Message from the Board Chair
RAY DANIELS
Board Chair Talks Challenges of 2020, Value of Commerce Lexington Inc.
"It seems like a distant memory after everything we’ve been through this year, but you may remember me starting the year at the Annual Dinner talking about the value of Commerce Lexington Inc. and how much of an advocate the chamber is for your business. Never has that been more evident than during the ongoing pandemic and its lasting economic challenges.
From the moment the first positive COVID-19 case in Kentucky was announced on March 6, Commerce Lexington Inc. mobilized its personnel toward meeting the evolving needs of our member investors and clients and providing businesses with the very best resources available. During the early part of the pandemic, businesses contacted our team for assistance with the emergency small business loan application process, personal protective equipment (PPE) needs, unemployment insurance, clarification on Kentucky’s Healthy-At-Work requirements, and the latest information coming out of Washington from Congress, the Small Business Administration, Treasury Department and the CDC.
Information continued to change rapidly, but business owners knew they could call on Commerce Lexington Inc. as a trusted resource that was able to push out timely information, get answers to their questions or connect them to key people in state government or Washington. Again, the chamber and its team are always available to be an advocate for you and your business, and especially during a crisis.
Like many organizations, Commerce Lexington Inc. had to quickly adapt and pivot to provide programming, events, and publications in a virtual way that enabled members and the community to find important information and resources during this difficult and challenging time. We not only developed a robust COVID resource section on our website, but also distributed regular COVID e-mail alerts, launched a webinar series called 4 O’Clock Focus that presented best practices and lessons learned on COVID topics, and published an Introductory Guide to Reopening Your Business in the Era of COVID-19.
The landscape of the economic development process has also changed. Despite not being able to meet regularly in-person, our economic development team has continued to reach out to consultants and site selectors, our local existing companies, and our economic development partners throughout the region to keep Central Kentucky at the forefront of business growth opportunities.
Since July 1, our economic development team has coordinated with the business community and our Lexington Economic Partnership to connect via Zoom. The partnership includes a representative from each sector – Commerce Lexington Inc., Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, LFUCG Office of the Chief Development Officer, Higher Education Representatives (UK and BCTC), and the Bluegrass Workforce Innovation Board. The goal of each meeting is to provide companies with a wealth of resources, programs, and services to support and encourage expansion opportunities.
At the beginning of August, the deadline for small businesses to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program had passed, and it was abundantly clear that many of Lexington’s smallest and disadvantaged businesses had not been able to access this funding. So, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, led by Councilmembers Preston Worley and Amanda Mays Bledsoe, created the $2.5 million Small Business Economic Stimulus Grant Program and contracted with Commerce Lexington’s Access Loan Program to manage the application process. Small businesses in Lexington could apply for up to $25,000 in expenses incurred due to COVID-19. In all, 167 small businesses and nonprofits received funding, with 67-percent of the grants awarded to minority- and women-owned small businesses.
Between the ongoing pandemic and the election, this year has been tumultuous to say the least. Our nation has also confronted the longstanding racial injustices and inequality facing the Black community, and many businesses and organizations, including Commerce Lexington, have said ‘enough is enough.’ Our organization has long held that diversity and creating a welcoming city for ALL is not only good for the economy, but is also key to our business recruitment and retention efforts. Over the years, we have worked with community partners to strengthen relationships by bringing different faiths and segments of our community together through the Courageous Conversations movement.
We have done a lot over the years to assist minority-owned businesses through our Minority Business Development Program. However, we must do more and continue to seek new and innovative ways to reach out to, promote, and positively impact more ethnically-owned companies. Over the last few months, Commerce Lexington has served as a facilitator to bring together members of the Black faith community and representatives from the City of Lexington, University of Kentucky, and Fayette County Public Schools to explore ways to increase procurement for African American-owned businesses in our community. We have started a collective that meets every six to eight weeks to exchange best practices, break down barriers, and improve MBE business development.
For the first time in a long time, I believe we have some traction to make the kind of positive changes necessary to ensure equality for all segments of our community. I want to also personally thank the individuals who served on the Mayor’s Commission for Racial Justice and Equality, especially co-chairs Roszalyn Akins and Dr. Gerald Smith, as well as Mayor Linda Gorton for appointing the group. I would encourage everyone to read the Commission’s final report, which is posted on-line at www.lexingtonky.gov/commission-racial-justice-and-equality, and think about where you might be able to plug-in and help our community find solutions to systemic racism in Fayette County.
As we head into the holiday season, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the pandemic is still with us and many of our local businesses are still suffering. Please support your favorite local small businesses and restaurants in whatever ways you can. They are working hard to ensure a safe environment for both employees and customers.
If you need assistance with your business now or in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact Commerce Lexington Inc. We’re here to serve you, answer your questions or concerns, or connect you to valuable resources and information. Thank you for your continued support of Commerce Lexington, and let’s hope for a more normal year in 2021."
Ray Daniels
2021 Commerce Lexington Inc. Board Chair
President
Equity Solutions Group
"It seems like a distant memory after everything we’ve been through this year, but you may remember me starting the year at the Annual Dinner talking about the value of Commerce Lexington Inc. and how much of an advocate the chamber is for your business. Never has that been more evident than during the ongoing pandemic and its lasting economic challenges.
From the moment the first positive COVID-19 case in Kentucky was announced on March 6, Commerce Lexington Inc. mobilized its personnel toward meeting the evolving needs of our member investors and clients and providing businesses with the very best resources available. During the early part of the pandemic, businesses contacted our team for assistance with the emergency small business loan application process, personal protective equipment (PPE) needs, unemployment insurance, clarification on Kentucky’s Healthy-At-Work requirements, and the latest information coming out of Washington from Congress, the Small Business Administration, Treasury Department and the CDC.
Information continued to change rapidly, but business owners knew they could call on Commerce Lexington Inc. as a trusted resource that was able to push out timely information, get answers to their questions or connect them to key people in state government or Washington. Again, the chamber and its team are always available to be an advocate for you and your business, and especially during a crisis.
Like many organizations, Commerce Lexington Inc. had to quickly adapt and pivot to provide programming, events, and publications in a virtual way that enabled members and the community to find important information and resources during this difficult and challenging time. We not only developed a robust COVID resource section on our website, but also distributed regular COVID e-mail alerts, launched a webinar series called 4 O’Clock Focus that presented best practices and lessons learned on COVID topics, and published an Introductory Guide to Reopening Your Business in the Era of COVID-19.
The landscape of the economic development process has also changed. Despite not being able to meet regularly in-person, our economic development team has continued to reach out to consultants and site selectors, our local existing companies, and our economic development partners throughout the region to keep Central Kentucky at the forefront of business growth opportunities.
Since July 1, our economic development team has coordinated with the business community and our Lexington Economic Partnership to connect via Zoom. The partnership includes a representative from each sector – Commerce Lexington Inc., Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, LFUCG Office of the Chief Development Officer, Higher Education Representatives (UK and BCTC), and the Bluegrass Workforce Innovation Board. The goal of each meeting is to provide companies with a wealth of resources, programs, and services to support and encourage expansion opportunities.
At the beginning of August, the deadline for small businesses to apply for the Paycheck Protection Program had passed, and it was abundantly clear that many of Lexington’s smallest and disadvantaged businesses had not been able to access this funding. So, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council, led by Councilmembers Preston Worley and Amanda Mays Bledsoe, created the $2.5 million Small Business Economic Stimulus Grant Program and contracted with Commerce Lexington’s Access Loan Program to manage the application process. Small businesses in Lexington could apply for up to $25,000 in expenses incurred due to COVID-19. In all, 167 small businesses and nonprofits received funding, with 67-percent of the grants awarded to minority- and women-owned small businesses.
Between the ongoing pandemic and the election, this year has been tumultuous to say the least. Our nation has also confronted the longstanding racial injustices and inequality facing the Black community, and many businesses and organizations, including Commerce Lexington, have said ‘enough is enough.’ Our organization has long held that diversity and creating a welcoming city for ALL is not only good for the economy, but is also key to our business recruitment and retention efforts. Over the years, we have worked with community partners to strengthen relationships by bringing different faiths and segments of our community together through the Courageous Conversations movement.
We have done a lot over the years to assist minority-owned businesses through our Minority Business Development Program. However, we must do more and continue to seek new and innovative ways to reach out to, promote, and positively impact more ethnically-owned companies. Over the last few months, Commerce Lexington has served as a facilitator to bring together members of the Black faith community and representatives from the City of Lexington, University of Kentucky, and Fayette County Public Schools to explore ways to increase procurement for African American-owned businesses in our community. We have started a collective that meets every six to eight weeks to exchange best practices, break down barriers, and improve MBE business development.
For the first time in a long time, I believe we have some traction to make the kind of positive changes necessary to ensure equality for all segments of our community. I want to also personally thank the individuals who served on the Mayor’s Commission for Racial Justice and Equality, especially co-chairs Roszalyn Akins and Dr. Gerald Smith, as well as Mayor Linda Gorton for appointing the group. I would encourage everyone to read the Commission’s final report, which is posted on-line at www.lexingtonky.gov/commission-racial-justice-and-equality, and think about where you might be able to plug-in and help our community find solutions to systemic racism in Fayette County.
As we head into the holiday season, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the pandemic is still with us and many of our local businesses are still suffering. Please support your favorite local small businesses and restaurants in whatever ways you can. They are working hard to ensure a safe environment for both employees and customers.
If you need assistance with your business now or in the future, please don’t hesitate to contact Commerce Lexington Inc. We’re here to serve you, answer your questions or concerns, or connect you to valuable resources and information. Thank you for your continued support of Commerce Lexington, and let’s hope for a more normal year in 2021."
Ray Daniels
2021 Commerce Lexington Inc. Board Chair
President
Equity Solutions Group
