The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce has been named a finalist for the 2025 Chamber of the Year award, presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). ACCE is an association based in Alexandria, Va., with over 1,600 chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations as members, representing more than 9,000 professionals in the industry.
The award, sponsored by GrowthZone, is the most prestigious and competitive award in the chamber industry, recognizing excellence in operations, member services and community leadership. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and impacted key community priorities, such as education, transportation, economic prosperity and quality of life.
"This year's finalists represent excellence in the chamber industry,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. “Each has shown how chambers can lead as community partners, forward-thinking leaders and problem solvers to drive growth and make a lasting impact on regional prosperity. We congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.”
Chamber of the Year winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 23, during the Awards Show presented by Comcast Business at ACCE’s Annual Convention in Philadelphia. The Paducah Chamber is in Category 1 with other finalists Chino Valley Chamber in Chino, CA and Rowan County Chamber in Salisbury, NC.
“We are thrilled to have been selected as a finalist,” said Sandra Wilson, President/CEO of the Paducah Chamber. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff, Board, members, and volunteers who work tirelessly to strengthen our community. Being selected as a finalist affirms the meaningful impact of our programs and initiatives. We are proud to be recognized on a national level for the work happening here in Paducah.”
Chambers of commerce interested in competing for the award first must qualify by participating in a vigorous multi-stage process. Organizations entering the Chamber of the Year competition must meet minimum thresholds in at least three of five key performance areas in ACCE’s Annual Chamber Operations Survey, including net revenue and assets, membership account retention and membership dollar retention.
Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application addressing all aspects of organizational operation and programmatic work. Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists. The finalists then move on to an interview before a panel of experienced chamber professionals at the national conference.
The Paducah Chamber is a two-time recipient of this award in 2011 and 2017.
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About the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) is the professional society supporting the women and men who lead local, regional, statewide and international chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations. Our membership includes more than 1,600 business/civic organizations worldwide. We provide our members with information resources, thought leadership, education programs, original research, benchmarking, retirement security, and access to a network of peers.
About the award sponsor GrowthZone
GrowthZone is an association software that helps organizations grow and retain membership, engage and inform members and prospects, and streamline tedious tasks. It unlocks the full potential of member-based organizations and seamlessly integrates with core processes, providing the foundation for an organization’s strategy. Learn more about GrowthZone at https://www.growthzone.com/.
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