A strong Board helps QC Chamber be a unifier and amplifier

What do IMEG and Wallace’s Garden Center have in common? Yes, they’re Chamber members. But they’re more than that – they have leaders who serve on the Chamber’s Board of Directors - a group of over 20 local business people that help determine our direction, credibility and impact on the community.

“Strong boards create strong chambers, and strong chambers build strong local economies,” said Peter Tokar III, President & CEO of the Chamber.  “We’re here to serve all the businesses of the Quad Cities. It’s important that QC Chamber Board leadership reflects the diversity of our local business community from all angles.”

Molly Foley, Chief Marketing Officer and senior principal at IMEG, is Vice Chair of the Chamber Board. She agrees that strong business environments don’t happen by accident, “They require intentional leadership, collaboration and long-term thinking. Investing time at the board level is about helping ensure that businesses of all sizes have the support, advocacy and connectivity they need to grow. It’s also an opportunity to help shape the future of the region in a way that benefits not just companies, but the broader community,” she said.

Tokar added that local small businesses and large corporations clearly have different experiences and face varying challenges. “We acknowledge that needs differ, and the programs, events and support that the Chamber provides are not one-size-fits-all. Our Board leadership needs to represent those unique perspectives to provide the best value to the region,” he said.

“All of the Board members have a unique knowledge of not only their own industry but also how it fits in our QC community,” said Chamber Board member Kate Terrell, owner of Wallace’s Garden Center. “Having all that leadership experience and knowledge combined helps everyone. We have a responsibility to the communities that support us. We want to make our area a great place to live and do business, as well as to keep our own businesses adapting and growing,” she said. "There is so much talent in our community that needs to be celebrated in a way that's recognized. From local innovation and successes to philanthropy and education -- the QC has a lot to be proud of."

“A strong QC Chamber serves as both a unifier and an amplifier,” explains Foley. “It brings businesses together around shared priorities while also elevating the voice of the business community at the local, state and national levels,” she said. Time and again, she has seen the Chamber play that role in real and meaningful ways. “I’ve seen the Chamber step in to align leaders, facilitate productive conversations and move important initiatives forward in a way that no single organization could do alone,” she said.

Terrell says her board membership is also about giving back to the place that helped businesses succeed in the first place. "The QC Chamber and its Board can provide a steady hand during times of change -- helping guide the region forward, navigating uncertainty and charting a path toward long-term strength and sustainability."