The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives named the Georgia Chamber the 2017 State Chamber of Year at its annual convention in Nashville.

Chamber of the Year is the nation’s only award recognizing the leadership role chambers have in their communities. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and made an impact on key community priorities such as education, transportation, business development, and quality of life. This year's competition drew numerous entries from chambers throughout the United States and Canada.

“We’re proud of this affirmation that our engaged investors, talented staff, local chamber partnerships, and our world-class networks who continue to lead Georgia forward,” said Georgia Chamber President & CEO, Chris Clark.

The Chamber of the Year multi-step application process complied a benchmark administered by the ACCE, and included an extensive application on data, planning, and implementation of the Georgia Chamber's 2030 initiative. In addition, a panel of experienced chamber professionals scored the Georgia Chamber's financial, membership, communications, and program performance.

Furthermore, the Georgia Chamber’s Sales Director, Ian Rutan, and Senior Account Executive, Kate Coffey, accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award for reaching exceptional sales goals. The Chamber was also honored to accept two additional awards in Communications for their 2030 initiative and their remarkable use of creative infographics throughout their communications efforts.