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February 7, 2012 at the Ocean Center

The Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce’s 92^nd Annual Meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at the Ocean Center and feature former University of Florida Gators head football coach Urban Meyer. Meyer currently serves as a college football game and studio analyst for ESPN.

“We are very excited to announce that former Florida Gator coach and current ESPN analyst, Urban Meyer, will be 2012's Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting speaker,” said Tom Leek, shareholder at Cobb Cole, and Chairman of the Daytona Regional Chamber. “Urban Meyer is one of college football's most dynamic and electrifying coaches, whose passion for college football can only be matched by his passion for life. Since leaving the University of Florida, Meyer's name has been associated with nearly every high-profile college football program's head coaching vacancy, or near vacancy. Joining us on the heels of the conclusion of the college football season, this will be an exciting time in Urban Meyer's career. We are sure to have a great time with good friends and colleagues. Come one, come all, but please join us on February 7, 2012 for the Daytona Regional Chamber's Annual Meeting.”

Known for his six seasons at Florida, Meyer guided the Gators to a pair of national championships, two Southeastern Conference Championships, three SEC Eastern Division crowns and six-straight January bowl games, including three BCS bowl games. His .813 winning percentage (65-15) is the second-best in school history and his .750 winning percentage (36-12) in SEC play is within the top five in league history among head coaches who spent five or more years in the conference.

Meyer, who was named Sporting News and Sports Illustrated “Coach of the Decade” in December of 2009, was the first coach ever to win two BCS National Championships and he is one of only two coaches in the history of the SEC to win two outright National Titles.

Prior to his tenure at Florida, Meyer coached two seasons for the Utah Utes where he earned multiple National Coach of the Year honors in 2004 after leading Utah to a perfect 12-0 season, the school’s first in 75 years. With its post-season bid to the Fiesta Bowl, Utah made history by becoming the first school from a non-Bowl Championship Series conference to earn a berth in a BCS Bowl.

Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Meyer has also championed efforts in community service. He spearheaded an effort to feed needy families during Thanksgiving, and initiated a mentor program for young at-risk males in the Gainesville community.

A 13th-round pick in the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in 1982, Meyer played two years in the Atlanta Braves’ organization. He played as a defensive back at the University of Cincinnati before earning his degree in psychology in 1986. He went on to earn a master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1988.

This meeting is open to the entire community. Ticket prices are $100 per person, or reserved tables of ten (10) are available for $950. Non-member prices are $150 per person. Reservations are required.

For information on becoming a sponsor at this year's event and meeting Urban individually, click here.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER AND PAY ONLINE

For more information, contact Lindsey Sanders at 386-523-3672 or lindsey@daytonachamber.com

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Every month one of my functions as VP of Marketing & Communications is to layout our Chamber newsletter, The Outlook. When I began here at the Chamber, there was discussion of making changes to the newsletter and moving towards a cover that looked more like a magazine than a traditional newsletter. Small changes have been made and we have finally arrived at just that over the last few months.

Now, I am faced with the monthly challenge of coming up with a cover image that will capture people’s attention and make them want to pick it up, open it and keep it on their desk or perhaps an office table for others to read as well. After all, our goal is to get information out to as many people as possible. We want folks to know what we have done and what we are working on in coming months.

So, as I type this, the August newsletter is in the mail and on its way to you and I am confident it will catch your eye. And now, before it has even reached your mailbox, I am challenged with coming up with an equally as eye catching image for September cover. I would love to hear your thoughts and comments on our newsletter.

If you want to see the evolution of the cover over the past 6 months click on the link.

The Outlook Newsletter

I have been anxious to jump into the world of blogging for a while but didn’t know which approach would be best for the Chamber. The Chamber has had a blog on its site and, periodically, there would be items posted on it with no reaction from the community. Was anyone even noticing it?

Thus, began the long discussion in my head and research into what seems to work for other organizations. I came up with this…there is no secret formula that works across the board for all organizations. That didn’t help me solve this dilemma. So, I asked myself some questions to figure it out instead.

Should we keep doing what we have always done and cut and paste copies of upcoming events? No, I didn’t think that was working effectively.  We do a great job of getting information through other methods of communication. Our blog should be different.

Should we try to look for articles that could help our members solve a particular problem? Sure we could try that too, but I am not confident that would help build our relationship with them.

Maybe, we could try blogging about some of the behind-the-scenes happenings here at the Chamber? Yes! That just might be the way to go. It would give our members and folks in the community an opportunity to see some of the things we do every day that isn’t seen from the outside. A look into the Chamber from another perspective. Candid thoughts. The human side of the Chamber.

So, as I dip my toe into the blogging pool, I ask for your patience and feedback. I am sure this is going to be exciting!