ACCE Webinar:

The Certified Chamber Executive

(CCE) Program

October 8, 2015

Introductions

F. Ben Haskew, Jr., CCE, President and CEO, Greater Greenville (SC)

Chamber of Commerce

CCE Commission Chair

Robert L. Quick, CCE, President and CEO, Commerce Lexington (KY)

Inc.

CCE Commission Chair Elect

Susan O. McGuire

ACCE Manager, Professional Development & Programs

This session will cover

• What

• Why

• Who

• When

• How

The CCE Certification Process:

The Purpose

A CCE designation represents the highest achievement in the

chamber management profession.

• A mastery of the chamber profession Body of

Knowledge

• Commitment to the chamber profession

• Dedication to managerial excellence

• Leadership within the community and the chamber

profession

Why Get Your CCE ?

• Test your own knowledge and skills

• Elevate your personal and professional status

• Membership in a peer group of those committed to chamber excellence

Why Get Your CCE ?

• A visible mark of excellence in the chamber profession

• Increase credibility with your peers, members, board and community

• Advance your career and compensation

• Raise the standards of the chamber profession

Why Get Your CCE?

“Now in my 15th year as a Chamber

Executive, I found the process of

obtaining my Certified Chamber

Executive status to be very rewarding,

and allowed me to focus and reflect on

the skills that helped to grow and

sustain our organization. Receiving my

CCE has been well worth the effort and

well received in the business

community.”

Why Get Your CCE?

“The process of obtaining my CCE

challenged me to not only evaluate

myself but also evaluate my

organization and community. It made

me a stronger professional in addition

to providing an entirely new

perspective of the community I serve.”

Why Get Your CCE?“I never should have waited 23 years to

get my CCE. But now that I have done

it, I can say that it made an immediate

difference to my Board. They took a

great deal of pride in my achievement

and I often hear them tell other

business leaders that their Chamber’s

CEO is a Certified Chamber Executive.

And don’t try to use the, “not this year,

I am too busy.” Next year won’t be any

better. You just have to dedicate a

couple of hours a week to spend some

time on yourself, your profession and

your future.”

Why Get Your CCE?

“If you are passionate about chamber

work, then there are certain things you

do. Attending Institute and obtaining

your CCE are the top of the list. Being

certified as a chamber executive tells

others that you know what you are

doing, you have what it takes to get

the job done. Don’t think about – just

do it.”

Who Qualifies?

• Six years of senior-level management at a chamber

• Minimum of 175 professional development points

• Currently employed in the chamber profession

• Had a major role in development of the supporting

documents submitted with application

• Can provide 2 most recent years’ financial statements

for chamber, including 1 year of audited statements

• Annual audit for chambers $500,000+

• Conduct an annual review by a certified financial firm

• Conduct an audit every other year

• At least 1 audited set for chambers under $500,000

• Conduct an annual review by a certified financial firm

• Conduct an audit every three years

When to Apply

• When you meet the requirements

• When you reach the point in your career

that you are ready for this next step

• When you can focus on preparation: December/January, February, April, June

• When your chamber has a 3-year cycle of

financial review and audit

2016 DEADLINE: January 8, 2016

CCE Certification Process

The Five Steps

1. Application

2. Essays

3. Oral Presentation/Interview

4. Exam

5. Maintenance

CCE Certification Process

The Five Steps

Step One – The Application

Application – with 175 activity points

Supporting documentation

References

All in notebooks

How to earn pointsSee www.acce.org/cce

• EducationAssociate, bachelor’s, graduate degrees or

courses – range 3 – 30 points each

• Continuing Education

ACCE Conventions – 5 pts

State or regional conferences – 3 pts

ACCE conferences or eCourses – 3 pts

Webinars – 1 pt

Institute – 7 pts/year

How to earn points

• Professional Contributions – 5 pts each

Presenter or author

ACCE Mentor

• Leadership: Chamber or community

organizations - range 2 – 20 points each

• Awards – 3 pts each

Awards or honors

Other designations

Where are my ACCE points?• Log into the ACCE website

• Click on “Menu” and “My Account”

Where are my ACCE points?

• Click on “My Membership”

• And then on “My ACCE Activity”

Where are my ACCE points?

• See your ACCE activity report:

Application:

Supporting Documents

Financial statements for last 2 years, including 1 year of audited statements

Annual budget, strategic plan, business plan, and annual report for 2 most recent years

Position description

Chamber organizational chart

Personnel manual

Resume & references

For details, see http://www.acce.org/cce

Completed Applications

• Submit five copies of application and supporting documents in three-ring binder duplicate notebooks

• Application fee of $400 (ACCE members) also due

• Applications due on January 8, 2016

CCE Certification Process

The Five Steps

Step 2 - EssaysPurpose: to evaluate the candidate’s written communication skills

• Essay 1 – on a recent, significant project of the

candidate’s chamber, demonstrating your

professional skill, experience, and leadership ability.

• Essay 2 – on your Chamber’s financial procedures

• Essays are due February 19, 2016

CCE Certification Process

The Five Steps

Step 3 – Oral Presentation/InterviewPurpose: To evaluate candidate’s mastery of career benchmarks

identified in the Body of Knowledge

• Presentation & interview with CCE commissioner panel

• Presentation on essay topic

• Interview on commitment to the chamber profession, knowledge of community, professional expertise, Body of Knowledge

• Oral presentations/interviews will be in April 2016

CCE Application Process

The Five StepsStep 4 – ExamPurpose: Written exam to evaluate candidate’s in-depth knowledge

of chamber operations as highlighted in the chamber profession Body of Knowledge.

• On the chamber profession Body of Knowledge

• Recommended Reading List “MUST READ”

• Multiple choice & short answer

• Taken at a local CCE’s chamber

• Given 4 hours to complete

• Must pass to receive the designation

• Exams administered in June 2016

Body of Knowledgehttp://www.acce.org/cce/body-of-knowledge/

CCE Certification Process

The Five Steps

Step 5 - MaintenancePurpose: Maintenance of current, professional experience and

knowledge of profession and support for chamber executive peers.

• Designation fee of $200 due after exam

• To maintain the CCE designation, a CCE must accumulate a minimum of 15 points earned via professional development or professional excellence over each five year designation period.

• Maintenance fee is $250 (every 5 years) for ACCE members

Are You READY??

• Resources:

ACCE website, www.acce.org

To find application, application guidelines,

timeline, eligibility requirements, Chamber

Body of Knowledge, and more

From any page of siteClick on Professional Development

And then on CCE

To find the main CCE pagewww.acce.org/cce

Are You READY??

• Resources:

ACCE Website

CCE Commissioners

2015-2016 CCE Commission

• Chair: F. Ben Haskew, Jr., CCE, President and CEO, Greater Greenville (SC)

Chamber of Commerce

• Chair Elect: Robert L. Quick, CCE, President and CEO, Commerce

Lexington (KY) Inc.

• Past Chair: Raymond M. Burns, CCE, IOM, President and CEO Rogers-Lowell

(AR) Area Chamber of Commerce

• Doris Carson Williams, President & CEO, African American Chamber of

Commerce of Western Pennsylvania

• Kelly R. Hall, CCE, IOM, President, Longview (TX) Partnership

2015-2016 CCE Commission

• David L. Hauser, CCE, IOM, President, Eugene (OR) Area Chamber of

Commerce

• Brad Hicks, CCE, President & CEO, Chamber of Medford/Jackson County

(OR)

• Troy McClellan, CCE, President and CEO, Boca Raton (FL) Chamber of

Commerce

• Matt McCormick, CCE, President, Columbia (MO) Chamber of Commerce

• Robert S. McCoy, CCE, President, Eau Claire (WI) Area Chamber of

Commerce

2015-2016 CCE Commission

• Shane A. Moody, CCE, IOM, President and CEO, Destin (FL) Area Chamber

of Commerce

• Wil Pineau, CCE, CEO, Cayman Islands (BWI) Chamber of Commerce

• Matthew Pivarnik, CCE, IOM, Executive Vice President & COO, Tulsa (OK)

Metro Chamber

• Linda Rabe, CCE, IOM, President and CEO, Rapid City (SD) Area Chamber

of Commerce

• Elaine Spalding, CCE, President, Rowan County (NC) Chamber of

Commerce

Are You READY??

• Resources:

ACCE Website

CCE Commissioners

Class of 2015

CCE Class of 2015

• Karen S. Brown, MBA, CCE, IOM,

President & CEO, Outer Banks

Chamber of Commerce

• Drew Dugan, CCE, IOM, Vice

President for Education and

Workforce Development, Greater

Oklahoma City Chamber

• Lisa L. Flowers, CCE, IOM,

President, East Parker County

(TX) Chamber

• John B. Kimbrell, CCE, IOM,

Executive Vice President, Greater

Greenville (SC) Chamber

• Angelle LaBorde, CCE, CCEC,

IOM, President & Chief Executive

Officer, Greenwood (SC) Chamber

of Commerce

• Phyllis Snodgrass, CCE, IOM,

COO, Austin Chamber of

Commerce

Are You READY??

• Resources:

ACCE Website

CCE Commissioners

Class of 2015

CCE Mentors

ACCE Mentors

• Mentors have been in your shoes! They

can

Review your application

Brainstorm with you on an essay topic

Review your essays

Help with presentation preparation

Help with exam preparation

Be your exam proctor or help you find one

Are You READY??

• Resources:

ACCE Website

CCE Commissioners

Class of 2015

CCE Mentors: Do you have one?

ACCE staff:

Susan McGuire

Manager, Professional Development & Programs

smcguire@acce.org

703-998-3572

Let us know if you’re in!

• Send us an

Intent to Apply

form

Find it at

acce.org/cce

Questions?

Thank You!

For more information, contact

Ben Haskew, CCE, President and CEO, Greater Greenville (SC)

Chamber of Commerce

bhaskew@greenvillechamber.org, 864-239-3731

Bob Quick, CCE, President and CEO, Commerce Lexington (KY) Inc.

bquick@CommerceLexington.com, 859-226-1616

Susan McGuire, ACCE Manager of Professional Development

smcguire@acce.org, 703-998-3572