The Oceanside Chamber of Commerce’s “Oceanside Leadership Academy” program was recognized with an Outstanding Chamber Program Award at the Western Association of Chamber Executives (W.A.C.E.) annual conference on February 7th. The conference, being held in Garden Grove California this year, brings together nearly 400 Chamber professionals from more than 15 states for professional development and networking.
According to W.A.C.E.’s Outstanding Program award application, programs must fit in one or more of the following competencies to be eligible for consideration: Strengthening the Local Economy, Promoting & Improving our Community, Political Action, Representing Interests of Business with Government or Networking & Building Business Relationships.
As part of its commitment to developing leaders to serve in a wide variety of capacities in our community, the Chamber launched its inaugural Oceanside Leadership Academy in April of last year.
The 9-week program begins with an all-star panel of community leaders sharing their leadership philosophies, insight as to how they have led their teams during challenging times, and how they approach leadership on a day-to-day basis. Follow-up sessions include a look at leadership in the military, municipal government, STEM fields, education, tourism and hospitality, the non-profit sector, and entrepreneurship.
“The Academy has been a tremendous resource for the growth and development of leaders in our business community. It is a great honor to have our program recognized before a group of nearly 400 of our peers,” said Chamber CEO Scott Ashton.
The program has graduated a total of 62 participants so far. Several of Oceanside’s leading employers including Frontwave Credit Union, Genentech, Hydranautics, TrueCare, Arrowood Golf Course, and the City of Oceanside are using Oceanside Leadership Academy as a professional development opportunity for their staff.
Spring and Fall sessions are currently being planned for this year. For more information, please visit www.OceansideLeadershipAcademy.com.
About the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1896, the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to provide advocacy and resources that help businesses and our community thrive. The Chamber is an independent organization made up of businesses of all sizes, as well as non-profits and local institutions. We are here for pro-business advocacy, economic growth, workforce development and providing meaningful connections for our business community. For more information about the Chamber, please visit our website or find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
