Guest Blog by Cameron P. Calderwood, Small Business Banking Market Leader, Bank of America ​As we enter the second quarter of the year, it's time for business owners to go beyond mere reflection and take action to elevate their business. The most successful companies will be those with leaders who are keenly versed in knowing costs structures, focused on core competencies and understand the market. These fundamental skillsets can equate to successful bottom lines, regardless of your specific industry or economic conditions.  Given this, here are a few steps business leaders can ..read more

The 2024 Inter-City Visit & Leadership Conference presented by Pinnacle Financial Partners was an eye-opening experience for more than 175 regional leaders who traveled to Atlanta to learn about the city's success in attracting businesses and talent. Attendees were inspired by the city's commitment to diversity and inclusion, corporate philanthropy, regional collaboration and the role they all play in driving economic growth and promoting quality of life. Through numerous panels, tours, and group discussions, attendees saw firsthand how Atlanta is leading the way in innovation, infrastru ..read more

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate the achievements of women around the world and right here in our community. Celebrated every year on March 8, it is a day that recognizes the incredible contributions that women have made to society and highlights the ongoing progress toward gender equality. But the month of March is also Women’s History Month, a time to reflect on the journey of women leaders and the obstacles they have overcome along the way. ​March is our chance to celebrate the trailblazers who have paved the way for future generations of women leaders, and the Raleigh Cha ..read more

Raleigh Begins Work on New Comprehensive Plan It is time for the city to draft a new Comprehensive Plan, the cornerstone that provides overarching guidance for the city’s growth and future development over a roughly twenty-year period. Our current Plan comes from 2009 and was most recently updated in 2019.  Since the plan was aimed to get us to 2030, the city is beginning work for the next plan to get us to 2050. Much has happened since the 2009 creation of the document- beyond adding over 75,000 residents in the city’s boundaries alone (not to mention the population explosion in the su ..read more

​Tuesday night, ten Raleigh Chamber representatives attended a city council meeting to show support for modifications to the city’s Comprehensive Plan (which provides policy guidance for growth and development in the city) and zoning changes along the New Bern Avenue corridor for the Bus Rapid Transit system being built there. Board Treasurer Kristen Hess, Partner and CEO at HH Architecture, delivered remarks on behalf of the Chamber urging the council to approve the recommended changes. Her remarks focused on the positive benefits of transit-oriented development along the corridor, including ..read more

Raleigh Chamber Advocating for Reinstatement of R&D Tax Deductions The Raleigh Chamber is calling for the reintroduction of immediate federal tax deductions of Research & Development (R&D) costs which were the norm for over seventy years until January 2022 when the tax code required them to be amortized. While this change impacts all companies that engage in research and development, it most drastically impacts startups and small businesses who rely on those immediate deductions for their financial models to work.​ In collaboration with several other metropolitan chambers across ..read more

Monday, January 15 is the 116th Founders Day celebration of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and Torri Staton, Ph.D., who serves as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity for the Raleigh Chamber, and the Director of Equitable Economic Development for Wake County Economic Development, is proud to be a member of the Sorority. Torri has been associated with the Raleigh Chamber for almost two years and has previously worked in the education sector for more than a decade. Torri initiated her DEI work in her previous roles and is thrilled to continue advocating for DE ..read more

For those unable to attend Launch 2024 presented by Wells Fargo, we have you covered! Launch 2024 is an annual economic forecast that allows Triangle area professionals to reconnect with colleagues and refresh their business focus with the latest trends and data. This year’s event is scheduled for January 3 at the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts, and it will feature two renowned economists, Tom Barkin, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and Sarah House, Managing Director and Senior Economist for Wells Fargo Corporate & Invest ..read more

Raleigh, Wake County, WCPSS Elect New Leadership There may not have been local elections on the ballot this year, but our elected bodies still voted to determine who will lead their internal decision-making processes for next year. The Raleigh Chamber has excellent relationships with all our new and recurring leaders, and we look forward to partnering with them to make 2024 a successful year.  Wake County Board of Commissioners: Shinica Thomas was re-elected as Chair, and Susan Evans was re-elected Vice-Chair. Both served in the same roles in 2023.   City of Raleigh: Jonathan Melton ..read more

​The Raleigh Chamber is a bustling hub of activity, with events and resources designed to support and promote the Triangle business community. But have you ever wondered who makes all of this happen? In this blog series, we are excited to introduce you to more hardworking staff members behind the scenes at the Raleigh Chamber.  Get to Know Our Vice President of Information Technology: Eric Darnell ​“Every year there are new challenges and new projects to implement that give our staff members the greater capacity to focus on our organization's mission of driving this communit ..read more