STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2012

1. THE LONDON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STRATEGIC PLAN 2009-2012

2. THE PREEMINENT ‘VOICE OF BUSINESS’ This document represents the newest vision and direction of the London Chamber of Commerce for the period 2009 to 2012. The Strategic Plan renews our commitment to provide an excellent standard of service and programs designed to continuously meet the needs of our members. We look forward to the continued implementation of the London Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan. We will need your help and support to ensure that it succeeds. Jack Smit, President 2008-2009 Kevin Switzer, Pres-elect London Chamber of Commerce

3. INTRODUCTION TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN The Strategic Plan for the London Chamber of Commerce articulates the Strategic Goals for change and the Action Plans for bringing about that change. This is an adaptive, non-static document subject to amendment with new and or additional input. The plan is not designed as a stand-alone document. It is intended to work in conjunction with each year’s business plans. We will continue to reach out to our members in order to learn more about how our programs and services are being received and, how we can maximize our efforts to the full benefit of the membership. As a Member of the London Chamber, your views and opinions are critical to the organization’s success.

4. WHAT GUIDES US? THE MISSION To serve as the Voice of Business committed to the enhancement of economic prosperity and quality of life in London and Area. *Lead by a dedicated team of volunteers and full-time professional staff, the London Chamber will provide a forum for debate on critical issues, act as an innovative public policy solution provider and be the destination for networking with other Members of the London business community. THE VISION To be known as London’s leading business organization providing maximum value to its membership by recognizing and encouraging the private sector’s role as the driving force in the economy.

5. PRINCIPLES, VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS PRINCIPLES Professionalism and integrity united inthe delivery of high value services and benefits. VALUES Respect for and celebration of the contributions and achievements of our volunteers. BEHAVIOURS Constantly striving to achieve the top ranking among Chambers and other competing organizations in the execution of our Vision, Mission and Goals.

6. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY As economic conditions and trends in the business landscape reshape the strategy, operations and success of businesses across the province and around the country, the operating environment of the London Chamber of Commerce is also changing, along with its focus, its direction and its operations. During the development of this strategic plan we consulted frequently with the results of our all member surveys which have consistently indicated that the London Chamber serves its members well and represents the business community well, but also suggested that the London Chamber could do even better in the future. Now is an opportune time for renewal. The London Chamber wants to become the “must join” business association that is clearly differentiated from others. Renewal starts with a compelling Mission and Vision – a definition of future success. The renewed vision for the London Chamber is to be the leading business association in London. By “leading”, theLondon Chamber will be seen as the primary andvital link between business and all three levels of government. It will have a demonstrated impact on public policy and decision-making to the benefit of business and the broader community alike. The key elements of the London Chamber’s new strategic direction are summarized in the following pages. It is predicated on being the local leader on a critical few business issues where its expertise and broad membership base give it a unique legitimacy. In tandem with that vision, the London Chamber sees itself as the main destination for network opportunities in London’s business community. The plan assumes that policy development, advocacy, the member value proposition and the focus and activities of the organization will be shaped and implemented to achieve these important goals.

7. MISSION VISION Plan at a Glance Lead by a dedicated team of volunteers and full-time professional staff, the London Chamber will provide a forum for debate on critical issues, act as an innovative public policy solution provider and be a destination for networking with other members of the London business community. To be known as London’s leading business organization providing maximum value to its membership by recognizing and encouraging the private sector’s role as the driving force in the economy. STRATEGIC GOALS • To attract, pursue, and retain a membership that reflects London’s evolving and diversified business community. • To continually enhance the position of the London Chamber of Commerce as London’s most authoritative voice of business. • To provide resources and programs that enable the success of our members. • To initiate the development of public policy that promotes economic growth and development for the London area. • To continue to build and reinforce new and existing value-added relationships. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 1) Create Communications Strategic Plan 2) Increase membership sales base 3) Undertake resource audit 4) Enhance advocacy efforts 5) Target value-added relationships 6) Grow the brand & the voice

8. TAKING ACTION ACTION PLANS • Turning goals into reality will be achieved by implementing the Strategic Priorities listed on the following pages. • Implementation will in turn, be accomplished through the Chamber’s various committees, boards and task forces. • These goals and action plans represent only another step in the continuous improvement process of the London Chamber of Commerce. • Strategic planning is not a one-time effort. Once goals are set, commitment must be maintained, progress monitored, and adjustments made until those goals are reached. • With clarity and a renewed sense of purpose, we can strategically direct the Chamber through the next three years.

9. THE GOAL THE COMMITTMENT Strategic Objective #1 To attract, pursue, and retain a membership that reflects London’s evolving and diversified business community. The London Chamber will be a reflection of our many and varied London businesses and the people who operate them. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES • Membership Sales and Service Committee to identify specific ethnic and specialty business clusters, i.e. bio-med, medical devices etc. with an aim of developing one-on-one or group discussions to encourage membership • Chamber to launch a pilot program to feature some articles/information for Hispanic speaking business community • Board of Directors to provide specialty services and accommodations for ethnic or language based business organizations, i.e. Hispanic, Dutch, German, Korean etc. • Board of Directors to search out champions to lead charge on diversification of membership WHO IS ACCOUNTABLE? BY WHEN? The Board of Directors with responsibility to Membership Sales and Service Committee with support from, Sales Staff, CEO/GM and Marketing and Communications Committee/Director Commencing Fall of 08 with Completion by March 2009.

10. THE GOAL THE COMMITTMENT Strategic Objective #2 To continually enhance the position of the London Chamber of Commerce as London’s most authoritative voice of business. By first being excellent listeners the London Chamber will deliver best-in-class communications to its members & the wider community through accuracy, consistency relevance and brand discipline. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES • In support of the Goal we will design and deliver a “Strategic Communications Plan” that compliments the general direction of the Strategic Plan with the main aim of strengthening the Chamber’s Voice. • We will design a series of “Advocacy Templates” that will enhance the work of both our policy committees and deliver the results of their work in plain language to our members and the wider business community. • We will deliver a year-end report that highlights our advocacy work with a section devoted to results/benefits that actually accrue to the members. • We will continue to dove-tail our efforts with those of the CCC and OCC Communication’s teams WHO IS ACOUNTABLE? BY WHEN? The Board of Directors with responsibility to the Marketing and Communications Committee along with the Director of Communications and the CEO/GM. Commencing January of 09 with Completion by April 2009.

11. THE GOAL THE COMMITTMENT Strategic Objective #3 To provide resources and programs that enable the success of our members. By continually enhancing both the benefits and learning opportunities available to our members, we insure not only their future success, but ours. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES • As part of an overall resource audit, we will continue to grow our member “Value Proposition” beyond our current offerings, i.e. “The E-Learning” program • We will build on our existing communications platform (web, magazine, e-newsletter etc) by including more “how-to-succeed” articles and commentaries as vetted by our Membership Sales and Service Committee • We will feature more speakers/lecturers with a focus on business knowledge and learnings • We will design a user friendly guide for new members to accelerate their involvement in the Chamber WHO IS ACOUNTABLE? BY WHEN? The Board of Directors with responsibility to the Membership Sales and Service Committee as well as the Special Events and Networking Committee with support from Communications Director. E-Learning Fall of 2008. Balance Commencing January of 09 with completion by May 2009.

12. THE GOAL THE COMMITTMENT Strategic Objective #4 To initiate the development of public policy that promotes economic growth and development for the London area. No organization in London is better suited or positioned to offer constructive commentary on the future of London’s economy. It’s a leadership role that’s expected of us and one we’re proud to deliver. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES • We will proactively deliver constructive and where possible collaborative public policy statements in the best interests of our members and London’s business community. • We will target and act on key public policy initiatives that are deemed to be damaging to the bottom lines of business and which affect our ability to compete • We will engage the services of credible experts to assist us in adding credibility to our advocacy effort • We will broker public policy with other like-minded organizations WHO IS ACOUNTABLE? BY WHEN? The Board of Directors with responsibility to the Municipal Affairs and Federal/Provincial Policy Committees with oversight by the Executive and the CEO/GM. Commencing Fall of 2008 with completion by June 2009.

13. THE GOAL THE COMMITTMENT Strategic Objective #5 To continue to build and reinforce new and existing value-added relationships. Organizations, like individuals, are often judged by the company they keep. The London Chamber is in good company and will be judged by how well it keeps that company. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES • We will limit our formal relationships to only those organizations that can help us to enhance our value proposition and grow the membership. • We will determine the organizations we can speak on behalf of versus those we’ll speak together with • We will undertake a more formal SWOT analysis of those organizations we presently partner with versus those we would like to. • We will look for opportunities to grow the membership by targeting specific organizations that wish to enhance their credibility and cachet. WHO IS ACOUNTABLE? BY WHEN? The Board of Directors with responsibility to the Executive Directors with oversight by the CEO/GM. Commencing Fall of 2008 with completion by June 2009.

14. YES – BUT IS IT IMPLEMENTABLE? The foregoing action plans indicate what must be done if we are to take steps toward the continual improvement of the London Chamber of Commerce. They do not indicate in all cases how each of the elements of the plan will be carried out. This will be determined by the appropriate groups, committees, boards and task forces along with the administrative staff of the Chamber. Each strategic goal expresses the action required to get us to the next step. Only total, Chamber-wide involvement will ensure that these steps and the ones that follow are successful. The Board of Directors and Chamber staff has accepted the challenge of leading efforts to implement this revised strategic action plan. They entrust it to you for approval.