ACCE Webinar:

Earning Your CCE

October 11, 2017

Introductions

Linda Rabe, CCE, IOM

President and CEO

Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerce (S.D.).

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

Who Qualifies?• Six years of senior-level management at a chamber

– Some of this experience (up to 4 years) may be satisfied by senior-

level experience. The commission chair makes case-by-case

decisions on CCE eligibility.

• 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 – 175

points

• When you reach the point in your career

that you are ready for this next step

• When you can focus on preparation

• When your chamber has completed the

necessary financial review and audit

requirements

2018 DEADLINE: January 8, 2018

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

How to earn pointsSee www.acce.org/cce

• Education

✓ Associate, 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 “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• Applications may be submitted electronically using

the link on the CCE page of the website:

Completed Applications

• Application fee of $400 (ACCE members) also

due

• Applications due on January 8, 2018

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 topics will be approved by the Commission. If you have

questions as you consider the right topic, please reach out to

ACCE staff (smcguire@acce.org), members of the

Commission, or your CCE mentor.

• Essay 2 – on your Chamber’s financial procedures

• Both essays 2 pages

• Essays are due on February 12, 2018

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 March 2018

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 May 7 – June 11, 2018

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!

From any page of siteClick on Professional Development

And then on CCE

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

CCE Timeline – 2018 Classwww.acce.org/cce

CCE Timeline – 2018 Class

Are You READY??

• Resources:

✓ACCE Website

✓CCE Commissioners

2017-2018 CCE Commission

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

(Ky.)

• Chair Elect: Linda Rabe, CCE, IOM, President & CEO, Rapid City Area

Chamber of Commerce (S.D.)

• Past Chair: F. Ben Haskew, Jr., CCE, President & CEO, Greater Greenville

Chamber of Commerce (S.C.)(ret.)

• Tammy J. Carnrike, CCE, Chief Operating Officer, Detroit Regional

Chamber

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

Commerce of Western Pennsylvania

2017-2018 CCE Commission

• Kelly R. Hall, CCE, IOM, President, Longview Chamber of Commerce

(Texas)

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

(Ore.)

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

Commerce (Fla.)

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

• Norma Ritz Johnson, CCE, IOM, Executive Vice President, Lubbock

Chamber of Commerce (Texas)

2017-2018 CCE Commission

• Todd L. Shimkus, CCE, President, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

(N.Y.)

• Elaine Spalding, CCE, President, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce

(N.C.)

• Vern Squier, CCE, PaCCE, President & CEO, Chamber of Business and

Industry of Centre County (Pa.)

• Joe Unterreiner, CCE, President & CEO, Kalispell Chamber of Commerce

(Mont.)

Are You READY??

• Resources:

✓ACCE Website

✓CCE Commissioners

✓Class of 2017

CCE Class of 2017

• Lucia Cape, Senior Vice President of

Economic Development, Industry

Relations and Workforce,

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of

Commerce (Ala.)

• Brad Dean, President & CEO, Myrtle Beach

Area Chamber of Commerce

• Megan Lucas, CEO, Lynchburg Regional

Business Alliance (Va.)

• Cheryl Millsaps, Vice President of Finance

and Administration, Chattanooga Area

Chamber of Commerce (Tenn.)

• Mark Owens, President & CEO, Greater Greer

Chamber of Commerce (S.C.)

• Jeff Rea, President & CEO, South Bend

Regional Chamber of Commerce (Ind.)

• Barbara Thomason, President, Houston

Northwest Chamber of Commerce

• Michael Ward, Senior Vice President of

Government & Public Affairs,

Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of

Commerce (Ala.)

• Joyce Waugh, President, Roanoke Regional

Chamber of Commerce (Va.)

Are You READY??

• Resources:

✓ACCE Website

✓CCE Commissioners

✓Class of 2017

✓CCE Mentors: Do you have one?

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 2017

✓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

✓ We will send you

this form after

the webinar

Questions?

Thank You!

For more information, contact

Susan McGuire

Manager, Professional Development & Programs

smcguire@acce.org

703.998.3572