Hoke County developed around Raeford Institute, an early high school. Education has always been of vital importance to its inhabitants and has always been of major concern in Hoke County.
Kurt Posey made Raeford his home eleven years ago from Florida, as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and owner of W.J. Wright Realty on Oakwood Avenue downtown Raeford.
Membership
Americans of all backgrounds are making an impactful difference in their communities across America. Without public office or corporate titles to their name, these citizens come together and form part of local chambers of commerce memberships – people like those you find within this membership!
Filing began last Friday for candidates interested in running for election to one of three seats on Raeford City Council, beginning with Cathy Brown and Jackie McLean as well as Ricky Sandy and Shelley Wilburn by Monday afternoon; two more, Josh Bain and David Conoly filed Tuesday just prior to The News-Journal’s print deadline.
Kurt Posey arrived in Raeford eleven years ago and has quickly become involved with the Chamber ever since. He serves as Executive VP/Director/Trustee of Sun Path Products as well as Kiwanis. Kurt and his wife Brandi are proud to live downtown where their two beautiful children Payton and Cooper can walk everywhere easily; Kurt takes great joy in seeing his community flourish through helping the Chamber wherever he can; this commitment to giving back extends even to his family, who always gladly assist when needed! He enjoys contributing his knowledge toward helping build up strong communities where everyone succeeds; this commitment drives his strong desire for long term growth in Raeford!
Business Expo
The Business Expo is the chamber’s signature event, showcasing the ingenuity and creativity of local businesses. This event provides an ideal venue to network with other business owners and industry leaders while discovering innovative products and services that can help your organization flourish and expand. In addition, educational workshops and seminars conducted by specialists across a range of fields round out this unforgettable experience.
Attendees of this event can participate in interactive exhibits and demonstrations, meeting potential clients while at the same time attending educational workshops that can improve productivity and profitability in business. Furthermore, there will be contests and giveaways such as Chamber Money Machine.
The 2023 Chamber Business Expo will take place at Inverness Depot Pavilion on Thursday, March 23. This public event features over 100 vendors and exhibitors that provide one of the best ways to network and promote businesses.
The Business Expo will take place from 10 am to 2 pm and is free for both members and non-members alike. Local businesses that aren’t members can still participate by paying a $25 setup fee to set up an information booth; attendees will have an opportunity to meet local business leaders as well as county department officials; plus there will be local food available from vendors within our community!
Community Events
Your chamber can provide its members with business-building knowledge, resources and events that showcase their creativity and entrepreneurialism. While in-person events are wonderful opportunities for members to come together outside the Chamber’s doors – this helps develop relationships while giving insight into what’s working and what needs improvement.
Job fairs are an increasingly popular solution for community members to showcase their jobs to potential employees, which may take the form of virtual or in-person events depending on your community needs. Make it simple for visitors to navigate by including a search bar which makes filtering roles by title, skills, part time/full time status and location easier for people searching. Furthermore, give members the option of including their logo in job posts to build recognition of brand name members and increase branding efforts.
One way you can facilitate networking for your members is to host events featuring speakers sharing their expertise on various subjects, such as luncheons or workshops. A chamber professional shared that they hosted quarterly Meet and Greets with local elected officials to build relationships while simultaneously shaping legislative agendas and recruiting new members.
Seasonal community events can also help attract newcomers while strengthening relationships between existing ones and prospective ones. Events like holiday markets or festivals provide an exciting and festive setting where residents can gather. You could even organize a walkathon or 5K race to raise funds for local charities.
Business Resources
If business owners in their community need assistance or guidance with anything business-related, they often turn to their Chamber of Commerce. Chambers provide access to valuable resources and opportunities that help promote businesses and services while at the same time acting as a bridge to keep citizens up-to-date on local government matters, host networking events and provide vital information for new ventures looking to open in their region.
As part of the COVID-19 pandemic, chambers of commerce around the region were quickly adapting their operations to meet members’ needs. Many increased communication through email and social media; some moved events online; while some chambers such as Raeford-Hoke Chamber of Commerce reintroduced traditional programs designed to keep members engaged.
The Chamber has started hosting monthly Business After Hours events where members host them at their place of business and invite fellow Chamber members, friends and potential clients/customers. Each month a different member hosts, giving them an opportunity to show off their facility while networking with local professionals. Members also have an opportunity to showcase their products and services during an Expo each spring – this event was postponed during pandemic concerns but will return this spring; membership costs nothing and nonmembers can pay $25 to set up an exhibit booth at this free event.
