Althoff: This month we celebrate our members

By George Althoff
Executive Director

September is Chamber of Commerce Month in Wisconsin, a time to celebrate the vital role chambers play in helping create and maintain strong local economies and vibrant communities.
The Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce has been striving to do just that ever since its inception in 1950.
Today, we are 390-plus members strong and growing. The all-time high for membership is 406, which was achieved in 2016, when chambers of commerce were able to offer group health insurance plans to their members. But the BACC’s membership numbers declined from 2016-18 when chambers could no longer offer group health plans to their members.
The BACC’s mission is twofold: To promote Baraboo as a premier tourism destination, and to foster a strong local economy that financially benefits our members and the community as a whole. We feel good about the progress we’ve been making but understand there’s more that can be done on both fronts.
And we approach our job with one important thing in mind. The BACC is NOT our staff of two full-time and two part-time employees. The BACC is YOU, our members and partners whose support and assistance are critical to our existence as an organization. We are fortunate to have so many great members and partners who contribute to our success.
For starters, we have 26 Partner Package sponsors this year. They are members who chose to invest in the chamber as Platinum, Gold, Silver or Bronze sponsors. Their financial commitments are used to underwrite our major events – the Big Top Parade, the Golf Classic, Oktoberfest, and our Annual Dinner. You can find a list of our Partner Package sponsors at the bottom of our home page at baraboo.com.
Our community partners also play a vital role in our success. A tip of the hat to the City of Baraboo, Village of West Baraboo, Sauk County, Downtown Baraboo Inc., the Baraboo School District and UW-Platteville-Baraboo/Sauk County.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also recognize the contributions of our many volunteers, who help make possible all of our major events, and members of the Ambassadors Club, who complement the work of BACC staff by conducting outreach to new and prospective members.
On a personal note, I am honored to serve as your Executive Director. Throughout my professional career, I’ve been involved in multiple chambers as a volunteer and/or board member, including nine years on the BACC Board of Directors. I’ve always believed that a strong chamber is one of the pillars of a heathy business community.
I feel good about the contributions of the BACC to the community, but know there’s always room for improvement. If you have any suggestions, please send them my way at director@baraboochamber.com. And thank you for your support.