- June 15, 2025
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The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives has named The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce as a finalist for its 2025 Chamber of the Year award. Based in Alexandria, Virginia, the association has some 1,600 chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations as members, representing more than 9,000 professionals in the industry.
According to a news release, the award is the most prestigious and competitive in the chamber industry, recognizing excellence in operations, member service and community leadership, according to a news release.
“This year's finalists represent excellence in the chamber industry,” said ACCE President and CEO Sheree Anne Kelly in the news release. “Each has shown how chambers can lead as community partners, forward-thinking leaders and problem solvers to drive growth and make a lasting impact on regional prosperity.”
Chamber of the Year winners will be announced on Wednesday, July 23, during the association’s awards show at its annual convention in Philadelphia.
Competing chambers of commerce must first qualify by participating in a multi-stage process and must meet thresholds in at least three of five key performance areas including net revenue and assets, membership account retention and membership dollar retention.
Qualifying chambers enter the competition with a written application addressing all aspects of organizational operation and programmatic work. Applications are scored by peer chamber executives to determine finalists, which are all interviewed by a panel of experienced chamber professionals.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our team, board and members who work tirelessly to elevate the Sarasota region,” said Sarasota Chamber President and CEO Heather Kasten in the news release. “It’s a true privilege to be acknowledged alongside such accomplished peers and to represent the impactful work happening in our community,”
To ensure the fairest competition, applicants are grouped into four categories based on annual revenue, membership, staff capacity, area population and other factors.
