The Chamber serves its members in three main areas: Advocacy, Connections, Education. Our committees also are aligned within these key areas. To learn more about each of the following committees or programs, click on the name.
Advocacy
Legislative Council
Local Government Affairs Committee
Connections
Ambassadors
Coralville, Iowa City and North Liberty Roundtables
Marketing Exchange
North Liberty Steering Committee
Education
Agribusiness/Bioscience Committee
Education Committee
EPIC
Expert Edge Seminar Series
Community Leadership Program
Advocacy
Legislative Council
Do you want to be involved in building and changing state and federal regulation to actively foster a better business environment? By joining the Legislative Council, you will may interact with state legislators and our local congressional delegation. You’ll work with other local business leaders to build the Chamber’s official legislative agenda, through involvement in sub-committees focused on agriculture/bioscience, economic development, education, health and human services, local government and transportation. The Council also hosts legislative breakfasts, tracks public policy and advocates on behalf of the business community. The Chamber, along with the Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, also hosts a federal issues trip to Washington, D.C., each year to lobby federal officials on behalf of Corridor-wide initiatives.
Impact the policies that affect you and your business colleagues! Contact Rebecca Neades at (319) 337-9637 to learn how you can get involved!
Local Government Affairs Committee
Much of the policy and regulation affecting small business is conducted at the local, municipal and county levels. The Chamber’s Local Government Affairs Committee works with our area city councils, school boards and Johnson County Board of Supervisors to Encourage equitable, business-friendly
policy that is in the best interest of our community by meeting and interacting with area city councils, school boards and Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Through the Chamber’s LGA Committee,
learn about how policy is determined, how it can be modified and how to work with local entities for positive results. This committee offers a great opportunity to learn about how policy is determined, how it can be modified and how to work with local entities for positive results.
This committee has very flexible membership. You may choose to be involved as issues arise that are important to you. All are welcome. Contact Rebecca Neades at (319) 337-9637, to learn how to get involved.
Connections
Ambassadors
Serving as an Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassador allows engaged members to share your enthusiasm for the Chamber and support small businesses while increasing your business contacts throughout the community. Fifty-five Ambassadors, each from a different member organization, celebrate milestones with ribbon-cutting and ground-breaking ceremonies, honor members of long-standing in the community and maintain an active, vibrant committee.
A short application and orientation session is required prior to acceptance in the Committee. Applications for new committee members are accepted in February and August. Meetings are held at noon on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Contact Amy Hospodarsky at (319) 337-9637.
Coralville, Iowa City and North Liberty Roundtables
Do you like to know what is happening in your community? Get the latest information from communities served by the Iowa City Area Chamber and to network with others. Coralville, Iowa City and North Liberty each host luncheon roundtables that bring attendees up-to-speed on community-wide developments and offer the opportunity to share information about your business. Open to all members regardless of geography, Coralville meets weekly on Mondays, Iowa City meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, and North Liberty meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
To receive notices for the Coralville and Iowa City roundtables, e-mail Amy Hospodarsky or call (319) 337-9637.
North Liberty offers additional opportunities for involvement. For more information, click here or contact Maggie Putman at maggie@iowacityarea.com or (319) 337-9637.
“The Coralville Roundtable is an invaluable way for me to remain informed about matters affecting the area business economy, to identify local resources and to meet decision-makers, all while providing cost-effective opportunities to grow my law practice in service of my clients and the community,”
- Melvin Shaw, Attorney, Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce Member
Marketing Exchange
Marketing Exchange is a confidential forum of 10-15 marketing executives from non-competing businesses who will meet monthly beginning January 2011. They will serve as informal boards of advisors to each other. They are not forums to sell products or services. Marketing Exchange is for individuals responsible for the marketing of their organization and is open exclusively to Iowa City Area Chamber members.
Because openness and active participation at monthly meetings are critical, members must agree to attend at least 80% of all meetings and pay an annual participation fee of $120 (includes lunch at 12 monthly meetings). The deadline to apply for the 2011 calendar year Marketing Exchange group has already passed. If you're interested in participating in 2012, Contact Kelly McCann at (319) 337-9637 or Kelly@iowacityarea.com.
North Liberty Steering Committee
North Liberty is a growing, vibrant community and business members are passionate about fostering economic prosperity. Work with other business leaders to enhance the continued community growth and economic prosperity in North Liberty. In addition to the monthly roundtable, In addition to the monthly roundtable, this committee actively plans events to benefit the community and to further
enhance community pride including a golf tournament, business banquet and fun run.
The committee takes on new members at the close of the year. To learn more about how to be involved in the North Liberty Steering Committee, contact Maggie Putman at (319) 337-9637.
Education
Agribusiness/Bioscience Committee
The bioeconomy is growing — and this group intends to be a part of it. The Agriculture/Bioscience Committee explores and promotes value-added agriculture and bioscience development in Johnson County. Committee members do this by educating Chamber members and the entire community on the role agriculture plays in our local and global economies. Educational opportunities organized by the committee include a breakfast series, and an agriculture/bioscience industry tour. Any member is welcome to participate in this Committee. Meetings are held 7:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. Contact Maggie Putman, (319) 337-9637, for more details.
The Agribusiness/Bioscience Committee is sponsored by Eldon C. Stutsman, Inc. and First Trust & Savings Bank.
Education Committee
If you care about education’s role in fostering a better business environment, then you will want to be involved in the Chamber’s Education Committee. The Education Committee ensures continued excellence of the community's public and private education by promoting school/business partnerships and educating members and the public about education's role in improving the business climate and quality of life in Johnson County. The Committee annually hosts the Excellence in Education Awards each spring to recognize the extraordinary achievements by students, volunteers and educators, and to acknowledge the strong partnerships local businesses build with education. The fall New Teacher Luncheon is an exciting event in which teachers new to our area are welcomed and honored by the business community. Committee participation is not time-consuming: Meetings are held at 7:30 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month, during the academic year. Contact Alicia Streeter, (319) 337-9637.
The Education Program Premier Sponsor is sponsored by ACT.
EPIC: Empowered Professionals of the Iowa City Area
Are you a young professional looking to build connections and get involved within the community? Are you looking to participate in professional development, social/cultural, and play a role in enhancing the area's quality of life? Do you want to expand your personal and professional networks and gain experience in leadership roles? If so, the Chamber’s young professionals group, Empowered Professionals of the Iowa City Area (EPIC), may be right for you. EPIC is made up of vibrant young professionals engaging in civic, social & professional opportunities in the community.
EPIC welcomes you to join for a $40 annual membership fee. You do not need to be a Chamber member to be a member with EPIC. Click here to download the form and return it to the Chamber with $40. Your membership will earn you discounted rates for all of the exciting events that EPIC has coming up this year! EPIC will include social, civic and professional components, all which are sure to please. Contact Maggie Putman (319) 337-9637.
Expert Edge Seminar Series
Expand your knowledge through this monthly seminar series featuring the expertise of your fellow Chamber members. This insightful series addresses current critical topics to prepare you to meet the ever-changing demands of the workplace. Topics will include business valuation, managing troubled employees and growing your business with new media. Geared toward businesses of any size, Expert Edge provides growth and development opportunities for all types of employees, from entry-level to executives. These monthly sessions cover a great scope of topics that could help yield immediate bottom-line results. Sessions are led by Chamber members who have specialized knowledge, experience and passion for the topics. If you are an expert, consider sharing your knowledge with our members! Contact Kelly McCann (319) 337-9637.
Community Leadership Program
"The quality of our leadership will determine the future of our community."
Established in 1989, the Community Leadership Program develops effective leaders for the communities of the Johnson County area. By joining the program, you will gain access to our community leaders and insight into issues, opportunities, strengths and challenges in our community. Leadership development continues even after graduation from the program. The CLP Advisory Council works to foster the CLP and its graduates. Applications are available annually in April. Contact Maggie Putman, director of special events & leadership programming, at (319) 337-9637 to learn more.