Lakeland Business Guide 2019 Chamber Guide_2019 | Page 56

B
usiness owners and
professionals have found
value in the connections they
make while developing their
careers. Whether it be through programs,
collaborations, or networking events, the
Chamber provides numerous avenues for
professionals to connect and benefit from
such meaningful networks. However, the
Lakeland Chamber of Commerce consists of
a wide demographic. With over 1,400 people
a part of it, the Chamber serves anyone from
professionals straight out of college to those
who have been business owners for 30 years.
This is a wide demographic to reach with
varying needs to consider.
“The Lakeland Chamber of Commerce
does so much good for businesses in
Lakeland,” says Taher Hamid, technology
consultant for Alltek Services and EMERGE
marketing committee co-chair. “There’s just
such a wide demographic of people [the
Chamber has] to serve that they decided
EMERGE would be a great niche part of
their organization where we can focus on
these young professionals.”
In 2003, the Lakeland Chamber began to
hear about how other Chambers around the
EMERGE Lakeland holds multiple events to provide networking opportunities for young professionals. The
EMERGE Soiree (pictured) is an elegant evening that also includes an award presentation to celebrate all of the
achievements EMERGE has accomplished throughout the year.
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