “You’re given a class schedule of core classes and you can choose electives as well.”

Much like school, students who attend the Institute go for four years, taking new classes each year.

“All the classes and electives line up with organizational management,” she said. “I had classes on governance, member engagement and bettering boards and committees.”

Minor said she chose how to create a competitive workforce and delegation and empowerment as electives.

“It really just sets up a Chamber professional on best practices on running their organization,” she said.

Minor shared that her first-year classes were immensely helpful, but more than anything the networking gained from it will last a lifetime.

“Now, I can call the Warner Robins Chamber and talk to her about any issues I’m having and hear from her,” Minor said. “The Chamber world is interesting because there’s no one who can really understand it other than another Chamber or membership-type organization.”

Minor also had the opportunity to have a consultation with the Chamber director from Wichita Falls, Texas, who helped her pinpoint what she truly wanted to learn and gain from the experience.

“Overall, I really feel like this will help me point the Chamber in a more strategic direction,” she said. “I think it will also move the Chamber into a more relevant region, business wise. We will become more effective and more engaged in things other than community events.”

As far as community events go, Minor realized the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce events are very strong comparative to other regions of the same size.

“As far as fundraisers go, the selection of events we have is very sustaining for the Chamber,” she said. “It was a confirmation that what we are doing, we are doing well and it’s worth our time.”

Minor said she looks forward to returning for the next three years, where she can make more contacts, who can help the Chamber become the best it can be. She concluded that her time at the Institute empowered her to do everything with excellence and to make sure what she does is right, proper and fitting for the membership.