News

Chamber intern welcomes challenges, more  Note: The July 1st column in the Hickory Daily Record was written by Emily Kiziah, an intern at the Catawba County Chamber of Commerce. Kiziah is a senior at Lenoir-Rhyne University majoring in multimedia communication and will intern with the Catawba County Chamber for the summer and fall 2019 semesters. During her time at Lenoir-Rhyne University, ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  Mid-Year Return on Impact   Catawba County Chamber Shareholders and Investors, please accept our sincere gratitude for your investment that provides resources and influence which enables your Chamber to tackle the most critical issues impacting business in Catawba County.    Through the work of your Chamber team, volunteer leadership and collaborative partners throughout ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  June 6, 2019  I once heard a poem written by Charles Franklin Benvegar, titled “Builders and Wreckers” and I’ve kept it in my desk drawer ever since. It goes like this….”As I watched them tear a building down, a gang of men in a busy town. With a ho-heave-ho, and a lusty yell, they swung a beam and the side wall fell. I asked the foreman, “Are these men skilled, and the men ...read more

Today marks the start of National Small Business Week (May 5-11). For more than 50 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. We are proud to also take this privilege to acknowledge and celebrate local entrepreneurs in Catawba County ...read more

Inside the Chamber: National Volunteer Week, April 7-14, 2019    Catawba County’s legacy goes beyond making quality goods to making quality lives.  From making things to making a difference, Catawbans traditionally care about not only making life better today, but also ensuring a better community for future generations.  From the ferocious way our community came together almost overnight 75 ...read more

Inside the Chamber – March 14, 2019  Congratulations to the 2018 – 2019 Class of Leadership Catawba!One Thursday, March 14th, we had the honor of graduating 32 business and community leaders from our 44th class of Leadership Catawba!   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 ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  2-14-2019   Last week, I had the honor of shining a light on iconic businesses and organizations celebrating milestone anniversaries.  This week, I’ll conclude this two-part series recognizing several more with rich legacies.  I asked each organization to share their history, but specifically about which one of their core values they think has enabled them to continue to ...read more

Your Chamber has hit the ground running in the New Year on behalf of the business community in Catawba County.  Here’s a run-down of several exciting projects and initiatives we’re hard at work on:   The 2nd edition of the Made Magazine is in its final proofing stage.  This is an educational tool designed and published in-house to promote local careers and educational opportunities to local ...read more

A Reflection on Gratitude Do I say I’m grateful or do I truly live gratefully?  This week, I spent some time reflecting upon these words.  What does it mean to “live gratefully”?  To me, living gratefully is more than feeling appreciation for what we have.  We begin thinking about possessions, wealth, health, family, friends or any of the other items on the list of life’s pleasures and privileges. ...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 and ...read more

Inside the Chamber: Leadership Advice Worth Following   What's the best leadership advice you have ever received? Sometimes, it takes just a small sound bite to inspire, motivate, or keep you focused.  I reflected this week on some of the advice I’ve been given along the way and thought I’d pass along the favor.    1)    Surround yourself with inspiring beings Those words are prominently ...read more

Inside the Chamber: 2018 Women’s Leadership Conference I would like to invite you to join us for our 2018 Women's Leadership Conference, presented by Frye Regional Medical Center on November 6th at the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Utilize this opportunity for high-quality professional development training, a team building retreat or as simply a way to treat your best team members.  Each ...read more

Inside the Chamber:  Are you a seed?     A wise individual once told me that an effective leader is like an apple seed, instead of an apple. One apple contains five seeds; however, the number of apples that one seed will yield is immeasurable.  The impact that leadership has on your organizations not only impacts morale, productivity and effectiveness today, but your ability to achieve ...read more

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