Annual Meeting to Showcase Akron's Advancement and Award Winner LeBron James

Economic progress, civic pride and innovative projects will be celebrated and advanced, as members and friends convene for an evening of socializing, election of board members and the presentation of the H. Peter Burg Award.

For the past ten years, the Chamber has presented the H. Peter Burg Award to someone who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in promoting economic development in the Greater Akron Region. This year, the H. Peter Burg honoree will be LeBron James, in recognition of his contributions to the Greater Akron community. His personal commitment, particularly through the LeBron James Family Foundation, to positively affect local children, young adults and our neighborhoods is of great service to the entire region and fosters economic strength for the long term. His Foundation's Wheels for Education and Akron I PROMISE Network initiatives have had a tremendously positive impact on Akron students and families as James continues to use his influence for good in his hometown.

 Greater Akron Chamber Attends MEDICA Show

In support of our important and growing medical cluster, the City of Akron and Greater Akron Chamber co-chaired the participation of "Akron, USA" last November at the MEDICA Show (http://www.medica-tradefair.com/) in Dusseldorf, Germany, with representatives from Summit County, the City of Fairlawn and Brennan Manna Diamond.

With more than 130,000 attendees from 120 countries, and 4,800 international exhibitors, MEDICA is one of the largest health care related events in the world. It focuses on medical innovations.    

The "Akron, USA" booth came from a unique public-private partnership with the City of Hudson, FirstEnergy, Northeast Ohio Medical University, NEOTEC and The University of Akron. The team participated in many off-site meetings with European medical device manufacturers, and held more than 50 pre-scheduled meetings with international companies looking for growth in in North America.  

"Without question, the United States is currently seen as a 'safe haven' for international investment," said Gregg Cramer, Chamber vice president for economic development. "Trade shows like MEDICA help us showcase our biomedical strength and promote the Greater Akron Region."

"Akron USA" Recognized by IEDC

When the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) gave its 2014 Excellence in Economic Awards at its annual meeting in Fort Worth, the City of Akron and the Greater Akron Chamber were once again honored for advancing economic development and opportunity.  

The IEDC recognized the "Akron USA" international marketing initiative at its 20^th anniversary as a positive economic innovation for the greater Akron region. The award confirms the international understanding that our region is both a "safe" and "soft" landing for companies looking to enter the North American marketplace. 

Commencing in 1994, the City and Chamber staffed booths at international trade shows such as Hannover and K (Germany) and domestic trade shows such as NPE (Chicago/Orlando).  Over the years, this outreach has led to more than 200 inbound and outbound trade missions and visitations, with more than $125M in first-time Foreign Direct Investment and $200M in additional BR&E investment.  Nearly 1,500 jobs have been created and more than 4,000 jobs retained.

Supporting Our Veterans with Jobs

With the Chamber as a founding partner (and proud supporter!), the first Summit County Veteran Career and Community Job Fair was held at Quaker Station on November 12, 2014, as part of The University of Akron's Veterans Week programs.

The Ohio Means Jobs Veterans Business Services Center partnered with Ohio Means Jobs-Summit County, Greater Akron Chamber, Akron Beacon Journal, Akron Metro and The University of Akron for the job fair. It was a great success as nearly 75 businesses provided interviews to 395 walk-ins, of which 200 were military veterans.