Board of Directors Duties
Terms of Service
All Chamber Board of Directors must serve one three-year term with the option of an additional three-year term. At the end of two consecutive terms, the Director must remain off the Board for one year before applying for service again. The Madison Area Chamber Board consists of up to 15 Board members.
Qualifications
The Board of Directors is the policy-making body of the Madison Area Chamber of Commerce. Board members represent the business and professional leadership of the community. In addition to genuine, unselfish interest in the Chamber, a member should possess the following:
The willingness to take a leadership role in developing the Chamber's resources through both time and financial support of the Chamber programs and initiatives.
- Ability to work constructively with staff, committees, and other Board members.
- A background that provides sound judgment in considering problems and policies.
- Courage and willingness to help formulate Chamber opinion on community problems, even if controversial.
- Respect for associates, which will give leadership and inspire others to respond.
Attending Meetings
As a Chamber Board Member, there are meetings you will need to attend.
The Madison Area Chamber Board meets every third Thursday of the month at 12:00pm in the conference room at the Chamber. Chamber Board Committees shall meet with direction from the individual committee chairs.
Voting
Chamber Board Members participate in critical votes for the Chamber. They could vote on bylaws, budgets, new member requests or any other issues that come before it.
By-Laws
Another activity that is not a major part of the role but may come up is the rewriting of Chamber by-laws. Dues structures are also a component that will be revisited periodically. In order to be the most effective Chamber Board Member possible, it is important to know your Chamber bylaws. If there’s something that strikes you as inefficient or outdated, perhaps it’s worth changing. However, you’ll need to have a firm understanding of the process before you can do any of that.
Representing the Chamber at All Times
An important aspect to note is understanding that as a Board member you represent the Chamber at all times. This is one of the most significant Chamber of Commerce Board responsibilities and applies to social media. Because you are a Chamber Board Member, people may assume that when you speak in public you are speaking on behalf of the Chamber. Be cognizant of this at all times.
Knowing the Mission
Understanding the mission of the Chamber, as well as its strategic initiatives, will help you make decisions and speak more confidently to potential members. When given the freedom to make business choices for the Chamber, always keep the Chamber mission in mind.
Selling Tickets
Another aspect to serving on the Chamber Board is selling a certain number of tickets to each Chamber event. Board Members are expected to sell tickets to the Madison Area Chamber Signature Events.
The Madison Area Chamber produces four signature events each year:
- The Annual Dinner and Awards
- Golf Scramble
- Women In Business Luncheon
- The Soup, Stew, Chili and Brew Festival
As a Chamber Board Member you will be expected to actively participate in the production of these signature events. The Madison Area Chamber also promotes and produces business after-hours events, lunch and learn events and other networking events. You will be asked to support and promote networking events, invite others in order give potential members a taste of Chamber offerings, and give their names to the Membership Chair.
Heading Up Committees
The Madison Area Chamber of Commerce Board has four standard committees. Four Board Members will be chosen each year to serve as chair to each committee. These committees are:
- Marketing and Membership
- Economic Development
- Policy and Foundation
- Budget and Finance
If there’s a particular committee you find interesting or one that fits your skill set well, let the Chamber know.
Governing and Legislative Initiatives
One of the reasons you could be selected for this prestigious role is your business knowledge. As a Chamber Board Member, you will be expected to exercise this business knowledge for the betterment of the Chamber. As mentioned earlier, you will be called upon to vote for things that will affect the future direction of the organization.
You will also be involved in supporting the Chamber’s Economic Development initiatives. Every year, the Chamber Board outlines an agenda with an eye on local and state economic development. The Board decides what initiatives the Chamber will back and how they will do that. In these situations, they may also decide what part of the budget will be allocated to these pursuits. A member of the Board is selected as the Chambers Economic Development chair person, you may receive debriefs from them on the progress of initiatives.
Ribbon Cuttings and Other Public Appearances
As a Chamber Board Member, you may be called upon to attend a specified number of ribbon cuttings or other public-facing Chamber events. These could include new business openings, anniversaries, and public initiatives. Many of these are during the business day and may require a flexible schedule.
Member Recruitment
As a member of the Board of Directors, you will be required to be active in the recruitment of new members and knowledgeable on potential new business coming to the Madison area.
Supporting Your Chamber
Finally, being a Chamber Board Member is a great honor and responsibility. Chamber Board responsibilities give you the opportunity to see your community in a new light and meet many new people.
While you will be part of the advisory body of the Chamber, the day-to-day operations/administration will mostly fall onto the Executive Director. Understanding the job duties of the Executive Director and the duties of the Board will ensure working together successful and rewarding.