WASHINGTON, D.C., November 13, 2002 – The U. S. Chamber of Commerce today announced that the Allen Chamber of Commerce has been accredited with three stars for its effective organizational procedures and outstanding contribution to positive change in the community.  The Allen Chamber of Commerce is only one of seven chambers in the United States to have earned a three-star rating.
 
“I am proud to recognize the Allen Chamber of Commerce and its members with the U.S. Chamber’s Accreditation Award,” said U.S. Chamber President & CEO Thomas J. Donahue.  “Their local initiative and continued support for the principles of free enterprise has been a major asset in our efforts to promote pro-growth policies at the federal, state and local levels of government”.
 
To achieve Accreditation, chambers perform an intensive self-assessment of their operations and programs including governance, government affairs and technology, and submit their evaluation findings to the U.S. Chamber.  Chambers exceeding the basic requirements of Accreditation are awarded with either three, four or five stars.  The Accrediting Board, a panel of U.S. Chamber board members, votes on the final Accreditation.
 
The Accreditation Program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the only one of its kind to monitor the dynamic chamber of commerce industry.  Rolled out in 1964, the Accreditation Program was developed by a team of chamber executives and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for continuous improvement of local chambers.  In five years, the Allen Chamber of Commerce will complete another self-analysis to maintain the status of an Accredited Chamber.
 
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of ever size, sector, and region.


The Allen Chamber would like to thank the following volunteers for their hard work and assistance in the accreditation process:  Izzie Waller, Ross Bennett, Greg Delk, James Nelson, Bob Rothe, Patti McKee.