503-982-8221
Chamber works to build a vibrant business community
OUR CHAMBER
The Woodburn Area Chamber of Commerce (WACC) is an association of over 200 area businesses with the following vision:
The mission of the WACC is to promote and advance the economic and civic interests of Woodburn and the surrounding area.
The Chamber focuses on four areas:
Grow our members’ businesses;
Provide members access to education
Project a united business voice to area government; and
Promote economic development, including and especially tourism.
Grow our Member Business
This website is accessed by thousands of people each year looking for a specific service or product. We produce a hard copy business directory approximately every two years for additional reference. Callers to the Chamber office are directed to members. Each month we feature member news distributed well beyond our actual membership. Periodically we e-mail members and associates with news of member promotions and events, and conduct ribbon cuttings and other celebrations. Weekly from September through June our Friday morning Greeters program, held at different member sites, brings together over 50 active Chamber members for you to network your business. Our goal is to provide sufficient publicity so you can grow your business more than the cost of your annual membership
Access to Education
Our monthly Forum Lunch, held the second Wednesday of each month at Wellspring, provides speakers on topics important to business. Through Chamber member Ewart Brown we offer a series of seminars designed to improve our member leadership skills. Our newsletter strives to provide information that can help our members navigate these difficult times.
United Government Voice
Chamber representatives attend all City Council meetings to provide a consistent voice for business interests. We work constantly with City officials on topics such as the sign code review, zoning code modifications, individual member issues, and other topics. Over the past year the Chamber has developed an excellent working relationship with the City of Woodburn which benefits all area businesses.
Promote Economic Development
The City of Woodburn and the Chamber are co-sponsoring a Task Force to develop an Economic Plan for the area. Begun in 2009, the goal is to present a plan to the City Council in early 2010. The Woodburn Downtown Association, a committee of the Chamber, is actively involved in reviewing the draft Downtown Plan scheduled for public hearings in the fall of 2009. The City with Chamber assistance successfully received a $200,000 grant to develop a Streetscape Plan for the 99E business district in east Woodburn, which will lead to the revitalization of this critical area. The Chamber has actively supported City efforts to secure funding for a new interchange, which could begin construction as early as 2012, and would remove a major bottleneck to regional transportation.
In 2008 the Chamber formed Woodburn Area Tourism (WAT), to separate and better track our tourism efforts. Working closely with the City of Woodburn to secure significant funding from Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) funds (taxes on motel visitors), WAT manages the Visitor Information Center at the Woodburn Company Stores, the Visitor website http://www.alwaysfreshdiscoveries.com www.alwaysfreshdiscoveries.com, produces brochures on events and itineraries for spending more time in the area, and assists local celebrations with promotion and financing.
Woodburn Area Chamber of Commerce
124 W. Lincoln Street
PO Box 194
503-982-8221
Fax: 503-982-8410
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