Greater Sioux Falls Chamber Of Commerce

THE GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SEEKS TO FOSTER CONNECTIONS, ADVOCATE FOR BUSINESS AND BUILD A STRONG COMMUNITY THROUGH MEMBER-DRIVEN PROGRAMMING THAT FOCUSES ON ECONOMIC HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR AREA.

EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS (ESF) - FORMERLY KNOWN AS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU (CVB). THE ESF IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING SIOUX FALLS AS A VISITOR DESTINATION IN ORDER TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. THE ESF BOOKED 131 CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS, AND EVENTS INVOLVING 69,792 PEOPLE OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. THE ESF DISTRIBUTED 113,746 VISITOR GUIDES VIA MAIL, DIRECT MAIL, READER RESPONSE, DOWNLOADS AND VIEW, AND ALSO TO CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS AND EVENT ATTENDEES IN SIOUX FALLS. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS TO SIOUX FALLS ESTIMATED BY ESF IS 1,235,490. ESF SERVICED 119 CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS AND EVENTS INVOLVING 225,208 PEOPLE. ESF PRINTS PUBLICATIONS SUCH AS SIOUX FALLS VISITOR GUIDE (215,000 COPIES). ESF STAFF TRAVELS NATIONWIDE DOING SALES CALLS AND BID PRESENTATIONS TO BRING NEW BUSINESS TO THE CITY. DIGITAL AND PRINT MARKETING PROGRAMS ARE CONDUCTED TO ADVERTISE THE CITY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THE VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER AT FALLS PARK IS ALSO MANAGED BY EXPERIENCE SIOUX FALLS.

MEMBER SERVICES - MEMBER SERVICES CONSISTS OF COMMITTEES SUCH AS THE AMBASSADOR COMMITTEE (PROVIDES A STABLE SOURCE OF INCOME VIA DUES BY SECURING NEW CHAMBER MEMBERSHIPS); DIPLOMAT COMMITTEE (MAINTAINS MEMBERSHIP STRENGTH IN THE GREATER SIOUX FALLS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE); MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL ACTIVE, GUARD, RESERVE, RETIRED AND DISABLED MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES). THE MEMBERS SERVICES DIVISION SPONSORED THE FOLLOWING EVENTS: 1 ANNUAL MEETING (MEMBERSHIP-WIDE EVENT TO CELEBRATE THE PAST YEAR'S SUCCESSES AND INTRODUCE NEW LEADERS AND PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR (ATTENDANCE WAS 805); MORNING MINGLES (MEMBERSHIP-WIDE MORNING NETWORKING EVENTS - 5 IN-PERSON EVENTS, AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WAS 49; 7 VIRTUAL EVENTS, AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WAS 85); MEMBERSHIP MIXERS (MEMBERSHIP-WIDE EVENING NETWORKING EVENTS) - 4 IN PERSON EVENTS, AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WAS 125; NEW MEMBER MIXER (TO WELCOME AND ORIENT NEW CHAMBER MEMEBERS) - 1 IN PERSON EVENT, ATTENDANCE WAS 9; GOOD MORNING SIOUX FALLS EVENT (TO KEEP CHAMBER MEMBERS ABREAST ON ISSUES AFFECTING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY) - 1 VIRTUAL EVENT, ATTENDANCE WAS 204, AND ONE IN-PERSON EVENT - ATTENDANCE WAS 104; BUSINESS SENSE WORKSHOPS (PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS) - 13 WORKSHOPS, AVERAGE ATTENDANCE WAS 35; VETERANS DAY PROGRAM (ANNUAL ARMISTICE SIGNING AND VETERANS RECOGNITION EVENT) - 1 EVENT, ATTENDANCE WAS 250 IN PERSON; AMRED FORCES DAY EVENT (AN EVENT TO HONOR THOSE CURRENTLY SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES AND TO AWARD SERVICE MEMBERS OF THE YEAR) - ATTENDANCE WAS 175.

THE AGRIBUSINESS DIVISION'S MISSION IS TO ADVANCE AND PROMOTE THE SIOUX EMPIRE AS AN AGRICULTURAL CENTER THROUGH EVENTS THAT PROVIDE A HIGHER VISIBILITY OF THE INDUSTRY AND PROGRAMS TO ENRICH THE ECONOMIC STABILITY OF RURAL SOCIETY AND THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH BUSINESS INVOLVED WITH AGRICULTURE. EXAMPLES OF ANNUAL AGRIBUSINESS DIVISION EVENTS THAT CAPITALIZE ON THE DIVISION'S TRUE PURPOSE: SIOUX EMPIRE LIVESTOCK SHOW, AG APPRECIATION DAY AND NATIONAL FARMER'S DAY AT THE BARN. WHILE ADVANCING AND PROMOTING THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY STAND AS THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THE AGRIBUSINESS DIVISION, ALL ACTIVITIES AND FUNCTIONS OF THE DIVISION SERVE AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR FURTHER AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE CITY AND AG COMMUNITY.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES: ISSUES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL (IS PROACTIVE IN IDENTIFYING ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP-BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND RECOMMENDING POLICY POSITIONS THAT HELP PRESERVE AND ENHANCE OUR BUSINESS CLIMATE IN THE SIOUX FALLS AREA AND SOUTH DAKOTA BY ACTIVELY ADVOCATING WITH STATE, LOCAL, AND FEDERAL ENTITIES); MILITARY TASK FORCE (INFORMS SIOUX FALLS COMMUNITY OF ONGOING TRAINING AND MISSIONS OF AREA MILITARY INSTALLATIONS); AND SPORTS AND RECREATION COMMITTEE (PROMOTES QUALITY SPORTS AND RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTICIPATION AND VOLUNTEERISM). THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT ALSO HOLDS THE FOLLOWING EVENTS: SIOUX FALLS DAY AT THE LEGISLATURE (100+ CHAMBER MEMBERS VISIT THE STATE CAPITOL), INSIDE WASHINGTON SERIES (WITH SOUTH DAKOTA'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION WITH 100 CHAMBER MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE), LEGISLATIVE COFFEES (PUBLIC FORUMS FOR ISSUES DISCUSSIONS WITH 150-200 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE), STATE CHAMBER PRE & POST LEGISLATIVE SESSION PRESENTATIONS ABOUT UPCOMING AND POST LEGISLATION (40 ATTENDEES), LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION (30+ CHAMBER MEMBERS ATTEND TO MEET LEGISLATORS PRIOR TO LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINNING), AND CYBERSECURITY CONFERENCE (200+CHAMBER MEMBERS LEARN ABOUT CYBERSECURITY); DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION ACTIVATOR SERIES (INFORMED 300+ INDIVIDUALS, OVER THE COURSE OF 6 SESSIONS, ON SEVERAL DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION STRATEGIES AND WHY IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE FOR BUSINESS TO CONSIDER). PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION BY THIS GROUP INCLUDES THE CHAMBER ADVOCATE (WEEKLY EMAIL COMMUNICATING LOCAL/STATE/FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND SCHOOL DISTRICT ACTIVITIES) AND BILL TRACKER (WEEKLY EMAIL COMMUNICATING STATUS OF BILLS THE CHAMBER IS ADVOCATING ON DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION). MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS, WHICH DEVELOPS PRINTED AND ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS TO INCLUDE CHAMBER NEWS (MAGAZINE PUBLISHED 10 TIMES PER YEAR), QUICKLY (WEEKLY EMAIL TO MEMBERS COMMUNICATING CHAMBER ACTIVITIES), MEMBERSHIP SALES PIECES AND THE ANNUAL REPORT. MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS ALSO MANAGES SEVERAL WEBSITES AND SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION RELATED TO CHAMBER ACTIVITIES, LOCAL EVENTS, COMMUNITY HISTORY, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND VISITOR INFORMATION.LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - THIS CLASSIFICATION INCLUDES THE GROUPS DESCRIBED BELOW. LEADERSHIP SIOUX FALLS IS A COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEED FOR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF INFORMED AND DEDICATED COMMUNITY LEADERS. 35 INDIVIDUALS ARE SELECTED EACH YEAR AND ARE INFORMED, CHALLENGED AND MOTIVATED BY BEING PROVIDED INFORMATION ON COMMUNITY RESOURCES, IDENTIFICATION OF COMMUNITY CONCERNS, INTERACTION WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND A SENSE OF COMMUNITY TRUSTEESHIP. THE COMMUNITY APPEALS COMMITTEE QUALIFIES AND PROVIDES ORDERLY SCHEDULING OF CAPITAL FUND DRIVES AND HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO AFFIRM THE PROJECT IS A SOUND COMMUNITY INVESTMENT, TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS PLAN THEIR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES AND TO REASONABLY LIMIT CAPITAL DONATIONS REQUESTED FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL PROMOTES AND ENHANCES BUSINESS AND CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY IN THE SIOUX FALLS AREA. THE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORK (YPN) (INVOLVING 1,000 PARTICIPANTS) IS A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP INFORMED AND INVOLVED YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN THE SIOUX FALLS AREA. THE YPN CREATES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES, SUPPORTS COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND PROMOTES AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF THE SIOUX FALLS AREA. YPN ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO DEVELOP THE TALENTS AND SKILLS NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN THEIR CHOSEN CAREER AND TO ENGAGE AND INTRODUCE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS TO THE REGION'S RESOURCES AND POSSIBILITIES.