The chief mission of the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce is to strengthen and advance local businesses, but a vibrant community is essential to carrying out this goal. This is why our programs and activities extend far beyond ribbon-cuttings and cocktail receptions.

The Chamber is a pro-business network providing service, political advocacy and leadership to strengthen education, community image and local businesses. We don't treat our mission lightly. We work diligently all year to carry out these objectives.

We maintain a pro-business focus in all that the Chamber does. Whether it is deciding how to allocate resources or planning new programs and services for members, we keep the needs of the metro-Decatur business community in mind.

We serve our member's networking needs by providing regular occasions for our members to interact. Our well-attended monthly business breakfast meetings present members with the opportunity to introduce themselves to the entire assembly before targeting elevator pitches to individuals during a "three-minute networking" period. Monthly after-hours events acquaint members with varying businesses in town and allow a more leisurely networking pace.

We book high-profile speakers for events such as our quarterly Ag Cafes and our annual meeting. Last year, our annual meeting speaker was Congressman Ray LaHood, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. This year's speaker was Congressman Aaron Schock, a rising star on the national political scene. By bringing in speakers of this caliber, we keep our members in tune with the current political climate and forge valuable connections.

In addition to our regular events, we constantly strive to provide innovative programs to strengthen local businesses. The current economic climate stimulated us to find and maintain cost-saving benefits for our members. When gas rose to $4 a gallon, we mitigated this expense by providing members with a discount gas card program. Additionally, our energy co-op slashes participants' electricity costs by up to 20 percent.

While providing member benefits is an important part of our job, working to make Decatur a welcoming environment for business is also a significant part of our mission.

Strengthening our educational system and improving the community's image are key quality of life issues that are important components needed to attract and retain employees.

We contribute to these community improvement efforts through our involvement in the Decatur Area Educational Coalition and ad hoc committees, such as our lake committee.

Through the Decatur Leadership Institute, the Chamber works to develop leaders who will volunteer their time and talent to chair civic organizations and contribute to bettering our community. Through our political advocacy efforts, we back leaders who will work to promote a business-friendly environment and improve our community's quality of life.

When I reflect back on the past year, I am amazed at the level and variety of activities the Chamber has sustained. But we are never content to rest on our laurels. We know Decatur has the potential to become a world-class community, and we are committed to bringing people and their businesses together to realize this potential.

Randy Prince is president of the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce.