Message from the CEO: Moving Business Forward
Happy Chamber New Year! Yesterday marked the new year for the Boca Chamber. Along with turning the page to a new fiscal calendar – it also signifies the official passing of the gavel from one Chairman of the Board to the next. Michael Daszkal served as Chairman for two consecutive years – something that has only happened two times before in the past two decades. His steady leadership style and demeanor was just what the Chamber needed during this tumultuous time of COVID! We thank Chairman Daszkal for all the time, talent and treasure he provided the organization during his time as Chairman!
Jackie Reeves now holds the gavel and leads the Chamber as the new Chair of the Board! She has served on the Chamber Board for more than a decade and is positioned to carry the organization to the next level of success! Chair Reeves is highly engaged in the community and commits endless time and boundless energy to ensuring that Boca Raton remains the best place to live, work, learn and play. The Chamber is fortunate and excited to have Jackie Reeves as our new Chair of the Board!
I look forward to seeing you this Friday at our upcoming Wine & All that Jazz event at The Boca Raton. For the first time, this premier Boca Raton party will be combined with the Chamber’s Annual Holiday Auction. Not only will you be able to enjoy an extensive array of wine, spirits, beer and dinner by the bite from some of Boca’s top restaurants, but you will also have the opportunity to bid on exciting auction items – from wine baskets, resort stays and spa packages. Start off the night with live Post-Modern Jazz music and as the event heats up, the music will transition to tunes from yesterday and today offering the perfect setting for a dance party. Whether you are a wine connoisseur, shopping for the holidays, or just looking to enjoy a great party, start your holidays off right by attending Wine and All that Jazz! For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
The TimberTech Champions Tour Golf Championship has returned this week to the Old Course at Broken Sound. Starting tomorrow with the Champions Pro-Am practice, this year’s tournament returns to in-person viewing for ticket holders. Round One will begin on Friday and run through Sunday. The field includes Boca Raton resident and local favorite, Bernhard Langer, the only two-time champion in tournament history. He will be joined by fellow Hall of Famers Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Colin Montgomerie and Florida native Vijay Singh. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
After close to 20 months of the service being shut down because of the pandemic, Brightline has resumed passenger travel on the rails from West Palm Beach to Miami. Yesterday, trains ran on a soft schedule, ahead of the November 8 full return to service. Brightline is currently offering a preview period until November 7. The privately-owned company said 100 percent of fares during this week will be donated to 211, the County’s Helpline for people in crisis. Even during the nearly two-year shutdown, Brightline continued building tracks for expanded service to Orlando, which is set to open in late 2022 or early 2023. We welcome Brightline back into service and are excited for the Boca Raton station to be completed.
As the economy continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses continue to struggle to find qualified candidates to fill open positions in a cross-section of industries. The Chamber recognizes this ongoing challenge and is taking action. We are holding a Virtual Career Fair on Wednesday, November 17 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Participating businesses will have their own virtual booth with the ability to showcase their brand and work culture by adding images, documents, videos, unlimited job postings and access to live reporting and post-event reports. In addition, each business will be able to view exactly who has visited their booth, view all attendees’ resumes and invite attendees to speak in a private chatroom or video to conduct on-the-spot interviews. For more information or to register, click here.
Looking for a quick way to find an event, register for an event, and receive pop-up notifications of important Chamber, County, City of Boca Raton, and City of Boynton Beach information? Download the Boca Chamber App – found on the App Store and Google Play Store. Keep your Chamber at the tip of your fingers! You can also stay up to date on all Chamber activities by visiting us at bocachamber.com.
We continue to provide you with valuable in-person and virtual experiences. Most virtual programs are recorded and available for you to access on the Boca Chamber’s YouTube Channel. Hit the subscribe button to find out when new content is posted on our channel.
Below is a list of our upcoming in-person and virtual experiences:
11/3 – 8:30 a.m. In-Person Exclusive Trustee Breakfast
Topic: Meet the New President of The Boca Raton
Speaker: Daniel Hostettler, President, The Boca Raton
The Boca Raton’s Flamingo Grille
501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton
11/5 – 7:00 p.m. In-Person Wine and all that Jazz with Holiday Auction
The premier Boca Raton party combined with the Chamber’s Annual Holiday Auction
The Boca Raton’s Mizner Center
501 East Camino Real, Boca Raton
11/11 – 7:45 a.m. In-Person Monthly Membership Breakfast
Sponsor: Florida Power and Light
Speaker: Mike Sole, Vice President, Environmental Services, Florida Power and Light
Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center
5150 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton
11/15 – 12:00 p.m. International Business Alliance Roundtable – Virtual Event
Topic: How Historians Rank the Presidents – A Talk on Leadership Lessons from History
Speaker: Robert Watson, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of American History & Avron Fogelman, Research Professor, Director, Project Civitas, College of Arts and Sciences
Lynn University
With over 5,000 gift requests already this year, the Spirit of Giving is once again hosting its 20th Annual Holiday Gift Drive. The Spirit of Giving will be collaborating with and supporting more than 50 local nonprofits, creating a gift drive that ensures local in-need children receive their personal wishes. Click here to find out how you can support their efforts to help the many children in need.
Speaking of charitable, non-profit organizations – please remember to read the Chamber’s Let’s Make a Difference Together email that is sent to your inbox every Thursday! The communication features two-member non-profits and their critical missions. In addition, the email will highlight any upcoming fundraising events affiliated with those organizations or ways you can support their causes.
Let us continue to remain focused on maintaining those healthy and safe habits that we developed a year and a half ago. Be mindful of physical distancing when appropriate and keep a mask and hand sanitizer ready – just in case. Together, we continue to Move Business Forward in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and South Palm Beach County, making our region the best place to Live, Work, Learn and Play.
Moving Business Forward,
Troy M. McLellan, CCE, FCCP
President & CEO
Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce
#movingbocaforward
#movingboyntonforward
#movingdelrayforward
1800 N Dixie Hwy | Boca Raton, FL 33432
p: 561.395.4433 | f: 561.392.3780
