Chamber Celebrates 150 Years in 2020
As you look around Lincoln, our growth can be seen everywhere. We’ve come a long way from the small village we were founded on, and thanks to our committed businesses and community members, Lincoln continues to thrive with abundant opportunities and development.
While times have certainly changed since the Lincoln Chamber came into existence in 1870 as the Lincoln Board of Trade, tasked with bringing railroad service to our young city, the mission of our organization to promote the commercial development of Lincoln has not changed in 150 years.
We’ve enjoyed our nearly 150 years as an organization serving Lincoln, and in 2020 we’ll officially hit the big 1-5-0 and celebrate our sesquicentennial with a few special events throughout the year.
We will kick off our celebration at our Annual Lunch on Wednesday, February 5 at the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Annual Lunch highlights the accomplishments of our organization and city in the past year and features a nationally known keynote speaker.
It is my pleasure to announce that our keynote speaker will be Margaret Hoover, a popular television host, political strategist, and commentator who has appeared in numerous television programs, written publications and other media. She is currently the host of the PBS talk show Firing Line with Margaret Hoover and a regular contributor to CNN.
With an election year approaching in 2020, it will be interesting to hear what Margaret has to say about the current political climate and how programs like Firing Line fit into the current media landscape.
This event sells out quickly, so early registration is encouraged – sign up today! With additional anniversary surprises in the works, you won’t want to miss out on February 5. It will be a chance to celebrate while looking ahead to the future.
The Lincoln Chamber has taken on many different forms over the years, starting as the Lincoln Board of Trade, the Lincoln Commercial Club, Union Commercial Club and others before becoming the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce in 1920. Although the names have changed over the years, the job of promoting Lincoln’s continued commercial development has been a consistent, driving force in Lincoln’s economic vitality and measured growth across many areas.
The work we do is made possible by the people of Lincoln, who work hard and cultivate a quality of life desired by many across the country. As a result, numerous opportunities exist for Lincoln businesses. It is truly remarkable to reflect on the story of our city, which began with the common goal of building upon previous successes to increase the visibility of Lincoln.
I want to personally thank each one of the Chamber’s 1,700+ members for their continued support throughout the years. 2019 was filled with growth and prosperity and 2020 will be no different, as we not only mark an important milestone for the Lincoln Chamber, but also for our members and their businesses.
Thank you for your commitment to the Chamber and to Lincoln as we set out on the next 150 years.
The Chamber’s mission is to improve the lives of Lincoln residents by providing increased economic opportunity and can only be accomplished together. For more information on the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, (www.lcoc.com) please contact Jaime Henning at jaimehenning@lcoc.com.