Dear Friends,
I am continually amazed by the Board, members and staff that makes up this Chamber of Commerce. In addition to our already full schedule of networkers, educational workshops, small business consultations and economic advocacy efforts, we are adding a new series of forums that will explore in detail the various topics that help comprise the economic fabric of our community. Major factors impacting us such as Housing, Education, Transportation, and Healthcare will be addressed this year by the leading experts in these fields. In every case, we will look at the larger regional and national trends to ascertain how they will impact us locally. (Sponsorship opportunities are, of course, available).
To kick off the series, we will put Oak Cliff in the perspective of a much larger economic picture. In order to do this, with generous sponsorship of
Bank of America and
Coble-Cravens Financial Services, we have secured the expertise of two of the most recognized economists in the region,
Dr. Bernard Weinstein, professor of Economics at SMU and
Dr. Mine Yucel, Senior Economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. These economic connoisseurs will distill the complex issues of the world and national economies into simple terms so that we better understand what to expect locally. Please join us February 23rd for the first "Annual Economic Forecast: The Impact of National Trends in Dallas."
In addition to this new series, we will be hosting a
Southern Dallas Forum this year with some like-minded organizations such as the
Real Estate Council and the
Home Builders Assocation. This event will target the development community and will feature the hottest investment opportunities in areas like north Oak Cliff, UNT Dallas, West Dallas, Mountain Creek and more. Stay tuned for more details to come...
In closing, allow me to express my deepest appreciation to all the members of this Chamber. Your support allows us to continue our mission to make Oak Cliff the best place to live, work and play. I encourage you to, whenever possible, support our members by consulting our website (
www.oakcliffchamber.org) whenever you need anything for your home or business.
Sincerely,
Date: February 23, 2012