Learn About Committees at the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce

Galveston's various groups Our Committees

The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce has an active group of committees that meet regularly to vet new ideas, assist with the facilitation of Chamber programs and events, and materialize our mission into action.

Committees are chaired by a member selected by the board of directors. Any member of the Galveston Chamber is eligible for committee participation. If you have an interest in joining a committee, please contact the chamber team member assigned to the committee.

Committees

Advocacy

Chair: Steven E. Conner, The Regent Care Centers

The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce takes a stand on tough issues such as taxes, new regulations, assessments, insurance, and federal wage laws affecting its members. The advocacy committee meets to discuss and act on important public policy issues directly affecting the business community.

The advocacy committee promotes a positive and pro-active business environment in the Galveston area. The committee’s tasks include:

Develop and support local governmental action which promotes a strong business climate and job growth opportunities
Oppose local governmental action which inhibits a strong business climate and diminishes job growth opportunities
Establish productive relationships between business interests and public officials
Provide forums to inform public officials and candidates for public office on issues impacting the business community
Provide forums to educate the membership on issues impacting the business community
Communicate official Chamber positions to the appropriate public officials prior to their action on the issue
Identify and support individuals to serve on public Commissions and Boards
Endeavor to hold public officials accountable for their actions and the resulting impact on the business community. This may be accomplished by the circulation of public official voting records to the Chamber membership on any issue on which the Chamber has communicated an official position.

This committee meets the 2^nd Tuesday of every month, 8:00 am, in the Chamber board room.

Committees

C-Crewe

Co-Chairs: Lidija Bikova, Zero/Six Consulting; and Hanna Holliday, Moody Bank; Tori Wilcoxson, Events Coordinator

We created the C-Crewe, short for Chamber Crewe, to engage young professionals in the Galveston business community. This program provides opportunities for our young people to make business connections, learn from the businessmen and women who came before them and see the value and purpose of the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce. We accomplish these tasks through a variety of events, engagements and projects including monthly luncheons, quarterly mixers, and special events.

The mission of the C-Crewe is to engage professionals under forty in the Galveston area business community and the Chamber of Commerce and develop strong future leaders for the region.

Committees

Education

Chair: Sarah Piel, The Grand 1894 Opera House, Robert Evans, executive assistant to the president and CEO

The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce has a long history of leadership, engagement, and support for education in the regional community through communication, collaboration, and direct programming. We accomplish this work through the education committee. The agenda focuses on enhancing success for students of all ages and enhancing the success of local business through the provision of a quality workforce.

The education committee meets monthly on the 1st Friday, 8:30 am. Contact Robert Evans for locations.

Our mission is to enhance the quality, accessibility, choice, and usefulness of education for all students, and to support the economic, social, and political viability the Galveston region.

Committees

Executive

The executive committee meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday, 7:30 am, Chamber offices.

Committees

Galveston Women’s Conference

Contact: Lindsay Touchy, Vice President

Our largest event in terms of attendance, the annual Galveston women’s conference highlights issues of importance for professional women across all fields. The conference features a keynote address by a major national speaker and celebrates the leadership and service of women across our region.

The mission of this committee is to give women in the region an opportunity to come together, share, and learn from each other.

Women’s Conference

Committees

Golf

Chair: Keith Zahar, The Big Store; and Nick Droege, Texas Tail Distillery, Lindsay Touchy, Vice President

The annual golf tournament is a major business engagement activity and fund-raising event for the chamber. The golf tournament committee plans, hosts and operates this important event.

The golf committee meets monthly, with the exact schedule to be determined at that time.

Golf Tournament

Committees

Legislative Affairs

Chair: Vic Pierson, Moody Bank

The legislative affairs committee advocates through the legislature for member businesses to provide a voice not only at a local level, but at state and national levels as well. Their primary functions include:

Monitor, analyze and prioritize public policy issues which impact chamber members and the Galveston business community
Inform the business community on federal, state, and local governmental issues
Prioritize issues that may require special attention by the chamber
Make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding policy issues.

This committee meets the 2^nd Tuesday of every month, 8:00 am, in the Chamber board room.

Committees

Lemonade Day Galveston County

Lemonade Day is a fun, experiential program that teaches youth how to start, own, and operate their very own business – a lemonade stand. Each year, we partner with schools, organizations, and communities across Galveston County to provide our region’s youth the opportunity to learn and experience entrepreneurship by setting up their own business during their area’s community-wide Lemonade Day. We coordinate activities through the Lemonade Day subcommittee of the education committee. We encourage youth of all ages, from pre-K through high school, from across Galveston County to participate.

Our mission is to empowers today’s youth to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.

Lemonade Day Galveston County

Committees

Membership and Navigators

Contact: JaLene Kambhu, director of membership development

The mission of the membership committee is to grow and retain the membership base, through continual review of membership levels and benefits, and developing with strategies to grow membership by listening to the members, their requests, and requirements.

The navigators are goodwill representative members whose mission is to promote the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce and maintain membership strength. Any person who is a representative for an active chamber member may join the navigators.

Navigators welcome new and expanding businesses to the chamber at ribbon cuttings, mixers, luncheons, personal visits, and special events. Navigators actively recruit members and continue to represent the chamber while conducting business for themselves in the community.

Navigators

Committees

Past Chairs, Nominations & Elections

Meets as determined.

Committees

Pelican Island & Galveston Channel Advocacy

Chair: Erik Stramblad, Galveston Texas City Pilots, Robert Evans, executive assistant to the president and CEO

The Pelican Island and Galveston Channel Advocacy Committee supports the needs of the maritime community and provides a forum for discussion of mutual issues of concern for the businesses operating along the Galveston waterfront. The committee advocates for critical issues to the segment of the local economy including channel dredging, transportation needs, the Pelican Island bridge, development plans for Pelican Island, and the harborside region and the Galveston Port. The mission of the committee is to promote and advocate for existing and future landowners and businesses on Pelican Island, the Galveston waterfront, and the Port of Galveston and its tenants.

The pelican island committee meets monthly, the 2nd Monday, 11:30 am at the Galveston-Texas City Pilots.

Committees

Strategic Planning

Meets as determined.

Committees

Workforce Development

Chair: Dr. Myles Shelton, Robert Evans, executive assistant to the president and CEO

The mission of the Workforce Development Committee is to identify skill sets that match employment opportunities in the Galveston Region, produce Oceans of Opportunity, and compose and execute skill set requirements surveys as needed.

The workforce development committee meets monthly, the 3rd Wednesday, 9:30 am in the Chamber board room.