As seen in the March edition of the Chamber Voice, the 2019 Business Plan was created to introduce you to the Strategic Plan’s Critical Success Factors and supporting Program of Work. Our mission is “to be the voice of business, to promote and initiate responsible economic growth, and to address community challenges in the Rogers-Lowell Area and region.” We’re celebrating our 97th year as the premier advocacy organization for business and we take our leadership role of being the Keeper of the Community Vision and Voice of Business seriously.
To accomplish our mission, we’re growing business and building community through mission-based strategic focus areas and increased collaboration with our members, partners and investors. Strategic areas of focus include economic development, downtown development, workforce recruitment and retention, government affairs, small business outreach, destination marketing, community education and leadership programs, and long-range community planning to improve quality of life. Below is the Business Plan for the Accounting & Finance Division.
Accounting and Finance
The Accounting and Finance division partners and collaborates both internally and externally providing the right data to the right people at the right time to facilitate organizational success. The division provides more than administrative services to the Chamber’s staff by also supporting the human resource needs of the organization. Staff are active listeners and responsive to emergent issues, understanding that the Chamber’s greatest resource is its people. To achieve the Chamber’s goals of preserving, promoting, and enhancing commerce in the region, the Accounting and Finance team strives to present useful, relevant, and clear financial information and statements for the Chamber in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) in the U.S. This includes the design, implementation, and maintenance of internal controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement. Accounting and Finance ensures that the organization complies with the laws and regulations applicable to all of the Chamber’s activities.
Strategic Focus Areas:
- Produce understandable, reliable, and relevant financial analysis and reporting
- Demonstrate employee value appreciation, celebrating a diversity-oriented culture
- Facilitate smooth transition of human and organization resources
- Facilitate smooth transition of cloud-based management software
Division Goals:
- Provide Quality Financial Data to Stakeholders
SMARTY Objective:
1. Deliver pertinent information to the right people at the right time.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Strive for continuous improvement in efficiently managing schedules and task lists to process information in real-time.
–Collaborate with teams in preparing for events and the data collection process tied to each; open to close.
–Achieve team awareness of accounting standards, timelines, and processes through frequent clear communication.
–Provide value-added hands-on assistance and support tailored to team members who face challenges.
–Demonstrate A&F’s commitment to team success through integrity, credibility, and dedication.
–Be a trusted partner by using best practices with a focus on accountability and transparency.
–Participate in planning, management, and accounting of organization resources.
- Contribute to Team Cohesiveness to Fortify the Fabric of our Organization
SMARTY Objective:
1. Ensure each individual sees, hears, feels: senses appreciation and recognition for their own personal value to the work we do.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Practice effective, fair and equitable human governance.
–Employ the power of positivity: be courteous, polite and kind; listen.
-Communicate care often.
–Identify what drives and motivates to empower higher employee performance.
–Frequently communicate that our greatest assets are our people; the heart of our work.
–Celebrate individual qualities of diversity recognizing that our differences make us stronger.
–Discourage scuttlebutt and criticism as a destructive behavior, encouraging solutions-based thinking.
–Demonstrate healthy teamwork and the joy of harmony, a daily choice in attitude.
- Transition Downtown Rogers from Main Street to Chamber of Commerce
SMARTY Objectives:
1. Facilitate successful conversion and assimilation of human resources.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Employ a project management process for transition.
–Frequently communicate, inquiring and working through stages of transition.
–Provide a listening ear during process.
–Be responsive to emergent issues.
–Assist with onboarding and any challenges.
2. Facilitate transfer all organization resources.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Collect all data from staff, including electronic and physical.
–Review and process information.
–Collaborate with DTR team to ensure accuracy.
–Meet often and frequently to communicate processes, procedures, and commitments.
- Transition from WebLink Connect to Accrisoft Freedom
SMARTY Objectives:
1. Accuracy and data integrity.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Employ a project management process for transfer.
–Collaborate to create and follow project phases, understanding work streams.
–Review and document information to protect data integrity.
–With an e-presence in 20+ offices, collaborate with team members and communicate often.
–Include teams in processes for system and data migration.
–Identify potential risks and plan mitigation strategies.
–Ensure mitigation of errors and data loss.
2. Explore test-phase.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Identify and document functional gaps.
–Work to satisfy or eliminate all gaps.
–Achieve team-based readiness checklist.
–Validate data integrity.
3. Training and team member aptitude.
Actions (Strategies and Tactics):
–Think creatively about frequent information searches, leading to vital dashboards.
–Encourage new process assimilation and letting go of ties to the “the old way.”
–Deliver micro-training opportunities through e-mail, staff meetings, and pop-up sessions.
–Recognize and reward innovation; moving processes and procedures forward.
–Read the directions.