GMC Staff Update – Spring 2023
H
ello Chamber Members & Friends,
Allow me to reintroduce myself! I’m Lauren Getts, and I’ve been with the Greater Manchester Chamber for just over eight years.
In January 2023, I recently shifted into the new role of Vice President of Economic Development & Strategic Communications, as part of an internal restructuring effort led by our President & CEO, Heather McGrail.
Our team and Board of Directors is about to undergo a series of strategic planning sessions to update the Greater Manchester Chamber’s Strategic Plan. We’ll also be sending out a member survey within the next few weeks, and we invite you all to provide your insights to better inform where our Chamber is headed over the next five years.
Economic Development
Considering my new role, I am most eager to learn about what you all identify as areas in need of growth in economic development. I will be focused on working toward quality-of-place centric economic development goals that recognize that a healthy physical environment makes a location a desirable, competitive and economically vibrant place to live. From my perspective, economic development efforts focusing on quality of place foster a more connected and engaged community that, in turn, supports assets such as arts, culture, and recreation throughout the region. Creating equitable pathways to economic prosperity for all in the greater Manchester region will continue to be top of mind when balancing complex quality of life indicators such as jobs, education, healthcare, housing, while supporting the future of industry overall.
Out & About
As we all start to emerge from hibernation and enjoy the little pleasures of Spring, I look forward to seeing many of you out and about! I encourage you to bring your new employees to some of our upcoming networking events, or suggest getting your younger employees involved in the Manchester Young Professionals. We’d love to continue to see some new faces! Think of it as a retention tool – staff that feels a connection to the community they work in are more likely to stay for longer, and put down roots.
New Faces!
You’ll see some new faces here at the Chamber as well! Kathleen Procek recently joined our team as Director of Investor Engagement. This role is the first of its kind in recent Chamber history. Kathleen comes from an events and fundraising background, with a focus on nurturing relationships with volunteers, partners, and stakeholders. We’re so excited to have Kathleen bringing her collaborative mindset to our business community.
I also can’t wait for you all to meet Lisa Wilcox, our Finance Manager. Lisa manages our accounting, keeping operations on track and ensuring a smooth member experience! Lisa is very familiar with the celebrations and pain points of running a small business, having owned one herself for many years, so I think you’ll all find she is incredibly relatable and helpful when discussing your investment in our Chamber.
All in all, this Spring is truly issuing new beginnings and we cannot wait to see what grows!
Lauren Getts
VP – Economic Development &
Strategic Communications
Greater Manchester Chamber
