Chamber awarded a five-star accreditation for the second time by the U.S. Chamber
We are pleased to announce that after a comprehensive review, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded us with five-star accreditation for the second time. The chamber originally received the five-star rating on its first try in 2011.
Only 31 of the 338 chambers in Texas are accredited, and, of those, only 12 have achieved the prestigious five-star rating. In the United States as a whole, only one percent of chambers receives the five-star rating.
Accreditation validates a chamber as having programs that benefit their local economy and for positively influencing action in their community.
This past year, the staff, board, and volunteers of the Richardson Chamber have spent countless hours completing the accreditation application. The result of all this hard-work is evidenced by this highest rating. Much thanks goes to the volunteers and board members who committed their time to aid in this process.
Receiving this five-star accreditation shows how well planned, executed and effective the programs, governance and finances of the Richardson Chamber are when judged by the best in our industry. This recognition by the U.S. Chamber shows the commitment and vision of our Board of Directors, committees, membership, staff and community.
This national program recognizes chambers for their effective organizational procedures and community involvement and encourages chambers to renew, improve, and promote sound business practices, policies, and procedures.
Local chambers are rated accredited, three stars, four stars, or five stars. This extensive application can take six to 9 months to complete. Chambers must re-apply to the U.S. Chamber every five years to maintain accreditation. The final determination is made by the Accrediting Board, a committee of U.S. Chamber board members and chamber executives from across the country.
The highest accreditation standard continues the tradition of excellence in the chamber, as the Richardson Economic Development Partnership (REDP) received its Accredited Economic Development Organization (AEDO) by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) in 2013. Richardson is the first entity in the Dallas/Fort Worth area to earn this accreditation, and stands apart as the only community in Texas - and only the second nationally - to have achieved dual honors through AEDO accreditation and the five-star accreditation earned by the Richardson Chamber of Commerce.
