A mid-year update about the Pearland Chamber of Commerce has been compiled by President/CEO Jim Johnson. The report is a snapshot of the organization for the first half of the year..
So far in 2022, 100 new members joined in the first six months of the year including new Platinum Members Crain Group, On the Way AC Plumbing and Electrical and WeBuildTX LLC.
“This new member growth is providing businesses the opportunity to gain exposure to our membership while benefiting from our services in the community. We also had members Frontier Waste Solutions and Community Health Network step-up their membership to Platinum this year. Overall, the Chamber’s membership is approaching 700 members, and this is because of your renewals and support,” Johnson said.
Engagement continues to increase with 46 percent of members attending a program, committee, or event. Event calendars continue to be shared with all members to keep them informed.
Johnson considers the organization to be the Voice of Business and is proud of the input the Chamber shared with City Council on the proposed Stormwater Fee earlier this year.
“The efforts of the Chamber to discuss this topic with City Council led to the Stormwater Fee being taken off the table and a bond committee was developed. We will always be the Voice of Business and your input on surveys and meetings allowed us to speak collectively,” Johnson reported. “As an update, a report was given this past Monday at City Council which outlined a bond package of $90,000,000 that could be on the May 2023 ballot.”
The Chamber continues to advocate for improvements in the community’s infrastructure. “We have sent messages to TxDOT this year to ensure the FM 518 expansion engages businesses and to support the construction of Grand Parkway Segment B,” Johnson said. Members can review both letters in the Chamber’s document library.
New programs have been established including Cereal Conversations introduced in April. The program provides peer to peer discussions on current challenges and possible solutions and actions for businesses. The Chamber is also partnering with the Brazoria County Hispanic Chamber soon for a HUB training. Certification from this program provides opportunities for businesses regarding procurement processes.
Johnson reports that Speed Networking and more educational training is coming this year also with working with the PEDC on introducing a Young Professionals program.
The monthly luncheons for the upcoming months will have speaker lineup including Entrepreneurship Panel, update on travel post pandemic, State of the County, PEDC Update and a Legislative Preview.
The Chamber is also working with Keep Pearland Beautiful to support their mission and ensure businesses are recognized for their efforts in beautification of the community.
For more information on the Chamber, visit www.pearlandchamber.org or call 281-485-3634. The Chamber is located at the Commerce Center at 6117 Broadway St. in Pearland.
