News

Inside the Chamber: “The Robots Have Arrived”In September of 1997, in her book “The Death of Distance,” Frances Cairncross, economist and author, predicted the economic and social effects of technological change.  She stated that the falling cost of internet, mobile phones and other telecommunication technology would drastically change the way we live.  AA&T consultants predicted that by the ...read more

Inside the Chamber: Intern Reflection  The following was written by Allison Guthrie, Intern, at the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce.    “I always thought that an internship was supporting the staff by doing odd work for their clients, doing all the filing that fell behind and making or retrieving coffee.  One will put in hours on mundane tasks simply to get your foot in the door, prove ...read more

Inside the Chamber:   Julyt 26, 2018Announcing our 2018-2019 Class of Leadership Catawba   I am pleased to announce our 2018-2019 Class of Leadership Catawba!  This program is not meant for individuals who prefer to passively sit back in their seats and observe.  Catawba County needs community leaders, like those listed below, who seek to understand the critical issues facing Catawba County and ...read more

Inside the Chamber – June 24, 2018Enrollment is now open for the 2018-2019 Class of Leadership Catawba that will kick off on August 9th. The purpose of Leadership Catawba is to create a pipeline of individuals from business, government and non-profits who are aware of all aspects of Catawba County – our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats – and who accept the challenge to go forth ...read more

Inside the Chamber: “50 Ideas in 50 Minutes” Last Tuesday, Connie Saunders, Shareholder Relations & Events Manager, and I had the privilege of co-facilitating a workshop we titled, “50 Ideas in 50 Minutes” at our “Tapping Into Talent Symposium.” The human resource professionals and senior level leaders from business and industry who attended spent valuable time with peers comparing notes, ...read more

Inside the Chamber: “Tapping Into Talent”  The economic climate in Catawba County is healthy – unemployment is low and sales volume and business confidence are high as indicated by our 2018 Partnership Survey results.  As a direct result of these key indicators of a tight labor market, it was no surprise that attracting and retaining qualified talent was cited as the most critical community issue ...read more

Inside the Chamber: 4/11/2018   Volunteerism is alive and well in Catawba County. I know, because I have asked many of you about your level of commitment to our community. As I travel throughout our county, meeting with many of you each week and hearing your stories, I see firsthand the passion you have. You not only genuinely love where you live, but generously pour yourselves into your ...read more

This week’s “Inside the Chamber” was authored by Kim Dahlsten, Vice President of Operations at the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce  3.6.2018   Inside the Chamber:  Dedication to Thin Mints   I don’t know about you, but I see Girl Scouts and their cookies everywhere these days.  I see them on my trip to the grocery store, at the mall, at a local restaurant and even at the craft store.  Who ...read more

2.27.2018 – Inside the Chamber  “Welcome Home Hickory Metro”   "At the end of the day, we're not saying, 'hire a vet' or 'hire a service member because it's the right thing to do. That is a given. What we're saying is, 'Hire someone because they're a proven success in driving bottom line results,' "said Kimberly Williams, Executive Director of NC4ME (North Carolina for Military Employment), at ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  Others are catching windWe all ooze Catawba County’s new slogan, “Making. Living. Better.” Why? Because it is us, about us and what we do.  We are a community of makers and doers, who enjoy a good quality of life while working together to make a difference for the better. And guess what? Others are starting to catch wind.   Allow me to remind you of some of the positive ...read more

Inside the Chamber: Your Chamber ROI  Why do you invest in the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce? To support the economic viability of Catawba County? To take advantage of professional development opportunities for you and your team? To become more involved in the community? As a platform to connect with other business owners and representatives? Like any investment, you expect to yield a ...read more

Inside the Chamber: 2017 Annual Report Released Catawba County Chamber of Commerce Shareholders and Investors, thank you for your partnership and investment that led to the advancement of our mission in 2017.  We're proud to release our Annual Report which features many of your Chamber's success stories in the areas of talent recruitment and development, entrepreneurship and small business ...read more

Guest Column - Inside the Chamber, 12/12/17  “Hello, my name is Tiffany Brooks and I’ve had the privilege to serve as the Intern at the Chamber of Commerce for the past several months. I’m pleased to say, I will walk across the stage this week and proudly become a Lenoir-Rhyne University Alumnus! In addition to having a degree in Business Management, I’m a reliable, driven, bubbly professional ...read more

THANK YOU to our 2017 Chamber Investors!  These organizations are within an elite group of businesses known as our Chamber Investors.  They have made a vital commitment to driving economic prosperity & business competitiveness success in Catawba County through their voluntarily enhanced annual investment. Please allow me the opportunity to recognize them for their corporate leadership and ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  November 9, 2017   The Catawba County Chamber of Commerce is once again partnering with Lenoir-Rhyne University and the Kauffman Foundation to promote and co-host Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), an annual, international initiative aimed to inspire and recognize entrepreneurs. Kicking off today, Sunday, November 12th , will be a week-long of events happening ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  “Telling Our Story”   Is there anything more compelling than a great story?  Storytelling is the oldest way to communicate important information - and arguably the most effective. Used properly, the power of a well-told narrative is quickly understood and long remembered. Marketers, whether of widgets, experiences or even communities, can harness this power with creative ...read more

NC Institute of Political Leadership and Catawba County Chamber of Commerce to Host “Hometown Debate”  The North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership and the Catawba Chamber of Commerce will co-host a “Hometown Debate” on the topic of the state’s education policy at the Old Post Office Playhouse in Newton on October 24 at 7:00pm.  Continuing their popular “Hometown Debate” series that ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  Septemner 7, 2017I want to share the words of someone who is dear to me, a patriot, a helicopter pilot, a veteran, but for me, most importantly, my dad, Retired Lt. Colonel Lee E. Moritz, Jr.. His words honor a young man, a warrior, and Catawba County native, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  This past Friday, through tomorrow, Monday, Sept 11th, the City of ...read more

Inside the Chamber: Power of Partnership 8.23.2017Helen Keller once stated, "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." Your Chamber works every day to improve our community in inspiring and innovative ways, but economic viability and growth does not happen in a vacuum.  It requires more than the power of cooperation, more than the power of support and collaboration, it takes the ...read more

Inside the Chamber, 8.9.2017 – Leadership Catawba Class of 2017-2018  Allow me the privilege of introducing the 2017 -2018 Class of Leadership Catawba:Abigail Meachem, Catawba Science CenterAdrienne Opdyke, Children's Advocacy and Protection CenterAmber McGhinnis, Martin Starnes & Associates, CPAs P.A.Brennan Fox, Davidson, Holland, Whitesell & Co, PLLCBrett Lehmons, Carolina West ...read more

Welcome Kim Dahlsten, IOM, VP of Operations  I’m excited to announce that Kim Dahlsten, IOM, joined our team this week as Vice President of Operations.  Dahlsten will serve as the administrative officer for the organization and will oversee the organizational development and programming functions of the organization from overseeing staff, establishing benchmarks and performance goals, planning & ...read more