After an intensive self-evaluation process, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce received the five-star accreditation designation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for the second time. The Chamber received accreditation in1989, and has been five star accredited since 2013.  
 
According to Moore Hallmark, the executive director of the southeast region for the United States Chamber of Commerce, with over 7,000 Chambers in the Unites States, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber is one of 211 chambers in country to receive accreditation, and one of only 125 chambers to receive the prestigious honor and distinction of five star accreditation, ranking YOUR Chamber among top 1% in the nation.
 
For a chamber to achieve a 5-star accreditation, nine areas of work must be thoroughly reviewed and completed by a dedicated, professional staff and volunteer leadership that are willing to put in the work to complete the rigorous evaluations in each area. The Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce surpassed the minimum requirements for all nine measures of organizational excellence.
 
“This is exactly the type of excellence that our Valdosta Lowndes Chamber exemplifies,” said Sally Sutton, chamber member and ambassador.  “I personally know how dedicated the Chamber staff and Board are. They are always there to help our business community grow and become better. That’s why I am proud that this is MY Chamber.”
 
After accepting the award on behalf the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber leadership, board, staff, and members, Lee McArthur, Chairman of the Chamber Board, said, “YOUR Chamber knows that this five star community deserves a five star Chamber, and we went to work to achieve just that. This is MY Chamber!”
 
The accreditation process is a volunteer program that signifies the high quality of expertise from your chamber and volunteer leadership and should be used as an effective management tool to allow Chamber leadership see where it was in the past, where it is today, and where it is headed into the future to continue to fulfill the needs of the community. According to the United States Chamber of Commerce, accreditation is the only program of its kind to recognize chambers for outstanding contributions and positive change in their communities. The program provides an objective measure of how effective a chamber is compared with others across the U.S., and is designed to cultivate a pro-business environment across America.