Programs

The Lancaster County Chamber's Annual Meeting is the "don't miss"    event of the year. Conducted each January, new officers are recognized, along with the announcement of our Small Business of the Year, our Lancaster County Volunteer of the Year, and our Citizenship and Service Award recipient. This year's event included a "WINE & STEIN" reception, live band, raffle and silent auction. The small business of the year, sponsored by First Citizens Bank was awarded to the Eye and Laser Center. The volunteer of the year, sponsored by Founders Federal Credit Union was awarded to Tommy Cauthen. The Citizenship and Service Award, sponsored by Duke Energy was awarded to Charlie Bundy.

The annual "Rub of the Green" Golf tournament and special Business After Hours/Awards Presentation are a fall highlight for area golfers. The 2012 Chamber classic is sponsored by Founders Federal Credit Union at the Lancaster Golf Club on Thursday, October 18 and theBusiness After Hours follows the tournament's conclusion. This year for non-golfers, a Corn Hole Tournament has been added. Contact the Chamber to sponsor or register to play in either event.

Each year the City of Lancaster, Lancaster County, Lancaster County School District, University of South Carolina Lancaster and York Technical College are invited to address the Chamber membership—highlighting the past year, and updating the business community about their respective coming fiscal year at the State of the Community (scheduled for early December) and State of Education (scheduled for August 28th) breakfast events.

The annual Legislative Breakfast held each year in March provides Lancaster's business community with a legislative update on current activities in Columbia and Washington from our local delegation to Columbia, our U.S. Representative or Senator, and the S.C. State Chamber of Commerce President. The event is moderated by Rick Jiran, District Manager of Duke Energy and Vice-Chair of Public Policy for the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce.

Founders Federal Credit Union sponsors the Economic Forum each spring, bringing in a national economist to present an economic forecast for South Carolina and the United States.

Each year the Chamber plans an Inter-City Visit. Last year local leaders visited Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to brainstorming exercises to consider new ideas to bring back to Lancaster County, participants also enjoyed an exciting visit to the BMW test facility.

Leadership Lancaster's mission is to develop a group of informed, committed, and qualified individuals capable of providing dynamic leadership for Lancaster companies. The seven-month program is designed to both challenge and educate potential community leaders about the opportunities, goals and needs of the community as well as the dynamics of social and economic change, and to identify organizational and individual opportunities for their personal involvement in the community.
Since 1988, the program has had over 475 graduates who have become well-informed citizens, with many of them now taking leadership roles in various organizations in Lancaster county. Monthly classes are held at different locations, including "on-site" visits and tours, and are conducted by community, civic and business leaders. The program begins each November. 

The "Lunch & Learn"  series provides educational opportunities for small businesses. These programs are designed to fit the schedules of small business owners/representatives by conducting sessions during lunch on an informal basis, and also permitting time for questions at its conclusion. Past topics have included retirement programs for small businesses, computers for small businesses, identity theft, and employee health care.

"Communication and Presentation Skills" is a two-part training series designed to develop and enhance skills in communications as well as in public speaking.  This training is beneficial to those who are just beginning to develop their communication/presentation skills as well as those already proficient in public speaking. All participants can gain new confidence in their presentation abilities.
Conducted annually, the next edition is tentatively set for spring, 2010. 

Held quarterly, our Membership Luncheons provide the business community with the opportunity to hear a guest speaker discuss an issue of local, regional, state or federal interest. In September, Ms. Anna Huntley, Public Information Officer with the South Carolina District Office-Small Business Administration, spoke to our membership about SBA financing assistance programs and the federal 2009 Recovery Act. Our spring program was a special announcement about new construction planned at the USC Lancaster campus. November's topic will be a panel discussion on the health care proposal now before Congress.