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I had the honor of graduating in June from the Institute for Organization Management, an intensive four-year nonprofit leadership program through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at the University of Georgia-Athens. Upon completion of the program, each graduate receives the IOM recognition, signifying completion of 96 hours of course instruction in association, chamber, and nonprofit management.

Institute was an inspiring and thought-provoking program that expanded my professional network, heightened my awareness of industry trends, and broadened my overall business knowledge. I listened to some of the country’s most innovative thinkers in business while I attended my four years in Athens. Their goal was to challenge my understanding of myself as a chamber professional. One course that threw me into another world and made me question many things about the future was called “Industry Forecast” led by Ann Atkinson, Ph.D. My notes included the words ubiquity, utility, unification and understanding – chambers must be embracing the reality of these in the next four years. She commented on sustainable development - communities should have this at the forefront of planning.

Atkinson said many worthwhile statements, but two of my favorite quotes that I found to be profound were “Leadership is taking people to a place they could not go on their own. Education is not the filling of a bucket but the lighting of a fire” – so powerful I failed to write the names linked to these amazing quotes. This course was in my last few hours of Institute, a powerful presentation that will remain a vivid picture of the reality of changes to come in the future. Are we prepared? I highly recommend visiting her online knowledge center at www2.corenetglobal.org for further information.

Over the four years I have completed courses related to budgeting, legal issues within non-profit organizations, policy development and implementation, management, strategic planning and building organizational excellence. And I continued to challenge myself through my electives, which included marketing, generational shifts in the workforce, delivering value and even more. I could describe my experience for days; it remains one of the most valuable programs I have attended that encompasses the nonprofit industry and, at the same time, relevant to a-for-profit organization.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity as a staff member of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce to attend such an outstanding program that equips Chamber professionals with tools for success. Institute: An Intelligent Investment.

More information about the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management

For more than 80 years, associations and chambers have used the U.S. Chamber's Institute as a training platform for the professional development of their future leaders. Participants receive training in leadership and organization management competencies, as well as follow targeted curricula in membership, technology and financial management. Students not only enhance their own organizational management skills through a combination of required courses and electives, but also add new fuel to their organizations, making them run more efficiently and effectively.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

For more information, contact Institute for Organization Management at U.S. Chamber headquarters at 202-463-5570; 1615 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20062-2000; www.uschamber.com/institute.

Labels: Chamber staff