Wilmington Chamber of Commerce

We had so much fun celebrating Cape Fear Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week and the achievements of some small businesses in our community at Intentional Collisions!    Congratulations to our winners of the Business Excellence Awards:    Women Owned Business: The Braddock Group  Latin American Owned Business: Daily View Pools LLC African American Owned Business: Creator's Print House    A big thank you to Duke Energy Corporation for sponsoring the event and the Wilmington Sportsman Club for hosting!   

Turn your conversations into clients at our upcoming BizMix on Thursday, October 24 from 5 - 7 pm. We hope you'll join us for North State Bank's annual celebration for wine/beer, dinner, and business! Middle of the Island will be catering a full dinner and Dos Eddies will be providing entertainment. You don't want to miss it! This event is free for Chamber members. Register here: https://lnkd.in/ev5HzrMv

Today is #SupportYourLocalChamber Day! Local chambers are there every step of the way, empowering businesses, big and small, to grow and thrive despite the most challenging circumstances. Reasons to join the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce: 1️⃣ Opportunities and Resources 2️⃣ Access to Information 3️⃣ Networking 4️⃣ Publicity and Credibility 5️⃣ Advocacy As we support our members, there are ways you can support the Chamber, too. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e_erBFTf Interested in learning more about joining the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce? Reach out to Madeline Eckel: eckel@wilmingtonchamber.org

Join us for an informative Candidate Forum hosted by the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, providing a unique opportunity for our local business community to engage with candidates running for key positions that impact New Hanover County and the State of North Carolina. New Hanover & Pender County District Attorney: Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson (Democratic) Jason Smith (Republican) North Carolina Attorney General: Dan Bishop (Republican) Jeff Jackson (Democratic) (Invited but unconfirmed at this time) This event is free and open to Chamber members only. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eJZE4zqi Note: We do not endorse candidates and we do not have a Political Action Committee (PAC).

Replacement of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge is a priority for the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. We’ve been advocating for several years and a replacement is now a reality since the project is higher on the state’s priority list and we’ve identified a majority of the funding needed. There are three different alternatives being considered at this time: Alternate A is a 65’ bridge with a moveable span; Alternate B is a 135’ fixed span; and Alternate C is a 100’ fixed span. The North Carolina Dept of Transportation is collecting feedback on replacement options for the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge. The current bridge cannot handle current traffic demands due to the increasing growth of our region. The Cape Fear Memorial Bridge also lacks bicycle and pedestrian lanes. There are traffic delays due to maintenance and repair of the vertical-lift bridge, making it an unreliable route for drivers at times. The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce is advocating for Alternate B, a 135-foot fixed bridge, as the replacement option. The chamber has submitted comments advocating for Alternate B and we encourage you to do the same. Decisions that we make today impact our region 50+ years from now. Alternate B represents an investment in the future, supporting both economic growth and regional planning goals. Alternate B aligns with local and regional development goals, supporting long-term planning efforts by the Wilmington Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and regional economic bodies. A new, fixed-span bridge design improves safety by reducing traffic conflicts, supporting emergency vehicle access, and creating a more predictable traffic flow for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. You can submit comments to NCDOT until October 25. Email: CapeFearMemorialBridge@publicinput.com Phone: 984-205-6615 enter project code 10626 to leave a message Click here for more information: https://lnkd.in/eqbAkFWM 📸 : NCDOT

We will celebrate with you for a ribbon cutting or rib cutting! Thank you to City BBQ, Rockefeller Capital Management, and Pedal Pub Global for investing in the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce! We are so happy to have you all here!

Leadership Wilmington's Class of 2025 had another great session this week, learning more about the education world. The group started the day with a site visit in various New Hanover County Schools, then learned more about leadership development and fundraising, and Smart Start. The second half of the day was filled with presentations and tours from NHCS, UNCW, and CFCC. A big thanks to everyone involved for making this session an educating one for our Leadership Wilmington class!

Join us on Tuesday, October 15 for Intentional Collisions! We’re thrilled for Duke Energy to sponsor this Intentional Collisions networking event during the Cape Fear Region’s Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week. The Wilmington Chamber will proudly recognize three outstanding businesses with the Minority Excellence in Business Awards, celebrating African American, Latin American, and Women Business Owners for their remarkable contributions. Register here: https://lnkd.in/eEJsHmpf

4️⃣0️⃣ UNDER 4️⃣0️⃣ Congratulations to Kim Clark with New Hanover County Schools on being named to the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 40 Under 40 list! Kim’s advice for other young professionals: Know your why behind why you choose a certain career. It’s not always about the end goal, sometimes it’s about the journey along the way. It’s important to understand that sometimes jobs are steppingstones to get you to where you’re supposed to be. Thank you to Leath HR Group for your presenting sponsorship!

4️⃣0️⃣ UNDER 4️⃣0️⃣ Congratulations to Mayra Romero with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office on being named to the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 40 Under 40 list! Mayra’s advice for other young professionals: Follow what you love and chase your dreams so you can have a fulfilling career. Thank you to Leath HR Group for your presenting sponsorship!