CONTRIBUTED BY THE
OPELIKA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
OPELIKA —
President and CEO of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce Ali Rauch completed the U.S. Chamber Foundation Business Leads Fellowship Program on March 17.
The Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips leaders from state and local chambers of commerce, economic development agencies and trade associations with resources, access to experts and a network of peers to build their capacity to address the most pressing education and workforce challenges.
Rauch was selected in September as one of 35 people to be part of an elite cohort of business leadership fellows. Selections were made based on an individual’s accomplishments in implementing education and workforce initiatives in their communities, as well as their level of engagement on U.S. Chamber Foundation initiatives.
Over the course of six months, Rauch attended both in-person and virtual meetings covering the entire talent pipeline, including early childhood education, K-12 education, postsecondary education and workforce development.
“Being a part of this cohort has been such an enlightening experience,” Rauch said. “Communities like ours are experiencing the same struggles with affordable and ample childcare, workforce shortages and more. Not only have I learned strategies to bring back to Opelika to make headway on those challenges, but I have 35 other resources across the country to learn from and connect with in the years to come.”
Rauch has now joined the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s dedicated network of over 250 chambers of commerce and statewide associations from across the nation who regularly engage on education and workforce initiatives.
ABOUT THE OPELIKA CHAMBER
For more than 80 years, the Opelika Chamber has worked to strengthen the community as the champion of business by building bridges, cultivating community and elevating business in order to achieve excellence. Representing more than 900 businesses and over 20,000 employees in the region, the Opelika Chamber has been recognized for its operational best practices among 501(c)(6) not-for-profit chambers of commerce. The Opelika Chamber is one of only three 5-star accredited chambers in the state of Alabama. For more information, visit www.opelikachamber.com.