The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded three Innovation Excellence Awards at the Indiana Chamber Executive Association (ICEA) 2024 Annual Conference. This remarkable achievement underscores the Chamber’s dedication to innovative practices and excellence in serving its members and the community.

The Chamber received accolades for the following projects:

• Connect Bloomington: An annual publication that combines the utility of a business directory with the appeal of a magazine, showcasing community projects, initiatives, and leaders. This initiative has significantly enhanced business visibility and community engagement.
• New Member Onboarding & Retention Pipelines: A comprehensive communication strategy that integrates personalized interactions and multimedia elements to ensure new and returning members feel valued and engaged. This initiative has achieved a 79% retention rate and fostered a culture of continuous improvement.
• Chamber Insider Updates: A video communication initiative that delivers bi-monthly updates from the President & CEO, offering a fresh, engaging way to share news and opportunities with Chamber members. This initiative has garnered significant engagement and strengthened member connections.

"This recognition is a testament to the innovative spirit and hard work of our staff, volunteers, and members," said Eric Spoonmore, President & CEO of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. "These awards highlight our commitment to enhancing the value we provide to our members and our dedication to fostering a thriving business community in Bloomington."
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The ICEA Innovation Excellence Awards celebrate creative and impactful new projects that have been implemented over the past year. Winning three awards in this category is a notable achievement that underscores the Chamber's focus on growth, effectiveness, and relevance.

The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for six community awards that recognize and honor individuals, businesses and organizations that have distinguished themselves through outstanding volunteerism, accomplishments and contributions in the community. The awards will be presented at The Chamber’s 109th Annual Meeting & Community Awards on Thursday, September 26, 2024.
 
Anyone in the community may submit nominations. The online forms are available by visiting www.ChamberBloomington.org or by contacting The Chamber at 812-336-6381 or [email protected]. The deadline for submissions is Monday, August 5th, at 5:00 p.m.
 
Award Criteria:

• The nominee must be a member of The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce or employed by a member organization/business. ‘4 Under 40’ nominees are exempt from this. 
• A person/organization may be nominated in more than one category. However, each nomination must be submitted separately.
• Please provide as much detail as possible for the nomination. The independent selection committee solely uses the nomination form for selecting the award winners.

 
The 2024 awards slate includes:

• Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Recognizes individuals who have had an immeasurable impact on our community over a sustained period.
• New Business of the Year
  • Recognizes a business or organization that has existed for less than five years.
• Business of the Year
  • Recognizes a business or organization that has existed for five years or more.
• Community Anchor Award
  • Recognizes a business or organization that has contributed positively to the local community over a sustained period. 
• 4 Under 40 Awards
  • Recognizes young professionals that make a significant impact within their organization through their leadership and work ethic, while also giving back to the community through civic involvement. 
  • The nominees must be younger than 40 years of age before August 1, 2024. They do not have to be a member of the Chamber.
  • The nominees must not have won the award in the past (see list of past recipients at chamberbloomington.org).
• Outstanding Educator Awards
  • Recognizes an individual teacher, program director, counselor, administrator, or staff member at Monroe County Community School Corporation or Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corporation.