The Midland Chamber of Commerce was recently recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with a Four-Star Accreditation.
The award was in recognition of the Midland Chamber’s “sound policies, effective organizational procedures and positive impact on the Midland community,” according to a Midland Chamber press release.
Approximately 3% of the nation’s local chambers of commerce achieve the Four-Star Accreditation, and the only higher accreditation available from the U.S. Chamber is its Five-Star Accreditation, according to the release.
“Our team is thrilled to receive this honor,” Bobby Burns, Midland Chamber president and CEO, said in the release. “We thank our members and our community for allowing us to serve our city as the leading voice of business.”
The accreditation process includes a self-review of such areas as governance, government affairs and technology operations and programs, and can take between six and nine months to complete, according to the release.
Established in 1924, the Midland Chamber is a membership-based nonprofit that serves approximately 1,000 members in the Permian Basin and surrounding area, according to the release.
“Midland truly is the heart and soul of West Texas, made so by the hard-working and visionary West Texans we are privileged to work with and for every day,” Burns said in the release. “As we enter 2021, we remain dedicated to our mission to strengthen our local businesses and support our community to reach its brightest and greatest potential.”
Raymond Towle, U.S. Chamber vice president of Federation Relations and Institute for Organization Management, said that in meeting the critical needs of communities and the businesses that make up their beating heart, chambers of commerce fill an essential role.
“From connecting business owners with needed resources to advocating on behalf of their region with lawmakers, these chambers convene through leaders to strengthen the collective voices of their members,” Towle said in the release.