“[The pandemic] was an arena we never expected or wanted to be in,” Hessel said. “We were able to help teach our businesses how to move forward, and that level of communication continues to this day.”
While the organization plays a large role in the Grapevine community, many residents do not understand the ins and outs of what a chamber of commerce really is, Hessel said.
“They know they can find businesses through us, but there’s more to it,” Hessel said.
At its core, the chamber helps businesses to connect and network with each other, Hessel said.
“It’s not even just about meeting your neighbors,” Hessel said. “Let’s say you need someone to fix a tire on your delivery truck. Well, you might know someone in the chamber that can help you with that. You’re going to refer people you know, so it goes both ways.”
Perry Leonard, president and owner of Blagg Tire & Service, has been a member of the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce since 1986. He said the chamber has evolved a lot over the last several years. In its earlier days, the chamber’s focus was mostly on connecting businesses to each other, Leonard said.
“Now, the chamber advocates for you in a lot of different ways.” he said.
How a chamber becomes accredited
Since late 2015, the Grapevine chamber has held a five-star accreditation, the highest rating given by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
There are roughly 7,000 chambers of commerce in the United States, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce website. Since the conception of the accreditation program in 1964, 900 chambers have participated, and 200 hold the title.
“Having that accreditation, that distinction, it makes being a part of the chamber that much more rewarding,” Hessel said.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce awards the accreditation based on points earned in nine different criteria, according to its website.
Hessel said when the chamber applied for the accreditation, it received a four-star rating in 2013. She said the board was eager to improve on that.
“The chamber’s goal was to be the best,” Hessel said. “My board of directors [was] not happy with only having four [stars]. They wanted five. So they actually focused ... on the areas that they felt like we were lacking.”
Leonard said the board’s desire to receive a five-star accreditation pushed staff to improve their legislative advocacy.
“We worked with our legislators so that they know us and when there’s an issue that comes up on business, then call us and say, ‘What do you think your business community would say about this?’”
Leonard said not only improving its advocacy, but also focusing on all of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s requirements has made the chamber stronger, driving up the value of the chamber for business owners.
Hessel said the chamber budget relies on fundraising events and membership dues because it does not receive any tax dollars, Hessel said.
Annual membership dues are determined by the number of employees the business has with the cost ranging from $280 for 10 or fewer employees to $865 for more than 100 employees.
“We’ve tried to maintain a very low membership dues rate so that any business in our community has the opportunity to participate,” Hessel said.
The Colleyville Chamber of Commerce has begun the process of applying for the accreditation, CEO Chelsea Rose said.
“Currently, we have a leadership committee for our board that [has a] couple other duties, but for the most part, they are preparing us for accreditation,” Rose said. “There’s a very robust checklist that is just for [determining], ‘Are you ready to even apply?’ We’re working on those pieces right now.”
Rose said the accreditation shows businesses and citizens that a chamber is operating at its best.
“Being accredited shows that you’re adhering to those best practices, and you’re being a good steward of not only membership dollars, but membership investment in time and resources as well,” Rose said.
The Southlake Chamber of Commerce is not seeking accreditation but is open to the idea in the future, CEO Mark Guilbert said.
“Right now we have some other projects and new initiatives in the works that are our priority,” Guilbert said.
Chamber’s effect on members
Rachel Townsend joined the Grapevine chamber in April as she opened her own business, RTown Studio + Showroom, which showcases art and offers artists a place to work and create.
Townsend said her goal was to create a space for artists that she herself had been looking for.
“I’m trying to make my own as a safe space for emerging artists,” Townsend said.
Townsend said she hopes the chamber will help her connect with other artists. She has already connected with some chamber members willing to support her business, including Grapevine’s Sauce’d Pizza, which supplied food for her April 27 ribbon-cutting event.
“[Being in the chamber] takes you from having just a business in Grapevine to being like part of this community,” Townsend said.
Leonard said the chamber has given him the opportunity to connect with some of his largest clients.
“I have a lot of business with very large customers—DFW [International] Airport, American Airlines—I mean, big, big companies that you probably wouldn’t get in the door [of] unless you had some of those chamber partners advocating for you.”
Hessel said the chamber is meant for those connections, whether they be new such as Townsend’s or longstanding such as Leonard’s.
“I always say one of the reasons I work for the chamber is because it is the best of all of our businesses,” Hessel said. “Businesses that join the chamber [are] not only joining to grow their business, but they’re joining to support their business community, and what better people are there than those that are there to support each other.”
About the chamber:
1952: Launch of Grapevine Chamber of Commerce
1,129: Current chamber membership
5 star accreditation, the highest ranking from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Less than 3% of the nation's chambers of commerce are accredited
Source: U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Grapevine Chamber of Commerce/Community Impact Newspaper
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