Benchmarking

Each year, the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama travels with business leaders, elected officials, and community members to visit other communities. Benchmarking allows attendees to see first-hand the results of decisions other cities have made - with a focus on key areas such as education, entrepreneurship, innovation, riverfront development, economic growth, and creating a thriving downtown. The visits provide an opportunity for participants to apply lessons learned in other cities to our own community, as well as discovering the factors that already make West Alabama a great place to live.

2023: Raleigh, NC

2023: Raleigh, NC

The Chamber visited the City of Oaks, a nickname Raleigh shares with Tuscaloosa, on its fifth Benchmarking Trip, where dozens of dignitaries from our area travel together to relatively comparable communities that are thriving to try and learn their secrets.
The trip included panels and talks and Q&A sessions hosted in some of the area's most interesting and attractive venues, including the North Carolina Museum of Natural History, the 28th floor of City Club Raleigh and the stunningly beautiful American Tobacco Campus in Durham.
Topics of discussion included economic development for white-collar recruitment, talent retention, how to thoughtfully prioritize arts and culture, effective public transportation infrastructure, and, at the center of all of it, the "Region First" mentality that has allowed the Raleigh area to thrive.


2022: The Next Level Summit

2022: The Next Level Summit

More than 100 community leaders from the public, private, nonprofit and education sectors convened at the Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort April 13-15, 2022 for The Next Level Summit. This three-day event allowed for candid, in-depth discussions on a variety of pressing community issues. Multiple breakout sessions were held on each of the highlighted topics and the discussions were moderated by the same local leaders who led panel discussions during The Next Level Series, several issue-focused educational forums that preceded the Summit.

These discussions resulted in the creation of proactive action items to address many of the challenges and opportunities identified through both the Series and Summit. Various local stakeholder groups will take on the responsibility of these action items, including the Chamber through its upcoming five-year strategic plan.

Numerous public policy-related items were also thoroughly considered during the Summit, and the subsequent positions will become priorities of the Chamber's Public Policy Agenda immediately. The Chamber's Public Affairs Council will serve as a primary venue for ongoing updates from all newly formed committees, task forces, and working groups, and will also coordinate stakeholder advocacy on the identified public policy priorities.

2021: Asheville, NC

2021: Asheville, NC

More than 80 business owners and executives, elected and appointed officials, non-profit representatives, and community leaders joined the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama in Asheville, North Carolina, for the fourth annual Benchmarking Trip, presented by The University of Alabama.
Selected for the city's rich culture and public art investments, our members met with community leaders about the positive impact Asheville was able to make on their quality-of-life.

2019: Chattanooga, TN

2019: Chattanooga, TN

More than 120 business owners and executives, elected and appointed officials, non-profit representatives, and community leaders joined the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama July 21-23 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the third annual Benchmarking Trip, presented by The University of Alabama.
Selected for a range of reasons that include the city's riverfront and downtown redevelopment, affordable housing program, and evolution to a magnet for educated talent, the delegation heard from business leaders, entrepreneurs and government officials who told the story of Chattanooga's transformation.

Read the article

2018: Lexington, KY

2018: Lexington, KY

More than 90 businessmen and women, elected officials, and community leaders traveled to Lexington, Kentucky, June 15 for The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama's annual Benchmarking Trip.

Chosen for its nationally-recognized economic growth, successful public-private partnerships, cultural health, and growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, Lexington features an urban county form of government, ranks 10th among U.S. cities in college education rate, and is home to a fellow SEC school, the University of Kentucky. The delegation felt Lexington was the perfect delegation for the group's second benchmarking trip.

"New relationships were created, existing relationships were strengthened, and countless one-on-one conversations were had that will pay serious dividends going forward," said Chamber President and CEO Jim Page.

The event kicked off Sunday evening with a reception at Creaux, a New Orleans-inspired cocktail bar in downtown Lexington. During the reception, Bob Quick, President and CEO of Commerce Lexington, gave attendees a "big picture" overview of Lexington; sharing both the history of the city and plans for the future.

2017: Greenville, SC

2017: Greenville, SC

More than 70 Chamber members and community leaders traveled to Greenville, South Carolina, July 23-25, for The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama's inaugural benchmarking trip.

Chosen for how Greenville has embraced smart growth, downtown redevelopment and a knowledge-based, entrepreneurial economy, participants heard from individuals directly responsible for Greenville's transformation, and were inspired to apply those successes in West Alabama.

Prior to returning to Tuscaloosa, participants met to share their thoughts on the trip and discuss ways to apply lessons learned in Greenville to challenges in West Alabama. Attendees agreed takeaways should include Greenville's intentional planning with respect to the use of their available funds. Mayor Walt Maddox said the City of Tuscaloosa should take advantage of low-hanging fruit, including cosmetic improvements such as signage, it should also look at the long-term process.

 

 

Contact:

Alicia Gregory
Senior Director of Programs and Operations
(205) 391-0561 | alicia@westalabamachamber.com