Regional Young Professional Event Helps Foster Business Connections

The Greater Bethesda, Gaithersburg-Germantown (GGCC), Greater Silver Spring (GSSCC), and Rockville Chambers of Commerce along with Leadership Montgomery’s (LM) Emerging Leaders said goodbye to summer and hello to Fall at its 4^th Annual “Regional Young Professional Group Happy Hour” at Lucky Strike Bethesda on Thursday, September 28.

Emerging leaders from across the County attended the exclusive event in the hopes to make new connections or strengthen their existing ones. The Chambers and LM developed this event to meet the wants and needs of Millennial professionals and business owners.

(l:r) Sarah Burnett, Director, Corporate Engagement Program, Leadership Montgomery; Monica Scisorek, Membership Manager, Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce; Chelsea Selby, Director of Membership, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce; Jessica Warren, Special Events & Community Engagement Manager, Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland; Laura Rowles, Director of Events & Marketing, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce; Stephanie Helsing, Director of Membership Development, Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce; and Ali Levingston, Vice President, Leadership Programs, Leadership Montgomery at the 4th Annual “Regional Young Professional Group Happy Hour” on September 28, 2017 at Lucky Strike Bethesda.
(Photo credit – Brett Rough, Aerotek)

In a report released by Nielsen it stated 92 percent of millennials believe that today’s professional groups provide great opportunities to network. Stemming from this report, GGCC Director of Events & Marketing, Laura Rowles, developed this event to bring five distinguished County organizations together, so emerging leaders of the professional community could gather for an evening of networking to further their career, strengthen their professional image, or just to meet fellow young professionals. And it worked; the number of attendees continues to strengthen every time the event is held.

“We talk about maintaining young professionals and getting them integrated in the community, this is one way we can do that,” said Marilyn Balcombe, Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce President & CEO. “Young professionals develop leadership, communication and organizational skills through practical experience, so it only makes sense for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber to partner on this event. We may have a lot of similar opportunities and share a strong customer base, but engaging and empowering young professionals & developing the leaders of tomorrow is for the greater good of all the organizations involved. Besides it is great fun, great food, and great people.”

Due to the generosity of the attendees, half of the evening’s sales were donated to Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland. Habitat works to provide affordable housing opportunities for low-income families in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. This event raised $243 to support Hurricane rebuilding efforts in Texas & Florida. The unprecedented flooding and devastation across much of the South, forcing emergency evacuations and damaging thousands of homes and communities is unimaginable and heartbreaking. Habitat for Humanity is assessing shelter and housing needs caused by these storms and working to effectively respond to the disaster. Learn more about them at: www.habitatmm.org.

Learn more about the GGCC, at: www.ggchamber.org

Learn more about the GSSCC, at: http://www.gsscc.org

Learn more about the Rockville Chamber, at: www.rockvillechamber.org

Learn more about the Leadership Montgomery, at: www.leadershipmontgomerymd.org

Learn more about the Greater Bethesda Chamber, at: www.greaterbethesdachamber.org

About Laura Rowles

Laura authors the blog Your Success is Our Business on MyMCMedia. Laura is the Director of Events & Marketing for the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce - a member-based organization of businesses that have joined together for the purpose of promoting the civic, commercial and industrial progress in our communities. The area's economic well-being is a result of the caliber of work that is done by the Chamber. The Chamber has a major impact on business, income and future growth of the area. My position at the Chamber - Director of Events & Marketing - affords me the opportunity to plan quality events for our Members and market the Chamber is a variety of avenues. At the GGCC, we typically have around 30 events each year including: breakfasts, lunches, after-five's, ribbon cuttings and special events. The consensus is we have high quality events with good energy. In 2012, we had over 2,040 people visit our events. Most our events are free to Members so securing sponsorships for all events. Additionally, I am responsible for planning networking, overseeing the budget and marketing of all events in order to make them successful. Lastly, I coordinate all marketing and communication efforts of the GGCC including weekly email blasts, its quarterly newsletter, all social media platforms, media relations and community outreach.

View all posts by Laura Rowles