Greater Raleigh Chamber Blog

The Raleigh Chamber is proud to celebrate Minority Entrepreneur Day and encourage the Triangle community to support their locally owned minority businesses and business owners.

"We are committed to sustaining and developing a thriving economy and quality of life in our region for everyone. We hope the community will join us in celebrating the contributions of minority-owned businesses and supporting the 15% of minority-owned small businesses in Raleigh and beyond." - Adrienne Cole, President and CEO

Not sure how to celebrate and support? We can help!

• Shop at a minority-owned business - locally and online
• Give a shoutout to a minority small business entrepreneur on social media
• Offer your support services at a reduced rate or free for a minority-owned business
• Invest time or funds in a local minority-owned business or startup
• Share our Small Business Resource Guide
• Save the date for Triangle Small Business Week 2023: April 30 – May 6

The Raleigh Chamber has a mission to create a vibrant, diverse, and sustainable business climate that encourages job growth, workforce development, and economic prosperity. By recognizing Minority Entrepreneur Day, we hope everyone will take the time to appreciate the unique challenges in money, management, and market that continue to affect these entrepreneurs in the marketplace.
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Learn more about supporting diversity, equity, and inclusivity in Raleigh, Wake County, and the Triangle region at www.triangledei.org. 

Are you looking to make a meaningful difference at your Chamber and in your community? Do you want to become a part of something larger than yourself and connect with like-minded business professionals? Become a 2023 President’s Circle volunteer with the Raleigh Chamber and join the ranks of our influential network.
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As business developers, networkers, executives, and C-suite professionals, you know how important it is to build professional relationships, invest in your professional development, and lead others. As the Raleigh Chamber's annual total resource development campaign, the President’s Circle is an important part of the Chamber's mission and programming - funding 20% of the Chamber’s operating budget and raising over $37.5 million since 1995 to support the Chamber. 

​The President's Circle is now seeking volunteers to help make this year’s campaign a success. From February through June, more than 80 volunteers from over 60 companies will take part in this campaign by selling memberships, sponsorships for upcoming events, and affiliated memberships to Young Professionals Network, Triangle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Alliance, Innovate Raleigh, and Regional Transportation Alliance.
Volunteers will be asked to make connections, utilize their networks, and set up sales presentations with provided resources. This is a great opportunity to get involved with the Chamber, expand your business relationships, and give back to the community!

As a volunteer, you’ll gain knowledge, expertise, and access to resources that will help you make an even bigger impact in your own industry, your local economy, your Chamber, and your local community.
Other Benefits of Volunteering for the 2023 President’s Circle Include:

• Networking at events with local leaders from young professionals to C-level executives, including the Chamber’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee
• Recognition within the Chamber and your company
• Developing community leadership skills
• Expanding your network of business professionals in the Triangle
• Offering your clients, vendors, and business contacts an impactful new marketing venue
• Building a successful Chamber that gives back to the community
• Incentives, prizes, and a surprise destination five-day trip for two for top fundraisers

Learn more and join us in our mission of increasing economic prosperity by becoming a 2023 President’s Circle member today!

If you are interested in volunteering for the Raleigh Chamber's 2023 President’s Circle, please contact Jackie Huitt, Vice President of Membership Engagement, at [email protected]. We are looking forward to working with you!

The Raleigh Chamber is committed to connecting our members with the essential resources presented at this event, whether you were able to join us or not. If you missed it, you can watch the livestream now on WRAL and find all the speakers’ presentations here.

• Ted Abernathy, Managing Partner, Economic Leadership, LLC
• Christopher Chung, Chief Executive Officer, Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
• Jeronica Goodwin, DHA, Senior Vice President, Human Resources & Chief People Officer, WakeMed Health & Hospitals
• Sarah House, Senior Economist and Director, Wells Fargo
• Brian Leary, Chief Operating Officer, Highwoods Properties, Inc.
• Scot Wingo, CEO and Co-Founder, Spiffy

Attendees at Launch 2023 had an incredible opportunity to network with more than 300 executives, professionals, and elected officials at the post-program reception. We also collected new and gently used winter coats and accessories for the Coats for the Children Campaign, WRAL’s major community campaign benefiting the Salvation Army to support families in need at this year’s event.

Join us at our next signature event, the annual Community Success Forum on Wednesday, Feb. 15. You will hear regional leaders and local professionals engage in collaborative discussions around creating a strong, inclusive work culture with best practices in talent recruitment and retention, and hear from keynote speaker Ron Hetrick, Senior Labor Economist and VP of Staffing Product at Emsi Burning Glass. Register now on our website

Written by:
Sloane Heffernan
Leadership Raleigh Class 46

Leadership Raleigh took us to new heights during our December Quality of Life & Place class day sponsored by AECOM, Highwoods Properties, and Wetherill Engineering. Class 46 traveled by bus, train, and elevator to get an exciting glimpse into the future of transit, transportation, and affordability across the Triangle.

First stop, Raleigh Union Station. We boarded Amtrak for a swift and scenic ride to Cary where we strolled through the quaint and decorated downtown to the charming Mayton Inn. If you are looking for a romantic staycation, this is the place!

Rachel Pair, Leadership Raleigh Alumni and the Mayton Inn’s General Manager hosted us for coffee and conversation on how Cary is one of the “Fastest Growing Cities in the South”. Ted Boyd of the Town of Cary, Mark Lawson from the Cary Chamber of Commerce, and Shannon Flaherty of Amtrak shared insights on Cary’s governance culture and how Cary is working to become a multi-use transportation center that will connect western Wake County. Once back on the bus, Christina Coffey from Lee & Associates led us on a driving tour of the vast development and proposed development around downtown Cary’s core.

We were extremely grateful that Crosstown Pub & Grill then opened their space to us for a delicious lunch of sandwiches, burgers, and salads. From Cary, we headed to the future site of Kings Ridge and were welcomed by CASA NC staff, Erin Yates and Alexis Trell, with a tour of a one-bedroom apartment and how CASA NC is working to address homelessness through housing as well as the rising number of those experiencing a homeless or housing crisis in our region.

Next, we traveled to the highest elevation in Raleigh - the rooftop at The Eastern at North Hills. The Eastern is described as Raleigh’s “most luxurious high-rise apartments” and boasts some of the most breathtaking views in the city. We soaked in the phenomenal views while listening to a panel that included several City of Raleigh and Regional Transportation Alliance leaders talking about exciting plans for expanding public transportation. This included micromobility, easing congestion on our roads, buses that run like a commuter rail, and elevated express lanes with no traffic signals on Capital Boulevard!

Our last stop included some holiday cheer at The Haymaker in Downtown Raleigh courtesy of Highwoods Properties. The cocktail bar on Fayetteville Street is decked out with over-the-top Christmas decorations. Here’s a toast to the Raleigh Chamber for the amazing ride!

Leadership Raleigh Class 45 would also like to thank their December Quality of Life & Place class day sponsors AECOM, Parker & Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP, and Wetherill Engineering.