As we ring in a new year with renewed focus and energy, we turn our attention to evaluating priorities and commit to upholding them throughout the year.  The Hampton Roads Chamber again this year will be unwaveringly resolute in our commitment to the business community and our support of initiatives for Veteran job transition.  Finding talented, skilled and competent workers is an unequivocal prerequisite to a business’s success and we are fortunate to have a pool of highly skilled, dedicated, subject matter experts in our transitioning military service members.  Utilizing this invaluable resource provides a unique advantage for the Hampton Roads business community.

Collaboration! We’re intentional in our efforts to work together for the greater good of the region. There’s never more than three degrees separation between us. We all understand the power of collective impact and the second and third order effects of our united efforts. We know a rising tide floats all boats. These are just some of the themes and messages that were consistent and common to all during our Inter Regional Visit (IRV) to Nashville recently. Without exception every community leader we spoke to illuminated the importance of working together toward a shared vision as a key element to their region’s phenomenal economic success.

Many years ago, I had the distinct honor of serving as chief of staff of one of the most decorated and combat-tested divisions in the Army, the 10th Mountain Division (light infantry) stationed at Fort Drum, New York.

If you want something done right, do it yourself. Right?

Businesses require an immense variety of wares to operate in our fast-paced world. In this era of virtual offices, e-commerce and Skype business meetings, one might suggest the internet is the most important commodity to a successful modern day business. It is no doubt important, but I’d argue the single most important commodity for today’s businesses is the same as it has always been, way before the internet and other forms of modern technology.

ROI. P&L. EBITA. There are a lot of acronyms business owners need to be familiar with to ensure their success. They stand for concepts and metrics that are well-known in the business world and often discussed in quarterly presentations in executive board rooms. But perhaps the most important acronym for running a business isn’t necessarily representative of profits, earnings or returns on investment.

ACROSS THE country, states and localities are trying to find money to fix ailing infrastructure. Six states this year have already passed legislation to fund improvements. And nationally, infrastructure has become a rallying cry for policymakers on both sides of the aisle. In Virginia, our biggest infrastructure concern lies in our ability to move around the commonwealth.

Here in Virginia, we are blessed with a relatively strong economy. But we all know it could be so much stronger. At the Hampton Roads Chamber, we bring together and develop leaders in the business community, and give them an environment where ideas can be discussed and transformed into practical solutions that produce positive economic results throughout southeast Virginia.

When you live in the greatest region in the greatest state in the greatest nation on earth you have a lot to brag about. Another recent accolade is Hampton Roads has become a destination where millennials want to live, work and play and they are showing up in record numbers.

“We’re unapologetically pro-business!” This is a phrase you’ll consistently hear from the Hampton Roads Chamber. We are a premier pro-business organization serving Hampton Roads as an “Impactful Advocate, Powerful Economic Partner and Inspiring Ignitor,” setting the conditions for businesses to succeed, and we are unapologetic about it.