Kathleen McNary
Director of Corporate and Member Relations
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce
I don’t know about anyone else, but I am getting sick of the word COVID-19. It is amazing how a few letters and numbers have taken over everyone’s lives and daily speech. But there is no avoiding it. I am insanely proud to be a part of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, so I also want to share how we as your Chamber have evolved. Evolve may be the wrong word, I find we are living up to our mission.
We started as an organization nearly 100 years ago (97 to be exact), and I think of those who were here before us, and why they started this incredible organization. Our purpose is to function as the: main Convener of leaders and the community as a whole; Catalyst for change, growth and prosperity; and Champion of the businesses, non-profits, educational institutions, the city, and our families.
On March 19, when Governor Gavin Newsom announced the “stay at home” order, the entire Chamber team went into action to pivot. There was never a moment of standing still. We immediately identified what needed to happen and what we could do. What are the needs of our member businesses? What information do we need to get from the city, county and state leaders, so that we can best equip our members to ride this storm? That was our thought process. In less than a week, we hosted our very first webinar presenting three critical industry representatives to guide the community: attorneys, insurance and the SBA. With the serious business issues at the forefront, we knew we also needed to still provide the human-connection opportunities and we quickly adapted all of our networking events to the virtual platform. We went from zero to 100, understanding the need for human connections was of the utmost importance to our people today. The Carlsbad Chamber hit the ground running. Every single staff member made the modifications of their lives to suit the needs of their job. I want to be clear because this is not talked about often. The Chamber staff are not working here just for their paychecks. We are a 501-c6 non-profit, and salaries are not what keep us here. It is the connection, empathy, relationships, and the sense of purpose each of us possess to serve our members. We care deeply for each of you, and live by the principle that we are here to serve you and ensure that your business achieves vitality and adds to our community as a whole. It is due to this passion to empower and celebrate our community, that we are moving and adjusting our much anticipated 2020 CBAD Awards – Bridge To The Future to our FIRST Virtual CBAD Awards Week. This will be a week-long celebration of our businesses and the entire community!
THANK YOU to all who have supported us over the years, we are in continued need of support, but now more than ever. If you have any questions about your investment options in the Carlsbad Chamber please contact me anytime. We are riding this wave together, and we will emerge on the other side transformed in a positive way with our mutual continued collaboration!