The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce with the 5-star Accreditation. This prestigious honor puts the Chamber among the top 1 percent of chambers nationwide.  

Only 18 Chambers in Georgia are accredited, with only nine of those earning 5-Stars. This is the only Chamber from this region of Georgia to have received accreditation. In 2009, the Chamber earned a 4-Star Accreditation.

“We are so proud of the 5-Star Accreditation,” said Tammy Shepherd, President and CEO. “We have worked hard to develop programs and services that benefit our members and the business community. The accreditation board looked at all aspects of our operation and has found us among the 89 top Chambers in the nation.” 

This past year, the Board of Directors, staff, and volunteers of the Chamber have spent countless hours completing the Accreditation process. The task: demonstrate competency in nine core areas ranging from finance to facilities. The result of the hard-work is evidenced by this milestone achievement. It was true team effort. 

In the fall of 2013, the Chamber’s Board of Directors agreed to re-apply for Accreditation certification. With that vote, the Board and staff divided the different core sections to work on for the next six months. Each group presented its section to the entire board. This exercise made the entire organization stronger. Angi Brock of the Cleveland Group, CPA’s, led the efforts.

As the only national program recognizing chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement. Accreditation allows the Chamber to renew, improve, and promote sound business practices, policies, and procedures. 

Local chambers are rated Accredited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars, or 5-Stars. The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members and chamber executives from across the country.