Metrowest Chamber of Commerce

 

Assisting companies with job growth and retention will remain a central preoccupation, as will advocacy for business concerns (especially those of small businesses), the locating of new companies and assisting start-ups.

 

A special effort will be made to enhance connections to the Natick Labs. The Chamber is pledged to make continuous improvements to: the Chamber Women’s Initiative, which promotes women’s business leadership and addresses issues women face in the workplace; the Veterans Initiative, which is seeking jobs for veterans returning from war zones; and the Creative Economy Initiative, which is working to create a Convention & Visitors Center to promote the cultural, historic and performing assets in the MetroWest/495 region.

 

In light of MetroWest’s well-documented workforce needs, the Chamber will step up support for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math initiative (STEM), as well as marketing of fundraising efforts supporting English as a Second Language (ESL) programs, as well as participation in the MetroWest Alliance for Workforce Diversity. 

 

The Chamber will continue to play a central role in working to establish and grow institutions that reflect the reality that our region is now an economic engine for the Commonwealth. This means increasing our participation in the MetroWest/495 Transportation Management Association and supporting expanded ridership in the MetroWest Transit Authority system; pressing for creation by the state of a Regional Planning Authority, which would put MetroWest on a par with other regions; and the continued coordination of activities with the 495/MetroWest Partnership.

 

The Chamber will continue to upgrade the services available to our members and the public through our website (www.metrowest.org) provide more marketing and communication tools for our members, as well as access to more direct support services through the Chamber office.