2 ILLINOIS BUSINESS LEADER PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Chamber 2.0 Kicks Off! LOU SANDOVAL PRESIDENT AND CEO In many of our communications, you may have come across the term “Chamber 2.0” from our Chamber communications team. I want to clar- ify and explain what this means in this issue of the President’s Message. One of my first responsibilities as the President and CEO of the chamber was to review and update the chamber’s strategic plan. This was a task that I particularly enjoyed, having previously guided many clients through a similar process in my management consulting business. As we began to involve the board and staff in redefining the chamber’s identity, purpose, and advocacy for the thousands of Chamber members and businesses in Illinois, we started by identifying the values that would form the core of the chamber. These values are based on the belief that we cannot effectively serve our members if we do not embody these values within the chamber organization. As we identified these values, we found a strong alignment between the board and the chamber staff. The values we have settled on are as follows: Integrity - We will hold our- selves to a high level of deliverables and ethics in everything we do. Collaboration - We will work well with each other and our business partners and leverage our diverse experiences and perspectives as a strength while fostering a growth mindset. Leadership - We will be leaders in creating value for our members such that we improve the value prop- osition for all of them. We will be the independent business organization of choice for the state. Transparency - We will seek to provide clarity and be open and honest in our business dealings. Accountability- We will accept responsibility for that which is in our control. As we enter this next phase of the chamber, we are refining and im- proving our identity and operations, much like launching a new version of software. Our mission, as the leading business organization in Illinois, is to advocate for a business environment that promotes economic growth, free enterprise, and economic prosperity for businesses of all sizes and across all industries. Our Vision - The Illinois Cham- ber of Commerce is the pre-eminent business organization of choice with the impact of transforming the commercial experience for all the businesses in the state by creating a business climate supportive of growth. We are committed to collaborat- ing with leaders who support a pro- growth, pro-business, pro-Illinois agenda, regardless of their political beliefs. We aim to find common ground to advocate and implement policies that strike a balance between the needs of employers and employ- ees within the state. While we will recognize and acknowledge policies that positively impact businesses, we will also main- tain our independence to address any shortcomings or imbalances in the
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