Affiliate Chamber Spotlight: 2020 Madison County Chamber of Commerce

Chamber Name + Website

Madison County Chamber of Commerce

Elected Leader for 2020

Sarah Pugh, Board Clark, Madison County Board of Supervisors

Professional Staff Leader of the Chamber

Heather Riley, Executive Director

Number of Members

248 members

How Does a Business Join Your Chamber?

Membership in the Madison County Chamber of Commerce is open to anyone and everyone! Our website is loaded with information about our organization, how to become a member and benefits of membership along with added value from the Dual Membership Model with the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

What Inspired You to First Get Involved with Your Chamber?

Membership in our organization is a great way to become involved within the business community and find opportunities to boost community development. I was inspired to meet more people, who are also building careers and futures here in Madison County, and find ways to plug in and become involved.

What is a Signature Offering of Your Chamber?

We communicate weekly to the membership through the Chamber Chat newsletter , which includes member information, tips for business owners, details about chamber-sponsored and community events and a platform to celebrate members’ successes. Additionally, we gather each Friday morning at a different member business for “Chamber Coffee” events, which offer quick networking before work and opportunities for hosting businesses to show off facilities, operations and staff. These events are well attended by Chamber members and are a great way to be engaged in the Chamber membership.

What is Your Chamber’s Biggest Accomplishment in the Past 12 Months?

Our Chamber secured re-designation for Madison County as an “Iowa Great Place”, a distinction bestowed by the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Madison County’s proposal included projects to improve quality of life and attract thousands of new residents and visitors to the county. The projects will be long-term assets that improve quality of life for existing residents and provide ongoing education, historic preservation and entertainment value to Central and South Central Iowa. Specifically, the projects will enhance a strong base of cultural attractions that make Madison County a Great Place. The Chamber, in partnership with community leaders, has steadily worked to build a brand for Madison County as a cultural and tourism destination and numerous new attractions over the past 10 years have been a result of those efforts with many additional projects on the horizon.

What Initiative/Project Are You Looking Forward to in the Upcoming Year?

We’re excited to fully develop a comprehensive Membership Guide and Sponsorship Plan to help our members take full advantage of the benefits of membership. This project will increase our office efficiency, give members more visibility within the community, boost our non-dues revenue and streamline special event planning.

What Partnership Tools/Resources Have Been Most Beneficial to Your Chamber Members?

During the past six months, especially, we’ve been grateful for our affiliate membership with the Greater Des Moines Partnership. We’ve especially used the tools within DSM Forward, taken advantage of conference calls with leaders of The Partnership and elected officials and utilized every possible opportunity to collaborate with other Affiliate Chambers to bring value and information to the Madison County Chamber membership.

What Are Your Upcoming Events?

Although we canceled our 2020 Madison County Covered Bridge Festival, we’re looking ahead to October 9-10, 2021 when we will once again welcome thousands of visitors to our community to celebrate Madison County’s heritage, history and world-famous covered bridges. We’ll be celebrating 25 years since the release of the “Bridges of Madison County” movie with special music, contests and activities. Each year we highlight new entertainers and old-fashioned demonstrators and welcome back Festival favorites such as the quilt show, car show, parade and spelling bee.

The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the fourth largest regional Chamber of Commerce in the nation. Learn more about Partnership Affiliate Chambers, browse the Membership Directory and read additional Affiliate Chamber spotlights.