< Forsyth County CARES Small Business Grant Program Provides Funds to Local Businesses

Chamber Leader Selected for National Economic Recovery Fellowship

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Laura Stewart, Vice President of Community Engagement at the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce, has been selected by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) to study economic recovery and resilience strategies with 41 other Chamber of Commerce professionals from communities throughout the United States.

The Fellowship for Economic Recovery is an immersive executive development program that provides Chamber of Commerce professionals with education and tools to improve the post-COVID-19 pandemic outcomes in the communities they serve.

“This is a tremendous honor for our community and our Chamber,” said James McCoy, President and CEO of the Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce. “Laura Stewart’s leadership has earned this national recognition by our peers. The Chamber and Forsyth County are fortunate to have her talent and skill working to build our local economy.”

Throughout the year-long Fellowship for Economic Recovery, participants focus on addressing different aspects of economic recovery from education and talent to economic development to entrepreneurship. The curriculum will focus on strategies for building more equitable economic outcomes and creating economies that work for everyone.

“We have been overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response to this executive leadership training initiative and the high caliber of applicants,” said ACCE President Sheree Ann Kelly. Speaking on the need for businesses to engage in economic recovery activities, Kelly says her organization assists its members through various learning opportunities and best practice sharing. “This latest step in our strategy to engage business leaders and advocates in shaping recovery efforts, building resilient local economies and creating opportunities for everyone in the community to thrive.”

ACCE’s Fellowship for Economic Recovery is designed to help Chambers refine their economic recovery goals and ultimately help the business associations nationwide build replicable programs and processes. Leaders selected to participate in the Fellowship represent urban and rural communities from 24 states.

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, founded in 1914, serves more than 7,500 chamber of commerce professionals, and 1,300 chambers of commerce or similar organizations, around the world. ACCE’s members come from nearly each of the largest 100 metropolitan regions in the United States. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the mission of ACCE is to support chamber professionals so they can lead their communities. Learn more about the organization by visiting www.ACCE.org.

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