Darden addresses Chamber of Commerce

“What keeps you awake at night?”  Risks, for company owners, may be high on the list, guest speaker Chester Darden told the Hohenwald Lewis County Chamber of Commerce last week.

Members of the local chamber met at the Tennessee Technology Center Hohenwald Tuesday, January 19, 2010 for its bi-monthly meeting.  Darden, a former Hohenwald resident and City of Hohenwald recorder, now works as a consultant with the Tennessee Municipal League.  He delivered a motivational speech  on what some perceive as the biggest risks facing organizations.

Chamber President and current City of Hohenwald Recorder Mark Graves welcomed Darden.

In the words of Warren Buffet, Darden said, “Risk is a result of not knowing what your organization is doing.”  This remark was followed closely with “You are the biggest risk” in your organization, he said, adding the adoption of personal accountability is an effective tool in improving a company.

Using a TCB logo, identified as an album cover from the late King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley’s Taking Care of Business, Darden challenged the group to consider a new outlook on the letters, TCB:  Trust, Change and Better.

People must trust you to want to do business with you, Darden said.  Trust is very important.  “Don’t forget who pays the bills,” Darden said, “The customers.”

Change is hard, he continued.  But we live in a changing society and “your business must be ready to change,” he commented.  “Who is against change?” Darden asked.  The people who do not benefit, he answered.  A common mis-conception in thinking is that change means failure.

For a business to change can be a positive move, he indicated.  Business must always move forward to become better.  “We must always want to get better; to make our organization better,” Darden explained.

Sharing famous quotes, Darden told the group, “You cannot build a reputation on something you intended to do.”

Darden challenged his former colleagues and some childhood friends to better themselves in order to better the community and their businesses.

Hohenwald Lewis County Chamber proposes changes to the Bylaws

President Graves informed the chamber membership of proposed amendments to the bylaws of the organization.  The bylaws change must be presented to a meeting of the membership one month prior to a vote for a change to take place.

Changes proposed include establishing the manner in which officers and board of directors will be chosen.  In recent past years, the incoming president of the Board of Directors has hand picked members of the board, due to a lack of clarification in the bylaws.

Proposed is to request members of the Chamber at large to submit names of those interested in serving on the Board.  After names have been submitted, a ballot would be mailed to each member business on which a vote for up to nine names could be marked.  Once the Board of Directors was elected by the membership, the Board would, in its next monthly meeting, elect officers.  The president-elect would automatically become president each year.

Another proposed change is a clarification in the verbage concerning ex-officio members.  The most recent copy of the bylaws in the possession of the Board of Directors appears to list all officers as ex-officio members.  Directors hope to amend this article, as needed.

The Board of Directors’ next meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. February 9, 2010 and is open to members of the Chamber of Commerce.  The Board meets at the Chamber office at 106 North Court Street.