This past year was a very busy one for your board of directors and staff. We have a long list of accomplishments, but you can be certain we do not plan to rest on our laurels during the upcoming year. In fact, I believe our new motto is full steam ahead or something similar. Just ask Albert Butler, your new President, and he can attest to a comprehensive program of work for the upcoming year.

I would like to take this last opportunity to address the membership and thank each of you for your support during the past year. And, of course, I need to thank my employer for their support during the past year. Serving as President can be time consuming, but CHELCO has been supportive and understanding of the time needed to fulfill this obligation. I've enjoyed the opportunity to meet and work with so many new people throughout our county.

Some of the accomplishments I am most pleased with follow:

* New Executive Director: The board located a director with the experience, expertise and abilities needed to direct us into a sound future. Pam Tedesco has shown the initiative needed to organize the organization, as well as assist the board as it molds your chamber into one of the finest in the panhandle.

* Purchase of site for Chamber Office on Highway 98: The site for the new office is in a great location and the board is excited about the prospect of owning our own building and establishing a stronger presence in the beach area.

* Chamber Foundation: This bright idea was formed prior to hiring Pam, however, she organized the project as well as worked with our attorney and CPA to insure the paperwork was accurate and submitted in a timely fashion. We now have a tax-exempt foundation for your contributions to the building fund as well as future projects.

* Program of Work: The board recently approved our first formal program of work. The program of work details the mission and objectives of each division and committee. It also details the work the chamber will perform during the upcoming year. This keeps the work of our committees in tune with the mission of your chamber as well as sets measurable goals and objectives.

* Beach Area Luncheon Meetings: Our first regular monthly luncheons were started this past year and have proven to be a great success. Not only do we have valuable programs, wonderful food, and an opportunity to network, but boy, do we have fun.

* Ambassador Program: A new incentive program that will recognize and reward the hard work and significant contributions of our ambassadors. Recognizes an "Ambassador of the Year".