Asheville named #1 Chamber

Alexandria, Va. (July 16, 2019) — The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has been named Chamber of the Year by ACCE, the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

ACCE is an Alexandria, Va.-based membership association that represents over 9,000 professionals who work for and with more than 1,300 chambers of commerce around the world.

Chamber of the Year, sponsored by MemberClicks, is the most prestigious and competitive award presented by ACCE and is the only globally-recognized industry award that honors top chambers of commerce. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities, such as education, transportation, business development and quality of life.

Kit Cramer, president and CEO of the Asheville Chamber, accepted the award July 15 at the 2019 ACCE Annual Convention in Long Beach, California.

“We are honored to be named Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives,” Cramer said. “At the Asheville Chamber, we believe that together, we are more. That could not be more true as we celebrate this accomplishment. We have a wonderful team, great volunteers and a fabulous community. We’re privileged to do this work. Together, with you, our members and partners, we ARE more. Thank you for helping us reach this milestone!”

Chambers of commerce interested in competing for the award first must qualify by participating in a vigorous multi-stage process. Organizations entering the Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds in at least three of five key performance areas, including net revenue, net assets, membership account retention, and membership dollar retention.

Qualifying for Chamber of the Year is a rigorous process. Chambers compete based on meeting key performance criteria on the ACCE Annual Operations Survey. Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application addressing all aspects of organizational operation and programmatic work. Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists. Winners are selected from among finalists based on an in-person interview before a panel of experienced chamber professionals.

This year’s competition drew entries from chambers throughout the U.S and Canada. To ensure the fairest competition, applicants are grouped into five categories based on: annual revenue, membership, area population, and several other factors.
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About ACCE
Established in 1914, ACCE is an association of 9,000 leaders from 1,300 chambers of commerce, including 93 of the top 100 U.S. metro areas. The combined membership of ACCE chambers is close to one million businesses. Chamber leaders look to ACCE for best practices, networks and new ideas that will help them advance the interests of their communities. ACCE recommends successful programs and strategies, and identifies trends, partners and business models that show promise. For more information, visit www.ACCE.org.

About the Asheville Chamber

For more than 120 years, the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce has supported the community by growing jobs, advocating for a business-friendly environment and helping businesses thrive. The Asheville Chamber consists of 1,700 member organizations who are dedicated to building community through business. Located at 36 Montford Avenue, the Asheville Chamber is also home to the Asheville Visitor Center, serving more than 200,000 visitors each year, and to the Asheville Shop, showcasing many local products and Asheville gifts. Learn more at ashevillechamber.org.