The United States Chamber of Commerce awarded the Greater Columbus, GA Chamber with 5-Star Accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community.

“Each day, chambers of commerce are working hard to put the American dream within reach of every hardworking business owner” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, U.S. Chamber vice president of Federation Relations and Institute for Organization Management.  “The Accreditation designation tells chamber members as well as the greater business community, this is an organization that has effective programs, sound finances, and is a strong advocate for their interests.”

Accreditation is the only national program that recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement. In order to receive Accreditation, a chamber must meet minimum standards in their operations and programs, including areas of governance, government affairs, and technology. This extensive self-review can take 6-9 months to complete.

“We are very proud to once again receive a 5-star Accreditation from the US Chamber of Commerce.  The path to be an accredited Chamber is difficult and exhaustive as it should be.  Being in the top 3% of all Chambers validates the work we do on behalf of our investors and the business community at-large. Our team loves the Chamber profession and we love our community.  This distinction reflects that our passion for Columbus translates to exemplary outcomes that will make our organization and our community truly amazing” stated Brian Anderson, President & CEO of the Columbus Chamber.

State chambers are recognized as either Accredited State Chamber or Accredited State Chamber with Distinction.  Local chambers are rated Accredited, 3-Stars, 4-Stars, or 5-Stars. The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members.  There are over 7,000 Chambers in the U.S. and of those only 120 have a 5-star rating.