Thursday, September 10, 2020

Read on for:
REDC/Chamber Announce New Name, Member Survey Results | Annual Meeting | Free Face Coverings for Businesses | Tourism & Hospitality Survey | Career Hub | Events & Workshops

REDC, Chamber Announce New Name, Member Survey Results 

Rutland Economic Development Corporation and Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce have a new name and a renewed focus on serving its membership and the communities within the greater Rutland Region.

The organizations will begin operating under the name Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region. This name change reflects the unification of the two organizations following a unanimous vote by their board of directors on July 30 to pursue the merger, which was finalized on Sept. 1.

Last month, Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region surveyed its more than 380 members to determine what initiatives and activities the organization should pursue to best support businesses and nonprofits across Rutland County over the next 12 months.

Survey highlights include:

• 56 percent of survey respondents identified regional marketing efforts focused on increasing population and workforce as a top priority for the next 12 months.
   

• 19 percent of survey respondents reported marketing area businesses as their most important priority for the next 12 months.
   

• Eight percent of survey respondents identified providing loans and financing opportunities as a top priority for the next 12 months.
   

• Seven percent of survey respondents reported providing technical assistance and educational opportunities for business development and growth as their most important priority for the next 12 months.
   

• Three percent of survey respondents identified legislative advocacy as their most important priority for the next 12 months.

Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region will be connecting with its members early next week to share additional survey information and upcoming goals and initiatives. 

Save the Date for our Annual Meeting!

Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region is hosting its annual meeting on Wednesday evening, October 7, 2020. This event will be held drive-in style at the Vermont State Fairgrounds to encourage physical distancing and will be limited to 56 vehicles. The pre-recorded presentation will highlight what makes the greater Rutland Region such a special place to work, live, and play and will recognize our Community Leader of the Year, Business Leader of the Year, and Innovator of the Year award recipients. 

Tickets are $25 per vehicle and will include a $25 voucher for food and beverage at the event. Tickets will go on sale Tuesday, September 15 for members and Thursday, September 17 for the general public. 

We will be giving away two pairs of tickets from Boston to Rutland from annual meeting sponsor Cape Air, and a corporate movie night at the drive-in at the Vermont State Fairgrounds from The Paramount Theatre. This is an opportunity to show your employees or your best customers your appreciation for their loyalty with a private screening of a movie of your choosing. 

Interested in sponsoring the annual meeting? Contact Executive Director Lyle Jepson at (802) 773-2747.

Does Your Business Need Face Masks? 

Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region are finishing the distribution of face masks to support Vermont's mask mandate in the upcoming week. If your customer-facing business is in need of masks, please stop by the Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region office at 50 Merchants Row in Downtown Rutland. We are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Complete the Tourism and Hospitality Survey

The Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing is looking for businesses to quantify the impact of COVID-19 across the tourism industry, including lodging, retail, restaurants, and the arts. VDTM hopes businesses will take a moment to complete the brief survey to help them to better understand the economic loss and seasonal trends. The deadline to complete the survey has been extended to Friday, September 11. 

Complete the tourism and hospitality survey today →

Rutland Economic Development Corporation's Career Hub features full-time jobs across Rutland County that provide a salary higher than the Vermont living wage.