U.S. Chamber presents award to Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber

The United States Chamber of Commerce recently awarded the Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce with accreditation for its effective organizational procedures and outstanding contribution to positive change in the community. The GL/WBCC was one of 15 chambers across the country to receive the Accredited award at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce board meeting in June. Forty-five chambers were recognized with some level of accreditation at the meeting.

“Accreditation is one of the highest honors bestowed on local chambers fighting for pro-growth and jobs policies at the federal, state, and local level,” said Thomas J. Donohue, U.S. Chamber President and CEO. “We are proud to recognize the Greater Laconia/Weirs Beach Chamber of Commerce and its members for helping to advance the principles of free enterprise — the bedrock of this prestigious award.”

To achieve accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including: governance, government affairs, and technology. The final rating, Accredited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars, or 5-Stars, depends on the chamber’s ability to successfully meet additional criteria, including: accountability, financial transparency, employee involvement, political advocacy, and community involvement. The accrediting board, a panel of U.S. Chamber board members, votes on the final accreditation.

The Accreditation Program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the only one of its kind to monitor the dynamic chamber of commerce industry. Rolled out in 1964, the Accreditation Program was developed by a team of chamber executives and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for continuous improvement of local chambers of commerce.