“May you live in interesting times…”

…And in interesting times this is. On Friday, January 29th, I spoke in front of the membership of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber’s Annual Greater Good Awards Gala.  It’s the one time a year that the majority of the Chamber’s membership gathers together to celebrate what makes our community so great, by honoring those individuals and businesses who work hard every day to make it a better place.

We often think that we’re living in unprecendented times, but in reality we are not. Different and interesting and perhaps more global, yes. But our ancestors before us all faced their own challenges and fought through them, and we will  as well.

This formed much of the basis of my speech that I gave that night to the membership, as I was inducted as the 2011 Chairman of the Board. In case you weren’t there, I wanted to share my words with you.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SPEECH 2011

I am grateful that this is not the Chamber of Commerce of Tunisia, Egypt or Yemen.  First, I’d like to have all former Chairman and Board Members of Top of Virginia stand and be recognized for their past service.

On a personal level, I am honored and humbled to stand here as the descendent of Russian immigrants who spoke no English 100 years ago. Like many of your ancestors, my grandfather moved to the Winchester area during tough economic times, known as the Great Depression.

On my father’s side, I bring profound respect for history, the rule of law and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  You see Thomas Stone (a distant relative) was one of the fifty four signers of the Declaration of Independence.

The ever quotable Yogi Berra once said that “it’s tough to make predictions, especially predictions about the future.”  However, Albert Einstein universally recognized as one of the ten greatest thinkers of all time, said, “I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.” So for our future State of the Union address, which I promise will be less than 6,082 words, let’s also look back to the future.

PAST

The Chamber is an organization that traces its roots back to 1871 (140 years ago) shortly after the civil war. It was officially chartered in 1917.  To put these dates in context, one hundred years ago, Ronald Reagan was born, Rotary International was founded in 1905 and Virginian Woodrow Wilson, from the Shenandoah Valley, was President of the United States.  President Wilson established the League of Nations, now the UN, the Chamber was already established.

FAST FORWARD TO

Fast forward to 1955, a week’s worth of groceries was $20; a new car was $2,000; minimum wage was less than $1 and gas was .29 a gallon. Boy, those were the good old days.

As we know, in the late 1950s the Chamber leaders were instrumental in bringing Shenandoah University to Winchester. The 30 acre campuses of SU were acquired for $2,850.00.  What a great investment that was.

It will be difficult to follow in the footsteps of 93 years of leaders before me like Jimmy Wilkins, Jr., Carl Napps, Jim Stutzman, Harry Smith and Faith Power; but I welcome the challenge to serve as such a steward.

PRESENT

An ancient Chinese proverb says “May you live in interesting times”.  Now, these are the best of times and the worst of times.

But, we’re living in a rapidly changing economy and world. Our economy has evolved from agricultural to the latest technology.  Currently we see record Federal Budget deficits, political unrest abroad, national unemployment >9% and massive proposed changes in health care.

We have all seen tough family, personal, business and economic times in the last several years, with rising unemployment, and higher gas prices and the demise of the construction, real estate and financial markets, (1 in 7 Americans on food stamps). An old German proverb claims – who has never tasted what is bitter does not know what is sweet.  From the writings of Dale Carnegie, “When we have accepted the worst, we have nothing more to lose. And that automatically means we have everything to gain!” When the going gets tough let the tough get going (Frank Leahy 1908-1973). We overcame and we are the survivors and we will prosper moving forward. 

VIRGINIA

Fortunately in Virginia, we are blessed with lower unemployment; strong right to work laws and (HIR 500 supported by Del Joe May would a proposal to add them to the VA Constitution) and a corporate tax structure making our state and our region attractive to businesses.  Virginia today ranks #3 in the U.S. in creating jobs.

REGION

The area, with over 100,000 people is poised economically to prosper with its location near our nation’s capital, four different states, access to rail, air, the inland port and a road transportation system and serves approximately 3 million people per day.    From our area – 70% of the US population or 308 million people can be reached within a 1 day drive (Boston to Atlanta).

And we have been here before.

For those Dan Brown style symbologists, military history was made here with the likes of George Washington, a Winchester elected official 250 years ago, Stonewall Jackson and George Custer here 150 years ago;  Presidential history with James Madison, 200 years ago, Valley native Woodrow Wilson, 100 years ago and Gerald Ford;

Architectural history with the Handley Library, Federal Style, Belle Grove and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. And we have unique institutions such as John Handley High School and the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival.

According to former UVA Professor and author William Faulkner, the past is never dead, it is not ever past.

This history, location, and statistics do not however entirely make up the Chamber, its people do.  People are our life blood of any organization.  As your local Chairman and ambassador to regional chamber, it is my goal to attend the meetings of our neighboring chambers and meet people in Fauquier, Loudoun, Warren and Martinsburg to bring business to this region.

My challenge to you is to (1) become a presidential sponsor and (2) I’m asking that you each recruit 1 new business to join the chamber.

Our area is an All –American Community and we want it to stay that way.  75% of those who live here work here and we are blessed to have one of the top 100 hospitals in the nation with 400 physicians.  We have one of the fastest growing community colleges in the United States and Shenandoah University, each with more than 3,000 students.  70% of area businesses are in health care, retail, government services and manufacturing tourism and provide a solid financial tax and employment base for our local, yet diverse economy.  We celebrated small business Saturday and want you to shop local, “shop the top”.

Who is the Chamber of Commerce?

Ronald Reagan said “All great change in America begins at the dinner table” and “Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.”

The US Chamber has more than 3 million businesses.  96% are small businesses and have fewer than 100 employees.  The US Chamber sponsors over 2500 programs and events and is the world’s largest business organization to promote economic growth and a healthy business environment.

President Calvin Coolidge- the business of America is business. It’s also our Chamber’s mission.

Our chamber today has an active board (100% here tonight), for the 21^st straight year, hardworking staff and over 800 Chamber members but we always seek more.  In the last 20 years, the Chamber managed the IDC, assisted the EDC and operated the Visitor and Tourism Bureau.  We have changed locations from the Kurtz Building to our current address on Loudoun Street in downtown Winchester.  The chamber represents the approximately 6,000 businesses and over 40,000 employees in the Winchester/Frederick/Clarke County areas.  But we need your help.

Again, Einstein sad we can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking when we created them.”  Our chamber is strong but we will be more visible and accessible in these changing times.  We’ve started already.  In January, we started with monthly board meetings.  In February, we will discuss consolidate the dates of mixers with board meetings to encourage attendance.  We will have an open board meeting in March and encourage members to attend.  In May, I’m going to ask each member to bring a guest to the afterhours at no charge.  Our board and staff will visit more businesses.  We will increase the size of the board to be more accessible. Finally, we will put on four public policy events to keep our members informed about our area’s economy, health care and transportation.  We start with jobs and the economy.

Since 1871, in 140 years, when technology included the pony express, a transcontinental railroad, the printing press, the coming of the telegraph and light bulb we now have laser surgery, the Kindle and evolved to Twitter and Facebook.  From Twain to Eckhart Tolle.

That ladies and gentlemen is your Chamber and I am honored and humbled to be but a small part of it.

In conclusion, President Andrew Jackson’s mother in her last letter to him gave sage advice:  “I wish you to remember and treasure up some things I have already said to you:  In this world you will have to make your own way.”  Each of you has to make your own way as well.

We will have faith, be optimistic, count our blessings, laugh and have fun.

Thank you all for coming tonight to the annual Chamber dinner and may God bless America.

Here is the video:
Part 1:

Part II: