The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce awarded the Alaska State Chamber of the Year Award to the Delta Chamber of Commerce during its convention in Juneau on October 18th-20th.  On hand to accept the award was Board President Fred Sheen.  

The criteria for being considered for this award was based upon the following requirements:
 
*Recognizable for consistent community involvement
*Excellent business reputation, both internally and externally
*Notable projects or achievements for the year, and
*Endorsement letters from within the membership. 

The Delta Chamber has grown from about 71 members in 2002 to 150 members today.   The Delta Chamber is represented on the GMD Roundtable, Teck-Pogo Roundtable and DREDC.  We are currently involved with the movement to designate the Richardson Highway as a State Scenic Byway and plan to offer support for its future designation as an  All American Road.  We passed a resolution for support of the extension of the Alaska Railroad to Delta Junction and to Ft. Greely.  We have provided substantial funding for the Delta Career Advancement Center and more recently, the Delta Community Library.  We provide five scholarships each year to deserving local graduates and award grants to other organizations, school and youth groups.  We also contribute to the Deltana Fair and Project Christmas.  We host events and activities that encourage residents and newcomers alike to work together to help improve the quality of life for everyone in our community.   The Delta Chamber of  Commerce is growing and we are committed to promoting business growth and community development.
Brenda Peterson, Executive Director, Delta Chamber of Commerce

Press Release
From the Alaska State Chamber of Commerce:               
Delta Chamber Named Chamber of the Year
Oct 26, 2004, 09:45

The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce named the Delta Chamber of Commerce Alaska’s Chamber of the Year at their 45th annual Convention and Trade Show in Juneau. This honor is bestowed upon an Alaska chamber for consistent community involvement and an excellent business reputation. The Delta Chamber embodies these qualities and is celebrating its centennial of promoting, supporting, and facilitating economic growth and a healthy and diversified business environment.

Delta Junction has experienced tremendous growth in 2004 due to the two major construction projects underway—the re-opening of Ft. Greely as the home of the Ground Based Missile Defense system and the activation of the Teck-Pogo Mine. These two projects and the increase in residential and government construction have brought transient workers and permanent residents in record numbers. To mitigate the impacts the Department of Defense authorized an impact grant to the City of Delta Junction. The Delta Chamber recognized the need for a broad range of activities to bring our diverse populations together. The city supported the Chamber’s request for funding to provide leadership for activities throughout the year to bring together residents and newcomers to enjoy Alaska’s Friendly Frontier town.

The Delta Chamber has grown from 60 members just a few years ago our membership is now at 150. The new large contractors and oil companies have decided an investment in our chamber makes sense. The Chamber has operated the Alaska Highway Visitor Information Center and the Sullivan Roadhouse. They also work with the University of Alaska Cooperative Extension to coordinate volunteers who plant gardens each year.

Notable projects for the year include everything from getting the Highway’s End Farmers’ Market off the ground to participating in the Canadian spearheaded Legacy Tour to spur improvements along the Alaska Highway and achieve a more integrated marketing program to benefit both Alaska and Canadian communities along the highway. The Chamber provided funding for the Delta Career Advancement Center, to provide a Construction Trades program. The Delta Chamber joined others along the Richardson Highway to support the Richardson Highway as a federal scenic byway. Finally, the Delta Chamber joined others to work successfully to prevent gaming bills that jeopardized chamber operations around the state.

The Alaska State Chamber of Commerce commends the Delta Chamber for making a concerted effort to address issues of importance and plan activities that bring our community together to achieve an improved quality of life for all. These hallmarks of the Delta Chamber of Commerce earned them the honor of being 2004’s Alaska Chamber of the Year.