Membership Committee

It is easy to get wrapped up in enthusiasm about Chamber membership recruitment and retention when speaking with Eric Gordon, Vice President of Membership,

Obviously, Membership is the core ingredient for any successful organization. Though the list of members at The Palms West Chamber continues to grow, Gordon constantly strives to add more businesses and institutions to the roster. He, Debi Leed, our professional Membership Director, and her team work tirelessly to bring more entities into the fold while concurrently assuring that retention rates remain high. They regularly strive to enhance programs, activities and benefits to add even more value for our members.

Even after joining, members are constantly reminded about the importance of ongoing participation in Chamber events. They are told before and after joining that their expectations must be reasonable and to objectively consider what it is they truly want from their Chamber memberships. Though benefits of membership may well become evident quickly, the real value derives from the long term relationships that come to fruition as the result of ongoing, not simply single year participation.

Helping Eric and the Membership staff are the 25-plus Palms West Chamber Ambassadors who regularly represent the Chamber at all functions - ranging from ribbon cuttings to the Annual Installation Gala and everything in between. Not as visible, but at least equally important, is that Ambassadors welcome new members on a one-on-one basis and serve as a sounding board for comments, criticisms and suggestions! We strongly encourage all members, regardless of length of tenure, to consider joining this committee or another one which may seem more relevant to the individual. This type of participation will pay off many times over to the benefit of all.

There is no question that the Membership Committee touches all facets of Chamber activity. It is axiomatic that our association needs to grow in size and diversity in line with the business growth of our regional service area. And, a major component of our stated mission is to help businesses grow.

A key function of our organization is to provide leadership and networking opportunities for our members, but Gordon reminds us that it takes positive action by members as individuals to achieve maximum benefits. Just standing around and not communicating within the group will simply not suffice. And, nothing is more important to business (or personal) success than effective networking. A promise from Eric Gordon and the Chamber Staff—reach out; we can and shall help. Though oft-stated, the bottom line is that you will get out of Chamber membership what you put into it!

Membership is by no means a one-person show. However, The membership committee is stimulated by the passionate, effective leadership that Eric Gordon lends to the effort! In addition to his volunteer efforts at the Palms West Chamber, he somehow finds time and energy to be active in both the Royal Palm Beach Rotary Club and the Western Communities Business Association. He also is President of Unity for Kids, an early intervention preschool.

Eric is a Mortgage Loan Consultant with SunTrust Mortgage where he works throughout the community and is licensed in all states.

Kudos to the Membership Committee and its Chairman—living proof about how relationship building and enthusiasm combine for excellence!