President’s Message
February brought the Chamber’s Annual Meeting presented by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center where we recognized what our organization accomplished during a challenging year and brought forward our goals and priorities. Like last year, 2021 has begun with a sense of optimism and hope, albeit for different reasons, as COVID-19 vaccinations are rolled out across our community.
For the more fortunate sectors of the South Florida economy, the outlook remains relatively upbeat. Banking, construction, financial, manufacturing, legal and professional services did well last year, and that trend is expected to continue, according to the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Council of Economic Advisors, which produces quarterly assessments of our local economy. Our Chamber leadership will be steadfast in its goal of fostering a robust economic recovery. Within this magazine, you will get the chance to learn about our new Chair of the Board Stephen Tilbrook and his vision for his year at the helm of our Chamber.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors is also working this year to implement our Racial Equity Agenda to bring greater diversity to our organization’s leadership and cultivate an economic environment that increases the ability for minority business owners to thrive.
This mission should complement the work being done by so many organizations like the Urban League of Broward County, which our Chamber honored in October 2020. This issue dives into some of the important work that President and CEO Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh and her team are leading to serve the underserved in Greater Fort Lauderdale.
I also invite you to read about the leadership which has taken our Chamber’s Rising Leaders Council to new heights, making an impact within our organization and the community as a whole. The feature perfectly demonstrates the power of engaging with a Chamber council and cultivating lasting relationships with business and community leaders.
Please continue to look to your Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce as a go-to source of information and a voice of advocacy for our region — the nation’s 12th largest economy. Thank you to the many businesses who have supported this edition of our quarterly digital magazine and please consider utilizing their goods and services.
Sincerely,
Dan H. Lindblade, CAE
President & CEO, GFLCC