![]() by Jack Llewellyn, CEO, Durango Chamber of Commerce While the New Oxford Dictionary of English defines leadership as the “action of leading a group of people or an organization,” it is so much more, and I think anyone can be a leader in any situation. I believe good leaders park their egos and allow for failures, which can be great opportunities to learn. They publicly recognize those who work with them and let them know they’re appreciated. Leaders hire individuals for their talents and abilities, put trust in them and then get out of their way. Leaders take risks, challenge the status quo, and motivate others to achieve something new and better. Leaders also recognize their own and others’ social styles, which gives insight to understanding interactions with others, resolving conflicts, and improving relationships and individual performance. The Chamber’s Leadership La Plata’s program helps develop personal and professional leadership skills, while broadening knowledge of our community. This year marks the 34th graduating class (2022-23), and we are so thrilled that more than 570 individuals have gone through LLP over the years. Let’s first look at the history of Leadership La Plata. Ideas of developing a leadership program for the area date back to 1980 when Steve Parker moved from the Front Range to Durango and suggested the idea to then Chamber executive director, Jasper Welch. Steve saw the success of leadership programs in Denver and thought a similar program in La Plata County had great potential. In 1988, Leadership La Plata was officially organized with the help of founding members: Steve Parker, Jasper Welch, Harold Green, Richard Ballantine, Bill Mashaw, Kay James, Joel Jones, Tom Compton, Alice Joiner, among others. The first graduating class was in 1988-89 with the likes of Ed Morlan, Rita Warfield, and Bill Brown, just to name a few. For a complete alumni directory, visit LeadershipLaPlata.org Currently, we are recruiting for the 2023/24 graduating class, and we’re asking you to help spread the word. Classes are up to 18 individuals who come from diverse backgrounds, various areas of La Plata County, and are associated with different industry sectors. Applicants must be at least 25 years old and reside in La Plata County for at least a year or have worked in La Plata for at least five years. The class kicks off with a mandatory retreat the second weekend in September, along with one class monthly through May. Class curriculum includes leadership development and team building, along with an exploration of community-based topics such as arts & culture, business, diversity & regional issues, education, environment, government, health & human services, and public safety/criminal justice. Each class is unique with tours or hands on experience that allows for classmates to learn about the community while developing friendships. I participated in the 2007-08 class, and I am very grateful for what I learned and the individuals I met, with whom I probably would not have crossed paths otherwise. LLP has been an invaluable part of my own leadership development. Because of the training I received, I have more confidence to reach out to others that I don’t know, and I’ve developed better conflict resolution skills over the years. We invite you to be part of this fulfilling program! To learn more about Leadership La Plata and to apply, visit DurangoBusiness.org/LLP Applications are due on May 31 at 11:59pm.
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by Jack Llewellyn, CEO Durango Chamber
Seeing more snow on the ground, it’s hard to believe it’s already April. All of us at the Chamber have had a very busy start to 2023, and now that we are into the second quarter, I wanted to take a quick glance at all we’ve done during the first part of the year. The mission of the Durango Chamber of Commerce is to promote and support the local business community through communication, advocacy, education, leadership, and stewardship. We do this in a variety of ways and through different programs. In early March, we celebrated Durango by honoring businesses, leaders, and organizations that are making a positive impact on our community with the annual Durango Rocks Awards Celebration. If you know of someone, or a company that should be recognized, please nominate them by going to our website, DurangoBusiness.org. The Chamber educates our members by holding various programs to discuss important issues impacting our region. We feature workshops to assist organizations with marketing, public relations, human resources, management and customer service trainings, and more. We also kicked off a new quarterly series, called “Get to Know the CEO,” and featured Rob Sarlls, CEO of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. We’ll have other CEOs join us to provide information about their personal experiences, their company – it’s challenges, successes, and future opportunities, and offer leadership tips that can help you grow. In February, we partnered with the La Plata County Economic Development Alliance to host a workforce housing forum, where we had more than 120 participants. Housing is a top priority that must be addressed, and we were honored to bring so many players together for one of these conversations. Public and private partnerships are needed to meet the demand for our area’s housing issues and progress is being made. An important function of the Chamber is advocating for a strong business environment on the local, state, and national levels. Recently, the Chamber, along with La Plata Forum, hosted a City Council Candidates Forum to learn more about the five candidates running for two open positions. As with most all elections, it shapes the future of Durango for the next 10 years. At the state level, the Chamber is reviewing legislation that could impact our business community and either supporting bills or opposing them and communicating with our members and legislators. It’s important that Durango has a voice at the state level to weigh in on policies that could negatively or positively impact our businesses. The Chamber offers a leadership program called, Leadership La Plata and applications are now being accepted. We invite you to apply or share this information with someone you know who wants to gain personal and professional leadership skills, as well as learn more about the community. All the efforts of the Durango Chamber are to ultimately help the economy grow. I’m looking forward to the rest of the year, as we have a lot of exciting programs in the pipeline. If you have any questions or thoughts, please don’t hesitate to call us at 970-247-0312, ext. 2 or visit DurangoBusiness.org for more information. More Choice. Greater Equity. Improved Value! By Jack Llewellyn, CEO Durango Chamber As Maurice Levy once said, “We have to keep transforming ourselves to stay relevant for the future.” After careful thought and evaluation, the Durango Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and staff have determined it’s time to change and update the way our members invest. Similar to many other chambers, the Durango Chamber is moving to a tiered-dues structure, which offers benefits according to the investment level a member selects. This new system will simplify our membership categories, with a focus on value and the opportunity to choose what’s best for your business. It also continues to align with our mission of supporting a strong and vibrant economy and providing opportunities for our members to build and grow successful businesses. Previously, the Chamber’s membership system was a hybrid structure with the lower levels based on the number of employees the business had in their organization, called a “fair share” structure. The new system will feature just 7 tiers with different benefits attached to each one, offering a choice with a return on investment while supporting the Chamber’s mission. We understand that our members value a variety of benefits for different reasons. Some members seek a voice for the business community through advocacy. Others desire more opportunities to network, advertise, educate or train. The various tiered membership levels are designed to offer you choices while accomplishing your needs. The Chamber is maintaining its core benefits. Referrals to members, cost-effective advertising, sponsorship opportunities to increase brand awareness, announcements of milestones and new businesses, access to Chamber programs, events and services, and ways to build connections. Our signature programs will also continue: Leadership La Plata (LLP), Diplomats (DIPS), Young Professionals of Durango (YPODs) and Look Local First. The new tiered structure will begin in the next few months. Your membership anniversary month will be honored along with your rolling 12-month period, which means your billing period will not change. In addition, we’re offering options to pay with a credit card or check, as well as your choice of installments, whether it’s monthly, quarterly, biannually or annually. Bottom line, this new approach eliminates the “one-size-fits-all” strategy and gives you, as a member, more choice with improved value. You may view the preliminary details on our website, here. If you have any questions about this change in structure, your benefits, or any other Chamber business questions, please don’t hesitate contacting me at 970-247-0312. |
The Durango Chamber of Commerce
The Durango Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization that promotes and supports the local business community through communication, advocacy, education, leadership and financial viability. Archives
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2301 Main Ave. | P.O. Box 2587 | Durango. CO 81302 Toll-Free: 888-414-0835 | Phone: 970-247-0312 | Fax: 970-385-7884 |