Greetings,

As I think about 2020, I cannot help but think of vision.  Vision of what is to come.

When the River Heights Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1903, I suspect the business leaders and visionaries of that era aimed to create an organization that could bring people together over shared interests, create opportunities for collaboration and solidify commitment to build a community that would withstand the strong headwinds that lay ahead.  I’m also nearly certain that, while those ideals still hold true today, even these visionaries could not have predicted how quickly the world would continue to change around us.

I believe to my core that we are living in the most amazing time in history.  On the whole, we are living longer, healthier, more fulfilling lives and are afforded opportunities to create extraordinary change.  And although the technology we use each day has become so ubiquitous it seems nearly transparent; it would likely seem nothing short of magical to our predecessors of even 50 years ago.

Our world is changing at an unprecedented, accelerating pace.  While this can be challenging, it is up to us as leaders in our community to remember the ideals over which our predecessors united so many years ago: connect with one another, collaborate to address shared interests, and reinforce our communities to thrive in the years ahead.

In 2020, the Chamber will continue to serve as a catalyst for this change.  We will widen our circles of connection through membership and involvement and discover shared interests.  We will be called to connect with the students who fill our classrooms and prepare them for the fast-paced world that awaits them.  We will shape policies that will strengthen our local economy and our growing population.  And we will deepen our connection to a global economy – seizing the nearly limitless opportunities it provides.

2020 will be a year of extraordinary opportunity to unite, collaborate and adapt to the change around us.  No matter your role, no matter your passion, I invite you to find your place in the River Heights Chamber, be a catalyst for progress and prepare our communities for the amazing future that awaits.

Here’s to an incredible year – and the prosperity that it holds for us all.

Adam D. Bengtson
2020 Chairman, River Heights Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
President & CEO, Endorse Communications