Cutline

“Our volunteers continue to outpace themselves. This year, we are headed for a record breaking campaign,” said Harry Waugh, TRC Campaign Chair and senior vice president for Regions Bank.

The all-volunteer campaign is driven by more than 100 people — including many new “rookie” volunteers.

According to Patti Holmes, Crew Chief for the “Grease Monkeys” and vice president for CapitalSouth Bank, “In addition to serving as a membership drive, the campaign offers a one-stop shopping opportunity for our members.” She added that she enjoys participating in the campaign because she gets to talk to a diverse group of people about the community. “The chamber sells itself and I get to expand my business contacts,” continued Holmes.

Volunteers sell sponsorships during a short period of time which allows businesses to align their budgets with products that match their target markets. Waugh said the goal is to recruit 110 new members and produce $1,200,000 in sponsorships and sales. Last year, the TRC surpassed its financial goal of $1,200,000 and membership goal of 100 new members by more than 10 percent.

The Chamber switched to a TRC format four years ago to better align sponsorships for the entire year so the organization did not have to keep going back to the membership and all members had the opportunity to sponsor the event of their choice. It’s a new strategy among chamber organizations, although, Loren Traylor, vice president of investor relations for the Chamber, said that the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County has been recognized for its innovation and success nationally. Clearly, these volunteers and this community are already champions.

To learn more about the Total Resource Campaign, contact Loren Traylor at ltraylor@hsvchamber.org or (256) 535-2028.