Columbus Chamber Announces 2010 Annual Meeting

    COLUMBUS, OH, February 03, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Columbus community has come together in an unprecedented move to align economic development activities with an eye toward 2020. Join the Columbus Chamber at its Annual Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 24 to hear about an innovative vision in which Columbus is recognized for job growth and support for local business; a collaborative community invested in its existing business; and a community that talented professionals seek out to live, work, and play.

"The road to 2020 involves significant investment in economic development, targeted attraction strategies, and heightened focus on the retention and expansion of today's businesses," said Ty Marsh, president and CEO, Columbus Chamber. "As we enter this new decade, the Chamber will renew and strengthen its commitment to improving our region's business climate, helping local companies grow and succeed, and enhancing our quality of life in the Columbus region."

Business retention and expansion programs rank as the number one economic development activity in communities across the country. Existing businesses create 60 to 90 percent of all new jobs, according to the Ohio Business Retention and Expansion Initiative.

The Chamber's Annual Meeting will take place in the new Battelle Grand at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Doors will open at 7 a.m., and a full breakfast and networking will begin at 7:30 a.m. The program will run from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Individual tickets are available for $75 or $750 for a table of 10 for members. Non-member tickets are $90 for an individual or $900 for a table of 10. Registration is now open online at www.columbus.org.

Columbus2020!, a community-driven vision and strategic plan for the future of economic development in Central Ohio, will be introduced during the meeting.

Following the one-hour meeting, in-depth presentations will be conducted for three Columbus2020! focus areas: business retention and expansion; business attraction; and business creation. Concurrent sessions will be held from 9:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The Columbus Chamber 2010 Annual Meeting is presented in partnership with State Auto Insurance Companies. Event partners include Leaders Columbia Gas of Ohio and Columbus C.E.O. Magazine and Patrons Calfee, Halter & Griswold LLP, Schneider Downs, Sophisticated Systems, Steptoe & Johnson, and Agil IT. Additional support is provided by Columbus Chamber Partners Anthem and CompManagement, Inc., with media promotion provided by Bartha Audio Visual, 99.7 the Rock, Classic Hits 103.9, and WMNI AM.

For more information, visit www.columbus.org.

About the Columbus Chamber of Commerce
The Columbus Chamber of Commerce leads and supports economic growth and development in the Greater Columbus community. It supports a membership of 2,700 businesses. Learn more about Columbus at www.columbus.org.

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